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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+.
DVD Round-Up: ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2,’ ‘Medium,’ ‘Midnight Movie,’ More
Submitted by BrianTT on July 18, 2011 - 5:20pm
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CHICAGO – Did you miss the DVD Round-Up? Well, it’s back with as diverse a selection as we’ve seen in some time. The purpose of the DVD Round-Up is to catch the titles that might otherwise fall through the cracks. With everything going on this crazy summer, we may not have time to devote full-length reviews to these five possible gems but we wanted to make sure you knew they were out there, waiting for your hard-earned dollar.
Just a reminder, the DVD Round-Up is designed for information purposes, not for review. Having said that, “36th Precinct” is well-worth a look and “Medium” was always an underrated show. Finally, “Midnight Movie” has some hardcore fans. Check it out and see if you’re one.
“36th Precinct,” “Midnight Movie: The Killer Cut,” and “Norm Macdonald: Me Doing Standup” were released on June 14th, 2011.
“Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Roderick Rules” and “Medium: The Final Season” were released on June 21st, 2011.
“36th Precinct”
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Synopsis: “In this action packed cop thriller, a gang of armed robbers have committed seven deadly robberies within a year. When two lieutenants are told that whoever stops the gang will become the next Chief Of Police, the competition between them becomes increasingly ruthless, blurring the lines of morality, until there is no difference between the police and the criminals they chase.”
“36th Precinct” stars Daniel Auteuil, Gerard Depardieu, Andre Dussolier, Roschdy Zem, and Valeria Golino. It was directed by Olivier Marchal. It is not rated and runs 111 minutes. The film is presented in widescreen and accompanied by a French 5.1 Dolby audio track.
Special Features:
o Exclusive Director Interview
o Making of Documentary - The Real 36
o Actor’s Costume Tests
o The Choice of Weapons
o Theatrical Trailers
o Upcoming Release Trailers
“Midnight Movie: The Killer Cut”
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Synopsis: “Jack Messitt’s award winning horror film can finally be seen as it was intended. With new and enhanced visual effects, never before seen footage and extended scenes, what Movieweb.com called a true modern day horror classic just got better. With an atmosphere that oozes dread (Blu-Ray.com), Midnight Movie is a gory and fast paced good time (DreadCentral.com).
It was just another rundown movie house in a small suburban town — what better place for a midnight screening of a true cult classic? But this isn’t your typical horror film, because five years earlier, the director and star of the movie made a bloody escape from a psych ward and may still be on the loose.
When the film starts to roll, the heckling begins. But when one of their friends is viciously murdered in the very movie they are watching, laughter gives way to fear as the horrified audience realizes that it is no prank.
When they try to run, they realize that the same psycho they just saw on the silver screen has trapped them all in the theater. With no hope of escape and their numbers thinning fast, the survivors must figure out a way to turn the tables on the very same killer that they once rooted for in the cult slasher flick. Caught between reality and the screen’s flickering shadows, they become the unwilling stars of the very horror movie they were watching. ”
“Midnight Movie” stars Rebekah Brandes, Daniel Bonjour, Greg Cirulnick, and Mandell Maughan. It is rated R and runs 82 minutes. The film is presented in widescreen with and accompanied by an English 5.1 DOlby Surround track.
Special Features:
o Extended Scenes
o New and Enhanced Visual Effects
o More!
“Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules”
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Synopsis: “Greg Heffley, the kid who made “wimpy” cool, is back in this sidesplitting sequel based on the second installment of the best-selling book series! Having rid himself of the Cheese Touch , Greg enters the next grade with his confidence and friendships intact, and an eye on the new girl in town, Holly Hills . But at home, Greg is still at war with his older brother, Rodrick, so their parents have handed down the toughest “punishment” imaginable – forcing the boys to spend quality time with each other. ”
“Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules” stars Zachary Gordon, Devon Bostick, Robert Capron, Rachael Harris, and Steve Zahn. It was directed by David Bowers. It is rated PG and runs 99 minutes. It is presented in widescreen with a Dolby 5.1 English audio track.
Special Features:
o Gag Reel
o 7 “My Summer Vacation” Shorts
o 10 Deleted Scenes
o Alternate Ending: “Stealthinator”
o Audio Commentary by Author Jeff Kinney and Director David Bowers
“Medium: The Final Season”
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Synopsis: “For seven years, Allison Dubois (Patricia Arquette) has coped with visions of the dead who cry out for justice, while balancing her dream-world with the all-too-real problems of maintaining a career and raising a family. Now, in Medium: The Final Season, her saga reaches its unforgettable conclusion.
As Allison continues to help District Attorney Manuel Devalos (Miguel Sandoval) solve crimes, she contends with a dark spirit that haunts co-worker Detective Lee Scanlon (David Cubitt). But her greatest challenge occurs as an ominous prophecy looms over her family. In the hour of crisis, her love for her husband Joe (Jake Weber) will face the ultimate test. ”
“Medium” stars Patricia Arquette, Jake Weber, Miguel Sandoval, and David Cubitt. The show is presented in widescreen with an English 5.1 Dolby track. It is not rated and runs 563 minutes.
Special Features:
o The Making of Medium: Season 7
o Memories of Medium
o Medium: Shadows & Light
o Meet Detective Lee Scanlon
o Medium Around the World
o Gag Reel
“Norm Macdonald: Me Doing Standup”
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Synopsis: “Norm Macdonald, the iconic anchor of SNL’s “Weekend Update” and star of the cult classic Dirty Work, is back with a vengeance. This time he serves up a hilarious feature-length stand-up special, covering everything from cheating death, 24-hour news stories, shameful sex, Tiger Woods and OJ Simpson. Don’t let his laid-back demeanor fool you: Macdonald’s brand of comedy is as blunt and sharp as ever. ”
The stand-up special is presented in widescreen with a Dolby Digital audio track. It is not rated and runs 61 minutes.
Special Features:
o Pilot Episode of Back to Norm
o The Twelve Days of Christmas Animated Featurette
o Norm’s Roast of Bob Saget
 | By BRIAN TALLERICO |
Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Rodrick Rules - Great Entertainment!!!
We watched the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Rodrick Rules” movie and couldn’t be more impressed. Our kids read the books and just fell in love with last years “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” the first movie and then again in this second one. Easily an A-
The actors did a great job, especailly the movies star, young actor Zachary Gordon who plays the title character- Greg Heffley. His character in the movie may not be as memorable, but Gordon’s acting is. He was excellent and very believable. This movie is not only fun for the family (as few movies today are), but it also will hit an “accord” with adults as well. It really brought my wife and I back to our Jr. High School years. It was very relatable for anyone who survived middle school and growing up with all types of family dynamics. This movie is alot of fun and very entertaining.
I am not sure why this movie wasn’t marketed better, as none of us were aware when it originally came out this year. Now that we saw it, we searched the web and found out it was the Number 1 movie, beating out “Sucker Punch” for the top slot. Beating out a highly marketed movie with scantily clad 20 year old women was quite a feat! Unfortunatey, nobody said anything about it. This is really stupid on Fox’s part. If Fox had only marketed this movie properly, we would all have seen it with our friends months ago at the theaters and then bought the DVD also. Bad job Fox, you have spent more money, marketing so many of your big losers, then taking the time to nurture this “best bet” Diary of a Wimpy Kid” - you really screwed up! You could have had our money twice.
I suggest you go rent or buy the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Rodrick Rules” and the first movie “Diary of a Wimpy Kid”. If you like to laugh and like really enjoyable entertainment, without all the expensive animation, 3D gizmos, and noise. Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Rodrick Rules” is a sure thing!