January 2023

Film News: ‘A Thousand and One’ is Top 2023 Sundance Fest U.S. Film

PARK CITY, UTAH – The 2023 Sundance Film Festival announced their Grand Jury Prizes on January 27th, and the top films were “A Thousand and One” (U.S. Dramatic), “Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project” (U.S. Documentary), ‘Scrapper’ (World Cinema Dramatic) and “The Eternal Memory” (World Cinema Documentary).

Podtalk: Michael Kutza to Talk ‘Starstruck’ Book at Chicago’s Union Club on Jan. 31, 2023

Michael Kutza of Starstruck

CHICAGO – On the next stop on the book tour, Chicago International Film Festival Founder Michael Kutza will talk about his book “Starstruck: How I Magically Transformed Chicago into Hollywood for More than 50 Years” at Chicago’s Union Club on Tuesday, January 31st, 2023.

Podtalk: Exec Director Erica Duffy on 2023 Midwest Film Fest Opening Night

CHICAGO – It’s 2023 for the Midwest Film Festival. The Chicago institution – the only ongoing monthly film fest in the city – has their Opening night on Monday, January 30th, 2023, with a screening of the 2022 “Best of the Midwest” short films.

Podtalk: A Toast to Jean de St. Aubin, Executive Director of the Gene Siskel Film Center

CHICAGO – In November 2022, the Executive Director of Chicago’s Gene Siskel Film Center … Jean de St. Aubin … announced she will leave the position in February of 2023. Ms. de St. Aubin joined the Film Center in 2003, snd has overseen many transition points during her tenure, including of course the closure due to the pandemic.

Audio Film Review: Mother’s Day in Court in ‘Saint Omer’

Saint Omer

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio film review for “Saint Omer,” the French film narrative debut of documentary maker Alice Diop, based on a real trial that she had observed. Currently in select theaters, see local listings.

Mother’s Day in Court! Audio Film Review of ‘Saint Omer’

HollywoodChicago.com Oscarman rating: 4.0/5.0
Rating: 4.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio film review for “Saint Omer,” the French film narrative debut of documentary maker Alice Diop, based on a real trial that she had observed. Currently in select theaters, see local listings.

Film News: Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Opens in Chicago’s Wrigleyville on Jan. 27, 2023

CHICAGO – Alamo Drafthouse Cinema … which began 26 years ago as a single screen in Austin, Texas, and has expanded to 38 locations … is opening in Chicago’s Wrigleyville neighborhood on January 27th, 2023.

Audio Film Review: As the Tree Bends, So Grows ‘The Son’

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio film review for “The Son,” a follow up film by writer/director Florian Zeller (“The Father”) … which is another family drama also based on his own play. in theaters beginning January 20th.

As the Tree Bends, So it Grows! Audio Film Review of ‘The Son’

HollywoodChicago.com Oscarman rating: 4.0/5.0
Rating: 4.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio film review for “The Son,” a follow up film by writer/director Florian Zeller (“The Father”) … which is another family drama also based on his own play. in theaters beginning January 20th.

On-Air Series Review: Jinkies! Scooby-Doo Gang Reboot of 'Velma'

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on The Eddie Volkman Show with Hannah B on WSSR-FM (Star 96.7 Joliet, Illinois) on January 20th, reviewing the new series reboot “Velma,” created by Mindy Kaling and featuring the Scooby-Doo gang. Currently streaming on HBO Max.

On-Air Film Review: They Must Be Crazy in ‘New Gods: Yang Jian’

New Gods: Yang Jian

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on January 19th, 2023, reviewing “New Gods: Yang Jian” another in a series of animated features by director Ji Zhao. In select theaters beginning January 20th.

They Must Be Crazy! On-Air Film Review of ‘New Gods: Yang Jian’

HollywoodChicago.com Oscarman rating: 4.0/5.0
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 January 19th, 2023, reviewing “New Gods: Yang Jian” another in a series of animated features by director Ji Zhao. In select theaters beginning January 20th.

On-Air Film Review: Call Me ‘When You Finish Saving the World’

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on January 19th, 2023, reviewing “When You Finish Saving the World,” the directorial debut from actor Jesse Eisenberg. In select theaters beginning January 20th.

Call Me! On-Air Film Review of ‘When You Finish Saving the World’

HollywoodChicago.com Oscarman rating: 4.5/5.0
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 January 19th, 2023, reviewing “When You Finish Saving the World,” the directorial debut from actor Jesse Eisenberg. In select theaters beginning January 20th.

Theater News: 5th Chicago Intl. Puppet Fest Through Jan. 29th, 2023

CHICAGO – Call me an Ismael puppet. We’ll never know if that was the opening line Herman Melville intended for his classic “Moby Dick,” but the 5th Chicago International Puppet Festival presents their Opening Night marionette version on January 18th, 2023 (7:30p), and the fest runs through January 29th. For tickets and info, click 5TH PUPPET FEST.

On-Air Film Review: Come Fly with Gerard Butler in ‘Plane’

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Ben Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on January 12th, 2023, reviewing “Plane,” the latest action thriller featuring Gerard Butler. In theaters beginning January 13th.

Come Fly with Gerard B! On-Air Film Review of ‘Plane’

HollywoodChicago.com Oscarman rating: 4.0/5.0
Rating: 4.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Ben Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on January 12th, 2023, reviewing “Plane,” the latest action thriller featuring Gerard Butler. In theaters beginning January 13th.

In Memoriam: Slideshow of Celebrities Who Passed Away in 2022 By Photographer Joe Arce

| Image 1 of 19 |
Barbara Walters, December 30th, 2022.

CHICAGO – The grim reaper spares no one, despite even having a celebrity status. But photographer Joe Arce, who has taken thousands of Exclusive Portraits of famous folks, gives some notables one more memorial image as we say adios to last year. Through his lens, from Barbara Walters at the end of December back to January, below is the Slideshow of Celebrities who passed away in 2022.

Feature: Top 25 Celebrity Portraits of 2022, by Photographer Joe Arce

Jessica Lange, Photo by Joe Arce 2022

CHICAGO – 2022 was a year of change and transformation. The former leader of the free world morphed into a horribly photoshopped digital trading card spokesmodel and pitch man. That and a full on spy challenging the DOJ to find the stolen classified documents in a shell game of 3 card monte exactly like a subway car hustler.

On-Air Film Review: Domo Arigato Child Roboto in ‘M3GAN’

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on January 5th, 2023, reviewing “M3GAN” a term pronounced “Megan” but short for Model 3 Generative Android. This robot film is in theaters beginning January 6th.

Domo Arigato Child Roboto! On-Air Film Review of ‘M3GAN’

HollywoodChicago.com Oscarman rating: 3.0/5.0
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 January 5th, 2023, reviewing “M3GAN” a term pronounced “Megan” but short for Model 3 Generative Android. This robot film is in theaters beginning January 6th.

Film Review: ‘A Man Called Otto’ is O-T-T-Oh No for Tom Hanks

CHICAGO – Tom Hanks finds himself – as the title character – stranded in a slough of artificiality in this clumsy manipulative attempt at a crowd pleaser. He plays a grump in “A Man Named Otto,” a remake of a 2015 Swedish film. The setting has been transferred to the grey rust belt of Pittsburgh, and Hanks is a widower with a lot of chips on his shoulder about the world today.

‘A Man Called Otto’ is O-T-T-Oh No for Tom Hanks

HollywoodChicago.com Oscarman rating: 2.0/5.0
Rating: 2.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Tom Hanks finds himself – as the title character – stranded in a slough of artificiality in this clumsy manipulative attempt at a crowd pleaser. He plays a grump in “A Man Named Otto,” a remake of a 2015 Swedish film. The setting has been transferred to the grey rust belt of Pittsburgh, and Hanks is a widower with a lot of chips on his shoulder about the world today.

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