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.
Focus Features
Performance of Exemplary Cast Collects on ‘The Debt’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 31, 2011 - 6:54am Rating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Re-imagining, almost re-engaging the evil of the Holocaust has been thoroughly examined in film for years. “The Debt” looks at another angle, that of revenge and how much that revenge can wreak havoc on the truth.
Romantic Coupling of ‘One Day’ Rises Above Average
Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 19, 2011 - 11:25am Rating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – In the sure hands of director Lone Scherfig, the underrated film “An Education” brought Carey Mulligan to full light. Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess generate similar radiance in Scherfig’s new film, “One Day.”
Ewan McGregor Needs More Seasoning in 'Beginners'
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 10, 2011 - 4:43pm Rating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – When the matriarch of a family dies, the void can create dynamic shifts or imbalance for those left behind. Pair that turmoil with the announcement that a surviving father is gay, and the atmosphere is created for the new film “Beginners.”
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.
Mia Wasikowska, Judi Dench Float on ‘Jane Eyre’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 18, 2011 - 10:53amRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Film adaptations of classic literature are often lose-lose scenarios. The ardent admirers of the source often sour on what is left out, and the average filmgoer might wonder what the fuss is about when experiencing a truncated interpretation. There is obvious passion behind the latest adaptation of “Jane Eyre,” with performances that follow that lead.
Channing Tatum, Roman Empire Land in ‘The Eagle’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on February 11, 2011 - 5:27pmRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – In ancient times, history was at the end of a sword point and edge of the world. “The Eagle” tells of a Roman Empire battle in those times, and Channing Tatum plays a general bent on restoring his family name.
Sofia Coppola’s Lyrical ‘Somewhere’ Nearly Finds Meaning in Nothing
Submitted by BrianTT on December 22, 2010 - 11:04amRating: 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.
‘It’s Kind of a Funny Story’ Coasts on the Charm of its Cast
Submitted by mattmovieman on October 8, 2010 - 7:36amRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Though “It’s Kind of a Funny Story” is the third feature film from Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden, it’s the duo’s first picture that feels like it was made by first-time filmmakers. While their previous two features, “Half Nelson” and “Sugar,’ were entrenched in documentary realism and exuded the assurance and nuance of master filmmakers, this latest effort feels oddly programmed for mainstream consumption.
George Clooney Does it Italian Style in Excellent ‘The American’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on September 1, 2010 - 7:43am Rating: 4.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – What if the most dangerous and pursued assassin in the world began to develop a flaw in his delivery, due to the vulnerability of simple human contact? Where does religion, carnality and love fit in that connection? George Clooney plays that assassin-type in “The American,” holed up for one more job, the job that might answer both of those questions.
