Sci-fi for the summer poll

We’re off to a late start, but we have a new CineVerse poll for July. This time around, CineVerse asks the question: “What is the greatest science-fiction film of all time?” You have 25 picks to select from, so get to it! Cast your vote by participating in the poll found on the left sidebar of our homepage (vote closes on July 31).

And in case you were curious as to the results of last month’s poll, which asked the question “What is the greatest summer popcorn movie of the last 30 years,” the winner, by a landslide, was “Raiders of the Lost Ark” with 53% of the vote, followed by: “E.T.” (20%); “Terminator 2” (13%); and “Forest Gump” and “Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl” (each with 6%).

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Celebrate Norman Bates' 50th birthday

You are cordially invited to celebrate the 50th birthday of Alfred Hitchcock's celebrated cinematic masterpiece of suspense, "Psycho," on July 7. That's the date we'll also be celebrating our film group's 5th anniversary. Make plans to join us for a frightfully fun evening.

Want to learn more about Psycho? Click here.

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Take a trip through "Time"

The Oak Lawn Library will be showing the upcoming following film in its lower level meeting room (for more details visit http://www.lib.oak-lawn.il.us/upcomingevents.shtml):

Somewhere in Time (1980) -- Tuesday, July 6 at 10 a.m. -- A Chicago playwright uses self-hypnosis to time travel to meet an actress whose vintage portrait hangs in a grand hotel. Starring Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour. Based on a novel by Richard Matheson. Rated: PG. 103 min.

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CineVerse's sizzling summer schedule

Summer's here, and so is the new CineVerse schedule for July and August. Over the next few weeks, we'll be honoring works by great American directors (our theme for July), spotlighting a number of black-and-white features, and examining a handful of dark, brooding films noir along the way, too.

Better start clearing your calendar now to join us for what should be one great Wednesday after another! To view our summer schedule, click here.

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Join Captain Ahab's crew

Captain Ahab is looking for a few good landlubbers to join him on June 30 in his endless search for the great white whale "Moby Dick."

For a boatload of info on "Moby Dick", click here.

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Get your "Chocolat" fix

The Oak Lawn Library will be showing the upcoming following film in its lower level meeting room (for more details visit http://www.lib.oak-lawn.il.us/upcomingevents.shtml):

Chocolat (2000) -- Wednesday, June 30 at 2 p.m. -- A woman and her daughter open a chocolate shop in a small French village that shakes up the rigid morality of the community. Starring Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp. Based on a novel by Joanne Harris. Rated: PG-13. 121 min.

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The "popcorn" is getting stale...

Time is running out for you to vote in our June CineVerse poll, which asks the question, "What is the greatest summer popcorn movie of the last 30 years." Our poll can be found on the left sidebar of our home page. Deadline to cast your vote is June 30, so don't forget!

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Under-the-radar sci-fi farce

by Erik J. Martin

Enjoy a blend of comedy with your science-fiction? Before you think them odd bedfellows, check out "Galaxy Quest" from 1999.

Trekkies appear to be the easy target of this farcical futuristic comedy, which boldly goes where no sci-fi spoof has gone before. “Home Improvement’s” Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver (heroine of the “Alien” movie series, donned in a head-turning blonde ‘do for this flick), and Alan Rickman star as actors on a cheesy sci-fi space exploration TV show patterned after “Star Trek.”

Things get cosmically wacky, however, when a group of real aliens “beam up” the show’s cast, believing that they are actually the space crew they portray on TV who remain their only hope in defeating a rival race of evil aliens. Ironically, the actors are cast adrift in space in a real intergalactic vessel that the good aliens modeled exactly after the prop spaceship shown on the TV program.

“Galaxy Quest” is funnier than “Spaceballs,” and filled with special effects that are pretty spiffy for the nineties. Well worth a rental.

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Don't forget your Umbrellas

The forecast calls for sunny skies and delightful cinema on June 23 with "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg," a colorful romantic musical starring Catherine Deneuve.

Intrigued? Click here for more details on this movie.

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