photo courtesy of the Lake Street Screening Room

The connection between cinema and Chicago is intrinsic. The strength and beauty of the city’s architecture — durable enough for those frozen winters — were celebrated on film. The Chicago Board of Trade took a star turn in The Untouchables. Wrigley Field was showcased in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Aerial El acrobatics added excitement to the bullet-bending thriller Wanted, while a subterranean take on the Chicago Loop was featured in The Dark Knight.

Likewise, Chicago’s critical cinematic eye drew global respect as Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert became household names. Ebert now blogs about movies, but where he screens them — the Lake Street Screening Room — is one of the city’s hidden gems.

The facility is a 49-seat theater at 70th E. Lake St. and hosts Ebert as well as Second City’s other critical scribes reviewing the latest motion pictures. Only, the Screening Room isn’t just for the pros. You too can screen films at the facility for family and friends. Read all about it at my latest Chicago Explainer post.