Travel/Food is pleased to welcome guest blogger Eloise Marie Valadez who will be contributing frequently to our site. Eloise is a professional journalist/writer and editor with four decades of experience covering the arts, entertainment, and culinary industries. A native of Chicago, she has a passion for the written word.
By Eloise Marie Valadez
One of the world’s esteemed film festivals is currently celebrating a monumental anniversary, The Chicago International Film Festival, marking 60 years in The Windy City, continues to Oct. 27.
The fest, which is the longest-running competitive film festival in North America, features an array of eclectic films spanning various genres.
“Our 60th Festival represents a transformational year, an opportunity for renewal and growth into the next six decades. Just like our viewers and our filmmakers, the Festival itself keeps evolving, with our eyes and our ears forever open to pressing stories of today and new images of our collective tomorrow,” said festival artistic director Mimi Plauche and managing director Vivian Teng, in a statement.
Photo courtesy of the Chicago International Film Festival.
Attendees of the 2024 rendition of the festival will see everything from comedic and dramatic presentations to hard-hitting documentaries, animated contributions and engaging shorts.
On the agenda this year are 122 feature films, 71 shorts, four World Premieres, 19 North American Premieres and 16 U.S. Premieres. Films starring in the fest include international works from more than 60 countries.
Among highlights this year is the closing event featuring the screening of “Here” at The Music Box Theatre on Sunday, Oct. 27. The original film, directed by Robert Zemeckis, stars Tom Hanks and Robin Wright in a story with family themes at its core. The closing night program also includes A Tribute to Robert Zemeckis and the presentation of The Founder’s Legacy Award to the director.
Other films on the fest agenda include “Happy Holidays,” “Slice of Life: The American Dream,” “A Photographic Memory,” “Pavements,” “Flow,” “Ghost Trail,” “The Light of Truth: Richard Hunt’s Monument to Ida B. Wells” and others.
Photo courtesy of the Chicago International Film Festival.
Film festival screenings will take place at AMC Newcity 14, Music Box Theatre, Hamilton Park Cultural Center, Gene Siskel Film Center, Chicago History Museum and Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts at The University of Chicago.
For five days each January, the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary brings the world of cinema to northeast Michigan with some of the most impressive ocean and Great Lakes films from around the world. Film screenings are complemented by social events, educational activities, and opportunities to meet filmmakers.
The Thunder Bay Film Festival is the only water-focused cinematic event in the state of Michigan—which is surrounded by four of the five Great Lakes and boasts nearly 3,200 miles of freshwater coastline (the longest in the country). The Great Lakes cover more than 94,000-square-miles and holds an estimated six quadrillion gallons of water—about one-fifth of the world’s freshwater surface water supply and nine-tenths of the U.S. supply. The protection of water, native aquatic species and a healthy environment are of particular interest to Michiganders and the documentaries lined up for this year’s festival are sure to educate and entertain.
WHEN: Wednesday,January 24 through Sunday, January 28, 2024
DETAILS:
68 Films
3 Venues
3 cities in 3 counties in northeast Michigan
HIGHLIGHTS:
Michigan premier of RELENTLESS (Running time: 92 minutes. Writer/Director/Producer: Thomas Lindsey Haskin). Narrated by Oscar-winning actor J.K. Simmons, this film tells the fascinating true story about remarkable people tackling an exotic species invasion that nearly destroyed the largest freshwater ecosystem on Earth: the Great Lakes. The silent predator devastated jobs and businesses, threatening the survival of cities, towns and indigenous communities across the region. The film traces how tenacious scientists identified the menace then struggled to control it. Their work continues to influence the Great Lakes region’s economic fortunes and sounds a warning about how invasive species threaten the future of vital natural resources and the prosperity of millions around the world today. This January 24 screening takes place in Rogers City which sits a short drive south of Lake Huron’s Hammond Bay where fishery scientists took up the challenge of controlling sea lamprey at a laboratory that still stands there. The Hammond Bay Biological Station remains the primary US federal laboratory conducting research into methods to control sea lamprey in the Great Lakes. People involved in that fight live in the region—including many who worked there in the 1960s.
Crossing Ontario: The End. Join Emmy award-winning photojournalist and documentary producer Corey Adkins for the premier of the latest in his 6-part Paddling the Great Lakes series on Friday evening as part of the Great Lakes Gala Reception & Films, taking place at the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center in Alpena from 6-9pm. Working as a cameraman/producer/director for the non-profit Stand Up for the Great Lakes, Corey has documented the group’s endeavors in crossing the Great Lakes (as well as traversing Michigan’s 50-mile Chain of Lakes Water Trail) in order to raise awareness and funds for these critical natural resources. Corey’s previous films from this series have been shown at the TBIFF and this, the final installment, is the culmination of the group’s 9-year project. With a 25-year video production career, Corey is also the Content/Communications Coordinator for the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society.
Sanctuary Selections. The first professional film competition at the Thunder Bay Film Festival, solely focused on Great Lakes Content. The theme is “Representing the Great Lakes through Strong Storytelling” with a focus on discovery, authentic experience and human connection. The Top 5 films will be shown on Saturday, January 27 at 6pm at the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center in Alpena, when the winner will be announced. This competition is being held in partnership with The Sunset Project—a nonprofit organization focused on investing in creative communities and changing how northeast Michigan views mental health.
Student Film Competition. Students in grades 6 through 12 are invited to submit a short film, three minutes or less, related to “Life in the Great Lakes.” There is no entry fee and selected films will be shown at the festival on Saturday, January 27. Submission deadline: January 5, 2024. See attached for details.
COST:
All Access Thunder Pass – Valid for the entire festival ($125 per person)
TBIFF on the Road – Rogers City (Wednesday, January 24, 6-9pm, Rogers Theater. $10 per person)
TBIFF on the Road – Harrisville (Thursday, January 25 @ 6pm, Alcona County LIbrary. $10 per person)
Great Lakes Gala Reception & Films (Friday, January 26 – Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center in Alpena, 6-9pm. $30 per person includes hors d’oeuvres and dessert, with a cash bar)
Sanctuary Selections with The Sunset Project (Saturday, January 27 – Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center in Alpena, 6-9pm. $20 per person includes light snacks, with a cash bar)
Programs (Varied times Friday, Saturday & Sunday. $10 per person, per program)
The Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary encompasses 4,300 square miles in northwestern Lake Huron and exists to preserve our Great Lakes maritime heritage, including a significant collection of historic shipwrecks. Through innovative, accessible educational programs and community outreach, the sanctuary strives to protect our great lakes for future generations. The sanctuary promotes appreciation and responsible use of Thunder Bay, the Great Lakes and the oceans. Visit the sanctuary at ThunderBay.noaa.gov and at facebook.com/ThunderBayShipwrecks
IIf you ever asked to guess what the most popular holiday movies are, we can assure you, according to PlayStar, which did a deep dive into US audiences’ data to discover what the best Christmas movies are in the US.
My two thoughts, the 1946 holiday classic “It’s a Wonderful Life” with Donna Reed and James Stewart who plays George Bailey, a beleagured businessman who realizes, with the help of an angel and “Christmas in Connecticut” where Barbara Stanwyck plays a columnist who writes “Diary of a Housewife” though she’s neither a wife or much of a housekeeper or cook. She has to pretend to be one when a rescued WWII sailor played by handsome Dennie Morgan, comes to stay at her “home” in Connecticut where gasp, she’s expected to cook a turkey. You can guess how this turns out. But it didn’t make PlayStar’s list except for those living in Connecticut–go figure. And “It’s a Wonderful Life” also is a fav. But the real winner is “Die Hard” with Bruce Willis. Read on for more information.
So what did?
PlayStar has taken the top 100 Christmas movies of all time to verify which is truly the best.
Key findings:
‘Die Hard’ is officially the favorite holiday film in the U.S. (more about this below)
Indiana is the most ‘christmassy’ state in the U.S.
Tom Hanks in The Polar Express is America’s favorite Santa
Brilliantly, the data tends to reflect a love of seeing one’s own state in a wintery wonderland (whatever that means to you). Perhaps you recognize the street where the main characters are walking down in the snow, or you could imagine yourself being trapped in your parents’ house as a kid because you’ve driven through the neighborhood the movie’s set in.
Some examples of patriotic states and their top movies include:
Washington – Sleepless in Seattle
Illinois – Home Alone (set in Chicago)
Connecticut – Christmas in Connecticut
Missouri – Meet Me in St. Louis
Minnesota – Jingle All the Way (filmed in the Twin Cities area).
Most popular holiday movies across the US
1988’s Die Hard was also the favorite across the US! Eight states named the franchise’s debut as their all-time Christmas movie. Others argue whether it should be classed as a festive movie at all, but if eight whole states think so, we’re happy to let that slide.
Other popular movies were Home Alone and Edward Scissorhands, which won the votes of four states each. Elf and Christmas with the Kranks were next on the list.
There were quite a few individual favorites by different states, such as Scrooged, Nightmare before Christmas, Meet Me in St. Louis, and It’s a Wonderful Life! If anything, this shows how many great movies are out there to love at Christmas time.
Which is the most popular festive film in the US?
While the debate as to whether ‘Die Hard’ is actually a holiday movie is still ongoing, the data reveals that it is officially the favorite in the US. Eight states including Florida, Maryland, and Virginia crowned it as their favorite, taking the 1988 title to the top of the list.
‘Home Alone’ and ‘Edward Scissorhands’ were also popular, each being crowned favorite in four states, including Texas and New York.
Which states have the best and worst tastes?
Missouri, Rhode Island and New Mexico are the states with the best taste according to the data, choosing the three most critically acclaimed movies for their top spots, including ‘Meet Me In St.Louis’ (IMDB rating 7.5) and ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ (IMDB rating 7.9).
However, Alabama, Kentucky and South Carolina had the worst taste out of the states, choosing the worst rated film as their festive favorite, ‘Christmas With The Kranks’ (IMDB rating 5.4).
Meanwhile, states such as Washington and Connecticut all favored holiday classics based in their area, running the patriotic nature of the country right through to the holiday season. This included classics such as Sleepless in Seattle and Christmas In Connecticut.
Tom Hanks in The Polar Express is America’s favorite Santa!
Tom Hanks tops the list for best movie Santa, his portrayal of Santa in ‘The Polar Express’ earned him the coveted first place with an impressive overall score of 79 out of 100.
Coming in second is Tim Allen, renowned for his role as Scott Calvin in the original 1994 version of ‘The Santa Clause’.
David Harbour and Billy Bob Thornton shared the third position for the best Santa’s with an overall score of 50 for their respective roles in ‘Violent Night’ and ‘Bad Santa.’
Netflix has plenty of other festive movies to keep you entertained this season, with releases like Christmas in Wonderland, Scrooge: A Christmas Carol, The Noel Diary, and Christmas With You all in the top ten for online searches this past month. And with 35 new releases this year alone it is by far the most prolific platform. Theaters (7) and other channels like the once “king of Christmas”: Hallmark (5) simply cannot keep up. Interestingly Disney + will have only one new release. Quality over quantity perhaps?
Now that we’ve given you the low-down on festive movies to delve into this winter, we wanted to find out which of you will be most likely to get into the Christmas spirit.
We used Google trends to identify which states were feeling most ‘Christmassy’.
Ranking at the top was Indiana, which is not too surprising since they have a town named Santa Claus which hosts Christmas-themed attractions year-round! Citizens of Indiana must constantly be feeling ready for Christmas. Next on the list were Ohio, Kentucky, and Utah. Each has their mixture of traditions, from streets (and zoos) of Christmas lights to Christmas tree forests and Dickens Christmas Festivals. It’s no wonder these states feel so festive when there are so many fun Christmas activities to get stuck into!
Methodology
PlayStar collected data about the US’s top 100 Christmas movies from Google trends. The rankings are based on the level of interest in each film per state. The viewer and critic ratings were sourced from IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes.
Still photos courtesy of Amazon.
Perhaps your state doesn’t have its own Christmas movie, but you may subconsciously favor one that’s in the same region!
For example, Vermont were also big fans of Jingle All the Way, and quite a few Southern states loved Edward Scissorhands. Perhaps something about the separate northern or southern climates evokes similar Christmassy feelings to those of your hometown.
On the other hand, some states had unrelated favorites. New Jersey and Pennsylvania were lovers of Jack Frost, while Florida was very into Die Hard.
What better way to get into the holiday spirit than to get snuggled up on the couch with a good movie? Whether you’re into the festive classics or the more obscure titles, there is more than enough choice out there to find out what you’re pining for this season.
New research by PlayStar has discovered the US’ official favorite festive film, including which new release the nation is the most excited for, and which state is the most festive over the holiday season.
Which is the most popular festive film in the US?
While the debate as to whether ‘Die Hard’ is actually a holiday movie is still ongoing, the data reveals that it is officially the favorite in the US. Eight states including Florida, Maryland, and Virginia crowned it as their favorite, taking the 1988 title to the top of the list.
‘Home Alone’ and ‘Edward Scissorhands’ were also popular, each being crowned favorite in four states, including Texas and New York.
Which states have the best and worst tastes?
Missouri, Rhode Island and New Mexico are the states with the best taste according to the data, choosing the three most critically acclaimed movies for their top spots, including ‘Meet Me In St.Louis’ (IMDB rating 7.5) and ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ (IMDB rating 7.9).
However, Alabama, Kentucky and South Carolina had the worst taste out of the states, choosing the worst rated film as their festive favorite, ‘Christmas With The Kranks’ (IMDB rating 5.4).
Meanwhile, states such as Washington and Connecticut all favored holiday classics based in their area, running the patriotic nature of the country right through to the holiday season. This included classics such as Sleepless in Seattle and Christmas In Connecticut.
Tom Hanks in The Polar Express is America’s favorite Santa!
Tom Hanks tops the list for best movie Santa, his portrayal of Santa in ‘The Polar Express’ earned him the coveted first place with an impressive overall score of 79 out of 100.
Coming in second is Tim Allen, renowned for his role as Scott Calvin in the original 1994 version of ‘The Santa Clause’.
David Harbour and Billy Bob Thornton shared the third position for the best Santa’s with an overall score of 50 for their respective roles in ‘Violent Night’ and ‘Bad Santa.’
The results showcase the rankings of various beloved Santas against audience and critic metrics including ‘IMDB rating’, ‘Google Trends’, ‘Box Office Revenue’, ‘Audience Review’, ‘Net Worth Santas’, providing a nostalgic and heartwarming look at the holiday classics.
The research also found that Indiana, known for its basketball and southern sensibilities, is also the most ‘Christmassy’ state in the US according to the data.
Ohio, Kentucky and Utah followed closely behind the state, as a result of their festive nature and mix of Christmas traditions.
Mindy Kaling, Amazon Publishing, and Amazon Studios just announced the launch of Mindy’s Book Studio, a boutique story studio that will publish books selected by Kaling from emerging and established diverse voices.
Mindy Kaling and Emma Thompson in Late Night.
“I had the best time working on Nothing Like I Imagined, and I am so excited to continue my relationship with Amazon,” said Kaling, about her last book, a collection of essays in which she reflected upon her new role as single mom, the perks of not having a husband, and her struggle with social anxiety. While dealing with all this, Kaling gets Kanye West’d (or should we now say Ye’d) at her best friend’s birthday, thwarts an “only in LA” crime, and learns what it means to have it all.
Starting later this year, Mindy’s Book Studio will be publishing books across genres, from fresh romantic comedies and poignant coming-of-age stories designed to make readers laugh—and cringe—to gripping dramas with unforgettable female protagonists.
Kaling, a multi-talented actress, comedienne, writer, and Hollywood-bruncher, is known for her insightful and hilarious books including Why Not Me and the delightful and upfront personal Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me (And Other Concerns). She currently has 11.6 million Twitter followers.
The partnership between Amazon Studios and Kaling will adapt material published under Mindy’s Book Studio as feature motion pictures which will exclusively stream on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide. Kaling holds first-producer option on adaptations. Kaling has also signed her debut novel and new essay collection for publication with Amazon Publishing.
“I’m passionate about bringing unique stories to readers and viewers, and I can’t wait to help discover and support talented new voices through Mindy’s Book Studio,” she says.
From best-selling memoirs to some of television’s most beloved shows and characters, Kaling has entertained readers, viewers, and listeners alike for nearly two decades. Building on her relatable and hilarious take on love and relationships—as seen in her Amazon Charts best-selling essay collection Nothing Like I Imagined (Except for Sometimes) and Amazon Studios’ hit film Late Night (which she co-wrote, produced, and starred in)—Mindy’s Book Studio will expand Kaling’s beloved storytelling sensibilities to a new slate of juicy, unforgettable books that readers can access through subscription programs such as Kindle Unlimited, and in print and audio.
“We are delighted to work with Mindy and Amazon Studios on Amazon’s first-ever book studio,” said Julia Sommerfeld, publisher of Amazon Publishing. “Mindy is brilliant at bringing to life highly entertaining, funny, sharp, and bingeable stories, and we can’t wait to collaborate with her on discovering and championing must-read stories from new and diverse voices.”
“With her visionary voice, trademark wit, and tremendous artistic acumen, Mindy Kaling remains a relentless innovator in the creative community,” said Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon Studios. “She is a pioneering artist, remarkable role model, and philanthropist who continues to tap into global and cultural zeitgeists as a source for her refreshingly authentic storytelling. We could not be more thrilled to expand our collaboration with her across Amazon to not only showcase her incredible talents but also introduce new, dynamic storytellers to our global customers.”
Kaling is represented by 3 Arts Entertainment, CAA, The Lede Company, and PJ Shapiro. Sommerfeld, Lauren O’Connor, head of IP & literary acquisitions at Amazon Studios, and Carmen Johnson, editorial director of Mindy’s Book Studio, will work with Kaling to find unputdownable stories with the potential to come to life on the screen.
In 2023, Amazon Publishing will also publish Kaling’s debut novel, a comedic and twisty page-turner under Mindy’s Book Studio. In 2024, Amazon Publishing will publish a new collection of personal essays in print, digital, and audio, offering Kaling’s latest reflections on life, motherhood, friendship, and being a boss. Amazon Studios has acquired firFst-look rights for Kaling’s forthcoming novel and essay collection.
