Bill Murray in Rock the Kasbah. PHOTO COURTESY OPEN ROAD FILMS It’s never a good sign when, while watching a movie, your mind becomes preoccupied with questions like “I wonder at what point in the production process this went wrong?” and “Didn’t they realize they were making a colossal turd?” or “Do I need to […]
Hollywood
Posted inArts & Culture
McFarland runs a winning course
Carlos Pratts as Thomas and Kevin Costner as Jim White in McFarland, USA. PHOTO COURTESY WALT DISNEY PICTURES Continuing their series of inspirational, true-life sports stories, Disney Pictures’ McFarland USA is a worthy addition to their cannon, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the likes of Miracle, The Rookie and Million Dollar Arm. To be sure, these are […]
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Chris Rock goes for broke with Top Five
Chris Rock as Andre Allen and Rosario Dawson as Chelsea Brown in Top Five. PHOTO COURTESY PARAMOUNT PICTURES As far as the movie world is concerned, 2014 will be remembered as the year in which things ended with an international bang and a corporate whimper. After having massive numbers of files hacked presumably by representatives […]
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Oculus a clever exercise in low-budget horror
Following the maxim, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” Blumhouse Productions continues to adhere to the formula that’s made it one of the fastest growing, small production arms in Hollywood. Sticking to budgets of $5 million or less, offering profit participation to lure the occasional name actor and aggressively promoting their modest horror films, […]
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Jack revitalizes classic tale
While Hollywood studios are often criticized for having a lack of imagination where feature films are concerned (too many sequels and reboots, thank you) and have been knocked recently for plumbing the fairy-tale vault far too often, if each retold legend is as well-crafted and smart as Bryan Singer’s Jack the Giant Slayer, I’d willingly […]
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Oscar coverage
The party not to miss this weekend is the Central Illinois Film Commission’s Red Carpet Party at Capital City Bar and Grill during Oscar night, Feb. 24. Hollywood comes to Springfield. Walk the red carpet like a star, watch the Oscars unfold before you on the big screen, and meet cast and crew from the […]
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Cruise at home in Reacher
In light of recent events, it’s rather difficult watching the opening of Tom Cruise’s Jack Reacher as a sniper picks off five innocent victims from a distance. I wouldn’t say the scene is done in a casual or callous way. At least until our collective sense of denial kicks in or memory fades, the lens […]
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Sons of anarchy
Friday, Feb. 24 is opening night of UIS Theatre’s faculty-showcase production of Sam Shepard’s True West. The story follows two estranged brothers who, once reunited, still mix like water and oil, particularly when older brother Lee’s swindling ways interfere with Austin’s screenplay pitch to a Hollywood producer. Directed by Missy Thibodeaux-Thompson and starring Eric Thibodeaux-Thompson […]
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Springfield idol
As a child, Springfield’s own Elizabeth Eckert was a finalist on Ed McMahan’s television contest, “Next Big Star,” and later sang her way to the Hollywood rounds on “American Idol” season seven. If that doesn’t tell you how much talent she has, nothing will; she out-performed hundreds-of-thousands. Recently she collaborated with renowned Atlanta producer Brad […]
