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  • Profile: The BRWC Review

    Profile: The BRWC Review

    Profile Synopsis: Amy Whittaker (Valene Kane), an undercover British journalist, risks her life by infiltrating militant extremist groups online. The lines between her work and her life blur as she begins to get closer to Bilel (Shazad Latif), an ISIS recruiter trying to lure her into the terrorist group. Loosely based on a true story.

    Emerging from society’s tech-based intimacy, a new wave of cyber features has transfixed audiences from the perspective of our everyday devices. Some filmmakers have utilized the unique perspective to craft compelling reflections of habitual routines (Host and Spree were two of 2020s most inventive features), while others have sunk under the weight of the screens’ oppressively blank stares (I never jived with the campy Unfriended series despite their promise).

    The subgenre’s latest iteration, Profile, finds Wanted director Timur Bekmambetov burrowing into social media’s sinister crevices. Bekmambetov boasts a wildly inconsistent track record despite his inventive visual eye, but his latest marks a career-best achievement for the distinctive filmmaker. As an exploration of terrorist groups’ seedy recruitment efforts, Profile raises its once-gimmicky filmmaking style into a surprisingly substantive thrill ride.

    Other digitized films frame their style merely as an inventive pastiche. For Profile, its single-screen setting feels singularly ingrained into its narrative ideals. Bekmambetov’s direction grips audiences within its precise minimalism, with the cold, matter-of-factness capturing the subject matter’s harrowing undertones through each click and notification. Considering the director’s typical verbose style, this markedly restrained effort is a refreshing change of pace. I also enjoyed Bekmambetov’s command of the film’s pulse-pounding dramatic frames. His lack of Hollywood-ized score and showy tricks allows this journalistic narrative to retrain its pragmatic origins while still keeping the thrills intact.

    Amy’s descent into social media’s nefarious recruiting underground thankfully becomes a revealing experience. Bekmambetov and his team deserve ample praise for never sensationalizing Bilal’s tactics, allowing the character to be a handsome, somewhat charming force with seemingly genuine intentions. Promises of a new life chock-full of luxurious amenities and a supportive family system initially draw unsuspecting victims in, but the fairy-tale facade cracks with each casually callous comment and downright vicious ideal Bilal shares. This realistic dynamic benefits greatly from the film’s talented stars. Valene Kane and Shazad Latif amplify the character’s personas through their dedicated deliveries, eliciting raw and engaging performances from their screen-to-screen rapport.

    Profile reaches soaring heights during its initial hour, a quality streak that Bekmambetov and company can’t quite sustain throughout the duration. The third act takes an unwarranted turn into Hollywood theatrics, with a sudden character change forcing the narrative down an exceedingly predictable and over-the-top pathway. Not only does this change of heart feel unearned, but the sensibility shift betrays much of what the film accomplishes in its first two acts. For a thriller that prides itself on grounded realism, it’s a letdown to see Profile sell itself short with artificial tricks.

    Even as the film slips from its initial brilliance, Profile still enthralls where it counts most. Bekmambetov’s mixture of zeitgeist textures and thoughtful restraint make this the crown jewel of the computerized subgenre.

    PROFILE hits theaters on May 14th.

  • Kitbull: Pixar Sparkshorts – Disney+ Talk

    Kitbull: Pixar Sparkshorts – Disney+ Talk

    At the beginning of the year, I watched a Pixar Sparkshorts for the first time. These are short films that are created by different Pixar employees in six months with a limited budget. That one in particular, called ‘Burrow’, was one that I really enjoyed. And now that the Marvel shows are lacking, I decided to cover another short. I had heard of ‘Kitbull’ before and remember it being described as cute. So, I went in expecting an adorable story about a stray cat and, while I did get that occasionally, I also got a heart-wrenching story.

    Written and directed by Rosana Sullivan (Story Artist – Incredibles 2 / Soul), ‘Kitbull’ follows a stray black kitten and a Pitbull who form an unlikely friendship, resulting in them escaping the dangerous situations they’re in. 

    The one aspect I love about the Sparkshorts is it encourages different art styles that would not normally be seen in Pixar’s feature length films. It’s a welcomed aspect because viewers get to see more of the staff’s creativity and talent, and ‘Kitbull’ is no exception. The almost stop-motion style animation is fantastic and works beautifully for this story.

    Despite its bleak subject matter, it’s colourful and the two focal animals look adorable, making them immediately likable; something that is needed for this short. Their movements are also animated differently to match their maturity levels: the kitten’s movements are exaggerated and cartoonish to reflect its bouncy, young age while the Pitbull’s movements are slow and more grounded. The latter is also because the dog is being trained by its owner to take part in dog fights and, unfortunately, loses one, leading to it being injured. Because of the subject matter, the short could’ve easily have gone down the route of ‘humans are the real monsters’, but it lets the imagery speak for itself and, instead, focuses on the animals. 

    The other aspect I like about ‘Kitbull’ is that it’s focused on two animals who hold a bad reputation: a black cat and a Pitbull. Pitbulls are banned in the UK for the very reason this short highlights, while black cats are, unfortunately, seen as bad luck. Both animals are subject to man-made reasoning and don’t deserve it. But, if we look past an animal’s appearance, we see an innocent creature which the ending displays when the two animals are taken in by a woman whom the kitten had met at the beginning of the short. When she first sees the dog, she steps back in shock only to then gently pet the injured animal; she’s shocked by the dog’s injuries and the dog itself.

    Despite the unexpected sobs the short gave me, ‘Kitbull’ is adorable on the surface, but goes on to tell the story of a wonderful friendship that is formed under awful circumstances. It also holds a message: don’t judge by appearances. This is something that people do, even if we don’t realise it, but it’s an important lesson to learn. Like the ‘Burrow’ review back in January, I would highly recommend watching this Sparkshort; just remember to have the tissues at the ready!

    https://youtu.be/AZS5cgybKcI
  • This World Alone: Review (SPOILERS)

    This World Alone: Review (SPOILERS)

    This World Alone: Review. SPOILERS AHEAD…

    This drama/thriller film follows a young woman named Sam (Belle Adams). Sam was one of the last humans born before “The Fall,” an unknown event that led to the destruction of society as we know it and the loss of life of many people. From the film’s outset, it is clear enough time has passed that things like microwaves, ambulances, and hospitals are foreign to Sam. She lives in a remote house with her mother Connie (Carrie Walrond Hood) and Willow (Sophie Edwards), a young woman who at some point before the start of the film came to live with Connie and Sam. The trio spend their days preparing food and reading classic works of literature. 

    Sam hopes to go out into the world and experience life outside of their home and the stories she has read. However, the struggles of “The Fall” have made Connie fearful and distrusting. As a result, she is convinced that Sam needs to be toughened up and prepared to face the harsh realities of the larger world and resorts to sparring with Sam to harden her. For her part, Willow maintains that Sam should be allowed to hold onto her optimism and innocence. After Willow is accidentally injured during a sparring session between Sam and Connie, Sam takes it upon herself to go and trade for medicine in the nearest town, New Macedonia. While on her way, Sam meets Dart (Lau’rie Roach). Dart is a resident from New Macedonia who agrees to help her on her journey. The remainder of the film follows the pair as they ponder why the world has ended up the way it has, and what kind of life and world they want for themselves.

    Director Jordan Noel and writer Hudson Phillips craft an intriguing entry in the post-apocalyptic genre with this film. While there have been countless movies and shows that center on the gradual loss of humanity as society slips into chaos, or stories about restored faith in humanity in the midst of an apocalyptic landscape, This World Alone takes a slightly different approach. In this film, the realities of this world have been in a large sense accepted. There is no quest to “make things the way they were.” Sam does not remember what life was once like so her story is not about the loss of a life she once knew. Instead, Phillips, Noel, and the cast and crew give audiences an unconventional coming-of-age story where Connie believes that tough love and harsh training are needed to prepare Sam for threats she will face. On the other hand, Willow believes in a preservation of a sense of normalcy for Sam, and Sam herself represents every young person’s eventual desire to go out and find their own place in the world. The catch in this film is, this world contains presumably more overt dangers than “traditional” society. In addition to this coming-of-age aspect, we get meditations on why this apocalyptic event happened and the ideal way to rebuild society. There are scenes where characters wonder if it is a result of God’s wrath and discuss humanity’s inclination to divine intervention. At the same time, there are scenes that suggest religious zeal is what led to so much conflict in society and empathy for one’s fellow man is the perspective that is needed.

    While the film offers up a variety of themes that are thought-provoking, the film at times feels as though it struggles to give each thematic idea the proper time for thorough examination. For instance, one of the film’s thematic ideas is explored via a surprisingly violent turn of events that while not unmotivated or unearned, feels slightly rushed.

    When it comes to the performances, each actor gives their respective character a sense of history and dimension that explains their point of view. Adams is particularly engaging as Sam, a young woman who goes through a believable arc of having her idealism and values challenged in the face of adversity. Roach is also great as Dart, a character with many layers of complexity, some revealed, some not. Roach plays a character who is torn and tortured by his desire to hold onto his past, yet also leave it behind him.

    The cinematography by Trisha Solyn is another strong point of the film. A large portion of the film takes place in exterior settings surrounded by trees, fields and water. Solyn perfectly frames shots that accompany performances but also highlight the beauty of the natural settings.

    This World Alone offers some new perspectives in the post-apocalyptic genre. While some ideas are given more time to develop than others, the ideas introduced are thought-provoking and bolstered by great performances and memorable cinematography. Fans of character-driven genre films should check this out.      

  • Oxygen: The BRWC Review

    Oxygen: The BRWC Review

    Oxygen Synopsis: Elizabeth (Melanie Laurent) wakes up in a cryogenic chamber with no recollection of how she got there. With her oxygen levels depleting, she must find a way out of her close-quarters setting before running out of air.

    Few filmmakers have exhibited Alexandre Aja’s mastery of horror’s versatile sensibilities. From grizzly reinventions of adored staples (The Hills Have Eyes and Piranha 3D) to electrifying genre-bending mash-ups (Horns is way too slept on), Aja’s lively artistry elevate whatever narrative he touches. Where filmmakers like Jordan Peele and Ari Aster receive praise for their meditative expansions of horror’s echoing fears, Aja deserves similar recognition for his mastery of horror’s evocative, crowd-pleasing allures.

    Aja’s latest breathless thrill ride, Oxygen, spins a revolving mystery from the confines of a futuristic chamber. While the film never reaches revelatory heights, Aja unsurprisingly crafts another taunt, roller coaster experience from his familiar assets.

    Making a one-room setting, much less a claustrophobic chamber, visually dynamic takes rare inventiveness and ingenuity. Thankfully for Oxygen, those are skills Aja possesses in droves. Teamed with frequent collaborator Maxime Alexandre, the duo elicit a well-calibrated dynamism from every nook and cranny of their close-quarters setting. The camera’s zipping energy skillfully intensifies Elizabeth’s struggle to survive, with an accompaniment of kinetic edits and intimately sweaty frames luring audiences into the narrative’s enigmatic hook. Right from the film’s atmospheric introduction, Aja builds a palpable unease from his intensely chromatic setting (anytime there’s a coldly distant AI voice, you know shit is hitting the fan).

    Oxygen’s assured sensibility serves as an initial hook, but it’s Mélanie Laurent’s revealing performance that truly captivates. Laurent unleashes a powerfully expressive effort as Elizabeth, tapping into the character’s hectic panic through her transfixing emotional gravity. The actress provides a much-needed anchor for the twisting narrative to revolve around, imbuing dramatic agency to keep audiences invested. Co-star Mathieu Amalric also deserves praise for his detached delivery as the AI unit M.I.L.O. Amalric’s unnerving delivery does a capable job of revitalizing a familiar science-fiction archetype.

    Despite the great foundational pieces, Oxygen’s so-so screenplay holds the film back from reaching its full potential. First-time screenwriter Christie LeBlanc draws a capable narrative chock-full of winding twists and turns (the third act revelation lands with its intended impact). However, her script falls short at implementing weightier thematic conceits. The first two acts fixate on exposition-driven exchanges instead of delving into Elizabeth’s insular struggles with identity amidst her artificial surroundings.

    Interesting wrinkles are introduced with the film’s effective twist, but the film becomes too enamored with busy thrills to explore them. This decision leaves audiences with a barebones story, a familiar narrative that can’t make audiences forget about its similar counterparts (2010’s Buried in particular).

    Oxygen doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but the lively talents of its singular star and director shine more often than not. Audiences should have a blast unwinding this corkscrew narrative (pay attention, as the opening frames may be more telling than you think).

    Oxygen debuts May 12th on Netflix.

  • Undergods: Review

    Undergods: Review

    In a dystopian near future, two men travel in their van where they pick up dead bodies that they find. To pass the time they recall stories of people whose lives have been changed irreversibly and how one simple thing can happen to destroy everything that they have.

    Undergods is a film that compiles several stories with interweaving themes of sudden changes forcing their characters to lose it all and with characters that appear among those different stories.

    Filmed in several places in Europe including Sweden, Estonia and Serbia, Chino Moya has written and directed a film that has a grounded and all too familiar feel to its characters and settings, albeit with an unnerving undertone that something isn’t quite right.

    Stories of families being torn apart and people being undermined and losing everything feel like commentary on our lives today and perhaps not so much in the distant future.

    The first of the tales involves a couple who let a stranger stay the night after he’s locked out of his flat, only for him to outstay his welcome. Another tells about an inventor whose work is overlooked and decides to take matters into his own hands. Finally, a story about a man who’s ousted from his family due to a new arrival may feel fantastical at first, but it evokes feelings of loss, desperation and anger as lives spiral out of control.

    The look and feel of Undergods is visually striking, but with a gloomy coat of paint that dampens the spirits of all the characters and that may very well be what Moya may be trying to achieve. The fact that all the supposed victims in Moya’s stories are all middle-aged men may also be a comment on how change can affect those who think they have it all.

    Moya’s directorial debut is an ambitious and well thought out affair which talks about the world we live in now and where we may be heading, although most audiences may not realise the subtleties of the stories. However, although some of them may feel unfinished, the potential is there for Chino Moya to go on and make great stories.