Friday, December 12, 2014

What to Watch if You're Still Mourning the Loss of "Sex and the City"

Via Collider

If you're anything like me, you spent your early 20s trying to figure out if you were more of a Carrie or a Samantha. Or maybe even a Charlotte. Tragically, it turns out I'm a Miranda (sigh). Those four women taught me everything I know about life, like the universe may not always play fair, but at least its got a hell of a sense of humor. Or that soulmates only exist in the Hallmark aisle of Duane Reade Drugs. When HBO decided to cut ties with the series, thousands of Carrie-wannabes' hearts broke. Luckily, SJP's legacy lives on. 

Girls (HBO)
Wait...haven't we seen this before? Four women, living in New York City, skating through life one mistake at a time? Created by Lena Dunham, Girls is SATC for Millennials. Dunham herself stars as Hannah Horvath, an aspiring writer living on her parents' dime. There's also Marnie, an art gallery assistant, Jessa, and Shoshanna. The raw humor of their dynamic provides some big laughs throughout the first three seasons. A fourth season is set to air beginning January 11, 2015 on HBO. 

Broad City (Comedy Central) 
Okay, so these women are nothing like Carrie and co. They are, however, twentysomethings biding their time in NYC until real life catches up to them. When we first meet Ilana and Abbi, we have no way of knowing just how long they’ve been friends. But their dynamic is already so comfortable that they don’t feel the need to spend half the pilot telling us who these characters are. Plus, Broad City is a Web series-turned-cable-comedy so fans of Ilana and Abbi should already have an idea of what they're getting into. Based on their lives in New York, the show delves into the everyday indignities that make being a young, single, broke person in a big city a fascinating, hilarious — but generally humiliating — experience. Broad City was named one of The A.V. Club's Best TV shows of 2014.

The Carries Diaries (The CW) 
If you've ever wondered how Carrie Bradsahw came to be the woman she is, or how her love affair with Manhattan began, then you can rent The Carrie Diaries on DVD. The CW cancelled the prequel after two seasons, but that doesn't mean it wasn't good TV. High school Carrie was every bit as fabulous as grownup Carrie and watching her get to know Samantha Jones was every SATC fan's dream. It's just too bad we didn't get to see how she came to be friends with Miranda and Charlotte. You can, however, read about it here.  

Via Buzzfeed






Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Christmas classics on the big screen


It's the most wonderful time of the year, when Christmas classics are shown in movie theaters! And what's better than seeing a classic black and white Christmas movie on the big screen? When that movie screen is inside a historic theater such as the Catlow in Barrington, Tivoli in Downers Grove, or Music Box in Chicago, just to name a few. You can watch stars like Barbara Stanwyck, Jimmy Stewart, Donna Reed, Fred MacMurray, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, and Rosemary Clooney, larger than life... I'm in!

Here is a list I compiled of upcoming movie screenings, for the most part at historic movie theaters, in the suburbs and Chicago. I will be attending the TCM double feature of A Christmas Carol and Christmas in Connecticut this weekend and also have tickets to the Annual Music Box Christmas Show. Do you have any plans to catch a Christmas movie in theaters this month?

● Various theaters, including Regal Crystal Lake Showplace Stadium 16 and Century 16 Deer Park

A Christmas Carol (1938) and Christmas in Connecticut (1945)
Sunday, December 7 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Presented by TCM, with an introduction by Ben Mankiewicz


Cinema 12 - 100 LW Besinger Drive, Carpentersville, IL  
 
Home Alone
Saturday, December 20 at 10 a.m- Free!
Pictures with Santa before the show

Catlow Theatre - 116 W. Main Street, Barrington, IL

It’s a Wonderful Life
Saturday, December 6 at 11 am

The Polar Express
Saturday, December 13 at 11 am

A Christmas Carol (1951)
Saturday, December 20 at 11 am

Tivoli Theatre - 5021 Highland Ave, Downers Grove, IL
Pre-show sing-a-long accompanied by Wurlitzer Theatre pipe organ

The Miracle of the Bells (1948)
Monday, December 8 at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

White Christmas (1954)
Wednesday, December 10 at 1:30 p.m., 4 p.m., 7 p.m., and 9:30 p.m.

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)
Thursday, December 11 at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m

It's a Wonderful Life - 2014 Christmas Benefit Show
Saturday, December 13 at 1:30 p.m.; Sunday, December 14 at 1:30 p.m.
Proceeds to Sharing Connection Furniture Bank

Music Box Theatre - 3733 N. Southport Ave, Chicago

A Night with Elf
Thursday, December 4 at 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Annual Music Box Christmas Show - White Christmas and It’s a Wonderful Life
Friday, December 12 - Thursday, December 25

Alternative Christmas Double Feature - Home Alone and Die Hard
Wednesday, December 17

Patio Theatre - 6008 W. Irving Park Rd, Chicago

Christmas Cartoons
Saturday, December 13 at 2 p.m. - free!
Showing Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, and The Little Drummer Boy

It's a Wonderful Life
Sunday, December 21 at 2 p.m. - free!
Plus, take pictures with Santa before the show.

Glen Art Theatre - 540 Crescent Blvd #1, Glen Ellyn, IL

Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Saturday, December 6 at 10:30 am - free!

The Polar Express
Saturday, December 13 at 10:30 am - free!

The Muppet Christmas Carol
Saturday, December 20 at 10:30 am - free!

Woodstock Theatre - 209 Main Street, Woodstock, IL 60098

Arthur Christmas
Saturday, December 13 at 10 a.m.
pictures with Santa

Ogden 6 Theatre - 1227 East Ogden Ave, Naperville

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
Saturday, December 6 at 10 a.m. - free!

Check out additional holiday film showings at other theaters at the  Classic Cinemas website.