Top 20 Films of 2025
Let’s face it, 2025 was a cataclysmically awful year—certainly the worst in our nation’s history that I’ve been alive to witness. Since free expression is a clear threat to authoritarianism, […]
Tag Archives: Laura Dern
John Neff on “The Straight Story,” “Mulholland Dr.” and “Inland Empire”
A day prior to seeing the new 4K restoration of 2006’s surrealist epic “Inland Empire” at the Music Box Theatre’s “David Lynch: A Complete Retrospective—The Return,” programmed by Daniel Knox, […]
David Lynch: A Complete Retrospective—The Return, A Photo Journal
The films of David Lynch have always had a special place in my heart. At age 13, I saw my very first Lynch picture, “The Straight Story,” a movie my […]
Indie Outlook Picks the 2019 Nominees
With the unveiling of Oscar nominations just weeks away, I am offering my annual picks for what I would like to see nominated in each major category. There were so […]
Top 20 Films of 2019: Part II
Though my love of cinema still dwarfs my appetite for television, the increasing timidity of Hollywood studios combined with the creative risks undertaken by streaming platforms has caused 2019 to […]
Rob Christopher on “Roy’s World: Barry Gifford’s Chicago”
“Come on, Roy, let’s get out of here,” said his mother. The taxi was still waiting with the motor running and they got in. The driver put it into gear […]
Top 20 Films of 2018: Part II
There’s a certain magic that occurs when a film so thoroughly fulfills your long-held wishes that it seems as if the director had made it especially for you. Some films […]
That Moment When You Realize You Are Agent Cooper
“I believe that these mysteries are not separate entities but are, in fact, complementary verses of the same song. Now I cannot hear it yet, but I can feel it, […]
Indie Outlook Picks the 2017 Nominees
2017 has been an extraordinary year for cinema, and as per tradition, I am providing my list of the nominees I would like to see included in various awards season […]
Top 10 Moments in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi”
Immediately after I saw Rian Johnson’s “Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi” at a press screening last week, I knew that I had to see it again before fully […]
Indie Outlook 