Michael Phillips

Something curious happens when two actors share a confined space in front of a camera. The effect isn’t “stagy,” or theatrical, because on the stage a claustrophobic kitchen scene, for...

The movie that puts the “so?” in “sonar,” “Hunter Killer” will disappoint anyone who prefers their submarine thrillers to run silent, and run deep, or who appreciates a director’s mastery...

A certain faction of Melissa McCarthy’s fans won’t know what hit ‘em when they get a look at “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” I’m not suggesting they, or anyone, skip...

Everything impressive and overstated and bombastic and affecting about Jonah Hill’s breakthrough performance in “Superbad” (2007), dozens of movies ago, translates to the actor’s directorial feature debut, the semi-autobiographical slice...

Amid the clank and calculation of the usual Hollywood machinery, a movie more attuned to the human heart of things such as “What They Had” deserves an audience. If it’s...

At the awards presentation Friday, the 54th Chicago International Film Festival jury handed its top prize, the Gold Hugo in the international feature film competition, to the Italian magical-realist fable...