Mob kingpin Angelo (Val Kilmer, left) is expecting dessert from his nephew Gio (Shiloh Fernandez) in “The Birthday Cake.” | Screen Media
Val Kilmer, Ewan McGregor and Aldis Hodge among the famous names popping up in the ‘Goodfellas’ wannabe.
The “Goodfellas”-Lite Brooklyn mob story “The Birthday Cake” is one of those movies where old familiar faces pop up in even the smallest roles. Hey, there’s Luiz Guzman as a cabdriver with a philosophical bent! Whoa, that’s Paul Sorvino as an elderly don hooked up to an oxygen tank!And isn’t that Vincent Pastore a.k.a. Big Pussy from “The Sopranos” playing essentially the same guy?
Not to mention William Fichtner as a seriously corrupt and unhinged cop; Lorraine Bracco as the grieving widow of a mysteriously murdered mobster; Val Kilmer as the neighborhood kingpin, who speaks through an electronic voice box (as Kilmer does in real life after undergoing a tracheotomy during his throat cancer treatment); Aldis Hodge as tough-talking FBI agent; Ewan McGregor as “Father Kelly,” who narrates the story, and the list goes on and on. Alas, even with all that firepower and some truly tense and harrowing moments, “The Birthday Cake” eventually grows a little stale and falls short of its ambitions to be a lower-budget descendant to films such as the aforementioned “Goodfellas” and “A Bronx Tale.”
First-time feature director Jimmy Giannopoulos shows a steady hand for capturing the neighborhood vibe, where everybody knows everybody’s business and much of that business is on the shady side of the law. With the exception of an extended flashback scene taking place 10 years prior to current day, “The Birthday Cake” revolves around one intense and violent night around Christmastime, when Bracco’s Sofia bakes a special cake to honor her late, slain husband’s birthday, and entrusts her son Gio (Shiloh Fernandez) to deliver the dessert to the annual memorial/party held by his Uncle Angelo (Kilmer).
Gio’s endeavors to transport the cake across town will meet with a series of roadblocks and detours, with stops at a bodega and a bakery and a strip club along the way. Everyone from the feds to a corrupt cop to various “connected” relatives of Gio are looking for his cousin Leo (Emory Cohen), who has disappeared after getting involved in some drug dealings gone sour and might have talked to the authorities — and you can imagine how well that goes over with the likes of Cousin Joey and Uncle Vito and Uncle Tiny Tony and let’s not forget Uncle Carmine.
With Ewan McGregor’s Father Kelly providing the omniscient narration, Gio eventually finds his way to the celebration, where he’s still treated like a kid and it’s clear he’s far too sensitive to tread among these sharks. The young man has a moral compass, for crying out loud.
William Fichtner has an electric extended cameo as Uncle Ricardo, the dirty cop in the family, who is so hot-headed and violent even the old-time mobster uncles think he’s crazy and want no part of him. A scene in which Ricardo has captured and detained Cousin Leo and is, shall we say, interrogating him is reminiscent of the infamous chainsaw sequence in “Scarface,” though not in the same league of violent horror.
That’s the thing with “The Birthday Cake.” It will keep reminding you of better movies in the same genre.
There’s lots of cool things for kids and families to do and see in and around Chicago. | stock.adobe.com
Looking for something to do with your family? Check out our highlights of current events and activities for kids.
Welcome to our highlights of events and entertainment in Chicago for kids and families to enjoy. Bookmark this page and check back for updates on the latest activities.
Puerto Rican People’s Day Parade
Sun-Times fileChicago’s Puerto Rican People’s Day Parade in 2018.
When: 2 p.m. June 19
Where: Division from Western to Sacramento
What: The first city parade since the pandemic changed everything will be this always lively event, once again featuring floats, marching bands, car clubs, motorcycle groups and, of course, an abundance of Puerto Rican flags. It’s sponsored by the Puerto Rican Cultural Center.
What: The children’s entertainer performs two live virtual Father’s Day concerts. The shows are interactive and families are encouraged to join in the live chat throughout the show. There are also pre-show music and videos, assorted games and a star-decorating activity. Tickets: $20.
What: The race returns for a colorful, fun-filled weekend also featuring live music, a classic car show, an art show and an inflatable for kids. Proceeds benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and Camp Hertko Hollow. Admission: $5.
Hugo van Lawick/National GeographicA new exhibit at the Field Museum, “Becoming Jane: The Evolution of Jane Goodall,” follows her journey from her childhood in England to a career as a passionate scientist studying chimpanzees in Africa.
What: Generations have been inspired by the work of primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall who has not only shown the urgent need to protect chimpanzees but also redefined species conservation to include the needs of local people and the environments. A new exhibit at the Field Museum, “Becoming Jane: The Evolution of Jane Goodall,” follows her journey from a curious young child in England to a passionate scientist studying chimpanzees in Africa. Included in the exhibit are a recreation of her field research tent, a hologram-like projection of Goodall who shares her fieldwork memories, augmented reality activities and a projection of Tanzania’s Gombe Stream National Park.
‘Hello Helios: The warming suns of Chicago’s Greektown’
Courtesy Greektown ChicagoDetail view of James Mesplé’s Sun and Moon Image featured in the “Hello Helios” exhibit in Greektown
When: Through spring 2022
Where: Halsted from Monroe to Van Buren
What: Welcome summer with a new outdoor exhibit celebrating the start of summer with 24 artworks inspired by the sun and related mythologies from Greek, Aztec, Yoruba, Japanese and Native American cultures.
Shedd AquariumThe Shedd Aquarium’s popular “Kayak for Conservation” program.
When: Ongoing
Where: Kayak Chicago: 1220 W LeMoyne,
What: Get close to nature via the Shedd Aquarium’s popular Kayak for Conservation program, which features a variety of socially distant kayaking experiences on the Chicago River. Participants learn about the river’s environmental history and discover wildlife living in its ecosystem. Sessions are open to all levels of kayakers (including newbies) and are led by Shedd’s wildlife conservation experts. The cost is pay-what-you-can ranging from $20–$100 per participant, with a recommended $40, the base cost of the program.
Ghostlight EnsembleLevi Denton-Hughes as Soledad in “It’s Poppin’ ” from Ghostlight Ensemble.
When: On demand to July 4
Where: Online
What: Ghostlight Theatre’s annual festival for young audiences takes place virtually this year. Featured are six new short plays that run the gamut from “Sunshine and the Sea of Lost Things,” about a child with no memory lost at sea, to “It’s Poppin’,” about a balloon afraid of soaring through the clouds, to “Splash of Magic,” about a girl trying to conquer her fear of swimming. Tickets: $1-$10.
Museum of Science and IndustryThe Boeing 747 at “Take Flight.”
When: Permanent
Where: Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 S. Lake Shore Dr.
What: The MSI’s Boeing 747 reopens with a reimagined exhibit that explores modern aviation and the science of flight. The plane’s interior has been restored and new interactive elements have been added. Tickets: $12.95, $21.95.
Chicago is home to some of the world’s greatest museums. Use our guide to find events and activities happening at the city’s many galleries and exhibits.
Welcome to our highlights of events and entertainment in Chicago at our city’s best museums and galleries. Bookmark this page and check back for updates on the latest activities.
‘The Obama Portraits’
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian InstitutionAmy Sherald’s portrait of Michelle Obama
When: To Aug. 15
Where: Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan
What: The Art Institute is the first stop of a five-city tour for the official portraits of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. Artists Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald are the first African Americans to be commissioned by the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Galley to create the official portraits of a president or first lady. A free stream features Sherald in conversation with Michelle Obama at 5 p.m. June 30. Pre-registration required. After the nationwide tour, the portraits will reside in the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. The exhibit is included with museum admission ($14-$25).
ProvidedNick Drnaso’s painting for the cover of his graphic novel “Sabrina” in “Chicago Comics.”
When: June 19-Oct. 3
Where: Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago
What: A new exhibit celebrates Chicago’s pivotal role as a national and innovative center for comics and cartooning. With a focus on rediscovering the work of women and BIPOC comic artists, this major exhibition presents the last 60 years of the city’s artful cartooning history, showing how comic art is a democratic medium that allows artists to speak directly to people in relatable ways. Over 40 cartoonists are featured including Lynda Barry, Lilli Carré, Daniel Clowes, Nick Drnaso, Edie Fake, Emil Ferris, Nicole Hollander, Charles Johnson, Kerry James Marshall and Chris Ware. On display are comics, graphic novels, zines, original drawings, dioramas, commissioned films, installations, rare ephemera and books. Admission: $8, $15.
What: Generations have been inspired by the work of primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall, who has not only shown the urgent need to protect chimpanzees but also redefined species conservation to include the needs of local people and the environments. A new exhibit follows her journey from a curious young child in England to a passionate scientist studying chimpanzees in Africa. Included in the exhibit are a re-creation of her field research tent, a hologramlike projection of Goodall sharing her fieldwork memories, augmented reality activities and a projection of Tanzania’s Gombe Stream National Park. Tickets: $18-$32.
What: Much has been heralded about street photographer Vivian Maier’s black-and-white photographs in exhibits, books and films. Now this multimedia exhibit features 65 color images made during her time as a suburban Chicago nanny from the 1950s to 1970s, many of which have never been seen before. Maier, who died in 2009, was a bit of a character and always had a Roloflex camera around her neck as she walked the streets snapping images of women, children, the old, the poor, the abstract. While her motives remain elusive, her photographs continue to speak volumes. Tickets: $17, $19.
Where: Cleve Carney Museum of Art in the McAninch Arts Center, College of DuPage, 425 Fawell, Glen Ellyn
What: Here’s the not-too-miss art exhibit of the summer. Dolores Olmedo (1908-2002), a Mexican musician, businesswoman and friend of artists Frida Kahlo and her husband Diego Rivera, amassed an impressive list of works by both artists that reside in Mexico City’s Museo Dolores Olmedo. Her collection of paintings and works on paper by Kahlo have now traveled to the newly expanded Cleve Carney Museum of Art. The long-awaited exhibit, delayed a year because of the pandemic, features an array of oil paintings and works on paper, pivotal pieces created by the artist. Also featured are a multimedia timeline that offers a framework of Kahlo’s life, more than 100 photographs, a Kahlo-inspired garden and a family-friendly children’s area featuring a replica of Kahlo’s Casa Azul in Coyoacan, Mexico. Tickets: $23, $40.
Courtesy of Marian Goodman GalleryAn-My Lê’s “Migrant Workers Harvesting Asparagus, Mendota, California,” part of “Much Unseen Is Also Here.”
When: Through Aug. 29
Where: 600 S. Michigan at Columbia College Chicago
What: The museum is presenting two new exhibits. “Much Unseen Is Also Here: An-My Lê and Shahzia Sikander” features the work of two Asian-American artists who explore their relationship to America. In the tradition of American road photography, Lê’s photographs confront the political rhetoric of the moment and tackle current events; Sikander uses sculpture, drawings and animation to examine the intersection of power, gender, empire and self. “Martine Gutierrez”features work from Gutierrez’s independent art publication, “Indigenous Woman”, a magazine exploring how deeply sexism, colorism, racism, transphobia and other biases are embedded and ubiquitous in popular culture and fashion photography. Admission is free.
Courtesy Polish Museum of AmericaThe Paderewki Collection at Polish Museum of America.
When: Ongoing
Where: 984 N. Milwaukee
What: The museum, since 1935 a repository for a wide variety of materials pertaining to Poland and the Polish-American community, has reopened after being shuttered for more than a year. Among the many permanent exhibits are “Polish Chicago 1850-1939,” “Folk Art Collection” and “The Paderewski Collection,” which documents the life of Polish pianist and composer Ignacy Jan Paderewski. Tickets: $6-$10.
The Art Institute of ChicagoThe Hartwell Memorial Window bears a design attributed to Agnes F. Northrop of Tiffany Studios.
When: Permanent
Where: Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan
What: A magnificent stained glass window made by Tiffany Studios in 1917 is now on permanent display at the Art Institute. The Hartwell Memorial Window, attributed to Agnes F. Northrop, Tiffany’s leading landscape window designer, was originally commissioned for a church as the gift of Mary L. Hartwell in memory of her husband Frederick W. Hartwell. It consists of 48 different panels, and is a scenic view of Mount Chocorua, a peak in New Hampshire’s White Mountains. The window, located near the museum’s entrance, is one of the most ambitious landscape window projects produced by Tiffany. Museum admission: $14-$25.
SEE AttractionsYou can walk among life-sized reproductions of a fresco masterpiece when you visit “Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition” in Oakbrook Center.
When: Ongoing
Where: Oakbrook Center, 2120 Oakbrook Center, Oak Brook
What: For a new perspective on some of the world’s greatest art check out this immersive exhibition showcasing the artist’s renowned ceiling frescos from the Vatican chapel. The reproductions were made using a photographic technique that captures the look and feel of the original paintings. Tickets: $14-$26.60.
Grab your popcorn and check out our guide to movie screenings and events in Chicago. | Sun-Times Media
Wondering what movies to watch and where to see them? Here is our guide to screenings and events for cinema fans in Chicago.
Welcome to our round up of movie screenings and events in Chicago. Bookmark this page and check back for updates on shows and activities.
African Diaspora International Film Festival
Artmattan Films“2 Weeks in Lagos”
When: June 18-24
Where: Online
What: The festival returns for its 18th year with a virtual lineup of features and documentaries, all Chicago premieres. The opening-night film, “Betrayal of a Nation” is Brandi Webb’s experimental documentary that addresses issues of poverty, brutality and mass incarceration and questions, via a mock trial, whether or not the U.S. government is to blame. Kathryn Fasegha’s romantic comedy-drama “2 Weeks in Lagos” captures the vibrant and complex life of everyday life in Lagos, Nigeria. And in another romantic comedy, Nichole Sylvester’s “Maya and Her Lover,” a woman finds her life disrupted when she falls in love with a younger man. Tickets: $10 per film, $15 for the films mentioned above, $95 festival pass.
Where: ChiTown Movies, 2343 S. Throop St., and Davis Theatre, 4614 N. Lincoln Ave.
What: Canceled last year, the festival returns with local premieres of 10 promising documentaries. The ChiTown Movies drive-in hosts the opening-night film, “Summer of Soul (… Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)” (director Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson’s look back at the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival), followed on Friday by “All These Sons,” an examination of Chicago gun violence by Bing Liu (“Minding the Gap”) and Joshua Altman. Tickets: $17.60 at the Davis and $40-$50 per car at the drive-in.
The man was standing with his girlfriend in the first block of East Chestnut Street when a gunman approached and demanded the keys to his car, Chicago police said.
A man was shot and critically wounded during an attempted carjacking Thursday night in Gold Coast on the North Side.
The man, 35, was standing on the sidewalk with his girlfriend in the first block of East Chestnut Street when a gunman approached and demanded the keys to his car around 10:20 p.m., Chicago police said.
The carjacker shot the man in the neck and fled in a waiting Honda SUV, police said.
He was transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in critical condition, police said.
No one was in custody.
Police did not have additional details or a suspect description Friday morning.
It was the second shooting in the Gold Coast this week. Early Tuesday, a man was killed and another wounded after being struck by gunfire and crashing in the 1100 block of North Lake Shore Drive.
The Gold Coast is in the 18th police district, which has seen only one fatal shooting and at least 10 other shootings so far this year. Murders are dramatically lower this year than during the same period in 2020, when the district had recorded four homicides, police statistics show.
Shooting incidents in the district are up 43% compared with the same period last year, according to the statistics.
Carlos Rodon, 28, has a historic pitching season for the Chicago White Sox already this season but his potential CY Young season could have been a fairytale if he was left in Schaumburg. This season, Rodon has started in 11 games for the White Sox. He recorded 97 strikeouts, 17 walks, 14 earned runs, 39 hits […]
You can see the Obamas’ larger-than-life portraits glow along the side of the Merchandise Mart building starting June 17 .
The animated projections of the famous Obama Portraits created by Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald will light up at 9 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. as part of the Art On TheMART’s summer program.
The projections can be seen from Wacker Drive and along the Chicago Riverwalk. A musical score will accompany the piece.
The original paintings that inspire the projections will start their stay at the Art Institute of Chicago from June 18 until August 15. Tickets are free, with regular museum admission. You can learn more about available times to get tickets here.
The program’s content rotates seasonally, and along with the Obamas, Chicagoans can get a glimpse of the “Frida Kahlo: Timeless” exhibition, which is currently being shown at the Cleve Carney Museum of Art and the McAninch Arts Center at the College of DuPage until Sept. 6.
The projections will feature several of Kahlo’s works including “Self Portrait with Small Monkey” (1945) and “Self Portrait in a Velvet Dress” (1926).
Like the Obamas’ portraits, Kahlo’s works will be accompanied by music with an orchestral score from Mexican composer Arturo Marquez, recorded by New Philharmonic.
Jun 14, 2021; New York City, New York, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jake Arrieta (49) reacts during the fourth inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
With the Chicago Cubs at the top of the National League Central division, the narrative of the Cubs and the Major League Baseball trade deadline in July has changed. After entering the season with the intention of selling at the trade deadline, it would appear that the Cubs will be buyers.
After reviewing the Cubs’ roster, there are three needs that stand out. With outfielders Ian Happ and Jason Heyward struggling, it’s possible that the team could look to acquire another platoon-type outfielder that specializes in hitting against left-handed pitching.
The Cubs’ starting pitching is without question the weakness of the roster and the team is in need of a dependable starting pitcher for the stretch run. Rounding out the issues for the Cubs would be the need for a backup catcher but that is not a pressing item for the team.
Chances are that if the Cubs are going to buy at the trade deadline, it will be for a starting pitcher. Outside of Kyle Hendricks and Kyle Davies, who both appear to be returning to form after struggling to begin the season, the Cubs rotation has been plagued with inconsistency.
The Cubs have two starting pitchers in Trevor Williams and Adbert Alzolay that are currently on the injured list. Alzolay likely will not be on the injured list for much longer as he is currently dealing with a blister on his pitching hand whereas Williams’ timeline is not known as he continues to recover from an emergency appendectomy.
It might be time for the Chicago Cubs to make a tough decision with their rotation.
Jake Arrieta, meanwhile, has been bad this season. Arrieta has made 13 starts this season and posted a 5.14 ERA, 5.45 WHIP, and 1.460 WHIP in 63 innings. The regression that Arrieta first experienced after leaving the Cubs’ organization after the 2017 season has continued during his second run with the team.
Arrieta’s struggles this season are part of the reason why the Cubs need to acquire a starting pitcher at the trade deadline. The question that would follow after a potential Cubs’ acquisition of a starting pitcher at the trade deadline would be who would be the odd man out in the Cubs’ rotation. That would unquestionably be Arrieta.
Arrieta is no longer the anchor in the Cubs’ starting rotation that he was during the 2015 and 2016 seasons. Instead, Arrieta is now a liability for the Cubs each time that he takes the mound as a starting pitcher. After an off-season where the Cubs replaced an ace in Yu Darvish with Arrieta, they now need an ace to replace Arrieta.
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