The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

CHICAGO – There is nothing wrong with revisiting The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. That tattoo has made beaucoup bucks in book and film forms (both foreign language and Americanized versions), and Claire Foy taking over for Rooney Mara in the title role is seamless. So why the totally lackluster story? Is this a narrative source problem?

CHICAGO – In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film with our unique social giveaway technology, we have 30 pairs of movie passes up for grabs to the advance screening of “Dead Man Down” starring Colin Farrell and Noomi Rapace!

CHICAGO – European history is – in a sense – our history, especially as it relates to the “Age of Enlightenment,” the intellectual movement in the 1700s that anticipated the Declaration of Independence. One of the quirks in that timeline is passionately explored in the new Danish/French film, “A Royal Affair.”

CHICAGO – One of the fascinating expressions of fallibility is when human beings are trapped in the emotions and physicality of adultery. Despite all efforts to the contrary, the house of cards such relationships are built upon, tend to tumble at the most inopportune moments. Director Nikolaj Arcel explores these complications in the epic ‘A Royal Affair.’

CHICAGO – David Fincher’s “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” is an absolute masterpiece, one of the best films of 2011 and one of the best thrillers of the new millennium. After I saw it in December of 2011, there was some question of its quality when compared to the original Stieg Larsson books, the Noomi Rapace-starring foreign version, and even Fincher’s previous work, the amazing “The Social Network.” Ignore all that comparison and just view “Dragon” on its own merits. It’s spectacular.

CHICAGO – Another year, another bunch of people who call themselves Oscar pundits bitching and moaning. It wouldn’t be late January without it.

CHICAGO – Another year, another Oscar season. Blah. As much as I love the Oscars, there’s something about this one that feels just a little different — a little more jaded, a little more apathetic, a little nonplussed. I think it has to do with two major factors:

CHICAGO – The morning after the Golden Globes came with big news in the world of film editing. The American Cinema Editors, the guild group for editors in American cinema, announced the nominees for the 62nd Annual ACE Eddie Awards.

CHICAGO – Nominees in the Feature Film category for this year’s Directors Guild Awards were announced this morning and featured very familiar names, with one that may come as a surprise. While four of the five nominees were also nominated for Best Director at the Golden Globes this year, David Fincher got the nod from the Directors Guild Awards.

CHICAGO – After two weeks at the top of the box office, “Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol” has finally been dethroned. The new horror movie about demonic possession “The Devil Inside” dominated the weekend box office with an estimated $34.5 million, $14 million more than “Ghost Protocol,” which came in at number two.