CHICAGO – When two brothers confront the sins of each other and it expands into a psychology of an entire race, it’s at a stage play found in Chicago’s Invictus Theatre Company production of “Topdog/Underdog,” now at their new home at the Windy City Playhouse through March 31st, 2024. Click TD/UD for tickets/info.
Jessica Chastain
Jessica Chastain, Oscar Isaac Endure ‘A Most Violent Year’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on January 17, 2015 - 10:20amRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The effect of violence, centering on the roughest statistical year for it (1981) in New York City history, becomes a flashpoint for the way business has always been done. If someone isn’t intimidating their competitor with lawyers or shady marketing practices, a few hired goons can do the trick. Oscar Isaac takes the beating, both real and metaphorical, in writer/director J.C. Chandor’s “A Most Violent Year.”
Christopher Nolan’s Riveting Story Shines Brightest in Imperfectly Cast ‘Interstellar’
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on November 7, 2014 - 2:45pm- Adam Fendelman
- Anne Hathaway
- Casey Affleck
- Christopher Nolan
- Collette Wolfe
- David Oyelowo
- Ellen Burstyn
- Elyes Gabel
- HollywoodChicago.com Content
- IMAX
- Interstellar
- Jessica Chastain
- John Lithgow
- Jonathan Nolan
- Leah Cairns
- Mackenzie Foy
- Matt Damon
- Matthew McConaughey
- Michael Caine
- Movie Review
- Topher Grace
- Wes Bentley
Rating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – It was Monday, Nov. 3, 2014 at 10:15 p.m. Leaving Navy Pier IMAX, I was driving north on Lake Shore Drive – a constantly busy, multi-lane highway that hugs the east of Chicago and separates it from water. What I saw next with fellow staff critic Patrick McDonald might have been normal for 3 a.m., but discussing Christopher Nolan’s new sci-fi “Interstellar” and being the only one on the road in either direction felt otherworldly.
‘Interstellar’ is Supposed to Mean Something, But What?
Submitted by PatrickMcD on November 6, 2014 - 2:33pm- 2001: A Space Odyssey
- Anne Hathaway
- Bill Irwin
- Casey Affleck
- Christopher Nolan
- David Gyasi
- Ellen Burstyn
- HollywoodChicago.com Content
- Interstellar
- Jessica Chastain
- John Lithgow
- Mackenzie Foy
- Matt Damon
- Matthew McConaughey
- Michael Caine
- Movie Review
- Paramount Pictures
- Patrick McDonald
- Stanley Kubrick
- Topher Grace
- Wes Bentley
Rating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – It is most likely that movie goers were asking the same question of Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey” in 1968, but Christopher Nolan’s “Interstellar” belongs to its own category of what-is-the-meaning, because it tries to combine pseudo-science with psycho-babble, which clashes into meaninglessness. But the visuals are stunning, and there are moments of fulfillment, especially in a big screen IMAX format.
Miscast Crew Spoils Christopher Nolan’s Epic ‘Interstellar’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on November 5, 2014 - 10:17amRating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – “Interstellar” is easily director Christopher Nolan’s worst film. It contains much of the ambition and striking visuals that have endeared him to audiences, but for large chunks of the movie his own worst tendencies towards bombast, self-importance, and hippy dippy dialogue threaten to overwhelm his dandy space sequences entirely.
Lives Interact in ‘The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Them’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on September 22, 2014 - 2:04pmRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – There was something blank within “The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Them,” although it dealt with the issues of loss, family and reconciliation. The all star cast, including Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy and William Hurt, add their performing spins to the story.
‘Mama’ is Everything Classic Horror Should Be
Submitted by PatrickMcD on January 18, 2013 - 10:03amRating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Occasionally, along comes a filmmaker who completely understands what makes a horror film work. “Mama,” the debut of co-writer and director Andy Muschietti, contains creepy children, psychological ramifications, clueless victims and deep mystery. This is both scary and a thriller.
Jingoistic ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ Highlights the Mission
Submitted by PatrickMcD on January 2, 2013 - 11:46amRating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Despite an obsession for killing a single man to represent a foggy revenge, “Zero Dark Thirty” is an effective thriller in the actual re-creation of that Navy Seal operation. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow (“The Hurt Locker”), the all-star cast is led by a miscast Jessica Chastain.
‘Zero Dark Thirty’ Turns CIA Procedural Into Riveting Thriller
Submitted by BrianTT on December 10, 2012 - 11:21amRating: 5.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Kathryn Bigelow opens her stunning “Zero Dark Thirty” with a date and a series of voice mail recordings. The date is, of course, September 11, 2001 and the recordings are the ghosts of the people who died that day, perfectly setting the stakes for the story to come – the hunt for and capture of Osama Bin Laden.
Tom Hardy Leads Great Cast in Disappointing ‘Lawless’
Submitted by BrianTT on August 29, 2012 - 10:35amRating: 1.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – John Hillcoat’s “Lawless,” based on Matt Bondurant’s “The Wettest County in the World,” is one of the most high profile disappointments of 2012, a film with an amazing cast that suffocates under the weight of an inconsistent script, a boring lead, and a complete lack of narrative drive. Who would have ever guessed that a movie with so many charismatic actors and actresses could ever be so shockingly dull? It’s nearly an accomplishment.
Sweet, Enjoyable ‘Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted’
Submitted by BrianTT on June 8, 2012 - 8:25amRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – It’s incredibly rare to be able to say this – the third installment in a hit animated franchise could arguably be the best. “Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted” is certainly more fun, clever, and enjoyable than the last film in this series and probably holds its own against the original.