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John Wayne is frequently cited as the most popular and influential Western star of his generation, alongside other figures such as Clint Eastwood and James Stewart. The actor appeared in hundreds of films throughout his extensive career, frequently collaborating with directors such as John Ford and Howard Hawks. He became known for his stoic, macho performances, and many of John Wayne’s best movies have gone down in history as the best in the genre.

Throughout his career, John Wayne worked alongside many other stars and became known for his reliable collaborations with other actors. However, there was one particular star of the Western genre whose path didn’t cross with Wayne’s until one project in 1940, which saw them finally share the screen. This actor was Roy Rogers, an American actor nicknamed King of the Cowboys for his frequent appearances in Western movies. He only worked alongside John Wayne once,...

When it comes to classic movie stars from Hollywood's golden age in the '40s and '50s, few cast a shadow larger than John Wayne. In a five-decades-long career, Wayne became an iconic western hero -- landing close to 200 performances in film and television. Wayne is one of those rare movie cowboys whose work has lived on past the genre's peak popularity -- making Wayne himself one of the most enduringly rugged stars in history.

Though we've already covered the greatest films in Wayne's career, there are scores of films viewers haven't seen. From bringing the American war effort to the silver screen at the height of World War II to dramatic turns that expanded Wayne's range, Wayne has shown a surprising amount of acting skill. Here we'll explore the underrated movies across Wayne's filmography. Some titles were overshadowed by his more high-profile work whereas others have endured the...

Chicago – If you’re itching for some safe holiday cheer outside the confines of home for an evening, a drive-in Christmas film double feature is just the ticket. The filmed-in-Chicago classic, “Solstice: A Christmas Story” – written and directed by Jerry Vasilatos – will screen with “Home Alone” (starting at 8pm) on Sunday, December 20th, 2020, at the Chi-Town Movies Drive-In in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood. For more information and tickets, click here.

’Solstice,’ Screening on December 20th, 2020

Photo credit: SolsticeMovie.com

The simple story of “Solstice,” that of a lonely professional man at the Christmas holidays, is remarkable for many reasons … including a stellar performance by lead actor Michael Kelley. But also it is a glimpse into a pre-gentrified Chicago, where Northside neighborhoods were warm enclaves for discovery, not speculative property. The light of the story takes place in that distant early 1990s era, and if anybody you know lived in Chicago at that time,...

Chicago – It’s that time of year, and many gatherings use the spare time on Thanksgiving weekend to start the holiday movie tradition of the season. Although not many people know it, Chicago was the location used for the first Lifetime Christmas movie in the 1990s. “Solstice” was written and directed by Jerry Vasilatos, and premiered on Lifetime in 1994. To celebrate its 25th Anniversary, it will premiere on the post-millennial version of television (Amazon Prime) on November 27th, 2019, and will get a deluxe Blu-ray release on December 15th.

Rating: 4.5/5.0

The simple story of a lonely professional man at the Christmas holidays is remarkable for many reasons, including a stellar performance by lead actor Michael Kelley. But also it is a glimpse into a pre-gentrified Chicago, where Northside neighborhoods were warm enclaves for discovery, not speculative property. The light of the story takes place in that distant early 1990s era, and...

Chicago – In a bit of a Christmas miracle, a film that was shot in Chicago in the early 1990s will see the light of screen again in the same theater – the historic Music Box Theatre – where a key scene was filmed. Writer/Director Jerry Vasilatos presents the 25th Anniversary restoration of his holiday film “Solstice” on December 18th, 2018, with a post screening Q&A moderated by Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com. For details and ticket info, click here.

“Solstice” involves a Chicago man named Nick (Michael Kelley), who is facing a number of transitions on Christmas Eve. He has just broken up with his girlfriend Kristine (Mary McCloud) and he feels his dreams of becoming a filmmaker slipping away. Distraught and somewhat lonely, he walks the streets of a pre-gentrified Chicago – making a stop at the Music Box Theatre during their Christmas double feature singalong – and gradually finds moments of solace along the way.