Carey Mulligan

CHICAGO – After a string of disappointments that include “Alexander,” “World Trade Center” and “W,” one of the best directors of the 1980s and 1990s at least draws closer to form with the entertaining “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps”.

CHICAGO – In our latest drama edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 25 admit-two passes up for grabs to the advance Chicago screening of the new Oliver Stone film “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps” with Michael Douglas and Shia LaBeouf!

Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – The surprisingly good “The Greatest” opens and closes with two very different car rides — one silent and mournful and one loud and full of laughter; one on the way from death and one on the way to life. They are bookends for a well-performed tearjerker of the kind that mostly transcends its melodramatic set-up to become something genuinely moving.

CHICAGO – Lone Scherfig’s “An Education” should have won two of the Academy Awards for which it was nominated: Best Actress for the star-making work by Carey Mulligan and Best Adapted Screenplay for the fantastic script by Nick Hornby. It easily one of the best films of 2009 (my personal pick for #5 on the year) and a must-see on Blu-ray and DVD.

CHICAGO – In our latest romance edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 35 admit-two passes up for grabs to the advance Chicago screening of “The Greatest” starring Pierce Brosnan, Susan Sarandon and Carey Mulligan (from “An Education”)!

CHICAGO – Kathryn Bigelow’s “The Hurt Locker” swept the Chicago Film Critics Association awards for 2009, winning in every single category in which it was nominated, taking home prizes for Best Picture, Best Director (Kathryn Bigelow), Best Original Screenplay (Mark Boal), Best Actor (Jeremy Renner), and Best Cinematography (Barry Ackroyd).

CHICAGO – On paper, Michael Mann’s “Public Enemies” looked like it would be a clear contender for end-of-the-year consideration but it has been largely forgotten, only a few months after its release. The cold, dense film didn’t register strongly enough with critics or audiences and it looks like it could disappear without much fanfare. What I think is more likely is that Mann’s dark, complex film will slowly get the recognition it deserves on the home market and it starts with this Blu-Ray release.

CHICAGO – The transition from hot young actor to the domestic picket fence is about ten years and a shadowy crow’s foot. One day you’re a galaxy queen, superhero and Donnie Darko, next you’re playing house in “Brothers.”

CHICAGO – In the new coming-of-age film, “An Education,” director Lone Scherfig creates a different time (the early 1960s) and place (middle class England) to tell the story of a teenage girl’s conflict between her academic life and older man lover.

CHICAGO – We’ve been working our way through the schedule for the upcoming 45th Annual Chicago International Film Festival, kicking off tonight with the premiere of “Motherhood,” starring Uma Thurman, Anthony Edwards, and Minnie Driver.