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.
New Zealand
Film Review: Homage & Reimagining! On-Air Review of ‘Mulan’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on September 4, 2020 - 11:25amCHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Dan Baker on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on September 3rd, 2020, reviewing the new live action film “Mulan.” This is the Walt Disney Studios adaptation of their own 1998 animated film, originally a March release, now leading off the Fall Season.
Photo Gallery: Alien Weaponry Performs in Chicagoland at The Forge
Submitted by JeffDoles on December 5, 2018 - 9:03amJOLIET, Ill. – Thrash Metal band Alien Weaponry performs at The Forge venue in Joliet on November 29th, 2018. New Zealand natives Lewis de Jong, Henry de Jong and Ethan Trembath brought their unique energy to the venue, and HollywoodChicago.com photographer Jeff Doles was there, taking the following Exclusive Photos.
Interview: Thrash Metal Band ‘Alien Weaponry’ to Appear in Chicagoland on Nov. 29, 2018
Submitted by PatrickMcD on November 28, 2018 - 8:35amCHICAGO – This old Headbanger would like to personally thank “Alien Weaponry” for providing a much-needed shot of adrenal into the future of Thrash Metal. While I consider myself an optimist, if you had told me that the resurgence of the genre would come from three teenagers that hail from New Zealand, I would have told you that you were crazy.
Interview: Director David Farrier Finds No Mirth in ‘Tickled’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 23, 2016 - 4:45pmCHICAGO – In the underbelly of American society, if you dig deep enough, there is also an underbelly to the underbelly. When a New Zealand journalist named David Farrier goes to such depths, on a story about competitive tickling (yes, tickling people to laughing fits), he gets much more that he bargained for.
Film Review: ‘The Dark Horse’ Rises with Performance of Cliff Curtis
Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 18, 2016 - 7:22pmCHICAGO – The narrow genre of chess movies (“Searching for Bobby Fischer,” “Pawn Sacrifice”) gets a New Zealand entry, the appropriately titled “The Dark Horse.” The film is a showcase for the performance of Cliff Curtis as the title character, abiding with mental instability and his own redemption.
Interview: Karl Urban Offers His Verdict as ‘Judge Dredd’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on September 19, 2012 - 8:10pmCHICAGO – The talented New Zealand actor named Karl Urban has had a pretty decent run in some recent blockbusters – does the “Lord of the Rings” Trilogy and “Star Trek” ring a bell? He breaks out in the title role of the upcoming action flick “Dredd 3D,” portraying legendary comic book character Judge Dredd.
Blu-Ray Review: ‘Bride Flight’ Bolstered By Fine Acting, Gorgeous Locales
Submitted by mattmovieman on October 4, 2011 - 7:20amCHICAGO – A glance at the premise of Ben Sombogaart’s “Bride Flight” would lead one to believe that the entire film chronicled the 1953 long distance air race from London to Christchurch, New Zealand. Yet that backdrop merely serves as the launching pad for a plethora of melodramatic fireworks. Despite occasional moments of hokum, the film benefits greatly from its three splendid leads.
