Review: Nicolas Cage Stars in Thinly Written, Slightly Charming Western The Old Way
Admittedly, I’m a sucker for a Western, even if it’s a half-assed attempt at one using all the tropes that the genre has at its disposal. But at some point, […]
Steve Prokopy is chief film critic for the Chicago-based arts outlet Third Coast Review. For nearly 20 years, he was the Chicago editor for Ain’t It Cool News, where he contributed film reviews and filmmaker/actor interviews under the name “Capone.” Currently, he’s a frequent contributor at /Film (SlashFilm.com) and Backstory Magazine. He is also the public relations director for Chicago's independently owned Music Box Theatre, and holds the position of Vice President for the Chicago Film Critics Association. In addition, he is a programmer for the Chicago Critics Film Festival, which has been one of the city's most anticipated festivals since 2013.
Review: Though Hanks’ Best Performance in a Down Year for the Actor, A Man Called Otto Still Feels Phoned In
On paper, this film actually makes sense, even if it might not work out in the end. Actor Tom Hanks and his wife, actor/musician Rita Wilson, were watching the 2015, […]
Review: Robot-Doll Thriller M3GAN is Also Surprisingly Smart and Funny
The only big gripe I have about the new evil-robot thriller M3GAN is that there isn’t a single second of this movie where we don’t know that at some point […]
Review: Women Talking Offers an Essential, Often Surprising Perspective on Gender and Power in Any Society
Shot by cinematographer Luc Montpellier in muted tones that almost make the film look like it was shot in black-and-white and then tinted to match the mood of each moment, […]
2022 in Review: Best Narrative Films of the Year
It’s the last Friday of the year, so it’s time to reveal my Best of the Year list. As always, I was able to squeeze in about 10-12 additional films […]
2022 in Review: Best Documentary Films of the Year
As I am prone to do every year, I separate documentaries into their own Best of the Year list, not because I feel they should be judged any differently than […]
Review: Olivia Colman Does Her Best to Add Heart, Meaning to a Featherweight Joyride
The simple fact is that I likely wouldn’t be reviewing Joyride were it not for the presence of Olivia Colman as Joy, an attorney who is preparing to journey across […]
Review: Despite an Impressive, Devastating Central Performance, I Wanna Dance With Somebody Remains Frustratingly Shallow
Sometimes with a music biopic, it’s the music that carries the day when the story seems painfully familiar. So why do most music biopics feel like they follow the same […]
Review: In Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale, Brendan Fraser Delivers a Career-Best Performance of Transformation and Grace
A difficult watch at times (but not for the reasons many are saying), director Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale (based on the acclaimed play by Samuel D. Hunter, who also wrote […]
Review: Wildcat is a Journey of Healing for Both the Rescued Animals and the Veteran Caring for Them
In one of the most emotionally fueled documentaries you’re likely to see this year, Wildcat tracks the story of Harry Turner, a young British veteran of the war in Afghanistan […]
Review: Animated Sequel Puss In Boots: The Last Wish Offers Great Voice Acting, Vibrant Animation and a Heartfelt Story
I have a very clear memory of watching 2004’s Shrek 2, seeing (and hearing) the new character of Puss in Boots for the first time, and thinking “Well, that’s my […]
Review: A Story of Love and Loss, The Almond and The Seahorse Plays More Like a Subpar Movie of the Week
Based on the play of the same name by Kaite O’Reilly (who also co-wrote the screenplay with co-director and co-star Celyn Jones), The Almond and the Seahorse is about as […]