Review: Charlize Theron Goes Extreme in Apex, an Australian Battle of Survival
The opening scene of the new thriller Apex is one of the more memorable I’ve seen in a while. In the span of just a few minutes, we learn a […]
Review: Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel Star as Creative Partners at a Crossroads in David Lowery’s Mother Mary
Depending on where you stand, writer/director/editor David Lowery’s Mother Mary can be seen as a trippy relationship drama, a full-on psychological horror attack, a story about the lengths an artist […]
Review: Going Bacharach at the Apollo Theater—When the Cheese Overpowers the Craft
Burt Bacharach’s music is famously hard to play and all‑too‑easy to cheapen. The show’s excellent Chicago‑based band proves the former with dazzling precision, while the production ladles on the latter […]
Review: In Michael Jackson Biopic, Michael Gets a Highlight Reel, Audiences Get the Greatest Hits, But No One Gets the Full Truth
When it comes to music biopics, I don’t require or expect historical accuracy—leave it to the documentaries to get everything right. What I do expect is to discover something about […]
Review: Pretty Ugly: The Story of the Lunachicks Offers Nostalgia for Fans and Plenty of ’90s Punk History for Everyone
Although the trailblazing New York punk legends Lunachicks weren’t technically the first all-female punk band, their iconic looks and undeniably catchy hard-rock tunes always make me feel like they should […]
Recap: Survivor 50 Episode 8: Double Trouble
Two weeks ago, Survivor 50 introduced the overblown “blood moon” twist, the show’s first-ever triple elimination. While having three vote-outs was new, the format was very familiar. But this week’s […]
Interview: Filmmaker Rod Blackhurst on Slasher Pic Dolly, Casting Max the Impaler and Balancing the Authentic with the Playful
A bloody throwback to the simplistic and grisly pleasures of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Rod Blackhurst’s slasher Dolly is all gas, no breaks. It focuses on a young woman, Macy […]
Review: Carmaggedon: Rogue Shift Narrowly Avoids CarTastrophe
Rogue Shift is the latest entry in the Carmageddon series, and the first non rerelease on consoles/PC since 2014’s ReinCarnation. In this roguelike reimagining of the controversial vehicular combat series, […]
Your Chicago Curated Weekend: 4/23 and Beyond
It’s looking like a fun final April weekend filled with tons of great film festivals, concerts, movies, and theater shows! So don’t let the pleasant weather and great events pass […]
Feature: Rick Steves Recounts His Well-Spent Youth and Genesis of His Love of Travel at Chicago Humanities Event
Rick Steves was in the spotlight this week for the Spring Chicago Humanities Festival. Steves is a travel virtuoso, activist, and humanitarian. He is known for his travel series, seen […]
Interview: Kenny Wayne Shepherd Revisits His Debut Album
Blues rocker Kenny Wayne Shepherd wasn’t always a guitar god. After all, he didn’t start playing until the ripe old age of seven. His debut album, Ledbetter Heights, followed at […]
Review: The Dover Road by Ghostlight Ensemble Tells the Story of a Benefactor With an Odd Happiness Mission
The Dover Road is a vintage play, a comedy of manners with a twist. Ghostlight Ensemble is staging the 1921 A.A. Milne script, directed by Holly Robison, in an interesting […]