The 60th Chicago International Film Festival October 16th – October 27th

“60 Years of Movies That Move You”  Linda and Al Lerner That’s us! We’ll be covering the latest studio, indie, and international films being shown with filmmakers in attendance, covering the festival with capsule reviews, one-on-one interviews and on the Red Carpet, too. Here are some of the films we’ve already seen or will be covering, adding more during and after the festival. Interviews will be posted here and on our You Tube channel. See the full schedule of films and how to get tickets at http://chicagofilmfestival.com

THE PIANO LESSON – Opening Night – This film adaptation of August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play is co-written and directed by Malcolm Washington. John David Washington stars with Daniel Deadwyler as siblings go head-to-head over their family’s heirloom piano in a powerful spiritual treatment. John David Washington told us on the Red Carpet that this is Deadwyler’s movie, but they both deliver strong performances with Samuel L. Jackson as their uncle trying to keep tempers down.  Watch for our interviews both Malcolm and John David, and with co-writer Virgil Williams all talking about the challenge of making the film with so much dialogue and emotion.

CONCLAVE -Director Edward Berger garners remarkable performances from Ralph Fiennes, John Lithgow, and Stanley Tucci in a film showing the politics and process of choosing a new Pope at the Vatican. The behind-the-scenes power plays of siding with different candidates as secrets are revealed about each one is spellbinding. Takes time to understand the process and the characters involved, but several twists and turns will keep you riveted and may even shock you by the end. The cinematography is detailed and exquisite.

NIGHTBITCH –  Director Marielle Heller in attendance for this film with an incredible primal performance by Amy Adams. She left the business world to become a stay-at-home Mom, but the new challenge of taking care of a toddler literally turns her into a beast. Adams pulls out all the stops as she tries to find her old self while interacting with her precious son. Adams as you’ve never seen her before as she transforms into an unrecognizable creature in this brazen satire on motherhood. If you’ve ever taken care of a toddler or two, you’ll definitely relate to her primal instincts. It related almost too well to our own experience going from a high power job to feeling less than when taking care of a colic infant.  Watch for our Red Carpet interview with Director Marielle Heller. 

MEMOIR OF A SNAIL – Stop-motion animation director Adam Elliot returns with a film eight years in the making and the extreme detail to visuals as well as storytelling is a must-see.  As a girl whose young life is troubled by misfortune, Grace (voiced by Sarah Snook) seeks comfort in her loving twin brother Gilbert and her pet snails. But when the siblings are separated after the death of their father and placed in foster homes at opposite ends of  Australia, Gracie’s loneliness causes her to withdraw into her own shell.  Years pass and her sorrow grows, until one day she strikes up an odd friendship with Pinky (Jacki Weaver), an eccentric, positive and kind old woman. A tribute to the power of friendship. Watch for our interview with the film’s charming Writer/Director, Adam Elliot who brought the real Gracie to our conversation and let us hold her. She’s adorable and so friendly.

EMILIA PÉREZ –Jacques Audiard directs  Zoe Saldana, Selena Gomez and Karla Sofia Gascón who give intense and musical performances in this dark story of the evolving gender identity of a drug cartel overlord and how his family dynamic is affected. Violence, action, music, dancing and tenderness you won’t expect.  The cast of this won best actress award at Cannes this year. Don’t let the subtitles deter you from seeing this unusual, captivating, film.

VERMIGLIO – Winner of the Gold Hugo. Director Maura Delpero set this poignant story in the final days of World War II. It’s set in 1944 in a remote village in the Italian Alps where the eldest daughter of  a teacher (Tomaso Ragno) Lucia (Martina Scrinzi) finds love with Pietro who had been in the army and deserted. Their love story changes the family’s life forever. Beautifully realized.

MARIA – Pablo Larrain directs Angelina Jolie starring as the world renowned opera soprano Maria Callas and her last days in Paris during the 1970’s. Jolie is striking as Maria, with her high fashion, aloof attitude in magnificent surroundings throughout Europe. Jolie mostly lip syncs Callas’ operas and it is spot on, especially in closeup. Fiery and often overmedicated, Maria took care of her own needs first. The film shows flashbacks in Black and White of her childhood, resenting her tough mother and her more beautiful sister, Yakinthi (Jackie), played by Valeria Golino (Director of The Art of Joy, also presented at this festival, and who helped introduce Maria). The film shows her struggles with herself, her health and losing the love of her life, Aristotle Onassis, to Jackie Kennedy. Also starring Pierfrancesco Favino, Alba Rohrwacher, Haluk Bilginer and Kodi Smit-McPhee.

NICKEL BOYS – Director RaMell Ross will be in attendance to receive the Festival Vanguard Award for this gut wrenching and extraordinary film about the friendship forged between two young innocent Black teens who end up at the brutal Nickel Academy reform school in the Jim Crow South. This is remarkable storytelling and even though a very tough watch, this film is beautifully shot using unusual angles, movement and time lapse from the point of view of the boys to make you feel totally immersed in their situation. Remarkable performances by Ethan Herisse and Brandon Wilson.

LA COCINA – Director Alonso Ruizpalacios (A Cop Movie, 2021) creates a remarkable piece of filmmaking as tribute to the often invisible immigrants whose unrelenting work in tense kitchens feeds this country’s never-ending appetite. The day begins in a busy Times Square kitchen with missing money, pointing fingers at Pedro, (Raúl Briones) a fast talking  master cook with a knack for making trouble. His tense love affair with waitress Julia (Rooney Mara) who is battling her own demons, is another problem.  The relentless pace of the kitchen threatens to take the whole kitchen down. There is a 10+ minute follow shot of the frenetic pace of the kitchen to and through waitresses delivering orders that will blow you away.

UNSTOPPABLE – This inspiring drama, directed by William Goldenberg, follows Anthony Robles (Jharrel Jerome) who was born with one leg but whose indomitable spirit and driven resolve empowered him to defy his troubled family life and the odds to pursue his dream. With the dedicated love and support of  his devoted mother Judy (Jennifer Lopez), plus the encouragement of understanding coaches, Anthony fights like hell to earn a spot on the Arizona State Wrestling team. Also starring Bobby Cannavale. Watch for our interviews with Actor Jharrel Jerome and the wrestler, now wrestling coach, Anthony Robles. 

A REAL PAIN – Jesse Eisenberg directs and co-stars in this dramedy about cousins David and Benji (Kieran Culkin) who decide to do a road trip through Poland in tribute to their grandmother. But the trip becomes more of an examination of family history, including unresolved problems and tense relationships along the way. Family friction can be messy, but also funny and we’re looking forward to seeing this.

THE KNIFE –  Director Nnamdi Asomugha the story of an African American father who confronts an intruder in his home, but his actions and lead to a confrontation that leads to a series of events that become a tense investigation by a veteran female detective interviewing each member of the family, including his wife and young daughters. Melissa Leo stars as the detective in this harrowing scenario with a surprise ending. Watch for our interviews with Nnamdi Asomugha and Melissa Leo in attendance.