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+.
Paul Bettany
Film News: Sneak Peek to ‘The Avengers’ Super Bowl XLVI Ad
Submitted by TimBMartens on February 1, 2012 - 9:13pmCHICAGO – A sneak peek has hit the web for “The Avengers” advertisement that will premiere during the Super Bowl this Sunday and gives more looks of action, explosions, Iron Man in flight, and a screaming Hulk. “The Avengers” is just one of many films that will be putting out a new advertisement during the biggest football game of the year on Sunday.
Blu-ray Review: Underappreciated ‘Margin Call’ Deserves Larger Audience
Submitted by BrianTT on December 20, 2011 - 6:31pmCHICAGO – J.C. Chandor’s CFCA-nominated “Margin Call” is the kind of film that makes me concerned about the lack of mainstream audience for adult drama. There’s no reason at all that this excellent drama with several major actors shouldn’t have found a much-larger audience. Lionsgate needs to go back to the drawing board and figure out what’s going on with their marketing and promotions since it’s total nonsense that a critically-acclaimed work like this and their even-better “Warrior” both flopped at the box office. “Warrior” was at least given a chance. “Margin Call” never went beyond 199 screens. So you probably haven’t seen it. You should.
Blu-Ray Review: ‘Priest’ Looks Great Even if There’s Nothing Below Surface
Submitted by BrianTT on August 23, 2011 - 12:13pmCHICAGO – “Priest,” recently released on Blu-ray and DVD, is one of those films which suffers greatly by comparison to the works that clearly inspired it. On the level of character and storytelling, this thing is a derivative mess. You’ll never once give a damn about anything that’s happening, especially when the action slows down and the paper-thin dialogue kicks in. On the other hand, the film is surprisingly stylish and has a visual aesthetic that’s greatly enhanced by Blu-ray. It looks great on the surface. Just don’t examine it too closely.
Blu-Ray Review: Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie Forgettable in ‘The Tourist’
Submitted by BrianTT on March 24, 2011 - 2:23pmCHICAGO – When “The Tourist,” recently released on Blu-ray and DVD, was released theatrically, it was dealt a pretty brutal blow by critics and most assumed it would be relatively forgotten before long, but the Hollywood Foreign Press Association gave the film its true place in history when they nominated it for three awards, including Best Picture, Actor, and Actress after a particularly suspicious amount of lobbying by Sony.
Film Review: ‘The Tourist’ Twists Predictably, Lacks Chemistry Between Angelina Jolie, Johnny Depp
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on December 10, 2010 - 5:52pmCHICAGO – Though you probably don’t know his name, Christopher McQuarrie’s involvement might sell you on paying to see “The Tourist” even more than “A”-list stars Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp.
Blu-Ray Review: Awful ‘Legion’ With Paul Bettany, Dennis Quaid
Submitted by BrianTT on May 18, 2010 - 10:43amCHICAGO – It’s hard to say what about “Legion” is the film’s worst offense: some of the most laughable dialogue of the year, mediocre special effects, uninteresting characters, or truly bad performances. Yes, “Legion” is a head-scratchingly horrible movie. Take your pick. It’s all wrong.
Blu-Ray Review: Beautifully Designed Drama of ‘The Young Victoria’
Submitted by BrianTT on April 30, 2010 - 9:56amCHICAGO – The end of April and beginning of May has produced an onslaught of 2009 Oscar winners and nominees on Blu-ray including “Avatar,” “Crazy Heart,” “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus,” “Nine,” and Oscar winner for Best Costume Design, “The Young Victoria”.
Emily Blunt is the Girl Who Would Be Queen in ‘The Young Victoria’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on December 18, 2009 - 9:03amCHICAGO – One of the functions of royalty seems to be an expected adoration from the peasants. Emily Blunt, Rupert Friend and Paul Bettany offer their interpretation on a monarch’s origins with “The Young Victoria.”
Blu-Ray Review: Brendan Fraser’s Dull ‘Inkheart’ Fails to Come to Life
Submitted by BrianTT on June 24, 2009 - 7:00amCHICAGO – Iain Softley’s “Inkheart” is about a man who can literally read characters into existence. They pop off the page and into reality. Sadly, the film that tells his story is shockingly dull and inert, a movie that is about stimulating a young reader’s imagination but is too boring to keep their attention.
Blu-Ray Review: Catch Up With Dan Brown’s World in ‘The Da Vinci Code’
Submitted by BrianTT on May 1, 2009 - 2:52pmBlu-Ray Rating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – One of the biggest movies of the summer is sure to be Ron Howard’s “Angels & Demons,” the sequel to 2006’s massively successful “The Da Vinci Code,” a Tom Hanks film that left most critics cold but ended up making a stunning quarter-of-a-billion dollars worldwide by the time its theatrical run ended. Before you talk to the “Angels & Demons,” catch up on your mythology with “The Da Vinci Code: 2-Disc Extended Cut” on Blu-Ray.