Publications

June 4, 2025

The Progression of Ethan Hunt, Told by Sound - A Dissection Into the Mission: Impossible Scores

"Our lives are the sum of our choices" is a message reiterated to agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) throughout the final installment in the Missi...

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June 4, 2025

‘Hacks’ S4 Review: The View From The Top is Bittersweet — And The Show’s Best Season Yet

Longtime watchers of Hacks (2021–Present) know how satisfying the premise of its fourth season is. After years of residencies, touring local ...

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June 3, 2025

Review: ‘Mountainhead’ Asks How 4 Billionaires Would Save The World in Jesse Armstrong’s Directorial Debut

The “Jesse Armstrong Experience” is nothing short of a sensational expedition in satirical examination. It initially folded into the culture ...

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June 3, 2025

Review: ‘Bring Her Back’ Cements The Philippous As Indie Horror Titans in ‘Talk To Me’ Follow-Up

Audiences witnessed the grip YouTube duo RackaRacka (Danny and Michael Philippou) could have on the horror genre with 2023’s horror hit Talk ...

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June 2, 2025

‘Dangerous Animals’ Review: Gnarly Shark Survival Horror is Back on the Menu

Since the release of Steven Spielberg’s Jaws in 1975, it could be argued that shark horror films have managed to carve themselves deep into t...

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May 27, 2025

10 Movies to Celebrate Graduation in 2025

Welcome to the end of May! This month represents not only flowers blooming and summer warmth around the corner but also celebration: Graduati...

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May 26, 2025

In Defense of ‘Mission: Impossible 2,’ A Great Vibes Film

During my Mission: Impossible franchise watch-through before The Final Reckoning, I arrived at Mission: Impossible 2, which, for many people,...

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May 23, 2025

From The Awards Tape: Cannes Film Festival Award Predictions 2025

As the red carpet is unrolled once more along the Croisette, the 78th Cannes Film Festival has been the spotlight of attention for the global...

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May 23, 2025

‘Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning’ Review: Ethan Hunt’s Saga Comes to a Close in a Messy but Thrilling Last Chapter

With eight films, a TV series, and almost thirty years of death-defying stunts, the Mission: Impossible franchise has cemented its status as ...

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May 22, 2025

Lewis Pullman Pulls Us In: The Subtle Star Power of the Internet’s Newest Crush

Every few months, a new man becomes the collective fixation of the internet—a phenomenon known as the "Internet Boyfriend." It's a recurring ...

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May 21, 2025

‘The Phoenician Scheme’ Review: Faith, Fortune, and the Fragility of the Symmetrical Signature

The question of whether Wes Anderson can continue to out-Wes Anderson himself is a persistent one in the minds of fans and critics alike ever...

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May 19, 2025

Review: 'Final Destination Bloodlines' is a Gleefully Entertaining Entry

“Death is a relentless son-of-a-bitch,” remarks Gabrielle Rose as Iris, a woman whose premonition decades prior jumpstarted one of the most n...

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May 19, 2025

‘Revenge of the Sith’ 20th Anniversary: Revisiting a Classic & Reflecting Why I No Longer Care for ‘Star Wars’

When I went to see a showing of Star Wars: Episode 3 - Revenge of the Sith (2005) as part of its 20th Anniversary re-release, I experienced a...

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May 18, 2025

*PFS SpringFest* ‘Middletown’ Review: Civic Courage in the Face of Environmental Crimes

Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss have proven their uncanny knack for uncovering compelling stories of interest and documenting them in a way tha...

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May 18, 2025

Review: ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’ Is An Excruciating Exercise In Style Over Substance

A global superstar experiencing an active downfall - whether physically or mentally - is a story that has been told a million times. Hurry Up...

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May 15, 2025

‘Fight or Flight’ Review: Josh Hartnett Soars in a Mid-Altitude B-Movie That Knows Exactly What It Is

There’s something comforting about a 90-minute action movie. They’re the kind of films that can signal the health of the Hollywood ecosystem:...

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May 13, 2025

5 Films That Nail the Truth About Our Work Lives

Work sucks! Let’s watch a movie about it! Movies have long reflected the complexities of human existence—love, loss, ambition, rebelli...

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May 9, 2025

‘Clown in a Cornfield’ Review: Frendo the Clown Debuts on the Big Screen in a Mixed Bag of a Slasher

Adapted from the book of the same name, 2025’s Clown in a Cornfield aims to follow the classic tropes of your average horror slasher but with...

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May 8, 2025

‘Tummy Monster’ Review: An Exciting Glimpse into Scottish Cinema’s Future

I have always believed in supporting homegrown films, especially when it is a first feature from a budding director. So when I heard about Tu...

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May 8, 2025

CHICAGO CRITICS FILM FEST: ‘It Ends’ is Alex Ullom’s Bright Beginning

One of the most exciting things about a film festival is the discovery of finding a film from a new artist and floating out of the theater kn...

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May 7, 2025

‘Thunderbolts*’ Review: A Baby Step in the Right Direction for Marvel

The most common question this past weekend was “Is Marvel Back?” Long-time franchise fans seem to think so, but Thunderbolts*, in my eyes, is...

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May 6, 2025

'Another Simple Favor' Review: Another Simple Sequel

2025 is shaping out to be the year for sequels to films that were mildly received at the time of release. Just last month saw the release of ...

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May 6, 2025

‘Parthenope’ Review:  A Character Journey that Goes Nowhere

Paolo Sorrentino is a director who has always been interested in the idea of beauty, specifically female beauty, and how it transfixes indivi...

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May 5, 2025

‘The Surfer’ Review: Nic Cage Strives to Ride Waves in this Anxiety-Inducing Thriller

Nicolas Cage has an extensive pantheon of films of all kinds of shapes and sizes, and yet, The Surfer (2025) manages to stand out as one of h...

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May 5, 2025

CHICAGO CRITICS FILM FEST: The Dizzying and Delirious ‘Mr. K’

It may be because it was my third screening of the day and it started at midnight, but Tallulah Hazekemp Schwab’s Mr. K made me feel utterly ...

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May 5, 2025

Trump’s Tariffs on Film: Don’t Panic, Just Pay Attention

Last night, Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social that “The Movie Industry in America is DYING a very fast death. Other Countries are offering a...

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May 4, 2025

CHICAGO CRITICS FILM FEST: Alex Russell’s Haunting & Nuanced Debut ‘Lurker’

If you’ve spent more than ten seconds on social media, chances are you’ve encountered the feverish fan culture that’s seeped its way into our...

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