2026 Chicago Critics Film Festival Reviews: ‘Black Zombie,’ ‘The Last One for the Road,’ ‘Loafers,’ ‘You Had to Be There’
Black Zombie (Dir. Maya Annik Bedward)
Zombies have been used in nearly a century’s worth of cinema in arguably more varied ways than any other supernatural creature. Like other spooky, otherworldly entities, the shuffling undead of the silver screen come from fears and beliefs that extend far, far into the past, as investigated in the new documentary Black Zombie. Director Maya Annik Bedward constructs a visual seminar on the history of the zombie, from its roots in religion, its use as a warning against the loss of autonomy, and its eventual purloining by Hollywood. It’s fascinating, well-researched, and essential viewing for any horror fan.
Bedward’s most predominant goal is to dispel mistruths and break down stereotypes associated with the religious practice of Haitian Vodou, which differs from the New Orleans-based Voodoo that’s more commonly associated with zombie films. Bedward’s assemblage of experts and practitioners in the Caribbean religion essentially offers a shortened introductory course on the history of Vodou’s importance in Haitian history and culture. Vodou was one of the few methods in which the enslaved population of the colony of Saint-Domingue (now Haiti) was able to exert some bit of control in their lives. It served as a way to unify the community, and this religious bond eventually led to the successful Haitian Revolution which occurred around the transition of the 18th to 19th centuries, which is notably one of the very few rebellions that ended with the dissolution of a formerly slavery-based occupation. So it should come as no surprise that, to the rest of the colonized world, the practice of Vodou was highly discouraged and literally demonized. Black Zombie offers up an arresting alternate history that should be, regrettably, brand new information for most viewers who went through a traditional, federally-mandated school program. Black Zombie smartly makes the connection between the lore of a zombified person and a victim of slavery: both lack agency and the ability to act upon free will. Essentially, to be a zombie is to be trapped in both a literal and a spiritual sense, just like the enslaved ancestors of Haitians. It’s an engrossing history lesson, told by the film with both sympathy and a knowledgeable objectivity.
Bedward’s documentary traces the history of the zombie through film and other popular media. It’s undeniably compelling as a recounting of cinematic history, showing changing trends in the horror subgenre and how contemporary events have affected how zombies have been portrayed and what they’ve been used to represent. Black Zombie doesn’t necessarily seek to strip zombie films of their enjoyment factor, nor does it shame viewers for liking these types of films. Instead, the documentary works to give these movies additional context and show how unfortunate stereotypes and cultural mistruths permeate to this day. It’s a call for responsibility in artistic creation, and even if some of the interviewees’ reads on current film trends are a bit simplified, relying on generalizations to make their point, they’re not unworthy notes of caution in their message. Bedward’s documentary is an impressive, entertaining mix of talking head interviews, archival footage (a real treat for film fans), and newly-filmed segments that bring historical details to life. Anyone who’s ever felt joy from wincing at a flesh eater tearing into a helpless victim will find something to appreciate in Black Zombie, and will undoubtedly come out of the film with a greater appreciation for what the spooky subgenre represents and reflects of our real world.
Grade: B+
The Last One for the Road (Dir. Francesco Sossai)
Nothing bonds people quite like a road trip. Being trapped in a car and encountering a changing array of locations and faces is an easy way to move past the walls that stand between a stranger and a friend. Such is the case with Francesco Sossai’s joyous, wistful film The Last One for the Road. Not only does it depict a newly-formed friendship between the characters, but as they drive further and further, they move closer and closer to the audience’s hearts.
Time has caught up to Carlobianchi (Sergio Romano) and Doriano (Pierpaolo Capovilla), a pair of middle-aged Italian men who’ve known each other and worked together for most of their lives. Content to spend their days and nights wandering through life, concocting mini schemes and drinking to excess, they suddenly adopt a third party into their orbit on a whim: a withdrawn young student named Giulio (Filippo Scotti). Seeing that Giulo is far too uptight for what the older men determine to be his own good, they drag the young man into a series of adventures, always claiming that the next drink will be their last.
The trio flips stereotypes of age-based behavior around. The older gentlemen act in a way that might charitably be called impulsive, or uncharitably, reckless. On the other hand, Giulo tries to reject their pushes to be more freewheeling with the claim of valuing responsibility. It’s a continually funny and poignant dynamic. Carlobianchi and Doriano tell Giulo about their past misdeeds, subtly hoping to teach Giulo how to live life in a way that combines spontaneity and reason, even if they may not know that they’re doing it themselves. Sossai brilliantly blends their past with Giulo’s present through magical realist touches, flattening time out in the beautiful way which are only capable in works of art. And although the natural beauty of the Italian landscapes and manmade achievements of the country’s architecture provide free aesthetic appeal for the filmmaker, he shoots it with stunning artistry that only accentuates the visual wonders of the old country. The film also delves into highly specific aspects of contemporary Italian life in a way that borders on insular, but the emotional thrust of the film is enough to literally drive the film forward without the endeavor feeling distancing to non-natives. As the titular road winds down, it’s hard to say goodbye to these characters. But just as Giulo finds, even a brief friendship like the one between the unlikely trio can have a lasting impact.
Grade: A-
Loafers (Dir. Zach Schnitzer)
Ever since cameras were easily accessible to members of the public, twentysomethings have been pointing them at themselves and their aimless friends. Loafers is the latest in a long storied tradition of such mumbly movies (its plural noun title even places it neatly alongside similar ensemble comedies like Clerks and Singles). Here, writer-director-star Zach Schnitzer captures a few days in the life of his character Isaac, along with his freshly graduated pals living in contemporary Chicago. He and his best friend/roommate Cameron (Dan Haller) are stuck in that uncertain phase of life that everyone goes through but still feels somehow entirely singular and unique. Cameron reckons with this with excessive drinking and weed smoking, while Isaac finds a bit of stability thanks to an unexpected romantic connection with a mutual friend named Q (Ruby Sevcik). Cameron and Isaac also have to deal with the arrival of Cyrus (Olemich Tugas), an old acquaintance who verges dangerously close to becoming an unexpected third roommate. And that’s about the extent of anything resembling a plot. There’s a sudden dramatic beat later in the film, but otherwise, the camera mostly follows its two main characters and their intersecting interactions with their friends as they amble through their newly independent adulthood.
Schnitzer is clearly aware of his influences and makes no point to hide them; notably, Joe Swanberg, the king of Chicago-set mumblecore, makes a cameo appearance as Cameron’s cranky boss. As such, Loafers doesn’t feel like the most original film in the world. Instead, it uses a well-worn formula of indie cinema to examine how Gen Z is handling the transition into the real world. And yes, that means that the film occasionally just feels like watching real life friends riffing, doing bits, and reiterating on inside jokes, but there’s a certain charm to the simplicity of this type of film. The aforementioned shift to unexpected drama in the film’s latter half is startling, but truthful. It’s easy to float through life in your early-20s, thinking that adulthood can consist of merely acting on one’s id and following impulses, but life always sneaks up at some time with an unpleasant, unwanted burden of responsibility.
The greatest ability that Schnitzer shows as a filmmaker is how he familiarizes and endears the audience to all of the characters – even the supporting ones – very closely across a very short runtime. Of course, this also speaks well of the actors, with Ruby Sevcik in particular turning in a comfortable, off-the-cuff performance. And Chicago residents will enjoy the lived-in feeling of the film, which eschews skyscraper shots and landmark locations for the alleys and coach houses that actual Windy City citizens will find more familiar. It’ll be interesting to see what Schnitzer does next, but whether he turns to a more cinematically-traditional story or stays firmly planted in the world of lightly-plotted film, much like his character, he has a promising future.
Grade: B
You Had to Be There: How the Toronto Godspell Ignited the Comedy Revolution, Spread Love & Overalls, and Created a Community That Changed the World (in a Canadian Kind of Way) (Dir. Nick Davis)
Musical theater attracts devoted fans who border on manic (I can say that, I’m one of them). But it’s an undeniably niche world, so a documentary on a specific regional production of the so-very-70s musical “Godspell” might seem like it has limited appeal. But take a look at some of the names that filled the cast and crew list of the 1972 Toronto premiere: Victor Garber, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Gilda Radner, Paul Shaffer, Martin Short, and a bevy of other Canadian talents. It’s a legendary production that’s spoken of with awed reverence by comedy nerds to this day. But as with most theatrical endeavors, it lived only in the fleeting moments in which it was actually presented on stage with no recorded evidence…until now. The lengthily-titled documentary – or You Had to Be There for short – features unbelievably valuable material of “Godspell,” thanks to an illegal audio recording captured by none other than Martin Short himself. Director Nick Davis also manages the extraordinary task of arranging interviews with all living members of the original company, most of whom have gone onto enormous success and are now award-winning household names.
Short’s audio recordings are a wonder. The quality isn’t the highest, as might be expected, but thanks to the power of subtitles and gorgeous hand-drawn animation done in a uniquely 70s style, Davis’s film brings audiences as close as possible to Toronto’s Royal Alexandra Theatre, where “Godspell” performed. With the help of these visual recreations and the spoken testimony of Short, Levy, Martin, Shaffer, Garber, and many others, Davis takes audiences on a linear journey through the history of this production. It begins as all stage shows do: with the audition process. From there, the interviewees provide hilarious rehearsal and backstage anecdotes, talking about the unbelievable bond that they formed as a cast, and detail how “Godspell” set them up for their incredible success that was to come. Obviously, the subjects are funny on their own, but Davis’s smart assemblage of overlapping, thematically-linked interview clips is perfectly executed and only makes these legendary comedians even funnier. The documentary is something close to heaven for comedy fans, and thanks to the obvious appeal of the folks that the film spotlights, even those who might not otherwise buy a ticket to a musical will call for an encore. It may not investigate the most important of subjects when compared to the documentary landscape on the whole, but it serves as an archive of a singular moment in comedy history that literally set the stage for what the art form would become across the next half century.
Grade: B+
These capsule reviews are from the 2026 Chicago Critics Film Festival.
He currently resides in Chicago and is a proud member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics. He also writes and podcasts for Next Best Picture and co-hosts his own podcast “Halloweeners: A Horror Movie Podcast.” You can follow him on Twitter, Letterboxd, and Bluesky @codymonster91
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