Adding drama to 3-D films
Whatever happened to three-dimensional films? You know – the kind where you strapped on a pair of goofy glasses, sat in a dark movie theater and squealed as Vincent Price worked his magic in “House of Wax.”
Author: Jae-Ha Kim
A dash of Salt: Chicago musicians take on `Avengers’
The upcoming feature film “The Avengers” may be set in England, but the film’s soundtrack has a strong Chicago vibe, thanks to Veruca Salt’s Louise Post, Yum-Yum’s Chris Holmes and Brian Liesegang, a former member of Filter and Nine Inch Nails.
Beyond Asian stereotypes
“Chink-a-Chink-a Chinaman sitting on a fence; Trying to make a dollar out of 59 cents.” My parents were mortified when their 5-year-old daughter came home from school singing this chant. My friends and I had learned to jump rope to this song from older kids who thought it would be fun to teach a bunch of kindergartners a thing or two. At the time, I had about as much concept of what a “Chink” was as I did the actual value of 59 cents. But I was too young to see past my parents’ forced smiles.
Jewel’s setting–Singer Poltz plans show at Schubas
Singer-songwriter Steve Poltz had a strange reaction when he saw himself starring as the male lead in his buddy Jewel’s video. He shaved his head. “I was in a bar in Boston when the video came on and I thought, `God, Jewel looks great, but who’s this stupid guy?’ ” said Poltz, phoning from an airport in Montreal. “I just cringed. Then I went and cut all my hair off. It seemed like the right thing to do.”
For most part, condo living is easy when snow isn’t melting
Seven years ago, I decided to take the plunge and invest in a home. The greedy part of me wanted a house with a huge lawn, 2-car garage and a roomy basement. Then I thought about mowing the lawn eight months out of the year and, worse yet, shoveling snow for the remainder. Suddenly, a condo sounded like a better alternative. So I checked out various developments and eventually arranged to put down a deposit on a unit. When I got there at the appointed time, I learned the broker had sold the plot of land she had promised to me.
“Autumn Sun” sets sights on a mature love story
`Autumn Sun” is a rarity – a bittersweet love story where the main characters happen to be – at least according to society – well past their prime. All too often, older characters are treated as asexual caricatures. But here director Eduardo Mignogna treats them with respect and humor.
The real Kramer: Comic gets celeb status without work
His name’s Kramer. Kenny Kramer. And like his “Seinfeld” doppelganger, Cosmo Kramer (played by Michael Richards), this Kramer is tall, thin and full of wacky ideas (the denim tuxedo idea he pitched to Calvin Klein didn’t fly).
“Everest” sees past `because it’s there’
After 12 hours of climbing, I had to force myself to concentrate,” says Jamling Norgay, a climbing leader in the latest Omnimax documentary “Everest.” “As the pain gets worse, I feel worse than I’ve ever felt . . . without passing over to the other side. But up here in the clouds, I touched my father’s soul.”
Gushing over Leno isn’t the most flattering
There is a nightly ritual to the “Tonight Show” at the Rosemont Theatre. Before the taping starts, the Freebie Guy arrives to pass out T-shirts and caps.
Jason returns – in `Last Don II’
By Jae-Ha Kim Chicago Sun-Times May 3, 1998 Jason Gedrick’s career got a boost when he played a randy murder suspect on the critically acclaimed series “Murder One.” Then he played an unwilling mobster in […]
Jay Leno: ‘Celebrity-starved’ Chicago nice place for shows to visit
Last week, the “Late Show” flew 461 Chicagoans to New York to watch a taping of David Letterman’s CBS talk show. And next week, Jay Leno brings his “Tonight Show” to the Rosemont Theatre for a week. The trip is a repeat performance for Leno, who brought his act here in 1996. Letterman broadcast his show from the Chicago Theatre for a week in 1989 and did a one-night stand two years ago at the Steppenwolf Theatre.
“A Cab Called Reliable” by Patti Kim
Patti Kim shows the eloquent anguish of an abandoned child in her debut novel, A Cab Called Reliable (St. Martin’s, 156 pp., $18.95 . Her story is told through the eyes of 9-year-old Ahn Joo Cho, a Korean immigrant whose life changes forever when she sees her mother and little brother drive off in a cab. Without her. The last thing she remembers seeing is the word “reliable” on the car door.
Low-rent mob flick `Waiting’ to bomb
There’s something to be said for delegating. Who knows whether “Waiting for the Man” would’ve been a better picture if John Covert – the film’s writer, producer, director and co-star – hadn’t tackled such a heady project himself. But it couldn’t have been much worse.
Darkly comedic “Suicide Kings” revels in gruesome reality
“Suicide Kings” doesn’t take the kamikaze approach of going in for the quick kill. Rather, the convoluted story aims for plot twists and revelations that never really materialize in this tale of a bungled kidnapping.
Eric Clapton at United Center
Subscribing to the theory that more is more, Eric Clapton kicked off the first of two sold-out concerts at Chicago’s United Center with a 20-piece orchestra, six-piece band and three backup singers. But in the end, the best moments of his uneven show occurred when Clapton and his band, who will perform May 27 at the Forum, cut loose on some blue-eyed soul.
Mary J. Blige & Usher at the Arie Crown Theatre
With his pants falling down just enough to keep the young women screaming for another peek at his well-toned bod, baby-faced Usher stole the show from Mary J. Blige with a potent blend of musical diversity, showmanship and just plain old fun.
James Iha at Metro
Covering a little known Eric Anderson number near the end of his 50-minute solo set, Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha sang, “I’d love to sing my ballad/But they only wanna hear me rock ‘n’ roll.” Not after this show. The shy musician’s ballad-heavy solo debut was a stunner. And the intimate Top Note Theatre–a part of Metro, the club that gave the Pumpkins their first big break–was the perfect setting for Iha’s laid-back performance in front of a hometown crowd that included Pumpkins’ bassist D’Arcy, members of the Frogs and his parents.
Docu-drama: Controversial Cobain film is coming to Chicago
“Kurt and Courtney,” the movie banned from this year’s Sundance Film Festival that became the event’s most talked-about title, is heading to Chicago next month.
Steve Poltz at the Uncommon Ground
Sitting on a stool – but looking as if he’d be happier hopping around – Steve Poltz accompanied himself on guitar and played homespun acoustic rock songs from his week-old solo album, “One Left Shoe.” He padded his two-hour set – which is brief by Poltz standards – covering cuts by TLC’s “Waterfalls,” Prince’s “Little Red Corvette” and Jewel’s “You Were Meant for Me.” Poltz, who still is in the Rugburns, included some of his group’s material as well.
“Wasted: A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia”
Marya Hornbacher learned to hate her body at an early age. She couldnt control her parents fighting or the way her male classmates leered at her maturing figure. But she could control how big her body got by refusing to help it grow. The 23-year-old author writes candidly about her lifelong battle with eating disorders in “Wasted: A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia,” a fascinating memoir that details one woman’s take on anorexia and bulimia. Her conversational style makes the difficult subject matter easy to digest.