I DRINK PROCLAIM YOUR MILKSHAKE EMANCIPATION. more ›

We're pretty obsessed with the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, not only because he looks good on our pennies but because he did some pretty cool stuff while he was in office, too. Academy-award winning actor Daniel Day-Lewis recently visited Springfield, Illinois and toured the Lincoln Presidential Museum, Lincoln's home, the Old State Capitol and the Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices to prepare for his next role as President Lincoln in a film directed by none other than movie giant, Steven Spielberg. more ›

We earlier gave our respects to all the Veterans out there, but thought we needed just another little...something. Every year at this time, we catch the television airing of Saving Private Ryan (it aired Sunday night on TNT), which remains one of our favorite Spielberg films (that epic opening D-Day scene is an amazing, visceral experience every time we see it). Sure, it may not be the most orthodox way of giving another salute, but even Hollywood recreations like this give us a better understanding of the sacrifice that our Vets have made for our country. The following is one our favorite scenes of the movie, capturing one of the quieter, funnier moments among the soldiers (language NSFW). more ›

Will Smith has already said he'd play him onscreen, but first we have to get through the convention in August, an event that has its own series of rituals and traditions. One of the most high-profile of these is the biographical promo, a short film designed to introduce the nominee. Past efforts have invloved the likes of Harry Thomason (for Bill Clinton) and James Moll and Steven Spielberg (for John Kerry). Al Gore's 2000 promo was to have been directed by Spike Jonze but was eventually scuttled (it was later released on Wholphin's first issue). more ›

City crews have filled over 400,000 potholes since December. Wow. But the Transportation Commissioner says real resurfacing projects can't be completed until the state coughs up the money. [S-T] more ›

Earlier this year when we interviewed ME-TV's Neal Sabin, he let drop that cult fave series "Night Gallery" would soon be part of the weekly line-up. True to his word, the early 70's horror anthology show created by Rod Serling is now on every Sunday from 5 to 6. That's two half-hour episodes back to back. It's part of the channel's "chill" new Sunday evening schedule. "Night Gallery" is followed by a full hour of... more ›

A.O Scott’s review of the new Michael Moore movie begins with a very astute observation; namely, that whenever Moore’s name is brought up it is inevitably attached to adjectives such as “polarizing,” “controversial,” “provocative,” and “muck-raking.” And that it is the media itself which perpetuates the use of these adjectives. Would one describe Steven Spielberg as “polarizing?” Spielberg has two films in the top ten highest-grossing films of all time and no one describes him that way. Yet (among documentaries) Moore has two films in the top five. How “controversial” can a filmmaker be and yet sell so many tickets? We just think he’s a filmmaker possessing a keen instinct for issues that get people riled up, which is a good thing. more ›

What do you get when you combine Oprah fans, Bono fans, Gap fans and unseasonably cold weather, and snow? You get a whole bunch of angry people, that’s what you get. more ›

There was no couch-jumping, but Steven Spielberg’s visit to Chicago this weekend was still full of exclamation points. Spielberg was in town to receive the Golden Hugo Lifetime Achievement Award at the Chicago International Film Festival 2006 Summer Gala. Held at the Sheraton Chicago on Saturday, Spielberg was honored by video tributes from notables including Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jude Law, George Lucas and Roger Ebert. Even Tom Cruise made an appearance on the video. So, when... more ›

This Friday at the Music Box marks the long awaited (by Chicagoist, anyway) rerelease of Jacques Tati's classic Playtime (and, for better or worse, influence on Steven Spielberg's The Terminal). Like Francis Ford Coppola with his similarly neglected One From The Heart, Tati went all crazy Orson Welles on this one, demanding that an entire city be constructed on a soundstage. And again like Coppola, constructing that city on a back-lot effectively bankrupted him. But what a way to go out! more ›