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+.
Brian Tallerico
Amy Seimetz Offers Startling Debut in ‘Sun Don’t Shine’
Submitted by BrianTT on April 23, 2013 - 4:10pm Rating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Every once in awhile, a year feels like it just belongs to a certain actor or actress. 2011 was the year of Jessica Chastain. It looks like 2013 could be the year of Amy Seimetz.
Honest Characters, Stellar Performances Carry ‘This is Martin Bonner’
Submitted by BrianTT on April 18, 2013 - 8:40am Rating: 4.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Having recently had its Windy City premiere at the 2013 Chicago Critics Film Festival after winning a major award at Sundance, Chad Hartigan’s “This is Martin Bonner” is a character drama that could be read as a commentary on the intangible things we can do for the needy beyond financial help, job-finding, or religious guidance but also works purely as a simple tale of two men who form a unique, unexpected friendship.
Danny Boyle Nearly Mesmerizes with ‘Trance’
Submitted by BrianTT on April 11, 2013 - 3:07pm Rating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Danny Boyle’s “Trance” is an undeniably well-made thriller that works back in on itself a few too many times for disbelief to stay suspended but delivers enough escapist entertainment to be considered a success. It’s totally ridiculous and yet never boring, propelled by the quick-cut style of the man who brought similar momentum to “Shallow Grave,” “Trainspotting,” and “28 Days Later.”
Shane Carruth Challenges Perception with ‘Upstream Color’
Submitted by BrianTT on April 11, 2013 - 9:47amRating: 4.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Can a film be more poetry than prose? We’ve certainly seen masterpieces that defy easy plot recap like Terrence Malick’s “Tree of Life” and David Lynch’s “Mulholland Drive” but Shane Carruth takes the concept a step further with his daring, mesmerizing “Upstream Color,” a work of art that will infuriate as many as it enraptures.
‘Evil Dead’ Gets the Blood But Misses the Pulse
Submitted by BrianTT on April 5, 2013 - 11:16am Rating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – When the trailer for Fede Alvarez’s remake of the Sam Raimi classic “Evil Dead” hit the net, horror fans giggled with glee. A gore fest with no CGI made in the spirit of the flick that made Bruce Campbell a star? Sign me up. With the weakened state of the genre overall (last year was a rough one for horror fans), we were kind of banking on this one.
Studio Ghibli Gives Fans Sweet ‘From Up on Poppy Hill’
Submitted by BrianTT on March 28, 2013 - 12:33pmRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The torch is being passed at Studio Ghibli from the great Hayao Miyazaki (“Princess Mononoke,” “Spirited Away”) to his son Goro, who directs this week’s tender “From Up on Poppy Hill,” certainly not one of the best in the Ghibli canon but a well-made, enjoyable melodrama nonetheless. A full awareness that it’s kind of a cheap melodrama (one of the characters even says so) doesn’t change the fact that it is but the young Miyazaki’s visual palette is notably beautiful and the voice work is strong throughout.
‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation’ Almost Turns Macho Stupidity Into Art
Submitted by BrianTT on March 28, 2013 - 8:36amRating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” is the kind of dumb summer action blockbuster that works in the season when the kids aren’t in school and the movie theater is used as an excuse to get in the air conditioning as much as see anything approaching filmmaking. It nearly works in March. Nearly.
Hard to Wrap Head Around Misguided ‘Mental’
Submitted by BrianTT on March 27, 2013 - 1:33pm Rating: 2.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Despite boasting the talented efforts of the always-great and tragically underrated Toni Collette, P.J. Hogan’s “Mental,” opening this weekend in Chicago, is a tonal mess. It’s a bewilderingly strange movie, the kind of thing that one might write off as being lost in translation from its Australian origin before realizing it wasn’t that funny there either.
Cannes Winner ‘Reality’ From ‘Gomorrah’ Director Matteo Garrone
Submitted by BrianTT on March 27, 2013 - 12:21pmRating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Matteo Garrone is a notable talent. His highly acclaimed 2008 film “Gomorrah” earned praise around the world and the follow-up, “Reality,” won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival last year. It’s a step down from his previous work as it’s less ambitious and doesn’t quite come together but it features enough interesting ideas about our fame-obsessed culture to see why it connected with the French fest jury.
Great Performance From Abbie Cornish Carries ‘The Girl’
Submitted by BrianTT on March 21, 2013 - 11:04amRating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Let’s get this out of the way first – Abbie Cornish is simply great in David Riker’s “The Girl,” opening this weekend in Chicago at the AMC River East 21. She’s genuine, believable, and emotional resonant in ways that make this critic truly wish she would get more great roles (go rent “Bright Star” for further proof of her immense talents). Having said that, “The Girl” only barely works.
