Gravitas Ventures

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio film review for the newly released “Out of the Loop,” an overview of the Chicago stand up scene, with many notable names that began their career in the Windy City. Currently available through Video On Demand, since April 11th.

CHICAGO – It’s been an amazing journey for actor and filmmaker Alex Heller with her directorial debut film “The Year Between.” The film premiered at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival and screened at the hometown Chicago International Film Festival last October. The film is being released through Video-On-Demand beginning March 3rd, 2023.

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on January 27th, 2022, reviewing the new release of “The Other Me,” presented by David Lynch, in select theaters and through Video-On-Demand on February 4th.


CHICAGO – The career of comedian Bobcat Goldthwait is a wild roller coaster of hilarity and passion, so it stands to reason that his latest film is called “Joy Ride.” The film, one of the funniest stand up docs you’ll ever see, also features Bobcat’s comedy partner Dana Gould on a stand up tour right before the pandemic. It’s available through VOD and iTunes, click JOY RIDE for details.

CHICAGO – Start whistling the theme to “The Andy Griffith Show” and most likely you’ll get someone to whistle along. This is the aura and the premise for the new documentary “The Mayberry Effect,” created and directed by Chris Hudson. Part tribute, part deep dive into nostalgia, the doc is all about the feeling of Mayberry and its legacy.

CHICAGO – Jer Sklar has created a one-of-a-kind feature film debut – “Tom of His Life” – the story of a boy who ages four years every hour, living his entire life in one day. The film has a week-long run at Chicago’s Music Box Theatre, with Sklar making an appearance on May 8th, 2021, with a Q&A moderated by Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com (click here for tickets).

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com reviews the new documentary “Truth is the Only Client: The Official Investigation of the Murder of John F. Kennedy” on the 57th Anniversary of the JFK assassination on November 22nd, 2020. The doc reassembles investigators of the 1964 Warren Commission.

CHICAGO – When the magnificently creative film “Dave Made a Maze” begins, it seems like another Millennial generation stab at micro budget filmmaking, with a claustrophobic set and extreme archetypes instead of characters. But then the “exploration” of the title maze starts, and suddenly “Dave” becomes a marvel of invention, tribute, hilarity and even truth.

CHICAGO – Truly unique and creative micro-budget films are as rare as a sighting of Bigfoot these days, as so many people are picking up a camera to give it try. The production of “Dave Made a Maze” is a happy exception, a film that delivers the thrills and at the same time makes fun of them. Throw in hipsters-in-peril and homages to 1980s adventure films, and it’s easy to find the way through this fun movie.

CHICAGO – Undoubtedly, one of the most poignant days of a gay person’s life is when they “come out” to family and friends. “4th Man Out” explores these moments, within the non-judgmental standards of the millennial generation. It’s only life, after all.