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.
April 2010
HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Day 3 of 10 Days of ‘Iron Man 2’ Giveaways
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on April 30, 2010 - 4:30pmCHICAGO – HollywoodChicago.com welcomes back our earlier contestants to day three of our exclusive 10 Days of “Iron Man 2” giveaway! If you didn’t win yesterday or learn about the fun until now, today’s your next chance to win! And if today isn’t yours, tomorrow might be!
‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ Remake Plays Like a Bad Dream
Submitted by BrianTT on April 30, 2010 - 2:59pmCHICAGO – Samuel Bayer’s remake of Wes Craven’s “A Nightmare on Elm Street” may be about repressed memories coming back in horrific ways, but it ironically ends up one of the least memorable films of 2010 to date. Not as abrasive as the “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” remakes and not as dumb as “The Amityville Horror,” “A Nightmare on Elm Street” is merely forgettable; something never said about the influential original.
‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ Remake Plays Like a Bad Dream
Submitted by BrianTT on April 30, 2010 - 2:55pm![]() Rating: 1.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Samuel Bayer’s remake of Wes Craven’s “A Nightmare on Elm Street” may be about repressed memories coming back in horrific ways, but it ironically ends up one of the least memorable films of 2010 to date. Not as abrasive as the “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” remakes and not as dumb as “The Amityville Horror,” “A Nightmare on Elm Street” is merely forgettable; something never said about the influential original.
Blu-Ray Review: Beautifully Designed Drama of ‘The Young Victoria’
Submitted by BrianTT on April 30, 2010 - 9:56amCHICAGO – The end of April and beginning of May has produced an onslaught of 2009 Oscar winners and nominees on Blu-ray including “Avatar,” “Crazy Heart,” “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus,” “Nine,” and Oscar winner for Best Costume Design, “The Young Victoria”.
Blu-Ray Review: Oscar Winner Jeff Bridges in Excellent ‘Crazy Heart’
Submitted by BrianTT on April 30, 2010 - 9:24amCHICAGO – The Oscar-winning “Crazy Heart,” recently released on Blu-ray and DVD, is miraculous proof that sometimes a veteran actor need merely wait for the right young director to write them the part that will finally get them the credit they deserve. Jeff Bridges has long been Hollywood’s most underrated leading man and it took debut writer/director Scott Cooper to get him long-deserved praise.
Australian Noir Hit ‘The Square’ is Riveting Directorial Debut
Submitted by BrianTT on April 30, 2010 - 8:48am![]() Rating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – A spectacular alternative to the glut of blockbusters about to dominate the marketplace, Nash Edgerton’s “The Square” heralds the arrival of a major new talent on the international movie scene. A riveting tale of a small group of people doing very bad (and pretty dumb) things, “The Square” works from beginning to end and stands as one of the best feature debuts of the year to date.
Australian Noir Hit ‘The Square’ is Riveting Directorial Debut
Submitted by BrianTT on April 30, 2010 - 8:45am![]() Rating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – A spectacular alternative to the glut of blockbusters about to dominate the marketplace, Nash Edgerton’s “The Square” heralds the arrival of a major new talent on the international movie scene. A riveting tale of a small group of people doing very bad (and pretty dumb) things, “The Square” works from beginning to end and stands as one of the best feature debuts of the year to date.
Michael Caine Gets Dirty in the Intriguing ‘Harry Brown’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 30, 2010 - 3:14amCHICAGO – Who needs the Dark Knight when there is Michael Caine, not as Alfred the Butler, but as the Vigilante Retiree and title character in “Harry Brown.” And he does it all without a rubber suit, just tons of firepower.
Michael Caine Gets Dirty in the Intriguing ‘Harry Brown’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 30, 2010 - 3:01am![]() Rating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Who needs the Dark Knight when there is Michael Caine, not as Alfred the Butler, but as the Vigilante Retiree and title character in “Harry Brown.” And he does it all without a rubber suit, just tons of firepower.
Video: Trailer For Video Game Tie-In to ‘Iron Man 2’
Submitted by BrianTT on April 29, 2010 - 9:34pmCHICAGO – Most big summer movies come with a video game tie-in and Sega sent over the trailer for next week’s “Iron Man 2,” available for PS3, Xbox 360, PSP, Nintendo DS, and Nintendo Wii and we just had to share. Check it out and come back for regular “Iron Man 2” coverage including 10 days of giveaways, two slideshows, and reviews of both the film and game. HollywoodChicago.com is your Tony Stark headquarters.
Slideshow: 26-Image Gallery For ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ With Jackie Earle Haley
Submitted by BrianTT on April 29, 2010 - 9:12pmCHICAGO – This 26-image slideshow contains all of the official press images for Samuel Bayer’s “A Nightmare on Elm Street” with Jackie Earle Haley, Rooney Mara, Kyle Gallner, Katie Cassidy, Thomas Dekker, Kellan Lutz, Clancy Brown, Connie Britton, and Lia D. Mortensen. It was written by Wesley Strick and Eric Heisserer. The film opens on April 30th, 2010.
HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Day 2 of 10 Days of ‘Iron Man 2’ Giveaways
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on April 29, 2010 - 2:27pmCHICAGO – HollywoodChicago.com welcomes back day-one contestants to the continuation of our exclusive 10 Days of “Iron Man 2” giveaway! If you didn’t win yesterday or learn about the fun until now, today’s your next chance to win! And if today isn’t yours, tomorrow might be!
HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Day 1 of 10 Days of ‘Iron Man 2’ Giveaways
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on April 28, 2010 - 11:04pmCHICAGO – Never before seen on HollywoodChicago.com, we are excited to feature 10 Days of “Iron Man 2” giveaways leading up to opening day of the highly anticipated film!
Oscar Winner Bill Condon to Direct ‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn’
Submitted by BrianTT on April 28, 2010 - 8:04pmCHICAGO – The final sequel to “Twilight,” “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn” just found itself an A-list director in the man behind the lens for “Kinsey” and “Dreamgirls” and an Oscar winner for his script for “Gods and Monsters” (and nominee for “Chicago”), Bill Condon.
Interview: Donisha Brown on the Enduring Show Legacy of ‘STOMP’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 28, 2010 - 7:10amCHICAGO – The dance and percussion show, “STOMP,” part of popular culture for close to 20 years, performs again in Chicago at the Bank of America Theater from April 28th through May 2nd. Donisha Brown, a “co-rehearsal Director” and performance artist in the show for over 11 years, is a crucial part of STOMP’s endurance.
TV Review: Cluttered ‘Happy Town’ Unlikely to Have Many Tourists
Submitted by BrianTT on April 27, 2010 - 8:53pmCHICAGO – Despite a star-powered supporting cast, an intriguing concept, and a set-up that seems right at home on the network that launched “Twin Peaks,” “Desperate Housewives,” and “Lost,” the new mystery/drama “Happy Town” never comes together.
Slideshow: ‘Iron Man 2’ Red-Carpet Premiere With Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow
Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 27, 2010 - 7:12pmHOLLYWOOD – Monday night was the night for the cool exec with the heart of steel, as the highly anticipated “Iron Man 2” premiered at the El Capitan Theater in Hollywood with a gala red carpet. In attendance were stars Robert Downey, Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Mickey Rourke and Scarlett Johansson.
Blu-Ray Review: ‘The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus’ With Heath Ledger, Johnny Depp
Submitted by BrianTT on April 27, 2010 - 1:19pmCHICAGO – Oscar-nominated for Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design, Terry Gilliam’s “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” is a great fit for Blu-ray as the luster of 1080p enhances the best thing about the movie. Highly touted as “Heath Ledger’s final film,” history is likely to remember the film as more of a return to form for the director of classics like “Brazil” and “The Fisher King”.
DVD Review: ‘The Descent: Part 2’ Merely Sinks
Submitted by BrianTT on April 27, 2010 - 12:40pmCHICAGO – Why does every successful horror film need a sequel? If they’re big enough, they usually come out theatrically, but there’s a whole sub-genre of straight-to-video follow-ups to horror hits, the latest being the truly bad “The Descent: Part 2,” a film that merely serves to enhance the reputation of the original by comparison.
HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: VIP Prize Packs For Film Noir ‘The Square’ From Nash, Joel Edgerton
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on April 27, 2010 - 1:03amCHICAGO – In our latest drama/thriller edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have VIP prize packs up for grabs to the new twist-filled film noir “The Square”!
TV News: TNT Renews Drama ‘Southland’ For Third Season
Submitted by BrianTT on April 26, 2010 - 4:51pmCHICAGO – The great “Southland” has been officially renewed for a third season, the first produced by TNT, that will air in January of 2011. The John Wells police drama started at NBC, where production began on a second season, but it was then canceled. TNT picked up the episodes already produced and aired them early this year but will now produce episodes of their own.
Interview: ‘22 Years From Home’ Director Malachi Leopold
Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 26, 2010 - 3:12pmCHICAGO – The “Lost Boys” of Sudan in African history has carved a place in culture representing extreme acts of terror in the midst of civil war. Malachi Leopold, a Chicago producer/director, will debut his documentary profiling one of those Lost Boys – Kuek Gurang – in “22 Years From Home,” April 27th at the Music Box Theatre here.
Blu-Ray Review: Well-Cast ‘Five Minutes of Heaven’ Tries Too Hard
Submitted by mattmovieman on April 26, 2010 - 2:51pmCHICAGO – “Five Minutes of Heaven” is a good film with the potential to be a great one. Though it garnered prizes for its writing and direction at Sundance, it’s precisely the work of screenwriter Guy Hibbert and director Oliver Hirschbiegel that makes the film occasionally falter. This material may have worked better as a two-man play featuring the same two stars, whose brilliant performances help the picture succeed in spite of itself.
Slideshow: 23-Image Gallery For ‘Iron Man 2’ With Robert Downey Jr., Mickey Rourke
Submitted by BrianTT on April 26, 2010 - 2:05pmCHICAGO – This 23-image slideshow contains all of the official press images for Jon Favreau’s “Iron Man 2” with Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, Mickey Rourke and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury. It was written by Justin Theroux and directed by Jon Favreau. The film opens on May 7th, 2010.
Blu-Ray Review: Crowd-Pleasing ‘It’s Complicated’ With Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin
Submitted by BrianTT on April 26, 2010 - 12:38pmCHICAGO – The crowd-pleasing comedy “It’s Complicated” is an excellent fit with Blu-ray in that we often have lower expectations when we’re sitting on our couch than when we’re paying the rising costs of seeing a film in the theaters. It may not be quite worth a purchase, but this star-powered semi-romance should definitely satisfy as a quality rental.
Blu-Ray Review: James Cameron’s ‘Avatar’ Revolutionizes HD
Submitted by BrianTT on April 26, 2010 - 12:17pmCHICAGO – When “Avatar” played in theaters, many viewers wondered how it would look at home without the benefit of 3D or IMAX to help propel the awe of the experience. The recently-released Blu-ray should settle any arguments.
Hal Holbrook Illuminates the Dying Light in ‘That Evening Sun’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 25, 2010 - 3:49pmCHICAGO – There are no epitaphs to be written if life is still coursing through the veins. In the film “That Evening Sun,” Hal Holbrook expresses the life coursing through him, as both a great actor and innate human being.
Hal Holbrook Illuminates the Dying Light in ‘That Evening Sun’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 25, 2010 - 3:41pm![]() Rating: 4.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – There are no epitaphs to be written if life is still coursing through the veins. In the film “That Evening Sun,” Hal Holbrook expresses the life coursing through him, as both a great actor and innate human being.
HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 25 Chicago Passes to ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ With Jackie Earle Haley
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on April 24, 2010 - 5:39pmCHICAGO – In our latest horror edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 25 admit-two passes up for grabs to the advance Chicago screening of the new “A Nightmare on Elm Street”.
Oscar-Winning ‘The Secret in Their Eyes’ Peers Into Argentina’s Past
Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 23, 2010 - 7:10pmCHICAGO – The 2009 Best Foreign Language Film, the compelling “The Secret in Their Eyes” from Argentina, explores a corrupt past with a longing and regret, through characters who seek to rectify their bygone days.