“Dreaming Grand Avenue” ( a film )reviewed by Julia W. Rath

Highly Recommended **** The act of dreaming has always been a mystery. Why do we have dreams when we sleep? What is their origin, meaning, and function? And why do we recall bits and pieces of some of our dreams but not others? Such are just a few of the many questions raised by the film “Dreaming Grand Avenue.” Produced in 2019 by the Newcity Chicago Film Project and crisply written and directed by Hugh Schulze, this 98-minute world premiere movie is a surreal detective story on both the physical plane and the astral plane. The film delves into the mysterious and the inexplicable and gives us the makings to rethink how and why dreams have a power over us. It points to the likelihood of a realm beyond us that we cannot know or understand.

We follow the lives of Jimmy K (Jackson Rathbone) and Maggie de la Luz (Andrea Londo) through their various dreams, daydreams, and real-life experiences. We watch them meet in dreams, but how is that possible? Could two people unknown to each other ever share the same subconscious journey? Considering their twin interests in poetry, did both wish upon a star to meet each other? Similarly, they share a pattern of troubling dreams, most of which they cannot remember. Jack Vance (Tony Fitzpatrick), the Dream Detective, lives in the supernatural realm but has a toe in the real world, while sleep scientist Dr. Emily Wandervogel (Tiffany Bedwell) lives in the real world but has a toe in the metaphysical. Each investigator in their own way helps to bring Jimmy’s and Maggie’s repressed memories of troubling real-life events to the fore and gives each of them permission to recall their nightmares of disturbing deaths that flash in their minds while asleep. Only through conscious awareness can these nightmares be brought under control together with their haunting effects, which are manifested in unrefreshing sleep, general anxiety, and suicidal ideation.

Filmed in familiar and not-so-familiar Chicago locations, this is a polished, lovingly directed work. Hollywood-style editing combined with playful artistry, creative cuts, and video compositing have made the movie very engaging. Disparate sequences are cleverly and beautifully pieced together through movement, such as travel via the elevated train, strolls through bookstores, and rides on a motorcycle. Editor Joseph Rabig, has done a marvelous job in creating a seamless transition from one editing style to another. Cinematographer Christopher Rejano layers the familiar architecture of city streets and buildings to form the background for each of the characters’ activities and reflections. Seth Bonstead’s original score is compelling. Artist Lane Fujita uses his many impressive drawings to demonstrate Jimmy K’s artistic flair. The terrific visual effects throughout are the product of multiple creative minds.

“Dreaming Grand Avenue” gives each of us the opportunity to rethink our approach to dreams and dreaming by implying that there is much more to life than just concrete reality. Above all, how does access to a paranormal dimension in our dream state influence our waking lives? Writer and director Schulze has evidently made his dream come true of making an intriguing movie about an uncanny set of circumstances and an unlikely couple. When and how did this serendipitous idea first strike his imagination? Was it by remembering a lucid dream or bringing a nightmare into consciousness? Perhaps only the supernatural would know for sure, but the outcome is an inspiring one.

The world premiere of “Dreaming Grand Avenue” took place on Wednesday, September 23rd at the ChiTown Movies Drive-In, 2343 S. Throop Street, Chicago. On Friday, September 25th, two additional venues will feature the show:

DOWNTOWN/SOUTH: Showplace Icon Theatres in Chicago
1011 S. Delano Court, Chicago, IL 60605
and
NORTH: The Music Box Theatre
3733 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613
All COVID restrictions will be in force.

The film is also available for streaming.

For tickets and more information, go to dreaminggrand.com. The trailer can be found at: https://www.chicagofilmproject.com/dreaming-grand-avenue/

Note: “Dreaming Grand Avenue” is dedicated to the hundreds of children sacrificed to gun violence in the City of Chicago and elsewhere.