CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio review for the doc series “Charlie Hustle & the Matter of Pete Rose,” about the rise and bitter fall of the major league legend, the MLB’s all-time hits leader, only to be banned from the sport because of gambling. Streaming on MAX and on HBO since July 24th.
Todd Solondz
Realistic, Difficult Lives Are Exposed in ‘Wiener-Dog’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on July 20, 2016 - 2:39pm Rating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO –Director Todd Solondz has made a career out of not shying away from the most uncomfortable negativities of life. From extreme disconnection (“Happiness”) to pedophilia (“Life During Wartime”) to the sad rejection of pre-teen years (“Welcome to the Dollhouse”), Solondz pulls no punches. He achieves that harsh intent yet again in “Wiener-Dog.”
Todd Solondz’s ‘Dark Horse’ Brilliantly Deconstructs Man-Child Pathology
Submitted by mattmovieman on June 22, 2012 - 5:00am Rating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Todd Solondz has always been prone to making films about people that most filmmakers wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole. His characters crave love but are the opposite of lovable. They inspire the sort of laughter spawned not from amusement but from discomfort, sadness, and occasionally, recognition. It’s refreshing to see characters utterly devoid of pre-packaged, studio-approved appeal.
‘Life During Wartime’ Provides Haunting Coda to ‘Happiness’
Submitted by BrianTT on August 6, 2010 - 2:16pm Rating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Todd Solondz’s 1998 masterpiece, “Happiness,” is the darkest American comedy ever made. It’s so brutal and uncompromising that it calls into question the very definition of comedy. When one character explains to her sister that she isn’t laughing at her, but with her, the sister responds, “But I’m not laughing.” Solondz isn’t laughing either.
