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+.
Patrick McDonald
Miscarriage of Justice Befalls ‘The Central Park Five’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on December 7, 2012 - 10:57amRating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – It takes a provocative subject to capture the attention of famous documentarian Ken Burns. There are few things more provocative than the story of “The Central Park Five.” Burns, his daughter Sarah Burns and son-in-law David McMahon were co-directors for this exploration of justice denied.
Metaphor is Message in Violent ‘Killing Them Softly’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on November 30, 2012 - 1:50pmRating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – If there ever was an industry that deserved a good metaphor bashing, it would be the financial sector. “Killing Them Softly” does a hit-over-the-head with the symbolism, but at the same time delivers a gritty and literate parable, featuring Brad Pitt, James Gandolfini and Ray Liotta.
Banal Story, Unique Visuals Define ‘Rise of the Guardians’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on November 21, 2012 - 7:36pmRating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Okay, we get it. The current crop of animators can create amazing worlds, full of sensory-expanding images and visions of magical awe (and in 3D). But, if there is a dull story interacting with the eye candy, it can feel like a fancy cake that tastes like sawdust. Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin, Isla Fisher Jude Law and Hugh Jackman lend their voices to “Rise of the Guardians.”
‘Hitchcock’ at its Heart is a Relationship Film
Submitted by PatrickMcD on November 21, 2012 - 7:01pmRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The great director Alfred Hitchcock had morphed to legend rather than a man, so it’s interesting that two films have recently been released about his all-too-human foibles. The feature film, starring Sir Anthony Hopkins as the director, gets inside the man’s relationships in “Hitchcock.”
Geopolitics Aside, ‘Red Dawn’ is Decent Action Movie
Submitted by PatrickMcD on November 21, 2012 - 8:52amRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Given the state of the post-9/11 world, and the delicate negotiations between nations, remaking “Red Dawn” posed a considerable risk. But the film takes a ‘“damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead,” approach, and pulls off an adrenaline rush featuring Chris Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson and Josh Peck.
Strange, Beguiling Sean Penn in ‘This Must Be the Place’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on November 18, 2012 - 2:06amRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Sean Penn picks his roles carefully, and famously said he didn’t know what the story meant in “Tree of Life.” His attachment to “This Must Be the Place” continues the vague journey through movieland, as he plays a bizarre and aging rock star whose life is about to get interesting.
Social Evolution with a Twist in ‘A Royal Affair’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on November 9, 2012 - 4:05pmRating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – European history is – in a sense – our history, especially as it relates to the “Age of Enlightenment,” the intellectual movement in the 1700s that anticipated the Declaration of Independence. One of the quirks in that timeline is passionately explored in the new Danish/French film, “A Royal Affair.”
‘Lincoln’ Magnificently Humanizes the Man, Our History
Submitted by PatrickMcD on November 9, 2012 - 11:37amRating: 5.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – There is an argument that Steven Spielberg is the most “American” of directors, at least in his generation. He deftly and brilliantly teams up with playwright Tony Kushner and actor Daniel Day-Lewis to humanize and realize our 16th president in “Lincoln.”
‘Skyfall’ is Enjoyable, Transitional James Bond Romp
Submitted by PatrickMcD on November 8, 2012 - 9:26amRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – James Bond is the world’s most enduring super spy, beginning with Ian Fleming’s classic spy novels, up to a celebration of 50 years in the movies. Daniel Craig returns as Bond, James Bond in the latest film ‘Skyfall,’ which blends familiar 007 actions with psychological transitions.
‘A Late Quartet’ is Passionate Symphony of the Human Condition
Submitted by PatrickMcD on November 3, 2012 - 8:51pmRating: 4.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Those who know the language of music at its highest levels seemingly know the secret of the world. But as “A Late Quartet” demonstrates, they also possess the same human foibles as the rest of us. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener and Christopher Walken portray maestros at an emotional crossroads.