film reviews, interviews, features | BRWC

Author: Matt Conway

  • Pinocchio: The BRWC Review

    Pinocchio: The BRWC Review

    Pinocchio Synopsis: When the woodworker Geppetto (Tom Hanks) sees a falling star, he wishes that the puppet he just finished, Pinocchio (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth), could become a real boy. At night, the Blue Fairy (Cynthia Erivo) grants Geppetto’s wish and asks Jiminy Cricket (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) to serve as the wooden boy’s conscience.

    An age-old tale receives a live-action facelift in Pinocchio. It’s no secret Disney continues to mine its prestigious catalog for attractive paydays at the box office. The House of Mouse may boast a few triumphs from the trend (The Lion King, Jungle Book, and Aladdin each cleared $1 billion worldwide), but the studio’s creatively vacant reduxes exist in the shadow of their storied predecessors. 

    Quietly hitting streaming shelves, Pinocchio may be the most disposable Disney remake yet. The journey of one affable puppet’s search for an identity has never felt so charmless and devoid of humanity onscreen. 

    Everything about the final product feels off from jump street. After visualizing classics like Back to the Future and Cast Away in his heyday, director Robert Zemeckis continues misguidingly centering his interest in special effects-driven ventures (Beowulf, A Christmas Carol, and Mom’s Needs Moms have each aged poorly). While his techniques evolved from the hidden valley nightmares of his previous work, Zemeckis remains too concentrated on aesthetics to realize the bigger picture. 

    Pinocchio comes off like a soulless tech demo due to the directorial choices. The film feels more like enduring an oppressive blast of deja vu rather than re-exploring a familiar tale in a new vibrant light. Outside of the glossy visual touches, Pinocchio adheres strictly to the 1940 Disney original’s narrative playbook without attempting any intriguing delineations. 

    I guess sticking rigidly to a classic can work on some occasions, but Zemeckis’ effort is vacant of the source material’s distinct appeals. Pinocchio and his story remain a staple for balancing hope and cynicism amidst a coming-of-age journey. In comparison, this modern retread timidly repurposes those narrative tenants without the perspective that made them impactful. Even the colorful music numbers and heartfelt moments of reflection are dead on arrival in this remake. 

    Not everything about Pinocchio fails. The veteran cast, including the charming allures of Tom Hanks, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Cynthia Ervio, extract some life from their time-honored roles. I do think the film maintains a general sense of competence thanks to its talented cast and expensive production budget. However, these elements do not compensate for a sinking ship of a narrative. 

    Audiences looking for a new take on Pinocchio are better off waiting for Guillermo Del Toro’s macabre reimaging set for Netflix later this year rather than sitting through yet another by-the-book Disney remake. I hope Disney eventually learns to take more risks with their big-budget reboots. 

    Pinocchio is now playing on Disney+. 

  • Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul: The BRWC Review

    Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul: The BRWC Review

    After running a thriving Baptist church for years, a pastor embedded in controversy and his seemingly supportive wife attempt a grand comeback in Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. For writer/director Adamma Ebo’s feature-length debut, the Sundance 2022 standout represents an attempt to build upon her promising 2018 short film of the same name. 

    Analyzing the underlying hypocrisies of religious culture with humor and an intelligent bite presents underlying promise for Ebo – especially in a marketplace where most religious features serve as self-aggrandizing propaganda (looking at you, Pure Flix). Unfortunately, Honk stumbles into several first-time feature pitfalls in its well-meaning pursuits. 

    Movies can often produce valuable sentiments without bolstering those core ideas with proper nuance. Here, Ebo falls into that trap with her conceptually-promising blend of satirical and dour revelations. Ebo reckons with the egoism, corruption, and homophobia present inside the church’s hallowed walls as the film’s central couple tries igniting a misguided comeback. There are subdued moments where the messaging rings with uncomfortable truths, but much of the screenplay feels stuck treading water. 

    Ebo’s comedic touch is too inconsistent to leave a strong impression as a piece of satire – often modulating between thoughtful insights and cheap pratfalls without defining a succinct comedic voice. The erratic execution showcases a script that struggles to stretch a short film concept into a feature-length thesis.

    Ebo’s directorial choices endure similar inconsistencies. The mockumentary aesthetic is a thoughtful device for exploring disparities between the church’s pristine image and the dysfunctional culture resting under the surface. In execution, Ebo imbues some intriguing techniques that don’t quite connect. Differnatiing the bright, happy-go-lucky mockumentary footage with washed-out frames of behind-the-scenes discord ends up being a didactic device for articulating the film’s themes. I don’t think the style choice ends up adding much to the narrative experience. 

    Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. doesn’t quite connect, but the film consistently radiates glimmers of promise. I commend Ebo for constructing a high-wire tonal act that fearlessly pursues challenging societal quandaries. I believe the upcoming auteur could develop a vital perspective onscreen with future offerings despite some turbulence with her debut.

    Sterling K. Brown and Regina Hall also enhance the controversy-ridden Childs into fascinating figures to deconstruct. Brown’s screen-grabbing charisma wrestles with the character’s questionable history in meaningful ways, while Hall displays gravitas and biting wit as the matriarch stuck in a conflicting situation. With unforgettable turns in Support the Girls, Master, and Honk, Hall continues demonstrating boundless ability during her career renaissance. 

    I agree wholeheartedly with what Honk attempts to say about religious culture. It’s just a shame that the promising pieces never quite connect during the disjointed final product.

    Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul is now playing in theaters and on Peacock.

  • Samaritan: The BRWC Review

    Samaritan: The BRWC Review

    Samaritan Synopsis: A young boy (Javon ‘Wanna’ Walton) learns that a superhero (Sylvester Stallone) thought to have gone missing after an epic battle twenty years ago may still be around.

    In a poverty-ridden city on the precipitous of collapsing, a down-on-his-luck youth discovers the presence of a once-famed superhero in Samaritan. Superheroes are all the rage in today’s cinematic climate as Marvel and DC engage in relentless competition for the audience’s interest. Despite the genre’s reign over the zeitgeist, few cape features outside these well-entrenched trademarks rarely take flight onscreen.

    Based on a niche graphic novel series, Samaritan dawns the spandex of a decidedly different outfit. Overlord director Julius Avery infuses real-world textures and old-school action movie flavoring into his story of a caped figure’s reemergence sparking hope in a decaying society. The final product may adhere too comfortably to standard-issue formula, but Samaritan still executes its approach with gusto and sparks of creative life. 

    I love that Samaritan feels like a relic from an entirely different era. Boasting a dystopian world embedded in real-world connotations and playful flourishes, Samaritan is more akin to 80s/90s staples like Robocop and Demolition Man than the big-budget bombast of modern superhero offerings. Avery’s skilled direction also reignites this throwback sensibility with technical aplomb. Each grimey street corner and defunct building helps set a distinctive sense of place, while the director’s creative eye helps enhance the lower-budget action setpieces into lively clashes. 

    An action throwback fits right in star Sylvester Stallone’s wheelhouse. As an aging nomad masking his super-power past, Stallone equips his usual rugged charm and aching vulnerabilities under the character’s macho persona. The real star here is Euphoria breakout Javon ‘Wanna’ Walton as the wistful Sam. In a role that could feel oppressive routine in the wrong hands, Walton’s luminous presence and sturdy dramatic chops infuse life into the character’s standard design. 

    Under the surface of Samaritan’s superhero pastiche, the film boasts surprisingly worthwhile ruminations. Screenwriter Bragi F. Schut cleverly twists the lionized legacies of the Samaritan and his oh-so-cleverly named foe Nemesis into lingering myths that grab ahold of the community. Some gleam onto the heroic bravery of the Samaritan, while others view themselves as sinister forces bound to Nemesis’ villainy. The approach allows Schut to touch upon the mythologization of superheroes as modern figures of morality similar to storied gods and deities. A welcomed, if not somewhat predictable, third-act twist also adds much-needed realism to that concept. 

    If only the Samaritan could follow through with its ambitious platitudes. Schut introduces his interesting ideas before favoring the generic plot structure of his screenplay. The narrative, while effective, can’t help feeling like a familiar rehash of so many other superior films. This choice ultimately hurts the third act of Samaritan the most, with the film deluding into an array of busy action setpieces that forgets its characters and intriguing undertones (the criminally underrated Archenemy was able to realize a similar idea with more weight).

    Even if the film eventually compromises, Samaritan supplies a fresh perspective on the crowded superhero genre. I hope studios continue to take more risks with the genre if it’s going to remain the supreme power in Hollywood.

    Samaritan is now available on Amazon Prime. 

  • Gigi And Nate: The BRWC Review

    Gigi And Nate: The BRWC Review

    Gigi and Nate Synopsis: Nate’s (Charlie Rowe) life is turned upside down after he is left a quadriplegic. Moving forward seems near impossible until he meets his unlikely service animal, Gigi – a curious and intelligent capuchin monkey. Based on a true story.

    Before heading off to his first term at college, the happy-go-lucky teenager Nate suddenly falls ill with a life-threatening illness. Adjusting to quadriplegic life brings Nate a slew of new challenges, but his treatment process receives a ray of hope in the form of a monkey service animal in Gigi and Nate. 

    Genuine tales of hope and perseverance amidst hardship are a much-needed cinematic staple. At their best, feel-good stories like American Underdog and the underrated 2012 indie The Sessions explore their subject matter with an eye for authenticity and compassion. 

    Unfortunately, Gigi and Nate showcase the other end of the genre’s spectrum. Director Nick Hamm and Screenwriter David Hudgins admirably infuse their true-story approach with sincerity and postive energy. Neither force can compensate for a maudlin interpretation of a moving true story. 

    Hamm, a veteran craftsperson behind psychological thrillers like The Hole and Godsend, misguidingly overplays his hand at every turn. Every scene screams for viewers’ sympathies with generic score choices and a heavy-handed sense of audience manipulation. The overbearing tactics are an unnecessary inclusion to a story that boasts an inherently human pulse. Instead of trusting the affable bond between Nate and Gigi, Hamm morphs the real-life yarn into the equivalent of a thankless Hallmark card vacant of nuance.

    The screenplay suffers from similar issues. After a potent first act that descends into Nate’s life-changing journey, Hudgins often loses his way as he incorporates a myriad of plot threads. One arc that fixates on protestors who oppose the enactment of monkeys as service animals feels especially queasy as the film simplifies the complex issue into a laughably stern finger-wag at the protestors. All the empty noise ultimately distracts from the core relationship between Nate and Gigi, with the film lacking the focus to let audiences truly marinate in their unique connection.

    Gigi and Nate’s shortcomings are a letdown considering the film’s dedicated cast. Star Charlie Rowe imbues charisma and vulnerability into Nate as the character undertakes a challenging transformation. Supporting players Marcia Gay Harden, Josephine Langford, and Jim Belushi also infuse much-needed humanity into their roles as Nate’s family members. The lived-in chemistry established by the ensemble becomes an unfortunate missed opportunity as none of the actors receive the necessary time or material to make an impression. 

    Gigi and Nate is too affable to detest, but the film never provides its true story premise with the poignance it deserves. 

    Gigi and Nate opens in theaters on September 2. 

  • Breaking: The BRWC Review

    Breaking: The BRWC Review

    Breaking Synopsis: When Marine Veteran Brian Brown-Easley is denied support from Veteran’s Affairs, financially desperate and running out of options, he takes a bank and several of its employees hostage, setting the stage for a tense confrontation with the police. Based on a true story.

    A disgruntled veteran attempts to right the wrongs of his treatment from the Veteran’s Affairs office by igniting a hostage situation in Breaking. As an offshoot of the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, Breaking embarks on the challenging quest of analyzing its real-life subject, Brian Brown-Easley, and the multitude of circumstances driving him towards one harrowing day. Adapting a real-life figure, particularly one with Easley’s complex history, imbues a heavy weight of added responsibility on the creative team’s shoulders. 

    While Director/Screenwriter Abi Damaris Corbin and co-screenwriter Kwame Kwei-Armah may occasionally stumble from overworked mechanics, the duo approach their subject matter with the utmost sincerity. Breaking examines its real-life event with the gravity and thoughtful perspective it deserves. 

    It helps that Corbin and Kwei-Armah showcase an observant eye for real-world textures. After scouring through numerous accounts on Easley and his struggles with mental illness and poverty post-service, I commend the duo for maintaining authenticity in their depictions of Easley’s life-altering day. Some lines of dialogue even reflect direct quotes from Easley and the enclave of first responders and media personnel circling him. Moreover, the creative team’s attentiveness and empathetic pulse ensure that the film never drifts into uncomfortably exploitative territory.

    Breaking also understands the significance behind Easley’s pertinent story. His pursuit of righteous justice symbolizes an act of desperation after being discarded by the Veteran Affair’s office and the world at large. Like so many returning veterans, Easley returned home to a society that expressed mere ambivalence to his struggles and the lingering effects generated from his service life. Easley apologetically undertakes the robbery as his only means of drawing attention to the issue, promising his captors they will remain safe and often treating them with kindness.

    Easley’s pursuits, while admittedly volatile, draw an undeniable sense of empathy from anyone with a genuine ear. Unfortunately, most parties involved don’t express much interest in his background. Aside from one compassionate negotiator and Easley’s cooperative hostages, the surrounding rush of media outlets and armed first responders merely view this event as another day at the office. The leering view of sniper scopes and camera lenses adopt the same menacing connotation as the veteran’s story becomes a thankless source for apathy and commodification. Breaking’s raw depiction of this dichotomy extracts a striking narrative about the painful realities facing many veterans and minorities alike. 

    A cast of dedicated performers thankfully brings Easley’s story to life with profound impact. John Boyega delivers an expressive performance as the central protagonist. Between impactful rushes of mania and fear, Boyega depicts the undercurrent of vulnerability motivating Easley’s decisions. The recently-passed Michael K. Williams stands as the film’s notable standout. Williams gives viewers one last reminder of his generational talents, commanding the screen in a performance that yearns with pain and emotional sincerity as an empathetic negotiator. Co-stars Nicole Beharie and Selenis Leyva also deserve ample praise for conveying the raw emotions of the bank’s hostages. 

    Some may see Breaking as a nail-biting thriller from its buzzy marketing material. To be honest, the thriller elements rank as the film’s weakest aspects. Corbin sometimes tries too hard to draw engagement when the film’s emotional undercurrent is already a captivating source. The film’s introductory act suffers the most from this dilemma. Corbin’s sensationalized style choices and Michael Abels’ over-the-top score unnecessarily strain the film’s real-world core during the initial heist. 

    Once the film finds its footing, Breaking offers a breathtaking view into an all-too-common reality. I hope this film finds an audience theatrically as it provides much-needed indictments on glaring societal issues. 

    Breaking is now playing in theaters.