Sideworld: Damnation Village film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring George Popov, Helen O'Connor, William Poulter directed by George Popov. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Sideworld: Damnation Village Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Nov 16, 2022 Directed by: George Popov Written by: Jonathan Russell Starring: George Popov, Helen O'Connor, William Poulter Director/narrator George Popov and writer Jonathan Russell return to England’s shadowy past for the third installment of their documentary series, Sideworld: Damnation Village. We leave the forests and seas behind to peek inside the cottages, inns and public houses beset by residents unwilling or unable to leave. The sixty-minute doc benefits again from the collaboration of a team that’s clearly on the same page. Russell and Popov have worked together, not only on both previous installments in this series (The Haunted Forests of England and Terrors of the Sea ) but also the narrative features Hex and The Droving . Cinematographer Richard Suckling once again helps Popov fill the screen with spooky but beautiful scenes, while composer Matthew Laming again breathes eerie life to the imagery with his whispering, whistling score. Their focus this go-round are the tiny clusters of cottages dotting the English countryside, villages that have withstood centuries of war, pestilence and trauma that have left their marks. We begin, of course, in Pluckley – Guinness’s “most haunted village”. The film moves on to Prestbury and the tale of, among others, the Black Abbott. Visits to the mostly empty villages are accompanied by Popov’s associated tale of the macabre. The filmmakers enlist actors Helen O’Connor and William Poulter to give voice to letters, articles and witness accounts. As intriguing as the tales of lost love and criminal retribution are, it’s the mournful story of Eyam that stays with you. Perhaps it’s the connection to modern tragedy – Eyam voluntarily quarantined during the Plague, saving all the communities around it from infection but dooming themselves in the process. As the series progresses, an interest in connecting the spectral with the scientific has become one of Sideworld ’s prominent elements. In this case, Popov and company explore British archeologist/author T.C. Lethbridge’s Stone Tape theory to help explain recurring, looping paranormal phenomena. Perhaps what best sets this series apart from other spooky folklore entertainment is its reverence for the subject – not just the scary stories, but the actual human lives behind them. Mingled with the solid storytelling – visual and aural – the heady concoction delivers another solid look at the unexplainable. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Digital / DVD Release, Documentary < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Bilskådaren (The Car Spotter) film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring Mats Qvistrom, Ann-Sofie Kylin, Bjorn Andresen directed by Martin Sandin. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Bilskådaren (The Car Spotter) Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Nov 13, 2022 Directed by: Martin Sandin Written by: Martin Sandin Starring: Mats Qvistrom, Ann-Sofie Kylin, Bjorn Andresen Sitting at the side of the road spotting cars to complete a checklist might seem like a crazy hobby. But then again, we live in a nation that is about to drop millions of pounds on stickers with footballers faces on them. Bilskådaren (The Car Spotter) is a charming Swedish short about an unusual hobby, and the importance of sharing passions in a relationship. Peo (Mats Qvistrom) has recently become a car spotter – a motor enthusiast who sits at the side of the road marking off the makes of vehicles that drive past him on a desolate highway. His wife Gitta (Ann-Sofie Kylin) accepts her husband’s new passion, but feels lonely given the hours he commits to his hobby. As Peo dreams of photographing a classic car, roguish Lennart (Bjorn Andresen) asks Gitta if she wants to grab a drink… A warm, quirky Swedish comedy, Bilskådaren succeeds as both a funny and straightforward story about eccentricity, whilst managing to make touching observations on the importance of ensuring that love does not wither with familiarity – and that time together can itself be a grand gesture. Peo’s overcoming of his ignorance as to his wife’s loneliness, and his karmic reward emblemises the film’s theme – that some activities are better with company, and that relationships cannot be taken for granted if one stops rejuvenating love with time spent together. The film has a soft documentary format, with an imagined filmmaker following Peo as he pursues car spotting, and also taking the opinion of his wife. It is an effective way to frame Peo and Gitta’s story – and makes clear that spending all day watching cars go by is, as Gitta quietly believes, somewhat farcical. But the director never allows this to be at the detriment of the story. Lennart’s pass at Gitta is portrayed fictionally, as is the film’s climax as the couple work together to achieve Peo’s goal. Mats Qvistrom shines as the pitiful protagonist. Peo is a sadsack character, whose ignorance to the imminent collapse of his marriage is tragically humorous. Qvistrom’s ability to gain empathy from the audience, whilst also demonstrating an appropriate negligence of his wife to the degree that her wavering commitment is reasonable is a fine piece of work. Similarly, Ann-Sofie Kylin’s portrayal as the long-suffering Gitta is also relatable, and no viewers will be questioning her feelings of isolation. Both actors share a chemistry when on screen together, and the nature of their relationship is completely authentic. The film is beautifully shot and produced – with warm and crisp imagery of the desolate Swedish countryside playing brilliantly into the sense of solitude that is necessary for the film’s plot to function. There is a real Scandinavian feel to the direction, and fans of the region’s cinema will feel at home. Bilskådaren is amusing, uplifting and unexpectedly poignant Swedish short. And it certainly beats watching the traffic go by. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Theatrical Release, Digital / DVD Release, Short Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Holdovers film review by UK film critic George Wolf. Starring Paul Giamatti, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Dominic Sesssa directed by Alexander Payne. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Holdovers Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: George Wolf | Posted on: Nov 8, 2023 Directed by: Alexander Payne Written by: David Hemingson Starring: Paul Giamatti, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Dominic Sesssa It’s the holiday season! The time of peace, joy, and goodwill! Or…conflict, resentment, and spite. Director Alexander Payne serves up plenty from group B in The Holdovers, a period comedy that also finds time to unwrap some warmth and understanding. It is December 1970, and most of the boys at New England’s Barton boarding school are heading home for the two-week Christmas break. Circumstance has left five “holdovers” behind, where they will endure the disciplined regimen of Mr. Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti), a bitter history teacher who delights in the misery of his rich, entitled students. But through an additionally cruel twist of fate for the angry, young Angus Tully (newcomer Dominic Sessa), the four other left behinds get sprung, leaving Angus alone with the cantankerous teacher the boys have nicknamed “Walleye.” Well they’re not quite alone. Kitchen manager Mary Lamb (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) is on campus, too. Mary’s still mourning the loss of her son Curtis in Vietnam, and she has no room in her heart of festive merrymaking. Giamatti is perfection as a man who seems to have forged a comfortable “hate-hate” relationship with life. Sessa impresses in his screen debut, giving depth to the rebellion that has brought Angus multiple expulsions from multiple schools. And Randolph brings plenty of weary humanity, crafting Mary as a heartbroken woman still trying to understand why her Curtis was deemed more expendable than these rich white boys who are preparing for college instead of war. And as Mr. Hunham tells Angus that we “must begin in the past to understand the present,” David Hemingson’s script sends the three unlikely friends off on a “field trip.” The adventure will reveal how their respective pasts have shaped them, and how they may have more in common than they knew. There are areas of contrivance that recall Hemingson’s extensive TV resume, but Payne (Nebraska, Sideways, The Descendants ) grounds it all with a comfortable restraint that allows the actors and some terrific production design to work authentic moments of magic and laughter. We all have a story. Life can be unfair, and most of us are struggling with something. Be kind. Those are lessons that seem to resonate a little deeper this time of year, which means now is the perfect time to accept an invitation from The Holdovers. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic George Wolf Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Sublime Hubris film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Harleigh McCullum, David Matthew Johnson, Ryan Anderson directed by David Matthew Johnson. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Sublime Hubris Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Jun 4, 2024 Directed by: David Matthew Johnson Written by: David Matthew Johnson Starring: Harleigh McCullum, David Matthew Johnson, Ryan Anderson A young man expresses his negative perspective on humanity. This experimental feature-length drama utilises a variety of filmmaking techniques in order to tell a story. With the main character's voice-over, it starts off with a series of long takes, with the camera being static. Later on, there is brief camera movement and from then on the story is told via still images, before a black screen takes over for the last twenty minutes or so with narration being the only form of storytelling during that sequence. The seventy-minute-long film is in black-and-white, apart from a brief long-take scene. Why is that scene in colour? That is not explained. The protagonist is a young guy (McCullum) and judging by his voice-over, he does not like people. He sees them as no-good and believes that he is superior to them. He is an outsider, a loner and through his voice-over, he talks about how much he detests everyone. He also states that he enjoys watching people so that he can observe them and find out in what ways they are flawed. The first half hour or so is slow, with long takes showing the man engaging in a variety of activities that involve lying down on a pavement, leaning against a wall or sitting on a bench. During this, his narration provides an insight into his unjoyful point of view regarding humanity. Things start to pick up when he encounters an unfortunate guy (Johnson) who was beaten up outside a bar. The protagonist approaches the guy and he manipulates him into becoming his so-called 'Warrior' and convinces him to embark on a path of violence. Using still images in order to tell a story is unusual in the world of filmmaking and the images along with the editing and the voice-over create a narrative that is easy to follow. The black screen that occupies the final fifteen to twenty minutes of the film creates quite a different viewing experience in comparison to the rest of the feature, like listening to the radio. It should be mentioned that apart from the voice-over there is no speech. Some viewers might find the music to be a let-down. The score that is heard throughout is repetitive and it sounds more like a continuous noise. The intention was probably to create drama, however listening to it feels dull. This is a story about isolation and a misanthropy and it explores these two subjects through the eyes of a troubled and angry youth. What primarily stands out are the filmmaking techniques, how the feature moves from long takes, to stills, then to a black screen, in order to create a narrative. The creativity is to be recognised and so is the intriguing dark story. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Babes film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Ilana Glazer, Michelle Buteau, John Carroll Lynch directed by Pamela Adlon. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Babes Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: May 22, 2024 Directed by: Pamela Adlon Written by: Ilana Glazer, Josh Rabinowitz Starring: Ilana Glazer, Michelle Buteau, John Carroll Lynch Bobby Hill makes a movie. I think we always knew he was a feminist. Director Pamela Adlon, longtime actor and brilliant voice actor (winning an Emmy for her work on King of the Hill ), helms her first feature with Babes , the tale of two of lifelong best friends grappling with the sloppy tensions motherhood can put on a friendship. Adlon works with a script by co-star Ilana Glazer and Josh Rabinowitz, who wrote together on Glazer’s breakout sitcom Broad City , so you can guess what to expect: raunchy hilarity based in shameless womanhood. Yes, please. This is Glazer’s sweet spot. She’s plays Eden, whose free spirit is met with increasingly harried laughs by Michelle Buteau (Survival of the Thickest ). Buteau’s Dawn has just given birth to her second child and realizes that it only gets harder. Everything. All things. Harder. Just when Dawn could use her delightfully odd bestie’s help, Eden finds herself pregnant, quickly becoming just another bottomless source of need. Applause to Babes for doing more than checking off boxes: premise, catalyst, etc. Dawn’s pregnancy mishap is actually among the most endearing plot points in a surprisingly lovely, if deeply gross, film. The raucous irresponsibility that fueled Broad City enlivens Babes as well, but there’s more to this story than body fluids and lady parts. Glazer and Buteau share a charming, lived-in chemistry that enriches their sharp comic timing and riotous delivery. They’re not alone. Delightful supporting turns from Hasan Minaj, Stephen James and John Carroll Lynch add depth to situations, developing dimensional characters we become invested in. Childhood best friendship rarely really survives adulthood. Babes wonders whether it can, with the right mix of forgiveness and need, distance and support, breast milk and feces. Glazer’s irreverent humor loses none of its edge, but there’s now more depth and humanity. The laughs come early and often, but Babes delives a lot of heart as well. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Chain Reactions film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Patton Oswalt, Stepehen King, Takashi Miike, Karyn Kusama directed by Alexandre O. Philippe. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Chain Reactions Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Oct 7, 2025 Directed by: Alexandre O. Philippe Written by: Alexandre O. Philipps Starring: Patton Oswalt, Stepehen King, Takashi Miike, Karyn Kusama Not everyone believes Tobe Hooper’s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a masterpiece of American filmmaking. I find those people suspicious. Luckily, those are not the people filmmaker Alexandre O. Philippe (Memory: The Origins of Alien , 78/52) talks to for his latest documentary, Chain Reactions. The film is a celebration of 50 years of TCM. The celebrants are five of the film’s biggest fans: Patton Oswalt, Takashi Miike , Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Stephen King, and Karyn Kusama. It’s a good group. Each share intimate and individual reminiscences and theories about the film, its impact on them as artists, and its relevance as a piece of American cinema. What their ruminations have in common is just as fascinating as the ways in which their thoughts differ. Heller-Nicholas, an Australian film critic and writer, creates a fascinating connection between Hooper’s sunbaked tale of a cannibal family with desert-set Aussie horrors like Wake in Fright and Wolf Creek. Meanwhile, Kusama sees the story as profoundly, almost poignantly American. And Miike, genre master responsible for some of the most magnificent and difficult films horror has to offer, including Ichi the Killer and Audition , credits The Texas Chain Saw Massacre with inspiring him to become a filmmaker. And all because a Charlie Chaplin retrospective was sold out! Philippe’s approach is that of a fan and an investigator. When Oswalt compares Hooper scenes to those from silent horror classics, Philippe split screens the images for our consideration. When Kusama digs into the importance of the color red, Chain Reactions shows us. We feel the macabre comedy, the verité horror, the beauty and the grotesque. It’s fascinating what the different speakers have in common. So many talk about Leatherface, worry about him, pointing out that from Leatherface’s perspective, TCM is a home invasion movie. What you can’t escape is the film’s influence and its craft. The set design should be studied. Hooper’s use of color, his preoccupation with the sun and the moon, the way he juxtaposes images of genuine beauty with the grimmest sights imaginable. Each of these artists came to the film from a different perspective—some having seen it early enough in their youth to have been left scarred, others having taken it in as adults and still being left scarred. But each one sees layers and importance—poetry, even—in Hooper’s slice of savage cinema. Chain Reactions is an absolute treasure of a film for fans of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre . Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release, Documentary < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Hugo film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Rianne Cloudie directed by Rianne Cloudie. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Hugo Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Sep 10, 2025 Directed by: Rianne Cloudie Written by: Rianne Cloudie Starring: Rianne Cloudie A young woman deals with her substance abuse and past trauma in a variety of ways, symbolically representing them and turning them into repeating motifs as she works through it all in front of the camera. In writer, director, and star, Rianne Cloudie’s new short film, Hugo , we find her stuck inside her own lush apartment with her cat. Whatever has happened to Cloudie before we get there is not shared with us, but instead we see her dealing with the fallout of her emotions and her past as she goes through the motions of ritualising her trauma. At points we see her wrapping her head in cling film, taking a bath in an inky black liquid that could very well pass for blood, sleeping with a giant stuffed snake, crushing up and stabbing at roses – making them into broken flowers that she tries to stuff back in the vase, and then, of course, there’s the eating of the lemons. It seems as though life has gone out of its way to give Cloudie lemons, lots of them. Her fridge is full to the gunnels with them, packed tightly into bowls, jars, and caddies, and they’re on top of her counters and on her coffee table, too. The problem is that Cloudie seems to be resolutely not making any lemonade out of the lemons she appears to have been given, and it may well be this symbolic representation that gets to the heart of where her problems lie. Instead she’s just going around, moping in her lavishly furnished apartment, wandering about in her jim-jams, repeating the same four or five rituals again and again in an attempt to purge herself of whatever she’s feeling inside, ultimately resolving nothing and getting nowhere. Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of time for Cloudie to explain her situation to the viewer, as the entire film barely lasts two-minutes. There are some clues in the symbols, including a jar of what’s labelled, ‘Hugo Tears’, but mostly everything is expressed in a code that only Cloudie is likely to understand. Everything is given to us in short, fast cuts, which flit around the apartment and repeat the various symbols and machinations that Cloudie is trying to share with us, but we barely spend any time on one idea before moving onto the next. There’s no dialogue to go along with the visuals, so there’s no hope for any explanation there, and the sound recording only gives us the incidental sounds of the apartment, as well as maybe a couple of other sounds which never get alluded to, making it difficult to pick up on any narrative or motivation which may be there in the scenario. After around the sixth or seventh time of viewing, a couple of other symbols flashed up in front of my eyes which hadn’t registered before, due to the extremely quick nature of the editing, and which might have had some bearing on Cloudie’s story. Sadly, anyone watching Hugo for the first (and probably only) time is likely to miss these, and it’s unclear just how important they were anyway, being flashed up and then moved past as the other symbols took precedence in get repeated. While there may be a lot going on in Cloudie’s mind during Hugo , and a lot of it getting represented on the screen in some way, there’s a disconnect between the filmmaker and the viewer in terms of how much of it actually gets relayed. While the technical aspects of Hugo are all well-handled, the arthouse nature of the film stops the message and the themes from coming through entirely. The symbolism of the narrative is all very well, and Cloudie expresses this in a visual language that works well on screen, but rather than just looking good, it’s important that the audience is taken on the journey along with the main character, and that is something that isn’t entirely achieved in Hugo . Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Digital / DVD Release, Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Dipsomaniac film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Danny Zuhlke, Ben Rosenthal, Sue Shaheen, Luisa Lee, Yurel Echezaretta directed by Jeremy Stewart. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Dipsomaniac Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Nov 18, 2023 Directed by: Jeremy Stewart Written by: Danny Zuhlke Starring: Danny Zuhlke, Ben Rosenthal, Sue Shaheen, Luisa Lee, Yurel Echezaretta A birthday celebration inside a party bus turns dramatic for two friends. It is Hal's (Zuhlke) 27th birthday and to mark the occassion, he has hired a party bus and has invited his friend Tim (Rosenthal) along. So it is a nice, sunny day and Tim arrives at the parked bus, where Hal is waiting for him inside the bus. It is just the two of them for now and they have a drink and catch up. Then things get busier and more complicated with the arrival of two strippers and go even further when suddenly a large number of guests fills the bus. Although the narrative of this short comedy drama film revolves around a birthday party, it is not all happy jolly and not without dramatic moments. Initially, things go OK with the two friends chatting by themselves, although Tim appears uncomfortable due to Hal's erratic behaviour and he gets even less relaxed when the strippers join them, one of which is male. The encounter does not evolve in a fun way, with Hal unwillingly offending the exotic dancers and when the party crowd arrives later, Tim is outraged by Hal's hard partying and willingness to be surrounded by strangers who do not care about him. The plot is basically a celebration going downhill, paying particular attention to Hal's awkward and inconsiderate actions. What themes are explored here? Friendship is a main subject and so is self-reflection. The film is meant to raise awareness of mental health and substance addiction, the latter being evident in the character of Hal, who drinks a lot and takes drugs. The dramatic plot twist at the end further supports the idea that the story is about mental health. The story is told primarily through Tim's perspective and he appears to be in control of himself, quite the opposite to Hal, who is outspoken with an unpredictable behaviour. The screenplay also explores the life of Raine (Shaheen), the bus driver. The film is separated into chapters and the image trembles at certain parts throughout, a technique that was probably utilised to signify the characters' troubled state of mind. The filmmakers are quite creative with the lighting techniques, which are accompanied by Alyssa Brocato's beautiful cinematography. The soundtrack has a good selection of songs of which Boys Don't Cry by SEB plays during the opening and closing credits and it is rather effective. This short contains awkward moments, humour, drama, references to famous musicians and it is a commentary about mental health and substance addiction. Zuhlke's performance stands out and so does the plot twist. Overall, it is an intriguing viewing that points out significant issues to be taken under consideration. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Bonnie and Orville film review by UK film critic James Learoyd. Starring Alanna Schneider, Jacob Rose directed by Alanna Schneider. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Bonnie and Orville Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: James Learoyd | Posted on: May 15, 2025 Directed by: Alanna Schneider Written by: Alanna Schneider Starring: Alanna Schneider, Jacob Rose Bonnie and Orville , a short British horror from writer-director Alanna Schneider, is tense, shocking, and above all else, entertaining from beginning to end. We open on our two titular characters, Bonnie (played by Schneider) and Orville (Jacob Rose), locked away in a barn. Immediately, the film plays with perspective in a most amusing and impactful way – perspective is something which the film manipulates to its own advantage at the turning point of the narrative as well. At first, we’re to presume that there’s also a baby in the barn, crying through the night, but we quickly realise that this is Bonnie’s warped perspective. Clearly, there was once a baby in the barn, but something has happened. These are characters attempting to survive despite being trapped by, at first, unseen monstrous forces; and Bonnie’s mental state is also paying the price for the distress they’ve had to face. One intriguing aspect of the movie’s design and aesthetic is the odd mixture of time-periods indicated through the costumes and props. For instance, were you to take the opening few minutes of Bonnie and Orville in isolation, it would absolutely appear to be a period piece; we’re in medieval times, you may very well presume. But modern elements begin to bleed into the scenery – telephone wires, for instance – and it’s quite disconcerting. This comes into full effect when the plot switches gears around half-way through. In what I would argue is the piece’s most incredible, impactful sequence, a large individual with a plastic pig face comes crashing into the barn holding a taser – yet another modern implement. What follows is a discombobulating evolution of terror and absurdity. One’s reminded of some other great works while watching, which is a good sign. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre , for one; and there’s an image towards the climax of the film – involving a cannibalistic feast – which very much evokes a scene from Peter Greenaway’s masterpiece The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover . Whether that movie has served as an inspiration or not, the gruesome display makes for a fabulously disturbing image. This horror set piece, consisting of icky, effective sound-design and gory effects aplenty, takes place within the context of our main perspective-shift: revealing the monsters of the story, and then following said monsters into their home. It’s such an unnerving way to reorient your story, and in less than ten minutes, you can appreciate the intelligent, Psycho- esque structure. It’s a decidedly rare thing when a film like this gets my heart properly racing, but Bonnie and Orville somehow manages that during the pig-head entrance previously discussed. Because there’s a patient, quiet buildup during the first half, the second hits with awesome force. It’s not a technically flawless film (not that anything should be) and you could point your finger towards a couple of fuzzy, phone-filmed exteriors, or maybe one iffy line delivery. Yet overall, we’re blessed with fascinating writing, immersive design, clean audio, strong performances and stylish cinematography. This critic strongly recommends this new independent short for any horror film fans. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic James Learoyd Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

I Don't Like Shitting In Public film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Nathan Jonathan, Dave Mygind directed by Ken Abalos. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS I Don't Like Shitting In Public Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Jul 15, 2024 Directed by: Ken Abalos Written by: Ken Abalos Starring: Nathan Jonathan, Dave Mygind Let’s be honest – nobody likes having to use public toilets. It’s not like it was in the olden days, when everything was made of tile and marble and brass, and there was a gentleman in suit and tie ready with a flannel and a spritz of eau de cologne to buoy you back up before you re-entered whichever public space you had graciously exited from. Nowadays it’s all plastic-coated cubicles which are invariably filthy and smelly and which harbour an unknown amount of seriously gnarly germs. You’re lucky if there’s any toilet paper in the holder, without it being unravelled all over the floor or stuffed down the pan, and even luckier if the paper itself is useable and holds together enough for your fingers not to punch holes through it. You also have to deal with the fact that some people don’t seem to know how to work a flush, and if you’re a guy, that everything, and I mean everything whether it’s wet or not, is covered in piss. It’s no wonder then, that some people develop an aversion to doing their business in public restrooms. For some it’s not even about all of that other stuff above, but more about their own noises and smells and shame which means that they develop ‘shy bowel syndrome’ or ‘psychogenic faecal retention’ or ‘parcopresis’ if we are to give it its proper name. Obviously though, this is an area of the human condition which is ripe for the picking when it comes to a little bit of comedy, and as such writer/director Ken Abalos has decided to go there for his new short, I Don’t Like Shitting In Public . With it being just over four minutes long, you can get most of what you need to know about Abalos’ short film from its title. As such, we follow an unnamed protagonist as he goes about his day at work, having his lunch at his desk, getting weirded out by the slippery slurpings and cacophony of crunching which surrounds him like a bad ASMR recording. Pretty soon our guy feels the familiar rumblings in his tummy and realises that he might not get a chance to finish his lunch as something more pressing this way comes. Cue, a quick dash to the loos, some cowering in the cubicles, some peeking out from behind the door and a very unsatisfying result which offers no relief. So, there’s nothing else for it, our guy then decides he’s got to go home and crimp one off there, so he makes his excuses, lies to his work colleagues and heads off to find the only porcelain throne which meets his standards – until…. And so, there’s a nice little twist towards the end of I Don’t Like Shitting In Public which, in truth, rounds off and saves the story from being rather banal and empty of character. The minimal dialogue offers rather few chances for laughs and while Nathan Jonathan does well at portraying the very real fear of pooping your own pants, he is in no way a Mr Bean or Lee Evans in terms of his silent, physical comedy. There’s not enough in the four minutes of I Don’t Like Shitting In Public to really grab the viewer and certainly nothing new, as it’s an old joke we’ve seen plenty of times on TV. The ending does bolster things slightly though, and the rest of the production is put together nicely, so if like Leslie Nielsen at eighty-four, you’re still childish enough to laugh at a good bit of toilet humour, this may well be the short film for you. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Victim No. 6 film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring Heather Brittain O'Scanlon, Russ Russo. Rachel Farrar directed by Nancy Menagh. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Victim No. 6 Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Jan 30, 2022 Directed by: Nancy Menagh Written by: Nancy Menagh Starring: Heather Brittain O'Scanlon, Russ Russo. Rachel Farrar Director Nancy Menagh drags viewers into the seedy seventies in Victim No.6, a thriller mystery set in a New York City terrorised by a serial killer. Friends Donna (Heather Brittain O’Scanlon) and Judy (Rachel Farrar) debate whether to head to a local bar. Reports of a brutal serial killer fill the front pages, but Donna convinces Judy to have a drink after a rough week. As Judy flirts with a friend, Donna is left alone. She soon attracts the attention of creepy Bruce (Craig Mungavin), but is rescued by handsome and charming Mark (Russo Russo). But as the pair bond, is there a dark side to the men she has met? Victim No. 6 is an engaging and illusive thriller that audiences will be enthralled by. Central to its story is the overarching threat that the infamous killer could be anyone we are introduced to, and director Nancy Menagh does a wonderful job building tension throughout the piece – reminding viewers of the danger that could be lurking behind every corner. Characters who initially appear to be predictable stereotypes gradually reveal unexpected depth – and experiencing this creates and effective unease whilst watching. The film is brilliantly designed and expertly plants audiences firmly in 1970s New York – a dangerous place at the best of times. The bar itself has a threatening aura, and despite a friendly welcome from the owner, danger itself seems to embody the location. The characters themselves are also of their time. Sleaze practically radiates from Bruce’s garish suit, and Mark’s powerful moustache would give Tom Selleck a run for his money. The barman’s Pink Floyd t-shirt however? A little too on the nose. A critical view of sexism and misogyny is encoded as the key theme of the film. The unquestioned notion that women ought to be scared and staying at home for their own safety is deconstructed – as is the press’ inclination to spread scare stories and sensationalise murders when it is perceived that women, and certain types of women, are the only victims. The director turns viewer’s assumptions on their heads more than once, and forces audience members to question their own assumptions about both the men and the women portrayed. The film does somewhat lose track of its themes towards its conclusion, introducing motives for the killer which do not quite align with everything viewers have seen. It’s not a plot hole, but it would have been interesting to see some of the mentioned drivers of the character in question explored more. Said character also sets off on a long monologue which feels stereotypical, and covers ground Dexter did ten years ago. It’s a great ending plot-wise, but execution could have been better. Even with its retro-setting, Victim No. 6 is a considered and entertaining thriller with a message that has a lot to say about today’s attitudes to sexism and gender roles. NEW: Watch Patrick Foley's Video Film Review for Victim No. 6 on our YouTube channel. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Digital / DVD Release, Short Film, Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Big Stack film review by UK film critic Matt Trapp. Starring Courtney Gabbidon, Becky Kershaw, Velton Lishke directed by Lewis William Robinson. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Big Stack Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Matt Trapp | Posted on: May 25, 2026 Directed by: Lewis William Robinson Written by: Lewis William Robinson Starring: Courtney Gabbidon, Becky Kershaw, Velton Lishke Written and directed by Lewis William Robinson, Big Stack is a short film that explores our relationships between food, consumption, and obsession. Thanks to some confident editing and sound design, Big Stack effectively explores its main themes, maintaining a high level of energy across its 15 minute runtime. While there’s definitely room left to explore the film’s most interesting ideas further and to push the concept to its bursting point, Big Stack makes for an exciting watch that will surprise and possibly shock viewers. Courtney Gabbidon stars as Andre, a young man desperate to defeat his local American themed restaurant’s eating challenge, and to earn a coveted place on the wall of fame. He is waited on by Maeve, played with warmth by Becky Kershaw. Having failed his first attempt to beat the Big Stack challenge, Andre’s resolve leads him to Sid (Velton Lishke), who has previously won the challenge. With new resolve, Andre returns to tackle the burger, and to earn his reward: his face on the wall of Uncle Sams’. Tonally, Big Stack plays it very light, using quick edits and a breezy soundtrack to maintain a fun and low stakes tone. However, once the food comes out and Andre is face to face with his eponymous burger, the mood shifts. Audiences with sensory sensitivities may find these sections of the film more challenging than most the moment that Gabbidon begins to literally chew the scenery. The camera is unsteadily pushed up right against the tower of food, making the plate look enormous and unending. The sound design is similarly used to create a grotesque sensation, playing up the noises of chewing and breathing. Beads of sweat cling to Andre’s face, and the scene begins to resemble something quite violent. It calls to mind the repulsive scene in The Substance where Dennis Quaid’s character chows down on prawn in an absolutely vile display. Andre’s obsession is played well, especially considering how meaningless the reward really is. Robinson inserts a few quick cuts to black and white footage of cows in an abattoir and hooked slabs of meat a couple of times in the film, which is one of the more stylistically interesting choices. These images contrast jarringly with the rest of the film’s bright high contrast photography, possibly questioning what Andre’s quest for local fame is really worth. The film’s ending further reinforces this idea of cost, and how warped our relationship with the overconsumption of food for the sake of overconsumption is, and it delivers the most surprising moment of the short’s runtime. Big Stack delivers mostly everything it promises, but it could have pushed its ideas further. While the scenes of Andre eating are effectively uncomfortable for me, it would have been interesting to double down on the gross out images. More shots of Andre’s mouth, louder sounds of chewing, quicker cuts, and even a more sinister soundtrack could have made the experience of watching the eating challenge more visceral and upsetting if that is what the filmmaker was intending. It would have been interesting to hear Andre’s heartbeat in the background, or to show Maeve reacting to his efforts with either delight or disgust. The performances are all serviceable, but again they could have been really pushed into camp and melodrama if Robinson wanted. The premise is so bizarre and uncomfortable that Big Stack could have gotten away with playing it much bigger, capitalizing on the themes of excess through over the top performances. Big Stack is a worthwhile watch which could easily be expanded into a longer story. Obsession is a compelling idea, and there’s no doubt that most viewers have their own personal complicated relationships with food. Robinson’s ideas are intriguing, and while there may have been space to explore them in a more compelling or memorable way, he succeeds in delivering a short, punchy statement on our relationship with food. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Matt Trapp Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >