March 2010

‘The Most Dangerous Man in America’ Honors a Patriotic Whistleblower

The Most Dangerous Man in America
HollywoodChicago.com Oscarman rating: 4.0/5.0
Rating: 4.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Is the Iraq war merely a continuation of Vietnam? In both cases, were we led to war under false pretenses, with the assurance that we were preserving democracy? Viewers on both sides of the political spectrum will be arguing about these questions long after this documentary, and the current war itself, is over.

‘The Most Dangerous Man in America’ Honors a Patriotic Whistleblower

HollywoodChicago.com Oscarman rating: 4.0/5.0
Rating: 4.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Is the Iraq war merely a continuation of Vietnam? In both cases, were we led to war under false pretenses, with the assurance that we were preserving democracy? Viewers on both sides of the political spectrum will be arguing about these questions long after this documentary, and the current war itself, is over.

Interview: Andy Garcia on Acting, His New Film ‘City Island’

CHICAGO – Andy Garcia has a movie star presence, combined with a true appreciation for his profession and craft. He takes on a character role in the upcoming film “City Island,” as a New York borough prison guard who longs to be an actor.

HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 35 Chicago Passes to ‘The Greatest’ With Pierce Brosnan, Susan Sarandon

CHICAGO – In our latest romance edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 35 admit-two passes up for grabs to the advance Chicago screening of “The Greatest” starring Pierce Brosnan, Susan Sarandon and Carey Mulligan (from “An Education”)!

Blu-Ray Review: Fantastic AMC Show ‘Breaking Bad’

Breaking Bad

CHICAGO – The Emmy-winning AMC series “Breaking Bad” may not be the cultural phenomenon that is the network’s “Mad Men” but it has just as loyal a following and a growing group of fans who are realizing that this drama is easily as good and arguably better. Scary, funny, dramatic, and honestly moving, “Breaking Bad” is remarkable television that pulls off that amazing trick of feeling both genuine and completely original at the same time. The first two seasons are now available on Blu-ray and should not be missed.

Video Game Review: PSP Version of ‘MLB 10: The Show’ Wins Series

MLB 10 PSP

CHICAGO – The PS3 version of “MLB 10: The Show” is a beautifully rendered sports simulation that has received nearly universal acclaim (including in our review) and Sony was nice enough to send over a PSP version for us to contrast and compare for our readers considering taking their team on the road. Unsurprisingly, Sony delivers for their handheld version as well, connecting with a solid hit that has only a few notable flaws.

DVD Review: ‘Stargate Atlantis: The Complete Series’

Stargate Atlantis: The Complete Series

CHICAGO – The world of TV on DVD is running out of candidates for lavish “Complete Series” box sets. The fact is that there hasn’t been a major hit that shut down shop in awhile and there’s been something of a gap in the production of these multi-disc gift sets between “Battlestar Galactica” and this summer’s highly anticipated “Lost” set.

Interview: Memories From Eva Marie Saint, ‘North by Northwest’

CHICAGO – The film buff’s essential network, Turner Classic Movies, is having a film festival next month in Hollywood from April 22nd to the 25th, and as promotion for that festival, Eva Marie Saint will introduce “North by Northwest” in Chicago.

John Cusack, Rob Corddry Ride ‘Hot Tub Time Machine’

CHICAGO – What man approaching or in middle age wouldn’t love to go back to when they were in their physical, sexual, and alcohol-imbibing prime and not just feel young again but perhaps even correct a few mistakes that led to a disappointing life?

John Cusack, Rob Corddry Ride ‘Hot Tub Time Machine’

HollywoodChicago.com Oscarman rating: 3.5/5.0
Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – What man approaching or in middle age wouldn’t love to go back to when they were in their physical, sexual, and alcohol-imbibing prime and not just feel young again but perhaps even correct a few mistakes that led to a disappointing life?

Blu-Ray Review: Satire in ‘The Men Who Stare at Goats’ Falls Painfully Flat

The Men Who Stare at Goats Blu-Ray

CHICAGO – What a disappointment. You’d think with a cast this great and a premise this outlandish that this film simply couldn’t lose. And yet, the best things about “The Men Who Stare at Goats” are its title, its poster and its trailer that gives away nearly all of the biggest laughs. The actual film is a charmless slog that doesn’t take itself nearly as seriously as it should.

Every Day is Her Day in Director Bong Joon-ho’s ‘Mother’

"Mother" with Kim Hye-Ja

CHICAGO – The concept of family is a fascinating subject for notable South Korean director Bong Joon-ho. His monster movie “The Host” celebrated those familial bonds, and now an even closer relationship emerges in “Mother.”

Every Day is Her Day in Director Bong Joon-ho’s ‘Mother’

HollywoodChicago.com Oscarman rating: 4.5/5.0
Rating: 4.5/5.0

CHICAGO – The concept of family is a fascinating subject for notable South Korean director Bong Joon-ho. His monster movie “The Host” celebrated those familial bonds, and now an even closer relationship emerges in “Mother.”

Interview: Director Atom Egoyan on ‘Chloe,’ His Brilliant Career

CHICAGO – Atom Egoyan makes memorable films, examinations of the human psyche that create intuitive philosophy. His newest film, “Chloe,” is no exception, as Julianne Moore and Amanda Seyfried play characters that forge a complex connection.

Blu-Ray Review: ‘Toy Story’ Films Released in Advance of ‘Toy Story 3’

Toy Story Blu-Ray

CHICAGO – If you don’t at least like the “Toy Story” movies, you’re probably kind of a jerk. Personally, I adore them both and have seen them multiple times on DVD; the standard go-to when babysitting nieces and nephews. And yet watching them again in glorious Disney HD, they still felt new. I’m blinded by love for Pixar, but these are must-owns for anyone with a Blu-ray player.

Blu-Ray Review: B-Movie ‘Armored’ Works on Own Terms

Armored

CHICAGO – The basic moral message of “Armored” is simple: Don’t get partnered with sociopathic lunatics especially when they’re given guns and armored cars as a part of their job. This defiantly old-fashioned B-movie wasn’t screened for critics and was dismissed by audiences around the last holiday season but more than gets the job done as an entertaining rental on its own terms.

Interview: From Norman Bates to ‘Mother’ With Director Bong Joon-ho

Mother

CHICAGO – The masterful young director of “Memories of Murder” and “The Host,” two of the best films of the ’00s, has done it again with the incredible thriller “Mother,” opening in Chicago tomorrow, March 26th, 2010. He recently called over to discuss his new film and its inspirations, along with upcoming work with “Thirst” director Park Chan-wook and even a sequel to “The Host”.

13th Annual EU Film Festival Highlights, Week Four: ‘The Secret of Kells,’ ‘Hadewijch’

CHICAGO – We have now reached the fourth and final week of the 13th Annual European Union Film Festival at the Siskel Film Center, and what a fantastic festival it has been. From international sensations to critically acclaimed gems rarely available in the US, the EU annual line-up is consistently one of the finest offered by any festival in the Windy City.

Video Game Review: Gorgeous World Created in ‘Final Fantasy XIII’

HollywoodChicago.com Video Game Rating: 4.0/5.0
Video Game Rating: 4.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Very few games have been as divisive as “Final Fantasy XIII”. The highly anticipated game hit stores recently and message boards have been flooded with nearly equal parts praise and disgust. Rarely have you been able to find such a diversity of opinion on one game but “Final Fantasy” fans have always been a passionate group.

Blu-Ray Review: Unnecessary ‘Brothers’ Remake Works on Own Terms

Brothers Blu-Ray

CHICAGO – Was there really any need to remake “Brothers,” the 2004 Danish drama directed by Susanne Bier? Not only was the film nearly flawless, but its riveting emotions and themes resonated on a universal level that transcended any cultural boundaries. Just because a war film is set in a different country or a different time period doesn’t mean the modern-day American soldier won’t be able to relate to it.

DVD Review: Incredibly Smart, Enjoyable Teen Comedy ‘Bandslam’

Bandslam

CHICAGO – Movies with teenagers that don’t talk down to them and presents them in lovable, realistic ways are so few and far between that seeing one can almost send chills up a cynical critic’s spine. I don’t mean to over-praise what is ultimately a light film but with all the junk aimed at kids nowadays, the incredibly smart “Bandslam” practically feels like a revelation. Those of you buying “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” should be forced to pick this one up too. You won’t regret it.

Video Game Review: Expand ‘Heavy Rain’ Experience With ‘The Taxidermist’

Heavy Rain The Taxidermist
HollywoodChicago.com Video Game Rating: 3.0/5.0
Video Game Rating: 3.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Sony’s “Heavy Rain” has become the most controversial game of the year with many players realizing the importance of the most influential game in a very long time with others being turned off by the title’s very unique style.

TV Review: Toni Collette Continues to Shine on ‘United States of Tara’

United States of Tara S2

CHICAGO – I personally think the show is slightly inferior to its hour-partner “Nurse Jackie,” but Toni Collette does such spectacular work on “United States of Tara” that her performance alone demands you tune in. Like Edie Falco on “NJ,” the incredibly talented Collette takes a challenging role that could have turned into caricature in the hands of a lesser actress and makes it genuine.

TV Review: Edie Falco Returns With Great ‘Nurse Jackie’

CHICAGO – After years without many strong roles for women, 2009 saw the debut of at least three in the great turn by Juliana Margulies on “The Good Wife,” the lead performance by Toni Collette in “United States of Tara” and, the best of them all, Edie Falco in the great “Nurse Jackie,” which returns tonight on March 22, 2010 on Showtime.

Blu-Ray Review: Oscar-Winning ‘The Blind Side’ With Sandra Bullock

The Blind Side

CHICAGO – Most critics and industry types expected “The Blind Side” with Sandra Bullock to be a modest holiday season hit but if a single one of them, including the people who made the film, told you that they knew this would be an Oscar-winning Best Picture nominee that grossed over $250 million, they are straight-up lying. “The Blind Side” shattered all expectations and Warner Brothers has quickly and somewhat lazily shuffled it off to Blu-ray and DVD.

HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 25 Passes, Signed Poster For ‘Brooklyn’s Finest’ With Don Cheadle, Richard Gere

CHICAGO – In our latest crime/drama edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 25 admit-two run-of-engagement movie passes and one signed poster for one grand-prize winner for the new film “Brooklyn’s Finest” from the director of “Training Day”!

Jude Law, Forest Whitaker Misfire With Awful ‘Repo Men’

CHICAGO – Reminiscent of vastly superior work by David Cronenberg and Paul Verhoeven but with none of the directorial skill apparent in the work of those two talented men, “Repo Men” with Jude Law and Forest Whitaker is a total disaster possibly unmatched in the careers of its talented stars.

Jude Law, Forest Whitaker Misfire With Awful ‘Repo Men’

HollywoodChicago.com Oscarman rating: 1.0/5.0
Rating: 1.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Reminiscent of vastly superior work by David Cronenberg and Paul Verhoeven but with none of the directorial skill apparent in the films of those two talented men, “Repo Men” with Jude Law and Forest Whitaker is a total disaster possibly unmatched in the careers of its talented stars.

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  • Manhunt

    CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Dan Baker on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on March 21st, 2024, reviewing the new streaming series “Manhunt” – based on the bestseller by James L. Swanson – currently streaming on Apple TV+.

  • Topdog/Underdog, Invictus Theatre

    CHICAGO – When two brothers confront the sins of each other and it expands into a psychology of an entire race, it’s at a stage play found in Chicago’s Invictus Theatre Company production of “Topdog/Underdog,” now at their new home at the Windy City Playhouse through March 31st, 2024. Click TD/UD for tickets/info.

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