★★★ Directed by #BreaGrant Written by #BreaGrant Starring #AngelaBettis #ChloeFarnworth #DavidArquette Film Review by Hope Madden “My mama always said, never trust a skinny woman. While we are eating, they are plotting.” Amen, sister. The skinny woman in question is Mandy (Angela Bettis, glorious as always). And she’s skinny for a reason. It’s the tail end of 1999 somewhere in Texas and Mandy’s just starting a 12 Hour Shift. She’s a nurse (on probation) in a hospital that’s not well staffed, not well run, and losing more patients and organs than it has a right to. Writer/director Brea Grant strikes an intriguing tone. Her film’s humor is simultaneously deadpan, macabre and very silly. It’s an unusual spot to hit because you don’t root against any of the bad guys, even though they’re doing horrible and often needless things to perfectly likable people. Mainly out of stupidity. Bettis is dead-eyed perfection, her unflappable nature a front for reluctant tenderness. She’s orbited by a wild assortment of hicks, Karens, low-rent crime lords, criminals, hypochondriacs, bumbling cops, and drugs. So, so many drugs. Boldly colorful and strikingly stupid, Chloe Farnworth’s Regina is a wonderful counterpoint to Mandy. Together the two generate laughs with the kind of frustrating bond you only have with kin. Nikea Gamby-Turner’s comfortable presence creates a great energy, while producer David Arquette essentially plays David Arquette (but he does it so well!). Grant’s film is ghoulish and tense, with a genuinely unexpected musical number. It’s a hard film to nail down, and though it plays out like a long and especially bloody sitcom, the utter lunacy of the plot feels grounded in an authentic exhaustion and insanity known only to those who work in hospitals. #HopeMadden

★★★★ Directed by: #HarryBradbeer Written by: #JackThorne Starring: #MillieBobbyBrown, #HelenaBonhamCarter, #HenryCavill, #SamClaflin Film Review by Connor Slatkoff Sharpe With this year’s summer box office still in lockdown, Netflix has released yet another feature film to fill the theatre-going void for subscribers everywhere, this time with Harry Bradbeer’s adaptation of Enola Holmes. And where recent Netflix original titles Extraction and The Old Guard set about to shake us from our isolation slumber with pulse-pounding action and ear-drum-rattling gun-fire, Bradbeer attempts to calm some of those shot nerves with what is a playful, bright, and refreshing take on a largely worn-out intellectual property. Based on Nancy Springer’s YA novel The Case of the Missing Marquess: An Enola Holmes Mystery (with an understandably reduced movie title), the film follows the young, fourth-wall-breaking sister of the famed Sherlock Holmes: Enola, played by Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown. The youngest Holmes represents all the positive attributes of her older brother Sherlock—who is played here by Henry Cavill—without as much of the anti-social “sleuthiness” we’ve come to expect from performances by Benedict Cumberbatch and Robert Downey Jr. in the ever-replicated role of the famed private detective. What this leaves audiences with is a quippy, kind-hearted character who—despite seeming more superhero than young genius—is an excellent guide through this whimsical interpretation of Victorian England. We first meet our young heroine as she wildly bikes along a winding country road, hurtling towards the camera and instantly addressing the audience to establish what will be a constant line of conversation throughout the entire film. We discover that she has been brought up as a keen intellectual by her mother (Helena Bonham Carter) in their old ivy-encased manor home, away from her two largely absent older brothers Sherlock and Mycroft—both of whom left home years earlier to pursue fame and power in the bustling metropolitan city of London. However, she soon reveals that everything is not as it should be; days prior, on the verge of Enola’s sixteenth birthday, her mother disappeared, leaving but a few tokens of farewell in her wake. With this mystery to unravel, and the impending return of her two older brothers, it becomes increasingly clear that for young Enola, the game is well and truly afoot. Overall, Bradbeer’s direction is succinct and heavily stylized, with great use of a “cut-out-vignette” type animation to add a level of whimsy and story-book narration to this already lighthearted romp. Scenery—be it gently sloping country hills or the tightly packed streets of London—is beautifully captured by cinematographer Giles Nuttgens, with a landscape painter’s eye for sweeping settings and far reaching horizons. The intimacy created between Enola and her audience through the nearly constant breaking of the fourth-wall, and the tight framing of her head and shoulders, causes those moments of audience address to feel more like a personal Zoom-call to each watcher, rather than simply a general remark to camera. This effect would not be nearly as successful without such a committed and joyful performance from the sixteen-year-old Bobby Brown, who carries the entire film atop her shoulders. Had her performance lacked the honesty which she delivers throughout all her scenes, this fourth-wall breaking could have easily become tiresome and over done. Instead, she is able to keep each remark fresh and original, demonstrating expert comedic timing as well as an ability to dictate the ebb and flow of most scenes. Cavill, Sam Claflin, and the great Bonham Carter all expertly lend dramatic weight to Enola’s eccentric family, while not stealing too much attention away from Bobby Brown’s performance. The sinister Burn Gorman (Torchwood, Game of Thrones) is perfectly menacing as the mostly silent, and certainly deadly thug who torments Enola and her young Marquess beau (played very capably by Louis Partridge). The one apparent hindrance to the film’s overall success is that it seems to hold back slightly from answering all the questions that have been posed throughout its two-hour runtime. Given how this is a Netflix production, it’s more than likely that this is due to the studio’s wish to kindle a new, several-film franchise of young detective stories, attempting to leave some intrigue remaining for the movies yet to come. However, while this is absolutely understandable in terms of studio intention, it does nevertheless feel wrong to finish a story inspired by Arthur Conan Doyle’s work without deftly tying up any loose ends left unaddressed at the tale’s finale. It would be as if Poirot had gathered all his suspects together around some ornately decorated drawing room, only to have the credits roll before detailing everyone’s connection to the murder. While not strictly necessary, this lack of riddle-solving nevertheless takes a step back from the material it is inspired by. All that said, Enola Holmes remains a fun, family-friendly adventure through the alarmingly sunny streets of 19th century London. With powerful undertones on the importance of individualism, fantastic messages on the strength of feminism, and the overall motif of being true to one’s self, Enola Holmes is a movie that is nearly impossible not to recommend. And with the resounding critical success the film has seen so far (92% on Rotten Tomatoes as of the publication of this review), audiences can likely expect another instalment to be fresh on the heels of the first. #ConnorSlatkoffSharpe

★★★ Directed by: #EsenArikan Written by: #EsenArikan Starring: #SophiaFlower; #SophieMalleret; #DerrienKellum Film review by: William Hemingway Noah is a teen much like any other; she has the pressures of school, the pressures of home and the pressures of her own mind to contend with. Noah’s real problem, however, is that she doesn’t really know what the problem is. She’s started having blackouts in school, most prominently when faced with an exam, and she’s finding herself more often than not on the floor of the bathroom rather than in the exam hall where she is meant to be. How can she explain this to her already anxious mother, and what will it mean for her future if she can’t find her way through the teenage trials that lay before her? In the short film Tiptoe, writer/director Esen Arikan struggles with these everyday teen issues and tries to get us to face up to what it means to grow up in the modern age. With mental health at the forefront of everyone’s minds and the usage of performance enhancing stimulants common in the halls of American academia, perhaps now is the time to stop and think about the societal pressure that is heaped upon the youth of today. Told in the style of a ‘kitchen sink’ drama, Tiptoe, as its name suggests, treads carefully around the main issue of what’s really on the young protagonist’s mind. We get glimpses of happier times that give an insight into how she would rather spend her energies, and we hear snippets of dialogue that tell of the anxieties and doubts which lie just below the surface, but what we don’t get are answers to why Noah has started blacking out the way she has. The whole feel of the film is reminiscent of the mother/daughter relationship in the incredible family drama, Six Feet Under. Indeed, Sophie Malleret as the mother bears an uncanny resemblance to Frances Conroy in that role. Here, too, the real crux of the matter always seems to be tantalisingly out of sight, the unknown emotions keeping themselves hidden in the shadows, covered over by the conventionality of everyday life. Arikan builds the story well, from the first scene to the last, and always seems to find just the right place for the camera. The acting does feel a little stilted at times, but this can be somewhat forgiven due to the difficulty in delivering a completely natural tone to conversational dialogue. We are kept guessing, along with Noah’s mother, as to what can really be the matter, but as is so often the case with teen troubles there is no quick and easy answer. If Tiptoe can raise awareness of the pressures that young people are under in this day and age, and can allow us to pause and think about those around us whose lives we may not always see clearly enough; if it can give us that space to stop and breathe and remind ourselves of what is really important to us, then hopefully it will have achieved what it set out to do.

Runtime: 87 mins Directed by: José Luis Montesinos Starring: Paula del Río, Miguel Ángel Jenner, Jordi Aguilar Grimmfest Feature by: Darren Tilby Synopsis: With the sorrow for her sister’s death still very recent, Elena, a young quadriplegic, has retired to a country house along with her father. There she has the help of Athos, a Belgian pastor specially trained to help her. But the creature who is supposed to be her best friend has contracted a strange disease... and has turned into her worst enemy. Grimmfest say: A paralyzed girl. A rabid carer dog. A duel to the death for survival. A smart Spanish spin on the Stephen King classic, CUJO, this sees a suicidal young woman, recently left quadriplegic by the same car crash that killed her twin sister, trapped alone in the family home, with a limited amount of power left in her electric wheelchair, and under attack from an increasingly rabid alsatian. The twist is, he's a trained support dog, so he's very smart. Where the film really comes into its own, though is in the sympathetic and sensitive portrayal of the protagonist's struggles with her disability, which are all the more acute because she is still coming to terms with it, learning to cope with the day to day things. So much of the narrative hinges on problems that would not afflict an able-bodied character, thus illustrating precisely the kinds of issues people with disabilities face in a world not designed to accommodate their needs. The end result is a tense, tightly-contained, eye-opening and thought-provoking thriller, sharply played, and expertly staged, with a strong social message. And a cool dog. What I'm Expecting: Cool dog?! I'm sold! Seriously though, any film that aims to follow in the footsteps of the great Stephen King has some pretty big boots to fill, but even more so when those boots belong to Cujo, one of King's best. But my main area of interest here is the focus on this woman's fight with psychological trauma and sudden physical impairment. Disability in film, both mental and physical, is underrepresented, at best. At worst, it is completely misrepresented and offensive. There is a difficult balance to strike between presenting disability sensitively and honestly and exploiting it for entertainment. But if the filmmakers can get that right, this could be a very special little film.

★★★★ Directed by #BrandonCronenberg Written by #BrandonCronenberg Starring #AndreaRiseborough #ChristopherAbbott #JenniferJasonLeigh Film Review by Hope Madden It’s been eight years since Brandon Cronenberg swam familiar family waters with his feature debut, Antiviral. He is back with another cerebral, body-conscious fantasy thriller and my first thought is dayyuuuummmmn… Son of the master of corporeal scifi horror David Cronenberg, Brandon appears to come by his fixations naturally. With Possessor, he travels along with a high end assassin (Andrea Riseborough) who uses a piece of tech (inserted directly into the squishy brain, naturally) to body hop from one mark to the next. She enters one body, takes it over, executes the hit and moves on. That last part has started to cause some issues, though. As it was with Antival, much of the world building here is left to our imagination and the film is stronger for it. Possessor’s internal logic is solid enough to be the entire plot. The context is impeccably rendered, providing the most disturbing landscape for Riseborough and her primary avatar, played by the nicely understated Christopher Abbott. All of it proves an incredible piece of misdirection for what the film is actually accomplishing. For much of the running time, the chameleonic and under-appreciated Riseborough’s Tasya Vos plays an observant interloper—exactly what we are in this weirdly meticulous and recognizable future world. Showy jabs about privacy, appropriation, gender definition and capitalism are simultaneously clever and intentionally distracting. Cronenberg’s created a gorgeous techno world, its lulling disorientation punctuated by some of the most visceral horror to make it to the screen this year. There is something admirably confident about showing your influences this brazenly. Credit Cronenberg, too, for the forethought to cast the two leads as females (Jennifer Jason Leigh playing Riseborough’s boss). The theme of the film, if driven by males, would have been passe and obvious. With females, though, it’s not only more relevant and vital, but more of a gut punch when the time comes to cash the check. Possessor is a meditation on identity, sometimes very obviously so, but the underlying message takes that concept and stabs you in your still-beating heart with it. #HopeMadden

★ Written and Directed by Mo Dabani Starring: Nouha Dabani, Maryam Ouyahya and Bekkay Al Marsini Film Review by Will Jones It can be hard sometimes, when reviewing a film, to detach the film’s quality from its good intentions. No one wants to be the person that says that a well-meaning film highlighting important themes, or telling an important story, is actually, as it happens, not a very good film. If a critic can find a way to characterise the film as not merely poor, but actively harmful, despite its aims, then they don’t have to feel so bad about it. No such claim could be made of Salima, a 2018 Moroccan film about children with cancer: it is an entirely honest attempt to raise the issue at hand, and no harm could come from it. It just happens to completely unsuccessful. Director Mo Dabani starts us off with a bit of horror. Blurry fades, post-Blair Witch black and white shots of stark forests, a close-up of a ladybird, a zoom into a flower, with rumbling accompaniment by the score, and before we know it, even a creepy clown (Bekkay Al Marsini) is peering out from behind a tree. Then, a girl waking up – all that we’ve seen was her nightmare. The girl is Salima, of the title, and she is in a hospital ward, breathing tube attached, fighting cancer. She explains her fears to a nurse attending her (Maryam Ouyahya), who tells her, motherlike, that now she is a big girl, and no longer has such phobias of clowns. The palette remains ugly, grey and washed out, but this feels like something beyond the filmmakers’ control, rather than a deliberate evocation. As Salima goes on, it never returns to its opening intention to scare; in fact, the clown becomes, in the girl’s later imaginings, a somewhat benevolent figure. The nurse is never told this, but she is evidently telepathic, because she decides to dress up as a clown for the next time she wakes her patient from sleep. Not only is this a bizarre idea for how to broach, and approach, the topic in question. It also fails in practice, the shoddy editing, poor cinematography (the low budget not excusing distractingly bad shot selection) and the lifeless score conspiring to somehow strip of their pathos things which one would think are inherently moving. Unfortunately, this means that when the title cards arrive with the tragic and horrendous figures of child cancer cases in Morocco, especially leukaemia, they feel like a separate announcement, and not, as they should, the objective approval of a subjective story, the hard facts to impress what we have just been induced to feel. The three actors, for their part, do a perfectly fine job within the limited scope they are given. It feels overdone, but it is always worth acknowledging a convincing child performance when you see one, and Nouha Dabani certainly gives us one. But in her case, as well as Maryam Ouyahya’s, it is hard to say just how effective, and affecting, she could have been in the hands of a more assured director. Thus, for all its noble ambition to give us both the interior life and the exterior reality for a young cancer patient, Salima comes across as a film attempting brave tonal shifts without first managing to nail any of its individual tones. But it feels improper to end so harshly for a film of this nature. Let’s just say, a shorter version of this could well prove useful on television, if only to spread the news of its alarming statistics, and spread awareness of the need for improvements.

Runtime: 86 mins Directed by: Bruce Wemple Starring: Anna Shields, Rachel Finninger, Grant Schumacher, Hannah McKechnie, Catharine Daddario Grimmfest Feature by: Darren Tilby Synopsis: A young woman goes searching for answers after her friend mysteriously vanishes in Whitehall, NY, an Adirondack town known for its Bigfoot sightings. She quickly learns that hiding in the woods is an evil more sinister than she could ever imagine. Grimmfest Say: Prepare to be wrong-footed by Bigfoot, in a cunning creature feature that constantly confounds expectations; setting up its various genre scenarios, only to spin off into unexpected territory. Subtly played by Rachel Finninger and Anna Shields, who also wrote the screenplay, this is as much a tentative, wary romance, a sour, slow-burning study in the slippery, shifting, increasingly suspicion-blighted relationship between two people who barely know one another, as it is a marauding monster movie. But that's not to say there isn't a monster... And as the feral creature in the woods circles ever nearer to the two women, it casts a dark shadow, and animal instincts begin to assert themselves, with truly savage results, as the reality of the situation becomes increasingly, disturbingly clear. Beautifully shot, making striking use of some stunning Adirondack mountain locations, this is a consistently unpredictable, off-kilter, and ultimately surprisingly brutal film, all the more effective for the time it takes to develop its characters and explore their relationship, before tearing everything apart. What I'm Expecting: On first consideration, I would expect this to be a very traditional creature-feature, something akin to the, largely, American monster movies of the late 50s and 60s. But, Grimmfest have suggested this may be more of a character study at heart? Immediately, my mind is drawn to movies like The Descent, The Babadook and The Monster. This, of course, calls for both excellent character acting and development to be successful. Either way, I'd hope for (and I know I say this a lot) heavy use of practical effects, with CGI used very, very sparingly.

STUNNING NEW INDEPENDENT CINEMA IN THE HIGHLANDS OF SCOTLAND OFFERS A RARE BRIGHT SPOT FOR FILM LOVERS IN 2020 In a difficult year for the film industry and movie lovers, a scenic corner of Scotland offers some rare good news. The brand new, purpose-built boutique Highland Cinema located in Fort William, Scotland, opened its doors on September 25th, with two screens and a café bar, bringing cinema back to the heart of the Highlands for the first time in 15 years. Famous for providing majestic backdrops for films including Harry Potter, Braveheart, Rob Roy, The Dark Knight Rises and Bond films The World Is Not Enough and Skyfall, plus many others, the Highlands is home to some of the most rugged and beautifully cinematic scenery in the world. The new Highland Cinema aims to reflect this, showing a variety of Scottish classics alongside Hollywood blockbusters on release day, arthouse, indie and event cinema, as well as playing host to festivals, events and live music, providing an eclectic, exciting new destination for locals and tourists alike. Owner, entrepreneur and author Angus MacDonald (57) lives in Lochaber, with a family history in the area going back centuries. “Several years ago I read an article that said the best way to bring life back into a small town was to have an independent bookshop and a cinema. Two years ago I opened a bookshop. Today I am very pleased to have been able to open our fantastic new cinema!” Built on the former site of the town hall and a previous cinema that closed in 2005, the new Highland Cinema has been designed to reflect a traditional bothy, the humble building that has sheltered travellers across the Highlands for centuries. The warm, welcoming entrance and café bar has been built using local stone and features a red corrugated roof, covered terrace, wood-burning stove and seating for up to 84. The café offers a range of food from gourmet pizzas to charcuterie, pastries and more, while the bar provides a carefully curated selection of fine Scottish whiskies, gins and beers, plus wines and hot and cold drinks. The back of the building houses two state-of-the-art cinema theatres with cutting-edge laser digital projection and sound systems, delivering a highly immersive experience for all audiences. Screen 1 has a capacity of 109, including two unique seats in a real red Lotus sports car donated by a local businessman. Screen 2 can take up to 62 guests. Originally set to open in May 2020, the Highland Cinema was delayed earlier in the year due to Covid-19. Construction began again in July, with final details and charming touches added in the last weeks leading up to the opening on September 25th. “Our aim is to bring a smile to people’s faces on even the wettest day, to be a gathering place for youngsters and the elderly, and to provide a range of films to please and interest a broad spectrum of visitors. We have Covid-19 procedures in place to ensure the comfort and safety of all our guests and staff, and we’re very excited to welcome guests in to see new films like Tenet and No Time To Die, plus classics like The 39 Steps, Whisky Galore! and many more showings and events!”

Filmmaker interview by: Darren Tilby They Reach is due to have its world premiere at the first-ever online Grimmfest Film Festival on Thursday, October 8th. In honour of this, and to find out more about the movie, I spoke to Director and co-writer Sylas Dall, co-writer Bry Troyer and lead actress, Mary Madaline Roe. Here's what Sylas Dall and Bry Troyer had to say: They Reach has its world premiere on October 8th at Grimmfest's first online film festival. How excited are you, what led you here and just how important are these genre film festivals to your movie? Bry: I was crazy-thrilled to land in Grimmfest. It’s a major win for They Reach, and one of my favourite fests. I’d love to attend, but there’s this virus you may have heard of? Sylas: I let out a little squeal of glee!  Hopped around the house, you know. My cat thought I was crazy. Then I popped open a top-shelf bottle of whisky and poured my fiancé and me a glass. Grimmfest is very important. And it’s a really fun, impressive fest to get into. I just wish I could actually be there in person. You've described your film as being an "action horror movie with a little comedy thrown in" and likened it to films such as The Goonies, and I largely agree. But, for me, the horror element was so strong; utilised so effectively, it kind of pushed to the back that whimsical adventure atmosphere many 80s coming-of-age films had. I felt there was much more of a Stephen King vibe going on here; a jet-black comedy-horror akin to King's It. Sylas: When Bry and I started hashing out the story, we dove into story concept and tone big time. I grew up watching those VHS tapes of my parents, who introduced me to all those 80’s greats that I watched as a kid—everything from Goonies, Little Monsters and Monster Squad to The Thing and The Shining. Definitely, the influence of Stephen King flows through my work. But we decided to move into a darker zone, more Poltergeist than Monster Squad.  I guess you could say "more Stephen King-ee." Plus we were targeting the teen to early 20’s demographic, and young adults are more likely to watch a movie like Stephen King’s It, than a Goosebumps film. So, we dove right into the dark side, while enhancing the journey with the kid sleuths solving a mystery. Maybe a little Stand By Me in there. Bry: Of course Stephen King is a big influence in our work. I’ve been immersing myself in the horror of King since I read The Shining in 7th grade. King frequently blends humour with horror, which enhances the emotional intensity of a scene. Certainly, It demonstrated this. We wrote They Reach before the film, It, was released. Although the influence of King, from many of his books to movies like Stand By Me and Misery, is evident in the stories we create. I also thought the comedic elements were very strong, with much of the humour coming from the three young friends. Is this something that was entirely written into the script? Or is it more a byproduct of having such a great cast of young people? I suppose what I'm really asking is, what do you think is most important: a well-written comedy or good chemistry and improvisation by the actors? Bry: Script? Or Great Actors? It’s a tie! I will say that we definitely wrote comedic elements into our script. We start with characters – especially the protag and antag – and ornament the story with colourful mentors or sidekicks, or quirky enemies. We love our characters actually. We allow the characters to take us down the road, and if that road is getting too bland or repetitive, we find idiosyncratic situations or characters – like curves in the road or rockslides blocking the road – to spice up the story. Then amazing actors come along, like Mary Madaline or Eden Campbell, and add their interpretation of their roles. This makes the move even better. We lucked out with They Reach, especially with the trio of kids solving a horrific mystery – Mary, Eden, and Morgan Chandler. Sylas: Bry and I totally injected humour into the script. AND we also cast an amazing trio of kids who brought their own vision into the film. I can tell you, we did not set out to write Hereditary, for kids. Ha! We love to mix in humour with horror, as we’ve seen in films like Poltergeist and the Evil Dead franchise. We both love characters that don’t just push the plot along but bring life to the story. I’m a character-driven kinda guy– and Bry’s that way too. Characters should naturally take us through the story. But back to our awesome cast. I’m a director who loves seeing what actors bring to the story. And a little improv here and there is a bonus. It's said They Reach is a film of girl power, and I totally agree. It's great to see that women are being better represented in film, both in front of and behind the camera. And both Mary Madeline Roe and Eden Campbell have fantastic central roles here. How important was it for you that this was a female-centric film? And was that it difficult to get that right? Bry: Very important. Nearly every horror/thriller in the sea of choices sticks boys or men in the lead roles. We’re thrilled to offer a coming-of-age film about a girl, not a boy, who learns to accept herself, and not let others define who she should be. AND she has a female side-kick – Eden Campbell – as the mentor and friend to help our hero accept herself for who she is. Sylas: Yes! Thank you! An early version of the script included a male lead. The story was just not as powerful, though. In the 1970s, girls were really locked into girl roles. I believe this was more so than boys. Obviously, gender inequality still exists today, but in the 70s girls really faced considerable discrimination. Our lead character, Jessica, is a girl who dreams of becoming a scientist for NASA someday. Most of her classmates, and even her father, do not understand why she doesn’t focus on “proper girl” roles, like cheerleading or sewing. Jessica learns to accept herself for who she is, and not change because society thinks she should. In fact, her science smarts save the day! And she has a female (not male!) best friend and side-kick, who’s also somewhat of a mentor character, who basically says “F You” to societal norms. That’s the character, Cheddar. Bry and I pulled in our “consultants”, otherwise known as beer-drinking friends, who helped us out a lot and who happened to be female. Ultimately, it’s important to me that my films are not just “generic films” about scary shit, but films that have an underlying social message tucked in them. So They Reach is all about girl power for sure! Who was the genius behind the Ellen Ripley poster in Jessica's bedroom? Because that was awesome! Bry: Sylas found that. Great touch, right? Sylas: I thought that having the poster would play well with our girl power message. I know Ripley kicks ass and Jessica wanting to be in outer space, this would represent someone she idolizes, plus I love that movie haha. Speaking of which...there are so many pop-culture references in They Reach - whether it be lines of dialogue from iconic films, posters on walls or films playing on TVs. And personally, I loved discovering them. But was there ever any worry that their inclusion, particularly as there were so many, might cause parts of the film to feel contrived? Sylas: Would it feel contrived? All those references? You do know there are 542 references tucked into our movie—let everyone know that. They need to watch it over and over to catch all of them (Hehe! I tease). I certainly devoured films as a kid and teen. Anything by John Carpenter, Spielberg, Kubrick, Ridley Scott, Sam Raimi – I gotta tuck all those Easter eggs from my heroes in there, you know? Ha! But for real, I think we can move into “contrived” territory if the tone allows. In They Reach, the tone does allow. Bry and I spent hours discussing the concept, theme, and how it all fits together with a fun but dark tone. They Reach does not have the “take this seriously” tone of The Exorcist or Rosemary’s Baby. It’s closer to It, with a little Goonies tossed in. Because of this, we can embrace those “contrived”-feeling situations. I mean They Reach is for young adults, teens/20s audience. We’re not targeting The Witch crowd – although if they want to check us out, we welcome them. I feel like we knew the world that we were creating and you can even see a They Reach comic book tucked in there next to Jessica's bedside. Bry: Because of the tone of They Reach, and the rollicking horror/mystery we presented, we were able to have a little fun. Every film encounters problems during its production, but was there any, in particular, that stands out for you, and how did you overcome it/them? Sylas: It was definitely a challenge to get this film up and running, not to mention all of the hurdles we faced during the production. But that's why we had to make sure our film team (film family) was so strong, to rely on each other and to help one another up this tall hill, trying to make it to the top. All filmmaking is, is a bunch of difficult challenges, it's how you solve them in a creative manner that helps push the narrative of the film through while maintaining your vision. Bry: We certainly had our fair share of problems to overcome, from budget woes to crazy set days. Usually, when we faced a problem, we fixed it and the film improved because of it. For example, the gym scene was originally scheduled to take place on a soccer field with lots of extras. We lost that location about a week out, and I scrambled to secure that vintage gym, which was the Knox High School Gym in Olympia, Washington. Shooting in that gym actually improved the film – we could control the lighting, the gym dated back to the 1940s I believe, and no Ford Fiesta or Prius would drive by in the background. Can you tell us what's next for you? Sylas: Well we do have some things in development, one being a Sci-Fi / Dark Comedy / with a little horror in it. The other is a horror/comedy series. Not much else we can go into, it's kind of on the HUSH HUSH for now. Bry: We have a couple of projects in development currently, including a sci-fi/comedy feature and a horror/comedy series. I can’t wait to share these ideas over the globe – but gotta stay hush hush for now. And I can’t wait until we can shoot them in a virus-free world! Here's what Mary Madaline had to say: They Reach is your first leading role in a feature film. How was that experience for you? Mary Madaline: It was an incredible experience. I couldn’t have asked for a better cast or crew to work with. I was treated very professionally and with respect, while still allowing me to be a kid. At the end of filming, I felt like we were all one big film family. Every day on set was so much fun. It was the happiest time of my life when I was on set for They Reach. In They Reach you play the lead role, a character named Jessica. Could you please tell us a little bit about who Jessica is and what your thoughts were on the character after first reading her part? What did you like about her? Mary Madaline: Jessica is a 13-year-old science nerd who has dreams to have a career with NASA, but struggles with acceptance from others and herself due to 1979 societal expectations to have a different, more ‘normal’ career. I fell in love with Jessica because she is smart, tough, driven and loves science. What do you think you brought to the role of Jessica that made her the fantastic lead she was? Did you take inspiration from anything/anyone for your interpretation of her? Mary Madaline: As I was reading the script, it was like seeing little pieces of myself on the page. I filmed the movie when I was in 7th Grade (age 12). At the time, I was very similar to Jessica, which is one of the reasons I was able to relate to her so well and bring her to life. We both loved robotics and science, were not with the ‘in’ crowd and had a few loyal friends. Did you encounter any difficulties in playing Jessica? E.g. were you able to connect with the character easily? Were there any scenes, in particular, you found difficult? If so, how did you overcome these issues? Mary Madaline: It was a mostly seamless transition in playing Jessica. I am very grateful to Sylas and Bry for allowing me in on the creative process of shaping Jessica’s character. Adapting to the ’70s was a slight hiccup – I had to learn how to ride banana seat bikes, which was fun, but took me a hot minute to figure it out, especially how to apply the brakes! There was one scene that was difficult for me to portray, which was when Jessica shows up at Sam’s house to tell him some information. Jessica is very distraught, and I really had to dig deep to make the scene work. In the end, it turned out great. I loved how Jessica, normally quiet and aloof, came alive when she was with her friends. It was like she just opened up and became a more confident and stronger person. Was this written into the script, or was it something that occurs organically? Mary Madaline: One thing that people don’t realize was that Jessica is reserved in the beginning because her brother, Steven, had just died and she was coming back from the funeral. She was grieving, and that’s one of the main reasons she was so quiet. Steven was an All-Star Athlete that she adored. Her Dad called him his “champ” and Steven was idolized in the community. Jessica isn’t as animated around people who aren't Sam and Cheddar because other kids her age (and even some adults) don’t get her. They don’t know how they can relate to her interests, and instead are rude to her without trying to understand her. She is so confident around Sam and Cheddar because they understand her, and they appreciate the aspects of her that are different. Due to this, Jessica feels like she can open up and be herself around them. Without giving too much away (if possible) what was your favourite scene in the film to shoot and why? Mary Madaline: My favourite scene to film was a scene where Jessica is trying to get back into Alex Quinnely’s house, and Alex has to stop her. Alex throws Jessica over his shoulder, and I get to pound my fists on his back and scream. He then tosses me in the car, and I slam my hands on the car window to try and get out. This was such a fun scene to film because there was so much action and I got to go all out on it. My favourite scene in the entire movie is when Jessica’s Dad, played by Ash Calder, sees the ultimate potato light that Jessica has created. He gazes at the potato light with such pride in his eyes, and he finally realizes that Jessica is like him in the sense that she is creative and intelligent. He can finally relate to her, which was a big struggle for him previously in the film. They Reach is a film with a great female-centric cast, both yourself and Eden Campbell have fantastic central roles here. Overall, do you think opportunities for women in film have improved or gotten worse? Where would you like to see improvement in this respect? Mary Madaline: They Reach is unique because there are two strong yet different female characters, and I believe this is something that sets the film apart from others of its genre. I do believe that opportunities for women have improved because we can play practically any role. I’m at an interesting age in acting because SAG films will typically hire 18+ year old's to play teenagers. I can play 13-17 because of my height, and I hope that in the future I will get more opportunities and that my height won’t be a factor that eliminates me from being cast. Do you have anything in the pipeline you can tell us about? Mary Madaline: Unfortunately, COVID-19 has slowed the market considerably, and so I am not getting as many auditions just because there aren’t as many projects being made right now. As soon as the market opens up or returns to some normalcy, I will be auditioning for roles. I have such a passion for acting because I enjoy bringing stories to life. Even though I portray different characters for each role, I am my truest self when I'm on set because acting is what I am meant to do.

★★★★★ Directed by: Abdullah Al-Wazzan Written by: Abdullah Al-Wazzan Film Review by: Jason Knight How much beauty and drama can be experienced in less than fifteen minutes? This animated short was accepted for the 2020 Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film and won best international short film at the Los Angeles Animation Festival and it is easy to see why: it is a remarkable achievement! Inspired by continuing conflicts in the Middle East, this wonderful piece of work tells the story of a man, who works as a falafel vendor and lives by himself in the countryside. One stormy night he finds a mysterious, magical flower that magically makes him relive his tragic past. Apart from writer and director, Al-Wazzan was also the animator and he did a fantastic job combining a variety of animation techniques including stop-motion, claymation, hand-drawn animation and computer generated animation. The result is truly outstanding, making every scene of the film an absolute pleasure to watch and admire! The film has no spoken words, leaving the viewer to comprehend the narrative through the images and characters' actions. The characters' faces aren't seen and it is primarily through their body language that the audience understands what they are feeling. In addition to the magnificent visuals, the score is unforgettable. Composer Dan Phillipson created music that is poignant, dramatic and mesmerizing and it would be hard to think of a better way to accompany the images. Sound designer Andrew Vernon has also done a terrific job with the sound effects, making them sound very realistic! For instance when there is rain and thunder, the quality of the sound almost gives the impression to the viewers that these weather conditions are taking place in their world too! It is hard to point out the highlights because the whole film is one big highlight! However there are scenes of great beauty and tenderness that include the preparation of a meal, a man romancing a woman and the birth of a child. There is also a devastating scene that depicts the bombing of a city and one will need a heart of stone not to be touched by the aftermath. Right from the start Falafel Cart captivates the audience with its stunning graphics, wonderful music and sound effects. And right until the end it looses non of its power, delivering an experience that will remain with people for a long time. The writer of this review would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all the individuals who worked so hard in order to bring to the world this incredible film! #JasonKnight

★★★★★ Written & Directed by: #AlexBrindle #LewisBrindle Starring: #JoeySwindells Documentary Film Review by: #ChrisBuick The busking life might sound simple, you set up, you play for a bit, you go home, hopefully with more cash than you started with. But after watching Busking Joe: Saving for a Tour Van, you’ll realise that its anything but in what might just be one of the most inspiring and uplifting rock and roll stories of recent times. Joey Swindells aka Busking Joe is a street drummer and a pretty damn good one at that, busking whenever and wherever he can with the hopes of finally saving enough money to afford the van of his dreams so he can take himself and his music to even bigger and farther places. In this half hour lesson from filmmakers Alex and Lewis Brindle in doing what it takes to do what you love, we join Joe in his red Suzuki as he embarks on his glamourous tour of Blackpool, Scarborough, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Manchester, with each day and gig hopefully edging himself a bit closer to that dream van of freedom. "Can’t fix it with duct tape, not using enough duct tape." Okay, maybe it’s not rock and roll in the traditional sense, the only vices that Joe has stashed in his patched-up bass drum is some bottled water, deodorant and a packet of hay fever tablets. But once Busking Joe: Saving for a Tour Van is all said and done, many would be hard pushed to see Joe as anything other than a bona fide legend, not just as a musician but as a person. Joe is resourceful, efficient, determined but above all else, infinitely likeable, his enthusiasm for what he does completely infectious which makes him the perfect subject to root for. Every day presents him with a new challenge, such a broken bass pedal or serious impalement, but each time he picks himself up and dusts himself off with a smile and turn of phrase that makes you simply want to step through the screen, drop him a couple of quid and dance to his beat. "Pennies make pounds" But as effortless as it is to like Joe, the way in which the Brindle Twins present their subject, not just in his playing prime but also in his more serious and heartfelt moments, is really commendable. Moments of narration where Joe reflects on his childhood and musical beginnings, not to mention a surprisingly impactful closing monologue, really honour their protagonist while also preventing the film from ever feeling repetitive. It would have probably been enough for the Brindles to simply point the camera at Joe and let him do his thing, but what’s really special is the way that the film manages to not just capture the magic Joe creates, but make us feel part of it too and as countless people spill out of concerts to then rave to Joe’s beats, the film puts us right in the middle to enjoy the party. Funny, heart-warming, inspirational, the superlatives go on and on. All that is left is to leave you with the immortal words of Busking Joe himself. "You can butter toast with a spoon." #ChrisBuick Watch the trailer here:

Launching On Demand November 2nd, action film Target Number One stars Josh Hartnett, Antoine Olivier Pilon, and Jim Gaffigan. The film was written and directed by Daniel Roby. Inspired by true events, ‘Target Number One’ tells the shocking story of small-time drug addict, Daniel (Antoine Olivier Pilon; Mommy, Mémoires vives) who naively took a minor job from dealer Glen Picker (played by stand-up comedian Jim Gaffigan) and ends up unfairly thrown into a Thai prison with a 100-year sentence. The suspicious circumstances of his conviction grabs the attention of investigative Canadian journalist, Victor (Josh Hartnett; Penny Dreadful. 30 Days Of Night) who decides to take matters into his own hands. Unbeknown that he has a national scandal at his fingertips, when disturbing details of police corruption emerge, Victor must play a dangerous game to expose the twisted truth and fight for Daniel’s freedom. Watch the Target Number One trailer