Movies That Rock

By Scott Smith in Arts & Entertainment on Oct 4, 2005 4:40PM

If you were to compare the museums of Chicago with people you went to high school with then The Museum of Contemporary Art would be the kid in black clothes who mutters “This is bullshit” under his or her breath during pep rallies. You know, the one who always made it a point to mention oppressive CIA-supported regimes whenever you discussed the American Revolution in your U.S. Government classes. But here’s the thing: you needed that kid. Because that kid opened your eyes to things you might not see otherwise.

So while the Chicago Film Office gears up for its own yearly pep rally—the Chicago International Film Festival—the Museum of Contemporary Art plays host to ResFest, a showcase of some of the most innovative and ---- short films, music videos, and animated films.

ResFest runs at the MCA from Thursday October 6th through Sunday October 9th with a newly expanded program. For Chicagoist, the highlight of the fest is the new Artist Retrospective program, which examines the works of a particularly innovative artist. This year, the artist is Beck. Chicagoist feels a little old knowing that an artist we listened to in college now qualifies for a “retrospective” but seeing the videos for “Loser”, “Where Its At”, and “New Pollution” takes some of the sting out of looking down the barrel of our own mortality.

Other notable events include a keynote address by design studio MK12; two films by Thumbuscker director Mike Mills (not that Mike Mills); the Chicago premiere of Sarah Silverman’s Jesus Is Magic; Videos That Rock, featuring videos from Flaming Lips and Arcade Fire; and a fest-ending musical performance by British soulster Jamie Lidell. All the events are individually priced with a ResPass festival badge available for $99.

Check the ResFest website for the full info on this alternative film fest (although we’re pretty sure the kid in black clothes would have something to say about Nike sponsoring the event).