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+.
London
Neon Lights Are ‘60s! On-Air Review of ‘Last Night in Soho’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on October 28, 2021 - 9:29pm Rating: 4.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Dan Baker on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on October 28th, 2021, reviewing the new Edgar Wright film, “Last Night in Soho” in theaters beginning October 29th.
On-Air Review of ‘The Last Letter From Your Lover’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on July 24, 2021 - 11:42am Rating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on July 22th, 2021, reviewing the new film “The Last Letter From Your Lover,” streaming on Netfilx beginning July 23rd.
Fireworks for the 4th in ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on July 1, 2019 - 6:37pm Rating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – “Spider-Man: Far From Home” is remarkably light on its feet considering it takes place in the wake of the events of “Avengers: Endgame.” After the five year period between finger snaps which is now referred to as “the blip,” Peter Parker (Tom Holland) and some of his classmates have returned the same age, while everyone else has gotten five years older.
Strange Story of ‘Disobedience’ is Constant Distraction
Submitted by PatrickMcD on May 9, 2018 - 10:22am Rating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The director Sebastían Lelio is no stranger to oddball human stories. His 2017 film, “A Fantastic Woman” – the Oscar winner for Best Foreign Language Film – was a one-of-a-kind but amazingly poignant story of identity. His latest, “Disobedience,” mines the same human territory with lesser results.
‘Phantom Thread’ is Both Beautiful and Muddled
Submitted by PatrickMcD on January 15, 2018 - 9:50pmRating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – There is a certain beauty in human creation, and the fashion industry allows that we can be individual in the sense of our clothing choices. The perfection that those creators attend to is nicely defined in “Phantom Thread,” but as an exploration of their personal life, it is frustrating.
Un-Buddy-Like Violence in ‘The Hitman’s Bodyguard’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 17, 2017 - 5:55pm Rating: 2.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – One day I would like to meet a professional assassin. Are they as quippy and biblical as Samuel L. Jackson? This tired movie occupation is trotted out again, this time pairing Jackson with Ryan Reynolds, in an overwrought and ultra-violent buddy comedy, “The Hitman’s Bodyguard.”
Lack of Cohesiveness, Intrigue Stymies ‘The Gunman’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 20, 2015 - 10:59pmRating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – If you’re going to see a Sean Penn action movie, I guess “The Gunman” would be appropriate. As he and the filmmakers inject some reality in the usual motivations, the puzzle pieces don’t connect well and in the end are not that interesting. That is not to say that the film is bad.
‘Closed Circuit’ is a Tense Reminder of Our Times
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 28, 2013 - 7:55amRating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The threat of terrorist acts defies security. That is a fundamental truth. With 7 billion people on the planet – and an infinite number of motivations within them – all the security cameras, techniques and agencies cannot stop a determined group or individual, as depicted in “Closed Circuit.”
Romantic Coupling of ‘One Day’ Rises Above Average
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 19, 2011 - 11:25amRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – In the sure hands of director Lone Scherfig, the underrated film “An Education” brought Carey Mulligan to full light. Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess generate similar radiance in Scherfig’s new film, “One Day.”
