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HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Finding Kendrick Johnson Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Rachel Willis | Posted on: Aug 17, 2021 Directed by: Jason Pollock Written by: Jason Pollock Starring: Jackie Johnson, Kenneth Johnson In 2013, in Valdosta, Georgia, a black teenager was found dead in his high school gym. The officials ruled his death a tragic accident. There were a few unsatisfied by that ruling – including director Jason Pollock. The result of his four-year, undercover investigation is the unflinching documentary, Finding Kendrick Johnson. Drawing on interviews with Kendrick Johnson’s family, official investigators, as well as news footage, crime scene photos, and Valdosta’s brutal history, Pollock makes his own case for what happened to Kendrick. We’re told early on this information is being presented in a way that will allow viewers “to make up their own minds.” This isn’t an issue when focusing on what happened to Kendrick. However, the film makes a hard accusation. This isn’t to say whether or not the accusations are unfounded, but in the age of internet vengeance, it doesn’t sit well. It’s not done without reason. The accusation allows the film to draw parallels. If the roles were reversed, if a white child was murdered and the accused was black, the case would be handled very differently. A black teenager would certainly not be allowed to live his life, nor would a white teenager’s murder be handled so carelessly (and with utter disregard) by local law enforcement. Narrators, even in documentaries, often deliver a hard sell. Many times, movies fare better without the voiceover giving you the details. But this film wants the viewer to be very clear about what it’s presenting. In case you missed a detail, Jenifer Lewis’s narration helps call your attention to the many contradictions in the case. Numerous graphic and violent images haunt the screen. Crime scene and autopsy photos of Kendrick allow the viewer to see what happened to Kendrick in gory detail. It might be too much for some, particularly as the documentary draws comparisons to past lynchings, but it’s necessary to highlight the injustices against Black Americans. Too often, Black men, women, and children are murdered, and no one is held accountable. In the past, these crimes would be known, celebrated, and ignored by the justice system. These days, the justice system tries to pass off a murder as an accident in hopes it will go away. This documentary, along with Johnson’s family, wants to ensure that doesn’t happen to Kendrick. Kendrick Johnson deserves justice. His family demands it. Maybe this documentary will help them get it. About the Film Critic Rachel Willis Digital / DVD Release, Indie Feature Film, Documentary < All Reviews Next Film Review >

HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Old Windows Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Brian Penn | Posted on: Feb 13, 2022 Directed by: Paul Holbrook Written by: Laura Bayston Starring: Larry Lamb, Laura Bayston We’re often told to be wary of strangers who ask too many questions. But what do you do when that stranger looks familiar and arouses our curiosity to the extent we ask questions of them? Kerrie (Laura Bayston) runs a homely East End café that has seen better days. Football memorabilia adorns the walls; a number 6 replica shirt occupies pride of place, West Ham and England skipper Bobby Moore is similarly honoured in every pub, café and newsagent around these parts. Harry (Larry Lamb) enters and orders a cup of tea and Eccles Cake. Elderly, well dressed but ageing well he seems unusually talkative. In an otherwise empty café Kerrie is guarded but immediately intrigued by the stranger. Open questions flow freely between the pair with crisp and measured dialogue opening up all kinds of possibilities. The audience are soon made aware of thoughts passing through her mind. Who is he, does he know me, do I know him, does he know my family and is he from around here? The reveal provides a satisfying conclusion. Over the course of 18 minutes we get to find out what the connection is between Kerrie, Harry and the café. Although off screen other characters are mentioned it’s essentially a two hander that works brilliantly well. Larry Lamb reprises many previous roles especially Archie Mitchell from Eastenders. But he packs tremendous charisma into every word, breath and expression; a curious mix of danger and rough diamond charm. Laura Bayston flits around nervously trying to please her customer, carefully treading line between polite and nosy. Interplay between the characters is never rushed but gradually builds a picture that allows the audience to draw reasonable conclusions. The film very quickly finds its level and relies on characters that are instantly familiar; we all know someone like them. Kerrie could be our wife, girlfriend, mother or sister. Harry feels more like a next door neighbour, the guy down the pub who we vaguely know; perhaps on no more than nodding terms but they have a comforting presence. An excellent effort and proof that even old windows can let a little light in. About the Film Critic Brian Penn Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Isla Soledad Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Aug 12, 2023 Directed by: Omar Deneb Juarez Written by: Omar Deneb Juarez Starring: Leidi Gutierrez, Gadiel Brambila, Maria del Refugio Gutierrez A young woman struggles to get her life back on track. Sonia (Gutierrez) is a single mother, whose past mistakes have resulted in her son Angelito (Brambila) been taken into custody. Now working as a cleaner, she is determined to get him back, however she is facing further challenges that include taking care of her ill grandmother (Refugio Gutierrez), attempting to fix the electicity in her home and dealing with financial difficulties. This short from Mexico is an emotional and hard-hitting drama about a woman who is forced to overcome very hard times if she is to move on to better things. The screenplay looks into the aftermath of Sonia's irresponsible past actions, examining her current situation, which is far from good. She does her best to stay on top of things and the hardships that she is going through are vividly present, however so is the joy that she feels when she is with her child. Gutierrez delivers an outstanding performance as a person who is dealing with multiple issues simultaneously and yet she remains strong internally. It is hinted that she is recovering from substance abuse and her ultimate goal is to get her son back and take him to Isla Soledad. The wonderful cinematography by Olivia Luengas is a great plus and so is the creative editing by Tom Turner. The dramatic and atmospheric music by Carlos Virgilio Mendoza is another valuable feature. Through the eyes of a struggling but determined woman, this film explores the hardships of life, the joys of being a parent and the power inner strength. It is a painful story but also a beautiful and moving one. About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS KYTLY - "Neverending" Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: May 5, 2023 Directed by: Virginia Abramovich Written by: KYTLY Starring: KYTLY Summer may be fast approaching, but fans of KYTLY might still want to don their big coat for the Canadian indie-pop singer’s winter-themed video for her new single Neverending. The video features KYTLY in various snowy, foggy forest-based landscapes as the hypnotic and ethereal single works a magic on the audience’s eardrums. Blending in to a sheer white background whilst wearing a mesmerizing, Monroe-esque dress in one moment, forming one with the nature-based setting in another, viewers will get a sense that the singer is as much a part of the background as they are a participant in it. Unnerving scenes in which she is trapped beneath a frozen lake, or seemingly fading away into the vapour matches the single’s morose tone as KYTLY tries to establish which parts of a fading relationship were genuine, and which were illusions. As a visual experience, Neverending is a thoughtful and impressive treat. The director’s lucid use of a gleaming whites and foreboding greys as the video’s colour scheme presents the setting as a void-like, timeless and otherworldly space. At other times the natural features of snow-covered, leafless trees and frozen lakes base the video in a rural setting. But regardless, the sensation viewers will have is that KYTLY is isolated and desolate – trapped in an environment alone in which outside influence has no bearing, and truths can be identified – albeit up against harsh and testing conditions. The direction of Virginia Ambramovich, production of Laura Keightley and photography of Nelson Rogers results in some stunning and memorable shots that amplify the intricate and delicate lyrical structure of the song. Amongst the finest of these are the scenes in which KYTLY appears entrapped behind a translucent wall of fog, which later metamorphizes into a frozen lake - in which she is drowning. Whilst it’s not the most original of imagery, the haunting presentation and context with the single’s themes make it impressive-yet-understated example of how a great music video can take a song’s message and bring it to life. The repeated use of fading similarly creates a sense of unbalance, transformation, uncertainty and instability – matching the emotional journey many of us experience when relationships are ending. Where so many music videos resort to tired and recycled frameworks in the streaming age, the video for KYTLY’s Neverending shows that creativity and ingenuity can still be attained in the genre. It brilliantly captures the song’s themes and tone, whilst introducing engaging, metaphorical storytelling to visualise the music’s heart and message. About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Short Film, Music Video < All Reviews Next Film Review >

HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Pulse Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Mar 5, 2022 Directed by: Saurabh Arora Written by: Saurabh Arora Starring: Rajat Arora, Shikha Jain, Viivek Raaj Following the passing of his wife, a man faces isolation and despair during COVID-19 lockdown. Rajat was living a happy life with his wife Pritha until she passed away from an illness. Now he is going through lockdown in India and is struggling hard to deal with longterm isolation while at the same time mourning the loss of his beloved spouse. He spends a great deal of time looking at a picture of his wife and becomes very attached to the fingertip pulse oximeter that was applied to her finger during her final days, often using it on his own finger. The only person he seems to be communicating with appears to be his brother. As time goes by, Rajat finds it increasingly hard to cope and becomes more and more desperate. This short emotional drama raises awareness of the negative effects lockdown has on people, especially if they are experiencing the consequences of loss. The audience observes how an individual goes from happiness to depression and unwillingness to carry on. Although the subject matter is distressing, there is joy in this film, as there are scenes that reveal the happiness that Rajat had with Pritha and a dream scene where she tries to encourage him to move on with his life. It is clear that he misses her deeply and the viewer feels for him. The three protagonists deliver strong performances. Arora is dramatic as a troubled individual who is grieving a devastating loss and is prevented from getting support due to lockdown. Raaj and Jain play their roles very well. When Rajat is talking to his brother by phone, the image is shown through the camera of their smartphones, which is a creative filming technique. Abhijit Roy develops beautiful cinematography and the music by Harsh Dave is dramatic and tense. This short is a character study and follows the struggles of a tormented individual. It explores themes of loss, mental health, loneliness and grief and how issues such as these are made worse because of lockdown. It also carries the message that one must deal with their problems and move on with their life. About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS 2027: Finding Eros Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Joe Beck | Posted on: Sep 30, 2023 Directed by: Saurabh Arora Written by: Saurabh Arora Starring: Ali Bana, Komal Kapoor, Priyanshu Raj, Mohan Chandra What is a world without love? It’s no world at all, at least not a world worth living in. Love is the closest thing to real magic that exists on earth, and yet it is so often dismissed or taken for granted. Often people do not think twice about having love in their life and flowing around the world, it is one of the things held in common universally. Yet a world without love is the world presented in ‘2027: Finding Eros’, Saurabh Arora’s film, which presents a dystopian future that feels refreshing despite its numerous recycled elements. We’re introduced to the scenario with imposing title cards and a slew of exposition that perhaps doesn’t quite stay on screen long enough to truly have its effects felt. Nevertheless, it presents a pretty bleak future, with one quarter of the world’s population wiped out by war and disease by 2027, presumably leading to further overcrowding of the world’s biggest cities - i.e. London, Beijing, and Mumbai. The consequences of such catastrophic events - one cannot imagine the scale of war and disease that Arora projects to occur over the next four years in order to wipe out over two billion people - have been long and far reaching. However, perhaps one of the most interesting, and no doubt significant, changes has been that people have lost the ability to love, whether that be as a result of collective depression, or a universal fear that to love is to lose, or possibly even some consequence of the catastrophic plague that affected the globe. The reason for this remains loss of love remains unclear. Eros was the Greek God of love and sexual desire, and hence a fitting name for both the title of the film, and the drug taken in this dystopian future to help people love. In a loveless world this artificially induced kind of love has unsurprisingly taken people by storm and the great mass of the world’s population is hooked, including the film’s protagonist Dan (Ali Bana), who rides around the streets of Mumbai on his Royal Enfield desperately trying to pick up a package of Eros so that he can feel love for his partner, who craves intimacy and love, once again. Dan is an interesting and complex character, just as taken to staring into the distance as he blows on his cigarette forlornly, as he is to calling his dealers with a misplaced kind of control. He retains a sort of intimidating composure throughout, not too dissimilar to Ryan Gosling’s iconic Driver in ‘Drive’, and Bana plays the part with a brooding poise throughout. Saurabh Arora’s directing is strong throughout, from the extreme close ups of Dan as he rides his motorbike, to the long shots with Dan framed centrally and solemnly. These shots in particular help to establish Dan’s forlornness, as he takes a drag of a cigarette, or looks out to sea, in flashbacks which remain rightfully ambiguous throughout. Though Arora perhaps leans to heavily on the model set out by ‘Children of Men’ through the screenplay and idea, it is nevertheless a well written piece of cinema, with a slight screenplay further echoing the bleakness of these future times. ‘2027: Finding Eros’ is a fine addition to the landscape of dystopian cinema, with the extremely near future in this case once again placed in jeopardy by mankind, and once again full of lonely people in a bleak world. Yet despite carrying tropes over, ‘2027: Finding Eros’ remains a thoughtful piece of filmmaking, one which truly realises the power of love, and the consequences of its absence. About the Film Critic Joe Beck Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Green Height Point Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Swati Verma | Posted on: Mar 11, 2023 Directed by: Meosha Bean Written by: Meosha Bean, Darren Mancini Starring: Jerrel O Neal, Kaye Williams, Shan Moreno The writer-director Meosha Bean and Darren Mancini blend the horror and thriller genre with several stories featuring actors like Jerrel O Neal, Kaye Williams, Shan Moreno, and others within Green Height Point taking its audience on an exhilarating journey about love, loss, and lies, therefore, it helps to hook the viewers to the content. The plot of the short film-Green Height Point revolves around two families experiencing nightmares and a growing sense that something evil is going to take over them. The film opens with a series of long shots, mid-shots, and close-up shots of a romantic as well as a happy couple along with background music leading to an unexpected turn building up the elements of mystery, suspense, and thrill to hold in the different moment by quickly switching to a white screen followed by the camera panning into the host Bradford A Wilson to establish the subject matter of the movie. The filmmaker has intelligently utilised conflict to elevate the horror in the style of the cinematic language and storytelling to provide a sense of discomfort as well as nostalgia similar to a 90’s thriller piece. The set design, colour pallet, lighting, dialogues, costume, hair, makeup, and props are kept natural to add realism to the screenplay so that the twists and turns can surprise the audience. The film should emotionally appeal to the viewers making them eagerly wait for the climax. The makers have also incorporated a few behind-the-scenes clips so that audience can experience and interpret the drama as they want to and not be confined to the mould given by Meosha Bean and Darren Mancini. In terms of performance, Jerrel O Neal plays Tom who is a loving and caring partner to Kim on the surface but has a lot of layers to him. Neal understands the nuances in his character and performs with utmost conviction balancing between aggressive and romantic body language, utilising voice modulation, facial expression, and eyes showcasing the fear in dynamics between Tom and Kim that transcends beyond the screen therefore the audience wants Kim to break this relationship to live a happy and healthy life. Kaye Williams plays Tessa who is a right mix of emotions as well as logic. She is continuously taking efforts to find out more about the haunted house as well as the darkness of Green Height Point. Williams adapts to the changing situations in the storyline that is communicated effectively through her acting skills, body language, facial expressions, eyes, camera angles, and eerie sounds. Green Height Point talks about the theory of karma-what goes around comes around and so we should be extra careful about our behaviour as well as how others are behaving with us. The cinematic piece reiterates in regards to the basic fears like can we trust people that we allow to come into our lives these types of apprehensions cannot be avoided and the only option one has to face them. The creative piece discusses the importance of always listening to the inner conscience as it helps to deal with every issue in life that the person needs answers to. About the Film Critic Swati Verma Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Shackles Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Aug 19, 2022 Directed by: Suraj Vilas Dalvi Written by: Suraj Vilas Dalvi Starring: Rekha Dahatonde, Pawan Kale A couple have a conversation while walking home through the countryside. It is a hot day and a husband (Kale) and his wife (Dahatonde) are on their way home on foot, carrying bags of goods. They are both eager to get home and relax and have something to eat. While they are walking , they have a chat about the wife's sister and what they are going to do when they arrive home. Following a minor injury, things get more dramatic. Basically, this short drama follows a couple's journey home and it explores their relationship, which does not appear to be good. The husband disapproves of her sister and tells her off for failing to keep up with him. Later on, things get more tense, as he falls behind and she does not wait for him, resulting in an argument between them. The husband is the one who expresses negative feelings, including lack of sympathy, cruelty and anger. he comes across as controlling, rude and shows that he also has an aggressive side. The wife is presented as the victim of his behaviour and she tries to put up with him. Dalvi does a great job as the director and creates well-executed long takes and wonderful establishing shots of nature, which also gain from Akash Bankar's beautiful cinematography. Music is absent from the film, apart from the score during the closing credits, which closes the film effectively. This dramatic story focuses on an unhealthy marriage and looks into themes that involve problems that can exist within a marriage, including arguments, cruelty, indifference, controlling behaviour and domestic violence. It is a well-made film and a decent achievement. About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS And God Remembered Babylon Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Apr 14, 2022 Directed by: Matthew Ewald Written by: Matthew Ewald Starring: Matthew Ewald, Adelai Lawrence, Jeff Johnson, Shannon DeSalvo There's a long standing tradition in films of mixing supernatural horror with Nazis. Ever since Indiana Jones wrestled with Hitler's goons in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Hollywood has woken up to the infinite possibilities of the Nazis' leanings towards the occult. Since then there's been no shortage of B-movies giving us Nazi ghosts, Nazi Hell holes, Nazi demons, Nazi zombies, Nazi zombies on the moon.... Joining this tradition now, is Matthew Ewald, with his newest film-making venture, And God Remembered Babylon . Right from the off the symbolism is everywhere with Jesus on the Crucifix and the Star of David facing off against the Swastika. Ewald is Father Joel Barton, a soldier behind enemy lines, yet still very much a man on a mission from God. He talks of the horrors of war in a note for note recreation of Jim Caviezel's voice-over in The Thin Red Line and mentions a place the locals only talk about as 'The Black Barn'. In there lies the outpourings of the Nazis' evil and the consequences of their pact with the Devil. It is Father Barton's job to exorcise this enemy. By his own admission, Ewald has said that he got bored in lockdown and needed to do something. His creative juices were flowing and he felt a longing to make a film, no matter how limited its budget or where he had to scrounge materials from. The result is something that is fairly bare but which also comes with a real sense of urgency; something which helps ramp up the tension and the danger within the film's sequences. Ewald's flair for the theatrical also helps as his directorial style lays the imagery on thick, leaving the viewer in no doubt as to the forces in play. If at points the audience is aware that a lot of what's going on is Ewald and a few of his pals jumping around in the woods and hanging sticks up in their barn, everything does come satisfyingly into focus with the main showdown. This sequence in particular is very strong and lends a real sense of gravitas to the rest of the film, showing that while Ewald's production may well be B-movie his concept is definitely A-grade. Then, almost as if to test this, Ewald tries to extend his concept in a debatable future-world meta-narrative scene, complete with its own David Lynch character known only as The Authoritarian (Jeff Johnson). This scene doesn't add much to the film as a whole, and could easily have been left out, but it is interesting to see how far Ewald was willing to take his idea and how he underpinned his 'Demon Nazis in the barn' scenario. There are obvious issues with And God Remembered Babylon , not least the budget, the props and the acting, but it's hard not to feel excited and intrigued by Ewald's work. Obviously meant to be behind the camera or the typewriter, his determination of vision comes through quickly and clearly, with a lot of big ideas being squeezed into a short half-hour space. If this is what Ewald can achieve with no money and no industry around him it will be very interesting to see what he can do when he has access to both. About the Film Critic William Hemingway Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS It Takes Three Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Rachel Willis | Posted on: Aug 31, 2021 Directed by: Scott Coffey Written by: Logan Burdick, Blair Mastbaum Starring: Jared Gilman, David Gridley, Aurora Perrineau, Mikey Madison The time seems apt for another modern adaptation of Cyrano de Bergerac. But throw in a few social media-obsessed teens, and you might wonder if It Takes Three isn’t exactly what Edmond Rostand had in mind when he wrote his play. That’s giving the film a little too much credit for its cute update to a classic work. Director Scott Coffey, working from a script penned by Blair Mastbaum and Logan Burdick, uses our current social media reality to craft a film one part Cyrano and one part every other teenage rom-com. Today’s world, where people painstakingly craft the perfect online persona, lends itself well to the story of a man (in this case, teen) who uses the words of another to woo his lady love. Chris (David Gridley) – star of the internet sensation HiYA! – is enamored with feminist art lover, Roxy (Aurora Perrineau). Realizing his action star/ bro persona doesn’t mesh with Roxy’s, Chris offers to pay awkward teen, Cy (Jared Gillman) to create a new, “nerd” online persona for him. Cy wants the money for plastic surgery (though the filmmakers chose not to affix any kind of embarrassing nose to Cy’s face), so he agrees. Predictable hijinks ensue as the real Chris tries to reconcile who he is with who Cy has created online. The scenes where he spends time with Roxy offer some awkward hilarity. But this isn’t merely Cyrano retold, and we spend plenty of time with Cy, who, when he isn’t pretending to be someone else, spends his time with best friend, Kat (Mikey Madison). But as Cy falls deeper into his role as Chris’s online ego, he loses track of who he really is. Because of so many elements, the movie spreads itself too thin. Cy’s moms have quite a bit of screen time during the film’s first half (mostly to reassure Cy that his face is perfect), but then they are gone. Coffey relies on numerous teen rom-com tropes, which is good for a chuckle or two, but leaves the audience following characters never given much depth. Perhaps it’s a commentary on the unreality of modern teenage life, but more likely it’s just an oversight. Still, there’s a sweetness to the characters, and you find yourself hoping they’ll figure out how to embrace who they are in a world obsessed with perfection. About the Film Critic Rachel Willis Digital / DVD Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Baked Beans Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Jul 22, 2023 Directed by: Hugh Mann Adamson Written by: Hugh Mann Adamson, Jennifer Bulcock Starring: Jennifer Bulcock, Pauline Tomlin A troubled woman attempts to find baked beans for her autistic child. Nicole (Bulcock) is a single mother to two children, one is a baby and the other is several years older. Archie, the older one, has autism and only eats baked beans. After he refuses to eat a breakfast consisting of spaghetti loops, instead of beans, Nicole drives to the South Yorkshire Food Bank in order to acquire baked beans. There, she discovers that there are none left and she finds herself being comforted by Mary (Tomlin), who works for the organisation. This emotional short drama addresses contemporary issues that focus on the problems that are caused by the high cost of living, concerning particularly those who have disabilities and it explores all this through the eyes of a single parent, who is struggling financially and has to deal with the challenges of raising two children by herself and relying on food banks in order to feed them. The screenplay effectively shows the difficulties she goes through, with Archie crying and throwing his food on the floor, resulting in Nicole having to head of to the food bank for baked beans. There, she breaks down and tells Mary about her various misfortunes that include an abusive relationship with her former husband. Although the film contains unpleasant issues and the mood is pretty much downbeat throughout, it also includes the significance of reaching out and the strength of support. Bulcock's character is basically a victim, a mother who has gone through a lot and continues to do so, dealing with her son's disability and the high cost of living. She is struggling, yet she is determined to be strong and Bulcock plays the part very well. Mary sort of becomes her shoulder to cry on and her character points out how caring people can be. Editor Gabriel Fernandez-Gil makes good use of jump cuts and director of photography Si Gamble deserves praise for the cinematography, which includes black-and-white. The dramatic music by Ross Baillie-Eames and Jacob Maloney is a significant contribution that helps create moving scenes. This short tells a story about the struggles of life, including living with disabilities, raising children as a single parent, domestic violence and money difficulties but also about support and inner strength. It raises awareness of the high cost of living in Britain, which results in the need for food banks and this (along with the themes mentioned above) make it worthy of a lot of attention. About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Clerks III Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Sep 6, 2022 Directed by: Kevin Smith Written by: Kevin Smith Starring: Brian O'Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Kevin Smith,Jason Mewes In 2017, Danny Boyle returned to Scotland with T2 Trainspotting . You know, to see how Mark, Sick Boy, Spud and Begbie were dealing with middle age. The result was poignant, funny and self-aware. Writer/director Kevin Smith likewise revisits Leonardo, New Jersey to see how Dante and Randall are faring with their own midlife crises. Again, the result is poignant, funny and self-aware. I swear to God. For Clerks IIII, Smith delivers a wild mix of amateurish moments, inspired soundtrack choices (that’s the first time I ever enjoyed My Chemical Romance’s Welcome to the Black Parade ), sentiment, callbacks, social commentary, and genuine fondness. The end of the filmmaker’s slacker trilogy delivers an ode to independent filmmaking and his own journey as a filmmaker. Dante (Brian O’Halloran) reenacts the worst days of his youth every day, wasting his life at the convenience store he now co-owns with bestie Randall (Jeff Anderson). The long-shuttered video store next door is now a cannabis shop run by Silent Bob (Smith) and Jay (Jason Mewes), naturally. After Randall has a heart attack behind the counter, he decides the only way to give his life meaning is to film a movie of his antics at the convenience store. Essentially, Clerks. Smith’s style remains a weird mix of sincerity and irreverence. For that reason—and because his leads are the least talented actors onscreen—Clerks III sometimes lands as cloying. But both Anderson and O’Halloran also offer surprising emotional depth here, especially Anderson. Smith brings back nearly every “actor” who populated his ’94 breakout, and a few of the main players from its 2006 sequel. There’s also a lengthy montage of auditions for Randall’s movie, which allows Smith to fill the screen with other recognizable faces. The whole movie’s an inside joke, but if you’re on the inside, it’s bound to draw a smile. More than that, if you’re a Kevin Smith fan, Clerks III is a sincere mash note to you. About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >