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+.
Film
Podtalk: Desiree Burcum of ‘Yippie Fest,’ at the Prop Theatre in Chicago, Aug. 17-19, 2018
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 17, 2018 - 9:06amCHICAGO – It’s the 2nd annual Yippie Fest in Chicago at the Prop Thtr (Theatre), and the three days of Theater, Performance, Music, Film, Comedy and more kicks off with the 2018 Opening Ceremonies on Friday, August 17th, and runs through Sunday, August 19th. The Fest evolved from the spirit of Mary-Arrchie Theater’s Abbie Hoffman Fest, which ran from 1989 to 2016. The Fest also celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the Yippies (Youth International Party) in Chicago, during the Vietnam protests in August of 1968. The whole world was watching. For more information on Yippie Fest, including tickets, click here.
Preview: Week Two Films at 53rd Chicago International Film Festival
Submitted by PatrickMcD on October 21, 2017 - 10:09amCHICAGO – The 53rd Chicago International Film Festival is winding down, with the closing night film set for Thursday, October 26th, 2017 (“The Shape of Water”). But there are still many films to go until the end, and Jon Lennon Espino and Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com preview some choices for week two.
Preview: Week-One Films at 53rd Chicago International Film Festival
Submitted by PatrickMcD on October 16, 2017 - 10:53amCHICAGO – The 53rd Chicago International Film Festival has kicked off, and the first weekend has already unspooled. But what is coming up for the WEEK ONE as the Festival kicks into gear? HollywoodChicago.com’s Patrick McDonald and Jon Lennon Espino preview the films and events to put on your list.
Preview: Second-Week Films at 52nd Chicago International Film Festival
Submitted by PatrickMcD on October 21, 2016 - 6:44pmCHICAGO – It’s Week Two of the 52nd Chicago International Film Festival, and with Closing Night coming next Thursday, what film gems still are yet to see? The film reviewers of HollywoodChicago.com has been previewing several second week screenings, and offers the following capsule summaries.
Preview: First Week of Films at 52nd Chicago International Film Festival
Submitted by PatrickMcD on October 14, 2016 - 4:05pmCHICAGO – It’s Week One of the 52nd Chicago International Film Festival, and with so many film opportunities to experience, what are some of the highlights? The intrepid film reviewers of HollywoodChicago.com has been sampling the cinema fare for the first week, and offers the following capsule summaries.
Interview: Kevin Hanna on The Artist’s Lab Staging of ‘The Cowboy and The Showgirl Cycle’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on February 10, 2016 - 1:07pmCHICAGO – Chicago is a hotbed for new stage talent, and the growth of that creativity is generated in new theater works. The Artist’s Lab at Stage 773 is one such developmental program, and director Kevin Hanna is currently in residence to create a new three part musical production called “The Cowboy and the The Showgirl Cycle.” The first part will have its premiere at Stage 773 on February 11th, 2016 (details below).
Exclusive Portrait: Sarah Silverman Receives Honor at 51st Chicago International Film Festival
Submitted by PatrickMcD on October 20, 2015 - 5:06pmCHICAGO – Sarah Silverman is a one-of-a-kind anarchistic comedian, but she is also making her mark as an actor. She was featured in her new indie film, “I Smile Back,” at the 51st Chicago International Film Festival, where she received the “Breakthrough Performer Award” and walked the Red Carpet on Friday, October 16th.
Interview: Kevin Pollack on His Portrayal of Roger Ebert in ‘The Black/White Love Play’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on October 7, 2015 - 12:03pmCHICAGO – Roger Ebert is an icon, in both film criticism lore and his inspirational life. Two years after his passing, the Black Ensemble Theater of Chicago is honoring his legacy by focusing on a love story, the passionate relationship with his wife Chaz Ebert. Actor Kevin Pollack portrays Roger in “The Black/White Love Play.”
Film Review: Pre-Apocalyptic Darkness Found in ‘Maps to the Stars’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 11, 2015 - 10:54amCHICAGO – There is a moral darkness in director David Cronenberg’s “Maps to the Stars” that is hard to shake. It is filled with circumstance and souls right at the edge of insanity, polluted by an atmosphere that doesn’t give them much of a chance. The apocalypse is now, and living in Los Angeles.
Film News: Screen Actors’ Guild Nominations Contain a Few Surprises
Submitted by TimBMartens on December 14, 2011 - 11:19amCHICAGO – The announcements keep coming for award season winners and nominees. Today, we have the list of nominees for this year’s Screen Actors’ Guild awards. The awards celebrate the best male and female performances in film and television, leaving out awards like Best Picture or Best Director. “The Help” leads this year’s films with four different nominations.