★★ Directed by #NoraUnkel Written by #NoraUnkel Starring #AlixWiltonRegan #GiullianYaoGioiello Film Review by Hope Madden It’s hard not to be fascinated by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, who, at 18, wrote arguably the most iconic piece of Gothic horror or science fiction—or both in one—ever to be penned. Writer/director Nora Unkel takes us back to that rainy summer night when young Mary, her lover Percy Shelley (Guillian Yao Gioiello) and his friend Lord Byron (Philippe Bowgen, over the top) participated in a challenge to write a ghost story. We all remember what Mary came up with, right? Alix Wilton Regan plays the young scribe. It’s an adequate performance in a fairly lifeless film that suggests writing and madness go hand in hand but plays it safe when it comes to what really haunts Mary. As Mary Shelley suffers through indignities at the hands of a lover she believed to be a better man than he is, she escapes through writing. Aside from one particularly difficult scene, though, Percy’s behavior is largely sanitized or quarantined to offscreen antics we can only guess at. Wilton Regan offers a needy heroine more likely to lash out at her sister (who may or may not deserve it, Unkel never really clarifies) than to stand up for herself. The performance might have delivered an intriguing central figure—unlikeable and almost impossible to root for. It seems like a conscious creative decision between Unkel and Wilton Regan, given some of Mary’s behaviors. Creating an unlikeable female to anchor a film is an endlessly intriguing, brave and chancy decision, but the film you hang around her has to turn her performance into something worthy of the attention. Unkel can’t manage it. Still, Mary descends into a kind of madness and soon enough, her creation takes on a life of its own. Unkel is not the first filmmaker to conflate the writer’s life with the writer’s product. Just a few years back, Haiffa Al-Mansour’s biopic Mary Shelley convincingly drew Frankenstein as a near autobiography. That film didn’t quite deliver on its promise, either. In Al-Mansour’s case, hero worship led to a superficial character (played soundly by Elle Fanning) with few faults and a lot of frowning. Unkel’s version is close to the opposite, but both filmmakers set out to depict what it was Mary Shelley was really trying to say when she wrote Frankenstein. It’s a laudable goal. The problem may just be that Mary Shelley said it so much better. #HopeMadden

★★★ Directed by #VictorNeumark Written by #VictorNeumark Starring #RachelAlig #KateBeecroft #RyanCaraway Film Review by Rachel Willis When Nena (Rachel Alig) meets Olivia (Kate Beecroft), there’s an instant spark. So even though Nena is married to Drew (Ryan Caraway), that doesn’t stop her from pursuing Olivia. In writer/director Victor Neumark’s first film, First Blush, an unconventional relationship forms as a duo becomes a trio in an exploration of a polyamorous relationship. The best part of First Blush is that the characters seem like normal people. Save Olivia’s background as a Parisian model, the rest of the people we meet feel a lot like people we know. There were several moments that nailed the transition from single (or dating) twenty-somethings into married thirty-somethings – anxious Nena particularly reminded me of quite a few people (myself included). Overall, these are characters who struggle with happiness, with what it means to be grown up, and with how to be brave. Nena’s resolve to say ‘yes’ more often is what leads her to pursue Olivia. While at first Drew seems simply along for the ride, Neumark makes sure to insert him (no pun intended) into the relationship as more than a bystander but an equal part. The predictable ménage à trois montage, when it comes, is light on the sex, and more interested in illustrating the fun the three have as they fall into a relationship. The movie never stoops to voyeurism, instead it plays out as one would expect of any romantic dramedy – not to say it entirely follows a pattern, but by following a semi-predictable model, the film means to normalize the polyamorous lifestyle as a valid choice. But the third act flounders. Following the film’s unnecessary time jump, Neumark isn’t as skillful at navigating the complications that arise within the trio. Unlike the naturalistic first and second acts, the third relies on things we’ve been told rather than shown. It would have been more interesting to see the interim time between the second and third acts, to give us a chance to watch as the tensions arise between the characters. However, the movie never fails to engage emotionally. We’re invested in this relationship, we want to know how it will work, where it will go. While it might not be a relationship style most of us will experience, that doesn’t mean we can’t understand the appeal. You want the characters to be happy, in whatever relationship style that works best for them. #RachelWillis

★★★★★ Directed by: #AndersThomasJensen Written by: #AndersThomasJensen, #NikolajArcel Starring: #MadsMikkelsen, #NikolajLieKaas, #RolandMøller Film Review by Lucy Clarke A butterfly flaps its wings in the Amazon rainforest and causes a hurricane to ravage across the United States. Any small event could precipitate disaster, but hypothesising whether a stolen bike indirectly caused her mother’s death only causes Mathilde (Andrea Heick Gadeberg) to list the potential causes of the tragic train accident on her wall, failing to come to any conclusion. In Anders Thomas Jensen’s latest film, grief and vengeance take centre-stage as Mathilde and her father, Markus (Mads Mikkelsen), work through the sudden loss of his wife. While Mathilde is desperate for psychological support and her turquoise-haired boyfriend, Sirus (Albert Rudbeck Lindhardt), enthusiastically suggests therapy for the whole family, Markus, a military man, wants nothing more than just to move on. Markus’ immediate reaction is to bury his grief so deep inside himself he becomes a stony grave himself. The only emotion that seeps out is his violent mood swings. Otto (Nikolaj Lie Kass), a data analyst, was on the same train as Mathilde and her mother and feels partly culpable for her death. He turns up at Markus’s door with two friends claiming that the accident was a terrorist attack caused by the motorbike gang Riders of Justice. Markus is thrilled that he can undertake a quest for vengeance. Mads Mikkelsen’s Markus hasn’t been home in ages. Always on deployment, he’s missed his daughter growing up, and he doesn’t know her well enough to connect with her. Dismissing her grief, insinuating that she’s overweight, Markus does not exactly make for an easy father to live with. Markus is worlds away from Mads Mikkelsen’s starring role in Thomas Vinterberg’s The Hunt. Here is a man who has sanded down any possible hint of emotion that isn’t blunt violence. Hard-boiled, strict and volatile, Markus isn’t a particularly loveable character, but Mikkelsen’s portrayal of this stoic father winks at John Wick – if John Wick had been repeatedly told that he needs to seek out a therapist. While Markus barely cracks a smile, the three nerds, Otto (Nikolaj Lie Kaas), Emmenthaler (Nicholas Bro) and Lennart (Lars Brygmann) are the comic relief. They have a fantastic group dynamic, from the serious Otto to the endearing yet amusing Lennart and the violent but emotionally bruised Emmenthaler. Of course, the inevitable happens, and Mathilde almost twigs onto the group’s elaborate revenge plan. Lennart quickly fabrics an elaborate lie that he is Mathilde’s therapist, neatly creating a multi-layered dynamic. While these three men assist Mathilde through her grieving process and a family is roughly sewn together, they also plan to end Riders of Justice forever. There’s something in this film’s pace and joviality, which prevents the beats of violence and grief from creating a sense of dissonance. Although there are moments of torture, trauma and train accidents, this pitch-black comedy invites the light in. This is particularly pronounced in Jensen’s use of Danish choral music. This music can seem absurd in scenes of violence, or festive during family mealtime. But this music is most effective when Markus is alone. He has forced himself to traverse through his own grief alone, and he rejects his daughter’s notions of God and the afterlife. This music doesn’t mock his sorrow but reminds the audience that Markus desperately needs community and belief. Frequently zany and comedically dark, Jensen’s Riders of Justice is also full of soul. Grief is explored in a multi-faceted way rather than a quick group crying session. Mads Mikkelsen may be a standout here, but the whole cast brings a dynamism which creates a perfectly bittersweet story.

★★★ Directed by: Rakesh Jaitly Starring: Hza Bazant Film Review by: Jason Knight A man is wandering by himself in the countryside. This music video mixes fantasy with reality. A man wakes up alone in the woods. Next to him is a can of drink, which he takes with him. All of a sudden, there are two of the same person, looking identical, wearing the same clothing. Then there are three of them. Then the man wakes up again in a field, bottle of drink next to him. He carries on walking. Then again there are two of him, then three, then four. Again he wakes up in a suburban area, this time without a drink. He sits on a wall and watches the sky. The narrative that this music video contains, is kind of like a road movie. It depicts a man's journey, as he travels from nature, towards civilization. Multiple figures of the man are seen on screen simultaneously. Whether this is real or not could depend on how the viewer interprets it. The fact that there are many of him, could be due to the fact that he has been drinking alcohol (indicated by the bottles he has next to him when he wakes up) and is therefore hallucinating. Having many of him walking in different directions could also mean that he has no destination and that his journey is aimless. Or it could also mean that he is taking multiple paths at the same time. There are no lyrics accompanying the music and the man does not say a word. The score is rather relaxing and more or less maintains the same rhythm throughout. Jaitly does a good job, creating wonderful establishing shots of nature and the sky. Jump cuts and split screen editing are used effectively and so is the picture-in-picture technique, during which the main image is placed in front of a larger image, whose sides surround the main image. The effects that were utilized in order to create the illusion that there are several identical people, were done so successfully as the result is convincing. This music video is well-made, with a believable performance by the protagonist. It offers an interesting experience and deserves recognition and praise. #JasonKnight

★ Directed by: #AugustReinisch & #StirlingHogan Written by: #AugustReinisch, #StirlingHogan & #GabsLester Starring: #StirlingHogan, #GabeLester, #RoseJohnson, #FredBurdge, #AugustReinisch Short Film Review by Taryll Baker Bearing follows skaters as they navigate young adulthood. Firstly, right out the gate this is clearly a very amateurish effort by all involved. From the poorly paced opening, with scenes that could be trimmed a huge amount, to the below average script and acting. I’m not so sure what exactly the point of Bearing is; if there was a message it wasn’t very clear. In fact, when the film came to a close I just felt… empty, devoid of any feeling. The cast and crew are transparently passionate, as least it comes across that way from time to time. Some scenes are better than others, and perhaps with a more refined script, it could seem more realistic. There’s potential, there usually is with short films. But, for the whole film to be so uninviting and bland makes it quite the challenge to get through — I found myself distracted by external goings-on countless times, and it’s only 15 minutes in length. But to shine a light on a positive; the skate scenes were fairly well chopped together. Some more tweaks could have been made to make it smoother, like cutting clips with better awareness for transitions. As it stands, it takes up over 2 minutes of the runtime which is quite drastic for a short film. Every second is vital when working within these restraints, so it’s wise not to throw any time away that could otherwise be used for something more important. Touching on the acting; it’s all very simple and wooden. The narrow writing makes for some uncomfortable scenes, especially in how the cast deliver their lines. Some of the vocabulary used is so cringeworthy I felt my teeth grinding to the gum. I appreciate that Bearing is a depiction of teenagers in England, and the way the actors talk is somewhat authentic, it just seems obtusely forced. Furthermore, the story is practically non-existent. There’s some themes placed within the script but none of it is explored beyond a surface level. To add, the film actually takes an upturn in the final few scenes and the pacing gets ahead of itself, leaving the viewer confused as to what the purpose is. All in all, Reinisch and Hogan’s Bearing is hard to bare. It’s a slog, filled with major room for improvement. I think I understand what they were aiming for, but they couldn’t stick the landing. For that reason, I recommend watching Jonah Hill’s Mid90s, which I believe tackles this idea a lot better. #TaryllBaker

★★ Directed by: #VincenzoNappi Starring: #CatherineSaindon, #HanaKashaf Film Review by: Alexandra James This short film is a modern take on a zombie-like pandemic. Alex is found in the toilets of a heavy metal concert, clinging to the bowl as her lifeline as she throws up last night’s dinner and maybe even the night before! She manages to pull herself away from the toilet and the audience notice blood dripping down her mouth and clothes, she soon discovers a huge bite on her arm which looked gruesome and exceptionally realistic! Her friend waits outside the door, trying to console Alex by offering food and a shoulder to cry on. However, Alex soon realises as she attempts to chow down on her snack that it is not food she craves, but human flesh. The film opens to an aerial shot of the toilet bowl filled with unspeakable horrors as the heavy thud of the metal concert resonates in the background. This was an extremely long take, a lot of the shots throughout this short film could have been cut down significantly. Alex enters the bathroom and hangs over the toilet; this scene took up a large majority of the film. First Bite had great opportunities to explain or feed into the story a lot more, it felt as though too much time was spent on the character repeating the same action and not enough time was spent on developing a well-rounded story line and adding more context behind each scene. There were many unanswered questions, why is she throwing up? How did Alex get bitten? Who by? There could have been a simple shot of Alex enjoying the music or caught within the mayhem of the crowds, this would have really created a more in-depth narrative, as well as broken up the bathroom scene, as this quickly became monotonous. As Alex breaks away from the toilet, she looks down at her arm and notices a huge bite with blood seeping out of it. The make-up was extremely gory and could easily turn your stomach over, establishing First Bite firmly within the horror genre. Director Vincenzo Nappi did not shy away from the grotesque, as Alex learns her hunger pangs were craving something far meatier. The film ends with Alex devouring her friend on the bathroom floor. Ripping into her flesh with her bare teeth, leaving a bitter taste in the viewers mouth as blood and guts are spread across the screen. This was an enticing and thrilling ending and left the audience wanting more. It would be interesting to see this short grow into a feature film so that the story can evolve further. First Bite has the potential to develop into something terrifying. To end on the most climactic part of the story has both positive and negative results. It is a great way to captivate and leave the viewer on a high, however, it also leaves open a wide variety of unanswered questions. Some of these questions would have made for an intriguing plot which the director could have explored.

★★ Directed by #PeterPalma Written by #PeterPalma Starring: #TommyBeswick #AimieGillan Film Review by Matthew Sawyer Downfalling shows us a brief glimpse of a young man's life as he decides whether or not to take his own life. The man in question, played by Tommy Beswick, has just broken up with his girlfriend. He rejects advances made by his female friend, played by Aimie Gillan, as he struggles with his emotions. It’s very clear from the opening few seconds that this film was made on a very small budget. It’s clearly been filmed on a DSLR or phone. This isn’t always a bad thing; look at what Steven Soderbergh was able to achieve with Unsane. Although he had the support of a talented and experienced crew, he proved that you don’t need a fantastic camera to tell an interesting story. Unfortunately, the camera work in this film is not so good. It’s very shaky and it can be distracting in places. The premise and script for this film is very basic. In one respect it’s great to see young filmmakers tackling and exploring issues such as men's mental health and sucide; sharing links on the films YouTube page to websites such as the Samaritans and child line is a very nice touch. However, it’s never told clearly that our protagonist is suicidal. We see him self-harm by brushing his teeth vigorously, though the colour of the fake blood was a little off, and he focuses for a while on a dead bird. However, we never really connect with the character’s emotions or understand his intentions. Despite these flaws the director, Peter Palma, does show a lot of creativity and flair when it comes to filmmaking. He knows where to put the camera and he uses interesting angles to tell the story. There are some nice shots in this film, despite the shaky camera. In particular, the shots of the bridge at the end are very good, especially when he cuts to an extreme wide. The emotion of the film comes across somewhat with the voiceover from the lead character. It would have been good to see more of that. Unfortunately, when we actually see the characters talk, the words we hear don’t always match with the characters’ mouths. That is the main thing that took me out of the film. I’d highly recommend that Palma finds a more creative solution to this problem if he is working with a small budget. They’re a lot of positives to take away from this short. The music from Sam Rigby is very good, it’s only a basic piano score but it compliments the film perfectly. Also, the acting from Tommy Beswick and Aimie Gillan shows a lot of promise. Neither is given a lot to do but they both do well. I hope that Palma will take what he has learnt from this experience forward and continue to experiment with filmmaking. His interest in raising important issues through film is admirable and he demonstrates the creativity needed to become a good director. I look forward to seeing how this young man develops his skills and finds new, imaginative ways to tackle important issues in his future films. #MatthewSawyer

★★★★ Directed by: Ana Barredo Written by: Ana Barredo Starring: Rhandy Torres, Noreen Lanie Film Review by: Jason Knight A man and a woman begin a distant relationship during COVID-19 lockdown. The coronavirus is spreading in the United States and two people are in quarantine, by themselves. The man's name is Rommel (Torres) and the woman's name is Julie (Lanie). They meet through an online dating site and communicate with each other over the phone and online. They chat, play online games and generally get to know each other. They discover that they have many things in common. When the lockdown restrictions are eased, they decide to finally meet for a meal. They then discover that they might not be perfect for each other. The film begins by showing the two protagonists' daily routine before they begin their online relationship. Via split screen editing, they are shown simultaneously as they clean their home, take care of their dogs, make their drink and socialize online. During split screen, the man is constantly on the left image and the woman is on the right. After they begin their distant interactions, they continually pick up more and more facts and interests that they share. Although the story is set during an outbreak, the tone of this short romantic drama is uplifting. The two main characters are likeable and cheerful. They smile, laugh and enjoy each other's company (as much as they can do so during lockdown). The music by Brandon Moore is rather merry, highlighting the relationship that is developing. The film utilizes interesting editing techniques. As mentioned, there is split screen and parallel editing is also used to great effect. The filmmakers also use black screens with nondiegetic letters, in order to reveal the week of the lockdown. The film of course does not ignore the danger of the virus. There is the voice-over of journalists as they announce the escalating infections across the U.S. This is a romance that takes place during a pandemic. It is a story that suggests that the coronavirus has not eliminated the good that exists in this world. There is plenty of happiness in the narrative, although the ending is rather surprising and dispiriting. #JasonKnight

★★ Directed by #MikaelHåfström Written by #RobYescombe & #RowanAthale Starring #AnthonyMackie, #DamsonIdris, #EmilyBeecham Film Review by Amber Jackson When drone pilot lieutenant Harp (Damson Idris) disobeys orders and gets deployed to the front lines of war, he finds himself working with android Captain Leo (Anthony Mackie), to prevent a nuclear attack. Set in 2036, this film aims to be an introspective look at what the near future could become in another universe, where cyborgs are more prevalent and the world is about to implode itself. The result of this near-two hour film, however, is like a disappointing and overly sadistic video game. From the offset, the audience is thrown into the middle of an almost post-apocalyptic war waged by the Americans. It you had to name a positive aspect of the production of this film, it would be the camerawork. There are some effective following shots that follow key characters in warfare scenes, along with high and low gunfire that creates layers within the action, creating the aesthetics to a tense atmosphere. Contained within this is, though, is every action film cliché that comes to mind: gore, guns and excessive swearing, all to create a cocktail of American patriotism that targets Eastern Europe. You would think that films would have grown out of this hero mentality by now. Suffice to say, the film's fast pace combined with a futuristic storyline makes it feel like a simulation. It feels like a cyberpunk impression of what the near future could become, but the film uncomfortably wrestles with these themes and produces a mediocre result. Unfortunately, the script is basic and feels generic with obvious dialogue that clumsily constructs each scene. In most scenes, the acting is patchy, with both Idris and Mackie ultimately carrying the script as much as they can. Particularly at the start and end of the film, the extra characters have sloppy characterisations and body language. The stereotypes continue with the male ego and 'fall-in-line' authority which do become boring after a short while into the film. Likewise, what limited representation there is of women is outdated and unnecessary. Either they have few lines, or men talk about them in a sexualised way - great... It is sad that this film falls flat, as it had the potential to be a game-changer. In particular, the theories and concepts behind the script could have been really thought-provoking. The war zone and talk of illness and vaccines feels somewhat current at the start of 2021 and this definitely could have been executed better. Likewise, the character of Leo as a cyborg of sorts, could have tapped into ideas on the body as machine and human anxieties surrounding autonomy and what technology could become in the near future. What is discussed briefly is the subjectivity of pain within the context of being a robot, but this really misses the mark. These groundbreaking and relatively new film philosophies could have been approached so much more explicitly in this film and the fact that they weren't was just disappointing. All of this combined leaves the storyline and the purpose of the plot feeling vague. The result of Outside the Wire is just a lot of needless aggression, violence, death and repetitive dialogue. After about half an hour, it becomes boring because the action stays at the same level throughout, allowing for no variety in scene speed or intensity. This means that the film drags on for too long and ultimately results in confusion. If you like predictable war films with an under-layer of robots, then this is probably the film for you. Otherwise, this is not worth the watch. Watch the trailer for Outside the Wire here: #AmberJackson #Netflix

★★★ Written & Directed by #PeterLeeScot Starring #ClaireCage, #GlenFox, #NualaWalsh Film Review by Lawrence Bennie What goes on in the mind of a courtroom sketch artist? Considering the painstaking task at hand, most people would be right to guess probably not much really. Peter Lee Scott invites us to imagine otherwise in Sketch, a 2018 Best Film Winner at the British Independent Film Festival. In a bored courtroom, artist Anne (Claire Cage) completes her daily drawing duties whilst dodging the advances of a sleazy guard (Cavin Cornwall) and the imagined jibes of her grumbling mother (Nuala Walsh). However, some much-needed distraction soon arrives with the entrance of hunky convict Simon (Glen Fox). Amusingly, Sketch turns out to be exactly just that; an 11-minute juxtaposition of the mundane with surreal fantasy. Besides the judge, everyone else is disinterested in the trial proceedings. The judicial assistants snooze through the scene. The defendant is catatonic and has to be whisked away out of the dock. Among all this, no-one even notices the erratic behaviour of Anne as she rambles to thin air before escaping the groans of her omniscient mother by sliding back into her world of music. Then, the fun begins. Simon is brought in and Scott allows Anne’s fantasies to begin to take over; in her mind, the duo disco dance, she sketches them in naughty passion and then flaunters her lust. To Simon, she’s a mad woman in the middle of an empty courtroom. Walsh then returns with the film’s best joke. “Coming on a bit strong, aren’t you love? At least the drawings are getting more interesting though”. Set in 1979, writer-director Scott opens with the spirit of the eighties; pink neon titles intercut with shots of Walkman-wearing Anne’s latest illustration. Scott’s centrepiece is a 2-minute set-piece of Cage and Fox dirty dancing to Funky Town. Overlong, it’s virtually a music video in itself. Of course, for Anne it’s a pure fantasy that’s only finally halted by another one; the reappearance of her ever-moaning mother. Simon is led away, but in comes another chained charmer and the whole set-up begins again. Slick, simple and fun, Sketch is a well-made entry in the prolific Scott’s impressive canon of short film. Certainly, Walsh comes out as the piece’s scene-stealer whilst Cage and Fox clearly have ample fun on the dance-floor. And, whilst it shoots more at the bizarre than for brilliance, Cage’s duet with fantasy is probably truer of us than we would like to think. #LawrenceBennie

★★ Directed by: #DurulTaylan, #YağmurTaylan Written by: #DurulTaylan, #YağmurTaylan, and #BerkunOya Starring: #EnginGünaydın, #HalukBilginer, and #BinnurKaya. Netflix Film Reviews by Charlotte Little Stuck Apart Film Review Directed by Durul Taylan and Yağmur Taylan, Stuck Apart (2021) is a Turkish dramedy that explores existentialism through the means of comedy. Recently released by Netflix, Stuck Apart (or Azizler in Turkish) follows Aziz, a middle-aged man consumed by a midlife crisis as he struggles to keep his act together. Dissatisfied with his life, Aziz tries to find solace as he drifts further apart from his ordinary job, lonely friends, and unruly family. His appetite for solitude grows every day, entrenching himself deeper and deeper into an existential sinkhole. It's a cycle he can't escape. In a desperate moment, Aziz seizes an opportunity that could change his life forever, but do the means justify the end? Stuck Apart has a promising premise, but it's a film that drags its heels with a sluggish pace and uninspiring dialogue that falls short of motivating audiences to invest. Existentialism is a difficult subject to depict without running the risk of driving the audience to their own existential crisis, treading a fine line between thought-provoking and bleak. This dilemma is why comedy as a genre is a favourable avenue for filmmakers to explore the nuances of existential dread. Bearing this in mind, comedy has to be quick to resonate. The film’s absurdist tone and unconventional narrative is endearing, but its peculiar rhythm becomes an echo of a drum that never seems to find silence. The surreal dream sequences and nonlinear form is a unique insight into the conundrums of Aziz’s life, moulding the film’s experimental story arc to the incoherence and unpredictability of Aziz’s situations. Along with Aziz, Stuck Apart seems intent on endurance, rather than resolution. That said, Stuck Apart’s misguided angle for dark comedy could easily be construed as a quirky attempt to disguise a numbing plot with no real excitement or anticipation. The cast performances are encouraging, and memorable characters are what drives this story. Aziz’s bratty and deadpan nephew (played by Göktug Yildirim), is a monstrous but hilarious little tyke, with his outrageous threats, f-bombs, and demands. There’s comedic potential within the whole cast, and genuine laughs to be had out of hallucinations, hot tub incidents, and cinema’s longest break-up scene. Bilginer's performance as Erbil, Aziz's widowed colleague, is a notable and profound portrayal of a man overwhelmed by the fog of grief, grounding the film's unanchored structure with solemn emotion. Aziz's midlife crisis is a far cry from the Western trope of unfulfilled forty-somethings who feel they've wasted their lives, setting out to find purpose for their next chapter. Stuck Apart's approach is far more honest and nihilistic, suggesting that life itself is a waste, and that we leave nothing of substance behind when we die. The film’s tonal glumness is contagious, and the lack of personality within the script doesn’t compensate for the tediousness of a story that leaves us with even more uncertainty, not comfort or closure. If it had been any other year, the film’s thematic commentary on mortality wouldn’t be so noticeable, but given the spiralling events of 2020, it’s an unsettling film with too many flaws to redeem itself. Stuck Apart, with its offbeat one and faux inspirational quotes, stumbles across the finish line with flat dialogue and scattered comedic gags. The film’s message of mortality and identity manages to transcend the film’s snail pace, but its potential and impact is lost, chipped away by the corrosion of time. #CharlotteLittle

★★★★★ Written & Directed by: #WillNiava Starring: #IanCloutier, #IanContreras, #AmosNzamba, #BrendanSheehan Short Film Review by Taryll Baker A misunderstanding between three lawless boys and a troubled off-duty police officer escalates beyond control when a sudden reversal of power dynamics forces the pack to a point of no return. No matter how many times a film like this is made, it will never be enough. Some could call it cliche or a well-worn topic, but they’re wrong. There are people that have to face their nightmares every single day, every single time they set foot outside their homes. It’s (unfortunately) not so shocking now that a lot of the time, run-ins with police officers will place them in a situation exactly how Zoo depicts. What begins as a care-free, energetic night out for three boys, ends in fury. Though the slightly troublesome boys skip around town causing a small amount of concern, where they end up can and should be avoided. What I like about this film is that it isn’t giving us some totally clean, innocent people to connect with. It seems like everyone has their own problems. It isn’t excusing their behaviour either, rather highlighting a very important topic; police brutality. A very simple misunderstanding which is evidently turned into something aggressive by the officer. He abuses his power and it gets messy. There’s a swirling feeling of heightened panic, and as it unfolds, the camera also swirls. The cinematography by Simran Dewan is on a level usually seen in big budget pictures. Beautiful framing and handling, shaky but controlled. The way Dewan captures the brutality is so simple yet affecting, especially in the sense that you feel it rather than see it. I’m not sure if it was shot on film or just digitally with grain added in post, but either way the visual style of this short is stunning, and the tone in the story is reflected perfectly through the lens. The performances from the small cast are all phenomenally rich and textured. The three boys and the cop are so convincing that it almost feels like we’re watching a documentary, and in some way, we are. These are events that plague our very existence, and it must be stopped. I sound like a broken record at this point but then I remember the many, many years of systemic racism and discrimination that Black people have had to deal with, and still do. Zoo is a reminder that there’s still work to be done, a LOT of it. If Niava’s film can grab someones attention, then it’s a job well done. This is high-class filmmaking; a thought-provoking piece. Watch the trailer for Zoo below. #TaryllBaker