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+.
Paul Giamatti
Blu-ray Review: ‘The Hangover Part II’ Offers More of the Same
Submitted by BrianTT on December 13, 2011 - 4:23pmCHICAGO – Todd Phillips has huge balls. Never before has a sequel hit SO many of the exact same beats as its predecessor. More of a remake of the film that came before than most slasher franchises, “The Hangover Part II” is the definition of more of the same. You can see Phillips going through the motions — they liked the first one, let’s give it to ‘em again with a bit of Thai flavor and more Ken Jeong. The result is a film that feels remarkably familiar with a few laughs, some decent comedic chemistry, and some daring humor, but a work that just reeks of lazy filmmaking.
Film Review: Ryan Gosling, George Clooney in ‘The Ides of March’
Submitted by BrianTT on October 7, 2011 - 9:37amCHICAGO – George Clooney’s “The Ides of March” is a star-studded political thriller of the variety that was made much more commonly in the ‘70s and would therefore seem like a perfect vehicle to restart for today’s controversial times.
Blu-Ray Review: Excellent ‘Win Win’ With Paul Giamatti, Amy Ryan
Submitted by BrianTT on August 30, 2011 - 8:17pmCHICAGO – The best film of the first quarter of 2011 was a sublime little gem from the great Thomas McCarthy (“The Station Agent,” “The Visitor”) called “Win Win.” The clever, character-driven dramedy with Paul Giamatti and Amy Ryan was recently-released on Blu-ray and DVD, and it deserves to find (and very likely will with word-of-mouth) a loyal audience on the home market. This is a great movie.
Film Review: ‘The Hangover Part II’ a Funny, Formulaic, Desperately Shocking Carbon Copy
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on May 26, 2011 - 11:40pmCHICAGO – Business and creative people go together as well as fine wine at a burger joint. Riding on the heels of the monumentally profitable “The Hangover,” the brass win out over the artists in “The Hangover Part II”.
Film Review: Paul Giamatti, Amy Ryan Rock in Fantastic ‘Win Win’
Submitted by BrianTT on March 25, 2011 - 1:48pmCHICAGO – Writer/Director Thomas McCarthy makes films with that very unique attribute in which the characters completely feel like they exist before the opening scene and after the credits roll. As he did in “The Station Agent” and “The Visitor,” he has told another unique story that is both moving and also believable at the same time, an increasingly-rare combination. “Win Win” is the first great film of 2011.
Interview: Thomas McCarthy Goes to the Mat With ‘Win Win’
Submitted by BrianTT on March 23, 2011 - 6:12pmCHICAGO – Writer/director Thomas McCarthy has helmed three motion pictures and already shot to the top of most lists of the best directors working today. He finds the truth in unusual situations like the trio of friends in “The Station Agent” or the unexpected romance of “The Visitor.”
HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 30 Pairs of Chicago Passes to ‘Win Win’ With Paul Giamatti, Amy Ryan
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on March 20, 2011 - 4:59pmCHICAGO – In our latest comedy edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 30 admit-two passes up for grabs to the advance Chicago screening of the new film “Win Win” starring Oscar nominees Paul Giamatti and Amy Ryan!
Interview: Director Richard J. Lewis on His Side of ‘Barney’s Version’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on January 20, 2011 - 6:12pmCHICAGO – Working with high level actors such as Paul Giamatti and Dustin Hoffman didn’t faze director Richard J. Lewis. He had pursued the film version of the Mordecai Richler’s novel “Barney’s Version” for several years, and it was his direction that recently got Giamatti (as Barney) the Golden Globe Award.
Blu-Ray Review: ‘The Last Station’ Showcases Two Great Actors in Top Form
Submitted by mattmovieman on June 23, 2010 - 7:25amCHICAGO – 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.”
Interview: Michael Hoffman Stops at Academy Awards With ‘The Last Station’
Submitted by BrianTT on February 4, 2010 - 2:29pmCHICAGO – When the Oscar nominations were announced earlier this week one of the more unfamiliar titles was probably “The Last Station,” a historical drama nominated for Best Actress (Helen Mirren) and Best Supporting Actor (Christopher Plummer).