Film reviews

Beau is Afraid Review

Leave a comment

“When we use love and compassion as our guiding principles we can create, develop and implement systems of change that are beneficial to all sentient beings and to the environment.”

-Joaquin Phoenix

This quote by Joaquin Phoenix holds true in life. His performance in Beau is Afraid contains “love” and “compassion” as well as “guiding principles.” In all the elements in this film, the world created by director Ari Aster utilizes a foundation from the past and present. Phoenix’s performance maximizes the film’s invigorating tensions. Beau is Afraid is like an adventure mixed with medicinal side-effects. The bizarreness of Beau is Afraid is truly surreal brilliance. There are unexplained scenarios that involve pieces which appear in the most twisted of ways. Beau is Afraid is an experience of information overload with a positive perspective. The film may seem mind-boggling and overwhelming for some. I even felt that way in moments, but my heart was set purely on the adventure of a misconstrued man. Phoenix as Beau is that man in Beau is Afraid.

The film starts with Beau visiting his doctor because he suffers from extreme anxiety. The film shifts frequently to make the environment around Beau have a haunting and psychologically stressful ambience. This is common of Aster’s directing. Beau talks about how he is excited to visit his mother, but Beau really has lots of anxiety about the visit. As Beau preps for his trip, his environment goes awry. His world seems to crash in on him and his manic episodes put him in the home of a married couple named Grace (played by Amy Ryan) and Roger (played by Nathan Lane). They explain to Beau that they are taking care of him because he has been in an accident. With Beau’s mental state and worry about getting to his mother, Beau’s path home turns darker. The journey for Beau is an odyssey and which Aster is known for in his films. However, the odyssey in Beau is Afraid is the most in-depth one I have ever seen in any of his projects.

The film had me thinking about the visuals as Beau’s journey continued moving forward. The moments when Beau was going to a new place or trying to find new answers were like a world filled with puzzles, facts, and unfolded truths. Beau thinks back to his past a lot, and it correlates with the current challenges as he struggles to make his way home to see his mother. There are times where the technical aspects lighten up, darken, or go rogue. There are also times where a dark subject for Beau turns to negative cinematography. This effect is added with much more than just harrowing lighting.

Sometimes Beau encounters monsters of his past or even first world problems that he takes too seriously. Every problem in Beau’s head contains a recipe for more surprises to be unfolded. Aster’s directing is filled with a pattern of linking what is in Beau’s mind to other elements in the film. This results in the environments in Beau’s strange journey continuously shifting. It is a ride of questions and truths, but ultimately Beau is Afraid is about Beau confronting his past. The problems in his life hold the key to his anxiety and also the adventure he is on.

Beau is Afraid remains on track, and from my experience, it was revolutionary. The mind of Aster is put to the test in Beau is Afraid. I did feel overwhelmed throughout the film, but that did not stop me from enjoying how much it was blowing my mind. Beau is Afraid is enticing and will prompt viewers to think about the psychological aspects for hours after the movie is over. It will also leave viewers curious to how long they can hold onto something mentally and not let go. Beau has a hard time dismissing the harsh subjects in his head. His experience putting together the pieces is an epic and wildly dazzling experience. Beau is Afraid, but Phoenix is not afraid to play Beau. Aster is known for making scenes feel visually real and leaving a mark. Beau is Afraid is gorgeous and monumental. Aster demonstrates his impressive talent as a director in Beau is Afraid. It will leave audiences with all kinds of emotions and make them think. Four stars.

Film reviews

A Thousand And One Review

Leave a comment

Writer, producer, and director A.V. Rockwell brings the world A Thousand and One. In this unique drama, the streets of New York shine with poverty and frustration. The setting is rough. Despite all the harsh elements, there is meaning behind an individual trying to do something right. It is a thought-provoking film with questions and doubts, but its continuity establishing shots on streets of New York creates a powerful storyline.

The plot of A Thousand and One focuses on a bad deed, but it has a sense of compassion and empathy. The film gears on Inez played by Teyana Taylor. Inez is in a bind due to her own problems. She has financial challenges and her poor choices have set off a whirlwind of endless problems. Inez decides to make a difference in her life and take in a boy named Terry who is from the foster care system. Inez takes Terry illegally to help her have a fresh start in life with a different path. Trying to be motherly proves to be a struggle. Terry, played by Aaron Kingsley Adetola is only six years old when Inez takes responsibility for him. The world is not any easier for Inez or Terry. A Thousand and One strives for continuous change as the film goes forward.

I found Terry’s character to display the biggest emotional factor in A Thousand and One. Inez gets married to a guy named Lucky played by William Catlett. Both Inez and Lucky have a past filled with irrational behaviors, but Lucky has more faith in Terry than Inez. Inez cannot break her frustrating patterns. She is so used to lying and still does it for Terry’s sake. When Terry makes it to thirteen (then played by Aven Courtney), he begins to realize what others have that he is lacking, e.g., a real mother or a real father. Terry is gifted in school, but he does not fully experience that side of his growth. With Inez always struggling and not being the best role model, Terry also finds himself lacking motivation to move his life in the right direction. The film’s realism portrays the many factors regarding how the choices parents or guardians make can impact their children.

As Terry reaches age seventeen (then played by Josiah Cross), most of his life is still in a spiral.  A Thousand and One starts to reach the point where the ball is in Terry’s court to make choices. Rockwell’s directing is subtle in terms of where life is for Terry, Inez, and Lucky. Terry’s life is the primary concern featured in the film. He is not the one who originally made poor choices and he does not understand exactly how Inez became his guardian. Terry does not realize that his life filled with dishonesty can have legal consequences. The saddest part of all the restrictions for Terry is that it prevents him from being able to realize how gifted he truly is. A Thousand and One reminded me how in life we must sometimes push ourselves rather than rely on others to help us get back on our feet.

Trial and error are where the light struggles to shine in A Thousand and One. Terry deserves a more rewarding life than Inez. He also deserves to be able to make choices which pose a challenge. What is the right choice for Terry? A mixed dynamic only fuels Terry’s frustration and sadness.

Terry’s struggle to realize he is gifted lit many emotions from my own experience with A Thousand and One. The fact that Inez took him illegally struck me hard because Inez does not know how to parent. She has a good heart, but her issues are nowhere near sorted out for her to take on the responsibility of parenthood.  The situation is not fair for Terry and makes you ponder whether he would have a better chance if he had remained in foster care.

A Thousand and One is a story based upon one’s questionable choice. Inez’s intention was not completely wrong but was not morally right either. Inez’s actions impact Terry’s life and may have kept him from the one he deserves. Terry must find a path forward. Will there be a place of peace for Terry or Inez? Find out in A Thousand and One. Three and a half stars.

Film reviews

Renfield Review

1 Comment

Vampire films have always appealed to me. Over the years, I have enjoyed lilms ranging from Count Dracula (1970) to Dracula (1992) to 30 Days of Night (2007). Renfield is another vampire movie that I found joy in. The film has a certain strong vibe surrounding the subject of vampires. It does focus at times on the fictional theories about vampires, including scenarios regarding how daylight is harmful to them. Renfield is a thrill ride of terror and comedy that is filled with fantasy galore. Nicholas Hoult has played creatures in a few projects previously. He played one in X-Men: First Class (2011) and again in Warm Bodies (2013). Despite his nice-guy persona and friendly characteristics he plays roles of monsters faithfully. Nicholas Cage is an expert at portraying all sorts of tycoons, and in Renfield he is one who is bonkers. Directed by Chris McKay, Renfield is ominous because of its many horrific and entertaining surprises.

In Renfield, Hoult is Renfield. He is the sidekick to Dracula (Cage). He has served as a servant for many generations with Dracula. He decides to pursue a life outside of the harrowing slave life.  He makes his way to New Orleans to have a fresh start and try to feel like a human being. This goes quickly awry. He joins a group for emotional support to help him feel normal, and he also befriends a police officer named Rebecca played by Awkwafina.  A change of scenery and new beginning is what Renfield has hoped for. Dracula, however, finds his way to Renfield to continue to make him suffer. With many issues impacting the environment which Renfield is not accustomed to, getting away from Dracula is not as easy as he anticipated.

With Renfield being an individual who is a vampire searching for normalcy, the film is a wild ride of madness. Expect lots of comical as well as terrifying moments and many slasher thrills. It may appear to be graphic, but it involves laughter in its craziness. Renfield is a horror ride that is witty and constructive. It continues its horrific vibes and mixes it for joyful excitement.

This invigorating film is truly one-of-a-kind. There are not many vampire films on the same level of comedy as Renfield. With Hoult and Cage as the leads, it is the perfect duo for unexpected shockers. Renfield may get gruesome, but it is hysterical and fictional not repulsive. The movie hits all the right points and will cause audiences to laugh their heads off like I did.

Surrealism combined with reality is where Renfield is quite thought-provoking. It is the algorithm to achieve the enthralling aspects of a successful vampire film. When Renfield desperately says, “I need to get out of a toxic relationship,” the audience knows they are in for a treat that is likely to deliver more than they expect to handle. How dangerous is the situation for Renfield? How dangerous is Dracula? With Cage playing Dracula, there are lots of surprises that exceed expectations.

Cage and Hoult played father and son in The Weatherman (2005). Their new relationship is slave and master in Renfield. To this day their relationship leads to all kinds of extravagant adventures. Those “adventures” reach new heights in Renfield. Three stars.

Treating cinema in many forms of art!