BREAKING NEWS: Brian Wilson Joins Panel Via Skype for #CIMMfest TODAY

This just in: The reclusive Brian Wilson will be joining CIMMfest TODAY.  He will be a phone/Skype participant in John Anderson's Cutting Room Floor Panel:

From the Cutting Room Floor Friday, May 2, 8 - 9:30pm at Logan Lounge, 2646 N Milwaukee Avenue.

More than 95% of footage shot for documentaries doesn’t make the final product. In music documentaries, it’s not unusual for classic performances, in-depth interviews and one-of-a-kind material – the stuff that the serious musicphiles  consider gold – to wind up on the cutting room floor due to time constraints, legal complications and bad hair days. For the first time ever, Grammy-nominated director John Anderson, (Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE) – whose subjects have included Pete Townshend, Jack White, Neil Young, Ray Davies, Paul McCartney, Brian Wilson, Patti Smith, Elvis Costello, Eric Clapton, The Beach Boys, John Fogerty, Emmylou Harris, James Cotton, Cheap Trick, John Prine, Eric Burdon, Tiny Tim, Kanye West, Andy Summers and John Cage – opens up his vault and shares with CIMMfest classic moments that have passed through his hands on their way to the cutting room floor.

ABOUT CIMMFEST

The mission of the Chicago International Movies & Music Festival (CIMMfest) is to highlight the inseparability of film and music through the production of an annual four-day, multi-venue festival.  CIMMfest is a convergence event that highlights the interconnectedness of all people shown through the lens of music and movies, on stage and on screen.  All participating films have music at their center: short and long form documentaries and narrative fiction; concert films; animation; music videos; performances; live concert events; art exhibits; and panel discussions, presented at both new and historic venues around Chicago.  CIMMfest is a platform for filmmakers and musicians, artists and producers, to present their vision and offer a connection point for people to come together for a celebration of movies, music, and good times in the greatest city on earth – Chicago!  For more information, visit www.CIMMfest.org.  

The Must-Own Movie of the Year Now Available #FoxHomeEnt #Freebie

WHAT WE'RE WATCHING:  THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY  The Must-Own Movie of the Year Now Out on Blu-ray™, DVD,  Digital HD™ As Of Mid April Maybe you were one of ChiIL Mama's lucky 40 readers to score a pair of advanced screening Gofobo passes to see THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY when it was in the theatres.  Now you can take it home with you.  We adore this film and are so excited to own it now on Blu-ray, to watch time and time again. The travel shots are gorgeous and the message about the meaning of life is spot on.  My tween and teen enjoy THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY as well, and think it's hilarious, and it's a movie I can feel good about them watching.  Get yours today. Disclosure:  Thanks to Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment for sending us a Blu-ray to review.  All opinions are our own.    FROM EMMY AWARD-WINNER* BEN STILLER COMES AN AWE INSPIRING JOURNEY Experience the Critically-Acclaimed Adventure on Stunning Blu-rayTM and Receive A Collectible Gift with Purchase from Shutterfly Dare to live your dreams! Get Ready To Let Life In. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment will take movie-lovers on an uplifting adventure when THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY debuts on Blu-rayTM and DVD April 15 and Digital HDTM April 1- perfectly timed for Easter gifting! Led by director Ben Stiller and an all-star cast, the film has been hailed by critics worldwide – THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY is a must-own for every collection. With sweeping cinematography and stellar performances THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY, tells the story of a timid magazine photo manager who lives life vicariously through daydreams and when a negative goes missing must embark on an incredible true-life adventure. Those who purchase THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY on Blu-rayTM or DVD can own a special gift with purchase redeemable until August 31, 2014: a Shutterfly® 20-page 8x8 hard cover photo book valued at $29.99. Consumers will be able to redeem their photo book by entering a unique promo code at checkout on Shutterfly.com.  With stand-out performances from Ben Stiller (Night At The Museum, Meet The Parents) Golden Globe** and six-time Emmy Award*** nominated actress Kristen Wiig (Saturday Night Live, Bridesmaids, How To Train Your Dragon), Adam Scott (Step Brothers) and Shirley MacLaine (Wild Oats), the THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY Blu-rayTM and DVD is loaded with more than an hour of behind-the-scenes special features, including deleted, extended and alternative scenes, featurettes that dive into filming in Iceland and Walter Mitty history, a gallery of exclusive reference photography, and music video "Stay Alive" by José González, and more. SPECIAL FEATURES Blu-rayTM ○ Deleted Scenes: ■ Morning Routine ■ Young Odessa Fantasy ■ Jester Fantasy ■ Manfree Fantasy ■ Impound Lot ○ Extended Scenes: ■ The History of Walter Mitty ■ The Look of Life ■ That’s A Shark ■ The Music of Walter Mitty ■ Icelandic Adventure ■ Nordic Casting ■ Titles of Walter Mitty ■ Sights and Sounds of Production ● Skateboarding Through Iceland ● Ted-Walter Flight ○ Gallery: Reference Photography ○ Music Video “Stay Alive” by José González ○ Theatrical Trailer SPECIAL FEATURES DVD ○ Behind The Scenes: ■ The Look of Life ■ The Music of Walter Mitty ■ Sights and Sounds of Production ● Skateboarding Through Iceland ■ Gallery: Reference Photograph ABOUT TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is the industry leading worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox produced, acquired and third party partner film and television programing. Each year TCFHE expands its award-winning global product portfolio with the introduction of new entertainment content through established and emerging formats including DVD, Blu-ray™ and Digital HD™. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is a subsidiary of 21st Century Fox. Want to see more Mitty magic? Click here for The Walter Mitty Movie Tumbler, to check out how the film is inspiring real people to explore, adventure, connect, and follow their dreams!   Follow Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment on Twitter @FoxHomeEnt THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY BLU-RAYTM  Street Date: April 15, 2014 Prebook Date: March 19, 2014 Screen Format: Widescreen 16.9 Audio: DTS-HD-MA 7.1, French DD 5.1, Latin Spanish DD 5. 1 Subtitles: English, Spanish Total Run Time: 1:54:24 U.S. Rating: PG Closed Captioned: No THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY DVD  Street Date: April 15, 2014 Prebook Date: March 19, 2014 Screen Format: Widescreen 16.9 Audio: English DD5.1 Spanish DD 5.1 Surround, Canadian French DD 2.0 Subtitles: English, French, Spanish Total Run Time: 1:54:24 U.S. Rating: PG Closed Captioned: No *1993, Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program, The Ben Stiller Show **2012, Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical, Bridesmaids ***2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, Saturday Night Live; 2012, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance, The Looney Tunes Show; 2013, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series, Saturday Night Live * Taxes, shipping, and handling will apply. Offer subject to standard Shutterfly® terms and conditions, including one-time redemption per billing address. Disclosure:  Once again, thanks to Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment for sending us a Blu-ray to review.  All opinions are our own.

SHOWS ON OUR RADAR: Motown The Musical Now Playing at The Oriental Theatre #BroadwayInChicago

We can't wait for the press opening on 5/8!  We'll be there to review for ChiIL Live Shows/ChiIL Mama, so check back like we vote in Chi, IL... early and often, for our take on all the hottest Chicago shows. In the mean time, get your tickets squared away! Show dates are selling fast.

It began as one man's story... became everyone's music... and is now Broadway's musical. MOTOWN THE MUSICAL is the true American dream story of Motown founder Berry Gordy's journey from featherweight boxer to the heavyweight music mogul who launched the careers of Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Smokey Robinson and many more. 

Motown shattered barriers, shaped our lives and made us all move to the same beat. Featuring classic songs such as "My Girl" and "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," experience the story behind the music in the record-breaking smash hit MOTOWN THE MUSICAL!

Just opened April 22 at the Oriental Theatre in Chicago, IL. Tickets now on sale: http://bit.ly/motown14

PHOTO RECAP: Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo 2014 #C2E2 #OriginalPhotos

ChiIL Mama's adventures in C2E2 land

We've been at McCormick Place frequently over the past few months, first for The Chicago Auto Show and then the enormous International Home and Housewares Show (click for our coverage). Now the cars and gadgets have been shipped away for the season and we can cover our favorite convention to shoot. Every April the convention center morphs into a colorful, otherworldly mash up you have to see to believe!





Check out our full set in the slide show here and our favorites embedded at the bottom of this feature.




This is our 3rd year covering C2E2 and sadly, the bigger they've grown the stingier they've gotten on the press front. The first year they comped us 4 press credentials for the whole weekend, so I could publish my kids' take on C2E2 and my sound guy husband could mic up people for interviews while I ran the video & still cameras and conducted interviews. Gone are those days. If I only had a Tardis to travel back...



This year they gave us 1 Friday only pass.  So, I did what I could solo, to capture the playful fun of the fest.  I logged in just over SIX MILES of walking on my smart phone app inside the doors of C2E2 land, and came home with nearly 500 stills.  

Family Fun:
Adventure awaits for all ages. My own 10 & 13 year olds were bummed to be stuck at school Friday instead of enjoying the C2E2 immersion, but we were able to meet a few other kids getting schooled in pop culture!

Fans can meet artists in action, authors, and actors. Here are a few of our favs.

Here at ChiIL Mama we love to feature families doing their creative thing together... like these two moms with their littles along.  

Chainmaille Dr. Who Scarf and Ren Faire Skirt/Corsette Topper!

There IS life after birth and just because you make a life, that doesn't mean you can't still have one!

Get Your Geek On:
At C2E2 you can get your geek on at loads of themed booths. We gravitated toward the unique ones with artist made wares.  

We bought several handmade, one of a kind Dr. Who themed necklaces and a bracelet, and one with a sweet Divergent/Hunger Games mash up for my mighty girl 10 year old from Sparkle-ga.com.

How perfect is that for a whovian writer...?!

This booth was pricy but a super cool idea!

There were even some poignant moments as fans paid tribute to their own fallen heros of the film industry. My husband worked on shoots with Harold Ramis a number of times and said he was truly a great guy.

We dug the monster makeup/mask demos.

There were also some tee shirts too cool to pass up.  We adore Hayao Miyazaki so I bought two unique shirts with mash ups of his characters. I tried to make up for ditching the kids this year with some surprises for them, but I really missed having them for photo ops and input.

I did have the chance to do some networking and check out some edu-tainment. We'll have book reviews and more in depth features to come on some of our favorites.  I got this awesome Tee from Kill Shakespeare for my 13 year old son who has been reading Romeo & Juliet for school. 

My 10 year old daughter is also doing short scenes from Shakespeare in class, and she's currently in Macbeth and will be doing A Midsummer Night's Dream shortly!

Next up... 





These are a few of our favorite pop-culture things that made an appearance at C2E2 in no particular order:

Foodie Fun:
The food selection made up for in quality what it lacked in quantity. There were vegan, veg and carnivore choices. I had a tasty pulled chicken BBQ sandwich from Robinson's.  I was also please to see our local, neighborhood favs, Revolution Brewery representing with their infamous Anti-Hero IPA and a new IPA brew, Galaxy Hero.  Hero or Anti-Hero... IPAs rule my world.

Didja mean C2E2 or R2D2?!  Maybe BOTH!

Our favorite part of C2E2 is the rampant creativity of the fans! The Cosplay kids were out en masse, and the mash ups were prime entertainment.  We love it when people are passionate about their play. Check out our "Best Of" below:

Mom & Daughter!