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+.
Movie Review
‘Marley’ Highlights the Movement, Forgets the Man
Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 20, 2012 - 4:04pm Rating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The enigma and idolization of Robert Nesta “Bob” Marley is an ongoing, quasi-religious advocation. His influence on reggae music and its variations, plus his general representation of the Rastafarian movement has lived beyond his short time on earth. His life and times are encapsulated in the new documentary “Marley.”
Strong Ensemble Carries Funny ‘Think Like a Man’
Submitted by BrianTT on April 20, 2012 - 12:56pm Rating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Tim Story’s ‘Think Like a Man’ can be a frustrating film but the overall likeability of the cast and the inclusion of some of the often-missing elements from relationship movies (like chemistry and believable friendship dynamics) overcome the movie’s flaws. It’s a movie that could have been better but works on its own terms – it’s funny, clever, and even sweet. It’s not going to change the romantic comedy landscape but so many films in this slumping genre fail spectacularly and no one can say that about “Think Like a Man.”
‘The Lucky One’ Suffers From Emotionally Constipated Performances
Submitted by BrianTT on April 20, 2012 - 9:37am Rating: 2.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – I’m of two minds about the work of Nicholas Sparks. On one hand, I admire his sensitive portrayals of good-hearted people, particularly young lovers, which serve as comfort food for teenagers overwhelmed by peer pressure. On the other hand, I’m also the guy who said the following about his last book-to-screen adaptation, “The Last Song”: “You may need a lump in your head before you can get one in your throat.”
Delightful ‘Life Happens’ Proves Truth is Funny
Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 15, 2012 - 11:04am Rating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Is it possible to be addled in encroaching middle age? Because “Life Happens,” a film about an ex-party girl turned single mother, starring “it” girl Krysten Ritter, actually is quite funny, and gets those laughs simply by applying some simple truths to a unique situation. Kate Bosworth, Rachel Bilson, Justin Kirk and Kirsten Johnston co-star.
Advocacy Film ‘Bully’ is a Must See, But for Who?
Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 13, 2012 - 9:38pmRating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The age-old problem of bullying has reached epidemic proportions. Or is it simply more openly discussed? It seems that for once a light is being pointed at the dark corners of this punishing coercion, and the perpetrators and enablers involved – the bully, his parents, school administrators – are scurrying from that light. The new film “Bully” is an illumination.
Joseph Kahn’s Self-Funded Josh Hutcherson Indie ‘Detention’ Deserves Cult-Hit Status
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on April 13, 2012 - 9:27pmRating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Don’t be duped by Joseph Kahn’s insultingly unintelligent trailer for his new ADHD high school slasher/comedy “Detention”. Rather than prematurely blowing his load with the film’s crème de la crème in a two-minute trailer, he’s done the reverse. Kahn – who scraped much of this “indie” film’s $10 million budget from his own pockets – has set up disappointed trailer watchers to discover a hidden gem in his second feature-length film.
Guy Pearce, Maggie Grace in Annoying, Awful ‘Lockout’
Submitted by BrianTT on April 13, 2012 - 1:01pm Rating: 1.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The annoying and boring “Lockout” is a pile of aggressive junk masquerading as a good time. Some critics and viewers will pretend that this is a “fun B-movie” just because it has a few over-the-top sequences (that look completely cartoonish), an absolutely ridiculous premise, and a scenery-chewing performance from the great Guy Pearce.
Whit Stillman’s Wittily Precious ‘Damsels in Distress’ Grows Tedious
Submitted by mattmovieman on April 13, 2012 - 9:08am Rating: 2.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The sly satires of Whit Stillman have cultivated a fan base that appears to consist largely of his fellow peers. Manhattan-based filmmakers such as Wes Anderson, Noah Baumbach and Lena Dunham have cited his subdued comedies as an influence on their own similarly mannerist yet considerably more accessible work. For many moviegoers, Stillman’s brilliantly constructed, emotionally distant pictures are easy to admire but difficult to like.
Harmless ‘The Three Stooges’ Can’t Deliver the Goods
Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 13, 2012 - 7:44amRating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Moe, Larry and Curly are three of the most popular names in the show business universe, and bringing them back to life in the new film “The Three Stooges” was a questionable risk. The re-imaging, with Chris Diamantopoulous, Sean Hayes and Will Sasso filling the trio’s roles, is a loving tribute that unfortunately veers in too many “Un-Stooge” like directions.
Pretentious ‘Blue Like Jazz’ Can’t Find the Right Groove
Submitted by BrianTT on April 12, 2012 - 3:46pmRating: 2.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Donald Miller’s “Blue Like Jazz” is a beloved book that spent 43 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and sold over 1.5 million copies. I haven’t read it. But I have to believe that it worked on its fans in a way that Steve Taylor’s film simply cannot. This is clearly a personal story, one that touched people by relating to issues they’ve grappled with in their own lives. By taking Taylor’s memories and turning them into cinema, the ability to touch has been removed another degree of separation and the resulting film is a misstep, the kind of work that thinks it’s saying something important but feels more pretentious than precious.
