Reviews – Page 9 – The Columbia Chronicle

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...

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...

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

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...

Rambunctious Rocky riles up Congress Theater

October 15, 2012

A$AP Rocky played the Congress Theatre October 11 with Danny Brown and ScHoolBoy Q.Helicopter sound effects, operatic scales and the strumming of a harp underlined A$AP Rocky’s cracked voice as he opened h...

‘Looper’ an aesthetically dazzling disappointment

By Sam Flancher

October 1, 2012

The critical and commercial success of 2010’s “Inception” was a refreshing change of pace for many filmgoers. Love it or hate it, the film was something of an anomaly in modern Hollywood—a gamble on an original screenplay in an era of adaptations, sequels and reboots. Though hampered by expositional and structural faults, “Inception” ushered in something new. “Looper,” the latest film from director Rian Johnson (“Br...

“The Third Man” revived at Music Box Theatre

By Drew Hunt

November 28, 2011

As part of its ongoing Weekend Matinee series, The Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave., is screening “The Third Man,” a classic noir directed by Carol Reed, written by Graham Greene and starring Orson Welles. The 1949 film stands as one of the masterpieces of post-war cinema, emerging at a time when most of Europe was still decimated by the effects of World War II.Ethereal cinematography and a decidedly bleak, p...

Payne, Clooney pair up for new film

By Drew Hunt

November 14, 2011

Even by his lofty standards, George Clooney is having a good year. His latest directorial effort, “The Ides of March,” is an entertaining if somewhat unsuccessful political thriller that has the added benefit of timeliness. His latest starring vehicle is “The Descendants,” a family drama/comedy filmed in Hawaii that finds the suave actor stepping out of his usual comfort zone.In the film, Clooney’s character, Ma...

‘Into the Abyss’ dives deep

By Drew Hunt

November 7, 2011

Legendary German director Werner Herzog has spent the better part of a decade moving between narrative and documentary-style filmmaking. These days, it’s arguable that he’s better known for the latter, so it comes as no surprise that his newest film is another exploration of human behavior.The film, called “Into the Abyss,” profiles the aftermath of a triple homicide committed by death row inmate Michael Perry and his ...

Gosling, ensemble cast pave the way

By Drew Hunt

October 3, 2011

Though he may not have an auteurist’s touch, George Clooney has proved he knows his way behind the camera. His best film, “Good Night and Good Luck,” is a concise and culturally impactful film: bleak but ringing with pragmatic bells of optimism.His newest directorial effort, “The Ides of March,” is a far more cynical view of the country’s current state. As the film follows a pair of rival campaigns, Clooney tr...

Debut film a fiery mess

By Drew Hunt

September 12, 2011

Set against the backdrop of Los Angeles’ urban sprawl, "Bellflower" is like a mumblecore film with a case of roid rage. Convinced a global apocalypse is right around the corner, slacker friends Woodrow (Evan Glodell) and Aiden (Tyler Dawson) spend their days swigging beer while building flamethrowers and muscle cars for their imaginary militia, dubbed "Mother Medusa." Before the world ends, however, Woodrow meets and falls ...

Bill Hicks documentary gives legendary comic subpar treatment

By Drew Hunt

April 18, 2011

Largely under-appreciated in his lifetime, comedian Bill Hicks has since become one of the most influential and admired stand-ups in history. His posthumous success led to a myriad of CD releases and live tributes. Now, filmmakers Matt Harlock and Paul Thomas have given him the bio treatment with their documentary “American: The Bill Hicks Story.”Unfortunately, the film frequently resembles something of a toothless cog....