Author: BRWC

Tom & Jerry: The Movie – The BRWC Review

Tom & Jerry: The Movie – The BRWC. By Alif Majeed.

Tom and Jerry cartoons are one of those things that always felt bulletproof to criticisms, having left a lasting impression on several generations and counting. Now in my family, even though the wacky antics might have caused quite a bother for my parents worrying about their kids trying to emulate them, it was also one of their go-to moves to keep us occupied. During the middle of a heated argument among us siblings, everything comes to a standstill when these two were having a go at each other.

So as the movie began, I realized the primary reason this movie exists is to try really hard to invoke nostalgia. Some of the gags are straight-up replicated from the cartoons which is not a problem or a complaint, as if you spot them, it significantly adds to the nostalgia factor. The film exists on the belief that it will make old fans of the cartoons reminisce about it while trying to win a few new ones along the way.

It succeeds to a large extent in the former, as old fans will surely enjoy their favorite cat-and-mouse duo’s welcome return. As for the latter, well, I’m not so sure.. For starters, for a movie titled Tom and Jerry, it is bizarre to see that the duo has virtually become part of the supporting cast in their film as the movie quickly changes focus to Chloe Grace Moretz’s character. She looks pretty ill at ease in the beginning and getting more comfortable as the movie progresses, which cannot be said about many of the other actors.

The cast in this film is a bit of a missed opportunity as they got some incredibly talented actors with some real comidic pedigree. Many of them spent most of the runtime awkwardly interacting with the animated characters. It makes little sense, as at least some of them had worked in multiple blockbuster movies before, which were pretty effects-laden, making you assume they will be used to this by now.

And these are actors you don’t mind been given a free rein to do their own thing. But they are not helped by the fact that some dialogues really make you roll your eyes. Like for example, is giving social media platforms alternate names like Instabookface or tikitak still a gag? Maybe I wasn’t up for it, but am not too sure.

Another confusing thing is that the movie does not know whether it needs a villain or not. Like initially, it might seem like Michael Pena (who seriously has a thing against millennials here) is the designated man to hate but, the character keeps oscillating somewhere between the sleazy villain and the goofball Luis, his character from Antman.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3D2D_brJVIA

It is also strange that the live-action and animation parts have been blended in awkwardly. When the movie focuses on the antics of Tom and Jerry, the film clicked for me. I caught myself smiling every time the dynamic duo was doing their thing and shrugging mildly many times, when the rest of the live-action characters took centre stage.

The best summary I can say for this divide in the movie is my nephew, who watched the film with me. Despite his short attention span, he was having a whale of a time with the animated parts while trying hard to push us to leave while the actors were on screen.

It also almost works as a companion piece to Dunston Checks In (with its pesky animal nuisance and similar hotel setting), which worked as a live-action version of the original cartoons anyway.

There are parts of the movie that are bound to amuse you and even make you reminisce about your favourite Tom and Jerry gags. But binge-watching the cartoons might still be the best way to enjoy these characters.

6th March 2021
Isaac: Review

Isaac: Review. By Luke Foulder-Hughes.

Isaac is an excellent feature debut from director Jurgis Matulevicius, it deals with the overlooked participation from Lithuania and their persecution of Jewish people in the holocaust. It deals with guilt through a character named Gluosnis who was forced to kill a Jew called Isaac in the Lietukio Garage Massacre in the second world war. First things first I’d like to say that I appreciated this film’s technical aspects more than I enjoyed watching it, and this shows that this up and coming director has potential to be something special, especially as he took on such a difficult film to make.

By far my favourite thing about ‘Isaac’ was its incredible cinematography and camera work, which was at times so good I was distracted from reading the subtitles and following the narrative; and it’s a shame that this film will likely be snubbed come awards season, as it is definitely the best shot film of 2020 for me. It starts with a long tracking shot following Gluosnis and instantly hooks you into the story, as well as taking you aback with some of the best looking black and white cinematography since ‘La Haine’. The content in this scene is probably my favourite in the whole film, which could be seen as an issue as it does start at the highest possible note and never really matches this level in the rest of the film.

Another thing I was impressed by was the music choices, some really great songs were chosen and they generally work really well hand-in-hand with everything else visually. However, there were a few scenes that I thought the music wasn’t perfect, but this wasn’t a major issue and the sound mixing was excellent and ensured that the music never overpowered the scene.

The bleakness of this film was difficult to watch at times, and took multiple viewings to watch, not due to boredom but more through the depressing nature of the subject matter and how well made this was to make it feel this way. The fantastic acting played a part in this, making the film feel realistic, there were no standout performances as every actor was at the top of their game.

An issue I had with this film was the overly confusing plot, which was heavily reliant on exposition. This wasn’t handled very well in my opinion as it gave the audience too much information to handle and didn’t give time for other key points to fully sink in before unloading more onto you. As well as this, the timeline felt a little messy, as it was never really clear when something was taking place, although, generally it didn’t feel too bad and was relatively easy to follow.

An issue I did have with this film was the character Elena’s role in it, to me it didn’t really seem like she added very much and could’ve been removed all together and the narrative wouldn’t change much. In my opinion, I felt that her screen time would’ve been better used on fleshing out Gluosnis’ story, as he did feel a little underdeveloped for the main focal point of the movie.

I wouldn’t be able to decide my full thoughts on ‘Isaac’ without watching it again, as the film does have a lot going on and needs full attention of the viewer. I’d recommend this to people who like watching films like ‘Come and See’ which handle a heavy subject matter in a bleak and depressing way, I’d also recommend people steer clear if they aren’t great at handling difficult films like this.

6th March 2021
Top 5 Beautiful Films Depicting A Luxurious Life

Top 5 Beautiful Films Depicting a Luxurious Life

It is said that money makes the world go round, and indeed, we do a lot of things for money, ranging from working to playing online slots for money for a shot at jackpot payouts. Moreover, because of our never-ending dreams of living a lavish lifestyle, luxury-themed blockbuster hits have become fan favorites at the box office and home cinemas as they bring our imagination to life. Typically, these beautiful movies remind us of our desire to be filthy rich, and their popularity is stemmed from the fact that they bridge the gap between the life we’re living and the standard of living we hope to achieve in our lifetimes.

The Good Life Incentive is Used Everywhere

Apart from movies, lots of businesses, including the casino sector, also tap into our ambitions to be filthy rich by producing games that feature dazzling jewelry, bags of money, gold and other symbols of affluence to attract more players. Slot games like La Dolce Vita slot, for example, come with wealth-based thematic components within the game design and icons. Thus, by firing up the reels, you can begin living lavishly, even if it’s for a few minutes before snapping back to reality.

In case you don’t get the slot game’s reference, La Dolce Vita, well, it’s an Italian phrase meaning ‘sweet life’ or ‘good life’, modeled after a 1960 comedy-drama movie bearing the same name. The motion picture was directed by Federico Fellini and follows the journey of Marcello Rubini, a journalist who writes for gossip journals, on his escapades through the ‘good life’ of Rome in an unproductive hunt for love happiness.

Isn’t it interesting that even the game in question was inspired by a movie? Let’s take a closer look at some must watch, binge-worthy movies that will keep your dream of making it big alive!

The Devil Wears Prada – 2006

The Devil Wears Prada is an American comedy-drama film about a former journalism student (played by Anne Hathaway) who is employed as an assistant to Miranda Priestly (played by Meryl Streep), the editor-in-chief of the Runway fashion magazine. In the story, Miranda’s reputation in the fashion world is legendary, and she is also well-known for being ruthless and cold-hearted.

Directed by David Frankel and produced by Wendy Finerman, it became a staple for fashion enthusiasts thanks to the stylish and expensive clothes donned by the actors. It is estimated that the overall costs of the clothes worn on a set cost over $1 million!

Monte Carlo – 2011

A seamless combination of romance, witty humor and adventure, Monte Carlo is another movie that screams opulence. Directed by Thomas Bezucha and starring Leighton Meester, Selena Gomez and Katie Cassidy, the movie follows the life of 3 pals who are on holiday to the stunning city of Paris when Grace Bennet (played by Selena Gomez) is confused with the British heiress Cordelia Winthrop-Scott, Grace Bennett’s twin. It’s one of those movies that makes you dream about what-ifs that take your lifestyle from zero to a hundred just by a stroke of luck, even if it’s just for a fleeting moment.

Titanic – 1997

We’ve all watched Titanic. A classic love film directed by James Cameron featuring Leonardo DiCaprio and the beautiful Kate Winslet about the story of the disastrous Titanic ship that ended up sinking. A blue-collar young man falls in love with a white-collar young woman. After that, the romance between the two adds a hopeless romantic’s touch to sink us deeper into the ill-fated event. What is more, the Titanic also gets to catch the American divide, showing how the rich live their lives.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s – 1961

This classic film is based on Truman Capote’s 1958 novelette having a similar name. It is a romantic comedy set in the 1940s New York, telling the story of a struggling writer (played by George Peppard) who falls for Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn), a green, whimsical cafe society girl. The film also featured the celebrated American jewelry trademark Tiffany&Co, and it wonderfully encapsulates the essence of an enticing, crazy and free-spirited Holly Golightly living life like a staunch fashionable New Yorker.

Aisha – 2010

Speaking of living a lavish lifestyle, we couldn’t forget about the Bollywood romantic comedy Aisha. The film which was directed by Rajshree Ojha, Aisha is an adaptation of Jane Austen’s 1815 novel Emma. Sonam Kapoor, who stars as Aisha in the movie, feels that she possesses a natural knack for match-making, particularly among her elite pals. The film appropriately describes the lifestyles of uptown South-Delhi citizens together with their polo matches, art shows, weekend retreats and spending binges.

These beautiful movies never get old for dreamers as they remind us of how life could change for the better. If you’re planning a movie night with friends, family or your better half, these are timeless picks that will guarantee you some melting moments!

Top 5 Beautiful Films Depicting a Luxurious Life

1st March 2021
Willy’s Wonderland: Another Review

Willy’s Wonderland: Another Review. by Alif Majeed.

As an actor, Nicolas Cage had an unprecedented run in his peak 90s. It is a decade where he went from the youthful edginess of the early ’90s to prestige movie Oscar winner to bonafide action star to finally going full steam into his crazy phase towards the later part of the decade.

It might feel like a sad state that he got himself into, but it looks like he is enjoying this part of his career. He reminds you of that old relative of yours who finally realized rather gleefully that they do not need to hesitate for a second to shoot their mouth because they are beyond reprehension.

He has also got into a nice groove where he seems to do ten turkeys back to back and then gets out a solid movie. The makers of Willy’s Wonderland (including producer Nicolas Cage himself) must be hoping that it would turn into that one solid film and not the cold turkeys before it.

Cage plays a mysterious drifter forced to clean the titular joint for a single night to get his damaged car repaired. Things are not as simple as it seems, as his character named The Janitor soon figures out that he is in the company of a bunch of demonic possessed animatronic dolls, all baying for his blood which would make it quite an exciting night out for him.

The one movie that immediately came to my mind as a reference for Willy’s Wonderland was Donald Coscarelli’s charming B-Movie sendup, Bubba Ho Tep, with Bruce Campbell playing an aged Elvis, fighting ancient mummies in a retirement home. It also comes closer to two movies from the peak time Cages 90s that perfectly emulated the b-movies of yore, Evil Dead 3 (with its similar Cage-level crazed Bruce Campbell, the closest who comes as a kindred spirit to Sir Cage) and From Dusk till Dawn (with satanic ritual pacts and the ride into the sunset after everything is over).

While the former movie had Sam Raimi and the latter had Robert Rodriguez with Quentin Tarantino, Willy’s Wonderland has. Nicolas Cage. Or that seems to be what the movie wants you to believe. But as if Kevin Lewis, the director, quickly realized, that might not be enough. The film then quickly adds five teenagers who act as stereotypical lambs for slaughter to make things better while also saving the Janitor, but end up doing more damage by just being there.

Using the famous Rorschach line to describe The Janitor as not being trapped with the monsters, but that they are trapped with him sounds shoehorned and pretty bland when a character utters it. But Nicolas Cage owns that line the way he deals with those demonic creatures, as we have got used to seeing him do by now.

The thing with Willy’s Wonderland is that it only feels like an utterly insane gonzo piece of entertainment in parts. A lot of credit for it goes to the man himself. And that causes a problem. Take out Cage from the equation and what you get is a typical B-Movie that is really stretching itself and trying too hard.

But it does have Cage, who can give playing on a pinball table his personal crazed orgasmic touch (precisely what he does in the movie) and sweep away a lot of its shortcomings. That he barely talks in the entire film as they wisely choose not to give him any lines. (as if trying to prove a point, maybe that he can pull the bat shit craziness without uttering a single word).

It might not be Mandy but this unusual Meet the Feebles meets Westworld universe that the makers created, a pastiche of multiple movies, will provide a lot of joy to its core target audience. If you do not take it too seriously, it is destined to end up being a cult favorite, even though a lot of it can also be chalked up to hyperbolic love.

28th February 2021
The Present: Review

The Present: Review. by Alif Majeed.

When you watch a short film, you often wonder if it would have the same impact if it were a feature-length movie. The Present worked both ways for me as I enjoyed it in its present form, but I also wished to see more of the main protagonists and their journey.

It reminds you so much of the movies that Majid Majidi or Jafar Panahi became famous for making, ones that conveyed a lot by the time it is over, despite being as minimal as possible.

The Present is about Yusef, a Palestine who has to navigate the West Bank region to buy a fridge as an anniversary gift for his wife, which he does with his young daughter because of the complexity of his region’s situation. Along the way, he has to get through the red tape, roadblocks, and his own messed up back, which keeps on giving out in his small quest to get the fridge back home.

Farah Nabulsi, the director, has streamlined the story to only what is important to portray Yusef’s journey to get the fridge. There is always a temptation and the need to show more. Like other characters, they meet on the road (including some quirky characters out to teach them some life lessons). But Farah is not interested in doing any of that. Without trying to cram into the story as many issues surrounding the region as possible, she makes the movie a parable about a person’s right of movement.

The father’s role needed an actor who shines across as a man on a mission while letting the character’s inherent decency shine, which is precisely what Saleh Bakri did. As Yasmine, Mariam Kanj is also incredibly angelic and marvelous as the daughter who has joined the father on his journey. A considerable part of why we root for them is that they come across as decent human beings who dot on each other.

There are moments in these topical movies where you feel the protagonists are in danger. Towards the climax of The Present, there is a tense scene where you almost think they are in imminent danger. Kudos to the director for making it feel like a natural extension of everything that happened to them and not a means to shoehorn in some sense of drama.

As I said earlier, I wondered how it would be as a full-length movie as it makes you curious to know more about the movie’s subject. The Present will make you interested in understanding the region the characters live in and their situations. That itself is a victory for the director, making her achieve what she set out to do.

27th February 2021