Top 100 Favorite Films: 2017 Edition
A few years ago, I was asked by a friend to rank my Top Five Favorite Films. It was so daunting to limit my list to only five titles that […]
Tag Archives: The Shining
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 […]
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 […]
Phil Joanou on “The Veil”
The career of filmmaker Phil Joanou would make for a great film in its own right. He has directed some of U2’s most beloved music videos. He was Michael Apted’s […]
Persona Non Grata: The Persona of 3 Women on Mulholland Drive
I wrote the following essay back in college and later presented it at the University of Notre Dame’s Midwest Undergraduate Film Conference. It was written for Dan Rybicky’s class on […]
“Boyhood”: The Art of Winging It
Perched on the cusp of manhood, Mason (Ellar Coltrane) looks back on the narrative of his life and finds nothing but loose ends. “What’s the point?” he asks his father […]
Why “The Birds” is a Film for Our Time
There’s a reason why great works of art are built to last. They tap into universal themes that can be applied to any generation, any culture, any personal life experience. […]
Top 100 Favorite Films
I was recently asked by a friend to rank my Top Five Favorite Films. It was so daunting to limit my list to only five titles that I decided to […]
“The Snowman and the Snowdog” Captures Magic of Original
Whenever I’m asked about what films I consider to be the best ever made, the titles that pop into my head are a smorgasbord of revered classics (“Citizen Kane,” “It’s […]
Haunted “Room 237” is Worth a Return Visit
There’s no question Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining” was one of the seminal moviegoing experiences of my life. I saw it at a young age with my beloved Uncle Chuck in […]
