139: June 2026

We've hit the midpoint of the year with a vengeance. There's a heat dome resting over Chicago right now, and it's stupid hot, the kind where the AC units run constantly just to keep the temperature in the house slightly uncomfortable 78 degrees. Walking the dog is only feasible in the early morning, or after the sun goes down.

I'm behind on a few of the big movies of the summer. I haven't yet seen Obsession, Leviticus, or The Invite; I'm dying to see some new and fresh horror (or in the case of The Invite, a horror premise if you're me specifically). What I do have is a list of movies I've loved this year so far that have flown under the radar, and where you can find them.

Blue Heron—This one came and went through arthouse theaters this past spring. It's going to make a lot of year-end lists this year, including mine. Writer/director Sophy Romvari paints a semi-self portrait, assembling memories of a family in crisis in an attempt to understand the unknowable. Hits the Criterion Channel July 21; watch it if you have the summer blues and need a good cry.

The Christophers—Funny, perceptive, and layered, this movie is set up to be a sort of a low-stakes heist, but unfolds into something deeper and much more surprising. There's nothing more fun than listening to Ian McKellan toss off biting comments, except maybe watching Michaela Coel receive those comments with a deadpan stare; fortunately, you can do both with this movie. Rentable on major streaming services, or you can pick up the Blu-ray from NEON.

WTO/99—This one's a bit of a cheat because it made my end of year list for 2025, but it's been touring across the country this year, and it's coming to Chicago in August, so it still counts. It's a documentary about the Battle in Seattle in 1999, a massive protest against the World Trade Organization that shut down the city center for days. One of the best edited documentaries I've ever seen. A remarkable time capsule assembled entirely from archival footage, with no voiceover, no explanatory text, just news footage and home video and police cameras all telling a story about protestors and police brutality. It's a rough watch, but a necessary one, especially now. Tickets for the Chicago screening can be found here. (I'll be there!)

What I wrote:

For Seeing & Believing, I wrote reviews of Disclosure Day (dug it, what a wacky movie), The Death of Robin Hood (not for everyone but absolutely for me), and Supergirl.