Celebrate Illinois' Oscar winners, scandalous moments, and "Oscar bait" as you countdown to this year's Academy Awards Countdown to the Oscars: Illinois Winners, Scandalous Moments, and Oscar Bait Celebrate Illinois' Oscar winners, scandalous moments, and "Oscar bait" as you countdown to this year's Academy Awards All Talks About This program aims to prepare you for Hollywood's biggest night—the Oscars! In our hour-long talk, we'll shine the spotlight on Illinois' rich history of Academy Award success, celebrating winners from Chicago and beyond. We'll also dish on some of the most unforgettable and scandalous moments in Oscar history that had everyone talking. Plus, you'll learn all about the term Oscar bait —what it is, why it (sometimes) works, and how it shapes the race for the gold. Grab your popcorn, settle in, and join us for an entertaining and insightful countdown to the Oscars! Request Talk

Explore the lives of three stars via massive murals in Chicago  Chicago Murals and Movie Stars Explore the lives of three stars via massive murals in Chicago All Talks About With the help of original HD video, this talk takes guests to massive murals in three different Chicago neighborhoods. The first mural is devoted to Dolly Parton : singer, songwriter, actress, LGBTQ+ icon, and philanthropist. While there, we'll chat briefly about Parton's 1992 romantic comedy Straight Talk , filmed here in Chicago. The second mural celebrates Robin Williams , born in Chicago in 1951. Once we "arrive," we'll take a moment to analyze the artwork in terms of size, color, and subject before heading to the actor-comedian's childhood home. The third mural depicts film producer Quincy Jones , who survived a "rough and scary" childhood in Chicago. We'll also visit Jones' childhood home in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood. NOTE: Due to the violent nature of Jones' backstory, this segment of the program may not be appropriate for children. Request Talk

Every Wednesday, join us in guessing the Chicago-based movie or television show from one screenshot. Visit our archive to play the ones you missed! One-Shot Wednesday On Wednesdays, guess the Chicago-based movie or television show from one screenshot. The Weather Man The Weather Man is a 2005 American comedy-drama film directed by Gore Verbinski and starring Nicolas Cage. The film follows the story of David Spritz (Cage), a local television weatherman in Chicago who is going through a mid-life crisis. In the film, people throw food—like McDonald's pies!—at David to ridicule him and illustrate their dissatisfaction with his job as a weatherman. Perhaps the food-throwing also symbolizes the public's own discontent with life in general? Welcome to One-Shot Wednesday! Think you’re a Chicago screen buff? On Wednesdays, we post one still from a movie or TV show filmed or set in the Windy City. Your mission? Guess the title! You've already seen this week’s image above. If you're feeling nostalgic, explore the full archive of past challenges to keep the fun rolling. Psst: you're on screenshot: 84 Access Archive

Every Wednesday, join us in guessing the Chicago-based movie or television show from one screenshot. Visit our archive to play the ones you missed! One-Shot Wednesday On Wednesdays, guess the Chicago-based movie or television show from one screenshot. The Lake House (2006) The Lake House (2006) is a romantic fantasy drama starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock. The plot centers on an architect (Reeves) and a physician (Bullock) who exchange letters across a two-year time gap while living in the same unique lake house at different times. In the above screenshot, Bullock’s character collapses by the mailbox, overcome with grief that one of her letters didn't reach Reeves' character in time. Moments later, her sadness turns to joy when he appears. The two kiss and then walk toward the lake house together, as shown in the film’s final shot . Chicago locations, mostly in the Loop , are evident in the movie: the Fine Arts Building, Auditorium Theater, Millers Pub, and Daley Plaza, for example. Cast and crew also ventured out to Chicago's western suburbs for several scenes. Featured are Riverside, Aurora, and most memorably, Willow Springs, where the lake house sits—or once sat. The glass house featured in The Lake House was constructed on dry land at Maple Lake in Willow Springs, IL , and then flooded to appear as if it was on the water. After production, the house was removed and replaced with a fishing dock. This decision was a major disappointment to several prospective buyers who reportedly showered the movie’s producers with inquiries about purchasing the house. The Lake House marks the second Chicago-based movie for both Bullock and Reeves. About a decade earlier, she starred in While You Were Sleeping (1995), he in Chain Reaction (1996). Welcome to One-Shot Wednesday! Think you’re a Chicago screen buff? On Wednesdays, we post one still from a movie or TV show filmed or set in the Windy City. Your mission? Guess the title! You've already seen this week’s image above. If you're feeling nostalgic, explore the full archive of past challenges to keep the fun rolling. Psst: you're on screenshot: 84 Access Archive

Every Wednesday, join us in guessing the Chicago-based movie or television show from one screenshot. Visit our archive to play the ones you missed! One-Shot Wednesday On Wednesdays, guess the Chicago-based movie or television show from one screenshot. Ferris Bueller's Day Off From Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986), this is an extreme close-up of the reservation book for a (fake) restaurant called Chez Quis. In the scene, Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) enters the fancy Chicago restaurant, sneaks a peek at the reservation book, picks the name Abe Froman , and then pretends to be Froman for the next hour or so. Spot Froman’s name at the top left corner of today’s screenshot. Almost 40 years after audiences were introduced to Chez Quis, the made-up restaurant—alongside other Chicago landmarks and items in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off —ushered in 2025 in the 136th Tournament of Roses Parade . Enjoy Illinois , the state’s official tourism website, showcased this Ferris Bueller’s Day Off-themed float at the 136th Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year’s Day 2025. The float featured the following: Chez Quis’s sign Wrigley Field marquee Calder’s Flamingo Sears Tower “Save Ferris” water tower Red sports car Floral homage to Georges Seurat’s 1886 Sunday on La Grande Jatte . Illinois native Brian Culbertson performed “Danke Schoen,” and the parade—themed “Best Day Ever!”—concluded with the Rose Bowl Game. Ferris Bueller proves yet again that life moves pretty fast—and it’s worth stopping to enjoy the ride! Watch a montage of the float being assembled here . Welcome to One-Shot Wednesday! Think you’re a Chicago screen buff? On Wednesdays, we post one still from a movie or TV show filmed or set in the Windy City. Your mission? Guess the title! You've already seen this week’s image above. If you're feeling nostalgic, explore the full archive of past challenges to keep the fun rolling. Psst: you're on screenshot: 84 Access Archive

Every Wednesday, join us in guessing the Chicago-based movie or television show from one screenshot. Visit our archive to play the ones you missed! One-Shot Wednesday On Wednesdays, guess the Chicago-based movie or television show from one screenshot. The Trial of the Chicago 7 Today's #OneShotWed comes from The Trial of the Chicago 7 , a movie set in Chicago but filmed only partially here. Start at min. 18:40 in Netflix's behind-the-scenes video below. You'll learn how Grant Park—including set pieces like protest signs, Chicago police cars, and ammo—was transformed for the two weeks that production took place in the city. Welcome to One-Shot Wednesday! Think you’re a Chicago screen buff? On Wednesdays, we post one still from a movie or TV show filmed or set in the Windy City. Your mission? Guess the title! You've already seen this week’s image above. If you're feeling nostalgic, explore the full archive of past challenges to keep the fun rolling. Psst: you're on screenshot: 84 Access Archive

Every Wednesday, join us in guessing the Chicago-based movie or television show from one screenshot. Visit our archive to play the ones you missed! One-Shot Wednesday On Wednesdays, guess the Chicago-based movie or television show from one screenshot. Man of Steel In this scene from Man of Steel (2013), Superman (Henry Cavill) battles his enemy, General Zod (Michael Shannon), to the death. The lengthy fight scene, part of which you can watch below, ends inside Chicago's Union Station . At right, a family is trapped in the fire beams emanating from Zod's deadly eyes. During an interview with Chicago's WGN, actor Michael Shannon—who plays General Zod and went to high school in Chicago's north suburbs—recalls filming this scene in Union Station : ”I’ve been to Union Station a lot, mostly when I'm taking the train somewhere. [For Man of Steel ] we were in the same room where they shot that amazing sequence in The Untouchables . I would look over at the staircase and see the baby carriage coming down the stairs." I'm not sure which is more terrifying: seeing "the ghost" of The Untouchables ' baby carriage or Zod's fiery eyes take down a marble wall inside Chicago's historic Union Station. Welcome to One-Shot Wednesday! Think you’re a Chicago screen buff? On Wednesdays, we post one still from a movie or TV show filmed or set in the Windy City. Your mission? Guess the title! You've already seen this week’s image above. If you're feeling nostalgic, explore the full archive of past challenges to keep the fun rolling. Psst: you're on screenshot: 84 Access Archive

Every Wednesday, join us in guessing the Chicago-based movie or television show from one screenshot. Visit our archive to play the ones you missed! One-Shot Wednesday On Wednesdays, guess the Chicago-based movie or television show from one screenshot. The Fugitive (1993) In The Fugitive , Dr. Richard Kimble (Harrison Ford) escapes from U.S. Marshal Samuel Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones) during Chicago's annual St. Patrick's Day parade, allowing him to continue his quest to find his wife’s killer. Today’s screenshot illustrates how The Fugitive ’s director, Andrew Davis, filmed this scene “documentary-style, grabbing what [he] could from the actual parade.” Pictured are parade participants from the Chicago Stockyards Kilty Band , reportedly Chicago's oldest bagpipe band, founded in 1921. More specifically, Davis captured most of the parade chase with hand-held and Steadicam cameras. Then, he edited the shots together to depict Kimble’s slipping away unnoticed. But one of the final shots in this scene—of Kimble escaping into the crowd as Gerard searches —occurs in the same frame. “That moment was without a cut," recalls Davis. "It was fantastic." You can watch the Chicago St. Patrick’s Day parade scene in full below and read more about it in this 2023 interview . Welcome to One-Shot Wednesday! Think you’re a Chicago screen buff? On Wednesdays, we post one still from a movie or TV show filmed or set in the Windy City. Your mission? Guess the title! You've already seen this week’s image above. If you're feeling nostalgic, explore the full archive of past challenges to keep the fun rolling. Psst: you're on screenshot: 84 Access Archive

Every Wednesday, join us in guessing the Chicago-based movie or television show from one screenshot. Visit our archive to play the ones you missed! One-Shot Wednesday On Wednesdays, guess the Chicago-based movie or television show from one screenshot. Airplane! Airplane! is a 1980 film comedy that parodies popular 1970s disaster movies like Airport (1970), The Poseidon Adventure (1972), Earthquake (1974) and The Towering Inferno (1974). More specifically, Airplane! borrows its story, characters, and some lines of dialogue from an earlier disaster drama, Zero Hour! (1957). In today’s screenshot, a member of ground control accidentally sends a plane crashing through the airport terminal’s window. As the plane breaks through, people scatter right and left. One woman even throws her baby in the air before she runs (look for the pink blanket near the airplane's nose). For all the hijinks, watch the short clip below. While Airplane! was not shot in Chicago, the flight in the story is headed here (from Los Angeles). And Chicago is mentioned nearly 40 times in the screenplay. One of the silliest Chicago references in the film comes in this short insert . As a radio DJ says, “This is WZAZ in Chicago, where disco lives forever,” the airplane flies over WZAZ's tower, destroys its antenna, and kills the signal. Hardcore Airplane! (or Chicago movie) fans can even buy a WZAZ Chicago t-shirt . Welcome to One-Shot Wednesday! Think you’re a Chicago screen buff? On Wednesdays, we post one still from a movie or TV show filmed or set in the Windy City. Your mission? Guess the title! You've already seen this week’s image above. If you're feeling nostalgic, explore the full archive of past challenges to keep the fun rolling. Psst: you're on screenshot: 84 Access Archive

Every Wednesday, join us in guessing the Chicago-based movie or television show from one screenshot. Visit our archive to play the ones you missed! One-Shot Wednesday On Wednesdays, guess the Chicago-based movie or television show from one screenshot. Spider-Man 2 Today's #OneShotWed comes from Spider-Man 2 (2004), a movie set in New York and filmed partly in Chicago. In this scene, Spider-Man and Dr. Octopus fight atop a moving ‘L’ train. Since Manhattan has few elevated tracks, special effects crews were sent to Chicago to film 'L' stations and the surrounding city environment. Characters were digitally inserted later. Movie magic! (Well, computer magic.) Welcome to One-Shot Wednesday! Think you’re a Chicago screen buff? On Wednesdays, we post one still from a movie or TV show filmed or set in the Windy City. Your mission? Guess the title! You've already seen this week’s image above. If you're feeling nostalgic, explore the full archive of past challenges to keep the fun rolling. Psst: you're on screenshot: 84 Access Archive

Explore hidden stories of women who shaped early Chicago cinema, with HD footage of key locations where they lived and worked Women and Early Cinema in Chicago: Untold Stories Behind the Silent Screen Explore hidden stories of women who shaped early Chicago cinema, with HD footage of key locations where they lived and worked All Talks About Discover untold stories of three women who helped shape early cinema in Chicago. Through HD footage of locations where these women lived and worked, you'll explore their often overlooked contributions to the early film industry. Start in Chicago's western suburbs at a modest Frank Lloyd Wright home, where you'll uncover a woman's impressive connection to pre-cinema through her work at the Art Institute of Chicago. Then, stroll down a 140-year-old brick-paved road to the Morse Theatre to hear about its innovative female ownership and why it was once hailed as "the theatre of the future." Finally, visit the old Essanay studio lot in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood, where a silent-era screenwriter worked before becoming one of Hollywood's most powerful gossip columnists. Led by a PhD who taught film for more than a decade, this program offers a unique glimpse into Chicago's cinema history, highlighting three (of countless!) oft-overlooked women who made their mark on the early days of film. Request Talk

Learn about three Chicago movie theaters that survived the 1918 flu pandemic Chicago, Movies, and the 1918 Pandemic Learn about three Chicago movie theaters that survived the 1918 flu pandemic All Talks About In 1918, Chicago movie theaters faced an unprecedented challenge as the flu pandemic disrupted daily life and shuttered public spaces across the city. Yet some movie houses found ways to endure—and their buildings still stand today! In this talk, Kelli takes you, via HD footage, to three silent-era Chicago movie theaters that survived the 1918 flu pandemic. Along the way, she offers a brief history of the so-called Spanish Flu, with subtle connections to more recent global experiences such as COVID. Request Talk