Author: Megan Williams

I Blame Society: Review

Written, directed and starring as herself, ‘I Blame Society’ follows Gillian Wallace Horvat as a struggling filmmaker hoping to get any of her scripts greenlit. However, after receiving a compliment about how she would make a good murderer, she sets out on filming how she’d actually commit a murder.

‘I Blame Society’ is an interesting concept and one that I was intrigued by. Taking inspiration from films like Netflix’s ‘Spree’ and 2006’s ‘Behind The Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon’, this type of synopsis is unique to the horror genre as it provides a perspective that is rarely seen: the perspective of the slasher. The film’s layout is also reminiscent of a behind the scenes feature, an aspect that I enjoyed. It added a sense of realism to a horrifying scenario. Furthermore, the extra layer of realism is added to this film specifically when I discovered that the lead actors were actually playing exaggerated versions of themselves.

However, ideas and execution of those ideas are what makes each film stand out from each other and is what makes or breaks them. Unfortunately, ‘I Blame Society’ belongs to the latter group.

While the plot is intriguing, ultimately the pacing and lead character let it down. Gillian plays a psychopathic version of herself, allowing her obsession to commit a murder of her own be under the disguise of her filming a slasher film that must be perfect. However, her awful personality can’t be ignored. And, while her lack of empathy is deliberate as to make the audience realize how she gained the ‘good murderer’ compliment, it was still frustrating to watch.

The film even shows her scripts getting rejected due to her films having unlikable characters, considering that she herself is unlikable right from the opening scene. The film would’ve worked better if Gillian had started out as a nice and caring person then been given the compliment that ignites her downward spiral. However, ‘I Blame Society’ gives us an arrogant, condescending and manipulative lead from the start and expects viewers to be ok with that.

‘I Blame Society’ is also extremely slow paced. While that type of pacing works for some horror films, it really doesn’t work here, and a lot of interactions could’ve been cut. The biggest aspect that should’ve been removed was the side plot revolving around Gillian meeting up with two distributors, only to find out that they want to mould her into something that she isn’t. This plotline was clear in its message: women are overshadowed by men in the horror film industry and it’s frustrating to see females struggle in this industry.

It’s an issue that still occurs today and something that I have even faced on a smaller scale, so I understood her frustrations. However, this could have been separated from the actual murderer plotline as a spin-off or sequel. While it is an important aspect to have, it felt out of place in this film and made the already slow pacing uneven.

Overall, ‘I Blame Society’ is an example of a good idea with bad execution, which is a shame. The plot is fantastic and intriguing, but the execution needs to be just as good to keep me watching. Unfortunately, it was let down by slow pacing and a lead character who was extremely insufferable to watch. And while this may have been a deliberate decision, it still doesn’t excuse the fact that viewers have to spend nearly 90 minutes with her as she stubbornly carries the film along. Whilst the film may blame society, I blame this film for wasting my time.

22nd February 2021
Barb And Star Go To Vista Del Mar: The BRWC Review

Written, produced and starring Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig, ‘Barb and Star Go To Vista Del Mar’ follows Barb (Annie Mumolo) and Star (Kristen Wiig), two middle aged friends who have lived in the same neighbourhood their entire lives. After losing their jobs and their place in the weekly Talking Club, they decide to venture out of their sheltered lives in the suburbs and go on vacation for the first time ever.

This is an example of a film that gets better as it goes along and is, essentially, a live-action Spongebob Squarepants film. It features absurd moments that make no sense overall but, somehow, work and offer comedic value to the film. Furthermore, it has a charming, but strange, plot that works for the most part. As a huge Spongebob fan, I found enjoyment here, even if I do have a couple of issues with it.

It’s clear that ‘Barb and Star’ was Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig’s passion project (or an excuse to go to the Tropics!). They play the two leads who have known each other their entire lives and share a close friendship. And this is obvious from the moment they’re introduced; the two actresses’ have fantastic chemistry and work together perfectly, bouncing off each other’s dialogue seamlessly. And even when there’s conflict that tests their friendship, they make this aspect somewhat relatable still. However, while the two leads bounce off each other fantastically and they are charming, their actual personality is what makes the the first act insufferable. Because they’ve known each other for so long, they can have fast-paced conversations; it’s a testament to their relationship that they know what the other person’s going to say next.

However, it cannot be ignored: their fast-paced talking was stressful to witness. The scene where they’re in the airplane, travelling to Vista Del Mar, is a prime example of what’s right and wrong with these characters. And, yes, this scene is deliberately showing us how annoying they are to the other passengers, but that doesn’t mean that the viewers have to suffer through it for so long to get the point across. They haven’t stopped talking from the moment they’re on-screen! The film really needed a calmer and more level-headed character to appear to balance things out. And, thankful, that does happen once they get to Vista Del Mar!

The arrival of Jamie Dornan’s character, Edgar, not only creates a change in the leads’ personalities, but it also kickstarts the secondary plot in this film: A no-named Bond-style villain is plotting to set deadly mosquitos on Vista Del Mar, and Edgar is her assistant/supposed lover. The concept of two middle-aged innocent women stopping an evil plot is extremely funny, even if this did feel very out of place during the first act. But, like previously mentioned, this is a film that gets better as it continues on. And Dornan’s relationship with the leads is delightful.

He was needed to not only calm Barb and Star’s fast-paced personalities but to also create a conflict with the two, ultimately testing their friendship. And he even gets some scenes to show off his comedic acting, which he fits into comfortably; going forward, I hope Jamie Dornan appears in more comedies because his comedic timing was fantastic.

While Star and Barb were amusing, it was the colourful side characters and absurd jokes that stood out personally. Jamie Dornan’s musical number as he dances around the beach and has a mental conflict with himself was definitely a highlight in the film.

There’s also a talking crab, voiced by Morgan Freeman, Andy Garcia, another spy who is terrible at his job and a musical number in the hotel that Star and Barb think they’ve booked, to only discover that they’re at the wrong location. These were all aspects that earned the biggest laughs, and this is where the Spongebob Squarepants comparison comes in: these are all scenarios that the famous cartoon would include.

Overall, ‘Barb and Star Go To Vista Del Mar’ was absurd and hilarious. Despite the wonky first act, the film really shines from the moment Star and Barb arrive at the tropical town. Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo are fantastic as the fast-talking friends, and their friendship is believable. The humour is surreal but enjoyable, most of which was provided by the crazy side characters that the film introduces. This does lead me to wonder whether they were inspired by the Sea Sponge who lives in a Pineapple under the sea.

19th February 2021
All-New Halloween Spooktacular! WandaVision: Disney+ Talk

All-New Halloween Spooktacular! WandaVision: Disney+ Talk

So, after Episode 5 of ‘Wandavision’ ended with a major twist, I was left wondering whether that particular character’s introduction was just a one-off tactic for the episode, or whether he would stay for the remainder of the series. However, I am pleased to see that Quiksilver is featured in this episode too.

Going into the 1990’s, Episode 6, titled ‘All-New Halloween Spooktacular’ sees the Maximoff family getting ready to go trick or treating round the neighbourhood, while Vision wanders to the edge of the Hex and attempts to escape the world that he’s incarcerated in.

Now that the last couple of episodes answered some of viewers’ main questions, this episode decides to raise more questions. I love that Vision is the one that is trying to find out more about the town from the inside, and this is an aspect of the show that I’ve really enjoyed from the start. I also enjoyed the interactions that Quiksilver had with Wanda and her children. He plays the cheeky man-child uncle that Tommy and Billy adore, but even the kids are growing suspicious of their surroundings.

Once again, that’s all I can say in terms of this episode’s non-spoiler aspects.

All-New Halloween Spooktacular! WandaVision: Disney+ Talk

So, the rest of this article will contain spoilers!

So, like previously mentioned, the show has now moved onto the 90’s/early 2000’s. This was the era that I was looking forward to the most, having been born in the early 90’s myself. So, it was delightful to see that this episode’s intro and layout was similar to ‘Malcolm in the Middle’. For those unaware, ‘Malcolm in the Middle’ was a sitcom revolving around a working-class family starring Frankie Muniz in the lead role. He also acted as the narrator for each episode, and this episode follows the same layout, with Tommy and Billy acting as the narrators. Like the previous episodes, the attention to detail when following the specific shows’ formats have been fantastic. This one was especially delightful because the source material was something that my family and I would watch together.

This episode is also full of references: Scarlett Witch, Vision and Quiksilver’s comic book costumes are all featured here, acting as that particular character’s Halloween costumes. There’s also a reference to the 2011 film ‘Kick Ass’. This is used in a throw-away line at the beginning of the episode, but is a nice nod, and obscure reference, to Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who played Quiksilver in ‘Age of Ultron’. In a later scene, the group are walking by a cinema, which is displaying ‘The Parent Trap’ (about twins who get separated) and ‘The Incredibles’. The latter film is either a reference to the Maximoff family or another reference to the upcoming ‘Fantastic Four’ film.

An interesting aspect to note is during this particular scene, Billy suddenly gains Quiksilver’s lightspeed power, while Tommy suddenly gets Wanda’s powers. This suddenly occurs and is just accepted by Wanda and Quiksilver without any explanation. My theory is that the children picked up these powers via genetics, in the same way that one child may get ginger hair from their distant relative, despite their parents having brunette hair, whilst the other gets the brunette hair from their parents.

Meanwhile, Vision ventures to the edge of town and near the Hex. And this is where the episode’s creepiness factor comes into play. Because this side of town is so far away, Wanda can’t quite reach these townsfolk, like an old video game that hasn’t had time to render its surroundings yet as the player is moving towards it. Therefore, these townsfolk are alive but are standing still, completely stuck in one place. This aspect reminded me of the horror film ‘House of Wax’, where the victims are covered in wax so they’re unable to move, but they’re aware of their surroundings.

This, overall, makes for a horrifying scenario, especially when the camera focuses on one woman who’s sobbing whilst stuck in a slow loop. It’s a scary thought, but also highlights something that the show is fantastic at doing: it’s great at showing just how threatening and unstoppable Wanda can be if she really sets her mind to it. And, when Vision does go through the Hex, after learning from Agnes that he’s actually dead, the barrier starts to tear him apart, not only showing just how strong the barrier is but also telling us that, if Vision were to venture out of this world, he would be dead because Wanda’s spell over him would be broken. This could also be what the ‘Yo-Magic’ advert was trying to say. In the advert, a person is on an island stranded, and a cartoon shark gives him a yogurt to eat. However, the person struggles to open the lid to the pot, ultimately decaying and dying. It was saying that, if Vision breaks through the seal, or the Hex, then it’ll kill him as he struggles to break through.

However, Vision dying leads to the next major event that occurs in the show. After learning from Tommy that Vision is dying, Wanda expands the size of The Hex, swallowing every member of S.W.O.R.D and leaving Monica Rambeau and Detective Woo on the outside of Westview. Like the previous episode, this was another major scene and one that leads to a question: how is ‘Wandavision’ going to end?!

All-New Halloween Spooktacular! WandaVision: Disney+ Talk

16th February 2021
On A Very Special Episode… WandaVision: Disney+ Talk

On A Very Special Episode… WandaVision: Disney+ Talk (Spoilers!) – Another week brings us another fantastic episode of the Marvel show ‘Wandavision’. And, by now, viewers have learnt that Wanda is the one controlling the town of Westview, and that this takes place a few weeks after ‘Avengers: Endgame’. But we’re not done with the surprises just yet!

In Episode 5, titled ‘On A Very Special Episode’, Wanda and Vision struggle with caring for rapidly growing children and Vision starts to question everything around him, leading to him confronting Wanda.

Because of the amount of information this episode provided viewers with, which may be deemed as spoilers, the rest of this article will contain spoilers. If you have not caught up with ‘Wandavision’, then be warned!

The rest of this article will now focus on spoilers for Episode 5 of ‘Wandavision’.

So, in the plot description, the two sons were mentioned (Tommy and Billy). While it can be argued that their acting is flat and too scripted, this seems to be deliberate to reflect the tone of the 80’s style show that Wanda is now trying to replicate. However, it can also be used as a way to surprise viewers later on. At the beginning of the episode, it’s shown that they can age themselves up, like a character from the video game ‘The Sims’ and can do this at will. An example of this is when they find a dog and ask if they can keep it, to which Wanda and Vision say they’d have to wait until they’re ten years old to have a pet. The sons then give each other a knowing look before growing ten years. They’re also aware that Wanda can resurrect the dead (like what she’s done with Vision), so I think a major twist is coming up revolving around the kids. They know more than they’re letting on.

Another plot in this episode revolves around Vision, and his suspicion towards the town. This is highlighted in what is one of the best scenes in this episode, where he temporarily undoes Wanda’s spell on his co-worker Norm. This is when it’s revealed that he’s scared, and that Wanda is in his head. Not only was this a fantastic scene but it was also creepy; ‘Age of Ultron’ first introduced Wanda as a villain and she still has the potential to be a menacing villain.

This leads to Vision confronting Wanda about what she’s doing, even exclaiming that he’s scared and doesn’t remember his life before Westview. This is a powerful scene because it only highlights that Vision is scared and confused, he desperately wants answers which his own wife won’t give him. But it also highlights how powerful both characters are when Wanda gets confrontational too. If a battle were to break out between the two, then the town would be doomed!

And to round up this fantastic episode is the big reveal that comes knocking at the end of the episode. After Vision has confronted Wanda, their doorbell rings, to which Wanda says that she’s not encouraging that. She then answers the door…and her brother is standing there! However, this Quiksilver is played by Evan Peters.

For those unfamiliar, Evan Peters played Quiksilver in the recent ‘X-Men’ films. That were not part of the MCU.

Because Disney bought 20^th Century Fox in 2019, it now allows them to merge the two properties together. But this decision is also huge for the MCU going forward and introduces new opportunities with existing projects. For example, ‘Spiderman 3’ has been confirmed to have Tom Holland, Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield all reprising the role of the web slinger, with rumours that Willem Dafoe was seen on set too. Furthermore, ‘Doctor Strange 2’ will also focus on multiverses. And now, with the arrival of Quiksilver, it implies that Wanda’s powers are unintentionally opening the gates to these multiverses without her realizing. In the previous episode, Dr Darcy Lewis explains that the energy that Wanda is using to create this strange reality is the same type of energy that created the Big Bang. Therefore, I think this energy is creating, or opening, these gateways.

Overall, things are escalating, and ‘Wandavision’ has taken a ground-breaking turn. I only hope that Quiksilver will now remain throughout the duration of the show. And what will happen when Vision does discover what’s really going on?

9th February 2021
Draw With Me: Review

‘Draw With Me’ is a 20-minute short film that revolves around Brendon Scholl, Jennifer Lopez’ nibling (gender neutral term for a niece or nephew). The film is a collaboration with the charity The Trevor Project and director/writer Constantine Venetopoulos. With an introduction from Jennifer Lopez, it is a coming out story that follows Brendon’s journey and how they use artwork as a form of self-expression.

Whilst I am not Trans myself, I have friends who are, so this was eye opening and informative for me. While I couldn’t relate to Brendon’s story on a personal level, I still felt sympathetic towards them due to my friends’ own experiences. The number one priority should be to feel comfortable in your own body, and to be comfortable with who you are.

The film is comprised of interviews with Brendon Scholl, their parents and aunt, giving audiences different perspectives on the life-changing situation. From this, I was really pleased to see that these people were accepting of Brendon’s situation, even if it was described as emotional and unexpected. Unfortunately, as Brendon says, some of their relatives were not so accepting. This is an issue that millions of Trans people have and it’s saddening to hear that some people are still not accepting of this. As Brendon says, ‘coming out is the most difficult part’. It’s a risk to do this, as some Trans people have been kicked out of their homes because of who they are. I’m glad this part was highlighted in the documentary because it’s an attitude that needs to change. While it’s an ugly aspect to coming out, it still needs to be highlighted then addressed. Brendon’s mother even says that the T in LGBT should be separate because it’s a completely different aspect, quoting ‘sexual preference is who you go to bed with; sexual identity is who you go to bed as’.

Brendon even expresses frustration at their school for not allowing them to change their name on the school register, stating that they’d need to get the parent/guardian permission to do so. While this makes sense for the school system, it is understandable frustrating for the individual who may not be ready to come out to their parents, and Brendon especially was forced to because of this. This is just one of the many problems that Trans people can face and can often be overlooked by the non-Trans community. Whether this is out of spite or not, it is still an issue and something that needs to change. Thankfully, Brendon’s parents and school friends are supportive of them, but that’s not always the case like previously mentioned.

Brendon also states that they found a way to express themselves via their artwork. This is featured heavily throughout the film as a form of transition and cutaways, as well as to visually explain a feeling that Brendon is going through. This is used to great effect, especially when Brendon is explaining their experience at school and the feeling of loneliness and isolation they felt, as well as the deeper negative thoughts they felt. The artwork they create is beautiful but simplistic in its symbolism: the pain and frustration of feeling like they’re alone is clear. Some of their artwork also highlights how they sometimes feel like they’re always being watched too; as if all eyes on them, and the pressure they feel under that.

https://vimeo.com/450714908

The film’s epilogue which takes place a year later, however, is eye opening. Brendon is now in college and amongst people who are more accepting of them. Because of this, they say that they’re in a better place now mentally as well as physically. It’s unfortunate that it’s taken this long for them to feel comfortable around other people but, at the same time, it’s heart warming to know that people are more accepting of them in their current environment.

The world can be a bitter place, especially in times like now, but it’s also become far more accepting. And, even with this knowledge, we have a long way to go still. ‘Draw With Me’ is not only a fantastic film, but an extremely important one. Not everyone feels like they were born in the correct body and that’s ok. You deserve to feel comfortable in your body, whether that’s the one you were born with or not.

The Trevor Project is an American non-profit organization founded in 1998. It’s focused on suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning youth. If you feel you do need help, The Trevor Project has a free (US) helpline, and text chat. The link is here: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help-now/

2nd February 2021