The Chicago Traveler

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 Field or Sears Tower, locals will be able to distinguish several Chicago locations. Be on the lookout for the canyon of skyscrapers at LaSalle and Monroe Streets (near the Chicago Board of Trade Building) and Bruce Wayne’s penthouse in Hotel 71. Key action scenes take …read more

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For many of us, our daily lives consist of coffee, going to work, come home for dinner, watching television, and going to bed, only to wake up to do it all over again the next day. Some people long for a life less ordinary. The 1999 thriller Stir of Echoes shows just how appreciative we should sometimes be for our “ordinary” lives.

Stir of Echoes (1999)

Directed by:
David Koepp

Produced by:
Judy Hofflund
Gavin Polone

Starring:
Zachary David Cope
Kevin Bacon
Kathryn Erbe
Illeana Douglas

Distributed by:
Artisan Entertainment

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The film takes place in a blue-collar Chicago neighborhood, where everyone on the block is friendly and familiar with each other. One …read more

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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 L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey prevent this classic story from becoming a predictable mess in The Negotiator.

The Negotiator (1998)

Directed by:
F. Gary Gray

Produced by:
David Hoberman
Arnon Milchan

Starring:
Samuel L. Jackson
Kevin Spacey
David Morse
Ron Rifkin
John Spencer
J.T. Walsh

Distributed by:
Warner Bros

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Released in 1998, The Negotiator follows Danny Roman (Samuel L. …read more

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There are hundreds of named neighborhoods in the city of Chicago. (PDF map) Due to gentrification, immigration, and even personal opinion, their borders often aren’t clear. Neighborhoods are rarely specifically-defined areas but rather are general areas. One of those neighborhoods was the namesake for a 2004 film, Wicker Park.

Wicker Park (2004)

Directed by:
Paul McGuigan

Produced by:
Andre Lamal
Gary Lucchesi
Tom Rosenberg
Marcus Viscidi

Starring:
Josh Hartnett
Rose Byrne
Matthew Lillard
Diane Kruger

Distributed by:
MGM

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This psychological thriller and romance follows businessman Matthew (Josh Hartnett) as he returns to Chicago two years after Lisa (Diane Kruger), a woman whom he was deeply in love with, vanished from his life without a …read more

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I’ll come right out and say it: I don’t watch a lot of horror films. It’s not because I don’t enjoy being spooked on occasion. I watch a lot of television about supposed paranormal activity, and I’ve read plenty of books by Stephen King, Clive Barker, etc. But, in my opinion, many horror films take the easy way out, throwing an ugly monster, blood, and guts at the screen, yelling “Boo!” It’s the equivalent of a bratty little brother jumping out at you from behind the door. I much prefer what I would classify as “suspense” or “thrillers”: films that …read more

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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 examines the assassination of 43rd U.S. President George W. Bush. Directed by British filmmaker Gabriel Range, the film uses archive footage and imaging software to effectively portray the shooting and explores such topics as civil disobedience, the reduction of civil liberties, just-war theory, and racial …read more

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