Spotlight

CHICAGO – In May of this year, Cinema/Chicago – the parent organization of the 53rd Chicago International Film Festival (CIFF) – announced that Mimi Plauché was the new Artistic Director of the Fest. She assumed the position that had formally been held by CIFF founder Michael Kutza, who continues as President and CEO.

CHICAGO – They’re warming up the spotlights, and gathering up all the glam for the next two weeks. The 53rd Chicago International Film Festival opens on Thursday, October 12th, 2017, with the film “Marshall” (details below), and it’s time for movie lovers to come together in the Windy City.

NEW YORK CITY – HollywoodChicago.com is New York City bound, as Writer and Editorial Coordinator Patrick McDonald reports on the first week of the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival from April 20th through April 25th. For a Festival overview, click here.

CHICAGO – HollywoodChicago.com interviews the “Queen of Truth,” Deborah Lipstadt, whose book and famous court trial inspired the new film “Denial”. This year’s “Spotlight” but for the Jews, Rachel Weisz plays Lipstadt opposite Timothy Spall, who portrays the Holocaust denier David Irving.

CHICAGO – “Spotlight” held off all challengers at the 88th Academy Awards, as the film won Best Picture, after Alejandro González Iñárrittu had won Best Director for the second year in a row for “The Revenant.” Chris Rock held steady as the host, acknowledging Oscar’s diversity problems with a series of comedy bits.

CHICAGO – Okay kids, time to jump into the 2016 Oscar Pool. There are “predictors,” and then there is HollywoodChicago.com! That’s right, critic contributors Spike Walters and Patrick McDonald have the inside scoop to who will win on Oscar night, because they have a DeLorean time machine – in their dreams!

CHICAGO –The movers, the shakers, the prominent filmmakers – they’ve all gone through the interview filter by Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com. What better way to celebrate Oscar week than to review the TOP 20 talks of the 2015, with many 2016 Oscar favorites among the celebrated.

CHICAGO – “The Revenant,” director Alejandro Iñárritu’s epic drama, got 12 nominations – including Best Picture – as all the categories for the 88th Academy Awards were announced on January 14th, 2016. Rounding out the Best Picture class is “The Big Short,” “Bridge of Spies,” “Brooklyn,” “Mad Max: Fury Road,” “The Martian,” “Room” and “Spotlight.”

CHICAGO – “Mad Max: Fury Road,” the hyper-driven artistic achievement by director George Miller, was designated Best Picture of 2015 by the Chicago Film Critics Association (CFCA), at a ceremony on December 16th. George Miller was also honored as Best Director, and “Mad Max” received five total honors.

CHICAGO – The adrenalin-fueled “Mad Max: Fury Road” topped the Chicago Film Critics Association nominations list for 2015, announced on Monday, December 14th. Other notable multi-category nominees included “Carol,” “The Revenant” and “Inside Out.” Jennifer Jason Leigh scored a double nomination in the Best Supporting Actress category for “The Hateful Eight” and “Anomalisa,” and Amy Schumer got a nod for Most Promising Performer with “Trainwreck.”