As knowledgeable as I thought I was about movies (especially those with Chicago connections), I learned so much more from my recent Chicago Movie Tours event with host Kelli. Even with things I kind of knew before, I was able to look at them in a new light. Engaging, detailed presentations and an eagerness to answer questions made this a top-notch experience. Highly recommended.

The tour is a fantastic dive into the production of The Wizard Of Oz and the toll the cocaine movement took on famous early twentieth-century Hollywood film stars. For those who like the dark details, the tour dispels many myths and discloses secrets hidden behind the studio's production of The Wizard Of Oz, and it exposes the dark backdrop that makes the movie such a vivid Technicolor success to audiences.

I did one of the Ferris Bueller's Day Off tours and found it an absolute delight. Clearly a lot of research has been put into crafting this tour; despite claiming not to be an art expert, she did a very credible job of relating the history of the paintings and how their use in the film helps to further character development. Though the tour touches on everything from Chicago history to fine art to film, the delivery is fun and enjoyable, with something for everyone. It's the best type of tour where you learn a lot, but you don't FEEL like you're learning. Note that there IS a lot of standing/walking and you move through the museum fast. However, she was extremely conscientious about the needs of her guests and was constantly checking not just on our comfort, but also to make sure that she moved her group through the museum without blocking/annoying any other patrons. I had a great time and will be back to check out her other tours!

Kelli at Chicago Movie Tours gave a fantastic tour of Union Station for her tour "Hollywood on the Rails." She didn't just teach us about movies and TV shows, which were plentiful (I didn't realize that "The Sting" was filmed in part at Chicago Union Station); the tour also touched on points from a variety of fields, including architecture, art and design, history, technology, and of course, Chicago. It was a wonderful way to spend two hours, very informative and engaging, and very much worth your time, whether your interests lie in film, pop culture, history, architecture, or the Windy City!