The Platform ★★★ Directed by: #GalderGaztelu-Urrutia Written by: #DavidDesola #PedroRivero Starring: #IvánMassagué #ZorionEguileor #AntoniaSanJuan #EmilioBualeCoka #AlexandraMasangkay Netflix Film Reviews by Charlotte Little The human race finds itself in the grips of a global pandemic, forcing everyday people to adapt to a new way of living. The COVID-19 outbreak has led to nationwide cinema closures and the cancellation of film festivals, delaying the releases of prominent movies such as No Time To Die and A Quiet Place: Part II. Major streaming services such as Netflix, NOWTV, and Amazon Prime Video have stepped up to the plate to provide cinephiles with a vast assortment of online content. Those with a Netflix subscription can enjoy an array of television series and films available on the streaming service. The Platform is a Spanish dystopian horror directed by Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia, who illustrates this unique story as a commentary on the terrors of a capitalist society. Netflix recently released the film on its streaming platform, after it first premiered at Toronto International Film Festival in 2019. The film is set in a concrete facility resembling a tower, where patients are fed by means of a descending slab filled with extravagant dishes. Each month, the patients are switched to random levels, which means that the patients on the top floor have the opportunity to eat as much as possible in a set period, leaving very little for those below. This captivating story serves as a nuanced guilt trip for viewers stockpiling and raiding their local supermarkets. The Platform is a dark yet poignant reminder of the importance of collective solidarity - a message that is desperately needed during these uncertain times. Dripping with bloody nastiness, this horror movie has something to say, weaponising the drastic ramifications as a warning to what could be. The story follows the perspective of Goreng (Iván Massagué), who enters Level 47 with naive optimism and romantic expectations of the months ahead. He soon realises that greed rules above all else in this world. The audience watches on as Goreng undergoes a dramatic moral shift as he learns how to survive this hellscape. Zorion Eguileor plays Trimagasi, Goreng's chills-inducing roommate, serving viewers with a delightfully terrifying performance familiar to that of Hannibal Lecter. The descent towards the lower levels aligns with the increasing intensity of gore and horror. This bleak movie moves at a fierce pace, gluing us to our screens as our eyes widen in anxiety-riddled anticipation. However, the final scene leaves an anticlimactic aftertaste, as this uneasy ride grinds to a disappointing halt. 'Is that it?!' is a phrase I recall uttering while throwing up my arms in frustrated confusion. Despite the unsatisfying ending, this ruthless yet compelling story is hard to shake. #CharlotteLittle

★★★★ Directed by #JenniferBagley Film Review by Brandon Thomas LGBTQ youth often find themselves at the receiving end of family and friend abandonment. The people who are supposed to support them through the coming out simply walk away. The story at the heart of Jack & Yaya is about what happens when two childhood friends go through the same life-changing events, and how those closest to them stick around to champion their lives. Jack and Yaya grew up as next-door neighbors in south New Jersey. From early on, they both saw who the other truly was, a girl and a boy, even if the rest of their family and friends did not. In her directorial debut, Jennifer Bagley wisely lets the film’s two subjects be front and center. Jack and Yaya share a genuine openness about their lives. Absent is any kind of hubris when the two of them talk about their struggles or their successes. This honest, matter-of-fact nature feels immediately welcoming. The focus on day-to-day struggles for transgender people is real and evident even in this sunnier-than-normal documentary. Jack struggles with running into discrimination even in a city as large as Boston. Yaya worries about the constant financial stress around obtaining hormones. It’s a needed dash of reality. As the colorful cast of characters who revolve around Jack and Yaya are introduced, it’s not hard to see how these two became the people they are. Bagley naturally captures the warmth and love that flows between all of them. Amidst the alcohol and ‘70s rock, Yaya’s uncle Eddie spills to the camera how much love he has for both Yaya and Jack. “All you need is frickin’ love!” bellows Eddie. Jack & Yaya works exceptionally well at being a celebration of these two people as they figure out their ever-changing lives. This isn’t a film interested in making a grand social statement. Bagley lets these two tell their story, and show us who they really are through their own words and actions. Jack & Yaya beautifully shows how good we all can be when we prop each other up. Jack and Yaya’s lives could’ve gone so much differently. But they had each other and a support system that evolved into a deep friendship of genuine acceptance and caring. “All you need is frickin’ love!” indeed. #BrandonThomas

★★★★ Directed by: Nikki Tomb and Kris Smith Written by: Nikki Tomb Starring: Megan Groves, Kellyann Summers, Martyn Luke, Chris Shipton Film Review by: Jason Knight Laura's Story Movie Review Laura's Story is a short film directed by Nikki Tomb and Kris Smith and starring Megan Groves, Kellyann Summers, Chris Shipton and Martyn Luke. The story centres around two young women who go for a night out and things turn sinister. The film begins with Laura (Groves) being visited at her home by her friend Kaylee (Summers), where the two of them prepare for a night out for Laura's birthday. They chat, laugh, have a few drinks and Laura tries on the clothes that Kaylee brought for her. They then take a taxi to go to a club. There they meet two men who introduce themselves as Tom (Shipton) and James (Luke), who appear friendly. The girls excuse themselves to go to the bathroom, where Laura changes her mind about going out. Meanwhile the two men plan to spike their drinks, but only manage to do so with one, as the girls return. Laura turns out to be the one who got drugged, as shortly after drinking she begins to feel dizzy and unwell. She ends up sitting on some stairs, while the owner of the club assists her and tells Tom and James to leave, as they have both been banned from the club. Kaylee takes Laura out and they look for a taxi. Unable to find one, Kaylee leaves Laura sitting on the pavement, while she goes to get one. Tom and James reappear and take Laura to an isolated location, where they take turns in raping her and film the event on a mobile phone. They then walk away. Meanwhile Kaylee is frantically searching for Laura. A distressed Laura cries and lies on the ground. She then manages to pull herself together in order to call the police. The film then cuts to six months later and Laura and Kaylee are at Laura's home, where they are watching a news broadcast, revealing that the two culprits have been sentenced to ten years in prison. A clearly traumatised Laura is comforted by Kaylee. The performances are outstanding. Luke and Shipton are very convincing as they portray two twofaced individuals who are up to no good. Groves and Summers put on great performances, by accurately depicting the emotions that their characters are going through. Though it is Groves's character who gets violated, Summers also goes through hell as she desperately searches for her friend. And Summers catches her character's desperation perfectly. Groves truly delivers a brilliant performance. The viewer watches as she transforms from a joyful person into a broken one. During and after the rape, the pain and humiliation are visible all over her face and the audience cannot help but feel bad for her. The acting is undoubtedly one of the film's strongest elements. The score also takes a great deal of credit. The sinister music during the opening credits informs the viewer that they are about to witness a dark tale. When the girls exit the club, the diegetic club music stops and sinister score takes over again, setting the mood for the events that follow. The music becomes more and more intense and reaches its climax when Laura breaks down after she has been raped. It is a harrowing but also brilliant moment, thanks to the dynamic score, Groves's acting and Tomb's and Smith's directing. And also thanks to clever parallel editing that cuts between Laura as she suffers and Kaylee as she searches for her in dark streets, with the tense music in a way dominating that sequence, it appears as if they are both lost in hell. The ending appears to mourn Laura's suffering by having Samuel Barber's brilliant Adagio for Strings play through the closing credits. The film could be viewed as a warning of the dangers of drink spiking. The events that lead to the rape are clearly depicted in the film. Two women on a night out get comfortable with two strangers, one of the women gets drugged, and when they go to look for a taxi, the drugged woman is foolishly left alone. Getting comfortable with strangers and leaving people who are feeling unwell by themselves are actions that should be avoided in order to have a safe night out. The film ends with a quote by Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie: ''We must send a message across the world that there is no disgrace in being a survivor of sexual violence...The shame is on the aggressor.'' These powerful words clearly indicate that the filmmakers intended their film to be a kind of support towards victims of sexual crimes. And it achieves support by raising awareness and raises awareness by depicting the devastating effects that such crimes have on the victims. Laura's Story is not a pleasant film to watch. But it deserves great praise and recognition for all the reasons mentioned above. #JasonKnight

★★★ Directed by #NawapolThamrongrattanarit Written by #NawapolThamrongrattanarit Starring #PatchaPoonpiriya, #ChonnikanNetjui, #WasupolKriangprapakit Film Review by Amber Jackson Based on some tweets of an anonymous girl, @marylony, Mary is Happy, Mary is Happy is a film about the life of teenage girl Mary (Patcha Poonpiriya) who is in her last year of school, growing up in Thailand. Centralised around her and her best friend Suri (Chonnikan Netjui), the story acts like a coming-of-age existentialism narrative, but at the same time, it feels like Mary is in a fantasy world. As the film progresses, Mary confronts sudden changes to her life with regards to her friendships and relationships in a confusing and complex two-hour film. The plot itself is surreal as if it is in the mind of the Tweeter, which gives the impression that Mary is in a false reality. Mary is constantly questioning her mortality throughout the film because it appears she keeps dying, or nearly dying, which only adds to the strange reality that she finds herself in. To add to this, the witty exchanges between friends Mary and Suri is one of the better parts of the film, as their level of sass with each other is hilarious to watch. Their banter is incredibly well-written, with a strong use of irony within the dialogue. To contrast, Mary’s long pauses and awkwardness with her crush, M (Wasupol Kriangprapakit) was captured very well, but also very unexpectedly. Story-wise, this film is long and a little hard to follow, but this is intentional in the writing. The script is very uniquely put-together and it would be interesting to understand the writer’s intention more. From a viewer’s perspective, the story makes a point not to make sense, as if to give us a better perspective on how unpredictable life is. Dialogue, combined with the multi-media of tweets, recognises the meaning of words is very important. Every day for Mary seems repetitive and awkward and the script focuses on her trying to break out of this repetitive existence. It’s clear that Mary isn’t in control of her life at all and so she verbalises every thought and feeling, which warps the standard perception of what it’s like to be a teenage girl. This is reflected in a bizarre structure of the film. There is quick editing, almost like picture snapshots, as the jump-cuts are sandwiched in-between the tweets. The tweets appear on the screen with a mouse clicking sound effect, taking you out of the action of the story. However, when Mary is alone on screen, the camera is intentionally shaky and the shots are lengthier and linger for the audience. This sudden contrast in filming are uncomfortable for the audience and it feels intrusive to watch, as the camera behaves as though we are inside Mary’s thoughts and worries. We are experiencing everything alongside her. The final scene lingers even longer, making it appear as though she is completely alone, or perhaps the entire film never happened at all. Being left with these questions makes for compelling viewing, as well as confusion. What’s great about this film is that it doesn’t show the ‘classic’ Western image of Thailand and what we perceive it to be on this side of the world. Mary’s environment appears to be slow and rural, but also more human. The camera follows Mary and Suri around their school lives which feels realistic, despite the fantasy theme, and is refreshing to watch. It becomes clear throughout the film that Mary is very suppressed by the authority figures around her. She is constantly told what she should think and feel and there are definite issues regarding her freedom of speech within school. Her opinion is stifled and her mental health is effectively mocked by adults, which raises questions over the more serious side to the film. Although this is a strange watch, Mary is Happy, Mary is Happy is a great watch for those in the UK, as it shows a different version of the coming-of-age story. Mary is a teenager who isn’t always aware what is fantasy versus what is reality and this makes for a fascinating watch. Mary is Happy, Mary is Happy is currently on YouTube as part of the #WeAreOne film festival. #AmberJackson #WeAreOne

★★★★ Directed by #AcePatel Written by #AnthonyHall Starring #JonRobertKress, #SamuelSmith, #LeahMorgan, #MatthewStazzone, #FrankDanger Short Film Review by Jack Bottomley The detective procedural is a genre path well walked in film. Be it the harsh snowy climates hiding more than just roads and pathways in films like Wind River or true life murder mysteries brought to life with ferocious tension in films like Zodiac. However, in any good detective story, there comes a climax, a reveal, a moment when the pieces (well, some of them at least) slot together and whether justice is done or not, you realise what the game has been all about and are often left reeling by its conclusion. In director #AcePatel’s Last Words, an impressive low budget short crafted by a student crew of Full Sail University in Florida, we cut almost straight to that moment of realisation and across eight minutes, we get a remarkably strong insight into the headspace of the lead character and investigation. The story sees a detective on a high profile homicide case fail to turn up for work, after supposedly getting close to solving it, at the risk of his own cognitive well being. Meanwhile we see a man (#JonRobertKress) slowly unravelling in an undisclosed location and toying with the idea of pulling the trigger and coming face to face with death once and for all. Last Words opens up with the voices of a media frenzy, as reporters question the mental health of the missing detective and the search for him rages and when we arrive at this unknown location, with this man, his gun, his badge and a drink, what follows is a walk down the spiralling staircase of a fractured psyche, forged by a life of loss. The film is led by Jon Robert Kress, who has a Joker-esque quality at the lead of the film. His near raving monologues about life and brushes with death and what it has taken from him, are near manic and a truly effective insight into not only the character but the ongoing story. This committed performance perfectly leads to the film’s twist and it is one with a true sting in the tail, which fits the aesthetic of the film. #JosephFailla’s cinematography incorporates some of the kind of shots from the genre (police cars en route, spider diagrams on a wall), while allowing us a visual connection with the lead character’s current state, with a strong use of the grey, darker lit, confined setting. While some strong editing by #KennyUnangst, almost gives the film a further unhinged edge, with some frantic techniques well deployed, alongside a well placed score by #VihaanAbhyudaya. Veterans may well be ahead of the game but Last Words is a confidently made entry into a pretty huge genre, which shows off the talents of a dedicated crew, as writer #AnthonyHall and director Ace Patel cut straight to the heart of what people like about films of this ilk. In the process telling a gripping little story of an investigation gone dark, surfacing shocks and a mind shattered and twisted to the point that the darkness or indeed death itself is no longer an acquaintance but a neighbour and one you are seeing more and more of. #JackBottomley

★★★★ Directed by #MichaelGoldermann Written by #MichaelGoldermann Starring #TiffanySkyeDodson, #BlakeMcNamara Film review by Rochelle McLaren Directed by Michael Goldermann, Holding On is a short film about a man, Billy (Blake McNamara) and a lady (Tiffany Skye Dodson) who revisit their childhood memories while under the influence of illegal substances. The film starts off by showing fresh flowers in a vase, which the audience will soon realise are significant towards the end as the way they look link to the characters. Throughout the film we do not gain an understanding of their relationship such as who they are to each other, however, the audience can assume that maybe they are not in a romantic relationship as we see a lady calling the man’s phone and both characters reactions to it can make the audience believe that the man is in a relationship with another woman. When revisiting their childhood, the audience learn that both characters have known each other ever since they were little and they had both experienced trauma within their families, due to the fact, that they mentioned they used to run away and dreamed of having another lifestyle. Performance wise, both actors accurately portrayed characters who are still shaken by their past. In the short film we first see the characters in a bedroom half clothed surrounded by alcohol and drugs. Watching the girl, she looks a bit shaken, indecisive and scared almost as if she is afraid to let the man down. The man on the other hand looks shaken. The audience can see that he is still affected by his past. The camera captures a few significant shots. The first shot is when drugs and alcohol are placed on the table and around the room, the audience will understand that both characters are unstable. The second shot is just after both characters take the drugs, the camera captures a blurry view of them jumping back onto the bed, the blur is to represent their vision. The setting changes to a swing set, we first see Billy sitting on a swing starring ahead, with a moving swing next to him as if someone was just swinging on it. Looking at Billy’s facial expression the audience would wonder what he is thinking and what had happened to him in the past. In the back ground we hear voices coming from children, even though we do not see any children it can be considered that Billy is thinking about a specific moment from his childhood. We then see the lady on the swing next to Billy holding his hand, this again can question their relationship, perhaps they are best friends. Both characters are wearing all black, which would affect the audience as it would make them question why they look like that, perhaps they had just been to a funeral which could link back to the fresh flowers from the beginning. The script is well scripted, the audience can learn that both characters have been through similar trauma’s during their childhood which has affected them as adults. The audience does not actually learn what has happened to them except the fact there’s a chance it has something to do with their families. This gets the audience thinking and coming up with a conclusion for themselves. The script was written to not give away too much information but enough to give the audience a hint and understanding. Overall the plot is realistic apart from look of the flowers at the end, do flowers really change that quickly? This short film is absolutely worth the watch. It is clear to see that the director takes in consideration on how his film will affect his audience. #RochelleMcLaren

★★★★ Directed by #TheodoreCollatos #CarolinaMonnerat Starring #LuanaMuniz Film Review by Rachel Willis In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the neighborhood of Lapa is home to Luana Muniz, the focus of directors Theodore Collatos and Carolina Monnerat’s documentary, Queen of Lapa. A photoshoot of Muniz opens the film. She is elegant in black lingerie, holding a cigarette; the audience learns that she has been a sex worker since the age of eleven and is now one of the most recognized transgender (Luana prefers the term transvestite) activists in Brazil. A hostel run by Muniz for over two decades provides a safe haven for transgender sex workers. It is this world that Collatos and Monnerat are privy to. They are given a level of access that allows the audience to experience these women’s lives as they live them. Muniz is a bit of a mother hen to the women, many of them even call her Mother Luana. She scolds them for not cleaning up after themselves, expresses concern over injuries, and fights to ensure the house remains a place where transgender men and women can live and work safely. It’s an important concern. Transgender men and women, and sex workers, experience violence at alarming rates. One of the women speaks of having gasoline poured on her before she escapes her attacker. The same woman is beaten and robbed one night, showing her injuries to her Facebook Live audience. Another woman is nearly raped but manages to flee. However, the film focuses on more than one aspect of these women’s lives. It allows us a chance to spend time with the housemates and get to know them. There is a familial atmosphere as the roommates watch TV, do each other’s nails, eat meals together, and argue. Some of the conversations are more interesting than others, but the filmmakers play a critical role with their lack of presence. They allow the group to share their own stories, to let their voices be heard at a time when it is essential that those who have been silenced in the past are allowed to speak. Muniz says of herself, “the only star here is me,” and in some ways, she is the sun to a community of people who need an advocate like her. One of the women recalls seeing Muniz on TV as a child, never expecting to know her as an adult, but it’s an example of the impact she has had on the community. She teaches the women how to be safe, how to not be ashamed of who they are, and that they are loved. The world could use more people like Luana Muniz. #RachelWillis

★★★ Directed by #CourtneyAndujar #HillaryAndujar #AnthonyCousins #EmilyHagins #AaronBKoontz #ChrisMcInroy #NoahSegan #BaronVaughn Written by #CourtneyAndujar#HillaryAndujar #CameronBurns #AnthonyCousins #BenFee #FrankGarciaHejl #EmilyHagins #JohnKarsko #AaronBKoontz #ChrisMcInroy #NoahSegan #BaronVaughn Starring #JoBobBriggs #NoahSegan #JeremyKing Film Review by Hope Madden Has there ever been a place as glorious as the video store? The brain trust behind the horror anthology Scare Package clearly understands the secret joys of the independent VHS retailer and their beloved horror wares. “This weekend is all about no rules, no clothes, and no cell service,” begins Emily Hagins’s surprisingly fresh meta-horror Cold Open. It sets the stage for a really funny way to spend about an hour and 40 minutes. Chad Buckley of Rad Chad’s Horror Emporium (directed by Aaron B. Koontz) is training a new employee, covering the ins and outs of the VHS game and dodging that creepy regular customer. Periodically we get a glimpse at the store’s rentals, taking shape as the set of horror shorts that make up the anthology. Chris McInroy’s consistently funny One Time in the Woods plays like a good natured Troma flick. So, it’s a bloody, gooey, gore-soaked, viscera-saturated mess with a bright disposition. Noah Segan (Knives Out) makes his directorial debut with M.I.S.T.,E.R., which boasts the great casting of Noah Segan (how’d he get him?!) as well as Jocelyn DeBoer (Thunder Road, Greener Grass). You wouldn’t call it inspired, but a nice sleight of hand and one subtly creepy bartender are enough to keep you guessing and entertained. Anthony Cousins’s The Night He Came Back IV: The Final Kill doesn’t offer much in the way of a fresh perspective and feels especially tame compared to the two other meta-horror episodes in the package. The two shorts that bridge sci fi and horror—Courtney and Hilary Andujar’s Girls’ Night Out of Body and Baron Vaughn’s So Much To Do—don’t answer nearly as much as they ask, but they do keep your attention. The collection is weaved together with love and a lot of nerdy horror know-how. Was it destined for Shutter? Well, that Jo Bob Briggs cameo couldn’t have hurt. Scare Package sports an excellent use of budget for a fun, campy set of horror-loving films—the kind of short movies that lovingly mock the genre. Most of the episodes offer a knowing lampooning, and each ends abruptly enough to avoid wearing out its welcome. #HopeMadden

★★★★ Directed by: #Nandan Written by: #Nandan Starring: #SarathKumar, #NischalRamesh, #MallikarjunDevaramane Film Review by: Lisa Ogunmayin Breath stars Sarath Kumar and Nischal Ramesh as two young men feeling the squeeze of the latest police crackdowns on drug dealers. The ‘pot’ brokers, Sarath and Vaasu, have menial day jobs, however, making a decent and honest living has become tougher and they find themselves trying to keep up their side hustle despite harsher police crackdowns. Taking place over one night, Vaasu meets with a possible buyer but suspicion and doubt lead to a potentially profitable yet morbid solution to Sarath’s beef shortage. Underscored by gripping cinematography, Kumar and Ramesh both deliver intense and captivating performances. Kumar, who plays Sarath, is strong in his role and somehow is very relatable as an anxious youth doing what he must to get by. His commitment to the role is captured by effective wide angles and extreme close-ups that buttress his acting. Nischal Ramesh radiates a calm and collected problem solver but seems hesitant and stale at some points in his delivery. With sound effects and music few and far between, the lack of a score adds to the drama of the film; without any music, the film is still able to draw out emotions that music is meant to. For instance, the 'sound of night’ (crickets, dogs barking) in one particular scene, heightens the sense of uneasiness felt by the audience for Sarath as he waits alone. The buyer, played by Mallikarjun Devaramane, may leave viewers puzzled. Whether this was intended as a result of good acting or unintended due to bad acting, the question remains; is he an undercover cop, nervous buyer or bargain hunter (looking to rip them off)? While viewers may not have had any personal experience of the struggles of inner-city life in Kerala, contemplating life from the characters’ point of view is thought-provoking. While running the risk of excusing wrong behaviour; understanding the reasons behind people's actions or decisions can go a long way to being less judgemental and more empathetic, especially in regards to taking criminal measures to make ends meet. A very good and engrossing watch, with clear and easy to follow subtitles. It’s not very clear whether the buyer meant any physical harm, and as such, the result of the ensuing conflict is left to be justified by the audience. Be sure to catch Vaasu’s closing line. #LisaOgunmayin

★★★★ Directed by #SpikeLee Written by #DannyBilson, #PaulDeMeo, #SpikeLee, #KevinWillmott Starring #DelroyLindo, #ClarkePeters Film Review by Lawrence Bennie “America never was America to me, and yet I swear this oath, America will be”. Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods concludes with a clip of Martin Luther King quoting “black bard of Harlem” Langston Hughes. It’s the perfect summary for Lee’s narrative, where four African-Americans struggle with the dilemma of taking back from America yet find themselves still, and always, fighting as Americans. Paul (Delroy Lindo), Otis (Clarke Peters), Eddie (Norm Lewis) and Melvin (Isiah Whitlock Jr) are four veterans who return to Vietnam to recover the remains of their legendary squad leader (Chadwick Boseman) and a stash of gold which they buried in secret. However, the group find their self-assigned mission sabotaged by the complications of age, personal conflicts and others hot on their trail. At the beginning of the film, Lee’s quartet find themselves back in a Vietnam that has become almost unrecognisable. American globalisation is all around them. “They didn’t need us”, remarks Eddie. “They should’ve just sent Mickey D’s, Pizza Hut and the Colonel and we would have defeated the VCs in one week!”. They are not back in the Vietnam they knew but a country that now looks like a branch of America itself. However, as its four protagonists wander into hostile terrain, old nightmares unexpectedly return. "We ain't home, son. We ain't home", warns Paul. Lee’s film is certainly reminiscent of John Boorman's Deliverance (1972). Burt Reynolds’ machoistic yet wary Lewis is mirrored in Delroy Lindo’s hardened but unstable Paul. Like in Deliverance, a horrific moment spirals everything into permanent chaos and the men soon find themselves out of their depth and, again, fighting for survival. The other parallels, of course, are with Apocalypse Now (1979), which Lee directly references early on. Famously, Coppola’s film had Martin Sheen coming face to face with Marlon Brando's demented renegade Colonel Kurtz. Here, the hearts of darkness lie within and between Lee’s characters. “I hoped we could be Bloods one last time” laments Eddie, when it hits home that sharing the gold is going to cause more problems than its meant to solve. Like Kurtz, the increasingly self-destructive Paul slips away from reality; taking hostages, rejecting his son and wandering maniacally through the jungle, until Lee has him delivering confused soliloquies direct to the camera. It’s a verifiable tour-de-force from Lindo (his fourth collaboration with Lee). He’s simply marvellous. Equally impressive is the sublime ease with which Lee intertwines genre, style and approach throughout the movie. The film is a mythic adventure as much it is a Vietnam War drama, with the director effortlessly gliding between brutality, sentimentality and humour. When we flashback to the men as soldiers, at various points during the film, Lee does not use younger actors but the same cast. In less-skilled hands, this could easily be confusing, distracting or, at worse, laughable. Here, it works perfectly and we never feel unsettled by the choice. Da 5 Bloods sees Spike Lee at his best again, offering a timely African-American perspective of Vietnam, which is richly entertaining as it is assuredly political. #LawrenceBennie

★★★★ Directed by #AntoineVillotte Film Review by RochelleMclaren Directed by Antoine Villotte, New World Open, is a short film exploring the process of a woman painting on already printed out posters that are placed on the outside wall of different buildings. The beginning of the film begins with a voiceover, a meaningful explanation around political language, listening to this, the audience would assume that the woman’s paintings have a political meaning to them. From the beginning, we see the woman preparing to paint. The choice of scenery can be looked at as quite significant, the audience does not gain an understanding of why this exact location was chosen until the end where the audience are left to decide for themselves. The fact that there are no explanations within the film, portray an interesting and creative way to engage with the audience and leave them questioning to what the paintings are about, why the woman is painting in that exact location and what the paintings means to her. When watching this short film there were a few significant moments that the audience would find interesting. The first one is the way the film was made, Villotte uses time laps to capture the woman painting which is useful because the audience can see how long it took for the woman to paint, including the process. The second part of the film is the scenery such as cars, bikes, and people passing by the woman while she creates her art work, this sets the scene as a casual night in a busy area. The last part of the film that the audience would find significant is the soundtrack, the lyrics bring out a deep meaning while watching the woman paint, it is as if Villotte purposely used that specific song for the audience to examine a deeper meaning behind the woman’s artwork. The use of the street light enhanced the film’s brightness, it made it clear for the audience to watch the woman paint, this is significant as the film was shot during the evening/night. Watching the woman paint, the audience will gain an understanding of her character, she is artistic, talented, creative and passionate. Looking at other films created by Antoine Villotte, he enjoys telling his stories through a creative way, which is a powerful and unique way to engage with the audiences. New World Open, is a visionary, clever, deep and interesting film created with a lot of hard work, talent and passion. This film is absolutely worth the watch, and it will inspire other filmmakers on how to tell their stories using a creative method. #RochelleMcLaren

★★★★★ Directed by: #TomFrancisKerby Written by: #TomFrancisKerby Starring: #MaxCross, #FrancescaZagajewska, #TimEdhouse Film Review by: Darren Tilby Time may well be the greatest healer, but there are some things that time simply can’t fix. For Charlie (Max Cross), that’s the departure, and seeming disappearance of his older sister, Shae (Francesca Zagajewska). Shae left when she was 18-years old, on a plane bound for, well…we never find out. Nor do we find out why she left, but we get the feeling this was the last time Charlie saw or heard from his sister. What happened to her? Where did she go? Now a grandparent, Charlie (Tim Edhouse) revisits the last memory of his sister – a picturesque white gate on Ludgate Hill – in a reflection of life, love and loss. There’s a real sense of nostalgia in Ludgate Hill; a longing for the days of yesteryear rarely seen in films these days. It has this uncanny ability to dig deep into the viewer and force us to reflect on the losses of our own lives: family, childhood friends, or, quite simply, our childhood itself. It’s an atmosphere reminiscent of that which permeates Rob Reiner’s Stand by Me - his fantastic rendition of Stephen King’s classic novella, The Body. The fact Tom Francis Kerby has achieved this with a movie only nine-minutes in length is a testament to his skill as a writer, efficiency as a director and the verity with which it was made. He knows what he wants his movie to be, and he got the right people to do it. For me, Oliver Davis’ impressionistic cinematography is at the foreground of all of this. Everything is beautifully framed and – as if to accentuate the rose-tinted impression most of us hold of our childhood – displays a picture of naturalistic idealisation, but with an underlying sorrow. Davis even allows us time to reflect; occasionally lingering on the face of a character; a country lane; a body of water, never for long—just long enough. These moments of reflection are where Composer Adam Orlowski’s diaphanous score comes into play. Succinct and movingly evocative, Orlowski’s musical accompaniment not only – perfectly – captures the intent of Davis’ imagery (elevating it in the process), but also resonates with a character-based thematic. Every character has a distinct sound; a unique feel. We can ascertain so much about them and how they’re feeling, by merely enjoying Orlowski’s magnificent work. It helps, of course, that the performances themselves are superb. First-timers, Max Cross and Francesca Zagajewska, while inexperienced, radiate raw talent and give incredibly solid performances, and Tim Edhouse is the embodiment of a life shaped by loss and regret, while also being the very personification of our reminiscences. Ludgate Hill is a superb and deeply affecting piece of short filmmaking that touched me on a very personal level. Even as I write this, looking back on my last viewing, many hours afterwards, there are tears welling in my eyes. It’s rare that I feel so profoundly connected to a movie I have absolutely no shared connection with, and yet here we are. Simply stunning.