CIFF 2015 Preview: “Anomalisa,” “James White” and Six More
There comes a point when a film festival turns from a casual diversion and into an obsession. That happened to me last year during the Chicago International Film Festival, when […]
Tag Archives: HBO
Stephen Cone, Cole Doman, Nina Ganet, Pat Healy and Elizabeth Laidlaw on “Henry Gamble’s Birthday Party”
“Henry Gamble’s Birthday Party,” the seventh feature from director Stephen Cone, is a masterpiece of nuance. It assembles a large cast of characters, observes their behavior as they interact during […]
High on “Inherent Vice”
I frankly didn’t know what to make of Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Inherent Vice” the first time I saw it. I hadn’t read the Thomas Pynchon novel upon which it was […]
Top Twenty Films of 2014: Part II
Drum roll, please! Below are Indie Outlook’s picks for the Top 10 Films of 2014 (click here to view #11-20). Make sure to scroll all the way down for a […]
“Into the Woods”: Stage Versus Screen
When writing about Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s “Into the Woods,” there’s no need to beat around the bush. It’s my favorite musical of all time. I first discovered the […]
Joe Swanberg on “All the Light in the Sky”
With the release of his 15th feature, the star-studded romantic comedy, “Drinking Buddies,” this past summer, it’s clear that the Windy City’s micro-budget auteur, Joe Swanberg, has succeeded in working […]
Indie Double Bill: “Short Term 12” and “Monsieur Lazhar”
Some movies are made to come in first at the box office or win overhyped accolades. Others are made because the filmmakers had to make them, not because of a […]
Joe Swanberg Preserves Style on Bigger Budget in “Drinking Buddies”
I’m always perplexed by critics who complain that nothing happens in Joe Swanberg’s films, as if a more straightforward plot structure would serve as an improvement. Swanberg’s films don’t have […]
23 Films to See in 2013
Though 2013 has barely begun, a slew of hotly anticipated titles have already materialized on the calendar, including a handful destined to generate Oscar buzz prior to next year’s ceremony. […]
Indie Essentials: Laura Dern
When it comes to polarizing audiences, Laura Dern is absolutely fearless. She has no qualms with picking roles that refuse to fit within a studio’s rigid standards of accessibility. She […]
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