Category Archives: 59th Chicago International Film Festival

59th Chicago International Film Festival, Film reviews

The Holdovers Review

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The Holdovers, directed by Alexander Payne and written by David Hemingson, is a film about people who know how to turn hard times into good times. Paul Giamatti plays the lead in the film, and his performance as a lonely man and a frustrated teacher is stellar. The Holdovers is simply one of the best films of 2023.


The Holdovers takes place in the 1970s. It is the depth of winter at a New England boys prep school. Teacher Paul Dunham (Giamatti) volunteers to stay on campus with boys who can’t go home for the holidays. Many of the boys are hot-headed and not very academically inclined. Dunham is strict teacher, and the students tend to rebel against him.

One of the students, Angus Tully (played by Dominic Sessa), couldn’t go home because his mother is in a new marriage and she didn’t want him home for the holidays. All the other boys manage to find a way to get home, so Paul is stuck with just Angus and the cafeteria lady, Mary (played by Da’Vine Joy Randolph). Angus is desperate for a holiday feeling so Paul begins to take him on excursions, mostly restaurants and a few other places. Paul can see that Angus craves a sense of connection at a time when his family is not there for him.

One of the fascinating things about the writing in The Holdovers is that even though Paul is all about discipline and tough love, he breaks the rules many times to help Angus feel connected. It’s the holidays, a time when it’s important to be with family. And we find out that not only is Angus alone for the holidays, Paul also doesn’t have anyone to be with either. Paul is tenured and has been at the school for many years, so even though he’s breaking the rules, he probably wouldn’t lose his job and he thinks it’s worth the risk in order to provide Angus with some happiness.

Paul Giamatti’s performance in The Holdovers is on par with his brilliant performance in Payne’s Sideways (2004). Almost two decades later, Giamatti still has that frustrated yet heartfelt attitude of inspiration. He inspired his friend in Sideways as much as he inspires Angus in The Holdovers. Payne’s directing is such that the key characters in many of his projects often find encouragment for others. The Holdovers is a masterpiece of connection.

I loved The Holdovers because it deals with loneliness and melancholy in an interesting and encouraging way while the characters navigate situations that are difficult and unavoidable. And we all have difficult and unavoidable situations in our life. It’s a film where the joy of feeling loved is restored, where good times come out of the bad. The Holdovers is an achievement that is unique in its brilliance. It is not to be missed. Four stars for The Holdovers.

59th Chicago International Film Festival, Film reviews

Anatomy of a Fall Review

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A film with many moving parts requires audiences to think. In Anatomy of a Fall, I thought about the evidence and about who is associated with the conflict. Ultimately, it comes down to determining the evolving resolution. Anatomy of a Fall is an emotional experience of realism with an enticing vibe of disconnect. French writer and director Justine Triet brings her audience on a journey of a tragedy that focuses on findingfactual evidence. The story includes family dynamics and conflicts. These two elements create an experience of sadness, empathy, and hope while investigating a death case.

Anatomy of a Fall takes place in France. The film introduces us to Sandra (played by Sandra Huller). Sandra is a successful writer with an eleven-year-old son, Daniel, who is blind (played by Milo Machado Granier). Sandra seems to have a normal life filled with daily routine and success. That all changes when her husband, Samuel (played by Samuel Theis), is found dead outside. Her deceased husband becomes a stressful nightmare that enters the life of Sandra and Daniel.

With authorities doing the research and putting the pieces together, it is hard for them to find proof and put evidence together regarding the cause of Samuel’s death. He supposedly fell while doing construction on their rooftop home. The film’s writing tackles difficult and mind-boggling emotions as Sandra tries to navigate the situation and the impact on her son. Sandra’s lawyer friend, Vincent Renzi (played by Swann Arlaud), comes in to help. As the evidence comes together, Anatomy of a Fall goes down an irresistible slope for answers. Due to Daniel’s blindness, he can only recount the events of what happened based on his auditory memory of his auditory. Daniel also has memories of the tension between his mother and father before Samuel’s death. The autopsy makes it hard to determine whether Samuel committed suicide and the authorities dive into the possibility that Sandra might have killed him. Exploring this possibility is where Anatomy of a Fall has the most spellbinding direction.

As the evidence and pieces come together, the courts begin to bring the dynamics between Sandra and Samuel into the bigger picture. The stressful energy between the two of them could have provoked triggers for Samuel. Sandra declines the negative attention, but the situation is not good for Daniel. Thelimitations in his daily life caused by his blindness put him in a mental state that is overwhelming for him. Through it all, Sandrais a good mom and does not give up on Daniel. The autopsy of confusing factors and the tough love exhibited in Anatomy of a Fall portray a very emotional form of resilience. Each piece of evidence is a new piece to the puzzle. Ultimately, how did the death of Samuel happen?

Anatomy of a Fall won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes film festival this year. This film is deserving because its direction is so precise. It is moving, stressful, and strong in portraying a mother and son sticking together in an unprecedented time. With the evidence making it hard to bring the case to resolution, the voices of Sandra and Daniel matter. It is inevitable.

As someone who has struggled with emotional dynamics in my own life, Anatomy of a Fall was an experience that reminded me how hard it can be to remain strong. This is especially true during life events that are unexpected and unwelcome, but nonetheless we must tolerate. The film paints a portrait of how far people go to help the ones who are most important to them. Daniel may be blind, but he can use his words to protect himself. Sandra may be in a rough place with the authorities due to her husband’s death, but that does not make her his murderer. The film demonstrates that even when systems in society can be unfair, sticking together can lead to a stronger outcome. Anatomy of A Fall is a breathtaking ride in the life of Sandra and Daniel and deserves four out of four stars.

59th Chicago International Film Festival, Capsule Reviews, Film reviews

Late Night with the Devil Review

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This is an interactive horror film that offers a different experience due to a vibe of twists. For those who love both talk shows and horror, Late Night with the Devil combines these two formats into a relentless ride that does not hold back. The writing is stellar, the continuity is obscure, and the scenes are a blur of enticing excitement. Late Night with the Devil is a film where the fun never ends. The Halloween theme in Late Night with the Devil is one to die for. Think about talk shows ranging from hosts such as Larry King, David Letterman, Jimmy Carson, and Jay Leno. Then imagine those shows and throw in The Exorcist. That describes the experience that audiences will get with Late Night with the Devil.

The film is set in 1977. The audience is introduced to a talk show host, Jack Delroy (played by David Dastmalchian). Jack has had many years of success followed by many years filled with tragedies. However, in his next talk show segment, he plans to make it his best one yet to help boost his popularity. His difficult upbringing does not serve him well for this segment which features guests ranging from June Ross-Mitchell (played by Laura Gordon), Carmichael Hunt (played by Ian Bliss), Christou (played by Fayssai Bazzi), and Lilly D’Abo (played by Ingrid Torelli). The concept of the show is to talk about demons, spirits, and reality. The setup may seem focused on entertaining shocks and awes, but as the show progresses, the nightmare for Jack and his guests evolves rapidly. Some feel like they are possessed, some feel like they are zombies, and some feel they must say, “The power of Christ compels you,” just for survival. Jack must figure out the backstory behind such demonic moments impacting his show. If he does not, it may be too late. During the film, the cinematography goes black when they go on station breaks. I liked this part of the film’s creative process, because it felt like color was a signal to get scared, and black and white meant the audience could take a break from being scared.

The karma surrounding Late Night with the Devil is where the haunts were most effective. It is a film where the scares will make viewers laugh, gasp, and think about what other surprises are next. Dastmalchian is brilliant as the lead and must not panic or break character. His performance is harrowing and his character is realistic and spellbinding. The film provides anexperience where the terrors have power which continue to grow. The talk show is doomed, the audience is scared, and the reality TV setting means all bets are off.

This is one of the best horror films I have seen this year because of an interesting premise and a set of clever surprises. It has anartistic side that is highlighted by a surreal galore of terror. There is no hiding from the unexpected in Late Night with the Devil. Three out of four stars.