Half Brothers: Stealing Goats

Half Brothers is a comedy film directed by Luke Greenfield. The plot sees two half-brothers Renato (Luis Gerado Mendez) and Asher (Connor Del Rio),come into contact for the first time after the death of their father (Juan Pablo Espinosa).

This film brought a tear to my eye and broke my heart, as a comedy film I don’t know if it was aiming to do this or if this was a mistake, but there is some powerful emotions in this film. The father journey is beautifully told over the course of the film, starting with him leaving Mexico to go to the States and then never being able to come back and the impact that has on Renato. How he never gave up trying to come back and has thought about seeing his first son again all his life, it is touching and deeply sad.

I enjoyed seeing the two-brother bond over the course of the film, yes the storyline was nothing new, but the leads had enough chemistry that they pulled it off and made it enjoyable. Both characters were more than they first appeared and had nuanced moments and arcs of their own, usually the writing in comedy films is quite weak but I have to hand it to this film it really managed to buck that trend.

My one issue with this film would be that though it is well written and has strong emotional resonances, it is not funny and at the end of the day it is supposed to be a comedy film. Now as I often say comedy is subjective, but for I didn’t really find myself laughing at all, smiling a few times but no laughs.

Overall, as a comedy film it is a let-down, but as a drama and a character piece this is incredibly strong. If you change what you are looking for and your initial expectations there is a rough diamond here.

Pros.

It is touching

The emotional arc

Salient points about society

The performances

Cons.

It is not funny

4/5

Reviewed by Luke

Bliss: Is This The Real World Or Is This Just Fantasy

Bliss is a science fiction drama film directed by Mike Cahill. The plot follows Greg Whittle (Owen Wilson), a man who finds out he is living in a simulation, or is he? Is this the real world? Or is the world beyond ours the real one? Or is it all the by-product of drugs.

This is Owen Wilson’s big come back film, he’s been absent from our screens for far too long and I for one am glad to see him back. He plays the everyman well and is heart-breaking as a father who slips into another world and is forced to question whether everything he knows is real, he doesn’t even know whether his own daughter is real.

This film is confusing, clearly by design, and it never does state which world is the real one, or if there is even two worlds at all, even the final scene of the film is ambiguous. You will only have any decisive opinion of what is actually happening if you read what the creatives say in interviews, as they spell it out.

My one issue with this film is the writing. Now, for the most part the writing is solid and works well, but here and there you see little things that ruin it slightly, this can be seen with character irregularities mainly with Selma Hayek’s character, which make things a bit too obvious and don’t fit with the rest of the film.

Overall, this film will fill you with a sense of existential dread, and stay with you long after it ends, welcome back Mr Wilson.

Pros.

The premise

The ambiguity

Owen Wilson’s comeback

The ending

Cons.

The writing is slightly weak and inconsistent in parts

Reviewed by Luke

4/5

The Family Fang: And You Thought Your Family Was Messed Up

The Family Fang is a comedy drama film directed by Jason Bateman. The plot follows the dysfunctional Fang Family as they are forced back together again, causing old issues to be readdressed. The parents of the family are performance artists who forced their children into a number of uncomfortable and awkward situations in service of their art and that has led to a hate-filled rift between the parents and the children. It is based on the novel of the same name by David Linday-Abaire.

This is Bateman’s second direction effort, he also co stars alongside Nicole Kidman, and it marks a very noticeable shift in his direction sensibilities. If you look at Bateman’s first effort Bad Words it is certainly an off colour, off key comedy film that feature dramatic elements, however it is still a comedy film first. Whereas this film is very much a drama film, with a few moments of darkly humorous relief, following this through into Ozarks you can see how Bateman is moving further and further away from traditional comedy, and is instead pushing into much darker territory.

It is with that in mind, that I advise you not to watch this film as a comedy film as that is a miscategorisation, but to understand and watch this film for the drama film it is. As a drama film this film is sublime, it examines parents and children and how the two are intertwined. Should everyone and anyone be a parent? When does it become self-serving? What can a parent do to a child and then ask for forgiveness for?

The performances from Bateman, Kidman and Christopher Walken are all terrific, they perfectly capture different elements of the broken family paradigm and reflect them outwardly. Walken particularly shines here as an antagonist, his character scenes with the kids are both heart-breaking and infuriating and strongly performed.

I find myself being reminded of Captain Fantastic

Overall, a very strong drama film miscategorised.

Pros.

The performances

The concept

The examination of the effects of parenting

Cons.

It is poorly paced

The ending doesn’t feel as satisfying as I would like

3.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

Short Term 12: Give Brie Larson An Oscar!

Short Term 12 is a drama film directed by Destin Daniel Cretton. The film follows the life of Grace Howard (Brie Larson), a troubled adult who supervises at a home for troubled teens.

I have to say before I watched this film I was not on the Brie Larson bandwagon; I had yet to see that one performance by her that was going to convert me, I had seen her disastrous pr efforts and her meh turn as Captain Marvel in the MCU neither of which impressed me. I liked her in Free Fire, Scott Pilgrim and Kong Skull Island but I was still unconvinced. However, all that changed when I saw this film and now I am 100% on board the bandwagon.

There are a lot of great performances in this film, we get to see hints at future potential from Lakeith Stanfield and Kaitlyn Dever, as well as a great turn from John Gallagher Jr. in the male lead, but this is Larson’s film through and through. Larson sells every minute she is on screen with such an emotional intensity that you can’t help but be drawn in. I thought the struggle her character goes through, and the later reveals as to the motivation behind that, is incredibly moving and manically depressing. I think the conversation this character arc raises however is ultimately uplifting, positive and needed as it shows there is hope.

Overall, this is an incredibly emotionally impactful film and it is a model for how scripts should be written, close to perfect.

Pros.

Brie Larson

It has both humour and heart

The journey

The conversation around surviving abuse

The ending and the hope it brings

Cons.

It can be upsetting and deeply depressing at times

4.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

White Tiger: America Is The Past

The White Tiger is a drama film directed by Ramin Bahrani, based on the novel of the same name written by Aravind Adiga. The plot tells the life story of Balram (Adarsh Gourav), as he goes from a lowly slum dweller to king of the business jungle.

On my shortlist for best films of 2021 this along with Shadow In The Clouds and Spree are up near the top. There is something wonderfully fresh about this film, that I just can’t put my finger on. I think my favourite part of the film is the fourth wall breaking dialogue, wherein the narrator asked us to not judge him harshly for the life he has led: throughout the film whilst doing this is he making wonderfully quippy but also insightful statements that stay with you after the film.

The narrative takes you on an emotional roller coaster as you go from cheering, to crying, to being infuriated and then back again. The film really understands how to play with the audiences’ emotions to make us really care about Balram and his struggle, this in turn makes the pay off at the end feel all the more deserved.

Moreover, and I don’t talk about this enough in these reviews, the soundtrack is absolutely first class. Not only does the score perfectly reflect the emotion and the sense of place on screen but it also gives a vibrancy and liveliness to the film that really helps to keep you engaged throughout.

Overall, one of the best films I have seen so far this year, don’t sleep on it.

Pros.

The soundtrack

The fourth wall breaking asides

The emotion

The performances

The ending feeling earnt

Cons.

None

5/5

Reviewed by Luke

Baby Done: Climbing Trees Whilst Pregnant

Baby Done is a New Zealand comedy drama film directed by Curtis Vowell. The plot follows the life of reluctant soon to be Mother Zoe (Rose Matafeo), as she has to deal with the fact that her life is changing beyond her control.

Taika Waititi’s (the executive producer) finger prints are all over this film. I mean no criticism by this, rather I am saying that Vowell has managed to recreate than sense of outsider charm that Waititi is know for. Watching this I was reminded of early Waititi ventures such as Eagles Vs Shark, both feel tonally very similar and that is a good thing.

I enjoyed this films atypical look at motherhood, and how not everyone is thrilled with and into the whole mum idea. I think this film speaks to what a lot of women might feel but not vocalise and it is nice to see this type of motherhood represented on screen as it provides a nice contrast to stereotypical Hollywood I wanted to be a mum all by life types.

The characters are wonderfully quirky and delightfully funny, this is a particularly true of Matafeo, but it also applies to Matthew Lewis and some of the supporting cast. Though this film might not be a laugh a minute, it does make you chuckle here and there, and you are smiling constantly throughout.

My favourite thing about this film is the way it handles Zoe’s emotions, it shows her confusion, fear and frankly anger towards being pregnant as well as the joy when the child is born, this provides a perfect emotional nuance to the film that helps to further its impact.

Overall, a film that manages to do both heart and comedy well.

Pros.

The nuanced take on motherhood

Straying from the standard

Matafeo

Lewis

The Waititi quirkiness

Cons.

A few slow moments

4.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

Donna: Hope Triumphs Over Despair

Donna is a drama film directed by Jaret Martino. The plot sees Donna’s (Kate Amundsen), life become a living hell as she becomes the victim of domestic abuse, however one day she listens to her inner voice and decides to change her life to save herself and her child.

This film is both heart-breaking and also empowering. Heart-breaking in the sense of we see this woman have her happiness and joy taken away in a very personal and upsetting way, whilst being reminded of the worst in society and how easily isolated and vulnerable we can become. However, it is also empowering to see this woman seize control of her own life and fight back to reclaim it.

Now, this film will not be for everyone as it can be incredibly bleak, but if you do stick with it you will find it to be very emotionally enriching. I thought the journey that Donna as a character went on was simply superb, the character growth and bond we form with her as a character are the by-product of clearly master storytellers.

The ending, which I won’t spoil, feels very genuine and very satisfying. It doesn’t wholly tie things up there are still a few things to mull over when the credits role, but it does leave you feeling satisfied and better for having watched it. I cried.

Overall, a magnificent tale of empowerment and hope triumphing over despair.

Pros.

The ending

The emotional journey

The connection the audience forms to the characters

The empowerment

Cons.

It is very, very bleak at times

4.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

The Dig: Get Out The Shovels And Dig Up Your Back-Garden Now!

The Dig is a drama film directed by Simon Stone. The plot serves as a reimagining of the Sutton Hoo dig of 1939 from the point of view of pushed to the side excavator Basil Brown (Ralph Fiennes).

I remember the other day seeing a tweet from Netflix (possibly Netflix UK), saying something to the extent of this is one for the tweed lovers, and that is true, but there is also so much more to like about this film besides from its nice country esque wardrobe.

I was surprised to find how much I ended up caring about this dig and those involved in it. Fiennes and particularly Carey Mulligan really manage to develop these characters out into real flesh and blood people who you care about and become emotionally invested in; Lilly James struggles to the same with her character, she is a little out of her depth here.

This film is unrelentingly bleak, you can tell right from the off that it will not end happily, this is real life after all or a ‘true story’ version of it. Yes, the ending is bleak but in a way that serves to strengthen the emotional significants of the film and the discovery itself. The ending serves to enrage you for reasons that will become clear if you watch it.

Overall, I think this is another win for Carey Mulligan, after Promising Young Women see really is one a marvellous streak.

Pros.

The emotional beats

Fiennes

Mulligan

The ending is infuriating but also perfect for the film

Cons.

Lilly James sticks out for all the wrong reasons

4/5

Reviewed by Luke

Happy Cleaners: A Film That Will Make You Hungry

Happy Cleaners is a drama film directed by Julian Kim and Peter S. Lee. The plot follows the Choi Family as they navigate life, and the hardships therein. Their relationships will be tested, and their bonds strained, but can the Family survive its American Dream?

This film made me hungry, it then warmed my heart; but I was still hungry. This is one of the sweetest most genuine films I have seen in a long time, it feels so painfully true to life that you almost forget it is fiction and think that it is a documentary at times. This film speaks so much to the life of a lot of people that falls far beyond the glamorised Hollywood ideal, and shows it like it is for a lot of people, in a never-ending struggle.

The heart and by extension the emotional impact of the film were exactly where they needed to be to leave a lasting impact. The scene between the Father (Charles Ryu), and The Son (Yun Jeong), that follows on from the heated argument, where they manage to understand where the other is coming from without physically saying it is magnificent there is so much said without words in this scene it truly is a work of art; and it made me cry a little bit.

The acting is all very strong, not just from Ryu and Jeong but from the whole family. Hyang-hwa Lim as the matriarch of the family who just wants what’s best for her kids, despite them not agreeing with her assessment of what best is, is also very strong. I think her character has a near perfect arc, and the health scare really helps to add further perspective into the film and the scene and deepen the emotional takeaway.

Overall, a magnificent film that speaks to you to tell you of a shared life and experience, one that will be both different and familiar.

Pros.

The acting

The relatability

The food scenes are great food porn and do make you hungry

The few jokes that there are work well and make you laugh

The emotional pay off

Cons.

None

5/5

Reviewed by Luke

The Highwaymen: Old Men Can’t Climb Fences

The Highwaymen is a period crime drama film directed by John Lee Hancock. The plot details the man hunt for the infamous bank robbing duo Bonny and Clyde from the point of view of the two Texas Rangers who were tasked with brining them down.

If you like crime drama films, as I do, then you will find some enjoyment here. The story of the final days of Bonny and Clyde is not one that has been overexposed in films before and there is something to explore there.

However, yes there was a but coming to that praise, these moments only take up maybe 30% of the film. The film seems to think that the narrative as a whole and its take on it, are both far deeper then they actually are. There are many lines peppered in throughout the film that are clearly supposed to make you think ‘hey this is a deep film, with some things to say about the world’, though instead they just come across as obvious and trite.

Moreover, there is no reason this film is on for over 2 hours, it comes across as unnecessarily arduous, with the slow pace only serving to ruin the film in the long run.

Overall, though the acting from Harrelson and Costner is okay and the shootouts are more than just basic set pieces, this film is not an easy watch as the pace and self-importance force you to lose interest quicky.

Pros.

The acting

The ending

Having the set pieces matter in narrative rather than just being things that happen.

Cons.

It is painfully shallow

It is incredibly slow

It is poorly paced, and that is what kills it.

2/5

Reviewed by Luke