CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio review for the streaming series “Emily in Paris” the adventures of Emily Cooper and her fanciful/fashionable Paris friends and lovers, now in its fourth season. Episodes 1-5 currently on Netflix.
December 2009
Blu-Ray Review: ‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince’ Looks Amazing in HD
Submitted by BrianTT on December 17, 2009 - 4:04pmCHICAGO – “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” is one of the most visually striking films of a year filled with achievements in great cinematography. I love Deakins’ work on “A Serious Man,” Richardson’s on “Inglourious Basterds,” and Christian Berger’s on “The White Ribbon,” but Bruno Delbonnel (who also lensed “Amelie”) has helped produce one of the most aesthetically remarkable films of the year, easily the most interesting interplay of shadow and light yet seen in a “Potter” film. Naturally, it makes for a great fit with the 1080p of Blu-Ray.
New Trailer, Pictures Released For ‘Iron Man 2’ With Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Mickey Rourke
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on December 17, 2009 - 3:36pm
Robert Downey Jr. returns as billionaire industrialist Tony Stark (Iron Man) under the direction of Jon Favreau in Iron Man 2.CHICAGO – This 18-image slideshow contains new imagery from the highly anticipated “Iron Man” sequel “Iron Man 2,” which stars Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Mickey Rourke, Sam Rockwell, Samuel L. Jackson, Jon Favreau, Don Cheadle, Gwyneth Paltrow and Stan Lee.
Blu-Ray Review: Mega-Hit ‘The Hangover’ Drunk on Comedy Success
Submitted by BrianTT on December 17, 2009 - 12:54pmCHICAGO – “The Hangover” is arguably the most successful comedy of all time (only a few dollars below “Meet the Fockers” that would probably disappear if you adjust for inflation). The comedy that proved that star power and sequelitis don’t have to drive every Summer movie was wildly beloved by audiences and fans of the film have been given a Blu-Ray release drunk on the film’s success and loaded with special features, including an unrated version of the movie itself.
New Trailer, Stills Released For ‘Alice in Wonderland’ With Johnny Depp, Mia Wasikowska
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on December 17, 2009 - 12:20amCHICAGO – This eight-image slideshow contains new imagery from the highly anticipated Tim Burton film “Alice in Wonderland,” which stars Johnny Depp (as The Mad Hatter), Mia Wasikowska (Alice Kingsley), Helena Bonham Carter (The Red Queen) and Anne Hathaway (The White Queen).
Video Game Review: Truly Awful ‘Rogue Warrior’ Fails on Every Level
Submitted by BrianTT on December 16, 2009 - 12:44pmCHICAGO – We’ve become spoiled by the next generation of gaming. Most high-profile games have gone through enough research and development during their production and are made by such experienced developers that they rarely come out of the industry machine with little to no redeeming value at all. Sure, there are disappointments, but you don’t see as many complete bombs in the gaming world as you do in film, music, or TV. The exception to the rule is the truly awful “Rogue Warrior”.
Blu-Ray Review: ‘Taking Woodstock’ Has Plentiful Atmosphere, Little Depth
Submitted by mattmovieman on December 16, 2009 - 12:05pmCHICAGO – Ang Lee’s take on the landmark music festival isn’t a film so much as a filmed idea. It aims to capture the atmosphere of the concert without ever showing the actual music. Of course, the real show was the crowd itself.
‘Up in the Air,’ ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ Lead Nominations By Chicago Film Critics Association
Submitted by BrianTT on December 16, 2009 - 11:29amCHICAGO – The Chicago Film Critics Association, of which HollywoodChicago.com writers Brian Tallerico, Adam Fendelman, and Pat McDonald are all voting members, announced their nominees for the best of 2009 this morning.
Blu-Ray Review: Give Johnny Depp, Michael Mann’s ‘Public Enemies’ Another Chance
Submitted by BrianTT on December 15, 2009 - 4:51pmCHICAGO – On paper, Michael Mann’s “Public Enemies” looked like it would be a clear contender for end-of-the-year consideration but it has been largely forgotten, only a few months after its release. The cold, dense film didn’t register strongly enough with critics or audiences and it looks like it could disappear without much fanfare. What I think is more likely is that Mann’s dark, complex film will slowly get the recognition it deserves on the home market and it starts with this Blu-Ray release.
Blu-Ray Review: Ultimate Edition of ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’
Submitted by BrianTT on December 15, 2009 - 3:51pmCHICAGO – Clear some shelf space for the gigantic Blu-Ray releases of the first two “Harry Potter” films, timed with the not-as-enormous edition release of “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” the same week. These ultimate editions, complete with collectibles and new special features, are great collector’s set gifts for the holidays for the Potter nut in your family but feel a bit like overkill for everyone else.
Video Game Review: Addictive, Gorgeous ‘Assassin’s Creed 2’ is a Must-Play
Submitted by BrianTT on December 15, 2009 - 2:22pmCHICAGO – The team behind the highly anticipated “Assassin’s Creed 2” have delivered one of the most remarkably realized and complete video game worlds of the year, a journey back in time to when a man’s word meant as much as the edge of his sword. With very few hiccups, “Assassin’s Creed 2” gives fans exactly what the expect, improving significantly on the original without deviating from what worked about the first hit game.
‘Up in the Air,’ ‘Nine,’ ‘Glee’ Lead 2009 Golden Globe Nominations
Submitted by BrianTT on December 15, 2009 - 12:37pmCHICAGO – The nominees for the the 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards were revealed today and the George Clooney dramedy “Up in the Air” and the Daniel Day-Lewis musical “Nine” led the way in the film categories with six and five nominations, respectively, while acclaimed new show “Glee” led the way in the television category with four nominations.
Blu-Ray Review: ‘Julie & Julia’ an Appetizer in Need of a Main Course
Submitted by mattmovieman on December 15, 2009 - 11:46amCHICAGO – 2009 has been a year of supremely underwhelming biopics, primarily because Hollywood has bent over backwards to make them marketable. You’d think that the idea of Meryl Streep playing Julia Child, or Morgan Freeman playing Nelson Mandela, or uncanny newcomer Christian McKay playing Orson Welles would be enough to sell a picture.
Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman Deliver Predictable Drama With ‘Invictus’
Submitted by BrianTT on December 14, 2009 - 5:18pmCHICAGO – Director Clint Eastwood has given up on subtlety, choosing instead to tell old-fashioned, direct stories with as much technical skill and dramatic competency as possible.
Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman Deliver Predictable Drama With ‘Invictus’
Submitted by BrianTT on December 14, 2009 - 5:15pm Rating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Director Clint Eastwood has given up on subtlety, choosing instead to tell old-fashioned, direct stories with as much technical skill and dramatic competency as possible. There’s nothing particularly wrong with the legendary director’s “Invictus,” but it’s also not nearly as memorable or thrilling as it could have or, given the true story that it tells, should have been.
Blu-Ray Review: Overly Manic ‘Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian’
Submitted by BrianTT on December 14, 2009 - 4:41pmCHICAGO – The CGI smorgasbord that is “Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian” is likely to suffice as a babysitter this holiday season as eggnog is made or holiday shopping is concluded. Families are likely to be satisfied by the everything-and-the-kitchen-sink mania that will work for toddlers hopped up on Christmas candy, but the film itself will collapse for their parents, babysitters, and even their older siblings.
Blu-Ray Review: ‘A Christmas Tale’ Offers French Take on Family Dysfunction
Submitted by mattmovieman on December 14, 2009 - 12:23pmCHICAGO – When American filmmakers throw a colorful familial ensemble under one roof for the holidays, the result often feels like a forced sitcom. Consider 2005’s “The Family Stone,” an ungainly fusion of slapstick laughs, scathing satire and feel good fuzziness.
DVD Review: ‘Paper Heart’ Intriguingly Blurs Line Between Reality, Fiction
Submitted by mattmovieman on December 11, 2009 - 3:02pmCHICAGO – Some actors are so good that it’s easy to take their work for granted. Take Michael Cera, the veteran child actor-turned-unlikely teen heartthrob. From his breakout work in “Arrested Development,” to his crowd-pleasing performances in “Superbad” and “Juno,” Cera has created a comic persona as indelible as Woody Allen’s.
Disney Magic is Hopping to New Orleans in ‘The Princess and the Frog’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on December 11, 2009 - 9:24amCHICAGO – The feature animation film tradition, invented by and fostered by the Walt Disney Company for close to 70 years, gets another glorious rendition in their latest release, “The Princess and the Frog.”
Disney Magic is Hopping to New Orleans in ‘The Princess and the Frog’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on December 11, 2009 - 9:19am Rating: 4.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The feature animation film tradition, invented by and fostered by the Walt Disney Company for close to 70 years, gets another glorious rendition in their latest release, “The Princess and the Frog.”
DVD Review: ‘The Cove’ Captures Truths That Deserve Global Awareness
Submitted by BrianTT on December 10, 2009 - 3:44pmCHICAGO – Ric O’Barry made the world fall in love with dolphins. He captured and trained the five dolphins used in the classic TV series, “Flipper.” But as he learned more about these extraordinarily intelligent, self-aware creatures, he became increasingly disturbed about the detrimental effects of their captivity.
Blu-Ray Review: First Season of HBO’s ‘The Sopranos’ Comes to HD
Submitted by BrianTT on December 9, 2009 - 9:43pmCHICAGO – The network that redefined TV on DVD has some catching up to do when it comes to Blu-Ray. When you buy a Blu-Ray player for that TV-loving viewer in your family, they can buy all five seasons of “Lost,” the complete series of “Battlestar Galactica,” and even the original “Star Trek” on Blu-Ray, but most HBO series are just catching up. With an excellent recent release for “Rome,” the studio/network now turns its gaze to the best program of the ’00s with the first season of “The Sopranos”.
TV News: FX Comedy ‘The League’ Expands to Second Season
Submitted by BrianTT on December 9, 2009 - 9:27pmCHICAGO – FX has picked up the network’s freshman comedy series “The League”. The network has decided to expand the next season to 13 episodes, announced Nick Gad, Executive Vice President of Original Programming, FX Networks.
2010 Warner Bros. Picture Preview: ‘Sex and the City 2,’ ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street,’ ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’
Submitted by BrianTT on December 9, 2009 - 5:50pm
Denzel Washington as Eli in Alcon Entertainments action adventure film The Book Of Eli, a Warner Bros. Pictures release.CHICAGO – Warner Brothers has released a slate of images from their entire 2010 schedule of films, including “The Book of Eli,” “Edge of Darkness,” “Valentine’s Day,” “Untitled Cop Movie,” “Hubble 3D,” “Clash of the Titans,” “The Losers,” “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” “Sex and the City 2,” “Jonah Hex,” “The Lottery Ticket,” “The Town,” “Flipped,” “Going the Distance,” “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” and “Life As We Know It”.
Interview: ‘The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day’ Director Troy Duffy on Hollywood’s ‘Financial Irresponsibility’
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on December 8, 2009 - 7:13pmCHICAGO – “There’s not a bigger ‘f*ck you!’ from Hollywood than when they say: ‘Eh, we’re not going to release this film.’”
Blu-Ray Review: Underrated ‘Angel Heart’ With Mickey Rourke, Robert De Niro
Submitted by BrianTT on December 8, 2009 - 1:41pmCHICAGO – Some movies from my youth have not aged as well as memory would have me believe. We’ve all been there. A movie we thought was great when we were a teenager looks downright awful with the passage of time. I was worried that my memory of Alan Parker’s “Angel Heart” was through similar rose-colored glasses. Worry not. “Angel Heart” is even better than you remember.
TV Review: ‘Better Off Ted’ Deserves to Develop an Audience
Submitted by BrianTT on December 8, 2009 - 12:38pmCHICAGO – With their renewal of “Better Off Ted” and “Scrubs,” it’s clear that ABC is unwilling to throw in the towel and give up on a comedy that’s not finding its audience. Before the wonderful arrival of “Modern Family,” easily one of the best shows on TV, ABC was not recently known as the place for laughs and there has clearly been a conscious effort to change that including giving the relatively audience deficient “Better Off Ted” another shot at finding a following (as well as scheduling an entire night of new comedy to start the season on Wednesdays).
HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: VIP Prize Pack, 15 Passes to George Clooney’s ‘Up in the Air’
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on December 8, 2009 - 2:05amCHICAGO – In our latest edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have a VIP prize pack for one lucky winner along with 15 run-of-engagement runners-up movie passes for the new film “Up in the Air”!
Blu-Ray Review: ‘Funny People’ Disappointing Movie, Amazing Blu-Ray
Submitted by BrianTT on December 7, 2009 - 5:17pmCHICAGO – Whatever problems I may have with Judd Apatow’s “Funny People” (and I’ll get to those, trust me), the Blu-Ray release for the comedy is easily one of the most extensive and impressive of the year with hours of bonus material and some amazing archival footage that makes the package a must-own for fans of the film. If only the movie itself lived up to such an impressive HD treatment.
Blu-Ray Review: Forgettable ‘Terminator Salvation’ Gets Supreme Treatment on Blu-Ray
Submitted by BrianTT on December 7, 2009 - 4:38pmCHICAGO – The “Terminator” series is not one of the great modern movie franchises. The films have mainly served as ideal vehicles for the limited acting range of Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose muscular build and Austrian accent were perfect for the role of a formidable, oft-mute cyborg.
Blu-Ray Review: Excellent Release For ‘Fight Club: 10th Anniversary Edition’
Submitted by BrianTT on December 7, 2009 - 4:03pmCHICAGO – What took so long? Seriously, why are studios waiting so long to release some essential titles on Blu-Ray? Every time someone asks me why I think that Blu-Ray hasn’t taken off as quickly as some insiders expected, I have the same answer. “Because your favorite movie isn’t on Blu-Ray.” At least one of those “favorite movies” can be checked off the list with the release of “Fight Club” in a glorious tenth anniversary edition from Fox.
