CHICAGO – The Steppenwolf Theatre of Chicago continues to provide different viewpoints on the American stage, and their latest “Little Bear Ridge Road” is no exception. Featuring ensemble member Laurie Metcalf, it’s the resonate story of a family at the crossroads. For tickets/details, click LITTLE BEAR.
HollywoodChicago.com Arts & Entertainment News
Liam Neeson Elevates Above-Average Action Movie ‘Taken’
Submitted by BrianTT on January 30, 2009 - 8:25amCHICAGO – Bringing the same screen presence and gravity that he has to more serious roles like those in “Schindler’s List” and “Kinsey,” Liam Neeson turns the relatively generic “Taken” into an above-average action movie that should prove a surprising alternative for movie goers looking for a break from Super Bowl coverage this weekend.
Video Game Review: ‘LOTR: Conquest’ Fails to Live Up to Name
Submitted by BrianTT on January 29, 2009 - 10:08am Video Game Rating: 1.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Instead of the strategy title that it could have been, “LOTR: Conquest” is just another button-masher, a game that banks off the goodwill of one of the most successful franchises of all time but does nothing worthwhile with it.
Blu-Ray Review: Go Back to Camp Crystal Lake With ‘Friday the 13th: Uncut’
Submitted by BrianTT on January 29, 2009 - 9:56am Blu-Ray Rating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Every time a movie gets remade, you can expect the original to appear in some varying degree of “special” edition on the home market. A week-and-a-half from the Michael Bay produced and Marcus Nispel remake of “Friday the 13th,” Paramount has unleashed deluxe editions of the original on Blu-Ray and the first two sequels on DVD.
Blu-Ray Review: ‘Max Payne’ is Like Watching Someone Else Play Video Games
Submitted by BrianTT on January 29, 2009 - 9:47am Blu-Ray Rating: 1.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – It can be so easy to waste multiple hours, even days with great video games, and yet it is sometimes unbearable to sit through 90 minutes of the cinematic adaptation of the same concept. Such is the case with the abysmal “Max Payne,” yet another in a long line of video-game-to-screen disasters that continue to prove how little Hollywood thinks of gamers.
Exclusive Portrait: ‘New in Town’ Star Harry Connick Jr. in Chicago
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on January 28, 2009 - 11:03pmCHICAGO – Actor Harry Connick Jr. flashed the HollywoodChicago.com lens a welcoming smile while signing autographs for fans in the name of his new film “New in Town” on Jan. 28, 2009 at the Shops of North Bridge mall on downtown Chicago’s Michigan Avenue.
HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 20 Autographed ‘Underworld: Rise of the Lycans’ Posters From Kevin Grevioux
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on January 28, 2009 - 6:47pmCHICAGO – Following our interview with Chicago-born Marvel Comics writer and “Underworld” and “Underworld: Rise of the Lycans” character creator Kevin Grevioux, we now have a special HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film with 20 autographed Kevin Grevioux posters for the new film up for grabs.
‘Privileged’ Star Lucy Hale Auditions For Role in ‘Twilight’ Sequel ‘New Moon’
Submitted by BrianTT on January 28, 2009 - 6:37pmCHICAGO – Lucy Hale, the star of The CW’s “Privileged,” revealed this week that she too has auditioned for a role in the upcoming sequel to Stephenie Meyer’s “Twilight,” the highly anticipated “New Moon,” to be directed by Chris Weitz and going into production soon.
Blu-Ray Round Up, Jan. 28, 2009: ‘Hulk Vs.,’ ‘Antwone Fisher,’ ‘Repo,’ ‘Stargate’
Submitted by BrianTT on January 28, 2009 - 3:32pmCHICAGO – We’re back with our recurring feature, the Blu-Ray Round Up, a collection of HD releases that might have slipped through the cracks but that could grab your attention. With dozens of catalog titles and straight-to-video releases hitting the next-gen format every week, it’s easy to miss a movie that you’d love to add to your collection. The Blu-Ray Round Up is here for you.
Gordon Ramsay’s Overly Formulaic ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ Has Grown Cold
Submitted by BrianTT on January 28, 2009 - 12:17pm Television Rating: 1.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – By its very nature, reality television is formulaic. “Survivor,” “The Amazing Race,” “Project Runway,” “Top Chef” - They all follow the same structure every year. But good reality TV mixes it up with interesting competitors and enough variety to keep viewers interested. It has gotten to the point where you can barely tell one episode of “Hell’s Kitchen” from another one, much less from season to season.
Blu-Ray Review: Mixed Bag of Clichés, Quality Performances in ‘Lakeview Terrace’
Submitted by BrianTT on January 28, 2009 - 10:44am Blu-Ray Rating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Neil LaBute’s “Lakeview Terrace” delivers as close to the “marginal thumbs up or down” line as any movie released in 2008. There are some intriguing ideas about race and excellent performances, but the film feels like a missed opportunity to be something greater, even if a strong Blu-Ray release helps the final product.
Video Game Review: ‘Wonder World Amusement Park’ Creates Portable Fun
Submitted by BrianTT on January 27, 2009 - 5:18pmCHICAGO – Majesco’s “Wonder World Amusement Park” for the Nintendo DS is a pleasurable diversion but could just as easily be deemed by some buyers to be a wasted opportunity to be something more. Ultimately, for a low purchase price and a game targeted at kids, it’s hard to complain too much about a title that will likely satisfy its target audience.
Blu-Ray Review: ‘Pride and Glory’ Wastes Two Talented Stars in Generic Drama
Submitted by BrianTT on January 27, 2009 - 10:41am Blu-Ray Rating: 2.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The Blu-Ray package for Gavin O’Connor’s “Pride and Glory” features shots of stars Edward Norton and Colin Farrell wielding guns on both the front and back of the case. The artistic intention is clear - Try and sell this generic, dull cop drama as an action film, as that’s the genre that takes off on the home market. Don’t buy it.
DVD Review: ‘Sam Kinison Unleashed’ Brings Comic Genius to DVD
Submitted by BrianTT on January 27, 2009 - 10:29am DVD Rating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Anyone who has ever seen a Sam Kinison stand-up special knows the truth. The man was a genius. Finally, people unfamiliar with the mad preacher will get to see for themselves and those of us old enough to remember Kinison’s all-too-brief time in the spotlight can revisit this inspirational and hilarious comedian on DVD with “Sam Kinison Unleashed”.
