Stick Up film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Tori Hartley, Garrett Davis, LaRonn Marzett, Darryl Cox directed by Chris Oz McIntosh. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Stick Up Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Aug 11, 2021 Directed by: Chris Oz McIntosh Written by: Garrett Davis, Tori Hartley Starring: Tori Hartley, Garrett Davis, LaRonn Marzett, Darryl Cox An armed robbery gets complicated, leading to nasty consequences. Ali (Hartley) is a young woman who is armed with a gun and arrives at a petrol station with the intention of robbing it. Instead of the employee she was expecting to find, she sees a young man (Davis) who claims to be working there also. She recognizes him as Sonny, a criminal. Sonny is also there to rob the place. To make things more awkward, a uniformed policeman arrives. What follows is shooting, profanity, people getting shot and double-crossing. This dark comedy action-crime short won the ''Best Short'' Audience Award at the deadCenter Film Festival and it is very entertaining indeed. The plot is a simple plan that goes extremely wrong, leading to carnage and it tells the story with plenty of humour. Characters react like cartoon characters when they get shot, comically showing that they are in pain and making jokes out of it, while at the same time drink beer. It is quite amusing watching what might had been a serious situation turning unpredictable and darkly comical. The dialogue is clever and the performances are fun. Davis and Marzett are both very entertaining as clumsy crooks, behaving almost like toddlers, laughing and not taking things seriously. Hartley is also funny, however she is also methodical, tough, smart and determined to get what she wants. Her face has cuts and bruises, indicating that she has a tough life, from which she longs to get away. Cox is also comedic as the petrol station employee. Generally, it is clear that the cast are having a good time. The soundtrack is great and the song Ten Cent Millionaire ends the film perfectly. Praise also goes to the stylized closing credits and to the beautiful cinematography by Jacob Leighton Burns. This accomplishment is worthy of significant acknowledgement. It is very well made and offers a rather enjoyable and memorable ride, filled with interesting characters, dark humour and action. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Back to Black film review by UK film critic George Wolf. Starring Marisa Abela, Eddie Marsan, JackO'Connell directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Back to Black Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: George Wolf | Posted on: May 16, 2024 Directed by: Sam Taylor-Johnson Written by: Matt Greenhalgh Starring: Marisa Abela, Eddie Marsan, JackO'Connell Since Walk Hard gave the music biopic genre a well-deserved skewering nearly 20 years ago, new entries have scored with ambitious fantasy (Rocketman ), pandered with crowd-pleasing safety (Bohemian Rhapsody ) and curiously turned a superstar into a one note supporting player (Elvis ). Back to Black ‘s biggest drawback is a failure to commit to one vision, rightly giving Amy Winehouse agency for her own destiny, but pulling some important punches that could have deepened the impact. Marisa Abela (Barbie ‘s “Teen Talk Barbie,” TV’s Industry ) is sensational as Amy, ably capturing the wounded soul and the defiant train wreck while laying down some impressive lip sync performances. Her chemistry with an equally terrific Jack O’Connell (as Blake Fielder-Civil) fuels the film’s best moments, as the tortured lovers navigate between heartsick devotion and toxic co-dependency, sometimes reminiscent of Sid and Nancy . Biopics usually benefit from narrowing the focus, but director Sam Taylor-Johnson and writer Matt Greenhalgh reach outside the romance for a rushed look at Amy’s journey to stardom and some seemingly sanitized takes on her relationships with Dad Mitch (Eddie Marsan) and “Nan” Cynthia (Lesley Manville). Anyone who remembers the Oscar-winning doc Amy will notice a much different treatment of Mitch Winehouse here. How much of this was required for the family blessing is unclear, but the film does benefit from a depiction of Amy that finds a balance of forgiveness and accountability. Taylor-Johnson’s hand is steady but fairly generic, with a tendency to revisit some obvious visual metaphors. And though you end up wishing Back to Black could have confidence enough to sharpen its edge, stellar performances flesh out the sad tragedy of a gifted life spiraling out of control. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic George Wolf Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Orango film review by UK film critic Chris Olson. Starring Staniel Ferreira, Stephanie Ferreira, Marla Stock, Obino Ferreira directed by Samuel Kay Forrest. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Orango Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Chris Olson | Posted on: Nov 11, 2024 Directed by: Samuel Kay Forrest Written by: Staniel Ferreira, Samuel Kay Forrest Starring: Staniel Ferreira, Stephanie Ferreira, Marla Stock, Obino Ferreira Filmmakers Staniel Ferreira and Samuel Kay Forrest deliver an emotional and spiritual journey through one man’s reconnection with his childhood home. Eny (Ferreira) travels back to Orango , Africa with his sister (Stephanie Ferreira) following the death of their mother. Having moved to the U.S. seventeen years ago as refugees, they want to revisit the place of their childhood, find answers about their identity and heritage, and confront the trauma which still lives with them. Significant to Eny is confronting his father (Obino Ferreira), a very flawed and abusive man whose trail of destruction looms heavy on our protagonist. Following an angry encounter with his dad, Eny decides to venture elsewhere and learn more about his mother’s family. What is so striking about Orango as a film is this quasi-documentary style that will likely baffle most audiences. It’s made in such a way that even though we are told early on that this is “based on a true story” we can’t help but feel immersed in real-life interactions. This is assisted by the fact that many of the performers are in fact Ferreira’s family but the scenes feel so frank and honest that even the most seasoned cinephiles would be forgiven for labelling the piece a documentary (which it isn’t - although it is a bit!). Directory Samuel Kay Forrest knows when to use the power of the performances and when to rely on the arresting cinematography, generously provided by the stunning African landscapes - including a number of sunsets that are simply breathtaking. A particularly powerful sequence is when Eny has his fraught exchange, more like a verbal collision, with his father. The camera seems to want to lurk outside the scene, having back and even behind a wall at one point, with the voices playing alongside the sound of falling rain. It was a spectacularly filmed scene that provided the film’s most affecting moment. Ferreira’s deep voice is wonderful for the over voice, providing a thoughtful and strong grounding for the viewer to connect with this story. The narration also helps us keep up with things, as there are a lot of stories and family members being mentioned - it’s easy to lose track at times. The soundscape uses authentic sounds and songs that will captivate the viewer, enhancing the atmosphere. There are also whispering voices which sometimes accompany the scenes, these feel oddly comforting, when they could have been unnerving, and reflect Eny's heritage brilliantly. It's a brilliantly original film about identity and roots. The power of family, Africa, and staying connected to ancestors who live on through us. Watch our Video Film Review for Orango on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GV2omCOwxXs Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Chris Olson Indie Feature Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Long Live Xander the Great film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Jordan Jacobo directed by Devin Scott. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Long Live Xander the Great Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Sep 16, 2023 Directed by: Devin Scott Written by: Devin Scott Starring: Jordan Jacobo A man recollects growing up with his unconventional father. This short film was created by putting together home movie footage that was found by visiting charity shops and swap meets and the result was a twenty-five-minute-long film that is presented as a documentary with narration. The main subject here is a man named Alexander, who is also known as ''Xander the Great'' by his friends and his son is the narrator, who recalls his childhood with his father. Although the story is fictional, the events are presented in a way that feels as if they are true and taking place during the sixties, the time the film's events are set. The narrator talks about Xander, what life was like with him and significant events. According to him, his dad was a good parent, yet he had his negative aspects and he goes on to describe how Xander grew up on a farm and met his mother while at university and married her because she was wealthy. Xander also had a passion for motorcycles and that is explored extensively and other family members are introduced, including Uncle Billy, who the narrator was fond of. Once all the positive family experiences have been covered, the film takes a dark turn by moving into illegal activities that Xander was involved in. As mentioned, this film consists of footage that was discovered by chance and it was all creatively put together in a way that accommodates the voice-over and can tell a story. Xander himself is seen often throughout and he could be categorised as the protagonist. Other recurring characters include his wife and his brother Billy. Xander's children are also present, including a boy who is supposed to be the narrator. There is footage of these people engaging in a variety of activities ans also lots and lots of footage of people riding motorcycles, whether for fun or racing. The footage appears old and damaged and the addition of Rob Amato's cinematography make it look decades old. Going to the audio now, commendations go to Jordan Jacobo for the narration that he provides and describes the events in a way that is interesting to listen to. The soundtrack contains multiple songs, including a bit of rock and some guitar and piano melodies. This short tells an intriguing story about a family man who loved motorcycles, lived a wild life and harboured a dark secret. The fact that it is made out of random footage is quite impressive , considering that it was all edited in a way that creates a narrative thanks to the contribution of effective voice-over. It is a rare piece of work that tells an intriguing story about family, crime and motorcycles Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

My Donkey, My Lover & I film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Laure Calamy, Benjamin Lavernhe directed by Caroline Vignal. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS My Donkey, My Lover & I Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Jul 29, 2022 Directed by: Caroline Vignal Written by: Caroline Vignal Starring: Laure Calamy, Benjamin Lavernhe Unabashedly romantic and decidedly French, My Donkey, My Lover & I follows Robert Lewis Stevenson’s journey through Cevennes National Park as walked by Antoinette (Laure Calamy) and Patrick, her donkey. Antoinette is no hiker, no trail-wizened traveler. She’s a schoolteacher smitten with a student’s father (Benjamin Lavernhe). When he cancels their romantic trip to instead vacation with his wife and daughter, Antoinette decides to crash. She doesn’t find him immediately. What she does find is that very few people travel with a donkey nowadays, she’s ill-prepared to actually hike 220km with or without a donkey, and that early oversharing with other hikers will make her a bit of a celebrity along the journey. Aah, romance! Writer/director Caroline Vignal keeps it breezy, never vilifying the married Vladimir nor seeing Antoinette as a stalker. A bright, earnest turn from Calamy is hard to resist. She gives Antoinette a good humor that brings a little cheer to even the most embarrassing of situations. The countryside is gorgeous, the cast of French vacationers and waylayers disarm, and Calamy charms her way through it all. On paper, Antoinette is a fool—a superficial, self-centered fool at that. But Calamy, whose game performance won a Cesar (the French Oscar), keeps the character open and vulnerable. Still, the star here is Patrick. Vignal has remarkable instincts for animal-related comedy. Yes, we know from the first moment Antoinette can’t get the ass to move where we’re headed. They will reluctantly become best friends, she’ll learn something about independence and things will end well. But by underplaying the donkey for so long, delaying the reaction shots and obnoxious braying, Vignal manages to swing from charming romantic trifle to slapstick comedy and back with weird grace. The whole affair feels as slight and ultimately unessential as the one shared by Vladimir and Antoinette. But there’s something forgiving about it that’s appealing. Rather than judge or deny or even truly mock a middle-aged romantic’s starry-eyed quest for love, My Lover, My Donkey & I sees value in it. Plus there’s a funny donkey. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Samurai Frog Golf film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring N/A directed by Brent Forrest. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Samurai Frog Golf Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Jun 23, 2022 Directed by: Brent Forrest Written by: Brent Forrest Starring: N/A A tough frog battles a group of evil crows in order to save some baby turtles. This animated short film is a beautiful and mesmerising journey, filled with fantastic colours, extraordinary characters and action. In this story the characters are animals and they are anthropomorphic. The tale begins with a large frog playing a golf session in the countryside, accompanied by his little fluffy friend. After going into the woods to retrieve a golf ball, he encounters a some sinister-looking crows who have captured a turtle. He decides not to interfere and returns to his game. However, he discovers that the ball he recovered is actually a turtle egg and after it hatches and reveals a cute baby, the frog has a change of heart and goes back to rescue the rest of the turtles. This rather enjoyable short carries quite a lot in its duration of approximately three-and-a-half minutes. From start to finish it is a pleasure viewing this animated story and the reasons for that are many. First of all, the narrative is very appealing and has drama and fight scenes. It evolves around the idea of a hard as nails hero battling bad guys and saving the day and the action scenes are quite fun to watch, with the frog utilising a golf club as a weapon in order to beat the crows. The animation is wonderful and bears similarities to Japanese watercolour and wood carving art of the Ukiyo-e style. Every single shot is like a painting in motion and the colours are very rich, with terrific lighting effects. All the characters look great. The frog is the main character and he is basically a frog that appears to be the size of a grown human, wears clothing and a hat, has a wooden leg and is a tough guy with a heart of gold. The crows are pretty much presented as pure evil, carrying bladed weapons and eating turtle eggs. There are no spoken words, which suits things well, as the plot is easy to follow. The visuals are accompanied by an amazing score that is sometimes sentimental and sometimes dynamic, which goes very well with the action scenes. The effective sound effects are another great plus. It would be hard to point out any flaws here. This is a memorable and admirable achievement that had a great deal of work and creativity put into it and deserves recognition and commendations. Unfortunately, it actually does have one flaw: it ends and so does this review. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film, Animation < All Reviews Next Film Review >

A-Train: New Beginnings film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Chris Carthern, Salem Way, Mina Kess, Joey G, Boaz Hernandez directed by Chris Carthern. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS A-Train: New Beginnings Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Oct 22, 2024 Directed by: Chris Carthern Written by: Chris Carthern Starring: Chris Carthern, Salem Way, Mina Kess, Joey G, Boaz Hernandez A short superhero dark comedy fan film set in the world of the satirical superhero television series The Boys . Written and directed by Chris Carthern, the film stars himself as the titular character and including in the cast are Salem Way, Mina Kess, Joey G and Boaz Hernandez. So what is the plot then? Well, the heroes (the members of a team of superheroes named The Seven) do not go up against a supervillain, instead the attention is focused on speedster A-Train. Super-fast A-Train has accidentally killed a woman while running and this results in him being thrown out of the super team. Things are not looking good for A-Train, however he develops a new ambition: he will become a famous rapper. This short has a lot of things going for it. To begin, the costumes, the ones worn by the performers portraying the superheroes look cool and resemble the ones in the TV show, some examples being clothing worn by A-Train (of course, since his name is in the title), Homelander and Starlight. Next, there are some pretty neat (although not very realistic) effects, particularly when the heroes utilise their superpowers, making eyes glow and beams of light come out of eyes and causing body parts to explode. As A-Train is determined to become a rapper, he collaborates with a music studio and a large portion of the film consists of music videos of him singing. The videos look great thanks to the directing and Chong Ahn's work on the editing and cinematography and fans of rap will most likely appreciate the amusing songs that include titles such as Mr. Run Through Ya Girlfriend , Get Out The Way and Speedster Rap . The animated part is also quite a bonus. Is there anything missing? Could something had been done better? This short is approximately 20 minutes of entertainment and it never seizes to be so thanks to the music, the performances and dark humour. Taking all these under consideration, one could not have asked for much more. Looking at the performances now, they are quite entertaining. This short is intended to be a comedy and the acting by pretty much all the cast is light-hearted. Some who stand out are obviously Carthern as the main character, a clumsy superhero and aspiring rapper and Way as Homelander, the no-nonsense and sarcastic leader of the superhero team. On the surface, this is superhero comedy. Looking deeper, (and as the title suggests) the story explores the idea of starting over, turning one's life around and pursuing new goals. Furthermore, it is also a commentary about the music industry (the world of rap in particular), social media, self-discovery and the idea of becoming a celebrity. This amusing short is ideal for people looking for a fun time. It pays homage to The Boys series and superhero films in general and it will most likely appeal primarily to fans of the series, superhero fans and rap fans. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film, Music Video < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Monsters film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Cathy Wippell, Beth Gatherer, Ryan J. Harvey directed by Liz Cvalda. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Monsters Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Jan 6, 2024 Directed by: Liz Cvalda Written by: Liz Cvalda Starring: Cathy Wippell, Beth Gatherer, Ryan J. Harvey A lonely woman brings a stranger to her home, leading to a situation that turns dramatic and sinister. A young woman named Felicia (Wippell) is found unconscious in the woods by Katherine (Gatherer), who takes her to her isolated house in the countryside, where she lives by herself. Felicia has just murdered her partner (Harvey) and after she recovers her senses, she is initially alarmed and suspicious of her host. Things calm down a bit as they get to know each other and have some food. However, they have serious conversations, expressing their point of view regarding the dark side of men, death and what makes a bad person and eventually it becomes clear that there is more to Katherine than meets the eye. This is a short, tense, psychological horror story that focuses on the relationship that is build between the two strangers. The atmosphere is unstable throughout, with the drama, tension and sadness and heavy rain outside. For most of the time, Felicia remains unfriendly towards Katherine, even though she tries to be hospitable and kind and the two of them talk about mostly unpleasant subjects. Felicia states that men are no good, while Katherine disagrees and they also discuss the afterlife and what evil deeds actually are. They also end up discussing a loss that Katherine has gone through and things get emotional. However, there does not seem to be much room for positivity in this story and although it is already known that Felicia has done a terrible thing, signs appear indicating that something is seriously wrong with Katherine that include a nasty wound on her wrist, her short temper and the way she eats, which is devouring food with her hands. At first, the two protagonists are ostensibly contradicting characters. Felicia comes across as sarcastic and cruel, has very harsh feelings towards men and generally looks at life in a negative way and she is also a killer. On the other hand, Katherine appears good-hearted and with a more positive view towards the world, even though deep down she is lonely and sad. However, as mentioned, she also appears to have a dark side, making her similar to her guest, similar to a monster, as the title suggests. Also, the two leads are also presented as victims, victims of loss, isolation and domestic violence. One of the key features in this film is the music by Cvalda and Florence Green. The score is sinister and tense at times and sometimes it sounds light-hearted and magical and commendations go to the creativity that was put into it. On the negative side, the score is overused and sometimes over-the-top, being added in scenes where it makes them feel exaggerated, making them too tense or just awkward. It would probalby had been better if there was no music at all during those scenes. This short horror film is an intriguing viewing, a character study that explores the dark side of humanity and looks into hatred, murder, mental health, loneliness, loss and death. More cheerfully though, it also points out the value of support. It is a dark story that stands out due to the dialogue, the moody cinematography by Jed Ducusin that includes black-and-white, the dramatic performances by Wippell and Gatherer and the music (even though it is occasionally over-the-top). Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Confess, Fletch film review by UK film critic George Wolf. Starring Jon Hamm, Marcia Gay Harden, KyleMacLachlan directed by Greg Mottola. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Confess, Fletch Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: George Wolf | Posted on: Sep 14, 2022 Directed by: Greg Mottola Written by: Zev Borow, Gregory McDonald, Greg Mottola Starring: Jon Hamm, Marcia Gay Harden, KyleMacLachlan Casting Jon Hamm as the new Fletch seems like a bullseye. He has leading man charm, sharp comic timing and plenty of skill handling a one-liner. Really, the only minus is that he might be too handsome. He doesn’t really seem like a hat guy, so that Lakers cap on his head in Confess, Fletch feels like a forced homage to the Chevy Chase original. But Hamm is wise enough to avoid imitating Chase outright, teaming with director/co-writer Greg Mottola for an Irwin M. Fletcher that’s closer to the star of Gregory McDonald’s source novels. We catch up with Fletch as he’s left the newspaper game behind, disenchanted with the effects of the digital age. But his rep as an L.A. investigative reporter “of some repute” lands him freelance sleuthing gigs, like searching for a stolen Picasso that his Italian girlfriend Angela (Lorenza Izzo) needs as ransom for her kidnapped father. But then a dead girl turns up in Fletch’s rented Boston townhouse and the local detectives (Roy Wood, Jr. and Ayden Mayeri) just want him to confess already. And they’d also like him to stop taking his shoes and socks off. Of course, Fletch remains sarcastically cool throughout their surveillance, investigating on his own and uncovering a few other suspects: his stoner neighbor (Annie Mumolo), a germaphobe art dealer (Kyle MacLachlan), Angela’s mother aka “The Countess” (Oscar winner Marcia Gay Harden, hamming it up) and even Angela herself. Mottola’s (Adventureland, Superbad) story building doesn’t stray far from the structure of Michael Richie’s 1985 original, which may not be ambitious but is at least understandable, considering the same novelist assembled both mysteries. The major difference is the lack of inspired silliness, which brings us back to the casting of Hamm. The fake names Fletch gives out aren’t so outlandish, and you won’t find any SNL-ready skits about playing for the Lakers or going undercover at Dr. Jellyfinger’s office. But all that was catered to what Chevy Chase did best, which was playing Chevy Chase. Hamm is actually acting. The irony here is that while the character of Fletch is now more fully formed, the movie itself just isn’t as consistently funny. There are plenty of smiles, though. The cast of unusual suspects can be a hoot (especially Mumolo) and running gags about Fletch’s fluency in Italian, his bare feet and his attempts at charming the detectives bring some chuckles. A Mad Men reunion with John Slattery as Fletch’s salty old newspaper editor is a nice touch, as well. Years from now, you won’t be quoting any lines from Confess, Fletch . But the hour and a half you spend with this breezy whodunit isn’t a waste, and might leave you feeling like you just met the real I.M. Fletcher. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic George Wolf Theatrical Release, Digital / DVD Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Antlers film review by UK film critic Brady Clark. Starring Keri Russell, Jesse Plemons, Jeremy T. Thomas directed by Scott Cooper. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Antlers Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Brady Clark | Posted on: Oct 26, 2021 Directed by: Scott Cooper Written by: Henry Chaisson, Nick Antosca, Scott Cooper Starring: Keri Russell, Jesse Plemons, Jeremy T. Thomas Scott Cooper’s Antlers has just enough creepiness, gore, and fright to hold its own leading into the Halloween weekend. Whilst it is not hugely original or standout in the horror franchise, Cooper manages to keep intrigue alive as he delves into the mythological beasts genre. Held up by two strong TV leads in the form of The American’s Keri Russell and Jesse Plemons of Breaking Bad and Fargo fame, Antlers also contains a clear Guillermo del Toro stamp within the majority of its scenes and in a script that is well suited to actors who do not need to say a great deal to raise their performance. In the film, teacher Julia Meadows (Russell) is concerned one of her young students may be suffering abuse at home, and, after a series of disappearances, suspects something worse is at play, bringing her Sheriff brother (Plemons) into the mix. Antlers is not without its problems. Whilst slower horrors can often still keep your heart rate high through ambitious concepts and powerful music, Cooper’s pacing tests the patience at times, and the score prioritises volume over appropriateness. The intelligence of the plot also decreases over the duration of the film, venturing into an unsatisfying conclusion that cannot justify the choices of its characters. Where Antlers struggles most, is in identifying its goal and underlying message. Cooper highlights abuse and poverty, but in circling them rather than exploring these subjects further, there is not enough depth to the film or its characters. Antlers is reminiscent of The Village at times, or at least its better parts, and delivers in providing the same bleak outlook and serious approach to a ‘creature feature’. But without striving for something beyond general expectations of this genre, Antlers comes out as a mediocre small-town horror that won’t stay in the mind for too long Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Brady Clark Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Define Insanity? film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Citizens of Ambatale directed by Dylan Nanayakkara. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Define Insanity? Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Aug 28, 2023 Directed by: Dylan Nanayakkara Written by: N/A Starring: Citizens of Ambatale On 15th May 2016 Sri Lanka was hit by tropical storm, ‘Roanu’ which brought with it unprecedented flooding and devastation. Whereas Sri Lanka is no stranger to tropical storms or other extreme weather events and certain regions are used to localised flooding, nobody was prepared for the level of rainfall which the storm would bring or for the amount of widespread destruction which would be left behind in its aftermath. It seems this unpreparedness ran right through the administration of almost all of the local districts in Sri Lanka and all the way up to centralised government, as twenty-two out of twenty-five districts in the country were affected by the severity of the floods. Official UN statistics show that ‘Roanu’ caused the worst flooding in over two decades, with the last big flood in living memory coming in 1989, and that hundreds of homes had been destroyed. Eighty-four people were confirmed dead after the storm with one hundred and sixteen people missing and nearly quarter of a million displaced. With such a large scale emergency there was an urgent and definite need for assistance and aid to reach large sections of the country. Many rural communities became cut off by the floods, with no access to shelter, food or clean drinking water and it was these communities which suffered the greatest catastrophes when no help came. With the waters taking over a week to recede and still only minimal or no involvement from government administrations being provided, people obviously began to ask questions and began to see the direct results of bad town planning, underfunded infrastructure and unchecked expansion. With this in mind documentary film-maker, Dylan Nanayakkara took his camera into one such affected district, to the township of Ambatale on the Kelani River, and began to record the thoughts and feelings of the local residents, as well as finding out what they thought of the official response and who they thought was to blame for the lack of compensation or a clean-up operation. Subheading his film as ‘A short documentary to promote better disaster risk management in Sri Lanka’, Nanayakkara is not hiding his bias or his intent for the short film. He took his camera into the affected area only four days after the waters receded to get as immediate, instinctive and raw a reaction as possible – and this is exactly what he receives. The people are visibly shaken and anxious but they are keen to have their story shared and for people to see what has happened to them. They talk at a hundred miles an hour relaying everything that’s been taken from their lives and their livelihoods and are unanimous in their proportioning of blame squarely upon the shoulders of local and government officials, some of whom turned up to pay lip-service then ran away again and others who didn’t even bother to turn up in the first place. The unfortunate thing about Nanayakkara’s film is perhaps its lasting relevance. Covering an event which happened over seven years ago and reporting on its immediate aftermath puts Define Insanity? into a very specific timeframe. Yes, the stories told and the people affected are incredibly important, and of course the failings of the institutions of government need to be exposed and investigated, but can Nanayakkara’s film really hope to increase awareness or to hold people to account seven years on? Also, there’s not a lot else going on in Define Insanity? other than listening to people speak about their ordeals. The black and white photography adds nothing to the narrative, nor does it add gravitas which supposedly it was intended to do. There are times when information cards and subtitles fill the screen at the same time and it’s incredibly difficult to process all of the information at once, especially when the survivors are releasing all of their frustrations in one go and talking so fast as they do so. It seems that Nanayakkara could have had more impact taking the testimonials of the people he talked to, typing them up and compiling them together into a report which he could then file with the relevant authorities, forcing them to acknowledge and face up to their failings. Instead, we can only hope that Define Insanity? had the desired impact seven years ago as it’s unlikely to have any lasting legacy at this point. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Short Film, Documentary, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Keringatmu film review by UK film critic Isabelle Ryan. Starring Saiful Azam, Kamarul Syukri, Florida directed by Wan Dinnie. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Keringatmu Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Isabelle Ryan | Posted on: Dec 17, 2021 Directed by: Wan Dinnie Written by: Wan Dinnie Starring: Saiful Azam, Kamarul Syukri, Florida Filmed over the course of eight hours in early 2011, Wan Dinnie’s Keringatmu is quite a remarkable thing. This no-budget Malaysian short, shot in guerrilla-style, was originally released as ‘Pilihanmu’ and has since been reworked into this 2014 Director’s Cut. As explained at the film’s opening, they were unable to film every scene, so have filled in the gaps with expository intertitles, which also cover any missing dialogue. Despite an obvious lack of budget and a very tight deadline (Keringatmu was originally filmed with a view to entering it into a competition), Wan Dinnie’s film is an ultimately compelling if shaky effort. Syahmi (Saiful Azam) informs his proud parents that he has just been accepted into a teacher training institute. His father (Kamarul Syukri) gives him a phone and RM200 (currently about £35), adding that if he ever needs any more money, he can always call. Swept up in his new life, and wanting to impress his friends and later his girlfriend, Syahmi takes his father up on the offer again and again. Syahmi’s father struggles to keep up with his son’s demands, and this pressure to provide for and support his only child inevitably leads to tragedy. The guerrilla-style shooting adds a real sense of urgency to the proceedings; handheld shots shake and judder, heightening the intensity of mundane tasks. The camera operator runs behind or alongside Azam in moments of distress, giving the impression that we have been swept up along with him and his bad decisions, and are now struggling to keep up. Shots are cut quickly, and edited to overlap, creating a sense of Syahmi becoming totally overwhelmed by his situation. It is abundantly clear that the filmmakers had no time and few resources, but they absolutely make the best of what they had. One moment that sticks out is how, towards the end of the film, dusk falls. While presumably unplanned, the tone is perfect: as the film gets dark, so too does the day. Keringatmu is far from perfect. The acting is often stilted (though Azam sells his frustration and distress), the dialogue uninspiring, and the story of a young man wanting money to impress people is a familiar one. However, it is always wonderful seeing these no-budget shorts with flashes of greatness. Towards the end, there is a special effect that, while easy to predict, looks very convincing. This decade-old film shows real promise, and Wan Dinnie’s more recent work can only build on that. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Isabelle Ryan Short Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >