Melissa Leo

Film Review: Preachy, Absurd ‘Seven Days in Utopia’ Weakens Own Message

Seven Days in Utopia

CHICAGO – What do Robert Duvall and Melissa Leo have in common? They both have won an Oscar and they both cashed a paycheck for the fake virtuous hack job called “Seven Days in Utopia.” For Duvall especially, maybe the mortgage payment is due on the vacation home.

Blu-Ray Review: Underappreciated First Season of HBO’s ‘Treme’

Treme

CHICAGO – Is it unfair to say that “Treme” is to “The Wire” as “John From Cincinnati” was to “Deadwood”? After David Milch’s brilliant Western came to an end, fans eagerly anticipated his follow-up and, almost immediately, spat it out like an undercooked Chicken McNugget. It lasted only one season. Well, “JFC” wasn’t really that bad (and deserved more time to find its feet).

TV Review: Kate Winslet, Todd Haynes Elevate ‘Mildred Pierce’ to Masterpiece

CHICAGO – When HBO announced that they were producing a six-hour mini-series version of the James M. Cain (“Double Indemnity”) novel “Mildred Pierce” to star Kate Winslet and be directed by Todd Haynes, cinephiles everywhere let out an audible gasp.

Blu-Ray Review: Crowd-Pleasing ‘The Fighter’ Delivers Knockout

The Fighter

CHICAGO – One of the strongest ensembles of 2010 worked together to create the crowd-pleasing “The Fighter,” a film with multiple Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director, that walked home with two major trophies for Best Supporting Actor (Christian Bale) and Best Supporting Actress (Melissa Leo). Sometimes it’s hard to tell if a film will stand the test of time (the jury is still out on how history will judge “The Social Network” and “The King’s Speech”) but there is little doubt that “The Fighter” will be satisfying audiences for decades. A great Blu-ray release from Paramount doesn’t hurt.

Slideshow: 21-Image Gallery of Red Carpet Photos From the 2011 Oscars

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Jennifer Lawrence

CHICAGO – This 21-image slideshow contains a selection of the available red carpet images from the 2011 Academy Awards including shots of Jennifer Lawrence, Natalie Portman, Melissa Leo, Hailee Steinfeld, Mila Kunis, Michelle Williams, Amy Adams, Jennifer Hudson, Cate Blanchett, Nicole Kidman, Sandra Bullock, Justin Timberlake, Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, and more. The awards were broadcast on ABC on February 27th, 2011.

Film Feature: HollywoodChicago.com Predicts the 2011 Oscar Winners

CHICAGO – Have you filled out your Oscar pool ballot yet? Let us guide the way. The film think-tank at HollywoodChicago.com (Matt Fagerholm, Patrick McDonald, and, myself, Brian Tallerico) has convened to break down the major eight categories with their picks for who will win, who should win, and who should have been nominated.

Blu-Ray Review: Hilary Swank, Sam Rockwell Propel Engaging ‘Conviction’

Conviction, HIlary Swank

CHICAGO – The incredible true story of Betty Anne Waters and her beloved brother Kenny has enough dramatic potential for any pair of talented actors and a competent director to turn it into quality cinema. The fact that director Tony Goldwyn is just barely competent enough to pull it off is off-set by the fact that he was smart enough to perfectly cast the piece, no more so than in the mega-talented leads, Hilary Swank and Sam Rockwell.

‘The Fighter,’ ‘The King’s Speech’ Win Screen Actors Guild Awards

CHICAGO – “The King’s Speech,” “The Fighter,” and “Black Swan” were the big film winners at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, while “Boardwalk Empire,” “Modern Family,” “30 Rock,” “The Good Wife,” and “Hot in Cleveland” won awards on the TV side of the presentation. Ernest Borgnine won the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Film Review: Christian Bale, Mark Wahlberg, Amy Adams Deliver Knockouts in ‘The Fighter’

CHICAGO – David O. Russell’s “The Fighter” is an old-fashioned crowd-pleaser with one of the strongest ensembles of 2010 and the kind of underdog story that’s easy for an audience to embrace and adore.

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  • Manhunt

    CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Dan Baker on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on March 21st, 2024, reviewing the new streaming series “Manhunt” – based on the bestseller by James L. Swanson – currently streaming on Apple TV+.

  • Topdog/Underdog, Invictus Theatre

    CHICAGO – When two brothers confront the sins of each other and it expands into a psychology of an entire race, it’s at a stage play found in Chicago’s Invictus Theatre Company production of “Topdog/Underdog,” now at their new home at the Windy City Playhouse through March 31st, 2024. Click TD/UD for tickets/info.

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