HollywoodChicago.com Content

CHICAGO – The basic moral message of “Armored” is simple: Don’t get partnered with sociopathic lunatics especially when they’re given guns and armored cars as a part of their job. This defiantly old-fashioned B-movie wasn’t screened for critics and was dismissed by audiences around the last holiday season but more than gets the job done as an entertaining rental on its own terms.

CHICAGO – The masterful young director of “Memories of Murder” and “The Host,” two of the best films of the ’00s, has done it again with the incredible thriller “Mother,” opening in Chicago tomorrow, March 26th, 2010. He recently called over to discuss his new film and its inspirations, along with upcoming work with “Thirst” director Park Chan-wook and even a sequel to “The Host”.

CHICAGO – We have now reached the fourth and final week of the 13th Annual European Union Film Festival at the Siskel Film Center, and what a fantastic festival it has been. From international sensations to critically acclaimed gems rarely available in the US, the EU annual line-up is consistently one of the finest offered by any festival in the Windy City.

Video Game Rating: 4.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Very few games have been as divisive as “Final Fantasy XIII”. The highly anticipated game hit stores recently and message boards have been flooded with nearly equal parts praise and disgust. Rarely have you been able to find such a diversity of opinion on one game but “Final Fantasy” fans have always been a passionate group.

CHICAGO – Following our HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film with free movie passes for the new film “The Runaways,” this is a follow-up Hookup for the same film where five people will be awarded VIP prize packs and one person will win a grand prize pack!

CHICAGO – Was there really any need to remake “Brothers,” the 2004 Danish drama directed by Susanne Bier? Not only was the film nearly flawless, but its riveting emotions and themes resonated on a universal level that transcended any cultural boundaries. Just because a war film is set in a different country or a different time period doesn’t mean the modern-day American soldier won’t be able to relate to it.

CHICAGO – Movies with teenagers that don’t talk down to them and presents them in lovable, realistic ways are so few and far between that seeing one can almost send chills up a cynical critic’s spine. I don’t mean to over-praise what is ultimately a light film but with all the junk aimed at kids nowadays, the incredibly smart “Bandslam” practically feels like a revelation. Those of you buying “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” should be forced to pick this one up too. You won’t regret it.

Video Game Rating: 3.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Sony’s “Heavy Rain” has become the most controversial game of the year with many players realizing the importance of the most influential game in a very long time with others being turned off by the title’s very unique style.

CHICAGO – I personally think the show is slightly inferior to its hour-partner “Nurse Jackie,” but Toni Collette does such spectacular work on “United States of Tara” that her performance alone demands you tune in. Like Edie Falco on “NJ,” the incredibly talented Collette takes a challenging role that could have turned into caricature in the hands of a lesser actress and makes it genuine.

CHICAGO – After years without many strong roles for women, 2009 saw the debut of at least three in the great turn by Juliana Margulies on “The Good Wife,” the lead performance by Toni Collette in “United States of Tara” and, the best of them all, Edie Falco in the great “Nurse Jackie,” which returns tonight on March 22, 2010 on Showtime.