Make a Wish film review by UK film critic James Learoyd. Starring Gianluca Aliberti, Margherita Rufolo directed by Valentina Galdi. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Make a Wish Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: James Learoyd | Posted on: Mar 29, 2024 Directed by: Valentina Galdi Written by: Valentina Galdi Starring: Gianluca Aliberti, Margherita Rufolo It’s difficult to judge a film that’s less than 3 minutes in runtime; it’s even more difficult to make one. Many filmmakers will attempt to infuse within their work all the substance and complexities of your average feature, but that's not always the best path to take. With most either taking the poetic route (based on shots, tones, textures) or the short-form, dramatic route (punchy, dialogue-based story, set in one room perhaps), the new short film Make a Wish proves to be neither one nor the other. Clocking in at 2 minutes and 53 seconds, the piece tells a fascinating and unexpected story... It’s effectively divided into two parts: the first depicts some incredibly pleasant, romantic moments – a couple walking through a winter wonderland. There are beautiful flashing lights, panning shots of the idealistic arena, and a young couple walking along hand in hand. Were the whole film just this, one could describe it as a successful, pretty-looking tone piece; however, the short then interestingly pivots to show the same man from before now sitting on a bench, observing the very same woman on a bench across from him. We realise it’s all a fantasy, and the dramatic conflict is to come from whether he approaches her or not. The unfortunate thing is that it has a slightly creepy air to it, and it’s not fully convincing. The filmmakers are clearly well intentioned and did not consider this to be a strange route for the trajectory of the story, but it could be argued that, in such a short space of time, too much is being attempted. Viewers, I’m sure, will be swept up in the romantic nature of the first half – the calming music matching the smooth visuals work in tandem to create an authentic yet dreamlike image of a love between two people. The latter parts are ambitious in what they may be trying to convey, however it simply lacks richness, character, and explanation. Just to briefly discuss the cinematography of the film, which is intriguing: besides the use of auto-focus settings (which is off-putting), there’s something undeniably hypnotic about the floaty aesthetic of this film. There’s an enjoyable element at play, never having the camera locked down. One supposes that this is also representative of the dream narrative the film attempts to incorporate. It would have been even more effective if, once we break from the dream, the visual sensibilities break as well – implementing a colder, more static look for the real world. To surmise, you wonder whether the picture would feel more cohesive and tonally successful were there just a singular idea at play; or, with the ambition on display, having a longer runtime to make the concepts feel lived-in and authentic. Upon considering the twist of the piece, it makes me want to see what the creatives can craft from a darker story; the subjective and psychologically disruptive nature of the twist holds potential for something truly Hitchcockian. It’s a small but admirable piece of work – one with mystery and creative ambition. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic James Learoyd Short Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Feldsher film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Kyla Nelson, Ivan Garcia directed by Nizar Nassar. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Feldsher Film Review average rating is 1 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Oct 5, 2025 Directed by: Nizar Nassar Written by: Nizar Nassar Starring: Kyla Nelson, Ivan Garcia Rita wants to relive some of her memories and enlists the help of a shady organisation, or a corrupt AI, or some other incongruous hidden entity, in order to do so. Possibly. In writer and director, Nizar Nassar’s new short film, Feldsher , we are introduced to Rita (Nelson) as she talks to some computer voice to try and find a memory of some guy named Fabio. She enters a world where she finds and faces off against some guy (Garcia) who’s trying desperately hard to look cool and enigmatic while failing miserably at both – oh, and he’s not Fabio. He does have a name, maybe, but the audio is so mismatched to the visuals at this point in the film that it made it almost impossible to remember if he was actually name-checked or not, and I just couldn’t bring myself to sit through such a terrible film again to try and find it out. They’re both hanging around in some post-industrial wasteland, situated between concrete pillars covered in graffiti, looking out to the sea and the sky beyond. Getting himself up out of a wheelchair where he has been malingering until now, the weird dude starts a timer and starts pointing a gun at Rita’s face. Cue Rita to start questioning her existence and diatribing some turgid philosophical nonsense while she tries to figure out what’s going on. The same scenario then gets recycled three times in a row, getting us nowhere, while the gun gets repointed in Rita’s face and the counter runs towards zero. There’s some incomprehensible exchanges between the two as this goes on, with some casual interludes into other spaces and back to the computer voice, but who knows what any of it has to do with anything because it’s so badly scripted. Once the timer actually runs out, we’d hope to God that the whole thing would be over, but unfortunately at this point we’re only half-way through. The scenario then runs through again, just this time we’re out in the car park, outside of the concrete ruin, in the dirt and gravel of a grey space. Rita and her adversary do the whole tête-à-tête thing ad nauseum, supposedly expositioning some sort of narrative as they go along, but really it’s all just garbled nonsense that means nothing and takes the audience nowhere. There’s some pleading and some questioning of ‘what’ and ‘why’, but that might as well describe what the viewer is feeling at this point because it’s all such awful garbage. The idea, I guess, behind Nassar’s film is that it should be an arthouse take on a futuristic, neo-noir thriller, where AI or some other guff is in charge of a person’s therapy, or memories, or recycled trauma, or…. who actually cares? The problem is that the narrative is such resoundingly self-indulgent wank that it mish-mashes everything together in an absurd, all too serious manner, forgetting to leave threads for the audience that could actually help us foster an interest in what’s going on. The stuff we see on screen is incredibly difficult to relate to what is trying to be expressed through the dialogue, and the story, or the meta-story, or the imagined story that takes place somewhere else, is so far removed from the trash we have to sit through, that none of it makes sense. The one saving grace from Nassar’s travesty is nothing to do with him, but from his DoP, José Orpinelli, who actually knows what he’s doing and who captures some truly beautiful shots. The drone photography matches this, mixing in with AI landscapes and special effects to create a futuristic feel to the world we’re in. The direction is otherwise serviceable with mostly handheld shots of the characters’ faces as they circle each other but with nothing much else to add. Feldsher is the worst kind of overreaching, self-indulgent, taking itself too seriously, trash, masquerading as an artistic vision. Even Megalopolis (2024) has nothing on this nonsense, and it was really, truly bad. At twenty-six minutes there’s a lot of rubbish to sit through, so if I was you I just wouldn’t bother. It’s not worth your time, or my time, or anyone else’s time. Don’t even tell anyone else about it because they won’t thank you for it. I’m truly hoping that in time this traumatic viewing experience will also eventually become an irretrievable memory lost to the past. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Digital / DVD Release, Short Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

No Future film review by UK film critic Matt Weiner. Starring Catherine Keener, Charlie Heaton directed by Andrew Irvine, Mark Smoot. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS No Future Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Matt Weiner | Posted on: Oct 22, 2021 Directed by: Andrew Irvine, Mark Smoot Written by: Andrew Irvine, Mark Smoot Starring: Catherine Keener, Charlie Heaton The title of No Future also serves as an emotional content warning for a film about heroin addiction, and it’s a warning to heed if you want this kind of narrative tempered with breezy redemption. But it’s not without hope. Rather, directors Andrew Irvine and Mark Smoot avoid sentimentality and addiction cliches in equal measure, and what’s left is a lean, emotional gut punch delivered by the small cast all turning in top performances. When an old friend dies of an overdose, Will (Charlie Heaton), himself in recovery from heroin addiction, begins a tumultuous affair with Claire (Catherine Keener), his dead friend’s mother. The pair are drawn together by grief and guilt, a dynamic that quickly goes from sympathetic to parasitic as the two spurn the numerous more emotionally healthy therapeutic outlets available to process their loss. Keener and Heaton are electric together, which is no small feat for characters that veer wildly between retreating alone into their own pain while showing a convincing attraction to each other. Keener in particular shines as a woman who goes from casual fatalism to incandescent rage as she comes to terms with losing her son Chris (Jefferson White). The film flirts with thematic shortcuts, most notably in the form of No Future—a band that Will and Chris played in together. But the more Will and Claire wax philosophical about what brought them to this point in the present, it becomes clear that it’s less nihilistic than it sounds. The film is populated almost entirely with people who don’t allow themselves the luxury of looking any farther ahead than their open wound of the day. It’s raw and bracing to watch it all unfold, but if nothing else the impact lingers well into the future. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Matt Weiner Digital / DVD Release, Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

A Wanderer's World film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Kamil Trzebiatowski directed by Kamil Trzebiatowski. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS A Wanderer's World Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Oct 15, 2025 Directed by: Kamil Trzebiatowski Written by: Kamil Trzebiatowski Starring: Kamil Trzebiatowski A wonderful short documentary about nature, made entirely thanks to the hard work and dedication of Kamil Trzebiatowski. Trzebiatowski is a long-distance hiker with impressive achievements. Over the course of seven years, he has travelled extensively around the British countryside, exploring its vast beauty. He documented much of his journeys on camera and now he tells his story to others, filming himself as he walks through the countryside. Over the course of 40 minutes, Trzebiatowski takes the viewer on a mesmerising and thoughtful journey, revealing the beauty of British landscapes and explaining the reasons that motivated him to start journeying through nature. His footage certainly captures the wonderness of landscapes, showing mountains, moors, fields and lakes. And he spends a great deal of time filming himself as he hikes through the countryside and talks about his experiences and his perspective regarding nature. The shots of nature are fantastic, his words are meaningful and the experience is supported by the terrific music by Dreyma, Daniel Ran and Fantasy Meditations. Focusing on Kamil now. As mentioned, he is solely responsible for the creation of this documentary and the results of his efforts are very rewarding. He is also the only person in the film and he comes across as rather friendly and the way he expresses himself makes it evident that he has great passion for nature and exploring. Throughout the film, Kamil utilises quotes from a variety of famous individuals, including Heraclitus, Helen Keller, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Thomas Merton in order to support his theories about the power of nature and the value of solitude. These quotes appear in words in a variety of wonderful paintings of landscapes and are quoted verbally. Obviously, nature is the main subject here, its beauty and how mesmerising it is and how uniquely people can experience the physical world in solitude. Moreover, this film is also a commentary about pursuing a passion, being motivated, exploration, self-reflection and of course, hiking. People who view this documentary will be rewarded with beautiful landscapes and will have the pleasure of becoming familiar with an inspiring individual with unique thoughts about the significance of nature and the ways people connect with it. And they might even be inspired to set off on their own adventure. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film, Documentary < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Harvey Greenfield is Running Late film review by UK film critic Chris Buick. Starring Paul Richards, Liz Barker, Annette Badland, Alan Hay, Norman Lovett, Patrick Monahan, Ewan MacIntosh directed by Jonnie Howard. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Harvey Greenfield is Running Late Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Chris Buick | Posted on: Jul 11, 2025 Directed by: Jonnie Howard Written by: Jonnie Howard, Ray Howard, Paul Richards Starring: Paul Richards, Liz Barker, Annette Badland, Alan Hay, Norman Lovett, Patrick Monahan, Ewan MacIntosh Harvey Greenfield is Running Late , the micro-budget feature directed by Jonnie Howard and co-written and performed by the brilliant Paul Richards, tells the tale of the eponymous shambles Harvey, a self-professed “ugly Hugh Grant” with an ill-fitting suit and possibly “a million illnesses that his white blood cells are too polite to fight back against”. A textbook people pleaser, unable to ever say no to anyone or anything, deal with any kind of confrontation, or even decide what sandwich to eat, Harvey Greenfield might be one of the most lovable messes of a human being that has ever been portrayed on screen. Setting off at lightning pace, dragged along by Harvey’s constant running from one commitment to the next, the film not so much breaks the fourth wall but rather demolishes it completely, as Harvey persistently addresses the audience with his lament for life rather than any lust for it. Stress, anxiety, fear, indecisiveness, these are the things Harvey knows he has and are crippling him, but also counters with, how could he not? Firstly, there is his job and his gruff, grandiose boss, Mr. Buckley (a delicious performance by Alan Hay) at the floundering publishing company demanding his complete commitment. There is his mum, desperate to see him so she can finally go to the shops, or the mechanic, calling about the dodgy beater he is badgering Harvey to buy. And finally, there is his inversely calm and put-together girlfriend Alice (Barker), who just wants him, for once, to get a hold of himself and be there when she needs him. And if that wasn’t enough, Harvey’s ability to somehow get himself into a string of other increasingly bizarre scenarios just keeps piling on that stress. Agree to be the best man at your “best friend's” wedding that you don’t even really like? Attend a funeral for someone you don’t even know because it would be rude not to? Or having to deal with someone trying to sell you a pig even though you keep telling them they’ve got the wrong person. All this craziness Harvey somehow manages to pull into his orbit makes Harvey Greenfield is Running Late an exhaustingly stressful ninety-plus minutes. However, what a truly beautiful ride it is. It’s non-stop yes, but it’s a non-stop triumph from start to finish. Firstly, it’s very funny, both in its blatant jokes, puns and references as well as its subtle ones, each landing with maximum impact thanks not just to a clever script, but inspired direction and cinematography as well. It can also be sad and heartfelt in-between those moments of levity, you for sure want to both hug and shake Harvey at the same time and as we journey through Harvey's story from lonely child to barely functioning adult, the film ends up fully formed as a poignant piece on the utmost importance of looking after one’s mental health. And breathing life into all of it is a cast full of beautifully weird and engaging characters, portrayed by a parade of genuine icons like Annette Badland, Norman Lovett, the late Ewen MacIntosh and even the one and only, Dave Benson Phillips. Main players such as the aforementioned Hay and Liz Barker as the too understanding Alice, also excel of course. But this is the Paul Richards show, and their making Harvey so frustrating yet so utterly loveable and compelling might be the film's biggest achievement. Touching and hilarious, and having already found success and acclaim on the stage, Harvey Greenfield is Running Late undeniably deserves even more on the big screen. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Chris Buick Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

ATLAS (2023) film review by UK film critic Joe Beck. Starring Olivier Leger directed by Duncan MacLeod. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS ATLAS (2023) Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Joe Beck | Posted on: Nov 6, 2023 Directed by: Duncan MacLeod Written by: N/A Starring: Olivier Leger The oceans are perhaps the greatest mystery remaining on this planet. They are the one part of earth that remains vastly undiscovered, and, in many places, untouched by the impact of human life. Even though for years man has sought to sail the seas, and have circumnavigated the globe, they remain a source of curiosity and unknown for many. Their vast depths contain secrets unknown to man, and their powerful waves contain unimaginable forces. The ocean, and the marine environment more generally, is also one of the most beautiful, most serene phenomenon on planet earth. The oceans contain a tranquility not offered anywhere else on the planet, a source of relief from humanity and its innumerable stresses, as well as a chance to reconnect with nature amidst the abundance of marine life. ‘ATLAS’ is a documentary that follows ocean wildlife artist Olivier Leger as he embarks on his latest painting ‘Atlas’ - which, based on an ocean myth, depicts a turtle bearing the ocean world on its back. Olivier saw symmetry with the Greek myth involving the titan Atlas, who is condemned to hold up the heavens and sky for eternity. Similar to Atlas, and the turtle in his painting, Olivier is feeling the weight of responsibility in terms of the ever-worsening crisis that humans are causing to the planets oceans. As somebody so involved in marine life, he wishes to do more to promote the conservation of his primary interest, with this reflected in the coral bleaching and acid pollution increasingly appearing in his paintings. Olivier’s frustration at the irreversible damage being done to our marine environments is evident through the sheer anger in his voice as he argues that nothing has changed in the five years since ‘Blue Planet II’. Olivier also speaks philosophically throughout ‘ATLAS’, giving an interesting perspective into the mind of him as both a person and as an artist. He has an intriguing thought involving the responsibility for the climate crisis, believing that whilst everybody is culpable for any malfunction on our planet, he doesn’t believe that humans are too blame, and that any other organism in out position would have made the same mistakes. It’s an interesting idea, one which, like his many other musings, is posed in an engaging and likeable manner by Olivier Leger, who never loses his audience throughout. This is perhaps even more true in his meditations over art, and his aims as an artist, chiefly his dream to inspire some form of change via art. Too many artists, and indeed to many people, this truly is their aim, and it is fascinatingly delightful to hear it vocalised by an artist, particularly one as talented, and with such an impressive collection of paintings, as Olivier. Whilst ‘ATLAS’ is undeniably engaging and interesting throughout, at no point is it truly immersive, largely as a result of the relatively flat nature of the directing by Duncan MacLeod. Whilst never noticeably bad, MacLeod’s directing lacks the spark needed to propel ‘ATLAS’ to the next level, and the visual inspiration required to truly invigorate Olivier’s incredible work with even more life. Nevertheless, ‘ATLAS’ is an interesting documentary about the importance of marine life, and marine conservation, as well providing a nuanced perspective on what it means to be an artist, all while displaying some truly beautiful artwork. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Joe Beck Short Film, Documentary < All Reviews Next Film Review >

C.A.M. film review by UK film critic Joe Beck. Starring Charlotte Curwood, Tom Ware, Jamie Langlands, Michael Swatton directed by Steph Du Melo. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS C.A.M. Film Review average rating is 1 out of 5 Critic: Joe Beck | Posted on: Jun 14, 2022 Directed by: Steph Du Melo Written by: Steph Du Melo Starring: Charlotte Curwood, Tom Ware, Jamie Langlands, Michael Swatton 1999. That was the year ‘The Blair Witch Project’ came out and changed the horror genre. It introduced ‘found footage’ to the masses - though the concept had long been common in literature, notably ‘The Castle of Otranto’. The unfortunate side effect of the film was the sudden emergence of millions of little, found-footage productions, all vying to be the next ‘Blair Witch’. ‘C.A.M’ is one of those films - lousily produced, lacking real horror, sub-par performances - but it’s also more than a little insensitive. 2020. That was the year that the world shut down. As the coronavirus pandemic hit we were all asked to remain indoors and stay away from our friends and family. The lockdown measures continued in many areas into, and throughout, 2021 - it’s little wonder therefore that there would be a host of films centred on viruses and pandemics. ‘C.A.M’ is one such film, exploiting the pandemic situation and people’s fears around it as the only way of generating terror in the audience. The film claims that its footage was found in 2013, documenting the start of a deadly new virus. A trainee tactical police unit, coincidentally wth a civilian camera crew, is sent to evacuate the workers of a meat processing plant where the virus is believed to have started. The infected workers are discovered to be displaying extreme violent behaviour, and they begin to realise the potential consequences should the virus spread. The sections of found footage are interspersed with an ‘interview’ between an unknown medical worker and an unnamed Alt-Media Interviewer, and a PowerPoint slide informing us of where they are and what’s going on. This structure doesn’t help the story in the slightest. Should the film focus solely on the found footage section it would illicit moments of fear and would maintain the suspense throughout, rather than killing any tension with a poorly acted phoney interview which adds little to the story. The corny PowerPoint slides in-between further remove the fear of the unknown - humanity’s greatest fear - from the equation. ‘C.A.M’ also suffers from a bizarre tone and inconsistent character emotions. It is intent on maintaining an almost mournful stance in the interviews but then becomes more jovial in the found-footage itself, meaning that you’re jumping around from the atmosphere of a funeral to that of a birthday party. With found-footage films, it is essential that the script (which you must remember is allegedly non-existent) is tight. These films tend to have actors of a lower quality - you’re not likely to see Leonardo DiCaprio in a found-footage anytime soon. Unfortunately, ‘C.A.M’ has a script which puts its actors (who aren’t the best to begin with) in an unenviable position. The whole premise of found-footage is that the dialogue mirrors that of everyday life; every word of ‘C.A.M’ feels strained, as though made by an A.I. still trying to adapt to the English language. ‘C.A.M’ is a complete mess. It doesn’t do what it should do - inspire terror - falling well short of the mark, at times coming off as a parody. That illusion is let down by its morbid tone in the interview, which only confuses where it should clarify. To add insult to injury - it’s insensitive and, especially at times like these, spreads a conspiracy theory which is extremely dangerous. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Joe Beck Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

How Deep Is The Ocean film review by UK film critic Joe Beck. Starring Olivia Fildes, Cris Cochrane, Simone Oula, Will Weatheritt, Adam Rowland directed by Andrew Walsh. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS How Deep Is The Ocean Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Joe Beck | Posted on: Aug 2, 2023 Directed by: Andrew Walsh Written by: Andrew Walsh Starring: Olivia Fildes, Cris Cochrane, Simone Oula, Will Weatheritt, Adam Rowland ‘How Deep Is The Ocean’ is a film that understands truly what life is like when you’re in your twenties. The strange mixture of youth and growing older, of love and loneliness, and independence and struggle. All these things are illustrated as clearly as an oil painting in ‘How Deep Is The Ocean’, a magnificent canvas displaying the highs and lows of being a twenty something in a big city. These feelings - especially that of loneliness - are only amplified when you move away from the comfort of home and into a big city. That is the experience of Eleanor (Olivia Fildes), who has just moved from the much maligned Adelaide to the ‘world’s most liveable city’ of Melbourne. Though the city ranks highly on the international liveability index, only Vienna and Copenhagen rank higher, its residents still suffer from the same issues that affect people across the world. Life for some is just as rubbish, with struggles to pay rent, find employment, and make friends commonplace. Eleanor isn’t the only person struggling to survive, meeting a whole host of figures suffering from the same or similar issues. Her landlord Roy (Cris Cochrane) struggles with the pressures of alcoholism, and the regular woes of a standup comedian, while figures such as Zoe (Simone Oula), whom Eleanor meets at a job interview, and Matt (Will Weatheritt) come drifting in and out of her life with similar pressures and problems. Some people thrive, finding success and happiness, whilst others falter, and lose themselves to their demons in the process, succumbing to the city. Andrew Walsh’s camera follows Eleanor attentively, chronicling her misadventures through her time in Melbourne with a keen eye, as though personally well-aware of her struggles. Indeed, ‘How Deep Is The Ocean’ comes across as a deeply personal film, from being fired from low-paid cafe jobs, to the pain of an unrequited, and wrong, love, Walsh imbues both his writing and direction with a passion that translates well to the screen, and helps us relate all the more to Eleanor’s experience. His screenplay too is clever in how it makes us care not just for Eleanor, but for the surrounding figures in her life. From the alcoholic Roy, to the wistful Matt and the competitive Zoe, despite their faults, which Walsh makes painfully evident, these are nonetheless sympathetic characters, ones whom we can relate to in little ways, just as we relate to Eleanor. ‘How Deep Is The Ocean’ is a question asked by those that succumb to such pressures of youth and wish to drown in order to escape. It’s something no doubt running through numerous characters minds, and no doubt through the minds of many people walking around cities all over the world today. Should it be so hard to survive your twenties? Does it ever get easier? Not really, there are figures out of their twenties but still in that flux, and still contemplating that question. ‘How Deep Is The Ocean’? Deep enough to drown, but also deep enough to see wonderful things and experience life completely differently, both spatially and temporally. That’s what living your twenties is like, and that’s why ‘How Deep Is The Ocean’ is a beautiful film. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Joe Beck Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Astrid Experience film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Cal Barnes, Lucia Xypteras, Rob Conroy, Mena Santos directed by Cal Barnes. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Astrid Experience Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Aug 21, 2023 Directed by: Cal Barnes Written by: Cal Barnes Starring: Cal Barnes, Lucia Xypteras, Rob Conroy, Mena Santos LA is a seriously weird place. It's full of seriously weird people. It's a place where anybody will do anything just to get their face on camera or their name attached to a production, no matter how small, dubious or sexually suggestive the production happens to be. David Lynch has tried several times to relate just how seriously weird LA, and in particular Hollywood, really is, most notably through his 2001 masterpiece, Mulholland Drive but in the UK the closest thing we've ever had to this kind of ego driven mania (aside from the BGT drivel) was a small segment on 90's TV show The Word called The Hopefuls. Each week one lucky contestant was picked from obscurity to tackle an outrageously disgusting task in order to get their face on television, with particular highlights ranging from licking the sweaty armpit of a morbidly obese person, to eating verucas and corns like they were breakfast cereal, to the guy who was sick into a glass, only to drink it, be sick from it again, and then drink it all up. In fact this last example is a pretty good metaphor for Hollywood and in particular today's offering, The Astrid Experience , which seems to regurgitate a plethora of LA stories without realising what a bad taste they leave, only to lick them up and vomit them out again. Cal Barnes is the plucky Hopeful in charge of production on The Astrid Experience , taking on the roles of producer, editor, writer, director and star. Choosing to write himself into a story which is supposedly based on his own experiences, Cal has come up with the character of Chase Abbott, a down on his luck actor and script writer who has just come out of a relationship with the hottest girl in the world. She left him – I wonder why? So Chase is left spiralling into despair as his industry pals try to rally round and get him back in the saddle in a Swingers -esque kind of fashion, only without the humour, kitsch sentimentality or actual scripting which elevated Jon Favreau's 1996 film to classic status. Instead, we have to wait two years while Chase pulls himself together enough to get back out in the world and start going to auditions again. As luck, fate, or induced second-hand vomit would have it, here he meets the next girl of his dreams, only he doesn't know it yet. After helping Astrid (Xypteras) out of an innocuous situation and then randomly meeting her later outside of a downtown nightclub (because that regularly happens in LA), Chase is invited on a hedonistic tour of the hip celebrity bars, pool parties and single level living which the LA nightlife regularly offers. This large section of the film is seemingly intended to play out like Richard Linklater's (non-LA) classic, Before Sunrise (1995) as the two new lovebirds spend a wondrous night together hoping to find out as much as they can about each other before the sun comes up and a new day dawns. However, in lieu of actual conversations covering love, philosophy, art and the inevitable transience of human nature, Chase and Astrid only talk about what's right in front of them conversing about buying drinks, the bar they were just in, or the party they're now at. “I like your car.” “It's a good car.” is one example of the level of exchange offered by these two LA grade geniuses. Moving on, the inevitable LA ennui begins to take hold and an attempt at gaining the feel of Sofia Coppola's own classic LA story, Somewhere (2010) bubbles up from through the scenario. That is until Cal decides to write himself a happy ending and gets Chase to do what every other cheap, dodgy film-maker in LA does best – auditions and casts the girl he wants to snog in his own film opposite him. At least this part is Hollywood accurate. It's a shame that The Astrid Experience tries to emulate so many already classic movies as it does each one of them a disservice. Whereas the originals are full of fun or gravitas and genuine characterisation, Barnes' film is empty and vacuous and laughingly simple in its dialogue. Shot on an iPhone8+, undoubtedly due to budget constraints, but probably also to try and add an edgy, neo-realist feel to the production like that other great LA story, Tangerine (2015), there's nothing noteworthy going on behind the camera. There are some beautiful, luxuriant shots of the LA skyline regularly interspersed as establishing shots, but these were filmed by a third party company, definitely not on an iPhone, and they sometimes jar with the in-scene photography. The music may be the only positive to The Astrid Experience as the easy beats from John That, Matt Osenton and Academy fit in nicely with the night lights and LA lifestyle. With John That also on board as producer it's no surprise that he pops up, along with Cal's other industry pals, half way through the film to get his mug on screen and promote himself in that very particular Hollywood way. The Astrid Experience is one of those typical Hollywood beasts, trying to tell cool LA stories which us normals can idolise and aspire to, just doing what it's doing without really seeing what it's actually up to. It's no accident that Cal Barnes has written himself as the romantic lead in his own movie, or that he's brought his industry pals along for the ride. It's also no accident that the entire scenario is just an excuse to run pretty girls around in skimpy outfits for ninety minutes, with Cal getting to cop off with the prettiest one. It's definitely not just an oversight, as that would require some actual thought and respect, that no woman in this film is thought worthy enough to be credited with a last name, and to be honest the whole thing comes across as crass and woefully stuck in adolescent male fantasy. Although, perhaps that's all Hollywood ever was anyway. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Trinou film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Max Pemberton, Mohamed Grayaa, Kaouther Dhaoudi, Eleanore Crowe, Bairem Jabri directed by Nejib Kthiri. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Trinou Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Jun 1, 2023 Directed by: Nejib Kthiri Written by: Nejib Kthiri Starring: Max Pemberton, Mohamed Grayaa, Kaouther Dhaoudi, Eleanore Crowe, Bairem Jabri An unfortunate boy dreams of a better life. A family lives in an isolated house in the countryside. The family consists of Youssef (Grayaa), his young son Rayan (Jabri) and Youssef's wife Dalila (Dhaoudi) and her teenage son Omar (Pemberton). The household is poor and Youssef disapproves of Omar, due to his antisocial behaviour. In a bid to find some solace and escape the harsh reality of his situation, Omar imagines that he is in a better place. This emotional short drama places the viewer in the shoes of Omar, a youth who is isolated from the world due to his circumstances. His form of escape is to remove pictures from magazines and glue the cutouts on a wall in his room, subsequently being influenced by the images he collects to create his own world, a place where things are better for him. The film begins by introducing the family (who is living in poverty), paying particular emphasis on Youssef and Omar. Youssef is cruel and indifferent towards Omar and Omar is initially presented as a sort of mysterious character, with his face out of view. Once Omar retreats to his room, the narrative proceeds to alternate between his imaginative world and the family home, constantly jumping from fantasy to reality. Omar's dreams consist of him being tied to a chair, in a large train station, from which he breaks free and appears to be meeting a young woman (Crowe). His dream is filled with elements that seem to provide an insight into his thoughts, as being tied to a chair could represent the fact that he feels trapped and the station and the woman seem to signify that he yearns to brake free and travel like a train and find romance. Repetition is present here, with certain words being uttered again and again and certain brief scenes repeatedly shown. The purpose of the repetitions appears to be to point out the constant circle of events that Omar goes through every day. Pemberton portrays the main character Omar as a saddened individual but who also has great inner strength and hope within him. Omar is living a difficult life and uses his imagination as a means to escape, even temporarily. Grayaa's character could be described as the antagonist, a mean stepfather who ignores Omar and shows affection towards his own son and plays him quite convincingly. Recognition also goes to Dhaoudi for her performance as Omar's loving mother. Kthiri does an amazing job with the directing and creates some wonderful establishing shots and Christian Radclyffe makes a superb contribution with the creative editing that includes fast cutting. The slow motion sequences look great and the beautiful and sentimental music by Ilyess Blagui and Khalil Seibi is one of the best aspects of the film and contains outstanding piano melodies. This story is told through the perspective of a young boy who attempts to deal with the hardships of his life by utilising his imagination. It explores inner struggles, inner strength, family values and the importance of support and is a very moving viewing, with heavy drama and an emotional plot twist. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Roller Squad film review by UK film critic Joe Beck. Starring Alice Sanders, Benjamin McMahon, Amy Newton, David Wayman directed by Berty Cadilhac. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Roller Squad Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Joe Beck | Posted on: Jun 13, 2022 Directed by: Berty Cadilhac Written by: Berty Cadilhac Starring: Alice Sanders, Benjamin McMahon, Amy Newton, David Wayman Remember when roller skates were the big thing. Nowadays the chances of you seeing somebody rollerskating whilst out and about is very unlikely, but not so long ago you wouldn’t have been able to walk ten feet before running into someone skating. Whilst shows like ‘Stranger Things’ have shed a little nostalgic light on the lost art, for the most part, the mode of transport remains a relic of a bygone era. It’s amusing therefore that ‘Roller Squad’ seems to embrace a different age of nostalgia, instead of feeling like something out of the early 2000s. With several montages of people skating, to the tune of a retro, high-tech soundtrack, it both looks and sounds like 2002 - just with the advantages of modern-day technology. 

‘Roller Squad’ tells the story of a group of friends - Kat (Alice Sanders), Hugh (Benjamin McMahon), Sophie (Amy Newton), and Arthur (David Wayman) - who join forces in order to catch a serial killer, who is targeting skaters. It begins with an awesome chase and the serial killer’s first kill. Obviously, the group are concerned, but continue with their lives unabashed, cracking some, fairly funny, jokes and hacking their neighbours’ security camera. When a friend becomes the next victim, with the unsuspecting Hugh just around the corner, they decide to take matters into their own hands and head off in pursuit of the killer. The film keeps its jovial, breezy mood throughout - not afraid to break out into gags, one in particular about Hugh’s technologically invested brain. This makes for a fun, engaging flick, nothing particularly memorable, but an enjoyable ride. The main joys come from watching a dynamic cast bounce off each other, with vibrant chemistry between the central quartet, who bounce off one another with relative ease. The skating sequences are another highlight, excellently directed by Berty Cadilhac, who makes the chases feel brisk and intense, gliding effortlessly behind the skaters. However, the film’s environment - predominantly the streets of Central London - doesn’t feel lived in, and appears to be almost a cardboard cutout, whereby each character feels one-dimensional. Despite the best efforts of the actors, who inject their characters with energy and enthusiasm, they are let down by a disappointing script, which relies more upon its actors’ chemistry, than any sharp dialogue. This is best evidenced by the monotonic nature of its raft of side characters, who lack personality and their dialogue all feels extremely strained. This is then exacerbated by the incessant score, which becomes tiring after the first needle drop, and comes across as cheap and befitting of a lesser film. Additionally, there’s a high degree of implausibility surrounding the whole affair - largely with the cringe-worthy attitude of the police. The idea that the police fail to act on the clear evidence presented to them, and are so condescending towards those appealing for help is not too dissimilar to the attitude of a pantomime villain. Roller skating is a dying sport, and although ‘Roller Squad’ is unlikely to inject it with any new life, it is nonetheless an effective comedy-thriller, introducing us to a promising group of young actors. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Joe Beck Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Uroboros film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Emma Dargan-Reid, Lacy Moore, Brian Fortune, Liam Bixby directed by Diarmuid Donohoe. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Uroboros Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Oct 28, 2023 Directed by: Diarmuid Donohoe Written by: Diarmuid Donohoe Starring: Emma Dargan-Reid, Lacy Moore, Brian Fortune, Liam Bixby In 1950's Ireland, a young woman is committed to a mental health hospital by her cruel father. This short begins with a quote by Dominican-American writer Junot Diaz, that describes trauma as a time treveller, which is rather appropriate considering the themes and the way the non-linear narrative is structured. Beginning with main character Moira (Dargan-Reid) enjoying peace and quiet by a lake with her partner (Bixby), she suddenly remembers that she should be attending church and dashes of, leaving her shoes behind. She arrives at church, endures her parents' harsh chastising due to her tardiness and lack of shoes and from there, the screenplay turns into a nightmarish labyrinth that moves through time, with Moira frantically running through corridors of the hospital that she was in (and perhaps still is in) and every now and then encountering scenes (quite upsetting ones too) of events that led to her unwilling arrival at the psychiatric hospital. The film's story is structured in a way that places the viewers into her distressed and confused mind, making them experience her emotions of despair and torment through a harrowing journey that keeps moving back and forth in time. What is discovered is that Moira suffered a great deal. She was raised in a strictly religious family and was send to a behavioral health hospital by her father (Fortune), where she deteriorated. However, her mother (Moore) was against that idea. Her father is portrayed as the antagonist, an aggressive, cold and stubborn man. Moira may not appear to have a purpose as she navigates a maze of memories, however one could argue that her goal is to escape, to flee her terrible past and find solace. The film's dark atmosphere is supported by DIE HEXEN'S tense and haunting score and by Narayan Van Maele's cinematography. John Walters also deserves commendations for the creative editing. Through a mid-twentieth-century Ireland setting, this short heavy drama tells a story about a young woman's terrible and unjust suffering. It is an unpleasant viewing, but also a memorable one, one that explores mental health, trauma, religion, cruelty and bad parenting and Dargan-Reid's powerful performance adds massive value. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >