HISTORICAL FACTS: 15 | History Defined

‘Spirited’: Ryan Reynolds, Will Ferrell spin off Dickens into a jolly, bouncy musical

Showing skills in both sarcasm and sincerity, the two funnymen sing their way through a new adventure of the Ghost of Christmas Present.

Chicago Sun-Times · Nov 10, 2022

‘The English’: Emily Blunt braves the frontier in an engrossing but gruesome Western

In the Prime Video series, she’s an upper-crust woman from across the pond, hunting a killer with the help of a Pawnee scout.

Chicago Sun-Times · Nov 9, 2022

‘Aftersun’: Father, daughter make memories in a beautiful, true-to-life masterpiece

Every moment, every snippet of dialogue, every detail down to the smallest role or the tiniest detail in the background feels like a vibrant slice of real life.

Chicago Sun-Times · Nov 9, 2022

‘Planes, Trains and Automobiles’: For 35 years, the great road trip movie has taken us to all the right places

The Thanksgiving comedy with Steve Martin and John Candy achieves the ideal combination of big belly laughs and poignant moments of emotion.

Chicago Sun-Times · Nov 4, 2022

‘Weird Al’ Yankovic biopic takes some hilarious turns — for a while

Phony life events, starry cameos and occasional comic gems aren’t enough to sustain a whole movie.

Chicago Sun-Times · Nov 4, 2022

‘Blockbuster’: Netflix comedy on a tired old store relies on tired old plots

Likable cast can’t save bland series set at the video chain’s last shop.

Chicago Sun-Times · Nov 3, 2022

On HBO Max special, comedian Chris Redd makes even the heavy stuff hilarious

The ‘SNL’ alum tells anecdotes about drugs, gang violence and prison in a way that makes us laugh and nod our heads in recognition.

Chicago Sun-Times · Nov 3, 2022

‘Causeway’: Jennifer Lawrence keeps it simple in a PTSD drama that rarely goes the obvious way

In a stripped-down performance, the Oscar winner plays a vet reeling from trauma and struggling to readjust to hometown life.

Chicago Sun-Times · Nov 2, 2022

‘Armageddon Time’: Story of a volatile boyhood is often likable, but the boy isn’t

Highly personal period piece suffers from a sometimes bratty hero and some heavy-handed messaging.

Chicago Sun-Times · Nov 2, 2022

‘God Forbid’: In wildly entertaining doc, pool boy tells all about affair with powerful evangelical’s wife

Hulu film uses a neon potpourri of slick visuals, quick cuts, clever re-creation techniques, archival footage and sit-down interviews to tell the incredible but true story.

Chicago Sun-Times · Oct 31, 2022