May 2021

Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on The Eddie Volkman Show on WSSR-FM (Star 96.7 Joliet, Illinois) on May 28th, 2021, reviewing the new Walt Disney release “Cruella,” opening in theaters on May 28th, 2021.

Rating: 4.0/5.0

CHICAGO – The horror genre gets a bad rap but in many ways, they’ve earned it. That’s not to say that every horror film is inherently bad, but at the smallest sign of financial/critical success, the studios will try to franchise it like it’s an IHOP. For example, let’s look at the cautionary tale known as the Saw franchise, which recently released a film that likely none of you saw.

Rating: 2.5/5.0

CHICAGO – If you’ve ever worked retail or in the service industry, you’re aware of the mental and physical state lovingly known as “Cruise Control”. That’s when the crippling monotony of everyday life forces our body into a sort of energy-saver setting that is meant to keep us from having psychotic mental breaks on a semi-regular basis. A sort-of zombie mode, if you will.

Rating: 4.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Dan Baker on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on May 20th, 2021, reviewing the new World War II documentary “Final Account” in theaters beginning May 21st.

Rating: 4.5/5.0

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Dan Baker on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on May 20th, 2021, reviewing the new film “Tiny Tim: King for a Day,” which is available through Video-On-Demand beginning May 21st.

Rating: 1.0/5.0

CHICAGO – If you find yourself reading this review, you likely understand how much a film can influence society. Despite our best efforts, we don’t get to decide how or why something gets added to our zeitgeist. Its staying power can extend to anything from a character, an ideology, or even a quote. The effect is so strong that even a small sentence is enough to trigger certain feelings in your brain.

CHICAGO – People in waste management have a mantra that seems to have been awkwardly adopted by the film industry: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. In the film industry’s case, ‘reduce’ doesn’t mean to create less waste, but to reduce the amount of money spent taking a chance on original content.

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Ben Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on May 13th, 2021, reviewing the new film “Those Who Wish Me Dead” in theaters and HBO Max beginning May 14th.

LAS VEGAS – Endo, the up-and-coming powerhouse band from Sin City, recently announced their debut album, “Anhedonia,” which will release on Friday, May 14th, 2021. It’s two-person rock, with John Badwolf on vocals/guitar and Saint Christopher on drums. Their (click links) 13 track debut includes the single “In Love With You.”

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Happy Birthday ... May 9th ... to Rosario Dawson!

CHICAGO – With a new film, “The Water Man,” released on Friday, May 7th, and a birthday TODAY on May 9th, what better time to showcase an unpublished Slideshow of Exclusive Photos of actor Rosario Dawson. With a career that began in 1995 with her feature debut “Kids,” Dawson has performed a variety of roles in all kinds of film genres including drama, comedy and action.

Rating: 3.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on The Eddie Volkman Show on WSSR-FM (Star 96.7 Joliet, Illinois) on May 7th, 2021, reviewing the new release “Wrath of Man,” opening in theaters on May 7th, 2021.

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Dan Baker on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on May 6th, 2021, reviewing the new film “Here Today” in theaters (check local listings) beginning May 7th.

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin), reviewing the new film “My Octopus Teacher.” The film just won Best Documentary feature at the 2021 Oscars, and is currently streaming on Netflix.

CHICAGO – I will never forget meeting Olympia Dukakis. It was in Chicago in 2009, and among all the pomp and sequins of a Greek American awards night. it was Dukakis who was, by her natural presence, the movie star. Oh yeah, and she was slightly tipsy. Ms. Dukakis passed away in New York City on May 1st, 2021, age 89.