CHICAGO – Excelsior! Comic book legend Stan Lee’s famous exclamation puts a fine point on the third and final play of Mark Pracht’s FOUR COLOR TRILOGY, “The House of Ideas,” presented by and staged at City Lit Theater in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood. For tickets/details, click HOUSE OF IDEAS.
Film Feature
Film Feature: The 10 Best Films of 2013, Part Two
Submitted by PatrickMcD on December 30, 2013 - 11:51amCHICAGO – The year caught up with me. 2013 was characterized by a soft start and a strong finish, but overall there were impressive contenders throughout the year and some fine examples of great storytelling and filmmaking. Risks were taken, some truth emerged and even in more “mainstream” films, there were flashes of promise.
Film Feature: The Best Films of 2013
Submitted by BrianTT on December 16, 2013 - 1:06pmIt was too good a year for ten. The best year in cinema since 2007 saw such a diverse, fascinating array of art that included amazing works from some of our most well-known directors (Joel & Ethan Coen, Martin Scorsese, Alexander Payne, Hayao Miyazaki) alongside its newer voices (Shane Carruth, Destin Cretton, Joshua Oppenheimer, James Ponsoldt).
Feature: 5 Films That Understand November 22, 1963
Submitted by PatrickMcD on November 21, 2013 - 1:06pmCHICAGO – Tomorrow, November 22nd, 2013, is the 50th Anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination. Beyond the numerous TV programs and tributes expected for the memory, which films have lent the best perspective over the years regarding that Day in Dallas? The following offers five films for consideration.
Film Feature: The 10 Best Films of Sundance 2013
Submitted by BrianTT on January 24, 2013 - 7:11pmCHICAGO – The general consensus in Park City this year was that the overall quality of films presented to critics, industry, and paying audiences was near the highest it’s ever been. There seemed to be a lack of true stand-outs — I heard people say “There’s no Beasts of the Southern Wild” repeatedly — but the overall picture was a pretty one.
2013 Sundance Diary, Day 5: Coming-of-Age Stories Dominate the Fest
Submitted by BrianTT on January 23, 2013 - 11:48amPARK CITY, Utah – Perhaps it’s due to the success of the Sundance hit “Beasts of the Southern Wild” and its story of a girl who was forced to grow up too soon or just the fact that it’s a common theme of independent cinema but coming-of-age stories dominated this year’s Sundance Film Festival.
2013 Sundance Diary, Day 4: A Good Kind of Crazy
Submitted by BrianTT on January 22, 2013 - 7:04pmPARK CITY, Utah – Every film festival produces at least one film (hopefully more) that just blows audiences away, shattering expectations and leaving them breathless. The future Oscar nominee from Sundance Film Festival 2013 is Richard Linklater’s “Before Midnight,” a film that is quite simply perfect.
2013 Sundance Diary, Day 3: Let’s Run Away From it All
Submitted by BrianTT on January 20, 2013 - 9:56pmPARK CITY, Utah – Film festivals naturally encourage those who write about them to look for themes. A few years ago it was the end of the world. This year, it seems to be the coming-of-age story (“Kill Your Darlings,” “The Spectacular Now,” “Mud,” “Emanuel and the Truth About Fishes,” “The Way, Way Back”) on the surface and the journey from home a little deeper.
2013 Sundance Diary, Day 2: Porn, Cannibalism & Drugs From the Frontlines of Indie Film
Submitted by BrianTT on January 19, 2013 - 8:26pmPARK CITY, Utah – Battling the thousands who have descended upon Park City, Utah for a small portion of their Wi-Fi bandwidth, I’m back with my second report from the frontlines of independent cinema.
2013 Sundance Diary, Day 1: Documentaries Continue to Thrive
Submitted by BrianTT on January 18, 2013 - 10:30pmPARK CITY, Utah – Here I am in Park City, Utah. Well, sort of. The truth is that I’ve been allowed to see a number of 2013 Sundance Film Festival films early, either screening in Chicago or streaming online. Some will merely be scattered through my coverage, as I won’t mention them till they premiere, but a vast majority premiere on the first full day of the fest, January 18, 2013.
Film Feature: The 10 Best Films of 2012, Part Two
Submitted by PatrickMcD on December 27, 2012 - 4:47pmCHICAGO – Hot on the heels of the wondrous 10 Most Overlooked Films of 2012 and the illustrious first look at The 10 Best Films of 2012 comes “The 10 Best Films of 2012, Part Two,” as rendered by Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com.