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 Movie Reviews
Tour de Force for Jack Black in Fact-Based ‘Bernie’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on May 18, 2012 - 5:27pm Rating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Jack Black is a smart and interesting actor. Not content to ride on the modern day John Belushi-type roles that might have pigeonholed him, Black portrays “Bernie,” a convincing conniver in Texas, based on a true story. Veterans Matthew McConaughhey and Shirley MacLaine add spice to the brew.
Boredom Awaits During ‘What to Expect When You’re Expecting’
Submitted by BrianTT on May 18, 2012 - 11:12am Rating: 1.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – “Battleship” is getting a lot of flack this week for having little to do with its alleged source. I would argue that the awful “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” is even more dishonest when it comes to its inspiration. Working from an instructional book that’s designed to prepare adults for impending parenthood, the film that steals its title turns truth into cliché.
Despite Rihanna, Peter Berg’s ‘Battleship’ Lands as One of the Best Popcorn Flicks Ever
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on May 18, 2012 - 1:01amRating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – “Battleship” certainly could simplistically be reduced to a 131-minute propaganda piece of why you might want to enlist in the U.S. Navy – that is, if Earth had to ward off lizard-like creatures from a deep-space solar system we can only reach by slingshotting a highly amplified “What’s up, aliens?” broadcast to them.
Middling ‘Mansome’ Suffers From Skin-Deep Insight
Submitted by mattmovieman on May 17, 2012 - 5:02am Rating: 2.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Morgan Spurlock is an awfully likable guy. I’ll never forget the day when he held a special screening of “Super Size Me” for an auditorium full of college kids. After participating in an extended Q & A, Spurlock spoke with every single student that wanted to shake his hand and pose for a picture. When the building finally had to close up for the night, the Spurlock love fest spilled out onto the sidewalk.
Inert, Ineffective ‘The Moth Diaries’ with Lily Cole
Submitted by BrianTT on May 16, 2012 - 11:27am Rating: 2.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Mary Harron’s “The Moth Diaries” is a perfect teaching tool for potential filmmakers. It is proof of two oft-forgotten rules of cinema: 1. Not every successful piece of work in one medium should be adapted to another (or not all good books make good films). 2. Even talented directors can be the wrong fit for the material.
Funny, Political ‘The Dictator’ with Sacha Baron Cohen
Submitted by PatrickMcD on May 15, 2012 - 7:43am Rating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Ali G, Borat, Bruno and the Stationmaster Guy in “Hugo” is now “The Dictator.” Sacha Baron Cohen puts on another character mask and produces his usual style of cheap laughs with a surprising sense of political sharpness. Anna Faris and Ben Kingsley go along for the ride.
Brit Marling Speaks Volumes in ‘Sound of My Voice’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on May 11, 2012 - 6:22pmRating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Fresh off her Spirit Award nominated film “Another Earth,” the up-and-coming filmmaker Brit Marling again writes and stars in “Sound of My Voice,” portraying another mysterious and mood-inducing character. The future of humanity is the basis for this simple but vivid narrative.
Bobcat Goldthwait’s ‘God Bless America’ Takes Aim at Stupidity
Submitted by BrianTT on May 11, 2012 - 12:29pm Rating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – While I’m writing this, a commercial for “My American Big Fat Gypsy Wedding” is playing on TV. It seems appropriate to kick off writing about a film that takes satirical aim at the bottom-feeding world of reality TV and the cult of personality that has devolved the 15-minute fame cycle into a 15-second one.
Keep Tim Burton’s ‘Dark Shadows’ Out of the Light
Submitted by BrianTT on May 11, 2012 - 11:38amRating: 2.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Tim Burton’s “Dark Shadows” is one of the most inconsistent and frustrating major films in a long time. There are elements here and there that work but Burton and writer Seth Grahame-Smith seem incapable of figuring out how to wrangle them into a coherent, successful film.
Judi Dench Checks Into ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on May 4, 2012 - 2:28pmRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Seven desperate souls are taking risks to save some part of their world, which describes both “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” and “The Avengers.” Which will win the box office war? The “heroes” of the Marigold residence include Judi Dench, Tom Wilkerson, Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith and Dev Patel.
‘A Simple Life’ Celebrates the Transcendent Beauty of Human Selflessness
Submitted by mattmovieman on May 4, 2012 - 8:55am Rating: 4.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The inherent drama of reality is trickier to capture on camera than one might suspect. Cinéma verité failed as soon as filmmakers utilized manipulative techniques to contrive on-camera drama. The staged shouting matches, comedic barbs and tearful breakdowns prevalent on Reality TV are as phony (or, dare I say, phonier) than the human behavior witnessed in scripted productions.
Kate Hudson Reveals Hell in ‘A Little Bit of Heaven’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on May 4, 2012 - 7:23amRating: 1.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Kate Hudson portrays a dying woman in “A Little Bit of Heaven,” and the film is so annoying that her extinguishment can’t come fast enough. The film insults both living and dying, and virtually everything in between, and brings along Lucy Punch, Kathy Bates, Gael Garciá Bernal, Peter Dinklage and Whoopi Goldberg for the funeral.
Jenna Fischer Stars in Sweet ‘The Giant Mechanical Man’
Submitted by BrianTT on May 2, 2012 - 3:48pmRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Don’t let the awful title fool you — “The Giant Mechanical Man” is not sci-fi. This cute dramedy tackles well-trod ground in the world of indie film but Lee Kirk conveys enough honest affection for his well-crafted characters that the piece works.
