Turns out “fake news” was a problem long before a former reality television star rose to political power. In a different kind of rise (but with just as much drama along the way), Lucien (Benjamin Voisin), an aspiring poet, gets tangled in a web of lies, sex, and greed that is the 19th-century Paris journalism industry. This is a world where critics can be paid to trash a good book, where audiences can be paid to applaud (or boo), and where money—not truth—conquers all. Lucien has real talent, but he sees a shortcut to success and takes it, especially after a wealthy, married lover whisks him away from his provincial life to the city, then abandons him when he fails to fit in with the who’s who of Parisian society. We’re warned early on that this is a tragic, cautionary tale, and those familiar with Honoré de Balzac’s original work will know that things won’t end well for Lucien. But the journey is so much fun! Xavier Giannoli’s film is hilarious and always moving with vivid colors and rapid-fire narration that in another movie might feel heavy-handed but here is a guiding force that gives a fascinating quasi-history lesson. At times, the movie can be overwhelming; there are several plotlines and it’s tough to follow them all. But ultimately, it’s a fun ride, and Lost Illusions delivers as a unique and still-relevant period piece. In French with English subtitles. 149 min.

Gene Siskel Film Center

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I’ve seen the phrase “aggressive adorability” used in relation to the Minions, the incoherent, yellow, denim-clad creatures who first appeared as Gru’s henchmen in the 2010 computer-animated film Despicable Me. They emerged as not just the film’s true stars but a cultural phenomenon, now semi-infamous for their representation in low-resolution memes shared by your aunt on Facebook and adorning every kind of merchandise available to purchase. I maintain that the Minions thrive in spite of such capitalistic opportunism, their guileless appeal enduring even into this sequel to their standalone 2015 film and the fifth film in the overall Despicable Me franchise. Where the first Minions presented the journey leading up to their union with aspiring super-villain Gru, this 70s-set follow-up chronicles the crew’s first big adventure as preteen Gru (voiced again by Steve Carell) endeavors to join a cadre of his supervillain heroes (voiced by Taraji P. Henson, Jean-Claude Van Damme, and Danny Trejo, among others) in pursuit of a powerful ancient stone. Gru’s favorite villain and now-exiled member of the aforementioned gang, Wild Knuckles (Alan Arkin), gets thrown into the mix, and so do a friendly biker (RZA) and a martial arts expert (Michelle Yeoh), who help the Minions save Gru after he’s kidnapped. Pierre Coffin continues to display superior voice-acting skills as all the Minions, outperforming even the shiniest stars on the cast list. Is this in any way, shape, or form defensible as meaningful art? Certainly not. Is it really cute? Yup. Aggressively so? Sure, but in our current political hellscape, there are certainly worse things to be affronted by. It’s also mercifully short. PG, 87 min.

Wide release in theaters

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In 2013, a 15-year-old Ukrainian gymnast (Anastasiia Budiashkina) wants to represent her country in international competition and make her journalist mother proud. But when their car is T-boned on the way home from practice, in reprisal to the mother’s political stance against the Russian-backed government, the girl is sent to Switzerland to train in safety. The girl is isolated in a country where she hasn’t mastered the language and doesn’t know anyone—even though her late father’s family takes her in. Tensions rise when she beats out Swiss girls for a spot on the national team and she has to watch the Maidan protests back home via her phone, rather than being there, and must renounce her citizenship to keep training.

Budiashkina (a real former gymnast, as are many of her young costars) is the reason to see this fiercely earnest attempt to show the impossible choices athletes face when political events throw their work into an arena with very different rules than those they’ve prepared all their lives to triumph by. The film is at its best showing the brutal physical toll on young bodies and psyches exacted to reach the apex of competition. The intercutting of documentary footage from Maidan Square and the girl’s inner turmoil about whether to continue abroad or go home out of nationalistic sentiment is less convincing. The filmmakers try to make her ties to mother and country one and the same; it’s a questionable idea and one whose resonance will vary widely depending on the viewer’s own experience. A prosaic conclusion undercuts much of what came before and is hard to accept given the current situation in the country. This is a skillful but flawed portrait of amateur sports on the global stage that doesn’t quite stick the landing. In various languages with subtitles. 85 min.

The Wilmette Theatre

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The Black Phone is based on a story by Joe Hill, Stephen King’s son. It would be nice if the filial connection were not the most pertinent fact about the movie adaptation, but it is what it is. This is practically a King pastiche. There are ominous kids’ balloons and a child in a yellow raincoat from It. There’s a house imprisonment that recalls Misery. There are psychic powers, parental abuse, and an obsession with bullying from . . . well, every Stephen King novel. It’s even set in the 70s. (There is the occasional lift from other sources, like the ambiguously helpful dead kids from The Sixth Sense.)

King usually has something slightly odd to say in even his worst novels. Alas, that’s where Hill’s mimicking of his inherited source material ends. The plot has a lot of whistles and bells—literally, in the case of the titular phone which lets you talk to ghosts. But at bottom it’s just a basic empowerment fantasy. Our hero, Finney Shaw (Mason Thames), is sweet but not manly enough to defend himself like a man does. He needs to get kidnapped in order to cast off his nerdy wimpiness and embrace his inner adult tough guy. 

Ethan Hawke as the designated stranger danger chews scenery in the accepted horror film maniac way. Madeleine McGraw gives her all to the spunky little sister part; she especially seems to relish the profanity. Director Scott Derrickson throws in some self-conscious stylistic twists from the horror movie jump scare grab bag. The effort is appreciated as far as it goes. But it doesn’t matter how enthusiastically you dial if you end up with a bore on the other end of the line. R, 103 min.

Wide release in theaters

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Summer’s in full swing . . . get out there and enjoy our city!

FRI 7/1

Want to book shows at clubs? Get your band booked for more shows at clubs? Maybe open a club that hosts shows? No matter your goal, if you’ve got music on your mind and you’re new to the Chicago scene, Donnie Biggins has you covered. Every Friday from 10 AM-1 PM, the Golden Dagger owner, Shams Band veteran, and rock promoter extraordinaire holds office hours at the Golden Dagger (2447 N. Halsted) where people can get free career advice on playing and promoting music for money. Click “buy tickets” to sign up for a half-hour meeting today or next week. Otherwise, check the Golden Dagger’s website weekly. Note you must be 21 or older to participate, and proof of vaccination is required. (MC)

It wouldn’t be Independence Day weekend in Berwyn without the American Music Festival setting up shop on Roosevelt, and FitzGerald’s did not disappoint this year with their healthy list of Americana, rock, roots, blues, and country acts performing both outside and inside the club tonight through Monday. Contributor Mark Guarino singled out the Chicago Soul Jazz Collective in his preview this week. They perform tomorrow night with singer Dee Alexander at 10:30 PM. Tonight’s music starts at 5 PM, and Saturday, Sunday, and Monday’s shows start at 1 PM. You can catch the entire schedule including set times at FitzGerald’s website; tickets are still available ($50 for a single day; $175 for a four-day pass) and all ages are welcome. (SCJ) 

Moonwater Dance Project presents Moonwater IV, tonight and tomorrow at 7:30 PM, at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts (1016 N. Dearborn). The company, which focuses entirely on female artists, presents seven new works this weekend. Last year, company founder and artistic director Mackenzie King told Reader contributor Nora Paul, “Very rarely do you see two women dancing together . . . and we try and change that. We take pride in the fact that we can lift each other, and we can partner with each other, and there is not a limit to what we can do because we are women.” Tickets for Moonwater IV begin at $35, and are available at moonwaterdanceproject.com. (KR)

The organizations Pride South Side and Chicago Windy City Black Pride have combined forces this year to present Chicago Black Pride, a series of seven events spanning over this weekend starting with tonight’s kickoff party hosted by party promoters Deviant (who call tonight “an intentionally sexy party curated for and by Black and Brown queer people”). That starts tonight at 9 at Bronzeville’s Haven Entertainment Center (932 E. 43rd). Tomorrow features an afternoon-long festival at the DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center with entertainment provided by Jamila Woods, Mister Wallace, and host The Vixen, along with vendors and a cash bar. That happens from noon-5 PM at the museum (740 E. 56th Pl., free to attend but reservations are required). A full list of weekend including ticketing links is available at pridesouthside.org. (SCJ)

SAT 7/2

Chosen Few Picnic & Festival is back for an IRL celebration this year, and takes over Jackson Park today (63rd and Hayes) with house music, DJs, special guests, and happy people dancing and enjoying outdoor grilling (weather permitting). Check out Reader senior writer Leor Galil’s preview here. Tickets are available for all ages, and while you might not be keen to actually show up for the 8 AM start time, other people are totally doing that, so get there on the early side to find a good spot. The festival continues through 10 PM. There’s also a closing party and meet and greet opportunity scheduled for tomorrow at Epiphany Center for the Arts (201 S. Ashland); special guests include Glenn Underground, Deejay Alicia, and the Chosen Few DJs themselves. That starts at 3 PM in the outdoor patio space at Epiphany, and the party shifts indoors at 8 PM. It’s 21+ and advance tickets are available here. (SCJ)

From 2-6 PM, Compound Yellow (244 Lake, Oak Park, IL) is hosting its opening for “Side Yard(s),” a month-long exhibition where design trio i/thee (Compound Yellow’s summer artists-in-residence) will generate speculative drawings and models emphasizing “co-sentience” within the community organization’s Side Yard space. As i/thee explains on Compound Yellow’s website, “Where some wish to draw distinctions, we wish to shed light on what we all have in common: to demonstrate that the appearance of difference is an illusion.” Not only is this a chance to commune with creatives, but it’s also an opportunity to provide input on growing Side Yard’s potential as a site for performance and community engagement. (MC)

Tonight marks the return of DOPENESS: Black by Popular Demand at the Annoyance (851 W. Belmont). A sketch and improv troupe featuring Black performers with long résumés onstage and onscreen (including The Chi, Shameless, and various Dick Wolf Chicago Professionals franchises), Black by Popular Demand says that they’re offering “a cultural movement in the making performed by Chicago comedy’s best.” You can catch them Saturdays at 7 PM through 8/27; tickets are $10 at theannoyance.com. (KR)

American Blues Theater is planning on opening a brand-new space on North Lincoln in November 2023. But in the meantime, they’re celebrating an American master with their revival of Fences by August Wilson (the 1950s “chapter” in his acclaimed Century Cycle). Directed by Monty Cole, the production opens in previews tonight at Theater Wit (1229 W. Belmont) with a killer cast, including Kamal Angelo Bolden as Troy Maxson, the Pittsburgh sanitation worker and former Negro League star whose bitterness at lost opportunities takes a toll on his family; Shanésia Davis as his wife, Rose; and ABT ensemble member Manny Buckley as Gabriel, Troy’s brother who was left with mental disabilities as a result of a war injury. Although it’s been produced frequently in Chicago, Cole (who made his local directorial debut with an acclaimed 2016 production of Eugene O’Neill’s The Hairy Ape with now-defunct Oracle Productions) is bringing what he says will be a different take to the story. “I don’t see Wilson as realism at all,” he said in an interview earlier this week. “I would say the guts of his plays are spirituality. Almost every play that he writes, the thing that’s turning the gears of the play is some sense of spirituality.” Last night’s opening was sold out but seats are available for tonight at 7:30 PM as well as tomorrow at 2:30 PM. The play runs through 8/6; tickets are $25-$45 at 773-975-8150 or americanbluestheater.com. (KR)

Floatie, Chicago’s most famous frog rockers, are making a triumphant return from their first tour since the pandemic. They’ll be closing out their cross-country adventures from the Sleeping Village (3734 W. Belmont) stage with help from Options, the power-pop solo project of multi-instrumentalist Seth Engel, and Spirits Having Fun, a joyful indie-rock four piece. The show starts at 9 PM and costs $15. You must be 21 or older, and proof of vaccination is required. (MC)

SUN 7/3

On the first Sunday of every month, the Sage Gawd Collective hosts a donation-based online yoga class to benefit abortion funds in Chicago, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Arkansas. Collective founder DuShaun Branch Pollard explained on Instagram, “As a daughter of the Great Migration, I want to support funds in the states that my ancestors once called/still call home.” Class is held at 9 AM, and the recommended donation is $15. Sign up online, and direct questions to [email protected]. (MC)

It’s always interesting to see what musicians in our favorite bands come up with when they release solo material, and Steve Von Till from beloved heavy metal band Neurosis came up with something very special with his 2021 release A Deep Voiceless Wilderness. Contributor Luca Cimarusti said that the album features “touches of primitive acoustic guitar” and “pensive, sweeping instrumental postrock.” You can read more about it in Cimarusti’s preview of Von Till’s concert tonight at the Empty Bottle. Helen Money opens, and the 21+ affair starts at 8:30 PM. Tickets are still available. (SCJ)

You might think Pride is “officially” over, but the energy’s still going strong at the Promontory (5311 S. Lake Park Ave. West). At 10 PM, they’re hosting “Re-Energized,” a celebration centering queer Black joy organized by the Small World Collective and Body By Mighty. DJs Khali Melon, Dapper, and Tori will bring the best in reggae, dancehall, and other Caribbean jams designed to get bodies writhing. The festivities will be punctuated by special performances from Mocha Mocha, Ms. Mighty, and Destiny. Promontory is ADA accessible, and accommodation requests can be made at [email protected] or calling Promontory directly at (312) 801-2100. This party is open to those 21 and older, and masks and proof of vaccination are required. Tickets are $15 ($10 in advance) but go up to $20 after midnight, so if you’re expecting to roll up late, buy ahead. (MC)

MON 7/4

As a painter himself, our contributor Dmitry Samarov has a complicated relationship with the work of French artist and Post-Impressionist painter Paul Cézanne, and wrote about it in his review of “Cézanne,” an exhibition on view at the Art Institute of Chicago (111 S. Michigan) through 9/5. You have a chance to see the work of the innovative artist (who many consider a founding father of the 20th century art as his work was a bridge between eras) today as the Art Institute is open for business from 11 AM-5 PM. Regular admission fees apply, but go to the museum’s website to see information about discount opportunities. (SCJ) 

Feeling lucky? Head to Simone’s (960 W. 18th St.) tonight for Lotería Monday, an evening of craft drinks, Lotería cards, and giving back. At this monthly event, Lotería cards are available to purchase for $5 each, and this money is donated to a nonprofit in the Chicago area. This month’s game play benefits Taller de José, a Little Village social service organization. Simone’s is a 21+ venue and the event starts at 8 PM. (SCJ)

TUE 7/5

You may have heard there’s a bit of a lifeguard shortage happening in Chicago. (Actually, it’s nationwide!) While the city owns 49 outdoor and 28 indoor pools, lifeguards have been diverted from beaches so more neighborhood pools can open, bringing the total for the season up to 37 as of today. Pools are usually open 11 AM-7 PM five days a week, though some hours may vary individually. Check the Park District website for the nearest place to take a dip. (MC)

Every Tuesday until October 11, the Low-Line Market is set up just outside the Southport stop on the Brown line at 1409 W. Addison. From 3-7 PM, browse a small but carefully curated selection of local farmers, bakers, and other makers that will include produce, meat, cheeses, canned goods, local honey, tamales, vegan popsicles, beet (yes, BEET) jerky, candles, clothing, and more. Personally, I’m curious about Vergo’s spicy pineapple chips and Elsie Mae’s strawberry jalapeño margarita mix, but there’s lots to be excited about here—including that SNAP and LINK cards are welcome! (MC)

WED 7/6

Chicago SummerDance is back in swing, and free opportunities to learn new dances and listen to music of many genres are some of the benefits of this annual free program from the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. Tonight the fun visits Welles Park (2333 W. Sunnyside) with Haki Kino, an evening of Hawaiian fitness exercises and dance. At 4:30 PM, join in for creative activities including a workshop in Lei making and Hula demonstrations. At 5:30 PM, Aloha Center Chicago leads the dancing with Lanialoha Lee, a Kuma Hula (master Hula teacher) and music by Pacific Soundz & Friends of Aloha. Check out the city’s website for more information about future events. (SCJ)

Curtis Mayfield fans, take note: multi-instrumentalist and producer Sam Thousand is teaming up with Verzatile for a night of tributes at Untitled Supper Club (111 W. Kinzie). Before becoming a renowned soul performer—perhaps best known for his incendiary soundtrack to Blaxploitation classic Super Fly—Mayfield was a humble Chicagoan. Born in 1942, he cut his chops in local gospel choirs before joining the Impressions, then going solo and forever changing the landscape of rock history. The event starts at 7:30 PM. It is free to come and appreciate the entertainment, but reservations at Untitled are highly encouraged—especially if you want to catch a view of the band. (MC)

At 8 PM, Comfort Station (2579 N. Milwaukee) hosts an evening of films from native Chicagoan and current New Yorker James Fotopoulos, an artist who works with moving image, sculpture, and drawing. A selection of Fotopoulos’s short films will be screened, along with his 52-minute feature Timon—created in 2020 during the pandemic lockdown and centered around the story of Timon of Athens. It’s free to attend and masks will be required for entry. More information is available at Comfort Station’s website. (SCJ)

THU 7/7

Looking for more free summer family fun? Check out the skating rink at the Garfield Park Community Plaza (4008 W. Madison). From now until August 15, the roller rink is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 AM-7 PM. Skating and skate rentals are free, and there are picnic benches and other eating-and-seating options as well as a tented cool-down area. (MC)

Contributor Nina Li Coomes explored the art exhibition “Remaking the Exceptional: Tea, Torture, and Reparations” (on view at DePaul Art Museum through 8/7) for our Summer Theater and Arts Preview issue in June. Tonight, the museum is hosting a book talk and tour of the exhibit starting at 5:30 PM, with Dr. Maha Hilal, founder and executive director of Muslim Counterpublics Lab, and author of Innocent Until Proven Muslim, and artist, organizer, anti-war activist, and Iraq War veteran Aaron Hughes, one of the curators of “Remaking the Exceptional.” It’s free to attend, and more information is available at the museum’s Facebook page. (SCJ)

Legendary artist, music fan, and writer Cynthia Albritton (aka Cynthia Plaster Caster) passed away in April, and tonight there’s a tribute to her life and work at Metro (3730 N. Clark). More than a dozen artists will perform, including the Mekons’s Jon Langford and Sally Timms, and Suzi Gardner of L7. This week’s Gossip Wolf has more information and tickets for the 8 PM event are available to those 18+. Proceeds from the night will benefit Girls Rock! Chicago. (SCJ) 

PRFBBQ, the festival borne from an Internet messaging forum and the networks of musicians and fans that were formed from years of late-night posts, is back in person this year. The weekend’s festivities kick off tonight at the Hideout (1354 W. Wabansia) with a concert featuring Stomatopod, Prichard, Hungry Man, and Sewingneedle. It’s 21 to enter and starts at 9:30 PM. Other events in the festival will take place on the Comfort Station’s lawn (2579 N. Milwaukee) and at Workshop 4200 (4200 W. Diversey); for ticketing and information about PRF, check out their website. (SCJ)

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After D.C.-area rock group Two Inch Astronaut went on hiatus in 2018, Sam Rosenberg decamped for the midwest and began making music as Mister Goblin. He’s settled in Indiana, but to assemble his backing band he’s drawn from the deep well of talent in Chicago: the three-piece lineup on the April album Bunny (Exploding in Sound) includes drummer Seth Engel of power-pop project Options (among several other bands) and bassist Aaron O’Neill of post-grunge trio Cumbie. Mister Goblin’s previous “full band” sound felt loose and light, but Engel and O’Neill help beef it up—you can hear their influence right from the first song, “Military Discount,” which launches Rosenberg’s hoarse shout with a burst of whiplash-inducing thrashing. Engel and O’Neill also underline the sweetness in Rosenberg’s heart-on-sleeve singing by casting it in sharp relief, and he helps their midsong freakout in “Over the Moon” go down easy with his honeyed vocal hook. Openers Black Seinfeld are a new hip-hop duo made up of two local MCs who’ve been active solo: rapper-producer Malci and rapper Fluidi-G. On their March debut, Season 1 (Why? Records), both deliver performances that add polish to Malci’s riotous production—Fluidi-G’s half-sung verses in particular make the noisy turns feel peaceful.

Mister Goblin, Black Seinfeld Mister Goblin headlines; Black Seinfeld and Flowurz open. Sat 7/9, 9 PM, Sleeping Village, 3734 W. Belmont, $14, $12 in advance, 21+

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At City Winery, 1200 W. Randolph, Chicago
Thursday, July 28, 2022
5:30 – 7:30 p.m., with program at 6:00 p.m.

The Reader Institute for Community Journalism highlights the intersections of law and journalism at the Lawyers for Social Justice reception.

Speakers: Jason DeSanto, Senior Lecturer at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law and
Ben Joravsky, Chicago Reader senior writer.

Hors d’oeuvres, wine, beer, and soft drinks included. Individual tickets start at $250. Visit chicagoreader.com/legal22 to purchase tickets or sponsor the event.

Hosts

Baron Harris Healey Jim Bennett & Terry Vanden HoekSam Coady The Joseph & Bessie Feinberg FoundationDalila Fridi & Elizabeth McKnight Christie HefnerDavid Hiller

Co-Hosts

Bernstein Law Firm LLCJudge Tom Chiola (ret.)Cohen Law GroupCommissioner Bridget GainerDavid HoffmanMichael Kreloff Miner, Barnhill & Galland, P.C.Michael Mock, WestPoint Financial Planning and Wealth ManagementEdward MogulGail H. Morse & Lauren VerdichJames Anderson, Law Offices of Jeffery M. Leving Ltd.

Event Partners

For more information, to purchase tickets, or sponsor this event, please reach out toDevelopment Director JT Newman at [email protected]. The Reader Institute for Community Journalism is a 501(c)(3) registered nonprofit. Your donation is tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

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It’s not surprising to learn that Christos Nikou worked on fellow Greek writer-director Yorgos Lanthimos’s 2009 breakout Dogtooth⁠—his debut feature is part and parcel of the Greek Weird Wave, with a speculative bent evincing the droll but still slightly farcical plotting that’s come to define the movement. Aris (Aris Servetalis) is among the many people worldwide who suddenly begin suffering from amnesia, unable to recall neither memories from their lives nor even core traits (such as whether or not one likes apples) of their former selves. Those who go unclaimed by family or friends are able to participate in a program that allows them to gain a new identity and reenter society; the only stipulation is that they’re required to undertake a series of bizarre reacclimation exercises, ranging from riding a bike to having a one-night stand in a bathroom. It’s during these activities that Aris meets a lively woman, Anna (Sofia Georgovassili), also suffering from amnesia. The film eventually deviates from any sort of predictable denouement, which I won’t spoil here. But to say it would be a spoiler is perhaps to overstate the ceremony with which the central epiphany is disclosed. Derivative though it may be at times, the film has an exquisite subtlety that mirrors the main character’s veiled inner workings. What this surreal microcosm—constrained even further by intentionally generic set design and a claustrophobic 1.33:1 aspect ratio—ends up conveying about the human experience extends past the frame and into viewers’ hearts and minds. In Greek with subtitles. 91 min.

Music Box Theatre

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Turns out “fake news” was a problem long before a former reality television star rose to political power. In a different kind of rise (but with just as much drama along the way), Lucien (Benjamin Voisin), an aspiring poet, gets tangled in a web of lies, sex, and greed that is the 19th-century Paris journalism industry. This is a world where critics can be paid to trash a good book, where audiences can be paid to applaud (or boo), and where money—not truth—conquers all. Lucien has real talent, but he sees a shortcut to success and takes it, especially after a wealthy, married lover whisks him away from his provincial life to the city, then abandons him when he fails to fit in with the who’s who of Parisian society. We’re warned early on that this is a tragic, cautionary tale, and those familiar with Honoré de Balzac’s original work will know that things won’t end well for Lucien. But the journey is so much fun! Xavier Giannoli’s film is hilarious and always moving with vivid colors and rapid-fire narration that in another movie might feel heavy-handed but here is a guiding force that gives a fascinating quasi-history lesson. At times, the movie can be overwhelming; there are several plotlines and it’s tough to follow them all. But ultimately, it’s a fun ride, and Lost Illusions delivers as a unique and still-relevant period piece. In French with English subtitles. 149 min.

Gene Siskel Film Center

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