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bradleybarton
Reviews
Waving (2022)
A meticulous, excellent fresh take on a debilitating, exacting disorder.
Waving is a beautifully constructed movie that has been skilfully infused with both conspicuous and surreptitious allegorism and symbolism. It intelligently depicts a calamitous, woeful tale that radiates the oppressive, often-illogical anxiety that surrounds the commonplace, everyday thoughts of those living with obsessive compulsive disorder.
Indeed, Rolfin Nyhus and Steven Brumwell are evidently old-school artisans who clearly take great pride in considering the composition of each shot in meticulous, infinitesimal detail. They thankfully refuse to bow down to an industry becoming more and more replete with, so called, directors who have fallen for the fallacy, the gross misconception that it's sufficient to simply tell an operator to hold a camera in front of some actors and let them play out the scene as they see fit. And trust me, Waving is all the more refreshing for it.
It is through great awareness and compassion that Ralph Ineson (The Witch, The Green Knight), brings all his experience to the lead role of Charlie, deftly probing into the troubled emotions, the self-inflicted misery the character so painfully resides in.
With first class lighting, operating, sound and editing this perfectly directed short, along with some sumptuous set-decoration, ingeniously illuminates this unrelenting, debilitating, exacting condition.
Feed Me (2022)
Pungent. Audacious. Cerebral.
To understand and fully appreciate Feed Me, a wild, often gloriously outrageous metaphoric tale, one must look beneath its sensational façade and analyse the storyteller's true intent, for there lies an inventive tapestry of visual, audible and character delights whose narrative is both astute and deceptively complex, delving deep into the malaise of torment and heartache, so often interconnected with grief, depression and childhood trauma.
Richard Oakes and Adam Leader, being both the writers and directors, have proffered a graphically crafted, delicious tale that speaks to a host of difficult topics and mental health concerns: eating disorders, assisted suicide, cannibalism, melancholy, anguish and desolation. It is these issues that are primarily achieved through Lionel Flack and Jed Freeman: desperate, embellished characters that are both astutely and vivaciously played by Neal Ward and Christopher Mulvin, respectively. Indeed, Ward's 'Flack' is wonderfully animated and over the top, aptly displaying his huge talents to the full.
Production Design was handled by Amy Lukas, and what an outstanding job was done. The concepts and final executions of Flack's home (noxious, squalid, loathsome) perfectly reflect his demeanour and mental health and unquestionably are integral to the movie's success.
Yes, Feed Me's characters and their actions are exaggerated, even melodramatic at times, but it's their very abstruse decisions and behaviour that ultimately aids the intent of this engrossing, persuasive story.
Pungent, audacious, cerebral; Feed Me is a compelling, enticing cuisine to savour - delighting the palate in the most gastronomically gruesome way. Are you ready to eat now?
Black Mass (2020)
A heartrending, psychological horror of momentous proportions.
Pulling us into the depths of darkness, Scott Lyus skilfully encapsulates the dreadful sorrow borne of depression: Hopelessness, indifference, melancholy, into a heartrending, psychological horror of momentous proportions.
Presenting a fresh take on a difficult subject, Black Mass not only shines a light on the dark, isolated depths of depression, moreover it spotlights in on the abundant, creative talents of Lyus himself.
The highly accomplished Johnny Vivash expertly brings an astute validity to the desolate, grief-stricken Charlie: whose heart is so broken, so full of sorrow that even the love for his daughters, sympathetically played by Sophia Eleni & Charlie Bond, fails to prevent him from falling into the ominous, sinister shadows of despair - whereupon, the terrifying Darkness relentlessly draws at his every fibre, ultimately extinguishing all meaning of life.
Neal Parson's lighting exquisitely illustrates the mood of each character and their story arc and along with Mitch Bain's perfectly aligned, pensive score, enable Lyus' grotesquely grim tale of horror to be flawlessly conveyed.
Steps (2021)
A first rate, introspective drama that demands we journey with its protagonist.
'Steps' is a poignant movie that is sensitively brought to the screen by Weeks: a determined, promising and no doubt up-and-coming young director for which thoughtful, provocative and hard-hitting stories offer nothing but challenges to translate into movies that not only entertain, but also provoke and inspire.
Woolley's impactful, cogent script asks each of us to reflect on our own, potential, good fortune and not be so quick to judge another who, extraneously, may appear apathetic or indifferent.
Indeed, through Weeks' astute, discerning direction, not unlike Howard's telling of 'A Beautiful Mind' we grow to sympathise with James (thoughtfully portrayed by Harry Wells) as he endeavours to move forward from a traumatic past and embrace a new future of hope.
This is Weeks' second movie in his past, present, future series and with what he's produced thus far, it is with bated breath that we eagerly await his third instalment.