28 Days Later

CHICAGO – Danny Boyle’s “Trance” is an undeniably well-made thriller that works back in on itself a few too many times for disbelief to stay suspended but delivers enough escapist entertainment to be considered a success. It’s totally ridiculous and yet never boring, propelled by the quick-cut style of the man who brought similar momentum to “Shallow Grave,” “Trainspotting,” and “28 Days Later.”

CHICAGO – In various interviews over the years, British filmmaker Danny Boyle has expressed his belief that “your first film is your best film.” It may not be the most technically accomplished or dramatically satisfying work, but it marks a crucial period of freshness and experimentation, as the rookie director becomes acquainted with the creative challenges of feature film production.

CHICAGO – One of the most surprisingly-accomplished and well-executed titles of the season has to be “Enslaved: Odyssey of the West,” a gorgeously-rendered blend of combat, puzzle solving, and climbing that gets a bit repetitive but stays entertaining due to its incredibly high production values and beautiful graphics.

CHICAGO – Even the most diehard fans of “The Simpsons,” a group of which I would proudly call myself a member, would admit that the last few seasons of the show have been disappointing at best and, at times, downright bad (especially the current season we’re in, which has produced fewer laughs than anything on FOX Sunday nights).

CHICAGO – In our latest edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have an extra-unique five VIP grand-prize packs up for grabs for the Oscar-buzzing film “Slumdog Millionaire” from director Danny Boyle (“Trainspotting,” “The Beach,” “28 Days Later”).