Third Coast Review

01/10/2025

Review: A Biopic About Brit Pop Star Robbie Williams, Better Man Puts Gimmick Over Good Storytelling

I’ve been aware of the existence of pop singer Robbie Williams for about as long as he’s had a successful solo career and released his first album in 1997, after being booted from the boyband Take That. I’ve also been aware that he’s wanted to break through in a big

I’ve been aware of the existence of pop singer Robbie Williams for about as long as he’s had a successful solo career and released his first album in 1997, after […]

01/10/2025

Review: Brady Corbet's The Brutalist is an Ambitious, Sweeping Epic Chronicles a Tortured Artist's Fascinating Process

Brady Corbet’s (Vox Lux) The Brutalist was recently named winner of the Golden Globe for Best Picture - Drama, Best Director, and Best Actor. The film is about a fictional Hungarian architect, László Toth (Adrien Brody), who manages to survive the Holocaust and come to America to start a new

Brady Corbet’s (Vox Lux) The Brutalist was recently named winner of the Golden Globe for Best Picture – Drama, Best Director, and Best Actor. The film is about a fictional […]

01/10/2025

Review: Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore Star in Pedro Almodóvar's First English-Language Feature, The Room Next Door

Pedro Almodóvar. Tilda Swinton. Julianne Moore.

Three names, three reasons to see a film—zero additional context needed.

But if you insist...

Best known for his work in Spanish (2019's Pain and Glory is easily one of the best films of that decade), Almodóvar makes his English-language filmmaking debut with The Room

Pedro Almodóvar. Tilda Swinton. Julianne Moore. Three names, three reasons to see a film—zero additional context needed. But if you insist… Best known for his work in Spanish (2019’s Pain […]

01/10/2025

Review: Documentary Diane Warren: Relentless is a Deep Dive into a Prolific Songwriter's Process and Work Ethic

Here’s the deal: this documentary about the much-celebrated songwriter Diane Warren is a terrific work about one of the most successful creators in pop music. We get great stories about her upbringing with a difficult mother and loving, supportive father; her early years as a songwriter, trying to get her

Here’s the deal: this documentary about the much-celebrated songwriter Diane Warren is a terrific work about one of the most successful creators in pop music. We get great stories about […]

01/09/2025

Review: Pamela Anderson Stars as an Aging Vegas Performer in Gia Coppola's Moving, Gritty The Last Showgirl

Best known for her role in the 1990s television drama Baywatch (and plenty of tabloid headlines of the time, as well), Pamela Anderson is having a resurgence of sorts. That's due in no small part to her personal act of protest against the patriarchy in the form of opting not

Best known for her role in the 1990s television drama Baywatch (and plenty of tabloid headlines of the time, as well), Pamela Anderson is having a resurgence of sorts. That’s […]

01/09/2025

Review: First National Tour of Tony-Winning Shucked Brings Delightfully Corn-y Musical Comedy with Remarkable Cast to Chicago

I had considered a few ways to start this review, but after consulting the details for the first national tour of Shucked, an eight-time Tony-nominated musical comedy (for which Alex Newell won Best Featured Actor in a Musical), and realizing it is only playing in Chicago through January 19, I

I had considered a few ways to start this review, but after consulting the details for the first national tour of Shucked, an eight-time Tony-nominated musical comedy (for which Alex […]

01/09/2025

Preview: The Puppets Are Coming to Tell Their Stories at the 7th Chicago Puppet Theater Festival

It’s time for the 7th Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival! Every year, the puppets brighten our January and remind us of the amazing joy and ingenuity of puppetry storytelling. The performers are puppets immense and tiny, marionettes, glove puppets, shadow puppets, bunraku puppets, miniature worlds with detailed figurines, tabletop puppets, as

It’s time for the 7th Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival! Every year, the puppets brighten our January and remind us of the amazing joy and ingenuity of puppetry storytelling. The performers […]

01/09/2025

Review: Pixel Grip Reaches New Heights at Chicago’s Outset

It’s no secret that Chicago harbors some of the most talented and unique artists in the industry which includes the vastly talented electropop group, Pixel Grip. The trio wrapped up their 2024 with a sold-out hometown show at Chicago’s newest venue, Outset last Saturday. The evening included a stacked double-feature

It’s no secret that Chicago harbors some of the most talented and unique artists in the industry which includes the vastly talented electropop group, Pixel Grip. The trio wrapped up […]

01/09/2025

Bites: What Actor Alanna Chavez Eats in a Day

Alanna Chavez grew up feeling quite alarmed by the phrase starving artist. But with roles like her current one in Porchlight Music Theatre's production of Fun Home, she has proven that Chicago feeds artists in more ways than one. Chavez solidified herself as one of my favorite artist foodie's by

Alanna Chavez grew up feeling quite alarmed by the phrase starving artist. But with roles like her current one in Porchlight Music Theatre’s production of Fun Home, she has proven […]

01/07/2025

Interview: Filmmaker RaMell Ross on Choosing Perspective for Nickel Boys, Casting Fresh Faces and the Timing of Historical Narratives

Director and cinematographer RaMell Ross first came onto my radar as the director behind the exquisite Oscar-nominated 2018 documentary feature Hale County This Morning, This Evening. But it’s his latest work, an adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Colson Whitehead, Nickel Boys, that has made him one of the

Director and cinematographer RaMell Ross first came onto my radar as the director behind the exquisite Oscar-nominated 2018 documentary feature Hale County This Morning, This Evening. But it’s his latest […]

01/07/2025

Events: Dearly Beloved Highlights the Best Spirit-Free Cocktails at One Night Fest

Just in time to kick off everyone’s Dry January and the Surgeon General’s warnings against alcohol consumption, Dearly Beloved (900 North Franklin, Near North Side) is hosting Chicago’s first-ever Spirit Free Cocktail Fest January 12 from 7 to 10pm. For one night only, the city’s top mixologists will create artful

Just in time to kick off everyone’s Dry January and the Surgeon General’s warnings against alcohol consumption, Dearly Beloved (900 North Franklin, Near North Side) is hosting Chicago’s first-ever Spirit […]

01/02/2025

Review: Nicole Kidman's Busy 2024 Concludes with Babygirl, a S*x Drama Without Much of Either

2024 has been a good year for women on screen. Plenty of meaty, fully realized roles found their way to cinemas in the last twelve months, from Demi Moore in The Substance to Kate Winslet in Lee, Angelina Jolie as Maria Calls in Maria, Mikey Madison in the title role

2024 has been a good year for women on screen. Plenty of meaty, fully realized roles found their way to cinemas in the last twelve months, from Demi Moore in […]

01/02/2025

2024 in Review: Best Narrative Films of the Year

2024 is finally over, so it’s time to reveal my Best Narrative Films of the Year list.

As always, I was able to squeeze in about a dozen additional films in the last couple weeks of December—mostly titles that others have told me are worth checking out that I either

2024 is finally over, so it’s time to reveal my Best Narrative Films of the Year list. As always, I was able to squeeze in about a dozen additional films […]

01/02/2025

2024 in Review: Best Documentary Films of the Year

As I do every year, I separate documentaries into their own Best of the Year list, not because I feel they should be judged any differently than narrative films, but because I want to call attention to as many great docs as I possibly can. If I tried to incorporate

As I do every year, I separate documentaries into their own Best of the Year list, not because I feel they should be judged any differently than narrative films, but […]

01/02/2025

Toasts: Your Next Reservation for Dry January Nights Out

I’ve been what I consider part-time sober for many years now. Gone are the days of binge drinking and hangovers which is actually very lovely. My gut feels great, my brain does too. But on occasions I’ll have a cocktail or a glass of wine, try something new. I’ll have

I’ve been what I consider part-time sober for many years now. Gone are the days of binge drinking and hangovers which is actually very lovely. My gut feels great, my […]

01/01/2025

Best of 2024: The Third Coast Review Lit Section

The Third Coast Review Lit section has continued to grow in its coverage of the city and region’s ongoing literary scene. Below, several of TCR’s Lit writers share their favorite articles from 2024. Happy New Year!—Dan Kelly/TCR Lit Editor

Holly Smith

My favorite piece to write was "12 Years of Crafting Mad Science:

The Third Coast Review Lit section has continued to grow in its coverage of the city and region’s ongoing literary scene. Below, several of TCR’s Lit writers share their favorite […]

01/01/2025

Dear Cinnamon: The Art of Trying Something New

Dear Cinnamon is a monthly column based on the idea that all of life's questions can be answered by art, because, after all, art is the spice of life. To submit your own anonymous questions, fill out this form.

Dear Cinnamon,

I want to start a new hobby that isn’t exercise related in

Dear Cinnamon is a monthly column based on the idea that all of life’s questions can be answered by art, because, after all, art is the spice of life. To […]

12/31/2024

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