CHICAGO – In anticipation of the scariest week of the year, HollywoodChicago.com launches its 2024 Movie Gifts series, which will suggest DVDs and collections for holiday giving.
HollywoodChicago.com Movie Reviews
‘The Trip’ Hilariously Reunites Steve Coogan, Rob Brydon
Submitted by mattmovieman on June 17, 2011 - 6:16am Rating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – There are few things more cinematically depressing than a funny comic trapped in an unfunny movie. Think Larry David in “Whatever Works.” Scene to scene, his eyes repeatedly indicate that there’s a funnier punchline residing in his mischievous skull than there is in the lifeless script. You know a picture’s in trouble when you find yourself yearning to watch the actor eat lunch rather than finish the godforsaken movie.
Star-Studded Cast Makes For Good ‘Company’
Submitted by mattmovieman on June 15, 2011 - 6:26am Rating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Though I’ve often entertained the notion of attending an opera or sporting event at a local theater, I just can’t seem to bring myself to pay the admission. No filmed footage, however intimate and detailed, can truly capture the visceral energy of a live performance. No matter how close a camera can zoom in on the action, it still provides the worst seat in the house.
Ewan McGregor Needs More Seasoning in 'Beginners'
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 10, 2011 - 3:43pm Rating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – When the matriarch of a family dies, the void can create dynamic shifts or imbalance for those left behind. Pair that turmoil with the announcement that a surviving father is gay, and the atmosphere is created for the new film “Beginners.”
Quirky ‘Submarine’ Balances Wit With Emotion in Clever Way
Submitted by BrianTT on June 10, 2011 - 11:08amRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Richard Ayoade’s debut comedy “Submarine” has such an incredibly strong first half that it almost makes the relative disappointment of the second half even more disappointing by comparison. A super-smart ending saves the piece from going out on the wrong note completely and the overall piece bodes well for whatever this talented director does next.
Emotional Journey For Maria Bello, Michael Sheen in ‘Beautiful Boy’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 10, 2011 - 4:23amRating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The family unit, now in a constant battle with technology, changing morality and a fracturing social structure, comes under psychological siege in the mortally sad but ultimately compelling “Beautiful Boy,” featuring Maria Bello and Michael Sheen.
Bad Aura For ‘Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 10, 2011 - 4:01am Rating: 2.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Films based on children’s book series can’t all be good. The law of averages eventually catches up to the literary moppets who turn their charms towards the big screen. Case in point, the below average “Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer.”
J.J. Abrams Finds Magic in Wonderful ‘Super 8’
Submitted by BrianTT on June 8, 2011 - 8:23am Rating: 5.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – J.J. Abrams’ “Super 8” comes to theaters this week shrouded in mystery, nostalgia, and expectation. What do the aliens look like? How will it pay homage to the works of Steven Spielberg that so clearly inspired it? And will the merging of two filmmakers amplify their flaws or underline their strengths?
‘L’amour Fou’ Explores Key Relationship in Fashion History
Submitted by mattmovieman on June 3, 2011 - 5:43amRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – At the heart of Pierre Thoretton’s melancholy documentary is a story of lost love, lost art, and the ever-present aura they leave behind. Pierre Bergé is often credited as co-founder of the couture house headed by world famous designer Yves Saint Laurent. Yet “L’amour Fou” allows Bergé to set the record straight on just how large a role he played in Saint Laurent’s phenomenal success.
Matthew Vaughn’s Entertaining, Stylish ‘X-Men: First Class’ Rocks
Submitted by BrianTT on June 2, 2011 - 5:26pmRating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Matthew Vaughn rights the ship of mediocre superhero movies with the incredibly accomplished “X-Men: First Class,” the best Marvel Movie since “Spider-Man 2” and a film that proves that big blockbuster summer entertainment can be both commercially crowd-pleasing and intellectually complex at the same time. “X-Men: First Class” features a spectacular mix of well-choreographed action, revisionist history, themes of tolerance, and great performances. This will be one of the best movies of this season.
Terrence Malick’s Captivating Meditation on ‘The Tree of Life’
Submitted by BrianTT on May 27, 2011 - 2:10pmRating: 5.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – I’ve seen Terrence Malick’s “Tree of Life” twice now and I still struggle with how to put my reaction to it into words. The film almost defies typical critical discussion with its lack of narrative thrust and a structure that makes it far closer to a poem than a piece of prose. How do you even begin to talk about a piece that works with emotions instead of plot twists?
Takashi Miike’s ‘13 Assassins’ Presents Ballet of Blood
Submitted by BrianTT on May 27, 2011 - 1:59pmRating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – You will see a lot of movies this season that don’t deliver on their set-up. Whether it’s because they’re setting up the audience for another installment in a blockbuster franchise or just the fact that movies made by big studio committees often drop the ball, it’s simply a fact. Whatever one can say about Takashi Miike’s “13 Assassins,” opening this weekend at the Music Box Theatre in Chicago and currently available On Demand, it absolutely, undeniably delivers the goods. And those goods are soaked in blood.
Woody Allen’s Charming ‘Midnight in Paris’ Delights
Submitted by BrianTT on May 27, 2011 - 9:01am Rating: 4.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Writer/director Woody Allen and the amazing cinematographer Darius Khondji (“Seven,” “The City of Lost Children”) very purposefully open their new film “Midnight in Paris” with a long series of static shots of the title city before even presenting a cast list. You see, Paris is a cast member in this film. The sun rises, people hustle and bustle through Paris, they sip coffee in cafes, the lights go on at dusk, and the city sleeps.
‘The Hangover Part II’ a Funny, Formulaic, Desperately Shocking Carbon Copy
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on May 26, 2011 - 8:52pmRating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Business and creative people go together as well as fine wine at a burger joint. Riding on the heels of the monumentally profitable “The Hangover,” the brass win out over the artists in “The Hangover Part II”.
