Posted by James Brown on Monday, December 19, 2016,
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0.03% Wine Coolers
Jackie
Directed By: Pablo Larraín
Starring: Natalie Portman, Peter Sarsgaard, Greta Gerwig, Billy Crudup, and John Hurt
"Don’t ever let it be forgot, that once there was a spot, for one brief shining moment that was Camelot. There will be great presidents again, but there will never be another Camelot.”
-Jackie Kennedy
I've been pretty political in many of my recent reviews. With all that's happening just a dozen or so miles away from me downtown that's tearing the moral fabric of these Uni...
Posted by James Brown on Monday, December 28, 2015,
In :
0.09% Cocktails
Joy
Directed By: David O. Russell
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Édgar Ramírez, Diane Ladd, Virginia Madsen, Isabella Rossellini, Dascha Polanco, and Bradley Cooper
Recurring actor-director collaborations happen fairly often. We call the actors in these collaborations the directors' muses. Alfred Hitchcock had James Stewart (and his blonds). Martin Scorsese had Robert De Niro (and now Leonardo DiCaprio). Steven Spielberg has Tom Hanks. Quentin Tarantino has Samuel L. Jackson...
Posted by James Brown on Saturday, October 17, 2015,
In :
0.03% Wine Coolers
Steve Jobs
Directed By: Danny Boyle
Starring: Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen, and Jeff Daniels
The adaptations keep on coming. I obsess over the unusually large wave of films based on books, public figures, and other source materials as this fall movie season rolls onward. As I look at the slate of films on hand this weekend, I've come to realize that there's a smaller trend in recent years as well, one focused on technology. Recognizing the role technology plays in our lives, H...
Posted by SoberFilmChick on Monday, August 17, 2015,
In :
0.03% Wine Coolers
Straight Outta Compton SoberFilmChick
Directed by: F. Gary Gray
Starring: O’Shea Jackson, Jr., Jason Mitchell, Corey Hawkins, Paul Giamatti, Neil Brown, Jr., and Aldis Hodge
The Black Lives Matter movement, along with cell phone cameras, has recently shined a light on the tense relationship between people of color and law enforcement. But in the mid-1980’s, a rap group by the name of N.W.A. (Niggaz Wit Attitudes) shined a light on police brutality in their infamous song “F*ck the Police....
Starring: John Cusack, Paul Dano, Elizabeth Banks, and Paul Giamatti
I would be lying if I were to say that am a huge fan of the Beach Boys. I'm familiar with their discography, and I respect what they accomplished in their day. However, I'm not exactly rocking to their tunes on Amazon Prime. That being said, this doesn't mean that I can't appreciate Brian Wilson's tale. After all, there's a rich story to be told here. A musical heavyweight whose career... Continue reading ...
Posted by James Brown on Friday, December 26, 2014,
In :
0.00% Water
Selma
Directed By: Ava DuVernay Starring: David Oyelowo, Carmen Ejogo, Tim Roth, Lorraine Toussaint, Common, Giovanni Ribisi, Omar Dorsey, Andre Holland, Niecy Nash, Colman Domingo, Wendell Pierce, Tessa Thompson, Keith Stanfield, Stephan James, Alessandro Nivola, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Martin Sheen, Tom Wilkinson, and Oprah Winfrey
"A state trooper pointed the gun, but he did not act alone. He was murdered by the brutality of every sheriff who practices lawlessness in the name of law.
Posted by James Brown on Saturday, December 6, 2014,
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0.06% Beer or Wine
Wild
Directed By: Jean-Marc Vallée
Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Thomas Sadoski, and Gaby Hoffmann
This may sound completely random, but I do my best thinking in the shower. My best ideas have come when the hot water is flowing, and there are no distractions chipping away at me. For me, the only thing that comes close to this is taking a leisurely stroll. When I'm out in nature getting some fresh air, great thoughts just come to me. That's why I get Cheryl Strayed’s need to get... Continue reading ...
Posted by James Brown on Saturday, November 15, 2014,
In :
0.03% Wine Coolers
The Theory of Everything
Directed By: James Marsh
Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones, Charlie Cox, Emily Watson, Simon McBurney, and David Thewlis
Performances marked by darkness and conflict are the ones typically rewarded during awards season. Just look at last year's Oscar winners for Best Actor and Best Actress in leading roles. On one hand, we have a self-destructive homophobic AIDS patient with Matthew McConaughey in Dallas Buyers Club. On the other, we have a crazy widow who has ... Continue reading ...
Posted by James Brown on Saturday, September 27, 2014,
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0.09% Cocktails
Jimi: All Is By My Side
Directed By: John Ridley
Starring: André Benjamin, Hayley Atwell, Burn Gorman, Imogen Poots, Andrew Buckley, and Ruth Negga
Jimi Hendrix is before my time, but I would be a fool not to recognize the profound impact his music has had on generations of musicians to follow him. With the influence his music and his creativity have had on rock and roll and the music landscape as a whole, it should come as no surprise that filmmakers are trying to bring his tragically short l... Continue reading ...
Posted by James Brown on Monday, September 8, 2014,
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0.06% Beer or Wine
The Last of Robin Hood
Directed By: Richard Glatzer
Starring: Kevin Kline, Dakota Fanning, Susan Sarandon, Matthew Kane, Max Casella, and Patrick St. Esprit
Biographical dramas are sometimes tricky beasts. If the individual is particularly well known, directors must convince moviegoers that their vision is historically accurate. The key is to have an actor who looks, walks, and talks like the main character. Some of this is dependent upon the costume and make-up crew members on deck, but the ...
Posted by James Brown on Saturday, August 2, 2014,
In :
0.03% Wine Coolers
Get On Up
Directed By: Tate Taylor
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Nelsan Ellis, Dan Aykroyd, Viola Davis, Keith Robinson, Octavia Spencer, Brandon Mychal Smith, Jill Scott, Tika Sumpter, and Craig Robinson
As you all know, I share a name with the subject of the recently released musical biopic Get On Up. Having the name James Brown comes with a certain responsibility — to endure a lifetime of singing, shouting, and dancing at the most unexpected times in the most unexpected places. For instance... Continue reading ...
Posted by James Brown on Thursday, December 26, 2013,
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0.03% Wine Coolers
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
Directed By: Justin Chadwick Starring: Idris Elba and Naomie Harris
We lost a global icon this year. With the passing of Nelson Mandela several weeks ago, we should celebrate this legendary leader's accomplishments and honor his legacy. As it turns out, Hollywood is doing just that in their own way this awards season. Though not the means to combat poverty or eradicate social injustice, the biopic Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom is the means by which another genera... Continue reading ...
Posted by James Brown on Sunday, September 1, 2013,
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0.03% Wine Coolers
The Grandmaster
Directed By: Wong Kar-wai Starring: Tony Leung, Zhang Ziyi, Chang Chen, Zhao Benshan, Song Hye-kyo, and Wang Qingxiang
I've been in need of a good martial arts flick for some time now. 2012 gave us such good films as The Raid: Redemption and The Man With the Iron Fists. So far in 2013, we've had nothing to match these movies. I'm sure I'm not the only one who's taken notice of this void throughout the year. Well, things are finally looking up for those moviegoers who love the... Continue reading ...
Posted by SoberFilmChick on Sunday, August 18, 2013,
In :
0.03% Wine Coolers
Jobs SoberFilmChick
Directed by: Joshua Michael Stern
Starring: Ashton Kutcher, Dermot Mulroney, Josh Gad, Lukas Haas, J.K. Simmons, Lesley Ann Warren, Ron Eldard, Ahna O’Reilly, John Getz, James Woods, and Matthew Modine
Believe it or not, I did not have any interest in seeing a film about Steve Jobs. While I respect his legacy and the impact he has had on my life, I was not exactly doing cartwheels when I was tasked with reviewing the film. Sure, I have seen Toy Story, used an iPod, an iPad... Continue reading ...
Posted by James Brown on Saturday, January 14, 2012,
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0.06% Beer or Wine
The Iron Lady
Directed By: Phyllida Lloyd
Starring: Meryl Streep, Jim Broadbent, Anthony Head, and Richard E. Grant
Does great acting make a film great? This awards season has answered this very important question. Though it was never posed, it is worthwhile. Well, the answer has consistently been an adamant "no". Just look at Clint Eastwood'sJ. Edgar. On paper, the film was destined for the Oscars. What we got however was a subpar historical drama on one of America's most controversial m... Continue reading ...
