★★★★ Directed by #EmeraldFennell Written by #EmeraldFennell Starring #CareyMulligan Film Review by Hope Madden Emerald Fennell keeps you guessing. In a riotous and incredibly assured feature debut as writer and director, she twists both knife and expectations in a rape-revenge riff that’s relevant, smart and surprisingly hilarious. If you like your humor dark. Carey Mulligan is flawless—when is she not?—as Cassandra. By day the one-time med student ignores customers from behind a coffee house counter. By night, she pretends to be obliterated in local clubs and dive bars. Why would she do that? Well honestly, it’s because Cassandra’s life has lost its purpose and this is to a great degree the drug that numbs her. These opportunities to puncture the moral delusions of self-proclaimed “nice guys” who take her home provide catharsis. It’s like her own version of purgatory, as she forever tries to make amends for that one night back in med school. And these moments are priceless as, one by one, Fennell exposes the hideous reality of gender norms and how little it takes for a man to be considered a good dude. Mulligan is marvelous, giving Cassie the courage that comes from an utter disinterest in the opinions or well-being of others. And then a good guy from med school (Bo Burnham) stops in for coffee (in one of Mulligan’s finest, funniest scenes) and the stakes get higher. Maybe she has a shot at turning the tables on those she considers responsible for this pain. Or maybe she’s found her one chance to put this pain behind her. It’s a tightly wound script populated by spot on performances. Fennell has a gift for casting small roles with actors who can find the absurd humor and realistic horror of every situation: Jennifer Coolidge, Clancy Brown, Adam Brody, Laverne Cox, Alison Brie, Christopher Mintz-Plasse. But the cherry on this sundae is Burnham, who is quietly magnificent. A pessimism runs through Fennell’s film that’s hard to ignore and even harder to criticize. But the film is true to the character of Cassie—a woman who’s profoundly dark and unforgiving but not wrong. Fennell’s film is not a nuanced drama concerning rape culture. It’s not telling us anything we don’t honestly know already. It’s not a scalpel to the brain, it’s a sledge hammer to the testicles. And why not? #HopeMadden

★★★★ Directed by #PaulGreengrass Written by #PaulGreengrass #LukeDavies #PauletteJiles Starring #TomHanks Film Review by Hope Madden From the moment Sheriff Woody lamented that snake in his boot, it’s been inevitable that Tom Hanks would star in a Western. Not because he personifies the bruised masculinity, the solitary grit—that’s just ornamentation, anyway. Tom Hanks would inevitably be the hero in a Western because we believe he would do the right thing, however difficult that is. The Western News of the World is a film we’re less inclined to expect from director Paul Greengrass. His kinetic camerawork and near-verite style that lent realism to United 93 and added tension to his Jason Bourne films hardly suit a Western. He adapts with a more fluid camera that underscores the tension as well as the lyricism inherent in the genre. He also takes full advantage of our faith in Tom Hanks. Hanks is Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd, a Civil War veteran who travels from town to town reading news stories to weary people looking for a distraction. In his travels he comes across a 10-year-old girl (Helena Zengel, wonderful) who’d been raised by Kiowa people and is now being returned against her will to her natural aunt and uncle. Reluctantly, Captain Kidd agrees to transport her 200 miles across dangerous territory. Not because he wants to or because he will benefit in any way from it. In fact, he will probably die, and she with him. Greengrass adapts Paulette Jiles’s nove with the help of Luke Davies. An acclaimed poet, Davies can be a handful for some directors. His material, even when done well, as it was with Garth Davis’s 2016 film Lion, can feel overwrought and overwritten. But Greengrass’s touch is lighter, his style always bending more toward realism than poetry, and here he’s struck a lovely balance. Westerns lend themselves to poetry of a sort. News of the World offers a simply hero’s journey, understated by Greengrass’s influence and Tom Hanks’s natural abilities. A damaged soul faces an opportunity to prove himself, perhaps only to himself, and he takes it. And he is forever changed. #HopeMadden

★★★ Directed by: Sophie Dia Pegrum Written by: Sophie Dia Pegrum Starring: Jon Jacobs, J.C. Brandy, Gabriel Jewel, Alix Koromzay, Theresa Trainer Film Review by: Jason Knight Dogstar (Jacobs) is a socially awkward young man, who lives in a house with his mother (Trainer) and brother Astro (Jewel). Dogstar never leaves the house and is obsessed with space, the walls of his room being filled with drawings made by himself that are mostly space-related. He has plenty of paintbrushes, a large telescope so he can observe the stars and a goldfish that he sometimes talks to. One day he meets Gabrielle (Brandy) and the two of them end up spending a great deal of time together, getting to know each other. This emotional drama is a love story and explores themes of social isolation, love, family and personal struggles. Jacobs delivers a very realistic performance as a shy but intelligent individual, who has a passion for astronomy and sees the world differently than other people. Although he comes across as antisocial and childish, he can also be funny and caring. Brandy is emotional as the girl who falls for him, but unfortunately has serious issues she is struggling to deal with. Jewel has a good supporting role as Dogstar's brother, who means well but is often rude and arrogant and keeps asking for money. The film includes flashbacks of Dogstar when he was a child, with his father talking to him about the wonders of space. These sequences have magical music and the lighting and cinematography makes the image appear dark blue. Throughout the movie, the audience will often hear Dogstar's inner thoughts, which work as voice-over and are his memories. There are also plenty of montage sequences that show characters performing actions and they include effective use of dissolve and jump cut techniques. Additionally there are quite a few shots of stars in the sky at night and admirable establishing shots. The music adds value to the film. It is dramatic and sentimental. There is also a decent selection of enjoyable songs. Unfortunately it should be pointed out that there is one scene where the audio does not sound good. This scene occurs when characters are outdoors, sitting at a table eating. When they speak, their voices sound 'damaged'. It is a short scene but adds negative qualities to the picture. Dogstar offers a look into the life of an unusual individual. The plot focuses mainly on the relationship that develops between Dogstar and Gabrielle. The narrative is moving and the characters are engaging. It is an experience worth pursuing. #JasonKnight Trailer:

★★★ Written and Directed by: #TomerShushan Starring: #DanielGad, #DawitTekelaeb and #ReutAkkerman Short film review by: Brian Penn Two men arguing over a bike chained to a lamp post on a back street in Israel doesn’t sound like the most riveting narrative. However, White Eye eventually gets there with a surprising amount of depth. It begins with one man’s assertion that said bike is in fact his own property that had been previously stolen. He reports the find to police who aren’t convinced, and want him to find the person in possession before they take action. He dillies and dallies before the ‘culprit’ emerges from a nearby factory. Suspicion falls on an Eritrean who claims he bought the bike legally from an unnamed individual. A man who simply wants his property returned has inadvertently opened a massive can of worms. But who’s the real victim here; more importantly who’s telling the truth? The plot slowly peels away layers from an onion as a more satisfying narrative creeps into view. The semblance of a normal existence begins to hinge on ownership of an unassuming item. It becomes a means of transport; to reach a place of work or take a child to school. A badge of normality that might suddenly be taken away turns the bike into a valuable commodity. The film eventually delivers a simple message and shows how a train of events can unfold if we push hard enough. The unseen consequences of our actions tell us to be careful of the things we wish for. However, the plot’s stuttering construction really slows the piece down. The first ten minutes were wasted as the dialogue was caught in a loop. A scenario built around ‘that’s my bike-you prove it’ does wear thin after a while. It’s acceptable as an opening premise but needs to move forward more quickly than it does. Once it does hit the target a clear statement of the human condition becomes apparent; but could have used the screen time more economically.

★★★ Written & Directed by: #KarishmaDube Starring: #RaniKumari, #RenuKumari, #SaurabhSaraswat Short Film Review by Taryll Baker A slow-burning drama focusing on the close friendship between two girls as it is eclipsed by an accidental poisoning at school. Bittu is a well produced short film from Karishma Dube, anchoring a strong lead performance and a dark final few scenes. Dube’s phenomenal direction convinces me of her talents; her awards only proving that I’m not the only one noticing the display of expertise. Bittu features a young cast of well performing actors and actresses that lead us through this shocking and poignant narrative. The dialogue is of the smaller scale, leaving the storytelling more so to the visuals and, in some ways, the absence of music. There’s an underlying sense of greyness creeping up from the ground and when the payoff finally hits, it’s a pretty hefty kick to the stomach. The camerawork reflects that documentary fly-on-the-wall style, whilst still capturing the cinematic tone. This isn’t a cheap looking film by any means, but also feels very much independent in its execution. Perhaps not incredibly rare these days, but to see a short film with this type of care and thought taken is certainly more than welcome. Bittu feels like one of those troubling stories that director Denis Villeneuve would present, in its rich but beaten down visual style. I would love to see more from Dube, especially in the directors chair. There’s little to discuss further, since it’s a very simplistic short film. I will say that although the content of Bittu is strong, the pacing was perhaps a little too slow. This is likely intentional, as a means of getting the audience involved in the lives of these characters, however, it felt as if something more could have been added to tighten the film overall and provide a more investing runtime. All this to say, this is still an affective piece and will likely interest those searching for a darker drama. Dube’s Bittu is a fantastically well directed film, with some brilliant young performers and a superb technical sheen (including that of editing and cinematography), but left me feeling a little underwhelmed emotionally. That said, this is a filmmaker with a promising future in directing. #TaryllBaker

★★★★ Directed by: Victoria Shefer Written by: Victoria Shefer Starring: Lee Rayne Film Review by: Jason Knight A woman is by herself at the beach. This short drama is based on the poem by American poet Robert Frost: Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, which was published in 1923 in his New Hampshire volume. A woman (Rayne) arrives on foot at an empty beach. She appears to be sad and upset. She has a locket necklace with her, that contains the picture of a baby and seems to be very dear to her. She digs up a small chest, that is filled with origami figures and places the necklace inside. Throughout the film she gives the impression that she is struggling with her emotions. The woman is the only person seen in this story and the only words that are heard come from the protagonist's voice-over, which recites the lyrics from Frost's poem mentioned above. The film is separated into four verses. Each time a verse begins the screen cuts to black and letters appear, announcing the number of the verse. During each verse sequence, the voice-over recites a section of the poem. The voice sounds sad, even indicating that the reciter is crying. The mood is melancholic. Rayne's performance gives the impression that she is portraying someone who has suffered a tragedy. The sky is grey, looking like it is about to rain. Daniel Dolby's powerful score is haunting, suggesting grief and it is heard from start to finish, along with the sound of waves reaching the beach. Having the sound of waves and the dramatic music simultaneously makes the viewing quite emotional. Apart from the waves, music, voice-over and a brief sequence of heavy breathing, no other sounds are present. The woman's clothing looks great and appears to be from the nineteen twenties, which would be the time when the poem was published. The film is very well made, with Shefer creating terrific establishing shots. There is a montage sequence that deserves recognition. In this sequence the woman is seen running in the waves, panicked and distraught. The cries out but her voice has been silenced. The use of fast cutting is rather effective here and the cinematography is different, making the image appear darker. There is also the sound of heavy breathing. This powerful, emotional drama is a beautiful combination of poetry and cinema. And it is a wonderful homage to Robert Frost. #JasonKnight

★★★★ Directed by: #CalebBurdeau Written by: #CalebBurdeau Starring: #MoamerKasudovic, #MarcelloPrayer, #ToninoZizzi Film Review by: Patrick Foley Loneliness and isolation are universal experiences – no matter where you are in the world or what you have been through in life. You don’t need to be stranded in a foreign land with no-one at your side whilst your home is engulfed in a brutal war to feel them, but as Nasumice (Adrift) demonstrates – it certainly doesn’t help if you are. Elvis (Moamer Kasumovic) is a refugee who has fled the Bosnian war to find safety in Italy. With only a camera to make a living, he spends his life working as a street photographer in Venice and Rome. A chance encounter brings him close to Rodolfo (Marcello Prayer), an Italian who feels the same sense of displacement despite being surrounded by the culture he grew up in. They embark on a shared journey to find their sense of purpose and place in the world. Nasumice is a stunningly directed exploration of isolation and displacement which stands out due to a unique story and gorgeous cinematography. The cities, towns and hills of Southern Italy form a beautifully shot backdrop to Elvis and Rodolfo’s story, echoing the most memorable sets from Gomorrah. Director Caleb Burdeau combines long, sweeping shots of the countryside and fixed scenes with the protagonists to intertwine the isolation of the setting and the isolation each man feels in Italy. His cinematography is the film’s strongest and most memorable attribute and keeps the viewer fixated on the slow-burning plot. Elvis and Rodolfo’s intertwining stories are told slowly, from their first, humorous meeting in Rome to their pained, understated parting. In each other, the two men find a kindred spirit struggling with the same difficulties despite their very different backgrounds. Elvis’ life as a refugee is given prominence without defining his character. Whilst Rodolfo’s veneer of confidence is meticulously picked apart by his family in awkward scenes that say much more in setting than in words. The dialogue between the two however is clunky and comes across as unnatural and unrefined – a fault which weakens an otherwise authentic feel. The performances of Moamer Kasumovic and Marcello Prayer are convincing and effective – each quietly physical in their unstated awkwardness. The film is dialogue-light, and much of the characterisation of the two men comes from subtle clues from each of the actors. The script lets the performances down when it is called upon, with metaphors shunted into exchanges where they have no place. It doesn’t hinder the overall plot, but comes across as faux and exaggerated. The style and artistic direction of Nasumice are truly memorable and will be the quality audiences take away from this film. It is not afraid to delve into unexplored territory and examine oft-ignored issues of male loneliness and desperation. But a clunky script, and occasional tendency to lapse into pretentious allegories hold it back from being special.

★★ Stars Directed by: #EzelAkay Written by: #EzelAkay, #ÖzlemLale, #UgurSaatci, #AdnanYildirim Starring: #DemetAkbağ, #HalukBilginer, #ElçinSangu, #FıratTanış Film Review by: Alicia Moore “A resilient housewife, Leyla (Demet Akbağ,) her husband Adem (Haluk Bilginer) and their marriage therapist Nergis (Elçin Sangu) become mired in a toxic love triangle and a plot to obtain an antique manuscript.” Although this short synopsis really doesn’t give the film any depth before watching, it is better to dive into the story with only a slight idea of what to expect. Leyla Everlasting is a Turkish Netflix film that encompasses elements of dark comedy, stylish violence and, with twists of almost ‘supernatural’ inserts, the storyline grows more intriguing and complex throughout its duration. This film is based on a Turkish play called ‘9 Lives.’ Without any spoilers, the name comes from the number of times Adem tries to kill Leyla in this play. Leyla Everlasting takes this play and intertwines it very well with the script used on set rather than on stage; it is difficult to achieve such a transition like this in screenplay and, despite at some points the story feeling rather offbeat, Ezel Akay, Özlem Lale, Ugur Saatci and Adnan Yildirim collectively presented a praiseworthy piece of writing in film. Extending the theatrical undertones that can be found through the writing, the film includes leads that are easily recognisable from Turkish theatre, like Demet Akbağ. I haven’t been able to find much information on the genuine content of the play itself, however I do feel that the film has been adapted in a more modern sense in comparison. Leyla Everlasting begins with a burst of modern marriage struggles; a man seemingly experiencing a form of a mid-life crisis as he ponders over divorce. As time passes, the story progresses to achieve a more sophisticated meaning which can leave some audiences wondering deeper about their current surroundings and circumstances – if you remove the factors of the story that are clearly fictional of course. Something I feel quite disappointed by is the lack of a bond between myself as a viewer and the characters. But, after watching, I started to question myself: ‘was I supposed to feel a natural bond anyway?’ By looking at the story and the characters in a different perspective it can change the way one watches the entire film. Instead of being enveloped in the atmosphere with the characters, this type of film calls for audiences to step outside of that narrative and watch the events unfold from there. This is where the theatrical undertones shine through as, as an audience member in a theatre, watching the stage is like watching from the outside of a box. Films tend to feel more personal; a closer connection to characters tends to be widely expected. But with the great adaption from the stage to the screen, audiences are able to enter a new experience. The most impressive factor of Leyla Everlasting is the overall visuals of the film. The locations, the cinematography (by Hayk Kirakosyan) and the general camera work (camera operation by Yakup Algül) expertly pair together to produce stunning scenes; some with truly shattering vibrancy. If you’re someone who favours colourful visuals that immediately stimulate the senses then you have the best mind in order to appreciate the work shown in this film. In its entirety, Leyla Everlasting is quite an enjoyable watch, and I can guarantee that its very different from the films you currently have waiting in your Netflix list.

Star rating (out of 5): ★★★ Directed by: #Sophia Banks Written by: #Dominick Joseph Luna Starring: #Emma Booth, #Erika Christensen, #Madison Mason, #Marcus Coloma Film Review by: Julian Gaskell Proxy is a short film set in the near future where an agency provides a service of well-trained ‘stand in’ actors hired to visit people in their homes in order to role play a lost loved one or an estranged partner. Victoria (Emma Booth) is a highly successful ‘proxy’ dressing the part and following the script. She’s in high demand but has begun to find helping others as a proxy causes psychological problems of its own. This is an eerie story looking at how people deal with loss using an escort type service that caters to people’s emotional needs for the right price. It challenges what it is to have human emotions, what services we are willing to pay for and what affect this could have on us. It shows how emotions and feelings can be easily replaced, blurring the lines between what’s real and what’s simulated. Interestingly enough this comes at a time when questions are often asked about the role of artificial intelligence in today’s society, whereas this exaggerates how human emotions, facilitated by technology, can be reenacted on demand. Directed by Sophia Banks the sets have a high-end design and are nicely shot, with beautiful clothing and accessories to match, perhaps showing the director’s eye for aspirational advertising, which gives the Proxy an air of exclusivity and shows the affluence of the clients who are able to request the home service. The music has an electronic vibrancy that brings a mysterious feel to a future reality and Emma Booth is the striking looking Proxy with a professional edginess prepared to act the femme fatale chameleon - changing her clothes, her hair and her make-up to suit her clients’ demands but struggling to come to terms with her own reality. It all has a Twin Peaks like mystery feel with the psychologically damaged characters, stylised sets and music. The dangers are shown from the start as Victoria engages with her first client Christopher (Shaw Jones) who is dealing with some disturbing childhood issues that leave the proxy traumatised but it is clear this is something she is familiar with and not unprepared for. There is no let-up in the demand for her service as she responds to the appointments made by some creepy customers keen to use the high profile booking service. Whilst the clients she visits never totally captivate and the dialogue never really catches light they are kooky enough to give a sense of the strange interactions possible through the scripted role plays. Overall this is an interesting short film that has a dark vision of a not too distant future in response to people’s demands for just about any type of service. Providing a service to help with people’s well-being through a psychologist of some kind is quite common nowadays, something the role playing shown here is not too far from despite its creepy nature. So a proxy service could be a very viable business, although it may need a few more clauses in its contract.

★ ★★ ★ Directed by: #GraceConley Written by: #GraceConley Starring: #GraceConley Film Review by: Luke Vella Kaleidoscope is a beautiful short film tackling self-worth and body image through the anatomy of colour and how the self is fractured into a wide diversity of emotion and senses, much like the iridescence of a kaleidoscope. Narrated meaningfully and with an air of wistfulness, Conley articulates a poem of different colours throughout the film; the words of which directly inspire her unique and powerful performance as a character known simply as ‘Rain’. Paint is strewn carefully across her body representing a true collision of colour and feeling, much like how the self is made up of a representation of emotions – never one, but together. Each colour segment is short, yet powerful as Conley directs thoughtfully as to how the colour is represented to her. The shots are simple in design yet work beautifully with the soft narration over them, to create mesmerising scenes allowing the viewer to truly connect with the pain and intenseness of each individual colour. One of the crowning efforts of the film is the wonderful sound design and original score by Willow Vass, who creates an alluring symphony of soft instruments to draw the viewer in as if they were in each scene themselves. The sound design compliments Conley’s performance perfectly: the sound of a finger pressing into the pulp of an orange; crunching of teeth into a leather purse; ripping and tearing grass from the earth. Each sound is crisp and pairs beautifully with the imagery, never distracting the viewer only luring them in further. For a film with a small budget, the production design never detracts from each scene, rather each segment is highlighted by the colour it is representing in new and unique ways. Conley twists and morphs each colour to be used in different ways, whether that be through costumes and makeup, or the twilight sky itself – the colours are another beautiful highlight of this film. When a colour such as pink could have been used in a monotone way by a lesser filmmaker, Conley finds distinctive ways to show the range that the colour has to her, through flower petals and dresses and powerful imagery in the spoken word. Conley also addresses the important theme of self-love and how unreachable it can often feel. A person, or a significant other, can induce these feelings of colour within you and create a kaleidoscope of beauty, but Conley deftly shows how this is not true self-love. Through a gripping monologue and one of the best shots I’ve seen in a student film, Conley finishes the short by truly understanding and communicating the utter need to want to feel good about your body for yourself, and for nobody else – a theme that is severely understated in the current media. The only minor aspects of the short film that work less well are due to the budgetary constraints that Conley is working with. Some shots are slightly out of focus and a diversity in the camerawork may have improved some scenes, but these are minor complaints that can be improved with a larger budget and timescale, and more experience. Grace Conley writes, directs, and stars in this beautiful student short film about one’s body, self-worth, and colour, and proves that without a doubt she is someone to keep an eye out for in her future projects. The level of detail and competency shown in her direction prove that she is a filmmaker with a clear talent, and the mature themes relevant to the current society make this an absolute must-see. You can watch Kaleidocope on YouTube now!

★★★ Directed by: Eli Roth Written by: Eli Roth Starring: Lauren German, Eli Roth, Bijou Philips and Heather Matarazzo Film Review by: Rachel Pullen Hostel: Part 2 Movie Review Ah 2007, the debut of the iPhone, Paris Hilton served 23 days in jail, and a bunch of writers in America went on strike causing television shows to really suck..ahem Lost. And while this was all going down, Hostel: Part 2 was released, and people watched it, and now in 2020 so have I...so let’s talk about it. If we remember last week I spoke about how immensely stupid everyone was in the first Hostel film, they dry-humped ladies, they gave over passports to complete strangers, they smoked week, did shots and made me want to kill myself, so to say I was hopeful for a change of pace in Part 2 would, of course, be a lie. I wasn't looking for the characters to be whipping out their copies of Dickens and discussing the economy but I hoped no one would give their passport to a stranger...20 mins in, boom that happened...goddammit. Hostel: Part 2 follows three women (why always three? Can we not vacation in bigger groups?) who head to Europe to take in the sights and relax after a busy school year, only one of them is hungry for getting laid so that gives the other two some time to have a personality developed on screen, not a lot but you know - I learned their names I guess. Like the first Hostel film, it’s not long before they start to get picked off one by one and of course, they all end up in the weird factory-of-killing-by-rich-people place, I'm sure that's the actual address on google maps. So what's different, why should I watch? Is that not the same story as the first movie just with ladies? Yes, yes it is, but inter-spliced within the repetitive story is the other side of the coin because Hostel: Part 2 also follows two men who have won the bid to get to kill these ladies...spicy. They are rich, they play golf, they jog, they hate there wives, they are everything you expect of men who want to kill women for fun [ I'm sure divorce would of actually been cheaper but hey who knows what men are thinking, the I phone had just come out, shit was wild back then] there is a fun dynamic, one is super keen and the other has reservations, they go through the whole process, answering all the questions we as the viewer had left over from the first film. This storyline really is the saving grace to this film, for without it I would have checked out by the time those passports exchanged hands, and although the set up of character and the inevitable switch of the more reserved guy being the worse one when it comes to killing, it’s still engaging to watch the process that they go through in order to be able to pay to kill someone. Hostel: Part 2 brings nothing new to the table, and for a film that has Quentin Tarantino and Eli Roth credited, I was hoping for a little more, even if it was from a sequel. To go into watching any of these films with high hopes would be silly, at the end of the day these are gore porn flicks, and they certainly fulfil the needs of the audience in that regard, so you kind of cant fault it, Hostel: Part 2 does what it says on the tin, stupid people get murdered in stupid ways, I mean you could watch this film on mute and still have a perfect understanding of the storyline. I am slowly starting to enjoy watching stupid people just walk right into their own murder, the dumb mistakes of the naive keep me watching, and with Part 3 next on my list for Throwback Thursday, I'm sure to feel satisfied. Like I had eaten a whole trifle, not good, a bit bloated, but still satisfied...but I swear to god of they give their passports to anyone I'm going to fucking riot. #RachelPullen

★★★ Directed by: Christin Baker Written by: Hillary Esquina Starring: Shannan Leigh Reeve, Mandahla Rose, Nicole Pacent, Ian Ampoyo, Kitty Swink Film Review by: Jason Knight A secret organization interacts with the spirits of the deceased. Agent Ali Prader (Reeve) works as a Level 3 operative for an institute that deals with paranormal entities. Ali has the ability to see and interact with people who have passed away and it is her duty to help those who are stuck in the world of the living move into the afterlife. She lives with her daughter and often socializes with the ghost of her deceased wife Kate (Pacent). One day she meets her new colleague Diana (Rose) and things get complicated. This short sci-fi film has a plot that resembles Ghostbusters: a group of individuals dealing with the paranormal. Aside from the spirits, the story also explores Ali's past, her personal life, the relationship she has with her daughter and Kate and the relationship she develops with Diana. The characters are interesting. Reeve leads the film well with her portrayal of a tough, determined woman, with a history in the army and CIA. The supporting cast do a good job, with Rose rather convincing as the intelligent, rookie agent. The highlights occur when the spirits of the dead appear. At times they look like normal humans and at others they give the impression that they have jumped out of a malfunctioning television. Their voices have been modified in order to sound otherworldly. There is also a possession scene that is rather enjoyable, with the victim's eyes turning white. The music used during these sequences, effectively accompanies the situations. The film also explores lesbianism. Ali and some of the other characters are lesbians and there are a few scenes that show two women kissing and expressing their feelings towards each other. Director Baker creates wonderful establishing and bird's-eye view shots and the editing makes great use of fast cutting and dissolve techniques. Although the idea of humans communicating with the deceased is appealing, the story does not focus enough on that, choosing instead to spend a great deal of time concentrating on Ali's life and how she interacts with the people around her. By doing so, this film becomes more of a drama than a science fiction adventure. Nevertheless, it makes an enjoyable viewing. #JasonKnight You can rent Passage in its entirety as UK Film Channel - Click here.