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+.
HollywoodChicago.com Arts & Entertainment News
Blu-Ray Review: Hilarious ‘South Park: The Complete Fourteenth Season’
Submitted by BrianTT on April 28, 2011 - 8:27pmCHICAGO – If you haven’t kept up with Eric, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny, fear not TV fans — “South Park” can still be DAMN funny. I’ll admit that I don’t keep up consistently during the regular season and so sometimes wonder if the quality has dipped. With the 15th season having premiered this week on Comedy Central, the 14th was just released on Blu-ray and DVD and it’s pretty great, especially in HD.
Blu-Ray Review: Fantastic Release For ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1’
Submitted by BrianTT on April 28, 2011 - 10:50amCHICAGO – It has all come to this. Well, almost this. It’s remarkable to think about how far the Harry Potter series has come since the film debut of the boy who lived. There have been incredible creative highs and only a few lows, mostly plateauing in the David Yates films (#5-7).
Blu-Ray Review: ‘Somewhere’ Paints Haunting Portrait of Celebrity Ennui
Submitted by mattmovieman on April 28, 2011 - 9:20amCHICAGO – Sofia Coppola’s films are intriguing in a way that’s often difficult to put into words. I often find my attention drifting during my initial viewing of them, and yet they somehow manage to linger in my mind long after others have faded. Her problematic costume drama, “Marie Antoinette,” has become one of my favorite films to leave on in the background of a room, simply for the pleasure of dwelling in its subtly nuanced atmosphere.
Exclusive Portrait: Susan Lucci of Recently Canceled ‘All My Children’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 27, 2011 - 9:11pmCHICAGO – Earlier this month ABC-TV announced that the daytime soap opera “All My Children” would end its 41 year run in September. This also is the end of the villainess character Erica Kane, who is portrayed by Susan Lucci. Her journey with that show is chronicled in her new memoir “All My Life.”
Blu-Ray Review: Awesome Criterion Edition of ‘Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas’
Submitted by BrianTT on April 27, 2011 - 7:50pmCHICAGO – I have a love-hate relationship with Terry Gilliam’s “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” but it’s a lot easier to fall on the former side of that dynamic with the simply amazing Criterion Collection release of the Johnny Depp & Benicio Del Toro drug epic, recently released on Blu-ray. With a stunning transfer enhanced by some of the best special features of the year to date, this is the kind of Blu-ray release that makes the actual movie better.
DVD Review: ‘Bonnie & Clyde vs. Dracula’ Misses Chance at B-Movie Fun
Submitted by BrianTT on April 27, 2011 - 7:29pmCHICAGO – B-movie and horror fans (like yours truly) have to perk up when they hear a title like “Bonnie & Clyde vs. Dracula,” recently released on DVD (and even more when they see that awesome cover below). It’s too clever a concept not to be fun, right? Sadly, no. Despite a strong performance from one of the title characters, the movie doesn’t live up to its promise at all. It’s the last thing that a B-movie with such an intentionally ludicrous title should be — boring.
DVD Review: Spike Lee’s ‘If God is Willing and da Creek Don’t Rise’
Submitted by mattmovieman on April 27, 2011 - 12:10pmCHICAGO – Perhaps no American artist has chronicled a modern disaster with as much passion and meticulous attention to detail as Spike Lee. His 2006 documentary about the struggles of New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, “When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts,” was television at its most vital, provocative, wrenchingly powerful and resoundingly humanistic.
Film Feature: The 10 Most Anticipated Films of Summer 2011
Submitted by BrianTT on April 27, 2011 - 11:01amCHICAGO – It’s the most wonderful time of the year as moviegoers shake off the doldrums of winter weather, awards season snoozers, and a truly horrendous first trimester of 2011 and finally get to see something blow up for their hard-earned dollars. There’s something about the warm months of the year that allows for critical faculties to fall away as we relax and simply embrace cinematic chaos. What will we get out of Summer 2011? What are the movies that look the most promising? Let us guide the way.
TV News: CW Announces Five Early Pick-Ups Including ‘90210,’ ‘Gossip Girl’
Submitted by BrianTT on April 26, 2011 - 6:49pmCHICAGO – In advance of the upcoming announcements of the Fall 2011 season, The CW has announced the renewal of five of their most beloved programs — “90210,” “America’s Next Top Model,” “Gossip Girl,” “Supernatural,” and “The Vampire Diaries.” They also announced that the Fall edition of “America’s Next Top Model” would be a first for the reality program, an all-star version with contestants to be announced later.
TV News: Chicago Auditions For Simon Cowell’s ‘The X Factor’ on April 27, 2011 With $5 Million Prize
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on April 26, 2011 - 6:48pmCHICAGO – While Simon Cowell has outgrown “American Idol,” he’s got the itch again. Now the nation’s meanest music critic is scouring cities large and small to unearth the singer with “The X Factor”.
Video Game Review: Brutal ‘Mortal Kombat’ Wins Fight For Your Time
Submitted by BrianTT on April 26, 2011 - 4:09pmCHICAGO – Everybody loves a comeback. One of the most notable comebacks of 2011 will be by a group of characters who you may have boxed away in the attic in your mind years ago — Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Liu Kang, Johnny Cage, Raiden, Kung Lao, Sonya Blade, and many more. “Mortal Kombat” is back and even better than you remember.
Blu-Ray Review: Claire Denis’ ‘White Material’ Creates Nightmarish Imagery
Submitted by mattmovieman on April 26, 2011 - 2:39pmCHICAGO – Africa has routinely played a major role in the work of Claire Denis, a French writer/director deservedly hailed as one of the greatest living filmmakers. Her upbringing in colonial Africa certainly proved to be an influence on her 1988 directorial debut, “Chocolat,” as well as 1999’s equally evocative “Beau travail.” Both films centered on protagonists re-connecting with their deep-seated memories of life on the continent.
Blu-Ray Review: Another Great Pixar Release in ‘The Incredibles’
Submitted by BrianTT on April 26, 2011 - 12:25pmCHICAGO – Pixar continued their line of excellent Blu-ray releases a couple of weeks ago by adding “The Incredibles” to their line. As new Pixar flicks have come out or hit Blu-ray, the company has usually reached into the vault to offer one of their past hits as a companion. With only one Pixar film left to be released in HD (“Finding Nemo”), your collection is nearly complete.