The Worth of Life film review by UK film critic William Curzon. Starring Rico Bowlin, Micah Tsekiri, Callum Chiplin directed by Daniel Glenn-Barbour. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Worth of Life Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: William Curzon | Posted on: Aug 14, 2026 Directed by: Daniel Glenn-Barbour Written by: Daniel Glenn-Barbour Starring: Rico Bowlin, Micah Tsekiri, Callum Chiplin The Worth of Life follows Tyler (Micah Tsekiri), a young filmmaker struggling with his mental health after the death of his mother. Consumed by grief and anger, he hires Jordan (Rico Bowlin), a struggling cameraman, to help him make a documentary on men’s mental health and capture a single day of raw, unfiltered footage of his family. As the camera continues rolling, Tyler’s personal wounds bleed into the film, and the narrative explores the implications of his actions. The Worth of Life presents a raw, uncompromising tale of grief and betrayal, with incredibly grim subject matter that may be hard for some viewers to stomach. That said, its focus on men’s mental health and its shining a light on that subject matter are commendable and make the experience worth seeking out. Its presentation, in particular, feels raw due to the handheld camerawork and suburban setting. The camerawork helps ground the narrative and feels evasive in dialogue-heavy sequences that reveal aspects of grief and anger. Despite how grim the narrative can feel at times, the filmmakers really capture the importance of family and community while spreading a hopeful message through discussions of men’s mental health. The narrative takes its time to delve into themes of gender roles, support for family and the idea of what it means to be a man. Each dialogue exchange feels raw and like a fly-on-the-wall experience due to its hyper-realism. While the choppy editing choices at times may take viewers out of the experience, the dialogue and performances make up for it. The central character, Tyler, has an enthusiasm which shines through each frame, and the narrative takes its time to flesh out his personality and commitment to championing men’s mental health, as it is sometimes treated as taboo. It also pulls the rug from under the viewer and makes you question Tyler’s moral choices and perception of women. One of the most visceral aspects of the experience is the mix of handheld and fixed photography throughout. Its gritty aesthetic is raw, and it never loses focus on the two central characters as they roam around the streets of London. The handheld cinematography is incredibly pulse-pounding during an intense sequence and helps ground Tyler and Jordan’s perspectives. Another commendable technical aspect is the use of music throughout, with haunting motifs that perfectly accompany the subject matter. The central performance from Micah Tsekiri in his portrayal of Tyler is incredibly nuanced, and he balances the comedic and dramatic tension exceptionally well. Rico Bowlin’s portrayal of Jordan is also incredibly raw, and his chemistry with Micah Tsekiri is endearing, keeping the narrative engaging. The supporting players are also unforgettable and add to the complexity of Tyler’s struggles while further fleshing out his issues with mental health. While the narrative does lose some steam towards its conclusion as it loses sight of the central subject matter, the final third recontextualises certain aspects of the narrative. It does so by reflecting on the actions of both Tyler and Jordan in making the documentary. It's a bold and evocative conclusion that brings closure to certain narrative beats and makes the journey rewarding despite some of its pitfalls. The Worth of Life is a tough watch; however, it unapologetically feels raw in its subject matter and presentation while capturing the everyday life of a struggling individual grappling with his grief. Anchored by two phenomenal lead performances and exceptional formalism, The Worth of Life is a gritty drama that offers introspection and closure to its characters and themes. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Curzon Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

When You Are Gone film review by UK film critic Chris Buick. Starring Andrew Forner, Kelsie McDonald, Sarah Nichols, Thomas I. Hall, Thomas Blackburne directed by Rafael Altamira. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS When You Are Gone Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Chris Buick | Posted on: Nov 3, 2022 Directed by: Rafael Altamira Written by: Rafael Altamira Starring: Andrew Forner, Kelsie McDonald, Sarah Nichols, Thomas I. Hall, Thomas Blackburne Promising architect James (Andrew Forner) opens the door to an empty house and a mysterious phone call telling him to check his emails. There, he finds a link to a livestream showing his wife Sylvia (Kelsie McDonald) tied to a chair being held captive by a mysterious stranger. Despite his pleading, bargaining and ultimately empty threats, his wife is killed right in front of him, sending James into a spiral of guilt and depression. Years later, after time and therapy has done what it can, life seems to be getting back on track for James. Work is good, he’s the boss’ go-to guy, he starts dating his assistant, finally James might actually be ready to put the past behind him. However, our protagonist soon begins to become haunted by his wife’s memory once more and begins receiving various demands by an anonymous blackmailer suggesting there may be more to Sylvia’s death than previously thought. Rafael Altamira’s tense and entertaining feature film When You Are Gone is a slow starter that plants its feet well and after a cagey opening ten minutes or so, begins to really find its rhythm and then doesn’t look back, taking its audience down a winding path of mystery and intrigue where all isn’t what it seems. The film has great levels of tension, not to mention a few jump scares to keep audiences on their toes as well, Altamira could be a decent horror director if that is the path he might be so inclined to choose. Most of these intense moments are played out with a very adept and subtle hand and the complimenting score really helps elevate them too to maximum effect. However, it must be said that the horror makeup and prosthetics on display here really aren’t up-to-scratch with the rest of the film and while not always on full show, when they are it’s simply way too much and really puts a dent in the rest of the hard-work going on here, meaning some of that well-earned audience good faith is slightly lost and needs to be regained. But for the most part the film is able to maintain its desired atmosphere right the way through. In fact, it’s impressive how the film really paces itself very well despite being over two hours in length, somehow managing to sustain that well-crafted momentum right to the very end. Part of the reason for that could be that it’s a strongly written film. There aren’t heaps of useless exposition or pointless filler bloating proceedings, each scene or moment offers something to the whole and Altamira is conscious to take those moments that allow the film breath before ramping up again which helps attention spans from wavering. The film’s finale while not necessarily failing in terms of its idea, does stumble somewhat in terms of its execution and believability, but not enough to really tarnish all the good that comes before it. The performances are generally strong throughout the cast, characters and performances while not necessarily extraordinary feel authentic and deliver what and when they need to, and special mention must go to Eduardo Aznar as Detective George Darrius who seems to be having the most fun and quite frankly, needs his own movie. Was it worth it? Oh, for sure. Overall, When You Are Gone is a good an outing as any writer/director could hope for as their first feature film. Sure, it’s not perfect, but it’s a damn good effort. Check out the official trailer for When You Are Gone here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRuiIKbdTZE Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Chris Buick Theatrical Release, Amazon Prime, Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness film review by UK film critic Alasdair MacRae. Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Xochitl Gomez, Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Rachel McAdams directed by Sam Raimi. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Alasdair MacRae | Posted on: May 5, 2022 Directed by: Sam Raimi Written by: Michael Waldron Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Xochitl Gomez, Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Rachel McAdams Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is tasked with stopping the mysterious entity hunting the newly minted multiverse travelling hero America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez). To do so he consults friend and foe alike as the fate of the multiverse hangs in the balance. Everything, everywhere… Opening up the MCU to the multiverse allows for all sorts of hijinks, in-jokes and new possibilities. But that means homework. And the onus isn’t just on the audience this time. In order to expand it means that the filmmakers feel obliged to include reminders that characters have baggage because they vanished for five years thanks to Thanos, and the easiest way to do that is to say it explicitly. Catch-up moments like this are incredibly tedious to sit through. Once the paperwork is filed away though, the reins are taken off and director Sam Raimi is turned loose to create his own new visionary work. Well, not quite. The script feels hampered so that it can fit into the overarching multi-film and series spanning narrative, and there is still a tendency to conform to the MCU’s desired aesthetic of the grey-brown sludge palette with noticeable compositing issues. But when Raimi wrestles control his presence is clearly felt. This fulfils the promise of an MCU spin-on a horror film. For one he injects a huge amount of red into proceedings. Then there is the familiar imagery of contorting bodies, hands and eyes, lots of eyes. Strange and co. travel through haunted houses filled with moving portraits, mirrors and mist. Whispering voices encircle and snarl. Violence and death are more graphically shown onscreen in a way unlike any of the previous twenty-odd films in the series. The camera twists, rolls and lurches in typical Raimi fashion. And there is a sense of playfulness that the director brings with him. Strange’s powers for instance feel more creative. In one standout sequence he duels with notes lifted off of sheet music, offering composer Danny Elfman something interesting to play with. And of course there is a nice Bruce Campbell cameo. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is easily one of the better films in the MCU. Unquestionably, Raimi raises the profile of Feige’s cinematic universe. He may just be a contractor doing a job but his presence is felt in the creepy twists and turns of this outlandish adventure. As the MCU desperately tries to legitimise itself, this proves that simply bringing in an auteur director and putting them on the assembly line isn’t the magic fix it thinks it is. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Alasdair MacRae Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Read the film podcast transcript from the episode titled UK Film Club #005 - The Flash, Asteroid City, Extraction 2 And Big on UK Film Club part of the UK Film Review Podcast. < Back UK Film Club #005 - The Flash, Asteroid City, Extraction 2 And Big Listen to This Episode UK Film Club TRANSCRIPT MISSING Film club is back with Brian and Chris reviewing some of the hottest films on release in June 2023. Brian, from the UK Film Review team of critics, gives his film reviews of Asteroid City (the new Wes Anderson film), The Flash, Chevalier, Greatest Days (the Take That musical) and Hypnotic (in a rare example of Brian really not liking a film). UK Film Club then sees the critics review Extraction 2, the latest release starring Chris Hemsworth on Netflix. Two short films are reviewed: A Father's Day and Beware! Both of which are zombie-based. The Nostalgia Pick for episode 5 is Big starring Tom Hanks, which the guys review. If you are new to UK Film Club, welcome, if you are already a regular attendee, welcome back. We love to have you here, please drop us a review or comment on social media so we know you are out there.For more from our film podcast visit -https://www.ukfilmreview.co.uk/podcast Previous Next

Dead Cat Film film review by UK film critic Swati Verma . Starring Josie Charles, Will Gao, Huge Bonneville, Julie Lamberton directed by Nathan Miller, Josie Charles. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Dead Cat Film Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Swati Verma | Posted on: Jan 11, 2025 Directed by: Nathan Miller, Josie Charles Written by: Nathan Miller, Josie Charles Starring: Josie Charles, Will Gao, Huge Bonneville, Julie Lamberton The name of movie-Dead Cat Film would initially establish the short film to possess a serious tone to the narrative. The writer-director Nathan Miller and Josie Charles turn to the comedy genre to make it interesting for the audience with an unexpected twist. Talented actors like Josie Charles, Will Gao, Huge Bonneville, and Julie Lamberton play their parts so efficiently and effectively that they all complement the comedy genre as well as the idea of the writer-directors. The plot of Dead Cat Film revolves around a young woman who accidentally kills her flatmate’s cat. To add to her troubles, she becomes increasingly attached to its taxidermied corpse. Dead Cat Film begins with a black screen along with upbeat music followed by a mid-shot of Florence driving a car in the night while talking on the phone and ends up killing an animal. This sequence forms the gist of the subject matter of the movie. The set design, the combination of black, white, dark green colours, and a slight yellow-bluish undertone provide the dark comedy element to the storyline, sound, natural lighting, camera angles, dialogues, costumes, hair, makeup, and props are kept simple so that the narrative shines therefore increasing the degree of audience engagement with the content. In terms of performance, Josie Charles plays Florence a beautiful independent young woman who is very passionate about welfare for animals but has certain nuances in her character arc that help make the screenplay intense. Charles beautifully understands all the layers and performs according to the demand of the narrative. Will Gao plays the role of Alex Clio the cat’s owner. Alex is a sweet simple person a good friend to Florence. Alex becomes sad hearing his cat being killed by his friend and also gets shocked after discovering a strange unexpected twist in the tale. Gao with his acting skills builds a pretty good chemistry with Josie Charles which brings out the essence of crucial subplots. Huge Bonneville is a senior actor who gives his voice to Clio Alex’s cat. Bonneville provides life to a cat’s emotions, needs, and wants which are similar to humans. Bonneville as Clio and Florence’s conversation is written very effectively with the element of realism and relatable. The chemistry between Clio and Florence is very unique and special. Dead Cat Film teaches us the value of relationships like friendships and the bond between the owner and their pets. The short film talks about the importance of expressing emotions and needs openly or else people would have a tough time dealing with difficult situations in their lives. The cinematic piece reiterates how crucial it is to take care of and love the voiceless animals especially those who are disowned or suffering in any way possible. To conclude, I liked how the makers have given the short film open-ended so that the audience gets a chance to interpret it differently. It is a smart way to get the viewers to think about it even after they have watched it. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Swati Verma Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Curiosity film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Hunter Bishop, John Cooke, Michael Cooke directed by Michael Cooke. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Curiosity Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Aug 13, 2024 Directed by: Michael Cooke Written by: Michael Cooke Starring: Hunter Bishop, John Cooke, Michael Cooke A man discovers a morbid world when he decides to investigate the dark web. A young guy named Kevin (Bishop) is in his bedroom, relaxing, messing about with his phone. He comes across a video that instructs how to access the dark web. Curiosity gets the best of Kevin and he goes to his computer and follows the instructions. To his delight, he finds himself accessing that part of the Internet and proceeds to take advantage of what it offers. However, he soon finds a video where a live inhuman and grotesque auction is taking place. What he sees through the webcam is man (Michael Cooke) tied to a chair inside a room, his head covered by a bag. On the walls are deadly tools of all sorts and he is not alone. A large man (John Cooke) wearing a sort of home-made, sinister-looking mask is announcing the beginning of the event, which involves viewers bidding for the poor man's body parts and choosing which tool the masked man will use. This short film can be appreciated as a tense horror film and for the messages that it carries. As a horror film, it is quite a nail-biting experience that could be described as a cross between Hostel and Untraceable . As a horrified Kevin watches helplessly as the victim is being tormented and hurt, the dread is at an extremely high level. His decision to send text messages to the masked man, demanding that he stops only makes things worse as the masked man acknowledges Kevin and it becomes clear that he is now in danger. The masked man is arguably the one who steals the show. A deranged individual that keeps his identity concealed and clearly takes pride and joy in committing unspeakable acts. He looks into the webcam and speaks enthusiastically with a menacing voice as he presents the macabre event like a game show. In other words, he is the stuff of nightmares and when he takes notice of Kevin, the viewer can feel how terrified he must be. And Emily Frances Ippolito's ominous score makes the whole experience even more petrifying. Regarding the messages, most evidently, this short points towards cybercrime, how people can utilise the Internet for a variety of illegal activities, particularly the illegal organ trade. On top of that, it also acts a warning, communicating to people that when they are online, they must be cautious, because their personal details can still be hacked and avoiding this can be accomplished by staying away from sinister parts of the Internet such as the dark web. Overall, this short is certainly one that grabs the viewer's attention, be it as a nail-biting experience about murder or as a warning about cybercrime. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Soulmate film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring Mandeep Dhillon, Joe Dempsie, Andrew Cullum directed by Richard Fenwick. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Soulmate Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Jul 12, 2024 Directed by: Richard Fenwick Written by: Richard Fenwick Starring: Mandeep Dhillon, Joe Dempsie, Andrew Cullum Whilst AI hasn’t literally overtaken filmmaking just yet, films about AI are nearly there. And it’s not just blockbusters like Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning and The Creator that warn about the rise of the machine. Shorts like Soulmate offer a smaller-scale imagining of what the future holds once our lives are intertwined with artificial intelligence to such a degree that the real and the simulated are indistinguishable. Director Richard Fenwick’s film follows Anna (Mandeep Dhillon), a computer coder who, in lieu of suitable men for a relationship in the real world, has struck up one with Neil (Joe Dempsie) – an AI simulation who exists in a world imagined by her company. Neil is the ideal partner for Anna, but such relationships are forbidden – and when evidence of the affair is uncovered, Anna faces a race against time and her sinister supervisor (Andrew Cullum) to prevent Neil from being erased forever. Cinema’s realisation of future technology through a humanisation process is hardly a new thing – the future of robotics in the 80s didn’t come in the form of a leather-bound Arnie for nothing. AI in Soulmate isn’t designed to be scientifically accurate – but to instead raise questions about morality, ethics and meaning in its future. Whether future AI will be able to fool the brain into thinking we’re actually making out with an indistinguishable recreation of Joe Dempsie is still very much in question (we can all dream, right?) but questions of humanity’s relationship to technology, and how this is likely to be policed is a much more relevant issue, and one this is explored here in an interesting way. Anna’s life in the real world is shown to be monotonous and free of passion, having been worn down by the path society has taken. The film takes steps to show that her pursuit of a relationship with an AI, and the risks she is willing to go to in order to protect it are morally ambiguous. We root for her as the protagonist – but spending her life fixated on a screen, addicted to a life inside a simulation is also framed as a tragic endeavour by Fenwick. The fallibility of the machine is a heartbreaking beat that harkens to K’s revelation about the nature of his relationship in Blade Runner 2049 , and a key point in Soulmate that underlines that the future is going to be one hell of a hard place to navigate. Mandeep Dhillon’s performance as Anna is what allows much of this moral ambiguity to come through in the film. Anna is shown to be ultimately a good person beaten down by the world around her, yet her frantic pursuit of the relationship with Neil begins to dawn on the viewer as a tragic mistake thanks to the small details. The determination that exudes from her eyes and poise, and the haunted expression worn at the film’s conclusion hits hard – especially once viewers internalise the inherent falsehood of the relationship that she has made the centre of her existence. The film isn’t perfect – tech nerds are likely to drive a truck through the science of the film, and whilst the embrace of darkness and shadows in the coding scenes is designed to create a sense of isolation and foreboding, it quite simply isn’t that interesting to watch. But the emotional exploration and ethical considerations that resonate throughout the film – without ever being beaten over the viewer’s head – make this one of the more interesting ‘AI’ films of recent times. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Digital / DVD Release, Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny film review by UK film critic Brian Penn. Starring Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen, Toby Jones directed by James Mangold. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Brian Penn | Posted on: Jul 1, 2023 Directed by: James Mangold Written by: Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth, David Koepp Starring: Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen, Toby Jones Steven Spielberg has showered many gifts on a grateful film going public. But none quite so exhilarating as the adventures of a certain archaeologist in a Fedora hat. Indiana Jones bucked the '7 plot' scenario of film making as the indomitable hero who emerged triumphant against the odds. For this fifth instalment Spielberg passes the director's chair to James Mangold. Yet still bears the hallmarks of its executive producer and retraces a well-trodden path. But there is always comfort in the things we find familiar. As an unmistakable fanfare hits the ears it already feels like the film event of the year. The story begins in 1945 as the Second World War is drawing to a close. Hitler has ordered his henchmen to relieve Europe of its finest treasures and artefacts. Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) is hot on the tracks alongside fellow archaeologist Basil Shaw (Toby Jones). However, Nazi scientist Dr Voller (Mads Mikkelsen) has discovered an artefact with terrifying power. Archimedes' Dial is a time bending device that can change the course of history. The narrative jumps forward to 1969 when Jones re-unites with Goddaughter Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge). She is the daughter of Basil Shaw and studying for a doctorate in archaeology. Helena is determined to track down Archimedes Dial with Jones' help. But Indy is not convinced by her motives as sinister forces begin to close in. All the Jones escapades of old have been faithfully reproduced in a slick new package. From a creaking rope bridge to secret passages and deciphered codes, it all feels reassuringly safe. The opening sequence features Ford enhanced by AI and other visual tricks to make him look younger. And the impact is impressive as at least 40 years have been taken off him. However, the real weakness in this technique is exposed when the story jumps forward and reveals Ford as an 80 year old. Even though he looks in good shape no amount of AI and stunt doubling can alter the fact he is an octogenarian. But Ford's star quality is undeniable and delivers a solid performance full of panache and attitude. Phoebe Waller-Bridge struggles to build any real chemistry with Ford and seems to lack the presence required for the big screen. An otherwise enjoyable film is undermined by the mis-match between Ford's chronological age and Indiana Jones' assumed age. The franchise should adopt the James Bond model where the character is re-booted by casting a younger actor to play the title role. These quibbles aside it's still great fun to watch. But feels akin to watching a once great live band on tour before they retire? Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Brian Penn Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Serena film review by UK film critic Chris Olson. Starring Steven Strait, Andi Matichak directed by Rob Alicea. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Serena Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Chris Olson | Posted on: Jun 12, 2026 Directed by: Rob Alicea Written by: Jonathan Benecke, P.T. Hylton Starring: Steven Strait, Andi Matichak Whilst battle commences to keep AI out of the creative industries, writers Jonathan Benecke and P.T. Hylton pen an unnerving horror/thriller that deep-dives into the subject matter. Directed by Rob Alicea, Serena is a compulsive and unsettling piece that grips the audience by their digital gonads. Steven Strait plays Chris, a father-to-be and struggling musician, who takes part in a Beta Test for his friend’s company’s chatbot to make a bit of money. His remit is initially to look for ways in which the Chatbot can’t tell fact from fiction. The chatbot testing initially appeals to Chris, helping him make money on betting, which he desperately needs to pay rent. They become “friends” and he even lets her choose her own name, Serena (Andi Matichak). However, things take a darker turn during the testing period, once the AI gets to know Chris a little better, abusing his digital footprint in ways we have never seen before. Similar to Searching and Unfriended, Serena takes place all within Chris’s computer screen. And whilst this gimmick could be a recipe for a dull disaster, nothing could be further from reality here. Alicea keeps us compelled to watch, and the use of camera footage, video calls, YouTube clips, etc. keeps things interesting and even cinematic. There are some particularly funny moments involving Stu the delivery guy (played by Alicia) that keep it light. Strait and Matichak prove to be a fabulous digital pairing, with their video frames oozing emotion and drama from the former, and a cold, calculated cunning from the latter. The supporting cast is also great, in particular María Gabriela González as Chris’s girlfriend Vicki, but this is Strait and Matichak’s show for the majority of the movie. The film is clearly tapping into AI anxiety, but also the fear of becoming a parent. We see Chris’s world surge and implode all within the time he’s allocated to test this chatbot, perfectly reflecting the rapid pace of change we all feel in the modern world, and this gets no less heightened than when we sire a child. His desperation to provide for his soon-to-expand homestead becomes the emotional driving force behind his questionable decisions, which the AI attempts to exploit. If HAL 9000 could DeepFake, then 2001: A Space Odyssey would have been even more unsettling, and with Serena, the filmmakers have coded something truly worthy to enter the category of cinematic computer cruelties. Essential viewing and laptop preferred, just maybe clear your internet history first. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Chris Olson Indie Feature Film, Film Festival < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Rite of Way film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Tyra Morrison, Doug Simpson, Steve Moulton, Maria Pinsent, Sharron Shayne directed by Riley Helm. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Rite of Way Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Jul 20, 2025 Directed by: Riley Helm Written by: Riley Helm Starring: Tyra Morrison, Doug Simpson, Steve Moulton, Maria Pinsent, Sharron Shayne A short comedy written and directed by Riley Helm and starring Tyra Morrison, Doug Simpson, Steve Moulton, Maria Pinsent and Sharron Shayne. Four educators have gathered at their school for an unusual meeting. They are all wearing black robes, they have lit candles all around the large room that they are in and they are chanting. Why? The summer holidays are ending, the new school year is beginning and they need to determine something. By luck, they intend to find out who is going to teach driver's education for the next semester, a task that none of them are keen on. The process is interrupted by the late arrival of Cherie (Morrison), a young teacher and when she has the misfortune of having the unwanted job landing on her, she refuses to commit. The beginning of this ten-minute-long film is quite amusing: chanting is heard, so is creepy music and four people dressed in black robes are in a darkened room. Initially, it seems that this is going to be a creepy horror film involving rituals. Then, one realises that the chanting contains lyrics that relate to being a school teacher and that this 'ceremony' is not to be taken seriously. This funny short is filled with minor arguments and sarcasm and most of the plot revolves around Cherie's stubborness. The amusing and sometimes over-the-top performances are one of the majot strengths of this film. All the cast behave like children arguing and complaining and watching them do so, dressed in black robes like they are part of a sinister cult is rather humorous. As the one who ends up facing having to do the dreadful driving education job, Cherie is a good-natured person who also seems unwilling to play fair, even though she is the one whose luck determined that she should be the one. As Prinicipal Dan and apparently the leader of the group, Simpson is quite entertaining and so is Pinsent, whose character tries to talk some sense into Cherie. Moulton is less friendly as Kyle, a physical education teacher who is not very sympathetic. Although Shayne has less on-screen time than the others, she stands out as the wisecracking Ingrid who uses a wheelchair. Even though this is a light-hearted comical story, it still explores serious themes. The conversations that take place during this awkward meeting involve subjects about fairness and gratitude, while they also cover sef-esteem and self-reflection. This is a short that offers ten minutes of entertainment thanks to the acting and the screenplay. It can be viewed as a fun experience and can also be considered in more serious perspectives because of the themes that it contains. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Shattering film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Murisa Harba, Timothy Ryan Cole, Charlotte Beckett directed by Daria Nazarova. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Shattering Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Aug 16, 2021 Directed by: Daria Nazarova Written by: Daria Nazarova Starring: Murisa Harba, Timothy Ryan Cole, Charlotte Beckett A look into the life of a deeply troubled woman. Claire (Harba) lives in a luxurious house. After a traumatic incident, she has gone downhill, never leaves her home and has become a very difficult person to communicate with. Her state is taking its toll on her husband Eric (Cole) and her psychiatrist Monica (Beckett) is trying hard to help her. As time goes by, Claire appears to be further losing her grip with reality and struggling to maintain her sanity. This dark story begins as a drama and gradually turns into a psychological thriller. A large part of the narrative takes place over the course of an hour, during early morning. Throughout this part, Claire wakes up, while Eric remains in bed. She tends to her baby, repeatedly phones her mother and proceeds to suspect that her partner might be having an affair. The morning sequence frequently cuts to flashbacks that reveal stages of her mental condition, the unstable relationship between her and Eric since the life-changing event took place and therapy meetings she had with Monica. Every time the flashbacks cut back to present day, the time is shown. Harba delivers an outstanding performance as a person who seems to be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and is living in her own world as a result of the tragedy. She has chosen to live in a world in which the terrible incident did not take place and she can be happy. Cole is great in his role as the caring husband, who is making desperate efforts to leave the sad experience behind, help his wife get over it and move on. Beckett is convincing as the calm psychiatrist attempting to assist Claire to accept reality. With the exception of the beginning, the entire narrative takes place inside the couple's house. The main focus is Claire's eccentric and disturbing behaviour and Monica and Eric's repeated attempts to aid her. There are moments of drama and tenderness and scenes that are rather heartbreaking. Composer Michael Wyckoff makes a significant contribution. The score consists mainly of piano music, which is either tender and gentle or melancholic and accompanied by the images, it effectively creates the right atmosphere. This feature deserves a great deal of commendation. The acting is great, the characters are interesting and the plot will most likely keep the viewer intrigued. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Almost Home film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Susanne Wolff, Jeremias Meyer, Stephan Kampwirth directed by Nils Keller. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Almost Home Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Dec 29, 2022 Directed by: Nils Keller Written by: Nils Keller, Maximilian Richert Starring: Susanne Wolff, Jeremias Meyer, Stephan Kampwirth A woman and her son are in a spaceship, about to return to Earth. However, a dangerous threat might force them to change their plans. This emotional sci-fi drama from Germany takes place in space and the plot focuses on a journey that is coming to an end. Set in the future, Nico (Wolff) and her teenage son Jakob (Meyer) have been traveling through space inside a spaceship, with the purpose of treating Jakob's paralysis and they have succeeded. Now, after a long time, they are looking forward to going home and reuniting with Tom (Kampwirth), Jakob's father. Unfortunately, a global virus outbreak has occurred on Earth and Jakob's vulnerable condition puts him at high risk of dying if he catches it. Now a decision must be made regarding whether mother and son will complete their journey back to Earth or go back to space until things are safer for Jakob. The main conflict in this short is whether Nico and Jakob will land on Earth or wait for the right time. Once they learn about the pandemic, the three family members argue between them about what should be done. Jakob insists on going home and Tom supports that. Nico strongly believes that they should remain in space. A great deal of confrontations take place, however, the narrative also explores the tender relationship that Jakob has with his parents. The mise-en-scene looks fantastic and could be compared to a Hollywood blockbuster. The exterior and interior of the spaceship look great and so does the clothing. The space environment looks wonderful and very realistic and so do the effects of microgravity, with people floating. There are also devices that develop holograms of people, which is how the spaceship crew communicates with people from a distance and is how Kampwirth's character appears in the film. As far as the acting goes, Wolff, Meyer and Kampwirth are outstanding, making their characters sympathetic and creating a lot of drama about the dilemma they have to face. Many commendations go to composer Hans Konnecke for the beautiful and dramatic score and also to director of photography Georg Nikolaus for the cinematography. The filmmakers also utilise creative lighting techniques. On the surface this is a deadly virus science fiction film, however, it is much more than that. It is a moving and tense story about family, about homesickness, about free will and it explores coming-of-age themes and life in space. With great production value, well-written dialogue, dramatic acting and an intriguing plot, this short stands out as an admirable achievement. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >