CHICAGO – It began with a boy and his dream (nightmare?). John LaFlamboy, to be exact, as he took an idea he had in college and made it his life’s work. He owns and operates the HellsGate Haunted House in Lockport (Illinois), which was designed, built and put together by Haunted House experts expressly for the spookiest month of the year. For info on how to purchase tickets, click HellsGate.
Simon Pegg
On-Air Film Review: ‘Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on July 14, 2023 - 6:06amCHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Dan Baker on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on July 13th, reviewing “Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One,” the seventh film of the Tom Cruise-led action series based on the 1960s TV show. In theaters since July 12th.
Podtalk: Rafe Spall & Esther Smith on Season 3 of ‘Trying’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 24, 2022 - 12:18pmCHICAGO – As Esther Smith says in the following Podtalk, she chose acting because she wanted to indulge in the uniqueness of individuals. In the Apple TV+ series “Trying,” Esther portrays Nikki and Rafe Spall portrays Jason, a couple who desires children and ends up … at Season Two’s end … with two adoptees. Season Three began streaming last month.
On-Air Film Review: 'Luck’ Proves She’s Bad to the Zone
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 4, 2022 - 5:35pmCHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on August 4th, reviewing “Luck,” an animated movie treat featuring the voices of Simon Pegg and Jane Fonda. The film will stream on Apple TV+ beginning August 5th.!—break—>
Film Review: Tom Cruise Outruns Time in ‘Mission Impossible: Fallout'
Submitted by PatrickMcD on July 27, 2018 - 7:20amCHICAGO – By any reasonable account, Tom Cruise should be entering into a phase in the “Mission Impossible” series not unlike the latter James Bond films of Roger Moore… appearing in closeups and letting the stuntmen do the rest. However, Cruise continues to outrun the ravages of time, and his stunts only seem to get crazier in the sixth film, “Mission Impossible: Fallout.”
Film Review: For Better or Worse, ‘Ready Player One’ is Nostalgia at its Purest
Submitted by JonHC on March 29, 2018 - 12:28pmCHICAGO – Just in time for Easter, there’s a film filled with enough Easter eggs to drown a small country. “Ready Player One” is a “Where’s Waldo” of mostly 80’s pop culture references that are meant to trigger our (and especially filmmaker Steven Spielberg’s) sentimental, nostalgic cores by bombarding us with reminders of our childhood. These trips down memory lane are fun until they’re not.
Film Review: ‘Star Trek Beyond’ is a Blast of Starship Adventure
Submitted by PatrickMcD on July 21, 2016 - 10:07pmCHICAGO – In the equation of the Star Trek universe, what works best is the emotional connection to the iconic crew. Co-screenwriter Simon Pegg – also portraying Scotty – knew this, and saved the rebooted series from its bloated second film. A magnificent adventure awaits with ‘Star Trek Beyond.’
Film Review: ‘Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens’ is the One We’ve Been Waiting For
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on December 16, 2015 - 3:01am- Adam Driver
- Adam Fendelman
- Andy Serkis
- Carrie Fisher
- Daisy Ridley
- Domhnall Gleeson
- George Lucas
- Gwendoline Christie
- Harrison Ford
- HollywoodChicago.com Content
- J.J. Abrams
- John Boyega
- Lupita Nyong'o
- Mark Hamill
- Oscar Isaac
- Peter Mayhew
- Simon Pegg
- Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens
- Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
CHICAGO (No Spoilers!) – I felt privileged on Tuesday morning. Not just to be a Chicago film critic, but to be a movie lover. Film critics and movie lovers alike wade through scores of yawners hoping for one or two masterpieces that remind us why we fell in love with the experience of watching a film in the company of people we like.
Film Review: ‘Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation’ at Top of Its Game
Submitted by PatrickMcD on July 31, 2015 - 7:54amCHICAGO – The sensational summer movie season of 2015 still has some pulse pounding tricks up its sleeve, and “Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation” fulfills that sensation with a wham-bam bag of spy games. Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg and Jeremy Renner are back, joined by femme kick-ass Rebecca Ferguson.
Interview: Rebecca Ferguson of ‘Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on July 29, 2015 - 5:07pmCHICAGO – When it comes to keeping up with the boys, actress Rebecca Ferguson is equal to any task in the upcoming “Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation.” She portrays Ilsa, an undercover spy who could be going rogue, and treats the audience to her signature leg clamp, motorcycle skills and action-based heroism.
Film Review: Animated ‘The Boxtrolls’ Has British Comic Tone
Submitted by PatrickMcD on September 26, 2014 - 10:06pmCHICAGO – Monty Python, Peter Cook & Dudley Moore, Peter Sellers, Mr. Bean, Alan Partridge – all are examples of British comedy, that off-kilter “are you in on the joke?” point of view. That comic tone has arrived in an animated film, within the stop motion world of “The Boxtrolls.”
