Good Luck to You, Leo Grande film review by UK film critic George Wolf. Starring Emma Thompson, Daryl McCormack directed by Sophie Hyde. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Good Luck to You, Leo Grande Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: George Wolf | Posted on: Jun 17, 2022 Directed by: Sophie Hyde Written by: Katy Brand Starring: Emma Thompson, Daryl McCormack If we’re boiling down film narratives to heroes and quests, it won’t take long to define Good Luck to You, Leo Grande . Nancy is our hero, and sex is her quest. And she would like good sex, thank you, although she can’t quite bring herself to expect the elusive release that she spent decades faking for her husband’s benefit. But now Nancy (Emma Thompson) is an aging widow, fidgeting nervously in a hotel room and second-guessing her decision to hire handsome young escort Leo Grande (Daryl McCormack) for a tryst. Thompson is, of course, glorious. And as much fun as it always is to see her command those in-charge characters spitting ruthlessly droll asides, Nancy reminds you how equally adept Thompson is with self-effacing humor, vulnerability and longing. Writer Katy Brand’s script is filled with delightful wordplay, subtle wit and insightful details, one of the most resonant being Nancy’s history as a religious education teacher. We see her as a woman not only desperate to learn things she was never taught (and she has a list!), but also now regretting some of the lessons she passed down to young girls in her classrooms. To Nancy, Leo represents more than just lust. He is the power of youth, and all the possibilities of a different generation that have long felt shameful to many from her generation. McCormack is terrific, worthy of extra kudos for not shrinking from the prospect of simply being the “other half” of a two-hander led by a rarified talent. Leo has some issues of his own beneath his suave demeanor, and McCormack reveals them with subtlety and heart. But back to our hero. Nancy’s journey is, of course, an intimate one, and director Sophie Hyde doubles down on the intimacy, rarely leaving the privacy of the hotel room. Regardless, the film is never claustrophobic and always cinematic, framing even the most sexual moments with a refreshing honesty that the characters (and these two impeccable performances) deserve. And you know what? We deserve it, too. Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is a simply wonderful look at embracing who you are and what you want. It’s funny and empowering, warm and touching, even heartbreaking at times. Let’s hope it finds the audience it deserves. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic George Wolf Digital / DVD Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Mammoth: Adventures In Gnomeman's Land film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring N/A directed by Matt Check. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Mammoth: Adventures In Gnomeman's Land Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Sep 5, 2025 Directed by: Matt Check Written by: Matt Check Starring: N/A A guy plant, his girlfriend, and his two crazy best-friends have an adventure in the Land of the Gnomemen, where a whole bunch of weird, trippy stuff happens to them, during which the Gnomes try to vanquish a celestial enemy, and group loyalties are put to the test. Mammoth is just like any other chill, regular, guy plant out there, wanting to take it easy and have a nice time without anyone getting too aggro or in everyone’s face about stuff. Unfortunately, he’s woken up tied to the ground in the Land of the Gnomemen, with his three best-friends beside him, caught underneath the ropes of the devilish little Lilliputians. Before too long, Peyote, the enraged cactus, breaks his bonds, and pretty soon the others have done the same, sending the gnomes running for cover in all directions. From here we are springboarded into a whole host of shenanigans, including some giant beanstalk action, a quest for lost friends, pagan ritualism, and bio-terrorism, where Mammoth and his pals help the Gnomemen out before dealing with their own stuff that appears to be a hangover from past adventures. In fact, Mammoth: Adventures In Gnomeman’s Land is the ninth such adventure that Mammoth and his pals have been on, Chasing The Rainbow , however this instalment turns out to be a bit of a departure from the rest. In writer/director/producer Matt Check’s animated series, he has taken around thirty-seven minutes to tell all eight of the previous parts to Mammoth’s tale; when he has been Chasing The Rainbow . However, in his Adventures In Gnomeman’s Land , the scale is much greater, with the story perhaps getting away from Check at times, and nearly twenty-four minutes is dedicated to this little escapade alone, making it by far the most important and expansive in the series to date. It seems as though Check hadn’t really intended for this episode to go on for as long as it did, but as it grew and took shape he found that he was bound to the story for as far as it took him. In fact, it took him a whole thirteen months from start to finish, to get the episode out, which is a huge investment for one man doing everything on his own. The music, too, is composed by Check, and is a huge undertaking along with the animation itself. What Check has created here, as he says himself, is a valuable form of therapy, where he can disappear into his animation and busy his thoughts with creating this new world, where everything is creatively expressed by him. The adventures of Mammoth are not really so important, as much as what the adventures represent, where each new episode is an achievement in application and skill that provides an outlet for pent-up creative energy to blossom on the screen. Whatever it is that Mammoth and his friends get up to, the sentiment and feelings that come from their actions is always entirely Matt Check, and the camaraderie and closeness that they feel towards each other helps us understand a bit about him. With no dialogue or lyrics, just the music and the animation to tell the story, Mammoth: Adventures In Gnomeman’s Land ends up sitting in a strange place in film somewhere between Yellow Submarine (1968) and Flow (2024), where it feels like we’re watching an instrumental rock opera with a twenty-four-minute music video. (The band, Mammoth , would definitely be prog-rock.) Realistically, the animation is still pretty basic, with some fairly blocky character movements and little background detail throughout, making it not always easy to tell where the emotions or motivations of the characters are coming from. The music, too, lends itself a lot to children’s TV, with repeating motifs and basic riffs trying to tell us the story, and some of the electronic instruments not always providing the best sound. Overall, it’s a great achievement in indie production for Check to be creating these animations for people to enjoy, and to have created a series that can still grow and explore new areas and avenues. With Adventures In Gnomeman’s Land ending on a cliffhanger, there’s obvious room for another adventure just around the corner which will continue the tale of Mammoth and his pals, and I’m sure that will be created with just as much care and attention as this one. How many other people will want to come and enjoy Mammoth’s adventures, however, I’m not so sure about, as I wasn’t moved to watch any other episodes after this one. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Digital / DVD Release, Short Film, Music Video, Animation, Web Series < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Backrooms film review by UK film critic Kieran Freemantle. Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett, Lukita Maxwell, Krista Kosonen directed by Kane Parsons. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Backrooms Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Kieran Freemantle | Posted on: Jun 8, 2026 Directed by: Kane Parsons Written by: Will Soodik Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett, Lukita Maxwell, Krista Kosonen Backrooms is the debut feature from YouTuber Kane Parsons, teaming up with A24 to adapt his popular web series. Clark (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is the owner of a discount furniture store that’s experiencing electrical issues. One night, Clark discovers a portal in the store to a maze of rooms and decides he needs to document this phenomenon with his employees. Backrooms is arguably one of the biggest films of 2026. It has already made over $125 million at the box office from a $10 million budget and has been well-received by critics. Backrooms was distributed by A24, which gives the film a lot of prestige, and the company has been rewarded with one of its highest-grossing films. Atomic Monster, Oddfellows Entertainment, and 21 Laps Entertainment served as production companies, with James Wan, Osgood Perkins, and Shawn Levy credited as producers. Parsons is only 20-years-old, which makes him one of the youngest directors of a successful feature film. He joins a growing list of YouTubers turned filmmakers, a list that includes the Philippou Twins, Mark “Markiplier” Fischbach, and Curry Barker. Parsons made a film with a lot of confidence, as he shows technical and narrative ambition. The film opened with a fantastic found footage sequence where a growling monster was chasing someone. It was genuinely scary because of the monstrous sounds, the confusing surroundings, and the creature remained unseen. Parsons knew how to create an unsettling atmosphere: Backrooms could have made a great found footage film if it had stuck to that style. Parsons seemed to be inspired by David Lynch. Lynch was known for making surreal films, and Backrooms had a surreal quality. The backrooms were an ungodly maze that resembled being in an M.C. Escher painting. However, the surrealism and confusion extended to the story. Backrooms seemed straightforward at first. Clark finds the backrooms, decides to explore them to gather evidence of their existence, and his therapist, Mary (Renate Reinsve), attempts to find him when he doesn’t show up. Both of them had traumatic experiences. Clark was a recently divorced man and a recovering alcoholic who was resentful towards his ex-wife. He was a character who was filled with bitterness. Mary's trauma involved her mother, who had mental health issues and kept her trapped in a house when she was young. Parsons stated that Backrooms was influenced by video games, and the Silent Hill games did feel like an inspiration. The backrooms projected Clark and Mary’s traumas and forced them to confront them. It made Backrooms for two-thirds of the runtime. Backrooms has a twist that changed the story and genre. It wasn’t as clever as the filmmakers thought it was. There was some set-up because there were hints that something bigger was going on, but the conclusion just raised a load of questions. It was an unsatisfying ending. Parsons is clearly a talented young man who shows a lot of ambition. Filmmakers twice his age wouldn’t dare make. Whilst frustrating at times, Parsons has made a mark. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Kieran Freemantle Horror, Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Bears in Trees - Fresh Concrete film review by UK film critic Isaac Parkinson. Starring Bears in Trees directed by Rakesh Jaitly. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Bears in Trees - Fresh Concrete Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Isaac Parkinson | Posted on: Jul 14, 2022 Directed by: Rakesh Jaitly Written by: Iain Gillespie Starring: Bears in Trees A music video that uses a traditional format to poke fun at the nature of performance. A plain white background and stage blocking have often been the norm for music videos over the years and decades. It’s cheap and straight-forward. Simply set it up, get playback and record the band’s performance. ‘Fresh Concrete’ even includes quick-fire introductions to the band members, an act which feels nostalgic and sincere. The upbeat, poppy tone of the song matches this aesthetic, promising something fun and playful. The quick cuts are timed to the percussive rhythm, with snare rush cannons accompanying their profile images. Intercut with the main arrangement are inserts of each member looking into a mirror, their exaggerated clown-style makeup questioned by their timid and downcast faces. The lyric “what do you have to be sad about?” matches that juxtaposition, pointing towards some falsity of performance. The comical face put on is just a facade to hide something underneath. Other inserts include a line-up style wide shot of the four of them dressed the same and singles of each of them screaming. These inclusions are more cliched and obvious tropes of the format, but keep the pace up to avoid the lag of a single-location performance. The wider juxtaposition of form and content, presenting an ironically bombastic image, is also somewhat obvious, but does at least gesture to some self-awareness. The editing becomes more hectic as the video goes on, clashing images against each other and including more and more destabilised close-ups. A mirror is smashed on the ground, and makeup is smeared across the keyboard, possibly representing blood. The idea of encroaching violent elements to contrast the clowning is creative, but could also be seen as a self-indulgent idea of sacrificing something for art. With a more measured performance I could see that message coming across, but for a 2020s throwback-landfill-indie song, it’s hard to see any sacrifice, and thus any meaning. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Isaac Parkinson Music Video < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Night Explorers: The Asylum film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring Craig Edwards, Charlie Rich, Hannah Al Rashid directed by John K. Webster. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Night Explorers: The Asylum Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Mar 28, 2024 Directed by: John K. Webster Written by: John K. Webster Starring: Craig Edwards, Charlie Rich, Hannah Al Rashid ‘Night Explorer’ sounds like an entry-level job for a Springwatch presenter – and not the ominous pursuit of the online thrill-seeker. ‘The asylum’ part of Night Explorers: The Asylum ’s title is your clue that this is a grizzly horror – one that looks great and has an intriguing twist, but lacks in the character or originality department. Ghost hunters Ozi (Craig Edwards) and Jimboy (Charlie Rich) are looking for their next video location. Having faked footage for their previous work, the pair want something authentic – and an abandoned asylum seems like the perfect place. Too perfect. As they arrive with their crew, remnants of the asylum’s barbarity are everywhere. And as they delve deeper into the site, they discover that remnants are not the only thing that reside. The most striking takeaway from Night Explorers: The Asylum is how visually impressive it is. For a lower budget B-movie with big ambitions, the costume designs and set look great – with the titular asylum exuding threat and brutality that means intensity levels are already sky-high before the slashing starts. The film is dark, but thankfully doesn’t follow the recent trend of oversaturation or blacking out the screen to a degree that events are imperceptible. Director John Webster has a real knack for ramping up the tension – placing the audience in a stalker-esque vantage point over the crew before getting up close and personal when the hunters strike. Despite great visuals, the film is ultimately another story about wannabe YouTube stars biting off more than they can chew, which has charged at superspeed from vogue to tiresome in the horror sphere. There are differentials in the film, such as the identity of the sinister force hunting the crew, that do at least make it stand out a little from its contemporaries. But the same pitfalls are present – what is the film actually trying to say with its massacring? The notion that pursuing fame is a folly is surface level and played out at best. Ozi and Jimboy’s arrogance leading to a horrific collective punishment similarly lacks much punch. It’s premise over purpose – fine if you’re just looking for some gore but a hindrance for a deeper emotional connection. Craig Edwards gives a solid enough performance as Ozi. His hard-headed stubbornness makes him intentionally unsympathetic as a protagonist which adds layers of complexity as he does what he can to escape the asylum. Charlie Rich’s Jimboy comes closer to playing the emotional heart, and the softer performance makes him the more relatable of the leads. Much of the remaining cast bring little else beyond half-hearted bellowing – which given that we spend plenty of time with the crew as an ensemble, results in a glaring weakness as it is hard to truly become invested in their fates. Impressive visuals and staging prevent Night Explorers: The Asylum from being a totally generic slasher hunt. The story and characters fail to resonate emotionally and there’s little depth to be considered amidst the mayhem. The sound you heard just then is plenty of horror enthusiasts shrugging their shoulders – as well-shot slaughter is more than sufficient. But anyone after something really memorable will need to explore further than this. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Digital / DVD Release, Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Peter Hujar's Day film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Ben Whishaw, Rebecca Hall directed by Ira Sachs. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Peter Hujar's Day Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Nov 19, 2025 Directed by: Ira Sachs Written by: Ira Sachs, Linda Rosenkranz Starring: Ben Whishaw, Rebecca Hall Linda Rosenkranz blurred lines between fiction and nonfiction, turning conversation into a microcosm of Chelsea Hotel-orbiting 1970s society. Peter Hujar—one artist in that orbit—provided photographic evidence of the same. Writer/director Ira Sachs attempts to trap that same lightning on screen with Peter Hujar’s Day . Sachs adapts a transcript, part of a planned book by Rosenkrantz in which her artist friends simply dictated, in detail, every event of the previous day. We catch Peter Hujar on December 18, 1974. Ben Whishaw is Hujar, dutifully detailing his previous day to a prodding, intimate Rosenkranz (Rebecca Hall). Theirs are the only faces you see, the only voices you hear, for the film’s brisk 75-minute run time. The two fall into a delightfully familiar chemistry, Linda a little protective, Peter a tad vulnerable, but certainly committed. Every detail—from sleeping through his alarm and being awakened by a phone call, through all the phone calls, naps, liverwurst sandwiches, right up until being awakened in the middle of the night by the prostitutes talking business under his window—is recounted. Faithful to the tone of Rosenkranz’s body of work, Sachs spotlights the fiction structuring the nonfiction, blurring lines while drawing attention to them. The banality of the exercise—forcing himself to remember every forgettable detail of a day—strips the conversation of ego or pretention, unveiling introspection and struggle. Whishaw is exceptional, the rote and self-consciousness at the beginning of the conversation evolving into self-effacing humor and, eventually, raw bursts of personal reflection touched by lilting melancholy. Hall is a gift in this role, the personification of the absolute joy in simply giving your attention, listening and being with a person. Set design and cinematography befit not just the time period but the portraiture Hujar is known for. Sachs captures kindship and camaraderie among artists. Peter Hujar’s Day is a peek inside a lost and treasured time, an era of punk rock artistic and literary revolution. It’s also a bittersweet dance with an artist underappreciated in his time, whose work and words pack a punch 50 years on. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Lovin' You film review by UK film critic James Learoyd. Starring Carolina Medina directed by Leah Nicole. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Lovin' You Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: James Learoyd | Posted on: Aug 29, 2025 Directed by: Leah Nicole Written by: Minnie Riperton (original lyrics) Starring: Carolina Medina Lovin’ You is a high-energy music video. A brand-new cover of the classic romantic ballad by Minnie Riperton, now performed by singer Carolina Medina – the video is directed by Leah Nicole. Within the video, we see star Medina placed in various superficial locations and scenarios. These include the following: sat outside some European café; in a blank space with rhythmic flashing lights; and most prominently, and most authentic, a bar or club. We also get to see Medina experiment with her outfits and wear a range of costumes. According to the filmmakers, it was captured for the most part in the star’s living room, with the exception being these sequences in the club. It’s a successful enough showcase of confidence, charisma, and overall stage-presence. But unfortunately, there’s something inherently lacking in the overall production and delivery. This is not a polished piece; however, it is consistent, and it is enjoyable viewing for three minutes. Carolina Medina exudes a positive feeling and is incredibly likeable. Updating the song electronically makes the overall tone feel slightly repetitive as opposed to the soul characteristic of the original. But, then again, it certainly suits the club scene of the modern age; it’s catchy, fun and indicates a party attitude. To pinpoint perhaps the most damning issue with the video, it would have to be the inaccurate lip-syncing. It’s difficult to know exactly how this would have happened, and while it only takes place a couple times, it does significantly disrupt the musical illusion. But as stated, the arrangement of the piece feels consistent overall. The editing is most competent and definitely lends the video much of its energy and tone – despite a few of the anachronistic digital transitions. From an objective standpoint, here would be my main piece of advice when it comes to next making a music video: go outside! Whilst the fake background stuff is actually pretty amusing and successful in a cheesy sort of way, what this work severely lacks is engagement with any sort of dynamic, colourful environment. I can imagine this star’s style of performance really working surrounded by nature or even a cityscape – just something that holds cinematic depth and movement. It would also make the director’s job a lot easier when it came to making shots appear engaging to an audience. It’s entertaining to see her in a bar, flirting with a guy and bouncing off her very supportive and winning friends. But we need more of her interacting with her environment, otherwise it only solidifies the feeling that this was shot in some strange – albeit charming and welcoming – bubble. In three minutes, singer Medina and director Nicole craft a fun time for their viewers. For a lower-budget production of a music video, it’s great to see what they managed to achieve since it does feel like a music video. It’s poppy, it’s romantic, and it evokes a lovely sense of celebration. It’s almost a shame that one needs to formally deconstruct it as a piece of filmmaking, since it can simply stand alone as cool, fun thing that some creatively inspired people felt they wanted to make – and this critic is glad they did. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic James Learoyd Music Video < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Fading Petals film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Melanie Revill, Charlotte Reidie, Tom Metcalf, Gary Raymond directed by Bradley Charlton. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Fading Petals Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Mar 1, 2022 Directed by: Bradley Charlton Written by: Bradley Charlton Starring: Melanie Revill, Charlotte Reidie, Tom Metcalf, Gary Raymond An elderly woman and her young carer open up to each other, leading to dramatic consequences. A young female carer has been assigned to look after an ill, single, old woman who lives by herself in her home. The aged woman appears a bit eccentric and initially she is cold and distant towards her helper and questions her about her life. Eventually, the two women learn more about each other and bond. However, it is later revealed that things are not what they appear to be. This dark psychological drama explores the lives of two troubled individuals and the relationship that develops between them. Basically, the first half or so focuses on the interactions between the carer and the old woman. None of the characters' names are revealed. The elderly woman claims that she does not want to bond with the youngster, yet she wishes to know more about her, to find out who she is. She asks her rather personal questions, much to the carer's disapproval. During the second half, things change rather dramatically, with revelations that make the viewer question events they saw previously. The strong screenplay contains a great deal of drama and emotional conversations. The struggles that the two women go through are shown rather vividly. The narrative contains situations that deal with trauma, regrets, loneliness, alcoholism, religion, domestic violence, mental health and self-discovery. There is hardly any happiness in this hard-hitting story. The unexpected twists effectively turn things around and bring the audience closer to understanding what is really going on. The acting is superb. Revill is astonishing as an unhappy loner who spends her time painting, building a dollhouse and solving puzzles. She is haunted by her past, has a drinking problem and tends to be violent when she gets angry. Reidie is equally great as a young person who has troubles of her own, as she is living with her abusive father who does not want his daughter dating. Metcalf and Raymond play their supporting roles very well. Charlton's directing includes well-executed long takes and the editing makes good use of fast cutting techniques. Oliver Rigby delivers beautiful cinematography and there are creative lighting effects. The score by William Cunningham is powerful and dramatic and adds significant value to the feature. This film is a distressing story that is rather heavy on emotions. The atmosphere is downbeat and the dramatic revelations, confrontations and powerful performances make this movie an admirable achievement. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Dark Glasses film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Ilenia Pastorelli, Andrea Zhang, Asia Argento directed by Dario Argento. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Dark Glasses Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Oct 10, 2022 Directed by: Dario Argento Written by: Dario Argento, Franco Ferrini Starring: Ilenia Pastorelli, Andrea Zhang, Asia Argento Giallo is the soap opera of horror, and you have to embrace that to appreciate it. Emotion and drama, tension, fear and sexuality are amped up to a ludicrous degree, with sense and sensibility tossed out the window. Few have ever done this as well as Dario Argento. I’d argue Mario Bava, but many consider Argento the king of giallo, and with good reason – his landmark 1977 film Suspiria may be the high-water mark for the entire genre. After a decade away from filmmaking in general and longer still since his last giallo, Argento returns to form with Dark Glasses . Passions run high and bad decisions are rampant as Diana (Ilenia Pastorelli) attempts to evade a serial killer. But wait, it’s more complicated than that! You see, she’s also blind and has sort of kidnapped this kid. It’s better if you don’t ask. Though the score is not from Goblin, composer Arnaud Rebotini’s electronic soundtrack conjures classic giallo. Indeed, between those recognizable chimes and an early throat severing, you’d think you were watching Argento of old. But the filmmaker does have a couple new ideas in store, and marginally less misogyny onscreen. Diana’s a harder-edged protagonist than what you find in other films from the Italian maestro. A high-end sex worker, she’s nonplussed about her line of work and disinterested in anyone else’s opinion of it. She’s a peculiar central character and Argento, who co-wrote the script with frequent collaborator Franco Ferrini (Opera , Phenomena ), gives her more to do than elude victimization. She develops skills and bonds in the second act that feel reasonable and realistic, sometimes even tender. It helps ground the film in character before those characters step into a den of watersnakes and remind you that you are essentially watching a soap opera. There are some inventive kills, gore aplenty, and loads of reminders of why Argento has developed such a boisterous following. This is by no means his best film, but it’s by no means his worst, either. Everyone yells when they shouldn’t yell, everyone pauses when they shouldn’t pause, everyone talks when they shouldn’t talk, but who cares when the blood is this red and free-flowing? Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release, Digital / DVD Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Brutalist film review by UK film critic Jack Salvadori. Starring Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones directed by Brady Corbet. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Brutalist Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jack Salvadori | Posted on: Sep 2, 2024 Directed by: Brady Corbet Written by: Brady Corbet, Mona Fastvold Starring: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones I thought the days when films looked great were gone forever. You know, when they actually looked like films, with that special magical look, in the ‘50s. I don’t mean simply shot on celluloid, I mean the texture of those colours, that can only exist on the silver screen, far from reality. And then, the flickering Vistavision logo proudly lit the Darsena room at the Venice Film Festival: Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist had begun. “Monumental” would be an appropriate word to sum up this film. Its scale matches only the director’s gargantuan ambitions, and it is reassuring to see Universal Pictures committing to such a colossal production without some fellows wearing a cape. In a day when most films tend to be unjustifiably too long, especially at this edition of the festival when the 120-minute mark is a fading memory, The Brutalist boasts a demanding 215 minutes running time. Yet, this is not a regular movie, but the chance to experience a proper epic, ouverture included, in similar proportions to when Lawrence of Arabia or 2001 were firstly released. This oddissey is an american one, following the life of Laszlo Toth, impeccably played by Adrien Brody, emigrating from Budapest to the United States after surviving the Shoah, and looking for fortune trying to achieve his architectural projects. His surviving family, composed of nephew and wife (Felicity Jones), are stuck in Europe. With no money and unappreciated skills, he tries to fit in the new world through his unique vision. This anachronistically impossible film explores the post-war collective psychology while chronicling the history of modern architecture. And brutal is not only Lazslo’ style, but also the cards that life as an immigrant deals him. The Land of Dreams is an illusion, opposite from the concrete, imposing shapes that the architect tries to trace on his path. A hell disguised as paradise, whose devil has the shape of charismatic millionaire Harrison Van Buten, played by an excellent Guy Pearce, who becomes Lazslo’s patron, blessing, and curse, who offers him the hope to reinstate his reputation building a titanic Cathedral on a hill outside Philadelphia. Laszlo Toth is an artist, he has something to say, and his message lies within the commanding buildings that cover the sky. The ending masterfully ties together Lazslo’s obsessiveness with his works, giving a profound meaning to his unscrupulous journey. The Brutalist , a serious contender for this year’s Golden Lion, definitely left its mark on the Lido. During its fifteen-minutes long intermission, hundreds of viewers began shouting the final 10 seconds of the countdown, cheering with the same enthusiasm as if it were New Year’s Eve. And maybe, to an extent, it was. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jack Salvadori Film Festival < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Longing For Gadot film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring James Anite directed by Timur Almazov. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Longing For Gadot Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Aug 18, 2022 Directed by: Timur Almazov Written by: Timur Almazov Starring: James Anite A man finds a woman on a dating site and becomes obsessed. While looking through pictures of women on a dating app, a young man (Anite) sees a picture of a young woman by the name 'Gadot', who he fancies. He repeatedly texts her, hoping for a reply but to no avail. As time goes by, he gets more and more disappointed and frustrated. Will she eventually contact him? Filmed in black-and-white, this short drama deals with two things that are widespread in today's world: mobile phones and social media, particularly dating sites. The film shows how these two can affect a person because once he lays eyes on the photo of the special girl, the protagonist becomes fixated on her and is constantly on his phone, messaging her and eagerly awaiting a response. His life changes as he cannot get the woman out of his head and spends a great deal of time attempting to contact her. There is a feeling of isolation, as the entire narrative takes place inside the man's apartment, with the man by himself, using his phone. The film appears to point out how technology can alienate people. A romantic song accompanies pretty much the entire film and it goes well with the plot. The jazz music during the closing credits was also a good choice. There are almost no spoken words and there is no need either. The film does an effective job in creating a story through actions and not speech. Occasionally, the film cuts to the screen of the man's phone, showing either the messages he sends her or a picture of Gadot. The filmmakers also utilise fast cutting to good effect. With directness, this short takes a look into social media, mobile phones and dating sites and seems to point out how they can lead to obsession and isolation. There is also a romantic side here, as the plot is about someone trying to be with the one he fancies. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

That Christmas film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Brian Cox, Fiona Shaw directed by Simon Otto. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS That Christmas Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Dec 3, 2024 Directed by: Simon Otto Written by: Richard Curtis, Peter Souter Starring: Brian Cox, Fiona Shaw More than two decades ago, writer/director Richard Curtis made a very British Christmas film. It hasn’t aged particularly well, though many folks watch it year in, year out. Including, apparently, the inhabitants of Wellington-on-Sea. Now, that may be because That Christmas— the new animated film set in the little port village—was co-written by Curtis. The Love Actually joke is a good bit in director Simon Otto’s holiday tale that’s a bit disjointed but never lacking in charm. The film opens with Santa (Brian Cox—wait, really?) narrating the climax of one particularly problematic Christmas Eve night in the tiny community. The worries are larger than just this massive blizzard. But to do it all justice, Santa has to take us back a few days, to the school Christmas play. One set of twins is split on the naughty and nice lists. One tween girl, left to care for her baby sister and three other children, breaks tradition but may also be negligent enough to allow tragedy to occur. And lonesome Danny (Jack Wisniewski) fears he will spend Christmas utterly alone. Curtis, writing with Peter Souter, creates another crisscrossing of bittersweet, intimate, interconnected Christmas stories. And once again, Bill Nighy (this time voicing the character Lighthouse Bill) is underused. The animation is delightful, the humor decidedly British, and the hijinks wholesome but relatable and often bittersweet. One bit about an under-appreciated single mum is not only beautifully tender but also quite welcome. But none of it is particularly funny, or terribly fresh. Five years ago, Netflix produced Klaus , a Christmas story that was stunning to look at and full of surprises. This year’s holiday offering is a charmer, and its understated humor and wry observations help to keep it engaging regardless of your age. But that’s not enough for That Christmas to transcend the glut of Christmas fare this year (and every year) to become an annual tradition. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Netflix, Animation < All Reviews Next Film Review >