The Daycare ★★ Directed by: #MarkHensley Written by: #PeggyLewis Starring: #ErikCampbell, #TomConlan, #GuyPicot Film Review by: JJ Donoghue In his directorial debut, Mark Hensley provides us with an intriguing spin on the category of ‘social message’ films which seek to highlight a singular issue that affects society. What makes The Daycare interesting is that, for much of its duration, it holds its cards so close to its chest. In doing this, it cleverly causes you to question any preconceived notions of whether all types of abuse are equally repugnant and worthy of retribution, particularly given the assumption created by the use of the female name ‘Fiona’ used in the torture scene. Furthermore, there are several moments of cinematic excellence nestled within The Daycare’s brief running time. The opening shot is immediately compelling, capturing your attention with its stylishness and intriguing lack of exposition. The use of music is also considered and effectual, and perfectly complements the camerawork throughout. Peggy Lewis’ script is clever, too, masking its true intentions while interspersing enough moments of subtle foreshadowing to warrant repeat viewings. However, while these individual elements of The Daycare are worthy of credit, they fail to amount to an entirely brilliant whole. In many ways, The Daycare does, by its end, feel more like an advert than a short film, particularly in the way that it encourages you to visit its website to further educate yourself on the film’s main issue once the credits begin to roll. This ultimately stops it from becoming a great piece of cinema and relegates it instead into being forgettable. Additionally, there are issues around The Daycare’s originality. Much of this film echoes the iconic torture scene in Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs, in which Mr. Blonde disfigures the policeman in the warehouse. In The Daycare, the juxtaposition of violence with cheery, diegetic music, the victim bound to the chair with his mouth covered with duct tape, and the costume which Joe wears all take influence from what is arguably the most well-known moment in Tarantino’s filmography. The problem with this imitation, however, is that it is pale. While it could be read as homage, it ultimately feels too much like something we have seen before. This might have been something that could be glossed over if it were not for the fact that Tom Conlan, playing the torturer here, lacks the cold, smooth menace of Michael Madsen. Similarly, the lack of visible wounds on the victim makes the violence in The Daycare unconvincing and thus not at all scary. More problematic is the fact that, while Mr. Blonde was undeniably a psychopath, the two men involved in torture in this film aren’t so clearly characterised as such. It's hard to interpret whether the film intended to use violence to highlight it's central issue and make abusers consider their actions, or whether the actions of Tom and his father are condoned. Thus, while The Daycare clearly has good intentions, this uncertainty leaves a lingering sense of disquiet.

★★★ Director: #BillCondon Starring: #HelenMirren, #IanMcKellen, #JimCarter and #RussellTovey Film Review by: #BrianPenn In a streetwise age we might wonder how anyone could be fooled by a con artist. But trust can sometimes defeat the cynic that lies deep within us. The Good Liar is a tale of deceit, greed and chickens that ultimately come home to roost. Retired university lecturer Betty McLeish (Helen Mirren) has been recently widowed, but husband Alistair has left her financially secure. She seeks companionship online and meets retired army man Roy Courtnay (Ian McKellen). Outwardly charming and personable, Roy is a long standing fraudster looking for his latest mark. He inveigles his way into Betty's home and quickly wins her confidence. Grandson Steven (Russell Tovey) is suspicious and does not trust him in the slightest. Vincent (Jim Carter) is roped in to provide the financial advice that will convince Betty to part with her money. Here's where the plot potentially falls through the floor; how can someone as bright and articulate as Betty be fooled by the increasingly transparent Roy? But this is exactly how a fraud would work. A conman wouldn’t necessarily identify a mark because they are slow witted. But more likely they connect with someone who wants to believe in human nature and that people are basically good. Naivety and stupidity are opposite sides of the same coin as trust takes over. However dubious this storyline might sound it does happen; and we can never discount what people might do if they are lonely and vulnerable. On the face of it, Betty would appear to be the perfect mark; a widow with money suffering from the empty nest syndrome. But is she smart enough to see through Roy and his sidekick Vincent? We gradually learn more about Betty and Roy as two complex life stories begin to unravel. The plot fires off in multiple directions with more than a hint of incredulity. It relies on the assumption that nobody can fly under the radar; and we leave indelible footprints that will eventually find us out. There is of course a subtle balance between what is possible and what is likely. Provided we accept the former then the plot works perfectly well and becomes an enjoyable film; Mirren and McKellen are in sparkling form and carry the film through to a satisfactory conclusion.

★★★★ Director: #TomHarper Starring: #EddieRedmayne, #FelicityJones, #TomCourtenay, #AnneReid, #HimeshPatel and #RobertGlenister Film Review by: #BrianPenn Just when you thought you knew all there was to know about the Victorians, they go and pull another genius out of the hat. James Glaisher was a scientist who made a record breaking balloon flight in September 1862. Glaisher was attached to the Greenwich Observatory and saw ballooning as a means of understanding the weather better. Glaisher (Eddie Redmayne) initially fails to find interest or support for his project. However, lady aeronaut Amelia Renne (Felicity Jones) agrees to act as pilot and realise his dream of understanding the earth's atmosphere. Entrepreneur Ned Chambers (Robert Glenister) funds the venture in return for a showpiece launch before a paying audience. The narrative moves along at a steady pace jumping smartly between past and present. The flight scenes feature brilliantly constructed panoramic views of London in the 1860s; while the flashbacks fill in the back story of Glaisher and Renne. Members of the Royal Society dismiss Glaisher as an eccentric but finds a kindred spirit in Renne, who is still coming to terms with personal tragedy. The film has caused some controversy among historians, who have called out numerous inaccuracies in the storyline. Admittedly, the producers have taken hideous liberties with the truth. Amelia Renne is a complete invention, replacing Henry Coxwell, Glaisher's real life pilot. Similarly, Glaisher was 53 at the time of the flight, so it is barely credible that Redmayne (aged 37 but looking about 16) should play him. However, such corruption is simply used to accommodate a romantic interest for Glaisher. In any event, the film never purports to be an historical document; the opening titles lead with the telling words inspired by true events. The Aeronauts is a thoroughly entertaining romp with some genuine white knuckle moments. There’s no question Redmayne and Jones have on screen chemistry, but there are also some delightful cameos to enjoy; particularly Tom Courtenay and Anne Reid as Glaisher’s kindly parents. There is excellent attention to detail adding a degree of authenticity; it also provides a rare opportunity to discover another Victorian pioneer who will be unknown to many. James Glaisher is the founding father of meteorology whose work enabled greater understanding of climatic change. So I can forgive a touch of truth bending this time.

★★ Director: #RolandEmmerich Starring: #EdSkrein, #WoodyHarrelson, #PatrickWilson, #DennisQuaid Film Review by: #BrianPenn For a subject so heavily plundered by film makers, it's not immediately obvious why Roland Emmerich felt the need to remake Midway. The decisive naval battle that followed Pearl Harbour has been done before; most notably the star laden epic from 1976 featuring Henry Fonda and Charlton Heston. Pearl Harbour has similarly been sold on film with Tora! Tora! Tora! taking the honours. Michael Bay's 2001 effort starring Ben Affleck and Kate Beckinsdale is however best forgotten. This latest incarnation begins in 1937 as tensions grow between America and Japan in the Pacific. It quickly spins forward to the day of the attack on Pearl Harbour in 1941. A factual depiction of war should generate a natural element of drama. But the film is let down by a dreadful script and some decidedly wooden acting. Any semblance of credibility is abandoned as Rambo meets Top Gun and the bad guys get a beating. The fightback begins as Chester Nimitz (Woody Harrelson) is appointed Commander-In-Chief of the Pacific Fleet. Ace pilot Dick Best (Ed Skrein) swears to avenge the death of his best friend as the tension ramps up. Intelligence chief Edwin Layton (Patrick Wilson) is under pressure to track enemy movements. Meanwhile Admiral William Halsey (Dennis Quaid), Commander of flagship Enterprise is forced to step down through ill-health. Writer Wes Tooke obviously had a bumper sized Book of Hollywood Clichés close to hand; they came thick and fast, reducing many characters to comic strip status. Some of the lines are just excruciating (‘its men like Best that will win this war!'). Dick Best is a fully fledged caricature as he climbs into the cockpit, unwraps a stick of gum and pins a photo of his wife on the control panel. The chest beating all American boy is funny for all the wrong reasons. Worse still, a genuine war hero is made to look something of a dullard. Donald Trump will positively adore this narrative, and can well imagine the whooping and high fiving stateside. The special effects are superbly executed and combat sequences are similarly breath-taking. But for the director of Independence Day and The Day After Tomorrow such technical brilliance is no great stretch. To strive for historical accuracy and then throw it away on a blunt script makes no sense. It was meant as a tribute to the men who fought at the Midway, but was buried under far too much bluster.

★★★★ Directed by: #MotkeDapp Written by: Motke Dapp Starring: #KristopherWente, #BrittanyBelland, #SaraAntonio, #CJPerry Indie Film Review by: Chris Olson If Woody Allen had directed The Adjustment Bureau it may have looked a little like this indie comedy from writer and director Motke Dapp. Another Version of You (formerly known as Other Versions of You) is a high concept piece that manages to navigate the intrepid paths of interdimensional travel using a classic girl next door narrative. Kristopher Wente plays Diggsy, a forlorn soul who we meet at the beginning of the movie drinking from a hip flask on the ground as the girl of his dreams Suzette (Sara Antonio) gets married to another dude. Basking in his gloom for just a moment, his misery is pierced by a stranger who offers him, literally, a key to solve his problems. This key will open any door and allow the user to step into an alternate reality. Weighing up the idea on a pros and cons list at first, our protagonist soon finds himself on a wild journey of self discovery. As with the best movies that take a complex #sciencefiction premise and deliver it with #romance and #comedy (Like Richard Curtis' About Time) Another Version of You does so without getting bogged down with the technicalities. Diggy's newfound skeleton key to the universe is just that and we don't care about butterfly effects or the fact that the shape of the key wouldn't work on every door. Instead, Dapp focuses the audience's attention on the central character's search for true love, and the emotionally tumultuous journey he embarks on. Wente is joined by a stellar cast. Brittany Belland plays his sister and offers a perfectly balanced portrayal of a woman in the pursuit of her own happiness. Sara Antonio is remarkable in the numerous iterations of Suzette, and C.J. Perry impresses as the aloof alternative Diggsy cannot seem to see right in front of him. Together, it's a great ensemble even if Wente overdoes the confused buffoon in certain scenes. When the big emotional notes get plonked, however, the leading man delivers. The #filmmaking in Another Version of You is some of the most exciting of the year. Much like the aforementioned The Adjustment Bureau, Dapp's film is full of flight and fancy, keeping the viewer permanently on their toes. You can't predict what Diggsy is going to do with this enormous power and when characters start getting the door closed on them in different realities, the movie takes on a darker edge which keeps it unpredictable. The locations used are stunning and whimsical, with a vibrancy to the aesthetic which intelligently juxtaposes the themes of loneliness and hopelessness. A few montages are thrown in which keep the pace jaunty, as does a brilliant returning gag about a rather muscular coffee shop worker with a hefty slap. One of the best indie comedies of the year, Another Version of You is a movie worth searching for. The immense production values and skillful storytelling mark Motke Dapp as a formidable filmmaker, and this will likely reignite an audience's passion for high concept romantic comedies. Watch the Movie Trailer:

★★★★ Directed by: #SarahGavron Written by: #ClaireWilson, #TheresaIkoko Starring: #BukkyBakray, #KosarAli, #ShaneighaMonikGreyson Film Review by: Owen Herman The effect of Rocks is evident almost instantaneously. Right from the off, Sarah Gavron’s new film captures the chaotic joy of teenage interaction. This feeling of joy - whether it’s familiar or deeply nostalgic for you - takes hold of the audience and ultimately provides the context for the dramatic narrative. Rocks is a heart-breaking tale of the dangers of losing innocent youth to the oppressive systems of the real adult world, but remains a visceral, and ultimately optimistic, display of teenage relationships. It is a tremendous new film that promotes a unique female vision of modern Britain. When Rocks’ (Bukky Bakray) mother unexpectedly leaves home, the young teenager finds herself having to provide for both her and her younger brother. As she keeps her troubles to herself, rifts begin to form between Rocks and her close friends, which are only worsened by the arrival of Roshé, a rather troublesome new girl, at the school. Between dodging social workers and getting more withdrawn from her friends, Rocks finds herself isolated, and her natural teenage immaturity is exposed. With such hefty dramatic material you would be forgiven to expect a cast of experienced actors playing younger, however Sarah Gavron and her crew took a risk and scouted a group of first time actors from London schools, with the hope of providing a more naturalistic feel to the film. In fact, the entire film started with the casting decisions and grew naturally from there, building the drama on top of improvised scenes where the young cast were given licence to play around, joke and dance with each other as teenage girls do. The result is an incredibly naturalistic, almost documentary like, feel to the film. Its visceral sense of teenage joy stems from these improvised scenes; the girls bubble with infectious energy. What’s even more impressive is that when it comes to the scripted drama the first-time actors remained in complete control. Bakray dominates the film with her lead performance, particularly shining in scenes where her character attempts to hide her troubles and project a confident, in-control image. D’angelou Osei Kissiedu, who plays Rocks’ younger brother, is also a star in the making with an adorably cheeky performance. The cast as whole, along with Gavron’s direction and Maya Maffioli’s editing, expertly capture teenage interaction, almost to a fault. Both the improvisation and scripted drama work brilliantly, but the ultimately the film leans a bit too much towards the improvisation, sometimes at the expense of the narrative. The filmmakers are clearly in love with the casts’ charming interplay, and who can blame them, but perhaps it would have been even better if the girls had been encouraged to dramatically evolve their characters more. Fantasy within cinema is often brilliant, but, when done well, authenticity can sometimes be even better. Rocks is pure authentic film-making. It not only portrays real life; it feels like real life. It is the story of one unique individual yet is tangibly real to everyone. It finds humour in everyday interaction and tragedy in all too common issues. An important new British film. Find it, watch it, support it.

★★★ Directed by: #MonirAljaradli Written by: #MonirAljaradli Starring: #AbdulrahmanMurshed Short Film Review by: Shrubaboti Bose The film starts with a panorama view of a cluster of pale orange houses, the kind we see in a developing industrial area, accompanied by the noise of crickets in the background. Cut to the next scene, we observe our protagonist sitting inside a dark room engrossed in his work, silently typing away on his laptop until a doorbell interrupts him. As he opens the door and looks outside, mysteriously, he finds a parcel lying at his feet but no signs of the delivery person. At that very moment, we hear the soundtrack building up, spontaneously evoking a sense of suspense. This is the point where the actual narrative finally plunges into action. Throughout the film, it’s interesting to note how there is hardly any dialogues, except the single greeting heard on the phone call. We are invited to read the messages shared in the chat between the protagonist and the unknown caller. However, the only mode of communication used by the director is the symbolic significance of actions and the music involved. The sounds bring out particular emotional responses from the audience and the director deftly uses this knowledge to his advantage. Although the set is minimalist, the overall lucidity of the plot is maintained through the crisp editing style. The discovery of the strange parcel marks the beginning of a chain of unusual events that occur consequently. The eerie music continues as he takes the box indoors and places it on the table, only to dissipate slowly with the introduction of a new buzzing sound of a vibrating phone. Significantly, the titular scene follows, emphasising the symbolic value of the name Contact, and foreshadowing the dangers of establishing such a relationship with an unidentified entity. Using an over-the-shoulder shot, the director immediately makes us alert to the slightest of changes and influences us to anticipate a sudden shift in the pace of the cinema, creating a spooky effect in the way the rest of the incidents unfold. The best part of this film is its cinematography. The camera focuses on the character but it also focuses on intricate details such as the hands and the back of his head. It imitates the human eye, leading us to trace its path and observe the narrative from different angles and perspectives, lending deeper meanings to each of the scenes. The only thing left unresolved is how the protagonist never realises the presence of another person in his room, especially when the intruder was using a mobile flash light and technically entering with loud, clearly audible footsteps. Hence, we do hear the resounding gun shot at the end of the film, but the director leaves us pondering whose death did we ultimately witness.

★★ Directed by #NickPowell Written by #NickPowell Starring #NicolasCage #FamkeJanssen #KevinDurand Film Review by Hope Madden The first question to ask when evaluating any new Nicolas Cage movie: Insanity, inanity or a bit of both? Primal looks like it could be a good balance. Stunt man turned director Nick Powell puts Cage, playing authority hating big game hunter Frank Walsh, on a cargo ship headed from South America toward the States. Walsh’s cargo: some parrots, a couple of venomous snakes, some angry monkeys, and one mass of unconvincing CGI he’s calling a white jaguar. That Gameboy-quality big cat is not the only predator on board. US Marshalls load chained madman Richard Loffler (Kevin Durand), headed for the US to stand trial for crimes against humanity. Why a ship instead of an airplane? Why this particular ship? Why is this kid on board instead of in school? Why is Famke Janssen (that is Famke Janssen, right?) on board? Details! I will not ridicule a child. I will also not ridicule sad, nay – tragic plastic surgery, either. Onward! Powell and writer Richard Leder slap together concepts from Die Hard, Rambo, The Silence of the Lambs, Snakes on a Plane, Aliens—and don’t forget Life of Pi. The result is dumber than the sum of its parts. Primal contains an awful lot of stupid, but the sound is so muddy it’s hard to catch much dialog. At least we have that small mercy to be thankful for. Is Cage good? No, not really. His inner crazy is set on simmer and Leder’s dialog is far too weak to offer Cage many options for little burst of weirdness. Cage’s chemistry with Janssen is nonexistent. There are also far too many stretches between bad CGI – I mean, white jag sightings. It’s a ludicrous mess, but not quite ludicrous enough to make it fun. What could have been most enjoyable as insane winds up being mainly inane. #HopeMadden

★★★ Directed by #MikeFlanagan Written by #MikeFlanagan #StephenKing Starring #EwanMcGregor #RebeccaFerguson #KylieghCurran Film Review by Hope Madden and George Wolf The Shining was always going to be a hard act to follow, even for Stephen King. But as soon as King revisited the horror with Doctor Sleep, the bigger challenge instantly fell to whomever was tasked with bringing it to the screen. That would be writer/director Mike Flanagan, who’s trying on two pairs of pretty big shoes. His vision will not only be judged next to one of the most iconic horror films of all time, but also by the source author who famously doesn’t like that film. While Doctor Sleep does often feel as if Flanagan is trying to serve two (or more) masters, it ultimately finds enough common ground to become an effective, if only mildly frightening return trip. After surviving the attempted redrum, adult Dan Torrence (Ewan McGregor) is struggling to stay clean and sober. He’s quietly earning his chips, and is even enjoying a long distance “shine” relationship with the teenaged Abra (Kyliegh Curran). But Abra and her unusually advanced gifts have also attracted the attention of Rose the Hat (Rebecca Ferguson, sweetly menacing) and her cult of undead travelers. Similarly gifted, Rose and her band seek out young shiners, feeding on their powers to remain immortal. Flanagan breaks the spooky spell to dive into terror in a truly unnerving sequence between Ferguson’s gang and a shiny little baseball player (Jacob Tremblay). Effectively gritty and hard to shake, it is the one moment the film fully embraces its horror lineage. Reportedly, Flanagan had to convince King that it is Kubrick’s version of The Shining that reigns in popular culture (as it should), and that their new film should reflect that. Smart move, as is the choice to hit you early with lookalike actors in those famous roles from 1980. Is it jarring seeing new faces as young Danny, Wendy, Dick Halloran and more? Yes it is, but as the film unfolds you see Flanagan had little choice but to go that route, and better to get comfy with it by the time Dan is back among the ghosts of the Overlook hotel. King has made it clear he needed more emotional connection to his characters than Kubrick’s film provided. McGregor helps bridge that gap, finding a childlike quality beneath the ugly, protective layers that have kept Danny Torrence from dealing with a horrific past. Flanagan (Oculus, Hush, Before I Wake, Gerald’s Game) stumbles most when he relies on awkward (and in some cases, needless) exposition to clarify and articulate answers. Kubrick was stingy in that regard, which was one of The Shining‘s great strengths. Questions are scary, answers seldom are. Whatever the film’s setbacks and faults, it is good fun getting back to the Overlook and catching the many Shining callbacks (including a cameo from Danny Lloyd, the original Danny Torrence). Flanagan’s vision does suffer by comparison, but how could it not? Give him credit for ignoring that fact and diving in, leaving no question that he’s as eager to see what’s around each corner as we are. Doctor Sleep can’t match the claustrophobic nature or the vision of cold, creeping dread Kubrick developed. This film often tries too hard to please—not a phrase you’d associate with the 1980 film. The result is a movie that never seems to truly find its own voice. It’s no masterpiece, but check in and you’ll find a satisfying, generally spooky time. #HopeMadden #GeorgeWolf

★★ Directed by #AliceWaddington Written by #BrianDeLeeuw #NachoVigalondo #AliceWaddington Starring #EmmaRoberts #MillaJovovich #EizaGonzalez Film Review by Cat McAlpine We open on an extravagant wedding scene that could be mistaken for the 1920s were it not for the quick cut to a hover car. Welcome to the future! A whimsical sequence features Uma (Emma Roberts, “American Horror Story,” “Scream Queens”) singing a promise of fealty to her new husband. This is the first of Paradise Hill’s three small singing performances, all of which you’ll wish had been either cut or dubbed. The newly wed groom coos to his wife, “It’s as if that girl never existed.” Wow, that sure sounds like a hint. We soon meet the girl he means in a time jump to “Two Months Earlier.” At this point I have decided not to hold the hover car against Paradise Hills, but there is only so much you can forgive in 95 minutes. Uma (Roberts) awakens in a behavioral facility for young women, where girls are sent by their families to be convinced to be thinner, more socially acceptable, or well mannered. The mysterious circumstances of her arrival and the elaborate setting point to something much more nefarious under the surface. Director Alice Waddington, in her feature debut, is best known as a fashion creative and photographer and it shows. The film itself has a dreamy aesthetic that interweaves holograms and LEDs with manicured gardens and all-white corseted ensembles. The complexity of this film ends with its costumes and set. The line delivery is awkward and stilted despite a promising cast. The setting and dialog allude to a kind of Oscar Wilde repartee, where members of proper society throw witty jabs while holding tiny tea cups. But the script is tragically lacking and the stage is set only for the weak writing to fall flat. More than an hour is spent navigating a dreamy, floral landscape before anything interesting really surfaces. Writing team Brian DeLeeuw, Nacho Vigalondo, and Waddington can’t decide which threads to pull. There’s another love interest, the tragic death of a family member, the crushing pressures of fame, and the strength and importance of female friendships all to be explored. Paradise Hills could have been an interesting delve into the ways that the solidarity of sisterhood allow us to rise above our circumstances and pasts. Instead it’s a weak nod to an old idea: “You don’t need to change to be accepted.” Your teen daughter might enjoy this movie, but you should challenge her with something better. #CatMcAlpine

★★★ Directed by #PaulFeig Written by #EmmaThompson #BryonyKimmings #GregWise Starring #EmiliaClarke #HenryGolding #EmmaThompson #MichelleYeoh Film Review by Cat McAlpine Last Christmas, Kate (Emilia Clarke) had a lifesaving operation. Instead of gaining a new lease on life, she seems to have stumbled onward with a bad attitude and very little hope. This Christmas, she works days at a Christmas shop in Covent Garden run by “Santa” (Michelle Yeoh, wonderful).  She spends her nights lurking at bars and begging friends to let her crash on their couches. In between, Kate rushes to West End auditions with little to no preparation. She’s a grumpy, miserable elf. Last Christmas is, first a foremost, a Christmas romcom. There’s baggage that comes with that specific niche, and in a desperate effort to buck the norm, a truly awful and predictable plot emerges. When Last Christmas isn’t trying to be a Christmas romcom, it shines. The script penned by Oscar-winning writer Emma Thompson (who also plays Kate’s mother) and Bryony Kimmings (story by Thompson and Greg Wise) has witty and heartfelt dialogue, developed characters, and b-plots that flesh out the main story rather than distract from it. The film’s best moments come when it explores the relationships between women, the power of embracing your heritage, and the scariest parts about being a family. Even some of the most melodramatic moments are made gut-wrenching by Clarke’s honest and genuine performance. “They took a part of me and they threw it away.” She cries, and you feel it. If this film had been written as a family drama or a late-in-life coming of age, it would be a strong seasonal flick. Director Paul Feig (Bridesmaids, The Heat, Spy) has shown time and time again that he can do female comedy, and do it well, but the expectations and trappings of this specific and outdated genre hold him back. In the end, if you enjoy a good romcom, Last Christmas soars far above any of its recent direct-to-Netflix counterparts. If you already roll your eyes when men work hard to convince messy women that they are, in fact, worthy of love – this one’s not for you. #CatMcAlpine

★★★ Directed by #ClaudioGiovannesi Starring: #FrancescoDiNapoli #VivianaAprea #AlfredoTuritto #ArTem #CarminePizzo Film review by Nathanial Eker A clear homage to the work of early Italian neo-realists, Piranhas chomps on a plethora of meaty themes: stolen childhood innocence, poverty, organised crime, and the nature of family loyalty are all the victim of biting commentary. Unfortunately, director Claudio Giovannesi too often favours style over substance, crafting a half-hearted documentary aesthetic that fails to develop true character in favour of juvenile anarchistic avatars. Nicola is a Naples lad with ambition as sharp as his cheek bones. He lives a life of relative poverty with his single mother and younger brother. After seeing the riches of a former mafia boss’s apartment, he and his gang of fifteen-year-old Vespa enthusiasts recognise that in their corrupt city, crime is the logical path to success. What follows is an archetypical gangster rise and fall, albeit infused with a coating of Disney channel teenage melodrama. The quasi-realistic tone serves Piranhas well, in terms of its mise-en-scène. Naples is mostly un-stylised; never shot from above, without garish Hollywood lighting, lacking any shots of notable landmarks that could define a sense of place. This effectively crafts a gritty tone, emphasising Giovannesi’s attack on the dirty, despoiled state of the modern path to wealth. Symbolism and imagery are rife, particularly the seemingly out of place opening scene where the boys destroy a Christmas tree during a conflict with a rival gang, foreshadowing their inevitable loss of innocence. Unfortunately, despite an excellent employment of subtext and visual subtleties, this piranha ultimately swims in a shallow pool. Characters are skin deep, giving no sense of who they are behind arbitrary physical quirks. Even the charismatic performance of the appropriately named Di Napoli fails to mask Nicola’s intolerable dullness. Despite establishing plausible surface level motivations, the writers fail to craft a compelling arc for him, instead delivering a bizarre mishmash of immature eccentricities and gangster film stereotypes; Scarface he isn’t, unfortunately. The somewhat ambiguous ending asks us to view Pirhanas as a slice of real life and a would-be documentary. Unfortunately, the chosen slice is implausible, offering no sense of logic to the reality that Giovannesi seems desperate to chastise. Questions are plentiful; where are the police? Why are the motivations of children so insanely adultised? There are hints towards Nicola’s situation; his lack of a father figure, for example, but the behaviour of his comrades remains inexcusable. The unified group approach to criminality is not only jarringly unrealistic, but also unsettling; seeing children of fifteen snort cocaine is an unnecessarily unpleasant addition. Thus, Pirhanas leaves us with a somewhat sour taste. Baseless plotting and poorly developed characterisation expose a script that fails to unite with the realism infused stylistics that Giovannesi clearly has at his disposal. Pirhanas is beautifully shot, inarguably, but its players are little more than pawns to the director’s satirical whims. No single character acts with genuine motivation; they exist to facilitate a wider thematic discussion and are instead more indicative of the one-note gangster caricatures of a simpler time. Regrettably then, when your Tony Montana is too young to even legally buy a can of Red Bull, the plot somewhat loses its sting. #NathanialEker