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  • They Shot the Piano Player Review | Film Reviews

    HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS They Shot the Piano Player Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Mar 28, 2024 Directed by: Javier Mariscal, Fernando Trueba Written by: Fernando Trueda Starring: Jeff Goldblum An unusual hybrid of documentary and narrative, music and animation, They Shot the Piano Player pulls you into a political mystery. Jeff Goldblum voices the character of a New Yorker journalist writing a book about bossa nova, or so he thinks. He travels to Brazil to dig into the history of this groundbreaking musical movement and finds himself drawn to the story of one particular pianist. Inside the chaos of color, vibrant animation and remarkable soundtrack, directors Javier Mariscal and Fernando Trueba unveil a particularly turbulent moment in history. The discovery and quick popularity of Brazilian bossa nova—literally the “new wave” of samba and jazz fusion—ran headlong into a continent-wide collapse into violent, oppressive military regimes. Goldblum is one of a handful of actors whose fictional storyline collides with archival interviews with some of the musical movement’s greats. Little by little, the investigation sidesteps music to focus on the 1976 disappearance of Francisco Tenório Júnior. The filmmakers bridge audio commentary concerning the disappearance, the desperate search, and the inevitable truth with Goldblum’s fictionalized storyline. The result, much elevated by Goldblum’s characteristically offbeat performance, generally works. The filmmakers attempt to do more than uncover one of hundreds of thousands of stories of innocent lives lost to Central and South American despots beginning in the 1960s. Mariscal and Trueba want you to know Tenório, to see all that was lost when he was disappeared: father, friend, artist. And with him, the entire beautiful new wave of music and art that had been blooming across the continent. Unruly and fresh as the music it dances to, They Shot the Piano Player sometimes loses its train of thought. The outright documentary content is probably compelling enough—even if told via animation—to omit the fictionalized sleuthing. But the way Mariscal and Trueba couch the heartbreaking loss of one life within the larger artistic loss of an entire art form is melancholy magic. About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release, World Cinema, Animation < All Reviews Next Film Review >

  • Short Film Reviews | UK Film Review

    Short Film Reviews Welcome to the UK Film Review page for short film reviews . Here you will find some of the best and brightest sparks in a sea of cinema. Filmmakers from across the globe submit their short films to us to be reviewed, and our Contributors lovingly dissect them. If you would like one of our team to write a film review of your short film, please use the form below or visit our Submit Your Film page Our short film reviews are written by passionate film critics across the UK and aim to highlight and promote terrific filmmaking when we find it. We are always honest with our reviews, so if you are looking to submit your short film for review, please do so knowing that we will not alter what we have said because you don't like it. There is a wealth of amazing talent in the short film industry, and we hope by writing film reviews about this underexposed creativity we can get your movies to a new audience...but we need your help. Please join in the chatter on our social media channels so that we can grow our community and share the joy. Use the buttons in the footer to Like us on Facebook, Follow us on Twitter, and Subscribe to us on YouTube #supportindiefilm. Get Reviewed! Submit Your Short Film Film Type Landscape Still Upload supported file (Max 15MB) I want to subscribe to the filmmakers newsletter. I accept terms & conditions of the Privacy Policy. Select an item (£) 7-Day Written Review - £39 7-Day Written Review + Podcast Review - £69 PLEASE NOTE: The cost to Skip the Queue and a 1-Week Turnaround is £39. For FREE REVIEWS or other turnaround times - See Options HERE . Submit Your Film alexjames96 Mar 17 2 min After Hours Short Movie Review alexjames96 Mar 17 2 min Cinerama (Music Video) Short Film Review Chris Olson Mar 1 3 min Film Podcast: George Clooney Rowing Biopic Scoops Film of the Month Chris Olson Feb 22 3 min Film Podcast: Anthony Hopkins drama crowned "Film of the Month" alexjames96 Feb 17 2 min Mannequin Short Film Review alexjames96 Feb 17 2 min The Separation Short Film Review alexjames96 Feb 17 2 min Bare Foot Short Film Review William Hemingway Jan 18 8 min Filmmaker Interview with Jiwon Lee alexjames96 Dec 19, 2023 2 min Dominion Short Film Review alexjames96 Dec 19, 2023 2 min Homecoming (Music Video) Short Film Review alexjames96 Dec 19, 2023 2 min Sunset Drive Short Film Review Chris Olson Nov 28, 2023 5 min Filmmaker Interview with Alexander Ratter alexjames96 Nov 16, 2023 2 min Purely Cosmetic Short Film Review alexjames96 Nov 16, 2023 2 min What Remains Short Film Review alexjames96 Nov 16, 2023 2 min Sheep F-cked In the Head Short Film Review Chris Olson Nov 13, 2023 3 min Filmmaker Interview with Aimie Willemse alexjames96 Oct 13, 2023 2 min Uncharted Expedition Short Film Review alexjames96 Oct 13, 2023 2 min The Mountain Short Film Review alexjames96 Oct 13, 2023 2 min The Incredible Story of the First Woman Film Director Short Film Review Chris Olson Sep 30, 2023 2 min The Stupid Boy short film review More Film Reviews Dustlight Chris Buick Shear Disturbance James Learoyd Deep It Swati Verma Trigger William Hemingway A Wild Life Joe Beck RedSin: Martyrs of Dissent Chris Buick Seagram Swati Verma NADIA Joe Beck Drawn Out Patrick Foley Do We Have A Chance? William Hemingway 18 Chris Buick Portal Swati Verma Beneath A Mother's Feet Patrick Foley Black Screen Joe Beck Vole Jason Knight Continuum William Hemingway The ACTT Jason Knight The Head Returns Chris Buick Maison Patrick Foley The Coronating Joe Beck Raspberry William Hemingway Savage Sands Chris Buick 138: Last Day James Learoyd The Tragedy of Senator Abe Froeman James Learoyd You Okay? Jason Knight Load More Reviews What is a short film review? A short film review is often written by a movie critic and it's their opinion on a film that is less than sixty minutes long. Short film reviews still explore every aspect of a movie. How do I write a short film review? Writing a short film review needs to cover multiple aspects of the movie. Including the script, the characters, performances, cinematography, score & sound design, editing and so on. How long should a film review be? A film review should be as long as the house style. Some publications provide lengthier reviews than others. A general minimum word count would be 300. How much money do film critics make? Film critic salaries depend massively on their publication. Many film critics are freelancers, meaning they get paid per review and sometimes this is based on word count. Making money through film reviews can be challenging.

  • Music Video Reviews | UK Film Review

    Music Video Reviews One of the most exciting sub-genres our critics review is music videos. They are often incredible pieces of storytelling, either in their own right or aligned with the song playing over them. On this page you will find a great selection of music video reviews from the team of critics at UK Film Review. ​ If you are a filmmaker or artist who would like us to review your music video, submit your film here . ​ When it comes to reviewing a music video, the process differs slightly from perhaps a narrative short film or documentary. The music has to be explored far more intimately than if it were a soundtrack because that's where the story originates from rather than being added further down the line. Music videos do conform to genres but these are often musical genres rather than film categories, for example pop, folk, rock, rap etc. So this will also influence the music video review our critics write because the target audience is going to be considered. ​ Music videos may take a variety of forms or even combine different aspects to create a different effect on the viewer. For example, it is common for a music video to contain a small narrative, as well as live performance footage. Top filmmakers making music videos will be able to immerse you into the song and story without leaving you feeling like you have just watched a promo piece. ​ Choreography is also a common trait in music videos, with dance sequences and flash mobs recurring - often in pop music videos. Editors of music videos will have their work cut out to ensure the choreography looks tight and engaging without it feeling staged or lifeless. ​ Hopefully the array of music video reviews you see below will include some gems for you to peruse. Don't forget to scroll to the bottom of the article, as we often include the actual music video so you can watch it for yourself. Rooftop Screamers Joe Beck Hot Chip Eleanor Swati Verma A New Kind of Life Jason Knight Vaarwell - Quarter Life Crisis - EP Campaign Patrick Foley KYTLY - "Neverending" Patrick Foley Rebel Rob Jones Millais Flower Honey - Sugarless Rob Jones Som.1-Ultimatum Jason Knight My Brain Does Not Compute William Hemingway alexjames96 Mar 17 2 min Cinerama (Music Video) Short Film Review alexjames96 Dec 19, 2023 2 min Homecoming (Music Video) Short Film Review alexjames96 Nov 16, 2023 2 min Sheep F-cked In the Head Short Film Review Theo Aug 1, 2022 2 min Service for The King short film review Chris Olson Sep 28, 2021 2 min Stroke Code Music Video Review Alicia Moore Sep 22, 2021 3 min COVID 19 Music Video Review More Film Reviews

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  • After Hours Short Movie Review

    ★★★ Starring: #KieranReeves, #ZainUllah, #TeniOsho, #ArchieClark, #OliviaBurley Directed by: #Shayaan Short Film Review by: Alexandra James After Hours is a short crime film that explores some extremely dark themes. The film begins in a flat, people have been drinking, but there is one girl in particular who seems to have taken drunkenness to another level and unfortunately for her, this leaves her in a very dangerous and vulnerable position. The audience at this stage can guess what happens next for this young girl, and its at this point the story takes a sinister turn. Director Shayaan who also created North Nights has a clear passion for crime and gangster theme short films and has created his own cinematic style and its interesting to see this carry through to the film After Hours. You can see there is a particular look and feel to each of his films and its great to see this established style develop within his projects. Many of the camera angles used throughout this film were diverse and set this film at an impressive level in terms of quality. There were occasions that the film appeared too dark in places so became difficult to make out what was taking place, however, the car scenes and within the parking garage were all fantastic and helped to create this into an action-packed short. Moreover, the main protagonist was a great choice of actor, the character was filled with rage and needed to establish that dominance over others, so it was crucial that he was able to tap into that deep emotion and convey his pain and torment. I would liken this actor to Stephen Graham, who can portray a wide range of emotions in such a deep and raw way that the audience are able to feel that character’s pain. This is a crucial skill to adopt for any actor and makes for an exciting and dramatic film. Unfortunately, not all the actors were up to this standard, and this can simply be put down to inexperience and lack of confidence, this is a skill that can be acquired over time, it meant that some of the characters seemed very detached from the scene and looked somewhat emotionless when dealing with some extremely heavy and dark subjects. It was also difficult to understand how the characters were connected to one another and the story sometimes became lost amongst the chaos. With a short film, the audience need to be able to connect with the characters and know the link between them to follow the central story. When trying to determine this, the story becomes confused, and it can be hard to remain engaged. Keep it tight and concise, with such an action packed and dramatic piece we need to establish whose who so that we can watch the turmoil unfold and develop. All in all, there are some great elements to this film and Shayaan should continue to develop his projects further and delve deeper into the world of crime films, this is a clear passion of the directors that should be explored.

  • Cinerama (Music Video) Short Film Review

    ★★★★★ Directed by: #MaxFox Short Film Review by: Alexandra James Cinerama is a short music video created by Matt Fulks also known as the Mad Fox. It is a short rap video, however, its also a great trivia game in terms of how many movie references you can spot in 3 minutes and 47 seconds. This video is crammed with fantastic edits of classic movies from Psycho, The Shining, North by Northwest to James Bond, Happy Gilmore, Pulp Fiction and so many more. However, this is not a video that does things by halves as a lot of detail is put into each movie reference, and there are a lot! The imagination and creativity within this short video are at a high level. It was great to see some classic films being included as well. The video begins in a cinema and there are numerous short clips of famous scenes from movies we all love. Combined with the lyrics, the video fit in perfectly with the scenes, and is jam packed with references, it was hard to keep track of them all. What worked well was the level of detail, it’s clear that a green screen was not used to portray the reimagining of all these scenes (apart from E.T flying past the moon!) instead a lot of hard work and effort is put into this piece and Cinerama certainly reflects that dedication to the project. This is certainly a challenging video, as not only does the song and lyrics need to come across powerful and engaging but also our protagonist needs to remain in character for a bunch of different roles. Essentially Cinerama is multiple videos wrapped into one which is a difficult concept to pull off, however, the transitions between each scene are seamless. I really enjoyed seeing some oldies but goldies in there, such as Alfred Hitchcock’s classics, however, the overall vibe of the video is young, fresh, and appealing to people of all ages by mixing old with the new. It did feel as though we were bombarded with a lot of scenes, and it would have been great to see these cutaways for a longer length of time to really appreciate the amount of work and detail in each scene, understandably with 30 different movie references it can become overwhelming! However, this is not a negative it just would have been great for the audience to really admire and take in each scene. Cinerama was attention grabbing, creative and energetic. I would love to see more of Matt Fulks innovative projects as well as see this creativity develop further with his love of music and cinema, this can pave the way for any artist to reflect this passion within their work.

  • Film Podcast - Dune: Part 2

    Film Feature by Chris Olson On Thursday March 7th, 2024, regular Nerd News providers The Fantom Zone released their epic podcast episode covering (in incredible detail) the biggest film release of the year so far - Dune: Part 2. Part of the UK Film Review Podcast collection of awesome film podcasts, The Fantom Zone is made up of Chris, Ian, Symone and Toby, who entertain their listeners with regular banter and bickering about comic book films, superheroes, and generally nerdy things (their words). This month's film podcast episode for them focused on the latest movie adaptation of the 1965 sci-fi novel from author Frank Herbert. The story is known as being "unfilmable" and the 1980s attempt by David Lynch left me and fellow film critic Brian Penn less than impressed in our recent film podcast episode for UK Film Club (another UKFR show). You can check out our thoughts on the Lynchian Dune in Episode 12 of UK Film Club on all good podcast platforms. But 2024 is all about filmmaker Denis Villeneuve's second instalment, after a very impressive first part in 2021. With an incredible cast, including Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Florence Pugh, Austin Butler and Christopher Walken in a bathrobe, audience expectations for Dune: Part 2 were high - almost as much as those on cinemas for stocking those special edition popcorn containers. In the episode of The Fantom Zone, the film critics were broadly impressed by almost all aspects of the film. Which is rare (see their episode on Oppenheimer!). For a film that closes in on a 3-hour run time, one of the only complaints was that the film was too short, which, if we are honest is a compliment. Chris Buick was sadly missing from this month's film podcast episode but for the remaining 3 hosts, they each had different reasons for loving Dune: Part 2 and the episode is well worth a listen if you have seen the film. If you haven't yet seen Dune: Part 2, perhaps wait to listen to the episode - as it contains a ton of spoilers. It also contains a brief mention of Avatar 2 and some incredible impressions of Groundskeeper Willie from The Simpsons, so it literally has everything. Listen below or find the episode on ALL good podcast platforms by searching UK Film Review Podcast.

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