Your Guide to Arts and Events in the Southwest Suburbs and Beyond
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The Regional News • The Reporter
Thursday, December 3, 2015
PINTO’S POPCORN PICKS
‘Victor Frankenstein’ should just move over for ‘Monster’ TONY PINTO “Victor Frankenstein” is the origin story of Dr. Frankenstein that you don’t really need or want. Most people think of Frankenstein as the monster, but this film sets out to change your perception and tell you about the man who created the monster. This is Mary Shelly’s monster, but not her Dr. Frankenstein. In her story, the doctor is not the focus and he disappears a lot, so the focus is on the monster. This Dr. Frankenstein is supposed to be interesting enough to carry a movie, which he’s not. He has plenty of issues; a brother we never knew about and horrible family dynamic. But the movie doesn’t make us care. Even great performances from leads Daniel Radcliffe (Igor) and James McAvoy (Victor Frankenstein) can’t save this film from being utterly pointless and unneeded. The acting might be the one and only redeeming quality this film has. The film opens with Radcliffe’s nameless character narrating that there is a story “we all know, but the story I’m going to tell is different.” Radcliffe’s character is introduced as a much-abused hunchback circus clown who just happens to be a self-taught genius in anatomy and physiology. Believable, right? When the women he dreams of, circus
Daniel Radcliffe (Igor) and James McAvoy (Victor Frankenstein) star in “Victor Frankenstein.”
acrobat Lorelei (Jessica Brown Findlay), suffers a terrible fall, Dr. Frankenstein just happens to be at the circus. Why he is there, that’s for later. Frankenstein gets help from the hunchback and a friendship is born between the deranged med student Frankenstein and the circus clown who goes from nameless to Igor. Victor helps Igor escape from the circus, fixes his hunchback, gives him a place to stay and makes him his assistant. Igor becomes blinded by the fact that Victor saved him from the circus and can’t see the massive flaws of the doctor. You already know that Frankenstein makes a monster. In this film, Igor unknowingly helps him create the monster using animal parts he steals from zoos and circuses. Writer Max Landis and director Paul McGuigan try hard to get viewers to know that Frankenstein is not the monster and that he is the doctor. Most people think Fran-
kenstein is the monster and there are jabs about that throughout the movie. It’s a little bit of hidden humor in an unfunny movie. At no point does this film become watchable. The script is boring and predictable. This film goes after the vibe of the Robert Downey Jr. “Sherlock Holmes” films, which were good, and this fails. If you actually watch the two films, which is not recommended, you will see all the knockoffs and homages to “Sherlock Holmes.” Some of the film can also be seen as a homage to Mel Brooks’ “Young Frankenstein.” Ultimately this is not the origin story of Dr. Frankenstein like they say it is — it’s the origin of Igor. If we don’t need the origin of Frankenstein, do we need the origin of Igor? Even the biggest Daniel Radcliffe fans will want to pass on “Victor Frankenstein.” Tony Pinto’s grade: D
VIDEOVIEW BY JAY BOBBIN (NOTICE: Ratings for each film begin with a ‘star’ rating - one star meaning ‘poor,’ four meaning ‘excellent’ - followed by the Motion Picture Association of America rating, and then by a family-viewing guide, the key for which appears below.)
STARTING THIS WEEK:
“90 MINUTES IN HEAVEN”: The title describes what the main character, played by Hayden Christensen, experiences in this sincere and faith-based drama based on the book by Don Piper ... who actually lived the tale. Here, he’s a pastor who clinically dies from his injuries in a car accident, but the prayers of others literally restore his life — yet he still has many struggles to endure, and those eventually take a toll on his family life. Kate Bosworth (who’s married to the film’s director and screenwriter, Michael Polish) and music stars Dwight Yoakam and Michael W. Smith also appear. *** (PG-13: V) (Also on Blu-ray) “ZOO: SEASON ONE”: A best-selling novel co-written by James Patterson is the source of this well-made CBS suspense series that makes our animal friends ... well, not so friendly. They begin attacking humans around the world, and a zoologist (James Wolk, “Mad Men”) tries to determine the source of the trouble before the situation gets irreversibly out of control. As for whether that’s achieved, let’s just say that there will be a second season next year. Kristen Connolly (“House of Cards”) and Billy Burke (“Revolution”) also star. Patterson and filmmaker James Mangold (“Walk the Line”) are among the executive producers. *** (Not rated: AS, P, V) (Also on Blu-ray) “GRACE OF MONACO”: Though this biography of actress turned princess Grace Kelly boasts Nicole Kidman in the title role, it made its American debut on Lifetime after a theatrical release overseas. The script naturally focuses on Kelly’s headline-making marriage to Monaco’s Prince Rainier (played by Tim Roth), but it focuses on a period when she was giving serious consideration to resuming her screen career since Alfred Hitchcock - for whom she
had made “Rear Window” and “To Catch a Thief” - wanted her for the title role in “Marnie.” Coinciding political considerations left her torn. Frank Langella, Paz Vega (as opera great Maria Callas), Parker Posey, Milo Ventimiglia and Derek Jacobi also are featured. *** (Not rated: AS) (Also on On Demand) “MOMENTUM”: After playing James Bond’s main female ally in “Quantum of Solace,” Olga Kurylenko sees considerable action again in this melodrama, casting her as a covert operative who ends up in the crosshairs of a professional assassin (James Purefoy, “The Following”). Well-trained in espionage techniques, she deploys her skills to stay alive while also seeking revenge for slain friends. Morgan Freeman, certainly not an unknown commodity in tales of this nature, also stars. DVD extra: “making-of” documentary. *** (Not rated: AS, P, V) (Also on Blu-ray and On Demand) “AMY”: The late Amy Winehouse, the decidedly unconventional music star whose personal struggles became as much a media focus as her professional triumphs, is the subject of this documentary. Many other artists whose lives and careers she impacted, including Tony Bennett and Mark Ronson, comment on her ... and while those segments add insight, clearly the most telling content here is that which showcases multiple Grammy winner Winehouse herself in conversation and performance. *** (R: AS, P) (Also on Blu-ray) “A CROWN FOR CHRISTMAS”: This holiday tale comes to home video just after its debut on Hallmark Channel, a pedigree that gives the title a multiple meaning, since Hallmark’s longtime logo is ... a crown. “The Wonder Years” and “Dancing With the Stars” alum Danica McKellar stars as a newly unemployed hotel maid who agrees to become a governess to a youngster — who turns out to be a princess with an attractive, and single, king (Rupert Penry-Jones, “Match Point”) for a father. His growing affection for the newcomer is complicated by his involvement with a countess, but if you can’t guess who wins in the end, you’ve never seen a Hallmark movie. And never sent a Hallmark card. *** (Not rated)
COMING SOON:
“ANT-MAN” (Dec. 8): A thief (Paul Rudd) becomes a scientist’s (Michael Douglas) test vehicle for a size-shrinking technology in this Marvel fantasy. (PG-13: AS, P, V) “KNOCK KNOCK” (Dec. 8): A family man (Keanu Reeves) comes to regret answering a knock at his door by two apparently stranded women. (R: AS, N, P, V) “MINIONS” (Dec. 8): The animated “Despicable Me” characters get their own movie, taking them to 1960s-era New York and London; voices include Sandra Bullock and Jon Hamm. (PG: AS) “THE TRANSPORTER REFUELED” (Dec. 8): Ed Skrein succeeds Jason Statham as the troubleshooter who puts his business suit to the test while fighting villains. (PG-13: AS, P, V) “MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE ROGUE NATION” (Dec. 15): Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is an agent without an agency after the CIA shuts down his team. (PG13: AS, P, V) “TED 2” (Dec. 15): The talking teddy bear (voiced by Seth MacFarlane) runs into trouble in becoming an adoptive parent; Mark Wahlberg also returns. (R and unrated versions: AS, P) FAMILY-VIEWING GUIDE KEY: AS, adult situations; N, nudity; P, profanity; V, violence; GV, particularly graphic violence.
Southwest • Section 2, Page 9
BROADEN YOUR HORIZONS THIS WEEK Pilgrimage to the Manger
A living nativity pilgrimage will take place at The Center, 12700 Southwest Highway, Palos Park, this Saturday, at 5:30 p.m. Guests will don Judean headscarves and then follow Mary, Joseph, and the donkey for a walk across the bridge to the barn. On the way, the crowd will be greeted by the shepherds watching their flock of sheep, and by the Magi riding toward the star. In the barn, they will find an infant lying in the manger of hay. Along the way, the Rev. Chris Hopkins will lead the pilgrimage with carols and scripture, providing an opportunity for both children and adults to experience the original miracle of Christmas. The program ends with refreshments and a final blessing in the farm’s Anderson Center. Participation in the pilgrimage requires an advance reservation, as only 100 people can be accommodated each night. Guests are encouraged to wear warm hats and gloves as the walk to the farm can by windy and cold. A free will donation is appreciated to support the programs of The Center. To register, call The Center at 361-3650.
Jan Brett Christmas luncheon
The Center, 12700 Southwest Highway, Palos Park, will host a Christmas luncheon about the artwork of Jan Brett on Tuesday, Dec. 8, from noon until 2:30 p.m. Each December, folks at The Center celebrate an artist whose Christmas artwork they love. This year they are sharing their love and enjoyment of Jan Brett, who wrote and illustrated the beloved children’s classics such as “The Hat” and “The Mitten.” Program director Lois Lauer and artists Robin Neumann and April Schabes will present
an introduction to the world of Jan Brett, complete with a reading of some of her books and a recorded version of her illustrated “The Night Before Christmas” set to the music of the Boston Pops. After the presentation and readings, everyone is invited to the art classrooms to create some Jan Brett-inspired Christmas crafts. The luncheon costs $20 per person, and requires advance reservations. Call The Center at 361-3650.
Family pottery
A pottery class for families will be hosted at the Log Cabin Center for the Arts Wednesdays, Dec. 9 and 16, from 6 to 7 p.m. The Log Cabin Art Center is located at 12700 Southwest Highway in Palos Park. Instructor Heather Young invites families with children of any age to make clay winter wonderland scenes of snowmen, penguins, and Christmas trees on an icy lake on Dec. 9, and to come back to glaze their creations with a shiny finish on Dec. 16. The class fee is $18 per person and includes all supplies and two kiln firings. Advance reservations are required. Call The Center at 361-3650.
‘Women of Castle’ host Breakfast with Santa
Women of the Castle will host their annual Breakfast with Santa from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec.5 at Beverly Unitarian Church, 10244 S. Longwood Drive, Chicago. The $5 pancake and sausage breakfast includes a photo with Santa. Visitors also can shop the Holiday Mini-Bazaar and purchase Christmas trees in the church parking lot. Proceeds support Beverly Unitarian Church and the Irish Castle. For more information, call (773) 233-7080.
OMARR’S WEEKLY ASTROLOGICAL FORECAST By Jeraldine Saunders ARIES (Mar 21- Apr. 19): Recharge your batteries. Take advantage of the opportunity to put your feet up as the week ahead could be fraught with deadlines and added responsibilities. Maintain a pleasant demeanor and avoid getting involved with arguments like the plague. TAURUS (Apr. 20- May 20): Apples don’t fall too far from the tree. Upon reflection, you may realize that the same things that irk you when dealing with family members are traits that you possess yourself. Be flexible this week and bend the rules as needed. GEMINI (May 21- June 20): Let your mind wander. Use your creative side; explore your imagination to get the most satisfaction. Don’t allow discussions to become too deep or heated and save making important decisions for later in the week. CANCER (June 21- July 22): Take an objective approach. There may be a tendency to become too emotional and to take criticism too personally this week. Put all business and serious issues on the back burner today and focus on rest and relaxation. LEO (July 23- Aug. 22): You may be your own worst critic. Self-doubt may cause your selfassessment of your abilities to be off the mark. In fact, you are more than able to get the job done. Give yourself a little bit of credit and meet challenges head on this week. VIRGO (Aug. 23- Sept. 22): Facts may look better on paper. You may have all the answers in your head, but conveying them to other people could be problematic. Don’t try to push your agenda on someone else, bide your time to find the perfect opportunity. LIBRA (Sept. 23- Oct. 22.): Carpe diem. Seize the day by doing the things you want to do and being around those whose company you enjoy most. Be careful not to let frivolous spending habits get out of hand or overlook a debt
in the week ahead. SCORPIO (Oct. 23- Nov. 21): When the going gets tough, the tough get going. A lack of data or resources may bog down the progress of your latest endeavor. Focus on solutions instead of the problem as this week unfolds and all will turn out for the best. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22Dec. 21): Stick to routines. Simply go through the motions. As this week begins, do what is expected and don’t start new initiatives or take on added responsibilities. Conversations with the wrong person could just be a waste of time. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22- Jan. 19): There’s no need to show off. Trying to prove that you are the best may leave you feeling silly
when you find that you are the only one in the competition. Don’t assume that everyone else shares your work ethic in the week ahead. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20- Feb. 18): There may be more than two sides to the coin. If a decision that needs to be made has several different options that seem appealing, then you are not yet ready to make a choice. Take time to evaluate every angle carefully this week. PISCES (Feb. 19- Mar. 20): The future is uncertain. There is no real way of telling how events may unfold right now. It is not a good time for starting a new project or setting plans into motion. Be careful not to let a casual conversation turn into an added responsibility.