April 2016

Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – While Disney Studios’ new live action version of “The Jungle Book” is an improvement over the 1967 animated version, it’s more of a technical marvel than magical fable. And it’s unable to completely transcend the earlier version’s limitations.

CHICAGO – One of the many merits of CIMMfest – the Chicago International Music and Movies Festival – is how they provide a showcase to new programming and emerging talent. On the second day of the 2016 festival (April 14), Potenza Productions will premiere their new music show, “On the Scene,” with the director debut of Mary Kay Cook.

CHICAGO – CIMM Fest is back to save the world from ordinary film festivals! The Chicago International Music and Movies Festival (CIMM, baby!) launches on April 13, 2016, with “The Smart Studios Story,” directed by Wendy Schneider, with appearances by Butch Vig and Steve Marker of Smart Studios.

CHICAGO – In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 35 pairs of advance-screening movie passes up for grabs to the new crime drama “Criminal” starring Kevin Costner and Ryan Reynolds!

Rating: 4.5/5.0

CHICAGO – One of the legendary films in cinema history is Jean Cocteau’s “La Belle et La Bete,” also known to generations as “Beauty and the Beast.” The restored re-release is touring the country, and in Chicago it’s currently at the Gene Siskel Film Center, and Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com will lead a discussion of the film there on Monday, April 11, 2016.

Rating: 3.0/5.0

CHICAGO – If anything, “The Boss” is a bigger testimony to Melissa McCarthy’s status as a comic superpower than her breakthrough role in “Bridesmaids.” That one had a veritable treasure trove of comedic talent, while McCarthy has considerably less to work with here.

Rating: 2.5/5.0

CHICAGO – The attempt to make a European-style “journey of emotional morality” between four characters in New York City kept getting flatter and flatter as the tale emerged. It’s amusing that they called it “Demolition,” because as cinema, it’s basically a teardown.

CHICAGO – One of the big hits on Netflix is the updating of the Gen-X classic sitcom, “Full House,” naturally entitled “Fuller House.” Taking on the role of Stephanie Tanner in both incarnations is Jodie Sweetin, who has just started a stint as a fan favorite on the 22nd season of “Dancing With the Stars.”

CHICAGO – Named one of the best Japanese films of 2015, “Three Stories of Love,” directed by Ryosuke Hashiguchi, will be the next screening for the Asian Pop-Up Cinema series on Wednesday, April 6th, 2016 – at the AMC River East 21 in Chicago – and Sunday, April 10th at the Wilmette (Illinois) Theatre.

Rating: 5.0/5.0

CHICAGO – The master director Akira Kurosawa (1910-1998) gave us a treasure trove of cinematic wizardry, to savor and revisit for years to come. Rialto Pictures is distributing the latest 4K restoration of one of his greatest pictures, “Ran” (1985). As part of a nationwide road show, it’s currently at the Gene Siskel Film Center in Chicago.

CHICAGO – The legacy of country music singer Hank Williams is embraced in every lonesome twang you hear in any song. The actor Tom Hiddleston (“Thor”) transcends his Loki roots to embody the 1950s songster in a way that is otherworldly, working from the script and direction of Marc Abraham.

CHICAGO – When the first strains of “My Sharona” by The Knack come out of the car speakers of a dude going to college in 1980, as “Everybody Wants Some!!” began, my do-you-remember-when sense tingled. The film’s story, unfortunately, could not match that feeling of nostalgia.