January 2009

Elizabeth Stanley Lifts ‘Xanadu’ to Place Where Nobody Dared to Go

Max Von Essen in the Broadway hit Xanadu in Chicago
HollywoodChicago.com Comedy/Tragedy Rating: 4.0/5.0
Play Rating: 4.0/5.0

CHICAGO – If classics such as “A Chorus Line” and “Les Miserables” willfully suggest the existence of a secured, calculated recipe for a Broadway hit, Christopher Ashley’s “Xanadu” is a concoction that has once again gleefully tipped over this admittedly elusive boiling pot.

Exclusive Set Slideshow: NBC’s ‘ER’ Filming in Chicago With Noah Wyle on Jan. 30, 2009

| Image 1 of 5 |
Noah Wyle (center) filming ER in Chicago on Jan. 30, 2009.


CHICAGO – HollywoodChicago.com has obtained from a reader named “Kevin” exclusive set imagery of NBC’s “ER” filming in Chicago with Noah Wyle and David Lyons on Jan. 30, 2009.

Slideshow: Five New Images From ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’ With Hugh Jackman

| Image 1 of 5 |
Hugh Jackman reprises the role that made him a superstar as the fierce fighting machine who possesses amazing healing powers, retractable claws and a primal fury. Photo by Michael Muller.

CHICAGO – Fox just released four new production stills and the poster art for “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” kicking off the Summer 2009 season on May 1st, 2009. All five images are including in the slideshow below.

Post Super Bowl Edition of ‘The Office’ Scores Comedy Field Goal

The Office
HollywoodChicago.com Television Rating: 3.5/5.0
Television Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – What a network chooses to put in its post-Super Bowl spot says a lot about what they are most commercially and creatively confident about on their schedule.

Liam Neeson Elevates Above-Average Action Movie ‘Taken’

Taken

CHICAGO – Bringing the same screen presence and gravity that he has to more serious roles like those in “Schindler’s List” and “Kinsey,” Liam Neeson turns the relatively generic “Taken” into an above-average action movie that should prove a surprising alternative for movie goers looking for a break from Super Bowl coverage this weekend.

Liam Neeson Elevates Above-Average Action Movie ‘Taken’

HollywoodChicago.com Oscarman rating: 4.0/5.0
Rating: 4.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Bringing the same screen presence and gravity that he has to more serious roles like those in “Schindler’s List” and “Kinsey,” Liam Neeson turns the relatively generic “Taken” into an above-average action movie that should prove a surprising alternative for movie goers looking for a break from Super Bowl coverage this weekend.

Slideshow: 26-Image Gallery For ‘Push’ With Chris Evans, Dakota Fanning

| Image 1 of 26 |
Chris Evans.

This 26-image slideshow contains the official press images for “Push,” which was directed by Paul McGuigan and features Chris Evans, Dakota Fanning, Camilla Belle and Djimon Hounsou. The Summit Pictures release opens on Friday, February 6th, 2009.

Video Game Review: ‘LOTR: Conquest’ Fails to Live Up to Name

Conquest
HollywoodChicago.com Video Game Rating: 1.0/5.0
Video Game Rating: 1.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Instead of the strategy title that it could have been, “LOTR: Conquest” is just another button-masher, a game that banks off the goodwill of one of the most successful franchises of all time but does nothing worthwhile with it.

Blu-Ray Review: Go Back to Camp Crystal Lake With ‘Friday the 13th: Uncut’

Friday the 13th
HollywoodChicago.com Blu-Ray Rating: 3.5/5.0
Blu-Ray Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – Every time a movie gets remade, you can expect the original to appear in some varying degree of “special” edition on the home market. A week-and-a-half from the Michael Bay produced and Marcus Nispel remake of “Friday the 13th,” Paramount has unleashed deluxe editions of the original on Blu-Ray and the first two sequels on DVD.

Blu-Ray Review: ‘Max Payne’ is Like Watching Someone Else Play Video Games

Max Payne
HollywoodChicago.com Blu-Ray Rating: 1.5/5.0
Blu-Ray Rating: 1.5/5.0

CHICAGO – It can be so easy to waste multiple hours, even days with great video games, and yet it is sometimes unbearable to sit through 90 minutes of the cinematic adaptation of the same concept. Such is the case with the abysmal “Max Payne,” yet another in a long line of video-game-to-screen disasters that continue to prove how little Hollywood thinks of gamers.

Exclusive Portrait: ‘New in Town’ Star Harry Connick Jr. in Chicago

CHICAGO – Actor Harry Connick Jr. flashed the HollywoodChicago.com lens a welcoming smile while signing autographs for fans in the name of his new film “New in Town” on Jan. 28, 2009 at the Shops of North Bridge mall on downtown Chicago’s Michigan Avenue.

‘Privileged’ Star Lucy Hale Auditions For Role in ‘Twilight’ Sequel ‘New Moon’

Lucy Hale

CHICAGOLucy Hale, the star of The CW’s “Privileged,” revealed this week that she too has auditioned for a role in the upcoming sequel to Stephenie Meyer’s “Twilight,” the highly anticipated “New Moon,” to be directed by Chris Weitz and going into production soon.

Blu-Ray Round Up, Jan. 28, 2009: ‘Hulk Vs.,’ ‘Antwone Fisher,’ ‘Repo,’ ‘Stargate’

Repo

CHICAGO – We’re back with our recurring feature, the Blu-Ray Round Up, a collection of HD releases that might have slipped through the cracks but that could grab your attention. With dozens of catalog titles and straight-to-video releases hitting the next-gen format every week, it’s easy to miss a movie that you’d love to add to your collection. The Blu-Ray Round Up is here for you.

Gordon Ramsay’s Overly Formulaic ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ Has Grown Cold

Hell's Kitchen
HollywoodChicago.com Television Rating: 1.5/5.0
Television Rating: 1.5/5.0

CHICAGO – By its very nature, reality television is formulaic. “Survivor,” “The Amazing Race,” “Project Runway,” “Top Chef” - They all follow the same structure every year. But good reality TV mixes it up with interesting competitors and enough variety to keep viewers interested. It has gotten to the point where you can barely tell one episode of “Hell’s Kitchen” from another one, much less from season to season.

Blu-Ray Review: Mixed Bag of Clichés, Quality Performances in ‘Lakeview Terrace’

Lakeview Terrace
HollywoodChicago.com Blu-Ray Rating: 3.0/5.0
Blu-Ray Rating: 3.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Neil LaBute’s “Lakeview Terrace” delivers as close to the “marginal thumbs up or down” line as any movie released in 2008. There are some intriguing ideas about race and excellent performances, but the film feels like a missed opportunity to be something greater, even if a strong Blu-Ray release helps the final product.

Slideshow: 31-Image Gallery For ‘He’s Just Not That Into You’ With Jennifer Aniston, Ben Affleck

| Image 1 of 31 |
Drew Barrymore stars as Mary and Scarlett Johansson stars as Anna.

CHICAGO – This 31-image slideshow contains the official press images for “He’s Just Not That Into You”, which was directed by Ken Kwapis and stars Jennifer Aniston, Ben Affleck, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Connelly, Kevin Connolly, Bradley Cooper, Ginnifer Goodwin, Scarlett Johansson, Kris Kristofferson, and Justin Long. The New Line release opens on Friday, February 6th, 2009.

Video Game Review: ‘Wonder World Amusement Park’ Creates Portable Fun

Wonder World

CHICAGO – Majesco’s “Wonder World Amusement Park” for the Nintendo DS is a pleasurable diversion but could just as easily be deemed by some buyers to be a wasted opportunity to be something more. Ultimately, for a low purchase price and a game targeted at kids, it’s hard to complain too much about a title that will likely satisfy its target audience.

Slideshow: 21-Image Gallery For Henry Selick’s ‘Coraline’

| Image 1 of 21 |
Coraline (voiced by Dakota Fanning) travels through a portal between worlds in the stop-motion animated 3-D adventure Coraline, from LAIKA Entertainment for release by Focus Features.

CHICAGO – This 21-image slideshow contains the official press images for “Coraline”, which was directed by Henry Selick (“The Nightmare Before Christmas”) and features the voice work of Teri Hatcher, Ian McShane, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, John Hodgman and Dakota Fanning. The Focus Features release of the LAIKA Entertainment produced film opens on Friday, February 6th, 2009.

Blu-Ray Review: ‘Pride and Glory’ Wastes Two Talented Stars in Generic Drama

Pride and Glory
HollywoodChicago.com Blu-Ray Rating: 2.0/5.0
Blu-Ray Rating: 2.0/5.0

CHICAGO – The Blu-Ray package for Gavin O’Connor’s “Pride and Glory” features shots of stars Edward Norton and Colin Farrell wielding guns on both the front and back of the case. The artistic intention is clear - Try and sell this generic, dull cop drama as an action film, as that’s the genre that takes off on the home market. Don’t buy it.

DVD Review: ‘Sam Kinison Unleashed’ Brings Comic Genius to DVD

Sam Kinison
HollywoodChicago.com DVD Rating: 3.5/5.0
DVD Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – Anyone who has ever seen a Sam Kinison stand-up special knows the truth. The man was a genius. Finally, people unfamiliar with the mad preacher will get to see for themselves and those of us old enough to remember Kinison’s all-too-brief time in the spotlight can revisit this inspirational and hilarious comedian on DVD with “Sam Kinison Unleashed”.

DVD Round Up, Jan. 27, 2009: ‘Moonlight,’ ‘College,’ ‘City of Ember’

College

CHICAGO – We apologize to the people behind these four titles but the star power is a little dim in this edition of HollywoodChicago.com’s DVD Round Up. When a canceled vampire series is arguably the biggest release in a four-pack of titles, it’s a weird edition of the Round Up. Prepare yourself.

Blu-Ray Review: True Story, Good Performance Give Speed to ‘The Express’

The_Express_1.jpg
HollywoodChicago.com Blu-Ray Rating: 3.5/5.0
Blu-Ray Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – There’s nothing surprising about “The Express”. It’s a true story that hits all of the beats that you would expect it to for an inspirational sports movie. A big game, a bad injury, and the will to overcome extreme adversity - these are the staples of the genre.

Slideshow: 44-Image Gallery For 15th-Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards

| Image 1 of 44 |
Kate Winslet and Freida Pinto arrive to the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Kevn Mazur.

CHICAGO – This 44-image slideshow contains a selection of official press images from The 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, which were handed out on Sunday, January 25th, 2009.

Heath Ledger, Kate Winslet Win 2009 Screen Actors Guild Awards

CHICAGO – The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) gave out its coveted awards on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2009 and Heath Ledger, Kate Winslet, Sean Penn and Meryl Streep walked away with the major film acting prizes.

Blu-Ray Review: ‘Vicky Cristina Barcelona,’ First Woody Allen Movie on Blu-Ray

VCB
HollywoodChicago.com Blu-Ray Rating: 3.0/5.0
Blu-Ray Rating: 3.0/5.0

CHICAGO – I love “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”. It’s a wonderful slice of whimsy and sexuality that perfectly captures something about Spain that’s impossible to put into words.

DVD Review: Social Realism of ‘El Norte’ Resonates With Criterion Release

El Norte
HollywoodChicago.com DVD Rating: 4.0/5.0
DVD Rating: 4.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Gregory Bava’s “El Norte” is a riveting commentary on the impact of the American dream on the rest of the world. It’s easily one of the best films produced about the complex struggle of immigration and a great way to kick off 2009 for The Criterion Collection.

Big Winners at 2009 Sundance Film Festival Include ‘Push,’ ‘We Live in Public’

Push

CHICAGO – The 2009 Sundance Film Festival Awards were announced on Saturday, January 24th, 2009 and Lee Daniels’ examination of parental abuse and self-redemption in Harlem in the 1980s, “Push: Based on a Novel by Sapphire,” won both the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award in the U.S. dramatic competition.

Interview: Chicago ‘Underworld: Rise of the Lycans’ Writer Kevin Grevioux on Science-Based Vampires

CHICAGO – While Alfred Hitchcock and more recently M. Night Shyamalan have teetered between whether or not to write roles for themselves into their own scripts, there’s no tottering for Chicago-born Marvel Comics writer and “Underworld: Rise of the Lycans” character creator Kevin Grevioux.

Video Game Review: ‘Skate 2’ Lives Up to Expectations in Every Way

Skate 2
HollywoodChicago.com Video Game Rating: 4.5/5.0
Video Game Rating: 4.5/5.0

CHICAGO – As icicles hang at skate parks and snow-covered ground makes it hard to roll, EA’s excellent “Skate 2” will probably be your favorite diversion throughout the winter.

User Login

Free Giveaway Mailing

TV, DVD, BLU-RAY & THEATER REVIEWS

  • Manhunt

    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+.

  • Topdog/Underdog, Invictus Theatre

    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.

Advertisement



HollywoodChicago.com on Twitter

archive

HollywoodChicago.com Top Ten Discussions
referendum
tracker