valvenafilms Reviews

The After (2023)

A subtle but firm directing hand by Misan leads the film with a vision towards grace and love.

[9/10 · 25 October 2023]

Rarely do you see directors with a command of subtle timing, pacing, and a knack for nudging a viewer instead of pushing them to conclusions.

Misan directs the After flawlessly as a debut film, with images that at first seeming fleeting but effectively lodge and imprint themselves into one's subconscious.

The film is memorable as is the lead performance. It is also impactful and heartfelt while expounding principle. As well as the horror and grief that can occur at a moments notice, the film has a lot of heart, sentiment, and strength.

There is one moment, at the inciting incident portion of the film, that didn't completely make sense to me and it raised a question as to "why?" It pulled me out of the film. The moment could be explained 100% in conversation post viewing (love of a mother, accident, disorientation, etc as the reasons to answer the question could be myriad) but more effective would have been for the ambiguity to have never arisen in the first place as it slowed down the pacing of the film and the engagement for me as a viewer. The question arising severed the in the moment connection.

If the approach was similar to the daughter in that it may have also been immediately understood, (visually speaking with no ambiguity) or if the moment had a set up prior, even if small, to hint at the mother's eventual action (or micro tendency towards such thought or action) than the processing may have been easier for me to understand (as time moves faster in an under 20 min short form than it does for a 2 hr feature. There is less time available for the director which allows for less leeway in effectively communicating to a viewer). The moment also happens fast, in and of itself, and I wonder if maybe it was just the angle it was presented in it now it was about that impeded its impact.

In hindsight, I even question if the director meant for it to be that way intentionally as it is very possible that the question of "why"? Or "what is happening here?" that Ibhad with regards to the mother is very likely one that the main character watching the event occur may have even likely had as well, himself.

Other than that, Misan exhibits a remarkable ability to walk a tight rope as he masterfully balances almost a lean towards melodrama with a stoic restraint. His timing is impeccable as just at the edge of it going too far he reigns it in with the subtlest of hand, so far as fthe shift in tones from moment to moment go.

This is most perfectly exemplified with the films ending which turns a readers questioning and pulling away in that moment (on if if was too melodramatic or not) into complete engagement and awe inspiring revelation (once I understood what was happening to the main character) as his breathing shifted.

The film pulled me in, at every turn where I had an inclination to pull away (thanks to a 24/7 news cycle/media bombardment, ista short social media world we live in where my attention span is shorter than ever and it is harder than ever for me to sit down, sit still, and focus) and because of what a phenomenal job Misan does here, I was able to be present and to be changed for the better.

Fantastic film and excited to see more from Misan. Beautiful and powerful experience here.

Black Boy Joy (2019)

A masterful film by a great talent.

[10/10 · 17 July 2022]

Black Boy Joy is a Phenomenal film. I heard about it long before I got to see it. So when I saw it on HBO max at 4am in the morning, on a Saturday night, I had to watch it. Right off the bat, some of the best cinematography and shot blocking I've seen in the last five years. The acting is on point, flawless, and the directing is a masterful home run. The themes and emotions are complex and impactful. Handled exquisitely. The structural framing of the narrative is textbook perfect. One set location, Three characters. Protagonist, Antagonist, main character. The house itself and another two objects also become another character, in and of themselves as well the more and more the film proceeded to its graceful and genius finish. This short sticks the landing tenfold. A very subtle creative choice at the end along with it's execution, threads the needle so powerfully that it makes me confidently say that Martina is a prodigal film talent. A very impactful and resonate film that is spiritual and powerful. It deals with generational dynamics, family, as well as duty, grief, loss, forgiveness, identity, tradition, beliefs, and acceptance. Autism, motherhood and fatherhood, friendship, discipline, and the nature of life. A situational piece that is "a snap shot" or "moment in the life of" type of dynamic. Drawing it's strength in showcasing the aftermath of an off screen inciting incident among three generations of me and the loss of the family matriarch. I am speechless. A treasure of a film. A must see. DO NOT MISS THIS FILM. I feel blessed to have caught it and what a wonderful 17 minutes. This is what film is about. This is the magic I feel in love with when I first saw a film at 10 yrs old. Martina thank you! Thank you for letting me bare witness to movie Magic once again in my life. To anyone that hasn't seen this yet, I cannot stress enough how much you will love this film. If you are a lover of film then you have to watch Black Boy Joy. Words cannot express how great this film is or how it makes the difficult seem so easy. This is filmmaking at the highest mountain peak. It doesn't get much better than this. I cannot wait to see Martina's next work. This one will be on repeat. Every once in a decade a filmmaker comes around that is a generational talent. I truly belief that Martina proves, with this film, that she is a generational talent. What an amazing accomplishment! Thank you!

88 (2022)

Well cast and one visual scene in particular is one you won't forget anytime soon. Very strong execution in that father to son moment.

[8/10 · 20 June 2022]

I've always been a fan of suspenseful political thrillers: the cat and mouse, the mystery to be solved, a complex web unraveling, etc. So when I heard Eromose was doing a Political thriller I was excited because he knows how to do suspense and handle atmosphere. This has proven to be a strength of his in all of the films he has directed. This film, in actuality, was more of a mix genre piece with a lot of different elements than what you would typically find in the tropes of a standard political thriller. There is a familial element to it and although I've always been a viewer more geared towards the detached and plots revolving around singular individuals, even loners, this familial element did lead to one of the best scenes in the film, a father son conversation accentuated beautifully with blue and red police strobe lightning, and the tone from start to finish was handled perfectly in that sequence. An unexpected moment that not only hits strong but that showed Eromose has visual flare and then some. The bar scene, another brilliant exhibition of mastering a sequence and the visual image with editing, tone, framing, suspense and atmosphere. The sequence with the guard and the elevator, as he gets out of there just in time and we see a glimpse of who emerges to meet him. More than ever: these moments, images, and sequences in 88 show that Eromose is a skilled director who can do drama, family pieces, suspense thrillers, probably even comedies and horror but whereas he can do a lot of different genres well because of his mastery of the craft of filmmaking, the fact remains that he would kill if he was in the genres of Science Fiction, Fantasy, Action or even Westerns. Any one of these genres would play to his strengths. So while a capable director with the full overall package and skill set, I am eager to see more of Eromose's work in the future hopefully lean into one of the more kinetic visual genres, but I am grateful for the three superb visual sequences I received in 88, the father son police convo, the friend to friend chat at the bar over a drink untouched, and the elevator scene with the guard and the man not met. Don't be fooled by the fact that this Director has a hold over the fundamentals of filmmaking and his execution is sound; he has massively untapped potential and fuel in the tank waiting to be ignited in the visually atmospheric genres. 88 is worth a watch as it has a lot of different elements to like but I'm watching to see what this director does next.

The Locksmith (2018)

One of, if not, this Director's best films. A prime calling card that shows he would do wonder in the Sci-fi, Action, and Fantasy genres.

[10/10 · 19 June 2022]

They say that one of the tests of a Director's ability is how much he can do without words, whether this be a sequence, a montage, or an action scene. With The Locksmith, Eromose showcases that he can do a whole lot. Pacing, Atmosphere, Suspense, and efficiency are all strength of an Eromose film but here they are amped to the Nth degree and on Full Display. The simplicity of form allows you to see his strengths as a Director at play, very clearly. Every time I watch an Eromose film I get to see a new skill in his tool box and a new facet of his repertoire emerges. More than any of his other films, this is the prime calling card that shows that Eromose doing a Sci-Fi, Action, or Fantasy film would be a sight to see; all these genres, inherently more visually minded and in their nature set to praise a masterful handling of suspense and atmosphere would owe their kinetic and times tempered and controlled start to The Locksmith. A must see film for any fan of Eromose's work.

Contents Under Pressure (2017)

Marvin Van Buren shows signs of being a director that can handle any genre thrown at him. Fundamentally, his filmmaking is sound.

[9/10 · 17 January 2022]

In true workmanlike fashion, Marvin Van Buren, who wrote and directed this film (while juggling many other hats) sets the stage for his well cast actors to shine. The two main leads especially so. The rest of the roles are well cast throughout as well and although some of the other performances have peaks and valleys of inconsistency, they are all memorable overall nonetheless; that is testament to the solid script and casting choices made. In independent filmmaking, one works with what one has, and this directorial effort from Marvin Van Buren is a triumphant feature as he turns more than one performance to gold. Locations are well scouted, wide shots are distinct and impactful, and cinematography overall is atmospheric as we see different shades and textures of New York. Wherher for interiors or exteriors, the filming is consistent in having more than one memorable shot. I mentioned workmanship and ultimately I see this film harken back to a time when directors along with stable actors worked long term/career long contracts for singular studios. This blue collar workman like directing meant that directors made features often, fast, and we're capable of handling and usually excelled in multiple genres with a consistency in their craft. Whatever genre the studio threw at them, they had to do and do well (crime, drama, screwball comedy, swashbuckler, thriller, etc). This was a time when directors like Howard Hawks and Michael Curtiz, among others made names for themselves. Marvin Van Buren clearly has a handle on his craft and I believe he shows signs of being able to handle multiple genres with consistency in quality and execution. A viewer is in good hands when a director is foundationally sound and that Marvin Van Buren is. The only other feeling I have is that the film runtime could have been cut down by 5-8 minutes but even so the pacing of the film overall was very well done. Keep it pushing cause I can't wait to see what you continue to make and how you'll grow as a filmmaker. Great job and kudos to your talent! There is no boundary or limit to what you can do. This was a good watch. I very much enjoyed the experience. Thank you for creating this film.