Rob Christopher

Summertime: living is easy, the fish are jumping, and it's time to sit back with a long cool one and get pleasantly hammered. We have just the thing. Jeff Berry (aka Beachbum Berry) has spent years trying to find the recipe for the original Zombie, the most famous (and... continue reading on Chicagoist

One of our very favorite pop culturists, for more than a decade Nathan Rabin has been head writer for The Onion A.V. Club. He's equally at home writing about Epic Movie or western swing, and you don't want to be on the receiving end of his wicked sarcasm when... continue reading on Chicagoist

Once upon a time there was an outlaw named John Dillinger. While the country was in the depths of the Great Depression, he robbed a lot of banks. In fact he robbed so many that the FBI made him Public Enemy No. 1. One by one all his cronies... continue reading on Chicagoist

Every man, woman and child in the Chicago-area will probably either go see Public Enemies (and watch for our review tomorrow) or Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen at the movies this weekend, but there are a ton of cinematic alternatives available. Because, you know, there's more to America than murderous... continue reading on Chicagoist

Did you know that in the 30's and 40's there were frequently ten nominees for Best Picture? Neither did we. The practice ended in 1943, when Casablanca took home the Oscar. Since then it's always been winnowed to a list of five. But this morning AMPAS President Sid Ganis... continue reading on Chicagoist

According to an article in today's Trib it looks like beer, wine and other alcoholic packaged goods could be coming soon to a Walgreen's near you. After Prohibition the drugstore began selling alcohol at many of their locations, but that was phased out in early 90's because it was deemed... continue reading on Chicagoist

Picture Showgirls as a chamber piece, looking like it cost about $14.99 to produce and starring a lumpy clone of Fabio. That's a close approximation of The Room. And it's coming to the Music Box this weekend. We caught the flick on DVD earlier this year, watching it while... continue reading on Chicagoist

Tetro, featuring Francis Ford Coppola's first completely original screenplay since 1974's Oscar-winning The Conversation, has to shoulder an awfully heavy burden. But for the first two-thirds anyway, it carries itself impeccably. Vincent Gallo plays Tetro, a man who has divorced himself from his family, especially his brilliant but ruthless... continue reading on Chicagoist

Inherent Vice: Bootleg Histories of Videotape and Copyright is a new book examining the history of analog videotape, specifically VHS. Essentially introduced to consumers as a "blank format," its aesthetic properties and technological flexibility immediately placed it at the center of a legal maelstrom. At first movie studios and... continue reading on Chicagoist

One of the few summer blockbusters we're genuinely interested in seeing this year is Michael Mann's Public Enemies, starring Johnny Depp as infamous gangster John Dillinger. The movie opens nationwide on July 1. But if you're in Wisconsin, L.A. or Hobart, Indiana you'll have the chance to see it... continue reading on Chicagoist

photo via Slashfilm Here's your chance to be in the remake/reboot of A Nightmare on Elm Street. It stars Oscar-nominated actor Jackie Earle Haley as the supernatural slasher and a slew of attractive, no-name teenagers as the slashees. It's currently being shot around town at various high suburban high... continue reading on Chicagoist

A young man's oafish buddies convince him to take a bus to the countryside and meet them at a college chum's guest house, where "there's lots of booze and delicious barbecue." Of course when he arrives his friends are nowhere to be found; and getting back to Seoul proves... continue reading on Chicagoist

photo by Rob Christopher We love Reckless; and frankly, we've always preferred the Lakeview store to the one in Wicker Park. When we heard they'd be moving, we initially feared that it'd be to a smaller space. Luckily, that's not the case. The new digs at 3126 N. Broadway,... continue reading on Chicagoist

Stark Trek had an estimated budget of $160 million. Even Sam Raimi's new "low budget" horror movie Drag Me to Hell cost millions. Turns out you can get more bang for your buck in Indiana: The Unhuman is being made for around $500. Co-helmer Jacob, 13, sketched out the... continue reading on Chicagoist

Despite months and months of TV commercials, repeated ad nauseum, warning about the imminent switch to all-digital television broadcasting, it appears that there are still some folks who don't quite get it. As reported in today's Trib, last week the FCC tested the new broadcasting system in 125 markets... continue reading on Chicagoist

That's the colorful description UIC professor/filmmaker Ben Russell gives this program of his work. It's a juicy and often assaultive performance combining documentary images with handmade electronics and manipulated film projections. His "Trypps" series consists of several short films (the longest is 12 minutes) exploring how the juxtaposition of... continue reading on Chicagoist

Wine- and vodka-enthusiast Dan Aykroyd told Los Angeles Times writer Geoff Boucher that the long-gestating third installment is definitely a go and may start shooting as soon as this winter. Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, Ernie Hudson and Sigourney Weaver will all be back on board. A director has not been... continue reading on Chicagoist

A hundred years after he was born, could Nelson Algren finally be getting some of the respect he so richly deserves? An unprecedented interest in Algren's work has been percolating all spring: a star-studded evening at Steppenwolf celebrating the author, a previously unpublished story gracing the Reader and a... continue reading on Chicagoist

Almost sounds like the name of a law firm representing Blago, but no. The Chicago Film Archives is drawing from its impressive collection for a pair of upcoming screenings. The films involved are all rare and extremely worthwhile. The first, this Friday evening at the Chicago Cultural Center, spotlights documentaries... continue reading on Chicagoist

We recently received a sample of Mount Gay Extra Old, a fine aged rum from Barbados we'd never tried. On the rocks it's superb: a true sipping rum with hints of burnt sugar and spice, and a subtle floral scent. Actually it reminded us a lot of bourbon. That... continue reading on Chicagoist