CHICAGO – The late playwright August Wilson left a gift to the world in the form of his “American Century Cycle,” a series of plays each individually set in a decade of the 20th Century, focusing on the black experience. Chicago’s Goodman Theatre presents Wilson’s “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone,” now through May 19th, 2024 (click here).
Patrick McDonald
Interview: Finding Truth with Cast of ‘August: Osage County’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on January 8, 2014 - 5:47pmCHICAGO – Gathering an ensemble cast for a film version of a Pulitzer Prize winning stage play is a tricky assignment. Some of the actors selected for “August: Osage County” – play and screenplay by Tracy Letts – are a mix of veterans (Juliette Lewis, Margo Martindale) and relative newcomers (Julianne Nicholson).
Exclusive Portrait: A Happy New Year for Zen Master Phil Jackson
Submitted by PatrickMcD on January 1, 2014 - 12:14pmCHICAGO – He is one of the greatest coaches in NBA history, achieving the NBA record of 11 championships in two incredible decades. He is also known as the “Zen Master,” for his holistic approach to his life and work. He is former Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Laker coach Phil Jackson, and his new book is “Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success.”
Exclusive Portrait: Birthday Photo of Olympic Gold Medalist Gabby Douglas
Submitted by PatrickMcD on December 31, 2013 - 2:11pmCHICAGO – Happy 18th Birthday to Gabrielle “Gabby” Douglas, who made history at the 2012 London Olympic Games by becoming the first U.S. Olympian to win gold in both the individual and team competitions at the same Olympics, and the first African American U.S. gymnast to become individual all-around champion.
Film Feature: The 10 Worst Films of 2013
Submitted by PatrickMcD on December 31, 2013 - 11:49amCHICAGO – Why are those three Oscar winners – Susan Sarandon, Robert De Niro and Diane Keaton – laughing on that fourth poster below? Because they managed to cash a paycheck on the way to participating in one of the Worst Films of 2013.
Film Feature: The 10 Best Films of 2013, Part Two
Submitted by PatrickMcD on December 30, 2013 - 11:51amCHICAGO – The year caught up with me. 2013 was characterized by a soft start and a strong finish, but overall there were impressive contenders throughout the year and some fine examples of great storytelling and filmmaking. Risks were taken, some truth emerged and even in more “mainstream” films, there were flashes of promise.
Exclusive Portrait: Birthday Photo of ‘Magic Mike’ Star Joe Manganiello
Submitted by PatrickMcD on December 28, 2013 - 9:14pmCHICAGO – It’s a Happy Birthday for Joe Manganiello. The “True Blood” hunk was born on December 28th in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and has a red-hot career after co-starring last year in “Magic Mike,” with Channing Tatum and Matthew McConaughey. Manganiello was in Chicago recently meeting fans and signing his new book.
Slideshow: Exclusive Portraits From 2013 Days of the Dead Convention
Submitted by PatrickMcD on December 26, 2013 - 9:57pmCHICAGO – The “Days of the Dead” convention is an annual gathering in Chicago and elsewhere, that brings together admirers of the horror film genre, cult movies enthusiasts and panel discussions on a myriad of subjects related to film and collectibles. Several celebrities also attended the Chicago event, including Danny Trejo of the “Machete” film series, Jason Mewes and Brian O’Halloran of “Clerks,” and Joanna Cassidy of “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?,” and they posed for the HollywoodChicago.com camera.
Film Review: Legacy Matters in ‘Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on December 25, 2013 - 9:43pmCHICAGO – The memory of South Africa freedom fighter Nelson Mandela, who passed away on December 5th, is filled with deserved accolades and iconography. Director Justin Chadwick and actor Idris Elba brings the man to human life in the essential “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.”
Film Review: Two Old Stars Roast Their Images in ‘Grudge Match’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on December 25, 2013 - 9:00amCHICAGO – Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro – between them they have over 150 film credits in careers stretching back to the 1960s. Two of their most famous roles, boxers Rocky and the Raging Bull, get the full make-fun-of treatment in the Christmas Day Film “Grudge Match.”
Interview: Director Justin Chadwick of ‘Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on December 24, 2013 - 4:39pmCHICAGO – When South African freedom fighter Nelson Mandela died on December 5th, there was a sense in the media that yes, he was a “great man,” but how he affected social change seemed lost in platitudes. Director Justin Chadwick fills in those gaps in his film adaptation of “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.”