October 15, 2012
Filed under Arts & Culture, Campus, Galleries, Multimedia, Reviews
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...
By Sam Flancher
October 1, 2012
Filed under Arts & Culture, Reviews
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...
By Drew Hunt
November 28, 2011
Filed under Arts & Culture, Reviews
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...
By Drew Hunt
November 14, 2011
Filed under Arts & Culture, Reviews
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...
By Drew Hunt
November 7, 2011
Filed under Arts & Culture, Reviews
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 ...
By Drew Hunt
October 3, 2011
Filed under Arts & Culture, Reviews
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...
By Drew Hunt
September 12, 2011
Filed under Arts & Culture, Reviews
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 ...
By Drew Hunt
April 18, 2011
Filed under Arts & Culture, Reviews
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....
By Cristina Aguirre
March 28, 2011
Filed under Arts & Culture, Multimedia, Reviews, Video
"The Lincoln Lawyer" stars Matthew McConaughey as Michael "Mick" Haller, a criminal defense attorney in Los Angeles who operates out of the back of his Lincoln Continental Sedan. He lands the case of a lifetime defending a rich playboy played by Ryan Phillippe. The Chronicle's Film Critic Sean Lechowicz reviews the film.
By Contributing Writer
February 21, 2011
Filed under Reviews
by: Brandon Smith, contributing writerMy mother says some of the first words out of my mouth were, “I like those wheels,” pointing to the chrome hubcaps and whitewalls on my father's 1970 Buick LeSabre. The sleek gold sedan, yacht-long with a black vinyl top, would later become the car in which I learned to drive. I didn’t bother to borrow a car when I took Kelsey Fogt to the homecoming dance. Which was weird becaus...
