Dumb Money: The GameStop Movie We Didn’t Know We Needed

The TIFF-premiering Dumb Money does for Wall Street Bets and GameStop what The Big Short did for the subprime mortgage crisis. You can thank Taylor Swift and her concert film for Sony changing their release plans. The initial plans were a wide release on October 6. But because of Taylor and the Swifties, the wide opening is now taking place on September 29. It’s for the best because the awards contender demands our attention even…

"Dumb Money: The GameStop Movie We Didn’t Know We Needed"

The Resort: A Thrilling Comedic Mystery Series

The Resort is a thrilling comedic mystery series that follows a married couple as they seek to solve an unsolved mystery in the Yucatan. Emma (Cristin Milioti) and Noah Reed (William Jackson Harper) are celebrating their tenth anniversary at the Mayan Rivera. But before they have much time to settle in, a mishap during their ATV ride leads to the discovery of a lifetime. Emma discovers a phone and in asking around, she begins to…

"The Resort: A Thrilling Comedic Mystery Series"

The LEGO Movie: The Best Animated Film of 2014

Over eight years after its theatrical release, The LEGO Movie is a beautifully animated film that remains one of the best films of 2014. This film should have been nominated by the Academy for Best Animated Feature. Unfortunately, the Academy voters will have to live with this–among others–mistake. I love everything about this film from the humor to the music to the casting. What I love about the film is that it’s able to transcend…

"The LEGO Movie: The Best Animated Film of 2014"

SXSW 2019: Frances Ferguson

Frances Ferguson is somehow able to find the funny when it comes to a substitute teacher misappropriating her power of authority. Frances (Kaley Wheless) is in an unhappy marriage to Nick (Jake French) even though they share a daughter, Parfait (Ella Dolan).  Her relationship to her mother, Ellen (Jennifer Prediger), has been on life support ever since her father died some years before. Maybe it is because of the situation at home but Frances makes…

"SXSW 2019: Frances Ferguson"

The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part

Everything is still awesome as The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part takes to the big screen nearly five years to the date following its predecessor. A quick prologue catches us up to speed about what has taken place during the last five years.  The city of Bricksburg is no more.  It’s been replaced by the doomsday-esque Apocalypseburg following the city’s tragic demise.  No matter what decisions that the master builders make, they are no…

"The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part"

Hearts Beat Loud: A Musical Masterpiece

In Hearts Beat Loud, director Brett Haley has managed to do it again. This time, Haley, who pens the script with Marc Basch, goes musical and offers up a touching story about a father and daughter starring Nick Offerman and Kiersey Clemons. Hearts Beat Loud may just be Haley’s best film ever–a musical masterpiece. There’s something about a Haley film that takes a side player from a previous film and they end up delivering one of their…

"Hearts Beat Loud: A Musical Masterpiece"

The Little Hours: One of The Most Hysterical Films of 2017

The Little Hours returned to Chicago two months after its appearance in the Chicago Critics Film Festival and is one of the funniest movies of the year.  Writer/Director Jeff Baena and star Aubrey Plaza were on hand for a Q&A session at two of screenings this weekend. Written for the screen and directed by Baena, the film stars Alison Brie, Dave Franco, Kate Micucci, Aubrey Plaza, John C. Reilly, Molly Shannon, Fred Armisen, Jemima Kirke,…

"The Little Hours: One of The Most Hysterical Films of 2017"

Sam Elliott shines through in The Hero

Sam Elliott delivers a shining performance in The Hero as Lee Hayden. Written and directed by Brett Haley, The Hero stars Sam Elliott, Laura Prepon, Nick Offerman, Krysten Ritter, and Katharine Ross. In the newest film from writer/director Brett Haley, Elliott gives one of the strongest performances I have seen so far during this year’s Chicago Critics Film Festival.  We all know his voice–it’s just as iconic as Morgan Freeman.  It’s one of two films…

"Sam Elliott shines through in The Hero"