Posts in 2024
MOVIE REVIEW: The Greatest Hits

Merging this kind of existential melodrama with the outlandish happenstance of time travel requires characters audiences will care about beyond pragmatics and a lush production that can sprinkle magic on the grains of salt required. With the three charismatic and emerging talents present, the human appeal is covered in The Greatest Hits.

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MOVIE REVIEW: In the Land of Saints and Sinners

In the Land of Saints and Sinners earns a fair victory by slowing down and softening Liam Neeson from his signature gear of constant action ferocity. Even while playing a contract killer with imposing intimidation in his back pocket, the soon-to-be 72-year-old was granted a warmer character who exudes thoughtful wisdom first and brutality second. Clearly, the chance to give a little more of his best back to audiences on his home turf was irresistible and appreciated by Neeson.

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MOVIE REVIEW: The Listener

Directing his fifth feature length film, Steve Buscemi had us at Tessa Thompson. That’s an immediate victory. Go ahead and close your eyes. Picture Tessa and hear her voice. If you’re hearing her approachable tone and timbre in softer roles like Passing or Sylvie’s Love before her heroic bellows in the Thor and Creed franchises, you’re the right kind of cinephile and have dialed in to the proper Tessa Thompson.

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MEDIA APPEARANCE: Guest on the "Let's Talk About Flix" podcast chatting about "The Way Way Back"

Through small world happenstance, I’ve come to know hosts Mike Osborn and Curtis Menke of the irreverent and laugh-filled podcast “Let’s Talk About Flix.” They are appointment weekly laughs for me and pod I support on Patreon. Mike and Curtis have become two full members of the Chicago Indie Critics group that I co-direct. I was honored to be asked on as the return guest during their “Patreon Picks” month. For that guest’s choice theme, I brought them 2013’s The Way Way Back. Enjoy our chat! Follow their show on podcast platforms and YouTube!

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MOVIE REVIEW: Riddle of Fire

Riddle of Fire introduces audiences to the fictional town of Ribbon, Wyoming. As the camera stays wide to soak in the idyllic Utah vistas, captions styled in a Tolkien-esque font speak of faery castles, swords, knights, squires, and kindred spirits. Those thematically chosen words and the mystical synth musical score by Hole Dweller enunciate that we’re in for a sinuous fairy tale of a wholly different sort because of who, thanks to the W. C. Fields quote, is presented as the heroes of this fable.

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MOVIE REVIEW: Free Time

For better or worse, Free Time operates like an audience tolerance test on the topic of the Millennial lifestyle. Little events and narrative turns occur that viewers will either identify with to a certain degree or downright disdain. The examinee for this inquest is Drew, played by emerging writer/actor Drew Burgess (who also headlines the indie Dad & Step-Dad this month), and the first exercise of this filmic inquest occurs in the opening five minutes of Free Time.

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Royalty Free Music: The Path to Creative Freedom

In the contemporary world of content creation, where sound plays a pivotal role in capturing audience attention, having access to quality music is crucial. However, for many creative projects, especially for small businesses and independent content creators, grappling with licensing fees can be a limiting factor. In this context, the concept of music without licensing fees is gaining traction, opening up new opportunities for creative expression and business development.

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MOVIE REVIEW: Sleeping Dogs

Sleeping Dogs is one of those murder mystery thrillers where motive construction and character placement is the whole kit and caboodle. Simply put, it’s one of those movies where every main and supporting character– and I mean everyone– looks guilty the majority of the time they are seen on-screen. To its credit, there’s a heightened mood created when there is such a deep pool of potential threats. 

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