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+.
Movie Review
Film Review: Joe Swanberg’s ‘Marriage Material’ Deftly Observes Young Adulthood
Submitted by mattmovieman on January 16, 2012 - 8:04amCHICAGO – Ever since stumbling upon his 2005 directorial debut, “Kissing on the Mouth,” I’ve been deeply transfixed by the cinema of Chicago filmmaker Joe Swanberg. There’s a startling honesty to his work that is unmatched by many of his peers, as well as a near-obsessive desire to capture the “truth” in his fictional characters. He never shies away from sexual frankness or raw intimacy if they are required to serve the story.
Film Review: Mark Wahlberg’s ‘Contraband’ Steals Half Justice From Icelandic Conquest
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on January 14, 2012 - 3:46pmCHICAGO – One way to craft an unforgettable, undeniably adept film is to make a new one. Hollywood views that as financially risky, though, and it often doesn’t happen without being based on a book with a built-in audience or a film that’s already an international box-office success.
Film Review: Meryl Streep Accentuates Margaret Thatcher in ‘The Iron Lady’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on January 14, 2012 - 4:12amCHICAGO – It would be a cheap jab to say that “The Iron Lady” is a drag version of “J. Edgar,” and also redundant (hyy-ooh). Meryl Streep takes on the role of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, with a dreamy and vague interpretation of the PM’s life that at times feels like it’s told through the wrong end of a telescope.
Film Review: ‘Beauty and the Beast 3D’ Brings Magic to New Generation in Unnecessary Dimension
Submitted by BrianTT on January 13, 2012 - 10:49pmCHICAGO – It is a tale as old as time, and a film almost as old as I am. After the success that Disney had bringing “The Lion King” back to theaters this past September, it is no surprise that they have decided to bring four more films back to the theaters, starting with the classic tale “Beauty and the Beast,” which was first released in November of 1991.
Film Review: Jodie Foster, Christoph Waltz Shine in Roman Polanski’s Surprisingly Average ‘Carnage’
Submitted by BrianTT on January 13, 2012 - 11:31amCHICAGO – Roman Polanski may not seem to be the first choice for a film about culture clashes in New York City but he has notable experience with dramas with only a few characters in a few locations (“Knife in the Water,” “Cul-de-sac,” “Death and the Maiden”).
Film Review: Angelina Jolie is ‘In the Land of Blood and Honey’ in Directorial Debut
Submitted by PatrickMcD on January 6, 2012 - 10:04amCHICAGO – The sorrows of war has been played out too many times in our so-called modern age. The excessively cruel Bosnian war – a three year conflict that introduced the vile term “ethnic cleansing” – is the background of Angelina Jolie’s directorial debut, “In the Land of Blood and Honey.”
Film Review: Honest, Precisely Acted ‘Pariah’ is Passionate Filmmaking
Submitted by PatrickMcD on January 6, 2012 - 9:28amCHICAGO – The exploration of culture, so tied to class and social standing, is not explored too often in mainstream films. In 2009, there was “Precious,” and this year the stand out is “Pariah.” Writer/director Dee Rees formulates a passionate story about a racial/social/orientation fish out of water.
Film Review: ‘Angels Crest’ Takes Lead-Footed Trip Down Misery Lane
Submitted by mattmovieman on December 30, 2011 - 9:06amCHICAGO – Six years after her sentimental debut feature, “On a Clear Day,” filmmaker Gaby Dellal has gotten mired in the wintry sludge of her sophomore effort, “Angels Crest.”
Film Review: Steven Spielberg Casts a Golden Light Upon ‘War Horse’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on December 23, 2011 - 8:53amCHICAGO – Opening on Christmas Day is a film about a boy, his horse and war, brought to the screen by America’s most popular living director. “War Horse” is the most critic proof film ever realized. Kidding. This equine epic is Steven Spielberg’s latest, taking advantage of precise filmmaking, emotion and cinematography to deliver a decent holiday package.
Film Review: Matt Damon Closes Deal in ‘We Bought a Zoo’
Submitted by BrianTT on December 22, 2011 - 11:19amCHICAGO – Cameron Crowe’s “We Bought a Zoo” is an undeniably manipulative crowd-pleaser but there’s something about being manipulated in such an expert manner that makes the tugging on the heartstrings easier to take.