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
Exclusive Portrait: Celebrating Ozzfest With Guitarist Zakk Wylde
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 18, 2010 - 12:18amCHICAGO – As Ozzfest, the summer music jam anchored by Ozzy Osbourne, rolls through Chicago on Tuesday, August 17th, former Osbourne guitarist Zakk Wylde brought his new band, Black Label Society, to rock at the fest. He also had time to greet fans here on Monday at Borders Books State Street.
Blu-Ray Review: Inconsistent ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ Not For Whole Family
Submitted by BrianTT on August 17, 2010 - 8:50pmCHICAGO – I am not (quite) yet old enough to have completely blocked out the socially treacherous days of middle school. For most kids, life is cruising smoothly until they get to middle school when cliques, popularity, and the opposite sex start to become a daily dilemma. Such is the subject matter of “Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” a cute-but-flawed family comedy with a few good laughs and strong supporting performances but generally silly tone that never quite comes together into something memorable.
Exclusive Portrait: Bruce Willis, Star of ‘The Expendables,’ ‘Red’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 17, 2010 - 3:06pmCHICAGO – The bright star named Bruno, Bruce Willis himself, was recently in Chicago at a benefit event for the Foundation for Retinal Research. In his role as Global Brand Ambassador for Sobeski Vodka, Willis offered a toast for the foundation, in the same week as his cameo appearance in “The Expendables.”
DVD Review: ‘The City of Your Final Destination’ Fails Spectacular Cast
Submitted by BrianTT on August 17, 2010 - 2:23pmCHICAGO – It’s unlikely that there will be a more A-list cast in a more frustrating film this entire year than on display in “The City of Your Final Destination.” Not only does it include a reunion of the great director James Ivory with star Anthony Hopkins (who appeared in the director’s “Howards End” and “Remains of the Day”) but it features two of my favorite actresses alive, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Laura Linney. And yet, the only word I can think of to describe the film is “disappointing.”
Blu-Ray Review: Riveting, Memorable ‘Red Riding Trilogy’
Submitted by BrianTT on August 17, 2010 - 1:41pmCHICAGO – Thriller fans should seek out the fascinating “Red Riding Trilogy,” a series of films with largely different casts set in different time periods that attempts to pull back the facade of peace to reveal the dark face of evil underneath. The films are not perfect but they work together to create a memorable portrait of corruption that has infected an entire country and taken more than a few victims in its grip.
TV Review: Suddenly, Nothing Happened on Season-Six Premiere of ‘Weeds’
Submitted by BrianTT on August 16, 2010 - 1:05pmCHICAGO – In an unhinged series where anything can happen, what do you make of an episode where not much happens at all?
Blu-Ray Review: Stylish, Fascinating ‘The Good, The Bad, The Weird’
Submitted by BrianTT on August 16, 2010 - 12:55pmCHICAGO – Our film critic Matt Fagerholm may have felt that “The Good, The Bad, The Weird” valued style over substance to a fault (read his review) but this critic still holds it as one of the best films of the year; a joyful cavalcade of modern action and spaghetti western archetypes that’s unlike anything else released in 2010. Don’t miss this excellent movie now that it’s on Blu-ray.
Blu-Ray Review: Spend ‘Date Night’ With Tina Fey, Steve Carell
Submitted by BrianTT on August 16, 2010 - 11:26amCHICAGO – “Date Night” is one of the few word-of-mouth hits of 2010; a film that started off reasonably well at the box office but hung around the top ten for months after its release, turning it into an undeniable comedy success. The comedy starring Steve Carell and Tina Fey opened in second place but dropped so slowly that it almost made $100 million (a huge amount for a movie like this one and plus another $50 million internationally). The movie’s loyal fans will love the excellent Blu-ray release from 20th Century Fox.
DVD Review: First Season of NBC Medical Dramas ‘Mercy,’ ‘Trauma’
Submitted by BrianTT on August 16, 2010 - 10:37amCHICAGO – It must have been rough to be on the NBC drama team in the fall of 2010. The network brass made it crystal clear that they cared little about scripted drama when they handed over five nights a week to Jay Leno, but the producers of the network’s two new medical dramas “Mercy” and “Trauma” had to push forward with their programs despite the diminishing reputation of their home. Both series made it through the first year but neither graduated to a second season. See what you probably missed with “Mercy: The Complete Series” and “Trauma: Season 1.”
TV Review: Laura Linney Faces Down End-Stage Cancer in ‘The Big C’
Submitted by BrianTT on August 16, 2010 - 10:21amCHICAGO – What would you do if you just didn’t give a crap anymore? This question seems to be the theme of Showtime’s new series “The Big C,” starring Laura Linney, Oliver Platt, and recent Oscar nominee Gabourey Sidibe.
HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 50 Chicago Passes to ‘Vampires Suck’ Parody
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on August 15, 2010 - 11:25pmCHICAGO – In our latest parody edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 50 admit-two passes up for grabs to the advance Chicago screening of the new film “Vampires Suck”!
Film Review: Ambition, Ingenuity Win Fight of ‘Scott Pilgrim vs. the World’
Submitted by BrianTT on August 13, 2010 - 4:08pmCHICAGO – Working from the graphic novels by Brian Lee O’Malley, Edgar Wright and Michael Cera deliver one of the most unique films of the year in the comedy/romance/comedy/video-game/pop-art/action/musical “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.” You won’t see anything like this again for a long time.
Film Review: Julia Roberts Learns How to ‘Eat Pray Love’
Submitted by BrianTT on August 13, 2010 - 3:32pm Rating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Despite its flaws, the often-beautiful “Eat Pray Love,” starring Julia Roberts, works because it refuses to talk down to its audience. This is the rare “chick flick” that treats its demographic with respect, never becoming the sentimental or manipulative dreck that so many other filmmakers would have delivered from Elizabeth Gilbert’s bestselling memoirs.
