CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Dan Baker on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on March 21st, 2024, reviewing the new streaming series “Manhunt” – based on the bestseller by James L. Swanson – currently streaming on Apple TV+.
HollywoodChicago.com DVD Reviews
DVD Review: 'After Dark Horrorfest III: 8 Films to Die For'
Submitted by BrianTT on April 23, 2009 - 10:58am Overall DVD Rating: 2.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Lionsgate and After Dark Films’ recently released their third collection of “8 Films to Die For” and this year proved to be the most uninspiring octet to date. With fewer risks taken than the last two years and less extreme failures or successes, “After Dark Horrorfest III” is terrifyingly dull.
DVD Review: 1980s Cult Movies Make Up ‘The Lost Collection’
Submitted by BrianTT on April 22, 2009 - 8:18am DVD Rating: 2.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Let’s be honest. Most ‘lost’ films are not found for a reason. It’s so funny to me that movies that were probably ignored for a good reason can suddenly become cult hits just because they’re unavailable for a few years. Having said that, there are one or two movies worth re-finding in Lionsgate’s ’80s-themed “The Lost Collection,” but there are also six to seven that should stay lost.
DVD Round Up, April 21, 2009: ‘Skins,’ ‘Squidbillies,’ ‘The Burrowers’
Submitted by BrianTT on April 21, 2009 - 3:49pmCHICAGO – Things are a little light in the world of the DVD Round-Up, HollywoodChicago.com’s popular feature that grabs titles that may have fallen through the cracks while you were busy refreshing your Netflix queue to see if “The Reader,” “Frost/Nixon,” and “The Wrestler” are going to ever be shipped your way.
DVD Review: Criterion Adds Roberto Rossellini, Andrzej Wajda Films to Collection
Submitted by BrianTT on April 13, 2009 - 8:16am DVD Rating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The Criterion Collection expanded by two titles recently and fans of Andrzej Wajda and Roberto Rossellini will be happy to see two of their films in slots #463 and #464 in the most acclaimed series of DVDs in the history of the format. Rossellini’s “Il Generale Della Rovere” and Wajda’s “Danton” might not be as high-profile films as some recent Criterion releases, but they have been given the typically spectacular treatment that this company has been known for over the years.
DVD Review: ‘Timecrimes’ Will Be a Glorious Find For Sci-Fi, Horror Fans
Submitted by BrianTT on April 1, 2009 - 5:46pm DVD Rating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – There was a small window of time there where it looked like the Nacho Vigalondo’s excellent “Timecrimes” might be the next foreign language hit on the arthouse circuit. If not “Pan’s Labyrinth“-big maybe as buzzed about as “Tell No One” or “Let the Right One In”. That never happened (it didn’t even make $40k in theaters) but audiences are going to find this above-average genre pic on DVD.
DVD Review: Mary McCormack Rocks in First Season of ‘In Plain Sight’
Submitted by BrianTT on April 1, 2009 - 3:09pmDVD Rating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – “In Plain Sight” may not get the buzz or press of other cable hits like “Burn Notice” or “The Closer” and the show still needs some ironing out to truly live up to its potential but I watched every episode of this USA Network action drama when it aired and anxiously look forward to the new season (which we’ll review here on or just before its April 19th premiere) for one reason, Mary McCormack.
DVD Round Up, Mar. 31, 2009: ‘Shuttle,’ ‘Donkey Punch,’ ‘Cracker,’ ‘Clone Wars’
Submitted by BrianTT on March 31, 2009 - 12:28pmCHICAGO – Two TV shows and two indie horror movies comprise the final edition of the infamous HollywoodChicago.com Round-Up for March. Both shows already have cult followings and the movies are likely to build ones of their own.
DVD Review: ‘Andy Richter Controls the Universe: The Complete Series’ Finally Available
Submitted by BrianTT on March 24, 2009 - 3:21pm DVD Rating: 5.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – When I hear about shows that were “brilliant-but-canceled” one of the first series that comes to mind is the great “Andy Richter Controls the Universe”. Developing a cult following through cable repeats over the years, the complete series has been one of the most requested-but-unavailable titles since the show left the air over five years ago. Andy fans, your day has finally come. Rejoice.
DVD Review: Gabriel Byrne Shines in HBO’s Epic ‘In Treatment’
Submitted by BrianTT on March 24, 2009 - 1:35pmDVD Rating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Like therapy itself, HBO’s “In Treatment” requires a commitment. The award-winning program aired from Monday to Friday on HBO for nearly nine weeks and took up forty-three episodes. If you’re starting from the beginning of “In Treatment,” you will need to clear approximately 1,290 minutes of your schedule. Don’t go in half-heartedly.
DVD Review: Akira Kurosawa Returns to Criterion Collection With ‘Dodes’da Ken’
Submitted by BrianTT on March 24, 2009 - 10:57amDVD Rating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – I’m not sure, but I think there are more Akira Kurosawa titles available in the Criterion Collection than any other filmmaker. His classic films like “Ran,” “Rashomon,” “Seven Samurai,” and “Yojimbo” have been critically acclaimed releases for the influential series of DVDs. His 24th title in the Criterion Collection is last week’s “Dodes’da Ken,” one of the greatest directors of all time’s first film in color.
