Italy

CHICAGO – One of the heralded auteur filmmakers of the recent decade is Alice Rohrwacher. The Italian director joins her cinema forebears like Pier Paolo Pasolini and Federico Fellini, both of which she’s been favorable compared to, in creating unique and personal stories that resonant beyond their narrative.

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on September 14th, 2023, reviewing “The Inventor,” an animated epic on the final days of inventor and artist Leonardo Da Vinci. In theaters on September 15th.

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Dan Baker on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on May 11th, reviewing “Book Club: The Next Chapter,” the sequel to the popular film from 2018. In theaters on May 12th.

CHICAGO – To discover a truly unique interpreter of cabaret is rare and exciting. Natalja Aicardi is a Chicago singer and performance artist, by way of her native Italy. Her multi disciplinary practice of music, movement, singing and energy practice is adds to a mesmerizing performance base, intimate and inviting.

CHICAGO – The Devil is in the Details. The old adage, which primarily describes accounting, is the basis for author Lorraine Evanoff’s third novel in her Louise Moscow Spy Thriller series, “Devil’s Ledger.” This time, her intrepid financial sleuth Louise Moscow investigates the failure of the world’s oldest bank … a mystery that may also contain the key to a hidden treasure.

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio film review on “House of Gucci,” an epic family story about the famous fashion brand, directed by Ridley Scott and featuring Lady Gaga, Adam Driver and Al Pacino, opening in theaters on November 24th, 2021.

CHICAGO – A film that goes deep into lives thrown together by circumstance highlights DAY THREE of the 55th Chicago International Film Festival. The Polish/Italian “Sole” is part of the new directors competition, a debut by Carlo Sironi on October 18th, 2019 (8pm) at the AMC River East 21 in Chicago.

CHICAGO – What’s up with Clint Eastwood, and why in the Sam Hill did he attach himself as director to this film? Also, why was the decision made to use the actual rescuers as the actors in a true terrorist train incident? Nothing adds up in the strangely disconnected “15:17 to Paris.”

CHICAGO – Last week, one of the most diverse film festivals of the year in Chicago opened with the Swedish film “The Paradise Suite.” The 19th Annual Chicago European Union Film Fest will be at the Gene Siskel Film Center on State Street. With countries ranging from Austria to Slovakia, European cinema voices will be available to the Chicagoland area through March 31st, 2016.

CHICAGO – Don’t you hate it when you figure out where a film is going long before it gets there? That could be a problem with “Third Person,” but writer/director Paul Haggis (“Crash”) also adds enough secrets to chew on and enough multiple pathways to explore. Enter at your own risk.