Category: biopic
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![Madame Claude [2021] ★½](https://tlkabtmovies.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/mv5bnznkyzfizdmtytrjzc00zwi4lwe4ytctyji0njbkmdljywy5xkeyxkfqcgdeqxvynjewntm2mzc40._v1_fmjpg_ux1000_.jpg?w=1000)
Madame Claude [2021] ★½
From the trailer and poster, you’d think this fact-based story about Madame Claude, the woman who created a business empire dedicated to prostitution in 1960’s Paris would be at least intriguing to check out. Alas, the final result is an incoherent mess that doesn’t have any of the good qualities of a biography. The problem…
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Mank [2020] ★★★½
I haven’t seen many great films this year, but “Mank” is certainly one of them. For one, it paints an evocative picture of old Hollywood, circa 1940, a time where Orson Welles was preparing for his next feature: “Citizen Kane”. For that, he’s going to hire an unlikely candidate to write the script: screenwriter Herman…
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Capone [2020] ★★
It sounds like Oscar bait: Tom Hardy starring in this fact-based story about notorious gangster Al Capone, who spent his final year suffering from dementia and constant paranoia, before his death at the age of 48. It’s a juicy role for Hardy, the kind awards were created for. Except it’s not, at least not in…
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Dolemite Is My Name [2019] ★★★
Simply put, “Dolemite is my Name” is one of Netflix’s finest movies. It gives Eddie Murphy the role of a lifetime, playing Rudy Ray Moore, the underground comedian who rose to fame in the 1970’s and inspired a generation of artists. This is Murphy’s territory, and he lets it bleed, giving a comeback performance that impressed…
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The King [2019] ★★★
It’s not a classic in the making, but Netflix’s “The King” has an interesting history lesson to tell, and a great ensemble cast to bring it to life. I do not know how the real Henry V talked or acted, but I do know that Timothée Chalamet makes a believable young King, who was crowned…
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Judy [2019] ★★★
If you want to see Renee Zellweger transform herself completely to play an older Judy Garland, then this film is definitely for you. As someone who heard a lot about her sad demise, I was curious to know more about this legendary Hollywood actress/singer. And the movie does not disappoint. After an opening sequence that…
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Le Mans ’66 (Ford Vs Ferrari) [2019] ★★★½
Alright let’s take care of the elephant in the room right away: I’m no car aficionado. I know almost nothing about Le Mans or NASCAR racing in general. So why would a movie about a rivalry between Ford and Ferrari set in the 60’s interest me at all? That’s what I kept telling myself as…
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Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile [2019] ★½
A movie about Ted Bundy, the serial killer who caused mayhem during his trial in the late 1970’s after he brutally murdered dozens of young women, wasn’t something I was looking forward to. But having seen the terrific Netflix documentary “The Ted Bundy Tapes”, I decided to give the movie a chance. As it turns…
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Rocketman [2019] ★★★½
It probably won’t get the same attention as “Bohemian Rhapsody”, but in many ways, “Rocketman” is a superior movie. This musical biopic about the highs and lows of Sir Elton John, from his early days living in a loveless family, to his rise to fame with such hits as “Your Song” and “I’m Still Standing”,…
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Stan & Ollie [2018] ★★★½
First a personal story: for as long as I can remember, Laurel and Hardy were always a part of my life. When I was a kid my grandfather made it his mission to introduce me and my cousins to the famous duo. Needless to say, we were all hooked. So on my way to see…
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On The Basis Of Sex [2018] ★★½
“On the basis of sex” dramatizes an important chapter in history when young lawyer Ruth Ginsburg fought hard for equal rights between men and women in 1970. It’s an interesting slice of history, and you couldn’t ask for a better actress to fill in Ginsburg’s shoes. Felicity Jones has already made an impression in such…
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Vice [2018] ★★★½
I have a confession to make: I was not looking forward to this movie. As much as I love Christian Bale, I never thought I would be interested in a movie about Dick Cheney, the American politician who served as a Vice President of the United States from 2001 to 2009. But as soon as…
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Colette [2018] ★★★
Whether it’s in “Pride and Prejudice”, “Atonement” or “The Duchess”, Keira Knightley is always portraying interesting and colorful characters in period pieces. Now with “Colette”, this might be her most important role yet. Director Wash Westmoreland (who did a fine job in “Still Alice”) manages to capture the “grandiose” dreams of Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, the woman who…
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Bohemian Rhapsody [2018] ★★★
I rarely feel the need to defend a movie, but with “Bohemian Rhapsody”, I’m willing to make an exception. Early reviews were far from encouraging, and there’s no denying that the movie feels rushed at first, uneven at times, and doesn’t include all the songs that made “Queen” the band we all know today. Know…
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![First Man [2018] ★★★½](https://tlkabtmovies.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/first_man.jpg?w=477)
First Man [2018] ★★★½
You’d think a movie about Neil Armstrong, the first man to step on the moon, would be your typical Hollywood blockbuster. That’s where director Damien Chazelle steps in, by making this trip to the moon a personal journey, fueled with superior performances, beautiful cinematography, and a quietly profound score by Justin Hurwitz. Chazelle and Hurwitz…
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Loving Pablo [2017] ★★
Whether it’s on TV or on the big screen, filmmakers never miss an opportunity to tell a story about Pablo Escobar, the notorious drug lord who rose to fame in the 80’s, before his eventual fall in the early 90’s. From Netlfix’s “Narcos” to last year’s underrated “American Made”, it feels that we’ve seen it…
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Darkest Hour [2017] ★★½
The Oscar for best actor in a leading role goes to Gary Oldman. His brilliant performance as Prime Minister Winston Churchill is the best, and probably only reason to see this slice of history. Of the movie itself, I can’t say I loved it. I suppose there’s no other way of depicting a history lesson…
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Goodbye Christopher Robin [2017] ★★★
I’ve seen all sorts of biopics, so it’s always refreshing to encounter a new one about a subject I wasn’t familiar with before. I’m talking, of course, about “Goodbye Christopher Robin”, the story behind the creation of one of the most beloved bears of all time: Winnie the Pooh. That such a lovely, heartfelt film…
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The Disaster Artist [2017] ★★★½
In 1994,Tim Burton took on Ed Wood, one of the worst directors of all time, and turned his story into one of the best movies of the 90’s. Fast forward 9 years and “The Room”, one of the worst films of all time, opens in one theater in LA to disastrous reviews. You don’t need…
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I, Tonya [2017] ★★★
I knew almost nothing about Tonya Harding, the American figure skater who was involved in a national sports scandal back in the 90’s. So it was up to Margot Robbie to give me a reason to care. To say that she succeeds with flying colors would be an understatement. Robbie is simply sensational, as she…
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