September 2023

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on September 28th, 2023, reviewing “The Re-Education of Molly Singer,” a back-to-campus romp. Opening in theaters and through Video-On-Demand September 29th.

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on September 29th, 2023, reviewing “Flora and Son,” written/directed by John Carney (ONCE). In select theaters and streaming on Apple TV+ on September 29th.

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio film review for “The Creator,” a new science fiction film co-written (with Chris Weitz) and directed by Gareth Edwards, the filmmaker behind the well-received Star Wars film “Rogue One.” In theaters on September 29th.

CHICAGO – It began with a boy and his dream (nightmare?). John LaFlamboy, to be exact, as he took an idea he had in college and made it his life’s work. He owns and operates the HellsGate Haunted House in Lockport (Illinois), which was designed, built and put together by Haunted House experts expressly for the spookiest month of the year. For info on how to purchase tickets, click HellsGate.

Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on September 21st, 2023, reviewing “Dumb Money,” featuring Paul Dano as Keith Gill, a rogue stock trader. Opening in theaters everywhere September 29th.

CHICAGO – The queer community is everywhere in this spinning world, even Cuba. A new filmmaker, Hansel Porras Garcia, spotlights a story of Cuba in his debut feature film “Febrero” at the Chicago Reeling2023 International LBGTQ+ Film Festival on September 27th, 2023. For details and tickets, click FEBRERO.

CHICAGO – Idina Menzel is an icon of the Great White Way and is appropriately nicknamed “Queen of Broadway.” She and her sister Cara have released their new children’s book “Proud Mouse,” a veiled story of their sisterhood. Photographer Joe Arce of HollywoodChicago.com got Exclusive Portraits of both at a recent book signing.

Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on September 21st, 2023, reviewing “It Lives Inside,” a new horror film based on monster mythology from India. In theaters since September 22nd.

CHICAGO – On September 13th, the celebrity participants of the 32nd Season of “Dancing with the Stars” was revealed, and among those taking on the challenge is Mira Sorvino, the Oscar-winning actor and activist. Ms. Sorvino was recently photographed by Joe Arce of HollywoodChicago.com at Chicago’s FAN EXPO in August.

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on September 14th, 2023, reviewing “The Inventor,” an animated epic on the final days of inventor and artist Leonardo Da Vinci. In theaters on September 15th.

CHICAGO – It’s Hong Kong Weekend for Season 17 Asian Pop-Up Cinema (APUC) on September 16th and 17th, 2023, and representing the films there will be actor and filmmaker appearances. APUC will honor three guests with a Pinnacle Career Achievement Award and two Bright Star Awards for up and coming actors.

CHICAGO – While Kenneth Branagh still isn’t a favorite Hercule Poirot, I was as surprised as anyone to find that this third go around as the Belgian detective was my favorite. As the title implies, there are jump scares a-plenty as Poirot tries to get his little gray cells around the strange goings-on in a spooky house, and solve the mystery.

CHICAGO – Society, or at least certain elements of society, are always looking for scapegoats to hide the sins of themselves and authority. In the so-called “great America” of the 1950s, the scapegoat target was comic books … specifically through a sociological study called “The Seduction of the Innocent.” City Lit Theater Company, in part two of a trilogy on comic culture by Mark Pracht, presents “The Innocence of Seduction … now through October 8th, 2023. For details and tickets, click COMIC BOOK.

CHICAGO – The longest running underground film festival in the world kicks off its 30th Edition on Wednesday, September 13th, 2023. The Chicago Underground Film Festival opens with “Hello Dankness” at the Gene Siskel Film Center. For tickets and info, click CUFF30.