Movie reviews of Alex Brannan

After Midnight is a film with valiant aims but a stumbling execution. Review

For fans of the sport, there will certainly be kernels throughout that make the film worth investing in. For the uninitiated, there is some perspective given to the many layers involved with the profession. But it doesn’t go deep enough in either direction of its narrative focuses—Ian’s personal life and the professional life. Review

Night Has Come has some poetic and cinematic import. The integration of archival film begs to be studied further. But even at 56 minutes it feels too lengthy. Review

It blends tones with a deft directorial hand, and it never stops being entertaining. Review

The heartwarming message is not lost on me; it resonates to a degree where the ending is emotionally satisfying. And the comedy shines through in enough moments. It just lacks the unification of tone, a hurdle that if cleared could have propelled Jojo Rabbit into the more rarefied realm of satire that it is shooting for. Review

Amigo may not have the perfect execution of its narrative, but Oscar Martin has an aesthetic sense that is extremely promising. Review

What stays with you at the end of the film may be a small combination of these aspects or a certain combination of scenes, but these pieces add up to an enriched whole that is bursting at the seams with the spirited life of humanity. Review

If it is a funhouse you’re looking for, then It: Chapter Two may excite just as much as its predecessor. Muschietti clearly cares about how scenes are crafted and blend into an experience of bumps and jumps. But even the jump scares are bland. The imagery is less gripping. And you won’t be presented with much more than this mechanical funhouse. Review

But Charlie Says is an engrossing look at psyches which are difficult for people on the outside to understand. The film may be a thriller, and nearly a horror film in its climax, but the time spent with the women makes for a psychological drama that is fascinating. Review

Ready or Not is an exciting and witty addition to the horror comedy genre. This is largely due to the script and the excellent cast. Review

47 Meters Down: Uncaged is grating, dull, and uneventful. Review

The Angry Birds Movie 2 is not particularly impressive. It advances its protagonist’s arc by taking a step back, and its plotting is overbearing for the narrative scope. And ultimately, it isn’t all that funny. Review

This lack of discussion in a film so pointedly about political ideology makes Luce feel somewhat hollow. The performances carry the weight of the talky script in a way that makes this appear like a psychological thriller. But it isn’t really a thriller. And it isn’t thematically rich enough to be what it sets out to be. Review

People may talk about that raunchy new comedy where 10-year-old boys swear and ride a sex swing (how scandalous!), but it isn’t a particularly lively or fulfilling comedy experience. Review

It is bulky and slightly overlong. It hits onto a somewhat odd tone with how it decides to resolve some of its characters’ arcs (which leads to an even odder sequel-baiting ending). But it is also effectively composed. The character designs are well-executed. Review

I guess the easiest place to leave a conversation about The Souvenir is to, in summary, call it complicated. Some already consider it one of the best films of 2019, and I cannot counter this opinion. Review

Yet, while the film does fail to completely craft a coherent two-hour film that can both provide the audience a glimpse at the joy in Javed’s heart when he hears Bruce Springsteen and a glimpse at the pain experienced in Thatcher’s Britain, the final message of the film allows for a resolution where both can still exist, albeit unevenly. Review

Tarantino is at his most lively here. He clearly is having fun being able to create this vision of 1969, full with allusions to the period and to the Hollywood products he watched so much of in his formative years. Review

The Art of Self Defense is a different moviegoing experience in a Summer defined by samey and lackluster films. The film has a certain luster to it, albeit an inconsistent and, at times, derivative one. Review

The Farewell is a genuinely heartfelt and even more genuinely funny piece from Wang. Review

The film is slightly extended from the original, and what is added doesn’t add much beyond time squirming in the seat waiting for the end. What little was altered from the original, outside from Timon and Pumbaa, is underwhelming. Review

As an experiential trip through the arrested human psyche, which is trapped in the push-and-pull between innate impulse and rational thought, it is something completely different. And that is refreshing. Review

It is a film with minimal plot and a small cast of characters, and not much is done to remedy the problems that arise from that set of parameters. Review

The superficial genre infusion leads to a shallow plot with shallow emotional payoffs, and the few-and-far-between moments of memorable humor do not keep this narrative afloat. Review