James' Movie Blog

The title of this movie comes from a road guide for Blacks to travel during the 1960s. And travel this movie does. Starring Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali, and directed by none other than Peter Farrelly, “Green Book” is a powerful tale about the lessons of manners, and it can effect people of different skin color. While the one of the film can be a little derailing in certain regards, and the movie does play more for fiction than history, the experience is still a good one. “Green Book” is a rather interesting and compelling look at how friendship and manners can come from the most unlikely of places. The story is set in the year 1962, where Tony Lip (Mortensen) is a regular guy living in The Bronx. One day, Tony gets an offer that feels to crazy to pass up. Tony is given the opportunity to drive Dr. Don Shirley (Ali), a rather popular jazz pianist, on a tour in the deep south of the United States. Where racial tension is at its highest. Now, both Tony and Don must get alo...

Christmas is a time where people appreciate the simpler things of life. And Hollywood follows this notion by releasing films around the holiday season. Films like “It's a Wonderful Life”, “A Christmas Story”, and multiple versions of “A Christmas Carol” have entertained generations for many years. One Christmas special that is very unique is The Grinch. Created by Theodore Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss, this character is the ultimate curmudgeon when it comes to Christmas, and has been interpreted in media numerous times since the character's inception in book form. Now, in the year 2018, Hollywood is returning to The Grinch with another animated adaptation, with a result of being unnecessary. “The Grinch feels more or less a cash grab on a beloved character, than another attempt to bring forth a Christmas classic. Everyone knows the story to The Grinch. But for the five of you who do not know, here it is: a mean old green monster is fed up with Christmas for the last time, and...

In 1940, Walt Disney released what many have considered his masterpiece: "Fantasia". A collection of short animated vignettes, this package contained classical music set to animation. One of these segments, "The Nutcracker Suite", is one of the more popular segments, mostly around Christmas time. So, in the more modern age, what does Disney do with one of their most beloved animated segments?They turn it into a live action movie. The result? A rather bad and misguided production. While the visuals and technical aspects of this more are something to behold, the rest of the movie strictly falters heavily. "The Nutcracker and the Four Realms" is an unfavorable reproduction of the Disney animated classic, as well as the Tchaikovsky ballet on which this is based upon, and turns it into something that almost resembles fan-fiction. The story involves a young girl named Clara (Mackenzie Foy) who has grief over the loss of her mother. Her father tries to live...

Whenever someone mentions the greatest musical bands of all time, names like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Who usually come to mind. However, there is one name that is easily recognizable even if no one has heard of the members at all: Queen. Founded by lead singer Freddie Mercury, lead guitarist Brian May, backup guitarist John Deacon and drummer Roger Taylor, Queen has become one of the most influential rock bands in all of music. Sadly, Freddie tragically passed away in 1991 due to complications of AIDS, yet the band still manages to be ever popular. While their music is amazing, especially in popular media, a movie about this band has been stuck in development hell for quite some time; until now, that is. “Bohemian Rhapsody”, taken from Queen's most iconic song, showcases the formation of the band from humble beginnings, to one of their last concerts at Live Aid in 1985. But more importantly, this chronicles Freddie Mercury's life with the band, both physi...