A Few Tender Moments and Catchy Songs Can’t Save this Sinking Ship
As a relentless advocate for quality children’s films, the Hotel Transylvania animated series (2012, 2015) has never been high on my list—especially now … Read more
New Female Superhero “The Wasp” has Equal Star Billing
Paul Rudd is back in all of his goofy glory as dad (Scott Lang) also known as Ant-Man in the follow-up to Ant-Man (2015). Here’s the … Read more
My interview with writer-director, Shana Feste and teen actor Lewis MacDougall was conducted via phone as I was ill with a bad cold, which was a shame as I prefer to meet talent face to … Read more
Benicio Del Toro Soars, Giving an Outstanding Performance in this Bleak and Dark Role
Violent anti-heroes (CIA operative) Josh Brolin and (ex-lawyer, prosecutor, hit-man) Benicio Del Toro minus the much-needed government moral compass of (FBI … Read more
The Dinosaurs Have Left the Island…They Could Now Be in Your Homes
If you’re expecting to hear the word “run” and view people with horrified (panic-stricken) expressions on their faces while desperately fleeing hungry meat-eating … Read more
Timely Messages of Marriage Equality and Female Empowerment
Pixar’s long awaited animated sequel to the Incredibles (2004) is a laugh-out-loud summer popcorn flick that guarantees to strike a chord with all family members. Not veering … Read more
Fred Rogers An American Hero to Children of the World
Won’t You Be My Neighbor? by director Morgan Neville offers an in-depth look at Fred Rogers, the man behind the PBS children’s program, Mister Roger’s … Read more
Female Glam-Caper Steals the Spotlight
Ocean’s 8, the female answer to the three previous Oceans’ heist movies, (Ocean’s Eleven 2001, Ocean’s Twelve 2004, and Ocean’s Thirteen 2007) is exquisitely cast with (Sandra Bullock, … Read more
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a Petite but Mighty Force
Upon the conclusion of RBG, a joyous smile stretched across my face, as the feeling of pure elation was my first reaction—yes, 84-year-old Supreme Court Justice … Read more
Shailene Woodley’s Star Sails to New Heights
Shailene Woodley’s breakout role as the spunky oldest daughter of George Clooney in The Descendants (2011) has proven her acting abilities aren’t a one-off—in fact she’s been sailing … Read more
Cynical, Potty-mouth Anti-hero is Fun!
To begin, I’m strongly advising you see Deadpool starring Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson, before attempting to view Deadpool 2. The original highly successful R rated film is the … Read more
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Wine Bottle
For those of us that are currently in a book club or those of us who’ve been in one in the past, we are undeniably privy to the … Read more
Younger Hans Solo Has Grit and Drive
Solo: A Star Wars Story is a fun-filled, entertaining prequel; mostly due to its lead and co-stars. Alden Ehrenreich (Hans Solo) first caught my attention in the romantic … Read more
My interview for the movie Book Club, with director Bill Holderman and screenplay writer Erin Simms was held in a suite at the beautiful Park Hyatt Hotel in Chicago, May 11, 2018. It’s always … Read more
Check in to Live with the Stars
I’ve always maintained that The Carlyle Hotel is a captivating art enthusiast destination in New York City due to the paintings of Ludwig Bemelman that adorn the walls … Read more
McCarthy’s Sweet Mom-Com Has a Ginormous Heart
Undeniably, Melissa McCarthy is one of the funniest women working in Hollywood to date. After her break-out role in Bridesmaids (2011), the female version of The Hangover, … Read more
Authentic Portrayal of Motherhood
Tully is a female character driven movie from the heart, which mothers universally will champion and applaud for its realism—to be clear, it is not the flawlessly staged Mommy Blog Instagram … Read more
A Triller with John Hamm Leading the Way
Beirut once known as the Paris of the Middle East hasn’t seen those days of glory since the 1975 Civil War, the 1982 Lebanon War with Israel, … Read more
(Chicago, IL) — The Chicago Film Critics Association (CFCA), (of which I’ve been a member since 2009), the Chicago-area print, online and broadcast critics group that celebrates the art of film and film criticism Film … Read more
Both Exciting and Exhausting, the Underwhelming Supervillain Further Bogs Down the Overwhelming Amount of Characters and Scope
Avengers: Infinity War is part one of a ten-year Marvel finale, that includes 18 movies starting in 2008 … Read more
The 20th annual Roger Ebert Film Festival (Ebertfest), began on April 18 and ended on April 22, 2018, at the Virginia Theater in Champaign, Illinois. Film-goers were treated to a spotlighted celebration of past years … Read more
Hysterical “Blockers” Boasts Great Cast
The film Blockers main premise is most parents’ worst nightmare−the discovery your teen has made a haphazard life-altering decision. A parent’s glimmer of hope−they just may be able to “block” … Read more
Shh…Don’t Say a Word
Sci-fi giant spider-like creatures can’t see you—so no need to hide—except, if they hear you—they’ll kill you instantly. That’s the premise of this tightly edited, spine-tingling sci-fi horror film. Be prepared … Read more
Popcorn Movie is Worth the Price of Admission
Plot revolves around losing yourself in fantasy worlds, it zip-lines at hyper speed and changes environments just as quickly, jam-packed action with numerous pop-culture nostalgia. Yep, it’s … Read more