Ben Joravsky is a film reviewer now?

Sitting in an empty movie theater on a Saturday night. [View this email in your browser]( [READER Logo]( Daily Reader | March 5, 2024 A few days ago, I noticed a fleeting post on Instagram promoting a new movie I’d never heard of: [They Shot the Piano Player](. It’s billed as an animated documentary telling the story of the life and death of Francisco Tenório Júnior, a brilliant Brazilian bossa nova and jazz pianist who disappeared in 1976. “Hmm,” I thought, “sounds very interesting.” So, last Saturday my wife and I saw the movie at [AMC River East 21]( the only theater in Chicago and the suburbs where it’s currently playing. I’m so glad we did. What a fantabulous movie! It’s hard to explain how much we loved it. The animation was vibrant and alive, gorgeously colored and beautifully drawn. There was one great scene after another. Including . . . One scene in a neighborhood jazz club in Rio where Ella Fitzgerald takes to the stage to sing with the band. And one in a car, cruising through the Arizona desert with saxophonist Bud Shank behind the wheel. And another at the Village Vanguard in New York, where the great Cuban pianist Bebo Valdés plays one of Tenório Júnior’s compositions to an empty house long after his regular show has ended. I could go on and on . . . It turns out that Tenório Júnior, an up-and-coming star on the Brazilian jazz scene, was playing a gig in Argentina when he went out late at night to buy cigarettes. The military police figured he was some sort of leftist subversive (what with his long, hippie-like hair) and hauled him in for questioning. He was never heard from again. He was 34 years old, with a wife, four children, and one on the way. One of tens of thousands of citizens who vanished without a trace in the late 70s, having been kidnapped, tortured, and murdered by the military terror squads of Argentina. The movie explains what probably happened to Tenório Júnior after his disappearance. I’ll let you watch and learn for yourself. They Shot the Piano Player works on many levels. If you love samba-jazz, or any kind of jazz; if you’re fascinated by the secret lives of great musicians . . . If you love to hear jazz players talk about their music . . . If you love creative animation . . . If you want to learn more about Operation Condor, in which secret police terrorized Brazil, Argentina, and other South American countries during the 70s with the CIA’s cooperation . . . . . . then run—don’t walk—to see it. Bravo to the directors, Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal! And yet, as great as this movie was, my wife and I were the only two people in the theater. That is correct. Just rows and rows of empty seats, me, and my wife. I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, it’s kinda cool to have the whole theater to ourselves. Big screen. Excellent sound system. Super comfy lean-back chair. Like being movie-watching royalty. On the other hand . . . Are you kidding me, Chicago?! There are over two million people in this city, and a few more million in the surrounding areas. What does it say about a city and its suburbs that only two people would show up to watch such an excellent flick on a Saturday night? I’m used to feeling alone and alienated when it comes to Chicago—especially in regards to my opinions on Chicago politics. But this is getting ridiculous. [Logo with text: The Ben Joravsky Show. Features man wearing a cap and headphones, and Chicago flag stars.]( 🎙 [Listen to The Ben Joravsky Show]( 🎙 ◈ James Lee Burke’s [Harbor Lights]( a short story collection by the popular crime novelist, who is feeling his inner Hemingway ◈ Reader contributor Reema Saleh [on the CTA]( ◈ Ben Joravsky (from 1988) on a [CTA development deal]( ◈ 11th Ward alderperson [Nicole Lee]( on “The 78” White Sox deal ◈ Illinois state representative [Kelly Cassidy]( on endorsing Clayton Harris and more ◈ Political strategist [Andrew Ellison]( on the message from Michigan [Overpromised and underdelivered]( Chicago’s team owners are asking for public stadium subsidies. 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Food will be provided. This is a great opportunity to connect with fellow activists, share ideas, and learn about ongoing campaigns. Whether you're a seasoned advocate or new to the cause, everyone is welcome! [CLAIM YOUR FREE SPOT NOW - LIMTED TICKETS REMAIN!]( Get the latest issue of the Chicago Reader Thursday, February 22, 2024 [READ ONLINE: VOL. 53, NO. 10]( [VIEW/DOWNLOAD ISSUE (PDF)]( [Become a member of the Chicago Reader.]( [Facebook icon]( [Instagram icon]( [Twitter icon]( [Website icon]( [YouTube icon]( [LinkedIn icon]( [Logo] You received this email because you signed up for newsletters from the Chicago Reader. Want fewer emails from us? [Click here to choose what you want us to send you](. Or, [unsubscribe from all Reader emails](. We’ll miss you! [Sign up for emails from the Chicago Reader]( | [Forward this e-mail to a friend]( © 2024 Chicago Reader. All rights reserved. Chicago Reader, 2930 S. Michigan Ave., Suite 102, Chicago, IL 60616