CHICAGO – Theatrical satires of the Star Wars Universe are like the number of TV series the universe has wrought … too many to figure out if anything is worthwhile. But “Trade Federation” (subtitled “Or Let’s Explore Globalization Through the Star Wars Prequels”), presented by Otherworld Theatre in Wrigleyville Chicago, gets it right on.
Jesse Eisenberg
Call Me! On-Air Film Review of ‘When You Finish Saving the World’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on January 20, 2023 - 3:35pm Rating: 4.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on January 19th, 2023, reviewing “When You Finish Saving the World,” the directorial debut from actor Jesse Eisenberg. In select theaters beginning January 20th.
'Zombieland: Double Tap' Not As Fresh But Still Has Some Life Left
Submitted by JonHC on October 21, 2019 - 2:04pm Rating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO - Zombieland: Double Tap lacks the freshness or the belly laughs of its predecessor, but I was surprised to see that this outrageously overqualified cast has not worn out its welcome. It’s ridiculous that three Oscar nominees and one Oscar winner headline a movie devoted solely to blowing zombies up. But when you employ Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin, you’re going to get some unexpected surprises.
Old Hollywood Glamour in Woody Allen’s ‘Café Society’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on July 23, 2016 - 8:33am Rating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – In the 1930s, the contrast between the world of Hollywood movie sparkle and the rest of a Depression-era America was as different as peasants and kings. Writer/director Woody Allen captures this dichotomy with an East Coast/West Coast tale of one family in “Café Society.”
Waste of Talent, Sequel Energy in ‘Now You See Me 2’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 12, 2016 - 7:34am Rating: 1.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Separately, you love all these movie star icons and funny people – Daniel Radcliffe, Michael Caine, Mark Ruffalo, Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Morgan Freeman, Lizzy Caplan and Dave Franco. Together, they add up to a terrible sequel, “Now You See Me 2.”
‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ is Both Despairing & Disappointing
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 23, 2016 - 8:21pm Rating: 2.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Dang it, DC Comics and Warner Bros.! Two of my favorite comic book characters get dragged through a dull mud in “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.” There is a dawn all right, but instead of the bright sun over the horizon, it’s a full mooning to the fans who anticipated the film.
Story of ‘Now You See Me’ a Bit Misdirected
Submitted by PatrickMcD on May 31, 2013 - 8:03amRating: 2.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Boasting a big star ensemble cast, and themes of magical realism and misdirection, “Now You See Me” is an overdone, too-clever-for-its-own-good fantasy with some entertaining tricks. Jesse Eisenberg and Isla Fisher join veterans Woody Harrelson and Morgan Freeman in the magic mix.
Woody Allen’s ‘To Rome with Love’ is Episodic, Choppy
Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 29, 2012 - 4:50pmRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Writer/director Woody Allen continues his film travelogues in “To Rome with Love,” touring The Eternal City with four separate vignettes. An all-star cast – including Jesse Eisenberg, Ellen Page, Alec Baldwin, Penélope Cruz and Woody himself – hit and miss with this varying blend of stories.
Jesse Eisenberg’s ‘30 Minutes or Less’ is Half Funny, Wholly Disappointing
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on August 12, 2011 - 1:07am Rating: 2.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The new half-unfunny comedy “30 Minutes or Less” stands as a destructive come down for newly minted star Jesse Eisenberg following his high-profile role as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg in David Fincher’s “The Social Network”.
Animated, Colorful ‘Rio’ Blends Into Mediocre Blur
Submitted by BrianTT on April 15, 2011 - 1:20pmRating: 2.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – “Rio” is a film that nearly defies critical review. There’s nothing particularly wrong with it and I can virtually guarantee you that the little ones in your family will be captivated by the talking, dancing birds with the colorful plumage. But it’s also a film that’s strikingly unmemorable.
David Fincher’s ‘The Social Network’ is a Rare Masterpiece
Submitted by BrianTT on September 30, 2010 - 3:11pm Rating: 5.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – So many recent films have been called “masterpieces” by critics that the word doesn’t have the power that it once did. And yet there’s sometimes no better way to describe a film. David Fincher’s “The Social Network,” starring Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, and Justin Timberlake is a masterpiece.
