Ghost Of Wuhan film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Ankit Mishra, Diksha Pathak, Veer Kant Singh directed by Ankit Mishra. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Ghost Of Wuhan Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: May 7, 2023 Directed by: Ankit Mishra Written by: RC Pathak and Ankit Mishra Starring: Ankit Mishra, Diksha Pathak, Veer Kant Singh Lest we forget, three years ago we were in the grip of a global pandemic the likes of which the world had never seen before. Since then there's been a deluge of indie films trying to take on the subject, coming at it from a variety of different viewpoints, but mostly settling on a few similar themes such as suffering, fear and isolation. Thankfully Hollywood has tended to stay away from telling lockdown stories or everyday tales of heroism from during the pandemic, probably feeling that showing images of coughing and painful death might not be the way to encourage the masses back into dark, cramped, crowded movie theatres. Still, it seems the indie film-makers aren't yet finished with what they consider to be the goldmine of COVID-19, from which they can salvage and scrabble together ready made stories that carry resonance and weight and which are undoubtedly relatable to the audience. Into this vast and muddled field now comes Ghost of Wuhan from writer/director Ankit Mishra, giving us his take on what it might be like for someone caught in the clutches of the virus very early on in the pandemic before anyone really knew what it was. Not bothering to trouble himself with anything so base as characterisation, Ankit casts himself in the main role and goes on to give his character the inspired name of Ankit. In this fantasy however, Ankit (the character) is an ingenious virologist who has just returned home to India after extended years of study in, you guessed it, Wuhan. The film follows the structure of a chamber piece as Ankit finds out that he is sick and we along with him slowly begin to work out just what it is that's the matter. Relying on his ex-girlfriend, Diksha (again inspirationally named and played by Diksha Pathak) and his old doctor friend Saurav (Singh) to keep him alive with food parcels, brown bags full of drugs and socially distanced conversations over the phone, Ankit stumbles about his house displaying all of the symptoms and sits down to put his virology degree to good use to try and diagnose and ultimately cure himself. Throughout all of this the photography has been bland, the colour muted, the direction shaky, the acting amateur, the editing sharp and cutting, and the audio mismatched to the visuals – leaving the whole production feeling like a one-man band who doesn't know how to play his instruments properly. The story, before it takes its fantastical turn, is basic and stale with a lot of the film taken up with scenes of coughing and rolling around on the floor, but then it strays into conspiracy territory when Ankit deliberately points a finger at Chinese scientists declaring that they made the virus in their lab on purpose. There are also reckless points being made towards the end of the piece, when through his incredible skill and determination, Ankit manages to find a cure for COVID-19 all on his own in his bedroom, then beats the disease through breathing techniques and homeopathic remedies. These are dangerously naïve views to promote and not only ignore the tireless, endless work of scientists and health professionals the world over but also besmirches and trivialises the deaths of millions as we watch how doing yoga and drinking bergamot tea would seemingly have helped keep them alive. Ghost Of Wuhan is a basic attempt at a lockdown story which tries to glamourise and celebrate the role of a single virologist in beating the pandemic but which in reality only goes to snub the actual involvement of those who helped their communities to survive. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Indie Feature Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Where the Devil Roams film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring John Adams, Toby Poser, Zelda Adams directed by John Adams, Toby Poser, Zelda Adams. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Where the Devil Roams Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Dec 1, 2023 Directed by: John Adams, Toby Poser, Zelda Adams Written by: John Adams, Toby Poser, Zelda Adams Starring: John Adams, Toby Poser, Zelda Adams There is macabre beauty in every frame of Where the Devil Roams , the latest offbeat horror from the Adams family. The film was co-directed and co-written by its three lead actors – Toby Poser, John Adams and Zelda Adams – who are also a family. The same team made last year’s Hellbender and 2020’s The Deeper You Dig , among others. Like their earlier efforts, Where the Devil Roams concerns itself with life on the fringes, rock music, and the family dynamic. Their latest follows a sideshow act, a family. They perform unusual songs sung by their daughter Eve (Zelda Adams), who is, outside of these songs, entirely mute. But the act isn’t bringing in much lately, and as they move from town to town, sometimes Maggie’s temper or sense of justice means blood – even limbs, on occasion – will be spilled. The family’s lived-in quality benefits the film. As they move from farmhouse to farmhouse, sideshow to riverbend, their tics and quirks meet acceptance born of familiarity. It not only anchors the bizarre nature of the film in authenticity, but creates a tenderness that makes you root for the family no matter their actions. Poser continues to be a force. She compels your attention, carving out a character that’s vulnerable and strong, insecure, brutish and tender. The ensemble convinces, particularly the sideshow performers, but the film’s most enduring charm is its vintage portrait look. It’s a gorgeous movie, the filmmakers creating the beautifully seedy atmosphere ideal to the era and setting. Where the Devil Roams feels expansive and open, but like anything else in the sideshow, that’s all trickery. There’s more happening in this film than they let on, which is why the final act feels simultaneously “a ha!” and “WTF?!” You won’t see it coming, but in retrospect, it was there all along. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Digital / DVD Release, Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Fidelity film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Snower Sania Vasuder, Kulpreet Yadav, Tarun Sharma directed by Sagher A. Manchanda. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Fidelity Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Nov 7, 2023 Directed by: Sagher A. Manchanda Written by: Sagher A. Manchanda Starring: Snower Sania Vasuder, Kulpreet Yadav, Tarun Sharma New sci-fi short film, Fidelity from writer/director Sagher A. Manchanda is according to its own tagline, ‘A story about a girl who gains power and weakness through radiation exposure’, and to be fair to the film-makers this is pretty much what we get. At just around twenty-two minutes long Fidelity only really serves as an introduction to Meisha’s (Vasuder) story, presented as an entrée to supposedly whet our appetite for what is likely to be a more substantial course at some point later down the line. As such, Manchanda is careful to leave various backstory threads around in his immediate plotting and dialogue to ensure that the audience understands there’s more at play here than what we see on screen. Supposedly. So currently Meisha’s sitting alone in her shack trying to come to terms with her powers which she got from the radiation off of her dad’s unfinished secret device that is rather suggestively called ‘The Conductor’. Her powers seem to be fairly limited for now despite the fact that all The Conductor ever seems to do is blast radiation about the place. She can sometimes see things in terms of radiation, very Matrix (1999) like, so can pick out devices such as phones and monitors easily, even when they’re hidden. If she concentrates, Meisha can also intuitively see what messages or information is displayed on people’s devices meaning that she’s basically just a one-person version of GCHQ, or Google, or Facebook. Bursting onto the scene, as this is a one room, one scene screenplay, comes Dhruv (Sharma), Meisha’s best friend. He is there to warn her against meeting her absent father’s arch-nemesis, Rakshit (Yadav) because he thinks, you know, that it’s probably not a good idea. Inevitably Rakshit does also enter the scene and reveals himself to be the dirty scoundrel we already knew him to be until a moment of becoming befalls our reluctant hero as more backstory is revealed and the promise of a future quest is hung off the edge of a cliff (or in this case hidden in the mountains of Kathmandu). Fidelity starts off with a nice noir feel to it, showing off moody lighting and an even moodier characterisation of Meisha from Snower Sania Vasuder. The customary budget VFX throw a bit of intrigue into the situation, especially because they’re used sparingly and effectively, and the rest of the production crew seem to know their jobs pretty well. There’s some deep and searching music from Deepak Gupta, a great sense of visual continuity from DoP, Furkan Ali and a full commitment from the actors to their character archetypes, even though Meisha’s whining does get a bit much towards the end. The acting on the whole though, is actually pretty naff and the no-action action sequences, where two people touch and one falls over, don’t serve the story well at all. There is never a suspension of disbelief attained from watching Fidelity as it feels at all times like it’s desperately yearning to be something bigger than it is. Sadly though, it only ever feels like you’re watching low budget, independent Indian film. There’s too much of what could be and not enough of what is in Fidelity . As a twenty minute chamber piece it works fairly well but the superhero science is flimsy and the story threads don’t bear pulling on, meaning that a longer, more in-depth adventure with Meisha just wouldn’t be worthwhile. As it stands Fidelity is a decent idea, ably executed but realistically, despite the skill of its crew, it’s not likely to ever be any more than that. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Short Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Something About You film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Luana Maria Seu, Alastair Coughlan, Rebeca Valean directed by Alastair Coughlan. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Something About You Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Jul 18, 2025 Directed by: Alastair Coughlan Written by: Alastair Coughlan Starring: Luana Maria Seu, Alastair Coughlan, Rebeca Valean A black-and-white feature film written and directed by Alastair Coughlan and starring himself, Luana Maria Seu and Rebeca Valean. Eva (Seu) is a young Romanian woman living in London, with hopes of getting a visa and becoming a personal trainer. One day, she meets Edward (Coughlan), a young aspiring pianist. Following unpleasant complications, Eva is forced to move out of the flat that she shares with her friend, Marie (Valean) and she ends up moving in with Edward and developing a relationship with him. Time will tell whether the two of them have a future together. A dramatic and heart-warming story that is separated into chapters. The screenplay focuses primarily on the progress of the romantic relationship between Eva and Edward, the ups and downs of it, how it overcomes issues and turns from friendship into a full-fledged romance. These two characters are well explored, with their struggles and ambitions being acknowledged and the melancholic and beautiful piano music contributes effectively to the sometimes uplifting and sometimes poignant atmosphere. Although the plot is interesting, some viewers might find that the slow pace makes it a bit hard to follow the story with enthusiasm. Both Seu and Coughlan bring life into their characters thanks to strong performances. Eva is a cheerful and optimistic person, eager to pursue her goals and enjoy life. Edward is a struggling musician who perhaps lacks self-esteem. As a supporting character, Marie is a character who acts as a threat to the relationship between Eva and Edward. Obviously romance is a main theme here and the story also explores friendship, honesty, support and infidelity. Furthermore, elements involving finding direction in life, pursuing dreams and desiring happiness are also significantly present. A film that examines the beginning and unstable development of a romance. It is a commentary about challenges that can affect a relationship and joys that emerge through finding someone special. As mentioned, the story moves slowly, however it succeeds in delivering an emotional and thoughtful viewing. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Benjamin Schofield writes movie reviews for UK Film Critic. As one of the talented UK film critics, find out more here. Benjamin Schofield I’m Ben and I, perhaps controversially on this site, quite like films: you know, I think this moving picture thing is really going to take off. My favourite films, you ask? Eternal Sunshine, 2001, 12 Angry Men, anything by Don Hertzfelt, anything by Paul Thomas Anderson, Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, Little Shop of Horrors, Rashomon, Suspiria, The Scooby-Doo Movie, Mars Attacks!, The Man Who Fell to Earth, A Question of Silence, and some others as well probably. I’m currently getting myself a nice little degree from the University of Southampton, I sleep during the nights, shower on a semi-regular basis. I can’t play the guitar, but I also can’t play the piano. My favourite food is spaghetti carbonara, my favourite beverage is water, my star sign is cancer, I’m 6’1”, I like long walks on the beach under the soft moonlight, I work well independently but I’m also very adaptable and would describe myself as a team player, my family has no history of illness and I have no allergies. Well? What more do you need to know? Read my reviews, some of them are pretty alright. Read Latest Film Reviews

Pizza for Carter film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Adrian Abel Amador, Alyssa Aiello, Denis Shepherd, Brian R. Thompson directed by Josh Yellin-Flaherty. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Pizza for Carter Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Aug 27, 2022 Directed by: Josh Yellin-Flaherty Written by: Josh Yellin-Flaherty Starring: Adrian Abel Amador, Alyssa Aiello, Denis Shepherd, Brian R. Thompson A man experiences hallucinations while waiting for his girlfriend to arrive. A young man named Carter (Amador) is at his home and he is expecting his girlfriend Rachel (Aiello) to arrive shortly. It is their second date and he has a bottle of wine ready and has ordered a pizza. He is also rather nervous about how things are going to unfold and begins imagining that he is seeing people who are not really there. Will he be able to distinguish reality from fantasy? With this interesting and amusing short comedy, filmmaker Flaherty tells a story that bears similarities to his previous film Dinner with Gov and that is mostly due to the fact that the plot involves imaginary characters. Pretty much the entire narrative takes place inside the home's living room and begins with Carter by himself, waiting for Rachel. As his hallucinations start to take over, more and more 'unreal characters' enter the scene and they include Rachel, Carter's housemate Shawn (Shepherd), the pizza delivery man (Harrison Doyle), a homeless man (Thompson) and Carter's ex-girlfriend (Bree Mignano). It is implied that the individuals that arrive, do so because they are coming from Carter's subconscious, which is making them up due to the stress that he is feeling. Arguably, the most entertaining aspect of the film is Amador's performance, how he tries to maintain his sanity and interact with each individual as they show up unexpectedly one by one, eventually creating a small crowd. Generally, the atmosphere is humorous and the imaginary people appear more or less cheerful. Overall, the performances are great and each character brings amusement to the party. Director of photography Caleb Yellin-Flaherty does a great job with the cinematography and the beautiful song Still Got Paris by Ty Simon was an excellent choice. This fun short film explores the anxiety that a person is going through just before a date, revealing the emotions that he is experiencing. It is a very well made film that grabs the viewer's attention with its intriguing plot. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Fractured film review by UK film critic Alasdair MacRae. Starring JJ Gale, Plum Griffitths, Paul Cresser directed by Fergus Mclean. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Fractured Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Alasdair MacRae | Posted on: Jul 6, 2022 Directed by: Fergus Mclean Written by: Fergus Mclean & Carlos Silva Starring: JJ Gale, Plum Griffitths, Paul Cresser Freshly released from rehab Freddy returns to the world reinvigorated. On his first day out he encounters Debbie, a fellow drug addict trapped in a harmful relationship with her predatory dealer Mike. As the pair swap stories, Freddy tries to relate his positive experience in an effort to convince the ailing Debbie to commit to rehab too. Despite having a run time of just over ten minutes Fractured doesn’t have a lot to offer its audience. The three core characters are very thinly sketched and the film is largely populated by the stereotypes of drug addiction. There are needles in arms, a violent tracksuit-clad dealer, and mentions of sex work. Frankly, it resembles an educational video designed to be shown to teens at school. All that is missing is a graphic at the end, ‘Say NO to drugs!’. Although the film’s content may be lacking, there is at least a sense of a filmmaker finding their eye. There is an exaggerated use of colour throughout, with bright pinks and yellows dominating frames. Strong shot-blocking and stylish low-angle framing are also present, but unfortunately, they are not enough to sustain the short. More stereotyping scare story than empathetic drama, Fractured doesn’t do enough to enliven its characters to make for an emotionally engaging experience. The bold visuals are a considerable consolation but do not make up for the film’s thematic shortcomings. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Alasdair MacRae Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Watch Coast Road at the 2022 UK Film Review Festival. See the UKFRF 2022 lineup and buy your festival pass. Coast Road Listen to our review on the film podcast What our film review said: READ FULL REVIEW There is real skill in portraying drama that flows from one premise into something entirely different. The film begins as a cosy almost nostalgic snapshot of a simple life. The coach is a microcosm of a close knit community where people lived in each other’s pockets. The death then changes the tenor and everyone on board becomes a suspect. Proudly supporting MediCinema for our 2022 film festival.

Hard Luck Love Song film review by UK film critic Rachel Willis. Starring Michael Dorman, Sophia Bush, Durmot Mulroney directed by Justin Corsbie. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Hard Luck Love Song Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Rachel Willis | Posted on: Oct 14, 2021 Directed by: Justin Corsbie Written by: Justin Corsbie, Craig Ugoretz Starring: Michael Dorman, Sophia Bush, Durmot Mulroney Working from the Todd Snider song, “Just Like Old Times,” writer/director Justin Corsbie (with co-writer Craig Ugoretz) brings the lyrics to life with his debut feature film, Hard Luck Love Song . Basing a film on a song isn’t unheard of, but it isn’t very common either – probably for a lot of reasons. The biggest one being most story songs rely on character tropes to allow their listeners to connect to the characters. In this case, the antihero and the hooker with a heart of gold. And even then, a film can succeed in adapting a song to the big screen if the background story and characters are fleshed out in believable ways. Unfortunately, Corsbie and Ugoretz don’t pull this off. I find it hard to believe that in this day and age anyone could be hustled playing pool – didn’t everyone see Color of Money? But apparently, the scam still flies –because when we meet Jesse (Michael Dorman), it’s the way he makes his living. New to town, living in the Tumble Inn, Jesse is seeking to work over the locals. There’s some slow action in the first half of the film. A pool tournament that starts as a montage begins to drag as the final three games play out between Jesse and Rollo (Dermot Mulroney). After a particularly ill-advised hustle, Jesse’s celebratory scene is indulgent and tacks on to an already slow opening act. The story starts to pick up when an old flame (Sophia Bush) enters the picture, nearly halfway through the film. However, this is also when the movie begins to take on a different life, setting a new tone and coming closer to the meat of the song on which it’s based. If the film had continued to set a new stage in each act – treating each piece as a vignette in Jesse’s life – this may have worked. However, when elements of the first act are reintroduced into the final act, it’s jolting. The third act is the least satisfying segment – relying heavily on stereotypes and songs to carry it along. It’s also when the film goes completely off the rails. Had the tone of the story not been so serious throughout, perhaps the conclusion could have landed more skillfully. As it is, the tonal shift is so abrupt that it feels as if we’re watching another movie altogether. If you’re unfamiliar with Snider’s song, a live recording plays over the end credits. You’ll wonder why the filmmakers set such a serious tone when you hear Snider’s playful rendition. Perhaps if more of the song’s humor had made it into the film, the result would have been more satisfying. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Rachel Willis Theatrical Release, Digital / DVD Release, Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Feet of Death film review by UK film critic Matt Trapp. Starring Andrew Jacob Brown, Jack Vanover, Benjamin Watts directed by James Chick. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Feet of Death Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Matt Trapp | Posted on: Mar 24, 2026 Directed by: James Chick Written by: James Chick, Ryan Stahl, Ashley Chick Starring: Andrew Jacob Brown, Jack Vanover, Benjamin Watts Set amidst the lush forests and haunted towns of Mount St Helens, Feet of Death stars Andrew Jacob Brown as Jason Easterly, a United States Forest Service ranger who finds himself pulled into a disturbing investigation into the death of an internet personality. While the film is shot competently, making great use of the beautiful locations, the characters are sadly underdeveloped and the narrative stretched thin. Feet of Death opens with a young woman wandering through a beautiful forest in Mount St Helens. The stakes of the film are firmly established when she suddenly comes across the mutilated body of a man, revealed to be YouTube personality Chris Dixon (Eric Berger). Director James Chick shows the audience the day leading up to Chris’ death, where he had been investigating mysterious deaths and disappearances in the area. Meeting locals and asking them for their thoughts on the recent ‘animal attacks’, the film calls to mind similar scenes from the Blair Witch Project , sprinkled with the eccentricities of rural townsfolk who littered Twin Peaks. Jason is soon introduced as a USFS ranger past his prime, sleeping on a sofa surrounded by bottles, still privately grieving the loss of his wife who was killed in one of the aforementioned animal attacks. After some convincing, he’s brought into the investigation, where he joins up with local Sheriff Ken (Jack Vanover). The two men must work through their initial resentment of each other to solve the case, and in doing so, they may reveal secrets that would rock their community if they were to come to light. Jason and Ken have a reluctant partnership, the two literally at each others’ throats when they first meet at the scene of the crime. While they do learn to work together and lean on each other, Feet of Death seems less interested in the human drama and seems to be more focused on the intrigue of the attacks themselves. Audiences may feel that Jason and Ken move past their antagonism for each other surprisingly quickly, and that the potential in seeing them move past their initial grievances was squandered. Unexpectedly, Jason’s arc revolves around him getting out of his depressive funk and more involved in the investigation, but it once again comes up short. The circumstances around his wife’s death are left mysterious, and there’s no particular lesson for Jason to learn, or obstacle to overcome, to deliver a satisfying conclusion to his story. Jason’s arc is set up pretty heavy-handedly in his first scene during a conversation with his colleague Al (Tim Blough), who tells him straightforwardly that he needs to find his purpose. Of course, solving the case is the purpose of all the primary characters, and while it does have a personal element for Jason since his wife was one of the victims, it never feels like he overcomes a past failing or really makes a consequential decision. The result is a narrative that lacks a real driving force, a reason for the audience to root for Jason to overcome his demons and solve the investigation that has plagued the community. The film’s score by Ryan Stahl compliments the film appropriately, and it was a particular highlight. There are shades of Disasterpiece’s ambient synth tracks from It Follows , and in more tense sequences, the use of rhythmic thumping in the soundtrack is reminiscent of Ennio Morricone’s score written for The Thing. It’s disappointing that while the music can be praised, the poster for the film appears to have been AI generated, featuring wobbly caricatures of characters who do not appear in the film. I can empathise with smaller productions doing the best they can with limited budgets, but a still from the film would always be preferable to generating a generic, poorly composed image that says nothing about the film. Feet of Death features some genuinely thrilling moments and an ending which ups the ante in a fun and unexpected way, showing that Chick had more up his sleeve than audiences may have expected. Still, the exciting climax is regrettably not enough to salvage the rest of the film which feels lethargic, meandering awkwardly through the expected motions in the standard police procedural. The characters just aren’t interesting enough here to sustain the runtime, and the crime at the heart of it isn’t sensational or unique enough to draw much curiosity. More factors could have been introduced in the second act to complicate the narrative, and more hurdles should have been placed in the way to impede the characters’ progress towards the conclusion. Feet of Death isn’t the easiest recommendation, but there’s a small town charm that some audiences may glean some enjoyment from. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Matt Trapp Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

A Tortured Soul film review by UK film critic Joe Beck. Starring Jake Blight, Charlotte Blight directed by Jacob Bennett. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS A Tortured Soul Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Joe Beck | Posted on: Feb 11, 2023 Directed by: Jacob Bennett Written by: Jacob Bennett Starring: Jake Blight, Charlotte Blight Even without saying ‘Cornish Short Film’ in its description, you can tell ‘A Tortured Soul is Cornish. It has that distinctive air of Cornwall, the spirit of the sea which can be found nowhere else but the westernmost corner of England. While it’s immediately evident where it’s located, it is less clear what value there is in any of what ‘A Tortured Soul’ is trying to say, or even whether it’s trying to say anything at all. Written and directed by Jacob Bennett, though the direction is competent, he is let down by his writing, which leaves a lot to be desired. The script is assumptive, it presumes that we already have a base understanding of certain events that have transpired before the film, and we are left with tidbits of information of little value as a result. We’re never given an opportunity to understand more of what has come before, perhaps due to its slight three minute runtime, and as a result there’s a layer of ambiguity where there should be clarity. At one point a character says ‘you know where’ to another, and that’s all well and good, but we, the viewer, have no idea where you’re talking about, and we don’t even get to know. That is poor writing. Unfortunately this doesn’t translate to the dialogue, in which too much is said aloud. It sounds awkward and fragmented, and doesn’t bother to create any subtext. This may have been overcome if not for underwhelming performances from both Jake Blight and Charlotte Blight as the Man and Lady at the forefront of the film, with both lacking spatial awareness in their movement and mannerisms. Furthermore, they simply lack chemistry, with conversation between the pair appearing stilted and forced. This is a major problem given that the film focuses on the dialogue between the two. Jake Blight plays a widowed man who has turned to drink and wandering the Cornish cliffs in order to find peace and seclusion after the death of his wife, for which he feels guilty. He is disturbed by his wife’s (Charlotte Blight) presence on the cliffs, lamenting his drinking habits and instructing him to take himself to another cliff. These appearances appear to be the mental disturbances of a sad drunk, and the wife’s appearance, dressed in all white lends itself to that interpretation. If the man, therefore, is the tortured soul whom the film refers to, then he appears to show very little remorse. Other than his drunkenness there’s no real sense of regret or torture for his wife’s death, indeed had the title not said otherwise, it would be reasonable to assume that he didn’t remotely care about his wife’s death. Bennett’s direction is more competent than his screenplay, he certainly creates a Cornish atmosphere, and captures the vastness of the environment without ever resorting to wide, establishing landscape shots. Similarly, the opening score is adept at instilling a distinctly Cornish feel, and is a highlight of an otherwise underwhelming film. Yet these bright sparks are ultimately only sparks, and the turgid screenplay of ensures that the film never really goes beyond its distinctly Cornish feel. The drunk man may be tortured, but at least he doesn’t need to watch ‘A Tortured Soul’ for that would surely only make matters worse. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Joe Beck Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Strange Dreams Of Hypnos And Venus film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Dante Fournarel, Eva Langlet directed by Alexandre David Lejuez. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Strange Dreams Of Hypnos And Venus Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Apr 19, 2023 Directed by: Alexandre David Lejuez Written by: Alexandre David Lejuez Starring: Dante Fournarel, Eva Langlet You know, I really enjoy University Challenge. I watch it every week and think that it's the best quiz show on television. The reason that it's really good (apart from the dry sarcasm of Jeremy Paxman, of course) is that it's super difficult and you have to have an intense knowledge of a wide and varied number of subjects if you're going to stand any chance of answering the questions with any sort of frequency or accuracy. I usually manage to get one question right each episode, even before the plucky youngsters with their enormous intellect buzz in to tell Jeremy what they know, and sometimes I can even bump up my score by shouting out a random artist's name at the TV when a painting is flashed up on screen during the picture round, or by similarly shouting out the name of a random composer during the music round. So, when a film like The Strange Dreams Of Hypnos And Venus comes along you'd think that I might be in a pretty decent position to enjoy, decipher and understand what it's all about. Apparently not. Photographed, edited and directed by Alexandre David Lejuez, The Strange Dreams Of Hypnos And Venus opens with a quotation from Henry David Thoreau, a poem about love and the playing of some baroque(?) classical music. Then we meet Hypnos (Fournarel) surrounded by his own artistic impressions which seem to resemble himself, Jesus and the Devil all in one, and Ravel's Bolero begins to play (I know that one! 5 points to me) as Hypnos broods over making some tea before taking a drink and falling asleep to dream. This takes the entire length of the musical piece to do, some fifteen minutes, and by the end of it the audience is left wondering just what else they're going to get in the rest of the one hour and forty-five minute runtime. Well, the answer is not a lot. Inside Hypnos' dream more classical music plays while he sees images of faces – busts, statues, statuettes, masks, tapestries, paintings – faces, myriad faces and in the end some skulls. These are all still images which are cut together and zoomed in or out of alternately to give the impression of movement or gravitas. Then Hypnos wakes up, smokes something out of his pipe – probably weed – and falls asleep again for another extended dream sequence. This time he sees images of iconography and idolatry, mostly through stained glass windows, before moving onto lights and buildings. All of this might mean something to some people, if you're able to identify the faces of antiquity and the music which accompanies them, but unless you've had a classical education or have a serious interest in art and art history a lot of this is going to fall by the wayside and mean nothing at all. Part two is a mirror of the first, this time focusing on Venus (Langlet) whose poisons are cocoa and lollipops, and she prefers to dream about the seaside, coastline, cliffs and rocks. Venus enjoys sunsets and sunrises and eventually settles on the countryside and the gardens of country estates. Still the classical music plays and it's debatable whether any of this means anything to anyone other than Lejuez. It is clear to see that what Lejuez is trying to recreate here is his own version of the seminal artistic collaborations between Godfrey Reggio and Philip Glass, Koyaanisqatsi (1982)/ Powaqqatsi (1988) (and the third one which shouldn't even be uttered in the same breath). However, while Reggio's work focused on humanity and its destructive relationship with the natural world – which was able to be distinctly picked out as a narrative despite the lack of story or dialogue – Lejuez's work doesn't appear to have any such narrative to it at all, even with the basic attempt at plotting. Lejuez's images and music never really match up at all (certainly nothing on the scale of Glass' achievements), except perhaps Bolero which gets used twice, and it is unclear throughout the film just what he is trying to get at. The whole movie is one giant arthouse piece with a lot of navel gazing involved, which if it says anything at all seems to scream, “I am far more intellectual than you.” Granted some of the visuals are nicely photographed and very nice to look at, especially those filled with colour, and of course the music is very impressive but they just don't marry together into a cohesive structure to give the viewer enough to stay engaged. The Strange Dreams Of Hypnos And Venus is very slow in what it does and is likely to pass over the heads of many who take the time to sit down and watch it. Perhaps Lejuez's work would be better suited to an art installation but even then its interminable length will be too much for most to bear. Lejuez should be commended for his vision and commitment to his art but for the rest of us he's probably best left alone to dream his own dreams. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Digital / DVD Release, Indie Feature Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >