The Chicago Traveler

July 17th, 2008

Chicago Sets the Scene as Gotham City

One of my favorite superheroes as a kid was the Caped Crusader, Batman. And I’m certainly not alone. This weekend, everyone is looking forward to the premiere of the latest film in Christopher Nolan’s Batman series: The Dark Knight.
Chicagoans will notice that Gotham City looks very familiar. While the movie avoids recognizable landmarks like Wrigley […]

By Matt B -- 4 comments

April 25th, 2008

Friday Film: The Negotiator

The story is not a unique one: Hero Cop is loved by all his friends, except for one surly suspicious fellow. Suddenly, Hero Cop is framed for a crime and loses all his friends and his honor. Hero Cop decides to take the law into his own hands to find “the truth.” However, powerhouses Samuel […]

By Matt B -- 0 comments

December 28th, 2007

Friday Film: Brannigan

Most of us are familiar with John Wayne, the film actor and American icon who epitomized rugged masculinity. He was closely associated with Westerns and war movies, but he stepped away from those standards in 1975 with Brannigan.

Brannigan (1975)

Directed by:
Douglas Hickox

Produced by:
Arthur Garnder
Jules Levy

Starring:
John Wayne
Richard Attenborough
Judy Geeson
Mel Ferrer
John Vernon
Ralph Meeker
Daniel Pilon

Distributed by:
United Artists

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John […]

By Matt B -- 0 comments

November 23rd, 2007

Friday Film: Death Wish

Directed by Michael Winner, Death Wish is a 1974 film based on the novel by Brian Garfield. Charles Bronson stars as Paul Kersey, a New York City liberal architect who takes the law into his own hands. While controversial and condemned by many critics for its heroic depiction of vigilantism, the film was a major […]

By Matt B -- 0 comments

November 9th, 2007

Friday Film: Hoffa

One of pop culture’s most talked about mysteries is the disappearance of James Riddle “Jimmy” Hoffa. This labor leader and criminal convict wielded incredible influence as the president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters in the ‘50s and ‘60s. After serving a (commuted) sentence of 15 years for attempted bribery of a grand juror, he […]

By Matt B -- 2 comments

November 2nd, 2007

Friday Film: Death of a President

In this era of heightened security and polarizing politics, it’s no surprise that this week’s movie, filmed in Chicago and released just last year, was so controversial: Death of a President.

Death of a President (2006)

Directed by:
Gabriel Range

Produced by:
Simon Finch
Ed Guiney
Robin Gutch
Liza Marshall
Donall McCusker
Gabriel Range
Christina Varotsis

Starring:
Hend Ayoub
Brian Boland
Becky Ann Baker

Distributed by:
Newmarket Films

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This fictional documentary […]

By Matt B -- 0 comments

October 26th, 2007

Friday Film: Henry

I wanted to highlight a flick (filmed in Chicago) this week that was appropriate for the frightful season. I think I found the perfect choice in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer.

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)

Directed by:
John McNaughton

Produced by:
Malik B. Ali
Waleed B. Ali
Lisa Dedmond
Steven A. Jones
John McNaughton

Starring:
Michael Rooker
Tom Toweles
Tracy Arnold

Distributed by:
Greycat Films

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By Matt B -- 0 comments

October 19th, 2007

Friday Film: Chicago

Chicago (2002)

Directed by:
Rob Marshall

Produced by:
Martin Richards

Starring:
Catherine Zeta-Jones
Renée Zellweger
Richard Gere
Queen Latifah
John C. Reilly
Lucy Liu
Taye Diggs
Colm Feore

Distributed by:
Miramax Films

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When many people think about movies and filming, they often think of Hollywood in Los Angeles or New York, and rightfully so. But Chicago can’t be left out, because it too has made a significant contribution to […]

By Matt B -- 3 comments

May 29th, 2007

CSI: The Experience

Once again, your expertise and observation skills have been called upon. You arrive at the scene: a cozy, peaceful neighborhood in the suburbs. But the serenity of this street has been compromised by the flashing lights of several emergency vehicles. They’ve been called to this horrible sight: a car has ran right through a house’s […]

By Matt B -- 0 comments