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 Content
Rachel Weisz, Tom Hiddleston Bare Their Souls in ‘The Deep Blue Sea’
Submitted by BrianTT on March 30, 2012 - 11:43am Rating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Terence Davies’ “The Deep Blue Sea” has been earning raves around the world for its dramatic portrayal of doomed love. Personally, I found the film more inert than engaging but the two lead performances are so consistently powerful that the talent of their performers ultimately drew me into this depressing whirlpool. It’s not the film it could have been but the sheer skill of the great Rachel Weisz and the great Tom Hiddleston make it a film worth seeing.
Clive Owen, Carice Van Houten Star in Hollow ‘Intruders’
Submitted by BrianTT on March 30, 2012 - 10:50am Rating: 2.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Clive Owen is a fantastic actor, one of the best of his generation in films like “Children of Men” and “Trust.” His co-star in “Intruders,” Carice Van Houten, generally makes everything she does more interesting (and memorably appears in the new season of “Game of Thrones”). And yet neither of these talented thespians can do a thing to save “Intruders,” an inert, boring supernatural thriller, a flick that joins the crowded subgenre of childhood boogeyman scare-fests that fail to find the spine-tingling power of what we think may be under the bed.
Loud, Boring ‘Wrath of the Titans’ Deserves Godly Vengeance
Submitted by BrianTT on March 30, 2012 - 8:52am Rating: 1.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – 2010’s “Clash of the Titans” was a surprising box office smash, making almost $500 million worldwide. That kind of money demands a sequel, but what to call it? “Clash of the Titans 2” wouldn’t be exciting enough but it should sound similar. How about “Smash of the Titans”? “Flash of the Titans”? “Bash of the Titans”? They ultimately settled on “Wrath of the Titans,” although “Trash of the Titans” or “Crap of the Titans” would have been more accurate.
Splendid Photography, Strong Acting Almost Save ‘October Baby’ From Far-Fetched Melodrama
Submitted by BrianTT on March 23, 2012 - 10:12am Rating: 2.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – When reading the plot synopsis for the film “October Baby,” there were a few things I already expected. “A college freshman’s world is rocked when she learns she is the adopted survivor of an attempted abortion” (IMdb). While this is clearly a recipe for melodrama and emotion, writers Jon Erwin and Cecil Stokes ended up creating a story that is even more unrealistic than I first imagined. Luckily for them, the film is still salvaged by some strong acting performances and some engaging visuals.
Fantastic, Visceral ‘The Raid: Redemption’ Beats Up Hollywood Action Movies
Submitted by BrianTT on March 23, 2012 - 9:52am Rating: 4.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Gareth Evans’ “The Raid: Redemption” is a powerhouse kick to the gut of bored action movie fans. And the face. And the kneecap. And the balls. It’s an aggressive, adrenaline-fueled success in so many ways that it might make you like recent Hollywood action films less than you remembered. They weren’t this powerful, super-charged, or generally remarkable. For its target audience, I find it impossible to believe that “The Raid” won’t connect. In other words, if you like martial arts action movies, you have a new must-see.
Stephen Dorff Gets Trapped in Deeply Flawed ‘Brake’
Submitted by BrianTT on March 23, 2012 - 9:49amRating: 2.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – With obvious comparisons to “24” and “Buried,” Gabe Torres’ “Brake” comes with a bit of referential baggage in its trunk. Also in there is Secret Service Agent Jeremy Reins (Stephen Dorff), a man trapped in a nightmarish kidnapping situation in the trunk of a car. He wakes up there and it’s where the vast majority of “Brake” takes place as he’s tortured physically and mentally by a group of terrorists trying to find the Executive Branch’s secret bunker.
Jennifer Lawrence in ‘The Hunger Games’ Delivers for Fans
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 23, 2012 - 8:34am Rating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – What is remarkable about the book phenomenon known as “The Hunger Games” is how rich, literary and symbolic the series is, considering they are for a “young adult” audience. Jennifer Lawrence, Stanley Tucci, Elizabeth Banks, Woody Harrelson and Josh Hutcherson bring the characters to life.
‘The Kid with a Bike’ Marks Another Home Run by the Dardenne Brothers
Submitted by mattmovieman on March 23, 2012 - 6:23amRating: 4.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The sullen little boy is always on the run. His red shirt and jacket cause him to resemble a crimson blur against the green and gray landscape of his Belgian town. He believes that there must be an explanation for why his absent father has left him in a state-run youth farm, and is determined to track him down. Consumed with confusion and rage, the boy has no choice but to keep moving toward a destination that may not exist.
Goofy ‘The FP’ is Geared For Manic Midnight Movie Goers
Submitted by BrianTT on March 22, 2012 - 3:36pmRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – “The FP,” playing in midnight shows this weekend at Music Box and in various arthouse theaters around the country, is a hard movie to put your finger on. Is it just bad like “Birdemic” or “The Room” or is it something “trying” to be bad? Is it a spoof of bad movies or just a bad movie? Does it matter? Either way, “The FP” works for its audience, a rowdy crowd of midnight movie fans willing to put up with over-the-top silliness, bad performances, and general lunacy. It’s essentially an extended short film that doesn’t even justify its short running time but audiences on its wavelength will eat it up.
Spectacular ‘The Hunger Games’ Lives Up to High Expectations
Submitted by BrianTT on March 20, 2012 - 8:08amRating: 4.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Gary Ross’ “The Hunger Games” is a spectacular piece of blockbuster entertainment, a movie that should connect across all demographics from those who have never heard of the book to those who have shrines to Katniss and Peeta in their closets. It is more than mere Hollywood adaptation, it is a work of art on multiple levels with fantastic technical elements and some of the best performances in a work of science fiction in years.
