★★★ Directed by #Jon Dabach #TomColley #DannyIsaacs #RobMargolies Written by #JonDabach Starring #TonyTodd #DylanBaker #SammLevine Film Review by Hope Madden Countless movies over the years have pondered what it might feel like to be immortal. Writer Jon Dabach, in four separate tales with one thread in common, wonders what it would be like not to be able to die. His film Immortal strings together these stories, each one directed by a different person (Tom Colley, Danny Isaacs, Rob Margolies and Dabach himself), each one depicting one person’s relationship with deathlessness. The composite contains a horror short, two thrillers and one anguished romance. Chelsea, starring the great Dylan Baker, offers a somewhat overwritten first act. Baker is beloved old high school English teacher Mr. Shagis, Chelsea (Lindsay Mushet) is the school’s star athlete, and today’s lesson is symbolism. Baker’s as nuanced and fascinating as always in a short that starts things off with a solid smack. Of the balance, Mary and Ted is most effective. Assisted suicide advocates film a video of the longtime married couple played lovingly by Robin Bartlett and Tony Todd. We, along with the crew, get to know them—their love, their suffering—and then the crew leaves them to their task. I feel like I want to send Dabach a thank you note for this one, just to see Tony Todd this tender. The sub-baritone voiced horror icon (Candyman, Night of the Living Dead) delicately wields emotion and heartbreak here in a way we’ve certainly never seen from this actor. Bartlett offers an outstanding counterpoint, the believable resignation in her delivery weighing down every line. A hit and run victim exacts precise revenge in Warren, which takes a particularly solitary view: So you just found out you can’t die. What do you do now? The absolute ordinariness, the down-to-earthiness of this one’s delivery—as well as the charmingly odd investigator—give it real appeal. Even the one that feels most predictable takes a wildly unpredictable turn—one the filmmakers do not shy away from capturing on film. In each, there’s an element of discovery that punctuates the story. Dabach and his team of directors capture a wide range of emotions and attitudes, but leave the audience wondering just enough. Immortal is essentially an anthology of short films, and in fact, the pieces do not intersect, nor do they clarify much. Instead, they offer four slices of life—well, slices of not death—and an intriguing look at what death means to us. #HopeMadden

★★★ Directed by #TylorNorwood Written by #TylorNorwood #ScottFitzloff Film Review by George Wolf Even as we’re still reeling from the shocking death of Chadwick Boseman this past weekend, Robin’s Wish takes us back to August of 2014, when Robin Williams’s suicide sent similar shockwaves. In the years since, Robin’s death has often appeared as a testament to the danger of chronic depression. But with this film, director/co-writer Tylor Norwood’s main goal is allowing Robin’s widow to correct the record. Depression may have touched Robin’s life, but that’s not what ended it. Susan Schneider Williams explains that an autopsy revealed that Robin suffered from diffuse Lewy body dementia, a buildup of proteins in the brain. Always fatal, the degenerative disease can cause anxiety, self-doubt, delusions, an intense lack of sleep, and drastic paranoia. As sad as the ending is, Norwood and Schneider Williams make sure we see the genius of Robin’s talent and the “bigness of love” in his soul. The joy he took in bringing smiles to others is touching, as is the Robin and Susan love story that began when one of them (guess) wore camouflage pants to the Apple store. The film’s overview of Williams’s career is satisfactory but, for the most part, a rehashing of information. The really glaring hole here is the absence of any Williams family member beyond Susan. The reason for this is unclear, but outside voices would certainly have broadened the context. But Robin’s Wish is indeed worthwhile for a more complete understanding of a legend. The final days of Williams’s life are re-defined with tenderness, clarity and purpose, framing a once-in-a-lifetime talent in an entirely new and tragic light. #GeorgeWolf

★★★ Written and Directed by #AnnarieBoor Starring #JulietteBoor, #IsabelNesti, #BrianJamesTwiddy Film Review by Amber Jackson Sparking mystery and intrigue, Annarie Boor’s film A Matter of Causality is a fresh take on psychological and thriller film. It situates a group of postgraduate clinical psychology students chaired by Professor Lionel Addington (Brian James Twiddy), who aid him in pursuing the case of teenager Lai (Juliette Boor). Lai has unusual mental abilitie and protagonist Madison (Isabel Nesti) is at the forefront of the action after discovering that she and Lai have a psychic connection. Once several unexplained deaths occur close to home, searching for the cause becomes paramount and suspicion turns to the isolated teenager. Starting slow, the characters are not very well-established at the start of the film which makes it challenging to follow their relationships with each other. Some of the characterisations were awkward and this slowed the pace of the film down at times. However, the plot itself becomes very intriguing as the film progresses and quickly redeems itself. The thriller focuses on Lai and her troubled mental health, which is explored by the budding psychologists. It becomes clear that Lai’s abilities extend to predicting the future through extreme empathy with others, which causes very effective character conflict for Madison and her counterparts. The audience can become fully engaged in what Lai will predict next, questioning why she wants to connect with Madison specifically. Annarie Boor generating a script surrounding causality is certainly interesting to consider within the context of film. Specifically, the importance of gaze. Eerie silent observational footage of Lai staring is woven into the framework of the story, creating a fantastic parallel for the viewer. We are watching her and she is watching us. Boor is able to emphasise this within her direction too, as the obtrusive body language of key characters appears violating to Lai and later to Madison and the Professor. The effective use of distant surveillance shots contrasting with close-up invading camerawork creates a tone of vulnerability for the characters as though they are always being watched by each other and the audience. Sound was an uncertain element of the film, but again as the plot thickens it suddenly makes sense. The score cuts over the quieter dialogue at first and the surroundings seem muffled, but then it becomes apparent that the at-times inaudible dialogue is intentional. Protagonist Madison starts to become haunted by chilling voice overs of Lai who is psychically connecting with her. Suspenseful music begins to add to the chilling atmosphere too, making the dull and unassuming lecture room feel fearful to be in. Once Lai is introduced in-person rather than through a video screen, the audience is able to get a better sense of Lai’s character and Juliette Boor’s acting skills. Boor’s characterization of Lai is explosive and ultimately changes the course of the film to become a very well-thought-out and unpredictable thriller. Boor is able to combine Lai’s clever and calculating nature with chilling whispered voice overs to create a cocktail of anxiety and suspense. The clear bond between Lai and Madison is exaggerated in the latter half of the film and both Boor and Nesti excel in their body language and non-verbal communication to create an ending that is genuinely alarming and mysterious. The confusion felt by the viewer at the end is effective and the film could not have ended any better. This was ultimately a surprising watch and definitely worth recommending for any film fanatics interested in psychological debate in the thriller genre. Annarie Boor has created a script where the characters are continuously forced to call into question their beliefs and ethical understandings – the master qualities of a good film. Watch the trailer here: https://m.imdb.com/video/vi3280256537?playlistId=tt9778060&ref_=m_tt_ov_vi #AmberJackson

★★★★ Written and Directed by: #JoshuaParkhill Starring: #QuentinBruno, #BobBarnes, #MichelleNarkiss and #FredericFilsAime Short film review by: Brian Penn Have you ever watched a TV chef and grown envious as they create a sparkling dish without breaking into a sweat; and then defiantly thrown something into the microwave? Well, Egg On your Face gleefully explodes the pretension of cookery and unbearable snobbery of foodies everywhere. You know the type; the ones who think they can turn an avocado into a three course meal. Meet Blaise Durrant (Quentin Bruno), the gifted, misunderstood genius of the kitchen who knows all about eggs. Yes eggs; whether poached, fried, grilled or boiled it becomes an intellectual challenge in the hands of Monsieur Durrant. A disappointed interviewer (Bob Barnes) sounds like he missed the bigger gig but probes for deeper understanding. Blaise must challenge the validity of the egg and its incendiary relationship with cheese and onion. We experience the journey to perfection and creation of his vision. He takes his idea to the bank for start-up funding. Idris (Michelle Narkiss) delivers the bank’s answer; her incredulity is matched only by Blaise’s confusion. The bank’s response provokes a re-think as he enlists the help of Antoine (Frederic Fils-Aime) for some consumer testing. Food is undoubtedly one of life’s great pleasures but literally too many cooks spoil the broth, and chefs only make us mortals feel even more inferior than we already are. Having said that the film alights on a character that is real and instantly recognisable. There are many examples in the media who richly deserve to be sent up. But as Adam Ant once said ‘ridicule is nothing to be scared of’ and a sure sign that someone has arrived. It’s a hugely likeable piece that quickly identifies and hits the target. #BrianPenn

★★★ Directed by: #JunayedAlavi Written by: #JunayedAlavi Starring: #Risov Pal #Shreyas Adhikari #Haimee Mukherjee Film Review by: Annie Bennett Holy Sin is Junayed Alavi’s (Kolkata, India-based) 11th short film released on YouTube Channel Alavi Motion Pictures. Neuroscience/film graduate Alavi’s work demonstrates not only his great passion for film but real potential as an excellent cinematographer with talent for creating powerful visual metaphors and exploring important political issues. Biblical thriller, Holy Sin is about ‘sin and justice’ featuring the ‘lucifer-like’ Priest (Risov Pal). Set in Edenic, palm-filled gardens, we begin at snake-height with blurred hand-held shots. This, combined with Alavi’s superb choice Donovan’s Hurdy-gurdy man, establish the central themes of sin/eternal suffering as we meet our three sinners. 1. A woman embraces her partner but we see her flirting with another man literally behind his back. We view her object of lust via a heart-shaped shot. But as he leaves the frame, he is immediately replaced by a mysterious, leather-clad man (Priest). 2. Our next sinner pulls on his skull facemask and hood. Alavi uses an intensely disturbing close-up of narrow eyes staring into a beaker of acid he then throws into a woman’s face. Fragmented headlines about acid attacks explicitly reference the 1000+ annual attacks that occur in India. 3. Our third sinner, brick in hand, approaches a cowering dog. In India, where animals were traditionally sacred, such violence is increasing. The shot of the dog backing away powerfully presents the fear of helpless victims. In blackout, we imagine its agony. Suddenly, the soundscape shifts to thunder, rain and Korzeniowski’s Deliver us from Evil. Enter Priest. Alavi uses Spielberg-inspired, silhouetted shots of him against lush green palms. Staring into camera, Priest draws a blade across his throat then Alavi cuts to a long-shot framing him at the end of a long, shadowy corridor. The contrasting dark and light exquisitely foreshadows a good/evil battle, further represented in Priest’s white stole, red crucifixes and black leather jacket. This is simply stunning cinematography. Alavi reveals Priest has captured the sinners. The partially-stripped men are tied to a wall, crucifixion-style. Priest reads the film’s first diegetic words from the Bible, ‘the body, however, is not meant for immorality but for the Lord’. The sinners scream as Priest enacts bladed justice (supposedly God’s will). This forces us to consider the role of punishment within our justice systems (legal and religious). It’s uncomfortable viewing, and rightly so. Having chased away a strange, snarling man, Priest enters a room where the female sinner is bound, gagged, weeping. With clasped hands, she silently appeals for forgiveness. Priest appears to cut off her fingers but darkness falls. Apparently satisfied, Priest lies in reverie, his hand of ‘justice’ conducting music then pointing at the sobbing woman (her fingers intact). Intriguingly, almost implausibly, she alone is spared but perhaps Alavi implies freedom is obtained via remorse. She flees and as Priest pursues, he is attacked by the snarling man, the setting cyclically returning to the Edenic garden. Priest’s final words (VO), ‘whoever believes in me shall never thirst’ conventionally imply sinners need belief to survive. However, Alavi implies belief is not enough for salvation. Ultimately, the use of violence as punishment is heavily criticised. The death penalty is still used in India but Alavi suggests such solutions simply beget more violence. Priest may hold and reference the holy book but his actions directly contradict its teachings. The hypocrisy of religious leaders is exposed as despite Priest’s initial kindness to the woman who repents, his thirst for vengeance prevents his actions being holy. The oxymoronically title, Holy Sin, says it all. Violence is never the answer; neither as deterrent nor punishment. Check out this superb short, and the rest of Alavi’s work.

★★★★ Directed by: Aidey Pugh Written by: Aidey Pugh Starring: Reece Berresford, Danni Shepherd, Glynis Stewart, Chloe Lawson, Alan Stuart Film Review by: Jason Knight Bullying is an awful thing. It is a very serious problem that needs to be addressed and dealt with. Aidey Pugh's powerful and emotional drama Flower Boy vividly exposes the harsh realities of such behaviour. A schoolboy (Berresford) is constantly and badly bullied in and out of school by a group of girls, who refer to him as ''Flower Boy'' because he works in a flower shop. The group are led by Loretta (Shepherd), and they never miss a chance to torment him emotionally and physically and pretty much anyone else they do not approve of. Flower Boy lives with his mother (Stewart) and sister Alice (Lawson). His mum ignores him while his sister is compassionate and understanding and listens to him. He continues to endure the pain, humiliation and suffering but there appears to be little hope that things are going to get better. The main theme is clearly bullying. The act is seen in many scenes throughout and it is portrayed in great detail. The sequences where Flower Boy is tormented are particularly heart-breaking and distressing, as the girls mercilessly try to tear hum apart physically and emotionally. And the bullying that is inflicted upon him does not affect just him, it affects the people who care about him, including his sister and teacher Northrop (Stuart), who are both deeply saddened by what is happening to him. The film also points out that bullying can carry on due to people's refusal to acknowledge the issue, as the hero's mother does not pay any attention to him and the ones who have the highest authority at school are looking the other way. Berresford delivers an emotional performance as the quiet, lonely, insecure, little-speaking victim of bullying who understandably is sad throughout the film and viewers can't help but feel sorry for him. Shepherd is very convincing as the personification of evil. She is an individual who seems to believe that everybody is no-good, apart from her friends, who themselves are not far behind in their ability to be nasty. Lawson is terrific in her touching portrayal of girl who wants to make things better for her brother and Stuart is also moving as a caring teacher. In addition to a well-structured screenplay with great performances, the film also gains by a rich soundtrack, which can be cool at one point and poignant at another. Pugh has created a motion picture that deserves a lot of praise and recognition. It raises awareness on the issue of bullying. It shows how much this activity can damage a person and why it must be stopped. #JasonKnight

★★★ Stars Directed by: #ZayRodriguez Written by: #ZayRodriguez Starring: #YasirisAlvarado, #MatthewFRios, #JosephFebles Film Review by: Alicia Moore When Jessica (Yasiris Alvarado) is left alone with no explanation provided by her boyfriend Eric (Joseph-Febles) as to why he has moved on, she posts an advertisement to find a new roommate. Xavier (Matthew F. Rios) takes up this roommate position in Jessica’s household as she is completely unaware that the seemingly perfect stranger is not so perfect after all. Unexpected presents a promising plot but is unfortunately quite weak in its writing. The ending really does hit its audience with shock as it isn’t a conclusion that was to be suspected at any point during the short film. However, because of the minimal detail of how the events unfolding are significant, it is difficult to suspect anything at all – ultimately leading to a shocking ending that still doesn’t have the impact that was hoped for. Having intertwined clues and a better build of suspense and tension could have brought the final conclusion crashing down with much more force. At some points, the music added did not fit the occurring events as well, slightly diminishing the tension one wishes for in a thriller plot like this. Nonetheless, audience members are brought to a satisfactory conclusion as they have been gripped through the short’s duration, ultimately due to the lack of specific scenes of anticipation and suspense. Out of one slightly weak element can arise a strong element in its wake! A round of applause goes to Yasiris Alvarado as Jessica as she creates an impressive atmosphere with her character. Her acting in all situations seen within this short film appear authentic and truly intriguing as she flows naturally through each sequence. Alvarado stands out with incredible characterisation through reactions and expressions, drawing the audience close to her side and befriending the hearts of these viewers. I found pieces of myself within the somewhat relatable personality of this character and I’m sure many others would be able to grasp onto segments of themselves in her as well; putting further emphasis of how easily her onscreen presence can capture viewers. Linking with this, Alvarado’s acting abilities only enhance the relatability of her stance onscreen. Viewers become attached to Jessica very quickly because of her vulnerability that increases throughout the short. A more subtle aspect that I was incredibly impressed by in this film was the special effects makeup seen on the actors as the plot begins to come to a fierce close. The artist, Johniek Wroten, shows clear talent through the detailed injuries across the bodies of Xavier and Jessica. The vivid colours of the newly punched bruises and freshly etched cuts finally give a spike in the tension that is so desired in the film’s ambience. It is amazing it see how much makeup can impact the immersion of one’s film watching experience. Unexpected is an enjoyable short film for those who seek thrill through camera. Although it does have some downfalls, they do not diminish the unclouded dedication and hard work that has obviously been given by the cast and crew. Overall, it is a lot of fun, and the ending will knock you out of your seat.

★★ Directed by: #PhilipBrocklehurst Written by: #PhilipBrocklehurst, #AlexWesley Starring: #PhilipBrocklehurst Film Review by: Darren Tilby Here we have another made-during-COVID short feature, this time a Russian/English co-production from the minds of Philip Brocklehurst and Alex Wesley titled I’m God. This eight-minute-long piece – filmed in part by Brocklehurst at his home and in part by Wesley at his studio in Russia – sets out to explore mental illness, as a dangerously disturbed individual takes brutal revenge on the doctor who had him committed to an asylum. Some big ideas are floated around here, perhaps too big. Because no matter what, Brocklehurst and Wesley can just never quite make it work. The film begins with an unspeakable act of violence: hidden behind closed doors, we get shielded from actually having to witness the brutal murder. Instead, the filmmakers force us to listen on helplessly as it unfolds; this is far worse. These opening moments, while not without their share of problems, are incredibly striking and disturbing. Where this moment loses its edge slightly is in the poor delivery of its already weak dialogue and subpar visual and sound fidelity - all issues which plague the film throughout. In tone, also, the film’s inconsistent. A horror-inflected opening sequence soon gives way to a self-narrated, internal monologue. A self-confession (complete with gruesome flashbacks scenes) which serves as a kind of psychological study, and in which Brocklehurst (as “God”) attempts to justify the horrific crime he’s just committed. It’s unsettling and grim, and it fits the dour atmosphere Brocklehurst and Wesley so ably create near the beginning. So far, so good. But, lurking in the background, there’s this ever-present impression that you’re being led towards a punchline. A punchline this movie neither needs nor complements, but which inevitably comes anyway, in an ill-judged spark of “humour” towards the film’s end. Of course, there are things the movie does really well, too. Wesley’s practical effects – on display during the flashback as mentioned earlier scene – are superb and suitably gruesome, while Brocklehurst’s physical performance is on point. And, as an examination of mental illness, this is an intriguing piece of work; one that desperately needed more time and care to allow it to flourish. Many of the film’s problems could well be due, at least in part, to the COVID-19 pandemic. I’m not sure, but I’ve seen enough of Brocklehurst’s films to know he’s capable of creating much better things. In the end, I’m God presents some genuinely exciting and bold ideas that, had they been given more time, might easily have made for compelling viewing. Sadly, in the end, that ambition, along with its rushed nature, leave this piece feeling like a huge mess.

Filmmaker Interview by Chris Olson You were recently the Editor for short film Under the Flag. How and why did you get involved with that film? This short film is one of my thesis films at the American Film Institute Conservatory. I worked with the director, Jiawei Cheng, a couple of times before we started working on this one. Our collaboration had always been inspiring and adventurous, which we both appreciate a lot. I know the director always wants to tell a story about an individual rising against his/her system, and she was passionate about making this film happen when she pitched her idea to me. I was born and raised in Beijing, then got the chance to study art and film in Hong Kong and the US. I’ve seen people resisting the injustice of the system they lived in, but got defeated and absorbed by the system’s power. Being a young filmmaker, I want to use my work as a medium to convey messages and speak out the truth about contemporary society. Therefore, I find this story, and the theme truly appealing and thought-provoking, so I jumped on board without any hesitation. What did you hope to bring to the film through your editing? Our story involves several dance practices and performances, and I knew from the start that these would be the highlight sequences of our film. So the whole team put extra effort into the rehearsal and planning for these dance numbers. I, as the editor, was also brought on from pre-production. This is something directors overlook a lot. Having the editor’s input on script development and shortlist can ease a lot of stress for the DP and director before the shooting. I also communicated with our choreographer beforehand and edited a sample sequence using reference clips and rehearsal footage, just to get the whole team on the same page. I want to make sure that my editing can translate the emotion and subtext of each dance number, to help the audience get into our protagonist Yiyi’s mind, and feel with her struggle in that corrupted system. The director and I both agreed that we want the film to have a cold tone in storytelling, without lingering on beats and drama. Thus for the editing style, I want to make sure every cut is there for a reason, and every scene serves its function. I used harsh cuts for transitions between scenes and made intentional shot choices to hide Yiyi’s face, to show her helplessness under the pressure of the bigger power structure. I also tried to emphasize the uniformity culture and the cut-throat competition with the help of sound effects throughout the film, and used some authentic sound cues to recreate the ambience of a Chinese high school. How has the industry been for you since the outbreak of Coronavirus? I have to admit that things were kind of depressing during the pandemic. Productions had been shut down, and there are fewer job opportunities for post-production as well. As an international filmmaker, it’s even harder to get work. Fortunately, I still have the support and encouragement from my filmmaker friends and mentors from school. I think it’s crucial to not give up on the film industry in such a difficult time. I would take on whatever opportunities to practice my skill as an editor/assistant editor, and try to keep my connection with people, and patiently wait for the return of cinema. What advice do you have for anyone looking to become an Editor on a film? I think a good editor sometimes can be the therapist for the director and the whole team. It’s very common that filmmakers feel discouraged and stressed out after the shoot because they didn’t get certain shots or performances as how they had envisioned them. And whatever went wrong in production ends up in post. The editor is the last hope for casting a magic on the film, and helps the director and the team shape the film into its best version. Other than the technical skillsets, persistence and creativity are the two characteristics I would praise for when it comes to editors. Be organized, this will save you so much time later and make you focus on the edit. Of course, good communication skill with the post team and the director is indispensable. What's next for you? Right now I am editing a short documentary about Chinese people’s life in Los Angeles during the pandemic. Although the situation is depressing, it’s nice that we have the chance to capture some precise truth and reflections in this bizarre period. Another project I’m working on is a coming-of-age comedy. Due to the strict COVID ordinance, we lost our reshoot. However, thanks to this inevitable obstacle, we came up with the idea of adding animation to enrich the story and emotional beats in the edit. I’ve been talking to some directors as they’re developing their feature scripts during this pandemic. Hopefully, once the industry opens up next year, there would be a record amount of work for us hungry filmmakers. After all, people need stories. What are some of the best films from an editing perspective and why? My recent favourite would be last year’s Oscar hit “Parasite”. The editor Jin-mo Yang mentioned in his interview that ‘I had to refine whatever we had’ because director Bong Joon-Ho only shoots necessary footage. This can make the editing process both easier and challenging. With the fewer option of setups, it requires more on the editor’s choice of the timing and dividing of each cut. The reason why “Parasite” is so immersive and rhythmical is because of the harmony of accurate camera work and timing of the editing, which started from the exquisite storyboard. This also confirmed my suggestion on bringing the editor into pre-production. And don’t even mention that famous montage sequence! Classical music, slow motion, and linear camera movement help connect all sixty scenes shown in a five-minute montage. That’s what I love about efficient editing. Watching and learning from these great examples always make me feel fortunate to be an editor. Who would you love to work with? I enjoy working with people that share the same passion for the art of filmmaking, as I always seek for inspiration and growth through collaboration. I tend to keep a close personal relationship with my past collaborators, as I do not only take filmmaking as a career choice but also a path to fulfil myself as an individual. What would you say if you were a dolphin? “Stop polluting the ocean.” Watch the Movie Trailer for Under the Flag below:

★★★★ Directed by: #SergioGuerreroGarzafox Written by: #JenniferIrons and #SergioGuerreroGarzafox Starring: #PaulettePatterson, #DrewWicks, #DanielChung, #HelenKennedy, #LizzaMonet and #ChristinaMorrell Film review by: Brian Penn Claudius knew the score in Hamlet when he said that sorrows come not in single spies but in battalions. Coronavirus and climate change is more than enough for Mother Nature’s crowded plate. But racism is a sorrow that clings to our lives like a running sore and shows no sign of abatement. Presented as part of the ‘I Will Tell’ film festival, Intolerance No More is a strident portrayal of racism fuelled by the power of social media. Lucretia Whittaker (Paulette Patterson) is an African American woman rebuilding her life after a spell in prison. She is stopped in her car by police officer Joel Murphy (Drew Wicks). A struggle ensues and shots ring out as Lucretia flees the scene in panic. Opportunistic witness JJ (Daniel Chung) films the aftermath as he administers first aid to the stricken officer. TV news anchor Kate Hensen (Helen Kennedy) is straining at the leash as the story breaks; but is continually thwarted by Lola (Lizza Monet) who has two million followers on her own YouTube channel. Meanwhile, police officer Sarah (Christina Morrell) is determined to capture her partner’s attacker whatever the cost. Bodycam, Dashcam and social media turn the investigation into a live event as the net slowly closes. The film is bang on point considering racial tension in America and growing clamour of the Black Lives Matter movement. It lays bare how easily the authorities lose control and struggle to respond with a proportionate response. It seems clear we are unwitting participants in a huge reality TV show where anyone can bounce images around for public consumption. We might assume that pictures don’t lie but truth is all about context. Conventional broadcasters no longer have control over information; the real power lies in the hands of anyone with a mobile. It’s sound film making shot in semi-documentary style with black and white images for authenticity. It’s a disturbing but essentially truthful view of the life we lead today.

★★ Directed by: #MeoshaBean Written by: #MeoshaBean Starring: #IrinaAylyarova, #MeoshaBean, #LouPizarro Film Review by: Alexander Erting-Haynes M.V.B Films Horror Anthology Vol. III Paranormal is a horror anthology featuring six short films that each explore the paranormal. These range from three minute shorts to the final film coming in at just under twenty minutes, almost half of the anthology's runtime. All written, directed and produced by Meosha Bean - even starring, in one case - they attempt to tell concise yet chilling scary stories. Unfortunately, they mostly miss the mark. Take, for example, the second short film. Set in a radio station, we meet a cheesy and energetic presenter who is holding a competition, played convincingly by Lou Pizarro. His first caller breathes heavily down the phone; his second is a clueless elderly lady who gets the answer completely wrong. After this, the original caller is back on the line and this time he manages to wheeze out a grunted plea for the prize tickets. Dismissing it as a prank call and shutting down operations for the day, he heads out only to come face to face with this mystery caller. While it's hardly an original idea, the 'heavy breathing' trope proving difficult to ignore, it is still a fun and engaging setup. It's what transpires after this that sees the early promise quickly slip away as the film refuses to delve any further into the narrative and instead opts for a jump scare to conclude. On top of this, this particular segment was originally a short film of its own, titled 'Crazed' and, confusingly, the opening credits and title from when it stood alone are still in place in the anthology. An oversight like this feels careless and leaves a bad taste moving forward. Following this is a short that centres on an unnamed woman as she awakens in the country and stumbles home. Everything on screen here is gorgeous, from the light blue whimsical costume to the wonderful lighting that creates a surreal atmosphere with a very soft focus and bloom effect. As she gets home, the dream turns to a nightmare and this is where the anthology's most effective scare comes in. Rather than choosing to get a jump out of the audience, Bean obscures the threat by not allowing the camera to focus on it and taking it out of shot almost as soon as it appears. Without a doubt, this is the best looking and most effective short in the anthology. The final and longest segment, however, is the weakest. Taking up almost half of the overall runtime, it features a paranormal investigator as she goes on vacation to a friend's house. However, it soon becomes clear that her expertise are required here too. From audio that isn't mixed well, resulting in muffled dialogue, to the dialogue itself seeming unscripted and meandering, there's very little engaging here. At one point, the film switches to a found footage style for a moment before completely dropping that device - though not without creating a continuity error in the inconsistent 'recording times' shown in the two shots that it's used. Concluding in an almost identical and equally unsatisfying way to 'Crazed', the twenty minute runtime of this one feels completely unjustified. Overall, M.V.B Films Horror Anthology Vol. III is disappointing. Featuring a few good ideas and one genuinely scary short, it often feels that the premises, imagery and sounds are used for the sake of stereotypical scares, rather than for any narrative reason. Bean frequently opts for the easiest conclusion rather than an interesting one and, as such, while there are moments of originality and engaging story-telling, the whole thing doesn't feel cohesive or satisfying. #AlexanderErtingHaynes

★★ Directed by: #AnnaMayers Starring: #AnnaMayers Film Review by: Alexandra James This short film highlights the destructive impact lockdown can inflict on those currently struggling with their mental health. Cereal begins in the midst of lockdown, where the outbreak of coronavirus has forced people to return to their homes and learn to spend a great deal of time in their own company, allowing the mind to wander and the boredom to set in (heavily). Anna Mayers stars as the protagonist of this short as well as directing and writing the film as well. I suppose that’s the one thing you cannot fault with this lockdown is the motivation it has provided people, especially the younger generation to produce, create and express themselves in all kinds of innovative ways. This film shows Anna as a finalist at University completing her assignments and working on her dissertation. Her main focus area is questioning ‘why do people kill people?’ an extremely complex subject which can never be solved with just one simple answer. This forces her mind to go to deep and dark places, becoming obsessed with the words on the page and delving into a disturbed place mentally. The isolation lockdown has caused only fuels her obscure thoughts. You can only commemorate the way in which Anna Mayers has taken on a heavy topic such as mental health solely. It’s a subject which we should speak on more and encourage those to reach out and talk to someone in order to gain help. However, at times the message was somewhat lost and it became difficult to see that the characters mind was beginning to deteriorate. It would have been good to view more scenes which show the main character slowly becoming overly wrapped up in the idea of violence, murder and death. Of course it was clear that the character was alone throughout this short, and loneliness can produce sinister thoughts, however, there was not a significant moment within this film which made the audience feel as though the characters mental state should be questioned. It made the story hard to follow at points as you couldn’t see where the character was ultimately heading. Nevertheless, the shots were beautifully taken and location wise (despite being in lockdown) they were very well thought out. Huge open spaces making the character feel and appear that much more alone. The transition between each shot could have been a bit smoother but despite this it was a very good effort. The way in which Anna took on an emotive theme such as mental health was great to see and it’s interesting to observe the way in which people interpret the mechanics of the mind. I think mental health needs to be highlighted more to audiences and Anna Mayers has been able to put her own stamp on this matter.