Just in time for my trip to Chicago – a really nice article about Facets, which any movie-lover in the Chicago area will know (and certainly Facets’ reputation is much broader than just a local one). I’ve had some of my most memorable movie-watching moments in my life at Facets. I saw Husbands for the first time there, for example, but there’s so much more. Mitchell and I saw The King and I there – my first time seeing it on the big screen, and his first time seeing it ever, which I did not believe was possible. I could not BELIEVE he had never seen it because he’s seen everything, but glory be, he didn’t even know the plot, didn’t know the King died, so it was the funnest thing in the world to sit next to him and feel him DISCOVER that movie. At some point near the end of the picture, Mitchell suddenly grabbed my arm and hissed at me through the darkness ferociously, “Does the King die??? Tell me right now. Does the King die??” I refused to answer. 10 minutes later, the King died, and Mitchell’s sobs echoed through the theatre. One of my favorite movie experiences ever. So many memories in that place. My friend Michael (a local Chicago boy) had the film he wrote and directed (Kwik Stop – my review here) shown at Facets (when it couldn’t be seen anywhere else – God bless them for their help with distributing some of these smaller films) – and having it play at Facets had to be just the biggest thrill in the world more Michael, more meaningful than any glittery red carpet event, because it was FACETS, in his HOMETOWN. Mitchell went that night to support Michael, a really big night all around. Facets is mainstay of Chicago art-house cinema, and I always look forward to stopping by on any trip I take to the Windy City.
Read more about Facets here.
I miss Facets! Though I’m in Chicago but moved out of that hood and then there was Netflix and children…I drove by the other day and remembered it fondly, glad to see it still viable. We did directors then – watching their whole body of work when possible. Fun times.
Yeah, their series were just so great.
I do the same thing here at the Film Forum, which has awesome programming as well – but there’s just something about Facets.