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FILM REVIEWS UK UK Film Review is a film reviews website based in London, UK. We promote films and movie trailers from around the world and support indie films that would usually find it hard to find the spotlight against the bigger films of cinema. From the latest blockbusters, to small indie cinema, we tackle as many films as we can. Reviewing them from all aspects, not just how many digital landscapes they blow up using CGI. We also review short films in the UK and internationally, helping filmmakers to promote their movies and raise their profile. If you would like to have a short or indie film reviewed by us, please submit all info using the button below. Take a look around, enjoy the spoils of filmmaking, film festivals and artistic expression. Our merry band of film critics are constantly hard at work, writing film reviews, or watching movie trailers for some of the most exciting movies coming out in UK cinemas. So to keep their morale up, please be nice...or at least funny if you choose to troll. Because, in the immortal words of Rick Moranis in the movie Spaceballs, "Keep firing A**holes!". By the way, on this film reviews website, you may see several references to Spaceballs. If you have not seen that classic Mel Brooks film, you MUST seek it out and tell us what you think. SUBMIT YOUR FILM Are You a Film Podcast Fan? Film critics Chris Olson and Brian Penn host a monthly podcast for all types of film fans! ​ Whether you like the latest blockbuster releases, or streaming is your thing - we have you covered. ​ We even review short and independent films on the podcast. ​ Our final review is usually for a "Nostalgia" pick - something from the past worth revisiting. Previous picks for this have included Jaws, The Fly, and Good Will Hunting. ​ Search UK Film Review Podcast wherever you like to listen and join our global community of film lovers. Film Reviews from UK film critics LATEST REVIEWS Back to Black The People's Joker Alba Rosa OBA OMO (The King Child) IRAN: A People Forever in Revolution Hello in Here Guilty Devon I am the Wanderer: Director's Cut My Obsession with Death Death of a Mule Clodagh Load More

HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Back to Black Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Brian Penn | Posted on: Apr 19, 2024 Directed by: Sam Taylor-Johnson Written by: Matt Greenhalgh Starring: Maria Abela, Eddie Marsan, Lesley Manville, Jack O'Connell, Juliet Cowan A legend grows over time, but Amy Whitehouse acquired the status long before the twin evil of drugs and alcohol took her life. A prodigious talent whose voice was a distillation of the very greatest blues singers. A touch of Billie Holliday; a pinch of Dinah Washington and a hint of Sarah Vaughan mixed to create a sound that was uniquely Amy. But her life was seen through the lens of a media obsessed by celebrity where the public perception was one of excess and self-destruction. Sam Taylor Wood's film can only really be judged on the personal view we've each formed. The film begins in her late teens as Amy (Maria Abela) is showing real promise as a singer-songwriter. Dad Mitch (Eddie Marsan) is a cab driver and part time crooner, excited by his daughter's potential. Mum Janis (Juliet Cowan) is similarly expectant but stressed by her lifestyle, while adored Nan Cynthia (Lesley Manville) is Amy's inspiration. She is soon signed by 19 Management and releases her debut album 'Frank'. Argument later rages with the record company about her future direction. Meanwhile Amy meets Blake Fielder-Civil (Jack O' Connell) and sets off a chain of events that lead to the landmark 'Back to Black' album. Maria Abela tries too hard to sound like Amy which is a futile quest and only weakens the film. Her mannerisms are exaggerated and frankly looks too healthy to play a women wrecked by addiction. Jack O' Connell is so ripped he should appear in an exercise video. That's not to suggest any actor should endanger their health to play a role. It only highlights the limitations of all biopics. Blake Fielder-Civil is curiously given a personality makeover. He is portrayed as a lovable rough diamond with a bad habit. The reality seems different particularly as Fielder-Civil has previously admitted that he got Amy into hard drugs. Whatever its inaccuracies real or perceived, the film scrapes an extra star for showcasing her music supported by a cool soundtrack. In the end all we have is a sad reminder of wasted talent. It was a pitifully short life that plugged into the fateful age of 27; the mystical number that defeated so many great artists. A gaunt caricature with a teetering beehive is the depressing but true depiction of a life that ended before it really started. About the Film Critic Brian Penn Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Short Film Reviews Welcome to the UK Film Review page for short film reviews . Here you will find some of the best and brightest sparks in a sea of cinema. Filmmakers from across the globe submit their short films to us to be reviewed, and our Contributors lovingly dissect them. If you would like one of our team to write a film review of your short film, please use the form below or visit our Submit Your Film page Our short film reviews are written by passionate film critics across the UK and aim to highlight and promote terrific filmmaking when we find it. We are always honest with our reviews, so if you are looking to submit your short film for review, please do so knowing that we will not alter what we have said because you don't like it. There is a wealth of amazing talent in the short film industry, and we hope by writing film reviews about this underexposed creativity we can get your movies to a new audience...but we need your help. Please join in the chatter on our social media channels so that we can grow our community and share the joy. Use the buttons in the footer to Like us on Facebook, Follow us on Twitter, and Subscribe to us on YouTube #supportindiefilm. Get Reviewed! Submit Your Short Film Film Type Landscape Still Upload supported file (Max 15MB) I want to subscribe to the filmmakers newsletter. I accept terms & conditions of the Privacy Policy. Select an item (£) 7-Day Written Review - £39 7-Day Written Review + Podcast Review - £69 PLEASE NOTE: The cost to Skip the Queue and a 1-Week Turnaround is £39. For FREE REVIEWS or other turnaround times - See Options HERE . Submit Your Film alexjames96 Mar 17 2 min After Hours Short Movie Review alexjames96 Mar 17 2 min Cinerama (Music Video) Short Film Review Chris Olson Mar 1 3 min Film Podcast: George Clooney Rowing Biopic Scoops Film of the Month Chris Olson Feb 22 3 min Film Podcast: Anthony Hopkins drama crowned "Film of the Month" alexjames96 Feb 17 2 min Mannequin Short Film Review alexjames96 Feb 17 2 min The Separation Short Film Review alexjames96 Feb 17 2 min Bare Foot Short Film Review William Hemingway Jan 18 8 min Filmmaker Interview with Jiwon Lee alexjames96 Dec 19, 2023 2 min Dominion Short Film Review alexjames96 Dec 19, 2023 2 min Homecoming (Music Video) Short Film Review alexjames96 Dec 19, 2023 2 min Sunset Drive Short Film Review Chris Olson Nov 28, 2023 5 min Filmmaker Interview with Alexander Ratter alexjames96 Nov 16, 2023 2 min Purely Cosmetic Short Film Review alexjames96 Nov 16, 2023 2 min What Remains Short Film Review alexjames96 Nov 16, 2023 2 min Sheep F-cked In the Head Short Film Review Chris Olson Nov 13, 2023 3 min Filmmaker Interview with Aimie Willemse alexjames96 Oct 13, 2023 2 min Uncharted Expedition Short Film Review alexjames96 Oct 13, 2023 2 min The Mountain Short Film Review alexjames96 Oct 13, 2023 2 min The Incredible Story of the First Woman Film Director Short Film Review Chris Olson Sep 30, 2023 2 min The Stupid Boy short film review More Film Reviews OBA OMO (The King Child) James Learoyd IRAN: A People Forever in Revolution James Learoyd Guilty Swati Verma Devon William Hemingway I am the Wanderer: Director's Cut Jason Knight My Obsession with Death Chris Buick Clodagh Jason Knight Alleviate Joe Beck Whippy Patrick Foley The Other John James Learoyd What I'm Hiding From You Jason Knight Rooftops Swati Verma The Siren Chris Buick Music to Die For Jason Knight Who We Were Patrick Foley Rwd Fwd Swati Verma James Joe Beck Lochgoilhead Forever Chris Buick Waiting for a Train Jason Knight Dolce Far Niente James Learoyd Make a Wish James Learoyd Dustlight Chris Buick Shear Disturbance James Learoyd Deep It Swati Verma Trigger William Hemingway Load More Reviews What is a short film review? A short film review is often written by a movie critic and it's their opinion on a film that is less than sixty minutes long. Short film reviews still explore every aspect of a movie. How do I write a short film review? Writing a short film review needs to cover multiple aspects of the movie. Including the script, the characters, performances, cinematography, score & sound design, editing and so on. How long should a film review be? A film review should be as long as the house style. Some publications provide lengthier reviews than others. A general minimum word count would be 300. How much money do film critics make? Film critic salaries depend massively on their publication. Many film critics are freelancers, meaning they get paid per review and sometimes this is based on word count. Making money through film reviews can be challenging.

★★★ Starring: #DevonGrevious, #NateReynolds, #TylerMcCray Directed by: #NateReynolds Short Film Review by: Alexandra James Shear Disturbance focuses on the theme of anxiety and how much it can affect day to day activities such as the simple act of getting a haircut. For protagonist Tyronne, this typical action becomes far more than that and is such a trigger that he becomes completely consumed by even the thought of it. This can be a very real experience for many people that suffer with anxiety, it can become debilitating and stop you from going about your daily life. Director Nate Reynolds portrays these struggles and highlights the importance of patience and understanding when interacting with a person struggling to keep their anxiety under control. The narrative itself is very simple and I think although this is a short film, it would have been great to truly expose the pain within the anxiety. It would have helped the storyline further to pull back the covers of Tyronne’s mind and provide the audience a sense of what it feels like to have this fear. The physical signs were apparent with the trembling and shyness when speaking to the barbers. However, a cutaway of Tyronne’s mental state would convey the severity and seriousness of his condition. It was interesting to see the negativity towards Tyronne as well, the barber seemed to have little to no patience and believed that Tyronne was wasting his time and essentially fooling around. Nate was able to suggest that we need to be more perceptive and recognise the signs of anxiety to help that person and bring them into a calmer and more relaxed environment to support and keep their anxiety under control. Unfortunately, for Tyronne, the experience became all too much, and he was unable to control his emotions and left the shop disappointed in himself. However, another barber came out after him and reassures him that he is not alone. In fact, he has also experienced these feelings and encourages Tyronne to speak with someone to overcome his struggles. Shear Disturbance has a message within, and director Nate Reynolds uses this short film to tear down the stigma and shame of living with anxiety and instead, Reynolds concentrates on the importance of speaking about this subject and sharing these struggles as this will ultimately educate others to understand more about the experience as well as learn how to help and manage them.

★★★★★ Starring: #IsidoraFairhurst, #MiaMckennaBruge, #RitaBernardShaw, #DaniDyer, #MalachiPullarLatchman Directed by: #TeddyNygh Short Film Review by: Alexandra James Watch What I Do is an all-female cast and short drama. It focuses on 3 teenage girls in secondary school attempting to navigate their way through friendship, social status, and their love for basketball. Being a teenager today can be a difficult transition, emotions and arguments become heightened and at this point in life. Conflicts at this age are all consuming and it becomes difficult to break away and see the light, as well as ignore the negativity. This becomes the case for protagonist Layla, as she struggles to become friends with the new girl joining the group. Layla often feels excluded and is unable to connect with Nikki, who chooses to disregard or shame Layla as a form of one-upmanship making her appear to be the ‘popular’ friend out of the group. Layla must find a way to channel her anger and focus on what is most important to her, true friendship, and her passion for sport. Layla’s skills in basketball become clear when she walks past a court and jumps at the chance to make a shot, she is encouraged by the other players to join and be a part of the team. However, through fear of ridicule she shy’s away from this opportunity and ignores their praise. Instead, she is left feeling embarrassed and even more of an outcast by showing an interest in the sport. It became evident that Layla has some form of anger issues which she needs to work on. Layla often represses these thoughts of violence and aggression; the viewer is given snippets of Layla’s frustrated mind with use of cutaway shots. Her anger becomes fuelled when faced with conflict, and unfortunately for Layla she becomes tested to her limit as Nikki starts to put a wedge between her and her friendship with Kezia. Layla has managed to control this anger for a long period of time, however, like a bubbling pot, it does not take long for this anger to spill. The characters are extremely relatable, especially to teenagers growing up and learning to adapt and change throughout their school years and rise above the hate. Director Teddy Nygh breaks down some of the barriers that stop kids from being their true selves. Nygh highlights that for Layla, basketball gives her the chance to channel her energy, focus and discover some new friends who follow a similar passion. This was a great story, and the characters were able to really convey that emotion of betrayal, fear, hurt but also happiness and the importance of friendship. It was an enjoyable watch and the interactions between each character were engaging throughout, you really feel for Layla’s character and want her to overcome her fears and see the true bond between her and Kezia.

Filmmaker Interview by William Hemingway Hi Antonia, Thanks for sitting down with us to chat about your films and filmmaking. Where in the world do we find you today and how are you doing? I am in Santa Monica, California – about 6 blocks from the Pacific Ocean in Los Angeles. I’m a surfer – so being near the ocean helps. You’ve just completed a Director’s Cut of your film Sleep No More. Can you give us a little background to the story of the film and say what it was that made you want to revisit it again? What differences can the audience expect from the new version? I grew up and hung out with troubled teens, as I was one too -- the ones your parents don’t want you to hang out with. Many of them were small town crooks, and the more talented ones burglarized homes in Santa Monica - on the nicer side of town – the side of town where my mother owned a home. So the initial inspiration for this story centered around my best-guy friend, who was a first class musician, extremely handsome, and a master thief. The reason I wanted to revisit this film was for a number of reasons, first and foremost there were a few scenes I felt shouldn’t be in the film and I also wanted to adjust the ending a bit. Originally, we had a different ending, but the producing team felt strongly that the original ending with some adjustments would be best for the film, and I couldn’t help but agree. Sleep No More also began life as a short film, My Left Hand Man. Can you talk us through some of the process of developing the film from one format to the other? How was that process for you personally? I wrote My Left Hand Man solo, but I had a partner on the feature length script. Anne Heffron has a dark, unique sense of humor, so she brought in her own unique style. A lot of the bits that are absurd, like Miss Rose sitting at the bottom of her empty pool sun bathing, came from her bizarre and often absurd sense of humor. Also, we added a lot of characters to the feature version, so once we wrote back stories for those characters and determined how they connected and intertwined with the lead characters we had a lot to play with. The plot is still the same as the short though. I remember when I was really young and had told my father I wanted to be a writer, he said that all the plots had already been written by Shakespeare and so my focus should be on creating interesting characters and how they navigate through the story. You’ve talked before about the film being representative of your time growing up in LA without it being entirely autobiographical. What was it that you saw in the characters that made you want to tell their story? This film is about my family – it’s actually quite personal – but in a highly fictionalized setting and format. I mean no one can argue that the film industry is not the most moral and ethical industry – and I literally grew up surrounded by film folks. My uncles and step dad were in the industry too. Everyone and everything I was exposed to up until middle school, when I hung out with kids from the bad parts of town, was entertainment industry centric. Not to mention my family went through an incredibly violent and highly publicized murder when I was barely out of elementary school. So even though I wasn’t consciously connecting it – the ending of my film is influenced and connected to the murder of Dorothy Stratten. Also, Luke Kleintank’s character, Beckett is based partly on myself but mostly on my best guy-friend I mentioned above, the master thief, who quite tragically robbed my mother’s house when I was 16. I found out much later that it was him, and that betrayal crushed me. He apologized and I did forgive him. My group of friends helped me understand the mind of a thief – they get a thrill out of it – some can’t help but steal while others do it if they are desperate for money. My friend’s mother was mentally ill and couldn’t work, so he struggled financially growing up. There are a strong variety of themes throughout Sleep No More, ranging from Shakespeare to comic books to abusive relationships. Can you talk us through how you used these themes to develop your story and why you wanted to use them in your film? Great question. So, growing up, cinema was like Jesus or God in our house; great cinema was all-knowing and could teach you anything you needed to know about life, art and humans. Cinema was literally worshipped, and it pervaded everything we did and said. On the flip side of that was TV, there was NO TV at my father’s home, if we wanted to watch something it had to be a movie, and his collection was not contemporary, all but a few were made before 1959. Then at my mother’s home, she took the remote with her to work, so we were rarely allowed to watch TV and she frowned upon it as well. Now keep in mind this was before The Sopranos and what I call the Golden Age of TV which began with that show in 1999 – which, ironically, my father ended up being an actor in. In general, other things such as traditional school, college and things like morality and how to conduct oneself as a parent were secondary to art. My childhood was anything but idyllic, my parents fought amongst each other and in the media and in books. My father was a huge success when I was quite young, but struggled to work in the 80’s and 90’s, while my mother had huge success throughout the 80’s and 90’s. But still cinema was the WORD. In Sleep No More, I took these ideas to the extreme - Shakespeare is cinema and comic books are TV. I have studied Shakespeare, read every play, and have gone to see many of his plays whenever I’m in London. I identify so much with so many of his works, perhaps because my childhood at times felt like a never-ending drama and that at times it was very public and a lot like theatre. So, I really wanted to intertwine Shakespeare’s mythos into my first feature. And yes, I would die to direct a Shakespeare play in the UK! Even though the patriarch is a hopeless gambler and alcoholic, who puts his entire family in jeopardy, he won’t tolerate bad grammar, comic books or state-mandated education. He lives in a fantasy world of Shakespeare and conducts himself like one or several of the Bard’s characters. You wrote this film with your writing partner Anne Heffron, was this something that you felt you needed or wanted to do from the beginning or was the process of coming together more organic? Is having a writing partner something that you are keen to do again in the future? This was the second screenplay we wrote together, the first one she asked if I wanted to write a screenplay with her and I was struggling with a novel I couldn’t finish so that sounded a lot more fun. Since I had grown up in the film business, I figured it has to be easier than writing a novel, which it most certainly was, at least for both of us. That first screenplay, a road trip film about a mother who sets out to find a daughter she gave up for adoption as an infant, got a lot of attention in Hollywood and so we naturally wanted to write another script together. Anne went on after that to write a memoir and is working on other prose and I kept writing screenplays, but if there is ever a project where we can write together again, I’d be down. Before deciding to direct you had already been in the film business for some time. You’ve been an executive producer, producer, production assistant, post production supervisor, writer, director and actor. How invaluable was this experience when you finally came to direct and did you find that you used skills learned from these other roles as you were heading up your own film? I used all my skills, all of them. I produced mostly after I had directed, and I didn’t enjoy that at all, but I wanted to help my dad get his film made, so I went for it and I was able to help make that happen, which he was very grateful for, and of course I am now too, since it turned out to be his last film. Most of my other credits you mentioned: acting, production assistant, assistant editor credits were “before”.  I quit the business for 11 years, during that time I fell in love, left Los Angeles, got married, and had a child. I actually swore I’d never return to film. Then came “after”. After I began writing with Anne and then I directed my first short, I knew that all along I was destined to direct. The notion of being a director had literally never occurred to me. When I was young, my father had so many ups and downs, so much unemployment and disappointments, I just couldn’t imagine living a life that way. Ironically, I’ve been confronted with similar challenges he faced, but I am so passionate about making films that I will never walk away again. Just like dearly departed father. He was very encouraging, and he would have told me if I was a terrible director or writer, my parents didn’t mince words, or bullshit about talent, not ever. You grew up and started your career in the Hollywood film industry, but making Sleep No More, and the original short My Left Hand Man, meant that you were now involved in independent filmmaking. How much does the process differ in getting a film made and seen when you are doing it all independently? What do you feel are the benefits/drawbacks of making an independent film? What I would do to make a studio film! To have access to all the money I need and a support system of trained professionals. I just don’t have that in the indie world. I miss the studios terribly. Independent filmmaking is brutal, I worked at WB, Sony and Paramount and I had no idea at the time how great I had it. It’s become so hard to make a film. There are stops and starts and financiers who pull out at the last minute; there are actors who drop out that cause the picture to fold; and distribution is a killer. The main reason I’m putting out this film now is that the original distributor went bankrupt shortly after buying my film and my film got buried in lawsuits, so it really never saw the light of day. To the best of my knowledge it never got a chance in Europe, so the public at large both here and overseas had no access to it. Your parents, Peter Bogdanovich and Polly Platt, were both big players in their own ways in the filmmaking business, your father as a director and your mother as a producer and production designer. Do you feel that the types of careers in the film industry still follow some sort of typecasting in terms of gender? Do you feel that you were more accepted, as a woman in the film industry, when you were working in the more ‘unseen’ roles and was there ever any doubt for you about becoming a director? Were there ever any difficulties that you faced from other people’s perception of women’s roles in film? My parents taught me so much about filmmaking – SO MUCH. We talked about making movies and how to make movies all the time - at every meal, in the car and while watching films, on set and on vacation. My mother was a genius, I was there the day she brought home Matt Groening’s Life In Hell cartoon and told me she was taking it to Gracie Films as this guy had the goods! There are many, many more stories like that about my mom’s ability to discover talent. I told her I wanted to work in film when I was about 10 and so she took it upon herself to mentor me, even though she often pushed me towards science and college all the time (I was very good at math, chemistry, biology and physics). I think she pushed me towards other fields as she wanted me to have a steady income. But it never stuck. I think it’s much easier to be a male film director. I have very close friends in the VFX industry who will call me from set and tell me some young male director who has no clue how to direct is at the helm and it’s a disaster. They tell me they wish I was the director, and I wish I were too! I get calls from editors too about the very same thing. When I was working in the more “unseen” roles I thought about editing, but never directing, until I started directing theatre and writing screenplays later in my life. I think all women have been exposed to sexual harassment at work, my mother told me quite a few stories, but kept it to herself, as she would have for sure lost her job back then. I have dealt with those issues and never went public about it, but I don’t tolerate that anymore under any circumstances, and I would certainly deal with any such conduct immediately on my film set. It really has changed ME TOO and I’m so happy about that. The last few years, I have been very fortunate to find a group who are all about the work and I feel safe to create and build projects with them. You’ve previously mentioned that you learnt a lot through osmosis by watching your parents work, which must have been an incredible experience for you growing up. Since you’ve carved your own path for yourself and come back to filmmaking have you been inspired by anyone else in the filmmaking industry or perhaps by other writers, stage directors or other professionals? My father was not necessarily attracted to stories about crime, murder and violence, but as a kid I was. Although I love a wide range of films and filmmakers I was always drawn to dramas and dark subject matter. I was obsessed with Francis Ford Coppola’s early works and Apocalypse Now changed my life. Ridley Scott’s early works like Blade Runner is a film I’ve watched over and over, and many other of his earlier films. The directors that have inspired me since right before and after I become a director would be Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese and Paul Thomas Anderson - I study There Will Be Blood and Boogie Nights – to me they are both master classes in contemporary cinema. I adore David O. Russell – Three Kings is literally one of my favorite films. And then there is Alejandro Inarritu – he’s got to be my favorite contemporary film maker – from his first film, Amores Perros, which I saw in the theatre in 2000 when it came out, to The Revenant. Now that doesn’t necessarily mean I want to make all gritty and violent films, I’ve actually been leaning towards dark comedy lately, as I feel the world needs to laugh right now. What’s next for you after this? Are there any projects that you currently have on the go and what are you looking forward to that you can see in your future? Yes! I am directing a fantasy comedy/drama about a Catholic boarding school for child geniuses, who set out to build a rocket that will get them to heaven. It’s more otherworldly rather than pure fantasy. It’s incredibly unique and very inspiring. My producer, Josh Russell, also happens to be a brilliant screenwriter, and he wrote it. I am very excited to explore this genre and the comedy is what really drew me in – I can’t wait to make people laugh. After that, I have a WWII script that my parents wrote in 1968 – it’s like Schindler’s List meets Ocean’s 11 – it’s unbelievable and I’m going to cast mostly Europeans for this and of course shoot in Poland where the story takes place. Where can people get to see the new cut of Sleep No More and how can we keep up to date with what’s happening with the film and any other Antonia Bogdanovich projects? Sleep No More comes out in the US for a limited theatrical day and dates in July – it will be on Prime Video, VOD, Apple + and a few other streamers, too. In the UK, we aren’t sure yet, but after the Cannes film festival I will be able to tell you more, as we are selling foreign distribution there. #WilliamHemingway #FilmmakerInterview