Elvis film review by UK film critic George Wolf. Starring Austin Butler, Tom Hanks directed by Baz Luhrmann. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Elvis Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: George Wolf | Posted on: Jun 23, 2022 Directed by: Baz Luhrmann Written by: Baz Luhrmann, Sam Bromell, Craig Pearce Starring: Austin Butler, Tom Hanks If you’re looking for someone to bring a fresh perspective to the Elvis Presley story, Baz Luhrmann would seem like a no brainer. Though he can certainly lean too hard toward style and away from substance (Australia ), he can also fill a screen with tremendous energy, visual pizazz and musical exuberance (Moulin Rouge! ). And by now, any by-the-numbers take on Elvis would just be silly. Think more Rocketman, less Bohemian Rhapsody. Luhrmann’s Elvis succeeds – to a point, as inspired choices often push the film forward while others seem to hold it back. At the top of the win column is Austin Butler’s mesmerizing performance as The King. Beyond capturing the smoldering good looks and iconic speech pattern, Butler finds power in the raw physicality of role, an essential part of believing how this one man’s sexuality shook the world. No doubt Butler will be remembered comes awards season. And yet, this film is only partially about Elvis. GD national treasure Tom Hanks – an awards contender himself under layers of impressive makeup and prosthetics – narrates the film as Elvis’s longtime manager, Col. Tom Parker. Ill and seemingly nearing his end, Parker wants to tell us his side of story, and why he’s maybe not as bad as we’ve been told. And while focusing on the perspective of the “Snowman” (Parker’s term for a master of the snow job) without legitimizing it is an interesting approach, it also keeps us detached from the Showman. Even when depicting Elvis’s childhood, Luhrmann (co-writing as well as directing) frames him as akin to a comic book hero. So as we follow the meteoric rise, the Hollywood floundering, the comeback and the Vegas rot, the film is more interested in holding Presley up as a mythical figure than holding him accountable as a mere mortal. There are moments with show-stopping visuals and stand-up-and-cheer performances (especially the “If I Can Dream” sequence from Elvis’s TV special in 1968), but they never feel like enough. Luhrmann drops in occasional clips of the real King, and peppers the impressive cast with Kelvin Harrison, Jr. (as B.B. King), Gary Clark, Jr. (Big Boy Crudup) Yola (Sister Rosetta Tharpe) Kodi Smit-McPhee (Jimmie Rodgers Snow) and more, gearing you up for a gloriously indulgent showcase that never comes. Elvis is stylistic, well-performed and often highly entertaining. But with an overlong running time of 2 1/2 hours plus, you’d think there would be at least a little room left to go full Luhrmann. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic George Wolf Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

CLOAcKED PENs film review by UK film critic William Baines. Starring Hashim Abubacker directed by Ananthu Ramesh. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS CLOAcKED PENs Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: William Baines | Posted on: Aug 10, 2021 Directed by: Ananthu Ramesh Written by: Ananthu Ramesh Starring: Hashim Abubacker A film about pens. Straight away, writer and director Ananthu Ramesh has given himself a tough task in creating an engaging and insightful short film. However, the simple storyline, and an excellent performance by Hashim Abubacker, crafts a film that viewers are unlikely to forget. The only character in the film (played by Hashim Abubacker) has a simple goal: to write. This menial and seemingly insignificant task becomes relentlessly infuriating and insurmountable for our unfortunate hero of the story. The film disregards any need for context or character development. After all, this is a situation we have all found ourselves in; the desire for simple objects to work. In the beginning, he remains calm and composed as he reaches for his pens. He tries one. Two. Three. Four. The emergence of fury begins as a fly enters the room, another universal annoyance that humans must face. Interesting cinematic choices by director Ananthu Ramesh keep the viewer totally focused, demonstrated in some excellent shots from the flies perspective as it seems to mock him for his struggles. The rage builds and we see a fascinating transformation of the once calm character; a transformation that much of us see far too often in ourselves. Cinematography plays an essential role in showing this transformation. As mentioned before, a fly point-of-view sequence leads to a fresh perspective. Excellent cinematography such as this prevents a simplistic storyline from becoming slightly dull for certain viewers. Shots of the pens throughout also portrays them as almost characters themselves; characters that transform from a friend to an enemy as they one-by-one refuse to work. Ananthu Ramesh is able to build clear tension between the pens and the lead actor, an idea that could seem absurd outside the transformative world of film. The sound-design is also an essential element throughout the film, crafted by Poisoned Toffee and Shyam Sundar. A continuous backdrop of music that complements the excellent portrayal of growing frustration that turns to all-out rage. CLOAcKED PENs is an excellent look into simple, everyday annoyances that can impact us so powerfully. For myself (and many others I am sure), it acts as an introspective view into the unjustifiable effects on ourselves that stem from these insignificant irritants. This film acts as a fascinating and unique portrayal of this. Brought together with excellent cinematography, sound-design and an outstanding lead performance, this short film was a wonderful insight into the absurdity of some human behaviour. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Baines Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Darkness Hunting film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring David Rice, Damita Harris, Jordan Bryant directed by Adam Sergent. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Darkness Hunting Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Apr 14, 2023 Directed by: Adam Sergent Written by: Adam Sergent Starring: David Rice, Damita Harris, Jordan Bryant Extravagant characters and classic staples make up the highlights of Adam Sergent’s Darkness Hunting, a lower budget comedy horror that charms through its exploration and subversions of its unusual genre. A group of five ghosthunters head out to a secluded woods to explore a haunted house. Led by the fame-hungry Derek (David Rice), the gang stage a series of clips to demonstrate ‘strange’ phenomena they uncover – but brainiac researcher Eli (Wheeler Green) is sceptical the house holds what they seek. To the surprise of absolutely no-one, it turns out that a presence even more horrifying than the gang imagined is ready to emerge… Baffling yet intriguing, muddled yet endearing, there’s something about Darkness Hunting that just clicks despite some bizarre and inadvisable creative directions. The film is overlong, the plot is largely copy/paste material, the script is packed with exposition and clunky, stilted dialogue, and technological problems beleaguer throughout. And yet there is a notable sense of passion in the film emanating from the filmmakers and cast that has a marked effect of edging down these flaws and playing into the black comedy of a film that follows a long line of over-the-top, low-budget horrors. The film pays homage to countless predecessors and lovingly deconstructs the ridiculousness of its genre. Filled with many more laughs than scares, the story focuses on the demonic and satanic without ever really stepping up the terror. Instead, elements of a horror movie are utilised to explore the relationships and dynamics between the characters, and satirise the bizarre circumstances of its influences. Tonally, it fits the film perfectly, but horror enthusiasts should not go in expecting to hide behind the couch. The ensemble cast make the film work. Each of the primary five characters brings enough energy, colour and continuing development to grab the viewer’s interest and reshape themselves regularly enough to keep it fixated. Initially appearing as bored caricatures, Sergent slowly unravels his casts’ layers to reveal fascinating and unexpected dynamics. David Rice is suitably sleazy as ghosthunter host Derek, whose fine performance is almost upstaged by an early-2000s goatee that says more than any acting could. Wheeler Green’s unnerving turn as Eli is lovingly camp, and works well in establishing standings between the gang. But Jordan Bryant as Boyd stands out as the film’s heart. His moving explanation of how he got involved in ghost hunting is a rare moment of levity that results in audience connection with the character beyond surface-level enjoyment of their extravagant personalities. A word should be reserved for rather poor sound design and mixing throughout. Imperfections are to be expected with lower-budget features, however the quality of the vocal recording makes almost every character’s lines muffled and distant. Furthermore, a whimsical, happy-go-lucky score seems to accompany 80% of the runtime. Seemingly used to play up the farcical comedy at the outset, it becomes increasingly distracting as the film goes on and quickly wears out its welcome. Under no circumstances is Darkness Hunting a great movie, and one suspects the filmmakers never truly aimed to make one. What it is at its best is a fun movie, with characters that are enjoyable to watch and comedy that plays entertainingly with its genre. It does begin to drag even at 70 minutes, but a sense of charm, passion and ambition means viewers have enough to enjoy for the most part. Watch the Darkness Hunting official trailer here . Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Digital / DVD Release, Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Beguiled Company film review by UK film critic Joe Beck. Starring Chance Gilliam, Jess Tomasko, Devyn Williams, Gabriel Hawk, Megan Thompson directed by Tristan James Jensen. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Beguiled Company Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Joe Beck | Posted on: Sep 25, 2022 Directed by: Tristan James Jensen Written by: Tristan James Jensen Starring: Chance Gilliam, Jess Tomasko, Devyn Williams, Gabriel Hawk, Megan Thompson Given the current state of the world, it should come as a surprise to nobody that films like ‘Beguiled Company’ are growing in popularity. In fact, over the next few years, as the global economic crisis deepens, films like this will likely only be made more and more. The merits of that for filmmaking could be debated endlessly - on the one hand, you have directors exploring new ideas with the camera, filming in innovative and creative ways. However, the flip side of that is the growth of nihilistic filmmaking, which is so centred on confronting ‘society’ that it never considers one of the fundamentals of storytelling - good characters. That’s exactly the kind of film ‘Beguiled Company’ is - one in which ‘the message’, and its undoubted good points are outweighed by the lack of care handed to its characters and the undirected anger aimed at the system. It’s a film which thinks itself clever in its rebellion but is nothing more than a pot shot, filled with buzzwords and vague messages - the kind of thing ripped off a young, disillusioned teenager's Twitter page. The film follows a group of young twenty-somethings, all looking for a way to beat the system. There’s Brenden (Chance Gilliam), the leader of the group, and the main instigator behind all the group’s mayhem - he’s rude, brash and thoroughly unlikeable - the kind of main character you just want to punch. He lives with Mason (Devyn Williams) and Tino (Gabriel Hawk) - Mason the cautious member of the pack, and the one most concerned with their crimes - he’s by far the most likeable, though Tino also possesses a certain charm. The remaining members of their group are Ilisha (Jess Tomasko), a homeless girl they discover and become friends with, and Sydney (Megan Thompson), who is kind of just there. The film aims to show their heady descent into their ways, as they are chucked about by society, but it’s just an exercise in what happens when the system is upturned. It’s not particularly fun - the group as a collective are obnoxious whenever they leave their house - taking their form of justice on Walmart, the cops, and on an alleged paedophile. They wear masks of Trump, Shrek, and Al Jolson in blackface as they exact revenge on those who get in their way. Its dialogue is so ridden with cliches, you could attach any number of lines to one of those images of the Joker - ‘we’re all slaves to society’; ‘that’s the trap’ and ‘oh sweet I love 9/11’. The film doesn’t know when it’s stepped over the line, and when one character says ‘you’re racist’ to a cop pulling them over for legitimate reasons, then it’s about a mile over it. It’s as though the director Tristan James Jensen exists in his own world, where he’s morally righteous and everyone who dares to disagree is completely wrong and totally out of line. For all Jensen’s flaws on the writing and story side of ‘Beguiled Company’, he at least offsets that through some impressive direction. Jensen’s vision of the fallen world is framed through a creative lens, and it isn’t merely some bleak depiction, filled with turgid blacks and greys. No, he allows colour and light into his vision of a flawed society - in particular, there’s an extended psychedelic sequence which mesmerises and allows Jensen to let his obvious talent sparkle. He’s a director I’d like to see more from, though with a different kind of film and a script not written by himself. If it’s films like ‘Beguiled Company’ which give us some of the next generation of filmmakers then we’re in for a rough few years for debut films. It’s a film made for the Twitter generation, for edge lords high on reading ‘A Clockwork Orange’, who are pretentious in their own way and have disturbed, nihilistically bleak visions of a gritty world in which they are the morally virtuous and those who don’t conform to their rules deserve nothing. Films like this have a place, but only when they are intelligent enough to admit the flaws in their philosophy, 'Beguiled Company' fails to do that. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Joe Beck Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Lonesome film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Anonymous contributors directed by Justice Khor. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Lonesome Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Mar 6, 2022 Directed by: Justice Khor Written by: Various Starring: Anonymous contributors Born from the Covid-19 pandemic, Lonesome takes the isolation felt by tens of millions of people around the globe, something that had not been there previously, and transposes it to the LGBTQ+ community, particularly that of Malaysia. Film-maker Justice Khor believes that this new feeling experienced by large sections of the population is representative of the 'queer existential invisibility' that those in the LGBTQ+ community have already suffered for decades, if not centuries. With this in mind, Khor asked people to contribute their own stories and experiences of living with this isolation, segregation and oppression by calling up a phone number and leaving their own (very) personal messages. As you might imagine, a lot of the details related within these messages are disturbing, unsettling and at times harrowing, and so the film opens with trigger warning that it contains descriptions of 'homophobia and heterosexism, transphobia and trans-misogyny, mental illness and self-harm, cyberharrassment and school bullying'. The messages are indeed not easy listening, but equally are extremely important in allowing people to share their thoughts and experiences to build a true picture of their treatment by the rest of society. Khor's unique approach permits an expression through anonymity which might otherwise never have been allowed to come to the fore, and for this opportunity and gift of (relative) freedom, he should be highly commended. Through seventeen minutes several speakers tell their stories with a degree of resignation and matter-of-factness. Their words are transposed onto the screen using subtitles and are overlaid on top of differing lonely scenes caught by director of photography, Chew Boon Wai. Actual human beings figure very sparsely within the visuals, with Khor instead opting for wide establishing shots of city-scapes and other images of isolation such as empty corridors and untouched personal belongings. There is a question though, which hangs over the production of this documentary, as to whether film was in fact the correct medium for telling these stories. We know that all of the contributors called up and left their messages anonymously, which means we also know that any images on screen do not relate directly to any of the speakers that we hear. Despite Khor's best efforts some of the images don't match up to the words on screen and in essence all the audience is doing is reading anonymous testimony while non-specific visuals are relayed underneath. In a world where media is saturated by variety and choice might it have been better to use these testimonies as a launch pad for interview and discussion on a podcast? Would it have been more useful, and fair, to collect as many of these stories as possible and portray them at length through written publication? When the viewer is basically reading these accounts for themselves on screen anyway and the contributors' experiences are being truncated to fit a short film format; when the visuals don't necessarily relate to the individuals involved; are their stories really being delivered the justice they deserve? Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Short Film, Documentary, LGBTQ+, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Decrypted film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Sophia Myles, David Hoflin, Don Gilet, Akie Kotabe, Talisa Garcia, Clive Francis, Amanda Abbington, Kevin McNally directed by Tom Sands. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Decrypted Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Nov 4, 2021 Directed by: Tom Sands Written by: Mick Sands Starring: Sophia Myles, David Hoflin, Don Gilet, Akie Kotabe, Talisa Garcia, Clive Francis, Amanda Abbington, Kevin McNally Members of the National Security Agency kidnap the creator of Bitcoin and bring him to an apartment for interrogation. However, things do not go according to plan, leading to outrageous consequences. Due to the issues it might cause in the financial world, the Trump administration categorizes its developer as a terrorist and the NSA takes action. Special officer Beth Barnes (Myles) and captain Buck Johnson (Hoflin) have been assigned to capture Satoshi Nakamoto (Kotabe), the man who created Bitcoin and extract valuable information from him that will eliminate cryptocurrencies. In London, Nakamoto and his associate Sofia (Garcia) are taken by Barnes and Johnson and brought to an apartment, where they plan to make them cooperate. Unbeknown to them, they are being spied on by two members of the MI5, who are staying in the building opposite them. The two NSA members report their progress to Colonel Pike (McNally), who is in the United States. The mission swiftly goes downhill as Johnson finds himself unable to resist Sofia and loses his patience with Nakamoto. Eventually, the people in the apartment are injected with a substance that makes them tell the truth, leading to all sorts of shenanigans. Most of the story in this adult dark comedy takes place inside the London apartment, following the situation as it spirals out of control. The operation begins OK, then Johnson's behaviour turns things around, as he becomes sexually involved with Sofia and viciously beats Nakamoto and repeatedly waterboards him. The administration of the truth serum drugs is what leads the story to its catastrophic conclusion. It should be mentioned that this movie is not for sensitive viewers. There is often very strong language, a very strong sex scene and a great deal of sex talk. The part where Nakamoto is assaulted and tortured might be quite upsetting to some. The protagonists deliver entertaining performances as mostly awkward individuals. Hoflin's character is the one who steals the show with his over-the-top performance as a person who ignores his mission and is more interested in pursuing his sexual desires and goes berserk as he attempts to make Nakamoto talk. Myles is the one who is focused on her duty and tries to keep it together. McNally also has an interesting role as a nervous military man who is constantly sitting at his desk, trying to put together a miniature battleship. Recognition also goes to Francis who plays a resident of the building where the interrogation is taking place and finds himself getting caught in the middle of it. Haydn West develops wonderful cinematography that works particularly well during the flashbacks. Richard Morson makes a great contribution with the music that is dramatic, atmospheric, tense, mesmerising and entertaining. Decrypted is not for everyone. It contains a lot of profanity and a great deal of dialogue about sex. One could also argue that the film is a bit overlong. Nevertheless, those who enjoy dark and adult humour will probably not be disappointed. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Digital / DVD Release, Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Other John film review by UK film critic James Learoyd. Starring Wyatt Fenner, Ryan Spahn directed by Ryan Spahn. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Other John Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: James Learoyd | Posted on: Apr 11, 2024 Directed by: Ryan Spahn Written by: Ryan Spahn Starring: Wyatt Fenner, Ryan Spahn The Other John is a truly surprising and provocative experience. It’s unconventional in every sense of the word; cinematically audacious for its use of an unusual split-screen format, and socially probing in its exploration of complex or exploitative sexual intimacy. The film depicts two men entering an apartment where they kiss, flirt, and eventually have sex (also in the apartment is a cute and comical cat). We see the nuances of their chemistry leading to the act itself which holds a feeling of authenticity whilst not actually being so explicit. However, as the characters’ interaction develops, multiple reveals take place that throw the couple’s power dynamics out of balance. Neither being what they seem, the short presents a perceptive and disturbing realism that encourages discussion regarding what’s described by the filmmakers as “the sometimes violent ways hook-up culture destabilizes gay men’s ability to make honest and truthful connections”. This piece can be admired on several levels, but most notably the viewer's positioning in relation to the scenario is wholly unique - and incredibly unsettling. What we are seeing at all times are four static shots on screen – the frame is divided into quarters for all seven minutes, showing various locations about the apartment – and the fact that each camera angle is strangely random and oblique only starts to make sense as the picture progresses. There maintains an unexplained layer of voyeurism throughout the piece: what begins as an excitingly original storytelling choice eventually becomes a deeply sinister commentary, succeeding on a level of both engagement and in-world logic. It’s daring in a way that’s not often encountered; for it not only places the characters in a vulnerable position, but we as the audience also experience great discomfort at the implications of what we’ve been watching. It’s brave and slightly vulgar filmmaking, and it will work for some but not all. It’s an important insight into a toxic type of circumstance. Audiences may question the intent of the piece, the element of moral ambiguity being an artistically challenging thing to reckon with. For example, when the action begins the characters seem super charming and likable – and the vulnerability of their activities urges us to further consider them as real people. Thus, when these two people reveal themselves to be duplicitous, even exploitative, the viewer may not know how to respond. Yet it could be suggested that it’s the short film’s greatest strength, as it flips from being perceptive to being actively confrontational. To surmise, The Other John may not be accessible to a lot of people who wish for linear, dramatic movie making, however what it offers is something you very rarely see. It’s undeniably ambitious, for it wishes to send a troubling message, and the way they send it couldn’t be less traditional. I found myself admiring most every decision being made, often purely for its disregard of the creatively ‘normal’. It’s of the upmost importance that movies challenge us on a level of spectatorship, and right now low-budget cinema is the best place for it to happen. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic James Learoyd Short Film, LGBTQ+ < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Last Movie Ever Made film review by UK film critic Swati Verma. Starring Adam Rini, Megan Hughes Rini, Craig Curtis directed by Nathan Blackwell. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Last Movie Ever Made Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Swati Verma | Posted on: Apr 9, 2025 Directed by: Nathan Blackwell Written by: Nathan Blackwell Starring: Adam Rini, Megan Hughes Rini, Craig Curtis The writer-director Nathan Blackwell shapes his vision to tell a story that keeps the audience hooked to it with the roller coaster ride in terms of relationships and emotions. Adam Rini, Megan Hughes Rini, Craig Curtis along with other supporting cast members have assisted Blackwell to translate an intriguing script to the screen. The plot of The Last Movie Ever Made revolves around Marshall trying to convince a group of friends and strangers to help finish the Sci-fi movie he abandoned in high school as the world is about to end. The Last Movie Ever Made begins with a black screen followed by a combination of a series of mid-shot and long shots to depict a sense of chaos from the very beginning so that the audiences get ready for what is in store for them as the narrative progresses. The writer-director Nathan Blackwell incorporates interactions with Marshall’s inner voice which keeps the slow-moving narrative thought provoking for the viewers till it picks the pace up. The Set design, white, brown, and blue colour pallet, camera angles, lighting, dialogues, costumes, hair, makeup, and props have been kept simple as well as natural to establish the subject matter of the film. The Last Movie Ever Made takes the audience through the whole process of filmmaking and helps film enthusiasts learn from it. In terms of Performance, Adam Rini plays Mashall the male lead who is tied up in his chaotic lifestyle but once he comes to know about the world ending, he wants to complete his abandoned movie and also spend some time with his friends. Rini beautifully balances his emotions, facial expressions, body language, and voice modulation to portray what Marshall is going through with every situation in the story. Megan Hughes Rini plays the role of Audrey the female lead who comes and works on Marshall’s incomplete film project. Audrey is an emotional person trying to be tough for fighting the world for her daughter. Rini depicts Audrey’s sincerity towards her work commitments and her motherly duties. The chemistry between the real-life couple Adam Rini and Megan Hughes Rini helps the viewers understand the equation between Marshall and Audrey adds emotional layered depth to the narrative. Benjamin Patridge lends his voice to Marshall’s inner conscience and reminds him of everything thing that is going to happen in the future. Patridge uses the voice modulation to showcase realism and make his depiction relatable. The Last movie Ever Made talks about human nature/behaviour when dealing with the extreme situations all characters in the movie have to face and how they become each other’s support system to combat it. The feature film teaches the audience to express what you feel towards friends and the loved ones on a regular basis before it is too late. The cinematic piece reiterates the importance of spending quality time with the people one cares about the most. The creative piece highlights how crucial it becomes to cherish memories and follow one’s passion with the like-minded people who one can trust. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Swati Verma Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

PROGedia - Down (Original Mix) film review by UK film critic Swati Verma. Starring Catena, Fed Conti directed by Alessandro Amaducci. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS PROGedia - Down (Original Mix) Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Swati Verma | Posted on: Feb 15, 2022 Directed by: Alessandro Amaducci Written by: Fed Conti Starring: Catena, Fed Conti The title "ProGedia-Down" chosen by the makers of this music video helps attract traffic on the YouTube channel and also listeners to various platforms like "Fanlink" and "Randsrecord". The creative team has also put out the newsletters to increase the popularity of the musical piece and also keep the crowd updated with the latest developments of the same. The concept of the single written by Fed Conti and the remix from the bug is very new and unique idea in the music industry. The pandemic has made us so dependent on technology for everything right from education to entertainment. The genre of album "Down" falls under the category of Dance/Electronic. The storyline of this music video shows us a special music concert designed for the humanoid robot. The album is able to keep both the music lovers and the technology geeks interested in their end product. The creative team knows how to continuously innovate with the ideas so that the content they come up with it suits the present time and the masses relate and fall in love with it. The R&S group has given the viewers a futuristic approach in terms of both music and technology. Fed Conti always believed in refreshing the quality of the music piece with the changing times while paying a tribute to the old classics. The new single by Fed Conti opens with a theatre setup in middle of the night sky. The camera slowly zooms into it, transporting the audience in the world of Robots. The curtains pull up and the downloading sign comes on the screen as the concert kick starts. The masses enjoy this new concept to the core and look forward to such content by R&S Records- the long standing electronic music powerhouse in the future as well. The upbeat track with the drumming, guitar, microphones, and the piano all gives the vibes of a real virtual music concert. The twist to the tale comes when the concert is customized according to the robots. This is the refreshing unexpected change that the audiences are also surprised by. As an audience and a music lover I liked the inclusion of computer coding at the end of the music video. This was a smart move to increase the audience engagement with the high end concept. The camera angles, set design, the lighting, color palette, editing and the special effects all of these come together to work hard and build such a brilliant piece of art. All the elements-Robots, set of the concert, the computer codes are very well placed. It does seem very smooth and does not break the continuity of the music video. The gate of the theatre has the logo of R&S Records; this music band invites the viewers into the world they have created for the masses. The audience wants to be left in the same environment and not come out into the real world. The makers of this music video pay attention to all the minute details of the creative piece so that it appeals to the audience and the public spreads the word of mouth. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Swati Verma Music Video < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Time to Go film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Pamela Mayoss, Patrick Jeffries directed by Thomas Elliott Griffiths. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Time to Go Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Mar 11, 2026 Directed by: Thomas Elliott Griffiths Written by: Rob Sharp Starring: Pamela Mayoss, Patrick Jeffries A short satirical feminist thriller directed by Thomas Elliott Griffiths, written by Rob Sharp and starring Pamela Mayoss and Patrick Jeffries. Megan (Mayoss) is an office worker who does not like her boss, Gavin (Jeffries). Gavin is a narcissistic and obnoxious man and Megan has been working for him for ages. She has finally had enough of his terrible behaviour and has made the decision to stop him once and for all. She is going to kill him. The concept of this amusing (in a dark way) and also quite sinister: a frustrated and angry employee wants to murder her awful boss. Although that is the plot, the film does not have a straightforward narrative. Things are seen through Megan's perspective, and she spends almost the entire duration breaking the fourth wall and addressing the audience, with her words being voice-over. The film begins with her being at her workplace and describing what a wicked person Gavin is and the rest is primarily about Megan meticulously plotting the murder describing how she is going to do it (and looking online for instructions), while two members of law enforcement investigate a crime (the murder?). There is tension and distressing scenes and the unsettling atmosphere is accompanied by Ray Badger's cool music with great drumming. Mayoss leads the film very effectively by portraying a woman determined to make the world a better place by eliminating a vile individual. She is methodical and very angry with the injustice that she is witnessing. Jeffries's character is the guy targeted by Megan, a corporate man whose lack of consideration for others is evident when it comes to firing people and he perceives women as sex objects. A very unpleasant person. Via a plot about murder and revenge, this short acts as an exploration of feminism, sexism, narcissism and hatred. To a degree, there are elements that make this viewing about misandry, a consideration that is motivated by the character of Gavin, as he is presented as utterly despicable. A film with dark humour and a lot of drama that is less keen on telling a story, focusing instead on a situation where a person has decided to commit murder. The result is an intriguing viewing that gains a lot from Mayoss's performance. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

A Quiet Place: Day One film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Lupita Nyong'o, Joseph Quinn, Alex Wolff directed by Michael Sarnoski. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS A Quiet Place: Day One Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Jun 27, 2024 Directed by: Michael Sarnoski Written by: Michael Sarnoski, John Krasinski, Bryan Woods Starring: Lupita Nyong'o, Joseph Quinn, Alex Wolff Writer/director Michael Sarnoski has more than inventive scares to live up to as he helms A Quiet Place: Day One . The third installment of John Krasinski’s alien invasion series may boast breathless tension, sudden gore, and the most silent theaters you’re likely to visit. Beyond all those things, Krasinski shows no mercy at all when it comes to ripping your heart out. In that area, he does more damage than aliens. Well, Sarnoski is ready for it—all of it—so you should bring some tissues. Lupita Nyong’o leads a stellar cast as Sam, an unhappy woman on a day trip with her cat to NYC. Her plans are upended when giant ear-head monsters begin dropping from the sky, smack into the noisiest city in the nation. Watching as folks figure out how to survive without saying a word offers Episode 3 an excellent way to carve new ground. Sarnoski’s a fascinating choice to direct this third installment, which was originally meant for Jeff Nichols (who would have been an unusual choice for a SciFi/horror sequel too). Nichols dropped out to make The Bikeriders , but Krasinski (who co-writes and produces) still nabbed a filmmaker not known for genre but for heartfelt, beautifully drawn indies. Sarnoski’s Nic Cage showcase Pig is one of the greatest films of 2021 and boasts perhaps the best performance of the prodigious actor’s career. Alex Wolff, who held his own against Cage in Pig, is one of a slew of actors who makes a big impression with limited screentime and even less dialog. Djimon Hounsou mines more from his handful of minutes in this film than in the whole running time of A Quiet Place Part II , and Joseph Quinn (Stranger Things ) finds power in panic and shares a wonderful postapocalyptic chemistry with Nyong’o. Plus there’s a cat, Frodo. Yes, it’s a cheap way to generate tension as you spend the entire film asking, “Wait, where’s the cat? How is the cat?” The script calls for a handful of other easy ploys for anxiety, fear and emotion, but Sarnoski and his cast rise above these. They make you believe them. Any time you can watch a film with giant extra-terrestrials bearing ear drums where a face should be and you find yourself fully believing anything, you’re watching a pretty good movie. A Quiet Place: Day One is a pretty good movie. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Andrew Bowser, Jeffrey Combs, Barbara Crampton directed by Andrew Bowser. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Oct 17, 2023 Directed by: Andrew Bowser Written by: Andrew Bowser Starring: Andrew Bowser, Jeffrey Combs, Barbara Crampton Are you prepared for Onyx the Fortuitous? I don’t know. You may recognize Andrew Bowser as Marcus Trillbury, a character Bowser inserts (pretty seamlessly) into Detroit news broadcasts, just a passerby with his own take on newsworthy events. Writer/director/star Bowser brings his YouTube channel weird guy to the big screen with Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls . Onyx (Bowser) is kind of Jack Black crossed with Napoleon Dynamite. He’s invited to attend a ritual at the mansion of Satanic luminary Bartok the Great (Jeffrey Combs) – one of five in all the world with such an invitation. It is literally the greatest thing that has ever, ever happened to Marcus Trillbury. Onyx. Onyx the Fortuitous. If everybody could just call him Onyx the Fortuitous… Once at the mansion, Onyx the Fortuitous meets four other people who accept him without reservation: Mack (Rivkah Reyes), Jesminder (Melanie Chandra), Mr. Duke (Terrence Carson) and Shelley (Arden Myrin). It looks like Onyx has not only found friends, but once the ritual is complete, he’ll also have immortality! What could be better? I don’t know. Could something unsavory be afoot? Might there be reason to distrust longtime occultist Bartok the Great? And what of Farrah the Disciple (Olivia Taylor Dudley)? Shout out as well to Barbara Crampton playing Marcus – I mean, Onyx’s smokin’ hot mom. What follows is kind of a Scooby-Doo episode, if Scoob and the gang were active occultists seeking league with Satan. It’s campy fun, but your enjoyment 100% depends on how long you can find Bowser’s character funny. If the opening few minutes don’t sit well with you, watch no farther. Indeed, even if you do laugh out loud early and often, likely the lengthy and meandering gags will try your patience and the Beetlejuice callback will just feel ill conceived. And yet, for a wholesome (if you’re not offended by Satan), goofy good time, Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls is an excellent bit of fun. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >