Earlier this month, The Fugitive marked its 25th anniversary since its theatrical release in 1993. The critically acclaimed film manages to hold up so many years later. The three main players are Dr. Richard Kimble (Harrison Ford), U.S. Marshal Samuel Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones), and one-armed man Fredrick Sykes (Andreas Katsulas). Aside from some minor changes, the film mostly plays out like the television series it’s based on. Kimble, a cardiovascular surgeon, is wrongfully accused…
"The Fugitive celebrates 25 years"Month: August 2018
The first wave of films was announced this afternoon for this October’s 54th Chicago International Film Festival. The festival runs October 10-21, 2018 at AMC River East 21. “We are very excited to be showcasing new films from some of the most impressive directors in the world, whether returning veterans, such as past Gold Hugo-winners Mike Leigh and Hirokazu Kore-eda, or up-and-coming filmmakers with distinctive visions,” said Mimi Plauché, the festival’s artistic director. “For the…
"54th Chicago International Film Festival Initial Lineup"
Blue Iguana mixes up the genres while offering an 80s vibe in both visuals and soundtrack. Unfortunately, it isn’t enough. Eddie (Sam Rockwell) and Paul (Ben Schwartz) spend their days working at a New York diner because a condition of their parole is that they maintain employment. The two are polar opposites but they are able to mesh well because of their personalities. In spite of it all, they are perfectly okay with working…
"Blue Iguana: Solid Acting Doesn’t Save Comedy"
Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan is able to take advantage of the long-form narrative storytelling but the action is few and far between. Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan novels were so long that to make a film means having to condense the narrative. When I first learned that a television series would happen, my first instinct was maybe this could be a good thing. It has some positives to enjoy but unlike the films, the television series…
"Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan Should Stick to Film"![[L-R] Rosemarie DeWitt as Cassie and Lolli Sorenson as Morgan in the action comedy ARIZONA, an RLJE Films release.](https://i0.wp.com/www.solzyatthemovies.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/HVS_vyJI.jpeg?resize=800%2C600&ssl=1)
The wildly outrageous Arizona is the result of what happens when a disgruntled client takes matters into his own hands during the housing crisis. Real estate agent Cassie (Rosemarie DeWitt) is working to make ends meet while raising her daughter, Morgan (Lolli Sorenson). It’s among the worst times in modern history to be a real estate agent but somebody has to do the job. She shares custody with her ex-husband, Scott (Luke Wilson). He’s since…
"Arizona: The Housing Recession Gets Bloody"
Support the Girls is a surprisingly relevant film with an exceptionally strong performance from Regina Hall. Lisa (Regina Hall) is the general manager of Double Whammies. Double Whammies labeled as a “sports bar with curves.” With the first glance of their skimpy uniforms, it’s only natural to assume that the sports bar is a stand-in for Hooters but it’s so much more. In spite of the clientele and everything, Lisa loves working there. She takes…
"Support the Girls: Regina Hall Lifts Up Film"
Mile 22 doesn’t shy away from the clichéd thriller tropes but the film’s humor plays to the strengths of Mark Wahlberg and Lauren Cohan. A quick prologue at a Russian safe house paves way for the ultimate action in Indocarr in Southeast Asia. This is where a CIA team led by a super-focused James “Jimmy” Silva (Mark Wahlberg) is now stationed. They are in charge of making sure an asset, Indocarr Special Forces officer Li…
"Mile 22: An Intense Action Thriller"
Alpha may be about man’s best friend but because of the plot at hand, the film is going to draw well-deserved comparisons to The Black Stallion. There are some great visuals in this story set 20,000 years ago but they don’t play so well in 3D. I had no issue in watching this film play out on the IMAX screen but it doesn’t need to be in 3D. The were no big fights or anything…
"Alpha: The Battle for Survival"
Minding the Gap starts down one path while the cinema verite documentary heads toward an entirely different goal altogether. Set in Rockford, Ill., filmmaker Bing Liu’s first feature documentary seeks to examine the past. Liu follows a few young men from his hometown, Zack and Keire, in hopes of seeking answers from his own past. The filmmaker had grown up in the same town but escaped to Chicago in search of a better life. This…
"Minding the Gap: A Coming-Of-Age Documentary"
Crazy Rich Asians is the big screen flick that injects some new life so desperately needed in the romantic comedy genre. If Netflix had their way, you wouldn’t be seeing the film in theaters. This means that my Netflix-free parents wouldn’t see it at all. Thank G-d a studio wanted to release this film in theaters because it’s a lot of fun. NYU economics professor Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) had no clue what she was getting when…
"Crazy Rich Asians Injects Life In Rom-Coms"