July 2022

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Ben Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on July 29th, reviewing “Vengeance,” which is written, directed and features B.J. Novak of “The Office,” opening in theaters beginning July 29th.

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Ben Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on July 29th, reviewing “DC League of Super-Pets,” an animated comedy/adventure featuring Krypto the Super Dog, opening in theaters beginning July 29th.

CHICAGO – In one of my trips to New York City, I saw him in the distance on the street (this actually happens often in NYC. Pay attention!). Actor Paul Sorvino, Paulie Cicero of ‘Goodfellas’ legend, as well as many other films/stage/TV/opera work, was unmistakably walking right towards me. “Hey Paulie,” I instinctively said. “Hey,” he said back. Fast forward several years later, Mr. Sorvino was honored by the Chicago Film Critics Awards in 2013, I was a newly minted Chicago Film Critic, and I met him again (see below). Paul Sorvino died on July 25th, 2022, in Jacksonville, Florida. He was 83.

CHICAGO – Comic book adaptations aren’t just for superheroes anymore. “Paper Girls,” by Brian K. Vaughan, has been adapted into a TV series that will stream on Prime Video beginning July 29th, and features Riley Lai Nelet, Camryn Jones, Fina Strazza and Sofia Rosinsky as the paper route foursome.

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on The Eddie Volkman Show with Hannah B on WSSR-FM (Star 96.7 Joliet, Illinois) on July 22nd, 2022, reviewing the new TV series that is set in Chicago, “The Bear.” Currently on the FX channel and whole series streaming on HULU.

Rating: 4.5/5.0

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on July 21st, reviewing “The Gray Man,” the latest from directors Anthony and Joe Russo (“Avengers: Endgame”), streaming on Netflix beginning July 22nd.

Rating: 3.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on July 21st, reviewing “Nope,” the latest from filmmaker Jordan Peele (“Get Out,” “Us”), in theaters beginning July 22nd.

CHICAGO – Rujanee Mahakanjana continues to evolve. The filmmaker is an atmosphere, which played out in her early works and is proceeding through a film 12 years in the making (“Lab 99”), her founding of a content website (pixquid.com), several projects and a return to the in-person SHORTCUT 100 International Film Fest.

Rating: 4.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on July 14th, reviewing “Don’t Make Me Go,” a road trip picture shared by a father and daughter, streaming on Prime Video beginning July 15th.

Rating: 4.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on July 14th, reviewing “Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris,” the adventures of a British cleaning lady when she decides to wish upon a dream, in theaters on July 15th.

Rating: 5.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio film review on “A Sexplanation,” a truth telling documentary about searching for one’s self, within the nature of our inherent sexual being, currently available for download through Video On Demand.

Rating: 1.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio film review on “Where the Crawdads Sing,” the highly anticipated adaptation of the huge best selling novel by Della Owens, and featuring Daisy Edgar-Jones, in theater everywhere beginning July 15th.

CHICAGO – Exceptional films that reflect honest relationships are rare, but the latest film “Don’t Make Me Go” – streaming on Prime Video on July 15th – accomplishes the father/daughter dynamic with authentic situations and emotions. John Cho and Mia Isaac portray that relationship, in a film directed by Hannah Marks.

CHICAGO – The first six months of 2022 have flown by, and although the studios withhold their “prestige films” for the Fall, there were still many notable works of cinema for the first half of the year. Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com breaks it down On-the-Air for WBGR-FM in Monroe, Wisconsin.