With a love story set in the country of Kenya, Rafiki (Friend) announces the coming of Wanuri Kahiu as a filmmaker to watch. Kena (Samantha Mugatsia) and Ziki (Sheila Munyiva) have always been friends. This is in spite of their families being the Kenyan equivalent of the Capulet and Montague. While this may add some tension to their friendship, it doesn’t stop their friendship from becoming something more. The society that they live in says that they can’t…
"Chicago Film Festival 2018: Rafiki (Friend)"Author: Danielle Solzman
Danielle Solzman
Even though a health crisis is at the center of this relationship-driven dramedy, After Everything is as far from a Nicholas Sparks film as it gets. Elliott (Jeremy Allen White) works behind a sandwich counter with his roommate and best friend, Nico (DeRon Horton). It’s all fun and games for the two of them–drinking or getting high–until Elliott learns he is suffering from a rare diagnosis of Ewing’s sarcoma. There’s a lot of nitty-gritty detail…
"After Everything is no Nicholas Sparks film"
If The Sentence doesn’t have you in tears at some point, please check your tear ducts. Rudy Valdez developed a love for film because of his sister, Cindy Shank. His older sister had wanted to be a filmmaker at one point in her life and she passed along this love to her brother. Six years after the death of Cindy’s ex-boyfriend, Alex, she is sent to jail because of “the girlfriend problem.” It has something…
"The Sentence: A Riveting Documentary"
Chicago International Film Festival Artistic Director Mimi Plauché took some time to speak with Solzy at the Movies about this year’s film festival. While we spoke about some of the challenges that come with programming a festival, Mimi tells me the names of films that might be under the radar. Last year saw your first festival since the promotion from programming director to artistic director. With the promotion, you’ve become one of the very few women…
"Mimi Plauché talks Chicago Int. Film Festival"
Through the lens of its 13-year old protagonist, Sadie displays the toll that the military takes on American families while family members are on tour. Sadie (Sophia Mitri Schloss) lives at home with her mother, Rae (Melanie Lynskey), in the Shady Plains Trailer Park. Sadie patiently waits for her dad, John, to come home. He’s serving tour overseas in spite of the many promises to return home. She’s loyal to her dad in this sense and…
"Sadie: A Satire for War"
No stranger to terrorism, filmmaker Paul Greengrass turns to Norway and tells the story of the deadliest terrorist attack in the country’s history in 22 July. For citizens in Norway, July 22, 2011 started out like any ordinary day. Nothing out of the usual was happening but things soon got bloody. When a far-right extremist detonated a car bomb in Oslo, some 77 people would lose their lives. If this wasn’t enough, there would be…
"22 July: Is it Too Soon?"
Thunder Road comes with a nice blend of tragedy and comedy with a marvelous performance from multi-hyphenate Jim Cummings. The film starts out as Texas police officer Jim Arnaud (Jim Cummings) attends the funeral for his mother, Brenda. I’ll discuss the scene in-depth later but it seemingly sets the tone for what we’re about to see over the next 90 minutes. Despite losing control of his emotions during the funeral, Jim–ignoring his superior–heads back to…
"Thunder Road: An Indie Gem"
With help from Poe Dameron and BB-8, Star Wars Resistance introduces us to some new characters in an hour-long episode titled “The Recruit.” This is going to be a mix of recap and review of this newest television series in the Star Wars universe. The review aspect will be coming towards the end of you wish to jump ahead. Please read at your own peril. Having our good friends Poe Dameron and BB-8 lends some…
"Star Wars Resistance: The Recruit"
Netflix brought Private Life to the Sundance Film Festival for its world premiere and while it is a very personal film that gets into what people go through for the IVF process, it isn’t one that will appeal to everyone. Kathryn Hahn has been a versatile comedic performer for years but writer-director Tamara Jenkins has written a role for the actress that gives us an emotional but strong performance as Rachel Biegler. Rachel has been…
"Private Life: A Very Personal Film"
Cinemability: The Art of Inclusion is an eye-opening and must-watch look into the history of disabilities as portrayed in both film and television. I must admit first and foremost that I’m not an expert on disability in TV and film. It’s not something that I honestly have paid much attention to in the past when watching something. I’m trying to do better in that regard but this documentary has provided a new perspective. It is…
"Cinemability: The Art of Inclusion – A Must-Watch"