Chicago Reader

Tomatometer-approved publication
Rating Title/Year Author
Violation (2021) Cody Corrall The culmination of a film career built on interrogating rage, justice, and the intangible promise of catharsis. EDIT
Posted Apr 5, 2021
3/4 Shiva Baby (2020) Cody Corrall Don't be fooled by this film's quirky title and robust comedic cast-Emma Seligman's debut feature Shiva Baby is in the running for the most anxiety-inducing, claustrophobic film experience of the year. EDIT
Posted Apr 2, 2021
The Apple (1998) Jonathan Rosenbaum A comic, lyrical, and "politically incorrect" poetic docudrama so acutely focused in its characters and ethics that it can afford to be relaxed about them, all the more remarkable coming from a director still in her teens. EDIT
Posted Mar 30, 2021
The Courier (2020) Becca James The heightened level of emotion [Rachel Brosnahan and Jessie Buckley] provide propels the story and Cumberbatch forward, keeping viewers engaged as they approach a climactic ending. EDIT
Posted Mar 25, 2021
Bhaji on the Beach (1993) Jonathan Rosenbaum The overall style is realist, though there are a few fleeting fantasy interludes that don't work very well. EDIT
Posted Mar 18, 2021
The Jerk (1979) Dave Kehr The verbal and conceptual gags... belong wholly to Martin's own brand of goofiness, and some of them are pretty funny. EDIT
Posted Mar 14, 2021
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988) Jonathan Rosenbaum The various twists seem needlessly spun out and implausible, although Martin is allowed to show off his brand of very physical comedy to some advantage, and Miles Goodman contributes a pleasant score. EDIT
Posted Mar 13, 2021
Pixie (2020) Becca James Olivia Cooke is reason enough to watch Pixie. If you've yet to be mesmerized by her acting chops, here's your chance... EDIT
Posted Mar 9, 2021
The Warriors (1979) Dave Kehr The Warriors admits to failures of conception (occasional) and dialogue (frequent), but there is much of value in Hill's visual elaboration of the material. EDIT
Posted Mar 7, 2021
Insomnia (1997) Jonathan Rosenbaum It's nice to see a genre film from abroad for a change, but I would have preferred one with an interesting character or two, not to mention a livelier plot. EDIT
Posted Feb 28, 2021
The Father (2020) Josh Flanders Florian Zeller's drama is a brilliant exploration of dementia, pain, and vulnerability. EDIT
Posted Feb 26, 2021
Writing with Fire (2021) Sheri Flanders With steely tenacity and persistence, these women place themselves into terrifying situations to interrogate corrupt police officers and potentially violent Hindu Nationalists, with a deft and skill not seen by many top network reporters. EDIT
Posted Feb 19, 2021
Try Harder! (2021) Josh Flanders An interesting film about how kids pursue things without knowing why, at its best when occasionally digging deeper into issues of race, stereotypes, and privilege. EDIT
Posted Feb 19, 2021
Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (2021) Sheri Flanders Questlove revives this electric, never-before-seen, deftly edited footage of Black joy and community, along with interviews of participants. EDIT
Posted Feb 19, 2021
Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street (2021) Josh Flanders A nostalgic yet informative look at the most successful children's television show in history. EDIT
Posted Feb 19, 2021
Sabaya (2021) Josh Flanders Sweden had a strong showing at Sundance in 2021 and Sabaya might be their best offering. Director Hogir Hirori has made an emotionally haunting film about real-life super heroes in Mahmud, Ziyad and their group... EDIT
Posted Feb 19, 2021
Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It (2021) Sheri Flanders Riera mercifully doesn't wallow in West Side Story, and instead shares Moreno's power as an activist and an EGOT-winning performer who continues to break barriers as an 87-year-old... EDIT
Posted Feb 19, 2021
Rebel Hearts (2021) Josh Flanders An eye-opening look at an oft-overlooked group of women who have changed what it means to selflessly serve others while also fighting for yourself. EDIT
Posted Feb 19, 2021
Pleasure (2021) Josh Flanders Writer-director Ninja Thyberg explores questions of complicity and consent in the face of fierce coercion. EDIT
Posted Feb 19, 2021
Passing (2021) Sheri Flanders If you don't expect the film to do any heavy lifting on race analysis, Passing is a solid directorial debut by Rebecca Hall, who recently made a discovery about her own heritage. EDIT
Posted Feb 19, 2021
Night of the Kings (2020) Sheri Flanders Director Phillipe Lacôte balances despair and levity, humanizing the forgotten through a potent blend of African fables, improvisation, and hope-however fleeting. EDIT
Posted Feb 19, 2021
My Name Is Pauli Murray (2021) Sheri Flanders Possibly the most unsung and influential thought maker in legal Civil Rights history... EDIT
Posted Feb 19, 2021
Mayday (2021) Sheri Flanders A curious magical realism metaphor for feminist despair... EDIT
Posted Feb 19, 2021
Marvelous and the Black Hole (2020) Sheri Flanders Funny without being forced, and sincere without being schlocky, Marvelous is guaranteed to warm the hearts of wannabe baby goths everywhere. EDIT
Posted Feb 19, 2021
Mass (2021) Josh Flanders Taking two pairs of seasoned stage and film actors and putting them in a room for two hours to hash out a shared trauma sounds like the making of a great Tennessee Williams play, but it is instead a riveting and unforgettable feature by Fran Kranz. EDIT
Posted Feb 19, 2021
John and the Hole (2020) Sheri Flanders Director Pascual Sisto's gaze drifts languidly across the scenery, building the slow, quiet terror of the dreaded certainty of an awful situation. EDIT
Posted Feb 19, 2021
In the Same Breath (2021) Sheri Flanders Outstanding director Nanfu Wang was prescient enough to send a covert team of cameras into hospitals, homes, and morgues to capture the truth and anguish, then follow the virus-and the bungling cover-up-across the sea to America. EDIT
Posted Feb 19, 2021
Homeroom (2021) Josh Flanders The role of social media for students, like the world at large, moves from a distraction to a means of revolution, uniting youth in the fight for equality and autonomy. EDIT
Posted Feb 19, 2021
Flee (2021) Josh Flanders Beautifully animated to protect the identity of the main subject, Rasmussen's film examines the lengths we will go to in order to survive and protect those we love. EDIT
Posted Feb 19, 2021
Faya Dayi (2021) Sheri Flanders Director Jessica Beshir's melancholy documentary gently cradles the ambiguity that defines the essence of the lives of Ethiopian Khat traders, especially the young men who face the painful choice of traveling abroad alone... EDIT
Posted Feb 19, 2021
Eight for Silver (2021) Josh Flanders Eight for Silver deliciously revives and enhances the werewolf genre... EDIT
Posted Feb 19, 2021
Captains of Za'atari (2021) Josh Flanders Director Ali El Arabi crafts a film of deep humanity, providing an exposé of the struggles and tragedies of refugee life. EDIT
Posted Feb 19, 2021
At the Ready (2021) Sheri Flanders This disquieting film illustrates that the path to upward mobility comes at a heart-wrenching cost: placing a career on a direct collision course with far more liberal identities. EDIT
Posted Feb 19, 2021
Ailey (2021) Sheri Flanders Director Jamilla Wignot's film gives voice to the silent protest in Ailey's heart that did not have an audience... EDIT
Posted Feb 19, 2021
Ten Minutes to Midnight (2020) Catey Sullivan Ten Minutes to Midnight is both a whole lotta fun and annoyingly sexist. EDIT
Posted Feb 18, 2021
The Dark and the Wicked (2020) Becca James The Dark and the Wicked is a relentless ride through the stages of grief and guilt. EDIT
Posted Feb 17, 2021
Lucky Grandma (2019) Anne Cohen In this incandescent and utterly delightful debut, director Sasie Sealy delivers a sparkling movie that centers the story of an elderly woman of color with the agency, care, and attention it deserves. EDIT
Posted Feb 15, 2021
4/4 Judas and the Black Messiah (2021) Arionne Nettles With knockout performances comes an examination of the need for revolutionaries when pushing for real change. EDIT
Posted Feb 12, 2021
Just Mercy (2019) Kathleen Sachs It's both rage-inducing and awe-inspiring; the courage conveyed by the protagonists is a balm on the sting of injustice. EDIT
Posted Feb 11, 2021
Collective (2019) Kathleen Sachs [A] staggering portrait of institutional corruption... EDIT
Posted Feb 7, 2021
The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1974) Dave Kehr Well-intentioned tripe, directed with made-for-TV solemnity by John Korty. EDIT
Posted Feb 4, 2021
Ruby in Paradise (1993) Jonathan Rosenbaum The tempo is slow and dreamy, but the flavor is rich, and it lasts. EDIT
Posted Feb 4, 2021
Wonder Woman 1984 (2020) Sheri Flanders Wonder Woman 1984 is a technicolor, lighthearted romp through the era of Jazzercise, big hair, and even bigger shoulder pads. EDIT
Posted Feb 1, 2021
Never Rarely Sometimes Always (2020) Noëlle D. Lilley Never Rarely Sometimes Always is a slow-moving film, but these young women will stay with you long after the film ends. EDIT
Posted Jan 26, 2021
Some Kind of Heaven (2020) Becca James Whether about the local grifter or a recent widow, each story is beautifully shot and allowed to unfold organically, enabling an authentic rumination on life and the relationships that sustain it. EDIT
Posted Jan 19, 2021
3/4 One Night in Miami (2020) Cody Corrall King and the actors at the heart of One Night in Miami make its most quiet moments compelling, letting its audience become a fly on the wall on the fictional fringes of history. EDIT
Posted Jan 15, 2021
The Flying Ace (1926) Ben Sachs This is pleasant on its own terms, with an amiable vibe and several moments of clever comic invention. EDIT
Posted Jan 14, 2021
4/4 Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020) Arionne Nettles Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is pure art, just as beautiful as it is heartbreaking. EDIT
Posted Jan 5, 2021
The Mystery of D.B. Cooper (2020) Kathleen Sachs Dower succumbs to some of the more annoying trappings of such informational documentaries, but overall this is compelling. EDIT
Posted Dec 30, 2020
Belushi (2020) Josh Flanders Even though Cutler takes creative license, occasionally using animation and intertitles to insert unnecessary commentary for dramatic effect, the impact of the never-heard-before audio is astounding. EDIT
Posted Dec 30, 2020