Mintrix and the Elven Figurine film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring Kimberly Woods, Valeria Rodriguez, Dave Fennoy directed by Andrew Jordan. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Mintrix and the Elven Figurine Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Aug 8, 2026 Directed by: Andrew Jordan Written by: Andrew Jordan, Kimberly Woods Starring: Kimberly Woods, Valeria Rodriguez, Dave Fennoy Mintrix and the Elven Figurine is an introductory concept short for a much wider world from creators Andrew Jordan and Kimberly Woods. Audiences drawn to the fantasy stagings will find bold commitment from the filmmakers who embrace popular tropes and demonstrate a clear understanding of the desires of their fans-to-be. In a fantasy world, Mintrix Vandalore (Kimberly Woods) is a canny and charismatic bard hired by a young elf named Nape (Valeria Rodriguez) to recover an ancient elven figurine. But the pair are not the only ones hunting the mythical item. As Mintrix’s journey takes her from underground caves, catacombs and ruins, the relationship between the two grows from professional to personal. An uncertain future in the vast world leaves open the question – can their partnership survive the stakes at hand? Fantasy and Romantasy fans will find lots to love in Mintrix and the Elven Figurine – and be enticed by the potential of Mintrix and Nape’s journey. Whilst much of the larger story is left untouched with an eye for later, more developed instalments, it is clear that the filmmakers have big intentions and plans for their fantasy world. Fans will feel comfortable and familiar with what is on display here, but there are also some more unique points on display that provide optimism that Mintrix’s stories won’t solely rehash familiar story structures. Utilising unconventional storytelling and jumping back and forth between locations and characters within the same motion are just some examples of this. The characters focused on by the filmmakers are from communities often underrepresented in the fantasy genre. Whilst representation has improved in shows like House of the Dragon, there is still a gap for media that places such characters at the centre of the story. As a black, queer woman, Mintrix is a character that pushes forward diversity within the fantasy space by virtue of her existence. But the character should not be defined by her background. Mintrix as a hero is bold, brash, cocky and funny, but it is also easy to imagine that her cockiness will run into trouble down the line. The best characters are those whose personalities are at the heart of their successes, and their failings. Whilst we really only get a snapshot of her story, Mintrix is in good hands with Kimberly Woods as both director and performer. There are inherent limits to what Mintrix and the Elven Figurine can accomplish in its short running time. The film does race through some of its concepts in a presumed attempt at establishing a few meatier setups down the line, though in the short itself it leaves them feeling under-explored. The antagonistic cult who are also hunting down the figurine are particularly undefined and would require much more development in a feature length to work as a memorable enemy. But as a concept film, Mintrix and the Elven Figurine is a fine example of how to build excitement and anticipation for a fantasy world. The visuals are great, the ambition is bold, and the central relationship between Mintrix and Nape is believable and promises to take exciting twists and turns. The filmmakers definitely deserve to have their wider ideas brought to life, and Mintrix’s story is one that will conjure many more fans yet., Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Digital / DVD Release, LGBTQ+, Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

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Whenever I'm Alone With You film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Guillaume Campanacci, Vesper Egon directed by Vesper Egon and Guillaume Campanacci. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Whenever I'm Alone With You Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Feb 2, 2025 Directed by: Vesper Egon and Guillaume Campanacci Written by: Vesper Egon and Guillaume Campanacci Starring: Guillaume Campanacci, Vesper Egon A couple of planetary sized egotists who self-identify as ‘artists’ make a film about themselves and challenge you to like it or be branded as stupid. Guillaume (Campanacci) is an actor, although not a very good one. He likes to compare himself to Alain Delon, but in his eagerness to embody the French New Wave he finds that disengaging from the world is the only thing he’s genuinely good at. At the end of his most recent relationship, Guillaume decided to make a suicide attempt, however, due to the size of his ego it was more of a ‘Hey, look at me’ rather than a real cry for help. His family help him back into the world but really Guillaume is already dead inside. Vedrana (Egon) is a socialite, although only a pretty face in a nice dress most of the time. She is attached to an unnamed career man who cares more for his status than he does for her. This gives Vedrana plenty time to wander about the Cannes countryside and start an affair with the only person whose ego can possibly match the size of her own. She would like to read interesting books and have erudite conversations but unfortunately she is drastically dull and the only things she has to rely on are her looks and the money her relationship affords her. Guillaume thinks that chain smoking, brooding in silence, and acting like a total prick is edgy and cool. Vedrana thinks that staring into the camera from a blank background, usually a wall, is high quality eroticism and we should all fall at her feet in awe because of it. Both are wrong. And so, we have the entirety of the ninety-one minutes of Whenever I’m Alone With You . Described meta-narratively as not a romantic comedy, but then in the titles as a romantic comedy, we are challenged by Guillaume to enjoy Whenever I’m Alone With You for what it is and not what our pre-conceived expectations want it to be. There are a lot of apologies in the opening monologue about the film not having the things commonly associated with a stable narrative, but these are really, ‘Sorry, not sorrys’ as Guillaume doesn’t really care whether you get his film or not. He rates himself as a true artist and therefore anyone asking for more than is offered must automatically be a philistine who doesn’t understand true genius. We are all beneath Guillaume and we must just accept that. The problem with Whenever I’m Alone With You isn’t so much that its main characters are such odious people, it’s more that their play-acting at being lovers is so interminably dull. There are no laughs and barely a smile raised throughout the film’s entirety and listening to these two self-obsessed wannabes becomes challenging at best, and a giant waste of time at its worst. The things the characters get up to are typically benign and banal, and to compare the dialogue of romance here with something like Linklater’s Before Trilogy, it becomes tiresome and boring as well as diabolically absurd, just not in the way the filmmakers want it to as they try so very hard to be absurdist. The first line of dialogue in the film is, “We should fuck,” which really tells you all you need to know. There’s titillation and enticing displays of flesh on offer to grasp at the idea of eroticism, but in amongst all of the empty conversations and trite usage of filters to colour the images, it all just seems a bit vapid and unnecessary. Throughout it all, cinematographer Nicolas Devienne tries very hard to show off the locations and settings as best he can, and to his credit he mostly achieves this, with some genuinely good looking shots and good use of lighting. However, he is constrained by co-directors Campanacci and Egon as they layer their own understanding of art on top of it, butchering the scenes with a variety of editing and narrative techniques that don’t work and add nothing to the feel of the film. It can be hard to separate the characters from the writer/directors, especially when they use their own names and Campanacci enlists the help of his entire family to star alongside him. This obviously lends itself to the meta-narrative they are both trying to achieve with the film, as well as the arthouse style they are aiming for with the mashed up storytelling and extraneous interludes which lead nowhere. However, it would be a shame to think of Campanacci or Egon as anything like their characters in real-life, with the New Wave ideal seemingly taking precedence over everything the film and the characters have to offer. There is at least a commitment to vision which makes Whenever I’m Alone With You stand on its own two feet, and while it can be said that there’s not much out there, especially recently, which looks like this, it cannot be taken that this is actually a good thing. By all means, go out there and make something different that we can all enjoy, but just remember to make it good while you’re at it. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Digital / DVD Release, Indie Feature Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Witches of Blackwood film review by UK film critic Christie Robb. Starring Cassandra Magrath directed by Kate Whitbread. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Witches of Blackwood Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Christie Robb | Posted on: Sep 7, 2021 Directed by: Kate Whitbread Written by: Darren Markey Starring: Cassandra Magrath It’s never a good sign when you head back to your hometown and all your old school friends sidle up to you and want to get you alone to give you an elevator pitch about this new thing they’ve gotten into. Nine times out of ten it’s an MLM selling makeup or essential oils or nutritional supplements. Sometimes it’s a cult. In Kate Whitbread’s new film, the townful of anemic-looking women sporting clothing made of natural fibers in a neutral color palette and the dark undereye circles of recent motherhood are selling witchcraft. Claire Nash (Cassandra Magrath from Wolf Creek ) is back in town to uncover the circumstances of her dad’s recent sudden death and that of her mother years before. Were their deaths a consequence of mental illness and substance abuse? Or was it really the demon that haunts the forest? And are they really even dead? Why are all these townswomen carrying around bleached bones and acting like they are infants? And why are they all interested in Claire? Magrath works hard to bring her character to life, but the script isn’t doing her any favors. The movie is full of evocative settings and creepy imagery, but there’s not much time spent in character development and no real sense of the stakes. Plot elements are introduced and then dropped. Characters that appear to be important basically wander off and an antagonist…doesn’t seem to actually do anything. So, when the climax comes, it feels hollow and meaningless–very much an “is that it?” kind of moment. The Witches of Blackwood is not a good movie and it’s not quite bad enough to be fun. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Christie Robb Digital / DVD Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

I am the Hand of Death film review by UK film critic Swati Verma. Starring Allison Moore, Justin Voisine, Douglas Pelletier directed by Chris Gervais. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS I am the Hand of Death Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Swati Verma | Posted on: Aug 23, 2021 Directed by: Chris Gervais Written by: Chris Gervais Starring: Allison Moore, Justin Voisine, Douglas Pelletier The movie establishes the clues that something really horrific has happened in the cement plant by capturing the long shot of the cement factory and the dried-up vegetation of the place. The movie highlights a major mishap at the cement plant that has claimed the lives of three people- Allison Moore (29), Justin Voisine (31), and Douglas Pelletier (62). The director shows the life routine of all the three victims and how their life takes a 360-degree turn and, they left behind their loved ones. The narrative is slow paced so that the viewers can understand what Chris is trying to convey to them. The poster of a dear is present at Douglas's house. The dear could be an indication of a weak prey ready to be eaten by a lion or a tiger. The background music given by Apis Malfiore enhances the tension in the movie during the depiction of all three houses, assisting the script to alter the speed and dive into the actual subject quickly. The DOP of the film Jorgen Buhl has tried to keep the movie close to realism by shooting the real life accounts of the victims on the video camera. Furthermore, Buhl highlights the intensity of the incident by showing the audience the mid-shot and close shots of people crying, blood, gun and, crime scenes. The mid-shot of search warrants issued by the police is another tool that is taken into consideration to pinpoint the gruesomeness of the shooting. The cement plant and the city with some lights in the night are displayed in the shot. The voice-over news is also playing continuously updating about the firing at the crime scene. The news anchor gives us information about the killer who lost his job due to bad behavior. The movie shifts to someone's living space as the news is still going on and no one is in the living room. The lighting changes and a black screen appears before the credit roles in. The black screen could signify that the people are still terrified of the incident and are still trying to cope with it. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Swati Verma Documentary < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Echoes of Violence film review by UK film critic Rachel Willis. Starring Heston Horwin, MichaellaRussell directed by Nicholas Woods. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Echoes of Violence Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Rachel Willis | Posted on: Aug 23, 2021 Directed by: Nicholas Woods Written by: Nicholas Woods Starring: Heston Horwin, MichaellaRussell Alex (Heston Horwin) is having a terrible day. While trying to sell a leasing office in the middle of the Sedona desert, he hears a gunshot. When he hears a second shot, rather than calling the police, he runs off to investigate. This is the first of several bad calls that Alex makes. However, we might be able to get on board with this terrible decision because the lead-up to this moment is intriguing. From a funny opening, we’re then placed in this jarringly violent moment. Alex, endearing in his suit, waiting for his clients, is the right kind of naïve to help the film get underway. It’s too bad this great opening is followed by such a weak story. But what writer/director Nicholas Woods delivers in Echoes of Violence is a juvenile take on the humanitarian crisis of human trafficking. Upon meeting Marakya (Michaella Russell), Alex makes one more dumb decision after another as he’s caught up in her violent existence. A sex slave on the run from her immigration lawyer/human trafficker (another good idea that fails in the execution), Marakya enlists Alex’s help on a mission of revenge. We never quite understand why Alex is so taken with Marakya, which is a problem. There’s no reason or explanation why he doesn’t call the police – or even just walk away – as it’s clear he’s in over his head. Another poor choice on the film’s part is an attempt to create a sympathetic character out of a man who is part of the sex trafficking ring. Though we’re given reasons why this guy is ‘okay,’ it feels like a gut punch to root for someone who previously ignored the horrors around him. That his redemption arc is given the same weight as Marakya’s story is as unsurprising as it is disappointing. But the film’s weakest element is the dialogue. Some of it is so bad it’s funny, but mostly it’s just bad. There’s too much needless exposition, too many lines that try to offer profound wisdom (when no one talks like that), and not enough time to let the characters come to life. The actors are good, particularly Russell, but even the best actors will stumble around clumsy dialogue. And Sten Olson’s cinematography is spectacular, but there isn’t much else holding up this movie. A weak script will nearly always tank a film, and this one is no exception. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Rachel Willis Digital / DVD Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

My Father's Dragon film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Jacob Tremblay, Gaten Metarazzo, Golshifteh Farahani directed by Nora Twomey. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS My Father's Dragon Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Nov 9, 2022 Directed by: Nora Twomey Written by: Ruth Stiles Gannett, Meg LeFauve Starring: Jacob Tremblay, Gaten Metarazzo, Golshifteh Farahani Like most animation fans, I eagerly await each new Cartoon Saloon adventure. Their output is simply stunning: Wolfwalkers, The Breadwinner, Song of the Sea, The Secret of the Kells . Even Pixar doesn’t have a stronger batting average. Nora Twomey directed two of those beauties, The Breadwinner and The Secret of the Kells (which she co-helmed with Tomm Moore). She returns to the screen with the lovely romp about a dragon with a problem and a boy who solves problems, My Father’s Dragon. Animator Masami Hata first adapted Ruth Stiles Gannett’s beloved 1948 novel for the screen in 1997. Twomey’s update takes advantage of intricate, hand-drawn animation and an impressive voice cast to bring Elmer Elevator’s imaginative journey to life. Elmer and his mom have left behind their small town and the little store they ran. They’re living on the leaking top floor of an apartment building in a crowded city. Neither is happy about it, even if both pretend well. Then a talking cat points Elmer toward a chance to fix everything. He just needs to save this one dragon. Charming and endlessly good-natured, My Father’s Dragon succeeds despite its comparatively predictable nature. Go into any of the other Cartoon Saloon films and you’ll find yourself surprised with each narrative turn. My Father’s Dragon , on the other hand, feels more familiar. If the studio’s defining uniqueness is missing from its latest ‘toon, its heart is not. Voiced by Jacob Tremblay, Elmer’s the kind of kid who’s wound too tight. He tries so hard, he breaks your heart, even when his anxiety shortens his temper. Elmer’s own personality mirrors his mother’s when the chips are down, which feels of bittersweet authenticity thanks in part to Golshifteh Farahani’s tender vocal performance as Mom. As Boris the dragon, Gaten Matarazzo is silly and sweet with moments of raw emotion. Whoopi Goldberg, Judy Greer, Mary Kay Place, Rita Moreno, Chris O’Dowd, Alan Cumming, Diane Wiest and Ian McShane round out a uniformly excellent vocal ensemble, O’Dowd is especially impressing as McShane’s harsh second-in-command, Kwan. My Father’s Dragon represents a new direction for the animation studio. While it’s not the unassailable success of their previous films, it’s a joyous, beautiful film. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Netflix < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Red Lips of the Octopus film review by UK film critic Callum Ewing. Starring Jeff Kristian, Danny Beaton, Brandon Edwards directed by Lux Kapsaski. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Red Lips of the Octopus Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Callum Ewing | Posted on: Jul 17, 2026 Directed by: Lux Kapsaski Written by: Lux Kapsaski Starring: Jeff Kristian, Danny Beaton, Brandon Edwards The Red Lips of the Octopus is an eccentric surrealist adaptation of the poem by Aleister Crowley that will either utterly confuse viewers or leave them spellbound by the avant-garde ideas. The short film directed by Lux Kapsaki defies the conventional cinematic narrative with no dialogue and no linear storytelling and instead has a drug-fuelled, stylised aesthetic about nostalgia and memory. The film follows Aleister Crowley’s, played by Jeff Kristian, trip down memory lane as he reminisces about his intense love affair with Herbert Charles Pollitt, played by Brandon Edwards, in 1898. Crowley met Pollitt whilst both were at the University of Cambridge, with Pollitt famously performing as the drag queen Diane de Rougy. Pollitt also maintained a close friendship with Oscar Wilde. Despite the time period, this is no Victorian-era romance biopic such as Pride and Prejudice or Far from the Madding Crowd but instead a maddening sequence of scenes that lend themselves to more of an acid rock aesthetic with multiple dreamlike superimpositions, saturated colours and a hypnotic psychedelic rock score which is also composed by Jeff Kristian. This is what I liked about the film the most, as the visuals and score create a captivating mood that keeps you guessing where the film is heading next. There is so much creativity being thrown at the wall that not all of it sticks, but it is admirable all the same. Narratively, this film is purposefully ambiguous and does not follow a straightforward plot. It is a labyrinth of the past and present colliding. Scenes are stitched together as if Crowley were drifting in and out of different memories he had with Pollitt. Fragments of memories are thrown upon the viewers with little to no explanation about what is truly happening, and each sequence is like its own short film. This structure allows for the film to feel more dreamlike and realistic to how someone would remember love rather than a standard plot structure that could feel artificial. It also means that the film follows the structure and emotion of the poem more closely. Due to there being no dialogue in the film, the actors are therefore relying on facial expressions and body language to convey the feelings of the characters. Much like a silent film, it is the actor’s responsibility to portray the emotional hooks of the film with glances and subtle expressions. The job is made harder by how vague the plotting of the film is, so the actors cannot rely on the scripting to give emotional depth. Jeff Kristian manages to portray Crowley with a heavy weight of bittersweetness as he reminisces on his past. The character is happy with his memories that he had, but now as an older man he may wish to be that young, free and in love again. It is hard to write about the negatives or criticisms of this film purely because this film is so experimental and surreal that it really does depend on the person’s taste. If you want a simple standard film that has dialogue and a traditional plot structure, then this film might not work fully for you. The ambiguity and open-to-interpretation nature of the film means that different viewers may come away with different perspectives on the meaning of the film and the themes it is trying to tell. The film requires patience, but its barrage of abstract ideas may put some viewers off. Overall Lux Kapsaki’s adaptation of Aleister Crowley’s poem is a swing for the fences that must be admired for its ambition, technical craftmanship and commitment to surrealism. The film will not work for everyone and will be divisive, as many viewers could be confused by the ambiguity of the film and lack of true emotional connection to the characters. The film will appeal to viewers looking for something unconventional and different from a standard film. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Callum Ewing Short Film, LGBTQ+ < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Bad Guys film review by UK film critic Brian Penn. Starring Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Richard Ayoade, Zazie Beetz directed by Pierre Perifel. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Bad Guys Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Brian Penn | Posted on: Apr 2, 2022 Directed by: Pierre Perifel Written by: Aaron Blabey, Etan Cohen Starring: Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Richard Ayoade, Zazie Beetz Film goers don’t usually have to wait long before bad guys stroll across the big screen. The miscreants who continually look for the easy way out and a quick buck along the way. They might be bad by name but not always by nature and are rarely devoid of redeeming qualities. They remain likeable rogues who wear their imperfections with pride; they gain as much if not more sympathy as their ‘good’ opponents. This latest offering from DreamWorks is based on the books of Aaron Blabey, and is a satisfying tale of familiar characters trying to go straight but inevitably hitting some bumps in the road. The Bad Guys are a notorious gang led by the sharp suited, smooth talking Wolf (Sam Rockwell). Snake (Marc Maron) is the ace safecracker with a weakness for ice lollies; whilst Tarantula (Awkwafina) is the IT nerd with a technical solution for every occasion. Piranha (Anthony Ramos) and Shark (Craig Robinson) provide the muscle holding the team together. When their latest heist goes wrong, they are given a chance to prove themselves as good citizens: by being good guys. Professor Marmalade (Richard Ayoade) is tasked with their rehabilitation while Governor Diane Foxington (Zazie Beetz) promises the gang an amnesty if they succeed. Can someone so good at being bad just be good. There is a frisson of tension between Wolf and Foxington that might affect the plan. But how will this caper turn out and can a wolf really get on with a fox? The film unashamedly copies Ocean's Eleven with George Clooney in wolf's clothing. It tries nothing vaguely original although the execution is absolutely faultless. It nods gently in the direction of Quentin Tarantino and pays homage to several classic movie sequences. Half the fun is spotting these scenes; which is much like recognising the samples in an early hip-hop record. Sam Rockwell pulls off a convincing George Clooney persona; however Richard Ayoade as the Professor sounds more like Ronnie Corbett and doubt that was the intention. The Bad Guys is a thoroughly enjoyable way to pass a 100 minutes, but there is nothing here you wouldn't have seen before. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Brian Penn Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Ireke: Rise of the Maroons film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Tobi Bakare, Demetri Turin, Atlanta Bridget Johnson, Alex Franklyn, Westy Baba directed by Gbolahan Peter Macjob. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Ireke: Rise of the Maroons Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Jul 11, 2025 Directed by: Gbolahan Peter Macjob Written by: Gbolahan Peter Macjob Starring: Tobi Bakare, Demetri Turin, Atlanta Bridget Johnson, Alex Franklyn, Westy Baba A feature-length period drama from Nigeria, written and directed by Gbolahan Peter Macjob and starring Tobi Bakare, Demetri Turin, Atlanta Bridget Johnson, Alex Franklyn and Westy Baba. The year is 1697 and British Forces invade West Africa, capture several Africans and bring them to Jamaica for slavery, among them a young boy named Atanda (Bakare). Years later, Atanda is now a grown man, living as a slave in the plantation of Gerard (Turin), a ruthless man. Atanda endures the daily brutalities of the plantation and strikes up a romance with Adunni (Johnson), another slave who works primarily in Gerard's house and who attracts the unwanted attention of Johnson (Baba), an obnoxious slave who has earned a privileged rank that places him above regular slaves. Meanwhile, nearby is a large group of Maroons, escaped slaves who are planning to attack the plantation. This film is quite hard-hitting when it comes to depicting the viciousness of the British colonial authorities. Unfortunate slaves are whipped, hanged and burned to death, revealing the terrible times that occurred. The screenplay also explores the Maroons, their dedication to training for battle and their strong desire fro freedom. Among this, the audience gets to know the protagonists, their struggles and their motivations. The impressive mise-en-scene effectively creates an early eighteenth century setting, thanks to the costumes and structures. In terms of acting, the cast could had done a better job. There are moments of strong acting, however, throughout the feature, the performances just fail to be convincing. Regarding the characters, it is the bad guys that stand out. Turin is rather menacing as a cruel plantation owner who will not hesitate to hurt or kill and his wife, Catherine (Franklyn) is on the same level. Baba is Johnson, the smiling, treacherous fiend who has his eyes set on Adunni. Although Atanda comes across as sympathetic, he is not very engaging. Johnson's character, Adunni, works much better, a good-hearted woman trying to survive. Obviously, this is a story about slavery and it also acts as an account of the rise of the Maroons against the British colonial authorities. Moreover, it is also about bravery, rebellion, racism, cruelty and the strength of the human spirit. On one hand, people who watch this film will become familiar with the time when Maroons rebelled against British rulership and on the other hand, they will experience a moving and dramatic story about resisting brutality and pursuing freedom. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Indie Feature Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Gasoline Alley film review by UK film critic George Wolf. Starring Bruce Willis, Devon Sawa, Luke Wilson directed by Edward Drake. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Gasoline Alley Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: George Wolf | Posted on: Feb 23, 2022 Directed by: Edward Drake Written by: Edward Drake, Tom Sierchio Starring: Bruce Willis, Devon Sawa, Luke Wilson “Hey, Bruce Willis, how many movies do you have coming this year?” “Yes.” In the month or so since the last Willis project with writer/director Edward John Drake – American Siege – was released, I’ve learned of the term “Geezer Teaser,” which is a perfect summation of how this genre usually operates. An aging star is featured heavily in the marketing, while their tangential character often just disappears midway through the film due to the star’s 1-day shooting schedule. The good news for Gasoline Alley is that Willis hangs in ’til the end, and it’s clearly the best of the Willis/Drake collabs. Luke Wilson joins in this time as well, playing Detective Vargas to Bruno’s Detective Freeman, and these two guys have four big problems. The bodies of four dead hookers have turned up, and a lighter found at the scene leads the two cops to Gasoline Alley, the L.A. tattoo parlor of ex-con Jimmy Jayne (Devon Sawa). Jimmy was also the last person seen with the dead hooker named Star (“If you forget it, just look up”), but do you think Jimmy’s going to sit back and just accept being framed? Damn right he’s not. He’s going to let Willis and Wilson (Willison!) take some scenes off while he conducts his own investigation, sleuthin’ and shootin’ with an ever-present cigarette dangling perfectly from his steely pout. Most everything about Drake’s films is varying degrees short of authentic. And though Gasoline Alley shows progress, details such as the set design, score and faux news reports still seem carelessly thrown together, which don’t give the forced noir dramatics much of a chance to cast a spell. But if you’ve seen all of the Drake/Willis (Drillis!) catalog (and this is number five, with another currently in post-production), Gasoline Alley is a pleasant surprise. Drake’s script (co-written with Tom Sierchio) has moments of self-aware humor – even poking fun at one of his previous films. And while Willis is again on autopilot, Wilson seems to be enjoying the “no F’s to give” attitude of his character, Sawa is commendably committed and Veep ‘s Sufe Bradshaw turns in some fine support. Is it ridiculous, overwrought and amateurish in spots? Sure, but this one is actually watchable. Bravo, fellas, keep it up. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic George Wolf Digital / DVD Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Four Days Left film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring Ahamed Abdulkhader, Karem Bucknall, Surj Kumar directed by Hariprasath Ventakesan . HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Four Days Left Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Jun 12, 2026 Directed by: Hariprasath Ventakesan Written by: Hariprasath Ventakesan Starring: Ahamed Abdulkhader, Karem Bucknall, Surj Kumar Four Days Left is a microbudget short from director and writer Hariprasath Ventakesan that looks to act as a reminder that there each immigration story is a human one. Following a student facing a visa expiration, it demonstrates the reverberating impact of losing a community member as well as the labyrinthine and perilous web that immigrants face when navigating the UK’s visa system. Illa (Ahamed Abdulkhader) is a resident in the UK on a student visa that has only 4 days until it expires. Faced with deportation to his native India, he seeks out official routes to remain in his newly adopted home, but exorbitant fees or complex legal pathways mean the chance of extending his stay is borderline impossible. Less reputable routes open up to him, such as through the ‘services’ of smooth-talking Maran (Surj Kumar) – and Illa is faced with a life-changing decision. It's harder to think of an issue more sensitive than immigration – with virtually every major political party in the UK swept up in a firestorm of zealotry on the subject that usually forgets the human cost of its reduction. Four Days Left is a reminder that whatever your stance, there is a human at the end of every statistic. The ending of Illa’s stay in the UK is not just heartbreaking for himself, but also to his friend Ravi (Shamas Khan) and landlady Karen (Karen Bucknall), who are desperate for their friend to find a way to stay. It is these pressures that threaten to push Illa into unwise choices – ones which blur the lines of legality and create more problems for both the individual and authorities down the line. It is hard not to watch the short and come to a conclusion that an overhaul of the system is needed – given the brick walls Illa runs into when trying to do the right thing. Although it should be said that despite the sadness of his departure, the film doesn’t necessarily convince that student visas in particular are a problem, given that Illa’s pre-agreed timing in the country is concluding and that he has a loving homelife to return to in India. The attached messaging at the end of the film doesn’t really work given this. The film was made on a small budget, and some of the imaginative framing is impressive given these limitations. The opening Zoom call between Illa and an immigration lawyer is a great way to frame Illa’s dilemma – demonstrating how disparate assistance is for him. The film elsewhere is cleanly shot and the director includes some interesting use of light – in which some of the more vibrant settings are where some of the shadier offers are made to Illa, whereas darkly lit scenes offer comfort. It is an interesting way to show the hostility of the official system, and why so many people in desperate situations turn to the shadows. The smaller scale of the film means some imperfections are inevitable. The main cast don’t really enliven their characters and the performances of Ahamed Abdulkhader and Karen Bucknall in particular are quite stiff. Viewers will have empathy with Illa because of his situation, but not particularly through the performance. The film’s ending also feels underwhelming and lessens the objective of the filmmakers in shining a light on the flaws in the system – as it feels there is more of a desire to give Illa a happy ending than to commit to the film’s purpose. Four Days Left is an admirable short made on a shoestring that uses some interesting story framing to examine an immigrant’s dilemma when dealing with the UK system. It is imperfect, but given the political climate, welcome – as it shows an important aspect of a national debate that is too often ignored: that being the people involved in it. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Digital / DVD Release, Short Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >