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+.
Kate Winslet
Blu-ray Review: Kate Winslet, Josh Brolin Sweeten Domestic Thriller ‘Labor Day’
Submitted by NickHC on April 29, 2014 - 7:24pmCHICAGO – “Labor Day” is certainly a change of shade for writer/director Jason Reitman, who previously unearthed the humor in his American character dramas, however dark their content (such as with the dark but funny soul erosion of Charlize Theron’s non-matured mean girl in “Young Adult”). In this tale of an unexpected family unit, he doesn’t find humor but instead a thoroughly gray compassion.
Slideshow: Red-Carpet Portraits of ‘Divergent’ Stars Shailene Woodley, Theo James
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 23, 2014 - 1:34pmCHICAGO – The numbers are in and the new film “Divergent” – based on the popular novel by Veronica Roth – had the second best opening of 2014, with $56 million at the box office. On March 4th, 2014, photographer Joe Arce of HollywoodChicago.com was at the Red Carpet Chicago premiere, and captured Exclusive Red-Carpet Portraits of cast members Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Amy Newbold, and Ansel Elgort, in addition to the Chicago-based author Veronica Roth.
Film Review: ‘Divergent’ Wastes Talented Cast on Joyless Adaptation
Submitted by BrianTT on March 20, 2014 - 9:16amCHICAGO – Despite the best efforts of a game Shailene Woodley and likely future star Theo James, Neil Burger’s “Divergent,” based on the hit book by Veronica Roth, is a joyless, soulless, humorless dud. It is repetitious to the point of parody, never feels like it exists in anything approximating reality, and, like so many “Hunger Games” wannabes, forgets that it’s the characters of that franchise that matter and not the goofy machinations of the plot.
HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 15 Pairs of IMAX Passes to Chicago’s ‘Divergent’ with Shailene Woodley
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on March 16, 2014 - 1:22pm- Adam Fendelman
- Amy Newbold
- Ansel Elgort
- Ashley Judd
- Divergent
- Evan Daugherty
- HollywoodChicago.com Content
- HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film
- IMAX
- Jai Courtney
- Kate Winslet
- Maggie Q
- Mekhi Phifer
- Miles Teller
- Neil Burger
- Ray Stevenson
- Shailene Woodley
- Theo James
- Tony Goldwyn
- Vanessa Taylor
- Veronica Roth
- Zoe Kravitz
CHICAGO – Highly anticipated! In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film with our unique social giveaway technology, we have 15 pairs of advance-screening IMAX passes up for grabs to the new Chicago-filmed movie “Divergent” starring Shailene Woodley and Theo James from Chicago author Veronica Roth!
Film Review: ‘Labor Day’ Provides Meaning to Romantic Tension
Submitted by PatrickMcD on January 31, 2014 - 9:54amCHICAGO – There is a real power when the right filmmaker connects with the right performers. What appears on the surface to be a slight and well-worn story, gains a decided psychological edge. ‘Labor Day’ features Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin, and writer/director Jason Reitman.
Interview: Author Joyce Maynard for New Film ‘Labor Day’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on January 28, 2014 - 1:16pmCHICAGO – She has had two of her books adapted by top modern directors – Gus Van Sant directed “To Die For” (1995), and Jason Reitman is just about to release “Labor Day,” starring Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin. But the journey of author Joyce Maynard extends even beyond these accomplishments, affecting literary history.
HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 50 Pairs of Passes to ‘Labor Day’ with Kate Winslet, Josh Brolin
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on January 24, 2014 - 1:09amCHICAGO – In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film with our unique social giveaway technology, we have 50 pairs of advance-screening passes up for grabs to the highly anticipated new drama “Labor Day” starring Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin!
Blu-ray Review: Fantastic HD Set For James Cameron’s Beloved ‘Titanic’
Submitted by BrianTT on September 17, 2012 - 5:52pmCHICAGO – Some snobby film fans like to use “Titanic” as a punchline almost as if it’s un-cool to love one of the biggest movies of all time. It’s not a “serious” movie, just a popular one. It’s total nonsense. There are awful popular films you can point to but “Titanic” is not one of them. It’s a damn good movie, the definitive modern romantic epic. And people still adore this movie with good reason. It taps into something classic in filmmaking. Last week, Paramount released a beautiful set for the film’s debut on Blu-ray and fans who have been clamoring to own this movie in HD for years will admit that it was worth the wait.
Film Review: Emotionally Galvanizing ‘Titanic 3D’ Transcends Unnecessary Conversion
Submitted by mattmovieman on April 5, 2012 - 1:25pmCHICAGO – It takes more than expensive effects, super-sized egos and exhaustive marketing campaigns to seduce the world. For all of its visual splendor, James Cameron’s “Avatar” has already evaporated from most moviegoers’ memories. Its derivative romance and preachy messages were stretched so thin that they failed to achieve any resonant impact.
Blu-ray Review: Roman Polanski’s ‘Carnage’ with Jodie Foster Just Misses
Submitted by BrianTT on March 27, 2012 - 11:01amCHICAGO – Why doesn’t “Carnage” live up to its pedigree? With a certified genius like Roman Polanski behind the camera, a Pulitzer Prize-winning play as its source, and a cast in which three of the only four roles are played by actors who have won Oscars, one might have expected this to be a creative home run. It’s not. It’s a decent rental and there are some strong performances, but it’s not quite what it should have been. And a mediocre Blu-ray release from Sony does nothing to change that opinion.