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
Jennifer Lawrence in ‘The Hunger Games’ Delivers for Fans
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 23, 2012 - 8:34am Rating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – What is remarkable about the book phenomenon known as “The Hunger Games” is how rich, literary and symbolic the series is, considering they are for a “young adult” audience. Jennifer Lawrence, Stanley Tucci, Elizabeth Banks, Woody Harrelson and Josh Hutcherson bring the characters to life.
‘The Kid with a Bike’ Marks Another Home Run by the Dardenne Brothers
Submitted by mattmovieman on March 23, 2012 - 6:23am Rating: 4.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The sullen little boy is always on the run. His red shirt and jacket cause him to resemble a crimson blur against the green and gray landscape of his Belgian town. He believes that there must be an explanation for why his absent father has left him in a state-run youth farm, and is determined to track him down. Consumed with confusion and rage, the boy has no choice but to keep moving toward a destination that may not exist.
Goofy ‘The FP’ is Geared For Manic Midnight Movie Goers
Submitted by BrianTT on March 22, 2012 - 3:36pm Rating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – “The FP,” playing in midnight shows this weekend at Music Box and in various arthouse theaters around the country, is a hard movie to put your finger on. Is it just bad like “Birdemic” or “The Room” or is it something “trying” to be bad? Is it a spoof of bad movies or just a bad movie? Does it matter? Either way, “The FP” works for its audience, a rowdy crowd of midnight movie fans willing to put up with over-the-top silliness, bad performances, and general lunacy. It’s essentially an extended short film that doesn’t even justify its short running time but audiences on its wavelength will eat it up.
Spectacular ‘The Hunger Games’ Lives Up to High Expectations
Submitted by BrianTT on March 20, 2012 - 8:08amRating: 4.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Gary Ross’ “The Hunger Games” is a spectacular piece of blockbuster entertainment, a movie that should connect across all demographics from those who have never heard of the book to those who have shrines to Katniss and Peeta in their closets. It is more than mere Hollywood adaptation, it is a work of art on multiple levels with fantastic technical elements and some of the best performances in a work of science fiction in years.
‘Footnote’ Deserves Prominence With Great Storytelling
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 16, 2012 - 5:55pm Rating: 4.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Answering the question, “Where are all the great film thrillers about Talumdic Studies?,” the awesome film “Footnote” considers that very subject, pitting the always complicated relationship between a father and son against an treasured academic prize. Even though it sounds starchy, it actually had more verve than most spy movies.
Will Ferrell Experiments with Surreal ‘Casa de mi Padre’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 16, 2012 - 4:10pmRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Will Ferrell can never be accused of sitting on his comic laurels, nor repeating himself. “Casa de mi Padre” is a complete set-in-Mexico Spanish language film, including Ferrell’s dialogue. Although uneven, it delivers such a peculiar vibe that it can’t help but be admired, at least for the effort.
Stylish, Bizarre ‘Kill List’ Challenges Genre Preconceptions
Submitted by BrianTT on March 16, 2012 - 1:33pmRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Ben Wheatley’s “Kill List” comes to U.S. shores on a tidal wave of hype and controversy. Is it the work of a genre-defying genius or an inconsistent jerk? Are the film’s jarring tonal shifts effective or idiotic? Honestly, and I know critics aren’t supposed to say this, I can see both sides of the argument. On one hand, Wheatley take some serious risks here and some of them are to be admired. On the other, “Kill List” often feels disjointed and weird just for the sake of weird. It just barely works for me by virtue of its audacity but I wouldn’t be surprised if it doesn’t do the same for you.
Jason Segel, Ed Helms in Inconsistent ‘Jeff, Who Lives at Home’
Submitted by BrianTT on March 16, 2012 - 1:29pm Rating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Writer/directors Jay and Mark Duplass clearly love their characters. Whether it’s the awkward man-child at the center of “Cyrus” or the title character in their new dramedy “Jeff, Who Lives at Home,” there’s a charming affection for these people. I really enjoyed spending time with the quartet of well-drawn, well-acted people in “Jeff,” which makes the fact that their story is less-structured and sloppier than it should be to be effective all the more frustrating. I SO want to love “Jeff, Who Lives at Home,” but this dude is too often stuck in the creative basement.
Nicolas Cage, Guy Pearce Find Boredom While They’re ‘Seeking Justice’
Submitted by BrianTT on March 16, 2012 - 1:25pm Rating: 1.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – “Seeking Justice” must have been such a juicy proposition on paper. Director Roger Donaldson is coming off his most interesting film in years (“The Bank Job”), Nicolas Cage is overdue for a quality drama, Guy Pearce is one of our most interesting actors, and the supporting cast includes a number of interesting actors with recent TV hits – Jennifer Carpenter (“Dexter”), Harold Perrineau Jr. (“Lost”), and January Jones (“Mad Men”). The only thing you’ll be wondering during this inert alleged thriller is where it all went wrong.
Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum Have Fun on ‘21 Jump Street’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 16, 2012 - 6:58amRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – There are various opinions about TV-to-movie remakes, mostly negative. That is why “21 Jump Street,” based on a 1980s TV show, manages some grudging respect. Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube, Rob Riggle, Nick Offerman and Ellie Kemper create some goofy laughs in this farce.
‘John Carter’ is Poor Man’s ‘Star Wars,’ ‘Avatar’ With Kitschy Taylor Kitsch, Soft-Porn Lynn Collins
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on March 10, 2012 - 5:35am Rating: 2.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Usually it’s critics critically flogging a film when we say it weakly lacks originality and borrows too heavily from others. Disney’s “John Carter” attacks that classic grumble by promotionally comparing itself to “Star Wars” and “Avatar” before critics even had a chance to deduct points for it.
Robert De Niro Triumphs Again in ‘Being Flynn’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 9, 2012 - 6:09pmRating: 4.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The intensity that Robert De Niro puts into his movie characters had slackened a bit, as he bent his reputation on more commercial roles. But Director Paul Weitz has revived the old legend with a meaty, purposeful character, and De Niro delivers it with his old fire. ‘Being Flynn’ is not a comeback, but a gratefully received reboot.
Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt Flounder in ‘Salmon Fishing in the Yemen’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 9, 2012 - 4:59pm Rating: 2.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Often when novels with quirky titles get made into films, all that is left of the quirk is the name on the cover. That is exactly what has happened to “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen,” a tome authored by Paul Torday, and reduced to torpid blandness by director Lasse Hallstrøm.
