CHICAGO – When two brothers confront the sins of each other and it expands into a psychology of an entire race, it’s at a stage play found in Chicago’s Invictus Theatre Company production of “Topdog/Underdog,” now at their new home at the Windy City Playhouse through March 31st, 2024. Click TD/UD for tickets/info.
Jon Lennon Espino
Photo, Interviews: Red Carpet for ‘Roma’ at the 54th Chicago International Film Festival
Submitted by PatrickMcD on October 19, 2018 - 12:08pmCHICAGO – One of the buzz films at the 54th Chicago International Film Festival (CIFF) is “Roma,” the latest from Academy Award winning director Alfonso Cuarón (“Gravity”). This personal and autobiographical film is winning kudos for its beauty and authenticity, as well as its setting in 1970s Mexico City. The film features Mexican actors Marina de Tavira and Yalitza Aparicio.
Film Feature: Best & Worst of 2018 So Far by HollywoodChicago.com
Submitted by PatrickMcD on July 11, 2018 - 10:57amCHICAGO – The holiday hangover is fading with the heat and humility, so what better time to remind ourselves of the Best and Worst films of 2018 SO FAR! HollywoodChicago.com contributors – Patrick McDonald, Jon Espino and Spike Walters – offer the following reactions to those so-far cinema treats and threats.
Oscar Week: HollywoodChicago.com 2018 Oscar Predictions
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 3, 2018 - 11:17am- 2018
- 90th
- Academy Awards
- Best Actor
- Best Actress
- Best Adapted Screenplay
- Best Director
- Best Original Screenplay
- Best Picture
- Best Supporting Actor
- Best Supporting Actress
- Film Feature
- Film News
- HollywoodChicago.com Content
- Jimmy Kimmel
- Jon Lennon Espino
- Oscars
- Patrick McDonald
- Predictions
- Spike Walters
CHICAGO – Time to fill out the Oscar prediction ballots! The 90th Academy Awards are on Sunday, March 4th, 2018, and HC film critics Patrick McDonald, Michael “Spike” Walters and Jon Lennon Espino are ready to add their prognosticating powers to all the major categories, plus three wild cards. Let the predicting begin.
Film Feature: HollywoodChicago.com Remembers George A. Romero
Submitted by PatrickMcD on July 18, 2017 - 7:46am- Bruiser
- Carnegie Mellon
- Creepshow
- Dawn of the Dead
- Diary of the Dead
- Edgar Wright
- Film News
- George A. Romero
- HollywoodChicago.com Content
- Jon Lennon Espino
- Land of the Dead
- Martin
- Monkey Shines
- Night of the Living Dead
- Patrick McDonald
- Pittsburgh
- Quentin Tarantino
- Season of the Witch
- Spike Walters
- Survival of the Dead
- The Crazies
CHICAGO – The man that practically invented the modern Zombie film genre had met his own demise. Director George A. Romero passed away on July 16th, 2017, in Los Angeles. He was 77. Romero launched a whole new wave of horror with “Night of the Living Dead” in 1968, and put Pittsburgh (PA) on the film location map.
Film Feature: Best & Worst of 2017 So Far by HollywoodChicago.com
Submitted by PatrickMcD on July 12, 2017 - 8:45pmCHICAGO – The 4th of July holiday is over and the second half of the year looms before us, so what better time than to assess 2017 so far, with the best and worst films of the first half of the year. The film critic contributors of HollywoodChicago.com – Patrick McDonald, Jon Espino and Spike Walters – offer up their choices for BEST and WORST.
Film Feature: HollywoodChicago.com Remembers the Films of Director John G. Avildsen
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 23, 2017 - 9:29amCHICAGO – His films were more popular than his name, but director John G. Avildsen did put his mark on the last 30 years of 20th Century movies. Avildsen died last week at the age of 81. He is known best for the Oscar Best Picture-winning “Rocky” (1976), but also did the controversial “Joe” (1970), “Save the Tiger” (1973, Best Actor Oscar for Jack Lemmon), John Belushi’s last film “Neighbors” (1981), “The Karate Kid” (1984), “Lean on Me” (1989) and “8 Seconds” (1994). Patrick McDonald, Spike Walters and Jon Espino of HollywoodChicago.com offer three essays on their Avildsen favorites.
TV Feature: HollywoodChicago.com on Three Parts of Adam West
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 15, 2017 - 2:38pmCHICAGO – As they say about Adam West’s interpretation of Batman, “he hit so hard, that words describing the impact appeared out of thin air.” But there was more to him than just the superhero tights, as Patrick McDonald, Spike Walters and Jon Espino of HollywoodChicago.com remember the three main characters in the career of Adam West, who passed away last week.
Film Feature: HollywoodChicago.com Remembers Roger Moore as Bond, James Bond
Submitted by PatrickMcD on May 31, 2017 - 11:17amCHICAGO – “Shaken, Not Stirred.” “Bond, James Bond.” “Jaws.” All the Bond iconography was celebrated by the actor who portrayed him in the most films, and the longest time period. Sir Roger Moore brought a suave and quipping JB to the filmgoers of the 1970s and ‘80s, so the film writers of HollywoodChicago.com – Jon Espino, Patrick McDonald and Spike Walters – bring essays in honor of their favorite Roger Moore Bond films.
Film Feature: HollywoodChicago.com’s 2017 Oscar Predictions
Submitted by PatrickMcD on February 25, 2017 - 3:36pm- 2017
- Academy Awards
- Best Actor
- Best Actress
- Best Adapted Screenplay
- Best Director
- Best Original Screenplay
- Best Picture
- Best Supporting Actor
- Best Supporting Actress
- Fences
- Film Feature
- Film News
- Hacksaw Ridge
- HollywoodChicago.com Content
- Jon Lennon Espino
- LA LA Land
- Oscars
- Patrick McDonald
- Predictions
- Spike Walters
CHICAGO – When is comes to Academy Award predictions, HollywoodChicago.com is second to none. That’s right, nobody does it better, even the approximately 100 million other outlets predicting the Big Night awards. HC film critics Patrick McDonald, Michael “Spike” Walters and Jon Lennon Espino “correctly” predict the major categories.