Interview

CHICAGO – Instead of trying to fill giant shoes in the shadows of his legendary filmmaker father Ivan Reitman (“Ghostbusters”), Jason Reitman has been successfully blazing his own path of films without message that are designed to incite your thoughts and question your actions.

CHICAGO – Gary Oldman is a living legend. He’s just as fascinating in person as one would hope after seeing him dominate his craft in films like “Sid and Nancy,” “JFK,” “The Professional,” “True Romance,” “The Fifth Element,” “Hannibal,” “Harry Potter,” “The Dark Knight,” and much more.

CHICAGO – Director Tomas Alfredson (“Let the Right One In”) completely destroys the theory of the sophomore slump this week with the Chicago opening of his take on the award-winning John Le Carre novel “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy,” starring Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, John Hurt, Mark Strong, Benedict Cumberbatch, Toby Jones, and Tom Hardy.

CHICAGO – Grace McPhillips is the epitome of the Chicago actor – talented, resilient and honest. She is also an actors community activist in the Windy City, as the founder of “Chicago Acting in Film Meetup” and is an official on the council of the Screen Actors Guild in Chicago. She will host the upcoming Networking Night & Holiday Fundraiser on December 12th.

CHICAGO – For three weeks in a row, “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 1” has been number one at the box office, to no real surprise. The thirst for this popular saga is almost as desperate as a vampire’s blood lust. Daniel Cudmore and Alex Meraz are part of the now well-known cast.

CHICAGO – One of the nice surprises of the Chicago International Film Festival was the opening night presence of a true Chicago-based film. “The Last Rites of Joe May” stars Dennis Farina as an aging small-time hood, taken in by single mother Jenny Rapp, portrayed by Jamie Anne Allman. The production was directed with sublime power by Joe Maggio.

CHICAGO – Crime novelist Marcus Sakey has written five best-selling novels and become one of the most acclaimed authors from the Chicago area working today. This week, he starts a new chapter of his career, taking his voice as a storyteller and using it to host The Travel Channel’s “Hidden City,” debuting December 6th, 2011 at 9pm CST. The mix of history, travel, and Sakey’s personality make for strong programming.

CHICAGO – Dennis Farina is Chicago. Born and raised in the Windy City, his persona and manner is everything Chicago – bold, classy and the true urban Midwest. His latest film is “The Last Rites of Joe May,” which features another actor who got his start in Chicago theater, Gary Cole.

CHICAGO – Darryl Roberts is a man on a mission. In 2007, he made a documentary called “America the Beautiful,’ in which he explored the beauty industry in this country, and its effect on perceptions. In his new film “America the Beautiful 2: The Thin Commandments” he takes on the weight loss obsession and the industries associated with it.

CHICAGO – When a company makes a commitment to a cause, the way that they follow through speaks volumes about that commitment. Kit Crawford, the co-owner/CEO of the company that makes LUNA Bars, has brought in her passion of the arts through LUNAFEST, a film festival featuring women filmmakers and the donation of its proceeds to women’s causes. It was in Chicago on November 17th.