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  • Sequin In A Blue Room: Review

    Sequin In A Blue Room: Review

    Sequin in a Blue Room: Review. By Clare Brunton.

    The Blue Room – a strictly anonymous, limitless sex party – where a whole new, alluring world unfolds before him. There, Sequin connects with a captivating stranger, but they are separated suddenly. Utterly fixated on this man, Sequin sets off on an exhilarating and dangerous mission to track him down.

    Not just looking at the emotional burden of sexual identity and discovery, Sequin in a Blue Room also looks at the naivety of many involved in anonymous sex, through apps and parties, as we see throughout the film in Sequin’s actions. There are nods to the issues surrounding the lack of sexual health education for young men especially LGBTIQ youth with throwaway lines from Sequin’s father such as ‘there’s no worries, it’s not like you’re out there getting anyone pregnant’ highlighting the gaps in experiences between generations and the lack of security when it comes to discovering your sexuality and desires in this way. 

    Writers Samuel Van Grinsven and Jory Anast spoke to many individuals who had these shared experiences when growing up in the age of social media.

    ‘Our coming-of-age walks hand in hand with coming out, and for me that meant the forming of my sexual identity as a constant act of transgression. This led me to experiences I wasn’t ready for and situations that put me in danger.’ 

    Highlighting not just the potential dangers of these situations, Grinsven’s direction subtly highlights the loneliness and isolation of coming of age in this manner. There are few shots that don’t contain Leach’s Sequin, and he is almost completely alone in every shot. We spent most of the film head on with our lead making the entire supporting cast seem almost anonymous. Blurred faces, random body parts, we get almost no insight into who Sequin is interacting with, just as he gets little information from them. The use of close profile shots brings about a detached, ominous sensation in the films second half, framing it so that we can almost never see who might be behind someone’s back, crafting the backdrop outside Sequin and his phone as unknown and ominous.

    When we do see the supporting cast, the shots are framed almost like Instagram shots, cold blunt lines, almost still imagery, a collection of pieces but no-one is whole. 

    There’s very little dialogue in the film but the use of sound throughout is cold, blunt and jarring, adding to the increasing sense of dread and concern as the film and Sequin explore and search for his anonymous suitor.

    At the centre is a strong breakthrough performance from Conor Leach as Sequin. Carrying almost every shot of the film, he handles his almost wordless performance with strength and grace, and with the power of a performer much older. He’s able to provide nuance to the role through his body language, small differences in facial expression tell us worlds of information.

    The script and plot are well developed, with writer/director Grinsven telling an intense and believable story. Using their conversations with young queer men, he and Anast are able to make sure the emotions and actions at the centre of the film felt realistic and true to the story they were trying to tell. It’s for this reason that even if you can see the inevitable turns coming in the film, they are still able to hit you with the same emotional impact as if they had been a complete surprise.

    It’s a wonderfully succinct and complete film with almost no flaws, the central performance is worthy of mountains of praise, but the shining star is the cinematography and smart use of camera framing to create an isolated and claustrophobic world as it closes in on Sequin.

    Sequin in a Blue Room is released via Peccadillo Pictures on UK/Ireland digital platforms from 9th April. The film is released in the US & Scandinavia from 17th May.

    SequinInaBlueRoom.film

  • Bittersweet Symphony: Review

    Bittersweet Symphony: Review

    Bittersweet Symphony: Review. By Julius Tabel.

    While the construction seems pretty weird, I actually found the beginning minutes to be very interesting. The characters are very likeable, and Adams (Director) leads the viewer into some uncomfortable situations which makes the story very relatable at first, but then “Bittersweet Symphony” drifts off in different directions and loses itself in its own ideas while trying to combine them. At the end, there is no pay-off and the entirety of the product feels vacuous.

    Starting off, the protagonist ́s situation is projected way more difficult than it actually is, which is why this entire construction feels coincidental and highly illogical, but I found it to be very thought-provoking because of the weirdness and so I expected a turn of events to come after some time. So overall, you could pretty much say that “Bittersweet Symphony” will catch part of your interest at first. Furthermore, there is much character-depiction. Adams takes time to introduce the protagonists properly, so that the viewer has a good first impression of them. And this works pretty well, as the characters are in a specific way realistic, but definitely likeable and sympathetic. As a viewer, you will begin to predict what might happen, because characters don ́t act like they should. It ́s this suspense of the little things that grabs a bit of your attention and makes you curios.

    But the longer you expect a twist in the plot, the more disappointed will you be. I personally expected the story to be quicker and more intense, but once you know the story, it will never change, unfortunately. So, if you won ́t like it after the first 15 minutes, then you won ́t like the entire film. And if you expect an intense increase, you won ́t like it either. Only if you are satisfied with the little things “Bittersweet Symphony” gives you, then you will be able to like it.

    There is a bit of a climax at the end, that is actually very well made, but doesn ́t fit in the protagonist ́s overall story. The film loses focus on what it really wants to say. Part of that problem might be the very short runtime of only about 80 minutes, which maybe would have helped to give more background information about the direction in which the story goes. This way, you will find that you have gained nothing at the end. There is no ultimate statement, no pay-off, no satisfaction. It feels not finished. 

    “Bittersweet Symphony” is not a powerful film, and that is something everybody will agree on. But if that ́s so, then what ́s the point of all this? That was exactly my question when suddenly the credits roll, although I thought there will be convincing ending.

    Imagine a film has two stories, and 80 percent of the film are about the first story, which means that you think you know where the focus of the film is, but then the ending is only about the other 20 percent of the second story. If you tell your story this way, it doesn ́t matter if these 20 percent are actually very well and convincingly portrayed, you won ́t have the viewer ́s interest. This film with a not interesting ending is “Bittersweet Symphony”. The events are truly emotional, but frankly nobody will care because of how the film introduced it.

    All in all, “Bittersweet Symphony” has potential and I really tried to accept the construction it gave me, but it seems like it doesn ́t know itself what it actually wants to tell. This is why, you will be highly unsatisfied and will probably waste your time with the film. The characters may be sympathetic and it may actually be very well made, but the storytelling destroys your interest and will leave you cold.

  • Henry Glassie: Field Work – Review

    Henry Glassie: Field Work – Review

    This documentary follows folklorist Henry Glassie as he interacts with and documents artists and their work across continents and generations. Spanning Brazil, Turkey, the U.S., and Ireland, this film serves as a celebration of artists and the art they create. More specifically, the film contains a meditation on why people create art and why Glassie has studied art and artists in order to understand people and their cultures.

    One of the most remarkable things about this particular documentary is how subdued and meditative it is, particularly the first half. Director Pat Collins along with editor Keith Walsh and cinematographer Colm Hogan keep the film in a mostly observational mode, where the presence of the subjects are much more felt than that of the filmmakers. This is due in part to Glassie stating, “I don’t study people at all, I stand with people and study the things that they create.” The filmmakers here seemingly have allowed this philosophy to inform the construction of the film.

    Viewers along with Glassie observe as artists work with a perfect blend of close-ups on hands and the medium the artist is working with to convey the care and precision that is needed, as well as close-ups and wides on the artists themselves. Sometimes their faces are an expression of confusion, almost as if they are trying to decipher what the piece itself wants to be naturally as opposed to inflicting their will upon it. Other times, their faces convey a perfect sense of tranquility as they get into an almost unconscious state where they are working seamlessly with their medium. All the while, the filmmakers are not shown to be saying anything. The observational and more subdued nature of this film can lead to the feeling of a slower pace than some viewers may be used to as opposed to documentaries with a more conventional guiding force and narrative structure.

    Contributing to this observational feeling, we do not hear a lot from the artists themselves in the film apart from one or two comments on how their individual process works. The subject we hear the most from is Glassie who talks about his travels, his mentors, and why he views art and artists as such a crucial part of understanding people, culture, and place.

    At its core, this film serves as a meditation on why people create art. Both Glassie and the filmmakers here posit that crafting art of any kind is one of the true universal human experiences. Glassie himself says at one point that, “Art is ultimately a devoted reconciliation between the individual and collective nature that all of us have.” The film shows that different cultures and individual artists use different mediums, in Brazil we see a lot of woodworking and sculpting, in Turkey we hear about the making of oriental rugs and ceramics, in the U.S. it is pottery and sculpting, in Ireland, song and the sharing stories and history. All of these artists are also informed by varying cultural and religious values. For instance in Brazil, a lot of the artists work on pieces centered on religious figures and iconography, whereas in the U.S., the pottery and sculpting does not seem to have overt religious connotations. Despite the individual approach each artist has to their craft, all of these people are bound by this desire to express themselves and share what they create with others. This variety of results stemming from a universal impulse is what fascinates Glassie and is what the film communicates and utilizes to enthrall the audience.

    Henry Glassie: Field Work is a thoughtful documentary on the universal power of art and its ability to affect and connect people regardless of culture, background, and economic status. Featuring great cinematography displaying the beauty and intricacies of artists and their work, viewers interested in art and how people express themselves should seek this film out.  

  • Concrete Cowboy: The BRWC Review

    Concrete Cowboy: The BRWC Review

    Concrete Cowboy: The BRWC Review. By Julius Tabel.

    Netflix ́ newest film features Caleb McLaughlin portraying a teenage boy whose mother pushes him off to his mostly unknown father. There, he reunites with an old friend and has to get on with working in a stable. Furthermore, he creates a passion for horses and is tied between living the street or the cowboy life.

    The only thing I really liked about “Concrete Cowboy” was its atmosphere provided by solid direction and strong performances. Besides that, the story has goals, but no idea how to achieve them. It feels brainless from time to time; Side-stories appear and disappear, it is very predictable, and the protagonist is non-sensical as well. Additionally, “Concrete Cowboy” features many clichés and is sometimes awful to watch.

    First of all, this story is unfortunately very predictable. From the first moment on a character begins to tell his story, or a thing appears, you know what ́s going to happen sooner or later. And to be honest, I was never wrong with my predictions. This also indicates that “Concrete Cowboy” isn ́t a special movie.

    The direction actually exceeded my expectations because I didn ́t expect much from Netflix, but Ricky Staub created an atmosphere. His vision of those real cowboys seems to be really strong. The film doesn ́t try hard to be some kind of Neo-Western; it ́s a film on its own. Sure, typical horses-and-Western themes are present here and there, but overall, the mood in “Concrete Cowboy” was pretty chilling. In addition, Caleb McLaughlin can do more than just Stranger Things. He truly proves to be a good actor, and his performance here will not be forgotten over the future course of his promising career.

    Nevertheless, his character feels misplaced in the story. First, he has no goals. Things just happen for him, and it ́s not like he ́s trying to find his place in the world. Second, he never fails. A good and convincing protagonist should doubt what he is doing. Things like riding a horse and love seem so easy for him. He isn ́t very relatable. Third, being trapped between his childhood friend doing drug deals on the street, and his father ́s community at the stable, there is no real conflict in him. He is here and there, but he never has to decide. Troubles appear on both sides, but that doesn’t seem to be big problem after some time. This makes Cole a very unconvincing character.

    Next on, “Concrete Cowboy” introduces many side stories, but they don ́t have any effects on the main course. Without spilling some big spoilers here, there is a guy in a wheelchair who says that he doesn ́t ride anymore. Well, guess what, two scenes later we are presented an inspirational scene of him riding a horse. This actually wouldn ́t be so bad if it weren ́t so predictable, and if the guy had a bigger role after his arc was finished. Then, there is a love story out of nowhere that literally goes on for one scene before it loses its importance again. I don ́t see the logic behind all this. The writers seemed to have a story, but couldn ́t find a plot.

    To be fair, in some scenes, you can truly feel this Cowboy vibe which is why I think that most people will enjoy this more than I did. This story is interesting for sure, and I love the fact that a film features this subject, but ultimately, what do I take from watching “Concrete Cowboy”? Not much, to be honest. It ́s message is clear, but not powerful nor very convincing or thought-provoking.

    All in all, “Concrete Cowboy” may not necessarily be as bad as I depict it in this review, but don ́t expect a masterpiece or at least a good movie. The movie has some few good moments, but beyond that it feels pointless, idealess, and unconvincing.

  • Thunder Force: The BRWC Review

    Thunder Force: The BRWC Review

    Thunder Force Synopsis: In a world where supervillains called Miscreants are commonplace, two childhood best friends (Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer) reunite as an unlikely crime-fighting superhero duo when one invents a formula that gives ordinary people superpowers.

    It’s no secret that comedian Melissa McCarthy and director Ben Falcone haven’t had the best track record as a tandem onscreen. Both have exhibited their assured talents individually (McCarthy is a true star, shinning in both comedic and dramatic fare), but the married couple has exclusively turned out middling studio comedies when working together (Tammy, The Boss, Life of the Party, and Superintelligence rank among McCarthy’s most forgettable big-screen vehicles).

    Thankfully, the pairing is taking a turn for the better with the latest superhero/comedy hybrid Thunder Force. While no one will mistake it as a substantive achievement, the film’s agreeable twist on populist cinema offers a sharp comedic spark.

    Before superheroes were the dominant force in Hollywood, the genre’s niche existence allowed lampooning minds to playfully alter superheroes’ normative traits (from underrated gems like Mystery Men to comedic duds like The Meteor Man). Thunder Force feels like a refreshing ode to that long-forgotten era. Falcone’s low-steaks screenplay puts more emphasis on comedic riffing than typical action formula, a decision that skillfully morphs tired contrivances into playful bits.

    Whether it’s Bobby Cannavale’s antagonist reflecting over what henchmen to kill off or the heroes joking about their odorous costumes, Thunder Force embraces a self-aware streak to liven up its formulaic roots. I wouldn’t call this a laugh-a-minute comedy, but I chuckled enough times to consider the comedic streak a success (I probably laughed more watching this than all the other Falcone/McCarthy joints combined). It certainly helps to have a talented cast to personify the material. McCarthy’s bright, improvisational energy elevates a myriad of gags while Octavia Spencer makes for a sturdy straight-man next to McCarthy’s hijinks (it’s also a joy to see two middle-aged women dawning the superhero get-up, showing the genre isn’t limited just to muscular heroes). The supremely underrated Cannavale and Jason Bateman also have a blast playing two mustache-twirling villains defined by their bizarre quirks.

    Thunder Force is surprisingly capable from an action front. No one will mistake this for a Marvel blockbuster, but I found the lack of bombastic excess to be a welcomed change of pace for the genre. Falcone’s experienced hand capably captures each creative stunt, with clever comedic flourishes providing each action beat with an infusion of personality. I enjoyed the simplicity of the superhero elements, as the narrative never vies to become overly grandiose or “epic” (similar to the 90’s movies I referenced, Thunder Force embraces superheroes’ colorfully cartoonish origins).

    With that said, Thunder Force still lacks the presence to become a great action/comedy. Falcone’s screenplay feels like a hodgepodge of superhero and studio comedy contrivances, with neither subgenre working to fully reinvent the other. The mountain of cliches prevents elements like McCarthy and Spencer’s friendship from drawing much interest, while Falcone’s sturdy direction lacks the stylistic flavor to remove the studio stench (a more visceral approach could’ve enhanced the film’s colorful world-building).

    Frankly, I am just happy that I finally enjoyed a McCarthy and Falcone vehicle (seriously though, I’m never happy to pan two people I genuinely enjoy). Thunder Force finds enough comedic juice to create a welcomed change-of-pace for the superhero genre.

    Thunder Force arrives on Netflix on April 9th.