★★★★ Directed by #CharlieKaufman Written by #CharlieKaufman (based on the book by #IainReid) Starring #JessieBuckley, #JessePlemons, #ToniCollette Film Review by Amber Jackson Charlie Kaufman’s latest film I’m Thinking of Ending Things is daring in its film-making as it explores unique ways of making a thriller. Based on Iain Reid’s book of the same title, Kaufman wrestles with a confusing narrative of a young student (incredibly acted by Jessie Buckley) travelling with her new boyfriend, Jake (Jesse Plemons), to his parents’ secluded farmhouse. Upon arrival, the young woman is forced into an uncomfortable existential crisis as everything she thought she knew about Jake – and indeed herself – comes into question. The film begins with a false sense of security. A young and in love couple who understand each other are starting a journey further into their happy relationship. The picture is light and colourful with bold old-town buildings, bright stylish costumes and romantic piano music. Think La La Land in the way that this film immediately like a timeless classic. However, the story gradually turns more unsettling. The deliberate decision to have plenty of zoomed in camera shots is effective in making the viewer feel simultaneously disorientated, as they are forced to uncomfortably confront the couple on their journey. Jessie Buckley does a great job with characterising a young woman who has lost her way. She wants to break up with Jake but it is not clear why – not even to her. Her narration is honest and witty and clashes effectively with her and Jake’s overlapping dialogue. The awkwardness is extended with lingering sound effects such as the windscreen wipers in the car. These noises are underlying and hardly noticeable at first, but contribute to overall feelings of irritation and unease. Each scene has an unsettlingly intense atmosphere which is completely intentional. The best (and worst!) thing about this film is that every aspect of it is so uncomfortable to watch. Once the couple arrive at Jake’s parents’ house, both inside and outside are very eerie. Jake’s family dynamic with his parents is hard to pin down. Toni Collette and David Thewlis have an incredible chemistry as their caricature-style acting allows them to bounce the irrational dialogue off against each other. When it comes to interacting with Jake, are they scared of him? Is he controlling them? The use of slow panning camera shots before any movement takes place is also chilling – waiting for action to happen is the true fear of this film and it works really well. There are also lots of gradual changes that take a while to notice. For instance, the young woman’s bright clothing changes throughout the film to dull muted colours. Props in the house keep appearing and disappearing such as the dog, which all contribute to a sense of memories that have not been remembered properly overtime. Kaufman’s vision of the film truly makes the audience confused as to how long they have actually been there. Some of the camerawork doesn’t feel real, as though it is a manifestation of the scene, which then leads the audience to question what is and is not real. There are many theories concerning what the film means, as viewers are left with much confusion and frustration. Completely different storylines knock into one another as well as the different characters, who all contribute to varying parts of a timeline that makes little sense. This lack of clarity is clever, however, as it allows for speculation. The initial assumption is that Jake is a liar because nothing he says makes sense, but then you start to wonder if everyone’s personality seems to be slowly changing. Another idea to consider is that the young woman or Jake exist as part of the same consciousness and one has manifested the other. Kaufman treats his audience to the fact that nothing could be real and that is the best, most frustrating thing about this film. Amongst all the confusion, I’m Thinking of Ending Things is an incredibly compelling film. Charlie Kaufman has yet again created a film with a compulsion to keep watching, despite feeling deep discomfort. I’m Thinking of Ending Things is available on Netflix UK now. #AmberJackson Read more Netflix Film Reviews.

★★★★ Directed by: Jacob Melling Written by: Jacob Melling, Alexandra Rose Wilson Starring: Alexandra Rose Wilson Film Review by: Jason Knight Greece. A young woman embarks on a journey on foot, by herself. She is determined to get to a specific location. Melling's Metanoia takes the viewer through beautiful locations, as they follow the heroine and try to understand her purpose. The story begins with her as she leaves a house and, wearing a black dress and holding a water bottle, a hand-drawn map and something very dear to her, she proceeds to make her way towards a place that is located on a small island. She passes through a quiet village, over many hills, trees and along the way she encounters an abandoned, rusty vehicle, an abandoned school and a half-demolished building, all which appear to be significant to her. She also injures her leg, yet keeps on going. Basically this film is a journey. A journey filled with emotion and beauty. Wilson portrays a person who seems to have suffered a tragic loss. Although she tries to be strong, she is clearly in great emotional pain. The film's title means 'repentance' and that seems to be what she feels as she attempts to reach her destination and place an object of personal value there. Melling perfectly captures the beauty of Greece. There are many wonderful shots of landscapes, beaches and a village, where the locals appear friendly. In addition the audience will have the pleasure of seeing cats, dogs, cows and a beautiful sunset. Their ears will also become familiar with the sound of crickets! Crickets will not be the only thing heard. Barry Hudson-Taylor composed a terrific score that accompanies the story. The music is dramatic and touching and adds significant value. Speech is rather limited, so the film communicates primarily through images. The flashbacks are important because they provide clues regarding the woman's past. When she gets to significant locations such as the old vehicle or the destroyed house, relevant flashbacks appear, indicating that these locations played a part in her past. Metanoia clearly had a great deal of work and passion put into it. The viewer will be intrigued by the story and protagonist and mesmerized by the beauties of Greece that are graphically shown. #JasonKnight

★★★★★ Directed by: #JiaWeiCheng Written by: #JiaWeiCheng #DhruvKanungo Starring: #MichelleJiaCheng #LeannLei #GraceChang #ZongzhanLi Short Film Review by: #ChrisBuick Chinese #shortfilm Under the Flag is the extremely sophisticated and unapologetically frank story of Yiyi (Michelle Jia Cheng), one of several aspiring young students at a prestigious dance academy, who finally lands the lead part in an upcoming performance she’s been working tirelessly to make her own. But as talented and ultimately deserving as Yiyi might be, she discovers her triumph has in fact not been gained on merit alone, but rather by the substantial bribe her mother (Lei) has bestowed upon her instructor (Chang). Under the Flag marks only the second major project from writer and director JiaWei Cheng, a fact which is almost unbelievable given the outstanding and assured levels of filmmaking at play here; one would believe it to be work of a filmmaker with decades of experience. Cheng’s first film New Year gained a number of plaudits and nominations back in 2017 and now Under the Flag has deservedly followed suit, most notably winning Best Short Film at the Lift-Off Film Festival in Tokyo. What’s most evident about Cheng as a filmmaker is her innate ability to tell stories that don’t just entertain or incite drama, but provoke a well of afterthought and wider discussion. Cheng and co-writer Dhruv Kanungo’s razor-sharp screenplay does all that here and then some, raising a plethora of very pertinent questions. How far can talent, hard work and desire really get someone before it’s simply not enough? Life, as much as we’d like to believe otherwise, is quite often not a level playing field and Yiyi’s mothers' words to her in a pivotal part of the film don’t just elegantly sum up the viewpoint Under the Flag is putting forward in this film, but the harsh and unspoken reality of the kind of inherently corrupt systems we are all equally beholden to but also at times complicit in perpetuating. “You think all you need to do is dance?” It’s a theme that is fully represented from all perspectives by a cast of accomplished performances, each representing different links in the chain of such a system. Grace Chang’s Xiao, Yiyi’s unsympathetic instructor, is the very much the face of that system, brilliantly personifying the insurmountable tide Yiyi and the rest of our competitors are swimming against. Lei, equally outstanding, symbolises those who have been ultimately worn down by that system, who know how the game is played and therefore feel justified in their actions because that’s simply how things work. But its Michelle Jia Cheng as Yiyi, realising for the first time what it truly takes to get ahead, who really shines, the highly competent actors masterful expressions meaning we don’t just see the moral conflict that torments Yiyi throughout the film, but feel it every time she forces a smile in the mirror or shies away from praise she believes she hasn’t earned. Last and by absolutely no means least is how simply beautiful the film is to look at. Cinematographer Leo Purman’s exceptional camerawork married with the very astute editing from Yiqing Yu, deserving of her Best Editing award at the Independent Short Awards, make this film sing and allows Under the Flag to become a story told not in words but in the faces of the characters, the dance sequences especially punctuating each of the films narrative beats. Infinitely commendable on all levels, Under the Flag is a truly accomplished passion project that will stick you with you long after for all the right reasons. #ChrisBuick Watch the trailer for Under the Flag below. You can also read our filmmaker interview with editor Yiqing Yu here

★★★★ Directed by: #Lewis Benjamin Peck and #ChristopherWalthorne Created by: #Lewis Benjamin Peck Starring: #LouisHill, #RichardKiess and #IsabellaInchbald Short film review by: Brian Penn So here’s the deal; how many movie quotes can you cram into 11 minutes 35 seconds of screen time. The answer is 112 in this annoyingly clever film shot in glorious black and white. Your mission should you decide to accept it, is to identify as many quotes as possible. By the way, that’s not in there; well I couldn’t possibly make it too easy? Café owner Jeff (Richard Kiess) opens the shop to another grey, uninspiring day. But wait a moment, the enigmatic Stella (Isabella Inchbald) strolls in demanding a table. Jeff’s interest peaks when Johnny (Louis Hill) enters; it becomes the setting for one of those conversations between two lovers. It’s the emotional showdown played out hundreds of times on the silver screen. Jeff can’t help but stir the pot as the pair survey a failing relationship. Stringing together classic movie lines might appear to be a relatively simple task. But it has to form a reasonable narrative and executed with the right timing. They clear both hurdles with consummate ease as the quick fire delivery carries the story along. The viewer quickly enters pub quiz mode as the lines come thick and fast. Smugness took over as I comfortably ticked off the first half dozen. Then the wall intervenes; oh I know that one, what is it!? Panic sets in as you miss the next three or four. You begin to wonder if gestures, expressions or mannerisms count. It’s a challenge as the deepest recess of your memory is dredged. It’s brilliantly executed and well-acted by a cast who obviously get a kick out of it. But it also pays tribute to the enjoyment films have provided over the years; how memorable dialogue can enter our own vocabulary, and provide a common reference point for anyone who loves films. It's great fun and guarantee you will watch this more than once.

★★★★ Directed by #MattHarris Starring: #MaximillionCooper #LanceMountain #DionPenman Film review by Nathanial Eker It seems like 2020 is the year of the skateboard. The video games that turned Tony Hawk into a household name are remastered during the final days of the eighth generation of gaming, while at the same time, a documentary about a beloved indie park is released. Rom Boys is a time capsule filled to the brim with nostalgia and is as much a mausoleum as it is a trip down memory lane. It wonderfully captures the zeitgeist of a community on the outskirts of society and eloquently explores the highs and lows of this nostalgic safe haven for skaters, bikers, and those seeking solidarity. Romford Skate Park, or 'Rom' quickly cements itself as the film's star and a character in its own right. The level of charm radiated by a few simple half pipes and holes in the ground is shocking and palpable, especially to the non-skater layperson. Yet a blend of close and distant cinematography, sharp editing, and a surprisingly effective use of filters and aspect ratios gives 'Rom' a sense of identity from the get go. This is - of course - in no small part thanks to the community of skaters that frequent it. Rom Boys quickly establishes that there will be no one central protagonist, but the eclecticism of those we do meet only furthers the notion that 'Rom' was a place for everyone; devoid of race, class, or occupation. If you love to skate or BMX, 'Rom' was, and perhaps still is, the place for you. The film regrettably dawdles along at the beginning and struggles to find its wheels. However, after a few ollies and grinds explaining where we are, its MO becomes abundantly apparent; saving the listed building from destruction and preserving the memories held there. Director Matt Harris does a great job of selecting interview clips that give a sense of the historical and social importance of 'Rom'. By its end, I found myself gasping in horror when 2018's tragic blaze engulfed much of the recognisable architecture. Harris also has a lot of fun with music, blending the gritty action of his cinematography with classics like Peer Gynt Suite and The Coronation Anthem. This bleeds over into wider reflections on the artistic and historical merit of BMX and skateboarding and how they impacted the UK during the 70s and 80s. For an enthusiast, these brief sequences may distract from the meat of the matter, but for the layperson they help to explain the bohemian obsession with a plank with four wheels in a digestible way. Rom Boys is a loving tribute to a niche sport and an iconic park, devilishly hidden in the heart of Hornchurch. It suffers from pacing issues and is a little long, but Rom Boys is ultimately a triumph, and a living, breathing testimony to why this innocuous mound of concrete meant so much to so many. Through colloquial music and art and excellent cinematography, Harris' documentary could have us fooled that this is California at the height of skate-fever, though the copious shots of rain quickly reminds us that we're in England. Skaters will likely love Rom Boys and its exploration of their cultural and social zeitgeist. However, there is much for the layperson to enjoy too in this well-crafted documentary which may just get you signing that petition to save 'Rom'.

★★ Written and Directed by: #NickGatsby Starring: #EricWillis and #ScottMitchell Film review by: Brian Penn The neighbour from hell is something we all dread; our sanctuary and bolthole invaded by people from whom we have no escape. This self-explanatory effort from Nick Gatsby takes a minor annoyance to the extreme in a scenario that rightly belongs in a nightmare. The tenant (Eric Willis) is seemingly the innocent victim of a vendetta pursued by his neighbour (Scott Mitchell). With no spoken dialogue to support the narrative, we are left with shaky visuals and captioned speech on screen. A rough and basic edit is underpinned by an odd affection for silent movies. The jaunty piano interludes set against absent dialogue are reminiscent of the pre-talkie era. What we hear is largely static or white noise; while the visuals are deeply uncomfortable and difficult to digest (this is definitely not a film for migraine suffers or the photosensitive). The storyline is largely non-existent beyond what is contained in the film’s title. There is no effort to explain the neighbour's motivation or even hint at the characters’ back story. However, the captions make abundantly clear how the neighbour wants to damage the tenant. An incoherent piece bills itself as horror, but frankly it’s difficult to see why. It just doesn’t register and fails to project fear and tension, only bemusement. It feels like an idea dreamed up on the back of a beer mat during a liquid lunch. Obviously short on funding, they also grabbed a VHS video camera to shoot the film; which produced ever present black lines riding through every frame. This began to grate on the senses after a few minutes. That may well have been the desired effect but was just distracting and annoying. Films of this type will always garner a fan base, but is far too self-indulgent to gain any real credibility.

★★★★ Directed by: #HarveyGardner #ArthurJohnson #MichaelMcGurk Written by: #HarveyGardner #ArthurJohnson Starring: #SaulDavidson #MarissaBonnar Short Film Review by: Anna Martin All diabetics are in the frame for cold-blooded murder in Aircraft Productions’ first short film, Chocolate City. And if this sounds bonkers, you should also know that this murder takes place on ‘Chocolate Day’, a beloved holiday where the whole world abandons work and routine to celebrate and indulge in the sweet stuff. But Chocolate City is as delightful as it is loopy, a surreal homage to Noir that is as sweet as the chocolate itself. Private Detective Walt Slater (Saul Davidson), recently lauded for cracking a big case, is called out for the inconceivable – a murder has been committed on ‘International Chocolate Day: a day of peace and love’. At the scene of the crime he meets Electra Mystique (an excellent femme fatale from Marissa Bonnar), and falls madly in love, the way they do in the movies. As for murder, who would do such a thing? Surely only someone who hates chocolate! Enter the diabetic gangs ‘Onesies’ and ‘Twosies’. On his quest for the truth, Walt Slater will encounter thugs, gangsters, double-crossing and threats to his family… and will collect some informative pamphlets along the way. Was it Tommy Two-Steps? Franky Two-Bullets? Or was it a crime of passion after all? There is much to admire here: the effect of chiaroscuro is stunning and the use of archive footage of New York is inspired. It’s laugh-out-loud funny with some perfect comic timing and the performances, notably from the female members of the cast, are delightful. Above all, there’s something special about watching a film where everyone involved is clearly having a blast; it’s catching. Aircraft Productions describe themselves as ‘three boys (Arthur, Harvey and Michael) who make surreal films’, and it’s clear they’re having a lot of fun doing it. The New York accents in Chocolate City are, shall we say, variable, but this work is gleefully self-aware: in one scene the background chatter of the city is simply the universally recognised New York for coffee, quarfee, muttered over and over. There’s also the small issue of the anachronisms which, like the accents, detract from the mood a little. We expect this to be 1940s set, so what is that Ford Focus doing there? And that piece of furniture? And while we are at it, why on earth is there a hat in the fridge? It doesn’t make sense but that’s beside the point: this is an entertaining film that does not take itself too seriously and neither should you - it is chocolate day, after all.

★★★★ Written and Directed by: #BenBond Starring: #JonathanAjayi, #LucieBourdeu, #JonjoONeill, #TomSweet and #JoeyAkubeze Film review by: Brian Penn When two lost souls find each other we trust fate will see them through the rough patches. However, life is rarely that simple as this beautifully shot film by Ben Bond proves. Koffee (Jonathan Ajayi) is an African immigrant fighting to stay in the country. He works long hours in a car wash but the drudgery is broken by regular English classes. There he meets the beguiling Fanny (Lucie Bourdeu) a native Parisienne who works as a waitress. They share emotional baggage and soon become an item. Koffee's boss Doog (Joey Akubeze) has promised him a passport if he does one last job. That job goes spectacularly wrong and Doog is not best pleased. Koffee takes flight with Fanny as they head for the coast. They land on a beach like castaways and begin to enjoy an endless summer. The couple make friends with local fisherman Chris (Jonjo O’Neill) and his son Leon (Tom Sweet); and instantly find common ground as fellow drifters searching for a direction in life. But deep down inside, Koffee and Fanny know their past will catch up with them. The charmless Doog has used his powers of persuasion to track them down and shatter an idealic existence. The Drifters finds its voice with a perfectly judged narrative, gently teasing out the characters' back story. The Devon coast has never looked finer, and provides the perfect landscape for a tale told with disarming honesty. Bond knows his film history and there are subtle nods to his influences that will keep film buffs happy for hours. Jonathan Ajayi is a charismatic male lead, but is topped by Lucie Bourdeu who holds every frame with an almost mesmerising precision. This is highly articulate film making that takes time to build characters without breakneck visuals and rushed dialogue; an absolute treat.

★★★ Directed by #JanKomasa Written by #MateuszPacewicz Starring #MaciejMusialowski, #VanessaAleksander, #DanutaStenka Film Review by Amber Jackson Written by Mateusz Pacewicz, The Hater is a thriller film that exposes toxicity, manipulation and threat within the Polish political world. Based on the film Suicide Room (also directed by Jan Komasa), The Hater has a dark emphasis on the suction power of the virtual world and its consequences. This story concerns Tomasz Giemza, an ambitious man in Warsaw who starts working in the dark world of social media smear tactics after being expelled from law school. He is clever and cunning and uses his skills to outwit everyone around him and it is this psychology that takes its toll. The film itself is lengthy and arguably could have been shorter, as the storyline is hard to follow in parts. However, as the film progresses and the audience learns what is happening, it becomes much more engaging. A real versus fake theme is consistently extended throughout the film to keep the audience unsettled. For instance, there is effective awkwardness between characters through stiff body language and pregnant pauses in dialogue contributing to an atmosphere of uncertainty. This, combined with contrasting sharp jump cuts and lingering shots with no sound lays emphasis on Tomasz’s psyche as a character and how it is deteriorating as he falls further under the influence of social media. It becomes more confusing as to what Tomasz believes in towards the end of the film. He behaves like the ‘Cambridge Analytica’ psychology in trying to gain trust from characters who exist on both sides of the story (riot versus protest) and win their favour. This is a fascinating psychology and is very effectively explored in this film. As the film progresses, his face becomes paler and his clothes become darker and with higher necks on his shirts. This points clearly to the fact that he has always been void of personality and an outcast. It feels as though the film ends and the audience doesn’t actually know anything about him. The last scene is like a surveillance shot as though we the audience are responsible having seen all. Ultimately, what is clear is how the power of hate speech is used within the context of social media. The Hater deals with this in a Polish context, providing an interesting insight into the country’s politics and current issues being faced in Europe. The Facebook events and social media graphics within the film are simplified in parts, but this does not take away from the aggression of their impact. The Hater uses the rhetoric of hate riot versus protest not just in the real world, but also a false one. Tomasz uses the online and gaming world to simulate a war that needs to be won and does not quite realise the consequences of his actions until later. This is a great commentary on how opinion can become extremism, which can certainly be mirrored in reality across the world today. This was a fast, darkly complex and bold film. Despite being enigmatic at times, it is well-worth a watch. #AmberJackson

★★★★ Written and Directed by: #AaronCarroll Starring: #PeterFlaherty and #KymValentine Short Film Review by Taryll Baker Harvey just found out his best friend has passed away. He does what he knows best, runs away. Harvey is a super dramatic yet humorous short film that tackles death and how some people may handle it… though not the most sharply written, it’s a beautifully performed piece and the two main actors, Peter Flaherty and Kym Valentine, are fantastic. After an interesting opening scene, which takes a turn when Harvey hears the news of his best friend passing away, he takes matters into his own hands and sprints off with no hesitation. Throughout the short we’re left guessing what it is exactly that he’s running away from, or towards. But by the end I think it’s very clear and quite the pay-off. I find Australian humour pretty tasteful most of the time, from what I’ve seen. In some ways it’s similar to that of British, quite dry but smart when it wants to be. Harvey takes the more overdramatic approach but it works quite well. Peter Flaherty’s strangely textured character is a joy to watch. He takes us through a pretty hefty internal journey with just a few minutes of story. His opening scene sets you up for what’s to come, and the running scenes were pretty entertaining to watch, if only for its visual… Captured wonderfully by cinematographer Cameron Zayec (also credited as producer), Harvey is not only an enjoyable short film for its witty and dramatic nature, but for it’s striking visuals also. Plenty of vibrant colours and as mentioned before, the neighbourhood looks very lively due to this. The music score is skilfully composed by Andrew Worboys and assists the action on-screen very well. As the main character painstakingly sprints through the lively neighbourhood, the music is there with him in every step and stumble. Bringing this all together seamlessly is the clean edit by writer, director and producer Aaron Carroll. Looking at his discography, it seems like shorts are his shtick, so I do look forward to seeing more of his work. Harvey isn’t going to please those looking for the more dramatic and meaningful, heartfelt side to death. It doesn’t explore much beyond a stage of grief, but the people looking for an entertaining several minutes filled with drops of drama but mostly humour, will find Harvey a satisfying watch. #TaryllBaker

★★★★ Directed by #WilliamOlsson Written by #CatherineHanrahan Starring #AlexandraDaddario Film Review by Brandon Thomas “I tell myself…there’s no happy ending.” Cinema revels in emotion. It’s why the artform has lasted well over a century. We love to experience films that make us laugh, make us afraid, and make us examine even the darkest of our decisions. Lost Girls & Love Hotels is an exploration of these painful, disorientated choices. Margaret (Alexandra Daddario) is an American ex-pat living in Japan. By day, she teaches at a training academy for Japanese stewardesses. By night, Margaret loses herself in booze and random rendezvous in the red light district. Her life of debauchery softens after she meets a brooding Yakuza (Takehiro Hira). Margaret’s pain and self-loathing are apparent from the opening frames: she drunkenly stumbles through a subway entrance, tears brimming in her wide eyes as she realizes a man is lurking behind her. Fear is less apparent in her distant gaze. What I saw was more akin to someone finally succumbing to their demons. This was rock bottom. Lost Girls & Love Hotels isn’t looking to break new ground. There’s no way this movie could. What’s interesting – and original – is how this kind of movie is told through the point of view of a female character. We’ve seen self-destructive dudes do this for eons. Let the ladies have a turn at spiraling out of control! Daddario turns in an impressive performance as Margaret. She walks a fine line – showing the character’s high-highs and low-lows with ease. Her wide-eyed, all-American look helps her stand out in a mostly Japanese cast. One would expect a person with such outwardly beauty to harbor very little in the way of pain. For a character like this one, believability is key, and Daddario delivers. Director William Olsson and writer Catherine Hanrahan (adapting her own novel) haven’t set out to make a salacious sex drama. While Margaret’s BDSM escapades inform who her character is, Lost Girls & Love Hotels is more interested in a person who has latched onto numbing behavior. Isolation, even with a core group of friends and co-workers, is ever-present in Margaret’s condensed world. There’s a simmering sense of danger running through the entire film. Olsson never wrings false drama out of it, but that subtle feeling is there nevertheless. When Margaret does find herself in a precarious situation, it feels more like an eventuality, not the tacked-on payoff to a sleazy thriller. Grounded with an outstanding lead performance, Lost Girls & Love Hotels is a look at how sadness and isolation isn’t something you can run away from – even if you run halfway across the world. #BrandonThomas

★★★ Directed by #GerardBush #ChristopherRenz Written by #GerardBush #ChristopherRenz Starring #JanelleMonáe Film Review by Hope Madden and George Wolf The past is not dead. It’s not even past. That Faulkner quote gets a lot of action in writers/directors Gerard Bush and Christopher Renz’s social nightmare Antebellum. The titular term describes the period in American history just prior to the Civil War. That’s where this thriller finds its horror, and where a prominent, present day African American sociologist/activist/author wakes up to find herself trapped. Janelle Monáe crafts an impressive lead as Veronica, a PhD beaten, branded and forced to accept the slave name in a film that plays out like a disturbingly relevant Twilight Zone episode. Enslaved on a reformer plantation, “Eden” works to stay alive long enough to plan an escape and outsmart two Confederate officers (Eric Lange, Jack Huston) and the mysterious mansion mistress (Jena Malone). The hideous rise of white nationalism is the true nightmare here – fertile and bloody ground for horror. From Godzilla to Get Out, horror has always brimmed with social commentary and anxiety, so it should come as no surprise that a genre film tackles America’s racist shame this directly. And while this approach certainly grabs your attention with its boldness, Bush and Renz can get too caught up in obviousness and speech-making. The second act suffers most from these heavy hands. The modern day shenanigans with Veronica and two friends (Gabourey Sidibe, Lily Cowles) push too hard, last too long and say very little. But as much as Spike Lee has recently connected the past and present of racism with layered nuance, Bush and Renz go right upside our heads. Pulpy exploitation? It goes there. It’s a horror movie. Horror movies exist so we can look at the nightmare, examine it from a distance, and come out the other side, unscathed ourselves. Antebellum is acknowledgment and catharsis, and not only because all those Black people being terrorized on the screen are fictional, and not part of another cell phone crime scene. The film’s true catharsis–a highly charged and emotional payoff—lies in Act 3: comeuppance. And it is glorious. There are stumbles getting to the fireworks, but for sheer heroic tit for tat, Antebellum delivers the goods. #HopeMadden #GeorgeWolf