Influencer film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Cassandra Naud, Emily Tennant, Rory J Saper, Sara Canning directed by Kurtis David Harder. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Influencer Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Feb 3, 2024 Directed by: Kurtis David Harder Written by: Kurtis David Harder, Tesh Guttikonda Starring: Cassandra Naud, Emily Tennant, Rory J Saper, Sara Canning A young woman murders online influencers in Thailand and steals their money. This feature-length thriller has a screenplay that moves from one character to the other. It begins with an American online celebrity named Madison (Tennant) who travels to Thailand for business as well as leisure. There she meets CW (Naud), another foreign woman and the two of them form a friendship. However, Madison's hotel room is burgled and her passport is stolen. Stranded in Thailand while she waits for a temporary passport, CW offers to take her on a tour around the country. CW's true intentions are brought to light when she takes Madison to a remote small island via boat and leaves her there to die. As CW pursues her next victim, another online celebrity named Jessica (Canning), things get complicated with the unexpected arrival of Ryan (Saper), Madison's boyfriend. As mentioned the story goes from one character to another, allowing the viewers to see the events from their perspective, kind of like Psycho . Initially, it is assumed that Madison is the main character, then she falls victim to CW's vile scheme and things then focus on exploring how she takes over her victims' online accounts in order to acquire their money and how she searches for new ones through social media, eventually choosing Jessica and trying to lure her into another trap. Then Ryan shows up and the audience follows him as he starts being a detective, attempting to locate Madison. As well as being a story about a criminal and her victims, the film explores the world of online influencers and points out the dangers of being a social media celebrity, how people can find out information about them and use them in order to commit fraud. CW makes a rather intriguing character and she is played superbly by Naud. A foreigner living in Thailand, preying on online influencers so she can gain their trust, murder them and get their money. She is basically a loner and a ruthless, cunning and remorseless individual living a life of luxury due to her crimes. It should be pointed out that the opening credits do not begin until approximately twenty-five minutes after the film has started. This is not necessarily a negative thing, just unusual and therefore awkward. The feature is supported significantly by Harder's skilful directing that includes some wonderful establishing shots that reveal the beauty of Thailand and David Schuurman's stunning cinematography is a big plus. This is a dark story about murder, deception and cybercrime. It is an entertaining psychological thriller whose highest qualities are the suspense, the interesting plot and Naud's character. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Wicked Little Letters film review by UK film critic George Wolf. Starring Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Timothy Spall directed by Thea Sharrock. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Wicked Little Letters Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: George Wolf | Posted on: Apr 3, 2024 Directed by: Thea Sharrock Written by: Jonny Sweet Starring: Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Timothy Spall Long before you could hide behind a keyboard and avatar, a small English village was scandalized by some expert-level anonymous trolling. Wicked Little Letters tells us that story is “more true than you’d think,” and rolls out a stellar ensemble to elevate the tale at nearly every turn. It is the 1920s in Littlehampton, England, where unmarried Edith Swan (Oscar winner Olivia Colman) still lives with her parents (Timothy Spall, Gemma Jones). Edith is known to be a dutiful daughter and devout Christian, so town tongues are wagging when she begins to receive hateful and profanity-laced “poison pen” letters in the mail. Who could be behind such unwarranted vitriol? Whaddya bet it’s that filthy Irishwoman Rose Gooding (Oscar nominee Jessie Buckley)? Rose is frequently loud, drunk and vulgar. Plus, she’s a war widow (or is she ?) with a young daughter (Alisha Weir from the upcoming Abigail ), a “reputation” and a live-in boyfriend (Malachi Kirby). Throw in the recent falling-out with Edith, and that’s enough for the town Constables (Hugh Skinner, Paul Chahidi), who arrest Rose and quickly schedule a show trial. But “Woman Police Officer” Moss (Anjana Vasan) isn’t convinced, and she risks her position by continuing to investigate the letters on her own. Director Thea Sharrock (Me Before You, The One and Only Ivan ) and first-time screenwriter Jonny Sweet don’t craft a “whodunnit” as much as they do a “whoproveit” and a “whydunnit.” The real culprit is revealed fairly early on, and the film tries to balance some British wit atop heavier themes of repression, equality, and the sanctimonious crowd who are all preach no practice. It’s historically interesting and well-meaning enough, but it reveals Sweet’s TV background through a light and obvious romp that’s rescued by heavyweight talent. Colman, Buckley and Spall are all customarily splendid, each making up for the lack of nuance in their characters with some livid-in conviction and natural chemistry. Plus, Vasan stands out in the winning supporting group as the overlooked and underestimated W.P.O. Moss. So while it’s lacking in the bite needed to leave a lasting impression, think of Wicked Little Letters as an extended cat video, one just amusing enough to take your mind off of all those nasty comments from the keyboard warriors. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic George Wolf Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Close film review by UK film critic Joe Beck. Starring Marco Fausto Daidone, Gianluca Meotti directed by Lorenzo Sicuranza. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Close Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Joe Beck | Posted on: Dec 15, 2024 Directed by: Lorenzo Sicuranza Written by: Lorenzo Sicuranza, Francesco Teselli Starring: Marco Fausto Daidone, Gianluca Meotti What makes a relationship a close one? Is is the quantity of time spent in another’s company or the quality of that time? How quickly can you form a close relationship? In minutes or does it take hours and days? Those are the questions ‘Close’ raises, though it doesn’t necessarily explore them to a satisfactory level of nuance and depth. ‘Close’ begins with an extract from a poem by Ferdinand Freiligrath - “O love, as long as you can love! O dear, as long as you love! The hour is coming, the hour is coming; Where you stand at graves and lament!” - and the essence of those four lines is felt throughout the rest of the film as well. It’s a poem that expresses the need to love while you can love, because it may not last forever, and whilst that is effectively captured in ‘Close’, the film doesn’t spend enough time exploring the relationship between its characters to truly understand the bond that they share. Franz (played by Marco Fausto Daidone) is all alone in an unfamiliar city as he prepares for a piano competition. Alone in his hotel room he cannot get through to his mother on the phone and is left overwhelmed by his own solitude. All that changes when Andrea (played by Gianluca Meotti) bursts in looking for shelter from the police. Andrea is clearly a dangerous fugitive and angrily remonstrates on the phone to his accomplice but this doesn’t perturb Franz, and very quickly the two strike up something of a friendship. Emphasis must be put on how quickly this happens. One moment Andrea is yelling on the phone, the next he and Franz are sat at the piano playing together with a closeness and sensuality between them. It’s as though a chunk of the film were taken out between the two scenes and we are supposed to just believe that they struck up a friendship just like that. There’s connective tissue between the events and this is a pattern that continues throughout the film. It’s a fault in the screenplay by Lorenzo Sicuranza and Francesco Teselli as they fail to effectively set up any of the events of the film. You sense that had the film been perhaps longer and more able to bridge the gaps between scenes then it would have been a far more moving rumination on loneliness and the human need for closeness and relationships. As it is, Lorenzo Sicuranza’s impeccably beautiful directing is let down by the gaps in the screenplay and the film feels rather unfulfilling. ‘Close’ is a disappointing film. It’s one that is full of unfulfilled potential as it fails to properly explore the depths of its questions and themes, and instead feels rushed and incomplete. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Joe Beck Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Yellow film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Afsaneh Dehrouyeh, Ahmad Jan Mano, Elham Ehsas directed by Elham Ehsas. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Yellow Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: May 16, 2023 Directed by: Elham Ehsas Written by: Elham Ehsas Starring: Afsaneh Dehrouyeh, Ahmad Jan Mano, Elham Ehsas In August 2021, the Taliban overtook Afghanistan. This short drama explores the aftermath. It is a busy market in Kabul and a young woman (Dehrouyeh) is looking to purchase her first chadari. He enters a clothing shop and requests one from the assistant (Ehsas). He helps her make the right choice, gives her advice and is quite helpful. She does not seem to be fond of the garment and appears to realise that her life is changing. This film is about a turning point in a woman's life, following the Taliban's conquest of Afghanistan. It is obvious that it is the first time she is wearing a chadari, as she does not know how to put it on, which highlights the change that she is going through. Through her eyes, the audience sees a procedure that many women in Afghanistan are going through: getting a chadari for the first time and entering a new stage in their life. The screenplay calmly examines the procedures that the heroine undertakes in order to obtain a chadari and thus (in some ways) go through a transformation and become another person, a person who the Taliban approve of. The film dramatically points out some of the effects of the Taliban takeover. One is the degradation of women, which is explored through Dehrouyeh's character and a television news broadcast about the strict laws applied by the Taliban regarding women wearing a chadari. Another is the banning of music, which is briefly shown through Ehsas' character. One part that stands out is a dance scene that feels almost magical thanks to slow motion and creative editing by Ehsas and Ross Leppard. Director of photography Yiannis Manolopoulos does a great job with the cinematography and commendations go to Jessica Holme for the costumes. An effective point-of-view shot places the viewer in the heroine's position, helping them feel how she feels. This film is a poignant and hard-hitting commentary about the Taliban's seizure of Afghanistan, how it affects the people of that country, particularly women. It provides an insight into the current situation, painting a bleak vision of the future. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Film Festival Partners A selection of the Film Festivals that UK Film Review is a Media Partner for. Soho London Independent Film Festival Shining a light on stories that matter Soho London Independent Film Festival (SohoLIFF) is a ‘short film’ festival based in the heart of Soho, in London’s West End. We love films that could make a difference, that give a voice to those who have been marginalised. We simply love great films that are engaging, from the dark and gritty to the eccentric and flamboyant. We welcome all genres and have a particular interest in films with a social and environmental message, films that matter. SohoLIFF Thurs 25th – Sun 28th of January 2024 75 Dean Street, Soho, London W1D 3SQ SohoLIFF features live screenings, panel discussions and workshops over four consecutive days, culminating in a gala-night award ceremony to celebrate all the festival’s films! Our Audience Choice Award, voted for by the public, brings with it an amazing opportunity for the winner to have their film poster displayed across Storm’s huge digital billboards in prominent London locations, all thanks to our wonderful Soho neighbours, Clear Channel. Throughout the year we host our ‘Soho Spotlights’ which provide advice and insights for filmmakers – from industry professionals, covering subject matters ranging from finance to distribution. We also host panels and masterclasses featuring industry experts, which are free to our filmmakers. Filmmakers have an opportunity to be interviewed for our Soho Spotlights in the run-up to our festival and awards night as well. Run by a group of passionate professionals and enthusiastic newcomers, this is one not to be missed. More Screen and Story Film Festival The Screen and Story Film Festival is an open global festival giving filmmakers a platform to showcase their stories to diverse audiences across the world. Our first edition opened as a result of the pandemic in 2020 with our first virtual edition featuring 21 shorts from 10 countries. This year we are expanding our film programme to screenings of shorts, features and documentaries. The 2021 festival edition will bring its inaugural screenwriting competition to celebrate the power of storytelling combined with a full range of industry-leading events. All screenings, events and talks will be held virtually. Our 2021 edition sees a global open call for submissions that encourages all filmmakers to submit their work. With no submission or ticket fees, the festival focuses on one common mission: to enhance and empower worldwide filmmaking, providing a platform to all regardless of location, race, sexuality, gender identity, faith, disability or socio-economic background, with no exceptions. The Screen and Story Film Festival is run by likeminded volunteers from different sectors of the professional film community all working towards one common mission. We exist to enhance and empower global filmmakers and writers around the world, giving a platform to all in-discriminative of location, race, sexuality, gender, religion, disability or socio-economic background, with no exceptions. Our Values are to: - To find, develop and promote undiscovered international filmmaking talent, encouraging them to showcase their films and let their voices be heard in an engaging and inspiring atmosphere where creativity and powerful storytelling abounds. - To level the playing field for filmmakers, always providing equal opportunities to all through a broad open call free from theme at least once a year. - To create an all-encompassing support network of filmmakers for the filmmakers. Fostering connection for collaboration, encouragement and advice. - To give independent film a diverse and worldwide audience and reach a wide range of communities with films they may not generally have access to. - To be nomadic and take the festival to interesting and unexplored territories. - To be accessible to everyone, everywhere, regardless of location. More Yellowstone International Film Festival In the city of culture, art, and heritage. Yellowstone International Film Festival is dedicated to celebrating the world-class cinema. Yellowstone International Film festival is home to independent cinema from around the world. YIFF puts filmmakers first and provides the opportunity for recognition and publicity for quality films and documentaries. Our aim is to be an advocate for filmmakers with a unique vision and to promote their work by showcasing it to a large audience. which is why our mission is to carefully consider and select a wide range of films to promote to the indie film-loving crowd. YIFF will be a global adventure of the premiere, screenings, nightly red carpets, daring documentaries, eye-opening short films, We also focus films under special categories such as LGBTQ films, Women Empowerment films, environmental films, Students Films. More Cheap Cuts Documentary Film Festival Cheap Cuts Documentary Film Festival is the only UK festival dedicated exclusively to short documentary. Cheap Cuts showcases the best of British and international short documentary talent. We strongly believe in content over form and are interested in the stories you have to tell and not the equipment or budget used to do so. Cheap Cuts is committed to helping promote equality within film and every year at least 50% of our programme is formed of short documentaries directed by women. Our programme offers a variety of filmmaking styles; including experimental, animation and observational documentary and there are some great appearances from films that really push the boundaries of documentary. More Little Wing Film Festival Little Wing Film Festival takes place in August / September in London. Now in its second year, the LWFF will play host to a selection of fantastic short films from UK filmmakers, as well as some exciting workshops hosted by the Little Wing Film Festival organisers. Little Wing Film Festival Facebook - @littlewingevents Twitter - @LittleWingFF Instagram - @littlewingfilmfestival More Fringe Queer Film Fest Since 2011, Fringe! Queer Film & Arts Fest has been an entirely volunteer-run organisation rooted in London's queer creative scene. In Novembers, and throughout the year, we showcase an eclectic mix of films, arts and events celebrating LGBTIQA+ stories from around the world, welcoming everybody. Fringe! Queer Film Fest started in 2011 as a community response to arts cuts carnage, and since then we’ve ‘expanded exponentially to become one of the most innovative and exciting festivals on the circuit.’(Londonist) From feature films to experimental installations, workshops and lively debates to wild parties, Fringe! hosts a multitude of diverse events to tickle every one of the senses. You'll see us flooding East London's cinemas, art galleries, pop-up venues and basement clubs with the powerful, provocative and strange. As we continue to develop and our Fringe! Queer Film Fest family continues to grow, some things stay the same: a lot of our screenings and events are free or affordable, we remain open to new voices and ideas, and we’ll always be queer: celebratory but critical as hell. More Beeston Film Festival THE BIGGEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL IN THE MIDLANDS is the Beeston Film Festival. It is now open for its SIXTH year and now ranks in the top 100 Best Reviewed Festivals from the 8,000 festivals registered worldwide. The festival takes place over five days across several venues and screens over 120 films from 35 countries, creating a truly international cinematic experience. It will take place late March 2020. The Beeston Oscar, or B’Oscar, is presented to the best film in the following categories - Drama, Horror, Comedy, Documentary, Animation, Crime, Science Fiction and Student. Further prizes include Best Director, Best Script, Best Cinematography, Best Acting Performance, Best Soundtrack & Sound Design, Women’s Voices and an Audience award, too. The selection process includes review by a team of local Beestonians who select the film accepted into the festival and determine the B’Oscar nomination shortlists. Our B’Oscar award jury comprises of film professionals from across the globe including UK, US, Belgium, France, India, and Taiwan. More High Peak Indie Film Festival High Peak Independent Film Festival is a not-for-profit film festival that celebrates shorts and feature films from some of the best filmmakers around the world. The festival showcases up and coming talent from independent filmmakers across a four-day event of film, events and networking parties. Set in the beautiful town of New Mills, the festival takes place at the old theatre, New Mills Art Theatre, an almost hidden five hundred seater venue that takes you back to the past when you walk in. New Mills, only 45 minutes away from Manchester and Sheffield, is an easy commute and is worth the visit just to see the rolling hills that surround the village. It’s also known for making the famous Swizzles Matlow sweets! In the festival’s inaugural year back in 2017, the festival hit off with a bang and received great reviews from filmmakers, film lovers and those who just heard about it through word of mouth. It showed 51 films across a three and a half day event. In its second year, the festival will showcase 60 films (56 shorts, 4 features), amongst hosting an array of events and networking opportunities for filmmakers and festival goers alike. Programmes at this year's festival include our dedicated Young Filmmakers Shorts that include a selection of short films by young filmmakers aged 13-18-year-olds from around the world, a category that is always free for entry to those of that age. There is also a Women in Film programme that is dedicated to the outstanding work of female filmmakers in the independent film industry and our Best of the North which celebrates the best of local talent. As well as many other shorts programmes, we are showcasing four feature films, including holding two UK Premieres for Sarah Barker’s ‘The Subject’ and Christophe Leclaire’s ‘Le Portrait’. Our events for this year include our prestigious awards ceremony which comes jam-packed with entertainment and a live set from local artists, James Holt, and our returning movie-themed brass band night, which really is something not to be missed! We also have our free 10-hour filmmaking challenge on the Thursday and panels on Saturday and Sunday too. More Barnes Film Festival Barnes Film Festival is now planning its fourth film festival, taking place in Barnes in September 2019. The festival showcases filmmaking talent from across the UK, workshops and panel talks, together with award-winning films from around the world. Barnes Film Festival celebrates diversity, passion and creativity, and connects all filmmakers – and anybody interested in film – with industry professionals. As well as our Filmmaking Competition, the Festival will host inspiring film events for all, including workshops, discussions, screenings and gatherings, with leading figures from the film, documentary and animation industries. Whether you’re a filmmaker, or a film fan looking to discover something new, there’s something at Barnes Film Festival for you! Come along to our next Festival and be part of something fantastic. More British Urban Film Festival The British Urban Film Festival was founded in July 2005 to showcase urban independent cinema in the absence of any such state-sponsored activity in the UK (at the time). To date, the festival has screened over 500 films, securing broadcast platforms for a majority of Black and urban independent writers, actors, actresses, producers and directors on the BBC i-player, Channel 4, Community Channel (now Together TV), Showcase TV and London Live. In February 2018, BUFF Originals was launched to act as the production and distribution arm of the British Urban Film Festival. Its' debut feature - No Shade - was released in UK cinemas in November 2018, making director Clare Anyiam-Osigwe the 6th Black British female director (to date) to secure theatrical distribution in over 120 years. Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe is the founder and Chairman of the British Urban Film Festival and officially, one of the 100 most powerful and influential figures in independent film, according to a list published by the UK Power 100 in June 2019. For his work as executive producer of 'No Shade' (BUFF's first, fully funded and independently released feature film), Emmanuel was also listed as 1 of 5 standout inductees by the UK Power 100. More London Independent Film Festival Due to come to London in April/May 2020, the London Independent Film Festival is a particularly important event in the cinematic calendar. Mostly because it provides a fantastic stepping stone for new filmmakers, and a great festival to be part of. LIFF (London Independent Film Festival) puts on a selection of fantastic screenings, events, and workshops that attract big fans across the capital. Filmmakers who are looking to submit their film to a London Film Festival should seriously consider the LIFF. It has a strong pedigree amongst the industry and can provide exposure to some of the movie-making community's big players. For instance, at the London Independent Film Festival 2020, there will be a special event hosted by our Editor-in-Chief, Chris Olson, on film marketing. This is a fantastic partnership that is sure to benefit all who are able to attend. We are hoping to add a few more entries to this page as we review films that will be appearing in the LIFF lineup. You can also check out special features that have been provided by the festival organisers, or exclusive interviews. One such interview can be found between UK Film Review and Festival Director Natasha Marburger - so be sure to check it out. More Grimmfest Film Festival Grimmfest is one of the UK's leading festivals of horror, sci-fi, fantasy & cult cinema, taking place every year in Manchester. This truly independent genre film festival is dedicated to sharing the best new short and feature films from both emerging and established filmmakers, hosting a wealth of World, European, UK and Northern premieres across the 4-day event. Previous Grimmfest highlights range from international successes What We Do in the Shadows, The Babadook, Train to Busan, The Woman and American Mary, to those made closer to home such as Howl, Grabbers, Before Dawn, Let Us Prey and Colin. Over the years they've welcomed a vast number of guests, including horror mainstays Robin Hardy (The Wicker Man), Ken Foree (Dawn of the Dead, From Beyond), Brian Yuzna (Re-Animator, From Beyond) and Italian soundtrack maestros Goblin, alongside Britain's own Ross Noble (Stitches), Alice Lowe (Sightseers, Prevenge) and Liam Cunningham (Game of Thrones, Dog Soldiers). The 2017 edition attracted thousands of genre film fans, press and industry guests to the city, with highlights including World Premieres of gritty Manchester-set horror film Habit and stunning animated documentary Borley Rectory, featuring the voice talents of Reece Shearsmith, Nicholas Vince and Julian Sands. Ted Geoghegan's Mohawk and Rob Grant's Fake Blood had their first European outings, alongside UK premieres of the WW1-set Trench 11, Fantasia favourite Poor Agnes and Russian supernatural thriller The Bride. The Francesca Eastwood-starring M.F.A., Sitges-selected Rabbit and festival favourite Dave Made a Maze also had their first UK screenings at the festival. Northern Premieres included Better Watch Out, Replace, Game of Death, Killing Ground, Still/Born, 68 Kill, Ruin Me, Double Date, Freehold (Two Pigeons), Leatherface and Attack of the Adult Babies. 2017 Q&As and special guests included filmmakers and stars from Habit, Borley Rectory, Fake Blood, Trench 11, Double Date and Attack of the Adult Babies. The Festival's 9th edition proved once again that Grimmfest is one of the most welcoming genre film festivals in the world. "In all respects I can honestly say 'Grimmfest did me proud'! I've attended film premieres before but I've never felt such a warm atmosphere or watched cast and crew members be so well looked after, myself included" - Sara Dee (Actress - Borley Rectory) "We were honoured to have our UK premiere at Grimmfest. They did a great job of promoting the film, and their efforts led to a slew of great press; their PR people are really on top of it and we are forever grateful. It really helped establish an audience for our movie in the UK" - Bill Watterson (Director - Dave Made a Maze) "All the films looked and sounded amazing. Talking with the fans and filmmakers at the fest was a blast. I loved everything about Grimmfest. I very much look forward to screening another film there" - Matt Stuertz (Director - Tonight She Comes) More

All Over Again film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Joseph Fuoco, Constance Reshey, Joseph McGovern directed by Joseph McGovern. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS All Over Again Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Oct 16, 2026 Directed by: Joseph McGovern Written by: Joseph McGovern Starring: Joseph Fuoco, Constance Reshey, Joseph McGovern A man plays a song for a small crowd at a local open mic night. In 2017, short filmmaker Joseph McGovern made a small film called All Over Again . It centred around the Bus Stop Music Café in Pitman, New Jersey, where an aging guitarist who had lost his mojo was encouraged to find his voice once again. This short film ran at about eighteen minutes long and seems to have been just as simple as it sounds. Seven years later, McGovern decided to have another crack at the small film that seems to have made his name, and in the interests of re-promoting his work, hacked up bits of his already short film, or lifted clippings from the cutting room floor, and used these snippets to highlight the final song of the piece. At now only four minutes long we now have the music video for All Over Again , which seems to be taking on an ironic overtone to its title with this new production. For the first forty-five seconds of the video all we get is setup, as the café comes into view, certain members of the crowd are picked out, and the MC (McGovern) introduces Gregory (Fuoco) to us as he comes up to play his one song. For those of us who have never seen the short film, or know who any of the characters are that are being shown to us, this is all extraneous and unnecessary, as there is no real narrative to follow during the playing of the song. While Gregory plays his little two-minute ditty, composed by Fuoco and with lyrics penned by McGovern, we get a quick rehashing of the film, where characters are exposed to us doing mundane things, or simply just being there, which means absolutely nothing when we have nothing else to go on. A quick flash of a young couple clutching the girl’s belly tells us that at some point there was a baby on the way, but after that nothing is clear as to what we’re supposed to be witnessing in the visuals accompanying the song. As a music video the audience is also let down by the audio, which was recorded live at the café complete with jerky chord changes, almost forgotten lyrics, and a sound like it was played in a tin-can. This is not a polished, studio version of a song that has had a video created for it, but a live recording of a guy singing in a local watering hole, while disparate shots of unnamed import are tacked on all around it. It begs the question if this is really a music video at all, or just another rehash at making a short film. After the song has finished, there’s nearly another minute-and-a-half of credits to go through, accompanied by an instrumental version of a song that sounds quite similar to the one we’re supposed to be here for. In fact, in the entire runtime of the short film, we spend more time on build-up and credits than we do on the actual song we’re supposed to be listening to. Thankfully, it’s quite a nice song, in a folky, Neil Young kind of way, and Fuoco does his best to bang it out to the small crowd around him, while McGovern does his best work behind the camera to find the shots and the lighting he needs to film the performance. Unfortunately, this version of All Over Again doesn’t work as a music video or as another short film. The song itself is just too short to take much notice of, and when it is couched in between a sandwich of filler that lasts longer than the meat of the video itself, it means that something is very wrong with what’s being presented. For what is, admittedly, a nice little song, what’s been attempted in the accompanying video adds nothing to the ‘experience’, and perhaps even takes away from the original short film, as it tries to bypass the need for spending the time to get actual involvement or connection from the audience. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Digital / DVD Release, Short Film, Music Video < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Fading Petals film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Melanie Revill, Charlotte Reidie, Tom Metcalf, Gary Raymond directed by Bradley Charlton. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Fading Petals Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Mar 1, 2022 Directed by: Bradley Charlton Written by: Bradley Charlton Starring: Melanie Revill, Charlotte Reidie, Tom Metcalf, Gary Raymond An elderly woman and her young carer open up to each other, leading to dramatic consequences. A young female carer has been assigned to look after an ill, single, old woman who lives by herself in her home. The aged woman appears a bit eccentric and initially she is cold and distant towards her helper and questions her about her life. Eventually, the two women learn more about each other and bond. However, it is later revealed that things are not what they appear to be. This dark psychological drama explores the lives of two troubled individuals and the relationship that develops between them. Basically, the first half or so focuses on the interactions between the carer and the old woman. None of the characters' names are revealed. The elderly woman claims that she does not want to bond with the youngster, yet she wishes to know more about her, to find out who she is. She asks her rather personal questions, much to the carer's disapproval. During the second half, things change rather dramatically, with revelations that make the viewer question events they saw previously. The strong screenplay contains a great deal of drama and emotional conversations. The struggles that the two women go through are shown rather vividly. The narrative contains situations that deal with trauma, regrets, loneliness, alcoholism, religion, domestic violence, mental health and self-discovery. There is hardly any happiness in this hard-hitting story. The unexpected twists effectively turn things around and bring the audience closer to understanding what is really going on. The acting is superb. Revill is astonishing as an unhappy loner who spends her time painting, building a dollhouse and solving puzzles. She is haunted by her past, has a drinking problem and tends to be violent when she gets angry. Reidie is equally great as a young person who has troubles of her own, as she is living with her abusive father who does not want his daughter dating. Metcalf and Raymond play their supporting roles very well. Charlton's directing includes well-executed long takes and the editing makes good use of fast cutting techniques. Oliver Rigby delivers beautiful cinematography and there are creative lighting effects. The score by William Cunningham is powerful and dramatic and adds significant value to the feature. This film is a distressing story that is rather heavy on emotions. The atmosphere is downbeat and the dramatic revelations, confrontations and powerful performances make this movie an admirable achievement. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Dark Glasses film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Ilenia Pastorelli, Andrea Zhang, Asia Argento directed by Dario Argento. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Dark Glasses Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Oct 10, 2022 Directed by: Dario Argento Written by: Dario Argento, Franco Ferrini Starring: Ilenia Pastorelli, Andrea Zhang, Asia Argento Giallo is the soap opera of horror, and you have to embrace that to appreciate it. Emotion and drama, tension, fear and sexuality are amped up to a ludicrous degree, with sense and sensibility tossed out the window. Few have ever done this as well as Dario Argento. I’d argue Mario Bava, but many consider Argento the king of giallo, and with good reason – his landmark 1977 film Suspiria may be the high-water mark for the entire genre. After a decade away from filmmaking in general and longer still since his last giallo, Argento returns to form with Dark Glasses . Passions run high and bad decisions are rampant as Diana (Ilenia Pastorelli) attempts to evade a serial killer. But wait, it’s more complicated than that! You see, she’s also blind and has sort of kidnapped this kid. It’s better if you don’t ask. Though the score is not from Goblin, composer Arnaud Rebotini’s electronic soundtrack conjures classic giallo. Indeed, between those recognizable chimes and an early throat severing, you’d think you were watching Argento of old. But the filmmaker does have a couple new ideas in store, and marginally less misogyny onscreen. Diana’s a harder-edged protagonist than what you find in other films from the Italian maestro. A high-end sex worker, she’s nonplussed about her line of work and disinterested in anyone else’s opinion of it. She’s a peculiar central character and Argento, who co-wrote the script with frequent collaborator Franco Ferrini (Opera , Phenomena ), gives her more to do than elude victimization. She develops skills and bonds in the second act that feel reasonable and realistic, sometimes even tender. It helps ground the film in character before those characters step into a den of watersnakes and remind you that you are essentially watching a soap opera. There are some inventive kills, gore aplenty, and loads of reminders of why Argento has developed such a boisterous following. This is by no means his best film, but it’s by no means his worst, either. Everyone yells when they shouldn’t yell, everyone pauses when they shouldn’t pause, everyone talks when they shouldn’t talk, but who cares when the blood is this red and free-flowing? Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release, Digital / DVD Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Brutalist film review by UK film critic Jack Salvadori. Starring Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones directed by Brady Corbet. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Brutalist Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jack Salvadori | Posted on: Sep 2, 2024 Directed by: Brady Corbet Written by: Brady Corbet, Mona Fastvold Starring: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones I thought the days when films looked great were gone forever. You know, when they actually looked like films, with that special magical look, in the ‘50s. I don’t mean simply shot on celluloid, I mean the texture of those colours, that can only exist on the silver screen, far from reality. And then, the flickering Vistavision logo proudly lit the Darsena room at the Venice Film Festival: Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist had begun. “Monumental” would be an appropriate word to sum up this film. Its scale matches only the director’s gargantuan ambitions, and it is reassuring to see Universal Pictures committing to such a colossal production without some fellows wearing a cape. In a day when most films tend to be unjustifiably too long, especially at this edition of the festival when the 120-minute mark is a fading memory, The Brutalist boasts a demanding 215 minutes running time. Yet, this is not a regular movie, but the chance to experience a proper epic, ouverture included, in similar proportions to when Lawrence of Arabia or 2001 were firstly released. This oddissey is an american one, following the life of Laszlo Toth, impeccably played by Adrien Brody, emigrating from Budapest to the United States after surviving the Shoah, and looking for fortune trying to achieve his architectural projects. His surviving family, composed of nephew and wife (Felicity Jones), are stuck in Europe. With no money and unappreciated skills, he tries to fit in the new world through his unique vision. This anachronistically impossible film explores the post-war collective psychology while chronicling the history of modern architecture. And brutal is not only Lazslo’ style, but also the cards that life as an immigrant deals him. The Land of Dreams is an illusion, opposite from the concrete, imposing shapes that the architect tries to trace on his path. A hell disguised as paradise, whose devil has the shape of charismatic millionaire Harrison Van Buten, played by an excellent Guy Pearce, who becomes Lazslo’s patron, blessing, and curse, who offers him the hope to reinstate his reputation building a titanic Cathedral on a hill outside Philadelphia. Laszlo Toth is an artist, he has something to say, and his message lies within the commanding buildings that cover the sky. The ending masterfully ties together Lazslo’s obsessiveness with his works, giving a profound meaning to his unscrupulous journey. The Brutalist , a serious contender for this year’s Golden Lion, definitely left its mark on the Lido. During its fifteen-minutes long intermission, hundreds of viewers began shouting the final 10 seconds of the countdown, cheering with the same enthusiasm as if it were New Year’s Eve. And maybe, to an extent, it was. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jack Salvadori Film Festival < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Longing For Gadot film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring James Anite directed by Timur Almazov. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Longing For Gadot Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Aug 18, 2022 Directed by: Timur Almazov Written by: Timur Almazov Starring: James Anite A man finds a woman on a dating site and becomes obsessed. While looking through pictures of women on a dating app, a young man (Anite) sees a picture of a young woman by the name 'Gadot', who he fancies. He repeatedly texts her, hoping for a reply but to no avail. As time goes by, he gets more and more disappointed and frustrated. Will she eventually contact him? Filmed in black-and-white, this short drama deals with two things that are widespread in today's world: mobile phones and social media, particularly dating sites. The film shows how these two can affect a person because once he lays eyes on the photo of the special girl, the protagonist becomes fixated on her and is constantly on his phone, messaging her and eagerly awaiting a response. His life changes as he cannot get the woman out of his head and spends a great deal of time attempting to contact her. There is a feeling of isolation, as the entire narrative takes place inside the man's apartment, with the man by himself, using his phone. The film appears to point out how technology can alienate people. A romantic song accompanies pretty much the entire film and it goes well with the plot. The jazz music during the closing credits was also a good choice. There are almost no spoken words and there is no need either. The film does an effective job in creating a story through actions and not speech. Occasionally, the film cuts to the screen of the man's phone, showing either the messages he sends her or a picture of Gadot. The filmmakers also utilise fast cutting to good effect. With directness, this short takes a look into social media, mobile phones and dating sites and seems to point out how they can lead to obsession and isolation. There is also a romantic side here, as the plot is about someone trying to be with the one he fancies. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

That Christmas film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Brian Cox, Fiona Shaw directed by Simon Otto. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS That Christmas Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Dec 3, 2024 Directed by: Simon Otto Written by: Richard Curtis, Peter Souter Starring: Brian Cox, Fiona Shaw More than two decades ago, writer/director Richard Curtis made a very British Christmas film. It hasn’t aged particularly well, though many folks watch it year in, year out. Including, apparently, the inhabitants of Wellington-on-Sea. Now, that may be because That Christmas— the new animated film set in the little port village—was co-written by Curtis. The Love Actually joke is a good bit in director Simon Otto’s holiday tale that’s a bit disjointed but never lacking in charm. The film opens with Santa (Brian Cox—wait, really?) narrating the climax of one particularly problematic Christmas Eve night in the tiny community. The worries are larger than just this massive blizzard. But to do it all justice, Santa has to take us back a few days, to the school Christmas play. One set of twins is split on the naughty and nice lists. One tween girl, left to care for her baby sister and three other children, breaks tradition but may also be negligent enough to allow tragedy to occur. And lonesome Danny (Jack Wisniewski) fears he will spend Christmas utterly alone. Curtis, writing with Peter Souter, creates another crisscrossing of bittersweet, intimate, interconnected Christmas stories. And once again, Bill Nighy (this time voicing the character Lighthouse Bill) is underused. The animation is delightful, the humor decidedly British, and the hijinks wholesome but relatable and often bittersweet. One bit about an under-appreciated single mum is not only beautifully tender but also quite welcome. But none of it is particularly funny, or terribly fresh. Five years ago, Netflix produced Klaus , a Christmas story that was stunning to look at and full of surprises. This year’s holiday offering is a charmer, and its understated humor and wry observations help to keep it engaging regardless of your age. But that’s not enough for That Christmas to transcend the glut of Christmas fare this year (and every year) to become an annual tradition. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Netflix, Animation < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Something Wicked Dwells film review by UK film critic Matt Trapp. Starring Bill Oberst Jr., Troy Mittleider, Fabian Alomar, C.J. Brady directed by Waide Aaron Riddle. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Something Wicked Dwells Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Matt Trapp | Posted on: Aug 11, 2025 Directed by: Waide Aaron Riddle Written by: Waide Aaron Riddle Starring: Bill Oberst Jr., Troy Mittleider, Fabian Alomar, C.J. Brady Writer and director Waide Riddle invites his audience into the bleakest pit of despair in Something Wicked Dwells , a nightmarish short in which four men find themselves chained up in a cave, painfully aware that they’re on the Beast’s dinner menu. Unfortunately, the short fails to deliver beyond its premise, offering very little for audiences craving a horrifying vision of hell. Something Wicked Dwells promises a great deal from its opening seconds, dripping in atmosphere and ominous foreboding. Helped in part thanks to some good sound design and impressive photography from Jay R Lawton, Riddle depicts hell as an empty cavern with a horrifying and hungry Beast approaching from the darkness. The sounds of the prisoners’ chains scraping against stone echoes around the vast caves, and the fear on the actors’ faces is palpable. Lawton has chosen to shoot the performers in high contrast black-and-white, making the darkness of the caves much darker, and rendering the horror on the prisoners’ faces with great effect. There’s a great sense of drama in the short’s premise, and their unfortunate situation is immediately one an audience can empathise with. Riddle picks up on the unique vulnerability and fear of being eaten, and the nudity of the prisoners reinforces this - it’s a stark reminder that our place on the food chain is never quite as secure as we would like it to be. Audiences may be reminded of Jonathan Glazer’s Under the Skin , where nudity was similarly used to render human bodies as meat for consumption. Clearly a great deal of thought and attention went into the presentation of hell in Something Wicked Dwells , which is why it is disappointing that the production feels half-baked in other, more obvious ways. The most glaring issue audiences may have with Riddle’s short is the curious lack of movement in the filmmaking. Presented as a series of stills, Something Wicked Comes is unable to adequately present the horror of the story. The potential for drama is spectacular; four men waiting for the inevitable to happen, praying to whatever god will listen to them as an unseen Beast approaches from the darkness. The short is completely neutered by the decision to play as a slideshow, and all sense of urgency is lost. Somehow the short drags along, failing to escalate in any meaningful way. Further compounding the short’s lack of energy is the baffling decision to make the narration available as a separate Amazon and Audible download. Despite complimenting the sound design previously, I acknowledge that audiences may find it repetitive without any human performances whatsoever. Particularly weak is the sound of the Beast, which fails to add any menace at all, instead sounding like a stock monster grunt sound effect repeated ad nauseum. The poem that the short is based upon is subtitled throughout. It would have been interesting to see the short adapti or presenting the poem in a new way, but this feels like an inadequate middle ground, not fully committing to one approach or another. Truthfully, it feels as though the poem is the centrepiece here, with the short film playing in the background as an accompaniment. What’s lacking is any sense of human performance, either in physical movement or voice acting. It’s a tremendous shame that the horror is so thoroughly dampened in this way. Something Wicked Comes could have been a delightfully macabre window into Riddle’s unique vision of hell, but in choosing to prioritise his poetry over his filmmaking, the short disappointingly squanders its potential. Still, it’s evident that the bones of an interesting story could be excavated from Riddle’s short with some refinement. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Matt Trapp Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >