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HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Rustin Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: George Wolf | Posted on: Nov 1, 2023 Directed by: George C. Wolfe Written by: Julian Breece, Dustin Lance Black Starring: Colman Domingo, Aml Ameen, Gus halper In 2020, filmmaker George C. Wolfe used theatrical set design combined with snappy, rhythmic editing to contextualize the mournful, defiant music of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom . Wolfe’s style remains much the same for his biopic of trailblazing civil rights activist Bayard Rustin. And once again, the drama sings. That’s much thanks to a soaring performance by Colman Domingo. A character actor known for decades of memorable performances, Domingo takes the lead in Rustin and owns the film from frame one. Vulnerability and resolve pass across Domingo’s face in a performance the should absolutely be remembered this coming award season. He’s not alone. Support work from Audra McDonald, CCH Pounder, Glynn Turman, Aml Ameen and a scorching cameo from Jeffrey Wright bring enough acting mastery to make Chris Rock’s turn seem a bit out of out of place. Rustin was a key figure in the 1963 March on Washington, battling racism and homophobia as he mobilized scores of volunteers, advocacy groups and sometimes competing interests. Ands Wolfe, working from a script by Julian Breece (When They See Us) and Dustin Lance Black (Milk, When We Rise) , keeps his film grounded in the political realities that not only mark American history but American present. Fueled by an electric performance, Wolfe’s production saturates that history with undeniable life and passion. The film consistently moves with the energy and staging of a musical. It’s an approach that should help hold sustained interest for home streaming, but one that results in a broad-brushed, sometimes hurried feel to the important matters at hand. But Rustin should invite further study about a man who deserves it. And while doing so, it reminds us that the fight for equality doesn’t end until it includes all of us, and that every victory depends on the day-to-day groundwork of warriors we may never get to know. Plus, Colman Domingo. Get to know him. About the Film Critic George Wolf Theatrical Release, Netflix < All Reviews Next Film Review >

HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Servants Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Christie Robb | Posted on: Feb 22, 2022 Directed by: Ivan Ostrochovsky Written by: Rebecca Lenkiewica, Marek Lescak, Ivan Ostrochovsky Starring: Samuel Skyva, Samuel Polakovic, Vlad Ivanov Set in 1980s totalitarian Czechoslovakia, director Ivan Ostrochovský’s Servants follows teenage Catholic seminarians at Bratislava Theological Faculty. Here even religious texts are prohibited, banned as a threat to state security. A real-world association of priests outwardly loyal to the Communist leadership, Pacem in Terris, controls the school and works in tandem with the government to uphold the Communist party line. This forces freethinkers who want full access to religious texts to go underground, exchanging books and meeting in secret. The film starts with a noir-style drive along a secluded road. Eventually, the car parks under a bridge, two men emerge, and a body is dumped from the trunk. One of the men is a priest, the other a State Security operative. Although they claim the dead man was a victim of a hit and run, it’s clear he’s been brutally tortured to death. The rest of the story is told mostly in flashback and relates the events of the previous 143 days. Servants is a spare film. Shot in black and white, the camera often lingers—the white curl of smoke against a black background, the security operative’s bleak little apartment, overhead God’s Eye shots of the seminary boys playing in the courtyard, or agonizing behind the prison bar-like frames of their bunk beds about whether they should collaborate with the government and become informants or put themselves at risk of becoming targets. A lot of the lingering shows the routine minutiae of life—eating, bathing, practicing a musical instrument, for example. This is in contrast to the oppressive feel of constant surveillance and possible eruptions of violence. Combined with a very understated score, this illustrates how normalized the culture of censorship and menace became. But it also makes Servants a little hypnotic. It can be easy to let the mind wander to other things. Other banned reading materials. Other stirrings of authoritarianism. About the Film Critic Christie Robb Digital / DVD Release, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Tick Tick Boom Teaser Trailer tick, tick…BOOM! Teaser Trailer Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Lin-Manuel Miranda makes his feature directorial debut with tick, tick…BOOM!, an adaptation of the autobiographical musical by Jonathan Larson, who revolutionized theatre as the creator of Rent. The film follows Jon (Academy Award nominee and Tony Award winner Andrew Garfield), a young theatre composer who’s waiting tables at a New York City diner in 1990 while writing what he hopes will be the next great American musical. Days before he’s due to showcase his work in a make-or-break performance, Jon is feeling the pressure from everywhere: from his girlfriend Susan, who dreams of an artistic life beyond New York City; from his friend Michael, who has moved on from his dream to a life of financial security; amidst an artistic community being ravaged by the AIDS epidemic. With the clock ticking, Jon is at a crossroads and faces the question everyone must reckon with: What are we meant to do with the time we have? tick, tick…BOOM! stars Academy Award nominee & Tony Award winner Andrew Garfield, Alexandra Shipp, Tony Award nominee Robin de Jesús, Tony Award nominee Joshua Henry, MJ Rodriguez, Emmy Award winner Bradley Whitford, Tariq Trotter, with Emmy and Tony Award winner Judith Light, and Vanessa Hudgens. The film is written by Tony Award winner Steven Levenson, and produced by Brian Grazer and Ron Howard for Imagine Entertainment, Julie Oh, and Lin-Manuel Miranda. tick, tick…BOOM! will launch globally on Netflix and in select cinemas this Autumn The Bezonians Official Trailer Greeks take on geezers in The Bezonians, a satirical Brit gangster thriller that gets its UK debut on DVD and digital this May from 101 Films. Streamline Dive into Streamline, an emotionally rich coming-of-age-film, and a supremely impressive directorial debut from Tyson Wade Johnston, who also penned the piece. This gritty and gripping feature is produced by Australian swimming legend Ian Thorpe and stars Hollywood favourite Brit actor Jason Isaacs (The Harry Potter Franchise, Mass) is now set to wow UK audiences with its digital release on 11 April from 101 Films. Spears Watch the trailer for the indie film Spears, by filmmaker Gerard Lough. For more of the latest film trailers visit UK Film Review. First Date Check out the trailer for 101 Films' First Date. Help Official Trailer Help from filmmaker Blake Ridder releases official trailer. Watch the trailer for Help from filmmaker Blake Ridder. The Bad Guys Official Trailer DreamWorks launch official trailer for The Bad Guys. Nobody has ever failed so hard at trying to be good as The Bad Guys. Across the Spider-Verse Part One Trailer Following the huge success of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, this trailer for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse - Part One comes as no surprise but is certainly welcome. A Christmas Number One Official Trailer A Sky Original, A Christmas Number One is produced by Sky, Genesius Pictures, Lupus Films and Space Age Films. It will be available on Sky Cinema and streaming service NOW from 10 December. Spider-Man: No Way Home Official Trailer Currently slated for a UK release of December 15th, Spider-Man fans across the world were rocked with this official trailer for Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021). Eternals Final Trailer Directed by Chloé Zhao, the saga of the Eternals, a race of immortal beings who lived on Earth and shaped its history and civilizations. Moonfall Official Trailer Directed by Roland Emmerich and starring Halle Berry, Patrick Wilson, and John Bradley, Moonfall is currently scheduled for a cinematic release in the UK in February 2022. Uncharted Official Trailer From Sony Pictures UK, check out the official first trailer for the highly-anticipated UNCHARTED, based on the hugely popular video game franchise of the same name. The Real Charlie Chaplin Official Trailer The Real Charlie Chaplin is an Archer’s Mark, Passion Pictures and Smaller Biggie production, in association with Ventureland and Fee Fie Foe. Belfast Official Trailer 2 From lauded director Kenneth Branagh, and starring an acclaimed ensemble cast, Belfast is a personal and joyful story about the power of memory, set in late 1960s Northern Ireland. The Batman Main Trailer Currently expected for a March 2022 release, The Batman (2022) starring Robert Pattinson is one of the most anticipated films of next year. Warner Bros dropped The Batman Main Trailer and DC fans have gone crazy with excitement. Resident Evil - Welcome to Raccoon City - Official Trailer The official first trailer and poster for RESIDENT EVIL: WELCOME TO RACCOON CITY, the much-anticipated action horror based on the iconic videogame franchise, coming to cinemas 3 December. The Turn of the Screw Official Teaser Trailer Danny Arthur attacks in a prison officer in the hope to get moved off the wing, he has just joined Ambrose Cook in his cell, a black inmate who is waiting for his parole in a couple of months. The Beatles and India Trailer Now a new, award-winning feature documentary The Beatles and India from Silva Screen Productions and Renoir Pictures explores the lasting legacy from their ground-breaking visit to Rishikesh. Britney Vs Spears Trailer The world knows Britney Spears: performer, artist, icon. But in the last few years, her name has been publicly tied to another, more mysterious term: conservatorship. Britney vs Spears tells the explosive story of Britney’s life and her public and private search for freedom. A Boy Called Christmas Trailer In A Boy Called Christmas, an ordinary young boy called Nikolas sets out on an extraordinary adventure into the snowy north in search of his father who is on a quest to discover the fabled village of the elves, Elfhelm.

★★★★ 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.