CHICAGO – Excelsior! Comic book legend Stan Lee’s famous exclamation puts a fine point on the third and final play of Mark Pracht’s FOUR COLOR TRILOGY, “The House of Ideas,” presented by and staged at City Lit Theater in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood. For tickets/details, click HOUSE OF IDEAS.
HollywoodChicago.com Movie Reviews
Despite One Premise, Laughs Are Plenty in ‘The Little Hours’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on July 14, 2017 - 11:01am Rating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – It occurred to me in assessing “The Little Hours” that the basic premise is somewhat like “The Beguiled” – a man is taken in, rooster-like, into a henhouse where there are women with “needs.” Except this time, instead of a girl’s boarding school, it is a 14th Century nunnery. Get thee to it, if thou wants to laugheth.
‘War for the Planet of the Apes’ Delivers Old Hollywood Glory
Submitted by JonHC on July 13, 2017 - 10:45pm Rating: 4.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Since the Golden Age of cinema, theaters have tried countlessly to deliver up big budget films. Summer is here and the public is showing that they are cooling off these blockbusters, no longer fooled by the thought that cost equates to quality. “War for the Planet of the Apes” shows us that blockbusters may still be redeemed by channeling some Old Hollywood magic.
Sofia Coppola Creates a Masterwork with ‘The Beguiled’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on July 6, 2017 - 10:42am Rating: 5.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The human-ness of being human never changes, fundamentally. The mating season arrives, and the effect makes for both great connections and bad decisions. Director Sofia Coppola emphasizes this in a reverent film production of the story called “The Beguiled.”
‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ Spins a Web of Fun
Submitted by PatrickMcD on July 2, 2017 - 7:33am- Aunt May
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Rating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Summer movies should be fun, and the superhero craze has Marvel Studios combining their adventures with a little joy. “Spider-Man: Homecoming” mostly contains that big high spirit, with Tom Holland portraying the title character with youthful zeal and energy.
‘Despicable Me 3’ Reemerges as Despicably Dull
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 29, 2017 - 11:29pm Rating: 1.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – This is it. The point where Gru and his Minions went from mildly irritating to excruciating. The series will undoubtedly entertain the children it’s intended for, my twins probably would have liked it if they had been able to come. But pity the poor parents who have to sit through another film full of Minion fart noises… which seems to last for roughly three whole days.
‘Baby Driver’ Runs on the Fast Track of Movieland
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 28, 2017 - 8:24am Rating: 4.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – While it may seem that we’ve seen this type of tough-guy robbery gang film before, “Baby Driver” lives in its own universe, that of the movieland of movies. It is rich in squealing tires, bang-bang guns synched to the soundtrack, and a mystery cool boy creating his own star-crossed romance.
Glaring Lack of Originality Handicaps ‘The Bad Batch’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 25, 2017 - 8:00pm Rating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Dystopia has been dissed out. Mining the negative vibe future world can’t seem to touch the rich creative vein any more and the reserves seem dry. Writer/director Ana Lily Amirpour may have an element within her interpretation that is hard core, but it’s not enough to understand the overall vision of her tomorrow world, except that we’re all part of “The Bad Batch.”
‘Transformers: The Last Knight’ is Bizarrely Enjoyable
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 21, 2017 - 1:25pmRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Knock me over with a feather kids, but I enjoyed “Transformers: The Last Knight.” Maybe it was in comparison to the others or maybe director Michael Bay has beaten me into submission, but this one had the right story elements and casting to make it work, with exceptions of course.
Emotionally Perfect Cowboy Elegy in ‘The Hero’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 20, 2017 - 12:25pmRating: 5.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The great character actor Sam Elliott – known mostly for his cowboy roles in film/TV and his unique bass sounding voiceovers – gets an opportunity to deliver a nuanced and emotional performance as a hyper-realized version of himself. There is virtue and truth in this character journey.
‘The Book of Henry’ Generates a Different Story Vibe
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 17, 2017 - 8:03amRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – There are some total exasperations in “The Book of Henry”… numerous ones that are almost deal breakers. But somehow, some way, the strange twists and ideas take over, and the film becomes fable-like, examining a different line of story elements that switched from one character to another. Director Colin Trevorrow (“Jurassic Park” reboot) reveals a love in what he is doing in this film, and that also counts for something.
‘Rough Night’ is More Than Just a Diamond in the Rough
Submitted by JonHC on June 17, 2017 - 3:24amRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The idiotic notion in Hollywood (and in the basements of fanboy mothers everywhere) that women can’t be funny is a joke in itself. Women have been forced to prove themselves on the male-dominated comedic circuit and have come out as successful as their male counterparts. “Rough Night”, despite all of its flaws, is just the most recent example of that.
‘Cars 3’ Puts Series Franchise Back on Right Track
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 16, 2017 - 7:41amRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The Cars movies continue to be the kiddieland of Pixar Animation franchises. Kids adore them, parents tolerate them. Unlike the best of Pixar’s output, the Cars films are lovingly crafted cartoons aimed squarely at kids with far more attention detail than the average fare you’d find scrolling through Netflix. The best that can be said is that “Cars 3” represents a considerable step up from “Cars 2”.
‘It Comes at Night’ is a Terror-Filled, Nightmarish Delight
Submitted by JonHC on June 10, 2017 - 11:38pm Rating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Good horror films are difficult to find. Last year, we got the extremely satisfying horror film, “The Witch,” with breakout star Charlie the goat, AKA Black Phillip. Horror films that aren’t franchised cliches are hard to come by, but “It Comes at Night” delivers. The entire atmosphere is mysterious and foreboding. We go into this film blind as if we were stumbling through a forest at night. That is where we find the terrors, and ourselves.
