Josh Hutcherson

CHICAGO – When we last saw teen idol Josh Peck (“Drake & Josh”), he was selling special ice cream in the 2008 film, “The Wackness.” That film established him as an actor who could handle more adult themes. He expands further in the action movie “Red Dawn,” playing a student turned soldier.

CHICAGO – In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film with our unique social giveaway technology, we have 40 pairs of movie passes up for grabs to the advance screening of the highly anticipated “Red Dawn” with Chris Hemsworth!

CHICAGO – Can a Blu-ray be both great and a likely placeholder for a future Special Edition? “The Hunger Games” makes that case. The lack of a commentary track or deleted scenes (and Lionsgate’s double-dipping track record) lead one to believe that a Special Edition will likely hit stores in conjunction with “Catching Fire” but this is still a great release with hours of special features and a stellar HD video and audio transfer.

CHICAGO – “Detention” has style to spare. There’s no denying it. Director Joseph Kahn takes no prisoners in the style department. In every other department, his aggressively annoying “Detention” fails. Character, dialogue, plot — most things that you have come to take for granted in a film — they’re mere afterthoughts here. “Detention” is a film for and by people who end every sentence with an emoticon, have typed “LOL” more often than they’ve actually laughed, and think Wikipedia is a verb. Some will view it as an eventual cult classic (and, for the sake of critical balance on your favorite website, that’s how Adam Fendelman feels). Others will want to tear their eyes out.

CHICAGO – “Who’s up for an adventure?” ask the characters in Brad Peyton’s ungainly titled “Journey 2: The Mysterious Island.” This question is repeatedly asked, but alas, the adventure never arrives, unless you count an interminable series of derivative set-pieces lacking any shred of charm or imagination. The intelligence and perceptiveness of a child’s mind is rarely ever respected by Hollywood these days, and “Journey 2” takes the idiocy to a whole new level.

CHICAGO – Lionsgate announced 2-disc Blu-ray and DVD editions of their massive hit “The Hunger Games” to be released on August 18, 2012 complete with three hours of extensive bonus features. The highlight of the bonus material is an eight-part documentary called “The World is Watching: Making of The Hunger Games.”

CHICAGO – Don’t be duped by Joseph Kahn’s insultingly unintelligent trailer for his new ADHD high school slasher/comedy “Detention”. Rather than prematurely blowing his load with the film’s crème de la crème in a two-minute trailer, he’s done the reverse.

Update (4/6/12 at 1:47 p.m.): Studio approval to increase from 75 to 150 admit-twos!
CHICAGO – In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film with our unique social giveaway technology, we have 150 admit-two movie passes up for grabs to the advance screening of the new horror/comedy “Detention” with “The Hunger Games” star Josh Hutcherson and Dane Cook!

CHICAGO – If you weren’t sure “The Hunger Games” was going to be as big as predicted, the news this morning may change your mind. Midnight showing totals for the new film are estimated to be $19.7 million. This record breaking number lands just above “The Dark Knight” at number seven in all-time midnight showing totals, and sits behind six other films with the words “Harry Potter” or “Twilight” in their titles.

CHICAGO – What is remarkable about the book phenomenon known as “The Hunger Games” is how rich, literary and symbolic the series is, considering they are for a “young adult” audience. Jennifer Lawrence, Stanley Tucci, Elizabeth Banks, Woody Harrelson and Josh Hutcherson bring the characters to life.