Restored silent classic comes to the Music Box

Revolution returns to the screen

03/02/2011

Crowds flee in terror down cement steps. Armed troops advance and shoot. Bodies fall. Victims are trampled. Pandemonium. An anguished mother holds the limp body of her dead child, defiant to the oncoming slaughter. Bloodied faces plead and cry in agony. Soldiered feet jackboot forward aggressively in unison.
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New film takes theater critics to task

Critic Vs. Critic

02/16/2011

Arts criticism is a tricky business, especially for those paid to do it. Knowledge is key. Grasping the ins and outs of the medium being reviewed — be it film, theater, visual arts or literature — is paramount. It allows writers both to analyze the work and to constructively inform the artists being reviewed and everyday folks looking to spend entertainment dollars. Ignorant critics abound, but the smart ones are trusted.
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Writers jump into bed on the Steppenwolf stage

Let’s talk about 'Sex'

02/09/2011

Sex With Strangers, the new play currently running at Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s Upstairs Theatre, sounds salacious, evoking anonymous lust tinged with a dose of danger. The company itself enhances this notion with its description of the production.
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Photographers explore the black male identity through tattoos

Stories etched in skin

02/03/2011

fascinating new photography exhibit at Columbia College’s Arcade Gallery explores the facets of tattoos and tattooing, but with a focus on those adorning black men. Curated by Columbia alum Nicole Harrison, Fear Into Fire: Reclaiming Black Male Identity Through the Art of Tattooing presents the work of four photographers who examine the relationships between black men and their tattoos.
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New exhibit gives a peek into Chicago nanny's secret life behind the lens

Who was Vivian Maier?

01/26/2011

The title of a photography exhibit up now at the Chicago Cultural Center — Finding Vivian Maier — hints at the near loss of the almost 100 prints being shown. Vivian Maier died in obscurity in 2009, leaving behind an enormous collection of never-seen photography. Through sheer luck, boxes of her prints and negatives (sold in an auction of an unclaimed storage unit’s contents) found their way into the hands of people who recognized their importance.
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Exploring metal and art through zines

Bang your head!

01/19/2011

Metal. Heavy metal. The words conjure instant images. Long-haired scruffs with guitars wired to mammoth walls of amplifiers blasting major riffage at ear-rupturing decibels; muscled stick-wielders blasting beats behind mountainous drum sets; possessed singers abusing microphones with growls and high-pitched screams; a sea of fans banging heads hardcore, arms raised to the heavens with hands flashing devil horns in appreciation.
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MCA spotlights Chicago's young comic book stars

New blood. New comics.

01/12/2011

The evolution of the comic book has been spectacular. From its unassuming dime-store origins to the introduction and domination of the superhero, it was hit by a demonization in the 1950s. The medium went through a mid-century lull followed by an underground explosion that led to an eventual resurgence as a respected cultural powerhouse: Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ graphic novel, The Watchmen, appears on Time Magazine’s list of the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to the present.
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Cupcake craze strong in Chicago

Business sweet for Molly's Cupcakes

01/05/2011

On Clark Street in Lincoln Park, people line up late in the evening on a Friday to get into a small storefront. The line trails past the orange awning and down the sidewalk. But this isn’t a bar they are waiting for — it’s a cupcake store.
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A taste of Vietnam in Chicago

Saigon Sisters expands to a storefront

12/29/2010

Web Extra! Slideshow
Mary Nguyen Aregoni and Theresa Nguyen remember adventuring in a bustling Vietnam market as children. Their mother and grandmother sold produce, rice and seafood as part of the family business.
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Laughing while learning in Chicago

The Ankle Todd Show specializes in improv that educates

12/22/2010

Want clowns, high-energy sketch comedy, plus an educational spin? "The Ankle Todd Show" is a one-of-a-kind live show written and directed especially for kids, with a new educationally themed "episode" every week. Chicago Journal recently had a chance to chat with Todd Obuchowski, performer, writer and creator of the show.
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