★★★ Written & Directed by: #ReshanFernando Starring: #MarloTropeé, #DinugaDias Short Film Review by Taryll Baker Writer and director Reshan Fernando delves into the mysterious with Untold Thoughts. Opening with a boy (Dinuga Dias) venturing into a seemingly vacant house, inspecting the rooms with curiosity, the viewer is pulled in with cautious intrigue. As the boy explores further, in doing so finding something his father gifted to him to keep him safe, he encounters a presence. We then see some detail behind this, explaining the reason for the girl’s (Marlo Tropeé) current state. In a way, Untold Thoughts reminds me of Josh Lobo’s I Trapped The Devil. It sets up the tone brilliantly and even holds the viewer captive in a sense of dread and tension. The atmosphere is likewise nailed here, and the score lends a big hand in that, but the story just doesn’t deliver anything satisfying, and it’s without a pinch of resolution. I failed to grasp the true reason for this house visit in the first place. I would guess the boy and his father are moving into the house, and he isn’t who we think he is, but I’m left guessing to no avail. It certainly opens up some interesting theories, and perhaps this is what the director hopes will happen, but part of me wishes it was more surface level. The acting is some of the best I’ve seen in a low-budget short such as this, and I was quite impressed with the skill the two young actors possessed. Though nothing grandeur, they served their purpose. Capturing the two performances is cinematographer Shithila Samadhi, who uses the light to progressively get darker and more menacing visually as the action unfolds. I found the most enjoyment in both these aspects. Everything from the make-up and visual effects, to the directing and editing, is fantastic for a short film of this scale. Fernando did a wonderful job of setting up the tone and atmosphere within a small amount of time. If they had spared a little more care with the story and had it wrap up in a more gratifying way, as well as expanding on the murky premise, then Untold Thoughts would be truly great.

★★ Directed by: #DylanKelly Written by: #DylanKelly Starring: #BlakeBudimir, #BryanKelly Film Review by: Alexander Erting-Haynes Coming in at just over three minutes, Last Leg has the monumental and unenviable task of establishing a setting, characters and context as well as some form of resolution in a short space of time. The way in which writer and director, Dylan Kelly, attempts to combat this is through efficient use of a singular location and just two performers, with varying degrees of success. Playing out as a sort of low-budget Reservoir Dogs, the audience are introduced to the two nameless focal characters as they stumble into a dimly-lit holdout, sirens blaring nearby. It is immediately apparent that one of them is injured, as he slumps to the floor. The lighting is brilliantly effective at instilling a grim, dingy atmosphere and it is this, coupled with the constant sound of sirens, that instantly invites the audience into this gritty world and sets in place a feeling of tension and urgency. However, the challenge that a filmmaker faces when creating a piece that is somewhat stagnant in nature is keeping the audience engaged through intriguing dialogue and magnetic performances that sell said script. The dialogue here is efficient and snappy. While there are little to no asides or flourishes, it would be impossible to argue that any of it is superfluous. It is the performances, unfortunately, that serve to somewhat weigh it down. With an intense set-up already established, there is a need for the central performances to be shot through with that same urgency. Instead, both actors, Blake Budimir and Bryan Kelly, deliver their lines with a certain woodenness that sadly betrays the existing atmosphere and narrative momentum. Speaking of the narrative, aside from what is established from the beginning, there is little elaboration throughout bar a few throwaway lines that offer a slight insight for the audience into what came before. It is a nice touch so as to avoid spoon-feeding the events that led up to this moment, allowing viewers to use their imaginations and also a clever use of limited budget. Where the narrative falters, however, is around the midway point as an important plot beat takes place between the two characters. What could have been a potentially affecting and powerful shot is instead swapped out with some clumsy editing that almost completely negates the gravitas of the situation. As Dylan Kelly’s second short film, he shows promise as a writer and director. Cleverly utilising the limitations of a low budget in order to conceive a setting that is instantly gripping and intriguing with two main characters that the audience never truly get to know shows an understanding for what makes engaging cinema. However, aside from the premise and impressive mise-en-scène, the short film is held back by some clunky acting and a missed opportunity to pack a punch at its most pivotal point. As such, Last Leg makes for an interesting yet frustrating watch that is ultimately let down by a small number of glaring issues. #AlexanderErtingHaynes

★★ Directed by: Written & Directed By: #AshantePTStokes Starring: #AshantePTStokes #JamesArthurWilliams #JPValenti #AceCrossCrook Short Film Review by #ChrisBuick Ashante P.T. Stokes’ Praise the Maker is an animated short starring, written and directed by the award-winning gospel musician, rapper and actor himself, here portraying PT The Gospel Spitter (also the real-life stage moniker Stokes’ has adopted), a man attempting to convince those in his neighbourhood, primarily his friend Slim (Williams), to embrace the word of the Lord. Thankfully, he has a catchy tune to help get his message across called, you guessed it, Praise the Maker. Being completely honest, that plot summary seems generous and might give this film a sense of depth and story it really doesn’t have. Essentially, what Praise the Maker really is, is a crudely animated music video for a song that we get to “enjoy” not just once but twice throughout the eight-minute runtime. Despite the complete five-second tonal shift in the finale, the film has one basic movement played out twice; PT sidling up to certain individuals and asking them to check out his latest track, which then inexplicably causes all surrounding characters (as well as others that seem to materialise out of nowhere), to beak into the most basic animated movements that can only very loosely be called dancing. While the plot is thin, any positives are also few in number, but there are a couple. One; it does provide some laughs, although probably not at all in the way that was intended. Two; the song is not half bad and in fact is rather catchy. Unfortunately, in terms of filmmaking, there is little else to write home about. While the animation is not horrendous, it appears awfully outdated by today's standards, it has the amateurish look of an early noughties Newgrounds cartoon, which makes it hard to take seriously and also creates some confusion as to who the target audience here actually is. While implementing animation itself was not a bad choice in principle by any means, it is poorly executed here and only distracts from the film's overall sentiment, one might have expected a higher level of production considering the talent and resources behind the project. If it wasn’t evident from the synopsis above, what little writing there is makes no real impact and purely serves as a weak bridge between iterations of the song. The sound editing itself also needs some heavy work, voices are muffled and incoherent at times and there is a constant buzz of fuzzy static that never goes away, the whole thing ends up sounding like it was recorded on a Zoom call. Random stock background noises such as gunfire and car horns also sporadically feature which are perhaps supposed to create a sense of location but are just jarring and feel very much like the afterthought they probably were. This can also be said for the complete sideswipe plot twist for lack of a better word that clangs to the ground right at the end, clearly an attempt to give the film any remote sense of gravitas but instead is just perplexing and comes across as a severe error in judgment. Praise the Maker is an example of a film that can merit some commendation for its positive intentions and overall message, but is definitely guilty of poor execution and will most likely leave you with nothing more than a temporary earworm for the rest of the day. #ChrisBuick

★★★★ Directed by #JoshTrank Written by #JoshTrank Starring #TomHardy #LindaCarellini Film Review by Hope Madden What a nutty idea. You’ve seen Capone on film: films about him, films containing him, films about gangsters reminiscent of him. A lot of these movies have been great – some of them classic. But you have never seen Alphonse Capone the way writer/director Josh Trank sees him. Wisely, Trank realized Tom Hardy would be able to translate his vision. There are moments, especially early in the film, where Hardy and Trank seem to be conjuring Vito Corleone (Hardy has always carried the same dangerous charisma of Brando, anyway). But it doesn’t take long before the role defines itself as something we truly have not seen before. The film focuses on the final year of the infamous mobster’s life—the adult diapers and dementia year. He’s served his prison term for tax evasion, the syphilis he contracted in his youth has taken its toll on his mind and body, and his money is quickly evaporating. Maybe he’s hidden $10 million somewhere. Maybe he’s just nuts. Trank’s loose narrative is less concerned with the scheming, criss-crossing and backstabbing from underlings trying to find the money than it is with Capone’s deterioration, and that’s what makes this film so gloriously odd. There is a grotesque humor underlying many of these scenes. Trank doesn’t ask you to sympathize with this notorious villain, nor does he revel in his decrepitude. But he definitely explores it, and that’s a brave decision. Many a mobster film fanatic will be annoyed by this glimpse into the post-badass years, but defying expectations is something Capone does early and often. If Trank doesn’t trade in sympathy, we can still expect Hardy to generate empathy. As is characteristic of every performance in his career, Tom Hardy finds the faulty humanity in this character. His depiction of Capone’s confusion is unerringly human, and in his hands Trank’s macabre humor never feels like mockery. Linda Cardellini flexes more in the role of Capone’s wife Mae than she has in her many other turns as put-upon spouse. She’s a great sparring partner for Hardy, and their volatile but ultimately tender relationship creates a needed grounding for a film so busy with the shadowy unreality of a diseased mind. Because of the borderline surreal nature of a film told from the point of view of a man in the throes of dementia, it’s often tough to suss out the reality of the events onscreen. This generally works, but there are certainly moments—generally those inserted to give us stepping stones of a plot–that seem stiffly ill placed. Thankfully, Hardy’s there to command your attention. No doubt some viewers will be disappointed—those who tuned in to see Hardy play a badass at the top of his game. My guess is that the reason one of the finest actors working today was drawn to Capone was the opportunity to do something just this unexpected. #HopeMadden

★★★★ Directed by: #PeierTracyShen Written by: #PeierTracyShen Starring: #SarahLynnFurman #VictorBoneva #DavidPatty #JamilaHache Short Film Review by #ChrisBuick Out of Place is brought to us by Chinese writer/director Peier “Tracy” Shen, a graduate of the world-renowned AFI Conservatory film school who already has a couple of impressive projects under her belt, making it clear why this school has the sterling reputation it has. But while the AFI of course helps bolster the talents of filmmakers such as Shen and gives them the opportunity to really hone their craft and tell their stories, it’s clear that Shen already had filmmaking in her bones. In this dual narrative film, we step briefly into the lives of two immigrants; Hui (Furman) a young aspiring Chinese pianist eyeing a prestigious position and Chamo (Boneva), a Mexican house painter looking to establish a solid base for his family to follow him across the border. Both have uprooted their entire lives, left whole families behind and made huge decisions in order to seek out a better future, but in return now feel completely cut off from everything they know. So despite their contrasting, backgrounds, passions and ideals, their lives are almost as intrinsically connected as much as they are disconnected, and not just because they are unwitting next-door neighbours. A director who believes that the heart of directing cannot be taught, it shows here that Shen has put all of hers into this clearly personal story, keeping truly within the spirit of writing what you know by drawing from her own difficult experiences. What that means for the viewer is that the vision which is so clear in her mind is translated almost perfectly to a moving image, allowing us to properly empathise, sympathise and understand the story Shen is trying to tell. Because while yes, it may be a story specific to our filmmaker, Shen writes it in such a way that manages to tap into a universal truth that binds all of us. We can, even in a world of over seven billion people, all feel alone sometimes although deep down our wants and drives and desires are essentially the same, and Out of Place works likes an infinite double helix showing us how the lives of Hui and Chamo regularly align and diverge. What really helps accentuate those feelings of solitude Shen is trying to express is the intimately close framing throughout almost the entirety of the film. With rarely more than an inch of space surrounding our characters at any time, we are allowed a small window from which we can traverse their pain and frustrations with them. Both Furman and Boneva carry that baton even further forward with two applaudable performances which manage to give us very distinctive characterisations of a similar narrative, helping tie the overall theme of the piece nicely together. Loneliness can be insidious, and feeling like an outsider is arguably one of the biggest fears we all have. With Out of Place, Shen has shone a light on that universal feeling and created something personal and beautiful that allows us to remember that it is something we all face and might hopefully help others find solace when they need it. #ChrisBuick Watch the trailer here:

★★★★★ Stars Directed by: #AimeeBowe Written by: #AimeeBowe Starring: #SophieGalustian, #LucyHeath, #JazminHudson, #HarrietSlater Film Review by: Alicia Moore This is not your average LGBTQ+ film, and it is perfect that way. Stretching The Play is a lighthearted comedy, following the travels of school girl Sophie (Sophie Galustian.) She has just moved from Manchester to a school in Wiltshire and finds herself becoming an outcast in this new environment. From afar, she is incredibly fond of one of the more popular girls in the school, Natalie (Lucy Heath,) and is eager to seek out a relationship with her. At first, Natalie seems to want the same, but as the plot unravels, issues begin to rise that push their building relations apart. For the film to officially be made, in 2018 a Crowdfunder was created to gather the costs needed for production. The film excelled and raised more money than their hoped outcome; upon viewing, it is clear to see why this short film gathered so much interest and support from the public. As the description mentioned within the Crowdfunder, the writer and director of the film, Aimee Bowe, understands the importance of representation of the LGBTQ+ community in film and she believes that ‘films involving the community don’t need to be the main plot line or the cause of a disequilibrium.’ For a writer to focus upon a different route to present the community is extraordinary and should be a course of action seen more within mainstream Hollywood films. The script itself is magnificent, housing subtle comedic traits and superb text that can be interpreted as metaphors to relate to today’s society. Aimee Bowe’s talent is obvious and shines throughout her writing. Parts of the film expertly break the forth wall and connect the audience to Sophie’s personality in a much deeper sense. Personally, Sophie reminded me a lot of myself and I felt that this specific technique enticed me even further into the story and helped me build a friendship-type relation with the character herself. I loved the intimate moments as Sophie Galustian looks directly into the lens of the camera and speaks the wonderfully written words, as if the audience is living within the character’s mind; simply gazing and offering their comfort through their presence. Acting appearances by the whole cast involved are tremendous, especially in regards to Sophie Galustian and Lucy Heath. Both actresses have a strong, unique stance onscreen and can take the spotlight in their grasp when they are in its illumination. They have great ability in presenting their characters through their mannerisms and delivery of speech throughout the film. When together in a scene, their characters radiate an energy that matches each other, fitting like two correct puzzle pieces. Their onscreen chemistry is profound and utterly stunning. Paired with exquisite acting, each scene in this film is beautifully shot and edited. Films themselves are undeniably labelled as visual experiences but this film carries a pleasing range of colour, style and camera angles that should be positively noticed and commented upon. It is a feast for the eyes. The directors of photography, Luigi Truscelli and George Davis, as well as editor Charlee Avis, should be highly praised for their work on this project and their seemingly natural talent relating to their titles. Furthermore, this production has unknowingly raised awareness to the forever talked about topic of women in film. With a female led cast and crew, the film makes a powerful statement while also being paired with the originally intended plot line showcasing the LGBTQ+ community. Stretching The Play is packed with emotion and positivity; a project with a valuable message that can be applied to every individual’s way of life and also for other projects within the wider film industry. A heartwarming short film that must awarded by being spread worldwide.

★★★★ Directed by: Jason Innocent Written by: Jason Innocent Starring: Bruce Burrell Film Review by: Darren Tilby Society’s perception of male masculinity is undergoing a (very) gradual evolution. But, while we like to think we live in progressive times, there’s still a long way to go; a lot of work needs to be done before we get things right. Only in the last few years have we begun talking about the appalling rate of male suicides, the fact that men are 3X more likely to commit suicide than women, and question why that might be. But why has it taken us so long? Enter filmmaker Jason Innocent, as he attempts to decipher the meaning of masculinity by looking at our male-dominated history, and explores the effects of toxic masculinity on both men and women. The decoding of centuries worth of male idealism isn’t an easy task for a movie a mere 15-minutes in length. Or any film, for that matter. Innocent’s solution to this problem is to keep things simple. But by not overstretching his gaze, Innocent can keep his film incisive and short, while still doing right by the subject matter. The movie consists of interviews from both men and women giving their personal views on contemporary masculinity, intercut with Bruce Burrell’s brilliantly read narration, which looks at ‘manliness’ through the ages. The film is generally well put together, but there are a couple of issues here and there. There are a few moments where the edits happen a little too quickly and some of the video and audio is of poor quality. However, the editing problem only occurs once or twice and is easily ignored. While the varying quality of video and audio – caused by interviewees using mobile phones, webcams and other such devices – could be down to the lockdown we’re currently experiencing? Either way, this isn’t a big problem at all, and everything is communicated clear enough for the viewer to understand. There’s plenty of insightful information here, particularly on the issue of toxic masculinity and the media’s involvement in its spreading through society—both historically and presently. And, if there's one thing Innocent makes absolutely clear, it's that men are incredibly insecure about society's idea of masculinity and what that means. It must have been a daunting task, to decode such an enigma, especially within a 15-minute time frame. But Jason Innocent’s concise and well-crafted documentary, which tackles one of the more pertinent issues of our time, is a resounding success.

★★ Directed by: #KarlJClaridge Written by: #BarbaraSpevack Starring: #BarbaraSpevack, #KarlJClaridge and #PavelCaldr Short film review by: Brian Penn The 75th anniversary of VE Day sets the present in perspective and pays tribute to sacrifices made for the greater good. This short film by Karl J. Claridge provides a snapshot of Hitler’s Germany and the brutal treatment metered out to those who were different. Diana Hoffman (Barbara Spevack) awaits her fate in a cold white bricked cell. She is soon confronted by Sturmbannfuhrer Richter (Karl J. Claridge) who is investigating a bomb attack on a crematorium. The identity of the culprit is not a major concern but he needs to find someone, anyone to charge with the crime. As a Jewish woman Diana knows her options are limited and Richter has ways of making her talk. All Richter needs is a name but will that necessarily get Diana off the hook? The film aims to quantify the value of life when it clearly meant so little; but sits on a narrative loop that continually asks the same question which invariably provokes the same response. Aryan supremacy and anti-Semitism are familiar themes that the viewer can take as read. Then precious screen time could have been preserved for the film’s true narrative. But it failed to explore Barbara’s motivation and desire to protect members of the resistance movement in Germany. The visuals set the scene perfectly, but it just lingers too long on detail that should be obvious. Before you know it the closing titles are starting to roll and wonder what happened to the story. The film generates tremendous atmosphere with an almost palpable sense of claustrophobia. Yet the premise is lost by a limited and repetitive script The Value of a Life is a promising concept that failed to deliver the payoff it deserved.

★★★ Directed by: #MichaelKeane Written by: #MichaelKeane Starring: #MaryMcMorrow, #PhilipOCallaghan Film Review by: Christopher Hart When dealing with the subject of school shootings, one must exercise prudence in their work. Dark and twisted matters like these are very curious, and it is why people become invested in telling and hearing such stories like the Columbine High School Massacre. However, it is not simply a story; it is a true story, and a wicked one at that. Writer and director Michael Keane attempts to recreate this school shooting in his short film Final Shot. This seen from the perspective of a teacher and her students, leaving the shooter a shadow-like blur in the chaos. The plot is fairly simple, as it follows the teacher (Mary McMorrow) and her students as they try and escape a school shooter (Philip O'Callaghan) from a claustrophobic classroom. Keane has achieved what he has set out to do; he has shown visually (there are no lines of dialogue in this short) the fear and panic of a monstrous crime. Keane’s style is well-executed, the dark plot reflected in its intimidating score and ominous colour pallet, sucking the youthful joy from this world. Final Shot is fast-paced, and the editing works well for such a panic-stricken situation. However, the information given to us on mass shootings seems slightly unnecessary, and the editing is rushed on this, leaving little time for the viewer to read all the paragraphs. Nevertheless, the audience will forget about this as it is thrust into the suspense, with the piercing school alarm being sounded. The sound effects in this short are well-placed and very convincing; the gunshots are forceful, and what is a very subtle but effective move by Keane is the distortion of the picture as the windows are shot. While the film required no dialogue, the credibility relies heavily on facial expressions to convey the panic of the story. This was done superbly by Mary McMorrow, but one cannot help but notice the smiles on the boys’ faces as they flee from the building. Understanding that they are not professional by any means, perhaps a sense of sincerity with the subject matter needed to be employed. Philip O’Callaghan’s shooter was threatening with his hollow gaze, conveying villainy with confidence. Issues aside, it is clear that Keane has a sense of direction and understands the content and gravity of violence. The message of Final Shot is unambiguous – mass shootings are frightening experiences, and Keane extends his sympathies to all those who have been unfortunate enough to be a victim of one.

★★★ Directed by: #RichardOHare Written by: #JackParr, #AronVonAndrian Starring: #JackParr, #AronVonAndrian, #ScottPenman Film Review by: Darren Tilby Clocking in at a mere seven minutes in length, Richard O’Hare’s slice-of-life movie, Ghetto Bird, shows plenty of promise. Unfortunately, it gives us little cause to care about its characters or the world they inhabit, and so falls short of ever fulfilling any potential it may have had. Three young skaters – Ryan (Jack Parr), Killian (Aron Von Andrian) and Sam (Scott Penman) – discuss life at the skate park as they negotiate the daily struggles of gang violence, drug crime and poverty in modern-day London. For human interest stories such as this, being able to empathise with the characters is essential. As far as I can see, this is the film’s biggest problem. None of the three central characters is relatable and often come across as quite unlikeable. Performances though are excellent, which leads me to believe the issues here come more from hollow characterisation and weak narrative writing. Ghetto Bird makes serious attempts to deal with some hugely significant issues: gang violence, drug crime and poverty are all touched upon here. But, while the intent is there and wholly respectable, the approach is way off and lacks the punch required to be impactful. Tonally, it isn’t where it needs to be to have real meaning, and the whole thing just doesn’t seem to go anywhere. And, in the end, I left the film not fully knowing what the point of it was. The movie is incredibly well-put-together though, boasting an impressive musical accompaniment and stellar cinematography by Marcos Shepherd. Through Shepherd’s camera work, the ‘ghettos’ of London are beautifully put to screen, while the intimacy of these small, self-sufficient communities ripples throughout the movie. It’s just a shame the plot doesn’t expand on this aspect of the film more. Ghetto Birds had plenty of potential: good performances by the entire cast, great visual and sound design and the intention to tackle difficult subject matters. What it lacks, however, is focus and daring. The focus to create a narrative that’s concise and sincere, and the daring to make Ghetto Birds the hard-hitting drama it could, no, should have been. But, there’s still a lot of fun to be had here. Moreover, Ghetto Bird serves as a promising display of talent for all involved.

★★★★★ Directed by #JustinPemberton Written by #MatthewMetcalfe #ThomasPiketty #JustinPemberton Film Review by George Wolf You want to understand the economic mess we're in? Simple. It all comes down to horses and board games. Wut? Watch Capital in the Twenty-First Century, and more than just vague analogies will come into startling focus. New Zealand filmmaker Justin Pemberton has assembled an array of scholars and historians (including Thomas Piketty, author of the source book) for a 103-minute presentation that is so informative, measured and concise it should earn you college credits. There are graphs, illustrations and pop culture snippets from film and television that Pemberton weaves throughout the lecture material to attract the eye and boost the film's overall entertainment value. But make no mistake, his mission is about breaking down the 400 years of history that explain the social and economic precipice we're teetering on right now. The breakdown is an accomplishment in itself, but Pemberton and his scholars never condescend or confuse, bringing an immeasurable value to the medium delivering this invaluable message. And while some of the lessons are not new (i.e. we need a strong middle class) the context here is so vivid and relevant many observations may land with an echo of "eureka!" inside your head. The history of nations carrying staggering wealth inequality and stagnant social mobility is not pleasant, but the ironic timing of Pemberton's film helps fuel the hope that total socio-economic collapse may still be avoided. The key lies in totally re-shaping the way a population thinks, which historically has only been achieved through seismic cultural shifts such as a war or a depression. Or a pandemic? We'll see, but by the time Capital in the Twenty-First Century is done telling you about the horses and the board games, there will be little doubt why the "job creators" are so anxious to give us the business. #GeorgeWolf

★★★ Directed by: #AlexMagaña Written by: #AlexMagaña Starring: #ArielFullinwider #MerlyndaSol Film Review by: Alfie Kaye While it’s slightly on the nose, the title of the short, Smiling Woman, does best accurately describe its plot: a woman sat alone at a bus stop is haunted by a woman whose (overtly) creepy smile sends her on a path to despair. By staring directly at the surface of the film, you may see a generic horror short; underneath the surface, however, shows a passionate understanding of horror resulting in an ambitious project. There is a concerted effort to follow the textbooks of David Lynch and Sam Raimi in regards to horror filmmaking - which is perhaps the most ambitious thing about the film when you consider its run time. While the film does part-rely on jump scares, they are still choreographed well. What’s more impressive, though, is the admirable effort to build tension through the use of camera manipulation, and to use a surrealistic character to encourage a psychologically-haunting experience. Impressive further is its crescendo-like build of tension throughout the film, culminating in a frightening final frame; the Smiling Woman literally creeps up to you. I’m not sure the film can be described as a philosophical or allegorical exploration into a certain theme, but in a film with a run-time as short as this, this is not a problem. In fact, by not over-saturating the film, its primary objective of scaring the viewer becomes easier, and that comes across. The aptly named Jonathan Romero’s sound mix combines the scratchy, high-pitched strings used by Bernard Herrmann’s in Psycho with the strange and brash honking, echoey effect that bolts you upright to attention in the opening to The Shining, and while this is a commendable attempt to utilise sound we associate with classic horror, Smiling Woman would have benefited by understanding the importance of silence in a bid to scare its viewer; seldom does the sound ease off, and the benefits of doing this are highlighted by a heart-jumping final frame. Not a great deal can be said for the screenplay as the dialogue is minimal, however, lead actresses Ariel Fullinwider (The Girl) and Merlynda Sol (Smiling Woman) do a fine job of portraying anxiety and eeriness, respectively, - for large parts, relying on facial expressions and body language. The sparse use of special effects is also used precisely and purposefully. This is a very fine effort in executing an uneasy, horror short. It would be misleading to suggest you will see anything unique here, but for the large part, director Alex Magaña understands and appreciates horror convention and utilises them successfully, and also manipulates the camera well, throughout.