MOVIE REVIEW: The Other Half

For better or worse, Nickie and Emily, the two lovers orbiting at the center of "The Other Half," are two volatile human chemicals. Welshman Tom Cullen's Nickie is a sorrowful, combative man with a hair-trigger temper. Tatiana Maslany's Emily is a bipolar sprite with an astounding gap between her highs and her lows. By themselves, each are unstable and damaged. The question for the film becomes what happens when Nickie and Emily are combined. Does their pairing tame their respective caustic qualities or does it multiply the damage? "The Other Half" has the makings of a fascinating relationship piece and off-kilter love story.

MOVIE REVIEW: Ghostbusters

The success of a remake, reboot, or sequel is contingent upon matching the tone of the original work to the best of its ability. If a film gets that tone right, it can be a drastic revision full of changes and updates and still feel respectfully aware and in tune with the previous well-remembered greatness the new film is trying to emulate. I stand by that rationale and now bring that gauge to “Ghostbusters” and the wave of misguided hatred that follows it. I say misguided because the overprotective nostalgia and/or sexist gender complaints are false sources of this film’s problems.

DOCUMENTARY REVIEW: Life, Animated

This website has been moralizing for six years now its central message that "every movie has a lesson." As an educator, it is something that I firmly believe and stand by with every possible film, good or bad. I don't think, in all of my years of movie-going, I have ever seen a more real, living and breathing example of the power and magic of my website's theme than in the compelling and emotional new documentary "Life, Animated." A story like this is why I write. If that message speaks to you, go find "Life, Animated" immediately.

MOVIE REVIEW: Wiener-Dog

Commonly, there are only two general reactions to witnessing an elaborate intentional joke of dark comedy. You either admire the effort to relish the measured malice or you are appalled and disconnected to the sense of humor being exploited. There will be very little gray area between those reactions for Todd Solondz’s “Wiener-Dog.” Make no mistake. For lack of a better term, this is a filmmaker being an asshole on purpose because he can and he doesn’t care. You will either champion or loathe that supposed brilliance and brashness. Buyer beware, honest and true dog lovers need to stay far away from this film.

MOVIE REVIEW: Fathers and Daughters

Cynical critics and audiences will likely pontificate a headline of “Russell Crowe Goes Soft!” after watching his lead work in his new film “Fathers and Daughters” from “Pursuit of Happyness” director Gabriele Muccino. Watching the “Gladiator” Oscar winner play an ardent father of a heavy ensemble drama is a role that does not require the temperamental violence that normally fronts for the inner honor and heart we know resides inside many of the Australian tough guy’s most memorable roles. For once, he lets love do the talking instead of his fists.

MOVIE REVIEW: Hunt for the Wilderpeople

Cinema aficionados will quickly point fingers towards a few familiar comparisons for director Taika Waititi's New Zealand-based festival favorite, "Hunt for the Wilderpeople." The trouble is they will be shoehorning the film into an unshapely and narrow box where many containers are needed. "Hunt for the Wilderpeople" is rich and broad film with a charm and a sprawling ambition that will ping more that a few of your favorite film sensibilities. Broken into ten cheeky episodic chapters and boasting beautiful natural beauty shot by cinematographer Lachlan Milne, you will find a fun experience that may feel familiar, yet is wholly unique.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Dog Lover

It is entirely fair to grant that, out of the many animal breeders in the world, operations exist that are completely on the up-and-up with proper care and humane treatment of animals. No argument there. Not every dog breeder is a cruel and incensed perpetrator of animal slavery any more than not every Muslim is an ISIS terrorist or not every German was a Nazi. Advocating for such a truth is fine and dandy when the message is composed in a fair and balanced way. A film like the “The Dog Lover” is not the way to correct that message.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Secret Life of Pets

What keeps “The Secret Life of Pets” entertaining is the redeeming measure of charisma. Nothing is ever to a "Pixar Punch" level, yet the ever-present plucky pizzazz washes down the occasional preposterous stupidity with the right cooling chaser. You could do far worse for family summer fun at the theater. Now go home and hug that adorable pooch you left home from the movie theater. He or she has been waiting for you.

MOVIE REVIEW: Swiss Army Man

As ambiguous as this sounds, your love or hate of the new film and Sundance favorite, “Swiss Army Man,” will say something about your inner quirkiness, mindset, and, most of all, your heart. Packed with detail and imagination beyond belief, this film defies classification and destroys the hyperbole, pretense, and comparative euphemisms that normally define films about friendship, the genre of buddy movies, and even unconventional screen love stories. Movies that tug our heartstrings with a smile normally kill us with kindness. The polarizing “Swiss Army Man” kills us with weirdness. This film lets its WTF freak flag fly and encourages you to do the same.

VIDEO: Post-film reactions to "The Legend of Tarzan"

The critics of the Chicago Independent Film Critics Circle have heard the call of the jungle! Watch and enjoy the first takes of myself and my fellow CIFCC members including Jon Espino of "The Young Folks," Pamela Powell of The Kankakee Daily Journal and "Reel Honest Reviews," and, but not least, Emmanuel Noisette of "Eman's Movie Reviews" offering their hot-and-bothered impressions on "The Legend of Tarzan." Enjoy!

VIDEO: Post-film reactions to "Free State of Jones"

Last week, myself, another member of the Chicago Independent Film Critics Circle, and a special guest first-timer dished out their thoughts and reactions to "Free State of Jones" starring Matthew McConaughey and directed by Gary Ross. We weighed the historical drama for its strong points and weaknesses.

EDITORIAL: The Best of 2016 (so far)

Many of my personal most-anticipated picks and my crystal ball Oscar prognostications are still coming, but I have been lucky enough to see over 50 film films in the first half of 2016. Since it's only been a half-year, I'll split a year-end "10 Best" list into a Top 5. True to this website's theme, I present you my picks for the "Best of 2016 (so far)" coupled with their best life lesson from my full reviews.

EVERY MOVIE HAS A LESSON

by Don Shanahan

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