comedy

Rom-Communism: ‘Ted Lasso’ and the Future of the Romantic Comedy

Rom-Communism: ‘Ted Lasso’ and the Future of the Romantic Comedy

As polarization impacts the cultural landscape, rom-coms like Ted Lasso show how we can work through our differences and disagreements to everyone’s satisfaction.

A Tribute to Teri Garr: A Comic Genius

A Tribute to Teri Garr: A Comic Genius

Comic film actress Teri Garr flourished in the 1970s and 1980s, bringing an innate likability and charm to her roles and giving the characters dignity.

Work Is a Funny Thing in Adelle Waldman’s ‘Help Wanted’

Work Is a Funny Thing in Adelle Waldman’s ‘Help Wanted’

Nickel and Dimed meets a suburban big box store in Adelle Waldman’s unexpectedly humorous, dystopian workplace caper, Help Wanted.

Quirky Comedy ‘Between the Temples’ Delights in the Unconventional Types

Quirky Comedy ‘Between the Temples’ Delights in the Unconventional Types

Nathan Silver’s 1970s-styled throwback Between the Temples is a comedy of people awkwardly fumbling toward purpose, faith, and meaning.

The Family-Friendly ‘Bookworm’ Is a Reunion – with a Twist

The Family-Friendly ‘Bookworm’ Is a Reunion – with a Twist

Ant Timpson and Toby Harvard’s Bookworm effuses charm and humour, and reveals the Jekyll and Hyde-like sides of their creative personas.

Thriller ‘The White Rabbit’  Ensnares Viewers in Hitchcockian Fashion

Thriller ‘The White Rabbit’ Ensnares Viewers in Hitchcockian Fashion

Thriller short film The White Rabbit ensnares viewers with a joke, a nightmare, and an illusion in a sly interplay that evokes Hitchcock’s Rear Window.

‘The Boys’ Season 4 Is a Bloody Descent into Hell

‘The Boys’ Season 4 Is a Bloody Descent into Hell

Erik Kripke’s gory superhero satire The Boys takes a visceral plunge into political and personal tragedy, showing there’s more to fear than just corrupt superheroes.

‘Bad Shabbos’ Revels in Its Black Comedic Soul 

‘Bad Shabbos’ Revels in Its Black Comedic Soul 

A dead body adds to the lively mix of family dysfunction and the pressure of making a good impression in Dan Robbins’ affable black comedy, Bad Shabbos.

Chicago Critics Film Festival 2024: The Good, the Unremarkable, and the Dead on Arrival

Chicago Critics Film Festival 2024: The Good, the Unremarkable, and the Dead on Arrival

Axe murder, motor scooter theft, projectile breast milk and more from a week at the Music Box Theatre for the Chicago Critics Film Festival 2024.

Philosophies and Ironies in Éric Rohmer’s ‘Tales of the Four Seasons’

Philosophies and Ironies in Éric Rohmer’s ‘Tales of the Four Seasons’

In Éric Rohmer’s ‘Tales of the Four Seasons’, everything exists on an elevated Expressionist plane; every detail dovetails into its hermetic philosophies and ironies.

Is the ‘Barbie’ Movie Performative Subversion or Meaningful Rebellion?

Is the ‘Barbie’ Movie Performative Subversion or Meaningful Rebellion?

Is the Barbie movie, like the Barbie dolls, a superficial attempt to co-opt feminist discourse? Or does it offer something substantial? 

Detective Fantasy ‘You Never Can Tell’ Spoofs Film Noir

Detective Fantasy ‘You Never Can Tell’ Spoofs Film Noir

Fantasy, comedy, romance, reincarnation, animals and murder are ingredients for You Never Can Tell, a whimsical story with spoofs of film noir.