CHICAGO – Theatrical satires of the Star Wars Universe are like the number of TV series the universe has wrought … too many to figure out if anything is worthwhile. But “Trade Federation” (subtitled “Or Let’s Explore Globalization Through the Star Wars Prequels”), presented by Otherworld Theatre in Wrigleyville Chicago, gets it right on.
Natalie Portman
On-Air Film Review: Thunder Struck by ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on July 8, 2022 - 10:47amCHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on July 7th, reviewing “Thor: Love and Thunder,” the continuing Marvel Universe adventures of the God of Thunder, opening everywhere on July 8th.
Podtalk: Wendy Sharon of Wilmette Theatre for ‘This Changes Everything,’ Sept. 13, 2019
Submitted by PatrickMcD on September 12, 2019 - 11:52am- Cate Blanchett
- Colleen Griffen
- Geena Davis
- HollywoodChicago.com Content
- Jessica Chastain
- Marisa Tomei
- Meryl Streep
- Mickey Alice Kwapis
- Natalie Portman
- Oriana Oppice
- Patrick McDonald
- Podcast
- Podtalk
- Reese Witherspoon
- Rosario Dawson
- Sharon Stone
- Shayna Connelly
- This Changes Everything
- Wendy Sharon
- Wilmette Theatre
- Zoe Saldana
CHICAGO – When the world broke open during the historic #MeToo entertainment industry scandal, the incidents were simply the tip of the gigantic iceberg. “This Changes Everything” goes deeper behind the subject of women in film, to expose a system in show business that has consistently lacked in opportunities for female filmmakers and production workers. The historic Wilmette (Illinois) Theatre will screen the documentary as part of a Women Filmmaker Celebration on September 13th, 2019 (7pm), with a panel discussion moderated by Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com. For more details and tickets, click here.
Film Review: ‘Vox Lux’ is a Visually Stark Metaphor for a Lost Cause
Submitted by PatrickMcD on December 12, 2018 - 5:40pmCHICAGO – In the frozen emotional landscape of America, where mass shootings have become as regular as the sunrise, what better symbol for this madness is there than a pop star? Natalie Portman is that singer in “Vox Lux,” a victim and a perpetrator in the sin of mass death, and the soundtrack of gunfire.
Film Review: Consider the Meaning of Life Force in ‘Annihilation’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on February 23, 2018 - 8:23amCHICAGO – Alex Garland, the standout creator/director of “Ex Machina,” is back with “Annihilation,” another science fiction story. And like the previous film, it explores implications of a sci-fi event, in this case an outer space incident that restructures a cellular code, that ends up destructive.
Film News: Chicago Film Critics Association Names ‘Moonlight’ as 2016 Best Picture
Submitted by PatrickMcD on December 16, 2016 - 12:03pmCHICAGO – The poignant identity film “Moonlight” was named the 2016 Best Picture by the Chicago Film Critics Association (CFCA), in an announcement on December 15th. The film also took home the Best Director (Barry Jenkins) and Best Supporting Actor (Mahershala Ali) honors. “Manchester by the Sea” got the most honors, with four, from a voting survey of the CFCA.
Film News: ‘Moonlight’ Tops Chicago Film Critics Association 2016 Best Film Nominees
Submitted by PatrickMcD on December 12, 2016 - 9:35am- 2016
- Adam Driver
- Amy Adams
- Best of
- Casey Affleck
- CFCA
- Chicago Film Critics Association
- Colin Farrell
- Denzel Washington
- Emma Stone
- Film News
- HollywoodChicago.com Content
- Isabelle Huppert
- Jackie
- LA LA Land
- Manchester by the Sea
- Moonlight
- Natalie Portman
- Nominations
- Patrick McDonald
- Rebecca Hall
- The Handmaiden
CHICAGO – The poignant journey of “Moonlight” topped the 2016 Chicago Film Critics Association nominations list with 11, as announced on Monday, December 12th. Other notable multi-category nominees included the biopic “Jackie,” the drama “Manchester by the Sea” and the musical “La La Land.” Janelle Monae (“Hidden Figures”), Lily Gladstone (“Certain Women”) and Lucas Hedges (“Manchester by the Sea”) scored double nominations in the Best Supporting Actress and Actor categories, as well as Most Promising Performer.
Film Review: Natalie Portman Embodies a Magnificent ‘Jackie’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on December 2, 2016 - 8:26amCHICAGO – Capturing one of the most familiar woman of the last fifty years would seem impossible, except when focusing on one of the defining moments of her life. “Jackie” reveals Jacqueline Kennedy during the time of her husband John’s assassination, and when the nation lost a president.
Film Review: Terence Malick’s Feverish Dream in ‘Knight of Cups’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 11, 2016 - 10:50amCHICAGO – I’ve been quoting Martin Scorsese over the years, that he said “movies are a psychotic’s feverish dream on display.” In searching for those words, I found he never said it. He did say they are “dreams with eyes open.” So let us combine the two quotes in analyzing Terence Malick’s “Knight of Cups.”
Film Review: Forced ‘Thor: The Dark World’ Sequel Lacks Passion, Sci-Fi Basis
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on November 9, 2013 - 3:52pmCHICAGO – For me and the subculture as a whole, so much of science fiction came from “Star Trek”. If creator Gene Roddenberry were alive today to witness “Thor: The Dark World,” he’d tell it to focus on being a superhero film rather than failing to dabble in science fiction.
Film Review: ‘Thor: The Dark World’ is Little More Than Marketing For ‘The Avengers 2’
Submitted by BrianTT on November 7, 2013 - 10:40am- Alan Taylor
- Anthony Hopkins
- Brian Tallerico
- Chris Hemsworth
- Christopher Eccleston
- Film Review
- HollywoodChicago.com Content
- Idris Elba
- Jaimie Alexander
- Kat Dennings
- Marvel
- Natalie Portman
- Ray Stevenson
- Rene Russo
- Stellan Skarsgard
- Tadanobu Asano
- The Avengers
- The Avengers 2
- Thor: The Dark World
- Tom Hiddleston
- Zachary Levi
CHICAGO – Few major films have felt less creatively inspired and more commercially conceived than Alan Taylor’s dull “Thor: The Dark World,” a wannabe blockbuster with all the personality and ingenuity of a straight-to-DVD sequel.
