CHICAGO – With a Chicago tradition that goes back four decades, the Goodman Theatre presents their holiday chestnut ‘A Christmas Carol’ for 2019, and it is simply stellar.
Penelope Cruz
Film News: DAY EIGHT of 54th Chicago International Film Festival Features a Top Prize Winner
Submitted by PatrickMcD on October 16, 2018 - 1:24pm- Cannes
- Chicago International Film Festival
- Cold War
- Dear Son
- Documentary
- Everybody Knows
- Facing the Wind
- Film News
- Gala Presentations
- HollywoodChicago.com Content
- International Competition
- Little Tickles
- Michael Kutza
- Miriam Lies
- New Directors
- Palme D’Or
- Patrick McDonald
- Penelope Cruz
- Shoplifters
- The Belly of the Whale
- The Third Wife
CHICAGO – DAY EIGHT of the 54th Chicago International Film Festival (CIFF) on Wednesday, October 17th, 2018, is filled with two categories of competition films – six in New Directors and three in the International Competition, plus three more “Masters” films, the latest work from today’s most accomplished filmmakers.
Film Review: Mustache Has More Than ‘Murder on the Orient Express’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on November 10, 2017 - 11:42am- 20th Century Fox
- Daisy Ridley
- Derek Jacobi
- HollywoodChicago.com Content
- Johnny Depp
- Josh Gad
- Judi Dench
- Kenneth Branagh
- Leslie Odom Jr.
- Michael Green
- Michelle Pfeiffer
- Miranda Raison
- Movie Review
- Murder on the Orient Express
- Mustache
- Olivia Colman
- Penelope Cruz
- Spike Walters
- Tom Bateman
- Willem Dafoe
CHICAGO – “Murder On The Orient Express” is a movie that is never quite as interesting as the main character’s mustache. Kenneth Branagh directs and stars as Agatha Christie’s most famous detective, Hercule Poirot. While it is a departure from the source novel, Branagh sports silver streak facial hair of audacious eccentricity.
Film Review: ‘Zoolander 2’ Continues Silly, Surreal Hilarity
Submitted by PatrickMcD on February 12, 2016 - 8:48amCHICAGO – Humor is subject to the receiver, of course, and what is funny is as distinct to each individual as a fingerprint. Having said that, I found “Zoolander 2” to be hilarious, as it delivered again what made the first film work – tweaking the self-importance of fashion and celebrity.
Film Review: ‘The Counselor’ Disguises Lackluster Storytelling in Philosophy
Submitted by BrianTT on October 24, 2013 - 1:59pmCHICAGO – “That’s not what greed does; that’s what greed is.” Cormac McCarthy’s script for “The Counselor” is so weighed down with allegedly insightful philosophy like this that it collapses into a heap of laughable, unbelievable exchanges between characters who simply don’t exist in the real world.
Film Review: Woody Allen’s ‘To Rome with Love’ is Episodic, Choppy
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 29, 2012 - 3:55pmCHICAGO – Writer/director Woody Allen continues his film travelogues in “To Rome with Love,” touring The Eternal City with four separate vignettes. An all-star cast – including Jesse Eisenberg, Ellen Page, Alec Baldwin, Penélope Cruz and Woody himself – hit and miss with this varying blend of stories.
Blu-Ray Review: Boring ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides’
Submitted by BrianTT on October 19, 2011 - 2:32pmCHICAGO – When I heard that Johnny Depp had been sucked back into the cash cow that was the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise so shortly after everyone agreed that the series had run its course with the original trilogy, I was more than a little sad. Depp is still one of our most interesting actors and I’m not alone in wishing he would show a bit more of his range in recent years instead of taking easy roles (and, yes, Jack Sparrow is fun but this is not challenging work for the movie star). And the mediocre reviews caused a bit of dread when the Blu-ray showed up on my desk. So, consider it faint praise when I tell you that “On Stranger Tides” is, well, okay.
HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 5 Blu-Ray, DVD Combo Packs of ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides’
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on October 11, 2011 - 10:22pmCHICAGO – In our latest blockbuster edition of the HollywoodChicago.com Hookup, we have 5 Blu-ray and DVD combo packs up for grabs to the highly anticipated home release of “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides”!
Film Review: Entertaining ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on May 19, 2011 - 1:31pmCHICAGO – It’s easy to remember that the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series is on its fourth formulaic film, but harder to remember that it’s based on a freaking amusement park ride! Director Rob Marshall livens it up with “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.”
Blu-Ray Review: Glorious ‘Nine’ With Penelope Cruz, Marion Cotillard
Submitted by BrianTT on May 3, 2010 - 12:36pmCHICAGO – History will be kind to “Nine”. Due to wildly extreme expectations caused by the pedigree of the film’s cast, many critics and audiences dismissed Rob Marshall’s musical on its release in late 2009. “Nine” falls short of perfection but the Blu-ray release proves that it gets a lot closer than most people thought the first time they saw it.
Blu-Ray Review: Great ‘Broken Embraces’ With Penelope Cruz
Submitted by BrianTT on March 16, 2010 - 12:01pmCHICAGO – Very few directors have known how to utilize a star more effectively than the way Pedro Almodovar has turned Penelope Cruz from a gorgeous face into one of our best working actresses. Just the two films she’s made recently with Pedro - “Volver” and the new-to-DVD “Broken Embraces” - would earn her that title. “Broken Embraces” may not be perfect Pedro but sub-par Almodovar is still required viewing for all cineasts.
