HollywoodChicago.com Arts & Entertainment News

CHICAGO – There have been several highly-touted, well-marketed video game releases this season including “Uncharted 2,” “Assassin’s Creed II,” “Left For Dead 2,” and “COD: Modern Warfare 2,” but one of my most personally anticipated titles of the year has gone somewhat unnoticed. The lack of press made me wonder if perhaps I would be let down by “Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time”. Wonder no more - this is easily one of the best games of the year and a worthy entry (and reported finale) in this beloved franchise.

CHICAGO – Here’s an alleged romantic comedy as clueless about romance as it is about comedy. It has a premise designed to illustrate how women think with their minds, while men think with their nether regions. Yet the male and female leads of “The Ugly Truth” are practically indistinguishable from each other.

CHICAGO – Debbie Reynolds, who began her movie star journey as a teenager during another show biz era, made her big splash in 1952’s “Singin’ in the Rain.” What followed was a long and varied career as a singer, dancer and respected film actress.

CHICAGO – It’s funny the way that the Blu-Ray market has developed in that success of a new title can often bring an old one to the HD format more quickly than it otherwise would get there. In the case of the great “Near Dark,” it’s the success of two films, one that shares a theme (“The Twilight Saga: New Moon”) and one that shares director Kathryn Bigelow (“The Hurt Locker”). Whatever the reason, don’t fail to include arguably the best vampire movie ever made in your collection.

CHICAGO – In our latest comedy/horror spoof edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 25 admit-two passes up for grabs to the advance Chicago screening of “Transylmania,” which is like “Twilight” meets “Scary Movie”!

CHICAGO – The amazing adoration for “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” is based on one of two things: a crush on one of the cast members or goodwill spawned by a love of Stephenie Meyer’s books.

CHICAGO – “Based on a True Story” films are difficult to pull off, especially those that are the improbable story of a white Memphis family adopting an African American football prodigy. Sandra Bullock is the mother, through it all, in “The Blind Side.”

CHICAGO – It would be polite to say that “Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier” is merely an unessential entry in one of the most beloved franchises of the ’00s. It would be more accurate to say that it’s a disappointment, a missed opportunity to create a true sequel to one of the most essential PSP games in the history of the handheld platform, “Daxter”.

CHICAGO – The sixth and final season of the J.J. Abrams hit television series “Lost” will premiere with a special all-night event on Tuesday, February 2nd, 2009. The recap special will start at 7pm CST followed by the highly anticipated sixth season two-hour premiere at 8pm CST on ABC.

CHICAGO – “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” knows what it is, what it isn’t and how to quench fans.

CHICAGO – The DVD Round-Up is back! Did you miss us? HollywoodChicago.com’s intermittent column designed to serve as a safety net for releases that may otherwise fall without notice is back with a motley crew of titles that have nearly nothing in common. Classic TV, drama, horror, copious sex, and Justin Timberlake. You make the connections.

CHICAGO – As Disney/Pixar continues to release new films on Blu-Ray, they often “piggy-back” one title with another from their catalog, choosing to release Pete Docter’s first directorial effort for the company, “Monsters, Inc.” in HD on the same day that they release his new film, “Up”. In a beautiful 4-disc combo pack that includes Blu-Ray, DVD, and digital copies of the film, “Monsters, Inc.” continues the Pixar Blu-Ray tradition.

CHICAGO – Ben Foster has stolen scenes in works as diverse as “Six Feet Under,” “Freaks and Geeks,” “3:10 to Yuma,” and “Alpha Dog,” but he truly shines in the spotlight of the lead role in “The Messenger,” giving the best performance of his career to date.