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A light teen rom-com about a high school girl learning to accept herself, Tall Girl is a cute, heartfelt film with likable actors and a gently enjoyable story. It might seem strange, but particularly as we grow up, many girls have a complex about their height. When I was younger, I was convinced that if…
An incredible proshot recorded during the last days of the production, Rent: Filmed Live On Broadway, about a group of artists living and loving in tenement housing in New York City, uniquely captures the beauty of this history-making show. I watched Rent for the first time in 1997 when it was on tour through Cincinnati,…
A musical proshot about a family navigating grief and mental health, Next to Normal is beautifully staged and emotionally overwhelming, with exceptional performances and a distinctly unique story in the world of musical theatre. I remember when Next To Normal first made it to Broadway in 2009. I have always been a huge Broadway nerd…
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…
An indie comedy about a couple who turn their arguments into songs, Band Aid is a clever and offbeat idea with an execution and tone that never quite connect. My husband and I were big fans of the show Life In Pieces. We loved the ensemble of actors, got a kick out of the humor,…
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 clever, satirical comedy about identity and perception, The Moment balances absurd humor with a sharp exploration of what it means to be “you.” No shade to Charli xcx, but I wasn’t all that familiar with her before watching this movie. I’m Gen X, and I have kids who are Gen Z, so I’ve heard…
A fun and campy film about a girls’ boarding school on the verge of closing, St. Trinian’s is a high-spirited watch with lots of familiar faces. I have to admit, I love a good YA film. Teens being teens or adolescents finding their way, it’s a different, more nostalgic level of maturity that is often…
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 fantastic musical film about a bloodthirsty plant that gets its owner to keep feeding it, Little Shop Of Horrors features a great cast and is packed with earworms. When Little Shop Of Horrors was first released on VHS tape, my friends and I were obsessed with it. We planned a performance of our own,…
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…
