southtownstar.suntimes.com

Kanye West’s ‘Yeezus’ unlikely to match Justin Timberlake’s sales

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 21:25:10 -0500

Forecasters expect the new dad’s album to sell 500,000 copies in its first week.

Get your fill of berries at pick-your-own farms

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 02:19:34 -0500

There’s nothing like fresh berries right off the vines, and the time is just about right to start picking. Did you know that according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, on average, Americans consume 4.8 pounds of fresh and frozen strawberries a year? The time is “ripe” to go out and pick your fill at an area farm. Here’s a handy guide to find out where to get your pick of the patch of strawberries, blueberries and more. It’s always a good idea to call ahead or visit the farm’s website to check the rules and ensure supply. Grundy County …

‘Man of Steel’ beset by Kryptonite

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 15:08:47 -0500

RICHARD ROEPER: Here’s the most ambitious and occasionally the most impressive take on the Superman myth we’ve ever seen, but it falls far short of the bar set by the “Dark Knight” trilogy or even the “Iron Man” troika. Though there are moments, even complete scenes, when we see glimpses of what might have been, but then we’re plunged back into a mostly underwhelming film, with underdeveloped characters and supercharged fight scenes that drag on forever and offer nothing new in the way of special-effects creativity.

Summer festivals in the Southland 2013

Wed, 29 May 2013 22:54:04 -0500

Here is a look at the summer festivals set for the Southland from May to September. Updates posted on 5/29 include the Starry Nights concert series presented by the Homewood-Flossmoor Park District.

Crowd Pleasers for June 14, 2013

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 02:19:22 -0500

Here is a look at some crowd pleasers. Events include Driving the Dixie in several suburbs, Throttle Fest Chicago at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, and Pro Championship Wrestling’s Dream Night XII in Midlothian.

Roeper: Vaughn and Wilson got game in ‘The Internship’

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 02:14:06 -0500

When it’s time for Vince Vaughn’s 40-something guy in “The Internship” to give a pep talk to fellow interns half his age, his go-to movie is “Flashdance.” That Pittsburgh welder with a dream gave it her all! Who knows where that water came from when she pulled the lever? But she pulled that lever! It’s a ridiculously corny speech in a shamelessly corny movie that also serves as the single longest product placement in motion-picture history. And, of course, we’ve seen Vaughn play this type of fast-talking gift-of-gabber in a dozen other movies. And yet there’s something irresistible about this …

Gig of the Week: Main Street Nights

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 02:23:25 -0500

With warmer weather, there are many entertainment options for Southlanders. One that offers free events is Main Street Nights, which will run on Wednesdays from June 12-Aug. 7. “The community supports it,” said Chuck Sabey, who has coordinated the outdoor summer entertainment series for four years. “We have great entertainment, and organizations come out and either vend or share information about what they’re about. All of that just combines for a festive atmosphere. “The other great thing is we have children and seniors coming out, enjoying themselves, and just the setting itself: the downtown green.” Sabey, who is also the …

‘Cirque Shanghai’s: Dragon’s Thunder’ entertaining for all ages

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 02:24:06 -0500

‘Cirque Shanghai: Dragon’s Thunder” is a circus everyone can feel good about. The ticket prices are significantly lower than those of Cirque du Soleil, that other unrelated, more lavish and sophisticated production conglomerate. Those concerned about the use of animals (a la Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey) can rest easy. The only tiger you’ll see at “Cirque Shanghai” is a picture of the big cat staring out at you from a giant red drum. Made up of a traveling troupe of Chinese artists, “Cirque Shanghai” has been bringing its flips, tricks and heavily bedazzled costumes to Navy Pier since …

On TV: Chicago-born Sunjata stars in ‘Graceland’

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 03:53:52 -0500

USA Network’s new crime drama “Graceland” is a bit like MTV’s “The Real World.” With guns and drugs. Six good-looking strangers (all undercover agents) are picked to live in a house (a beachfront mansion in Southern California) and work together. And as is often the case in “The Real World,” you’re not sure which roommates are being real or fake. That’s especially true of enigmatic FBI agent and house alpha male Paul Briggs, played with just the right amount of mystery by Daniel Sunjata (“Rescue Me”), who grew up in Chicago’s Beverly community. “Briggs is an incredibly complex character,” Sunjata …

Beverly author promotes healthy eating

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 03:05:26 -0500

Monica Joyce, of Chicago’s Beverly community, and colleague Jacqueline King have published a new book on nutrition, “Too Busy To Diet,” that is receiving rave reviews on Amazon.com. Joyce, who works at an endocrinology practice in downtown Chicago, has been a registered dietician for more than 30 years. The book is a fun, practical manual or reference guide for those on the go who are striving for a healthier lifestyle or improved weight management. “I joke that I wanted to write a Rick Steves type of easy–to-read travel guide, only focused on nutrition,” Joyce said. “Something that you can throw …

Muddy Waters’ home rollin’ and crumblin’ in North Kenwood

Sun, 02 Jun 2013 02:45:53 -0500

Fans still drive by to check out the vacant, foreclosed house on S. Lake Park Ave. where the blues giant lived from 1954 to 1973. The city is working to order repairs on the landmark where contemporary American blues was born. “It is a great treasure now,” says City of Chicago Cultural Historian Tim Samuelson, “even as a ruin.”

Archie Bunker’s Edith, Jean Stapleton, dies at 90

Sat, 01 Jun 2013 16:37:15 -0500

NEW YORK (AP) — Jean Stapleton, the stage-trained character actress who played Archie Bunker’s far better half, the sweetly naive Edith, in TV’s groundbreaking 1970s comedy “All in the Family,” has died. She was 90. Stapleton died Friday of natural causes at her New York City home surrounded by friends and family, her son, John Putch, said Saturday. Little known to the public before “All In the Family,” she co-starred with Carroll O’Connor in the top-rated CBS sitcom about an unrepentant bigot, the wife he churlishly but fondly called “Dingbat,” their daughter Gloria (Sally Struthers) and liberal son-in-law Mike, aka …

Stingrays easy to handle in Shedd Aquarium’s new exhibit

Fri, 31 May 2013 02:18:58 -0500

“Stingray Touch,” which opened to the public May 17, gives visitors a chance to feel the scratchy, silky creatures swimming by. “It’s a really cool way to see the animal,” a Shedd Aquarium expert says.

Cairns co-directs the Drama Group’s ‘God of Carnage’

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 02:20:46 -0500

Chuck Cairns and his wife, Deb, originally planned to audition to act in the Drama Group’s production of “God of Carnage.” But when the original director of the comedy-drama had to back out, the Cairns put in a bid to direct it and landed the job. “Both Deb and I really love the play,” Cairns, of Park Forest, said. “We auditioned it in March and had a nice, long, productive leisurely period of about 12 weeks. “It’s a four-character show. That gave us a lot of leeway to work with some very good actors.” The cast features Kyle Decker, of …

Florida Georgia Line’s meteoric rise continues

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 02:20:35 -0500

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Florida Georgia Line already had a chart-topping country hit with “Cruise” when rapper Nelly got hold of it and helped transform it into a crossover smash. The two acts teamed to close the CMT Music Awards on June 5 with a pyro-filled production, placing themselves firmly in a long, proud line of cross-cultural collaborations that trace back to Jimmie Rodgers recording with Louis Armstrong in 1930. FGL’s Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley have discovered — like Taylor Swift, Lady Antebellum and a few other country acts — that there’s nothing like the ride of a crossover hit. …

Demi Lovato’s music much matured on latest release

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 02:20:58 -0500

NEW YORK — Before achieving back-to-back radio hits with “Give Your Heart a Break” and “Heart Attack,” Demi Lovato wondered why she had yet to find her breakthrough on the radio. She knew she had a big voice, and had found success as a Disney Channel star, but something was off. “I had a moment where I was just like, ‘What am I doing wrong? I know I can sing. I know I’m talented. How is it that other artists who don’t have my vocals ... [are] on the radio? What’s taking so long?’ ” she said in a recent …