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The CHIRP Blog
KSanders writesOne More for the Road: Reviews of “The Road Not Taken” and the Chicago International Film Festival
In October. CHIRP volunteer Kyle Sanders attended the 2018 Chicago International Film Festival and reported on what he discovered there...
If you haven't been paying attention, I love cinema. It's one of the easiest activities to do, and requires very little effort other than sitting down and looking at what's on the screen in front of you. And while our modern toys provide us many different formats to consume it, I will ferociously argue and strongly recommend that the only way to truly experience a film is at the movie theater. It might be easier to Netflix 'n chill in the comfort of your own home, but the cineplexes have upped their game and provide you dinner and plush recliners. Even the smaller theaters have added a little panache, providing lounge areas and full bars to take the edge off of the power of 35 and 70 millimeter motion pictures. And for what reason? Well, to reference one of the best horror films of all time, "it's all for you."
KSanders writesLiving Out Loud: Reviews of “Mario,” “Rafiki,” and “Sauvage”
This month CHIRP volunteer Kyle Sanders attended the 2018 Chicago International Film Festival and reported on what he discovered there...
In a volatile political landscape, minorities such as the LGBTQ community are often the ones finding themselves in a vulnerable position. As a group that is finding more awareness and representation in the pop culture they consume, it's comforting to see LGBTQ films from around the world play at the Chicago International Film Festival.
This year's event included the high profile premiere of Boy Erased, starring Russell Crowe and Nicole Kidman. However, I found the films outside the American mainstream to be quite more telling about queer culture around the world. Those films include (due to festival restrictions, the following are capsule reviews only):
KSanders writesA Series of Unfortunate Events: Reviews of “Boys Cry” & “Volcano”
This month CHIRP volunteer Kyle Sanders attended the 2018 Chicago International Film Festival and reported on what he discovered there...
Sometimes life throws a wrench in your gears. A cosmic event so out of left field you can't explain it or figure out how to overcome it. How you respond could alter the rest of your day, your week, or even the rest of your life.
It's a common narrative device in storytelling, especially in films. Two films that include this device are Boys Cry and Volcano, both of which screened at the Chicago International Film Festival (due to festival restrictions, the following are capsule reviews only):
Mike Nikolich writesDiagonal Returns from Successful East Coast Tour
Chicago has one of the world’s most vibrant garage and psychedelic music scenes, and Diagonal is one of the city’s greatest ambassadors. The sextet just returned from an East Coast tour to support its first full-length album, Tomorrow, and performed many of the tracks from that LP when it headlined CHIRP Night at the Whistler on October 24th.
The band features Dan Jarvis (guitar and keyboards), Alex Brumley (guitar), Andy Ryan (vocals), Dale Price (bass), Silas Mishler (guitar/keys/noise) and Chris Detlaff (drums). Tomorrow features 11 reverb-soaked tracks that feature touches of garage, shoegaze and psychedelic music. Several CHIRP DJs, including me, list Tomorrow among our top albums of 2018.
Dan Jarvis will guest DJ with me at 2 pm on Friday, Nov. 2. We will play some of his favorite cuts from Tomorrow, as well as some of his favorite cover tunes.
Q How was your East Coast tour?
A We just got back a week ago and had a great time. One of our best shows was at the Grog Shop in Cleveland. It’s a pretty legendary venue. The White Stripes played several shows at the Grog Shop early in their career and Cursive is playing in November. We had a solid show and after our performance, the manager, owner and bartender came over and bought tapes and shirts from us. That was a good sign.
KSanders writesGrowing Pains: Reviews of “Flammable Children” & “Guie’dani’s Navel”
This month CHIRP volunteer Kyle Sanders attended the 2018 Chicago International Film Festival and reported on what he discovered there...
Childhood sucks when you're a kid. There's so much of life that you're unaware of and when you try and find the answers, oftentimes you're provided the wrong information from the wrong kind of sources. As a minor, your thoughts and feelings are irrelevant, your choices and decisions are undermined by those who think they know best. You're often shut down with the words "Because I said so." Life moves at a glacial pace, to the point where you think you'll never be able to escape the hell of being a kid.
Yet even when you're living under the thumb of authority, you never realize just how much freedom you have until you reach adulthood. At this year's Chicago International Film Festival, two films highlighted the wacky and weary world of adolescence: Australia's Flammable Children and Mexico's Guie'dani's Navel.