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Film reviews

Femme Review

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The film begins with a flashing of strobe lights which makes for an unsettling feeling. Written and directed by Sam H. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping, Femme is an artistic portrait of mixed feelings. The film’s writing contains a heavy combination of disconnect and vindictiveness, and how both elements impact mental health issues related to identity. Feminism soars in Femme, and it does so with dignity and truth.  

Femme takes place in the United Kingdom. The film’s lead character is Jules (played by Nathan Stewart-Jarett). Jules embraces his feminine side and enjoys acting on stage in drag shows. He leads a happy life with his LGBT friends and routines. One night Jules he is attacked for how he identifies. His attacker is Preston (played by George Mackay). Preston likes to present himself as hip, cool, and charismatic. At the same time, Preston has a belittling attitude. After Preston’s episode of abusing Jules, Jules finds himself in despair andspends three months avoiding much contact with others. Eventually they cross paths again, and this time they build a close bond even though Jules has not gotten over Preston’s previous assault.

Preston and Jules meet sporadically and engage in activities together., some of which are fun and social, and others morecasual. Preston still has his temper, but Jules is able somehow to always keep calm. The writing in Femme puts their personalities to the test. Why is Jules hanging out with Preston? Why is Preston hanging out with Jules? Are they both closeted? Are they embarrassed? Does Jules feel something for Preston? Does Jules want to get back at Preston? Femme is a journey of two young individuals figuring out what they truly want. It also paints a portrait of the factors that play into their personalities. Femme is a realistic and bipolar LGBT thriller that has a heavy load to be carried.

The continuity in the storyline held my curiosity. The reasons that Jules is repeatedly captivated with Preston are intriguing. Given that Preston abused him, I wondered if Jules was simply seeking some form of attention. Both characters are prone to over thinking the situation. Jules over thinks about the kind of friend Preston truly is, and Preston over thinks in part due to his egotistical attitude. Deep down they are both just lonely and struggling with what their hearts want. This is why their choices continue to cause emotional turmoil.

This film is an artistically directed, multi-layered story about boundaries, jealousy, and disconnect. It presents a blurred portrait of how love, pain, and acceptance hold true consequences.  Femme leaves an aftermath of empathy and sorrow based on the dynamics between Jules and Preston. Tolerance also grows during the film about abuse. Will payback resolve Jule’s altered thinking? Preston may have a bigger heart than Jules thinks but does not know how act because he is lostlike Jules. Forgiveness and resolution are the hardest acts in Femme, just like in real life. Three-and-a-half out of four stars for Femme.

Film reviews

Isleen Pines Review

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Written and directed by Matthew Festle and Alexys Paonessa, two filmmakers who do all they can to ensure their projects have meaning and are high quality. Their direction is exhilarating and spellbinding in Isleen Pines which is an adventure of creepiness that keeps delivering. Isleen Pines has a cinematic vibrance that lets audiences know that they are in for a true treat. From theopening credits, you feel like it is time to party thanks to joyful tunes and Halloween decorations that help set the stage for an unknown chain of events which are about to arise.

Isleen Pines is the name of the town on Halloween night where the holiday festivities abound. The first party guest is The Vampire (played by Jackson Turner) and the second is The Ghost (played by Matthew Festle). The host of the party is The Witch (played by Naiia Loije), and then there is The Zombie (played by Darren Deng). The character names are labeled to correspond to the characters they are dressed up as. This is awell-written way of keeping track of the Halloween-style scares. In the town, The Man (played by Glen Plummer) is not so sold on the Halloween holiday because he is clearly introverted. For those hoping for a relaxing Halloween celebration…they are in for an unexpected treat.

I love how the film begins with a boiling point conversation between The Vampire and The Witch. This discussion creates an odyssey of tension before the party gets more wickedly crazy. The horror of moving parts with creepy vibes gradually intensifies in Isleen Pines. There is also a table moment between The Witch, The Ghost, The Zombie, and The Vampire. There is a creature found by The Ghost that the other individuals do not take seriously.  Their thinking, however, has irreparable consequences. The Ghost then starts to feel repulsive and suffersside effects which are grotesque and uncomfortable. Still, the party goes on. Isleen Pines tests its limits by pushing the envelope during scary moments which are sparked by innovative creativity. Soon, the Halloween party starts to push anxiety to the highest peak.

With an ugly aftermath, the film finds itself in a place of shock and confusion. It is an immersive and psychological experience where time is of the essence. An alien-creature egg leads to the film’s evil doors waiting to be opened. The joy of Halloween is stolen due to the terror which impacts the party guests. With no signal to call for help, spirits are lurking, and the fate of Halloween is in jeopardy in Isleen Pines. The movie’s many moving parts create a dynamic of how it feels to be really scared.

This film is a revolutionary Halloween thriller. While many are enjoying Halloween activities, others are dealing with various scary situations. The statement, “We have to come up with a plan to leave or fight back,” speaks to how serious the terror is.  Isleen Pines is extremely creepy and fun. It stays on track and evolves in an attention-getting way. The presentation of the film makes it seem like the setting is a safe community…but beware! Four stars!

Film reviews

Monkey Man Review

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This is an experience which will make audiences’ blood rush. A new hero is born due to revenge that has been endured for so long. Monkey Man just keeps giving with angry vibes of classic destruction. The film is directed by and stars Dev Patel in a role that is like Slumdog Millionaire meets John Wick. The streets of India are full of dark allies and Patel’s direction and performance are wickedly rapid. With all the jumps and craziness in Monkey Man, I felt like there was an army of monkeys getting into fights all around me. Patel, however, is the strongest and most ruthless of them all.

In Monkey Man, the film introduces us to Kid (Patel), a young man living in a world of anger and destruction. At night he is astreet fighter at a club run by a man named Tiger (played by Sharlto Copley). Kid wears a gorilla mask when he is a street fighter and fights to help ease his anger. He feels rage from his childhood days when his mother was murdered. Kid has tried for much of his life to let go and take his fears elsewhere, but without success. Due to his continuous fights and earning little money, fighting has not helped him grow as an individual. Kidtakes a job at a high-end club and puts together the pieces of the wealthy men involved. With the help of a colleague named Alphonso (played by Pitobash), Kid’s anger eventually leads him to a connection with the man who killed his mother. This is where the rage really sets in.

Once Kid finds out who was involved in the killing of his mother, the true ape side of Patel’s character explodes. He goes on a tirade of destruction in which he destroys criminal operations, destroys bad people, and destroys businesses. Soon the authorities are on to him. But Kid won’t stop until he feels there is true justice for his mother. India’s landscape is theplayground for Kid’s destruction and the bad guys keep appearing out of many different corners. Patel’s angry side shines vividly in Monkey Man. How bad do things get? How violent does the film get? The answers to these questions are part of this film’s bonkers adventure.

As part of this massive display of revenge and destruction, I found the film to be very effective at tying in culture. The death of Kid’s mother had to do with land and poverty. The concept of unnecessary suffering fueled additional anger which causedrapid damage throughout the film and led to one of Patel’s finest performances.

With fighting and violence on the streets, Patel plays onedangerous man who is a winner as both an actor and as a director. This movie is a vivid heart-pumping rollercoaster rideand truly one of the top films of the year so far. I found this film full of clashes and explosions to be an insane and triumphant experience. Four out of four stars for Monkey Man.