★★ Directed by: #TrishRainone Written by: #TrishRainone Starring: #TrishRainone, #BobbyDelRio Film Review by Christopher Hart Trish Rainone’s Milk shows a scene in the life of couple Mark (Bobby Del Rio) and Jennifer (Trish Rainone). The plot revolves around the moments leading up to a disaster. The audience is flung into the messy life of the pair, as Mark searches the apartment for his keys, whilst Jennifer cooks. Mark has his head in the clouds and his mind elsewhere, while Jennifer is more grounded. However, despite their differences, the two are together, even if it does not seem too natural. The characters are likeable enough, and Mark is particularly relatable to those who are disorganised and forgetful, while Jennifer is relatable to loving girlfriends who have to look after or even babysit their other halves. The acting between the pair is slightly uncomfortable and lacks a certain aura of authenticity. Nonetheless, the acting is also very playful and upbeat, keeping the audience engaged, so it was not completely graceless. We understand the characters off the bat, and for the short time we are watching, the viewer already knows a lot about the two. This is thanks to a well-written script, even if it was not executed to its full potential. The story is authentic – an experience we have all had; forgotten keys and being late for work. The story seems to fall apart after the midway mark, as it turns into what appears to be a montage of memories, which could be posted on someone’s social media on their birthday. The plot is almost absent, with the memory of an important conversation being one of the two plot devices. The montage follows this and with the fitting music, this scene was enough to make anyone cringe. The camerawork and editing were rather good in these shots, however. It is not clear what Rainone is trying to illustrate with this film. At the end of the credits, she dedicates the film to the memory of someone she knows, perhaps a close friend or a lost love. Milk might be a true story which is personal to the Rainone’s life. This would mean that Milk is a very special story to Rainone, but one cannot help but wonder whether the simplicity in the film went too far to convey a story which meant a lot more to the director. Milk does not seem to take any huge risks or try anything new, but it is enjoyable and charismatic in its own way. #ChristopherHart

★★★★★ Directed by: #EvDurán Written by: #EvDurán Film Review by: Darren Tilby It never ceases to amaze me how – even when faced with unimaginable tragedy; unimaginable loss – people can come back from the brink stronger and even more determined than ever to make life better, not only for themselves but also for those around them. The 2018 California wildfires (the Camp Fire) were devastating, destroying around 14,000 homes and claiming 85 lives. I remember watching on the news as the fires took hold, bringing ruination to everything on its path, and just thinking to myself: how can you possibly rebuild your life after something like that? Filmmaker Ev Durán, who grew up in Paradise, California – one of the towns devastated by the Camp Fire – focuses on the resilient residents of his former hometown, as he asks the very same question I had asked almost two years ago. The first act of the film, which lasts around 30-minutes, delves into the history of Paradise and details life before the fire. Durán interviews several residents (including a few family members) about their personal history with the town. When did they arrive? Why did they come to the town? What was their favourite place there? And it’s delightful to hear the residents talking about the love they have for their town. No-one has a bad word to say, and the passion for their community is a beautiful thing. The second act deals with the Camp Fire itself, and to say it’s intense is an understatement. The interviewees give detailed, minute-by-minute accounts of their miraculous escape stories, which Durán intersperses with actual footage of the blaze shot by the residents. The whole ordeal is terrifying to behold and utterly heartbreaking to hear. Listening to the residents; hearing in their voices how fresh, even over a year on, the whole thing is, is about as harrowing as it’s possible to get. The third act shows the full extent of the damage and examines life after the blaze, or rather, the act of rebuilding it. Even now, there’s considerable uncertainty, and many are still homeless. And even those “lucky” enough to yet have a home are either unable to live in it, fighting insurance companies for help paying for the damage, or having to live in a shell of a town without many essential services (schools, hospitals, etc.) As Durán himself says, “there are no winners here”. All-in-all, All Its Name Implies (which is the town’s motto) is a well-put-together movie. The video and audio quality is superb, interviews are handled earnestly and with sensitivity, and it’s incredibly informative. I loved that we got a rundown of the science behind the blaze. I loved that this was made by a Paradisian filmmaker, someone with intimate knowledge of the town and its people. It’s also great to hear about the relief efforts that have been pouring into Paradise over the years. Moreover, it’s magnificent to see just how many people are still determined to rebuild their lives in Paradise, even after surviving such a traumatic event. All Its Name Implies is a superb documentary; a stunning testament to human tenacity. More importantly, it aims to raise money for residents to rebuild their lives after suffering such terrible loss and tragedy. Please help if you can.

★★★★ Stars Directed by: #SaraBulloch Written by: #SaraBulloch Starring: #ArielLeo, #SavannahJoy, #JohnBruce, #CarlyRoxanne, #StevenPacaud Film Review by: Alicia Moore Scroll latches onto the struggles of modern life regarding technology and social media usage. Lisa, a withdrawn and quite nervous employee, starts her first day at her new job. She feels intimidated by her coworkers at first and, when she deep dives into their social media profiles, her initial feelings only grow stronger. Her thoughts and feelings warp into more struggles to deal with at her new job. This short film can be very relatable to a lot of individuals within our population; myself included. The main character, Lisa (Ariel Leo,) appears introverted and is seen surrounding herself with different trinkets and objects, that she must be fond of, and plotting them around her desk. The relatability through the duration of the film is a brilliant element, in which it completely grabs the attention of the audience – even those who may live their life the opposite, more extroverted way can find relatability in certain characters and scenes. This film was created as part of the Winnipeg Film Group's 48 Hour Film Contest (entry of 2018.) The contest challenges filmmakers to shoot and edit an entire film – a maximum of 3 minutes and 20 seconds in length – in a designated 48 hours. This is a trying task for filmmakers alike and a mass amount of work is required to achieve the goal of having the opportunity for the film to be screened to the public. The cast and crew of Scroll presented an impressive final product, even when restricted to the timeframe that they had to complete all aspects of it. The characters are introduced by a narrator (Steven Pacaud) which adds an intriguing ‘outsider’ effect to the plot. The audience is drawn in by the relatability of the storyline itself but are then seated beside the narrator, observing the events as they unfold. Although I named this as an ‘outsider’ effect, it does actually bring the audience closer to the characters as the narrator speaks in a personal sense about them and their train of thought. I adore the choice of a narrator throughout the film; it brings a lot to the project. The overall direction and writing is of a high standard. Writer and director, Sara Bulloch, is able to portray emotion through camera placement, and even through this written choice of a narrator. The scenes are pleasing to watch and there are never any moments when the film feels as though it has been brought to an unwanted standstill, whether that be through writing or acting. Each scene has a radiant fluidity as well as non-identical atmospheres attached to each. A specific aspect of the film that needs to be mentioned and praised is that, when a character is being described through the narrator, images that apply to their personality traits appear on a bar at the side of the screen. This immediately strikes as an imitation of how an individual’s social media profile would appear. The different images play a part in solidifying the plot of the film, as well as adding details to the characters in their frames to portray how much our society has their eyes glued to their social media accounts and their phones entirely. The chosen style stands out with the foregoing explanation and also adds further characterisation for each character. This then gives me a chance to say that the editing of the film, carried out by Allison Stevens, is absolutely wonderful and deserves so much positive recognition. Scroll is a joyous short film with a dedicated cast and crew. It is thoroughly enjoyable with comedic value paired with a message that will put your thoughts of the world into perspective. Take a deep breath, turn away from your phone and spend time with nature and your surrounding companions. But, only do so after giving all your attention to this film.

★★★★ Written & Directed by: #CraigMoore Starring: #GrahamEarley #AaronAdamson #MarieDevine Short Film Review by #ChrisBuick There is no rulebook on grief, each person handles it in their own unique way. However, it is perhaps a common presumption that most, unwittingly or not, will traverse the same five basic stages; denial, anger, bargaining, depression and finally acceptance. But as powerful Irish drama Three Brothers Two from filmmaker Craig Moore shows, grief is not a straight line through each of them, instead it is a deep forest with many turns where it can become very easy to lose your way. Jack (Earley) sits alone surrounded by rows of empty church pews completely silent and unaware of the world around him, his heavily worn eyes instead fixated on the coffin situated just a few feet in front of him where his younger brother Tommy now lies, having recently lost his life to a drug overdose. It is not until Tony (Adamson), Tommy’s friend and also the brother of Jack’s girlfriend Aine (Devine), appears to his side begging forgiveness that Jack snaps back. With Tony being the one that supplied the drugs in the first place, Jack's reddened eyes become filled with anger and hate as he lashes out threateningly at Tony, who as far as Jack is concerned is the one responsible for Tommy's death. Unable to move past his heartache, Jack’s downwards spiral over the subsequent weeks means that his emotions begin to transform from mere grief into something much darker. If the intention here was that each character in the piece is only meant to represent a single phase of the grieving process, then Moore doesn’t seem to be giving himself nearly enough credit. Moore has actually demonstrated through some simple and incredibly authentic writing that, as mentioned previously, grief is not a one-way road to the other side. In fact, grief is fluid and those involved can actually just as easily regress as much as progress. Each character seems to be given a certain well of depth and freedom to not only move back and forth throughout, but also actually experience two, three or as many as four stages simultaneously. Again, there is no formula to sorrow, something Moore definitely knows and demonstrates it here. Grief is never pretty; destructive forces very rarely are. But it must be said that the film often looks stunning, whether it's against the undisputable beauty of grey Irish skies, or trapped beneath darkened tunnels, the film not only manages to look the part but manages to fully accentuate the mood as well. It also helps that Three Brothers Two hosts a cast that can convey Moore’s themes not only where the dialogue shows them, but also make them evident through a host of subtle nuances. Earley as powder keg Jack might be an easy standout being the films centrepiece, but nothing should be taken away from his chameleonic performance of a tortured man trying desperately to move past his pain and more importantly, himself. A constant ticking bomb with no timer, Earley’s eyes show us a great deal more than what Jack might be saying, leaving us on tenterhooks for a detonation that may come at any moment. Adamson’s Tony is a worthy counterweight, perhaps not given the chance to paint as many colours as Earley but still gives a performance which permits us sympathy in his plight for mercy. Devine’s role unfortunately doesn’t seem to allow for much scope outside of despair and longing for a resolution between the two male leads, but it's an effective turn nonetheless. Although any big drama might be thin on the ground, Moore’s emotionaland highly effective character driven piece still succeeds in creating something real, honest and importantly captivating. #ChrisBuick

★★★★ Directed by: Eric J. Liddle Written by: Eric J. Liddle Starring: Gabriel Tauber, Lary Muller, Matthew Greenaway Short Film Review by: Chris Olson Sunshine Periphery Movie Review Spiritually challenging and gorgeously filmed, filmmaker Eric J. Liddle’s short film Sunshine Periphery is as pondering as it is preposterous. It’s a road trip style movie but rather than an A to B by the way of X, Y, and Z classic structure, we are presented with an erratic journey within one man’s consciousness that is equally full of wrong turns, strange destinations, and oddball characters. Gabriel Tauber plays our leading man Jonny, described as an apathetic guy experiencing a surrealist fever dream, he traverses the unwelcoming landscape of the desert, meeting Grim (Matthew Greenaway) who offers him riddles and life lessons, as well as a piano to play and red wine to drink. The two ponder Jonny’s existential crisis, looking for fresh perspectives on whatever event has led to this breakdown. At first, Jonny is unreceptive to the swiftly changing nature of his experience but comes to find a calm clarity in the journey, even when he finds himself on a road to a new, unknown destination with Kin (Lary Muller). Eric J. Liddle presented a short film in 2018 called Mister Swolo that has a lot in common with Sunshine Periphery. Both have a penchant for the bizarre and both are happy to play with character and structure in order to offer the audience something fairly unique. What is brilliant to see is that Liddle has seriously upped his game in terms of filmmaking here. The quality of the shoot, the performances, the sound, and the simply glorious editing, make this a huge leap in terms of direction. One particular highlight sees the camera dissolve a black coffee into a sequence of Jonny playing the piano which was absolutely sumptuous to watch. Tauber is on excellent form here considering it’s his first credited performance. He approaches the role with the noticeable bewilderment needed to draw the audience into this dreamscape whilst developing over the course of the narrative into something more interesting and, even more, formidable. Muller and Greenaway offer decent supporting performances (if a little stilted with the dialogue at times) but it is Gabriel Tauber’s arresting vulnerability which becomes the beating heart of the piece. As with any experimental movie, Sunshine Periphery won’t be everyone’s goblet of red wine. There is a challenging nature to the script which some viewers may not be up for. However, those wishing to throw themselves into the journey and grapple with the hefty themes of life’s meaning will find plenty to see along the way. What’s more, it could even change your own outlook as long as you are willing to take things step by step, at the pace life intends. #ChrisOlson Watch the Movie Trailer

★★★★ Directed by: #CateJones Written by: #CateJones Starring: #MaryBuss, #CateJones, #MickeyReece, #KylePenington Film Review by: Darren Tilby Dysfunctional families, eh? Who'd have them! Well, us moviegoers, apparently. There's been a string of movies lately that focus on the dysfunction of the family unit. Mainly since Ari Aster brought the subgenre back to the mainstream with his 2018 hit, Hereditary - a film I didn't care very much for. But it's a film Cate Jones borrows quite heavily from (along with a dash of Practical Magic and a hint of Psycho) for her feature-debut, She's the Eldest. A movie which is full of feminist energy and really, really weird stuff! Three siblings – Leanne (Mary Buss) - mothering and kind, Polly (Cate Jones) - a strong-willed feminist, and Jamie (Mickey Reece) - childlike and vulnerable – return to their childhood home to reconnect with each other. But instead, they end up uncovering the events surrounding their parents' mysterious disappearance. There are a plethora of solid performances here from very gifted actors. Although some of the side characters don't seem to go anywhere; to evolve, they're always a delight when they're on screen nonetheless. The three siblings are, themselves, a little hard to read; an enigma, if you will. This seems intentional though and serves as a crucial plot point later in the film. But more importantly, they're relatable, likeable and there's a depth to the characters that will keep you engrossed in their story. There's a recurrent theme throughout the movie of women having to sacrifice their professional dreams for the sake of their personal lives. Plenty of times do we hear of a woman who went off to college, got degrees, then had to give it all up and 'settle down' for a mediocre job and family - "These boys... they're not worth the sacrifice and pain." A detail brilliantly mirrored, but gender-swapped, in the genuinely bizarre B-movie (Corgi 2) that the siblings watch together. Indeed, there's a feminist vivacity here that's quick to point out that it's the women here, not the men, who are the stronger of the sexes. After all, it takes strength to waive one's hopes and dreams for the sake of another. It never feels bitter, though, and everything resonates with good humour. The entire film is in black & white, which always looks beautiful. Jacob Burns' work on the cinematography is quite outstanding: I especially love the way the camera moves around the house and frames the characters themselves. It adds a lot of personality to both its surroundings and subjects. However, I'm not sure the black & white adds an awful lot to the movie, at least not until much later: it does add texture to certain scenes and, perhaps, it speaks of the characters' connection to the past - another recurrent theme here. I'm not entirely sure, to be honest. And that's pretty much how I left the film feeling: what have I just seen? The whole third act is erm, quite something. I'm not sure what it is—but it's something. There are some issues here and there. Some of the dialogue doesn't flow as it should, and narratively it's a little all over the place at times. But I love that this is a movie which makes you think; that you have to work to get the most out of it. It never spoonfeeds you the information you need, and that's something rare these days; something that we should celebrate. She's the Eldest is an incredibly promising feature-debut that left me bewildered, captivated and sure of only one thing. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

★ Directed by: Brian Ly Written by: Brian Ly, Declan Mulligan Starring: Declan Mulligan, Brian Ly, Alexander Pissos Short Film Review by: Philip Giordano Morally Relativistic Movie Review Brian Ly directs Morally Relativistic, a class assignment that dazzles with its strangeness, but ultimately falls into cliché and predictability. The short film opens in a poorly lit classroom setting where a teenage boy, presumably the teacher, instructs the class that the ‘test is beginning, put away your phones.’ A wide shot reveals that the entire class is comprised of only one student. This surrealist approach, which could have been out of necessity, being that it is a class assignment, is very unique and captivating. It hooks the audience in an idiosyncratic way. The next scene, laden with bad sound recording, line readings, and quadrant framing, is very effective in creating an atmosphere of social awkwardness and frustration. It is reminiscent of the compositions in Mr. Robot and is definitely the director’s strength, intentional or not. In this scene the student from the classroom tells his friend that he is certain to fail his class unless he can do something radical- ‘there’s no way to go from a D to a B.’ His plan: change his grades on the teacher's laptop, but he needs his friend to run a distraction. WORST LOOKOUT EVER This is when the film starts to veer from surrealistic to literal and sadly even cliché. The friend inaudibly talks to the teacher and they leave the classroom together. Walking and talking, albeit inaudibly. After the teacher abandons their laptop, the student goes into the classroom and accesses the computer. The computer is conveniently not password-protected, and also the teacher suddenly remembers their urgent need for their laptop, as if out of nowhere. This is not based on realism but driven by the plot to provide tension, and it is obvious. When the teacher heads back to the classroom the friend tries to contact the student, but it is unclear what happens. It looks like he is texting him and his phone dies, which we know is highly unlikely, but it also makes us wonder why he didn’t he just call instead of writing a lengthy message. Then the student goes over to the computer lab and writes an email to the teacher! The headline is: Test Grades and the subject is ‘Run Now.’ Talk about incriminating evidence! The teacher returns to catch the student on their laptop. Which is underplayed because this is most likely an offence serious enough to warrant expulsion. However, the teacher disappointedly reveals that the student, in fact, did well on the test. So well, that they received a 96. The student sits with the fact that they didn’t need to cheat, that they had, in fact, aced the test, but it leaves out the most important part - the punishment. All that is present is the emotional toll, no physical punishment for their transgression. This young #filmmaker throws away logic in order to fulfil plot needs and would benefit greatly from honest human behaviour and leaning on their strength of surrealistic casting and quadrant framing in their visual style. This filmmaker has a promising future ahead of them and audiences have an idiosyncratic mind to look forward to.

★★★★ Directed by: #RuthHolder Written by: Ruth Holder Starring: #May Short Film Review by: Corey Bulloch It begins with the mask. Our main character is before a mirror applying makeup, a physical action of concealment that transports us to the domain of her internal conflict, revealing the unfiltered pain of her character. Lost Identity through music, movement and without a single word uttered speaks a universal language of struggle. Influenced through her own emotional experiences, Ruth Holder’s directorial debut is an engrossing and electrifying combination of the frenetic energy of dance with the precision of filmmaking technique. It’s a film that feels so intimately personal but reaches out connecting the audience through shared feelings and understanding, a cinematic emphatic bond. What’s extraordinary about Lost Identity is that it doesn’t feel hopeless, that this character has succumbed to defeat and that the film wallows in an uncomfortable misery. The beauty comes from watching May move between liberation and trepidation, the uneasy balance of insecurity of who she is. Holder’s vision presents this dance as the constant battle, not one for glory or victory but the battle we all fight every day against our inner demons. The production design of the film reflects this in the location, a living space both decrepit and beautiful where light seeps in through windows covered in newspaper. The second half of the dance revolving around a large sash hanging from the ceiling symbolising the most troubling thoughts to May’s character. She has it take the form of a noose, a constant reminder to the entanglement and inescapability to these feelings, the terror and isolation one feels within themselves. Cinematographer George Allen’s use of lighting is integral to Holder’s direction and the dance as darkness can feel all-encompassing as it conceals May from herself and the audience. In moments of clarity and triumph, May is lit with a cool blue light as the dance displays amazing grace, feeling as if this is the only moment the character feels free from the anguish. Making the themes of mental health struggles more palpable, that her most serene moments are always followed by torment. Whether or not you can relate through personal experience it is incredibly striking. The choreography is critical to Lost Identity’s success, May’s entrancing work feels so layered that you pick up new details and intricacies with every subsequent rewatch. The inner conflict to the character appears to be disassociation but the dance is both highly focused and introspective that its possible for the struggle to be interpreted in different ways. Whether it be insecurity, depression, or self-loathing, its the fact that Holder’s film is so open that you can’t help but feel that May’s dance represents your own personal struggles. It is a bittersweet experience to watch Lost Identity but in the absolute best ways as its execution is remarkable but the truth to its themes has one reflect on their mental health. Not just with Holder’s visuals as the score from Osi and the Jupiter is so evocative and transportive, you could spend hours listening to the piece and imagining the dance within your mind. Lost Identity is a film that explores the desolation of one’s self, that May’s dance may end but the mental struggle never does, these feelings are always with you but what is powerful about Holder’s film is that in its honesty it offers a lifeline to those that may feel the same, making even its bleakest moments feel so inspiriting. To those who wear the masks, to those that feel pain and dread, to those who dance, lost in their own mind. You are not alone. #CoreyBulloch #shortfilm

★★★ Directed by: #StevenAdamRenkovish Short film review by: Brian Penn A sage once said ‘to live in the hearts of those we leave behind is not to die’. And remembrance is the driver for this unusual film by Steven Adam Renkovish. 401 Rogers Street in West Virginia was the home of family patriarch Bill Renkovish who died on 30 December 2018. The house is now a Vessel for memories of times gone by. Shot on Super 8 and VHS the film captures images of a family through three generations. It becomes a simple but effective record of a much loved grandfather and the effect he had on those closest to him. The viewer is cleverly drawn in by heart warming views of the family at Christmas. Children diving under the tree to retrieve their presents and excitement of the big reveal. Drinks and a hearty lunch will rekindle special memories for most people. The festive period is a time for reflection and contemplation; the one time that families come together. The fact that granddad Bill died over Christmas heightens the significance of December in the Renkovish calendar. The home movie footage needs little in the way of explanation; straplines appear on VHS while a grainy quality remains on Super 8. So the timeline is apparent as shots of Bill blend with an empty armchair in a cold and lifeless room. Rogers 401 will no doubt resonate with many, but I am troubled by the underlying message of the film. It seems the house has turned into a shrine purely because of happy times enjoyed within its walls. Our memories should never be kept in bricks and mortar. A building doesn’t live, breathe, laugh or cry. It’s only geography as we carry our memories with us wherever we go. The film becomes an outlet for the director’s grief which is of course a very personal thing. The viewer should feel privileged to eavesdrop on intimate family gatherings; but it still felt eerie staring at lingering shots of empty rooms. Nevertheless, it’s a thought provoking piece that should give us a stronger sense of our own past.

★★★ Directed: #AndresRamirez Written by: Andres Ramirez Starring #JTHarper, #JustinHernandez, #YhanaSibelle, #LouiseGomez Short Film Review by Jack Bottomley Shutter Movie Review It is rather ironic that the beauty or cosmetics industry is often so truly ugly. Be it documentaries about the real life troubles the passionate and dedicated models can face in chasing what is their dream (Ashley Sabin and David Redmon’s Girl Model) or whether it is psychological and horrific fiction films that descend into the industry’s dark heart by trudging through its black arteries (Nicolas Winding Refn’s The Neon Demon), there seems to be a certain harsh or sinister reality that lies behind the lens. However, in the case of Shutter, the short film from writer and director #AndresRamirez, that is quite literal. This very brief but artistically inclined story focuses on a police interview. As Mark (#JustinHernandez), a young detective, questions modelling photographer Charley (#JTHarper), who was the last person to see two young women before each disappeared. The story is simple and unsettling and it casts its eye on the animalistic and carnivorous lengths of some male gazes. As such there is an important story here but, commendably uncompromising conclusion notwithstanding, one that feels only part completed. Taking some beats from Michael Powell’s influential 1960 feature Peeping Tom, especially in one feral and savage sequence, Shutter is certainly a work that succeeds in unsettling. This is thanks largely to the performance of JT Harper as the slippery, pretentious and cold “professional” Charley. But it could do with a further few minutes of development, explaining the freshness of detective Mark (solidly portrayed by Justin Hernandez) or the extent of Charley’s crimes(?) and past. As a matter of fact, the film seems to build strongly towards its climax but does not feel to reach a full conclusion so much as an ‘end of part one’ closure. That’s not to say it doesn’t land its blow to the soul. If anything, it would have been better seeing more building dread and snapshots of the past before this reveal, as it would have made the uncomfortably realistic gut punch of this indifferent world going on regardless, the same things reoccurring and the victims being only remembered as things rather than people, all the more impactful. Though with stylish cinematography by #AlexZajicek, effective set design by #XueTong and well delivered editing (which works in tune to the scenes and their situations) by Ramirez, Shutter is still a piece of work that captures your eye and creeps up underneath the skin. Especially in light of the era we currently live where many industries and some of their “respected artists” are being rightly unmasked as the monsters they are. Shutter is a well crafted short that perfectly captures the dark side of a sometimes controversial, sometimes horrifying industry, inside of a brief but engaging detective procedural. With a bit more meat on the bones, it would have hit harder but as things stand, this is still an unsettling little film, well acted and with some noble - if bleakly honest - intentions. #JackBottomley Watch the Movie Trailer

★★★★★ Directed by: #BarbaraElbinger Written by: #BarbaraElbinger Starring: #SebCraig, #EdmundDehn, #AlexMcMorran, #EileenNicholas Film Review by: Darren Tilby As someone whose own parents recently retired, Barbara Elbinger’s humorous take on life after retirement has been a source of great amusement to me. For her directorial debut, Elbinger takes the usual clichés of retirement – the boredom, the loss of identity and the discovery of weird and wonderful new hobbies – and cranks them up to 11 in her 17-minute-long examination of life after work. Recent retiree, Fred (Edmund Dehn), whiles away his twilight years wrapped in a blanket, obsessively taking – as his wife, Doreen (Eileen Nicholas), would say – “homoeopathetic” remedies. He’s clearly at a loss for how to spend his free time and his marriage, and mental health, are suffering for it. That is until he finds a flyer for a rather...peculiar therapy group. To say You Need Help’s cast of characters are a little eccentric would be about as big an understatement as one could make. There’s an eclectic mix of characters to be found here: from Fred - in his quest to reconnect with fun; Bertie (Seb Craig) - an elderly gent Fred befriends at his therapy group; to Gregg (Alex McMorran) - the therapy group leader, whose qualifications are questionable at best. And then, to balance things out, there’s Doreen with her straight-laced demeanour. All the characters here are well-thought-out and well-written, with brilliantly incisive and witty dialogue, but which also carries heart. But it’s Nicholas’ performance that stood out for me: her stony-faced front is the perfect contrast to the zany shenanigans going on around her. Indeed, the sense of embarrassment that exudes from Doreen is palpable. If you were going to assign a genre to You Need Help, you might call it a comedic-drama. And it’s one that could quite easily have descended into the realms of the forgetful farce. But Elbinger never allows it to. With her sharp, heartfelt and intellectually solid writing, she instead focusses on keeping the humour as low-key as possible. And by utilising understatement, Elbinger entrusts the viewer to find the film’s humour by reading between the lines. There’s actually something very melancholic and understated about the way the film presents itself, humour included. Seeing a dejected man sat at his wife’s bedside, dressed as a mime, is as tragic as it is hilarious. But, of course, it’s that underlying theme of reclaiming one’s inner child; one’s youth that holds the emotional clout here. And it has quite the clout! Aesthetically, You Need Help couldn’t be more perfect: David Bensimon’s brilliant musical accompaniment ripples through the movie, intensifying the warm and fuzzy feeling it gives you. And Annette Remler’s cinematography – particularly in regards to the superlative, mood-purveying lighting – is simply some of the best I’ve seen all year. Upon reading the blurb, I feel it would be easy to dismiss You Need Help as ‘just another comedy’ about old age. But doing so would be a great disservice to the filmmakers. You Need Help is a fantastic piece of work, one that’s as funny as it is tragic; one that’s capable of wrenching the heart and warming it in equal measure. As a directional debut, this excites me very much: Barbara Elbinger has a promising career ahead of her.

UK based GRIMMFEST, one of Europe’s most prestigious genre film festivals, recently launched Grimmfest TV, 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, all for free, while the world is in lockdown. 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 15th May 2020. Grimmfest TV is excited to add Grimmfest 2019 selected short film, THE LOST FILMS OF BLOODY NORA, from multi dexterous filmmaker Sophia Di Martino. This surreal comedy tinged tale also features the wonderful Mark Heap from FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER and SPACED. And in addition, the channel will also add short film, FIRST DATE from the director of FOUND FOOTAGE 3D and Grimmfest 2019 selected short, STOP. This laugh out loud comedy of errors is just as nail-biting as it is funny. Festival Director Simeon Halligan said “It’s been a pleasure to offer top-quality films for horror and film fans to watch while stuck at home, we are pleased to see so many people enjoying the content available on Grimmfest TV. The films will remain available to view for free, until lockdown is over.” GRIMMFEST TV launched with a fine selection of over 25 short films and 7 features including 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.