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Birth/Rebirth Review

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In a film about medicine and surgery, the concepts of rules and codes of conduct are questioned. In Birth/Rebirth, the experimental aspects are astounding and lethally inviting. It is a psychologically suspenseful film that becomes an acquired taste.While watching Birth/Rebirth, I reflected upon just how far the risks of unethical conduct can go. In this film, time is of the essence. Director Laura Moss explores meaning through realism in her direction of Birth/Rebirth.

The film focuses on Rose (played by Marin Ireland) who is a morgue technician. Rose does her own operations outside of her medical office, many of which cross legal boundaries. Then there is Celie (played by Judy Reyes), a hospital employee and a mother. Her daughter Lila (played by A.J. Lister) gets terminally sick. Rose decides to take Lila into her home as her experiment. Celie discovers Rose’s bizarre and questionable operations on her daughter. Rose is keeping Lila alive by harvesting biological materials. This leads Celie and Rose to work together to save Lila’s life. However, what they are doing is morally wrong.

When the movie gets into Rose’s self-directed operations, the attention-grabbing suspense of this movie really starts to get twisted. This is because Rose’s home is filled with bizarre studies. One includes a hog that has died, but Rose has restored its life. Now Rose is trying to revive Lila’s life, and Celie is playing the assistant in all of Rose’s operations.

There are times where medical practices, surgeries, and treatments are questioned in the film. There are also consistent errors being made. While working together with Celie, the risks Rose is taking only make her critical thinking worse. Celie realizes this. Also, her daughter, Lila, exhibits weird signs and reactions to the treatments. There are various negative responses to the operations which is not surprising since they’re medically not right. Of course, Rose is not one to turn down taking risks as she is driven to accomplish the impossible in her career as a morgue technician.

Can Celie continue to work with Rose and save Lila? The cinematography remains neutral and keeps its darkness throughout the entirety of Birth/Rebirth. It creates a vibe that supports the film’s subject matter. While viewers sense that although things are wrong, it is a struggle to be undone. There is also a backdrop of questioning what is ethical and non-ethical. All these factors allow Birth/Rebirth to keep its flow of a creating a chilling experience. It is bizarre, but also cleverly creative and one of the best horror films I have seen. There is originality and purpose in this story which even leads to finding a path of new beginnings.

How grotesque is Birth/Rebirth? How many theories support the saving of Lila’s life? Is there a key to a better treatment? If Lila is saved, can she live a normal life? How will Rose and Celie be impacted by their operations? All these answers may come with consequences. Three and a half out of four stars for Birth/Rebirth.

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Film reviews

Gran Turismo Review

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Outside of my love for movies, I also love race car events. I have attended many NASCAR races and have traveled to different states for races. Gran Turismo is not NASCAR, but it highlights the importance that winning and losing has in auto racing. Ultimately, it proves that perseverance is essential when getting behind the wheel of a race car and when taking risks.

Gran Turismo is based on the true story of Jann Mardenborough (played Archie Madekwe), and how he went from a teen video gamer to becoming one of the most talented racers in the world. With the help of former race car driver Jack Salter (played by David Harbour) and motorsport executive Danny Moore (played by Orlando Bloom), they form a team that rises to the top. Mardenborough is the one behind the wheel, but Salter and Moore show him the ropes. They teach him the difference between a video game simulator to a real race car. They also teach him in-depth tactics while in a real race. The practice and the races are the daring aspects of Gran Turismo. It is so daring that at times I felt like I was in the passenger seat next to Mardenborough in this wild, inspiring, and true adventure. Gran Turismo is a ride that will make its viewers anxious for wins from Mardenborough.

Skills, reactions, sensitivity, and quick decisions are the components of success in Gran Turismo. The more Mardenborough wins, the more other racers come after him and the more dangerous the races become. The race scenes will leave the audiences breathless and mesmerized. Talent combined with sacrifice and devotion helps Mardenborough rise to the top. He is destined to be the best, despite problems and errors along the way.

Even though the races are invigorating, there are moments where the danger brings a lot of physical and mental pressure. When someone dies in a race Mardenborough feels guilty and distraught. He is told, “Someone is dead because racing is dangerous,” and those dangers hold true even as Mardenborough keeps rising to the top.

There is no easy way to handle the unexpected on the track. There is no way to change the infrastructure of the track. The only thing that can be handled is how Mardenborough mentally chooses to drive on the track. His mental preparedness invigorates the film and propels Mardenborough to his successes. Gran Turismo is about a person who never gives up and who takes serious what it means to be a champion. There are all kinds of champion moments in Gran Turismo, and it is visually stunning. It shows how emotional a loss can be, but it also channels what it takes to overcome the losses and be a stronger competitor. There is no quitting in Gran Turismo. There is only trial, error, and achievement.

I loved the Gran Turismo video game as a kid and Gran Turismo is a faithful film that feels like a simulator experience. But it took the experience up many notches beyond a video game. Three and a half out of four stars for Gran Turismo.