Category: REVIEWS

A troubled college freshman named Luke (Miles Robbins) resurrects his imaginary friend Daniel (Patrick Schwarzenegger) to help him cope with a violent trauma.

Daniel Isn’t Real is an absurdly weird movie. It is a movie that is filled with imagery and scenes that don’t really make any sense when you first look at them, and even some that just don’t make sense at all. Sometimes, these moments can make for some memorable sequences upon reflection of the film as a whole. The first shot of this film is honestly jaw-droppingly beautiful, weird, confusing, and hypnotic all at the same time, as is a large portion of the cinematography and use of visuals.

But, sometimes, when a film relies too heavily on its style and not too much on its style, we get something known as “style over substance”, which is exactly what Daniel Isn’t Real is, sadly. This film’s concept is honestly great, and it is an idea that I never knew I wanted until now. There are glimmers of greatness in Adam Egypt Mortimer’s latest feature, yet it is too often undercut by a strangely jarring and messy story that is never quite sure of what it wants to be.

Some part of this movie wants to be a strangely mysterious coming-of-age tale, akin to Richard Kelly’s Donnie Darko. Yet there is another part that wants to be a deep dive into mental illness and it rides this line in a strange way. There were a few times where this movie was genuinely interesting and it was exciting to see where everything would go, but it never really goes anywhere.

The acting, however, is quite good, although it is nothing exceptional. The best performance in Daniel Isn’t Real comes from our lead Miles Robbins, who portrays main character Luke. He is a character you can get behind and I am hoping to see more of him in the future, as he has been good in every single movie that I have seen him in. Schwarzenegger as Luke’s imaginary friend Daniel is also quite good, and really creepy whenever he needs to be. Frequently we will see Daniel in the background of the majority of this film’s shots and sometimes it makes for a delightfully creepy shot.

It also boasts an exceptionally strong score from Chris Clark, whose music here really elevates some of the more intense scenes in the film. It is also shot well, as I touched upon earlier. Lyle Vincent’s cinematography here can be full of greatly interesting shot structures, visuals, and use of lighting.

On a technical level, this movie is actually impressive and really strong. It is just that the story here is so messy and jumbled that it can be incredibly hard to get invested in. This movie tries to be too many things at once and unfortunately fails at a lot of them. Don’t get me wrong, this movie was not a chore to watch. There was never a moment where I was begging for Daniel Isn’t Real to be over. It is just that there was plenty of scenes where I couldn’t help but get sucked out of due to a jumbled script.

Additionally, I found the first act to be extremely rushed. We spend only a few small scenes with Luke as a young boy (portrayed by Griffin Robert Faulkner) and it would have been nice to have seen a little bit more of Luke’s life as a child. In these scenes that we do get, we understand that Luke’s imaginary friend Daniel has caused a great deal of trouble and distress on his mother, and I wish we could have seen more of this.

Daniel Isn’t Real is strong in its technical efforts, but it suffers greatly from a messy script and a story that isn’t sure of what it wants to be. 

After the success of Rob Hill’s Bad Movie Bible comes his follow up for all those infatuated with a certain subgenre of cinema. However, this time Hill’s latest book seems a little more mainstream – at least at first glance. The A to Z of Superhero Movies: From Abar to ZsaZsa, as its title suggests, is a book for all those interested in superheroes but want to find something a little more unconventional.

There are, of course, all the expected entries from Ant-man to Wonder Woman and for those who do want to read about Hill’s thoughts on the best, biggest and brightest then they can indulge. However, Hill’s research and clear love for the genre from the most popular to the most obscure and unknown is clearly laid out and no stone goes unturned as Hill has committed to paper every single superhero he can find.

So, while you’re looking up every single Batman film, both animated and live action (I know I did) to make sure they are there, you may find yourself distracted by Filipino Batman (copyright be damned) and Thelma, the Norwegian arthouse horror about a religious girl who gets psychokinetic powers. This truly is a thorough and well thought out analysis of the superhero movie genre and what it even means to be a hero.

Hill seems to know his audience all too well and is probably very much like them, so he knows exactly what to expect. Therefore, his book starts with a few disclaimers to try and lessen the many, many e-mails and tweets he may receive that would aim to correct his hard work. The definition of a superhero is clearly defined (to the standard that Hill defines them) and it is also clearly stated that the book, however big and heavy it feels, has only one thousand movie entries.

So, hopefully that will clear up any questions that those even better versed than him may want answered. He also talks about the movies that will and will not be included (with particular note to motion comics) and then the book is left to the reader to explore.

After the extensive guide through the numerous superhero movies, Hill gives a section of statistics to quench the thirst of those who still want to know more and to impress their friends (internet or otherwise) on the extent of their knowledge. There are even statistics on the demographics of superhero characters from different genders, ethnicities and sexualities. Although I did notice there were no statistics on the ages of superheroes (or at least the actors playing them) nor were there any on characters with disabilities.

The A to Z of Superhero Movies: From Abar to ZsaZsa is filled with everything anyone would want to know about the genre, and even some things that they never even considered. Hill has not only compiled a definitive guide through movie history on the genre, but also brings a lot of humour with his short, witty reviews of many of the movies he has seen.

If I were to make any criticism though, it would be that the pictures in the book are in black and white and for what is known to either be a bright and colourful and highly cinematic genre then this takes a little away from the overall aesthetic. However, this is a minor concern and just to see posters and stills from the most unusual of the book’s entries is pleasing enough to show exactly how strange and diverse superheroes can actually be.

The A to Z of Superheroes is a perfect gift for any time of year, and for those looking to expand their movie knowledge in places they never knew it needed to be expanded, Hill’s detailed research pays off as the gift that readers will come back to again and again.

Honey Boy: The BRWC Review. By Nick Boyd.

“Honey Boy,” based on actor Shia LaBeouf’s childhood, is a powerful coming-of-age look at living on the margins as a child actor with an emotionally abusive yet loving father.  In flashbacks to 1995, LaBeouf plays James, a version of his father, and Noah Jupe (in a remarkable performance) plays his 12-year-old son Otis.  Father and son (the mother is out of the picture) are living in a run-down motel in southern California as Otis, through his small parts in TV roles, is able to financially provide for the two of them, although it is a constant struggle. 

James is a very harsh and demanding father, at times resentful to be dependent on his son for support.  While James proclaims that he has been sober for four years, he regularly attends Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and always seems on the verge of relapsing.  LaBeouf, with horn-rimmed glasses, long hair, and sloppy appearance, certainly looks the part, and this adds to the realism of the picture.

Young Otis, looking for guidance in his life, is able to find it in the Big Brother program in which he is enrolled.  That is where he meets Tom, someone that he looks up to.  Otis wants to go to a baseball game with Tom, but before doing so James invites him over for a barbecue to find out more about him.  As James senses that Tom seems to be getting too close to his son, that does not sit well with him and he reacts negatively. 

Then when James is not around, Otis turns to a young sex worker for warmth and comfort that his father is unable to provide.  The relationship of sorts they form is not exploitative and is in a way touching as this young woman is able to provide the comfort that Otis craves.

We get the sense through all the hours he has to put in for roles that do not amount to much and the living conditions he finds himself in that Otis has a compromised early adolescence, lacking any real joy or sense of fun.  

Scenes of the film taking place in 2005 feature Otis as an action movie star (played by Lucas Hedges), who is clearly battling internal demons.  We see him in his apartment downing a large quantity of alcohol and then in a later scene he gets into a car crash, having been under the influence.  This causes him to be arrested and placed in a mandated treatment facility.  He does not believe that he should be there and makes this known to his counselor, played by Laura San Giacomo. 

As a calming, understanding presence, Dr. Moreno slowly gets Otis to reveal the pain and hurt within.  Hedges is quite effective at showing all that he has had to deal with over the years, both in highly emotional as well as quieter scenes.  His character is able to evolve and eventually find some catharsis.

This very raw, personal movie is LaBeouf’s therapeutic attempt at healing his tumultuous father son relationship.  It is not an easy watch, but the deeply felt performances and the insights it provides, make it an experience worth having.

By Naseem Ally. ‘Malou’ is a short film inspired by true events. It follows a young, passionate dancer by the name of Malou, who is absolutely tenacious in fighting for her dream of performing on the stage.

After years of going through hoops of turmoil and rejection, fate would have it that an opportunity would present itself to her, resulting in an unexpected revelation.

Malou, played by Romina Kuper is reserved and seen as someone pretty much out of place. She’s an outsider. This is none more evident than in the first few scenes of the film, where she is clearly met with some hostility. As she makes her way through the dance school hallways, a fellow student makes the comment ‘what is she doing here?’

Stephan Frohlich, the director of photography for this film, has made a strong input on the aesthetics.

Malou opens with scattering strobe lights that shine on a dancer as they perform. The hues from the lights are vivid and dramatic, setting the tone for the rest of the film.

This scene slowly fades out to reveal a young Malou being amazed by the dancer’s grace on the television. As this is a 15-minute film, there’s not really much of an emphasis on seeing the young Malou growing up to where she is presently in the film, which is a shame.

However, this is done in an ingenious way as she runs down a number of hallways and doors, leading to the main entrance for her dance school with the camera focusing on a grown-up Malou. A signal that she has arrived.

It was a great way to approach the sequencing of the film, considering the time constraints.

Throughout Malou, there’s a good use of natural lighting. The large and well-lit windows play into this vision of ‘grandeur’ as she walks through this very prestigious dance school. Malou is clearly battling through the intimidation but seems to stick to her guns as she’s determined to make a point at this school.

You could say, Malou is the ‘B-Rabbit’ of the dance world. ‘Do you know what it’s like to prove yourself every day?’.

Malou’s score is beautiful, and this is cemented right at the beginning of the film. It opens with some very piercing strums of the violin that really creates a unique atmosphere. It’s almost haunting.

Not quite in the same manner as ‘Joker’, but it’s very good, and works in this particular circumstance. There’s a lot of classical influence in the film and it goes with the overall theme of Malou.

Going back to my earlier point of the use of natural lighting, the same can be said for the sound too. Outside the school campus, there’s a moment where Malou goes to reflect and is surrounded by a wonderful ambience of birds chirping and leaves gently rustling in the wind.

Malou more or less follows the similar themes of hardship in the pursuit of excellence in the dance world, as we’ve seen in many similar films over the years, so it isn’t anything groundbreaking.

But what it does have going for itself is a tactile and simple approach to the genre, that keeps you drawn into the story.

There are no sudden flash mob sequences after Malou pulls a fast one on her harsh dance tutor, who apparently has ‘a stick up his ar*e’ as mentioned by one of the instructors in the film.

But instead, it’s the world that has been created from the visual and audio work, and the straight forward dialogue that will keep your interest enough, to engage in this film.

Shorts are challenging to review sometimes. Often, they are mere snapshots of something much grander and generally will play like just that. When most have a runtime shorter than a television episode, it’s hard to know what to grab onto and explore.

Therefore, so many of them are blunt in their approach; they have a clear purpose to strive towards. Grégory Montel’s directorial debut Barking Dogs (Les Chiens Aboient) is beautifully shot and performed but has nothing to explore and no purpose.

Hicham (Samir Senhdji) and Juliana (Julianna Vogt) are our Romeo and Juliette for the brief 16-minute runtime, and both make for charming love-struck teens. He’s an immigrant, and she’s a gypsy with a family not fond of foreigners, which is why Juliana has never invited Hicham to meet them, he just doesn’t know that.

So, ignorantly brave, Hicham follows Juliana home one day and finds her and her family down to dinner for her older brother Willy’s birthday. What follows is intense shouting of slurs and an unpredictable argument with an upset neighbour. There’s enough action here to make for a short film, but none of it has any substance, and since it ends with almost the ultimate cliché, the praise I have for the narrative is non-existent. 

What I did like was the cinematography. Intimate and eye-catching it’s Barking Dog’s most significant achievement. David Kremer uses his lens to capture everything of substance that the film has to offer, which is the world, specifically the gypsy lives of Juliana and her family.

Their lifestyle is intriguing, and their tightknit family is wholesome; had Barking Dogs been more focused on culture it could have been something special. What we get instead is the exploration of an event that takes place within an intriguing context, and it’s not nearly as impressive as it should have been. 

The performances are strong from the young cast. They do their best with the material given to them and do manage to create an impressive screaming match at the end of the film. Perspective is everything when it comes to understanding Hicham and Juliana, as within their own lives things are going wrong that they each see differently.

Hicham doesn’t see why Juliana won’t invite him to meet her family and Juliana doesn’t understand her family’s prejudices. And Senhdji and Vogt both manage to get this across to great effect and firm themselves as talented performers acting in an unfortunately empty endeavour. 

Barking Dogs doesn’t seem to know what it wants to be, and in all the confusion, it amounts to nothing. Had there been more depth or a more definite focus, the most substantial pieces of the film could have shined all the brighter and made for something enjoyable. Alas, it lacks in too many vital areas and can only be considered an average first effort and nothing more.