Dinner With My Family film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Rachel Stockdale, Jacob Anderton, Sharon Facinelli directed by Aziz Altamimi. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Dinner With My Family Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Jun 8, 2024 Directed by: Aziz Altamimi Written by: John Milligan Starring: Rachel Stockdale, Jacob Anderton, Sharon Facinelli A young woman murders her family during the Christmas holidays. It is Christmas and it is snowing and Christina is celebrating in her decorated home. However, she has just killed her mother (Facinelli), her father (Wayne Thompson) and her brother (Ryan Kerr) in a rather grisly manner and has placed their bodies on chairs, at the dining table, next to each other. She has dressed up and pretends (or really believes?) that she is celebrating the holiday with her loved ones, sitting at the table with them, talking to them like they were alive, smiling at them and enjoying some wine and food. Then, she has an unexpected visitor: a young criminal (Anderton), who has just murdered someone and is on the run from the police. After he takes refuge in Christina's house, she invites him to join her. This short horror thriller film has quite a plot: it is night-time and a woman is at home with three dead bodies and another murderer enters the scene and the two of them end up building an awkward rapport between them. The majority of the story involves the conversation the two killers have, sitting at the dining table, the corpses next to them. This extraordinary interaction will lead to talks regarding why they committed their heinous crimes, the stranger enquiring about Christina's methods when it comes to killing and the two of them discussing what they are going to do next. Basically, this is a fateful night, a night that changes the lives of the two protagonists forever. Of course a plot that involves dead bodies is sinister, however the screenplay does add dark humour. Why did Christina do this vile act? A flashback reveals that her father was violent and that might suggest that she either resorted to murder to save herself from further torment or that the constant suffering caused her to develop mental issues. The theory that she is mentally unwell is quite plausible considering that she killed people and talked to their bodies. The opening title card should be acknowledged due to the creativity. The title appears on a black background and behind the letters is a blood spatter. This is accompanied by Khaled Mandi's sinister score, the sound of police sirens and heavy breathing (probably Anderton's character). The visual and acoustic aspects of this sequence set up the atmosphere rather effectively. As mentioned above, Christina ends the lives of her relatives in horrible ways and praise goes to make-up artist Wayne Thompson for the work done in order to show the result of the killer's actions. In some ways, this is a Christmas film, although one that is unlikely to encourage a festive mood. It is a story about murder that also examines mental health and domestic violence. It is certainly one that catches the viewer's attention due to the intriguing plot. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Back to the Wharf film review by UK film critic Brandon Thomas. Starring Yu Zhang, Jia Song directed by Xiaofeng Li. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Back to the Wharf Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Brandon Thomas | Posted on: Jan 19, 2023 Directed by: Xiaofeng Li Written by: Xin Yu Starring: Yu Zhang, Jia Song Many of your favorite neo-noirs play with the idea of past transgressions coming back to haunt our hero(s). Whether it’s murder born of passionate jealousy or a botched robbery that places the lead on the run, the past hangs on this genre like a cheap suit. In director Xiaofeng Li’s Back to the Wharf , one tragic mistake has a ripple effect across an entire family and community. Song Hao (Yu Zhang) has returned to his hometown after 15 years following the death of his mother. Once a promising student with university in his future, Song fled after mistakenly entering a neighbor’s home and stabbing him. What Song didn’t know at the time is that his father finished off the mortally wounded man to save his son – and that one of Song’s classmates, Li Tang (Hong-chi Lee) witnessed the crime and has been using it to blackmail his father ever since. Back to the Wharf – unlike many modern neo-noirs – isn’t concerned with the tropes of the genre. The cool factor is toned down in favor of a more quiet character study. The bursts of violence that do happen are born out of believable character development, not a need to clumsily move the plot along. Zhang as Song Hao delivers a quiet, but enthralling performance. It’s easy to see Song is a powder keg, but the delicateness of Zhang’s performance has us as viewers begging for that eventual explosion not to happen. This is especially true once Pan (Song Jia), a former classmate of Song’s, enters his life again. Their meet-cute is made all the more adorable because of Pan’s quirky demeanor – one that has made her an isolated outsider in the community, just like Song. Jia’s jovial outward performance is a fantastic juxtaposition to Zhang’s stoic and guilt-ridden Song. The film’s eventual conclusion is an unsubtle comment on how violence festers into more violence. There’s no crescendo of righteous vengeance from Song or his father against Li Tang as he squeezes the two for political favors. The cycle of greed and emotional reckoning remains unbroken even as Song tries to build a life of stability with Pan. While straddling the line between typical neo-noir and quiet character drama, Back to the Wharf manages to satisfy fans of both genres. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Brandon Thomas Digital / DVD Release, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Death Count film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring Costas Mandylor, Michael Madsen, Sarah French directed by Michael Su. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Death Count Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Jun 26, 2022 Directed by: Michael Su Written by: Michael Merino Starring: Costas Mandylor, Michael Madsen, Sarah French A gory torture-porn seemingly assembled from a host of superior established contemporaries; Death Count is an acceptable, sometimes-impressive, sometimes eye-rolling horror that works best when poking fun at its own ridiculousness. Rachel (Sarah French) awakens trapped in a cell with no memory of how she was imprisoned. Surrounding her are other prisoners, all linked to the school where she works. They soon realise they are part of a sick game ran by ‘The Warden’ (Costas Mandylor) who orders the captees to torture themselves for online ‘likes’, or face execution. Meanwhile Detectives Casey (Michael Madsen) and Tanner (Charles Solomon Jr.) try to hunt The Warden down. Death Count borrows from the likes of Saw, Nerve and Squid Game to deliver a predictable, campy, B-movie bloodbath. Horror fans will enjoy it’s use of practical effects and extended torture scenes – which makes smaller-scale punishment horrifically agonising through the purposeful direction of Michael Su. The film is at its agony-inducing best when lingering just long enough on basic brutality, involving items like pliers and screwdrivers, rather than more over-the-top scenes which expose the poor visual effects such as those with the use of fire. Plot-wise however, it is at best predictable, and at worst nonsensical. Not that many will be tuning in for a majestic narrative mind, but even basic storytelling feels muddled, and the dialogue lazy and one-note. There are plot-holes galore, characters rambling on tangents that are crying out for an edit, and the mystery surrounding The Warden’s identity ends up as a frustrating red-herring and a wasted opportunity to add some much-needed originality. The mysterious mastermind also drops puns throughout that would make Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Mr Freeze from Batman & Robin cringe – it is unclear if he is meant to be intentionally campy – but Christmas-cracker-standard jokes certainly don’t suit the character’s vibe, or Costas Mandylor’s booming baritone. Despite some eye-rolling dialogue, Mandylor’s performance itself is solid, and The Warden’s sinister pleasure in running his own ‘Jigsaw-style’ game is apparent despite his face being obscured. Sarah French is admirable as well as Rachel, a classic ‘final girl’ (who is even referred to as such) whose development into a leader is notable throughout the film. The rest of the prisoner cast however are largely hammy or wooden, with little in-between. It feels like the casting must have started and stopped at the actor’s best ‘torture faces’, as most of their performances either side of screaming their guts out are lifeless. A real saving-grace for the film however are scenes between Michael Madsen and Charles Solomon Jr’s detective pair, whose quest to find the torture house delivers some brilliant, genre-aware musings. Madsen’s natural cool comes across as the unflappable and grizzled Detective Casey, and the buddy-cop relationship with Solomon Jr’s Tanner adds some welcome self-aware commentary on the film, and the ‘torture game’ genre in general. The pair’s chemistry could support a full-length movie in its own right, and the director wisely gives the pair plenty of screentime to flourish. Death Count never really escapes the shadow of its influences, and fails to concoct anything out of its many borrowed parts that improves upon their original sources. There really isn’t much to engage with for anyone outside of devoted horror fanatics – apart from Michael Madsen generally just being Michael Madsen. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Digital / DVD Release, Film Festival, Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

That Alien, Sound film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring Mia Danelle, Will Tranfo, Deyo Forteza directed by Brando Topp. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS That Alien, Sound Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Aug 20, 2025 Directed by: Brando Topp Written by: Brando Topp Starring: Mia Danelle, Will Tranfo, Deyo Forteza An indie comedy/coming of age/road trip movie about an intergalactic sentient soundwave inhabiting a human being is nothing if not original. And given that this is his feature debut, Brando Topp is promising a fascinating future body of work with That Alien, Sound . The human in question is Mika (Mia Danelle) – whose body becomes a vessel for ‘Sound’. Sound is an alien being whose previous existence as a soundwave became unfulfilling. Finding herself in Mika’s body, she sets out to experience all the joys of humanity and the physical form. However Mika’s sceptical boyfriend Shannon (Will Tranfo) grows increasingly frustrated with his girlfriend’s newfound oddities – convinced her ‘alien’ self is an act. When a possible solution to the body swap emerges, they set out with her brother Deyo (Deyo Forteza) and friends to send Sound back to the stars and bring back the Mika they know. That Alien, Sound ’s strongest moments are its exploration of grounded issues. The slow collapse of Mika and Shannon’s relationship is a moving and powerful throughline that is the film’s emotional core – one that manages to explore some profound and complex territory despite the quirkiness surrounding it. Shannon’s descent into an irritable fish-out-of-water around Mika/Sound’s enthusiasm and alternative friend group initially seems to stem from Sound’s arrival. But as the film develops it becomes clear he has issues with Mika too. He grinds against the group he has found himself with and Will Tranfo ensures the character skews towards unlikable compared to Sound. But there is enough in the performance and presentation of the relationship for some sympathy to stem through. Despite the sci-fi framing, the story of two people who care for each other growing apart is a relatable one. These human elements are such a strength that one wonders why the filmmakers decided to explore them through an obtuse and ungraspable sci-fi lens. Viewers will have a hard time relating to the ‘soundwave’ origin of ‘Sound’ – and the ever-so-quirky explanations of how this alien lifeform came to understand cinematic tropes, eccentric fashion choices or the concept of love itself are a distracting, unnecessary aside from themes where Topp really has a grip on. The central idea of Mika literally becoming another person whilst her actual self is in the process of this emotionally is a great setup to explore growing up and growing apart, but the sheer bizarreness of the film’s logic is a significant detraction. There are really no special effects or spectacle either that make the alien elements visually worthwhile. The first half of the film feels like it is trying to do too much – establishing the characters, explaining the science and raising the prospect of Sound being a delusion in Mika’s personality. The film hits its stride when the characters hit the road, and the uncertainty around the nature of Sound appears cleared up for the audience and side characters (barring Shannon). It’s great to see filmmakers willing to take stories into original places, especially as a debut feature. A more focused and grounded narrative feels like an obvious evolution for Brando Topp, and whilst That Alien, Sound is muddled and fails to coherently explain its concept, its human themes are enough to make this a success. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Theatrical Release, Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

I Could Dom film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Madison Hatfield, Derek Evans, Adetinpo Thomas, Hannah Alline directed by Madison Hatfield. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS I Could Dom Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Dec 10, 2024 Directed by: Madison Hatfield Written by: Madison Hatfield Starring: Madison Hatfield, Derek Evans, Adetinpo Thomas, Hannah Alline A woman is shut down by her friends when she posits the idea that she could absolutely be a dom, so she sets out to prove them wrong. Men really can be dumb, witless freaks, can’t they? It seems that angry, bucktoothed, sex-pest, Andrew Tate may have been right about them – and let’s be clear, if he is right about this it’s the one and only thing he’s ever been remotely in the ballpark of being right about – that men are far too interested in being led about by the idea of making their pee-pee tingle. (His words, not mine.) The mere existence of the fact that Findom is a real thing, that’s financial domination to the uninitiated, is testament to this, along with OnlyFans model Sophie Rain, who seemingly racked up $43 million in earnings in the past year, with her top supporter apparently funding $4.7 million of that himself. These simps are everywhere and are becoming ever more prevalent in a post-lockdown society, where it’s easier to stay alone in your bedroom and pretend that you’re in a relationship with someone who’s only ripping you for every last cent, rather than actually go outside and have real life interactions with people. So, in the spirit of the modern generation, rather than actually going out and having sex, they’re deciding to make films about it instead. Writer, director and star, Madison Hatfield has decided to shine a light on the subject of domination in sex-play, even though she is a self-confessed novice herself. Her character, June is a lot like her – a people pleaser who always thinks of others first before setting about getting what she wants. With I Could Dom , Hatfield has decided to explore the side of herself which could be let out if the right situation arose, and so we watch as June bumbles about in some tight leather trying to take control and take what she wants when she gets a date with Jeff (Evans). This encounter is set-up by a Sex and the City style ‘ladies that lunch’ meeting between June and her two friends, Marigold (Alline) and Deb (Thomas). The other two are well versed in their respective sexual roles, with Deb extorting some poor sap who can’t stop touching himself, and Marigold sharing how she likes to be choked and slapped in the bedroom. Poor June though, is lost in amongst the conversation and when she tentatively suggests that she could dom, literally the whole room looks at her to tell her she’s wrong. Nevertheless, June gets onto the SneakyLynx app to set herself up as a dominatrix so that she can get out there and explore her new found confidence. As with most dating apps, even the non-overtly sexual ones, Jeff is a needle in a haystack as the only sane, sensible guy out there who has a decent, unthreatening tone and a relatable profile. However, Jeff definitely wants to sub and when faced with the buxom, curvaceous, leather-clad figure of June, he begins to think that all of his Christmases have come at once. Unfortunately for Jeff, June is in over her head and she can’t stop being polite, trying to make sure he is comfortable, and using the word ‘sorry’ way too much. Jeff does his best to put June at ease and is remarkably understanding in the face of such a poor dominatrix, but when he feels that June might not be getting anything out of this, he pulls out the safe-word and calls a halt to proceedings before any jiggery-pokery can begin. This causes June to have a bit of an existential crisis and she begins comparing herself to a soapdish – which does actually make sense within the narrative. Throughout I Could Dom there’s a cheeky, raunchy, titillating humour which aims to lead the vanillas amongst us delicately through the world of sex-play. The colour and lighting coming through Cristian Bernal’s cinematography also keeps things nice and soft as the sexy times heat up and almost immediately cool down, leaving the viewer feeling safe and content at all times as the very personal issues of finding ourselves through ourselves and each other get explored. The main message of loving yourself comes through nice and clear, especially in the closing moments, and the casual reminder that we’re all just a little bit freaky inside, with the need for us to be okay with that, also hits a nice comfortable note. Hatfield’s script and narrative have a nice measure of spicy fun to them and her performance as June stands out as a beautiful piece of comedy. There are nice allusions to art and mythology peppered throughout the fifteen-minute runtime, helping us to understand that people have been building fantasies around sex for a very long time, and there is room in the scenario for something bigger to be developed around this idea. Unfortunately though, the fact that I Could Dom lacks bite in its telling, is what lets it down. With Jeff being the first and only guy that June meets in this bearpit of sexual gratification, and that everything works out for the best immediately, just isn’t indicative of the real life scene. Nowhere do the letters S&M or BDSM get mentioned, showing just how tame the humour and the scenario really are in handling the downright dirty sex acts usually involved in the ritual humiliation of others for sexual gain, and overall I Could Dom feels like it’s pulling on a costume and pretending to be something it’s not. Definitely tastes more like vanilla than hot, sweaty PVC and ground metal. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Short Film, Digital / DVD Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Lady Governess film review by UK film critic Joe Beck. Starring Lucia Goya Betts directed by Tito Wiley . HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Lady Governess Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Joe Beck | Posted on: Nov 17, 2023 Directed by: Tito Wiley Written by: Tito Wiley Starring: Lucia Goya Betts You hear a lot of people talking about a crisis in the film industry. That is something which is, to an extent true, with the recent strikes, plummeting box office numbers and the struggle for refreshing auteurs to emerge and be given the funding to create successful original films. Yet, ‘Lady Governess’ points to another consensus, that the film industry and creativity is alive and well, or at the very least it should be, with potential for a wonderful, exciting future, however, it is consistently undermined by studio heads and execs, who, in the process of prioritising money over creativity, instead stifle their own profits and the industry as a whole. ‘Lady Governess’ points to a brighter future for the very point that it is a fresh film, showing an abundance of creativity made by someone of just sixteen years of age, writer and director Tito Wiley. For someone so young to show both such a keen interest in filmmaking, and such skill in the craft at such an early stage adds to the excitement of ‘Lady Governess’, it’s watching someone with the potential to be an extremely successful auteur finding his feet in the craft with nothing but his passion and talent to work with. The film itself tells the story of a mysterious young widow, played by Wiley’s sister Lucia Goya Betts, whose miserable, isolated existence is changed when she hires a housekeeper, named Karen, and also played by Lucia Goya Betts, to keep her company. The widow has lived largely in isolation - leaving her house only for the most necessary tasks - for the past seven years, and believes that living with someone else will help bring her back into the world again at last. Unfortunately for her, the housekeeper whom she has hired is mentally psychotic, as should perhaps have been obvious by her speaking with the most outdated idioms. Her incursions into the widow’s life grow as they live together, becoming obsessive and haunting both her every living, and every sleeping moment. As a director Tito Wiley excels, especially on such a shoestring budget, and being limited to filming inside his home (though admittedly it is a home perfect for filmmaking) and whilst on holiday in Spain. He shows a creativity, and awareness of filmmaking techniques beyond his years, from the classic dutch angle, to the inventivity used to film the number of scenes featuring both characters played his sister. Even if the writing is at times a little stilted and the ideas are never truly cohesive, the freshness of the story should still be applauded, as should the very fact that a sixteen year old has the courage to both write a script and then follow through with it. Other technical aspects, are remarkably well done given the limited budget, and another sign of early filmmaking prowess. ‘Lady Governess’ is a remarkable film, and for more than purely the age of its creator. It’s remarkable in the invention and creativity which it demonstrates on a shoestring budget and for the approach it takes with the story. It’s remarkable for the talent demonstrated by Lucia Goya Betts in her dual role, and for the talent of Tito Wiley in his directing, but moreover, it's remarkable how fresh the story feels, and how impressive that is from a developing auteur. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Joe Beck Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Concerto for Humanity film review by UK film critic James Learoyd. Starring Colin Cassidy directed by Stacey Stone. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Concerto for Humanity Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: James Learoyd | Posted on: May 31, 2026 Directed by: Stacey Stone Written by: Stacey Stone Starring: Colin Cassidy Concerto for Humanity is a maximalist piece of archival documentary filmmaking. Directed with an unwavering social confidence by Stacey Stone (who is also the film’s editor – a logical dual-role since this project is almost purely a work of editorial contexts working in tandem with music and the spoken word). The setup is an immediately transfixing one: what if we placed 16mm footage from the 1930s alongside contemporary digital imagery; or, as the voiceover puts it, what if this individual with the black-and-white camera woke up in today’s world? What kind of world would he see? This movie answers that question through unrelenting means and to an unambiguously grim result. It’s a work of the avant-garde, made by an artist who refuses to let the audience off easy. We’re made to sit through some horrific things during the twelve-minute runtime. Although it leaves one with some questions regarding the project’s overall statement – not in terms of what it’s showing us and the very obvious implications of the editing, but more whether these images will continue to engage the mind of the viewer after the film is over. How open-ended and explorative actually is this piece of video-journalism? From beginning to end, what the audience is exposed to is deeply powerful. And the entire experiment is, in many ways, a success when you consider the fact that the images gather further meaning – often more upsetting meaning – when positioned in conjunction with this lovely 30s footage – even when the 30s footage is also depicting something negative. In terms of the modern, the AI content is utterly stomach-turning in a manner which is intentional and confrontational, and it doesn’t get more harrowing than captured moments of police brutality and war. What unfortunately lets these visual aspects down, though, is the decision to include expository voiceover in the film. That’s by no means an indictment of the vocal performance by Colin Cassidy (which is strong), but more an observation that the images would hold a great deal more potency if they were left to their own wordless faculties. Thus, to answer the question I posed earlier in this review: explorative – very. Open-ended – absolutely not. The individuals who produced this movie surely meant for the messaging’s solidity. And the intention to depict our world in all its ugly detail is always an admirable one (and something that the moving image does better than any other form of media). However, the fact remains that these ideas perhaps lack nuance; the implicit and purely visual quality that would elevate Concerto for Humanity to the artistically transcendent heights that the title may lead the viewer to anticipate. But it’s a documentary that evokes such masterworks as Koyaanisqatsi – especially when you realise that the music featured was written specifically for the film (by Larry Tuttle), much like Philip Glass’ instantly iconic compositions for the 1982 experimental classic. To witness something so unashamedly provocative is always an exciting experience for a critic. And despite my misgivings, the editorial and political ambition makes this a positive contribution to both the documentary and art film scene. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic James Learoyd Documentary, Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

On The Corner Of Nowhere film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Mike Kelson, Anthony J Abraham, Wesley Mbeka directed by Finn O'Toole. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS On The Corner Of Nowhere Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Jul 23, 2024 Directed by: Finn O'Toole Written by: Finn O'Toole Starring: Mike Kelson, Anthony J Abraham, Wesley Mbeka It is the Wild West and a tormented outlaw takes refuge inside a church. This short drama was adapted from the full-length screenplay of the same name with the intention of leading to a feature-length film. With his directorial debut, O'Toole brings to life a short story filled with dramatic dialogue, religion, ruthlessness and self-judgement. This project was filmed inside a church in London, which is amazing considering although the entire narrative takes place inside a church, it convincingly brings the viewer to the Western United States during the time of the Wild West thanks to the clothing, the plot, the accents and the music. Proceeding now to analyse these four elements, the plot would be a good choice to begin with. An unknown man (Kelson) is in a church with a priest (Mbeka) and a youth named Lucas (Abraham). The priest and Lucas brought the stranger to the building after they found him injured in the woods. Until now, he has been helping with maintenance of the church and keeping a low profile. Although he is rather reclusive and negative, he has build a sort-of rapport with his two rescuers. Lucas looks up to him, naively seeing him as a bigshot gunslinger, while the priest tries to bring out the good in him. The troubled man is stubborn, being a pessimist with a dark past, a person who does not believe in religion and that the world is a cruel place. Soon, trouble arrives in the form of bandits, leading to fist fights and life-threatening situations. Moving now to the clothing and the mise-en-scene in general, as mentioned the story takes place in the interior of the church, so there are no desert landscapes, small towns or ranches or horses for that matter, instead it is the costumes that works as the visual element related to the Wild West and commendations go to costume designer Madeleine Haddock. Speaking of visuals, praise also goes to Lyo Yuson for the wonderful work on the moody cinematography. Regarding the audio now, the Southern accents are quite convincing and the tense music by Fred Newnham sounds like it belongs in a Western and so does the song during the closing credits. O'Toole also worked on the editing and his creative work with dissolve and superimposition is to be acknowledged. This is the dark and dramatic story about a damaged man who is struggling to understand himself and find redemption. It is a tense, dark and intriguing story that gains a great deal from Kelson's magnificent performance and the dramatic screenplay. Taking under consideration that this short is intended to lead to a feature film, hopefully, that will come to be. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Neraka film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring Tom Clear directed by Paul Trigwell. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Neraka Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Apr 11, 2023 Directed by: Paul Trigwell Written by: Paul Trigwell Starring: Tom Clear It is to Neraka ’s considerable benefit that it releases during a time when the news cycle is filled with stories covering the disturbing possibilities that come with the rise of artificial intelligence. But whilst the film’s titular app takes much more directly malevolent action that ChatGPT’s impersonations of political figures, the film’s poorly-defined plot and empty consideration of its ultra-relevant subject mean this short B-movie fails to live up to its potential. Al (Tom Clear) is a loner spending an evening mindlessly testing out a new AI-powered assistant app called Neraka. He trials its capabilities by asking a series of questions, but once he realises the answers are becoming increasingly personal, he decides to delete the app. But before he gets the chance, its sinister and unexpected true nature reveals itself. Neraka is a film of squandered potential. What starts out as an intriguing if pre-explored concept results in a voiceless, aimless horror that is nowhere near scary enough to justify the introduction of needless supernatural elements that only negate from the story. The film’s diversion around its midpoint from focusing on AI to an undefined but apparently spiritual adversary dilutes the threat that had been established from early on, and leaves audiences wondering quite what the whole point of the story is or what they are supposed to be afraid of. The issues with this shift are also exacerbated by the unlikability of the protagonist. Tom Clear gives a sleazy turn as Al, a leather-clad grizzly type who takes sad pleasure in messing with what he assumes is a computer programme. This is no issue when the film’s focus appears to be on the dangers posed by AI – as viewers are engaged with the central question of whether unthinking lines of code should super-cede the rights of those with free will – even when said persons are of an odious nature. Once the app’s true nature is revealed, audience’s concerns have to be supplanted to Al’s fate. And given the lack of empathy for the character and his unpleasant presentation, viewers will not have any great sense of regret over the prospect of his loss. The film happily embraces its B-movie status and director/writer Paul Trigwell and star Tom Clear take clear enjoyment in playing up the more classic horror elements – including an unsubtle nod to Steven King’s thematically aligned Christine. This embrace means the awful visual effects do not degrade from the film too much as the film’s boldness around its (lack of) budget is established pretty quickly – though one wonders just what model of smart phone Al has given one tap seems to input whatever command he so wishes at any given moment. But the film’s ultimate sin is that it never really establishes what it is meant to be about. It is lost somewhere between offering a warning of the dangers of sentience for programmes that are more calculating than compassionate, and a more fantastical story of a sinister force overtaking technology we don’t fully understand. And in this purgatory, the film ends without really establishing its point. Perhaps its script should have been run through ChatGPT for a little more consistency… Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Digital / DVD Release, Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Perpetrator film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Kiah McKirnan, Alicia Silverstone, Ireon Roach directed by Jennifer Reeder. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Perpetrator Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Aug 29, 2023 Directed by: Jennifer Reeder Written by: Jennifer Reeder Starring: Kiah McKirnan, Alicia Silverstone, Ireon Roach Jennifer Reeder is preoccupied with missing girls. Her 2019 gem Knives and Skin watched a town fall to pieces around one such absence. Where that film was full of melancholy absurdities, Reeder’s latest, Perpetrator , is a little bolder, a little angrier. As Jonny (Kiah McKirnan) approaches her 18th birthday she goes a tad out of control. Her dad (also in some kind of crisis) doesn’t know what to do with her, but an out-of-town aunt (Alicia Silverstone, a sinister delight) offers to take her in. So, Jonny goes from a fairly anonymous, if reckless, urban life to something far more noticeable in her aunt’s small town. And there is something deeply amiss in Jonny’s new hometown. Girls just go missing. All the time. McKirnan’s fish out of water performance is so much fun here because Reeder forces the audience to identify with this feral creature. The rest of the town is so odd, almost willing victims after a lifetime of systemic herding. Jonny’s humor, cynicism and enjoyable streak of opportunism give the film a constant sense of forward momentum, though the just-this-side-of-surreal atmosphere has a dreamlike quality. Silverstone’s prickly, unpredictable performance is nothing but twisted fun, and all the supporting turns contribute something simultaneously authentic and bizarre to the recipe. (That’s a cooking metaphor because of Aunt Hildie’s birthday cake, an ingenious and foul plot kink worth acknowledging.) Reeder’s work routinely circles back to peculiar notions of coming of age, but John Hughes she ain’t. Goofiness and seriousness, the eerie and the grim, the surreal and familiar all swim the same bloody hallways, practice the same open shooter drills, and speak up at the same assemblies honoring the latest missing girl. Reeder’s interested in the way women are raised to disregard one another, to compete with each other, to be adored and consumed, sexualized, victimized and vilified. Her reaction to this environment amounts to a reclamation of blood. Perpetrator swims in blood and gore and humor and terror and feminism galore. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Digital / DVD Release, Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Dumb Money film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Paul Dano, Shailene Woodley, America Ferrera, Seth Rogen directed by Craig Gillespie. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Dumb Money Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Sep 20, 2023 Directed by: Craig Gillespie Written by: Lauren Schunker Blum, Rebecca Angelo, Ben Mezrich Starring: Paul Dano, Shailene Woodley, America Ferrera, Seth Rogen Do you remember when GameStop stock became newsworthy? I, Tonya director Craig Gillespie does, and he thinks you will enjoy learning a bit more about that slice of American economic history. Channeling Adam McKay’s rage with none of his snark, Gillespie spins Dumb Money into a laid-back tale of sticking it to the rich guy. Which are always the best stories. Paul Dano plays Keith Gill, an underemployed new dad who took a shine to GameStop and shared his lowkey enthusiasm via videos on Reddit. His earnest goofiness, absolute transparency and love of cats drew an audience. That audience grew into a revolution. Gillespie cuts nimbly from storyline to storyline, introducing us to many of the Average Joes who took Gill’s advice. Anthony Ramos is the most fun, playing Marcus Barcia, a GameStop employee who liked Megan Thee Stallion and did not like Brad (Dane DeHaan), his manager. America Ferrera gets another righteously indignant character to bring to vivid life, while Seth Rogen, Nick Offerman, Vincent D’Onofrio and Gillespie favorite Sebastian Stan relish the rich dick roles. The film never talks down to its audience, doesn’t over-explain or under-explain its financial underpinnings. We understand about as much as our main characters. Writers Lauren Schunker Blum, Rebecca Angelo and Ben Mezrich may be a bit precious about the long-term impact of the revolution, but they stay focused on character without losing the financial specifics that make the justice that much sweeter. Dumb Money is a crowd pleaser, partly because the writing team keeps the script simple, and partly because Gillespie keeps the energy high. But mostly because it’s never not fun to see somebody stick it to the man. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Double Walker film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Sylvie Mix directed by Colin West. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Double Walker Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Nov 10, 2021 Directed by: Colin West Written by: Colin West, Sylvie Mix Starring: Sylvie Mix You know that lyric from It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year — “there’ll be scary ghost stories”? I was an adult before I realized Andy Williams was talking about Scrooge. Filmmaker Colin West reminds us that that story, and Christmas ghosts in general, can be pretty scary and awfully damaging in his latest, Double Walker. We open on a bloodstain, then a funeral, then a despondent mother (Maika Carter), but her grief is more complicated than it looks. From there, West’s film follows one young woman (co-writer Sylvie Mix, Poser ) who looks very cold and vulnerable on the wintery streets of Columbus, Ohio. As one nice guy after another offers aid, West toys with your preconceived notions. Is she a dangerous psychopath? A victim in the making? Is Double Walker possibly a riff on Emerald Fennell’s glorious Promising Young Woman ? Not exactly. And maybe. But not really. What the filmmakers have done is to fracture a storyline in favor of a mood, one that takes on the surreal qualities of a haunting. A meditation on trauma, Double Walker sidesteps easy summarization but never feels unmoored. Like the old Dickens story, this tale wonders at the ripple effects of behaviors, how a change here or there might yet alter the course of events. Mix is hollow, chilly melancholy as the central figure, wandering into and out of an interconnected group of lives. The almost expressionless performance through the bulk of her screentime allows the mystery to unravel around her without giveaways. It also adds weight to the rare smile and horror to her sudden movements. Not every performance is as strong, but West evokes such a poignant and dreamlike atmosphere that minor acting hiccups can be overlooked. He casts a spell with his feature debut and it’s hard not to wonder what both he and Mix might do next. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release, Digital / DVD Release, Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >