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+.
January 2012
Blu-ray Review: Oscar Favorites ‘Cold Mountain,’ ‘The English Patient,’ ‘Shakespeare in Love’
Submitted by BrianTT on January 31, 2012 - 8:13pmCHICAGO – There have been a series of catalog releases so far this year (releases that aren’t exactly new but weren’t available in HD before) and there are many exciting ones still to come (Universal has an amazing slate of releases scheduled throughout the year). 2012 is going to be the year in which you complete your collection. You may want to include one of the three recently-released Lionsgate/Miramax movies to celebrate Oscar season. These were some of the Academy’s most beloved.
HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 50 Pairs of Chicago Passes to ‘Safe House’ With Denzel Washington
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on January 31, 2012 - 5:11pmCHICAGO – In our latest crime/mystery edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 50 admit-two movie passes up for grabs to the advance screening of the highly anticipated new film “Safe House” starring Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds!
TV News: HBO Renews ‘Luck’ With Dustin Hoffman For Second Season
Submitted by BrianTT on January 31, 2012 - 1:06pmCHICAGO – That was quick. Two days after it premiered on HBO to rave reviews, the network has renewed David Milch and Michael Mann’s “Luck” with Dustin Hoffman and Nick Nolte for a second season.
TV Review: ‘Key & Peele’ Successfully Brings Back Sketch Comedy
Submitted by BrianTT on January 31, 2012 - 11:07amCHICAGO – Two of the more talented expatriates of the sadly-canceled “MadTV” have returned to the small screen with another sketch comedy series in the surprisingly funny and consistent “Key & Peele,” a show that could easily be the biggest breakthrough sketch comedy series since “Chappelle’s Show” debuted nine years ago.
DVD Review: ‘The Mill and the Cross’ Deconstructs Imagery of Audacious Painting
Submitted by mattmovieman on January 31, 2012 - 8:39amCHICAGO – As an aesthetically exquisite experiment, Lech Majewski’s “The Mill & the Cross” is a nearly unparalleled achievement. Though other pictures, such as Peter Greenaway’s highly entertaining “Rembrandt’s J’Accuse,” have deconstructed paintings through cinematic essays built primarily on re-enactments, none have had the hypnotic tone and majesty of this picture.
Blu-ray Review: Classic Alfred Hitchcock, Billy Wilder, Woody Allen Finally in HD
Submitted by BrianTT on January 30, 2012 - 11:04pmCHICAGO – I’ve long said that one of the main reasons that Blu-ray didn’t take off as quickly as people thought it would is because too many of movie lover’s favorite movies weren’t available on the format. It took years to get “Alien,” “Star Wars,” and even “Back to the Future.” “Jaws” and “Raiders of the Lost Ark” still aren’t in HD. Well, a wave of catalog releases last week that included some of my personal favorite films ever made should help the format overall. With several Oscar winners and some of the most influential filmmaking of all time, this is an amazing catalog wave. Buy all six.
Blu-ray Review: Surprisingly Effective ‘Paranormal Activity 3’ Finds Scares Again
Submitted by BrianTT on January 30, 2012 - 10:35pmCHICAGO – It is incredibly rare for a third installment in a franchise to find what was lost in the second one. That usually takes much longer, if it ever comes. “Saw III,” “Friday the 13th, Part III,” “Halloween III” — none of these movies come close to the original. Which is why it’s so remarkable to report that “Paranormal Activity 3” comes surprisingly close to the quality of the first film, arguably surpassing it.
Blu-ray News: Oscar-Nominated ‘Hugo’ Set For Feb. 28, 2012 Blu-ray/DVD Release
Submitted by TimBMartens on January 30, 2012 - 2:58pmCHICAGO – ‘Hugo,’ this year’s leading film in Oscar nominations with 11, has officially been set for a February 28 Blu-Ray/DVD release date. The release will come in a Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack, Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack, and a Single-Disc DVD, offering several options for fans to enjoy the film.
Film News: Matthew Vaughn to Direct ‘X-Men: First Class’ Sequel
Submitted by TimBMartens on January 30, 2012 - 2:24pmCHICAGO – Writer/Director Matthew Vaughn has signed on to direct the sequel to “X-Men: First Class,” according to a report about Fox. Vaughn, who directed “First Class” (which did not gross a major profit, but received high critical and fan praise), is said to be onboard to direct a sequel that does not yet have a setting, synopsis, or definite writers.
Blu-ray Review: Insulting, Miscast ‘I Don’t Know How She Does It’
Submitted by BrianTT on January 30, 2012 - 2:15pmCHICAGO – “I Don’t Know How She Does It” could have been just another misogynistic (you would never see “I Don’t Know How HE Does It”…the very title implies sexism) alleged comedy but it goes well beyond that partially because it features one of the worst screenplays of 2011 but also because it is easily one of the most miscast movies ever made.
Interview: Actor James Cromwell on Role in Oscar-Nominated ‘The Artist’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on January 30, 2012 - 12:31pmCHICAGO – The character actor has always been a fixture in Hollywood culture, and there are few as unique as James Cromwell. He’s had many memorable roles in films like “Babe,” “L.A. Confidential” and within the “Star Trek” legacy. Currently, he portrays Clifton in the Oscar-nominated “The Artist.”
TV News: Entire Cast, Writers Confirmed For ‘Arrested Development’ Revival
Submitted by TimBMartens on January 30, 2012 - 12:17pmCHICAGO – Ever since the final moments of the last episode of ‘Arrested Development’ (back in 2006), there have been rumors about a feature film being created for the TV series. Cast members and writers would be asked, “when is this movie coming out?” and responses would usually be “we are working on it” or “it’s coming.” Now, after six years, those responses may actually be true.
Film News: ‘The Help’ Wins Top Prize at Screen Actors Guild Awards
Submitted by TimBMartens on January 29, 2012 - 9:56pmCHICAGO – The 18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards premiered tonight, celebrating the best acting performances of the year. The awards are voted on by the members of the Screen Actors Guild, (apparently) making the awards more meaningful to the winners as they were chosen by their peers.
Film News: ‘The Grey’ Knocks Off ‘Underworld: Awakening’ at Box Office
Submitted by TimBMartens on January 29, 2012 - 1:17pmCHICAGO – 2012 continues its trend for the fourth straight weekend with another new film coming in at number one. In a month of all sorts of new releases, “The Grey” is the fourth different film to win the box office on its opening weekend.
Film News: ‘Beasts of the Southern Wild’ Claims Top Prize at 2012 Sundance Film Festival
Submitted by mattmovieman on January 29, 2012 - 12:58pmCHICAGO – “Art is not a competition. But if it were, these would be the winners,” quipped filmmaker Mike Birbiglia at the Jan. 28 awards presentation for the 2012 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. Birbiglia’s deadpan humor would’ve made him an ideal host for the event, and his appearance was one of the few bright spots in a rather disappointing ceremony.
TV Review: Dustin Hoffman, Nick Nolte Star in HBO’s Riveting ‘Luck’
Submitted by BrianTT on January 29, 2012 - 8:30amCHICAGO – Legendary TV writer David Milch turns the world of horse racing and the people who populate it into a place not unlike the legendary title location in his beloved “Deadwood.” Just as everyone swirled around Al Swearengen’s saloon, almost all of the action in HBO’s stellar “Luck,” debuting January 29th, 2012, takes place at the track or the stables nearby.
Film Review: Elizabeth Banks Teeters With the ‘Man on a Ledge’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on January 27, 2012 - 5:24pmCHICAGO – New York City. Mid-day. A man steps outside the window on the edge of the Roosevelt Hotel. Is he jumping? That’s the question that street level onlookers and moviegoers want answered from Sam Worthington, Elizabeth Banks, Jamie Bell and Ed Harris in “Man on a Ledge”
Elizabeth Banks Teeters With the ‘Man on a Ledge’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on January 27, 2012 - 5:21pm Rating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – New York City. Mid-day. A man steps outside the window on the edge of the Roosevelt Hotel. Is he jumping? That’s the question that street level onlookers and moviegoers want answered from Sam Worthington, Elizabeth Banks, Jamie Bell and Ed Harris in “Man on a Ledge”
Film Review: Katherine Heigl’s ‘One For the Money’ Was Made For No One
Submitted by BrianTT on January 27, 2012 - 5:08pmCHICAGO – Just under five years ago, Katherine Heigl became a decently known actress in the film world for her role as Alison in the Judd Apatow film “Knocked Up.” After having been in the show “Grey’s Anatomy” for a few years, Heigl had finally broke into the world of cinema, and seemed to have a decent amount of comedy acting skills.
Katherine Heigl’s ‘One For the Money’ Was Made For No One
Submitted by BrianTT on January 27, 2012 - 5:03pm Rating: 1.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Just under five years ago, Katherine Heigl became a decently known actress in the film world for her role as Alison in the Judd Apatow film “Knocked Up.” After having been in the show “Grey’s Anatomy” for a few years, Heigl had finally broke into the world of cinema, and seemed to have a decent amount of comedy acting skills. Now, several years and a few bad movies in a row, Heigl seems to be desperately holding on to whatever career she still has left.
HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 40 Pairs of Chicagoland Passes to ‘The Woman in Black’ With Daniel Radcliffe
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on January 27, 2012 - 4:35pmCHICAGO – In our latest horror/thriller Chicagoland edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 40 admit-two movie passes up for grabs to the advance screening of “The Woman in Black” starring Daniel Radcliffe!
Film Review: Glenn Close, Janet McTeer in Melancholy ‘Albert Nobbs’
Submitted by BrianTT on January 27, 2012 - 12:51pm Rating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – People who put themselves in boxes often go through their entire lives without meeting anyone who show them what it’s like on the outside. There’s every possibility that the tragically confined title character in “Albert Nobbs” would have remained in her box till her death if not for a chance encounter with someone who shows her that there is another way. The sad drama that follows charts her attempt to break free and realization that it may have come too late.
Glenn Close, Janet McTeer in Melancholy ‘Albert Nobbs’
Submitted by BrianTT on January 27, 2012 - 12:47pmRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – People who put themselves in boxes often go through their entire lives without meeting anyone who show them what it’s like on the outside. There’s every possibility that the tragically confined title character in “Albert Nobbs” would have remained in her box till her death if not for a chance encounter with someone who shows her that there is another way. The sad drama that follows charts her attempt to break free and realization that it may have come too late.
TV Review: B-Movie Take on Legendary Hero Thrills in Starz’s Bloody Hit ‘Spartacus: Vengeance’
Submitted by BrianTT on January 27, 2012 - 11:53amCHICAGO – “Let us split darkness with the cries of Romans.” Boobs, blood, and betrayal — “Spartacus” must be back. Following up on the action of the beloved “Spartacus: Blood and Sand” and coming on the heels of the most critical acclaim in the history of the network (“Boss”), Starz hopes to keep momentum going with the well-made if ridiculous “Spartacus: Vengeance.”
Film Review: Problems in Iran Prove Universal in ‘A Separation’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on January 27, 2012 - 10:59amCHICAGO – Divorce, aging parents, economics, religion and social standing can be applied to any circumstance in any modern culture. The culture in Iran may seem mysterious, but there is nothing uncommon regarding what their people go through in the Oscar nominated “A Separation.”
Problems in Iran Prove Universal in ‘A Separation’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on January 27, 2012 - 10:56am Rating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Divorce, aging parents, economics, religion and social standing can be applied to any circumstance in any modern culture. The culture in Iran may seem mysterious, but there is nothing uncommon regarding what their people go through in the Oscar nominated “A Separation.”
Film Review: Oedipus Wrecks Tilda Swinton in ‘We Need to Talk About Kevin’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on January 27, 2012 - 10:34amCHICAGO – The mother and son relationship is perhaps one of the most complicated ever invented. In giving birth to an opposing gender, the woman must then deal with a maturation process foreign to her own, with all the potential psychosis attached. Tilda Swinton and Ezra Miller play the game in “We Need to Talk About Kevin.”
Oedipus Wrecks Tilda Swinton in ‘We Need to Talk About Kevin’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on January 27, 2012 - 10:31amRating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The mother and son relationship is perhaps one of the most complicated ever invented. In giving birth to an opposing gender, the woman must then deal with a maturation process foreign to her own, with all the potential psychosis attached. Tilda Swinton and Ezra Miller play the game in “We Need to Talk About Kevin.”
Blu-ray Review: Preposterously Bad ‘The Double’ Embarrasses Cast, Insults Audience
Submitted by mattmovieman on January 27, 2012 - 8:39amCHICAGO – Avid moviegoers like to pride themselves on their ability to predict twists and turns prior to their occurrence in a script. This is often the result of formulaic writing and creaky clichés, but in the case of Michael Brandt’s “The Double,” no exemplary knowledge of cinema is necessary to foretell every last plot point. Only functional eyesight and an IQ above zero are required.
HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 50 Pairs of Chicago Passes to ‘The Innkeepers’ With Sara Paxton
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on January 26, 2012 - 5:41pmCHICAGO – In our latest horror/thriller edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 50 admit-two movie passes up for grabs to the advance screening of “The Innkeepers” starring Sara Paxton from “The House of the Devil” director Ti West!
