Articles filed under Gire, Dann

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'Amour' takes a real look at 'happily ever after' Jan 10, 2013 12:00 AM
Dann reviews Michael Haneke's "Amour," a harrowingly realistic counterpart to every romance that ends with a "they lived happily ever after" cliché. He also talks to Naperville Central graduate Jim Hemphill about his new movie "The Trouble With the Truth" playing at Facets in Chicago. Plus, Dann asks Variety why women under 25 made "Texas Chainsaw 3-D" the No. 1 movie in America.
Worst movie of the year? Try ‘Joyful Noise’ Dec 27, 2012 12:00 AM
Dann picks some noteworthy nuggets for 2012 including the most impressive new performer, the best business news coming out of Hollywood and the worst movie of the year. There's also the fifth anniversary of the movie "White Out" made by a group of Northwest suburban residents.
Survival thriller ‘Impossible’ perfect blend of danger, humanity Dec 20, 2012 12:00 AM
Dann calls the new fact-based disaster film "The Impossible" the greatest vacation-gone-bad movie of all-time so far. Dann also reviews the unlikely romance between two broken souls in "Rust and Bone," devoid of sentiment and gooey manipulation, yet radiant with an honesty that comes from earning trust and respect. Plus, Dann shamelessly plugs Dann & Raymond Movie Club programs in January.
‘Zero Dark Thirty’ tops with Chicago film critics Dec 17, 2012 12:00 AM
The Chicago Film Critics Monday named "Zero Dark Thirty," Kathryn Bigelow's drama about the hunt for Osama bin Laden, top movie of 2012. The drama earned five awards, including director, editing, screenplay for Mark Boal, and actress for Jessica Chastain. "The Master" won four awards: supporting actor for Philip Seymour Hoffman, supporting actress for Amy Adams, cinematography and score.
Bill Murray the highlight of 'Hyde Park' Dec 13, 2012 12:00 AM
The highlight of Roger Michell's misguided historical drama "Hyde Park on Hudson" is the unlikely but inspired casting of Chicago's Bill Murray as President Franklin Roosevelt, who, as we discover, maintained a carnal relationship with a distant cousin, Daisy (played by Laura Linney) while executing his duties as commander-in-chief. Dann reviews "Hyde Park" and shares Reel Life film notes.
Too many strikes against bleak ‘1942’ Dec 6, 2012 12:00 AM
There's something liberating about Sung-hee Jo's South Korean fantasy-romance-thriller "A Werewolf Boy" in how it mashes together disjunctive genres and manages to pull it all off with amazing sincerity and aplomb. Dann reviews the strange film, along with the Chinese historical saga "Back to 1942."
New Schaumburg theater tries out 5-D Nov 29, 2012 12:00 AM
Andrea Arnold's bold re-imagining of Emily Bronte's classic book "Wuthering Heights" will go down as one of the coldest movies ever made. Not only because of the barren wintry landscapes, whistling winds and the cast's frosty breath, but because the characters emanate all the warmth of dry ice. Dann reviews Arnold's new movie, plus interviews the Palatine man behind the new PIX 5-D Cinema.
Josh Peck enjoys taking on sacred ‘Dawn’ Nov 22, 2012 12:00 AM
"Red Dawn" gave actor Josh Peck his first chance to brandish some military firearms. How did he like it? "Super fun!" he told me. "When you're letting that aggression — these are real guns shooting blanks — there's an odd sort of fantasy fulfillment that has to do with it. It was just exciting! I don't know anyone, male or female, who hasn't had that fantasy of letting a machine gun roar."
'Hobbit,' 'Les Mis' among season's most-anticipated films Nov 16, 2012 12:00 AM
Nothing says holiday movies like old-fashioned torture horror, or a tsunami disaster, or an ex-soldier vigilante thriller, or a musical about a dying mother. We have all those to look forward to this season along with lighter, traditional fare, such as Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" prequel, Judd Apatow's comedy sequel and a return of Pixar's "Monsters, Inc." with an extra dimension.
‘Karenina’ stunning visually, but emotionally stilted Nov 15, 2012 12:00 AM
Tom Stoppard's adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's epic novel "Anna Karenina" is a visual treat, but it doesn't let viewers emotionally connect. The global warming documentary "Chasing Ice" doesn't have much new to say, but it says it in a new way. Plus, Dann interviews Chris Tucker, co-star of the new comic domestic drama "The Silver Linings Playbook."
‘Holy Motors’ is nonsensical sensory magic Nov 8, 2012 12:00 AM
Dann asks legendary 007 producer Albert "Cubby" Broccoli if novelist Ian Fleming would have approved of the changes he made the writer's literary character. Dann also reviews the parasite horror film "The Bay" and Leos Carax's surrealistic "Holy Motors," plus answers several pieces of mail (some not exactly from fans) and offers up several notes to keep up on Northwest suburban movie news.
'Details' is maybe too true to lifeNov 1, 2012 12:00 AM
The parts are far more interesting than the whole in Jacob Aaron Estes' second movie, a disjointed black comedy titled "The Details," but man, what parts. Laura Linney practically heists the movie as Lila, a hilarious, neurotic, cat-loving nut job who lives next door to Tobey Maguire's Jeff Lang, a doctor and the protagonist of this odd and not always endearing look at a man's ethical considerations.
Fine performances at heart of 'Sessions' Oct 25, 2012 12:00 AM
Two outstanding and brave performances highlight Ben Lewin's problematic, fact-based drama — "The Sessions" — that dares to acknowledge that the severely disabled have needs, too. Lorraine Levy's Mideast drama “The Other Son” stops just short of having us all join hands and sing “Kumbaya” with its positive message of cooperation and reconciliation wrapped inside an investigation of identity.
'Easy Money' a crackling cautionary taleOct 18, 2012 12:00 AM
Dann reviews four films: the Swedish crime thriller "Easy Money," the World War II children's view of "War of the Buttons," the American indie tale of good hearts "Least Among Saints," and the visually arresting World War II Swedish drama "Simon and the Oaks." Plus, Dann chats with a reader about the virtues of Martin McDonagh's "Seven Psychopaths" with Christopher Walken and Sam Rockwell.
‘Smiley’ overdoes it with horror conventions Oct 11, 2012 12:00 AM
Dann chats with “Seven Psychopaths” director and playwright Martin McDonagh about the role of violence in entertainment. He also reviews two films: the ineptly made horror tale “Smiley” and the controversial political documentary “The Prosecution of an American President.” Finally, Dann answers a reader who contends that “Taken 2” has to be a good movie because it’s No. 1 at the box office.
'Paperboy' a tale of murder and sleaze Oct 4, 2012 12:00 AM
Dann Gire reviews "V/H/S" (a horror film from three Stevenson High School graduates), "The Paperboy," "Little Birds" and "About Cherry"; an Algonquin filmmaker premieres his first feature, "A Shallow Grave," at Classic Cinemas in Carpentersville; and the Arlington Heights Library hosts a discussion of the 15 most vile villains in movie history.
‘Perks’ a clear look at the troubles of youth Sep 27, 2012 12:00 AM
"Perks of Being a Wallflower" takes an effective look at the difficulties teenagers face; "Solomon Kane" takes on the good fight in a mediocre flick; and "Vulgaria" tries just a little too hard to be something it can't. Also, free discussions of the films based on Stephen King stories and of films made in and around Chicago.
Urban shoots for authenticity in ‘Dredd’ role Sep 23, 2012 12:00 AM
Karl Urban is probably best known for his role as Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy in the reboot of the "Star Trek" franchise. Now, he takes on a futuristic crime fighter in "Dredd 3D," based on the dark British comic book. Urban, a New Zealand native, said of making the "Star Trek" sequel: "It was wonderful to continue the journey of these characters. It felt like a family coming back together."
Chicago's Michael Pena: a touch of Brando and bravado Sep 21, 2012 12:00 AM
For Chicago actor Michael Pena, his new drama "End of Watch" leads an impressive resume of film roles in such diverse fare as "Crash," "Babel," "Million Dollar Baby," "World Trade Center" and "Tower Heist." Not bad for a high school dropout who grew up the son of former Mexican farmers at 16th and California. "I couldn't pay for acting classes," he said. "Auditions were my acting classes."
‘Hello I Must Be Going’ too restrained to feel real Sep 20, 2012 12:00 AM
Dann reviews two artsy movies "Liberal Arts" (with DeKalb native Richard Jenkins) and "Hello I Must Be Going" (with Melanie Lynskey), plus whips up a lot of Reel Life film notes, and salutes the hardcore Daily Herald readers who managed to find most of the 22 Clint Eastwood movie titles not-so-subtlely embedded in Robert Lorenz's profile in our "From Suburbs to Showbiz" column on Tuesday.