Category: REVIEWS

Joker: The BRWC Review. Evocative, dark, twisted and utterly mesmerising, that is what Todd Phillips has done with Joker. When the announcement first came in 2017 that we were getting a Joker origin story, I had no idea what to expect. The seemingly constant failure of the DCEU had continued with the release of Justice League, after only briefly being salvaged by Wonder Woman, and snarky laughter and insults met everything attached to the brand.

Yet here was something Warner Brothers told us was going to be completely separate, with no CGI upper lips and, most importantly and interestingly, no Caped Crusader. Soon Joaquin Phoenix was attached, and all we knew was that he would be The Joker going around Gotham with no one capable of stopping him.

Now we know what that’s like and the best way to describe it is a punch in the face quickly followed by an ice bath. This Joker origin story plays very much like the clown prince of crime himself is giving us a list of excuses for his actions, everything is from his perspective, and it’s crucial to understand that. The world Phillips puts us in is a cruel one, a distressingly cruel one that, had the man introduced to us as Arthur Fleck not become The Joker, would generate empathy from audiences for our main character.

However, we are only seeing what our demented antagonist is allowing us to see, and we can’t trust him, so we are left to our own devices, subject to only disturbing behaviour from disturbing people.

Our leader through this world is the relentless Joaquin Phoenix, who gives what is very possibly the finest performance of his career. He summons the feeling that he was born to play this role and brings back all the mental chaos that the character lacked in Suicide Squad. The writers (Todd Phillips and Scott Silver) placed all their cards in the Joker character with the film relying on him in every scene, and phoenix delivers to an incredibly high standard. Robert De Niro is also excellent as funny man talk show host Murray Franklin, who serves almost as a reminder that we have been forced to follow The Joker down a path no one would ever actually tread. In other words, he reiterates that the world isn’t all that bad, at least compared to how Arthur sees it.

The architect behind the entire film, Todd Phillips, has plain and simple never directed a better movie. The Hangover and War Dogs don’t even come close; this is work from an entirely different filmmaker and of a calibre, I’ll admit, I didn’t believe him capable of. I was so foolishly wrong, and I’m so happy to write that. His direction is gobsmacking as he paints his depiction of a treacherous descent into insanity.

In working with cinematographer Lawrence Sher, they have managed to make something so captivating that even when the images make you want to look away, you never will. From his eerie dancing to his harrowing laughter, they capture The Joker in an entirely unforgettable fashion making this depiction of the famous character one of the most impactful ever.

There are parallels to the real world, ones that are quite unsettling. At times it’s unclear if the film was trying to acknowledge these or not. They may be a minority, but there are people out there who agree with the psychopathic ramblings of the Joker, and every so often they mimic his style of deranged violence.

I wholeheartedly believe Joker is a film that condemns these people and acknowledges their legitimate threat to the world as we know it. For some, the story will come on a little strong because the world in the film takes the real-life problems and turns them up to 11. The violence is unrelenting as a result, and that is where the debate of the films potential to incite real crimes arises, I hope it doesn’t, but I can’t say for sure that it won’t. We aren’t at the stage where criminal members of an audience should be dictating how to make a film though, that is something I know for sure. So even if you are against the narrative, Joker had an unequivocal right to be made, and as of the time of writing, I’m sure happy it did.

The score by Hildur Guðnadóttir is bone-chilling and gut-wrenching. 2019 has been a particularly good year for film scores, and this one further extends the ever-growing terrific library of music. The editing is also first-rate as it never lets you fully settle from the insane acts before the next one occurs. In the grand scheme of things, the violence is quite sparse, coming in bursts rather than smothering the whole experience, so not being able to settle is a sign of a director and editor that has you well and truly on a hook.

I could go through the other aspects of the movie and sing my praises, but I mean it when I say that in every category this is one of the year’s best films and it will make a significant impact this awards season.

Joker is a disturbing look through the eyes of a mad man who blames the world for his insanity, one told via career-best work from Todd Phillips and the performance of a lifetime by Joaquin Phoenix.

By Naseem Ally. The Laundromat is the latest original film from the streaming giant Netflix. With an all-star cast, Netflix has pulled out all the stops to have another crack at the award season following Roma’s acclaim. It’s a financial expose film on a ‘shell’ company in Panama, claiming to provide clients with the wealth management they deserve. However, in four different scenarios, the truth behind these claims unravels. 

Meryl Streep leads an all-star cast, rubbing shoulders with Gary Oldman, Antonio Banderas and David Schwimmer.

The film opens with the face of Benjamin Franklin, setting the tone, that this film is all about the Benjamins, baby! The dapper duo of Gary Oldman and Antonio Banderas casually stroll at exotic hotspots, narrating about the necessity and pitfalls of money over the course of the film.

There is an ongoing theme of rules, that get introduced one by one with some superb animations. It felt as if, they were giving an interactive walkthrough of their very own version of the 48 Laws Of Power.

Rule 1. ‘The Meek Are Screwed’.

Ellen, played by Meryl Streep, is a retiree who goes on vacation with her husband that unfortunately ends in turmoil. As a result, she’s now left as a widow. Ellen investigates the will left, with an insurance firm, who informs her that her late husband had been conned into a fake insurance policy. If there’s supposedly nothing she can claim, what’s her alternative?

There were some great locations for the shooting of this film. Gary and Antonio did not look out of place during their strolls in what seemed like the Nevada Dessert, in their cream suits waxing so poetically about money.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see the set and costume designers for this film receiving numerous nominations, come award season. The film really portrayed the contrast of the worlds between the uber-wealthy and the ‘meek’.

The bright, extravagant Versace silk shirts and California sunshine on one end of the spectrum, contrasted by the dark, deep blues of a fisherman’s attire as he toils on a stormy front.

In the eyes of the insurance firm, the working class’s efforts are all pointless. All their hopes and dreams that they’d put into their retirement plans, are nowhere to be seen. They are all ‘shells’ in non-existent firms.

A noticeable feature, in at least some of the most recent financial expose films, such as The Wolf Of Wall Street or The Big Short, is that as well having a heavy emphasis on narration, visually, it’s very loud.

The Laundromat follows this trend. But, it works.

It really paints the picture of how the other half lives.

As well as The Laundromat having a comedic tone, it’s also somewhat philosophical. The Biblical references, such as ‘the meek shall inherit the earth’ is a topic that Meryl’s character touches on in her internal dialogue towards the latter part of the film.

After watching a film like this, it leaves you pondering your own internal dialogue on the world of finance. How do the wealthy wriggle their way through these financial loopholes? Why don’t schools teach students about offshore companies as part of the national curriculum?

In the news, it’s common to see the debate on economic inequality and how the rules do not favour the many, but the few.

This ends up being nothing more than a pressing issue for the moment, as people get caught up in the usual trivia of day to day life, that when they are presented with an agenda like this, it reignites that disdain for the 1 percent.

But, before you know it, there’s a new shiny gimmick that captures the imagination, and the cycle repeats.

The Laundromat may leave you feeling conflicted, as this film projects the notion of it wagging its finger at you for not being disappointed by how unfair it all is, and how the common folk should rise up and fight against austerity.

However, in all honesty, it feels like a rallying cry in vain.

Based on the play of the same name, Scarborough is about two couples who go to a hotel for a weekend in the seaside town of Scarborough. The film follows Liz (Jodhi May) and Daz (Jordan Bolger), Aiden (Edward Hogg) and Beth (Jessica Barden) as they talk about their relationships. However, their relationships are not the conventional type, as Liz and Aiden are teachers and Daz and Beth are their students.

Scarborough sets out to follow the two relationships but does so at a distance, never judging the couples as their relationships start to mirror each other. The dialogue feels realistic, with each couple talking about things and getting along as any couple would, the only difference being that besides their age gap, their affairs started in a place that if anyone were to find out, one of them would go to prison.

All the cast are great, the film feels as if the audience are watching real couples who may be in way over their heads when temptation overcomes them. The way the film plays out feels natural, never contrived or forcing the audience to feel one way or another about the couples. However, the stand out performances are from Jodhi May and Jessica Barden.

The former being a middle-aged teacher caught up in the excitement of a younger man finding her attractive, but still worrying about how things will work out. The latter being a portrayal of a happy-go-lucky teenage girl with a dark sense of humour who doesn’t understand the consequences of her actions. Overall the story follows the cast as their lives reflect each other almost perfectly, with some scenes even having exactly the same dialogue.

However, despite the couples feeling so realistic, there is a sense that the situation is still a little cliché. There are a couple of surprises along the way, but because they feel so grounded there is never anything that really blows the audience away. Despite the attempt at letting the audience decide whose side they are on, by making the cast so even handed the audience never gets the chance to feel strongly for either one of the couples.

Scarborough plays at a distance to its audience, making them feel like observers rather than getting them involved and so the end result feels somewhat empty. There are many relationships like this all over the world, not just in Scarborough, sometimes they work out and sometimes one person in the couple sets out to corrupt the other.

Unfortunately, despite its great performances and realistic script, Scarborough’s story doesn’t really give much to its audience that it hasn’t already seen or imagined before.

By Naseem Ally. Amalgame is a French film based on the 2015 attacks in Paris. It centres around a woman, Marie, who in the aftermath of the attacks fears for her safety after watching the shocking scenes on the news, which takes its toll on her.

Very quickly, Marie becomes self-aware of her thoughts during a taxi ride from an Arab driver and is now in conflict with what she’s seen on the news, and what her gut feelings are telling her.  

In the political climate we’re living in today, it’s refreshing to see a film covering this kind of social commentary.  

Amalgame is a short film, with the story being told in a concise 15 minutes.

In a day and age, where we’re bombarded with 2 hour-long superhero movies and lengthy tv series, it’s great to watch a film from start to finish in a short amount of time.

It’s definitely nice for a change.

This film has a small cast – 3 characters, to be exact, however, it works and puts the focus on the narrative being told. It shows what actually goes through the minds of people that are affected by tragic events like this, whether directly or indirectly. 

In light of the attacks, her boyfriend Hugo comforts her. Marie is clearly shaken up by the events but is too distracted by the news, that she loses sight of the fact that there is an exam to study for.

Marie cannot put this tragedy to rest and frequently lets it cross her mind, so much so Hugo has enough and resorts to turning the TV off. A valid point he raised in the film, was that ‘the media feeds themselves on stories like this – that’s how they sell’. This is very true, especially since the wake of the shocking scenes in New York on 9/11 the media’s focus towards terror has amped up tenfold.

Hugo played by Hector Manuel is a key catalyst in this film. Even though he sympathises with a distraught Marie and tries his best to console and put her fears to rest, he won’t allow her emotions to be manipulated by the consumption of mass media. This is all too common nowadays, especially with the constant stream of news feeds we receive on our phones. 

Hugo brought some insight and perspective into this film. In terms of affairs pertaining to us here in the U.K, the majority of the news we are seeing as of late frequently revolves around a number of specific topics.

In particular, the two obvious ones being Brexit and immigration.  

The constant circulation of news the media ‘feeds’ us, seeks to create a dreaded sense of doom and fear among the public that an imminent attack is right around the corner, heading for our doorstep. 

It’s no surprise that immigration was the key selling point of the referendum, with the notion that the UK needs to close the borders to stop immigrants coming over from European shores. 

I’m sure you’re all aware of what this resulted in – a Brexit campaign that led to a referendum where the majority voted to leave the EU. In 2016. 

Here we are in 2019, still with no result, holding our breath like a contestant on Deal or No Deal, with protestors outside the Houses of Parliament who want a second referendum to overturn it. 

What a shambles. Does anyone remember the ‘Go Home Van’?  

‘Go Home or Face Arrest’. Unbelievable, Jeff. 

All of these actions and campaigns have not helped at all. It continues to raise tensions and hostility, supplemented by endless dialogue in the aftermath of attacks such as the one in Paris.

These tragedies are usually followed by ‘celebrities’ and MP’s sending out somewhat questionable tweets on their thoughts and prayers to those affected. #PrayFor (insert city name and national flag emoji here)

After this, a number of think pieces are shared online from major news and blog outlets on what we need to do as a society to tackle radicalisation or, the buzzword of the minute – toxic masculinity.

It never ends. Jordan B. Peterson save us all!

This short film has managed to convey more thought on this topic, then your average 3 pm debate on Sky News anchored by a certain Miss Burley that ends up going nowhere. I think it would be great to see more prominent film producers and directors, create films of a similar ilk that focus on social commentary and are a lot more concise.

However, a concept like this would be highly unlikely to be produced by a major studio as it wouldn’t necessarily be profitable to make a film like this, which is a shame. This type of narrative is more commonly explored by indie or student filmmakers. 

Marie played by Pauline Deshons held her own in this film and gave a solid display of a character torn between her perception of a certain group of people, based on what she’s seen on TV and how her own personal interactions with them, don’t reflect what she sees on her screen. 

She is stuck at a crossroads. This sense of realism is brilliantly done and can be applied to any group of people or race. 

Take London for example, where there is a particular focus on knife crime among young people, and predominantly BAME inner-city youths, who are frequently covered in the media. Whether consciously or sub-consciously this is making people in London feel a sense of unease on a day to day basis.  

Just pick up a copy of the Metro or Evening Standard at the station and see for yourself.

With Marie’s intellect, she is wary of making any negative assumptions during her cab ride, but with the stream of news that plays on the cab radio, she feels very anxious. What if she could perhaps be the next victim? 

This film does force yourself to ask some hard-hitting questions as to how influenced you are by mass media.

The frantic news footage in the film of the armoured police trucks, ambulance, and victims climbing out the Bataclan really reinforces the idea about the power that the consumption of media has over us. 

To the point of making people fearful to congregate in public with friends and colleagues keeping us locked in our personal spaces like Marie, listening intently to narrations like ‘scenes of panic, carnage in different places frequented in the capital’ being spouted from a TV screen.

Amalgame is very minimal and simple in it’s aesthetic but it tells a story extremely well.

The cutaways of Paris, with the added chimes from a church bell in the distance, created an eerie ambience that leaves you to ponder how people are truly affected in the aftermath of such events.

Amalgame opens up the conversation on topics like multiculturalism and immigration, and how it all trickles down to our day to day lives. Tighter security measures at airports, location and privacy settings on smartphones, are just a few examples of this. 

We are living in one of the most difficult political and social climates in history, and it doesn’t look like things are going to change any time soon. 

Amalgame is a great social commentary piece and it is very much relevant today. All done in 15 minutes.