PIECE BY PIECE embraces Pharrell Williams’ worldview and Lego to capture creativity
by Ryan Silberstein, Managing Editor, Red Herring
Where the film shines is in its expressions of Williams’ creativity and the emotions he puts into his music.
In just twelve minutes, TEA perfectly balances empathy and comedy
by Ryan Silberstein, Managing Editor, Red Herring
If Tea was any longer, I’m not sure I would have been able to make it through it, because this short film packs so much relatable feeling into its 12-minute run time that I found myself extremely moved.
Ghost Week: The living ghosts of DON’T LOOK NOW and PERSONAL SHOPPER
by Ryan Silberstein, Managing Editor, Red Herring
What would it mean if we could receive messages through the veil? Nicholas Roeg’s Don’t Look Now (1973) and Olivier Assayas’ Personal Shopper (2016) both approach grieving from this angle but with different tones.
Ambitious, idiosyncratic, and moving: MEGALOPOLIS is my new Roman Empire
by Ryan Silberstein, Managing Editor, Red Herring
Megalopolis deserves to be considered in conversation with The Godfather and Apocalypse Now not just as explorations of the American Empire, but as proof to the power of cinema to convey the nuance and complexity that shapes the human experience itself.
Coppola Week: A Man and his dream – Coppola in the 80s
by Ryan Silberstein, Managing Editor, Red Herring
This week, in honor of the wide release of Megalopolis, MovieJawn is looking back at some of Francis Ford Coppola’s lesser-discussed work. No Godfathers, Conversations, or Apocalypses right Now.
Read MoreTRANSFORMERS: ONE truly offers more than meets the eye
by Ryan Silberstein, Managing Editor, Red Herring
While Transformers is often a self-serious toy franchise, this film finds a good balance between giving the story proper weight and allowing for enough comedy to emphasize that these toy movies are supposed to be fun.
THE TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE perfectly exemplifies Reagan’s America
by Ryan Silberstein, Managing Editor, Red Herring
All of this audaciousness comes about simply because the people hired to make this movie did their best to tell an interesting and engaging story in spite of the hardline toy sales-based mandate of their corporate masters.
ALIEN: ROMULUS feels like ALIEN: THE RIDE
by Ryan Silberstein, Managing Editor, Red Herring
Alien: Romulus feels like it was engineered in a lab from the parts of the previous Alien films, but it is a relentless thrill machine.
Action Countdown #3: Shot composition and music are the secret weapons of MAD MAX: FURY ROAD
by Ryan Silberstein, Managing Editor, Red Herring
Everything in Mad Max: Fury Road is a symphony, and the action sings its part with resounding clarity.
DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE ends a universe with a big sticky load of fan service
by Ryan Silberstein, Managing Editor, Red Herring
Deadpool and Wolverine is a eulogy for the non-MCU Marvel movies, mostly from the era at Fox that made the X-Men franchise, Daredevil, and three Fantastic Four movies.
As the first Millennial blockbuster, TWISTERS reminds us it is not too late
by Ryan Silberstein, Managing Editor, Red Herring
Twisters places its characters in classic disaster situations, where awe of nature’s power is quickly replaced by terror.
Action Countdown #23: JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4 is a kinetic opera
by Ryan Silberstein, Managing Editor, Red Herring
Each action sequence tells its own story, with rise, fall, and climax giving a sense of progression while also being extremely thrilling.
Action Countdown #25: THE ROCK is the perfect example of Michael Bay merging action and emotion
by Ryan Silberstein, Managing Editor, Red Herring
When we talk about ranking the greatest action movies of all time, a handful of names immediately spring to mind. Tom Cruise, Arnold Schwartzeneggar, Tony Scott, among them, but definitely also Michael Bay.
A QUIET PLACE: DAY ONE reminds us the important of mourning the before times
by Ryan Silberstein, Managing Editor, Red Herring
A Quiet Place: Day One offers a surprising amount of depth underneath its thrills.
Chicago Critics Film Festival: DANDELION, WHAT YOU WISH FOR, GASOLINE RAINBOW, GOOD ONE
by Ryan Silberstein, Managing Editor, Red Herring
The Chicago Critics Film Festival ended as of last night and had a delightful and varied lineup of films. Here are some that will be worth looking out for when they release more broadly.
Chicago Critics Film Festival: SING SING, CUCKOO, ME, I SAW THE TV GLOW
by Ryan Silberstein, Managing Editor, Red Herring
The Chicago Critics Film Festival is currently underway, with multiple films scheduled each day through Thursday, May 9. There are plenty of intriguing films still to come, so check out the lineup. I wanted to share some short takes on what I have seen so far!
The Chicago Film Critics Film Festival - 2024 Preview
by Ryan Silberstein, Managing Editor, Red Herring
This is my first year going, so here are some of the films I am excited to check out during the festival.
CHALLENGERS deconstructs sex, relationships, and yes, tennis
by Ryan Silberstein, Managing Editor, Red Herring
In Luca Guadagnino’s latest film, Challengers, tennis becomes a malleable metaphor for the way we try to externalize our internal desires and the distance between ourselves and the people we feel closest to.
ABIGAIL mixes monster fun with slasher kills
by Ryan Silberstein, Managing Editor, Red Herring
The filmmakers clearly have a lot of affection for the classic monster movies and understand what made them scary to audiences almost a century ago.
Book Review: FROM THE MOMENT THEY MET IT WAS MURDER: DOUBLE INDEMNITY AND THE RISE OF FILM NOIR
by Ryan Silberstein, Managing Editor, Red Herring
Ideal for those who really want to dig into this landmark film, From the Moment They Met It Was Murder provides many avenues to do so.