★★★★ Directed by: Ira Storozhenko Written by: Wilandrea Blair Starring: Reise Alexander, Marc Hills, Trew Mullen Film Review by: Vikas Yadav If Joker could see Serena (an arresting Reise Alexander) in Ira Storozhenko’s Juliet (before the final scene), he would have approached her and offered a place in his army. “Let’s take revenge on this society who has treated us unfairly,” Joker would have made a speech. Could Serena have accepted the offer? Serena is the new girl in her new school. It is always a nightmare to attend a new school. You have to start over again, make new friends, and adjust to the setting. For Serena, it’s even worse than a nightmare. First of all, she is a transgender teenage girl. Second, she gets in line to audition for the role of Juliet. Her peers already despise her. On top of that, the character of Juliet is basically a woman. This invites more bullying towards Serena because of her gender. Storozhenko has based Juliet on her own experiences. According to her statement, some of her LGBTQ friends had to leave Russia because of discrimination. How horrifying! Storozhenko makes sure you experience the uneasiness, the discomfort of being surrounded by scourges. Because watching Juliet is like walking within an excruciating cage. With the help of tight close-ups, Juliet packs the viewer inside the uncomfortable perspective of its protagonist. Serena is extremely talented and takes her task seriously. She underlines the script with various colors and rehearses her lines. The toxic environment strips away her confidence (her reflection is disfigured in the mirror). There is Rosa (Trew Mullen), your typical hot girl cum monster who regards herself as the queen. On her mirror, the words “Rosa is a superstar” are written as a testimonial. Then there is the good-looking James (Marc Hills). He inspires some faith in Serena to go ahead with the audition. But later, he breaks Serena’s trust in him. Hills does not turn James into a complete villain. His expressions and body language render James as someone who acts the way he does because of peer pressure. There may be a drop of admiration for Serena inside him, but that drop evaporates as he is expected to behave in a certain way by his friends. It is to Hills credit that he even allows such an interpretation. Juliet does not end on a bleak note. Storozhenko’s objective, according to the director’s statement, is to “ask everyone to believe in themselves and always trust your instincts.” So coming back to my earlier question: Could Serena have accepted the offer to join Joker’s army? No. Absolutely not. She is filled with love and self-assurance.

Interview by Andrew Young With their new film, Language Lessons, the creative duo of Natalie Morales and Mark Duplass have forged a film that is at once the perfect response to our Covid-addled times, and a film that resolutely avoids the presence of a pandemic. It takes place almost entirely over video chat; it deals with loneliness, distant connections, inequality and grief; yet the C-word is never mentioned, nor the P-word or even the L-word. "It's not a Covid film at all, but I don't know that it would have been made if it weren't for Covid,” says Morales, who took on directing duties alongside writing and starring in the film with Duplass. Language Lessons charts the relationship between Duplass’ Adam and his online Spanish teacher Cariño, played by Morales; it was inspired by Duplass’ own experience of developing a friendship with his Spanish teacher during lockdown. Over the course of 90 minutes, Adam and Cariño connect in ways few manage in the flesh, let alone over video chat. Originated, developed and shot all during the 2020 pandemic, Language Lessons makes ingenious use of the home-bound world we are now used to, without explicitly mentioning a lockdown or the need to stay at home. Adam is in the US whilst Cariño is in Costa Rica, so the long-distance chats make perfect sense. Building in other elements familiar to Covid-era audiences did come, Morales admits, “from an emotional place because of what was going on.” Yet by addressing today’s concerns without mentioning the elephant in the room, Language Lessons has become timeless. It is not one of the dreaded ‘Covid-Films’, but a gorgeously natural, semi-improvised film about much-needed love and support between two people, whatever their circumstances. What will resonate most strongly with many viewers is the sense of connection that the film fosters. It is, first and foremost, about two people trying to make sense of their fucked-up world by leaning on each other for comfort and compassion. Timely does not even begin to cover it. Adam and Cariño exist not as symbols of the potential connection you can build from afar like the stars of a touching Zoom ad, but are fully fleshed-out people, made real by their two creators. He is forthcoming and frank when he speaks, someone who “gave up on having walls” a long time ago according to Morales. Her character, by contrast, is the kind of bubbly, friendly person you would want in a language teacher, but dig too deep and she has walls of her own. “She's not used to anyone hitting that wall,” explains Morales. Adam’s continued chipping away at it is where the film finds most of its drama, whilst the underlying connection and humour between the pair is where it gets most of its warmth. Take away the obvious ‘Zoom-movie’ format and Language Lessons turns out to follow all the structural beats of a conventional romantic comedy, just without any romance. Its place as a ‘platonic rom-com’ has not gone unnoticed by its creators. ”All the twists and turns and pitfalls and deep rejections that come normally only with romantic love are dealt with, but platonically,” says Duplass, who has referenced Richard Linklater’s seminal Gen X romance Before Sunrise as an inspiration. That film’s slow, careful attention to human connection can be seen in the basis of everything Language Lessons does. Morales and Duplass set out to make “that wonderful connective movie, but just with friends." That small distinction, however, to make a film about two friends - one male, one female - almost feels revolutionary. "There really hasn't been a film that deals with a platonic male-female relationship in this way,” says Duplass, “That truly deep-dives into it." Morales, too, acknowledges that it is shocking to think that such a film scarcely already exists, yet our sensibilities are so used to seeing every male-female relationship dictated by romantic convention that all too often the beauty and power of a deep platonic connection is ignored. Language Lessons seeks to put that right. The film is in many ways not a document of the pandemic, but a document of a deep friendship, not just between Adam and Cariño, but between Natalie Morales and Mark Duplass. The pair share a “compulsion to create” says Duplass, and they had been friends for some time. They even worked together on Room 104, the series Duplass created, like much of his work, with his brother Jay (who serves as an executive producer on Language Lessons). Despite their close creative partnership, Duplass and Morales are not co-directors of the film. Instead, it is the latter who took on that role. The opportunity to direct her first feature has been a long time coming for Morales, having faced barriers within United Talent Agency, where she was signed up as an actor. ”Within my own agency, they would not let me meet with an agent for directing,” Morales explains. “Different people in my life have been very supportive; my manager and my new agents are very supportive but nobody has done what Mark Duplass has done, which is go: 'I believe in you and I'm going to give you a chance, and I'm going to give you an opportunity to direct a show on HBO! And another one the next year!'” Her experience as a Latinx creative has been different from many of her contemporaries, she feels, “because I have Mark Duplass”. Morales and Duplass’ awareness of the unequal opportunities afforded within the industry ended up feeding into their film, intentionally or not. "When you put things on [screen] that you want to see in the world, the world starts to change,” says Morales. “It's not the first thing I think about when I make art, but it's always in my head and in my heart." Adam and Cariño spend much of their time discussing wealth, privilege and gender in a way that makes both characters, particularly Adam, question their own outlooks. "It was important to both of us not to have [Mark’s] character be the white saviour of the movie,” says Morales. “We wanted these characters to save each other in a sense." There is a clear wealth disparity between the two, something Adam feels consistent guilt about having come from a poorer upbringing. These themes almost accidentally crept their way into the film, explains Morales: "It was intentional only because it was unavoidable." Being filmed during lockdown, the stars had little choice when it came to locations, and Mark Duplass’ own large, very nice house ended up being the elephant in the room. "I never imagined that I would become as successful as I've managed to become in this industry,” he says. “That house we shot in is my old house. I sold that house because I do have guilt and I don't understand what all this means, and I was working some of this out in the movie through the character." With all the world-changing events going on, little old cinema seems pretty far down the list of concerns. Nevertheless, for film fans the world over the fate of the movies has become one of the defining aspects of the last year. Some question the very future of the medium, but Language Lessons has made clear that not even a wide-scale lockdown can put a stop to creativity. In fact, the conditions in which it was made even helped the film to flourish in many ways. The one-to-one acting was close to theatre for the performers, and the hurried production time, Duplass explains, helped preserve much of the film’s magic. “Sometimes you spend five years making a movie, and sometimes all that preparation and all that thought really helps the movie become distilled into the best version of itself,” he suggests. “But sometimes you do that and you beat out of the movie all of its youth and rough edges and you lose what I call the 'falling in love' period of the movie, which I equate to dating. Natalie and I made this movie in the first 3-5 dates, where it was still fresh and we were still getting to know it and we were still in love with the movie idea before it had a chance to grow sour. I really believe in that process, and [that] what you lose in preparation you gain in spontaneity and inspiration and excitement." That said, the film was made on a scale so small its mere existence is impressive. Duplass and Morales had to do almost all of their own lighting, hair and makeup, and were left exhausted by the shoot. Yet despite the challenges, Duplass is still pretty positive on the whole experience: “I found it invigorating and a return to the way I used to make movies with my brother, and I love that." It is important to point out at this stage that despite the enormous creative power of Duplass and Morales, they did not act alone. They each heap praise on their supporting crew, especially DP Jeremy Mackie and editor Aleshka Ferrero. Now that the team have assembled their film, all that remains to be seen is when, and how, everyone will get to connect with it. With more and more major studios announcing individual streaming services and Netflix pumping out more content than ever, the future of film looks increasingly focussed on the small screen. Whether this will help smaller-budget releases like Language Lessons is hardly a cut-and-dry issue, and its creators have a suitably nuanced view of the whole thing. “I’m not an elitist when it comes to film or cinema, or art,” says Morales. “I think people were like that with TV when it first came out in the 20s. [...] Every way to express yourself is a valid way to express yourself, whether that's streaming or in a cinema. But I do look forward to the day of that cinema experience, because for me it's not about the size of the screen it's about getting to watch it with other people in a room. It adds something to the movie and the experience of watching it, when you hear people breathing and sighing and crying and laughing. It makes you feel connected to the world, because you're all sharing this experience." The chorus of voices in the film industry calling for the preservation of the cinema experience has been large and loud of late. Without disagreeing with these calls, Duplass and Morales’ perspective is refreshing, in focussing on the joy of getting your project into the world rather than the way it gets there. “The fact that anyone wants to watch my movies, anywhere on any device,” says Duplass, “No false humility, I am honoured. […] If it ultimately ends up on a streaming service and a lot of people get to watch this movie and share it that way… that's great. I'm the luckiest man alive." In all of this discussion, one thing that might have gotten lost is that the thing about making a film almost entirely alone, is that nobody needs to know you’re doing it. “We didn't tell anybody we were making the movie,” Duplass explains. “Because then if it sucked we could just bury it." Let’s all be grateful that they didn’t.

★★ Directed by: #MukeshAsopa, #CharlesRoss Written by: #MukeshAsopa, #RajeshAsopa, #TwinkleAsopa, #KyleClimans Starring: #MukeshAsopa, #SiobhanJohnson, #JasmineSawant, #KamalNandi Film Review by: Emily Davison Death of Pyaar (2020) is a film which is very difficult to summarise due to the deliberately broad scope of its narrative, with elements of crime, family drama, mystery, romance and thriller all blending together to result in a rather unfocused, confusing final piece. The plot centres around two brothers, Yash and Ansh, both played by the director and writer Mukesh Asopa, and their family as a sociopathic criminal targets them resulting in a murder investigation to discover the identity and intent of the killer. Yash is the charismatic, driven young lawyer and Ansh is his socially anxious and reclusive brother. The film explores how far people will go for those they love, with the title word ‘Pyaar’ meaning love in Hindi, relating to the dialogue which alternates between Hindi and English throughout. The film has received praise for its music, editing and performances, winning forty eight awards to date, including Leading Actor at the Accolate Competition for Mukesh Asopa and Best Actor in a Drama at the Actors Awards in Los Angeles. Charles Ross and Asopa are also award winning film directors, with the latter known for defying genre conventions and presenting compelling character based stories. This film certainly follows this formula with a Bollywood style to this American made movie, incorporating a range of different genres and themes. David Nguyen’s cinematography is a little inconsistent, with an opening flashback to the family’s past presented in black and white and a later flashback between Ansh and his girlfriend (Johnson) shot in colour. Although these may have been stylistic choices to enhance the narrative (without revealing any spoilers!), it does appear a strange choice on the surface. The film is directed well, however, with a variety of dynamic shots and a consistently engaging pace delivered throughout. Sequences are well constructed, but most rely on exposition and generic dialogue in solving the murder mystery, with little character development given to the large ensemble cast. It is an ambitious story, with Asopa admirably taking on many major roles for the film, yet the large scope results in the narrative unfortunately lacking any depth and focus on the characters to make us really care about what is happening. There is one particular sequence involving a romanticised dramatic slow motion account of a character’s memories of another who was close to him, which appears out of place as a music video in the middle of a drama-crime based story. The film is also jarring in its rapid and sharp switching between dialogue spoken in the Hindi and English language, resulting in a need to intensely concentrate all the time to avoid missing any important plot beats and the choice to do this does seem rather unclear. Although the film suffers from a bland narrative and underdeveloped shallow characters for the most part, Mukesh’s performance as the two brothers is a positive highlight that certainly deserves praise. He plays two people with different characteristics, with Yash being self-assured and confident and Ansh starting off as a sensitive young man with unpredictable emotions. Mukesh delivers a strong, effective performance for both roles, believably embodying these contrasting personalities well. Death of Pyaar is a valiant and admirable effort by filmmakers who clearly have a passion to tell interesting character based drama stories, however, the film is unfortunately chaotic and riddled with inconsistencies in its presentation. Although led by a strong performance from Mukesh Asopa, the end result is overall shallow and lacklustre. #EmilyDavison Depth of Pyaar (2020) Film Trailer:

★★★★ Directed by: Dwayne Buckle Written by: Dwayne Buckle Film Review by: Jason Knight Do extraterrestrials exist? Did they visit Earth a long, long time ago and assist in the evolution of humanity? That is the main question this fascinating documentary poses. It theorizes whether, throughout history, mankind's progress and achievements have been partially influenced by the intervention of entities from another universe. The film analyses the theories of Swiss author Erich von Daniken, who wrote several books concerning the idea that aliens visited this planet, most notably Chariots of the Gods?. Regarding the title, just clarifying that 'Ancient Astronauts' is a term used to describe the allegation that intelligent extraterrestrial beings arrived at Earth and communicated with humans, during prehistoric times and antiquity. Daniken is one of the figures responsible for popularizing this theory. The documentary begins by analyzing humanity's remarkable achievements and inventions and wonders whether people themselves are responsible for all that, or whether they received help by beings from another world. The attention then moves on to Daniken and his ideas. The film proceeds to analyze the findings that his works point out in various locations throughout the world. The documentary is separated in chapters, each with its own title and in each one a different phenomenon is presented and explored, contemplating whether they are proof that aliens came to Earth. Some of these discoveries and occurrences include prophet Ezekiel's sighting of otherworldly entities, the pyramids of Giza, the Stonehenge monument in England, the petroglyphs in Val Camonica, the archaeological site Gobekli Tepe and the Nazca Lines in southern Peru. The documentary is rather interesting to watch. It contains footage of spacecrafts being launched and plenty of footage and pictures of the various monuments, geoglyphs, statues, paintings, illustrations and of course, Daniken himself. The footage often appears old, scratched and damaged, which makes the viewing feel more mysterious. The narrator is Myles Wright and he does a great job, sounding enthusiastic. The music is atmospheric and accompanies the images effectively. The main concept here is the theory that entities from another planet might had came to Earth and contributed to humanity by adding their own creations, and that is rather intruiging. The film also points out the possibility that the extraordinary monuments, geoglyphs and archaeological sites could had been the accomplishments of innovative human beings. Nevertheless, the belief that aliens exist is captivating and it is well worth finding out how this film explores that idea and well worth becoming familiar with the buildings, locations and carvings that entertain this hypothesis. #JasonKnight Trailer:

★★★★ Directed by: #DianeMellen & #StaceyStone Documentary Review by Taryll Baker The Golden Rule is a new documentary from filmmaker’s Diane Mellen and Stacey Stone focusing on the Santa Susana nuclear meltdown in 1959 that plagued the surrounding areas for many years (still showing affects today), disrupting the lives of the residents with deadly results. While the film places the spotlight on Santa Susana Field Laboratory in California, it does mention other states in the US that face similar problematic issues. The film prompts an urge to clean up the contaminated area, while bringing forward solid evidence of the cancer rates and other serious illnesses being a reaction of the partial meltdown’s toxic radiation. Given the importance of the subject matter in The Golden Rule, it’s clear that a sharp and precise approach would be taken, and while it’s very crucial, the way in which it’s structured and paced can become quite overwhelming and, in some ways, plain. It’s almost suffocating you with a hefty amount of vital information bursting throughout its hour-long duration, which actually seems to be intentional, so while this is a bit of a slog to get through, it’s understandably needed. Seeing the government's negligence and out-right denial of any problem is shocking though not surprising. One individual mentions how their health isn’t important to the government, that profit comes before concern. Supporting the imagery is a grandiose score by David Raiklen, which brings a classical feel with lots of choir and string movements. There are also moments of simple underscoring for the information hauls, as well as hip-hop tracks which seem to feel like they’re only there to give it some “edge” rather than utilised more purposefully. The structuring, as mentioned before, can overwhelm but the way in which everything is presented is well thought-out — there are news headlines, displaying government coverups, as well as disclosure agreements for property purchases in the area. As the documentary progresses into its final 20 minutes, it shows just how much this disturbance is swept under the rug. Fortunately, residents and the filmmakers alike are very passionate about bringing this all to light and hoping for big change that must happen, and soon. As someone who isn’t familiar with nuclear meltdowns such as this — and it doesn’t seem like I’m alone in that — it was an informative watch. The last film I saw that focused on contamination like this was Dark Waters, about DuPont’s chemical poisoning in Parkersburg, West Virginia. Films and documentaries like The Golden Rule are crucial; showing people fighting the system that seems to be constantly putting us at harm, proving that with enough drive and perseverance, change can happen. Watch the trailer for The Golden Rule below. #TaryllBaker

★★★★★ Written by: #AyeshaBanerjee Directed by: #NeerajMehhta Starring: #LylaBeg and #WaisaKhan Short film Review by: Joyce Cowan Kaali Peeli is a soulful portrayal of innocence and confidence. It is rare to be genuinely surprised by a film, and this is a delightful example of the fact that it is possible. It is strikingly short, but this somehow adds a kind of magic and fits perfectly with its dreamlike, reflective tone. It turns the film into one of those pieces of time that quickly come and go but leave profound and everlasting concepts. Technically the film is great, with an absorbing sequence. Setting in the night is a brilliant creative decision, and one which the director of lighting Abid Ali clearly relished in an almost playful way. The casting, an aspect of film which is understatedly key, is spot on. Lyla Beg in particular is so genuine and giving in her performance as Maya at her extremely young age that, as cliche as it sounds, she is full of potential. Waisa Khan is so compelling as Maya’s protective yet encouraging mother that she brings the bond between mother and daughter to full life. The honesty of their bond is the hopeful thread in the story. The film manages to be multilayered in its brief duration of less than five minutes, and this is thanks also to how well it is written. The dialogue is at once smooth and incisive, and I’d highlight once more the choice to set it at night. As well as being almost literary in its meaning, it is poignant for a reason that may have or may not have been deliberate, which is that during these times of pandemic, children have seen their mental health deeply affected, with a key symptom being sleeplessness. Maya is sleepless with worry, and it is impossible not to read her situation through a generational lens, a lens which also questions whether society today is less discriminatory than it was, say, 150 years ago. The fact that the story centres on a child facing discrimination from another child is striking and, as the writer has said, based on a real situation. It puts a current creative focus on an issue that would have been easy and sometimes more socially convenient to treat as a remnant of the past. This film is thoroughly of its time as well as sweetly future facing and optimistic. A piece of sharp beauty. #JoyceCowan

★★★★ Directed by #SophieDeraspe Written by #SopheDeraspe Starring #NehameRicci #RawadElZein Film Review by Hope Madden Any deep dive into the day-to-day realities of asylum seekers and the racism they face can end in horror (His House) or tragedy. Sophie Deraspe’s Antigone takes the second path, obviously. Though the story is thoroughly updated, Deraspe keeps the ancient Greek names for her Algerian family living in Quebec. Antigone (Nahéma Ricco) also retains the strength and rebellious nature of the heroine created more than 2500 years back. In the original story, two brothers died in battle. One died a hero because he fought on the side that won, so he receives a hero’s burial. Because the other brother fought with the rebels, his body is left to rot in the sun. His sister doesn’t care what her brothers have done, her responsibility to them as family requires that she risk her own future to do what she believes is right. An imaginative reworking of the Sophocles play, Deraspe’s drama still sees one sister challenging institutions to do what’s right by her family. Ricco astounds in the title role. Her fiery grace impresses, especially as her physical performance flows effortlessly from wide-eyed searching to crumbling vulnerability to straight-spined resolve. She develops a timeless quality for the heroine, a conscience rooted in some primal virtue. The cast around her matches her step for step, and as Deraspe subverts tropes and expectations, her performers rise to the challenge. Rawad El-Zein is especially powerful in the role of frustrating brother Polynice, and both Antoine DesRochers and Paul Doucet excel as the filmmaker finds new directions to take very old characters. Deraspe’s film explores institutional hatred, justice versus family loyalty, and the nature of heroism. It’s a powerful look at generational, religious and cultural fractures. It’s a beautifully written and executed reworking of an all-time classic. More than anything, it is a singular performance that demands attention and respect. #HopeMadden

★★★ Written & Directed by: #RajabMahmood Starring: #TharunChelley, #AlexandraBiggs Short Film Review by Taryll Baker A heartbroken, failing writer is resurged with happiness, with the arrival of the ex that broke his heart. Did You Miss Me? is a tale of love and heartbreak, told through a documentary lens with sections of more dramatised material, led by two actors and captured in a single flat. Henry (Tharun Chelley) is heartbroken after his ex (Alexandra Biggs) left him. But he’s regained some hope when she appears on his doorstep, though not for the reason he would have liked. She’s getting married and has been told by her partner to invite Henry to the wedding… Not quite the resurgence of love he wished for. To start, the film has some wonderful opening credits which then lead into some establishing shots, before moving into the apartment where most of the drama takes place. Given the tight space, Rajab Mahmood’s direction ensures that the film keeps a consistent pace throughout and remains interesting, both in the writing and from a visual standpoint. The two performances are average at best and while likeable, not quite what I’d hoped from a bottle film. Romantic comedies are tricky to tackle, they’re so relatable and that makes it hard to bring a sense of familiarity and likeness to characters. Here they felt charming but lacked some emotional depth and could have used some more care. Stylistically, Did You Miss Me? is a brilliant looking and sounding film. The shot selection is very nice considering the location being quite lived-in. Exteriors looking sharp, interior camerawork reminiscent of Wes Anderson’s filming style; though not executed quite as seamlessly. Some of the swivels need some smoothing out, but the style itself does bring a more light feel to the picture — As does the music by Jacob Maloney and Ross Baillie Eames which is lively with rhythmic charm, and settles down to a simmer as the film closes on its more dark, yet comical (?) note. So there’s a mix of good and less appealing features, but if you take it how it is, a decent time can be had. Mahmood’s style, evidently borrowing from other filmmakers (that’s no crime, it’s all part of the process), is inviting and vibrant; it just required a little more from the writing to hold it in high regard. Did You Miss Me? offers up some freshness while treading down a well-ventured path, which in all fairness, is all it’s trying to do. Watch the trailer for Did You Miss Me? below. #TaryllBaker

★★★★ Directed by: #PatrickConnolly Written by: #PatrickConnolly Starring: #CamilleCalvin #DwightHuntsman #NigelLysaght Film Review by: Huw Buckley If somebody flicked on the TV and found themselves halfway through Desire Lines (directed by Patrick Connolly), they would be forgiven for thinking that they had instead just stumbled across Terrence Malick’s latest movie. The shaky handheld camerawork, the bountiful philosophy, it all feels so familiar. Luckily Connolly chooses to employ a sense of humour and it is this, the film’s acute self-awareness, that saves it from being undone by a feeling of indulgence. That isn’t a dig at Malick either, he’s probably the only person who can get away with making the films he makes, and all the while not just get away with it, but in fact produce masterful works of art (in my opinion at least). Connolly, perhaps wisely, steers clear of this territory. Desire Lines certainly grapples with some big questions, with Honey Zeal (Camille Calvin), probably the film’s central character, conflicted about the direction in which her life is headed. She attends a meditation group somewhere in LA, on the advice of a potential new business partner, who encourages her to find some peace of mind and maybe get to the bottom of her troubles. We are soon introduced to the other members of the group and gain some insight into their lives and personalities via a serious of flashbacks and voice-over. It isn’t pretty. Each character seems fundamentally flawed in some way or the other, and they (mostly) try to hide it. Keith Gordon (Dwight Huntsman) is probably the most engaging supporting character; he’s a veteran solider who served in Afghanistan, loves (exclusively) his cat Chi Chi, and spends his life suppressing irrational urges to sock other people in the face (including friends and family members). Incredibly dark humour, it is equal parts amusing and harrowing, with Connolly and Huntsman working well to tread that line in a convincing manner. It all makes for an interesting watch and is also reassuring to an extent. We’re seeing somebody else struggling to get their life in order and putting on a brave face whilst doing so. Though it isn’t nice to see that happen (even to a fictional character), it may help to know we’re not the only ones. As good as Huntsman’s performance is, however, he doesn’t quite steal the show from Calvin. Her portrayal of Honey is measured to perfection, blending the character’s humour and steel to great effect. Quite simply put, Honey feels authentic, not a cliché but like a real person (and one you wouldn’t want to mess with at that). The performances in general are very good, with Jonathan Dylan King and Nigel J. Lysaght (as Trevor Bloomquist and Joel Caldwell respectively) both effective. They somehow manage to perfectly embody repulsiveness in two vastly different manners: Trevor is crass whilst Joel is sinister. The performances all feel quite natural and this may be a reflection of the extensive rehearsals undertaken, as well as the relaxed approach to filming that was employed. The film offers an interesting insight into the ways in which people can deploy walls so as to keep people at a distance. This can be for a number of reasons, the film suggests, and it is a fact that links together each of the characters involved in the meditation group. The film manages to balance some profundity with good humour (see the Breakfast Club reference), which ensures it's a breeze to watch at just under ninety minutes. Just like Malick, Connolly is able to use the medium to make a profound point about life, which is all the more impressive given that it’s his first full-length feature. See trailer below: #HuwBuckley

★★★ Directed by: Matt Kane Written by: Matt Kane, Marc Underhill Starring: Richard Kind, Susan Blackwell, Simone Policano, Christen Harper Film Review by: Vikas Yadav Matt Kane’s Auggie comes under the wings of Her. Once again, a lonely man finds happiness in the company of a virtual companion. Expand your vision a little more, and you will find this AI girlfriend aspect in Blade Runner 2049. But Felix, the protagonist of Auggie, is neither separated from his wife like Theodore nor is he a replicant like Officer KD6-3.7. Loneliness strikes Felix when (a) he is forced into early retirement, (b) his wife, Anne (Susan Blackwell), gets very busy after the promotion, and (c) his daughter, Grace (Simone Policano), moves in with her boyfriend. There is no one left to listen to him. When he attempts to describe an event that took place at the supermarket to his wife, she stops him, says she is exhausted and goes to bed. With no real heads present to interact with him, Felix turns to AUGGIE, a pair of augmented reality glasses that - when put on - project a human companion in front of your eyes. Felix sees a gorgeous woman with a sweet voice whom he calls, well, Auggie (Christen Harper). Auggie is not as efficient as Samantha or as devoted as Joi. She is the early version of the two, a product recently deployed in the market. It’s expected then that she is not as advanced when compared to Samantha and Joi. Auggie’s programming is quite evident. When Felix opens up about his feelings or narrates the daily events of his day, Auggie responds with a set of standard replies like “cool” and “good night, Felix.” She gives out a bunch of in-built responses to Felix if he happens to be in a problem. One of them is “nobody is perfect.” She keeps on repeating these motivational one-liners until his mood lightens up a bit. Auggie is always shown from Felix’s POV. These two never occupy the same frame. When they do, we see just Felix and hear the voice of Auggie. As the two engage in a conversation on the couch, Kane chooses to cut from POV shot to two shot to break the illusion of Felix’s fantasies. The happiness he derives from Auggie is non-existent. They are exciting distractions that exist temporarily. Remove the glasses, and your bliss will crumble. We know this. It’s up to Felix to catch up on and accept this reality. In my review, I have mentioned Her and Blade Runner 2049. Auggie cannot be fully compared to these two films. The similarity extends to the presence of a virtual partner in all three stories, and that’s it. Because Auggie is more about infidelity - How a married couple is attracted to someone else in the workplace or within the confines of the latest technology and how they deal with it. Whether they resist or succumb to it. I liked how Anne’s desire for someone is revealed using the glasses. Auggie does not make profound statements on humans and technology, choosing instead to follow the path of a typical “affair movie.” That’s okay. At least, it manages to hit its core target. Thanks to Auggie, I may have finally figured out why some women hate it when their spouses/boyfriend watch pornography. I think it’s not about the content but the fact that their man fantasizes about another lady. But that’s my interpretation. AUGGIE IS AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD/STREAM from 19h April 2021 (from outlets including Sky Store, iTunes, Amazon) Watch the trailer now:

★★ Directed by: #AdamTaufiqSuharto Written by: #AdamTaufiqSuharto Starring: #AlifIsmailLuqman Film review by William Hemingway Guy Ritchie once said something in an interview about conceptual films being the future of movie-making; that story driven films were dead. He had however, just made Revolver and was married to Madonna at the time. Mr Madge thought that only concept movies would be popular in years to come and we would see the brilliance in his blue-lit piece of tosh eventually. Interestingly, it has so far been borne out that he was wrong (on both counts) and conceptual films have stayed at the fringes of the industry, remaining principally the domain of art and film students and those with too much money who want to share a 'big idea'. Here, in Dekaden, we are exposed to the conceptual notions of writer, director and film student, Adam Taufiq Suharto who has brought his vision of a post-apocalyptic world to our screens. After setting up the concept with a single headline on a washed up piece of newspaper we watch as a figure emerges from the sea then loses himself in conceptual thought. Another figure fishes in the sea for sustenance then must face off against invading marauders as the concept then becomes full blown. But if we just forget about the concept for a moment, which is not at all difficult because it never truly gets exposed, what we get in reality is a few shots of a guy lying on a beach, a few shots of a guy in the sea, and a few shots of some running around on the sand, with a bit of violence thrown in for good measure. To be fair, Suharto keeps managing to put the camera in the right place, he edits well, and he uses slow-mo to generate the effect he is looking for, but then it's not so difficult to take good shots when there's no dialogue, no story, no characterisation and the only thing to hold onto is the visuals – and the sound. Eirsyad Qawiem provides the post-apocalyptic soundscaping, using horrible electronic screeches and the constant crashing of waves to create an uneasy feeling in this conceptual world. It works well with the visuals, trying to tell its own side of the story for as long as it can before ultimately feeling just as empty and repetitive and unfounded as what's being shown. There's just not enough, in terms of sound or vision, to tell the audience something new or unique or complete. While there is genuine talent in Suharto's film-making, Dekaden may not be the best showcase for it. If he wanted this film to say something or reach an audience he should have rented a space in an art gallery and displayed it there, at home amongst the other conceptual pieces that surround it. Out in the real world, in amongst the milieu of millions of film-makers who are telling actual stories with identifiable notions and breathable characters, Dekaden gets kicked to the side, onto the junk heap of 'big ideas' that aren't properly expressed and ultimately don't go anywhere. Much like Revolver.

★★★★★ Written & Directed by: #RichardPrendergast Starring: #LaurenHarris, #CalieanGalloway, #AlbertClogston, #MaisiePrendergast Short Film Review by Taryll Baker A young warrior's fight for his life, told through the eyes of his younger sister. Infused with imagination, tragedy and magic. Are you a sucker for emotionally investing, magical but grounded dramas? If so, Richard Prendergast’s new short film Maximus will blow you away. Sweeping you up into a story of courage, love and giving, with all the best aspects coming together to create a most wonderful film. Maximus begins in a medieval setting, then sharply cutting into the present, all the while introducing two characters that will eventually link in a very rewarding though slightly predictable way. After the first few minutes you begin to realise how the film will continue to unravel, and even with that in mind, it’s still an exciting and genuinely brilliant watch. The way the story is structured sends viewers on a mysterious, fanatical exploration of a great warrior named Maximus (Cailean Galloway), whom we quickly learn is the brother of India (Maisie Prendergast). As the film unfolds there is a big dramatic lift and it’s quite touching. The way in which Prendergast writes and directs this story is so refreshing to see; there’s a lot of weight to it. Involving elements like practical effects, stunning camerawork and a fantastic central performance from Maisie Prendergast, Maximus is truly not to be missed. The same must be said of the sound editing and mixing, which brings to life not just the battle sequences, but the slower character beats as well. Musically speaking, moving pieces from Jack Douglas and Daniel Coe keep the emotional core of the film alive, with soothing sounds and triumphant orchestral trappings running alongside the fantasy and real-world elements. Maximus brings forth a true story that works as a show of appreciation for some very good people in real life. The narrative wraps truth and tale into one form and the result is something I haven’t personally seen before — this perfect blending offers up a cross-genre that feels utterly smart and unique. Worthy of great critical success and absolutely destined to win some awards as well as the hearts of anyone who watches it, Maximus is worth your time. Totally investing and humorous, due in part to the witty dialogue, Maximus is a fine showcase of just how different short filmmaking can be and, that if you put in the effort, blood, sweat and tears, you can be left with something simply special. #TaryllBaker