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My Week with Maisy film review by UK film critic Joe Beck. Starring Joanna Lumley, Ellie-Mae Siame, MyAnna Buring directed by Mika Simmons. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS My Week with Maisy Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Joe Beck | Posted on: Nov 18, 2024 Directed by: Mika Simmons Written by: Mike Oxtoby Starring: Joanna Lumley, Ellie-Mae Siame, MyAnna Buring There are certain subject matters that when portrayed in film are bound to get the tears rolling. Of course it’s different for different people, some people will remain stone faced by the end of ‘Titanic’, whilst others will be flooded with tears. The same people may be moved by ‘Schindler’s List’ or more recently ‘Aftersun’, whilst others will remain cold. What moves us to tears is affected by our own personal experience and the way in which we interpret the film and connect to it’s characters. ‘My Week with Maisy’ is a film designed to be a tearjerker, and such is the strength of its characters, that for many people it will be. The film depicts the unconventional relationship between the titular Maisy, played by Ellie-Mae Siame, and Mrs. Foster, played by Joanna Lumley. The two are a strange pairing, given the large age divide between them - Maisy being a young girl and Mrs. Foster being an older, uptight woman - yet the bond they form across their week together is beautiful and feels genuine. Mrs. Foster begins the film wrapped up in herself and set in her ways. She disapproves of her son’s secret gay relationship - and refers to him as ‘one of those’, even taking her prejudice to the nurse, played by MyAnna Buring. When Maisy first enters the fray Mrs. Foster maintains her coldness despite Maisy’s bubbly kindness and straightforwardness. However, as the days wear on and the chemotherapy progresses, Mrs. Foster finds herself softening and warming to Maisy. The two speak French, discuss their treatments and their lives, Mrs. Foster’s past and Maisy’s aspirations to become a lesbian. Maisy transforms Mrs. Foster out of her sheer purity and innocence, and in doing so the pair form a friendship more meaningful than any ordinary friendship could be. It goes without saying that Joanna Lumley is absolutely fabulous as Mrs. Foster. She plays the straight role perfectly, and delivers each line with wit, humour and no small amount of heart. She thrives in the emotionally charged scenes, and by the end of the film brings the audience onto her side so that we are feeling every emotion she feels. As great as Lumley is, however, the real standout is Ellie-Mae Siame, who delivers an exceptional performance as the young Maisy, and is a real star in the making. She immediately endearing herself to the audience with her bubbly personality and humour. She matches Lumley perfectly in the lighter, comedic moments, but delivers all her lines with a knowing sense of weariness so that you truly believe that this poor little girl is suffering from cancer. Mark Oxtoby’s script is a perfect exercise in balancing comedy with serious drama, and manages to make the film feel both light and heavy without any tonal inconsistencies at any point. This is further helped by Mika Simmons’ directing, which is competent throughout and truly immerses you in the story. ‘My Week with Maisy’ is a staggeringly beautiful film, with extraordinary performances and a great deal of charm. It’s a film that sticks with you long after the tears have stopped falling. About the Film Critic Joe Beck Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

An Office Carol film review by UK film critic Swati Verma. Starring Ashley Stinnett, James Holley, Tyler Caplinger directed by Kevin Adkins. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS An Office Carol Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Swati Verma | Posted on: Jul 21, 2022 Directed by: Kevin Adkins Written by: Clayton Potter, Tyler Caplinger Starring: Ashley Stinnett, James Holley, Tyler Caplinger The short film- An office carol celebrates the Christmas festivities but with a slight twist which proves to be beneficial for the protagonist Eric Stephens (Ashley Stinnett). Director Kevin Adkins along with the writers Clayton Potter and Tyler Caplinger attempts to wrap important life lessons with the element of comedy so that the audience does not miss out on the entertainment and thus increase the degree of engagement with the content. The plot of the cinematic piece revolves around an executive visiting the branch office on the day of the Christmas party for an evaluation. He encounters the ghosts of the past, present, and future. They convince him that maybe there is more to Christmas than he thought. The Christmas decoration along with the music in the background and the photographs gives an insight into the making of the film so that the viewers get excited about what the makers have promised to deliver to them. The camera pans slowly into the high-rise buildings and has connotations that even the beautiful city of West Virginia wants to calm down and enjoy the festival. The loud commentary on the Radio in the car builds a contrast between the happy vibes and the monotonous and workaholic nature of Eric Stephens. The mid and close-up shots of the conversations between characters help the viewers understand and incorporate the key message of the movie into their lives and learn from it. The office carol manages to balance the Christmas colour palette as well as the pastel colours and lighting to bring out the essence of the subject matter of the creative piece. The office set-up is intelligently utilized to intensify the drama as the narrative moves closer to its climax. In terms of performance, Ashley Stinnett plays Eric Stephens who only cares about work and money. Stinnett perfectly conveys this rigid and dull lifestyle through dialogues, voice modulations, the body language, and facial expressions. The actor uses anger to justify the rules Stephens has made in his head in regards to an office. James Holley plays the role of Clark Fredrick who is head of the branch Eric Stephens visits for work purposes. He gives the central character advice and also adds some comic moments so that the audience remains emotionally invested in the story. Holley uses the Christmas cap, alcohol, and family ties to add layers to the character of Clark Fredrick. The short film-An Office Carol states the importance of working hard but also tells the audience about how crucial it is to have fun too. There should be a healthy mix of professional as well as personal life. This office drama reiterates the fact that working all the time will make people lonely and boring similar to a machine. The cinematic piece educates the viewers regarding the necessity of taking decisions which are required to be taken as it contributes to the success stories of the firm but it is vital to care for the human resource working for the company too. About the Film Critic Swati Verma Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Snorkeling film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Daniel Zolghadri, Kristine Froseth, Tim Johnson Jr. directed by Emil Nava. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Snorkeling Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Jul 27, 2025 Directed by: Emil Nava Written by: Jack Follman Starring: Daniel Zolghadri, Kristine Froseth, Tim Johnson Jr. A seventeen-year-old boy and his friends get caught up with a new drug on the scene, which offers an escape from the crushing hopelessness they feel in the real world through hallucinations and out of body experiences. Within the last year there has been an explosion of a new drug into the communities of North America – Nitroxin. Troxy – to give it its street name – is administered from a small canister attached to a pipe and a mask, which is then placed over the junkie’s face and breathed in through a process called Snorkeling . Once snorkeled, the user then drifts out of consciousness, usually into an inanimate stupor, while their mind travels freely around traversing their inside thoughts without question or worry. There are plenty of trippy visuals to accompany the high of Troxy, usually with environment bending results, as well as a tendency to imagine beings or other creatures that aren’t really there. Michael (Zolghadri) and his pal Brice (Johnson) are already pot-heads, enjoying a series of spliffs throughout their day as they navigate high school and the surrounding environment. Jameson (Froseth) is Michael’s crush, and a dope-fiend too, so when she plays the part of Eve in the Garden of Eden and offers Michael a taste of the forbidden fruit, he all too willingly takes it from her and blasts his brains out with a shot of Troxy to expand his consciousness. Soon, the teenagers are getting high on a regular basis and tripping their little minds out together while they try to come to terms with this thing called life. For seventy-odd minutes we watch the kids languishing in their comfortable middle-class lives, and listen to them wax lyrical about the state of their mental health due to the problems of the world. All of this seems to be done unironically, without any question of these privileged, well-off, self-entitled whiners actually knowing anything of the difficulty and hardship outside of their suburban bubbles. Director, Emil Nava presents these soundbites and portraits to us as a series of talking heads, where the children talk straight to the camera and answer questions from an unknown interviewer, as well as a more conventional narrative where we follow them around in their daily lives. Together these sequences take up around two-thirds of the narrative, with the rest given over to the psychedelic hallucinations experienced by one or more of the main characters. This breaking up of the narrative also means that the film is broken up into sections or sequences which we follow for a short time before moving onto another. This gives Snorkeling the feeling of it being more of an extended music video than of an actual feature, especially as the narratively driven dialogue is kept to a severe minimum, and the rest of the talking merely provides context. This will come as no surprise to those who know Nava as a music video director, and here he plays to his strengths in providing striking visuals, even though there’s not much story to go along with them. For the entire runtime we’re following the kids in corridors, into parks, out into nature, and around their lavish homes, as they talk about their difficulties with living in this world, telling themselves that they must be depressed, most likely because social media made them believe it is so. For that, the theme of Snorkeling becomes not so much that the kids are escaping into a drug fuelled haze, but more that they all believe their lives to be so messed up and that they are all so depressed. There is not a strong message on whether the drug-taking is truly bad or not, with everyone enjoying their little sojourns into another world, explaining to the camera how the drug helps them with their thoughts and their fears, right up until the very end where the spectre of overdose finally rears its ugly head. With Nava’s expertise, the visuals look truly stunning at times in Snorkeling , with the hallucinatory sequences drifting between oversaturated filters, CGI effects and good, old-fashioned animation. Everything is accompanied by an intense and strongly moulded soundtrack which follows the characters on their mind-bending journeys, enhancing the feel of a music video, as what should be narrative structure is played out in the background as the main characters float through the scenes. This sort of visual expression definitely works best in the short form, and when there’s a definite narrative coming from the lyrics, but when used to create a full-feature the storytelling limitations of the device really do come through. While Snorkeling is a real visual and auditory experience, taking the viewer on a trip that’s over an hour long, that’s really all there is. The story is not generally a story at all, and the characters are only caught together in a thematic device which they experience but don’t necessarily explore. There’s not enough there to justify the feature length runtime, as mainly all we do is follow the kids around with a soundtrack playing behind them as they try to get high. Still, the arthouse feel of the film might be enough for some, and for those who are happy to have an audio-visual feast without needing to work too hard on the narrative side of things, Snorkeling might be just the pill you need to escape from the world for seventy-odd minutes. About the Film Critic William Hemingway Digital / DVD Release, Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Rage Against the Dying film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Rajat Arora, Akanksha Srivastava directed by Saurabh Arora. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Rage Against the Dying Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Sep 24, 2024 Directed by: Saurabh Arora Written by: Saurabh Arora Starring: Rajat Arora, Akanksha Srivastava A couple are tormented by an ancient curse. A short horror film from India that explores the suffering that is being done to a young married couple by supernatural forces, in this case a family curse that has been pursuing the family for generations, forcing the members to be away from each other. The couple that is currently being targeted by the curse is Arif ( Rajat Arora) and Rachna (Srivastava) and having endured the menace fore ages, they seem to have reached the end of their tether as they have repeatedly moved residences in the hope of avoiding the curse, however it always follows them. Now, in their apartment, the couple have a disagreement regarding whether they should move again or try to face the threat. Arguably, the highlights are the parts where the paranormal entities (spirits or ghosts) affect the family, tormenting them with vile sounds of people screaming or being in terrible agony and commendations go to Anup Rupanwar for the sound design. It is implied that these forces also have the ability to perform physical actions, as a massive animal-like scratches are seen on sheets. However, the real terror occurs with the appearance of demonic-looking hands approaching the unfortunate characters. All this is accompanied by Karl Casey's sinister score, making the experience even more frightening. Yes, there are spine-tingling moments. However, if these are taken away, this short does not have much. When the couple are not been menaced, they have a minor argument and then they stay in separate room in their household and communicate via their mobile phones. While this takes place, they send sentimentaal text messages to each other, ignoring the curse, making the viewer forget that this is supposed to be a horror story. While the text bubbles are well-designed, this part feels dull and feels more like a commentary about how mobile phones isolate people, making them communicate via technology than face-to-face. The film opens with a title card showing the title of the poem Do not go gentle into that good night by Welsh poet Dylan Thomas. Interestingly, the film's title is part of that poem, which is repeated several times in the poem. Following the title card, the film moves to a voice-over accompanied by a montage. The narrator (an unknown male voice) tells the story of the curse, while a series of black-and-white shots (seemingly archive footage) that include buildings burning and people boarding a train. The narration is relevant to the narrative, however how the visuals mentioned fit in is not clear. This supernatural horror film does have its positives, including decent performances, an interesting plot and the tense moments mentioned above. Ultimately, it appears to be a story about love and courage. Unfortunately, it almost certainly could had done without the lengthy, speech-free parts with the mobile phones because they slow the narrative down and divert it away from the plot. About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

HAnnimal Lector film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Jorge Villacorta directed by Jorge Luis Villacorta Santamato. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS HAnnimal Lector Film Review average rating is 1 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Dec 11, 2022 Directed by: Jorge Luis Villacorta Santamato Written by: Jorge Luis Villacorta Santamato Starring: Jorge Villacorta A man walks into a room. He's wearing a suit and tie and a wool overcoat. He walks over to a stool in the middle of the frame and sits down on it. In front of the stool is a small desk or a plinth covered in a grey, woollen cloth upon which is situated a giant tome of a book – it must be at least a thousand pages long. The man undoes the buttons on his coat and settles himself down. He opens the book and finds a page somewhere near the beginning, probably about fifty or so pages in. He takes a minute to find the best 'thinker' pose that his ego will allow him to present and apparently begins reading. The wall behind him is bare and white and there is a light switch over on the left hand side. There is the noise of passing traffic and the chirping of birds from outside but the man says nothing. The man thinks he's smart. He's not. He just thinks he is. After ten minutes the scene cuts and the stool is empty again. Immediately the man re-enters the frame and sits down to once more begin reading. He doesn't need to open his coat this time – he's already done that. After apparently reading for a short while he nonchalantly flicks back through a few pages until he again settles on a page to go on with. Twenty minutes in and the scene cuts back to an empty stool. The man immediately re-enters the frame, sits down, and apparently begins reading again. After another couple of minutes he casually flips back a few pages and continues. Sometimes he leans on his elbow, sometimes he puts both hands on the plinth and looks like he's ready to deliver a sermon. At distant points a motorcycle and a plane pass by outside. After thirty minutes the scene cuts to an empty stool.... …. and you get the idea. Jorge Villacorta doesn't seem to though, as he drags this utter drudgery out for another twenty minutes, expecting us to marvel at the audacity and cleverness of his turgid little film. At certain points you can distinctly see how pleased Jorge is with himself as wry smirks ripple across his face and he alternately raises what he wrongly believes to be an enigmatic eyebrow or two. After fifty minutes are up Jorge re-enters the frame, from a different angle this time, quickly flicks back another few pages and then promptly leaves. The End. Writer, director, producer, cinematographer, editor, musician, talent co-ordinator, costumier, hair and make-up department head, concept artist, art director, special effects artist, visual effects lead, stunt co-ordinator and stunt performer, location manager and transportation captain, Jorge Luis Villacorta Santamato wants to tell you that his film (and by actually crediting himself with all of these titles it is very much His film) is a crime, fantasy, horror, mystery. It's not. If you're interested you can link from the film's IMDb page to Jorge's own review of his own film where he argues his case in suitably confounding language that it's all about objectivism and abstraction. Well, d'uh! In his own review of his own film Jorge talks about the 'much lesser people' (in relation to capitalist society) while at the same time using words like 'peer', 'blessed' and 'accomplished scholar' to describe himself. He states that calling his film 'a movie about cannibalism is logical' and even proudly calls it an 'extremely perverse Peruvian snuff feature' where perverse is the only word which accurately describes anything which is going on, though probably not in the way Jorge thinks. Jorge would probably say that I don't understand his film, or that I haven't taken the time to properly investigate what he is trying to say – and he would be right – I don't, I haven't. I don't care to. His film is literally just him in a bare room sitting down pretending to read a book for fifty minutes in a static frame. It's junk. I'm all for film being art but this is neither; it's just an extended navel gazing exercise which goes nowhere. I've watched fifty minutes of this stuff so that you don't have to – so please don't – objectively. About the Film Critic William Hemingway Digital / DVD Release, Short Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Abandon Fear film review by UK film critic Swati Verma. Starring Matthew Spurgeon, Fraser Provan directed by Craig Foggo. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Abandon Fear Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Swati Verma | Posted on: Jan 17, 2023 Directed by: Craig Foggo Written by: Craig Foggo Starring: Matthew Spurgeon, Fraser Provan The writer-director Craig Foggo introduces the audience to his creative imagination where Earth’s civilization is all set to collapse and the two protagonists Janice (Matthew Spurgeon) and Jackie(Fraser Provan) try to combat various issues with their survival skills. The plot of the short film-Abandon Fear revolves around a great war and what the world has turned into. In this new world, there is a hooded character who likes to test for fear to survive. He goes by the name of Janice with his companion Jackie and the group. He will only test those who pick up his gas mask. Abandon Fear follows a nonlinear narrative to build up the tension, mystery, thrill, and suspense that assists the filmmaker to hook the viewers with the content of the movie. The dramatic piece opens with a radio message followed by the long shot of the two people talking and the desaturated colour pallet establishes what the film deals with. The set design, lighting, dialogues, costume, hair and makeup, and props compliment the subject matter and elevate the sense of responsibility towards our loved ones and our motherland. The darkness, grey quiet environment symbolises the hardships experienced by the soldiers utilised by the cinematographer Connor Beggs to add realism to the storyline and therefore make it relatable for the audience. In terms of performance, Matthew Spurgeon plays Janice and proves to be an asset to his team and the group he leads. Spurgeon understands the nuances of his character. The love respect and dedication towards his duties are visible in his body language, voice modulation, and conversations. Fraser Provan plays the role of Jackie a true friend to Janice who helps to work efficiently on his goal of abandoning fear. Provan with his comic timing ensures that the viewers don’t lose interest in such an intense topic. The actor beautifully executes all the punch lines with the help of eyes and facial expressions. Abandon Fear stands true to the theory of the survival of the fittest. The short film talks about the need of being fearless if one wants to fight as well as survive through difficult times. The cinematic piece reiterates the importance of staying together and protecting each other every time any emergency arises. The movie tells us that life also puts those people to varied tests who can emerge victorious and be ready for the next challenge. The creative piece discusses how crucial it becomes to defend the place one lives in searching for peace and normalcy in the hope of a better future for everyone. Abandon Fear highlights what affect a war circumstance can have on the children who are forced to live in it for the long term. I want to appreciate Craig Foggo and his team who delivers a key message that life can be unpredictable and we shouldn’t take anything for granted and be grateful to god as well as be prepared at all times. About the Film Critic Swati Verma Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Shelf film review by UK film critic James Learoyd. Starring Don Warrington directed by Lawrence Rowe. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Shelf Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: James Learoyd | Posted on: Oct 10, 2024 Directed by: Lawrence Rowe Written by: Lawrence Rowe Starring: Don Warrington As a huge proponent of the no-dialogue (or minimal dialogue) short film, the new Don Warrington-starring picture Shelf proved to be delightfully entertaining. Director Lawrence Rowe takes an intelligent, elemental approach to the story – allowing the film’s singular subject and concept to drive the plot organically. Cinema, as we all know, is a visual medium. So, when you’re producing a piece under ten minutes long, the less talky and the more visual, the better. This short is fully aware of this, and uses its performer and its craft to tell a simple, sentimental narrative. We follow Grant, a lonely man in his home who’s frustrated by the ticking of his living room clock on the mantle-piece. As the plot progresses, Grant becomes dedicated to making a replacement, fully-functioning shelf. What’s important, however, is the emotional subtext at play: our protagonist’s deeper sadness at the loss of his wife. It’s a sweet, well-measured little movie. Let’s start by discussing Don Warrington, the star of the film (and an actor I know best for being the commissioner in the BBC show Death in Paradise ). All of the drama, emotion, and really plot progression hangs on his facial expression. Therefore, you’ll be glad to know that the man knows how to hold your attention, and understands fully how his behaviour plays on camera. It’s also just wonderful to see an established performer in a smaller, independent art project; the backing and support of a star can really put strong work like this in the public eye, and allow a greater audience to experience the craft that was always there. Another important thing to note about this central performance, is that one can tell it’s been well directed. When working with minimal dialogue, ideas need to be delivered through fragmented moments of physicality and semiotics – how our protagonist sighs in one shot, leading to an expression of resilience in the next. Shelf manages to deliver all these little behavioural moments because the filmmaker knows clearly how one image (or expression) will relate to the next. The tight editing also plays a huge role in the success of this approach. Without the punchy rhythm and emotionally motivated cutting, the piece would not be nearly as successful as it is. By ‘emotionally motivated’, I’m speaking in reference to how the pace will slow appropriately during moments of the character’s reflection or contemplation, and then quicken once he finds his flow. Through all this, the audience is free to take in some really pleasant shots and carefully arranged compositions. In terms of the cinematography, the use of both natural light and artificial light in particular demonstrates a high level of skill – one shot sees a light spilling through the windows, casting its golden colour onto the area of the wall on which the shelf is to be fitted. It’s pleasing filmmaking, to say the least. The film grabs us emotionally and continues to sustain us through its efficient, minimalistic storytelling and light touch. It goes without saying that I would recommend this work to those looking for some short, heartfelt cinema. About the Film Critic James Learoyd Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Tomorrow's Today film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Greg Kritikos, Joanne Scorcia, Annunziato Carbone, Dave Morrissey Jr., Heather Cole, Dominick Martini directed by Timothy Hines. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Tomorrow's Today Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Dec 14, 2021 Directed by: Timothy Hines Written by: Frederick Stroppel, Susan Goforth, Sandy Chila Starring: Greg Kritikos, Joanne Scorcia, Annunziato Carbone, Dave Morrissey Jr., Heather Cole, Dominick Martini A story about a group of people who unwillingly get involved with dangerous criminals and must find a way to get themselves out of trouble. Charlie Boy (Kritikos) does stand-up comedy for a living and is quite popular in his neighbourhood. He gets along with people, goes to church and is trying to leave his criminal past behind. His friend Tommy G. (Carbone) is a wannabe actor who idolizes movie star Tom Hardy. Unfortunately, Tommy also has a gambling problem and when he gets himself into serious debt with gangsters, Charlie, along with his friend Joey ''Shakes'' (Morrissey), attempt to help Tommy out, leading to further complications. This is a dark comedy crime drama that includes interesting characters and an intriguing plot. The main focus is on Charlie and the situations he and his friends get into and the script effectively explores the lives of the protagonists. The narrative contains themes of friendship, supporting each other, loss, grief and the pursuit of one's dreams. There is adult humour, criminals threatening people, a robbery, a kidnapping and there are also emotional scenes. Kritikos leads the film well as well-meaning person, who is willing to help others and is suffering due to a terrible event that took place in his past. Carbone plays his part well as an optimistic individual dreaming of movie fame but ends up creating problems and Scorcia is convincing as a single mother who also has a tragic past. Martini is menacing as Big Angie, the leader of a gang of criminals. The film contains wonderful establishing shots of New York City and several well-constructed montages that utilise fast motion and include shots various people and locations in New York, kind of like a documentary. The filmmakers also make limited use of black-and-white cinematography. The soundtrack is rich, consisting of enjoyable tracks and the theme song Tomorrow's Today is a great addition. This award-winning feature offers an entertaining experience that is not without its moving moments and the plot and characters are enough to gain the viewer's attention and approval. About the Film Critic Jason Knight Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Faceless After Dark film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Jena Kanell, Danielle Lyn, Danny Kang directed by Raymond Wood. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Faceless After Dark Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: May 16, 2024 Directed by: Raymond Wood Written by: Todd Jacobs, Jenna Kanell Starring: Jena Kanell, Danielle Lyn, Danny Kang Back in 2016, Jenna Kanell made a horror movie, a low budget affair, the unofficial sequel to a very minor indie nearly no one saw. By that point in her career, Kanell had made half dozen or more low budget indie features, done loads of TV, shorts, and a few music videos. In all likelihood, Terrifier didn’t register at the time as anything other than one more microbudget horror flick. But that is not what Terrifier turned out to be, is it? The little clown killer that could undoubtedly changed Kanell’s career, perhaps not in all the ways the actor/writer/director/stunt performer might have wanted it to. What’s a not-final girl to do? Kanell channeled the experience into the new feature, Faceless After Dark , which she co-wrote with Todd Jacobs. Directed by Raymond Wood, the film follows a disgruntled struggling actress named Bowie (Kanell) who pays more bills selling autographs at horror cons than through actual acting gigs—but the clown from her hit movie earns more. Plus, her more famous girlfriend is still closeted about the relationship, and her longtime best friend’s film got greenlit—as long as he gives the lead to a different actress. And, of course, you have the creepy fans. It all gets to be too much one night, until Bowie taps into her own creativity and becomes the artist she was meant to be. Meta can get very tiresome, especially in horror, but there’s something wearily honest about its application in Faceless After Dark . At its best, the film is a reflection of the maddening obstacles facing people—women, specifically—trying to survive Hollywood. Kanell delivers a commanding performance and the writing is sound, even if the plotting is a little obvious and superficial and the psychotic break feels unearned. But as a showcase for Kanell’s charisma, and an often satisfying reaction to the rampant misogyny in cinema and particularly in fan culture, it’s fun. About the Film Critic Hope Madden Digital / DVD Release, Indie Feature Film, LGBTQ+ < All Reviews Next Film Review >

A Light Through Coloured Glass film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Kyle Brookes, Sophia Leanne Kelly, Macaulay Cooper, Danni Shepherd directed by Mike Clarke. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS A Light Through Coloured Glass Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Dec 6, 2022 Directed by: Mike Clarke Written by: Mike Clarke Starring: Kyle Brookes, Sophia Leanne Kelly, Macaulay Cooper, Danni Shepherd A man attempts to help a troubled young woman find her way in life. William (Brookes) is a respectful man who plays the piano at church and presents a local television show with his wife, who appears to have left him. One day, by chance, he meets Tina (Kelly) an unmotivated, jobless woman and the two of them begin a friendship. Unfortunately, Tina is involved in drugs and owes money to her dealer Dan (Cooper). Desperate, she goes to William for help and he offers to pay her debt for her and to assist her in getting back on her feet. Will Tina be able to pull herself together and start a new life? This is a hard-hitting and emotional story that focuses on two individuals and their struggles. There is lot of emphasis on the rapport that develops between Tina and William, as their lives intertwine and they learn more and more about each other, including about their past and the problems they are facing. What keeps the audience intrigued is how and if these two characters are going to overcome the challenges that they are up against. There is a lot of drama and confrontations throughout and there are also moments of tenderness. Kelly's performance deserves a great deal of praise, as she is very convincing as a rebellious, foul-mouthed individual who had an unstable upbringing and is now living a motiveless life. Brookes is terrific in his role, in which he plays a character who is quite different to Kelly's, as William is well-mannered, lives in a fancy residence and had been living a respectable and happy life until his wife left. However, what he has in common with her is that he too is facing hardships. Clarke utilises long takes often in this feature and they work effectively. Credit also goes to Nicolas Iaconis IV for the music. Basically, this is a film about two people who meet and end up having a significant impact on each other's life. It is a story about the hardships of life, about friendship, support, self-discovery, regrets and moving on to better things. It suggests that although life can be cruel, with inner strength and the support of others, there is hope for a new start. About the Film Critic Jason Knight Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

While Time is Away film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Tirion Healy, Catrin Jones, Nadeem Shakir directed by Anthony Hett. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS While Time is Away Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Oct 23, 2022 Directed by: Anthony Hett Written by: Miriam Jarvis Starring: Tirion Healy, Catrin Jones, Nadeem Shakir Two young women meet at a restaurant after a friend commits suicide. Cerys (Jones) is sitting by herself at a table in a restaurant. Soon, she is joined by Bethan (Healy). The two of them used to be friends at school, however, they have not seen each other for years. Harry (Shakir), a young man that both of them used to know, has recently taken his own life and Bethan has returned for the funeral. The two women talk about what has happened and try to come to terms with it. This is quite a moving short drama with a plot that focuses on the aftermath of a suicide. Almost the entire narrative consists of the conversation between Bethan and Cerys at the restaurant. During their calm and dramatic discussion, they reminisce about the past, mourne Harry and Bethan makes a revelation about him that makes her feel regrets. Since the main subject of this film is suicide, the mood is rather melancholic throughout, with a lot of attention placed on how a young man's passing has affected two people who knew him. Since the conversation between the two female leads makes up almost the entire film, their performances are vital in order for this short to have an effect and they both pull it off remarkably. They are both very convincing as estranged friends who are reunited after the death of a person they cared about and they both show that they have been deeply affected by the tragic event. There are brief and dramatic flashbacks about Harry that reveal more about his character and the sound of a passing train is significant in this film as it indicates that he took his own life by jumping in front of a moving train. A lot of praise goes to Caia Buckeridge for the beautiful and sentimental score and the song Every Five Minutes by IMOGEN was a great choice. This short is an emotional drama that explores distressing themes that involve suicide, grief and regrets. It also looks into uplifting subjects that include friendship, support and finding the strength to move on. It also raises awareness of suicide and urges people to seek help if they are feeling suicidal. About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Country and Courage film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Jamelle C. Shawley, Dae McDonald, Martin Bandy, JT Traffanstedt, Peter Friedrich, Stephan Wolfert directed by Rodney Roldan. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Country and Courage Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Aug 13, 2022 Directed by: Rodney Roldan Written by: N/A Starring: Jamelle C. Shawley, Dae McDonald, Martin Bandy, JT Traffanstedt, Peter Friedrich, Stephan Wolfert A powerful and informative documentary about United States Army veterans. This forty-minute long film aims to raise support for veterans of the United States Armed Forces, reveal their great contributions and show the efforts done by American people in order to support and honour them. The documentary is filled with fascinating facts that include how the 11th of November became a day dedicated to the honour of American veterans of all wars, the experiences of a war veteran in Vietnam and programmes that involve the use of works by English playwright William Shakespeare in order to help veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. Several individuals are interviewed and they consist of Major General Jamelle C. Shawley, Sergeant First Class Dae McDonald, Vietnam War Veterans Martin Bandy and JT Traffanstedt, Associate Professor of Theatre Peter Friedrich. Stephan Wolfert also contributes, who is an army veteran and founder of Decruit, a programme that utilises Shakespeare to assist veterans with PTSD. All these people share their knowledge and experience and provide an insight on what it is like being a U.S. Army veteran and what support they get from their country. The film contains a rich collection of photographs of members of the U.S. Military in uniform and they include pictures of soldiers doing their duty in several wars, including the two World Wars and the Vietnam War. Most of the photos are seen through brief and beautifully edited montages. There is also footage of soldiers engaging in combat. Roldan also provides narration and does a great job. Occasionally, the screen reveals quotes from Shakespeare himself or texts from some of his plays. The music that is heard throughout adds significant value, as it is dramatic and creates a feeling of courage. This short documentary is an admirable achievement that pays homage to veterans of the United States Armed Forces and points out the importance of supporting them, honouring them and acknowledging their accomplishments. It also introduces the viewer to some wonderful individuals and analyses a number of significant facts. For these reasons, this is a film that should be praised. About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film, Documentary < All Reviews Next Film Review >