Respect is for a certain crowd of a certain age. If you grew up with Aretha Franklin’s music then you know the story of her Gospel record, this biopic is much more than a fluff piece. In a way I am glad I let it sit with me after a night of sleep, rather than reviewing right away after viewing it. Jennifer Hudson is at an all time high as Aretha Franklin as she embodies herself in the role so much that you would have to remind yourself that it is in fact Jennifer Hudson.

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Here’s the thing about Viva, it’s ultimate sleaze satire and parody of soft-core porn like movies. If you’re into stuff like Orgazmo, Viva should be up your alley. Although it is not on the same level of Orgazmo it’s similar in taste.

Continue reading “Viva(2007) Blu-Ray Review Kino Lorber”

Once upon a time after ‘Three Kings’ Mark Wahlberg was on a misery streak in his career, misfire after misfire. Flop after flop, then it took a turn somewhere after ‘I heart Huckabees’ then his formula with flops would continue with ‘Max Payne’ and ‘The Happening’

Continue reading “Joe Bell review- Marky Mark’s best since The Departed”

1969 must’ve been an amazing year for music, with Woodstock and the other festival that wasn’t talked about for long time till now thanks to Quest Love.

Continue reading “Summer of Soul review”

Edgar Wright is a fascinating director who can do it all to the point I wish he would have stayed on Marvel Studios’ Ant-Man and The Sparks Brothers will put you in that mindset that he is one of the most fresh and unique directors working today.

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12 Mighty Orphan’s may be the finest family-oriented movie to come post pandemic so far. Starring a game Luke Wilson in a role that he has not done a whole lot of before being a serious role not in a horror movie ala No Vacancy. The story will also sit well with the crowd that loves Disney’s Remember the Titans.

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Embattled is personally my favorite movie of the past decade or so that deals with MMA or boxing of any kind. It features a great story that you find yourself rooting for characters that has not been done in a movie like Embattled for an extremely long time. Stephen Dorff also has not been this great since ‘Felon’

Written by David McKenna who knows how to write an engrossing story. He also wrote Blow and American History X, American History X being one of his most satisfying scripts but Embattled is his best in a long time as well. IFC Films picked a keeper and a homerun here with Embattled.

The supporting cast is phenomenal, including a scene stealing Donald Faison (TV’s Scrubs) who is extremely likable as Mr. Stewart. Darren Mann gives a strong admirable performance as Cash Boykin’s son Jett who is anything but his father. Elizabeth Reaser makes everything out of her role of Susan the mother of Jett and Brain (played by Drew Scheid).

Overall, if you are already into boxing movies and MMA movies a ton then you are going to love and adore Embattled as it is rich in wearing its heart on its sleeve and having care of a genuine story that is much more than beating up characters to a bloody pulp.

Overall Grade: 3.5/5 stars

Written By: AJ Friar

Side notes

The Blu-Ray doesn’t come with a lot of special features only two special features are included. Which are the making of featurette a descriptive audio track and a theatrical trailer.

The director of the highly anticipated musical’In The Heights’ will be discussing the films that inspired the film on TCM.

Continue reading “CLIPS: ‘In The Heights’ Director Jon Chu on TCM June 11”

Percy vs Goliath is a run of the mill for the base of its courtroom drama movie genre. It feels much more like a paycheck movie for most involved, when I say that I mean a lot of people are phoning in their performances Walken probably hasn’t been in a great movie since Pulp Fiction. His string of bad performances continue here with Percy Vs Goliath.

Continue reading “Percy Vs Goliath review”