film reviews, interviews, features | BRWC

Author: Ben Gummery

  • Review: Us

    Review: Us

    US is a dramatic short film written/directed by Will Darbyshire starring Lucinda Dryzek and Laurence Ubong Williams.

    “On the journey to the airport, a young couple lock horns over the differing views of their tumultuous relationship. What transpires is a conversation about distance, commitment and the uncertain future ahead. “US” puts us right in the centre of that heartbreaking moment when they are forced to confront the unknown future of their long-distance love”

    This is an intimate examination of the strains of a long-distance relationship and especially the pain of parting with a loved one for an extended time. It also touches on the struggles of a real-life relationship and people’s differing priorities for life. This plays as a two hander; with Dryzek offering the stand-out performance of the pair as the emotion-driven Sam playing against the more restrained John. This narrative carries well for it’s short run time and as this was based on a book there may be some potential for a feature adaption.

    It is well shot and accompanied by subtle scoring from Tom Rosenthal.

    4/5 

  • #BRWC10: 2012 In Film

    #BRWC10: 2012 In Film

    To celebrate the 10 year anniversary of BRWC and as we look back the last 10 years in film I have selected six films from 2012 that I consider to still be iconic and influential today.

    1. Marvel’s Avengers Assemble

    The ultimate ‘Tent Pole’ movie. Joss Whedon’s magnum opus proved that a super-hero team up movie could work (Take note, DC…..) thanks in no small part to the oversight and vision of Kevin Feige and the directors of the MCU Phase 1 films that set up this team-up so perfectly with a solid back story.

    2. Frankenweenie

    Frankenweenie
    Frankenweenie

    Following his success with The Nightmare Before Christmas and The Corpse Bride, film-making visionary Tim Burton returned to stop motion to make a feature version of his short ‘Frankenweenie’ in a very personal childhood tale with adult sensibilities. This was part of a renaissance in stop motion films alongside the likes of ParaNorman, Coraline and BoxTrolls.

    3. The Hunger Games

    The Hunger Games
    The Hunger Games

    Following the success of Twilight; adaptions of Young Adult Fiction were now big business. Lionsgate rolled the dice with a big budget adaption of Suzanne Collins novels that would go on to generate a further 3 films, making it the 17th highest grossing film franchise of all time (after Pirates of the Caribbean) and boosting the career of the now oscar-winning Jennifer Lawrence. This model of two films followed by a third film in two parts is now replicated by many other franchises.

  • Review: Mansfield 66/67

    Review: Mansfield 66/67

    Mansfield 66/67 is a film documenting the life and untimely death of actress, starlet and Hollywood legend Jayne Mansfield from directors P. David Ebersole & Todd Hughes and made in association with students at Leeds Beckett university.

    It follows her story from her childhood and her first steps in show-business through her relationships and troubled personal life and her association with infamous satanist Anton LaVey through archive footage and a series of wonderfully varied talking heads from the likes of legendary director John Waters and others who either knew Mansfield personally or were inspired by/fascinated with her.

    However, Ebersole & Hughes has originally planned to tell this story in narrative from as is clearly apparent from the hybrid documentary/biopic format they have attempted here. Intercut with more ‘standard’ documentary elements are interpretive dance numbers and scenes with actors portraying Mansfield and LaVey. To be honest I found these elements a little confusing and distracting as well as the graphic/animated sequences and original soundtrack featuring songs with lyrics based on the story.

    Mansfield 66/67
    Mansfield 66/67

    Overall it is a creative melting pot that didn’t quite come together as a cohesive film for me but is an interesting story non-the-less.

    2.5/5

  • Review: Art Is Dead (2018)

    Review: Art Is Dead (2018)

    Art Is Dead is a new dark comedy from writer/director/lead actor Luke Oliver which is now available exclusively on Amazon Prime.

    The film also stars George Newton (This Is England), Alex Reid & Elika Ashoori. 

    “A group of actors, cast aside by the industry, concoct a plan of revenge. Ant, broke and struggling to survive, snaps when he discovers a fellow actor is about to be paid millions for his next role whilst Ant must continue to work in a dingy kitchen. Ant enlists fellow actors in a plan of revenge against the industry. First by kidnapping the famous actor and then pursuing a night of mayhem on CCB channels biggest night on the calendar. A televised night of chaos ensues with Ant and friends making a name for themselves, sacrificing all for their art.”

    We follow a group of struggling and frustrated performers led by Ant (Luke Oliver); a struggling actor who dreams of landing a role whilst struggling to keep low-paid jobs at a burger van and restaurant and keeping his relationship with girlfriend (Elika Ashoori) afloat. The film plays as a social commentary that in it’s premise sits somewhere between Natural Born Killers and 9 to 5. It plays on our modern ‘cult of celebrity’ focussing on famous actor ‘Benedict Cummabund’ (a straight-up parody of Benedict Cumberbatch), talent show producer ‘Dick Mann’ (the film’s Simon Cowell) and the ‘Humans In Need’ charity event (no prizes for guessing the charity this is a parody of). While rooted in a thread of truth these parodied charecters are extremely exaggerated and twisted versions; in particular the corrupt and despicable CEO of ‘Humans in Need’. As these three strands meet for one night of exciting televison; Ant and his friends find an excuse to get a little revenge on a society which they feel has left them behind.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJxgEjDjsBE

    Whilst this is an interesting and topical subject matter it is to my mind not that well executed or written. The narrative can be a little jumpy and disparate with some time-jump storytelling as different threads are added and played with. However our main characters lack emotional depth and we never really grow attached enough to them to care about their apparent plight. The production value is also that of a student film in places with some very ropey sound production and dialogue through-out however it is ambitious in scope as they manage to create three fully-realised TV events. There is also a suitably ‘indie-film’  down ending which brings the film to an abrupt close.

    The film perhaps outstays it’s almost 1.5 hour run-time but does create a fun parody of modern world of celebrity & fame.  3/5

    Watch now on Amazon Prime

  • Short Film Review: Goodnight

    Short Film Review: Goodnight

    Goodnight is the latest short film from Scottish filmmaker Cole Thompson Lynch.

     “GOODNIGHT explores the power of visualisation and what ignites that drive inside all of us to make our dreams a reality” Cole Thompson Lynch

    This short explores the mixing of dreams and reality and how they can affect each other as well as the passing of time. While the film is visually and conceptually avant-garde we do follow one narrative thread throughout the piece which has some resolution at the end; often hard to achieve in short-form.

    Visually the film has a bold and individual style (cinematography from Mondo Love) that plays with colour and light. TV static is a device that is used to great effect. There was a slight lynchian vibe to the look and feel of film all underlined by a clear vision.

    A great electro-ambient score from Graeme Gray compliments this perfectly and evolved naturally along with the narrative. I would have have liked to hear more ambient sounds mixed in to further play on the idea of dreams vs. reality as with no dialogue it is mostly score that we hear throughout.

    https://youtube.com/watch?v=PdgHhxpOaaY

    4/5 – An avant-garde yet engaging short exploring the concept of dreams in a very watchable and fun way. Highly recommended.