film reviews, interviews, features | BRWC

Author: Matt Conway

  • The Forever Purge: The BRWC Review

    The Forever Purge: The BRWC Review

    The Forever Purge Synopsis: All the rules are broken as a sect of lawless marauders decides that the annual Purge does not stop at daybreak and instead should never end. A recently immigrated couple, Juan (Tenoch Huerta) and Adela (Ana de la Reguera), now must travel back across the Mexican border before the country is consumed by a “forever purge”.

    From the humble beginnings of high-concept/low-budget horror, few could have guessed that 2013’s The Purge would act as the igniting point to a blockbuster franchise. Each sequel continues to push the envelope in terms of scale and zeitgeist ideas, as series figurehead James DeMonaco boldly evolves his initial premise into our challenging times.

    If only the films’ execution were up to the task of DeMonaco’s idealism (the only halfway decent sequel was the spirited The First Purge). I’ve largely felt disconnected from the series’ brand of airless thrills, always putting a precedent on posturing sensationalism rather than saying anything of note. Fittingly enough, the series final entry, The Forever Purge, sinks to the lowest levels yet.

    I can’t fault DeMonaco and director Everardo Gout for trying here. Their portrait of jaded extremists releasing prejudicial beliefs rings with harrowing relevance at times (this was filmed long before the terrorist attack at the Capitol). DeMonaco’s script endearingly embraces hot-button issues, while Gout imbues a thoughtful touch within the protagonists’ character-driven moments. The first 15-20 minutes strikes surprisingly composed marks for the franchise, sincerely delving into immigrant struggles despite sifting through some hokey writing.

    Everything goes downhill from there. In an instance, the intriguing politics and sensitive character beats are brushed aside for a chaotic array of flat setpieces. I respect that Gout tries to incorporate guerilla realism during the close-knit setpieces, but an endless onslaught of bullets and mayhem only creates a dulling effect. The pacing rarely breaks for meaningful developments. Instead, the inconsistently filmed action takes centerstage (Gout relies too much on shaky-cam despite a few well-orchestrated setpieces), ultimately morphing worthwhile concepts into an empty parade of blood-soaked carnage. Audiences should be disturbed by the heinous acts, yet the textureless delivery only inspires mere ambivalence.

    The Forever Purge represents the series overarching weakness: the writing is never up to the task. DeMonaco continues to reduce vital conceits into a medley of poorly conceived contrivances. All of the characters are empty action figures only serving to battle through the hellscape (a forced racist redemption arc feels painfully dated), while DeMonaco’s political insights continue to trivialize vital issues. Aspects like the Candian/Mexico border opening up and America’s violent self-destruction are handled like ironic punchlines. It’s a shame that DeMonaco reduces our challenging times into mere window dressing during his oppressively empty exercise in brutality.

    I respect the Purge’s confrontational edge, but The Forever Purge only works to display the franchise’s glaring expiration date.

    The Forever Purge is now playing in theaters nationwide.

  • Black Widow: The BRWC Review

    Black Widow: The BRWC Review

    Black Widow Synopsis: Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson), aka the Black Widow, confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises. Pursued by a force that will stop at nothing to bring her down, Natasha must deal with her history as a spy while teaming up with her long-lost sister Yelena (Florence Pugh).

    Years of intense planning skillfully conjured the climatic wonders of Avengers Endgame, a blockbuster event that transcended the Marvel Cinematic Universe formula. While Marvel fans still discuss the film’s sizable impact today, the superhero juggernaut now finds itself in an intriguing new place. Without franchise staples like Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans, producer Kevin Feige and company must develop a new wave of beloved heroes for fans to rally behind.

    Before a new generation of heroes makes their cinematic debut, Marvel is closing another chapter with the long-delayed Black Widow spin-off. Widow’s shocking death does make this feature an odd proposition (no offense Marvel, but we shouldn’t have had to wait over a decade to give this character her own film). Thanks in large part to a skilled cast and a well-calibrated emotional core, director Cate Shortland creates a solid, albeit slight, rendition for Natasha Romanoff’s swan song.

    Shortland, the latest indie stalwart to take the sizable leap to blockbuster cinema, helps steer Black Widow in a semi-fresh direction for the MCU. She develops instant intrigue from her mean-and-lean introduction, whisking audiences into a Bourne-esque tale of espionage and deceit with Widow on the run after Captain America: Civil War. A change in flavoring allows Shortland to repurpose Marvel’s distinct sensibility into a hard-hitting high-wire act formed from more realistic textures. The spy pastiche makes a sound fit for Widow, conveying the character’s self-assured swagger while also confronting her enigmatic identity throughout the years. She has always been on the run from her haunted past, but now those demons have finally caught up with her in this latest mission.

    On a character front, Black Widow excels with flying colors. It’s a delight to finally delve into Natasha’s backstory, with the trio of screenwriters intimately analyzing the lingering abandonment and distrust that define her rigid persona. At the core of those feelings lies a shaky family dynamic. Natasha’s parental figures embraced KGB propaganda over their own children, creating an interesting conflict of interest that isn’t entirely disconnected from real-world sentiments. The writing sticks to fairly broad strokes, but the grounded conceits help make a refreshing change-of-pace from superhero’s usual planet-saving conflicts.

    An all-star cast also elevates the intriguing material. Scarlett Johansson’s poise and transfixing gravity have always been on display, but the starring role provides the actress with newfound wrinkles to play upon. Her ability to balance Natasha’s self-assured bravado with impactful vulnerabilities morphs the longtime supporting role into a feature-worthy figure. Florence Pugh’s meteoric ascension only continues to rise as Yelena. The actresses’ infectious presence and nuanced delivery make her a fitting partner next to Natasha, with the duo forming a consistently compelling pair as siblings rekindling their long-forgotten bond. David Harbour and Rachel Weisz also charm as Natasha and Yelena’s parental guardians. The personable quartet work to evolve the group’s initial bitterness into an endearingly makeshift family dynamic.

    Black Widow’s fresh pastiche still can’t escape the homogenized aesthetics of MCU properties. Some fans may not agree, but I find a majority of the MCU offerings suffer from visual stagnation. While Shortland’s thoughtful introspections benefit the material, the talented director is left standing on the sidelines as dozens of assistant directors and VFX artists conjure the same setpieces we’ve seen done to death. The camerawork lacks proper dynamism, and while the idea of imbuing hard-hitting realism has promise, the lack of naturalism prevents the setpieces from escaping the bombast of blockbuster thrills (I’m not asking for a hard R-rating, but some blood and cuts wouldn’t hurt to sell the punchy impact).

    Even with two years off from MCU films, some of the brand’s storied staples are starting to show their age. The studio seems unable to allow their films to embrace a completely new identity onscreen, often pulling back from the espionage lens to introduce a lackluster array of hokey comedic bits, half-baked villains, and forced MCU references (each Avengers quip lands flat on its face). I get the significance of the MCU’s interconnectivity, but that dynamic should not come at the expense of the film itself (the ending feels like an anti-climax, focusing more on the future rather than giving Natasha a proper send-off). Black Widow could have been even better if the filmmakers were allowed to go full force into the realism direction.

    Still, Marvel knows how to craft a breezy piece of summer entertainment. Black Widow’s fresh inclusions add just enough depth and charisma to reanimate the studio’s rigid formula. That being said, I do hope Marvel is willing to grow cinematically as their universe expands. They may be at the top of their game right now, but audiences could eventually grow weary of the conventional approach.

    Black Widow debuts in theaters and on Disney+ Premier Access on July 9th.

  • America: The Motion Picture: The BRWC Review

    America: The Motion Picture: The BRWC Review

    America: The Motion Picture Synopsis: A chainsaw-wielding George Washington (Channing Tatum) teams with beer-loving bro Sam Adams (Jason Manztoukas) and other historical figures to take down the Brits in a tongue-in-cheek riff on the American Revolution.

    After crafting comedic staples like 21 Jump Street and The LEGO Movie, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller have impressively transformed their initial success into a beloved brand. The duo keenly developed an impressive slew of innovative animated efforts, winning an Oscar for overseeing Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse while developing one of the year’s best films so far, The Mitchells vs. The Machines. I appreciate how they entrust a diverse array of talent, allowing filmmakers to pursue creative avenues that aren’t typically embraced by animation’s defining juggernauts.

    Lord and Miller’s latest production, America: The Motion Picture, might be their most obtuse yet. Spewing with brash vulgarities and more than a little creative license, director Matt Thompson and screenwriter Dave Callaham craft their eccentric revisionist history with infectious wild-child energy. Sadly, this mildly amusing romp gets lost amidst an inconsistent array of juvenile pratfalls.

    The nucleus for America: The Motion Picture is honestly quite brilliant. By clashing posh historical figures with the crass extremes of our modern zeitgeist, Callaham’s screenplay presents glimmers of thoughtful reflection. Some setpieces humorously take to task our storied forefathers, while others zero their sights on America’s evergrowing division. When the jokes hit, Callaham’s biting wit and observant insights help transcend the project’s stoner comedy form.

    I can’t appreciate Callaham enough for his bold departure from standard conventionality. Combined with Thompson’s jagged yet spirited visuals (never thought I would see George Washington chainsaw dozens of British soldiers), the duo craft an audacious assault on America’s overly-lionized history. The energetic voice performances also help in selling the over-the-top lunacy. Channing Tatum and Jason Mantzoukas have a blast screeching profanities as beloved founding fathers, while Olivia Munn and Raoul Max Trujillo add sharpness as outside observers of the colony’s twisted practices.

    America: The Motion Picture spotlights the kind of confrontational comedy I love to see. If only Callaham could replicate that formula throughout the entire duration. For every bit that works, Callaham peppers in a half-dozen or so flat modern references alongside the crass antics (here’s another comedy that confuses buzz word references as jokes). I like the conceit of altering American lore, but Callaham far too often resorts to button-pushing as a means of generating laughter. The more bizarre the gags get, the murkier the film’s intriguing vision becomes.

    Callaham and Thompson’s film just isn’t succinct enough to represent its nuanced ideas. Far too often, the duo’s embrace of busy pratfalls only works to distract from the material’s purposeful bits. It’s a comedy that suffers from a failure of identity, ranging between Adult Swim-type shenanigans and political insights without ever merging the dissident identities.

    America: The Motion Picture could have been a meaningful satire, but it ultimately reduces into the empty brashness that the filmmakers attempt to condemn. Still, I am thrilled this movie exists for its radical edge. Don’t be shocked if the film discovers a cult audience in the coming years.

    America: The Motion Picture is now available on Netflix.

  • Wolfgang: Review

    Wolfgang: Review

    Wolfgang Synopsis: This documentary takes a look at the life of Wolfgang Puck, a man who survived a troubled childhood filled with a series of challenging obstacles and whose perseverance led him to become a prolific and celebrated chef worldwide.

    Despite being a picky eater (it was pizza and cheeseburgers all day as a kid), I grew up with an undying love for food television. At its core, food is an art form driven by raw passion and creative ingenuity, with some of my favorite high-profile figures like Gordon Ramsay and Alton Brown transforming plates from their distinct perspectives. Long before today’s food craze, there was only Wolfgang Puck.

    Celebrated as the world’s first celebrity chef and a major influencer of American food culture, Wolfgang Puck is now getting the documentary treatment with David Gelb’s feature Wolfgang. The chef’s larger-than-life personality commands the screen throughout the documentary, but it’s Gelb’s thoughtful intimacy that renders Wolfgang’s story into a satisfying entree.

    Packaged into a refreshingly airtight 79-minute runtime, Wolfgang offers a fairly well-rounded portrait within its rigid constraints (this is a Disney-produced documentary, so audiences have to sift through oversimplification and some hero-worship). Gelb wisely realizes his strongest asset lies within Wolfgang himself. The Austrian chef possesses a bright presence and intoxicating passion, two assets that bring his story to life through the chef’s wistfully nostalgic introspections. Whether Wolfgang’s rummaging through a pile of fresh ingredients or tutoring one of his young employees, his electric energy always remains a captivating source of entertainment.

    To Gelb’s credit, Wolfgang packs some surprisingly nuanced exploration. Gelb creates a sound juxtaposition between the star’s luxurious acclaim and his depressed days growing up in a house of abuse and hopelessness. Through these hardships, Gelb discovers how the star’s longing for love and acceptance motivated his tireless journey for success. I was also surprised to see Wolfgang take himself to the task at several points. By discussing his faults as a workaholic who kept his family at bay, Gelb humanizes Wolfgang in a way that most biopic documentaries can’t replicate.

    Wolfgang is consistently pleasant, but I do wish the film leaned more into its naturalistic strengths. Some segments rely too heavily upon expert interviews and well-cut montages to shortcut Wolfgang’s journey. In actuality, the film is at its best when it strips these devices for a more pure portrait of the titular chef. Gelb’s film could also benefit from a bit more exploration. While his film works as a slight and breezy experience, I was left wanting more vivid details from some of Wolfgang’s personal experiences. Maybe it’s just the foodie in me, but the moments where Wolfgang is caught intimately behind the scenes offer the most satisfaction.

    Whether you’re an inquisitive foodie or a general eater, Wolfgang’s impassioned gaze towards its titular chef radiates with love and affection.

    Wolfgang is now available on Disney+.

  • The Ice Road: The BRWC Review

    The Ice Road: The BRWC Review

    The Ice Road Synopsis: After a remote diamond mine collapses in the far northern regions of Canada, an ice driver (Liam Neeson) leads an implausible rescue mission over a frozen ocean to save the lives of trapped miners despite thawing waters and a threat they never see coming.

    Liam Neeson’s decade-plus tenure as an everyman action star generated huge tallies at the box office. After a few mixed bag offerings (Honest Thief and The Marksman kept theaters afloat during the dire pandemic), Neeson now finds himself joining the ranks of streaming movie stars. It’s the ultimate sign of the evolving times, displaying just how much the theatrical marketplace continues to change amidst more restrictive, blockbuster-oriented regiments.

    With Neeson’s Netflix debut, The Ice Road, Neeson changes hats as a truck driver set with an impossible mission amidst frosty northern Canada conditions. Neeson’s resume is chock-full of thanklessly generic actioners, which often find the star sifting through menial job positions while embracing the genre’s eye for ridiculously over-the-top entertainment. The Ice Road is perhaps his most shameless romp yet, but that’s not necessarily a negative statement.

    By embracing the formula of relentless thrill rides from yesteryear, writer/director Jonathan Hensleigh finds himself as an adept fit for the material’s cheeky allures (Hensleigh co-wrote 90’s staples like Die Hard with a Vengeance and Jumanji before writing and directing the 2004 Punisher reboot). Hensleigh’s more traditional sensibilities fit this material like a glove, with his serviceable screenplay imbuing just enough realism and revolving steaks to keep audiences invested.

    The decision to employ more of an ensemble-oriented approach performs wonders for the material’s fairly dated contrivances. Between Neeson’s deadly ice road mission and the miners stuck below dangerous conditions, Hensleigh wisely keeps the pace moving at a frenetic clip while not getting hung up on painfully generic character-building devices. A strong balance between real-world textures and Hollywoodized theatrics also works to keep this familiar formula afloat. Hensleigh’s direction values practical sets and clever ingenuity over bombastic setpieces, allowing the material to retain a grounded edge alongside its campier aspirations. The action scenes are filmed with enough competence and machismo gusto to forgive their slight nature.

    Like a hull truck speeding down a steep hill, The Ice Road’s taunt momentum can’t stop for much development. However, that doesn’t prevent Liam Neeson from continuing to elevate everyman roles. As a driver trying to take care of his special needs brother, the actor’s hardened personality draws instant gravity onscreen. Few can deliver goofy one-liners and tired exposition with such poise and personality, with the 69-year old showing no signs of slowing down as a gruff action hero.

    While The Ice Road succeeds within its regimented genre parameters, the film’s restrictive formula does limit the material significantly. An over-reliance on dated stereotypes creates a laborsome aftertaste throughout much of the film’s plot-driven sections. Neeson’s special needs brother is easily the starkest example, with Marcus Thomas’ poor casting and the film’s general over-simplification morphing the role into a painfully dated plot device. I also wish the film developed even a semblance of substantive undertones. The Ice Road’s breezy narrative passes by without drawing a significant interest point, likely making this entry disappear amongst Neeson’s busy catalog (there’s an underlying look at shady industry practices, but it goes nowhere).

    Despite the lingering disposability, The Ice Road works as a high-throttle romp that achieves just enough to elevate its straightforward mechanics. Netflix could make for a great new home for Neeson’s brand of dopey machismo actioners, with this film’s low-steaks allures working nicely alongside streaming’s easy-going reach.

    The Ice Road is now available on Netflix.