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Blu-Ray Review: Annoying ‘The Answer Man’ Full of Hot Air
22 hours ago
Chicago – “Hell is other people!” declares reclusive author Arlen Faber. That’s nothing compared to the hell of fake people, who permeate so many subpar pictures marketed as “indie” entertainment. There’s not a single character in “The Answer Man” that feels the least bit realistic. There’s not a single line of dialogue that sounds as if it was spontaneously spoken, instead of typed by a screenwriter with a slick Thesaurus. But most importantly, the film doesn’t work because its characters are simply undeserving of the required audience empathy. It’s impossible to care about anyone on the screen, or anything that happens to them.
Blu-Ray Rating: 2.0/5.0
So why is this film a mediocre dud rather than a catastrophic failure? Because it is populated by gifted actors who try to inject the contrived material with vibrant life. Jeff Daniels is one of the most appealing actors in modern cinema, »
- BrianTT
Blu-Ray Review: ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation Ultimate Collector’s Edition’
23 hours ago
Chicago – Does the fact that “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” is receiving a lavish 20th anniversary edition Blu-Ray release make anyone else feel old? Just me? Whether you’re old enough to remember the first “Vacation” or young enough to know Chevy Chase as “that old guy on Community,” this is a lavish collector’s set for a great holiday film timed for holiday shopping.
Blu-Ray Rating: 3.5/5.0
Warner Home Video has begun an interesting trend of making Blu-Ray sets for their most beloved films that almost feel more about the collectibles than the movie itself. In some cases (“Blade Runner: The Final Cut,” “The Wizard of Oz: 70th Anniversary Edition”), the disc itself includes enough bonus material and a lovingly remastered picture that the collectibles appropriately feel like a companion instead of the main draw. Such is not the case with the set for “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, »
- BrianTT
DVD Review: For Veterans Day, ‘The 95th’ Honors World War II Soldiers
9 November 2009 3:57 PM, PST
Chicago – As Veterans Day approaches on November 11th, the generation that fought in World War 2 are dying off with each passing day. “The 95th: The Iron Men of Metz” profiles those few good men left, so that they can tell their story.
DVD Rating: 4.0/5.0
The 95th refers to the 95th Infantry Division, a World War Two army sector that was under the command of General George S. Patton. Their assignment? Bring down the German stronghold of Metz, a heavily fortified city in the northeast region of France. Their eventual liberation of the city, fraught with heavy casualties, earned them the nickname “The Iron Men of Metz” and the “Bravest of the Brave.”
WWII-era Uniform with the 95th Infantry Division Insignia
Photo credit: SoldiersandSailors.us
Four veterans of the division – Steve Finik, Nick Fusco, Chuck Wood and Paul Madden – tell their stories throughout the documentary, adding personal recollections to the broader »
- PatrickMcD
Video Game News: Downloadable Content Available For Amazing ‘Fallout 3’ on PlayStation 3
9 November 2009 11:54 AM, PST
Chicago – The critically-acclaimed downloadable content (Dlc) that expands the already enormous experience that is “Fallout 3” has recently been made available for the Sony PlayStation 3. We wanted to make sure you knew what to expect from each of the five Dlc options. Pick your favorite or buy all five, all of which are also available in the “Game of the Year” edition, now on shelves.
Fallout 3: Broken Steel.
Photo credit: Bethesda Softworks
“Broken Steel”
Available September 24th, 2009
Description: Continue your existing Fallout 3 game and finish the fight against the Enclave remnants alongside Liberty Prime. Broken Steel moves the level cap for your character from 20 to 30, allowing you to experience even more of the game, including new perks and achievements.
Story: You may have dealt the Enclave a serious blow at Project Purity, but their forces are still out there, and still pose a grave threat to the people and security of the Capital Wasteland. »
- BrianTT
Blu-Ray Review: Galvanizing ‘Food, Inc.’ is Riveting, Must-See Viewing
9 November 2009 11:23 AM, PST
Chicago – If you thought Al Gore’s truth was inconvenient, get a load of the one presented by filmmaker Robert Kenner. To paraphrase Peter Finch, Kenner’s new documentary is guaranteed to make viewers exclaim, “I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to eat the same way anymore.”
Blu-Ray Rating: 5.0/5.0
Like Michael Moore’s “Capitalism: A Love Story,” “Food, Inc.” boldly questions the entire system that American citizens have taken for granted over the last several decades. One of the most noble uses of the cinematic medium is to investigate issues that most people wouldn’t have the time or ability to examine on their own. “Food, Inc.” isn’t just great investigative journalism, it’s one of the year’s best films. It may be hard to stomach, but it’s well worth digesting.
Food, Inc. was released on Blu-Ray and DVD on November 3rd, »
- BrianTT
Slideshow: Formerly of Destiny’s Child, Michelle Williams in Chicago For Macy’s Tree Lighting
8 November 2009 6:45 PM, PST
Chicago – This three-image slideshow contains our exclusive photography of Michelle Williams (formerly of the band Destiny’s Child) in Chicago for a Macy’s tree lighting on Nov. 7, 2009. Born in Rockford, Ill., Michelle Williams has also been seen on TV’s “Half & Half”.
You can click “Next” and “Previous” to scan through this slideshow or jump directly to individual photos with the captioned links below. All photos are credited to Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto and HollywoodChicago.com. All rights reserved.
michellewilliams1: Michelle Williams (formerly of Destiny’s Child) serenades the crowd with a carol at the annual Macy’s State Street Christmas tree-lighting ceremony on Nov. 7, 2009 in Chicago.
michellewilliams2: Michelle Williams welcomes the HollywoodChicago.com lens at the annual lighting of the Macy’s State Street Christmas tree on Nov. 7, 2009 in Chicago.
michellewilliams3: Michelle Williams, Terry J. Lundgren (chairman, president and CEO of Macy’s) and »
- HollywoodChicago.com
HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 50 ‘Pirate Radio’ Chicago Screening Passes With Philip Seymour Hoffman
8 November 2009 5:23 PM, PST
Chicago – In our latest comedy edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 50 admit-two passes up for grabs to the advance Chicago screening of “Pirate Radio”! The film was formerly titled “The Boat That Rocked”.
“Pirate Radio” from writer and director Richard Curtis (“Love Actually,” “Four Weddings and a Funeral,” “Notting Hill”) stars Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Rhys Ifans, Nick Frost, Kenneth Branagh, Tom Sturridge, Rhys Darby, Talulah Riley and January Jones. The film opens everywhere on Nov. 13, 2009.
To win your free pass to the advance Chicago screening of “Pirate Radio” courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, all you need to do is answer our question below. That’s it! This screening will be held on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. in downtown Chicago. Directions to enter this Hookup and immediately win can be found beneath the graphic below.
“Pirate Radio” stars Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Image credit: Universal Pictures
Here »
- HollywoodChicago.com
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