CHICAGO – In anticipation of the scariest week of the year, HollywoodChicago.com launches its 2024 Movie Gifts series, which will suggest DVDs and collections for holiday giving.
Russell Crowe
Thunder Struck! On-Air Film Review of ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on July 8, 2022 - 10:43amRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on July 7th, reviewing “Thor: Love and Thunder,” the continuing Marvel Universe adventures of the God of Thunder, opening everywhere on July 8th.
‘Boy Erased’ Thrives On Empathy, Lacks Overall Conviction
Submitted by JonHC on November 13, 2018 - 3:53pmRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – America is facing a confusing time of crisis, again. There are giant groups of people who are ready to hate other people for biological traits that can’t—and don’t need to—be changed, like skin color, sexual orientation, and race. “Boy Erased” adds to the national dialogue by showing the devastating effects this type of mentality can have inside our own families, and how to prevent it.
‘The Mummy’ is a Marvel of a Muddled Mess
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 9, 2017 - 6:36amRating: 1.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Universal Studio’s “Dark Universe,” which is centered around its stable of classic movie monsters, isn’t a bad idea. But in the darkly inauspicious debut feature called “The Mummy,” everything unravels. This is a mixed, muddled, marvel of a mess that contains an assembly of special effects, but precious little life.
Daring Vision of Darren Aronofsky’s Epic ‘Noah’
Submitted by BrianTT on March 27, 2014 - 12:55pmRating: 4.0/5.0 |
Darren Aronofsky’s controversial “Noah” exists somewhere between the sentimental, straight-faced versions of biblical tales that Hollywood has been producing for decades and more auteur-driven fare like Martin Scorsese’s “The Last Temptation of Christ”.
‘Winter’s Tale’ Freezes in Cheesy Movie Hell
Submitted by NickHC on February 14, 2014 - 4:49pmRating: 1.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The poster for “Winter’s Tale,” after promising that “It’s not a true story, it’s a love story,” makes a large demand from its viewers at the bottom: “This Valentine’s Day, Believe In Miracles.” While there is indeed a difference between filmmaking and marketing, it is hard to not imagine writer/director Akiva Goldsman whispering “believe in miracles” into the ear of every executive who helped “Winter’s Tale” come to life, immediately after throwing glitter on them.
‘Man of Steel’ is Strong, But Not Completely Heroic
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 14, 2013 - 4:28pmRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Place the Superman legend into the hands of director Zack Snyder (“Watchmen”) and storyteller/producer Christopher Nolan (“Dark Knight”), and old Supes is bound for a makeover in “Man of Steel.” When it works, it’s adds to a legend’s richness. When it doesn’t, it is less than hero.
‘Man of Steel’ Soars Visually But Lacks Humanity
Submitted by BrianTT on June 12, 2013 - 9:12pmRating: 2.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – From the CGI-heavy attack on Krypton that opens Zack Snyder’s “Man of Steel” to its soaring finale, I had the same reaction -– where’s the “Man half? Snyder’s attempt to reboot the Superman legacy with the loving assistance of David Goyer and Christopher Nolan of “The Dark Knight” fame gets the superhero part but misses the humanity at the core of this legendary character.
Crime Thriller ‘Broken City’ Fictionalizes its Crime Without Most of its Thrill
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on January 20, 2013 - 9:58pmRating: 2.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Rife with corruption and injustice, the setting for “Broken City” could have been picked from a litter of U.S. metropolitans. Said star Mark Wahlberg in a recent red-carpet interview with HollywoodChicago.com, it’s not Chicago.
‘Les Misérables’ Paints Emotion in Widescreen Colors
Submitted by BrianTT on December 19, 2012 - 3:21pmRating: 5.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Tom Hooper’s “Les Misérables,” the best movie musical in over a decade, is what a musical like this should be – unabashed, unashamed emotion painted in vibrant, broad colors across a massive screen. It is gloriously bereft of the cynicism that has sapped so many stage-to-film adaptations from achieving the heights of their source material and features some of the most striking performances in the history of the genre.
Russell Crowe Goes Hitchcockian in Taut ‘The Next Three Days’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on November 19, 2010 - 10:04amRating: 4.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The suspense thriller is a delicate art that depends on situational realism and unlikely circumstances cohabiting in a heart-pounding plot. The Master of the genre was Alfred Hitchcock, who often put ordinary people in these nail biting scenarios. Director Paul Haggis (”Crash”) uses this theme and does the Master proud in “The Next Three Days.”