Bad City film review by UK film critic Daniel Baldwin. Starring Lily Franky, Hitoshi Ozawa, Tak Sakaguchi directed by Kensuke Sonomura. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Bad City Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Daniel Baldwin | Posted on: Aug 4, 2023 Directed by: Kensuke Sonomura Written by: Mitsu Dan, Lily Franky, Rino Katase Starring: Lily Franky, Hitoshi Ozawa, Tak Sakaguchi A modern celebration of classic Japanese V-cinema (their version of DTV genre fare), director Kensuke Sonomura’s Bad City unleashes a furious, fist-flying tale of crime, corruption, and righteous retribution. The story is a tale as old as time: a diabolical businessman (Lily Franky) is in league with the Korean mafia and local politicians. His goal? To bring “prosperity” to Kaiko City by bringing in casinos that no one but the rich wants. His methods? Bribery, blackmail, and murder. All that stand in his way are a handful of good cops and some honorable Yakuza with aligned interests. At the center of it is 60-year-old genre stalwart Hitoshi Ozawa (Dead or Alive , Gozu ), who also wrote the screenplay. His knowledge of and experience in Yakuza cinema comes in mighty handy here, as does his charisma and still-formidable physical prowess. He’s an absolute powerhouse as the unflappable Captain Torada and he’s surrounded by equally great supporting castmates including Tak Sakaguchi, Masanori Mimoto, Katsuya, Mitsu Dan, Akane Sakanoue, Masaya Kato, and the aforementioned Franky. There’s nothing wholly original on display in terms of narrative, but that matters not, as Sonomura and Ozawa are aiming for grandiosity over complexity, even amidst their low budget. The plot is still filled with twists, turns, and double-crosses, but the pace moves with breakneck speed. It plows through subplots and arcs like it’s tearing through an entire season of television, ultimately offering up a narrative that is as dense as it is straightforward. Any danger of monotony in terms of pulp crime storytelling and exposition is wiped away by the action itself. While there is the occasional moment of gun violence, the bulk of the fighting is brutal hand-to-hand combat. Fists, knives, baseball bats, pipes, and even a loudspeaker are utilized as criminals and cops wail on each other to the point of exhaustion. The fights constantly swing back and forth between martial arts, vicious groundwork, and barroom-style brawls. Said action is further punctuated by some absolutely stellar foley work, making each punch, kick, and stab sound even more painful than it looks. Throw in the fact that many of the characters are wearing sneakers – one has to be comfortable on the brawling move after all – and the bouts often sound like a massacre playing out on a basketball court. Simply put, this is a killer slice of low budget action cinema. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Daniel Baldwin Digital / DVD Release, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Technicians film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring J. Alphonse Nicholson, Cathy Bui, Sandra Walters directed by Kevin Luu, Kelly Luu. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Technicians Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Aug 5, 2024 Directed by: Kevin Luu, Kelly Luu Written by: Kevin Luu, Kelly Luu Starring: J. Alphonse Nicholson, Cathy Bui, Sandra Walters An automation technician's life changes when he is assigned to do some work at a nail salon. Set in the near future, this short drama follows David (Nicholson), an automation technician who lives with his elderly and vulnerable mother (Walters). One day, he accepts an overnight job that requires him to install self-service manicure devices at a nail salon. Once he arrives there, it is clear that the nail technicians are not happy with the new equipment, as it aims to replace them. Once night-time arrives, Tippi (Bui), a young Vietnamese American nail technician, begs David to get rid of the devices. David must now decide what he believes is the right thing to do. Arguably, the main issue here is technology replacing humans. Electronic machines doing the job better and quicker than people, thus making them redundant. The Eastern Asian female beauticians and particularly Tippi, epitomise how jobs are being lost due to technological advancements. Once the manicure devices are ready, the salon staff are to find work elsewhere and Tippi desperately tries to prevent that by making David understand how important her profession is. Tippi explains that for her nail beauty is a cherished trait that has been part of her family since her grandmother learned the trade. Her work is her life and the thought of losing it devastates her. Interestingly, both David and Tippi have positions that recognise them as technicians, however, their line of work is different. Professionally, David is the opposite of Tippi, meaning that David works in the technological sector, while Tippi does not. Plus, David's current assingment is threatening to terminate her job, which in some ways, pits them against each other, creating the conflict of the story. David goes through significant character development. Although David works with technology for a living, it is indicated that he disapproves of devices replacing humans, a good example would when he has trouble communicating with an A.I. software while he attempts to arrange a medical appointment for his mother. A former video game designer (now a hobby although probably still his passion), he now utilises his skills just to make a living, ostensibly without fully realising that his work is making people lose their jobs, however the rapport that he builds with Tippi helps him comprehend that. The relationship that develops between David and Tippi has peacefulness, drama and twists. It begins in a friendly manner, then turns into a conflict, before becoming a situation of understanding and support. Initially, Tippi tries to befriend David with a manicure and convince him not to install the machines. He refuses, leading to an intense altercation, nevertheless valuable lessons are learned. Regarding the audio, composer Jon Ong deserves commendations for the gentle and pensive music that effectively accompanies the scenes. By combining technology with manicure, this short sci-fi drama tells a story about an encounter between two people that ends up being quite impactful. It is a film that explores struggles, making the right decisions and holding on to one's passion. Perhaps more significantly, it operates as a commentary about technology reducing jobs and also depriving people from their passions. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Revolt of the Suit film review by UK film critic Sam Quarton. Starring Gringo-Bogdan Grigorov, Stanislav Peev, Polina Nedkova, directed by Kristina Hristova. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Revolt of the Suit Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Sam Quarton | Posted on: Jul 25, 2022 Directed by: Kristina Hristova Written by: Kristina Hristova Starring: Gringo-Bogdan Grigorov, Stanislav Peev, Polina Nedkova, Stumbling but well-meaning office comedy demonstrates the "superpower" of the casual Friday. Some heroes wear capes, some wear masks, but in the case of Kristina Hristova’s quotidian office comedy about profoundly unmotivated accountant Deyan (played by the under-utilised Gringo-Bogdan Grigorov), who stumbles upon the power of confidence through unbuttoning his shirt collar, he wears a suit with battered trainers. Think Peter Parker if he refrained from leaving the office and vowed to fight the corporate malaise instead. This superhero’s mortal enemy, however, does not take the form of the Green Goblin or Dr Octopus, but one far more familiar: an iniquitous boss, known as Mr Tsirkov, intent on whipping staff into submission with “team building” exercises and forced overtime. And while the plot is ostensibly concerned with the discovery of Deyan’s superpower, much of the film’s 10-minute running time is stolen by the partially unseen and perpetually furious Tsirkov – well played by Stanislav Peev - who berates his “dearest employees” for absconding from work to celebrate their birthdays. Here, Peev recalls a political commissar rather than a “boss,” spouting corporate piffle about a great shared “vision” and browbeating staff for making minor mistakes. It’s almost as if the film began life as a social realist indictment of fascistic practices within the 21st century workplace, but became a light office comedy instead. Perhaps most perplexing is what Deyan’s power actually entails. Yes, his confidence is somehow heightened by the absence of a button, but how is this confidence illustrated? Other than taking the rap for co-worker Stella’s mistakes after she misfiles a document, the decorous accountant does little to indicate a newfound spring in his step. Also at play here is risible editing: there is a sequence where Grigorov’s impossibly chiselled torso is superimposed over his shirt, which contributes nothing but eye candy for a spectating crew. There was plenty of room here to explore the misery of the office environment as a symptom of a wider corporate hegemony – à la Mike Judge’s Office Space – but this is side-lined for platitudinous quips about the “powers” of casual Friday’s. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Sam Quarton World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Ben and Mimi - Mimi and Ben film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Megan Channell, Eric Whitten directed by Eva Cragg. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Ben and Mimi - Mimi and Ben Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Mar 29, 2022 Directed by: Eva Cragg Written by: Eva Cragg Starring: Megan Channell, Eric Whitten A young woman is trapped in a dull marriage and comes across a caterpillar, which brings joy into her life. Mimi (Channell) lives a solitary life in a house in the countryside, with her partner Ben (Whitten). Ben constantly has a towel wrapped around each hand and it is up to Mimi to take care of him. She feeds him, changes the towels on his hands, gives him a bath and pretty much treats him like a baby. She is seemingly unhappy in her situation and one day she finds a caterpillar and decides to keep it. The caterpillar appears to brighten up her life. This fifteen-minute-long short drama has an atmosphere that feels poignant and surreal. The plot focuses on an awkward relationship and explores the character development that Mimi goes through, following the appearance of the caterpillar. According to Cragg, the film is a subconscious wish fulfillment for Mimi and the caterpillar could represent that wish because Mimi appears mesmerised by it and accepts it into her life, treating it with care and the fact that it is a caterpillar might signify a change that Mimi is longing for, as a caterpillar changes into a butterfly, representing change. Channell delivers a dramatic performance as a lonely woman who is stuck in a situation where she feels unhappy and wants something to happen that will set her free. She spends hers days looking after Ben and finds solace by listening to the sound of a large conch shell. The cinematography by Gabriel Wilson looks beautiful and Cragg directs very creatively, utilising static frames and well executed movement with the camerawork. The camera proceeds to move when the caterpillar shows up for the first time, possibly signifying that something different is taking place. Composer Andrew Howes does an amazing contribution with a score that is wonderful and the ocean sound effects are great. This is quite an intriguing story, one that is about the desire for change and freedom and that also shows how wonderful life is. There is drama and there are moving scenes of tenderness and the explored themes make this project well worthy of recognition. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Fallen: The Search of a Broken Angel film review by UK film critic Joe Beck. Starring Christalo Castro, Serena Profaci, Millie Gibbons, Stefanie Bloom directed by Alex Kruz. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Fallen: The Search of a Broken Angel Film Review average rating is 1 out of 5 Critic: Joe Beck | Posted on: Aug 8, 2023 Directed by: Alex Kruz Written by: Alex Kruz Starring: Christalo Castro, Serena Profaci, Millie Gibbons, Stefanie Bloom ‘Fallen: The Search of a Broken Angel’ gives the impression of a film about spiritual redemption, perhaps a profound character study of a broken soul, or maybe a mystic fantasy story, high on action, heroes, and villains. This is far from the case. Instead, ‘Fallen’ is a meandering, largely plotless film, with a woefully constructed thin story thread, and even worse technical aspects. The film begins with a soundscape similar to that of Hans Zimmer’s sumptuous score for Denis Villeneuve’s ‘Dune’, and a tarred monologue about dreams, and their importance, further paralleling Frank Herbert’s novel and its film adaptations. However, that is where the sense of grandeur, and solid fantasy plot of ‘Fallen: The Search of a Broken Angel’ comes to an end. What follows is an exercise in substandard filmmaking, and an even greater exercise to have to watch. Almost immediately the story becomes impossibly difficult to follow, with the IMDB synopsis only confusing matters further, as we follow Sam Ares (Christalo Castro) and his relationships with a series of women as he encounters the archangel Lucifer within himself. It makes even less sense written in words than when on screen, in which it is far, far too overcomplicated by numerous inane and obvious plot lines which ultimately lead nowhere, and a host of Chekhov’s guns that remain unexplainably holstered. Naturally this stems from an abject screenplay, which, in addition to failing to tell a cohesive narrative, fails to develop its characters, or create interesting, believable scenarios and dialogue. Alex Kruz’s screenplay leans too heavily on well-established tropes, whilst letting down its actors entirely, as they deliver robotic monologues and painfully dull conversations. Such stilted dialogue isn’t purely to the fault of Kruz’s writing, with the flat performance of Castro in the central role failing to carry the scene. This lack of charisma is shared by all supporting performers, who similarly suffer from an absence of guile or charm to make the film the slightest bit more interesting. Whilst these things are lacklustre, they aren’t outright jarring, unlike many of the films other technical aspects. From Alex Kruz’s direction, which is flaky and unfocused, relying too heavily on cuts, which become irritating within minutes, and the most dreadful sound mixing in order to create any semblance of dramatic tension. The sound mixing is remarkably bad, dipping in and out, lacking any ambience, and coming across as lazy - at one point you can hear the microphone being breathed on during a stereotypical country song. This is accompanied by the films biggest technical sins, the failure to correctly dub the voices to the movement of characters mouths, with the two out of sync throughout in jarring, though sometimes hysterical, fashion. ‘Fallen: The Search of a Broken Angel’ may be extremely difficult to watch, but it sure beats being a woman in this film. Women are portrayed as adulterous, depraved, greedy, and almost wholly reliant on men throughout, with each woman lying down for Sam, who is, in all honesty, a bit of a bum, as though he were Chris Evans. Additionally, the depiction of women as lying and manipulative channels the sentiment of the misogynistic incel community on the internet, playing to a certain crowd whose values and beliefs damage any semblance of equality in society today. That speaks to the level of ‘Fallen: The Search of a Broken Angel’, a title that makes as little sense as the story it portrays. Its a title, and a film, which lacks a sharpness or any finesse, and is instead bloated by poor filmmaking, concerning themes, and an overall sour taste. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Joe Beck Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Pebble And The Boy film review by UK film critic Chris Olson. Starring Patrick McNamee, Sacha Parkinson, Max Boast directed by Chris Green. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Pebble And The Boy Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Chris Olson | Posted on: Aug 17, 2021 Directed by: Chris Green Written by: Chris Green Starring: Patrick McNamee, Sacha Parkinson, Max Boast An emotional road trip movie loaded with classic jams and stylish fashion, we’re going mod in the modern age with filmmaker Chris Green’s The Pebble & The Boy. Opening with some archive footage of mods on their scooters, the film quickly drops the floor for the audience with a moving funeral. We learn that the central teenage character John (Patrick McNamee) has just lost his dad - who was an ardent mod in his heyday. After the mourners have left, John attempts to grieve for a father he feels he barely knew, throwing on albums of bands like The Jam and Paul Weller (who feature heavily on the film’s soundtrack as well as the title). The next day, he is delivered his father’s Lambretta scooter from the police compound and has no clue what to do with it. He settles on a plan to ride the unimposing yet brilliantly mirror-clad vehicle from Manchester to Brighton, where he will scatter his dad’s ashes. Along the way, John (rather conveniently it must be said) gets into scrapes and breakdowns - vehicular and emotional - within a stone’s throw of either friends of his dads that go back decades, or motorcycle enthusiasts who fix his bike for free or even help him get his helmet off. After stopping at one such pitstop he picks up Nicki (Sacha Parkinson) a breath of fresh, energetic air amongst the rather dull fumes as the film kicks into a higher gear and becomes an enjoyable cruise of British adventure and coming-of-age pathos. Clearly aware of the legacy of mod-films like Quadrophenia (1979), The Pebble & The Boy manages to offset any heavy debt by keeping the film set in the present and telling a genuinely moving tale about a boy trying to uncover the mystery around his dad - all within the relevant context of the mod movement. Kicking off with the funeral was a smart touch (one reminiscent of the opening of Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)) as it instantly revealed the deeper tone of the film, a forewarning for any viewer mistaking this for just a hazy trip down memory lane. It’s not just a celebration of mod culture, music, and adventure. The storytelling keeps up the intensity with John’s central quest taking numerous swerves and curves through the British countryside. The Pebble & The Boy gets a little scruffy in the final third, relying on already-worn sequences of John’s despair and fatigue too heavily, and there is some cumbersome dialogue delivered by the array of non-important characters. This, generally, doesn’t distract from the enjoyment of the piece because the investment in the story is so strong throughout. There is a simple but effective mix of ingredients to deliver the narrative: the sombre drama, fun hijinks and comedy, as well as the road-trip movie structure which merge together like stripes on a mod jacket - the fashion in this film is worth the entry price alone. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Chris Olson Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Wala film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Gezelle Jean Dacillo, Stefanie Cartoneros, Claire Contesa directed by Neo Bryce. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Wala Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Nov 13, 2023 Directed by: Neo Bryce Written by: Neo Bryce Starring: Gezelle Jean Dacillo, Stefanie Cartoneros, Claire Contesa Short film, Wala or to give it its English language title, Nothing is a Philippines based production from film-maker, Neo Bryce. In this, the latest in an ever increasing line of projects from the writer and director, Bryce has decided to strip his story back to the very basics, leaning heavily on the ennui suffered by the modern generation to create a film which offers a whole lot of Nothing to the viewer. June (Dacillo) is one such sufferer of the modern generation, who from her life and viewpoint in the Philippines, shows that it’s not just us in the West who have a monopoly on opting out and feeling sorry for ourselves as the cost of living crisis bites hard, the job market sees the bottom fall out of it, and the online dating scene preys on our insecurities to seemingly prove that we are so helplessly inadequate that we can never be loved. After a short introduction where June appears to at least have a few friends around her to have fun with, she nevertheless doesn’t seem to engage fully and in fact she may only have been invited along as a courtesy anyway. Flatmate Megan (Cartoneros) doesn’t help any, offering her life as a counterpoint to June’s as she jets off on holiday to have fun in the sun and chase down any tail she can get her hands on, preferably foreign in nature if she can find it. Left home alone, June only has herself for company as she lazily trawls through picture after picture of potential dates who she has already decided are out of her league and wastes her time on interview after interview with no actual job offer ever on the cards. Bryce takes the opportunity during these scenes to fully allow his theme of nothingness to meander on through to the audience. Despite the idea that June supposedly keeps trying, in front of the camera she barely does anything at all. There is extended shot after extended shot of nothing happening, from an almost exclusively static camera, where June is in the kitchen or the hallway, lying on the bed or on the floor, almost always attached to a screen. One such scene lasts for a full three minutes, accounting for nearly ten percent of the entire runtime, but is in itself only one in a succession of very similar scenes which constitute the film. There are a couple of diversions along the way in the form of dream sequences where June places herself within the plot of an exciting lifestyle, but rather than enhancing the overall feel of Wala , they instead serve to remind us just how boring the actual film we’re watching really is. While Bryce certainly has an attention to his craft and has gone all out to create a feeling of non-movement throughout the film to express his idea, what the bottom line comes down to is, if you’re going to create your film around the theme of Nothing and base all of your scenes around nothing happening then you shouldn’t be surprised when your film turns out to be about nothing and ultimately means nothing. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Short Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Night Doctrine film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring Lynzy Billing, Milad Yousufi directed by Mauricio Rodriguez Pons & Almudena Toral. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Night Doctrine Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: May 16, 2023 Directed by: Mauricio Rodriguez Pons & Almudena Toral Written by: Lynzy Billing Starring: Lynzy Billing, Milad Yousufi Journalist Lynzy Billing’s quest to find the truth around her family’s fate leads to a haunting documentary examining the horrors of night raids in The Night Doctrine, a tactic utilised by the US to eliminate targets in Afghanistan with flaws that led to the death of innocents. An animated short, the documentary features portrayals of Billing at different stages of her life from her birth in Afghanistan, to losing her mother and sister during a night raid, to working as a journalist investigating the use of the tactic by the US in her home nation during the war on terror. She speaks to families who have lost innocent loved ones during raids, as well as former Afghan army members who perpetrated raids that cost innocent lives to weigh the human cost of a risk-addled and callous methods of war. There is a haunting quality to The Night Doctrine. Its echoes a similar war documentary Waltz With Bashir, and like its animated counterpart, the creative graphic presentation brilliantly portrays the horrors of war without the use of actual footage. Lynzy’s personal tale and the trauma of those who have had family members fall victim to the raids, and those who live with the regret of carrying them out against innocent civilians make the film as real as it gets despite its presentation in a medium so often pigeon-holed ad the realm of the fantastical. Images such as a fracturing photograph of Lynzy’s family, or the falling ash of a cigarette forming patterns on a map of insurgent groups to represent the paradoxical creation of terrorists as a result of raids designed to stop them are powerful and lasting. Despite occasional lapses in quality, the film’s animation amplifies its human message. As an investigative piece, there is a sense that the analysis of raids themselves is lacking. Little time is devoted to the actual purposes of the raids or why they were utilised, and only passing mention is given to intelligence failures and their role in raids targeting the wrong people – which feels like a significant factor to omit. There is an implied notion as well that the concept and tactic of night raids originated with the US army, as opposed to being a quite standard method of war and enforcement for centuries. And it’s a missed opportunity that the film does not note or compare the use of domestic night raids by the United States in law enforcement – especially considering high-profile incidents such as the killing of Breonna Taylor – as evidence that the dangers of such tactics extend beyond wartime setting. Such analysis is understandable given that the film is primarily focused on the human stories that have been affected by raids – and it’s fair for Billing’s focus to stay with Afghanistan considering her ties. It would have however benefitted from further evidencing that night raids are a US-specific innovation given the framing in the film. The featured stories themselves are remarkable and the accounts the filmmakers have been able to secure – particularly from the former Afghan soliders whose identities were anonymized – are eye-opening and emotionally devastating. The resultant emotions are that of empathy and compassion for those whose lives were upturned and destroyed by the war. The film exists therefore as a contemporary and important accounting of a period of history that continues to unfold today. Not all of the questions it raises are answerable – but the human cost it examines is already immeasurable, and its success is in capturing the emotional impact of this in a striking and affecting style. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Digital / DVD Release, Short Film, World Cinema, Documentary < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Find UK filmmaking courses from the best institutions in the country. Become a filmmaker with the skills to get hired in the UK movie industry. Filmmaking Courses Given that our website receives so many film submissions from filmmakers in the UK, it is fair to say that a large part of our fanbase comes from the filmmaking community. Also, a lot of our readers may have a strong interest in becoming a filmmaker, but have no idea where to start. With this in mind, we would like to showcase filmmaking courses in the UK on this page. It will be our goal to find and promote the most prestigious and exciting institutions out there who offer the skills and experience to get you behind the camera and making films. If you would like us to consider a particular filmmaking course in the UK, perhaps because you have already attended it and would strongly recommend it, or you may be the organiser of such a course and want people to know about it, please send us a message using the form below. Filmmaking courses can often seem like a redundant notion in a world where information flows so laughably easy, and technology has become so easily available (and cheap) that anyone can pick up a camera and shoot. However, here at UK Film Review, we see and review films of all standards, and our movie critics will be the first to tell you that we can almost always tell when someone has had training and when someone has not. Like any craft, filmmaking has fundamentals that need to be considered when attempting visual storytelling. This could be from a technical level, or from a more character based perspective. The filmmaking courses in the UK, and their providers, which you will see here should always be aimed at people who have a passion for storytelling. Even if you are the guy holding the boom mic or the girl composing the score, you should always want to achieve something special in terms of the final movie. Being the best at your role will mean that you will be able to open more doors for yourself, convincing others in the industry that you are the best choice for their next project, or to convince others to join your own!

Killing Boris Johnson film review by UK film critic Chris Olson. Starring Shadrach Agozino, Jesse Akele directed by Musa Alderson-Clarke. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Killing Boris Johnson Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Chris Olson | Posted on: May 15, 2023 Directed by: Musa Alderson-Clarke Written by: Musa Alderson-Clarke Starring: Shadrach Agozino, Jesse Akele We have yet to fully experience the artistic reaction to the global pandemic, an event that will likely keep inspiring for years to come as more and more stories reveal themselves - in particularly to filmmakers. Musa Alderson-Clarke’s startling short drama, Killing Boris Johnson, delves into the troubling discussion surrounding the impact Partygate had on UK citizens through one story of suicide and depression. Shadrach Agozino gives a powerhouse performance playing Kaz, a man whose mother killed herself during the winter lockdown in the UK. We are informed (via video diary entries Kaz makes) that she was known to suffer from severe depression, made worse by not having her family around and by the time of year. At a similar time, it was revealed that Prime Minister Boris Johnson had attended a Christmas party with his staff. This context is important to understand Kaz’s journey through the film. He is clearly enraged and bitter about the death of his mother and has become obsessed with Johnson’s apology video to the news about being unaware he was breaking lockdown rules. Kaz becomes increasingly unstable, going as far as to start wearing a Boris Johnson mask and performing self-harm, as well as securing a weapon that he plans to use in an assassination. The heightened emotions of how people coped with Covid give this piece a formidable starting point. This feels like one of a thousand stories we could be watching, a tapestry of tragedy that we are still feeling the after-effects from. Whilst Killing Boris Johnson, as the title implies, has a clear political edge, this is more a human drama than a soapbox stance. Watching Kaz slip down the slippery slope of grief and internal destruction is hugely compelling, enhanced by the incredible performance. His scenes with Jesse Akele, who plays a concerned friend, are loaded with intensity and ring true of the difficulties loved ones will face trying to get through to someone in as bleak a place as Kaz is in. Whilst the film does certainly dwell on the tragic, there are also small moments of peace and even humour (albeit this could be unintentional). Kaz shutting down a work presentation is pretty funny and when he buys the weapon, the scene has a British charm to it. It is the footage of his mum on the phone, however, that bookends the short film and acts as the lifeline to Kaz and us the viewer amongst all the high-flying emotions. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Chris Olson Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Earth Mama film review by UK film critic Brian Penn. Starring Tia Nomore, Erika Alexander directed by Savanah Leaf. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Earth Mama Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Brian Penn | Posted on: Dec 4, 2023 Directed by: Savanah Leaf Written by: Savanah Leaf Starring: Tia Nomore, Erika Alexander In a perfect world all children would be born into a stable home with two loving parents. But the reality is often a long way from the story book idyll that is written. Children can be born in the right place at the wrong time or vice versa. The result is an emotional battlefield as the child's interests are prioritised by the great and good. In her feature length debut Savannah Leaf directs a compelling portrayal of a young women growing up too quickly. Gia (Tia Nomore) is the mother of two children in care with another on the way. She is a recovering addict and enrolled on every recovery programme humanly possible. Every positive step brings her closer to getting her children back. Gia dreams of the day she can stand up in court and prove her fitness as a mother. But is still wracked by self-doubt; how can she feed another mouth when barely scraping a living as a photographer's assistant. Her social worker Miss Carmen (Erika Alexander) becomes a friend and honest broker. Could adoption be the solution to Gia's problems? Earth mama pulls absolutely no punches in a bleak but sadly realistic snapshot of urban life. It’s a story that's been told many times before but some hit the spot more accurately than others. There is a detached almost visceral quality that really stands out. As a character Gia will ask for no favours, nor will she complain about how she got here. To her raking over the past is a waste of energy when the present has plenty to keep her busy. She is simply asking the world at large, what do I do now? As a viewer, it's easy to buy into Gia's predicament as she battles to do the right thing. There is a natural glow of simplicity that doesn’t feel staged or constructed. It’s hugely reminiscent of a ‘fly on the wall’ documentary where the characters are facing problems that are universally understood. We see real people living real lives which gives the story an undeniable impact. The audience will feel they’re eavesdropping intimate conversations such is the authenticity portrayed on screen. Any director who can project this level of realism onto the big screen has achieved a rare feat. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Brian Penn Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Nightborn film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Seidi Haarla, Rupert Grint directed by Hanna Bergholm . HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Nightborn Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Jul 29, 2026 Directed by: Hanna Bergholm Written by: Hanna Bergholm, Ilja Rautsi Starring: Seidi Haarla, Rupert Grint Finnish filmmaker Hanna Bergholm (Hatching ) once again explores horrific maternal themes with Nightborn . Don’t confuse it with Neil Blomkamp’s soulless AI short film. This is not that. Bergholm’s film stumbles into a classic Finnish folktale. Saga (Seidi Haarla) and her husband Jon (Rupert Grint) move to her grandmother’s old, long vacant home deep in the forest. Gran was a bit of an eccentric. She kept old junk—tractors, machinery, wire—around the property because the creatures in the woods hated cold iron. What a nut! Saga and Jon settle in to reclaim the cabin from the encroaching woods and to start their family. Jon is immediately besotted with little Christian regardless of how hairy he is. Saga can’t seem to bond with him, although she does try to find her place as a mother, first by asserting that his name is Kuura. Bergholm’s film, co-written with Hatching writing partner Ilja Rautsi, takes us deep into a post-partum nightmare. While the film is far less original than Hatching , examining maternal horror from the mother’s perspective gives the film dimension. Haarla looks and acts the part perfectly. Bergholm and Haarla work together to bend your expectations and sympathies. There is something wrong with this child and we’re as frustrated as Saga with the way she’s dismissed as being depressed and exhausted. The next minute, we see Saga as a narcissist whose personality disorder is now on display because she can’t find love in her heart for her baby. Then, clearly Saga is just delirious and exhausted and suffering from post-partum, all issues exacerbated by society’s demand that motherhood is precious and perfect. Nightborn weaves these likelihoods without asking us to turn against anyone. The film empathizes with Saga, even when her behavior does seem too prickly. Likewise, we’re never asked to hate Jon—a good thing because Grint is endlessly sympathetic as a man who wants desperately to be a good dad and husband. Though Nightborn is not perfect—the creature and baby effects leave a bit to be desired—its exploration is fascinating. Never tidy, never patronizing, but not quickly forgiving, the film embraces what’s monstrous in us. It’s not the complete success of Hatching , but it’s a vivid nightmare worth your time. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Digital / DVD Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >