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—>
May 2012
Film Review: Bobcat Goldthwait’s ‘God Bless America’ Takes Aim at Stupidity
Submitted by BrianTT on May 11, 2012 - 12:32pm![]() Rating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – While I’m writing this, a commercial for “My American Big Fat Gypsy Wedding” is playing on TV. It seems appropriate to kick off writing about a film that takes satirical aim at the bottom-feeding world of reality TV and the cult of personality that has devolved the 15-minute fame cycle into a 15-second one. I wish I could say that Bobcat Goldthwait’s “God Bless America” is a complete success because there’s a lot to like here but there are a few disappointing elements and the final act is a near-disaster dramatically. Still, star Joel Murray is SO good and Bobcat finds the sharp edge of his satirical gift often enough to warrant a look.
Bobcat Goldthwait’s ‘God Bless America’ Takes Aim at Stupidity
Submitted by BrianTT on May 11, 2012 - 12:29pm![]() Rating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – While I’m writing this, a commercial for “My American Big Fat Gypsy Wedding” is playing on TV. It seems appropriate to kick off writing about a film that takes satirical aim at the bottom-feeding world of reality TV and the cult of personality that has devolved the 15-minute fame cycle into a 15-second one.
Film Review: Keep Tim Burton’s ‘Dark Shadows’ Out of the Light
Submitted by BrianTT on May 11, 2012 - 11:42amCHICAGO – Tim Burton’s “Dark Shadows” is one of the most inconsistent and frustrating major films in a long time. There are elements here and there that work but Burton and writer Seth Grahame-Smith seem incapable of figuring out how to wrangle them into a coherent, successful film.
Keep Tim Burton’s ‘Dark Shadows’ Out of the Light
Submitted by BrianTT on May 11, 2012 - 11:38am![]() Rating: 2.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Tim Burton’s “Dark Shadows” is one of the most inconsistent and frustrating major films in a long time. There are elements here and there that work but Burton and writer Seth Grahame-Smith seem incapable of figuring out how to wrangle them into a coherent, successful film.
TV News: CBS Cancels ‘A Gifted Man,’ ‘Cougar Town’ Moves to TBS
Submitted by BrianTT on May 10, 2012 - 8:26pmCHICAGO – As we told you would happen earlier this week (in this feature), CBS has canceled “A Gifted Man,” a show that had a small audience from day one and ABC has finally given up on “Cougar Town,” but TBS has picked up the show with a 15-episode order to air in 2013.
TV News: ABC Renews Seven Shows Including ‘Once Upon a Time,’ ‘Revenge,’ ‘Suburgatory’
Submitted by BrianTT on May 10, 2012 - 8:16pmCHICAGO – In advance of next week’s official Fall schedule announcement, ABC gave a vote of confidence to seven of their biggest shows, revealing that they will be a part of the 2012-2013 schedule. The lucky seven include three freshman series — “Once Upon a Time,” “Revenge,” and “Suburgatory” — along with “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Castle,” “Modern Family,” and “The Middle.”
TV News: NBC Renews ‘Community,’ ‘30 Rock,’ ‘Parenthood’
Submitted by BrianTT on May 10, 2012 - 8:08pmCHICAGO – Good news, TV fans. NBC has made official several of their on-the-bubble shows, renewing “Community,” “30 Rock,” and “Parenthood.” The good news is a bit tempered though as “30 Rock” has been cleared for only 13 episodes and most are assuming its a final season.
Film Feature: Five Ways to Make Sure That ‘The Avengers 2’ Doesn’t Suck
Submitted by BrianTT on May 10, 2012 - 10:15amCHICAGO – If there’s one thing that Marvel superhero movies do well, it’s set up extremely-high expectations for the next Marvel superhero movie. “Iron Man 2” got us excited for “Thor.”
TV News: FOX Renews ‘Touch,’ Cancels ‘Alcatraz’
Submitted by BrianTT on May 10, 2012 - 9:25amCHICAGO – Good news, bad news for fans of FOX dramas. To no one’s surprise, FOX has pulled the plug on their highly-promoted “Alcatraz” as ratings plummeted throughout the season. A little more surprisingly, they’ve decided to give “Touch” with Kiefer Sutherland more time to find an audience.
Blu-ray Review: Madonna’s ‘W.E.’ Fails to Explore Its Alleged Subject
Submitted by mattmovieman on May 10, 2012 - 7:37amCHICAGO – Madonna’s “W.E.” completes a trilogy of lackluster Oscar bait released last year by the Weinstein Company. Each film squandered potentially fascinating subject matter by upstaging it with pointless framing devices. Imagine if the majority of “Titanic” followed Bill Paxton on his self-centered quest for the diamond. That would surely have amounted to the most boring three-hour epic in history.
HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 5 Free ‘The Grey’ Blu-rays With Liam Neeson
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on May 9, 2012 - 6:23pmCHICAGO – In our latest action/adventure edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Blu-ray, we have 5 Blu-rays up for grabs for the highly anticipated home entertainment release of “The Grey” starring Liam Neeson!
Slideshow: Three Sides of Director Kevin Smith at Book Promotion in Chicago
Submitted by PatrickMcD on May 9, 2012 - 5:26pmCHICAGO – Kevin Smith is not a subtle guy. The director/writer/actor and comic book geek supreme has a new book out called “Tough Sh*t: Life Advice from a Fat, Lazy Slob Who Did Good.” In it, he relates how his unlikely empire was built, and how he became the force within it. He was recently in downtown Chicago, promoting the life lessons at Books-a-Million on March 30th.
Video Game Review: ‘Prototype 2’ is Big Improvement Over Predecessor
Submitted by BrianTT on May 9, 2012 - 2:45pmCHICAGO – Remember when sequels of any kind were viewed with disdain? No, you don’t, because you aren’t old enough. Of course, now we have a situation where sequels, reboots and even simple rehashes are often better than what spawned them.
DVD Review: Criterion Offers Great Insight Into ‘Being John Malkovich’
Submitted by BrianTT on May 9, 2012 - 10:52amCHICAGO – Only The Criterion Collection can do a film like “Being John Malkovich” justice. Not only has the film held up remarkably well since its 1999 release (and even somes somewhat ahead of its time given our ability to invade the privacy of celebrity more than ever) but Criterion has assembled a stellar collection of special features that display that unique sense of personality that Spike Jonze’s debut film embodies for its fans.
DVD Review: Laura Linney Carries ‘The Big C: The Complete Second Season’
Submitted by BrianTT on May 9, 2012 - 10:47amCHICAGO – Showtime’s “The Big C” is a sporadically brilliant show that somehow still has not clicked into place as the truly great comedy it could have been. Despite my issues with the often-pretentious, self-aware writing, there’s one thing that no one can complain about regarding this Emmy-nominated show — the cast rules. Laura Linney gives easily one of the most engaging performances on TV and she’s ably assisted by a truly strong ensemble.
TV Review: BBC America Remembers Formative Years of ‘White Heat’
Submitted by BrianTT on May 9, 2012 - 9:21amCHICAGO – “White Heat” has echoes of “The Big Chill” in that it’s at least somewhat about people brought together by tragedy who are forced to then remember highlights and controversies of their past and how they continue to impact their present.
Interview: Jack C. Newell, Ron Falzone Chat Up Chicago Indie ‘Close Quarters’
Submitted by mattmovieman on May 9, 2012 - 9:00amCHICAGO – Director Jack C. Newell ended up meeting one of his great collaborators while taking classes at Columbia College Chicago. His future filmmaking partner turned out to not be a fellow peer, but his teacher, Ron Falzone. Together, they made the acclaimed short, “Typing,” about two Hollywood screenwriters whose brainstorming session draws inspiration from the clacking of typewriter keys in the next room.
HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 30 Pairs of Chicago Passes to ‘What to Expect When You’re Expecting’
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on May 8, 2012 - 6:18pmCHICAGO – In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film with our unique social giveaway technology, we have 30 admit-two movie passes up for grabs to the advance screening of the highly anticipated new comedy “What to Expect When You’re Expecting”!
Blu-ray Review: Boring ‘Joyful Noise’ Offers Great Music, Dull Melodrama
Submitted by BrianTT on May 8, 2012 - 2:39pmCHICAGO – “Joyful Noise” is a weird movie in that it absolutely comes alive in its full musical numbers, of which there are several, but the plot that connects those gospel and pop songs is so thin that it’s impossible to care about the characters or what’s happening to them. The people in “Joyful Noise” are all likable and the story is harmless but the movie is slowly paced and oddly inert, showing none of the life that real gospel music brings to the people. It’s not full of enough joy or noise.
Film News: Arnold Schwarzenegger is Back in Open Road’s ‘Ten’
Submitted by BrianTT on May 8, 2012 - 2:09pmCHICAGO – Arnold Schwarzenegger promised moviegoers, “I’ll be back.” He makes his on-screen leading man return in filmmaker David Ayer’s action thriller “Ten”. Ayer’s writing credits include 2001 hit film “Training Day”, which earned an Academy Award for Denzel Washington. He will also appear in this Summer’s “The Expendables 2.”
TV Feature: What Will Happen to Your Favorite Network Shows
Submitted by BrianTT on May 8, 2012 - 2:00pmCHICAGO – It’s that crazy time of year when network executives have to make the tough decisions. What do they cancel? What do they give another chance? What do they move? These are no small choices. Not only do they impact your favorite shows, but they can also determine the overall success of a network and lead to millions of dollars made or lost.
Interview: Joel Murray Takes No Prisoners in ‘God Bless America’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on May 8, 2012 - 10:53amCHICAGO – Joel Murray, as most people know, comes from the Murray clan of Wilmette, Illinois, which includes his fellow actor brothers Brian Doyle and Bill. He has established himself as a memorable TV and movie character actor, and portrays a man gone wild in the Bobcat Goldthwait-directed “God Bless America.”
Blu-ray Review: ‘Pariah’ Features Adepero Oduye’s Star-Making Performance
Submitted by mattmovieman on May 8, 2012 - 8:41amCHICAGO – 2011 featured a series of uncommonly affecting films from female directors about young women grappling with their sexual identities. In all three cases, the heroines strain to keep their lesbianism a secret from their families. Céline Sciamma’s “Tomboy” centered on a 10-year-old girl who posed as a boy, while Maryam Keshavarz’s “Circumstance” explored the forbidden romance of two Iranian teens.
Film News: WBEZ’s Off-Air Series Presents ‘Zombie Apocalypse’ Double Feature
Submitted by mattmovieman on May 7, 2012 - 5:41pmCHICAGO – Fans of zombie comedy will soon get the chance to see two beloved blood-and-yuks classics at the largest outdoor theater in Illinois. On Thursday, May 17th, WBEZ’s fourth annual “Off-Air Series” will present a “Drive-In Zombie Apocalypse Double Feature” pairing “Zombieland” with “Shaun of the Dead” at the Cascade Drive-In, 1100 E. North Ave., in West Chicago.
Book Review: ‘Seagalogy: A Study of the Ass-Kicking Films of Steven Seagal’
Submitted by BrianTT on May 7, 2012 - 2:09pmCHICAGO – Vern started his career as one of those snarky critics who wrote in to Harry Knowles’ landmark and influential movie website Ain’t It Cool News. He became a regular writer for the site and his work there turned him into a very unorthodox author. His first book was a fantastic examination of, believe it or not, the career of Steven Seagal. Newly updated with a dozen new chapters about the recent adventures of his subject matter (the first printing was in 2008), “Seagalogy: A Study of the Ass-Kicking Films of Steven Seagal” is a funny, clever read for fans of the unusual action star and those who have never seen one of his movies. Vern’s movie-loving, smart, enjoyable writing makes this a more entertaining experience than Seagal himself has ever produced.
Blu-ray Review: ‘New Year’s Eve’ Wants to Ruin Your Holidays
Submitted by BrianTT on May 7, 2012 - 1:09pmCHICAGO – By now, you’re surely aware of the general hatred for Garry Marshall’s horrendous ensemble romantic comedy “New Year’s Eve.” HollywoodChicago.com said ““New Year’s Eve” is so garish and manipulative that it doesn’t really qualify as a film – it’s a product, no more an actual movie than a Hallmark card is a piece of poetry.”
DVD Review: Latest Seasons of USA Hits ‘Suits,’ ‘Covert Affairs’
Submitted by BrianTT on May 7, 2012 - 12:52pmCHICAGO – USA continues to lead the way in terms of cable ratings. While FX and TNT have their loyal audiences and critics adore HBO and AMC, it’s really USA that can boast the most remarkable claims in terms of breakthrough ratings. Some of their biggest hits regularly clobber network competition. Two of them just hit DVD — “Suits: Season One” and “Covert Affairs: Season Two.” Fans will be happy with both but I have a clear favorite.
Interview: Bobcat Goldthwait Shoots Idiocy in the Face in ‘God Bless America’
Submitted by mattmovieman on May 7, 2012 - 8:23amCHICAGO – Embarrassments both mortifying and tragic are viewed through a cathartically hilarious and disarmingly humanistic lens in the cinema of Bobcat Goldthwait.
Film News: ‘The Avengers’ Shatters Records with Biggest Opening Ever
Submitted by BrianTT on May 6, 2012 - 1:28pmCHICAGO – “The Avengers” was expected to dominate at the U.S. box office on its opening weekend but no one predicted that it would break $200 million, shattering the record for the biggest opening weekend of all time. The Summer season got off with a bang as Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, and the rest of the gang made cash registers ring around the world.
Film Review: Judi Dench Checks Into ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on May 4, 2012 - 2:43pmCHICAGO – Seven desperate souls are taking risks to save some part of their world, which describes both “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” and “The Avengers.” Which will win the box office war? The “heroes” of the Marigold residence include Judi Dench, Tom Wilkerson, Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith and Dev Patel.