Lioness film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Sara Oliva, Lily Jane directed by Molly E. Smith. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Lioness Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Dec 30, 2023 Directed by: Molly E. Smith Written by: Sara Oliva Starring: Sara Oliva, Lily Jane As Lioness opens, we find a tired and weary mother and daughter settling into a dingy motel room for the night. The daughter (Lily Jane) is already asleep on the bed while the sound of a car engine outside has spooked the mother (Sara Oliva) into action. She’s taking no chances and gets to work barricading the door to keep them both safe for the night. When her phone starts making noises she switches that off too, as she tries to ensure that nobody can locate them in this small, unexpected safe-haven. No words need to be uttered as we watch this spent, frightened mother do everything she can to keep her child safe from whatever danger lurks outside that empty, lifeless room. We see that it’s gone well after midnight, but still the mother’s work is not yet done, and we watch as she empties the contents of her handbag out onto the floor as she frantically searches for tools and resources to work with. Everything from the Yellow Pages, to chewing gum, to her own spit, to sanitary towels somehow get utilised by the mother’s ingenuity to help create the atmosphere that she is looking for, but it’s not until we watch her take the surgical tape from a bandage covering a very serious wound on her stomach that we realise just how desperate the situation is for the two women in this story. Produced, written and edited by Sara Oliva, who also plays the mother, Lioness is a delicate look into an all too common situation. Inspired by her time in one such motel room filming another project as well as her experiences helping out at a Florida based women’s shelter, Oliva fleshed out the idea for Lioness fairly quickly, with the story coming to her in images. These images are in truth both affirming and harrowing at the same time and with Oliva deciding to let them tell the story, along with her incredibly affecting performance, without the need for any real dialogue, they then create a rich, intense and moving short film which is impossible to tear your eyes away from. Director Molly E. Smith shows a skill and understanding well beyond her years as she helms the project and handles the camera while still being in her senior year at high school. Oliva explains the decision to hire someone so young to direct as coming from the fact that Smith could bridge the generational gap between mother and daughter and nowhere is this expressed more beautifully than when the attention shifts to the daughter’s perspective and the full meaning of the film comes sharply into focus. Helping things along is a beautiful and sometimes haunting score from Austin Becker, while Smith keeps everything stripped back and natural with the sound and lighting coming from within the scene. There are some really nice details scattered throughout Lioness which should help the eagle-eyed viewer stay aware of the analogy offered by the film’s title; that of a fierce, protective mother doing whatever is necessary to look after her young and give her the best opportunities in life despite any oppressive outside concerns. My favourite of these is that the mother in this story never speaks but is only heard once through a Lioness’ roar. With this seven-minute short film also being dedicated to all the other lionesses out there it can only be hoped that as many of them as possible, as well as anyone else who can identify with a lioness’ soul, will find their way to viewing this small, well-crafted gem, and take from it the strength, ferocity and nurturing tenderness which shines through every frame. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Short Film, Digital / DVD Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Jake, the failure film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Andi Rexha, Emily Arrington directed by Julian Sibal. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Jake, the failure Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Aug 17, 2023 Directed by: Julian Sibal Written by: Julian Sibal Starring: Andi Rexha, Emily Arrington A young man reflects on his struggling life. Jake (Rexha) is a youth who has high ambitions but has reached an emotional rock bottom. He is a wannabe scriptwriter and is having a hard time becoming that. Having sacrificed everything to pursue his dream, he now works as a parking attendant and repeatedly tries to get his work noticed. Eventually, he gives up on everything, believes that he is no good and decides that there is only one thing to do. This short drama works like a montage with Rexha's voice-over guiding the viewer through his life. The narrative is nonlinear, with many brief scenes show what he is up to and his thoughts reveal how he views life and the world. The viewer sees him working as a parking attendant while working on scripts, presenting them to potential buyers, however without success. There are also flashbacks of his former happy relationship with his girlfriend (Arrington). The narration explains that failure to fulfil his wishes has landed him in a dark place with no hope. The protagonist's thoughts are rather distressing and pessimistic. He has come to the conclusion that people going after their dreams is pointless and destroys their lives. He also believes that ultimately, every person is forgotten. All these beliefs have led him to conclude that life is meaningless and that there is no point in going on. The wonderful cinematography deserves big commendations, courtesy of Thomas Hubbel and the beautiful and sentimental music by Tiko Lasola and Samuel Andrew Garcia is a great feature and the song True Love Will Find You in the End by Priscilla Ahn was a perfect choice. This is a moving story about a person who has lost all hope. It is not a pleasant viewing, however it is an important one that explores the ways people feel about their choices and mistakes and it also addresses mental health issues and suicidal tendencies. The film is quite upsetting and filled with negative thoughts, although the ending appears to offer hope. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Film news - EFN Film Festival Goes Hybrid for 2021. Find out more at UK Film Review. EFN Film Festival Goes Hybrid for 2021 Chris Olson Friday, June 25, 2021 at 9:59:59 AM GMT+1 EFN’s next Edition is going hybrid! Our Summer/Autumn Spectacu-ganza will take place both on live-stream and in the flesh in London’s Iconic Genesis Cinema . ● Expect: o Our trademark Awards Night with a selection of films competing for the Critics’ Choice Award given by a panel of film industry experts (BBC, Leeds Int. Film Festival) and the Audience Favourite Award voted by the audience attending on the night both LIVE and ONLINE! o Side film screenings with more official selections as part of our non-competitive programmes. o Online Industry Workshops around funding, writing and film festival strategies! ● EFN is an international short film festival reaching over 3000 cinephiles. ● We accept films of any genre and type: **Comedy, Drama, Horror, Animation, Documentary, Experimental, all are welcome** ● All films need to be no longer than 20 minutes and produced within the last 2 years. ● Film submissions are accepted via FilmFreeway. 10% discount for students 15% discount for gold FilmFreeway members and 20% for those who have submitted to EFN before. ● Visit www.efnfestival.org/submit for full details: EARLY BIRD DEADLINE June 30th 2021. “I honestly can’t recommend this festival highly enough. One of the best experiences I’ve had as a filmmaker: from the insightful and fascinating questions during the Q&A to the clear connection they have with an engages audience” - Celestine Fraser - Writer/Producer Our panel of experts includes Leeds International Film Festival Programmer Molly Cowderoy , UK partner of the Clermont-Ferrand Film Festival Abla Kandalaft and Christina Papasotiriou Genesis Cinema’s Alternative Programming Manager. “EFN- Emerging Filmmakers Night is a professional and extremely well run festival. The communication with the filmmakers, the quality of the event and audience engagement are all excellent” - Steven Dorrington-Writer/Director The King's Man UK Home Release Date Announced The Latest King’s Man Film Will be Available on Digital February 9 and 4K Ultra HD™, Blu-ray™ and DVD on February 21. Read Now BFI Future Film Festival announces 2022 Awards Jury and full programme Find out who the jury is for the 2022 BFI Future Film Festival. Read Now The Wonderful: Stories From The Space Station UK Release Date The Wonderful: Stories from the Space Station is a Dog Star Films production in association with Fisheye Films. Directed by Clare Lewins (I Am Ali, Kareem: Minority of One, The Lost Tapes of Memphis.). Read Now Redemption of a Rogue UK Cinema Release Date Read Now Cryptozoo Coming to Mubi This October Having made a splash at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, filmmaker Dash Shaw's upcoming fantasy animation Cryptozoo is a highly anticipated film coming to Mubi later this year. Read Now Another Round UK DVD And Blu-Ray Release Date Announced Following its acclaimed cinema release, STUDIOCANAL are excited to announce the release of Thomas Vinterberg’s intoxicating Oscar winner, ANOTHER ROUND, starring Mads Mikkelsen, on early EST 24th September 2021 and DVD, Blu-ray and Digital on 27th September 2021. Read Now Marvel Studios Announces Black Widow DVD and Blu-Ray UK Release Date Marvel Studios Announces Black Widow To Land Early On Digital (August 10th) and 4K, Blu-Ray and DVD September 13th. Read Now My Little Sister Gets October UK Release Date My Little Sister is due for a cinema release in the UK, on Friday 8th October 2021. Read Now Grimmfest Reveals Line-Up for 2021 Film Festival After a year of “home invasions” in the form of virtual screenings and online events, this October sees Grimmfest returning to the cinema at last. Read Now Helen Mirren Narrates Powerful Documentary Escape From Extinction Kaleidoscope Entertainment presents Escape From Extinction, a powerful feature documentary narrated by Academy Award winner Dame Helen Mirren, coming to selected cinemas from 17th September celebrating ‘Great Big Green Week’ (18-26 September). Read Now Supernova UK DVD and Blu-Ray Release Date Following critical acclaim and standout performances, STUDIOCANAL are excited to announce the release of the heartbreaking British love story SUPERNOVA, arriving on EST 24th September 2021 and DVD and Blu-ray on 27th September 2021. Read Now The Djinn UK Release Date The story follows a mute twelve-year-old, Dylan Jacobs, as he discovers a mysterious book of spells inside his new apartment. Read Now Come Play UK Digital Release Date Jacob Chase’s directorial debut feature COME PLAY tells the story of Oliver, a solitary autistic boy who comes across a creepy children’s story on his new tablet. Read Now 15m Giant Starfish in Leicester Square Ahead of UK Release of The Suicide Squad British actor Peter Capaldi (BBC’s Doctor Who, World War Z) ‒ who stars in THE SUICIDE SQUAD alongside Margot Robbie, Idris Elba and John Cena as genius scientist ‘Thinker’, was bravely photographed with the imposing creature Starro in London’s Leicester Square earlier today in celebration of the film’s UK release this coming Friday. Read Now West Side Story In Cinemas December 2021 From acclaimed director Steven Spielberg, the 2021 remake of West Side Story will be coming to cinemas in December 2021. Read Now The Last Job UK Digital and DVD Release Date Screen icon Richard Dreyfuss takes on The Last Job in a brand new, all-action thriller, that stars Modern Family’s Mira Sorvino as his daughter. This rip-roaring gangster movie hits the UK on DVD and digital this August from 101 Films. Read Now Rise of the Footsoldier Origins UK Cinema Release The eagerly-awaited RISE OF THE FOOTSOLDIER: ORIGINS, starring legendary leading man Vinnie Jones, is showing exclusively in cinemas from September 3, courtesy of Signature Entertainment. Read Now Random Acts of Violence UK DVD and Blu-ray Release Date Jay Baruchel writes, directs and stars in his horror debut Random Acts of Violence, which makes its UK Blu-ray debut from Acorn Media International in conjunction with Shudder, following its success on the streaming service. Read Now Spirited Away 20th Anniversary Special Edition SPIRITED AWAY COLLECTOR’S BOXSET WITH DVD & BLU-RAY DOUBLEPLAY AVAILABLE 27 SEPTEMBER 2021 Read Now A New World Order Premieres in UK 23 August Black Mirror meets A Quiet Place in gripping sci-fi thriller A New World Order from director Daniel Raboldt in his feature debut, which gets its UK premiere on DVD and digital 23 August 2021 from Reel 2 Reel Films. Read Now

Still Life (2026) film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Ophelia Lovibond, Jacob Anderson directed by Sophie King. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Still Life (2026) Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Jul 19, 2026 Directed by: Sophie King Written by: Kate Radcliffe Starring: Ophelia Lovibond, Jacob Anderson A short drama directed by Sophie King, written by Kate Radcliffe and starring Ophelia Lovibond and Jacob Anderson. Jessica (Lovibond) and Max (Anderson) are expecting a baby. Although this is supposed to be good news, the soon-to-be-parents are facing complications involving the pregnancy, particularly Jessica, who appears to be quite anxious. This short focuses less on the plot, concentrating instead on the effects the anticipation of having a baby has on the couple, especially Jessica. The film examines the emotional struggles she goes through, ostensibly because she is worried that something might go wrong with the pregnancy. Then the dramatic revelation arrives. The twist makes the viewer question everything they saw before as it reveals that as well as being apprehensive about the future life-changing event, Jessica has also been devastated by a terrible experience that took place in the past. As the story is told though her character's perspective, Lovibond's performance is vital in order for the film to work and she pulls it off terrifically, playing a woman who is distraught for reasons that are not clear, until the end. The film relies primarily on her facial expressions to capture her emotions, with plenty of close-ups utilised to capture that. Interestingly, while attending yoga classes with the apparent intention to help her relax during pregnancy, she does reveal that she is expecting when the instructor inquires, making one wonder why. Anderson is sympathetic as Jessica's supportive partner and, although their appearance is brief, Phoebe Pryce, Alex Bhat and Jordan Alexandra effectively portray individuals who know and support the struggling couple. For the most part, this short is about pregnancy, exploring the anxiousness and uncertainty a future parent can go through and it also points out the significance of support. More dramatically, it is also a commentary about the effects of trauma and loss. This short manages to squeeze a lot of drama in ten minutes and the result is the emotional and unsettling aftermath of a tragedy and great acting. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Disclosure Day film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Emily Blunt, Josh O'Connor, Colin Firth, Colman Domingo directed by Steven Spielberg. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Disclosure Day Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Jun 9, 2026 Directed by: Steven Spielberg Written by: David Koepp, Steven Spielberg Starring: Emily Blunt, Josh O'Connor, Colin Firth, Colman Domingo For about fifty years, Steven Spielberg has been indulging his wonder. By sheer force of will and undeniable talent, the filmmaker turned the direction of Hollywood’s alien fascination, not from “they’re coming to get us” to “maybe they love us.” But he pushed hard enough, beguiled intensely enough, to create that space. He isn’t done. Disclosure Day returns our eyes to the skies and asks us to examine why our natural inclination is to believe the worst in each other and blame the “other” for it. Josh O’Connor is Daniel Kellner, math nerd (you knew there’d be a nerd). He’s employed by Wardex, an intelligence and security paramilitary firm that works alongside, not for, the US government. But Spielberg, working from a script by longtime collaborator David Koepp (Jurassic Park, War of the Worlds) for which he gets story credit, wastes no time on this set up. From the opening smackdown, we are on the run with Daniel and girlfriend Jane (Eve Hewson) from Wardex and its head, Scanlon (Colin Firth). Cut to the charmingly unserious Kansas City meteorologist, Margaret Fairchild (Emily Blunt). Quite suddenly, over the objections of Margaret’s equally unserious boyfriend (Wyatt Russell), she’s on a collision course with Daniel while Scanlon’s high tech, black clad operatives use all intel on hand to close in. The shot making is Spielberg at his most reflectively, thrillingly Spielbergian. Disorienting, gorgeous, and often recalling his own work in nod after ingenious nod. Plus, John Williams came out of retirement, pairing music to scene to reliably engrossing effect. Colman Domingo offers his support as the father figure whose let wonder and optimism override knee jerk fear and cynicism. Everybody’s great, Blunt in particular. And there’s a lovely sentiment fueling the tale as Spielberg uses his familiar themes to point to the weaponization of religion and society’s bottomed-out belief in humanity. But the world is not the same place it was when Richard Dreyfuss wasted a good plate of mashed potatoes. As well made and engaging as Disclosure Day is, the third act reveals what the first two suggested. For a comment on the state of the world, or an extra-terrestrial thriller, the film’s sweet, quaint, and somewhat irrelevant. A few questionable details would be easier to overlook thanks to the film’s admirable momentum had it all led somewhere less telegraphed and less wide-eyed. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Axmo Deus film review by UK film critic Joe Beck. Starring Ken Fletcher, Noel Vinson, David MacPhail, Deidre Campbell directed by Noel Vinson, Abel Robinson, Luke Agius. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Axmo Deus Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Joe Beck | Posted on: Oct 30, 2022 Directed by: Noel Vinson, Abel Robinson, Luke Agius Written by: Axmo Deus, Abel Robinson, Noel Vinson Starring: Ken Fletcher, Noel Vinson, David MacPhail, Deidre Campbell Web series’ are often a strange concoction of the internet’s most basic ideas mixed with some of its most creative artists. ‘Axmo Deus’ exemplifies this completely, attempting to mix ‘new horror’ with surface-level ideas and messages, resulting in a disappointing, and ultimately weary, experience. At some stage in the 2010s, perhaps formally beginning with ‘It Follows’, horror films once more became the genre that, alongside superheroes, garnered the most attention from both general audiences and critics. It was an incredible decade for horror films - ‘Us’, ‘Hereditary’ ‘Get Out’, ‘The Witch’, ‘A Quiet Place’, ‘It’, ‘Don’t Breathe’, ‘It Comes At Night’, ‘Doctor Sleep’ - and that’s without mentioning juggernauts like ‘The Conjuring’ and ‘Halloween’. With that trend set to continue with Ti West’s ‘X’ thriving, it therefore comes as no surprise that an increasing amount of aspiring filmmakers are turning to horror to get a footing in the industry. ‘Axmo Deus’ picks up on the flaws inherent in many ‘new horror’ films - an overemphasis on exploiting a political message, without adding any depth to the argument - and blends it with the overemphasis on blood, gore and jump scares which epitomised the largely lacklustre horror films of the 90s and 00s. In many ways ‘Axmo Deus’ is an early warning of what the horror genre will likely become in five to ten years’ time, as the pendulum will once again flip, as it always does, towards trashy horror flicks, as another genre enjoys a period in the limelight. The biggest issue with ‘Axmo Deus’ is that it feigns to have an important message, especially in early episodes, but lacks the time (each episode clocks in at just one minute) to explore it, and so deviates into an excess of violence. As each episode moves to the next at a breakneck pace - the credits are literally playing at 2x speed - and each episode is completely disconnected to the previous one, there isn’t enough time to care in each scenario. The rapid pace of each story is also numbing, nullifying any shock from its jump scares as we are often confronted with an overly loud shouting match and an ensuing bloody outburst. Each episode is well-directed and the production value appears to be high, especially given the presumably low budget, but that doesn’t prevent the stench of a project created only to generate clicks and likes permeating through the piece. It becomes overbearing after two episodes, and long outstays it’s welcome, so that by the time the shackles are loosened a little, and it allows itself to sometimes drop the messaging, we simply do not care. It alienates its viewer, and will not be appreciated in any format other than a TikTok clip. This is a web series made for the TikTok generation, so mind-numbingly fast that they can consume an episode before swiping to the next clip. It’ll convince many users that they’ve witnessed a cinematic masterpiece, condensed and tailor-made to themselves, when in reality ‘Axmo Deus’ is a reflection of the sad state of cinema. If clips last one minute and tell no story, but are lauded for being artsy and powerful, become the means through which people, especially young people, view cinema then long-form, character-driven stories, which take time to build up suspense, will die. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Joe Beck Web Series < All Reviews Next Film Review >

My Name Is Alfred Hitchcock film review by UK film critic Matt Weiner. Starring Alfred Hitchcock directed by Mark Cousins. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS My Name Is Alfred Hitchcock Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Matt Weiner | Posted on: Nov 7, 2024 Directed by: Mark Cousins Written by: Mark Cousins Starring: Alfred Hitchcock My Name Is Alfred Hitchcock isn’t the first Alfred Hitchcock documentary in the last decade. It’s not even the second prominent one. But this unique take on the director’s entire filmography sets out to show why these movies have not only endured, but continue to speak to audiences—and some of our seamiest impulses. My Name Is Alfred Hitchcock is a welcome companion piece to the other recent documentaries, falling somewhere between the broad interrogation of 2015’s Hitchcock/Truffaut and the technical hyper-focus of 2017’s 78/52 . Writer and director Mark Cousins uses Hitchcock’s “voice” and—more importantly—almost exclusively clips from his films to take a fresh look at the legend. Thankfully for anyone tackling a feature-length video essay, you’re at a huge advantage when the subject is Alfred Hitchcock. Cousins breaks the documentary up into six key themes, some expected (height, escape) but others taking a surprising metaphysical turn. It’s hard not to want to dive into a full Hitchcock movie after watching the clips. Especially notable is the amount of time that Cousins devotes to the less usual suspects. There are the silent films and early movies pre-Hollywood, but also plenty of love for techniques in his late films that show him fully in command of his craft. Even the classics that have been analyzed to death show off new themes. If you want more on the shower, well… there’s an entire movie for that. It was novel to sit with some of the other parts of movies like Psycho or North by Northwest without getting caught up on “that scene.” The documentary’s strict adherence to showing us “what’s on the page” has some limits, though. Hitchcock’s wife, Alma, gets a section of the movie. But it doesn’t do justice to her role, not just as beloved muse, but extremely influential collaborator. And then there’s the voice. Hitchcock gets a writing and voice credit at the start of the film, and it isn’t a spoiler to point out that Alfred Hitchcock is not writing new scripts in this century. The voice belongs to English impressionist Alistair McGowan, who does a solid job sounding equally plummy and put-upon. But it’s an affectation that wears across the two-hour runtime, especially when it shouldn’t be a surprise reveal to tell the audience that this was just part of the artifice of film. Cousins’ script, plus the exceptionally deep range of highlights, stand on their own without the gimmick. The shots speak for themselves to reveal even more than the voice of the director himself ever could, if you buy into the psychology behind the movies. And Cousins makes a decent case that you should. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Matt Weiner Theatrical Release, Documentary < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Babylon film review by UK film critic Brian Penn. Starring Margot Robbie, Brad Pitt, Diego Calva directed by Damien Chazelle. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Babylon Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Brian Penn | Posted on: Jan 21, 2023 Directed by: Damien Chazelle Written by: Damien Chazelle Starring: Margot Robbie, Brad Pitt, Diego Calva The popular image of Tinseltown and Hollywood glitter is one of wholesome, high kicking starlets and lantern jawed leading men. But the reality was somewhat different as the gloss of a bygone era has slowly rubbed away. This film by Damien Chazelle reveals a tale of debauchery and excess underneath the squeaky clean image sold to an adoring public. Hollywood's transition from silent movies to the talkies is a well-trodden path. This version leaves nothing to the imagination and has been questioned by some. But who can say how far people would go in pursuit of power, fame and wealth? Babylon begins in 1926, the year before the Jazz Singer ushered in the talkie era. The focus falls on three characters eager to make their mark in a rapidly changing film industry. Jack Conrad (Brad Pitt) is an established star who fears his best days are behind him; Nellie LaRoy (Margot Robbie) is an ultra-confident wannabe actor on every party list and Manny Torres (Diego Calva), a willing gofer who will do anything to get a foot into films. Nellie quickly talks her way into a film role, but cannot control the vices that are part of the job description. Manny is smitten by Nellie and rubs shoulders with the underworld to straighten her out. He dreams of making her a clean cut film star in the vanguard of a new Hollywood. As the 1930s dawn Jack fights for acceptance in the talkies but has his time now passed? Babylon is a beautifully shot and faultlessly executed film that could easily scoop the technical Oscars. A dazzling jazz tinged soundtrack also complements some stunning visuals. Margot Robbie looks beautiful and totally nails the role of Nellie. She dominates the film's funniest moments, particularly when trying to shoot a scene continually disrupted by outside noises. Brad Pitt delivers a satisfying turn as the matinee idol clinging to a fading reputation. However, for a film that runs to three hours and nine minutes, it has to justify the additional screen time. And that is the problem as a sprawling mass robs the story of any real coherence. There are some brilliant set pieces that genuinely have the wow factor. But too many scenes feel superfluous and self-indulgent. A brutal editor's cut would have served it much better. Even so the film has its moments; but you might be begging for the closing credits to roll by the end? Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Brian Penn Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Anemone film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Sean Bean directed by Ronan Day-Lewis. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Anemone Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Oct 2, 2025 Directed by: Ronan Day-Lewis Written by: Ronan Day-Lewis, Daniel Day-Lewis Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sean Bean As a young filmmaker, would having arguably the most revered actor of his generation—perhaps of all time—as a father be a blessing or a curse? For Ronan Day-Lewis, directing his first feature with co-writer and lead actor (and dad) Daniel Day-Lewis, it seems to be working out. Anemone is a tale of fathers and sons, of one generation of men inflicting damage upon the next, and the tenderness that either dies, finds an outlet, or runs to madness. Sean Bean a is Jem, a good man who strikes out from his dodgy neighborhood in Northern England to the woods, led by the navigational coordinates on the back of a page that reads: Anemone: In Case of Emergency, Break Glass. The coordinates lead him to his brother, Ray (DDL), a hermit since his time fighting against the IRA. Ray is wanted at home. Like many of Day-Lewis’s greatest performances, his work here impresses with lengthy stretches of silence punctuated by a couple of brilliantly executed monologues. His lean and scrappy physicality belie the character’s vulnerability in ways that expertly match Ray’s reticent then vulgar speech. Ray’s a man off the rails, while Bean deftly crafts a character who’s found comfort and strength in structure. Neither actor overplays the brothers’ differences, rather falling into a tenuous if lived-in familiarity. The great Samantha Morton and an impressive Samuel Bottomley round out the cast, but as usual, all eyes are on Day-Lewis. RDL knows it, not only providing memorable lines, but crafting an atmosphere that evokes Ray’s troubling inner landscape. Bobby Krlic’s (Eddington , Beau Is Afraid , Midsommar ) score conjures an angry melancholy while moments of painterly surrealism deliver flashes of beautiful, hopeful madness. Even when lensing the natural elegance of Ray’s isolated world, RDL and cinematographer Ben Fordesman (Love Lies Bleeding , Saint Maud ) evoke a magical splendor. Anemone feels uncertain of how to resolve itself, to bridge the two worlds it creates. Structure failed Ray, and it nearly fails Anemone . But the film offers more than enough reason to believe in filmmaker Ronan Day-Lewis. And if you needed another reason to believe in actor Daniel Day-Lewis, well, here you go. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Mob Land film review by UK film critic Matt Weiner. Starring John Travolta, Stephen Dorff directed by Nicholas Maggio. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Mob Land Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Matt Weiner | Posted on: Aug 3, 2023 Directed by: Nicholas Maggio Written by: Nicholas Maggio, Rob Healy Starring: John Travolta, Stephen Dorff Stop if you’ve heard this one before… good-hearted, small-time criminals get caught up in a web of violence and forces far beyond their control, with a dash of social commentary and vague nods toward the senselessness of the universe and fate. Mob Land , the feature film debut from Nicholas Maggio, could at a distance be mistaken for any number of neo-noirs it borrows heavily from. Strong, silent Shelby Conners (Shiloh Fernandez) relies on what work he can get—legal and otherwise—to support his family in rural Alabama. When his brother-in-law Trey (Kevin Dillon) comes up with a plan to rob a local pill mill, Shelby tags along as wheelman. Both men of course end up over their heads and soon have to tangle with the ruthless New Orleans mob outfit that runs the clinic, as well as local law enforcement, headed up by a sheriff who exudes “too old for this” with each gruff word. When it comes to showing its influences on screen, Mob Land is as unlucky as Shelby and Trey. The movie has the guts to take from more incisive forebears, and it’s hard not to make running comparisons. It’s also hampered by a script from Maggio that always feels right on the cusp of making a point about its characters and the hands they are dealt. But here again, it lacks the follow-through to turn its stars into more than the slightly off-discount versions of the brand name version. The dialogue and character choices are likely too great for any ensemble to overcome, but Mob Land has brief flashes of a world where a less restrained pastiche might have worked. John Travolta’s performance as the tired sheriff is reserved to the point of redundancy. It serves mainly as a reminder that he deserves to find the right vehicle for this stage of his career. But it falls to Stephen Dorff’s mob hitman Clayton as the prime example of how Mob Land stretches out the seams of the influences it wants to inhabit. Clayton is the AI output of an Anton Chigurh text generator. An unstoppable force with questionable morals who speaks almost entirely in empty aphorisms for the whole movie, Dorff tries valiantly to add dimensionality to the part. That it almost works is a testament to the actor, whose eclectic filmography belies how good he is in the right part. Story aside, credit to Maggio as a director. Along with cinematographer Nick Matthews, Maggio elevates the film’s limited settings to deliver a believably lived-in southern noir. As by-the-numbers as much else seems, Mob Land takes an effective approach to the creeping dread and violence that tear apart Shelby’s world. These touches aren’t enough to salvage the film, but they do keep it from being outright bad. Worse, Mob Land is mostly forgettable, perhaps the greater sin for a noir. There are echoes of the poverty porn of Hell or High Water , and more than a few heaping doses of the Coen brothers. It’s all thrown together too haphazardly, and with little room left for Mob Land to have something to say of its own that we haven’t already heard before. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Matt Weiner Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Gutta Boyz film review by UK film critic Rob Jones. Starring Terry Bush, Dre Hampton, John Gray, Ken Lathan directed by Shatrice Stafford. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Gutta Boyz Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Rob Jones | Posted on: Mar 16, 2023 Directed by: Shatrice Stafford Written by: Shatrice Stafford Starring: Terry Bush, Dre Hampton, John Gray, Ken Lathan The Gutta Boyz is a modern hood drama that starts by looking at the knock-on effect caused by the legalisation of weed. On a conceptual level, it’s very interesting. No matter which side of the legalisation debate you find yourself on, this is telling a story that doesn’t get much airtime - the plight of the humble drug dealer now that every convenience store and multinational grocery chain is a competitor for an already small pool of customers. Unfortunately, it doesn’t quite keep up the momentum that its premise creates, and it does just blend into any other crime story rather than doing anything uniquely meaningful. Visually it appears to come from a decent budget at first glance, but there are quite a few telltale signs of inexperience. It’s edited in a way that caters towards the mechanics of a scene rather than the story that the scene is trying to tell. For example, when a character is buzzed into another’s apartment building we get a quick cut back to the intercom system every time a button is pushed. It just isn’t necessary - it isn’t too much to ask us to infer that all the steps needed to facilitate one character entering another’s home were taken without being shown them. There’s also a weird effect that persists throughout where the audio track doesn’t quite match up with the visuals. There were even points where it felt as if it could be a dubbed version of an originally foreign-language short film, but it isn’t. In any case, it would appear that the sound was recorded and then added in post-production which is an interesting choice, even if it isn’t fully pulled off. It does give it a nostalgic feel of 80s Hong Kong action, back when every film was dubbed with different voice actors to the actors who were in front of the camera. Whether that’s intentional or not is unconfirmed. The film’s biggest weakness is in its dialogue, another aspect of The Gutta Boyz that seems to come from a place of inexperience. There’s perhaps an overreliance on a script that reads as if it’s a first draft. The conversations aren’t natural, and there’s a tendency for characters to vocalise things that just don’t need to be said. It isn’t quite on the level of The Room but it’s a similar kind of feeling that lines just jump from nowhere and that everyone’s taking their turn whether a conversation would happen in its written order or not. The Gutta Boyz certainly leaves a lot of room for improvement, but it does genuinely feel like the start of something that could be refined and honed into something meaningful with the right guidance. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Rob Jones Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

I Am The Prize film review by UK film critic Holly Baker. Starring Russell Tovey, Faith Alabi, Jane Fowler directed by Sai Karan Talwar. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS I Am The Prize Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Holly Baker | Posted on: Jun 15, 2026 Directed by: Sai Karan Talwar Written by: Sai Karan Talwar Starring: Russell Tovey, Faith Alabi, Jane Fowler Russell Tovey stars as British influencer Anthony Selvon in Sai Karan Talwar’s short film I AM THE PRIZE. Selvon is a polarising public figure, famous for his work on helping young men become more confident in difficult areas of their lives, such as relationships. His ideas, however, stem from a hate towards women, and encourage male-centrism and sexual violence. Selvon’s corruption is gradually revealed through insights into his life, through the use of several intense, long, uninterrupted takes making up this powerful short. In an era where the manosphere is having an increasingly dangerous impact on young men, taking over areas of the internet, and influencing hateful crimes, short films like this are critical in bringing to light just how many holes are in harmful ‘red pill’ ideologies. The film excellently replicates the methods used by manosphere creators to lure in young, desperate men. Its opening shot perfectly encapsulates how men end up in these harmful spaces, often without even realising how they got there. Viewers are held in a nondescript room, behind several rows of anonymous heads who have also found themselves there. There is then a slow zoom into Anthony, and so deeper into the room, mirroring the way men are gradually groomed into listening to misogynistic ideas. On the surface, Anthony’s ideas might not seem harmful at all. He brings up topics of building men’s confidence and acknowledges the male loneliness epidemic. He even encourages a man to face his emotions, though his own demeanour is cold throughout. This gradual luring is often how men are drawn into the manosphere, viewing influencers’ advice as a form of self-help to reshape their perspective and improve on aspects of themselves they are unhappy with. But as the camera moves closer to Anthony, viewers see him more clearly, becoming aware of the aggressiveness towards women that comes through in his language. He refers to women as things rather than people, categorises women’s thoughts using simplified, male-centric ideas, and uses misogynistic language, indicating his view that women only exist within the context of male ownership. After a painstaking opening scene that quickly establishes Selvon’s character as a hateful public figure, starkly comparable to the real-life manosphere influencers interviewed in Louis Theroux’s documentary Inside the Manosphere, viewers are confronted with an ironic revelation. Selvon is a closeted homosexual; his views towards women are likely a result of internalised homophobia, and his expert advice to men's romantic pursuits of women is therefore utterly fraudulent. Whilst there is no real-life specific evidence that the spread of red-pill content is a result of closeted sexuality, Theroux's documentary provides a useful perspective that buried traumas and emotions contributed to men choosing the path of harmful content creation. The ideas at play here, therefore, fulfil the ironic truth of the manosphere, as they only make men lonelier as they become radicalised away from who they truly are, blaming external factors such as women for their problems, rather than ever taking the time to reflect and work on themselves. The use of long takes gruellingly captivates viewers into every scene. Viewers are forced to be close to Anthony throughout his journey, as he suffers on his journey like a true tragic figure; his downfall a result of his own actions and rejection of his true self. There are times that he is almost pitiful, as Russell Tovey excellently conveys a deep sadness in Anthony which is driving his mental and physical state into oblivion. Faith Alibi’s performance as a journalist and interviewer of Anthony is brilliantly satisfying. After viewers were agonisingly trapped in Anthony’s world, the interviewer’s intellect and well-spokenness provided a moment of relief. The ingenious casting choice of a strong, influential black, disabled woman playing a self-assured character who stands up to Anthony works excellently as a direct contrast to everything that he is. Alibi’s presence here is also an important contradiction, to show how opinionated women, particularly black women, are never welcome in the manosphere due to the sexist and racist beliefs that they hold. Having Alibi here as the only other major character creates an imaginary world where a discussion can take place; however, as the film demonstrates, a productive conversation is impossible. The echo-chamber of the manosphere will always aggressively object to any discussion of the flaws in its logic or the violence that it so blatantly encourages. I Am The Prize is screening at the 2026 Raindance Film Festival. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Holly Baker Film Festival, Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >