Another Way film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Alice Rosano, Timo Elony, Laura Heilanen, Giuseppe Di Bella directed by Alice Rosano. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Another Way Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Jul 26, 2026 Directed by: Alice Rosano Written by: N/A Starring: Alice Rosano, Timo Elony, Laura Heilanen, Giuseppe Di Bella Time for a trip to Egypt. Filmed over the course of twenty days in Sinai, with a budget funded by the director, this short documentary was directed by Alice Rosano and it involves a film crew and highliners going to Egypt and filming themselves highlining. Just explaining that highlining is a sport that involves a person walking on a narrow, flat rope (called a slackline) that is suspended high above the ground between high points such as mountains and cliffs. Some of the dynamic individuals who decided to make this project a reality are the director, Alice Rosano, camera operator, Laura Heilanen, rope technician, Timo Elony and professional highliner, Giuseppe Di Bella. The result is a beautifully shot, fifteen-minute-long documentary that takes the viewer on a journey through Sinai. However, unlike what is usually seen in documentaries about Egypt, there are no pyramids or temples in view, (there are camels, though) instead this film visits various locations across Sinai, has a few locals share information about Egypt and themselves and, as expected, has plenty of highlining. Some of the locals include Sheikhs Saleh Abu Eid and Rabia Barakat and an elderly woman named Amreya Farag. Thanks to Rosano's expert directing and hers and Heilanen's beautiful cinematography, viewers has the privilege of seeing the wonderful landscapes of Sinai and the atmospheric music adds to the sense of adventure. The creativity of Caterina Delli Carri and Chiara Mazzotta results in impressive illustrations that appear often, depicting maps that reveal the team's journey through Sinai. The whole film is of a high standard, however, special acknowledgement goes to the shots of highliners performing their sport. This documentary offers to teach some things about Egypt and its people and become familiar with the sport of highlining. Moreover, it promotes the significance of pursuing a goal and having a passion, new discoveries and experiences. Through Amreya Farag, the film also explores feminism. This project focuses on a lesser-known side of Egypt. It is a short and informative trip through parts of Egypt and it introduces the viewer to some inspiring individuals. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Documentary, Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Fanny Leander Bornedal directed by Ole Bornedal. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: May 15, 2024 Directed by: Ole Bornedal Written by: Ole Bornedal Starring: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Fanny Leander Bornedal Thirty years ago, Danish writer/director Ole Bornedal made a taut thriller about the night watchman in a medical facility who stumbles into a lurid crime spree. Three years later, he made Nightwatch again, this time in English. And now, fully three decades hence, he hits those of us who remember either of the earlier films with a sequel: Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever. Back in the day, Martin (Nikolaj Coser-Waldau) took a job as overnight security to help pay for law school. Today, his daughter Emma (Fanny Leander Bornedal) does the same. Yes, she needs the money—since her mom’s suicide, her dad Martin is mainly drunk or pilled up and hasn’t worked in ages. But Emma has added reason. She just learned that her dad was involved in the famous serial killer case that ended in the building morgue. Emma now blames the trauma for her mother’s suicide and her dad’s inability to cope, but her digging around has opened up a whole mess of new problems. Or old ones. The filmmaker moves ably from the existential crises that fueled his original film to the ripple effects of trauma. He treads enough of the same beats to create an eerie echo of the past, but veers in mainly sensible new directions. We do get to spend time with the majority of the original cast, though most of them appear for a scene, maybe two. Coser-Waldau anchors the sequel. Far from the wide-eyed youth who was so malleable thirty years ago, Martin is now barely functioning but earnestly interested in doing right by his daughter. The filmmaker’s own daughter cuts a compelling contrast as Martin’s daughter. Determined and a little raw, Emma makes some rash decisions, but they never feel like dumb choices in service of a thriller’s scares. They feel like passion and impatience. The mystery itself begins strong with an increasingly interesting perpetrator (Casper Kjær Jensen, tender and terrifying), but eventually devolves into something too pulpy and familiar. Still, Ole Bornedal has not lost his touch with the claustrophobic terror of being trapped inside a medical facility. If you loved the original (or ‘97s solid remake with Ewan McGregor), Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever delivers bittersweet closure. But it’s an entertaining if not fantastic watch for thriller fans new to the franchise as well. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Digital / DVD Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Everyone Forgot film review by UK film critic Joe Beck. Starring Anwen Bull, James Knapp directed by Theo Kai Marlow. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Everyone Forgot Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Joe Beck | Posted on: Mar 22, 2023 Directed by: Theo Kai Marlow Written by: Theo Kai Marlow, Jack Lawrence Starring: Anwen Bull, James Knapp Athazagoraphobia is the fear of being forgotten. It’s strange how few people know the name given that more than most people experience it at some stage during their lives. That’s the subject you think you’ll get from ‘Everyone Forgot’, a film which looks like a light dramedy, but ends up being far more engaging and compelling than it first appears. See, it’s Lily Painter’s (Anwen Bull) 40th birthday, a day for celebration with friends and family by all accounts. The issue is that nobody seems to have remembered, leaving Lily feeling rather jaded with her isolation, alone in a house only populated by unpacked boxes. She calls her mother, and though the two seem to be on at least amiable terms, there’s no mention of the big day, not even with Lily’s heavy handed prompts. She calls her friend, or perhaps more of a colleague, Anna, yet she too neglects to remember that it’s her birthday. She calls over a handyman, he hasn’t even clocked that it’s her birthday - but that’s not his fault, and he’s invited in to ‘hang out’. From here you expect a cute little romcom, with a touch of drama, and for sparks to fly between the handyman, Ben (James Knapp) and Lily, and for a while things appear to be headed that way. They get along nicely and Ben, despite his initial misgivings and understandable awkwardness seems to be enjoying himself. However, the beauty of ‘Everyone Forgot’ is in its expertly crafted shift, as writer-director Theo Kai Marlow changes the pace and tone of the film so skilfully that the twist seems obvious and this critic felt like a fool (a very impressed one) for not noticing the carefully placed foreshadowing just minutes earlier. Theo Kai Marlow’s directing is excellent throughout, from the evocative opening shot, zooming out from a close up of Lily, dressed in her dressing gown, lighting a cigarette in her back garden. Certain shots throughout are artful, certainly exceeding expectations given the film’s low budget, and proving that a talented director can work well no matter the constraints put upon them. Marlow’s writing is perhaps even more impressive, successfully blending comedy and drama, and ultimately leading onto horror, as he depicts more than one nightmare. Marlow’s writing also lends itself to his actors, who both give delightful performances. Anwen Bull is mesmerising as Lily, going from 0-60 in the speed of light, as she flips from despondent to buoyant to manic. She delivers lines, both comedic and dramatic, with precision and poise, in such a manner that she grips you, forcing you to keep your eyes on her every facial movement. James Knapp is the perfect foil to Bull’s purposefully over-the-top performance, toning down his character to match Ben’s everyman demeanour. The two riff off one another with a natural chemistry, complimenting each other’s styles in an endlessly endearing way. ‘Everyone Forgot’ is, in a strange way, an endearing film. Not because it is heartwarming, or because its characters are full of joy, but rather because of the bravura with which Theo Kai Marlow and his able duo of Anwen Bull and James Knapp do their jobs. They perfectly complement each other, just as Marlow’s crafty script complements his tight direction. ‘Everyone Forgot’ is a joy to watch, nobody involved should need fear being forgotten about. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Joe Beck Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Shot In The Dark film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Kristoffer McMillan, Christine Donlon, Keene McRae directed by Keene McRae. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Shot In The Dark Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Dec 18, 2022 Directed by: Keene McRae Written by: Kristoffer McMillan, Keene McRae, Lane Aikin Starring: Kristoffer McMillan, Christine Donlon, Keene McRae In November 1998 somewhere in small town America a killer is on the loose. People have been going missing for some time and now pieces of the most recent victims have been turning up in boxes left in parking lots and other such everyday places. Supposedly inspired by actual events, Keene McRae's film, Shot In The Dark takes this scenario and turns it into a low-key thriller, shot through with romantic overtones, which gives us a 'What If?' look at what could have taken place, while seemingly keeping its feet firmly planted in the drama elements rather than on the facts of the case. William (McMillan) still hasn't got over the loss of his wife a couple of years earlier and his constant moping about is starting to get on the nerves of his friends. The tension between them is palpable and sometimes spills out into aggression but still the group wants to find a way to help William out of the hole he's in. Rather than accept an invite to a party with his pals though, William prefers to stay home and contemplate suicide with a gun under his chin. This evening however, he will have to fight to keep his life as he is abducted and held hostage in a plastic wrapped basement. While we sit with William strapped to his chair the past opens up and we get introduced to Lili (Donlon), the object of not just his affections. We watch their romance kindle and develop in sharply edited scenes while the past mingles with the present day and we cut back to the pals at the party as well as getting to know (visually) the serial killer as he goes about his business of torturing and killing a previous victim. Everything jumbles together in a melange of flashbacks, layered imagery and heavy editing with a striking soundtrack tacked on over the top to keep the narrative menacing and tense. The story gets lost somewhere in the middle of it all though as most things get developed in impressions and relationships are expressed minimally without much foreground dialogue. It all gets held together, mostly, by McMillan's performance as William but even he can only do so much when he's strapped to a chair, covered in blood, and doesn't have a lot to say. There's a lot to recommend Shot In The Dark with its direction and technical elements being assured and delivered with a determined professionalism. Unfortunately the stylistic aspects don't quite match up with the underlying story and in the end it feels as though two or more films are trying to make themselves heard and seen at the same time. The characters never really get explored and the scripting is too mundane or kept in the background to really do its job properly, which means in the end it's perhaps too difficult for the audience to invest in what is really just another small town serial killer story. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Un/Cut film review by UK film critic Brian Penn. Starring Gordon Hickey, Jeremie Cyr-Cooke directed by Gordon Hickey. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Un/Cut Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Brian Penn | Posted on: Jul 14, 2022 Directed by: Gordon Hickey Written by: Gordon Hickey Starring: Gordon Hickey, Jeremie Cyr-Cooke Un/Cut is a curiosity on many levels and really not what the viewer would necessarily expect. Bored businessman (Gordon Hickey) is rooted to a grey, non-descript hotel room. He right swipes on his smartphone looking for a diversion to brighten up his evening. He alights on a bearded and mysterious individual. The bored businessman guiltily rubs what appears to be a wedding ring. Complete with a devil emoji he directs his new companion to the appropriate room. Bearded man (Jeremie Cyr-Cooke) arrives and they exchange pleasantries. They soon get down to business but their liaison soon takes a novel turn. This is where the narrative path would usually dive into the guilt of a man away from home cheating on his partner out of loneliness, boredom or frustration. But no, between the sheets the talk is more a discussion of manners, social custom and the origins of a surgical procedure performed on men as babies. Well, there is no cause to elaborate any further as it would entirely ruin the plot and viewers would be less likely to give it a spin. The dialogue is concise with a genuinely surprising exposition of a true story folks. This is a clandestine liaison in a hotel room and has ‘booty call’ written all over it; and to all intents and purposes that’s what it is. But it’s where the plot goes after the initial premise is established that really raises this short film to a different level. Logically, the action takes place in one room, but facilitates some lively verbal exchanges between the characters. The audience is then compelled to consider a message that is much more cerebral than physical or visual. It becomes a cleverly constructed study of assumptions that endure because people always accept what they’ve been told. A very well thought out piece that broadly ticks all the right boxes. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Brian Penn Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Tabby Daly film review by UK film critic William Curzon. Starring Declan Curran, Andrea Kelly directed by John Doherty, Conor Kilkelly. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Tabby Daly Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: William Curzon | Posted on: Mar 12, 2026 Directed by: John Doherty, Conor Kilkelly Written by: Conor Kilkelly Starring: Declan Curran, Andrea Kelly Tabby Daly is set against the backdrop of rural Ireland in 1847, as the potato blight tears through a community. A charitable woman, being the titular character Tabby Daly (Andrea Kelly), helps young boys emigrate in search of a greater life. However, as doubts begin to surface within the community, questions arise about her true intentions. One of the most mesmerising aspects of the piece is the fantastic production value throughout, as it is an impactful portrait of rural Ireland during the 1800s, making the experience feel lived-in and true to its time period. The boxed-in 4:3 aspect ratio is another commendable formal decision that pays off wonderfully within the rural community at the height of the famine. David Christopher Lynch’s cinematography is striking, as the piece consists of gorgeous drone photography that gives the viewer a sense of the beautiful landscapes of Ireland, along with the shift to extreme close-ups of each character. These close-ups are impactful thanks to the intimacy in each interaction between characters, making the experience more visceral throughout. The film primarily relies on low-key lighting, achieved with candles, which is an admirable choice given its rural setting. Conor Kilkelly, serving as the film's composer, delivers an evocative musical score that creates a sense of awe and wonder between dialogue-heavy sequences and anchors the quieter aspects of the material. The piece is an audacious portrayal of a woman during this time period helping younger boys emigrate with a fully realised characterisation for the titular character that's both shocking and endearing to witness throughout. Both central performances from Andrea Kelly in her portrayal of the titular character and Declan Curran in his portrayal of Father Winters are the centrepiece within the narrative, as their dialogue is enriching and deeply provocative throughout. Each performance displays a sense of warmth and urgency during the struggles of the potato blight ravaging through the community, and it's utterly gripping to watch. Andrea Kelly, in particular, is the standout of the cast, as her actions are widely unpredictable, and this pays off heavily in its final moments, as the piece takes a shocking tonal shift. The piece tackles incredibly potent themes such as the rise of the Great Famine, a time in Ireland of mass starvation and disease, and themes of religion. While the piece takes a meandering approach in its pacing, this gives the audience enough time to connect with each character despite the film's incredibly tight runtime. The sluggish pacing also allows for the jarring tonal redirect to feel more natural, thanks to the prolonged build-up, as it explores the intentions behind the titular character's ideal motivation within the community. The brevity of the piece’s exploration of the subject matter makes the overall viewing experience worthwhile and rewarding. Whilst the piece would perhaps not have enough material to sustain a longer runtime, it certainly leaves the viewer wanting more, which is a testament to directors John Doherty and Conor Kilkelly's sheer attention to detail. Tabby Daly is a provocative exploration of the rise of the Great Famine against the titular characters' mischiefs within the community of rural Ireland. Anchored by a spellbinding central performance from Andrea Kelly, alongside John Doherty and Conor Kilkelly’s formalism, Tabby Daly is an engrossing experience. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Curzon Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Toxic Alien Zombie Babes From Outer Space film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Vixey Teh, Grace Liu, David Black, John Cunningham, Andrew Bianco directed by Gerardo Chierchia. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Toxic Alien Zombie Babes From Outer Space Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Oct 6, 2022 Directed by: Gerardo Chierchia Written by: David Black Starring: Vixey Teh, Grace Liu, David Black, John Cunningham, Andrew Bianco The title indicates that this is an unusual movie. And it is. Planet Earth is being attacked by hostile aliens. Countless of spaceships have arrived at Earth and are causing death, destruction and panic. However, this is not a big-budget-blockbuster with amazing special effects. This is a low-budget science fiction comedy feature was filmed during COVID-19 lockdowns by various filmmakers and the result is a wild movie filled with aliens, flying saucers, laser beams, guns, gore and eccentric characters. The plot is about extra-terrestrials invading Earth, however the film hardly has a narrative and it is presented almost like a documentary, with many characters filming themselves with webcams or their mobile phone's camera. There is no main character, although there are a few that could be described as protagonists, such as a social media personality, a Chinese news reader, a strange man wearing a black suit and a jet pilot. Basically, the movie contains many characters and keeps jumping from one person to the next and usually shows people being attacked by the invaders. The action takes place pretty much globally and shows aliens attacking areas in numerous countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, Britain and Kenya. It should be mentioned that this film is not for the easily-offended due to the violence and the dark humour that includes adult and toilet humour. As this feature was filmed on a small budget, the special effects, the aliens, the flying saucers and the makeup are not convincing (and neither is the acting for that matter), however, this can add to the fun. The unrealistic ways spaceships are shown destroying buildings and slaughtering people can be entertaining thanks to the actor's performances, which come across as comedic. There is also interesting animation that adds to the fun. Going to the look of the invaders now, they have a form that resembles an Asian woman and they have green skin, fangs like vampires and pointed ears like elves. They do not speak and all they do is attack people with laser beams, mutilating them. The movie could be viewed as having anti-male messages. The invaders have a female form and they mostly go after men and often kill them by destroying their private parts with laser beams. This could be symbolising a rebellion of women against men. The feature is separated into chapters, each of which has a title that consists of a numbered day since the invasion began. Each chapter also begins with a couple of hands drawing a cartoonish portrait in fast mostion, accompanied by a chorus. The portrait is actually that of the character that specific chapter will be focusing on. This science fiction dark comedy pays homage to alien invasion films and also presents a satirical view on social media and mass hysteria. With a duration of two hours it feels overlong and the gruesome violence is likely to shock some viewers. Generally, this is not a movie that should be taken seriously and fans of films such as Peter Jackson's Bad Taste will probably enjoy it. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Read to Me film review by UK film critic Chris Buick. Starring Christopher Sherwood, Rosie Steel, Nathalia Campbell-Smith, Tim Davenport, Jordan Louis directed by Dan Horrigan. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Read to Me Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Chris Buick | Posted on: Jan 22, 2024 Directed by: Dan Horrigan Written by: Dan Horrigan Starring: Christopher Sherwood, Rosie Steel, Nathalia Campbell-Smith, Tim Davenport, Jordan Louis Dan Horrigan’s spellbinding short film Read to Me tells the romantic crime story of Rolan (Sherwood), a dyslexic inmate at Strangeways prison, who on his first day receives a letter he is unable to read, therefore, he turns to the prison psychologist to read it for him. But before the words are read aloud, Rolan, who despite his illiteracy is in fact blessed with a staggering verbal eloquence, poetically regales us with the tragic story of how his circumstance came to be, spinning us a beautiful tale full of love and sorrow. Rolan might not be able to read in the traditional sense, but his gift for interpreting tarot as he puts it more than makes up for this. It is during one of these readings at a local fair that Rolan reads for Zara (Steel), a young mother trapped in her own terrible situation that the now smitten Rolan knows he must free her from, thus falling into a life of crime and personal sacrifice in order to save her. Horrigan’s artful offering here is as much a piece of theatre as it is film, every bit as compelling visually as it is emotionally. Centred around a more-or-less extended monologue effortlessly delivered by Sherwood (more on him later) Read to Me isn’t a film filled with big drama or tension, but is still written with so much depth, elegance and emotion that in telling its well-rounded story, it draws you in almost completely, managing to be funny, sad and everything else in-between. Coupled with astonishing cinematography from Fraser Watson, Guy K Ward's tight editing and Mitch Snell’s stellar sound work, Read to Me , as mentioned before, is as much a piece of theatre as it is film, and perhaps even art. And all of these wonderful achievements both technically and narratively are anchored sensationally by what can only be described as an immense performance by Sherwood. All these other elements of the film simply seem to orbit and are kept aligned by the impeccable talent that Sherwood seems to effortlessly exude, a turn that manages to somehow make Rolan so much more than he simply might have been, a character to really connect with, like, pity, distrust, and fear all at once. The rest of the supporting cast understandably are left with little to do in comparison, and though each of them are very competent in their own right when they do get their moments to shine, such is the magnitude of what Sherwood achieves that their impact doesn’t have any chance of registering anywhere near as much. Read to Me is well worth a watch for Sherwood alone, but with a deftly told story and great technical prowess on display, there is so much to savour here. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Chris Buick Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Sideworld: Damnation Village film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring George Popov, Helen O'Connor, William Poulter directed by George Popov. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Sideworld: Damnation Village Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Nov 16, 2022 Directed by: George Popov Written by: Jonathan Russell Starring: George Popov, Helen O'Connor, William Poulter Director/narrator George Popov and writer Jonathan Russell return to England’s shadowy past for the third installment of their documentary series, Sideworld: Damnation Village. We leave the forests and seas behind to peek inside the cottages, inns and public houses beset by residents unwilling or unable to leave. The sixty-minute doc benefits again from the collaboration of a team that’s clearly on the same page. Russell and Popov have worked together, not only on both previous installments in this series (The Haunted Forests of England and Terrors of the Sea ) but also the narrative features Hex and The Droving . Cinematographer Richard Suckling once again helps Popov fill the screen with spooky but beautiful scenes, while composer Matthew Laming again breathes eerie life to the imagery with his whispering, whistling score. Their focus this go-round are the tiny clusters of cottages dotting the English countryside, villages that have withstood centuries of war, pestilence and trauma that have left their marks. We begin, of course, in Pluckley – Guinness’s “most haunted village”. The film moves on to Prestbury and the tale of, among others, the Black Abbott. Visits to the mostly empty villages are accompanied by Popov’s associated tale of the macabre. The filmmakers enlist actors Helen O’Connor and William Poulter to give voice to letters, articles and witness accounts. As intriguing as the tales of lost love and criminal retribution are, it’s the mournful story of Eyam that stays with you. Perhaps it’s the connection to modern tragedy – Eyam voluntarily quarantined during the Plague, saving all the communities around it from infection but dooming themselves in the process. As the series progresses, an interest in connecting the spectral with the scientific has become one of Sideworld ’s prominent elements. In this case, Popov and company explore British archeologist/author T.C. Lethbridge’s Stone Tape theory to help explain recurring, looping paranormal phenomena. Perhaps what best sets this series apart from other spooky folklore entertainment is its reverence for the subject – not just the scary stories, but the actual human lives behind them. Mingled with the solid storytelling – visual and aural – the heady concoction delivers another solid look at the unexplainable. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Digital / DVD Release, Documentary < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Bilskådaren (The Car Spotter) film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring Mats Qvistrom, Ann-Sofie Kylin, Bjorn Andresen directed by Martin Sandin. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Bilskådaren (The Car Spotter) Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Nov 13, 2022 Directed by: Martin Sandin Written by: Martin Sandin Starring: Mats Qvistrom, Ann-Sofie Kylin, Bjorn Andresen Sitting at the side of the road spotting cars to complete a checklist might seem like a crazy hobby. But then again, we live in a nation that is about to drop millions of pounds on stickers with footballers faces on them. Bilskådaren (The Car Spotter) is a charming Swedish short about an unusual hobby, and the importance of sharing passions in a relationship. Peo (Mats Qvistrom) has recently become a car spotter – a motor enthusiast who sits at the side of the road marking off the makes of vehicles that drive past him on a desolate highway. His wife Gitta (Ann-Sofie Kylin) accepts her husband’s new passion, but feels lonely given the hours he commits to his hobby. As Peo dreams of photographing a classic car, roguish Lennart (Bjorn Andresen) asks Gitta if she wants to grab a drink… A warm, quirky Swedish comedy, Bilskådaren succeeds as both a funny and straightforward story about eccentricity, whilst managing to make touching observations on the importance of ensuring that love does not wither with familiarity – and that time together can itself be a grand gesture. Peo’s overcoming of his ignorance as to his wife’s loneliness, and his karmic reward emblemises the film’s theme – that some activities are better with company, and that relationships cannot be taken for granted if one stops rejuvenating love with time spent together. The film has a soft documentary format, with an imagined filmmaker following Peo as he pursues car spotting, and also taking the opinion of his wife. It is an effective way to frame Peo and Gitta’s story – and makes clear that spending all day watching cars go by is, as Gitta quietly believes, somewhat farcical. But the director never allows this to be at the detriment of the story. Lennart’s pass at Gitta is portrayed fictionally, as is the film’s climax as the couple work together to achieve Peo’s goal. Mats Qvistrom shines as the pitiful protagonist. Peo is a sadsack character, whose ignorance to the imminent collapse of his marriage is tragically humorous. Qvistrom’s ability to gain empathy from the audience, whilst also demonstrating an appropriate negligence of his wife to the degree that her wavering commitment is reasonable is a fine piece of work. Similarly, Ann-Sofie Kylin’s portrayal as the long-suffering Gitta is also relatable, and no viewers will be questioning her feelings of isolation. Both actors share a chemistry when on screen together, and the nature of their relationship is completely authentic. The film is beautifully shot and produced – with warm and crisp imagery of the desolate Swedish countryside playing brilliantly into the sense of solitude that is necessary for the film’s plot to function. There is a real Scandinavian feel to the direction, and fans of the region’s cinema will feel at home. Bilskådaren is amusing, uplifting and unexpectedly poignant Swedish short. And it certainly beats watching the traffic go by. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Theatrical Release, Digital / DVD Release, Short Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Holdovers film review by UK film critic George Wolf. Starring Paul Giamatti, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Dominic Sesssa directed by Alexander Payne. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Holdovers Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: George Wolf | Posted on: Nov 8, 2023 Directed by: Alexander Payne Written by: David Hemingson Starring: Paul Giamatti, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Dominic Sesssa It’s the holiday season! The time of peace, joy, and goodwill! Or…conflict, resentment, and spite. Director Alexander Payne serves up plenty from group B in The Holdovers, a period comedy that also finds time to unwrap some warmth and understanding. It is December 1970, and most of the boys at New England’s Barton boarding school are heading home for the two-week Christmas break. Circumstance has left five “holdovers” behind, where they will endure the disciplined regimen of Mr. Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti), a bitter history teacher who delights in the misery of his rich, entitled students. But through an additionally cruel twist of fate for the angry, young Angus Tully (newcomer Dominic Sessa), the four other left behinds get sprung, leaving Angus alone with the cantankerous teacher the boys have nicknamed “Walleye.” Well they’re not quite alone. Kitchen manager Mary Lamb (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) is on campus, too. Mary’s still mourning the loss of her son Curtis in Vietnam, and she has no room in her heart of festive merrymaking. Giamatti is perfection as a man who seems to have forged a comfortable “hate-hate” relationship with life. Sessa impresses in his screen debut, giving depth to the rebellion that has brought Angus multiple expulsions from multiple schools. And Randolph brings plenty of weary humanity, crafting Mary as a heartbroken woman still trying to understand why her Curtis was deemed more expendable than these rich white boys who are preparing for college instead of war. And as Mr. Hunham tells Angus that we “must begin in the past to understand the present,” David Hemingson’s script sends the three unlikely friends off on a “field trip.” The adventure will reveal how their respective pasts have shaped them, and how they may have more in common than they knew. There are areas of contrivance that recall Hemingson’s extensive TV resume, but Payne (Nebraska, Sideways, The Descendants ) grounds it all with a comfortable restraint that allows the actors and some terrific production design to work authentic moments of magic and laughter. We all have a story. Life can be unfair, and most of us are struggling with something. Be kind. Those are lessons that seem to resonate a little deeper this time of year, which means now is the perfect time to accept an invitation from The Holdovers. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic George Wolf Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Sublime Hubris film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Harleigh McCullum, David Matthew Johnson, Ryan Anderson directed by David Matthew Johnson. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Sublime Hubris Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Jun 4, 2024 Directed by: David Matthew Johnson Written by: David Matthew Johnson Starring: Harleigh McCullum, David Matthew Johnson, Ryan Anderson A young man expresses his negative perspective on humanity. This experimental feature-length drama utilises a variety of filmmaking techniques in order to tell a story. With the main character's voice-over, it starts off with a series of long takes, with the camera being static. Later on, there is brief camera movement and from then on the story is told via still images, before a black screen takes over for the last twenty minutes or so with narration being the only form of storytelling during that sequence. The seventy-minute-long film is in black-and-white, apart from a brief long-take scene. Why is that scene in colour? That is not explained. The protagonist is a young guy (McCullum) and judging by his voice-over, he does not like people. He sees them as no-good and believes that he is superior to them. He is an outsider, a loner and through his voice-over, he talks about how much he detests everyone. He also states that he enjoys watching people so that he can observe them and find out in what ways they are flawed. The first half hour or so is slow, with long takes showing the man engaging in a variety of activities that involve lying down on a pavement, leaning against a wall or sitting on a bench. During this, his narration provides an insight into his unjoyful point of view regarding humanity. Things start to pick up when he encounters an unfortunate guy (Johnson) who was beaten up outside a bar. The protagonist approaches the guy and he manipulates him into becoming his so-called 'Warrior' and convinces him to embark on a path of violence. Using still images in order to tell a story is unusual in the world of filmmaking and the images along with the editing and the voice-over create a narrative that is easy to follow. The black screen that occupies the final fifteen to twenty minutes of the film creates quite a different viewing experience in comparison to the rest of the feature, like listening to the radio. It should be mentioned that apart from the voice-over there is no speech. Some viewers might find the music to be a let-down. The score that is heard throughout is repetitive and it sounds more like a continuous noise. The intention was probably to create drama, however listening to it feels dull. This is a story about isolation and a misanthropy and it explores these two subjects through the eyes of a troubled and angry youth. What primarily stands out are the filmmaking techniques, how the feature moves from long takes, to stills, then to a black screen, in order to create a narrative. The creativity is to be recognised and so is the intriguing dark story. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >