September 2018

Podtalk: Laura Madalinski of ‘Two in the Bush’ at Midwest Independent Film Fest, Oct. 2, 2018

Two in the Bush: A Love Story

CHICAGO – The movie love story is a staple, but rarely has it been explored in the way co-writer/director Laura Madalinski takes it on. The polyamorous adventures of three people is the basis for “Two in the Bush: A Love Story,” the next feature film at the Midwest Independent Film Festival on Tuesday, October 2nd, 2018, at Chicago’s Landmark Century Centre Cinema. For more details and ticket info, including the topic of the before-the-film “Producers Panel,” click here.

Film Review: Gilda Radner Becomes Live Again in ‘Love, Gilda’

Love, Gilda

CHICAGO – It’s always something, as the great Gilda Radner often said (through her character Roseanne Roseannadanna), and the documentary “Love, Gilda” is about all her somethings… her childhood, the early comedy days, the rise through “Saturday Night Live” and her succumbing to the dread disease of cancer. She had it all, did it all, but as always “it” could not save her, and eventually us.

Gilda Radner Becomes Live Again in ‘Love, Gilda’

HollywoodChicago.com Oscarman rating: 4.5/5.0
Rating: 4.5/5.0

CHICAGO – It’s always something, as the great Gilda Radner often said (through her character Roseanne Roseannadanna), and the documentary “Love, Gilda” is about all her somethings… her childhood, the early comedy days, the rise through “Saturday Night Live” and her succumbing to the dread disease of cancer. She had it all, did it all, but as always “it” could not save her, and eventually us.

Podtalk: Rujanee Majakanjana for 6th ‘Shortcut 100’ at Logan Theatre, Sep. 29, 2018

2018 Shortcut 100

CHICAGO – The short film gets its due at one of Chicago’s premiere micro-lengthed movie festivals. Eleven shorts from around the world – presented by Nebula Creatives – will unspool at the 6th “Shortcut 100” International Film Festival at the Logan Theatre in the Logan Square neighborhood on September 29th, 2018. For more details and tickets, click here.

Film Review: Keira Knightley is Ahead of Her Times as ‘Colette’

Colette

CHICAGO – The maturation of Keira Knightley… from ‘Bend it Like Beckham” to “Pride and Prejudice” to the current “Colette,” has had the actor delivering an evolving depth and purpose to her roles. The latest is a fantastic overview of an ahead-of-her-time French novelist, as the rest of society tried to catch up.

Keira Knightley is Ahead of Her Times as ‘Colette’

HollywoodChicago.com Oscarman rating: 4.0/5.0
Rating: 4.0/5.0

CHICAGO – The maturation of Keira Knightley… from ‘Bend it Like Beckham” to “Pride and Prejudice” to the current “Colette,” has had the actor delivering an evolving depth and purpose to her roles. The latest is a fantastic overview of an ahead-of-her-time French novelist, as the rest of society tried to catch up.

Film Review: ‘Night School’ Can’t Get to a Passing Grade

CHICAGO – “Night School” is the latest undistinguished product to come off the Kevin Hart assembly line. If you’re a fan of Hart’s motormouthed and hyperactive small time schtick, you’ll find that this will just barely passed the test. But if you’re not, this movie won’t change anyone’s mind.

‘Night School’ Can’t Get to a Passing Grade

HollywoodChicago.com Oscarman rating: 2.0/5.0
Rating: 2.0/5.0

CHICAGO – “Night School” is the latest undistinguished product to come off the Kevin Hart assembly line. If you’re a fan of Hart’s motormouthed and hyperactive small time schtick, you’ll find that this will just barely passed the test. But if you’re not, this movie won’t change anyone’s mind.

Exclusive Photo: Nichelle Nichols, Uhura in Original ‘Star Trek’

CHICAGO – There is nothing like the original, and Nichelle Nichols is certainly in that category. Nichols portrayed Uhura in the original 1960s “Star Trek” series, and broke barriers for African American performers by being an equal member of the ground-breaking Starship Enterprise crew during the civil rights era.

Podtalk: Mike Houlihan for 4th Irish Movie Hooley at Gene Siskel Film Center, Sep. 28-30, 2018

2018 Irish Movie Hooley

CHICAGO – What is an Irish “Hooley”? What do you think? It’s just another name for a good old shamrock shindig. Founder/Producer Mike Houlihan, the Gene Siskel Film Center and Hibernian Transmedia presents the 4th Irish American Movie Hooley 2018, September 28th through the 30th, with special screenings and appearances each of the three nights. For more details and tickets, click here.

Red-Carpet Talk: Opening Night of 2018 REELING LGBTQ+ Film Fest with ‘Freelancer’s Anonymous’

2018 REELING film fest Red Carpet

CHICAGO – It was an Opening Night celebration at the 36th REELING LGBTQ+ International Film Festival on September 20th, 2018. The opener was the screwball comedy “Freelancers Anonymous,” and walking the Red Carpet was director Sonia Sebastián, writer/lead actor Lisa Cordileone, producer Eugene Sun Park and cast members Natasha Negovanlis, Megan Cavanaugh and Cassandra Blair.

Interview: Bongkod Bencharongkul on ‘Sad Beauty’ at Asian Pop-Up Cinema on Sep. 26, 2018

Sad Beauty, APUC 2018

CHICAGO – Season Seven of Chicago’s Asian Pop-Up Cinema (APUC) continues on Wednesday, September 26th, 2018, with the film “Sad Beauty,” a film from Thailand directed by Bongkod Bencharongkul, who will appear on behalf of the film at the screening. The evening begins at 7pm at the AMC River East 21 theatre. For details and tickets, click here.

Film Review: Fate of a Nation is Contemplated in ‘Fahrenheit 11/9’

CHICAGO – You might think that “Fahrenheit 11/9,” the latest advocate documentary from provocateur Michael Moore, is all about Donald Trump and his diffident administration. But that’s not the whole thing, which is the strength of the film. Moore goes back to hometown Flint, Michigan, and other places in the USA, which exposes the symptoms rather than the Trump disease.

Fate of a Nation is Contemplated in ‘Fahrenheit 11/9’

HollywoodChicago.com Oscarman rating: 4.0/5.0
Rating: 4.0/5.0

CHICAGO – You might think that “Fahrenheit 11/9,” the latest advocate documentary from provocateur Michael Moore, is all about Donald Trump and his diffident administration. But that’s not the whole thing, which is the strength of the film. Moore goes back to hometown Flint, Michigan, and other places in the USA, which exposes the symptoms rather than the Trump disease.

Film News: 1st Cortadito Short Film Fest at Chicago’s Gene Siskel Film Center on Sep. 22, 2018

Cortadito Film Festival 2018

CHICAGO – The jewel of Chicago’s cinema community, the Gene Siskel Film Center, will have a latin flair on Saturday, September 22nd, 2018, when its “Panorama Latinx” outreach program presents the Cortadito Short Film Festival. Short films representing Argentina, Columbia, Cuba, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela will be presented, in an eight shorts program. For more details and tickets, including the list of films, click here.

Film Review: ‘The House With a Clock in Its Walls’ is Movie Magic

CHICAGO – “The House With The Clock In Its Walls” is a surprisingly restrained and endearing haunted house pic for kids just getting rid of their training wheels. It’s all a spooky atmosphere with cobwebs galore, creaking doors, a stained glass window which changes on its own, and a library of books which at times resemble the avifauna predators from the Hitchcock classic “The Birds.”

‘The House With a Clock in Its Walls’ is Movie Magic

HollywoodChicago.com Oscarman rating: 4.0/5.0
Rating: 4.0/5.0

CHICAGO – “The House With The Clock In Its Walls” is a surprisingly restrained and endearing haunted house pic for kids just getting rid of their training wheels. It’s all a spooky atmosphere with cobwebs galore, creaking doors, a stained glass window which changes on its own, and a library of books which at times resemble the avifauna predators from the Hitchcock classic “The Birds.”

Podtalk: Darren Criss, Cover Star for Michigan Avenue Magazine

CHICAGO – Chicago’s Michigan Avenue Magazine celebrated its 10th Anniversary Issue last week with its cover celebrity Darren Criss, who just won an Emmy for “The Assassination of Gianni Versace,” and was Blaine in TV’s “Glee.” The anniversary event was September 11th, 2018, at The Marlowe on 169 West Huron Street.

Film News: 'Freelancers Anonymous' Opens 36th REELING LGBTQ+ Film Fest on Sep. 20, 2018

2018 REELING film fest logo

CHICAGO – One great source of pride in the Chicago cinema community is REELING, the second oldest LGBTQ+ International Film Festival in North America, and their 36th edition is launching on Thursday, September 20th, 2018, at the Davis Theater in the Lincoln Square neighborhood. The Opening Night Film is “Freelancers Anonymous.” For details and tickets, click here.

TV News: Appreciation for Bill Daily of ‘I Dream of Jeannie’ and ‘The Bob Newhart Show’

Bill Daily, photo by Joe Arce

CHICAGO – He was America’s sidekick in TV’s golden decades of the 1960s and ‘70s, and was a proud Chicago-born-and-bred performer. Bill Daily, better known as Major Roger Healey (“I Dream of Jeannie”) and the wacky neighbor Howard Borden (“The Bob Newhart Show”) died at his New Mexico home at the age of 91 on September 4th, 2018.

Photo Gallery: Riot Fest 2018 with Alkaline Trio, Bullet for My Valentine

| Image 1 of 21 |
Alkaline Trio 1 of 4.

CHICAGO – Alkaline Trio, Bullet for My Valentine, Suicidal Tendencies, The Dangerous Summer, Just Friends, Calpurnia, Save Face, SWMRS, Fear, Beach Goons, No Small Children and more performed at Riot Fest 2018 in Chicago on September 16th, 2018, the third day of the three day happening at Douglas Park. HollywoodChicago.com photographer Jeff Doles was there on Sunday the 16th and took the following Exclusive photos.

Interview: Director Constantinos Patsalides on ’30,’ at Greek International Short Film Festival

Short Film '30'

CHICAGO – In 2017, a Greek film production team – producer/writer George Avraam and director Constantinos Patsalides – came to Chicago with their documentary “Beloved Days,” which was part of the European Union Film Festival. The team returns to the international festival circuit with the World Premiere of their new short film, “30,” at the Greek International Short Film Festival (National Division), September 16th-22nd, 2018. For more information, click here.

Slideshow: Exclusive Red-Carpet Photos of Chance the Rapper at World Premiere of ‘Slice’

| Image 1 of 6 |
Chance the Rapper portrays Dax in ‘Slice.’

CHICAGO – One of Chicago’s biggest celebrities and greatest ambassadors was a high school student in 2011. Chancelor Jonathan Bennett, better known as Chance the Rapper, has had a meteoric rise from that Chi-town high school to become one of music’s brightest stars. And besides the fame, he has made it his mission to help others, both with his time, donations and charitable events. And he has just made his debut in a movie, the appropriately titled “Slice.”

Film News: Experience the 70mm Film Fest at Chicago’s Music Box Theatre, Sep.14-27, 2018

70mm Film Festival

CHICAGO – When a filmmaker creates a new work, they use the templates that are available to them, past and present. As films become more digitized and portable, Chicago’s historic Music Box Theater reminds us of the one format that filmmakers used (and still use). The 2018 70mm Film Festival runs from September 14th through the 27th. For more details and tickets, click here.

Film Review: Entertaining ‘A Simple Favor’ Can’t Maintain Its Mojo

CHICAGO – As the secrets are revealed in “A Simple Favor,” filtered through the witty and entertaining directorial style of Paul Feig (“Bridesmaids”), the story moves with charm and energy for three-quarters of its running time. But as the mystery gets solved, the conclusion doesn’t live up to the promising beginning.

Entertaining ‘A Simple Favor’ Can’t Maintain Its Mojo

HollywoodChicago.com Oscarman rating: 3.5/5.0
Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – As the secrets are revealed in “A Simple Favor,” filtered through the witty and entertaining directorial style of Paul Feig (“Bridesmaids”), the story moves with charm and energy for three-quarters of its running time. But as the mystery gets solved, the conclusion doesn’t live up to the promising beginning.

Film Review: ‘The Predator’ is the Best Sequel Reboot of the Series

CHICAGO – By the standards of Predator sequels, “The Predator” is easily the best of the bunch. But that’s a depressingly low bar to clear… kind of like saying you got the nicest looking “Yugo” on the lot. Coming 31 years after Arnold Schwarzenegger battled the original “one ugly mother f**ker,” this reboot brings the space alien with the heat seeking vision to the suburbs.

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