My 2026 Oscar Scorecard
So how did I do? Well, my Oscar prognostications came up better than last year but still a little short of the mark. I had five correct calls out of eight/
Wrapping up the 2025 Chicago Latino Film Festival
The 41st annual edition of the Chicago Latino Film Festival – the longest continuously running event of its kind in the US – is now in the books, having featured an array of narrative, documentary and short films in local theaters and community centers. Here’s my take on what I watched and what I thought.
‘Upon Entry’ tests our resolve to live up to our contentions
Questions related to immigration have been asked with increasing frequency in recent years. This has been particularly true where illegal entry has been concerned, providing considerable fodder for widespread public debate. But what of legal immigration – is that a benign subject, one worthy of little attention or recognition? Indeed, if would-be immigrants are doing everything by the book, there shouldn’t be any concerns, right?
The Year in Documentaries
With 2023 now in the books, it’s time to look back on the year in movies. In this third of three blogs, I spotlight my Top 10 Documentary releases of 2023 (some of which were produced in prior years), followed by a list of Honorable Mentions.
The Worst of 2023
With 2023 now in the books, it’s time to look back on the year in movies. In this second of three blogs, I spotlight my Bottom 10 Films of 2023, followed by 10 Dishonorable Mentions and an open-ended list (in alphabetical order) of other releases that I found disappointing.
The Best of 2023
With 2023 now in the books, it’s time to look back on the year in movies. In this first of three blogs, I spotlight my Top 10 Films of 2023, followed by 10 Honorable Mentions and an open-ended list (in alphabetical order) of other releases that I found noteworthy.
Wrapping Up the 2021 St. Louis Film Festival
The Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival recently completed its 2021 edition in its first-ever hybrid format with theatrical and virtual screening options. This flexible approach made it possible for viewers to screen over 90% of its more than 400 feature films and shorts in the traditional manner at multiple locations or from the comfort of their own homes.
Wrapping Up the 2021 Chicago Film Festival
The festival’s 57th edition had its share of fine offerings, but there were also a number of pictures that could have been better. Below are my summary reviews of the releases I watched. Full reviews of select films are to come, where noted.
Wrapping Up Reeling 39
Reeling 39, Chicago’s International LGBTQ+ Film Festival, recently completed its 2021 edition in its first-ever hybrid format with both theatrical and virtual screening options. This flexible approach made it possible for viewers to screen a variety of films in the traditional manner or from the comfort of their own homes.
Wrapping Up the 2020 St. Louis Film Festival
The Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival recently completed its 2020 edition in its first-ever all-virtual format. With the future of theatrical screenings in limbo due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this alternative approach made it possible for the Festival to go forward, and it worked remarkably well, enabling viewers to screen a variety of films while remaining safe at home. As has been the case with other such events this year, this is a viable approach well worth considering for future programs, even without the threat of a pandemic. It makes it possible to offer the Festival’s films to a wider audience and provides flexible viewing conditions, benefits not necessarily available when presented exclusively in theatrical venues. Because of this [...]