Hey everyone. Capone in Chicago here.

In terms of Chicago Ain't It Cool screenings, the month of June is already booking up faster than I can believe, but one thing I'm really looking forward to doing this summer is mixing things up a bit. So in between the screenings of STAR TREK, DRAG ME TO HELL, THE HANGOVER, UP and other big-time studio offerings of that ilk, I want to show the fine folks of the Windy City a few smaller films that I've seen recently that I think you'll take into your heart and love as much as (maybe even more than) the blockbusters. A couple of these will be films I caught at SXSW and admired so much that I contacted the distributors personally to see if they'd be interested in letting us spend some time with their little films. Thankfully, everyone has said yes so far. We'll still carbo load with of couple of the mega releases in June, but let me see you guys come out in force for these smaller-release gems that will hopefully find a respectable audience at art houses around the country.

The first such offering is AWAY WE GO, actually a nice transition film from the big to the small, from Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes (AMERICAN BEAUTY; REVOLUTIONARY ROAD) working in much lighter but still completely satisfying surroundings. The film is co-written by Dave Eggers, and stars John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph as a young couple with a baby on the way trying to find a place to call home. We're fast approaching the halfway mark for 2009, and AWAY WE GO is easily one of my Top 5 films I've seen so far this year. Everyone involved with this film is working outside their comfort zone, and every single thing about this movie works. It's almost completely void of any artificial sentimentality, but it's still going to make you cry tears of joy. I'm asking you guys to trust me, and I know you'll come through.

This exclusive AICN screening of AWAY WE GO takes place Thursday, June 4 at 7:30pm at a theater in downtown Chicago (the exact location will only be given to contest winners).

Here's how to secure a pass good for you and one guest: Send me an email at capone@aintitcoolmail.com with the subject line "WANNA GET IN THE STROLLER?" In the body of the email, I need your Name, whether or not you're bringing a Guest (guests' names are not required), and the answer to the following question (read carefully): What was the one thing that made you realize that you were Home? I'm asking you guys to think a little deeper than usual, I know. I want to know what singe event made you say "I'm home" about either the place you're living now, or a place you once called home.

Keep your answer BRIEF--limit your answers to 75 words or less (no matter how tempted you are to go over the limit). Winners will receive an email from me over the weekend. Good luck, everyone! Hope to see you there.

-- Capone
capone@aintitcoolmail.com