GRIMMFEST TV offers movie entertainment for free while the world is in lockdown. A new online TV channel dedicated to horror films of all types, through which viewers can access exciting award-winning features and shorts from the Grimmfest archives. GRIMMFEST TV is available at: Grimmfest.com/TV. New titles are being added every week and this week is no exception. Two new short films will hit GRIMMFEST TV at Midday, Friday 12th June 2020. Grimmfest TV is excited to add Grimmfest 2016 selected short film, THE DISAPPEARANCE OF WILLIE BINGHAM; a controversial exploration of judicial cruelty and the human capacity for vengeance. In this imagined world, progressive amputation as a punishment for capital crime, performed live in front of the victim’s families. The channel is also excited to add the brutally graphic animated short film, FIERCE, which had its UK premiere at Grimmfest in 2017. FIERCE imagines an extreme team-building exercise, that pits a young corporate executive against his colleagues and the elements; with bloody consequences. Festival Director Simeon Halligan said “If you love horror movies and enjoy short films then Grimmfest TV is for you. We continue to hand-pick a fine selection of movies from the Grimmfest archive and bring them online, where everyone can enjoy them for free while in lockdown. There’s some really cool award-winning indie horror and fantasy films available right now and we urge you to check them out.” With over thirty short films and ten feature films available already, GRIMMFEST TV is expanding quickly as we add new content every week, with an aim to build a comprehensive platform of genre content that will complement the main film festival, Grimmfest, now in its twelfth year. Current films include Grimmfest 2018 best short award winner, WE SUMMONED A DEMON, Grimmfest 2014 hit, WHITE SETTLERS (Staring Pollyanna McIntosh from The Walking Dead), and the suitably virus themed LA CONTAGION. The most popular title on the channel so far is the half-hour retro creature feature, LOOM. All are still available to watch for free right now.

★★★ Directed by: #MartinPonferrada Written by: #MartinPonferrada Starring: #BoanSunim #TseringaTashi #JamneanSeelasettho #SubhanaBarzaghi Short Film Review by: #ChrisBuick Dreams can mean many things. They can be surreal, cerebral manifestations of our inner most fears, insecurities or desires. Some believe that they might even at times be a premonition of things to come. Some of course, can be quite a bit more literal in their meaning. Back in the summer of 2016, filmmaker Martin Ponferrada conducted a series of interviews with practicing Buddhists from all over world focusing primarily on the subject of dreams, collating over ten hours’ worth of recordings in the process. Now, through his #shortfilm Everything Is Upstream, Ponferrada has cut those recordings to just under ten minutes, using them as the base narrative for a collection of animated visualisations that depict five of these individuals most vivid dreams. The aspect of this film that was perhaps the most crucial to get right is thankfully also the part the film excels in; the animation. Conducted by Ponferrada himself, Everything Is Upstream really manages to evoke the required dream-like sensibilities the piece needs to work as a concept, the captivating imagery is at times really beautiful. Simple blacks and whites might be the dominating colour palette at play throughout (peppered with the odd splash of colour here and there), but the monochromatic presentation in fact creates a brilliant sense of clarity as to what we're seeing, even when the narrative lets it down, managing to always set a very clear tone for each tale whether it be light or dark. Having achieved great things visually, it’s a shame then that the other core aspect of the film feels somewhat lacking in comparison. What’s most disappointing about Everything Is Upstream is that despite the films well-crafted style, it’s underlying content is nowhere near as interesting the film wants it to be, and it squanders a great chance to really explore the unique perspectives of what are most definitely some very fascinating individuals. The film never seems to really want to offer up any deep or meaningful insights into its subject matter, or at least try to instigate some kind of philosophical discussion as to the psychology behind these vivid subconscious adventures and while one could argue that the intent here is to leave it all open to interpretation, it doesn’t seem smart enough for that. Instead, it simply limits itself to mere blow-by-blow commentaries that do of course work for creating the narrative played out in the animation, but many might be expecting something a bit more substantial given the premise and the films subjects. Visually inspiring, but not as mentally stimulating as it perhaps hopes to be, it feels like Everything Is Upstream plays things a bit too safe when it could and should have been a bit smarter and bolder in its meaning rather than just simply in it's aesthetics. #ChrisBuick Watch the trailer here:

★★★ Directed by: #JimFord Written by: #JimFord Starring: #JimFord, #EdGutierrez, #RyanConvery Film Review by: Lisa Ogunmayin We Have Your Wife short film With awards for Best Film* and Best Actor**, this super short comedy comes to life when a couple of bumbling kidnappers become stumped as their fool-proof plan goes left. When Mr Smith is woken from his sleep by a call from kidnappers demanding money for the safe return of his wife, his unexpected response leads to a long and unfruitful night for the kidnappers. At first, viewers may question whether he’s bluffing but think again, as he takes his time to think about his answer and appears to fall asleep while on the phone to the kidnappers. Ed Gutierrez, as the lead kidnapper, tries hard to convince Mr Smith that they are serious. He fairs well with his partner in crime (Ryan Convery), in portraying amateur kidnappers; however, one might expect a few more threatening, yet comical acts of desperation from amateurs looking to get what they want. Jim Ford as Mr Smith gives a few chuckles as a married man who has had enough of his wife’s dismissive and catty behaviour and his lack of sexual satisfaction. His initial response of “Keep her” will undeniably pique one’s interest as to how the kidnappers will respond. While not side-splittingly funny, some of the one-liners may hit home with those who can relate. Jim Ford, unfortunately, seems to try too hard to stay funny during his long rant which results in him crying, but his performance may be deemed as a good effort by those who enjoy this type of humour. After his free therapy session with the kidnappers, it seems that divorce is not an option and neither is reconciliation. We also get to see the wife, played by Laura Markis, who seems more annoyed than afraid by the whole situation. When overhearing her husband on the phone, her reaction to him more or less justifies his desire to get rid of her. We get the whole I-have-to-beg-my-wife-to-put-out complaint, but the story leaves much to be desired on the part of the actual kidnapping. A decent short, worth watching. *Anaheim International Film Festival 2019 – Best Short Film (Comedy) ** Bare Bones International Film and Music Festival 2019 – Best Lead Actor #LisaOgunmayin

Filmmaker interview by: Darren Tilby Apartment 1BR had its UK premiere at Manchester's Grimmfest Film Festival in October 2019. And now, after an extended festival run and eight agonising months of waiting, Apartment 1BR has been released here in the UK. In honour of its successful release, I talked to Director David Marmor and lead actress Nicole Brydon Bloom about their film. Here's what David had to say: Apartment 1BR had its UK premiere at the Grimmfest Film Festival in October of last year, which is where I and many others first encountered it. Just how important are these genre film festivals to independently produced movies like yours? What has this done for your film in particular? David: Genre festivals have been absolutely crucial to our movie. We were lucky enough to have our world premiere at Fantasia Fest in Montreal, which opened so many doors for us with other festivals, and is where we first met our eventual distributor, Dark Sky. Then as we travelled the world on the circuit, having the imprimatur of festivals like Grimmfest and Gérardmer in France was the key to getting picked up in many of the international markets. Just as importantly, I found genre festival audiences to be the warmest and most enthusiastic I've ever encountered. It was such a privilege to show the movie to these passionate fans and interact with them in person. In fact, Grimmfest was the first time (and who knows, maybe the last) I've ever had people line up to have me sign anything! How does working with a smaller budget dictate your work as a director, and how did you personally find it? Did you enjoy it? David: I guess I'm a bit like a fish being asked, "What's water like?" I've never had anything but smaller budgets, so this is just how I know how to make movies. But of course, the budget is the framework that shapes every decision you make, starting with the schedule. We had to shoot very, very fast on this movie, and that is difficult, but I actually have come to appreciate it in that it keeps the energy up and in the best circumstances creates a real sense of camaraderie among the cast and crew. One of the things I love about directing, and especially at this budget level, is this puzzle aspect–finding ways to translate the grand vision in your head into cold reality with all the limitations and unexpected disasters you encounter. It's a constant process of adaptation and of losing things you thought you could not lose. When I'm at my best I remember that as painful as that process is, it can actually be very useful in that it constantly forces you to reassess exactly what is the untouchable centre of the movie, and what you can lose or change without damaging that. What issues did you encounter during the making of 1BR and how did you get around them? David: How long can this article be? We ran into just about every disaster I've ever heard of a production encountering, and we very nearly didn't even make it out of pre-production. To begin with, in the weeks before production was supposed to start, there were massive wildfires in Los Angeles that threatened our production office, so we had to quickly shut it down and move to our producer's house. The fires were also around our apartment location, so we weren't sure we'd be allowed to shoot there. Then, about four days before our start date, we lost three of our lead actors in one day, which nearly sank the whole production. Luckily we were able to push back our start, quickly recast those roles, and get into production only a couple of days behind. During production, we had the usual daily small disasters and delays, but the most dramatic was about six days in, when one of our equipment trucks was stolen in the middle of the night. We had this amazing, intrepid parking PA who had been watching the trucks overnight, and he saw the theft happen and followed the truck while calling the police. He followed this truck all the way across L.A. until the police finally swooped in and stopped it. We only had to delay the next day's start by an hour, and I didn't even find out about it until the wrap party. That's good producing! In my review of 1BR, I praised the film for grounding its antagonists in real-world influences. Could you tell us more about that? e.g. Where did the idea come from, and what sort of research did you do? David: The initial seed of the idea came from my own feelings of alienation and isolation when I first moved to L.A. and lived in a building very much like the one in the movie. Around the same time I got very interested in cults, which have a long history in L.A. Then once I started on the script I researched that world more methodically, reading everything I could find on the topic, and I happened on a few groups that became the basis for the community in 1BR. The main inspiration was an organization called Synanon that started in the late 1950s as a drug rehab when such things didn't really exist. They had this very noble aim of helping people nobody else would help, but then it slowly got twisted into something very repressive and violent. I found that life cycle to be quite common among the cults I researched, and it became the model for the history and methods of the community in the movie. Another thing I, and many others, praised, was the slow build-up; the simmering pot atmosphere. There have been a few films recently to do this within a similar context (e.g. Hereditary and Midsommar). Was there a piece of work (film or otherwise) that inspired you to shoot 1BR like this, and what movie do you feel is the pinnacle of this? David: It's funny, I don't think the shape of the movie was consciously inspired by any particular piece of work. It just felt to me like the natural way to tell this particular story. I do remember thinking a lot about Rosemary's Baby when I was writing, but more in the context of how much more compressed 1BR would be, basically trying to pack the entire storyline of Rosemary's Baby into the opening. That said, looking back I do think the pace and shape of 1BR were influenced, unconsciously or semiconsciously, by many movies, probably mainly Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan and Michael Haneke's Caché. There are of course many other movies that do a brilliant job at this kind of build, including both Hereditary and Midsommar. I think my favourite, for its simplicity, purity, and ability to be both a great horror movie and something more, is probably Get Out. Thinking about the recent hits we've just mentioned, do you think there's a risk of these kinds of films (slow-burners) going stale, as say found-footage movies have? David: I actually don't think so. I think to the degree found-footage movies have gone stale, it's because that format can feel a bit artificial and is quite limiting in what you can do narratively. (I also often feel like at some point these poor terrified characters should just throw the camera down and run.) Of course, there are some absolutely brilliant found-footage movies, and I have no doubt another one will come along at some point with a fresh angle and revitalize the genre. The "slow burn," on the other hand, seems to me to be a pretty classic narrative form to immerse the audience in a character's point of view and build to a powerful catharsis. I'd argue that it goes way back too--I think this is basically the form of Macbeth. In my case, I wanted the audience to experience how it feels to Sarah to descend into this world, and this narrative shape felt right for creating that subjective experience. The risk, of course, is that you bore the audience, but I hope that as long as the characters and the story are interesting enough, there will always be room for movies that don't kick into high gear immediately. Looking back, is there anything you'd change? Or wish had happened differently? David: Oh yes, of course! I made so many, many mistakes, and we had so many heartbreaking moments where we just couldn't get something we had planned for months. But that's the nature of filmmaking and part of the process for me is letting go of the platonic ideal of the movie that's in my head, and engaging with the real, imperfect thing we've actually created. This is basically what post-production is, and during that process, I try to let go of any regrets and just make the best movie I can from what we have. What's next for you? David: I'm in the process of working on my next movie with the same producers, Alok Mishra, Shane Vorster, and Sam Sandweiss. It's a dream project of mine, a science-fiction thriller I've been working on for a long time. It's much bigger than 1BR, and I never thought I'd get to actually make it, so I'm beyond thrilled. We were planning to shoot this year, but of course, that won't be possible now. It's actually been nice to have some extra time to keep working on the script during the pandemic, but I do hope production can start up again in one form or another next year. Here's what Nicole had to say: In 1BR you play the lead role, a character named Sarah. Could you please tell us a little bit about who Sarah is and what your thoughts were on the character after first reading her part? What did you like about her? Nicole: I loved David’s script when I first read it. I think as wild as the story gets, there are aspects to all of the characters, particularly Sarah, that are incredibly relatable. Sarah is a woman who is moving to a new city. She has big dreams and goals but feels a bit stuck, a bit weighed down. She’s grappling with the loss of her mother and searching for a family. I think it’s human nature to want personal connections with people that feel fulfilling. So while most of us won’t find ourselves in the same place Sarah does (hopefully!), I think her desire for a community is very relatable. Despite being relatively introverted and quiet, there is a strength in Sarah that I was particularly drawn to. David created a character in this story that was very exciting to delve into. Were you able to develop/change aspects of the character or dialogue if you felt it was needed, and did you? Nicole: David and I had a few discussions about who we wanted Sarah to be. Of course, most of the information I needed was on the page or up to me to kind of fill in. But we discussed her values, her passions, her fears. I stuck pretty closely to the dialogue in the script. But there was always room for exploration. Despite a short shooting schedule, David and our producers were generous to give me ample time to try different things. What do you think you brought to the role that helped to make Sarah the superb character she is and did you take inspiration from anything/anyone for your interpretation of her? Nicole: Thank you, well I tried to bring both vulnerability and a steely resolve to the character. She’s been emotionally tossed around before finding this community - her mom’s illness and her dad’s affair - it all took a toll. I think David mentioned The Handmaid’s Tale at one point to me. I hadn’t yet seen the show when we started filming but I was familiar with Elizabeth Moss’ work. I admire her. I think she’s brilliant. And in some ways, there are a few similarities between Sarah’s story and Moss’ character in The Handmaid’s Tale. Did you encounter any difficulties in playing Sarah? E.g. were you able to connect with the character easily? Were there any scenes, in particular, you found difficult? If so, how did you overcome these issues? Nicole: I loved playing Sarah. There were challenges at times - she’s a bit more reserved than I am naturally. Finding the balance between her stillness, her warmth and her desire for a loving community was interesting to navigate. There were definitely some brutal scenes, particularly those filmed in that one-bedroom apartment as she’s being indoctrinated into the society. The conditioning was tough. Fortunately, the cast and crew were incredibly supportive. I felt safe going to those emotional places and David wasn’t afraid to push me when I needed to go further into Sarah’s emotional and physical pain. I think the writing and the situation were enough to get me where I needed to be. I didn’t go into any scene thinking, “Alright, well now I need to cry.” It was more like “Alright, here’s everything that has happened to Sarah so far, and how would someone in her position manage this? What is the physical and psychological toll that kind of experience takes on a person? It was honestly a really cool thing to explore, despite the weight of her situation. My co-star, Giles Matthey, was particularly helpful throughout the process. He basically told me to give it my all. This was my first lead in a film, a relatively daunting task. But he said David could always reign me back in if he needed to, but that I shouldn’t be afraid to take risks. That was incredibly helpful. Without giving too much away (if possible) what was your favourite scene in the film to shoot and why? Nicole: I don’t want to give anything away...hmm. We filmed one of the final scenes (me in the green turtleneck running around the apartment complex) on the second day of shooting. It was a little wild because in film and television you most likely aren’t shooting things in order. So I had to go through Sarah’s entire journey in my head to be able to get to where I needed to be for the scene. But it was fun. I like the scenes where Sarah attempts to take control of her life. From a behind-the-scenes take, the lie detector scenes ended up being really fun to shoot. Giles, who plays Brian, and Taylor Nichols, who plays Jerry, and I had such an awesome rapport. They made some of the most intense scenes a blast to shoot because we were such good friends. So I never felt stressed or intimidated. I just remember that day of filming being really fun. You have fun behind the camera and then once you’re in rehearsal mode it’s a great feeling because you know you’re working with talented actors who are passionate about creating art. If you could go back and do it a second time, would you change anything about the character or your performance? If so, what? Nicole: In general, I did learn a lot about myself as an actor during this process. It’s difficult, I think, for any actor to watch themselves perform because of course, you’re always going to feel, “Oh I wonder if I could’ve done that differently,” or, “Hmm if I had only realized [fill in the blank] at that moment it would have been better.” Overall, I’m really happy with how the film turned out. David did an excellent job directing all of us, I was so impressed with the cast and crew. It was wonderful to see it all come together. From the cinematography, to the lighting, to the editing - very cool. If anything, moving forward I have a clearer understanding of what works on camera and what doesn’t translate. I grew up on the stage and live theatre is such a different medium. You’re performing for an audience of 1,000 instead of a camera that’s five inches away from your face. So things need to be a lot smaller, far more intimate. I don’t know that I’d go back and change anything about my performance as Sarah. I ended up really loving her and loving the process. What’s next for you? Nicole: Things are a bit up in the air at the moment. Unfortunately, with everything going on in the world right now, our industry has halted. I do think it’s awesome that so many people have turned to art during this time though. Whether it’s television shows, books, movies, virtual tours of art museums, our work is proving as valuable as ever. It’s a gift to be a storyteller and I can’t wait to continue pursuing my passion. I have a few auditions coming up so we’ll see what comes next.

★★★★ Directed by #CarlHunter Written by #FrankCottrellBoyce Starring #BillNighy #SamRiley #AliceLowe Film Review by Hope Madden Veteran British writer Frank Cottrell Boyce (Welcome to Sarajevo, Millions) adapts his own short story of a grieving if dapper tailor, a not-so-prodigal son, making the best of a sad substitute, and Scrabble. Thanks to the vision of first time feature director Carl Hunter, Sometimes Always Never enjoys an eccentrically stylish, elegantly odd presentation. Hunter, in turns, finds those exact same characteristic in its sublime lead, Bill Nighy. The film tags along as dapper Alan (Nighy) and his son Peter (Sam Riley) drive some distance together. They’ve been summoned to an out-of-town morgue to identify a body. Between Hunter’s deliberate framing and set composition and Nighy’s droll but endearing presence, the film cannot help but charm. But the delightful and eye-catching style belies a grieving heart. Nighy, of course, is brilliant—and how fun is it to watch him lead a film rather than take the screen as some minor if wonderful character? In his hands, Alan is unknowable but not intimidating. He’s spry and precisely drawn, never sentimental for a beat, and yet endlessly tender. Nighy owes Boyce a great debt for creating such a beautifully layered odd duck, and all of us owe Nighy even more for bringing Alan to life in his inimitable way. Hunter surrounds his lead with a solid ensemble committed to understatement. Riley’s emotional turmoil has a resigned, lived-in quality that’s both sad and sweet. Jenny Agutter and Tim McInnerny (Severance), likewise, deliver the human contradiction of comedy and tragedy, while Alice Lowe (Prevenge) is just the sweetheart the film needs for balance. Balance is an excellent word—though it may not net as many points as some more strategic choices, or is it as fun to say as “soap.” But in terms of the visuals versus the dialog, or the emotional versus the comedic, Hunter keeps a grip and never lets the film tip this way or that. That doesn’t always feel true to the profound tragedy that has befallen this family and has caused, slowly but surely over the many years, the fractures Alan is attempting to mend. This pain too often feels overlooked, becoming a slight that keeps Sometimes Always Never from reaching its own cinematic potential. #HopeMadden

★★★ Directed by: Kundan Sad Written by: John Porter Starring: Adhyayan Summan, Maera Mishra Film Review by: Jason Knight It's Good to See You Again is a short film directed by Kundan Sad and written by John Porter. The plot focuses on the relationship between a young girl named Maera (Maera Mishra) and a young man named Vihaan (Adhyayan Summan). The story begins with Maera looking to buy wine in a shop, when she encounters Vihaan. A series of flashbacks throughout the film that show the couple on sitting on a beach, reveals that the two were in a relationship but have now broken up. In the shop sequence, they catch up with each other and appear to be happy to see each other, before Vihaan reluctantly departs, leaving Maera upset. Vihaan is then walking outside, when he turns and sees Maera standing still, looking at him. The two then embrace and kiss and it is strongly implied that they will live happily ever after together before the film ends. It's Good to See You Again is in a nutshell a love story between two individuals who break up then get together again. The film has a nonlinear narrative because, as mentioned above, the story constantly cuts between the couple chatting in the shop and sitting on the beach. The scenes on the beach provide key information to the narrative, as they reveal that the two used to be in a happy relationship and that, as Maera realizes that she needs to go to an appointment as she works in the real-estate business, her job got in the way of their relationship and resulted in their separation. The end of their relationship can also be seen as the first plot point of the film, because the breakup resulted in the encounter in the shop. The encounter then results in the second plot point which occurs Vihaan informs Maera that he is single and at that point they both realise they still want to be with one another. One strength of the film that needs to be noted is the score. The beautiful, gentle melody that is heard throughout the film successfully captures the couple's romance and plays a key role to the film's ending, particularly when Vihaan is walking outside and as he turns around to see Maera, Darryl Grant's piece 'It's Good to See You Again' plays, serving as a metaphor that it is fortunate to see her going after him, as she wants to be with her as he wants too. Apart from the individuals seen from a distance dining in the opening shot and the ones seen in the background in the final scene, Vihaan and Maera are the only two people in the film. This could also serve as a metaphor that they are the only two people in the world and that they only have eyes for each other and were therefore meant to be together. In conclusion, with the exception of performances that give the impression that they could had been more convincing, It's Good to See You Again is a heart-warming, feelgood film that captures the audience with it's affectionate music and happy ending. #JasonKnight

★★★★ Directed by: Rahul Nath Written by: Rahul Nath, Noah Potter Starring: Ulka Simone Mohanty, Ahmed Lucan, Shruti Tewari, Reem Kadem Indie Film Review by: Rachel Pullen Khazana Movie Review Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn, has there ever been a more truthful phrase? You see us ladies, well let’s just say we don't let heartbreak go so easily. I for one love a bit of revenge, I like to take all the batteries out of the remotes in my enemy’s home and watch the chaos unfold...pure evil. Feature film Khazana is the tale of a lady who wants to get her revenge, not just on the man in her life but a whole host of family and friends associated with him, and why? Well, simply put, they all massively suck. Our leading lady (Ulka Simone) is trapped in a controlling and loveless marriage, one with a man who not only manipulates his wife but those close to him in order to make her life a living hell; an evil mother-in-law promotes his actions, sexy co-workers who flaunt their affair in front of this weakened housewife, and a therapist who clearly has never understood the concept of a professional relationship with his clients. Our wife is played in a way whereby we do not see her as weak, she is obviously beaten down wherever she turns, we are able to understand and connect with her struggles, to see her as a doormat would not hold strong, considering the actions she chooses to take. After months of being lied to, beaten and deceived, she decides to seek her revenge on not only the husband but the whole cast of idiots who plague her life, and rightly so, but she does it in a manner that displays cunning and a strength that has always been inside her. Each character is written in a style which feels a trope in an environment such as this, but that aside they all have a purpose to create the perfect storm, their actions and personalities build the foundations for allowing the audience to empathise with the abuse on screen, but also to empathise towards the murders at the end. The audience is encouraged to see her as the final girl in a #horror film, the one we want to win, the one we want to see take down the villain, and take them down she does. As a movie, Khazana is well-written and executed in a manner that is respectful and understanding to some very delicate subjects; spousal abuse and gaslighting can never easily be portrayed as they come in so many forms but director Rahul Nath covers the many lights in which it can present itself in, creating a wide spectrum of emotional responses for the audience to feel and connect with. Overall this film is a rollercoaster of violence to detest and violence to celebrate, held together by a cast who cannot be faulted in their delivery, and writing which is engaging and enjoyable. #RachelPullen Khazan is currently available to rent on the UK Film Channel. Watch the Movie Trailer below.

★★★ Directed by #KimJinwon Written by #KimJinwon Starring #YijiSeo #NarendraSinghDhami Film Review by George Wolf Basing a horror film around the “scariest movie ever made” premise is ambitious. Is it smart? Well, it’s ambitious. Because at some point, you’re going to have to show at least a snippet of this deadly frightening flick your film is referencing, and your audience is already poised to dismiss the impact. Remember the “killer” tape in the The Ring? We had to see it, and if it didn’t totally creep us out when we did, the entire movie would have crumbled. But that video WAS creepy as Hell, giving The Ring the anchor it needed to stand as one of the best PG-13 horror flicks ever made. Shudder’s Warning: Do Not Play remembers The Ring/Ringu quite well, building a familiar mystery around some urban legendary long lost film footage. Mi-Jung (Ye-ji Seo) is a “film festival prodigy” on a two week deadline from a big South Korean studio to come up with a great horror script or she’s out. She needs inspiration! Film students at the local university hip Mi-Jung to the legend of a graduation film from years earlier. They can’t remember the title, but it supposedly screened once, with repercussions so dramatic the film was rumored to be directed….by a ghost. Mi-Jung asks for help in an online forum and is instantly met with an ominous demand to cease the inquiries, which only draws her deeper into the mystery. Writer/director Kim Jin-won provides some nifty atmospherics in the early going, but little else to demand your attention. While Kim doesn’t rely on cheap jump scares (thank you), he pushes the unreliable narrator trope via enough “waking from a dream” sequences to quickly become tiresome. But the blood and the body count pick up in act two, as the film adopts some Blair Witch tactics – and openly cops to it, which is nice. Mi-Jung finds herself deep inside the cursed production, and we’re left to sort out the psychological strands of her experience. The film-within-a-film may never grasp the elusive Ring ambitions, but hang in past the setup and Warning delivers a competent mystery and some fun terror in the aisles. #GeorgeWolf

★★★★ Directed by: #KeithWilhelmKopp Written by: Keith Wilhelm Kopp and #MikeMarchlewski Starring: #JenniferOswald, #RaquelMansell and #MeganPowers Film Review by: Bruna Foletto Lucas Helena is an American short film directed by Keith Wilhelm Kopp that proves films are not only for mere entertainment, but also they’re ways to spark conversations. Here, Kopp and Mike Marchlewski have written a story for people to reflect upon the issue of homelessness – more specifically in Oregan, Portland, town where the director is from. We are invited into Helena’s world, played by Jennifer Oswald, a homeless woman who loiters around a convenience store and sleeps in a car. In the beginning of the film we hear a voice-over from Helena’s daughter wanting to know where she is. This voice message informs the viewer that the daughter is unaware of her mum’s condition, but the film also withholds the reason why Helena is on the streets. However, through the daughter’s tone of voice it makes us think that, although something did happen, the two of them do not necessarily have a bad relationship. The short film focuses on this mother/daughter relationship to tell a bigger story. Through the character of Helena the film humanises the homeless, it makes us acknowledge that behind each person there is a story. Helena is a mother, she cares for others, but it is not until she is forced to assume a nurturing position towards another young woman that she decides to fix her own relationship with her daughter. Kopp and Marchlewski are very careful in creating Helena’s character, especially through Marchlewski’s lenses and Oswald’s delicate acting, the film portrays the world, the one Helena exists in but does not live in, through small actions. There is a lack of dialogue that furthers Helena’s sense of isolation - there are only a few lines of dialogue, the one between Helena and her daughter and between Helena and the young woman she “mothers”. The loudest noises are from the things which surround her - a rain, a light flicking, rain; however, the one that stands out and serves as a catalyst for Helena is the train that starts as a diegetic sound and ends almost as a manifestation of Helena’s thoughts merging. Helena has a few seconds to make a decision whether to save or not a woman who is in front of an in-coming train. For Helena, the image of this woman is two-fold: she represents what Helena’s future might lead to, but she also represents what her daughter’s future might lead to. The urgency of the situation and the deafening sound of the train point Helena to the right direction. For Kopp the problem of homelessness is something tangible and the character of Helena unifies and personifies the bigger issue – her ending/beginning may seem positive, but the road leading up to it might not always be.

★★★ Directed by #SamRega Written by #SamRega, #ChrisWeller Starring #SrinivasAyyagari, #JacquesBailly, #ValerieBrowning Film Review by Lawrence Bennie Spelling The Dream begins with a remarkable fact. Indian-Americans represent around 1% of the United States population, yet the winners of the Scripps National Spelling Bee for the last 12 years have been Indian-American. Furthermore, 26 of the last 31 winners have been Indian-American. That's certainly some achievement! Sam Rega’s insightful documentary explores the success of Indian-Americans in the nation’s flagship spelling competition. Shouray (14), Ashrita (10) and Telas (14) are three of the spelling sensations we meet, along with their families, as they prepare for another year of word wars. Interestingly, the rise in Indian-American success at the Bee has also coincided with its emergence from home-spun American tradition to a mainstream media fixture. From 1994, ESPN began to broadcast the competition. Jeffrey Blitz’s Oscar-nominated documentary Spellbound (2002) helped to bring the Spelling Bee to a global audience, whilst Akeelah and the Bee (starring Laurence Fishburne) then followed in 2006. In 2019, 8 contestants were crowned co-champions when no words were left to challenge them. Consequently, as well as battling the dictionary, the kids are in the spotlight. Super-spellers become young celebs. Remarkably though, as well as their wizardry with words, all the children in Rega’s film seem to take the intense press and publicity in their stride. Akash Vukoti is not only a 7 year-old spelling sage but also a zany young comedian, whilst George Thampy’s recipe for success is amusingly admirable. “One, trust in Jesus. Trust and believe in Jesus. Two, honouring your parents. And three, hard work. Comedian Hari Kondabolu loves Thampy’s no-nonsense approach. “He trusted Jesus all the way to first place”. Expectedly, Rega’s film is concerned with demystifying some assumptions around the success of Indian-Americans at the competition. Of course, success at the Bee is really the result of months, even years, of hard-work, not simply the result of some unique genetic disposition. Tejas himself is clear on what really lies behind the success of Spelling Bee winners: “What you see time and time again is that people who have more or less devoted their whole lives to spelling become Spelling Bee champions. And, I think, that really is a testament to the benefits of hard work”. Secondly, there's the misconception that the students are the products of pushy “tiger parents”. In fact, Sociologist Pawan Dhingra presents us with the simple reality. “The kids don’t stick with it, unless they like it and the parents don’t force their kids to become spellers unless the kids find some internal drive for it”. If there’s something more than evident throughout Rega’s documentary, then it's the sheer determination, resilience and incredible effort of these young people in chasing their dream to become Spelling Bee champions. It's the perfect American success story, whatever the year, whoever the winner. Towards the end of the film, Journalist Fareed Zakaria perhaps best sums up the significance of their success at the Bee: "Here are kids who really come from a very different world and culture in their historical and cultural origins and they are taking part in the most American tradition, doing well at it, playing by their rules. If that's not American assimilation at work, I don't know what is". #LawrenceBennie

★★ Directed by #OlivierMegaton Written by #KarlGajdusek Starring #ÉdgarRamírez, #AnnaBrewster, #MichaelPitt Film Review by Lawrence Bennie The Last Days of American Crime is based on a 2017 graphic novel by Rick Remender. Released on 5th June 2020, Remender's dystopian action thriller has been brought to Netflix screens by Oliver Megaton, perhaps best-known for directing the Taken sequels. In the near future, the US government prepares to transmit an electronic signal across the nation that will effectively paralyse anyone attempting to commit a crime. Career criminal Graham Bricke (Édgar Ramírez) forms an alliance with wanted gangster Kevin Cash (Michael Pitt) to committ the heist of the century before crime is wiped out forever. Joining them is expert hacker, and Cash’s fiancé, Shelby Dupree (Anna Brewster) who is also romantically linked with Bricke. Ramírez makes for a bland, and frankly, wooden hero. Though suitably looking the part, the actor lacks charisma and wit in the role whilst Karl Gajusek’s script offers little in establishing sufficient appeal for the character. Brewster fares somewhat better in her femme fatal role, though its Pitt who emerges as the film’s scene-stealer. However, Gajdusek’s explanation for Cash’s immunity to the signal is hardly convincing: “I had something nobody else had, time to figure it out, time to practice. Finally, one day, I get clarity, that absolutely nothing met anything…That set me free”. One has to wonder that, if that’s the case, others will soon be able to do the same. Furthermore, no satisfactory explanation is given as to how this revolutionary program is going to be implemented across a population of over 300 million in a nation that’s in a state of anarchy. Considering his previous work show-running the first season of Stranger Things, writer Gajdusek largely disappoints here. At 150 minutes, The Last Days of American Crime is surprisingly long for an action movie. Despite the length, director Megaton manages to keep the pace up reasonably enough, even if the second act strays, at times, from the film’s main plot. Rather bizzarely, Sharlto Copley is cast as a cop in an unsatisfactory subplot that seems to lead nowhere. Most unforgivably though is the lack of clarity around the central premise. One can’t help but feel how much more successful this could have been in the hands of a director like Christopher Nolan who has become a master at executing epic thrillers with large-scale action and ambitious storytelling. In fact, director Megaton punctuates his film throughout with a series of Nolan-esque cityscape shots which, whilst impressive, feel like almost cut and paste jobs from The Dark Knight. Unintentionally, they are frequent allusions to much better filmmaking. One of the film’s more effective sequences occurs when Cash returns to his family mansion, confronting his immensely wealthy father and sister. Here, we see a mega-rich family, surrounded by money and power, with no love and compassion between them. “We all use each other, we all hate each other”, Cash’s father openly admits. It’s a Plantagenet-like dynamic, shared by the film’s trio of antiheroes who (in true heist-movie fashion) are also operating on their own agenda. Bricke is seeking revenge for the death of his brother in prision, whilst Cash wants to leave the legacy of committing America’s final crime. Dupree is also in cahoots with the FBI in a bid to ensure the protection of her younger sister. The Last Days of American Crime has already received an overwhelmingly negative reception from critics and its plot has drawn inevitable comparisons to The Purge franchise. Unfortunately, Megaton offers little compensation for the lack of originality and viewers will need to wait until the end to find something to smile about. #LawrenceBennie

★★★★★ Directed by: #MariaDeSanctis Written by: #MariaDeSanctis, #GeoffMcFarlane Starring: #AnnieClark, #WilliamRuss, #MikeBash, #AndrewHamrick, #AntoniaJones Film Review by: Darren Tilby Oscar Wilde once wrote: “Children begin by loving their parents; as they grow older they judge them; sometimes they forgive them.” Few more honest words have ever been written, and none that so perfectly encapsulates Father by Law - Maria De Sanctis’ stunning short film about regret and reconciliation. Liz (Annie Clark) and Eddie’s (Mike Bash) wedding is a picturesque and intimate family affair; the perfect wedding day in every way. That is until Liz’s estranged father, Dale (William Russ), turns up (late) for the wedding – which he hasn’t been invited to anyway – interrupting the nuptials. Dale’s desperate to reconnect with his daughter and, after missing walking her down the aisle – stepfather Steve (Andrew Hamrick) had the honours – he wants the father-daughter dance, an honour he feels he’s entitled. But to get Liz even to accept his presence, Dale will have to face up to some harsh truths and make sacrifices he never thought he’d have to make. Father by Law’s characters are shining examples of characterisation done right: superbly written development of characters that are relatable, believable and outstandingly realised by the actors portraying them. Liz and Dale’s relationship is the focal point here, and it’ll come as no surprise to anyone that they carry much of the movie’s emotional weight. It’s quite the weight to bear, and yet both Clark and Russ bear it with ease, with fantastic dialogue that’s devoid of any of the usual over-dramatised rubbish, and bursting with naturalistic vigour and heartfelt sentiment. The very title “Father by Law” suggests a broken relationship, full of resentment and with a patchy history; of patriarchal negligence. Liz doesn’t see Dale as her father. She resents that fatherhood is something Dale can claim when – she feels – he’s not earned the right to it. Dale doesn’t feel the same. Not able to understand that he’s done anything wrong, he can’t even accept that Liz thinks he has. So here we have two points of view to consider: Liz’s pent-up resentment and Dale’s selfish need for reconciliation. Neither is conducive to a happy ending for either party. The key to saving this father-daughter relationship is Liz accepting that, while her father clearly made mistakes, he does love her deeply. And Dale accepting that he’s made mistakes in the past that he can’t take back, and acknowledging his daughter’s right to be angry about that. Acceptance, the one thing that binds them, is the key. Sanctis’ direction actively flaunts the visual aspects of the movie, notably Anthony Mangini’s stellar cinematography (Sanctis herself is also a cinematographer, so this makes sense), which she utilises to display much of the film’s emotional power. Father by Law is visually exquisite, with plenty of beautiful imagery that accentuates Hannah Reynold’s gorgeous costume design. That’s not to take away from any other aspect of the film, of course. Spencer Creaghan’s musical score is really quite something. It’s just that’s not where the focus lies, at least for the better part. In case you can’t tell, I really enjoyed Father by Law. As a father myself, I found it to be a profoundly affecting little movie about humanity, reconciliation, consideration and acceptance. But almost anybody would, and Its appeal is universal. It’s widely available for free on YouTube, and at only 20-minutes long, you’ve got no reason not to give it a go.