★★★★ Directed by #Amy Seimetz Written by #AmySeimetz Starring #KateLynShell #JaneAdams Film Review by Hope Madden I smell an intriguing trend in indie horror: embracing the apocalypse. She Dies Tomorrow is a horror film that’s one part Coherence, one part The Beach House, one part The Signal (2007, not 2014) and yet somehow entirely its own. It helps that so few people have seen any of those other movies, but the truth is that writer/director Amy Seimetz (creator of The Girlfriend Experience) is simply braiding together themes that have quietly influenced SciFi horror hybrids of late. What she does with these themes is pretty remarkable. Her film weaves in and out of the current moment, delivering a dreamlike structure that suits its trippy premise. Amy (Kate Lyn Sheil) believes she is going to die tomorrow. She knows it. She’s sure. She calls her friend Jane (the always amazing Jane Adams), who senses that Amy is not OK but has this obligation to go to her sister-in-law’s party…whatever, she’ll stop over on her way. By the time Jane gets to the party, she’s also quite certain she will die tomorrow. It isn’t long before the partygoers sense their own imminent deaths; meanwhile, Amy is spreading her perception contagion elsewhere. Seimetz’s horror is really only existential, although like The Signal (and The Crazies before it), She Dies Tomorrow is more than slightly interested in what individuals do with this disheartening information. What a superb way to cut directly to character development. This gives the film an episodic quality, allowing even characters in minor roles to express their individuality. Adams is characteristically wonderful, both logical and a bit batty, lonely and strangely optimistic. Chris Messina and Katie Aselton impress with a lived-in couplehood, and both Josh Lucas and Adam Wingard are used deftly to bring an almost melancholy comic relief to a couple scenes. Sheil anchors the film. With the most time to get comfortable with her lot, Amy drifts through the stages of grief and fear, ending on a resigned kind of anticipation that feels comfortable with the tone Seimetz creates. From beginning to end, the film transmits a quiet, creeping dread. Seimetz can’t entirely capitalize on the intoxicating world she’s created, but hers is a unique voice and beguiling vision. #HopeMadden

★★★★ Directed by: #BrittneyRae Written by: Brittney Rae Starring: Brittney Rae and Ricky Herrera Short Film Review by: Rachel Pullen Proximity Movie Review It’s been a while kids, a long, windy road of sand and dry stuff like...sand, a place where we lack celebrations and joyous confetti throwing, a place where we can praise those oh so important triple threats, and not only that but how long has it been since we have enjoyed a female triple threat? Now I don't believe gender is important, I can do stuff, men do stuff, we all do stuff, but in this circumstance filmmaker Brittney Rae's triple threat female powers play a role when discussing her work and most recent short film, Proximity. So strap in because women do things like vote and read and make films now, so let’s dive in to Miss Rae's adventures in front of, and behind the camera. Proximity is the story of a young woman (Rae) who is a live-in receptionist at a hotel, and while those duties may keep her busy, she still makes time to get it on with the owner of the establishment. But then a new bellhop arrives, he has a hat, he has a tan, a vest and an uno-brow and like all women, she swoons. These two love birds are caught in the act and swiftly fired, they take to the road searching for a way to make money, a way to survive now they are out on the streets, and it’s not long until the old Bonnie and Clyde syndrome kicks in and they rob a diner...things move quick in this romance it seems. This is all we are given in regards to the story in Proximity, but Rae is not interested so much in what the characters do on screen, but more of who they are as people; both share interesting backstories from their past, Rae's character divulges a tale about her kissing her stepdad and the mistreatment she felt at the hands of her mother, we instantly become aware that this woman has a troubled past. Her presence on screen is stiff and unemotional, making her impossible to read, but this story gives us the sense that she has seen some shit in her life. Herrera admits that the tales he tells have been lies, a bid it seems to impress his unresponsive lady, but she continues to take control of the whole foreplay they are going through by staying stoic, the concept that all good romances require a little mystery is the main player here, he is powerless to someone displaying no real desire for power. Rae takes inspiration from films such as The Royal Tenenbaums and Fire Walk With Me, as we are exposed to the awkward close-ups and long periods of silence that come with such films, fetishes for people eating, smoking, anything, in fact, to do with their mouths, play a role within this short film, not unlike David Lynch's obsession with food in the Twin Peaks series (coffee and pie anyone?). All allowing for that fun and quirky style that seems right at home alongside a story such as this. Beautifully shot (the café’s colour scheme and the wide-angle shot made me weep like a baby) kooky acting style and a storyline that leaves us wanting more and more, make Proximity a must-watch for fans of the style and as an introduction to those who may not be so well-versed in the ways of this particular style of cinema. #RachelPullen

★★★ Directed by #JayroBistamante Written by #JayroBustamante #LisandroSanchez Starring #MariaMercedesConroy #SabrinaDeLaHoz #MargaritaKenefic Film Review by Hope Madden Another timely Shudder original plays upon the madness that can creep into a period of lockdown. The righteous anger of a population, the chanting and signs, corruption in the government—that all seems pretty of-the-moment, too, but this isn’t Portland. This is Guatemala, and if you think the context seems familiar, you should hear the title: La Llorona. But co-writer/director Jayro Bustamante’s indigenous horror bears little resemblance to Michael Chaves’s middling 2019 effort (which was partly salvaged by a solid-as-always turn from Linda Cardellini). Instead, Bustamante retools the Latin American ghost story of the weeping woman to spin a yarn of righteous vengeance. La Llorona takes us inside the home of a war criminal (Julio Diaz). El General’s home is on lockdown since his conviction was overturned. Angry Guatemalan citizens, and especially members of the Kaqchikel people most terrorized by his bloodlust, protest outside the door all hours of the day and night. Inside, the General, his bitter wife (Margarita Kenéfic), their doctor daughter (Sabrina De La Hoz), her daughter (Ayla-Elea Hurtado), and two female servants (María Mercedes Coroy and María Telón) begin to crumble under the tensions. Bustamante’s film is a slow boil as interested in those who’ve tacitly accepted evil as it is in those who’ve committed it. What goes unsaid weighs as heavily as what happens in front of us. Impressively, this is also the first horror film in decades to make truly effective use of a dream sequence The fact that justice, however slowly, comes in the form of generations of women is understated perfection. Justice springs from compassion, which requires empathy—which sometimes depends upon courage and selflessness. No tears necessary. #HopeMadden

Film Feature by: Lawrence Bennie The summer of 2020 has proven to be a triumphant chapter in the unfolding success story of Netflix. Due to the COIVD-19 pandemic, a wave of films, originally intended for theatrical release, have consequently debuted on the world’s No1. streaming service. Indeed, millions of the cinema-going public have found alternative solace in Netflix-binging during these uncertain months of self-isolation. Despite a mixed critical response, Will Ferrel’s latest comedy vehicle, Eurovision: The Story of Fire Saga, has been a hit with viewers. David Dobkin’s feel-good comedy sees Ferrel team up with Rachel McAdams as hapless Icelandic singing duo Fire Saga who, against the odds, find themselves in the running for top spot at Eurovision. If you’re a Eurovision fan and missing your annual guilty-pleasure fix of shameless power ballads, bubblegum pop and flamboyant stage theatrics, then this should neatly fill the gap and throw in plenty of laughs for good measure. Elsewhere, and with a different, more political vibe, Spike Lee has made his Netflix debut with Vietnam War drama Da 5 Bloods. Pulling in 27 million households since its mid-June release, Lee’s film offers a timely African-American perspective on the conflict and features a knockout performance from Delroy Lindo. As with Lee’s best films, his Vietnam piece is also richly entertaining and is surely one of Netflix’s highlights of the year so far. Though far from a critical success in 2018, The Kissing Booth was a favourite with subscribers and The Kissing Booth 2 has already shot into the Netflix top 10 within a week of its release. With a second sequel scheduled for a 2021 release, Vince Marcello’s comedy series clearly shows Netflix confidently moving into movie sequel territory, something also evident with the success of hit Chris Hemsworth actioner Extraction. Sam Hargrave’s feature debut already has a sequel greenlit and has helped tick the box for those audiences craving an action blockbuster for the summer. Another action hit has been Gina-Prince Bythewood’s The Old Guard staring Charlize Theron, which has met with acclaim from both subscribers and critics. More star-studded action fare has also smashed onto Netflix screens with Bird Box starring Sandra Bullock and Peter Berg’s Spenser Confidential with Mark Wahlberg. A different kettle of fish has come along in the form of Polish erotic drama 365 Days. Following a theatrical release in Poland, Barbara Białowąs and Tomasz Mandes’ film soon evolved into Netflix’s surprise hit of the summer, dominating June and July and gaining global attention. The chart-topping success of 365 Days shows that films can survive an initial lukewarm box-office, and critical mauling, to find a huge new audience on Netflix. With top 10 comedies, smash-hit action, acclaimed Vietnam drama and their own rival to the Fifty Shades franchise, it seems as Netflix can do little wrong at the moment. Netflix have continued to distribute their own in-house productions at a time when major studio productions have stalled and, as UK cinemas tentatively begin their phased reopening, the company are clearly riding high through one of most turbulent times in the film industry. Be afraid, Hollywood. #LawrenceBennie

★★★★ Directed by: Anamika Basumatary, Nishant Balgovind Written by: Anamika Basumatary, Nishant Balgovind Film Review by: Jason Knight Time for a history lesson. A rather long history lesson, taking into account that Basumatary's and Balgovind's captivating documentary Boro: Fight for Identity has a duration of two hours and forty minutes. And within that period, this magnificent project has a great deal to offer. The film focuses on the Boro, who are the largest tribe of the state of Assam, located in north-eastern India. Today the Boro mainly inhabit Bodoland Territorial Region, which became an autonomous administrative territory following several peace agreements. The documentary explores the history of this tribe right from its earliest beginnings thousands of years ago and analyses in great detail how they evolved over the centuries and finally how they had to struggle with the Indian government in order to be who they are now, an independent community. According to Basumatary it took over six years to complete the research for this documentary, which was done by acquiring information from countless of books, archives, newspapers, records and interviews. And the result of all this hard work was definitely worth it. Separated in chapters, the documentary consists mainly of relevant news footage, interviews with experts and witnesses, scenes that depict Boro traditions and culture such as ritual dancing, clothing and food. There are also sequences that involve computer animation, which are used to describe historical events that took place centuries ago and they are very well designed and add significant value. All these elements are brilliantly edited together and with the addition of the informative narration, they provide the audience with a very deep insight into the Boro community, even if they have never heard of them before. Apart from the history and the struggles of the Boro for independence, viewers will also get an understanding of how beautiful and fascinating these people are. There is plenty of footage of their traditional dances, ceremonies, and interesting, well-designed clothing and the soundtrack contains mesmerising songs that are relevant to their culture. Boro: Fight for Identity is a piece of work that deserves lots of praise and recognition and offers a very educational and fascinating experience. #JasonKnight

★★★ Directed by: #PauHanKou Starring: #HenkTenBos Film Review by: Alexandra James The Craftsman is a humbling short film which shows the life and work of Henk Ten Bos (1921-1995), an artist from Hengelo who created impressionist style paintings, from countryside landscapes to military vehicles. This film marks the 25th Anniversary of his legacy and pays tribute to the wonderful drawings he has illustrated throughout his life. This short film was created during quarantine and it just goes to show that people are able to produce innovative films with such little resources. The Craftsman was incredibly inspiring and insightful which is certainly needed and rewarding within a short film. It’s wonderful to see such talent from an artist and relive his work, The Craftsman is an uplifting piece which is necessary during these difficult times of lockdown. It was fascinating to learn about the history behind the marvellous creator. A positive short film that kept the mind engaged, as well as help to pull you out of those lockdown blues. The audience learn that Lesley Gemser the grandson of Henk Ten Bos promised to take care of his paintings. He founded the “Art Gallery Henk Ten Bos” and with his childhood friend and filmmaker Pau Han Kho, The Craftsman was made. This short film explains the ways in which Henk Ten Bos studied the intricate details of the scenery and capture the feeling of the landscape within his drawings. For example, the artist would visit museums and view the birds and animals up close so that he could perfect every brush stroke and feature. The editing used for this short made the images come alive and jump off the screen. The artist’s paintings were so detailed and moving it was only right to convey this. It was the editing skills which highlighted the realism extremely well. Henk Ten Bos went straight from school to a painting school, and later worked for Holland Signaal which later was known as Phillips Holland Sinaal. Here he painted ships and military artillery used for leaflets and discusses the different techniques used within each of his paintings. These illustrations certainly made quite the impression as they were given away as gifts to high-ranked officials. The Craftsman highlights the effort and long hours put into each portrait, Henk Ten Bos even painted the Queen during his career just purely from studying images of her closely. His talent is undoubtedly worthy of recognition and this short piece is well worth the watch and acts as the stage to showcase his brilliant pieces of work.

Programme includes: Q&As with filmmakers Pete Docter, Kemp Powers and Dana Murray (Disney and Pixar’s SOUL), director and actor Aki Omoshabyi (REAL) and actor Pippa Bennett-Warner (REAL) New short film programmes on BFI Player showcasing work by emerging Black creatives Online previews of REAL (Aki Omoshabyi, 2019) and WHITE RIOT (Rubika Shah, 2019) Industry workshops and masterclasses The second annual S.O.U.L (Screening Our Unseen Lives) Fest, a month-long series of film premieres, shorts presentations, Q+As and Panel discussions taking place throughout August on BFI Player and the BFI’s and SOUL’s YouTube channels. Highlights of the Festival, which is programmed and developed by S.O.U.L Celebrate Connect, We Are Parable, The British Blacklist and The New Black Film Collective will include an exclusive online conversation with the creative team behind Disney and Pixar’s upcoming feature SOUL (directed by Pete Docter, co-directed by Kemp Powers and produced by Dana Murray, 2020), and online previews of Aki Omoshabyi’s directorial debut REAL (2019) and Rubika Shah’s documentary about Rock Against Racism WHITE RIOT (2019). S.O.U.L Fest will also partner with BFI to present three new collections of short films on BFI Player, featuring exceptional work by Black British filmmakers. Created to highlight and celebrate Black film and filmmakers, S.O.U.L Fest will begin on Saturday 8th August, with the first of three weekly events broadcast on SOUL’s YouTube channel. Taking place every Saturday of SOUL Fest (8th, 15th and 21st August), these events will coincide with the weekly release of three shorts programmes on BFI Player, showcasing some of the most exciting filmmakers in the country. Each free YouTube event will feature conversations with some of the filmmakers whose exceptional work has been carefully curated into these shorts programmes by the SOUL Fest team. The shorts will be part of BFI Player’s subscription service, which for £4.99 a month (14-day free trial available), offers audiences access to hundreds of British, Independent and World Cinema titles on demand. This year’s festival is supported with National Lottery funding; via the BFI Film Audience Network (FAN),  as part of a Summer season of online events from UK cinemas and festivals, entitled Film Feels Connected, to help audiences discover and connect with independent film from home; and via BFI NETWORK, a UK-wide programme to discover and support new filmmakers. S.O.U.L Fest co-founder Iyare Igiehon says: “The nineteen films that make up the three collections of shorts show the staggering breadth of black British filmmaking. There is a broad range here, from taut drama to absurdist experiment. Each highlighting a unique Black British vision.” S.O.U.L Fest will also host a special preview screening of REAL (2019), the directorial debut of Aki Omoshabyi, who also stars, writes and produces this drama, which premiered at last year’s BFI London Film Festival. Omoshabyi and co-star Pippa Bennett-Warner will be in conversation with S.O.U.L fest co-founder Akua Gyamfi on Saturday 29th August at 7pm on the BFI YouTube Channel. REAL will be available to rent on BFI Player for a limited, 24 hour period on Saturday 29th August, so that audiences can watch the film before tuning in for this special online Q&A. In a festival exclusive, S.O.U.L Fest have teamed up with Disney and Pixar ahead of SOUL releasing on the big screen later this year (November 2020), their new feature starring Academy Award® winner Jamie Foxx, as they host a special panel discussion with filmmakers Pete Docter, Kemp Powers, producer Dana Murray and more. This exclusive discussion will be broadcast free on BFI YouTube on Friday 14th August at 7pm. On Wednesday 19tth August at 7pm, S.O.U.L fest will host an exclusive panel discussion with the cast of the highly anticipated ROCKS (Sarah Gavron, 2019), on the BFI YouTube Channel. The S.O.U.L Fest ends with a screening of Rubika Shah’s WHITE RIOT (2019), a documentary which looks at the hostile environment of anti-immigrant hysteria with rare and uncomfortable archive footage. The film, which won the Grierson Award for Best Documentary at the BFI London Film Festival in 2019, will be available for 30 days on BFI Player from 22nd August. Q&A on BFI YouTube – tbc talent. The second annual S.O.U.L fest will also include a series of masterclasses for aspiring film industry professionals, ranging from funding, training, marketing and PR, providing many with the confidence they need to get their work made and seen. Over the four weeks of the festival, Jasmin Morrison from Soul Cognition will host a weekly finance session to ensure filmmakers able to integrate financial best practice. The festival will also bring together some of the most prominent industry figures in the UK, including Ruby Arikyu (VAMP UK), Tiffany Kizito (Organic PR), Ronke Lawal (Ariatu PR), Natalie Tandoh (Screenskills), Mathieu Ajan (BFI NETWORK), Nahrien Kemp (Film London) and Kate Rolfe (Digital Orchid), for special panel discussions on different areas of the industry including Training and Development, Funding and Marketing and PR. Head of Programme and Acquisition at the BFI, Stuart Brown said: “It’s been a pleasure to have been a part of the S.O.U.L project from the very beginning, seeing their regular events at BFI Southbank flourish over the years, eventually uniting with three other pioneering organisations to produce the first edition of S.O.U.L Fest in 2019. Last year’s event at BFI Southbank was incredibly positive and possessed a real sense of creative community, and we’re delighted to be able to present the festival again this year but this time through our online platforms including BFI Player and BFI YouTube. This kind of platform for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic grassroots story-telling is vital and we’re proud to continue supporting it and helping it to grow.” #DarrenTilby

★★★ Directed by: #RyanJamison Written by: #RyanJamison Starring: #RyanJamison, #AnnikaRambo, #JoshTevlin, #TrevorAdolf, #JordanHolgate, #JasmeenSekhon, #LizSinger, #JoshGoodman, #DavidTrotter, #BiancaSalamis & #MilaMelanidis Film Review by: Connor Slatkoff Sharpe Also Patrick, the 2019 short film from writer-director Ryan Jamison, follows the titular character Patrick (also played by Jamison) and his group of friends as they attend a booze-and-hormone-fuelled high-school party. Set between the island-green of west coast Canada and the smoky, strobe-lit interiors of a house party, we witness what begins as a jovial and heavily intoxicated night out with friends turn abruptly into something far more dangerous. Let me first admit my own bias to this piece. I was born and raised on the Canadian west coast, on an island which is a near picture-perfect match to the setting of Also Patrick. I have walked to similar parties along similar pine-tree-lined streets, and as a twenty three year old these experiences are still fresh in my memory. All of this is to say that despite my best efforts at being impartial to the film, I couldn’t help but feel a strong sense of home-sick nostalgia whenever the Canadian wilderness was beautifully captured on-screen. Partly because of this, I found the first few minutes of this piece to be without a doubt the strongest. We open with two beautifully wide and ambitiously long tracking shots which make up the first four minutes of the film. These uncut sequences really help to familiarize us with Patrick and his frat boy friends, successfully landing us in the overpriced Nike High Tops of one of “The Boys”. Patrick’s place amongst the group as an uncomfortable outsider from the machismo trio is especially well-demonstrated through a drawn-out zoom in to Patrick’s ill-at-ease-face, which is caught between his three chest-puffing, likely cologne-drenched comrades. With their arrival at the party, the film begins to falter slightly. Without the sweeping west-coast wide angles, we are forced to focus on the dialogue and delivery, which (for the most part) is the film’s weakest aspect. While the cinematography (by co-producer Josh Goodman) and direction are both still very strong, with creative use of lighting and bass-pounding music, we can’t help but focus on performances and dialogue that seem to be occupied more with appearing drunk than conveying any true intention. Characters we meet briefly in passing are out of place and lack any form of personal identity which would distinguish them from any of the other party goers excluding a handful of our leads. And while I understand that this was most likely an intentional decision to alienate the audience, similarly to how Patrick is socially excluded throughout the course of the party, it nevertheless leaves the majority of those party scenes without much depth. However, the film’s self-reflecting and challenging finale rescues this sinking party boat. Despite the lack of overall character development of anyone other than Patrick, and the fact that most of the male dialogue feels like American Pie without a safe word, the film still respects us enough not to spoon feed a final moral message at the movie’s climax. We are instead asked to look back on the piece with a different perspective, questioning our previous assumptions, and in turn questioning the societal assumptions made during our teenage years. #ConnorSlatkoffSharpe

★★★ Directed by: #ColinBressler Written by: #JoshCaza, #ColinBressler Starring: #JasonScarborough, #AngelitaAronceSorensen, #AishaLove, #MagdaPorter, #RonaldMercado Film Review by: Darren Tilby Cultists in films…what can we say? The cultist sub-genre, once incredibly prevalent in the 60s and 70s (with movies like Rosemary’s Baby, The Wickerman and The Omen all being hugely popular) seemed to duck out of mainstream demand for many years. But now, thanks to some well-received indie films (the recently released Satanic Panic and Apartment 1BR have both done very well), as well as the more high-profile pieces, like Ari Aster’s Midsommar and Hereditary, we’ve seen a considerable resurgence. Unfortunately, much like Hereditary – a film which Remy’s Demons borrows quite heavily from – I can’t say I’m a big fan. The film borrows copiously from both Hereditary and Psycho, the vibes of which are apparent from the start. The sense of predetermined fate and overtly creepy Mother-Son relationship, in particular, as a young Remy seemingly summons a dark entity into his house during one of his Mother’s (Magda Porter) occult rituals. Now, as a 40-year-old autistic man, still living at home with his overbearing, but now terminally ill Mother, Remy (Jason Scarborough) makes a living by using his inherited clairvoyant abilities to contact entities in “the dark world” on guided tours of haunted locations. But, after the tragically inevitable death of his Mother (a life extinguished, like the flame of a candle), demons, literal and figurative, begin to haunt Remy and those close to him. The film’s cast, much like its construction, is a hodgepodge of competency and misfires; of solid performances and occasional wooden delivery. By and large, the central cast does an excellent job in portraying their characters, with Scarborough and Love putting in terrific sympathy-inducing performances. Some side characters, however, do pose problems, mainly in the way their characters are written and (don’t) develop. The story writing overall is inarticulate, messy and contrived: many of the film’s occurrences seemingly come out of nowhere, don’t seem to go anywhere, and feel tacked on to fill time. And at one and three-quarter hours in length, that’s too much filler, and it makes the movie drag on for far too long. There are some decent scares though, especially during Aunt Mildred’s (Angelita Aronce Sorensen) scenes. As I said, Remy’s Demons didn’t wow me. Not by a long shot. But I can really appreciate what the filmmakers tried to achieve here. The fact is the movie is at its best when it’s ambiguity is allowed to take centre stage - the parallels drawn between the dark entity haunting Remy’s house and the characters’ personal demons shows much potential. But, in the end, it’s just not enough. Remy’s Demons is a bold but deeply flawed attempt at doing something different with the cultist sub-genre of horror, and it should be applauded for its efforts, at least in that regard.

★★★ Directed by: #FrankCarmineZarrillo Film review by: Brian Penn Outside of the Olympics wrestling always seemed to be the sporting equivalent of a Christmas pantomime. I have fond memories of live bouts from Halifax; just before the football results started on Saturday afternoon TV. But could never pretend I took any of it that seriously. The Wrestler: A Q.T. Marshall Story does however throw the sport into a different light that is anything but showbiz. It charts the story of a man who works for a tool shop by day and dreams of WWE stardom by night. Mike ‘Q.T.’ Cuellari also coaches at the Monster Factory, a training ground for wrestling wannabees. Mike opines that he can’t stand to watch bad wrestling and has to put it right. One can’t help stroking the chin as wrestlers run and play leapfrog with each other. He describes how to execute a forearm smash to the face that actually lands on the shoulder. For all the kidology and showmanship they can still pick up some bad injuries. The film follows Mike’s last shot at the big time before he finally hangs up his sequined robe. Students, coaches and family share their love for a man who seemingly has given his life to wrestling. But will he get to leave the tool shop behind and become the latest recruit to WWE? There is crushing irony in a man talking of last chances and being washed up at 30; when in truth no one of that age is ever finished at anything. Nevertheless, the tone is earnest with a whiff of resignation if it doesn’t happen for him this time. The world they inhibit feels more like a cartoon where characters wear names like Blue Meanie with a perverse sense of pride. We subconsciously expect Desperate Dan or Dick Dastardly to enter the ring. But flippancy is misplaced as these are real people living real lives. They long for acceptance and status when this year’s model will likely usurp them. Pro wrestling might be artificial but you can’t help rooting for the good guy.

★★★ Directed by: #JackSkyyler, #AlexZinzopoulos Written by: #GiniGrahamScott Starring: #RickLundgren, #StephenMedvidick, #LorenzoLamas Film Review by: Alexander Erting-Haynes Driver is a crime drama set in Las Vegas that tells the story of Henry Falcon and Art Mathews. Henry is an Uber driver that suffers with Multiple Personality Disorder and also happens to be a serial killer. Art is a former police officer whose wife was murdered; unable to separate his work and personal life, he was suspended indefinitely. We meet these characters as Henry continues his spree and Art has dedicated himself to the hunt for the killer. It's an interesting premise that carries a lot of potential, from the thought-provoking examination of an unhinged man, broken by Vegas and with a loose grip on reality, to the more broadly appealing arc of a hardened ex-cop on a personal journey for justice. Unfortunately, neither of these characters are given the development or substantiation they deserve and the whole thing ends up falling flat. Take Falcon, for example, played by Stephen Medvidick. While his dialogue is functional, at times even straying into quality pulp writing, his Multiple Personality Disorder is barely explored. Instead, it is relegated to a number of instances in which he looks into the rear-view mirror and finds a more malicious version of himself talking back. It lacks any sort of punch and ends up feeling more like a plot device. However, Medvidick does do a good job with the material he is given, impressively characterising the two versions of himself we see and delivering a number of his more mean-spirited lines with appropriate venom. Mathews, on the other hand, is almost laughably portrayed. While Rick Lundgren does a fine job with the role, it is the baffling directorial choice to repeatedly show him swigging straight from a bottle of whiskey that undermines the character. Almost straight after he's shown waking up and taking a swig in bed, we see him standing in the shower, bringing the bottle to his lips yet again. This level of stereotypical characterisation almost veers into parody and renders the character difficult to believe and root for. Coming in at around seventy minutes, Gini Graham Scott, who writes the screenplay, does little to justify the film's length. Throughout the course of the piece, it becomes painfully apparent how the narrative will tie up. However, the film favours action over intricate character studies and, as such, the audience are left trundling towards the inevitable with little character development or revelations to speak of. It feels as though it would have functioned equally well, or even benefitted from, taking the form of a short film. This is not to say that Driver is without its merits. Directors Alex Zinzopoulos and Jack Skyyler have done a great job with the lighting, casting bright neon colours over characters' faces in a wonderful contrast with the darkness behind them. In all, it is quite a visually appealing film that does a great job of hiding its modest budget. As well as this, the underlying music, a jazzy ambience, does a good job of creating a mysterious atmosphere without ever feeling intrusive. Aesthetically, the film effectively conjures a feeling of slick unease. Driver, then, is something of a mixed bag. Falling into the category of style over substance, it is a film that looks and sounds good but ultimately ends up feeling shallow. Had more care been put into the two main characters and the script in general, or even if it were condensed neatly into a short film, there would certainly be a lot of promise here. As it is, a predictable ending and a lack of substance render this one serviceable yet unspectacular. #AlexanderErtingHaynes

By now you've no doubt heard the terrible news of Sir Alan Parker's passing this morning after a lengthy illness. It comes as a great shock to us here at UK Film Review, and we take no joy in reporting this news. In memory of one of the great Directors of British cinema, we take a look at Sir Alan Parker's varied and exceptional career. SIR ALAN PARKER CBE Film director, writer, and producer, Alan Parker is one of the UK’s most acclaimed and successful filmmakers. His feature films have won 19 BAFTA awards, ten Golden Globes and ten Oscars® and his body of work encompasses an extraordinary run of evergreen modern ‘classics’ including  Bugsy Malone, Midnight Express, Mississippi Burning, The Commitments, Evita, Fame, Birdy, Angel Heart and Angela’s Ashes. Parker was also a passionate supporter of the UK film industry and a founding member of the Directors Guild of Great Britain. He was always characteristically forthright about both the importance of supporting creative talent and the need for the British industry to get the recognition and backing it deserved from the government - both as an art form and as an industrial force. He argued fearlessly for the removal of any and all barriers to film industry growth whilst at the same time remaining a staunch advocate for government film subsidy to support filmmakers whose work required a level of creative risk that the commercial sector was unable to support. As the founding Chairman of the UK Film Council in 2000, (a position he held for five years), Parker implemented a vision to put the UK film industry on a new road to creative and commercial success. Prior to that, he was Chairman of the BFI. Sir Alan received the CBE in 1995 and a knighthood in 2002. He was also an Officier des Arts et Letters (France). Parker was also generous in sharing his time, knowledge and experience with young and developing film talent. He was a long-time supporter of the National Film and Television School, and in later years he taught there occasionally as well as at other film schools around the world. In recent years, after retiring from the industry, Parker renewed his artistic passion with silk screen printing and painting. Alan Parker was born in Islington, London, February 14, 1944. He began his career in advertising as a copywriter but quickly graduated to writing and directing commercials. By the late 1960s he was one of the small, but hugely influential, group of British directors (including Ridley Scott and Hugh Hudson and Adrian Lyne) who revolutionised the look, quality and reputation of TV advertising by combining sophisticated, witty storytelling with cinema aesthetics for the first time. In 1980 he received the D&AD Gold President’s Award. In 1974, Parker moved into long-form drama when he directed the BBC film, The Evacuees, written by Jack Rosenthal, which won the International Emmy Award and a BAFTA award for direction; the first of Parker’s seven BAFTA awards. Parker wrote and directed his first feature film, Bugsy Malone, in 1975, a unique musical pastiche of Hollywood gangster films of the 1930s with a cast comprised entirely of children. The film received eight BAFTA film nominations and five awards. The film was produced by Alan Marshall and co-executive produced by David Puttnam, (both of whom had started their careers with Parker in advertising). Parker’s second film was the hugely successful and controversial Midnight Express (1977) which won two Oscars® and six Academy Award nominations, including for Parker as Best Director. The film received six Golden Globe Awards and four BAFTA awards. This was followed, in 1979, by Fame, a joyful and diverse celebration of youthful ambition in the arts, which won two Academy Awards®, six nominations, four Golden Globe nominations and was subsequently adapted into a long-running television series. In 1981 Parker directed the powerful family drama, Shoot the Moon, starring Diane Keaton and Albert Finney. That same year he also directed the seminal Pink Floyd – The Wall, the feature film adaptation of the phenomenally successful rock album, which has become a classic of the rock-opera film genre. In 1984, Parker directed Birdy based on the William Wharton novel, starring Nicolas Cage and Matthew Modine, which won the Grand Prix Special Du Jury at the 1985 Cannes Film Festival. Parker’s next film, the occult thriller Angel Heart, made in 1986 and starring Mickey Rourke, Robert De Niro and Lisa Bonet, opened in the US amidst a storm of controversy caused by the ‘X’ rating imposed on the film by the MPAA. In 1988 Parker directed the civil rights drama, Mississippi Burning, starring Gene Hackman and Willem Dafoe, which was nominated for seven Academy Awards® including Best Director for Parker and winning for Best Cinematography. Parker was also awarded the D.W. Griffith Award for directing by the National Board of Review. The film was nominated for five BAFTA film awards, winning three. It also won the Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. In 1989 Parker wrote and directed Come See the Paradise, a moving family story about the treatment of forcibly interned Japanese-Americans during World War II, starring Dennis Quaid and Tamlyn Tomita. In 1990 Parker directed The Commitments, the story of a young, Irish, working-class soul band, which was awarded a Golden Globe Nomination for Best Picture and won Parker the Best Director prize at the Tokyo Film Festival, as well as BAFTA film awards for Editing, Screenplay, Director and Best Picture. In 1993, Parker wrote and directed comedy-drama, The Road to Wellville, based on the novel by T. Coraghessan Boyle, and starring Anthony Hopkins, Bridget Fonda, Matthew Broderick, John Cusack and Dana Carvey. In 1996, Parker directed, wrote and produced Evita, based on the stage musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, and starring Madonna, Antonio Banderas and Jonathan Pryce. The film won three Golden Globe Awards, including Best Picture. In 1999 Parker wrote and directed Angela’s Ashes based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning, best-selling memoir by Frank McCourt, starring Emily Watson and Robert Carlyle. Parker’s final film was The Life of David Gale, the 2003 thriller about the cruel politics of capital punishment in the US, starring Kate Winslet, Kevin Spacey and Laura Linney. Alongside his movie career Parker also proved highly adept at working across other art forms: In 1984, to celebrate ‘British Film Year’, Parker was commissioned by ITV to make a personal documentary feature about the industry he loved. The ensuing film, A Turnip Head’s Guide To The British Cinema, underlined Parker’s credentials as an outspoken champion of British cinema. The film was a big success for ITV when it was broadcast and it annoyed the British film establishment tremendously. Subsequently, the film went on to win the British Press Guild Award for the year’s best TV documentary. Parker was also the author of the best-selling novel written from his own screenplay of Bugsy Malone, published by HarperCollins. In addition, he wrote two other published novels, Puddles In The Lane, (1977) and The Sucker’s Kiss (2003). He was also renowned as the film industry’s own cartoonist with a satirical and biting, wit. Three collections of his cartoons have been published: Hares in the Gate, (1982), Making Movies, (1998) and Will Write and Direct for Food, (2005), a compendium of 20 years of observations on making films in Britain and in Hollywood. In 1984 Parker was honoured by the British Academy with the prestigious Michael Balcon Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Cinema. In 1998 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Directors Guild of Great Britain and the Lumiere Medal from the Royal Photographic Society. Parker has also received Lifetime Achievement awards in Chicago, Munich, Prague, Warsaw and Lodz. He holds honorary doctorates from Sunderland University, the University of East Anglia, Southampton Solent University and University Council of Arts, Spain. In January 1998, Parker was appointed Chairman of the Board of Governors of the British Film Institute and in August 1999 he was appointed first Chairman of the UK Film Council; a position he held for five years. In November 1995 Parker was awarded a CBE by HM The Queen for services to the British film industry and he received his knighthood in 2002. He was also made Officier des Arts et des Lettres by the French Government. He was awarded the 2013 BAFTA Fellowship. The same year he succeeded István Szabó as President of the European Federation of Film Directors: FERA. In 2018 Parker donated his significant private archive of scripts and working papers to the BFI National Archive. Alan Parker passed away on 31 July 2020 after a lengthy illness. He is survived by his wife Lisa Moran-Parker, his children Lucy, Alexander, Jake, Nathan and Henry, and seven grandchildren. INDUSTRY TRIBUTES TO SIR ALAN PARKER WHO DIED IN LONDON TODAY, AGED 76 Lord David Puttnam “Alan was my oldest and closest friend ̶ I was always in awe of his talent. My life and those of many others who loved and respected him will never be the same again.” Barbara Broccoli, EON Productions “I am heartbroken at the news of Sir Alan Parker’s passing. It is an enormous loss to the world of cinema and a huge personal loss to his devoted family and friends who loved and admired him. His work always exhibited the elements of his personality that we so cherished; integrity, humanity, humour and irreverence and rebellion, and most certainly entertainment He exhibited a curiosity that enabled his versatility from musicals such as Bugsy Malone, Fame and Pink Floyd - The Wall and to films about social justice such as Midnight Express, Mississippi Burning and The Life of David Gale;, he never made the same film twice. His love of cinema as an art form began in his early childhood at the Carlton House cinema in Islington where he would “escape and dream "and remained with him throughout his career. “He never forgot his roots and made a commitment through his work with the BFI and the UK Film Council to champion the education and accessibility of the film industry to all young people. In 2001 he founded First Light and asked me to become its chair that organisation has now developed into INTO FILM and continues to promote his ambition of film for all children and it will continue to spread his legacy.” BFI Chair Josh Berger CBE “We are all mourning a true giant of British cinema. Alan Parker pushed back the boundaries and dared us to see films in a different light. His early writing career in advertising set him up perfectly to become the great storyteller he was, and with each new film, he challenged those around him to make it the best. He had this unique ability to enthral audiences with a brilliant treat every time. He really was one of the best. When I spoke to him last year to give him the news that we were bestowing him with a BFI Fellowship at a big event when he got better, he told me of the special place he held for the BFI. Well, we have a very special place for Alan Parker too and we will proudly celebrate his legacy and work.” Ben Roberts, BFI Chief Executive “Alan Parker was one of a kind. The brilliance of his filmmaking speaks for itself and for all time. Beautiful and breathtaking films, some that are charged for justice, others which are revealing through their intimacy, hope, and humour, part of the canon of great British films that continue to be loved by audiences all over the world. His Chairmanship of the BFI, his support for our National Archive and for championing British filmmaking is also an important part of his legacy for our industry, our film culture and for the filmmakers who have been and will be inspired by his work.” Dexter Fletcher (Director, Rocketman, Eddie the Eagle, Sunshine on Leith) "Sir Alan inadvertently changed my life at the age of 9 when he stuck me at the end of a line of 30 kids, passing a baseball bat, all whilst saying ‘Give this to Babyface’. He told me to say something different on every take (In the one he used, I said ‘I am Babyface!’) He generously made each moment unique and fun and it’s something I endeavour to do as a director, with child and adult actors, to this day. I’m extremely proud that people still recognise me from Bugsy Malone 45 years later. It’s a testament to the pure joy of Sir Alan’s first film. "Sir Alan was a maverick from the outset and his films and his vision were never compromised. As anyone who worked closely with him will tell you. He was one of the great, diverse, eclectic and original British film makes of his generation and my personal directing hero. His support, friendship and encouragement over the years helped the BFI, I and many others achieve wonderful things. The world was a richer place with him in. I urge everyone to watch all his films, in chronological order. Because not only are they all so different and brilliant but you’ll also see what a magical talent and person he was. Sir Alan Parker gave everything to me. And I thank and love him for it.