CHICAGO – One of the open secrets of Chicago is its horrible racist past, which remains like an echo. Playwright Joshua Allen has been exploring this theme in his Grand Boulevard Trilogy – the last chapter talking place during the infamous 1919 race riots – in Raven Theatre’s “The Prodigal Daughter.” For tickets and info, click TPD.
HollywoodChicago.com Movie Reviews
‘The Kingdom’ a Prescient Portrayal of Relentless Ghost in the Terrorist Machine
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on September 28, 2007 - 9:37pmCHICAGO – In 1967, author Arthur Koestler wrote the non-fiction book “The Ghost in the Machine”.
Tan-Skinned ‘Sydney White’ Tragically Lacks Charisma of Fair-Skinned ‘Snow White’
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on September 21, 2007 - 12:46pmCHICAGO – I recently tagged “Illegal Tender” as the must-miss movie of the year. I stand corrected. That unconquerable 2007 cake now goes to “Sydney White,” which opened on Friday.
‘Resident Evil: Extinction’ Screams Readiness For Franchise Extinction
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on September 20, 2007 - 11:36amAUSTIN, Texas – “Resident Evil: Extinction,” which opens on Friday and to the dismay of many critics didn’t screen across the U.S., is yet another cineplex excursion that’s beneath conte
Despite Poehler’s Wit, ‘Mr. Woodcock’ Underwhelms With Wasted Thornton, Sarandon Talent
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on September 14, 2007 - 9:15pmCHICAGO – Just from eyeing the “Mr. Woodcock” movie poster, you could suspect exactly what the movie will be. Just 90 minutes later, your suspicions would be confirmed.
Despite Daring Genre, ‘3:10 to Yuma’ Packs Powerhouse Acting With Fragmentary Story
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on September 11, 2007 - 3:20pmCHICAGO – Had you asked me to tag “3:10 to Yuma” before I screened it, you’d think me a bumbling idiot because I had absolutely no clue what to expect.
Slapstick in ‘The Brothers Solomon’ Dumber Than ‘Dumb & Dumber’
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on September 7, 2007 - 6:28pmCHICAGO – With 2007 films like “Knocked Up” and “Superbad,” the smart and embarrassingly truthful geek comedies are the current wave of humor in America.
‘Shoot ‘Em Up’ a Raucous, Viscerally Stimulating Experience
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on September 7, 2007 - 1:05pmCHICAGO – For a raucously good time, “Shoot ‘Em Up” is a visceral experience you won’t soon forget. Under the guise of a hardcore action gun flick, this film surprisingly has baby undertones.
Instead of Seeing ‘Death Sentence,’ I Would Have Welcomed a Death Sentence
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on August 31, 2007 - 8:41pmCHICAGO – When an everyday man goes seeking family justice, action-thriller “Death Sentence” teaches us this valuable lesson: Don’t hire Kevin Bacon for a role you wrote for Charles Bronson.
Motley Crew in ‘Ladrón Que Roba a Ladrón’ Pay Spanish Homage to ‘Ocean’s Eleven’
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on August 31, 2007 - 6:31pmCHICAGO – There’s a Latin American proverb that goes like so: “A thief who steals from a thief will receive 100 years of forgiveness.”
‘Balls of Fury’: Thank You; Try Again
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on August 31, 2007 - 10:31amCHICAGO – Thank you. Try again. When your sell is entirely dependent on being utterly hi-lar-ious, you’d better trigger unruly body spasms.
‘The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters’ is Tour de Force For Arcade Dweebs
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on August 27, 2007 - 2:54amCHICAGO – There’s nothing more boring than sitting at a bar and watching someone manhandle the joysticks of classic arcade games like Ms. Pac-Man or Donkey Kong.
‘Illegal Tender’ is Yawningly Generic, Must-Miss Movie of Summer
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on August 24, 2007 - 12:25pmCHICAGO – Though not billed as a comedy, “Illegal Tender” is one of those yawningly generic films that tries too hard to be taken seriously and ends up making you laugh.
Anne Hathaway Steals Show in Slow, Stuffy ‘Becoming Jane’
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on August 3, 2007 - 8:02pmCHICAGO – “Becoming Jane” is slow, stuffy – as it should be in that time period – but beautifully acted and scripted. Anne Hathaway as pre-fame Jane Austen entirely steals the show.