★★★★ Directed by: #DannyMiller Written by: #DannyMiller #DanielJillings Starring: #DanielJillings #SiobhanFinneran #FayeMcKeever Film Review by: Matthew Sawyer Pace is based on true events and tells the story of Jason Steele (Jillings). We meet him at the desk of a police station as he is suspected of having committed a crime. First-time director Danny Miller gives us a quick flip through of what is about to come. Throughout the rest of the film, we are given flashbacks that gradually reveal details about the crime. As an Emmerdale fan, I am familiar with Danny Miller in front of the camera. I think it’s safe to say Miller is just as competent behind the camera as he is in front of it. Miller has spent most of his life working with fellow creatives. He is able to balance the story well; we get a lot of quick cuts and flashes of images. The editing can feel a bit choppy in parts but overall, it serves as a very good story telling technique. By not revealing what the actual crime is that Jason has been charged with, Miller builds tension and leads us to speculate about what could have happened. One of the main things that stands out is the incredibly high production value. The film was made for only £2000, yet it has a remarkably high production quality. Miller has successfully drawn on the expertise and talent of his colleagues in the industry, forming a strong cast and crew. At around the 3 minute mark, we are introduced to DS Howard played by Siobhan Finneran. A face who is recognisable to most people in the UK. Finneran does a good job with what the script gives her, which unfortunately isn't much. However, the script offers co-writer Jillings the chance to showcase his talent and he certainly delivers a stand-out performance. Unfortunately, while watching the film I couldn't shake the feeling that I was watching a really good episode of a soap. A lot of the techniques and the cinematography all feel very much like a soap, which is unsurprising given the backgrounds of the cast and crew. The script is strong but not amazing. It does nothing wrong but I wouldn't say anything stands out either. That said, the fact that it is based on a true story does give the film a grounded quality. Jason’s dialogue is raw and highly emotive, and Jillings rises to the challenge of portraying an anxious, remorseful man. The film successfully delivers its message; the power of just one punch can impact so many lives. Miller has made an excellent debut with this emotional, high-quality short. I am certain that he has a great future behind the camera and I would be interested to see what he could do with a bigger budget. #MatthewSawyer

★★★★ Written & Directed by: #AdrianSerecut Starring: #MateiChioariu, #OlgaTorok, #ElizaDobos, #DianaSerecut Short Film Review by Taryll Baker Based on true events, a father and a husband living in the Eastern Bloc back in the 80s has to make a life-changing decision following his involvement in bible smuggling. Adrian Serecut’s The Smuggler is a new short focusing on the smuggling of bibles in Eastern Europe under the Communist Regime. Set in the 80s, and bookended by present day scenes, the film makes a solid impact with its emotional rooting. Characters are established very fast and the fleshiness surrounding them feels pretty raw and real. The story takes place mostly in the past as the father takes a risky journey, ending up in a life altering situation. The cinematography by Andrei Luca is stunning. It showcases a cold and stark Romania in its 80s setting, meanwhile the present day scenes look warm and inviting. The contrasting colour palettes make for an eye-pleasing treat and with the sharp framing and wonderful performances within the camera, this makes The Smuggler a very enjoyable watch. The performances are subtle yet affective, the beautifully textured piano-driven score by Dodo Danciu encapsulates feeling from the opening moments, and remains the beating heart from then on through to the close. The locations used are expertly selected and the awareness of surroundings helps with the viewer finding their footing. The story itself plays out quite predictably, but it’s based on a cruel history, therefore to be expected. It’s not exactly something we haven’t seen before now, but it doesn’t mean that The Smuggler isn’t a fantastically well written, directed, performed and structured film. This is a realistic short that could have ran for at least an hour, perhaps pushing into feature length. But the short runtime is well utilised and therefore no expansion is needed. The Smuggler is simple but entertaining and could educate those who aren’t in the know. Adrian Serecut is a skilled director and this film displays a good amount of his talents. This is certainly recommended viewing. #TaryllBaker

★★★★ Directed by: Alexander Jeremy Written by: Alexander Jeremy Starring: James Watterson, Karenza Boscawen, Elisha Mistretta Film Review by: Jason Knight It's the COVID-19 pandemic and a man is on a mission: he is leaving the safety of his home in order to go to the local shop and buy milk. A gentleman is exiting his household, ready to face the dangers of the outbreak. He is wearing a face mask, gloves and is extremely cautious. He pays by phone and avoids other people, even going as far as not to accept assistance after he has fallen on the pavement. Some time later he believes that all his wariness might not be necessary, as he goes for a walk and hears children laughing and sees people walking their dogs, smiling and it is a sunny, beautiful day. He decides to remove his mask and gloves and chats to other people freely, without social distancing. Then he realizes he might have made a mistake. This film paints a picture of the world people are living in today. A virus outbreak, social distancing, face masks, hand sanitizers and the ones who do not follow the precautions and are known as 'covidiots'. The screenplay consists of three acts. In the first act the protagonist protects himself against the virus. Then there is a plot point that leads to the second act when he foolishly thinks that caution is unnecessary and lets his guard down. Then there is the second complication that leads to the final act when he begins to feel unwell and hears a neighbor crying over the loss of a loved one. With the exception of a few sentences, this is a silent film and what is mostly heard is the music, which truly stands out, making this project resemble films from the silent era. The score by Harry Bolt and Hereward Cruttwell-Reade accompanies the story and situations quite effectively. It sounds comical, intense at times or tragic. The use of sound is also very creative, which was mixed and recorded by Joe Bayley. Since there is almost no speech, the audience relies on the actor's body language and face expressions in order to understand their feelings. And the performers do a great job in achieving that. The filmmakers utilize interesting camera techniques, including tracking shots, quick zoom in and closeups. Special mention should go to the first scene, which consists of a well-executed long take, during which the viewer follows the hero as he exits his front door, walks through the empty streets and reaches the shop. This short film is very well made and rather interesting. It has moments of joy and tragedy. It suggests that although the world is going through very hard times, the good that was there before has not vanished. Most importantly it carries the message that the coronavirus is not to be ignored or taken lightly. #JasonKnight

★★ Directed by: #ONeilSharma Written by: O'Neil Sharma and #AnthonyStraeger Starring: #SönkeMöhring, #MarcAdenGray, #JohnKeogh, #VictoriaMayersGray Indie Film Review by: Corey Bulloch Mockumentaries featuring film crews treading into dangerous waters for the sake of their art usually provide for a compelling and entertaining time. Using the tropes of the genre filmmakers can craft a faux-realism for an outlandish premise to give insight into how the pursuit of the story can consume. Films such as The Blair Witch Project, Troll Hunter, and Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon feature how filmmakers unwittingly become central to the story they are documenting in dangerous ways. O'Neil Sharma’s Fotoautomat Man focuses on a documentary crew seeking to create something out a peculiar local legend in Berlin, a man who lives in the various photo booths across the city. Initially, attention-grabbing with its humorous intro and opening titles, Sharma and Anthony Straeger’s script descends into juvenile perspectives and an unsatisfying mystery. Even though mockumentaries aren’t make or break on whether not the premise is believable Fotoautomat Man suffers from a lack of authenticity in logic and performance. It’s a simple believable idea about this crew getting tangled up with a shady character but Sharma’s direction makes it all feel orchestrated especially with how a lot of the dialogue is written and performed. While some characters come across as credible such as John Keogh’s spineless director Coleman, or Sönke Möhring as Marco the titular Fotoautomat Man, Sharma struggles to give the audience a reason to care about any of them. They’re all crass, selfishly driven and potentially dangerous, making Fotoautomat Man an unpleasant film with unpleasant characters. There is some humour in them at times but nothing redemptive to allow for 70-minute narrative. Marco tirades about the faults of society, why living in the photo booths is his way of fighting the system but its clearly just another grift of his. Marc Aden Gray’s cameramen Peter makes sexist jokes about Coleman’s ex-wife and Victoria Mayers-Gray’s Danni is harassed by Marco with little to no interference from the rest of the crew out of fear they may lose their subject. As the film goes on it becomes clear that Marco is a dangerous and disturbed individual with police interview cutaways peppered throughout indicating that something terrible has happened to one of the crew members. These talking heads are effective in places allowing editor Kristschan Hintz to create some moments of comedy and intrigue but there is no satisfying payoff to any of it. What Fotoautomat Man wants to accomplish with its mystery whether it be a lesson on stranger danger or the hubris of amateur filmmakers, it isn’t as potent as Sharma and Straeger would hope. Despite several hidden cameras on the characters either sewed in hats or jackets, allowing for some smooth creative editing on Hintz’s part, very little of the film feels immersive. Lacking captivating characters and story, Fotoautomat Man quickly runs out of steam, Sharma's hope to create a provocative film, unfortunately, comes across as contrived and unimaginative. #CoreyBulloch #Indiefilm

★★★ Directed by #RosanneLiang Written by #RosanneLiang #MaxLandis Starring #ChloeGraceMoretz Film Review by Hope Madden Sometimes, you’re just in the mood for a B movie, especially if it’s a creature feature. Extra points if it’s a feminist take on a misogynist’s story. Shadow in the Clouds co-writer Max Landis has been accused of sexual misconduct and/or outright assault by eight different women. And while it’s tough to stomach any ticket purchase benefitting him, the truth is that co-writer/director Roseanne Liang’s film has stylized fun in depantsing exactly the kind of weak, entitled, insecure crybaby that makes you think of Max Landis. If you’ve seen the New Zealander’s 2017 horror short Do No Harm, you’ll recognize Liang’s writing here. The film tags along on a non-combat WWII military flight out of New Zealand. With seconds to spare, an unexpected female flight officer named Maude Garrett (Chloe Grace Moretz) boards the flight carrying a duffel bag with confidential contents. The rowdy, boorish, some would say violently sexist crew quickly stashes Maude – sans duffel – in the gun turret until take off. This is a brilliant move, cinematically. It creates immediate, palpable tension because she is locked into a tiny cell dangling from a moving airplane and dependent upon the good nature of the mainly bad natured men above. It also allows Moretz and Liang the opportunity to introduce any number of terrifying elements out there in the clouds. But mainly, it gives Moretz the chance to own the film for a while, and she does. Together filmmaker and lead slyly reveal more about Maude, ratcheting tensions and thrills as they do. Liang leans into budgetary constraints, developing a cheesy retro vibe while finding appealing ways to introduce different characters. In many respects, the writing is the weakness. Too often scenes devolve into obvious but inauthentic ways to further the plot. Still, a lot tends to be forgivable in an openly, charmingly B movie. If the style doesn’t engage you immediately, abandon all hope. The film builds on style, repaying your attention with increasingly insane action ending in a climax where one fight, one monster stands in for every belittling, dangerous, violent, controlling obstacle Maude has ever faced. You can picture Max Landis if you like. Shadow in the Cloud is a ludicrous, over-the-top action horror. It knows what it is and it delivers on its promises. #HopeMadden

★★★★ Directed by: #SammyAnderson Written by: #SammyAnderson Starring: #SammyAnderson, #GarretStoko, #PrestonGeer Film Review by Lucy Clarke Wally (Sammy Anderson) sucks and chews a green Starbucks straw coating it in dribble. Instead of a chocolate shortbread to accompany Wally's Frappuccino, a recently murdered body is lying in front of him. Wally and his partner Darren (Preston Geer) are not particularly good at their jobs. They question whether murder and the Mob is really the direction their career should be going in as if they're rejects from a Scorsese movie. The farcical comedy characterises them more like Tom Stoppard's iteration of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern rather than aggressive mobsters. Neither of them seems to be cut out for the job, and Wally, in particular, is bordering on neurotic. In a fourth-wall-breaking twist, and something reminiscent from the opening minutes of Skyrim, it turns out that the viewer is actually the body! As the camera shifts looking at both Wally and Darren, it dawns on the audience that they are being watched by the two men, while they discuss how to dispose of you. With the tight script, this scenario's framing avoids the typical gimmick and the roll of the eyes that often accompanies unusual comedic ideas. Darren and Wally are both deeply incompetent, making the realisation that in fact, you're still alive all the funnier. The possible suggestions for disposing the body are tossed aside. There are no body bags, so a quick disposal is hardly an option, and they've run out of marinara sauce, so man steak is hardly on the menu either. The scenario is already bizarre and comedic enough, but the dialogue is slick enough to hold it all together. While the breaking of the fourth wall and the script is ingenious enough, Great Asphyixations would be nothing without its two leads' chemistry. Director and writer Sammy Anderson perfectly understands the relationship and brotherhood between these two men. Wally is an intensely odd young man who probably would be better at computer programming than a floundering career as a hitman. Darren seems a little more professional in the face of the killing business, although he's clueless too. Although they're chalk and cheese, like every great comedic duo, Geer and Anderson work wonderfully together. Despite its length, Great Asphyxiations loses a little momentum towards the end. There is only so long you can play dead, after all. Yet, it is still a wondrously promising film, guaranteeing a good laugh in the face of death and mobsters.

★★★★ Written & Directed by: #SteveSale Starring: #JoeNewton #JohnHill Film Review by: #ChrisBuick Dogwood is a number of things. On one level, it’s a social commentary lamenting the mind-numbing trappings of modern-day life, mobile phones, material possessions etc. On another, it's a study of what it means to be truly happy in life. And on another still, it’s a story about a guy trying not to die in the woods. But really what Dogwood is first and foremost, is really f***ing brilliant. Martin (Newton), stuck in a dead-end job, forced to work all the hours God sends and finding no pleasure in life apart from the pleasure he gets from...well...himself, one day simply snaps. After quite the outburst at his boss, Martin now finds himself without a job, a home or a purpose. He briefly contemplates suicide but quickly deciding against it, he realises that now might an opportune time to finally pursue his writing talents, so sets out to set up a new life for himself as the poet he always dreamed of being. In the woods. Alone. Writer/director Steve Sales wields both the pen and the camera effortlessly in equal measure here. Dogwood a gorgeous looking film, properly gorgeous, both in its gritty and its pretty moments. Sale knows how to wring every last drop out of every last frame, capturing the solitary nature and very real peril of Martin’s new-found existence (one or two moments which take you by surprise really drive home the realities of this bold life choice) while still managing to show the beauty and sense of freedom it clearly brings him as well, the wide array of angles and styles Sale utilises to tell his story in unique and interesting ways makes sure the film always feels fresh. Making drama or comedy out of the relatively mundane isn’t easy but Sale does it here, managing to create captivating moments out of a man eating dubious mushrooms or trying to catch fish. Martin isn’t exactly a natural when it comes to the outdoors, but is a man determined to take his life and his fate into his own hands, his inspiring perseverance causing us to cheer him on each time he falls and raise our fists in joy when he finally triumphs. There is a somewhat overly dramatic set piece near the films conclusion that seems rather out of place tonally with the rest of the film and perhaps causes it to momentarily lose its otherwise toe-perfect footing before setting itself right again. There is also a bigger political/environmental message that is touched upon briefly at the start before becoming suddenly more front and centre towards the end that perhaps either needed more of a prominence throughout or pulling back a bit rather than the limbo it finds itself in. As the sole screen presence for the large majority of the film, Newton’s performance is as exposed to us as Martin is to his environment, but just like Martin, Newton commits one hundred percent to every requirement of his role and his highly nuanced performance delivers time and time again. The films aptly discordant score also acts a great audio representation of the slow fracturing of Martin’s mind as his period of solitude progresses, which paired with a great narration from John Hill could be seen as another example of Martin’s mind coming undone. Uplifting, funny, gruelling, inspiring, and at times painful to watch, often managing to be all these things at once, Dogwood is an accomplished piece of filmmaking that deserves your time. #ChrisBuick Watch the trailer for Dogwood here:

★★★★ Directed by: Ricardo Perez-Selsky Written by: Ricardo Perez-Selsky Starring: Alexis Johnson, Amber Lee Ettinger, Luis Cubas Film Review by: Jason Knight In Mexico, a desperate woman goes to extreme lengths in an attempt to get herself and her son across the border, into the United States. Juliana (Ettinger) plans to escape with her young son Gustavo (Cubas) into the U.S., as she fears their lives are in danger. Elizabeth Sharp (Johnson) is an American woman currently in Mexico and the wife of a Congressman. Juliana spots Elizabeth and forces her at gunpoint to drive her and Gustavo the U.S. border. However Elizabeth sympathizes with Juliana and they earn each other's trust. This powerful short story takes a look at the brutality and corruption that exists in Mexico and criticizes the unfairness of the United States immigration and border policy. The film begins with an introduction by Ettinger, explaining how and why she decided to make this project. She is shown looking into the camera, addressing the audience, while there is a brief montage of pictures of herself with family members, friends and behind-the-scenes, while her voice is used as narration. All this is also accompanied by sentimental music. The film vividly explores the problems that Mexicans have to deal with. There is another montage sequence, during which U.S. Congressman Steven Sharp announces that he will bring stricter measures to the U.S./Mexican border, in order to prevent corruption and violence from entering his country. While he speaks, his voice-over accompanies shots of a cemetery, Mexican gang members with tattoos and armed police having discovered a large quantity of drugs. Ettinger delivers an emotional performance as a mother who is willing to do anything to protect her son. She does not want to harm anyone and is able to show bravery when needed. Johnson is outstanding as a person who cares about others and is willing to do the right thing. There are wonderful establishing shots and effective use of parallel editing. There is Mexican music to be heard and the song 'The Promised Land' was a very good choice for the end credits because it sums up the events of the story. There are emotional scenes, but also violence and a disturbing scene where a rape nearly takes place. Sin Fronteras shows the strength and kindness of the human spirit. It is a crime drama and can also be viewed as a female buddy road movie. It raises the the issue regarding the U.S. border measures, which of course need to keep trouble out of the country, but on the other hand they prevent good people from escaping the hardships that they endure and starting a new, better life. #JasonKnight Trailer:

★★★ Directed by: #PriyamChanda Written by: #PriyamChanda Starring: #SushovanDasgupta Film review by: MatthewSawyer The Confession is a short film that takes place during the worldwide Coronavirus pandemic and it was filmed during lockdown. We are introduced to a man played by Sushovan Dasgupta, seemingly filming his suicide tape. We view the first half of this film through a video camera as he describes his despair. We understand that he represents society as a whole, struggling with the loneliness and isolation of being forced to isolate from family and friends. In the second half of the film, the same man stands and faces away from the camera. This time, he represents the virus. This film was clearly made on a low budget and it does a good job of utilising everything available in a flat, during a national lockdown. The director Priyam Chanda tells his story using limited, yet effective visuals. Through the opening part of the film, we very slowly push into Dasgupta as the music reflects his emotion. The desk behind the protagonist displays a guitar, a painting, and empty alcohol bottles; things that for better or worse helped people to get through lockdown. Chanda makes another subtle point through the timer on the camera; every time it reaches a minute, it goes back to zero. This illustrates how the unstructured days of lockdown caused people to feel they were stuck in a never ending time loop. Unfortunately, the story begins to fall apart when the second character, representing the virus, is introduced. He talks about how he has been defeated through the unity of the human race, and that we have “won”. This fiercely positive message juxtaposes the hopelessness of the first character. Perhaps this in itself is the point that Chanda is trying to make - that we shouldn’t feel defeated as we are ‘beating’ the virus through becoming our best selves. However, as the film was made well before we had defeated the virus - and at the time of writing this review, we are still far from being out of the woods - the sentiment feels somewhat premature. The message of this film is unclear at best and its attempt at inspiring hope is taunting at a time when the death toll continues to rise in many countries. That being said, the film raises an important point about the detrimental impact of lockdown on mental health. It also successfully tells an interesting, if slightly confusing story, using very limited resources. Everyone involved should feel proud of creating such a thought-provoking short whilst adhering to social distancing regulations. #MatthewSawyer

★★★★ Stars Directed by: #VikramadityaMotwane Written by: #VikramadityaMotwane, #AvinashSampath Starring: #AnilKapoor, #AnuragKashyap, #SonamKapoor, #HarshvardhanKapoor, #YogitaBihani Film Review by: Alicia Moore “A filmmaker kidnaps the daughter of a movie star, and while the star searches for his daughter the director films the desperate search in real time for his next blockbuster movie.” Sounds dramatic, right? And it is dramatic, in the most perfect way. AK vs AK depicts a lasting fight between two stars of cinema, that also shines light on the smug industry and the stereotypes it has become accustomed to. There is no hero or usual clear victim in this story, simply egos overtaking each other at any given moment and boundaries being pushed to breaking point. It’s a fight that may or may not have an awarded winner… AK vs AK is nothing that I anticipated it to be, especially because the story presents a setting that doesn’t match with the typical Bollywood film — no hero, no underdog. It has a little bit of everything packed into 1 hour and 45 minutes and each of which brilliantly balance with the next. The film starts with an easygoing feel, a lot more comedic undertones than what one encounters for the rest of its duration. However, that comedic energy still lingers even as the plot moves forward into a darker space, introducing crime and violence. The progression of threat and bloodshed is seamless as genuine suspense is only seen to build until the final minutes of the film where the truth is revealed. It really is a thrilling rollercoaster of emotions and different atmospheres from start to finish, as well as having a deeper rooted meaning towards stardom overall. Linking with this is the exceptional establishment of character at the beginning of the film; characterisation available for audiences to connect with can already be noticed within the first couple of minutes. It’s extraordinary — I always desire to immediately become invested in characters as it keeps me a lot more interested in the upcoming events and AK vs AK absolutely nailed this. A worthy round of applause to writers Vikramaditya Motwane and Avinash Sampath! The cinematography is another aspect of the film that blew me away. Viewers enter the film with the characters through a constant third person perspective; viewers are watching the film from directly behind the camera. The immersive experience this gives is incredible, particularly when paired with the gradual increase of suspense and tension. As an audience member, I sometimes worry that a third person point of view will actually put me off watching due to the amount of films I’ve seen use this technique and unfortunately fail. But there is nothing disorderly about the camerawork in AK vs AK; I don’t think I’ve enjoyed the style to this extent before. Director Vikramaditya Motwane and cinematographer Swapnil S. Sonawane obviously had great communication and understanding throughout filming to succeed in this way. AK vs AK is a film I highly recommend but to no specific type of person because of how many cinematic elements are incorporated throughout. If you thrive on excitement, high emotion on both ends of the spectrum and intriguing acting experiences then AK vs AK is one to add to your Netflix watchlist.

Film Feature by: Chris Olson I loved cartoons as a kid. Tom & Jerry holds a special place for me, as I used to have several episodes on a VHS (yes, kids, I'm that old) which I played to death. I am pretty sure it was a golf-based episode, in which Jerry took the complete mick out of Tom on a golf course. In 2021, Tom & Jerry: The Movie is set to hit cinemas (apparently in February) and I am secretly excited. Having just watched (and genuinely enjoyed) Sonic the Hedgehog I am eager to see what director Tim Story has in store for us. Tom & Jerry: The Movie stars Chloë Grace Moretz, who works in a hotel - which can be seen in the trailer - and according to IMDb the plot will show how Tom meets Jerry for the first time and the origins of their violent rivalry. Check out the Tom & Jerry: The Movie trailer below and let us know what you think. #ChrisOlson

★★ Directed by: #RadostinRadev Written by: #RoderickEdwards Starring: #RadostinRadev Film Review by Lucy Clarke It is often thought that in order to lead a rebellion, the leaders must be unwaveringly dogmatic. It is their way or the highway. A way to consolidate power is just to remove whoever disagrees with you. Radostin Radev and Roderick Edwards’ short film Utopia Undone – After It All may explore the aftereffects of a revolution, but they approach the film in the same dogmatic light as those revolutionaries. By the end, the viewer is desperate for a little nuance. Director Radostin Radev stars as our sole voice of the revolution. He was a rioter, and we’re led to believe was a key member of the revolution. After the fires of zeal have damped, he is bitter and full of regret in the smoke and the ashes of the movement. He sighs, “people don’t know what’s good for them”, and narrates snippets of the before and after the revolution. He inhabits rooms that look like a hoarder’s basement, and he looms under crumbling structures thick with anarchist graffiti. It is always challenging just relying on a monologue to keep the audience engaged. There is often nothing to anchor us in, no moments of interaction on screen. The audience can quickly feel adrift. It is unavoidable that the whole film depends on the strength of the script and the acting. By their nature, monologues are tricky devices to master. Radev cannot deliver the same amount of pathos as Andrew Scott monologuing Hamlet, but unfortunately, Radev doesn’t even get close. He rarely stares down the camera, and the viewer is denied that essential connection with the main character. Roderick Edwards script fares slightly better, but it is unnecessarily nihilistic. In Edwards’ eyes, the fault is the rioters’ deep belief in Marx, Communism and Dostoevsky. Still, he fails to communicate why these belief systems resonated with the writers then and the rioters now. According to our reformed rioter, it is a symptom of the universities promoting leftist thinking, but what exactly the rioters revolting against is an unanswered cliff-hanger. Change is what they wanted, yet their ideology is so frustratingly unsubstantiated and left utterly unexplored. The notion once you tear down everything there is nothing left to reclaim is intriguing. However, in Edwards and Radev’s film, the politics feel frustratingly one-note. Political works are thought-provoking and can rejuvenate and electrify discussion. Alienated youth can suddenly become idealists. Yet, Utopia Undone – After It All lacks the nuance and depth of understanding that would have made the film a captivating watch.