Now Playing
The Story of Film: An Odyssey
The Story of Film: An Odyssey heralds a unique approach to the evolution of film art by focusing on the artistic vision and innovations of filmmaking pioneers. Cousins’ distinctive approach also yields a personal and idiosyncratic rewriting of film history.
Forbidden Cinema: Infamous Pre-Code Classics
It seems like a glimpse into an alternate universe, but there was a brief, glorious moment in early cinema history during which Hollywood censorship was all but vanquished.
Easy Money
directed by Daniél Espinosa in Swedish starring Joel Kinnaman, Matias Varela and Dragomir Mrsic
This Swedish crime thriller is based on the international best-selling novel Snabba Cash by Jens Lapidus.
“Chalk another one up for Swedish crime-thriller novels.” —Linda Barnard, Toronto Star
Sleepwalk With Me
directed by Mike Birbiglia and Seth Barrish in English starring Mike Birbiglia, Lauren Ambrose and Kevin Barnett
“I’m going to tell you a story and it’s true… I always have to tell people that.” So asserts comedian-turned-playwright-turned-filmmaker Mike Birbiglia directly to the viewer at the outset of his autobiographically-inspired, fictional feature debut.
We are thrust into the tale of a burgeoning stand-up comedian struggling with the stress of a stalled career, a stale relationship threatening to race out of his control, and the wild spurts of severe sleepwalking he is desperate to ignore.
Based on the successful one-man show, Sleepwalk with Me engages in the kind of passionate and personal storytelling that transfigures intimate anguish into comic art.
“An endearing indie feature about the day-to-day indecisions and nocturnal perambulations of a commitment-phobic New Yorker.” —Variety
Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel
directed by Lisa Immordino Vreeland in English starring Diana Vreeland
An intimate portrait and a vibrant celebration of one of the most influential women of the 20th century.
“When discussing tastemakers of the 20th century, few names conjure ‘style’ with the zest of Diana Vreeland, and docu The Eye Has to Travel gets the zing just right.” —Variety
The House I Live In
directed by Eugene Jarecki in English
Winner of the best documentary prize at Sundance, the latest film by Eugene Jarecki (The Trials of Henry Kissinger, Why We Fight) ranks with The Thin Blue Line, Bowling for Columbine, and Inside Job as a great documentary polemic. The subject is the “War on Drugs”, which, as this eye-opening film persuasively shows, is more precisely a war on those who are perceived as class and racial outsiders—dating back to the 19th century (when opium was used to demonize Chinese immigrants), officially inaugurated by Richard Nixon, escalated by Ronald Reagan, and espoused by virtually every major Presidential candidate ever since.
Using eloquent analysts (including The Wire creator David Simon and historian Richard Lawrence Miller), compelling personal stories from all sides and levels of the “war”, and his own experience as a child of Holocaust survivors, Jarecki lucidly and passionately builds an in-depth case against a policy that demonstrably doesn’t work, has a ruinous effect on American society, but remains entrenched thanks to its profitability and political expediency.
“It's a film as profoundly sad as it is enraging and potentially galvanizing, and it's one of the most important pieces of nonfiction to hit the screen in years.” —Sheri Linden, Los Angeles Times
Madoka Magica
directed by Yukihiro Miyamoto
This October Madoka Magica fans will be treated to something special. Following the release of the entire television series on video, Aniplex of America has just announced that the first two Puella Magi Madoka Magica movies, Part 1: Beginnings and Part 2: Eternal, will debut in the US.
Saturday, October 20th
- 11:30am
-
Post-War Cinema (1940’s)
- From the The Story of Film: An Odyssey collection
- Purchase the $35 all-series pass
- 11:30am
-
Night Nurse
- From the Forbidden Cinema: Infamous Pre-Code Classics collection
- 2:00pm
-
Easy Money
- 2:30pm
-
Sleepwalk With Me
- 4:30pm
-
Easy Money
- 5:00pm
-
Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel
- 7:00pm
-
Easy Money
- 7:20pm
-
The House I Live In
- 9:30pm
- Madoka Magica
- midnight
-
They Live
Sunday, October 21st
- 11:30am
-
Night Nurse
- From the Forbidden Cinema: Infamous Pre-Code Classics collection
- 11:30am
-
Post-War Cinema (1940’s)
- From the The Story of Film: An Odyssey collection
- Purchase the $35 all-series pass
- 2:00pm
-
Easy Money
- 2:30pm
-
Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel
- 4:30pm
-
Easy Money
- 5:00pm
-
The House I Live In
- 7:00pm
-
Easy Money
- 7:20pm
-
Sleepwalk With Me
- 9:30pm
-
Easy Money
- 9:40pm
-
The House I Live In
Monday, October 22nd
- 4:30pm
-
Easy Money
- 5:00pm
-
Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel
- 7:00pm
-
Easy Money
- 7:20pm
-
The House I Live In
- 9:30pm
-
Easy Money
- 9:40pm
-
Sleepwalk With Me
Tuesday, October 23rd
- 4:30pm
-
Easy Money
- 5:00pm
-
Sleepwalk With Me
- 7:00pm
-
Easy Money
- 7:20pm
-
Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel
- 9:30pm
-
Easy Money
- 9:40pm
-
The House I Live In
Wednesday, October 24th
- 4:30pm
-
Easy Money
- 5:00pm
-
The House I Live In
- 7:00pm
-
Easy Money
- 7:20pm
-
Sleepwalk With Me
- 9:30pm
-
Easy Money
- 9:40pm
-
Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel
Thursday, October 25th
- 4:30pm
-
Easy Money
- 5:00pm
-
Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel
- 7:00pm
-
Easy Money
- 7:20pm
-
The House I Live In
- 9:30pm
-
Easy Money
- 9:40pm
-
Sleepwalk With Me
Special Announcements
The Cubs are back in town!
Cubs season is upon us, and we suggest everyone take as much public transit whenever possible. You can always check to see if there is a Cubs game by visiting either of the links below!
Meals & Deals
White Birch Trading Company
3735 N Southport Ave, Chicago IL 60613 773-689-6984
Located just North of the Music Box Theatre this eclectic boutique features home furnishings, gifts for all occasions, holiday decor, and unique items.
Candyality
3425 N. Southport Avenue (773) 472-7800
Candyality carries thousands of bulk items and sweet treats including gummies, sours, taffy, and more. Need M&Ms in 21 colors? We have that! How about your favorite flavor of Jelly Bellys? We carry over 30 flavors! Licorice? We’ve created Chicago’s first licorice bar offering a selection from many corners of the world.
Bring your ticket stub down to Candyality and get a 1lb bag of gummy bears ($11 value) free with any $10 or more purchase!
Mystic Celt
3443 N. Southport Ave. (773) 529-8550
Bring in your Music Box Theatre ticket stub for a free appetizer for your table!
Bull-eh-Dia’s
3651 N. Southport Ave. (Waveland Ave.) Chicago, IL 60613 (773) 404-2855
Enjoy a hot selection of Spanish tapas and sangrias at this Southport restaurant located just steps from the Music Box Theatre.
Cullen’s Bar and Grill
3741 N. Southport Ave (773) 975-0600
Located on Southport just north of the Music Box Theater, we’ve been a part of Wrigleyville for over 15 years. Stop in for a pint and meet our friendly staff, check out our daily specials and enjoy our great food. There’s always something fun happening at Cullen’s and we look forward to serving you soon!
Extend your stay on southport! Present your Music Box Theatre ticket Stub and receive a 15% discount off of your entire check!
Deleece Restaurant
3747 N. Southport Ave. Chicago, IL 60613 (773) 325-1710
Enjoy our mouthwatering new menu in our beautiful new surroundings. We look forward to seeing you at our new location just a few doors north of the Music Box Theatre.
Uncommon Ground
3800 N. Clark St. 773-929-3680
Just a few blocks from the Music Box Theatre is the fantastic Uncommon Ground, Lakeview. Named “Greenest Restaurant in America” in 2011 by the Green Restaurant Association, we are Chicago’s first Certified Organic Rooftop Farm!
Chicago Reader Real Deal
Since 1971, the Reader has served as Chicago’s political conscience, cultural guide, and music authority. We have thousands of reviews in our film archives; you can check them out and see what’s streaming on Hulu & Netflix with our Old Movies to Watch Now feature.
Blue Bayou
3734 North Southport Avenue Chicago, IL 60613 (773) 871-3300
Great movies call for great food! Keep the conversation going before or after your film at the Blue Bayou Restaurant, located just across the street. Valet parking available on the weekends.
15% off your food! Bring in your ticket stub from the Music Box Theatre.
Cloud Gate Acupuncture
3725 N. Southport (773) 617-2951
Cloud Gate Acupuncture is a patient-focused acupuncture practice devoted to improving health through energetic based treatments, acupuncture, and herbal medicine. Located just down the block from the Music Box Theatre!
Safari Cup Coffee
3404 N Southport Ave Chicago, IL 60657 (773) 770-6162
Enjoy a free coffee upon presentation of any Music Box Theatre ticket for that day.
The Second City Training Center
1608 N Wells St, Chicago IL 60657 312-664-3959.
Chicago is the world capital of improvisation (improv) and sketch comedy, and The Second City is in the heart of it. For fifty years The Second City has created a wealth of comedic material from a legendary group of performers. We offer a variety of classes in the performance arts for students at any level of experience.
Bad Ass Coffee
3737 N. Southport, Chicago, IL 60657
Bad Ass Coffee is located just 2 doors down from Music Box and has tasty coffee and pastries!
Coobah
3423 N. Southport (773) 528-2220
Free parking in rear. Closed Dec. 24th.
Enjoy a 15% discount off your dine-in food with your ticket stub.
Special Events
Madoka Magica
directed by Yukihiro Miyamoto
This October Madoka Magica fans will be treated to something special. Following the release of the entire television series on video, Aniplex of America has just announced that the first two Puella Magi Madoka Magica movies, Part 1: Beginnings and Part 2: Eternal, will debut in the US.
Midnight Madness Presents: The Rocky Horror Picture Show [35mm]
directed by Jim Sharman starring Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Richard O'Brien, Charles Gray, Meatloaf, Barry Bostwick
Our monthly screening of this cult classic is never for the faint of heart.
Chicago International Children’s Film Festival
Chicago International Children’s Film Festival: the largest festival for kids film in North America!
Alliance Francais Presents Melies
directed by Georges Méliès
Georges Melies, the father of cinematic special effects, revolutionized the history of cinema with his creativity and originality. This masterful craftsman deserves credit for conceiving film as an original performance, recreating newsreels, advertising films, extravaganzas in color, and science fiction. One hundred years later, his films are still relevant today.
To celebrate the 150th anniversary of his birth, his family presents a series of performances in the true family tradition; this film-concert is designed as homage to this brilliant magician through a narrated performance accompanied by piano. For if the film was silent, the room was never so!
Sing-A-Long Xanadu!
directed by Robert Greenwald in English starring Olivia Newton-John, Gene Kelly and Michael Beck
Sing along while your dreams come true!
Jimi Hendrix 70th Anniversary Celebration Live at Woodstock
directed by Michael Wadleigh, Chris Hegedus, Erez Laufer starring Jimi Hendrix, Billy Cox, Mitch Mitchell, Larry Lee, Juma Sultan
To celebrate the 70th Anniversary of Jimi Hendrix’s birth we’re screening his set at Woodstock.
National Theatre Live 2012
National Theatre Live is a groundbreaking initiative to bring the best of British theatre to cinemas around the world.
Second Saturday Silent Cinema Presents: The Cameraman
directed by Edward Sedgwick and Buster Keaton Silent starring Buster Keaton, Marceline Day and Harold Goodwin
Come see this Buster Keaton classic!
Sing-a-long Sound of Music
directed by Robert Wise starring Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer
Celebrate Thanksgiving with Julie and the Von Trapp Family Players! Enjoy Goodie Bags and the lyrics projected on the screen!
Sound Opinions Presents: Blues Brothers
directed by John Landis in English starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd
Join Sound Opinions hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot for a special screening of John Landis’ classic Blues Brothers.
Scrooge and Marley
directed by Richard Knight, Jr. and Peter Neville starring David Pevsner, Tim Kazurinsky, Rusty Schwimmer, Bruce Vilanch, Megan Cavanagh, Richard Ganoung, David Moretti, Ronnie Kroell, JoJo Baby, Becca Kaufman, and Narrated by Judith Light
Celebrate the holidays with this homegrown Scrooge & Marley is a heartfelt, modern-day, gay variation on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol – a holiday movie for all of us.
29th Annual Music Box Christmas Show
One of the most popular and beloved Christmas traditions in Chicago is celebrating its 29th anniversary this year. Come celebrate the holidays with the Music Box!
Fall 2012 Calendar
Up Next
Keep the Lights On
directed by Ira Sachs starring Thure Lindhardt, Zachary Booth, Julianne Nicholson, Souleymane Sy Savane
Documentary filmmaker Erik (acclaimed Danish actor Thure Lindhardt in his first leading role in a U.S. film) and closeted lawyer Paul (Zachary Booth, Damages) meet through a casual encounter, but soon find a deeper connection and become a couple. Individually and together, they are risk takers—compulsive, and fueled by drugs and sex.
In an almost decade‐long relationship defined by highs, lows, and dysfunctional patterns, Erik struggles to negotiate his own boundaries and dignity while being true to himself.
“Out of lost love comes a terrific work of art; it’s the oldest story in the world, but it always feels new when it’s done right.” —Salon.com
Presented by Music Box Films.
Chicago International Children’s Film Festival
Chicago International Children’s Film Festival: the largest festival for kids film in North America!