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!

  • The Top 5 Presidential Movies

    The Top 5 Presidential Movies

    By Kate Helen.

    This year’s election has dominated the headlines, and the roller coaster isn’t anywhere near over. While there’s been plenty of real life drama surrounding the 2016 presidential election, it’s always fun to watch movies that satirize the presidency. Here are some films that are ideal to watch during any election season. Who’s your pick for the fictional POTUS?

    Dave (1993)

    Kevin Kline stars in this comedy film as Dave Kovic, a man who impersonates the President to earn extra cash and is then called by the Secret Service to actually stand in for the POTUS at a hotel. The charade is orchestrated to cover up the President’s affair with a White House staffer, Randi, played by Laura Linney. When the President has a stroke during the sexcapade, Dave becomes the face of the POTUS full time. He’s a hit with the public and even the First Lady likes him better than her real husband. This movie ends on a happy note, but it wasn’t the end of comedy acting for Laura Linney. After her role in Dave, she went on to star in The Big C. She also appeared in the 2008 miniseries John Adams.

    The Contender (2000)

    In The Contender, Jeff Bridges plays President Jackson Evans and Joan Allen stars as Senator Laine Hanson. When President Evans nominates Hanson to become Vice President after the death of the former VP, she’s immediately caught up in a scandal that centers on her past. The kicker: she never actually participated in the orgy that everyone else thinks she was a part of. Hanson remains calm, cool, and quiet while others try to tear her down and President Evans doesn’t stop believing in her potential. The political circus that occurs in the movie will definitely be familiar to anyone who has watched even 5 minutes of a cable TV news show in the past few years.

    Air Force One (1997)

    This political action movie puts Harrison Ford in the role of veteran soldier and U.S. President James Marshall. After proclaiming that he won’t negotiate with terrorists – yes, we’ve heard similar words before in real life – those terrorists come back in full force and hijack the very plane he’s on. Ultimately, James makes a heroic escape, saves many hostages, and kills off most of the terrorists before the movie is over. Air Force One is a Harrison Ford classic, which you can still catch on television through your local channels, but it’s not the first movie he’s tackled where he gets fed up and goes nuts on a bunch of bad guys. He did the same in Patriot Games, The Fugitive, Firewall, and several other films – Ford is clearly a master at the game.

    The American President (1995)

    In this film, Michael Douglas stars as Andrew Shepherd, a widower President of the US who catches major flack for dating a lobbyist while he’s in office. The real problem comes in when Andrew has to choose between getting behind the anti-crime bill he’s championed for years or supporting an environmental bill that’s favored by his lover Sydney Wade, who is played by Annette Bening. Of course, this whole mess seriously threatens his re-election campaign. Andrew and Sydney both win and find happiness together in the end, but the interesting thing about this film is that it was a huge influence on the popular TV show The West Wing. Writer Aaron Sorkin was so inspired by the movie that the Oval Office set used in The American President was also used in The West Wing.

    White House Down (2013)

    No, the best thing about White House Down isn’t watching Channing Tatum walk around with his buff arms bared, looking all tough guy smooth. The truly fascinating thing about this film is the technology that made it happen. The plot is set in Washington, D.C., but nearly all the filming took place on a stage in Montreal. Skillful editing of its scenery truly brought the movie to life. “White House Down” features Jamie Foxx as POTUS James Sawyer, who is trying to push a peace treaty and take military forces out of the Middle East. This isn’t a popular move, and it leads to a group of rogue mercenaries taking the White House hostage. Channing Tatum plays police officer and Secret Service agent wannabe John Cale, who teams up with President Sawyer to save the day. If action thrillers are your thing, this movie is a must see.

    The actors in these movies all have different takes on being POTUS, and each one is seriously entertaining. Take a break from the antics of the current presidential debates and political commentary and enjoy these films this election year.

  • Review: Next To Her

    Next To Her is an absorbing, tour de force from director Asaf Korman with an incredible and unforgettable performance by Dana Ivgy as Gabby.

    Next To Her is about two sisters Chelli and Gabby and their special relationship due to the fact that Gabby is mentally disabled and Chelli cares for her. The two of them live together and Chelli is Gabby’s sole carer. Yet when Chelli falls in love with a man the special relationship between the sisters is tested that leads to unforeseen consequences.

    Dana Ivgy gives a spellbinding and arresting performance as the mentally disabled sister of Chelli (Liron Ben-Shlush) in this Israeli film that gives a convincing portrayal of what life is like with a mentally disabled family member. Her performance is so realistic that I thought she actually was an actress with special needs. She is not. Her performance will astound and hopefully provoke a reaction to make you think about the ways we consider the needs of those with mental disabilities.

    This film works so well because of the sparse narrative and incredible cinematography. Given that the character Gabby is mentally challenged the majority of the communication between her and Chelli is down through gestures and noises. Also the film is based on the real life experience of Liron Ben-Shlush whose sister is mentally disabled and who was the inspiration of the Gabby character. Her husband Asaf Korman directed this film with a lightness of touch. The script is wonderful in so far as you are torn between understanding the strain Chelli must be going through and her need for release and love. This is coupled with her fierce, almost primal, protection of Gabby that inadvertently stops Gabby from growing. Even in the moments where Chelli is calling Gabby a moron and fatso you can almost feel the love radiating from the screen. There are so many themes running through this film: shame, vulnerability, love, intimacy, trust, respect and all are carefully explored and developed. This all leads to the final powerful scene that will play on your mind for days if not weeks after seeing the film.

    This is the best film I have seen in 2016 – well written, good direction that allowed the actresses to act and space for the audience to take it all in and draw their own conclusions. A must see!

    Next To Her was released on 11 March.

  • BRWC Reviews: WAR

    BRWC Reviews: WAR

    A London gang fight takes an unexpected turn as Darryl (Jordan Bolger) prepares for the biggest battle of his crews life. War is a great portrayal of life in London, outside of the norm and unique in its lack of stereotype is an entertaining and interesting short.

    War is written and directed by Nilesh Bell-Gorsia, an up and coming talent who is fantastically backed up by the skills of Jordan Bolger and utilises incredibly a silent, but presence filled guest appearance from Levi Roots. The production value is good and the intensity is high, yet by the very nature of short film War only has a short time to impress. Whilst War certainly surprises the viewer, it’s impact is short and doesn’t last much past the end of the 4 minutes. Despite a strong performance with Bolger, probably best known for his appearance in Peaky Blinders, and a special guest appearance from Levi Roots (which got this guy very, very, probably too, excited) War is fun and different, but only had the impact of an clever youtube video. You’ll watch it once, but there no real chance you’ll be asking for more. That’s not to say War is a bad short. It’s really great. It’s clever, different and interesting. It just unfortunately a one time impact film and unfortunately won’t be something I’ll remember for a long time.

    Worth a single viewing for it’s clever twist, and a good start for a young director, but need a little more impact!

  • The Ones Below: Review

    The Ones Below: Review

    “In London, you never know your own neighbours”, thunders one of the protagonists of this psychological thriller directed by acclaimed British playwright and theatre director David Farr. And that unsettling information infiltrates every second of The Ones Below, keeping you glued to your seat all throughout the movie because, quite literally, you never quite know what may happen next.

    Kate (Clemence Poesy) and Justin (Stephen Campbell Moore) are a happily married couple expecting their first baby. They live on the first floor of a north London building overlooking their neighbour’s messy garden. When the owner of the apartment downstairs passes away, the flat is sold in no time. As the renovation works are completed and the garden beautifully manicured, Kate is impatient to find out who the new owners are.

    One day, Kate finally notices two pairs of shoes neatly positioned outside the downstairs flat and, before she can ring the doorbell, Teresa (Laura Birn) bursts out and overwhelms her with her massive bump and her bubbly and imposing personality. The two pregnant ladies couldn’t be more different; Teresa’s approach to her impending maternity is joyful, confident, sexy. Kate, on the other hand, is full of doubts and unsure whether she’s ready to become a mother.

    The two ladies begin to form a bond and organize a dinner party with their husbands. As Teresa’s husband Jon (David Morrissey) and Justin have nothing in common, dinner turns out to be far from pleasant, ending with a life changing accident.

    The Ones Below is a beautifully shot, intimate movie with a perfectly paced narrative and strong and minimalist dialogues that move the story forward unpredictably.

    With outstanding performances by David Morrisey, Clemence Poesy, Laura Birn and Stephen Campbell Moore, David Farr’s debut feature film is an unnerving psychological thriller, which is simply hauntingly disturbing and addictive. I loved The Ones Below so much I can’t help but describe it as a must see, hair-raising masterpiece.

  • The BRWC Review: Truth

    Can you ever truly tell the real story, the truth, in a totally unbiased way? That is the basis of the new film aptly called Truth which attempts to tell the backstory of the 2004 CBS 60 minutes episode examining the truth of the then incumbent President George W Bush’s military service and the storm and repercussions of a less than thorough research by the production team led by Mary Mapes. At the end of this 2 hours 5 mins film the only thing you realise is the truth is which ever line of the divide you stand on.

    Truth is written and directed by James Vanderbilt based on the book by Mary Mapes. She is played in this film by Cate Blanchett and veteran CBS newscaster Dan Rather by Robert Redford. In her investigation of then President George Bush’s military record as he sought re-election she’s supported by her a motley production crew of Mike Smith (Topher Grace), Lt Colonel Roger Charles (Dennis Quaid) and Lucy Scott (Elisabeth Moss).

    Here’s the truth this is a biopic focusing on Mary Mapes’s treatment by CBS with a screenplay based on a book she wrote about the whole incident. This is her truth and so in watching it you are watching her interpretation of the whole situation. Setting aside the rife sexism that was awash in news reporting at the time and her stellar work in highlighting the mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners in Abu Ghraib prison. What is evident from the start was she wanted to get to the truth of George Bush’s military career as a pilot and it was somewhat of a crusade, unfinished business, if you will. In the film, Lt Col Roger Charles says to Lucy Scott that Mary had intended to produce this very story when George Bush first sought election to President of U.S.A but her mother died and so abandoned everything. Was the investigation rushed? Is the truth that Mary rushed into getting the story out without ensuring everything had been investigated: possibly. Was she scapegoated by CBS after questions started to be asked- definitely. Is the truth that news outlets focus has shifted from news and investigative journalism to ensuring they are a profitable business model and will pander to whoever is paying them the most – definitely. What is sure in calling this film Truth is setting it up for a fall that no stellar cast can save it from. Cate Blanchett comes at it with a fiery passion but in truth unless you know the whole story it is just someone’s version of events. I was left feeling that the truth will never come out and news outlets care less about telling even one jot of truth if it means it affects their bottom-line and that is a very depressing idea.

    Truth was released in cinemas on 4 March.