★★ Directed by #JasonCabell Written by #JasonCabell Starring #NicolasCage #LeslieBibb #LaurenceFishburne Film Review by #HopeMadden A tale told in bathrooms, Running with the Devil travels with The Cook (Nicolas Cage), a high ranking jefe in an international cocaine cartel. He’s a jefe, but he’s not El Jefe. That’s Barry Pepper, as The Boss, and he has other pressing concerns. El Jefe needs The Cook to travel with his product from the farm where it’s produced through the forests, mountains, backstreets, highways and checkpoints to the hands of the dealers who sell it, so he can determine just where the other problem lies. So while The Agent in Charge (Leslie Bibb) and Number One (Peter Facinelli) investigate suspicious OD’s stateside, The Cook heads south for his own form of investigation. A word about character names. Writer/director Jason Cabell offers labels as opposed to your traditional Paul or Paulas. That would be interesting if the labels were fun or even on-the-nose, but The Cook? This isn’t meth. He actually just owns a restaurant on the side, which has nothing to do with anything, but I guess Cartel Middle Manager didn’t have the right zing. Another word about Number One (Facinelli). This guy. He’s the trusted back up to The Agent in Charge. He’s the guy who gets stuck heading to the border to wait for the shipment. And he is the single most conspicuous person on earth. He’s like a Tom of Finland illustration come to life and dressed in JC Penney’s best. Anyway, Cabell structures his film to draw tension and excitement from the inevitable collision between The Cook (Cage) and The Man (Lawrence Fishburne). OK. They may be borderline-geriatric badasses, but both have certainly cut interesting cinematic figures. What can they do together? Well, in this case, they can disappoint. You can’t lay this on Fishburne’s portrayal. His commitment to the pursuit of cocaine and prostitutes impresses. Unfortunately, this is one of those Nic Cage movies where he doesn’t cut loose—doesn’t go all Nic Cage on you. This means he has to act, but he more or less chooses not to. You get a flash here, a flutter there, but the naked truth is that Nicolas Cage has no idea how to behave like a regular person. The Cook is too ordinary a man for Nicolas Cage to properly portray. And without the needed distraction of a Full On Cage, it’s tough not to notice the narrative inconsistencies, trite dialog, stupid character names. I mean, Facinelli does what he can with that mustache to keep your attention, but when it comes to the school of Glorious Explosive Train Wreck Acting, he’s no Nic Cage.

★ Directed by #AdrianGrunberg Written by #SylvesterStallone #MatthewCirulnick #DanGordon Starring #SylvesterStallone #YvetteMonreal Film Review by #HopeMadden For those who’ve followed the Rambo franchise, Rambo: Last Blood (please, God, please say it is so) will look familiar. Stallone is here. The deeply brutal violence is here. The one man against a depraved world is here. But in place of the broken heart of a soldier mistreated and forgotten by his government, of the prodigal son bringing US Military chickens home to roost, is something far less complex. Rambo: Last Blood is basically Taken meets Home Alone, only racist. No, John Rambo isn’t turning his training on the rotting center of the military industrial complex at home or in Burma. He’s actually a pretty relaxed, aging cowboy on the Rambo family horse ranch in Arizona, sharing a cordial friendship with his housekeeper and raising her teenage niece as if she were his own. John Rambo’s teenage daughter. Oh my God, can you imagine a bigger nightmare? Stallone can. Co-writing along with Matthew Cirulnick and Dan Gordon (who’s wearing a camo vest and AK in his imdb photo), Sly shows Gabrielle (Ybvette Monreal) exactly why adolescent girls need to squelch their own sense of agency. Gabrielle wants to go to Mexico to find her deadbeat dad. She’ll be leaving for college soon and she just wants to clear the air. And so, against Rambo’s wishes she secretly heads south of the border. And you know what’s in Mexico? Well, in the undulating sea of thugs, gang bangers, drug lords, rapists and sex traffickers is a lone investigative journalist who seems like very good people. She has three scenes. Director Adrian Grunberg crafts a film that mercifully requires little attention to dialog as Stallone mumbles indecipherably through his own pages. The 73-year-old nabbed his second Oscar nomination for acting in 2016, revisiting the old war horse Rocky in a supporting role. Every 30 years or so, Sylvester Stallone gives a good performance. Creed was three years ago. But you don’t go to a Rambo movie for the acting! You go for the carnage, and hoo boy, Last Blood does not skimp. People give horror a hard time because of all the slicing, dicing, arterial spray and virgins in peril, but in nearly every instance, we are meant to recoil at the violence. In this film, we are meant to celebrate it: every decapitation, dismemberment, gutting, castration, every head blown clean off a blood-spraying, still standing body is our own vicarious victory. Earlier this year, after another mass shooting in the US, Hollywood shelved the Craig Zobel horror film The Hunt because they wanted to send a message that gun violence shouldn’t be celebrated. This weekend, they released Rambo: Last Blood. The Hunt is the story of wealthy Americans kidnapping poor people to hunt them down, but the tables are turned and the poor people kill all the rich people. Rambo: Last Blood, on the other hand, is a MAGA fantasy come to vivid, bloody fruition. Weak.

★★★★ Directed by #HiroyukiImaishi Written by #KazukiNakashima #MichaelSchneider Film Review by #MattWeiner As the first feature-length film from Studio Trigger (the studio behind the well-received TV series “Kill la Kill”), Promare has its work cut out for it. It’s no easy task to maintain the studio’s unique blend of over-the-top yet self-referential action for a tight animated feature. It’s a coup for director Hiroyuki Imaishi that Promare manages to do all that and more, while fleshing out characters who rise above their archetypes. (Well, most of them.) The film follows the members of Burning Rescue, a civil firefighting team that fights fires caused by “Burnish,” the name given to people who have mutated to spontaneously combust and must continue to start fires to survive. The action begins 30 years after the first worldwide mutations took place, and most Burnish have been tracked down and imprisoned (or “frozen”). The plot manages to be both convoluted and contrived at various times, but the animation powers the events forward so relentlessly that I stopped caring. The style is wildly entertaining, and with enough hyperactive neon to make Into the Spider-Verse look like a Merchant Ivory film. Art designer Shigeto Koyama is credited with the character designs. Western audiences are likely to know his work as designer of the robot Baymax from Big Hero 6, and he’s the perfect choice to make sure the futuristic mechas still allow the warmth and relationships from the characters piloting them to shine on screen. Good thing, too, because without the laugh-out-loud characters and battles, the rest of the sci-fi plot would never make it off the ground. Even here, though, Kazuki Nakashima’s screenplay takes pains to give you permission to sit back and have a good time. He’s not above getting in a few digs at the absurdity: this is a movie, after all, with a literal Deus Ex Machina. Promare is full of laugh-out-loud moments from the characters and the background animations—there’s a buoyancy that also makes the film a joy from start to finish. The real story behind the Burnish threat gives an unmistakable nod to global warming, but in the world of Promare what matters less is that we save the world (that’s a given, obviously), but rather how essential it is for our shared humanity that we save it by connecting more deeply with one another. This plays out between the young firefighting hero Galo Thymos and the supposed terrorist leader, Lio Fotia. Here, too, Promare seems to delight in spurning convention: there’s no need for fans to wistfully ship the two adversaries, as the movie clearly does it for us. When the two burning souls connect and discover they must let go of what is holding them back and combust, I think we’re well beyond subtext. Together, they offer a message of hope drenched in enough sharp, angular colors to fill out a 1990s t-shirt collection. Promare is an exciting first feature outing for Studio Trigger, and a sign that their distinctive brand of frenetic action hasn’t burnt itself out yet.

★★★ Directed by: #NathanHannawin Written by: #JoeHarvey Starring: #AnthonyVander, #KaneSurry, #KamalSimpson, #NicolaRoffe Film Review by: Darren Tilby For me, the most crucial aspect of a good #thriller movie is its characters. Actually, the most crucial aspect is tension, but if we care about the characters – or even if we can relate to them on some level – the tension is automatically heightened. If we don’t, however, that’s a problem. And, unfortunately, despite a few character flourishes, Scales leans more to the latter. Three individuals, all with a shared history: Boxer, Darnell (Anthony Vander), his PR Manager/girlfriend Maria (Nicole Roffe) and businessman Adam (Kane Surry), come together at the behest of drug dealer Keith (Kamal Simpson). Each thinks they’re in for a night of drink and drugs...but Keith has a secret. The problem with these characters is that they simply aren’t that interesting. Most are generic #thriller movie clichés we’ve seen many times before, and none make an especially good first impression. Darnell spends most of his time being obnoxiously angry and Adam spends all of his goading him. Which, in fairness, leads to some pretty amusing moments, but starts to feel a little overplayed by about halfway through the movie. The biggest issue here, however, is the chemistry between the group, which felt a little stilted. I think this may be because not enough is done to establish their past together; we’re just sort of told they have one. Now, having said all that, the performances themselves are good, and there are some interesting character developments later in the film. Narratively speaking, Scales is also a well-written movie, if a little unoriginal. The story flows well, and the pacing is spot-on. The only issue here is with the film’s conclusion. Obviously, I don’t want to give anything away, but the events during its climax come very much out of the blue and don’t feel natural. This may be more an issue of personal preference, though. Where Scales really shines though is in its technical proficiency. There’s some solid editing here from #PeterHewitt, and #AlexBoardman’s cinematography – particularly the framing – is consistently on point. Throw that in with some gorgeous lighting and marvellous bookending cityscape scenes, and you have a movie which is very visually pleasing. Due to a few weak elements in the film – namely the characterisation and group dynamic – Scales struggles to distance itself from the slew of thrillers already available. On the other hand, solid individual performances and writing, and stunning visuals help Scales to stand as an entertaining piece of independent cinema.

Runtime: 86 mins Directed by: #FrankSabatella Starring: #FrankWhaley, #TimothyBottoms, #SiobhanFallon, #JayJayWarren, #CodyKostro, #SofiaHapponen Grimmfest Feature by: Darren Tilby Synopsis: As an orphan living with his abusive grandfather, life sucks for Stan. But he’s got it better than his best friend Donmer who regularly needs defending against the school bullies. When Stan discovers a murderous creature has taken refuge inside his tool shed, he tries to battle the demon alone until Donmer comes up with a far more sinister plan. Grimmfest say: This first film in our Saturday night double bill of retro-styled horror is one that we’ve taken to calling “Salem’s Shed” around the office. Which should give you some idea of what to expect. Writer-Director Frank Sabatella takes the bare bones of Stephen King’s classic tale of vampire infestation in smalltown America, and confines the action to in and around a toolshed. The premise sounds altogether ridiculous, but Sabatella’s mischievous, genre-savvy movie uses it almost as a McGuffin, a very concrete metaphor – something nasty in the woodshed. The focus is less on the trapped vampire than on what is to be done about it and the various dark possibilities it presents. The end result is a droll and sympathetic study of an alienated teenager, coping with all of the usual petty high school peer pressures, who suddenly finds he has something rather more serious to deal with. Which might at the same time be the answer to all of his problems…. What I'm Expecting: Creature Feature! Who doesn't love a good retro-styled creature feature? I certainly do, which might be why this one is so high on my list. The nickname "Salem's Shed" used by the Grimmfest team intrigues me. I can't quite imagine how a film influenced by Salem's Lot would work around the confines of a tool shed. But the vampire infestation in smalltown America is a classic set-up that deserves to be revisited. Most intriguing of all, however, is this suggestion of the boys "sinister plan". When I was younger, I remember a film about a bullied boy in an American high school. And in this film, there was a monster (turned out it was the janitor) which killed the boy's bullies. I can't for the life of me remember what it was called, or even if it was a feature-length or a short from the Twilight Zone or something similar. But yeah, I'd like something like that, please!

★★★★ Directed by: Steve Johnson Written by: #SteveJohnson Starring: #JeremyTheobald, #NicoletteMcKeown, #LeeFanning, #AlfieWellcoat, #MarcusMacleod Indie Film Review by: Chris Olson Questioning truth, fate, and reality, filmmaker Steve Johnson's indie film Convergence delivers a story that is loaded with drama and tinged with grief. Jeremy Theobald plays Martin, an author (not the same as a writer) whose life was upended when his wife and son died in a car crash. Struggling to come to terms with the reality of his life now, it takes the convergence with another damaged soul called Lily (Nicolette McKeown) to help him find direction and search for closure. Regrettably, Lily brings her own story of woe to the chess table, with an unhinged and violent ex-partner (Lee Fanning) looking to bring her back home. Told with a glorious pace and rich #cinematography, Convergence sweeps the audience into the bosom of its sorrowful storyline. There is a fractured approach to the editing which complements the nature of Martin and Lily's newfound relationship, as if their immense baggage keeps their fate in a frenetic state. Sequences of them travelling across the city are beautifully coordinated, with fluid shots and a dreamlike quality to them. The performances are strong across the board. From Theobald's subtle stoicism and McKeown's desperate anxiety, to Fanning's looming menace, and Alfie Wellcoat as Martin's worried publisher. Marcus Macleod does a phenomenal job at creating arresting sequences with only hand carved chess pieces! For a film dealing with numerous angsty themes, Johnson does supremely well to explore them in a manner that feels controlled and minimalist. Whilst there are sequences where the drama explodes on screen, such as Lily talking about her childhood or grappling with her ex, the majority of the film feels like a contemplative piece where the viewer is palpably experiencing the grief and distress of the two central characters. A large part of this is due to the character of Martin and the understated performance from Theobald. Where the indie movie feels the most compelling are the moments of mystery, especially the link between the moving of the chess pieces and the dramatic unfolding of the plot. This is wonderfully accompanied by a chilling musical score that elevates the mood of the piece and increases the tension spectacularly. The final third is somewhat of a Marmite moment and audiences can definitely be forgiven for losing their grip if they aren't fully invested. However, for those viewers who have fully immersed themselves into the narrative and Johnson's fluid storytelling, there is a bold, robust, and powerful ending to be experienced. #ChrisOlson Watch the indie film trailer for Convergence below.

Runtime: 93 mins Directed by: #AbigailBlackmore Starring: #MackenzieCrook, #DustinDemriBurns, #LauraFraser, #SophieThompson, #JohnnyVegas, #KellyWenham, #AdamStraughan Grimmfest Feature by: Darren Tilby Synopsis: An isolated lodge somewhere in England. Five old university pals, now nudging 40, gather for a weekend to scatter the ashes of their friend, Jonesy, who drowned himself in the lake three years earlier. They settle in for a fun evening, entertaining each other with stories of murders, ghosts, zombies and possessions, but as day turns to night, the gang become aware of another horror story unfolding around them – And this one is real. Grimmfest say: If Brian Rix and Alan Ayckbourn had ever teamed up to write a portmanteau film for Amicus, the result might have been something like this. The title might evoke such EC Comics inspired classics as TALES FROM THE CRYPT, but the emphasis here is rather more on farce and social comedy than on horror. There is also far more focus on the framing story than in most portmanteau films, giving the film unexpected weight and pathos. The essential set-up recalls that of THE BIG CHILL, but instead of sharing reminiscences of their dead friend, the various characters pass the time by telling a series of unconsciously self-revealing horror stories, reflecting their various fears, regrets and failings. Boasting an all star cast, each of whom directs their own section of the story, the film manages a deft balance of broad comedy and mischievous, self-aware, genre satire, with an unexpectedly poignant exploration of mid-life crisis. Not to mention a final twist that has proved somewhat… controversial. What I'm Expecting: With such a wonderfully offbeat British cast I’d expect this film to be nothing short of comedy gold! From what I understand, Tales From the Lodge is an anthology film? But again, with this cast, I kind of hope it will stay away from the horror and lean more towards being an absurdist comedy. Either way, it’s great to see anthology movies making a comeback to the big screen. It’s been far too long since I’ve seen a really good one; the last few have been disappointing. Still, I have confidence this female written and directed film, with its strong ensemble cast, will be the movie to break my chain of bad luck with this sub-genre of horror.

★★★★★ Directed by: #GayatriBajpai, #NiravBhakta Starring: #VeeKumari, #AsitKumarVyas, #SanchitaMalik, #SamiyaKhan, #AishveryaaNidhi Short Film Review by: Alexandra James Halwa is a heart-warming story about an elderly lady trapped in a loveless and volatile relationship, with only the bare walls to listen to her woes. The main character, Sujata, played by Vee Kumari, exposes the dangers of becoming completely isolated from loved ones and distant companions. This was a tragic tale which enticed the audience from the offset, allowing the viewer to witness the connection between two friends who have not spoken or seen each other in over 30 years. A very simple story and created in a simple way too. It seemed it was only shot in one location which was the couple’s home. However, this allowed the audience to really immerse themselves within this isolated household and see everything from the main character’s own perspective. Barely permitted to leave her home, Sujata was trapped in a prison enforced by her husband, with only the cleaning and cooking to entertain herself. Her husband, Dr. Chopra (Asit Kumar Vyas), had a very small amount of dialogue but this did not deter him from creating a menacing and domineering persona. It was Dr. Chopra who subjected his innocent wife to violence whenever he pleased, even making her doubt her own sanity and senses with manipulative behaviour and punishments. Although his dialogue was extremely limited, his entire performance was brilliantly convincing and every time he entered any room, he was powerful enough to own every person and everything in that space. What made the story of Halwa so engaging was the desire for the audience to see the main character have a glimmer of happiness in her life. It was a great way to push the storyline forward and allowed the audience to become truly invested within the character’s situation. It was an inspiring story which highlighted the struggles of those living in a violent and oppressive relationship; as well as showcasing the importance of true friendships which can seem like the only light when everything feels so dark. A well conveyed performance by Vee Kumari. She produced a gentle aura about her and you could see the strength of this character grow stronger as the film progressed. As Sujata stood up against the brutalities of her husband, she finally revealed to the world his aggressive ways and chose not to cover up the marks left by his controlling hand. This was an extraordinary ending which was utterly mesmerising. Her strength was at its fullest at this point, as she finally decided to stand against her husband’s unforgiving behaviour. A great watch all in all! It was an extremely moving tale which, although simple in plot, location and shots still managed to grip the viewer from start to finish. The purpose of the film and the central themes of friendship and strength really helped launched this short towards a 5 star rating and made for a pleasing view, satisfying all of the senses. #AlexandraJames

★★★★★ Directed by: #HoltBoggs Written by: Holt Boggs Starring: Holt Boggs, #BrianVillalobos, #KeturahBranch Short Film Review by: Chris Olson The American diner is a classic cinematic convention to convey mystery and drama. Without the associations of a more familiar setting, like a home or workplace, or any other form of exposition, the viewer is asked to take the characters as they are and only by what transpires in the scene. In filmmaker Holt Boggs’s short film Crazy, this technique is used to incredible effect, whereby an increasingly erratic and baffling scene between a mobster and his hitman reaches stupendous heights of...well...crazy. Boggs not only writes and directs here but also stars as the aforementioned mob boss Stanley, who waits for his insolent hitman Monty (Brian Villalobos) to arrive in the classic diner setting. The two endure a tense exchange before getting down to brass tacks, riffing on a narrative so incredible it involves car crashes, penis sizes, and Conan O’Brien. As a ten-minute short film with a see-it-to-believe-it final third, it would be a tragedy to spoil any more of the glorious story but what I will say is that this may very well be the best dark comedy of 2019! Boggs (who impressed in the sterling An American in Texas) gets his first directorial credit here and what a first outing. The mise en scéne of Crazy is superb, the atmosphere is spectacularly curated, and the script is really, really fucking funny. It is the offhand delivery of so many memorable lines (penis eyes may be a firm favourite for many) that could easily be missed if you blinked, that makes the short movie so special. The chemistry between Boggs and Villalobos cements the piece. Their repartee and dynamic is a familiar boss & goon coupling but rarely are we given such intensity from each performer. Usually we get a strict and serious guy and a bumbling buffoon, but here each character appears to be so deadly serious about what they have to say the audience are going to be hugely challenged to decide what’s a joke and what’s not. Music is brilliantly used to heighten the tension and complement the uneasy tone of the storyline. Boggs feels 100% in control of the #filmmaking here and at no point drops the ball or jolts the viewer from the movie, which is an incredible feat. By creating such an immersive mood and touching on crime genre tropes without committing to them, he plays with our cinematic expectations in such a masterful way. It’s a thrilling film that keeps you on your toes and happy to devour the inspired storytelling, lucid performances, and arresting aesthetics. Come for the crackers and stay for the penis eyes. #ChrisOlson Watch the Short Film Trailer for Crazy below.

Runtime: 90 mins Directed by: #AudreyCummings Starring: #OlunikeAdeliyi, #PeterMacNeill, #NoahDanby, #MichelleNolden, #KianaMadeira, #LawrenceGowan Grimmfest Feature by: Darren Tilby Synopsis: Lacey, a socially detached loner, is cursed with immortality and a never-ending tedium of existence. In her attempts to keep her compulsions in check, she seeks out the darkest souls humanity has to offer. Lacey must now face her own inner demons while simultaneously finding her next meal. Grimmfest say: It seems that Cain is not alone after all… The long-awaited gender-switching sequel to Grimmfest audience favourite HE NEVER DIED sees the formidable Olunike Adeliyi stepping into the Henry Rollins role, and filling those sizable boots with considerable panache, as the even more savage and dysfunctional immortal, Lacey. Biblical and pulp noir archetypes collide once more, as screenwriter Jason Krawczyk deftly expands on the mythology he established in the first film. The deadpan humour and laconic Bukowski-esque dialogue is as sharp as ever, while director Audrey Cummings handles the flamboyant mayhem with fluid grace and style. Just like the original, it’s a wild ride. And it ends with the suggestion that there might be more stories to tell. What I'm Expecting: Having not seen He Never Died, I’m slightly apprehensive about seeing its sequel, She Never Died. Partly because I’m worried that it’ll be tough to follow without seeing the first movie, and partly because I have no idea what to expect. From what I’ve read, He Never Died seems to be a violent movie with scenes of cannibalism. Also, from the official synopsis and Grimmfest’s write up of She Never Died, it looks like the film has a superhero/comic book vibe to it. An ultra-violent and uncompromising superhero/villain movie with inflexions of horror could be very refreshing, particularly in our world of family-friendly Marvel movies. Even in Deadpool, the violence was relatively tame and portrayed as being more stylised than it was graphic. The last genuinely dark superhero movie we got, at least that I can remember was Logan. I’d Like something equally as gritty, but altogether more horrifying.

★★★ Directed by: Nicholas Goodwin Written by: #NicholasGoodwin Starring: #RevellCarpenter, Nicholas Goodwin, #KumasiHopkins. Short Film Review by: #AlfieKaye Written and directed by Nicholas Goodwin, short film Shadow opens with student, Jane (Carpenter) parked in her car pensively, yet eagerly, leaving a voicemail for (later discovered) mutual crush Allen (Hopkins) as she prepares to meet him at a party. Trough non-linear sequences, Shadow then depicts the events that transpired before, during and after the party we see Jane preparing to attend. In a culturally relevant short confronting serious and timely subject-matter, Goodwin’s direction shows promise as he extracts confident performances from Carpenter and Hopkins, as well as showing a knack for using music that evokes a melancholic and portentous tone synonymous with the tone of the narrative. Since its re-emergence in Hollywood cinema in the early 1990’s, non-linear storytelling has often been used without any purpose, but here, it never feels like a gimmick; rather, a clever way to exacerbate the already sombre-filled film. However, some of the other stylistic choices made by Goodwin do create problems within the film – primarily: jarring inconsistency. From the sequence shots in the mould of a #PaulThomasAnderson picture, to the fast-cutting style of an #EdgarWright film, Goodwin never really decides on the best way to present his narrative. Unfortunately, at times, Shadow (purely as a technical piece of work) feels too experimental and would have been improved with a more disciplined and coherent structure. The film also suffers from issues that should have been prevented in the editing process. Most notably, instances of drowning of the dialogue under the heavy sound of the (potent) score – all the more problematic as the dialogue is consistently authentic and studiously-written. Despite these technical hitches, at the core of the film is Carpenter’s performance as Jane; there’s no doubt that the film is at its best when she’s on-screen. In a tough role requiring empathy and craftsmanship, she arrests the audience throughout with a mature and convincing turn. The film’s best quality is that Jane is the emphasis of the film for its 12-minute entirety, and Carpenter is good enough to pull off the demanding role. Hopkins also impresses as Allen in what could easily be dismissed as a ‘lesser role’. Overall, the film makes brave thematic and narrative choices without ever feeling unnecessarily exploitative. It’s admirable that Goodwin is using his medium to convey a message: a message about a misogynistic, inequitable society. But, unfortunately, the messenger sometimes gets it wrong on a technical level. However, I have no doubt he will find his identity as a filmmaker in the future, due to his talent for getting impressive performances from his cast, as well as demonstrating a passionate, conscientious voice as a writer. Shadow should be watched for Carpenter’s performance alone, and I eagerly await her next role.

★★ Directed by: Adam Weber Written by: #AdamWeber Starring: #ChadMcMartin, #CassandraTragar, #AntonSchrama Short Film Review by: #IeuanWalker More often than not, first dates are the closest thing we have to a real-life horror story. However, the familiar awkward silences and failed jokes are replaced by gratuitous gore alongside cannibalism in Adam Weber’s unamusingly self-indulgent black comedy The First Date. The film opens on an unnamed man who is waiting for the arrival of his blind date in a restaurant. Although she claims by text to be stuck in traffic, the half an hour delay begins to arouse the man’s suspicion. Upon the arrival of his food, it is revealed that the establishment serves cannibalistic cuisine much to his inevitable disgust. He then goes to investigate the kitchen wherein he discovers that the blind date was orchestrated by the restaurant’s maniacal chef who serves the unnamed woman next. The gruesome narrative of The First Date is not one for the easily nauseous. To an extent, the shameless brevity with which Adam Weber presents the restaurant’s macabre menu must be admired. Within each frame, the sickeningly brazen depiction of human body parts within the food turns the stomach of the spectator to render the film a challenge to watch. This would not be possible without eerily realistic props and effects created by Leigh Madden and his special effects team which maximises The First Date’s gory potential. Accordingly, one senses that Weber relishes in successfully making the viewers squirm as The First Date gradually descends into a sick injoke from the film’s crew on its audience. Yet even as The First Date is designed to be an intentionally unnerving work to watch for Weber’s amusement, the result is ultimately unenjoyable. The lack of dialogue for Chad McMartin as the nameless protagonist prevents any sense of narrative from progressing. Furthermore, his rather emotionless performance fails to capture the horror of the situation. The visceral response from the audience is therefore merely the natural reaction to the violent imagery instead of efficiently crafted terror. Concurrently, the absence of the spectator’s engagement with The First Date makes it a rather shallow film with which it is difficult to maintain one’s attention despite the short runtime. Similar challenging black comedies such as Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro’s Delicatessen and Álex de la Iglesia’s The Last Circus prove that repulsive works do not inherently lose its audience. This is the fundamental problem underlying The First Date. Whilst Adam Weber skilfully crafts a dictionary definition of the restaurant from hell, it is equally evident that he is preoccupied in exerting disgust for his own amusement. Thus, his lack of consideration for his spectators’ engagement with his work unfortunately dismantles his efforts. The result is a black comedy film wherein the only person laughing is the director.