Entertainment
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Mendocino Farms restaurant chain opening in Vernon HillsApr 16, 2026 2:59 pm - Mendocino Farms, a fast-casual restaurant known for farm-fresh crafted sandwiches and salads, is opening its first suburban Chicago location Tuesday in Vernon Hills.
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‘Beef’ is back with searing second season, inspired by real-life shouting match
Apr 16, 2026 1:34 pm - Starting from scratch, Season 2 of Lee Sung Jin’s “Beef” on Netflix introduces a pair of warring couples who have crossed paths at a lavish California country club. Spanning Los Angeles and Seoul, the second season makes for another thorny negotiation of the human condition.
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Who should be the next James Bond? A few out-of-the-box ideas.
Apr 16, 2026 1:26 pm - For almost a year, Denis Villeneuve has been on tap to direct the next 007 installment, the first since Daniel Craig exited the role. Producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman have been lined up since March 2025. The big missing piece: Who’ll play the guy in the tux?
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‘Lee Cronin’s The Mummy’ offers a teenage-girl mummy and a messy, overlong gorefest
Apr 16, 2026 10:20 am - The tagline for “Lee Cronin’s The Mummy” is “Some things are meant to stay buried.” That also applies to the misguided “Lee Cronin’s The Mummy,” which should definitely stay deep underground for eternity.
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Volo Museum’s Titanic exhibit floods on anniversary of ship’s sinking
Apr 16, 2026 9:57 am - On the anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, waters also troubled the Volo Museum, as its Titanic exhibit was flooded after Tuesday night’s storms.
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Bob Odenkirk’s sheriff is new to town in the gory thriller ‘Normal’
Apr 16, 2026 8:38 am - Over the years, we’ve seen countless characters wander into corrupt small towns and become entrapped by the locals. But in Ben Wheatley’s “Normal,” the good guy drifting into town IS the sheriff (Bob Odenkirk). This hyperviolent Midwestern Western that cleverly inverts some genre standards has a pleasingly loose hold on reality.
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Downers Grove Choral Society to premier new works celebrating America’s 250th anniversaryApr 16, 2026 12:41 am - The Downers Grove Choral Society will present the Illinois premiere of “US” and “Redeem the Dream” on April 26 at First United Methodist Church as part of the nationwide Sing Democracy 250 program celebrating America's 250th anniversary.
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Elgin Theatre Company’s ‘Fade’ explores culture and ambitionApr 16, 2026 12:05 am - Elgin Theatre Company wraps up its season with “Fade” by award-winning playwright Tanya Saracho. It follows Lucia, a Mexican-born novelist navigating the hurdles of a L.A. television writers' room, who strikes up a friendship with Abel, the building's custodian.
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‘The Winner Takes It All’ in Neuqua Valley’s spring musical ‘Mamma Mia!’Apr 15, 2026 11:02 pm - Neuqua Valley High School presents the hit musical “Mamma Mia!” from April 23-25, featuring a 55-person cast and a 27-piece live pit band. Director Johnathan Pontarelli promises a high-energy, collaborative production that celebrates friendship and unconventional families.
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AI-rendered Val Kilmer debuts in ‘As Deep as the Grave’ trailer
Apr 15, 2026 3:43 pm - The filmmakers behind “As Deep as the Grave,” the indie film that is using an artificial intelligence-rendered version of Val Kilmer in a prominent role, debuted a first look at the recreated actor Wednesday at CinemaCon in Las Vegas.