Dann in reel life: Faux 'Moon' and the return of BMAs
Faux 'Moon'
If vampire hottie Edward Cullen from "Twilight Saga: New Moon" is 109 years old, why does he act just like a mopey, hormonally charged teenager? Having "lived" three or four human generations, wouldn't he have developed a sense of wisdom by now? Or become a cranky old cynic who's witnessed his last dozen girlfriends turn middle-aged while he still looks like a pre-auto crash James Dean?
Seriously, if all the Cullen kids have been religiously going to high school for the past 50 years, wouldn't they want to drive a stake through their own hearts rather than take one more class on transformational grammar?
The BMAs are back!
Actress Lori Petty (remember her role as the kid sister in "A League of Their Own"?) joins local filmmakers John McNaughton and Steve Jones to host the third annual Best of the Midwest Film Festival Awards, alias the BMAs, 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Rockit Bar & Grill, 22 W. Hubbard St., Chicago. Proceeds go to the festival. See midwestfilm.com.
The sound of musicals
Join me and film historian Raymond Benson as Dann & Raymond's Movie Club presents "Gotta Sing! Gotta Dance! The Sound of Musicals," an overview of the greatest motion picture musicals ever made. Clips from "Singin' in the Rain," "Fiddler on the Roof," "Moulin Rouge," "Chicago" and more. It starts at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Schaumburg Township District Library, 130 S. Roselle Road, Schaumburg. Best of all, it's free admission! Go to www.stdl.org or call (847) 985-4000.
'Christmas Sweater'
Glenn Beck's story of love, faith and family returns in "The Christmas Sweater - A Return to Redemption," to be broadcast live into area movie theaters. Following a remastered version of "Christmas Sweater" (recorded during last year's tour), Beck will introduce people touched by his story. A New York choir will open and close the evening with holiday music. 7 p.m. Thursday. A taped encore will be shown Dec. 10. Tickets cost $20 and can be purchased at fathomevents.com and theaters. Check the Daily Herald movie ads for locations.
35 mm. films where?
That's right. Celluloid 35 mm. movies are being shown at the Northbrook Public Library, 1201 Cedar Lane, Northbrook. Douglas Sirk is the featured director for December, with his 1953 drama "All I Desire" starting a five-film series. on Dec. 4. On Dec. 12, Quentin Tarantino's war film "Inglourious Basterds" will be shown at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Independent Chicago filmmaker Reid Schultz will lead a discussion following both showings. Free admission. Go to northbrook.info.