See Me at the Festival!

I’m pleased to announce that I have been selected to be part of the press corps for the 62nd Chicago International Film Festival. This is the second consecutive year in which I have been approved to cover the event. As in past years, I have an ambitious screening schedule ahead of me, so, if you’re in or will be visiting Chicago October 14-25, look for me at the festival’s primary screening venue, the AMC New City 14 Theaters. Look for my reviews during the event on the Quick Cuts page of my web site, with a full recap after the event. Hope to see you there!

‘The Marching Band’ showcases brotherly love

Fostering brotherly love isn’t always easy, especially when siblings are different from one another or, even more fundamentally, when they are unaware of one another’s very existence. But sometimes circumstances arise that break down these barriers and open up a new set of dynamics, providing an opportunity to put these conditions to the test to see what they might yield.

Wrapping Up Reeling 2026

The 44th annual edition of Chicago’s Reeling International LGBTQ+ Film Festival is now in the books, having featured an array of narrative, documentary and short films. The festival’s lineup was a big improvement over 2025, bringing in a slate of better programing compared to last year. In all, I managed to catch 13 films during the festival’s 12-day run, nine of which I rated good to excellent. So, with that said, here’s my take on what I watched and what I thought. Enjoy!

‘Late Fame’ seeks to rediscover one’s calling in life

Well-meaning optimists often nudge us to believe that it’s never too late to discover (or rediscover) our respective callings in life (and sometimes they’re right). At a time when many of us may have given up on our dreams or settled for a less complicated way of life, there are those who may nevertheless eagerly follow such inspirational advice and find the experience refreshingly rejuvenating. But, even with the best of hopes and intentions, what’s the guarantee, if any, of success at such undertakings? Those are among the themes explored in the new dramatic character study, “Late Fame.”

Solving the ‘Film Dilemma’

Looking for something good to watch but can’t make up your mind? Such is the “film dilemma” that many movie fans face when trying to pick out an evening’s viewing. But now there’s help from a new clearinghouse/data base web site that addresses this very question – Film Dilemma.

2026-08-25T03:35:56-05:00August 25th, 2026|Featured Post, Movie Reviews|

‘The End of Oak Street’ celebrates second chances

Movies about second chances are fairly common fare in the world of cinema. They provide opportunities to explore the value of themes like redemption and forgiveness. And these notions are usually examined within the context of interpersonal dramas or gentle comedies. So it’s truly unusual to find them as thematic underpinnings in as unlikely a context as science fiction. Nevertheless, such is the case in the new Spielbergian summertime blockbuster, “The End of Oak Street.”

Go to Top