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 Arts & Entertainment News
Uma Thurman to Walk Red Carpet For Opening Night of 45th Chicago International Film Festival
Submitted by BrianTT on September 23, 2009 - 7:09pmCHICAGO – The 45th Chicago International Film Festival will open with Katherine Dieckmann’s “Motherhood” and a star-studded red carpet where the film’s writer and director, Dieckmann and actress Uma Thurman at the AMC River East 21 Theater (322 E. Illinois St in Chicago) on Thursday, October 8th at 7pm.
FX’s ‘Damages’ Adds New Cast Members For Third Season
Submitted by BrianTT on September 23, 2009 - 6:58pmCHICAGO – FX’s award-winning legal thriller “Damages” is adding four new actors, Campbell Scott (“Royal Pains”), Martin Short (“Primetime Glick”), Lily Tomlin (“Desperate Housewives”) and Keith Carradine (“Dexter”), to the cast for the upcoming season which premiers in January. Production on the series 13-episode season begins in New York tomorrow.
Video Game Review: ‘F.E.A.R. 2: Reborn’ a Missed Opportunity With Weak Expansion
Submitted by BrianTT on September 23, 2009 - 6:21pmCHICAGO – When “F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin” was released earlier this year, it took me awhile to get into the rhythm of the game and to realize what worked about the title.
TV Review: Despite Sexy Stars, ‘Eastwick’ Has Yet to Cast a Spell
Submitted by BrianTT on September 23, 2009 - 2:52pmCHICAGO – Clearly inspired as much by the success of “Desperate Housewives” as that of its actual source material, ABC’s “Eastwick” is a mixed cauldron of possibilities, a show with a strong enough cast and concept to warrant a second look but also one with enough deep flaws in its premiere to suggest that perhaps this spell will not be cast over too many viewers.
TV Review: Talented Ensemble Drives ABC’s ‘Modern Family’
Submitted by BrianTT on September 23, 2009 - 2:06pmCHICAGO – The highlight of tonight’s debuting shows on ABC is one of the most promising new comedy pilots of the season, the multi-layered “Modern Family,” a sitcom that both skewers the conventions of the typical TV family show and lovingly embraces them at the same time.
TV Review: ‘Cougar Town’ With Courteney Cox Reeks of Desperation
Submitted by BrianTT on September 23, 2009 - 1:05pmCHICAGO – There are major chunks of ABC’s very disappointing “Cougar Town” with Courteney Cox that resemble a stand-up comedian so eager to please that you can see the desperate flop sweat forming on their brow as joke after joke hit the floor with a thud. More pathetically manic than honestly funny, it’s the writing on the weakest part of the network’s entirely new Wednesday night line-up that lets down its talented star.
‘Juno,’ ‘Jennifer’s Body’ Writer Diablo Cody Set to Adapt ‘Sweet Valley High’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on September 23, 2009 - 12:47pmLOS ANGELES – “Sweet Valley High” filtered through Diablo Cody? That is exactly what Universal is doubling down on, in negotiations to pick up the rights to the long-running book series, with Cody (“Juno,” “Jennifer’s Body”) attached to adapt.
HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 20 Passes to ‘Paranormal Activity’ Horror Screening in Chicago
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on September 22, 2009 - 12:55pmCHICAGO – In our latest horror edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 20 admit-two passes up for grabs to the Chicago screening of the film festival-favorite horror film “Paranormal Activity,” which Bloody-Disgusting.com calls “one of the scariest movies of all time”!
Video Game Review: ‘Soul Calibur: Broken Destiny’ Beautiful But Odd Game
Submitted by BrianTT on September 22, 2009 - 10:52amCHICAGO – What do you want out of a fighting game? Aren’t they designed around the social experience of picking up a controller and kicking your friend’s ass? Fighting titles even the playing field, allowing the wimpy kid to kick the football player’s ass with the right mix of animated moves. They are the ultimate revenge of the nerds.
TV Review: ‘NCIS: Los Angeles’ Has Breakout Potential as Hottest New Show
Submitted by BrianTT on September 22, 2009 - 10:27amCHICAGO – Doesn’t it feel like there will someday just be a few mystery franchises with several different iterations on the air? We have three versions of “Law & Order” and “CSI,” and now “NCIS” has joined in, expanding the franchise of this surprisingly popular show to “NCIS: Los Angeles” with appealing stars Chris O’Donnell and L.L. Cool J.
TV Review: Promising ‘The Good Wife’ With Juliana Margulies
Submitted by BrianTT on September 22, 2009 - 9:41amCHICAGO – From the non-stop ads (especially the ones that played all weekend locally with Bill Kurtis), you would be forgiven for thinking that CBS’ “The Good Wife” was solely about a scorned woman who enjoys slapping her lothario husband. There’s a lot more to the drama than that overplayed scene and the potential of the show is in the promise of watching a strong female character get past that moment, not play it over and over again.
Blu-Ray Round Up: MGM Releases Wave of Modern Horror Classics
Submitted by BrianTT on September 22, 2009 - 8:16amCHICAGO – Start planning your Halloween marathon now. Last week, we highlighted the Universal wave of titles that included greats like “Shaun of the Dead” and “Army of Darkness” and we’re back with another wave of modern horror classics, including Oscar winners “Silence of the Lambs” and “Misery”.
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.
