Brian Tallerico

Chloe Grace Moretz is only 16 and already has 50 credits to her name, including “(500) Days of Summer,” “Kick-Ass,” and “Let Me In.” She filmed “The Amityville Horror” remake on the North side of the city when she was only 5 and returned this week to talk about starring in her first lead role, the title part in Kimberly Peirce’s remake of the Stephen King classic, “Carrie.”

CHICAGO – I’m going to date myself a bit here but I remember when Disney was in great need of the comeback that was provided them by 1989’s “The Little Mermaid.” It had been quite some time since the company really mattered and, as I was growing up, Disney was kind of an old-fashioned company. They were great “then,” not “now.” That changed with “Mermaid,” which led into “Beauty & the Beast,” “Aladdin,” and “The Lion King.” There have been peaks and valleys since then but Disney is as powerful as ever and a lot of their current success started with a mermaid who wished she was human. Now on Blu-ray for the first time, “The Little Mermaid” is a jewel in the Disney crown, a film that feels timeless now, almost a quarter-century after its release, as it seemed essential to the company when it was released.

CHICAGO – Was “Toy Story 3” the last great Pixar production? With the modest critical reaction to “Cars 2,” “Brave,” and “Monsters University,” it seems an entirely defensible position to take. In fact, one could easily argue that “Small Fry,” the “Toy Story” short that premiered with “The Muppets,” and “Partysaurus Rex,” which played with “Finding Nemo 3D,” should be considered higher on the Pixar hierarchy than “Cars 2” and maybe even “Brave.”

CHICAGO – We’re sure that our loyal readers have been busy at the excellent 49th Chicago International Film Festival but the event is far from over. What should you see in the next three days? What are the highlights of part two of 2013 CIFF? Patrick McDonald and Brian Tallerico guide the way…

We’re back! Just in time to detail the most interesting Blu-ray, DVD, and streaming releases from the last week. Comedy, Shakespeare, Sci-fi, TV, and, of course, because it’s October, horror. What will you find on New Releases shelves at your favorite store? What could you order on iTunes this week? What should you check out and what should you avoid? Here’s your latest primer for What to Watch, in the order we think you should check ‘em out.

CHICAGO – What more could possibly be said about “The Wizard of Oz,” arguably the most beloved film of all time? (It’s probably this or “It’s a Wonderful Life.”) In one of 2013’s most surprising critical hits, “Oz” actually became relevant again in terms of technology, and I’m not talking about Sam Raimi’s mostly-awful “Oz: The Great and Powerful.” There seems to now be an answer to the question, “Has there ever been a good 3D remastering of a classic film?” Decide for yourself on 3D Blu-ray.

CHICAGO – Richard Linklater’s “Slacker” is one of the most important films of the ’90s. Appearing at the 1991 Sundance Film Festival, this incredibly low-budget piece of work helped launch the indie film movement of the decade, teaching people that anyone could make a movie. Shot on 16MM for less than $25k, “Slacker” ushered in an era of DIY filmmaking. Kevin Smith has said that “Clerks” wouldn’t exist without it. And the ironic thing is that you can now watch one of the most influential low-budget films on the high-definition format of Blu-ray, courtesy of The Criterion Collection.

CHICAGO – “Halloween” is no mere horror movie. It is arguably the best of its genre, a film that continues to influence the form 35 years after its release. The excellent new transfer of the film on the latest Anchor Bay HD iteration is reason alone to pick it up, and the new active participation in the release on behalf of Jamie Lee Curtis, a star often silent regarding the films that made her a star, is just an amazing bonus.

CHICAGO – The 49th Annual Chicago International Film Festival starts tonight, October 10, 2013, with a tribute to Roger Ebert and the premiere of James Gray’s “The Immigrant,” starring Joaquin Phoenix and Marion Cotillard. Wasting no time, there are at least a dozen flicks this weekend that could grab your attention. It’s one of the strongest CIFF line-ups in memory, with a few nearly-certain Oscar candidates next to some films that are unlikely to play again in Chicago any time soon.

CHICAGO – Take this with a giant grain of salt but FX’s “American Horror Story: Coven” shows incredible promise in its premiere episode tonight, setting a number of creative plates spinning in directions that could be fascinating. Why the salt? Well, “American Horror Story: Asylum” started with similar promise and quickly became cluttered and unfocused.