★ Directed by #StephenGaghan Starring: #RobertDowneyJr #CraigRobinson #EmmaThompson #RalphFiennes #RamiMalek #JohnCena #TomHolland #SelenaGomez #MarionCotillard #HarryCollett Film review by Nathanial Eker It seems old dogs can’t learn new tricks, or rather new remakes can’t hold old audiences. Dolittle is a star-studded pigsty that wastes a dream cast with every foul snort; a reboot that I can only assume hordes of PETA fans have been anxiously waiting for. Its script is diabolical, its music forgettable, and its performances dull. The cat’s out of the bag; Dolittle is a one trick pony. And its trick is being a bad film. Dr. John Dolittle (Robert Downey Jr) is a vet with the unusual ability to communicate with animals. When his wife dies at sea, he secludes himself in his beastly paradise, far away from Victorian society. However, when a young boy (Harry Collett) stumbles into his world bearing a wounded squirrel (Craig Robinson), Dr. Dolittle must come out of retirement and undertake a globe-trotting adventure with his rag tag crew of crazy creatures. Let’s begin with the elephant in the room - Robert Downey Jr, and more specifically, that baffling Welsh accent. Though a unique choice of lead nationality, this bizarre inflection requires Downey to speak in a low, husky tone throughout to maintain verisimilitude. That accent is the least of his problems however, as Director Stephen Gaghan delivers his vision with such a whimper that even Iron Man himself is somehow unfocused, voiceless, and just a bit of a meanie. For an actor who’s usually a joy to watch for his chameleon-like charm, it’s really an achievement of Gaghan to direct such a woefully misinformed performance. The supporting cast offers little respite. With the exception of Ralph Fiennes as a bitter tiger with mummy issues and the always hilarious Craig Robinson as a vengeful squirrel, every animal voice feels suspiciously like they’re rushing to the pay check at the end of the tunnel. Worse than any furry friend however, is Harry Collett as young Stubbins, who turns in perhaps the worst tween performance in recent memory. Scuttling onto screen with a gormless gawk, he reacts to every bit of action, emotional beat, or plot twist with utter unbelievability and spends most of his time blurting out the blindingly obvious. The inexcusable waste of Jim Broadbent and Antonio Banderas is just the icing on the fish-cake. Hold your horses. To give credit where due, the film’s colourful visual style does offer some ingenuity and takes the lion’s share of favourable criticism. It’s pleasing to see a return to the period adventure genre a la Pirates of the Caribbean; this timeless aesthetic combined with a stylised mise-en-scené presents a myriad of opportunity for gregarious visuals and retro renaissance era props and sets. Equally, Gaghan’s decision to distance this tale from the modern sit-com style of the Eddie Murphy films by metamorphosing it into a fairy-tale more faithful to its original source material is welcome. This whimsical approach is most prominently exemplified by a gorgeous animated sequence that begins the movie promisingly, before it almost immediately degrades into lion mess. Besides these small nests of imagination, however, Dolittle offers few reasons to call itself man’s best friend. Its narrative is absurdly incoherent as it leaps from scene to scene faster than a monkey to a banana, sometimes lazily resorting to a painfully sloppy voiceover. More rogue than the narrative, however, is the cringe-inducing dialogue that’ll make any self-respecting ostrich dunk their head with embarrassment. Exposition is delivered with wince inducing frequency and I really thought we were past ‘huge fart in man’s face’ jokes by 2020. Gaghan’s use of the camera fares little better, as his unnecessary zooms frequently call to mind the work of J.J Abrams, in the worst way possible. Even Danny Elfman proves a leopard can change its spots, as his score is uncharacteristically forgettable. An adventure film should soar with excitement, but through a combination of elements that almost all independently miss the mark, this wild waste of time scuttles along for 101 minutes with painfully predictable storytelling. Dolittle makes a total monkey’s uncle of its audience. Though depressing that it needs emphasising; films aimed at children are capable of crafting mature storylines and clever jokes. You need only look at the likes of Up, Shrek, or Toy Story for proof; Dolittle barely deserves to share the same sentence as these classics. With a woefully misused cast, an appalling script, and a miraculously dreadful lead performance from the king of charisma himself, it falls like a hunted beast on every front. The lion will be sleeping through this one tonight. Dolittle will make you mad as a hornet. This franchise has gone to the dogs. I could go on. AND I WILL. Dolittle won’t be winning best in show. This is one prey that deserves to go to the predators. Do yourself a favour and don’t throw this dog a box office bone. #NathanialEker

★★★★ Directed and Written by #GregoryGAllen Starring #EdDelia, #NefertitiWarren Short Film Review by Jack Bottomley History really does have a lingering effect, atrocities - sadly - even more so. People remember when man walked on the moon, just as much as people remember when Stalin starved his own people in the Holodomor. The horrors of the past really do reverberate and sometimes even repeat throughout time even more than the good times but are some atrocities worse than others? Is a horror judged by the impact it has on you? And does one have to have witnessed these acts first hand or suffered through them to be truly impacted? Such interesting debate is at the very heart of Reparations, a fascinatingly human short film by writer/director #GregoryGAllen, which asks its audience some deeply personal and raw questions, opens up some huge revelations and also comes up with an intriguing way to shed light on a brutal history. The story sees young woman Michonne Hawkins (#NefertitiWarren) writing a paper and coming to the end of a series of recorded interviews with Holocaust survivor Howard (#EdDelia). In this final conversation together, Michonne soon finds that there is much yet to be revealed about Howard and his experiences, as they engage in a deep, insightful and powerful final dialogue. This film centres on the idea of reparations, in this case defined as the state compensating one for past war damages, effects and traumas but seeks to open that idea up and engage us in the the two onscreen characters’ debate. What is the real way that one judges who deserves reparations and how can we possibly say who is/isn’t impacted by the past, even one long before their time but which still has roots in a modern society. Allen’s film is passionate and powerful about its themes but the biggest thing that emerges from such a debate is not a definitive answer but how we as people can not agree on some things but still have deep respect for each other and our own beliefs, traumas and interests. This is a very humane piece of work and one that is rather touching in how its portrays strength, dedication and resolve. The film is inter-cut by some fabulous animation/illustration backstory sequences by #JazzmenLeeJohnson and it gives the film a distinctive and hand-crafted feel perfect for the personal story being told. The editing is smooth by #LaurieChock and #BethPerry and #ChrisDoney’s score does not impose but accompany its small cast onscreen. As the setting uses #JeffTurick’s very authentic cinematography to great effect. Many issues and past (and in some ways present) prejudices are summoned by the film and naturally it cannot dig as deep into all areas in its short duration but this is a generously written film about two caring and resilient people. Ed Delia and Nefertiti Warren turn in brilliant performances and feel very much like a double team onscreen you feel very comfortable in the presence of and they really strengthen an already accomplished groundwork for a film which is thought-provoking but above all else embracing of people moving forward and not forgetting the past but building from it towards a brighter future. #JackBottomley

★★★★ Directed by #AlexGibney Written by #AlexGibney Starring #MikhailKhodorkovsky Film Review by Rachel Willis Inspired by Russia’s involvement in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Oscar-winning documentarian Alex Gibney turns his focus to a tangled Russian web with his latest film, Citizen K. And "K" is the crux of his film: one Mikhail Khordokovsky. Once known as perhaps the richest man in Russia, Khordokovsky spent ten years in a Siberian prison as a political prisoner. To understand the situation, it helps to understand modern Russian history. Cramming thirty years of that history, from the fall of the Soviet Union to the present, into one two-hour documentary is no easy feat. Many times, it’s hard to keep track of the people and names who appear on screen. Gibney does his best to help us keep up, but he isn’t unnecessarily focused on it. If you're not already well-versed in Russian history and politics, trying to follow everything may at times be distracting, but Gibney (Taxi to the Dark Side, Enron: the Smartest Guys in the Room) always manages to keep the film engaging. It moves at a brisk pace, covering the thirty plus years of history and Khordokovsky’s rise as one of Russia’s oligarchs, in the first hour. Though "Citizen K" is the film’s core, it’s impossible to tell Russia’s story, and Khordokovsky’s story, without taking a hard look at Vladimir Putin. Putin’s rise was meteoric, a virtual unknown when an ailing Boris Yeltsin resigned and Putin succeeded him as president. Detailing Khordokovsky’s role in that succession is one of the film's greatest strengths. Gibney portrays the many grey areas when talking about individual involvement in black and white historical events. Is Khordokovsky a “real-life gangster” as many claim? Or is he a “hero for the cause of human rights?” Perhaps a bit of both. Wisely, Gibney never absolves Khordokovsky of his past. Though many of the crimes for which he was accused and convicted were possibly exaggerated or even fabricated, his hands are not clean. His involvement in Russia’s economy, and in its history, is a mixed bag. Were his business decisions in the best interest of the country or did they serve his own greed? Though there are questions left unanswered, the documentary shows Khordokovsky trying to make amends. His focus on transparency, and on an open Russia, is commendable. His attempts to bring to light the layers of conspiracy and violence surrounding Putin is dangerous, and he knows it. Will Khordokovsky succeed? Only time will tell, but with the 2020 vote fast approaching, Gibney hopes his audience is paying attention. #RachelWillis

★★★★ Directed by #CathyYan Written by #ChristinaHodson Starring #MargotRobbie #MaryElizabethWinsted #RosiePerez #JurneeSmollettBell #EwanMcGregor Film Review by Hope Madden and George Wolf First on the Harley Quinn playlist: Breaking Up Is Hard to Do. Harley (Margot Robbie, positively electric) tells us she and the Joker are done, and she didn't take it well. What's worse, Harley's new relationship status means anyone in Gotham who'd like her dead (and there's plenty) doesn't have to worry about payback from "Mr. J." Shuffle: It's a Man's Man's Man's Man's World. At the top, there's Roman Sionis aka Black Mask (Ewan McGregor, hamming it up to glorious effect) who likes the faces peeled off of his enemies. He wants a priceless diamond that's been lifted by teenage pickpocket Cassandra Cain (Ella Jay Basco), and Harley, forced to bargain for her life, promises to get it. But Gotham has no shortage of talented women fed up with being kept down, and Harley tends to attract them. The vocally gifted Black Canary (June Smollett-Bell), the deadly mysterious Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead, scene-stealingly deadpan) and the conveniently suspended Detective Montoya (Rosie Perez, nice to see you) all find themselves on the wrong end of a sizable bounty, and things get messy. Shuffle: Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves The badass girl power isn't limited to the cast. Director Cathy Yan (Dead Pigs) serves up an irresistible cocktail of Scott Pilgrim visual flair and Tarantino continuity clash. Yan seems to relish the freedom of an R-rating (see "face-peeling" above), crafting memorable set pieces bursting with slick fight choreography, cartoonishly satisfying violence and wonderfully stylish pandemonium. Shuffle: Respect As Hope's dad told the many Madden girls growing up: eyes, nose, throat, groin, knees are all equally vulnerable no matter the size of the attacker. Yan appears to be the sister we didn't know about, but she certainly knows how to hurt a guy. Writer Christina Hodson has become the go-to for ridiculous franchises that need more than we dare hope (she's the one who wrote the only Transformers movie that didn't suck). She teams well with Yan and her badasses, offering backstories and traumas that toe the line between superhero/supervillain legend and shit women deal with every day. If you saw the stale trailer, noted the deadly release date, remembered the limp Suicide Squad and feared the worse, we hear ya. And maybe Birds of Prey benefits slightly from low expectations. But there's no denying the raucous, foul mouthed, glitter-bomb fun. Shuffle: Free Bird (live version). #HopeMadden #GeorgeWolf

★★★★★ Directed by: #JosephOllman Written by: #JosephOllman Starring: #DarciShaw #RichardHarrington #RowanJones ShortFilm Review by: #ChrisBuick Writer and director Joseph Ollman might only have a few short films under his belt, but it’s clear that he is a filmmaker with heaps of passion, has a natural eye for directing and most importantly, is quite the storyteller. In Ollman’s latest short Bitter Sky, Nia (Shaw), a young girl originally from Liverpool but now displaced in Welsh valleys, finds herself dreaming of escape from her abusive adoptive father Roy (Harrington) in the hopes of reuniting with her absent mother. Despite her understandably distrusting and distant nature, she befriends local boy Aron (Jones), who agrees to help her with her plan to fix up a car and finally get away from it all. The writing here is top class. By simply inserting some subtle but effective character moments into the films narrative, it manages to give us a complete sense of the history of the situation we are witnessing, without ever overshadowing the present. It always feels incredibly grounded and has dialogue that feels consistently authentic to its characters. There is also a wonderful rhythm to the film that stays true throughout, always seeming to have a sense of knowing exactly where it is going and getting there at just the right pace. The apt blue-grey darkened visuals created by the films dreary setting also really help emphasise the sadness of the piece and keep the mood of the film right where it should be. As well as the great work behind the camera, our three leads also all play out their parts superbly. Harrington fully embodies the role of Roy, a man who at all times is able to exert his dominance over Nia, initially through disquieting manipulation, but should that not suffice, there is a real temper bubbling just under the surface to help make his message crystal clear. Jones charms as affable scrapyard lad Aron with whom Nia finds solace away from home and school, and the two play off each other well with some great back-and-forth. But this is Nia’s story, and Shaw’s heart is right in there from start to finish again showing great range whether it’s in her moments as the over-aggressive teen lashing out at the world, or in the raw vulnerable moments that show that she is still just a young girl feeling lost and abandoned. In Bitter Sky, Ollman manages in a short space of time to create a world filled with richly developed characters and craft a story that allows us to be swept away with them. It’s easy to see why he has already achieved some prestigious accolades, including a Best Director at BFI Future Shorts nomination for his debut short Throw Me to the Dogs, and another nomination at BAFTA Cymru for this last short Meat on Bones, and now Bitter Sky makes for a very decent hat trick and deserves all the praise it will surely get. #ChrisBuick

★★★ Directed by #BryanStynes Starring: #MichaelLinehan #ThomasLeggett #BillTopin Film review by Nathanial Eker Punching its way onto screens with a vivacious smack to the face, Whirlpool presents an engaging premise but an overly simplistic solution that worryingly treats violence with cathartic reverence. Though it admirably highlights the pressing social issue of abusive carers and more prominently presents a protagonist with a disability in a position of control, its ferocious attitude disturbingly suggests an un-ironic belief that releasing pent up anger is the best way to encourage meaningful change. Jimmy (Michael Linehan) is a martial arts hobbyist whose father (Bill Topin) is slowly losing his mind to dementia. Convinced that the old man’s carer Tim (Thomas Leggett) is messing with him for his amusement, Jimmy opts to take matters into his own hands. The characterisation of our lead is apparent from the beginning. He’s a man knocked down by life with a strong (if misguided) sense of right and wrong. His continuous refusal to allow his disability to get in the way of day to day mundanities is immediately engaging. This likability is extenuated by his father’s tragic situation and Bill Topin’s haunting performance which creates deeply rooted audience sympathy. Regrettably then, when the ‘might is right’ mindset takes over, it becomes increasingly difficult to understand Jimmy’s reasoning. While slimy Tim might well deserve a good thrashing, we know that after the camera stops rolling, the consequences of this action will be abrupt and brutal for our young protagonist. It’s challenging then to assess the problematic versus the empowering when it comes to Whirlpool. On the one hand, it focuses on a man with a disability (a depressingly rare sight) and has him overcome the adversity of an oppressive force in a position of care. However, the method by which Jimmy obtains this empowerment is troubling. Had Tim instigated the violence, we would firmly align with Jimmy. As the script is now, it’s firstly difficult to understand the true extent of Tim’s treachery and secondly, Jimmy’s assault is just that; an assault. Had the film re-contextualised this with a final scene that shows the implications of such a mistake, it could’ve made an excellent cautionary tale. That would of course have relied on the filmmaker’s acknowledgement that said action was indeed, a mistake. One of the less frustrating elements of Whirlpool is the often-excellent filmmaking on display. Ignoring the pointless intertitles, performances are strong and the gritty, realism infused tone is exemplified by a shaky camera. Director Bryan Stynes takes his time, favouring long, extreme close ups that enhance Jimmy’s intensity. That said, the mise-en-scené is somewhat bland, characterised by dull colour grading and uninteresting sets. Of course, in a realism focused piece this is expected, but it nevertheless makes for a rather grey film with an aesthetic that matches its problematic message. A case could be made for Whirlpool as an uplifting story of a disabled man reclaiming responsibility from those who subjugate both he and his father. Had Jimmy’s plight ended with social intervention or a brutal scolding with reasoned arguments that brought smarmy Tim down a peg or two, I’d have firmly been in both his and the film’s camp. As it is, Whirlpool is a problematic film that revels in outdated notions of violence as a solution, not a problem. However, its bad doesn’t wholly outweigh its good. Michael Linehan dazzles as Jimmy, and the work off camera for the progression of filmmakers and actors with disabilities is immensely commendable, as is its commentary on corrupt carers. Just be sure to take its ‘might is right’ message with a grain of salt. #NathanialEker

★★★★ Directed by: #DavidLynch Written by: #DavidLynch Starring: #DavidLynch, #EmilyStofle Netflix Film Reviews by: Charlotte Little Just in time for his 74th birthday, The Elephant Man and Twin Peaks director David Lynch treated surrealism devotees with a 17-minute short film where he plays a cop grilling a capuchin monkey accused of murder – which is as ridiculous as it sounds. Released on Netflix without any anticipation, WHAT DID JACK DO? is Lynch's first project since the release of Ant Head in 2018. The short was presented for the first time in 2017 at the Fondation Cartier pour l'Art Contemporain and then again at Lynch's Festival of Disruption in 2018. Since then, Netflix has decided to reach into their pockets and shelter Lynch's mind-boggling film on a platform where Lynchian enthusiasts can binge to their heart's content. The short is in black and white, with the grainy picture making for a recovered artefact-esque aesthetic similar to the likes of Lynch's debut Eraserhead. Still, the familiar presence of coffee may remind nostalgic fans of the glory days of Twin Peaks. The filmmaker portrays a tough cop sitting across from a small monkey as trains rattled past. That's it, that's the plot. Filled with vividly nightmarish dialogue, a chicken, and a strained yet passionate musical number, this piece of work is Lynchian heaven. There is no point in trying to scrutinise the deeper meaning behind the story; surrealism is an all-consuming and immersive experience that should be void of critical thought. #CharlotteLittle

★★★ Directed by: #AlexanderTuschinski Starring: #GerdaHerrmann Short Film Review by: Corey Bulloch An intimate portrait of a life through interviews, pictures and music, director Alexander Tuschinski lets audiences into the unknown yet fulfilling career of Gerda Herrmann, the titular songwriter of Botnang. Herrmann, born in 1931 recounts stories of her youth growing up in Nazi Germany, her relationship to her father and living throughout the war to creating her own family and with it the inspirations to her music. Tuschinski captures Herrmann’s home life and with it a small abode filled with photo albums, music sheets, books of poems and stories, terrific access that gives visuals to the memories that Herrmann shares. These, however, are the only visuals Tuschinski has on offer and while the documentary charts a natural progression to Herrmann’s stories, the filmmaking can become quite repetitive. We see Herrmann share video footage of her songs being performed in concert alongside her playing some samples on her piano, calming classical work and at moments it seems Tuschinski is inviting the audience to let the music create their own images. It’s just Herrmann speaking, but there is quite a cast to her story; her father, her husband, children, friends, collaborators and inspirations. Herrmann likes to place music to written words such as the poetry of Frtiz Klumpp and anthologies from writers supported by Herrmann’s charitable efforts. Bringing music to language and how it connects Herrmann to her past, an outlet to mourn her father and childhood but also to celebrate the life she created for herself demonstrates that universal power that music has on the human spirit. While the documentary techniques are limited, Tuschinski’s editing and Herrmann’s mementoes keep the film engaging for the audience. It’s impressive how Tuschinski can effectively capture a lifetime into thirty minutes and while Herrmann probably has many more stories, it is a sweet tribute to her life’s most notable moments and accomplishments. The stories Herrmann does tell are always accompanied by a photo or object, a wonderful collection of sentimental imagery as she opens up about her pains and fears of life but also the good times. Remarkable in how her success is not driven by profit or vanity but a pure desire to create something beyond herself and connects to others. Tuschinski is inviting the audience to reflect on how life’s success isn’t measured by quantity, Herrmann’s music plays concerts but not massive high society galas, she is not a household name but her impact was nonetheless inspiring to those around her. The Songwriter of Botnang is an artistic reminder of how our lives are just memories, kept alive by those we love but Herrmann’s work goes beyond that. Her memories, her love has become immortalised as her music is shared with those around her and thanks to Alexander Tuschinski’s film, shared with all of us. Interview with director Alexander Tuschinski and subject Gerda Herrmann by Chris Olson https://www.ukfilmreview.co.uk/post/the-songwriter-of-botnang-interview #CoreyBulloch #shortfilm #documentaryshort

★★★★★ Directed by: #NicolePott Written by: #NicolePott Starring: #KatieMarieCarter, #EllisHollins Film Review by: Darren Tilby Powerless is quite an ironic title for a film which contains such powerful championing of both youth services and the human spirit. Here, writer/director Nicole Pott, who also directed the excellent short film, Kaleidoscope, weaves together a poignant story of hope born out of tragedy, and of perseverance wrought from despair. Modern-day Manchester and Clara and Dan (sister and brother) live alone, after the death of their mother, on one of Manchester’s many housing estates. As young adults, they’re both at a very vulnerable stage in life, and the film does a great job of showing the contrast between aspiration (Clara) and resignation (Dan). Both obviously come from the same working-class background and have likely had to suffer the same griefs. What is different, however, is how they’ve both processed that trauma: Clara has processed it well and channels it into boxing, whereas Dan hasn’t and has got involved in drugs. And soon, tragedy strikes the siblings once again. It’s a story we’ve all seen in the news at least a few times over the years - the devastation of knife crime and gang violence. What Pott manages to do really well here, is to articulate how essential our youth services are in the fight against rising knife and gang violence, and just how significant an effect these services have on our young people’s lives. It’s a passionate cry for support on a hugely critical issue, without it ever feeling overstated. The writing and direction are superb and clearly comes from an intimate understanding of the film’s setting and the issues surrounding places like it. A social-cultural understanding that Fraser Oxlee’s camerawork captures and portrays with meticulous detail and almost pinpoint accuracy. The performances too are excellent and, aided by the outstanding dialogue, exude realism. Clara (Katie Marie-Carter) and Dan (Ellis Hollins) are wholly sympathetic, well-written characters, while David Howell puts in a brilliant supporting role as Clara’s boxing coach, Johnny. It all means that within the movie’s 18-minute run-time, we’re left feeling that we understand these people; the hopelessness so many of them must feel, and the desperation felt by those trying to help. And, while Powerless is undeniably heart-breaking with some unrelenting, gut-punch moments (at least one of which had me with a lump in my throat), it’s hard not to feel uplifted by the beauty of its message; of the human spirit’s ability to endure through anything. Knife crime is a hot-topic issue at the moment, and for a movie to tackle this head-on with such a forthright approach, then find something beautiful out of a situation so horrific is quite remarkable. Powerless is a fantastic film; a triumph of British filmmaking. One that deserves as big an audience as possible.

★★★★ Directed by: #MartinDelCarpio Written by: #MartinDelCarpio Starring: #EstebanLicht Film Review by: Bruna Foletto Lucas As the title of the film suggests, Auricular Confession is a film which has religion and spirituality as its central theme. In what seems to be a very personal project the director Martin Del Carpio allows the audience an insight into the mind of the character, beautifully played by Esteban Licht. At times a dancer, at times a Plague Doctor, Licht is almost an ephemeral entity. The multiple images of this man are explored together with Christian imagery and overlaying, double exposure shots of Licht, which not only are visually beautiful, but they also help convey the feeling of the short. These images represent the duality of life and death, especially when the actor wears the Plague Doctor mask; but the voices we hear praying Hail Mary tells us a different story – maybe this is his confession at the face of death, almost like a goodbye where the character relives his life in 10 short minutes and sanctifies himself. The meaning of the film, unfortunately, shall remain particular to each viewer, as it is the case of such experimental films. Perhaps this is the most exciting thing about this short, it might speak of the viewers’ innermost feelings as they read and interpret the film with their own subconscious understanding of life, rather than the film feeding us its own version. Despite this uncertainty about the meaning of the film, one thing is certain: it works well as what it proposes to be. Del Carpio succeeds in creating a thought-provoking film which is also entertaining. Many times experimental films such as this one fail in entertain the audience and become confusing with the amount of information they try to convey. Here, Del Carpio is simple with his images and together with William Murray (director of photography) create an eerie atmosphere that is almost like a character in itself. Another important element that should be mentioned here is the work with sound – as the images are equally eerie, the sound is what dictates the mood of each sequence. Craig Levy plays with the nuances of sound and sometimes the lack thereof on top of the montages rather than making use of the diegetic sound. The sound is above everything else, not even when the character is supposed to be conducting an orchestra does the sound match with the images – deepening even more the sense of uneasiness. Auricular Confession is a film that will linger on your mind – whether that is a good thing or not it depends on the viewer!

★★ Directed by #YoussefTabbiche Starring: #EdgidioValastro #YoussefTabbiche #ChristopherMichos Film review by Nathanial Eker Initially appearing to be an intriguing character study, Seeing It as It Isn’t palpably succumbs to the old rule of ‘no conflict, no interest.’ Though Director Youssef Tabbiche flirts with ideas of artistic process and human interaction, there’s zero driving force to form a narrative that’s at all compelling. It needn’t be noted that thematic undertones are a vital ingredient in a powerful story, but when a short lacks any kind of obstacle, you’re usually in trouble. Edgidio is a musician, and a stereotypically broody one at that. Through the course of an average day, he laments his lack of passion and the state of modern relationships to his various companions. With a synopsis of such brevity, it’s perhaps no surprise that the film lacks proficient direction. There are seeds of potential sewn by Tabbiche; he effectively crafts the basics of well-rounded characters and the performances, particularly that of Edigidio Valastro, are convincing and on the whole, truthful. Tabbiche infuses a semi-documentary aesthetic, aided intriguingly by the use of the actor’s real names. It’s unfortunate then, that at the ten-minute mark it becomes dreadfully apparent that nothing of consequence is going to occur and there remains a further ten minutes of semi-pretentious monologuing to endure. While the copious longwinded speeches occasionally present an insightful topic for debate, they’re largely hindered by a lack of focus and a tendency to dive too deep, too quickly. Crafting a film that ignores traditional narrative structures in favour of mere character interaction is a dangerous game, as razor sharp dialogue is essential. This is, after all, a film set entirely in one location (and a fairly dull one at that) without the aid of stunning cinematography to fall back on. There are attempts at naturalistic conversation, as characters speak over one another, but this almost always feels forced and jarring. Is there anything to compel viewers to watch Seeing It as It Isn’t? To give credit where due, music naturally plays a part in creating its strong, bohemian atmosphere. The diegetic pieces played by Valastro too, while hardly ground-breaking, offer merciful respite from the incessant monologues. The realistic camaraderie established in just twenty minutes is commendable, as the performances create naturalistic relations, which in turn lead to a greater filmic verisimilitude. To review, Seeing It as It Isn’t feels like an admirable misfire. The director clearly wants to say something about the nature of art, creation, and associations, but any meaningful commentary is buried deep beneath a layer of tedious dialogue and mediocre scene structure. There are films that can say much purely on the merits of compelling characters and witty dialogue; films that do the impossible and entertain their audience for twenty minutes without the realisation that nothing has happened. Unfortunately, no matter how noble its efforts, Seeing It as It Isn’t is not one such film. Audiences will find themselves blindly waving around to see what is there, as there isn’t much. #NathanialEker

★★★ Directed by: #MaurizioMistretta Written by: #AntoniaDaSilva Starring: #JhonnyChen #AltagerelBayaraa #AnathipKongsukkanjana #IssadaKraokruer ShortFilm Review by: #ChrisBuick Back in late 2019, the Hong Kong government passed a bill into law which would allow the possible extradition of its people to the Chinese mainland. Many believed this to be a risk to their civil liberties as well as their country’s judicial autonomy and thus protests began, eventually evolving into horrible and violent clashes between those protesters and authorities. Written by Antonia Da Silva and inspired by the Hong Kong Democratic movement, The Two Brothers is a cautionary tale of who the real victims are when these demonstrations escalate into something truly horrific. When we first meet our two siblings in their youth, Melvin (Kongsukkanjana) is struggling with terrible bouts of bullying, but at least he always has his older brother Jackie (Kraokruer) to have his back. As the two eventually grow older, Melvin (Chen), having vowed to never be bullied again, now feels empathy for the oppressed and finds himself part of the pro-democratic group that are leading these protests, while Jackie (Bayaraa), ever the protector, is now a police officer trying to help defuse the situation. As a result, they also grow further apart, not necessarily in their love for one another, but in their contrasting ideals about the world around them. With both brothers standing up for what they believe is right, they soon find themselves on opposite sides of the divide when the civil unrest reaches boiling point. The Two Brothers is certainly a film filled with unfortunate truths. These events can have devastating consequences for the everyday people caught up in the troubles, and usually less so for the people at the top making the decisions. However, it seems that in its attempt to be shocking and impactful with its message, the film neglects to do the adequate legwork that it needs to in order to achieve the level of gravitas it is reaching for. This may be partly because the performances and writing of the characters here seem to be lacking some conviction. While we do get an understanding of the brothers’ close connection through basic storytelling and some more touching flashbacks with the younger actors, it doesn’t come across in the dynamic between the two older leads, and there is little else to get the audience to where the film wants them to be. Ultimately, the resulting apathy towards these characters means there is too big a leap for us to take to be invested enough in them when we reach the dramatic finale, something which the film seems to be in too much of a hurry to get to. Positively though, the look and feel of the film is pretty much on the money, the contrast of the bright and sunny visuals of the brothers’ simpler past brilliantly offset the dark motifs of the chaotic present. Despite its subject matter, it never leans too heavy on an over-abundance of action to be eye-catching, and the same can be said for the well-thought out scoring, which helps give the film the correct balance of tone. The Two Brothers is a film with something important to say and its voice is loud, clear and sadly, still relevant. However, some unfortunate missteps here and there means it does not have the full effect it perhaps desired. #ChrisBuick