A razor-sharp directorial debut from The Bear and Beef writer-producer Alex Russell, LURKER is a screw-turning psychological thriller made for the moment.

Having tried and failed to make a documentary about the infamous Zodiac Killer, filmmaker Charlie Shackleton walks the viewer through what his film would have been like and why,

Writer-director Sarah Friedland’s revelatory coming-of-old-age feature, Familiar Touch compassionately follows the winding path of octogenarian Ruth’s shifting memories and desires while remaining rooted in her sage perspective.

Inspired by Francis Ford Coppola's concept of Live Cinema, Brother Verses Brother is a radically personal musical odyssey, screening on May 3, at 4:15 p.m., at the Music Box Theatre, as part of the Chicago Critics Film Festival.

In Albert Birney’s OBEX, screening at this year’s Chicago Critics Film Festival, loner Conor Marsh embarks on a quest to find his dog after she goes missing while he’s playing the video game OBEX.

In Tallulah H. Schwab’s “Mr. K,” screening at this year’s Chicago Critics Film Festival, a travelling magician finds himself in a Kafkaesque nightmare when he can’t find the exit of the hotel he slept in.

Sinking in a situationship, a broken heart is bad enough, but a broken arm might be the trick to be seen again. Question is, is it worth it? “Call Me Crazy,” by Carlos Lerma, screens within “CFCA Shorts Program #1” at the Chicago Critics Film Festival.

SWAMP DOGG GETS HIS POOL PAINTED is a wildly entertaining and fittingly unconventional documentary about convention-defying singer, songwriter and record producer Jerry Williams, aka Swamp Dogg, one of the great cult figures of 20th-century American music.

In the Chicago Critics Film Festival’s new “Meet the Critic” series, we’re introducing our readers to some of the many talented members of our Chicago-area print, online and broadcast critics group, which celebrates the art of film and film criticism. In today’s feature, meet Zachary Lee, a freelance film and culture writer based in Chicago.

This year’s opening-night title at the Chicago Critics Film Festival is “The Baltimorons,” from filmmaker Jay Duplass. After cracking a tooth on Christmas Eve, newly sober Cliff embarks on an unexpected May/December adventure through Baltimore with Didi, his emergency dentist.

Screening Monday, May 5, at 9:45 p.m., at the Music Box Theatre as part of the Chicago Critics Film Festival, Sister Midnight is a bold, unpredictable, and darkly funny debut.

Screening Wednesday, May 8, at 9:45 p.m, at the Music Box Theatre as part of the Chicago Critics Film Festival, Handling the Undead is a drama with elements of horror about three families, a story about grief and loss, but also about hope and understanding of what we can’t comprehend or control.

The sophomore feature from Alex Thompson and Kelly O’Sullivan, following their critically acclaimed Saint Frances, Ghostlight stars a real-life family of actors, as well as Golden Globe nominee Dolly De Leon (Triangle of Sadness). It screens as the closing-night title at this year’s Chicago Critics Film Festival.

Part of the Chicago Film Critics Film Festival, Alex Thompson and Kelly O’Sullivan’s Ghostlight is screening as the closing-night title, with the filmmakers in attendance.

India Donaldson’s insightful, piercing debut is screening at the Chicago Critics Film Festival, with the filmmaker in attendance for a post-film Q&A. Learn more about Donaldson’s inspiration and favorite theatrical experience.