The above study in irresponsible parenting, "CARMICHAEL & shane" by Alex Weinress and Rob Carlton, is just one of the finalists to make it into the Chicago Short Film Brigade's Best of 2007 lineup that will be screening tonight at the Gene Siskel Film Center. Thirteen films have been selected from the 52 shorts that were screened in the Short Film Brigade's four 2007 episodes, and one lucky winner will walk away at the end of the night with the $350 Audience Award. more ›

--The Midwest Independent Film Festival starts a new season on Tuesday with the world premiere of Osso Bucco, which was produced in Chicago. The comedy revolves around disparate types stuck in an Italian restaurant during a massive snowstorm. Doesn't sound like such a terrible situation. The movie stars Illeana Douglas, who we've had a sort of crush on ever since Grace of My Heart. Several other cast members as well as the filmmakers will be at the show: 7:30 at the Landmark Century. more ›

Enjoy that mindfuck, by Mark Bachara and Michael McGrath, and other such gems at tonight's Chicago Short Film Brigade show at the Hideout (8:30pm, $8). Local filmmakers showing off their shorts include Micah Barber, showing his West Side–set Winter Is Outside, animator Lisa Barcy's "Mermaid," and Julie Fab and Heather Marie's "Puss in Boots," an experimental foot-fetish film. You can watch an excerpt here: click on the picture, then click "videos" on the bottom... more ›

Who can argue with those? You're reading Chicagoist right now because, well, you can appreciate art. Chicagoist is all about the art. Oh sure, sometimes we're also entertaining too. A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. And brevity is the soul of wit, which is why we keep our musings under 350 words each (usually). more ›