★★★★ Directed by: #HillaryShakespeare Written by: #AnnaElizabethShakespeare, #HillaryShakespeare Starring: #ScarlettMarshall, #JamesCalloway Film Review by: #DarrenTilby The ineffable charm of Hillary Shakespeare’s coming-of-age movie is undoubtedly its greatest strength. Brought about by some fine writing, superb central performances and a thumping soundtrack; Soundtrack to Sixteen is bound to elicit a strong emotional response from anyone who grew up in the UK in the last 20-years. The story centres around two teenagers growing up in London as they prepare for their school exams: Maisy Tennison (Scarlett Marshall) and Ben Maxwell (James Calloway) are two anxiety-ridden misfits, whose main problem in life may very well be themselves. For Maisy, it's the desire to fit in with the "cool kids" (mostly to get herself noticed by a boy) that leads her to abandon her friends in the pursuit of popularity; sabotaging her private life in the process. For Ben, it's confusion from seeing stupid people (as he puts it) getting better grades on their work than him and the delusion that he's just too clever to fail, that causes him to decide that revising and studying is pointless; causing his school life to suffer. The characters' reasoning may not be all that logical, but then they are teenagers after all. And it's that sense of unreasoned naivety that is captured so brilliantly in both the writing and the central performances. Characters – for the better part – speak as teenagers should and talk about the things teenagers would. Both Marshall and Calloway's delivery are generally excellent, and the supporting cast contributes positively to the film; no-one ever feels tacked on. Although there are moments where certain lines feel forced, the jokes fall flat or the film loses that naturalistic quality, this is still very impressive for a film whose cast is made up primarily of friends and family of the film-makers. Thematically the film is a bit of a mixed bag, as it borrows heavily from a range of different influences. In the introductory scenes alone – a brilliant character establishing sequence, by the way – we have obvious references to both Richard Curtis written movies (Love Actually) and Nora Ephron directed pieces (You've Got Mail). At times this can make the film feel a little disjointed, particularly during the funnier scenes, as it struggles to find a good comedic balance. Mostly, however, it works really well. The signature plot devices borrowed from Curtis and Ephron movies are implemented really well here; with Curtis’ inner monologuing being used particularly effectively to highlight how teenagers often knowingly self-sabotage aspects of their lives to satisfy peer pressure. At its worst, Soundtrack to Sixteen is an entertaining, 83-minute long time killer. But at its best, it's a charmingly optimistic exploration of modern, teenage life and friendship. However, I think what has impressed me the most is how unapologetically and unashamedly British it is: from the highest level of directorial design, to Savage & Spies' wonderful early 2000s inspired soundtrack. And at a time where we have had a plethora of – admittedly brilliant – American coming-of-age films, this is more than a little refreshing.

★★ Directed by: Don Swanson Written by: #DonSwanson Starring: #AvaPsoras, #AlexaMechling, #JoeFishel, #BetsyLynnGeorge, #LyndaMarnoni Short Film Review by: #ChrisOlson A familial ghost story, short film Occurrence at Mills Creek from filmmaker Don Swanson is loaded with guilt, terror, and anguish. Breaking a sense of reality for the central character, the audience attempts to piece together the true tale of loss being told. Ava Psora plays Clara, a small-town girl who has recently lost her mother. Attempting to ride the grief train with her sister Cassanda (Alexa Mechling) and estranged father Victor (Joe Fishel), a number of disturbing and strange sequences begin to patch themselves together, revealing a number of hidden secrets in this family. As the truth starts to form it may be that Clara is about to lose someone else. Clumsily plotted and not suited to the short film format, Occurrence at Mills Creek feels like a prelude or movie trailer to a feature length thriller. Indeed, that’s what the situation is according to the film’s website and one would hope that with a longer running time, Swanson would be able to piece together a more coherent outing. There are simply too many characters being crowbarred into the piece, all with equally fascinating tales to tell, that audiences are going to need to attend viewings with the full IMDb Cast & Crew printed out like a hymn sheet. The performances are wooden and at times stale. Psora does well to keep her character’s sense of intrigue throughout yet viewers are unlikely to warm to her enough or care about her journey. Many of the supporting players struggle to elevate the TV-movie style dialogue beyond amateur theatrics. Which is a shame, because there is a thrilling yet complicated storyline here that had the script been more lucid and intelligible there could have been a lot of meat to chew for the acting talent. As it is, there was a plethora of emotional histrionics without any nuance or subtlety. Drawing on themes of family legacy and guilt, Occurrence at Mills Creek does hold depth when it comes to powerful topics. Abuse and neglect are just a couple of issues that arise and Swanson seems bold in his storytelling that should a feature length version emerge I would be interested to see what the end result would be without the need for an overstuffed short movie. It would need to be more skillfully crafted than this, though, and stripped of the indulgent emotional heft for something more lithe and compelling. Watch the official movie trailer for the short film below.

★★★★ Directed by: #KirenSanthosh Short Film Review by: #ShrubabotiBose A short experimental film, Desolate (2018) shows a curious play of contrasts between darkness and light, the inside and the outside, certainty and uncertainty; reflecting “the sun and the moon” of the lyrics of the background score while using colour and monochromatic scenes alternatively. #Filmmaker Kiren Santhosh has given his own rendition to the beautiful song “Where did I go?” by Poppy Ajudha in this indie film. It starts unconventionally with repeated flashes of a still shot of a window from within a dark room, skilfully edited, suggesting the blinking movement of a human eye. Consequently, the window tilts and disappears from the screen, the eye or the camera lens focuses on the cloudy sky beyond the window. Its a quick transportation, from the private space of a room to the deserted fields and vast stretches of desolate lands outside. The soulful music resonates with the deserted landscapes. What follows is a montage of different places, inanimate objects like electric poles, danger signs, and close-ups of the grains of dried wheat leaves or grass swaying in the breeze like waves in the sea. It is significant to note that this film does not have any direct story or plot, there are no characters involved, no dialogues or actions. However, that adds to the beauty of the whole visual narrative as it is created through the personal interpretations of viewers themselves. Though the absence of a clear storyline can be disheartening to some people, overall it’s an aesthetically pleasing and thought provoking film, It successfully captures the very nuances and the essence of loneliness that it intends to portray through its title. Officially selected for many film festivals, it is indeed a one-of-a-kind work of art. Recommended for all film lovers.

★★★★ Directed by: William McGregor Written by: #WilliamMcGregor Starring: #MaxinePeake, #EleanorWorthingtonCox, #KobnaHoldbrookSmith Film Review by: #JackCameron Children have long been a staple of horror movies. The Omen, in particular, shows how they can have an eerie quality, and of course, the Victorians inverted their innocence and purity into something surreal and supernatural as they repeatedly brought them back as ghosts. From writer-director William McGregor, Gwen follows the titular young girl during a tumultuous time in her life with her mother on their farm in Wales during the Industrial Revolution, but this ghost story doesn't play out like the others. Maxine Peake fantastically plays Gwen's mother; her performance exists on a knife-edge expertly playing the balance of kindly mother and bitter, unhinged widow. While this film is seen through the eyes of Gwen, it is Peake and the other adult cast that really build and shake the world around her. McGregor establishes very early on that there is something not right; a cholera outbreak is threatening the town, other farms are disappearing and animals are being mysteriously slaughtered in the night. McGregor's control of this growing atmosphere is at the core of what makes this film work. Gwen keeps thinking she sees something, but never in the full light; while adults discuss things in locked rooms and their conversations are unheard, even by the audience, as the rising wind drowns out their voices. In the first thirty minutes we see the emerging themes of primal nature against new technology and industry and like, Gwen, we are peering around every corner because, the children may be innocent, but they are living in a very adult world. To all intents and purposes, Gwen is quite a simple story but leaves its horror and mystery at its edges hinting at but never fully showing anything. So many #horror movies rely on jump scares and clever camera work to give you a physical fright but fail at tapping into something more unsettling, by either not bothering at all or expressly revealing every mystery by the end. While we eventually do find out what is happening (and when we do it is with a sickening sense of familiarity) it wouldn't be nearly as effective if McGregor didn't use the majority of the film to push the boundaries of the familiar to actively engage in the audience's imagination. This may end up boring or even irritating some people but if you let the film lead you you'll find that it has a lot more paths than the one it actually takes you down. Gwen has an impressively short running time for a feature film but it stays with you long after its finished. While it's very different, the film Burning released earlier this year, shares similar qualities with Gwen. Burning is a mystery film but feels as though one vital scene was cut out; even though we've seen all the action by the end, we haven't necessarily understood it all and every single shot could be layered in meaning and clues. Because Gwen is told through the eyes of a child there are scenes in the film that may be exaggerated or figments of the imagination and despite seeing the whole story we know that there is still the sense of something missing or that we didn't understand and it is this that makes the film's ghost. All in all, Gwen is a very impressive debut and whatever McGregor does next is worth looking out for.

★★★★ Directed by: #JonFavreau Starring: #DonaldGlover, #SethRogen, #BeyoncéKnowlesCarter, #ChiwetelEjiofor Film Review by: #BradyClark This was the true test of Disney’s live-action remakes ‘experiment’. A childhood film precious to almost everyone born over a ten-year-span, and then some. Although Favreau delivered with 2016’s The Jungle Book, everything since has been fairly lifeless in mediocre attempts to recreate success that #Disney found in the likes of Beauty and the Beast, Dumbo and Aladdin throughout the 90s. To risk The Lion King was brave… But Favreau delivers in a superb display that invokes just the right amounts of nostalgia, repetition and modernisation. The CGI has been upgraded from the (still impressive) Jungle Book and does nothing to take away from the heart of a much-loved original. It won’t win everyone over – some will say not enough is different (it is undoubtedly a near-enough scene-for-scene remake), and some will say it is too different because of the script updates. But there is a balance there. The casting was very important. No one else could have voiced Mufasa other than James Earl Jones. But the flexibility in the other roles was cleverly navigated. Standout performances include John Oliver as Zazu (although he doesn’t sound a million miles away from Rowan Atkinson’s original) as well as Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen as double-act Timon and Pumba. Much of the updated script is included here, and it works in providing some truly hilarious moments – ‘he gained 400 pounds since we started this song’. The music is equally impressive and really benefits from the return of an Elton John/Hanz Zimmer collaboration as well as the inclusion of Donald Glover and Beyoncé, whose rendition of "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" will make you want to cheer in the middle of the cinema. The debate of whether these remakes are necessary will continue for as long as they are made – it looks like The Little Mermaid will be next, given the recent casting updates – and the fence is where most people sit currently. The Lion King doesn’t tarnish the original, but rather gives us a gentle reminder of what was so great about the Shakespearian-esque Disney triumph. Watch the July 2019 movie trailer for The Lion King.

★★★ Directed by: Alec Ybarra Written by: #AlecYbarra Starring: #AdamJCahn, #BatyaCruz, #TamiNichols, T.O.N.E-z Short Film Review by: #ChrisOlson The second movie of #filmmaker Alec Ybarra's I have had the pleasure of reviewing this year, When I Held The Key shows a similar level of filmmaking to his other 2019 movie, Prism of Light. The storytelling has shifted, however, with the aforementioned short focusing on high school tragedy and his even earlier movie Unmarked centering on bullying, the plot of this piece is more melodramatic. Adam J. Cahn and Batya Cruz play a married couple hoping for a pleasant weekend reunion with their old school friends. However, their stay at a local B&B sees them at the mercy of the owner's (Tami Nichols) odd and startling behaviour. With locks being placed on the doors once the guests are inside, separate bedrooms for the spouses, and some strange concoction involving a frozen block of chocolate, this is one guesthouse doomed for a one-star TripAdvisor review. It is always inspiring to see filmmakers getting out there and making movies with whatever resources they can cobble together. Telling stories in 2019 is very much a free-for-all industry because the technology has become so easily available yet actually getting films fully made is still a considerable ambition. What Ybarra seems intent on doing is throwing himself into the form and testing his capabilities in an intensive manner. With When I Held The Key, he works out his thriller/evil muscle groups showing potential but with still a lot to learn. The performances are uneven across the board and Ybarra seems unable to strike the right balance between intrigue and melodrama. Nichols in particular has a wild and unpredictable character yet the turn seems more like cartoonish villainy than genuine threat. Our couple are completely unbelievable, going along too easily with the bizarre antics and raising the alarm way too late. T.O.N.E-z plays a handyman and is utterly confusing in his motivation. Which brings me on to one of the biggest disappointments with the film itself, which was the promise of some wonderful twist which never arrives. Throughout the film we are presented with obvious signals that this is not your average Bed & Breakfast and the atmosphere is shaping up to be a horror in the woods genre flick. However, little hints are dropped that our perception of evil and human nature is often skewed to assume the worst and with this viewers are likely to begin to hope for a shocking twist or reveal that turns the overly familiar plot on its head. Sadly, like the couple's plan for a lovely weekend, it doesn't arrive. Instead, the story goes through the usual machinations of #horror filmmaking and barely bucks the trend except by getting one of the couple onside at one stage which is then quickly reversed. Given that the premise was fairly intriguing, a couple go to a barmy B&B and assume the worst, it seems sad that something more unique did not emerge. Like Prism of Light, there are some garish visual effects coming into play here which felt unnecessary yet some of the filmmaking was decent. A thrilling car chase at one point was a nice addition and the atmosphere of the film through low lighting and eerie music ensured the audience knew what type of film they were watching. Much like a newbie at the gym, Alec Ybarra seems eager to get his hours in and try as much of the equipment as possible. With this outing there were solid gains made and some notable high points, however, a lack of originality to the routine and a going-through-the-motions approach to the performances have left it a rather forgettable session. I'm still totally eager to see the improvements in the young filmmaker which are on the horizon and hoping he finds his stride with a better genre fit.

★★★ Directed by: #AndiMorrow Written by: Andi Morrow Starring: Andi Morrow, #LeviKrevinghaus, #DaraJade #Tiller, #AmandaLindsey #McDonald, #CindyRalston, #CynthiaDPerry, #DanTippen, #JacksonPyle, #TimothySean #Worley Short Film Review by: Jasmine Holly Bullock Short film Pusher follows a woman named Brittany Lee and shows a few typical days in her life. Brittany Lee is suffering from cocaine addiction and the audience sees how she questions her personal choices. Brittany’s uncertainty about whether or not to do what is apparently morally right is explored via her interactions with various people, such as her mamaw and her estranged friends. Filmmaker Andi Morrow is clearly a triple threat; she was able to write, direct and perform in Pusher impressively. Morrow, who plays Brittany Lee, is a formidable actress and is able to believably portray a range of emotional states. Another actor who stood out in Pusher was Dara Jade Tiller, who plays Hailey. Tiller is seemingly comfortable in front of the camera. Morrow and Tiller also had pretty good chemistry which is always a plus. All in all, there were no bad performances from any of the cast. The dialogue that takes place is nice, purely because the conversations are very naturalistic. However, this can mean that it gets a bit boring for an audience member to listen to conversations that are average and aren’t always obviously important. Every now and a again, though, the script is able to nicely indicate Brittany Lee’s assessments of her life. Oh and, by the way, the Southern accents that all the characters converse in are like softly spoken music to the ears. The actual music used is similarly lovely; the main song is ‘Part of Life’ by Josh Oliver. It’s country music and definitely has that southern-charm to it. The use of mainly guitar instrumentals is really calming but also sombre when combined with Oliver’s voice. The song is certainly fitting considering that Pusher revolves around a woman whose life is unfulfilling. Settings in the film were diverse and visually appealing. The locations were carefully thought out, with the use of church and a pastoral lake as the spaces where Brittany Lee is really shown to be vulnerable. Unlike most #shortfilms that I’ve seen, Pusher had a substantial amount of time to create a fully-rounded plot, with a run time of just under 20 minutes. Therefore, it was surprising and sad that the ending was anti-climatic. There is nothing that indicates a change in the story by the end of it. But in retrospect, maybe this was done with careful intention. Perhaps the ending is reflective of Brittany Lee’s life and where it is headed... possibly in a never-ending cycle of addiction and repetition. However, there is room for interpretation. It is kind of refreshing to see a film that deals with common themes that occur in many people’s everyday life; addiction, self questioning and relationships with friends and family. The plot isn’t ‘exciting’ in the typical sense because it’s not fast-paced or really eventful, but then again, life isn’t always exciting or eventful even if you are someone battling addiction. I feel like if this was a Hollywood produced film there would be a lot of glamorisation of addiction, but Andi Morrow has definitely not done so and I appreciate that. It isn’t an explicit or nitty-gritty film, but showing that addiction happens to everyday people and isn’t always the most obvious thing in a person’s life is somehow quite understandable and interesting to think about. But this, along with the simple ending, could be something that is hit-or-miss for audience members.

★★ Directed by: #LeonardoBarone and #MariclaPannocchia Starring: #MariclaPannocchia, #ChristianLenzi, #SofiaRivera, #SophieCrombie Short Film Review by: #NathanialEker Mentre Te Ne Vai (AKA The Child Who Fades Away) is a difficult beast to review. On the one hand, it tackles a sensitive, real problem with dignity and an authenticity that is genuinely admirable. At the same time, however, it feels less of a short film, and more a clunkily devised advertisement with a great mission statement, but an unclear narrative. While it clearly tries to tug at the heartstrings by delivering a compelling mid-twist, it clumsily falls down on itself. That said, it isn’t devoid of merit. Its commendable intentions show clear passion and devotion from its creators, who deserve credit for pushing this vitally important message. Sadly, the film is too heavy handed; a mixed bag of quality that is ultimately unfocused, suggesting that it was perhaps created in the wrong medium. With a more coherent narrative that focused on a single idea, the landing could’ve stuck. The decision to focus on the parents, followed by a jarringly disparate second scene, then a second left turn into documentary land, makes for a tone and structure that is wildly inconsistent. The middle segment is by far the strongest, with the sweet performance from young Sofia Rivera, recounting what could’ve been her life, as a clear highlight. This concept is a great one, and had the emphasis been on this segment alone, it could’ve been an impressively focused short. As it is, however, the writing stands as the weakest element. The performances are passable, though none stand out bar the sincere voiceover of Sophie Crombie, coupled with the charm of Rivera. The parent characters aren’t captivating; the lack of potent or believable grief leads to performances that aren’t entirely authentic. There are moments, such as the father’s look into his daughter's eyes, that hint at real emotion, but they’re overshadowed by the heavy-handed voiceover towards the film’s end. The voice actor isn’t awful, but his somewhat dull performance in addition to his placement in the narrative is more confusing than compelling. The musical choices equally present a mixed bag. The opening acoustic guitar-based song works to set a melancholic scene, but the final track is on the nose and too much of an obvious choice. A focus on subtlety would go a long way in general for the film. The quiet underscoring piano supports the middle segment well, crafting organic empathy within the audience before they even have an idea of the full extent of the girl’s condition. The lack of music in the ending segment also works, strengthening the severity of the situation, so credit must be given to the restraint shown. In terms of #filmmaking, there isn’t anything particularly special, and again, it feels like it’s shot more as a promotional video than a short film. The wide shots at the beginning are nice, but it's unclear what the establishment of place does for this story, when the message is so apparent during the climax. Editing wise, it’s also basic, which would’ve been appropriate, had the whole film revolved around the middle segment. Overall, Mentre Te Ne Vai is a noble effort that deserves to be seen for the awareness it raises for an important cause. As a promotional awareness video, it should be applauded for its very existence. As a short film, however, it fails. The lack of structure or coherent narrative, jarring musical choices, and lacking focus on one clear idea, damage its integrity. The filmmakers should be commended for their efforts in publicising such a horrific disease, but in this choice of medium, the output is a mess. That said, I strongly urge that you do take the final message to heart and find out more about DIPG. It’s information that every parent or would be parent should be familiar with.

★★★★★ Directed by: Ernesto M. Sandoval Written by: #LaurieHenderson, #ErnestoMSandoval Starring: Laurie Henderson, #ToniRomano, #BrianGross, #CarissaBazler, #MichaelEdwin Short Film Review by: #ChrisOlson Reminiscent of M. Night Shyamalan's 2016 thriller Split with undertones of affecting emotional dramas like Room and short film Aimee, The Voice Within written by Laurie Henderson and Ernesto M. Sandoval is a crippling exploration of character and trauma. Loaded with sublime performances and technically skilled #filmmaking, it's a movie audiences can happily grapple with. Henderson plays Catherine, a woman struggling with the sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of her father when she was a kid. Developing Dissociative Identity Disorder as a result of this trauma, we also see Henderson play a character called Angelina, who takes over Catherine's life. As the two struggle for control and attempt to make sense of what happened, facilitated by therapist Anna (Toni Romano), events look ready to spiral out of control once again for our protagonist. Emotionally charged and gut-punchingly plotted, The Voice Within takes bold strides when it comes to powerful storytelling. The short film never shies away from the grit of the story and instead allows it to coalesce around the screen like a grim, dramatic spectre. This allows Henderson's frenzied and overwrought performance to feel compelling. Romano is a calming presence on screen, her character's attempts to help Catherine and Angelina feeling like beautiful lifelines amongst a lot of sorrow. Director Ernesto M. Sandoval knows how to compel with cinematic devices as well as great performances. His use of close-up framing of Catherine's face (adult and child - the latter played by Carissa Bazler) is done to instill both intimacy and terror in the viewer. Whilst the erratic scene changes from Anna's office, to a bar sequence, to Catherine's childhood brilliantly convey the nature of the central character's anguish - being stuck in her life since that experience with her dad. The themes of abuse, emotional instability, self harm, and identity disorders could feel like too much to explore in a short film format. However, Sandoval and Henderson are careful to intertwine each so that we only feel one thread throughout the piece, which is the suffering of Catherine. All her issues are felt as one and the intensity with which it comes across is palpable. It was fascinating to see such personal atrocity laid bare in a way that felt heartbreaking yet cinematic and arresting. Often heavy themes have a tendency to knock the wind out of viewers yet The Voice Within still carried a pulsing energy (largely through the gripping character of Angelina) that kept the experience feeling, yes harrowing, but also invigorating.

★★★★ Directed by: #NamanGupta Starring: #PaulArthaud, #JadeKilburn, #KentKoren, #GreysonLewis, #ThomasDWeaver, #LaraWolf Short Film Review by: #AlexandraJames Lilly Riggs pays homage to both Scorsese and Tarantino in this rough and ready short film. We follow the character ‘Blondie,’ a man desperately struggling to leave behind the gritty life of crime in order to reconnect with his daughter once again. Directed by Naman Gupta, Lilly Riggs takes the audience through the dark and corrupt streets of the city in this neo noir crime thriller, seeing the forefront of this injustice through the warped eyes of a rugged crook. The film begins with the deep and raspy voiceover from our main character, whilst lively rhythmic music plays in the background. The music throughout this film was certainly varied but worked really well with the overall tone of the film. There was a heavy correlation between this film and Pulp Fiction in terms of music. It was #QuentinTarantino who believed that songs truly portray the personality and spirit of a movie and opens the stage for the action to unfold. As you continue to watch Lilly Riggs, the music seemed to push the main character, Blondie, into a suave and savvy light, a fella with attitude and a lot of swagger creating a strong allure whenever he entered a scene. There were some camera angles which were slightly amateurish and seemed out of place within the film. For example, there is a point where the camera circles the car as the two criminals wait patiently for their money. However, although clever and unique at first there came a time where it started to disorientate and become overplayed and that is something that #filmmakers should avoid as the audience can lose interest after a while. There were some mismatched editing techniques but ultimately it was presented extremely well, the jump cuts elevated this short and hit home to that Scorsese touch, likening the film with ‘Goodfellas.’ Jump cuts are a great way to infuse a short with energy as well as show the pressure life holds for a crime fuelled gangster. Blondie’s accomplice Zero did not convey a totally believable character. His fear could have been classed as quite comical because it was so overblown which gave it a false appearance (of course I understand that it is acting so obviously nothing is real!) If there was a way to improve this, there should be the look of sheer panic crossing over the man’s face. There needs to be a level of insecurity from Zero, especially when in the presence of a menacing criminal and I could not see this. When you’re dealing with an unpredictable outlaw, of course there is going to be that submissive behaviour but also an element of dread and uncertainty should always be around as you can never truly anticipate their next move. This was the component which was lacking in Blondie’s accomplice. However, a very refreshing short film that had a lot compacted into a short space of time but still managed to not miss a beat. If you’re a fan of dark and mysterious men with a strong desire for crime then this may be the film for you!

★★★★ Directed by: Jonathan Brooks Written by: #JonathanBrooks, #AlexVrettos Starring: #EliotMilward, #JackKristiansen Short Film Review by: #ChrisOlson Comic book heroes have become somewhat lost amongst the clatter of blockbuster franchises. What these graphic novel characters mean to those who read and love the literature is the foundation for Marvel and D.C.'s cinematic success (the latter less so), as well as other superhero stories that have made it to the silver screen. Writer and director Jonathan Brooks takes us back to the time where pivotal parts of childhood are formed by the characters we read about with his short film Gun Metal Max. Eliot Milward plays Ben, a typical ten-year-old who is obsessed with comic books featuring the titular Gun Metal Max. Creating elaborate sets in his house and acting out scenes with his toys, as well as reading the comic books cover to cover are ways he likes to spend his time. However, a power outage sees the entrance of the formidable Shadow and Ben looks to be doomed until his favourite superhero turns up for real. Retro and playful, Brooks takes time to caress his movie with touches of nostalgia. It is a piece dedicated to the wonderment of childhood and the imagination that is always in plentiful supply. Having seen Brooks' movie Ghostboy, I can see a thematic pattern emerging whereby stories are being unlocked through the eyes of younger central characters. Gun Metal Max as a short film doesn't really work as the plot feels unfinished. This feels more like a proof of concept for a feature length movie. Whether or not the story is there to be told is yet to be known but if Brooks and his crew can deliver a longer film with the same high production values and cinematic splendour as this, audiences will likely be suitably pleased. Milward as a lead is ok however he struggles to not come across as wooden with his delivery. Possibly largely because of a lack of other actors to riff off, viewers may find his dialogue reminiscent of after school television. That being said, the score and editing of the piece more than make up for this and do some form of damage control to limit the heavy lifting from the young actor. By tapping into an imagination-becomes-tangible plotline, Gun Metal Max immediately draws parallels with similar genre films. Whilst watching the short film, movies such as Drop Dead Fred, Inkheart, and The Indian in the Cupboard all came to mind yet there was something more impressive about this that lingered. It was the aesthetic of the short that felt more enduring than those movies, as if this was a piece of cinema that could have been made at any point in time and for good reason. It's stylish, enduring and joyously pure cinema and storytelling. Watch the official movie trailer below.

★★ Directed by: Pollyanna McIntosh Written by: Pollyanna McIntosh Starring: #PollyannaMcintosh #LaurynCanny #NoraJaneBoone Film Review by: #HopeMadden In 2011, filmmaker Lucky McKee unleashed the subversive, feminist horror jewel The Woman to a lot of boos at Sundance. It’s tough viewing, no doubt—the screener we were sent to review prior to its release arrived wrapped in a vomit bag—but it amounted to an envelope-pushing miracle of modern horror. The film itself was a sequel to the underwhelming 2009 cannibal horror penned by Jack Ketchum, Offspring. The point of both films was that only a doomed moron underestimates Pollyanna McIntosh. McIntosh (The Walking Dead) returns to the feral, nameless role that’s caused such a ruckus over the years, this time taking charge of the woman’s trajectory by writing and directing the latest installment, Darlin’. Darlin’ picks up some years after the end of The Woman. McIntosh’s alpha and Darlin' (Lauryn Canny), the adolescent whose grown in her care since the events of McKee’s flick, approach a hospital. Filthy, communicating with grunts and probably smelling pretty foul, the two split up as the girl enters the hospital. To the dismay of the unrealizing Woman, the system’s not about to let her back out. What follows is a sloppy, superficial finger-wagging at Catholicism, which is unfortunate. Not because the church deserves more respect than that—it doesn’t, really—but because there may be no lazier strawman in horror right now than the Roman Catholic Church, and McIntosh doesn’t even bother to get a single dogmatic or ritualistic point accurate. Let me pause. Pollyanna McIntosh is a sort of hero of mine and The Woman is an all-time favorite. You have no idea how much I wanted to like this film or how much slack I was likely to give. The raw truth is that very little about the film merits praise. McIntosh still cuts a mighty impressive figure as the that nameless beast running the show. Canny, however, struggles with her Tarzan-style dialog. The always capable Nora-Jane Noone, playing the church’s one good nun, serves mainly as a painful reminder. Those of us who saw her breakout film The Magdalene Sisters remember how cinematically powerful the horrors of Catholicism really can be. There’s an underfed side plot about a loving nurse and an ill-fitting storyline about a group of homeless women, all of which coalesce with the evil priest core story in a bat-shit climax that almost makes the ride worthwhile. It’s unfortunate, because there are three or four moments in this film of unique, subversive horror. They flash across the screen and then are gone, drown out by lazily written, listlessly directed cliché.