What to Watch on the Small Screen: October 2018
October brings a host of new movies and film festivals to Chicago. If you don’t have the time to catch any of those, however, you can still experience the pleasures […]
Review: Rodents of Unusual Size Is Part Cautionary Tale, Part Folksy Yarn
Welcome to a nature documentary that may test the limits for even the most devoted animal lover. It may not be exactly accurate to call Rodents of Unusual Size a […]
Review: As Bizarre As It Is Thrilling, Let the Corpses Tan Is a Must-See for Horror Fans
I’m convinced there’s something in the Belgian water supply that makes its filmmakers see and think a bit differently than the rest of us. Too often lumped in with their […]
Review: Endlessly Entertaining, Make Time for Tea with the Dames
I’m sure I will see better, more elaborately structured and edited documentaries this year than director Roger Michell’s (Notting Hill, My Cousin Rachel) Tea with the Dames, but I doubt […]
Review: Music, Booze and a Big Heart in Story of Blaze
The life of Texas singer/songwriter Blaze Foley isn’t that complicated, but he left behind a stash of largely unknown songs that were discovered and heralded by certain outlaw country heroes, […]
Review: Surprisingly Layered, Musical Smallfoot Is Still Forgettable
In a completely unexpected turn in the animation world, the latest work from Karey Kirkpatrick (Over the Hedge, and a credited screenwriter on Chicken Run) and co-director Jason Reisig seems […]
Review: How Puppies Become Guide Dogs In Wonderfully Warm-Hearted Pick Of The Litter
If the woes of the world have you feeling down, I suggest sneaking away for an hour and a half this weekend to treat yourself to Pick of the Litter, easily […]
Review: Lush Period Piece Colette Glosses Over Early French Feminist’s True Impact
Keira Knightly has made something of a name for herself in period pieces, from Lizzie Bennett in Joe Wright’s 2005 adaptation of Pride & Prejudice, to one half of the […]
Review: 3100: Run and Become Intrigues More Than It Inspires
It’s easy to be impressed by someone who completes, or even runs, a traditional marathon. Now try to imagine running one that is 3,100 miles long and takes more than […]
Review: Actress Judy Greer Disappoints in Directorial Debut, A Happening of Monumental Proportions
The title of this film betrays its true nature, but the fact that A Happening of Monumental Proportions marks the directing debut of actress Judy Greer is something to celebrate. […]
Review: A Comedian Gone Too Soon Remembered Fondly in Love, Gilda
Love, Gilda, a documentary about the life and way-too-early death of “Saturday Night Live” cast member Gilda Radner, is almost too easy a subject to make a film about. Naturally, anyone with an […]
Review: Life Itself Lacks Any Signs of Actual Human Life, or Heart
If you’ve been paying any kind of attention to advance reviews on this film, then you know that it’s one of the worst-reviewed movies of 2018—and deservedly so. Writer/director Dan […]