Russia

CHICAGO – “Navalny,” the latest documentary from director Daniel Roher, regards Russian presidential candidate Alexei Nalvany, who ran against Vladimir Putin and gained popular support. Famously, this resulted in being poisoned and exiled, and his story is currently on CNN and will stream on HBO Max beginning May 26th, 2022.

CHICAGO – With the subject of Russia at the top of the news, the roots of their oppressive attitudes are revealed in the new film “Firebird,” opening this Friday April 29th. The fascinating based-on-truth story is set in the Cold War era Soviet Union, and was co-written – with director Peeter Rebane – by Tom Prior, who also portrays Sergey, one of the lead roles in the film.

CHICAGO – The Devil is in the Details. The old adage, which primarily describes accounting, is the basis for author Lorraine Evanoff’s third novel in her Louise Moscow Spy Thriller series, “Devil’s Ledger.” This time, her intrepid financial sleuth Louise Moscow investigates the failure of the world’s oldest bank … a mystery that may also contain the key to a hidden treasure.

CHICAGO – Opening Night is near – Thursday, September 23rd, 2021 – for the 39th edition of Chicago’s REELING film festival, an International LGBTQ+ showcase. The Opening film is “Firebird,” a based-on-truth gay love story set in Cold War Russia. It features actor Tom Prior, who co-wrote the film with director Peeter Rebane. For more info and tickets, click REELING39.

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on July 8th, 2021, reviewing the latest film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, “Black Widow,” in theaters and streaming on Disney+ Premium Access on July 9th.

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on August 13th, 2020, reviewing the new films (VOD, virtual theaters online, actual theaters) “Sputnik” and “Red Penguins.”

CHICAGO – If you want a film to take your mind off the current American power structure, that at the same time provides some truth to the situation, you won’t do better than “The Death of Stalin.” A monster comedic cast – including Steve Buscemi and Jeffrey Tambor – is assembled for this hilarious farce.

CHICAGO – It is movie star time for JLaw (Jennifer Lawrence) in ‘Red Sparrow,’ because her performance transcends the muddy plot, and her charisma – even with the lowest of low key characters – creates an interest in her thought process, even as she muddles through the story.

CHICAGO – Poet and Activist Lina Ramona Vitkauskas is also a first generation Lithuanian-American. In keeping an eye on the situation in her homeland – part of the Baltic States that broke independently from the old Soviet Union – she discovered a new documentary about the Russian infiltration in the country’s political structure. “The Master Plan” breaks down the several-year campaign by Vladimir Putin to divide opinions and politics, to disrupt the region and confuse the recent independence. Sound familiar? A FREE screening of “The Master Plan” will take place on Tuesday, November 14th, 2017 (7pm) at the historic Music Box Theatre in Chicago.

CHICAGO – How often can we learn life lessons from the most unlikely of sources? The documentary “Red Army” is one such source, as director Gabe Polsky tells the story of the Soviet Union hockey team, which expands to the the very parameters of human nature and competition.