★★★★ Directed by: #ZachWoods Written by: #BrandonGardner, #ZachWoods Starring: #WillFerrell, #WilliamJacksonHarper, #FredHechinger Short Film Review by: Emily Davison Two Davids. One a mental health patient with suicidal thoughts (William Jackson Harper) and one who wants his Dad to watch his wrestling match (Fred Hechinger); the problem is that what they both have in common is a therapist (Will Ferrell) who needs to be there for both of them. Think Good Will Hunting (1997), but with a bit of The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019) thrown into the mix! The directorial debut of Zach Woods, known for his comedy roles and co-written by Brandon Gardner, also affiliated with writing comedy shorts and TV shows, David (2020) is a charming, witty eleven minute comedy drama with a touching story. The short film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 11th, 2020 and was the only US film to be nominated for the prestigious Palme d’Or award at Cannes, before the festival was cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions. The movie has since won two awards for Best International Short and an Audience Award. The film blends elements of comedy and drama well in this original story, which is hefted by strong, engaging performances from its leads. Will Ferrell plays a therapist who has a way with words but struggles to connect with his teenage son. Although the deadpan line delivery and dry humour associated with the comedic actor are still present, his impressively subtle, nuanced and somewhat restrained performance results in him being completely believable in this unconventional role. His patient, David (Harper), matches the grounded quality of Ferrell’s performance and he displays a warm quality of indefinite kindness and compassion which compels a deeper look into his psyche. The son (Hechinger) delivers an energetic, yet authentic embodiment of an adolescent seeking approval from their emotionally distant parent and has strong chemistry with his onscreen father. The short is affectionately made and helmed, with warm and inviting cinematography from Andre Lascaris and sharp editing from Nick Paley. The picture almost has a retro style, with a grainy quality to the image and making for an engaging viewing. Woods displays wonderful direction in his well realised use of a single room to tell his story (not counting the final scene), allowing him to get the best out of the actors with the emotional ups and downs that come. Although the tonal shift between comedy and drama may be jarring on a first watch, the film remains an entertaining watch due to the strong performances from its small cast and the visual quality is conveyed to a high standard. It is clear that all that were involved were passionate about this picture and their dedicated efforts have certainly paid off. The short explores a tricky relationship between a father and his son with a comedic flair, but there is enough drama and an emotional payoff, with a heart-warming ending to leave a satisfying impact. David marks a promising debut from a talented director, with an endearing and nuanced story, matched by impeccable performances from its leads and a touching pay off, this short is a definite recommend (and a sequel would be very welcome!). #EmilyDavison David (2020) Trailer:

★★★★ Directed by: Seth Magana Written by: Seth Magana Starring: Brenna Jones, Jason Lee Boyson Film Review by: Jason Knight A film noir. An unusual father-and-daughter reunion. A young, attractive woman works as a sex worker in Hollywood, during the late forties. After she has finished with a customer, a man shoots his way inside her room. He is her father and he wants to take her with him, back home. She refuses. This short has many elements often seen in film noir: a femme fatale, dark mood, menace, murder, crime, music from the forties. The actors portray rather intriguing characters. The woman appears cool, confident and knows what she wants. She smokes a lot and has decorated her bedroom mirror with pictures of movie stars, indicating that her dream is to become a movie star herself. Her father proves to be a rather dangerous individual, after having gunned a man down. His appearance shows that he has gotten himself into some nasty situations, as his face is covered in bruises and plasters. Despite of all this, he seems to truly care about his daughter. Unfortunately, the two of them do not have a very joyful past. A sequence that deserves particular attention and is quite impressive takes place when the woman looks at herself in the mirror. The screen enters windowboxing mode and on the left and right sides of the image, two other images appear, which show actors in scenes from famous films of that era. With the addition of the forties score, this part gives a glimpse of the magic of film noir and hints that she wants to be a film star. The mise-en-scene brings the audience back to the forties, almost like a time machine. The entire story takes place inside the woman's room, which is filled with furniture of that era, such as the telephone, magazines and photos of movie stars. The clothing accurately matches the fashion of those years and so does the woman's hairstyle. Special mention goes to Daniela Viduarre, who does a great job with the makeup and hair. The stylized opening titles and closing credits were created to resemble forties films, and they do so very accurately, giving the impression that they were actually made then. The lighting and cinematography give the film a dark, film noir feeling. The music is one of the film's best aspects. It consists of songs from that time and throughout the film, a radio broadcast is heard, sounding like it is from the forties. Fatale is a very interesting piece of work with great acting, that pays homage to the film noir movies. #JasonKnight Trailer:

★★★ Directed and Written by: #TommyGillard Starring: #TomGreaves, #NiallKiely Film Review by: Alex Matraxia From the opening shot, Shuttlecock is about much more than badminton: the sound and sight of sweat dripping from the tip end of a shuttlecock is the first of many innuendos played by director and writer Tom Gillard. The film focuses on an ensemble of sad white men who take badminton too seriously. There’s a scene where one player, Carl (Tom Greaves), talks to himself in the changing room mirror while boxing the air, clearly revealing how he thinks himself the Jake LaMotta of badminton. Like LaMotta, Carl harbours a rather unpleasant brand of toxic masculinity - which channels itself against the newest member at the badminton centre, the effeminate salad-tossing Morgan Silk (well characterised by actor Niall Kiely, who brings a Ben Wishaw-like strand of wispy British pallor to the role). The game is set for these two personalities to clash and compete for the approval of their equally sad, desperate peers. And it’s no innocent competition either. Badminton becomes a more and more heated experience, a sensual negotiation of ‘cock’ moving between two men. This laces the whole film with irony from start to finish, given the all-too pitiful seriousness these men place on victory and masculinity. With its mix of double entendres and sexual wordplay, Gillard’s film fits in nicely to a lineage of British humour - occasionally at the cost of the script and dialogue which can be obvious and two-dimensional. But supported by a range of strong performances, this doesn’t detract from the film being enjoyable. And it is enjoyable. The film’s art direction is subtle but nonetheless effective; the changing room being a shade of green that presumably hasn’t been used since the 80s. A film populated by men who take pride in moustaches and who speak like they are in a Carry On film, Gillard clearly sets up a self-ironising nostalgia which feels a little distant. Though aesthetically fun, it's hard to really discern what the audience is to take away from the film, not having any immediate resonance with modern masculinity. In the final scene, Carl enters a steamy changing-room shower with Morgan; is Carl passing over a threshold from nostalgic masculinity into acceptance? His own implied desire for Morgan Silk having been awakened? And if so, such self-acceptance feels a little disingenuous, maybe because of the nature of the short with its rushed character development, or maybe, again, due to shortcomings in the script itself. Gillard’s film is light-hearted fun and perhaps that’s all we can ask from it.

★★ Directed by: #DerekWayneJohnson Written by: #DerekWayneJohnson Starring: #FrankStallone, #SylvesterStallone, #ArnoldSchwarzenegger Film Review by Lucy Clarke While you've probably heard of Sylvester Stallone, you probably haven't heard of his younger brother, Frank. While he's a talented musician, Frank has never really got his chance to stand in the limelight and stay there. He's fated to be referred to as "Rocky's Brother" forever. This documentary attempts to give him his moment. Director Derek Wayne Johnson's documentary is incredibly by the book. Old photos and videos flash by while Frank Stallone narrates. His life story is often interrupted by interviewees who gush about him and his work. The film trundles through Frank's life, from his childhood to his music career. The documentary takes us through Stallone's life in a whistle-stop fashion, ignoring a fascinating avenue to compare Stallone's floundering career with the music Gods he aspired to be. For a man who arguably seems very interesting, this documentary is woefully generic. This man is a musician, yet the music chosen is something that would accompany the trailer of a B-movie. There is nothing here that hasn't been done before, and the sheer quantity of talking heads is enough to send your head into a spin. The talking heads are all unanimous. Frank is "a natural-born entertainer", he was "the force in the band", he is a "real man, a real fighter". The talking heads gush so much, it's easy to come to the conclusion that Frank is no longer in the world of the living and the film is a memorial piece (I've checked, he's actually alive and well). The report is so glowing that Frank's only issue is that he's occasionally grumpy. Frank doesn't speak to one of his former bandmates for over thirty years, and that conflict is quickly brushed under the rug. Although Frank does seem to be a genuinely affable guy, the interviewees' relentlessness suggests this is more a piece of PR than a documentary. It's even suggested that the reason Frank didn't become a star was because of poor management and a lack of PR. This is a neatly packaged film selling us the idea that Frank is ready for a come-back. It's an hour-long advert. Frank has always lived in the shadow of his brother Sylvester (of Rocky fame). By the seventies, it truly became a point of friction. However, Frank is either willfully ignorant or naïve to claim that he didn't benefit from nepotism. Although he's definitely a talented musician, many of his most famous moments are directly related to his brother. His first appearance in a film was in the opening credits of Rocky. He wrote all the songs for the film that his brother directed, 1983's Staying Alive. The film's refusal to meaningfully deal with these aspects of Frank's success makes the project seem more and more like an attempt to shoot Frank into the limelight rather than an honest biographical documentary. Frank Stallone is very charming, yet this documentary won't charm you unless you're already a die-hard fan of the Stallone brothers. Derek Wayne Johnson's unoriginal film relentlessly tries to sell you Frank like he's a can of diet Pepsi, rather than a human being.

★★★★ Written & Directed by: #LisaMüller Starring: #SteveAaronSipple, #DaitonKelly, #AshleyGunstock Short Film Review by Taryll Baker In this short film written and directed by Lisa Müller, a father faces a surprising change in his son’s personality. The film begins with a scene of the title character, Liam, playing football at a team game, his father, Trevor, watching by. There seems to be some disconnection between the father and son, and we quickly learn this is likely something to do with the absence of the motherly figure. Liam tackles gender non-conformity and the affect it has on the person, and in this case, the parent too. The sweet thing about Liam is that it displays a parent, though confused and filled with questions, wanting to do right by his child and try to help. That means simply giving the choice of going to football games, allowing him to wear wigs, and I’m sure beyond the credits, plenty more character building for the both of them. It’s always a pleasure to watch and write about a film that introduces an element of ‘change,’ both internally and externally. Though an individual just not wanting to conform to the gender ‘norms’ doesn’t necessarily make them a part of the LGBTQ+ community, it does touch on that area and it could lead to further internal questioning. As someone in the community, this is my personal understanding of it, so take that as you will. Liam is only 7 minutes in length but manages to tackle an important subject which I’ve had the pleasure of writing about a few times before. The actors are fantastic, some of the lines in the dialogue are a touch too obvious or on the nose, but all around a good effort. Steve Aaron-Sipple plays the father, Trevor, who begins to embrace the change in his child’s behaviour. You see the sense of unfamiliarity within his performance and that was a pretty nice nuance to pick up on. Young actor Daiton Kelly plays Liam, and again, delivering a subtle but honest performance. This could honestly be expanded upon further, and I wonder if director Lisa Müller will do this, or tackle more sensitive but important subjects in the future. I’d be interested to see how her career takes off in the coming years. Liam is a superb little short that shines the light on just one of the many intricacies of parenting and childhood, and does so with a gentle touch. It isn’t forced or thrown around, it just… is. #TaryllBaker

★★★ Directed by: Philip Brocklehurst Written by: Philip Brocklehurst Starring: P.M. Thomas Film Review by: Jason Knight A short film about life and death. About choosing to live or not to live. 'To be or not to be' is the opening phrase of a soliloquy uttered by Prince Hamlet in William Shakespeare's play Hamlet, Scene 1, Act 3. During his speech, Hamlet ponders death and suicide. This line is one of the most quoted lines in modern English. The film contains two storylines, the first being death, the second life, both of which start with the words 'to be or not to be'. It film begins with a black screen. It then cuts to a closeup of a man's eyes. A voice-over is heard throughout, that consists of the man's inner thoughts, as he contemplates taking his own life. The man is inside a room and next to him, he has a handgun. He concludes that he has no reason to exist, takes the gun, points it to his head and pulls the trigger. The second part begins the same way, with a closeup of the man's eyes (his face is never seen) and starts of with the same words, but then changes to more positive phrases, indicating that life is worth living. Still, he places the gun on his head again, and pulls the trigger, but it does not fire. The narrator's last words are: 'To be'. For the first half, during which the man believes that life is meaningless and kills himself, the tone is distressing and depressing. Then the atmosphere changes thanks to the words of the voice-over, which embrace life and the film ends on an uplifting note, with the man alive. This project was filmed in black-and-white, apart from one shot. That particular shot takes place after the man has shot himself and depicts the his lifeless hands, still holding the gun, lying motionless on a red carpet. It is a rather haunting image and the fact that the carpet is red could be due to the man's fatal injury or it could symbolize the devastating occurrence that has just taken place. Thomas delivers a good performance, making his movements look realistic. There is no music, with the exception of the closing credits, during which Timur Sharifullin's dramatic score effectively closes the film. Credit also goes to Muhammad Holmatov, whose editing is meticulous. The film is approximately two minutes long and during that time it provides a thoughtful experience and pays tribute to an outstanding writer and dramatist. #JasonKnight

★★★★ Directed by: #SourbhDoke Written by: #SourbhDoke Starring: #SanjayBalote, #AshishBishet, #SourbhDoke Short Film Review by: Emily Davison An innocent florist in India, wrongfully imprisoned for allegedly stealing another man’s money, faces the cruel manipulation of the justice system in this dark crime drama short. Premiered March 2nd, 2020, by the 3C’s (Creative Content Creators) on their YouTube channel, this seven minute black and white film provides a gritty, authentic insight into how one innocent life can be trampled on by false accusations and a corrupt justice system. Directed by Sourbh Doke, who also headed editing and writing duties, Gunah is a carefully crafted, informative piece brought to recognition through its impressive cinematography and strong performances from its leads. The short is filmed in one room, heightening the claustrophobic feeling and suspenseful conversation between the prisoner and his lawyer. A power struggle between the two is immediately established through Doke’s implementation of high angles, with the choice of the frame to be devoid of colour effectively enhancing the realism of its grounded narrative and evoking sympathy for the innocent victim of injustice. The lawyer, however, shows very little consideration for his client as he plays on his phone and checks his watch with no concern for the broken man who sits before him, demonstrating the lack of care in the system. Kevin Macleod’s score effectively sets a melancholic tone with a sombre violin track accompanying the title credits. The soundtrack is used sparingly to allow the stars to take control and deliver powerful, emotionally rich performances, until a soft piano piece accompanies the final gripping long shot through a doorway, as the lead faces an impossible decision: whether to confess to a crime he did not commit. The film’s thought-provoking message can be summarised in a chilling line spoken by the lawyer before he leaves his client: “justice is just an illusion; law is the truth”. The criminal nature of the justice system is depicted through devastating honesty as a black screen with title cards reveals the sentence the innocent man faces. Although the film is an original screenplay, it authentically captures and reflects on many other similar cases in the justice system, as brought to fruition by a series of written examples provided before the end credits appear. Gunah is a solid, unsettling short crime drama reflecting on the overwhelming injustice facing many innocent victims today. Thoughtfully directed, experimental in its presentation, powerfully acted and increasingly relevant, this truthful piece deserves more attention and recognition for its integrity. #EmilyDavison Gunah (2020) Trailer:

Filmmaker Interview by Chris Olson You recently won Best Director at our first film festival. How do you feel? It's a tremendous honour to receive this award, there were a lot of incredible short films this year, all very well directed, and I'm thrilled to be among them. Overcast is my first short film and I feel humbled to have won. I feel very grateful to the UKFR Film Festival for converting their online platform to promote filmmakers such as myself. For those who don't know, how would you describe Overcast to a new audience? Overcast is a psychological-drama about a young 13-year-old boy whose mother mysteriously disappears, forcing him to question his father and his own memory to uncover the truth. The film is a deep dive into the protagonist's world, gradually submerging us in the disturbing reality of his broken family. The film achieves this, in part, through a blending of multiple genres. Why did you want to tell this story? One of the main aspects that drew me in when developing the script was the idea of parental manipulation and the effect it has on children who are still maturing. The material itself resonated with some of my own experiences growing up, which led to the creation of two worlds, one for each parent, in which the audience and the protagonist each uncover their own truth. This perceptual grey area is where the film gets its name, it signifies the tone and overarching significance of the story. What were the challenges of getting the film made and out there? During pre-production, one of the biggest challenges was finding the right actors who could realistically channel the emotions of the story. Connor Falk, who was 13 years-old at the time, was the most time consuming to find - a lot of phone calls were needed. But the wait was worth it, because none of the child actors we auditioned came close to his range and emotional maturity. What's next for you? I just wrapped principal photography on my next short film Echoes, a psychological deconstruction of a man trapped inside "the flicker," a time loop running parallel to the real world, causing him to come in contact with a woman living in real-time. I'll be posting more updates soon regarding the project on our website and social media pages. Where can people watch Overcast? You can watch Overcast now on either our website or on my personal Vimeo page (embedded below), and it will be broadcasted on DirectTV and cable very soon through our distribution partner. What would you say if you were a dolphin? If I were a dolphin, I'd say, "click click click - on the subscription for UKFR magazine now - click click click!" #ChrisOlson Watch the full film below:

★ Directed by: #PhilipBrocklehurst Written by: #GaryMHowell Starring: #JasmineYelland, #JonathanSkyeOBrien Film Review by Lucy Clarke Two university students meet up to study in a café. Max, (Jonathan Skye-O’Brien), is far too engrossed in his phone to notice Hannah (Jasmine Yelland), who is keen to study with him. Busy flicking through his social media, he doesn’t realise that Hannah’s chatting about their mutual friends Luke and Jess, who’ve recently started seeing each other. For all Max’s shattered attention span, these two desire to be more than friends. Two and a half minutes is not a great deal of time to establish a romantic, passionate connection between two individuals. Here, it’s hindered in particular by a patchy script. A romantic drama needs time to build upon the character’s personalities, but it also needs flickers of interest between the two characters. Study Date stumbles from a study session to gossiping about couples, to a romantic conclusion. The characters’ motivations in this short piece don’t make sense. This isn’t a romantic meet-cute, they already know each other, and they’re meant to have this romantic connection. But Max clearly isn’t interested in Hannah. He’s too busy looking at his phone. He doesn’t listen to her, and this study date doesn’t seem to interest him at all. Hannah might moan about her friends in relationships, but this does not emphasise Hannah’s crush on Max. Instead, it implies that she just resents being single. If this were a chemistry exam they were both studying for, Hannah and Max would not pass with flying colours. The staging dilutes any chemistry actors Yelland and Skye-O’Brien could have had. They’re squashed next to each other in a tiny booth in a university café. Sat directly next to each other, they cannot look into each other’s eyes easily, but neither does the film cut to show us their hands almost touching. Still, neither Hannah nor Max seem genuinely interested in each other. Despite the romantic finale, one kiss doesn’t solve the poor script’s problems and the icy chemistry. Even though the title implies that the short film will offer nothing but romance, the final revelation is still surprising. This story deserved a runtime longer than two and a half minutes, but even so, the final work is frustratingly hollow. The script hints so little at the characters’ hidden lives and romantic desires that the final moments become oddly forced. With a few different angles and different directorial decisions, maybe chemistry would have sparked between Hannah and Max. Unfortunately, Study Date is as uninspiring as an hour-long lecture.

★★★★ Directed by: Miles Anthony Written by: Miles Anthony Starring: Alexander Greensmith, Evadne Fisher, Mike Newbold, Miles Anthony Film Review by: Jason Knight A group of TV licensing enforcement officers are making sure people are paying for their licenses. No matter the cost. Reith (Greensmith) is a TV license enforcement officer, who is struggling to get the job done. After reporting to his boss, the regional manager Colonel Adrian Montgomery (Newbold), he decides to provide Reith with some assistance: the more experienced officer John Null (Anthony). Aggressive and determined, John will show Reith how to make people pay. This short dark comedy is a satire on the world of TV licensing. It is an exaggeration for the techniques of license officers and how they affect people. Anthony was motivated to make this film after the BBC's decision to cancel free TV licenses for pensioners. The story and characters are rather interesting and amusing. Greensmith portrays a rather likeable individual, who has manners and cares about other people. He is also no very willing to stand his ground. When he goes to an elderly woman's house to enquire about a license, he attempts to ask about a license, but ends up having a nice conversation with her about knitting and clothing. The woman, whose name is Sybil (Fisher) comes across as very friendly and cheerful and she deliberately avoids talking about a license. Newbold delivers an over-the-top performance as the regional manager Colonel Montgomery, who behaves like he is an actual army colonel, constantly shouting and giving orders. He also sits in an office that is filled with Union Jack flags, wears an eyepatch and has a well-kept moustache. And finally there is John, who comes across as more of a bully than anything else. He throws insults, swears, takes his job very seriously and shows no concern for other people's wellbeing. It should be noted that, according to Anthony, the characters of Reith and John are meant to represent the two faces of the BBC. Reith is kind and caring. He wears a coat, scarf and glasses that make him resemble Doctor Who, representing the fantastic achievements of the company. John, on the other hand, represents the negative side. He is rude and puts the company's demands above anything, even people's lives. Numerous times throughout, the film cuts to old footage from the seventies (the plot is set during that time), that consist of adverts regarding TV license. For instance, there is an old advert that shows a TV license officer speaking to a man about their license inside their home. All the footage is edited very effectively into the film. The filmmakers utilize interesting techniques. They use split screen, wipe transition and quick zoom in to great effect and title cards in order to introduce characters. The use of sound is also creative, with a bass guitar being heard when a dramatic action is taken. The soundtrack is rather entertaining and accompanies the atmosphere very well, for example, when the Colonel speaks, military music is heard. Although this project is meant to be satirical, it also has heavy drama, caused by a very inhumane action. Licengoons offers a comical and over-the-top view into the world of TV licensing. It has awkward and funny moments, but also devastating ones. It shows the good side of the BBC but also suggests that some of its TV licensing policies could be unfair. #JasonKnight Trailer:

★★★ Directed by #ReneeBarron #DouglasBlush Written by #ReneeBarron #DouglasBlush #KimberleyFurst Starring #SammyHagar #GeneSimmons #MeatLoaf Film Review by George Wolf “Thanks for coming out tonight, we’re Motley Jüe..oy!” Yes, Motley Jüe was a real band, at least for a few days. Picking the perfect band name is just a small part of the fun for the wannabe rockers at Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp. Rock Camp: The Movie takes us inside the experience that bridges the gap between stage and the Gold Circle section. Because, let’s face it, those in the cheap seats can’t afford this, either. But for the fans that can swing it, RCTM shows us an indulgence that’s a lot less worthy of the kinds of jokes it inspired in year one. Promoter David Fishof launched the first camp in 1997, to minimal interest. He got the idea from a practical joke played on him backstage by members of Ringo’s All-Starr Band (that home video footage is priceless), though low attendance the first year seemed to signal failure. But after the camp was featured in various TV and commercial segments, it gained a foothold in popular culture. That brought some big rock stars into the fold, and Fishof (an interesting guy who could merit a documentary himself) suddenly had a hit. The film is the debut feature for co-writers/directors Renee Barron and Douglas Blush, which often shows. Their focus can wander, and much of the production isn’t far removed from a marketing video. Plus, there’s no escaping that fact that much of the footage – judging by the look of some very famous faces – is clearly less than recent. The overall context of regular folk taking a chance to follow their passion, though, does help these rough edges seem appropriate. Profiles of fewer campers might have allowed time to foster a more intimate feel, but the dreamers Barron and Blush introduce are worth knowing. We see lives uplifted, families strengthened, and true talent given the chance to grow. Perhaps most surprisingly, we see rich and incredibly successful musicians truly moved by their students, and reconnecting with the simple joy of music that set them on their path. And some of them – Roger Daltrey, Paul Stanley and Sammy Hagar especially – seem like really nice people. Yeah, Gene Simmons is still obnoxious. Even fantasies have their limits. #GeorgeWolf

★★★ Directed by #LanceOppenheim Film Review by Hope Madden There is something absurd and mesmerizing about Lance Oppenheim’s documentary Some Kind of Heaven. The greens of the golf courses are insanely green, the aquas of the pools are blindingly blue/green, the synchrony of limbs or golf carts in the choreographed dances is hypnotic. They have synchronized golf cart dances. The Villages is nuts! Sort of the Disneyland of retirement communities, Florida’s The Villages is a 100,000 strong city, gated and catering exclusively to elderly residents. Their town square is painted and constructed to look like a real town square – it even has a fake history that city tour guides will spin with a smile and a deep, savage tan. This is a community of affluence ripe for satire in an era of catastrophic generational income inequality. Instead, Oppenheim finds a more melancholy and poignant inspiration. Rather than lampoon the wretched excess, the filmmaker develops character studies, unveiling something more bitter than sweet in this dessert topping of a town. Anne and Reggie, married 47 years, began falling apart before they moved to The Villages, but his recreational drug use and attempts at spiritual awakening are taking a toll. A poignant look at loneliness inside the happiest place in old age, the recently widowed Barbara works all day and finds herself an outsider in a world full of vacant, smiling eyes. But the true outsider is the seediest and most fascinating character of the bunch. Eighty-one-year-old Dennis cannot afford The Villages, but he’s not ashamed to scam his way in. Living in his van and preying on lonely women with money, he reminded me of the sublime Senior Love Triangle from 2020. That comparison, though, only draws attention to the fairly superficial treatment Oppenheim gives the subjects. Dennis seemed to be an opportunity to comment on an unseemly reality seeping into this community, itself a perversion of reality. Oppenheim’s framing and David Bolen’s cinematography create an unforgettable visual experience, preparing you for a Wes Anderson meets John Waters documentary about rich old people synchronized swimming. Well, that’s just too high a bar. Who could live up to that? Instead, Oppenheim settles for a little razzle dazzle, a little character intrigue, and enough footage to make you wonder what the hell goes on in The Villages. #HopeMadden