Monday Mini-Post: what's filming at The Bean?

Chicago's monument to... expensive shining things.

Welcome to Monday Mini-Posts, a new semi-regular feature that will run when I have a short anecdote, observation, or opinion to share that is too long for Twitter (@ihateyourfavmov) and it happens to be a Monday after a week wherein I was too busy to post a review. Enjoy!

I happened to be in downtown Chicago this past Friday afternoon, and as it was a warm and picturesque day I decided to take a walk through Millennium Park before heading out of the Loop.

As I headed north past Scary Faces Spitting Water Fountain (called the Crown Fountain), I saw a sizable crowd gathering by The Bean. The Bean, actually named Cloud Gate, which makes sense inasmuch it looks like a cloud of liquid mercury trying to devour tourists and financial analysts, has been a recognizable Chicago landmark since it was birthed onto the AT&T Plaza in 2006.

On this Friday afternoon, The Bean was roped off, and several sandwich boards proclaimed that a Motion Picture was Filming, and that by Being Present all civilians were giving their Consent to have their Faces and Voices used in the Film.

I am a film guy. I've shot some movies in my day, so obviously I wandered by to see what was being made. The latest Jennifer Aniston rom com? The third Christopher Nolan Batman pic? A commercial for laxatives?

Once I reached the top of the plaza, all I saw was a bunch of equipment strewn about and a crew of three guys lazily pushing a camera cart around The Bean. It was quickly obvious I wasn't going to catch a glimpse of John Larroquette or Vince Vaughn, so I tightened the strap of my hipster-douchebag messenger bag and began to wander towards the train.

I passed by a group of girls overwhelmed by the possibility of seeing a star in action. What could this movie be? they asked. Can you see anyone famous? they queried. Seeing a chance to be a wiseass, I made my move.

Do you know what's filming here? they asked me as I passed especially close to their huddling.

Why, it's Pirates of the Caribbean 4! I casually replied.

Yours truly must have one hell of a deadpan.

They scampered off, looking for Johnny Depp.

I wish I was joking.