CHICAGO – In the last several years, how many times have you wanted to shout the “Mad as Hell” movie quote? Well, Invictus Theatre Co. has produced a stage adaptation of “Network” – with that quote shout worthy – at the Windy City Playhouse in Chicago through September 29th. For tickets/details, click HOWARD BEALE.
HollywoodChicago.com Movie Reviews
‘Miral’ Succeeds as Historical Drama, Falters as Character Study
Submitted by mattmovieman on April 15, 2011 - 7:35am Rating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – No matter how many films he makes, Julian Schnabel may always consider himself a painter first. Watching one of his cinematic efforts is akin to being pulled headfirst into the vivid and visceral canvas of a true neo-expressionist. His work aims to engulf the viewer. It shatters the barriers between a contrived character’s existence and that of the flesh-and-blood audience.
Wes Craven Returns to Form With Entertaining ‘Scre4m’
Submitted by BrianTT on April 14, 2011 - 10:15pmRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Wes Craven’s legendary franchise returns this weekend with a decade since its last installment and to a genre that has been almost entirely bereft of creativity since its director started to lose his prominence as one of its best. Can “Scre4m” rejuvenate the slasher genre like the first film did or will it fall victim to the rule that horror sequels almost always suck?
Fishbone is Red Hot in ‘Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone’
Submitted by BrianTT on April 14, 2011 - 12:51pmRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – “Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone” aspires to be more than an episode of “Behind the Music” and succeeds largely due to the amazing talent of the band it chronicles, the stunning, one-and-only Fishbone. It’s common for a critic to call a great, underrated band influential but Fishbone doesn’t really qualify because what they did was so unique that it’s impossible to copy.
Memorable, Informative ‘The Elephant in the Living Room’
Submitted by BrianTT on April 13, 2011 - 4:33pm Rating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – You will not soon forget Lambert the lion. His story is as tragic to this viewer as any seen in documentary filmmaking in recent years for he never should have been in the situation chronicled in the excellent “The Elephant in the Living Room,” opening this Saturday at the Siskel Film Center in Chicago and playing in other major markets already.
‘Soul Surfer’ Simply Too Bland For True Inspiration
Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 8, 2011 - 4:59pm Rating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – In the pantheon of modern girl surfer movies there is “Blue Crush” and…”Blue Crush 2.” “Soul Surfer” is different, it is based on a true story of a tremendous physical loss for a competitive surfer, and her family’s strength in dealing with the crisis. With so much drama, in fact, its surprising that the film is as flavorless as dry toast.
Danny McBride, James Franco Falter With Dreadful ‘Your Highness’
Submitted by BrianTT on April 8, 2011 - 2:10pm Rating: 1.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – “Your Highness” just makes me sad. Rarely have so many talented people been sucked into such an unfunny disaster as what will surely be one of the biggest disappointments of the year.
James Gunn’s Memorable ‘Super’ With Rainn Wilson, Ellen Page
Submitted by BrianTT on April 8, 2011 - 9:18amRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – A much darker cousin of Matthew Vaughn’s “Kick-Ass” by way of “Taxi Driver,” James Gunn’s “Super” is a tonally inconsistent comedy that nevertheless features one of my absolute favorite performances of the year so far and enough interesting ideas to warrant a look. If only those ideas were shaped into something a bit more coherent. “Super” could have lived up to its title.
Russell Brand Tries Too Hard in Lame ‘Arthur’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 8, 2011 - 7:49am Rating: 2.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – There are many problems inherent in film remakes, starting with comparisons to the original source. The first “Arthur,” while not a classic, did have a warm, funny story and Dudley Moore’s title performance. The current remake has none of that.
Saoirse Ronan Rocks in Joe Wright’s Riveting ‘Hanna’
Submitted by BrianTT on April 7, 2011 - 3:10pmRating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – You won’t be able to take your eyes of Saoirse Ronan in Joe Wright’s action film “Hanna,” a visceral thrill ride that’s likely to be a more satisfying experience than most of the action blockbusters that will fill the multiplex as the temperatures rise. With an A-list cast and incredible production values, “Hanna” is a speeding train. Hop on and hold on tight.
World Conflict is a Boy’s Life For ‘Winter in Wartime’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 1, 2011 - 6:55pm Rating: 4.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – When life collides with history, human beings are often both the perpetrators and the victims. In the excellent film “Winter in Wartime,” a boy grows up quickly when confronted with the realities of that history and life in the last days of World War II.
‘Saw’ Creators Fall Just Short of True Scares With ‘Insidious’
Submitted by BrianTT on April 1, 2011 - 11:38am Rating: 2.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – I have written over a thousand reviews and have rarely been as conflicted as I am about my response to James Wan’s “Insidious.” It comes down to this question — do you judge the effort or the execution?
Searing Performances Elevate David Schwimmer’s ‘Trust’
Submitted by mattmovieman on April 1, 2011 - 10:25am Rating: 4.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – There’s an unsettling potency to relationships that are born online. They take place entirely within the mind, which is capable of producing idealized images never to be equaled by reality. With the right stroke of keys, a savvy writer could potentially seduce a susceptible victim into emotional entrapment. That’s why the Internet is a predator’s playground.
‘Undertow’ Provides Poignant Metaphor For Closeted Life
Submitted by mattmovieman on April 1, 2011 - 9:55amRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – “Undertow” is a title that has been used so often by so many different filmmakers that it now threatens to submerge a picture’s individuality. Fortunately, first-time writer/director Juan Fuentes-León’s Peruvian drama (originally titled “Contracorriente”) has already proven to be a film utterly incapable of drifting into obscurity.
