Normally, one confidential love affair is all a movie needs to emphasize and feature to get that desired effect. Based on Shannon Pufahl’s 2019 page-turner, On Swift Horses dangles as many as four. While promiscuity or parallel threads do not have to be frowned upon from a movie standpoint, four dangling possibilities prove too many for veteran television director Daniel Minahan stepping up to feature films.
Read MoreAs a short film, Death is Business dips its toe into the seedy underworld of murder-for-hire. For the specific and highly coordinated type of crime being committed on screen, the toe being dipped isn’t coming out explicitly bloody. It may even look stylishly clean, but make no mistake, there is an unchecked dirtiness clinging to the extremities. With an intellectual meticulousness matching its felonious acts, Dirty Business puts diabolic impetuses under an intriguing microscope.
Read MoreAs I have grown in press credentials and professional affiliations nationally, I have found myself landing in circles with other film critics of various levels. Recently, I was included in a poll for voting critics for Jordan Ruimy of World of Reel, a fellow Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic. His survey was to collect picks for the best films of the 1950s from over 120 critics and other industry folk.
Read MoreMike Osborn and Curtis Menke of the irreverent and laugh-filled podcast “Let’s Talk About Flix are weekly appointment 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. For the second year in a row, 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 2018’s The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then The Bigfoot starring Sam Elliot. Enjoy our chat! Follow their show on podcast platforms and YouTube!
Read MoreAudrey’s Children chisels an important story into an extremely well-meaning film. Not all life-saving feats are glamorous and marked with crowds and cheers. Sometimes, all they are is a stabilized vital signs, hopeful test results to live longer, or a family that walks out the door of a hospital intact instead of grieving a loss. To enjoy and appreciate this film is to watch an uncompromising woman taking risks to put in the diligent work to make a difference for, once again, “her kids.”
Read MoreMany would say, going by that selection of talent thrust together in this predominantly single-setting premise, the stars were aligned for a peppy crime comedy in Riff Raff. The potential combinations offer interesting mixes of presences and styles. It’s too bad because the script and the director cannot align characters and tones with any semblance of congruency. Simply put, everyone is in a different movie from their scene partners.
Read MoreCelebrating their ninth year, the Chicago Indie Critics have announced the nominees for their Windie Awards. The 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 12, 2024. The 2024 Windie winners will be announced on January 18, 2024 on their website and social media platforms.
Read MoreThe arrival of 2025 brings a mini landmark to Every Movie Has a Lesson. This little website that I dreamed up and started way back on Google Blogger turns 15 years old in May of 2025. Before start a year of celebration, I owe you a “10 Best” list for 2024. I couldn’t (and can never) see everything, where I have my blind spots and gaps, but, as you can see, I specialize in digging for treasure behind the mainstream.
Read MoreBy Ross’s own words, the camera intensifies objectivity and that speaks volumes for Nickel Boys. Its well-executed impact begs audiences to become further informed on the tragedy after finishing the film. In the end, we cannot let go of what the eyes and arms want, especially if those needs cannot be attained due to the grim circumstances of the story. Better than many works by peers and contemporaries, Nickel Boys longs for us to hold dear the bonds of protective brotherhood with a fascinating filmic experience.
Read MoreThis past fall, the eclectic western Chicago suburb of Oak Park, Illinois put on their inaugural film festival. The Oak Park, Illinois Film Festival. Divided into five thematic programming blocks, the festival organizers and leading board members curated a total of 17 films. Three of them were feature-length, and two of those were documentaries. Holding firm to local roots, each film entry had to have an Oak Park connect in front of or behind the camera to be eligible.
Read MoreDaruma dolls are one of Japan’s most recognizable cultural artifacts. These hollow, round figurines are traditionally made of papier-mâché and are deeply rooted in Japanese history. They take their name from Bodhidharma, a Buddhist monk credited with founding Zen Buddhism. The dolls’ unique design—armless and legless—symbolizes Bodhidharma’s legendary nine years of meditation, during which his limbs supposedly atrophied.
Read MoreThe study, conducted by JeffBet, looked at the number of monthly Google searches for 34 TV shows set to be released in 2025 to find which ones Americans are most excited for. A total of 15 search variations were used for each show including ‘[TV show] release date,’ ‘[TV show] new season,’ and ‘[TV show] 2025.’
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