The plot of Islands tries its hardest to add doubt to the current conundrum, but it does so in such a soft fashion. Peeks are weaker than pokes and prods every time. Not enough stings about this mystery. A film like this, using such a prime, exotic setting to add awe and infinite scope, should be putting us through our paces and making us sweat.
Read MoreIn Atropia’s type of satire, where war—and all its ugly realities—is being practiced as a performance for misplaced dominance, more than one mouthpiece is needed. Alia Shawkat’s oppositional firebrand is not enough. Callum Turner has to pull his weight.
Read MoreClever comeuppance is not the same as legitimate consequences, and that’s where the stiff reality of real-life outside the dramedy movie crashes the party. Because Signing Tony Raymond hops back and forth between the sordid and the sincere without full potency for one or the other, the cinematic takedown of college football recruitment practices is half-strength, at best.
Read MoreAsking Albert Birney to paint with a little more zip than dread would take away from his distinctiveness. This route will have its cult fans who stoke the fires of commentary comparing today’s anti-social generation with the past one. However, it’s still a course that regrettably shrinks the contagious wonder the premise of this daring jaunt could have generated.
Read MoreFrom dramatizing or even romanticizing whistleblowers and activists to revolutionaries and rebels, these types of “based on actual events” stories have been featured in outstanding films that have stirred up their fair share of civil disobedience and positive social change. While Dead Man’s Wire rips from a nearly half-century-old headline instead of a modern one, this engrossing comeback film for director Gus Van Sant waylays its own inspiring level of personal and public vindication that echoes today.
Read MoreKicking-off their tenth year in style, the Chicago Indie Critics (CIC) have announced the nominees for their 9th annual 2025 Windie Awards. The 38 voting film critic members completed ballots this week to select Windie nominees in 27 categories. The CIC members will commence a final round of voting ending on January 10, 2026. The 2025 Windie Award winners will be announced internally at a private members-only party at Blue Bayou Chicago.
Read MoreLess would have been more, and less was already enough with The Dutchman. The movie never had to leave the train or the topics unleashed there. The originally intended inescapable struggle is demystified the moment it treads away from it. Worse, by leaving and constantly pointing at the fact that the very theatrical setting exists and supposedly still looms large, it negates what made it powerful and great in the first place.
Read MoreThe coming years are changing how players view online gaming. While simple game mechanics, clear scores, and quick payouts are still a priority, many are asking for better immersion and brighter visuals. They are used to impressive cinematic universes, quick movie streaming, and high-budget shows. So, plain iGaming is no longer viable for some.
Read MoreThe world will usher in a New Year this week, which has us thinking on the entertainment side...what the heck is going to happen in 2026! Love is at the epicenter of everything Hollywood, of course, so the oddsmakers at BetOnline.ag have created odds for the likelihood of certain celebrity couples breaking up next year.
Read MoreAhead of New Year’s Eve celebrations, VegasInsider.com has compiled a list of 12 iconic movie/TV moments and calculated when to press play on the 31st of December so that iconic scenes hit exactly as the clock strikes midnight.
Read MoreTo determine which major U.S. cities actually offer the best Christmas experience, the research team at Luxury France Tours analyzed 50 large cities across 23 metrics grouped into six categories: Traditions & Activities, Cost, Community & Charity, Shopping & Gift Options, Comfort & Weather, and Festive Appeal.
Read MoreThe study, conducted by crypto casino Winna, looked into all the property values of homes featured in holiday films. Using IMDb and articles to identify on-location filming sites, property values were estimated from sources like Zoopla, Realtor, Zillow, and Redfin. Homes without sufficient data were excluded, and the properties were ranked by their value.
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