Chicago International Film Festival

Exclusive Portrait: Jason Isaacs on Red Carpet For ‘Good’ at Chicago International Film Festival

HollywoodChicago.com — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 17:45:33 -0700

CHICAGO – Actor Jason Isaacs greeted the HollywoodChicago.com lens on the red carpet for “Good” on Oct. 29, 2008 on the closing night of the 2008 Chicago International Film Festival.

Isaacs has been featured in “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,” “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,” “The Tuxedo,” “Resident Evil,” “Reign of Fire,” “Black Hawk Down,” “The Patroit,” “Armageddon,” “Grindhouse” and TV’s “Brotherhood”.

Isaacs will also appear in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I” in 2010. Our exclusive portrait of Jason Isaacs on the red carpet for “Good” is below. Our exclusive portrait of Viggo Mortensen on the red carpet for “Good” can be found here.

Jason Isaacs greets the HollywoodChicago.com camera on the red carpet for the film Good on Oct. 29, 2008 on the closing night of the 2008 Chicago International Film Festival" title="Actor
Jason Isaacs greets the HollywoodChicago.com camera on the red carpet for the film Good on Oct. 29, 2008 on the closing night of the 2008 Chicago International Film Festival">
Actor Jason Isaacs greets the HollywoodChicago.com camera on the red carpet for the film
“Good” on Oct. 29, 2008 on the closing night of the 2008 Chicago International Film Festival.
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com

Joe Arce – the professional celebrity photographer for HollywoodChicago.com – has also captured a “Good” group shot with Jason Isaacs, director Vicente Amorim, Viggo Mortensen and Chicago International Film Festival founder Michael Kutza. It follows.

From left to right: “Good” actor Jason Isaacs, “Good” director Vicente Amorim, “Good” actor
Viggo Mortensen and Chicago International Film Festival founder Michael Kutza at the premiere
of “Good” on the closing night of the 2008 Chicago International Film Festival on Oct. 29, 2008.
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

Exclusive Portrait: Viggo Mortensen on Red Carpet For ‘Good’ at Chicago International Film Festival

HollywoodChicago.com — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 07:48:55 -0700

CHICAGO – Academy Award nominee Viggo Mortensen posed for a HollywoodChicago.com red-carpet portrait on Oct. 29, 2008 prior to receiving a career achievement award at the U.S. premiere of “Good” on the closing night of the 2008 Chicago International Film Festival.

Mortensen has appeared in “Appaloosa,” “Eastern Promises,” “A History of Violence,” “Hidalgo,” “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,” “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers,” “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,” “28 Days,” “Psycho,” “A Perfect Murder,” “G.I. Jane,” “Vanishing Point” and “Crimson Tide”. Our exclusive portrait of Mortensen is below.

Academy Award nominee Viggo Mortensen on Oct. 29, 2008 prior to receiving a career achievement award
at the U.S. premiere of his new film “Good” on the closing night of the 2008 Chicago International Film Festival.
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com

7:01 p.m. update on Oct. 30, 2008: Joe Arce – the professional celebrity photographer for HollywoodChicago.com – has also captured a “Good” group shot with Jason Isaacs, director Vicente Amorim, Viggo Mortensen and Chicago International Film Festival founder Michael Kutza. It follows. Our exclusive portrait of Jason Isaacs on the red carpet for “Good” can be found here.

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

Exclusive Portrait: Jada Pinkett Smith on Red Carpet For ‘The Human Contract’ at Chicago International Film Festival

HollywoodChicago.com — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 08:31:02 -0700

CHICAGO – Jada Pinkett Smith was photographed close up on Oct. 28, 2008 by the HollywoodChicago.com lens while on the red carpet at the North American premiere of her directorial debut “The Human Contact” at the 2008 Chicago International Film Festival.

Actress Jada Pinkett Smith, who is married to actor Will Smith, has appeared in the films “The Women,” “Reign Over Me,” “Collateral,” “The Matrix Revolutions,” “The Matrix Reloaded,” “Ali,” “Scream 2,” “The Nutty Professor” and “Jason’s Lyric”. Our exclusive portrait of Smith is below.

Jada Pinkett Smith on Oct. 28, 2008 while on the red carpet at the North American premiere
of her directorial debut “The Human Contact” at the 2008 Chicago International Film Festival.
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

Exclusive Portrait: Colin Hanks on Red Carpet For ‘The Great Buck Howard’ at Chicago International Film Festival

HollywoodChicago.com — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 18:07:22 -0700

CHICAGO – Actor Colin Hanks walked a Chicago red carpet for “The Great Buck Howard” on Oct. 24, 2008 at the 2008 Chicago International Film Festival. Hanks currently stars in AMC’s hit TV series “Mad Men” and was also featured in Oliver Stone’s “W.,” “Orange County,” “The House Bunny” and “King Kong”. Our exclusive portrait of Hanks can be found below.

Colin Hanks on the red carpet of “The Great Buck Howard” on
Oct. 24, 2008 at the 2008 Chicago International Film Festival.
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

Exclusive Photo: ‘Zack and Miri Make a Porno’ Director Kevin Smith at Chicago International Film Festival

HollywoodChicago.com — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 20:17:43 -0700

CHICAGO – HollywoodChicago.com captured a photo of “Zack and Miri Make a Porno” director Kevin Smith at an audience Q&A on Oct. 21, 2008 as part of the 2008 Chicago International Film Festival. The film stars Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, Traci Lords and Justin Long.

Smith has also directed “Clerks,” “Clerks II,” “Dogma,” “Chasing Amy” and “Mallrats”.

“Zack and Miri Make a Porno” director Kevin Smith at an audience Q&A on
Oct. 21, 2008 as part of the 2008 Chicago International Film Festival.
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

Exclusive Portrait: Robert Davi on Red Carpet For ‘The Dukes’ at Chicago International Film Festival

HollywoodChicago.com — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 12:49:14 -0700

CHICAGO – Actor, director and all-around Hollywood tough guy Robert Davi greets the HollywoodChicago.com camera at the premiere of his film “The Dukes” on Oct. 22, 2008 as part of the 2008 Chicago International Film Festival.

Davi has been seen in “Licence to Kill,” “Die Hard, “Predator 2,” “The Goonies,” TV’s “Stargate: Atlantis” and TV’s “Profiler”.

Robert Davi greets the HollywoodChicago.com camera at the premiere of his film “The Dukes”
on Oct. 22, 2008 as part of the 2008 Chicago International Film Festival.
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

Exclusive Portrait: Oscar-Winning Actress Rachel Weisz on the Chicago Red Carpet For ‘The Brothers Bloom’

HollywoodChicago.com — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 08:04:52 -0700

CHICAGO – Oscar-winning actress Rachel Weisz walked a Chicago red carpet on Oct. 16, 2008 for the premiere of the film “The Brothers Bloom” as part of the 2008 Chicago International Film Festival. The HollywoodChicago.com lens was there to photograph the moment.

Oscar-winning actress Rachel Weisz is photographed by HollywoodChicago.com on a Chicago red carpet on Oct. 16, 2008 for the film “The Brothers Bloom” as part of the 2008 Chicago International Film Festival.
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com

“The Brothers Bloom” is directed by Rian Johnson. The film stars Rachel Weisz, Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo, Rinko Kikuchi, Robbie Coltrane and Nora Zehetner.

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

Hookup: 15 Admit-Two Passes to Chicago Screening of ‘Happy-Go-Lucky’ With Sally Hawkins

HollywoodChicago.com — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 14:53:25 -0700

CHICAGO – Who says you can’t buy happiness? Amid all the doom and gloom of today’s economy and the stress to elect a new president, we introduce you to a little-known sleeper by the name of “Happy-Go-Lucky”.

From the trailer alone, you’ll see why it could be the one light-hearted movie this fall that’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face. The film festival indie stars new-to-the-scene sensation Sally Hawkins.

In our latest edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 15 admit-two passes to the Chicago screening of “Happy-Go-Lucky,” which stars Sally Hawkins, Eddie Marsan, Alexis Zegerman and Samuel Roukin. The film is directed by Academy Award-nominated director Mike Leigh.

To win your free pass to the advance screening of “Happy-Go-Lucky” in Chicago courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, all you need to do is be one of the first 15 people to submit a comment in this HollywoodChicago.com Hookup. That’s it!

Only 15 tickets are available because the film is screening in a theater with a small amount of seats. This Hookup will fill up in a matter of hours from publication. The “Happy-Go-Lucky” screening will be held on Oct. 21, 2008 at 7 p.m. near downtown Chicago.

Directions to enter this HollywoodChicago.com Hookup and immediately win can be found beneath the graphic below.

“Happy-Go-Lucky” features Sally Hawkins, Eddie Marsan, Alexis Zegerman and Samuel Roukin.
Image credit: Miramax Films

Here is the “Happy-Go-Lucky” plot description (source):

Poppy (Sally Hawkins) is a life-loving, irrepressibly cheerful, Pollyanna-type primary school teacher who is 30 years old, single and infinitely optimistic and accepting. She lives with her best friend and flatmate, Zoe (Alexis Zegerman), in London.

She is tested by a repressed driving instructor with anger problems (Eddie Marsan) and tests him in turn.

She has exciting flamenco lessons, an encounter with a homeless man, a row with her pregnant sister and a love affair with the social worker guiding one of her students.

To secure your free pass now, make sure you’re logged into your HollywoodChicago.com account. If you don’t yet have one, you can quickly register here. Having an account with a valid e-mail address is required.

Then, simply add a new comment in the form below. In your comment, include an answer to this simple question:

If you were to nominate one person who provides you the most happiness, who would it be?

Like all Hookups here, this HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film is simple: The first 15 people to comment below win! We will be in touch with the 15 winners to distribute the passes.

The original winner must be present at this screening. Winning passes are not transferable. “Happy-Go-Lucky,” which is playing in the 2008 Chicago International Film Festival, opens in Chicago on Oct. 24, 2008.

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

Exclusive 35-Image ‘The Dark Knight’ Slideshow: Director Christopher Nolan, Gary Oldman, Walk Chicago Red Carpet

HollywoodChicago.com — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 22:01:00 -0700

CHICAGO – This exclusive, 35-image slideshow contains original HollywoodChicago.com photography from the July 16, 2008 red carpet for “The Dark Knight” at Chicago’s Navy Pier. Our full review of the film by critic Adam Fendelman can be read here.

You can either click “Next” and “Previous” to scan through this slideshow or jump directly to individual photos with the captioned links below. All photo credits for this slideshow go to professional Chicago photographer Kris Kasperek of iKLiKphoto.

thedarkknight_chicago1.jpg: “The Dark Knight” red carpet in Chicago on July 16, 2008
thedarkknight_chicago2.jpg: “The Dark Knight” red carpet in Chicago on July 16, 2008
thedarkknight_chicago3.jpg: A Chicago interpretation of the Joker
thedarkknight_chicago4.jpg: A Chicago interpretation of the Joker
thedarkknight_chicago5.jpg: A Chicago interpretation of the Joker
thedarkknight_chicago6.jpg: “The Dark Knight” red carpet in Chicago on July 16, 2008
thedarkknight_chicago7.jpg: “The Dark Knight” red carpet in Chicago on July 16, 2008
thedarkknight_chicago8.jpg: “The Dark Knight” red carpet in Chicago on July 16, 2008
thedarkknight_chicago9.jpg: Batman fans on the red carpet
thedarkknight_chicago10.jpg: “The Dark Knight” red carpet in Chicago on July 16, 2008
thedarkknight_chicago11.jpg: “The Dark Knight” red carpet in Chicago on July 16, 2008
thedarkknight_chicago12.jpg: Chin Han plays Lau in “The Dark Knight”
thedarkknight_chicago13.jpg: Chin Han (left) plays Lau in “The Dark Knight”
thedarkknight_chicago14.jpg: Chin Han plays Lau in “The Dark Knight”
thedarkknight_chicago15.jpg: Michael Caine plays Alfred Pennyworth in “The Dark Knight”
thedarkknight_chicago16.jpg: Michael Caine plays Alfred Pennyworth in “The Dark Knight”
thedarkknight_chicago17.jpg: Michael Caine plays Alfred Pennyworth in “The Dark Knight”
thedarkknight_chicago18.jpg: Michael Caine (left) with CIFF founder Michael Kutza
thedarkknight_chicago19.jpg: Michael Caine plays Alfred Pennyworth in “The Dark Knight”
thedarkknight_chicago20.jpg: Unknown
thedarkknight_chicago21.jpg: Unknown
thedarkknight_chicago22.jpg: Unknown
thedarkknight_chicago23.jpg: Gary Oldman (center) plays Lt. James Gordon in the film
thedarkknight_chicago24.jpg: Gary Oldman plays Lt. James Gordon in “The Dark Knight”
thedarkknight_chicago25.jpg: Gary Oldman plays Lt. James Gordon in “The Dark Knight”
thedarkknight_chicago26.jpg: Gary Oldman plays Lt. James Gordon in “The Dark Knight”
thedarkknight_chicago27.jpg: Gary Oldman plays Lt. James Gordon in “The Dark Knight”
thedarkknight_chicago28.jpg: Gary Oldman plays Lt. James Gordon in “The Dark Knight”
thedarkknight_chicago29.jpg: “The Dark Knight” red carpet in Chicago on July 16, 2008
thedarkknight_chicago30.jpg: “The Dark Knight” director Christopher Nolan (right)
thedarkknight_chicago31.jpg: “The Dark Knight” director Christopher Nolan
thedarkknight_chicago32.jpg: “The Dark Knight” director Christopher Nolan (right)
thedarkknight_chicago33.jpg: “The Dark Knight” director Christopher Nolan (right)
thedarkknight_chicago34.jpg: Christopher Nolan (second from right) with his wife
thedarkknight_chicago35.jpg: “The Dark Knight” red carpet at Chicago’s Navy Pier

Principal Photography For Untitled James Bond Film No. 22 to Begin on Jan. 3, 2008

HollywoodChicago.com — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 15:26:40 -0700

Principal photography for untitled James Bond film No. 22 will begin in the United Kingdom on Jan. 3, 2008 at Pinewood Studios, according to the comprehensive James Bond Web site MI6.

Daniel Craig for the 22nd James Bond film.
Photo credit: MI6
In its Dec. 30 report, MI6 cites an interview with James Bond film No. 22 director Marc Forster as published with Swiss newspaper SonntagsZeitung. The Jan. 3 start date for the film is one day earlier than previously stated by star Daniel Craig.

You don’t have to dig too far back through the HollywoodChicago.com archives to find a few local hits on this director. Forster’s 2007 film “The Kite Runner” was a 2007 hit at the Chicago International Film Festival and we photographed him on Oct. 4, 2007.

“The Kite Runner” director Marc Forster at the
Chicago International Film Festival on Oct. 4, 2007.
Photo by Evan O’Donnell/HollywoodChicago.com
Though an official title for the film hasn’t yet been announced, IMDb lists the film under the generic title “Bond 22” while various reports cite the rumored title “007”.

Marc Forster is the director of the 22nd James Bond film.
Photo credit: MI6
Indeed, Forster in this interview delves into how the next film in the massive franchise is a quest into 007’s inner self. He said:

When [James] Bond began in the [Sean] Connery days, travel was a luxury not everyone could afford. Today, the world has become smaller.

If Bond goes to a beach with palm trees, it’s almost banal now. The only interesting trip remains the journey inward deep into the psyche.

As for the business of Bond, Forster goes on to admit:

Financially, there are limits – even on a Bond film.

As for additional casting beyond Craig, MI6 says “British actress Gemma Arterton may have indeed secured a role” in the film. MI6 says it is unlikely, though, that her role will be as the major Bond girl.

Gemma Arterton “may have indeed landed” a role
in the 22nd James Bond film, according to MI6.
Photo credit: Sarah Dunn

Gemma Arterton
Photo credit: Gemma-Arterton.net
Produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, the film is slated to hit theaters on Nov. 7, 2008.

Marc Forster is the director of the 22nd James Bond film.
Photo credit: MI6
For background, MI6 adds:

Foreign [filming locations will include] Italy, Panama, Austria and Bolivia. Paul Haggis completed the script based on a first-draft screenplay developed by regular scribes Neal Purvis and Robert Wade.

The story will be a direct continuation of the events of “Casino Royale”. It is British actor Daniel Craig’s second outing as James Bond following his debut [James Bond] film “Casino Royale,” [which was released on] Nov. 16, 2006.

Dame Judi Dench and Giancarlo Giannini will also reprise their roles. Mathieu Amalric and Anatole Taubman will play villains.

8:49 p.m. update on Jan. 24, 2008: The film now has its official title: “Quantum of Solace,” which Variety says is derived from a short story published as part of a collection by Bond creator Ian Fleming in 1960.

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com