The Film Canon: Pierrot le Fou (1965)

The films of Jean-Luc Godard, that great iconoclast of the French New Wave, have always been so mired in an esoteric miasma of philosophical/pop-cultural minutiae that attempting to decode them for their intended interior meanings is an exercise not only…

Orson Welles in the 21st Century

By the end of the Great Depression, cinema was at a standstill, sound made the movies into talkies and the invention of Technicolor transported Dorothy into Oz. But sound and color were only aesthetics. Cinematic storytelling was not progressing. Directors…

Women in Film Wednesday: 5 Years of Great Films

I know, I know-I suck. For the very small handful of you that read these columns I apologize that I’ve been so sporadic with them as of late. This week I want to make reference (not a very timely reference)…

Out of Past: “The Lady from Shanghai” (1948)

Next week is Orson Welles’ birthday centennial (May 6th) and this website is going to be chock full of Welles tributes. But, let’s start the party early with his 1948 noir The Lady from Shanghai (next week will be Touch…

Best of the Chicago Latino Film Festival & Interviews

The Chicago Latino Film Festival (CLFF) has come and gone again this year, but it has left a lasting impression. Even at its 31st year, it is still as strong as ever, bringing together films from around the world (and…

Tribeca ’15: “That Dragon, Cancer” Q&A with Ryan Green

This is the second part of my coverage of the documentary feature “Thank You For Playing”, which premiered at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival. The film is centered around Ryan Green, his wife Amy, and his family, as they endure the…

Women In Film Wednesday: March Madness

So since I missed two weeks (I’m the worst) I thought instead of choosing one film I’d talk about the ones I saw in March that were directed by women and where you can find them. Some of these films…