02 Sep 2021

Ballet Quad Cities' “Ballet on the Lawn Take Two: Dorothy Goes to Oz!”, September 12

By Mike Schulz

The professional talents of Ballet Quad Cities are off to see the Wizard – the wonderful Wizard of Oz – in the company's latest presentations at Davenport's Outing Club: Ballet on the Lawn Take Two: Dorothy Goes to Oz!, a pair of September 12 performances boasting an completely new take on beloved characters made unforgettable through L. Frank Baum's children's-book series and the 1939 film classic starring Judy Garland.

30 Aug 2021

CSI Cabrini-Green: “Candyman,” “Vacation Friends,” and “PAW Patrol: The Movie”

By Mike Schulz

Candyman is only director Nia DaCosta's second full-length feature, and it may not be entirely coincidental that the last sophomore effort I enjoyed in so similar a way was Jordan Peele's Us.

23 Aug 2021

Memories Light the Coroners of His Mind: “Reminiscence,” “The Night House,” and “The Protégé”

By Mike Schulz

I wish I could say that writer/director Lisa Joy's futuristic noir gave Hugh Jackman opportunities to access the performer's lighthearted, effortlessly winning side that we rarely get to see outside of him playing The Greatest Showman on-screen or at awards shows. Alas, it doesn't. But at least this intricately plotted, visually arresting crime thriller gives its audiences a few legitimate reasons to grin.

16 Aug 2021

Avatar Nation: “Free Guy,” “Respect,” “CODA,” and “Don't Breathe 2”

By Mike Schulz

Throughout most of director Shawn Levy's action comedy Free Guy, Ryan Reynolds walks and runs and drives around with an expression of awed, smiling wonder. That was pretty much my expression throughout the film, too.

12 Aug 2021

Ballet Quad Cities' “Ballet on the Lawn,” August 22

By Mike Schulz

While no one wants a repeat of 2020, the year actually did yield some good things – such as Ballet Quad Cities' partnership with Davenport's Outing Club, which will again host outdoor performances of the dance company's Ballet on the Lawn.

09 Aug 2021

Ho-Hum Improvement: “The Suicide Squad,” “Annette,” and “Val”

By Mike Schulz

Writer/director James Gunn's re-imagining of David Ayer's Suicide Squad – now outfitted with a “The” and an identifiable sense of humor – is almost inarguably a stronger piece of work than DC Films' five-year-old predecessor: more tightly structured, more visually audacious, almost entirely exposition-free. Yet it's still a rather depressing experience, because instead of finding ways to make the “old” movie better, Gunn appears merely to have found ways to make a Guardians of the Galaxy flick gorier.

02 Aug 2021

Prime Amazon: “Jungle Cruise,” “The Green Knight,” and “Stillwater”

By Mike Schulz

Director Jaume Collet-Serra's family adventure may be as self-referential and avaricious as any of the Mouse House's live-action blockbusters, but the film's cheerful spirit and charm prove utterly infectious, and I wound up having more and more fun as the film progressed.

26 Jul 2021

Life's a Beach, Then You Die: “Old,” “Joe Bell,” and “Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins”

By Mike Schulz

M. Night Shymalan's new cinematic freakout, inauspiciously yet evocatively titled Old, could easily be mistaken for a masterpiece if you don't understand a word of English.

19 Jul 2021

Please, Let That Be All, Folks: “Space Jam: A New Legacy,” “Escape Room: Tournament of Champions,” “Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain,” and “Pig”

By Mike Schulz

Director Malcolm D. Lee's LeBron-James-meets-the-Looney-Tunes adventure, beyond feeling cynical and desperate, may be the most flabbergasting, relentlessly self-promoting entertainment I've ever endured. Lee's movie is constantly selling, yet the only thing it actually gave me was a headache.

12 Jul 2021

Red Room! Red Room!: “Black Widow” and “Summer of Soul (… or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)”

By Mike Schulz

With more praise (and some damnation) to come, I suppose the highest compliment I can pay director Cate Shortland's new Black Widow is that, in the grand scheme of things, this Marvel entry could hardly matter less.

Pages

Subscribe & Listen to Reader Podcasts

On Stands Now

 

Tagged Content

Two Ways to Subscribe

1. Subscribe to free weekly e-mail content updates.

You'll get both the current official narrative challenge and What's Happenin' in the Quad Cities.
(Did you know we publish a new Amy Alkon Advice Goddess, Real Astrology, Red Meat cartoon and RCR Crossword every week?) 

* indicates required

View previous campaigns.

2. Get 12 monthly issues mailed first class for $48

Get 12 issues mailed monthly for $48 per year.

Get the printed Reader edition mailed to you (or anyone you want) first-class for 12 months for $48.
$24 goes to postage and handling, $24 goes to keeping the doors open!

Click this link to Subscribe now.