Joe Bell

Review: Mark Wahlberg Makes for Odd Casting in Joe Bell, Based on a True Story of a Father Seeking Connection

Despite featuring some really strong acting work from pretty much everyone involved, the latest film from Monsters and Men director Reinaldo Marcus Green (who also has King Richard coming out […]

Steve Prokopy /
Mandibles

Review: Creepy, Funny and Quirky, Mandibles Is Quintessential Quentin Dupieux

Even when I don’t completely enjoy a film by writer/director Quentin Dupieux (Deerskin, Rubber), I’m still hopelessly excited that he’s allowed to make movies at all, since there is certainly […]

Steve Prokopy /
Val

Review: Val Chronicles Val Kilmer’s Career, Family Life and Infamous Bad Boy Reputation

So the story goes that for pretty much the entirety of his adult life, actor Val Kilmer owned various film and video-recording devices that he used to document every film […]

Steve Prokopy /
Snake Eyes

Review: Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins Is Best as a Martial Arts Actioner that Resists Franchise Tropes

Turns out, remembering next to nothing about the previous G.I. Joe movies (The Rise of Cobra and Retaliation) before walking into Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins, something of a spin-off/prequel […]

Steve Prokopy /
old

Review: A Bizarre Mix of Tones and Styles, Old May Frustrate But Stays Intriguing, Watchable

Based on the graphic novel Sandcastle by Pierre-Oscar Lévy and Frederick Peeters, writer/director M. Night Shyamalan’s Old is a bizarre mix of a thriller, family drama, science fiction, and psychological […]

Steve Prokopy /

On the Road: Get Your Kicks, Land of Lincoln Style–A Route 66 Journey

As everyone knows, Historic Route 66 gets its start at the corner of Adams Street and Michigan Avenue in downtown Chicago and then winds its way through the country to […]

JT Newman /

Review: Observer: System Redux Has Come Full Circle

Observer (sometimes >observer_) has had an interesting journey. Releasing back in 2017 as a follow-up to developer Bloober Team’s acclaimed Layers of Fear, Observer felt like a heavy hitter. It […]

Antal Bokor /

Preview: Live or Dice by the Roll of the Dice in Dice Legacy

There have been a lot of interesting and sometimes groundbreaking genre hybrids through the years. Video game innovation is one of my favorite things, and I love it when developers […]

Antal Bokor /

Preview: Deepest Chamber Is A Dark Fantasy Deckbuilder

Since Slay the Spire set the gold standard for deckbuilding roguelikes, it seems as though the floodgates have opened. Since deckbuilding roguelikes are the current subgenre du jour, I’ve been […]

Antal Bokor /

Your Chicago Curated Weekend: 7/22 and Beyond

Chicago is currently fully reopened and a new normal is now rapidly coming as in-person events are overtaking the digital ones (having both as an option would be cool). However […]

Julian Ramirez /

Her Honor, Jane Byrne and Two Other Chicago Plays Win 2021 Steinberg-ATCA Awards

Chicago playwright J. Nicole Brooks has won the 2021 Harold and Mimi Steinberg / American Theatre Critics Association New Play Award for the play Her Honor, Jane Byrne. The Steinberg/ATCA Award, which carries […]

Nancy S Bishop /

Review: Helluva Start, Modernist Middle and a Very Finnish Finish at Grant Park

Grant Park Music Festival Conductor Carlos Kalmar coyly hinted that the audience should expect the unexpected during his introduction to Jean Sibelius’ Symphony No. 5 in E-Flat Major, Op. 82. […]

Bob Benenson /