CHICAGO – What is one of the greatest survival instincts of the pandemic? Creativity. The Zoom web series “What Did Clyde Hide?” is the result of a creative effort from Executive Producer/Show Runner Ruth Kaufman, Producer Sandy Gulliver and Director Sean Patrick Leonard. Kaufman and Leonard talk about the series, naturally, via Zoom.!—break—>
Idris Elba
Film Review: Memory! On-The-Air Reviews of ‘The Rental’ and ‘Cats’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on July 27, 2020 - 6:17pm- Alison Brie
- Cats
- Dan Stevens
- Dave Franco
- HollywoodChicago.com Content
- Ian McKellan
- Idris Elba
- IFC Films
- James Corden
- Jennifer Hudson
- Jeremy Allen White
- Joe Swanberg
- Judi Dench
- Movie Review
- Patrick McDonald
- Razzie
- Rebel Wilson
- Sheila Vand
- Taylor Swift
- The Rental
- Toby Huss
- Tom Hooper
- Universal Pictures
- VOD
CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on July 23rd, 2020, reviewing the new Video-On-Demand film “The Rental” and the infamous 2019 film, “Cats” (Digital & DVD).!—break—>
Film Review: Popcorn Ready ‘Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 1, 2019 - 6:15pmCHICAGO – The dog days of the summer are upon us, which also reflects from the silver screen. “Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw” is a spin-off of the eight film “The Fast and the Furious” franchise. Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham are the title characters, fighting and driving their way into our hearts.
Film Review: Aaron Sorkin’s Directorial Debut in ‘Molly’s Game’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on December 26, 2017 - 12:58pmCHICAGO – High stakes poker are for folks who prefer to get their rush of adrenalin from the turn of a card rather than other life risks. The positives, the negatives and everything in between are in “Molly’s Game,” the feature directorial debut of Aaron Sorkin (“The West Wing” creator). Let’s walk and talk.
Film Review: ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ Shatters the Hammer, But Maintains the Mold
Submitted by JonHC on November 1, 2017 - 1:12pmCHICAGO – Any blacksmith will tell you that their job is much more than the brute action of slamming a hammer onto steel. There is some finessing and an attention to detail that needs to take place in order to make something truly notable. With Taika Waititi manning the hammer, he takes the “Thor” franchise out from the Dark Ages and into the technicolor light.
Film Review: Good vs. Evil Brightly Entertaining in ‘The Dark Tower’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 4, 2017 - 12:10amCHICAGO – Nobody does good vs. evil archetypes like author Stephen King, and this framework is purposeful in the film adaptation of King’s “The Dark Tower.” The popular book series gets a visual kick through the rendering of director Nikolaj Arcel and Ron Howard’s Imagine Entertainment.
Film Review: ‘Star Trek Beyond’ is a Blast of Starship Adventure
Submitted by PatrickMcD on July 21, 2016 - 9:07pmCHICAGO – In the equation of the Star Trek universe, what works best is the emotional connection to the iconic crew. Co-screenwriter Simon Pegg – also portraying Scotty – knew this, and saved the rebooted series from its bloated second film. A magnificent adventure awaits with ‘Star Trek Beyond.’
Film Review: ‘Finding Dory’ Essentially Finds Its Sweet Spot
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 16, 2016 - 2:10pmCHICAGO – Pixar’s sequel to its underwater animated tearjerker “Finding Nemo” isn’t quite in the same league, but “Finding Dory” is satisfying all the same. This time the story focuses on Marlin and Nemo’s forgetful friend Dory, as she searches for the family she can’t quite remember.
Film Review: ‘The Jungle Book’ is a Technical Marvel Missing Some Magic
Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 15, 2016 - 6:59amCHICAGO – While Disney Studios’ new live action version of “The Jungle Book” is an improvement over the 1967 animated version, it’s more of a technical marvel than magical fable. And it’s unable to completely transcend the earlier version’s limitations.
Film Review: ‘Zootopia’ is an Odd But Endearing Disney Animated Film
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 4, 2016 - 5:12amCHICAGO – Walt Disney Studio’s latest animated extravaganza is best viewed as a child’s introduction to the buddy cop movie, since you can’t exactly start a toddler on “Midnight Run” or “Lethal Weapon 2.” But in this case it’s a bunny cop movie.
Film Review: Lack of Cohesiveness, Intrigue Stymies ‘The Gunman’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 20, 2015 - 10:03pmCHICAGO – If you’re going to see a Sean Penn action movie, I guess “The Gunman” would be appropriate. As he and the filmmakers inject some reality in the usual motivations, the puzzle pieces don’t connect well and in the end are not that interesting. That is not to say that the film is bad.
