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.
The Weinstein Company
Film Review: Paul Rudd Makes a Difference as ‘Our Idiot Brother’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 27, 2011 - 12:45amCHICAGO – Advertised deceptively as a comedy, the new film “My Idiot Brother” has a Zen-like quality that is surprising, and oddly captivating, but cannot sustain itself and eventually runs out of steam. Paul Rudd plays the brother to three errant sisters, portrayed by Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel and Emily Mortimer.
Film Review: ‘Sarah’s Key’ Unlocks the Ever-Present Past
Submitted by PatrickMcD on July 30, 2011 - 8:35amCHICAGO – The old saying, “those who cannot remember the past is doomed to repeat it” applies succinctly in “Sarah’s Key,” a Holocaust film with a French twist. Kristin Scott Thomas plays an American journalist who uncovers the facts in a less-remembered incident that reverberates to now.
Interview: Director Gilles Paquet-Brenner Opens the Door With ‘Sarah’s Key’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on July 28, 2011 - 10:31amCHICAGO – For every instance of “monumental” history, there are a series of events surrounding it that gets swept under the rug, but have the same bearing as the bigger occurrence. Director Gilles Paquet-Brenner tells one of those background stories in “Sarah’s Key,” a sorrowful piece of French history during World War II.
HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 50 Pairs of Chicago Passes to Ben Stiller’s ‘Submarine’ With Sally Hawkins
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on May 12, 2011 - 12:55amCHICAGO – In our latest comedy edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 50 admit-two passes up for grabs to the advance Chicago screening of the new film “Submarine” from executive producer Ben Stiller with writer and director Richard Ayoade in attendance at this screening for a Q&A!
Blu-Ray Review: Heartbreaking ‘Blue Valentine’ With Michelle Williams, Ryan Gosling
Submitted by BrianTT on May 9, 2011 - 1:33pmCHICAGO – I have shown a lot of love for “Blue Valentine,” putting it in my Top Ten Films of 2010 while also including its stars in my piece on The Best Performances of 2010. Clearly, I’m a fan. Rent the Blu-ray or DVD, hitting stores this week, and you’re likely to become one as well.
Film Review: ‘Miral’ Succeeds as Historical Drama, Falters as Character Study
Submitted by mattmovieman on April 15, 2011 - 7:53amCHICAGO – No matter how many films he makes, Julian Schnabel may always consider himself a painter first. Watching one of his cinematic efforts is akin to being pulled headfirst into the vivid and visceral canvas of a true neo-expressionist. His work aims to engulf the viewer. It shatters the barriers between a contrived character’s existence and that of the flesh-and-blood audience.
Interview: Julian Schnabel, Rula Jebreal Explore the Perspective of ‘Miral’
Submitted by mattmovieman on April 14, 2011 - 1:33pmCHICAGO – Julian Schnabel’s controversial new drama, “Miral,” tells a tale both sprawling and intimate. On one level, the film is about the titular Palestinian girl (Freida Pinto), and her coming of age during the Arab-Israeli war. On another level, the film is about a movement for peace, and the several generations of women whose acts of independence eventually set it into motion.
Film Review: Ryan Gosling, Michelle Williams Are Heartbreakingly Real in ‘Blue Valentine’
Submitted by BrianTT on January 7, 2011 - 12:11pmRating: 5.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Derek Cianfrance’s “Blue Valentine,” my pick last month for the 9th best film of 2010, is a devastatingly genuine representation of the first and final chapters of a marriage. It is a powerful drama, partially made so by a fantastic script, but mostly due to two of the best performances of the year from Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams. Don’t miss it.
Film Review: Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush Star in Confident ‘The King’s Speech’
Submitted by BrianTT on December 17, 2010 - 10:11amRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Tom Hooper’s “The King’s Speech” has been barreling through the awards season with a number of significant nominations, including six from the Chicago Film Critics Association just today. I understand why. The film does nothing wrong. It features confident production values and good performances but never reaches the peak of excellence for this critic. “The King’s Speech” is a good film that’s been inflated by some viewers to great even if it doesn’t quite deserve the throne.
Brad Pitt’s ‘Inglourious Basterds’ Becomes Quentin Tarantino’s Highest-Grossing Film
Submitted by BrianTT on September 22, 2009 - 8:12amCHICAGO – The Weinstein Company (QTC) announced that Quentin Tarantino’s recent film “Inglourious Basterds” passed “Pulp Fiction” at the box office and is now his highest grossing film ever. “Basterds” has now grossed more than $108 million in North American box office sales since the film was released on August 21, 2009.