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The Misanthrope film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring Andy Kastelic, Sarah Minnich, Trine Christensen directed by Andy Kastelic. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Misanthrope Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Jan 7, 2022 Directed by: Andy Kastelic Written by: Andy Kastelic Starring: Andy Kastelic, Sarah Minnich, Trine Christensen The short story of a grief-stricken gravedigger in the American Old West hits upon thoroughly contemporary emotional beats in Andy Kastelic’s The Misanthrope. This beautifully shot short is one which will start your 2022 off right. A small town in an American desert is stricken by a mystery plague. A gravedigger named Jeb (Kastelic) perseveres with his morbidly increased workload. But as more and more mourners leave flowers upon gravesites, Jeb imposes a tyrannical rule: that all flowers be banned from the graveyard. His cruel proclamation is intertwined with his own tragedy – and confronting this is the only hope for his own soul. The Misanthrope is a wonderful short tackling the heavy subjects of death, loss, grief, and acceptance, whilst delivering beautiful cinematography and stunning performances to make for a dynamic and affecting experience. Jeb’s journey from despair, into tyranny and anger, before reaching a nadir which triggers redemption, is a classic tale – but one which feels fresh and alive thanks to director and star Andy Kastelic’s imaginative and inventive storytelling. A montage of mourners, each echoing each other’s eulogies act as hammer blows to Jeb’s hidden grief. Ethereal visions of Jeb’s wife Kitty (Sarah Minnich) tell us the story of his pain. And Tom Schuch’s narrator provides an appropriately gruff cowboy voiceover to keep proceedings grounded, and personal. Of course, the real-life parallels with the current pandemic, and the vast loss of life felt all over the world are clear to see. The film’s message that anger is no cure for grief is plain and relevant for modern audiences. And the clear theme of the good that a loving community can achieve is similarly evident. The story transcends Covid, and is much more than a metaphor for current events. But the profound circumstances of its creation cannot be ignored. The film features a striking performance from director Andy Kastelic. His Jeb has echoes of the fanatical Eli Sunday played by Paul Dano in There Will Be Blood, as the gravedigger’s zealous and vengeful forbidding of flowers acts as a lashing out against his own suffering. There are some moments where the performance begins to feel a little stagey, and reactions of the mourning community to Jeb’s malice would have assisted in making some scenes feel more natural. However, this is a minor flaw in an otherwise domineering presence that audiences will be engrossed by. The rest of the cast feature in relatively small roles, however their monologues for their lost loved ones are emotional and heart-breaking – particularly that of William Sterchi as ‘The Rose’. The film is also visually stunning. The bright, wide shots of the open vista clash with the dreadful circumstances the town faces – and this hints that Jeb’s negativity and bitterness is in conflict with what his own surroundings and community are trying to offer him. The desert setting also feels simultaneously alive, whilst also barren enough to allow for the cast – primarily Kastelic – to dominate the screen with their expressive and complete performances. Production is truly in the film’s favour – and audiences will feel immersed in the old west thanks to the brilliantly realised sets and costumes whilst also spoken to by excellent and modern filming and camerawork. The performances and presentation of The Misanthrope are reason enough to seek it out, but the message at the heart of this short will connect to audiences in a way that few films truly manage. For a film about death, there is a lot of life to it. About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Digital / DVD Release, Short Film, Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Valley Of The Shadow film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Bill Oberst Jr. directed by Tyler Smith. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Valley Of The Shadow Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: May 15, 2022 Directed by: Tyler Smith Written by: Reed Lackey and Tyler Smith Starring: Bill Oberst Jr. The conservative Christian community of America has a long-standing tradition of censorship. Currently they are succeeding in censoring women's bodies and denying them the civil liberty of making their own choices in relation to abortion. Historically this community have also been at the forefront of calls for book bans in local libraries and places of education, censoring the world around them, for themselves and for others, under the guise of keeping their children safe and their communities free from sin. Falling alongside these forms of dogmatic control has also been the outspoken pronouncement of certain types of film to be blasphemous, sinful or just downright evil. This includes, but is in no way restricted to, their most reviled genre – horror. You may ask yourself how anyone could have any moral or religious objection to the likes of Harry Potter , The Lord Of The Rings or The Pirates Of The Caribbean , but to the conservative Christian community the unnatural conjuration of magic, the elevation of alternative races such as dwarves and elves, and the battling of the undead, pirates or otherwise, are all seen to be against God and therefore driven by Satan. While this might be a stretch for most people to comprehend, it is perhaps easier to see why this community might be averse to horror, which deals more directly with demons, cults, possessions, idol worship, ritual sacrifice or indeed the opening of the gates of Hell. The symbolism itself would be enough to have them reaching for their crucifix. So, it is by no mean feat that film-maker Tyler Smith has decided to reach out to this community, his own, and try to educate them on the merits, and even benefits, of this most misunderstood of genres. In his second Christian community aimed film Valley Of The Shadow: The Spiritual Value Of Horror , (the first being Reel Redemption (2020) which looked at specifically Christian films' place within the wider diaspora) Smith wants to bust open the myths and the untruths of horror and explain why the dark imagery and gruesome happenings have value in strengthening an individual's connection to God or Jesus. Bill Oberst Jr., veteran actor of nearly two hundred films – most of which stem from the horror genre, and self professed 'man of faith', is our narrator and guide on this journey. His inclusion is meant to put the average Christian conservative at ease, being as he is someone who doesn't find contradiction between his profession and his religion, and his soft voice soothes the way into the discussion of horror as he creeps through ruins and undergrowth and perches within the crooks of trees. He speaks the words of Smith and co-writer Reed Lackey's script, but this could be his own personal introspection of just how useful horror can be in allowing us to face our fears and 'shine a light in the darkness'. Over the next two hours and twenty-six minutes, Bill leads us through almost the entire gamut of English speaking horror as Smith and Lackey try to make their points, dividing the genre into four distinct sub-sections and dealing with each in turn. The Unstoppable, The Inevitable, The Abominable and The Unknowable are supposedly what we are looking at when we watch a horror film and it is these things which strike the fear into us, when dogmatically the only fear we are allowed to have, is the fear of God. Within each section Smith and Lackey explain where the fear comes from and provide endless examples from film history to show this in action. The feeling engendered from this kind of extended show-reeling at first starts off as interesting and at times exciting, but very quickly as the viewer realises that this is going to be the entire extent of the discussion, turns into apathy and then eventually boredom. Basically what results is a documentary of horror film history rather than a spiritual, philosophical or intellectual discussion of the points these films raise. If, for example, once you've said that horror crocodiles instil fear because they keep on coming and are therefore 'Unstoppable', then show a clip from a scary crocodile movie, is it then necessary to show myriad clips from every scary crocodile movie ever just to keep saying that Unstoppable things scare us; then to repeat this ad nauseam with sharks, spiders, snakes, serial killers etc. etc. etc.? Sadly this is all we get from each section of the documentary with Smith and Lackey continually hammering their point home that certain things scare us, and ultimately in the end only really telling us that we're scared of death, disease and having our comfortable lives overturned. Only in the final section of The Unknowable is God or The Devil really even mentioned and even then they get lost in the mist alongside talk of ghosts and other beyond the grave scenarios. The viewer has to wait until the last twenty or so minutes of the film to discover what Smith and Lackey have been driving at all this time, when finally there is a link between all we have been shown and how this can be used to strengthen faith or recognise more completely the legacy of Jesus' sacrifice. Ultimately though this feels like it's just been tacked on at the end and shoehorned in to keep the Christian producers happy at spending their money on this horror retrospective. There is a lot of deep horror knowledge in Valley Of The Shadow but unfortunately not much idea of what to do with it. As an introduction to horror for the uninitiated it works well, with almost every facet of the genre getting some airing on screen, but as a discussion – spiritual, religious or otherwise – it falls flat with no real take-away other than it's okay to face our fears, and of course, only to be fearful of God. If you're looking for a more valuable, concise discourse on the actual components, themes and meanings of horror films you'd have a far better time watching Mark Kermode's Secrets Of Cinema. At least there you might get some answers. About the Film Critic William Hemingway Documentary < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Hugo film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Rianne Cloudie directed by Rianne Cloudie. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Hugo Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Sep 10, 2025 Directed by: Rianne Cloudie Written by: Rianne Cloudie Starring: Rianne Cloudie A young woman deals with her substance abuse and past trauma in a variety of ways, symbolically representing them and turning them into repeating motifs as she works through it all in front of the camera. In writer, director, and star, Rianne Cloudie’s new short film, Hugo , we find her stuck inside her own lush apartment with her cat. Whatever has happened to Cloudie before we get there is not shared with us, but instead we see her dealing with the fallout of her emotions and her past as she goes through the motions of ritualising her trauma. At points we see her wrapping her head in cling film, taking a bath in an inky black liquid that could very well pass for blood, sleeping with a giant stuffed snake, crushing up and stabbing at roses – making them into broken flowers that she tries to stuff back in the vase, and then, of course, there’s the eating of the lemons. It seems as though life has gone out of its way to give Cloudie lemons, lots of them. Her fridge is full to the gunnels with them, packed tightly into bowls, jars, and caddies, and they’re on top of her counters and on her coffee table, too. The problem is that Cloudie seems to be resolutely not making any lemonade out of the lemons she appears to have been given, and it may well be this symbolic representation that gets to the heart of where her problems lie. Instead she’s just going around, moping in her lavishly furnished apartment, wandering about in her jim-jams, repeating the same four or five rituals again and again in an attempt to purge herself of whatever she’s feeling inside, ultimately resolving nothing and getting nowhere. Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of time for Cloudie to explain her situation to the viewer, as the entire film barely lasts two-minutes. There are some clues in the symbols, including a jar of what’s labelled, ‘Hugo Tears’, but mostly everything is expressed in a code that only Cloudie is likely to understand. Everything is given to us in short, fast cuts, which flit around the apartment and repeat the various symbols and machinations that Cloudie is trying to share with us, but we barely spend any time on one idea before moving onto the next. There’s no dialogue to go along with the visuals, so there’s no hope for any explanation there, and the sound recording only gives us the incidental sounds of the apartment, as well as maybe a couple of other sounds which never get alluded to, making it difficult to pick up on any narrative or motivation which may be there in the scenario. After around the sixth or seventh time of viewing, a couple of other symbols flashed up in front of my eyes which hadn’t registered before, due to the extremely quick nature of the editing, and which might have had some bearing on Cloudie’s story. Sadly, anyone watching Hugo for the first (and probably only) time is likely to miss these, and it’s unclear just how important they were anyway, being flashed up and then moved past as the other symbols took precedence in get repeated. While there may be a lot going on in Cloudie’s mind during Hugo , and a lot of it getting represented on the screen in some way, there’s a disconnect between the filmmaker and the viewer in terms of how much of it actually gets relayed. While the technical aspects of Hugo are all well-handled, the arthouse nature of the film stops the message and the themes from coming through entirely. The symbolism of the narrative is all very well, and Cloudie expresses this in a visual language that works well on screen, but rather than just looking good, it’s important that the audience is taken on the journey along with the main character, and that is something that isn’t entirely achieved in Hugo . About the Film Critic William Hemingway Digital / DVD Release, Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Toxic Avenger film review by UK film critic James Learoyd. Starring Peter Dinklage, Jacob Tremblay, Taylour Paige, Kevin Bacon directed by Macon Blair. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Toxic Avenger Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: James Learoyd | Posted on: Aug 27, 2025 Directed by: Macon Blair Written by: Macon Blair Starring: Peter Dinklage, Jacob Tremblay, Taylour Paige, Kevin Bacon Since its original announcement and first festival screening in 2023, Troma fans everywhere have waited patiently for the highly anticipated reimagining of the 1984 cult classic while it’s been in limbo; and readers will be relieved to discover that Macon Blair’s horror-comedy does not disappoint. The Toxic Avenger is a loving new take on our beloved, mop-wielding Toxie, with lead actor Peter Dinklage taking the helm. As opposed to a geeky young janitor attacked by his comically murderous bullies, here we’re introduced to Winston – also a janitor and single stepdad of Jacob Tremblay’s Wade – who finds out he’s terminally ill. Much like the plot of The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie , our protagonist is working a job at the evilest company in Tromaville; the head of which is Kevin Bacon giving a fabulously enjoyable, moustache-twirling villain performance alongside Elijah Wood as his Igor-esque henchman. Post being toxic-wasted, Winston teams up with the cool as hell eco-warrior J. J. Doherty (played by the great Taylour Paige) who’s fighting to expose corruption and take down said company. Writer-director Blair (whom you will have recently watched in Oppenheimer ) also has many amusing cameos in the film. It’s likely that fans of the original series will lament the absence of Toxie’s blind, kooky girlfriend who provided the 80s entries much of comedy and sweetness. However, for a modern release, the character of the son portrayed by Room star Tremblay is probably an easier sell for wider audiences. He’s great in the albeit small role as he gives the story some genuine emotional stakes. As everyone hoped for, this is a funny, heartfelt gore-fest. In his director’s statement, Blair explains that what appealed to his “sixth-grade brain” was “the feeling that this movie was literally homemade, a thing that a group of friends could make in their own backyard with a video camera and some Karo-syrup blood” (Blair: 2025 | Signature’s Press Kit). And by giving us the perfect balance of vulgarity and sincerity, he manages to keep that homemade feeling alive in this release. He offputs gross-out humour with family dynamics and new friendships; extreme violence with an air of genre-independence and abandon. Much like the original, it feels like watching a live-action cartoon... Many will compare the self-aware style of comedy to actual trash like Deadpool , which is foolish since this has such a positive, personal, non-cynical sentiment. But it’s also a film which aspires to have as much fun as possible in each and every scene. The Toxic Avenger manages to maintain some of the cheap, exploitation characteristics that make the original a real curio, but tempers these attitudes slightly for the benefit of the modern viewer – there's still plenty of sex jokes and gratuity, yet it rarely feels tone-deaf. But if there’s an aspect to the filmmaking very much open to criticism, it would be the movie’s use of CGI violence. And this critic’s response to that is this: yes, the film would be better with purely practical violence; however, Blair clearly wanted to go extremely cartoonish with the elaborate nature of these deaths, that one can surely comprehend – much like the recent Final Destination – why the filmmakers opted for the plasticky, digital route. And do not fret dear reader! The Toxic Avenger himself is completely practical and completely beautiful, brought to life through a strong physical performance by Luisa Guerreiro. About the Film Critic James Learoyd Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Swords of Justice film review by UK film critic Isaac Parkinson. Starring . directed by Adham Oudeif. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Swords of Justice Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Isaac Parkinson | Posted on: Jun 20, 2022 Directed by: Adham Oudeif Written by: Adham Oudeif Starring: . A rough-around-the-edges historical fantasy adventure with slow action and jumbled plot. A self-described ‘fan film,’ the seams are clear to see in a way you wouldn’t expect from a high-budget rendering of sublime historical worlds. The film opens with some stock drone footage of sweeping hills and an ancient castle shrouded in mist. We then cut to its interior, a palatial home with just enough exposed brick and wooden beams to be convincing as an ancient abode, yet still too clean and sterile. The general lack of set dressing or more thoughtful lighting lends a jarring shift from the more moody exteriors. Two Bayat warriors enter the castle to speak with its ruler, hoping to gain more freedom from the oppressive Georgian regime. The dialogue is hard to follow, with odd changes in angle, making eyelines appear inconsistent. The lack of clear blocking from the start distracts from the essential narrative exposition being delivered about the incoming Mongol threat. The Bayats have a secret spy within the Mongols, whose location they give up to the Georgians, placing both him, and their hopes of escaping tyrannical rule, in danger. The internal conflict for the Bayats comes from a necessity to defend the Georgians, their oppressors, from the Mongols. Instead, they choose to save the spy from Georgian capture and take a stand for their own freedom. The core group of 4 Bayat warriors debate this in their camp, showing both their camaraderie and conflict. Their playful fighting is charming, and suggests a longstanding relationship between them all. Their familiarity is contrasted by differing perspectives on whether to challenge the Georgians, including heavy hints towards betrayal by one member. This is indicated by a sharp turn in the score from ambient to sinister. In general the score is overbearing, refusing to ebb and flow with the changing pace and tone of its corresponding images. The editing within their discussion leaves odd gaps in conversation between each person’s coverage, inducing a kind of stop-and-start feeling. But clearly stunted dialogue is not the focus of the film, as action comprises almost all of the film’s second half. They travel by horse to find and save the spy. Again, some stock inserts are used here, which often only highlight the sharp contrast between the unfiltered natural lighting and the more professionally moody shots. These transitional moments are generally strong though, with great choices of locations and the use of real horses lending some authenticity to their historically corresponding costumes. Upon finding the spy, a battle breaks out against the Georgians. The combat is slow and awkward, lacking choreography which would lend it some more balletic energy and urgency. Instead, the performers are left to their own devices to improvise a fight between two people who often seem largely unbothered by whether they live or die. The overall structure of this sequence is satisfying however, using a bird’s-eye gameboard system of moving around each piece to find interesting narrative movements. Occasional shots are also much more impressive, with toned down colours and a crisper contrast which draws the action into focus. The slow-motion work is particularly engaging, allowing for more delicate and deliberate movements. About the Film Critic Isaac Parkinson Short Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Untranslatable Forest film review by UK film critic James Learoyd. Starring Maria Drangel, Kirsten Schuhmann, Saori Goda directed by Ivan Miguel, Andy Camou. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Untranslatable Forest Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: James Learoyd | Posted on: Jun 7, 2025 Directed by: Ivan Miguel, Andy Camou Written by: Ivan Miguel, Andy Camou Starring: Maria Drangel, Kirsten Schuhmann, Saori Goda “It can hardly be a coincidence that no language on Earth has ever produced the expression: ‘As pretty as an airport.’” This Douglas Adams quotation opens The Untranslatable Forest – a two-minute animation about language in which we’re taken through rooms and spaces within a psychedelic, abstractly presented airport; each space merging the natural world with artifice. The animation itself, speaking of its technical construction, is three-dimensional computer-generated animation. Pleasant colours and textures displayed in what one could point to as a kind of ‘videogame’ aesthetic (just to give you an idea of its appearance). It looks wonderful and is artfully done. This is partly to do with what the animation is depicting and the complex, thought-provoking design elements at play. There’s a sensory aspect to the filmmaking, an immersive journey through locations, feelings, sounds and ideas which – ironically enough – might be difficult to describe with conventional language. But that’s part of the beauty of it. To name a couple of examples: brown leaves are dispensed through the ticket machines and float down to the ground; branches and bushes are being scanned through security in glass boxes; and the plane itself is filled with grass in the aisle and a river above. It’s really a gorgeous thing to witness, like a provocative art installation which utilises collage and bright contrasting colours to both disrupt the spectator’s perception as well as appeal to the eye. In the space of less than three minutes, an audience will find themselves simultaneously calmed and transfixed by what they witness onscreen. Directors Ivan Miguel and Andy Camou have done an intelligent thing by taking this Douglas Adams statement and running with it in the most expressive, unusual manner possible – but outside of form, it’s also a most socially direct piece. The film draws our attention to how languages are being lost over time, almost as if it’s a living organism which – like the natural world and the impact of global warming – is being damaged irreparably bit by bit. This subconscious, visual parallel between words and greenery makes us care deeply for the languages we’re reading onscreen and hearing through the soundtrack. A word should also be spared for said soundtrack of the film – both in the awe-inspiring score and the pleasing audio design. It’s as if the sounds of nature, grass swaying and leaves falling have never felt so satisfying. To combine the natural and technological, in the most careful and structured way, scratches a certain itch in the brain. In The Untranslatable Forest , the filmmakers do indeed manage to make an airport setting appear almost overwhelmingly “pretty” (as their opening mission statement establishes). Through the use of slick, textural animation, the viewer is fixed to the screen as we glide omnisciently through the world of the film. We’re then hypnotised by the experimentation on show in the form of these juxtaposing textural concepts elegantly becoming one. But it’s the overarching message which leaves one deep in contemplation once the credits have finished rolling. An outstanding micro-short, filled with depth and innovation. About the Film Critic James Learoyd Short Film, Animation, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Idea of Manhood film review by UK film critic Chris Olson. Starring Jeremy Kushnier, Karl Bury directed by Serge Kushnier. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Idea of Manhood Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Chris Olson | Posted on: Feb 14, 2023 Directed by: Serge Kushnier Written by: Serge Kushnier Starring: Jeremy Kushnier, Karl Bury Two friends reconnect when one of them turns up unexpectedly and they spend the day together challenging each other’s life viewpoints and value systems. Jacob (Jeremy Kushnier) is spending a week at home alone whilst his wife and kids are away. One morning Jacob’s solitude is disturbed by the unexpected arrival of Sandy (Karl Bury), his outspoken buddy whose lifestyle and attitudes are often at loggerheads with his own. As the pair enjoy a stroll around D.C and hanging out at Jacob’s house, they enjoy regularly pitting their opinions against eachother. These kind of ruminations on adulthood can often be twee or even preachy but writer and director Serge Kushnier manages to balance his script and allow the varying ethoses being presented to coexist brilliantly. Jacob’s nuclear setup makes him feel like the cinematic everyman and Sandy’s freelance waywardness see him as more of the catalyst of the piece but there is certainly not a landslide when it comes to agreeing with what either of them are saying. Each presents a formidable argument for why you might want a secure family home, or for spending your life on the road, and there is a delectable enjoyment seeing both these strands on screen. It would have been easy to lay all the cynicism on one character and all the optimism on the other but with Jacob and Sandy, they each present numerous angles where they possess both. They are complicated and at times their arguments are undermined by themselves, but this plays out as a very relatable and believable dramatic engagement between two well-drawn characters. The Idea of Manhood is a film made from simple ingredients. The cast is small, the locations are used wisely, and yet the film has that roaming freshness of a Woody Allen pic that makes it feel premium rather than an indie flick on a limited budget. The introduction of a set of younger characters midway through the film does threaten to derail the growing chemistry of our onscreen pals, but it actually ends up enhancing the dialogue, allowing an even deeper exploration of ideas and principals, in particular how these change through generations. There is a particularly funny bit where Sandy pretends to tell the story of Home Alone to these younger people as if he knew Kevin McCallister personally. This does get overshadowed slightly but an indulgent lecture he gives on selfies. The film works best when Jacob and Sandy are getting into it with each other and when the inevitable showdown regarding the former’s marriage becomes a heated discussion point, The Idea of Manhood operates on a higher level. It feels original and unique to see two grown men have a discussion of this length and breadth, which says a lot about the representation of male characters and also about the need for more films like Kushnier’s. Watch the Official Trailer here . About the Film Critic Chris Olson Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Salvatore: Shoemaker of Dreams film review by UK film critic George Wolf. Starring SalvatoreFerragamo, Michael Stuhlbarg directed by Luca Guadagnino. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Salvatore: Shoemaker of Dreams Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: George Wolf | Posted on: Dec 1, 2022 Directed by: Luca Guadagnino Written by: Giuppy D'Aura, Dana Thomas Starring: SalvatoreFerragamo, Michael Stuhlbarg Have you ever seen a high-end shoe being assembled? Director Luca Guadagnino makes it an oddly transfixing experience in the opening moments of Salvatore, Shoemaker of Dreams . We watch the construction silently, priming us for Salvatore Farragamo’s proud admission. “I love feet, they talk to me.” Guadagnino (Bones and All , Call Me By Your Name , Suspiria ) may not have much audio or video of the celebrated shoemaker to help tell his story, but what he has is used wisely. Hearing from the actual Salvatore provides the needed personal insight to support the remembrances from family and friends, still photos, and narration from Michael Stuhlbarg. And even if don’t share Salvatore’s skill as a foot whisperer, his is a truly compelling story of determination, celebrity and arch support. Salvatore opened his first shop in his native Italy at the age of 12. He came to the U.S. as a teenager in 1915, settled in Santa Barbara, California and soon was outfitting the most famous feet in silent films. When the film business moved to Hollywood, so did Salvatore, also finding time to study anatomy at USC so he might understand how shoes could be made more comfortable. “Fashion with comfort, that’s what I give.” He applied for thousands of patents, got rich, went bankrupt and got rich again, forever changing society’s expectations of footwear style and comfort in the process. Guadagnino’s inclusion of Martin Scorsese in the interview parade only underscores how Salvatore’s journey unveils like a classic American drama. It becomes a sprawling family legacy built on immigration, dreams and a solemn vow to never give up. Shoemaker of Dreams is a fitting tribute to the fascinating life of a man ahead of his time. And while the focus on the earlier part of Salvatore’s story is more inherently interesting, Guadagnino crafts a sweet warmth for the film’s final act, complete with a surprise chef’s kiss. The closing moments find Guadagnino collaborating with stop-motion animator Pes for a mesmerizing “shoe ballet” that sits perfectly poles apart from the no-frills intro. These dancing shoes rival the synchronized shopping in White Noise for can’t-look-away sequence of the year, so keep your own feet right where they and don’t miss it. About the Film Critic George Wolf Theatrical Release, Documentary < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Emilia Perez film review by UK film critic Jack Salvadori. Starring Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofia Gascon, Selena Gomez directed by Jacques Audiard. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Emilia Perez Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Jack Salvadori | Posted on: May 19, 2024 Directed by: Jacques Audiard Written by: Jacques Audiard Starring: Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofia Gascon, Selena Gomez Emilia Perez is a film like no other. French auteur Jacques Audiard goes crazy, and brings to the screen a pop opera that never loses its rhythm and constantly amazes and surprises, as you never can tell what’s going to happen next. In other words, a cinematic wonder. The empowering musical, set in Mexico, revolves around three female characters, the frustrated and undervalued lawyer Rita (Zoe Saldaña), a merciless drug lord Manitas (Karla Sofia Gascon), and his wife (Selena Gomez). Remember when Tony Soprano decides to go to a shrink, and his weakness might cost him dearly? Well, Manitas takes his secret one step further: he wants to become a woman. Metamorphosis is at the heart of the picture, as while the golden-toothed cartel begins his transition to the fairer sex, the film also changes genre, pirouetting into melodrama, action, and comedy, without a single faux pas. All of this without ever forgetting its lyrical nature, showcasing an array of ear-worms accompanied by mesmerising choreographies, and captured by a fluid camera that seems to dance along its cast. Worth a mention is the Busby Berkeley inspired number “Vaginoplastìa”, I trust it gives you an idea without spoiling too much. Once transitioned thanks to Rita’s guidance and support, Manitas becomes the titular character, but Emilia Perez’s evolution is only beginning. Despite its absurd narrative, Audiard never judges or ridicules the delicate and intimate themes he deals with. He doesn’t simplify the characters’ psychologies, managing to forge charming emotional and somehow relatable layers. This is also possible since some details are directly inspired by the lead actor’s personal experience, who, drug kingpin aside, went through the same hardships of abandoning his former masculine identity while trying not to lose custody of his children. Emilia Perez is a lot of things, but eventually they can be summed up by a passionate quest of love and redemption. Finally something fresh, and by clocking a 9 minute standing ovation at its premiere, Cannes might have already found this year’s Palm d’Or. About the Film Critic Jack Salvadori Film Festival < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Reduced to Clear film review by UK film critic Joe Beck. Starring Edward Tidy, Simon Fisher-Becker, Winter Foenander, Dawn Butler directed by Luke Allen, Alex Yousefi. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Reduced to Clear Film Review average rating is 1 out of 5 Critic: Joe Beck | Posted on: Jul 29, 2022 Directed by: Luke Allen, Alex Yousefi Written by: Luke Allen, Alex Yousefi Starring: Edward Tidy, Simon Fisher-Becker, Winter Foenander, Dawn Butler Britain has produced some of the finest comedies of all time. ‘Blackadder’, ‘Fawlty Towers’, ‘Only Fools and Horses’, ‘The Office’, ‘Spaced’, ‘Shaun of the Dead’, ‘Hot Fuzz’, ‘The IT Crowd’, ‘Fleabag’, you probably get the point. That list may seem overly long, loquacious, long-winded, garrulous, voluble, and loose-lipped, but it is merely an example of the style of humour employed in ‘Reduced to Clear’, the worst comedy to come out of Britain since Brexit. We are introduced to Mike (Edward Tidy) on his first day as a charity shop volunteer. The manager (Simon Fisher-Becker) tells him to ‘consult the rulebook’ if he’s stuck, before toddling off to god knows where. That line ‘consult the rulebook’ will surely become a very funny gag later in the film right? Wrong, it doesn’t come up again until almost the very end, and is forgotten almost as quickly as it arrives. The crux of the problem with ‘Reduced to Clear’ is it’s script, which is so mind-bogglingly awful that it’s more likely to cause someone to smash their screen in rage than roll around in laughter. It doesn’t understand the concept of setting up a gag, events merely happen with no foreplay, and we’re expect to laugh just because ‘oh look at me I’m so quirky, I’m so random’. It’s one of those scripts which feels the need to lengthen each joke to the point of exhaustion, over-explaining everything and becoming unbearably loquacious. This wouldn’t have been so bad had they done it once, then moved onto the next joke, but it seems to be the only joke in the arsenal, and occurs time and time again. The ending tries to cop out and nullify the bad script by becoming self-referential, however, that’s a further example of lazy writing, as the writers - Luke Allen and Alex Yousefi - have evidently realised the abysmal nature of their script, but rather than rewriting, have opted to try and undermine it with a ten-second gag. Allen and Yousefi’s direction is similarly lifeless, giving the setting of the charity shop no atmosphere whatsoever, whilst the framing leaves a lot to be desired. The argument that this is perhaps because it was made on a budget of £2000 budget does little to explain this - I’ve seen school productions with a greater production value. The decision to not have a score whatsoever is bizarre, though perhaps a laugh track would have made even more sense - anything to fill the vacant pauses as each actor fumbles their way around the botched script. ‘Reduced to Clear’ is not a good film, in fact, it’s almost unwatchable - though it’s one saving grace is that it doesn’t offend any proportion of society. But it did offend me, simply by having to watch it; ‘Reduced to Clear’ is an apt title for a film lacking in anything which would make it worth keeping. About the Film Critic Joe Beck Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Leo film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Adam Sandler, Bill Burr, Cecily Strong directed by Robert Marianetti, Robert Smigel, David Wachtenheim. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Leo Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Nov 20, 2023 Directed by: Robert Marianetti, Robert Smigel, David Wachtenheim Written by: Robert Smigel, Adam Sandler, Paul Sado Starring: Adam Sandler, Bill Burr, Cecily Strong Adam Sandler and the whole TV Funhouse bunch get together for an animated kids’ film about a classroom pet who puts his many years of observing children to good use. Leo (Sandler) the lizard, along with terrarium pal Squirtle (Bill Burr) the turtle, has lived in the same Florida 5th grade classroom for decades. At 74, and believing his life expectancy merits it, Leo plans to make a break for freedom. Instead, he becomes a kind of life coach to 10-year-olds. Leo has a lot going for it. Sandler’s soft-hearted comedic presence feels perfectly at home in the classroom, while Burr’s patented “get off my lawn” crankiness offsets things nicely. The story, written by Sandler along with co-director Robert Smigel as well as Sandler’s frequent writing partner Paul Sado, touches on helicopter parenting and other anxieties authentic to modern youngsters. The premise allows for lots of fun and funny moments as, by helping each kid better understand themselves, Leo comes to recognize his own purpose. There are also wildly random moments of comedy that feel in keeping with the filmmakers’ TV Funhouse origins while helping the film stay fresh. The downside? Leo the film cannot seem to find its own purpose. It is essentially a musical, although in between songs you will forget that entirely. Nothing about the proceedings suggests the whimsy or theatricality of a musical, and though a couple of the songs are fun, every single number feels stitched in for no reason. Very few of the singers can sing and not one of the songs is memorable enough to merit its inclusion. Worse still, Leo feels long. Trimming the songs wouldn’t hurt the story and it would seriously benefit the run time. Sandler’s carved out a mainly mediocre presence in family entertainment, with three Hotel Transylvania films and Hubie Halloween . Earlier this year, he produced and co-starred in the absolute charmer You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah , also for Netflix. Leo doesn’t reach the heights of YASNITMBM , but it aims higher than the others and frequently endears. About the Film Critic Hope Madden Netflix, Animation < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Tape film review by UK film critic James Learoyd. Starring Kenny Kwan, Adam Pak Tin-Nam, Selena Lee directed by Bizhan M. Tong. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Tape Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: James Learoyd | Posted on: Sep 9, 2025 Directed by: Bizhan M. Tong Written by: Bizhan M. Tong, Stephen Belber Starring: Kenny Kwan, Adam Pak Tin-Nam, Selena Lee Tape , by Bizhan M. Tong, is a fascinating new Hong Kong drama; a remake of Richard Linklater’s 2001 film of the same name. With the exception of its beach-set, flashback bookendings, the scenario takes place entirely in one apartment. The first half of the film is based around a conversation between two old school friends, now in their early thirties. One is a filmmaker and seemingly has his life all figured out; the other is a drug-dealer who loves a drink and also enjoys setting up video cameras around the place – their purpose unbeknownst to the audience until act two. The narrative leads to a brutally uncomfortable confrontation with a third character – another school friend. A woman with a deeply complex and upsetting relationship with these two men. This is a movie about past sins, the everlasting impact of abuse, and the psychology of a guilty individual running from their past, and another who uses information to exploit. The screenplay is engaging, and the film is elegant enough in its overall construction and performances, and yet there remains a slightly televisual quality that never really goes away – not to mention complex issues which are approached with a disconcertingly heavy hand in moments – hindering the overall viewing experience. This critic should confess that, whilst I am an admirer of Linklater, I have not seen the original Tape . I wonder, since Linklater is a strong stylist, whether he manages to make the environment slightly more cinematic than holds true here. Because while I enjoy the set-design, clean lighting, and blocking of the piece, one can’t help but feel that the filmmakers miss a trick by limiting themselves to a single location. But then again, that’s part of what makes the beach scenes feel so refreshing visually. It may be an integral aspect of the story, but to really pull it off, the cinematography should either hold more of a presence – or, on the other hand, you completely strip it down and go completely theatrical (see Alfred Hitchcock’s Rope ). The in-between space this film’s aesthetic occupies is only ever as fascinating as what’s taking place on screen (as opposed to the form and method enhancing what is seen). Thank goodness then that what takes place gets very interesting very quickly – a credit to original writer Stephen Belber and its director/writer Bizhan M. Tong. This is a deeply disturbing film that actively encourages a divisive response from its audience. You could also argue that it’s a shame on the writers' part that the only female character is – at least for a good portion of the film – presented simply as a victim, a subject of argumentative discussion. The third act changes this, and she gets to hold some satisfying authority, but at that point it feels slightly too convenient. The scenario on its own is certainly entertaining, shocking and button-pushy, but would lack any real power if not for three excellent and devoted performances by Kenny Kwan, Adam Pak Tin-Nam and Selena Lee. Praise should also go to the director Tong for helping to maintain such believable performances in such a restrictive setting wherein character is not always so easily conveyed. Tape will be in UK Cinemas from 19th September About the Film Critic James Learoyd Theatrical Release, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >