Author: Rosalynn Try-Hane

The BRWC Review: Toni Erdmann

Forget what you know about German films being bleak and say hello to Toni Erdmann. Toni Erdmann is already on my shortlist for favourite film of the year. At its core is a story about the everyday extraordinary that of the dynamic between adult father and daughter. Yet in this multi-layered dramatic comedy from writer/director Maren Ade we also explore: family, love, splattered with a little social commentary on multi-national companies using and disposing of local workforces and observe the excruitaitng, yet brilliantly observed thing we all do – life!

The film takes place in Germany and Romania and as such is in both German and then English. Yes even for those of you who recoil in horror like a vampire from the sun, about 10 minutes into the film you forget about the subtitles. The principal actors Peter Simonischek who plays Winfried and his alter ego Toni Erdmann and Sandra Huller who plays his daughter Ines dominate the screen and are both captivating.

The basic story focuses on Ines who’s a career woman, with a complicated love life who is trying to maintain her position in a male dominated company. She is the best at what she does -essentially making people redundant in order to generate the most money for the consultancy and multi-national company that employs that consultancy. Her father Winfriend just wants to see Ines happy but well she finds him exasperating.

One memorable scene is when Winfried arrives unannounced to surprise his daughter. She asks him how long he plans to stay. He, with a wry smile, replies a month. There is a pause as her eyes dart back and forth and then he replies – “that’s real terror that is”. The film is filled with so many witty observations.

Toni Erdmann

Why does it work? Yes, the father daughter dynamic has been done to death in a sweet way as in Father of the Bride and most recently Little Miss Sunshine for the quirky family thats not quite perfect and you wonder, really wonder what is going on. This film explores the archaeology of the family as well as showing the father/daughter story in all its raw, visceral glory – it is happy, sad, good, bad and at times downright dangerous to know. Just how do we get to an age where we think we can’t deal with our parents but yet (insane laughter please) realise that we’re in danger of turning into them. Why is Maren Ade’s film so good because it is interlaced with humour at every turn – you’re not laughing at the characters but the situation and that is what creates the connection and empathy. Also the central characters aren’t always likeable and that’s what makes them human and even more appealing.

There are so many more stand out moments but the rendition of The Greatest Love of All written by George Benson and sung by both him and Whitney Houston is given a spotlight moment here. The use of the song is similar to how Steve McQueen used New York, New York in his film Shame when it was sung by Carey Mulligan. Oh and the party scene…I will leave it at that.

Toni Erdmann packs an emotional gut punch in a deftly written script. It is long though at nearly 3 hours but honestly the time flies by. As previously stated you will laugh and cry in equal measure and at many moments squirm in the knowledge that you’ve been that close to losing it with a parent, colleague and yourself!

Toni Erdmann is released in cinemas across the UK on Friday 3 February.

30th January 2017
Get Ready For The New Season Of Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Challenge

Athlete Danny Cipriani to take on the bespoke workout

Brutal challenges from the series have been worked into a gruelling session at Gymbox in London

The new season of Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Challenge starts on Friday 20^th January, 8pm on Dave

Stand by for the return of the most physically enduring, toughest gameshow on television, which now has an accompanying gym class. To mark the launch of the third season of Dave’s hit show Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Challenge, Dave are to push rugby ace Danny Cipriani, and lucky – or unlucky – gymgoers, to their extremes at famed London gym Gymbox.

To give Danny Cipriani and the public a real feel for TV’s most brutal show, they will be pitched against tasks taken directly from the series. Worked up into a skull busting gym class, these challenges include tasks named the Ass Kicker, Bagged, Barn Burner, Drag Race, Ball Breaker, Pulveriser, Shockwave, Trench Warfare, and will be rounded off with elements taken directly from the most punishing obstacle course ever created by man, lovingly named the Skullbuster.

The new season of Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Challenge starts on Friday 20th January, 8pm on Dave

Hosted by Hall of Fame pro wrestler, ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin, season three will see his Broken Skull Ranch welcome eight elite athletes to compete in head-to-head battles until only one is left standing. Standing between them and $10,000 is an obstacle course so demanding that contestants are often broken by the experience.

To keep your body intact and watch from afar, tune into the third season on Dave at 8pm on Friday 20^th January, and on catch up via UKTVPlay.

Dave is the UK’s most watched non-PSB channel broadcasting to over 27 million people per month, and viewers continue to enjoy the ludicrously addictive American Pickers and UK remake of Storage Hunters. The channel continues to grow its original commissioning slate with political show Unspun With Matt Forde, Red Dwarf XI, fantasy comedy Zapped! and Celebrity Storage Hunters.

19th January 2017
Empire Cinemas Reveals Films To Watch For 2017

2017 is here and with it comes some of Hollywood’s biggest blockbusters to date. Empire Cinemas is giving movie lovers the scoop on the top 30, most anticipated movies of the year ahead; and it looks like film fanatics won’t be disappointed.

This coming year looks to be jam-packed with a diverse mix of both action & adventure and family focused flicks. A mammoth amount of hotly awaited sequels will be released, including; Star Wars: Episode VIII, Trainspotting 2, Guardians of the Galaxy 2, Fifty Shades Darker and War For The Planet Of The Apes.

Families will be spoilt for choice this year. Set for premiere in March 2017 is the re-make of the enchanting Disney classic Beauty and The Beastwith world renowned British actress; Emma Watson as Belle and Dan Stevens as the Beast. Ben Whishaw returns as the voice of Paddington in Paddington 2 in November; and the mischievous minions are back to cause mayhem in Despicable Me 3 in June.

As if that wasn’t enough for one year, 2017 continues with the release of the re-imagination of the 90’s classic adventure fantasy film Jumanji – a tribute to the late Robin Williams; starring Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and the humour elites Kevin Hart and Jack Black. Rounding off this fantastic year of film will be a new release from Pixar; an original, music-packed film called Coco. Inspired by the Mexican tradition of The Day of the Dead, it follows 12-year-old Miguel in a chain of mysterious events unravelling the story behind his family’s history.

For further information visit www.empirecinemas.co.uk

10th January 2017
The BRWC Review: Why Him?

Why Him? harks back to the era of Hollywood films that examined the father daughter bond and traditional ideals of family values and marriage. Being 2016 the core of the film is still family values but the son-in-law to be is totally unsuitable self made tech millionaire and it is the father in law who is made to look like the insecure party in this comic tale.

The timing of the release of Why Him? is interesting the day after most of us have had enough of our families. James Franco is on fine form as the self made tech millionaire, Laird Mayhew, in love with Stephanie Fleming (Zoey Deutch), the daughter of Ned Fleming (Bryan Cranston) who runs a printing business. A dinosaur in a modern world. This provides for most of the jokes some of which are laugh out loud funny. However, explore a little more and themes of live, belonging and acceptance are in abundance. There is definitely social commentary that runs through the film, a bit like a website pop up that says even though we are living in a superficial world what we all really want is to be loved and accepted. Is that true, is that what we are searching for – acceptance? Discuss. It is less like Father of the Bride and more reminiscent of the recent hit Bridesmaid. This is a comic, feel good movie with depth. The film works because of the outstanding performances by Bryan Cranston and Megan Mullally, who play husband and wife in this film, their pairing is comic genius.

This is definitely the tonic to a family overloaded Christmas or something to watch with friends as you regale them with stories of rubbish presents and burnt Christmas puddings.

Why Him? is released on Boxing Day in cinemas across the UK.

26th December 2016
Smart Screen Creative Awards

British filmmaking and industry is definitely riding the renaissance wave: directors such as Steve McQueen and Andrew Haigh being nominated for BAFTAs and Oscars. The films that are being made are diverse some with small budgets but mighty voices such as Theeb, produced by an English producer, to the biggest and most sought after films being shot here – you may have heard of it – Star Wars.

So it comes as no surprise that the inaugural Smart Screen Creative Awards for students at the Met Film School in November confirms that UK film industry will have a wealth of stories and maintain its creative excellence for years to come. The Met School was established 14 years ago and had the foresight to be based in Ealing Studios. Since it was created over 9,000 students have passed through its doors.

The Met School is still forward thinking when you consider the names of the categories of these awards:

Audience Engagement, Diversity, Impact, Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Creative Excellence.

These are all areas where even the most seasoned film makers don’t always consider that creative excellence is only one part of a film. That coupled with the fact that the categories were all judged by people in the industry: the head of BBC studios, Director of Programming at Picturehouse, Twitter etc.

I talked to Tony Orsten who is the CEO of The Imaginarium. His business is storytelling and when asked what he was looking for in the category he judged the Innovation award. He explained he was looking for: “people who tell stories in a new striking way” and went on to add that the winner is the most accomplished piece of film making by a student he had ever seen. The winner of the category was Kalash and not only is an arresting piece that stir up power emotions in the viewer. It is true storytelling at its best, you are unable to guess what comes next and is reminiscent of the seminal 23 minutes long scene in Steve McQueen’s film Hunger, one long shot no cuts between Bobby Sands and Father Moran.

The other winners of the night were:

Audience Engagement award went to Monica.

Creative Excellence award went to The Sprint King.

Diversity award went to Williams Syndrome Foundation.

Entrepreneurship award went to Hot Seat.

Impact award went to RightsInfo

Out of the 150 entries and the 18 shortlisted show that there are diverse voices emerging and that is very much a blessing. For too long the same stories keep being told in the same, lacklustre manner and whilst all of the winners were telling stories we have seen before the angle chosen showed their creativity and boldness. I, for one, cannot wait to see these graduates commercial work and hope that they stay creative and bold!

For more information on The Met Film School, check out their website: www.metfilmschool.ac.uk

5th December 2016