HollywoodChicago.com Arts & Entertainment News

Video Game Review: Saga of ‘Alan Wake’ Continues With ‘The Signal’

CHICAGO – Life for Alan Wake continues to be a walking nightmare in “The Signal,” the first of several downloadable chapters designed to lengthen and enhance the experience of one of the most unique and memorable games of 2010 — the mysterious-and-riveting “Alan Wake.”

DVD Review: ‘Entre Nos’ Touchingly Pays Tribute to Motherhood

Entre Nos DVD

CHICAGO – Some art house films are political polemics disguised as personal stories. “Entre Nos” is not one of them. Though its DVD includes a PSA on immigration reform, and comes packaged with a label exclaiming, “One of Michael Moore’s 20 ‘Best Pictures of 2009,’” the film itself does not have a message to preach. It’s a tale of people rather than ideas, and is all the more effective because of it.

Exclusive Portrait: Natalie Merchant With First Album in Seven Years

Natalie Merchant, photograph by Joe Arce

CHICAGO – Natalie Merchant, formerly the lead singer for 10,000 Maniacs, has come back with a solo album after a seven year hiatus. “Leave Your Sleep” has an unusual theme, as it takes verse from the 19th and 20th Century poets and sets it to music best described as lullabies, written for her daughter.

Interviews: 1970s Movie Stars at the Hollywood Celebrities Show

Fred Williamson, photographed by Joe Arce.

CHICAGO – The 1970s were the golden age for the youthful, angst-ridden style of filmmaking, but it also had its share of fun with James Bond, super bad action films and Burt Reynolds comedies. Richard “Jaws” Kiel, Fred “The Hammer” Williamson and character actor James Hampton experienced that side of the 1970s, and told all at the Hollywood Celebrities & Memorabilia Show.

TV Review: Talented Cast of Chicago-Set ‘My Boys’ Finds Comic Rhythm

CHICAGO – The writing on “My Boys” can still be overly self-aware of its perceived cleverness but the ensemble has developed to such an extent that they’ve reached level of talent that can overcome the occasional weak punchline or false character moment.

TV Review: Great ‘Being Human’ Returns For Riveting Second Season

CHICAGO – The excellent “Being Human” returns tonight, July 24th, 2010 with a spectacular season premiere that kicks off the continuously complex lives of Mitchell the vampire (Aidan Turner), George the werewolf (Russell Tovey), and Annie the ghost (Leonora Crichlow).

TV News: CBS Announces Premiere Dates For Fall 2010

Hawaii Five-0

CHICAGOCBS announced their Fall 2010 premiere dates for their new and returning series this week and most of their programming will launch during the same premiere week, which kicks off on Monday, September 20th, 2010.

TV News: ‘Community’ Coming to DVD With Amazing Special Features

Community

CHICAGO – The great NBC show “Community” is coming to DVD on Spetember 21st and the set will be loaded with notable special features and even include an exclusive comic book and a bonus pull-out poster. Fans of TV comedy mark your calendars.

Video Game Review: Simple Thrills of PSP Mini ‘Young Thor’

Young Thor

CHICAGO – Is it possible that by making simple-but-effective mini-games like “Young Thor,” we could be looking to the future of the world of gaming by bringing back what worked well in the past? The fact is that more and more gamers are going to be doing so on the go on their iPhone, PSP, DS, or whatever, making simpler titles a more essential part of the marketplace over the next few years. Let’s hope they’re all as much fun as “Young Thor.”

Film Review: Beverly Cleary’s ‘Ramona and Beezus’ Works For Young Adults

Ramona and Beezus

CHICAGO – “Ramona and Beezus” may not be the perfect film that Beverly Cleary fans hoped for when they fell in love with these characters but it is successful on its own terms in its refusal to talk down to its pre-teen audience and through the massive future star-power of its talented young stars. I admittedly have a soft spot for any film that places teachers on a higher pedestal than businessman and effectively teaches young viewers to stick to their creative visions. It’s flawed, but “Ramona and Beezus” works.

Film Review: ‘Salt’ With Angelina Jolie Suffers From Lack of Flavor

CHICAGO – Perhaps the creators of “Salt” took the potential double meaning of its title a bit too seriously because the film has been overloaded with one flavor at the expense of the variety that could have turned this well-done action movie into something a bit more memorable.

The 10 Best Shows to Watch in Summer 2010

CHICAGO – While we all eagerly await the return of our favorite shows and wonder if the networks can top last season’s remarkable freshman class, there are a number of programs currently airing that are definitely worth considering when the heat index breaks 100 or you don’t want to risk another summer thunderstorm.

Blu-Ray Review: Nonsensical ‘The Losers’ is a Complete Waste of Time

The Losers

CHICAGO – “The Losers” tries so hard to be edgy, cool, and action-packed that it thinks it will be effective merely by numbing the viewer’s senses into oblivion. The film either defies all critical analysis by being so ridiculous that it doesn’t really need it or it just sucks. It’s up to you to decide but this critic is going with the latter.

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  • Manhunt

    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+.

  • Topdog/Underdog, Invictus Theatre

    CHICAGO – When two brothers confront the sins of each other and it expands into a psychology of an entire race, it’s at a stage play found in Chicago’s Invictus Theatre Company production of “Topdog/Underdog,” now at their new home at the Windy City Playhouse through March 31st, 2024. Click TD/UD for tickets/info.

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