CHICAGO – The great and lofty Steppenwolf Theatre of Chicago has brought the current political season right on target with “POTUS: Or Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive,” now extended through December 17th. Click POTUS.
HollywoodChicago.com Blu-Ray Reviews
Blu-ray Review: Dated ‘Riot in Cell Block 11’ is Beautifully Filmed
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 2, 2014 - 2:13pmCHICAGO – The Criterion Collection has added “Riot in Cell Block 11” (1954) to their stellar Blu-ray family, and the transfer is absolutely gorgeous, especially if you’re an admirer of the stark cinematography of the late black & white film era. Although dated, it still packs a gritty wallop.
Blu-ray Review: Found Footage Fails to Save 'Devil’s Due,' 'Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones'
Submitted by DaveHC on May 22, 2014 - 1:58pmCHICAGO – Flooding the market with the shaky cam, the growing use of found footage has had more impact on horror than any other genre. Sometimes it’s used to great effect. But more often than not, such films lack the craft needed to propel viewers into the nightmares. “Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones” and “Devil’s Due” are cases in point.
Blu-ray Review: Teen Horror Comedy ‘Vampire Academy’ Fine for Fans
Submitted by NickHC on May 19, 2014 - 7:00pmCHICAGO – Mark Waters’ “Vampire Academy” is one of the more toothless attempts to make a “fetch” bloodsucker movie for the middle-high school crowd, to use a phrase from his revered teen comedy “Mean Girls”. Based on the six book series written by Rachelle Mead (which has sold 8 million copies worldwide) “Vampire Academy” the movie tackles teenage friendship in the chaos of high school with the same type of Waters’ “I’m not like a regular mom, I’m a cool mom” distance, but with even softer gloves.
Blu-ray Review: Spike Jonze’s ‘Her’ Only Gets Better with Repeat Viewing
Submitted by BrianTT on May 19, 2014 - 10:34amAs a full-time film/TV/game critic and father of three, I very rarely have time to watch something more than once, even if it’s my favorite of the year. And yet I’ve revisited Spike Jonze’s “Her” twice now (for a total of three viewings) and it’s that very rare film that gets richer and more emotionally engaging with each subsequent viewing. I think by the end of the year, it might be my favorite film of 2013.
Blu-ray Review: ‘I, Frankenstein’ Could Be Worst Movie of 2014 So Far
Submitted by BrianTT on May 19, 2014 - 10:13amI’m sometimes in the mood for a bad movie. In the middle of the Chicago Critics Film Festival, weighed down with stress related to producing it and the serious subject matter of our films this year, I felt a need for a bit of movie fast food and popped in “I, Frankenstein,” recently released on Blu-ray and DVD. This movie cheeseburger will give you food poisoning.
Blu-ray Review: Super Stylized War Epic ‘Stalingrad’ is Proud, Goofy
Submitted by NickHC on May 14, 2014 - 9:32amCHICAGO – It does not take even a high school history class to understand the liberty used in “Stalingrad’s” presentation of its title siege. Boasted as the highest-grossing Russian movie ever, this former IMAX 3D event is the country’s own adaptation of the hero glorification seen in “300”, complete with copious slow motion and overflowing testosterone. Made with great pride but also a somewhat goofy sense of war, “Stalingrad” is as irreverent with its filmmaking style as it is reverent to the country’s glory.
Blu-ray Review: Fan Service ‘Veronica Mars’ Returns Home
Submitted by NickHC on May 14, 2014 - 9:05amCHICAGO – A TV movie for the silver screen, “Veronica Mars” is a historical film that was Kickstarted into existence by the will of 91,585 backers. Now, it stands like a crossroads in the intersection between TV and film, showing that what may work in TV doesn’t necessarily make for a great film.
Blu-ray Review: ‘August: Osage County’ is a Rusty Family Drama
Submitted by NickHC on May 12, 2014 - 7:57pmCHICAGO – John Wells’ adaptation of Tracy Letts’ “August: Osage County” is a movie that fell off the radar in 2013 during the busiest time of the year. When we were all caught up in narratives of lone survival, or tales of how this country was morally eroded by financial excess, this loud ode to miserable family gatherings moved into theaters, scooped up a couple of Oscar nominations for its revered talent (Meryl Streep & Julia Roberts), and then vanished.
Blu-ray Review: Three 1980s Comedy Hits Get HD Upgrades
Submitted by BrianTT on May 12, 2014 - 12:50pmDid you think we’d ever live in a time when you could watch a guilty pleasure like “Weekend at Bernie’s” in pristine HD? Every few weeks here at HC, we bring to light classicc films coming to Blu-ray for the first time like “Sorcerer” or “Breaking the Waves” or “Bachelor Party.” Wait. What?
Blu-ray Review: William Friedkin’s Classic ‘Sorcerer’ Finally Released
Submitted by BrianTT on May 12, 2014 - 12:27pmThe Chicago Critics Film Festival is currently underway at the Music Box Theatre in Chicago (“I Origins,” “Willow Creek,” “Starred Up,” “Obvious Child,” “Animals,” and more have yet to play) but last year’s event still holds a fond place in the memory of Chicago’s film scene.
