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.
Benedict Cumberbatch
Too-Long ‘The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies’ Delivers on Intimate, Hand-to-Hand Combat
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on December 17, 2014 - 3:49pm- Adam Fendelman
- Benedict Cumberbatch
- Billy Connolly
- Cate Blanchett
- Christopher Lee
- Evangeline Lilly
- Fran Walsh
- HollywoodChicago.com Content
- Hugo Weaving
- Ian McKellen
- J.R.R. Tolkien
- Lee Pace
- Luke Evans
- Martin Freeman
- Movie Review
- Orlando Bloom
- Peter Jackson
- Philippa Boyens
- Richard Armitage
- The Hobbit
- The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
- Warner Bros. Pictures
Rating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Though he’s never been called it before in scientific speak, I’m saying it now: Peter Jackson is a master of mitosis. He’s one of Hollywood’s best in splitting up the cinematic cellular DNA of one story into three because, apparently, he can’t do epics unless they’re in groups of three.
A Lost WWII Hero Remembered in Slick Thriller ‘The Imitation Game’
Submitted by NickHC on December 13, 2014 - 2:35pmRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The heroism of World War II codebreaker Alan Turing has been lost in time. Partly due to the secrecy of his mission within the British military in World War II, but also because of the intolerance that erased him soon after his incredible accomplishments. The story of Turing, a man who helped the Allies win the war but was then persecuted for his closeted homosexuality, is given a long-overdue major feature treatment.
‘Penguins of Madagascar’ is Definitely No Turkey
Submitted by PatrickMcD on November 27, 2014 - 8:04amRating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The only thing rarer than a spinoff that soars over its inspiration is a DreamWorks Animation production without “Dragon” in the title, and one that’s actually worth watching. Improbably, “Penguins Of Madagascar” is both.
Family Secrets, Fine Acting in ‘August: Osage County’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on January 10, 2014 - 10:02amRating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – There will be inevitable comparisons to the Pulitzer Prize-winning stage version of “August: Osage County” from the thousands of people who have been touched by the stage play. But in giving the film version a chance, there is the same passion, drama and heat of family dysfunction within it, with a dream cast.
‘The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug’ Solidifies Franchise
Submitted by BrianTT on December 12, 2013 - 11:46amRating: 3.5/5.0 |
Peter Jackson and Bilbo Baggins find their groove in the entertaining “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” an improvement over “An Unexpected Journey” in every single department. Whereas the first one suffered from a tumultuous pre-production process and the fact that it was all prologue, “Smaug” expands this universe in ways that are narratively engaging, while also providing enough of that gorgeously shot and perfectly choreographed fantasy action that made “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy such a phenomenon.
Relentless Artistry of ‘12 Years a Slave’
Submitted by BrianTT on October 17, 2013 - 10:53amRating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – A man is chained to the floor in a dark, barren room. He has been ripped from his family and his freedom, and we watch as he’s whipped with amazing brutality. It goes on well past the point that most films with similar human suffering would have cut to a less stressful image. It will not be the last time that “12 Years a Slave” forces the viewer to turn away before the editor does it for you.
Visual Excess Dims ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on May 17, 2013 - 5:39pmRating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The anticipation of experiencing the rebooted crew of the starship Enterprise now may overwhelm any creative team’s ability to deliver to that anticipation. “Star Trek Into Darkness” piles on the space war excess, while lessening the savory humanity and memorable characters.
‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ Satisfies Fans with Entertaining Adventure
Submitted by BrianTT on May 16, 2013 - 10:14amRating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – J.J. Abrams’ “Star Trek Into Darkness” is like a really solid mid-season episode of a great TV series. Entertaining, for sure, but lacking the energy of a premiere or the stakes of a finale. It leaves fans wondering what’s next in the franchise, which will surely make Paramount happy, but doesn’t stand on its own like the truly great part twos (“The Dark Knight,” “The Empire Strikes Back”).
Benedict Cumberbatch’s Riveting Work Makes ‘Third Star’ a Must-See
Submitted by mattmovieman on August 22, 2012 - 10:58amRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Though Benedict Cumberbatch has been delivering fine work in film and television for the past decade, he hadn’t received a great deal of attention until last year, when he played strikingly diverse characters in Oscar bait such as “War Horse” and “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy,” while earning legions of fans on BBC’s “Sherlock.” He’s such a deft chameleon that it’s easy for audiences to overlook his formidable body of work.
Steven Spielberg Casts a Golden Light Upon ‘War Horse’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on December 23, 2011 - 8:50amRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Opening on Christmas Day is a film about a boy, his horse and war, brought to the screen by America’s most popular living director. “War Horse” is the most critic proof film ever realized. Kidding. This equine epic is Steven Spielberg’s latest, taking advantage of precise filmmaking, emotion and cinematography to deliver a decent holiday package.