Four Stars: A Chicago Film Podcast
Four Stars: A Chicago Film Podcast
Podcast Description
A podcast about Chicago films, hosted by journalist Paco Alvarez and filmmaker Jeremy Marder.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast delves into Chicago-centric films and their cultural impact, featuring discussions on noteworthy movies like My Best Friend's Wedding and Child's Play while exploring themes such as representation in cinema, genre evolution, and local filmmaking trends.

A podcast about Chicago films, hosted by journalist Paco Alvarez and filmmaker Jeremy Marder.
Jeremy and Paco are joined by Cullen Atchley and Emilio Diaz of Cannes I Kick It to talk about the Chicago International Film Festival. We also announce the winners of the coveted Four Stars Golden Beef and Silver Bean prizes recognizing the best of the festival.
Several writers, critics and film lovers from Chicago called-in and gave us their thoughts on some underrated movies from the festival:
– Isaac Feldberg, film critic (22:45)
– Kyle Logan, film critic for the Chicago Reader (26:20)
– Daniella Mazzio, writer and Hand Me the Mike host (41:50)
– Brennan McMahon, Gene Siskel Film Center assistant technical coordinator (46:55)
– Shaun Huhn, writer (1:24:49)
– Zachary Lee, journalist (1:29:45)
– Steve Prokopy, film critic and Music Box Public Relations (1:32:30)
Films we talked about:
- Is This Thing On? (again) (dir. Bradley Cooper)
- Kontinental ‘25 (dir. Radu Jude)
- What does that nature say to you? (dir. Hong Sang-Soo)
- Miroirs no 3 (dir. Christian Petzold)
- Jay Kelly (dir. Noah Baumbach)
- The Mastermind (dir. Kelly Reichardt)
- Sentimental Value (dir. Joachim Trier)
- Bouchra (dir. Orian Barki, Meriem Bennani)
- Animation Shorts
- Paradaïz (dir. Matea Radic)
- This is not your Garden (dir. Carlos Velandia, Angélica Restrepo)
- Retirement Plan (dir. John Kelly)
- Dollhouse Elephant (dir. Jenny Jokela)
- Dog Alone (dir. Marta Reis Andrade)
- dipolar bipolar (dir. Li Quankai)
- Autokar (dir. Sylwia Szkiłądź)
- Ordinary Life (dir. Yoriko Mizushiri)
Art by Lily Bacon
Music by newest_latest
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