CHICAGO – If you’ve never seen the farcical ensemble theater chestnut “Noises Off,” you will see no better version than on the Steppenwolf Theatre stage, now at their northside Chicago venue through November 3rd. For tickets and details for this riotous theater experience, click NOISES OFF.
HollywoodChicago.com DVD Reviews
TV Review: ‘Rebirth’ Beautifully Chronicles Our Ability to Heal
Submitted by BrianTT on September 10, 2011 - 3:17pmCHICAGO – How do we go on? How do we pick up the pieces after devastation so shocking and damaging that words can hardly do it justice? The great lesson on the ten-year anniversary of the tragedy of 9/11/01 may be that we might have different ways to heal, but we all do it. We move forward.
DVD Review: Stanley Kubrick’s ‘The Killing’ Features Early Work of Future Master
Submitted by BrianTT on August 25, 2011 - 2:24pmCHICAGO – When film lovers hear the name of one of the great masters of the form — Stanley Kubrick — their mind usually races to one of his most famous flicks, whether it be “2001: A Space Odyssey,” “A Clockwork Orange,” “Dr. Strangelove,” “The Shining,” or even “Full Metal Jacket.” But where did one of our most beloved directors hone his craft? In a series of smaller films, two of which are now available in a single Criterion Blu-ray or DVD release — “The Killing” and “Killer’s Kiss.”
DVD Review: ABC TV Releases Including ‘Cougar Town,’ ‘Brothers and Sisters,’ More
Submitted by BrianTT on August 23, 2011 - 1:28pmCHICAGO – Disney and ABC Studios are releasing waves of DVDs in the coming weeks that are designed to allow you to catch up before new episodes of your favorite shows premiere or, as is the case with two of the first titles, remember the days when they were still on the air. The most recent seasons of “Brothers & Sisters” and “Off the Map” hit stores this week, August 23rd, 2011, followed by “Cougar Town” and “Desperate Housewives” next week, August 30th, 2011.
DVD Review: Oscar Nominee ‘The Gruffalo’ Generically Adapts Beloved Book
Submitted by mattmovieman on August 19, 2011 - 9:31amCHICAGO – It doesn’t take a child psychologist to figure out why British author Julia Donaldson’s 1999 book “The Gruffalo” has become a hit with families around the globe. It gives parents ample opportunities to portray various animal voices, while kids can take part in reciting the multiple catchy refrains. Best of all, Donaldson centers her tale on a tiny hero who uses his brains to outwit hulking predators.
Blu-Ray, DVD Review: ‘Eastbound & Down,’ ‘Tracy Morgan: Black and Blue’
Submitted by BrianTT on August 9, 2011 - 2:52pmCHICAGO – HBO brought two of their most outgoing personalities to Blu-ray and DVD last week with the releases of “Eastbound & Down: The Complete Second Season” and “Tracy Morgan: Black and Blue.” Both are a step down from the best that these men have offered the comedy world but they also feature enough quality laughs for fans of Danny McBride and the controversial star of “30 Rock.”
DVD Review: Cult Icon Collected in ‘Big Box of Wood’
Submitted by BrianTT on August 4, 2011 - 1:40pmCHICAGO – Would I love Ed Wood as much without Tim Burton’s amazing film of the same name? Probably not. I’ll admit that I can’t watch “Bride of the Monster” and NOT think of Martin Landau’s Oscar-winning performance and I smile when thinking of Wood directing some of his awesomely-bad features but I’m really picturing Johnny Depp more than the actual filmmaker. Does it matter? For whatever reason you enjoy the king of Z-movie cinema, the 6-disc “Big Box of Wood” set is a treasure for cheesy movie fans.
DVD Review: ‘Park Benches’ Features Dazzling French Ensemble
Submitted by mattmovieman on July 29, 2011 - 9:41amCHICAGO – Episodic ensemble pieces in America often follow a contrived pattern typified by Paul Haggis’s “Crash.” Various diverse lives are juxtaposed and intersect while illustrating an overarching theme. What’s so refreshing about Bruno Podalydès’s 2009 French gem, “Park Benches,” is its utter lack of dramatic significance. It’s more interested in exploring the idiosyncrasies of humanity rather than preaching a self-important message.
DVD Review: ‘Jersey Shore Uncensored: Season Three’ Continues Reality Phenomenon
Submitted by BrianTT on July 28, 2011 - 1:28pmCHICAGO – When most people hear that I’m a TV critic, they usually make a snarky comment about the disaster of reality TV. While I agree that a vast majority of it is nearly unbearable, I don’t think it’s fair to lump the entire genre into one negative bundle. It’s not surprising that I love the critical darlings like “Survivor,” “The Amazing Race,” and “Top Chef” but jaws drop when I try to defend MTV’s massive hit “Jersey Shore,” the third season of which was just released in an uncensored, 4-disc set.
DVD Round-Up: ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2,’ ‘Medium,’ ‘Midnight Movie,’ More
Submitted by BrianTT on July 18, 2011 - 5:20pmCHICAGO – Did you miss the DVD Round-Up? Well, it’s back with as diverse a selection as we’ve seen in some time. The purpose of the DVD Round-Up is to catch the titles that might otherwise fall through the cracks. With everything going on this crazy summer, we may not have time to devote full-length reviews to these five possible gems but we wanted to make sure you knew they were out there, waiting for your hard-earned dollar.
DVD Review: ‘Deliver Us From Evil’ Offers Danish Take on ‘Straw Dogs’
Submitted by mattmovieman on July 8, 2011 - 9:27amCHICAGO – Ole Bornedal’s “Deliver Us From Evil” is a superb B-movie that occasionally threatens to become something more substantial. It has the misfortune of being saddled with one of the most overused titles of recent years, though I am certain no one will be confusing it with Amy Berg’s brutal yet vital 2006 documentary on sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. Bornedal’s film is brutally dark yet also darkly humorous.
