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Hard Times (1975)
Hard Times (1975)
1975 | Crime, Drama, Sport
A simple period drama that works
Street brawler Charles Bronson teams up with hustler James Coburn in this very good drama. Depression era New Orleans is the setting for this interesting drama following two men's unlikely partnership. They have opposed personalities, but makes things work for the purposes of their business relationship. When Coburn gets in some trouble, it is unknown whether Bronson will end up helping him out.

Strong acting throughout kept me very well entertained by this one.
  
How It Ends (2018)
How It Ends (2018)
2018 | Action, Sci-Fi
Slow burning but kept me hooked
Found this on Netflix today (UK). And put it on purely cause it was the first thing that popped up and looked half decent.
I'm a fan of the cast, although a small lead cast to me they were strong. While the movie started off slow, even while something big happened, it kept me interested and wanting to know what happens. I really enjoyed Theo James in this.
It leaves you with questions but at the same time realising there is no answers. It was a good watch.
  
Glass (2019)
Glass (2019)
2019 | Drama, Thriller
Good conclusion to the M. Night Shyamalan trilogy that started with Unbreakable and included Split.

A strong performance for Bruce Willis. James McAvoy revolutionized him self as an actor for this role (between the two movies he starred in) and Samuel L. Jackson was his usual awesome. Vera Famiga was great in her role as well.

Story culminated with a definitive conclusion (not always a given with Shyamalan) that actually had an unsettling nature to it. I highly recommend watching all three movies if you are going to watch Glass.
  
Get On Up (2014)
Get On Up (2014)
2014 | Drama
7
5.0 (3 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Thoughts on Get on Up
 
Characters – James Brown is one of the most influential musicians of the last century, there is no doubt what he did will live on forever. We get to see how James started with nothing, in an abusive childhood with no education, before learning to take the chances thrown his way, trying to make a difference to the world in the spotlight, even if he doesn’t always keep the crowd around him, not always as loyal as he should be. This doesn’t make James look like the most integral person behind the spotlight. Bobby Byrd is the man that gave James a chance to get out of prison, to start something with his singing in gospel, he will stand by James through all the troubles he faces, the bands he goes through, knowing James is the main talent and just being part of this would make him remembered. Ben Bart makes everything happen for James, he tries to help him navigate difficult moments in history, but will help him make the right choices which sees the friendship grow as the success does. Susie is the mother of James, she is forced to leave because of her partner and once he becomes famous wants to come back into his life, while James isn’t willing to let this happen.
Performances – Chadwick Boseman is fantastic in the leading role, he shows that his biopic man, he can bring James Brown to life on stage and in his personal life with ease. Nelsan Ellis is great in his role, showing us that he could provide excellent supporting performances in the film. Dan Aykroyd is strong too, with Viola Davis making a big impact in her scenes in the film.
Story – The story here follows the life of James Brown, from his poverty like childhood, to his international success in the music industry, we see his ideas on wanting to make a change and just what it will do to the people that helped him get to the top. One of the biggest weaknesses in the film here comes from the early time jumps, we are constantly jumping between moments, which doesn’t help the story telling process. This story also doesn’t paint James as a nice person away from the spotlight, even if he was always trying to achieve something more from his career. The story does try to ram too much into the film, which does make it hard to understand each moment of his life.
Biopic/Music – This does show a lot of his life, it doesn’t help us get invested in just how much of an impact each moment was. The music can’t be questioned with his hits playing through the film with every beat we know.
Settings – The film creates some of the biggest stages of James career, never looking like we aren’t in the correct time period.

Scene of the Movie – The performances.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The time jumps.
Final Thoughts – This is a by the book biopic, it has wonderful performances and the music you would expect to see, though we do cram too much in for everything to run smoothly.

Overall: By the Books Biopic.
  
Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)
Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)
2015 | Mystery
Taron Egerton Excels in the Lead Role (3 more)
Samuel Jackson Makes a Memorable Villain
Stylized Action & Humor Abounds
Intriguing, Well-Written Story
A Bit Off-Color at Times (0 more)
R-Rated Homage to Classic James Bond
If you've ever thought that only problem with James Bond is a lack of black humor and bloody violence, then Kingsman: The Secret Service. Essentially, it does for the spy genre what Kick-Ass did for the superhero genre (oddly enough, Mark Strong stars in both movies). It's a wild and very fun ride; each scene feels fun and exciting. One in particular is most memorable to me, where graphic violence is used to an extreme inside a Westboro Baptist-type Church. I do feel a bit bad for anyone drawn in by the promise of Colin Firth alone though (particularly older folks), they may be more than a little shocked by what they witness.