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City of Steel film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring Bruce Spiegel directed by Bruce Spiegel . HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS City of Steel Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Dec 17, 2022 Directed by: Bruce Spiegel Written by: Bruce Spiegel Starring: Bruce Spiegel City of Steel is an old-school, heartfelt documentary from director Bruce Spiegel about the steel-working industry of his native Pittsburgh, and how the slow destruction of the union movement allowed its collapse. Rather fitting, given our own current political climate… Spiegel uses a mixture of archive and interview footage to cover the history of Pittsburgh’s steelworks, and the men and women who risked life and limb to keep them running. The documentary covers the industry from its genesis in the region, through to the industrial boom and battles between the workers and huge corporate bosses, to the industry’s collapse in the Reagan years. Spiegel’s own life in the area is interspersed with the historical story, as the importance of heavy industry to Pittsburgh residents is highlighted. Much like the industry it documents, there is a sense that they don’t make documentaries like City of Steel anymore. Slower and more considered than many contemporary works, Bruce Spiegel uses a PBS-style approach to his story of steel – meticulously profiling the key figures and places who played a role in making Pittsburgh the heart of American industry – and those who pulled that heart out over many years. The interspersal of the city with his own life adds a personal touch, and the contributions from former workers and their families contribute immensely to the sense of pride built in the industry from those who ran it. Spiegel’s own life story does distract somewhat from the historical accounting of the battles between the business and the unions – which are brilliantly covered and engagingly interpreted even for those with no knowledge of the subject. There is worth in Spiegel’s story, and it creates an empathetic bond between the audience and him as a narrator and guide through the film. However his tale too often feels disjointed and separate from the topic, and may lead to some confusion why so much time is spent away from the film’s advertised focus. Production on the documentary does feel somewhat rough, with interview footage occasionally failing to match the standards of the archival footage in clarity. The audio of these interviews also doesn’t match Spiegel’s calming and crisp narration. These are largely forgivable imperfections, and actually feel somewhat appropriate for a documentary covering a time past. The identification and choices of archival footage however is a hugely impressive undertaking, with rare and obscure footage helping to truly colour the historical period stretching from the 1800s to the present day. Audiences will click instantly with the passion emanating from City of Steel. Much like an old Pittsburgh steel-mill, it is clunky and creaky in parts, but reliably gets the job done, with old-school, sensible storytelling. About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Digital / DVD Release, Indie Feature Film, Documentary < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Die My Love film review by UK film critic Jack Salvadori. Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Robert Pattinson, Sissy Spacek directed by Lynne Ramsay. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Die My Love Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Jack Salvadori | Posted on: May 19, 2025 Directed by: Lynne Ramsay Written by: Lynne Ramsay Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Robert Pattinson, Sissy Spacek Lynne Ramsay comes in swinging with a jagged, intoxicating fever dream that grabs you by the throat and refuses to let go. Die My Love is a razor-sharp portrait of postpartum despair, psychological free-fall, and the quiet, daily violence of domestic life. Bold and uncompromising, it’s hard to believe that it’s adapted from Ariana Harwicz’s 2012 novel, as you’d swear it was born on celluloid. This isn’t just a film about going mad: it’s one that feels like going mad. Jennifer Lawrence gives a career-best performance as Grace, a young mother exiled to a remote Montana countryside home with her partner Jackson (Robert Pattinson). The film opens in a blaze of erotic energy, only to pull away the rug right after. The sex dies. A baby arrives. And suddenly, Grace is left alone with a screaming infant. Lawrence plays her like a woman dancing on the edge of a razor blade, a magnetic ticking bomb as feral as terrifyingly alive. Ramsay, the undisputed poet of maternal chaos, constructs the film like a slow-boiling panic attack. Every choice, from the oppressive sound design to the jagged, staccato editing, works to keep you trapped inside the labyrinth of Grace’s disintegrating psyche, delivering one of, if not the, strongest films of the year. And Ramsay never stoops to cliché. Her direction is brutal and beautiful in equal measure, without ever condescending to predictable, overdramatised scenes No hand-holding. No melodrama. Just raw, sustained tension. It’s hyperrealistic like an intimate documentary, like a mirror to our own demons, yet dripping with cinematic flair. And we need to talk about music: from offbeat lullabies to needle drops that feel like emotional grenades, the soundtrack slaps hard, deepening the dread and twisting the knife. Every frame feels dangerous. A primal scream in cinematic form. Not for the faint-hearted, nor the TikTok-scrolling casual. Also: Lynne Ramsay definitely hates children. Confirmed. About the Film Critic Jack Salvadori Theatrical Release, Film Festival < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The SnowRaven Chronicles: The Treasure of Ockra-Bane film review by UK film critic Joe Beck. Starring N/A directed by AJ Spencer. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The SnowRaven Chronicles: The Treasure of Ockra-Bane Film Review average rating is 1 out of 5 Critic: Joe Beck | Posted on: Jun 23, 2023 Directed by: AJ Spencer Written by: AJ Spencer Starring: N/A Many of us will have had fun in the past, perhaps in our collective youths, making some whacko nonsense on our parents computer. Something which at the time will have seemed like a masterpiece, but to anyone with even a remotely developed brain is dull, nonsensical and plainly bad. ‘The SnowRaven Chronicles: The Treasure of Ockra-Bane’ is what happens when one of those films is presented as a film rather than as just a child messing around creatively. It is, quite simply, unwatchable for the entirety of its eleven minute runtime, and you have to wonder who on earth thought any of it was a good idea. The story - though calling it that may be a stretch - involves the heroic, eponymous Lady SnowRaven (what a dreadful name!) and her quest to claim the fabled treasure of Ockra-bane, which is supposedly hidden within the ancient remnants of a long forgotten civilisation deep in the mountains of Andorra. Unfortunately for Lady SnowRaven, and for everyone watching, the film doesn’t end there, and she must fend off a series of monsters, including a swam of vengeful Vosharian (what a Vosharian is I could not tell you), before the film can finally conclude after eleven minutes that feel like an eternity. The film is animated in a style not seen since bad video games in the early 2000s, with the archaic, computer generated images used in this film not used in nearly twenty years, and for good reason. The animation style - particularly in a world in which ‘Across the Spider-Verse’ has recently been released, ‘Toy Story’ is nearly thirty years old, and ‘Steamboat Willie’ is almost one-hundred - lacks the humanity that people have imbued into animation since the practice began. Each movement feels robotic, and each character is plainly unrealistic despite obvious attempts to make them appear real. There’s a reason this kind of animation is no longer used, and that’s because technology has progressed, hell, it had already progressed thirty years ago, and it is now almost obsolete, save for a few games, and animation tools used to teach kids. The animation style is ugly and off-putting, to say the least, but even then it is far from the worst thing about this film. No, for some inexplicable reason, ‘The SnowRaven Chronicles: The Treasure of Ockra-Bane’ is voiced not by humans, but by the cold, robotic voice of a computer. A human voice, even one completely ill-suited to the film, would have served better. The A.I. cannot form a sentence without pausing at the worst times, failing to speak a single sentence clearly, as its monotonous tone guides us through the film. A further reason to reconsider the life choices that led you to watching this film is that the computer reads out the whole screenplay, and not just the dialogue, so as an animated woman with clown paint on her face and dressed only in a loose fitting overcoat and black thong does battle with a monster we are given a step-by-step narration as to the whole process. It is abysmal viewing, and, far from merely outlining the abject quality of the screenplay, elevates the coldness surrounding the film, and reinforces the sense that it lacks a human touch. ‘The SnowRaven Chronicles: The Treasure of Ockra-Bane’ is perhaps one of the worst films this critic has ever seen. It is a total failure in creativity - with the animation so inhuman and computerised that it sinks the film to beyond woeful. It is almost as though it were made entirely by A.I., and if that’s what we’ve got to look forward to in that regard then the future of cinema is looking bleaker than we all thought. NOTE FROM FILMMAKER: There are 3 versions of this short film. One is music only (no dialogue). One is dialogue & sound fx only. And one is a mix of both styles *the first 2 versions are available on Facebook/Youtube together with an invitation to "VOTE" for a preferred version with likes/comments. *The 3rd version is currently on the film festival circuit. There are 4 SnowRaven Audio Books (and Graphic Novel Adaptions). This short film is based on the 2nd book in the series (The Vosharian figure prominently in all of them). About the Film Critic Joe Beck Animation, Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Echappé film review by UK film critic Joe Beck. Starring Isla (Tobi) Roebig, Imani Preyor, Matthew Barningham, Louise Rankin directed by Megan McRitchie. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Echappé Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Joe Beck | Posted on: Dec 3, 2023 Directed by: Megan McRitchie Written by: Megan McRitchie Starring: Isla (Tobi) Roebig, Imani Preyor, Matthew Barningham, Louise Rankin As we grow older it is not uncommon for our hobbies and pastimes to suddenly become uninteresting and sometimes rather alienating. This is especially true during youth, when children will go from hobby to hobby as their developing brain seeks to try new things in order to discover which generates the most happiness. Sometimes we just simply lose interest, in other cases it might be a lack of time, or perhaps significant upheaval in life or the influence of a particular person. The distaste felt by the protagonist of Megan McRitchie’s ‘Echappé’ towards their former passion stems from all of these things, as demonstrated in a frustratingly jarring way in the film. ‘Echappé’ follows Sylvie, played by Isla (Tobi) Roebig, as they return to their old ballet school, the source of both triumph and anguish, in order to watch a friend’s, Lily’s (played by Imani Preyor) performance. Sylvie has made the leap from what we presume to be a small town dance school to London, where they have had an audition at the Royal - although they didn’t receive the prestigious gig - but remains searching for work despite their best efforts to find a job. Sylvie is tired of the endless pressures placed upon themselves through their upbringing in ballet, and searching for a release, through the flashing strobe lights of the club is clearly doing them no favours either. You sense that Sylvie has returned for a greater reason than simply to watch their old friends performance, rather, that they have returned in order to evoke some profound decision in order to decide the next steps in their life, and whether or not to continue pursuing the ballet dream. An old tape recording shows a young Sylvie (Louise Rankin) dancing under the instruction of their strict, pushy coach Steven (Matthew Barningham), and this is interwoven with the present day as Sylvie dances in her old studio, only to be interrupted by Steven, cynical as ever, who provides yet more scathing words on their back. Sylvie must reckon with their past in order to decide their future, and their return to their dance school, the source of both joy and struggle, is, in their mind at least, critical to deciding whether or not they have the passion to pursue a career in dance anymore. All this is directed with poise and precision by Megan McRitchie, whose framing of the film and all its events create tension even when the script, also written by McRitchie, fails to provide any. It is jarring how contrasting the directing and writing is - with the direction suggesting entertainment and talent of the highest order, whilst the script is stilted in its dialogue, leaving the actors with little to work with or make any positive impression with. Each interaction between characters feels forced and unbelievable, and thus it is difficult to invest in Sylvie’s pursuit of an answer for their future, as so much of this rests on their interactions and discussions with those around them. Whilst Megan McRitchie’s directing is of a standout quality, the pieces that surround this are lacklustre, and as a result ‘Echappé’ ultimately disappoints, feeling incredibly turgid throughout. About the Film Critic Joe Beck Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Imperfect film review by UK film critic James Learoyd. Starring Regan Linton, Megan McGuire, Lucy Roucis directed by Brian Malone, Regan Linton. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Imperfect Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: James Learoyd | Posted on: May 5, 2024 Directed by: Brian Malone, Regan Linton Written by: *N/A Starring: Regan Linton, Megan McGuire, Lucy Roucis Imperfect is as simultaneously heartwarming and heartbreaking a documentary as you will ever see. It’s important, and it’s occasionally profoundly upsetting; but it’s equally sweet and hopeful. It shows a team of actors with disabilities working towards a production of ‘Chicago’ - but that’s just the surface. It’s a film about passionate artists who are forced to live with a unique struggle – struggles few of us know. What this piece offers is a unique insight into how these individuals persevere... though more significantly, how they channel their love of performing despite limitations. The subjects of Imperfect create something extraordinarily special, and as does the documentary itself in showcasing such a sincere display of talent, solidarity and strength. One of the best elements of the documentary is the way the viewer becomes deeply and personally familiar with so many real people: whilst the focus is the production, we get some very interesting, often heartbreaking, insights into the lives of those we’re seeing (their daily lives, how they choose to approach their situation). This particular manner of constructing the movie’s overall narrative is effective in both building anticipation and creating a deeper empathy in the audience. They’re also an incredibly charming and humorous group with a real sense of self, a love for what they do. Having the spectator share in their experience and worldview is a valuable use of the form. The form in question, technically speaking, is quite minimalistic – focusing purely on those on screen or using narrative editing to accentuate a point. My meaning being that the film does not attempt to have a kind of colourful style or any operatic, transitional sequences (as documentaries often attempt) and nor does it need to. This is a movie about people, and purely that; a more stylistically expressive mode of doc-storytelling may even serve to undermine the very real struggles depicted. But despite this, the filmmaking is of quite a high quality: namely, the range of coverage provides the film with great scope. There is a deeply sad element to this piece in that one of the wonderful performers – Lucy Roucis – tragically passed away. It’s a difficult event which is addressed most respectfully. Its inclusion in the film is essential in paying tribute to their incredible work; it’s also a beautiful showcase of how much she gave to the world through her art. Imperfect is a deeply touching portrait of so many lives. It affirms a belief in artistic practice creating a strong bond; a sense of togetherness. It holds a lovely sentiment. Though sad as many events shown may be, the film is also a heartfelt celebration embracing individuality. The group supports each other in every way they can – something we can all aspire to. The film’s main focus - Regan Linton - encounters their own conflicts, doubts as creative director of the production, but what she crafts demonstrates just how much value and companionship a situation like this offers. Any viewer with that kind of passion inside them will appreciate the piece and those featured in it. About the Film Critic James Learoyd Indie Feature Film, Documentary < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Watch free short films online, or watch indie films on the UK Film Channel. Be part of UK Film Review's channel too. UK Film Channel Fed up of reading our amazing film reviews ? Were our wordsmith skills too much to handle? No worries, on the UK Film Review Film Channel you can watch short films for free , view indie films online, or watch some of the best movie trailers around! The UK Film Channel now has its own home! Visit the beautiful new site here: https://www.ukfilmchannel.co.uk/ Don't forget to check out the film reviews which accompany the films, and share with your friends, who may also want to watch short films or spend their afternoons watching indie films online. This is a place of relaxation, great films and reviews, and a touch of cheeky comedy. WARNING: Many of the films found here may not be suitable for all ages and/or those with a sensitive disposition. Viewing the movies is done at your own will and UK Film Review take no responsibility for any offence or discomfort experienced. The films are not certificated and we are unable to offer guidance on this.

Find UK filmmaking courses from the best institutions in the country. Become a filmmaker with the skills to get hired in the UK movie industry. Filmmaking Courses Given that our website receives so many film submissions from filmmakers in the UK, it is fair to say that a large part of our fanbase comes from the filmmaking community. Also, a lot of our readers may have a strong interest in becoming a filmmaker, but have no idea where to start. With this in mind, we would like to showcase filmmaking courses in the UK on this page. It will be our goal to find and promote the most prestigious and exciting institutions out there who offer the skills and experience to get you behind the camera and making films. If you would like us to consider a particular filmmaking course in the UK, perhaps because you have already attended it and would strongly recommend it, or you may be the organiser of such a course and want people to know about it, please send us a message using the form below. Filmmaking courses can often seem like a redundant notion in a world where information flows so laughably easy, and technology has become so easily available (and cheap) that anyone can pick up a camera and shoot. However, here at UK Film Review, we see and review films of all standards, and our movie critics will be the first to tell you that we can almost always tell when someone has had training and when someone has not. Like any craft, filmmaking has fundamentals that need to be considered when attempting visual storytelling. This could be from a technical level, or from a more character based perspective. The filmmaking courses in the UK, and their providers, which you will see here should always be aimed at people who have a passion for storytelling. Even if you are the guy holding the boom mic or the girl composing the score, you should always want to achieve something special in terms of the final movie. Being the best at your role will mean that you will be able to open more doors for yourself, convincing others in the industry that you are the best choice for their next project, or to convince others to join your own!

Watch a selection of movie trailers for films coming out in the UK October 2019. Quite simply the only place to look for a brilliant trailer to watch right now. October Movie Trailers Some of you will have started to get excited about Christmas by this part of the cinematic calendar, and that's totally normal. Check back soon for our Christmas film reviews. But by this point, you should be more concern with movie trailers that will be in UK cinemas October 2019. With Halloween at the end of the month, this can be the best time for studios to pump out horror movies and scary thrillers in order to get bums on seats and popcorn flying through the air. It can also be a relatively quiet time for movie trailers, as the big guns hold their load for the December crowds. Be sure to check all our pages for amazing movie trailers. In the event that you do not enjoy these clips, but you would like to view some from indie cinema and short films, head over to our other sections. These can be locatede by navigating under the Movie Trailers drop down menu. Whilst you are there, you may as well check out the rest of the site's awesome film reviews and indie filmmaker interviews etc. If you lurk about on social media, and we know you do because we do too, make sure you FOLLOW us on Facebook and Twitter, where we promote the latest movie trailers and film reviews. If you want to give us an early Christmas present, feel free to share everything on this site with every single person you have ever met. Joker Maleficent: Mistress of Evil Gemini Man Back to MOVIE TRAILERS

Trailers for movies coming out in March 2020. Watch these awesome film trailers and find out what to watch in cinemas in March this year. March Movie Trailers It's post-award season, and March is the movie calendar's equivalent of The Godfather III. With that being said, we hope we have scavenged some decent enough movie trailers of films coming out in March 2020 that you can at least have something to watch through all the tears streaming down your faces (was that a Coldplay lyric?). All of these trailers are on YouTube, either via the official distributor's channel or the EXTRA SPECIAL UK FILM REVIEW YOUTUBE CHANNEL. Use the YouTube link in the footer of our website to SUBSCRIBE. That way you get to be part of our super duper trailers community. It's pretty much like any other YouTube channel except our's is messier...Don't tell the Editor we said that. You can also find our march movie trailers on our Facebook page, where we post them regularly. Or you can use the "Videos" tab to search for an older film trailer and binge until your heart's content. Although, why we are on the subject, why does Facebook call them videos? Nothing is on videotape anymore. Sure it should be called something else by now. Anyway, this is all by the by. Take a look at the trailers below and enjoy March in all its movie sadness. Onward Movie Trailer Trolls World Tour Movie Trailer Mulan Movie Trailer Misbehaviour Movie Trailer Back to MOVIE TRAILERS

The UK Film Magazine from UK Film Review was born in February 2020. Including movie reviews, short films, indie cinema, interviews and more Quick View UK Film Review - March 2021 Price £1.79 BUY NOW Quick View 1 Year Anniversary UK Film Review - February 2021 Price £1.79 BUY NOW Quick View New Arrival UK Film Review - January 2021 Price £1.79 BUY NOW Quick View New Arrival UK Film Review - December 2020 Price £1.79 BUY NOW Quick View UK Film Review - November 2020 Price £1.79 BUY NOW Quick View UK Film Review - October 2020 Price £1.00 BUY NOW Quick View UK Film Review - September 2020 Price £1.00 BUY NOW Quick View UK Film Review - August 2020 Price £1.00 BUY NOW Quick View UK Film Review - July 2020 Price £1.00 BUY NOW Quick View UK Film Review - June 2020 Price £1.00 BUY NOW Quick View UK Film Review - May 2020 Price £1.00 BUY NOW Quick View UK Film Review - April 2020 Price £1.00 BUY NOW Quick View UK Film Review - March 2020 Price £1.00 BUY NOW Quick View 1st Edition UK Film Review - February 2020 Price £1.00 BUY NOW UK Film Magazine IMPORTANT: THE UK FILM REVIEW MAGAZINE IS CURRENTLY ON HIATUS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. The UK Film Review Magazine launched in February 2020 with our classic recipe of reviews, features and interviews, covering all aspects of the film industry - not just the biggest releases. Short films, festivals, and indie filmmakers all made appearance alongside some of cinemas biggest releases of the month. So why, we hear you ask, have UK Film Review moved into the film magazine biz? We wanted to take our movie reviews to the next level and provide our readers with an alternative way of keeping up to date from the frontline of film. A handy digital magazine which can be downloaded onto any device and read at your leisure (without an internet connection even) was something we wanted to be able to offer. Also, we realise that online noise means sometimes our readers may miss some of the reviews we put out. This is why we aim to get into your mailboxes ;) Furthermore, the UK Film Review Magazine offers a nice snapshot of the movies in cinemas for that month, helping you decide whether you are going to take the plunge for certain films. Unlike some other UK film magazines, ours is very affordable. Just £1 per issue to keep your wallet happy and your movie appetite satiated. Ours will also include world cinema, documentaries, animated films, and anything else we decide to pop in there. We recommend subscribing, so you don’t miss an issue and you also get first access to the magazine each month. Some of the content in there will also be unique to the UK Film Review Magazine , such as filmmaker interviews and features, so it is going to be a must-read for any serious film fans. Inside we also include a little film game at the end which is a fun way to join in with us on social media after you finish reading the digital magazine. Don’t worry, the UK Film Review Magazine will not be replacing our usual website coverage of movies. All reviews will be available online with only select ones appearing in the magazine.

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Here you will find movie trailers for films coming out in June 2020. Watch a trailer from some of the hottest movies in UK cinemas. June Movie Trailers Welcome to our dedicated page where you can find a great selection of trailers for movies coming out in June 2020; all genres of film are included. From the latest psychological thrillers and crime movies, to buddy cop films and horror slashers. Please be aware, these movie trailers often contain spoilers which can ruin your viewing pleasure of the full film, or perhaps will give you unreasonable expectations as to whether you should part with money at a cinema to watch them. We take no liability in any way as to whether these trailers are suitable for your viewing pleasure, religious dogma, sensibilities or other. If these are not to your taste, but you would like some trailers of more a more independent persuasion, saunter on over to our other movie trailers pages for shorts and indie cinema. You can find these by looking under the Movie Trailers drop down in the navigation. Once you arrive there, you will be able to access some of the most exciting and entertaining trailers from movies around the globe, allowing UK Film Review to do our utmost to support indie films. Be sure you FOLLOW us on Facebook and Twitter, where we promote the latest movie trailers and film reviews. Wonder Woman 1984 Movie Trailer Soul Movie Trailer Back to MOVIE TRAILERS