CHICAGO – The late playwright August Wilson left a gift to the world in the form of his “American Century Cycle,” a series of plays each individually set in a decade of the 20th Century, focusing on the black experience. Chicago’s Goodman Theatre presents Wilson’s “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone,” now through May 19th, 2024 (click here).
March 2024
On-Air Film Review: ‘Steve! (Martin): A Documentary in 2 Pieces’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 29, 2024 - 11:48amCHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on March 28th, 2024, reviewing “Steve! (Martin): A Documentary in 2 Pieces,” a history of the Wild & Crazy Guy in Then and Now. Streaming on Apple TV+ on March 29th.
Wild/Crazy! On-Air Film Review of ‘Steve! (Martin): A Documentary ... ’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 29, 2024 - 11:45am Rating: 4.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on March 28th, 2024, reviewing “Steve! (Martin): A Documentary in 2 Pieces,” a history of the Wild & Crazy Guy in Then and Now. Streaming on Apple TV+ on March 29th.
Film Review: Size Matters in ‘Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 28, 2024 - 2:49pmCHICAGO – The key to the rapidly expanding Warner Bros. “Mosterverse” of films, now on its fifth installment, is the enduring pleasure of watching giant creatures laying waste to entire cities. Godzilla and Kong are entirely digital creations, but they have all the personality we need in a movie like this.
Size Matters in ‘Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 28, 2024 - 2:46pm Rating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The key to the rapidly expanding Warner Bros. “Mosterverse” of films, now on its fifth installment, is the enduring pleasure of watching giant creatures laying waste to entire cities. Godzilla and Kong are entirely digital creations, but they have all the personality we need in a movie like this.
Audio Film Review: Naked Truth in ‘Carol Doda Topless at the Condor’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 27, 2024 - 1:48pmCHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio film review for “Carol Doda Topless at the Condor,” a documentary about a different time and morality in America, written and directed by Mario McKenzie and Jonathan Parker. In select theaters on March 29th. See local listings.
Naked Truth! Audio Film Review of ‘Carol Doda Topless at the Condor’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 27, 2024 - 1:32pm Rating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio film review for “Carol Doda Topless at the Condor,” a documentary about a different time and morality in America, written and directed by Mario McKenzie and Jonathan Parker. In select theaters on March 29th. See local listings.
Audio Film Review: Saint Comes Marching In for ‘Cabrini’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 27, 2024 - 1:17pmCHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio film review for “Cabrini,” the origin story of the first American canonized saint, Mother Cabrini, directed by Alejandro Monteverde of “Sound of Freedom.” Currently in theaters see local listings.
Saint Comes Marching In! Audio Film Review of ‘Cabrini’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 27, 2024 - 1:14pm Rating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio film review for “Cabrini,” the origin story of the first American canonized saint, Mother Cabrini, directed by Alejandro Monteverde of “Sound of Freedom.” Currently in theaters see local listings.
Podtalk: Director Ahn Hung Tran for ‘The Taste of Things,’ Digital Release on March 28, 2024
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 26, 2024 - 11:38amCHICAGO – The great food movies of cinema history … think “Babette’s Feast” or “Big Night” … use food prep cinematically as a palette for the senses. A French/Belgium film from last year continues that tradition. “The Taste of Things,” featuring Oscar winner Juliette Binoche and written/directed by Ahn Hung Tran, is set in late 19th Century France within a romance between a chef and his muse.
Podtalk: Legacy Curator Kathy Connor of The George Eastman Museum
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 25, 2024 - 8:28pmROCHESTER, NY – The last week of the “job well done” certainly applies to the career of Legacy Curator Kathy Connor of the George Eastman Museum in Rochester, New York. After 42 years she retires as of March 31st, after overseeing the renovations and expansion to the Victorian mansion and the preservation efforts of George Eastman’s photography and film heritage.
Via Zoom: Actors Caleb Landry Jones & Jojo T. Gibbs for 'DogMan'
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 25, 2024 - 4:31pmCHICAGO – In one of the more unusual film releases of late, Caleb Landry Jones and Jojo T. Gibbs are the feature lead actors in “Dogman,” opening in Chicago on March 29th and wider on April 5th. Written and directed by Luc Besson (“The Fifth Element’), the film defies convention in a story that is multi-faceted and symbolic.
On-Air TV Review: ‘Manhunt’ Reserves a Booth for Lincoln
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 25, 2024 - 10:10am- Abraham Lincoln
- Anthony Boyle
- Apple TV+
- Civil War
- Eddie Volkman
- Ford’s Theatre
- Hamish Linklater
- Hannah B
- HollywoodChicago.com Content
- John Wilkes Booth
- Lily Taylor
- Manhunt
- Pat Über TV
- Patrick McDonald
- Patton Oswalt
- Scott Thompson
- Series
- Streaming
- Tobias Menzies
- TV Review
- WBGR-FM
- WSSR
- Theater, TV, DVD & Blu-Ray
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+.
On-Air Film Review: Surely Regina King is Essential as ‘Shirley’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 24, 2024 - 9:55amCHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Dan Baker on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on March 22nd, 2024, reviewing “Shirley,” featuring Regina King as 1960s/70s Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm. Streaming on Netflix since March 22nd.
Surely She’s a Legend! On-Air Film Review of ‘Shirley’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 24, 2024 - 9:52amRating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Dan Baker on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on March 22nd, 2024, reviewing “Shirley,” featuring Regina King as 1960s/70s Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm. Streaming on Netflix since March 22nd.
On-Air Film Review: Heere’s David in ‘Late Night with the Devil’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 23, 2024 - 1:35pmRating: 4.0/5.0 |
Heere’s David! On-Air Film Review of ‘Late Night with the Devil’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 23, 2024 - 1:32pmRating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Dan Baker on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on March 22nd, 2024, reviewing “Late Night with the Devil,” featuring David Dastmalchian as a 1970s talk show host. In select theaters since March 22nd. See local listings.
Audio Film Review: ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ is Busted
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 23, 2024 - 1:03pm- Annie Potts
- Audio
- Bill Murray
- Carrie Coon
- Columbia Pictures
- Dan Aykroyd
- Eddie Volkman
- Emily Alyn Lind
- Ernie Hudson
- Finn Wolfhard
- Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
- Hannah B
- HollywoodChicago.com Content
- Kumail Nanjiani
- Mckenna Grace
- Movie Review
- New York City
- Pat Über TV
- Patrick McDonald
- Paul Rudd
- Scott Thompson
- WBGR-FM
- WSSR-FM
CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio film review for “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” a sequel to the reboot of 2021, which was adapted from the 1984 classic and featuring OGs Bill Murray, Dan Akyroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson. In theaters since March 22nd.
Busted! Audio Film Review of ‘GhostBusters: Frozen Empire’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 23, 2024 - 1:01pm- Annie Potts
- Audio
- Bill Murray
- Carrie Coon
- Columbia Pictures
- Dan Aykroyd
- Eddie Volkman
- Emily Alyn Lind
- Ernie Hudson
- Finn Wolfhard
- Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
- Hannah B
- HollywoodChicago.com Content
- Kumail Nanjiani
- Mckenna Grace
- Movie Review
- New York City
- Pat Über TV
- Patrick McDonald
- Paul Rudd
- Scott Thompson
- WBGR-FM
- WSSR-FM
 Rating: 2.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio film review for “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” a sequel to the reboot of 2021, which was adapted from the 1984 classic and featuring OGs Bill Murray, Dan Akyroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson. In theaters since March 22nd.
Film News: Midwest Film Festival Presents Global Kaleidoscope Night on March 25, 2024
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 22, 2024 - 7:33pmCHICAGO – The Midwest Film Festival presents Global Kaleidoscope Night on March 25th, 2024. The short film showcase celebrates a broad spectrum of narratives, perspectives, and identities. The filmmakers … rooted in the Midwest … bring forth stories, personal viewpoints, and emotional journeys that reach far beyond regional boundaries. The Fest is based at the Gene Siskel Film Center. For tickets and info, click GLOBAL.
Podtalk: Joan Shamanic on Life Force Arts ‘Hawaiian Goddesses: Fire of Life,’ March 24, 2024
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 21, 2024 - 8:06pmCHICAGO – Healing is the goal of the Life Force Arts Ensemble (LFAE). Combining Shamanic practice with the arts of music, dance, poetry and paintings, the current thematic exhibit is “Conscious Body: Living Soul From Sentience to Sovereignty.” In association with that theme will be a Sound Healing Ceremony entitled (click link) “Hawaiian Goddesses: Fire of Life” taking place on Sunday, March 24th, 2024.
Film News: Taiwan Showcase Weekend at Chicago’s Asian Pop-Up Cinema, March 23-24, 2024
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 21, 2024 - 1:54pmCHICAGO – Taiwan is the focus for the Asian Pop-Up Cinema this upcoming Saturday and Sunday, March 23rd and 24th, as Season 18 kicks off. Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com will moderate the post film Q&A sessions on Saturday, with the films “A Boy and a Girl” and “The Young Hoodlum.” Click TAIWAN for tickets.
Podtalk & Photos: David Dastmalchian in ‘Late Night with the Devil’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 20, 2024 - 12:55pmCHICAGO – David Dastmalchian is taking the spotlight in his latest role. The in-demand character actor, with vital portrayals in “Suicide Squad,’ “Dune” and “Oppenheimer,” is the lead performer as a 1970s talk show host in the new horror epic “Late Night with the Devil,” co-written/directed by Colin and Cameron Cairnes. In select theaters March 22nd.
On-Air Film Review: ‘They Shot the Piano Player’ in the Key of 88
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 20, 2024 - 10:00amCHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio film review for “They Shot the Piano Player,” an animated epic written and co-directed by Fernando Trueba that combines the Bossa Nova sound, a music reporter and a mystery about a long lost pianist. Currently in select theaters. See local listings.
Key of 88! Audio Film Review of ‘They Shot the Piano Player’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 20, 2024 - 9:53am Rating: 5.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio film review for “They Shot the Piano Player,” an animated epic written and co-directed by Fernando Trueba that combines the Bossa Nova sound, a music reporter and a mystery about a long lost pianist. Currently in select theaters. See local listings.
On-Air Film Review: Raunchy John Cena in ‘Ricky Stanicky’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 19, 2024 - 3:46pmCHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Dan Baker on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on March 7th, 2024, reviewing “Ricky Stanicky,” featuring John Cena in a comedic dual role, directed by Pater Farrelly. Streaming on Prime Video.
Raunchy! On-Air Film Review of John Cena in ‘Ricky Stanicky’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 19, 2024 - 3:43pmRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Dan Baker on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on March 7th, 2024, reviewing “Ricky Stanicky,” featuring John Cena in a comedic dual role, directed by Pater Farrelly. Streaming on Prime Video.
Podtalk & Portraits: Actor Christina Jackson on Netflix’s ‘Shirley’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 19, 2024 - 2:15pmCHICAGO – One of the great lesser known pioneers of social and civil rights history is Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm. As a black woman in the 1960s/70s, she not only was elected to the House of Representatives but also ran for president in 1972 against all odds. Actor Christina Jackson was in Chicago on behalf of the new biopic, “Shirley.”
On-Air Film Review: The Weight of the World in ‘Club Zero’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 17, 2024 - 8:26pmCHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio film review for “Club Zero,” a presupposition story about eating techniques that can lead to complete elimination for food, written and directed by Jennifer Hausner. In select theaters since March 15th. See local listings
Weight of the World! Audio Film Review of ‘Club Zero’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 17, 2024 - 8:21pmRating: 5.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio film review for “Club Zero,” a presupposition story about eating techniques that can lead to complete elimination for food, written and directed by Jennifer Hausner. In select theaters since March 15th. See local listings
SXSW2024: ‘Bob Trevino Likes It’ is Top Film at SXSW Film & TV Fest
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 17, 2024 - 7:40pmAUSTIN, TX – The 2024SXSW Conference and Festivals wrapped on March 16th, after nine days of magic and Austin wackiness, showcasing film, TV, interactive, conferences, interviews and music. The Film & TV Fest named “Bob Trevino Likes It” as the top Narrative Feature and “Marvin is Sorry” as top TV Pilot.
