The Night Doctrine film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring Lynzy Billing, Milad Yousufi directed by Mauricio Rodriguez Pons & Almudena Toral. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Night Doctrine Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: May 16, 2023 Directed by: Mauricio Rodriguez Pons & Almudena Toral Written by: Lynzy Billing Starring: Lynzy Billing, Milad Yousufi Journalist Lynzy Billing’s quest to find the truth around her family’s fate leads to a haunting documentary examining the horrors of night raids in The Night Doctrine, a tactic utilised by the US to eliminate targets in Afghanistan with flaws that led to the death of innocents. An animated short, the documentary features portrayals of Billing at different stages of her life from her birth in Afghanistan, to losing her mother and sister during a night raid, to working as a journalist investigating the use of the tactic by the US in her home nation during the war on terror. She speaks to families who have lost innocent loved ones during raids, as well as former Afghan army members who perpetrated raids that cost innocent lives to weigh the human cost of a risk-addled and callous methods of war. There is a haunting quality to The Night Doctrine. Its echoes a similar war documentary Waltz With Bashir, and like its animated counterpart, the creative graphic presentation brilliantly portrays the horrors of war without the use of actual footage. Lynzy’s personal tale and the trauma of those who have had family members fall victim to the raids, and those who live with the regret of carrying them out against innocent civilians make the film as real as it gets despite its presentation in a medium so often pigeon-holed ad the realm of the fantastical. Images such as a fracturing photograph of Lynzy’s family, or the falling ash of a cigarette forming patterns on a map of insurgent groups to represent the paradoxical creation of terrorists as a result of raids designed to stop them are powerful and lasting. Despite occasional lapses in quality, the film’s animation amplifies its human message. As an investigative piece, there is a sense that the analysis of raids themselves is lacking. Little time is devoted to the actual purposes of the raids or why they were utilised, and only passing mention is given to intelligence failures and their role in raids targeting the wrong people – which feels like a significant factor to omit. There is an implied notion as well that the concept and tactic of night raids originated with the US army, as opposed to being a quite standard method of war and enforcement for centuries. And it’s a missed opportunity that the film does not note or compare the use of domestic night raids by the United States in law enforcement – especially considering high-profile incidents such as the killing of Breonna Taylor – as evidence that the dangers of such tactics extend beyond wartime setting. Such analysis is understandable given that the film is primarily focused on the human stories that have been affected by raids – and it’s fair for Billing’s focus to stay with Afghanistan considering her ties. It would have however benefitted from further evidencing that night raids are a US-specific innovation given the framing in the film. The featured stories themselves are remarkable and the accounts the filmmakers have been able to secure – particularly from the former Afghan soliders whose identities were anonymized – are eye-opening and emotionally devastating. The resultant emotions are that of empathy and compassion for those whose lives were upturned and destroyed by the war. The film exists therefore as a contemporary and important accounting of a period of history that continues to unfold today. Not all of the questions it raises are answerable – but the human cost it examines is already immeasurable, and its success is in capturing the emotional impact of this in a striking and affecting style. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Digital / DVD Release, Short Film, World Cinema, Documentary < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Find UK filmmaking courses from the best institutions in the country. Become a filmmaker with the skills to get hired in the UK movie industry. Filmmaking Courses Given that our website receives so many film submissions from filmmakers in the UK, it is fair to say that a large part of our fanbase comes from the filmmaking community. Also, a lot of our readers may have a strong interest in becoming a filmmaker, but have no idea where to start. With this in mind, we would like to showcase filmmaking courses in the UK on this page. It will be our goal to find and promote the most prestigious and exciting institutions out there who offer the skills and experience to get you behind the camera and making films. If you would like us to consider a particular filmmaking course in the UK, perhaps because you have already attended it and would strongly recommend it, or you may be the organiser of such a course and want people to know about it, please send us a message using the form below. Filmmaking courses can often seem like a redundant notion in a world where information flows so laughably easy, and technology has become so easily available (and cheap) that anyone can pick up a camera and shoot. However, here at UK Film Review, we see and review films of all standards, and our movie critics will be the first to tell you that we can almost always tell when someone has had training and when someone has not. Like any craft, filmmaking has fundamentals that need to be considered when attempting visual storytelling. This could be from a technical level, or from a more character based perspective. The filmmaking courses in the UK, and their providers, which you will see here should always be aimed at people who have a passion for storytelling. Even if you are the guy holding the boom mic or the girl composing the score, you should always want to achieve something special in terms of the final movie. Being the best at your role will mean that you will be able to open more doors for yourself, convincing others in the industry that you are the best choice for their next project, or to convince others to join your own!

Killing Boris Johnson film review by UK film critic Chris Olson. Starring Shadrach Agozino, Jesse Akele directed by Musa Alderson-Clarke. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Killing Boris Johnson Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Chris Olson | Posted on: May 15, 2023 Directed by: Musa Alderson-Clarke Written by: Musa Alderson-Clarke Starring: Shadrach Agozino, Jesse Akele We have yet to fully experience the artistic reaction to the global pandemic, an event that will likely keep inspiring for years to come as more and more stories reveal themselves - in particularly to filmmakers. Musa Alderson-Clarke’s startling short drama, Killing Boris Johnson, delves into the troubling discussion surrounding the impact Partygate had on UK citizens through one story of suicide and depression. Shadrach Agozino gives a powerhouse performance playing Kaz, a man whose mother killed herself during the winter lockdown in the UK. We are informed (via video diary entries Kaz makes) that she was known to suffer from severe depression, made worse by not having her family around and by the time of year. At a similar time, it was revealed that Prime Minister Boris Johnson had attended a Christmas party with his staff. This context is important to understand Kaz’s journey through the film. He is clearly enraged and bitter about the death of his mother and has become obsessed with Johnson’s apology video to the news about being unaware he was breaking lockdown rules. Kaz becomes increasingly unstable, going as far as to start wearing a Boris Johnson mask and performing self-harm, as well as securing a weapon that he plans to use in an assassination. The heightened emotions of how people coped with Covid give this piece a formidable starting point. This feels like one of a thousand stories we could be watching, a tapestry of tragedy that we are still feeling the after-effects from. Whilst Killing Boris Johnson, as the title implies, has a clear political edge, this is more a human drama than a soapbox stance. Watching Kaz slip down the slippery slope of grief and internal destruction is hugely compelling, enhanced by the incredible performance. His scenes with Jesse Akele, who plays a concerned friend, are loaded with intensity and ring true of the difficulties loved ones will face trying to get through to someone in as bleak a place as Kaz is in. Whilst the film does certainly dwell on the tragic, there are also small moments of peace and even humour (albeit this could be unintentional). Kaz shutting down a work presentation is pretty funny and when he buys the weapon, the scene has a British charm to it. It is the footage of his mum on the phone, however, that bookends the short film and acts as the lifeline to Kaz and us the viewer amongst all the high-flying emotions. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Chris Olson Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Earth Mama film review by UK film critic Brian Penn. Starring Tia Nomore, Erika Alexander directed by Savanah Leaf. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Earth Mama Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Brian Penn | Posted on: Dec 4, 2023 Directed by: Savanah Leaf Written by: Savanah Leaf Starring: Tia Nomore, Erika Alexander In a perfect world all children would be born into a stable home with two loving parents. But the reality is often a long way from the story book idyll that is written. Children can be born in the right place at the wrong time or vice versa. The result is an emotional battlefield as the child's interests are prioritised by the great and good. In her feature length debut Savannah Leaf directs a compelling portrayal of a young women growing up too quickly. Gia (Tia Nomore) is the mother of two children in care with another on the way. She is a recovering addict and enrolled on every recovery programme humanly possible. Every positive step brings her closer to getting her children back. Gia dreams of the day she can stand up in court and prove her fitness as a mother. But is still wracked by self-doubt; how can she feed another mouth when barely scraping a living as a photographer's assistant. Her social worker Miss Carmen (Erika Alexander) becomes a friend and honest broker. Could adoption be the solution to Gia's problems? Earth mama pulls absolutely no punches in a bleak but sadly realistic snapshot of urban life. It’s a story that's been told many times before but some hit the spot more accurately than others. There is a detached almost visceral quality that really stands out. As a character Gia will ask for no favours, nor will she complain about how she got here. To her raking over the past is a waste of energy when the present has plenty to keep her busy. She is simply asking the world at large, what do I do now? As a viewer, it's easy to buy into Gia's predicament as she battles to do the right thing. There is a natural glow of simplicity that doesn’t feel staged or constructed. It’s hugely reminiscent of a ‘fly on the wall’ documentary where the characters are facing problems that are universally understood. We see real people living real lives which gives the story an undeniable impact. The audience will feel they’re eavesdropping intimate conversations such is the authenticity portrayed on screen. Any director who can project this level of realism onto the big screen has achieved a rare feat. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Brian Penn Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Nightborn film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Seidi Haarla, Rupert Grint directed by Hanna Bergholm . HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Nightborn Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Jul 29, 2026 Directed by: Hanna Bergholm Written by: Hanna Bergholm, Ilja Rautsi Starring: Seidi Haarla, Rupert Grint Finnish filmmaker Hanna Bergholm (Hatching ) once again explores horrific maternal themes with Nightborn . Don’t confuse it with Neil Blomkamp’s soulless AI short film. This is not that. Bergholm’s film stumbles into a classic Finnish folktale. Saga (Seidi Haarla) and her husband Jon (Rupert Grint) move to her grandmother’s old, long vacant home deep in the forest. Gran was a bit of an eccentric. She kept old junk—tractors, machinery, wire—around the property because the creatures in the woods hated cold iron. What a nut! Saga and Jon settle in to reclaim the cabin from the encroaching woods and to start their family. Jon is immediately besotted with little Christian regardless of how hairy he is. Saga can’t seem to bond with him, although she does try to find her place as a mother, first by asserting that his name is Kuura. Bergholm’s film, co-written with Hatching writing partner Ilja Rautsi, takes us deep into a post-partum nightmare. While the film is far less original than Hatching , examining maternal horror from the mother’s perspective gives the film dimension. Haarla looks and acts the part perfectly. Bergholm and Haarla work together to bend your expectations and sympathies. There is something wrong with this child and we’re as frustrated as Saga with the way she’s dismissed as being depressed and exhausted. The next minute, we see Saga as a narcissist whose personality disorder is now on display because she can’t find love in her heart for her baby. Then, clearly Saga is just delirious and exhausted and suffering from post-partum, all issues exacerbated by society’s demand that motherhood is precious and perfect. Nightborn weaves these likelihoods without asking us to turn against anyone. The film empathizes with Saga, even when her behavior does seem too prickly. Likewise, we’re never asked to hate Jon—a good thing because Grint is endlessly sympathetic as a man who wants desperately to be a good dad and husband. Though Nightborn is not perfect—the creature and baby effects leave a bit to be desired—its exploration is fascinating. Never tidy, never patronizing, but not quickly forgiving, the film embraces what’s monstrous in us. It’s not the complete success of Hatching , but it’s a vivid nightmare worth your time. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Digital / DVD Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Eggplant Lasagna film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Evas Carretero, Roberto Borenstein directed by Roberto Skora, Vinicius Piedade. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Eggplant Lasagna Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: May 29, 2022 Directed by: Roberto Skora, Vinicius Piedade Written by: Vinicius Piedade Starring: Evas Carretero, Roberto Borenstein A young artist and his father attempt to understand each other and improve their relationship. A painter (Carretero) is working in his studio, when he receives an unexpected visit by his father (Borenstein), who is a lawyer. The son hasn't been visiting his parents regularly and the father wants to invite him to his home to have dinner with himself and his wife. The visit and request leads to a series of conversations between them, in which they discuss their lives, the relationship between them, their jobs, their perceptions of life and they try to improve things between them. The main focus of this experimental drama feature from Brazil is the relationship between father and son. Although the two of them care for each other, they still have their differences. In an effort to make things better, the parent wants his child to come to his home and spend quality time together. Before he can agree, the son engages his father to be honest about his feelings and asks him to play role-playing games with him, in which their lives are swapped. The conversations that they have feel awkward at times, but also seem philosophical and dramatic. The son's unconventional idea helps the two of them learn more about each other's lives and themselves and as they attempt to understand one another, they have fake arguments and bond and laugh together. The atmosphere is sometimes dramatic, sometimes humorous and it is interesting watching the two protagonists interact with each other and try to be each other. Although the story explores the life of an artist or a lawyer, it also looks into the world of filmmaking. The narrative takes place inside the artist's studio and the artist and his father are pretty much the only characters in the film. The actors do a decent job and have good chemistry between them. Carretero plays a painter, who has a great deal of passion for his profession and defends what he believes in. Borenstein is a seasoned lawyer, who does not understand art as well as his son. Regarding filmmaking techniques, slow motion is sometimes utilised and the soundtrack is entertaining and includes rock songs. This movie is an intriguing achievement and contains creative storytelling methods. It is a character study, with well-written dialogue and deals with themes of reconciliation, regrets, family, the world of art and making the right decisions. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Indie Feature Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Trust in Love film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Jimi Petulla, Natasha Wilson, Logan Arditty, Sydney Bullock, Tim Hazelip directed by Mick Davis. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Trust in Love Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Nov 7, 2023 Directed by: Mick Davis Written by: Jimi Petulla Starring: Jimi Petulla, Natasha Wilson, Logan Arditty, Sydney Bullock, Tim Hazelip A divorce has very dramatic complications for a family. Mickey Ferrera (Petulla) is a music producer who lives in Malibu, California with his wife, Sofia (Wilson) and their teenage children Cody (Arditty) and Jennifer (Bullock). Sofia is unhappy with her husband, believing that he has become distant and has decided to divorce him. Mickey's world spirals out of control and he desperately tries to keep this stable, support his children and take care of things at work, which is also going downhill. Divorce is the center of this comedy drama as it is the effects of it that kick-starts the series of dramatic events that turn the lives of the protagonists upside down. Mickey certainly experiences changes due to Sofia's decision, as he is forced to move out of the house, he hires a lawyer, is ordered to attend anger management sessions and she even files a restraining order against him. On top of all this, he is under pressure to finally deliver music that sells, after so many years of failing. He finds some solace in the company of his brother, Bobby (Hazelip), a womanising surf enthusiast with dreadlocks, who gives him advice on how to handle the situation. Although a great deal of focus is on Mickey, the screenplay also explores how his wife and children are coping and it is not good as the whole procedure is taking its toll on them. The feature does a great job when it comes to character development. Mickey is a decent person who cares about his loved ones. However, he has made significant errors such as spending too much time working instead of focusing on being a supportive husband and father. By facing divorce, he is forced to reflect on his actions and make amends. His offspring go through their own struggles, particularly Cody (who also narrates a bit). Jennifer quits her passion for horse riding and Cody endures bullying at school due to a secret that he longs to reveal. Their father becomes the person who might help them overcome their obstacles. It is worth mentioning the appearance of Eric Roberts as an eccentric therapist. Occasionally, there are sort of title cards that reference the significance of the events of a particular moment, such as the occurrence of a Glasgow kiss. The addition of this is awkward and humorous. Chris Cibelli is quite creative with the editing, utilising split screen and wipe techniques. The film also gains from an entertaining soundtrack that includes songs by glam metal band Steelheart and various other artists. Although there are funny moments, this feature is heavy on drama, with big revelations and it explores a family being torn apart by divorce and deals with other very serious issues that include bullying, adultery and homophobia. However, it also points out the significance of having a family, of support, of self-discovery and having the courage to deal with life's challenges. Ultimately, the main message appears to be that being united is mandatory for people to get through tough times. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Mockbuster film review by UK film critic Matt Weiner. Starring Anthony Frith, Eric Roberts, Michael Paré directed by Anthony Frith. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Mockbuster Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Matt Weiner | Posted on: Jul 9, 2026 Directed by: Anthony Frith Written by: Sandy Cameron, Anthony Frith Starring: Anthony Frith, Eric Roberts, Michael Paré The disastrous production documentary has become a classic genre of its own. It’s easy to love a great movie, but there’s no highwire act like watching potential disaster unfold in real time, with the hope that artistic brilliance can still win out. And then there are the unfiltered geniuses working to the edge of madness, filmmaking greats like Coppola, Gilliam, Herzog, Coppola somehow again 45 years later … and now we can add to those luminaries the people who brought you Sharknado , Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies , and Transmorphers . Australian director Anthony Frith turns in two features in one with Mockbuster , a documentary that follows his last best chance to direct a real Hollywood feature movie. The studio willing to give him a shot just happens to be the Asylum, the B-movie powerhouse behind the Sharknado series plus hundreds of other films that tend to be either blatant Hollywood ripoffs (“mockbusters”) or public domain material. Frith enjoys a successful if artistically unfulfilling career in Adelaide directing corporate films. He still holds out hope for that last big break to create a real feature film, the kind he always dreamed of making as a kid. The Asylum gives him an immediate yes, and why wouldn’t they? The generous behind-the-scenes access portrays them as strict but self-aware schlockmeisters. And their studio process, while hectic, stays mostly on the rails. Frith’s role seems as much about watching the clock on a ludicrous six-day filming schedule as it is actually directing the production. And even then, the Asylum pairs him with in-house producer Brendan Petrizzo to make sure Frith gets his feature out of this. (And, perhaps, so Frith’s documentary also gets a happy ending that makes the studio look good.) Frith is an affable subject, and he relays the right amount of incredulity at each new Asylum quirk such as not having a script just weeks before the shoot, or approving costumes on the first day of filming. But his ultimate embrace of “the Asylum Way” and the tightly budgeted—and mostly controlled—chaos that comes with it defangs his documentary’s more pointed critiques. The Asylum higher-ups are happy to lean into their roles as anti-Hollywood rogues. Co-founders David Rimawi, David Latt and Paul Bales all feature heavily in Frith’s interviews and know what they’re doing when they toss out soundbites like “We make shitty movies for people with bad taste.” And these are shitty movies. They get churned out with the same ruthless efficiency as Hallmark, complete with in-house rules about runtime, plot beats and a stable of reliable names who can spout as much exposition as it takes to answer any lingering script questions that a six-day shoot didn’t have time to address. It’s hard to root against Frith, who is likeable, competent and surprisingly unflappable in the face of near-impossible constraints. But it’s also hard not to see the same studio cynicism lurking beneath the Asylum’s B-movie gloss. Asylum movies are profitable, which is more than can be said for many studio films. But their system locks Frith into the same directorial trappings and lack of agency as any Marvel movie. Just because they’re doing it for a fraction of the cost doesn’t mean the result is anything that could meaningfully qualify as art versus content. Nor does it have anything helpful to say about the future of moviemaking. Frith must know this as well. Why else do one for the arts and one for the charts with the same movie? Frith’s positive tone doesn’t address whether his experience would’ve been so rewarding if he hadn’t also had the chance to follow his actual dreams with Mockbuster . Yes, he succeeds on his own terms, in that Mockbuster is a far more enjoyable and introspective 90-minute movie than any Asylum film. But the cotton candy confection comes at the expense of the documentary compared to more probing films like Burden of Dreams, Lost in La Mancha or Hearts of Darkness . Frith sums up the Asylum by declaring that “making a bad movie is better than making no movie at all.” But that’s easy for him to say. If we only had The Land That Time Forgot , his contractual Asylum film, would audiences come to the same conclusion? Would he? Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Matt Weiner Digital / DVD Release, Indie Feature Film, Documentary < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Megalopolis film review by UK film critic Jack Salvadori. Starring Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel directed by Francis Ford Coppola. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Megalopolis Film Review average rating is 1 out of 5 Critic: Jack Salvadori | Posted on: May 17, 2024 Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola Written by: Francis Ford Coppola Starring: Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel I believed in America. And I believed in New Hollywood, helmed by Francis Ford Coppola. Thus, it particularly saddens me that Megalopolis , the legendary director’s long-awaited epic dream, is not the late masterpiece I anticipated. Forty-five years after the triumph of Apocalypse Now on the Croisette, Coppola competes for the Palm d’Or once again. Expectations were insurmountable, especially after the hyped reactions from an industry screening last month, classifying the project as extremely unconventional. Well, that’s a very kind way to put it… You would assume that studios have been ungrateful to Coppola, who, after crafting some of the greatest masterpieces in film history not only had to self-finance his latest project, but he is also struggling to score distribution deals. For once, however, the studios may have a point. The idea at the core is promising and fascinating: an alternative universe where New York is instead New Rome, and its society is shaped around the customs and style of a hypothetical modern Roman empire. Patrician families pull the strings of the city, with Mayor Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito) on one side, and genius Nobel Prize winning architect Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver) as his vocal opponent. The latter desires to rebuild the metropolis from scratch into a utopian society, structured around principles and technological advancements. Just like the film, Cesar’s dreamland is theoretically promising, but once it shines on the silver screen, it’s an embarrassing cluster of bad CGI, resembling a Windows 2000 screensaver. What is not computer generated is blandly shot like a perfume ad, which goes hand in hand with the flat music, soapy dialogues and over the top performances a-la-Dick Tracey. The colourful characters plot against each other in dollar-store Machiavellian schemes, and a very talented ensemble of actors feels highly underused, most notably Dustin Hoffman relegated to an unflattering side role. The plot-holes increase exponentially, and despite its 138 minutes a lot seems to be missing, perhaps due to the infinite rewrites of the script (rumours claim that there have been over 300 versions). Coppola’s eye is cast on concepts rather than characters. However, these ideas such as living in a better world for the future generations, sound preachy and shallowly kitsch. By the end of the film, one has more questions than answers, with the main one being: how is this possible? Comparing a director’s heights with his latest works is never a fair assessment, but how can He be the same master who delivered those perfect scenes from The Godfather and The Conversation , where no detail was left unnoticed? The egomaniac and delusional architect who wants to build an idealistic empire in his own way inevitably mirrors the octogenarian filmmaker, who challenged all conventional production standards and the studio system, making the movie entirely through his own means. It is therefore impossible to discern the artistic qualities of Megalopolis with this audacious personal bet, and it should be appreciated under this light rather than as a picture per se. Coppola’s spot in film history is secured, and yet he gambles everything on what, at $120 million, can be considered the most expensive “experimental” movie ever made. He is determined to redefine how a movie can be told, including an unprecedented theatrical interaction midway through the screening, with the lights going up to show a journalist in the cinema interviewing Cesar on the screen. Unexpected, but eventually this is but a gimmick that does not matter in the film. If history is cyclical, Francis Ford Coppola wants to be Marcus Aurelius, but turns into Nero. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jack Salvadori Film Festival < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Lost and Spaced film review by UK film critic Amber Jackson. Starring Joel Phillimore, Robert Maskell, Gareth Lawrence directed by Roozbeh Tavakoli. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Lost and Spaced Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Amber Jackson | Posted on: Apr 28, 2022 Directed by: Roozbeh Tavakoli Written by: Roozbeh Tavakoli Starring: Joel Phillimore, Robert Maskell, Gareth Lawrence Edgy, broody, unsympathetic, bitter – and that’s just the protagonist. There is no forgiveness when it comes to Roozbeh Tavakoli’s award-winning black comedy Lost and Spaced. Running at just under one hour, this feature film situates Nathan, a young musician trying to make his way in London, who witnesses a heinous Mafia crime. As he flees the scene, his life spirals even further out of control. Tavakoli’s film combines humour with turmoil as Nathan struggles to balance the different parts of his existence. At first, we are provided with a relatable coming-of-age narrative of a young musician in London. The cinematography is both artsy and compelling as it conveys the very recognisable setting of South East London. Most scenes in the film are shot in Greenwich on the same road, which was merely for budgetary reasons, but actually does one better and allows the feature to feel authentically English. UK viewers can see the markings of their capital city and the behind-the-scenes that Nathan’s story provides. There is a forced recognition of the challenges that he experiences throughout the film. A continually shaky camera adds to the vibe of events being all-consuming for Nathan, as multiple scenes of confusion provide insight into his internal mental state. He cannot let his guard down and so paranoia is the driving force for his actions, often leaving little to no space for rationality. This, combined with funky editing and a clever and comedic script keeps the film exciting. We learn that he is haunted by his former psychiatrist, whilst also being confronted by a new danger of having to hide from the mafia and so he lays low. With this, he finds help in unconventional places which suggests that his story is one of survival and we are simply along for the ride. Haunted by the feelings and memories of his past certainly impacts Nathan’s present, as animated scenes warp these beyond normal recognition. Abstract scenes are clouded with confusion as he attempts to make repairs in his head and also process present events. With excellent comedic timing, as well as compelling emotion, Joel Phillimore is able to portray a Nathan who has lost sight of everything that he once found valuable – perhaps even his sense of self. Ultimately, Lost and Spaced has some very intriguing twists and turns during the course of an hour which point to a story that is very much one man’s continuous downfall. Whilst the story only intensifies with its obscurity, it maintains its ability to be an entertaining dark comedy that focuses on the conflict between delusion and reality. Whilst one overall clear meaning or message is unclear, maybe that is the point – maybe Nathan is just in too deep and can no longer find his way towards redemption or resolution. Either way, Tavakoli’s overpowering feature is certainly one to watch. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Amber Jackson Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The 400 Blows film review by UK film critic Alasdair MacRae. Starring Jean-Pierre Léaud, Claire Maurier, Albert Rémy directed by François Truffaut. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The 400 Blows Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Alasdair MacRae | Posted on: Jan 18, 2022 Directed by: François Truffaut Written by: François Truffaut & Marcel Moussy Starring: Jean-Pierre Léaud, Claire Maurier, Albert Rémy François Truffaut’s 1959 debut feature opens with the Eiffel Tower playing hide and seek behind apartment blocks. As the title credits roll, again and again, France’s most iconic landmark is obscured from view. All of a sudden, the three-hundred-metre tall gateway is upon us. We look up through the lattice of the structure. Then it is behind us, and all we can do is stare back at it as we drift away. The grandest visual metaphor to open an intimate and personal coming of age story. After being caught defacing a nude calendar in class, fourteen-year-old Antoine (Jean-Pierre Léaud), gets trapped in a cycle of punishment that leads to him playing truant, sleeping rough, stealing a typewriter, and worse. An alter ego of Truffaut in this semi-autobiographical tale, Antoine appears to be no different than any other of his classmates. They too are children of disinterested and distracted parents. They all taunt teachers who grow frustrated with their own lack of control. Yet he always seems to be singled out, and he begins to feel the weight of these inconsistencies. He decides to fight against these conditions and seek his independence from the adults that do not respect nor care for him. In his audition tape, Léaud describes himself as ‘mischievous’. As Antoine, he appears to be playing an alternate version of himself as much as he is an alternate of Truffaut. His performance captures the contrast between youthful innocence and necessary self-reliance. He carries himself like an adult, and his matter of fact temperament lends itself to that impression, but his face betrays the truth. He makes Antoine truly feel like the victim of misfortune. The romantic excess of the score highlights that Antoine’s outlook is not cynical despite his circumstance. He enjoys studying Balzac and visiting the cinema. In one especially nauseating sequence, he tries out a fairground ride that replicates the experience of being trapped inside a washing machine. These joyous moments, like the orchestral swells, underpin the tragedy of Antoine’s hope for a better life that always seems just out of reach. Truffaut’s glissando filmmaking articulates Antoine’s journey through adolescence. The use of pans, tracking shots and fades convey the energy of change. However, camera movement is also used to emulate his lack of control. At times it represents the forces of the world that appear to push and pull him at their behest. In one particularly resonant scene, he is arrested and taken away in the back of a police van. We see from his point of view; the world obscured by bars. He is trapped on a phantom ride, being dragged through his own life. Over sixty years have passed since its original release and this centrepiece of the nouvelle vague remains a feat of visual storytelling. Truffaut’s film revels in the art of contrasts. He gives glimpses of joy to lend character to sorrow, uses camera movement to reflect both freedom and constraint, and ultimately, he represents those whose existence carries little weight in the world. No matter how much time has passed, it is impossible not to feel overwhelmed by the freeze-frame finale of this semi-autobiographical masterwork. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Alasdair MacRae Theatrical Release, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Ovary-Acting film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Synnøve Karlsen, Sofia Oxenham directed by Ida Melum. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Ovary-Acting Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Jan 22, 2026 Directed by: Ida Melum Written by: Laura Jayne Tunbridge Starring: Synnøve Karlsen, Sofia Oxenham A thirty-something woman feels the pressure from everyone around her at her sister’s baby shower to have children of her own, so much so that her ovaries start talking to her to try and convince her. Eva (Karlsen) is thirty-four. She’s fast approaching that life destroying cliff-dive of an age where women are told that their bodies suddenly change for the worse, and that fertility becomes a major issue until the long slow feminine death of menopause. All sorts of things are supposed to go wrong with having babies after a woman hits thirty-five, and Eva is fast running out of time, as she is constantly reminded by everyone around her who ‘cares for her’ and ‘has her best interests at heart’. Granny is the most insistent member of the group to try and push Eva into motherhood, but everybody else is at it, too, with friends and family putting on their rose-tinted spectacles and throwing out platitudes that regale the simple positive pleasures of raising a baby. Eva is having none of it though, and tries to impress upon everyone that she still has time, and that she can make up her own mind about these things whenever she feels like it. This is not entirely true though and Eva’s fuzzy guts start trying to tell her otherwise as she bats away the onslaught of indoctrinated motherhood. After a swift trip to the toilet (in the mother and baby changing area), Eva unexpectedly looks into the mirror to find herself pregnant with worry. This miraculous conception lasts a matter of moments before Eva is lying on the floor giving birth to her reproductive system. Her ovaries (and technically uterus, too) burst forth and land on the baby change mat, introducing herself as Ovy (Oxenham), the talking, floating version of Eva’s inner voice. Together, Eva and Ovy navigate the choices laid out in front of them as they discuss and argue over the idea of bringing a baby into the world. Told in a cutesy animation style, with cloth puppets and their animated mouths and eyebrows, Ovary-Acting tackles some big issues with a gentle but firm direction and narrative. The characters are perfectly represented for the tale they are trying to tell, as nothing seems overly serious or terrifying in the fact that part of Eva’s insides have suddenly emerged from her body and started talking to her. The animation also allows for some surreal narrative moments which could not have been achieved through live action, or which could have appeared gross-out or just plain weird in a CGI context. Around half-way through the twelve-minute runtime, Eva and Ovy break into a big song and dance number, which is very reminiscent and akin to those cemented in nearly every episode of the Netflix comedy, Big Mouth . This tongue-in-cheek attitude towards female reproduction is a soothing balm for those who may feel the pressure of the ticking biological clock along with Eva, and for everyone else it’s light-hearted and entertaining without seeming too flippant. Writer, Laura Jayne Tunbridge, obviously has to hit some pretty standard markers in the dialogue, of which some phrases and snippets can sound fairly tired and well-worn, with most comediennes, chat show hosts, and members of Loose Women having covered this ground many times before. However, she manages to blend this in with some fairly personal feeling dialogue and a light, modern touch, to keep things fresh, relevant and funny. Ovary-Acting is a unique take on an age-old dilemma, which really comes into its own in terms of its style and storytelling. There is a lot to admire and enjoy about Eva’s journey into finding herself, and the fuzzy animation, led by Ida Melum’s direction, really adds to the feeling the viewer gets when watching her wrestle with her own emotions and self-justifications. There’s even a nice little fuzzy ballsack hanging about who just wants to say Hello. Ovary-Acting is a beautiful piece of storytelling which achieves the perfect balance in how it gets its message across, finding a way to not take itself too seriously while making points which everybody should consider, especially when they should keep their mouth shut and their noses out of somebody else’s business. BAFTA® 2026 Longlisted Animated Short. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Digital / DVD Release, Short Film, Animation, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >