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HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Sideworld: Terrors of the Sea Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Aug 1, 2022 Directed by: George Popov Written by: Jonathan Russell Starring: George Popov Inspired by the British folklore they’ve explored in two features, Hex and The Droving , director George Popov and writer Jonathan Russell turn away from fiction, delivering spectral dread in truer tales. Their second documentary in less than a year, Sideworld: Terrors of the Sea swims dark waters alongside ghost ships and sea monsters. Popov’s voiceover establishes a Twilight Zone quality: Truth and lies do not relate in such a simple equation when the line between fact and fiction is enshrouded in mist and shadow. Beyond that threshold is a place that can change our perspective on everything we think we know. I call this place the Sideworld. Earlier this year, Popov and Russell led us into this mist and shadow with the first installment of their doc series, Haunted Forests of England . Their second effort opens with more of their characteristically haunting cinematography. The film breaks into four chapters: Ghost Ships, Sea Monsters, Spectral Sailors and Mermaids. Each chapter consists of a number of tails, always highlighting one in particular with some primary or secondary source material to mine. Though the Flying Dutchman has its fame, the majority of the stories spilled on these shores are little known legends with historical documents for basis. The Wildman of Orford and other tales offer fascinating historical curiosities, while outright ghost stories delight in their sad, scary way. Popov’s voiceover remains somber throughout, avoiding the campfire fright style of storytelling and instead rendering his tales with reverence. In fact, Popov and Russell’s sympathetic point of view continually asks whether the monsters in these tales are not actually the humans. Brisk, informative, creepy fun, Sideworld: Terrors of the Sea uncovers welcome treasures of haunted folklore. About the Film Critic Hope Madden Amazon Prime < All Reviews Next Film Review >

HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Duke Film Review average rating is 1 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: May 2, 2023 Directed by: Kyle Acosta Written by: Kyle Acosta Starring: Romi Jay, Kasio Collins, Kyle Acosta, J. Adam Young Not to be confused with the charming 2020 British comedy drama starring Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren about an elderly gentleman in the sixties who steals/borrows a painting by Goya from the National Gallery just to make some point about not paying his TV license, The Duke by writer/director/producer/star Kyle Acosta is a film about something else entirely. Supposedly. It's not easy to tell what Acosta's film is actually about though, as some of the basic markers, even for a low budget, amateur, indie film, just aren't there. A decent audio track, for example, you would think would be one of the basic things to get right, so that your dialogue can be heard, story can be exposed, characterisation can be expanded upon and the audience actually taken along for the ride whilst knowing just what the actual heck is going on. Not so in The Duke . Right from the off, in one of the most ridiculously constructed opening scenes in film history, the conversation between the characters can hardly be heard. Two bad boys enter a bar, saying something about who knows what, and they harass the bartender into giving them drinks even after last orders. Then a female bartender turns up and tries to get the bad boys out of the way, for which she ends up getting punched in the stomach and apparently raped out in the parking lot, all the while the male bartender does nothing about it, not even calling the cops. Suddenly an old man turns up, in a wide brim hat and trenchcoat, followed by an ugly little pug – The Duke (Acosta). We don't get to see his face but we know he must be important because he gets his own audio track which, as opposed to the others', we can hear because he has clearly recorded his lines in a recording booth, getting his mouth as close to the microphone as he can to breathe the words out in a low, raspy voice. Naturally, the old man saves the day and makes the bad boys pay but that's not all. He has other motivations for being there that night and he's not letting go of one bad boy in particular until he gets what he wants – which could be anything at this point as the audio stops us from understanding at least half of what is going on on screen. Things don't get any better as the film progresses, when after a scene involving the bad boy's father (Young) who apparently has history with The Duke (although God knows what), we switch to Eli (Jay) who looks like he's a security guard at a casino in Las Vegas. There then comes a scene involving a woman holding a knife to some guy's knackers in the ladies' restroom which is impossible to determine why it's there, as yet again the dialogue can't be heard, but also because it's a preposterously stupid scene with no lead in or follow up to give it context. We slowly get led in to Eli's life, again through an endless series of pointless scenes with conversation that can't be heard, and we watch him (we can at least do that) get embroiled in The Duke's affairs. I guess that The Duke is supposed to be a gritty crime drama with its hard men characters, over marginalised and hyper sexualised female characterisation, Las Vegas underworld and desert locations, and the odd chase/fight scene or gunplay. It's only a guess though as most of the story doesn't come across in the visuals, which to be honest seem random at best, and the rest of what might actually be there is lost in the dialogue that can't be heard. In the end The Duke is just unwatchable. The film-maker(s) haven't done enough to make sure that their feature is suitable for public consumption and therefore it can't hope to be watched or understood by any audience. The question is really, would the film have been any better or actually made any sense if the audio was of any use? And the answer is probably, No. The scenes we witness are poor and badly constructed and the camerawork is only serviceable in places while at other times being downright terrible with the camera being put into the wrong positions. There's not a lot to recommend The Duke , it's not a well made or well thought out film, so it's probably best to make it one to avoid. About the Film Critic William Hemingway Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Round Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Julian Gaskell | Posted on: Jun 17, 2022 Directed by: A. G. Balázas Written by: A. G. Balázas Starring: Gary Wales, Kyle Pennington, Brad Bishop An indie short by A. G. Balázas that sees two contestants participate in a dystopian style drinking game with its roots firmly set in the present day. The ‘Game Master’ (Brad Bishop) enters the room wearing a hazmat protective suit and sets a small table with some drinking shot glasses, one of which he adds a mysterious white powder before pouring in the drink. He randomly rearranges the shot glasses in preparation for a Russian roulette style drinking game where the stakes are high. He finally loads a tape to the video camera before leaving the room. Next, we see the first contestant (Gary Wales) sat waiting in the room looking nervous and timid. In walks the second contestant (Kyle Pennington) with a bold swagger who sits confidently beside him. Both their brows are sweating by now as they eye each other up, the timer is ticking and then the buzzer goes signally it's time to choose their first shot glass to down. The contestants are quite different. The 1st contestant seems much more reluctant to play the game, whilst the 2nd contestant shows an intimidating arrogance. He's watchful of the first contestant, looking to make sure he is drinking properly. The dialogue between them is minimal but telling in what is an oppressed situation. The one contestant is clearly enjoying the game much more the other even though both are in the same predicament. There’s a nice sci-fi element to this brought about by the synth music and the CGI used in the game, which are both really effective, but oddly in juxtaposition with the overall staging of the short, where little attempt has been made to disguise its rudimental requirements. The location looks like a garage lock up, with some regular kitchen furniture put inside and the performers look casually dressed in their own clothing, which gives the proceedings more of a theatrical rehearsal impression (at least the Game Master gives some semblance of being in character wearing a boiler suit). This is in total contrast to the futuristic CGI graphics that are used in its ending that give the impression of some pretty powerful substances at work and some impressive technology that is not currently available today. Presumably these are to be washed over as time or budgetary restrictions for the imagination to fill in the gaps. It makes a nice premise for a reality TV game show in the ilk of a Hunger Games or Squid Games where great rewards await the winner with the losers left to face the ultimate consequence. About the Film Critic Julian Gaskell Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Triple Cross Film Review average rating is 1 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Jun 25, 2023 Directed by: Mirzamlk Written by: Mirzamlk Starring: Mohib Beg Mirza, Ansh Beg Mirza, Mirza Rakshanda Khan In the opening credits of writer/director Mirzamlk's film, Triple Cross we get to see some hyperstylised visuals which seem to promise a slick, modern thriller filled with guns, intrigue and smoke – lots of smoke. The credits roll as images of the three main characters are displayed and held, either staring intently into the camera or holding a pose that is presumably deemed to be cool, or mysterious, or exciting in whatever strange, bizarro world we seem to have stumbled into. For a film with only three real characters the credits take an incredibly long time to get through, but as we'll find out, this is only a gentle introduction into the vast emptiness and repetition of the rest of the film. Once we are into the movie proper, we find that the 'story' is split into chapters with each scene given a banal heading that supposedly helps us to understand what it's all about. Generally these chapter headings add nothing, but actually, when every scene takes place in the same empty, black space, with the same effusive smoke bubbling up from God knows where – constantly, and the same lighting options of full brightness straight on, or full brightness from behind are all we've got to choose from, the headings can sometimes be useful to differentiate one part of the film from the other. Despite the film being called Triple Cross , which you'd think would suggest lots of twists and turns and wiliness going on, there is literally no story to speak of in this lengthy two hour marathon. The characters never get properly introduced, with only one member – the henchwoman (Khan) – actually getting a name-check as far as I can remember, and the audience's guess as to what's actually going on is as good as anyone else's, especially the writer's. It seems that one guy (Ansh Beg Mirza) who I'll call Buzzcut on account of his hairstyle, has been hired to kill another guy (Mohib Beg Mirza), who I'll call Curtains due to the flowing locks which frame his face, and the whole film revolves around the stand-off which occurs when the two mercenaries meet. If you want any explanation or backstory as to why this is happening though – tough. This is literally the extent of what's going on in Triple Cross and even if you think you like the look of the slow-mo visual style and the over-dubbed hyper design of the sound effects, there is just no way that playing these things constantly on repeat can sustain a two hour film – and it doesn't. Very soon the constant crashing of thunder (in the foreground), the same single synth chord, the one and only drum beat and the replay of every single action shot from three or four different angles, will let the viewer know that what they are watching is an empty, vacuous, void and that the whole production is the epitome of style over substance. Add into all this the fact that everyone's talking in metaphor and that some scenes are literally up to fifteen minutes of the same shots and VFX on repeat, especially the matchstick and final shoot-out scenes, it's difficult to think of anyone who would be able to sit down and watch this for its entire runtime. Anything that actually happens could have been wrapped up in twenty minutes but Mirzamlk and their crew want you to spend two hours on this nonsense. Two Hours! Don't. About the Film Critic William Hemingway Indie Feature Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS A Borrowed Paradise Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Joe Beck | Posted on: Jun 16, 2023 Directed by: Peter Dorn-Ravlin Written by: Peter Dorn-Ravlin Starring: Katan Sosnovec, Scott Menzies, Ricci Dedola Deep down all of us are searching for a way out. Both in terms of the grander scale of life itself, in which we endlessly toil and only escaping in few, joyous pleasures, and on a smaller scale, from the environments in which we find ourselves and the relationships that we become trapped in. Life, the world around us, and the relationships that we hold are both the greatest blessings in the world and the eternal curse of humanity. ‘A Borrowed Paradise’ understands this, and reflects this idea to a certain extent, though whilst It philosophically conveys its message, this is done almost painfully through some turgid and inept filmmaking. That ‘A Borrowed Paradise’ is a deeply personal film to writer-director Peter Dorn-Ravlin is clear through the profundity with which he attempts to deal with a troubled adolescence. It’s a story which everybody, or the vast majority of people, can relate to, as teenager Theo (Katan Sosnovec) faces severe challenges to the stability of his mental health. Granted, the problems which young Theo faces are of greater significance than those everybody is likely to encounter during their school years, as he has to face up to the devastating loss of his mother (Ricci Dedola) and the damaging spiral of alcoholism that this has caused in his father (Scott Menzies). The title itself is of interest, perhaps a reflection of the sparing moments of joy spent as a family, or alternatively of the fleeting pleasure and joy given to Theo’s father, Derrick, through his alcohol addiction. Such philosophical messaging - further conveyed through the religious allegories retained throughout - and the sentimentality which the film displays are all well and good, but those two factors alone do not make up for poor quality filmmaking. Dorn-Ravlin attempts to impose the film with a directorial style ill-fitting to the subject, with an almost documentarian shaky camera and sharp, sudden zooms not suiting the domestic tone of the film, firmly a stable, sombre drama in character. Though such directing shows a certain skill in terms and competency behind the camera, it doesn’t complement the film, and undermines the seriousness of catastrophic on-screen actions - for example, the dramatic weight of Derrick withdrawing a firearm from a drawer is downplayed by the quick zoom in, and almost as sharp zoom out, as though the viewer doesn’t understand what a gun is and how damaging they can be. The editing is similarly reductive to the film’s sombre, level tone as a whole, with flashbacks to Theo’s mother and father’s past tinted too heavily and occurring too sharply, to truly aid the non-linear storytelling, instead making each cut back to the past jarring, and too stark a difference from the brutalism of Theo’s life without his mother. The script, though it successfully outlines the films message and philosophy, similarly causes problems to the film as a whole. Dialogue is a key issue, with the philosophy so obvious because characters say it all, conveying nothing through subtext or leaving anything the viewer’s imagination. As such it is cloggy and robotic, particularly when characters begin reciting poetry in a manner that no human being, at least no sane human being, has ever spoken. This adversely affects the performances of the entire cast, who, though no doubt talented, struggle with the sheer density of the script, and end up overacting to the point at which they sound mechanical. The clarity and success of ‘A Borrowed Paradise’ in outlining Peter Dorn-Ravlin’s beliefs are central to the films faults, with an over reliance on dialogue in the screenplay reflective of the poor filmmaking throughout. As such, ‘A Borrowed Paradise’ fails as a film where perhaps it may have worked to a greater extent as a novel, which would allow its creator’s interesting ideas and thoughts to be further fleshed out without becoming bogged down by problematic technical aspects of filmmaking. About the Film Critic Joe Beck Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Emily Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Feb 22, 2023 Directed by: Frances O'Connor Written by: Frances O'Connor Starring: Emma Mackey, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Fionn Whitehead Wuthering Heights was always a conundrum of Gothic literature. It is mean, its tragedies ugly, its heroes selfish and boorish. It’s a dark and misanthropic piece of fiction often mistaken as romance. Lucky for all of us, Frances O’Connor appreciates the twisted nastiness of the novel and suggests a vividly unusual inner life for its author in her feature debut, Emily. Emma Mackey stars with an understated but authentic weirdness as the misfit Brontë sister. Emily doesn’t seem suited for teaching, or for much of anything. The stories she tells are childish and they embarrass her sisters, and she won’t let anyone read what she’s writing. She seems to disappoint everyone around her except her brother, Branwell (Fionn Whitehead). In O’Connor’s loose biopic, Emily finds the space to explore once her sisters are gone off to teach and she is alone with Branwell. The filmmaker slyly inserts memorable scenes from Brontë’s novel as moments, here more innocent, between brother and sister. These moments work on many levels, but mainly because writers draw from their own lives. The dynamic complicates and Emily’s transformation deepens as an unexpected, almost involuntary suiter comes into the picture. Untethered by the judgments of her sisters, Emily is free to determine her own course and the journey is intoxicating to witness. Mackey glows as her character slowly, finally comes into her own, giving us a dimensional, tender and delicately genius young woman you yearn to know better. Whitehead charms in a slightly underwritten but nonetheless poignant role. Oliver Jackson-Cohen – so different than the unrelenting narcissist of The Invisible Man – delivers the greatest arc of any character as assistant parson William. His performance is never showy, but moments of vulnerability give the film its heartbeat and heartbreak. O’Connor breathes life with all its chaos, misery and joy into the Brontës’ 19th century. Emily feels less like the vision of a newcomer than the product of a passionate kindred spirit. About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Travel Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Julian Gaskell | Posted on: Jul 1, 2022 Directed by: Claudio Melis Written by: Claudio Melis Starring: Unknown A music video for the newly released track “Travel ” from Sardinian music producer Claudio Melis from his new album Sraka . The synopsis of the video talks about two angels who have fallen from heaven, trapped in a dream world they are forced to perform a bizarre ritual for the watching gods. The dark ambient music playing is matched by an equally dark atmospheric story. Set in a forest landscape, presumably in Sardinia, its contrasting light and dark shadows of the trees amongst the rocky terrain provide an ethereal backdrop. The camera slowly pans down to earth from the sky to a girl laid on the ground in a distorted like heap. Dressed all in white with her eyes bandaged she slowly stumbles to her feet and gropes her way through the woodland. She’s being watched by someone dressed in a dark cloak and gas mask who follows her as she finds someone else similarly laid on the floor, presumably also fallen from the heavens. Together they wander through the trees before they begin a love-making dance ritual in the presence of the god with the soundtrack continuing throughout. Both the video and the music are dark and atmospheric in sound and appearance but they don’t necessarily synchronise together especially well. The synth music sounds more like an ambient loop than telling a story from beginning to end. Some of the peaks and troughs in the track match the movements, but overall it seems caught between being a movie and a music video with the music not quite rising to the high crescendos to match the climatic end to the story. The camera shots establish the atmosphere of the video well but lack a cinematic edge in their framing and grading to really take it to the next level. There’s perhaps a lack of sharpness to the images, which although some are done for filmic effect, filming under the canopy of the forest perhaps requires additional lighting, that would make this a far more complicated and expensive music video to shoot. I quite liked the acting that had the awkward air of being blind and lost in an otherworldly wilderness and showed some dramatic suffering too. Unfortunately some of the supporting props left a lot to the imagination but didn’t necessarily detract too much from the story once you bought into the production and brought their own pastiche stamp to the video. About the Film Critic Julian Gaskell Music Video < All Reviews Next Film Review >

HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Bad Habits Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Nov 21, 2023 Directed by: Jacob Dudman Written by: Naail Ishaq, Jacob Dudman Starring: Naail Ishaq, Dan Prendergast, Jacob Dudman A nasty situation turns awkward due to concerns regarding health. Some poor guy (Prendergast) has found himself in a rather unpleasant state: he has been kidnapped by two ruthless criminals. He has been brought to an unknown, darkened room, tied to a chair and gagged and the culprits demand to know the location of a case, or they will hurt him. Following a lot of threatening, it looks like things are about to get very bad, until one captor lights a cigarette, much to the dissatisfaction of his accomplice. This short crime comedy effectively and unexpectedly blends a life-and-death situation with a discussion about well-being. The film begins as a serious thriller, with ominous music and the feeling of dread in the air. Avery (Ishaq), one of the abductors, is the one doing most of the talking, explaining to the terrified captive that if he does not cooperate, he is doomed, while Blake (Dudman), his associate, stands further behind, mostly observing. Then, Blake starts smoking and Avery immediately expresses his disapproval, leading to the two of having an argument regarding smoking, with Blake stating that it is his right and his choice. The funny side here is that what is supposed to be a desperate situation turns into a meaningful discussion (sort of) about living a healthy life. This exposes the softer side of the two crooks, showing that they care for each other, which is nice and might make the viewer forget about the kidnapping scenario (for a while at the least). Cleverly, the sinister score stops when they start talking about smoking and returns when Avery turns his attention to the victim again, adding to the comedy. Going to the technical side of things, there are well executed point-of-view shots and the lighting techniques are quite creative, which are supported by Maximillian Newcombe's cinematography. As mentioned above there is sinister music, which is a contribution by Jack Kane and the jazz score during the closing credits was a great choice. This is a story about a kidnapping that does not go as anticipated. It is a good laugh and it explores themes regarding smoking, free will and caring for others and it could also be viewed as a statement against smoking. The performances are strong and amusing, there is a great plot twist that pushes the awkwardness of the situation even further and the way the film ends will most likely make the viewer grin. About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Monsters Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Jan 6, 2024 Directed by: Liz Cvalda Written by: Liz Cvalda Starring: Cathy Wippell, Beth Gatherer, Ryan J. Harvey A lonely woman brings a stranger to her home, leading to a situation that turns dramatic and sinister. A young woman named Felicia (Wippell) is found unconscious in the woods by Katherine (Gatherer), who takes her to her isolated house in the countryside, where she lives by herself. Felicia has just murdered her partner (Harvey) and after she recovers her senses, she is initially alarmed and suspicious of her host. Things calm down a bit as they get to know each other and have some food. However, they have serious conversations, expressing their point of view regarding the dark side of men, death and what makes a bad person and eventually it becomes clear that there is more to Katherine than meets the eye. This is a short, tense, psychological horror story that focuses on the relationship that is build between the two strangers. The atmosphere is unstable throughout, with the drama, tension and sadness and heavy rain outside. For most of the time, Felicia remains unfriendly towards Katherine, even though she tries to be hospitable and kind and the two of them talk about mostly unpleasant subjects. Felicia states that men are no good, while Katherine disagrees and they also discuss the afterlife and what evil deeds actually are. They also end up discussing a loss that Katherine has gone through and things get emotional. However, there does not seem to be much room for positivity in this story and although it is already known that Felicia has done a terrible thing, signs appear indicating that something is seriously wrong with Katherine that include a nasty wound on her wrist, her short temper and the way she eats, which is devouring food with her hands. At first, the two protagonists are ostensibly contradicting characters. Felicia comes across as sarcastic and cruel, has very harsh feelings towards men and generally looks at life in a negative way and she is also a killer. On the other hand, Katherine appears good-hearted and with a more positive view towards the world, even though deep down she is lonely and sad. However, as mentioned, she also appears to have a dark side, making her similar to her guest, similar to a monster, as the title suggests. Also, the two leads are also presented as victims, victims of loss, isolation and domestic violence. One of the key features in this film is the music by Cvalda and Florence Green. The score is sinister and tense at times and sometimes it sounds light-hearted and magical and commendations go to the creativity that was put into it. On the negative side, the score is overused and sometimes over-the-top, being added in scenes where it makes them feel exaggerated, making them too tense or just awkward. It would probalby had been better if there was no music at all during those scenes. This short horror film is an intriguing viewing, a character study that explores the dark side of humanity and looks into hatred, murder, mental health, loneliness, loss and death. More cheerfully though, it also points out the value of support. It is a dark story that stands out due to the dialogue, the moody cinematography by Jed Ducusin that includes black-and-white, the dramatic performances by Wippell and Gatherer and the music (even though it is occasionally over-the-top). About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Hi, I'm Growing Up Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Mar 6, 2023 Directed by: Funmi Adetola Written by: Funmi Adetola Starring: Funmi Adetola, Dipo Adetola, Ejibunmi Adetola An introspective high school student contemplates the changes his life is about to undergo in Hi, I’m Growing Up – a microbudget feature from director and star Funmi Adetola that creatively tells a personal story with filmmaking that outperforms its limitations. Over the course of a single day, Mike (Funmi Adetola) tries to come to terms with graduation from high school, and moving away from his home and his family. His mother (Ejibunmi Adetola) and father (Motunrayo Adetola) remain their typically overbearing selves, and Mike relies on his sister Ayo (Dipo Adetola) to feed back on his introspections. Among daydreams and drug trips, Mike aims to put his feelings into words in the form of a goodbye speech. A homemade project shot exclusively on an iPhone 7 and starring the director’s friends and family, Hi, I’m Growing Up is an impressive, creative and profound character study that despite some hits and misses, stands up as a fine piece of filmmaking – and not just in comparison to its shoestring budget. The film is a charming, touching, funny and consistently engaging story of growing up. Funmi Adetola strings his relatively straightforward plot together with amusing interludes which establish Mike as a young man searching for direction. His interactions with family further develop and demonstrate his personality – creating empathy in viewers who will no doubt have experienced the confusing, painful and awkward time in life when it becomes necessary to divorce oneself from their childhood. Adetola has a brilliant grasp of Mike’s character (likely down to the personal nature of the project) and brings so much to the role as both the film’s writer and star. Mike’s philosophical musings and indulgent broodings brilliantly walk along that tightrope of individual agency and lack of real-life experience – capturing the sense of late-teen angst in a manner more powerful and authentic than plenty of bigger-budgeted contemporaries. Mike’s speech, which ends up addressed to his family, results in a genuinely moving conclusion to the film that brings his drifting character full circle. The film’s iPhone-captured production necessitates largely fixed shot scenes. Adetola keeps these invigorating for the most part with fast cuts and creative visuals, but there are moments where this limitation does hinder conversation exchanges resulting in some disjointedness. Rough edges are on display – some of these forgivable such as minor shaky cam, and others less so such as a few violations of the 180-degree camera rule. But for any of these mishaps, it should be noted that the film’s creative circumstances are impossible to separate from its production results – with much of its successful charm emanating from the sincerity that drives a smaller-scale feature. Any such mishaps thankfully do not impact on the personality that is imbued or the extent to which character building is achieved – which are the film’s primary accomplishments. There are some experimental creative risks as well which are of mixed success. A short transition into anime early in the film falls flat, and adds little to the plot or Mike’s character, and sits at odds with the film’s tone. But a drug-fuelled hallucinogenic conversation with a teddy bear ends up as both a pivotal development for Mike’s character and one of the film’s funniest scenes. The license for creativity is fully embraced by the director, and adds to the uniqueness of the work when it is successful, as well as when it is not. So despite some clunky production and creative misfires, Hi, I’m Growing Up is a relatable and endearing story that exudes personality and a sense of director-driven vision. It firmly punches above its weight by championing a story about growing up, and is evidence to aspiring directors that the potential for great film-making exists with just a camera and a great story. About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Living As Leo Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Feb 6, 2024 Directed by: Cameron Lee Horace Written by: Cameron Lee Horace Starring: Joe Snape, Margaret Bunting, Jessica Hawkes, Helen Austin Leo (Snape) is an awkward teenager who finds it difficult to socialise and make friends. He lives at home with his Gran (Bunting) for reasons which remain unexplained, so we’ve got no idea what happened to his parents. We can probably assume that it was bad, though. Worried about Leo’s happiness and mental health, his gran gets him a new dog, and even though he can’t manage to think of a name to give it, Leo loves his new pal along with the company and friendship it provides. However, being the lonely, awkward teenager that he is, Leo also has other things on his mind and he has taken to watching his neighbour, Skylar (Hawkes) from out of his window with some binoculars. It is for reasons known only to himself as to why Leo would actually want anything to do with Skylar, as she is a completely toxic airhead whose main talent seems to be for bitching and putting people down. Still, Leo wants to put himself through the humiliation of actually asking Skylar out, so he goes for it the next day at the bus stop with excruciatingly foreseeable results. The fact that fellow toxic hosebeast, Lucy Loose Lips (Austin) is there to witness the whole fiasco only serves to make things worse. Just when things look about as bad as they’re going to get for Leo, something else happens which turns his whole world upside-down and he suddenly has a big decision to make which will affect his entire future. This all may sound like quite a lot to fit into a short film with a runtime of under five-minutes but really everything is introduced with a large set of kid gloves and gets passed over quite quickly, leaving writer/director Cameron Lee Horace with enough time to throw in a couple of stylish narrative segues along the way. Sadly these little diversions, such as when Leo breaks the fourth wall and starts talking to the camera for no reason at all, add nothing to the story or the overall feel of the film. Horace has also previously said that he was put off submitting Living As Leo to film festivals because of audio issues which weren’t up to the quality he expected, and this does come across during the film, although not enough to make that much of a difference to the viewing experience. There’s also the fact that Leo’s new dog pal is actually animated rather than real, and even though the cartoonishness isn’t badly done or jarring in any way, it is quite distracting when trying to get into the real life issues which Leo is facing. Whilst there may be something to be said for the highlighting of the trials and tribulations of adolescence there’s nothing here that hasn’t been said before and better elsewhere. About the Film Critic William Hemingway Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Boomslang 2: The Dinner Listen to our review on the film podcast What our film review said: READ FULL REVIEW This short is an entertaining experience with well-written dialogue, interesting characters and performances that succeed in being quite a joy to watch. Throughout its twelve-minute duration it never loses its ability to be comical and it will most likely provide the audience with a good laugh. Proudly supporting MediCinema for our 2022 film festival.