CHICAGO – The late playwright August Wilson left a gift to the world in the form of his “American Century Cycle,” a series of plays each individually set in a decade of the 20th Century, focusing on the black experience. Chicago’s Goodman Theatre presents Wilson’s “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone,” now through May 19th, 2024 (click here).
HollywoodChicago.com Arts & Entertainment News
Feature: The Top 9 Films of Director Danny Boyle
Submitted by BrianTT on November 15, 2010 - 12:46pmCHICAGO – In various interviews over the years, British filmmaker Danny Boyle has expressed his belief that “your first film is your best film.” It may not be the most technically accomplished or dramatically satisfying work, but it marks a crucial period of freshness and experimentation, as the rookie director becomes acquainted with the creative challenges of feature film production.
DVD Review: Charming, Delightful ‘Kisses’ Plays Like Modern Fairy Tale
Submitted by BrianTT on November 15, 2010 - 12:27pmCHICAGO – When we’re young, a relatively short distance can seem like a trip around the world. I vividly remember thinking my grandparents lived in another country when I was a kid when it was really just the other side of town. Naturally, when two kids run away from home and go from a rural nightmare into the big city, it’s going to feel not unlike Dorothy traveling to Oz. This sense of adventure, wonder, and magical reality infuses every frame of Lance Daly’s beautiful “Kisses,” a delightful Irish art film recently released on DVD.
Interview: Controversial Bjorn Lomborg Wants Us to ‘Cool It’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on November 13, 2010 - 10:11amCHICAGO – The subject of global warming is not going away, both from an environmental standpoint and as a debate. The argument that crystallized with Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” has effected politics, science and the thoughts of all world citizens. Academic Bjorn Lomborg contributes his point of view in the new documentary, “Cool It.”
Second Chicago Casting Call on Nov. 16, 17, 20 For ‘Contagion’ With Matt Damon From Steven Soderbergh
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on November 13, 2010 - 3:47amCHICAGO – As “Contagion” continues to film in Chicago from director Steven Soderbergh with stars Matt Damon, Jude Law, Marion Cotillard, Kate Winslet, Gwyneth Paltrow and Laurence Fishburne, we have learned that a second open casting call is needed two months after the first from Rich King Casting.
HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 25 Chicago Passes to ‘The Next Three Days’ With Russell Crowe
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on November 12, 2010 - 2:24pmCHICAGO – In our latest crime/thriller edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 25 admit-two passes up for grabs to the advance Chicago screening of “The Next Three Days” with Russell Crowe and Elizabeth Banks!
Film Review: Denzel Washington, Chris Pine Star in Slick, Entertaining ‘Unstoppable’
Submitted by BrianTT on November 12, 2010 - 9:18am Rating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – “Unstoppable” plays perfectly to Tony Scott’s flashy strengths as a director. There’s no deep meaning or character-driven dialogue for him to clutter up with his style over substance aesthetic. And so the film truly works as a great slice of escapist entertainment as long as you know what to expect.
Film Review: James Franco, Danny Boyle Elevate Harrowing Saga of ‘127 Hours’
Submitted by BrianTT on November 12, 2010 - 8:39amCHICAGO – What separates us during extreme danger? Why do some people collapse under the weight of likely death while others push forward and make it out alive? What fuels the will to survive to the point that it can do the unimaginable?
Film Review: ‘Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Elliot Spitzer’ Recounts Political Saga
Submitted by BrianTT on November 12, 2010 - 8:30amRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – “He was going to be our first Jewish President.” This uncredited sound bite from the opening of “Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Elliot Spitzer” may sound like an exaggeration but the great Alex Gibney makes the case that it is not hyperbole and that the public pedestal-knocking that happened to the former Governor was more important than you probably think. Arguably the best year in the history of the documentary continues with another strong film from one of our best non-fiction filmmakers.
Film Review: ‘Four Lions’ Dares to Humanize Terrorists Through Satire
Submitted by mattmovieman on November 12, 2010 - 8:03amCHICAGO – If the objective of war is to drain the enemy of all humanity, then “Four Lions” is one of the best anti-war movies in recent years. Many people prefer thinking of terrorists in the same abstract terms that the terrorists themselves think of their victims. If war is all about demonizing “the other side,” how can we ever hope to come to a mutual understanding?
Film News: Christopher Nolan to Cast Two Female Leads For ‘The Dark Knight Rises’
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on November 11, 2010 - 10:35pmCHICAGO – Six strong female contenders are up for two leading female roles in “The Dark Knight” follow-up film “The Dark Knight Rises,” according to Deadline New York on Thursday.
Interview: Danny Boyle is the Master of Madness in True ‘127 Hours’ With James Franco
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on November 11, 2010 - 8:43pmCHICAGO – The power of Danny Boyle is his every film doesn’t look like the last. From “Trainspotting” to “28 Days Later…” to “Sunshine,” his career so far has culminated in the triumphant “Slumdog Millionaire,” which won best picture at the 2009 Oscars.
Video: First-Look Trailer For ‘L.A. Noire’ With Kevin Scott Allen From Rockstar Games
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on November 11, 2010 - 4:37pmCHICAGO – The first proper reveal of the new video game “L.A. Noire” from Rockstar Games was released on Thursday. The game, which is coming in 2011 to Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, features TV stars Kevin Scott Allen and Aaron Staton.
Blu-Ray Review: ‘Ocean’s 11’ Continues to Define Cool With 50th Anniversary Edition
Submitted by BrianTT on November 11, 2010 - 1:12pmCHICAGO – When one considers that it is five-decades-old this year, the influence of the original “Ocean’s 11” is somewhat jaw-dropping. The fact is that the Rat Pack has defined cool for half-a-century now and their influence on everything from film to music to fashion shows no signs of fading. Find me another 50-year-old movie that breathes cool like “Ocean’s 11.”
