Sleeping Beauty

Film Review: ‘Maleficent’ is All Dressed Up With No Story to Tell

CHICAGO – If “Maleficent” were an actual fairy tale storybook, I’d say it has beautiful illustrations but not much story to tell. As the title character Angelina Jolie is a towering presence with an unforgettable look, but the film itself is all dressed up with nowhere to go.

DVD Review: Emily Browning Stars in Daring ‘Sleeping Beauty’

Sleeping Beauty (Browning)

CHICAGO – “Sleeping Beauty” is such a unique modern fairy tale that it will almost certainly turn off many of the viewers who choose to rent it. As the gorgeous Emily Browning looks longingly over her shoulder, half-naked from the cover of the DVD case, renters may think they’re in for an erotic thriller on a Saturday night.

Film News: ‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn -- Part 1’ Tops Thanksgiving Box Office

Twilight Breaking Dawn Part 1

CHICAGO – In the battle of vampires and puppets, the heartthrobs got the win. To clarify, that’s the vampires. “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1” came in at number one in the weekend box office with $42 million over the weekend and $62.3 million over the five-day Thanksgiving break. The total was enough to hold off “The Muppets,” which brought in a very respectable $29.5 million three-day, $42 million five-day total.

Preview: 47th Chicago International Film Festival, Part Three

CHICAGO – Illness has kept us from truly screening a majority of the films left to screen at the 47th Annual Chicago International Film Festival but there are three that we did get around to in the last month that are definitely worth your time, plus a handful of highlights that we wish we could have gotten to see that might draw your interest.

Blu-Ray Review: Disney Releases Another Timeless Classic in Beautiful ‘Alice in Wonderland’

CHICAGO – Last week, Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland” notched a couple of Academy Award nominations. Do me a favor. Don’t allow your children to only know Johnny Depp’s portrayal of the Mad Hatter when it comes to Lewis Carroll’s timeless tale.

Blu-Ray Review: Gorgeous Edition of Disney’s Timeless ‘Fantasia’

CHICAGO – Disney has been slowly opening their vault doors to the world of Blu-ray with amazing releases for “Sleeping Beauty,” “Pinocchio,” “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves,” and “Beauty & The Beast.” The slow release pattern is about to become more of a steady flow as “Fantasia,” “Alice in Wonderland,” and “Bambi” all hit HD in just over three months. “Fantasia” is the first and it’s another beauty.

Blu-Ray Review: ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ Continues Disney HD Standard

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

CHICAGO – Every Disney catalog Blu-Ray that has been released to date has been a must-own HD title. “Sleeping Beauty” may still be the most complete and beautifully designed Blu-Ray ever and “Pinocchio” is not too far behind. To no one’s surprise, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” doesn’t break the pattern, even if it’s not quite the ‘game-changing’ release that its Disney HD predecessors arguably were.

Blu-Ray Review: 70th Anniversary Two-Disc Edition of ‘Pinocchio’ One of the Best Releases Yet

HollywoodChicago.com Blu-Ray Rating: 5.0/5.0
Blu-Ray Rating: 5.0/5.0

CHICAGO – The Blu-Ray revolution seems stuck in neutral. It’s going to take a major title to push it over the edge as a must-have technology. Some of us thought it would be “The Dark Knight,” “Iron Man,” or “The Godfather,” but the worsening economic times seem to have put the HD switch on hold.

The 10 Best Blu-Ray, DVD Releases of 2008

CHICAGO – For audiences increasingly accustomed to watching movies at home instead of at the multiplex, it was an interesting year for DVDs and Blu-rays.

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  • Manhunt

    CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Dan Baker on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on March 21st, 2024, reviewing the new streaming series “Manhunt” – based on the bestseller by James L. Swanson – currently streaming on Apple TV+.

  • Topdog/Underdog, Invictus Theatre

    CHICAGO – When two brothers confront the sins of each other and it expands into a psychology of an entire race, it’s at a stage play found in Chicago’s Invictus Theatre Company production of “Topdog/Underdog,” now at their new home at the Windy City Playhouse through March 31st, 2024. Click TD/UD for tickets/info.

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