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Interview: Chris Cooper, Director Ira Sachs Marry Blissfully in ?Married Li
2008-03-14 09:38:00
CHICAGO ? Sitting down with Oscar-winning actor Chris Cooper and Ira Sachs ? the director of Cooper?s latest film, ?Married Life,? which opened on March 14, 2008 in Chicago ? is to marvel at the passion and commitment these two high-level professionals bring to this entertaining, poignant and hilarious new film. ?Married Life? is set in 1949 America and features the character of Harry (Cooper): a man hitched for many comfortable years to his wife, Pat, who is played by Patricia Clarkson. At the same time, he is having a secret affair with Kay ? a surprisingly appropriate Rachel McAdams ? and longs to be with her permanently. Actor Chris Cooper for ?Married Life? in Chicago on Feb. 27, 2008.Photo credit: Patrick McDonald, Hollywood Chicago.com Events start to percolate when Harry confesses his affair to his best friend, Richard (a perfect Pierce Brosnan), who not only takes notice of Kay but starts to call on her himself. The inner conflict that Harry possesses evolves to generate...
More About: Movie Review , Interview

?Sleepwalking? Has Exactly That Potential Effect on Moviegoers
2008-03-14 07:47:00
CHICAGO ? When done improperly, there?s nothing more embarrassing than actors playing against their type or social class. There is a subtlety to channeling the lower middle or the working class beyond dressing down or developing a bad hairstyle. ?Sleepwalking ? is the type of film that gets it wrong and just gets worse as it tries harder. Charlize Theron is cast as Oscar bait in her role as Joleen: a down-on-her-luck mother who has just been busted for growing marijuana. She is also in trouble with social services and then threaten to take away her 11-year-old daughter, Tara, who?s played by the trying-too-hard AnnaSophia Robb. Desperate, she abandons the girl with her brother, James, who?s played by Nick Stahl. Click here to read Patrick McDonald?s full reviewof ?Sleepwalking? in our reviews section! Click here for our full ?Sleepwalking? image gallery! Charlize Theron in ?Sleepwalking?.Photo credit: IMDb AnnaSophia Robb in ?Sleepwalking?.Photo credit: IMDb
More About: Effect

Dr. Seuss? ?Horton Hears a Who!? Heard Loudly Into Instant Children?s Class
2008-03-14 03:37:00
CHICAGO ? One of Dr. Seuss? most famous storybooks has finally been granted life with its self-titled animated feature ?Horton Hears a Who!,? which involves a morally righteous elephant, philosophical timbre and Dr. Seuss? ingenious lyrical rhymes. A star-studded cast supports this vibrant tale and Dr. Seuss? ethical elephant and morally slated advice about equality are well represented in this CG-animated adaptation. The elephant Horton (Jim Carrey) comes to the rescue of a speck crying for help as it floats by in the colorful jungle of Nool. When Horton decides to help the speck even though he can?t see the Whos who inhabit it, the famous line ?a person?s a person no matter how big or how small? comes into the film and sets the Suessian tone of the tale. Click here to read Allison Pitaccio?s full reviewof ?Horton Hears a Who!? in our reviews section! Click here for our full ?Horton Hears a Who!? image gallery! Isla Fisher in ?Horton Hears a Who!?.Photo credit: IMDb ?Horton ...
More About: Hollywood , Children , Chicago , Movie Review , Content

Exclusive: Chicago Police Break Up Harvey Dent Viral Marketing Campaign For
2008-03-13 17:07:00
CHICAGO ? As we reported would happen on March 12, 2008, ?The Dark Knight? enthusiasts indeed congregated in Chicago (as others will across the country on various other dates on this ?Dentmobile? tour) to show their fictional campaign support for Harvey Dent ? played by Aaron Eckhart in the July 18, 2008 superhero monolith ? running for district attorney. Those familiar with the film?s extensive viral marketing campaign enjoyed keeping ?in character? and confusing uninformed Chicagoans who weren?t aware that the charade was actually in support of a storied politician within Hollywood . We feature below exclusive photos of the morning campaign from longtime HollywoodChicago.com source Vlkers54. The morning campaign, which was supposed to run from 8 to 10 a.m., was cut short due to a Chicago police breakup after three minutes flat. Vlkers54 has provided us with the following detail about the morning. Hey, Adam! Cops kicked us out! I was at the 8 a.m. stop. I got there at 7:30 a.m. ...
More About: Marketing , Exclusive , Break Up

MTV Releases New Line of ?The Dark Knight? Collectible Statues, Busts, Prop
2008-03-12 23:34:00
CHICAGO ? Following an early tease at some ?The Dark Knight ? toys back on Feb. 15, 2008, MTV on Wednesday now exclusively has released an image montage of new collectible statues, busts and movie props from DC Comics. While we feature a few of these new ?The Dark Knight?-themed images below, see all eight and more in our comprehensive ?The Dark Knight? image gallery! The Batman (here) and Joker (here) busts will be available on June 25, 2008. The Batman (the second image below) and Joker (the first image below) statues will be available on July 9, 2008. The Batman (here) and Joker (here) one-to-six scale collector figures will be available on July 2, 2008. The grappling launcher prop replica (second from the bottom below) will be available on July 16, 2008. Finally, the batarang prop replica (the last image below) will be available on July 23, 2008. Click here for our full ?The Dark Knight? image gallery with four more new DC Comics collectible images! By ADAM FENDELMANEditor-in...
More About: Hollywood , Chicago , Statues , Content

Ray Bradbury?s ?The Martian Chronicles? Inventively Come to Life in Chicago
2008-03-12 05:01:00
CHICAGO ? There was opportunity aplenty for director Kristina Schramm to miss this mark and leave theatergoers with acidic resentment. Tasked with the tall order of bringing to life Ray Bradbury ?s classic anthology ?The Martian Chronicles ,? though, she wasn?t bested by the oddity of the undertaking. Instead, the cast and crew of this Chicago production inventively transformed the Lincoln Square Theatre ? set squarely within a North Side church ? into Mars where Martians roamed with normalcy. Instead of E.T. descending upon Earth, though, earthlings in this twist of storytelling pervade the aboriginal Martians in their native land for exploration, dreams of dollar signs and even succulent hot dogs. Bradbury was used to reversing the traditional pendulum of the written word through the toils of his own path for fame, which he realized at the nascent age of 30. He churned out succinct vignettes when publishers kept requesting traditional novels. His novel approach, in fact, turned...
More About: Life

United Artists 90th Anniversary Film Festival Coming to Chicago?s Music Box
2008-03-11 19:13:00
CHICAGO ? Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Home Entertainment (MGMHE) on Tuesday announced the launch of an 18-month global celebration that promises to culminate into the largest catalog event in video industry history. Some of the best films the world has seen are touching down in Chicago as part of the proceedings. What has been coined the United Artists 90th Anniversary Film Festival will be featured at the Music Box Theatre at 3733 N. Southport in Chicago beginning in April 2008. ?West Side Story? in 1961.Photo credit: United Artists ?Rich in history and devoted to creating powerful, quality films, United Artists was formed in 1919 by Mary Pickford, Charles Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks and D.W. Griffith to encourage progressive filmmaking [and to give] each star the authority and autonomy to create the films about which they were most passionate,? the statement on Tuesday said. ?Goldfinger? in 1961.Photo credit: United Artists The statement continued: ?The studio responsible for creat...
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In the Forums: ?The Incredible Hulk,? ?The Dark Knight,? ?10,000 B.C.,? ?Dr
2008-03-11 01:23:00
CHICAGO ? While our discussion forums are an unfettered venting ground for all of our readers, we also originate a wide array of must-read news there from other trusted, high-quality entertainment publications. For those of you who don?t frequent our forums and for those of you who typically read us via RSS or our daily mailing, the purpose of this In the Forums package is to bring the news we?re publishing in our forums front and center into our news section, RSS feed and daily mailing. As you can see from our first In the Forums below, the package consists of a compilation of links to the most interesting and important local and national news items originating from our forums. A preview of ?The Incredible Hulk ? trailer is now online. Watch it now here! The New York Times has visited the set of ?The Dark Knight ? and has released new production stills. See them now here! Despite atrocious reviews from critics everywhere, ?10,000 B.C.? has brought in $35.7 million in fir...

Los Angeles Unrolls ?Sleepwalking? Red Carpet For Charlize Theron, Jenna Ja
2008-03-08 05:40:00
CHICAGO ? Los Angeles on Thursday rolled out a star-studded red carpet for the cast of the new film ?Sleepwalking ?. Charlize Theron took center stage along with Nick Stahl (from TV?s ?Carnivàle? and ?Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines?) and AnnaSophia Robb (from ?Bridge to Terabithia? and Violet Beauregarde in ?Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?). You?ll never guess who showed up in classy black attire, too: porn star Jenna Jameson (pictured in the final photo below). Actress Audrina Patridge (from TV?s ?The Hills?) is pictured second from the bottom in purple. This red carpet was held at the Directors Guild of America in Hollywood. The film, which opens on March 14, also features Dennis Hopper and Woody Harrelson. The drama follows an 11-year-old girl?s struggle to come to terms with her mother?s abandonment. While we feature a few of the new red-carpet shots below, continue on to our huge ?Sleepwalking? red-carpet image gallery! Once you click on each photo there, click on the ?or...
More About: Red Carpet , Carpet

?The Dark Knight? Viral Marketing Continues With Revamped IBelieveInHarveyD
2008-03-08 02:11:00
CHICAGO ? I received a call to my cell phone at 7:02 p.m. from 000-000-0000 directing me to IBelieveInHarveyDent.com for more ?The Dark Knight? viral marketing. Indeed, the site has relaunched itself with a new campaign. A screenshot of the revamped site is below. To hear it from yourself, the phone call can be listened to here (source). At the updated site, a slew of new promotional campaign materials have gone live at a new downloads page. These are all below. This campaign calls for enthusiasts to print out these materials and display them in creative ways on the streets of cities across the U.S. A “you in action” page has appeared to show submissions, which are due by March 26, 2008 at noon. Photos and videos can be submitted here. The site gives some suggested ways to play along and explains its reason for doing so: Show your support for Harvey Dent! Gotham City is collapsing from a runaway crime wave and Harvey Dent can save it. But he has to run for distr...
More About: Hollywood , Marketing , Chicago , Viral , Viral Marketing

Paramount Pictures Releases Flood of New Production Stills For ?The Ruins?
2008-03-08 00:41:00
CHICAGO ? Paramount Pictures on Thursday released a flood of new production stills for the new horror film ?The Ruins ,? which stars Jena Malone, Jonathan Tucker, Shawn Ashmore, Laura Ramsey and Joe Anderson. Directed by relatively unknown director Carter Smith (?Bugcrush?) and based on the novel by Scott B. Smith, ?The Ruins? opens on April 4, 2008. While we feature a few of the new stills below, continue on to our huge ?The Ruins? image gallery! Once you click on each photo there, click on the ?original? link for high-quality versions. Here?s the film?s plotline: The leisurely Mexican holiday of a group of friends takes a turn for the worse when they and a fellow tourist embark on a remote archaeological dig in the jungle where something evil lives among the ruins. Click here to view our entire new ?The Ruins? image gallery! By ADAM FENDELMANEditor-in-ChiefHollywoodChicago. comadam@hollywoodchicago.com
More About: Production , Flood

Filled With Political Blackmail, ?The Bank Job? Pays Dividends
2008-03-07 19:32:00
CHICAGO ? Done properly, the classic heist or caper film is a welcomed genre of suspense-filled locations, stereotyped experts and the big cash payoff. Based in speculative part on the true story of a robbery in a vital London safety deposit vault, ?The Bank Job? adds the spice of political intrigue as an underlying factor to the actual crime. Action movie star Jason Statham plays Terry: the leader of the wankerish gang of thieves who?s recruited because his former criminal colleague, Martine (Saffron Burrows), knows of an alarm shutdown in the vault and easy assess to it. What Terry doesn?t know is that Martine is working for a shadowy operative named Richard (Tim Everett), who forces her into coordinating the bank job in exchange for the elimination of her felony drug charge. Click here to read Patrick McDonald?s full reviewof ?The Bank Job? in our reviews section! Click here for our full ?The Bank Job? image gallery! Jason Statham in ?The Bank Job?.Photo credit: IMDb Saffr...
More About: Hollywood , Political , Chicago , Movie Review , Dividends

?Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day? as Rare as Boobs Without Silicone in Holly
2008-03-06 19:47:00
CHICAGO ? Character comedies that actually have some depth and fun are as rare as boobs without silicone in Holly wood. ?Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day? reaches these heights with a sensibility of an old studio picture with stylized glamour, lovable rogues and at the center the great Frances McDormand as the title character taking a chance in 24 sparkling and event-filled hours. McDormand is Miss Pettigrew: a proper governess in late 1930s London who can?t keep a job because of her stubborn propriety. When the agency that sponsors her refuses to give another reference, Pettigrew takes matters into her own hands by stealing a job posting. She shows up to begin her situation as a ?social secretary? to up-and-coming American actress Delysia Lafosse (the luminous Amy Adams). Click here to read Patrick McDonald?s full reviewof ?Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day? in our reviews section! Click here for our full ?Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day? image gallery! Amy Adams and Lee Pace in ?Miss P...
More About: Rare , Silicone

Black Forest Theater Offers Madcap Sci-Fi Window to Soul in ?The Flaming Ey
2008-03-06 19:12:00
CHICAGO ? A team of golden goddesses seemingly are traveling through space. What is their obsession? It?s a flaming eyeball. Black Forest Theater ?s latest production, ?The Flaming Eyeball,? is a distillation of three year?s development through many prisms. Writer and director James Moeller began the piece as an exploration of Hollywood movie pitches and then it became the movie itself. Co-directed by and featuring Black Forest artistic director Carla Hayden as one of the eyeball pursuers, the play flows through the final frontier of space with fellow travelers Masha Kore and Heather Svoboda. While these seekers philosophize on their optically essenced nirvana, dancer Natalia Naranovich alights the scene as the object of their desire. The small black box of the gallery theater is transformed into an intergalactic universe through the essential set design of Chicago artist David Jansheski. It is a character within itself. ?The Flaming Eyeball? runs Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. throug...
More About: Soul

Despite Potty Humor, ?CJ7? Crosses Into Cliché to Reveal Alien Lassie
2008-03-06 06:19:00
CHICAGO ? Stephen Chow, who directed ?Shaolin Soccer? and ?Kung Fu Hustle,? brings us his latest eccentricity in the form of the kid-oriented film ?CJ7?. Slapstick antics, sarcastic humor and excessively absurd characters are simply a few of Chow?s cinematic trademarks and ?CJ7? is no exception to his design. This sci-fi tale of whimsy takes place in Hong Kong with Ti (played by Stephen Chow) as the single father trying to properly raise his son, Dicky (played by Jiao Xu), on the wages of a construction worker. The film begins by exploiting the poverty Dicky and Ti live in by showing Dicky?s worn-out shoes and dirty clothing. Dicky?s desire to assimilate to school fashions and to possess toys like his schoolmates is overwhelming and his father struggles throughout the film to fulfill his son?s needs. Click here to read Allison Pitaccio?s full reviewof ?CJ7? in our reviews section! Click here for our full ?CJ7? image gallery! ?CJ7?.Photo credit: IMDb ?CJ7?.Photo credit: IMDb
More About: Hollywood , Humor , Chicago , Movie Review , Content

2008 Lake County Film Festival Features Wide Array of Chicago Talent
2008-03-05 19:21:00
CHICAGO ? The 2008 Lake County Film Festival featured a wide array of new filmmaker talent not only from around the U.S. and the world but from Chicago and Chicagoland. While the festival has concluded and the winners have been announced, we have researched and compiled a list of all the Chicago films, Chicago filmmakers and Chicago production companies involved in this year?s Lake County Film Festival regardless of whether they won an award. Join us below to meet the local makers. These are listed in random order with links to more information. Chicago production company: Rusted Rhino Film: ?Half Life of Mason Lake? Type: Narrative feature Link: Web site Chicago film: ?Who?s Ma Ma! Joe Ma Ma!? Type: Documentary short Link: More information Chicago film: ?Janis: A Daughter?s Portrait? Type: Documentary short Link: More information Chicago film: ?King in Chicago? Chicago production company: Thorn Creek Productions Type: Documentary feature Link: More information Chicago film: ?No Sm...
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Free Advance-Screening Passes For ?Chicago 10,? ?Horton Hears a Who!,? ?21,
2008-03-04 05:43:00
CHICAGO ? Free advance-screening movie passes. No catch. Just click the link and RSVP. One film (?Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day?) screens in Chicago on March 6! This week, we have passes for ?Chicago 10,? ?21,? ?Stop-Loss,? ?10,000 B.C.,? ?College Road Trip,? ?Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day,? ?Under the Same Moon,? ?Run Fatboy Run,? ?The Bank Job,? ?Never Back Down,? ?Horton Hears a Who!,? ?Meet the Browns? and ?Married Life?. These passes go quickly, so if you?re interested in a particular film, snag your free ticket now! Snag your ?Chicago 10? pass! March 4 in Baltimore Snag your ?21? pass! March 4 in Los Angeles Snag your ?Stop-Loss? pass! March 4 in San Francisco March 5 in San Jose, Calif. Snag your ?10,000 B.C.? pass! March 5 in Boston March 5 in Providence, R.I. March 5 in Hollywood March 5 in Baltimore March 5 in Chesapeake, Va. March 5 in Birmingham, Mich. Snag your ?College Road Trip? pass! March 5 in Seattle March 5 in Portland, Ore. Snag your ?Miss Pettigrew Lives For ...
More About: Screening

Fifth-Annual Lake County Film Festival Announces Jury Winners
2008-03-04 00:23:00
CHICAGO ? The fifth-annual Lake County Film Festival (LCFF), which ran from Feb. 28 to March 3, 2008, on Sunday evening announced its jury winners. The annual suburban Chicago festival began as a two-film event in 2004 and has grown in 2008 to include 17 feature-length documentaries, 17 narrative features and more than 100 short films. The Lake County Film Festival is mostly known for showing smaller independent films, high-profile documentaries and a large number of short films. The jury awards follow. Chicago filmmaker Ben Byer in ?Indestructible?.Photo credit: Ben Byer Best Documentary: ?Indestructible? Best Narrative: ?L?estate d?Inverno? (?The Summer in Winter?) Best Documentary Short: ?A Map With Gaps? Honorable Mention Short: ?McLaren?s Negatives? Best Short Comedy: ?Speechless? Best Student Short: ?Pop Foul? Best Cinematography: ?Sunlit Shadows? Best Local Short: ?Untied Strangers? Best Short Drama: ?Now You See Me, Now You Don?t? Best Foreign Short: ?Der Aufreißer? (?Th...
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IBelieveInHarveyDent.com Announces New Viral Campaign For ‘The Dark Knigh
2008-02-29 17:29:00
CHICAGO – I just received new information from Vlkers54, who captured the Chicago cake in an earlier viral marketing campaign for “The Dark Knight,â€� about a brand-new viral marketing campaign for the film. Harvey Dent is back! Nothing with the phones yet, but I am guessing sometime soon! The viral site at IBelieveInHarveyDent.com just changed! You can now enter in your e-mail and phone number. When you do, you get an e-mail asking to verify your e-mail. Here is the message: Quote:Citizens of Gotham! The future of our city rests in your hands! Alone, we are helpless against the thugs and killers menacing our city. Together, we have the power to take back Gotham. In just a few days, you’ll find out how. Please click … to verify your e-mail address. Keep an eye on http://www.ibelieveinharveydent.com and get ready to join a movement that will transform our city! The viral campaign starts up again! I read on some message boards that they are planning a college campus/c...
More About: Viral , Campaign , The Dark

Oscar-Winning ‘The Counterfeiters’ a Bravely Told Gem From Depths of Na
2008-02-29 10:18:00
CHICAGO – “The Counterfeiters� is a historical gem bravely told from the depths of Nazi Germany. An opening scene of a dismal sea sets the tone of Stefan Ruzowitzky’s historical jewel with a sense of despair that raises curiosity to the physical level. Based on a true story and scripted from the novel “The Devil’s Workshop� by Adolf Burger, the film exposes the untold tale of Salomon “Sally� Sorowitsch and a group of concentration camp inmates as they struggle with the principles of survival. The film begins in Monte Carlo with Sally – played by Karl Markovics – experiencing the royalties of high-stakes gambling. After a night of glitz and glamour, he goes to bed with a beautiful woman who quickly discovers his concentration camp tattoo. This propels the audience into Sally’s darkest memories. Click here to read Allison Pitaccio’s full reviewof “The Counterfeiters� in our reviews section! Click here for our full “The Counterfeiters� image gallery! ...
More About: Oscar , Told , Winning

Academy Award-Nominated ‘City of God’ Spawns Evocative Brazilian Slum F
2008-02-29 09:14:00
CHICAGO – The plight of the people in the hard-hitting Brazilian film “City of Men� is akin with its plight to make you aware it even exists. This can be said about many great films that’ll touch you and leave you better than you were before despite not having the luxury of omnipresent advertising. For those of us fortunate enough to read this review or learn about “City of Men� in another way, you’d appreciate first soaking up its extraordinary evolution. The subtitled film, which opens in markets including Chicago on Friday, centers on the lives of best friends Acerola (Douglas Silva) and Laranjinha (Darlan Cunha) just before turning 18. They celebrate their birthdays not just because it’s another birthday but because it’s another year they’ve survived their hostile, gun-laden lives. Click here to read Adam Fendelman’s full reviewof “City of Men� in our reviews section! Click here for our full “City of Men� image gallery! “City of Men�.Photo cre...
More About: Academy , Academy Award , Award

Official Movie Poster Art Released For ‘Superhero Movie’
2008-02-27 20:29:00
CHICAGO – We have been sent the official poster art for the new simply titled film “Superhero Movie ,� which is a send-up of superhero films including “Batman Begins� and “Fantastic Four�. “Superhero Movie� features Leslie Nielsen, Pamela Anderson (as The Invisible Girl), Sara Paxton, Brent Spiner (the android in “Star Trek: The Next Generation�), Mario Lavandeira (as Perez Hilton), Simon Rex (as The Human Torch), Craig Bierko (as Wolverine), Tracy Morgan (as Dr. Xavier) and Regina Hall (as Mrs. Xavier). The film, which is slated for release on March 28, 2008, is written and directed by Craig Mazin (the writer of “Scary Movie 3� and “Scary Movie 4�). Click the image below for a full-size version. By ADAM FENDELMANEditor-in-ChiefHollywoodChicago. comadam@hollywoodchicago.com
More About: Movie Poster , Poster , Released

Official Poster Art Released For Morgan Spurlock?s ?Where in the World is O
2008-02-26 05:29:00
CHICAGO ? The publicist for The Weinstein Company?s new film ?Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden?? has sent us the project?s official poster art. The documentary, which is slated for release on April 18, 2008, comes from the mind of Morgan Spurlock from ?Super Size Me? fame. Spurlock also produced ?What Would Jesus Buy??. The new poster art can be found below. Click on the image for a full-size version. By ADAM FENDELMANEditor-in-ChiefHollywoodChicago. comadam@hollywoodchicago.com
More About: Poster , Released , The World

80th Academy Awards Headlined By ?No Country For Old Men,? ?There Will Be B
2008-02-25 20:50:00
CHICAGO ? ?No Country For Old Men,? ?Juno,? ?Once,? ?Atonement,? ?The Bourne Ultimatum,? ?There Will Be Blood,? ?Ratatouille,? ?The Golden Compass,? ?Elizabeth: The Golden Age,? ?La Vie en Rose,? ?Michael Clayton? and more headlined the 80th Academy Awards on Feb. 24, 2008. In total, ?No Country For Old Men? led the pack with four Oscars followed by a surprising three for ?The Bourne Ultimatum? and two for ?There Will Be Blood?. A complete list of all 2008 Oscar winners at the 80th Academy Awards is found below. All image credits go to Oscar.com. Best Picture: Scott Rudin, Ethan Coen and Joel Coen for ?No Country For Old Men? Best Director: Joel Coen and Ethan Coen for ?No Country For Old Men? Best Original Screenplay: Diablo Cody for ?Juno? The HollywoodChicago.com interview with ?Juno? writer Diablo Cody can be found here. Best Adapted Screenplay: Joel Coen and Ethan Coen for ?No Country For Old Men? Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis for ?There Will Be Blood? Best Actress: Mari...

Gondry?s Cinematic Breakthrough ?Be Kind Rewind? Proves Again He?s an Artis
2008-02-22 10:26:00
CHICAGO ? Michel Gondry?s latest cinematic breakthrough ?Be Kind Rewind ? grants passage into his magical imagination and proves yet again he?s one of today?s artistic giants. Whimsicality, childlike humor and unforgettable imagery line the palette of this film, which is a heartfelt yet hilarious tale of two friends saving a VHS rental shop (itself named Be Kind Rewind) from technology by instigating a passion for film in their neighborhood. Set in tired Passaic, N.J., the shop is located in a building that?s rumored to be the birthplace of jazz icon Fats Waller. It?s owned by Mr. Fletcher (Danny Glover), who is faced with the inevitable gentrification of condominiums and DVD rental stores. Click here to read Allison Pitaccio?s full reviewof ?Be Kind Rewind? in our reviews section! Click here for our full ?Be Kind Rewind? image gallery! Jack Black in ?Be Kind Rewind?.Photo credit: IMDb
More About: Hollywood , Chicago , Movie Review

?The Signal? Sports Plenty of Style, Little Substance in Sci-Fi Twist on To
2008-02-22 08:53:00
CHICAGO ? In the last several years, the horror genre has become hot because of its return on investment. The strategy is to market the hell out of the scare factor, get a good opening weekend (which usually takes care of the filming costs several times over) and make sure the blood spatters well. There is no need for pricey star power because the ?star? is always the quality kills. While ?The Signal? has an abundance of them, it?s not for the usual reasons. The film opens with a woman named Mya (Anessa Ramsey) having an extramarital tryst with Ben (Justin Welborn). She?s late getting back to her husband and doesn?t notice the strange, random noise and light blobs coming from Ben?s bedroom TV screen. Click here to read Patrick McDonald?s full reviewof ?The Signal? in our reviews section! Click here for our full ?The Signal? image gallery! ?The Signal?.Photo credit: IMDb
More About: Hollywood , Sports , Chicago , Movie Review , Style

Top Chicago Theater Picks For Feb. 21, 2008: ?A Big Blue Nail,? ?Skin in Fl
2008-02-21 18:21:00
CHICAGO ? Free or half-price Chicago theater and comedy tickets. No catch. Just click the link, take just a moment to make a free Goldstar account (or log into your existing Goldstar account) and you?re on your way. This week, we feature the phantasmagorical tale ?A Big Blue Nail? at the Victory Gardens Theater , the mysterious drama ?Skin in Flames? at Stage Left Theatre, ?Botanic Garden? at the Victory Gardens Theater from Academy Award winner Olympia Dukakis, the award-winning musical ?Ain?t Misbehavin?? at the Center for Performing Arts and the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama ?The Time of Your Life? at the Viaduct Theater. For each of the Chicago productions we feature below, Goldstar requires you to create a free account, which takes but a minute. You?ll then have access to all the free and half-price tickets to top-quality productions that your heart desires. Here are this week?s selections and deals! Title: ?A Big Blue Nail?Venue: Victory Gardens Biograph TheaterDates: Feb. 21...
More About: Hollywood , Comedy

Chicago Transit Authority Serves as Melodic Muse For Original Chicago Music
2008-02-21 04:31:00
CHICAGO ? If you don?t live in Chicago , you?ll have either never heard of the Chicago Transit Authority or you?ll think it stands for something aside from the mass-transit system that it is. If you are a Chicagoan, though, it?s inconceivable not to know about the CTA and certainly improbable to have never used it. After all, it?s the system that?s such a critical function that everyone loves to hate and can?t escape. Don?t we realize, too, that the very act of being disgruntled critics together itself yields the all-important result of, well, bringing us together? All that contempt ? the sights, sounds, smells, threatened doomsdays and political provocations galore ? has served as a musical muse for La Costa Theatre company member Riley Thomas. With it, he has crafted an original musical from a company that in the past has only put up well-known musical works from other brilliant minds. For Thomas, the evolution of the performance ? which its PR scribes are comparing to the cul...
More About: Hollywood , Music , Theater , Original

Free Advance-Screening Passes For ?10,000 B.C.,? ?Vantage Point,? ?Semi-Pro
2008-02-19 20:02:00
CHICAGO ? Free advance-screening movie passes. No catch. Just click the link and RSVP. This week, we have passes for ?Honeydripper,? ?Be Kind Rewind,? ?Penelope,? ?Stop-Loss,? ?Semi-Pro,? ?Vantage Point,? ?The Bank Job? and ?10,000 B.C.?. These passes go quickly, so if you?re interested in a particular film, snag your free ticket now! Snag your ?10,000 B.C.? pass! March 5 in Boston March 5 in Providence, R.I. Snag your ?Be Kind Rewind? pass! Feb. 19 in Birmingham, Mich. Snag your ?Penelope? pass! Feb. 19 in Orlando Feb. 19 in Tampa Feb. 19 in San Jose, Calif. Feb. 19 in Sacramento, Calif. Feb. 19 in Fresno, Calif. Feb. 21 in Visalia, Calif. Feb. 23 in San Rafael, Calif. Feb. 23 in South Miami Feb. 23 in Altamonte Springs, Fla. Feb. 23 in Tampa Feb. 23 in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. Feb. 26 in Ft. Lauderdale Feb. 26 in Santa Clara, Calif. Feb. 26 in Roseville, Calif. Feb. 26 in Clovis, Calif. Feb. 27 in Sacramento, Calif. Feb. 28 in South Miami Feb. 28 in Orlando Feb. 28 in Tamp...
More About: Hollywood , Film , Chicago , Content

Horror Master George A. Romero Reveals Veteran Zombie Lock in ?Diary of the
2008-02-18 21:09:00
CHICAGO ? Master horror filmmaker George A. Romero is back for the fifth installment of his ?Dead? series as what began with 1968?s ?Night of the Living Dead? has fast-forwarded to ?Diary of the Dead?. This time, Romero takes on the modern soul deadening of staring at screens and includes the constant navel gazing of videotaping, computers and the instant playback that has become our lives. When a disturbing local news footage leaks onto the Internet, the cast and crew of a bad student film are interrupted in the middle of their shoot with the report that the dead have come to life and are threatening the entire population of the world. The student film director ? Jason (Joshua Close) ? sees this as an opportunity to document his fellow classmates? escape and journey back to their Pennsylvania homes. Click here to read Patrick McDonald?s full reviewof ?Diary of the Dead? in our reviews section! Click here for our full ?Diary of the Dead? image gallery!
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