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  • Beasts Clawing At Straws: The BRWC Review

    Beasts Clawing At Straws: The BRWC Review

    Beasts Clawing At Straws: The BRWC Review. By Alif Majeed.

    It all started with a bag. And an expensive Louis Vuitton bag at that. Pulp Fiction may not be the first movie that did the whole people chasing a suitcase routine or dividing the film into chapters, but it opened the pandora’s box and providing filmmakers with the template that many still use. After Pulp Fiction came out, several imitators came up with the same formula but have never emulated it, becoming instantly forgettable.

    Beasts Clawing at Straws might seem like an imitator at first, especially when we see the bag of cash but soon develops into something wholly with its own personality. The director, Kim Yong-hoon, took everything that the imitators did wrong and course correct and refined the formula.

    Though the connection with the Tarantino movies is apparent, it is Fargo with its dark humor, multiple characters having different motivations but all of them after the same thing that comes out as it’s forbearer. It might seem easy to go full Tarantino by making the violence over the top and cartoonish, but the Coen brothers are a trickier proposition. It is tough to create a balance of dark humor and action that they do so well. Even the great Zhang Yimou found it problematic when he transported in Blood Simple into China with A Woman, a Gun, and a Noodle Shop. Noah Crawley handled it well enough in the Fargo series. Beasts Clawing at Straws could well be a truncated version of a season of that show.

    You keep trying to figure out how things are related to each other and in what order and any discussion of the plot will dilute the film’s enjoyment even though the narration itself can make quite an impression. Still, when the multiple storylines finally resolve itself while crisscrossing across all the timelines and people, full credit goes to the director as he keeps it even across the board.

    A big part of its success also goes to the protagonists that populate the story, and the cast is uniformly good. With their different motivations and a desperate blind grab at straws, despite some not being aware of the bag and how it can change their future. It includes a struggling hotel worker (Bae Seong-woo), who finds the bag full of cash in one of the hotel bathroom lockers, along with an office worker whose girlfriend ran away with the money he borrowed from a gangster. There is also a woman working as a part-time escort who is in a terrifyingly abusive relationship. One of her suitors cum customers with a misguided sense of chivalry. At the center of it all is the mysterious femme fatale Tae-young, who has a connection with all of them.

    When taken as a part of a whole, all the actors fit together perfectly and sync with each other. Particular praise should go to Jung Woo-sung as the lovesick office worker who is in over his head with a gang of deadly gangsters, including an assassin who has a particular soft spot for raw meat, both human and otherwise. Also in brilliant form is Jeon Do-Yeon, the femme fatale who, in a classic noir-ish fashion, lands up at Yeon’s doorstep out of nowhere asking for a favor, as how many noir movies go.

    Even after all that she did to him, leaving him in an uncomfortable spot, he still doesn’t stand a chance with that woman. Her character stands out both in terms of characterization and Jeon’s game performance.

    Comparing it to Parasite, not just last year’s best Korean movie, but also one of the best movies to come from there is quite a stretch. You can also spot the places where it follows the rulebook and almost becoming a parody of the films that came before it. But as a whole, it is a joy ride that you will be glad you took.

  • Castle Freak: Review

    Castle Freak: Review

    Rebecca (Emily Sweet) and her boyfriend, John (Jake Horowitz) are in a loving relationship until they’re involved in a car accident that causes Rebecca to lose her sight. Some time later and they’re still together, but the signs are starting to show that John is growing tired of how the trauma of the accident has changed his girlfriend.

    Then one day Rebecca is told that she has inherited a castle in Albania and so seeing it as a chance for a fresh start and a way to gather with old friends, Rebecca and John head to the castle. Unaware of the castle’s history, John is soon told of the woman who lived there and her horrific death, but keeps it from Rebecca.

    However, when they go to sleep that night Rebecca starts dreaming of that horrible death and she starts to feel a closer connection to her estranged family. Although little do the couple know but within the walls hides a hideous monster that could lash out at any moment.

    Castle Freak is a remake of the straight-to-video 1995 cult classic original and produced by Fangoria. Changed a little to make it feel fresher, Castle Freak sees a couple on the verge of breaking up and a group of waster friends who are ripe for the picking by the monster living in the castle. However, Castle Freak is more of a slow burn horror that gradually increases the kills until the over the top, bloody end.

    Paying homage to the creative kills and gratuitous nudity of the original, the remake may make fans feel nostalgic for the days when they first were exposed to the insanity of Castle Freak’s Lovecraftian horror.

    The problem is that those who are unfamiliar with it may not see the charm of the story no matter how much it plays upon other horror cliches so much.

    In fact, the remake’s insistence on retaining the feel of the original may be its downfall as it feels dated. For horror fans there are plenty of nods to the tropes of other movies such as blind psychic characters and there’s even a mention of a well-known tome used in horror. However, it feels like it’s all been done before and may only appeal to hardcore fans.

  • Godmothered: The BRWC Review

    Godmothered: The BRWC Review

    While the service boasts a treasure trove of beloved classics, Disney+ still searches for their original content identity. The platform’s debut year showcased a few highlights (Black is King and The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special), though those sparks were matched by a few unceremonious duds (Artemis Fowl and Mulan). Their latest endeavor Godmothered operates in the vein of their charmed live-action work, registering an earnest impression through the film’s inspired twist on familiar fairy tale trappings.

    Godmothered follows an eager fairy godmother Eleanor (Jillian Bell) who ventures out on her own to prove her worth. She tracks down a previously ignored request from Mackenzie (Isla Fisher), a widowed woman stuck in a career rut. The unlikely pair form a genuine bond as they begin to re-discover their happily ever after.

    Reading like the distant cousin of 2007’s alluring princess remix Enchanted, Godmothered defines its own voice among its fairy-tale elk. Screenwriters Melissa Stack and Kari Granlund set the narrative’s foundation around our preconceived notions of magical godmothers, who often serve as sage helping hands for princesses seeking their one true love. The clever writers then spend the remaining screentime drifting away from those long-standing contrivances. For Eleanor and Mackenzie, their affable connection becomes a tale of mutual self-discovery amidst insular self-doubts. Even with a few emotionally-doughy frames (the central conceits are blatantly spelled out), there’s a genuine sisterhood that resonates with a cozy warmth onscreen.

    Much of the credit belongs to the film’s central stars. It’s been a joy to see Jillian Bell define her own presence of late, with the comedic stalwart steadily moving away from the one-note caricatures that Hollywood offered her way (last year’s Brittany Runs a Marathon was a dramatic change-of-pace). As the relentlessly spirited Eleanor, Bell’s infectious presence promotes the pratfall gags while establishing a well-textured character onscreen. Isla Fisher’s radiant charms elevate the straight man role of Mackenzie, while character actors June Squibb, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, and Stephnie Weir elicit laughs from their supporting roles.

    Godmothered is admittedly pleasant, though this streaming effort undersells some of its unique strengths. Director Sharon Maguire’s competent effort rarely basks in the glow of its magic-based premise. The Disney-Channel level flourishes limit this material compared to other big-screen offerings. Audiences will also have to contend with a familiar heaping of Disneyfied plot beats, which do distract from the film’s thoughtfully-conceived nucleus (the Disney’s dead dad streaks continues here).

    It may not reinvent the wheel, but Godmothered displays the open-hearted sincerity of Disney’s best live-action work. With the release of Soul fast approaching, this could be a marquee month for the growing streaming service.

  • Matriochkas: Review

    Matriochkas: Review

    Matriochkas: Review. By Trent Neely.

    This short film from Belgium tells the story of Anna (Heloise Volle) a sixteen year old who is experiencing her sexual awakening. Anna lives with her mother Rebecca (Victoire Du Bois) with whom she shares a complicated relationship. Rebecca frequently has parties and a string of boyfriends that never stick around for a long time.

    Anna is shown to have a dislike for both of these aspects of her mother’s lifestyle. We follow Anna as she hangs out with friends and sleeps with various boys during a summer of youthful exuberance and rebellion. Things take a turn however when Anna learns that she is unexpectedly pregnant. The rest of the film centers on Anna’s deliberation on whether to keep or terminate her pregnancy and the various obstacles she encounters along the way.

    At the forefront of this film is a magnetic performance by Heloise Volle as Anna, fully encapsulating the multiple facets of this character. Volle seemingly effortlessly switches between playing a young woman enjoying the experiences and freedoms found during this new phase of life, and a young woman rapidly forced to mature and consider serious choices that will impact the rest of her life.

    The performance is complimented by some arresting images crafted by cinematographer Olivier Boonjing and director Berangere Mc Neese. They choose to have the camera frequently be close on Volle’s face. This allows the actor to demonstrate the complex deliberations and emotions, both positive and negative that Anna is navigating, purely through expressions instead of relying on a lot of dialogue or voiceover. 

    The chemistry between Heloise Volle and Victoire Du Bois is also very strong, adding a lot of depth and nuance to a mother-daughter relationship despite a 22 minute runtime. Rebecca is portrayed as a character who was not prepared to take on the role of a mother, but in spite of this has strived to do the best that she can as she seeks to provide her daughter with a similar sense of inner strength.

    For her part, Anna seems to care for her mother. But, in her mother, Anna sees a future she does not wish for herself. This tension between what her mother wants and what Anna herself thinks is best serves as a large source of conflict for her throughout the film. In addition, Guillaume Duhesme gives a layered performance as Rebecca’s boyfriend Nelson.

    Who, at the start of the film seems to just be a part of the ensemble and another source of tension for Anna and Rebecca. However as the film progresses, Nelson becomes something of an important figure in Anna’s life without pulling focus from Anna’s story.

    Another strong attribute of this film is the maturity with which it handles its subject matter. No character in the film, nor does the film itself seek to shame Anna for her choices and circumstances. Instead, the film seeks to help the audience understand the stress that a woman in that situation can be under, and how complex the realities of that situation really are. 

    If you want to see a film with nuanced performances, beautiful cinematography, and a script that tackles a complex subject with care and maturity, consider watching this film.     

  • Muscle: Review

    Muscle: Review

    Craig Fairbrass has long established himself as a hardman amongst hardmen, stealing scene after scene with his bristling intensity. Muscle, the third film from Gerard Johnson, is the best realisation yet of Fairbrass’s imposing screen presence, in what is an ominously powerful character study of manipulation and psychopathy.

    Our focaliser is Simon (Cavan Clerkin), a disillusioned office worker whose cold-calling sales job is slowly killing him. He cuts a sorry figure, draped in a loose jacket as he shuffles along the alleys of Newcastle, his balding head held low. His wife and home offer no sanctuary, either. It’s a sexless marriage of excess drinking, long silences and snide remarks.

    Shortly before attending some awful sales seminar, Simon is stopped in his tracks by a broad-shouldered man leaving a city centre gym.  He makes a strong impression on him, triggering some remaining impetus – “I don’t feel the same anymore, I want to shake it up a bit, I want to change myself”, he explains to a colleague.

    His first session at the gym is an awkward one, moving limply from machine to machine, including the pull-down, which he pulls behind his neck rather than towards his sternum – a cardinal sin to many lifters. Terry (Craig Fairbrass) makes this clear, bounding over to him with an aggressive tirade. This is followed, however, by a welcoming gesture, albeit one designed to coerce Simon into accepting his personal training service ­– “Fuck fit, you wanna get big and you wanna get strong.”

    This manipulative combination of fear and positive reinforcement is a harbinger of what’s to come. When Simon’s wife leaves him, he goes to Terry for support, lamenting how he can’t afford the bills by himself. Terry sees an opportunity and asks to become his lodger, which he achieves with little resistance.

    With this encroachment complete, Terry’s controlling behaviour confirms him as an abject psychopath. He pushes boundaries, inviting people to the house without permission and throwing parties that devolve into grimy spectacles of drugs and escorts. Eventually, Terry has a live-in girlfriend, taking over the living room as Simon stews upstairs.

    Although Terry is clearly a bully ­and a second-rate human being, the full extent of his past is as unclear to us as it is to Simon. There is no dramatic irony here, just frightening mystery. Terry claims to have been a soldier, mentioning a collection of ‘trophy pictures’ that would ‘get him a life sentence’. However, later in the film, there are comments suggesting that Terry is much worse than anyone could imagine. Perhaps the only thing we can be sure of is that Terry is a nomadic psychopath, with Simon his latest victim in a life of roving crime and exploitation.

    The depth of the script is matched by the stark, monochrome and occasionally experimental aesthetic. This style reaches its peak during an orgy scene that sees the frame warp and blur as Simon observes the violation of his home, with Matt Johnson’s evocative score casting an aura of gloom, menace and sin in equal measure.

    Muscle is Gerard Johnson’s third film in 11 years. It’s also his best. One can only hope that his next project comes sooner rather than later, for Johnson has proved himself as a director of real force, intelligence, and explicit reality.