film reviews, interviews, features | BRWC

Author: BRWC

  • The Father: The BRWC Review

    The Father: The BRWC Review

    The Father: The BRWC Review. By Alif Majeed.

    The Father struck a nerve for me as I had a relative diagnosed with dementia during my childhood. Whenever we visited his house, I would always find him sitting in his chair at his house entrance with a vacant look on his face. He would try to recognize us when we greet him and after twitching his mouth into a senile smile, and go back to staring at the gate. Despite sometimes wondering what went on in his head, we regretfully never really bothered reaching out to him because of our youthful callousness back then. But going by The Father and Anthony Hopkins’ bravura performance in it, what goes on in his mind feels like a terrifying nightmare, rendering him utterly helpless.

    My initial impression of The Father was to dismiss it as a prestige picture. Prestige pictures provide an illusion that they are predictable and cliched if you see enough of them. This reputation reached its peak in the ’80s with movies like Chariots of Fire, Gandhi, or Driving Miss Daisy. Every year during the awards season, we have movies that are dismissed as prestige movies made for the awards. With that in mind, it had my bare minimum attention as the film started. It just took me a good five minutes to realize that I was dead wrong about it as Anthony Hopkins was slowly revealing the character and his state of mind on screen. From there on, I was hooked and it never let up.

    What made The Father a satisfying watch for me is also how the director Florian Zeller (adapting his play Le Péré), uses the state of mind of a man affected by dementia and uses it as a springboard to experiment with various genres. It goes from a prestige drama to thriller to straight-up horror movie where Hopkins makes you put on his shoes and relive the helplessness a guy might be in his place in that situation. 

    One movie that always fascinated me was, That Obscure Object Of Desire, the Luis Bunuel head-scratcher. In that movie, Mathieu (Fernando Rey) is captivated by a woman played by two different actresses, Carole Bouquet and Ángela Molina. They often switch appearances, often in the same scene, which often confounds the audience. It somehow makes sense now after watching The Father if we reimagine the guy who has dementia. It is just his state of mind two different people merge into one to make sense to him.

    Characters, memories, and people unravel or merge in Anthony’s mind as his confusion because of dementia grows. The way it is depicted here could give anyone watching the movie a collective sense of dread, imagining themselves being in that position. 

    Anthony Hopkins might be the star here and had won a well-deserved Oscar, but he is able also surrounded by some lovely supporting actors. Especially Olivia Colman as his long-suffering daughter Anne and Rufus Sewell as her husband.

    Rufus Sewell plays the imperfect husband who is frustrated at his wife’s dedication to her father. He works well enough to make you not hate him too much when you realize the passage of time that they had to deal with the situation. But it makes you wonder how he would react if it is his father who was suffering, and she is the outsider dealing with it.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60wDuQMJl2Q

    Your heart would go out to Olivia Coleman, who plays Anthony’s patient daughter who has to deal with all her father throws at her. In one of the movie’s best scenes, she breaks down after a harsh beat down from her father. It’s a tricky scene because you can’t figure out if he was always like that towards her or just because of his dementia. 

    The Father seems destined to be dismissed as a prestige picture that stole the thunder from other more deserving movies, which is a shame. Anthony Hopkins’ central hypnotic performance goes a long way in reassuring you that this movie deserves your complete attention.

  • Captive: Review

    Captive: Review

    Captive: Review. By Sharmin Paynter.

    Based on Ashley Smith’s book Unlikely Angel, Jerry Jameson’s 2015 film Captive recounts Smith’s real-life hostage experience. Unfortunately for the two leads, Kate Mara and David Oyelowo (who doubles as a producer), the flatlining plot is more of a promotion vehicle for The Purpose Driven Life – the bible study book that Smith credits for saving her life. 

    Mara is convincing as Ashley, a single mother with an ice addiction who’s trying to regain custody of her daughter (Elle Graham as the angelic Paige). She’s attending support group meetings but her commitment is thin. After finding a forgotten stash of ice in her daughter’s music box, she immediately backslides into a binge. At the same time, Brian Nichols (Oyelowo) has fled his rape trial to meet his infant son, who he only learned about days ago.

    While driving through Ashley’s neighbourhood he decides to take her hostage until he figures out his next move. On his tail is Michael K Williams (on the right side of the law after his turn as charming Boardwalk Empire gangster, Chalky White) as Detective Lieutenant John Chestnut, who does a great job with the little he’s given. He even manages to bring some nuanced humour to a frustrated bout with a vending machine. 

    Meanwhile, the singlet-clad, dirty-haired Ashley is desperate to protect Paige, who is coming over to visit the next morning. She salvages bargaining power with what she has at her disposal: drugs she can distract Brian with, and a copy of The Purpose Driven Life given to her by a support group member.

    She uses the latter to persuade Brian that redemption (at least in God’s eyes) is possible. Although Brian claims he isn’t that guy, his bad decisions (shooting his trial judge, a court reporter, a sergeant, and an off-duty ICE Special Agent) suggest he really is (or at least, very recently was) that guy. It’s obvious that Ashley and Brian aren’t great people, but they do show regret at falling short of the parent they each want to be for their children. As daylight approaches, they discuss changing the trajectory of their lives – partly for their children, but mainly for God.  

    Jameson employs simple colour motifs for Ashley (whites and pinks) and Brian (blues and browns), with splashes of red to convey a sense of danger between the two – even hinting at a wolf in an innocent girl’s house. But neither of them are completely innocent, nor completely evil. Perhaps for this reason, the film is selective about the number and severity of Brian’s real-life on-the-run crimes. Maybe Jameson wants us to believe, for a moment, in the redemption of a man who takes extreme measures for his son (it worked for Denzel Washington in John Q). Ultimately, in the eyes of the law, the fictional Nichols and the real-life Nichols have both gone too far. But the film is scared to go far enough. 

  • 3 Ways To Overcome Boredom When You Have Nothing To Do

    3 Ways To Overcome Boredom When You Have Nothing To Do

    3 Ways To Overcome Boredom When You Have Nothing To Do.

    Sometimes it seems like there is nothing you can do to keep the boredom at bay. Of course, it is good to take breaks every so often to avoid being overworked, but it can be just as bad for your health to sit idle and do nothing. This is especially true now, with many people staying at home due to the coronavirus, as boredom naturally comes with that. So, break away from the stagnation with these top three things that you can do to overcome your boredom.

    1 – Obtain a New Skill

    Most people prefer to do something with their free time rather than just sit. Yes, there are days when all you can do is lie on the couch and watch Netflix, but when that boredom kicks in, use it for something productive. Think about what you would like to know or learn about. It can be painting, arts and crafts, or learning a new language.

    You might even discover that you have a creative side, or that you are skilled in something you never realized. Maybe you have a knack for building birdhouses or that guitar you always wanted to play is easier than you thought. There is a limitless number of resources online if you want to self-teach, or even find an art class or tutor. The main point is that you are doing something that will give you a feeling of satisfaction for being productive.

    2 – Find an Online Game

    Nowadays you can play almost any game online and connect with your friends. This is a great way to stay away from boredom while still interacting with loved ones during COVID-19. You can even use your smartphone which is ideal if you don’t have a lot of space in your house. Go to your smartphone’s app store and search for either online or offline games. There are thousands to choose from, so you are bound to find something that piques your interest.

    If you have a desktop PC, your options are even better. There are card games like Solitaire or Rummy, car racing, and even co-op fighting that can be enjoyed online. Have a quick look at these available online games that you can easily get stuck into.

    3 – Spring Clean Your Home

    This may sound even more boring to some than just sitting on the couch, but your mental health and body will thank you for it. Dust has an amazing way of getting into the smallest cracks and collects more bacteria that you are breathing in daily. Start simple by going through all your drawers and closets, throwing away anything that you have not used in the last 6 months. If you have sentimental items, keep them, but the idea is that you declutter everything that is taking up unnecessary space.

    When you are bored, it means that you are not being properly engaged and that feeling is your body’s way of telling you to get up and do something meaningful. It can be harmful to your health and mental wellbeing if you are not regularly exercising all your muscles, and the brain is a muscle that needs to be stimulated. Don’t let boredom stand in the way of doing something that will make you happy.

  • Fast And Furious 9: The BRWC Review

    Fast And Furious 9: The BRWC Review

    Fast And Furious 9: The BRWC Review. By Alif Majeed.

    An unavoidable part of the conversation involving Vin Diesel is his love for Dungeons and Dragons. He no doubt had a massive hand in creating the behemoth that the Fast and Furious series has become and expanding its mythology. Starting from Fast Five, the series has got to a point where you wonder how much more they can or would raise the stakes. So when you watch the latest installment, you can’t help but feel a little conflicted. Justin Lin, back in the captain’s chair, has certainly created a popcorn blockbuster that cntinues to shock and awe. But despite its many highs, you can’t also help but think the series is slowly showing its age. 

    It takes a little while to get going and atleast in these initial portions you miss the charisma of someone like Dwayne Johnson. You want them to get on with it and start shooting Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez from one cliff to another, hooked on to the side of a fallen bridge. The moment that happens though, the movie rarely lets up.

    Fast And Furious 9 (F9) gets out of its slumber when the ‘family’ begins the hunt for a super mystery device that is missing along with its handler, Mr. Nobody (Kurt Russell). After they fail to stop the device from falling into the hands of Jakob Toretto (John Cena, as Dominic Toretto’s hitherto unmentioned brother), they realize once again, that they are up against a master thief and criminal. They also realize what they lost was just one half of the device and the other half is in a hidden vault (of course it is, as the similar troupes of the series keep adding up) in Scotland. All of that is just a reason for them to jump from one explosive stunt to another. 

    The stunts have always been the highlight of the series, and it remains so with F9. The stunts have almost got a supernatural air to them here that they even joke about it. Ludacris and Tyrese Gibson even has a recurring gag throughout about how they never seem to get hurt despite being shot at while jumping off cars, planes, and whatnot. One particular highlight is when they go full Moonraker and straight up shoot a car into outer space to save the world. They probably read all the reviews that went, ‘where are they going to go now? Outer space?’ and thought, “You know what? That’s exactly where we are going to go.”

    One way they have always upped the ante is by seamlessly switching or even mixing genres. They have jumped from heist movies to spy movies to now riffing off the Marvel universe this time. Kurt Russell as Mr. Nobody here has become comfortable in his position as the Nick Fury of the Fast and Furious universe. It also doesn’t take long to realize that John Cena is the Winter Soldier to Vin Diesel’s Captain America. The inevitable shift in loyalty is something you can sense from miles away. But after being a ‘family’ for so long, and it great seeing the cast continue to play off each other amidst eye popping stunts. While still being rubber skinned and bullet proof. 

    Many studios usually get selective and try to sidestep the worst parts of a series. But good, bad or ugly, Vin Diesel goes to great length to acknowledge them and even make it a part of the series’ legacy. (Ice Cube popping up in Xander Cage was an example of that). So we have Lukas Haas back from Tokyo Drift show up here and once again, they still find it hard to use him well. Haan is also back with his natural, laid back charisma and though you are pleased at his return, the way they bring him back is not really convincing.

    That is one of the issues you can have with it. The way the characters keep dying and coming back stopped making no sense a long time ago. The familiar storyline, some of the puffed-up chest-thumping dialogues are all in line with the troupes the series has been following all this while. All of it adds to a franchise that seem to have painted itself into a corner. But when you watch a car getting slingshot into space off the back of a plane, you can’t help but watch in awe at the confidence they showed in going there. It is an entertaining blockbuster well worth the wait, especially considering how long we had to wait for it. 

    Fast And Furious 9: The BRWC Review. By Alif Majeed.

  • Nicole: Review

    Nicole: Review

    Nicole: Review. By Will Steele.

    The current cinematic landscape seems overpopulated with complex narratives desperately trying to pack as much plot and pace into their runtimes as humanly possible. So it is truly refreshing whenever a new release refrains from overstuffing, overcomplicating and overwhelming its audience. James Schroeder’s Nicole is a slick comedy horror which simply styles itself as ‘the story of a first date gone wrong’. From this small promising premise grows a horror which will get under your skin.

    Nicole follows the daily routine of the eponymous lead who seems incredibly aloof and isolated from the world around her.  She’s an unabashed alcoholic whom we begin to sense is coping for past traumas she has suffered. Between glugs of liquor, Nicole inspects a knife she sheaves giving us a tantalising glimpse of the direction her day may take. Tamika Shannon initially plays Nicole with tactical reserve and only gradually reveals her true motivations. Shannon plays the awkward encounters between herself and her colleagues with an authentic unease which only heightens the tension throughout the film.

    Director James Schroeder employs a striking visual motif to jolt the narrative from reality to daydreams by shifting between monotone and colour. What at first seems purely stylistic comes to add significant ambiguity as the plot progresses. What Schroeder communicates without uttering a word, but by merely altering the colour, invites the audience to engage in the narrative and draw their own conclusions. Any films however big or small which respects its audience and doesn’t spoon-feed them is yet again refreshing.

    The choice to situate this horror around at first date proves fruitful. Nicole is meeting John for the first time – a man who swiftly shows himself to be manipulative, sinister and downright criminal. He plays into the archetypal misogynistic predator which we have come to recognise more and loathe. This creates a real palpable threat for Nicole only heightening the stakes. The imbalance struck between Nicole and John on their date serves as a tantalising precursor to the inevitable descent.

    Much like Promising Young Woman, Nicole explores the fear inherent in a misogynistic society for women. Comparisons between the two films are inevitable, but thankfully they are divergent in the avenues they choose to explore. Schroeder deserves praise for a delicate balancing act of tone within Nicole as he introduces elements of comedy and horror throughout this social commentary. Once the horror-comedy elements take hold, we aren’t abruptly taken there as the temperature has been gradually rising throughout the film. Some may find this blends of tones and genres jarring but most will recognise the subtle game being played.

    Nicole makes for memorable viewing despite its brief 75 minute runtime by delving deeply into the small and simple story it chooses to tell. Smooth tonal shifts and clear intuitive aesthetics allow Nicole to shift between genres, styles and situations with ease. It is an effective comedic social satire whilst crucially succeeding in evoking genuine terror which may make you wince and squirm in your seat. James Schroeder tells a simple story successfully which is what Independent cinema does best.

    https://youtu.be/w11m4mq5xUs