film reviews, interviews, features | BRWC

Author: BRWC

  • Sandcastle: Review

    Sandcastle: Review

    Sandcastle (The Search) is the beautifully intricate story of a young woman on her journey of self-discovery and her break through of societal pressures in a modern India. The movie is the debut feature for director and writer Shomshuklla Das and on the modest budget, can be described as nothing short of a work of art.

    The story is about Sheila (Shahana Chatterjee) and her philosophical search for a sense of self, with the help of the enigmatic and illusive friend, Maya (Malvika Jethwani). The character of Maya is a creation of Sheila’s for her forthcoming book publication, a work that makes her traditional and blunted husband Vikram (Rajat Sharma) slighty unsettled. As she seeks to gather philosophies on her place in society, through various interactions and monologues with her “imaginary friend” Maya, the development of her book is almost metaphorical for the development of her own clarity on life, which is a goal she is striving for from the beginning. This idea is reinforced as the film moves along in chapters, much like the chapters of the book, the epilogue concluding the end of her journey.

    The actors were well cast for this movie, with Chatterjee giving a truly compelling performance, as she moves along frustrated and confused throughout the film. Her close friend and publisher, Koushik (Uditvanu Das) does an excellent job of portraying the likable character who provides lucidity to her rants, as a clear level headed associate.

    Although many moments of the film can appear unclear and at times surreal, Das noticeably uses the narrative as a way to vehicle conflicting ideas about women that appear in modern, urban Indian society. Sheila battles with her position as a housewife, mother and businesswoman, and is confused in what it is that she strives for. From the outside she has the perfect life: husband, child and career and yet she battles to find a voice and to build her dreams, much like the metaphor of the constantly changing sandcastles.

    There are some charming little idiosyncrasies to this film, in particular worth noting the constant switch between English and Indian, a character reminiscent of The Science of Sleep, representative of a battle between traditional and modern Indian society.

    Some important and rather poignant messages are conjured up in this bright and beautiful journey of a woman building her life. The ending is settling and although the film has its fair share of surreal moments, there is clarity to the communication of Sandcastle that reads much like a wonderfully crafted manuscript.

  • The Conjuring: Review

    The Conjuring: Review

    The Conjuring is the new addition to James Wan’s list of supernatural horrors. With his previous works including Insidious and Saw, there’s an almost determined certainty of the delightfully creepy inclusions of poltergeists and demonic presence. But being up against Insidious 2 and quite clearly comparable to the original Paranormal Activity series, the question is whether The Conjuring stands up to its title of “one of the scariest movies of 2013” or whether this new sub-genre of horror is already getting a little old hat.

    One aspect Wan certainly didn’t skimp on was the budget, with the production costing over $20 million. This was put to good use and from a cinematographic perspective the film was beautifully shot. With echoes of The Amityville Horror, the large and quite deliberately eerie country house was the center for a majority of the filming. The grand shots, crafted sound track and finely tuned affects are impressive and help generate the encompassing hell that Wan so successfully portrays in his work.

    The movie received mixed reviews, although many positive, due to the clear homage to its predecessors including The Amityville Horror and The Exorcist. The storyline involves two demonologists Lorraine and Ed Warren (Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson) as they venture to save a family threatened by the demonic existence of their new home, a decrepit farm house in Rhode Island. The narrative is ultimately simple and although it does develop and progress, whether intentionally or not, there are definite repetitions of ghosts seen in the more recent rush of demonic themed movies. And whether intentionally or not, there are a few predictable and downright ridiculous moments, particularly as Lorraine is performing the exorcism on the possessed Carolyn Perron (Lilli Taylor). However, what’s interesting and important to consider is the opening credit promise: “based on a true story.” Much like the crafted lie in Paranormal Activity, used to create an atmosphere, here Wan is telling the truth. The Conjuring is based on an actual case, with the Warren and Perron families describing their experiences as genuine. While there has been much skepticism about the authenticity of their story, most horror fans would have to admit the “based on a true story” gimmick certainly adds some pepper to the viewing.

    Regardless of the backstory, The Conjuring includes some irrefutably scary moments with thanks to the production and decent casting. It’s significant to understand the theatrical side to Wan’s horror, which at times can be lost by the critics as being hyperbolised and categorically silly. While there are some repeated themes that maybe more hard hitting the first time round, and the ending is nothing to sing about, there are some unique characters, decent shots and an overall sense of impending doom. Best keep the lights off for this one.

  • Pietà – DVD Review

    Pietà – DVD Review

    Kim Ki-duk continues his quest to ruin his audiences’ day.

    For the majority of his career Kim Ki-duk has presented us with bleak films focusing on people’s horrendous psychology. From the despair of loneliness (Address Unknown) to kidnapping sociopaths (Bad Guy) to self mutilation (The Isle) Ki-duk has a body of work that forces his audiences to spend time with people they would usually like to cross the street from. So it is with his latest Pieta. Kang-do (Lee Jung-jin) is a debt collector who seems to take great delight in crippling “clients” so that they can claim the insurance money to pay back the debt. It’s steady work and damn it the man has his life pretty much mapped out. That is until a mysterious middle aged lady (Jo Min-su) turns up out of the blue claiming to be his mother. Initially trying to ignore what he sees as a deranged old lady Kang-do lets his guard down as the woman persists. This leads to events that could be described as a dark version of Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot but probably shouldn’t.

    Like many of his other works Pietà has a calm, methodical menace about it. If you’re a viewer who likes to enjoy the central characters company than you best move on. Kang-do is a relentless and remorseless as a great white. Seemingly existing only to maim one dead-beat after the next he stands firm as a symbol of stunted growth and hatred. As Jang Mi-sun first appears he tests the faith she has in her own story by subjecting her to cruel punishments. If you’re wondering these include making her eat a piece of his flesh and molesting/raping her. Mother or not these scenes make for disturbing viewing, give an extra harrowing element by Jo Ming-su’s blood curdling screams.

    The story is essentially sparse, working around the developing relationship of the “mother/son”. It’s a credit to the two leads that they make for compelling viewing. She verges between deranged and maternal.  He is ruthless, menacing and a little bit frustrating.  Watching his ice-cold visage break down as he allows himself to actually love someone calls to mind the silent gangster from Bad Guy. In fact Pieta does feel like something of a thematic sequel to that earlier light-hearted romp  They dance around each other wonderfully as the psychological games play out. Also with most of Ki-duk’s films the visuals are stunning. Bleak as all hell but stunning. Certainly not a perfect film. It’s sheer joylessness will turn some off but those who are ready for dramatically and morally punishing fare will find themselves rewarded.

    Pietà is out on DVD on 14 Oct.

  • Nosferatu Resurrected

    Nosferatu Resurrected

    Weaving my way through the twilight streets of London’s Soho, I search for the Soho Screening Rooms.  Inside I meet other wary and weary travelers, all collected together to look back into cinema’s gothic past.  All sitting comfortably, the film rolls.  Silhouettes  stalk across the screen foreshadowing the spectral scenes we are about to revisit.

    In 1922, the German director F.W. Mernau brought to the silent screen a totally unauthorised adaptation of Bram Stoker’s 18th Century novel, Dracula.  The now-classic story took it’s first steps into motion picture folklore in this chilling piece of cinema art, and then was promptly exorcised when the production company were sued for copyright infringement.  Despite the immolation of all known prints, the film survived to inspire and terrify generations of cinema-goers and filmmakers.   91 years later, it has now been resurrected and restored to prominence this Halloween as part of BFI’s GOTHIC: The Dark Heart of Film.

    Watching the restored film unfold before my eyes was a myriad experience.  I won’t explain the story, for if you’re reading this you most likely have seen some version of Dracula by now (or should have).  In our time where Vampires glitter in the sunlight and drink humane blood, it was nostalgic to see the haunting shadow of Count Orlok stalk across the frame and the terror of the men and women he hungered for.  To watch a film where the pace and writing were controlled by the limits of the art and the craft of cinema was only just being carved pulls you into an ethereal experience like no other.

    Is the film a horror that will keep me up at night?  No.  Modern cinema has ever-altered the measure and means of the genre, and we have grown beyond this silent-film’s quaint methods.  However, it is a beautifully made visual experience that clutches your gaze and will not let go.  You are captivated by the imagery before you, carried through the story by the haunting and foreboding score.  You forgive its means and its age, recognising its place in history and appreciating it.  Whether you’re a fan of the film, or have never experienced it before, make this the tone you set your Halloween 2013 to.

  • Berlin 36′ – Review

    Berlin 36′ – Review

    High-jumps and Hi-jinks at the 1936 Olympic games.

    In 1936 Gretel Bergmann was Germany’s most successful female high-jumper, frustratingly for the Nazi’s she was also Jewish. Understandably Bergmann did not feel like representing her country. What with it’s penchant of hatred toward her own people. Understandably the Nazi’s didn’t really want her to appear at the Olympics. What with it’s penchant for hatred toward her people. So began an odd tug of war where Bergmann at first refuses to compete, then is blackmailed into, then decides to do her best to win all the while the Nazis don’t really want her too, but threaten her family, but still don’t really want too. It was a quagmire of PR for all involved.

    So after a brief introduction where we meet Gretel (Karoline Herfurth) and her family it’s off to the training camp/boarding school. There Gretel meets the other bitches… I mean athletes competing for a chance to go to the Olympics. The majority of them don’t like her either because she’s Jewish or just more famous than they are. She is given tough but secretly fair coaching by her… coach. Plus she makes friends with her roommate Marie (Sebastian Urzendowsky). For the first half of he film plays out like a standard period, TV drama. It moves along at a steady pace with every bit of melodrama sucked from each scene by the cast who range from disinterested to overblown. Karoline Herfurth is watchable through out though.

    Joking aside, the story of a top Jewish athlete in a Nazi-operated Olympics is a story worth telling and has potential to be a compelling drama. Let’s face it though high-jumping in the 1930’s doesn’t sound like a sure fire subject to interest the masses and sadly Berlin 36 proves this to be the case. I’m not suggesting that Director Kaspar Heidelbach presents the story in some sort of Michael-Bay fetishistic visual style but dear God man have someone fall over or something, We see many shots of woman jump over a bar with ease, with supposed tension coming from close ups of the bar being raised, before the woman bound it with ease again. It just all feels pretty flat.

    *Spoiler territory*

    The film also features the least surprising moment of gender confusion since Diana Rigg ripped her beard off in Theatre of Blood. A moment of huge revelation comes in the shower when Kretel discovers Marie in fact has a penis of some undetermined size. Gretel seems surprised by this despite Marie clearly having the toned torso of a twenty-something man. The film asks the audience to be surprised by this despite Marie clearly having the toned torso of a twenty-something man and being played by a man called Sebastian. It’s a moment that could have led the film down a psychological darker path and perhaps made the film interesting. But no, a few quick heart to hearts, the matter is dealt with.

    The film eventually gets so bored with itself it decides to turn into a documentary. As Marie runs for her climatic jump over the bar at the Olympics the picture freezes to reveal the real Gretel Bergmann, alive and well in New York. Providing us with the films coda she tells us what happened to her and that she never spoke to Marie (in actuality called Heinrich Ratjen) again. A quick google of his name will show you that his was probably the more interesting story of the two.

    Berlin 36. A film made with good intentions but also with the belief that everyone watching it will have a heart attack if it dares to turn up the tension just a little bit.