Films

Bros review - 4 Stars

BROS is a fresh, funny and very witty comedy, despite being masked in the genre trappings of New York rom-coms.

„ JACOB RICHARDSON

Bobby (Billy Eichner) is a New York based podcaster and author, who is famous for his exploration of unsung gay icons.

Despite his fame, he is facing two dilemmas; firstly, the LGBTIQ+ museum he is the director of is having trouble securing the remainder of the funding it requires, and secondly, his love life is stagnating.

While trying to sort out the first, he happens to run into Aaron (Luke Macfarlane), and despite the fact that they both struggle with commitment, they begin dating.

Directed by Nicholas Stoller, Bros is the first rom-com with an all (or at least predominately so) gay cast, telling a gay love story. After some misfires in the space (a truly terrible Christmas romcom from last year comes to mind), Bros is refreshing for its take on gay relationships - veering hard into their nature, rather than whitewashing them with heterosexual norms for straight cinema-goers.

Here, we see a much more authentic picture of the gay experience in the dating world; not one that necessarily tracks with the experience of straight patrons.

That’s all for the best, because it means that Bros feels really fresh, interesting and engaging. Gone are many of the tired rom-com tropes, replaced with excitement, and a sense of suspense for what could happen next in this story.

Ultimately, it also means that the romance between Bobby and Aaron really hits home. Their love feels complex, complicated and genuine - two commitment-phobes trying to break the mould of their previous relationships and learn to trust another person.

One of the biggest takeaways from Bros is that it's funny. Like, really funny. And it works on many levels - from jokes that produced belly laughs on sight alone, to some real thinkers that will test whether you’re actively or passively watching.

You’ll find yourself laughing throughout. The film suffers only in its comparison to other New York rom-coms.

It’s a staple of cinema, the New York set romantic comedy, and while Bros couches its groundbreaking tale in that world as a pseudo-statement, it also necessarily suffers the trappings of retreading that ground.

Reviews by Jacob Richardson Creative Director | Film Focus www.filmfocusau.com

The Woman King review - 4 Stars

THE Woman King is gorgeous, violent, eye-opening and start-tofinish thrill-a-minute entertaining.

„ JACOB RICHARDSON

Nawi (Thuso Mbedu) is cast off by her father, after refusing a marriage proposal. He gifts her to their King, who rules the Kingdom of Dahomey in Africa in the 19th century. There, she joins the Agojie; an all-female unit of worries, led by General Nanisca (Viola Davis) - a warrior who is slated to become the fabled Woman King and sit alongside the King.

Nawi is aided in her training by Izogie (Lashana Lynch) and Amenza (Sheila Atim), as the Agojie prepare for war with neighbouring tribes over their belief that working with the white man and selling their people into slavery is wrong.

The first thing you need to do with The Woman King is realise that this is a proper action film. And it looks epic. Director Gina Prince-Bythewood makes the Agojie into a lethal, highly efficient and visually impressive fighting force, as they flip around each other, make superhuman leaps, and more. They come across as the closest thing to superheroes without being a Marvel movie.

But while the movie is undoubtedly very enjoyable from that perspective, and the fight scenes are some of the best you’ll see this year, you’d be mistaken for thinking that this was a mindless actioner. Far from it.

The film is couched in a beautiful emotional arc for both Nawi and Nanisca. They traverse their respective journeys while also dealing with the fights and war that stems from their King’s decision to reject slavery, and those journeys - particularly in the hands of Mbedu and Davis - are deeply affecting. Lashana Lynch is another standout.

Her portrayal of Izogie is so incredibly fierce, strong and funny that you really feel like she is one of the all-time great characters.

It’s a beautiful movie, and the visual portrayal of the city, the fight scenes, and these incredible warriors, really is something to behold.