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UN-RESOLVED (2022)
A no-holds-barred illustration of consequences and second chances.
Talk about a punch to the gut.
Un-Resolved by Bruce Carlton Cunningham Jr. Has been on my must watch list for a while now and I cant believe I've been sleeping on this phenomenal film this long.
Characters:
The acting in this is amazing. Many films that have gangsters from the hood, especially independent films, often have every person act and talk like a hood stereotype. It's like every actor took the same class on how to act that way. This is not the case here. Every character is crafted to perfection from the kill-in-a-minute gangsters to those trying to just live and survive to those just caught in the fray. Cunningham does a tremendous job as Tremaine (and unrecognizable as a young version too) and gives a full dynamic of his acting range as his tragic character just tries to deal with the aftermath of his situation while trying to be a good father, taking full advantage of his second chance.
I love films where everyone stands out, no matter the size of their role and this is a film where everyone stands out. From the kids to adults, every actor was cast perfectly in their role and interact in a way that feels natural. Some of my favorite interactions include the tense conflict between Tremaine and Monte, a dangerous gangster who has hooks in Tremaines daughter, and Tremaine and his brother, Jermaine, who opens his door to him after Tremaine gets out of prison. Let me touch on that for a second. Jermaine is probably one of the most loyal family members I've ever seen on screen. Even when things take a turn for the worse during the third act, he is still open to help his brother. Usually in movies like this, the ex-convict gets shut out. This provided a nice change of pace.
There were a few times when I did feel the acting was a tad stilted, such as the scenes between Carlisa and her teacher, as well as a few points in the final standoff. And While I do feel like there are several underutilized characters such as those played by Adam Flowers and Joel Antony (look out for this guy as this character turned in a surprise that you won't see coming until the smoke clears), and even the man from the prison Tremaine parts ways with, for the most part, I enjoyed the performances from these talented actors and actresses.
The plot:
The plot keeps you guessing. You'd think this film is gonna go the way "The Wrestler" did in terms of moving on from a past life. You would be wrong. However, this film is called "Un-Resolved" for a reason and that alone should tell you the way things are gonna go. No beating around the bush, no trying to escape. It's coming. The slow burn of this film provides that sense of impending doom and one only wonders when each character will face theirs.
While the film does lag a bit in the middle, and possibly could have been trimmed down, it still works. The only issue is, I was able to look down at my phone in some parts, look back up, still get what the whole scene was trying to convey, and still sit through a minute more of it. Almost like watching a director's cut. Nevertheless, the plot did keep me guessing and on the edge of my seat from beginning to end.
Music:
The score reminded me a little of Hans Zimmer and Hildur Gudottinir, very sweet and sad. The hip hop tracks were great too, though sometimes their placement was a tad questionable. It felt very "this is what all indie filmmakers from St Louis do" in terms of placement, which kind of took me out a couple times. But as far as song choices, whoever was over the music knocked it out of the park. There was a track in the studio scene that I'd love for my playlist
Overall:
Overall, this slow burn tragedy, while a tad on the longer side, boasts eye-opening performances by an ensemble STL cast that makes for an effective viewing and will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end.
8.2/10.
Can You Spare Some Change? (2012)
How Far Will A Filmmaker Go to Reach His Goal? In This Film, Pretty Far-Fetched
From Nikki Whalen comes a story full of laughs, reality, and a couple twists and turns. This is a must-see for anyone who's ever tried to catch that first break in the film world. We follow Calvin and Joe, played to buddy-comedy perfection by Andrew Tyree and Juhann Jones respectively. Both are struggling to get their finances up to make their picture but are ultimately falling flat as they are faced with problems that many filmmakers go through. It touches on those in such a way that any starting filmmaker is reminded how desperate it can be to get their films made. So desperate, that Joe hatches a get-rich-quick scheme to raise funds as they continue to do business. Not revealing what the plan is but it does have to do with the homeless. The plan itself may seem a bit of a stretch but this film will make you believe that it can happen and how crazy a scheme can get.
The story takes a strong turning point in role-reversal as we see Calvin and Joe sort of switch mentalities. Both still want the same goal but as one matures, the other sort of deteriorates until one eye opener makes him look at things a whole other way. You'll have to see where the road leads yourself.
A lot of strong points in this film. The first is the casting. Andrew Tyree as Calvin is on point when it comes to range. He can be dramatic or funny when need be and it feels authentic as does the performance of Juhann Jones as Joe who gives off a huge Martin Lawrence vibe. He and his girlfriend, Aquaneesha, played by the beautiful Qualiema Green, give off Martin and Gina vibes that make one think about what a potential prequel to the series with them would look like. In addition, the homeless people portrayed in this film were not portrayed in a general stereotype I thought. They were each unique in their own way and that's props to the director Nikki Whalen for allowing each of them to explore their character and not be just some one-off character. I don't think I've seen this kind of work since Seinfeld. And each character interacts with each other to perfection. This truly was casted on point.
The story is the second strongest point. While it does seem outlandish at first, you only need suspend your disbelief a little to give it a chance before the payoff in the end. You could tell a lot of the script was fitted to the actor and the character and used as a guide to make it feel more fresh and true to each character.
One of my favorite scenes in this film is something I can't really get into as it ventures down spoiler territory. But let's just say those with dream-skeptical parents will relate greatly and are in for a cathartic experience.
That said, there are a few things that threw me a little. For one, the director breaks the fourth wall about a "pointless conversation" and it only happens once during the entirety of the film. This felt a tad out of place for me as she was a new character who was just a one-and-done. It, to me, would have worked better with more of these or none at all. Secondly, the post-credits scene didn't really feel like it connected, like it almost takes away the point of the entire movie. I can't get into that either as again, spoiler territory.
All in all, this movie is worth a watch, especially for those who love 90's-style buddy movies and shows (in the vein of MARTIN and KENAN AND KEL). And, if you're a filmmaker, is one cathartic ride.
RATING: 7/10.
This is Life
Grab your Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Smoothie!
If you haven't yet, SEE THIS!!! Starring Smoogie Comedian in it who, along with the rest of the cast delivers a bunch of laughs.
This film takes a group of friends going through trials in their lives such as trying to secure investors, divorce, and figuring out a relationship. All of these trials are challenged by the arrival of one peanut butter banana chocolate smoothie.
Going into this film, admittedly, I was worried it would be like your average independent film with the cast just cracking jokes the whole time with no real plot to go with it which can work if balanced by the right cast. I was gladly proven wrong as I was introduced to couple Kacey (Keisha Cunningham) and Gerald (Sean Brasfield) who are trying to find an investor for Gerald's startup company. This hit home with me personally as me and my company are in the same boat right now. Navigating this couple throughout the film can prove that the stress from that and from what else happens cause a major rift but in the end, it can all work out for the best, even in ways and other aspects of life you wouldn't expect.
Meghan (Carmen Barton) and Chris (played by the late, great Nick Carthan) provide the true comedy as an outspoken divorced couple who, surprisingly, bring a fresh take on what you normally see in that situation. They get along for the sake of their friends and aren't afraid to address any elephant in the room which does away, in my opinion with the unnecessary drama we've seen before, leaving room for the comedy to breathe. After some alcohol and a couple other...baked goods get in their system, get ready for what's about to happen next because that's when things really start picking up.
Deanne (Rebecca J, Clark) and Jason (Alexander "Smoogie" Christian) are still navigating their relationship and where it lies which is a fun thing to watch but never really understood where things were with them until the third act. But the payoff is indeed worth the watch.
Then we have the youngest people Auri (Shermain Hemphill) and Chase (Darreon Carbin). These two pose a very important important factor into the plot but that's treading on spoiler territory where we won't tread.
I could tell you more about what happens when you throw investors Todd (Janci Finkley) and Laurie (Janine Madison) into the mix but I'll just let you see how they factor into that night as they come to visit with an unexpected lesson.
Also, a side note, while she isn't in the movie much, I've got to shout out Carolyn Agnew for her portrayal of Cheryl, Kacey and Meghan's mom. I would have kind of liked to see how she would have reacted to these antics as she does give a wise, tough, but kind attitude about her, not unlike JoMarie Peyton or Estelle Getty. Once you see the movie, you'll understand what I'm talking about.
The movie itself was amazingly well-written and the cast, dare I say, was the perfect cast to pull it off. Everybody just has such genuine chemistry in this that even if this were a movie about nothing but cracking jokes I'd still be entertained. The way Melondi Brown writes this is particularly exquisite, the timing and cadence of some lines reminded me a little of a Tyler Perry play. If this was done live on stage, I'd be one of the first to see it. But would it work with a recast Chris? Probably wouldn't as much as Nick Carthan did give a memorable performance as a funny smooth best friend and set the bar high.
One thing that's fresh is they all address what's going on in their lives but you don't really get a sense of any drama. When things get out in the open, it's straightforward, no beating around the bush which can lead to some of the film's most funniest moments. Something else that really stood out is the way everybody's story comes full circle in some way shape or form. And I do mean EVERYBODY. That's five plus cast members in a film that's a little over an hour and it does it in a way that's not rushed nor slow-paced! That's tough to do so props to director Nicolle M. Whalen for that.
While this film has major laughs and twists that outweigh the negatives, there are a few moments that kind of made me raise an eyebrow. For one, the use of a certain suspense sound effect which may have been added for comedic purposes but it just didn't resonate for me. Also, I felt at times, some pieces of dialogue were very "act-y" like the actor was just reading it off something. Luckily, there were only a few moments like that throughout the whole film.
All in all, this film deserves a watch. It may not be a blockbuster with a bunch of Michael Bay explosions but it's sure to make you smile, relate and bust a gut a couple times throughout the film.