CHICAGO – Excelsior! Comic book legend Stan Lee’s famous exclamation puts a fine point on the third and final play of Mark Pracht’s FOUR COLOR TRILOGY, “The House of Ideas,” presented by and staged at City Lit Theater in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood. For tickets/details, click HOUSE OF IDEAS.
HollywoodChicago.com Arts & Entertainment News
Audio Film Review: The New Degeneration in ‘The Bad Guys’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 21, 2022 - 12:28amCHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio film review on “The Bad Guys,” the latest cartoony film from Dreamworks Animation, featuring the voices of Sam Rockwell, Awkafina, Alex Borstein and Zazie Beetz, among others, and in theaters on April 22nd.
Via Zoom: Ryan Saunders of 17th CineYouth Fest, April 22-24, 2022
Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 20, 2022 - 9:48amCHICAGO – The future is now at the 2022 CineYouth Festival, taking place this upcoming weekend in person, April 22nd-24th, at FACETS in Chicago. The 17th annual CineYouth features 71 international short films from creators that are children, teens and young adults up to 22 years old. The Festival Director is Ryan Saunders.
Film News: 38th Chicago Latino Film Fest Opens with ‘Plaza Catedral’ on April 21, 2022
Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 19, 2022 - 12:17pmCHICAGO – A hybrid spring film festival – both in-person and online – kicks offs with the 38th edition of the Chicago Latino Film Festival (CLFF). The Opening Night Panamanian film “Plaza Catedral,” will screen April 21st, 2022, at the Drive-In theater, ChiTown Movies. Click CLFF for details.
Easter Feature: Robin Lamont of ‘Godspell’ on Dancing at the Top of the World Trade Center
Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 15, 2022 - 10:13amCHICAGO – One of the better film treats of Easter weekend is “Godspell” (1973), the hippie musical based on the Bible gospels in the book of Matthew. Featuring Victor Garber as Jesus, the film is set in New York City of the early 1970s, at the same time the World Trade Center was nearly complete. The producers had a great idea … why not film a dance number on the top of the North Tower?
Audio Film Review: Never Alone with Your Clone in ‘Dual’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 14, 2022 - 6:26pmCHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio film review on “Dual,” the latest film from Riley Stearns (THE ART OF SELF DEFENSE, and featuring Karen Gillan and Aaron Paul. In select theaters on Wednesday, April 15th, see local listings for theaters and show times.
Film Review: Law-Abiding ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 14, 2022 - 11:31amCHICAGO – The elements of the Fantastic Beasts franchise that work at all are the ones most closely connected to the larger world of Harry Potter that enchanted the hearts and minds of millions in the first place. In “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore,” it’s ostensible main character Newt Scamander demoted to supporting character while Dumbledore is now front and center.
Audio Film Review: Mark His Redemption in ‘Father Stu’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 12, 2022 - 10:15pmCHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio film review on “Father Stu,” featuring Mark Wahlberg traveling down an unusual life path, portraying a character journey from unsuccessful boxer and actor to the priesthood. In theaters on Wednesday, April 13th, just in time for redemption on Easter weekend.
Via Zoom: Comedian Katie Hannigan’s ‘Feeling of Emptiness’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 10, 2022 - 10:20amCHICAGO – As performance ramps up again in 2022, one of the great comic voices on the stand-up comedy scene is Katie Hannigan. The veteran jokester has recently released a comedy album, the perfect-for-the-times title of “Feeling of Emptiness.” Ms. Hannigan riffs on herself essentially, with sharp observations on being a woman in these particular times.
Audio Film Review: The Nickel and Timing of ‘The Automat’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 10, 2022 - 9:25amCHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio film review on “The Automat,” a nostalgic look at a long-gone New York City/Philadelphia restaurant institution, a directorial debut by Lisa Hurwitz featuring interviews with Mel Brooks, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and others. In select theaters now.
Film News: Season 14 Final Weekend of Asian Pop-Up Cinema Features Taiwan, April 9-10, 2022
Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 9, 2022 - 9:46amCHICAGO – Season 14 of Chicago’s Asian Pop-Up Cinema (APUC) … the 2022 Spring Season … wraps up this weekend with two films from Taiwan. “Increasing Echo” is a tense relationship drama about husband and wife trust (April 9th, click here).
On-Air Film Review: Her Art Will Go On in Story of ‘Aline’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 8, 2022 - 12:16pmCHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on April 7th, reviewing “Aline,” a fictional account of the Celine Dion story, in theaters beginning April 8th
On-Air Film Review: Siren Song of the Bay in ‘Ambulance’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 8, 2022 - 11:57amCHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on April 7th, reviewing “Ambulance,” the latest film from director Michael Bay, in theaters beginning April 8th.
Audio Film Review: The Inner Spirit of ‘You Won’t Be Alone’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 3, 2022 - 8:46pmCHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio film review on “You Won’t Be Alone,” a UK/Serbia/Australia co-production, and the debut feature film from Goran Stolevski, which opened in theaters on April 1st, including Chicago’s Music Box Theatre.
