Author: BRWC

Habit: Review

Habit Review – Bella Thorne Loses Her Religion. By Jan Kalina.

Habit is a strange beast of a movie. Bella Thorne plays Mads (originally a Corpus Christi gal but now stationed in the City of Angels), who is in love with Jesus ever since young age, is quite religious and her love for Jesus manifests in her dreams in a more sensual way as well… to put it mildly.

Now grown up she spends her day selling drugs. It’s a great gig, ya know? Running drugs for a washed up actor Eric. You party, you sell the stuff, money in the pocket. Life’s a breeze. Until one day the stuff gets stolen and the money as well. Now the three girls are in trouble, so is Eric as the drug kingpin Queenie is after him now.

Bella Thorne carries the whole film and she is a charm as always. Bella Thorne has been lately cast as the ‘mean girl’ type (the brilliant The DUFF, Chick Fight, or her another crazed villainous turn in The Babysitter) so if you are a fan of her Bella Thorne then you can watch these 80 minutes. Otherwise don’t attempt to do so. The biggest problem with Habit isn’t that it is provocative for no sake whatsoever. It is based on a one-note juxtaposition of religion and bad behavior, i.e. affinity for drugs, sex and violence. There isn’t really any assault at religion as it was previously advertised or feared. The characters act quite frivolous and oblivious to the whole concept of religion and what the church stands for. For them it is only a place of refuge.

The is is repetitive, clichéd, it rather tells then shows you the exposition, or rather repeats the exposition several times,despite the fact that the plot is quite minimal. At first I expected that this could be something akin to old French comedies where someone dressed up as a rabbi to hide from gangsters (for the entirety of a film as in Les Aventures de Rabbi Jacob from 1973) or as a nun for a short gag (Le Gendarme et les extra-terrestres from 1979). Or at least it would be a more violent version of Sister Act.

The film despite its short runtime and quick pacing is quite a bore, one-note joke, featuring no development whatsoever- just three girls either dressed as nuns or scantily clad, listening to Queenie’s talks about the dangerous bugs or snakes or whatever animal. It Is a scene you have seen a thousand times (and here you see it several times as well)- a villain threatening the main character with the snake’s venom and having a monologue about it. Only difference perhaps is that Queenie and her henchman look like they got lost on their way to a John Waters film set.

Perhaps the whole dressing up as a nun gimmick is supposed to serve as a metaphor which isn’t hinted at in the film, perhaps Mads believes that her constant debauchery can always be excused with her love for Jesus and the love for her friends. Mads is selfless and that is something to take away from religion- to help others. However Mads should choose better (non-violent) means to her ends. In the end though there is no grand catharsis for the characters and their reckless behavior, no moral awakening, it is a tale of Mads losing her religion (a phrase that in the South can mean losing one’s temper or civility but meant here as Mads abandoning her good behavior but not abandoning love). In the end I am not sure what the story was and it is a waste of Thorne’s talent and material. There are ideas

throughout the film (the trio of girls in nuns’ costumes raising money and using their sexuality while still being in charge of the situation) but all these ideas don’t amount to anything beyond a simple gag. Habit is a wham-bam-thank you ‘mam of a movie that doesn’t really offer much except for some glitzy colors, and a trio of criminals dressed up as nuns.

19th December 2021
The Outsiders: The BRWC Review

The Outsiders: The BRWC Review. By Alif Majeed.

Greasers, as a subculture, have always been depicted in movies as cool, unflappable people or guys ready to pick up a fight at the drop of the hat. Starting with The Wild One, it is an unavoidable part of the depiction of the ’50s. Even though it reached its peak with Fonz from Happy Days and Grease. It seldom gets as tragic as it does here.

When you think about it, rarely are they depicted as scared little kids like they are here. A huge credit for that would also go to the original novel which Francis Ford Coppola had lovingly bought to the big screen.

There is little doubt that The Outsiders was an important movie in his filmography. Still reeling off the shocking failure of One from the Heart after a string of critical and commercial classics, he was desperate for a win. Thankfully, the movie turned out to be a decent success for him helping him survive, at least for a short while, the drubbing he got for his last film.

Watching the original novel version of The Outsiders was an interesting experience. The initial release version was lean and tight compared to the epic length of most of his movies had until that point. But the upgraded version might not be the same movie you remember, even if pretty much all the major beats were intact.

The movie never looked as sharper as it does here, with a superb overhauled soundtrack that is also pretty delightful, given the period it depicts. The often surreal look makes it stand out among the coming-of-age movies of that era. What is wonderful though is that, whatever version you choose to see, it had still lost none of its charms and remains as powerful and relevant as a coming-of-age movie as anyone you’ll ever see.

None of what is not what it got discussed for. This is a prime example of a movie which is notable for its star cast. The star cast was impressive back then and perhaps in retrospect, The Outsiders had one of the most impressive ensemble star cast who came together for a film. That most of them had prominent careers only adds validation to that fact. It does not have the inherent cuteness of the brat pack movies, but it definitely sparked off the brat pack era.

Among the cast, Tom Cruise and Emilio Estevez almost seem to showboat and were trying to one-up each other, but that is just a minor squabble issue I have with the cast. The remaining guys more than elevate the movie with their depiction of the confusion and angst that comes with being a teen. Not just in the era depicted, but in any other era.

Patrick Swayze looks like he was born to play the role of the older brother, holding all of them together and being the guy everyone wants to emulate. The central three runaways C. Thomas Howell, Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio are the bleeding heart and soul of the movie. You understand where he is coming from when Johnny, Ralph’s character, laments on the fact that their win against the Socs might be pointless, as no matter what the outcome, their lives would always remain the same. It is further amplified in the scene where Johnny takes about the things he ain’t done, seen, or experienced yet. His final plea to Ponyboy to “stay gold” is also enough to break our collective hearts.

My favorite moment of the movie would be when Ponyboy speaks to a Soc, Randy right before the brawl between the two groups, and they contemplate their place in society. That scene belongs to Darren Dalton, playing Randy, where you see regret and the pointlessness of it all. They clearly did not want to treat the Socs as generic villains who are up against the underdogs.

His subsequent SE Hinton adaptation, Rumble Fish just doesn’t seem as personal. In fact, this small film might be his most personal movie yet.

You get a feeling that maybe Coppola will come up with a final cut somewhere down the line like what he did with Apocalypse now. You understand the need for him to revisit and update the movie, but it honestly needs very little tinkering. As far as coming-of-age movies where the main characters learn heartbreaking life lessons, it has rarely got better than this one.

13th December 2021
Belfast: Yet Another Review

Belfast. By Nick Boyd.

“Belfast” is an evocatively done exploration of a nine-year-old Protestant boy’s childhood growing up in Northern Ireland in 1969. As the Catholics and Protestants are at war with each other in the conflict known as “the Troubles,” young Buddy, who lives with his mom, dad, older brother, and grandparents, views the world with innocence and hopefulness. He delights in playing in the working class streets and exploring his surroundings and even has a crush on the pretty girl in school whose family is Catholic.

Buddy’s father works in England to pay off mounting debts as a joiner, a skilled laborer, and comes home to see his family on the weekends, leaving much of the work of raising Buddy and his older brother to his mother. The father is a pacifist and tries to impart that stance on his family, even as strong Protestant supporters in the neighborhood try to get the father to join their cause, in their efforts to rid the area of Catholics. These staunch Protestant supporters are not above looting shops and roughing people up in the streets.

As the situation between the two sides intensifies, Buddy’s father thinks it would be a good idea for the family to move to England where he works or even to Sydney or Vancouver. Somewhere safer with a better home situation. Buddy’s mother, however, is reluctant to go along with the idea because she feels that it would be taking them away from an environment that they have always known and would be particularly difficult for the kids to leave their beloved Belfast.

The film is done primarily in black-and-white, with the exceptions being footage of contemporary Belfast at the very beginning, a theater performance of “A Christmas Carol,” and when Buddy is watching “One Million Years B.C.” and “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” with his family in a movie theater and the screen suddenly colorizes. These movie and theater scenes give us a glimpse into Branagh’s love of movies/theater and his future career as a filmmaker. I found the black-and-white stark look to be an effective approach as it seems to underline the bleak predicament at hand.

The performances in the film are winning and the writing is strong with the insights provided by the grandparents, especially impactful, with just the right mix of humor and wittiness. With a sentimental, yet uncompromising touch, director Kenneth Branagh shows what it was like for him as a boy during this turbulent and nostalgic time in Belfast.

11th December 2021
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy: 10th Anniversary Review

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy: 10th Anniversary Review – Boasting a stellar cast of some of the finest British actors and a familiar story that hits all the right beats, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a competent spy thriller that is worth a watch but leaves you wanting something more.

Taking place during the Cold War we follow semi-retired espionage veteran George Smiley as he is brought in to help find a mole in the MI6. Director Tomas Alfredson does a fine job behind the camera and puts together a very well-made movie. He chooses to go with a very bleak tone throughout that makes everything feel cold and somewhat unnerving. However, because everything is so bleak it does have some parts here and there that do drag. This is just over two hours but it feels more like it’s two and a half hours which is not usually a good thing.

The story itself is perfectly fine. Nothing particularly different from most spy thrillers but it certainly gets the job done. Everyone on screen does a fantastic job as this features one of the best cast ensembles I’ve seen. Nobody phones it in and they all bring their best to each character. Gary Oldman as the lead does what he always does and puts together another great performance. Mark Strong is another standout here with the likes of Tom Hardy, Colin Firth and Toby Jones all providing great work as well.

In the end this is definitely worth seeking out. It has some missteps every now and again but most of that is due to pacing issues. Had this been cut down about fifteen minutes or so that would have helped. This isn’t going to be for everybody just because of how bleak it is and with it being a slow burn type of movie it does take some time to really get going. The performances are the highlight here and make it worth the watch.

5th December 2021
Money-Saving Tips For Buying Your First Home

Money-Saving Tips for Buying Your First Home.

Buying a house is one of the most important financial decisions you may ever make. This is why it’s crucial to take the process seriously but also wisely. But when buying your first home, how are you supposed to know what practices are best and which should be avoided?

It can be intimidating and confusing to buy your first home, especially when it’s your first time. But don’t worry – we’ve compiled a list of money-saving tips to help make the process not only easier for you but so you can also be financially wise when doing it.

Know Your Budget & Stick to It

Knowing and sticking to your budget is a crucial skill for first-time home buyers. It is necessary to know your limits and make sense of the market.

You will need to make sure that you know your budget and stick to it. It may be tempting to go for a bigger house and spend more in the beginning, but that can lead to regrets in the future when you realize that you can’t afford anything else.

Begin Saving, If You Haven’t Already

Buying a home is something that many people dream of, but not everyone can afford to make the jump right away. Many are choosing to rent instead of investing in the economy by owning their own home.

First time home buyers should start saving now because there are many things that come up during the process of buying a home. For example, there might be an issue with the property. You might find out that you need to upgrade your kitchen or even change the entire layout of the house.

Not to mention the down payment and closing costs that are required when purchasing a home.

Make an Emergency Fund

When you are buying your first home, there are a number of factors that may cause unexpected expenses during the process. Sometimes these costs are due to unforeseen emergencies like a burst pipe or electrical surge at your new property that need immediate attention from professionals.

Other times they’re unexpected expenses that pop up as a result of regular maintenance like plumbing and electrical issues or pest infestations and then finally there’s the cost involved with moving into your new property.

If you’re looking to buy a new home, set aside a fund that is solely to be used for emergency costs such as the possibilities mentioned below. While you may not need to dip into these funds, if unforeseen circumstances occur you will be thankful you put this money aside.

Research the Market

When it comes to buying a house, research is everything. When you are planning on purchasing your first home, it’s important to know the steps you need to take so that you don’t waste money.

Not only will understanding the purchase process assist you in meeting your goals of home ownership but it’s also wise to have a general knowledge of what properties are worth in your area. Having a foundation on how much homes are going for in your area will allow you to make a competitive but reasonable offer when the time is right which can potentially save you a lot of money and time.

Buying a home is one of the most expensive financial decisions that people make. So, to save money, utilize these money saving tips when going through the many steps to buy a house.

Money-Saving Tips for Buying Your First Home.

1st December 2021