Happily Ever Afterlife film review by UK film critic Chris Buick. Starring India Barnett, Geoff Baron, Anne Baron directed by Susan Moffat. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Happily Ever Afterlife Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Chris Buick | Posted on: Aug 22, 2024 Directed by: Susan Moffat Written by: Susan Moffat Starring: India Barnett, Geoff Baron, Anne Baron As Alice (Barnett) is rushing out the door in full princess getup to make her first children’s party appearance in too long, she accidentally backs her car straight into the passing and unsuspecting Thomas (Baron) killing him instantly, leaving herself with not just a moral quandary to deal with, but also with the now ever-present ghost of the very recently deceased elderly man by her side. “S***ing hell, I've killed the John Lewis grandad” Despite this exclamation, Alice’s immediate concern is less with poor unfortunate gentleman now lying in her driveway but rather her dashed career prospects and possible imminent and ghastly prison attire. But Thomas, sensing a quid pro quo situation here, offers to help her get away with it all, as long as Alice makes sure he isn’t buried in the pre-planned plot next to his overbearing former wife. “Where would you get enough acid to dissolve a body, Ms Dahmer?” “Uh, Amazon” Labelling Happily Ever Afterlife as a dark comedy is certainly apt, however one must not take away from how much more of the comedy spectrum writer/director Susan Moffat manages to traverse. From slapstick to surreal, full of jokes both black and blue and with a fair share of deadpan one-liners tossed into the mix as well, Moffat certainly throws a lot at the wall here in search of laughs and there are a great deal of genuine laughs to be enjoyed. The film is best when it leans right into its darker side, and the brilliant use of cut shots as well as some of the edgier or more subtle gags really help to make all the ongoing ridiculousness enjoyable. Of course, there are jokes that work for all tastes outside of the macabre, but it’s also not without some that simply don’t; at times its down to the delivery which isn't always quite there, but other times its simply that the joke falls flat altogether. However, the scales definitely tip more in favour of the ones that do work against the ones that don’t and thankfully as well, Happily Ever After has much more to offer than just plenty of gags. Barnett’s Alice and Baron’s Thomas increasingly warming back-and-forth help elevate everything even further into a somewhat heartwarming story of the fulfilment of one man’s last requests, leading you too root for their success right to the end and beyond. Happily Ever After might not always tickle the funny bone when it tries, but its unique tale about respecting dying wishes still delivers a good amount of laughs and a hefty amount heart making it well worth a watch. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Chris Buick Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Aurora film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Guy Kent, Jennalyn Ponraj, Robert Diago DoQui directed by Angad Aulakh. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Aurora Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Aug 21, 2026 Directed by: Angad Aulakh Written by: Angad Aulakh Starring: Guy Kent, Jennalyn Ponraj, Robert Diago DoQui An astronaut is the sole survivor of a catastrophic mission into the depths of space, where an unknown entity reaches out to grasp at the humanity within his soul. Commander Freddie Ballard (Kent) is in a bit of a pickle. He can’t quite figure out just where he is, or whether he has actually already been on the mission that has been assigned to him by his superior officer (DoQui). Rather anachronistically he is called back to himself through the time-tested cinematic device of a telephone ringing. At first it’s his girlfriend (Ponraj) who picks up the phone, even though he tells her not to, but time and again we are brought back to that same room, and that same ringing of the telephone, so that Freddie can receive his limited narrative motivation and move onto the next sequence of his story. Interspersed with Freddie’s home life and military debriefing is the time he spends in space, or has spent, or will spend, or will spend again. You see, Freddie appears to be caught in some sort of time loop, or space loop, and it is unclear whether he is remembering his story, looking to the future, or is caught in some sort of simulation. In reality there are no answers for Freddie, because there are no answers for us as the audience, but that is only a secondary concern when it seems that what we are all here for, especially the filmmakers, is the stylised visuals. Writer/director, Angad Aulakh takes great pains to set his scenes exactly the way he wants them, with production designer, Leah Berman helping create a classic neo-noir feel to every industrialised walkway, cargo bay, and corridor within the spaceship. Things are far more Nostromo here than they are Enterprise-D . The black-and-white presentation also heightens this stylisation, grounding the mystery elements of Freddie’s investigations into the unknown, while also giving the visual effects room to breathe without revealing any of their secrets. In fact, the visual effects are so well polished around the edges, in 4K, that it’s a wonder that visual effects artists, Stuart Lippincott and Ian Mills Miller, were able to get it all done with just the two of them working on it. Aurora succeeds or fails on the scale, grandeur, and believability, of these visual effects shots, and each of them is pulled off incredibly, with remarkable detail, clean finish, and perfect lighting the whole way through. Around half of the film exists in these shots alone, and when they are also doing the job of holding up the narrative, their gravitas and intention needs to shine through just from their composition and movement, which they manage to do seamlessly. While borrowing elements from such space opera classics as Solaris (1972), 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), and Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989), Aurora instead only uses the symbology, aesthetic, and overall intention of these pieces, rather than digging down into the issues, characters, and themes which underpinned them and made them great. Plot is unceremoniously jettisoned only to be supplanted by cinematic devices and garbled storytelling, while the space scenery does all of the heavy lifting. The thing is that you can see in the fifteen minutes of Aurora that there’s a full feature aching to emerge from it. There’s enough of other films, and of a narrative that does make sense in the round if you like things a little Lynchian – all jumbled and mysterious – but it’s also easy to see that without a stable story or compelling characterisation, fifteen minutes is probably about all that most people could take. Aurora needs to be seen to be believed, and is a tour-de-force in visual effects and design. Its scant narrative is subsumed into the wider visual spectacle with no real loss of engagement, and is carried by strong performances into a realm of wonder and awe. If visual language is what you’re after, Aurora shines bright through the darkness. Aurora will premiere at the 2026 HollyShorts Film Festival Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Digital / DVD Release, Short Film, Film Festival < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Samvarana (Closure) film review by UK film critic James Learoyd. Starring Mehul Bhatt directed by Monil Kumar. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Samvarana (Closure) Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: James Learoyd | Posted on: Aug 12, 2024 Directed by: Monil Kumar Written by: Monil Kumar Starring: Mehul Bhatt Samvarana (Closure) is an interesting and honest portrayal of family estrangement, written and directed by Monil Kumar. It tells the story of a father (played by Mehul Bhatt) whose wife is seriously ill, so, he attempts to make contact with his son who has his own family and whom he hasn’t been able to see for many years. It’s a film about isolation, loneliness and the pain of wanting to fix something in one’s life which may very well be unfixable. We follow the protagonist as he recalls memories, leaves voicemails, and goes to his son’s house – but to no success. Much of the short effectively captures these difficult feelings; however, its plot-light approach, in addition to a couple technical mishaps, means that we don’t quite engage in the emotions being conveyed as much as the filmmakers may want us to. But nevertheless, the script is subtle, poignant and feels as if it comes from a deeply personal place, therefore it is absolutely worth your attention. There are some lovely visual concepts on display in this picture. For instance, there’s a wonderful moment in which the protagonist recalls him and his wife sitting on a bench peacefully; then, the filmmakers cleverly use the sunset to transition to a different time wherein the two characters are replaced with children playing in the park -- the colours are different, but the composition of the shot remains the same. This is some intelligent filmmaking, and utilises film as a form of expression to the best of its ability (i.e. no dialogue needed). Unfortunately, a few shots in the movie appear slightly flat looking. Shot digitally, most exterior sequences are filmed using tight apertures – exposing dust on the lens or sensor. It would also appear that, despite everything being in focus in this manner, the camera has been set to auto-focus which means that there’s the occasional jitter. What the camerawork displays, however, is that the cinematographer and director clearly comprehend the language of shot sequencing; how to implement closeups and wide shots and when, so I really admire the film’s coverage even if (from a cold, technical standpoint) there’s a hiccup here and there. The narrative of Samvarana, as sparse as it is, holds a kind of authenticity. To be estranged from a family member is such a common but crushing part of everyday life, and what this short film aims to capture is less the event itself, and more the quiet, reflective darkness which comes with time flying by. It’s quite profound, although offers no resolution - suggesting, one supposes, that there is no resolution to be found within such a situation. And yet the titular “closure” arguably comes at the very beginning, in the form of an onscreen quote which argues that one must “let go” so as to enjoy living in the moment. To conclude, the film is a terrific effort and it’s available to watch for free right now on YouTube. It also feels like an early work from artists who will grow creatively and go on to create even more amazing works. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic James Learoyd Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Lantern's Lane film review by UK film critic Rachel Willis. Starring Brooke Butler, Sydney Carvill, Ashley Doris directed by Justin LaReau. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Lantern's Lane Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Rachel Willis | Posted on: Nov 3, 2021 Directed by: Justin LaReau Written by: Justin LaReau Starring: Brooke Butler, Sydney Carvill, Ashley Doris Urban legends are everywhere. But some are real. So begins writer/director, Justin LaReau’s attempt to combine urban legend, local myth and slasher horror in Lantern’s Lane. When Layla (Brooke Butler) returns home from the city at the invitation of old friend Missy (Ashley Doris), the two (and two others along for the ride) end up at one of their high school haunts – Lantern’s Lane. The legend is that a ghost woman wanders the road with a lantern. However, the referenced urban legend doesn’t quite make the woods around the lane sinister. Neither does the cast of characters, despite what noises they hear or antics they get up to. The most interesting part of the first act is the clear tension between Layla and Missy. The enmity between the former friends is uncomfortable. Layla’s disdain for their old high school hijinks — ever-present for the ones left behind in their hometown — grates on those who feel judged for their choices. This tension represents the one successful tactic in the movie because it feels like the others are trying to punish Layla for moving on. Looks exchanged between characters suggest something going on behind the action on screen. But for a horror film, that’s just not enough. A boarded-up house offers some promise, but little of what’s found in the house frightens. There’s nothing you wouldn’t expect in an empty home vandalized by local teens. (But thank goodness for those maxi pads someone left behind.) The action is very slow to get started, so much so that we’re still waiting for scares at more than halfway through the running time. The few attempted jump scares are ineffective. Once the horror does starts, the previous half’s attempted misdirection leaves us feeling flat. And the villain that comes to call doesn’t inspire much terror. There are little bits thrown in here and there, but they never connect into something satisfying. Worse, first half padding mainly reiterates what we already know. And yet, despite the time we spend with these characters, none of them really come to life. LaReau never manages to make you care what happens to Layla, Missy or any of the others. Without characters – or a villain – to root for, this horror mashup becomes a floundering mess. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Rachel Willis Digital / DVD Release, Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Christmas Time film review by UK film critic Joe Beck. Starring Neil James, Shelly Bentley, Roxy Cornish-Sewell, Henri Charles, Brian Shaw directed by Daniel Colyer. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Christmas Time Film Review average rating is 1 out of 5 Critic: Joe Beck | Posted on: Oct 16, 2023 Directed by: Daniel Colyer Written by: Daniel Colyer, Laurie Ashbourne Starring: Neil James, Shelly Bentley, Roxy Cornish-Sewell, Henri Charles, Brian Shaw It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, at least that’s what the supermarkets would have you believe. We’re not even out of October, with Halloween still to come, and yet the shops are beginning to stock up the cards, advent calendars and Christmas lights. It won’t be long until the trees go up and all you’ll be able to hear is Mariah Carey and Michael Buble. Whilst for so many others this is a time to rejoice, even if it’s far too early to be getting in the spirit, there are many figures - especially middle aged men in films - who despise the season, including the protagonist of ‘Christmas Time’, an insipid festive film that sticks to all Christmas film conventions, and with as little creativity technically as those Hallmark movies. The veritable scrooge at the centre of ‘Christmas Time’ is physics teacher Kevin Snowdon (Neil James), who at first appears to be fun - bringing the plausibility of Santa’s existence into his physics class - but then emerges as your stereotypical scrooge. He detests Christmas and the very idea of celebrating the festive season disgusts him. Naturally over the course of the film, this scrooge - like Dickens’ Ebenezer and the endless line of Scrooge’s that have followed, from Michael Caine to Bill Murray - goes through a reckoning which finally leaves him in the Christmas spirit. By now it’s a story so overdone that it almost needs its very own Christmas miracle to feel engaging, fresh, or even remotely worth watching. ‘Christmas Time’ is no different from all the rest, and honestly a little worse. The lack of invention in such a story is expected - although some effort to add an extra, unique element to the story would have perhaps made it just a little more interesting - but the script, written by Laurie Ashbourne and Daniel Colyer, disappoints further in its dialogue, which is robotic and cringe-inducing. At one point a character even says ‘happy wife, happy life’, truly demonstrating both the ill-thought-out nature of the writing, and the general themes that accompany this woeful spin on ‘A Christmas Carol’. The film is far too caught up in stereotypes - and not just that involving the basic threads of Dickens’ immortal piece of literature - but rather more societal problems. The idea that a mans life is good simply because his wife is happy is dismissive of other issues that may trouble a man and his mental health, in addition to being incredibly dismissive of a woman’s role in such a marriage. Further stereotypes include that of the teenager being obsessed with social media and focused on not eating meat and making the seemingly impromptu decision to become a vegan. The film is directed by Daniel Colyer with an incredible lack of real technical skill, to the point that each shot is jarringly composed, lacking depth to the stage that each shot looks as though it were practically flat. Furthermore, ‘Christmas Time’ lacks any semblance of visual flair, concerning itself mainly with shades and colours that fail to bring any of the life and magic of Christmas to screen. ‘Christmas Time’ is a dull film, one only worth watching to marvel at the innumerable tropes portrayed and the damaging, almost unbearable ways in which such tropes are presented. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Joe Beck Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

We Go Again film review by UK film critic William Curzon. Starring Zuza Tehanu, Charlotte Chiew, Tom Jolliffe directed by Oliver Jolliffe. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS We Go Again Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: William Curzon | Posted on: Sep 1, 2026 Directed by: Oliver Jolliffe Written by: Tom Jolliffe Starring: Zuza Tehanu, Charlotte Chiew, Tom Jolliffe We Go Again follows Marie (Zuza Tehanu) and Amy (Charlotte Chiew), a couple in a long-term relationship living in an isolated cottage. Both are struggling to deal with the realities of being neurodivergent, with Marie chasing her dreams and Amy close to giving up on hers. The film is a psychological drama that explores identity and how to navigate life in isolation. We Go Again opens without an obvious direction, relying instead on visual storytelling to establish its tone and characters. The film works best in its moments of stillness, as each performance shines through body language and physicality. The pacing is incredibly methodical, and this works in the film’s favour as it establishes the relationship between Marie and Amy to a suitable degree. Despite its minimal budget, the filmmakers make profound use of the single-location setting throughout much of the runtime, utilising its isolated backdrop to reinforce and deepen the film’s central narrative themes. Alongside this, the lack of dialogue is also an apt choice in the opening as the filmmakers establish how isolated the characters and cottage are. The most impressive technical aspects of the piece shine through in scenes of surrealism; these sequences are incredibly hypnotic thanks to the low-key lighting and focus on colour, giving the film a distinctive aesthetic. It's visually stunning, to say the least, and it's jaw-dropping what was accomplished with a smaller budget. These sequences are also heavily enhanced by the eerie musical score. Tom Jolliffe serves as the film's composer and does a commendable job of heightening the atmosphere with some unsettling motifs that may linger in viewers’ minds. The piece noticeably suffers from an unfinished sound mix, which can undermine certain scenes. Another technical aspect that shouldn't go unnoticed is the camerawork. Oliver Jolliffe’s framing choices are incredibly well executed, mixing wides with handheld shots during moments of conflict. The shift to fixed framing works well in dialogue-heavy scenes as the audience never loses sight of each character's vulnerability. Also serving as the film's editor, Oliver Jolliffe makes each scene feel seamless, with fluid transitions that never overstay their welcome. That said, some editing choices are bizarre, with the film frantically cutting between Marie and Amy during their conversations, creating an incredibly jarring experience. The performances are mostly solid throughout; both Zuza Tehanu and Charlotte Chiew’s portrayals of Marie and Amy, respectively, are incredibly nuanced and effective. Their performances resonate the most through their body language and physicality. By fleshing out their long-term relationship, the filmmakers create a believable dynamic, brought to life by their magnetic chemistry and nuanced portrayal of isolation. That said, the supporting players feel largely shoehorned in for comedic relief and offer fairly little to the narrative. Some of the material during the final third takes a rather sinister turn, which can feel jarring and difficult to experience as a viewer given the dark subject matter it explores. However, it pulls the rug from under the audience by recontextualising key narrative threads through its exploration of forgiveness and closure. Sadly, the conclusion can feel prolonged and never quite knows when to wrap up, despite the dramatic beats landing. We Go Again is a melancholic, surreal exploration of identity, love and passion told through isolation and psychological drama. While it may suffer from a noticeably unfinished sound mix and a prolonged conclusion, it boasts excellent camerawork and a memorable musical score. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Curzon Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Between Breath & Silence film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring Tom Sargeant, Graeme Hawley, Sam Retford directed by Nicole Pott. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Between Breath & Silence Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: May 29, 2026 Directed by: Nicole Pott Written by: Tom Sargeant Starring: Tom Sargeant, Graeme Hawley, Sam Retford Thomas Sargeant’s personal and true-life inspired short Between Breath & Silence explores grief and loss in relationships that have strained. It is a touching, at times difficult watch that holds a mirror to the audience’s own relations with family, and matches the emotional weight with complexity to result in a worthy and considered reflection on anguish. Tom (Thomas Sargeant) returns home after receiving news that his dad Paul (Graeme Hawley) has been hospitalised with a serious illness. Tom’s hesitancy about returning originates from years of tension with both his dad and brother Ryan (Sam Retford), whose issues go unstated. However, Tom’s hesitancy at including his boyfriend Matt (Kris Mochrie) in proceedings suggest sexuality has something to do with it. As his prognosis becomes terminal, Tom knows this moment may be the last chance he has to repair bridges. Between Breath & Silence is a small-scale yet intense short film that seeks to challenge its viewers with imperfect families and circumstances that demand grace and forgiveness to navigate. Presented with devastating news, Tom is forced to re-submerge in a difficult family dynamic that he had distanced himself from. Tom Sargeant’s understated scripting of his characters ensures the audience unravel these dynamics slowly, and is trusted to read between the lines to identify the sources of strife between the cast. This accomplishment is even more impressive considering the true-life inspiration of the story, and his ability to make each character believable and empathetic even when they carry deep flaws. Director Nicole Pott also captures the quiet, mournful atmosphere with a patient style that lets awkwardness, emotion and unspoken words linger. Viewers are forced to think more deeply about the characters due to the depth that each main cast member imbues. We meet Tom in a difficult moment – one where he is confronted with a stark choice between repairing family relationships and endangering his romantic one by showing more grace than might be deserved to those who disapprove of him. Graeme Hawley’s Paul is a similarly humble father in the face of his own mortality – yet viewers are also asked to see the pain that both he and Kris Mochrie’s Matt have caused due to suggested prejudice. Where such dynamics could easily lead to melodrama or overperformance, the cast understands that the quiet and unsaid works much more effectively at getting across the problems the family has in the context of the moment, and means the ultimate outpouring of emotion when it arrives is all the more effective. Add to this that the film looks great in its smaller scale framing, and the result is a really well-rounded personal short. The discomforting ambiance of Paul’s hospital room almost demands that characters restrain their true feelings, causing a notable tension to build in the viewer as slight but unconventional camera framing draws us in close to a family’s inner turmoil. The contrast between the softness of lighting when Tom is outside of his family and the darker tones that emerge when he is surrounded is also a noticeable move that shifts as bonds are altered. The success of Between Breath & Silence comes from the slight touch of its writer/star and director who understand that the power of such short films come from characters who are relatable, empathetic and well developed. It is a great testament to Tom Sargeant’s ability as a writer to bear such a personal story as well as he does here, and his story will move people regardless of whether they can fully relate to it or not. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Digital / DVD Release, Short Film, LGBTQ+ < All Reviews Next Film Review >

If Fire Knew That It Was Finally Ashes, It Would Not Dancing with Pride film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Alimorsali directed by Khashayar Sepehri. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS If Fire Knew That It Was Finally Ashes, It Would Not Dancing with Pride Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Aug 16, 2022 Directed by: Khashayar Sepehri Written by: Khashayar Sepehri Starring: Alimorsali A poor boy begs a man for help, who treats him with cruelty. This short film from Iran is one-minute-long, yet it contains a great deal of drama. A desperate-looking boy is walking in a busy street, trying to sell to people papers that predict the future. He encounters a man who has just gotten out of his car and is talking on his mobile phone. The child approaches him and asks for money and in response, the man verbally insults him and even gets physical. The man goes to his workplace and carries on with his day and when he sees the boy resting on his car, he goes to confront him, leading to devastating consequences. This drama explores themes that involve class conflict, social inequality, poverty, cruelty, indifference and selfishness. It is a hard-hitting look into a life of poverty, seen through the eyes of a vulnerable, unpriviledged child, who is forced to work in order to survive and faces lack of help. The viewer will most likely feel sorry for the boy as he tries to make some money, but to no avail and will probably feel contempt towards the man who treats him like dirt. In some ways, the boy could represent victims of unfairness and the man could represent the cause of that unfairness, as he comes across as a person with a complete lack of caring for the suffering of others. The film also seems to suggest that if someone chooses to be wicked, then they will get what is coming to them. Regarding the music, there is a melancholic piano score that accompanies the events quite effectively. This is a rather short film and it addresses some of the harshest realities of life and it does so with realism. It is a dramatic and moving story with a shocking ending and generally it offers a thoughtful experience. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Hamnet film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal directed by Chloé Zhao. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Hamnet Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Dec 3, 2025 Directed by: Chloé Zhao Written by: Chloé Zhao Starring: Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal It’s been five years since Chloé Zhao took home two Oscars, one for directing and one for adapting the screenplay for Nomadland . She returns to form in both respects with Hamnet , the cinematic adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s novel that imagines the way grief may have shaped Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy. Zhao’s film opens stunningly on Jessie Buckley, nestled womblike among the roots of a massive tree, her face and hands dirty, her hair tangled with leaves. Buckley is Agnes, believed by those in town to be the daughter of a forest witch. Agnes comes from what is. Will (Paul Mescal) imagines what can be. The hyper real poetry of Zhao’s camera perfectly articulates their yin/yang balance. It’s with Will that we first see Agnes’s nurturing side applied to humanity rather than the wild. It’s a trait that will become the backbone of their story. Her love is powerful, messy, and unforgiving, and Buckley’s more than up to the task. Her performance, as is so often the case, feels dangerous and uncensored. And gazing adoringly at her, inspired and nurtured, is Will. If there is a better face in cinema than Mescal’s for earnest yet doomed longing, I don’t know whose it could be. The young cast more than keeps pace. Jacobi Jupe is particularly amazing and utterly heartbreaking as Will and Agnes’s boy, Hamnet. (His older brother Noah Jupe also impresses later in the film as the actor portraying the great Dane in the first ever stage production.) By the time the most famous lines in theatre are uttered, it takes restraint and rawness. The slightest hint of artifice and the previous ninety minutes are ruined, the film a gimmick. But Zhao never skirts artifice, not even when she makes a Marvel movie, and Mescal delivers lines we know by heart as if they were freshly pulled from an open wound. Zhao has crafted, aided by magnificent performances and hauntingly stunning cinematography from Lukasz Zal (The Zone of Interest, Cold War), a film that is shattering in its articulation that it is the depth of love that deepens and amplifies the pain of grief. People make movies about grief all the time. We can expect one every Oscar season. But what Chloé Zhao does with Hamnet is ask us to experience that grief, not just witness it, and in experiencing it we understand the power and vital importance of art. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Barbarians film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Catalina Sandino Moreno, Tom Cullen, Iwan Rheon directed by Charles Dorfman. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Barbarians Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Mar 31, 2022 Directed by: Charles Dorfman Written by: Charles Dorfman, Statten Roeg Starring: Catalina Sandino Moreno, Tom Cullen, Iwan Rheon Why is the dinner party such a ripe concept for horror? Or at least trauma? Indies It’s a Disaster and Coherence bend time and space. The Invitation takes things in a bloody direction, The Humans picked more familial scabs. What they all have in common is that intimate gathering where familiarity breeds contempt. They also require few locations and minimal cast, so they’re not too tough to mount on a small budget. Director/co-writer Charles Dorfman takes all that into consideration with his feature debut. A veteran producer, Dorfman co-writes this fearsome tale with another longtime producer making his creative debut, Statten Roeg. Together they spin the story of birthday boy Adam (Iwan Rheon, Game of Thrones ). He and girlfriend Eva (Catalina Sandino Moreno) await their two guests. Eva is a sculptor, and she and Adam have been living in the first of what will be many exclusive new homes developed on ancient, isolated, mystical UK land. The developer, Lucas (Tom Cullen and his exceptional beard), is Adam’s polar opposite: narcissistic, ambitious, full of shit. Today Eva unveils her big sculpture, she and Adam sign final paperwork to own the house, and Adam blows out the candles on his dream of making it as a director in London in favor of quiet country life. Well, maybe not because a) Lucas has had another offer, and b) masked intruders threaten the whole evening. Part comedy of manners, part home invasion thriller, Barbarians finds itself on uneven footing. With its monolith and fertility festival masks, the film not-so-subtly conjures 2001: A Space Odyssey and The Wicker Man . It can’t deliver on either promise, though. More problematic is the way Dorfman discards the themes and character development so carefully articulated in the first half of the film. The fact that the invasion itself never matches the tension of the simple dinner —what with its evasions, lies, manipulations — becomes Dormfan’s biggest problem. At dinner, the filmmaker tends to the themes of the film, twisting discomfort into a knot that’s too easily untied by some intruders in animal masks. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release, Digital / DVD Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Universal Pictures is thrilled to debut the teaser trailer for LAST NIGHT IN SOHO. In Cinemas 29th October 2021.. Brand new film trailers. Last Night in Soho Teaser Trailer Edgar Wright’s psychological thriller about a young girl, passionate about fashion design, who is mysteriously able to enter the 1960s where she encounters her idol, a dazzling wannabe singer. But 1960s London is not what it appears, and time seems to fall apart with shady consequences… Director : Edgar Wright Writers : Edgar Wright and Krysty Wilson-Cairns Producers : Nira Park, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Laura Richardson, Edgar Wright Cast : Anya Taylor-Joy, Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie, Matt Smith, Terence Stamp, Diana Rigg, Rita Tushingham, Michael Ajao, Synnøve Karlsen #LastNightInSoho Paper Tiger The Paper Tiger trailer suggests a searing, deeply moving examination of ambition, guilt, and the toxic pursuit of the American Dream. Ink The newly dropped trailer for Ink confirms those expectations, delivering a relentless, kinetic glimpse into Fleet Street's most disruptive era. The Social Reckoning Seeing the first teaser trailer drop for its spiritual companion piece, The Social Reckoning, sent an absolute chill down my spine. Focker-in-Law If the film can sustain the frantic, competitive energy displayed in this preview, Focker-In-Law might just be the rarest of cinematic beasts: a comedy sequel that actually manages to justify its own existence. We are officially on high alert. Heart of the Beast Heart of the Beast looks like a gripping, tear-jerking cinematic triumph that will resonate with action fans and animal lovers alike. We will definitely be front and centre with our popcorn when this one hits the big screen! Klara and the Sun Klara and the Sun looks like a heart-wrenching, beautifully acted triumph that will linger in the mind long after the curtains close. Power Ballad What has us incredibly excited about Power Ballad is the dynamic friction between its two leads. Paul Rudd seems perfectly cast as the rugged, everyday musician who just wanted a shot at the big time, acknowledging with a heavy heart that having his name on a song of that magnitude would have completely changed his life. The Debut UK Film Review hasn't yet seen the final curtain rise on this one, but if the film matches the sheer dramatic potency of its trailer, The Debut is set to be a staggering, must-see cinematic triumph. One Night Only One Night Only looks to be a sharp, subversively funny, and emotionally resonant look at how we connect when time is running out. It takes a wild, satirical premise and uses it to explore a timeless question: Who would you choose if you only had one night? Supergirl As we look toward the 2026 release, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow stands as a testament to the new direction of DC Studios. Masters of the Universe With the arrival of the first trailer for the 2026 reboot of Masters of the Universe, the cinematic landscape prepares for a collision of sword, sorcery, and surprisingly, suburban Earth. Wild Foxes Dune: Part Three Picking up roughly seventeen years after the seismic events of Part Two, the trailer immediately signals a shift in tone. While the first film was an act of world-building and the second a visceral war epic, Dune: Part Three—an adaptation of Frank Herbert’s Dune Messiah—looks to be a far more claustrophobic and tense affair. In The Grey Scary Movie 6 The horror-comedy world is officially being turned upside down as the first trailer for Scary Movie 6 has finally arrived, marking a monumental return for the franchise that defined a generation of parody cinema. Empire of Lies Empire of Lies arrives in UK cinemas and on digital platforms on 27th March. Undertone Undertone is scheduled to arrive in cinemas on Friday, March 13th, 2025. If the trailer is anything to go by, we suggest you keep the lights on and perhaps think twice before pressing play on your next favourite podcast. The Moment The Land of Sometimes Twins Alfie and Elise find a magical Wish Watch on Christmas Eve and are swept by the Wish Collector into the musical Land of Sometimes, where they learn that wishes have consequences. Avengers: Doomsday Fans are elated at the release of the first teaser trailer for Avengers: Doomsday. Set for a theatrical release on 18th December 2026, find out more here.

Echappé film review by UK film critic Joe Beck. Starring Isla (Tobi) Roebig, Imani Preyor, Matthew Barningham, Louise Rankin directed by Megan McRitchie. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Echappé Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Joe Beck | Posted on: Dec 3, 2023 Directed by: Megan McRitchie Written by: Megan McRitchie Starring: Isla (Tobi) Roebig, Imani Preyor, Matthew Barningham, Louise Rankin As we grow older it is not uncommon for our hobbies and pastimes to suddenly become uninteresting and sometimes rather alienating. This is especially true during youth, when children will go from hobby to hobby as their developing brain seeks to try new things in order to discover which generates the most happiness. Sometimes we just simply lose interest, in other cases it might be a lack of time, or perhaps significant upheaval in life or the influence of a particular person. The distaste felt by the protagonist of Megan McRitchie’s ‘Echappé’ towards their former passion stems from all of these things, as demonstrated in a frustratingly jarring way in the film. ‘Echappé’ follows Sylvie, played by Isla (Tobi) Roebig, as they return to their old ballet school, the source of both triumph and anguish, in order to watch a friend’s, Lily’s (played by Imani Preyor) performance. Sylvie has made the leap from what we presume to be a small town dance school to London, where they have had an audition at the Royal - although they didn’t receive the prestigious gig - but remains searching for work despite their best efforts to find a job. Sylvie is tired of the endless pressures placed upon themselves through their upbringing in ballet, and searching for a release, through the flashing strobe lights of the club is clearly doing them no favours either. You sense that Sylvie has returned for a greater reason than simply to watch their old friends performance, rather, that they have returned in order to evoke some profound decision in order to decide the next steps in their life, and whether or not to continue pursuing the ballet dream. An old tape recording shows a young Sylvie (Louise Rankin) dancing under the instruction of their strict, pushy coach Steven (Matthew Barningham), and this is interwoven with the present day as Sylvie dances in her old studio, only to be interrupted by Steven, cynical as ever, who provides yet more scathing words on their back. Sylvie must reckon with their past in order to decide their future, and their return to their dance school, the source of both joy and struggle, is, in their mind at least, critical to deciding whether or not they have the passion to pursue a career in dance anymore. All this is directed with poise and precision by Megan McRitchie, whose framing of the film and all its events create tension even when the script, also written by McRitchie, fails to provide any. It is jarring how contrasting the directing and writing is - with the direction suggesting entertainment and talent of the highest order, whilst the script is stilted in its dialogue, leaving the actors with little to work with or make any positive impression with. Each interaction between characters feels forced and unbelievable, and thus it is difficult to invest in Sylvie’s pursuit of an answer for their future, as so much of this rests on their interactions and discussions with those around them. Whilst Megan McRitchie’s directing is of a standout quality, the pieces that surround this are lacklustre, and as a result ‘Echappé’ ultimately disappoints, feeling incredibly turgid throughout. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Joe Beck Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >