Out of Time: The Brilliant Soundtrack of Hal Ashby’s “Coming Home”
On May 7th of last year, I was fortunate enough to catch Amy Scott’s splendid documentary, “Hal,” at the Chicago Critics Film Festival. I had already been a fan of […]
Tag Archives: Cannes Film Festival
CIFF 2018: Alfonso Cuarón’s “Roma” and Six More Highlights
Today marks the end of the 54th Chicago International Film Festival, and I feel as if it’s only begun. My crazier-than-usual schedule combined with a lack of pre-festival press screenings […]
Masterful 1990 German Film “The Nasty Girl” is Frighteningly Timely
“Such a nasty woman…”—Donald Trump, interrupting Hillary Clinton during their final presidential debate I must’ve been four or five when I viewed a trailer on a rented VHS tape that […]
Maria Dragus on “Graduation” and “The White Ribbon”
When Cristian Mungiu wrote the script for his Cannes prize-winner, “Graduation,” he had only one person in mind for the film. It was Maria Dragus, an actress he had first […]
Peyton Kennedy on “American Fable,” “XX” and “Odd Squad”
Millie Bobby Brown in “Stranger Things.” Angourie Rice in “The Nice Guys.” Ella Ballentine in “The Monster.” Dafne Keen in “Logan.” All excellent examples of performances by young women who […]
Of Films and Flatulence: “The BFG” and “Swiss Army Man”
It’s easy for one to regard fart jokes as the lowest form of humor known to man. I have little doubt that the first laugh ever elicited in human history […]
László Nemes and Géza Röhrig on “Son of Saul”
One of the most powerful moments at last year’s Cannes Film Festival took place during the press conference for Hungarian director László Nemes’s astonishing feature debut, “Son of Saul.” It’s […]
Top 20 Films of 2015: Part II
To demonstrate just how spectacular a year it has been for film, this Top 10 list is followed by three “special honorable mentions,” which should be considered a tie for […]
Martin Stirling on “Most Shocking Second a Day Video”
With digital sound and fury continuously vying for our attention on a daily basis, flashy spectacle can no longer guarantee our engagement. Our hearts must be engaged as well in […]
Birdmen of Tinseltown
A fateful encounter occurs at the Chateau Marmont in David Cronenberg’s perversely entertaining Hollywood satire, “Maps to the Stars.” Grotesquely desperate actress Havana Segrand (Julianne Moore) crosses paths with a […]
