Ray Winstone

CHICAGO – In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film with our unique social giveaway technology, we have 25 pairs of movie passes up for grabs to the advance screening of “The Sweeney” starring Ray Winstone!

CHICAGO – Social history is often the seed for actual history. The simple story of two youth gangs in England in the early 1960s – The Mods and The Rockers – is grist for the incredible social history film, “Quadrophenia.” The new Criterion Collection Blu-ray DVD release of this 1979 classic will satisfy any side of the ardent rock admirer, especially those of the magnificent rock group “The Who” – the film is based on their lesser known 1973 rock opera of the same name.

CHICAGO – If you can stomach forgiving the film’s uneven acting, inconsistent pacing and a higgledy-piggledy script that feels like it’s still in draft mode, just zero in on the only newsworthy question about “Snow White and the Huntsman”: Who are those “dwarves”?

CHICAGO – In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film with our unique social giveaway technology, we have 25 admit-two movie passes up for grabs to the advance screening of “Snow White and the Huntsman” with Charlize Theron!

CHICAGO – Very few pieces of fiction have had the proven staying power of Charles Dickens’ “Great Expectations,” which gets yet another adaptation in a two-week mini-series Masterpiece version, starting this Sunday, April 1st, 2012, on PBS.

CHICAGO – Two films tied for the most Oscars this week and only one is available on Blu-ray as Martin Scorsese’s beloved “Hugo,” winner of five Oscars, hit the home market with one of the best HD transfers I’ve ever seen (and I’ve seen hundreds). This movie looks beautiful in HD, arguably more so than it did in 3D in theaters. I have more issues with the film than most critics but the transfer perfectly amplifies the film’s strengths, downplaying its weaknesses. The special features are light but the video is strong enough not to complain.

CHICAGO – Martin Scorsese’s “Hugo” is a deeply personal piece, a magical tale about imagination and the importance of film preservation presented with some of the most technical expertise in years.

CHICAGO – There’s a rare level of artistic confidence in “Rango” that we usually don’t see outside of Pixar. What I mean by that is that SO many animated flicks that I have to suffer through in a calendar year are trying to appease a marketing plan, a producer, a focus group, etc. “Rango,” while being a bit overrated by some, is undeniably unique in its vision and trying only to appease that creativity. It’s an occasionally inspired film that looks stunning in HD and is accompanied by some stellar special features.

CHICAGO – If you’re looking for subtlety, don’t go anywhere near the incredibly intense and borderline chaotic “Killzone 3,” a remarkably accomplished game that offers an impressive single-player campaign, deep multi-player action, and the next step in motion control in modern shooters.

CHICAGO – When WGN-TV’s Dean Richards asked Mel Gibson whether he believes the public will perceive him in a different light after “all that’s been in the news” about him, the “Edge of Darkness” star answered by calling Richards an “a—hole.” This amusing interview-turned-Internet sensation once again proved that Gibson clearly has issues.