Chicago’s Griffin Museum of Science & Industry is currently hosting the world premiere of the 007 Science Exhibit, a truly a deep dive into the franchise and the technology behind the gadgets that have made it work. If you live in the area or plan on visiting the city by October 27, you absolutely must see this exhibit if you’re a James Bond fan. With 13 vehicles and more than 90 007-related artifacts from the many films in this franchise, as well as a variety of film clips and interactive exhibits, it’s a great retrospective and a lot of fun! Yours truly with 007’s Aston Martin from “Casino Royale,” with wreckage intact! Photo by Trevor Laster ...

“Thelma” (2024). Cast: June Squibb, Richard Roundtree, Fred Hechinger, Parker Posey, Clark Gregg, Malcolm McDowell, Aidan Fiske, Bunny Levine, Nicole Byer, Quinn Beswick, Chase Kim, David Giuliani, Ruben Rabasa, Sheila Korsi, Coral Peña, Ivy Jones, Annie Korzen, Hilda Boulware. Director: Josh Margolin. Screenplay: Josh Margolin. Web site. Trailer. According to playwright David Mamet, “Age and treachery will always beat youth and exuberance.” The kind of wisdom that comes from life experience can be tapped and put to use in many ways, particularly when others try to pull the wool over the eyes of those who’ve been around for a while and have had ample opportunity to stockpile such seasoned and shrewd sagacity. And, when that aptitude is combined with the personal confidence necessary to make a difference in situations where justice is clearly called for, the wrongdoers should take heed. Such is the case in the fact-based tale of a senior scammed by would-be crooks in the hilariously outrageous new comedy-drama-action thriller, “Thelma.” Many criminals assume that the elderly are easy targets for victimization. They believe that seniors are overly trusting and easily confused, especially when it comes to schemes that employ modern technology and underhanded measures. And, regrettably, in ...

Tune in for the latest Cinema Scribe segment on Bring Me 2 Life Radio, beginning Tuesday June 25, available by clicking here. You can also catch it later on demand on Spreaker, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Podchaser, Audible, Deezer, Podcast Addict and Jiosaavn ...

“Robot Dreams” (2022 production, 2024 release). Cast: Ivan Labanda, Graciela Molina, Tito Trifol, Rafa Calvo, José García Tos, José Luis Mediavilla, Esther Solans. Director: Pablo Berger. Screenplay: Pablo Berger. Graphic Novel: Sara Varon, Robot Dreams (2007). Web site. Trailer. In an age where the lines of what makes for a successful relationship have become increasingly blurred (and simultaneously more liberating), we’re seeing all manner of partnership combinations emerge that are just as valid as conventional models, no matter how different they may appear. And thank goodness for that, as anyone in an alternative partnership can joyously attest. However, despite this newfound freedom, these relationships can experience their share of challenges just like any other pairings. But, if a connection is worth it, then so is the effort required to realize such a cherished aspiration, an undertaking explored in the new animated fantasy, “Robot Dreams.” In 1980s New York – portrayed here as a multi-species zootropolis – Dog lives by himself in a modest East Village apartment. It’s a rather lonely existence, however, and he often feels depressed that there are so many others around him, like his next-door neighbors, who have successfully found lasting companionship. Consequently, he’s come to feel ...

“Tuesday” (2023 production, 2024 release). Cast: Lola Petticrew, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Leah Harvey, Arinzé Kene. Director: Daina Oniunas-Pusić. Screenplay: Daina Oniunas-Pusić. Web site. Trailer. Death. It’s a subject that many of us don’t want to deal with, let alone feel comfortable talking about. It can be especially difficult when it involves someone we care deeply about, particularly in a scenario like a parent having to prepare for the loss of a child. Yet death is the one fate we all ultimately share, so it’s not something we can conveniently try to avoid. Given that, then, this is an eventuality that we must all find a way to accept. It’s a process that might also unfold more readily if we make the effort to better understand it, ridding ourselves of misinterpretations about it so that we can view it in a more natural, more accessible light – in essence to learn how to make friends with it. That may not be easy, but it is possible, as illustrated through the whimsical and profound new cinematic fable, “Tuesday.” Fifteen-year-old Tuesday (Lola Petticrew) is facing something no one her age should have to contend with – a terminal illness that’s closing in on her ...

“The Hypnosis” (“Hypnosen”) (2023). Cast: Asta Kamma August, Herbert Nordrum, David Fukamachi Regnfors, Andrea Edwards, Alexandra Zetterberg, Karin de Frumiere, Moa Niklasson, Julien Combes, Kristin Brändén Whitaker, Simon Rajala, Aviva Wrede, Victor Iván. Director: Ernst De Geer. Screenplay: Ernst De Geer and Mads Stegger. Web site. Trailer. Sometimes we can all use a little help in changing our behavior when we’re unable to do so on our own, particularly when it comes to ridding ourselves of nasty and annoying habits. There are many different approaches we can use for this, too, depending on our personal preferences. One of the most commonly employed practices is hypnosis, which has been successfully used for such things as losing weight and quitting smoking. But, in some cases, it can work so well that we may unintentionally end up overcompensating, prompting us to act out in ways that yield a whole new crop of issues to contend with. Such is the case in the hilariously droll new Scandinavian comedy-drama, “The Hypnosis” (“Hypnosen”). Business and life partners Vera (Asta Kamma August) and André (Herbert Nordrum) are on the verge of a significant commercial breakthrough. They’ve developed a revolutionary product to help promote women’s gynecological health, particularly ...