Movie reviews of Alex Brannan

Downhill pales in comparison to its inspiration. Viewed in a vacuum, however, it is only worthwhile for two things: Julia Louis-Dreyfus and the film’s central premise. Outside of this vacuum, no one on this production can claim credit for this central premise. Review

The Photograph may not boast a unique story, but it at least aspires to provide this substance. Review

Where the narrative fails, the style does occasionally rise up to pick up the slack. Review

Gretel & Hansel may have grand compositions and set design, but the pacing is less nurturing of the constricting unease required to do what The Witch does so deftly. What results is more of a daydream than a nightmare, a film whose spell you fall in and out of in equal measure. Review

The Gentlemen is a somewhat dull exercise in watching a story run out of steam. Review

It is difficult to put into words just how bad Dolittle is. The experience of watching the film in a theater is mind-numbing, and the film reaches a point where it is almost impossible to decipher the visual stimuli that is going through your optic nerve. Let’s just say that this very well might be the single worst movie I’ve ever seen in a theater. Review

1917 has some value on the big screen. It is a worthy theatrical experience for those inclined to enjoying war films. Beyond that, it is not extraordinarily noteworthy. Review

Pesce’s script undercuts whatever intrigue exists in the narrative constructs cribbed from Takashi Shimizu’s films. Review

Its grainy aesthetic, oppressive score, and vitriolic performances help to trap us within this weed, binding us to the experience of what is easily one of the tensest films of 2019. Review

Although, it is not merely the case that Hooper’s Cats is a visual effects experiment gone wrong in what would otherwise be an acceptable musical adaptation. It is not particularly pleasant to listen to, either. Review

There is something to hold onto here, especially if you have been a fan of the new Star Wars trilogy. The climax of this trilogy has emotional resonance. Not to mention that the normative Star Wars staples, embedded in the sound design and score of this franchise, are Pavlovian in their satisfaction. But it is hard to ignore that this is perhaps the least cohesive Star Wars film ever made. Review

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is a biopic that tows the line between the conventional and the unique. It hits the expected emotional appeals where it counts without being cloying. Review

You may have to be patient with the languid pace at which it moves, but you will be rewarded for doing so. Review

Problem is, it takes too long to get to these moments. The narrative loses itself in the politics of corporations and in the superficial conversations about the art of the race. The beating heart of Ford v Ferrari is in its climactic final act, which is then let down by the abrupt emotional appeals of the denouement. But, if only for a moment, the film pushes to 7,000 RPMs. Review

It may not be the worst attempt at a heavily-plotted investigative drama—the actual investigation plot is compelling, it just isn’t focused. Review

The Gallows Act II looks bad, it sounds bad, and its narrative is conventional at best. Review

Smith is giving it his all. Lee’s ambition to redefine digital cinema is certainly worth rallying behind, and his action sequences are visually immersive enough to match his technological goals. But the story is thin and superficial, ultimately not holding the weight of this ambitious production. Review

It follows such a stark, Scorsese-esque display of violence that it is an empty gesture. It is a creative flourish without any soul. Review

We get characters which are sympathetic with ease, and we get a story which is thoroughly compelling until the very last frame. Review

It may be cliched to refer to beautiful-looking films with the phrase “every frame is a painting,” but in the case of Robert Eggers’ latest, The Lighthouse, many of the shots are picturesque. Review

The Platform is an entertaining, grisly genre picture, but it doesn’t fully escape from its own puzzle box. Review

Maddin’s use of old aesthetics is motivated in some way. Here it feels like a gimmicky choice that hides the inconsistencies in the film’s construction. Review

Long story short: VHYes is a hilarious, delirious ride through a 1980s broadcast hellscape littered with incongruities and tonally pitch perfect comic delivery. Review

The performances are engaging. The Vast of Night is a stellar debut for Patterson, and it is a fun, low-key science fiction film. Review