CHICAGO – The late playwright August Wilson left a gift to the world in the form of his “American Century Cycle,” a series of plays each individually set in a decade of the 20th Century, focusing on the black experience. Chicago’s Goodman Theatre presents Wilson’s “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone,” now through May 19th, 2024 (click here).
October 2010
HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 3 ‘Nice Guy Johnny’ Prize Packs With DVD, Signed Edward Burns Poster
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on October 23, 2010 - 4:55pmCHICAGO – In our latest edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 3 prize packs up for grabs to the new film “Nice Guy Johnny” from writer and director Edward Burns!
Exclusive Portrait: Jenny McCarthy on ‘Love, Lust & Faking It’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on October 23, 2010 - 8:08amCHICAGO – Jenny McCarthy is at again, penning another one of her “Naked Truth” books, this time about relationships. The prolific Ms. McCarthy is back on the shelves with “Love, Lust & Faking It: The Naked Truth about Sex, Lies and True Romance.” She appeared at Border Books in Oakbrook, IL, on October 11th.
Prequel ‘Paranormal Activity 2’ Deftly Exploits a Baby as Emotional Scare Tactic
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on October 23, 2010 - 2:09amRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – From its first “The Blair Witch Project”-like film in Sept. 2009, “Paranormal Activity” now reigns as one of the most profitable films ever made based on return on investment. But just a short 13 months later, “Paranormal Activity 2” returns to theaters with content and panic tactics that are much of the same.
Film Review: Prequel ‘Paranormal Activity 2’ Deftly Exploits a Baby as Emotional Scare Tactic
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on October 23, 2010 - 1:57amCHICAGO – From its first “The Blair Witch Project”-like film in Sept. 2009, “Paranormal Activity” now reigns as one of the most profitable films ever made based on return on investment. But just a short 13 months later, “Paranormal Activity 2” returns to theaters with content and panic tactics that are much of the same.
Film Review: Gemma Arterton Displays Luminosity as ‘Tamara Drewe’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on October 22, 2010 - 9:49pmCHICAGO – There are some movies that are gut level great because of plot, atmosphere and pacing, and then there are movies like “Tamara Drewe,” which rely on the elusive star power of the performer to drive its engine. Gemma Arterton portrays the title character and lights up the screen with a vivid presence in this simple story of a woman’s homecoming.
Gemma Arterton Displays Luminosity as ‘Tamara Drewe’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on October 22, 2010 - 9:42pmRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – There are some movies that are gut level great because of plot, atmosphere and pacing, and then there are movies like “Tamara Drewe,” which rely on the elusive star power of the performer to drive its engine. Gemma Arterton portrays the title character and lights up the screen with a vivid presence in the simple story of a woman’s homecoming.
Film Review: ‘11/4/08’ Assembles Interactive Portrait of Fateful Night
Submitted by mattmovieman on October 22, 2010 - 7:41amCHICAGO – When Barack Obama took to the podium at Grant Park and gave his acceptance speech on the evening of November 4, 2008, his face appeared strangely reserved. His eyes did not reflect the overwhelming excitement of his supporters. Their grassroots efforts led to the election of a candidate whose popularity transcended national boundaries, injecting cynics with hope.
‘11/4/08’ Assembles Interactive Portrait of Fateful Night
Submitted by mattmovieman on October 22, 2010 - 7:33amRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – When Barack Obama took to the podium at Grant Park and gave his acceptance speech on the evening of November 4, 2008, his face appeared strangely reserved. His eyes did not reflect the overwhelming excitement of his supporters. Their grassroots efforts led to the election of a candidate whose popularity transcended national boundaries, injecting cynics with hope.
Video Game Review: ‘NBA 2K11’ Continues Excellence in Sports Gaming With Michael Jordan
Submitted by BrianTT on October 21, 2010 - 6:58pmCHICAGO – The learning curve may be steep enough that casual gamers could get thrown off by a title that demands a lot of its players but once you get the hang of “NBA 2K11” it becomes one of the most addictive and accomplished sports games ever made.
DVD Review: Second Season of HBO’s Brilliant ‘In Treatment’
Submitted by BrianTT on October 21, 2010 - 3:45pmCHICAGO – “In Treatment” is something of a TV miracle. It is a drama that focuses solely and purely on how what we say is as important as what we do. With real-time therapy sessions that play like mini-plays, “In Treatment,” the second season of which is now available on DVD, is far and away one of the best shows of the last several years. It’s a major commitment of time and emotion but it gives more than it takes.
Video Game Review: ‘Def Jam Rapstar’ Makes For Fun Party Alternative
Submitted by BrianTT on October 21, 2010 - 3:07pmVideo Game Rating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – With “DJ Hero 2,” “Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock” and “Rock Band 3” likely to take over families and parties for the next few months, do we really need another music game? Especially one from Konami, a company that hasn’t exactly broken the mold when it comes to karaoke games? Luckily, “Def Jam Rapstar” delivers exactly what you should expect from it — nothing much more than stupid fun.
Blu-Ray Review: ‘Mad Max’ is Still Powerful, But Release Disappoints
Submitted by BrianTT on October 21, 2010 - 12:15pmCHICAGO – It’s funny to me that there’s probably going to be an entire generation that sees Mel Gibson as a message-leaving lunatic and won’t fully understand how he became one of the biggest stars in the world. In the ’80s and most of the ’90s, he was at the top of the celebrity game and it all started with Max Rockatansky, the actor’s breakthrough role in “Mad Max,” now available on Blu-ray for the first time.
Blu-Ray Review: 50th Anniversary Edition of Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Psycho’
Submitted by BrianTT on October 21, 2010 - 11:37amCHICAGO – Are we going to have to wait for a major anniversary of every Alfred Hitchcock film for them to be released on Blu-ray? Only two of the films directed by the best filmmaker of all time are available in HD, last year’s 50th anniversary release of “North by Northwest” and the amazing new 50th anniversary edition of “Psycho.”
Short Cuts: Illinois Filmmakers at 2010 Chicago International Film Festival
Submitted by PatrickMcD on October 21, 2010 - 9:37amCHICAGO – The short film, once considered the lesser cousin of features, and seen mostly in obscurity, has had a major revival and influence in the age of YouTube. At the 2010 Chicago International Film Festival, the Illinois Short Filmmaker night brought out the best of locally produced film shorts on October 11th.
DVD Review: Underrated ‘Agora’ Captures Drama of Warring Ideas
Submitted by mattmovieman on October 20, 2010 - 11:48pmCHICAGO – When A.O. Scott described this film as “Passion of the Christ” for liberals, I couldn’t help finding his catchy summation to be awfully glib. “Agora” is a film about ideas, whereas “Passion” was merely about Mel Gibson’s masochism. Director Alejandro Amenábar has crafted a fascinating and haunting historical epic that never exploits its violent subject matter.
DVD Review: ‘I Am Love’ Captures Revolutionary Power of Romance
Submitted by mattmovieman on October 20, 2010 - 11:30pmCHICAGO – Critics don’t have any business reviewing films if they aren’t able to admit when they are wrong. I am here to freely admit that I was wrong about “I Am Love.” While it blindsided me at the European Union Film Festival, I detected certain glaring flaws in its plot during the film’s limited theatrical run, which seem to have evaporated upon its magnificent DVD release.
Exclusive Portraits: David Schwimmer, Alan Cumming at 2010 Chicago International Film Festival
Submitted by PatrickMcD on October 20, 2010 - 3:26pmCHICAGO – High wattage star power lit up the red carpet on October 18th at the Chicago International Film Festival.
Film Review: Clint Eastwood, Matt Damon Deliver Poignant ‘Hereafter’
Submitted by BrianTT on October 20, 2010 - 9:30amCHICAGO – Clint Eastwood’s “Hereafter” is a dramatic examination of a subject rarely dealt with in American cinema with even an ounce of honest emotion: What happens after we die.
Clint Eastwood, Matt Damon Deliver Poignant ‘Hereafter’
Submitted by BrianTT on October 20, 2010 - 9:27amRating: 4.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Clint Eastwood’s “Hereafter” is a dramatic examination of a subject rarely dealt with in American cinema with even an ounce of honest emotion: What happens after we die.
DVD Review: Uneven ‘Leaves of Grass’ Delves Into High-Minded Farce
Submitted by mattmovieman on October 20, 2010 - 7:59amCHICAGO – As special effects technology continues to become more advanced, filmmakers have found increasingly convincing ways of allowing actors to give dual performances in the same movie, and often in the same frame. This can be achieved in a variety of ways, from the exquisite trick photography in “Moon” to the seamless digital creation of the Winklevi in “The Social Network.”
News: Chicago Dance Auditions For Cher Film ‘Burlesque’ on Oct. 23, 2010
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on October 20, 2010 - 3:34amCHICAGO – We have learned that there will be a dance contest in Chicago on Oct. 23, 2010 in celebration of the upcoming film “Burlesque” starring Cher, Christina Aguilera, Kristen Bell, Stanley Tucci, Alan Cumming and Peter Gallagher.
Interview: Filmmaker Jeff Deutchman Revisits Historic Election in ‘11/4/08’
Submitted by mattmovieman on October 20, 2010 - 12:08amCHICAGO – Jeff Deutchman’s “11/4/08” is a documentary like no other. It centers on the historic Election Day of 2008 that named Barack Obama as the next American president. Deutchman called on his friends, including Joe Swanberg (“Hannah Takes the Stairs”) and Henry Joost (“Catfish”), to capture footage from the day both nationally and internationally, from Manhattan to Dubai.
Video Game Review: ‘Medal of Honor’ Looks Great But Shoots Blanks
Submitted by BrianTT on October 19, 2010 - 9:32pmCHICAGO – The world of video game development can be oddly cyclical. There was a time when the creators of the “Call of Duty” games looked to the success of the “Medal of Honor” games and now the coin has flipped as the reboot of “MOH” has been clearly-inspired by the success of games like “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2” and “Battlefield: Bad Company 2.”
Slideshow: 20-Image Gallery For ‘Hereafter’ With Matt Damon, Cecile De France
Submitted by BrianTT on October 19, 2010 - 9:20pmCHICAGO – This 20-image slideshow contains a selection of the official press images for the highly anticipated “Hereafter,” starring Matt Damon, Cecile De France, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Jay Mohr. The film was written by Peter Morgan and directed by Clint Eastwood. It was released on October 15th, 2010 in some markets, opens on October 20th, 2010 in Chicago, and expands nationwide on October 22nd, 2010.
Women in Film: Spotlight on Three at 2010 Chicago International Film Festival
Submitted by PatrickMcD on October 19, 2010 - 7:26pmCHICAGO – With the breakthrough Best Director win for Kathryn Bigelow (”The Hurt Locker”) at the most recent Academy Awards, women in film are creating their own inroads. Three examples from the 2010 Chicago International Film Festival are Carmen Marron, Naghmeh Shirkhan and Kristin Kaza.
Video Game Review: ‘Dead Space Ignition’ Bridges Story to ‘Dead Space 2’
Submitted by BrianTT on October 19, 2010 - 2:44pmCHICAGO – One of the most anticipated games of the next several months has to be EA’s sequel “Dead Space 2,” a title that promises more incredible action and sci-fi scares. To prime audiences for that title, EA has released a DLC prologue to the game called “Dead Space Ignition” that can be purchased or activated with a pre-order of the January title. An odd mini-game, “Ignition” feels only loosely-related to the “Dead Space” universe and a missed opportunity at something that would truly remind players knee-deep in mega-titles of the season like “Fallout: New Vegas” and “Fable III” that there’s another great game coming soon.
Blu-Ray Round-Up: ‘Three Kings,’ ‘Altitude,’ ‘Sex and Lucia’
Submitted by BrianTT on October 19, 2010 - 1:44pmCHICAGO – Several major summer 2010 films have been released on Blu-ray recently which could have easily allowed minor titles to go unnoticed if not for HollywoodChicago.com’s beloved Blu-Ray Round-Up. Here are a few of the smaller October HD releases worth a look.
Blu-Ray Review: Catherine Keener, Rebecca Hall in Great ‘Please Give’
Submitted by BrianTT on October 19, 2010 - 12:25pmCHICAGO – I’ve seen over a hundred films since seeing Nicole Holofcener’s “Please Give” and the movie has somehow lingered in the back of my mind. It’s what happens when characters are this well-drawn and believable. If a movie feels genuine, it has a much longer staying power and writer/director Holofcener (“Lovely and Amazing,” “Friends With Money”) makes dramedies about people that almost instantly feel completely genuine. “Please Give,” recently released on Blu-ray and DVD, is one of the best dramedies of the year.
DVD Review: ‘Humphrey Bogart: The Essential Collection’ is Fantastic
Submitted by BrianTT on October 19, 2010 - 10:56amCHICAGO – Having written about DVDs for years, I’ve been lucky enough to receive and buy dozens of star-centered box sets: collections of films based around an actor or director ranging from Bette Davis to Mel Brooks. More often than not, the set is missing an essential film or two, features lackluster video/audio transfers, or includes bare-bones DVDs without bonus material. None of that is true about “Humphrey Bogart: The Essential Collection,” one of the best DVD box sets ever released.
Interview: Actress Cécile De France on Life in Clint Eastwood’s ‘Hereafter’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on October 19, 2010 - 10:04amCHICAGO – Clint Eastwood’s twilight career might become his greatest period as his latest film, “Hereafter,” hits theaters.