Margin Call

CHICAGO – All is lost. It’s is a phrase uttered by countless adventurers across human history. It speaks of resignation and despair. We hear it in voiceover during PBS documentaries when the narrator reads someone’s diary or letter to explain the last little bit of a fellow human’s final stand against nature or the ardors of travel.

CHICAGO – Some films never get a fair shot with audiences. They open in a handful of art house theaters scattered throughout the country before inconspicuously landing on DVD. Passionate movie lovers are left with the task of championing these unjustly obscure titles and helping them to acquire the audience they deserve.

CHICAGO – As the days count down to the end of the year, it’s a perfect time for a countdown of the top ten films of 2011. Last week, Brian Tallerico of HollywoodChicago.com posted his 10 Best of 2011, and this week I pick my Top Ten Films of 2011, by Patrick McDonald.

CHICAGO – J.C. Chandor’s CFCA-nominated “Margin Call” is the kind of film that makes me concerned about the lack of mainstream audience for adult drama. There’s no reason at all that this excellent drama with several major actors shouldn’t have found a much-larger audience. Lionsgate needs to go back to the drawing board and figure out what’s going on with their marketing and promotions since it’s total nonsense that a critically-acclaimed work like this and their even-better “Warrior” both flopped at the box office. “Warrior” was at least given a chance. “Margin Call” never went beyond 199 screens. So you probably haven’t seen it. You should.

CHICAGO – In our latest thriller edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 60 admit-two movie passes up for grabs to the advance Chicago screening of “Margin Call” starring Kevin Spacey and Demi Moore!

CHICAGO- In the battle of boxing robots and dancing teens, the robots have won in a split decision. In its second weekend in theaters, “Real Steel” has won back-to-back box office bouts, winning this past weekend by a very close scorecard.