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It is once again time for my monthly 'Nick’s Pix' screening at the beautiful Lake Theater in Oak Park, and this one…this one is a big one for me. It’s May, summer is right around the corner, and I wanted to kick things off early with something fun, something loud, something nostalgic, something that absolutely kills with an audience. So I went back 45 years (to the summer of 1981) and picked one of my all-time favorite comedies. We are celebrating the 45th anniversary of Stri

I enjoy wearing nice pants, but it's getting warm out there, so how about some shorts? Some Film Critic Shorts? They fit. They are on, and I am ready to review five new movies in this week's capsule (short) movie reviews for Friday, June 6th, 2025. 1) THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME It is now official: I've had it with Wes Anderson . And that's not something I say lightly. I loved his early work. Bottle Rocket , Rushmore , and especially The Royal Tenenbaums — that's a perfect three-f

With the recent release of the new horror film Clown in a Cornfield —which, by the way, is absolutely terrible (and yes, you can read my review for all the painful details )—I started thinking about clowns. Not the kind that ruin horror movies by being dull, derivative, and dumb (looking at you, Terrifier fans), but the kind of clowns that actually work. The ones that are funny, creepy, iconic, strange, and unforgettable. So I decided to put together a list of my 10 favorite

Who doesn't love a great talking animal movie? Something about seeing an animal speak—whether through impressive visual effects, animatronics, puppetry, or good old-fashioned trick photography—taps into a childlike sense of wonder. It's ridiculous, it's fun, and when done right, it can be downright magical. In honor of the release of Paddington in Peru —which is terrific —I decided to put together my list of the 10 Best Live-Action Movies Featuring Talking Animals . Now, I've