Film, Film & TV, Review, Uncategorized

Review: By Over-Simplifying the Narrative, Bombshell Misses Its Mark

Bombshell

In the throes of the 2016 presidential campaign, as a nation geared up to elect a sexual predator, women in entertainment began speaking up and out against the bad actors […]

Lisa Trifone /
Music, Previews, Uncategorized

Preview: White Reaper Will Bring Massive Riffs and Lotsa Love to the Metro

In 2017, White Reaper released an album proclaiming them as “The World’s Best American Band,” which was hilariously tongue in cheek coming from a band that is actually incredibly modest […]

Jim Kopeny / Tankboy /
Classical, Music, Uncategorized

Review: Grossman Ensemble Were Wonderful Friday Night

The Grossman Ensemble opened its second season on Friday night with a delightful program of world premiers conducted by Michael Lewanski at the Logan Center of Performing Arts in Hyde […]

Louis Harris /
Review, Stages, Theater, Uncategorized

Review: 140 LBS Weighs in on a Family’s Body Dysmorphia

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Susan Lieu’s solo show title is 140 LBS: How Beauty Killed My Mother, but it’s more a personal story. Directed by Sara Porkalob, the 75-minute story ran November 14-17 at […]

Karin McKie /
Film, Film & TV, Review, Uncategorized

Review: Charming Feast of the Seven Fishes Isn’t Quite a Classic

Feast of the Seven Fishes

If you’re making an independent film, the chances of it also being a Christmas movie are probably fairly slim. Filmmaking is hard enough as it is; only the truly bold […]

Lisa Trifone /
Game, Games & Tech, Review, Uncategorized

Review: Sparklite Is an Addictive Rogue-Lite with Retro Charm

Sparklite is a top-down, action adventure game developed by RedBlue Games and published by Merge Games. Set in the constantly changing world of Geodia, you play as Ada, a young mechanic […]

James Brod /
Lit, Reviews, Uncategorized

Book Review—In the Neighborhood of…—The Chicago Neighborhood Guidebook

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The Chicago Neighborhood Guidebook Edited by Martha Bayne Belt Publishing Chicago’s neighborhoods are one of its most distinct yet indefinable elements. Despite what those ubiquitous neighborhood maps in every other […]

Dan Kelly /
Film, Film & TV, Review, Uncategorized

Review: A Sharp, Smart Commentary in One Very Surprising Parasite

Parasite

Here’s something I probably shouldn’t do: suggest you seek out some of the really great film writing on Bong Joon-Ho’s newest film, Parasite, elsewhere on the internet. There’s a lot […]

Lisa Trifone /
Classical, Music, Uncategorized

Review: Kirill Gerstein Opens Symphony Center’s Beethoven Sonata Celebration

In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the birth of Ludwig van Beethoven in the 2019-2020 season, Symphony Center Presents is bringing in leading performers to play all 32 of […]

Louis Harris /
Uncategorized

Preview: Third Coast Percussion to Kick off CCCC’s Second Season This Saturday

Following last year’s successful inaugural season, the Chicago Center for Contemporary Composition begins its second season this Saturday evening with Grammy Award winning Third Coast Percussion performing new classical music […]

Louis Harris /
Classical, Music, Reviews, Uncategorized

Review: Robert Chen and Matthew Hagle Wowed on Sunday

Violinist Robert Chen and pianist Matthew Hagle kicked off the Music Institute of Chicago’s 2019-2020 concert season on Sunday afternoon with a delightful performance of music from the 18th and […]

Louis Harris /
Game, Games & Tech, Review, Uncategorized

Review: Gears 5 is a High Point for the Series

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Gears of War is a series famous for its roided-out protagonists, and infamous for its extreme violence. Gears 5 is definitely a high for the series, with an expansive campaign, […]

James Brod /