film reviews, interviews, features | BRWC

Category: REVIEWS

Here is where you would find our film reviews on BRWC.  We look at on trailers, shorts, indies and mainstream.  We love movies!

  • Monster Hunter: The BRWC Review

    Monster Hunter: The BRWC Review

    Monster Hunter: The BRWC Review. By Alif Majeed.

    In a parallel universe like the one where Milla Jovovich gets swooped into, Monster Hunter was destined to get terrible reviews, a middling haul at the US box office while ending up making its money worldwide. But in the post covid world, it is already riding the infamy wave because of some unfortunate dialogue choices that further limits its run.

    Paul WS Anderson is back with another adaptation of a video games series after milking the Resident Evil series to the ground. Whether it matches our expectations is another story.

    Speaking of story, it is relatively simple. When Captain Natalie Artemis (Milla Jovovich) falls through a portal with her team in a world filled with monsters, she has to team up with a mysterious hunter (Tony Jaa) to get back to her world. Now, how many times have you heard that plotline? It is a movie riddled with stock troupes right from the beginning, even though it was under active development for quite a while, giving the makers a chance enough time to expand on the game’s mythology.

    The sad thing is Paul WS Anderson seems to be a genuine fan of the game series rather than someone who went in trying to make a quick buck after the video game Monster Hunter: World became an acclaimed hit worldwide a couple of years ago.

    But as a movie, he tips his hat to everything he loves and then maybe some to things he does not. You can immediately recognize various tributes to Predator, Aliens, Lord of the Rings, body horror movies like the Thing, and even his own movies.

    Unlike those movies, there are hardly any memorable characters in the film. When the primary crew is killed off within 3 seconds of the movie’s opening, that would be a tad hard. When Milla Jovovich does meets other humans in the monster verse, they are quickly forgotten as they are just a plot convenience to help her get to the portal and the next plot point.

    You also have characters who are just there as fan service, like the Meowscular Chef character, which works well as a video game character but seems pretty jarring and out of place here. That is a significant problem it has in common with many video game movies. They have multiple scenes and characters who are just there as fan service instead of telling a reasonably good yarn. That might still work but not when they are shoehorned in by force, which happens here. And the makers also stop short of going all out as they are holding back for the sequel, leaving many things unanswered.

    Ron Perlman (looking disinterested throughout) exemplifies it, perhaps waiting to go all out for any sequel that might never happen. Fans of the series might recognize him as the Admiral, but a layperson might wonder why he dresses up in a hybrid animal costume. During the ending scene, I realized that maybe they were also gunning for the Christopher Lambert character in Mortal Kombat, one of the better-received video game movies, with an ending that is a direct rip off to that movie.

    The “Chi-knees” scene that is causing much furor online for its racial implications was absent from the version I saw, but the line feels pretty groan-inducing, as does much of the film’s dialogues.

    The good thing about Monster Hunter is that it moves at a rapid-fire pace that doesn’t allow you much breathing space but makes you aware of its potholes. The creatures and set design are pretty decent, and there are a couple of scenes that have some excellent jumps scares. If only Paul Anderson curbed the temptation to use the Samuel Jackson Deep Blue Sea peekaboo moments, which he keeps repeating throughout its short run time.

    Tony Jaa is arguably one of the best action actors out there, but filmmakers still find it hard to use him properly. The clean camera moments where the audience can see what he is doing made him famous with his Ong Bak and Protector movies. But since his comeback after his self-imposed exile, the filmmakers still shoots his scenes in a hazardous way where you can’t figure out what he is doing at any point.

    Milla Jovovich also proves once again why she would be a shoo-in for a female Expendables movie. As a character, she has a lot to do, and though it ultimately amounts to mostly nothing, she is very believable and reliable in the action scenes as usual.

    But the way she and Tony Jaa lose their initial hostility and join forces and move on to their mandatory training montage that lasts precisely one morning is the epitome of forced platonic chemistry.

    Despite all the myriad problems plaguing the movie and none of which relates to pun-inducing dialogues, it entertains on an elementary level. That is because Monster Hunter delivers exactly what it promises. Even though that is very little in the end.

  • La Leyenda Negra: Review

    La Leyenda Negra: Review

    La Leyenda Negra: Review. By Trent Neely.

    This film follows Latino teens in the city of Compton, CA. Specifically, Aleteia (Monica Betancourt) and Rosarito (Kailei Lopez). Aleteia is the new girl at her and Rosarito’s school and finds herself an outcast and the subject of bullying due to her introverted nature and body-shaming by her peers. Soon it is revealed that Aleteia has received a scholarship to attend UCLA. However, she becomes fearful of losing the scholarship due to the threat of termination of Temporary Protected Status under the Trump administration. In addition to political forces endangering her scholarship, Aleteia has been engaging with a protest group whose activities include spray painting and setting a fire in an empty school.

    For her part, Rosarito is shown as someone who is struggling with the fact that she may have outgrown her friends. Specifically her childhood best friend Monica (Irlanda Moreno) who is shown to be vain, manipulative and a bully, especially towards Aleteia. One day, Rosarito volunteers to be partners with Aleteia on a school project despite Monica’s objections. The rest of the film centers on Aleteia and Rosarito’s journeys, how they differ and parallel, and how each person influences the other.

    One of the greatest strengths of this film is how grounded and real it feels. At points in the film the camera seems virtually invisible. Allowing the film the ability to feel like it is capturing genuine conversations and moments in time. This is due in no small part to great directing and writing by Patricia Vidal Delgado. The fact that for a lot of the cast this is their only film credit may also explain why the film feels real, these are not a group of actors who have a large character persona attached, but people playing these specific roles. This speaks to Delgado’s abilities as a director to craft intimate, and poignant scenes and to get great performances from actors who do not have a ton of experience.

    Delgado also does a great job of balancing time between Aleteia and Rosarito. It is a common pitfall when telling a story of two prominent characters to have one outshine the other. By the film’s end, Delgado ensures that all the characters are fully dimensional with varied, wants, needs, virtues, and flaws. This is not to say the actors themselves are not outstanding in their own right. Betancourt and Lopez in particular have great chemistry and give great performances.

    While the performances are subtle in nature, one can see in their inflection and expression that there is great complexity in these characters. The choice to film in black and white also helps to accomplish this more realism-based approach. Matt Maio’s cinematography highlights the performance, focusing on movement, facial expressions, and allowing the sharp contrast to direct the audience’s eye. The camera never feels like it’s intention is to interfere or influence, only to observe and document.

    Another strength in this film is how it celebrates Latino culture and honestly depicts the migrant experience. There is one section of the film entirely devoted to the characters attending a quinceanera. Characters frequently alternate between talking in English and Spanish. Not only do these teens have to deal with common adolescent milestones such as teen romances, fights among friends, and bullying. But these kids also deal with balancing the American culture with their family’s heritage.

    Early on in the film, Aleteia gets in trouble for challenging a teacher’s instruction, arguing that a film shown in class romanticizes imperialism. The film also does a great job demonstrating that social media and podcasts have allowed and encouraged adolescents to participate in political conversations in ways that were never present before. We see Aleteia reading the news and listening to podcasts about the need for political action, which helps motivate a lot of her decisions over the course of the story.

    This film offers subtle yet powerful performances from mostly unknown actors, has striking cinematography, and a mature and thoughtful examination of how the migrant experience and political strife can add even more stress to the confounding experience of adolescence.       

  • Matt’s New Release Breakdown: December 11th

    Matt’s New Release Breakdown: December 11th

    Matt’s New Release Breakdown: December 11th – December is here, so it’s time for my infrequent feature/review column to continue forward! In all seriousness, with an onslaught of new releases, I was overwhelmed at the possibility of crafting 6 reviews over a finite period. So with this week’s New Release Breakdown, I review two highly-coveted streaming titles along with a star-studded romantic comedy. Let’s get to it!

    LET THEM ALL TALK – Directed by Steven Soderbergh

    Synopsis: A famous author goes on a cruise trip with her friends and nephew in an effort to find fun and happiness while she comes to terms with her troubled past.

    Steven Soderbergh is a transcendent talent in my book, a director with chameleon-like range that rarely crafts a dull narrative. With his latest work Let Them All Talk, Soderbergh and screenwriter Deborah Eisenberg bask in the opulence of their high-class setting. Soderbergh operates like a great composer, utilizing Thomas Newman’s jazzy score to confidently accent his signature visual eye. From the bright lighting to the intimate shot selection, few directors could bring this story to life with Soderbergh’s amplified precision.

    Under all the visceral aesthetics, Let Them All Talk sharp character dynamics pack a stinging punch. Eisenberg proves to be an adept scribe with her debut outing, crafting a tale of miscommunication that reaches interesting ruminations on an artist’s work and the complex ways friendships evolve. Her bitting dialogue also makes a great canvas for the all-star cast to play in the sandbox. Meryl Streep, Dianne West, and Candice Bergen have a blast conveying into their distinct personas, with Streep wickedly employing the rich author’s prickly demeanor. Lucas Hedges offers one of his best performances to date as well, often selling the film’s most emotive frames as a precocious young adult.

    While I am unsure if the film finds a fully-developed thematic throughline (the third act loses some of its steam as the multitude of conceits are batted around), Let Them All Talk extracts a bounty of unique pleasures from its seemingly-familiar set-up. I can’t wait to see what direction Soderbergh goes next with his endlessly evolving career.

    Let Them All Talk is now available on HBO Max.

    I’M YOUR WOMAN – Directed by Julia Hart

    Synopsis: In this 1970s set crime drama, a woman is forced to go on the run after her husband betrays his partners, sending her and her baby on a dangerous journey.

    Writer/director Julia Hart has been an under-appreciated voice the last few years (Miss Stevens and Fast Color cleverly subverted their genre formulas), but her latest I’m Your Woman may be her breakout to superstardom. Similar to her previous endeavors, Hart and producer/screenwriter Jordon Horowitz takes the conceits of your typical crime thriller and turn them on their head. The duo wisely paints around the corners of the traditional genre formula, centering their focus on a mother directly impacted by the vicious lifestyle.

    Hart’s work brilliantly marries crime thriller’s pulpy appeals with an assured character study. As the timid Jean, star Rachel Brosnahan imbues dramatic weight into the character’s journey for self-ownership. Brosnahan and Hart wisely construct Jean into a lived-in persona, slowly allowing the character’s voice to grow as she escapes her domesticated lifestyle. Hart’s sharp visual eye elevates the material with a sweat-inducing tension, often hammering a real-world weight into the film’s violent frames (she also does a great job defining her film in its 70’s period). I do think the film’s second half loses some of its finite character moments in favor of action-oriented beats, but I appreciate Hart’s ability to deliver a nuanced take on the tried and true formula.

    Finding a unique and well-developed perspective amongst its genre peers, I’m Your Woman marks another impressive step forward in Julia Hart’s ascending career.

    I’m Your Woman is now available on Amazon Prime.

    WILD MOUNTAIN THYMES – Directed by John Patrick Shanley

    Synopsis: Headstrong farmer Rosemary Muldoon has her heart set on winning her neighbor Anthony Reilly’s love. The problem is, Anthony seems to have inherited a family curse, and remains oblivious to his beautiful admirer. Stung by his father’s plans to sell the family farm to his American nephew, Anthony is jolted into pursuing his dreams.

    I’ll be honest, Wild Mountain Thyme was not on my radar until I heard rumors of an insane third act twist. I can certainly say writer/director John Patrick Shanley’s film delivers on that aspect (for those uninterested in the movie, I recommend this explanation), but his Irish-flavored romantic comedy rarely indulges in the genre’s pleasurable qualities.

    I can get down with a hokey romantic comedy. Heck, I’d go as far as to say last year’s similarly twist-heavy Last Christmas stands as a modern Christmas classic. While Shanley’s film admirably steeps itself in a finite sense of culture, his offbeat endeavor never finds a comfortable balance. As a comedy, the Irish humor leans into well-trudged stereotypes over authentic observations. As a romance, the generic love triangle set-up lacks life despite the talents of Emily Blunt, Jamie Dornan, and Jon Hamm. Then there’s the gonzo third-act twist. I can see what Shanley’s trying to convey with his tying of humanity and nature, but it comes in far too late to ever find much purpose.

    If you’re a fan of rom-coms, Wild Mountain Thyme boasts enough goofy pleasures to never truly condemn. That being said, the film’s lack of cohesion and charms make this more of a passive guilty pleasure viewing.

    You can also check out my reviews of this week’s other new titles Archenemy, Safety, and Songbird.

    Matt’s New Release Breakdown: December 11th

  • Boris And The Bomb: Review

    Boris And The Bomb: Review

    Boris (J. Anthony McCarthy) is a former KGB agent that defected to the US around 30 years ago and he’s having a bad night. He’s in the possession of a nuclear bomb that’s counting down and will detonate in 48 hours unless he does something about it.

    Not only that, but there are various terrorist groups, gangs and the FBI after him to get the bomb back to use for reasons that Boris fears are less than honourable. Plus, there are a few people cropping up from his past to make matters worse and it feels like it’s going to be a terrible couple of days for Boris.

    Boris and The Bomb is a feature length movie directed by David Kronmiller and co-written by Jennifer Emily McClean, based on their web series from 2009 called And Boris. Billed as an action buddy comedy in the same vein as Midnight Run, Boris soon meets an Uber… I’m sorry, Yuber driver named Jimmy (Steve Sabo) who’s the nervous type and even more nervous when he finds out what Boris is carrying so closely to him.

    Unfortunately, although Boris and The Bomb may have an interesting premise that may be ripe for comedy and parody of bigger, more serious action movies, it’s a shame that Boris and The Bomb’s tone is so uneven.

    For the first hour of the long running time, the movie feels like it has very little time to introduce any characters properly, so the audience is expected to keep up. While that may be acceptable as snippets of dialogue and action may tell the audience all they need to know, for the most part it feels very confusing.

    Especially as the audience is supposed to care about Boris and they’re given very little information about him until an hour into the movie. Then just as the audience may think they have a grasp on things, the plot moves to the villains and their stories are played out, but again with very little character development or exposition in a short period of time.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XWFa0HxDso

    One minute, Boris and The Bomb is a light hearted action buddy comedy, the next there are melodramatic scenes between family members that the audience doesn’t even know about and the movie expects them to care.

    Then there’s the extended fight scene finale which may be a commentary on how all those kinds of action movies end up that way. However, to do so in such a serious and cliched manner makes it feel like the movie wished it was more than it was. Only for fans of the web series and even then, it may be difficult for people to care as it was so long ago.

  • A Creepshow Holiday Special: Review

    A Creepshow Holiday Special: Review

    A Creepshow Holiday Special: Review – Returning to make your holidays full of frights to remember is A Creepshow Holiday Special. When Weston (Adam Pally) starts to believe that he’s going through some metaphysical changes, he doesn’t know where to turn. Eventually though he finds a group that call themselves Shapeshifters Anonymous, led by Irena (Anna Camp).

    When he settles down into the support group, he starts to learn about the many different animals that the members can turn into and he’s quite surprised by the range. However, Weston believes that he can turn into a wolf, the fiercest creature of all the therianthrope and as he gets to know the rest of the group better, he’s surprised to learn that the holidays are the most frightful time of the year.

    Based on a short story by J. A. Konrath, Shapeshifters Anonymous is this years Creepshow Holiday Special written and directed by showrunner, Greg Nicotero. After the previous animated special, it may seem that this year’s Creepshow offerings have been scarce, but the holiday special comes around just in time and exclusive to Shudder.

    In an hour long special that focuses on one story, the jolly people at Creepshow must have decided to end the year with a laugh as Shapeshifters Anonymous is a hilarious Christmas tale that places its tongue firmly in its cheek.

    For all those who may not be as hopeful about the holidays and for those who never saw the appeal, then A Creepshow Holiday Special is a gift just for you.

    Not afraid to showcase Nicotero’s years of experience with special effects, A Creepshow Holiday Special doesn’t hold back just because it’s the season of good will. Fans of horror, Creepshow and Nicotero himself will laugh at the knowingly insane lore that surrounds the shapeshifters and be consistently amazed by the effects the Nicotero and his team can conjure up.

    Pally gives a fine performance as a man with very little options left and Camp brings a sweet charm to her school teacher turned man eater while she talks about not really caring about who she kills. Once again Creepshow delivers what you need when Santa couldn’t.