★★★★ Directed by #TakashiMiike Written by #MasaNakamura Starring #MasatakaKubota #SakurakoKonishi Film Review by #HopeMadden Few directors can consistently surprise you, can show such control and create such chaos, as Takashi Miike. Miike makes Yakuza movies, he makes samurai movies, he makes horror movies, he makes kids movies. But it’s when he makes a mashup of a couple of those that he really defies expectations. First Love is Miike’s tenth collaboration with writer Masa Nakamura. Their shared vision takes us through one night in Tokyo with a prostitute, a boxer, a cop, a mobster who wants out, and two warring gangs. As one wistful participant of the evening’s adventure points out, nothing’s ever simple. Masataka Kubota (Tokyo Ghoul S) cuts a forlorn, otherworldly figure as Leo, the lonesome boxer. He fights for pay, but has no greater purpose. That actually puts him ahead of everyone else he’ll meet tonight because they all serve the wrong purpose. As Leo stumbles headlong into an action flick in progress, Miike does what he does best. He zigs when you think he'll zag, jukes when you expect jive. In First Love, Miike paint-by-numbers a romance film into the Jackson Pollack of a gangster shoot out. Silly in its own way, as many of Miike’s greatest films are, First Love feels like an off-handed goodbye to the Yakuza drama. In between absurdities and viscera, the filmmaker’s tone feels pensive as characters look to their undetermined future in a profession that’s changing, even probably ending as they know it. And then he switches to anime. Because, honestly, if you’re willing to suspend disbelief enough to buy these gun fights, sword fights, fist fights and hallucinations, why not a one-time transition to comic book art? In another filmmaker's hands, this jarring one-off nuttiness might seem contrived or off-putting, but not on Planet Miike. His profession may be shifting sand beneath some feet, but Takashi Miike flies wherever he wants to go.

★★ Directed by #MichaelGoi Written by #AnthonyJaswinski Starring #GaryOldman #EmilyMortimer Film Review by #HopeMadden I am having a hard time figuring out Mary. Some of my befuddlement has to do with Gary Oldman’s involvement. Is it just me, or is there a part of everyone’s brain that says, “Wait, Gary Oldman’s in this? I will definitely watch it!” Gary Oldman is a tremendous talent. You know what he’s not? Choosy. Here Oldman plays David, an aging boat captain carting tourists around for a fishing company. He has big dreams, though—dreams of owning his own craft. So naturally, when a ghost ship washes ashore, he cashes in everything he owns to buy her at police action. Then he promptly loads his squabbling family and a couple of deckhands aboard and sails toward the Bermuda triangle. Of course he does! What exactly happens once he sets sail is a mystery David’s wife (Emily Mortimer) explains throughout the film’s running time from an interrogation room. The police interrogation framework is very tired at this point. It’s lazy. As are dream sequences and voiceover narration. They’re cinematic crutches, ways of telling the audience what should be coming organically from the narrative. Director Michael Goi (Megan Is Missing) relies on these devices to explain what the action should detail, just as he falls back on ominous music to create dread or signal character development. I’m not sure this script gave him loads of options, though. Writer Anthony Jaswinski (The Shallows) sketches characters, action and a ghost story, but clarifies very little. His script is an unfocused mess and Goi’s pacing does not help. We skip CliffsNotes style through the family’s crisis, none of it feeling authentic, before discovering the hidden facts about Mary (the ship and, presumably, the ghost) sitting in a box in the hallway. What’s this, ship ledgers and newspaper clippings? How convenient! At 84 minutes (including credits), Mary feels simultaneously rushed and bloated. It’s a remarkable waste of both Mortimer and Oldman’s talent and the only true mystery—left unsolved, by the way—is how it drew these actors in the first place.

★★ Directed by #JonLucas #ScottMoore Written by #JonLucas #ScottMoore Starring #AdamDevine #AlexandraShipp #RoseByrne Film Review by #HopeMadden Jexi is the Captain Obvious of comedies. We’re on our phones too much. We’re failing to take in the beauty around us. We’re not making human connections. We’re more comfortable isolating ourselves. The online world we create is false and sad. Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, the insightful filmmaking team skewering society with cultural commentaries like Bad Moms and Bad Moms Christmas, wants to help you see the absurdity of living this phone-dependent life. They drag poor Adam Devine, Alexandra Shipp and Rose Byrne down with them. Devine is socially isolated Phil—good guy, smart, but incredibly uncomfortable socially. He’d rather cozy up afterwork with take-out and Netflix, all of it brought up via voice commands. Then he meets gorgeous Cate (Shipp) who works with her hands, likes the outdoors, owns a brick-and-mortar shop and finds Phil’s cowardly self-deprecation charming. He’s so distracted he breaks his phone. The defective operating system on the new phone promptly ruins his life, thereby setting him free. Jexi is like Spike Jonze’s 2013 masterpiece Her, only dumb. Devine gives his all to a minor twist on his familiar character, the lovable dumbass. As the lead in the film, his edges are softened this go-round, and he settles into a nicely amiable schlub you can root for. Shipp doesn’t get to do much beyond be the girl you wish you were or you wish you were dating, but Byrne delivers some laughs. Rose Byrne is one of the most reliable comic actors working today. Here she’s basically a jealous, controlling, psychotic Siri and her deadpan delivery is priceless. It’s just not enough to salvage the film. Get off your phones. Kiss a girl. Ride a bike. Duh.

★★★★★ Directed by #NoahBaumbach Starring #ScarlettJohansson, #AdamDriver, #LauraDern Film review by Nathanial Eker Divorce is a frequent device in mainstream Hollywood. Crazy Stupid Love, It’s Complicated, Mrs. Doubtfire, and countless others utilise it as a hurdle; an obstacle for the protagonist to overcome; an anthropomorphised antagonist. Terms like ‘custody agreement’ are thrown around as foreboding third act bombshells resolved by vague legal loopholes or spontaneous changes of heart. Where other films care little for the monumental financial and emotional implications, Marriage Story provides an unflinching look at the modern divorce. Director Noah Baumbach assaults the audience with an un-tempered view of the brutal legal system and its transformative impact on those unfortunate enough to suffer its bureaucratic wrath. In just over two hours Baumbach expertly crafts devastating drama, authentic human conflict and a depressingly real relationship, broken beyond repair. Charlie (Driver) and Nicole (Johansson) have a perfect life, on paper. A successful director – actor duo with a charming little boy and a quaint but homely New York apartment (considering housing prices!); their middle-class bliss is enviable. However, as we quickly learn, they’ve decided to end their marriage. When Nicole moves back to L.A and meets with ruthless family lawyer Nora Fanshaw (Dern), their once amicable intentions quickly dissolve into a bitter custody battle that profoundly changes who they are, once were, and will be. Marriage Story’s script is devastatingly true-to-life. Charlie and Nicole are both intelligent and amicable; the kind of friends that couples dream of inviting to dinner parties. Baumbach, with an unmatched eye for tension, torturously places us as the voyeur, praying we never have to endure such trials. Combining arguments that escalate realistically with an increasingly intrusive camera, we can do nothing but watch as civility is thrust into the wall by Driver’s clenched fist. The dialogue is sharp tongued and black witted, reflecting the laughable, obtuse complexities of the American legal system that inevitably devolves into a game of ‘he said-she said.’ Baumbach’s commentary is overt and cutting, though he also cleverly identifies the reasons behind such legislation, forcing a theme of perspective throughout. Impartiality is another clear intent. Despite questionable decisions, neither Charlie or Nicole are framed as villainous; we’re instead forced to feel conflicted, much like their young son. Marriage Story’s commentary on gender roles is equally impartial; the legal odds are heavily weighted against Charlie, but at the same time the higher standards of behaviour of women is illustrated with equal elegance by a seductively manipulative Laura Dern. While the film is a portrait of a relationship left for dead, it also willingly comments on the expectations of people, and the metamorphosing effect of trauma. Excellent directorial choices and script aside, Marriage Story would amount to little more than a solemn romantic comedy if the performances of its leads weren’t uniquely believable. Fortunately, Driver and Johansson are in a word; faultless. There isn’t an inch of hesitation as both immerse themselves into the husk of deceased love, crafting electric chemistry and an unmatched portrayal of loss and despair. This stanch, raw emotion slowly builds to an explosive final exchange that uncomfortably forces the audiences to relive every regrettable, hurtful comment they’ve made to a loved one; it’s a finale that is part weep inducing, part self-flagellating. Fortunately, the film does mercifully offer moments of levity, lest we all leave entirely disillusioned by the promise of unattainable love. Marriage Story is more than a film; it’s an act of penance, an experience in self-reflection, and a cautionary tale of the cruelty of lost love. In an era of superheroes and villains, the simple reality of the expiring heart of a relationship once brimming with life and love is eminently more powerful, more touching, and more thought provoking. The gripping narrative moves neither too quickly or slowly, building to an inevitable, powerful final act that is tenser than any horror film. Baumbach’s genius positioning of the audience as the voyeur, the child of divorce unable to influence the destructive events as they unfold, exemplifies the powerlessness of the staggering number of unfortunate children caught up in such affairs. Driver haunts. Johansson stuns. Marriage Story is an unfailingly honest examination of human interaction and one of the best films of 2019. #NathanialEker

Squeeze Toy ★★ Directed by: #ChrisKDaniels Written by: #ChrisKDaniels Starring: #ChristianTabb, #SamuelCaswell, #ArunaEvan Film Review by: JJ Donoghue Chris K. Daniels is something of a prolific filmmaker, with over 15 directing credits to his name since 2015. The evidence of this steadily accumulating wealth of experience demonstrates itself in his 2019 short film, Squeeze Toy, which tells the story of Adrian (Christian Tabb), a young man seemingly on the run from a mysterious villain named Halloran (Samuel Caswell) and his nefarious intentions. Squeeze Toy has an assured sense of style which, though reminiscent of the zany comic-book inspired aesthetic of well-known movies such as Scott Pilgrim vs The World, is still distinctive and memorable in its own right. There are several directorial and artistic flourishes which help Squeeze Toy to leave an impression, even when it isn’t absolutely original. For example, the words which flash sporadically onto the screen are one example of the kind of technique which other directors have used before in crafting this particular cinematic blend of cartoon and real world. However, Daniels employs it smartly and innovatively, using it to reflect the fact that much of the action all takes place in the head of the protagonist, Adrian. Thus, the words are projections of Adrian’s thoughts, just like the scenes. Meanwhile, the flood of hazy orange which envelops many of the frames involving the sinister Halloran help to give his scenes a sense of otherworldliness. This, in addition to the truly unsettling costumes and make-up of Halloran and his minions, helps to heighten the film’s mania and create an atmosphere of fear and a sense of ominous anticipation in the audience. The protagonist, Adrian, is one of the most interesting elements of Squeeze Toy. His character’s narration is well scripted, while the words are brought to life excellently by Tabb, who serves full justice to all aspects of his character’s fractious emotional spectrum. He holds our attention with a manic energy which compliments the upbeat, racy electronic soundtrack, composed by Thomas Nielsen. At the same time, Tabb never overacts when it would have been easy to do so with this character. However, the existence in the script of Adrian’s torn mental state is Squeeze Toy’s most glaring issue. Though this film’s style is genuinely noteworthy, there is not a satisfying balance with the plot content. The all-revealing twist at the end does not come as much of a surprise; instead, it serves merely as a frustrating diversion from a climactic fight scene which has been progressively hinted at from the very beginning of the story but is never actually allowed to unfold. Though the director has noble intentions, it feels as though he has tried to cram too many ideas into too a narrow runtime, meaning that the ending leaves a lingering sense of unfulfilled excitement. Daniels might instead have served the film better if he had focused all of his efforts on building and developing, to the fullest extent, the freakish sci-fi world in which Squeeze Toy’s most exciting, watchable and well-constructed moments occur.

★★★★ Directed by: #JenSoska, #SylviaSoska Written by: #JenSoska, #SylviaSoska, #JohnSerge Starring: #LauraVandervoort, #BenjaminHollingsworth, #PhilBrooks Grimmfest Film Review by: Darren TIlby It’s not every day that someone promises to ‘bring a mutated rabies virus’ to the #FilmFestival you were attending, only for you to think “Yeah, cool. Can’t wait.” That’s a testament to both the weird charm of #Grimmfest and the wonderfully twisted humour of the #Soska sisters. But it’s even rarer I come out of a screening of a “remake” – of a #Cronenberg film no less – having enjoyed it more than I did the original. That’s a testament to the #Soska’s film-making prowess. Jen and Sylvia #Soska’s reimagining – an important distinction – of #Cronenberg’s #Rabid takes the best bits of his film (namely, the practical effects-driven #bodyhorror), mutating into something thoroughly contemporary and relevant. Gone are the underlying themes of female sexual empowerment and sexual violence—which was so brilliantly turned on its head by #Cronenberg. Despite equality still being hotly debated and sexual violence against women still being far too prevalent, these subjects – which were so relevant in their day – simply wouldn’t be as powerful now. Instead, the #Soskas take aim at our obsession for perfection and the fashion industry’s influence in that very human foible. It’s here we meet (Laura Vandervoort’s) Rose. A car crash survivor with facial scarring, Rose is working towards being a fashion designer and receives tutelage from world-famous fashion designer, Gunter (#MackenzieGray). But Rose’s designs lack passion and her peers clearly don’t think she belongs on the programme; she’s regularly the butt-end of everyone’s jokes. But Chelsea (Hanneke Talbot) – Rose’s only friend and colleague – arranges a surprise date for her friend with wannabe photo-journalist Brad (Benjamin Hollingsworth). This goes wrong, however, as Rose doesn’t approve of the gesture, and, storming out, bikes right into oncoming traffic. Brutally disfigured and in constant pain, Rose opts for an experimental stem cell procedure from the world’s creepiest “Doctor” – “I am very pleased to meet you.” – Dr Burroughs. Surprisingly, this turns out to be a pretty crap idea. An idea which causes a considerable amount of killings and maimings, all more gruesome than the last. On this point, it’s great to see the #Soskas have carried on the tradition of grotesque #practicaleffects that #Cronenberg is so famous for. In fact, I think there may be considerably more here than in the original. It’s undoubtedly used with more panache. Indeed, confidence permeates through the entire movie; the ##Soskas are incredibly talented film-makers who know what they want and how to get it. This shows primarily in writing—adapting a Cronenberg film is no small feat after all. But also in #KimDerko’s sublime cinematography, #ErinDeck’s superbly well-judged editing, and a brilliant original score from #ClaudeFoisy. #Rabid is undeniably resplendent in technical proficiency, and it’s great to see so many female names appearing in the credits. Now admittedly, I wasn’t a huge fan of #Cronenberg’s #Rabid. But Jen and Sylvia #Soska’s profoundly modern retelling, splendid in its #Cronenbergian #horror, was a blast. It has been a good couple of years for Canadian #horror films, and there were a fair few at #Grimmfest this year. It’s an attestation to the proficiency of its crew and talent of its cast that it stands out amongst them as one of the best. #Rabid has now been released on Blu-ray here in the UK, and it’s well worth your time and money.

★★★★ Directed by: #MitchMcLeod Written by: Mitch McLeod Starring: #AprilHartman, #TomZembrod, #JessicaDawnWillis Indie Film Review by: Chris Olson A deep and affecting exploration of grief and bereavement in this indie horror film Silhouette, written and directed by Mitch McLeod. The movie is full of intoxicating dark themes and two incredible central performances. April Hartman and Tom Zembrod play Amanda and Jack, respectively, a married couple on their way to a new secluded home where they hope to leave their traumatic past behind them. Having lost their daughter Sarah, the couple struggle to come to terms with their new life together and the #PTSD for Amanda takes a heavy and terrifying toll in the form of bizarre visions and horrific nightmares. McLeod executes a well-crafted and controlled slow pace to Silhouette which is essential to its success. The audience needs to fully invest in the relationship of Amanda and Jack in order for the spooky goings on to hit their mark. Each character is given comprehensive development and we see their struggles from numerous angles; Tom’s supposed infidelity is explored through neighbour Dawn (Jessica Dawn Willis) as well as compelling duplicated sequences, whilst Amanda’s grip on reality is kept almost exhaustingly insular for the most part, with endless claustrophobic scenes, but also through flashbacks and surreal imagery. It is the performances, however, which impress most. Tom Zembrod gives a worthy turn as the caring but bone-tired husband looking to find happiness for him and his wife in the gloomy aftermath of losing their daughter. His attempts to cheerily build a new life go undermined when he bares all during a brilliant bar scene. April Hartman is the knockout though. She delivers a sensational performance as the grief-stricken mother-no-more who cannot find equilibrium in a world without her daughter. The events of her past haunt her with relentless and nightmarish vigour, and Hartman captivates within this engulfing atmosphere. For a #horror film, Silhouette isn’t attempting to subvert the genre or even bring anything particularly new to the table. Movies that combine horror techniques over a narrative about losing a child have been done, such as Pet Sematary, but here the focus is actually more on the failing marriage. The disconnect between Amanda and Jack becomes increasingly nerve wracking, with the former losing her grasp on reality and the latter succumbing to despair, and the horror trappings which ensue feel more like side-effects of their mistakes than anything supernatural or evil. Aside from being a little indulgent with darkness (some scenes were poorly lit) and a tad long in the running time, Silhouette is an emotionally gripping story that intelligently explores the effect of grief and tragedy on a relationship. #ChrisOlson Watch the movie trailer:

★★★★ Directed by: #RobGrant Written by: #RobGrant, #MikeKovac Starring: #MunroChambers, #EmilyTyra, #ChristopherGray, #BrettGelman Grimmfest Film Review by: Darren Tilby Writer/director Rob Grant’s latest feature (for which he has a ‘Shark Wrangler’ credit), Harpoon, is a tense and riveting thriller experience. But its tongue-in-cheek, narrative-driven plot – full of humour and wit – belies its true nature and leads the viewer into a false sense of security—before punching you in the face during the last act of the movie. If it were a person, it wouldn’t be a particularly good friend. This leads me nicely into our little group of castaways, who are less a close-knit clique than they are a dysfunctional melange. In fact, there’s running joke throughout the film – delivered by Brett Gelman and his superb monotone narration – about different kinds of friendships. For instance, Jonah (Munro Chambers) and Richard’s (Christopher Gray) ‘friendship of convenience’ certainly isn’t a healthy one. Richard’s financially privileged background conceals a history of violence (both he and his father suffer from rage-filled paranoia). While Jonah’s obsession with his neglectful parents and the debt they left him in, continually sends him running back to his more privileged friend. Then there’s Sasha (a brilliant performance from Emily Tyra). Seemingly the only sane member of the group and Richard’s girlfriend. Who has a strained sexual history with her boyfriend and, more often than not, spends her time playing mother to both Richard and Jonah. It’s Richard’s paranoia and rage issues that lead him to brutally attack his friend on the assumption that he’s sleeping with Sasha. By way of an apology to them both, he arranges a day trip on his boat with his new harpoon (“Speargun!”), which Jonah and Sasha had bought him for his birthday. Which, in retrospect, may not have been a great idea. Unfortunately, it turns out not sufficiently stocking your boat in case of unforeseen issues, stranding three people, all with trust issues and strenuous relationships, on a small ship together, certainly wasn’t. Who knew, right? Despite being billed as a comedy-horror, I think it’s fair to say Harpoon sits firmly in the thriller camp. Grant and co-writer Mike Kovac have indeed written it as such. Using the tried-and-tested formula of misapprehension and deception to weave its narrative and, hopefully, trick its audience. But I’ve got to say, that didn’t happen for me. I saw the final twist (because there are a few) coming quite early on, and I believe that’s because the film comes across as being a little formulaic. However, Harpoon is brilliantly written and directed, and the sallies between the group are both well-timed and excellently delivered. And, despite not being very surprising, the revelations are well-handled and nicely paced. The real star of the show for me, however, was the superb narration running through the film. It plays out like the opening scenes of Hot Fuzz in its tone; taking a more humorous approach and alleviating some of the edginess. It may not work for everyone, particularly die-hard thriller fans, but I found it a welcome change of pace. The altering attitude of the movie brought on by the film’s humour contrasting with the genuinely unpleasant nature of things happening on-screen does mean that when that climax hits you, it hits bloody hard. Although I do feel that Harpoon sticks a little too much to the standard ‘safe’ thriller formula, possibly losing a few of the more hard-core genre fans in the process. The upshot of this is that there’s a far more accessible film here for movie-goers who perhaps aren’t big fans of the genre. Myself included.

October 10, 2019 | UK Film Review ★★★★ Directed by #MichaelWinterbottom Starring #SteveCoogan, #DavidMitchell, #DinitaGohil, #AsaButterfield, #IslaFisher, #SophieCookson Film review by Nathanial Eker With a message bound to cause reconsiderations in choice of clothes realtor, Greed is a bombastic indictment of the heartless ultra-wealthy and the deeply corrupt fashion industry. Michael Winterbottom shows a talent for portraying the unfathomable aspects of the human condition, (though there’s an upsetting amount of precedent to work with). His thoughtful satire, Greed ultimately preaches an important message of awareness as he bravely refuses to sugar-coat the ambivalence of disgustingly wealthy fashionistas towards their underprivileged workers. A regrettably unfocused narrative leaves the film with a messy structure, but it nonetheless remains provocative, insightful, and entertaining. Sir Richard McCreadie (Coogan) is a billionaire conman and bully. He owns a number of fashion businesses, swindled by his brutish negotiation tactics and mad pursuit of the pound; a love chased with more vigour than an ABBA obsessed bank robber. Gree- err, McCreadie has come under scrutiny for a recent closure of a chain, resulting in the mass redundancy of thousands. Clearly, the best thing to do to regain public favour is to organise a lavish 60th birthday party in Mykonos complete with amphitheatre, gladiators, Coldplay, and one angry lion. Meanwhile, biographer Nick Morris (Mitchell) is tasked with interviewing McCreadie’s friends, family, and workers for testimonials for his new book. From the moment we’re introduced to McCreadie his parallels to former BHS owner Phillip Green are immediately apparent. Coogan channels his persona like a high street medium, dazzling with near unrecognisable arrogance as he spits sanctimonious soliloquies with a Shakespearean zest. Not an ounce of humanity is offered, as Winterbottom’s damning assault of the bourgeois creates a protagonist who’s as obnoxious as he is comical. Quite the opposite is the good-hearted Nick, played by David Mitchell who barely musters a decibel of emphasis to his rather wet dialogue. Essentially playing himself, Mitchell’s Nick stands in stark contrast to the obtuse frivolousness of the upper elite, but he’s ultimately more plot pusher than interesting insider. Relative newcomer Dinita Gohil, on the other hand leads a compelling supporting cast with a performance that grounds the eccentricities of the satirical plot back to a humane reality. Equally brilliant is Manolis Emmanouel, a real-life Syrian refugee playing a variation of himself, who received well-deserved applause at the London Film Festival screening. The refugee crisis is one of many social issues in Winterbottom’s sights; animal cruelty, reality television, and overpriced celebrities are all ripped to shreds by his vitriolic wit. However, despite dialogue sharper than a lion’s claw, these elements muddle the narrative, allowing for less focus on the core message; the abuse of third world workers by major fashion houses. The script is remarkably the film’s paramount asset, yet also its greatest obstacle. A consistent wit shines throughout and the finale is nothing less than wish fulfilment of the director’s sarcastically macabre mind. However, time period hopping and disparate transition effects clash with the semi-mockumentary style. Winterbottom is undeniably fantastic with actors, who almost all walk the narrow line between realism and absurdism. However, the lack of a sense of place or consistent focus in favour of tackling unrelated social issues damage Greed’s sense of structure and style. With that said, as the film draws to its close at around one hour forty-five, its conclusion reaffirms its intentions with shocking pragmatism. A hard-hitting documentary section brings the farcical piece to a gloomily realistic conclusion explaining the disturbing facts, holding little back. Regardless of narrative discrepancies and a disorganised structure, Greed shows its colours as a vitally important film within its final five minutes. Its political message is one of immediacy, imploring viewers not to forget it within five minutes of leaving the cinema. Through biting satire and fantastically silly dialogue, Greed ultimately makes an unfunny yet vital statement; consider where your new pair of jeans are from and who might be dying to make them. #NathanialEker

October 9, 2019 | UK Film Review ★★★ Directed by #ChrisMorris Starring #MarchántDavis, #AnnaKendrick, #DanielleBrooks, #KayvanNovak Film review by Nathanial Eker Acclaimed satirist and black comedy connoisseur Chris Morris writes and directs The Day Shall Come; a film that while certainly satirical, lacks substance, character, and a sense of tone. The director’s signatures are all present; the likeable rogue archetype, semi documentary style cinematography, and of course, biting political commentary. However, The Day Shall Come never quite hits the pointed level of commentary that it strives for; neither savagely deconstructing societal problems or crafting a believable deuteragonist on the side of the law to understand. Moses (Davis) is the broke, delusional leader of a quasi-religious commune in Miami, following an amalgamation of the spiritually absurd including praying to idols like ‘Black Santa.’ He and his four followers preach muddled teachings about communication with god via ducks, the use of dinosaurs in combat, and an inevitable race war. Meanwhile, our deuteragonist is Kendra (Kendrick), a young FBI agent trying to overcome industry sexism and make a name for herself. Kendra and her associates plan to trick Moses and his crew into committing acts of terror, thereby fulfilling their arrest quota and ticking corporate boxes. This conflict should act as the film’s satirical smoking gun: a damming indictment of the American government and its abject betrayal of ethnic minority groups for its own self-interest. This message becomes abundantly apparent by the climax and though seemingly insightful, Morris fails to address the more interesting question of subsequent radicalisation. Though the (almost) all white male FBI team are a clear allegory for the white middle class’s suppression of poor black communities, the film bizarrely underplays this element. It instead chooses to make passing references to racism and put focus on the farcical incompetence of the espionage upper echelons. The Day Shall Come succeeds most when it fully accepts itself as a comedy. The majority of jokes stick the landing, especially those by the endearing naive ‘The Star of Six’ troops; the ‘mango’ line is a favourite. However, unlike Morris' last film, Four Lions, where humour and political satire blended comfortably, the two don’t get on here and prefer to sulk in different scenes. When the story reaches its apex, the emotion is frustratingly undercut by mistimed japes until it’s too late to be fully invested. Equally, the jokes themselves are unable to land due to the severity of the stakes. It’s lose-lose, creating a muted ambiance that accompanies each scene with a miasma of tonal confusion. This tonal unbalance in the script makes the job of the actors difficult. On the one hand, Davis brings a charming sweetness to the imbecilic and borderline psychotic Moses. This compounded by a believable relationship with Danielle Brooks’ Ve, (another strong performance), serves to successfully make our likeable protagonist sympathetic. Unfortunately, unlike the camaraderie and electric chemistry between the jihadists in Four Lions, Moses’ followers are given little individual time to shine and subsequently little in the way of personality. Equally problematic are the FBI staff, who amount to little more than stereotypes with unrealistic levels of profanity ridden wit (this branch of the FBI was apparently trained at SNL). Our avatar into this world, Kendra also sadly fails to deliver any semblance of real empathy towards Moses during the hard-hitting finale, leading to a flat climax. Though we empathise with her battle against everyday misogyny and corporate red tape, she ultimately offers little more beyond nervous energy and the occasional amusing one liner. Ultimately, The Day May Come suffers from leaning too far into the farcical and loses its humanity as a result. While it attempts to present a harsh look at a defective system and a brutal class divide, the severity fails to materialise due to a disparity between comedy and drama. That said, it remains a comedy and in places, is side splittingly funny. It’s just a shame that the core message is diluted, creating a film that feels underwhelming and muted. Perhaps the day shall come where Morris crafts something as brilliantly profound and witty as Four Lions, but today is sadly not that day. #NathanialEker

★★★★★ Directed by: #BernardKordieh Written by: Bernard Kordieh, #SheilaNortley Starring: #ZaraahAbrahams, #JohnnyRayGill Short Film Review by: #ChrisOlson Should humans cohabit? That seems to be the premise, or at least an underlying theme, for many storytellers and #filmmakers and it is largely due to the mountain of drama they can mine for their stories. As a species we seem to be incapable of existing with one another without some form of power struggle emerging in which case someone always loses. So where does it all go wrong in relationships? Well, short film Sometimes I Feel goes a way to exploring the timeline. Co-written by Bernard Kordieh and Sheila Nortley (the former of whom directs here also - see our review of another of his short films Melody), the story plays out with a non-linear approach, examining the relationship of a talented artist called Shereen (a phenomenal Zaraah Abrahams) and her lover Michael (an equally brilliant Johnny Ray Gill). At first charming and sweet, Michael's successful lawyer veneer is punctured by a variety of sequences which show him to be an obnoxious brute, whilst we glimpse the reality settle in on an anxious and at times terrified Shereen. It is a compelling study of the myriad ways people can present themselves and be interpreted. Much like an artistic reading of one of Shereen's painting, the audience is asked to witness and judge these characters who morph in front of our eyes depending on their situation. And therein lies the knockout punch of Sometimes I Feel, its revealing of humanity's biggest flaw, which is that we are not who we say we are, even to ourselves. This is a cinematically beautiful short film, with contrasting light used to electrify the mood and intimate framing to let the viewer almost palpably feel the characters on screen. Kordieh's use of Motherless Child is heartbreaking as is his use of focus when Shereen and Michael site on a sofa and discuss his broken glasses. The use of heavy themes and violence is not gratuitous, although we are left to our dastardly imaginations for one section which was fully harrowing. It was important not to undermine the authenticity of the story by shying away from the reality of this troubled relationship, which the filmmakers avoid expertly. Johnny Ray Gill gives a masterclass in villainy with his portrayal of the overbearing Michael, whose relentless manipulation and controlling is a terrifying display of #gaslighting. Zaraah Abrahams impresses endlessly with her depiction of her character's gut-wrenching turmoil and realisation that her life is not her own whilst with Michael. The depths of her tragedy are utterly captivating. A powerful and important film that gets two handfuls of humanity and rubs them together with candid glee. Tragic, sorrowful and somehow life affirming. Sometimes I Feel like a bowl of ice cream to stop me pondering the point of it all...

★★ Directed by: #AmartyaBhattacharyya Written by: Amartya Bhattacharyya Starring: #PriyankaGhoshRoy, #UrbiSengupta, #SwastikChoudhury, #SanjitaMukherjee, Amartya Bhattacharyya Indie Film Review by: Corey Bulloch Runanubandha (The HE without HIM) movie review With only a few engaging sequences in an overly long runtime that literally becomes mind-numbing the spiritual journey of Runanubandha is an artistic mess that fascinates the audience sparingly but mostly will leave them confused. Taking inspiration and tribute to the story of Lord Brahma, the creator god of Hinduism who became infatuated with his daughter Shatarupa, the narrative of the film focuses on a daughter searching for her father. Priyanka Ghosh Roy stars as the main character also named Shatarupa as her quest to learn about her father Michael Hemanta Biswas, a poet takes place in the city of Kolkata. Director Amartya Bhattacharyya doesn’t want the film to follow any traditional sense of #filmmaking, with continuous experimentation in filming styles and editing in different visual imagery. Scenes will change colour temperature, go black and white and shift back to colour at the flip of a switch, in fact, certain scenes just go back and forth constantly. These techniques break away from the dull narrative and connect into the theme that the director is in charge of the world the audiences see, just like the god Brahma. Early on in the story, Shatarupa meets a film director with a similar voice to her father, the audience never sees this character only hears him and views him through his point of view. The director who is voiced by Bhattacharyya casts Shatarupa in his film and soon Runanubandha begins to get even more surreal, as Ghosh Roy portrays another character within the director’s film and then cutting back and forth between the reality of the fictional film and the actual film. Runanubandha doesn’t spoon-feed the audience the meaning of itself but doesn’t do enough to captivate those watching to want to find out the truth to its messaging. It's difficult to interpret what Bhattacharyya’s goal for the film is as so much time is spent focusing on different avenues of storytelling that at times watching the film can feel like an alienating fever dream. The film captures the vibrant culture of Kolkata especially well however, with short vignettes of busy markets and street performers used between narrative scenes. The documentary style of filmmaking is very intimate, the audience can feel the love and appreciation towards the city and these moments are far more interesting than most of the story of the film. The actual story of Runanubandha has its moments, the term Runanubandha refers to body memory, which are memories that connect children with their parents. Shatarupa journey to find her father has her encounter several different characters but the reality of the film keeps shifting it is hard to find any real emotional resonance. The scene with Sanjita Mukherjee’s Lolita being a notable standout because Bhattacharyya allows the story and performance to be the focus rather than his plethora of editing and filming techniques. Other characters appear with over the top mannerisms which makes them memorable but again breaks the immersion of whatever reality Bhattacharyya is trying to establish with his film. Runanubandha (The HE without HIM) isn’t a boring film but it is an exhausting one, it just feels like a bombardment of images and music with no discernible path to find its meaning. In the brief sequences where it can make sense, it is fascinating how Bhattacharyya seemingly breaks the fourth wall with his characters and wants the spiritual journey of the film to transcend traditional storytelling. The issue is Bhattacharyya just seems to be throwing every idea at the wall with no discernible artistic reasoning beyond just making the film different, leaving the audience alienated by his intentions. #CoreyBulloch #WorldCinema #indiefilms