News

Jeff Tweedy has added to his already-busy autumn with a new solo album titled Warm, the Wilco frontman’s second solo LP following the retrospective Together at Last in 2017.

Warm arrives November 30th via Tweedy’s dBpm Records. The album was recorded at Chicago studio The Loft alongside collaborators like Glenn Kotche, Tom Schick and his son Spencer Tweedy.

Tweedy also shared the video for Warm‘s first single “Some Birds,” with the singer adding of the track in a statement, “like a lot of songs on Warm, being a...

Here’s the only plausible explanation for “Pottersville,” a nearly unwatchable — but inexplicably star-studded — new Christmas comedy which is making a brief pitstop in select theaters before spending the rest of eternity in the storage room of your local Walmart: A veteran producer at the Hallmark Channel was at the end of his rope (for the purposes of this hypothetical scenario, let’s pretend said producer was “Pottersville” director Seth Henrikson, whose sparse IMDb credits leave plenty to the imagination). Frustrated by a career spent churning out festive — and weirdly horny — shlock like “A Very Merry Mix-Up,” “Matchmaker Santa” (featuring Lacey Chabert), and “A Boyfriend for Christmas” (the story of an infatuated girl who wastes her 20s waiting for Santa Claus to come down her chimney), he finally broke.

Some scholars argue that it was the 2007 Melissa Joan Hart / Mario Lopez vehicle “Holiday in Handcuffs” that pushed him over the...

An amiable misfire that (for better or worse) isn't quite as nutty as it sounds, Seth Henrikson's Pottersville pairs Yuletide cheer with the deviance of the Furry scene and an out-of-control hoax involving an ersatz Bigfoot. The feature debut for both Henrikson and screenwriter Daniel Meyer, it has attracted a top-shelf cast that presumably saw something in the source material that didn't quite come through in execution. Topliners including Michael Shannon and Christina Hendricks will likely be good for some clicks once the pic segues into streaming platforms.

Hendricks' performance here is one of several cues that we're watching the...

You might be thinking to yourself that even the great Michael Shannon has to do a paycheck gig now and then. After all, it seems the only plausible explanation for why he’d appear in the cheap looking, wacky comedy “Pottersville,” right? Well, he’s also the executive producer, so let that sink in for a moment.

Somehow, director Seth Henrikson managed not only to rope in Shannon, but also Judy Greer, Christina Hendricks, Ron Perlman, and Ian McShane for his feature debut, about a man who is mistaken for Bigfoot, causing a lucrative, media hyped frenzy in his otherwise unassuming, small town.

Continue reading ‘Pottersville’ Trailer: Michael Shannon Is Bigfoot In Bonkers Comedy at The Playlist.

"It's a magical life." Echo Bridge has debuted an official trailer for a small-town holiday comedy film titled Pottersville. This looks like the wackiest, straight-to-cable-tv Christmas comedy in, well, a long time. The only reason we're featuring it here is because it actually has an interesting cast. Michael Shannon stars as a struggling shop owner who is mistaken for Bigfoot when stumbling around drunk late one night. This brings attention to the town, in turn helping the local businesses. The rest of the cast includes Judy Greer, Tom Lennon, Ron Perlman, Christina Hendricks, and Ian McShane. I honestly don't even want to suggest watching this trailer, but at least it won't take up more than two minutes of your time. Try to enjoy. Here's the official trailer (+ poster) for Seth Henrikson's Pottersville, direct from YouTube: It's a long cold winter in Pottersville, and struggling store owner Maynard (Michael Shannon) is hit by hard times.

Michael Shannon’s got major projects in the works. Yesterday, it was reported that the actor would be joining Benedict Cumberbatch in “The Current War,” and now Deadline announced that Shannon has jumped onboard another drama, “Horse Soldiers,” alongside Chris Hemsworth.

Co-financed by Black Label Media, the film is based on Doug Stanton’s book of the same name and follows a U.S. Special Forces team and their untested captain who are sent to a rugged, mountainous region of Afghanistan in the weeks after 9/11. The team is assigned to work with a Northern Alliance warlord to fight against overwhelming odds to drive out the Taliban. No details about Shannon or Hemsworth’s characters were revealed.

Read More: Michael Shannon Joins Benedict Cumberbatch in Thomas Edison Drama ‘The Current War’

The project is being directed by Nicolai Fuglsig and was adapted for the screen by Peter Craig and Ted Tally.

Exclusive: Michael Shannon, Judy Greer, Tom Lennon, Ron Perlman, Christina Hendricks and Ian McShane are toplining Pottersville. The indie dramatic comedy from Perlman’s Wing and a Prayer Pictures and Shannon’s Plot Four Productions just wrapped shooting on Wing and a Prayer’s turf in Upstate New York. Seth Henrikson directed the script by Dan Meyer. The plot centers on Maynard (Shannon), a beloved local businessman who is mistaken for the legendary Bigfoot during an…...

Chicago – On Tuesday, December 1st, the Midwest Independent Film Festival gave out their 2015 “Best of the Midwest” Awards with a ceremony at Rockit Bar & Grill in Chicago. Best Film honors went to “Uncle John,” directed by Steven Piet. Best Female Actor was Carisa Barreca of “Doomsdate,” Best Male Actor was Charles Whitcomb of “Full Frame,” and Best Director was Sonny Mallhi of “Anguish,” among other categories.

Best Male Actor Charles Whitcomb (‘Full Frame’) With Presenter Rich Moskal and BMA Host Mike McNamara

Photo credit: Patrick McDonald for HollywoodChicago.com

The evening was hosted by Festival Director Mike McNamara, and included presenters Betsy Steinberg – the new Executive Director of Kartemquin Films, Christine Dudley – the Director of the Illinois Film Office, Rich Moskal – Director of the Chicago Film Office, Billy Dec – Rockit Entertaiment & “Windy City Live,’ and a video appearance from the director of the Best Music Video, Nick Offerman. The event...

Chicago – On Tuesday, December 2nd, the Midwest Independent Film Festival gave out their 2014 “Best of the Midwest” awards with a ceremony at The Underground Nightclub in Chicago. Sweeping Best Actor, Director and Feature Film was the Collin Schiffli-directed “Animals,” starring and written by David Dastmalchian.

BMA Host Mike McNamara with Presenter/Screenwriter Irvine Welsh

Photo credit: Jason Brown (jbrownweddingphoto.com) for MidwestFilm.com

The evening was hosted by Festival Director Mike McNamara, and featured appearances by television stars Jon Seda and Laroyce Hawkins of “Chicago Pd”; Christian Stolte and Charlie Barnett of “Chicago Fire”; Kelly O’Sullivan and Maura Kidwell of “Sirens”; Screenwriter Irvine Walsh (“Trainspotting”); and Betsy Steinberg, the Director of the Illinois Film Office.

The Midwest Independent Film Festival is a year-round movie event in Chicago that takes place the first Tuesday of every month, at the Landmark Century Centre Cinema. The festival has been named by...

Chicago – On Tuesday, December 2nd, the Midwest Independent Film Festival will award their 2014 “Best of the Midwest” honors with a ceremony at The Underground Nightclub in Chicago. The evening will be hosted by Festival Director Mike McNamara, and nominees include “Animals” – directed by Collin Schiffli, “The Starfish Throwers” – directed by Jesse Roesler and “Happy Christmas” – directed by Joe Swanberg.

Presented by the Midwest Independent Film Festival

Photo credit: MidwestFilm.com

The Midwest Independent Film Festival is a year-round movie event in Chicago that takes place the first Tuesday of every month, at the Landmark Century Centre Cinema. The festival has been named by Chicago Magazine in their “Best of Chicago” issue, and has become one of the top places for local filmmakers, producers and actors to network in the city.

The nominees for the “Best of the Midwest” Awards are as follows….

Best Music Video

“Shadow” directed by Ryan O...