The Story of Chuck Koplinski and Pamela Powell

Chuck’s version:

It all started at the screening for The Legend of Tarzan. I was sitting on the aisle, when the luminous Pam Powell asked if the seat next to me was taken.  It wasn’t, she sat down, small talk was made, commonalities were found and a partnership was born.

Pam’s version:

Arriving early, as usual, to a screening of some superhero film, the lights went down and the film began only to be distracted by a man searching for a seat.  Complaining about traffic making him late, I offered my understanding, both of us traveling more than an hour to do what we love.  A friendship and partnership began, but I’m still always early.

The Full Story:

With Chuck’s knowledge of film history and Pam’s awareness of independent and foreign film, the duo found that they were able to provide a comprehensive view of modern cinema as well as its vast history in reviewing contemporary films. While there are occasions where they do agree, their differing perspectives lead them to often disagree about what they see, leading spirited discussions about which of today’s movies have merit and what they mean.

Both members of the Broadcast Film Critics Association and Chicago Film Critics Association, Chuck and Pam appear each week on WCIA-TV and 94.5 FM to offer up their reviews. Though they disagree strongly about The Mule and On the Basis of Sex, they still manage to sit in the same room together, a testament to their strong friendship and the “mutual” respect they have for each other.