The Big Sick is based on the real-life courtship between Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon; it’s the story of Pakistan-born comedian Kumail (Nanjiani), who connects with grad student Emily (Kazan) after one of his… Read more about The Big Sick 😷 (R) ★★★★…
Humans bad (Unmerciful, Bullies, Stupid). Apes good (Peace-loving, Compassionate, Intelligent).
At its core, War for the Planet of the Apes is exceptional filmmaking; the “Gorilla in the room” is clearly the disappointing lopsided script and… Read more about War For the Planet of the Apes (PG-13) ★★★…
A deeply affecting meditation on life, death, grief, time, existence — and letting go.
So as you can probably discern from the statement above, A Ghost Story goes deep. Even though it tells a simple… Read more about A Ghost Story (R) ★★★★…
Spider-Man Comes Home to Queens, Spinning a Friendly Web
Spider-Man: Homecoming provides the new charming Spider-Man/Peter Parker (Tom Holland) with his own feature film. However, it’s the sixth film in the series, and he’s the… Read more about Spider-Man: Homecoming (PG-13) ★★★…
Where Are the Minions? So Sad, Not Much Screen Time, Only Jail Time
The film starts with an angry, downer tone. Both Gru and Lucy are fired by a weird woman that screams at them… Read more about Despicable Me 3 (PG) ★★…
Baby (Ansel Elgort) is the self-given name of a musically talented young man who’s a getaway heist driver. He suffers from tinnitus, donning ear buds connected to an old-school iPod chock full of mixes that… Read more about Baby Driver (R) ★★★★ Radio Podcast 🎙…
Adrenaline Rush From Start to Finish
Do fast film car-chase scenes like Bullit, The French Connection, Ronin, the Mad Maxx Series or the Fast and Furious series rate highly with you? If so, then… Read more about Baby Driver (R) ★★★★…
Eleanor Coppola, (Francis Ford Coppola’s wife) at age 81 makes her narrative directorial and screenwriting debut. The film stars Diane Lane as a Hollywood producer’s wife, who unexpectedly takes a road trip from Cannes to… Read more about Paris Can Wait (PG) ★★★…
The Last Knight has a ridiculous, far-fetched story, one that attempts to have us believe that magic stems from alien power and that King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table weren’t alone as heroes.… Read more about Transformers: The Last Knight (PG-13) ★…
Chaotic Mess, Do Not Take Kids
Aside from the typical scantily clad sexy female lead introduction in Transformer films, my viewing experience started with high hopes as main star Laura Haddock as Vivian Wembley is… Read more about Transformers: The Last Knight (PG-13) ★…
On Tuesday, June 20, Chicago was transformed, literally. As I walked to work that morning, crew members were setting up a barge on the Chicago River. However, it wasn’t just a normal, freight-carrying barge. It… Read more about ‘Transformers: The Last Knight’ Red Carpet Chicago Premiere by Alexi Rabin…
The Cars franchise is back on track. KA-CHOW!
I know exactly when I achieved the pinnacle of parenting. Yes, my son was only three at the time, but I’m confident that I will never top… Read more about Cars 3 (G) ★★★…
🎬: So much to love about ⚔Wonder Woman!⚔
Wonder Woman is based on the DC comic book character created in 1941 by William Moulton Marston. This is the first stand-alone film for Wonder Woman played… Read more about Wonder Woman (PG-13) ★★★★…
Harold and Lillian: A Hollywood Love Story is a documentary and based on a true story. Storyboard Artist Harold Michelson and his wife, a film researcher, Lillian Michelson, They are two nameless heroes of Hollywood’s… Read more about Harold and Lillian: A Hollywood Love Story ★★★★…
Daniel Raim had a goal in mind when he set out to make a documentary about two unsung Hollywood legends—Harold & Lillian Michelson— give these two talented people the credit they deserve. Movie fans are… Read more about Interview with Daniel Raim Writer/Director of “Harold and Lillian: A Hollywood Love Story”…
Only for diehard franchise fans.
A month ago, Disneyland guests on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride were treated to a cool surprise when Johnny Depp popped up on the attraction in place of the… Read more about Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (PG-13) ★★…
Alien: Covenant < Prometheus. Yeah, I said it.
I was thoroughly frustrated by Alien: Covenant and was actually mad when I left the theater. Aside from Michael Fassbender in dual roles and the cast itself,… Read more about Alien: Covenant (R) ★★½…
To take on the legend of Excalibur, Guy Ritchie sticks with his usual love-it-or-hate-it style.
The Knights of the Round Table. The Sword in the Stone. The Lady of the Lake. Merlin. Ah, I just… Read more about King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (PG-13) ★★½…
Happy Mother’s Day Weekend!
Here’s my quick take on the film:
I laughed the entire 90 minutes of the film. Amy Schumer and Goldie Hawn are both funny, but the supporting cast; Wanda Sykes, Joan… Read more about Snatched (R) ★★★ Radio Podcast 🎙…
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword is Fantasy, Action & Adventure by British director Guy Ritchie of the Sherlock Holmes movies, he gives us an updated King Arthur film.
Charlie Hunnam stars as Arthur (The… Read more about King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (PG-13) ★★½…
More of the same, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
It’s 44 degrees in Chicago as I write this, but make no mistake—summer is here. I know this because Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.… Read more about Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (PG-13) ★★★…
A Film Critic’s Personal Journey to Ebertfest and Revisiting Her Childhood Home of University of Illinois
The 19th Annual Ebertfest Film Festival, April 19-23, was held at the historic 1,525-seat Virginia Theater and the University… Read more about Ebertfest 2017, Focuses on Empathy, Kindness, Compassion and Forgiveness…
The Fate of the Furious is action & adventure, it’s the eighth film in The Fast and the Furious series. Many actors from the previous films have returned, two newcomers to the series are, Charlize Theron… Read more about The Fate of the Furious (PG-13) ★★★…
The Zookeeper’s Wife is the true story of Antonina Żabińska a working wife and mother who became a hero to hundreds during World War II and based on the book of the same name by… Read more about The Zookeeper’s Wife (R) ★★★…