HollywoodChicago.com Arts & Entertainment News

Blu-Ray Review: ‘Sex and the City 2’ Continues to Diminish Legacy of HBO Series

Sex and the City 2

CHICAGO – Those of you longing for a film version of “The Sopranos,” “Friends,” or “24” (all of which have been rumored at some point or another), should look no further than “Sex and the City 2,” which was recently released on Blu-Ray and DVD, for a cautionary tale. HBO’s “Sex and the City” was a fantastic comedy but both films based on it have been disastrous. Their only value is for filmmakers to learn what not to do with a creative property.

TV Review: AMC’s ‘The Walking Dead’ Continues Network’s Pattern of Creative Success

CHICAGOAMC has become a major player on the television scene thanks to the multiple awards won by “Mad Men” and “Breaking Bad.” As they expanded this year with “Rubicon” and this weekend’s “The Walking Dead,” the question was whether or not the pool would be diluted as it got bigger.

Blu-Ray Review: ‘Back to the Future: 25th Anniversary Trilogy’

Back to the Future

CHICAGO – It’s rare to see a series of films and its fans treated as incredibly as Universal has with the 25th Anniversary edition of the “Back to the Future” trilogy. This is one of the most remarkable and impressive Blu-ray releases to date: A box set that not only features pristinely-restored versions of the three films but includes hours of spectacular special features. It’s a must-own and arguably the best release in a very good season for Blu-ray collectors.

Video Game Review: ‘God of War: Ghost of Sparta’ Destroys Sony PSP Action Competition

CHICAGO – With the best-selling “God of War III” still resonating like an almighty thunderclap that hit gamers barely over half a year ago, is it too soon for another adventure of one of the last decade’s most influential and important characters? And with the continuous decline in the number of interesting properties available for the Sony PSP, will “God of War: Ghost of Sparta” feel like an afterthought or an essential property in the Kratos canon?

Film Review: ‘The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest’ Underlines Franchise Limitations

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest review

CHICAGO – Now that the third and final installment of Stieg Larsson’s posthumously published, phenomenally popular book series has been turned into a feature film, the questions emerges: ‘Was it worth it?’ To the worldwide box office and the creatively bankrupt Hollywood, of course it was. But were moviegoers truly satisfied by the experience?

James MacArthur, Danno on Original ‘Hawaii Five-0,’ is Dead at 72

James MacArthur, photo by Joe Arce.

CHICAGO – James MacArthur, a stage and screen actor best known for playing the booking agent Danno in the 1960s version of the TV show “Hawaii Five-0,” died on October 28th, 2010, of natural causes. He was 72. HollywoodChicago.com interviewed MacArthur last March at the Hollywood Celebrities and Memorabilia Show.

Video Game Review: ‘Rock Band 3’ Delivers Music Thrills For Hardcore Fans of Hit Franchise

CHICAGO – The developers of “Rock Band 3” have surely heard the bell-ringers who claim that the music game genre is dead and have accepted the challenge presented to them. People have been proclaiming rock to be dead for decades only to be proven wrong by an amazing new release. Does “Rock Band 3” disprove the naysayers and reinvigorate the oversaturated genre?

HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 25 ‘Megamind’ Early Movie Passes Plus 5 Xbox 360, 5 Wii, 5 DS Video Games

Megamind with Will Ferrell, Brad Pitt and Tina Fey

CHICAGOMassive giveaway! In our latest edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 25 admit-two advance-screening movie tickets up for grabs to the new film “Megamind” along with five Xbox 360, five Nintendo Wii and five Nintendo DS video games!

Blu-Ray Review: ‘Seven Samurai’ Lives Up to Legendary Reputation

Seven Samurai

CHICAGO – If one looks at the spine of a Criterion Collection release, he will see a number that indicates the order in which films have been inducted into the most important DVD/Blu-ray series in history. With over 500 films in the collection (this week’s “Paths of Glory” is #538), one might wonder where it all began. “Grand Illusion,” which Criterion no longer has rights to, is #1 but their second inductee has recently been transferred to Blu-ray and the two-disc release for “Seven Samurai” is a beauty.

Blu-Ray Review: Ultimate Editions of Third, Fourth ‘Harry Potter’ Films

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

CHICAGO – Hardcore “Harry Potter” fans will have to clear some shelf space this holiday season for the gigantic “Ultimate Edition” releases of “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” and “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.” Timed to coincide with the upcoming release of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” in November, Warner Bros. has released the third and fourth film in their money-machine, complete with collectibles and new special features that could feel like overkill for most but will make for a happy holiday season for the Potter nut in your clan of Muggles.

Blu-Ray Review: ‘Predators’ Reboot Plays Better at Home, But Still Disappoints

Predators

CHICAGO – Perhaps it’s because it is so clearly inspired by a retro style of action but Nimrod Antal’s “Predators,” now available on Blu-ray and DVD, plays better at home than it did at the disappointing theatrical screening in the middle of summer 2010. It’s still a bit of a disappointment, but it’s one of those films that’s nowhere near as bad as it could have been and features a few strong set pieces, especially in HD.

Blu-Ray Review: Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Moulin Rouge!,’ ‘Romeo + Juliet’ Made For HD

Moulin Rouge

CHICAGO – Baz Luhrmann has made two great films and one masterpiece in “Strictly Ballroom,” “William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet,” and “Moulin Rouge!” and the latter two are finally available on Blu-ray, the format for which they were made. In the only way we should expect from a perfectionist like Luhrmann, both films have been lovingly remastered in HD and accompanied by excellent special features. They’re a pair of great HD releases.

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