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
Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart Avoid Melodrama in Moving ‘Rabbit Hole’
Submitted by BrianTT on December 23, 2010 - 4:52pm Rating: 4.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – John Cameron Mitchell’s “Rabbit Hole” tells a story not uncommon to cinema in its exploration of the emotional minefield that comes after the loss of a child but it does so with such restraint and humanity that it sets itself apart. With some of the best performances of the year from Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart, and Dianne Wiest, this is one of the strongest dramas of the awards season.
Ryan Gosling Cannot Save Disjointed ‘All Good Things’
Submitted by BrianTT on December 23, 2010 - 4:45pm Rating: 2.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Having loved Andrew Jarecki’s “Capturing the Friedmans” and having recently named Ryan Gosling the best actor of his generation for his year-best work in “Blue Valentine,” I was psyched to fall for their collaboration on the true-crime thriller “All Good Things.” Sadly, my anticipation quickly turned to disappointment as this muddled work lurched toward a bizarre conclusion. Gosling and co-stars Kirsten Dunst and Frank Langella don’t do anything wrong here but the movie is such a mash-up of tones, fiction, and reality that it never comes together into anything coherent.
Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon Ride the Lonely Plain of ‘True Grit’
Submitted by BrianTT on December 22, 2010 - 5:12pm Rating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – “True Grit” seems like the perfect project for Joel and Ethan Coen; something they had been working toward their entire career. Not only had they made what could be considered a modern Western already in “No Country Old Men” but they were to bring together The Dude (Jeff Bridges) and Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) under the magnificent lens of the great Roger Deakins. It nearly had to be a masterpiece.
Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller Seem Bored in Tepid ‘Little Fockers’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on December 22, 2010 - 11:27am Rating: 2.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The Law of Diminishing Returns is alive and well in the “Meet the Parents” Franchise, as the third film in the series, “Little Fockers,” has a lazy, we-did-it-for-the-money veneer. They got the gang back together, Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Barbra Streisand and the rest, but with few exceptions they all seem bored with it all.
Sofia Coppola’s Lyrical ‘Somewhere’ Nearly Finds Meaning in Nothing
Submitted by BrianTT on December 22, 2010 - 11:04am Rating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Sofia Coppola’s “Somewhere” is her most lyrical film, a work that feels not unlike Gus Van Sant’s “Last Days” or “Elephant” in its liberal use of long takes, huge gaps in dialogue, and real-time scenes that seem to go nowhere. It is a minimalist mood piece and that mood is the melancholy that comes with the realization that you’ve accomplished very little of real significance and your daily routine is nothing more than varying cycles of self-fulfillment.
Lopsided ‘TRON: Legacy’ is Heavy on Visuals, Light on Humanity
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on December 17, 2010 - 7:27pm Rating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Every great film is a delicate balance of a number of critical elements. Good films lack in one department while mediocre films have serious gaps that stick out like a red dress at a funeral. The overall mediocre “TRON: Legacy” is exceedingly fixated on its impressive visual effects while neglecting to focus on creating an evocative and humanized story.
Dan Aykroyd, Justin Timberlake Sink in Horrible ‘Yogi Bear’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on December 17, 2010 - 12:27pm Rating: 0.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – “Yogi Bear,” the latest degradation in the cynical family film 3D marketing universe, has done the improbable. It has taken notable and nostalgic cartoon characters (Yogi and Boo Boo) and turned them into animatronic shills for a post modern bore of a story that wouldn’t work if Fellini were directing it. Dan Aykroyd and Justin Timberlake sell out (I mean lend) their voice talents.
Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush Star in Confident ‘The King’s Speech’
Submitted by BrianTT on December 17, 2010 - 10:08amRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Tom Hooper’s “The King’s Speech” has been barreling through the awards season with a number of significant nominations, including six from the Chicago Film Critics Association just today. I understand why. The film does nothing wrong. It features confident production values and good performances but never reaches the peak of excellence for this critic. “The King’s Speech” is a good film that’s been inflated by some viewers to great even if it doesn’t quite deserve the throne.
Paul Rudd, Reese Witherspoon in Gloriously Romantic ‘How Do You Know’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on December 17, 2010 - 9:41am Rating: 5.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Writer/Director James L. Brooks has been producing prime entertainment for nearly 50 years now, and proves he has not lost a step in ‘How Do You Know.’ This film of love, loss, power and especially romance is a great showcase for the talents of Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd, Owen Wilson and the great Jack Nicholson.
Christian Bale, Mark Wahlberg Deliver Knockouts in ‘The Fighter’
Submitted by BrianTT on December 16, 2010 - 5:45pmRating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – David O. Russell’s “The Fighter” is an old-fashioned crowd-pleaser with one of the strongest ensembles of 2010 and the kind of underdog story that’s easy for an audience to embrace and adore. “The Fighter” will have thousands of hardcore fans, people who watch it every time it’s on cable and give it as gifts to their husband, father, or brother.
Nothing Plastic About Lena Dunham’s Post-Graduate ‘Tiny Furniture’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on December 10, 2010 - 8:12pmRating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The 24 year-old Lena Dunham is a new and notable voice for her generation of filmmakers, breaking in with her first feature, the memorable “Tiny Furniture.” Dunham wrote, directed and portrays the main character Aura, a newly minted film theory graduate who is going through the time honored process of what to do with her post collegiate life.
‘The Tourist’ Twists Predictably, Lacks Chemistry Between Angelina Jolie, Johnny Depp
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on December 10, 2010 - 4:24pm Rating: 1.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Though you probably don’t know his name, Christopher McQuarrie’s involvement might sell you on paying to see “The Tourist” even more than “A”-list stars Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp. After all, McQuarrie is the writer behind 1995’s Oscar-winning magnum opus by the name of “The Usual Suspects”.
Jim Carrey, Ewan McGregor Make Unique Couple in ‘I Love You Phillip Morris’
Submitted by BrianTT on December 10, 2010 - 2:01pmRating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – John Requa and Glenn Ficarra’s “I Love You Phillip Morris” debuted at the Sundance Film Festival nearly two years ago and was released internationally so long ago that it’s out on DVD in most markets around the world. After financial difficulties plagued the first company intent on stateside distribution, the movie sat on a shelf and most of us assumed it would be making its U.S. debut on a round shiny disc.
