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An intense historical thriller, Judas And The Black Messiah, about a man infiltrating the Black Panther Party during a time of turmoil, is a gripping film that never lets up. There are certain movies out there that, as great as the picture is, you remember mostly because of a powerhouse performance. When you think of…
A quiet, slow-burning film about a father and son on a road trip to possibly collect a sweepstakes prize, Nebraska is understated and funny, with a tenderness that peeks through the cracks. I love June Squibb. If someone were to ask me to choose an emotional support animal from the list of actors that I…
A high-energy comedy about the rise of an Irish-language rap trio, Kneecap is as visually inventive and unexpectedly heartfelt as it is full of infectious music. Musical movies are a huge thing for me. I love a proshot like Come From Away and Waitress: The Musical, but I’m also here for straight-up documentaries like the…
A slow-burning psychological thriller about two brothers raised by a father who believes he’s doing God’s work, Frailty is a morally ambiguous film that cleverly reels you in and never lets go. I love a good psychological thriller, especially when I know nothing about it. I watched Like Minds, The Assessment, and Blink Twice fully…
A visually stunning stop-motion reimagining of the classic tale, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio offers a darker and more philosophical take on the story. The first time I heard about Guillermo del Toro was in 2006, when Pan’s Labyrinth was released. He has since become one of the biggest names in film, receiving accolades for movies…
A science-driven adventure about a lone astronaut trying to save humanity, Project Hail Mary is charming, funny, and genuinely heartfelt, with an exciting story and two deeply lovable characters at its center. I am a huge fan of The Martian. Right after the movie was released in 2015, I read the book by Andy Weir….
A well-paced espionage drama with surreal touches, The Secret Agent is intriguing and creatively constructed, even if it never fully settles into place. With the Academy Awards for 2025 films airing a few days ago, I had a chance to watch a lot of the nominated films, but not all of them. This movie has…
A darkly funny thriller about a chance encounter that spirals into something more complicated, It Was Just An Accident balances mystery, tension, and surprising emotional weight. When I was at university, our theatre department put on a production of Death And The Maiden. I was on the stage crew at that point, working towards being…
A dazzling fever dream, Moulin Rouge!, about a poor writer who falls in love with a courtesan in France, is full of amazing music, colors, and style. I watched this movie when it first came out in theaters in 2001, but I only saw it that once. Then, when a version of Moulin Rouge! got…
A wonderful and intimate look at the 15-hour vocal recording, Original Cast Album: Company shows you what the actors, orchestra, and creators of the show faced behind-the-scenes. Having been raised on musicals and later becoming a Chicago theatre critic, I have long been a Broadway nerd. I have favorite musicals that I listen to on…
A stylistic Tarantino film about an actor and his stunt double in the 1960s, Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood will make you look at Tinseltown in a whole new way. The first Quentin Tarantino film I ever saw was Pulp Fiction. I watched it in the movie theater and promptly returned for a second…
Filled with theatricality, Blue Moon, about lyricist Lorenz Hart on the night former partner Richard Rodgers opens Oklahoma! with lyricist Oscar Hammerstein, is like watching a play in three acts. I was raised on the likes of Rodgers and Hammerstein. If The King And I wasn’t playing, Carousel was on. If it was too silent…
