Ah, the Academy Award "Shorts." Largely ignored in favor of the races focusing on acting accomplishments and what movie had the saddest/more politically controversial/historically momentous ending, the Short Subject categories often offer a hodgepodge of achievements actually more worthy of your time than most of the feature length tripe that hits theaters these days. They're also full of fun trivia: did you know Billy Zabka, a.k.a the fantastic villain Johnny Lawrence from one of our favorite films of all time, was actually nominated for an Academy Award in the Live Action Short category in 2004? And have you ever seen Don Hertzfeldt's excellent 2001 nominated animated short, "Rejected"? Wacky stuff. more ›

At the risk of feeding the hype machine, we still have to offer a congratulations to Mr. Kanye West for pulling in some Grammy gold last night. While we still don't buy the Grammys as an accurate barometer of the music industry and what's actually, you know, good in music these days, it's still the industry's main award show so there's something to be said for coming away with multiple trophies. While the night's big winner was Amy Winehouse, Kanye still managed to pull in four awards, as well as one of the night's most memorable acceptance speeches (surprise!) when he gave producers the verbal smack-down for trying to run him off in the middle of a tribute to his mother. more ›

Long before there was a League of Chicago Music Venues or a Hawk Winter Music Festival, the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs (under the guidance of program director – and fellow Lane Tech grad – Michael Orlove) was bringing together the city’s club scene via the World Music Festival. After seven years, the festival has earned a place beside both Blues and Jazz Fest as one of Chicago’s premier music showcases. WMF is also one... more ›

Oh, Chicagoist readers: we’re mighty conflicted this morning. On the one hand, we want to tell you about these two amusing video clips posted on the Tribune’s site. Critic Robert Elder gives a brief tour of some famous Chicago movie locations while other Trib staffers re-create—with mixed results—scenes from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. We’re wondering where they managed to find a white fringed jacket for “Sloane.” (Confidential to Trib web geeks: It’d be nice if... more ›

Exciting news for students of the history of the sixties and Chicago’s place in it: the Chicago Historical Society will present a screening and discussion of the Academy Award-nominated film The Weather Underground this Tuesday from 6:30 to 9:30 PM. Though the film was shown at this year’s Chicago Underground Film Festival back in August, tomorrow's post-screening discussion here will include former Weathermen Bill Ayers and Bernadette Dohrn with co-director Bill Siegel. more ›

The Auditorium Theatre announced yesterday that it will be hosting two "The Lord of the Rings Symphony: A Symphony in Six Movements" concerts in early October. Composed by Academy Award winner Howard Shore, the performances feature more than 200 musicians and singers, music from all three movies performed by the World Festival Symphony Orchestra, both adult and children's choirs, guest vocalist Sissel, synchronized projections of original concept and storyboard artwork from the movies, and a special appearance by Shore himself. Tickets go on sale on Monday. more ›