Movies, music, TV and more

All of the Tribune’s guides for summer 2023 dance, art, movies, music, TV, theater and more.

“The summer of ‘23 may be reliant on the customary franchises and name brands,” Tribune critic Michael Phillips writes. “But if a film as lovely and near-perfect as Celine Song’s debut feature ‘Past Lives’ can likewise qualify as a summer picture, going by the June-August calendar, then a summer place sounds pretty good to me.”

He’s picked 10 movies on the horizon, most not yet screened as of press time.

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“The big news in TV right now is the Hollywood writers strike, which began earlier this month,” writes Tribune critic Nina Metz. “For the time being, writers have not yet asked audiences to boycott TV altogether or cancel their streaming subscriptions, but a number of shows in production have been paused.”

She offers a look at what’s on tap in the first few weeks of the summer TV season, with a mix of new and returning shows.

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“The restrictions are gone. The festivals are back. And Chicago’s music festival scene is more robust than ever,” writes Britt Julious. “What a blessing it is to live in a city like this, where every music genre imaginable will have some sort of presence during the summer.”

She’s picked 10 standout shows to see this summer.

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“From a Pinter play to the music of Lloyd Price to the kid who sure plays a mean pinball, Chicago theater has enough excitement to rival NASCAR or Lolla this summer without any need to close a road or bare a midriff,” writes Tribune critic Chris Jones.

He’s assembled a list of 10 intriguing and (hopefully) exciting shows to tempt you out of the house.

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“We’re on our third fake out spring (conservatively), so you know what that means: summer is fast approaching, even on days it doesn’t feel like it. Someday, we’ll want to spend more hours outside than in and be on the lookout for divertissements that fit the bill,” writes Hannah Edgar.

Their summer museum highlights include some you can even enjoy in the great outdoors.

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“I keep hearing the same thing from all musical corners: The last two summers were busy, yes, but summer 2023 is busy-busy,” writes Hannah Edgar. “Consider these your friendly neighborhood ‘classical-ish’ and ‘jazz-ish’ listings, here to help you navigate one of the most teeming summers in recent memory.”

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“An abundance of opportunities to see dance outdoors lies ahead, in some cases, with the expectation of joining in!” writes Lauren Warnecke. Her summer dance highlights include The Seldoms and South Chicago Dance Theatre.

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Movies in the park are a Chicago summer tradition. This summer’s series, presented by the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, kicks off in July and runs through the recent Academy Award winner “Everything Everywhere All at Once” at the end of August.

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With summer upon us, that means festival season is also here. Our guide features 20 festivals coming to the Chicago area this season, including Ravinia, Pitchfork and Lollapalooza.

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It’s been a nonstop drumbeat of concert announcements for 2023: Taylor Swift, Springsteen, Beyoncé, Drake. Here’s a list of concerts that stretch through the end of September.

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