August 2009

CHICAGO – Although the name Jim Sturgess might not be recognized, his work in ‘Across the Universe’ and ‘21’ has certainly made him identifiable. He is in a newly released film about the Irish Republican Army, “Fifty Dead Man Walking.”

CHICAGO – It’s senior year for the spoiled socialites of “Gossip Girl” as the second season of the hit CW show finds the characters applying for college amid scandals, new romances (and old ones), and shifting alliances. It’s just another crazy year in the life of “Gossip Girl: The Complete Second Season,” now available on DVD in a gorgeous box set from Warner Brothers.

CHICAGO – Our wonderful DreamWorks contact just sent over the DVD and Blu-Ray details, along with the cover art, for the biggest movie of the year, “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”. The Michael Bay blockbuster with Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, and Tyrese Gibson will land in exactly two months, on October 20th, 2009.

CHICAGO – I have to admit to looking forward to watching a few episodes of the new “90210,” now on DVD, in the same way that a lot of people look forward to a root canal. It’s not that I’m a loyalist to the original (unlike most of my generation, I barely saw the show), but most of the press surrounding the show’s original run on The CW annoyed me to no end and it felt like a blatant attempt to cash in on the success of “Gossip Girl” with another teeny-bopper soap opera.

CHICAGO – Dennis Iliadis’ brutal and accomplished remake of Wes Craven’s influential horror classic “The Last House on the Left,” now available on Blu-Ray and DVD, deserves a much better home release than the typically reliable Universal/Rogue has delivered for horror fans this week.

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Krista Allen as Samantha.

CHICAGO – This 18-image slideshow contains the official press images for “The Final Destination,” starring Bobby Campo, Shantel VanSanten, Haley Webb, Mykelti Williamson, Krista Allen, and Nick Zano. The film was written by Eric Bress and directed by David R. Ellis and opens on August 28th, 2009. It is rated R.

CHICAGO – It’s truly amazing how very few films not in the English language find audiences in this country. A film as universally acclaimed as “The Class,” the winner of the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival and a nominee for the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, should have been able to find an audience, but the fact is that most people skipped it in theaters and I worry they will on Blu-Ray and DVD as well. Don’t miss this one.

CHICAGO – Hardcore movie lovers know the joy of finding a clever comedy or taut thriller that they had never even heard of before they went to the video store. What’s more exciting? Having your preview-determined opinions confirmed or finding something totally off the beaten path? It may not be perfect, but Russ Pond’s consistently interesting “Fissure” could be the hidden gem you’re looking for this weekend.

CHICAGO – While I watched the relatively clever and surprisingly charming “17 Again,” I kept thinking the same thing - “John Hughes would have totally dug this movie.” The recently deceased king of ’80s teen comedies feels like a clear inspiration for this Zac Efron vehicle, now on Blu-Ray and DVD.

CHICAGO – Following Lisa Kudrow’s wildly successful, 10-year run as Phoebe Buffay on 238 episodes of “Friends,” the 46-year-old Encino, Calif. native is hardly the spacey blonde from 1997’s “Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion”.

CHICAGO – Timothy Olyphant, star of HBO’s “Deadwood” and FX’s “Damages,” and films including “Go,” “A Perfect Getaway,” “Hitman,” “Catch and Release,” and many more, returns to television early next year in FX’s latest original series, “Lawman,” from creator Graham Yost (“Boomtown”) and based on a character created by Elmore Leonard (“Get Shorty,” “Out of Sight”).

CHICAGO – Two of HBO’s most acclaimed and beloved programs of the last year just hit DVD and both packages are worth the pick-up for anyone who considers themselves a serious collector of TV on DVD - “Flight of the Conchords: Season Two” and “Grey Gardens”. Both were nominated for multiple Emmys, standing among the best television of 2008 and 2009.

CHICAGO – In our latest edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 25 admit-two run-of-engagement passes up for grabs to the new film “Paper Heart” in Chicago.

CHICAGO – “Fame” is one of the most highly anticipated films of the fall, but talented actors, singers, musicians, and dancers can have their shot at glory before the movie opens on September 25th, 2009 by participating in the “Fame National Talent Search” at Six Flags Great America.