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 Content
Deadly Dull ‘The Words’ Has Nothing to Say
Submitted by BrianTT on September 7, 2012 - 12:50pm Rating: 1.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – It may seem like easy bait for a critic but the quote whores supplied a dozen or so words for the mysterious ads for the new drama “The Words” and so I’d like to play their little game. I have a few words of my own – “Dull.” “Inert.” “Pretentious.” “Uninteresting.” “Inconsistent.” “Craptastic.” Put those on your ad.
‘Samsara’ is a Film That Will Be Whatever You Want
Submitted by PatrickMcD on September 7, 2012 - 7:32am Rating: 4.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – It is revitalizing to take a break from traditional cinema, and the new artistic film “Samsara” is a non-linear quasi-documentary and travelogue that is a parade of images contemplating existence and the beauty around us. Who doesn’t need that tonic of meditation every so often?
Stunning, Creative Vision of ‘Looper’ with Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Submitted by BrianTT on September 6, 2012 - 9:41pm Rating: 4.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – It’s so refreshing to see a talented filmmaker that has been allowed to bring his unique vision to the screen without compromise. You know the feeling when you’re watching a product of a marketing focus group or producer interference and when you’re seeing something fresh, new, and personal.
Kirsten Dunst, Lizzy Caplan in Mediocre ‘Bachelorette’
Submitted by BrianTT on September 6, 2012 - 3:35pm Rating: 2.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – “Bachelorette,” now playing On Demand (and doing quite well on that format) and opening in theaters tomorrow, is a modestly successful comedy with some very talented stars stuck with an incredibly inconsistent script. The performers do their best and there are some scenes that work but the overall piece is remarkably forgettable, reminding viewers of “Bridesmaids” and “The Hangover” while failing to match either in terms of laughs.
‘[REC] 3: Genesis’ Showers Wedding Guests in Blood
Submitted by BrianTT on September 6, 2012 - 11:45am Rating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Gorehounds, unite! You fans of the slimy red stuff, those of you who love decapitations and disembowlings while you munch your popcorn, and those looking for something that feels honestly alive after inert horror films like “The Apparition” and “The Awakening” are required to support the ridiculous splatterfest “[REC] 3: Genesis,” opening in New York and L.A. this weekend and now available On Demand.
‘Cure For Pain: The Mark Sandman Story’ Places Spotlight on Great Band
Submitted by BrianTT on September 3, 2012 - 9:27amRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – I can still remember when I first heard the band Morphine. It was the title track from their stellar 1993 album, “Cure For Pain,” which also serves as the title for a strong new rock doc about this underrated and underappreciated trio that’s now playing On Demand.
Mike Birbiglia Steps Up in ‘Sleepwalk with Me’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on September 1, 2012 - 7:44amRating: 4.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – It’s exciting to witness a breakthrough with a new film artist. The comedian Mike Birbiglia has adapted his one-man show, “Sleepwalk with Me,” into a movie, and the result is a naturalistic performance piece that plays both like a documentary and a Woody Allen film during the “Annie Hall” period. Birbiglia gets a little help from some friends like Lauren Ambrose, Kirsten Schaal, Wyatt Cenac and Amy Schumer.
French Film Has a Bigger Chill in ‘Little White Lies’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 31, 2012 - 6:31pm Rating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The landmark ensemble film “The Big Chill” (1983) featured seven former college friends reuniting for the funeral of one of their own. The French film “Little White Lies” takes that concept a step further, as friends go on a yearly retreat without one of their own, because he is in the hospital. Francois Cluzet, Marion Cotillard and Jean Dujardin co-star.
‘The Awakening’ with Rebecca Hall Will Put You to Sleep
Submitted by BrianTT on August 31, 2012 - 8:38amRating: 2.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – There a lot of sighs and longing looks in the new horror film “The Awakening” (and good luck trying to distinguish between the generically-titled “The Apparition,” “The Possession,” and this one — all in theaters). This disappointing attempt at an atmospheric ghost story tries to tell a tale that first feels like a haunting from within.
‘For a Good Time, Call...’ Has a Stellar Ringtone
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 31, 2012 - 8:05amRating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Rising above the usual romantic comedy dreck is an admirable achievement in today’s film landscape. “For a Good Time, Call…” is not only funny and unconventional, but focuses on the relationship between the two lead woman characters, portrayed by Lauren Miller and Ari Graynor.
