CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio review for the doc series “Charlie Hustle & the Matter of Pete Rose,” about the rise and bitter fall of the major league legend, the MLB’s all-time hits leader, only to be banned from the sport because of gambling. Streaming on MAX and on HBO since July 24th.!—break—>
August 2010
Video Game Review: Gorgeous World of ‘Mafia II’ Still Feels Empty
Submitted by BrianTT on August 31, 2010 - 7:52pmCHICAGO – It is not uncommon for major awards season contenders in the world of film to come off more like very expensive paintings with all the right visual flourishes and technical elements but lacking the soul or the heart to make them truly effective. It happens every year. 2K Games’ “Mafia II” is the equivalent in the world of gaming.
Interview: Oscar Winner Rita Moreno on Her Life in America
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 31, 2010 - 7:35pmCHICAGO – The former Rosa Dolores Alverio, better known to audiences as Rita Moreno, has had a glorious and tempestuous journey through life and show business. One of her most notable roles is as Anita, the fiery friend of Maria in the film version of “West Side Story,” in which Moreno stops the show with the song “America.”
Interview: Director Nanette Burstein is ‘Going the Distance’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 31, 2010 - 11:52amCHICAGO – Nanette Burstein, known mostly for her excellent documentaries “The Kid Stays in the Picture” and “American Teen,” makes her narrative feature film director debut with the comedy “Going the Distance,” with Drew Barrymore, Justin Long, Jason Sudeikis, Christina Applegate and Jim Gaffigan.
Blu-Ray Review: John Cassavetes Dazzles in ‘Machine Gun McCain’
Submitted by mattmovieman on August 31, 2010 - 8:51amCHICAGO – It’s pretty hard for contemporary audiences to look at a title like “Machine Gun McCain,” and not immediately make a political joke out of it. The most obvious one would be, “What’s the sequel called, “‘Pistol-Packing Palin’?” Of course, this minor cult classic came out long before the 2008 election, and was playing in theaters at the same time John McCain was being held as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam.
Slideshow: 28 Celebrity Portraits From Wizard World’s 2010 Chicago Comic Con
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 30, 2010 - 9:47pmCHICAGO – It was Chicago’s turn for Comic Con action the weekend of August 20th-22th, and even ex-Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich showed up to greet fans and sign autographs. Adam West, Burt Ward, Julie Newmar, Lindsay Wagner, Micky Dolenz, John Savage and Linda Blair were also among the celebrities gracing the show.
DVD Review: Diminishing Returns Hamper French Sequel ‘OSS 117: Lost in Rio’
Submitted by BrianTT on August 30, 2010 - 8:21pmCHICAGO – Like most people who were lucky enough to see it, I thoroughly enjoyed the clever comedy “OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies.” With a spectacular lead performance by Jean Dujardin, the film was a clever riff on spy movies that played not unlike a French Austin Powers but with the added twist that the title character was actually one pulled directly from ’60s spy movies. Imagine if James Bond went away for four decades and was rebooted as a satire of his sexist, racist, and generally stupid persona.
Blu-Ray Review: ‘The Simpsons: The Thirteenth Season’ Returns Series to Top Form
Submitted by BrianTT on August 30, 2010 - 4:53pmCHICAGO – Long past the point when most thought it would be canceled, “The Simpsons” moved into its thirteenth season in the fall of 2001, not quite as clever or culturally relevant as at its peak but still funnier than a lot of television of its time. The first season of “The Simpsons” on Blu-ray with the same caliber of special features as the majority of releases for the most influential cartoon of all time returns the series to the must-buy form it lost with the disappointing “The Simpsons: The Complete Twentieth Season.”
‘Modern Family,’ ‘Mad Men’ Lead Emmy Award Winners as Best Comedy, Drama
Submitted by BrianTT on August 29, 2010 - 10:13pmCHICAGO – Jimmy Fallon brought his increasingly impressive wit to the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday night, August 29th, 2010, at which AMC’s “Mad Men” and ABC’s “Modern Family” were the big winners with Eric Stonestreet, Jane Lynch, Jim Parsons, Edie Falco, Aaron Paul, Archie Panjabi, Bryan Cranston, and Kyra Sedgwick walking away with the major awards.
Film Review: Riveting ‘The Last Exorcism’ Burns Its Way Under Your Skin
Submitted by BrianTT on August 29, 2010 - 10:50amCHICAGO – Working from inspirations as diverse as “The Exorcist” and Lars Von Trier, Daniel Stamm’s “The Last Exorcism” is one of the most interesting and accomplished horror debuts of the last few years. The final act gets a bit predictably messy but the fascinating slow burn of the first two more than makes up for any stumbling near the finish line.
Riveting ‘The Last Exorcism’ Burns Its Way Under Your Skin
Submitted by BrianTT on August 29, 2010 - 10:47am![]() Rating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Working from inspirations as diverse as “The Exorcist” and Lars Von Trier, Daniel Stamm’s “The Last Exorcism” is one of the most interesting and accomplished horror debuts of the last few years. The final act gets a bit predictably messy but the fascinating slow burn of the first two more than makes up for any stumbling near the finish line.
Film Review: Excellent Young Actors Carry Rob Reiner’s Nostalgic ‘Flipped’
Submitted by BrianTT on August 29, 2010 - 10:22am![]() Rating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Rob Reiner’s “Flipped” is not merely nostalgic for an era when life seemed simpler and sweeter but for an age when every minor detail meant the world and love was as simple as looking into the eyes of a new neighbor. We all remember the days when the smallest act of kindness or meanness changed everything and, thanks to two very strong central performances, “Flipped” captures the essence of those times in a gentle, sentimental romance.
Excellent Young Actors Carry Rob Reiner’s Nostalgic ‘Flipped’
Submitted by BrianTT on August 29, 2010 - 10:18am![]() Rating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Rob Reiner’s “Flipped” is not merely nostalgic for an era when life seemed simpler and sweeter but for an age when every minor detail meant the world and love was as simple as looking into the eyes of a new neighbor. We all remember the days when the smallest act of kindness or meanness changed everything and, thanks to two very strong central performances, “Flipped” captures the essence of those times in a gentle, sentimental romance.
Film Reviews: ‘Around a Small Mountain,’ ‘Vengeance,’ ‘Valhalla Rising’ Play Siskel Film Center
Submitted by BrianTT on August 27, 2010 - 4:51pmCHICAGO – With the last days of August remaining, the dreaded days of post-summer dreck are upon us, with studios dumping some of their least promising products into theaters, while making way for the approaching Oscar season.
Film Review: Something’s Gotta Give With T.I., Matt Dillon in ‘Takers’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 27, 2010 - 7:48amCHICAGO – The ensemble cast is decent, the story fits the action/adventure essence of the heist film and one of the hottest music stars of the moment, Tip “T.I.” Harris, has a prominent role. Then why is the new film “Takers” such a seen-it-all-before exercise in action blandness?
Something’s Gotta Give With T.I., Matt Dillon in ‘Takers’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 27, 2010 - 7:38am![]() Rating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The ensemble cast is decent, the story fits the action/adventure essence of the heist film and one of the hottest music stars of the moment, Tip “T.I.” Harris, has a prominent role. Then why is the new film “Takers” such a seen-it-all-before exercise in action blandness? It feels like a total waste of all those resources.
Film Review: Vincent Cassel Gives Riveting Performance in ‘Mesrine: Killer Instinct’
Submitted by BrianTT on August 26, 2010 - 8:42pmCHICAGO – The film around its riveting central performance may be a little more flawed than the entire project’s international reputation would have you believe but Vincent Cassel alone makes a trip to “Mesrine: Killer Instinct” worth the time and emotional effort. Be warned that this is not a crime epic for the faint of heart and those who have difficulty with an anti-hero protagonist may be turned off but those attuned to this kind of storytelling will find a lot to like here.
Vincent Cassel Gives Riveting Performance in ‘Mesrine: Killer Instinct’
Submitted by BrianTT on August 26, 2010 - 8:36pm![]() Rating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The film around its riveting central performance may be a little more flawed than the entire project’s international reputation would have you believe but Vincent Cassel alone makes a trip to “Mesrine: Killer Instinct” worth the time and emotional effort. Be warned that this is not a crime epic for the faint of heart and those who have difficulty with an anti-hero protagonist may be turned off but those attuned to this kind of storytelling will find a lot to like here.
Blu-Ray Review: Concert Releases From The Pixies, Black Label Society
Submitted by BrianTT on August 26, 2010 - 3:03pmCHICAGO – The great Eagle Rock Entertainment released a pair of concert Blu-rays this week that deserve your attention, especially for serious fans of either of the bands involved. Frank Black, Kim Deal and the rest of The Pixies rock in a pair of shows on “Pixies Live: Acoustic and Electric” and Zakk Wylde (don’t miss our exclusive portrait) proves his guitar-god prowess on “Black Label Society: The European Invasion Doom Troopin’”
Who Will Win the 2010 Emmys: ‘Mad Men,’ ‘Modern Family,’ ‘The Good Wife,’ ‘30 Rock,’ ‘Dexter’
Submitted by BrianTT on August 26, 2010 - 1:12pmCHICAGO – With the Emmys almost upon us on Sunday, Aug. 29, 2010, it’s the right time to take one last look at the nominees for the last television year and do what all awards watchers love to do best: predict who will win, who should win and lament the snubs.
HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 25 Chicago Passes to War Documentary ‘The Tillman Story’
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on August 26, 2010 - 11:54amCHICAGO – In our latest war documentary edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 25 admit-two passes up for grabs to the advance Chicago screening of the new film “The Tillman Story”!
Interview: Daniel Stamm Finds Devilish Inspiration in ‘The Last Exorcism’
Submitted by BrianTT on August 25, 2010 - 8:42pmCHICAGO – Daniel Stamm makes films that, to quote a character from his first drama, “Play with the boundaries of what is comfortable to document.” His first work was a dark character piece called “A Necessary Death” about a filmmaker’s efforts to film an actual suicide.
Movie News: 2010 Chicago International Film Festival Announces First 20 Films
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 25, 2010 - 1:59pmCHICAGO – Cinema/Chicago is proud to announce the first 20 new films scheduled to appear at the 2010 Chicago International Film Festival, October 7th – 21st. The Chicago festival continues to combine the films of established directors/talent with promising newcomers. Expect some foreign and domestic film surprises.
Chicago Red Carpet: T.I. Channels His Acting Side in ‘Takers’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 25, 2010 - 7:22amCHICAGO – Tip “T.I.” Harris has conquered the charts and the music business as a performer, producer and entrepreneur. He was recently in Chicago at a red carpet premiere for his film “Takers,” on which he serves as executive producer and co-stars with Matt Dillon, Hayden Christensen and Zoe Salanda.
Blu-Ray Review: ‘The Last Song’ Fails to Hit Emotional Notes
Submitted by mattmovieman on August 25, 2010 - 7:18amCHICAGO – Nicholas Sparks is the Michael Bay of touchy-feely weepies. No matter how derivative or cynically calculating his stories prove to be, they never fail to rake in the dough. Several of his books have been turned into blockbusters, the best of which benefit greatly from the strength of their cast, as in “A Walk to Remember” and “The Notebook.”
Slideshow: 27-Image Gallery For ‘Takers’ Starring Paul Walker, Zoe Saldana
Submitted by BrianTT on August 24, 2010 - 8:58pmCHICAGO – This 27-image slideshow contains all of the official press images for the highly anticipated “Takers,” starring Matt Dillon, Paul Walker, Zoe Saldana, Idris Elba, Jay Hernandez, Michael Ealy, Tip ‘T.I.’ Harris, Chris Brown, and Hayden Christensen. The film was written by Peter Allen & Gabriel Casseus and John Luessenhop & Avery Duff and directed by John Luessenhop. It will be released on August 27th, 2010.
HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 3 DVDs of ‘One Tree Hill’ Season 7
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on August 24, 2010 - 4:31pmCHICAGO – In our latest edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: DVD, we have three DVD sets up for grabs to the complete season seven of “One Tree Hill”!
Blu-Ray Review: Fantastic HD Release For Final Season of ‘Lost’
Submitted by BrianTT on August 24, 2010 - 11:32amCHICAGO – A Blu-ray review of the controversial final season of “Lost” is not the place to get into arguments over the quality of the actual finale, so I’ll get my opinion out of the way quickly and then we can discuss the Blu-ray release more than the ending specifically — the final season of “Lost” is arguably the best final season of any program ever and the last episode is the perfect bookend for a show too ambitious to be truly influential.
TV News: Demand a Sneak Screening of NBC’s ‘The Event’ Premiere in Your Hometown
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on August 24, 2010 - 10:19amCHICAGO – “The Event,” which is one of the fall’s most highly anticipated TV shows, last week was named HollywoodChicago.com’s most promising new TV show of fall 2010 beating nine other worthy rivals.
DVD Review: ‘Cougar Town’ With Courteney Cox Deserves Another Chance
Submitted by BrianTT on August 24, 2010 - 10:16amCHICAGO – If you’re like most people, you probably wrote off “Cougar Town” after hearing the overly simplified concept or watching the incredibly sporadic first few months of the ABC series. You should take another look. The Courteney Cox vehicle, now on DVD, changed gears so radically that there’s a special feature about the mid-season shift in tone on the DVD and I have a feeling this series could improve even more in season two, finding a rhythm that it could maintain for years to come.
Blu-Ray Review: Brittany Murphy Deserved Better Send-Off Than ‘Abandoned’
Submitted by BrianTT on August 24, 2010 - 10:05amCHICAGO – I wonder how the movie history books will remember Brittany Murphy, who died suddenly at the end of 2009. When she went, she had a few films in some stage of post-production and one, the thriller “Abandoned,” makes its way to Blu-ray and DVD this week. The film works about as well as your average straight-to-DVD thriller but distinguishes itself a bit due to Murphy’s underrated acting ability, but this actress deserved a more fitting final note.