October 2010

CHICAGO – AMC has become a major player on the television scene thanks to the multiple awards won by “Mad Men” and “Breaking Bad.” As they expanded this year with “Rubicon” and this weekend’s “The Walking Dead,” the question was whether or not the pool would be diluted as it got bigger.

CHICAGO – With the best-selling “God of War III” still resonating like an almighty thunderclap that hit gamers barely over half a year ago, is it too soon for another adventure of one of the last decade’s most influential and important characters? And with the continuous decline in the number of interesting properties available for the Sony PSP, will “God of War: Ghost of Sparta” feel like an afterthought or an essential property in the Kratos canon?

CHICAGO – James MacArthur, a stage and screen actor best known for playing the booking agent Danno in the 1960s version of the TV show “Hawaii Five-0,” died on October 28th, 2010, of natural causes. He was 72. HollywoodChicago.com interviewed MacArthur last March at the Hollywood Celebrities and Memorabilia Show.

CHICAGO – The developers of “Rock Band 3” have surely heard the bell-ringers who claim that the music game genre is dead and have accepted the challenge presented to them. People have been proclaiming rock to be dead for decades only to be proven wrong by an amazing new release. Does “Rock Band 3” disprove the naysayers and reinvigorate the oversaturated genre?

CHICAGO – If one looks at the spine of a Criterion Collection release, he will see a number that indicates the order in which films have been inducted into the most important DVD/Blu-ray series in history. With over 500 films in the collection (this week’s “Paths of Glory” is #538), one might wonder where it all began. “Grand Illusion,” which Criterion no longer has rights to, is #1 but their second inductee has recently been transferred to Blu-ray and the two-disc release for “Seven Samurai” is a beauty.

CHICAGO – Perhaps it’s because it is so clearly inspired by a retro style of action but Nimrod Antal’s “Predators,” now available on Blu-ray and DVD, plays better at home than it did at the disappointing theatrical screening in the middle of summer 2010. It’s still a bit of a disappointment, but it’s one of those films that’s nowhere near as bad as it could have been and features a few strong set pieces, especially in HD.

CHICAGO – A truly scary movie doesn’t release you from its grip when the end credits begin to roll. It doesn’t evaporate from your mind like a pleasurable yet disposable piece of escapist entertainment. It burrows itself within your subconscious and follows you like a malevolent shadow until night falls.

CHICAGO – How does a filmmaker follow up the highest-grossing movie of all time? For writer and director James Cameron, the answer is simple: make the movie a trilogy.

CHICAGO – Movie collectors can be gluttons for punishment. We strive to have complete collections of certain filmmakers or film franchises, even if we know better when it comes to actual quality. Such is the case with those of us excited that the “Robocop Trilogy” is now available on Blu-ray, given the fact that the first movie is an absolute classic while the two sequels are perfect examples of what NOT to do with a franchise.

CHICAGO – Betsy Russell possibly made one of the greatest feature film debut moments in movie history. In the early VHS and cable days, no one can ever forget her epic horse ride in “Private School.” It’s great to have Betsy back, adding her legacy to the incredibly successful “Saw” horror franchise, this time in “Saw 3D.”

CHICAGO – Actress, Pop Singer, TV & Movie Star Hilary Duff can now add author to her resume, as her first young adult novel, “Elixir” is climbing up the best seller charts. Duff made a recent appearance greeting fans and signing her book at Anderson’s Bookshop in Naperville, Illinois, on October 16th, 2010.

CHICAGO – There are not many better showcases for an actor or actress than HBO’s amazing “In Treatment,” one of the best dramas of the last several years, which returns tonight, October 25th, 2010, for another round of character-driven therapy.

CHICAGO – Puzzle games don’t get any more inventive or enjoyable than the ridiculously addictive “Super Scribblenauts,” a game that challenges the player to come up with the most creative way possible to solve a puzzle. Unlike many Nintendo DS puzzle game which require you to use the analytical part of your brain, this wonderful title demands that you think outside of the box. It’s one of the best games you could buy for your DS.

CHICAGO – The DVD Round-Up is back to do some catch-up around the HollywoodChicago.com office of a few titles that either arrived a bit past their fresh-by date or we couldn’t find time to cover with full reviews. We still think you might want to know the details about these releases as you begin your holiday shopping, and so the DVD Round-Up returns. We hope you didn’t miss us too badly.