Astraea film review by UK film critic India Gwyn-Williams. Starring Craige Middleburg, Peter Inskip, Zak Watson-Smith directed by Lewis Averillo-Singh. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Astraea Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: India Gwyn-Williams | Posted on: Apr 12, 2026 Directed by: Lewis Averillo-Singh Written by: Craige Middleburg Starring: Craige Middleburg, Peter Inskip, Zak Watson-Smith Astraea is a short film set in the near future, depicting human's relationship with aliens. Its writer Craige Middleburg also stars as the ‘Rookie’, alongside Peter Inskip and Zak Watson-Smith. Between the three characters, the audience witness one man’s initiation into the interdimensional division of a futuristic job. As part of it, he must convince an alien to use its abilities of drawing memories out of objects. The film sets up its story well using just three characters - not only because of their naturalistic performances, but because they each offer contrasting perspectives. The cliche dynamic of the rookie (Craige Middleburg) and the Veteran (Peter Inskip) is immediately powerful in foregrounding the story. What may be seen as an over-used stereotype works well, as it is cleverly established through miniscule details in the mise-en-scene and their conversation, rather than dramatic or plain dialogue. For instance the Veteran ignores the Rookie's handshake and takes advantage of his superior knowledge, misleading him in the interaction with the alien (referred to as a mimic) to poke fun. The Rookie, as expected in the inexperience of his character, receives this belittling and obediently follows instructions. He endeavours to impress and perform well in his assessment job interview, providing the character with a strong, engaging incentive for the piece. The science-fiction element is drawn from the final character - an alien. There is an added exciting dynamic of an outsider, which also works in strengthening the united front of the Rookie and the Veteran against him. All of them possess starkly different characters, charging the film’s action and dialogue. There is an intriguing exploration of status within the interaction. The alien is naturally something to be wary of, but in this circumstance it is simultaneously inferior. Seemingly kept captive, it is used for the benefit of humans in determining their suitability to a job. Not only this, but the job is implied to provide humans with a superior status to the aliens. This iniquity is partly shrouded by the fact the alien presents as human-like through ‘mimicking’, but with certain unnatural features and behaviours. The choice to make the aliens visually present as humans is a clever decision that both saves the film from an insincere element, and provides some eeriness. It suggests a possibility that they are not always identifiable, instead able to pass through life and humanity undetected. Not only this, but it reveals their unnerving ability to take over the physicality of humans, adopting their appearances while remaining alien. The clever writing and directing spares the film from feeling performative or elementary. It establishes its futuristic setting, science fiction genre and the nature of the aliens majoritively through showing rather than telling, demanding that the audience infer for themselves. Incongruently, the sequence presenting the alien’s power utilises warbled, shaky camera movements and sound effects. This may be an ironic call back to the outdated film effects seen in early cinema, an attempt at comedy, but it comes off as insincere and not complimentary of the storytelling talent made evident from the rest of the film. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic India Gwyn-Williams Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Your Emergency film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Grace Berry, Haley Sanders, Jonathan Ryder, Davis Murphy directed by Matthew Simpson. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Your Emergency Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Sep 24, 2025 Directed by: Matthew Simpson Written by: Matthew Simpson Starring: Grace Berry, Haley Sanders, Jonathan Ryder, Davis Murphy A short thriller written and directed by Matthew Simpson and starring Grace Berry, Haley Sanders, Jonathan Ryder and Davis Murphy. This film was made by film students during college. Jane (Berry) works as a dispatcher, dealing with urgent matters. Her son's birthday is approaching and she believes she will not be able to attend due to her job commitments and tells him so over the phone. She then finds herself having to deal with a situation where a woman named Hannah (Sanders) discreetly states that she, along with her young son, Liam (Murphy) are in danger of being harmed by her husband (Ryder). Jane must now give everything she has to resolve the crisis. A tense, suspenseful and dramatic thriller that bears resemblance to other works such as The Guilty (2021) and Buried (2010), mainly because there is (more or less) only one on-screen character and they are dealing with life-threatening situations. On the surface, this is a thriller about a determined woman trying to save the lives of a woman and her child and that works very effectively, creating a nail-biting atmosphere as Jane communicates with Hannah through her headset, instructing her what to do in order to survive as the situation rapidly goes from bad to worse. There is more to this story than being a thriller though, as it is also a family drama, with the narrative exploring how her committment to her work has began to isolate her from her loved ones, especially her son. And all the drama and tension is supported by Yuta Suzuki's music. Almost the entirety of the story takes place in an emergency call centre and Jane (with the exception of a couple of background actors) is the only person seen on camera, as mentioned. Berry's performance is vital in order for the film to have an impact and she nails it, showing the stress and anxiety that her character goes through, which are captured by the frequent close-ups of her face. Jane is a woman who is dedicated to her demanding position, but has being alienated from her family as a result and as the story progresses, she goes through significant character development as her skills are pushed to the limit and she re-evaluates her life. As her role is the protagonist and sole on-screen character, Berry gets the most credit. However, the voice performances of the rest of the cast are to be also commended, examples being Sanders as a distressed mother who is in grave danger and Ryder as her dangerous and potentially murderous husband. The screenplay explores what the life of a dispatcher is like, dealing with life-and-death situations on a regular basis and trying to balance work with their personal life. The film is also about mental strength, courage, family values and domestic violence. A main message seems to be that even when people have very serious responsibilities and commitments, they must never let themselves become detached from their loved ones. An compelling and emotional roller coaster that is also quite thought-provoking. It is very well filmed, has strong acting and taking under consideration that it was made by college students, it is exciting to wonder what they will achieve in the future. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Raindog film review by UK film critic Matt Trapp. Starring Euan Munro, James Crutcher, Malachi James directed by Euan Munro. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Raindog Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Matt Trapp | Posted on: Dec 15, 2025 Directed by: Euan Munro Written by: Euan Munro Starring: Euan Munro, James Crutcher, Malachi James If one singular hot button issue has dominated 2025, it’s AI. What once was a trope limited to science fiction is now seemingly reality, and that reality is closer to dystopian than we may like it to be. Raindog taps into the dizzy excitement of the AI boom, while gesturing at something more sinister and uncomfortable beneath the surface. In doing so, writer and director Euan Munro successfully navigates a minefield of clichés to deliver something that feels entirely original: a short and punchy science-fiction film that will have audiences desperate for a rewatch and hopefully questioning the world around them. The premise of Raindog is elegant in its simplicity: roommates Eli (Munro) and Stuart (James Crutcher) have developed a weather forecasting Large Language Model (LLM, more commonly known in reality as AI) that may be able to predict more than just the weather. The two are giddy in their excitement, keen to test the limits of their new creation, until they begin to question the fabric of their reality. The film is shot entirely from the perspective of their computer screen, putting the audience in the proverbial shoes of the LLM named Raindog. The camera never shifts from this position, and it's through this lens that the entirety of the film is viewed. It’s interesting as a literal framing device, but what elevates Munro’s short is how this perspective begins to take on narrative and thematic purposes in a delightfully clever twist. Few stones feel unturned in Raindog ’s intriguing premise that evolves in a truly unpredictable direction, and there’s no doubt that audiences will be kept on their toes watching Eli and Stuart wrangle with their creation. The filmmaking on display may appear on the surface as quite minimalistic, but the creative choices all coalesce to give the short a great sense of energy. Munro and Crutcher give naturalistic and compelling performances, with a lot of the film’s success riding on them. Raindog feels play-like in its presentation, with most of the runtime taken up by the two lead actors sharing a fairly compact stage. It’s fortunate then that the two leads are able to handle the drama, and it’s a credit to them that the stakes feel personal and infinite at the same time. Combined with stellar editing, sound, and music, Raindog feels very competently put together, moving confidently through its scenes to deliver a well earned and satisfying climax. Raindog may take place in a world somewhat unlike our own, but like a bite-size Twilight Zone, it reveals something about our reality. AI is a technological marvel and has the capacity to change the world in so many positive ways, but it must be used responsibly, and the cost of this technology could be earth-shattering. There are personal costs too, of course, and many would do well to remember that life exists way beyond the boundaries of screens. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Matt Trapp Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Lunch Room film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Mina Asfour, Jorge Cortes Atanacio, Dennis Chombe, Sorchia Daley, Brad Free, Jessica James, Lawrence Ola directed by Martin Ponferrada, Brad Free, Mark Nunnari. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Lunch Room Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Oct 13, 2021 Directed by: Martin Ponferrada, Brad Free, Mark Nunnari Written by: Martin Ponferrada, Jade Bowell, Carlo Sardon, Mark Nunnari, Brad Free, Michelle Rouady, Tiffany Wong Starring: Mina Asfour, Jorge Cortes Atanacio, Dennis Chombe, Sorchia Daley, Brad Free, Jessica James, Lawrence Ola An Australian web series about the lives of a group of people who work in a supermarket called OzSupermart. Created by Mark Nunnari and Martin Ponferrada, this dark comedy-drama series consists of episodes that have a running time between five to fifteen minutes. There is no main character as more or less each episode focuses on the experiences of different characters, each with their own personality and issues, which makes things more interesting. The viewer learns about the heroes' work and personal lives and follows them as they deal with their job and relationships, discuss their personal issues among them and attempt to deal with this and that. Every episode has a different storyline that involves plots such as an employee bringing their partner to the staff lunch room for a chat, a couple having a conversation in a car, two people going for a walk in the woods or how staff react to the new company uniform. The majority of the narratives take place inside the staff canteen, with employees sitting down, talking to each other or winding each other up. However, there are scenes that take place outdoors or in the home of several staff members. The stories focus mainly on the employees, however, there are also other characters involved, such as Matthew, a serious man who holds an influential position within the company. Each episode has its own title and nearly all of them are in black-and-white. A rather intriguing one is the one that is entirely in colour and takes place during COVID-19 lockdown. The whole episode is filmed using webcams and mobile phone cameras, as each person communicates with each other while self-isolating. Due to the addition of colour and filming techniques, this episode stands out from the rest. The cast delivers entertaining performances as supermarket employees socializing and going about their business. Some come across as rather likeable individuals while others are not so likeable. The soundtrack is amusing, often utilizing jazz music. The end credits of each episode are almost always accompanied by a song called Sick Day by The Old Married Couple, which closes the episodes effectively. Lunch Room is an enjoyable series, full of humour, clever dialogue and awkward situations. There is also drama and profanity. It is a series that provides a humorous insight into the lives of retail workers and as each episode tends to have different protagonists, no two episodes are the same. Check out Lunch Room here . Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Web Series < All Reviews Next Film Review >

A Dust of Phantasm film review by UK film critic Swati Verma. Starring Mellissa Taylor, Madalena Brancatella, Adam Argyrides directed by Mathew Ouzounis. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS A Dust of Phantasm Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Swati Verma | Posted on: Aug 28, 2022 Directed by: Mathew Ouzounis Written by: Mathew Ouzounis Starring: Mellissa Taylor, Madalena Brancatella, Adam Argyrides The title of the short film-A Dust of Phantasm has connotations of the Protagonist Elizabeth (Melissa Taylor) lost in the whirlpool of Illusions and apparitions trying hard to fight her inner demons. The writer-director Mathew Ouzounis through this cinematic piece wants to dig deep into the human psyche and share his knowledge with the audience. A Sci-Fi drama dating back to the period of the 1940's explores how far a woman would go to re-witness her tragic past in an attempt to heal herself. The cinematographer Andrew Ouzounis captures the essence of the era of the 1940's perfectly by utilizing the set design, black and white colour palette, lighting, costume, makeup, dialogues, music, and white smoke giving a tribute to the style of filmmaking that was prevalent in those times. A series of long shots of the car, Elizabeth, and a house assists in establishing the subject matter of the movie. Various kinds of masks are brilliantly incorporated into the narrative to intensify the mystery, drama, and suspense elements so that the content engages the audience fully. A well-written flashback sequence ensures that the storyline moves smoothly without breaking its continuity. In terms of performance, Melissa Taylor plays Elizabeth who wants to battle the traumatic past and rediscover herself for the betterment of the present time. Taylor holds up to the etiquette game strongly portraying the elegance and poise required in the forties. The expressions of the actress are on point and suitable for every situation in the storyline which helps the viewers to connect with the leading lady. Madalena Brancatella is Marcella the antagonist of the story who runs the business of selling products like the recollection product. Brancatella uses body language, voice modulation, and other mannerism to evoke dislike in minds of the audience for her character. Adam Argyrides is in the role of Ronald who is another antagonist and he is one, who handles the technical part of all the operations taking part in the house. Argyrides showcases all the skills needed to stay true to the genre of science fiction. A Dust of Phantasm discusses the importance of memories in our lives and memories are something that makes us unique. It also talks to its audience that they shouldn’t be emotionally over-dependent on someone else to solve their problems. This dark parable warns us regarding the need to find the light within while fighting the darkness or else strangers would only take advantage of one's situation. The cinematic piece reiterates the fact that dwelling on the past isn’t the answer to all the queries relating to life in the present. Every juncture is different and one needs to deal with it differently. The sci-fi dramatic piece also tells the viewers that they should always be aware of the reality and not forget the same while wanting to experience the concept of Phantasm. The short film subtly discusses the class system and the perception of women in the era represented in the creative piece. As an ardent viewer of short films, I loved that the writer-director Mathew Ouzounis could provide us with the right mix of Sci-Fi and drama and an interesting subject that left me intrigued about the same. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Swati Verma Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Attachment Diaries film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Jimena Anganuzzi, Lola Berthet directed by Valentin Javier Diment. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Attachment Diaries Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Jun 1, 2023 Directed by: Valentin Javier Diment Written by: Valentin Javier Diment Starring: Jimena Anganuzzi, Lola Berthet Tell me you’re having a bad day without telling me you’re having a bad day. Argentinian filmmaker Valentin Javier Diment knows how to articulate desperation with nothing more onscreen than a sidewalk, heavy rain, and a broken heel. From there, The Attachment Diaries sets up an eerie power dynamic between forlorn Carla (Jimena Anganuzzi) – pregnant, alone, very wet and in need of help – and Irina (Lola Berthet). It’s 1970-something. Irina is a doctor willing to perform abortions, but Carla, is too far along. If she’s willing, Carla can stay with Irina, give birth and make some money with an arranged adoption. Diment invests time in both characters, neither of whom is quite what she seems. The more we learn about each the less we really know, but trouble’s brewing, that’s for sure. And the greater the intrigue, the stranger the film. The filmmaker wades hip deep into triggers: abortion, self-harm, sexual assault. And his approach unsentimental. No, it is blunt. Nothing is sacred, or to be honest, even interesting enough for Irina’s thoughtful consideration. Trauma and mental health are not treated delicately, either. No kid gloves, but loads of intentionality – Carla is often as shocked by Irina’s blasé attitude as we are, and Carla’s no delicate flower. Berthet and Anganuzzi deliver everything a moviegoer needs from the heroes and villains of this twisted tale. Berthet is the hard candy shell to Anganuzzi’s messy middle, and neither character is easy to root for. But together, their almost hostile yet somehow tender chemistry fuels the human madness developing in the film. Flashes of Hitchcock and Almodovar (that’s a fun pairing!) flavor the film’s aesthetic and movement, Diment blending inspiration with his own impeccable sense of detail to create a film full of intensity, eccentricity and style. The filmmaker sets up gorgeous shots, both to keep you off balance and for the sheer odd beauty of them. His use of color is also fascinating. At first it feels a little too on-the-nose, but the truth is that, once again, he’s underscoring a change in the power dynamic. The escalating lunacy nearly tips to melodrama or even parody, but the duo at the center of it all manages to hold it all together somehow. The Attachment Diaries is a dark, bizarre mystery thriller that flirts with B-movie status in a way that somehow makes the experience richer than it had any real right to be. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Masterpiece film review by UK film critic Swati Verma . Starring Samaksh Sudi, Megha Ray, Gauri Batra directed by Kundan Sad. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Masterpiece Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Swati Verma | Posted on: Jun 5, 2025 Directed by: Kundan Sad Written by: Abhijeet Kamble , Samaksh Sudi Starring: Samaksh Sudi, Megha Ray, Gauri Batra The director, Kundan Das along with his writers, Abhijeet Kamble and Samaksh Sudi creates content that focuses on intricate storytelling engaging the audience fully and having a long-lasting impact on them. Samaksh Sudi, Gauri Batra, and Megha Ray deliver the dramatic quotient effectively, understanding the nuances of their character arc which allows the film to stay with the viewers even after they have finished watching it. The plot of The Masterpiece revolves around Rohan a portrait photographer who strives to capture two crucial expressions from his girlfriend for a prestigious contest risking their bond and his sanity. The Masterpiece begins with Rohan’s portfolio artistic display of his pictures and his achievements with a soulful melody playing in the background to grip the audience’s attention towards the subject matter of the film. An extreme close-up shot of a woman doing makeup followed by her shadow is a good way to build a little mystery around her character arc. Rohan being preoccupied with work while Ankita trying to talk to him showcases the tension in their relationship from the very start and therefore helps in making the content engaging for the audience. The set design, black and white colour palette with slight hint of a red and yellow, combination of natural as well as the studio lighting, camera angles, dialogues, costume, hair, makeup, and props complement and uplift the pace of the movie. In terms of Performance, Samaksh Sudi plays Rohan a passionate photographer who stands at the threshold of winning the most reputed photography challenge and wants to excel in whatever his profession demands of him but fails to take care of the emotional needs of his girlfriend Ankita. Sudi brilliantly portrays every shade of Rohan as a person gradually making the audience fearful, disgusted with him as the story progresses. Gauri Batra plays Ankita a loving girlfriend who gets ready to help Rohan despite having an important meeting scheduled. Batra depicts the innocence, unconditional love, and vulnerabilities she showcases in front of Rohan who doesn’t care just using her as a replacement for a professional model. The young actress quickly switches from innocence in the first half to helplessness in the second half as per the demand of the script. Megha Ray plays the role of Sambhavi a strong independent girl who stands for people in need of any kind of help selflessly. Ray’s screen space is limited but she leaves a lasting impression on the viewer’s mind. Megha Ray as Shambhavi has qualities that make her realistic and relatable. The Masterpiece warns the viewers to stay aware of their surroundings prioritising security of self and people around them. The short film communicates a strong message of women standing up for each other in tough times. The dramatic piece highlights that being passionate about work is a beautiful feeling it drives people to do their best in the chosen field but it should not prove harmful to others in any way. The cinematic piece reiterates that love is important but respect should accompany it for a healthy relationship to flourish. The Masterpiece talks about the requirement of considering every aspect of a romantic relationship before saying yes as getting out of the same can become laborious and painful if it turns out to be physically as well as emotionally draining taking away the happiness in the long term. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Swati Verma Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Whispers film review by UK film critic Matt Trapp. Starring Ehsan Gharedaghi, Nava Nemati directed by Ali Moazen. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Whispers Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Matt Trapp | Posted on: Nov 20, 2025 Directed by: Ali Moazen Written by: Peyman Ezzati Starring: Ehsan Gharedaghi, Nava Nemati Ali Moazen’s short film The Whispers is an intimate and quiet affair. The cast is made up of just Ehsan Gharedaghi and Nava Nemati, playing a couple with an ambiguous relationship as they converse in bed. More context surrounding their relationship is revealed as the short unfolds, and the couple begin to reveal certain vulnerabilities and fears with each other. It’s the morning after the night before, and for the duration of the short, the two leads share a conversation in bed that skates around relationships, pain, and philosophy. Immediately, the audience are invited into a very personal space, as the camera lingers above and between the two actors underneath their bedsheets. A thin sunbeam gives the impression that The Whispers takes place after a night of passion, and in the afterglow of the night before, the two can be open with each other for perhaps the first time. The conversation sways idly between various topics; they talk about school, past loves, and scars – both emotional and physical. There’s a sense that they can be honest with each other in this space, sharing anxieties that they’re burdened by in everyday life and confessing to darker thoughts that have troubled them. A cloud of unease underpins the conversation as they meander around past traumas, and when the film ends, it feels as though something unspoken is left hanging in the air. The Whispers treads into heavy territory, and while it's interesting to see how these characters confront what could have been an awkward morning, audiences may find it difficult to navigate through the dialogue to find exactly what Moazen’s point is. Unfortunately, the English language subtitles were unclear in parts, which made the conversation difficult to follow. A key reveal towards the end of the film was vague in the English subtitles, and audiences may miss the meaning of the film’s climax. Fortunately, the subtitles can easily be improved, and I would like to see the film again with a more accurate translation into English. The Whispers should be commended for its filmmaking and the performances of the cast. The minimalism of shooting two actors in bed and putting the camera between them creates a strong sense of intimacy, and Moazen clearly trusts the audience to learn the nature of the main characters’ relationship to each other without spoonfeeding all the juicy details immediately. It feels rewarding to learn how casual or serious the nature of their relationship is, which gives the first half of the short a palpable sense of intrigue. However, while the verisimilitude of the dialogue creates a great sense of realism, the film may lose audiences with an apparent lack of focus in the script and a fairly lethargic pace. Once the details of the night before are revealed, the engine begins to run on empty, and there’s not much in the way of conflict to keep the audience invested. The brilliance of the film’s script may shine through with a better English translation, but until that is available, the narrative and dramatic potential of The Whispers unfortunately falls a little short. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Matt Trapp Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Dario Argento Panico film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Dario Argento, Asia Argento, Fiore Argento, Guillermo del Toro, Nicolas Winding Refn directed by Simone Scafidi. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Dario Argento Panico Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Feb 1, 2024 Directed by: Simone Scafidi Written by: Manlio Gomarasca, Giada Mazzoleni, Davide Pulici Starring: Dario Argento, Asia Argento, Fiore Argento, Guillermo del Toro, Nicolas Winding Refn In 2019, documentarian Simone Scafidi turned his attention to Italian horror filmmaker Lucio Fulci for the film Fulci for Fake . It seems only fitting, then, that he shine a spotlight on Italy’s most revered horror maestro – and a bit of an artistic adversary of Fulci’s – Dario Argento. Panico follows Argento into seclusion in a hotel where he hopes to finish his latest screenplay. From there, Scafidi interviews the director as well as his oldest daughter, Fiore, essentially ruining the whole point of Argento’s stay at the hotel, which makes the setup seem odd from the start. Argento knows what’s up, though, posing thoughtfully with beautiful architecture and charming Scafidi with the odd reminiscence. These moments pepper a chronological throughline of archival footage and movie segments as well as contemporary interviews with family and other filmmakers. Few genre fans would argue Argento’s influence or importance in cinema. Gushing tributes from Guillermo del Toro, Nicolas Winding Refn and Gaspar Noé (who cast Argento in the lead for his 2021 drama Vortex ) offer delightful glimpses into just what an influence he has been. Not every opinion is positive – one friend of Argento’s even articulates the plain truth that the maestro’s Nineties output lacked all art. What Panico lacks are follow-up questions. A number of provocative comments from interviewees seemed like opportunities to hear from Argento on the matter, and yet at no point does Scafidi dig in. This is most confounding during a fairly lengthy interview with Argento’s younger daughter, Asia. The star of six of her father’s films, beginning with Trauma when she was 16, Asia Argento has been the center of a great deal of speculation and debate concerning her father as a filmmaker and as a parent. And though she spins each unusual parenting or directorial choice as if it’s natural, positive, or wise, most of the time it clearly is not. In fact, an entire (and far more interesting) look at who Dario Argento is and what we should make of his movies could be carved out of just her interview, had Scafidi double checked any of it with her dad. Nope. Instead, Dario sits across a table from Fiore. She asks him how he managed to be such an amazing dad, always doting on his two daughters. He says that’s just how a person goes about being a father. I’m not bothered by a superficial doc that just points out why a filmmaker managed to leave such a remarkable legacy in a single genre. But if you’re going to tease us with actual information, choosing not to address any of that information makes for a very frustrating viewing experience. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Digital / DVD Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Mr. Wonderful film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Michael Madsen, Kate Hodge, Robert Laenen, Brittany Underwood, Bradley Stryker, Priscilla Barnes, Robert Miano directed by Mark David. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Mr. Wonderful Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Jan 28, 2026 Directed by: Mark David Written by: Daniel Blake Smith Starring: Michael Madsen, Kate Hodge, Robert Laenen, Brittany Underwood, Bradley Stryker, Priscilla Barnes, Robert Miano A struggling middle-aged man finds himself swept back up into the lives of his father and his son, as circumstances beyond his control force them back together in some difficult situations. Professor Brian Fenton (Madsen) is stuck in a rut. He’s been teaching at some mid-rate further education college in California for around twenty years now, still without tenure, and without having published any work for over ten years. He’s upped his alcohol intake to every day, and has taken to sometime day-drinking to stave off the existential dread. His lectures are the most boring, turgid crap, where he can barely get the words out due to his over-gruff, deep, raspy voice, and the students are in the process of revolting. Ironically, Brian is trying to teach about the American Revolution, and the misconceptions and false narratives surrounding it, but this all falls on deaf ears as his bad attitude and bad grades cause a cabal of his 4th years to conspire against him. On top of all this, Brian’s son, Danny (Laenen), has turned up from further down the coast, escaping his cheating girlfriend as well as a few drug dealers that he’s pinched some money from. Danny’s decided to camp out with his father and his second wife, Corinne (Hodge), for a while so that he can get his head together and maybe get a home cooked meal. Getting it together isn’t really on the cards for Danny as he is a developmentally arrested thirty-something man-child, and besides, his trailer-trash girlfriend, Dawn (Underwood), has followed him to his dad’s house to try and get him and her money back. As pressure piles upon pressure, Brian then has to deal with the ailing health of his father (Miano), who, all the way down in Texas, is dealing with dementia, and is becoming a threat to himself and his second wife, Claire (Barnes). Trying to take it all in his stride, and with a calm, Californian attitude, Brian is actually quite close to the edge. Corinne is an enormous support, but even she draws the line at Danny’s idiocy, and the arrival of Dawn throws everything into total disarray. Sooner or later, Brian is likely to break, and he can’t see clear to a path out of his huge pile-on of family trauma. Played by the late, great Michael Madsen, in his last starring role, Brian presents as a sour but amiable character, who’d just like everything to go back to normal, everything to work out, and everyone else to f*** off. Madsen imbues Brian with a feeling of history, if not entirely a chequered one like his more famous roles, and grants him a pathos that might not have been there otherwise. He ambles about from scene to scene, swilling wine, laughing at others, making some barbed statements, and bouncing off the other characters, with and without sunglasses, sometimes taking them off and putting them on as he goes. Each scene is filled with presence, and when the story lags, or the other characters don’t perform adequately enough on screen, Madsen is always there to pick up the slack and bring the film back into focus, giving it all he’s got, even as he knows he doesn’t have long left. That’s not to say that the other acting is not good, because it is, in fact it’s consistently strong right across the board as everyone delivers their characters down to a T. It’s just that the characters themselves are fairly poorly drawn, with very little backstory and very bland introductions. They respond to situations in a one-note fashion and never actually grow from the start of the film to the end, leaving the actors to spout quite childish dialogue while trying to save some drama from the situation, with varying results. The script, from writer Daniel Blake Smith, is taken from his own book, and one has to wonder if the quality of writing in that tome is similar to this, or whether the transition to screenplay has left some of the actual content out. Director, Mark David, is similarly average in his delivery, keeping a lot of his scenes still, or with simple tracking, and offering zero sense of visual style or flair. There’s a functionality about the way the narrative and the scenes are pieced together, and nothing ever really stretches beyond that to give something more to the audience. This also plays into the performances, where a certain am-dram quality is sprinkled over the proceedings due to the farcical nature of what is happening on screen. Thankfully, there’s a family feel to the ensemble nature of the piece, and everyone looks to be enjoying themselves on-screen, offering a relaxed atmosphere and a growing sense of nostalgia as the story nears its end. Conclusion would be too strong a word for how things are wrapped up in Mr. Wonderful , as more things are resolved by the freeing up of cash than they are by actual character development. However, there’s a nice bookending to the narrative that gives Brian his arcing trajectory, and by the end of it we’re all just happy to have gone on the journey with Michael Madsen, gaining another hour-and three-quarters with a screen legend who was never allowed to make his mark as a leading man anywhere near as much as he should have. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Digital / DVD Release, Indie Feature Film, Amazon Prime < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Yellow Gangs film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Archana Kottige, Dev Devaiah, Arun Kumar, Sriharsha H.S., Sathya B.G. directed by Ravindra Parameshwarappa. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Yellow Gangs Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Jun 29, 2023 Directed by: Ravindra Parameshwarappa Written by: Ravindra Parameshwarappa Starring: Archana Kottige, Dev Devaiah, Arun Kumar, Sriharsha H.S., Sathya B.G. Stop me if you've heard this one before: We're in the back seat of a moving car. Looking down we can see the body of an injured victim sprawled across the length of the seats. He's bleeding – profusely. The driver in the front is trying to get to safety, every so often turning to check on the invalid in the back, shouting his name, getting more and more worried with each passing second. What the hell has just happened? How did these characters get themselves into this diabolical situation? Are they going to make it? Is the person in the back still alive? Are they in fact a mole, a police operative working undercover in the shadows of a gangster underworld, who's managed to get caught up in the crossfire of a criminal enterprise gone wrong? Sounds kinda familiar, huh? And yes, writer/director Ravindra Parameshwarappa's intro to his new feature film, Yellow Gangs does smack an awful lot of Reservoir Dogs (1992) and goes on to reference/borrow a lot from Tarantino's first outing, as well as bits and pieces from his other major successes, but it's the other favourite Godfather of gangster movies that gets the most nods as a lot of the characterisation, story and style of the film ape faithfully the Cockney gangster vibe of Guy Ritchie. After the opening scene and slick title sequence then comes the usual rounds of introducing all the main characters, each with their own glib dialogue, a funky, fun theme on the soundtrack, and if they're really special, their very own title card splashed all over the screen in the RocknRolla (2008) style. So we've got Vikram (Devaiah), a cop and the guy in the back seat from the opening scene, who likes to play both sides and is involved with his on-again/off-again girlfriend Priya (Kottige), who was the one driving him to safety after he'd been shot. There's Ushna (Kumar), leader of a gang of hardened criminals who like to do drug deals and take receipt of giant bags full of cash. Then there's Tent Naga (Sathya B G), leader of a rival group of gangsters who wants to get in to rob a jewellery store and generally live the Thug Life. And, of course, we can't forget The Accountant (Sriharsha H.S.), the seemingly naïve stooge who's used as a safehouse for the cash while the heat is on and who also, by sheer coincidence, does the accounts for a certain jewellery store. There are plenty of other characters involved, too, with another gang on the scene, underlings with names like Spark and Double-Decker, and something to do with a grumpy old man and his classic Mercedes-Benz. So, the set-up is pretty standard for the usual crime caper. All of our characters get brought together and mixed up in each others' mess, then all the threads have to be unravelled to get us back to the start where we came in to the story. Everything in Yellow Gangs is slick and well presented, with the scenes running quickly and easily into one another and Parameshwarappa doing a good job behind the camera offering us plenty of different angles and viewpoints in each new scenario. All of the effects fit well into the story with some being impressive for the budget level of the film and the technical aspects all come together to keep the production of a high standard. As usual, all dialogue and sound effects are added in post-production and as such fail to sync up on occasion, but this can be overlooked as an idiosyncrasy of the process. At two and a quarter hours long there's a lot of jumping around and filler in Yellow Gangs which serves to slow the pace of the story down, especially in the middle act. It can be difficult to follow all the different characters and just who is who in relation to each other, especially if you're not too familiar with Indian names, and there's an awful lot of attempts at humour which just don't translate very well. There are definitely two barrels worth of Lock, Stock... (1998) in here as well as a smattering of Snatch (2000) but there's also definite allusions to Beverly Hills Cop (1984) and the Ocean's films (2001-2007) as well as many other heist movies which suggest that Parameshwarappa may have been lifting his favourite scenes and using them to his own ends. The use of some very Harold Faltermeyer synth in a mansion break-in seems to confirm this. For what is a very Western genre translated into an Indian setting, Yellow Gangs is an enjoyable romp. It won't win any prizes for originality, or scripting, but the actors give their all and the story isn't half bad. If you're into Indian cinema then it might be worth a look, but if not then it's probably not worth the time investment for something that you've most likely seen before, and better. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Indie Feature Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The UK trailer for Leos Carax’s epic musical Annette just dropped from Mubi, with the film headed to cinemas in the UK and Ireland on 3 September 2021 and available exclusively on MUBI from 26th November 2021.. Brand new film trailers. Annette UK Trailer The UK trailer for Leos Carax’s epic musical Annette just dropped from Mubi, with the film headed to cinemas in the UK and Ireland on 3 September 2021 and available exclusively on MUBI from 26th November 2021. The much-lauded filmmaker Leos Carax (check out his darkly intriguing Holy Motors ) brings new audiences ANNETTE, which sees him working with Sparks, one of pop’s best-loved and most influential cult bands, to tell an audacious story of the pitfalls of love, fame and fortune. The always impressive Adam Driver (House of Gucci, Marriage Story, Paterson) and Oscar®-winner Marion Cotillard (Inception, La Vie en Rose, Macbeth, ) star as a provocative stand-up comedian and internationally renowned opera singer living in contemporary Los Angeles: a seemingly perfect couple constantly in the good graces of the media spotlight. However, when they welcome their daughter Annette into the world, they soon learn that her mysterious and ethereal gifts will change their lives forever. Featuring phenomenal performances from its two leads, Carax’s latest is an unabashedly unique and unforgettable spectacle, soundtracked by Sparks’ typically idiosyncratic music and lyrics. Co-starring Simon Helberg (Florence Foster Jenkins, The Big Bang Theory) , it received a spectacular reception at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival , where it premiered as the Opening Film and won the coveted Best Director Award. 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In The Grey Scary Movie 6 The horror-comedy world is officially being turned upside down as the first trailer for Scary Movie 6 has finally arrived, marking a monumental return for the franchise that defined a generation of parody cinema. Empire of Lies Empire of Lies arrives in UK cinemas and on digital platforms on 27th March. Undertone Undertone is scheduled to arrive in cinemas on Friday, March 13th, 2025. If the trailer is anything to go by, we suggest you keep the lights on and perhaps think twice before pressing play on your next favourite podcast. The Moment The Land of Sometimes Twins Alfie and Elise find a magical Wish Watch on Christmas Eve and are swept by the Wish Collector into the musical Land of Sometimes, where they learn that wishes have consequences. Avengers: Doomsday Fans are elated at the release of the first teaser trailer for Avengers: Doomsday. Set for a theatrical release on 18th December 2026, find out more here.