As we describe in MEET YOUR HOSTS, neither of us knew much about Chicago until we arrived here as graduate students in the mid-70s. Well, over 20 years have passed & we’re still here. Although it was never our intention to become permanent residents, we have both found Chicago to be a warm, wonderful city (on the inside at least) & we feel it’s only fair now to include a Chicago section on our website.

1.) Facets Multimedia

Facets Multi-Media, founded in 1975, is a non-profit media arts organization which provides an extraordinary range of film and video programs. 

Facets Video, a division of Facets Multi-Media, is one of the nation’s largest distributors of foreign, classic, cult, art, and hard-to-find videos. We search the world for artistically important film on video - bypassing many mainstream releases to focus on the rare and the unusual. As a result, Facets' 40,000 (and growing!) title inventory is an astounding video collection unlike any in the world, famous for its breadth and diversity.

Facets video rental store is located at 1517 W. Fullerton Ave., in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago. If you don’t live near by, you can take advantage of our unique rent-by-mail membership. Facets rental library consists of over 20,000 videos, specializing in foreign, classic, experimental and independent films on video.

For more information on our video rentals programs please contact the rentals department at rentals@facets.org.

Besides mail-order videos and video rentals, the Facets Cinematheque includes daily screenings of artistically significant films and videos in our two theaters, including festivals, director retrospectives, premieres, re-discoveries and special programs. Several times during the year, we offer evening courses in cinema history which are challenging, informative and provocative.

For more information, surf on over to www.facets.org.

2.) Landmark Theatres

Landmark Theatres, the nation's largest art-house chain, features first-run independent and foreign films and non-traditional studio fare in 52 theaters representing 169 screens in 12 states (including the following metropolitan areas -- Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, LA, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, New Orleans, NYC, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle St. Louis, & Washington DC).

Metropolitan Chicago has two Landmark Theatres:

Landmark's Century Centre Cinema is a state-of-the-art and architecturally unique facility, and the first all-stadium seating theatre showcasing independent and foreign language films in the Chicagoland area. Featuring convenient validated parking, unobstructed sightlines, Dolby Digital sound and gourmet as well as traditional concessions, Landmark's Century Centre Cinema is one of the city's most innovative and exciting new theatre locations. Nestled into the fourth, fifth and sixth levels of the newly renovated Century Shopping Centre, it is surrounded by award-winning restaurants and shopping opportunities on Chicago's bustling near-north side. 

For more information, surf on over to www.landmarktheatres.com.

3.) The Music Box Theatre

The Music Box Theatre @ 3733 North Southport opened on August 22, 1929 as an elaborate little brother to the giant downtown movie houses. It featured second-run films after they left the downtown for the neighborhood circuits. In its declining years, it slipped into a sleazy $1.50 grind house showing last years films. In 1983, the current operators leased the closed theater. After an arduous four month restoration, the theater reopened in August of 1983, 54 years after the original August opening of 1929. Within eight years, cult films, independent films and documentaries were added for a one week playtime intermingled with double feature repertory. First-run foreign films were added to the roster in 1986. 

Over the years, The Music Box Theater has introduced Chicago to directors such as John Sayles and Pedro Almadovar, Richard Linklater, Aki Kaurismaki, Mike Leigh, Ken Loach, Errol Morris and Zhang Yimou. Film retrospectives have been screened on the works of Chaplin, Garbo, von Stroheim, Satyajit Ray, Hitchcock, Metro Goldwyn Mayer Studios, Warner Brother's pre-code movies and Betty Boop. By 1993, The Music Box had matured into its current film presentation format of Specialty Films showing first-run features weekly, repertory and independent features every Saturday & Sunday matinee and Midnight cult films on Friday & Saturday nights. The Music Box Theatre now presents a yearly average of 300 films, making it Chicago's year-round film festival.

For more information, surf on over to www.musicboxtheatre.com.  

4.) International Dinner and a Movie

“International Dinner and a Movie” meets on the second Tuesday of every month at the Chicago Cultural Center @ 78 East Washington Street in the Loop. Each event has three components: an introduction by one of Chicago’s local film critics, a film from the Home Vision Entertainment catalog (which specializes in foreign film classics from the 30s to the 70s), and a catered dinner tied to the evening’s film selection.

The dinners begin at 6 PM and the films begin at 7 PM. Tickets must be purchased at least 24 hours before each event & may be ordered online.

For more information, follow this link to www.ccdinnerandamovie.com or call 312.742.TIXS.

5.) CHICAGO FILM DISCUSSION GROUP

The Chicago Film Discussion Group is a friendly bunch interested in seeing & discussing offbeat movies. After screening a film at a local theatre, we visit a nearby restaurant or bar. The discussions usually last about an hour, depending on the number of people who turn out on any particular day. 

Everyone gets a chance to give an opinion, ask a question, or make a point, & the discussion flows nicely. We’re pretty informal, concentrating mainly on the fun of seeing offbeat films & meeting new people who share this interest. 

For more information, contact Bill thru the website:
http://www.chicagofilmdiscussion.com