After debuting to controversy and yawns at the Toronto International Film Festival, the pseudo-documentary Death of a President, featuring the faked assassination of President Bush, is rapidly turning into a marketing agency’s wet dream. Newmarket Films is striking while the iron is hot and attempting to get the film into theaters while people are still talking about how CONTROVERSIAL it is, in hopes that those voices will scream louder than the ones who say it’s... more ›

Note: Part 1 of this series is here. The Chicago Sketchfest brings some of the country’s finest comic troupes to town this weekend and next. Fitting really, since a mid-January Chicago vacation requires a hearty sense of humor. Yesterday, Chicagoist profiled a few up-and-comers but we didn’t want to leave out the veteran performers, the very backbone of the festival itself, and the uniquely wacky groups, the pickled liver of the festival itself. Many of... more ›

With everyone here at the Chicagoist offices still feeling a bit hungover from the holidays, we’re not quite ready to return to work. The people at Schubas’ are of the same mindset. Tomorrow they’re hosting their Fifth Annual New Year’s Rehab Night with free DVD screenings of Wedding Crashers and The Aristocrats. While we didn’t think Crashers held up as well on a second viewing, The Aristocrats is worth seeing again if only to decide... more ›

As a result of a civil lawsuit filed by several state attorneys general (including Illinois’ Lisa Madigan), Loews Cineplex and AMC Entertainment will sell six theaters around the country, including two in Chicago, before proceeding with plans for their proposed merger. The two Chicago theaters getting “For Sale” signs? Loews Webster Place 11 and AMC City North 14. If the judge approves the decree, a total of six theaters (with 83 screens) will be sold... more ›

Since AMC Theaters show movies such as Herbie: Fully Loaded and The Perfect Man, you’d think they’d book just about anything. Yet the same chain that has no concerns over movies featuring anthropomorphized automobiles and daughters pimping out their moms won’t be showing The Aristocrats, a documentary about one of stand-up comedy’s oldest jokes. Why? Because The Aristocrats features more heinous vulgarity than a Chicagoist staff meeting. more ›