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
Blu-Ray Review: Catherine Keener, Rebecca Hall in Great ‘Please Give’
Submitted by BrianTT on October 19, 2010 - 12:25pmCHICAGO – I’ve seen over a hundred films since seeing Nicole Holofcener’s “Please Give” and the movie has somehow lingered in the back of my mind. It’s what happens when characters are this well-drawn and believable. If a movie feels genuine, it has a much longer staying power and writer/director Holofcener (“Lovely and Amazing,” “Friends With Money”) makes dramedies about people that almost instantly feel completely genuine. “Please Give,” recently released on Blu-ray and DVD, is one of the best dramedies of the year.
DVD Review: ‘Humphrey Bogart: The Essential Collection’ is Fantastic
Submitted by BrianTT on October 19, 2010 - 10:56amCHICAGO – Having written about DVDs for years, I’ve been lucky enough to receive and buy dozens of star-centered box sets: collections of films based around an actor or director ranging from Bette Davis to Mel Brooks. More often than not, the set is missing an essential film or two, features lackluster video/audio transfers, or includes bare-bones DVDs without bonus material. None of that is true about “Humphrey Bogart: The Essential Collection,” one of the best DVD box sets ever released.
Interview: Actress Cécile De France on Life in Clint Eastwood’s ‘Hereafter’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on October 19, 2010 - 10:04amCHICAGO – Clint Eastwood’s twilight career might become his greatest period as his latest film, “Hereafter,” hits theaters.
DVD Review: Beautiful ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ Plays Well For All Ages
Submitted by BrianTT on October 18, 2010 - 5:00pmCHICAGO – “How to Train Your Dragon” is one of the best mainstream animated films of the last several years. After years of watching Pixar deservedly take home most of the critical acclaim in the medium, DreamWorks has produced a film that deserves mention in the same breath as the Pixar greats. With gorgeous visuals, strong voice work, and confident storytelling, “How to Train Your Dragon,” recently released on Blu-ray and DVD, works for all ages and will surely become one of the most highly-desired and purchased titles of the upcoming season.
Video Game Review: Lush Journey of ‘Enslaved: Odyssey to the West’
Submitted by BrianTT on October 18, 2010 - 4:27pmCHICAGO – One of the most surprisingly-accomplished and well-executed titles of the season has to be “Enslaved: Odyssey of the West,” a gorgeously-rendered blend of combat, puzzle solving, and climbing that gets a bit repetitive but stays entertaining due to its incredibly high production values and beautiful graphics.
Blu-Ray Review: Extreme Edition of Comedy Smash ‘The Hangover’
Submitted by BrianTT on October 18, 2010 - 10:01amCHICAGO – Holiday shopping season always inspires studios to try and find new ways to market their most successul films. If people loved a movie enough to buy it once, maybe they’ll buy it again with a few new special features and collectibles. Such is how we end up with releases like “The Hangover: Extreme Edition,” a cash grab that seems awfully quick considering most people probably bought the original Blu-ray less than a year ago. This is for hardcore fans only.
Blu-Ray Review: ‘The Maltese Falcon,’ ‘The Treasure of the Sierra Madre’
Submitted by BrianTT on October 18, 2010 - 9:10amCHICAGO – Humphrey Bogart is one of the most beloved and iconic movie stars to ever grace the form. The legend of Bogart built through caricatures, impressions, and the rarified air in which some of his films exist can sometimes disguise his unbelievable talent. “Casablanca” may be his best film and we’ll be back with a discussion of more Bogie works in our review of the new box set later this week, but arguably the two best Bogart performances have recently been released on Blu-ray in 1941’s “The Maltese Falcon” and 1948’s “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.”
Interview: Director Stephen Frears on His Vision For ‘Tamara Drewe’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on October 18, 2010 - 6:31amCHICAGO – Director Stephen Frears is a storytelling legend who sneaks up on us. Besides his new film “Tamara Drewe,” which played at this year’s Chicago International Film Festival, Frears has a filmography that includes “The Queen,” “Mrs. Henderson Presents,” “High Fidelity,” “The Snapper,” “Hero,” “Prick Up Your Ears” and “My Beautiful Laundrette.”
Exclusive Portraits: Ron Perlman, Guillermo del Toro, Edward Burns at 2010 Chicago International Film Festival
Submitted by PatrickMcD on October 17, 2010 - 5:05pmCHICAGO – One big star and two directors took their turns on the red carpet at the 2010 Chicago International Film Festival on October 15th. Ron Perlman, of the Hellboy movie series and “Sons of Anarchy,” joined directors Guillermo del Toro (”Pan’s Labyrinth”) and Edward Burns (”Nice Guy Johnny”).
The Award Winners: 2010 Chicago International Film Festival
Submitted by PatrickMcD on October 17, 2010 - 2:23pmCHICAGO – The 2010 46th Annual Chicago International Film Festival and Michael Kutza, Founder and Artistic Director, announced the competition award winners at a ceremony at the Pump Room in Chicago on October 16th. The Gold Hugo for Best Film went to “How I Ended the Summer,” from Russia.
HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 20 Chicago Passes to Highly Anticipated Sequel ‘Paranormal Activity 2’
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on October 16, 2010 - 4:55pmCHICAGO – In our latest horror sequel edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 20 admit-two passes up for grabs to the advance Chicago screening of the highly anticipated sequel “Paranormal Activity 2”!
Film Review: Ed Norton, Robert De Niro Misfire in Pretentious ‘Stone’
Submitted by BrianTT on October 15, 2010 - 2:04pmCHICAGO – Ed Norton and Robert De Niro used to be two of the most consistent actors alive, both with streaks of amazing, Oscar-nominated films that guarantee them places in the history books.
Film Review: Documentary ‘Inside Job’ Should Be Required Viewing
Submitted by BrianTT on October 15, 2010 - 11:19am Rating: 5.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Director Charles Ferguson is an absolute genius at distilling incredibly-complex subjects down to their bare essentials without dumbing them down in the slightest. He produced the best documentary about the Iraq War in the amazing “No End in Sight” and he’s now delivered a nearly—equal masterful feature on how our economy got to where it is today with the excellent “Inside Job,” arguably the best documentary of a great year for the form.
