It's really no wonder that movie receipts are up 17.5% over last year. Movies are a relatively inexpensive form of entertainment, and going to the movies is a social activity, as well as a welcome distraction and escape from all the down news as of late. Aside from the usual multiplex options there's a whole boatload of film festivals on the horizon: more ›

Who knew that U of C's DOC Films has been showing movies for 75 years? (Rhetorical question, as we're sure that many of you already knew that.) Well, they have. In fact they're the longest continuously running student film society in the U.S. As you can imagine, they've collected a lot of cool mementos in that time. Things like letters from Samuel Fuller and Jean Renoir, movie posters autographed by Hitchcock, and old programing calendars. And, yes, Fritz Lang's martini recipe (we're anxious to compare it Buñuel's). They're putting some of the neater stuff on display with a new exhibition which opens today and runs through August 31 at the school's Joseph Regenstein Library, 1110 E. 57th St. There's an opening reception this afternoon from 3:00 to 4:30 in the gallery. more ›

A: A free movie every week. To us summer is about more than music festivals, street fairs and outdoor dining. It's also about enjoying wonderful cinema, either indoors in a wonderfully air-conditioned theater, or outside on a big freakin' lawn. And we'll be getting plenty of chances for both over the next several months thanks to Cinema/Chicago and the Chicago Outdoor Film Festival. Better known as the organization behind the annual Chicago International Film Festival,... more ›

The Chicago Outdoor Film Festival movies have been announced. Also, while we were on the City's crappy events site we noticed that the Chicago Jazz Fest and the Chicago Blues Fest schedules are available now, too. LA says that if they get the Olympics they'll make about $2.7 billion. Chicago isn't sayin' shit! On police brutality: Remember that case where the cops fired into a car with 11 youths in it during the 1998... more ›

In Chicago, summer film viewing usually means … whatever’s air-conditioned. The Outdoor Film Festival is a notable exception, but generally speaking, summertime is an annual famine where interesting film choices are few and far between. But autumn is a horse of a different color. Suddenly (due in part to the Oscar race) it's time to bulk up. No sooner does the Chicago International Film Festival draw to a close (winners were announced this week) than... more ›

For years -– 29 to be exact -– "Image Union" has brought great short films into our living rooms. For the second year in a row, it’s also bringing some of those same films into your local theater. Tomorrow night at the Vic, WTTW’s "Image Union" holds its 2nd Annual Short Film Festival and Season Premiere Party with some local filmmakers, their works and some cheap beer. You’ve likely heard about the short documentary film... more ›

Bored and looking for something to do tonight? Good, because there're two great film events happening tonight. more ›

There’s been a lot of ink spilled about Chicago’s cornucopia of music events this summer, but yesterday’s RedEye also clued us in to several film festivals that are happening in the next three months, including ones we’ve covered like the Silent Film Festival and the Chicago Outdoor Film Festival as well as upcoming events we haven’t like Reeling’s Gay Games fest, the Onion City Experimental Film Festival and the Chicago Underground Film Festival. Here are... more ›

There’s very little left to be said about how batshit insane Sharon Stone has become. Luckily, there’s plenty to say about how batshit crazy the film Basic Instinct 2 was (and we use the past tense here quite purposely as it's clear its 10th place showing last weekend will have it in your local video store by the time you leave work on Friday). more ›

With temps expected to hit the 70s on Thursday, it’s clear that spring is on the way. Of course, this means summer will be here in a matter of ... well, hours. And with summer comes the Chicago Outdoor Film Festival in Grant Park. more ›

we’ll probably spend some quality time cuddled up with them in some dark, out-of-the-way place...like the movies. more ›

We don't normally go to Bill Zwecker for breaking news, but we'll give credit where credit is due. Though the AP wires just picked it up this weekend (thanks to a press release from Disney), Zwecker reported back at the beginning of April about Sun-Times critic Roger Ebert receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Timed to coincide with the end of his Overlooked Film Festival wrapped up in Urbana, the announcement also... more ›

» I, Robot is set in a futuristic Chicago more ›

As we reported yesterday, the 5th annual Chicago Outdoor Film Festival begins tonight with Howard Hawks' great screwball comedy and Chicagoist favorite His Girl Friday. As any of the 30,000 attendees of the legendary Radiohead show at Hutchinson Field in 2001 will tell, the beautiful Chicago skyline is an ideal backdrop to any summertime cultural event. But if you don't want to deal with the mosquitoes, the people, or trying to discern the tipping protocol for free bike valet parking (?), head down to Facets to see a movie the old-fashioned way: inside. And, ironically, the movie to see there is about the great outdoors. more ›

The 5th annual Chicago Outdoor Film Festival kicks off tomorrow evening in Grant Park. For the next seven weeks, some of the classic films of all time will be shown under the stars on a huge 50’ x 34’ screen. more ›

Chicago's busy festival season kicks off this weekend with the Milwaukee Avenue Block Party in Wicker Park on Saturday and the Windy City Hemp Fest in Montrose Park on Saturday & Sunday. Chicagoist has tickets to the Ravinia Festival and is also looking forward to the Printers Row Book Fair, Taste of Chicago, the Outdoor Film Festival, the 21st Annual Chicago Blues Festival and the 26th Annual Chicago Jazz Fest. more ›