CHICAGO – The funny meter of Netflix went off the scale last week, as the animated series “Chicago Party Aunt” made its debut on September 17th. What began as a Twitter account by comic actor Chris Witaske (who also provides his voice talent) has morphed into the cartoon adventures of Aunt Diane Dumbowski, her nephew Daniel, and an array of familiar Chicago-isms and characters.
August 2020
Interview: Christian Taylor on ‘The Girl Who Wore Freedom’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 31, 2020 - 5:32amCHICAGO – “The Girl Who Wore Freedom,” a documentary created by Christian Taylor, is a film that speaks not only of the celebration of France’s appreciation for the Allies liberation of the country in World War II (beginning with D-Day), but also of the dogged determination of filmmaker Taylor to finish the project and place it in into festival consideration.
Film Review: Dickens You Say! On-Air Review of ‘The Personal History of David Copperfield’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 29, 2020 - 9:14amCHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Dan Baker on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on August 27th, 2020, reviewing the new film “The Personal History of David Copperfield,” now in select theaters.
Dickens You Say! On-Air Review of ‘The Personal History of David Copperfield’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 29, 2020 - 9:11am 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 August 27th, 2020, reviewing the new film “The Personal History of David Copperfield,” now in select theaters.
Film Review: Excellent! On-Air Review of ‘Bill & Ted Face The Music’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 29, 2020 - 8:33am- Alex Winter
- Bill & Ted Face the Music
- Bogus
- Brigette Lundy-Paine
- Eddie Volkman
- Excellent
- films
- Harry Volkman
- HollywoodChicago.com Content
- JoBo
- Joe Bohannon
- Keanu Reeves
- Kristen Schaal
- Movie Review
- Movies
- Patrick McDonald
- Samara Weaving
- Star 96.7
- United Artists Releasing
- Video On Demand
- VOD
- William Sadler
CHICAGO – It’s time for Round Three, 29 years after the second film. “Bill & Ted Face the Music” opened August 28th, 2020 in theaters and VOD platforms. Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com, reviewed the film during the Eddie Volkman Show (Star 96.7 FM) in Joliet, Illinois.
Excellent! On-Air Review of ‘Bill & Ted Face The Music’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 29, 2020 - 8:30am- Alex Winter
- Bill & Ted Face the Music
- Bogus
- Brigette Lundy-Paine
- Eddie Volkman
- Excellent
- Films
- Harry Volkman
- HollywoodChicago.com Content
- JoBo
- Joe Bohannon
- Keanu Reeves
- Kristen Schaal
- Movie Review
- Movies
- Patrick McDonald
- Samara Weaving
- Star 96.7
- United Artists Releasing
- Video on Demand
- VOD
- William Sadler
 Rating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – It’s time for Round Three, 29 years after the second film. “Bill & Ted Face the Music” opened August 28th, 2020 in theaters and VOD platforms. Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com, reviewed the film during the Eddie Volkman Show (Star 96.7 FM) in Joliet, Illinois.
Film News: Chadwick Boseman, Star of ‘Black Panther,’ Dies at 43
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 29, 2020 - 7:27amLOS ANGELES – In another shocking piece of news in this year of 2020, the actor Chadwick Boseman, who embodied the Marvel superhero Black Panther in the film and universe, passed away on Aug. 28. He was known also for portraying black icons such as Jackie Robinson (“42”) and James Brown (“Get on Up”). He was only 43 years old.
Podtalk: Ashton Swinford on Film ‘Red Flag’ at Drive-In Midwest Film Festival, Aug 26, 2020
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 25, 2020 - 6:20pmCHICAGO – It’s a special day when a filmmaker has a world premieres of a new short work, and Ashton Swinford has picked The Midwest Film Festival (MFF) – on Wednesday, August 26th, 2020 – as the showcase for her directorial debut, “Red Flag.” The MMF is having their first event since the pandemic, and it will take place at Chicago’s new Drive-In on Throop Street, with the theme of Female Filmmaker
Podtalk: Ray Hui on YippieFest Online Screening of His Award-Winning One Minute Film
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 21, 2020 - 6:28pmCHICAGO – When comic performer Ray Hui submitted his one minute film to the Asian Pop-Up Cinema’s “Stay-At-Home Short Film Competition” back in May, he didn’t realize that three months later his “2020 A Year in Review” would still be relevant. So add predictor-of-the-future to his long resume of comedy and performance.
Podtalk: Frank Carr on Virtual & Online YippieFest, Available to Stream Aug. 21-23, 2020
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 20, 2020 - 9:07pmCHICAGO – This weekend, the performance event called YippieFest – which normally has two stages making show for three days – is going online, with a video presentation of the various acts that give YippieFest its particular reputation. Frank Carr is the founder of YippieFest and the coordinator of the virtual and online version, which will be available at YippieFest.com through TWITCH.
Podtalk: Director Derrick Borte on ‘Unhinged’ with Russell Crowe
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 20, 2020 - 8:19pmCHICAGO – America is at a boiling point. The pandemic, the election, the divisiveness and general atmosphere has reformulated us in many profound ways. Director Derrick Borte explores those themes in the new release “Unhinged,” which also has the distinction of being the first film to be distributed to all open nationwide theaters on Friday, August 21st.
Film Review: Russia! On-Air Reviews of ‘Sputnik’ & ‘Red Penguin’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 15, 2020 - 7:11pmCHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on August 13th, 2020, reviewing the new films (VOD, virtual theaters online, actual theaters) “Sputnik” and “Red Penguins.”
Russia! On-Air Reviews of ‘Sputnik’ & ‘Red Penguin’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 15, 2020 - 7:07pm Rating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on August 13th, 2020, reviewing the new films (VOD, virtual theaters online, actual theaters) “Sputnik” and “Red Penguins.”
UPDATE: Chicago’s Music Box Screens 'Inception,' AMC ReOpens, Plus Gene Siskel At-Home Series
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 14, 2020 - 12:10pmCHICAGO – An exciting opening on Friday, August 14th, 2020, for the historic Music Box Theatre (which was the first movie house to open with safety precautions last month). They will be the ONLY movie theater in America to screen the 70mm print of director Christopher Nolan’s “Inception.” AMC Theaters in Chicago and surrounding suburbs are re-opening on August 20th.
Film Review: On-Air Reviews of ‘I Used to Go Here,’ Creem Mag Doc
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 13, 2020 - 10:33am- 1970s
- Carbondale
- Community
- Creem: America’s Only Rock N Roll Magazine
- Flight of the Concords
- Gillian Jacobs
- HollywoodChicago.com Content
- I Used to Go Here
- Jeff Daniels
- Jermaine Clement
- Kris Rey
- Lester Bangs
- Michael Stipe
- Movie Review
- Patrick McDonald
- Scott Thompson
- The Morning Mess
- WBGR-FM. Monroe
- Wisconsin
CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on August 6th, 2020, reviewing the new films (virtual theaters online, actual theaters) “I Used to Go There” and “Creem: America’s Only Rock ’N’ Roll Magazine.”
On-the-Air Reviews of ‘I Used to Go Here,’ Creem Mag Doc
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 13, 2020 - 10:26am- 1970s
- Carbondale
- Community
- Creem: America’s Only Rock N Roll Magazine
- Flight of the Concords
- Gillian Jacobs
- HollywoodChicago.com Content
- I Used to Go Here
- Jeff Daniels
- Jermaine Clement
- Kris Rey
- Lester Bangs
- Michael Stipe
- Movie Review
- Patrick McDonald
- Scott Thompson
- The Morning Mess
- WBGR-FM. Monroe
- Wisconsin
 Rating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on August 6th, 2020, reviewing the new films (virtual theaters online, actual theaters) “I Used to Go There” and “Creem: America’s Only Rock ’N’ Roll Magazine.”
Entertainment News: Virtual 2020 YippieFest now August 21-23
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 12, 2020 - 11:50amCHICAGO – It’s coming! YippieFest 2020 – joining the virtual and online revolution during these particular times – is set for August 21st through the 23rd. Details to come on schedules and times, but the whole fest can be downloaded for FREE on those dates through TWITCH streaming service. Click here for more details.
Podtalk: Jian Ping in Documentary ‘Mulberry Child’ on Amazon Prime
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 12, 2020 - 11:32amCHICAGO – In the landscape of life, not many have experienced a journey like Jian Ping. Raised in China, she was a child during the political reign of Chairman Mao Zedong. Eventually ending up in Chicago, she wrote her 2008 memoir “Mulberry Child” about her childhood, which was made into a documentary and directed by Susan Morgan Cooper. The doc is now on Amazon Prime.
Podtalk: Ned McGregor on 2020 Filmscape Chicago Expo, Virtual & Online August 29-30
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 8, 2020 - 11:26amCHICAGO – One of the traditional Chicago film gatherings, now in its third year, will go virtual and online in this magic year of 2020. But that also gives interested parties a chance to sign up for their FREE classes from anywhere around the world. Registration for the Filmscape Chicago Expo is now open, click here to access.
Exclusive Photo: In Memoriam, Regis Philbin in His Long Career
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 1, 2020 - 7:09pmCHICAGO – In 2011, a unique award was conferred upon Regis Philbin, the talk show/game show host and sometimes actor. The Guinness Book of World Records acknowledged that Philbin had appeared on the most hours on American television, with an astounding 16,746.5 in the final tally. Philbin passed away on July 24, 2020, at the age of 88, in his home in Greenwich, Connecticut.
Film Review: On-The-Air Review of Gordon Lightfoot Documentary
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 1, 2020 - 12:37pmCHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on July 30th, 2020, reviewing the new Video-On-Demand film “Gordon Lightfoot: If You Could Read My Mind.”
On-The-Air Review of Gordon Lightfoot Documentary
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 1, 2020 - 12:34pmRating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on July 30th, 2020, reviewing the new Video-On-Demand film “Gordon Lightfoot: If You Could Read My Mind.”
Interview: Singer/Songwriter Lara Bell Hits All the Right Notes
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 1, 2020 - 10:54amMCHENRY, ILL. – The venue D.C. Cobbs (Woodstock, Illinois) was the location for an acoustic set by 23-year-old Lara Bell, an up and coming singer/songwriter who has been performing professionally since she was 15 years old. Her rich and sultry voice, embodying a wide range of genres, was complimented by an enthralling stage presence.
