Saul Rubinek

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Dan Baker on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on May 11th, reviewing “BlackBerry,” the story of the rise and fall of the world’s first smartphone. In theaters on May 12th.

CHICAGO – As technology goes, it seems so long ago, but at its peak the first multi-use smartphone was nicknamed the “CrackBerry” because of user addiction. The product’s improbable rise and fall is told in the new film “BlackBerry,” co-written/directed and featuring Matt Johnson.

AUSTIN, TX – Remember the term “CrackBerry”? It described the addicts of the earliest multi-function smartphone, the BlackBerry. In the days before the iPhone, it was the BlackBerry that held the mobile communication crown. The fascinating story of extreme success and monumental miscalculation is all encompassing.

CHICAGO – Syfy relaunches two of their biggest hits tonight with the fourth season premiere of “Warehouse 13” followed by the second season premiere of “Alphas.” While the latter starts strong enough to presume that the show’s sophomore outing will be vastly improved over its first year, “Warehouse 13” opens with a clunky affair, one that doesn’t really hit the right beats and somehow finds a way to waste the great Brent Spiner, as difficult as that is to do.

CHICAGO – SyFy brings back two of their hits tonight, July 11th, 2011, for brand-new seasons of wacky behavior with an unusual twist. “Eureka” and “Warehouse 13” have a lot in common with their charming, handsome leads, quirky senses of humor, and unique storylines. They’re both about Area 51-esque places that we’re not supposed to know about and the people who keep them under control. For me, there’s an obviously superior program of the two, the best and most successful show currently on SyFy, but I’m sure fans will be happy to have both back for the summer season.

CHICAGO – Tilda Swinton, Oscar winner for “Michael Clayton,” gives the best female performance of the year to date in the riveting, thrilling, excellent “Julia,” now available on DVD and one of the best films of 2009 that you probably haven’t seen. The lack of special features on the Magnolia-produced DVD (and its lack of existence on Blu-Ray) is a bet of a let-down but the film is an underrated gem that should find a loyal audience on the home market.