Reviews – Page 9 – The Columbia Chronicle

‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ worth extended stay

March 31, 2014

Eccentric director Wes Anderson, known for “The Royal Tenenbaums” and “Moonrise Kingdom,” is one of this generation’s most recognizable talents. Through a unique visual and topical style he has ma...

Lorde Almighty

March 31, 2014

Under a twinkling night sky dusted with surreal clouds stands a miniature castle and a meek, doe-eyed Lorde, wearing an oversized blouse and suit pants, wailing above a pulsating beat to a crowd.“You cou...

Fast food gets gourmet twist

March 17, 2014

Burger lovers searching for somewhere new to eat should look no further than Lakeview’s newest restaurant, Spritz Burger. Since its Feb. 14 opening, Spritz Burger, 3819 N. Broadway, has brought a br...

‘Veronica Mars’ mystery worth investigating

By Stephen Hall Film Critic

March 17, 2014

In the early 2000s, “Veronica Mars” delighted audiences with three seasons of the heroic tales of its teenage title character, who solved mysteries while dealing with the pressures of high school. ...

Play about immigrant struggles touches audiences

March 10, 2014

Seen as the ultimate melting pot of old and new, America has long been a destination for immigrants dreaming of success and opportunity. Steppenwolf Theatre’s new production “Russian Transport” exp...

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

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

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

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...