★★ Directed by: Wesley Wittkamper Written by: Wesley Wittkamper, Jeff Gass Starring: Ric Borelli, Lisa Guerrero Coles, Mark Staten, Dan Thiel, Paul Bynum, Kevin Glikmann Film Review by: Jason Knight An evil supervillain is planning to take over the world and it is up to a team of superheroes to stop him. In Los Angeles, a group of superheroes are doing what they do best: keeping people safe. Some of them are Superbman (Borelli), Wonderful Woman (Coles), Ratman (Staten) and Aguaman (Bynum). Then there is trouble as Bob, a supervillain, arrives from the fifth dimension and wants to rule the globe. He recruits supervillains and proceeds to set his plans in motion and capturing the superheroes. Just to be clear, this feature was filmed on a very small budget, therefore one should not expect spectacular special effects, buildings being destroyed etc. There is hardly any action here, let alone fight scenes. This is a comedy, that relies on humour in order to be entertaining. It was shot in the nineties and it is now having its commercial debut on Amazon UK Prime. This is due to the fact that the negatives and hard drives were destroyed in a fire. Two decades later an early output on VHS was found and it is now being released. As mentioned, the budget was quite limited, so the picture quality is not good and neither is the audio. Regarding the sound, the plus side is that there are interesting sound effects like the ones utilized in the Batman live action series of the sixties. The editing is creative at certain points, utilizing wipe techniques and title cards for the introduction of some characters. Looking at the effects, they do not look great. There are scenes that show the heroes flying by themselves in the sky or swimming underwater and they are not convincing, to say the least. It looks like the figure of a character was cut out from a picture and was edited onto the screen. This is not a movie that should be taken seriously. As far as the screenplay goes, the heroes spend the majority of the film doing what everyday people do: they socialize, talk about their personal issues and a significant amount of time is dedicated to the relationship between Superbman and Wonderful Woman. Generally, they are not shown fighting criminals. On the other hand, the bad guys do what bad guys do: they brag about how evil they are and attempt to make their bad intentions a reality. The dialogue is filled with jokes and adult humour and there are scenes of a sexual nature. Both heroes and antiheroes are portrayed as silly individuals, who cannot be taken seriously. This is not a serious film and the poor acting does not do much damage in that respect. Glikmann is the one who steals the show, with his over-the-top performance as the leader of the supervillains. Constantly grinning, telling everybody who dangerous he is and with a menacing look in his eyes, he is a pleasure to watch. The costumes look cheap, which is fair enough, considering the budget and some of them resemble the ones worn by famous characters, such as Wonder Woman, Batman and Aquaman. This movie is a satire on Superhero films. It is poorly made, but it was made just for laughs. It is leave-your-brain-at-the-door fun. Whether it will entertain because of its jokes, or absurd characters, or ridiculous script, or unimpressive special effects, will depend on the viewer. Or it might not entertain at all. #JasonKnight

★★★★ Directed by #BenStassen & #JeremyDegruson Written by #BobBarlen & #CalBrunker Starring #JulesWojciechowski, #RogerCraigSmith, #GrantGeorge Film Review by Amber Jackson It may be a sequel to the 2017 film The Son of Bigfoot, but Stassen and Degruson's latest film behaves like a standalone film in its own right. After his father is finally able to return home, protagonist Adam is confronted by the reality of his family's newfound fame. This action-packed, environmentally friendly family-fuelled film has at its core an adolescent boy who is awkwardly navigating growing up and still reconciling his feelings towards his father - all within the backdrop of a potential environmental disaster. Both intense and fast-paced, this film sets off with a bang and is fuelled with laughs and a social commentary that is both current and accessible for the young audience it is sure to attract. The Bigfoot family share their home with a multitude of animals who are hilarious and have human habits - the kind of traits that make this film feel like an animation classic. The shining characters, Wilbur the bear and Trapper the racoon, have an almost brotherly dynamic that makes the comedic side of the story shine through. Humour extends even further with certain characters being able to understand them, and others not, which makes interactions with Adam's Mum even funnier. With Bigfoot's new celebrity status, he strives to become a climate change activist, focusing on the negative impact that drilling for oil has on the environment and surrounding animal habitats. Adam is not impressed with Bigfoot becoming an activist and going to Alaska until he makes his video go viral online. Whilst Adam is reluctant to relinquish his Dad again, he grows to learn (as we all do) the importance of spreading the word about the environmental catastrophe that so-called 'clean oil' company 'X-Trakt Oil' is creating. Bigfoot Family from the offset is reminding us of a very contemporary issue, particularly in the Western world, in advocating for sustainability. The film attacks Western (specifically American) advertising culture along with 'fake news' which, in a post-Trump world, feels very relevant. It is certainly interesting to have an animation film set in America, but from a perspective that originates from outside of the country. This separation is actually very poignant when considering environmental impact. Yes, this is a kids film - but it has many takeaways for adults watching too. It manages to do all of this amongst a good soundtrack, a quick-witted and suspenseful script, and a clever story. The film itself is very well produced and it makes a refreshing change to see a European-made animation, as opposed to a Hollywood production. It certainly has the feel of a classic Pixar film, but with more of a social message attached to its storyline. Digitally, the detail to the image is fantastic, with scenes having visual depth and scenes that take place on TV have a different look to them, which is a clever artistic choice. By showcasing more European films, Netflix is highlighting that there is more to animation cinema than Hollywood. Especially when a film is solely released on an online platform. My only criticism is not to do with the film, but to do with Netflix itself, as some of the closed captioning did not match what was being said on screen. This is perhaps due to the fact that the film is translated and Netflix has possibly not updated the captions to match. If you are looking for a fun, film to watch with the family, then this is the film for you. Yet, Bigfoot Family also holds an important message. It reminds its familial audience of the power and downfall that technology has and how we all have a responsibility to our home planet. Watch the trailer for Bigfoot Family here: #AmberJackson #BigfootFamily #Animation #FilmReview

★ Directed by: #JulienLeclercq Written by: #JulienLeclercq & #MathieuServeau Starring: #OlgaKurylenko, #MarilynLima, #MichelNabokoff, #MartinSwabey, #CaroleWeyers Netflix Film Review by Taryll Baker Transferred home after a traumatising combat mission, a trained French soldier uses her lethal skills to hunt down the man who hurt her sister. Among the many intriguing, exciting and thought-provoking projects on Netflix’s shelves, there are always the few sitting on the topmost shelf out of reach, usually untouched because they simply do not look inviting. Sentinelle is from that shelf. Here we have an action-packed flick that never situates itself and takes the breather is desires; in fact, it doesn’t have the time to, it runs at only an hour and a quarter. This is essentially a French version of Taken, though not as thrilling or clever with its execution. It throws us in with Klara (Olga Kurylenko), with little background and only revenge fuelling her, and propels us on her rampage to find the man who hurt her sister. Struggling with PTSD, Klara fights her way through the film, both physically and mentally, and while the effects of this are well represented, it isn’t enough to save the character. These are cardboard cutouts with guns. If you’re into that sort of thing, then you will undoubtedly find enjoyment in the chilled drama of Sentinelle; where there’s very little development beyond the cookie cutter vengeful arc and fiery visual effects. Though the story isn’t very invigorating, the cinematography sometimes makes up for it. There are some subtle but stunning shots that are beautifully framed with a cold tone overtop. Supplying the moody broodiness for the cold visual palette is an equally cold score — sure, it’s fairy predictable in nature but it does its job well given the circumstance. I’ll add that while the action genre is anyone’s pleasure at times, it’s always better when the fighting is creative or just captured in a way that keeps the viewer engaged with little battle fatigue. As Netflix’s Extraction from last year proved; you can afford to lose some story if you get crazy with the action. Sentinelle gets quite tiring way before the final act even comes, which is especially unfortunate given its short runtime. Kurylenko does well with the material she has, but it can’t save the sloppy narration and monotonous set pieces, or her character. Sentinelle takes us on a ride to sweet revenge, it’s just not a very satisfying ride. Perhaps this should stay on that top shelf, out of reach. Sentinelle is now streaming on Netflix. #TaryllBaker

★★★ Written and Directed by: #HarryGeorgeBartholomew, #AlanCuster, #SamMasonBell, #AndréPedro, #RobUlitski, #MichaelJEpstein, #ShannonKatieHopkins and #AdamNelson Starring: #AndréPedro,#MichaelJEpstein, #ShannonKatieHopkins, #AlexandraRobertshaw, #MariaCervantes, #ChayPurvis, #FinnianNainbyLuxmoore, #MichaelFeldsher and #AnthonyKnight Film review by: Brian Penn Addiction is one life’s greatest conundrums. We all succumb to some form of temptation or dependence in our lives. Less harmful addictions appear acceptable as a reward for sacrifices routinely made. But the more destructive addictions are the subject of this engaging, multi layered study by eight international directors. A public access TV channel crackles into life as a self-help guru explains the 10 steps to Nirvana. He urges viewers to take the first step and admit they are an addict. In almost evangelical style he provides the moments of light relief in a chequered viewing experience. Eight short films are linked by the guru’s pronouncements, and swing between the classic addictions of sex and drugs but surprisingly no rock ‘n’ roll. It can border on flippancy particularly ‘toilet humour’ which explores the concept of gluttony and obsession with food. In contrast, ‘bleed for me’ is the disturbing tale of a young woman self-harming in the quest to feel something and find a partner who truly understands her. A man uses drugs as a means of connecting with a lover who has suddenly died. Two promiscuous women get kicks from taxi girl rides with a difference; until they meet their match. The contrasting addictions of solitude and pyromania are tackled as is the modern curse of gaming. Like all films shot in this format it is very much a mixed bag. It hits the target more often than it misses but often struggles to establish a truly coherent theme. It may well focus on addiction, but often strays into the seven deadly sins and, depending on one’s own interpretation the ten commandments. Conceptually, there is a strong overlap but this tends to blur the narrative when a common thread is badly needed. However, there are some interesting ideas emanating from very capable directors, the structure just needs to be tightened up.

★★★★ Stars Directed by: #EmmettMalloy Written by: #SamSweet Starring: #ChristopherWallace, #DamionButler, #SeanCombs, #DonaldHarrison Film Review by: Alicia Moore “This documentary features rare footage filmed by Christopher Wallace's best friend, Damion ‘D-Roc’ Butler, and interviews with his closest friends and family, revealing a side of Biggie Smalls that the world never knew.” With 24 years since his death being marked in this upcoming week, Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell acts as a heartfelt tribute to the King of New York. This documentary incorporates friendship, strength, talent and hardships in its running time through touching footage that allows audiences to travel back in time, joining the Brooklyn artist on stage amongst roaring crowds - as well as behind the curtains in quiet hotel rooms across the country. The use of this archived footage, following Wallace and his friends through growth in multiple forms, is presented to viewers in a predictable sense. The documentary presentation overall has nothing new to offer this particular film category; it’s the content that gives it a special spark rather than technique. The presentation and order of clips and events matches that of the usual documentary of this nature, but that doesn’t diminish how powerful it stands to viewers. I think Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell doesn’t need any extravagant elements within technique or for producers to try and over-express the footage included, it is perfect with this unfiltered type of approach shown in the final product. There is one frequently used method in the editing (Will Znidaric, Neil Meiklejohn) that I personally enjoyed; this being how sections of audio from different pieces of footage are layered, whether that is combining two separate audios and creating something new or overlapping the same content. An example of this would be when, in interview sections of the film, the individuals begin to recite lyrics written by Biggie, and his own voice has been added to recite in time with them. Every time a decision has been made to do this it adds a great boost of energy and excitement in moments when viewers may least expect it. Although this is a documentary about the rapper himself, having his presence through voice so strongly evident from start to finish simply builds upon the impact the documentary can have – especially to fans. The film in its entirety focuses on how Biggie grew alongside his friends and family - in personal development, moving through life stages, and in his music career. It is beautiful to watch footage of the rapper starting from a young boy with a found talent to a strong man who understands what path his passion should take him on. As much as I adored watching this growth unfold, I would have loved to hear and see more surrounding the specific growth of his music and recording life as well. There is a slight imbalance of these two aspects, although that may have been the intention; to show more of Christopher Wallace rather than of the Notorious B.I.G. Towards the end of this documentary, the content did feel a little rushed as well, but one could say that only mimics the death of the artist in a separate light: it happened at the peak of his career and as he was truly finding his footing. His life ended so suddenly, as if time had played a trick on the world and decided to fast-forward. Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell is a brilliant Netflix documentary for fans of the artist, and also for those who would just like to learn a little more about how much Biggie really did change the course of hip-hop. I’m feeling incredibly inspired after watching this, yet saddened that the music industry lost such an influential source of power. However, that power will always remain on tracks... “We’re just gonna do our thing forever. Forever and ever.”

★★★ Directed by: #AnthonyWright Written by: #AnthonyWright, #CallumHughes Starring: #RodGlenn, #SimonCraig, #ChrisIddon Film Review by: Theo Rintoul Anthony Wright’s sequel to his own short film is another homage to his clearly beloved 80s action sci-fi movies. Samson (Simon Craig) threatens doom and destruction upon his next target, Future City. This means a call to arms for Future Cop (Rod Glenn) to be launched to Samson’s Megaship-01 by space pod in order to stop evil and restore peace –will he save his city in time, or is it fated to end in the year 2332 A.D.? With the help of Officer Mack (Chris Iddon) and a really cool gun, hopefully he’ll succeed. The performances, whilst leaning entirely into buddy-cop genre clichés, had their own slice of personality mixed in. Future Cop’s introduction will have you laughing as Glenn moves and talks with an obvious Die Hard/The Terminator influence, but caricatured for comedic effect. Lingering shots leave pauses in dialogue that further that fun humour. Well-choreographed fight scenes have a balanced touch of comedy, to keep the action equal to the 80s theatricality Wright utilises. The exaggerated movements and sound-effects don’t produce an eye-roll in the audience; nor do the tropey-statements such as ‘time to take out the trash!’ before throwing a punch. This film is obviously a love letter to those iconic moments, inducing a familiarity in the audience. No one here is trying to make a twist on the genre or create something ‘new’, but instead create a nostalgic journey that’s surprisingly thorough and has a lot of effort put in. The effort pays off as the props, costumes, and miniatures are made with such a skill that they don’t fall into the crafty/homemade category, but it still keeps a feeling of personal love that you can lose with digital effects or huge-budget action thrillers. The director had his own hand in creating the props, and the Megaship that was made from just a leaf blower and household objects looks meticulously detailed and well-made against a projection of space (no green-screen here!). Again, though, it still has that look that old-school practical effects have; fun, thorough, and with an obvious passion for the project by the artist. That look is the same of the miniature build of Future City, which makes you do a double-take. When you realise it’s ‘homemade’, you get a happy sense of comfort and understanding that the people involved in this project were both skilled at their niche and having fun with everything. It makes the viewer feel involved with the film, which is most definitely the best part of Future Cop 2. The plot itself isn’t as memorable as the practical effects or performances, as the substance is held within those elements. The atmosphere could have been placed on top of a different plot and it still would have worked. The essence is captured in the aesthetic, but for a short film with many great features – brilliant set design, fantastic costumes, skilfully-made props (wait until you see the brain jar) – this doesn’t mean it’s bad. This is a film to watch if you have a similar appreciation for 80s action sci-fi that Wright clearly does.

★★★ Directed by: #SrinathRao Written by: #SrinathRao Starring: N/A Film Review by: Theo Rintoul Unscripted, unearthly, and undeniably pretty; photographer Srinath Rao has created a beautifully framed and composed documentary. This first episode is filmed in Kushinagar and Varanasi – two cities in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India – and Rao uses his photography skills to portray the beauty of the local communities and their interactions with both man-made structures and natural areas. This documentary is 42 minutes of purely iPhone 7 footage, with a flowing episodic feel of 16 scenarios that roll off one another mostly with ease. It’s impossible to tell that this documentary was filmed on a phone camera, as Rao navigates these vast areas with an organic ease that frames the communities in a way most pleasing to the eye. Using sweeping 360 ° movements to show praying Buddhists and cascading pans that reach entire coasts, hills, and living spaces, there is a sense of largeness that doesn’t detract from the smallest details of the local people that work together in sync. Their movements match the camera’s; slow and steady, woven together with gentle kinetic motion. The colours are rich, showcasing the most vibrant reds and oranges that bring the environment to life, and Rao utilises his surroundings well to properly show the landscapes, sculptures, and cultures in all their mellow beauty. These shots are accompanied by an ambient soundtrack, comprised of three live recorded songs and background music provided by Archana M. The songs include performances by sufi-saint poet Kabi Das, and there is even a monologue by a local boatman. The documentary includes no English narration, but you understand the feeling and atmosphere of each scenario through the music provided. The composition and music is very important to this film to convey its messages, especially as an English viewer who doesn’t understand the language; this doesn’t detract at all from the documentary, as there is still plenty to absorb and watch. The episodic narrative stops the film from dragging or feeling long or lost to the viewer, as the mind can start to wander due to the peaceful imagery and relaxing music. The many cuts, edited by Rao himself, keep the film moving along at a good pace whilst also leaving enough time spent on the wider shots for you to have the chance to absorb the images on-screen. Occasionally, though, the transitions seemed slightly jarring as the sound would cut out quickly with the shots, which felt unfitting against the natural flow of the overall film. With nothing explained in English, no narration at all, and just image and sound to rely on to understand this documentary about an unfamiliar culture, perhaps you’d think there wouldn’t be much to gain from Rao’s piece. However, the rich cultures and landscapes aren’t lost at all as everything is portrayed skilfully through just the lens of a phone – an achievement in itself – and translated on-screen in its wholeness. Hopefully in the next episode everything will be even more harmonious, with no conflicting transitions that occasionally take you out of the film.

★★★★ Directed by: Damian Draven Written by: Damian Draven Starring: Jonathan French, Susie Redmond, Maggie Halada Film Review by: Jason Knight A man goes to his isolated house in the countryside, to spend time with his wife. However, things are not what they seem. Johnny (French) is riding his motorcycle, heading to his property, hoping to surprise his wife Annie (Halada), with a present and a bottle of wine. Annie is expecting an important phone call from a producer, regarding an audition. While she is in the bathroom, Johnny pours the wine and proceeds to wrap up the present. While he does so, a woman named Susie (Redmond) keeps calling him, appearing to be concerned about his well-being. Then things take a very dramatic turn. This moving and distressing psychological thriller deals with issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder and suicide. The story begins with normality, with the tension and drama gradually rising, until the plot twist arrives, revealing the devastating truth. French leads the film very well, as a person who has gone through an extremely traumatic experience and as a result instead of accepting reality, he lives in his own world. His portrayal of a broken man is heartbreaking, because it is very realistic. Redmond is also emotional as a person who cares deeply for Johnny. The film is well directed, with terrific establishing shots during the opening sequence. There is a methodically constructed montage, that utilizes voice-over to great effect. Composer Eimear Maccarrick does a fantastic contribution, delivering a score that is powerful, dramatic and haunting and matches the tone of the scenes perfectly. There is a tragic scene that utilizes rather creative sound techniques, during which all diegetic sounds are mute and only the music is heard. By doing so, the filmmakers make the scene more powerful, as the content of the scene, along with the score and French's performance indicate that words are redundant here in order to understand the character's devastation. This short had a great deal of work put into it. The acting is superb and the filmmaking techniques are impressive. The most important aspect about this achievement though, it that it raises awareness regarding suicide. It explores the impact a person's suicide can have on the ones they leave behind and it encourages individuals who are going through this to reach out for help. #JasonKnight

★★★ Directed by: Ludwig Shammasian, Paul Shammasian Written by: Geoff Thompson Starring: Janet Montgomery, Orlando Bloom, Anne Reid, James Smillie Film Review by: Vikas Yadav Religion was created by the mortals to instill upon us a belief about an immortal being pulling strings from above. What primarily started as a way to introduce social order among human beings has now completely gained devoted following (and followers) around the globe. Whether god exists or not is up for debate. But what absolutely unquestionably exists is the concept of the divine deity. The one true creator with infinite power to conjure universes and produce life, like grass growing on a lawn. With such great powers came great sermons, delivered to us by priests in a church. These priests are considered to be the mouthpiece of gods. And since god is believed to be kind and compassionate, it’s only natural that the priests - the representatives - would also be charged with benevolence. This level of trust is what impels some people to attend the churches. The feeling of being close to a “Man of God” washes their body with sanctity. In this process, one often forgets to dislodge our priests to the position of a common man. They simply don’t see them as a vessel of sin. This is exactly why when Malky (Orlando Bloom) opens up about his trauma in front of her mother (Anne Reid), she responds by saying, “That didn’t happen to you.” She chooses denial over fact. She sides with religion, not her son. What happens is that in his childhood, Malky is sexually abused by a priest named Jimmy (James Smillie). This tribulation has emotionally scarred his adult life. He inflicts self-harm on his body and wallows in porn and rough sex. In one chilling scene, he looks up as if bored while her girlfriend, Emma (Janet Montgomery), unbuttons her clothes. It’s disturbing because you see a man who does not recognize love in lovemaking. There is a rage burning inside Malky, which erupts at the sight of Jimmy. Some consider the church to be an abode of the almighty. For Malky, it’s just another structure made up of walls and bricks. This theory enables him to demolish a church without flinching. He is an embittered man, and Retaliation gives him moments to exhibit his annoyance. Admittedly, among all of them, only the one that occurs in the final scene is delivered with the necessary fervor. Elsewhere, Malky’s inner turbulence takes a hit and comes across as a limp. The blame should not be put on the actors but on the treatment. There is a wall built around Malky for the majority of the time. Due to which I didn’t feel for or against this tortured soul going through hell. I mostly watched Retaliation with a neutral mind, which, of course, should not be the case for a viewer. There must be an active engagement, especially with these types of films. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case with me. However, as I am required to award a rating to this film, I will give Retaliation three stars. The reason: the sporadic points where it works, it works fabulously. You can almost sense a tornado arriving when Malky confronts Jimmy for the first time (the sound design is gripping). If only such sentiments were present frequently. Retaliation will be released in digitally on Friday 26th March

★ Directed by: #MunnoDomenicoDamiano Written by: #MunnoDomenicoDamiano Starring: #AndreaGiaretta, #GiulioGarravelli, #ValentinaBronzi Short Film Review by: Corey Bulloch From its title and opening imagery, it seems pretty obvious what angle God Corporation is going for, but not much is done to make it a compelling one. Writer-director Munno Domenico Damiano explores themes of human behaviour and free will through a science fiction narrative of a man awaking on a planet and then being subjected to a series of tests with other subjects. Damiano’s clear intention is to explore ideas of creationism through this lens of sinister machinations. Whatever enterprise this God Corporation may be, they don’t seem to create life for any altruistic purposes. Specimen 56 portrayed by Andrea Giaretta is the protagonist, focused on his experiences within the tests. In the two “collaboration tests” with Specimen 79 and then Specimen 103, these scenes have the characters in a room interacting with one another. Typical short film convention, but the dialogue and performance don’t make any of it engaging. God Corporation lacks gripping world-building and an appetite to make audiences eager to learn about it, with nothing about Damiano’s vision feels unique or worthwhile in exploring. The initial concept, which is merely teased upon in the final shots as some big twist, just remains underwhelming as it's made glaringly obvious from the beginning. Performances glide between overly dramatic or stilted, making it a struggle to retain any information given through the dialogue. Damiano and cinematographer Andrea Bonetti don’t do themselves favours in how they present this world, despite opening in the vast wilderness, mountains and lush forests, the colour grade makes it all look cheap. Harsh oversaturated images to give the feeling of an “alien” world gives the wrong impression and make the whole production value diminish. Continued only by the poor quality of the sets that the “tests” take place in empty rooms with minimal designs, not at all conveying the scale of operation this God Corporation seems to be capable of. While budget probably holds back the scale of its visual science fiction (or probably just used exclusively for the final shot) Damiano doesn’t have the script or skill to elevate his film from these limitations. Peppered with minor issues from poor audio mixing to harsh lighting and grading, God Corporation lacks the charm of typical low budget filmmaking. Without captivating characters or tension, everything about the film easily fades to the mundane, leaving no impact in its short runtime. #CoreyBulloch #shortfilm

★★★ Directed by: #AdrishNath Written by: #AdrishNath Starring: #PratyushaRakshit Film review by: Joseph Rodgers Eligible? is an intimate and moving Indian short film that challenges negative perceptions about certain female workers. In a dark room, a young Indian woman (Pratyusha Rakshit) browses social media, and sees a post from an ex-partner celebrating the fact he has moved on from her. A black-and-white flashback scene then shows her defending herself over a phone call, boldly responding to his scathing critique of her profession, her class and her romantic eligibility. Following this phone call, the young woman’s professional identity is revealed as she tries to move on from this man, and we see her defiant words in a new light. The structure of this plot, which hinges on a reveal in its final scene, cleverly subverts our perception of the protagonist and the profession she works in. Eligible? displays a sensitive treatment of a topic many are dismissive of, and its message is defiantly feminist. It is surely for this reason that the short film has been nominated for and won numerous awards, such as Best Message at the Athens International Film Festival. For someone in their early twenties, writer-director Adrish Nath shows an impressive talent for framing shots and creating mood: we only see this young woman in strict close-ups of her eyes, her mouth and her hands. This creates a very intimate feel, which not only reflects the intense solipsism of scrolling through social media but also develops the short film’s tenderness towards its central character. The black and white scene is also well-photographed and atmospheric, especially as the phone call ends and she stares broodingly into nature. Furthermore, the background music of Sayana Das is disposed effectively in the dark room, enhancing the private drama unfolding. At just over 3 minutes, however, Eligible? is ultimately a little lacking in development of drama and plot. Overall, the film ends up feeling more like an advert seeking to change social perceptions, rather than a fully-fleshed out story. There is definitely potential to go deeper into the life of this character, and to elaborate on the attitudes of those around her. However, the film ends rather abruptly and leaves the viewer surprised that it’s already over. Nonetheless, Nath shows enough potential in his film-making to leave us intrigued to see a longer story told. Eligible? is an admirably defiant short film that seeks to destabilise certain harmful, patriarchal double standards in Indian society. Despite being slightly under-developed in terms of character and drama, it exhibits many signs of film-making promise from its young writer-director.

★ Directed by: Joey Harlow Written by: Joey Harlow, Benn Perry Starring: Carrie Bradstreet, Benn Perry, Kevin R. Allen, Molly Cunningham, Michael James Alexander Film Review by: Jason Knight A serial killer is on the loose, decapitating women. Rachel (Bradstreet) is giving an interview to Darcy (Cunningham), who works for a crime magazine, about her brother Jake (Allen). Rachel, Jake and Danny (Alexander) are three siblings, who had a traumatic childhood, due to the suffering they endured in the hands of their abusive mother. Now they are adults and the authorities suspect that Jake might be the murderer, because he has a criminal record. The killings continue and the fear and agony rises. Who is the culprit? Who will be the next victim? This mystery thriller develops into kind of a slasher film and contains elements of child trauma, family values, dysfunctional households and lowlifes. The concept is OK: a maniac is on a killing spree and must be stopped. Unfortunately, the execution is flawed. To begin with, the acting is not convincing, to say the least. The cast give the impression that they are trying too hard, especially when they are trying to be distressed or angry or even serious and the result is not positive. Looking at the filmmaking techniques now, the editing often appears clumsy with continuity errors. Regarding the score, it often does not match the situations. Sometimes it is much too dramatic and others it is much too loud and tense. The screenplay has some interesting characters and the fact that it evolves around murders is intruiging, which is a plus. However, the script does not know whether it means to be serious or ridiculous. For instance, one minute a person is brutally killed, their head separated from their body, blood everywhere and then law enforcement characters get into silly arguments, with the corpse lying nearby. With a duration of nearly two hours, the movie feels overlong, with quite a few scenes that last longer than necessary and others should probably not be there at all, as they do not. And the directing is rather inefficient. If Panic in Detroit is supposed to be a serious film, then it tries way too hard to be that. The unrealistic acting, over-pensive music and uninspiring script are likely to make people laugh at it. Perhaps this movie should be categorized as a dark comedy, although it would be difficult for it be accepted by the public even as that. With all these observations in mind, is this feature worth viewing then? If one wants to see it, just to say that they have seen it, then they should go for it. If not, they will probably spend two hours doing something better. #JasonKnight