Category Archives: Capsule Reviews

4DX, Back to the Future, Capsule Reviews, Film reviews

Back to the Future in 4DX

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Back to the Future, an Immersive Experience:

It has been forty years since the first Back to the Future was released in cinemas, and many cinemas around the world have turned back the clock by releasing it  once again. This time in IMAX and 4DX. I saw Back to the Future in 4DX, and I will say I felt like I was back on the ride that was once at Universal Studios. Despite the ride sadly coming to a close, the 4DX experience felt like a much longer and innovative experience that I never wanted to end. It felt exhilarating to revisit the days of Marty McFly and Dr. Emmett Brown. Michael J. Fox (Midnight Madness, Class of 1984) is Marty McFly and Christopher Lloyd (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Goin’ South) is Dr. Emmett Brown. The relationship of a young teen and a scientist traveling back in time is a gem that sparks many unforgettable moments. The 4DX upgrade is like a touch of physical joy for its audiences to feel like they are in the Delorean.

4DX Features:

4DX has many blends of moments with fog, rocking chairs, and loud sound effects. So much that it feels like an invigorating ride of suspense turbulence. With Back to the Future, audiences will experience an icy mist on their faces as the Delorean comes back from the cold temperatures. As there is the suspense to go back in time, they will feel their seats rock, jolt, and halt. Also, as there are the confrontational moments with antagonist Biff Tannen (Thomas F. Wilson), the seats will stomp or wiggle. The oomphs of feeling part of the movie does not hold back the fun with Back to the Future in 4DX. The experience is so immersive that it feels like seatbelts and helmets should be worn. The nostalgic  fun is hard to dismiss.

Worth the time?

Back to the Future in 4DX is definitely well worth the time and the energy. Especially for those who have kids and want to take their children to see it in a cinema for the first time. I will say though, that if choosing 4DX, to mentally prepare children for the fact that the seats will be moving around throughout the duration of the film. The fun aspect about that though, is the fact that parents can tell their kids they are going back in time with Marty and Doc Brown. That is how I felt with the 4DX moments of Back to the Future. I felt all the moments I loved were just rushing back to me to the max. This was a surreal blast from the past. 

Review is also available on MovieArcher at the link below!

https://www.moviearcher.com/movie-archer/classic-targets-in-4k/back-to-the-future-1985

61 Chicago International Film Festival, Capsule Reviews, Film reviews

Chicago International Film Festival 2025-A Useful Ghost

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A Useful Ghost is one of the most well-written films in the Chicago International Film Festival. The film benefits fromcreative direction and a skillful use of personification in a story in which a widower is desperate for attention. Haunted vacuums are falling apart in this entertaining movie written and directed by Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke, I found this film to have heart and an aftermath of dazzling karma. There is almost more disconnect than imaginable because A Useful Ghost has lots to “imagine.”

The film’s main character is March (Wisarut Himmarat), and his wife is Nat (Davika Hoorne). He sees her in his dreams a lot. She may be gone, but apparently, she comes to life as a vacuum. These vacuums stir up much mayhem in a factory which cause a whirlwind of problems among other individuals. The setting is Thailand, and there are many cultural moments in this film, including some that are challenging. The word “useful” in the title is meaningful because it indicates there may be help in circumstances where people are struggling.

The film may seem silly, but I appreciated its invigorating ability to bring lightness especially for the widower. It also brings out the light in others who face devastating moments. A Useful Ghost is one of the most audacious and promising films in the Chicago International Film Festival. It begins with a vacuum, and then many changes and events cause things to spiral out of control. The film’s writing evokes empathy for the characters struggling in the story. The cinematic creativity is a force of nature. Four out of four stars for A Useful Ghost.

61 Chicago International Film Festival, Capsule Reviews, Film reviews

Chicago International Film Festival 2025-It was Just an Accident

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A daring political thriller that does all it can to fly below the radar. From director Jafar Panahi, It Was Just an Accident has intriguing components involving Middle East politics. This film contains family dynamics which makes its audience wonder about the consequences moving forward. The storyline pushes the envelope but also places family values up front.

In this film, a man named Vahid (Vahid Mobasseri) seeks revenge on a man named Eghbal (Ebrahim Azizi) because he believes Eghbal tormented him in prison ages ago. During his time as a prisoner, Vahid was always blindfolded, but he claims he can tell by the voice and the noises made by Eghbal’s artificial leg. Therefore, Vahid kidnaps Eghbal. However, Vahid’s family doubts his morals considering the political war and many accusations that could be either true or false.

I found this feature set in Iran to be one of the most realistic films in the Chicago International Film Festival. Given Panahi’s skillful approach to creating complicated moral dynamics, he lays a foundation for an effective political and ethical cinematic experience.  Three out of four stars for It Was Just an Accident.