“Tamara”, Biopic of Trans Politician, Tackles Representation in all its Forms

By Kenneth Talbott La Vega / May 8, 2017

Although uneven in tone, "Tamara" casts an important spotlight on the experience of being trans in Latin America.

“Ayiti Mon Amour” Brings Magic and Mystery to Latino Film Festival

By Kenneth Talbott La Vega / May 4, 2017

Haitian drama "Ayiti Mon Amour" brings magic and mystery to the 33rd Chicago Latino Film Festival.

The Beauty of Familiarity: “Una Noche de Amor” Marries Classic Tropes and Whimsy

By Kenneth Talbott La Vega / May 1, 2017

Unassuming and familiar, "Una Noche de Amor" is buoyed with tenderness and playfulness.

Fire Escape’s Winter Screening Heats Up Max Palevsky Cinema

By Kenneth Talbott La Vega and Nick Ogilvie / March 16, 2017

Fire Escape Films' winter premiere lineup was its most eclectic yet.

MCA Hosts First Look of Subversive New Shows

By Kenneth Talbott La Vega / February 2, 2017

Open TV describes itself as an “arts incubator in beta” which seeks to give queer, trans, and cis-women and people of color a media platform.

The Queen is Never Early: Logan Screens a Queer Cult Gem

By Kenneth Talbott La Vega / January 26, 2017

" 'The Queen' has persisted over the years as a sort of legend of the drag culture of yesteryear, surviving in short iconic clips and memetic quotes floating around in queer media."

Moonlight Director, Playwright Talk Identity

By Kenneth Talbott La Vega / November 3, 2016

Barry Jenkins and Tarell McCraney of "Moonlight" expand on the film's themes of race, sexuality, and gender.

Finnish Biopic Pulls Punches and Heartstrings

By Kenneth Talbott La Vega / October 17, 2016

"Olli Mäki" at Chi Film Fest: The camerawork has a documentary quality to it.

Double the Drama: Graduation, Neruda Hit Chi Film Fest Cum Laude

By Kenneth Talbott La Vega / October 13, 2016

Resident film critic Kenneth claps back with a double-feature review.

Chi Film Fest: The Salesman Peddles Meditative Drama

By Kenneth Talbott La Vega / October 10, 2016

Farhadi's approach is akin to sinking into a warm bath, the water rising up and enveloping the body.

Film by UChicago Student Director Is Cannes-Bound

By Kenneth Talbott La Vega / May 12, 2016

"Asaf juxtaposes these photographs of the past with modern-day footage he collected on a trip to Israel, fostering interaction between images 'signifying absence of the past' and those 'showing life that now exists.'"

Latino Film Festival Explores Oppression, Tragedy

By Kenneth Talbott La Vega / April 18, 2016

Since the emergence of Latin-American film in the international sphere, macabre symbols (think Día de los Muertos imagery) have become more prominent.

Art and Activism Intertwine in Thompson Talk

By Kenneth Talbott La Vega / April 4, 2016

"Thompson brought to the podium a youthful energy and blithe buoyancy atypical of more traditional arts presenters."

And the Oscar Goes to . . . Part 3: Predictions

By Kenneth Talbott La Vega / February 25, 2016

The people have spoken: The MAROON's top Oscar picks by category.

And the Oscar Goes To, Part II: Sitting Down with Fire Escape’s Kanisha Williams

By Kenneth Talbott La Vega / February 18, 2016

"[The film industry is] an industry; it’s looking for shortcuts in how we talk about how we experience 'kinds of people' and also in making money."

And the Oscar Goes to, Part I: The Depth of Animation

By Kenneth Talbott La Vega / February 8, 2016

"So much about this film is simply unforgettable, including the most fascinating (and hopefully the last) hyper-realistic puppet sex scene I’ve ever watched."

The “Most Photogenic War”: The Spanish Civil War and the Aesthetics of Brutality

By Kenneth Talbott La Vega / January 15, 2016

"I was revolted by how, somewhere between the active manifestation of the affliction and the production of its image, the element of humanity is lost . . ."