Ben Affleck

Interview: Ben Affleck Brings Stunning Story of ‘Argo’ to Life

CHICAGO – Ben Affleck is such a nice, likable guy that he asks those interviewing him how they’re doing and expresses how much he loves Chicago before you can even get a question out. He has reason to be happy. He’s riding a wave of incredible praise for his amazing “Argo,” the best film of the year to date and a surefire player at this year’s Oscars (come back Thursday for our full review).

HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 50 Pairs of Passes to ‘Argo’ From Director Ben Affleck

CHICAGO – In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film with our unique social giveaway technology, we have 50 pairs of movie passes up for grabs to the advance screening of the highly anticipated “Argo” from “The Town” director Ben Affleck!

Blu-ray Review: Ben Affleck’s ‘The Town: Ultimate Collector’s Edition’

The Town Blu-Ray

CHICAGO – It’s only been a couple of years but Ben Affleck’s “The Town” already feels like more of a modern classic than it did upon its release. There are some elements of the film that still falter for this critic (most of them related to the Affleck-Hall relationship and lack of chemistry within it) although they’ve become nearly overwhelmed by what DOES work about this engaging, tight thriller. He’s only made two films (“Gone Baby Gone” before this and this fall’s “Argo” will be his third) but I honestly feel like Ben Affleck will be a better director than an actor (and I’ve always thought him an underrated actor).

Blu-ray Review: ‘54,’ ‘Reindeer Games’ Are Still Troubled Films

Reindeer Games

CHICAGO – Blu-ray allows for an interesting reassessment of perceived failures as titles that haven’t been available on the next-gen format hit HD for the first time and one can see if perhaps history has been kinder to a near-miss than critics were upon its release. When I heard that “54” and the director’s cut of “Reindeer Games” were hitting Blu-ray (one can only assume the latter is tied to the collector’s edition of Ben Affleck’s “The Town” that hit last week), I wondered if their reputations as disasters were unearned and looked forward to reappreciations. They’re both still a mess.

Blu-ray Review: Spectacular Criterion Edition of ‘Dazed and Confused’

Dazed and Confused

CHICAGO – Richard Linklater’s “Dazed and Confused” is not just a fun comedy, not just a clever slice of nostalgia, and not just a stoner movie. It is, without question, one of the best films of the ’90s. It passes through nostalgia to something more like a time machine, in a way not that dissimilar to George Lucas’ “American Graffiti.” A deeply personal project from one of our best modern writer/directors, “Dazed and Confused,” recently released on Criterion Blu-ray and re-released on Criterion DVD, gets better with each passing year.

Blu-Ray Review: ‘Dazed and Confused,’ ‘Fast Times at Ridgemont High’

Dazed and Confused

CHICAGO – Is there something special about 8/9/11 like 4:20? The notorious smoke-down time is well-known but I ask about August 9th because it’s a date with a massive influx of pot-themed movies, including new hits like “Paul” and “Your Highness” (which we’ll cover with full reviews soon) and re-releases of classics like “Dazed and Confused” and “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” both hitting the HD format tomorrow. It’s a stoner free-for-all!

Blu-Ray Review: Ben Affleck Stars in Timely ‘The Company Men’

The Company Men

CHICAGO – John Wells has been one of the most important voices in television for the last two decades, shepherding “Third Watch,” “The West Wing,” “ER,” “Southland,” “Shameless,” and many more. It’s always hit-and-miss when a talent from one medium jumps to another and such is the case with “The Company Men,” starring Ben Affleck, Chris Cooper, Tommy Lee Jones, Maria Bello, and Kevin Costner. The great cast keeps it together and Wells has a keen ear for dialogue but the film never develops beyond a timely character study.

Film Review: Ben Affleck, Tommy Lee Jones Are ‘The Company Men’

Company Men, The

CHICAGO – Dealing with an overall economic downturn, as the world is still experiencing, becomes the story of the individual. The frustration and insecurity that develops in a long dry spell is poignantly rendered in writer/director John Well’s “The Company Men.” Ben Affleck joins Oscar winners Tommy Lee Jones, Chris Cooper and Kevin Costner in telling the story.

Interview: Director John Wells is Hired For ‘The Company Men’

CHICAGO – John Wells is a familiar name to televisions fans. As executive producer of “ER” and “The West Wing,” his combination of drama and humanity has left a mark in TV’s evolution for nearly a generation.

Blu-Ray Review: Ben Affleck Reaches New Career Peak in ‘The Town’

The Town Blu-Ray

CHICAGO – For filmmaker Ben Affleck, “The Town” marks a return to his roots in more ways than one. It’s a fresh and assured sophomore effort by the promising director, whose cinematic perspective on Boston is becoming as distinctive and exciting Scorsese’s take on New York City. Yet the picture also finds Affleck returning to the themes that have obsessed him ever since “Good Will Hunting.”

Syndicate content

User Login

Free Giveaway Mailing

TV, DVD, BLU-RAY & THEATER REVIEWS

Advertisement



HollywoodChicago.com on Twitter

archive

HollywoodChicago.com Top Ten Discussions
tracker