CHICAGO – Excelsior! Comic book legend Stan Lee’s famous exclamation puts a fine point on the third and final play of Mark Pracht’s FOUR COLOR TRILOGY, “The House of Ideas,” presented by and staged at City Lit Theater in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood. For tickets/details, click HOUSE OF IDEAS.
HollywoodChicago.com Arts & Entertainment News
Podtalk: Dewayne Perkins, Co-Writer and Actor in ‘The Blackening’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 12, 2023 - 10:55amCHICAGO – The poster says, “We Can’t All Die First,” referring of course to the killer/slasher film that regularly murders the black member of friend group first. The film is “The Blackening” and it came from the mind of co-writer and featured actor Dewayne Perkins, who conceived of the idea initially as a sketch.!—break—>
Podtalk: Raul Benitez on Chicago/Mexico City Cinema Exchange, in Theaters June 12, 14 & 16
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 11, 2023 - 9:28amCHICAGO – In a program that launched during the pandemic, the Chicago/Mexico City Cinema Exchange began highlighting works from Chicago and Mexico City Filmmakers. Continuing forward with in-person screenings, the theme this year is displacement, and one of the curators of the event is Chicago film influencer Raul Benitez. The screenings will take place on three days at three Chicago venues, beginning June 12th, 2023 at (click for tickets) the Gene Siskel Film Center.
Interview: whitewolfsonicprincess at Evanston’s SPACE, June 14, 2023
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 10, 2023 - 10:11am- Band
- Black Forest
- Carla Hayden
- Chuck Wasserburg
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- Illinois. Tim O’ Brien
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CHICAGO – In a familiar environment, taking part in the evolution of their legacy, the band WHITE WOLF SONIC PRINCESS (wwsp) will appear again at Chicagoland’s SPACE venue in Evanston, Illinois … led by percussionist/singer Carla Hayden and guitar/singer James Moeller. For details and ticket information, click wwsp.
Film Review: ’Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ is Clanky Calamity
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 9, 2023 - 1:23pmCHICAGO – When it comes to bad movies there are three types … fun bad, memorably bad, and ordinary bad. “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” belongs in the latter category. It’s a clinking, clanking calamity that fails on almost every level, which is about par for the course when it comes to this series.
On-Air Film Review: The Previous is Prescient in 'Past Lives'
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 9, 2023 - 10:31amCHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on June 8th, reviewing “Past Lives,” a different type of romance drama, exploring how past relationships still resonate. In theaters on June 9th.
Audio Film Review: More-MEN Worship in ‘All Man: The International Male Story’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 8, 2023 - 12:44pmCHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio film review for the new documentary “All Man: The International Male Story,” the story of a male fashion icon and the people who developed it. In select theaters and through digital Video on Demand on June 6th.!—break—>
Podtalk: John Mossman on ‘Good Guy with a Gun’ at Gene Siskel Film Center, June 9, 10 & 14, 2023
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 7, 2023 - 6:56pmCHICAGO – The controversial phrase “Good Guy with a Gun” is now a title for the latest feature film from John Mossman, who wrote and directed the story of a mother and son trying to rebuild their lives after losing their husband/father to gun violence. The twist is they’re rebuilding in a small town with an entrenched gun culture.
Tribeca2023: 22nd Tribeca Festival Opens with Film ‘Kiss the Future’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 6, 2023 - 10:12amNEW YORK – The Summer film festival season kicks off with a legend, New York City’s preeminent Tribeca Festival, beginning Wednesday, June 7th with the Opening Night film “Kiss the Future.” The Fest will be in-person, but there is also an opportunity to experience “Tribeca at Home” by clicking TRIBECAatHOME.
Exclusive Portraits: Stacey Abrams at Chicago Humanities Festival
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 4, 2023 - 11:00amCHICAGO – Stacey Abrams, the activist from Georgia, has created power in an old fashioned way … by actually getting out the vote. Her efforts had Georgia … a southern state … show up for Joe Biden in 2020, and her influence produced two Democratic Senators to represent Georgia going forward. She appeared at the Chicago Humanities Festival on June 1, 2023.
Podtalk: Exec Director Frank Carr of 2023 YippieFest, Calling for Acts to Perform from Aug. 4-6
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 3, 2023 - 11:21amCHICAGO – YIPPIE! It’s back, in the neighborhood of its roots. YippieFest 2023 will be August 4th-6th in the Lakeview/Buena Park venue of PRIDE ARTS, 4139 North Broadway in Chicago. The space is less than a half mile from the former Mary-Arrchie Theatre, whose “Abbie Hoffman Festival” was the template for the three-day performance celebration. YippieFest currently has slots for theater acts, including one-act plays, monologue, sketch, improv, vaudeville and other stage performance arts. Artists get free admission to the rest of the festival, so click YiPPIE FEST 2023 to sign up.
On-Air Film Review: 'Shooting Stars' is the Birth of King James
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 2, 2023 - 7:22amCHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Dan Baker on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on June 1st, reviewing “Shooting Stars,” telling the phenomenal origins of LeBron James and his childhood high school team. Streaming on Peacock beginning June 2nd.!—break—>
On-Air Film Review: The Web of ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 1, 2023 - 7:52pmCHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Dan Baker on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on June 1st, reviewing “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” another animated adventure for the web slinger in the multi-verse. In theaters on June 2nd.!—break—>
Podtalk: Grand Opening of Emagine Batavia Theater Includes ‘Halloween’ film Q&A, June 1, 2023
Submitted by PatrickMcD on May 31, 2023 - 4:18pmCHICAGO – Chicagoland will be getting a new and exciting movie theater experience, beginning June 1st, 2023, with the Grand Opening of Emagine Batavia (Illinois) theaters. As part of the celebration, actor James Jude Courtney … who took the role of Michael Myers in the 2018 “Halloween” reboot … will be making an appearance to meet fans before the 7pm screening and participate in a “VIP Q&A.” For tickets, click EMAGINE.