Film

Whether you're searching for a Halloween haunt, an Oscar contender or a new series to binge, Kansas City film critics Austin Vashaw, Abby Olcese and Patrick Moore have you covered. They joined KCUR’s Up To Date to bring you their latest movie and streaming recommendations.

Kevin Willmott is best known for his Oscar-winning movie “BlacKkKlansman.” But his breakout film “CSA: Confederate States of America” premiered at the Sundance Film Festival nearly two decades ago — and marked a turning point in his career. Willmott credits festival founder Robert Redford, who died this week, with helping thousands of filmmakers like him.

Film crews seem to be getting more common in Kansas City thanks to state and local tax incentives. Two veterans of the Kansas City film industry also remember the 1990s as a heyday of filming in town.

Cast and crew members of the Apple TV+ show were spotted earlier this week at locations including Gates BBQ in Midtown and Kansas City’s iconic Country Club Plaza.

After the May release of "The Quilters," which followed incarcerated men who make quilts inside a Missouri maximum security prison, the Department of Corrections announced that it was “overwhelmed” with donations.

The New York Times published a list of the "100 best movies of the 21st century" so far. So KCUR's Up To Date assembled a panel of Kansas City movie critics to weigh in on the list — which they criticized as not diverse enough — and to find out what movies they'd rank at the top of the chart.

Die-hard "Star Wars" fans celebrate the fourth day of May this weekend, while the National Museum of Toys and Miniatures highlights action figures from the famous movies. For one super-fan, it's a chance to show off the 5,000-square-foot private museum of memorabilia next to his Northland home.

Oscar-winning screenwriter and University of Kansas film professor Kevin Willmott is retiring from teaching this year. KU is hosting a four-day film festival celebrating his career starting Feb. 18 in Lawrence.

The Christmas romantic comedy "Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story" was filmed around Kansas City this summer, and premieres at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 30 on the Hallmark Channel. The film cast locals as extras and includes cameos by coach Andy Reid, Donna Kelce and more.

For half a decade, the Kansas City nonprofit WeCode/KC has offered hands-on computer and coding classes primarily to Black students, to make a difference in the tech industry. Plus: A Kansas business processes film for photographers, cinematographers and even pop stars like Megan Thee Stallion.

Midwest Film Company in Wichita processes filmstock for photographers and cinematographers around the U.S. — and even pop stars like Megan Thee Stallion. Owner Justin Cary started the business in 2019 with a setup in his kitchen.

Expected to open in the historic Boone Theater in February 2026, the attraction will celebrate Black Americans' contributions to the film industry. The first class of inductees — including Oscar Micheaux, Harry Belafonte and Janelle Monáe — all have Kansas City ties.