Patrick McDonald

CHICAGO – One of the most talked about Chicago sports stories of the last ten years has been Derrick Rose, the NBA stand out who was drafted to his hometown Bulls as the second coming of Michael Jordan in 2008, and was plagued by bad luck injuries and playing time limits that couldn’t satisfy the rabid fan base and media that demanded accountability. The Theatrical Premiere of “Pooh: The Derrick Rose Story” will take place at the Midwest Independent Film Festival on May 7th, 2019. Click here for tickets and details.

CHICAGO – Religion, and the separation of those institutions from the “state,” is an ongoing controversy in the United States. One such religious group may have found the ultimate solution to keep that separation in place. The Satanic Temple is an anarchist religion whose goal is to get a place at the table with the other holy influencers. They are profiled in director Penny Lane’s new film, “Hail Satan?”

CHICAGO – The animation formula, for entertaining both kids and adults, is to never make the story too serious, and “UglyDolls” gets it right. The obvious moral lesson of “accepting yourself” is covered with great animating, memorable characters, peppy songs, and a sly sense of humor. In essence, made for the whole family.

CHICAGO – If the French New Wave cinema movement (1958 to late 1960s) had a mother, it was undoubtably Agnés Varda. The versatile filmmaker began her film journey shortly before the movement began, and her influence resonated throughout that era and within her career. Varda died at the age of 90 on March 29th, 2019.

CHICAGO – Chicago is again in the spotlight, due to the efforts of Caitlin Parrish and Erica Weiss, the creators of “The Red Line,” the based-in-the-Windy-City CBS TV series that debuts Sunday, April 28th, 2019. They even cast a veteran Chicago actor for the ensemble, Michael Patrick Thornton.

CHICAGO – The 2019 CineYouth Festival launched on Friday, April 26th, and the kickoff featured a Sundance Film Fest award winner, “Jawline.” The documentary, directed by Liza Mandelup, is a ripped-from-the-now overview on the impact of teenage life through the creation of social connections online rather than in reality. The 15th edition of the CineYouth Fest will feature 64 films from 18 different countries, all produced by filmmakers who are 22 years old or younger. All the screenings, workshops and other happenings are FREE and open to the public. For more information, click here. The CineYouth Festival runs through Sunday, April 28th.

CHICAGO – The future of filmmaking will be on full display this weekend as Cinema/Chicago – the facilitators of the annual Chicago International Film Festival – presents the 2019 CineYouth Festival. The 15th edition of the Fest will feature 64 films from 18 different countries, all produced by filmmakers who are 22 years old or younger. The Opening Film on Friday, April 26th, is ‘Jawline,’ and director Liza Mandelup will appear on behalf of the film. The screening is FREE and open to the public at the historic Music Box Theatre in Chicago, register for tickets by clicking here. The CineYouth Festival runs through Sunday, April 28th.

CHICAGO – For every grand name in history, there are behind-the-scenes performers who contribute to that history just as profoundly. One such person was “Father Ted” of Notre Dame, profiled in Patrick Creadon’s new documentary, “Hesburgh.” The film opens Friday, April 26th, 2019, at the Music Box Theatre in Chicago.

NEW YORK CITY – The 18th edition of the Tribeca Film Festival will open with a love letter to a New York City Harlem neighborhood icon. The legendary Apollo Theater will screen the Opening Night film, “The Apollo,” on April 24th, 2019. This documentary chronicles the unique history and contemporary legacy of this New York City landmark, and kicks off the two week festival, Wednesday, April 24th through Sunday, May 5th.

CHICAGO – When it comes down to this, and the creators do it right, there is no more satisfying conclusion than “Avengers: Endgame.” Admirers of this magnificent Marvel (Studios) Universe story will get everything they want. It is the “Gone with the Wind” of superhero epic films.