Peter Capaldi

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio film review on “Benediction,” the biography film of Siegfried Sassoon, a prominent early 20th Century poet who lived his life as a closeted gay man … a somber kick-off to Pride Month. In select theaters, see local listings for theaters and show times.

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Dan Baker on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on August 27th, 2020, reviewing the new film “The Personal History of David Copperfield,” now in select theaters.

CHICAGO – It may prove hard to recall an era of talking creatures in live-action movies before the napalm hellfire of “Alvin and the Chipmunks” or “The Smurfs.” But, lest we forget, “Babe” has more Academy Awards than “The Master.” Arriving at the coy and wise time of the film year where expectations are either golden or underneath the barrel, talking bear Paddington arrives stateside as a well-behaved throwback to brighter days for a simple genre, with an efficient sense of humor and a few globs of vision, too.

CHICAGO – Family 4-packs! In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 20 family 4-packs (80 seats in total) up for grabs to the family comedy “Paddington” from “Harry Potter” producer David Heyman based on the beloved novels by Michael Bond!

CHICAGO – Should this even be called a “TV Review”? Will we one day write “Hulu Reviews”? Or “Streaming Reviews”? Technically, “The Thick of It” is still a TV show as it premieres in the U.K. on the old-fashioned platform. It’s just in the United States that Armando Iannucci’s brilliant political comedy is premiering exclusively on Hulu and Hulu Plus.

CHICAGO – Though British author Neil Gaiman’s six-part, three-hour miniseries “Neverwhere” first aired in 1996, it feels like a relic from a much earlier period in television’s past. Before digital technology enabled small-screen dramas to appear visually indiscernible from major film productions, in-camera effects and handcrafted sets were the norm. It’s inspiring to observe just how much can be achieved on a shoestring budget.

CHICAGO – She is amply assisted by a who’s who of some of the best supporting actors Britain has produced in the last two decades but “Prime Suspect,” which recently saw its complete 7-series run released in one box set for the first time from Acorn Media, belongs to the amazing Helen Mirren.

CHICAGO – The more you love the art of language, the more you’ll love Armando Iannucci’s “In The Loop.” Words have rarely sounded so alive or been arranged so hilariously. In a year when the WGA has honored formulaic scripts like “Avatar,” “Julie & Julia,” and “The Hangover,” Iannucci’s film is a refreshing reminder of just how much fun and exhilarating speech can be.