With Arms Raised film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring Andrew Garrett, Jonathan Wallace directed by Jon Cvack. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS With Arms Raised Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Dec 21, 2025 Directed by: Jon Cvack Written by: Jon Cvack Starring: Andrew Garrett, Jonathan Wallace Jon Cvack’s With Arms Raised is a thrilling short film set around a fateful car ride. A taxi driver navigates a man in the midst of a breakdown, in a gripping tale powered by the twin crises of mental health and gun violence in America. Jonathan Wallace’s driver picks up his passenger (Andrew Garrett) for a journey that quickly becomes uncomfortable. Spotting that the passenger’s demeanour is off, the driver tries to keep things casual. They find some common ground over their shared Chicago heritage, but as the passenger begins to focus on his disdain for the homeless, the driver senses his motivations may be sinister. A viewer’s first watch of With Arms Raised is one that will mesmerise, as the unpredictable and erratic musings of the passenger weave both the driver and the audience on a string. Director and writer Cvack manages to brilliantly recreate dialogue of a disturbed person. Garrett’s passenger is a man whose intentions are unclear until the very final moments, and through his interactions with the driver audiences will be left with conflicting feelings around the character. His demeanour is one that presents as threatening and vengeful, yet Garrett allows just enough sensitivity through to suggest that he yearns for some sort of connection to grasp to. Mental health rarely presents in simple ways, and both the character’s construction and Garrett’s performance are an excellent representation of this. Praise is also deserved of Jonathan Wallace, a cab driver just trying to get through his shift who suddenly finds himself in an uncomfortable situation. His instincts immediately tell him that something is wrong in his backseat, but efforts to maintain cordiality leads to him agreeing with some of the passenger’s simmering attacks. As these grow more vicious, he is torn between resistance and tolerance, unsure as to whether it is worth pushing back against someone who is clearly not all there. Similar to Garrett, he captures the essence and purpose of the character, who represents societal uncertainty of how to deal with mentally ill people. Cvack’s direction also shines – confining the viewer in the cab close to the characters to create a claustrophobic effect. Much of the film is spent in unbalanced close ups of the passenger, as he rants and seethes over his perceived injustices. This becomes contrasted by calmer portrayals of the driver, who stays level despite the growing threat behind him. The contrasts here are obvious, but an interesting directorial choice is that the passenger is visible (if restricted) in many of the shots with the driver. It seems to say that those who are unafflicted can still see those struggling, even if we try to look away. Treating these people like they don’t exist will only lead to tragedy, especially ones who cannot see outside their own fractured minds. With Arms Raised is a fantastic and memorable short, and whilst its ending may seem a little predictable, its snapshot of the mental health crisis in the US is one that is authentic and considered. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Digital / DVD Release, Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Alfie Kaye writes movie reviews for UK Film Critic. As one of the talented UK film critics, find out more here. Alfie Kaye I currently study Sports Journalism at the University of East London, but film has always been an equal passion. It was a coin toss between the two fields when it came to deciding what I wanted my undergraduate to be. However, if my undergraduate degree allows it, I will study film as my postgraduate. My favourite films are variable, but always in the conversation are: Mulholland Drive, The King of Comedy (really, anything Scorsese made in the period from Mean Streets to Goodfellas), Shaun of the Dead, There Will be Blood, Get Carter (original version, obviously) and The Long Good Friday. Film is very much subjective, and there is absolutely no right answer to the question of ‘best film ever made’. Read Latest Film Reviews

The Inaudible Speech film review by UK film critic Joe Beck. Starring Achyut Prashast Singh directed by Achyut Prashast Singh. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Inaudible Speech Film Review average rating is 1 out of 5 Critic: Joe Beck | Posted on: Jul 24, 2023 Directed by: Achyut Prashast Singh Written by: Achyut Prashast Singh Starring: Achyut Prashast Singh ‘The Inaudible Speech’ is a strange film in that whether it should be classified as such is a question unto itself. The two minute runtime - less than two minutes when you minus the opening, which asks ‘can you hear his voice amidst the noise?’ - is not the issue in this debate. If it can be described as a film then it is most definitely a short film. Moreover, the reason this critic finds it difficult to distinguish ‘The Inaudible Speech’ as a film is that it appears as more of an acting audition tape than a film itself. It’s a short that clearly intends to spotlight the acting ability of Achyut Prashast Singh - who stars, directs and writes - yet it inexplicably fails to do that through some serious limitations in the screenplay. Instead, it comes across as simply an audition tape, with the actor merely proving that they can read lines, or perhaps a simple table read of a script. Indeed at times so much is this the case that it feels as though somebody’s speaking language exam has been recorded in an attempt to be stylistic. Singh reads, direct from the script, how he has lost his interest in studying. He hasn’t lost interest for any particular reason, simply where he used to love studying it now only brings boredom and feels like a chore. He details how this caused failures in class and backlash from his parents, before deciding to grow a pair and become proactive in his studying again, though now instead of studying out of enjoyment, he only studies for the prospect of a profitable career. This sounds like he’s going through some stuff - though such a flux is something everybody experiences on numerous occasions throughout their lives - but why should we care. Singh’s script doesn’t give us any reason to care about his turgid state of studying, and his sudden change of mindset. It’s essentially a monologue that allows no room for emotion, with its monotonous delivery reflected by the lack of drama in the speech which he is saying. Directing is little better, with only a few cuts - which are jarring - to suggest even the remotest sign of technical flair. Hence the film feels like an audition tape, with little technical skill involved, only it isn’t a script that enhances Singh’s performance, and instead only flattens it. 

 The title suggests perhaps a hidden meaning within his speech. Perhaps some repressed emotion. Yet there is no subtext to suggest that ‘The Inaudible Speech’ has anything to say beyond its surface level frustrations over studying and a lack of motivation. Sure, occasionally the background noise threatens to render the speech inaudible, but you cannot stage your entire film around this one possibility and expect to engage people effectively. ‘The Inaudible Speech’ is a film, or audition tape, or English language speaking exam, that is devoid of passion, creativity, and filmmaking skill. The flatness of the film extends to acting, writing and directing, with an incredibly dull conceit that somehow was never questioned by the filmmaker during the process of making ‘The Inaudible Speech’. It defies logic, in the worst possible ways. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Joe Beck Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania film review by UK film critic George Wolf. Starring Paul Rudd, Michelle Pfeifffer, Jonathan Majors, Evangeline Lilly directed by Peyton Reed. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: George Wolf | Posted on: Feb 14, 2023 Directed by: Peyton Reed Written by: Jack Kirby, Jeff Loveness Starring: Paul Rudd, Michelle Pfeifffer, Jonathan Majors, Evangeline Lilly Time to set your phasers to “5” Marvel Fans, and hope for better days ahead. Because Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania is a messy, lackluster kick-off to the new stage. After the prologue and before the two end stingers, Quantumania is bookended by two winning sequences, both set to the theme from “Welcome Back, Kotter.” They’re self-effacing and full of the unique charm that has defined Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man/Scott Lang character since the first installment. And the rest of the film can never quite measure up. While Scott has been off Avenging, his daughter Cassie (Kathryn Newton) has grown into an impressive young scientist herself. In fact, the new sub-atomic telescope she invented seems pretty nifty, until a family pizza party ends with Scott, Cassie, Hope/Wasp (Evangeline Lilly), Hank (Michael Douglas) and Janet (Michelle Pfeiffer) all sucked back into the Quantum Realm. And it turns out, there’s plenty Janet didn’t let on about the 30 years she spent down there. Some of it involves Krylar (Bill Murray, channeling Criswell). But the life-threatening details revolve around how Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors) wound up there, and why he must never make his way out. Director Peyton Reed returns from parts 1 and 2, but his powers are more limited in the quantum realm than Kang’s. Without city landmarks and average Joes to ground the comedy, the Ant-Man dorkishness falls flat. The writing doesn’t help, although it’s tough to blame series newcomer Jeff Loveness in his feature debut. The first film was written by Edgar Wright, Joe Cornish and Adam McKay, for Pete’s sake. But Loveness cannot find a groove, throwing comedy bits that suit Aqua Teen Hunger Force into hyper-serious melodrama with a Barbarella backdrop. Much of the film is blatantly Star Wars , with attempts at Ragnorak humor that run headlong into extended exposition and Kang’s quest for dominating multiple plexes. None of it works. Rudd’s a doll, per usual, and Newton’s a charmer. Pfeiffer continues to have charisma to burn, which is a good thing because Lilly’s as engaging as a paper sack and Douglas is mainly wasted. But the real pity is Majors, another profound talent floundering in an underwritten villain role that relies on speechifying rather than acting. There are some big ideas here, and the attempts at world-building are ambitiously borrowed, but much the same as its unlikely Avenger, Quantumania comes up small. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic George Wolf Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Trust Me film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Lydia Hopgood, Fraser Adams, Maeve O'Haire directed by Marc-Antoine Turcotte. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Trust Me Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Dec 10, 2025 Directed by: Marc-Antoine Turcotte Written by: Lydia Hopgood Starring: Lydia Hopgood, Fraser Adams, Maeve O'Haire A short psychological drama directed by Marc-Antoine Turcotte, written by Lydia Hopgood and starring Hopgood, Fraser Adams and Maeve O'Haire. Emma (Hopgood) and Matty (Adams) are a young couple living together in a smart house by themselves. For a while they have been trying for a baby, however, so far, they have been unsuccessful. As Emma becomes distraught by her apparent inability to conceive, she discovers that her partner might be up to something sinister. This story begins as a drama about having a baby and later turns into a thriller about betrayal. The primary focus is Emma, how the struggle that she is facing in her efforts to become pregnant is affecting her psychology and creating waves in her relationship with Matty. The screenplay is heavy regarding drama and the life-changing discovery brings the atmosphere to a whole other level. Talking about the discovery, without any spoilers, although it appears that it will lead to a major confrontation, the ending is not very conclusive, leaving question marks and some might find that disappointing. Emma is a sort of tragic figure. Even though she lives in a nice, big house, with a partner who ostensibly cares deeply for her and they plan to have children, due to not being able to conceive, her life has taken a wrong turn, leading her to a situation where she feels miserable and alienated as she is keen on becoming a mother. The presence of the song Captive emphasises the isolation that Emma is feeling and the fact that it is sung by Hopgood provides more depth to her character. Matty is physician and seems to be a supportive partner but also gives the impression that he is man who might not understand when he is wrong. Chris (O'Haire) has the role of Emma's bestie, a person who is there for her and willing to listen to her problems. Self-reflection, anxiety, self-esteem, control and betrayal all play a key role in this story. Perhaps more heavily though, this film explores the subject of having a desire to become a parent, how it could affect people's mental health. Moreover, it is indicated that individuals who work in the medical sector could take advantage of their knowledge in order to manipulate others. This is a dramatic film, one that relies on the perspective of a young woman in order to tell a story and explore its themes and it does so effectively. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Exitus (2022) film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Sarah Hirsch, Colby Cyrus, Andrew Medeiros, Taylor Carter directed by Andrew Medeiros and Colby Cyrus. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Exitus (2022) Film Review average rating is 1 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Nov 20, 2022 Directed by: Andrew Medeiros and Colby Cyrus Written by: Andrew Medeiros and Colby Cyrus Starring: Sarah Hirsch, Colby Cyrus, Andrew Medeiros, Taylor Carter You may well ask yourself, does the world need another dumb slasher flick? And you would be right to do so. Even Mark Kermode – the Doctor of Horror – has said recently that he sincerely hopes the most recent iteration of the classic John Carpenter Halloween franchise, Halloween Ends (2022) really will be the end of it, with the film being a super dumb, shock free, scare free, horror lite version of the original with nothing new or good happening in it at all. And so now we come to Exitus , named alongside another fifteen or so pieces of nonsense which have used this title to invoke some sort of fear or horror. Buddied up writers and directors, Andrew Medeiros and Colby Cyrus seem to believe, much like many other juvenile film-makers, that if you are just starting out making films and have a seriously low budget, then you have to go out and make a dumb slasher flick – to them it just makes sense. It means that you get to have blood and gore, you can promote sexual promiscuity, you can have your characters spout any old tripe that is just a thinly veiled excuse for you to air your own deep seated thoughts and beliefs, and you don't have to worry too much about plot because who really cares anyway? So this is what we've got. After a couple of quick scenes and even quicker murders to provide some sort of context, we catch up with Don (Medeiros) and his pals as they rock up to his parents' winter house during a short break from university life. Along with him are his girlfriend Mary (Carter), his sister Lizzie (Hirsch) and her new boyfriend River (Cyrus), and a couple of other friends who are bisexual and who are therefore labelled for some reason as the most sexually promiscuous of the bunch in some truly diabolical scripting. Don quickly makes himself out to be a total asshole, although everyone seems fine with that because he has money, and he and Lizzie air each other's most personal family secrets in what is their first exchange of the film. The cliches are moving thick and fast. It doesn't stop there though, as the rest of the thirty minute short film is just a series of slasher tropes which don't even have the courtesy of any preamble or lead in to build up tension, along with a bunch of Scream (1996) rip-offs and an angling at Bodies, Bodies, Bodies (2022). Medeiros and Cyrus even have Don give River the nickname of Dawson's Creek, presumably feeling the need to give some sort of nod to Kevin Williamson after stealing so much of his stuff. Almost across the entire board the acting is awful with most of the main group just being bad but a few of the bit part actors, most notably Mayor Gibson and his wife, being truly terrible in their performance. The only person acting in there is Sarah Hirsch as Lizzie, who actually manages to deliver her lines as well as put across some sense of true emotion. The sound recording, too, seems to whimper out for large chunks of the movie, first at the beach, then at the table, where dialogue is barely audible and the ripped-off again Halloweenesque score is given preference. There is some saving grace in the cinematography and direction, which do produce a few nice shots, but these are mainly in the non-acted scenes and are therefore only background to the gory mess up front. Exitus is a bad attempt at a bad movie – and no, that doesn't make it any good. Things start to make a lot more sense at the end when the credits roll and we see that Medeiros and Cyrus themselves have been playing the two main male parts all along, the two biggest roles in the film, and that they've written themselves into something they wanted to see. Judging by what they've produced though, they're likely to be the only ones. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Misfits film review by UK film critic Isaac Parkinson. Starring Pierce Brosnan, Nick Cannon, Tim Roth, Mike Angelo, Jamie Chung, Hermione Corfield directed by Renny Harlin. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Misfits Film Review average rating is 1 out of 5 Critic: Isaac Parkinson | Posted on: Mar 2, 2022 Directed by: Renny Harlin Written by: Robert Henny, Kurt Wimmer Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Nick Cannon, Tim Roth, Mike Angelo, Jamie Chung, Hermione Corfield Pierce Brosnan was, at one time, the face of the biggest action franchise in the world. Suave, charming, commanding. Not any more. Here, Brosnan stars as expert thief/wayward father/supposed charmer Richard Pace. Drafted by the titular Misfits to lead a heist (altruistically stealing gold from a prison in Abu Dhabi intended to ‘fund terrorism’), he’s joined by his estranged daughter Hope (Hermione Corfield), our narrator Ringo (Nick Cannon), man-hating martial artist Violet (Jamie Chung), royal con man The Prince (Rami Jaber), and demolition man Wick (Mike Angelo). Brosnan’s performance feels desperate, trying to force some energy and style into a dull script. He charms women, yet without having said anything charming. He holds control over those around him, yet without commanding any authority. Everything is working against him, but he somehow manages to be the only engaging performer here. Cannon’s Ringo is perhaps the only other who stands out due to how abrasive and alienating he is. A man of theatrics, he adopts several disguises which are each as confusing as they are offensive. His accents are so wildly inconsistent that what I thought was intended as an insultingly camp Middle Eastern accent, he later claims to be European. This is indicative of wider elements of orientialism throughout the film, resorting to the comical use of a group of servants all named Mohammed, constant mocking of Arabic dialects, and a general demonisation of the Middle East as a hive of terrorists. Ringo also provides voice-over narration, navigating us through cutaways flashbacks and quips to add exposition and levity. Beyond lacking any humour, these moments also often push extra narration into scenes which were by themselves already plenty expository - there’s no satisfaction in recognising a twist when someone leans over to shout an explanation in your ear, and even less satisfaction in someone telling you their joke is funny. Elsewhere, the action is formally uncoordinated and unintelligible. Chopped up with quick cuts intended to inject some urgency, it becomes impossible to recognise exactly what is happening, particularly during chase sequences. While this has the facade of a Fast & Furious -esque globetrotting heist, Harlin forgets the essential elements of a charming ensemble and thoughtfully crafted set pieces. The political context of the narrative is as confusing as its action. Characters use terms like ‘Bin Laden’s successor’ to describe terrorists, stirring up a sense of patriotic retribution to justify their plan. Motivations like this undermine their Robin Hood style vigilantism, and identify them more implicitly as US government agents unshackled by bureaucratic gridlock. The ignorance towards the War on Terror boils down to ‘West = good, East = bad,’ making it hard to root for our supposed heroes. This is further worsened by their poisoning of an entire prison population to steal the gold. If their justification is a moral one, why commit such cruel acts? Harlin was once a successful director with films like Die Hard 2 and Cliffhanger , but without any competent action or charming twists, this throwback to suave 90s capers feels detached from the very thing it’s attempting to recreate. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Isaac Parkinson Amazon Prime < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Flash/Crash film review by UK film critic Chris Buick. Starring Karim El Guennouni, Meriyem Manders, Jihane el Fahidi, Abdenbi Azzaoui directed by Angelo Perez Lebbink. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Flash/Crash Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Chris Buick | Posted on: Oct 18, 2023 Directed by: Angelo Perez Lebbink Written by: Angelo Perez Lebbink Starring: Karim El Guennouni, Meriyem Manders, Jihane el Fahidi, Abdenbi Azzaoui Beautifully shot short-film Flash/Crash from writer/director Angelo Perez Lebbink follows the story of struggling drug-addict Brahim (El Guennouni) trying to seek forgiveness for his past mistakes amidst the murky world of human trafficking rings and underworld crime. It's a film that constructs its narrative well and looks to present its story in an interesting way, a story it must be said is helpfully buoyed throughout by a commanding lead performance from El Guennouni and an equally laudable turn from Meriyem Manders. Moving back and forth between the past (where we start to understand who Brahim was) and the present (where we start to see the situation that that past has led him to), the films plot has enough there to certainly spark curiosity, but over the twelve-minute runtime, it's all in relatively broad strokes, and what we are left unclear of really at the end is the how and why of it all, which is where Flash/Crash falls a bit short. The film raises a lot of interesting narrative questions but provides a bit less in the way of answers. It transpires that Flash/Crash is indeed part of a short-film crime trilogy including #Naima (who we know here from Brahim’s past) and Exit S106, both of which centre around similar themes in terms of self-harm and trafficking, a trio of films that together could give the audience a much deeper understanding of what’s going on here. But judged as a standalone offering, it’s a shame that Flash/Crash does feel at times like there are integral story pieces missing that would allow viewers to really get into what seems to be a very intriguing tale. Yes, some character motivations are unclear, and backstories are touched upon but ultimately feel a bit shallow. However, it must be said that the two main performances from El Guennouni and Manders do fantastically well with the films tidy script to convey such a punch of emotion in their scenes together that the film will at least allow you to feel the essence of the story, even if some of the specific details are missing. And Lebbink, along with a clearly talented cinematographer in Gijs Roodhart, not only knows how to make a film look visually compelling, but how to make their characters compelling too. Deservedly a winner of a number of accolades, Flash/Crash whets the appetite enough with some handy camerawork and strong character performances that one might just want to go and seek out the rest of the story. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Chris Buick Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Fairyland The Musical film review by UK film critic Finn O’Toole. Starring Carrie-Anne Lewis, Jamie Chidzey, Peter Frow, Rowena Bentley, Suzanne Kendall, Warren Palmer, Jack Silver, Esme Sears. directed by Peter Frow. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Fairyland The Musical Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Finn O'Toole | Posted on: Jun 22, 2026 Directed by: Peter Frow Written by: Peter Frow Starring: Carrie-Anne Lewis, Jamie Chidzey, Peter Frow, Rowena Bentley, Suzanne Kendall, Warren Palmer, Jack Silver, Esme Sears. This independent musical, written and directed by Peter Frow, follows a magical adventure as a family journey into fairyland. Immediately Fairyland The Musical invites us in with its opening, utilising an alluring sound design as the backstory is presented to the audience — in fact the sound and vocals throughout the recording are crisp and effectively serve the viewers immersion, leading one to forget we’re only watching a recording of the musical and not the show itself. From the off-set the central spectacle of the piece, and what will live in the minds of audiences most after it ends, is the excellent work on display from this company of performers. Where some companies strive to upstage each other, this group of talents perfectly uplift their fellow cast-mates, with everyone providing energetic emotional performances and consistent vocal clarity. Recordings of stage shows such as this live or die on how they are captured on camera. That is to say; what is seen and felt in the room may not necessarily translate to screen. However, audiences won’t find this to be the case here. The way this is shot, presenting a mixture between the on-stage recording and visual elements especially for the viewers, strike a careful balance that maintains engagement and never feels out of place. Unfortunately these strengths may be undermined by some glaring flaws. One of which being the lack of production design. Electing for a projected screen at the back of the stage, this choice leaves the rest of the space feeling bare and results in some bland and awkward blocking — leaving the aforementioned talent to elevate the paint-by-numbers story through their performances alone. There is also an interesting discussion to be had in how this tale handles its songs. It could be argued that songs in musicals should oftentimes be used to further the plot or reflect a change in character. But in this show, some songs seem to do neither. The strongest example of this is James’ song in which he sings viciously about not believing in or liking fairies. This addition doesn’t tell us any information about the character that the audience hasn’t already been presented with, and also doesn’t further the plot in any meaningful way — it’s just there . Ultimately Fairyland is a recorded musical with magnificent performances, simple but effective songs/ lyrics, and a tale that should leave audiences with a smile by the time the curtain falls. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Finn O'Toole Digital / DVD Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Sign Your Name film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Jordan Webber, Xavier Edwards, Omar Long, Ursula Augustine directed by Tab Edwards. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Sign Your Name Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Oct 22, 2025 Directed by: Tab Edwards Written by: Tab Edwards Starring: Jordan Webber, Xavier Edwards, Omar Long, Ursula Augustine From the producers of the award-winning film The Kingfish 2 , comes this short drama written and directed by Tab Edwards and starring Jordan Webber, Xavier Edwards, Omar Long and Ursula Augustine. This project is loosely based on the struggles of American singer and songwriter Sananda Maitreya (formerly Terence Trent D'Arby). The story takes place in Philadelphia, where acclaimed signer Artist X (Edwards) is in the middle of a tour, along with fellow music artist and girlfriend, Cupcake (Webber). They are currently in a hotel room and receive an unexpected visit by music producer, Omar (Long), who is not happy. He is displeased because he has found out that Artist X plans to transition from Pop R&B to Rock music and Omar believes that R&B will make more money. Faced with this disapproval, Artist X struggles to hold on to what he wants. This story centres on an individual who has had an epiphany, who has reached a point in their life where they want a complete change, to go down a different path. The confrontation comes in the form of Omar, who detests the singer's idea of pursuing other genres and demands that he remains on his current objectives. With Cupcake's support, Artist X holds maintains his inner strength and continues to follow his goal. Since the plot involves acclaimed singers and is inspired by the experiences of an actual music artist, it probably would not be surprising that there are segments where the film becomes a music video and they work well, with the songs Stronger and Sign Your Name adding significant value. The appearance of slow motion was apparently done with the intention of elevating the drama, however, it mostly succeeds in making the scenes awkward. One other awkward element would be the sight of fish and frogs. What is their significance? Another downside is the acting, which is not convincing in general. Although this film is not intended to be a true story, Artist X seems to be a character that represents Maitreya in certain ways, as for one thing, he physically resembles him and for another, both Maitreya and Artist X went through a crucial phase of self-identity. Cupcake is the young artist's rock, a young woman who supports him and believes in his ambitions. Omar's character represents the dark side of the music industry, a greedy, manipulative and inconsiderate producer who focuses solely on profits. This short serves as a commentary about the music industry, particularly the challenges that surround the life of a pop star, particularly when it comes to artists being pressured against their will in the interest of profit. Born from the real-life experiences of a singer, this story explores fame, self-discovery, self-esteem, free will, support, manipulation and greed. A short about a singer who wants to change their life. The acting might be poor, however, it does not prevent this film from getting its point across. It also acknowledges the struggles of Maitreya and the footage of him is a plus. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Odyssemen film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring Clara McGough, Daniel Adams, Lujane Yacoub directed by Minh Ngo. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Odyssemen Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Jul 21, 2026 Directed by: Minh Ngo Written by: Minh Ngo Starring: Clara McGough, Daniel Adams, Lujane Yacoub When Christopher Nolan took a look at the competition that his blockbuster Odyssey was likely to be compared with this summer, he will have no doubt circled Spider-Man, Moana or Toy Story as his greatest opposition. He probably didn’t account for a small, student-created microbudget project starring a cast of semen, but if you somehow stumble across The Odyssemen whilst looking for the ancient epic, you will find a bizarre, yet against-the-odds charmingly obscure short film. After their cellular divisional split births them as meiosisters, Orchis (Clara McGough) and Semes (Daniel Adams) find themselves in the strange, barren land of Test, where the annual Testy Festy is well underway. This festival harkens the journey of the sperm to heaven, but a mysterious sister by the name of Seed (Lujane Yacoub) warns that the journey is a lie. An alternative path ahead is offered by ‘The Great Jac’ – an event that could lead to a civil war. But which side will the sisters fall on? The Odyssemen is an upstart short film that manages to use the appearance of a gross-out comedy to explore much deeper questions about humanity, faith and belief. Whilst the absurdity of a cast of sperm in human form (dressed proudly in painter’s coveralls) or some fine use of word-play (the ‘phallus palace’ an obvious yet amusing example), the themes that are behind the inner and external conflicts that affect the characters are drive their motives and curiosities are much more salient. The struggle with going against ones most potent and sacred of beliefs, pushing back against values that have become corrupted or misguided, or defying the gods whose orders have always been followed would not look out of place in Nolan’s epic. And where there is ultimately a limit on how far director Minh Ngo can dig with this within timing and budget limitations, it is quite impressive how comfortably more serious concepts are able to be introduced to the world. The film is spoken in a Shakespearian dialogue throughout its runtime, coupled with monolithic, monk-like chanting from the sperm hordes as they await ‘salvation’. The chanting in particular, coupled with the haunting red landscape gives an unnerving alien feel to events. Despite being set within the human body, there are distinct sci-fi flavours at play amidst the old-world overlays. Whilst the Olde English verbiage threatens to become trite in moments, it is nicely counter-weighted by these unearthly settings that place us in a timeless space, created uncertainty in the viewer as to what fate belies the sperm (even in those of us who have knowledge of the anatomy…). There are moments in which the film loses its way. The characters or Orchis and Semes do not carry enough distinction to really stand out as unique or memorable – with the film instead relying on its absurd concept to stand out. Once one adjusts to this as normal, some of the problems with the plot’s ability to sustain the concept become clearer, and stronger storytelling would have benefitted the audience’s appreciation for the two paths ahead of the heroes. There is also an awful lot going on in the 20-minute runtime, and simplifying the events given the limitations at play may have meant the overall experience would land with more vigour from a story-perspective. Yet when put against its $250-million namesake, there is a triumph in The Odyssemen, which no doubt is the result of an epic journey in its own right. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Digital / DVD Release, Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Saving Mango - A Cat's Story film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Josh Bloomberg, Eli Gorenstein, Oren Peled directed by Oren Peled. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Saving Mango - A Cat's Story Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Oct 25, 2024 Directed by: Oren Peled Written by: Oren Peled Starring: Josh Bloomberg, Eli Gorenstein, Oren Peled A feature comedy drama adventure film written and directed by Oren Peled and starring Josh Bloomberg and a cat named Simba as the titular Mango. Mango is actually the main protagonist. Yes, this is a live-action film starring a cat. The plot will most likely make viewers think of Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey and Home Alone . Simba is a domesticated male cat who lives in a nice home with a nice family. One day, the family goes on a holiday, leaving Mango at he house. They intend to return soon, however their car is involved in a collision and they are unable to return home. Now poor Mango does not know what is going on and he must look after himself and figure out what to do. The hero is a cat who is unintentionally left home alone and the story is told through his perspective. Quite an unusual and interesting plot. And the story is told through Mango's perspective, with Josh Bloomberg providing voice-over that serves as Mango's thoughts, his emotions, his opinions and how he generally perceives things. Bloomberg's voice-over gives a personality to Simba, making him likeable, with common sense and a sense of humour and makes him a character to root for. It should be mentioned that the cat's mouth does not open when his thoughts are heard, meaning that the words only exist in his mind. Filming was done in ways that helps the audience experience the world through Mango's perspective to a certain degree, an example being Mango's cool point-of-view-shots. The emotional, light-hearted and mesmerising music is another plus. If there are some negative qualities to be pointed out then one might be that the film would had benefited if the members of the family that Mango lives with (the two children and their mother ) were explored more as characters. It is evident that they are nice people, but that is pretty much all. Another would be a scene where a man is talking to Mango, trying to reason with him. Although it is obviously intended to be a moving scene, seeing an adult attempting make a cat understand a situation feels silly. Regarding the performances, a lot of praise goes to Simba for portraying Mango and to Bloomberg for the amusing voice-over that gives Mango a fun-loving, good-natured personality. The action centers on Mango and the only other characters that have significant screen time are the children's grandfather (Eli Gorenstein) and a homeless man played by Peled. Although not very convincing in his role, Gorenstein still manages to create a sympathetic character. Peled stands out as a homeless man who builds a rapport with Mango. Peled's character does not speak and he comes across as a person with a good heart, even though he is rather awkward and childish as he interacts with the cat. This story is a journey. A journey that begins as a situation involving isolation and uncertainty, before becoming involved in other themes, including survival, self-discovery and friendship. The main message appears to be that one should cherish those around them and also be self-sufficient. This feature is an adventure that has a light-hearted atmosphere for the most part, yet it also has dramatic moments. It will probably be fair to say that people who like cats and animals in general will most likely enjoy this film about a cat experiencing a life-changing adventure. This film is available now both on Prime Video via Prime Video Direct Content Submission Portal (in the US and the UK) & Tubi (in the US, Canada, Mexico, Australia and the UK). Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >