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 […]
Tag Archives: Netflix
Top 20 Films of 2018: Part I
For dutiful film critics preparing to mark their ballots, the final months of the year are nothing less than a cinematic avalanche. Studios do everything in their power to entice […]
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 […]
A Decade of Lady Gaga: Ten Unforgettable Performances
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, a.k.a. Lady Gaga, was born just six days after me on March 28th, 1986. Over the past decade, I’ve looked to her as one of the […]
Elisha Christian on “Columbus” and “Everything Sucks!”
Out of all the performances I saw in 2017, my very favorite was delivered by Haley Lu Richardson in “Columbus,” the brilliant directorial debut of ace video essayist Kogonada. As […]
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, […]
Elizabeth Wood on “White Girl”
Nothing about the cinema of Elizabeth Wood could in any way be defined as timid. I’ll never forget the experience of seeing her solo feature debut, “White Girl,” at Chicago’s […]
Peyton’s Place: Why Netflix’s “Everything Sucks!” is a Must-See
When you’re a teenager in the public school system, there are few things harder to be than yourself. Adolescence is such a volatile period of insecurity that kids often create […]
Top 20 Films of 2017: Part I
Over the past 11 years I’ve spent on the movie beat in Chicago, there have never been as many contenders for my annual “best of” list as there are in […]
CIFF 2017: Jakob Lass on “Tiger Girl”
The cinema of German filmmaker Jakob Lass is characterized by an intoxicating energy. His camera and characters are always on the move, involving us in their adventures with such playfulness […]
Indie Outlook 