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+.
HollywoodChicago.com Blu-Ray Reviews
What to Watch: Oct. 20-26, 2013
Submitted by BrianTT on October 23, 2013 - 4:50pm- Blu-ray Review
- Brian Tallerico
- Clint Eastwood
- Defiance
- DVD Review
- Elijah Wood
- High Plains Drifter
- HollywoodChicago.com Content
- Hugh Grant
- Hulu
- iTunes
- Julia Roberts
- Love Actually
- Maniac
- Netflix
- Nikita
- Notting Hill
- Oliver Stone
- Untold History of the United States
- Vikings
- VOD
- What to Watch
- Theater, TV, DVD & Blu-Ray
CHICAGO – It’s a weird week at the video store (do they still have those?) or in the New Releases section of your favorite Video On Demand service. There’s some real junk that we’ll get to (“The Internship”) along with some flicks that are just too good not to break out into their own special Blu-ray reviews (“Before Midnight,” “The Conjuring” — both must-sees). And then there’s a unique array of catalog releases and TV seasons. Those could easily fall through the cracks if not for the informative What to Watch. All of these are new to Blu-ray, some for the first time and some in anniversary/special editions. At least one will grab your attention.
Blu-ray Review: ‘The Exorcist: 40th Anniversary Edition’ Proves Film’s Timeless Power
Submitted by BrianTT on October 22, 2013 - 9:31amCHICAGO – William Friedkin graced Chicago with his presence at a special event during the 2013 Chicago Critics Film Festival and it’s an evening that I’ll never forget. Not only is the director of classics like “The French Connection” and “The Exorcist,” recently released in a lavish 40th anniversary Blu-ray edition, one of the most important filmmakers of his era but he’s also incredibly funny, smart, and well-spoken. Fans of film owe it to themselves to read “The Friedkin Connection,” released earlier this year and even sampled in this release. And his heavy involvement in this release, including interviews, featurettes, and a commentary, make it a must-own for classic movie fans. That and it’s still one of the scariest movies ever made.
Blu-ray Review: Horror Fans Will Dig ‘Chucky: The Complete Collection’
Submitted by BrianTT on October 20, 2013 - 8:57pmCHICAGO – Few horror franchises hold up well over two decades. Recently-released box sets for the entire filmographies of “Nightmare on Elm Street” and “Friday the 13th” do little more than point out that most of these franchises were pretty horrible. While I would never proclaim any of the Chucky films to be in the league of a flick like “Elm Street” and there are at least two duds of the six films in here, the pretty fun “Curse of Chucky” proves that there’s actually more life in “Chucky: The Complete Collection” than you might expect.
Blu-ray Review: Guillermo Del Toro Provides Explosive Fun in ‘Pacific Rim’
Submitted by BrianTT on October 20, 2013 - 8:38pmCHICAGO – Guillermo Del Toro’s “Pacific Rim,” recently released on Blu-ray and DVD, has so much of what the other 2013 Summer blockbusters were missing. There was a disturbing sense of familiarity this year. Even the decent ones like the “Iron Man” and “Star Trek” sequels felt like things we had seen before. “Pacific Rim” returned wonder and spectacle to the world of the blockbuster and the result was Del Toro’s best English-language film. It’s a blast.
Blu-ray Review: Timeless Wonder of Disney’s ‘The Little Mermaid’
Submitted by BrianTT on October 16, 2013 - 9:34amCHICAGO – I’m going to date myself a bit here but I remember when Disney was in great need of the comeback that was provided them by 1989’s “The Little Mermaid.” It had been quite some time since the company really mattered and, as I was growing up, Disney was kind of an old-fashioned company. They were great “then,” not “now.” That changed with “Mermaid,” which led into “Beauty & the Beast,” “Aladdin,” and “The Lion King.” There have been peaks and valleys since then but Disney is as powerful as ever and a lot of their current success started with a mermaid who wished she was human. Now on Blu-ray for the first time, “The Little Mermaid” is a jewel in the Disney crown, a film that feels timeless now, almost a quarter-century after its release, as it seemed essential to the company when it was released.
What to Watch: Oct. 8-15, 2013
Submitted by BrianTT on October 14, 2013 - 5:16pmWe’re back! Just in time to detail the most interesting Blu-ray, DVD, and streaming releases from the last week. Comedy, Shakespeare, Sci-fi, TV, and, of course, because it’s October, horror. What will you find on New Releases shelves at your favorite store? What could you order on iTunes this week? What should you check out and what should you avoid? Here’s your latest primer for What to Watch, in the order we think you should check ‘em out.
Blu-ray Review: Hit 3D Remaster of ‘The Wizard of Oz’ Comes Home
Submitted by BrianTT on October 11, 2013 - 3:00pmCHICAGO – What more could possibly be said about “The Wizard of Oz,” arguably the most beloved film of all time? (It’s probably this or “It’s a Wonderful Life.”) In one of 2013’s most surprising critical hits, “Oz” actually became relevant again in terms of technology, and I’m not talking about Sam Raimi’s mostly-awful “Oz: The Great and Powerful.” There seems to now be an answer to the question, “Has there ever been a good 3D remastering of a classic film?” Decide for yourself on 3D Blu-ray.
Blu-ray Review: Criterion Remaster of Richard Linklater’s ‘Slacker’
Submitted by BrianTT on October 11, 2013 - 11:30amCHICAGO – Richard Linklater’s “Slacker” is one of the most important films of the ’90s. Appearing at the 1991 Sundance Film Festival, this incredibly low-budget piece of work helped launch the indie film movement of the decade, teaching people that anyone could make a movie. Shot on 16MM for less than $25k, “Slacker” ushered in an era of DIY filmmaking. Kevin Smith has said that “Clerks” wouldn’t exist without it. And the ironic thing is that you can now watch one of the most influential low-budget films on the high-definition format of Blu-ray, courtesy of The Criterion Collection.
Blu-ray Review: Excellent Transfer For 35th Anniversary Edition of ‘Halloween’
Submitted by BrianTT on October 11, 2013 - 9:54amCHICAGO – “Halloween” is no mere horror movie. It is arguably the best of its genre, a film that continues to influence the form 35 years after its release. The excellent new transfer of the film on the latest Anchor Bay HD iteration is reason alone to pick it up, and the new active participation in the release on behalf of Jamie Lee Curtis, a star often silent regarding the films that made her a star, is just an amazing bonus.
What to Watch: Oct. 1-7, 2013
Submitted by BrianTT on October 6, 2013 - 9:15pmCHICAGO – Another week of Blu-ray, DVD, and streaming options for you to peruse courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com’s “What to Watch.” Every week, we gather a select few of the most recent Blu-ray & DVD releases, toss in at least one On Demand option we’ve seen, and present them in a checklist order for you to knock out through Amazon, iTunes, Netflix, or good, old-fashioned Blu-ray (yes, that sounds funny to me too). This week’s is the strongest yet by far. Everything in here is worth a look, all the way down to #9. This is just the order you should watch ‘em in more than anything else.
