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.
Horror
Podtalk: Programmer Stephanie Sack on Ti West’s ‘X’ & ‘Pearl’ at FACETS
Submitted by PatrickMcD on July 1, 2024 - 5:06pmCHICAGO – The same day that director Ti West’s “MaXXXine” – the third film in his “Maxine” series – is released, why not catch up with the story beforehand at Chicago’s FACETS with a double feature/discussions on the first two films, “X” and “Pearl,” presented by film programmer Stephanie Sack. Click TI WEST for tickets/details.
CIFF23: Programmer Raul Benitez of AFTER DARK Series
Submitted by PatrickMcD on October 12, 2023 - 9:06amCHICAGO – The After Dark series at the 59th Chicago International Film Festival (CIFF) encompasses the “genre” category of films … horror, sci-fi, fantasy and the just plain bizarre. And the programmer behind it is film veteran Raul Benitez. For more info and After Dark line-ups, click AFTER DARK.
Podtalk: Danny & MIchael Philippou for Their Film ‘Talk to Me’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on July 25, 2023 - 10:17pmCHICAGO – True unforgettable scares in a horror film are few and far between, despite many attempts. The unsettling air of the new film “Talk to Me” is lingering, as created by two Australian brothers and YouTube sensations, Danny & Michael Philippou. Their channel RackaRacka gave them the opportunity to make their debut film.
Film Review: Audiences May Be Grateful that ‘Halloween Ends’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on October 14, 2022 - 10:31amCHICAGO – Experienced horror fans will recognize this, but anytime a long running franchise has to resort to Telekinesis, you know you’re in for trouble. It didn’t work for Jason, It didn’t work for Freddy, It didn’t work for Michael Myers the first time he tried it in “Halloween 5” … it most certainly does not work here in “Halloween Ends.”
Via Zoom: Raul Benitez on ‘After Dark’ at 58th Chicago Intl. Film Fest, Opening Night with ‘Sick’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on October 12, 2022 - 12:40pmCHICAGO – One of the more popular series at the 58th Chicago International Film Festival (CIFF) – with Opening Night on October 12th, 2022 – is the After Dark series. The title screams horror films, but the series also focuses on outliers in categories such as sci-fi, fantasy and the just plain bizarre. Raul Benitez … the programmer of After Dark …
Film Review: Unsettling & Unpleasant ‘Smile’ is Also Deadly … Boring
Submitted by PatrickMcD on September 30, 2022 - 10:07amCHICAGO – Smile is unsettling and deeply unpleasant … its whole reason for being is to be unsettling and deeply unpleasant. And in that regard, it worked. I was uncomfortable sitting in a theater as these images flashed across the screen. But you know what else I was? Bored. The first kill happens around the 15 minute mark, and I know that because I was already checking my watch at that point.
DAY THREE: Thriller Films on Tap at 57th Chicago International Film Festival, Oct. 15, 2021
Submitted by PatrickMcD on October 14, 2021 - 10:13pmCHICAGO – Day Three of the 57th Chicago International Film Festival (CIFF), and the festival kicks into gear with many notable films, including the much anticipated thriller “Antlers” at the ChiTown Movies Drive-In (click ANTLERS for details).
DAY TWO: Tony Scott-Green, Composer of ‘Sink’ at Chicago International Film Fest, Oct. 14, 2021
Submitted by PatrickMcD on October 13, 2021 - 10:29pm- 2021
- 57th
- Chicago International Film Festival
- City & State
- Composter
- Curtis Matzke
- Day Two
- Expanding Sensibilities
- HollywoodChicago.com Content
- Horror
- Interview
- Mayor Pete
- Music
- October 14
- Original Score
- Patrick McDonald
- Program
- Punch 9 for Harold Washington
- Short Films
- Shorts 1
- Tony Scott-Green
- Zoom
CHICAGO – It’s Day Two of the just-begun 57th Chicago International Film Festival (CIFF), and the spotlight shines on local short films at the CITY & STATE program, which includes ”Sink” directed by Curtis Matzke, with music composed by Tony Scott-Green. Click the titles for more information.
Via Zoom: Raul Benitez on the After Dark Series, Chicago International Film Festival
Submitted by PatrickMcD on October 12, 2021 - 11:09amCHICAGO – One of the more popular series at the Chicago International Film Festival (CIFF) – opening tomorrow, October 13th, 2021 – is the After Dark series. The title screams horror films, but the series also focuses on outliers in categories such as sci-fi, fantasy and the just plain bizarre.
Audio Film Review: Witchy! Review of ‘We Need to Do Something’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on September 2, 2021 - 4:37pmCHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio film review on the new psychological horror film “We Need to Do Something” – featuring Pat Healy of Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theater Company – in select theaters, beginning on September 3rd, 2021.