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+.
Nickelodeon
Theater Review: ‘The SpongeBob Musical’ by Kokandy Productions
Submitted by PatrickMcD on July 11, 2023 - 9:52amCHICAGO – What began in Chicago in 2016 … as a preview to its eventual Broadway run … comes back to where it now belongs. The passionate and ebullient Kokandy Productions presents “The SpongeBob Musical,” and yes, it will satisfy fans of the cartoon series with flash, dash, and since it’s under the sea, SPLASH!
Film Review: Imagination is the Key to Charming ‘Wonder Park’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 16, 2019 - 5:56pmCHICAGO – Most animated films depicting the “family” often includes a parallel lesson about togetherness or some such domestic symbolism. In “Wonder Park,” the lesson is how the spark of imagination can keep a childhood alive. When that spark is temporarily dosed, the destination of the title also suffers.
Film Review: ‘The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water’ Squeezes Out More Fun
Submitted by PatrickMcD on February 6, 2015 - 12:49pmCHICAGO – “The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out Of Water” squeezes another big-screen adventure out of America’s favorite undersea fry cook, and introduces some tantalizing comic possibilities that ramp up the series – including winking meta references – but it’s ambitions remain distinctly small scale.
DVD Review: ‘Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness’ Won’t Annoy Parents
Submitted by BrianTT on July 3, 2013 - 2:45pmCHICAGO – That headline may seem like ridiculously faint praise. As a parent of two boys who love TV, trust me when I tell you that it’s not. There is some incredibly smart TV aimed at kids — “Adventure Time,” “Phineas & Ferb” — but a lot of it fails to pass the test that you won’t want to jump out a window when your rugrat wants to watch it on repeat. “Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomess,” not unlike another DreamWorks movie-turned-show in “The Penguins of Madagascar,” isn’t as ambitious or clever as the best children’s TV but it’s also far from the bottom of the barrel. It’s reasonably entertaining and if your kid liked “Kung Fu Panda” or “Kung Fu Panda 2,” this first DVD release of the show will more than satisfy.
Interview: Carl Sondrol, Music Scorer of Webby Award-Winning Shorts
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 13, 2010 - 8:31amCHICAGO – Carl Sondrol is on a huge winning streak. The musician, composer and soundtrack scorer for CollegeHumor.com is a vital part of the Webby Award winning shorts “Web Site Story” and “Pixar Intro Parody.” His work has also expanded into television, short films and feature films.
Interview: ‘Nickelodeon’ Star Josh Peck Grows Up, Director Jonathan Levine Speaks Out on ‘The Wackness’
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on July 11, 2008 - 5:05pmCHICAGO – It’s 1994 in New York City. In an age before mobile phones, terrorist threats and a grown-up Olsen twin, there is “The Wackness”. This is the debut film of writer and director Jonathan Levine and a coming-out role of sorts for the child star Josh Peck of the popular Nickelodeon series “Drake & Josh”.