November 2011

CHICAGO – “Disney Universe” plays not unlike the legendary company’s attempt to replicate the customizable success and platforming simplicity of “Little Big Planet” (with a bit of “LEGO” smash-and-collect thrown in). Sony’s amazing franchise works not only because the platform/level design is amazing but because it allows inclined players to spend hours (and lots of cash) on ways to customize their sack boy.

CHICAGO – “The only people to see the war like this were the ones who lived it. Until now…” Sounds threatening, doesn’t it? I’m not sure I want to see WWII the same way the heroic people on the ground did. And yet I realize there’s an audience deep into material like this — that which makes history feel present and alive. For WWII historians, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better holiday season gift than the 4-disc Blu-ray set for “WWII in HD,” the History Channel series brought to amazing HD life complete with two feature-length specials.

CHICAGO – Though British author Neil Gaiman’s six-part, three-hour miniseries “Neverwhere” first aired in 1996, it feels like a relic from a much earlier period in television’s past. Before digital technology enabled small-screen dramas to appear visually indiscernible from major film productions, in-camera effects and handcrafted sets were the norm. It’s inspiring to observe just how much can be achieved on a shoestring budget.

CHICAGO – “House of the Dead: Overkill” is not unlike “Grindhouse” for shooter fans. Remember the total chaos of Robert Rodriguez’s “Planet Terror”? Imagine that insane, B-movie violence, gore, and ridiculous dialogue in video game form. Much to the surprise of those of us who had written off any chance of adult-driven games on the Nintendo Wii, the “House of the Dead” game hit the platform in 2009 and was a fun ride.

CHICAGO – Who cares? Rarely has a movie been so weighed down with horrendous, expository dialogue that has no weight whatsoever as in the widely-loathed “Atlas Shrugged, Part I.” After the notoriously-reviled theatrical release ($4.6 million total domestic box office on a 12% on Rotten Tomatoes) killed the chance at a trilogy (on top of the hysterical Blu-ray labeling error), I kind of hoped the film would either surprise me with its quality or be so awful that it approached “The Room” or “Troll 2” levels of enjoyment. Nope. It’s just boring, boring, boring — the kind of film only worthwhile if you’re having trouble sleeping.

CHICAGO – “Larry Crowne” is a would-be crowd-pleaser that’s filled to the brim with chipper laughter. It’s the sort of laughter often heard on morning news programs, where overpaid anchors giggle and quip while laughing all the way to the bank. Yet very little of “Crowne’”s onscreen gaiety transfers to the bored, mildly annoyed audiences paying to sit through the self-congratulatory drivel.

CHICAGO – Unlike the massive housecleaning at NBC announced today, things won’t change much at mid-season for the #1 network in total viewers, but CBS did make official that the Rob Schneider vehicle “¡ROB!” will get the cozy post-“The Big Bang Theory” slot on Thursday nights, starting January 12th.

CHICAGO – “Goldeneye 64” was one of the most influential games on my life. Not only did it redefine shooters for this hardcore gamer but it took away hundreds of hours from my college education. Who’s to say what I could have become if not for this addictive shooter, which, along with “Doom 2,” opened the world of multiplayer action?

CHICAGO – Fans of the hit book series and much anticipated film series “The Hunger Games” were treated to a full look inside the world of Panem this morning when Lionsgate debuted a full trailer for the new film. After a short teaser trailer premiered this past summer showing the main character, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), running through a forest during battle, the new trailer gives a full look at the modern/futuristic world.

CHICAGO – In our latest music tour edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Music, we have 3 Blu-rays or DVDs up for grabs for the home entertainment release of Usher’s “OMG Tour: Live From London”!

CHICAGO – The sword and sandals epic has been around since the costume department fashioned the first toga. A modern take on this tried-and-true story line is “Immortals,” using the latest computer generated imagery to create the gods of Mount Olympus, the mortals of ancient Greece and their severed heads in 3D.

CHICAGO – Here’s a story that comes as no surprise: gamers really love “Call of Duty.” For the third straight release, the “Call of Duty” series has set a new one-day record for sales. In 2009, “Modern Warefare 2” boasted sales of $310 million on the first day. In 2010, “Black Ops” topped the record with $360 million in its first 24 hours. Now, “Modern Warefare 3” has set the bar much higher, with $400 million of total sales in one day in North America and the U.K.

Rating: 5.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Through both his fictional and documentary work, Werner Herzog has long been interested in the workings of the natural world and our place in it. His new film, “Into the Abyss,” may at first seem like a departure from those themes but it centers on a subject that defies the natural world and order – the taking of another life. Easily one of the best documentaries of the year, this riveting, haunting piece of work fits perfectly into Herzog’s resume as one of our most important living filmmakers.

CHICAGO – No one will ever accuse Adam Sandler of not knowing his audience and the reason they keep coming back to his “Happy Madison” genre of films – he delivers the oddball characters, lots of bodily fluids/sounds, physical beatings and the know-it-all straight man. Add the gooey sentiment and out spews the latest, “Jack and Jill.”