Reviews – Page 8 – The Chronicle

Say ‘Bonjour’ (again) to La Creperie

March 10, 2014

Last year, a turn of events caused Lakeview eatery La Creperie to close its doors, but the French favorite reopened in December 2013. Germain and Sara Roignant opened La Creperie, 2845 N. Clark St., i...

Miyazaki offers dark twist to outstanding career

March 10, 2014

Traditional animation is becoming unfashionable in the United States. Changing tastes have given rise to computer-generated films like the Oscar-winning “Frozen” in favor of Disney’s near-extin...

Canadian banjoist brings folk to Chicago

March 3, 2014

Jayme Stone is proof there is still a place for traditional folk music in the modern world. Although it is encouraging that folk has found its way into pop music with the help of bands like Mumford & ...

Mardi Gras lives in Chicago

By Assistant Arts & Culture Editor

March 3, 2014

Filed under Arts & Culture, Reviews

New Orleans Mardi Gras celebrations usually involve bright purple and yellow masks, beads, boobs and traditional New Orleans jazz, but in Chicago, it is the blues community that brings the spirit of Mardi Gras.Mardi Gras, which falls on March 4 this year, celebrates Fat Tuesday, the day before the first day of Lent, a Catholic fasting period during which followers give up something they enjoy for 40 days as a sacrifice to ...

‘Pompeii’ overflows with cliches

By Stephen Hall

March 3, 2014

Filed under Arts & Culture, Reviews

Even impressive explosions and wanton destruction cannot help some movies escape mediocrity. The new action-adventure film “Pompeii” by director Paul W.S. Anderson (“Resident Evil,” “Death Ra...

Robo-stop right there

By Stephan Hall

February 24, 2014

Filed under Arts & Culture, Reviews

The original 1987 “RoboCop” was poorly written, excessively violent and downright hokey. However, its novel concept, impressive special effects and dark sense of humor made it a memorable classic.The 2014 “RoboCop,” released Feb. 12 by Brazilian director José Padilha, falls short for the same reasons but with none of the charm or technical bravado that redeemed the original. The film joins the growing number of forg...

Second act trumps Honey and Buffalo

February 17, 2014

An experimental, string-heavy, folk-country group, Honey and Buffalo, tried its best but didn’t quite mesh in the intimate setting of Schubas Tavern, 3159 N. Southport Ave., on a frigid February week...

Anything but Angels

By Assistant Arts & Culture Editor

February 10, 2014

Filed under Arts & Culture, Reviews

Putting on their most comfortable pair of jeans to let loose, Chicago’s mid-lifers gathered Feb. 5 to dance awkwardly to the grooving sounds of The Black Angels at Park West, 322 W. Armitage Ave.On paper, th...

Radler serves up German comfort food

February 3, 2014

A few blocks north of the California Blue Line stop, the Radler, a German restaurant born of chefs Nathan Sears and Adam Hebert, is a warm respite from Chicago’s miserable weather.The Radler opened i...

An ‘Awkward’ Romantic Comedy

February 3, 2014

Romantic comedy narratives tend to be the most simplistic. Audiences who attend these films generally do not expect Shakespeare. They want predictability and flawed yet endearing characters that become lik...

Schuba diving for Perfect P—y

January 27, 2014

In Chicago, concertgoers will inevitably encounter many beards. Each beard is indicative of a different demographic: Big beards represent seasoned mosh veterans and little beards express the spry Wicker Park...

‘Holy Motors’’ dizzying narrative will divide audiences

By Sam Flancher

October 22, 2012

Filed under Arts & Culture, Reviews

The divisiveness of “Holy Motors” was evident at its premiere at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival.Met equally with cheers and boos, veteran French director Leos Carax’s film of audacious, polarizing proportions refuses critical consensus. With its grand assemblage of generic elements, “Holy Motors” frustrates as often as it astounds.The film begins with an image of Carax in a dream state as he surveys a movie theate...