August 2023

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio film review for “Bottoms,” a dark comedy parody of the high school caste system, featuring jocks, cheerleaders, freaks and geeks, directed and co-wrttien by Emma Seligman (“Shiva Baby”). In theaters since August 25th.

CHICAGO – Currently touring the film festival circuit, the new film “Unfriending” … by writer/director/brothers Brett and Jason Butler … is a pitch black comedy on our weirdly filtered world today. The Canadian filmmakers are veterans of five features, and have been building their reputations since the mid-2000s.

Rating: 2.0/5.0

CHICAGO – “Gran Turismo” uses the life story of a gamer named Jann Mardenborough to get its message across … he was a college dropout in the UK who used the hours spent behind the steering wheel in his bedroom to become a real race car driver. While the racing scenes deliver the goods, this poorly conceived piece of product placement never gets its narrative out of first gear.

Rating: 4.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on August 25th, reviewing “Golda,” set in a tense period in the career of 1970s Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir. In theaters on August 25th.

CHICAGO – One of the Midwest Film Festival’s greatest strengths is its sense of community. The way they branch out and reach out to all in the Chicago filmmaker/actor/crew collective is without precedent in this evolving cinema city. Monday, August 28th, will feature Women & Gender Non-Conforming Filmmaker Night, and one of the films making its Chicago debut is “Road Head” by Allison Torem.

CHICAGO – One of the finest genre filmmakers from Chicagoland is releasing her latest horror epic. Writer/director Jennifer Reeder has created “Perpetrator,” her fourth feature film, and it will have a run at select theaters, including Chicago’s Music Box Theatre (LINK HERE) as well as streaming on SHUDDER beginning September 1st.

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio film review for “Landscape with Invisible Hand,” a space alien science fiction film with highly symbolic overtones to our current society, based on a novel by M.T. Anderson and featuring Tiffany Haddish. In theaters since August 18th.

CHICAGO – “Strays” is a film that features a cast full of legitimately funny people, but this Hard-R-Rated talking dog movie poops out long before the final credits roll. The film tries to have heart, but is too busy making labored poo-poo jokes to give the schmaltz much gusto. 


CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on August 17th, reviewing “Blue Beetle,” the DC Comic Universe latest film. In theaters since August 18th.

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on August 9th, reviewing “Passages,” directed by Ira Sachs (“Married Life,” “Love is Strange”) and featuring Ben Whishaw. In theaters since August 11th.

CHICAGO – Nicole Bernardi-Reis is a veteran local producer, yet found another calling within the film arts as co-director … with Laura Bermúdez … of “With This Light.” The documentary is the story of Sister Maria Rosa Leggoi, a Honduran nun who spent her life building and providing shelter for orphaned, poverty stricken and abused children. “With This Light,” makes its Chicagoland premiere on August 9th, 2023, and begins a one week run at the Wayfarer Theaters in Highland Park (Illinois) on August 11th. Click LIGHT for details.

CHICAGO – One of the greatest celebrity shows and entertainment gatherings in the country is landing in Chicago in three days, and the line-up for potential autograph seekers/meet and greet is top of the line. FAN EXPO takes place from August 10-13, 2023. For tickets and information, click FAN EXPO Chicago.

CHICAGO – Lollapalooza is not the only music festival in town. Access Contemporary Music (ACM) … a lesson and appreciation conservatory … presents the annual Thirsty Ears” Classical Music Street Festival, bringing the art and “classical gas” to the Ravenswood neighborhood in the Windy City. For more information and performer schedules, click THIRSTY EARS.

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Ben Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on August 3rd, reviewing “Shortcomings,” directed by Randall Park in his feature debut, based on a graphic novel. In theaters beginning August 4th.