film reviews, interviews, features | BRWC

Author: Trent Neely

  • Playing With Power: The Nintendo Story – The BRWC Review

    Playing With Power: The Nintendo Story – The BRWC Review

    This five part documentary series from Crackle chronicles the story of The Nintendo company, from its beginnings as a playing card producer to its present day position as a dominant figure in the video game industry. Spanning decades and covering many landmark moments in gaming history including: the early days of arcade games, the video game “crash” of the early 80’s, to the introduction of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) a then revolutionary home console video game system, lawsuits, feuds with SEGA, Atari, PlayStation, and both the successes and failures of various product launches and technical advancements Nintendo has made over various decades from Donkey Kong all the way up to The Switch. This series tells the tale of a company that became not only an industry giant, but a cultural icon.

    It is apparent from his filmography that writer and director Jeremy Snead has a deep passion for video games and the history and culture that surrounds them. Snead has helmed such projects as Unlocked: The World of Games Revealed and Video Games: The Movie. In fact, there are many moments in the documentary where someone off-camera will make comments such as, “I remember being really frustrated by this part of a game.” It is evident when watching the series that Snead’s affinity and knowledge makes his interviewees comfortable and excited to share their knowledge as well. One former Nintendo employee even remarks that this is only the second project of its kind that she has felt comfortable speaking about Nintendo with. This evident preexisting knowledge comes through in his and his production team’s ability to assemble a series that essentially covers a company’s entire history, while also being judicious in how much time is spent on an individual time period or product so as not to hinder the pacing of the series.

    The main device that Snead and the production team use to deliver information to the audience and keep the momentum of the series going is the anecdotes and testimonials of the interviewees. The remarkable aspect of the interviewees is how diverse they are, authors and historians of Nintendo who have published books on the company and gaming industry, actors, former Nintendo employees, even corporate rivals such as the co-founder of Atari, and a former president at SEGA appear in the series. As a result of their various ages, genders, and professions, each individual has a different story when it comes to the nature of their relationship and history with Nintendo. When they became aware of them, what systems and games they first played and so on. The thread that ties all of these individuals together is that they all have an appreciation and respect for the impact that Nintendo and its properties have had on not only video game fans, but the world at large. By having such a diverse interviewee pool, Snead and the production team are able to create well-rounded pictures of how and why Nintendo did what they did and why they had the impact they did. 

    For instance when multiple interviewees talk about the mediocre reception the Wii U received upon release compared to the massive success of the original Wii console, the film cuts to former Nintendo employees talking about what the company was thinking and planning at the time, and why they think certain things both did and did not work over the company’s history. The film is able to cut between multiple interviewees to compare and contrast the explanation and perception of people within the company with those of people outside the company in order to provide a wide spectrum of opinions.

    Viewers coming into the series expecting a deep exploration into the creation and development of games may be disappointed that there are few interviews with game designers. Most Nintendo employees interviewed are former marketing and corporate heads. The central focus of the documentary is relatively restricted to Nintendo’s beginnings, its ascension to prominence in the gaming industry, corporate feuds, and the reception of Nintendo products at various times by the public rather than details on how certain games came to be. 

    The production team effectively uses archival footage in this series in order to highlight aspects of Nintendo’s impact that testimony alone can not fully encapsulate. This includes the use of home videos of kids opening Nintendo systems as gifts and the pure excitement and mania it inspired, clips from news reports covering the shortage of Nintendo gaming systems as consumers made runs on stores, commercials both by Nintendo and by their rivals showing how strong the rivalry to have dominance in the video game market was, and finally gameplay footage that helps demonstrate the evolution of video games over time, both by Nintendo and their competitors.

    Perhaps the most surprising element of this documentary is that while it is largely a tribute to what Nintendo has accomplished, the legacy of its systems, games and characters, the series also in part serves as a meditation on what it takes to succeed in corporate America. The early portion of the series is dedicated to Nintendo’s rise to dominance in the gaming industry which is colored somewhat by controversy, as there is talk about how Nintendo controlled production of cartridges and limited developers in order to maintain desired prices and gain its position of prominence amongst a relatively small amount of competition. As the series progresses however, the conversation changes when the period of rival’s such as SEGA, PlayStation, and Xbox come onto the scene. During this portion of the documentary, there are repeated references to the fact that at various points in history, other companies had better hardware and graphics than Nintendo. This resulted in occasional periods in Nintendo’s history where they were not the prominent name in video games. However, inevitably Nintendo would eventually come back into a position of domination. The interviewees and archival footage attribute these comebacks in part to the company’s strong foothold in pop culture due to the popularity of characters like Mario and Zelda, as well as the company’s emphasis on consumer experience. 

    For example, the series spends a fair amount of time on the early 2000s when competitors had consoles with better hardware, and were outselling Nintendo. However, Nintendo then introduced The Wii. The console’s simple, easy to learn and active gameplay not only helped Nintendo beat the competition in sales, but its success with whole households and elderly consumers meant Nintendo tapped into a portion of the market that video games rarely  had been able to sell to before. The interviewees and the series itself draw from stories such as these to illustrate that for companies to succeed, one must always pay mind not just to the technology available, but the experiences consumers want in  order to stay successful in a corporate environment where competition, technology and innovation are always in play. This added examination of marketing and corporate strategy may attract viewers into watching the series who otherwise may not have a strong affinity or familiarity  for  video games and their history. 

    This documentary series offers a great reflection on the history and impact of one of the world’s most influential companies. Viewers who already have a deep understanding of Nintendo’s history may not find new insights in this series, but anyone looking for a deep dive into a company that was not only successful but defined an industry and helped define modern pop culture should definitely seek this series out.

  • Soak: Review

    Soak: Review

    This Korean short film centers on Yeonsoo Tak (Do Eun Lee) as she reconnects with her mother, Mina Park (Chaewon Kim). It is revealed early on that Mina has left Yeonsoo and her father, and has been away from home for a couple of weeks. Before the start of the film, Mina reached out to Yeonsoo in hopes of speaking with her without her father’s knowledge.

    For her part, Yeonsoo seeks to determine if her mother plans to return home. To her surprise, Yeonsoo learns that her mother is in a relationship with another man named Mr. Kim (Sungyeon Kim). The rest of the film follows Yeonsoo as she deals with this revelation and its consequences.

    Writer and director Hannah Bang is able to pack much nuance and subtext into a film with a short runtime. In addition, Bang is seemingly comfortable and confident leaving certain details of the film up for audience interpretation, such as; how long has Mina Park’s relationship with Mr. Kim been going on? What impact will this revelation have on Yeonsoo’s relationship with both her parents? Bang also deftly and subtly provides clues as to why Mina left Mr. Tak without spelling things out for the audience. This commitment to the careful and intentional reveal of information will greatly engage some viewers, while frustrating others.

    The film’s strong writing is also anchored by great performances, particularly Do Eun Lee as Yeonsoo Tak. Lee perfectly embodies a young woman whose personal understanding of her world and perception of her parents is turned upside down. Lee also creates a lot of impact through facial expressions. There is one scene where Yeonsoo discovers some text messages of her mother’s that change her understanding of her mother and the situation surrounding her parents up to that point.

    However, in this scene, her mother is sleeping so Yeonsoo must take all this in while remaining silent. During this scene, Lee clearly portrays confusion, anger and sadness with just a few quick expressions. Additionally, Chaewon Kim is also fantastic as Mina Park, playing a conflicted woman torn between her desire to be happy as an individual, but also still love and support her daughter.

    The cinematography by Heyjin Jun greatly helps the audience connect with the character work done in the film, in particular helping the audience empathize with Yeonsoo’s perspective. For example, Mina Park reveals her relationship with Mr. Kim to Yeonsoo during a dinner. At the start of the scene, the camera is far away from the table. But, as Yeonsoo learns about the relationship and processes its implications, Jun slowly pushes the camera in.

    This perfectly uses visual storytelling to demonstrate Yeonsoo’s stress and shock. In the previously mentioned scene of Yeonsoo reading the text messages, Jun keeps the camera close to Yeonsoo’s face so that the audience can fully see the impact reading these messages has on her. The tight and close framing also helps the audience understand how powerful and inescapable that moment is.

    If you want to see a film that features strong performances, cinematography that helps convey emotion and character, and a script that contains a complex story and themes but still allows viewers to draw their own conclusions, consider viewing this film.    

  • Truth To Power: Review

    Truth To Power: Review

    Truth To Power: Review. By Trent Neely

    Can music change the world? This is the question at the heart of this documentary following System Of A Down frontman Serj Tankian. Specifically, the film follows Tankian as he discusses the formation and rise of System Of A Down and the evolution of his artistic career, as well as his passion as an activist for a variety of complex social and political causes including: the consequences of the Armenian genocide for both his own family as well as the Armenian people as a whole, the struggle to have the genocide recognized as such by the U.S. and other world governments, and his desire to help the people of Armenia have a voice in governmental proceedings while standing against government and corporate corruption.

    The film also examines how these issues have influenced the music Tankian and System Of A Down have made, and in turn how that art has impacted public conversations on these issues. The film also serves as a meditation on what the role of art should and can be. Can art be a tool in bringing awareness and change to social and political issues, or is it meant to purely be an entertaining and creative expression? These are the ideas that Truth to Power grapples with.  

    One striking thing that writer/director Garin Hovannisian and the entire crew accomplish in this film is how natural and seamless the observation and recording of Tankian feels. To the extent that in some ways Tankian feels like a co-director and driving force in the film as much as he does a subject. For instance, there is an early section of the film where Tankian discusses growing up in the Armenian neighborhood of Los Angeles. The film does not cut to to archival footage of immigrants arriving in LA during this section, but instead allows him to speak on his memories and show footage of him interacting with locals, highlighting the respect people in the Armenian community have for him and vice versa, while also allowing the audience to feel like Tankian himself is imparting information to the audience rather than the filmmakers themselves doing it. 

    When the film does use b-roll, it serves to highlight and add context to things that Tankian and others are discussing that a pure testimonial cannot fully capture, such as footage from when System Of A Down played in Armenia for the first time in 2015. Much of the film details Tankian passion for Armenian issues and how he wants the art he makes to also contribute to bringing awareness and action about. We see footage of Tankian on stage over the years calling for people to bring attention to the  Armenian genocide, we see clips from music videos containing controversial imagrey on war and violence as Tankian and others talk about the importance in engaging in cultural conversations when making art.

    So when it is time to discuss the System Of A Down concert in Armenia, the filmmakers have established the importance of that moment for Tankian himself as well as the band as a whole. Consequently, rather than purely relying on testimonials on the atmosphere and reaction by the crowd, Hovannisian and editor Michael T. Vollmann chose instead to show footage of the concert and the reaction to the band by those in attendance. Meaning, we the audience can clearly see and understand how much the band and its activism have meant to the people of Armenia because we are seeing the audience’s genuine reactions and combining it with the context given to us by the film earlier.

    Viewers expecting a film that broadly touches on System Of A Down’s music, formation, and the opinions of the other band members on social and and political issues, or interviews with other artists regarding how they view the ability and need for art to engage in broader conversations may be disappointed by the film’s emphasis on Tankian and his views as an individual.

    However, if you are looking for a documentary that truly helps you understand and empathize with the views and passions of its subject and ask interesting questions on what drives people to create art, how that art can take on a life of its own, and the ability or responsibility artists have to impact and engage in the public discourse, watch this film if given the chance.     

  • White Colour Black: Review

    White Colour Black: Review

    White Colour Black: Review. By Trent Neely.

    This drama film follows Leke (Dudley O’Shaughnessy) a successful photographer living and working in London. Despite his professional successes however, Leke is shown to be someone who is wanting. He spends his nights partying, taking drugs, and engaging in sexual conquests, but none of these activities seem to bring him a true sense of fulfillment but rather serve as distractions of some kind.

    Things are made even more complex when it is revealed that Leke’s father, who has been ill for some time and from whom Leke is estranged has passed away. As a result, Leke has to return home to Senegal after a long absence in order to bury his father. The remainder of the film follows Leke as his return to his country of birth and his interactions with the people there stirs within him a reflection on who he is, what he wants, and the effect that people and place has on him.

    Writer and director Joseph A. Adesunloye crafts a compelling character journey for Leke without bogging down the film with unnecessary or heavy-handed exposition. Most of the nuances of Leke’s character are revealed by his interactions with the various characters and settings. For instance, all of Leke’s interactions in London are fleeting and pass by at an almost frenzied pace as he focuses on work and temporary personal enjoyment. This lets the audience know that Leke is searching for something even if he does not know it himself.

    When he arrives in Senegal and meets Badewa (Yrsa Daley-Ward) and Assamane (Alassane Sy) the film begins to slow as Leke begins to have an appreciation for Senegal and have thoughtful conversations with Badewa and Assamane about Sengalese culture and their views on it. Only when Leke journeys to his father’s village and spends time with  Monsieur Dabo (Wale Ojo) Badewa’s father his other daughter Esther ( again played by Yrsa Daley-Ward) and his son Ousmane (Damola Adelaja) does he truly begin to look inward appreciate the beauty of Sengalese culture on a personal level.

    Revealing the layers of the character in this fashion grounds the film in realism in that very rarely in life (unlike in some films) do people have realizations about themselves as a result of other people spelling things out for them or dramatic monologues. Rather, it is due to the experiences people have with the world and people around them as well as the choices they make along the way. This is something that Adesunloye captures really well in the film thanks to the interactions mentioned above. We see a different Leke at the start of the film than we do the end  Since the film emphasises taking the audience on a journey with its protagonist rather than spelling out every detail, it would be interesting to see what new themes, details make themselves known on repeat viewings. 

    Of course, character driven films are only as strong as the performances bringing the characters to life. Dudley O’Shaughnessy has a difficult job of portraying a character marked by a sense of emotional distance, especially early on in the film. Still, even if his actions and expressions are subtle, O’Shaughnessy always has a look in his eye that shows that Leke is a person that is always deep in thought, even if those thoughts are not centered on what is currently happening. As the character as a whole is fairly stoic, the moments in the film that do call for more overt emotional displays are very effective. The rest of the cast do a great job of portraying characters that are helping Leke on his journey, but still aso remain a sense of individuality.

    Yrsa Daley-Ward’s portrayal of Badewa in particular is also a standout. While she, like Leke, left the village and pursued her own life, she is shown to have always maintained a strong bond with her family that is still in the village. Meaning, her character serves as a combination of the two sides of Leke with which he finds himself in conflict, a photographer in London doing what he wishes, and a man returning home to bury his father. Wale Ojo is also strong as Monsieur Dabo, a character who recognizes that Leke needs to reconnect with his past and his place of birth, but at the same time is not aggressive or judgemental. Rather, he is patient and compassionate in guiding Leke.

    The cinematography by Rory Skeoch is another high point of the film. Skeoch clearly knows how to use angles, color, and contrast to not only create memorable visual frames but also put the viewer right into Leke’s headspace and journey.This especially true for the scenes set in Senegal, Skeoch makes sure to emphasize more than just the heat of a desert environment. The editing by Christopher C.F. Chow also helps visualize Leke’s growth. At the start of the film when Leke is just moving from one experience to the next without being truly engaged, the editing is fast and feels more like vignettes. Once he journeys to Senegal however, the editing becomes more spaced out as Leke becomes more contemplative. 

    If you want to see a character drama that allows for nuance, trusts the audience to figure things out for themselves, and has great performances and cinematography, check out this film if possible.

    The film is premiering on digital platforms on Feb 19th.

  • Honesty Weekend: Review

    Honesty Weekend: Review

    Honesty Weekend: Review. By Trent Neely.

    This drama-comedy chronicles the romantic woes of a group of friends. There’s Ada-Cruz Goodson and John Goodson (Natalie Ceballos and Evan Watkins respectively) who have been married for some time and have a child together. They find themselves in couples counseling due to a build up of resentment and communication issues. Because of these issues, they are encouraged by their therapist Dr. Digman (Allan Wasserman) to have a weekend where they are completely honest with one another.

    Coincidentally, this weekend of honesty will take place at the same time as a gateway the couple are hosting with some of their closest friends who are having relationship troubles of their own. There’s Stella and Harry Simon (Dioni Michelle Collins and Adam Bartley). Stella and Harry are happily married but find themselves in conflict over the fact that Stella wishes to have a baby, while Harry is unsure about taking that next step in their relationship, creating tension and distance between them. Also in the group is Nate Falco (Pete Ploszek) the resident bachelor who is mocked by his married friends for his seemingly superficial approach to relationships.

    The rest of the group are unaware however that Nate is in a serious relationship with a woman named Jack (Lorraine Pascale) who herself is married. Things become more complex when John’s childhood friend Delaney Danton (Sabina Gadecki) who has just gone through a break-up with her girlfriend, joins the weekend retreat as well. John’s friendship with Delaney has long served as a difficulty in his and Ada’s relationship, as Ada senses that John has always had feelings for Delaney. The film follows the ensemble as they reconnect, learn about one another, and try to deal with their issues.

    Writer and Director Leslie Thomas takes care to show various stages of relationships and the differing perspectives of both those in the relationship, and the people around them. In the case of Ada and John, we are shown how the monotony of life and small arguments can snowball and create huge strains on relationships. With Stella and Harry, the audience is shown the divide that can occur when two people love each other, but are not on the same page in terms of what they want their goals or future to be. In the case of Nate, we see how hard it can be to open yourself up to a committed relationship after being a bachelor for a long time. In Delaney, the emphasis is on how people cope with the trauma of a break-up. All of these themes and stories prod into hard questions about relationships and how difficult it can be for people to navigate them.

    Each cast member does a good job of presenting the idea that these are relationships that have existed for a long time and are complicated. This is due in large part to the strong chemistry the cast shares. Dioni Michelle Collins and Pete Ploszek give particularly strong performances. Collins is very convincing as a woman who deeply loves her husband but is also concerned that he and her do not share the same aspirations.

    Specifically, Stella wonders whether her love for Harry makes up for the loss of never being a mother. Or if it would be better for her to divorce him and have a baby. Collins does a great job portraying this inner turmoil. For his part, Ploszek is very engaging as Nate, a character who clearly has long been mocked by his friends for his lack of romantic commitment. Nate however clearly sees that his friends’ relationships are not in all ways better than his, and he himself is trying to change. Ploszek captures this nature well.   

    Unfortunately, between the large cast, multiple storylines, and a roughly 90 minute runtime, the film is inherently limited in the depth and nuance with which any individual subplot or character can be explored. Consequently the film comes off as going through a checklist of predictable story beats: characters mock their friends’ romantic wowes, only to have their own flaws pointed out to them, or their mocking causes them or their partner to think about their own relationship troubles. Characters are tempted to cheat on their partners and have scenes with other characters tinged with sexual tension. Characters have an argument with their partner that seems like it will take a lot of time and work to resolve.

    By the time the credits roll however, all conflicts are resolved due to partners having a sudden heart-to-heart, friends giving each other advice or pep talks on what they should say or do. In one story, outside forces literally come into the story and remove certain sources of conflict. This is not to say that anything that happens in the film is inherently a poor choice.

    More that the burden of the scope of the cast and story makes the film feel like it is jumping around to various plots and characters quickly in order to resolve in time, This has the effect of making certain character realizations and plot points feel unearned.