Rumpus film review by UK film critic Isaac Parkinson. Starring N/A directed by Kamal Krishna. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Rumpus Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Isaac Parkinson | Posted on: Mar 18, 2022 Directed by: Kamal Krishna Written by: Kamal Krishna Starring: N/A Rumpus takes video game aesthetics in an interesting direction to explore the potency of childhood imagination. We are dropped into the world of Rumpus without warning. I say ‘we’ because the film is almost entirely shot using first-person perspective. This is an experimental style more commonly utilised in vlog or video game formats. Several films, such as 2015’s Hardcore Henry, have taken this approach to better immerse their audience, but formally this style is not widely accepted. Using this in a short makes it much more accessible, not committing the viewer to an inertia-driven onslaught of nauseating camera movement, while still allowing a more inviting entry into a new world of exploration. Like nature vlogs, we’re welcomed into the meditativeness and peace of the outside world. I would be perfectly happy gently exploring that calm without any further complication, but Rumpus takes a step further, soon introducing incongruous elements like a turtle floating in the sky. A swarm of fish appear above our avatar, changing the sky to sea. The playfulness of nature is quickly replaced with something more threatening however, as familiar animals are replaced with larger-than-life creatures accompanied by pulsing tense music. Environmental changes proliferate further, moving from a motorbike to a car to a race car. Quick pans and turns on a race track move us from one locale to another. For such a short film, and with such creative ambitions for its incongruous elements of fantasy, the effects are sufficient, although they do occasionally disrupt immersion in their reality. One shot in particular of the burning race car by the side of the road, has been very quickly rendered and appears completely detached from the space around it. The clash of video game aesthetics with the crisp images of nature is generally positively provocative, however, pushing the viewer to consider boundaries beyond our reality. A series of quick transitions from a bike jump to a skydive to a seadive is particularly powerful in transcending the assumed limits of action. The chaotic movements make sense of themselves as our first-person perspective fades away in a dark tunnel and is replaced by an omniscient view down upon a child’s play area. All the incongruous and disorderly components are re-contextualised as merely toys in a fantastical sandbox. “When children pretend, they’re using their imaginations to move beyond the bounds of reality. A stick can be a magic wand. A sock can be a puppet. A small child can be a superhero.” - Fred Rogers As the Fred Rogers quote the film closes with suggests, childhood imagination is imperative to the imagined rendering of real elements alongside the fantastical. The freedom and liberation of ideas lets us move at a moment’s notice from one adventure to the next. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Isaac Parkinson Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Electricity In Me film review by UK film critic Swati Verma. Starring Ellora Torchia directed by Matt Sheldon. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Electricity In Me Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Swati Verma | Posted on: Nov 4, 2022 Directed by: Matt Sheldon Written by: Matt Sheldon Starring: Ellora Torchia The title of the short film - The Electricity In Me has the connotation of a form of positive energy and a spark possessed by all mothers in the form of motherhood. The writer-director Matt Sheldon showcases how strong, protective, and lovable a woman can become once she transforms into a mother. Sheldon through Joan (Ellora Torchia) pays tribute to all the ladies who endure a lot of mental and physical hardships to bring a child into this world. The plot of this movie revolves around a young woman who confronts her trauma and memories of the man she calls my monster years after giving up her newborn son for adoption. The Electricity In Me opens with a series of mid-shots and close-up shots from a video in the hospital and a long shot of small paragraphs from the diary of Joan Stockdale. The close-up shot of the hand and extreme close shot of the woman without revealing the whole face is an interesting way to introduce the central character in the narrative to engage the audience with the content of the dramatic piece. The Electricity In Me has an office set-up with a combination of a white, black, and brown colour palette. The lighting, dialogue, sound, music, costumes, hair, and makeup elevate the subject matter of the film effectively. Ellora Torchia plays Joan Stockdale, who revisits her memories and trauma related to the birth of her son. Torchia brings out the love, fear, anger, pain, and disgust in a 10-minute monologue wonderfully. The body language and voice modulation used by the actress helps express the varied range of emotions as per the demand of the screenplay. The Electricity In Me highlights the intricacies of the relationship between a mother and a child as well as a father-daughter duo. It advises the audience to make efforts on building up bonds as it can help fight any rough patch. It also talks about the importance of emotions when it comes to making efforts towards maintaining the various ties in life. The short film is all about the hope of the mother for her son that he would perhaps understand her and forgive her and live together as she wants to make up for the lost time. The short film depicts how in earlier days English society believed in taboos like pregnancy without marriage. The story also provides the son a medium to express gratitude to his birth mother for everything she has done for him and also allowing now the grown-up man to grant an opportunity for her voice to be heard by the audience as she wanted to communicate what she felt when she lost her son. Audiences will appreciate writer-director Matt Sheldon’s dedication to the art of filmmaking and his courage to share a true story based on his personal experiences in life. He has delivered a cinematic piece that enhances people's knowledge about emotional subjects with deft skill. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Swati Verma Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

My Autopsy film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Gareth Tidball, Dave Stishan, Devin Armel, Alexis Schneider, Serenity Valle directed by Holly Mollohan. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS My Autopsy Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Jul 26, 2022 Directed by: Holly Mollohan Written by: Holly Mollohan Starring: Gareth Tidball, Dave Stishan, Devin Armel, Alexis Schneider, Serenity Valle A woman's life deteriorates after she gets involved with the wrong man. Rachel (Tidball) is a young woman who does not know what to do with her life. One day, she meets Vince (Stishan), who performs in a rock band and the two of them begin a romantic relationship. However, Vince turns out to be a vile person and mistreats Rachel and gives her drugs. Eventually, the relationship ends in tragedy and Rachel, who is now emotionally damaged, tries hard to get on with her life. This feature is a rather dark psychological thriller that focuses on the life of woman who goes through very serious misfortunes and being unable to cope, she ends up falling deeper and deeper into her own personal abyss. The narrative follows her as she goes through terrible ordeals that involve being tormented by Vince, suffering the loss of a friend and dealing with the inner damages that are caused by her experiences. Although she is supported by Jill (Schneider), she seems unable to leave Vince behind and move on. The film appears to show the negative sides of men, as the main male characters have immoral characteristics. Vince is shown to be the worst one as he is aggressive, controlling, violent and worse, and other men in the story are presented as being deceitful, disrespectful, inconsiderate and looking at women primarily with sexual intentions. Rachel falls victim to all these elements, which shows how such behaviour can ruin a person. As the protagonist, Tidball is very dramatic as an individual whose mental state goes from bad to worse as she goes through harrowing experiences that include violence and loss. Stishan is menacing as the dominating and violent Vince and Schneider is great in her role as a person who cares about Rachel and wants her to find happiness. There are nightmarish scenes and there is voice-over that reads the poems that Rachel writes in her notebook, which contain dark and upsetting subjects. The nightmares and the poems reveal the emotional pain that she is going through. Mollohan also worked on the editing and creates wonderful montage sequences that make effective use of fast cutting. Director of photography JP Fulks does a great job in developing cinematography that generates a melancholic atmosphere and Sean Mollohan makes a significant contribution with the score and the interesting soundtrack includes numerous songs by a variety of artists. This is a distressing story that explores the life of an individual as she goes through terrible suffering and finds herself lost in despair and sadness. It is an intriguing story about the devastating effects cruelty can have on a person and about discovering one's inner strength. It is not a pleasant viewing, it is a viewing with heavy drama that takes a hard-hitting look into some of life's harshest issues, such as wickedness, trauma, desperation and loneliness and how they affect people. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

In Pain Season film review by UK film critic Swati Verma. Starring Raja Aryan Shaddat, Leon Keayz, Kieran Rees directed by Shayaan Ahmad . HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS In Pain Season Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Swati Verma | Posted on: Jan 3, 2023 Directed by: Shayaan Ahmad Written by: Shayaan Ahmad Starring: Raja Aryan Shaddat, Leon Keayz, Kieran Rees The writer-director Shayan Ahmad builds up the intriguing screenplay around two major elements conflict and drama to address a very important issue through the two protagonists Raja Aryan Saddat and Leon Keayz. The plot of the short film - In Pain Season revolves around two male best friends involved in several thefts to avenge all the wrong done to them in the past. The film opens with a long shot of the city at night time with dim lighting and eerie sound along with the noise of the car engine running providing a sense of mystery and thrill so that the filmmaker keeps the audience hooked to the content from the very beginning. The camera closely follows the characters quickly switching to a series of mid-shots followed by a series of close-up shots showcasing the details of the conversation to establish the subject matter of the movie. The shaky camera work denotes how rocky and unpredictable the lives of the main leads have been and the efforts they are making in hope of a better future for themselves are commendable. The combination of white, black, and blue colour pallet depicts the range of emotions experienced by each character as the narrative flow smoothly making the viewers eagerly wait for the climax. In terms of performance, Raja Aryan Saddat plays the Asian person who had to go through hard times because of belonging to a particular community. Saddat brilliantly portrays the pain, the anger the disappointment with his body language and voice modulation but also illustrates the strength of character to stand by what he believes in to achieve the set goal. Leon Keayz plays the best friend of the Asian man and is like a partner in crime and also wants to fight and set an example for people like him. Keayz brings the needed light-hearted comic relief to the script heavy on emotions, action, and conundrum. Kieran Rees plays the police officer who has been assigned the case. Rees showcases the dedication towards work and determination to catch those responsible for the theft. Even though the audience is sympathising with the two protagonists also wish for the result of this cat and mouse chase to be favourable for both parties. In Pain Season reiterates the fact that revenge cannot be the solution to every problem in one’s life. The cinematic piece tells us that the policy of what goes around comes around is true so we shouldn’t worry about the fruitful result and only concentrate on our karma. The movie talks about the need for emotional support from loved ones at the testing time of crisis. The dramatic piece discusses that having a lot of money isn’t directly proportionate to happiness or peace of mind so the decisions should be made with the long-term well-being of self and others in mind. In Pain Season restates that life gives varied opportunities to choose the best option and people should not fall for shortcuts or a wrong path as it initially feels like a rose bed till bigger problems begin to surface. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Swati Verma Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Oh, Canada film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Richard Gere, Jacob Elordi, Uma Thurman directed by Paul Schrader. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Oh, Canada Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Dec 12, 2024 Directed by: Paul Schrader Written by: Paul Schrader, Russell Banks Starring: Richard Gere, Jacob Elordi, Uma Thurman Paul Schrader has made a career of solitary, perhaps unforgivably damaged men seeking final redemption through self-sacrifice. The stakes and damage change from project to project, but the themes remain consistent. You can see what drew him to the Russell Banks novel Foregone , in which a lauded documentarian now dying of cancer sits for an interview determined to confess his fictionalized mythology to his wife. Retitled Oh, Canada for the screen, the film sits with Leo Fife (Richard Gere), wheeled out in a sour mood to his living room, which has been transformed quickly into a film studio. His former students Malcolm (Michael Imperioli) and Diana (Victoria Hill) intend to film a final farewell with the famous American draft dodger turned Canadian documentary provocateur. Leo just wants to tell his wife Emma (Uma Thurman) who he really is. As Leo reminisces, Jacob Elordi takes on the younger self moving through marriage and back to high school, to youthful indiscretions and less youthful betrayals. Periodically, Gere will walk out of a scene as Elordi walks into it, Schrader reminding the viewer that memory is a tricky thing, sometimes as fanciful and artificial as fiction. This artifice becomes the film’s undoing. There’s a staginess to the dialogue, a theatricality to the aging and de-aging, the way one actor will take on multiple personas. It fits with the theme of memory and truth but is at odds with what Schrader does best, and that’s brutal truth. Gere delivers exactly that in the film’s most blistering and uncomfortable scenes, almost hateful in his regret, in his desperation to come clean—as clean as this rather dirty man can come. His contempt for himself extends to his students, some for being like him, some for having been weak for him. When the opportunity arises, Gere and Schrader are on a different level than the balance of the cast and the rest of the film. It seems Schrader exposes something of himself as this character, this filmmaker, commits his own deterioration and death to cinema. The last Banks novel Schrader adapted, 1997’s Affliction , generated two Oscar nominations, including James Coburn’s win. And while both novels fit the Schrader canon, neither film seems like his creation, something sprung from the folds of his own brain. Schrader’s greatest screenplays—Taxi Driver, First Reformed, The Card Counter —find hope in the hopeless resolution. Oh, Canada lacks the cohesion of story and the poignant irreversibility that Schrader’s best films boast. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

On The Third Step film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Daniil Gazizullin, Sergey Grab, Aleksander Lymarev, Michael Gor directed by Anastasia Norenko. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS On The Third Step Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Feb 14, 2023 Directed by: Anastasia Norenko Written by: Anastasia Norenko Starring: Daniil Gazizullin, Sergey Grab, Aleksander Lymarev, Michael Gor A group of criminals meet in order to discuss what went wrong with an assassination attempt. Three gangsters known as Kid (Gazizullin), ABC (Grab) and Sleeve (Lymarev) were ordered to kill a murder witness in Moscow, whose knowledge threatened to put crime boss Brute (Gor) in prison. The mission was a failure and now it is believed that there is an informer among them. Brute has summoned the three accomplices to a building, with the intention of finding out who among them is the traitor. Once the three of them are inside a room, Brute informs them that they have a short amount of time to figure out who betrayed them, or they will all be killed. This twenty-minute-long thriller from Russia has a plot that bears similarities to Reservoir Dogs : Following a ruined criminal act, a bunch of outlaws gather at a certain location and try to determine who among them is the double-crosser. Like Tarantino's film, the majority of the narrative takes place inside a room, with the protagonists questioning each other and attempting to discover the snitch among them. Also, like Tarantino's movie, there are flashbacks of the crime being committed ( in this case that is the murder attempt) and it is shown from the perspective of each of the three collaborators. The screenplay does a great job in building tension and suspense, and just when it seems that everything has been revealed, a clever plot twist arrives. All the actors deliver strong performances. The three assassins consist of characters who are quite different from each other. The Kid is the least determined of the trio, ABC is the hothead, while Sleeve appears to be the most reasonable. Gor is the one who steals the show as the menacing and bad-tempered crime lord. Praise goes to Dmitriy Gorevoy for the beautiful cinematography and the soundtrack includes a selection of interesting songs and a dramatic and tense score. This short thriller is filled with suspense and tense moments and never fails to be gripping. It is a crime story that contains mystery, confrontations, murder, betrayal and shootings and all these features, along with great acting and an intriguing plot make this film an admirable achievement. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Shirin Ebadi: Until We Are Free film review by UK film critic Amber Jackson. Starring Shirin Ebadi, The Dalai Lama, Parvin Ardalan directed by Dawn Gifford Engle. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Shirin Ebadi: Until We Are Free Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Amber Jackson | Posted on: Nov 7, 2022 Directed by: Dawn Gifford Engle Written by: Dawn Gifford Engle Starring: Shirin Ebadi, The Dalai Lama, Parvin Ardalan Telling the story of Shirin Ebadi’s fight for justice against Iran’s human rights violations, Dawn Gifford Engle’s documentary Shirin Ebadi: Until We Are Free provides a necessary context to the historical, cultural and political changes inflicted upon Iran. This documentary comes at a perfect time, as potential uprisings fighting for the rights of women are ongoing with even more velocity in Iran and around the world in protest of the country’s human rights violations. Ebadi’s efforts, along with her upbringing in Iran, are the central focus with her personal testimony and her journey to becoming the first Muslim woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. This film is a tribute to her life’s work and its legacy. The eighty-minute film speaks on civil unrest and protests from the people of Iran up until the present day and the wrongdoings of the Iranian Islamic Republic and dictatorship. It provides a political lesson, as well as a historical one, of Iran and the First Persian Empire founded by Cyrus the Great (circa 550 BCE). Gifford Engle’s work muses on the history of Persia as being a kind culture, where all religions and cultures were respected, and women were treated as equals. This context is told with animations and drawings edited into the narration and is a fantastic history lesson as UK schools do not tend to teach these topics frequently. It assists in providing a really thorough historical background and context for Ebadi’s work and her Persian background. Within the film, Ebadi muses that “no society is absolutely ideal.” She speaks of a nostalgia for her childhood of growing up with her family in Tehran and Hamedan and how suddenly her innocence was interrupted by Mosaddegh (Iran’s first democratically elected leader) being removed from government by a coup organised by British and American intelligence in 1953 and replacing him with the Shah. She speaks of the pain it caused her family, among other supporters of democracy, in a raw way that offers viewers insight into how she became the woman that she is today. From attending law school to better understand her country’s history, to becoming one of the first women judges, to having a political voice and seeking to secure the national rights of women and children, this documentary truly cements the legacy and positive impact of Shirin Ebadi. The film does an amazing job of summarising these events in a way that is accessible for all viewers. Archival footage portrays the reality of the Shah’s autocracy and how the general public were angry and protested for a pro-democracy state. 1970s footage of chaos in the streets and people hoping for a ‘free Iran’ is powerful to watch especially in the present day. Along with the edited and animated footage, it is incredibly compelling and adds an extra dynamic to the feel as though it is more interactive. Ebadi’s legal work to rectify human rights violations, as well as opening free schools for street children in Iran and changing child custody laws under Shariah law, could be considered just some of her many achievements. This documentary sheds light on her true courage in how she used – and continues to use – her platform to better the lives of others. It has led to a huge movement of women’s rights and pushing back against violence and fighting for a better future for Iran. It also speaks of what the world is currently seeing from Iran and how this fight has become a greater global movement. On this herself, Ebadi says: women have a better situation in countries where there is democracy and part of campaigning for change is making women aware of their rights and of the toxic culture/s that persecutes them. This is one of many ways that Gifford Engle’s film further legitimises Ebadi’s pure strength and perseverance. What stands out the most is Ebadi’s interviews where she talks about educating young people properly about the realities of war and its damages and the importance of the younger generations for Iran today. Her interrogation of laws and atrocities in Iran, as well as women’s rights being threatened worldwide, speaks to her point of the fragility of human freedom. It is topical given the current turmoil in Iran and this documentary successfully documents a struggle to end injustices especially for women and a hope for peace. Ebadi now lives happily with her two daughters and a close-knit family in London. Yet, there is still a sadness as she remains apart from her husband. She travels across the world to speak about current events in Iran and other human rights atrocities. She continues to refuse to be silent and hopes to be able to return to her homeland one day. Currently, women are leading thousands of protestors in Iran and around the world in the hopes of bringing the current Iranian government to an end. They speak with hope and confidence that one day they will be victorious – and Dawn Gifford Engle’s film supports just that. This is a very powerful watch and one that all viewers will enjoy. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Amber Jackson Documentary, Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Hierophany film review by UK film critic William Curzon. Starring Andrew Grayson, Craig Andrew Mooney directed by Tom Alner. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Hierophany Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: William Curzon | Posted on: Apr 13, 2026 Directed by: Tom Alner Written by: Craig Andrew Mooney Starring: Andrew Grayson, Craig Andrew Mooney Hierophany follows Samuel (Andrew Grayson), an introverted man in his thirties, obsessed with extraterrestrial life. Each night, he is tormented by a mysterious presence that leaves him desperate for answers. Samuel seeks therapy with a counsellor, Matthew (Craig Andrew Mooney), who offers a unique and insightful perspective on what may be causing these nightly visitations. One of the most impressive aspects of the piece is its engaging material; although most of the runtime is condensed into a single therapy session, the dialogue is consistently enthralling thanks to many of the technical aspects and the two central performances. Firstly, Luis Maurizzio serves as the film's cinematographer, primarily framing the two characters from either fixed camera shots or extreme close-ups to convey the protagonist's inner turmoil. During dialogue that appears evasive as the central character opens up about his trauma, an understated and melancholic musical score accompanies these scenes, effectively conveying the emotional resonance. It's a deeply haunting showcase of how different people cope with grief and how opening up to another can heal your wounds through acceptance of yourself. The piece tackles thought-provoking themes and ideas such as guilt and trauma, feelings that have haunted Samuel most of his life. This is showcased through steady editing as he recounts his childhood experiences. Despite the film's incredibly brisk runtime, the pacing flows exceptionally well due to the provocative dialogue and deliberate formal choices. Sadly, the film doesn't really explore Samuel's current lifestyle, and a deeper characterisation could have fleshed out more recent events that have led to his nightly visitations. While the film does explore Samuel's childhood experiences through his opening up about his neglect, particularly from his father, a more nuanced dive into why he is so closed off from the world would have been more memorable. The central performance from Andrew Grayson in his portrayal of Samuel is deeply moving, as he conveys the haunted nature and introverted side of his personality with astounding accuracy. Samuel is more closed off as he tries to understand if what is happening to him is real or not, and his expression of grief and guilt is deeply moving. Craig Andrew Mooney, on the other hand, in his portrayal of Matthew, is a calm and collected presence who tries to offer insightful methods on how to express his feelings to move on. He doesn't judge Samuel’s actions and chooses to be patient and understanding of what may have caused the force that is haunting him. Both performances play off one another profoundly, and they are ultimately the heart and soul of the film's central ideas. While the overall conclusion to the narrative is fairly minor and somewhat open-ended, it still manages to connect on a deeper level due to the moving ideas and themes present. The conclusion doesn't offer any easy resolutions to self-acceptance and grief, simply leaving these ideas open for audiences to discuss after the credits roll. Hierophany is a thought-provoking exploration of guilt and trauma that leaves room for interpretation of how each person deals with grief. Anchored by director Tom Alner’s formalism and two terrific performances from Andrew Grayson and Craig Andrew Mooney, Hierophany is a deeply engaging experience. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Curzon Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Blonde film review by UK film critic Hope Madden, George Wolf. Starring Ana de Armis directed by Andrew Dominik. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Blonde Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: George Wolf | Posted on: Sep 27, 2022 Directed by: Andrew Dominik Written by: Andrew Dominik, Joyce Carroll Oates Starring: Ana de Armis Andrew Dominik felt like an odd choice to bring Joyce Carol Oates’s epic fictionalization of Marilyn Monroe’s life to the screen. His films up to now, though excellent, wouldn’t necessarily suggest an aptitude for a female-focused biopic. Most recently, the filmmaker’s crafted two magnificent documentaries on singer/songwriter Nick Cave. Prior to that, he made two woefully underseen Brad Pitt dramas (Killing Them Softly, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford) after his Aussie breakthrough, Chopper . Each of these films is excellent, and each of them is broodingly, tenderly, decidedly masculine. If Dominik was an unconventional pick, Cuban performer Ana de Armas seemed a downright peculiar choice for the lead role. She’s no doubt beautiful enough to play the legendary stunner, and her work in Knives Out and Hands of Stone have shown her versatility as an actor. And why not get a little nutty? Monroe’s story has been told more times than Dracula’s – at least seven features and TV movies have been made about Marilyn, and she’s figured prominently in countless other flicks. Can they give us something we haven’t seen? Yep. They give us nearly 3 hours of NC-17 wallowing. Dominik’s film, which he adapted himself from the source novel, does little more than fetishize Monroe’s suffering. De Armas fills the role well enough. Yes, her accent takes you out of scenes from time to time, but that’s not really the trouble with the character. Monroe gets a single opportunity to stand up for herself in two hours and 46 minutes. It’s fun. It’s great to watch the character who’s been abused and misused the entire film finally feel a quick surge of pride. This one sequence – the one moment of agency given Monroe in the film’s entire running time – becomes the catalyst of her downfall, of course. Prior to this moment, de Armas is asked only to hover on the verge of tears. Nearly every instant after is degradation for a character rendered nearly inhuman by broadly brushed daddy issues and mental instabilities. While the film’s visual style is often intriguing, Dominik’s aggressive approach feels borrowed. He channels Lars von Trier with wave upon wave of punishment, then recalls Gaspar Noe through extended takes featuring shock-value POVs. And the irony of that NC-17 rating is that it’s not earned the old-fashioned way. The scene that almost certainly drew the most ire from the ratings board does not feature one second of nudity, yet lands as excess most wretched. If it all doesn’t add up to an abuse of de Armas, then it amounts to abuse of an audience. The point of Blonde seems to be that the almost global objectification of Marilyn Monroe meant an unendurably tragic life and death. To prove the point, Dominik objectifies Marilyn Monroe to a point that is nearly unendurable. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic George Wolf Netflix < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Last One Standing, Castleward film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Peter Cromie, Adrian Daye, Jill McCann, Claire Bannwarth directed by Joseph Conlan. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Last One Standing, Castleward Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Oct 1, 2025 Directed by: Joseph Conlan Written by: N/A Starring: Peter Cromie, Adrian Daye, Jill McCann, Claire Bannwarth A short documentary about an annual marathon in Northern Ireland, directed by Joseph Conlan. This physically and mentally demanding devent takes place annually in mid-February in Castle Ward, Northern Ireland and it involves a large group of participants who run a 4.2 mile loop in the countryside. The rules are to complete the loop in one hour, before beginning the next one on the hour, every hour, for as long as they can. There is no finish line and the event starts at noon and it carries on until there is only one man and one woman remaining. The marathon is organised by Atlas Running, a company that manages running events. Through interviews and footage of the marathon itself, this documentary introduces the viewer to this exciting event that pushes the participants to their limits. There is footage of people running in the woods and catching their breath before starting again. The film also presents several people who are involved in this activity, along with their impressive achievements, including Adrian Daye, the co-Race Organiser, spectator Kevin Kearns and some of the athletes including Peter Cromie, Jill McCann, Eoin Keith and Claire Bannwarth. The film focuses primarily on exploring how challenging this event is, what the participants have to go through and it is quite entriguing. Still though, it would have been interesting to know how Last One Standing began, who thought of it and how it is all organised leading to the day of the marathon. This approximately eight-minute-long documentary investigates an activity that is more about mental strength than about physical strength and it acknowledges that the main reason that people take part is to challenge themselves and achieve their personal goals. An intriguing and informative short documentary about a running event that requires a great deal of determination and endurance. People who watch this will most likely be impressed by the athletes who take part in this activity and might find themselves thinking that they would like to do something similar themselves. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film, Documentary < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Rewriting Mallory film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring Jonathan Erwin, Tammy Sanow, Lucy Borchers directed by Emerson Adams. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Rewriting Mallory Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Feb 1, 2024 Directed by: Emerson Adams Written by: Malcolm Vanderwoude Starring: Jonathan Erwin, Tammy Sanow, Lucy Borchers We all go through moments where our lives feel like they’re following a script, but don’t often think what we’d do or say to the person holding the pen if that were the case. You’d hope at least it would be an almighty deity whose decision-making isn’t really up for question rather than an average white guy, but that is explored in Rewriting Mallory. Joshua (Jonathan Irwin) is a writer using his passion to untangle his grief following the death of his sister. He starts work on a new story in a café, whilst elsewhere a young woman named Mallory (Tammy Sanow) finds her whole life crumbling as she is dealt lifechanging news. As the pair cross paths, Joshua recognises a shocking connection between the pair – which leads to both contemplating how their lives are playing out. A short and sweet drama, Rewriting Mallory is heartfelt, thoughtful and presents an interesting concept for its storyline. However, it also feels somewhat underdeveloped and fails to really explore the potential it raises with its central idea. The link between Joshua and Mallory allows for fine performances and chemistry between Jonathan Irwin and Tammy Sanow, and their conversation in the café is easily the film’s highlight which leads to an emotional conclusion. The film wastes no time in working through each character’s arc, with a somewhat predictable yet satisfying revelation being the payoff. But it is a genuine shame that the filmmakers did not explore the relationship between the pair in more detail or experiment with the possibilities it raises. Mallory’s anger towards Joshua when she realises the role he has played in the day she has experienced feels like unexplored potential that is resolved rather quickly, and the power the pair realise that Joshua possesses is another dynamic that raises story possibilities that would only add to the film without undermining the central theme. It’s clear that Joshua’s trauma and his journey towards regaining control is what ultimately drives the plot, but that doesn’t mean there couldn’t have been a little more fun. However, the film’s quality means this is a case of us being left wanting more. Both Joshua and Mallory make for engaging and sympathetic co-protagonists, each presented with unthinkable and heartbreaking challenges. The plot raises fascinating questions about control and agency, and how much we allow our own personal losses to control our lives and impact on the lives of others. Joshua indirectly confronts his grief through his writing, but it is through connection with other people that he comes to gain a control over it, and his ‘story’ in the process. Rewriting Mallory’s charm, purpose and meaning are more than sufficient to justify a watch. It’s clunky in parts and somewhat rushed, leaving some of its potential on the table. But the result is still an engaging, thought-provoking and emotional drama that carries a positive and life-affirming message. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Digital / DVD Release, Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Dink film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Jake Johnson, Mary Steenburgen, Ed Harris directed by Josh Grenbaum. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Dink Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Jul 23, 2026 Directed by: Josh Grenbaum Written by: Sean Clements Starring: Jake Johnson, Mary Steenburgen, Ed Harris I was cautiously optimistic about The Dink , Josh Greenbaum’s feature that pits the elegant sport of tennis against goofy good time of pickle ball. It seemed like a funny concept. Jake Johnson plays one-time tennis phenom Dustin Boyd, also known as the Hammer because that was the name his dad (Ed Harris) gave him as a kid due to his incredible serve. But now, rolling through his 40s in his 1998 Dodge LeSabre and working at his dad’s country club as the junior tennis instructor, the Hammer’s hitting some hard times. As luck would have it, Dad has hatched a plan to rid the club of the goofy menace that is pickle ball. Does it involve a tournament, one pickle baller vs one tennis player? Will the Hammer somehow screw up his opportunity to be that tournament tennis pro? Will he somehow find himself falling for pickle ball? I’m not saying, but if you’ve ever seen either a sports film or a comedy, you may be able to guess. No, Sean Clements’s script doesn’t feel terribly fresh, but the sort of Dodgeball meets Caddyshack concept is immediately appealing. Lower your expectations and you might enjoy the movie. Johnson’s built a career on the likeable goof character, and he’s as endearingly off-putting here as anywhere. Greenbaum surrounds him with solid support. Harris, obviously, but the ensemble teems with comic talent: Mary Steenburgen, Patton Oswalt, Ben Stiller, Chris Parnell, and even more veterans in cameos. The Dink opens on its funniest scene, of the Hammer and his sidekick bestie (Aaron Chen) regaling two unimpressed kids with tales of their instructor’s youthful glory. Both kids (Indiana Elle and Cayden Romero) are dry, droll comic gold. Everything after that is formula broken occasionally by random comedy bits. Stiller’s doctor is preoccupied with the “stickyhoney” dating app. Oswalt’s pickle ball advocate wastes a lot of tiny paper cups. John McEnroe brings his own concessions. Nothing is laugh-out-loud funny, but all the silliness is delivered by such pros that you chuckle regardless. The Dink doesn’t rank among the great sports comedies, surely, but you’ll crack a smile. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Digital / DVD Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >