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Villain and visuals aside, ‘Star Trek’ sequel sets predictable course May 14, 2013 12:00 AM
"Star Trek Into Darkness" is like fan-boy fiction on a $185 million budget. It's reverential, it's faithful, it's steeped in "Trek" mythology.It's also an excessively derivative what-if rehash. In short, the new chiefs of Starfleet aren't coming up with much to call their own.
J.J. Abrams boldly going from ‘Trek’ to ‘Star Wars’ May 14, 2013 12:00 AM
J.J. Abrams is master of one universe — and he's about to try conquering another. The director who rebooted "Star Trek" for a new generation, sending the USS Enterprise out again to explore strange new worlds, has also been put at the "Star Wars" helm. Soon he'll direct a new film, the seventh, in the epic sci-fi franchise.
Cannes ready to host film world May 13, 2013 12:00 AM
For even those most accustomed to the frenzy of celebrity, the Cannes Film Festival can be a disorienting experience. For 12 days every year, the French Rivera resort town turns into one giant seaside swirl of glamour, high art and backroom deal-making. Like some sun-drenched phantasm, all of cinema comes alive in Cannes: its serious ambitions, bottom-line commerce and crass spectacle.
‘Gatsby’ gives ‘Iron Man 3’ a run for its money May 12, 2013 12:00 AM
"The Great Gatsby" partied like it was the Roaring 20s with a $51.1 million debut that made it a surprisingly strong runner-up to comic-book blockbuster "Iron Man 3." Studio estimates Sunday put Leonard DiCaprio's "Gatsby" at No. 2 behind Robert Downey Jr.'s superhero sequel, which pulled in $72.5 million domestically to raise its total to $284.9 million after just 10 days in U.S. theaters.
F. Scott Fitzgerald dead, but not forgotten May 12, 2013 12:00 AM
Has-beens in Hollywood usually stay that way. Yet one writer who died there nearly forgotten 73 years ago had one of the most remarkable posthumous revivals in literary history. F. Scott Fitzgerald is back on the big-screen with Leonardo DiCaprio and director Baz Luhrmann's "The Great Gatsby," a story adapted for film and television more than half a dozen times since the silent-movie era, when it was published to scant sales in 1925.
Lucasfilm: New ‘Star Wars’ movie to be shot in UK May 11, 2013 12:00 AM
The next "Star Wars" movie will be shot in a galaxy far, far away from Hollywood — Britain. Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy says the company has reached a deal with British Treasury chief George Osborne to make "Star Wars: Episode VII" in the U.K.
DVD previews: ‘Cloud Atlas,’ ‘Texas Chainsaw’ May 11, 2013 12:00 AM
Coming out this week on DVD are "Cloud Atlas" and "Texas Chainsaw."
Theater apologizes for actor carrying fake gun May 10, 2013 12:00 AM
Some moviegoers were frightened and called 911, recalling the shooting in July at a Colorado theater during the premiere of "The Dark Knight Rises." That attack killed 12 people and injured dozens others, and authorities said the gunman was dressed in police-style body armor.
D211 film festival gives students, teachers chance to learn May 10, 2013 12:00 AM
It's only been in existence for eight years, but a small film festival that was limited to students studying the craft at Palatine High School is now a district-wide event that has expanded to the surrounding community. "There's a lot of opportunities for still arts to be put on display ... but there hasn't been much for the media arts. That's why we've really worked to expand it," said Palatine High School art teacher Nick Hostert.
Action-packed ‘Jack Reacher’ out on DVD May 9, 2013 12:00 AM
Tom Cruise takes the title role in "Jack Reacher," a non-stop action film based on Lee Childs' novels. It's now out on DVD.
'Peeples' peeps pleasant, but all too forgettable May 9, 2013 12:00 AM
The people of "Peeples" make a better impression than most collections of oddballs in the weary mold of comedies centered on meeting the prospective in-laws. They still overstay their welcome, though. This is broad comedy, but nowhere near as broad — or boorish and shrill — as producer Tyler Perry's own family adventures (for disclosure's sake, there are screechy relations here, but Perry's Madea fortunately isn't among them).
Luhrmann celebrates style over substance in misconceived adaptationMay 9, 2013 12:00 AM
Despite an impressive performance by Leonardo DiCaprio, Baz Luhrmann's faithful adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's great American novel celebrates style over substance abuse. So we get a flamboyantly superficial film that grants equal importance to slow-motion shots of a woman's car-struck body flying through the air as it does Fitzgerald's dissection of the death of the American dream.
Strong characters at heart of 'Love'May 9, 2013 12:00 AM
Dann warns readers that Paramount Pictures won't give critics advance screenings of "Star Trek Into Darkness," and that's not a good sign. He also criticizes the Ratings Administration in his film notes segment, plus reviews two films, the Christian-themed "King's Faith" and the Danish rom-com "Love is All You Need" featuring an impressively mature performance by former 007 Pierce Brosnan.
New 'Star Trek' movie beams up Fremd grad May 7, 2013 12:00 AM
In college, Palatine native Jon Lee Brody thought his life was laid out with his girlfriend. "My plan was to marry this girl, go to law school, become a corporate lawyer and raise a family. That was the plan," he said. But when she abruptly ended the relationship, Brody moved to LA to become an actor. He plays a security guard in the upcoming "Star Trek Into Darkness."
Will Downey suit up again after $175M ‘Iron Man 3’ haul? May 5, 2013 12:00 AM
“Iron Man 3” has raced to a worldwide total of $680.1 million. That includes $175.9 million in its second weekend overseas, where the film has rung up $504.8 million so far. But could the franchise survive without Robert Downey Jr.? “I honestly don’t know how you can go on with that character without Downey,” said Paul Dergarabedian, an analyst with box-office tracker Hollywood.com. “I think he’s as important to this franchise and to Marvel as any actor is to any character.”
DVD previews: ‘Jack Reacher,’ ‘Safe Haven’ May 4, 2013 12:00 AM
Coming out on DVD are "Jack Reacher," starring Tom Cruise, along with the romantic drama "Safe Haven."
‘Silver Linings Playbook’ out on DVD May 3, 2013 12:00 AM
One of the best films of the year, the inspirational "Silver Linings Playbook" was nominated for seven Academy Awards. The film, starring Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper, is now out on DVD.
Sequels lead remakes, franchises in dominating summer cinemaMay 3, 2013 12:00 AM
There's a lot of No. 2 coming to theaters this summer. "Despicable Me 2." "Grown-Ups 2." "Kick-Ass 2." "RED 2," "Smurfs 2," "V/H/S 2." Most of them will be in 2-D. Yet, we have a few bright spots of ingenuity and creativity on the summer docket. We can look forward to more than a dozen documentaries, along with some intelligent-sounding works of science fiction. So here comes the annual Daily Herald Guide to the Summer Movies.
Lohan enters rehab at Betty Ford Center May 3, 2013 12:00 AM
Lindsay Lohan's sentence called for her to spend three months at a lockdown rehab facility and also receive 18 months of psychotherapy to avoid a return to jail.
Studios go direct to fans for social-media boost May 2, 2013 12:00 AM
Sometimes you just can't wait for Comic-Con — whether you're a fan or a filmmaker. With the summer movie season now beginning in early May ("Iron Man 3" opens Friday), studios are co-opting the July pop-culture convention's model of stoking interest in anticipated films by bringing sneak-peeks of new material directly to super fans, who then, it is hoped, spread their enthusiasm via word-of-mouth and social media.