Insentient film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring David Arkema, Clayton Stocker Myers, Elizabeth Saint directed by Sohale Dezfoli. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Insentient Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Aug 20, 2021 Directed by: Sohale Dezfoli Written by: Sohale Dezfoli Starring: David Arkema, Clayton Stocker Myers, Elizabeth Saint They say that the best revenge is a life well lived. Someone probably should have probably shared that snippet of wisdom with the co-leads of Insentient , who have decided that the best revenge is to rob your ex-girlfriend at gunpoint – with predictably tragic consequences. Heartbroken after discovering his girlfriend’s (Elizabeth Saint) infidelity, Stan (David Arkema) enlists his brother Marty (Clayton Stocker Myers) in a revenge plan. At a diner, the pair discuss their scheme – which will involve an armed break-in and the theft of an undisclosed item that has great meaning to the former lovers. But as the brothers take action, they discover that plans made in anger never go as expected. Insentient is an ambitious short film that tries its best to formulate thought-provoking statements on the futility of revenge and the inability to let go. But it is let down by a half-baked story and clunky dialogue. The film’s premise is basic enough – a jilted lover embarking on a revenge mission with an ally who does not share the same emotional red mist. But this ends up over-complicated with the inclusion of a bizarre, mysterious Mcguffin the pair are planning to steal. This item is never explained nor revealed, and the pair’s determination to acquire it feels forced because of this. Quite what would be so precious to all three characters, with their varying motivators, is left ambiguous – and comes across as a failed attempt at forcing an unnecessary mystique onto the film. Marcelles Wallace’s briefcase this is not. There seems to have also been a determination to pack in as much cliched, hokey dialogue as possible into the short’s 20-minute runtime. Some low-lights include “Death is peace”, “What if she’s packing?” and constant, uncomfortable and elusive references to the mysterious ‘It’. Designed to add depth to the film, this instead results in barely a line of believable, human exchange in the piece. The need to preserve the unnecessary mystery of the item desired by the brothers is a major culprit in the awkwardness of the writing, but beyond that, other moments are simply contrived and trite. Too many awkward attempts at meaningful one-liners lead to disappointing consequences. It's a shame because the film is shot well, with some effective shaky camera work which emphasises the uncertainty and inexperience of the two brothers. The tension leading up to the invasion is built well with a rising score, and a late stand-off is handled very well by director Sohale Dezfoli. There are some missteps however, with a random cut-away to a shadowy figure featured prominently with little pay-off, or flashbacks inserted without much thought to how they serve the story. The film is very character focused, with the brother’s relationship placed squarely at centre of the story. Clayton Stocker Myers is the highlight as Marty, who is conflicted over his loyalty to his brother and his concern about the danger of the plan. Myers brings depth to the role and shows range as the pair take things too far. David Arkema’s Stan meanwhile spends most of the film looking like he’s about to burst into tears. His fragile emotional state is on display, but it all comes across as a little over-dramatic. There’s a decent idea in Insentient, but the director’s determination to extract deeper meaning from his film ends up undermining the depth the subject brings naturally. The short is too overcooked to be anything really special. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Digital / DVD Release, Short Film, Indie Feature Film, Amazon Prime < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Goldfish film review by UK film critic Matt Trapp. Starring Theresea Lee directed by Akhil Kumar. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Goldfish Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Matt Trapp | Posted on: Jun 28, 2026 Directed by: Akhil Kumar Written by: Akhil Kumar Starring: Theresea Lee Akhil Kumar’s Goldfish may only be a single shot that lasts 2 minutes, but it’s got an awful lot to say. The short explores themes relating to our modern technology-entangled lives, and the disparity between social isolation and endless connectivity. Kumar’s decision to shoot Goldfish from one perspective is not an entirely novel concept, but it’s used thoughtfully enough to move beyond a gimmick, becoming an essential component of the short. As mentioned previously, Goldfish is shot in one single take above a living room table. Sat on the sofa is the film’s largely unseen protagonist, portrayed by Theresa Lee. The audience is immediately left to determine who they think the protagonist is based on her belongings on the table; we see her phone, a vape, tarot cards, a video game controller, a cup of tea, and a remote control (which we see her using to rapidly flick between tv channels). While Lee’s face is never seen on screen, her physical performance using just her hands is the closest the audience gets to connecting with a human character, and she should be praised for how much personality she manages to convey. Tapping of her fingers on her swaying knees, Lee’s fidgeting conveys a relatable sense of restlessness. There’s barely a moment for her to sit back and enjoy her tea when her phone buzzes with a text from work, or she gets distracted by an endless stream of TikTok videos. Kumar puts the audience in the protagonist’s headspace by keeping utilising a constant chaotic rhythm. Like Lee’s character, the audience hardly gets a second without some disturbance from the phone while the diegetic sounds of the television constantly drone in the background. Goldfish excellently mimics the pace and sound of short form media the way one might hear someone else watching videos on their phone on the bus. It makes for a visceral and sometimes comedic experience, where what appears on the phone screen feels random and unexpected. In a sudden and shocking moment which feels most like what Kumar wants to grapple with in this short, the protagonist sees a glimpse of a Palestinian child crying on her feed, and she instantly looks away and puts the phone down. It’s not long before she’s picked the phone up again to browse handbags on sale. The film doesn’t linger on this, and it’s upsetting to see how quickly the protagonist moved on. In this moment, Goldfish holds up a phone shaped mirror to the audience where we can see ourselves and our own reactions most clearly, contending with the burden of knowledge but our own powerlessness to stop it. It’s far easier to put the phone down or to simply scroll to the next video. The name of the film brings to mind our short term memory in the age of infinitely accessible information - we only have to think about tragedies elsewhere for as long as we can see them on a screen. Perhaps we are goldfish in our tanks, contained in our homes with our easily accessible amenities and luxuries. It feels significant that in the film’s final moment, the protagonist gets up to answer her doorbell, and the ambiguity in who rang leaves the audience to make up their mind. Is the protagonist ready to escape the bowl and connect with someone, or has she ordered food in? Kumar is clearly interested in asking questions about how we navigate a modern world that devalues real connection, and ultimately it’s these questions that audiences will come away from the film asking. Goldfish is a curious and powerful short that succeeds in raising challenging questions without pointing an obscene or hypocritical finger at the audience. There’s no sense of moral grandstanding here, more so an observation at the absurdities and horrors of living alongside so much technology in the 2020s. Goldfish ultimately goes to show that less absolutely can be more, whether that’s less dialogue, or less doomscrolling. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Matt Trapp Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Faith and The Christmas Star film review by UK film critic James Learoyd. Starring Miranda Lial, Hannah Alyea directed by Abby Davenport. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Faith and The Christmas Star Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: James Learoyd | Posted on: Mar 24, 2026 Directed by: Abby Davenport Written by: Anne Trenning, Abby Davenport Starring: Miranda Lial, Hannah Alyea Faith and The Christmas Star is a new animated short film made for children. Through almost entirely audio-visual means (without dialogue), it tells the story of an ice-skating woman, headed to deliver a Christmas letter for her mother. On her journey she learns to express kindness as she encounters two abandoned dogs and seeks shelter from the cold. This piece offers a unique mode of family viewing; one defined by a flow of images, a poetic narrative, and a less expository approach to storytelling. Written by Abby Davenport and Anne Trenning – with Davenport directing and Trenning composing the score – this is a satisfyingly structured, wonderfully crafted expression of festive spirit. To begin, let’s discuss this gorgeous animation style. Clearly, a great deal of care and attention has been placed into the character design, backgrounds, and – perhaps most impressive – the movement. You can’t help but love the way the subjects onscreen interact with their surroundings, further immersing the viewer, not through realism, but through a comforting recognition of signs and behaviours. Our protagonist’s facial expressions are astoundingly dynamic for a relatively low-budget animated production, evoking emotion and allowing internal plot developments to take place without the inconvenience of speech. The soothing soundtrack then, in turn, ties the whole thing together with the score cleverly mixing classical tunes such as ‘How Much Is That Doggy in The Window’ with a sort of base theme. Similar to the images, the music is continuous... evolving with each narrative beat. And it’s through this approach that the filmmakers quite masterfully play with concepts of time, using match-cuts to express ideas and – even without editing – containing multiple environments and temporal moments within a single, flowing shot. From this critic’s perspective, Faith and The Christmas Star has one flaw which I shall now dissect. Approximately halfway through the film’s runtime, our protagonist enters a church and opens a Bible. We then witness a montage of sorts, telling the story of the birth of Christ. This sequence slightly sticks out as an overdone and inelegant use of animation, and a detour from the established style. Whilst it still looks and sounds lovely, what the film lacks in these couple minutes is the poetry, wordless nuance and narrative flow of the other twenty. More than being a religious movie, the filmmakers clearly wish to express more the sense of universality and care that comes with spirituality. Nevertheless, the scene also sticks out like a sore thumb due to the fact that the rest of the film proceeds to make clear all the themes and messages of this montage in far more convincing and subtle a fashion, without needing to resort to a didactic recounting of a religious story. It’s an unquestionably positive thing to be providing children with works which – in addition to being so refined in terms of quality – actively encourage thought, reflection and engagement with cinema’s core characteristics: sound and vision. Putting the Story of Christ Scene aside, our main storyline is one which so beautifully combines everyday occurrences with a quaint, almost Miyazaki-esque feeling of the exquisite; a tapestry of comforting environments and activities. Offering a deeply comforting viewing experience, Faith and The Christmas Star proves to be a successful entertainment, as well as being aesthetically ambitious. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic James Learoyd Short Film, Animation < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Faceless After Dark film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Jena Kanell, Danielle Lyn, Danny Kang directed by Raymond Wood. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Faceless After Dark Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: May 16, 2024 Directed by: Raymond Wood Written by: Todd Jacobs, Jenna Kanell Starring: Jena Kanell, Danielle Lyn, Danny Kang Back in 2016, Jenna Kanell made a horror movie, a low budget affair, the unofficial sequel to a very minor indie nearly no one saw. By that point in her career, Kanell had made half dozen or more low budget indie features, done loads of TV, shorts, and a few music videos. In all likelihood, Terrifier didn’t register at the time as anything other than one more microbudget horror flick. But that is not what Terrifier turned out to be, is it? The little clown killer that could undoubtedly changed Kanell’s career, perhaps not in all the ways the actor/writer/director/stunt performer might have wanted it to. What’s a not-final girl to do? Kanell channeled the experience into the new feature, Faceless After Dark , which she co-wrote with Todd Jacobs. Directed by Raymond Wood, the film follows a disgruntled struggling actress named Bowie (Kanell) who pays more bills selling autographs at horror cons than through actual acting gigs—but the clown from her hit movie earns more. Plus, her more famous girlfriend is still closeted about the relationship, and her longtime best friend’s film got greenlit—as long as he gives the lead to a different actress. And, of course, you have the creepy fans. It all gets to be too much one night, until Bowie taps into her own creativity and becomes the artist she was meant to be. Meta can get very tiresome, especially in horror, but there’s something wearily honest about its application in Faceless After Dark . At its best, the film is a reflection of the maddening obstacles facing people—women, specifically—trying to survive Hollywood. Kanell delivers a commanding performance and the writing is sound, even if the plotting is a little obvious and superficial and the psychotic break feels unearned. But as a showcase for Kanell’s charisma, and an often satisfying reaction to the rampant misogyny in cinema and particularly in fan culture, it’s fun. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Digital / DVD Release, Indie Feature Film, LGBTQ+ < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Lost in Terra Dimension film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Lizelle Gutierrez, Kat Lehto, Zoey Grayce, John Moamar, Colin Shull directed by Kat Lehto, Lizelle Gutierrez. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Lost in Terra Dimension Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Sep 15, 2022 Directed by: Kat Lehto, Lizelle Gutierrez Written by: Lizelle Gutierrez, Kat Lehto Starring: Lizelle Gutierrez, Kat Lehto, Zoey Grayce, John Moamar, Colin Shull A group of righteous forces do battle against an evil, powerful entity. This fantasy feature focuses on two sisters, who are Zeandra (Gutierrez) and Spacle (Lehto) and a world of multiple dimensions and people with superpowers. After Spacle is captured by despicable Dictator Doom-X (Moamar), Zeandra must find a way to rescue her with the help of magical allies. With a limited budget, filmmakers created an hour-long story that is a fairy tale adventure about love, magic, danger and courage and also explores themes of sisterhood and self-discovery. Although the two siblings are the main protagonists, the film contains multiple characters that include a group of women called Z-Fairies (no wings), Doom-X who serves as the main antagonist and his followers. Basically, the plot is a battle of Good vs Evil and a rescue mission. The screenplay follows Zeandra as she attempts to find her sister and also observes Spacle as she is being held captive. The movie has plenty of elements that place it into the fantasy category and these elements include characters using their supernatural powers for combat, which resemble lightning and fire, a talking horse, a mask that makes the wearer invisible and a magic key. As this was filmed on a low budget, the special effects do not look great, however they are good enough to give the audience the right impression regarding what is happening in the scenes. Much of the story takes place in the countryside or at abandoned buildings. Regarding the clothing, most of it is casual and nothing really stands out. The bad guys wear black, which is rather traditional in movies but apart from that, the clothers appear normal. Going to the acting now, it would be hard to give it any praise as it is quite poor. Vasilios Alagiannis and Ly Vui worked on the editing and utilise superimposition and dissolve techniques to decent effect. Vui also composed the score, along with Steven Lizama and the music sometimes sounds adventurous, emotional or magical. The sound effects are creative and a positive addition to the film. Whether this feature is enjoyable pretty much depends on the person. In order for someone to enjoy this imaginative adventure, they will probably have to not take it seriously. The low production value is evident throughout and the occasional clumsy camerawork does not help. If a viewer can look past the flaws and focus on the story, then they might be content. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Bad City film review by UK film critic Daniel Baldwin. Starring Lily Franky, Hitoshi Ozawa, Tak Sakaguchi directed by Kensuke Sonomura. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Bad City Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Daniel Baldwin | Posted on: Aug 4, 2023 Directed by: Kensuke Sonomura Written by: Mitsu Dan, Lily Franky, Rino Katase Starring: Lily Franky, Hitoshi Ozawa, Tak Sakaguchi A modern celebration of classic Japanese V-cinema (their version of DTV genre fare), director Kensuke Sonomura’s Bad City unleashes a furious, fist-flying tale of crime, corruption, and righteous retribution. The story is a tale as old as time: a diabolical businessman (Lily Franky) is in league with the Korean mafia and local politicians. His goal? To bring “prosperity” to Kaiko City by bringing in casinos that no one but the rich wants. His methods? Bribery, blackmail, and murder. All that stand in his way are a handful of good cops and some honorable Yakuza with aligned interests. At the center of it is 60-year-old genre stalwart Hitoshi Ozawa (Dead or Alive , Gozu ), who also wrote the screenplay. His knowledge of and experience in Yakuza cinema comes in mighty handy here, as does his charisma and still-formidable physical prowess. He’s an absolute powerhouse as the unflappable Captain Torada and he’s surrounded by equally great supporting castmates including Tak Sakaguchi, Masanori Mimoto, Katsuya, Mitsu Dan, Akane Sakanoue, Masaya Kato, and the aforementioned Franky. There’s nothing wholly original on display in terms of narrative, but that matters not, as Sonomura and Ozawa are aiming for grandiosity over complexity, even amidst their low budget. The plot is still filled with twists, turns, and double-crosses, but the pace moves with breakneck speed. It plows through subplots and arcs like it’s tearing through an entire season of television, ultimately offering up a narrative that is as dense as it is straightforward. Any danger of monotony in terms of pulp crime storytelling and exposition is wiped away by the action itself. While there is the occasional moment of gun violence, the bulk of the fighting is brutal hand-to-hand combat. Fists, knives, baseball bats, pipes, and even a loudspeaker are utilized as criminals and cops wail on each other to the point of exhaustion. The fights constantly swing back and forth between martial arts, vicious groundwork, and barroom-style brawls. Said action is further punctuated by some absolutely stellar foley work, making each punch, kick, and stab sound even more painful than it looks. Throw in the fact that many of the characters are wearing sneakers – one has to be comfortable on the brawling move after all – and the bouts often sound like a massacre playing out on a basketball court. Simply put, this is a killer slice of low budget action cinema. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Daniel Baldwin Digital / DVD Release, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Technicians film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring J. Alphonse Nicholson, Cathy Bui, Sandra Walters directed by Kevin Luu, Kelly Luu. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Technicians Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Aug 5, 2024 Directed by: Kevin Luu, Kelly Luu Written by: Kevin Luu, Kelly Luu Starring: J. Alphonse Nicholson, Cathy Bui, Sandra Walters An automation technician's life changes when he is assigned to do some work at a nail salon. Set in the near future, this short drama follows David (Nicholson), an automation technician who lives with his elderly and vulnerable mother (Walters). One day, he accepts an overnight job that requires him to install self-service manicure devices at a nail salon. Once he arrives there, it is clear that the nail technicians are not happy with the new equipment, as it aims to replace them. Once night-time arrives, Tippi (Bui), a young Vietnamese American nail technician, begs David to get rid of the devices. David must now decide what he believes is the right thing to do. Arguably, the main issue here is technology replacing humans. Electronic machines doing the job better and quicker than people, thus making them redundant. The Eastern Asian female beauticians and particularly Tippi, epitomise how jobs are being lost due to technological advancements. Once the manicure devices are ready, the salon staff are to find work elsewhere and Tippi desperately tries to prevent that by making David understand how important her profession is. Tippi explains that for her nail beauty is a cherished trait that has been part of her family since her grandmother learned the trade. Her work is her life and the thought of losing it devastates her. Interestingly, both David and Tippi have positions that recognise them as technicians, however, their line of work is different. Professionally, David is the opposite of Tippi, meaning that David works in the technological sector, while Tippi does not. Plus, David's current assingment is threatening to terminate her job, which in some ways, pits them against each other, creating the conflict of the story. David goes through significant character development. Although David works with technology for a living, it is indicated that he disapproves of devices replacing humans, a good example would when he has trouble communicating with an A.I. software while he attempts to arrange a medical appointment for his mother. A former video game designer (now a hobby although probably still his passion), he now utilises his skills just to make a living, ostensibly without fully realising that his work is making people lose their jobs, however the rapport that he builds with Tippi helps him comprehend that. The relationship that develops between David and Tippi has peacefulness, drama and twists. It begins in a friendly manner, then turns into a conflict, before becoming a situation of understanding and support. Initially, Tippi tries to befriend David with a manicure and convince him not to install the machines. He refuses, leading to an intense altercation, nevertheless valuable lessons are learned. Regarding the audio, composer Jon Ong deserves commendations for the gentle and pensive music that effectively accompanies the scenes. By combining technology with manicure, this short sci-fi drama tells a story about an encounter between two people that ends up being quite impactful. It is a film that explores struggles, making the right decisions and holding on to one's passion. Perhaps more significantly, it operates as a commentary about technology reducing jobs and also depriving people from their passions. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Revolt of the Suit film review by UK film critic Sam Quarton. Starring Gringo-Bogdan Grigorov, Stanislav Peev, Polina Nedkova, directed by Kristina Hristova. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Revolt of the Suit Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Sam Quarton | Posted on: Jul 25, 2022 Directed by: Kristina Hristova Written by: Kristina Hristova Starring: Gringo-Bogdan Grigorov, Stanislav Peev, Polina Nedkova, Stumbling but well-meaning office comedy demonstrates the "superpower" of the casual Friday. Some heroes wear capes, some wear masks, but in the case of Kristina Hristova’s quotidian office comedy about profoundly unmotivated accountant Deyan (played by the under-utilised Gringo-Bogdan Grigorov), who stumbles upon the power of confidence through unbuttoning his shirt collar, he wears a suit with battered trainers. Think Peter Parker if he refrained from leaving the office and vowed to fight the corporate malaise instead. This superhero’s mortal enemy, however, does not take the form of the Green Goblin or Dr Octopus, but one far more familiar: an iniquitous boss, known as Mr Tsirkov, intent on whipping staff into submission with “team building” exercises and forced overtime. And while the plot is ostensibly concerned with the discovery of Deyan’s superpower, much of the film’s 10-minute running time is stolen by the partially unseen and perpetually furious Tsirkov – well played by Stanislav Peev - who berates his “dearest employees” for absconding from work to celebrate their birthdays. Here, Peev recalls a political commissar rather than a “boss,” spouting corporate piffle about a great shared “vision” and browbeating staff for making minor mistakes. It’s almost as if the film began life as a social realist indictment of fascistic practices within the 21st century workplace, but became a light office comedy instead. Perhaps most perplexing is what Deyan’s power actually entails. Yes, his confidence is somehow heightened by the absence of a button, but how is this confidence illustrated? Other than taking the rap for co-worker Stella’s mistakes after she misfiles a document, the decorous accountant does little to indicate a newfound spring in his step. Also at play here is risible editing: there is a sequence where Grigorov’s impossibly chiselled torso is superimposed over his shirt, which contributes nothing but eye candy for a spectating crew. There was plenty of room here to explore the misery of the office environment as a symptom of a wider corporate hegemony – à la Mike Judge’s Office Space – but this is side-lined for platitudinous quips about the “powers” of casual Friday’s. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Sam Quarton World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Ben and Mimi - Mimi and Ben film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Megan Channell, Eric Whitten directed by Eva Cragg. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Ben and Mimi - Mimi and Ben Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Mar 29, 2022 Directed by: Eva Cragg Written by: Eva Cragg Starring: Megan Channell, Eric Whitten A young woman is trapped in a dull marriage and comes across a caterpillar, which brings joy into her life. Mimi (Channell) lives a solitary life in a house in the countryside, with her partner Ben (Whitten). Ben constantly has a towel wrapped around each hand and it is up to Mimi to take care of him. She feeds him, changes the towels on his hands, gives him a bath and pretty much treats him like a baby. She is seemingly unhappy in her situation and one day she finds a caterpillar and decides to keep it. The caterpillar appears to brighten up her life. This fifteen-minute-long short drama has an atmosphere that feels poignant and surreal. The plot focuses on an awkward relationship and explores the character development that Mimi goes through, following the appearance of the caterpillar. According to Cragg, the film is a subconscious wish fulfillment for Mimi and the caterpillar could represent that wish because Mimi appears mesmerised by it and accepts it into her life, treating it with care and the fact that it is a caterpillar might signify a change that Mimi is longing for, as a caterpillar changes into a butterfly, representing change. Channell delivers a dramatic performance as a lonely woman who is stuck in a situation where she feels unhappy and wants something to happen that will set her free. She spends hers days looking after Ben and finds solace by listening to the sound of a large conch shell. The cinematography by Gabriel Wilson looks beautiful and Cragg directs very creatively, utilising static frames and well executed movement with the camerawork. The camera proceeds to move when the caterpillar shows up for the first time, possibly signifying that something different is taking place. Composer Andrew Howes does an amazing contribution with a score that is wonderful and the ocean sound effects are great. This is quite an intriguing story, one that is about the desire for change and freedom and that also shows how wonderful life is. There is drama and there are moving scenes of tenderness and the explored themes make this project well worthy of recognition. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Fallen: The Search of a Broken Angel film review by UK film critic Joe Beck. Starring Christalo Castro, Serena Profaci, Millie Gibbons, Stefanie Bloom directed by Alex Kruz. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Fallen: The Search of a Broken Angel Film Review average rating is 1 out of 5 Critic: Joe Beck | Posted on: Aug 8, 2023 Directed by: Alex Kruz Written by: Alex Kruz Starring: Christalo Castro, Serena Profaci, Millie Gibbons, Stefanie Bloom ‘Fallen: The Search of a Broken Angel’ gives the impression of a film about spiritual redemption, perhaps a profound character study of a broken soul, or maybe a mystic fantasy story, high on action, heroes, and villains. This is far from the case. Instead, ‘Fallen’ is a meandering, largely plotless film, with a woefully constructed thin story thread, and even worse technical aspects. The film begins with a soundscape similar to that of Hans Zimmer’s sumptuous score for Denis Villeneuve’s ‘Dune’, and a tarred monologue about dreams, and their importance, further paralleling Frank Herbert’s novel and its film adaptations. However, that is where the sense of grandeur, and solid fantasy plot of ‘Fallen: The Search of a Broken Angel’ comes to an end. What follows is an exercise in substandard filmmaking, and an even greater exercise to have to watch. Almost immediately the story becomes impossibly difficult to follow, with the IMDB synopsis only confusing matters further, as we follow Sam Ares (Christalo Castro) and his relationships with a series of women as he encounters the archangel Lucifer within himself. It makes even less sense written in words than when on screen, in which it is far, far too overcomplicated by numerous inane and obvious plot lines which ultimately lead nowhere, and a host of Chekhov’s guns that remain unexplainably holstered. Naturally this stems from an abject screenplay, which, in addition to failing to tell a cohesive narrative, fails to develop its characters, or create interesting, believable scenarios and dialogue. Alex Kruz’s screenplay leans too heavily on well-established tropes, whilst letting down its actors entirely, as they deliver robotic monologues and painfully dull conversations. Such stilted dialogue isn’t purely to the fault of Kruz’s writing, with the flat performance of Castro in the central role failing to carry the scene. This lack of charisma is shared by all supporting performers, who similarly suffer from an absence of guile or charm to make the film the slightest bit more interesting. Whilst these things are lacklustre, they aren’t outright jarring, unlike many of the films other technical aspects. From Alex Kruz’s direction, which is flaky and unfocused, relying too heavily on cuts, which become irritating within minutes, and the most dreadful sound mixing in order to create any semblance of dramatic tension. The sound mixing is remarkably bad, dipping in and out, lacking any ambience, and coming across as lazy - at one point you can hear the microphone being breathed on during a stereotypical country song. This is accompanied by the films biggest technical sins, the failure to correctly dub the voices to the movement of characters mouths, with the two out of sync throughout in jarring, though sometimes hysterical, fashion. ‘Fallen: The Search of a Broken Angel’ may be extremely difficult to watch, but it sure beats being a woman in this film. Women are portrayed as adulterous, depraved, greedy, and almost wholly reliant on men throughout, with each woman lying down for Sam, who is, in all honesty, a bit of a bum, as though he were Chris Evans. Additionally, the depiction of women as lying and manipulative channels the sentiment of the misogynistic incel community on the internet, playing to a certain crowd whose values and beliefs damage any semblance of equality in society today. That speaks to the level of ‘Fallen: The Search of a Broken Angel’, a title that makes as little sense as the story it portrays. Its a title, and a film, which lacks a sharpness or any finesse, and is instead bloated by poor filmmaking, concerning themes, and an overall sour taste. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Joe Beck Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Pebble And The Boy film review by UK film critic Chris Olson. Starring Patrick McNamee, Sacha Parkinson, Max Boast directed by Chris Green. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Pebble And The Boy Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Chris Olson | Posted on: Aug 17, 2021 Directed by: Chris Green Written by: Chris Green Starring: Patrick McNamee, Sacha Parkinson, Max Boast An emotional road trip movie loaded with classic jams and stylish fashion, we’re going mod in the modern age with filmmaker Chris Green’s The Pebble & The Boy. Opening with some archive footage of mods on their scooters, the film quickly drops the floor for the audience with a moving funeral. We learn that the central teenage character John (Patrick McNamee) has just lost his dad - who was an ardent mod in his heyday. After the mourners have left, John attempts to grieve for a father he feels he barely knew, throwing on albums of bands like The Jam and Paul Weller (who feature heavily on the film’s soundtrack as well as the title). The next day, he is delivered his father’s Lambretta scooter from the police compound and has no clue what to do with it. He settles on a plan to ride the unimposing yet brilliantly mirror-clad vehicle from Manchester to Brighton, where he will scatter his dad’s ashes. Along the way, John (rather conveniently it must be said) gets into scrapes and breakdowns - vehicular and emotional - within a stone’s throw of either friends of his dads that go back decades, or motorcycle enthusiasts who fix his bike for free or even help him get his helmet off. After stopping at one such pitstop he picks up Nicki (Sacha Parkinson) a breath of fresh, energetic air amongst the rather dull fumes as the film kicks into a higher gear and becomes an enjoyable cruise of British adventure and coming-of-age pathos. Clearly aware of the legacy of mod-films like Quadrophenia (1979), The Pebble & The Boy manages to offset any heavy debt by keeping the film set in the present and telling a genuinely moving tale about a boy trying to uncover the mystery around his dad - all within the relevant context of the mod movement. Kicking off with the funeral was a smart touch (one reminiscent of the opening of Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)) as it instantly revealed the deeper tone of the film, a forewarning for any viewer mistaking this for just a hazy trip down memory lane. It’s not just a celebration of mod culture, music, and adventure. The storytelling keeps up the intensity with John’s central quest taking numerous swerves and curves through the British countryside. The Pebble & The Boy gets a little scruffy in the final third, relying on already-worn sequences of John’s despair and fatigue too heavily, and there is some cumbersome dialogue delivered by the array of non-important characters. This, generally, doesn’t distract from the enjoyment of the piece because the investment in the story is so strong throughout. There is a simple but effective mix of ingredients to deliver the narrative: the sombre drama, fun hijinks and comedy, as well as the road-trip movie structure which merge together like stripes on a mod jacket - the fashion in this film is worth the entry price alone. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Chris Olson Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Wala film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Gezelle Jean Dacillo, Stefanie Cartoneros, Claire Contesa directed by Neo Bryce. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Wala Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Nov 13, 2023 Directed by: Neo Bryce Written by: Neo Bryce Starring: Gezelle Jean Dacillo, Stefanie Cartoneros, Claire Contesa Short film, Wala or to give it its English language title, Nothing is a Philippines based production from film-maker, Neo Bryce. In this, the latest in an ever increasing line of projects from the writer and director, Bryce has decided to strip his story back to the very basics, leaning heavily on the ennui suffered by the modern generation to create a film which offers a whole lot of Nothing to the viewer. June (Dacillo) is one such sufferer of the modern generation, who from her life and viewpoint in the Philippines, shows that it’s not just us in the West who have a monopoly on opting out and feeling sorry for ourselves as the cost of living crisis bites hard, the job market sees the bottom fall out of it, and the online dating scene preys on our insecurities to seemingly prove that we are so helplessly inadequate that we can never be loved. After a short introduction where June appears to at least have a few friends around her to have fun with, she nevertheless doesn’t seem to engage fully and in fact she may only have been invited along as a courtesy anyway. Flatmate Megan (Cartoneros) doesn’t help any, offering her life as a counterpoint to June’s as she jets off on holiday to have fun in the sun and chase down any tail she can get her hands on, preferably foreign in nature if she can find it. Left home alone, June only has herself for company as she lazily trawls through picture after picture of potential dates who she has already decided are out of her league and wastes her time on interview after interview with no actual job offer ever on the cards. Bryce takes the opportunity during these scenes to fully allow his theme of nothingness to meander on through to the audience. Despite the idea that June supposedly keeps trying, in front of the camera she barely does anything at all. There is extended shot after extended shot of nothing happening, from an almost exclusively static camera, where June is in the kitchen or the hallway, lying on the bed or on the floor, almost always attached to a screen. One such scene lasts for a full three minutes, accounting for nearly ten percent of the entire runtime, but is in itself only one in a succession of very similar scenes which constitute the film. There are a couple of diversions along the way in the form of dream sequences where June places herself within the plot of an exciting lifestyle, but rather than enhancing the overall feel of Wala , they instead serve to remind us just how boring the actual film we’re watching really is. While Bryce certainly has an attention to his craft and has gone all out to create a feeling of non-movement throughout the film to express his idea, what the bottom line comes down to is, if you’re going to create your film around the theme of Nothing and base all of your scenes around nothing happening then you shouldn’t be surprised when your film turns out to be about nothing and ultimately means nothing. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Short Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >