Perpetrator film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Kiah McKirnan, Alicia Silverstone, Ireon Roach directed by Jennifer Reeder. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Perpetrator Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Aug 29, 2023 Directed by: Jennifer Reeder Written by: Jennifer Reeder Starring: Kiah McKirnan, Alicia Silverstone, Ireon Roach Jennifer Reeder is preoccupied with missing girls. Her 2019 gem Knives and Skin watched a town fall to pieces around one such absence. Where that film was full of melancholy absurdities, Reeder’s latest, Perpetrator , is a little bolder, a little angrier. As Jonny (Kiah McKirnan) approaches her 18th birthday she goes a tad out of control. Her dad (also in some kind of crisis) doesn’t know what to do with her, but an out-of-town aunt (Alicia Silverstone, a sinister delight) offers to take her in. So, Jonny goes from a fairly anonymous, if reckless, urban life to something far more noticeable in her aunt’s small town. And there is something deeply amiss in Jonny’s new hometown. Girls just go missing. All the time. McKirnan’s fish out of water performance is so much fun here because Reeder forces the audience to identify with this feral creature. The rest of the town is so odd, almost willing victims after a lifetime of systemic herding. Jonny’s humor, cynicism and enjoyable streak of opportunism give the film a constant sense of forward momentum, though the just-this-side-of-surreal atmosphere has a dreamlike quality. Silverstone’s prickly, unpredictable performance is nothing but twisted fun, and all the supporting turns contribute something simultaneously authentic and bizarre to the recipe. (That’s a cooking metaphor because of Aunt Hildie’s birthday cake, an ingenious and foul plot kink worth acknowledging.) Reeder’s work routinely circles back to peculiar notions of coming of age, but John Hughes she ain’t. Goofiness and seriousness, the eerie and the grim, the surreal and familiar all swim the same bloody hallways, practice the same open shooter drills, and speak up at the same assemblies honoring the latest missing girl. Reeder’s interested in the way women are raised to disregard one another, to compete with each other, to be adored and consumed, sexualized, victimized and vilified. Her reaction to this environment amounts to a reclamation of blood. Perpetrator swims in blood and gore and humor and terror and feminism galore. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Digital / DVD Release, Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Maria film review by UK film critic Jack Salvadori. Starring Angelina Jolie, Pierfrancesco Favino directed by Pablo Larrain. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Maria Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jack Salvadori | Posted on: Aug 30, 2024 Directed by: Pablo Larrain Written by: Steven Knight Starring: Angelina Jolie, Pierfrancesco Favino There is no doubt that Chilean director Pablo Larraín is the master of biopics. By developing his own formula, he specialised in depicting pragmatic figures of the 20th century, mostly female, showing only a glimpse in their life, a few days that are enough to encapsulate their essence in a condensed amount of time. In other words, not the Wikipedia page treatment that most other biographical pictures tend to follow. Last year he brought to the Lido El Conde , portraying Augusto Pinochet as a vampire. This time, in a return to form, he’s dealing with a ghost. Maria Callas, in her personal third act, lives with the spectre of her past, having lost her voice but not her ego. And if in Spencer (2021) Lady Diana was striving for privacy, here Larraìn reverses the situation, with Callas chasing the spotlight instead. Intimate and yet never accessible, close but not too close, La Callas wanders around the streets of Paris accompanied by her disillusions, reminiscing of Varda’s Cleo from 5 to 7 . But the Diva’s lost voice still echoes in her present, cutting to operatic flashbacks that remind of Forman’s Amadeus , where the now mythological Callas becomes her own Salieri. Conscious of her withering, she has not performed in over four years, and her only companions are her butler and maid with whom she shares a tender familiarity; but “there is no life away from the stage” for Maria Callas. Morphing into La Traviata’s Violetta, Maria is as moving as the great tragedies Callas played at La Scala. Elegantly shot on film, mesmerising compositions alternate with zesty dialogues written by Steven Knight, particularly with her charismatic lover, Aristotele Onassis. Angelina Jolie delivers a career defining performance, fragile in her everlasting strength and irresistible eccentricity. Her lips alone, vibrating in each aria, deserve an oscar nomination. Larrain is in perfect tune. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jack Salvadori Film Festival < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Luminosity film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Gary Albert directed by Alex Forster. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Luminosity Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Jan 16, 2022 Directed by: Alex Forster Written by: Gary Albert Starring: Gary Albert The recording of a live and mesmerising performance by Hackney multi-instrumentalist Gary Albert in front of an audience, inside a church. Winner of multiple awards, including Best Live Performance and Best Sound Design, Luminosity is Albert's first live show after the COVID-19 pandemic and he was inspired to do this after reading the book titled The Universe is a Green Dragon by cosmologist Brian Swimme. Filming and editing was done by Alex Forster and it was mastered and mixed by Zaak Kerstetter. This wonderful performance took place at St Cyprian's Church, Baker Street, London and the location and beautiful interior of the church helps create a peaceful atmosphere. Albert stands at the end of the large hall, facing the audience and in front of him are a microphone and his instruments, that include a flute and an electronic keyboard. He utilizes them with great care and produces beautiful music. Known as The Music Alchemist, Albert does an amazing job in mixing the sounds and ends up creating music that seems otherwordly. At times the score is tender, and it also becomes dynamic. Albert also provides vocals and his voice sounds wonderful and full of passion. After he finishes a piece, he speaks to the audience about the wonders of the universe, about how full of miracles life is. His calm and passionate speeches make the whole experience feel more heavenly. The performance takes place during night-time, which helps create a magical atmosphere. The hall is darkened and the colour of the lights and the way they have been set up makes the show more visually pleasing. Various cameras record the event, filming the performer from either a long shot or a medium shot. The creative editing makes effective use of dissolve techniques. This fifty-five-minute-long music video takes the viewer on a beautiful journey with unforgettable music by an artist whose passion and dedication are clearly evident in their performance. This recording provides the pleasure of observing an individual as he shares his creativity with the world and it is a viewing that is highly recommended. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Documentary < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Practical Magic 2 film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Joey King directed by Susanne Bier. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Practical Magic 2 Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Sep 10, 2026 Directed by: Susanne Bier Written by: Alice Hoffman, Akiva Goldsman, Georgia Pritchett Starring: Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Joey King What made 1998’s Practical Magic so compelling? It was a beautifully filmed tale of a sad woman traumatized into dimming her light, a sister who shone, trauma be damned, and Aidan Quinn at his most swoon worthy. Nearly 30 years later, somehow Sally Owens (Sandra Bullock) is just now having to deal with daughters and their boyfriends. Practical Magic 2 reunites Bullock and Nicole Kidman (she who shone) as witchy sisters who have to navigate the next generation of the Owens curse. (When Owens women fall in love, their lovers are doomed to die horribly.) Sally’s been hiding her witchiness again, for so long that her daughters have forgotten all about the family power. But now Kylie (Joey King) is in loooooove. And her boy Gideon (Blue Beetle ’ s Xolo Maridueña) is in danger, so she’s off to England with a black magic book and the goal to break the curse. Bullock and Kidman, who’s here almost exclusively for comic relief this go-round, make for a fun Odd Couple. Bullock’s low-key comic timing is always sharp, though Kidman seems less sure footed in the comedic role. There are also moments when the pair’s humor feels out of place. They are in search of Sally’s missing and presumed in-peril daughter, after all. Directed this time by Birdbox’s Susanne Bier, PM2 embraces the beautiful clutter, perfectly mussed long hair, and 90s fashion sensibilities of the original. It’s still a movie meant to showcase Bullock’s beauty, and it does. The international intrigue feels rushed and telegraphed, and at no point are you unsure of the film’s outcome. And while the first film was split between each sister’s storyline, that made narrative sense because they were the two beloveds who were meant to come together. (Quinn was mainly delightful eye candy.) The narrative has lost its balance with the two sisters together, one daughter/niece in peril, some aunts back at home. Plus, dudes as witches? Ew. Great to see Diane Weist and Stockard Channing return, as dear as ever playing the aunties. And though there’s not a scene that stands up to the charm of the original, Practical Magic 2 is fine. It reminds you that sisters are awesome, long hair is too, Cool Whip is delicious, and there’s rarely a bad time for a margarita. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

When The Balloon Bursts film review by UK film critic Swati Verma . Starring Dinithi Fernando, Lance Lawyer, Brian Robert Calfano directed by Tanmay Srivastav. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS When The Balloon Bursts Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Swati Verma | Posted on: May 1, 2025 Directed by: Tanmay Srivastav Written by: Tanmay Srivastav, James Philips Hunter Shallcross Starring: Dinithi Fernando, Lance Lawyer, Brian Robert Calfano Writer-director Tanmay Srivastav along with other writers James Philips, and Hunter Shallcross attempts to bring out the emotions/struggles of the foreign students through this beautiful intriguing film. Dinithi Fernando, Lance Lawyer, and the supporting cast understand the nuances therefore building the degree of audience engagement with the content instantly. The plot of When The Balloon Bursts revolves around two foreign exchange students who experience the pressure of every day life. They reminisce in their shared love for poetry. But as the pressure builds their will to keep going is tested and there’s no telling when the balloon will burst. The short film begins with a combination of mid-closeup shots of a door from where we see Niya (Dinithi Fernando) enter school followed by the class in a chaotic mood sets up the subject matter of the movie. The conversation in her mother tongue has been incorporated to provide the female protagonist with a sense of relief. The voiceover utilised by the makers makes the storytelling more intense with a crucial subplot. The set design, colour pallet, lighting, camera angles, sound, music, dialogues, costume, hair, makeup, and props are kept natural to complement the various situations in the storyline. In terms of performance, Dinithi Fernando plays the role of the female protagonist Niya who is trying to gather all her strength and confidence to strike a balance between academics as well as life in the new country. Fernando showcases two different personalities of Niya very effectively so that the makers can depict her equation with her dad and school authorities as the narrative picks up pace. Lance Lawyer plays Joshua who motivates Niya with a special note as they are in the same situation in life. Lawyer as Joshua is treat to watch as he subtly talks about his learnings from the life experiences and shares the same with Niya so she can use it to make her a better person both on a personal as well as professional level. When The Balloon Bursts reiterates that all kinds of struggles/ pressures in people’s lives will always exist but it depends on us how we handle it to paint our canvas and lead our lives how we want to. The short film talks about the importance of a strong support system from friends, family or even strangers so that they can provide one the courage to express and not suffer in silence. The dramatic piece teaches the audience how crucial it is to prioritise mental health. The cinematic piece also talks about the responsibility the authorities must exercise towards all students so that these children can openly communicate regarding any physical or mental discomfort while pursuing the courses of their choice. It is often said that change is the only constant but one needs some comfort in order to excel academically. When The Balloon Bursts highlights that one should be ready to combat every situation in life because it is unpredictable. The creative piece tells us that not only hard work but overall well-being is necessary to achieve success in a true sense. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Swati Verma Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Visualization film review by UK film critic Swati Verma . Starring Raman Irman, Mojo Mona directed by Raman Irman. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Visualization Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Swati Verma | Posted on: Dec 19, 2022 Directed by: Raman Irman Written by: Raman Irman Starring: Raman Irman, Mojo Mona Visualization refers to a technique for creating images, diagrams, or animations to communicate a message. The writer-director Raman Irman attempts to build up an intriguing narrative with two leading actors Abdolrahaman Sarraei and Mojo Mona. He works in the genre of psychological fiction and adds elements of mystery and thrill to make the content more engaging for the audience. The plot of the short film revolves around a medical clinic and what transpires in it needs to unfold soon for the better future of people involved with the same. The camera pans into the corridor along with eerie background music to elevate a sense of fear, isolation, and boredom amidst the viewers establishing the subject matter of the movie. The white greyish brown colour tone of the dramatic piece helps the audience understand the emotional uncertainty and coldness experienced by the characters in the movie. The close-up and extreme close-up shots are effectively utilised by the filmmaker to address the social issues it deals with. The set design, lighting, blood, costume, hair, and makeup complement and intensify the mysterious vibe, therefore making the viewers more involved with Visualization. The name of the short film-Visualization appears in white font in the middle of the black screen and has the connotation of a ray of hope and innocence. In terms of performance, Raman Irman plays Tom who is one of many inmates living in the medical clinic. Sarraei efficiently executes his vision beautifully through his acting skills, evoking the desired emotions from the viewers thus increasing the degree of relatability with his character. Raman Irman’s body language, facial expressions, and eyes communicate the tragedy and pain he has to go through while staying in a hospital setup. Mojo Mona plays the role of both Psychiatrist and performer. The actress depicts very different shades of the two multi-layered characters creating and maintaining the right balance in the gestures, and expressions so that the viewers can differentiate between them while watching it. Visualization talks about the significance of emotions as well as logic (mind), and the need to express gives the power to stand for the betterment of society as a whole. The cinematic piece reiterates that respect, love, freedom of thought, and the right to make choices in life are the basic requirement of all humans belonging to this earth. The science fiction film spreads awareness about tackling issues like loneliness, pain and emotional trauma with the utmost courage one gathers from loved ones. The psychological thriller teaches us that people should have unique personalities and learn to self-repair the flaws As an ardent viewer of the short film, I want to appreciate Raman Irman to make a film with a lot of philosophical and motivational lessons about humanity and also inspire the audience to incorporate these learnings to become a superior version of themselves. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Swati Verma Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Golden Child film review by UK film critic Swati Verma. Starring Harriet Perkins, Tom Kane directed by Jamie Milligan. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Golden Child Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Swati Verma | Posted on: Jul 8, 2022 Directed by: Jamie Milligan Written by: Jamie Milligan Starring: Harriet Perkins, Tom Kane The name of the short film - Golden Child chosen by the writer-director Jamie Luke Milligan means the one who is favoured or favourite in the family or at work. The female protagonist Fi (Harriet Perkins) falls into this category as she tries super hard to bring her dysfunctional family together. The white font used for the title of the movie signifies selfless love, purity, innocence, and dedication in the character arc of Fi as she balances her duties and personal life. The plot of the cinematic piece revolves around Fi returning to her brother's apartment to find Toby (Tom Kane) drunk. She has got an hour to sober him up and keep his drinking habit a secret when their parents come to celebrate her new job. In the opening scene, the background sound and slightly shaky camera work by cinematographer Chris Fergusson establish a sense of urgency in the minds of the audience regarding the subject matter of the film. The mid and close-up shots are used effectively to build an emotional bond between the onscreen siblings, therefore, assisting the viewers to engage with the family drama. The mixture of grey, white and black colour palette along with the combination of dim and natural lighting and the set design intensifies the drama ensuring the storyline moves smoothly. The dialogue and body language of the characters have been kept natural and realistic so that the audience can relate to the content and learn from the film. In the performance department, Harriet Perkins plays Fi who dislikes inappropriate behaviour like drinking alcohol but the love and concern for her little brother Toby overpower her disliking and she decides to concentrate on stealing a happy day for everyone from the daily routine. Perkins effortlessly portrays the mixture of emotions Fi is going through; ranging from love to anger. The young actress uses voice modulation aptly to communicate what emotional trauma has done to her but she wants to cope with it to protect her loved ones. Tom Kane takes up the role of Toby. Kane has prepared for his character and picked up on the nuances so that he could do justice to Toby. Toby is a person with multiple layers in his personality. The love and care for his sister are evident in his eyes but the struggle to quit the bad habits is the most challenging for him. The short film Golden Child teaches its audience the importance of not running away from fears and responsibilities in life. The creative piece reiterates the fact that family ties can give the emotional strength to fight against all the issues. The movie highlights the need to bridge the gap between the parents and children to function better as a family unit. The film also talks about the necessity of siblings who can become friends, philosophers, or guides to the problems not suitable to discuss with elders. Golden Child also warns against drinking alcohol which causes self-harm, instead invest the time to be happy and contented with the achievements in life. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Swati Verma Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Blue film review by UK film critic Madeleine Lavers. Starring Joe Dingwall, Jade Sylvester directed by John P. Arnold. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Blue Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Madeleine Lavers | Posted on: Sep 29, 2026 Directed by: John P. Arnold Written by: Joe Dingwall Starring: Joe Dingwall, Jade Sylvester Blue (2026) is a short film, set and filmed in Edinburgh. It is written and produced by Joe Dingwall, who also stars as the main protagonist, Sam. The story follows an actor (nicknamed Blue by his partner Kate) who takes a walk through Edinburgh with him as they reminisce about the place they met and went on to visit together. Their journey takes the story into flashbacks of their relationship struggles, as well as many lighter moments also. The audience can begin to understand the stress the relationship was under due to both parties being different types of artists, with desires to take opportunities to expand their careers whilst still prioritising each other. Towards the end of the film, we see Blue walk into an exhibition full of Kate’s paintings. A glass breaks and he turns; when he goes to face Kate again, she is gone. This is a beautiful narrative about love and eventually loss. Understanding the dynamics of the protagonist’s relationship and its complexities, shared gradually throughout the course of the film was enjoyable. The couple walks through locations they have visited before the film flashes back to memories in those locations. This was an interesting storytelling device that allowed for an engaging non-linear structure. Despite the performances of Blue (Joe Dingwall) and Kate (Jade Sylvester) being strong and emotionally fruitful, the chemistry of the pair was not always believable and their relationship felt like a jokey friendship a lot of the time. I found some areas of the scriptwriting cringeworthy but was also heart-warmed by many other scenes. The ending depicts Blue looking at the work of his past lover; he stumbles upon a blue painting, created for him. His eyes fill with tears as he admires the work of someone he used to know. Joe’s execution of reminiscing in this scene is extremely powerful; it is one of the most memorable scenes that showcase Joe’s talents as an actor. The cinematography and colour grading of the film were crisp and professional; my only complaint would be that some scenes in certain locations felt too dark, but I can imagine the lighting in these locations was more difficult to control. When the main character, Joe, performs on stage, he is not in focus throughout, which unfortunately may take viewers out of the story. I also found that the montage of the pair towards the end was touching, yet slightly too long. The music assists the tone of each scene and was competent throughout. The use of many locations in Edinburgh was captivating and framed the city in a beautiful light. Despite a few technical difficulties, Blue is a passionate film that draws on the human experience. The narrative is tender and has the ability to resonate with many audiences. It relishes in the genuine connection between people and the lasting impression these connections can leave on our lives. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Madeleine Lavers Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Watchers film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Dakota Fanning, Olwen Fouéré directed by Ishana Shyamalan. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Watchers Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Jun 6, 2024 Directed by: Ishana Shyamalan Written by: Ishana Shyamalan Starring: Dakota Fanning, Olwen Fouéré Tales of Irish fae folk can be terrifying. Often part ecological horror, part folktale, they can hit a primal fear of powerlessness and loss of identity. Ishana Shyamalan’s feature debut The Watchers , which she adapted for the screen from a novel by A.M. Shine, tackles these notions and adds a comment on voyeurism as entertainment. Mina (Dakota Fanning), an unhappy American girl working at a pet store in Galway, agrees to drive a day to get a rare bird to a zoo. “Good chance to see the Irish countryside.” GPS is shite in heavily forested areas, the road becomes just muddy tracks, then the car seizes and stops. One terrifying thing leads to another and suddenly she’s racing, birdcage in hand, toward a metal door being held open if she can get to it in 5, 4, 3, 2… Credit Shyamalan (or my enduring fear of the woods?) for ratcheting tension early on. If you’ve seen the trailer, you know what happens next: she’s trapped inside with three others, one wall is a window, and at night those damn fae folk come to watch those inside. It’s a great set up and a compelling, strange premise—the kind of thing the filmmaker’s father might make, and just as fraught with possible missteps. Remember how cool the trailer for Old was? The Watchers is heavy with symbolism, from the bird in the cage to Mina’s personal roleplay games to the reality TV DVD collection someone left for the trapped to watch. There’s no denying the film is impeccably structured, Shyamalan unveiling complications and backstory as the structure dictates. Performances are solid as well. Fanning’s portrayal is a bit faraway and dead inside, which suits the character but makes for a relatively lowkey lead. The ever-formidable Olwen Fouéré is charismatic enough to make up for that, and both Georgina Campbell and Oliver Finnegan fill out their roles with raw tenderness. Mina’s name (her twin sister is Lucy) is a clear nod to Ireland’s most iconic horror writer, Bram Stoker. The entirety of the film feels just that superficially Irish. Nor is there any authenticity to the ecological horror, although there’s plenty of opportunity. But the real issue—as is so often the case in a creature feature—is the monster FX. Not good. Bad, even. That’s too bad because, though hardly revolutionary and rarely scary, The Watchers is an often-intriguing thriller. But it doesn’t hold up to the great Irish horror that came before it. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Concerto for Humanity film review by UK film critic James Learoyd. Starring Colin Cassidy directed by Stacey Stone. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Concerto for Humanity Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: James Learoyd | Posted on: May 31, 2026 Directed by: Stacey Stone Written by: Stacey Stone Starring: Colin Cassidy Concerto for Humanity is a maximalist piece of archival documentary filmmaking. Directed with an unwavering social confidence by Stacey Stone (who is also the film’s editor – a logical dual-role since this project is almost purely a work of editorial contexts working in tandem with music and the spoken word). The setup is an immediately transfixing one: what if we placed 16mm footage from the 1930s alongside contemporary digital imagery; or, as the voiceover puts it, what if this individual with the black-and-white camera woke up in today’s world? What kind of world would he see? This movie answers that question through unrelenting means and to an unambiguously grim result. It’s a work of the avant-garde, made by an artist who refuses to let the audience off easy. We’re made to sit through some horrific things during the twelve-minute runtime. Although it leaves one with some questions regarding the project’s overall statement – not in terms of what it’s showing us and the very obvious implications of the editing, but more whether these images will continue to engage the mind of the viewer after the film is over. How open-ended and explorative actually is this piece of video-journalism? From beginning to end, what the audience is exposed to is deeply powerful. And the entire experiment is, in many ways, a success when you consider the fact that the images gather further meaning – often more upsetting meaning – when positioned in conjunction with this lovely 30s footage – even when the 30s footage is also depicting something negative. In terms of the modern, the AI content is utterly stomach-turning in a manner which is intentional and confrontational, and it doesn’t get more harrowing than captured moments of police brutality and war. What unfortunately lets these visual aspects down, though, is the decision to include expository voiceover in the film. That’s by no means an indictment of the vocal performance by Colin Cassidy (which is strong), but more an observation that the images would hold a great deal more potency if they were left to their own wordless faculties. Thus, to answer the question I posed earlier in this review: explorative – very. Open-ended – absolutely not. The individuals who produced this movie surely meant for the messaging’s solidity. And the intention to depict our world in all its ugly detail is always an admirable one (and something that the moving image does better than any other form of media). However, the fact remains that these ideas perhaps lack nuance; the implicit and purely visual quality that would elevate Concerto for Humanity to the artistically transcendent heights that the title may lead the viewer to anticipate. But it’s a documentary that evokes such masterworks as Koyaanisqatsi – especially when you realise that the music featured was written specifically for the film (by Larry Tuttle), much like Philip Glass’ instantly iconic compositions for the 1982 experimental classic. To witness something so unashamedly provocative is always an exciting experience for a critic. And despite my misgivings, the editorial and political ambition makes this a positive contribution to both the documentary and art film scene. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic James Learoyd Documentary, Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something has Passed film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Joanna Arnow, Scott Cohen, Babak Tafti directed by Joanna Arnow. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something has Passed Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: May 9, 2024 Directed by: Joanna Arnow Written by: Joanna Arnow Starring: Joanna Arnow, Scott Cohen, Babak Tafti no one told you when to run you missed the starting gun Pink Floyd sang of a particular worrisome anxiety. Joanna Arnow perfectly articulates the emotion, or lack of, right from the title of her feature, The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something has Passed. Arnow writes, directs and stars as Ann with unerringly deadpan delivery. Ann suffers from Millennial malaise. Her job evokes no passion. Her family is clingy and yet distant. Even her interest in BDSM, in Arnow’s hilariously banal depictions, is lifeless. Growing listless with her longtime, much older “dominant,” Allen (Scott Cohen), Ann engages new partners, then moves to more traditional dating, finally developing a charming relationship with Chris (Babak Tafti, all warmth and tenderness). At this point, Arnow’s detached irony threatens to make way for genuine human emotion. Chris and Ann’s awkwardness is sweet. You almost root for the film to be turning into a romcom. Arnow toys with that, as well as the coming-of-age arc, resisting cliché and doling out generational insights in hilarious monotone. While there is something vaguely Lena Dunham about Arnow’s film, her voice is so utterly her own it’s tough to really compare The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something has Passed to anything else. That voice echoes in the film’s visual aesthetic as well: everyone and everything at arm’s length, somehow simultaneously disengaged but compelling. Not everything gels, and even the bulk of the film that works brilliantly will not work on everyone. Arnow’s film is an acquired taste— defiantly so. But like most good comedies, it’s saying something incredibly honest and more than a little bit sad. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release, Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Confession film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Ivan Shibanov, Eduard Chekmazov directed by Anastasia Norenko. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Confession Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Apr 23, 2023 Directed by: Anastasia Norenko Written by: Anastasia Norenko Starring: Ivan Shibanov, Eduard Chekmazov A desperate man enters a church, seeking redemption. It is late 19th century Russia and a priest (Chekmazov) is inside a large church by himself at night-time. Suddenly, he hears a noise and turning around he sees a man (Shibanov) stumbling towards him. The stranger appears to be deeply upset and has blood stains on his clothing. He then goes on to explain the reasons behind his arrival and to ask whether there is hope for him to save his soul. This is a dark, sinister and dramatic short story about an extraordinary encounter following a terrible event. The film begins with peacefulness, with the priest going about his business and it is when the unknown man enters the scene that the atmosphere changes dramatically. The man has an alarming appearance, sweating and bloodied clothes and wastes no time in revealing that he is suffering, that he has committed a vile act and that he demands to know whether his actions can be forgiven. The core of the film is the long monologue that the stranger embarks on, which divulges his state of mind, his deeds and his perspective regarding his current situation. As the dramatic monologue is the center here, Shibanov's performance is vital in order for this short to have an effect, and he succeeds perfectly. The entire film was shot as one ten-minute-long take and Shibanov utterly steals the show, playing a damaged and religious man who is on the edge of insanity. His acting is dynamic and his character painfully totters around the large hall as he speaks, either looking at the priest or images of saints or Jesus. His character is pitiful and menacing at the same time. As mentioned, this short is one long take and Norenko executes that outstandingly, moving the camera around Shibanov and capturing the beautiful interior of the church. The whole narrative takes place inside the church and filming it as one long take makes it look like a play. The mise-en-scene deserves commendations due to the clothing and the church's belongings, with candles used to light the place and Dmitriy Gorevoy's cinematography creates a darkened and melancholic environment, which becomes more impactful because of the ominous music. This is a dark story about the aftermath of a devastating tragedy and focuses on the emotions of the perpetrator. The film addresses religion, death and regrets and has many great aspects, however, it is Shibanov's acting that adds the most significant value. It might be fair to point out that it could have had a better conclusion as it ends abruptly. Nevertheless, Norenko has made a film worthy of significant praise, just as she did with On the Third Step . Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >