CHICAGO – There is no better time to take in a stage play that is based in U.S. history, depicting the battle between fact and religion. The old theater chestnut – first mounted in 1955 – is “Inherit the Wind,” now at the Goodman Theatre, completing it’s short run through October 20th. For tickets and more information, click INHERIT.
Hiam Abbass
HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 40 Pairs of Passes to ‘Exodus: Gods and Kings’ With Christian Bale as Moses
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on December 9, 2014 - 8:48pmCHICAGO – In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 40 pairs of advance-screening movie passes up for grabs to the highly anticipated new film “Exodus: Gods and Kings” starring Christian Bale as Moses!
Blu-Ray Review: Talented Director Lost in Saga of ‘Miral’
Submitted by BrianTT on July 21, 2011 - 2:17pmCHICAGO – I wanted to like Julian Schnabel’s “Miral” for so many reasons. I think Schnabel (“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly,” “Before Night Falls”) is not only one of our most interesting filmmakers but he’s redefining what one should expect from a biopic. I love the supporting cast — Hiam Abbass, Alexander Siddig, Willem Dafoe, more. I want Freida Pinto to be more than that pretty girl from “Slumdog Millionaire.” Despite my high hopes, this is Schnabel’s least effective film, a startling misstep that both bites off more than it can chew and still finds a way to be his least passionate work.
Film Review: ‘Miral’ Succeeds as Historical Drama, Falters as Character Study
Submitted by mattmovieman on April 15, 2011 - 7:53amCHICAGO – No matter how many films he makes, Julian Schnabel may always consider himself a painter first. Watching one of his cinematic efforts is akin to being pulled headfirst into the vivid and visceral canvas of a true neo-expressionist. His work aims to engulf the viewer. It shatters the barriers between a contrived character’s existence and that of the flesh-and-blood audience.
Interview: Julian Schnabel, Rula Jebreal Explore the Perspective of ‘Miral’
Submitted by mattmovieman on April 14, 2011 - 1:33pmCHICAGO – Julian Schnabel’s controversial new drama, “Miral,” tells a tale both sprawling and intimate. On one level, the film is about the titular Palestinian girl (Freida Pinto), and her coming of age during the Arab-Israeli war. On another level, the film is about a movement for peace, and the several generations of women whose acts of independence eventually set it into motion.
13th Annual EU Film Festival Highlights, Week Three: ‘Rembrandt’s J’Accuse,’ ‘Disengagement’
Submitted by BrianTT on March 18, 2010 - 9:45amCHICAGO – The third week of the 13th Annual EU Film Festival at the Siskel Film Center has arrived, and we’re back to give you an idea of what to expect in the second half of arguably the best fest in the Windy City. We profile several of this week’s hottest tickets, including an anticipated screening hosted by Chicago’s own Jonathan Rosenbaum.
DVD Review: ‘Amreeka’ Balances Genuine Warmth with Obvious Clichés
Submitted by mattmovieman on January 20, 2010 - 5:49pmCHICAGO – Nominating Cherien Dabis’s “Amreeka” for an Independent Spirit Award is sort of redundant, since the film has, in a sense, been nominated many times before. The film will only seem original to audiences unfamiliar with “The Visitor,” “Real Women Have Curves,” and “Crash” (and no, I’m not referring to the one about James Spader’s fetish for car accidents).
Interview: Richard Jenkins on First Lead Role in ‘The Visitor,’ ‘Six Feet Under,’ Coen Brothers
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on June 24, 2008 - 1:40amDeKALB, Ill. – Richard Jenkins is a familiar if not overly recognizable character actor. With his distinctly grave voice, he’s best known for his turn as the dead father in the seminal HBO series “Six Feet Under”.