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- The Circle Review | Film Reviews
The Circle film review by UK film critic Lee Sinden. Starring Martin Green, Victoria Latham-Kelly, Nathan Wedge and Valerie Bundy directed by Iain Cash. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Circle Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Lee Sinden | Posted on: Aug 6, 2026 Directed by: Iain Cash Written by: Michael Farrell Starring: Martin Green, Victoria Latham-Kelly, Nathan Wedge and Valerie Bundy This is a short film from 2025 that depicts a small group meeting at what looks like a local village hall. This is a group for addiction, and they all have a story to share. The group is led by Jay, who clearly believes he is above the rest, having come through his own addiction. His common phrase is “Safe Space”, but this meeting feels anything but safe. The lighting is very well done, and the audience will notice that there is a spotlight above each person which highlights their turn to speak. It also adds to the feeling of isolation that each character is feeling. It is also a clever use of lighting to show Jay is on one side with a dark backdrop and the three attending have a much lighter setting. The lighting plays a very important part in this film and really gives that uncomfortable feel as each person struggles to share their story. I found Martin Green's performance a touch hammy at times, and a little more subtlety could have been used. Despite this, he was able to clearly show the character's condescending nature, which drew an invisible barrier between his character and the others. The character was well written, and the audience will really get to feel some emotion towards him even though this may be negative. This is the strength of the writing and, to some degree, Martin Green's performance. The standout performance was from Victoria Lenham-Kelly, who really took control of many of the scenes. She depicts empathy really well towards the other characters. The best parts of the film came from Victoria Lenham-Kelly, and this is really helped by the writer, who gives this character the greatest depth. She develops a real chemistry with the other characters suffering from addiction and is the adversary to Jay, pulling no punches. The most important aspect of the performance is that she makes you believe her character is going through the struggle of addiction and wants to understand the others around her. At times she wants to help. Nathan Wedge and Valerie Bundy have limited dialogue, but they use their physical acting skills to portray their characters' emotions and their feelings towards the other characters. They provide real contrast to the two dominant characters. This works extremely well, particularly towards the closing scene. The director really knows how to set up a scene, particularly one that feels tense at times. Their use of the clock at the beginning and end makes the audience feel quite uncomfortable at times. The simple nature of the set draws the viewer to the actors' performances and avoids any distractions. As said previously, the director has used lighting to great effect throughout. The message of the film has really been handled very well by the writer and director. This is an enjoyable film that tackles very important issues, particularly in the time it is set. It has been made to highlight addiction in its many forms and how and why those addictions come to be. This film could really resonate with the viewers and could easily be used as an educational tool. The audience won’t know where the film is taking them until the very end scene, which really helps to build the different layers of the story. This is a very important watch for 2025 and beyond. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Lee Sinden Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >
- Short Film Reviews | UK Film Review
Short film reviews from some of the best movies in the UK. Read reviews from some of the best short film critics. 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 on 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. The selection of short film reviews you see below are mostly for films submitted to us. In this instance, the filmmaker has requested us to watch and provide a short film review. Alternatively, visit our Latest Short Film Reviews page . Get Your Short Film Reviewed More Film Reviews Swallows of a Damned Spring Chris Buick As You Wish Jason Knight The Circle Lee Sinden Peekaboo James Learoyd The Chronicles Of The Struggling Actor William Hemingway The Date William Curzon Paintbox Jason Knight AVALUDAN Matt Trapp Questionable Matt Trapp Bobby Matt Trapp Dead Air William Curzon The Quiet Ocean William Curzon Swiped James Learoyd Another Way Jason Knight The Last Show William Curzon The Odyssemen Patrick Foley Still Life (2026) Jason Knight Andrea Alive William Hemingway The Red Lips of the Octopus Callum Ewing Satoru Finn O'Toole Chekhov's Bun James Learoyd Home William Hemingway Glinting William Curzon Limits Finn O'Toole Therapy Madeleine Lavers 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. Sometimes we consider the piece only as a short film; whether it works in that format, other times we may think of it as a "proof of concept" for something longer, or perhaps a piece of a web series/TV show. These can be important to consider when writing a short film review. 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 500. This may be also for SEO reasons, as short film reviews that are longer may be more likely to rank higher on Google. The important thing to remember is that the review should be well-structured, not full of bloated points to fill up the word count. 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. Video Short Film Reviews Below you will find a selection of short film reviews in video form! This is where one of the UK Film Review Critics records their review and we upload it to our YouTube channel (as well as TikTok and Meta Reels in some cases). A Place to Fall Down Short Film Review by Chris Olson A short film about coping with loss and grief, film critic Chris Olson gave A Place to Fall Down 4 stars. Watch his video short film review here to here from the man himself about his thoughts and feelings. OK/NOTOK Short Film Review by Patrick Foley In this short film review from Patrick Foley, he gives us his opinion of the brilliant movie OK/NOTOK. Set in a futuristic world where AI robots are available as companions (as long as you can afford the subscription), it's a riveting piece. Betrayed Short Film Review by Chris Buick Film critic Chris Buick offers up a fantastic video short film review for Betrayed. A movie about a girl with special powers who, with the help of her protective father, must elude those who would use her for nefarious means.
- Film Reviews and Movie Trailers | UK Film Review
Film reviews and movie trailers for new movies, indie cinema and short films.Read a film review or watch a trailer on our website. LATEST MOVIE REVIEWS 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. Get Reviewed On Our Podcast Film Reviews from UK film critics LATEST REVIEWS Swallows of a Damned Spring average rating is 3 out of 5 As You Wish average rating is 4 out of 5 The Circle average rating is 3 out of 5 Big Baby average rating is 2 out of 5 The Yeti average rating is 3 out of 5 Tinsman Road average rating is 3 out of 5 Cookie Queens average rating is 4 out of 5 Sombras Chinas average rating is 4 out of 5 Ice Cream Man average rating is 2 out of 5 Peekaboo average rating is 3 out of 5 Holy Days average rating is 4 out of 5 Black Men in Uniform: The Untold Story average rating is 4 out of 5 Featured Film News FILM NEWS The Latest Film Trailers MOVIE TRAILERS Focker-in-Law Heart of the Beast Klara and the Sun Power Ballad The Debut One Night Only Filmmaker Interviews INTERVIEWS
Blog Posts (5299)
- Ethan Hawke and Russell Crowe in New Movie This October
Film Feature by Chris Olson There are certain casting announcements that instantly grab your attention and demand space on your calendar. When you pair two absolute titans of screen acting together in a pressure-cooker genre piece, anticipation levels inevitably hit the roof. That is precisely why audiences (and I) are counting down the weeks until writer and director Padraic McKinley’s acclaimed feature debut, The Weight, arrives in UK and Irish cinemas on Friday, October 2nd, courtesy of Vertical. Ethan Hawke is a performer of immense versatility, but he has always held a special place in cinematic hearts for his sheer intensity. His blistering, Oscar-nominated turn opposite Denzel Washington in Training Day remains a high-water mark for crime cinema, while his grounded, nerve-shredding performance in the original The Purge proved he can anchor a high-concept survival thriller better than almost anyone in the business. Opposite him stands Russell Crowe, an actor whose screen presence commands immediate respect. Whether he is delivering iconic, towering gravitas in Gladiator or sinking his teeth into complex, heavyweight historical drama in Nuremberg, Crowe brings an undeniable power to every frame he inhabits. Seeing these two heavyweights share the screen for the first time in a tense, atmospheric period crime drama is the kind of cinema pairing movie lovers dream of. Set during the Depression era in 1933, The Weight follows Samuel (played by Hawke), a man cruelly torn away from his young daughter and thrown into a brutal prison camp. His only lifeline comes from Warden Clancy (Crowe), who presents him with a high-stakes deal: smuggle stolen gold out of a remote mine alongside a dangerous crew of fellow convicts, and he will earn his freedom. However, as the group treks into the unforgiving wilderness, the harsh terrain quickly becomes the least of their worries. Surrounded by paranoia, greed, and impending violence, betrayal begins to fester within their own ranks, forcing Samuel to risk everything to survive and reunite with his child. Drawing inspiration from the introspective, character-driven action cinema of the 1970s, McKinley’s film promises to balance gritty survivalist set pieces with intelligent dialogue and razor-sharp tension. The visual language is brought to life by Matteo Cocco’s vivid cinematography and a harrowing score from brothers Latham and Shelby Gaines. Alongside the lead duo, the film boasts what Screen Daily hailed as a "formidable ensemble," including Julia Jones, who brings dignity and defiance to her role as Anna, the sole woman in the group, as well as Austin Amelio, Avi Nash, and Sam Hazeldine. The early word on the film has been exceptionally strong. Following its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, Variety praised the production, noting that "Hawke is a classical hero" delivering a muscular, resourceful performance as a man pushed to his absolute limits, while Crowe provides a quietly menacing foil as the calculated warden. With its blend of period grit, survivalist tension, and world-class acting, The Weight looks set to be one of the autumn’s absolute highlights.
- Short Films by Spencer Anderson - Ranked
Film Feature by Jason Knight (amended Apr 2026 to include William Curzon's review) #8 - The Last Laugh (review by William Curzon) ★★★ Directed by: Spencer Anderson Written by: Zachary Coleman Starring: Zachary Coleman, Samuel Lawrence The Last Laugh is a short piece that follows a police officer (Samuel Lawrence) apprehending a clown (Zachary Coleman) with their two opposing ideals at odds. Despite the film's incredibly brisk runtime, it wastes no time building tension and executing its ideas almost immediately. While there isn't much material to sustain a feature-length runtime, the filmmakers clearly intended to execute their distinct vision as depicted on screen. The most impressive aspect of The Last Laugh is its camerawork and fluid editing choices, which are on display. Dan Abrams, serving as both cinematographer and editor for the piece, utilises unique framing choices, including extreme close-ups during moments of severe conflict, and switches to wide framing to give the viewer a sense of the surrounding area. It's an incredibly visceral experience that doesn't let up until its final moments. However, without any prior context to the arising conflict between the two central characters, it's difficult to comprehend what is actually occurring, as the narrative throws the viewer in the deep end, requiring them to decipher what has led to this confrontation. It's a deeply frustrating aspect of the piece due to the lack of character development or thematic purpose, aside from the brief exploration of crime themes. The brief use of music is incredibly impactful and accompanies the severity of the conflict extremely well. Going into the film blind is genuinely a rewarding experience as it's a rather unique piece of indie filmmaking that relies only on a single dispute between two opposing ideologies. While the narrative isn’t fleshed out much, it's extremely refreshing to see an uncompromised vision executed to this level of absurdity. Despite the film having fairly sparse material to work with, the filmmakers do their best to convey their talent with such raw production value. Its absurd nature is commendable, and the narrative does sweep the rug from under the viewer with a shocking twist. #7 - Line of Sight ★★★ Directed by: Spencer Anderson Written by: Jamie B-Brown Starring: Bertie Taylor Smith, Holly Ashman A lonely man is obsessed with a young woman. Francis (Smith) is a socially awkward young man who appears to fancy Erica (Ashman), a friendly girl who works at a cinema. He follows her around and takes pictures of her without her knowing. Finally, he decides to approach her, however, things will take a dramatic turn. This short is kind of a stalker thriller that is seen from the perspective of an unusual individual. Initially, it is not clear whether he is a good or a bad person. He secretly follows and photographs a person, yet his intentions appear to be harmless, as he seems to want to be in a relationship with her. Smith delivers a convincing performance as an isolated individual who has difficulties socialising. His love for photography appears to be a way for him to view and experience the world. Ashman is great in her role as a cheerful cinema worker. The filmmakers make effective use of slow motion and the dramatic music helps create the appropriate atmosphere. This is a dramatic story and one that explores themes of obsession and loneliness. It raises awareness of autism and presents challenges that people with social difficulties have to face. #6 - April ★★★★ Directed by: Spencer Anderson Written by: Jamie B-Brown, Spencer Anderson Starring: Ruby Rae, Oscar King, Cara Kealy In a hostile, post-apocalyptic world, a man escorts his daughter to a place called 'The Vale'. This short science fiction drama introduces the viewer to a world where danger seems to be constant. The story is told from the perspective of a family, whose members are forced to try to survive in that place. These people are Jordan, the father (King), Natalie, the mother (Kealy) and April, the daughter (Rae), who possesses extraordinary abilities. The three of them live in a hidden location in the wilderness and one day, Jordan and April set off to locate a group of people, who will hopefully be able to help April control her powers. Although the screenplay does a decent job in terms of setting up a post-apocalyptic world, it does not explain how it happened, which is not a bad thing, however, it would have helped if there was some form of explanation. The main focus is the relationship between the father and his daughter. The two of them have their differences, however, it becomes obvious that they care deeply for each other. The performances are great, and the three protagonists are convincing in their roles as good-hearted individuals attempting to survive in a harsh world. The film benefits from a beautiful and sentimental score and a special mention goes to Renato Solca for the visual effects. This short is a post-apocalyptic sci-fi that is a story about a journey that is filled with emotion and explores themes of parenting, survival and self-discovery. #5 - As You Wish ★★★★ Directed by: Spencer Anderson Written by: Spencer Anderson Starring: Elliot Cable, Gillian Broderick, Natasha Robinson Spencer Anderson writes, produces, edits, and directs this short psychological drama, starring Elliot Cable, Gillian Broderick, and Natasha Robinson. The plot: World War II is taking place, and a young soldier named Peter (Cable) is at a carnival, where he visits Helen (Broderick), a fortune teller, hoping that she can reveal news regarding Sheila (Robinson), his beloved partner. Helen will do so, bringing to the surface revelations that will deeply distress Peter. This relatively short story manages to explore a number of significant themes and they include war trauma, desperation, comfort, regrets, and painful revelations. A World War II story. A romance. A tense and emotional film about a soldier battling with himself as he faces unexpected discoveries. #4 - Super-Being ★★★★ Directed by: Spencer Anderson Written by: Spencer Anderson, Dale Dandridge, Jamie B-Brown, Moyo Taylor Starring: Zachary Coleman, Juke Hardy, Nate Barker, Issie Caird An individual who has supernatural powers is being pursued by sinister people. This science-fiction thriller explores the life of a person with otherworldly abilities. The nonlinear narrative travels through time between scenes that show the protagonist as a young man and scenes that show him as a child. The audience sees the passing of his mother, his attempts to live a normal life and the efforts he makes in order to deal with the people who are after him. There is drama, shooting, life-threatening situations and the sense of an individual who is lost, who seems to be unable to find peace. Much of the story is accompanied by narration by the main character, as he talks about his life and his words are emotional and sound philosophical. Jermaine Wills and Filipas Proskurinas do an amazing job with the cinematography and the atmospheric score is a big plus. Although this is interesting viewing, it might have benefited if the hero's powers were explained more effectively. Nevertheless, this short is an emotional and tense ride about loss and self-discovery. #3 - Satellites ★★★★ Directed by: Spencer Anderson Written by: Spencer Anderson Starring: Tamzin Murray An astronaut is by herself, on another planet. This beautiful and emotional short focuses on a young woman (Murray), who has found herself on an uncharted planet and attempts to navigate through it on foot. The mise-en-scene in this drama effectively brings the viewer into the science fiction genre. The protagonist wears a spacesuit, there is a spaceship and she is on a distant, unknown planet. Regarding the narrative, there is not much of that and it is the images and narration that keep the audience engaged. The viewer observes the woman as she walks through the planet, wearing her spacesuit. She is the only person in the film and there is a strong feeling of isolation. Her voice-over refers to issues about life and the meaning of existence and listening to her is quite thought-provoking. Ben Hardy worked on the cinematography and editing and does a great job. The decision to utilise the track Surrender It by Delectatio was excellent as it is a wonderful and very calming peace that creates a peaceful atmosphere. This is a story that focuses on one person's philosophical perspective regarding life. On the surface it is a sci-fi, however it is more than that and explores themes of isolation and self-discovery. #2 - Rock-a-Bye ★★★★ Directed by: Spencer Anderson Written by: Jamie Bhagwat-Brown, Spencer Anderson Starring: Yazzmin Newell, Samuel Lawrence A young woman makes a crucial decision on the day she and her partner are about to commit a crime. An intriguing short film that works as a crime thriller and also as a story about self-reflection. As a crime film, it has a plot that revolves around the idea of a couple being outlaws. According to director Anderson, this short was made with Western-era influences that involve films such as Blood Simple and Badlands and that is evident considering the storyline and atmosphere. Plus, part of the filming was done at the Burnout BBQ Diner in Summertown, Oxford, giving the film a sort of Americanised look. What is going on is not clear from the beginning, making the viewer to put the pieces together as the story unfolds and what is discovered is that the couple are about to do something very vile. As a film about self-reflection, that theme is explored through Carla (a great performance by Newell), who makes a vital last-minute discovery and makes a crucial decision. Newell is terrific in her role; however Lawrence is arguably the one who steals the show as Clay, Carla's partner, an aggressive and controlling man. With his sixth short, Anderson creates an expertly directed film that contains a great deal of suspense and with terrific performances by the two leads, a dramatic and tense score by Reg Length and beautiful cinematography by Jermaine Wills, this is an achievement that deserves recognition. #1 - Fallen ★★★★★ Directed by: Spencer Anderson Written by: Spencer Anderson Starring: Zachary Coleman, Michael Watts This short drama was inspired by the reminiscences of Gilbert Bradley, who was a British soldier who exchanged letters with his male partner while he was fighting World War II. Through a nonlinear narrative, this emotional war film tells the story of a forbidden romantic relationship and how these two people tried to keep in touch during the war. Approximately the first half consists of the reading of a letter that was written by one man and addressed to the other and the second half is the opposite. Both contents of the letters are told through a voice-over that comes from the one who wrote it. Their words are passionate and full of emotion, clearly indicating the love that they feel for each other. The narration is accompanied by many brief scenes that depict the lives of the two partners, including one man in a library, reading a letter, scenes of combat, a bonfire and the two men together. The scenes and the voice-over make it all a rather moving watch. With its narrative structure, the film almost feels like a ten-minute-long trailer, which is not a negative element but a rather interesting storytelling technique. Jermaine Will provides wonderful cinematography and the emotional score goes very well with the scenes and voice-over. The mise-en-scene also deserves a lot of praise as it effectively creates a Second World War atmosphere. This is an emotional ride that is very heavy on emotions and explores a romance that is being torn apart by war. It is a beautiful story about love, separation and war and it deserves recognition. #JasonKnight
- CoComelon: The Movie Expected February 2027 - first look images and teaser trailer
Film Feature By Chris Olson As a father of two young children, my home is an ongoing battleground between maintaining a shred of cultural sanity and surrendering to the hypnotic pull of toddler entertainment. Over the years, I have patiently endured endless hours of talking animals, singing tractors, and secondary animated characters with questionable accents. But there is one absolute titan of pre-school programming that strikes pure, unadulterated dread into my soul: CoComelon. For the uninitiated (you don't know how lucky you are), CoComelon is not merely a show. It is an unrelenting, hyper-vibrant sensory assault featuring giant-headed, pastel-coloured toddlers singing nursery rhymes on an endless, auto-tuned loop. It has haunted my living room TV screen, invaded my car stereo, and taken up permanent residency in the dark recesses of my brain. For years, I comforted myself with a single, fragile reassurance: at least it is confined to small screens. That comforting illusion has now been shattered. News reaching the newsroom at UK Film Review confirms that Universal Pictures, DreamWorks Animation, Moonbug Entertainment, and DNEG Group have joined forces to unleash CoComelon: The Movie into cinemas worldwide. The film is officially slated to hit silver screens in February 2027, with the UK release expected right around the mid-February half-term break. The moment I read the announcement, a cold sweat broke out across my forehead. February 2027 may feel a reasonable distance away for the average filmgoer, but for a parent, it represents a ticking clock counting down to an inescapable cinematic ambush. My two young children will be at the target age when this theatrical behemoth lands, and I am already plotting every conceivable strategy to avoid buying a ticket. Directed by Kat Good, an animation veteran known for her work as a story artist on Kung Fu Panda, the feature-length adaptation promises to take JJ, the famous round-headed protagonist, and his gang of cherubic pals out of their suburban setting and onto a grander, big-screen adventure. To make matters even more surreal, the production has recruited high-profile talent behind the scenes. Multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated songwriter Justin Tranter has been brought on board as Executive Music Producer to craft a slate of original songs. Even the voice cast reads like a fever dream of Hollywood talent juxtaposed against toddler media. Alongside young actor Connor Esterson voicing JJ, the supporting voice ensemble features an extraordinary array of stars, including Nicholas Hoult, SZA, Ike Barinholtz, Rhys Darby, Sarah Sherman, Ego Nwodim, and Cristo Fernández. How these incredible actors were persuaded to lend their vocal talents to a world where trying new vegetables constitutes a major dramatic plot point remains a mystery, but it certainly proves the staggering reach of the brand. From a commercial perspective, bringing this intellectual property to the big screen is an absolute no-brainer for the studios involved. Born on YouTube, where it has amassed hundreds of billions of views, CoComelon is a multi-billion-pound global phenomenon. Pushing that established audience into multiplexes is guaranteed to print money. Parents up and down the country will inevitably be dragged into auditoriums, surrendering their hard-earned cash for ninety minutes of brightly coloured pacification during the chilly February school holidays. Cocomelon: The Movie Official Teaster Trailer However, from the perspective of a parent who values their remaining brain cells, the thought of sitting in a pitch-black auditorium with Dolby Atmos surround sound blasting auto-tuned nursery rhymes is nothing short of a psychological thriller. Bad cinema is one thing; ninety minutes of giant digital babies blinking slowly while singing about washing their hands in high definition is quite another. In a cinema, there is no mute button. There is no discreetly switching over to the news. There is only you, your popcorn, and a room full of sugar-fuelled four-year-olds staring mesmerised at a giant screen. With the countdown to February 2027 officially underway, my mission over the next several months is simple: tactical evasion. I am currently drafting a comprehensive blueprint to ensure I am nowhere near a cinema when CoComelon: The Movie premieres. Plan A involves delegating all cinema-going duties to my wife under the guise of a generous weekend treat. Plan B requires volunteering for every out-of-town film festival taking place that week, no matter how obscure. If all else fails, Plan C will be inventing an urgent editorial crisis at UK Film Review that requires my undivided attention in an entirely different city. I wish the filmmakers, the talented voice cast, and the courageous parents who will inevitably populate those cinema seats the very best of luck. But as for me, my line has been drawn in the sand. JJ may have conquered YouTube, television, and now the big screen, but he will not be taking my Saturday afternoon.
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- “YOUR MOVE” - REVIEW: Over the Edge, Into the DarknessIn Film Reviews·January 27, 2018There is an apocryphal saying - variously attributed to Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Mark Twain and a host of others - that there are only two stories we tell each other in our literature, our movies, our narrative arts. In the first, a person goes on a journey; in the second, a stranger comes to town. What matters is not which of these stories an artist chooses, but how it’s told, and how it illuminates another corner of the human soul, be it dark or light. With “Your Move” actor/director/writer Luke Goss effectively combines the two in the person of his protagonist, who must go on a journey to save what he loves most in the world, becoming a stranger in the dark underworld of a Mexican town where clues and danger are virtually indistinguishable. Goss - up to now known as an actor’s actor and platinum-selling musician - proves highly adept at this newest iteration of his abilities, guiding what in other hands might be a standard genre story forward with skill and subtlety. By keeping the focus on the inner workings of his characters Goss creates as much nerve-wracking tension with a quiet tableau between two people as he does with an all-out chase scene. Goss plays New York businessman David Miller, a man with a good life and a family he adores. While on a video call with his wife Isabel (Patricia De Leon) and young daughter Savannah (Laura Martin), who are in Mexico visiting Isabel’s parents, David - back home in New York - witnesses a brutal attack on them that ends in an apparent kidnapping. Stuck thousands of miles away and not knowing where to turn, David calls the local NYPD, whose skeptical response only makes him realize how dire his family’s situation actually is. As an actor Goss is deeply likable, exceptionally effective at translating what his characters are feeling, and the terror David experiences at not knowing what has happened to his loved ones is brutal and palpable. In Mexico he meets the cop in charge of the case, Detective Romero (the superb Robert Davi, in a richly nuanced performance). David wants answers, action, anything to make him feel that progress is being made. Romero, a good detective, understands the need to build his case on facts, and while Romero feels for David’s plight, the man is also his worst nightmare - an uncontrolled wild card who could blow the case at a moment’s notice by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Romero’s careful, low-key approach to the investigation seems like dangerous and deadly plodding from David’s point of view, sure to get his wife and daughter killed. On the other side of the coin is Isabel’s father, Señor Barrabas, a wealthy patrón of weight and gravity. Luis Gatica plays Barrabas with a quiet intensity that is at once civilized and menacing. Though he treats David and the detective as equals, he appears to engender fear and respect everywhere else. Accompanied at all times by a suited, hulking - and likely armed - bodyguard, who Goss subtley keeps just at the edge of the frame, Barrabas’ business dealings can only be guessed at. When it appears that he agrees with Romero’s method of handling the case, David panicks and takes matters into his own hands. Though fit and athletic, David has no “special set of skills” with which to make the bad guy’s life hell a’la the uber-hero in “Taken”, relying instead on instinct and sheer persistence, driven by the certain terror that if he doesn’t use every means at his disposal to track his family down, he will never see them again. Agonizing every step of the way over what he must become to get the job done, he isolates himself from both family and the authorities and relies instead on his gut. Goss’s abilities as a visual stylist and storyteller are well-matched to his subject matter and the camerawork is assured, but he doesn’t sacrifice character development for the sake of style. Goss - who also wrote the script - keeps the dialogue spare and measured, making wonderful use of the players’ inner lives to push the narrative and generate emotion. The acting is uniformly superb and the casting and directing are spot-on, with a touching and almost Fellini-esque sensibility, making scenes with even the most secondary characters satisfying and rewarding. The landscape of the human face as a map of the psyche clearly fascinates Goss at the deepest levels, and his painterly use of color, light and shadow add to the suspense and the unfolding story, while allowing the audience their own visual and emotional journey. And though the church is never explicitly mentioned there is a strain of lush religious iconography running through the film, implying religion as a particularly horrifying form of self-justification for the antagonist, played by Alain Mora in a performance that is a revelatory and disturbing portrayal of a man with a terrifying split in his psyche. The film may be billed as a psychological thriller, but the execution and performances defy simple genre categorization. It would appear that “Your Move” marks the auspicious start of yet another successful branch of Goss’s multi-hyphenate career. “Your Move” has its UK premiere on January 27, 2017. Watch the trailer, here: Writer: Kely Lyons - Los Angeles - January 27, 2018361967
- "Crazy Right" movie trailerIn Movie Trailers·March 5, 201824186
- Beauty and the Beast (2017) ReviewIn Film Reviews·November 1, 2017Disney is back with another live-action adaptation of one of their animated films. This time it was up to Beauty and the Beast to be remade and please the audience. But if we look at the final product that the film is, it seems to be that Disney did it more for the money than for the audience. Will the audience end up roaring for the new film or will it just be Disney happily roaring their victory over their audience? I think we all know the answer to that question. Beauty and the Beast is directed by Bill Condon and tells the tale of Belle. Belle (Emma Watson) is a young adult, who loves to read books and dreaming of playing a part in the adventures that are depicted on those pages. But when she leaves her small village to find her missing father (Kevin Kline), she encounters a large castle in which lives a horrifying Beast (Dan Stevens). As Belle stays with the Beast, she learns that true beauty is found within. Right from the beginning, the film wants to make very clear what kind of a jerk the Beast was before he came a Beast. Just like in the original animated film, where they spend a short monologue on the case. However, in this live-action adaptation they take more then a few minutes to make it clear that the Beast is a jerk. The problem is not that it is not well done, because making the Beast look arrogant is something the movie does is quite well, but the problem is that right from the beginning one of our main characters is an unlikeable prick, which creates a situation wherein you cannot root for the Beast to become normal again. You want him to stay a Beast, because that’s what he honestly deserves to be. He acts like a Beast for the first two acts of the movie. Then the filmmakers remembered that the Beast also must become a human at the end, so they quickly shoved moments in the movie trying to make the Beast look less like a prick and more like an misunderstood young adult. In the original animated film, the Beast had a compelling arc. In this film he does have an arc, but it’s not compelling because the Beast is arrogant throughout most of the film and acts like a prick to everyone around him. The arc is also rushed to the point that it makes you care even less for the Beast. Do you want examples of how much of a prick the Beast is? Well, the Beast doesn’t even give Belle a minute to say goodbye to her father, the Beast keeps correcting and interrupting Belle, the Beast wouldn’t give Belle a room, the Beast forces Belle to eat with him and lets her starve when she says she won’t eat with him etc. The thing with this movie is that they like to exaggerate everything the original did, to the point that this movie feels more like a dark cartoon then the original did.The scriptwriters Stephen Chbosky and Evan Spiliotopoulos also try to add new story elements to the script. There is a new back-story how both Belle and the Beast lost their mothers and it adds nothing new to the story. The scriptwriters probably did this trying to make the Beast, after first writing him as such an unlikable character, look more sympathetic and to give Belle an arc. Only thing is that the new back-story doesn’t make Beast look more sympathetic, he still comes across, as a bitter young adult and Belle never gets a conclusion to her arc. Her mother died when she was just a baby. Belle never knew her mother and this has had a great impact on her. However when she finally finds out, what happened to her mother, the subplot is quickly moved aside to continue the main story. Her arc is never resolved or even started to be honest. It just a waste of time. The script also tries to give Belle more personality. They did this by making her amazing in everything. She is good in reading, good with children, good in teaching, good in inventing, good in drawing, good in taming wild beasts (get it?). However, as expected, being good in everything doesn’t count as a trademark for a character. She isn’t Leonardo Da Vinci. Belle is a dreamer, who gets inspired by the books she reads. Belle is intellectual. Indeed. But in this movie they exaggerated her intelligence to the point that this Belle feels more like a cartoon character then her animated counterpart. There are also some continuity errors. Belle on Phillipe, the horse, move like the Flash when needed. Belle just arrives shortly after the villagers arrive at the castle, while the villagers had a big head start. The sound effects are also sometimes off in the final battle. Oh right, forgot. To please the immature and the children, the movie also includes butt and poop jokes. Yeah! There is also a mystery subplot for the character Agathe, which turns out to be the witch that cursed the Beast. This is so poorly done and unnecessary. She just comes and goes when the story needs her to come an go. And her importance to the story is never explained. Which leaves another unsolved subplot.The CGI in this film is, in contrary to the beautiful The Jungle Book, more creepy than fantasy provoking. Nobody wants to see a CGI teapot smiling. They created some nice nightmare related visuals for the younger kids. Can’t wait to see this on a childhood trauma list.Not everything is bad though. The acting is on point. Especially Gaston is likeable, which feels weird because he’s supposed to be villain of the film. Well don’t worry, because for this first half of the film Gaston comes across as a normal, somewhat dimwitted, individual, but in the second half, he leaves Maurice for the wolves stuck at a tree. Something the animated Gaston would probably also be able to do. The Gaston song is also very amusing. Their is actually an illiterate joke in their that works. The song also contains one exciting, maybe little expectable, but still amusing shot. In the end, Beauty and the Beast, is another Disney remake that is poorly executed and is solely done for the money. This movie in particular felt more like a cash grab than the other Disney movies. That is probably because the effect of the original is still untouched by other Disney movies. It is the only animated movie to be nominated for best picture. It is one of the most well known Disney movies. These were the reasons for which Disney thought that their live-action version could earn some big money. Sadly, it did. Overall, it’s not a complete failure. There are some genuine emotional moments. Some new interesting ideas, that all don’t workout however. And sometimes a joke works. But in the end, the movie is still pretty bad, mostly thanks to the poor script.15182
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