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+.
Seth Rogen
Pointless Trip Back to ‘Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on May 19, 2016 - 11:20pm- andrew j. cohen
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Rating: 2.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The original “Neighbors” was a funny enough movie, that still boasted at least a couple of big laughs. “Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising” only manages the occasional chuckle here and there. As far as big budget studio comedy sequels go, it’s not as bad as “The Hangover 2.” It’s more in line with “Ghostbusters 2”.
Spirit Starts Early in Fun, Raunchy ‘The Night Before’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on November 20, 2015 - 10:29amRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The tradition of the holiday party gets a workout in “The Night Before,” as three friends take a Christmas Eve walk through the environs of New York City, and make their merry journey an unforgettable night of libation enhancement, magic moments and yes, the Holiday Spirit.
Expansive ‘Steve Jobs’ is a Marvel of a Movie
Submitted by PatrickMcD on October 16, 2015 - 2:07pmRating: 5.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – You don’t need CGI, entire cities being turned to rubble, or an army of assembling Avengers to make a great movie. All you need is a good story to tell and a team of people talented enough to tell it. Writer Aaron Sorkin, and Director Danny Boyle are just the right people to make “Steve Jobs” because their finished project positively springs to life on the screen.
Funny But Familiar Trip to Frat House in ‘Neighbors’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on May 9, 2014 - 9:30amRating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – I have a high tolerance for Seth Rogen, but he begins to show some signs of creative exhaustion in “Neighbors,” a raunchy frat house comedy that’s never quite as funny as it should be. Rogen’s onscreen persona here comes dangerously close to schtick.
‘This is the End’ Turns Stoner Fantasy Into Comedy
Submitted by BrianTT on June 11, 2013 - 12:59pmRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – When David Gordon Green’s “Your Highness” hit fans of its writer/director and talented stars like a really bad pot hangover, its creators admitted that the project began life as a stoned what-if scenario. “Hey, let’s make a pot-laced fantasy movie, dude.” Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg’s “This is the End” clearly had similar origins.
‘The Guilt Trip’ Never Reaches a Destination
Submitted by PatrickMcD on December 19, 2012 - 12:37pmRating: 2.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – There has to be something wrong with a movie that by the end, the thought is ‘how did they get a parking spot in San Francisco?’ and ‘how much does that house cost?’ “The Guilt Trip,” with Seth Rogen and Barbra Streisand, is a dispirited exercise in wasted potential.
‘For a Good Time, Call...’ Has a Stellar Ringtone
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 31, 2012 - 8:05amRating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Rising above the usual romantic comedy dreck is an admirable achievement in today’s film landscape. “For a Good Time, Call…” is not only funny and unconventional, but focuses on the relationship between the two lead woman characters, portrayed by Lauren Miller and Ari Graynor.
‘Take This Waltz’ with Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen
Submitted by BrianTT on July 12, 2012 - 9:37amRating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Sarah Polley’s “Take This Waltz” both illustrates its director’s uniquely confident vision as a filmmaker and her room to grow as a screenwriter. Despite the best efforts from a very talented cast led by a fearless performance from Michelle Williams, Polley’s film is frustrating in its inability to reflect the real world.
Geekdom Celebrated in ‘Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan’s Hope’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 6, 2012 - 1:53pmRating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Say the words “San Diego Comic-Con” to a certain comic geek subculture and suddenly heart rates are up and anticipation is in the air. The documentary maker Morgan Spurlock (“Supersize Me”) seeks to capture that feeling in “Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan’s Hope,” with help from Seth Rogen, Kevin Smith, Stan Lee, Thomas Jane, Josh Whedon, Seth Green and Matt Groening.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen in Moving ‘50/50’
Submitted by BrianTT on September 30, 2011 - 10:07amRating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Jonathan Levine’s “50/50” is a daring blend of buddy comedy, light romance, family drama, and, oh yeah, cancer movie. The tightrope act of a script by Will Reiser is elevated in remarkable ways by one of the best ensembles of the year, led ably by the great Joseph Gordon-Levitt, doing career-best, Oscar nomination-worthy work.