Nikolaj Arcel

CHICAGO – Nobody does good vs. evil archetypes like author Stephen King, and this framework is purposeful in the film adaptation of King’s “The Dark Tower.” The popular book series gets a visual kick through the rendering of director Nikolaj Arcel and Ron Howard’s Imagine Entertainment.

CHICAGO – A bit exhausted from the general air of seriousness that permeates awards season while also just tired of mediocre period dramas in general, I approached my screener of “A Royal Affair” with a serious degree of doubt. Nikolaj Arcel’s film is a pleasant surprise, a passionate piece about a love triangle that helped start a revolution. With spectacular production values and a trio of strong performances, Arcel’s film was recently released on Blu-ray and DVD and I’d advise you to be more optimistic than I was upon its arrival.

CHICAGO – European history is – in a sense – our history, especially as it relates to the “Age of Enlightenment,” the intellectual movement in the 1700s that anticipated the Declaration of Independence. One of the quirks in that timeline is passionately explored in the new Danish/French film, “A Royal Affair.”

CHICAGO – One of the fascinating expressions of fallibility is when human beings are trapped in the emotions and physicality of adultery. Despite all efforts to the contrary, the house of cards such relationships are built upon, tend to tumble at the most inopportune moments. Director Nikolaj Arcel explores these complications in the epic ‘A Royal Affair.’

CHICAGO – In our latest crime/mystery edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 50 admit-one passes up for grabs for the new film “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”!