Film reviews

Pressure Review

Leave a comment

There is a certain type of filmmaking that keeps one’s mind invigorated. The type that makes audiences curious about facts and choices as well prompts thinking about various questions asa movie progresses. Pressure is a film with a series of thought-provoking elements. Written and directed by Anthony Maras and co-written by David Haig, Pressure aims to cover the historical true story of D-Day. 

Brendan Fraser does an astonishing job playing Dwight ‘Ike’ Eisenhower. This role as a captain follows his impressivecinematic comebacks and monumental performances in The Whale and Rental Family. Andrew Scott plays James Stagg, the Lead Meteorologist. He also displays a compelling level of seriousness that will captivate audiences. Chris Messina plays Irving Krick, another meteorologist assistant. The plot of the film takes place just seventy-two hours until D-Day arrives.Eisenhower finds himself in a blur making choices based upon the weather and the coast. Because the critical choices all matter, Eisenhower displays a level of hierarchy that makes it appear that errors do not matter. Krick is in sync with this way of thinking and displays loyalty to Eisenhower. 

Stagg believes that identifying the correct facts and information must be taken seriously. However, he also believes that previewing the range of options before deciding is vital. Given that the complexities of politics and war abound, his choices are viewed differently. The tension as they consider the options under time pressure makes Pressure spellbinding. Audiences will wonder if is going to rain. Is weather going to have an impact? Who has the appropriate facts? The historic side of the film is painted vividly and portrays reality during this anxiety-filled time.

The dynamics involving Stagg provide this film with humanistic value. Kerry Condon, who plays lieutenant Kay Summersby enhances this value. She handles the moving parts for Eisenhower, and many of the clerical tasks. The frustrations around making D-Day decisions and navigating the associated politics consume much of her time. The stress of these matters also falls upon Stagg, and the seriousness of his position gives him doubts. Without Stagg, the historic value of the film would be severely diminished in Pressure.

The film feels like a free-for-all wrestling match.  Audiences know that the performance of Fraser is bound by authority. They also know that the performances of Scott, Messina, and Condon are about characters who are below him in hierarchy. When there are moments in which tough choices cannot be made, and science does not seem to speak, Pressure revisits the science by examining the sky and incoming currents. Much of the film reminded me of a meteorology class I once took, but the seriousness of Pressure may well make audiences stop and think that global warming should be taken seriously. This film about an actual event highlights the importance of accuracy when making difficult decisions. Pressure is spellbinding and one of the best films based on true events of 2026. It is an emotional ride where the facts being considered keep matters enthralling. Four out of four stars for Pressure.

Film reviews

Backrooms Review

Leave a comment

This is one of those films where I felt my mind going from a mild headache to being incredibly disgusted and disturbed. The question in my head was how messed up is Backrooms? Honestly, pretty messed up, with walls that continue to fade along with puppets thrown in to feel like A Blair Witch Projectblur. The camera does not hold steady as it portrays everything through a rocky motion. A promising premise that is ruined by the horrid tones. I was not pleased with Backrooms. This is hard for me to say, but I truly was not sold at all.

The plot revolves around a therapist and a patient. The “therapist” is Mary, played by Renate Reinsve, and the “patient” is Clark, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor. Clark’s stressor is the fact that his furniture shop is in hysterics with debts and strange technical maladies. A lot of it continues with lights dimming on and off and his financial crisis being quite bad, so he finds himself sleeping in the business’s building. However, there is a haunting that aspect that lingers in Backrooms. The walls have hidden aisles that are unexplained. With the beginning of the film feeling like The Blair Witch Project, it has that haunting approach. The execution though, fails in its overlap of events—primarily because the introductions make no sense.

Clark finds himself repeatedly walking through the hurdles of his walls. He thinks he is hallucinating. Mary believes that Clark is just emotionally depressed because of his stressful  situation. Everything from then on continues to fall downhill. The key to the haunting aspects of Clark’s business has weird elements written all over it.  It is portrayed through a shaky camera, a maze of walls, and questionable mental health written into the center of it all. The film made me feel like it was a psychological headache.

There is a moment where Clark is trying to find the many walls of his own nightmare. He does this by walking through the walls of his store. He is attempting to find the key that can solve his problems. In reality, he is living in his own worst nightmare. I felt a bit like his adventure was my own worst nightmare as I continued to watch. The true terrors are not defined well at all and lack purpose in Backrooms.

The focus is one that shifts so much. It tries to keep feeling creative and bizarre and I can appreciate that approach, but it is like it was all thrown into a pool and just placed in no real order. That is the problem with Backrooms, the terror is not solidified because its foundation is weak. Promising terrors, but not providing the delivery they deserve. Who is the one in the most danger? Is it Mary or Clark? Is Clark truly insane? He might be, however the approaches to terror and anxiety fall flat. There are shocking moments that have revolutionary feelings, however the contexts in which they are presented are mediocre. Backrooms isa maze that looks  confusing rather than being entertaining. I was more sold on the wonderful performance of Reinsve than the film itself. The acting is here is quite good, but the rest is a mess. I truly had a  hard time defining my experience with this one. Two out of four stars.

 

Film reviews

I Love Boosters Review

Leave a comment

Boots Riley is a master filmmaker who takes quirky ideas and turns them into something of pure imagination. His set-ups may look goofy, but he has the ability to set up his characters’ egos to deliver deeper meaning. After being fascinated by Sorry to Bother You, I Love Boosters places an emphasis on a risky subject matter—shoplifting. In the film, the moving parts include jealousy and surrealism. At first, the context might not appear serious enough, but in the end is mind-blowing in the way it explodes with cinematic colors. 

The film takes place in the San Franciso Bay area. The term “boosters” means shoplifters. The ladies in this boat are Corvette (Keke Palmer), Sade (Naomie Ackie), and Mariah (Taylor Paige). They have a mission to steal because they want to get back at a high-end executive. This lady in power is Christie Smith (Demi Moore). There are lots of crazy angles in a world of fashion and favoritism that comes crashing together. Corvette is the main lady of focus in terms of her choices. The film focuses on her and the man on her mind, Pinky Ring Guy, played by LaKeith Stanfield. The hurdles to be jumped to achieve power feel like a fantasy of fanciful vindictiveness.

The film highlights the frustrations in the world of fashion and reminds viewers constantly that its characters are in a world of hate. For example, they must deal with an egotistical manager named Grayson (Will Poulter), who always blames conflicts on his staff. However, he is not the worst. Christie is. The gals will stop at nothing to take her down. The writing includes various imaginative revenge scenarios, but the farther the girls pursue payback, the harder it gets. Riley has a strong attitude of never giving up even if it leads to surprising outcomes. At one point, a van drives up and down escalators and into storefronts at the mall. The writing about the fashion scene is filled with amusing excitement and amazingly colorful flare ups.

There is a moment in the film when someone mentions they know the three Fs, i.e., fashion, forward, filanthropy. (Yes, they spell the final word with an f, not a ph!). The desire for fashionin the industry is examined from different angles as the characters pursue their missions. Somehow Riley makes it work because his characters have a diversity of personalities—no one goes down without a fight or by sacrificing their popularity in I Love Boosters.

This film is an invigorating ride where reality is out of this world. It’s a dazzling display of wishes coming true in weird yetfulfilling ways. Stanfield, Palmers and Moore are a cast and ensemble with a purpose. Stanfield has a laid-back and charming attitude. Palmer has bad intentions but also rocks with common alternatives. Finally, Moore. She is the nerd who is never wrong. Despite her glamourous power, her character is written to never lose. Despite all the revenge she faces, she remains the classic queen of evil. Audiences will adore these characters that Riley has used his innovative wonders to create in I Love Boosters. Four out of four stars.

Treating cinema in many forms of art!