William Mapother

CHICAGO – “Blackhat” is a hacker’s actioner of high-tech and low-tech genre jolts, but its construction provides a thrill of its own - that of witnessing the next era of the action movie.

CHICAGO – A speedy film project can take about a year from conception to final cut; director Michael Mann’s wired-in thriller “Blackhat” might as well have been written, shot, and cut last month. Not just because of its epilogue to the rise and defeat of the Guardians of Peace, but for its modernity.

CHICAGO – In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 60 pairs of advance-screening movie passes up for grabs to the highly anticipated new thriller “Blackhat” starring Chris Hemsworth from writer and director Michael Mann (“Heat,” “Ali,” “Public Enemies”)!

CHICAGO – The real strength of the new film “Another Earth” doesn’t necessarily lie in the science fiction aspect of a world appearing in the sky and bearing down on our earth, but in the humanity that is changed and reflected through that event. Director Mike Cahill co-wrote and directed this impressive and imaginative film.

CHICAGO – “Another Earth” is a delicate movie. The emotions, atmosphere and philosophy feels like the whole thing could shatter at any moment, that’s how balanced it is on the edge of tomorrow. Through Brit Marling’s screenplay and performance, the very nature of who we are is questioned.

CHICAGO – One of the true powers of the new film “Another Earth,” is the essential performance of Brit Marling as Rhoda, the lead character who seeks redemption in the midst of an interplanetary event that shakes up the universe. Her deep portrayal is enhanced by her role as co-writer of the screenplay.

CHICAGO – Things are a little light in the world of the DVD Round-Up, HollywoodChicago.com’s popular feature that grabs titles that may have fallen through the cracks while you were busy refreshing your Netflix queue to see if “The Reader,” “Frost/Nixon,” and “The Wrestler” are going to ever be shipped your way.