Anything's Possible film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Eva Reign, Abubakr Ali, Renee Elise Goldsberry directed by Billy Porter. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Anything's Possible Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Jul 21, 2022 Directed by: Billy Porter Written by: Ximena Garcia Lecuona Starring: Eva Reign, Abubakr Ali, Renee Elise Goldsberry On the surface, Billy Porter’s directorial debut—the coming-of-age rom-com Anything’s Possible —is pretty traditional fare. High school can be tolerable with good friends, boys complicate everything, being different is the worst, just hold on until you can start it all again at college. That does describe this film. The only thing differentiating this story from dozens of other high school dramedies littering cinematic history is that our lead, our Gen Z Molly Ringwald, is a beautiful trans girl named Kelsa. Kelsa (Eva Reign) is starting her senior year and counting the days until she can leave Pittsburgh for her dream school, UCLA. She spends all her time with her two besties, Em (Courtnee Carter) and Chris (Kelly Lamor Wilson), but their balance is thrown out of whack when Em announces she likes Khaled (Abubakr Ali), Kelsa’s secret crush. Porter and screenwriter Ximena García Lecuona lean hard on formula. The one difference here is that Kelsa is juggling more than most high school seniors, even if she’s determined to convince herself that she is not. Porter’s sly direction follows Kelsa’s lead. As she’s ready to complicate the narrative by considering how the world is reacting to her not as a teen but as a trans teen, the film redirects its attention. The simplicity of the movie’s structure, its plot, even its performances often work in its favor. Many viewers will, for the first time ever, see themselves in this comforting adolescent formula. For countless other viewers, normalizing Kelsa’s high school anxieties demystifies and creates empathy. But is it entertaining? Sure! Reign is a charmer, as is Ali. Support work, especially from the always impressive Renée Elise Goldsberry, as well as a clearly loving look at Pittsburgh, give the film a welcome sense of joy. And while there is one extremely ugly comment, on the whole Anything’s Possible never wallows in trauma. That’s not to say that Anything’s Possible or Kelsa manages to sidestep all the dangers and indignities that face trans teens. But it’s not the focus. Rather than making a film about the day-to-day oppression, trauma, bigotry and danger facing a trans teen, Porter and García Lecuona turn our attention to the universal dramas of being a teenager in Pittsburgh. That may not feel groundbreaking or even necessary, but it absolutely is. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Amazon Prime < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Martyrs Lane film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Denise Gough, Kiera Thompson, SiennaSayer directed by Ruth Platt. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Martyrs Lane Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Sep 8, 2021 Directed by: Ruth Platt Written by: Ruth Platt Starring: Denise Gough, Kiera Thompson, SiennaSayer Six years ago, filmmaker Ruth Platt released the thriller The Lesson . While essentially no one else saw the film, I was impressed enough by it to look forward to whatever else Platt wanted to make. So here’s her follow up, the grief-driven horror Martyrs Lane. Platt’s story of a haunting walks in familiar circles, as confused and lonesome 10-year-old Leah (a heart-bruisingly melancholy Kiera Thompson) makes a spooky new friend (Sienna Sayer, wonderful). By day Leah rattles about the vicarage where her father (Steven Cree) is minister, her older sister (Hannah Rae) kills time before fleeing for university, and her mom (Denise Gough) mourns something secretly. At night, the creaks and whistles combine with Leah’s fears, imagination and loneliness to conjure a visitor who leaves Leah with clues to follow. There is a lot about Martyrs Lane that feels familiar, but Platt grounds her spectral tale in messy, lived-in family drama. Set design, costuming, framing, moments of silence, pointed cruelties followed by protective love—all of it combines to create an atmosphere both familial and haunted. No austere staircases, empty nurseries, or any of the other chilly and spare environs where you might expect to set a mournful ghost story. Instead, Leah’s home bears the weary chaos and forced cheer of family and absence. Thompson’s performance is driven by the recognizable, shapeless guilt that looms in a child’s imagination, making every perceived transgression somehow unforgivable and therefore impossible to share, even with a caring adult. Cree’s bright presence offsets the gloom nicely, while Sayer’s ghostly cherubic image is wonderfully, tenderly haunting. Gough’s understated frailty is the unease that haunts the film from its opening, a feeling that blossoms into dread as the tale wears on. Platt and her talented group do not fail to deliver on the promise of their ghost story. The issue is only that, while the execution is impeccable, the story itself is a bit tired. Wisely, Platt capitalizes on character over story, leaving you so invested in this little girl and her family that you’ll likely forgive the sense of having been here before. And, like me, you’ll probably keep an eye out for wherever it is Platt wants to take you next. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Digital / DVD Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

New Years film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Jennifer Drummond, Sheri lee, Emily Entwisle, Marc Powers, Paul Noonan directed by Kris Salvi. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS New Years Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Sep 25, 2023 Directed by: Kris Salvi Written by: Kris Salvi Starring: Jennifer Drummond, Sheri lee, Emily Entwisle, Marc Powers, Paul Noonan Talking about his short film New Years , writer/director Kris Salvi has said that it’s “about as semi-autobiographical as you’re gonna get,” which presumably only accounts for half of the pretty odd plotting of the film. As the title suggests, Salvi’s film takes place one fateful evening as a family gets together to sit down for a New Year’s dinner. The relationship between Maria (Lee) and her sister Alison (Entwisle) is fractious and frayed with the two women getting into a heated argument as soon as we are introduced to them. Pretty soon Maria’s husband Mark (Powers) sticks his head into the situation and we find that their relationship is broken just as much as the sisters’. Then comes a knock on the door. Invited into the tense household comes bleeding private eye, Carlita Veronica (Drummond) and yes that is actually the name she was given by Salvi. We previously met Carlita in the opening shots of the film as she spent an overly-extended amount of time holding onto her wounds and trying to gather herself together, but now she is ushered in with nary a thought to personal safety or stranger danger by the hapless Mark, and the sisters seem almost glad for the potentially dangerous interruption to their constant bickering. As the plot thickens, Carlita explains how she came to be in the situation she now finds herself in and some form of backstory is revealed which revolves around some incriminating photographs and a shadowy figure known only as the ‘Big Man’. The rest of the film then becomes a waiting game as Carlita tries to ride out the time until someone comes to get her, allowing the rest of the characters to expound their petty squabbles some more. From start to finish New Years is a pretty strange beast which on the surface just seems to be a pretty subpar attempt at a family drama with a bit of thriller energy thrown in for good measure. The scripting is bizarre and banal at the same time with some really dodgy conversations and lines being delivered throughout and the acting leaves a lot to be desired, especially from Marc Powers and Paul Noonan, who pops up towards the end of the film in another bizarre turn as Eddie Vasseli, a gangster who’s concerned about keeping a lid on things but who also freely introduces himself with his full name. However, it is clear that Salvi has managed to achieve exactly what he set out to do. His direction is solid and secure with a number of effective shots littered throughout the film and despite the hammyness of some of the delivery he has definitely managed to get everybody on set to give their all to the project. There is a subversive undercurrent running through the film which is never quite quantifiable but definitely there the whole time and this adds an extra layer to the narrative which saves New Years from being an unmemorable flop. As Salvi himself says, he “make[s] films that make no sense and make no money,” and it’s hard to argue with that. There is not a lot of sense to be made of New Years apart from the fact that it’s the product of someone who loves their craft and who is clearly having fun. Perhaps next time though, just a little bit of purpose and reason might be beneficial. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Truth Seekers film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring Robin Kristoffy, Gehane Strehler, Daniel Tatarsky directed by Nick Fuller. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Truth Seekers Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Jun 23, 2024 Directed by: Nick Fuller Written by: Nick Fuller Starring: Robin Kristoffy, Gehane Strehler, Daniel Tatarsky Nick Fuller probably couldn’t believe his luck that the release of short film The Truth Seekers coincided with the recently announced general election. Elections always drag up crackpots, conspiracy theorists and fantasists (and that’s just the Conservative Party), and the media’s engagement with such hostile actors is a growing subject of debate. Fuller’s film presents the debate between new and old media in the form of hostile TV interview – with an intriguing if cynical critique of the true relationship between them. Current affairs show ‘Here & Now with Stephen Yardley’ needs a controversial guest to spike ratings. Step forward conspiracy peddling Marissa Rawlings (Gehane Strehler), a well-spoken fringe figure who urges rejection of ‘mainstream narratives’. Yardley (Daniel Tatarsky), with the help of his producer Hannah (Robin Kristoffy) take Rawlings to task and defend their medium. But each party has a hidden agenda at play. The Truth Seekers is something of a cynical movie for a cynical time. Instinctively, its premise of ‘both-siding’ mainstream media and crank conspiracy channels may build a few walls among its viewers. But the unravelling of the layers as the film progresses shows that Nick Fuller’s assessments of how the media landscape operates is considered and engaging. The role of producer Hannah in directing how she wishes the interview to go shows that there is often a hidden agenda behind most content presenting itself as balanced – certainly true of any rolling TV interview or big BBC piece that are always looking for angles that will make headlines. The film’s conclusion also reframes the story in such a way that viewers will want a second viewing (always a sign of a good twist), and feels especially relevant in a world where politicians who get the most screentime are usually the ones complaining about being ‘silenced’. Gehane Strehler is impressive as Rawlings – a TV-friendly conspiracy theorist the likes of which have infiltrated mainstream politics and social media in recent years to worrying effect. Without tying the character too tightly to any particular cause or belief, there are moments where she feels a little like a caricature. But Strehler’s steadfast, chilling self-belief means parallels are there from all kinds of modern commentariats. Tatarsky plays Yardley very much as a ‘company man’, a stuck-in-the-mud, BBC-lifer type who plays safe and to the script. Seeming out of his depth with Rawlings, he symbolises legacy media’s inability to handle the shapeshifting form of its new adversary. Whilst probably more of a cynical outlook on the media landscape than may be true in real-life, The Truth Seekers nails the reasoning of why public trust in the media is at an all-time low. The symbiotic relationship between fringe movements and established broadcasters in the race for more and more ratings is a more and more dangerous element of democracies all over the world. The Truth Seekers isn’t breaking entirely new ground, but a quick and slick short film exploring this, that cleverly keeps its cards close to its chest until the finale works well in this election year. If the film could be broadcast before the next time Nigel Farage is on Question Time, that would be great… Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Digital / DVD Release, Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Buckley's Chance film review by UK film critic Rachel Willis. Starring Bill Nighy, Milan Burch, Victoria Hill directed by Tim Brown. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Buckley's Chance Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Rachel Willis | Posted on: Aug 11, 2021 Directed by: Tim Brown Written by: Tim Brown, Willem Wennekers Starring: Bill Nighy, Milan Burch, Victoria Hill A lighthearted adventure tale about a boy and his dog – I mean, dingo – struggling to survive alone in the Australian outback, Tim Brown’s latest film, Buckley’s Chance , should delight viewers of a certain age (the under 10 crowd). Tough kid Ridley (Milan Burch) finds his world upended when he and his mom, Gloria (Victoria Hill), move from New York City to live with his irascible grandfather (Bill Nighy) on a sheep farm in the rugged Outback. There isn’t much explanation as to why Gloria and Ridley are moving around the world to live with a man neither of them has met. While this might not bother children, it is a bit of a head-scratcher. We get a bit more later to explain this sudden upheaval in Ridley’s life, but it’s only a tidbit of not entirely convincing information. It takes decidedly too long to introduce the Adorable Dingo that befriends Ridley. But it’s worth the wait. From the moment the long-legged, golden-coated wild dog enters the story, he steals the show. Okay, not quite, but he does distract from the moments when Burch’s acting falters. The relationship between boy and dingo gives the movie its emotional center. A children’s adventure film needs bumbling baddies, and this one adds a couple who have the right amount of menace and hilarity. A few laughs are hewn from these villainous hog farmers, and they’re easily the most entertaining part of the movie. The film’s biggest weaknesses come when it forgets its target audience. There are a few scenes that center too much around the adults and their dramas. Without Ridley’s presence, these scenes are out of place. There isn’t much appeal for children in a woman and her father-in-law reminiscing. Throwing these moments into the film also leaves less time for the main adventure. As the hardnosed grandfather, Nighy doesn’t bring his A-game. His Australian accent is bad, his performance a little wooden, but you can’t help but like him just the same. His exchanges with Burch provide some of the film’s finest moments (not including the dingo). The Australian outback is one of the most distinctive locales on earth, and cinematographer Ben Nott knows how to draw both the beauty and the terror from it. It’s tough not to be impressed with the challenges Ridley faces against this uncompromising landscape with just his wits and a dingo. If you need a movie to enjoy with your kids, this one is good enough for all ages. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Rachel Willis Theatrical Release, Digital / DVD Release, Indie Feature Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

A Brush of Violence film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Mia Krystyna, Yavor Vesselinov, Sausan Machari, Garland Scott directed by Daniel Lawrence Wilson. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS A Brush of Violence Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Mar 18, 2023 Directed by: Daniel Lawrence Wilson Written by: Daniel Lawrence Wilson Starring: Mia Krystyna, Yavor Vesselinov, Sausan Machari, Garland Scott A photographer is assigned to work with an eccentric painter, leading to fateful consequences. Akila (Krystyna) is a professional photographer and her boss (Scott) informs her that a well-known but unconventional painter named Vio (Vesselinov) has requested that she goes to his property and take pictures of him. Vio has not had people at his home for years so this opportunity is quite unique. Akila drives to Vio's large mansion and proceeds to take pictures of him. As they talk and she becomes more familiar with the way he views the world, things turn dramatic and life-changing. This short utilises a strange and isolated artist as the main tool in order to tell a dramatic story that also moves towards thriller territory. A large portion of the narrative takes place inside Vio's mansion, with Akila taking pictures of him and having dinner with him. During her time with him, he explains his art to her, which stands out due to its violent subject matter and how he was influenced by the bad things that take place in the world. Later, the two of them go to Vio's studio that is filled with headless mannequins and it is there where both their lives change forever. The screenplay also explores how Akila was affected by her encounter with Vio. Krystyna's character is a young woman with plenty of tattoos and is a talented photographer who uses an old-fashioned camera for her work. She comes across as an expert in her field and looks like a dynamic person, wearing black clothing, driving a black car and even carrying a black carryall bag. The arrival of Vio is what changes the atmosphere, making it dramatic and sinister. Vio is a painter who has hidden himself from the world, living in a mansion with his assistant Vaasefa (Machari) and he expresses himself in disturbing ways through his art as he has obviously been affected by the world's atrocities. He comes across as intelligent, yet also damaged and dangerous, particularly when he points a stylised pistol at Akila and later at his temple. Huge commendations go to Darren Streibig for the wonderful cinematography and Lexi Hiland and Wilson are rather creative with the editing, especially during a montage that contains fast cutting and superimposition. Praise also goes to Joseph Holiday and Snakes Of Russia for the dymamic, dramatic and sinister score. This film is a story about a meeting between two artists and the impact it has on one of them (in this case Akila) and it focuses mostly on Vio's perspective about life and the world and it is him who affects the plot the most. It is also a commentary on mental health and on painting and photography as forms of art and the strong screenplay and interesting characters make this an intriguing viewing. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Bootleg film review by UK film critic Isaac Parkinson. Starring Louie Fuentes, Jake Montajes, Kevin Gongob, Kayle Baculi, Philip Jay Kho directed by Conrad Dela Cruz. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Bootleg Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Isaac Parkinson | Posted on: Mar 18, 2022 Directed by: Conrad Dela Cruz Written by: Conrad Dela Cruz Starring: Louie Fuentes, Jake Montajes, Kevin Gongob, Kayle Baculi, Philip Jay Kho With Bootleg , Dela Cruz enriches and strengthens themes of capitalist cruelty from his earlier portraits of brutal cities in Eskina and Once Upon a Time in Davao City . Again we are thrown in the bustling world of Davao, bathed in saturated colours of warm green and yellow. The formal style is reminiscent of Wong Kar Wai’s work, with close push-ins on faces and quick cuts through the city streets around the characters. The world feels tight yet expansive. The street scenes themselves are made lively by the real individuals working on the market. Food is being cooked in front of us. It’s lived-in and intimate. Our protagonists are Jim (Jake Montajes) and ‘The Pirate’ (Louie Fuentes), two young men involved in the business of bootlegging DVDs. One of their mothers has lymphoma and needs money desperately for her treatment. Returning to this theme of family sickness again, Dela Cruz understands that the most personal is always the most tragic. We are drawn in to sympathise deeply with their journey, understanding the riskier and riskier decisions they make. Even in the world of bootlegging, the tension of exposure is clear, as he looks over his shoulder constantly, wary of people seeing his camera. He moves into a dark alley to follow a man, and the muted colour palette reflects his turn from recording the bright cinema screen to a back-street mugging. The bustling world of the city streets is contrasted by the expansive vista of the beach. But even this is under threat, as a resort for rich people is being constructed. The gentrification of their space will only increase displacement and lead to further slipping conditions. The downward trajectory of life without capital is unavoidable, and the turn to drugs is framed as the only way to facilitate any financial security. Moving from the profession of films to drugs, their sphere becomes exponentially more illicit. Chasing public desires means there’s no more money to be made in DVDs. Their switch from one illegal activity to another is merely a business-savvy pivot. The world is changing, and they’re forced to change with it. The seedy underground environment is darker and hidden away from the bright neon lights and markets we were shown at the beginning. Jim trades in his camera for a gun, marking a very clear turn from creativity to violence. The explosive ending is to be expected; the story cannot end well for our protagonists. Yet the real tragedy is found in a quieter moment after. Despite the death of his close friend, and traumatic experience, he ends on the decision to return to DVD piracy. This frames the dangerous foray into the world of drugs as merely a failed experiment. He appears numb to the brutality of the city, even when a witness to, and perpetrator of, murder. The world is as violent and cruel as it has ever been for Dela Cruz, yet he seems more resigned to it. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Isaac Parkinson Short Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Sasha's Game film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring Keanu Norman, Olga Olashansky, Robert McFarnlane directed by Lexee Gordoun. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Sasha's Game Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Oct 8, 2023 Directed by: Lexee Gordoun Written by: Lexee Gordoun & Anita Selzer Starring: Keanu Norman, Olga Olashansky, Robert McFarnlane Inspired by Anita Selzer’s book about her father and grandmother’s experiences of the Holocaust, Sasha’s Game is a dramatic short inspired by incredible true events, but one that never really engages with the implication of its story beyond surface level. As war breaks out across Europe and persecution of Jews in German-occupied regions explodes, Sasha (Keanu Norman) and his mother Larissa (Olga Olshansky) seek refuge any way they can. Larissa has a groundbreaking and unconventional idea when she comes into possession of German passports – one of which is that of a young girl. Sasha is presented with a plan of survival, but in disguising himself as ‘Sala’, a young girl – the pair wonder whether he will be able to keep up the charade, and what type of person will emerge if he can. The depth of World War Two and Holocaust cinema means that the bar for any film set in the era is stratospheric. The true-life story of Sasha’s Game is a genuinely remarkable one that offered the opportunity for scarcely-seen fresh angles of the conflict and genocide. However, the result itself is a somewhat bland and typical short film that goes through the World War Two motions without offering much of an original perspective. Sasha’s predicament is presented without being interrogated. The consequences of the ruse’s discovery are there, but not so much the unspeakable malice with which the Nazis would treat a cross-dressing Jew. Sasha’s conflictions around hiding both his personal and gender identity are similarly shown, but again little is made of what life is like for Sasha (or ‘Sala’ by this point) once the decision has been made, or what the consequences are for him once the War is over – despite extended flashforward sequences. The War’s portrayal in the film is understandably sanitised in order to make it friendly for general audiences. The horrors of the concentration camps are largely averted and Nazism is presented as a self-evident evil as opposed to a poisonous and parasitic political/ideological strain. The film’s aim is to tell Sasha’s story and the basic facts of this are realised – but this story is robbed of some of its power without the stark, difficult and unavoidable realities of the War. And given that forces of extremism, discrimination and far-right ideology are becoming more comfortable rearing their head in the past decade, a Holocaust film without this sort of analysis feels lacking. Even without straying into a LGBT/gender ideology context (given that Sasha’s presenting as a female is never implied to be anything other than a survival method), there is unexplored depth left of the table. Production-wise the film looks impressive enough considering its reduced budget, although the lighting occasionally screams ‘studio’ and the grey-washed hue during the war scenes feels awfully 2000s. Performances are middling and melodramatic, with cartoonish displays of the Nazi officers who would be more at home in an Indiana Jones knock-off amongst the worst of the lot. Olga Olshanksky as Larissa is given most opportunity to demonstrate her talents, but overdoes the film’s more intense moments with vessel-bursting straining usually reserved for amateur dramatics. Sasha’s Game accomplishes the filmmakers’ ultimate goal of bringing its subjects story to the screen, but its lack of depth means this short story is unlikely to make much of an impression on any remotely seasoned viewer. It’s hard to imagine my audience members seeking out Holocaust stories to expect their serving to be lightly seasoned, and failure to engage beyond the story beats is what makes this ‘game’ one that will sadly be forgotten. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Digital / DVD Release, Theatrical Release, Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Lethal Love film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Chloe English, George Caple, Emily Horrex directed by Michael Peace. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Lethal Love Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Apr 17, 2022 Directed by: Michael Peace Written by: Michael Peace Starring: Chloe English, George Caple, Emily Horrex A vivid insight into a couple's deteriorating relationship. Kate (English), a job-oriented person, arrives home only to find her partner George (Caple) there. Things between them have been rather tense recently and he is hoping that they might be able to sort things out. Unfortunately, it will not be easy, as she is quite upset and the two of them will have a bad argument. This short has quite heavy drama and some dark comedy. The narrative begins with an argument, then things calm down and give the impression that a peaceful resolution is near, however it is not long before things go downhill again. The main focus are the heated verbal exchanges between Kate and George. They accuse each other, insult each other heavily and even get physical. The screenplay explores the factors that can lead to a couple's separation, including infidelity, not liking each other's parents or the spark between them disappearing. There is also a surprising plot twist. English and Caple deliver strong performances and create very tense situations, aggressively lashing out at each other. They are both convincing as a couple with an unstable relationship and with deeply negative feelings towards one another. Filming was done entirely in black-and-white and Jonathan Tyler's cinematography looks great. Music is included briefly and it sounds dramatic and goes well with the scenes. This film is a story about the painful end of a romance, about a couple destroying what they had between them. The acting is great, the dialogue is well-written and it provides an attention-grabbing experience from start to finish. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Mark #2 - Extended Version film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring John Richmond directed by John Richmond. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Mark #2 - Extended Version Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Jan 22, 2023 Directed by: John Richmond Written by: John Richmond Starring: John Richmond Our initial 2-star review of John Richmond’s Mark #2 found the lower budget short to be ambitious and innovative, and possessing of a humorous charm that instilled its alternate future with an extravagance, that unfortunately lost its way due to a rushed and confusing plot and production limitations restraining its storytelling. Mark #2 (Extended Version) adds additional scenes which help develop its protagonist and provide some much-needed context to its story and world. But the original versions primary flaws are largely still present, with far too little development for the story. Mark #2 (John Richmond) is the world’s first clone. The original Mark passed away from cancer, and now Mark #2 holds the secret to create replicas of himself – although his own DNA is breaking down. When his shadowy government hear of his technology, he goes on the run – determined to protect humanity’s new hope from being used to create super-soldiers. As Mark #2 begins to think for himself, and as a devastating attack threatens humanity’s survival, he realises the potential he holds to create a new peaceful dawn for mankind. With some additional scenes largely towards its opening third, Mark #2 (Extended Version) includes more of the scenes and ideas that worked successfully from its original version. More scenes which help develop Mark #2’s character and plant the seeds of his desire to solve the challenges which plague humanity with his technology make his post-apocalyptic odyssey more understandable. And scenes which give further context to the world-threatening disaster that plays a pivotal role in the story, and Mark #2’s connection to it, are also much needed. The humour of the original is present in these scenes as well, which was among the strengths the original possessed. However, many of the same issues remain – particularly in the second half of the film. There is too little in the way of context or motivation for the film’s characters, and the plot remains confusing and disjointed regardless of the added scenes. Audiences will struggle to find in-roads to cling to, beyond the original characterisations of Mark #2 that do not sufficiently feature as the story goes on. The film becomes reliant on stunted exposition as its plot expands in scale – which lacks any real engagement or satisfaction for viewers. Mark #2 (Extended Version) is still an admirable and ambitious film considering its lower budget and solo production. But ultimately a few additional scenes cannot make up for the original’s major flaws relating to a confusing and poorly-explained plotline and opaque characters. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Digital / DVD Release, Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

All That Breathes film review by UK film critic George Wolf. Starring Mohammad Saud, Nadeem Shehzad directed by Shaunak Sen. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS All That Breathes Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: George Wolf | Posted on: Feb 9, 2023 Directed by: Shaunak Sen Written by: Shaunak Sen Starring: Mohammad Saud, Nadeem Shehzad It’s been a few hundred years since Emily Dickinson wrote “Hope is the thing with feathers,” but the Oscar-nominated All That Breathes shows there are at least two people in the world who still believe it. For the past twenty years, as the city of Delhi has deteriorated around them, brothers Mohammad Saud and Nadeem Shehzad have devoted their lives to the rescue of the Black Kite, a bird they say can “swim, like a lazy dot in the sky.” We witness that swimming in the film’s opening minutes, just one of the countless images that director Shaunak Sen presents with a bittersweet majesty. Aided by stellar craftsmanship from Ben Bernhard’s cinematography team and editors Charlotte Munch Bentsen and Vedant Joshi, Sen drives home the devastating effects of climate change and pollution with an ironically gorgeous display of shot-making. Sen’s approach is immersive from the start, letting quiet conversations and sobering landscapes outline the roadblocks to the brothers’ commitment. But in the midst of their search for the funds to open a true rescue hospital, Saud and Nadeem give voice to concerns of rising societal fractures, including the marginalizing of Muslims and outbreaks of street violence. Sen weaves these themes together with grace and restraint, letting the focus at work in this basement mission of mercy speak in universal terms. The belief that “Delhi is a gaping wound, and we are just a Band Aid” reflects the unyielding hope that drives the two brothers. We share our “community of air” with every living thing that relies on it. And as long as there is value given to All That Breathes , then all cannot truly be lost. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic George Wolf Digital / DVD Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Alice, Darling film review by UK film critic George Wolf. Starring Anna Kendrick, Charlie Carrick, Wunmi Mosaku, Kaniehtiio Horn directed by Mary Nighy. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Alice, Darling Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: George Wolf | Posted on: Jan 19, 2023 Directed by: Mary Nighy Written by: Alanna Francis, Mark Van de Ven Starring: Anna Kendrick, Charlie Carrick, Wunmi Mosaku, Kaniehtiio Horn Remember the palpable tension in the opening moments of 2020s The Invisible Man ? We didn’t need visual evidence to believe Elisabeth Moss’s character was desperate to flee an abusive relationship. We felt it simply from the strength of Moss’s performance. Anna Kendrick delivers similar results in Alice, Darling , reaching new career heights as a woman who has lost all sense of self to a controlling, manipulative partner. Alice (Kendrick) can’t even join her besties Sophie and Tess (Wunmi Mosaku and Kaniehtiio Horn, both terrific) for happy hour without Simon (Charlie Carrick, politley menacing) texting multiple requests aimed at reminding Alice just who she answers to. When the ladies rent a secluded lake house for a week-long celebration of Tess’s birthday, Alice tells Charlie her time away from him is strictly work-related. But once they’re at the cabin, Alice’s anxious behavior convinces her two friends that everything is not fine at home. Kendrick – who also serves as an executive producer – has recently opened up about her regret and shame from letting a previous abusive relationship carry on too long. This is an understandably personal project for her, and she channels her own pain into a compelling portrait of a woman nearly suffocating from manipulation, where every message notification and car wheel on gravel serves as a trigger. An apt underwater metaphor is just one of those skillfully employed by director Mary Nighy in an impressive debut that benefits from subtlety and confident restraint. Alice’s moments of self-harm are evident but not overdone, and her growing interest in the case of a local girl gone missing is understood simply from Kendrick’s quiet fascination. Alanna Francis’s thoughtful script does eventually reveal Charlie’s gaslighting methods in action, but never to the point where it seems something needs to be proven, because nothing does. This is no he said/she said. Kendrick has us believing from the start, as Alice, Darling becomes a healing journey back to self, and an intimate reflection on what love is not. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic George Wolf Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >