I Saw the TV Glow film review by UK film critic George Wolf. Starring Justice Smith, Bridget Lundy-Paine directed by Jane Schoenbrun. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS I Saw the TV Glow Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: George Wolf | Posted on: May 17, 2024 Directed by: Jane Schoenbrun Written by: Jane Schoenbrun Starring: Justice Smith, Bridget Lundy-Paine Fulfilling the promise of 2021’s We’re All Going to the World’s Fair, writer/director Jane Schoenbrun’s follow-up, I Saw the TV Glow , is a hypnotically abstract and dreamily immersive nightmare of longing. Owen (Justice Smith) and Maddy (Brigette Lundy-Paine) meet as very introverted teens, drawn together by their love of “The Pink Opaque,” a Saturday night series on the Young Adult Network. Maddy’s basement offers shelter from her violent stepdad, while Owen has to join her there in secret, away from the sheltering grasp of his mother (always great to see Danielle Deadwyler) and father (Fred Durst!). Together, the teens escape into the weekly adventures of two young women (Helena Howard, Lindsey Jordan) who connect across the psychic realm to battle monsters sent by the evil Mr. Melancholy. But then the show is cancelled, the basement TV is left in flames on the front lawn, and Maddy vanishes without a trace. As the film wanders through the advancing years and Owen sometimes comments through the fourth wall, Schoenbrun layers Eric Yue’s cinematography and a captivating soundtrack to craft a completely transfixing pastiche of color, light, sound and shadow. Smith (Dungeons & Dragons: Honor A mong Theives) is heartbreakingly endearing, while Lundy-Paine (Bill & Ted Face the Music ) provides a revelatory turn of alienation and mystery. It’s hard to take your eyes of either one of them, with Schoenbrun often framing their stares through close-ups that become as challenging as they are inviting. And that feels organically right. Because Schoenbrun is channelling characters who imagine life as someone else, to again emerge as a challenging and inviting filmmaker with a thrillingly original voice. Worlds’ Fair got our attention – and A24’s. Now I Saw the TV Glow is here to get in our heads. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic George Wolf Theatrical Release, LGBTQ+, Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Hilum film review by UK film critic Isaac Parkinson. Starring Audrey Alquiroz, Marijoy Cacho, Bruce Venida directed by Don Josephus Raphael Eblahan. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Hilum Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Isaac Parkinson | Posted on: Apr 28, 2022 Directed by: Don Josephus Raphael Eblahan Written by: Don Josephus Raphael Eblahan Starring: Audrey Alquiroz, Marijoy Cacho, Bruce Venida A hazy, poetic story about performing emotions, and finding something genuine beneath the facade. The film opens with choral music and quick-change images of the cosmos. “Pray to the moon,” a voice tells us, for it controls the tides and the waters of the world, including our tears. We are beholden to the universe, and all inter-connected to the point where the movement of the planets is as meaningful as the movement of our bodies. The effects here are cool and crisp, interchanging the soft-lit images of nature and waves with broad-scope shots of the heavens. The message is succinctly communicated by a particularly effective shot of the earth dropping, becoming a tear in descent and splashing into water. The voices we hear are those of a mother and daughter, who are in the business of mourning. An unusual profession, yet one in demand enough to be passed from one generation to the next. Mourners such as them can be hired for funerals to perform grief and effect the idea that the deceased are more beloved than they actually were. The two sit across from each other, and comically stretch their eyes open to force tears to flow. The mother demands something more authentic from her, unsatisfied with her unconvincingly timid wails. The suggestion that, instead of all this training, she could simply apply Vicks VapoRub to her eyes to bring tears, is quickly dismissed. Immediately following the explanation that it’s all fake, her mother objects to this as cheating. The internal contradiction of this is lost on her, believing their profession to be noble despite its falsity. The funeral is shot beautifully, with the misty light coming through the detailed windows. This cloudy, overcast quality is reflective of the slightly unreal performance of its characters, taking on a surreal or dreamlike appearance. After doing their time at the casket, the two stand outside and eat bananas. Their faces are suddenly cold and unfeeling, although the daughter looks at her mother curiously, wondering how she can conjure such pain and then immediately let it go. After having watched her mother, she now joins in at the next funeral. The group of professional grievers outside apply makeup in a line, as though backstage before a big show. Complementing this, she applies the VapoRub much like they did their makeup. In a particularly startling shot, she is framed by a neon crucifix in the background. The contrived, plastic light emanating from it undermines any genuine projection of divinity, just as she constructs and contorts emotion like a mask. However, this choice of forced sadness is apparently a step too far, as when noticing what she has done, her mother breaks the illusion by slapping her and chasing her outside. Disillusioned by this environment of pressure, she leaves to seek answers and finds a spiritual guide to help rediscover some genuine feeling. Stood on the beach, she is more spiritually connected to nature and to the water from which she has been detached. Here, the misty sunlight is even more powerfully saturated, becoming almost psychedelic at moments. We are drawn into the meditative haze along with her as she reflects on the trauma that has led her to bury her grief. The constant lapping of the waves reminds us of the presence of nature, and the moon’s influence, moving water toward her. She was six years old when she last cried, when her father passed away. Without being able to process her own grief, there is no hope that she could express it for others. Instead she is caught in a cycle of forcing acute sadness until it becomes banal. The intense sunlight grows as she reaches something of an epiphany, revealing the feelings she has been unable to experience. Telling her story, she begins to cry, and with her tears, she is drawn closer to the ocean. Leaning forward at an impossible angle, the introduction of more surreal movement leads to a return of the more expressionistic images of the film’s opening. The tears pulled from the sky are returned to her, and in the closing credits we see tears floating in the cosmos again, finding some balance personally and universally. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Isaac Parkinson Short Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Ali In Gabbia film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring Gabriele De Cenzo, Jessica Truda directed by Valentina Galdi. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Ali In Gabbia Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Sep 7, 2022 Directed by: Valentina Galdi Written by: Valentina Galdi Starring: Gabriele De Cenzo, Jessica Truda Ali in Gabbia (Caged Wings) is a satisfactory, though ironically restricted short film from director Valentina Galdi that skirts close to greatness but is frustratingly prevented from standing out due to a runtime that does not allow its characters to properly develop. A paranoid and possessive young man (Gabriele De Cenzo) with only his pet birds to comfort him reflects on his relationship with his girlfriend (Jessica Truda). He replays one of the pair’s arguments in his head – one caused largely by his inability to keep his anger and bipolar behaviour under control. The argument threatens to spiral – as the reason for his isolation in the present becomes evident. The main issue with Ali in Gabbia is that it feels just a little undercooked dramatically. Viewers are given little context behind the couple’s relationship – other than that Gabriele De Cenzo’s protagonist has created a toxic, tumultuous, and dangerous environment in which Truda’s partner is trapped. His mood swings like a trigger – going from angry, to caring, to furious within the space of minutes. Whilst psychotic swings are far from unimaginable, some extra time developing the character – particularly in his ‘loving’ phase – would give some context as to how someone could get sucked into his world to begin with. It is somewhat cheapening to both characters to rush through the film’s crucial scene as quickly as it does. The film laments on freedom, and the dread that comes when its removal is imminent. The protagonist initially appears sympathetic to his birds and their lives stuck in a cage – to an extent that viewers will find him endearing. But it soon becomes apparent why he is reflecting on this life and what it may mean as a state of existence. It is an effective way to demonstrate his vanity and narcissism to the audience and challenge assumptions about supposedly caring people. The film’s irony is that the man cannot see that he is the cage for his girlfriend, and is preventing her from living a free life with controlling and threatening behaviour. Gabriele De Cenzo performs well in a challenging lead role. His gentleness and sympathetic behaviour towards the birds makes his character endearing, and this is shockingly contrasted in his ability to portray terrifying anger when his character’s real nature emerges. Jessica Truda meanwhile plays the exasperated girlfriend well, and her pushback to De Cenzo’s character leads to a believable conflict. It is just a shame as mentioned earlier that the plot’s breakneck speed means the differing sides to the characters – particularly De Cenzo’s – develop far too quickly and inauthentically, making the performances feel unnecessarily forced at times. It's a shame that Ali in Gabbia rushes through its plot as quickly as it does. Time is always of the essence in a short film – but here the pacing of the film’s key scene is off and this unfortunately impacts the overall feature. There’s a lot of good ideas in this Italian-language offering, but not enough time spent developing them. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Digital / DVD Release, Short Film, Indie Feature Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Men Behind Closed Doors: Stories For Survival film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring Kurtz Frausun directed by Kurtz Frausun. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Men Behind Closed Doors: Stories For Survival Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Nov 14, 2025 Directed by: Kurtz Frausun Written by: Kurtz Frausun Starring: Kurtz Frausun Kurtz Frausun’s Men Behind Closed Doors: Stories For Survival is an unapologetic, hard-hitting and debate-starting documentary that focuses on the under-reported issue of domestic violence against men. Its content and stories are gripping, and whilst Frausun has no qualms about incendiary conclusions, this feature is measured enough to stand up as an important representative work that should not be ignored. The film is structured around interviews with men who have been the victim of domestic and psychological abuse at the hands of female partners. Most participants, barring Frausen himself, are anonymised. But their stories are so shocking that they will stop audiences in their tracks. Their words are accompanied by illustrative footage as well as statistics that demonstrate the difficulty men face in having their voices heard. Frausun concludes the film with a call to action for men who feel alone to find community with other survivors… with particular condemnation for those who dismiss their experiences. Men Behind Closed Doors is unflinching, confrontational and powerful; stock words so often associated with documentaries but in this case wholly appropriate. Frausun’s experience, and the experience of his fellow contributors, has clearly painted his worldview – one that is frustrated with how men are treated when seeking help and angry at a system that fails to see him. He is critical of elements of modern feminism, and some viewers will take issue with statements found within the film and may question where such attitudes might lead. But at the same time, the film makes sure to highlight that men are largely the perpetrators of domestic abuse and does not downplay the danger that exists to women, and saves its most biting criticism for those in positions of power who dismiss their lived experiences – rather than lashing out at the world at large. It would be a mistake to draw condemnatory political or social conclusions around the men whose stories are included here – and focus instead on their words which largely come to conclusions that most people can agree on: that ALL victims of domestic abuse deserve to have their voices heard and their wellbeing prioritised. The film’s power stems from the testimonies of the survivors. Much of the runtime is made up of long stretches where their stories are given room to unfold. Were the subject less urgent or the content of these segments less shocking, this editing style could grow wearisome. But the power these accounts hold, often featuring dreadful incidents of violence, heartbreaking verbal and psychological abuse or Kafka-esque reversals of blame stemming from expectations of men as perpetrators mean viewers will not be able to look away. Such stories may be difficult for some to hear, but those who question whether men can truly be victims in their own home owe these a listen. Whilst some of its observations are explosive, viewers who engage with Men Behind Closed Doors will find the film to be a pointed, but not totally unbalanced commentary on domestic abuse and gender dynamics that is based on difficult but authentic accounts. That is not to say every word within should be immune to challenge, but Frausun’s case that male victims are largely failed by the system is a convincing one. The more doors that can be opened and debates that can be started by films like this, the better society will get at tackling all issues of domestic violence. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Documentary, Digital / DVD Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

How I've Met God film review by UK film critic Amber Jackson. Starring Georgia Waehler, Caleb Zuttc, Polina Ustinova directed by German Kuzyura. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS How I've Met God Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Amber Jackson | Posted on: Dec 18, 2021 Directed by: German Kuzyura Written by: German Kuzyura Starring: Georgia Waehler, Caleb Zuttc, Polina Ustinova An intriguing and slightly bizarre take on gonzo journalism befits German Kuzyura’s student film How I’ve Met God, featuring a young journalist seeking to uncover an unsolved murder case. Set in a remote small town with minimal leads on the criminal, the journalist tries desperately to understand her attitude to the value of human life and existence. The protagonist herself commands the film with her performance as a hostile woman who interrogates those she believes may know something about the murder. Her bold and seemingly unfeeling manner creates an immediate hook to the story as the viewer seeks to discover with her. This pairs well with each investigated character, the townspeople, who appear on edge at the surface as if they are trying not to be caught out. However, the plot reveals itself to be more thought-provoking than what you would find in the typical murder mystery genre. Limited to nearly no score is a deliberate directorial decision on Kuzyura’s behalf and is handled very well. It is effective as the film flits through some scenes and ponders on others, building an unsettling and unpredictable atmosphere in the small town that is secluding a murderous secret. Alongside ominous lighting in the second half of the piece, we feel like we are hanging in the balance between a big reveal and a cliff hanger – and it succeeds when suddenly the tone shifts in intensity. Ultimately, the most enjoyable part of this short is discovering more about the journalist’s concept of the world. This is matched with how the camera views her quest, as it is very observant with its following shots as if trying to help make sense of her reality unfurling. With copious amounts of confusion and existentialism over life and death, motive comes into question as the journalist is haunted by what she is trying to uncover. Whilst How I’ve Met God merely scratches the surface, it succeeds in drawing the viewer in. This is a fascinating introspective look into the mind of one woman seeking justice for something that she believes has value. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Amber Jackson Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Don't Worry Darling film review by UK film critic Kieran Freemantle. Starring Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Chris Pine directed by Olivia Wilde. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Don't Worry Darling Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Kieran Freemantle | Posted on: Sep 28, 2022 Directed by: Olivia Wilde Written by: Katie Silberman, Carey Van Dyke, Shane Van Dyke Starring: Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Chris Pine Don’t Worry Darling is Olivia Wilde’s follow-up to her hit comedy Booksmart. However, it has become notorious because of the behind-the-scenes drama. Alice and Jack Chambers (Florence Pugh and Harry Styles) are seemingly a happy young couple in a 1950s company town. Jack works for the Victory Project whilst Alice is a housewife and gets to live a life of leisure with the other wives. However, Alice starts to have visions, notices strange things about the town, and Margaret (KiKi Layne) challenges town’s leader, Frank (Chris Pine). Alice seems to go down the same path as Margaret by challenging the rules and the community question her sanity. Don’t Worry Darling has been overshadowed by the controversy around it. There have been rumours that Wilde and Pugh argued on set and Pugh has distanced herself from the film because she has barely promoted it. Wilde claimed to have fired Shia LaBeouf yet LaBeouf publicly submitted evidence to prove otherwise. There were rumours that the cast was unhappy with Wilde’s onscreen behaviour, especially when she entered into a relationship with Styles. The scandal increased at the premier when it seemed like Styles spat at Pine. All these factors made Don’t Worry Darling a morbid curiosity for film fans, similar to films like World War Z and Fantastic Four (2015). Yet the resulting film did not seem like a disaster. The production design, costumes and cinematography were excellent, and it did not look like a film that had numerous reshoots or was hacked to pieces in the editing room. It was too well-made and coherent to deserve an overly negative reputation. The film did set out an eerie and surreal atmosphere from the outset. It seemed unreal when all the wives came out to wave their husbands goodbye and they drove off together to work. It gives the audience a clear indication that something isn’t right. It made Don’t Worry Darling more like The Truman Show because of its implausible perfect setting and unusual way people acted. Don’t Worry Darling has been compared to The Stepford Wives because of the suburban setting and women being expected to conform. The film plays up the ’50s imaginary and the ideas of the era, like the traditional ideas of the nuclear family with specific gender roles. Alice started to defy the conventions that the men are in control and women don’t need to concern their pretty little heads. Due to the film having an unnatural air, it felt like a M Night Shyamalan film. Shyamalan has made uneasy thrillers where there’s something unusual going on. And like a Shyamalan film and because of the unnatural setting a twist reveal felt inevitable. The twist would make or break the film for audience members. The ‘50s ascetic made Don’t Worry Darling feel like a classic dystopia. The Victory posters had a vintage look to them, messages from Frank and his wife were blasting out propaganda messages, and there were mysterious uniformed men who did the government’s dirty work. Wilde has stated she wanted to focus on female sexual pleasure. An early scene in the film involved when Jack comes home from work and it resulted in him performing oral sex on his wife. However, when the big reveal happened it puts Wilde’s comments in question. It leads to questions about whether Wilde even knew the themes of the film she was making. Don’t Worry Darling did try to stretch its net wide because it tried to tackle a lot of themes. There was a look of male domination, traditional roles, government control, social conformity, and there were themes related to the twist. However, the themes didn’t feel fully formed. Don’t Worry Darling did have a great cast with the likes of Pugh, Pine, Gemma Chan and Kiki Layne. Pugh has proven herself time and again in films like Lady Macbeth, Fighting with My Family, and Midsommar and she stole the show in Black Widow. Even if the rumours are true about her being unhappy on set, it didn’t show because she gave a strong performance as the young woman caught in this strange world. The big question mark was Harry Styles. Styles was known as a pop star instead of an actor and Don’t Worry Darling was his first leading role. A clip spread online where Styles’ character was arguing with Pugh and Styles's accent flipped from American to English. It felt like a warning sign. Whilst that was a bad scene, Styles’ performance was competent for the most part. He was overshadowed by some acting heavyweights, but he was passable. Don’t Worry Darling was a perfectly fine film. It was no trainwreck. It looked fantastic, had an atmosphere and a strong leading performance from Pugh. The biggest issue was the story and themes which were undercooked. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Kieran Freemantle Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Tomorrow Never Comes film review by UK film critic Chris Buick. Starring Danny Jones, Clair Staines, Frances Broudie Oldridge, Beth McShane, Kian Singleton directed by Antony Villa. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Tomorrow Never Comes Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Chris Buick | Posted on: May 6, 2024 Directed by: Antony Villa Written by: Antony Villa Starring: Danny Jones, Clair Staines, Frances Broudie Oldridge, Beth McShane, Kian Singleton When a meteorite is announced to be on a collision course with Earth resulting in an extinction level event, a family facing their last few hours together reflect on everything from fond memories, to missed opportunities all the way up to the meaning of life while they wait for the inevitable. Tomorrow Never Comes plays out its disaster scenario very much the same way those initial days and weeks did during the pandemic. At first, the meteorite is played down, verified facts are sparse, and people are urged to believe that things aren’t as bad as they seem, keep calm and carry on and all that. But before we know it, things are unimaginable, Press conferences, that feeling of helplessness, uncertainty and frankly disbelief this could be happening at all, Villa makes all those senses of denial, anger and fear we became all too familiar with come flooding back, managing to tap into that indelible way of thinking we’ve all been left with wrapped up in a tightly focused family narrative. It’s a film with two ideas at play. The first, and the one that really takes front and centre, is that it’s a very poignant yet gloomy think-piece on the sorry state of the world today and the reasons for it being that way, namely us. The film does want to spend a good portion of its hour lamenting the state of the world, the nonsense of social media, the systems and authorities that have failed us, what’s wrong with us as humans and ultimately, that we might just in fact deserve everything we get. Unfortunately, that often gets in the way of the film's second and to be honest stronger aspect; its compelling character-driven, ultimately human story which rightly keeps wanting to come the fore, even if the film doesn’t always want to let it. Watching Briony and Simon grieve the fact that their best years will never come, while their parents try their best to comfort them in vain is a tough watch, while also seeing their young son enjoy his first beer as the group reveal eye-opening secrets to one another provides some beautiful human moments that are all played out brilliantly by a solid cast who manage to create a family dynamic that for the most part feels the real deal. The problem is these moments are then overwhelmed at times by over-philosophical monologues that detract from that sense of realism. A last phone call between the family and their solitary grandmother they will never reach in time is undoubtedly the film's standout, I’m-not-crying-you're-crying sequence, but it's almost swept away when the film once again tries to preach its message on the follies of humankind. It’s an understandable aim for Villa to want to get across, but it means less time is spent focusing on these stellar family moments, which is again where the film's better sequences lie. Tomorrow Never Comes possibly could have focused more on its characters than its message, but there’s a whole lot to love in this film that will make you reflect on what has been, ponder what’s to come but, most importantly, make you feel human. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Chris Buick Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

A Hero film review by UK film critic George Wolf. Starring Amir Jadidi, Mohsen Tanabandeh, Sahar Goldust directed by Asghar Farhadi. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS A Hero Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: George Wolf | Posted on: Jan 7, 2022 Directed by: Asghar Farhadi Written by: Asghar Farhadi Starring: Amir Jadidi, Mohsen Tanabandeh, Sahar Goldust If you’re familiar with Asghar Farhadi films such as The Past, A Separation and The Salesman , you already know what to expect from his latest. The Iranian writer/director’s calling card has become the intimate drama of complex moralities and lasting impact, wonderfully layered stories that probe the societal strife of his homeland while ultimately revealing universal insight. Farhadi does not disappoint with A Hero (Ghahreman) , a film that finds him questioning the increasingly blurred lines of truth and perception. When we first meet Rahim (Amir Jadidi), he is coming home on a two-day leave from prison. Locked up for failing to repay a debt, Rahim is hoping to use his brief amnesty to talk his creditor into withdrawing the complaint in exchange for partial payment. It doesn’t look promising until Rahim finds a lost handbag full of gold coins – and returns it instead of selling the coins to pay his debt. Suddenly, Rahim is a hero. But today’s hero is tomorrow’s milkshake duck, and it isn’t long before distrust of Rahim’s story begins to threaten the promise of freedom and a new job. Is resisting temptation even worthy of such celebration, and how far will Rahim go to retain his perceived nobility? Is it possible to recognize the moment when the best of intentions can no longer justify a possible deception? Is “the truth” even a realistic goal in the social media age of constantly manipulated realities? Jadidi crafts Amir with a deeply sympathetic balance of earnestness and suspicion, and the terrific ensemble cast helps cement a sharp morality play that often crackles with the tension of a thriller. Farhadi seems more than comfortable moving further from his stage roots than ever, illuminating Amir’s journey with a realism that patiently waits until the final shot to get showy. Farhadi makes sure that separating the good guys from the bad guys won’t be easy. The moral high ground of A Hero is constantly shifting, which proves to be the perfect anchor for a gifted filmmaker’s latest examination of modern life’s often messy ambiguities. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic George Wolf Theatrical Release, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Freelance film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Nicole Pastor, Jordan Fraser-Trumble, Stephen Degenaro, Hannah Brooke directed by John Balazs. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Freelance Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Nov 29, 2024 Directed by: John Balazs Written by: Mike Gerbino Starring: Nicole Pastor, Jordan Fraser-Trumble, Stephen Degenaro, Hannah Brooke Having worked together on the 2021 feature thriller Rage , director John Balazs and producer Marlane Ghmed team up again and bring a dark psychological thriller starring Nicole Pastor, Jordan Fraser-Trumble, Stephen Degerano and Hannah Brooke and written by Mike Gerbino. The feature was an official selection at Monster Fest 2024. Katie (Pastor) is a struggling freelance film editor. Performing assignments every now and then, she is having difficulties having a steady income and is facing financial problems. Then, she is contacted online by an unknown organisation who offers her well-payed freelance work editing a series of films. Katie accepts and she soon receives boxes at her doorstep containing the videos. To her horror, she discovers that the footage shows people being murdered. Could it be real? As Katie tries to find out the truth regarding the sinister videos and the people who send them to her while simultaneously attempting to further her career, her mental state proceeds to deteriorate. What makes this feature watchable is the plot, the suspense and Pastor's performance. Once Katie begins working on the disturbing videos, her life turns upside down as she experiences nightmares that appear to be influenced by the gruesome footage and her cat suddenly becomes seriously ill. Desperate, she attempts to break contact with the sender of the videos but they seem determined to continue the arrangement and begin threatening her. On top of all this, she has a ruthless landlord to deal with. The heroine does her best to keep things together, maintaining her relationship with Guy (Degenaro), discussing plans to work on big projects with Kevin (Fraser-Trumble), who works in the film industry, talking to her mother (Elizabeth O'Callaghan) and building a rapport with a barista (Brooke). Poor Katie seems to have found herself trapped in a situation of fear and danger and the dark atmosphere is enhanced by Kai Chen Lim's ominous music. With a duration that approaches two hours, the film feels overlong and the pace is slow. in some ways, narrative is split into two storylines, one involves Katie dealing with the nasty footage and the other follows her as she attempts to improve her life. Perhaps the screenplay should had spend less time on scenes that do not involve the source of her troubles. Pastor certainly reveals her strong acting skills in this feature, depicting a young woman whose mental state is gradually collapsing, becoming miserable and antisocial. Her performance is one of the main strengths of the film and Pastor constantly succeeds in being dramatic. Regarding supporting characters, Fraser-Trumble and Degenaro play their part well, although their characters are not written in ways that makes them particularly interesting. However, the despicable man that Jasper Bagg plays stands out. The story revolves around the film industry, particularly film editing and it explores the world of snuff film and cybercrime. Through Pastor's character, the feature works as a commentary about psychological deterioration, financial difficulties, isolation and also the idea of moving on to better things. An editor who unwillingly gets involved with snuff films makes an intriguing plot and Pastor's performance is superb. Unfortunately, the lengthy duration and the slow pace negatively affect the viewing experience. Freelance is scheduled to be released on the 28th of January 2025 through Radioactive Pictures AUS and NZ and Gravitas Ventures for North America. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Indie Feature Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Adam Project film review by UK film critic Ahmed Ab. Starring Ryan Reynolds, Mark Ruffalo, Jennifer Garner, Walker Scobell, Catherine Keener, Zoe Saldaña directed by Shawn Levy. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Adam Project Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Ahmed Abbas | Posted on: May 17, 2022 Directed by: Shawn Levy Written by: Jonathan Tropper, T.S. Nowlin, Jennifer Flackett, Mark Levin Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Mark Ruffalo, Jennifer Garner, Walker Scobell, Catherine Keener, Zoe Saldaña After accidentally crash-landing in 2022, time-traveling fighter pilot Adam Reed teams up with his 12-year-old self for a mission to save the future. It was February 2022 when my eye was caught by the thumbnail of a trailer featuring Ryan Reynolds wielding a lightsaber-like weapon. Intrigued, I clicked on the video to find a multifaceted genre interplay. As an aficionado of film and all things sci-fi, The Adam Project has everything I’d want in a project: time travel, spaceship chases, underlying emotion, and… Ryan Reynolds. This anticipation was best summarised by one of the top comments under the teaser trailer: “A sci-fi/action time travel movie with Ryan Reynolds, Zoe Saldana, Mark Ruffalo, and Jennifer Garner? Sign me up.” This feature boasts an A-lister-studded ensemble. The cast, for the most part, delivers wholesome, believable performances, regardless of the somewhat outlandish storyline most are not used to. Despite the number of award-winning actors on-screen, the standout character performance is through Young Adam (Walker Scobell). From their first scene together, Scobell forms immediate chemistry with Reynolds, constructing an endearing relationship that quickly becomes the heart of the movie. What is perhaps more impressive, is that Scobell is not portraying his own depiction of Adam but puts to screen a younger version of Reynolds’ “Big Adam”, and does this to perfection, emulating the cheek, charisma, and mannerisms of Reynolds. It was no surprise to learn that this was an intentional effort, as Scobell had in fact burnished his Ryan Reynolds impression over years of practice, having even memorised the entirety of Deadpool 2’s dialogue by the age of 11. “The biggest impact The Adam Project will have in Hollywood is the spotlighting of future star Walker Scobell.” Despite the lasers, “not lightsabers”, and flashy visuals, at the film’s core is a heartfelt message , one which carefully approaches the topics of loss, grief, and cherishment. These topics form a character study, in which two of the film’s central roles have been developed from the loss of a loved one, yet both respond in inverse manners. This aspect is very much a real-world story, and one I wouldn’t have minded exploring for the entire duration. To deliver the story’s fundamental message is a future variant of Adam, filled with a lifetime of regrets and missed opportunities. This machination is a recapitulation of a fantasy every human experiences – the ability to reverse time and forgo your regrets – using the bravado of a science-fiction concept as an excuse to explore this premise. This relationship is not a one-way street, however. While young Adam does, of course, learn from his older self, there are still ethics Reynolds’ Adam must be reminded of from Scobell’s version. Reynold’s Adam has a few decades on his younger self, and with more time comes more trauma; these experiences ultimately cause him to overlook his childhood lessons and misremember his background, meaning he has just as much to learn from Scobell’s Adam as Scobell’s Adam has to learn from him. This interaction creates a loveable brother dynamic that demands investment from the viewer. In spite of the film’s many successes, one of the few shortcomings of this release are the instances of questionable visual effects, particularly as it tries its hand at de-aging imagery, and although this effect has been executed expertly in the past, this attempt undoubtedly falls into the infamous “uncanny valley” and ultimately serves as a distraction; perhaps the feature became a little too ambitious in this instance. When you think about it, The Adam Project is an unconventional and eccentric movie, yet the more genres it adopts, it always keeps its characters front and centre, alongside their heart-warming interactions and great performances, and just sprinkles some action on top, with the entire piece woven around a science-fiction concept. The Adam Project is certainly not ground-breaking, but is an emotion-riddled passion project that serves to entertain, making it well-suited to its streaming release. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Ahmed Abbas Netflix, Digital / DVD Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Black Men in Uniform: The Untold Story film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Emunah La-Paz, Douglas L. Williams directed by Emunah La-Paz. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Black Men in Uniform: The Untold Story Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Aug 4, 2026 Directed by: Emunah La-Paz Written by: Emunah La-Paz Starring: Emunah La-Paz, Douglas L. Williams Emunah La-Paz writes, directs and narrates this informative and dramatic one-hour-long documentary about the history of the resilience of African-American people in the armed forces as well as other sectors. Utilising countless of photographs, plenty of archival footage, adventurous and dynamic music by Malachi Hubbard and Julian Beal and narration by La-Paz, this feature takes the viewer on a fascinating journey, following the struggles and progress of African-Americans in the United States, beginning from the nineteenth century, all the way to present day, covering conflicts such as the American Civil War, World War II and the Vietnam War. The film achieves this by presenting the stories of a number of African-Americans who achieved significant standards, eventually creating an image that shows how much African-Americans have contributed to their country and the world. Perhaps it would be fair to state that, contrary to its title, this documentary shines light on the achievements of African-Americans not just in the army, but in a variety of areas. Some of these individuals include professional boxer Jack Johnson, who became the first black world heavyweight boxing champion, abolitionist and social activist Harriet Tubman, baseball player Jackie Robinson and singer Billie Holiday. Regarding the armed forces, the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African-American military pilots in the United States armed forces and the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the first all-women and all-black U.S. army unit. All of these people came to prominence during very challenging times, during times, when racism was at a high level in the U.S., making their accomplishments even more impressive. Primarily, this feature aims to highlight the ways African Americans have managed to overcome racism and racial segregation and prove their worth. It underlines injustice, slavery, cruelty and determination and points out that even under the most challenging circumstances, people can prevail. A documentary about the history of racism in the United States and about a number of individuals who were able to progress during times where circumstances opposed them. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Indie Feature Film, Documentary < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Woman King film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Viola Davis, Lashana Lynch, Thuso Mbedu directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Woman King Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Sep 16, 2022 Directed by: Gina Prince-Bythewood Written by: Maria Bello, Dana Stevens Starring: Viola Davis, Lashana Lynch, Thuso Mbedu If you thought the coolest thing in Wakanda was its army led by Danai Gurira’s Okoye, two thoughts. One: correct. Two: see The Woman King . See it now. What you may not realize is that Wakanda’s Dora Milaje was patterned after the 17th and 18th Century West African Agoji, called the Dahomey Amazons by slave traders. Why? Because they were badass! They fought ruthlessly and relentlessly for the Dahomey state – a fact we should all have known for our entire lives. Thankfully, director Gina Prince-Bythewood (Love & Basketball, The Old Guard ) and legend Viola F. Davis have finally brought their war stories to our screens. Is it a fictional story? Yes. They all are. Every beloved historical epic you’ve ever seen is fictional. But these warriors were real. Davis – war worn and glorious – is their general, Nanisca. She has earned the ear of Dahomey’s King Ghezo (John Boyega), and she uses that privilege to show him that the Dahomey must no longer participate in the slave trade. They must never again sell their war captives to slavers. Slavers have other ideas, but those will have to wait because Nanisca has a new crop of trainees, including the headstrong Nawi (Thuso Mbedu). The youngster more than holds her own in an army of veterans including the always welcome Sheila Atim as second in command. It is Lashana Lynch, though, who steals scenes and makes James Bond look like an armchair quarterback. A script by Maria Bello and Dana Stevens plays on Prince-Bythewood’s strengths. The filmmaker’s work understands rather than displays the unending troubles connected to womanhood and the resilience and power of sisterhood. Dahomey is no Wakanda. This world is unkind to women. (What world is not?) It is the castoffs who become Agoji, and they sacrifice as much as they endure. But the power they have as a unified whole is recruitment enough. What many did not know before The Old Guard is that Prince-Bythewood knows her way around an action sequence. The Woman King is much more than training montages and battle scenes, but that doesn’t mean those set pieces disappoint. In many ways, the film is an exceptionally well made, old fashioned historical epic. But as soon as you try to string together a list of similar films, you realize that there are none. This movie is the breathtaking, entertaining and wildly necessary new king of that genre. And if there is any justice, everyone complaining today about a Black mermaid should run into an Agoji on their way out of Starbucks tomorrow. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >