Joker

CHICAGO – In a sense of deja vu from the recent Golden Globe Awards, the nominees for the 92nd Academy Awards has been named on January 13th, 2020. This breaks a precedent of the last ten years, with the Oscar ceremony moved up to February 9th from it’s usual position in late February to early March.

CHICAGO – An entire decade is biting the dust in the switch from 2019 to 2020, with an America that can experience the anarchy of our current times reflected in the movies. What better time to unleash the 10 BEST FILMS of 2019, as selected by Über Critic Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com.

CHICAGO – As they say about Adam West’s interpretation of Batman, “he hit so hard, that words describing the impact appeared out of thin air.” But there was more to him than just the superhero tights, as Patrick McDonald, Spike Walters and Jon Espino of HollywoodChicago.com remember the three main characters in the career of Adam West, who passed away last week.

LOS ANGELES – When Adam West had a voice role on “The Simpsons,” portraying the Batman – as he had in the iconic TV series from 1966 through 1968 – he remarked, in reference to the rubber muscle costume that the movie actors wore, that his Batman was “All Pure West.” West died on June 9th, 2017, at the age of 88.

CHICAGO – DC Entertainment, feeling the heat from Marvel Studios and the tepid response from “Batman v Superman,” comes back stronger with “Suicide Squad,” an overblown yet psychological comic book film about sociopathic villains who somehow have to save the world.

CHICAGO – In the 1960s, the entertainment world was summed up by the three “B’s” – Bond, Beatles and…Batman. On January 12th, 1966, the pop culture TV phenomenon called “Batman” – starring Adam West and Burt Ward as Batman and Robin – made its debut on ABC-TV. Happy 50th Anniversary to the Dynamic Duo.

CHICAGO – Sometimes you just need a break, that small window of opportunity to burst through and make the mark. Actor David Dastmalchian knows all about that phenomenon, as he produced and starred in his semi-autobiographical film “Animals,” and got the break of a lifetime landing a role in the film, “The Dark Knight.”

CHICAGO – It’s been some time since there was an exciting downloadable title after a wave of them a few years ago that included the incredible “Braid,” “Limbo,” and even “Joe Danger.” Since then, it’s been a bit dire, seemingly hitting bottom with the horrendous “Amy” last month (a game that you should avoid at all costs).

CHICAGO – The Wizard World Chicago Comic Con was another huge success this past summer, gathering together comic and pop culture fans. One of the highlights of the event was the reunion of Adam West (Batman), Burt Ward (Robin) and Julie Newmar (Catwoman) from the 1960s Batman TV show.

CHICAGO – Heath Ledger’s searing performance as The Joker in “The Dark Knight” has been earning acclaim all year and the late actor landed a posthumous Golden Globe nomination this morning when the Hollywood Foreign Press Association revealed their choices for the best of 2008.