Month: September 2021

In a case of strange release timing, “Mogul Mowgli” hits screen less than a year after the debut of “Sound of Metal,” a feature about the primal need for musical release hitting the cruelty of physical impairment, forcing the artist to understand a different future for himself. The picture offered actor Riz Ahmed the role of a lifetime, giving his all to the part, and he was rewarded with critical accolades and a trip around the awards circuit. Now there’s “Mogul Mowgli,” which also examines the burning frustrations of a musician trying to make sense of his life when everything he’s worked for is suddenly stopped by illness. The films are remarkably similar, which might create a feeling of déjà vu for some, but the emotional volatility contained within both endeavors can’t be denied, with “Mogul Mowgli” offering more attention to trials of family and faith to go along with its understanding of bodily submission. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Co-writer/director Michele Civetta almost finds a dramatic path worth taking in “The Gateway.” It’s hard out there for low-budget movies, and almost all of them turn to action and crime to capture the attention of potential audiences. Sadly, “The Gateway” follows suit, but it also strives to understand difficult character histories and behaviors, at times getting dark with its study of a decent man fighting his demons and the world around him. Civetta commits to a certain level of understanding in the writing, but he doesn’t take it all the way, turning down the potential of a gritty drama, diluting the endeavor with criminal antics involving drugs, gangs, and bad dudes. Perhaps there isn’t much to the effort, but in a sea of similar underworld examinations, this feature has certain scenes that promise a more sincere and realistic tale to come, but Civette doesn’t try hard enough to preserve the human aspects of the screenplay. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com