film reviews, interviews, features | BRWC

Author: Matt Conway

  • Spirit Untamed: The BRWC Review

    Spirit Untamed: The BRWC Review

    Spirit Untamed Synopsis: After moving to a sleepy little town, young Lucky Prescott (Isabela Merced) befriends a wild mustang named Spirit, who shares her rebellious spirit. When a heartless wrangler plans to capture Spirit and his herd, Lucky and her new friends embark on the adventure of a lifetime to rescue the horse that forever changed her life.

    Amidst a wave of popular hits like Shrek and Shark Tale, Dreamworks crafted the meditative horse drama Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron. Spirit was a welcomed detour from family film’s typical delivery, foregoing any goofy comedic bits and overly-kiddy elements to tell a soulful and sincere story. Several animated films insert the perspective of lively animal creatures, but few have skillfully captured animal’s communal spirits and boundless hearts like Spirit. The film would go on to be a modest success financially and critically (it gained a Best Animated Feature Oscar nod), spawning its own Netflix series Spirit: Riding Free in the process.

    After nearly two decades away from the big-screen, Spirit has been reimagined in the sequel/spin-off Spirit Untamed. Trading in the original’s free-flowing 2D animation for the conformity of 3D animation, Untamed strays away from the original’s good-natured spirit without any thoughtful wrinkles to offer in its place. It’s an incredibly competent effort, one that sadly flatlines from its lack of meaningful ingenuity.

    Spirit Untamed isn’t entirely joyless. Shifting the perspective from the horse to a spirited young girl has promise, with both characters sharing a kindred bond through their lively penchant for adventure and life’s naturalistic joys. The film operates at its best when centered around Lucky and Spirit’s non-verbal dynamic, striking enough genuine moments of bonding to reinvigorate its formulaic origins. A well-curated voice cast also elevates the familiarity, with Marsai Martin, Mckenna Grace, and Jake Gyllenhaal imbuing enough enthusiasm in their archetypal roles.

    However, fans of the 2002 original will largely be left bewildered and disappointed by this modern reimagining. I understand where studios have to play ball with kid’s playful sensibilities, but it seems much of Spirit Untamed performs the bare minimum for its target demographic.

    The serene gentility of the original is traded out for a boisterous business, with writers Katherine Nolfi and Kristin Hahn keeping the breathless pace going through a series of action-packed frames. Even with daring chases and death-defying stunts, very little of Untamed garners significant interest. It’s a letdown to see this reboot completely strip away what made the original film so noteworthy (the 3D animation is also a marketed step down from its graceful 2D counterpart).

    All would be forgiven if Untamed didn’t reek with a cynical manufactured streak. From the generic plotting (it’s your typical distant father-daughter relationship) to flat crowd-pleasing moments, the film sticks to a far too regimented playbook. The 88-minute runtime rarely leaves room for boredom, but none of the character dynamics have the time or dimension to draw a noteworthy impression. There’s very little to distinguish this wayward reboot from any typical family offering on streaming services.

    Spirit Untamed‘s banal delivery does little to reinvent the majestic stallion for modern audiences. If families are looking for a family film to check out, just watch the 2002 original instead.

    Spirit Untamed debuts in theaters nationwide on June 4th.

  • A Quiet Place Part II: The BRWC Review

    A Quiet Place Part II: The BRWC Review

    A Quiet Place Part II Synopsis: Following the events at home, the Abbott family now face the terrors of the outside world. Forced to venture into the unknown, they realize the creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threats lurking beyond the sand path.

    Thanks to an innovative horror concept, A Quiet Place shined as a rare original IP breakout back in 2018. Critics and audiences alike raved over its hire-wire thrills and humanistic storytelling. Personally, neither of those traits were present in the final product. The maudlin family dynamics and confounding horror movie logic left an artificial aftertaste that kept me at a distance from the occasional thrills.  

    After a year-long delay, A Quiet Place Part II finds director John Krasinski pushing his concept to new blockbuster heights. There are pulses of roaring entertainment present throughout, but this inconsistent sequel left me with a foreboding sense of apathy. 

    The opening frames present a fair share of promise. Krasinski whisks audiences back to the day of the alien’s initial attack, building a sense of unease from commonplace Americana before unleashing a flurry of kinetic sequences. He’s a skilled craftsman when it comes to pulsating sequences, deploying several steady tracking shots while relaying roller coaster thrills with every attack. 

    A Quiet Place Part 2 also presents new narrative wrinkles to the table. With Krasinski’s Lee out of the picture, we find Evelyn, Marcus, and Regan assuming new responsibilities amidst their dire straights. With the help of former acquaintance Emmett, the quartet occasionally wrestles with grief and purpose amidst their decaying environment. Strong performance work from Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy, Noah Jupe, and breakout Millicent Simmonds elevate the material when given the chance. There are plenty of meaningful moments hinting at what these characters could become.

    Even with some notable improvements, A Quiet Place Part II suffers from the same breathlessness as its predecessor. Krasinski’s screenplay feels minimalistic to a fault, rarely imbuing his vulnerable characters with the screen time needed to create meaningful development. Every character beat is struck in broad strokes, hammering a sense of pathos that doesn’t quite connect. A straightforward narrative like this can elicit deeply human moments, but Krasinski strikes out at swings for Spielbergian sentimentality. 

    A Quiet Place Part II never congeals into a succinct experience. Krasinski crafts a myriad of amusing thrills, yet there’s no engaging center to ground the chaotic action. Both films in this series coast too much on their unique premise, with the high-concept setup not doing enough to mask the material’s inherent emptiness. 

    I can see why both A Quiet Place films bolster a renowned resonance with audiences. For me, these roller-coaster thrillers still struggle to connect on a fundamental level. Hopefully, Krasinski and company show more improvement with the inevitable third entry.

    A Quiet Place Part II is now playing in theaters nationwide.

  • Matt’s New Release Breakdown: May Edition

    Matt’s New Release Breakdown: May Edition

    May typically exists as the long-awaited kickoff to the summer movie season. While COVID has caused a slower start than normal, there’s still a slew of intriguing independent releases operating around the periphery. In this month’s new release breakdown, I cover a feel-good crowdpleaser, a fresh spin on the rom-com genre, and a Cannes festival darling. Let’s get it going!

    DREAM HORSE – Directed by Euros Lyn

    Dream Horse Synopsis: The true story of Dream Alliance, an unlikely racehorse bred by small-town bartender Jan Vokes. With very little money and no experience, Jan (Toni Collette) convinces her neighbors to chip in their meager earnings to help raise Dream and compete with the racing elites. Their investment pays off as Dream rises through the ranks and becomes a beacon of hope for their struggling community.

    From the sentimental poster to the marketing’s cheery crowdpleaser energy, Dream Horse proudly wears its earnest pretenses on the heart. Director Euros Lyn and screenwriter Neil McKay certainly have a commendable story on their hands, a semi-true tale that delves into a Welsh community’s reinvigorating bond amidst their town’s blase existence. Under the duo’s tutelage, Dream Horse’s pertinent values are morphed into a series of largely inauthentic frames.

    Like many films of this elk, Dream Horse strives for cheerful pleasantness rather than fully-formed dynamics. McKay rushes past a myriad of intriguing subplots (Jan’s waning relationship with her husband, the community’s dire economical straights, and the Dream Alliance complicated business decisions) to present the Hollywood equivalent of comfort food. This familiar spell will achieve enough for some viewers, but the film never engaged me where it counts the most.

    Despite solid performances by Toni Collette and Damian Lewis, the characters end up feeling like lifeless amalgams of well-trudged cliches. None of them find much dynamic purpose outside of the story’s whims and desires, hammering in the film’s generally artificial delivery. A story about a rustic community coming together against hardship has a lot of potency and weight. It’s just a shame that Dream Horse‘s tolerable delivery rarely reaches dramatically compelling heights.

    DREAM HORSE is now playing in theaters nationwide during May before a VOD run on June 11.

    PORT AUTHORITY – Directed by Danielle Lessovitz

    Port Authority Synopsis: Paul, a 20-year-old midwesterner, arrives at the central bus station and quickly catches eyes with Wye, a 22-year-old girl voguing on the sidewalk. After Paul seeks her out in secret, an intense love between them blossoms. But when Paul discovers Wye is trans, he is forced to confront his own identity and what it means to belong.

    A long-forgotten offshoot of the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, Port Authority is finally finding its way to the masses. Some may dismiss the film for its lengthy duration on the backlogs, but that would be a major disservice to writer/director Danielle Lessovitz’s assured debut. Coming to life with a vibrant sense of community and place, Port Authority develops thoughtful textures from its sleight delivery.

    I really hope Lessovitz receives the attention she deserves here. As a breakout debut, her free-flowing camera movements elicit a wandering atmosphere fitting of her lost protagonist. She truly soaks in New York’s varied sensibilities, whether that be the commanding freneticism of club life to low-economic areas propped up through communal power. The visuals define a sense of place further developed by Lessovitz’s thoughtful portrayal of the trans community. Not only is the casting representation on point, but the characters are also imbued with dynamic and well-articulated characterization despite their somewhat limited runtime.

    Port Authority’s biggest draw comes from its well-matched leads. Fionn Whitehead and Leyna Bloom are a compelling pair as newfound lovers. Whitehead’s insular work showcases Paul’s intense longing buried under his rigid demeanor. Bloom has genuine star potential, grabbing the audience’s interest through her deft mixture of charisma and vulnerability. Their lively chemistry serves as the igniting force behind Paul’s evolution from rough uber-masculinity to a genuine human being.

    While Lessovitz certainly utilizes familiar devices (the third act feels a little too clean for its own good), Port Authority discovers its own purpose from indie formula. I hope audiences are willing to give this film a chance this weekend.

    PORT AUTHORITY is available in select theaters May 28th and On Demand and Digital June 1, 2021.

    WE BROKE UP – Directed by Jeff Rosenberg

    We Broke Up Synopsis: Lori and Doug, a longtime couple breaks up just days before Lori’s little sister Bea’s wedding. In order to not disrupt the fun, the couple decides to pretend they’re still together until the weekend is over.

    I am admittedly cheating here as We Broke Up was an end of April release. Still, I am always intrigued by “rom coms” looking to evolve off of the genre’s traditional formula. From the perspective of a couple falling out of love after a decade-long relationship, Jeff Rosenberg’s writing/directorial debut presents moments of raw authenticity.

    Stars William Jackson Harper and Aya Cash register a compelling and fittingly distant rapport while still conveying the pairs’ deeply-seated feelings for each other. When the film is at its most intimate, it affectingly examines a delicate personal stage with profound feelings of melancholy and loss (the ending is touching in its own quiet ways). It’s refreshing to see a film treat breakups with honest sincerity, with both parties coming to a common point of love and understanding despite their differences.

    Despite moments of brilliance, We Broke Up rarely breaks the romantic comedy mold. Too much of the sporadic 80-minute runtime is spent mucking through bland comedic bits and wacky situations. These moments not only feel borrowed from far superior films, but they shift the focus away from the appeal of the star’s central rapport. The leads take a backseat far too often to the genre’s unoriginal hijinks, preventing the well-meaning narrative from ever reaching its intended heights.

    There’s a great movie buried amidst We Broke Up’s far too busy runtime. It’s a shame Rosenberg can’t fully develop his thoughtful concept, but the moments that do work display his potential going forward in the subgenre.

    We Broke Up is now available on VOD throughout May.

    You can also check out my reviews for other May titles, including Wrath of Man, Mainstream, Those Who Wish Me Dead, and Spiral.

  • Cruella: The BRWC Review

    Cruella: The BRWC Review

    Cruella Synopsis: In 1970s London amidst the punk rock revolution, a young grifter named Estella (Emma Stone) is determined to make a name for herself with her designs. Estella’s flair for fashion catches the eye of the wicked Baroness von Hellman (Emma Thompson). Their relationship sets in motion a course of events and revelations that will cause Estella to embrace her wicked side and become the raucous, fashionable, and revenge-bent Cruella.

    Disney’s recent barrage of live-action efforts has been middling at best. Aside from a few inspired deviations (2016’s Pete’s Dragon is still an underrated gem), most of these slapdash remakes rest far too much on the pedigree of their inspired predecessors. Soulless products like The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast confused innovation with a live-action paint job, with both symbolizing sinful new heights of cynicism for the beloved House of Mouse.

    Thankfully, I Tonya director Craig Gillespie elevates this tired trend with Cruella, a spin-off from the perspective of 101 Dalmatians villainess Cruella De Vil. Embracing the showy chicness of its central protagonist and the 70’s punk wave, Gillespie and company spin a devilishly alluring crowdpleaser despite some foundational issues.

    After two stints working with Disney (Million Dollar Arm and the refreshing traditionalist thriller The Finest Hour), Gillespie playfully lets loose within his newfound carte blanche. Cruella easily ranks as one of Disney’s most dynamic live-action efforts in some time, with Gillespie and cinematographer Nicolas Karakatsanis dreaming up a plethora of intoxicating camera movements and well-articulated frames. Every shot is constructed with purpose and intentive details, which is certainly more than I can say about most Disney live-action efforts. The lavish opulence whisks audiences along while earnestly playing tribute to the film’s high-fashion environment.

    Gillespie also expresses an astute understanding of zippy techniques, implementing flashy one-take longshots and a myriad of era-defining songs to create pulsating momentum. I love how Cruella ingrains its punk-rock aesthetic in every frame. The bold stylistic choices and lively setting make a fitting accouterment to our protagonist’s rambunctious edge. I give the team involved credit for crafting outside of the typical Disney presentation sensibility, even if it’s not a wholly inventive pastiche (the Joker comparisons have been numerous).

    Much of the rambunctious fun comes from the well-matched cast. Emma Stone is clearly having a ball as the quirky Cruella. Stone sinks her teeth into every scene, performing with a level of theatric grandiosity fitting of the character’s colorful image. Still, she doesn’t forget to imbue the wild-child persona with some much-needed humanity, delivering a fitting anti-hero deserving of the audience’s empathy. Emma Thompson is deliciously wicked as Cruella’s narcissistic rival, while Paul Walter Hauser and Joel Fry liven their archetype roles as Cruella’s sidekicks.

    Cruella marks several positive steps forward for Disney’s live-action catalog, but there’s clearly still room for improvement. Gillespie’s energetic effort gets too boisterous for its own good, with the medley of song choices and stylish edits masking the lack of dimensionality under the surface. I wish the character dynamics here had more time to render. For a movie centered on the wicked villainess, Cruella’s journey from small-time thief to bold fashion icon rarely receives time to breathe onscreen (the film’s most intimate scene, a confessional by Cruella of her misdeeds, is unsurprisingly its best). It does seem that Disney is getting a little too much credit for embracing more inventive choices. In actuality, the studio should have incorporated bolder techniques a long time ago.

    It may be a case of style over substance, but Cruella still shines as an engaging crowdpleaser defined by its own wicked sensibility.

    Cruella debuts in theaters and on Disney+ Premier Access on May 28th.

  • New Order: Another Review

    New Order: Another Review

    New Order Synopsis: In the near future, a popular uprising in Mexico City interrupts a wedding held at the home of a wealthy family. After the riots have been quashed, they discover the bride (Naian González Norvind) has gone missing and plea with the military to help locate her.

    Every festival season delivers a handful of wildly controversial titles. 2020’s New Order easily ranked as the most divisive of the bunch, scoring scathing responses from critics and director Michel Franco’s home country of Mexico. Claims of over-simplification and downright racist depictions of Mexico’s class disparity followed the film like a pervasive stench. To be fair, the extreme sensibility of festival audiences doesn’t always represent a film’s total merits (Inglorious Basterds was booed at Cannes).

    With the film now reaching the masses, I can completely understand the extreme divide behind New Order’s reactions. Franco’s unrelenting and brutal vision of class warfare manhandles audiences with its abrasive delivery. In the writer/director’s assured hands, New Order delivers a compelling and occasionally articulate descent into human cruelty.

    Franco’s no-nonsense sensibility whisks the audience into the heart of its brutal class divide. From the opening frames onward, the filmmaker jockeys between the high-class luxuries of a blissfully undisposed wedding versus the chaotic revolution surrounding the gated event. Painted with sharp green symbols of rebirth, the disenfranchised lower class soon breaks the invisible wall separating the two sides.

    What ensues is a shocking display of depravity, both from the callously cold rich and the enraged poor populous. I can see many cry foul about simplistic depictions on both sides, but I viewed Franco’s archetypical delivery as a vulgar representation of both sides’ lingering distaste. Franco’s repurposing of historical events represents the dynamic at its most violent and provocative, mirroring the two group’s extremes to comment on our own world’s growing disparity. New Order dystopian worldview feels refreshingly grounded in real-world zeitgeist, with Franco’s poised hand never drifting into absurdist Hollywodized territory.

    Franco’s frenetic verve behind the camera consistently keeps audiences on their toes. His penchant for steady long-takes displays impressive coordination and naturalism with every frame. This is a relatively low-budget effort, but Franco utilizes every bit of his assets to create a lively landscape. I also admire Franco for his tactful approach to the film’s occasionally vile content. By framing the anguished reactions rather than the violence itself, the director conveys unnerving horrors without a gratuitous edge.

    New Order transfixed me through its brutal spell. I just wish its social commentary rendered a bit more onscreen. Franco’s film certainly isn’t one for subtlety, which can occasionally make its points feel laborsome in their heavy-handed delivery. The third act is perhaps the biggest perpetrator of this issue. The movie loses much of its dramatic steam in favor of a predictable and overly simplistic climax. It’s a shame Franco loses his ferocity when it matters most.

    While it will certainly divide audiences, New Order‘s bold vision has a certain intoxicating allure. Franco creates a dynamic take on class warfare that won’t soon be forgotten.

    New Order is now playing in select theaters.