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

Challengers film review by UK film critic James Learoyd. Starring Zendaya, Mike Faist, Josh O'Connor directed by Luca Guadagnino. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Challengers Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: James Learoyd | Posted on: Apr 29, 2024 Directed by: Luca Guadagnino Written by: Justin Kuritzkes Starring: Zendaya, Mike Faist, Josh O'Connor Love his work or otherwise, one must acknowledge that nobody is making films like Luca Guadagnino. His movies have always provided something uniquely reflective and, as many have pointed out, ‘sensual’; although he has never been known to limit himself genre-wise. Even in his ‘horror’ films – Suspiria (2018) and Bones and All (2022) - there’s maintained a level of wistfulness, or, at least, a stunning sense of humanity. He wants to draw our attention to the beautiful things in the world without needing to impose an extreme directorial sensibility... however, Challengers (2024) is something slightly different, proving to be audacious in every way, not least stylistically. If perhaps you haven’t heard, this film stars Zendaya as Tashi, a skilled tennis player with a hold on two other tennis players – portrayed by Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor. The piece consists of an unconventional narrative, jumping back and forth, held together by a single climactic match which you can quickly infer holds all the stakes. You may expect this to be a picture about competing for a person’s affection, yet it proves to be something much more complex and fun than simply that. It is soap-opera-esque with many twists and turns; betrayal around every romantically or sexually charged corner. It’s a great time. We’ve always been able to see Éric Rohmer’s influence over Guadagnino’s movies, though most unusually can it be identified in Challengers . The dynamics of our central love triangle can be compared to something like La Collectionneuse (1967) though with a focus on sport and the body over art or intellect. It's all about the characters. I’m sure this has, or will, quickly become the consensus, but this is Zendaya’s best performance. It’s kind of incredible; maybe even more incredible is the way in which a co-star like Mike Faist refuses to buckle under the weight of such a powerful, layered persona as Tashi - Faist more than holds his own as Art, by the end maybe the film’s most conflicted character. One of the most enjoyable elements of the film is its unabashed love for melodramatic, heightened character moments – executed through Luca’s steady hand and the exhilarating new score by Reznor / Ross (immediately in the history books). Comparable to the iconic music for The Third Man (1949) -- not in any way for how it sounds (they’re pretty much diametrically opposed), but for the specific, unusual feeling it evokes: In Challengers , the score is saying, ‘Don’t take this too seriously’. It’s a beautifully tongue-in-cheek evocation, and quite bravely trusts the audience to follow its tone; quite unlike anything in Call Me by Your Name (2017), for instance, which is always sincere, earnest. It’s phenomenal, and certainly in the conversation for being Guadagnino’s best movie... it probably is; although I’m a huge A Bigger Splash (2015) fan. I would highly recommend the film, if not just for the final scene, which is maybe the most stylistically expressive sequence Luca’s ever helmed. Very rarely do I sit in a cinema grinning not due to the content of a movie but because of how it was made – a level of cinematic kineticism not dissimilar from Mad Max: Fury Road (2015). I left the cinema beaming, and others will too. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic James Learoyd Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Last Hit film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Mike Ferguson, Twana Barnett, LeeAnne Bauer, Levee Duplay directed by David M. Parks. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Last Hit Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Jan 27, 2026 Directed by: David M. Parks Written by: Anthony Leone, Ovsanna Yepremyan Starring: Mike Ferguson, Twana Barnett, LeeAnne Bauer, Levee Duplay An action crime thriller directed by David M. Parks, written by Anthony Leone and Ovsanna Yepremyan and starring Mike Ferguson, Twana Barnett, LeeAnne Bauer and Levee Duplay. Vincent (Ferguson) and Maya (Barnett) are a couple in Los Angeles who make a living by collaborating with a few others and acting as sort of mercenaries for crime boss, Dante (Duplay), killing people and stealing money. When they are assigned what they plan to be their final job for him, things do not go according to plan and they end up empty-handed. Regardless, the couple still stick to their retirement plans, much to Dante's dissatisfaction, who is determined to make them execute one final mission. Heavily-tattooed criminals, plenty of guns, shooting, a lot of hand-to-hand combat, threats, kidnapping, double-crossing, profanity. All these are what one will see by viewing this feature. But the story covers significantly more, with a great deal of character development present as the protagonists contemplate their life and their actions. The fight scenes are arguably the highlights, even if they are a bit unrealistic and limited. Daniel Taranto's ominous, tense and suspenseful music enhances the scenes and the aerial shots of Los Angeles look great. Taking under consideration that this is an action film, it could be forgiven for the not-very-great acting. And, for the same reason, it could also be forgiven for having a predictable screenplay. These flaws do not spoil the show completely, however, they do bring it down. Ferguson't character is a seasoned outlaw, covered in tattoos, a guy who longs to abandon criminal activities and live a peaceful life, along with Maya. He and Maya believe in principles and trust but are willing to resort to violence if necessary. Bauer plays Lana, a member of the couple's team, an ambitious woman who has her own agenda. Duplay is supposed to be portraying the antagonist, although his character's menace is overshadowed by the presence of Jack (Cody Cowell) and Tommy (Trent James) two other members of the group. Unsurprisingly, since this story has criminals as protagonists, the script examines living a life of crime, organised crime in particular and things that tend to accompany such a lifestyle, such betrayal and manipulation. From a different point of view, this is also a feature about self-reflection and the desire to start a new life. An action crime feature with fighting and killing, tension and drama. And it could also be categorised as a neo-noir film. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Dust Angel film review by UK film critic Chris Olson. Starring Craig Vaden II, Bret Tencheira, Ken Krauss directed by Peter Dorn-Ravlin. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Dust Angel Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Chris Olson | Posted on: Dec 28, 2021 Directed by: Peter Dorn-Ravlin Written by: Peter Dorn-Ravlin Starring: Craig Vaden II, Bret Tencheira, Ken Krauss Having smashed the box office recently, audiences who loved Denis Villeneuve’s Dune may find enjoyment in this latest short film from writer/director Peter Dorn-Ravlin (see also Ruben and Ethel ). With clear inspiration from the Dune movies and books, as well as other sci-fi hits like Star Trek and Star Wars , Dust Angel packs a whole lotta desert-based adventure into its 23-minute run time. Craig Vaden II plays Damion, a soldier who we meet early on flying a spaceship solo and thumbing a photograph of his wife and kid. His subsequent foraging on a mysterious planet leads him into the path of a masked warrior (Bret Tencheira) and the two engage in an action-packed fight sequence that includes laser guns, swords, and good old-fashioned knuckle dusters. Soon after, we are giving more details as to why the pair are fighting and what has happened on this peculiar planet. You can immediately tell when a metric tonne of passion has been poured into a project and the filmmakers behind Dust Angel showcase that within the first few minutes of their short film. It is clearly a work of pure devotion to the genre, with a strong admiration for their forbearers. It’s an ambitious and at times enthralling short that achieves a lot. The use of real and super-imposed locations is obvious but not a problem, as aren’t the special effects that range somewhere between Red Dwarf and South Park. They are a lot of fun, actually, and give the film a genuine sense of creative flair. The various ships that appear are intricate and, whilst crudely delivered, inject a sense of science fiction theatre that really adds to the piece. The performances are sturdy, with a lot of time dedicated to the fighting which was impressively choreographed. The dialogue scenes felt quite wooden, with one character masked and the other talking through their mind it didn’t give the actors much scope to really shine. This, paired with an underdelivered premise, made Dust Angel feel more like the first chapter in a feature, rather than a standalone short film. As the audience is enlightened with more details of the story behind the worlds we see in the film, a few meatier themes emerge - such as the yin and yang of war and peace, or the instinctual violent human nature which prevents the latter from ever being realised. These ideas only flicker onto the film’s radar before disappearing though and would have been something viewers may have wanted to see more of. What’s clear with Dust Angel is that the filmmakers wanted to embrace all aspects of the genre, without making harsh sacrifices due to budget limitations. It would have been easy to just have two characters talking in one location and just reference the “futuristic world” in which they stood. Instead, audiences are treated to a smorgasbord of visual treats, from flying spaceships to laser fights, and the result is impressively entertaining if you are willing to accept the crudeness which comes to special effects when they don’t have Denis’ 165 million USD budget. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Chris Olson Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Girl with the Needle film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Vic Carmen Sonne, Trine Dryholm directed by Magnus von Horn. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Girl with the Needle Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Jan 21, 2025 Directed by: Magnus von Horn Written by: Line Langebek Knudsen, Magnus von Horn Starring: Vic Carmen Sonne, Trine Dryholm Were The Girl with the Needle any less gorgeous, less poetically filmed or liltingly told, the misery of 1919 Copenhagen might be too grim to bear. But somehow co-writer/director Magnus von Horn’s hypnotic storytelling bathes the nightmare in beauty, compassion, even hope. Vic Carmen Sonne’s vacant expression gives Karoline an inscrutable quality that suits the character of a young seamstress coming to terms with more and more dire circumstances as WWI ends. Pregnant when her husband, long presumed dead, returns from the war, she faces difficult choices. Each choice—always a hopeful step toward the promise of something better—is punished in time. Between the grimness of the wartime sufferings, the unreadable expression of the protagonist, and Michal Dymek’s gorgeous black and white cinematography, The Girl with the Needle conjures Václav Marhoul’s 2019 ordeal, The Painted Bird . But von Horn’s story rings with authenticity, partly because he treats the suffering with some distance and restraint, and partly because the story itself is rooted in true events. Which, of course, only makes the tale that much more difficult. Bravo to the filmmaker and actor Trine Dryholm for treating Dagmar—the woman who represents Karoline’s biggest leap toward something better—the way they do. Dryholm’s beautifully tormented, conflicted performance never veers toward cliché, or even toward sinister. Though her acts are unthinkably villainous—the stuff of legend and nightmare—they are rooted in a logic that feels honest to the character. The dual performances transform this true crime horror story into a fable of mothers and children, of collecting and discarding family. Sonne’s childlike trust and Dryholm’s tortured caregiving further distort an image von Horn’s been twisting since his remarkable opening shots. Mercifully, he ends his film and its portrait of family on a hopeful note. You won’t find much other mercy here, but alongside these powerful performances and mesmerizing storytelling, just a glimmer is enough. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Miss Man film review by UK film critic Helen Samuels. Starring Arghya Adhikary, Riddhish Dhar, Manoj A Michigan directed by Tathagata Ghosh. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Miss Man Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Helen Samuels | Posted on: Oct 15, 2021 Directed by: Tathagata Ghosh Written by: Tathagata Ghosh Starring: Arghya Adhikary, Riddhish Dhar, Manoj A Michigan A young man from a village near Kolkata navigates the pitfalls of gender nonconformity and the many forms of prejudice and hostility it provokes within his family and wider network. In an era of greater acceptance of a spectrum of sexualities and gender identities in the Global North, this film shows how the search for his true sexual identity plays out for one young man from a rural Indian background. Hiding his transvestism and his sexual relationship with a local man, Manob (sensitively portrayed by Arghya Adhikary) is contemplating gender reassignment and is sometimes attracted to women. Attempting to convey the nuances of these complex feelings to his lover, he receives the response, “Does that make you a gay or a lesbian?”, delivered with a mixture of hilarity and contempt that stamps all over the emotional closeness Manob craves. Drawn to the anonymity and greater liberality of the city, he is freed from the strangling conservatism and adherence to tradition of his home life. A new trans friend provides fleeting hope when she reveals that she holds down a regular office job. However, Manob is able to earn money only through sex work. Collage-like juxtaposition of images from locations and eras throughout the protagonist’s life are intercut with mises en scene of a purely symbolic nature (for instance, a repeated motif of submersion which occurs at moments of emotional rejection), this symbolism tending somewhat towards the heavy-handed. Writer-director-producer Tathagata Ghosh’s background in commercials, music videos and fashion informs his cinematography. Charismatic trans figures in vivid makeup and ravishing saris posed against the crumbling back alleys of Kolkata evoke a pop video aesthetic, this seductive visual language perhaps speaking to the elusive alter ego of the imagined or desired self. In this young man’s life, poverty and prejudice are everywhere but the beautiful and fantastical carve out their own space. Within recent years, the Indian Supreme Court has granted recognition of a ‘third gender’, including the ancient community of gender-variant hijras (traditionally singers, dancers and sex workers), offering some protection of their rights, and consensual homosexual intercourse is no longer a criminal offence, but homophobia is far from vanquished within contemporary Indian society. We feel this homophobia throughout the film as a potent presence assuming many forms: The blows and cigarette burns inflicted by Manob’s outraged father; the scorn of his best friend, herself an impoverished sex worker, who until the moment he reveals his transvestism, we are led to view as a kind of guardian angel; the brutality with which the attention and approval gained as a little boy allowed to dress up in his mother’s clothes has now soured into rejection by nearly all those he holds dear. This feature uses a kaleidoscopic and hallucinatory style to merge bleak realism with a defiant assertion of self-expression and a visionary transcendence of material circumstances. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Helen Samuels Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Outer Threat film review by UK film critic George Wolf. Starring Constance Wu, Mark O'Brien, William Fichtner directed by William Woods. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Outer Threat Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: George Wolf | Posted on: Jul 8, 2026 Directed by: William Woods Written by: William Woods Starring: Constance Wu, Mark O'Brien, William Fichtner Even if Spielberg’s latest alien adventure left you a bit frustrated, you might think twice about turning to The Outer Threat to scratch that E.T. itch. That’s not to say it’s a terrible movie. But while Disclosure Day leaned into the extra-terrestrial question the more it went along, The Outer Threat does the opposite, ultimately becoming more of a family-based race against time and tech. Scientist couple Daniel (Ready or Not ‘s Mark O’Brien) and Michelle (Constance Wu, Hustlers and Crazy Rich Asians ) live out in the country with their two teen kids (Calista Crowe, Isaac Smelcer-Zhang). They’re not married, and if Daniel keeps abandoning his family to search for signs of alien life in his underground lab, they won’t be any time soon. This time he swears it’s different, though. Really. He finally has proof we are not alone. Too bad no one at NORAD is listening to him anymore. And even when Daniel’s newest findings convince Michelle, she implores him not to..ahem…disclose the news to anyone. But in an impulsive moment, he emails the data to a trusted contact and instantly becomes the target of a mysterious threat. In his debut behind the camera, writer/director William Woods crafts a competent ride full of paranoia, cautionary tales and family bonds. The cast is trusty and believable (William Fichtner’s second half cameo is an added bonus), but the third act moves the film closer to a softened young adult thriller assembled via well-traveled plot points and surface level messaging. To say what films The Outer Threat will bring to mind is probably saying too much, but this is one where the trailer teases some closer encounters than those actually delivered. Still, need a mild, 90-minute diversion in an air-conditioned theater with the kids? The Outer Threat will be perfectly fine and pretty forgettable. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic George Wolf Theatrical Release, Digital / DVD Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Dove Never Breaks Its Promise film review by UK film critic Joe Beck . Starring Iman Zulkarnain, Lugman Junaidi, Adman Salleh directed by Tengku Adrian Ismail . HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Dove Never Breaks Its Promise Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Joe Beck | Posted on: Mar 6, 2022 Directed by: Tengku Adrian Ismail Written by: Tengku Adrian Ismail Starring: Iman Zulkarnain, Lugman Junaidi, Adman Salleh HIV/AIDS is still huge problem in parts of the world, not least in Malaysia where the short ‘The Dove Never Breaks Its Promise’ originates from. Every day in Malaysia, almost 10 people are diagnosed HIV positive and more than 100,000 people have been diagnosed with the disease since the first case in the country in 1986. AIDS has caused the deaths of more than 13,000 Malaysians, and whilst in the West we see it as a problem we long ago overcame, its a telling reminder that the same is not true for everywhere in the world. ‘The Dover Never Breaks Its Promise’ is also a telling reminder that being homosexual is not accepted in all cultures around the world. More than 70 countries around the world still criminalise homosexuality - it was less than 50 years ago that it was decriminalised in the UK and in parts of America there are still laws prohibiting the rights of LGBT folk. In Malaysia, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons are prohibited from expressing their sexuality. Sodomy is a crime and laws are strictly enforced with punishments of up to 20 years in jail and the authorities will also bring the person to corporal punishment. In the West we like to think that the world has moved on, and everyone is more accepting than they once were, sadly that’s not the case everywhere. ‘The Dove Never Breaks Its Promise’ tells the story of a HIV-infected man, Norman (Iman Zulkarnain), who struggles to cope with thoughts of suicide in the wake of his diagnosis and as he copes with the inescapable fact that he’ll likely die. Norman is a shy man in his early twenties, cast out by his father, played by Adman Salleh, as is often the way with in Malaysia when parents find out their children are homosexual. Norman lives alone with his dove, who stays in its birdcage - the dove is the only one that can truly comfort him. His former lover, Izuan (Luqman Junaidi) comes round to visit, asking how he is following the diagnosis. They’ve been apart three years but Izuan still cares for Norman, breaking up and marrying Fazia was the only way he could stay safe. The two talk, searching endlessly for ways out of their desperate plight. There isn’t one. Norman knows this, hence why he’s suicidal, a major health problem associated with HIV/AIDS. Suicide rates among people living with HIV/AIDS are more than three times higher than the general population, a telling inditement of just how difficult it must be to suffer from such a diagnosis. The film is directed with a tenderness befitting of the sensitive subject matter. Director Tengku Adrian Ismail was inspired by the short story ‘Al Ghaist’ by Fadli Al-Akiti and he tells it with heart and care for the gentleness of the subject matter. That doesn’t mean that he skirts around the edges, rather that he tells the story in such a sympathetic way that you’ll do well not to have tears in your eyes by the end. The acting is impressive from both Zulkarnain and Junaidi, who have good chemistry together and the conversation between the two of them flows effortlessly. Zulkarnain is excellent as Norman, with a tear-jerking performance of bravery in the face of hopelessness. Junaidi, with his strikingly long hair, comes across as the more confident of the pair and also catches the eye. Adman Salleh is solid with little to say and asserts his presence onto the film. The score is similarly amazing, with the sound of a piano gently rising and falling throughout, it matches the sombre tone of the short to a tee, and would not be out of place in a feature length film. However, the biggest issue with the film is also to do with sound because although the score is magnificent, the sound mixing is torrid and often breaks the tight, enclosed mood of the short, with an unnaturally loud closing of a door, especially when contrasted with the quiet whispers of the dialogue. ‘The Dove Never Breaks Its Promise’ is an essential short, if only to serve as a poignant reminder that many parts of the world still suffer from HIV/AIDS and even more still criminalise homosexuality. Tengku Adrian Ismail has created a tear-jerking short, which tells an important story with masterful direction and all-round terrific performances. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Joe Beck Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Alexandra James writes movie reviews for UK Film Critic. As one of the talented UK film critics, find out more here. Alexandra James My passion for film began at an early age, it was my dad who opened my eyes to the wonderful world of cinema. I was shown many classics from his youth which allowed me to immerse myself in Hollywood and British stars such as Peter Sellers, James Stewart, Alfred Hitchcock, Terry Thomas and many more. From then on, my interest in film began to grow and I chose to study English Literature and Film, Television and Radio Studies at University level. I became fascinated by the history and complex intricacies that surround the silver screen. It became apparent that my favourite genres were Horrors and Thrillers, the excitement and nail-biting sensation makes for a completely mesmeric experience and always has me at the edge of my seat. Writing allows me to express myself and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to share my thoughts and views on UK Film Review, especially on a subject that captivates me and that I have complete adoration for. Read Latest Film Reviews

Eternity film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring P.M. Thomas, Margie Newton directed by Philip Brocklehurst. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Eternity Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: May 9, 2025 Directed by: Philip Brocklehurst Written by: Alexander Sharoglazov Starring: P.M. Thomas, Margie Newton Just a hint of AI in mainstream cinema is enough to cause a controversy – with even best-picture-winning The Brutalist recently succumbing to ‘the discourse’ on its usage. Truthfully, the long-term impact of the technology is almost impossible to predict – though sceptics are right to be concerned about the impact it is likely to have on visual effects. The counterpoint is that it opens all sorts of doors to lower-budget filmmakers who can now envisage worlds and concepts formerly outside of their scope. Phil Brocklehurst’s Eternity is an experimental venture into the latter. The short follows the life of a man (P.M. Thomas) rocketing through time, his face aging from a young man to an old one interspersed with a spinning clock to represent the speed at which the years pass us by. Photo AI software is used to rapidly age the man, before reaching a bittersweet, thoughtful ending which ponders the circle of life. A self-admitted experimental short, Eternity visualises a theme more than it tells a story. It’s impossible therefore to judge it on traditional measures. The real purpose of the film is to demonstrate the potential of AI editing software, particularly how this can imagine the impact of aging on someone and simulate them at various stages of life. In this endeavour, its success is mixed. The purpose comes through clearly in the film and Brocklehurst’s vision of a man racing against time is coherent. The visuals themselves are reasonably impressive – the stages of aging are well-realised whilst convincingly portraying the man as the same individual throughout. The film introduces the angel of death (Margie Newton) to accompany him to the afterlife, with further use of photo editing software to create an impressive angelic background which adds a haunting vibrancy. There are some clear telltale signs of AI throughout the film however – such as the unmistakable ‘AI face’ in which an image stares dead-eyed into the distance and a face moves ever so slightly out of tandem with the body it is attached to. This uncanny valley effect is an ultimate barrier to AI adoption in a wider use – ethical implications aside – as it simply looks odd and inhuman. For a film designed to showcase and experiment with AI use, it is something of a timestamp evidencing that we are not quite ready to hand over to the machines just yet. It should be said that with the ever-developing world of AI, it is possible that the technology has already progressed to the point where some of the issues seen in Eternity may be within tech’s capability to solve. This short demonstrates many of the benefits of AI, and will help filmmakers working on lower budgets identify areas where it may be of use. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Digital / DVD Release, Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Desires and Delusions film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Yasmine Meaden, Lottie Saul-Paterson, Nicole Sarah Fry, David Stokes, Emily Dickson directed by Nicole Sarah Fry. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Desires and Delusions Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Jan 31, 2023 Directed by: Nicole Sarah Fry Written by: Anita Fry, Jasmine Fry, Nicole Sarah Fry Starring: Yasmine Meaden, Lottie Saul-Paterson, Nicole Sarah Fry, David Stokes, Emily Dickson An early 19th century woman hopes to find her perfect spouse by using an unconventional matchmaking service. Georgiana (Meaden) is a wealthy young woman, living in Regency England and she wants to find a partner. She decides to use the services of a business that utilises her criteria in order to gather information and place small, hand-sized portraits of men who fit her criteria inside a small chest, along with written information about each potential husband. The chest is delivered to her large mansion, as she is having a picnic in her garden, along with her friends Clara (Paterson) and Amelia (Fry). Excited, she proceeds to look through the portraits, hoping to find that special man. Will her wish come true? This period comedy focuses on the idea of someone attempting to find a partner by looking at a picture of their physical appearance and by reading limited information about them, only to discover that meeting them in person can be quite different. Basically, the first half of this short film consists of the three friends sitting together around the picnic and going through the details of the men. The second half is about Georgiana meeting the one she chose and getting to know him. There are some rather amusing moments that include the three women trying to analyse each person, one of which seems to be after her wealth and another states that he is married. All protagonists deliver strong performances and are convincing as people living in Regency England. Georgiana is the main character, one who is determined to find a partner and appears a bit naive when it comes to making decisions. Clara comes across as the most cheerful one of the trio and she supports her friend's dream of finding a husband via a matchmaking service, while Amelia is more reasonable and disapproves of Georgina's method of finding a man. Stokes steals the show with his entertaining performance as an awkward and sensitive individual. Regarding the mise-en-scene, the furniture looks great and huge commendations go to the costumes, which are the work of the director and Anita Fry. A lot of praise also goes to the music by Dan Whitlock, which matches the atmosphere. This short is an entertaining experience with well-written dialogue and interesting characters. The plot revolves around the idea of finding romance and points out the idea that one should not judge a book by its cover. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Marty, Life Is Short film review by UK film critic George Wolf. Starring MartinShort, Steve Martin, Tom Hanks, Catherine O'Hara, Eugene Levy directed by Lawrence Kasdan. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Marty, Life Is Short Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: George Wolf | Posted on: May 12, 2026 Directed by: Lawrence Kasdan Written by: Lawrence Kasdan Starring: MartinShort, Steve Martin, Tom Hanks, Catherine O'Hara, Eugene Levy Remember when someone on social media tried to come at Martin Short, and it seemed like the entire internet rose up in protest? That was awesome, because even if you don’t think Short is funny for some odd reason, he just seems like a peach of a human being. The Netflix doc Marty, Life Is Short confirms that peachiness, for just about every one of its 99 minutes. Full of home movies, TV and movie clips, interviews with family, famous friends, and a few new thoughts from Short himself, the film reveals him as a kind soul committed to fighting pain by spreading laughter. And while Short insists that, as opposed to the well worn comic stereotype, his humor was not born from pain, he has endured plenty of it. “It came from my whole life,” he says. Short lost his brother at age 12, his mother at 18, his father at 20, his beloved wife of thirty years, Nancy Dolman, in 2010, and his daughter Katherine just three months ago. And still, as Steve Martin tell us, if Marty says he’ll be at your dinner party and then he can’t come, “you cancel the party.” Martin is just one of the many longtime friends and colleagues that director Lawrence Kasdan assembles to sing Short’s praises. From Speilberg to Hanks, from former SCTV co-stars Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, and the late Catherine O’Hara to Short’s own siblings and beyond, all of the love feels warm and one hundred percent authentic. It’s often touching. Clearly, Kasdan is also a longtime friend, which brings both pluses and minuses. He’s an Oscar-nominated director with no shortage of inside access to his subject, yes, but his closeness to Short also fuels the feeling that all the film’s edges have been safely dulled. Kasdan also asks some onscreen questions without being mic-ed up, which can be frustrating to follow. Recent docs such as Steve! (Martin) and Pee-wee as Himself have shown how these types of biographies can transcend the standard playbook for a deeper, more resonant type of engagement. Marty, Life Is Short keeps the ranks more closed, leaning into a greatest hits presentation, a box set with extended liner notes. It’s an entertaining, funny, and star-studded salute to a guy who’s pretty easy to like and who, in the words of Tom Hanks, “moves at the speed of joy.” And, man wait ’til you see the footage of his A-list Christmas parties from back in the day. Epic! Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic George Wolf Netflix < All Reviews Next Film Review >