Author: BRWC

Lakota Nation vs. United States – Review. By Richard Schertzer.

Peter Pan could never, but directors Jesse Short Bull and Laura Tomaselli definitely do justice to Indigenous people and go full force with their immensely satisfying project to encapsulate audiences near and far.

The documentary film Lakota Nation vs. United States sees the directors going to uncharted territory to talk to Lakota Indians while unveiling the struggles said Indians had to endure after their land called Black Hills was taken away from them.

The film goes further in telling the story of an incredible group of people that have inspired such a magnificent story. When people look deep within the recesses of these people’s history, they find a rich cultural background that could never be found anywhere else.

It’s hard not to feel a twinge of emotion from the ordeal that these people went through. Sitting through it might be uncomfortable but it makes for a history lesson that you probably won’t hear about in your average classroom.

The cinematography is incredibly top-notch with such camera skills with great work by Kevin Phillips behind the lens as the DP. With this keen eye for cinema, Phillips opens up a whole new world of grandeur in his cinematic canvas that boldly tells the story of a people that needs to be told.

This story is so inspirational and touching that it leaves people rooting for our indigenous friends and giving people a glimmer of hope.

Rating: 10/10

20 Days In Mariupol: Review. By Richard Schertzer.

Taken in a sense of urgency, the film uses such techniques as dodgy camera angles to adhere to the cause of the people affected by this series of tragedies.

In almost every single way director, writer and producer Mstyslav Chernov hits the nail on the head when he did made this invigorating expose of the horrors taking place in Mariupol. The film takes place over the course of 20 long, grueling days in what appears to be a frightening atmosphere of tortured victims of the city after the Russian invasion.

Looking at this gargantuan project is something that is not for the faint of heart and makes for some incredibly emotional viewing for the audience. Just so that we are on the same page, these are not actors. They are not given a script. Chernov seems to be almost shooting off-the-cuff with his cinematic achievement, which is this film.

Many documentaries usually talk about the light parts of the world or play it safe by staying in their own echo chambers for validation and assurance from other people. Chernov puts the pedal to the medal and keeps on driving.

Knowing what these people know and seeing what these people have seen, makes you look at the world very differently and should make most people appreciate what they have in the United States of America. I can certainly be grateful for the fact that my neighborhood has not been bombed out by Russians.

Knowing that the people of Mariupol have lost almost everything makes this film more than just a documentary. It’s a public call to action that needs to be addressed. This isn’t the type of thing that goes away by ignoring it.

All I have to say is that Chernov has hit a grand slam of a film that is heavy of the emotional weight.

8 A.M. Metro: Review. By Joe Muldoon.

Brief Encounter, Before Sunrise – so many of the greatest filmic relationships have blossomed from journeys across the rails. As the best stories begin, a chance encounter on a Hyderabad train platform brings two strangers together: Iravati (Saiyai Kher), who is visiting her pregnant sister in hospital, and Preetam (Gulshan Devaiah), a book collector who comes to Iravati’s aid as she suffers a panic attack and falls into him.

The two awkwardly and slowly begin to converse, and through a series of train journeys and walks, they grow to become friends. Their conversations are intercut with scenes from their own lives, the new acquaintances both having their own relationship troubles, feeling separated from their partners. There is a noticeably poetic undercurrent that flows throughout the length of the film, not dissimilar to that from Jarmusch’s charming slice of life drama Paterson. As Iravati and Preetam come to know each other, they gradually share with each other their life philosophies.

Though they would have perhaps benefitted from a subtler approach, childhood trauma and depression become prominent themes, with Iravati fearing trains due to a traumatic childhood event, and Preetam suffering from a painful bout of depression, the cause of which is initially a mystery. I was reminded slightly of Batra’s The Lunchbox, in that two strangers form emotional bonds, and through the healing power of art and beauty -whether it be a powerful poem or delicious dish- they learn to move towards acceptance and come to terms with their pain.

When bringing strangers together against the backdrop of stifling cityscapes, filmmakers oftentimes seem to feel the urge to force romantic feelings, regardless of feasibility. Here, the urge is refreshingly resisted, and we are treated to a lyrical exploration of the value of platonic connection. The chemistry between Kher and Devaiah appears to be genuine, and their performances are all the better for it – it feels totally plausible to imagine that the pair could meet for the first time and find within one another a kindred spirit.

Director Raj Rachakonda’s sophomore feature-length production, 8 A.M. Metro is a pleasant little addition to the modern Hindi canon, albeit one which sometimes confusingly has the tone and quality of a TV drama. Despite teetering towards the edge of becoming overlong, the diaphanous poeticism that permeates every scene, thought, and word, is enough to keep things interesting. In a word: soothing.

By Joe Muldoon

The Scent Of Green Papaya: Review. By Joe Muldoon.

Quietness, slowness, sweetness. Such a triadic spirit has never been so delicately employed as in The Scent of Green Papaya. Opening in 1950s Saigon, we join Mùi (Man San Lu), a young girl under new employment as a servant to a rich merchant family. We see the limited world afforded to servants through her eyes, hear the gentle twang of the đàn nguyệt’s strings through her ears, and feel the oppressive humidity of Vietnam’s climate through her pores.

The dreamy innocence of childhood shields Mùi from the disharmony of her new home; the once-wealthy family faces financial troubles as a result of the father’s reckless spending habits, and now relies solely upon the mother’s small business for an income. The family matriarch, the father’s widowed mother-in-law, spends her days praying alone in her upstairs room. Having tragically lost a young daughter, the mother holds a great fondness for her new servant, Mùi being the same age as her deceased child.

In spite of her testy surroundings, Mùi is curious about the world around her, keenly taking every opportunity to explore the environment through her senses. Her sleeping quarters being by the house’s courtyard, the girl is able to stand by her window and gaze at the beautiful greenery, greeted by the scent of green papaya. From dribbling dewdrops to scurrying ants to fruit ripening on trees, everything in the natural world piques Mùi’s interest.

As time flows by, the family’s fortune dwindles further, yet Mùi’s inquisitiveness and contentment remain unchanged. Unable to afford to keep her, the family is forced to end their employment of the now-adult Mùi (Nu Yên-Khê Tran), sending her instead to work for a family friend, a young concert pianist. Quickly finding her stride in her new home, Mùi also finds herself developing feelings for her handsome new employer.

A delightful billet-doux to the aesthetics of everyday life, The Scent of Green Papaya is as slow as it is sweet, offering more contemplative silence than concrete plot. Director Anh Hung Tran is in no rush to tell Mùi’s story, relishing in the film’s tranquil quietude. To put into words what this picture means is by no means an easy task, for The Scent of Green Papaya is more than a film; it is a thought, a feeling, an emotion; it is innocence, beauty, turmoil; it is enchanting, magical, mundane. It is treasure.

By Joe Muldoon

Ghosted: The BRWC Review. By Jake Peffer.

Ghosted follows Cole (Chris Evans) as he meets Sadie (Ana de Armas) and they have a great first date. Cole instantly falls in love with her and thinks that she could be the one. After their date together he keeps texting her to try and set something else up, but she doesn’t respond for days.

Thinking all hope is lost and that she doesn’t want to see him again he remembers that he left his inhaler, which has a tracker on it, in her purse. That gives him the incentive to track her down in London only to find out that Sadie is a secret agent and the both of them get swept up in an international adventure to save the world. 

This is the perfect example of a movie that, on paper, sounds like a good idea but is terribly executed and makes for a less than entertaining time. There is also the feeling of a studio taking two popular actors and putting them in the laziest constructed movie for a quick cash grab.

No matter how you look at it, Ghosted is a huge swing and a miss. From a lazy script to choppy action sequences and two actors that have no chemistry together, there really isn’t much to enjoy here.

For almost two hours, Ghosted moves rather slowly for what’s supposed to be an action movie mixed with a rom-com. There is just so much wasted potential and it’s a shame because of who is involved.

Chris Evans and Ana de Armas both at least try to do something with the material they’re given but unfortunately, it is not enough to save this from being nothing more than a waste of time. No number of random cameos that serve no purpose other than to make audiences go, “Oh hey look, it’s that guy from that thing!” do anything to add any value or entertainment here either.

Ultimately, Ghosted feels like a two-hour TV movie with a higher budget that still somehow looks like it was made for TV. Chris Evans and Ana de Armas are both charming in their own right but don’t work well enough to make the story or their relationship engaging.

Add in terrible action sequences, unfunny situations and a story line that will make you roll your eyes every ten minutes and you’ve got a very skippable movie.

Rating: 3/10