Cha Cha Real Smooth film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Cooper Raiff, Dakota Johnson, Vanessa Burghardt directed by Cooper Raiff. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Cha Cha Real Smooth Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Jun 16, 2022 Directed by: Cooper Raiff Written by: Cooper Raiff Starring: Cooper Raiff, Dakota Johnson, Vanessa Burghardt Dakota Johnson is the unquestioned star of indie darling coming-of-age drama Cha Cha Real Smooth , but it’s writer/director/co-star Cooper Raiff who’s shining bright enough to blind you. The twentysomething filmmaker, fresh off his tender and insightful feature debut Sh*thouse , spins another yarn defined by vulnerability. Raiff plays Andrew, a recent college grad sleeping on a blow-up mattress in his little brother’s bedroom and working at Meat Sticks until he figures something else out. A surprising opportunity arises at a bat mitzvah he attends with his brother (Evan Assante). Andrew has a gift for making sure everyone has a great time—including lonely single mom Domino (Johnson) and her daughter Lola (Vanessa Burghardt). The other moms are so impressed, they all hire him to host their kids’ events. Sure, it pays, but it’s silly. Harmless. Pointless. How fun, and also tragic. It’s an apt metaphor for Andrew, who was so good at being young and is now a little lost. Gen X had Lloyd Dobbler. Gen Z has Andrew. Solid support from Leslie Mann and Brad Garrett offers Raiff opportunities to subvert tropes with surprising compassion. There are also more than enough laughs to balance the drama. Johnson’s greatest strength as a performer is the almost preternatural chemistry she shares with everyone else on screen. That connection with Raiff aches with human tenderness, as does the entire film. As an actor, Raiff’s performance is open — a strength his direction capitalizes on with long, breathing takes and intimate close-ups. The plot isn’t rushed or forced. Raiff’s writing weaves through complicated situations and emotions without the need to tidy up. The anxiety and pathos feel all the more honest because no one is safe from them. But the film empathizes thoroughly with its characters, applauding every brave and awkward act of intimacy. Cha Cha Real Smooth, which won Sundance’s dramatic competition this year, overflows with charm and warmth. More than that, it points to a remarkable cinematic voice that’s just getting started. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release, Digital / DVD Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

In Cold Light film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Maika Monroe, Jesse Irving, Troy Kotsur directed by Maxim GIroux. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS In Cold Light Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Jan 20, 2026 Directed by: Maxim GIroux Written by: Patrick Whistler Starring: Maika Monroe, Jesse Irving, Troy Kotsur Maxime Giroux’s gritty thriller In Cold Light keeps you off kilter, moving from dreamy confusion to full-on sprint and back again. Maika Monroe is Ava, and our first sprint with Ava ends in a violent drug bust. But after her two-year sentence, she finds herself back in Ponoka, Alberta. No fresh start, she’s clean but she’s otherwise ready to return to leading the smalltime drug operation she left behind. But they’ve moved on. Her twin brother (Jesse Irving) tries to reason with her, tries to convince her to take the 40k he’s been setting aside for her while she did her time, but Ava can see that her once small operation has bitten off more than it can chew and is now dealing with real big, real bad guys. She’s right, and those bad guys are the reason for more sprinting. The story itself is somewhat simple, but Giroux, working from Patrick Whistler’s script, keeps your attention by revealing information as necessary, and by situating Ava’s world inside something lived-in but not ordinary. The context gives the story roots, authenticity, and opportunity for some pretty wonderful, dreamlike sequences. Monroe’s sharp. The character of Ava is interior, speaking only as necessary, always thinking, weighting options. The performance feels caged, desperate but simultaneously controlled. Monroe’s long been a master of using stillness to manipulate a scene and an audience. She did it with precision in Watcher , among other films. Once again, Monroe uses an electric silence to say more than dialog could properly manage. Giroux surrounds her with a game supporting cast. Troy Kotsur delivers a particularly layered performance, and a cameo from Helen Hunt is chilling. There’s not a weak link in the ensemble, and barely a stray or needless phrase in the script. If anything, the film could have used maybe a few more sentences of exposition, especially as it closes. To leave so much up to interpretation invites the suggestion of plot holes, which In Cold Light doesn’t have, but it does leave more to the imagination than it probably should. Regardless, it’s a more than solid thriller and another impressive turn from Monroe. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Sketch film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Tony Hale, D'Arcy Carden, Bianca Belle directed by Seth Worley. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Sketch Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Jul 29, 2025 Directed by: Seth Worley Written by: Seth Worley Starring: Tony Hale, D'Arcy Carden, Bianca Belle When I was 10, I wrote and directed a school play. In it, a babysitter and her charges are murdered by a roving madman. I got in a lot of trouble. Young Amber Wyatt (Bianca Belle) knows my pain. To the dismay of her out-of-his depth dad (Tony Hale) and protective if clueless brother Jack (Kue Lawrence), Amber draws scary monsters capable of murder. Mainly they murder Bowman (Kalon Cox), the b-hole from the school bus who is on Amber’s last nerve. But with their teeth, tentacles, hook feet, and sword arms, they could murder anybody. Could they? We’ll, we’re set to find out when Amber Wyatt’s sketchbook makes its way into a magical little pond and all her beasties come to life. Writer/director Seth Worley’s Sketch is the latest Angel Studios release, but don’t hold that against it. Yes, that’s the studio responsible for the irresponsible, illogical, and terribly acted Sound of Freedom and a host of other mediocre-to-awful inspirational films. Still, Sketch is a charmer, family-friendly but unafraid, forgiving and funny. The message is clear but not too blunt: stop freaking out about the kids who are examining their pain. Worry more about the people who are silencing theirs. Part of the reason the themes resonate without wallowing is the banter between the always reliable Hale and D’Arcy Carden, as his sister. Belle struggles from time to time with the heaviness of the character, but both Lawrence and Cox deliver silly fun as a couple of dumbasses out to save their town from day-glo chalk monsters belching glitter. Worley’s writing is on point, rarely (though occasionally) drifting into maudlin territory. But even at its weakest, the script benefits from Carden’s crisp comic turn and Hale’s effortlessly empathetic pathos. Plus, the imagination that is celebrated onscreen with macabre whimsy articulates a kind of acceptance rarely emphasized in films that begin with a teacher worrying a parent over creepy kid drawings. There’s a lot beneath the film’s surface that feels too familiar, but a game cast and directorial commitment to childish creativity elevate Sketch. It’s a good one to watch with your kids. Even better if you’re kind of afraid of your kids. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Eternal Daughter film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Tilda Swinton, Carly-Sophia Davies, Joseph Mydell directed by Joanna Hogg. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Eternal Daughter Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Nov 30, 2022 Directed by: Joanna Hogg Written by: Joanna H ogg Starring: Tilda Swinton, Carly-Sophia Davies, Joseph Mydell Joanna Hogg makes movies about making movies about her life. This should not be confused with making movies about her life, that would be too straightforward. What she captures is the act of creating something from the strands of her experience. But somehow, in her hands, this added layer of artifice allows for increased intimacy, or at least introspection. Hogg’s latest follows a middle-aged filmmaker named Julie (Tilda Swinton) who, with her mother (Swinton again), revisits a grand old English manor that was once a family estate but is now a lovely if mysteriously empty inn. Hogg draws attention to The Eternal Daughter ’s movie-ness from the opening shot of headlights in rolling fog, a score reminiscent of classic British hillside horror drawing attention to itself. Here are the genre tropes, Hogg seems to say. This will be a ghost story. The Eternal Daughter reunites the filmmaker and Swinton, who played mother opposite her own daughter, Honor Swinton Byrne, in Hogg’s The Souvenir , parts 1 and 2. Byrne’s character, a filmmaker named Julie, was a clear stand-in for Hogg. An actual mother and daughter played mother and daughter, although the daughter was simultaneously playing the film’s director as a budding film director. That’s a lot of overlapping whatnot. But it worked, partly because Julie’s relationship with her mother – perhaps reflecting Byrne’s relationship with Swinton – brimmed with tenderness. In The Eternal Daughter , Swinton plays the Hogg stand-in as she reprises her role as Julie’s now aged mother. It sounds like a lot to keep track of, but there’s really no need. The film boils down to an opportunity to watch Tilda Swinton play multiple roles, which – as Guadagnino’s 2018 Suspiria proved – is always a good idea. Here she delivers two distinct characters, each spilling with love and bristling with disappointment for the other. All of it sounds like a gimmick: Swinton playing two roles, Swinton playing the director, the director working out issues with her own mother in a film about a filmmaker working out issues with her mother. But none of it feels gimmicky. Rather, it all creates the space for Hogg to rework facts in order to tell difficult, universal truths. The film’s deliberate pace and overtly reflective nature will irritate impatient moviegoers, and its plot turns are sure to disappoint true genre fans. But what Hogg’s crafted is a film that haunts, whether the specter is supernatural or not. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Calf film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Isabelle Connolly, Kate Nic Chonaonaigh, Stephen Hogan directed by Jamie O’Rourke. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Calf Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Mar 26, 2026 Directed by: Jamie O’Rourke Written by: Jamie O’Rourke Starring: Isabelle Connolly, Kate Nic Chonaonaigh, Stephen Hogan Trouble brews on a remote Irish farm, as the farmer sets out on his daily chores, and the whole family prepares for the birth of a new calf. As the scene opens on the farm in the early morning, everything is already dark and brooding and faintly menacing. The clanking of the chain on the back of the tractor, and the view we have from the rear, shows us the black emptiness that we have come from without revealing yet where it is we might be going. Further into the darkness, alone in the shed, a cow lies prostrate on the ground, her calf moving inside her, undulating under her skin, looking like some sort of alien presence parasitically inhabiting its mother’s body. Farmer Michael (Hogan) knows he’s got to get the morning work done quickly. He’s out there doling out the feed in the darkness, fag hanging from his lips, scooping pellets into troughs, knowing that the day is coming for him and that he needs to be ready for it. As we watch Michael in his work, we see what else is coming for him from behind, something he is completely oblivious to, as the tractor slips its handbrake and starts rolling down the hill towards him. Next to Animal Farm and Cold Comfort Farm , this might just be one of the most horrifying and cursed farmyards in all of narrative history. Inside the farmhouse, Michael’s family are at the breakfast table ready to start their day. The sun has broken, the bacon is frying, and Cáit (Connolly) is listening to music on her phone, earphones in like most teenagers, waiting for her mum, Aine (Nic Chonaonaigh), to serve her. It’s only when Cáit is asked to go outside and fetch her father in for breakfast that we all find out together just what has happened to Michael, whilst also having to deal with the realisation that his daughter is not moved in any way to help him. Just what is going on down on this quiet, family farm? As we are led into this dark narrative by writer/director, Jamie O’Rourke and cinematographer, Colm Hogan, we immediately get the feeling that something is off. The opening shot, looking behind us, not seeing where we’re going, is indicative of the direction of the narrative as most things are kept from us until right near the end of the film. This gives both filmmakers the time and space to build the tension and the atmosphere around the farm as we try to piece together just what is going on. The visuals spark a feeling of horror, with enclosed spaces, framed claustrophobically, dimly lit, giving off a sense of something hidden under the surface; a rippling tension that creates nausea and unease, hinting at the fact that something is going to have to be released sooner or later. The constant referral to the calf that is due to be birthed that day, keeps bringing us back to the visceral reality of nature that exists all around us, in all of its dirty, mud ridden, bloody detail. We see that the family exist in this reality every day, working with nature, getting their hands dirty, and even becoming numb to the physical pressures and dangers that exist when living so close to the earth. This feeds into the characterisation of the family, especially Cáit and her mother, and we wonder at the seeming detachment of Cáit in the face of such brutal circumstances. Both Isabelle Connolly and Kate Nic Chonaonaigh play their roles with such understated grace and strength, that it keeps the viewer not just interested, but transfixed to the screen, as we become invested in understanding their situation as well as their reactions to it. Calf does in fifteen short minutes what a lot of horror films fail to do in a full ninety or more, and that is to build the feeling of tension and horror in the audience without giving too much away. Not until the last scene do we understand what horrors have really transpired on that farm, and the subtle recognition visible between mother and daughter then allows the dam to burst on all the emotions the audience has been feeling, keeping inside, up until that point. The narrative, and subsequent direction and photography, along with a subtle but affecting score from Orla O’Rourke, all pull together to build the scenario and all of the unease that the audience feels, creating a clear vision of true horror that is expressed in every frame of the film. Calf is a nightmarish vision that needs very little to be said in order for it to get its point across to the audience. It is a story told not in words, but in pictures, and in light, or the absence of it, as the world of nature on the farm is revealed to us piece by piece. The relationships between the characters don’t get explained to us, and they never need to, as everything is expressed to us visually in front of the camera, from small facial expressions, to silent movements, to bloody births and deaths, which tell us everything we need to know if we just look close enough. Calf is a tour-de-force in terms of visual storytelling, and the absence of too much dialogue only enhances the seclusion and anxiety we feel while we’re down on the farm. For a small indie film with only fifteen minutes to tell its story, Calf reaches into your insides and wrestles with your guts to pull your emotions from the inside out. It doesn’t need big scares, or gory overtures to get the blood pumping and the tension rising, and its quiet, understated nature helps define it as an artwork of pure horror; one which builds inside the mind and body of the viewer until it can finally be released in its closing moments, in another quiet, simple showing of unmitigated, unseen horrors that are often silently endured. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Digital / DVD Release, Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Lone Wolf film review by UK film critic Alasdair MacRae. Starring Adriano Luz, Maria João Pinho, António Fonseca directed by Filipe Melo. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Lone Wolf Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Alasdair MacRae | Posted on: Nov 1, 2022 Directed by: Filipe Melo Written by: Filipe Melo Starring: Adriano Luz, Maria João Pinho, António Fonseca A late-night radio host’s broadcast is interrupted by a figure from their past, turning their casual call-in chat show into a tense and revealing thriller. Filipe Melo’s The Lone Wolf has the appearance of being shot in one unbroken take. This is a convention that has proven to be divisive, with recent films Birdman and 1917 provoking strong reactions from audiences. Unlike the two aforementioned features, The Lone Wolf takes place in a small controlled space, after walking down a short corridor our lead Vitor (Adriano Luz) is greeted by his producer, Sandra (Maria João Pinho), who hands him his mail, and he enters the adjacent recording studio, where most of the twenty-two minute short will take place. As Vitor warms up the camera begins to slowly circle him clockwise, a consistent but incremental motion as he begins his opening spiel. He greets his listeners with a tongue-in-cheek “Good Morning”, and he introduces today’s topic, “emotions”, a blanketing white noise of waffle ensues and he takes his first caller. “Maria!”, he recognises her, a regular caller, and she in turn spouts nonsense. The camera passes by the window of the production booth and Sandra signals her boredom with Maria’s monologuing. Up next is Raul (António Fonseca), a man who knows Vitor, but the host cannot place him, after a clue he remembers that they used to holiday together some years back. Whilst exchanging pleasantries, Raul unveils that his teenage son committed suicide, and that it somehow connects to Vitor. The camera stops turning. After a placid opening act, Melo’s film becomes a high-stakes thriller. The camera tilts and shifts uneasily as the power of the conversation lies off-screen with Raul, a man with a vendetta against the radio host and nothing to lose. The bass-y synth score relentlessly thrums as Vitor desperately fights to wrestle back some sense of control, but it is all in vain. The Lone Wolf is an accomplished thriller with a focus on public unmasking. Director Filipe Melo utilises the overtness of the one-take appearance to amplify the mechanics of any changes to the visual norms established in the calm first act in the subsequent twists and turns. An astute choice, especially as it is used to contrast with the on-screen/ off-screen relationship between the protagonist and antagonist. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Alasdair MacRae Short Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

What We Did Yesterday film review by UK film critic Joe Beck. Starring Dominique Moore, Matt Kennard, Harriet Kelleher directed by Matt René. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS What We Did Yesterday Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Joe Beck | Posted on: Jun 26, 2023 Directed by: Matt René Written by: Matt René Starring: Dominique Moore, Matt Kennard, Harriet Kelleher The gutting feeling of catching a partner’s infidelity is both heart breaking and angering at once. It is an experience shared by many, hence why ‘What We Did Yesterday’ credits itself as based on dozens of true stories. However, whilst ‘What We Did Yesterday’ is an effective reconstruction of a variance of such scenario, it feels undercooked, and leaves you wanting more than it bothers to give you. The cheater is Jake (Matt Kennard), whom we see rushing around his apartment topless, struggling to get his bits and pieces, and himself, ready for work - we assume he is a teacher - to attend his early morning briefing. He’s had a bit of a wild night, there’s wine glasses decked on the coffee table, a guitar resting far too loosely, and boxes and boxes of Chinese food takeaway strewn across the apartment’s living room and kitchen. If not a cheater he is certainly lazy and demonstrating an inability to look after himself or his space, further shown by his breakfast of a cold spring roll hastily popped into his mouth. 

 But he is a cheater, as Rhiannon (Dominique Moore) discovers, as her initial disappointment at the ruinous state in which he’s left their apartment soon becomes anger when she discovers an out of place hair clip, and then open a message from the youthful Sophie (Harriet Kelleher), who is speaking about the actions of yesterday. Rhiannon, who had been away on a trip but has returned a day early, doesn’t even seem surprised, or at least doesn’t show much shock. Instead she seems more disappointed that her partner has succumbed to wanton temptations, though perhaps she expected, deep down in her heart, that such a day would eventually come. 

 The shock comes later, and seems obvious in hindsight though in the moment doesn’t quite compute. This indicates strong writing, which is consistent throughout the rest of Matt René’s screenplay. Each movement feels telegraphed to a tee, and seems to occur with deliberate purpose in order to either explore the characters or to progress Rhiannon’s discovery of Jake’s infidelity. This is particularly important given the lack of dialogue in the film’s short eight minute runtime, with most coming as Rhiannon enters on the phone to whom we presume is a friend, and as then again as the film draws to a conclusion, also over the phone. The lack of conflict between Rhiannon and Jake is at once both interesting and the film’s downfall. On the one hand it solidifies Rhiannon’s emotional isolation - with no one to even scream obscenities at - and allows the ambient sounds of Valentina Pappalardo’s divine score to perfectly illustrate Rhiannon’s internal handling of the situation, as she struggles to hold in her anger and accept the new reality of her life. However, it also means that the film lacks a dramatic centre point to stand on, never really reaching a point of emotional climax, rather frustrations just softly boil and remain ultimately unresolved. Matt René’s directing is competent, if unremarkable, though you feel it is massively enhanced by the luscious score, and would otherwise become stale quickly. Dominique Moore is excellent as the torn Rhiannon, though her performance too feels incomplete without interacting, at least directly, with another character. Therefore, whilst ‘What We Did Yesterday’ is in parts effective, it feels half-baked, with the potential for more to enhance a solid film and smooth out some rough edges. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Joe Beck Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Staycation film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Sean Kenney, Olivia d'Abo, Catherine LaSalle, Lilly Ivring, Gilles Stricher, Bailey Sorrel directed by Russ Emanuel. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Staycation Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Mar 2, 2025 Directed by: Russ Emanuel Written by: Emile Harris Starring: Sean Kenney, Olivia d'Abo, Catherine LaSalle, Lilly Ivring, Gilles Stricher, Bailey Sorrel A feature-length sci-fi horror comedy directed by Russ Emanuel, written by Emile Harris and starring Sean Kenney, Olivia d'Abo, Catherine LaSalle, Lilly Ivring, Gilles Stricher and Bailey Sorrel. A worldwide pandemic is taking place and people are in lockdown and wearing face masks. No, it is not the COVID-19 outbreak but another dangerous virus that reduces people to a catatonic state. Riots are taking place everywhere and everyone is afraid. In the United States, lead virologist Professor Edward Bellows (Kenney) is trying to develop a vaccine, while roomates Britt (LaSalle) and Marnie (Ivring) are struggling to cope with living in lockdown and young couple Cathy (Sorrel) and Matt (Stricher) have been separated because of the pandemic. Made during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and filmed on location in Australia, France, Tanzania, Thailand and the United States, this film has an interesting way of telling a story about a global pandemic from multiple perspectives, be it scientists, journalists or everyday people. Ultimately, there is no main character, but rather, several characters who are the protagonists. Through the storylines of Bellows focusing on a vaccine and being interviewed by the media, the two roomates trying to get through the outbreak, numerous news reports, podcasts and less about the couple, the filmmakers create a story about a world that is on the brink of collapse. Each sequence plays it part in contributing to the plot. The feature benefits primarily from the amusing performances, the intriguing plot, the light-hearted music by Vasilis Milesis and the plenty of tracks by American composer and music producer Kevin MacLeod. Plus, the make-up effects applied to the people infected by the virus are to be commended. Throughout the film, there are many satirical advertisements that involve a clown-themed vitamin, wine and tea. While these are amusing in their own way, one might wonder what their exact purpose is, how they contribute to the viewing experience apart from a little amusement? Is their presence necessary? There are many characters and the acting is strong. The performances are entertaining, however, they are also dramatic at certain points, adding quality to the feature. Obviously, one of the main themes here is life during a pandemic, with people isolating themselves and communicating via computers. The film is also a commentary about mass hysteria, public opinion, the influence social media has on people and consumerism. It also looks into the gun culture in the United States. This feature was evidently influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic and people who experienced that outbreak will almost certainly indentify with the plot of this feature. There is not much action (very little actually) and the appearances of the infected are brief and therefore, this film should probably be appreciated mostly because of the themes that it explores rather than as an exciting story. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Lunavom film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring Muthu Karthikeyan directed by Muthu Karthikeyan. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Lunavom Film Review average rating is 1 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Dec 7, 2025 Directed by: Muthu Karthikeyan Written by: Muthu Karthikeyan Starring: Muthu Karthikeyan An argument in favour of AI generation is that it could allow smaller or lone filmmakers to explore worlds and concepts that have been locked away behind million-dollar budgets since the invention of VFX. But on the basis of Lunavom, technology has a long, long way to go to bridging that gap – and a true understanding of character and human emotion will always outweigh visual spectacle: something able filmmakers ought to understand. Created by Tamil filmmaker Muthu Karthikeyan entirely with AI, the film is a sci-fi tale of a human colony based on the moon in the not-so-distant future after the collapse of humanity. A mysterious signal from Mount Kailash triggers an investigation, and a glimmer of hope emerges of a brighter future from the lessons of the past. There are important ethical questions about the use of AI in film that are far too extensive for a single review. Needless to say, many in the industry will find films like Lunavom controversial; my intent is to review this film independent of these. However, it really is impossible to separate it from the technology behind its creation. Most prominently is that for all the sci-fi spectacle, epic space sequences and photorealistic ‘actors’, the uncanny valley effect is completely overwhelming. Even 68-year-old Facebook users will be able to spot that the scenes are off, with the characters almost unanimously robotic and artificial. This is purportedly intentional, but it’s impossible to connect to their stories or invest emotionally when such a clear lack of humanity emanates from the screen. It is unlikely that Karthikeyan could have done much more to resolve this due to the technological limitations of the day, but whether the endeavour was worth proceeding with is another question due to this. The plot is based around Tamil mythologies implanted into a futuristic imagined world where humanity has nearly perished. It is an admirable idea to proceed with – one that will be unfamiliar to many Western audiences and one that may not otherwise be supported by large studios. It is these types of stories where an argument for AI use exists – that filmmakers who otherwise would be ignored can punch through the ceiling of financial restriction. But Lumavom does a poor job of explaining its quite complicated story aspects and concepts. Perhaps to those with prior familiarity with the culture, this will have more of an impact, but otherwise comes across as difficult to interact with. It also seems particularly galling to mention humanity forgoing real human experiences in place of the artificial as one of the film’s themes. If an appetite for fully AI films even exists, it is unlikely to be satisfied by Lunavom. The film is the definition of artificial and is utterly shallow despite occasional photorealism. There are far more interesting and fulfilling ways in which such a story could have been told, and whilst the questions around the benefits that the technology can have for small-scale films ought to still be pondered, AI superiority is still, thankfully, a long way off. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Digital / DVD Release, Short Film, World Cinema, Animation < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Marijuana Minutes film review by UK film critic Joe Beck. Starring Rebecca DeMarco, Sophia Lucia Parola, Jared Cardenas directed by Ryan D. Moore. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Marijuana Minutes Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Joe Beck | Posted on: Oct 2, 2022 Directed by: Ryan D. Moore Written by: Ryan D. Moore Starring: Rebecca DeMarco, Sophia Lucia Parola, Jared Cardenas The stoner comedy is a dying breed in the cinematic landscape. We are long past the days when you’d get the next flick from one of Seth Rogen, James Franco, or Adam Sandler every month. Longer ago are the days of The Dude or Sean Penn’s Jeff Spicoli telling us “people on ludes should not drive’. In that respect, the aptly titled ‘Marijuana Minutes’ is a relic from a bygone era, the raunchy, sex-fuelled bonanza from the early 2010s, however, it is also a signal of how the genre can make a comeback and give the latest generation of twenty-somethings to take nature’s green grass with. Refreshingly, unlike so many stoner classics - putting aside ‘Smiley Face’ - our protagonist is a woman - Amy (Rebecca DeMarco). Perhaps even more refreshingly, at a time in which half of Hollywood’s female protagonists are lazily written, flawless beings with no relatable traits for all those watching, Amy is remarkably human, and while by no means a role model, she’s at the very least relatable. We meet Amy waking up in a pile of clothes, to the sound of a blaring alarm and to the tune of Playboy ManBaby’s ‘Cadillac Car’. She’s got no job, shares a basement with her intimidating best mate Clover (Sophia Lucia Parola) and spends most of her waking hours getting high. Honestly, like so many people her age, she’s a bit of a mess. Still, starry-eyed and full of optimism, she heads out to a job interview - no prior preparation - for the role of secretary at a tech company. For whatever reason (definitely not the casual outfit or her air-headed answers), she doesn’t get the job, but she doesn’t let that faze her - a sign of the kind of ‘it is what it is’ attitude that she takes to life. As part of that easy-going, deadbeat attitude towards life she finds herself procuring a vape pen from her dealer friend Trevor (Jared Cardenas), who is a bundle of unabashed craziness every time he graces the screen. This isn’t like any other vape pen, no, it turns back time, opening up a world of possibilities for a deadbeat stoner. Of course, being a messy twenty-something with no plans past the next day, Amy’s use of the magical vape pen is mainly limited to finding attractive men to spend the night with and messing with the lives of her innocent neighbours. With her priorities in order, Amy’s life is only complicated by the increasingly hopeless pursuit of a job, and the miserable attempts of Trevor’s dealer pals to reclaim their missing vape. This leads to panda hats, fourth wall breaks, and a surprisingly large amount of blood and gore. The main issue with ‘Marijuana Minutes’ is that it lacks any semblance of heart in its story and that beyond its sheer ridiculousness it lacks much of a sense of humour. There are only so many lines which Rebecca DeMarco can flawlessly nail, and even the ones in which she falls fractionally short feel derivative and poorly written. Writer-director Ryan D. Moore has plenty of interesting ideas on the directing front - it’s full of verve and spirit - but the script lacks that same spark, and leaves a lot lacking. This is most apparent in the scenes revolving around Trevor’s dealer friends, in which subpar acting mixes with unfunny jokes to create painfully awkward scenes. Nevertheless, the positive characters, lack of derogative humour, and overall buzz of creative energy offer a way forward for the stoner genre. With films like ‘Marijuana Minutes’, and the success of characters like Argyle in the recent season of ‘Stranger Things’, the stoner genre won’t be going anywhere anytime soon, and amen to that. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Joe Beck Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Buraq That Can't Fly film review by UK film critic India Gwyn-Williams. Starring Shanaia Khursigara, Syed Muteen, Khan Muhammad Arham, Shafin Azim directed by Zeed. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Buraq That Can't Fly Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: India Gwyn-Williams | Posted on: May 13, 2026 Directed by: Zeed Written by: Zeed Starring: Shanaia Khursigara, Syed Muteen, Khan Muhammad Arham, Shafin Azim The Buraq That Can’t Fly is a short film made as part of the Hong Kong ‘All About Us’ film festival in 2024. The festival provides space for ethnic minorities in cinema, who were involved in their Creative Camp and Young Filmmaker Mentoring Programme. The topics it focuses on, including struggles of oppression, immigration and loyalty to tradition, are seen in this director's short film. It opens with camera footage of a baby, Rumi (Khan Muhammad Arham), while the fairytale story of a prince narrates over. The audience are then brought into his real life with his parents, Ayesha (Shanaia Khursigara) and Niyas (Syed Muteen). Immediately their circumstance is grounded - they have recently moved to Hong Kong, a substantial life change whether for good reasons or because of difficulties. It seems however they have entered a kind, supportive community. Their lives in very early parenthood transitions to years later, through another segment of camera footage, where Rumi is celebrating his fifth birthday. On this day, the story blossoms from the enclosed, intimate, central focus of parenthood, to the topic of Ayesha’s untraditional love of filming and storytelling. This passion existed from the beginning, shown in the camera footage used and her recording throughout Rumi’s early life. Yet as her child has grown and the demand of motherhood has eased slightly, there is now room for her supposed immodesty to come to light more. This draws attention from their neighbour Nargis (Shafin Azim), whose children are portrayed as friends with Rumi and thus close with the family. Through her uncertainty over Ayesha’s behaviour, Zeed deftly explores the delicate topic of gender roles, specifically women as mothers and the expectation laid upon them to give up their dreams for the sake of others. The film is visually beautiful. It utilises soft lighting, intimate and busy frames and slow moving scenes. Interweaved throughout are sequences of camera footage from Rumi’s childhood, which heightens the naturalistic and artistic feel of the film (furthered by the fact parts are real footage of the director’s childhood). It uses cinematography to explore deeper unseen elements - the last few moments we spend with the family with Rumi as a baby is through a visually divided image. The camera sees into two separate rooms, with Ayesha and Nisyas in each one. Ayesha spends time alone with Rumi, at one point filming him in her arms. Next door, Niyas entertains the children by telling them the story of the Buraq that can’t fly, which the film centralises on. His story of a mythical creature who cannot do what is expected while his wife shares the screen in an image of motherhood, is an artistic choice that feeds the topic of the story. The storytelling succeeds in grounding the issues of the characters and then allowing them to meet a solution. For Ayesha, the kindness and love of her husband means her passion is encouraged, shown through his screening of her film to the family and neighbours. Similarly when Nargis tries to reason with Ayesha, gently putting her off her actions for the sake of motherhood and her responsibilities, she relates to her. Nargis’ love for dancing was something she parted with for the same reasons. Yet at the end, we see her dancing with her husband and two children in a sweet and moving final scene. This is an instance of the film's clever, detailed storytelling and within the story, makes a statement that societal expectations should not flood out such wonderful passions that create moments of love and joy. To hold onto what you love, something that identifies who you are, is brave and it is not this which one should give up, but the expectation to do so. The characters and dialogue are consistently beautiful and evidence of Zeed’s talent and dedication. The film is realistic and grounded, allowing audiences to sympathise with its genuine, kind characters. But it also has abstract elements, like the camera footage used and the imagined sequence Ayesha has while playing with Rumi, which welcomes animation. The audience are gifted viewership into the lives of this group, in a story that teaches kindness, authenticity and community despite societal expectations. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic India Gwyn-Williams Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Swingers film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Patric Basse, Emma-Kate Barry, Laura Jackson, Callum Henderson, Samuel Nichols directed by Harvard John. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Swingers Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Aug 22, 2021 Directed by: Harvard John Written by: Harvard John Starring: Patric Basse, Emma-Kate Barry, Laura Jackson, Callum Henderson, Samuel Nichols A mini golf course turns into a war zone as four golf players ruthlessly go against each other. Tensions are high during try outs for the last place on Britain's first Collegiate Crazy Golf Tour. Two English golfers (Nichols and Barry) and two Russians (Jackson and Henderson) just cannot resist giving each other a hard time and trying every way possible to sabotage their efforts. The scorer (Basse) has had enough of this unacceptable behaviour and is warning them to clean up their act or they can forget about their golf ambitions. His patience turns out pointless, as the four candidates are stubborn and determined to succeed, even if that means resorting to violence and cheating. This short story is a rather entertaining slapstick comedy, filled with clever humour and playful fighting. The four mischiefs are very funny as they behave like five-year-olds, looking to thwart their rivals in various ways, including making them trip with their clubs or distracting them while they attempt to show their golf skills. Basse is also amusing as a sensible man who is making his best efforts to keep the peace and maintain order but to no avail. The film begins with the scorer lecturing the golfers about their unacceptable actions and after he walks away, they engage in a dispute between them, verbally insulting each other. It then moves to the highlight, which is a montage of the four of them bullying each other during try outs, while the scorer look on in disbelief. The wonderful jazz score that accompanies the montage makes the experience even more humorous. Credit also goes to the stylized closing credits. Watching Swingers is kind of like viewing an episode of Tom and Jerry , with four immature adults going after each other. This accomplishment offers ten minutes of amusement that are worth the experience. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >