Dann hosts 3rd annual Teen Film Fest in Arlington Hts.
Third Teen Film Festival!
Join me for an evening of Northwest suburban teens armed with digital cameras as we present the winners in the third annual Teen Film Fest. I'll be there to critique the works of budding Spielbergs and host a brief Q&A with the directors. Free admission! Go to ahml.info for details and a map.
7 p.m. tonight, Aug. 21, in the Hendrickson Room at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library, 500 N. Dunton Ave., Arlington Heights.
'Cold Souls'
Sophie Barthes' clever capitalism satire never quite achieves the erudite flair of a Charlie Kaufman brain gouge, but Paul Giamatti's comically agonized performance as himself keeps the dark humor immediate and funny. Giamatti pays to have his soul extracted so he can better perform Chekhov. When his soul (the size of a chickpea) winds up on the Russian black market, Giamatti hops a jet to track down the talentless soap-opera star who bought it. A whimsical, but deadly serious comedy. Rated PG-13 for nudity and language. 101 minutes.
Starts today at the Century Centre in Chicago and the Renaissance Place in Highland Park.
'Weather Girl'
A Seattle TV weather girl (producer Tricia O'Kelley) freaks out on-camera about her co-host lover (a perfectly pompous Mark Harmon) cheating on her. She winds up in her little brother's crowded apartment with no prospects for romance or employment. Writer/director Blayne Weaver's overwritten romantic comedy boasts a terrific supporting cast (Jon Cryer, Jane Lynch, Blair Underwood) and a sassy-but-empathetic performance by O'Kelley, yet succumbs to trite plotting and made-for-cable visuals. Rated R for language. 93 minutes.
Starts today at the Pipers Alley Theaters, Chicago.