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HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Bless Me Father Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Joe Beck | Posted on: May 23, 2023 Directed by: Gianni McLaughlin Written by: Gianni McLaughlin Starring: Gianni McLaughlin ‘Bless Me Father’ is a confusing dichotomy of a film, blending ideas together which should create a thoughtful, meditative film, yet instead it is far, far too convoluted. For a slight ninety minute runtime, the film tries to tackle too many themes, and none of them in any much depth, getting in the way of its story, which is an interesting idea on paper. Gangster films are interwoven with religion. That’s an unavoidable fact. ‘Bless Me Father’, as the title would suggest, follows this tradition, but only for tradition’s sake. There’s no sense of that spirituality imbued into the story, and it ultimately features just to remind you of better films to spend your time watching. It’s clear whom writer-director Gianni McLaughlin is most heavily influenced by, of course, the legendary Martin Scorsese. However, where Scorsese infuses his films with his own religious belief, shaping the stories which he tells, McLaughlin fails to understand that his own use of spirituality is weightless because it lacks gravitas, or any sense of actual belief. The film opens to the sound of bells, which toll over shoddily shot handheld footage from inside a car. We then see a slightly bedraggled man, Vinny (Gianni McLaughlin) walk into church looking in serious need of some spiritual aid. Luckily that’s what you tend to get in a church and a priest, Father Joe (Joseph McLaughlin) offers him the chance to give confession, and thus begins Vinny’s story. All this is filmed with fervour and patience that suggests a profound religious message delicately interwoven throughout. Regrettably, that illusion soon falls apart. As we witness the descent of Vinny from juvenile delinquent to fully fledged gangster we are reminded of better films dealing with the same subject, primarily the eternal gangster film ‘Goodfellas’. This is a subject that has been done before, over and over again, but treading on such hallowed ground wouldn’t be a problem - there’s a reason its been overdone (when it works, it really works) - if it wasn’t done here with such abject quality and attention to story. We see Vinny rise to something of prominence amongst his fellow Italian-American gangsters, even meeting the Don (Paris Branda), as he sacrifices his relationships with those around him in order to pursue a life of crime, drugs and money. The issue, and its one which is handled bizarrely, is that the Don killed Vinny’s father (Federico Lupo), as we see in a flashback. The thing is, though Vinny knows this, and it effects him when he first meets the Don, it is then just left behind as a plot point until right at the very end, when suddenly it becomes the centre of the entire plot, despite having literally no bearing on it throughout. Added to the strange direction of the story is McLaughlin’s disappointing directing, which wouldn’t be such an issue were it not for the finesse offered early on. Instead he soon indulges himself with too many cuts, too many shots which add nothing dramatically, and, far too many gratuitous shots of strippers twerking. You can present the gangster lifestyle as idealised without objectifying women to the point at which no women that appears in the film is anything more than a sex object. ‘Bless Me Father’ lacks the punch which films of this nature need to separate themselves from the rest. Any early promise quickly subsides into just another sleazy gangster film by another wannabe Scorsese. You can’t replicate Scorsese, and it’s time people started realising that. About the Film Critic Joe Beck Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Golden Kash Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: ​ | Posted on: Sep 9, 2021 Directed by: Druhv Behl Written by: Druhv Behl Starring: Sunny Chaudhary, Kavita Kaushik, Himanshu Luthra, Akshay Khanna, Ujjwal Chaudhary, Ram Kashyap Golden Kash is an ambitious, well-paced, enjoyable dark comedy with a charismatic cast and clean vision to boot. What starts off as a kidnap thriller quickly evolves into situational comedy that is brave enough to flirt with the fourth wall, and through all that, the manages to story keep its bearings. The opening music may distract from the visual quality of the film in the first few seconds, but once things quiet down and the ambience sets in, the eye is immediately captivated by the use of shadow and colour. Shadows and silhouettes give the film a distinct noir feel, an ominous foreboding of what’s in store, and it’s all a cleverly crafted misdirect. Humour and unexpected high jinks were the last elements I expected to see in a film that centres on greed. From the kidnapper that demands a ransom and gets a call back from a phone salesman to the aloof father too engrossed with a cricket game to pick up his phone, Golden Kash creates the perfect arena for each of its leading men to one-up each other in the hopes of a fat paycheck. Each of the actors performs their part convincingly, with enough wit to stick the landing. While the breach of the fourth wall midway through the plot is abrupt, the film manages to keep the momentum of the story moving forward. This is where we meet Ujjwal Chaudhary’s character, an unmotivated phone salesman who works the nightshift and dreams of a better life. Ujjwal’s character addresses the camera—or rather, the audience—in an expository segment where he rants about his shortcomings, and lucky for him, he stumbles upon an opportunity to change his circumstance (or does he?). Ujjwal has wit, charm and the cinematic presence to keep the audience engaged. (And perhaps even get them to root for him!) While the ending does jump a few steps, asking the audience to draw conclusions and pave over what few plot holes the script has, Golden Kash is a prime example of how experimental, genre-bending films (if executed well) can be quite an enjoyable experience. About the Film Critic ​ Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Red Africa Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Nov 1, 2023 Directed by: Alexander Markov Written by: Alexander Markov Starring: Alexander Markov Travel back to a truly jarring and bizarre period in history in Alexander Markov’s documentary Red Africa – a fascinating examination of post-colonial Africa and the burgeoning, uneasy and uneven relationships many newly-independent states struck up with the Soviet Union. Using a treasure-trove of incredible historic footage, this 60-minute documentary presents a look at 30 years between a series of newly independent African nations emerging in the 60s to the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 90s, and the infringe of Soviet business and culture into Africa in the intervening time. Presented nakedly and without voiceover or contribution, the footage is allowed to speak for itself, as the Soviets work to burrow into the heart of Africa under the guise of friendship – but with sinister aims of resource extraction and reliance construction in order to expand the Soviet sphere of influence across the continent. With similarities to Adam Curtis’ masterful documentary series Traumazone (which interestingly also focused on the collapse of the Soviet Union), Red Africa is striking and outstanding because of its minimalist approach to documenting its subject. The editing of the eye-opening historical footage is where the film lives and dies, and Alexander Markov has a committed vision for the history he is bringing back to life. Constructing a cohesive narrative over a 30-year timespan and multiple nations is not easy, but audiences will come away from the film with an understanding and conception of the Soviet’s aims in Africa, the appeal for Africans of turning towards the iron curtain, and the inevitable betrayals that came with what was ultimately a politer form of colonialism. The footage is impressively presented in excellent quality, allowing viewers to immerse themselves in the time period. The unbroken spell that comes as a result of the pure footage approach works wonderfully, as old colonial masters in immaculate British military regalia are humiliatingly ejected from a new Kenya in footage that doesn’t look out of place when brought to the screen using 2023 technology. An otherworldliness is present once African traditions are interpreted by Russian dancers in front of bemused leaders invited to Moscow. Crisp and vibrant imagery allows for full engagement with this truly odd time. The stylistic approach does limit the film. As with the aforementioned Traumazone, the events of the film fix in place its content and limit the level of analysis the film itself provides. Unlike Curtis’ series however, the film doesn’t quite leave with the same impact or connection to contemporary events. Traumazone concluded with the emergence of Putin from the rubble of the new Russia – a chilling and relevant finale for a series that was released following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. Red Africa concludes with the USSR’s fall – a pivotal event of course – but fails to quite land the significance of this to either Africa or Russia today. Given that China are currently aggressively pursuing a similar strategy today with their ‘belt and road’ initiative, it feels like a missed opportunity to link the events of the film, as well as their causes and their consequences, to today. As a snapshot of a fascinating and unexplored time however, Red Africa is an immersive and engrossing hour that is filled with footage of the scarcely believable. A honed knowledge and passion for Cold War history is required to really appreciate the unconventional documentation, but for those looking for a new angle of the 20th century, it is a revelatory piece of filmmaking. Watch the official film trailer for Red Africa here . About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Digital / DVD Release, Documentary, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

★★★★ Directed by: #ChristopherDeakin Starring: #GemmaWhiteley, #AdamMercuryBrown, #JoyceBranagh, #AshleyGregory, #EleanorJessicaRoberts Short Film Review by: Alexandra James A Happy Ending is a spoof reality television show that pokes fun at some of the court room dramas we see today. The show focuses on a young married couple and displays their inner conflicts with one another. For wife Lizzie, she is prepared to divorce her husband for not ever being able to satisfy her in all areas…but specifically in the bedroom! This dark comedy is a combination of Judge Judy, Love Island dramas and absurdity all wrapped up in a show called ‘Out of Order.’  For main character Lizzie, regrettably, this was unforgiveable, and she was ready to take her life into her own hands, her husband’s money and then leave him! However, as the drama progresses, certain secrets come to light and the audience discover that Lizzie is not as squeaky clean as she presents herself to be. As like many of these shows, the audience feed off this scandal and the juicier the scandals become, the better! The short film begins in a court room, its all lights, camera action as the jury take their seats and listen to Ms Who’s tales of woes and the lack of satisfaction she has had to endure for a good few years. Their marriage is in turmoil and there’s no coming back from this, especially when we find out husband David Ducksoup has been going to certain places alone to get his kicks elsewhere…For our Judge this appeared to be a clear-cut case, however, certain witnesses began to shed light on the couple’s marriage which left the judge having to make some tough decisions. A Happy Ending is a witty and outrageous film that keeps you hooked until the very end. It was great to see some of those ‘behind the scenes’ moments where the director instructs some of the reality stars to add more tears at this point or show your angry side when you say this line. Many people believe each scene is authentic and completely unfabricated. However, nothing we see on TV is ever how it truly is, which made for a hilarious premise and managed to break down that wall between fact and fiction and showed us exactly what was behind the curtain. The characters themselves were very funny and combined with the comical storyline and dialogue, it makes for an entertaining show that I would certainly be investing in if it came into fruition!

★★★ 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.