Helen Mirren

Film Review: ‘Brighton Rock’ Remake Fails to Justify its Existence

Brighton Rock
HollywoodChicago.com Oscarman rating: 2.5/5.0
Rating: 2.5/5.0

CHICAGO – Rowan Joffe’s long-gestating remake of “Brighton Rock” (the 1947 noir classic was based on the beloved book by Graham Greene) raises the question least-desired in one of these situations – why bother? Sure, the story is a nifty little tale of a rising criminal undone by his own avarice and the love of a girl and the cast assembled for the remake is an undeniably talented ensemble.

Blu-Ray Review: Noxious ‘Arthur’ Highlights Bad Decisions

Arthur

CHICAGO – Have we reached such a politically-correct place in our culture that drinking excessively can’t be seen as humorous even in a dumb comedy? How else to explain the boneheaded decision to basically make the legendary character of Arthur Bach (played by Dudley Moore in the Oscar-winning original and Russell Brand in the potential-Razzie-winning remake) into a man-child instead of an actual drunk? That decision (along with a few others) sunk “Arthur,” recently released on Blu-ray and DVD, before it even shot a frame. Although the actual production didn’t help.

Blu-Ray Review: Original ‘Arthur’ Movies Available to Compare to Russell Brand Remake

Arthur (original)

CHICAGO – Critics were pretty hard on the remake of “Arthur” starring Russell Brand, Helen Mirren, Jennifer Garner, and Greta Gerwig (including our very own Patrick McDonald, who gave the film 2 stars out of five) and the film relatively bombed at the box office, opening in 2nd place to “Hop” and making only $12.7 million in its first frame with a lower per-screen average than “Hanna” or “Soul Surfer.” Now you can compare the new version to the award-winning original and its dreadful sequel in a 2-movie collection, now on Blu-ray.

Film Review: Russell Brand Tries Too Hard in Lame ‘Arthur’

CHICAGO – There are many problems inherent in film remakes, starting with comparisons to the original source. The first “Arthur,” while not a classic, did have a warm, funny story and Dudley Moore’s title performance. The current remake has none of that.

Blu-Ray Review: Deadly Dull ‘Red’ Wastes A-List Cast

Red Blu-Ray

CHICAGO – After 2010, the Golden Globes should officially retire the category of “Best Musical or Comedy” for two reasons: 1. A staggeringly small percentage of American films annually fall under the category of “musical,” and 2. This year’s nominees were so embarrassingly awful that they instantly drained the category of any future credibility.

Blu-Ray Review: ‘Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole’ Wastes Talent

Legend of the Guardians Blu-Ray

CHICAGO – The best parts of a Zack Snyder picture have consistently been the opening title sequences, from “Dawn of the Dead”’s apocalyptic montage to “Watchmen”’s brilliant prologue scored to Bob Dylan’s “The Time They Are A-Changin’.” Snyder’s latest problematic novel adaptation, “Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole” is no exception.

Film Review: Talented Ensemble Wasted on Incredibly Dull ‘Red’

CHICAGO – They say you can learn as much from a bad movie as you can from a good one. If that’s true, what’s the lesson to be taken from the extremely boring and misguided “Red”?

HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 35 Chicago Passes to ‘Red’ Screening With Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman

Red with Bruce Willis and Morgan Freeman

CHICAGO – In our latest action/comedy edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 35 admit-two passes up for grabs to the advance screening of the new film “Red” with Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich, Helen Mirren and Mary-Louise Parker!

DVD Review: Helen Mirren Delivers One of TV’s Best Performances in ‘Prime Suspect’

CHICAGO – She is amply assisted by a who’s who of some of the best supporting actors Britain has produced in the last two decades but “Prime Suspect,” which recently saw its complete 7-series run released in one box set for the first time from Acorn Media, belongs to the amazing Helen Mirren.

Blu-Ray Review: ‘The Last Station’ Showcases Two Great Actors in Top Form

The Last Station

CHICAGO – Michael Hoffman is not a director renowned for operatic drama. The closest he ever got to staging Shakespeare onscreen was in his problematic 1999 adaptation of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Emotional outbursts in a Hoffman picture are often tinged with offbeat humor, a fact well-illustrated by his his under-appreciated 1991 comedy “Soapdish.”

Syndicate content

User Login

Free Giveaway Mailing

TV, DVD, BLU-RAY & THEATER REVIEWS

  • 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.

Advertisement



HollywoodChicago.com on Twitter

HollywoodChicago.com Top Ten Discussions
tracker