AltWeeklies Wire
Talking 'A Christmas Tale' with Arnaud Desplechinnew
A Christmas Tale is the "home for the holidays" primal scene as primal scream: from the first moments, as we're introduced to the characters, we realize they can be chilly and abrupt, capable of pettiness and outright cruelty. And that's just the set-up.
Chicago Newcity |
Ray Pride |
11-19-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Ache 'til You Laugh in 'Synecdoche, New York'new
After Synecdoche's Chicago International screening, I moderated an hour-long Q&A with Kaufman, and it was one of the more rapt audiences in my experience. Everyone had questions.
Chicago Newcity |
Ray Pride |
11-05-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
It's All in the Details in 'I've Loved You So Long'new
French novelist Philippe Claudel's first feature as director is a quiet, layered narrative with a remarkable central performance by Kristin Scott-Thomas.
Chicago Newcity |
Ray Pride |
10-29-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
The High Crimes and High Art of 'Man On Wire'new
Even after seeing Man on Wire three times, I'm ready to see it again: just about any place. It's far and away my favorite film commercially released in 2008 to date.
Chicago Newcity |
Ray Pride |
08-06-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Constructing 'American Teen' with Nanette Bursteinnew
American Teen debuted at Sundance 2008, and some viewers begrudged the sale of Nanette Burstein's eminently entertaining, beautifully constructed snapshot of the lives of several teenagers across a senior year at a Warsaw, Indiana high school.
Chicago Newcity |
Ray Pride |
07-23-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: American Teen, Nanette Burstein
Going to the 'Edge of Heaven' with Fatih Akinnew
Akin's latest film is a fierce, generous melodrama, the second of a trilogy about émigré culture patterned after Fassbinder's trilogy of movies about post-World War II German history that began with The Marriage of Maria Braun.
Chicago Newcity |
Ray Pride |
06-11-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Fatih Akin, The Edge of Heaven
Bob Teitel Brings His Moviemaking Success Home to the Old Neighborhoodnew
A late February rain melts the snow that blankets Humboldt Park. Gray and wet, yet bustling with pedestrians. It's the first day above freezing in weeks, and the neighborhood is starring in its first major motion picture, called, fittingly, Humboldt Park.
Chicago Newcity |
Ed M. Koziarski |
04-30-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Talking 'Blueberry Nights' with Wong Kar-Wainew
Directors rarely indulge in wholesale revision of their work; so-called director's cuts going back to a baggier version of what's in the theaters, yes, but a wholesale rethinking, no. But Wong Kar-Wai seems to have done it on almost every project he's tackled.
Chicago Newcity |
Ray Pride |
04-16-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: My Blueberry Nights, Wong Kar-Wai
Talking 'Married Life' with Ira Sachs and Chris Coopernew
The four friends in Sachs' mix of drama, dark comedy and a couple of scenes of genial whimsy, are lucid about some things but reserved about others.
Chicago Newcity |
Ray Pride |
03-12-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Ira Sachs, Married Life
'Be Kind Rewind': Utopian Tourette'snew
Michel Gondry says what's on his mind.
Chicago Newcity |
Ray Pride |
02-20-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Michel Gondry, Be Kind Rewind
'Diary of the Dead' Goes for the Headshotnew
Diary had its U.S. debut at Sundance in January and was easily one of the fiercest pictures on show. In fact, I'm not aware of any fiction features that might hold such sting.
Chicago Newcity |
Ray Pride |
02-13-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tony Kaye on 'Lake of Fire'new
The director of American History X finishes his epic abortion doc.
Chicago Newcity |
Ray Pride |
10-24-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Lake of Fire, Tony Kaye
Hannah and Her Brethrennew
Chicago boy Joe Swanberg returns with Hannah Takes the Stairs.
Chicago Newcity |
Ray Pride |
10-17-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
Michael Davis on the Delirious Action of 'Shoot 'Em Up'new
Not many people have asked the question, "What if you took the hospital scene from John Woo's Hard Boiled with Chow Yun-Fat holding a gun and a baby and extended it to over ninety minutes?" but I'm glad Michael Davis did.
Chicago Newcity |
Ray Pride |
09-05-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Michael Davis, Shoot 'Em Up
'2 Days in Paris': 'Annie Hall' in a Handbasketnew
Julie Delpy talks about her new comedy.
Chicago Newcity |
Ray Pride |
08-22-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: 2 Days in Paris, Julie Delpy
