CHICAGO – Excelsior! Comic book legend Stan Lee’s famous exclamation puts a fine point on the third and final play of Mark Pracht’s FOUR COLOR TRILOGY, “The House of Ideas,” presented by and staged at City Lit Theater in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood. For tickets/details, click HOUSE OF IDEAS.
Edie Falco
Tribeca2024: That’s a Wrap with ‘The Sopranos’ & Bobby De Niro
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 18, 2024 - 5:28pmNEW YORK – It’s over, but the memories echo. The 23rd edition of the Tribeca Festival wrapped up on June 16th, 2024, but not without a sendoff celebrating Melissa Etheridge’s new documentary, the 25th Anniversary retrospect of the iconic series, “The Sopranos,” and a nod to fest co-founder/savior of democracy Robert De Niro.
Interview, Audio: Abby Quinn, Gillian Robespierre & Elisabeth Holm of ‘Landline’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on July 31, 2017 - 7:19amCHICAGO – It takes a collaborative village to make a movie, and part of that collective came to Chicago to promote “Landline.” Director Gillian Robespierre, Co-Writer Elisabeth Holm and debut actress Abby Quinn were essential to the film, which is set in 1990s New York City and features Jenny Slate in the lead role.
Interview, Audio: Actress Jenny Slate Answers the Call in ‘Landline’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on July 30, 2017 - 7:49pmCHICAGO – Jenny Slate keeps getting more high profile, both in voiceover work (“The Secret Life of Pets”) and as an actress. Her latest film is “Landline,” her second with director Gillian Robespierre. In the film, Slate portrays an engaged-to-be-married “adult” who is having trouble coming to terms with her life.
Film Review: Discerning the Heroes is Tough in ‘Megan Leavey’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 9, 2017 - 7:44amCHICAGO – The poster is what gives away “Megan Leavey” the most. The titular soldier, and her bomb-sniffing dog, below a billowing American flag. So which war is it? Why, it’s the Iraq invasion, where the U.S. military and the politicians at home “freed” the Iraqi citizens from a peaceful life. Making a dog story out of that boondoggle doesn’t make it any more palatable, except to “support the troops.”
Film Review: It Hurts Trying to Laugh at ‘The Comedian’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on February 3, 2017 - 12:04pmCHICAGO – Mention this possibility…Robert De Niro portrays an aging stand-up comic who once had a popular sitcom in the 1980s…and 99% of filmgoers are in. Add that he beds a woman 25 years his junior, does community service, roasts Cloris Leachman and becomes a reality show host, and suddenly 80% of that 99 are out. That’s just part of the over-extension and dread in “The Comedian.”
TV Review: Amazing Actresses Anchor Showtime Season Premieres of ‘Nurse Jackie,’ ‘The Big C’
Submitted by BrianTT on April 8, 2012 - 9:08amCHICAGO – Emmy-winning “Nurse Jackie” starts its fourth season and the highly-acclaimed “The Big C” joins it for its third on Sunday nights starting tonight, April 8, 2012.
TV News: Showtime Renews ‘Nurse Jackie,’ Cancels ‘United States of Tara’
Submitted by BrianTT on May 23, 2011 - 4:03pmCHICAGO – In a somewhat surprising move, Showtime has canceled the Emmy-winning comedy “United States of Tara,” while also renewing “Nurse Jackie” for a fourth season. Neither show has been much of a ratings hit, but both programs seemed to bring some critical esteem to the network. In fact, the pair has won the last two Best Actress in a Comedy Series with Toni Collette winning in 2009 and Edie Falco winning in 2010. Both are sure to be nominated again this year.
TV Review: Edie Falco Returns to Emmy-Winning Role of ‘Nurse Jackie’
Submitted by BrianTT on March 28, 2011 - 10:59amCHICAGO – Showtime has a patented formula of hiring great stars (William H. Macy, Michael C. Hall, Toni Collette, Mary-Louise Parker) and building series around them. It has worked well enough that the last two Emmy winners for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series have been won by the network — Collette for the first season of “United States of Tara” and Edie Falco for the second season of “Nurse Jackie,” both of which return tonight, March 28th, 2011.
Blu-Ray Review: Latest Seasons of Showtime’s ‘Nurse Jackie,’ ‘Weeds’
Submitted by BrianTT on March 1, 2011 - 3:00pmCHICAGO – One of Showtime’s former best comedies and one of their current best both saw a season land on Blu-ray in the last few weeks and we’re here to give you the details. Lionsgate owns the rights to “Nurse Jackie” and “Weeds,” two of the more acclaimed cable programs on the air right now. Sadly, the once-brilliant “Weeds” is a shadow of its former self, but “Nurse Jackie” continues to deliver.
‘Modern Family,’ ‘Mad Men’ Lead Emmy Award Winners as Best Comedy, Drama
Submitted by BrianTT on August 29, 2010 - 10:13pmCHICAGO – Jimmy Fallon brought his increasingly impressive wit to the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday night, August 29th, 2010, at which AMC’s “Mad Men” and ABC’s “Modern Family” were the big winners with Eric Stonestreet, Jane Lynch, Jim Parsons, Edie Falco, Aaron Paul, Archie Panjabi, Bryan Cranston, and Kyra Sedgwick walking away with the major awards.