September 2011

Blu-Ray Review: Jean Cocteau’s ‘Orpheus’ Gets New Life on Criterion

Orpheus Blu-Ray

CHICAGO – “Interpret as you wish,” invites narrator and filmmaker Jean Cocteau prior to his contemporary retelling of the Orpheus legend and the second installment of his Orphic Trilogy, which also includes 1930’s “The Blood of a Poet” and 1960’s “Testament of Orpheus.” Cocteau’s 1950 masterwork, simply titled “Orpheus,” is one of his most emotionally complex and deeply personal projects. It’s also a lot of fun.

HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 40 Pairs of Chicago Passes to ‘50/50’ With Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen

50/50 with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen

CHICAGO – In our latest comedy/drama edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 40 admit-two passes up for grabs to the advance Chicago screening of the new film “50/50” starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen and Anna Kendrick!

Interview: Emotive Rocker Lauren Wolf to Outlive Today’s Digitized Dance Fad

CHICAGO – You can’t tune into top-40 radio today without hearing a host of new and previous artists all converging on the same fad: digitized dance music. While the club scene’s eating it all up for now, time has proven again and again that real music prevails over fancy studio theatrics.

Blu-Ray Review: Disney’s Sugar-Coated ‘Prom’ Lacks Tangible Insight

Prom Blu-Ray

CHICAGO – If your ideal vision of prom is best represented by “Carrie,” then odds are Disney’s “Prom” is not for you. In fact, if you are a high schooler, were a high schooler or may become a high schooler, “Prom” is guaranteed to strike you as monumentally childish. It’s the sort of harmless dreck so mediocre and generic that it could’ve been made in any time period. In a sense, it’s timeless dreck.

Exclusive Portrait: Chelsea Handler Tells No Lies in New Book ‘Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me’

Chelsea Handler, photo by Joe Arce.

CHICAGO – Chelsea Handler has many irons in the fire as the fall season takes hold. As she continues with her talk show “Chelsea Lately,” Handler’s working on a mid-season sitcom for NBC based on her successful memoir “Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea”. And she was in Chicago in May 2011 to promote her new book “Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me”.

Film News: ‘The Help’ Takes Top Spot at Box Office Again

The Help Box Office

For the third week in a row, a first for the year 2011, the same film has finished number one at the box office. The drama “The Help” finished in the top spot for the third week in a row in its fourth weekend in theaters. This is quite the accomplishment considering the film finished in second place in its opening weekend, the weekend the film produced the highest numbers.  

Film Review: Preachy, Absurd ‘Seven Days in Utopia’ Weakens Own Message

Seven Days in Utopia

CHICAGO – What do Robert Duvall and Melissa Leo have in common? They both have won an Oscar and they both cashed a paycheck for the fake virtuous hack job called “Seven Days in Utopia.” For Duvall especially, maybe the mortgage payment is due on the vacation home.

Preachy, Absurd ‘Seven Days in Utopia’ Weakens Own Message

HollywoodChicago.com Oscarman rating: 1.5/5.0
Rating: 1.5/5.0

CHICAGO – What do Robert Duvall and Melissa Leo have in common? They both have won an Oscar and they both cashed a paycheck for the fake virtuous hack job called “Seven Days in Utopia.” For Duvall especially, maybe the mortgage payment is due on the vacation home.

Film Review: ‘Shark Night 3D’ is Stupid Enough to Be a Cult Film

CHICAGO – “Shark Night 3D” is at the top of the food chain when it comes to the people-so-stupid-they-lack-basic-survival-skills category of horror thrillers, and has so many wrong elements it nearly swings back to be right.

‘Shark Night 3D’ is Stupid Enough to Be a Cult Film

HollywoodChicago.com Oscarman rating: 2.0/5.0
Rating: 2.0/5.0

CHICAGO – “Shark Night 3D” is at the top of the food chain when it comes to the people-so-stupid-they-lack-basic-survival-skills category of horror thrillers, and has so many wrong elements it nearly swings back to be right.

Film Review: Over-Produced, Misguided ‘Chasing Madoff’ Buries the Lead

Chasing Madoff

CHICAGO – What Errol Morris does so well is very, very difficult. He takes unusual interview subjects (“Fast, Cheap, & Out of Control,” “Mr. Death), sometimes even with a political background (“The Fog of War,” “Standard Operating Procedure”) and makes them completely riveting. Clearly inspired by the Morris filmography, Jeff Prosserman’s “Chasing Madoff” attempts that blend of personality and history but falls flat on its face. Rarely has a documentary taken a more interesting story and told it in a more annoying manner.

Over-Produced, Misguided ‘Chasing Madoff’ Buries the Lead

HollywoodChicago.com Oscarman rating: 1.5/5.0
Rating: 1.5/5.0

CHICAGO – What Errol Morris does so well is very, very difficult. He takes unusual interview subjects (“Fast, Cheap, & Out of Control,” “Mr. Death), sometimes even with a political background (“The Fog of War,” “Standard Operating Procedure”) and makes them completely riveting. Clearly inspired by the Morris filmography, Jeff Prosserman’s “Chasing Madoff” attempts that blend of personality and history but falls flat on its face.

Film Review: Chilling, Creepy ‘Apollo 18’ Makes Us Wonder What If

CHICAGO – Space, the final frontier. The USA made one giant leap for mankind during the Apollo moon landing program forty years ago. Why were the missions abruptly terminated? Why haven’t they gone back? “Apollo 18” theorizes on the answers.

Chilling, Creepy ‘Apollo 18’ Makes Us Wonder What If

HollywoodChicago.com Oscarman rating: 3.5/5.0
Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – Space, the final frontier. The USA made one giant leap for mankind during the Apollo moon landing program forty years ago. Why were the missions abruptly terminated? Why haven’t they gone back? “Apollo 18” theorizes on the answers.

HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 5 ‘Scarface’ Blu-Rays With Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer

Scarface Blu-rays with Al Pacino and Michelle Pfeiffer

CHICAGO – In our latest gangster classic edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Blu-ray, we have 5 Blu-rays up for grabs to the highly anticipated home entertainment release of one of the most influential gangster films ever: “Scarface” with Al Pacino and Michelle Pfeiffer!

TV News: ‘HawthoRNe’ Dropped From TNT’s Drama Lineup

Hawthorne

CHICAGO – News last week of a separation between Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith may have been false, but the news that Jada’s current project “Hawthorne” and TNT are calling it quits is definitely true. “Hawthorne” or “HawthoRNe” has officially been dropped from the TNT lineup after three seasons on the air.

Film Review: ‘A Good Old Fashioned Orgy’ Can’t Get it Up

A Good Old Fashion Orgy

CHICAGO – Rarely have so many talented comedians been sucked into a more depressing morass of bad comic timing and worse writing than in the dreadful “A Good Old-Fashioned Orgy,” a movie with a bunch of people I like making a comedy I really, really hate. This movie knows nothing about friendship, sex, or, most importantly, comedy.

‘A Good Old Fashioned Orgy’ Can’t Get it Up

HollywoodChicago.com Oscarman rating: 1.0/5.0
Rating: 1.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Rarely have so many talented comedians been sucked into a more depressing morass of bad comic timing and worse writing than in the dreadful “A Good Old-Fashioned Orgy,” a movie with a bunch of people I like making a comedy I really, really hate. This movie knows nothing about friendship, sex, or, most importantly, comedy.

Film Review: Strength of ‘Life, Above All’ Found in Khomotso Manyaka

Life, Above All 2

CHICAGO – As long as one person is inflicted with HIV, or full-blown AIDS, the crisis will never be averted, despite less of a profile in America and Europe. Africa is still in the midst of dealing with the epidemic, and Khomotso Manyaka portrays a symbol of that struggle in the enlightening “Life, Above All.”

Strength of ‘Life, Above All’ Found in Khomotso Manyaka

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

CHICAGO – As long as one person is inflicted with HIV, or full-blown AIDS, the crisis will never be averted, despite less of a profile in America and Europe. Africa is still in the midst of dealing with the epidemic, and Khomotso Manyaka portrays a symbol of that struggle in the enlightening “Life, Above All.”

Film Review: Vera Farmiga Wrestles Religion in ‘Higher Ground’

CHICAGO – The subject of religion in America is rarely portrayed honestly in the movies, with its power to both inspire or offend. Vera Farmiga makes her directorial debut and plays the lead character in the religious-themed “Higher Ground.”

Vera Farmiga Wrestles Religion in ‘Higher Ground’

HollywoodChicago.com Oscarman rating: 3.0/5.0
Rating: 3.0/5.0

CHICAGO – The subject of religion in America is rarely portrayed honestly in the movies, with its power to both inspire or offend. Vera Farmiga makes her directorial debut and plays the lead character in the religious-themed “Higher Ground.”

Film Review: Renny Harlin’s ‘5 Days of War’ Succumbs to Action Clichés

5 Days of War Film Review

CHICAGO – “5 Days of War” is a stark reminder of the atrocities that can occur when a B-movie director tries to tackle serious material. The Russo-Georgian War of 2008 was largely ignored by the U.S. government and media, so it was only a matter of time until filmmakers attempted to raise belated awareness about the devastation. Too bad director Renny Harlin is skilled solely in the art of action-packed kitsch.

Renny Harlin’s ‘5 Days of War’ Succumbs to Action Clichés

HollywoodChicago.com Oscarman rating: 1.5/5.0
Rating: 1.5/5.0

CHICAGO – “5 Days of War” is a stark reminder of the atrocities that can occur when a B-movie director tries to tackle serious material. The Russo-Georgian War of 2008 was largely ignored by the U.S. government and media, so it was only a matter of time until filmmakers attempted to raise belated awareness about the devastation.

Theater Review: Drury Lane’s ‘Sweeney Todd’ Deals Deftly With Demonic Passenger

CHICAGO – In Chicago’s continuing trend of borrowing from Broadway high-accolade actors rather than drawing upon the profusion of genius in our own backyard, at least now-Broadway star and New York local Gregg Edelman is a Chicago native. And the TV voice of the peanut M&M.

HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 50 Pairs of Chicago Passes to ‘Warrior’ With Tom Hardy

CHICAGO – In our latest sport/action edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 50 admit-two passes (increased from 25 admit-twos!) up for grabs to the advance Chicago screening of “Warrior” starring Nick Nolte and rising stars Tom Hardy (Bane in “The Dark Knight Rises”) and Joel Edgerton!

TV News: ‘The Walking Dead’ to Premiere New Season With 90-Minute Opener

The Walking Dead Season Two News Brief

CHICAGO – Fans of “The Walking Dead” that have waited for the second season to arrive will be rewarded for their patience with an extra 30 minutes of zombie action in the season two premiere. The second season, which premieres on Sunday October 16, will start off with a 90-minute opener, much like the series did in the first season. Unlike the first season that only aired for six nights, season two will last 13 episodes split into two separate time frames.

Film Review: Yvan Attal Keeps Attention ‘Rapt’ in Chilling Drama

Rapt Film Review

CHICAGO – The kidnapped industrialist is pretty sure that he heard the voice somewhere before. He’s just not sure where. Perhaps it was at a poker game. Perhaps it belonged to one of the faceless men that watched stealthily as he recklessly risked his fortune on the gambling table. Now the odds are clearly stacked against the industrialist, who hears the familiar voice coming from the masked face of his captor.

Yvan Attal Keeps Attention ‘Rapt’ in Chilling Drama

HollywoodChicago.com Oscarman rating: 3.5/5.0
Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – The kidnapped industrialist is pretty sure that he heard the voice somewhere before. He’s just not sure where. Perhaps it was at a poker game. Perhaps it belonged to one of the faceless men that watched stealthily as he recklessly risked his fortune on the gambling table.

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  • 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.

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