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3 items from 2013

29 April 2013 2:21 PM, PDT | HollywoodChicago.com | See recent HollywoodChicago.com news »

Chicago – Just as there are tiers of animation in the United States, there are varying degrees of quality in our imported product as well. In the States, we know not everything can be Pixar. I suppose the French equivalent is not everything can be “The Illusionist” or “Triplets of Belleville”. And so we shouldn’t approach the recently imported 3D family film, “A Monster in Paris” with that standard of movie magic. The script for this fantasy is a bit thin and the visuals can be disappointing but it has a pleasant spirit, bouncy energy, and air of romance that allow it to work well for a rental. And it’s not weighed down with the gross-out jokes and pop culture references that often sink Hollywood 3D animated productions.

Rating: 3.5/5.0

“A Monster in Paris” has echoes of “Phantom of the Opera” for the younger romantic in your house. Writer/director »

- adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)

22 March 2013 11:00 AM, PDT | NextMovie | See recent NextMovie news »

Doing an animated film must be an absolute blast for an actor. Show up in your pajamas. No time in hair and makeup. Don't shave your fu manchu. All that the film's producers need is your voice — your sweet, golden, $20-million-a-picture pipes.

For some actors, however, that's a problem. It's no one's fault; in fact, it's often a testament to their on-screen success with other endeavors. But there are a certain group of thespians whose voices are just too damn distinct to hide behind a cartoon character. They might deliver a fine performance, but it just doesn't quite work because we all know their voice so well.

In honor of the fact that I've been in the same room where the ad for "The Croods" has played five-plus times now and said, "Oh, that's clearly Nicolas Cage" long before I even turned my head to the television, here are nine »

- Nick Blake

1 February 2013 10:29 AM, PST | Huffington Post | See recent Huffington Post news »

It's the end of an era.

Just like "Seinfeld" in its day and "The Sopranos" years later, some shows deserve to be taken apart postmortem, analyzed and re-experienced for the sheer enjoyment of it. These shows are so brilliant that their focus isn't ratings or stats -- it's that they're in our cultural bloodstream. Such was "30 Rock," which last night aired its last episode after seven seasons (point most eloquently made by Tracy Jordan: "Thank you America, that's our show! Not a lot of people watched it but the joke's on you, because we got paid anyway!”)

Granted, what made "30 Rock" was the superb combination of recurring talent: Tina Fey's Liz Lemon, Alec Baldwin's Jack Donaghy, Tracy Morgan's Tracy Jordan, Jane Krakowski's Jenna Maroney, and Jack McBrayer's Kenneth Parcell. But some of the best episodes owe it to the celebrity stars who waltzed through those NBC doors. »

- The Huffington Post

3 items from 2013