Anyone in, near or visiting Chicago through October 26 should look for me at the 61st Chicago International Film Festival, taking place at various venues around the city, including the AMC New City 14 Theaters and the Music Box Theater, among other locations. I have an ambitious schedule of 22 screenings slated, so I’ll be spending a lot of time in the dark. But, when not doing that, look for me in the theaters’ common areas or the red carpet (I’ll be the guy with the press corps credentials, my first time having been accorded this honor, and likely wearing my Chicago Indie Critics t-shirt (see below)). Reviews of the pictures I’ve watched will appear on this site’s Quick Cuts Page, followed by a full wrap-up blog at the end of the festival. Speaking of the Chicago Indie Critics, please note that my posts from this web site are now being picked up via RSS feed on the CIC web site, along with the latest entries from a number of other CIC members. Check out what all of us have been writing, as well as a wide range of additional information about the organization. Enjoy the reads, and enjoy the ...

Tune in for the latest Cinema Scribe segment on Bring Me 2 Life Radio, beginning Tuesday October 14, available by clicking here. You can also catch it later on demand on Spreaker, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Castbox, Podchaser, Audible, Deezer, Podcast Addict and Jiosaavn ...

“A Big Bold Beautiful Journey” (2025). Cast: Colin Farrell, Margot Robbie, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Kevin Kline, Jennifer Grant, Hamish Linklater, Lily Rabe, Yuvi Hecht, Billy Magnussen, Sarah Gadon, Jodie Turner-Smith (voice). Director: Kogonada. Screenplay: Seth Reiss. Web site. Trailer. It’s been said that “life is what you make of it,” that “we become what we believe.” To some, this probably seems like the content of a warm, fuzzy, inspirational greeting card. But, if we truly take the time to examine ourselves and our lives, we’re likely to find that there’s more than a small kernel of truth in these observations. Such is the point of the insightful new romantic comedy-drama-fantasy, “A Big Bold Beautiful Journey.” Just as David (Colin Farrell) prepares to depart for an out-of-town wedding, he discovers that has car has been booted – and hence immobilized – for unpaid parking tickets. Given time constraints, he’s unable to resolve this issue before leaving, so he needs to find a different solution – which he does when he spots an ad for a nearby car rental agency. He thus decides to lease a vehicle for the trip, but, when he gets to the rental office, he finds out that it’s ...

The 43rd annual edition of Chicago’s Reeling International LGBTQ+ Film Festival [https://reelingfilmfest.org/] is now in the books, having featured an array of narrative, documentary and short films. The festival’s lineup was something of a mixed bag compared to past years, almost as if the glass were half full or half empty, depending on one’s perspective. In all, I managed to catch 10 films during the festival’s 10-day run. So, with that said, here’s my take on what I watched and what I thought. “Lakeview” (Canada) (5/5); Letterboxd (5/5), Imdb.com (10/10), TMDB.com (10/10), Imdb.com critics review; Web site, Trailer Friendships are one of the greatest treasures of the human experience. They can provide us with tremendous joy and fulfillment. But they can also come with frustration and heartache, especially if feelings of betrayal or disillusionment enter the picture or if we find ourselves having to go to extraordinary lengths to maintain the connection, evoking the love-hate relationship they sometimes carry with them. In the end, though, we generally discover that the effort we put into them is more than worth it, particularly at those times when we gather en masse to celebrate their innate splendor. Such is the case in writer-director ...

It’s that time of year again – the return of film festival season, one of my favorite times of year. And, as a member of the Chicago Indie Critics organization, I’m looking forward to attending three of the Chicago area’s best programs, this time as an official member of the press corps. First comes Reeling 2025, the 43rd Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival, the second longest continuously running film festival of its kind in the world, taking place September 19-28 at Chicago’s Landmark Century Centre Cinema and the headquarters of event sponsor Chicago Filmmakers. Reeling’s selections have been getting better by the year, and the schedule for 2025 looks promising. I’ve already attended quite a few screenings at this year’s festival, with summary reviews listed on the Quick Cuts page. A full wrap-up of my reviews will be published on this site at the end of the festival. Next comes the 61st Chicago International Film Festival, North America’s longest-running competitive film festival, to be held October 15-26. This event features an array of films from around the world, as well as a number of special events, many featuring appearances by filmmakers, actors and producers from the presented works. This is ...

“The Apprentice” (2024). Cast: Sebastian Stan, Jeremy Strong, Walter Donovan, Maria Bakalova, Catherine McNally, Charlie Carrick, Ben Sullivan, Mark Rendal, Joe Pingue, Stuart Hughes, Ian D. Clark, Chris Owens, Valerie O’Connor, Tom Barnett. Director: Ali Abbasi. Screenplay: Gabriel Sherman. Web site. Trailer. It’s virtually impossible these days to pick up a newspaper (remember what those are?) or visit an online news site without seeing something about Donald Trump. Regardless of what one thinks about the President, his presence in our lives, journalism and very existence is ubiquitous. And, because of that, there’s essentially no way of getting away from him. Having been elected to a second term, he obviously had (and, in many circles, still has) his legions of devoted supporters. By contrast, though, in light of recent events, such as the No Kings demonstrations, and steadily declining poll numbers, he also has more than his share of detractors. Those on each side of the fence clearly know how to affirm their loyalty to their views. It’s a comparatively easy task for his backers. But, for those who disagree with his policies and practices, what does it take to make their opposing arguments most effective against such a powerful political ...