Waiting For Magic Hour film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Aline Almeida, Aidan O'Sullivan, Michael Parle directed by Gerard Lough. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Waiting For Magic Hour Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Sep 15, 2025 Directed by: Gerard Lough Written by: Gerard Lough Starring: Aline Almeida, Aidan O'Sullivan, Michael Parle An out-of-town photographer and her driver visit the sights of Donegal to get some snaps of the local landmarks, all the while trying to find some common ground from which to build their relationship. Natalya (Almeida) has just landed in Donegal for a job. She’s got to get out and about in the local area and find the best beauty hotspots to photograph for a new calendar. Her driver, Sean (O’Sullivan), is also there to act as some sort of guide, and he takes her out to the coast early in the morning before the sun comes up so that she can capture the ‘Magic Hour’; that special time of day, just before sunrise or sunset, when it’s not quite day and not quite night, where the light does some magical things, and which photographers are drawn to like moths to a flame. Right from the start, Natalya comes across as pretty stand-offish, and she only sees Sean as being there to get her from place to place and nothing else. So, when he starts asking questions about the photography, and just what it is that Natalya wants to capture on this assignment, she brushes him off pretty quickly and makes clear that she’d rather he stay quiet. Sean, however, can’t not use his gift of the gab, and keeps pressing Natalya to open up a little as they spend some time together. Wherever she goes, he follows like a little lost puppy, hanging in the background like a bad smell while she pops off a few rounds of the shutter to snap a hill, or a wave, or an old ruin. While they get out and about in the countryside, the odd-couple are buffeted by some pretty overbearing music which accompanies them on their travels. The 80’s synth-pop blasts out over the visuals from composer Michael McElroy, never really making the effort to match up with what’s happening on screen, building an emotional resonance all of its own without seeming to take into account the motivations or actions of the characters. There’s a sense of heightened action and intensity which comes from the music, trying to imbue the story with immediacy and excitement, while in actuality two people stand by a roadside or argue about an umbrella on a beach. There’s not a lot of plot action going on in Waiting For Magic Hour , which might help explain the dominance of the soundtrack in the film. With writer/director Gerard Lough being a veteran filmmaker of short films and music videos, he leans into his expertise to tell us the story in his own way. Most of the driven narrative comes from the music itself, with there being very little on offer from the almost non-existent plot and the minimal dialogue, meaning that most of the film takes on the form of a music video, where we follow the characters around the scenes, from location to location, all to the sounds of a synthesizer and not much else. The acting, too, lets the film and the storytelling down, as nobody is suited to their role or is able to offer a convincing portrayal of who they’re supposed to be. Almeida, in particular, finds it difficult to get her words out, with her strong accent getting in the way of understanding what she is saying, especially in the latter stages of the film. Her character, too, is let down by the fact that her pictures are pretty poor, marking her out as less than professional as a photographer. O’Sullivan, as Sean, never convinces either, delivering his lines flat, or nearly not at all, with no real feeling behind any of them, while Michael Parle as the jobbing actor George, ironically comes across as the worst actor of the lot. In the end, Waiting For Magic Hour outs itself as a rom-com, just one with no romance and no comedy involved. The conversations are so stilted and minimal that it’s almost impossible a relationship could develop between the two characters, especially when there’s no chemistry on screen either, and the closest they get to romance is realising that they kinda quite like each other. Thankfully, the film has been cropped at the fourteen-minute mark, so there’s no languishing about in the scenario, but then there’s not much scenario to talk about in the first place. Lough’s cinematography is the highlight of Waiting For Magic Hour , taking in as much of the Donegal countryside as he can get, but even that isn’t enough to make up for the lack of story and characterisation elsewhere. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Digital / DVD Release, Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Travel film review by UK film critic Julian Gaskell. Starring Unknown directed by Claudio Melis. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Travel Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Julian Gaskell | Posted on: Jul 1, 2022 Directed by: Claudio Melis Written by: Claudio Melis Starring: Unknown A music video for the newly released track “Travel ” from Sardinian music producer Claudio Melis from his new album Sraka . The synopsis of the video talks about two angels who have fallen from heaven, trapped in a dream world they are forced to perform a bizarre ritual for the watching gods. The dark ambient music playing is matched by an equally dark atmospheric story. Set in a forest landscape, presumably in Sardinia, its contrasting light and dark shadows of the trees amongst the rocky terrain provide an ethereal backdrop. The camera slowly pans down to earth from the sky to a girl laid on the ground in a distorted like heap. Dressed all in white with her eyes bandaged she slowly stumbles to her feet and gropes her way through the woodland. She’s being watched by someone dressed in a dark cloak and gas mask who follows her as she finds someone else similarly laid on the floor, presumably also fallen from the heavens. Together they wander through the trees before they begin a love-making dance ritual in the presence of the god with the soundtrack continuing throughout. Both the video and the music are dark and atmospheric in sound and appearance but they don’t necessarily synchronise together especially well. The synth music sounds more like an ambient loop than telling a story from beginning to end. Some of the peaks and troughs in the track match the movements, but overall it seems caught between being a movie and a music video with the music not quite rising to the high crescendos to match the climatic end to the story. The camera shots establish the atmosphere of the video well but lack a cinematic edge in their framing and grading to really take it to the next level. There’s perhaps a lack of sharpness to the images, which although some are done for filmic effect, filming under the canopy of the forest perhaps requires additional lighting, that would make this a far more complicated and expensive music video to shoot. I quite liked the acting that had the awkward air of being blind and lost in an otherworldly wilderness and showed some dramatic suffering too. Unfortunately some of the supporting props left a lot to the imagination but didn’t necessarily detract too much from the story once you bought into the production and brought their own pastiche stamp to the video. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Julian Gaskell Music Video < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Life Goes On film review by UK film critic Callum Ewing. Starring David Bradley , Maggie Steed , Laura Checkley directed by Daniel Audritt and Kat Butterfield. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Life Goes On Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Callum Ewing | Posted on: Jun 15, 2026 Directed by: Daniel Audritt and Kat Butterfield Written by: Daniel Audritt and Kat Butterfield Starring: David Bradley , Maggie Steed , Laura Checkley Life Goes On is a charming yet poignant short film that makes effective use of its 19-minute runtime. The film directed by Daniel Audritt and Kat Butterfield follows Bill (David Bradley) as he is confined to a hospice bed ready to die. However, every time Bill dies, the day resets, and he is trapped in an endless loop much to his exasperation. One of the biggest strengths of the film is the ability of both the direction and David Bradley’s performance to find the balance between humour and tenderness. Despite the dour subject matter, there are quite a good few laughs in the film that do not feel forced but feel like interactions that most people would see in a hospital. The tone is balanced out with a simple yet effective narrative that does not rely on melodrama to convey sadness but rather authenticity. For me this is where the film works best and why I liked it so much. Every interaction Bill has feels lived-in and real, no matter if it is with a nurse, his daughter or some of the other patients. Most of the interactions Bill has are brief apart from his relationship with fellow patient Lizzie (Maggie Steed), which develops throughout the film. David Bradley’s and Maggie Steed’s chemistry adds another element of warmth to the film. The story unfolds with patience, never feeling rushed or that too many ideas were crammed into the short runtime. Every range of emotion from human warmth to hope to grief is delicately told. I found the editing to also be one of the biggest strengths, as scenes are carefully allowed to breathe, whilst the infinite time loop never gets confusing or leaves the audience lost on how many days Bill has been in the time loop. The cinematography by design is nothing over the top, with soft natural light again playing into how authentic this film feels. The use of close-up shots on Bill and some of the other characters to portray their inner emotions was clever and not overdone. I also enjoyed the sequence where time stops still and thought that added a nice visual flair and change of pace. As much as I loved this film, my main criticism was that I wanted slightly more from the side characters. Whilst the pacing of the film is spot on and the 19-minute runtime is made full use of, I thought that the side characters could have had more layers and depth with an extended runtime. Overall Life Goes On is a life-affirming and reflective short film that uses the classic time loop concept in a fresh way that focuses on acceptance rather than trying to break the loop. Powered by a nuanced performance by David Bradley, the film will engage the audiences with a sharp script that blends humour and sadness to create an emotionally satisfying film. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Callum Ewing Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Swati Verma writes movie reviews for UK Film Critic. As one of the talented UK film critics, find out more here. Swati Verma Writer for UK Film Review. Read Latest Film Reviews Three Main Men Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Jacob's Little Helper Read Film Reviews Swati Verma The Last Movie Ever Made Read Film Reviews Swati Verma The Last Snow Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Staggered Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Smriti Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Rooftops Read Film Reviews Swati Verma End Times Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Becoming The Queen Of The North Read Film Reviews Swati Verma I Know I'm Going To Break His Heart Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Avaak(Unsaid) Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Hunger Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Pure Gold Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Spooky Bastard Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Aaram Viral Read Film Reviews Swati Verma The Eyes Hide It Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Nausea Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Green Height Point Read Film Reviews Swati Verma False Memories Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Subscribed Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Abandon Fear Read Film Reviews Swati Verma In Pain Season Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Disco 80s Soul Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Dependency Read Film Reviews Swati Verma The Electricity In Me Read Film Reviews Swati Verma A Journey Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Seize The Carp Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Ember's Edge Read Film Reviews Swati Verma My Name Is Moe Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Collect Your Roadkill Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Scraps of Mechanical Souls Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Golden Child Read Film Reviews Swati Verma The Burglary Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Once a clown Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Do Not Open Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Fyre Rises Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Learning Is Fun Read Film Reviews Swati Verma The Strange Story Of Blasting Betty Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Parasocial Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Circus Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Seagram Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Dead in the Dark Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Hot Chip Eleanor Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Love Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Teddy Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Gubbaare Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Uy Hoang-The Man Single Handedly Mapping The Thames Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Apples Oranges Lemons & Limes Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Unintentional Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Pull Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Brick Wall Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Are You Awake? Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Void Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Watcher Read Film Reviews Swati Verma $TACK$ Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Byte Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Trespass Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Clogwyn Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Scratch Read Film Reviews Swati Verma A Tree Fell Today Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Not A Funny Thing 3 Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Between the Lines Read Film Reviews Swati Verma It's Ok to be Different Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Not a Funny Thing 2 Read Film Reviews Swati Verma With love from a killer Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Pryvoz Read Film Reviews Swati Verma The Art of Oppression Read Film Reviews Swati Verma SPARTAN Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Printer Head Read Film Reviews Swati Verma The Hands Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Off the Beat Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Leech Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Death of a Mule Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Rocky Climbed a Mountain Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Mabaw Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Count On Me Read Film Reviews Swati Verma The Corridor Read Film Reviews Swati Verma How To Love You Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Woman of the House Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Top Secret Report on the War in Italy and Spain Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Unknown Caller Read Film Reviews Swati Verma The Hot Dog Guy Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Kaur Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Surviving A Narcissist Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Doubt Buys The Whiskey Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Lova's Game Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Private Eye Read Film Reviews Swati Verma My Courtyard Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Between The Scenes Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Summer After Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Jeevan Bhar Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Resina - A Crooked God Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Quick Brown Fox and a Lazy Big Dog Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Vazhiye Read Film Reviews Swati Verma A Dust of Phantasm Read Film Reviews Swati Verma The Assignment Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Milk rice Read Film Reviews Swati Verma An Office Carol Read Film Reviews Swati Verma Much Ado Read Film Reviews Swati Verma AZ Read Film Reviews Swati Verma

The Eyes Hide It film review by UK film critic Swati Verma. Starring Sandipan Das, Shubhranil Bhowmick directed by Pritanko Ghatak. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Eyes Hide It Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Swati Verma | Posted on: Apr 7, 2023 Directed by: Pritanko Ghatak Written by: Pritanko Ghatak Starring: Sandipan Das, Shubhranil Bhowmick The director-writer Pritanko Ghatak likes to address crucial problems that has been a menace slowly transforming into a social stigma, we need to raise our voices against such evils that has engrossed us completely. Ghatak through the two protagonists Dipendu(Sandipan Das) and Rahul(Shubhranil Bhowmick attempts to show the aspects of life we often tend to turn a blind eye to in our daily hustle. The plot of the feature film-The Eyes Hide It revolves around two strangers who are tied together by a weird request/proposal that plays a pivotal role in turning their lives to a direction which changes it for the better. The film opens with a black screen and the voiceover of the photographer followed by a long shot of Dipendu trying hard to laugh. By doing this the Cinematographer Satyam Deb Roy establishes the mindset the male protagonist is in giving the viewers an opportunity to understand him to increase the degree of audience engagement with the content. The black and white colour palette utilised to represent different viewpoints of the two characters with respect to the subject matter the film deals with. The set design, lighting, background music, dialogues, costume, hair, makeup, and props have been kept natural to elevate the impact the movie wants to create with the key messages and appeal to a wider set of audience as well. In terms performance, Sandipan Das plays Dipendu who is distressed to the point of choosing suicide as a solution for his problems but things get a little better as he finds a friend to confide in. Das with his body language, dialogues, voice modulation, facial expressions, and eyes to portray the emotional trauma adding elements of realism and relatability so that the audience can get involved with the narrative and also learn from the same. Shubhranil Bhowmick as Rahul the photographer tries to maintain a positive outlook towards life even after experiencing the bitter side of it as teenager. Bhowmick understands the nuances of the multi-layered Rahul balancing the emotions and logic required for conversations happening amidst the two male protagonists. The Eyes Hide It talks about suicide not being a solution to every problem in life. The dramatic piece reiterates the importance of sharing one’s trouble with friends and family to feel relieved as suicide affects everyone related to the person who has decided to take the extreme step. The Bengali film restates the significance of being greatful for the happiness and the need to relearn how to smile naturally as we have forgotten it due to many challenging situations in life. The cinematic piece highlights the fact that people want to loved ones happy even when they are sad or depressed. The creative piece tells us that Alcohol, cigarettes and drugs cannot be consumed in order to find a way to get rid of hard times and look for peace. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Swati Verma Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Hand That Rocks the Cradle film review by UK film critic George Wolf. Starring Maika Monroe, Mary Elizabeth Winstead directed by Michelle Garza Cervera. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Hand That Rocks the Cradle Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: George Wolf | Posted on: Oct 22, 2025 Directed by: Michelle Garza Cervera Written by: Micah Bloomberg, Amanda Silver Starring: Maika Monroe, Mary Elizabeth Winstead Even at its most fun, 1992’s The Hand That Rocks the Cradle was a bit of a guilty pleasure. Hulu’s new update strips away the overdone pulp for a more focused, and more primally scary tale. Caitlin (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) is an L.A. lawyer who diligently screens her children’s food for sugars and aims to get a new stop sign for her neighborhood. Working at a tenants rights group, Caitlin helps Polly (Maika Monroe) with a landlord problem, and when the two cross paths again at a local market, fate seems to have dealt a good hand. Polly has experience as a nanny, and she comes with a glowing recommendation from her last employer. She looks like the perfect choice to help Caitlin and her husband Miguel (Raúl Castillo) with young Emma (Mileiah Vega) and baby Josie (Nora and Lola Contreras). Caitlin chooses poorly. Screenwriter Micah Bloomberg (Sanctuary ) updates the original story with some important twists, and director Michelle Garza Cervera sets a pace that lets the gaslighting, secrets and lies simmer nicely before boiling over. Cervera crafted an impressive maternal nightmare three years ago with her feature debut, Husera: The Bone Woman . Here, she trades the religious imagery for symbols of upwardly mobile success, while still toying with anyone eager to check boxes of good mother/bad mother. Winstead and Monroe are both terrific, bringing their characters into a dance of identity with menacing dread. There is more to Caitlin than her liberal guilt, and as Polly twists the knife with increasing sociopathy, Cervera’s instincts for a modern horror thriller are again solid. Is any remake truly “necessary?” Debatable. But even back in ’92, the original film seemed like one that wouldn’t age particularly well. The questionable decisions remain, and one or two story beats are foreshadowed too heavily, but by the time all secrets are revealed, this Cradle rocks with some newly relevant bloodletting. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic George Wolf Digital / DVD Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Canary film review by UK film critic Chris Buick. Starring Barron Leung, Andrew Hayden Kang, Kiyoshi Shishido, Thaddeus Newman, Matthew Mitchell Espinosa directed by Taka Tsubota. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Canary Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Chris Buick | Posted on: Feb 4, 2024 Directed by: Taka Tsubota Written by: Jasper Chen Starring: Barron Leung, Andrew Hayden Kang, Kiyoshi Shishido, Thaddeus Newman, Matthew Mitchell Espinosa Imagining one's self trying to survive in an apocalyptic world isn’t as hard as it used to be, there are more than enough films, shows, books and everything in between that can and have painted very horrific pictures of what form the end of the world might take. Short-film Canary , directed by Taka Tsubota and written by Jasper Chen, has now added itself to that canon but succeeds in making itself stand out with its tense, discomforting and above all else smart offering. Alan (Leung) is joining his cousin George (Shishido) and George’s friends for a vacation getaway to a cabin in the woods. George’s friends are, to use the most fitting description, despicable people. High schoolers with the mentality of much younger, they goad, humiliate and laugh at poor Alan all the way to the cabin. But it doesn’t stop there. When doomsday comes and they find themselves trapped and surrounded by terrifying creatures mentioned only briefly as “spiders”, Alan finds himself trapped with these cruel imbeciles, his only ally George having left for help long ago leaving Alan to the continued torment of the only other people he knows are alive and faced with having to decide which horror he would rather face. Canary really is a very enjoyable piece of work to watch, which is saying something when a film makes you feel as uncomfortable, tense and claustrophobic as this does. The idea and the setting for it are perfect, the really closed-in nature of that grim and disgusting cabin setting coupled with its dark and moody atmosphere really evokes that real sense of inescapability. There is no place for Alan to retreat to, no safe haven from monsters either outside or indeed inside the cabin and it all works to create this ever-closer-to-the edge-of-your-seat build-up to the finale where you feel trapped right there with him. And Canary also knows when it's better to leave a few things to the imagination. We all know the shark is scarier when we can’t see it and while again there are small hints of what the actual apocalyptic threat is here, the truly smart decision was to leave the what, the how and the why alone. Because the monsters roaming the woods outside were never likely to be as interesting, grotesque or scary as the three bullies Alan finds himself essentially captive to. Newman and Espinosa show off their deplorablility in their own right, throwing the barbs and verbal punches at Alan a fair amount themselves, but it’s Kang’s Nev that is the real monster here, a unique manifestation of the high-school bully you can’t ever run from, bored, angry and cruel and with Alan as the outlet, whom Leung makes so connecting and sympathetic that we’re practically screaming for him to take action. It’s great writing not just of plot but of well thought out characters that could easily have been caricaturistic, buoyed even more by equally applaudable performances. The ending might leave you hanging on a hook, but they do say always leave them wanting more and with the performances, writing, camerawork and pretty much everything else as good as it is, Canary is a commendable seventeen-minute accomplishment. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Chris Buick Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Last Of The Pretty Boys film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Alex Jackson, Jay Bloodsworth, Aidan Jackson directed by Dustin Schmidt. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Last Of The Pretty Boys Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Aug 4, 2025 Directed by: Dustin Schmidt Written by: Dustin Schmidt Starring: Alex Jackson, Jay Bloodsworth, Aidan Jackson A rock star at the top of his game returns to Brisbane for a homecoming concert whilst exploring his past through a relationship with a journalist. Shock rocker, Lazarus Graves (Alex Jackson), is about to release his fourth album, ‘Lazarus Rising’ , and compound his fame as the dirtiest rock star on the scene. He’s the kind of rocker who likes to shave his eyebrows off so that he can paint on some thin news ones of his own, and his hair looks like several birds, squirrels, or any number of insects could comfortably make their homes there. His music is somewhere between Nick Cave and Trent Reznor and his drug taking/alcohol abuse matches anything they could do in their heyday, too. Lazarus is back in his hometown of Brisbane for a while, putting on a homecoming concert and doing all the usual press and media that comes with it. He has his team around him, somewhere, but mostly he dodges away from them to get high in the bathrooms of public buildings, and slips booze into his coffee as often as possible to waste away the in-between times. With him on his journey this time, however, is Laura Jonze (Bloodsworthy), a crack journalist from Rolling Stone who’s intent on getting the real scoop behind the jaded mask of The Last Of The Pretty Boys . Over the next two hours, Lazarus and Laura get to know each other better and delve into the murky music scene of downtown Brisbane. They spend some time in a few of the local night-spots, getting drunk, getting high, getting jiggy, that sort of thing, all the while exploring Lazarus’ past as Martin Lieberwitz (Aidan Jackson), the angry skinned teenager who created a sound and a look that would go on to propel him to the forefront of the stage and onto international stardom. As he spends more time back in the scene that gave birth to him, Lazarus faces more and more of the demons he has been running away from for all of his adult life. Shot in Brisbane, inside some of the actual clubs and bars of the city, and featuring many of the local bands who have graced the stages of these underground music factories, writer/director Dustin Schmidt uses his local knowledge to try and show off his hometown to best effect. A lot of the secondary photography and establishing shots are of recognisable Brisbane landmarks, and the audience gets a tour of it all from Lazarus’ point of view as he revisits the places of his youth. These then become the settings for a music video or two, as Lazarus and his band rock out all over the town to the sounds of real homegrown bands. It’s no surprise then that the music in this film f***ing rocks the whole way through. There’s barely a moment where we don’t have some song playing in the background, or in the foreground, or on stage, or in a music video, and even in the flashbacks we’re there to listen to a song that helped make Lazarus big. The music helps carry the story and slots right into the visuals that we see on screen, creating a synergy and an impact that intensifies the feeling of what’s being expressed. Sadly, this doesn’t extend to the rest of the audio, and a lot of the dialogue is patchy and faint, or distant and tinny, or it gets lost in the mix between audio and music. There are times where the audio cuts out completely, and times where we know the audio and the visual are not matched, and it hurts what is otherwise a great sounding film. The photography could similarly use a boost in production, relying on natural light in most scenes and not always finding the right balance between on-screen realism and artful direction. Let’s be clear, The Last Of The Pretty Boys is real jumpers-for-goalposts filmmaking. This is an independent filmmaker making independent film for independent film money, and it shows. There’s a great, dedicated, central performance from Alex Jackson, but he’s not an actor, and neither is anybody else mixed up with this film. Everyone is there doing this for the love of film, or the love of metal, or the love of Brisbane, or the love of the camera, but everyone is there giving it their all and having a great time while they do it. There’s real heart to The Last Of The Pretty Boys , despite the cheerful nihilism of its main character, and that comes through in spades from the community behind the film, who you can see are backing it to the hilt. It’s great that a lot of media and merchandise got made especially for the film and that Lazarus Graves t-shirts and album covers exist in the real world, because who doesn’t need a dishevelled anti-hero on their wall these days – someone who can still preach the age-old mantra of Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll. The Last Of The Pretty Boys may come with a Parental Advisory for explicit content, but peer behind the matted hair and dusky eyeshadow, and you’ll find a film with a lot of positivity in its veins. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Digital / DVD Release, Indie Feature Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Boy and the Heron film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Soma Santoki,MasakiSuda,Takuya Kimura directed by Hayao Miyazaki. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Boy and the Heron Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Dec 7, 2023 Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki Written by: Hayao Miyazaki Starring: Soma Santoki,MasakiSuda,Takuya Kimura Remember when Hayao Miyazaki said he was retiring from filmmaking? And we thought the sublime The Wind Rises was his last feature? Well, the animation master delivers the best Christmas gift this year with the lovely, likely swan song, The Boy and the Heron. More meditative than his early work, but more whimsical than The Wind Rises , Miyazaki’s latest follows Mahito through a turbulent time in his life. WWII rages, and Mahito recently lost his mother. His father, who runs a factory aiding in the war effort, relocates to the countryside where he’s married his late wife’s younger sister, Natsuko. This new house brings with it something of the supernatural. Miyazaki taps some of the same wonderous ideas that fed Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro – two of his most beloved films – but The Boy and the Heron feels more like a farewell than an invitation. Mahito is lured into an upside-down world in search of his stepmother. No one, absolutely no one, does an upside-down world as well as Hayao Miyazaki. Floating happy faced blobs, an army of hungry parakeets, even a pirate! Characteristically gorgeous, the film combines the spectacle of Spirited Away with the solemnity of The Wind Rises . Joe Hisaishi’s plaintive score never overwhelms but quietly emphasizes the sense of loss that permeates the movie. And though the painterly magic we’ve come to expect from the unparalleled filmmaker is on display in every frame, the storytelling this time is openly wistful. The Boy and the Heron may represent Mahito’s coming of age, but as he turns his back on the imaginative world he leaves behind, it’s hard not to feel as if Miyazaki is likewise waving goodbye. Like Johnny Cash’s “American IV: The Man Comes Around”, Leonard Cohen’s “You Want It Darker” and David Bowie’s “Blackstar”, The Boy and the Heron represents an artist without peer delivering, lyric by lyric, an outright goodbye to all he’s built in his lifetime of artistry. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release, Animation, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Weightless Words film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Rachael Holbrook, Chris Braden, Missi Chappell directed by Amy Munt. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Weightless Words Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Dec 6, 2024 Directed by: Amy Munt Written by: Amy Munt Starring: Rachael Holbrook, Chris Braden, Missi Chappell A short drama written and directed by Amy Munt and starring Rachael Holbrook, Chris Braden and Missi Chappell. Terri (Holbrook) is in a bad position. She works in the creative media industry and lives with her long-time partner, Lance (Braden). Unfortunately, during the last few months, Lance has been unemployed and just stays at home, slacking while Terri travels to London for her job. Now, this situation has begun to take its toll on her and Lance refuses to admit that he is doing anything wrong. For support, she turns to her friend, Perry (Chappell), who she hasn't seen for years because she was constantly spending time with her boyfriend. Eventually, Terri must decide whether there is hope in her current relationship or whether the time has come to end it. The screenplay does a great job in developing drama and character development. Focusing on a romantic relationship that is on the edge, the nonlinear narrative consists of scenes that involve the couple's troubled situation, flashbacks revealing their former happiness together and scenes where Terri discusses her issues with Perry. The result is many scenes of confrontation, emotional moments and some amount of joy that can be found in the flashbacks and the dramatic music by Ethan O'Mahony adds more quality to the viewing experience. Although the film effectively explores themes involving relationships, support and friendship, it could be argued that it could had been more effective if the duration was feature-length, significantly more than forty-five minutes. That way, perhaps the story could had also gradually revealed how the couple's relationship deteriorated over time and how Terri was separated from Perry, making things even more dramatic and having more depth. The film benefits significantly from the strong performances from the three leads. Terri is a hard-working and good-natured person who cares deeply for Lance, however she has had enough of him not doing his part for their relationship. Following failed attempts to become a writer, Lance seems to have given up on everything and believes that he is doing nothing wrong. The trouble that his stubborness and selfishness creates in the household is the main conflict of the story, in some ways making him the antagonist. As Terri's best friend, Perry sees things clearly, understanding that Lance is no good and that Terri should end things with him. Focusing now on the themes, the majority involves themes that tend to deal with troubled relationships, those being emotional deterioration, lack of communication, refusal to acknowledge responsibilities and errors and lack of honesty. On a more positive note, the film also looks into the significance of friendship and support. This is a poignant story about a relationship that appears to be coming to an end. The strong acting and well-written screenplay create a great deal of drama. The main message seems to be that sometimes toxic relationships reach a point where they need to end. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Odyssey film review by UK film critic William Curzon. Starring Polly Maberly, Kellie Shirley, Mikael Persbrandt directed by Gerard Johnson. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Odyssey Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: William Curzon | Posted on: Nov 6, 2025 Directed by: Gerard Johnson Written by: Austin Collings, Gerard Johnson Starring: Polly Maberly, Kellie Shirley, Mikael Persbrandt Odyssey, not to be mistaken with the upcoming Christopher Nolan adaptation of Homer’s The Odyssey, follows Natasha Flynn (Polly Maberly), a drug-fueled London estate agent, who hides her self-inflicted problems behind her work. When loan sharks offer cash to hide a kidnapped agent, she is dragged into the grimy underworld of London, leading to a bloody showdown. Following a riveting central performance from Natasha Flynn, the narrative is divided into days of the week as it follows a 9-to-5 in real estate, reminiscent of Uncut Gems (2019), as it tracks a deeply flawed protagonist scheming their way through an anxiety-inducing game of settling debts. You are immediately thrust into a character-driven exploration of greed, as the darkly comedic undertone and gritty backdrop of London suitably accompany the tone throughout the first act. While real estate isn't the most compelling premise, the piece does a solid job of genuinely investing the viewer, even when it's challenging to sympathise with Natasha’s insufferable behaviour towards others. Matt Johnson’s synth musical score works incredibly well with the sleek and stylish look of the film; however, the washed-out colour grading is a distracting choice that becomes a detriment to the solid framing and blocking. There are interesting and stylish ideas at play as it makes fantastic use of its limited budget with neon-drenched nightclub sequences edited erratically from the point of view of Natasha in a drug-induced state. An incredibly visceral formal decision, as Gerard Johnson’s direction is urgent and engaging, exploring the streets of London with its primary theme of excess. The inclusion of a split diopter shot is another incredible choice that makes the piece stand out in its technical prowess. After an appealing first act, the narrative aimlessly meanders into a tonal redirect with the filmmakers seemingly unsure of where to take the story from there. Is it a real estate drama or a crime thriller? A tighter and focused plot primarily set around Natasha and the real estate agency would’ve kept the piece far more compelling, as the stakes feel less significant when it jarringly switches to an action-oriented experience. The use of gore feels entirely forced for the sake of shock value, and the narrative loses its edge thanks to a plethora of bland supporting players, turning into an action film in vain of the John Wick series. While the action sequences are indeed well-choreographed and framed, it is a baffling choice and comes out of nowhere. The conclusion also feels rushed and monotonous, almost ruining the entire experience and making the prolonged set-up feel ultimately unearned and pointless. A further exploration into Natasha’s past life would have made her characterisation more profound and given the piece the thematic flair to deepen the viewers’ emotional resonance towards her. It is simply challenging to truly stay on board with her horrid personality as the narrative gets deeper into the third act. A prolonged runtime really doesn't help the pacing issues within the second half, and trimming the piece down to a tighter runtime could have made the final cut much more engaging. Odyssey is a mixed bag of some astounding ideas on paper; however, the execution is uneven and leads to a jarring tonal shift and identity crisis in its genre sensibilities. It's competently shot and edited, and led by a terrific performance from Polly Maberly. Sadly, the final film is a waste of the incredible talent involved and an unfortunate misstep in Gerard Johnson’s filmography thus far. Icon Film Distribution presents Odyssey in UK cinemas from 7 November 2025. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Curzon Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Back of the Net film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Ella Dorman-Gajic, Maureen Casey, Lucy Jane Rae, Muki Zubis, Tom Goodman-Hill directed by Klara Kaliger. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Back of the Net Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Jun 3, 2026 Directed by: Klara Kaliger Written by: Ella Dorman-Gajic Starring: Ella Dorman-Gajic, Maureen Casey, Lucy Jane Rae, Muki Zubis, Tom Goodman-Hill Executive produced by award-winning football journalist and historian, Jean Williams, this short sports drama was directed by Klara Kaliger, written by Ella Dorman-Gajic and starring herself, Maureen Casey, Lucy Jane Rae, Muki Zubis and Emmy-nominated Tom Goodman-Hill. The story follows Maya (Dorman-Gajic), a youngster who is a dedicated footballer and lives with her grandmother, Maggie (Casey). One day, she and her teammates are informed by their coach, Sam (Zubis) that a scout will be attending their next game and some of them might get picked for trials. Excited by the news, Maya works hard in order to get ready for the big day, while simultaneously trying to take good care of granny. In certain ways, this film has two storylines: as Maya struggles to balance her athletic aspirations with her home life, the narrative develops two plots, each with its own conflicts. On the football field, Maya's trainer is frustrated by her constant lateness at training sessions, while at home, Maya maintains a loving relationship with her grandmother, who appears to be suffering from dementia, and tries hard to look after her, yet, even there she is unable to be punctual, much to the dissatisfaction of her sister, Connie (Rae), who works as a carer. On top of all this, poor Maya also has an unreliable father (Goodman-Hill). Plenty of drama and conflict take place, along with a tense climax. As expected, since this is a story that involves football, there are plenty of scenes of characters engaging in this sport and they are well-filmed, especially during the montage sequences. The music stands out, with composer Dominic Roocroft creating interesting melodies that include sounds resembling clapping. Dorman-Gajic leads the film well and her role goes through significant character development. Maya is a well-meaning person dreams of becoming a professional footballer and she finds herself torn between achieving that and being loyal to supporting her family. Both Sam and Connie have roles that are quite similar, as each of them plays a character that tries to encourage Maya to be more responsible, whether as a strict instructor or as an overworked sibling. Casey is quite dramatic as an elderly woman and former footballer who is probably suffering from dementia and has a mental health that is gradually deteriorating. Having a passion plays a key part in this story, having a passion for football and a passion for sports in general. The screenplay also acknowldges the significance of support and understanding priorities and responsibilities. Maya's dad represents negligence, a self-centered and irresposible man who refuses to acknowledge other people's needs. The film ends with an inspirational quote by English professional footballer, Leah Williamson and with this in mind and the fact that the main character is a young woman attempting to make it big in football, a sport populated primarily by men, it could be argued that this film promotes feminism. Furthermore, it could be said that this story is anti-male to a degree, as Maya's father is the sole male character and the only one who is presented as having only negative features, most notably irresponsibility. A sports drama and a family drama. A moving film that encourages people to pursue aspirations and be reliable and supportive. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >