1 Raising Kael (Siskel) Documentary on mid-century film critic Pauline Kael, “What She Said: The Art Of Pauline Kael,” accompanied by seven of her favorites, including five on 35mm: Robert Altman’s essential “McCabe & Mrs. Miller,” Renoir’s “The River,” “Bonnie and Clyde,” Scorsese’s “Mean Streets,” De Palma’s “Casualties of War,” as well as Bertolucci’s “Last Tango in Paris,” one of the diminutive doyenne’s great flames (or flame-outs), and Godard’s “Band of Outsiders.” January 10-23
2 Chaplin without Charlie (Siskel) Two pictures with Chaplin behind the camera: a 4K digital restoration of his final feature, “A Countess From Hong Kong” (1967)—is fifty-two years too soon to reevaluate the hate for his romantic comedy with Marlon Brando and Sophia Loren? Also: on 35mm, Chaplin’s 1923 drama, “A Woman of Paris.” January 17-23
3 Old Joy (Chicago Film Society at NEIU) Kelly Reichardt’s slow-simmer take on difficult male friendship is part of a CFS focus of 35mm films shot on Super 16. January 15
4 Mandy (Music Box) Midnight revival of Panos Cosmatos’ drenching, haunting shriek of grief, a fiery epic starring Nicolas Cage and galaxies of gore. January 17-18
5 The Student Prince In Old Heidelberg (Chicago Film Society at Music Box) A rare chance to witness in 35mm an Ernst Lubitsch silent on this big screen, in this case a 1927 MGM romantic comedy with Norma Shearer and Ramon Novarro. January 4
Ray Pride is Newcity’s film critic and a contributing editor to Filmmaker magazine.
His multimedia history of Chicago “Ghost Signs” will be published soon. Previews of the project are on Twitter and on Instagram as Ghost Signs Chicago. More photography on Instagram.
Film Top 5: September 2020 Charlie Kaufman thinks, once more, as always, of ending it all; whimsitician Miranda July returns; Chicago Latino Film Festival goes virtual; Gerard Butler may or may not save the planet from a comet; and "Tenet" promises to time-invert over Labor Day in non-pandemic hotspot localities.
Film Top 5: October 2020 Chicago International, "Chicago 7" and "Candyman"'s Chicago; plus "WW1984" braces for social distancing and Kenneth Branagh again tunes up the tonsorial folderol as Hercule Poirot.
Film Top 5: January 2021 Old folks, young love, aspiration in India, Denzel Washington still hunting serial killers, and Tom Hanks way out west.
Film Top 5: January 2023 Epic movies at a single sitting, including "OUT 1," "Sátántangó" and "Dekalog"; two months of Billy Wilder movies in 35mm; and one creepy doll.
