Magnolia Pictures

Interview: Joe Swanberg Dares to Cross the Line in ‘Drinking Buddies’

CHICAGO – It takes a special sort of filmmaker to hit it big without compromising any artistic principles. This month marks a career high for Chicago’s own DIY trail-blazer, Joe Swanberg, whose microbudget gems have influenced everyone from Lynn Shelton (“Touchy Feely”) to Lena Dunham (“Girls”).

Film Review: Deep Two Character Drama Flavors ‘Prince Avalanche’

CHICAGO – Take actors Paul Rudd and Emile Hirsch, make them highway line painters, put them in a fire-ravaged woodland and the makings for a savory two character portrait is realized in “Prince Avalanche.” David Gordon Green adapted and directed this appealingly offbeat art film.

Film Review: ‘Blackfish’ Emphasizes Folly of Animal Captivity

CHICAGO – We see the public service ads often – dogs and cats in captivity after neglect and abuse. The images parade by, and the sadness in their expressions are heartbreaking. The same can be said for killer whales in captivity, used for SeaWorld shows and exploited in “Blackfish.”

Interview: Director Gabriela Cowperthwaite Reveals the ‘Blackfish’

CHICAGO – It was all so innocent. Filmmaker Gabriela Cowperthwaite was curious about killer whale performances – think Shamu at SeaWorld – and began to do research. What she uncovered, to her total surprise, that there was a pattern to accidental deaths traced back to one whale. The result is her new documentary, “Blackfish.”

HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 50 Pairs of Passes to Sundance Hit ‘Blackfish’ With Director Q&A

CHICAGO – In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film with our unique social giveaway technology, we have 50 pairs of advance-screening movie passes up for grabs to the Sundance Film Festival hit “Blackfish”! This special screening features a director Q&A!

Film Review: ‘No Place on Earth’ Puts Human Peril Underground

No Place on Earth

CHICAGO – The human face of the Holocaust – the Jewish genocide by Adolph Hitler and the Nazi Party – has been reflected through many incredible accounts of horror and survival. A new film focuses on another amazing story, set in a cave in the Ukraine, where five Jewish families hid underground from German soldiers in 1942. The survivors give their witness in “No Place on Earth.”

Film Review: Terrence Malick’s ‘To the Wonder’ Nearly Drowns in its Own Beauty

CHICAGO – Deservedly renowned as one of our greatest living filmmakers, Terrence Malick has a reputation for taking his time with each project. He won’t make a picture unless he feels a burning desire to make it, and will put directing on the back burner for two decades, if necessary, in order to pursue other interests. He’s never made what could be conceivably considered a minor work—until now.

Film Review: Real Hunger Games are Exposed in ‘A Place at the Table’

A Place at the Table

CHICAGO – There has been an attitude shift in America in a couple of generations toward the poor and unlucky in life. What was once a campaign to end poverty and take care of that part of the population, has turned into a demonization of them. This is one of the main themes in “A Place at the Table,” an overview of the continuing hunger problem in America.

Interview: Director Kristi Jacobson Sets ‘A Place at the Table’

CHICAGO – One of the strangest problems in the United States, the richest country in the world, is “food insecurity.” Millions of Americans, lost in economic or working poverty, can’t keep pace with their food needs. The new documentary “A Place at the Table” dissects this social problem, and is co-directed by Kristi Jacobson.

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  • Manhunt

    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+.

  • Topdog/Underdog, Invictus Theatre

    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.

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