O’Brien and Sweeney are the dynamic duo trying to combat grief after the loss of their loved one. I had the privilege to interview with both of them before screening Twinless at Chicago Critics Film Festival 2025!
Tag Archives: Chicago Critics Film Festival
Ghostlight Review
This film takes place in Chicago, Illinois. It is a tale about finding light and escaping during moments of turmoil. It proves that emotions can be portrayed outwardly and that some are stronger than many anticipate. Ghostlight brings its audience on a journey of deep thoughts. The storyline of a struggling father is the means of redemption in Ghostlight and one which Chicago natives will feel a bond with. Filmed around many areas of downtown, Chicagoans will feel the warmness of the city itself. They will especially recognize the theatre scene.
The film’s main character is Dan (played by Keith Kupferer). Dan is a construction worker and is dealing with grief and turmoil in his family. His daughter is Daisy (played by Katherine Mallen Kupferer), and his wife is Sharon (played by Tara Mallen). Dan finds himself dealing with conflicts and underlying issues with no resolution, so he decides to join a community theatre for a production of Romeo and Juliet. He thinks this will be an activity for distraction, but ultimately it foreshadows his own life as he is in character with rehearsals. Working with the mind of the theatrical director Rita (played by Dolly De Leon), Dan’s journey evolves into something more fulfilling than he had ever imagined.
The dynamics of resurfacing challenges are encouraging in Ghostlight, as Dan is faced with many days of having to think through hard choices for his daughter. His involvement in theplay is where his mind can think more poetically. Theexpression of that characterization is its message of brilliance in finding balance with what one is passionate about and how it can lead to more rewarding aspects of life. With the Shakespeare production, Dan’s finds that his emotions while being in character start to bring out the best in him. What happens on the stage carries over to his family life.
There is a feeling that Dan’s emotional path is leading him to let go of what is going on in his personal life and bring it to the dramatic irony in the community production of Romeo and Juliet. Feeling present is where the film finds the moments for Dan to have a sense of purpose. It is a triumphant and exhilarating ride that will touch the hearts of many.
This is a tale where the writing of the film is Dan’s life trying to use art in order to improve his mindset. This works not only for himself, but with his difficult conflicts with his daughter. There are overbearing aspects to his hardship. The stage and his involvement are where he feels his sense of connection. Ghostlight is written to shed a unique light on the issues of boundaries and finding what is beneficial.
The direction of navigating and finding a balance is where Ghostlight is breathtaking. It reminded me of how much being involved in theater can change one’s life, especially for those who feel there is a hardship that is out of theiitr control. For Dan, his life is in a halting pattern, but the stage is his place of safety and sanctuary for his thoughts and finding rewarding moments. Despite the conflicts with his daughter, and the other issues, there is light and talent that can blend to bring forth empathy and happiness.
My love for Ghostlight lay in its portrayal of how putting effort into a craft can bring meaning to one’s existence in areas of artistry, fulfillment, mental health, and navigating life. There is a juxtaposition here between the stage and reality. Where does Dan’s life find its common ground? Is it with being involved in a production? Is it with his family? Ghostlight precisely navigates the conflicts of Dan with a continuity that is spellbinding.
The stage is the place of purpose in Ghostlight. The navigation of life for Dan is the world of possibilities he finds throughout the film itself. Ghostlight soars with an abundance of happiness, sadness, and acceptance through the heart of a man feeling that his thoughts truly matter. A revolutionary work of art that is diverse and compelling. Theater can truly change lives as it does in Ghostlight. Four out of four stars for Ghostlight.
I Saw The TV Glow Review
I Saw the TV Glow operates within the context of spellbinding fascinations with hobbies and moments of connections searching for understanding and empathy. The film was written and directed by Jane Schoenbrun. Schoenbrun’s direction is audacious in its grandeur and colorful revelations. The film is experimental and worthy of awards. I Saw the TV Glow made my head spin in a positive way. The film centers on a reality TV show and its impact on a set of viewers throughout their lives.One that will build connections and memories that will mesmerize the minds of its audience.
The film’s focus is on the social disconnect of its main characters in the beginning. One is a boy with this feeling namedOwen (played by Justice Smith). Owen finds love and connection to the other, his close friend Maddie (played by Brigette Lundy-Paine). They are both fixated on a TV show called The Pink Opaque. It is a reality TV show based on the supernatural. It brings Owen and Maddie closer to their hearts and their feelings of where they sense they are meant to be. Owen has always struggled with loneliness. Maddie is also disconnected, but she tolerates being an introvert. The Pink Opaque builds a certain power within Owen. One that he will carry with him for years. Ultimately, his love for Maddie and his love of the TV show is where he feels there is meaning to life.
The era of the VHS days is portrayed in this film. Looking back at the era of having to watch programs in their scheduled time brings its audience back to a more structured reality when television viewers had to plan out when to watch the shows they loved. Owen collects VHS tapes of recordings of The Pink Opaque. He says, “I watched these tapes over and over again, and they never got old.” The fascination with a TV show is just the beginning of the story in I Saw the TV Glow.
The time when technology was limited in repeated views paints a portrait of how special this show is for Owen and Maddie in the film. It creates their bond of closeness in a surreal and experimental direction. The direction is breathless. The film shines with radiance. The friendship of Owen and Maddie thrives indefinitely in correlation to their love for a show they are obsessed with together.
The direction of Schoenbrun is artistic in its creation of an atmosphere where sharing an obsession creates a euphoric world. The presence of Owen and Maddie’s relationship brings a sense of urgency to what they have shared for years. Their love for The Pink Opaque goes to the horizons of imagination with sparks of wonder. Schoenbrun knows the depths of experimental value among in exploring aspects of personalities that bind and are inspiring.
In the performance of Lundy-Paine, I saw the loving side of her wonderful aura in I Saw the TV Glow. It brought me back to her performance as Casey from the series Atypical. She has that personality where hardship in personal life is something she tolerates with a firm attitude. Her attitude is even firmer and revolutionary in I Saw the TV Glow.
Is there a light at the end of the tunnel? What are the chances of discovering the hidden treasures that tempt the characters in I Saw the TV Glow? This mesmerizing and in-depth trail of fear and friendship compounded by reality is off the charts. A true and surreal film that feels scientific in its search for a light of truth to the highest perception. Four out of four stars.
Movies with Tarek 