CHICAGO – Like many of you, I have been perusing the digital platforms, looking for the appropriate binge shows that will provide a temporary bit of sanity. Amazon Prime, for example, offers the entire series of “30 Rock” (2006-13), the seminal NBC-TV series created by and featuring Tina Fey.
Stanley Tucci
Armie Hammer Sits for Geoffrey Rush in ‘Final Portrait’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 2, 2018 - 9:06am Rating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Paris in the 1960s seems to be a place where anything was possible. “Final Portrait” is an indication of this, as Armie Hammer portrays a Mad Men style American critic (what!) in 1964, who sits for a portrait painting by eccentric artist Alberto Giacometti, portrayed with relish by Geoffrey Rush.
‘Transformers: The Last Knight’ is Bizarrely Enjoyable
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 21, 2017 - 1:25pmRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Knock me over with a feather kids, but I enjoyed “Transformers: The Last Knight.” Maybe it was in comparison to the others or maybe director Michael Bay has beaten me into submission, but this one had the right story elements and casting to make it work, with exceptions of course.
Flawless ‘Beauty and the Beast’ is a New Classic
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 16, 2017 - 3:37pm Rating: 5.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Do not doubt the power of live action to create a new atmosphere of joy and…dare I say it…beauty. The re-imagining of the animated classic “Beauty and the Beast” is everything that the previous was and much more. It packs a true and emotional wallop that follows through to the end.
Grim Conclusion for ‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on November 20, 2015 - 8:41pm- Donald Sutherland
- Elizabeth Banks
- HollywoodChicago.com Content
- Jeffrey Wright
- Jena Malone
- Jennifer Lawrence
- Josh Hutchinson
- Julianne Moore
- Liam Hemsworth
- Lionsgate
- Mahershala Ali
- Movie Review
- Phillip Seymour Hoffman
- Sam Claflin
- Spike Walters
- Stanley Tucci
- The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2
- Willow Shields
- Woody Harrelson
 Rating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – This has to be what the filmmakers intended when they split the final book of the “Hunger Games” series into two films. While “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1” was all set up, Part 2 doesn’t just lead up to a huge climax.
‘Spotlight’ Offers a Relevant First Draft to History
Submitted by PatrickMcD on November 16, 2015 - 6:57pm Rating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – “Spotlight” is a movie which aspires to greatness and oftentimes just about gets there. It’s a movie that is thoroughly confident that the process of journalism and a great story provides all the excitement it needs to grab an audience’s attention. And what a great story it is.
‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1’ Shouldn’t Have Been Split in Two
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on November 23, 2014 - 7:03pm- Adam Fendelman
- Danny Strong
- Donald Sutherland
- Elizabeth Banks
- Francis Lawrence
- HollywoodChicago.com Content
- Jeffrey Wright
- Jena Malone
- Jennifer Lawrence
- Josh Hutcherson
- Julianne Moore
- Liam Hemsworth
- Peter Craig
- Philip Seymour Hoffman
- Sam Claflin
- Stanley Tucci
- Suzanne Collins
- The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1
- Woody Harrelson
 Rating: 2.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – My issue with the “one movie split into two parts” debate isn’t even about money, which is clearly the main reason why we’ve seen blockbuster films do it like the two-part “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” and now the two-part “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay”.
Moving On in ‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on November 20, 2014 - 11:50pm- Donald Sutherland
- Elizabeth Banks
- HollywoodChicago.com Content
- Jeffrey Wright
- Jennifer Lawrence
- Josh Hutcherson
- Julianne Moore
- Katniss
- Liam Hemsworth
- Lionsgate
- Movie Review
- Patrick McDonald
- Peeta
- Philip Seymour Hoffman
- Stanley Tucci
- Suzanne Collins
- The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1
- Woody Harrelson
Rating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The über popular “The Hunger Games” series is back, splitting the final novel into two movie parts, Harry Potter style. Subtitled “Mockingjay - Part 1,” this is the beginning of the end of the story, setting up rather than knocking down.
‘Transformers: Age of Extinction’ Most Tolerable of Series
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 26, 2014 - 10:28pmRating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – I’ll say this for “Transformers: Age Of Extinction,” it’s the most tolerable Transformers movie Michael Bay has ever made. The substitution of Mark Wahlberg for Shia LaBeouf is a big part of that – and for its first two hours at least, Bay realizes less is more.
‘Mr. Peabody & Sherman’ Hindered by Extra Sidekick
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 7, 2014 - 7:49pmRating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Talking dogs have been around for decades in animated movies and television shows, especially the anthropomorphized kind. From the superhero antics of Underdog to the biting sarcasm from the likes of Brian from “Family Guy” - take your pick and you can find a dog to your liking. I always took a shine to Mr. Peabody, the intelligent and resourceful beagle with a penchant for puns.
Wondrous Last Act for Hayao Miyazaki in ‘The Wind Rises’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 1, 2014 - 9:54amRating: 5.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The master animator and film legend Hayao Miyazaki (“Howl’s Moving Castle,” “Spirited Away,” “Princess Mononoke”) announced his retirement after his latest film, “The Wind Rises.” He is often called “Japan’s Walt Disney,” but there is more to him then that, a soul and a mystery that is revealed in the stages of his animated art, and his contribution to artistic culture will continue to influence for generations to come. “The Wind Rises” is nominated for Best Animated Film at the 2014 Academy Awards.
