May, 2009

CHICAGO – HBO’s “Into the Storm” is a different kind of WWII movie than audiences have recently become accustomed to seeing. This excellent drama is not about the people on the ground but about the powerful men that made the decisions that determined their fates.

Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – The gleefully gory Sam Raimi who made “Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn” and “Darkman” is back in close to prime form with this week’s thoroughly enjoyable “Drag Me To Hell,” a horror thrill ride almost certain to satisfy any audience member willing to choose a movie with “Hell” in the title over the latest Pixar offering.

Rating: 4.5/5.0

CHICAGO – There is an art to music. There is an art to writing a story and an art to telling that story. There is art in a great drawing, a great painting and a great photograph. There is an art to communication. And it may only be a matter of time before museums expand to include a whole new category of modern art: the animated film from Disney and Pixar.

CHICAGO – If you have yet to jump on the Blu-Ray bandwagon or are new to the HD revolution and have yet to see a Pixar film in 1080P, the new edition of “A Bug’s Life” would be a great place to start. With releases like the great one for “WALL-E” and now this gorgeous transfer for “A Bug’s Life,” Disney/Pixar produces HD video clarity that really must be seen to be believed.

CHICAGO – “Underworld: Rise of the Lycans” is easily one of the weirdest movies of 2009. It’s a werewolf movie that plays like a variation on “Gladiator” or “Spartacus” with the foundation of “Romeo & Juliet”. Solid work by the excellent Michael Sheen nearly redeems the film but an awful screenplay, dull design, and plodding direction sink this bizarre prequel.

CHICAGO – Welcome back to the Round-Up, a safety net to catch the DVD titles that fell off the mainstream tightrope. The titles this week have virtually nothing in common other than coming in two waves from two studios - a pair of classics from Paramount’s Centennial Collection and a trio of indie films from the great Magnolia Pictures.

CHICAGO – Universal Home Video is releasing a wave of titles timed for Father’s Day gifts. Some of their choices - “Field of Dreams,” “Fletch” - seem like logical picks for a better HD daddy day than another striped tie while others seem chosen purely because they have the word “Men” or “Man” in the title - “Children of Men,” “Cinderella Man,” “Inside Man”.

CHICAGO – I’m far from alone in my generation when I say that “T2: Judgment Day” rocked my world. I vividly remember seeing it as a teenager and absolutely loving every minute of it. That’s why I reacted so harshly to the disappointing “Terminator: Salvation,” a film that produces none of the jaw-dropping awe of the James Cameron and Arnold Schwarzenegger classics. With a perfect Blu-Ray release for a beloved ’90s action masterpiece, go back to the best with “T2: Judgment Day - Skynet Edition”.

CHICAGO – The sequel “Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian” is, presumably, an effort by director Shawn Levy (“Night at the Museum” in 2006 and “The Pink Panther”) and writers Robert Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon (who both wrote the first film) to weave together an exciting and educational film.

CHICAGO – Beautiful, brilliant and expressively talented, Rachel Weisz showcases a comedic side in her latest film, “The Brothers Bloom”, also featuring Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo and written/directed by the eclectic Rian Johnson (“Brick”).

CHICAGO – McG’s loud-and-annoying “Terminator: Salvation” with Christian Bale and Sam Worthington continues the summer of non-Trek disappointments, delivering nothing but a bloated exercise in CGI overload.

CHICAGO – Pixar’s “Up” recently became the first animated 3D film to open the Cannes Film Festival and the reviews were just as rapturous as those who had been tracking the latest Pixar offering expected them to be. Before he want to France, director Pete Docter sat down for an exclusive interview with HollywoodChicago.com.