Movie reviews of Alex Brannan

Deadstream is a horror comedy that does a good job parodying the annoying, opportunistic online creators who stage reckless and exploitative stunts for a quick buck. Review

This ultimately left the last act of the film somewhat wanting, as I found myself searching for depth in a character who had become flattened into an archetype. Review

With gorgeous animation and a heartfelt story, The Girl From the Other Side is brimming with color and emotion. Review

Give Me Pity uses its abstract qualities to create a disquieting tension, allowing von Haselberg’s performance to slowly crescendo into debilitating mental anguish. Review

It doesn’t all hang together cohesively, but individual moments are interesting tonally, and the performances are consistently good. Review

The film is not perfect. The second act lags, and overall entertainment value hinges on how one takes to the campy tone. But it is hard to deny that the film is visually impressive. Plus, the score kicks ass. Review

The ending of Please Baby Please feels like a true ending. A statement of intent. An emotion put to music as good as any musical could do it. I’m enamored with it. I’m enamored with Please Baby Please. Review

I preferred this crime mystery to the horror set pieces, which are few and far between and pretty standard fare for a low-budget ’70s horror film. Perhaps one does not work without the other, but King’s manic performance and Lieberman’s clever use of scene transitions propel the mystery forward better than how the film utilizes the horror elements. Review

There is something to the way the flashback sequences are shot that is queasy yet aesthetically pleasing. Not to mention Simon Yam’s excessively dialed up performance as the killer, which really makes the film. All in all, though, the tone did not sit right with me. Review

The unique world De la Iglesia creates for Mutant Action is undercut by these final two acts, leaving me with little to chew on as I watch unseemly characters doing unseemly things. Review

The film is lightly charming but also somewhat tedious and repetitive. In any case, it is certainly the most heartfelt film about misplaced genitalia I’ve ever seen. And that is about the most ringing endorsement I can give for this odd little film. Review

When the two styles meet in the second half of the film, the result is fairly electric fight choreography. Review

Veronique Jadin’s film is adequately humorous, but its increasing lunacy grows somewhat tiresome. Review

For all of its conventionality, Special Delivery is nevertheless entertaining. Well-paced and exciting in spurts, it makes good use of reliable tropes for an experience that flies by. And the first extended driving sequence is a wonderfully staged set piece. Review

Swallowed blends dialed down body horror into a crime thriller story. Taking place in a handful of spare locations, the film feels adequately claustrophobic as it slowly winds to a dark second half. Review

Stafiej has produced a formally dynamic film worth considering. Review

The Witch: Part 2 is not as cohesive as one would hope from a sequel to the much loved The Witch. But on a technical level, it surpassed my expectations, leading to some great sequences. Review

The problem with Crimes of the Future is not depravity; it is the lack of a cogent follow-through on its shock value. For all of its incisions, it just doesn’t cut very deep. Review

It’s all been done before. But it is executed cleanly and convinces you to invest in the characters just as Sugarman invests in Cruz. Review

But Maverick cannot carry the film that shares his name on his own. The plot really needs other characters to step into the forefront, and the script calls on two or three to do just that. And it really doesn’t work for me. Review

Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers is a light bit of entertainment with enough clever moments to keep it afloat through a manageable runtime. In other words, it’s harmless fun. Review

For all my gripes with Garland’s script, his filmmaking is as effective as ever. The imagery is evocative. The direction within individual scenes makes for thrilling set pieces. The sound design is largely chilling, as well. But I struggle to find substance in this stylish piece of artsy horror. Review

So while there may not be three and a half hours of revelatory material in American Dream, there are moments of insight in the doc to justify it to the comedy fan or Carlin enthusiast. Review

The narrative is also slightly over-burdened by the weight of its protagonist’s bleak situation, even as it excels with its austere composition and beautiful framing. But Vartolomei gives this material body and life, filling the edges of the frame with pathos. Hers is a transfixing, understated performance which ultimately carries the film. Review