CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Dan Baker on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on May 5th, reviewing the new miniseries “The Offer,” about the creation of the classic film “The Godfather,” currently streaming on Paramount+.
The Beatles
Audio Film Review: Deliverance! The Beatles ‘Get Back’ Part Three
Submitted by PatrickMcD on November 26, 2021 - 6:40pmCHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio film review on The Beatles “Get Back” Part Three, part of a three-part documentary series directed by Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings series) and premiering on the Disney+ streaming service on November 27th, 2021.
Audio Film Review: Redemption! The Beatles ‘Get Back’ Part Two
Submitted by PatrickMcD on November 25, 2021 - 8:46pmCHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio film review on The Beatles “Get Back” Part Two, a three-part documentary series directed by Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings series) and premiering on the Disney+ streaming service on November 26th, 2021.
Audio Film Review: Fab Expanse! The Beatles ‘Get Back’ Part One
Submitted by PatrickMcD on November 25, 2021 - 12:58pmCHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio film review on The Beatles “Get Back” Part One, a three-part documentary series directed by Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings series) and premiering on the Disney+ streaming service on November 25th, 2021.
Film News: Peter Fonda, Forever the ‘Easy Rider,’ Dies at 79
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 17, 2019 - 9:44amLOS ANGELES – Peter Fonda, part of Hollywood acting royalty, had many memorable roles in his long career. But he will forever be known as the “Easy Rider,” the 1969 feature (coincidentally, the film was the number one film exactly 50 years ago today) that ushered in a new wave of filmmaking. Portraying a biker named Captain America, his character was “born to be wild” as he motored across the country. Peter Fonda died in Los Angeles due to complications of lung cancer. He was 79.
Film Review: ‘Yesterday’ is a Can’t-Miss Premise That Still Misses
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 28, 2019 - 10:12amCHICAGO – As a Beatles fanatic who has a band because of their existence, the premise of “Yesterday” was can’t miss. A man wakes up after an accident to discover he’s the only person to know that The Beatles existed? Sign me up and buy me popcorn. It’s unfortunate that the story went in a direction that did miss.
Exclusive Photo: Peter Tork, Member of 'The Monkees,' Dies at 77
Submitted by PatrickMcD on February 25, 2019 - 3:02pmCHICAGO – Hey, hey, he (was) a Monkee, and Peter Tork liked Monkee-ing around. The eternally optimistic-but-doofus character of the “Pre-Fab Four” 1960s pop group The Monkees was also a consummate musician, and was one the first members of the made-for-TV band that protested the false backing tracks to their playing and singing. Tork died on February 21st, 2019. He was 77.
Film Review: A Bit of Pop/Rock Magic Spins in ‘Juliet, Naked’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 26, 2018 - 10:21amCHICAGO – The story of a drop-out rock and roll star… usually disappearing at the height of their fame… has fascinated the movies in both fiction (“Eddie and the Cruisers”) and documentary (“Waiting for Sugarman”). “Juliet, Naked” takes the premise and creates a charming, romantic story about fandom and redemptive decisions.
Film News: Adam West, the 1960s TV Batman, Dies at 88
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 10, 2017 - 12:48pmLOS ANGELES – When Adam West had a voice role on “The Simpsons,” portraying the Batman – as he had in the iconic TV series from 1966 through 1968 – he remarked, in reference to the rubber muscle costume that the movie actors wore, that his Batman was “All Pure West.” West died on June 9th, 2017, at the age of 88.
Podcast Talk: Asian Pop-Up Cinema Honors Hong Kong Pop & Film Legend Teddy Robin Kwan
Submitted by PatrickMcD on May 18, 2017 - 11:20amCHICAGO – When The Beatles changed pop music forever in the early 1960s, they also launched a worldwide revolution of bands and songwriters. One such star was Teddy Robin Kwan, who founded Teddy Robin & the Playboys in Hong Kong, and rightly took the crown as “The King of Asian Pop.” And for his second act, the small-but-mighty Kwan became one of Hong Kong’s top film composers, as well as a director and actor of note. He was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Asian Pop-Up Cinema series Closing Night Gala in Chicago on May 11th, 2017.
Interview: Scott Freiman on ‘Deconstructing the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper Album’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on February 4, 2017 - 10:29amCHICAGO – Scott Freiman is an entrepreneur, producer, composer and musicologist, and turned his primary passion – painstakingly delving into the song production techniques of The Beatles – into a series of lectures called “Deconstructing The Beatles.” He has turned those lectures into films, and “Deconstructing The Beatles Sgt. Pepper Album” will screen in Chicago at area Landmark Cinemas on February 6th, 2017.
