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Toxic Alien Zombie Babes From Outer Space film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Vixey Teh, Grace Liu, David Black, John Cunningham, Andrew Bianco directed by Gerardo Chierchia. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Toxic Alien Zombie Babes From Outer Space Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Oct 6, 2022 Directed by: Gerardo Chierchia Written by: David Black Starring: Vixey Teh, Grace Liu, David Black, John Cunningham, Andrew Bianco The title indicates that this is an unusual movie. And it is. Planet Earth is being attacked by hostile aliens. Countless of spaceships have arrived at Earth and are causing death, destruction and panic. However, this is not a big-budget-blockbuster with amazing special effects. This is a low-budget science fiction comedy feature was filmed during COVID-19 lockdowns by various filmmakers and the result is a wild movie filled with aliens, flying saucers, laser beams, guns, gore and eccentric characters. The plot is about extra-terrestrials invading Earth, however the film hardly has a narrative and it is presented almost like a documentary, with many characters filming themselves with webcams or their mobile phone's camera. There is no main character, although there are a few that could be described as protagonists, such as a social media personality, a Chinese news reader, a strange man wearing a black suit and a jet pilot. Basically, the movie contains many characters and keeps jumping from one person to the next and usually shows people being attacked by the invaders. The action takes place pretty much globally and shows aliens attacking areas in numerous countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, Britain and Kenya. It should be mentioned that this film is not for the easily-offended due to the violence and the dark humour that includes adult and toilet humour. As this feature was filmed on a small budget, the special effects, the aliens, the flying saucers and the makeup are not convincing (and neither is the acting for that matter), however, this can add to the fun. The unrealistic ways spaceships are shown destroying buildings and slaughtering people can be entertaining thanks to the actor's performances, which come across as comedic. There is also interesting animation that adds to the fun. Going to the look of the invaders now, they have a form that resembles an Asian woman and they have green skin, fangs like vampires and pointed ears like elves. They do not speak and all they do is attack people with laser beams, mutilating them. The movie could be viewed as having anti-male messages. The invaders have a female form and they mostly go after men and often kill them by destroying their private parts with laser beams. This could be symbolising a rebellion of women against men. The feature is separated into chapters, each of which has a title that consists of a numbered day since the invasion began. Each chapter also begins with a couple of hands drawing a cartoonish portrait in fast mostion, accompanied by a chorus. The portrait is actually that of the character that specific chapter will be focusing on. This science fiction dark comedy pays homage to alien invasion films and also presents a satirical view on social media and mass hysteria. With a duration of two hours it feels overlong and the gruesome violence is likely to shock some viewers. Generally, this is not a movie that should be taken seriously and fans of films such as Peter Jackson's Bad Taste will probably enjoy it. About the Film Critic Jason Knight Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Dream Big film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Rhoda Ofori-Attah, Steen Raskopoulos, Clive Anderson directed by Pip Swallow. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Dream Big Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Apr 9, 2023 Directed by: Pip Swallow Written by: Pip Swallow Starring: Rhoda Ofori-Attah, Steen Raskopoulos, Clive Anderson Miranda (Ofori-Attah) is facing all of the usual issues that come with a regular job in the insurance sector. The infernal glass ceiling seems to hover just above her, covering over her skills, work ethic, experience and positive steps which she has taken in her work life. Once again it has stopped her from achieving advancement within the company and has limited her big dreams for herself. Instead, Mr Swift (Anderson) the bigwig head honcho at Swift Insurance has opted to bring in Tim to fill the position, proving once again that it's not what you know it's who you know that matters, and embedding the outdated hierarchical system of management in industry as an old boys' club. Thankfully Miranda has an outlet for her frustrations in the form of the model railway and village which she plays with in the shed at the bottom of her garden. After the day's particularly frustrating events at work, Miranda huffs and puffs out all of her bluster onto a tiny little model which she has painted to represent the unworthy, job-stealing imbecile named Tim. With glee and abandon she lays him down onto the tracks, runs him over with an Intercity 125 (apologies to all the model buffs and trainspotters who know it was probably a different model of engine), and covers him in blood spatter – just enough to know that he was maimed and not killed. In the morning, back at work, Miranda is surprised to learn that she'll be taking on the promoted post after all as it seems that Tim was indeed involved in a tragic train accident and will need rehabilitative therapy for months to come. After a quick double-check involving a delivery guy and a Katsu curry, Miranda then begins to wonder what else she could do with her new found power and eventually hits on the idea to Dream Big . Writer/director Pip Swallow's twelve minute short film is as endearing as it is funny and introduces us to a wonderful new character in Miranda who is played sublimely by Rhoda Ofori-Attah. The style and direction keep things light and cheery, even when things are going dreadfully wrong, and the optimistically upbeat score from Dilettante (aka Francesca Pidgeon) fits in nicely to complement the visuals. There is a definite feel of Amelie (2001) to this short film, in the way that Swallow and her team collaborate to bring Miranda's story to life, but there are stronger elements from other big/small movies such as Welcome To Marwen (2018), Colossal (2016) and Synechdoche, New York (2008) which also play their part. The fact that Miranda's last name is Lilliput is also a nice touch. There is a lot of care and attention which has gone into Dream Big and it shows in every scene. A kitsch kookiness is woven throughout the production which endears Miranda to the audience immediately and allows her story to breathe in all of the brilliant and unique directions that it needs to. Much like a model village each part of Dream Big is expertly crafted and painstakingly put together and in the end what Swallow and her team have managed is to create something that is more than the sum of its parts. About the Film Critic William Hemingway Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Lady Governess film review by UK film critic Joe Beck. Starring Lucia Goya Betts directed by Tito Wiley . HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Lady Governess Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Joe Beck | Posted on: Nov 17, 2023 Directed by: Tito Wiley Written by: Tito Wiley Starring: Lucia Goya Betts You hear a lot of people talking about a crisis in the film industry. That is something which is, to an extent true, with the recent strikes, plummeting box office numbers and the struggle for refreshing auteurs to emerge and be given the funding to create successful original films. Yet, ‘Lady Governess’ points to another consensus, that the film industry and creativity is alive and well, or at the very least it should be, with potential for a wonderful, exciting future, however, it is consistently undermined by studio heads and execs, who, in the process of prioritising money over creativity, instead stifle their own profits and the industry as a whole. ‘Lady Governess’ points to a brighter future for the very point that it is a fresh film, showing an abundance of creativity made by someone of just sixteen years of age, writer and director Tito Wiley. For someone so young to show both such a keen interest in filmmaking, and such skill in the craft at such an early stage adds to the excitement of ‘Lady Governess’, it’s watching someone with the potential to be an extremely successful auteur finding his feet in the craft with nothing but his passion and talent to work with. The film itself tells the story of a mysterious young widow, played by Wiley’s sister Lucia Goya Betts, whose miserable, isolated existence is changed when she hires a housekeeper, named Karen, and also played by Lucia Goya Betts, to keep her company. The widow has lived largely in isolation - leaving her house only for the most necessary tasks - for the past seven years, and believes that living with someone else will help bring her back into the world again at last. Unfortunately for her, the housekeeper whom she has hired is mentally psychotic, as should perhaps have been obvious by her speaking with the most outdated idioms. Her incursions into the widow’s life grow as they live together, becoming obsessive and haunting both her every living, and every sleeping moment. As a director Tito Wiley excels, especially on such a shoestring budget, and being limited to filming inside his home (though admittedly it is a home perfect for filmmaking) and whilst on holiday in Spain. He shows a creativity, and awareness of filmmaking techniques beyond his years, from the classic dutch angle, to the inventivity used to film the number of scenes featuring both characters played his sister. Even if the writing is at times a little stilted and the ideas are never truly cohesive, the freshness of the story should still be applauded, as should the very fact that a sixteen year old has the courage to both write a script and then follow through with it. Other technical aspects, are remarkably well done given the limited budget, and another sign of early filmmaking prowess. ‘Lady Governess’ is a remarkable film, and for more than purely the age of its creator. It’s remarkable in the invention and creativity which it demonstrates on a shoestring budget and for the approach it takes with the story. It’s remarkable for the talent demonstrated by Lucia Goya Betts in her dual role, and for the talent of Tito Wiley in his directing, but moreover, it's remarkable how fresh the story feels, and how impressive that is from a developing auteur. About the Film Critic Joe Beck Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >