Live in Chicago? Capone has seats for an advance screening of THE GUEST, with actor Dan Stevens, director Adam Wingard, and writer Simon Barrett Q&A!!!

Hey everyone. Capone in Chicago here.

When I first saw THE GUEST at this year’s SXSW Film Festival, it really threw me to see Dan Stevens in a role like this. Coming into watching “Downton Abbey” only recently, my first exposure to Stevens’ work was actually on Broadway a couple years ago opposite Jessica Chastain in “The Mistress,” but that was enough to convince me to check out “Downton,” right before they killed off his character. And now Stevens is poised to be a high-profile film actor. He had a supporting role in last year’s THE FIFTH ESTATE, and the trailers for NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: SECRET OF THE TOMB (in which he plays Sir Lancelot) and A WALK AMONG THE TOMBSTONES (opposite Liam Neeson) both feature him prominently. He’s also got THE COBBLER (director and co-written by Thomas McCarthy) premiering at Toronto any day now and has the starring role in Jackie Earle Haley’s directing debut CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES coming out in 2015.

But we’re here to talk about Stevens’ harrowing and nasty turn in THE GUEST, the follow-up film from the writing-directing team of Simon Barrett and Adam Wingard, whose last feature, YOU’RE NEXT, was quite exceptional as both a straight-up horror film and a work determined to surprise us at every turn. But THE GUEST is a different animal, a slow-burn, stranger-amongst-us thriller about a man that shows up at the house of the family of a dead soldier, claiming to be his close friend in combat. Stevens tells the family that he promised their fallen family member that he’d look out for them, and so he does until the truth begins to surface about who this man really is. The film is lean and mean, much like Stevens’ character, and that’s all you need to know except that you should see it. And I’m going to make that happen for some lucky folks in the Chicago area, with a few guests to sweeten the deal.

The early screening of THE GUEST is happening n Chicago on Tuesday, September 9 at 7:30pm at a theater in downtown Chicago (the exact location will only be given to winners), and I have reserved seats for a fortunate Ain’t It Cool News readers to attend. As an added bonus, we’ll have a post-screening Q&A with star Dan Stevens, writer Simon Barrett, and director Adam Wingard.

To win a pair of tickets (or just one, if that's all you want), send me an email at GuestChicago@aintitcoolmail.com (please note the new email address) with the subject line “Be Careful Who You Let In” (exactly like that). In the body of the email, I need your Full Name, whether or not you're bringing a Guest (each winner may bring ONE confirmed guest--if I think you gave your +1 to someone trolling for free tickets at the theater, you won't get in), and the answer to the following question: “What is your favorite film featuring a dangerous stranger (preferably human), and why?” Keep your responses BRIEF--no more than 75 words (no matter how tempted you are to go over the limit). I’m looking for the name of a film about where a stranger terrorizes people, perhaps in their home, maybe somewhere else (I’m leaving it deliberately vague), but your reasons for picking this film should be specific. Best answers (as determined by me) win, and you'll hear from me VERY SOON if you won, so check your email frequently in the next couple of days.

This is not an exclusive Ain't It Cool News event, but winners' tickets will be held until 15 minutes before showtime (meaning 7:15pm), at which time any unclaimed tickets will be given away; no exceptions. So you should arrive early to make sure you get in and get a good seat. If you can't arrive early, don't enter this contest. If there's even the slightest chance you or your guest will have to back out of attending or arrive late if you do win, don't enter. If you have a job that might make you late or unable to attend, or an ill/pregnant relative, or a temperamental significant other, or a scratchy throat, do not enter. And the 24-hour-notice-to-cancel rule is done. If you win and don't show up, the Black List is your new best friend.

Good luck, everyone! And thanks to the Picturehouse for giving us this screening and brining in these very cool guests.

-- Steve Prokopy
"Capone"
capone@aintitcool.com
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