Thumbnails 1/26/15
“Selma” is more than fair to L.B.J.; “American Sniper” increases threat against Muslims; Struggle over Vivian Maier’s photos; When racism can’t be ignored; Johnny Depp was never a movie star.
Features
Thumbnails 1/23/15
Chatting with Björk; Life and death in Senegal; Why “Life Itself” was snubbed; Disney rejects George Lucas; “American Sniper” is not war propaganda.
“Chi-chi: Tales from the Bass Line” to Screen in Chicago
Chi-chi Nwanoku will attend a screening of Barrie Gavin’s documentary, “Chi-chi: Tales from the Bass Line,” in Chicago in February 9th.
Thumbnails 1/22/15
Women taking action in Hollywood; Contrasting “Safe” and “Still Alice”; Bridge between love and lipstick; Adrià Julià on Rocky Ascending; What “American Sniper” says about America.
Thumbnails 1/19/15
The true tragedy of “American Sniper”; Can America handle the truth on race?; Collapse of the Catholic right; Films that raise accuracy questions; 8 Oscar-worthy performances by Julianne Moore.
Thumbnails 1/16/15
Open-office trend destroys workplace; Dark day for women in Hollywood; Matt Zoller Seitz on Wes Anderson; Hollywood absent from Oscars; Michael Phillips on “American Sniper.”
Thumbnails 1/15/15
The female journey as an existential quest; Richard Pryor’s Hollywood Bowl meltdown; Stop GamerGate; “Selma” is a horror movie; “Blackhat” scoring controversy.
The Chase is the Thing: On Michael Mann’s “Manhunter,” “Heat” and “Public Enemies”
A look at the character-defining aspect of the chase in Michael Mann’s “Heat,” “Manhunter,” and “Public Enemies,” on the eve of the release of “Blackhat.”
Bright Wall/Dark Room Excerpt January 2015: “Break, Blow, Burn, and Make Me New” by Chad Perman
The January 2015 excerpt from Bright Wall/Dark Room on Mike Nichols’ “Wit”.
Thumbnails 1/12/15
Selma responds to “Selma”; Clooney and red carpet culture; The best art that offends us; Hip-hop isn’t a race relations cure-all; Enduring delights of “Duck Soup.”
“Godard: The First Wave” Comes to Chicago
A tribute to Jean-Luc Godard in light of the retrospective “Godard: The First Wave,” playing at the Siskel Film Center in Chicago.
Thumbnails 1/9/15
Rise of the black British actor in America; The gaze of “Foxcatcher”; Chris Kyle was a hate-filled killer; Sophia Takal on “The Lego Movie”; Sorry celebrities, the TCA does not clap.
Thumbnails 1/8/15
When critics dare to break with critical consensus; Best DVDs and Blu-rays of 2014; Ava DuVernay responds to “Selma” controversy; Top 10 Films of 2014; Melbourne’s homeless get free entry to movies.
Short Films in Focus: “The Voyagers”
Our monthly short film series continues with Penny Lane’s “The Voyagers.”
Thumbnails 1/5/15
Movie Mezzanine’s best films of 2014 list; A closer look at “Interstellar”; The accuracy of “The Imitation Game”; Robert Yeoman on “The Grand Budapest Hotel”; The drawbacks of a record 2015 box office.
Thumbnails 1/2/15
The tragedy of the American military; Why Idris Elba can’t play James Bond; Robert Elswit’s two sides of L.A.; “Into the Woods”: stage versus screen; “Selma” reignites L.B.J. controversy.
Just one line: Edward Herrmann, 1943-2014
The talent of Edward Herrman, appreciate by studying one moment from his small role in “Reds.”
Doctor Abrams’ House of Cinematic Sociopolitical Horrors: The Year in Horror Films
Our horror expert goes deep into the sociopolitical themes at play in the horror films of 2014.
We Exist: The Female Horror Directors of 2014
A look at female-directed horror films of 2014, including “The Babadook,” “The Strange Color of Your Body’s Tears” and “Sleepwalker.”
