Posted by James Brown on Sunday, April 24, 2016,
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0.09% Cocktails
The Huntsman: Winter's War
Directed By: Cedric Nicolas-Troyan
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron, Emily Blunt, Nick Frost, Sam Claflin, Rob Brydon, and Jessica Chastain
I don't exactly frequent Rotten Tomatoes, but there seems to be no middle ground these days. Movies are either universally acclaimed or universally loathed. Hardly any movies are landing anywhere between 30% and 79% these days. Movies like The Jungle Book and Zootopia comfortably fall in the former category while Batma...
Posted by James Brown on Sunday, October 25, 2015,
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0.03% Wine Coolers
Crimson Peak
Directed By: Guillermo del Toro
Starring: Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain, Tom Hiddleston, Charlie Hunnam, and Jim Beaver
I've been highly critical of the horror genre since I began STMR (and long before that as well). There are few films I've given high marks in recent years including slasher flick You're Next and supernatural horror flick It Follows. Still, the genre's been languishing in my eyes for quite some time. The proof is in the mockumentary-flavored pudding Hollywood ...
Posted by James Brown on Saturday, October 3, 2015,
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The Martian
Directed By: Ridley Scott
Starring: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Jeff Daniels, Michael Peña, Kate Mara, Sean Bean, Sebastian Stan, Aksel Hennie, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Donald Glover, and Mackenzie Davis
Alfonso Cuaron's Gravity may have hit a nerve in the human psyche and started a trend at the box office. Every year since Gravity's debut on the big screen back in 2013, we've had a space epic arrive. With each, we have interesting collective dialogue about the authentici...
Posted by James Brown on Tuesday, January 20, 2015,
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A Most Violent Year
Directed By: J. C. Chandor
Starring: Oscar Isaac, Jessica Chastain, David Oyelowo, Alessandro Nivola, and Albert Brooks
Margin Call, All Is Lost, and A Most Violent Year all have something in common, and it's not just that they're the first three feature films by prolific director J. C. Chandor. These terrific movies have not gotten the recognition they deserve at the culmination of awards season. The corporate thriller Margin Call about the 2008 financial crisis notched ju... Continue reading ...
Posted by James Brown on Saturday, November 8, 2014,
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Interstellar
Directed By: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Michael Caine, Bill Irwin, Ellen Burstyn, Casey Affleck, John Lithgow, Topher Grace, David Gyasi, Josh Stewart, and Matt Damon
"Do not go gentle into that good night; Old age should burn and rave at close of day. Rage, rage against the dying of the light." -Dylan Thomas
Ambition is the cornerstone of truly great filmmaking. If a filmmaker is not taking creative risks and is being overly ca... Continue reading ...
Posted by James Brown on Thursday, August 30, 2012,
In :
0.06% Beer or Wine
Lawless
Directed By: John Hillcoat
Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke, Guy Pearce, and Dane DeHaan
On paper, Lawless may be the perfect movie for me. I've been in need of a good crime movie as of late. They're so rare these days. On top of that, it's about moonshine bootlegging during Prohibition. That's just about as good as it gets for the SoberFilmCritic. That being said, Lawless doesn't fully realize its potential as director J... Continue reading ...
Posted by James Brown on Monday, September 5, 2011,
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0.09% Cocktails
The Debt
Directed By: John Madden
Starring: Helen Mirren, Sam Worthington, Jessica Chastain, and Tom Wilkinson
A good spy thriller always has twists and turns in the plot. It keeps you guessing for a while. A great spy thriller always has a badass lead. Steven Spielberg'sMunich is a strong example of a great spy thriller. All the drama, thrills, and plot twists were there, but those boys were kicking some ass in the process. With Helen Mirren starring in John Madden's The Debt, I was hopin... Continue reading ...
Posted by James Brown on Tuesday, August 16, 2011,
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The Tree of Life
Directed By: Terrence Malick
Starring: Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, and Jessica Chastain
Never before have I seen a film that captures life. That's a huge concept with a range of implications. It's a nearly impossible endeavor for any filmmaker. However, Terrence Malick has proven me wrong. Malick'sThe Tree of Lifedoes the impossible in a grand way. From grappling with the meaning and scope of life to questioning the purpose of faith, Malick covers a broad array of topics.The ... Continue reading ...
