Author: BRWC

Pretty Little Liars: Summer School Episodes 1-2 – Review. By Christopher Patterson.

A New Modern Horror Classic Strikes Gold On Return

It’s back. And it’s summertime. Yes, the new Pretty Little Liars has finally returned with a fun sophomore season, to put it mildly. Simply put, it is not like its previous season, atmosphere-wise. Though that is fine, since we get an emotional drama with in the background a new villain, Bloody Rose, who is not to be played with. Jeepers.

Fun. If a show ever encompassed this emotion, it would be here. For all the horrors that occur, a beautiful element is the sense of family that is felt and built. Each actress here simply embodies their character and gives phenomenal and heartwarming performances. 

The cinematography here as well is simply stunning. No shot feels quickly put together; rather, it feels as though hours were dedicated to the smallest of the smallest or even the smallest details. The world feels real yet desolate in the towns gloom that was scattered over the previous season now seems to mostly evaporate with a more happy tone.

New and old are on the rise. This time, not just one, but two, it seems, villains. The antagonist from season one returns, though, their focus seems to be, as it goes on, less apparent for the new villain Bloody Rose to take form. 

Help and support. If I had to describe why all these characters are so amazing, it is how they help and support each other and how needed media like this is. Simply put, these leads  have each other’s backs. In one scene, not to spoil, but not to be specific, when one character has an emotional moment, instead of, like in most teen or horror media, shaming her or getting mad, they comfort and make her feel valuable. Instead of playing into stereotypes, this show innovates and shows needed perspectives. The main characters here are examples of that.

Compared to the first season, this show feels quite different. Similar horrors, yet different styles. If I had to describe last season, it was a serious drama that only switched into more goofy elements and over-the-topness near the end. Here, the goofiness and fun element takes centre stage. Instead, you have a show that is now slightly comparable to Gilmore Girls. Specifically, in the parts that feature the more mundane side. For all the horror here, there is just an amount of time devoted to characters simply hanging out and having fun. It’s like watching a life or someone just going through life.

Simply put, it is quite enjoyable to see the characters just going through life, and it is much more compelling than even the horror. A show like Gilmore Girls will have characters have normal problems with one another before resolving them, then moving on to another problem to convey mundane life. Like a show you would cut on in the mornings in the 2000s just before a morning job with a coffee in your hand before smiling, feeling great with the blue sky in the air, and moving on with your uneventful yet triumphant day. It is the least significant day yet the most important of all. In this show, it is the memories we see these characters make and the small  friendships and bonds they form. It is a heartwarming feeling that you don’t see often anymore or this effectively.

Pretty Little Liars: Summer School so far has pushed boundaries that need to be pushed and tells a great story as well. Timelessness, if I had to be specific, is what this show does so well. Each episode, so far, conveys an unforgettable quality of managing both the heartfelt and the horror and balancing them to make an emotional and grabbing experience. It is a rare and hard trait to find in anything this effectively.

VERDICT

Pretty Little Liars: Summer School is another great season in a series looking to be a future horror classic cluttered with an excellent cast, stunning direction, mesmerising cinematography, and even more clever writing than the previous season to make anyone looking for a new creepy show to watch be frozen in freight. 

4.5/5 

Unfrosted: The BRWC Review. By Jake Peffer.

Jerry Seinfeld made one of the greatest, if not the greatest, sitcoms of all time. He has now also made one of the worst Netflix original movies. In his directorial debut, Seinfeld fumbles the ball and squanders an amazing cast with a below average comedy that never feels like it knows what it wants to be. How a movie can contain this much talent and essentially not execute on any level is nothing short of amazing.

The movie follows Bob Cabana (Jerry Seinfeld) as he tells the story of how he helped create the Pop Tart for Kellogg’s. This is a somewhat interesting concept for a comedy. Watching two rival companies go toe to toe and try to one up each other to make a new breakfast snack could make some funny moments.

Unfortunately, that is the biggest problem with Unfrosted, it just isn’t very funny. With a cast littered with so many great comedians, former SNL cast members and cameos from other talented actors there is absolutely no reason this shouldn’t have worked better. It is clear that Seinfeld isn’t the most skilled director, which goes right along with his acting capabilities.

There isn’t much here that is noteworthy. A few people in the cast are at the very least trying to do something. Melissa McCarthy is doing her best along with Jim Gaffigan, both of whom provide most of the few laughs that are present. Bill Burr is somewhat humorous as John F. Kennedy and that’s pretty much where it stops.

Everyone else here is wasted and couldn’t look less interested in playing whatever character they’re supposed to be. It feels like this is trying to capitalize on a similar style to Barbie in the way it looks and the cinematography. Even with its best efforts it doesn’t come anywhere close to replicating that same style. 

Unfrosted is a huge disappointment. The trailer made it seem like it could be a fun comedy with an amazing cast. Instead, it ends up being an almost boring, completely unfunny movie that wastes one of the best casts to appear in a comedy in quite some time. While there are a few people in the cast trying their best and there are a handful of bizarre moments that leave you wishing the movie had more moments in that style of comedy, this ultimately fails in more ways than not.

Ain’t No Back To A Merry-Go-Round: Review. By Richard Schertzer.

In the early 1960s, there was a park called Glen Echo and it was a nice respite from the daily activities of life. It’s a warm and jovial spot for people to just kick back and relax. However, that may not be the case for all people. 

The film takes place in the 1960s, during the reign of Jim Crow that segregated races and kept Black Americans in the back seat–no pun intended–in society. It discusses the racial disparity between people and their beliefs towards others. 

The film is a wonderful anatomy of the history of racial problems in the mid-20th Century. It might get lost within other Civil Rights movies and documentaries but it still manages to come out on top with a stark and earnest message of equality. 

It works as a great history lesson for children and adults not familiar with the Glen Echo segregation incident. It highlights such fervor and passion in the black communities to end segregation with the help of some of the white people in their journey.

This film proves to be an endearing foray into the racial disparities of the 1960s and gives you a beautiful, yet dark, glimpse into what that time was like for people of color. 

All in all the film proves to be a potent and endearing piece of work for those involved. It is certainly a must-watch. 

My So-Called Life – Season 1 Review. By Christopher Patterson.

A Classic That, If You Haven’t, You Must Check Out

What so-called life, huh? My So-Called Life is a show that needs no introduction, but to introduce itself, it is about the character Angela and her high school years. Iconic in every way, this show has aged better than a diamond with its meticulous and poignant look at the teenage experience, with unique and clever writing and direction mashed up with the genius acting by every single cast member, the standout being the at-the-time teenage Claire Danes.

Mature angst. Simply put, that is this show. Everything from mesmerising direction to skillful acting goes here. Nothing has ever been as clear as it is here. To illustrate this, look at two of the unique teen dramas hitting the waves this decade. Euphoria and Never Have I Ever. Euphoria strives to enhance the mature elements to reflect the modern world, while Never Have I Ever adopts a more optimistic approach, with most characters’ problems appearing universal in nature. Both shows struggle to strike a balance. Euphoria attempts extreme, excessive, and deep, mature themes too steadfastly and takes it to unrealistic extremes that feel extreme for extreme sake.

Despite its value, Never Have I Ever retains a cheesy and wholesome feel that makes it feel too excessively happy to ever reflect real life. My So-Called Life confronts difficult subjects during a period when such themes were less clearly discussed but were so important. It steers clear of numerous clichés and captures a sense of authenticity, rather than phoniness, in numerous scenes. My So-Called Life, in other words, feels like some random so-called life. This show represents a phenomenon that has never happened before and appears unlikely to occur again.

One of the most unique and stunning elements of this series is its consistent quality for the amount of episodes it provides. This show wasn’t even finished before it was canceled; yet it feels more developed and powerful than any other teen show out now. 

If there was one great thing this show did that was remarkable, it touched on real issues without ever being excessive. It covers a wide range of topics, including teens struggling with drug addiction and managing their relationships, homophobia, bullying, double standards, affairs, and a plethora of other issues that would require a lengthy discussion just to name them all. What sets the show apart is its dedication and concern for these topics. The show dedicates many episodes to it, making it significant and not forced or shock-value. It treats such topics with care and detail. Even better, it handles difficult subjects with nuance and detail. Rayanne, a character in the show, struggles with drug use, which her mother both fuels and seemingly denounces.

When Angela’s mom shows up to talk with her about it, she simply shuts her down, discussing instead that she is a great mother. In a sense, she knows what she is doing. She knows what her daughter is doing and how she almost assists it through her behavior. Simply put, she may feel too hurt and scared to admit the damage she caused, or possibly she doesn’t care. This show grapples with unanswered questions due to their complexity and lack of clarity at the time and even now. Angela is a teenager, so not everything will make sense to her at that age, and since she is our focal point in the story, the narrative sometimes takes that viewpoint. When dealing with such topics, the show occasionally portrays a tragic side, symbolising the moments when action is futile and the characters simply endure what occurs.

After the episode where Rayanne’s drug use sadly takes a bad turn, we witness further developments. Her friends distance themselves due to their own witnessing of it, which further drives Rayanne to turn to drugs as a coping mechanism. Over multiple episodes, this evolves, and the realistic handling of it all is truly remarkable. In a way, this is life, and it hurts, but that’s what makes it life. The journey is filled with both highs and lows, but what matters most are the friends and memories you create along the way.

The characters here are real and human. Angela isn’t perfect at all. She can be rude, a bully, and a hypocrite, but she is an aggressive teen, and we see her thoughts twenty-four and seven. As teenagers, we all experience angst and make mistakes, and Angela embodies these emotions. However, she maintains her thoughts and avoids self-insertion for the sake of the audience, which makes her character so genius. She is a compelling wanderer. She bears a resemblance to Holden Caulfield, yet she possesses a timeless and refined quality that makes her truly unique. What makes this better is that the writing’s complexity and depth for the characters are everywhere.

For instance, Sharon is not the rude bully the writers could have stereotypically portrayed her as, but rather a broken and caring friend. To put it simply, she is that friend who was your best friend when you were a kid, but now that you are a teenager, your interests don’t align as much. She may not be perfect, but she simply wants her friend Angela back and longs for a different time. From Angela’s viewpoint, we comprehend why she perceives her as a villain almost, but there is also a sense of emotional distress felt between both that is difficult to say since it’s a universal feeling that is felt but not spoken. While Sharon may speak ill of Angela, she is also the one to take Angela’s sister trick or treat when Angela herself goes out with her newer friends, and that small moment alone says a million words.

Universal relatability is hard to capture. Being both timeless and made for the times is difficult, but My So-Called Life captured it better than any teen show. Many of the issues depicted in this season still resonate today, serving as a reflection of the prevalent issues in society. It is a work that looks society in the face. 

It is a work for the times that has remained timeless. It isn’t Freaks and Geeks, a show with a focus on capturing a different time period; instead, it focuses on the then and now, never feeling like it’s talking about topics that the older writers can relate to, yet somehow it is well articulated. It is talking about the then and now of that time with no care for what others think. However, it remains timeless, requiring no comprehension of the past. It’s a show that resonated with an unbreakable generation, since it simply captured them all.

Screenwriting and direction are hard jobs for a show. Here, the writing is quite perfect, with Angela’s thoughts feeling so perfectly relatable yet so distinct that it feels as if an actual teenager wrote it. The direction is stylish, but it doesn’t take away from the hard-hitting moments or any moments at all. It simply, brilliantly serves its purpose.

VERDICT

Those who know where to look will never forget My So Called-Life Season 1, an iconic, rebellious, spirit-filled, and rule-free gem in the world of television.

5/5 

Velma Season 2: Review. By Christopher Patterson.

An Interesting and Fun Season of Television 

Velma is truly a one-of-a-kind show and experience. While some detest it, others will clearly see its worth and jump in. The main focus of this season is a new mystery, specifically a new killer, which Velma and her friends must stop. If that doesn’t hook you yet, it’s a comedy you will never forget.

What keeps this show going is its emphasis on metaness. Meta-humour runs this show unlike anything else, and generally, it works quite well. Velma Season 2 uses it to show the development of Velma herself to be more accepting of Daphne as she changes religiously, and it helps to portray its characters in a unique and bold way. Never has metaness been so uniquely and boldly used. 

One of the best elements here is the artwork, which bursts with so much care and detail. The artwork alone demonstrates the meticulous attention to detail in this show. We will have characters simply talking, and the artwork is doing everything it can to truly highlight the scene, as if there is a ghost nearby.

Even better, each voice actor is evidently giving their utmost effort, resulting in exceptionally well-done voice acting. Mindy Kaling, specifically, has a wit and self-awareness that contribute to how Velma is aware of the world, which makes it all the more engaging.

The characters are quite compelling, with each having a complex feel that really hooks you in. Despite her efforts to the contrary, Velma possesses undeniable flaws in how she judges people’s religious values and her acceptance of people. She is, first and foremost, a teenager. A teenager is trying to make sense of the world. She sometimes doesn’t understand people, but everybody her age has those moments, and it makes her deeply sympathetic. The other characters, like Daphne and Norville, have this flawed nature. What’s so great, though, is that characters like Velma aren’t afraid to say it like it is, and that’s cool. The show has its own style and suits itself well.

Despite strong areas, the story is quite dull, especially in the opening and middle sections of this season, which feel quite disconnected from the latter half in both writing and storylines. It feels as though the first half takes itself less seriously before transitioning to a more serious tone. 

VERDICT

Velma Season 2 is a fun roller coaster with enough engaging characters and humour to hook anyone looking for a fun time.

3/5