Top 20 Films of 2016: Part I
As we close the book on 2016, a year many of us would rather forget, it’s worth reflecting on the parts of it that are worth savoring—namely, the movies. This […]
Tag Archives: Psycho
CCFF 2016: Six Films to Remember
The fourth installment of the Chicago Critics Film Festival wrapped yesterday at the Music Box Theatre, and I couldn’t be prouder of my colleagues who made this passion project a […]
Deniz Gamze Ergüven on “Mustang”
Watching Deniz Gamze Ergüven’s feature directorial debut, “Mustang,” at last year’s Chicago International Film Festival was the sort of experience moviegoers yearn to have every time they step foot in […]
CIFF 2015: Eight Films to Remember
Jury duty is a term that has aggravated random citizens and demolished carefully coordinated schedules for generations. Yet in the case of my experience on the New Directors jury at […]
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 […]
To Infinity and Beyond: Top Ten Pixar Movies
Perhaps only John Lasseter could’ve transformed an ordinary table lamp into the next Mickey Mouse. In his Oscar-nominated 1986 short, “Luxo Jr.”, Lasseter ingeniously brought a lamp to life by […]
Indie Flashback: One Hour Photo
If any film was ever built for the 1.33:1 aspect ratio, it is music video director Mark Romanek’s deeply unsettling 2002 feature debut, “One Hour Photo.” I hadn’t seen the […]
Wandering in the Wilderness: Christian Indies of 2014
At its highest level, cinema can serve as a religious experience. It can strengthen our spiritual connection to the world around us while bringing us closer to life’s mysteries, illuminating […]
Herrmann & Hitchcock: Symphony of Suspense
Few collaborations between artists have ever led to as indelible an array of art as the partnership of Alfred Hitchcock and Bernard Herrmann. Of course, both men’s careers are legendary […]
The Living Dead
“Scottie, do you believe that someone out of the past—someone dead—can enter and take possession of a living being?”—Gavin Elster (Tom Helmore) in “Vertigo” This ominous query forms the basis […]
