Four Stars: A Chicago Film Podcast

Jeremy and Paco will be covering the 61st Chicago International Film Festival ! Our next few episodes will be dispatches from the festival, including mini-reviews, interviews, and catchups with film critics. If you have any suggestions of movies we have to see, you can reach us at chicagopodfilmcast@gmail.com. Art by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lily Bacon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ newest_latest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Jeremy and Paco are joined by the Modern Yentas, Natalie Jacobson and Naomi Borowsky, to talk about 2002's My Big Fat Greek Wedding. The Modern Yentas are a personalized match-making service based in Chicago. You can join their pool of people looking for love here . Art by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Lily Bacon⁠⁠⁠⁠ Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠ newest_latest⁠⁠⁠ Suggestions, comments, complaints, hate mail, and all other correspondence c...

Jeremy and Paco interview film programmer Will Morris. Will is part of the team that programs the Music Box of Horrors series throughout the month of October, as well as the 24 hour horror movie marathon . Will talks about how he got his start in film programming, the process the Music Box of Horrors team goes through to program the series, and gives us a preview of some of the movies to watch out...

Jeremy and Paco talk about Fixed, directed by Genndy Tartakovsky. First Impressions is an episode format where we talk about recently released Chicago movies. Let us know any that are coming up! You can watch Fixed on Netflix but we would suggest skipping it. Suggestions, comments, complaints, hate mail, and all other correspondence can be sent to chicagopodfilmcast@gmail.com Art by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Lily Bacon...

Jeremy and Paco discuss 1991's Backdraft, directed by Ron Howard. We also talk to Music Box Assistant Technical Director and Repertory Programmer Rebecca Lyon about 70mm film and the Music Box's 70mm Festival. Backdraft will be screening at the Music Box on 70mm on August 17 at 2:30pm and August 18 at 7:30. Buy your tickets here . Jeremy will be introducing the movie on the August 17 scree...

Jeremy and Paco interview actor Joe Farina, the son of legendary Chicago actor Dennis Farina. Joe talks about growing up in Chicago, his memories of visiting his father on set, and his father's legacy in the city. Art by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lily Bacon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ newest_latest⁠⁠⁠⁠ Suggestions, comments, complaints, hate mail, and all other correspondence can be sent to chicagopodfilmcast@gmail.com. You c...

Jeremy and Paco return to Wicker Park to discuss 2004's Wicker Park, directed by Paul McGuigan. Art by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Lily Bacon⁠⁠⁠⁠ Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠ newest_latest⁠⁠⁠ Suggestions, comments, complaints, hate mail, and all other correspondence can be sent to chicagopodfilmcast@gmail.com Further reading and sources ⁠ Reluctant Heartthrob ; Hartnett Downplays His Pretty-Boy Sex Appeal | Miki Turner, RedEye Wick...

Jeremy and Paco are joined by film critic Keith Phipps to talk about High Fidelity (2000), directed by Stephen Frears. Keith Phipps is a Chicago-based writer focusing on film. His primary outlet is The Reveal , a newsletter he co-writes with his longtime collaborator Scott Tobias. Keith also contributes to Vulture, The Ringer, TV Guide and other outlets and previously served as an editor at The A....

Jeremy and Paco are joined by Alex Gomez, one of the hosts of Music Box Movie Trivia, ⁠ to talk about 1996’s Primal Fear, directed by Gregory Hoblit. Music Box Movie Trivia is every Sunday from 4pm to 6pm in the Music Box Lounge. Reservations are strongly encouraged, but not required.  Walk-ins welcome once the lounge opens at 3pm, but we cannot guarantee your team a table. Follow this link to mak...

Jeremy and Paco talk about 2011's Source Code, directed by Duncan Jones. Featuring a clip from the first unreleased iteration of this podcast in 2021, where filmmaker Caitlyn Johnson joined us to talk about the movie. Art by ⁠⁠⁠Lily Bacon⁠⁠⁠ Music by ⁠⁠⁠ newest_latest⁠ Suggestions, comments, complaints, hate mail, and all other correspondence can be sent to chicagopodfilmcast@gmail.com You can wat...

Jeremy and Paco talk about A Working Man (2025), directed by David Ayer. First Impressions is a new episode format where we talk about recently released Chicago movies. Let us know any that are coming up! Suggestions, comments, complaints, hate mail, and all other correspondence can be sent to chicagopodfilmcast@gmail.com Art by ⁠⁠⁠Lily Bacon⁠⁠⁠ Music by ⁠⁠⁠ newest_latest⁠⁠ Further reading and sou...

Jeremy and Paco are joined by author Noah Gittell to talk about Eight Men Out (1988), directed by John Sayles. Art by ⁠⁠Lily Bacon⁠⁠ Music by ⁠⁠ newest_latest⁠ Eight Men Out is screening at the Music Box on 35mm on March 23, introduced by Noah! You can buy your tickets here . Further reading and sources: Baseball: The Movie | Noah Gittell Eight Men Out | Eliot Asinof The Betrayal | Charles Fountai...

Jeremy and Paco are joined by journalist Siri Chilukuri to talk about 1997’s My Best Friend’s Wedding, directed by P.J. Hogan.   Art by ⁠Lily Bacon⁠ Music by ⁠ newest_latest Further reading and sources: What Exactly Is Michael’s Job in ‘My Best Friend’s Wedding’? | Rodger Sherman, The Ringer Ron Bass, Screenwriting Machine | Elaine Dutka, L.A. Times Novelist Bolu Babalola Explains 'My Best Fri...

Jeremy and Paco are joined by film critic Matt Cipolla to talk about the 1988 classic, Child’s Play, directed by Tom Holland, and the Chucky series more generally.  Art by Lily Bacon Music by newest_latest Further reading and sources: “She Just Had an Accident”: “Seed of Chucky” at 20 | Matt Cipolla Howard Medley’s Bad Move | Ben Joravsky Reign of Chucky: The True Hollywood Story of a Not So Good...