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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 The Devil's in the Detail When Cotard Comes Snowmaniac Swing Bout The Hands The House That Stood The Look Peacock April Rebel Ridge The Dragonborn Comes-Main Theme VIKRUT Load More

Film Reviews Here at UK Film Review we like to tackle all kinds film reviews. Our writers come from all walks of life, and feel passionate about critiquing the movies they watch. From the latest Theatrical Releases to Short Films, Indie Films, Documentaries and even Animation, the contributors of UK Film Review are as eager to please as Dev Patel in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011). If you are a filmmaker, or are working in film PR and want to promote one of your clients, please get in touch using the Submit Your Film button under the drop-down menu for Home. Take a look at our list of film reviews below from some of the hottest releases in UK cinemas. Simply click the image of the review you would like, or the title of the movie. Or use the search button to find the movie you are looking for. We have given any feature length film a star rating (out of 5) in order to help viewers sort the Citizen Kanes from the Waterworlds, the Inceptions from the Transformers. Michael Bay will be given a fair film review from our writers, but that probably will not go in his favour. Speaking of Filmmakers, head over to our Filmmaker Features page for awesome articles about some of the best filmmaking geniuses who ever lived. Movie Trailers are also available, either underneath the film reviews, or on the Movie Trailers page. And lastly, if you like your film reviews verbalised. Simply because reading is boring and listening is marvellous, then make sure you Subscribe to the UK Film Review Podcast. Our critics offer up some banterous opinions on the best and worst movies across all genres. Head over to the Podcast page, or click this link to go straight to iTunes. If you would like to read or view any of the following, simply use the navigation. Alternatively, you can click on one of the images to read the film reviews here, or simply have a ganders at the lovely movie artwork on display. Remember to listen to film reviews on our regular film podcast. GET REVIEWED average rating is 1 out of 5 The Devil's in the Detail Read Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Snowmaniac Read Review average rating is 3 out of 5 The Cursed Tapes Read Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Joker: Folie à Deux Read Review average rating is 1 out of 5 Place Of Safety Read Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Read Review average rating is 4 out of 5 The Wasp Read Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Bill Read Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Out Come the Wolves Read Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Sebastian Read Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Slingshot Read Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Ensouled Read Review Chris Olson Mar 8 2 min Film Podcast - Dune: Part 2 Chris Olson Mar 1 3 min Film Podcast: George Clooney Rowing Biopic Scoops Film of the Month Jan 20, 2023 3 min TAR FILM REVIEW Taryll Baker Oct 13, 2022 2 min Empire of Light - Film Review Oct 11, 2022 3 min Bones and All LFF Review Oct 7, 2022 3 min White Noise (2022) LFF Review Sep 20, 2022 2 min Sanctuary TIFF Review UK Film Review Sep 13, 2022 5 min FrightFest 2022 Highlights May 25, 2022 3 min Top Gun: Maverick Film Review Apr 23, 2022 3 min The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent Film Review Spoilers in our film reviews As with all digital forms of expression sometimes people may find something that upsets them online. Spoilers can often be one of these things! Whilst we do our best to ensure that major plot points, twists, character deaths and celebrity cameos are not found in our reviews, it can sometimes be difficult to judge what each and every film lover on the planet would to be a spoiler. If you feel that one of our film reviews contains one too many details then please do let us (politely) know using our social media platforms. We may then take serious action, such as expelling the critic responsible from this and every other movie publication past and present, declaring war against the studio for leading our writer into temptation, or we may do nothing at all. To be honest, it is most likely going to be the latter unless some serious rules have been broken. You may also see some movie trailers in our reviews that could also contain potential spoilers. In which case anyone who is hoping to avoid these should probably not click the play button on them. Or click the play button, turn the sound down on your device, then leave the room for a least 28 minutes whilst the trailer finishes and leaves your life naturally. You may be wondering what you could do with all 28 of those minutes! Why not read some more film reviews on another device? Or make a short film of your cat playing with a piece of string? Spend it wisely guys and gals.

HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Devil's in the Detail Film Review average rating is 1 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Sep 15, 2024 Directed by: Barbara Spevack Written by: Barbara Spevack Starring: Barbara Spevack, Gerard Rogan, Alastair Lawless If films were ranked on pun-value alone, The Devil’s in the Detail would get full marks. Taking a common saying and running a mile, this short comedy sketch is amusing in parts, but lacking in quality control and flourish. Angered by a smoking ban put in place on Earth, the Devil (Barbara Spevack) sets out to ensure her favourite bar – ‘the detail’ – remains under her own domain. Adrian (Gerard Rogan), Peter (Jamie Sime) and James (Alastair Lawless) – a trio of damned souls, get to work on figuring out a legal way in which the drinking hole can circumvent the ban – without earning themselves further punishment. The Devil’s in the Detail lasts only 5 minutes. With a concept that could easily be one that That Mitchell and Webb Look left on the cutting room floor, it feels like a relatively simple task to build a logical comedy sketch in this window. Yet viewers will be left waiting for laughs that never really come. It feels like the best gag is the one in the film’s title – that ‘the detail’ would be a bar where the devil hangs out in. Beyond an extravagant performance from Barbara Spevack, an amusing smash-cut from the noisy club to a backroom full of lawyers piling over paperwork, and a weaselly lawyer whose presence in Hell is presented as self-explanatory, the film fails to illicit much humour. Its plot (so to speak) is even undercut midway through the film – with the concluding revelation - that the bar’s presence in Hell meaning that Earth laws don’t apply - being outright stated ahead of time. It is poor storytelling, and audiences will be questioning why the apparently key realisation wasn’t acknowledged when it was first raised in the film – around about a minute earlier. The film’s lower budget means lower production values are a necessity. It’s unlikely many viewers will be totally convinced by the overlay of strobe lights or VFX flames surrounding the lawyer’s table – but this carries its own charm for a film that isn’t taking itself too seriously. Varying sound levels are more of a hinderance – with a noticeable and unnatural drop when characters begin to speak which feels amateurish in the worst way. It’s not all negative, with strong costume design for the Devil complimented by a confident and convincing performance from Barbara Spevack. The concept itself has some interest, and the mixing of the mundane and monstrous is an engaging setting. But the potential for humour and parody is largely left unexplored. Never do we get any real concept of the consequences for the Devil of ignoring the ban, why it has been enforced in the first place or why the trio are responsible for bringing it to her attention. Beyond criticism for sweeping bureaucratic enforcement, there isn’t even much critique of the legal system – a shame as the concept is ripe for potential in this regard. It’s not great that the funniest gag that The Devil’s in the Detail is in its opening credits. The film never really gets off the mark, and ends underwhelmingly. A different and more developed story direction would have been worth exploring, and the embers of humour that are here mean this one is sent to Purgatory, not total damnation. About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Short Film, Digital / DVD Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Filmmaker Interview by Chris Olson Thanks for speaking with us. Whereabouts in the world do we find you right now?  Greetings, I am coming to you live from West Hollywood…aka Television City where they film “The Price Is Right” ! Amazing. You are currently promoting a new series called Sex Tech Magic Mayhem. How do you describe the series to a new audience?  STMM is a Techie, Edgy, Sexy Variety Series centered around hot topics and shot in a cinematic colorful style with a unique structure that changes episode to episode. The show is a combination platter of narrative, sketch comedy, and character interaction pieces which are woven together to create a cohesive storyline that explores themes such as Ethical NonMonogamy, AI, Alchemy, Jealousy, the Metaverse, Dating and Attachment styles, Blockchain Technology, and Transformational Magic. I play over twenty different characters that interact with each other, and my fashion and cutting-edge electronic rap musical style sets a colourful funhouse nightclub backdrop for the in-depth explorations on culture, magic, and captivating relationships. It sounds great! What made you want to create this? I love comedy shows that not only make people laugh but also expose truths and use their resources to dive deep into topics in ways a single individual cannot. But these shows usually revolve around politics. I always wished for a show like “The Daily Show” or “Last Week Tonight” that was centred around topics that strike my heart, topics like new forms of relationships, intentional magic, or AI … a show that shares tools for dealing with trauma and jealousy and mental health and sexuality and manifestation, and uses comedy not to teach or preach but to expose a common human experience. We are living in the Third Dimension - a world ruled by Polarities. Polarities are not just a part of life for everyone, but Beyond that…Without Ups and Downs, there is no Manifestation, no Creation. We literally can’t create anything without that Pendulum swing. That’s why people who have had hard lives often are very “successful”. That’s also why I feel really sorry for “privileged” people who write tell-alls about their hardships, and people give them shit about it - when in reality we all have a cocktail of positive, negative and neutral experiences, no matter what our circumstances. We can’t judge another person’s success or struggle. The most incredible awesome things - like being rich or famous or brilliant - can cause the most pain. The most horrific things that happen to us can be the funniest things in the world - especially when we choose to change the narrative of our own lives. Every day we have the chance to ask ourselves “What version of this story is the most empowering for me?” THAT is Magic. How can we surf Polarities to our advantage for the highest levels of breakthrough ? How can we change the story? That is at the heart of Sex Tech Magic Mayhem and what our storylines hope to convey. It is about using Magic and Alchemy to empower us in our daily lives, in a way that’s real and lets all life mishaps exist for our benefit. Yup, so that happened….. now how can I use it? What stage is the show at right now and when/where can people see it?  “Sex Tech Magic Mayhem” is currently in production, with about one third already shot. Season 1 will debut in the spring of 2025 on a digital streaming platform. In the meantime, come along for the ride every Thursday night at 8pm on Youtube @Datgirl_Official, on Sex Tech Magic the Podcast …where we share the process, reveal behind-the-scenes antics, and introduce you to our topics, research and characters. What have been the challenges to get this made and out there? Once I found the right teammate, my collaborator and brilliant visual artist and all-around filmmaker Natalie Bible’, the process took off, in the sense that the cinematic colourful style of the show matches my personal brand and the writing and characters. It's all about finding the right team. The creative challenges now are more about choosing the elements we want to convey and narrowing down the focus….weed-whacking the content for clarity and dynamics. You also have a podcast right? What's the show about? Sex Tech Magic the Podcast is an intimate fun way to connect with people and share what we’re up to as we create the show. It has an immediate bio-feedback loop that allows friends and fans of the show to imprint their input on what they would like to see more of. It’s just fun to broadcast and play with the material in a casual creative environment. Some episode topics include: “Sex in the Metaverrse”, “Love in the time of AI”, and “Creativity in the 3rd Dimension”. Some episodes showcase how I create character, or reveal the tech behind my unique live synthesizer and drum machine music production. Some episodes feature special guests, and some are live straight from the set. Where can people access the podcast? Join us for “Sex Tech Magic the Podcast” every Thursday night at 8pm on Youtube @Datgirl_Official. What's next for you? I have a live theatrical series called “the Jewel Net”, about a dimension made of thoughts that is also a modern twist on the Hercules myth, told from a female-driven protagonist “Girlcules”. I hope to tour and perform it in Edinburgh, and then produce the fiction podcast and animated series. After film and tv, actors are always hungry for Live Performance, whether it’s performing my original plays, touring Variety Show, or producing a dream play like “Venus in Fur”. And also Pizza. #ChrisOlson #FilmmakerInterview

Filmmaker Interview by Amber Jackson Tell us about your work as a filmmaker. How would you describe your films? I would describe my films as a celebration—whether it’s through the joy and entertainment they  bring or the way they honour and uplift a particular community. I enjoy festivity- I like putting a smile on people’s faces. Even when addressing challenging subjects and themes, I always imbue a sense of levity and lightheartedness. I think there’s still joy and laughter to be had in tough times. To do so, I work to blend music, spectacle, and narrative to create an immersive experience. My goal is to craft stories that leave people feeling inspired and excited.   Which women and/or queer filmmakers have most influenced your work? I love filmmakers whose voices and visions are strong and bold. It can be a challenge in this industry to be unabashedly yourself and so filmmakers Jane Wu and Greta Gerwig are really inspirational. Jane Wu, a director-producer for the animated series Blue Eye Samurai, completely blew me away with her style and work. The show blends Western and Eastern sensibilities that completely elevate the final piece. Even though I don’t work in animation, Jane Wu's ability to blend those cultures has always been something that I try to work into in any of my films. More so I love Jane’s path in this industry. She’s worked for years as a storyboard artist, and just recently started producing and directed animated shows. And those years of experience really show. Filmmaking is such a craft, and her dedication to her craft has been influential in the way I approach my own craft. For Greta Gerwig, there’s no competition in my mind for a director who crafts genuine and authentic scenes about the female experience. I love exploring female relationships outside of just traditional romance, whether that’s the mother-daughter, the sister, or a woman’s relationship with herself, Greta Gerwig has always been a great source of inspiration.  You refer to diaspora plenty within your work. How has living in both Singapore and the  US influenced your storytelling on screen? I think one of the most visually obvious ways it’s influenced my storytelling is my visual sensibilities which are a mix of Western and Eastern media. However, the most profound impact has been on the themes I explore, particularly the concept of home and belonging—ideas I find myself constantly returning to in my work. To have separate lives and create homes in separate places, can be very scary and empowering at the same time. I’ve spent a lot of time having to think about and come to terms with what defines home to me. I’ve thought about why I feel so connected to a country that I haven’t lived in for over a decade. And I’ve thought about why I feel so connected to a country that I wasn’t born in. And I’ve felt alone in both of these spaces. I think that many people who have lived in different countries for significant periods of their lives can relate to the kind of cultural negotiation that you have within yourself. You pick the things that you like, and you leave behind those that you don’t. And wherever you go, those things can come into conflict with either side. You are forced to remain flexible in this flux. In that sense of feeling like you are constantly in between, having to find your place of belonging can be challenging. This perspective has influenced my storytelling in ways that I initially wasn’t even conscious of. But I do look back and find that most of the themes and characters I write about are in search of belonging. And often finding that sense of home transcends the traditional meanings of “home”  The imaginary boundaries and lines we’ve carved into our globe or family units don’t need to be our definitions of home, it certainly has not for me. And I enjoy exploring stories that challenge them.  With this in mind, tell us about your film  Dancing in a Forbidden World  . How do you  navigate those themes of race, diaspora and female liberation in 1940s America?   Dancing in a Forbidden World  is a personal project that merges my interests in history, identity and social liberation. The 1940s in America was a time of change, particularly for women and people of colour. The film is set in a nightclub called The Forbidden World. The space itself acts as both a refuge and stage for Asian women and Asian entertainers. The dancers that never had a stage, the singers that were never given mics.  Dancing in a Forbidden World  celebrates the performers who challenged the restrictive norms and dreamt bigger. The lead character is thrown into this world and at her core is on a quest for autonomy. And her narrative is about identity and freedom.   Why is it important for you to represent the underrepresented?  It’s about reaffirming someone’s existence. That’s the core of it. I think anyone who doesn’t  understand why someone’s existence requires affirmation has never needed it.  More broadly, how do you navigate Asian identity in your films? What key considerations do you make when conveying Asian stories? In a weird juxtaposition, I’m consciously not thinking about it. The stories I write and the worlds I create are inspired by my childhood and my experiences. That naturally equates to stories centered around the Asian female identity. I’m not consciously debating whether or not my lead actress should be an Asian female, they tend to just naturally are. I found that when I was in school, the notes I often received on my writing was that it needed to showcase my Asian culture more or my “asianness” or my struggles as a female. And that was actually a detriment to my writing, because it made me increasingly boxed into this corner of trying and having to represent all of my culture and all of my gender identity. Now I try to just write from the heart, and from what I feel is important. The key consideration I make when conveying any story is that is this authentic and genuine to me? And if it is, that naturally leads to a story that talks about Asian identity, but more importantly it leads to a story that I care about. How do you hope your films impact your audience? I hope that people can walk away from my films feeling energized and inspired. There’s a lot of joy to be had in this world, and I try to capture even the smallest amount of it. I write and make a lot of stories that are inspired by historical events. And I want people to walk away being curious and with a desire to learn more. What’s next for you as a filmmaker? I’m continually excited to explore stories that challenge and inspire. Currently, I’ve been working heavily in directing commercials. I enjoy being able to constantly practice my craft, and improve those skill sets. The fast-paced nature of commercial work pushes me to be more creative and precise with every project. I find a lot of satisfaction in the challenge of distilling a powerful message into a short, impactful piece, and I'm eager to see how these experiences will influence my future narrative and documentary projects. #AmberJackson #FilmmakerInterview

Grimmfest, Manchester’s International Festival of Fantastic Film, will be returning to its regular venue, Manchester’s Odeon Great Northern, on the 3 – 6 October for four ferociously full-on days of the best in genre cinema. Following on from the recent announcement of the features line-up, the Grimmfest Team are delighted to reveal the rest of this year’s festival programme.  As part of this year’s Preview Night on October 3rd, Grimmfest are thrilled to announce an exclusive European Premiere screening of three episodes of  TALES FROM THE VOID . Inspired by the most viral and haunting stories from the r/NoSleep community, a Reddit forum, where independent authors share short form horror stories, the series mixes pointed contemporary social commentary with classic genre tropes and knowing homages to much loved cult film and TV favourites, and features some of the hottest talents in the field: The arrival of a mysterious floating black square on a rundown housing estate stokes buried resentments and tensions to boiling point in  INTO THE UNKNOWN , directed by  Joe Lynch  ( SUITABLE FLESH ).  A teenage prank leads to an unforeseen threat that William Castle would be proud of, in  FIXED FREQUENCY , directed by  Francesco Loschiavo .  A young woman confronts terrifying repressed memories, following the death of her drug addict mother, in  PLASTIC SMILE , directed by  John Adams and Toby Poser  ( HELLBENDER ). Grimmfest’s Shorts Programmes this year features four World Premieres, one International Premiere, three European Premieres, six UK Premieres, one English Premiere, four Regional Premieres, one North West Premiere, and two Greater Manchester Premieres: METAMORPHOSES  offers tales of transformation and deformation, evolution and devolution, mutation and mutability, anxiety and alienation given physical form, and all of the horrors and pleasures of the all-too-fragile flesh… A telephone call brings unexpected terrors, in  James Longman’s quietly unsettling  SUFFOCATE (Greater Manchester Premiere). A young father starts to feel increasingly displaced by his newborn baby, in  Aaron Murtagh ‘s  MAN BABY (North West Premiere) .  Kafka plays out on a Parisian housing estate, in  COLEOPTERE ,  Martin Gouzou ‘s social (sur)realist spin on  METAMORPHOSIS (English Premiere) . A gender-flipped Dorian Gray for the age of social media, in  Giulio Manicardi’ s unexpectedly poignant  SELFIE (UK Premiere) .  A neglected woman turns to her favourite house plant for the connection she desires, in  Rebecca Thomson ‘s macabre and mordantly funny  A GREEN AFFAIR (European Premiere) .  Two sisters forced to care for their catatonic grandma start to realise that she’s not quite herself any more…  Gigi Zumbado  ( THE PRICE WE PAY ), and her sister  Carmela  star in  CARNIVORA ,  Felipe Vargas ‘ queasy study of familial obligation and loss of self  (European Premiere) .  An actress’s opening night nerves take on terrifying physical form in Jano Pita’s nightmarish study of social anxiety and self-harm,  APOTEMNOFILIA (UK Premiere) . And a sensation-seeking man’s midlife crisis leads to fatal temptation in   Simret Cheema-Innis ‘s polymorphously perverse cyberpunk body horror,  FROM ME TO YOU (UK Premiere) . Sometimes, it all just gets too much: family, peer groups, work, unemployment, relationships, sexual performance, imminent parenthood, bereavement, environment, your own late night paranoia. So much pressure… in the  TENSIONS  programme: A young woman is awoken by something going bump in the night, in  Mikel Iriarte  and  Jack Downs ‘  DEAD OF NIGHT (Regional Premiere) .  A bucket holds unexpected mysteries in  Axel Zeltser ‘s mischievous  EMBRACE (Regional Premiere) .  A young woman battles for her life, and the future of her relationship against a relentless masked killer, in  David Yorke ‘s blackly comic  SAFE (Regional Premiere) . A young cleaning lady working in a deserted office complex experiences an unexpected threat while working in  Jasper ten Hoor  and  Ivan Hidayat ‘s  PASPOCALYPSE (World Premiere) .  A flustered young man running late for a job interview finds himself faced with an unexpected obstacle in  Daniel Noblom ‘s claustrophobic  PARASOMNIA (World Premiere) .  An underpaid office worker discovers that sometimes a moment’s break is hard earned, in Sebastian Ganschow’s visually stunning THE INFINITE BREAK ROOM  (World Premiere) .  An ambient sleeping aid app holds unexpected dangers in   Ethan Evans ‘ nightmarish  OUTSIDE NOISE (Greater Manchester Premiere) .   There’s a uniquely… colourful antidote to toxic masculinity in  Yfke van Berckelaer ‘s uproarious  IZZY (UK Premiere) .  Two Grimmfest alumni make a welcome return, as  Jeremiah Kipp  ( SLAPFACE ) offers an uncomfortable illustration of that old maxim, “be careful what you wish for”, in the enigmatic and unsettling  DARK ROADS (European Premiere) , while  Nicholas Payne Santos  ( IT CUTS DEEP ) explores the nature of grief and the unwillingness to let go of our loved ones, in the eerie and mournful  STRANGE CREATURES (UK Premiere) .  Simón Bucher, Claudia Saldivia and Amanda Rivera  present a viscerally uncomfortable study of self-destructive greed in  THE FEAST (Regional Premiere) .  A young woman’s conviction that her husband has been replaced by an alien doppelganger leads to savage violence, in  Shane Day ‘s troubling take on the classic Bodysnatchers trope,  THE NEIGHBOURHOOD AT THE END OF THE WORLD (International Premiere) .  And a father-to-be’s fears prove all-too-terrifyingly justified, in  Robert Franz ‘s gleefully gory study of misogynous male paranoia,  AMBROSIA (World Premiere) .  There are also a couple of short films this year screening alongside feature films.  Sam Fox  ( FCK’N NUTS ) makes a welcome return to Grimmfest with  THE BLUE DIAMOND , a high-camp retro-80s take on toxic mother-daughter relationships, self-help therapy groups, and apres-ski, starring a deadpan  Desiree Staples  and the incomparable  Barbara Crampton . The film will screen with  DEAD MAIL  and is a  UK Premiere . And screening with Robyn August’s  KILLHER  will be the first of August’s  NIGHT WALKS, EDITH AND THE EMPTY (UK Premiere , a droll and deftly observed homage to such much-loved 60s supernatural shows as THE TWILIGHT ZONE, in which an enthusiastic cook meets her match at last in an insatiable entity. Full and day passes and individual tickets are available at  https://www.grimmfest.com/festival/