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+.
Tim McGraw
Interview: Dillon Schneider of ‘Best Video’ Nominee at American Country Music Awards
Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 5, 2019 - 10:14pmCHICAGO – Dillon Schneider is the quintessential local man made good. A graduate of Chicagoland’s Barrington High School and the city’s Columbia College, Schneider was the cinematographer for the music video “Burn Out” by Midland, which is nominated for Best Video at the 54th American Country Music (ACM) Awards, coming up on April 7th, 2019.
Film Review: ‘The Shack’ is About Spirituality, Not Filmmaking
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 3, 2017 - 10:08amCHICAGO – To create spirituality from tragedy is like shooting the proverbial fish – a prominent symbol for Christianity – in a barrel. “The Shack” is based on a popular novel, and doesn’t try to do anything different or cinematic with a man encountering the Holy Trinity after a horrific incident.
Film Review: Awe Factor is Sorely Lacking in ‘Tomorrowland’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on May 21, 2015 - 8:37pmCHICAGO – For a movie all about the awesome power of inspiration, innovation and wonder, “Tomorrowland” has precious little of its own. “Tomorrowland” the title promises a kind of retro futuristic world where anything is possible, but “Tomorrowland” the movie rarely delivers anything approximating joy.
HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 40 Pairs of Passes to ‘Tomorrowland’ With George Clooney
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on May 16, 2015 - 1:27pmCHICAGO – In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 50 pairs of advance-screening movie passes up for grabs to the new mystery “Tomorrowland” starring George Clooney!
Blu-Ray Review: Gwyneth Paltrow’s ‘Country Strong’ Plays a Forgettable Melody
Submitted by BrianTT on April 20, 2011 - 12:01pmCHICAGO – Gwyneth Paltrow was EVERYWHERE promoting “Country Strong” and her return to the spotlight. She reached overexposure with appearances on “Glee,” The Grammys, and “Saturday Night Live,” and culminated it all with a performance of the film’s Oscar-nominated song on the Academy Awards. Lost in all of this was the actual movie. Was it any good? Now you can decide for yourself as it was recently released on Blu-ray and DVD.
Film Review: Melodrama Weakens Gwyneth Paltrow in ‘Country Strong’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on January 7, 2011 - 9:10amCHICAGO – Modern country music is actually quite fascinating. Whereas in the classic days of the 1950s to ‘70s, when it was a cult stepchild of popular music, now it occupies the rarified heights of the Justins and Taylors. That is why “Country Strong,” starring Gwyneth Paltrow, is so annoying. It doesn’t even try to be modern.
Blu-Ray Review: Oscar-Winning ‘The Blind Side’ With Sandra Bullock
Submitted by BrianTT on March 22, 2010 - 11:22amCHICAGO – Most critics and industry types expected “The Blind Side” with Sandra Bullock to be a modest holiday season hit but if a single one of them, including the people who made the film, told you that they knew this would be an Oscar-winning Best Picture nominee that grossed over $250 million, they are straight-up lying. “The Blind Side” shattered all expectations and Warner Brothers has quickly and somewhat lazily shuffled it off to Blu-ray and DVD.
Sandra Bullock, Strong Script Bring Clarity to ‘The Blind Side’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on November 20, 2009 - 8:20amCHICAGO – “Based on a True Story” films are difficult to pull off, especially those that are the improbable story of a white Memphis family adopting an African American football prodigy. Sandra Bullock is the mother, through it all, in “The Blind Side.”
HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 30 ‘The Blind Side’ Chicago Screening Passes With Sandra Bullock
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on November 13, 2009 - 6:51pmCHICAGO – In our latest sports edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 30 admit-two passes up for grabs to the advance Chicago screening of “The Blind Side,” which stars Sandra Bullock and is based on an extraordinary true story!
Hookup: 80 Passes to Chicago Screening of ‘Four Christmases’ With Vince Vaughn, Reese Witherspoon
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on November 6, 2008 - 11:38amCHICAGO – In our latest edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 80 admit-one passes up for grabs to the Chicago screening of “Four Christmases,” which stars Vince Vaughn, Reese Witherspoon, Robert Duvall, Jon Favreau, Jon Voight, Sissy Spacek, Tim McGraw, Kristin Chenoweth and Dwight Yoakam from director Seth Gordon.