Joe Arce

CHICAGO – One of the buzz films at the 54th Chicago International Film Festival (CIFF) is “Roma,” the latest from Academy Award winning director Alfonso Cuarón (“Gravity”). This personal and autobiographical film is winning kudos for its beauty and authenticity, as well as its setting in 1970s Mexico City. The film features Mexican actors Marina de Tavira and Yalitza Aparicio.

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Liam Neeson portrays Henry in ‘Widows.’

CHICAGO – Liam Neeson “Released the Superstars” on October 13th, 2018, as the all-star cast of the new film “Widows” walked the Red Carpet before a premiere screening at the 54th Chicago International Film Festival. Joining Liam was Oscar winner Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez (“Fast & Furious” series), as well as supporting actors Cynthia Erivo and Brian Tyree Henry, plus author/screenplay adapter Gillian Flynn and director Steve McQueen (“12 Years a Slave”).

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Amandla Stenberg portrays Starr Carter in ‘The Hate U Give’

CHICAGO – With a film that is seemingly ripped from the headlines, “The Hate U Give,” made its Red Carpet debut at the 54th Chicago International Film Festival on Thursday, October 11th, 2018. The lead actor in the film, newcomer Amandla Stenberg, along with veteran director George Tillman Jr. (“Soul Food”) and producer Robert Teitel, walked the carpet.

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.

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.

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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.”

JUPITER, FLA – When I met Burt Reynolds in 2011, I knew I was meeting Hollywood royalty… he filled the room as a Movie Star King. He was frail at that time, complaining of the injuries he endured in the over 90 films in his career, but nothing stopped his stardom until it was over. Reynolds died on September 6th, 2018. He was 82.

CHICAGO – She is the author whose novels are screen friendly. Gillian Flynn has had all three of her books adapted for either television or film, and the latest is a miniseries adaptation of her first novel, which continues on HBO, titled “Sharp Objects.” The series runs eight episodes, and features Amy Adams in the lead role, supported by Patricia Clarkson, Chris Messina and Elizabeth Perkins.

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Loni Anderson of ‘WKRP in Cincinnati.’

CHICAGO – It’s coming back! One of the best annual pop culture entertainment and comic book gatherings returns to Chicagoland once again, as the Wizard World Comic Con will make its yearly visit to the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Ill., the weekend of August 23rd through the 26th, 2018. Besides the fan costumes, vendor booths and comic book legends, Wizard World has appearances from TV and movie celebrities, highlighted in 2018 by David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson (“The X-Files”), Ben Savage (“Boy Meets World”), Henry Winkler (“Happy Days,” Barry”) and Nichelle Nichols (“Star Trek,” Original Series).

CHICAGO – You’ve seen him in many familiar roles over the years, from “Argo” to “The Mindy Project.” Character actor Chris Messina is memorable in all those roles, and currently is taking on Detective Richard Willis in the hot new HBO miniseries “Sharp Objects,” opposite Amy Adams and Patricia Clarkson.