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
TV Review: Manipulative, Messy ‘Miami Medical’
Submitted by BrianTT on April 2, 2010 - 2:20pmCHICAGO – Television drama is usually a formulaic proposition but rarely has a show been more blatantly derivative of other programs currently on the air than CBS’s new hospital drama, “Miami Medical,” a bizarre, ineffective hybrid of “CSI: Miami” and “Trauma”. Buried in the ratings nether regions of Friday nights, this Jerry Bruckheimer-produced show might just barely deliver for viewers exhausted after a long week of work, but they’ll have forgotten it by Saturday morning.
‘Clash of the Titans’ Bores More Often Than Thrills
Submitted by BrianTT on April 2, 2010 - 10:44amCHICAGO – The unjustified remake of the ’80s camp-fest “Clash of the Titans” may have been re-purposed for the trend of 3-D but its performances are still tragically 2-D and its plot practically see-through.
‘Mid-August Lunch’ Pleasant, Tenderly Tasty Trifle
Submitted by BrianTT on April 2, 2010 - 10:01am Rating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Not much happens in “Mid-August Lunch.” It’s as uneventful and often benign as the title suggests, though that’s not to say it’s dull. Some films are primarily about plot, while others are about behavior, and this quietly observant international crowd-pleaser certainly fits in the latter category.
Nothing is Real With Andy Garcia, Julianna Margulies on ‘City Island’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 2, 2010 - 2:57amCHICAGO – A blue collar worker father who has a secret Marlon Brando obsession (gasp!), a son with an improbable fetish and a daughter who quits college to…strip, this is a normal day-in-the-life in the new film “City Island.”
Blu-Ray Review: Marvelous Release For Mediocre ‘Sherlock Holmes’
Submitted by BrianTT on April 1, 2010 - 3:06pmCHICAGO – Guy Ritchie’s wildly successful “Sherlock Holmes” looks and sounds amazing on Blu-ray but the flaws of the blockbuster film remain. Viewed purely as escapist entertainment, “Sherlock” is a reasonably tasty piece of popcorn and the technical treatment and bonus material that accompany the film are unimpeachable but there’s still something not quite right about Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law’s take on Holmes and Watson.
Blu-Ray Review: ‘Fantastic Mr. Fox’ is Sure to Delight Adults of All Ages
Submitted by mattmovieman on April 1, 2010 - 2:25pmCHICAGO – It’s taken me longer than most film buffs to warm up to the cinema of Wes Anderson. He’s a designer at heart, and his obsessive eye for intricate visual detail makes the medium of animation an ideal one for him to inhabit. With an army of stop-motion wizards at his command, he has finally come into his own. And unlike Tim Burton, whose “Nightmare Before Christmas” was directed by Henry Selick, “Fantastic Mr. Fox” is wholly the vision of one singular artist.
HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 50 Chicago Passes to ‘After.Life’ With Christina Ricci, Liam Neeson
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on April 1, 2010 - 10:21amCHICAGO – In our latest horror/thriller edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 50 admit-two passes up for grabs to the advance Chicago screening of “After.Life” starring Christina Ricci, Liam Neeson and Justin Long!
‘The Most Dangerous Man in America’ Honors a Patriotic Whistleblower
Submitted by BrianTT on March 31, 2010 - 6:24pm Rating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Is the Iraq war merely a continuation of Vietnam? In both cases, were we led to war under false pretenses, with the assurance that we were preserving democracy? Viewers on both sides of the political spectrum will be arguing about these questions long after this documentary, and the current war itself, is over.
Interview: Andy Garcia on Acting, His New Film ‘City Island’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 31, 2010 - 8:57amCHICAGO – Andy Garcia has a movie star presence, combined with a true appreciation for his profession and craft. He takes on a character role in the upcoming film “City Island,” as a New York borough prison guard who longs to be an actor.
HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 35 Chicago Passes to ‘The Greatest’ With Pierce Brosnan, Susan Sarandon
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on March 30, 2010 - 4:24pmCHICAGO – In our latest romance edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 35 admit-two passes up for grabs to the advance Chicago screening of “The Greatest” starring Pierce Brosnan, Susan Sarandon and Carey Mulligan (from “An Education”)!
Blu-Ray Review: Fantastic AMC Show ‘Breaking Bad’
Submitted by BrianTT on March 30, 2010 - 12:24pmCHICAGO – The Emmy-winning AMC series “Breaking Bad” may not be the cultural phenomenon that is the network’s “Mad Men” but it has just as loyal a following and a growing group of fans who are realizing that this drama is easily as good and arguably better. Scary, funny, dramatic, and honestly moving, “Breaking Bad” is remarkable television that pulls off that amazing trick of feeling both genuine and completely original at the same time. The first two seasons are now available on Blu-ray and should not be missed.
Video Game Review: PSP Version of ‘MLB 10: The Show’ Wins Series
Submitted by BrianTT on March 30, 2010 - 11:31amCHICAGO – The PS3 version of “MLB 10: The Show” is a beautifully rendered sports simulation that has received nearly universal acclaim (including in our review) and Sony was nice enough to send over a PSP version for us to contrast and compare for our readers considering taking their team on the road. Unsurprisingly, Sony delivers for their handheld version as well, connecting with a solid hit that has only a few notable flaws.
DVD Review: ‘Stargate Atlantis: The Complete Series’
Submitted by BrianTT on March 30, 2010 - 10:41amCHICAGO – The world of TV on DVD is running out of candidates for lavish “Complete Series” box sets. The fact is that there hasn’t been a major hit that shut down shop in awhile and there’s been something of a gap in the production of these multi-disc gift sets between “Battlestar Galactica” and this summer’s highly anticipated “Lost” set.
