Night Patrol film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Justin Long, RJ Cyler, Nicki Micheaux directed by Ryan Prows. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Night Patrol Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Jan 14, 2026 Directed by: Ryan Prows Written by: Tim Cairo, Jake Givson, Shaye Ogbonna Starring: Justin Long, RJ Cyler, Nicki Micheaux Crime drama, social commentary, action flick, vampire movie—Night Patrol bites off a lot. But since director Ryan Prows and writers Tim Cairo, Jack Gibson and Shaye Ogbonna’s last teaming combined an organ harvesting crime caper with the life of a luchador, it shouldn’t come as a surprise. Night Patrol opens on a young man (RJ Cyler) bleeding from a weapon still poking out of his ribs. He’s in police custody, sitting across from a nonplussed LAPD officer (Nick Gillie), who’d like him to explain himself. Prows then flashes back a couple of days, introducing the young man, the girl he loves, and the LA cops known as Night Patrol. What follows is an allegory about white supremacy dressed up as some kind of higher calling but behaving as bloodthirsty beasts. Apt, particularly after what we all witnessed in Minneapolis last Wednesday night. Justin Long co-stars as a cop looking to get to the bottom of whatever it is Night Patrol is up to, and he’ll go to some regrettable means to meet those ends. But he hopes to be remembered as “one of the good ones”. It’s unfair to compare Prows’s film with the similarly themed Sinners because it’s unfair to compare any film at all with Ryan Coogler’s masterpiece. Prows’s ire is focused on the here and now, and probably bears a closer resemblance to Bomani J. Story’s 2023 film The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster as well as Remington Smith’s 2025 festival favorite LandLord . The theme is clear-eyed and relevant: Systemic racism in the U.S. is monstrous, its willing participants are monsters. Prows solicits game performances from Cyler, Long, and especially Nicki Micheaux who dominates every scene she’s in, as only her character could. Where Night Patrol falters is in its wild mix of tones and genres. For all its bloodsucking, this is no horror film. The violence is action violence, but even that is sometimes lost in the loonier, funnier moments. The rival gang is preoccupied with supernatural entities, including Lizard Men, giving the film a bizarre sense of humor that doesn’t fully fit. The hodgepodge approach to genre hampers its castmates—Cyler, in particular—from finding a suitable performing style. Long is custom designed for this character, and Micheaux elevates the material, but with no discernable genre, Night Patrol leaves you a little dizzy. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Vourdalak film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Kacey Mottet Klein, Ariane Labed, Vassili Schneider directed by Adrien Beau. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Vourdalak Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Jun 25, 2024 Directed by: Adrien Beau Written by: Adrien Beau Starring: Kacey Mottet Klein, Ariane Labed, Vassili Schneider There is nothing in this world that cannot be undone by obedience and patriarchy. Also, I just watched the maddest film about vampires—Adrien Beau’s The Vourdalak , based on Tolstoy’s 19th century tale that inspired Mario Bava’s Black Sabbath . In Beau’s hands, a darkly comic sensibility wraps around themes of oppression—classism, sexism, homophobia—to charge the old vampire lore with something wizened and weary about who becomes victims and why. Fancy pants Marquis Jacques Antoine Saturnin d’Urfé (Kacey Mottet Klein, the picture of entitled cowardice in his powdered wig and pointy shoes)—a nobleman from the court of the King of France—finds himself lost in a formidable wood somewhere out Serbia way. His host has been murdered by marauding Turks. His only hope is that the primitive family in this rustic little farmhouse can offer him aid. But the Marquis has arrived at quite a moment. The patriarch is gone to fight the Turks. He said he would return within six days, but if he returned any later than that, the family was not to let him in the house because he would no longer be their father. The Marquis has arrived on Day 6. Klein’s comic delivery meets deadpan reaction from Ariane Labed (The Lobster, Flux Gourmet ) playing the host’s lovely if melancholic daughter, Sdenka. The performances create a fascinating pairing, Klein instinctively enriching his character arc with their onscreen chemistry. Vassili Schneider injects the film with aching tenderness that gives the horror a powerful sadness, even though there’s no denying The Vourdalak ’s comedic sensibility. Beau’s film delivers stagy fun that’s utterly hypnotic, using dance, melodrama, even puppets as well as more traditional genre imagery to spin a bizarre and captivating horror. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Torn (2023) film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Eden Tuckman, Andrew Medeiros, Colby Cyrus, Caraline Connor directed by Colby Cyrus. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Torn (2023) Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Feb 21, 2023 Directed by: Colby Cyrus Written by: Andrew Medeiros Starring: Eden Tuckman, Andrew Medeiros, Colby Cyrus, Caraline Connor Two men have an argument over the passing of a woman they were both involved with. It is the day of the funeral for a young woman named Nora (Tuckman) and her mourners have gathered at her home, following the ceremony. Among them is Corey (Cyrus), who was her husband, and he is aware that Emmett (Medeiros) has arrived and that he is waiting outside. Emmett was having an affair with Nora and Corey decides to go out and confront him. Their conversation turns into a heavy altercation over the circumstances that led to her suicide. This short poignant drama focuses on the aftermath of a series of hurtful events that led to a person's death. The concept is a woman being torn apart by the two men she is romantically involved with and the effects her passing ended up having on both of them. Corey and Emmett keep accusing each other of destroying Nora and they do not hold anything back. There are two flashbacks, one shows Nora with Emmett and the other shows her with Corey, both of which provide clues regarding Nora's relationship with each man and both had their issues. Emmett was angry with Nora because she was unwilling to leave her husband in order to be with him and Corey is upset with her due to her infidelity and they are dealing with a loss, however, they seem to care for one another. Who is right? Corey or Emmett? Or are they both wrong? This story contains interesting characters and the actors do a good job in expressing their emotions and struggles. Nora is a married woman who is pushed into despair by unfortunate circumstances. Corey believes that Emmett's actions resulted in Nora taking her own life, while Emmett wanted a new life with her and accuses Corey of having been an unsupportive husband. However, what both men have in common is that they are torn apart by her death. Music is almost constantly present and it is melancholic, tender or tense and it effectively accompanies the scenes. The flashbacks have different cinematography than the scenes that take place in the present, which is a creative technique. This film is a sad story about the circumstances that led to a death and the aftermath. It is an emotional and heartbreaking viewing that contains grief, anger, arguing regret and sadness but also love and tenderness. It explores adultery, marriage and loss and has an intriguing plot. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Connor Slatkoff Sharpe writes movie reviews for UK Film Critic. As one of the talented UK film critics, find out more here. Connor Slatkoff Sharpe Originally from the West Coast of Canada, I have recently moved to Edinburgh in the last year. I'm 23 years old, and have a background mainly in film and theatre acting (four years of conservatory theatre training in University to make myself thoroughly unemployable). I’ve been fortunate enough to be part of a wide variety of projects as a stage and screen actor, from work with Disney to performing Shakespeare in the park in cities across Canada. I've always had a passion for writing, and as someone who is a fanatic film and TV lover, those subjects are almost always what I find myself discussing. My favourite film is without a doubt The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, closely followed by the other two films in the trilogy. Other favourites of mine include Children of Men, Se7en, Snatch, Aliens, Terminator 2 Judgment Day, Gladiator, Return of the Jedi & The Dark Knight. To follow my painfully inactive social media pages, use the icons below and stay tuned for any bi-annual posting. Read Latest Film Reviews

Vanilla film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Aaron Latta-Morissette, Melanie Rains, Daniel Victor directed by Chase Pearson. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Vanilla Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Jan 16, 2024 Directed by: Chase Pearson Written by: Chase Pearson Starring: Aaron Latta-Morissette, Melanie Rains, Daniel Victor A man attempts to make his date's fantasy come true. It is night-time and new couple Clark (Morissette) and Helen (Rains) are returning to her wealthy home after having had a date together. It is Clark's first visit to her property and she invites him in. As they get cosy together, things move towards having intercourse, however there is a catch: Helen wants to take this opportunity to fulfil her fantasy, which involves her pretending to be a rape victim. So she tells Clark to re-enter her house wearing only underwear and a ski mask and pretend that he is a rapist. He reluctantly agrees and what follows are some rather awkward moments. This short comedy has quite a situation: a young woman convincing her new partner to force himself on her by pretending to be a sex offender. It is a rather vivid plot and certainly an intriguing one that creates a fair share of funny moments that are primarily related to Clark. Watching him wonder around the house nearly naked, his face covered by a ski mask, wondering what on earth he is doing and trying to build up the courage to put on a good show, is weird but certainly amusing (if the viewer enjoys that sort of humour) thanks to Morissette's performance. The film also ends up having nail-biting moments, which are of a funny nature. Apart from the story and the comedy, another feature that gives this film a great deal of positive quality are the plot twists. The screenplay effectively convinces the audience that they know what is going on and then the revelation occurs, making the situation even more awkward. It should also be pointed out that the plot twist at the end is rather clever and unexpected. Commendations go to Parker Tolifson for the beautiful and moody cinematography and Sam Leinen deserves recognition for the editing that creates a well-constructed montage sequence. Regarding the audio, composer Hayley Rosenthal adds some romantic music and the song You're Lonely and I'm Lonely was a superb choice. This short is an adult comedy that revolves around sexual fantasies and it tells a story that is funny and once the oddity begins, it continuously escalates. It might not be for everyone, however the plot and the entertaining acting make this a fun viewing for those who like adult humour. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Gnome Heist film review by UK film critic Chris Buick. Starring Alice Dieli, Rosario Nicosia, Sandro Dieli directed by Alice Dieli. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Gnome Heist Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Chris Buick | Posted on: Mar 23, 2025 Directed by: Alice Dieli Written by: Alice Dieli Starring: Alice Dieli, Rosario Nicosia, Sandro Dieli Considering it was made in about a week-and-a-half to meet a competition deadline, Gnome Heist truly makes you wonder what writer, director and also star Alice Dieli, not to mention their clearly very adept crew, could do with even just double that production time. And by achieving everything it does in a runtime that barely squeaks past the four-minute mark, Gnome Heist proves the age-old adage of quality over quantity. Right away we catch up with Mia (Dieli), who clearly has had a day of it already, long leather coat dripping wet from apparent run-ins with fountains and pigeons as she strides through the blazing sunshine to finish a favour for her unique ex-boyfriend (Nicosia). Hating herself every minute along the way for agreeing to it all in the first place, Mia’s favour sees her carting a bursting suitcase all the way across town to meet him for the drop-off. The contents? Gnomes, of course. But these aren’t just any ordinary gnomes, and upon final delivery, Mia soon realises that the gnomes hold a somewhat valuable secret. Having already successfully shown off their skills within the horror genre with their previous impressive short What’s Your Poison? , Dieli proves they are just as capable with the lighter stuff here as well. Gnome Heist , bounced along by slick editing and a soundtrack of amped guitar injects a very silly premise with a lot of fun, swagger and style, and Dieli’s performance in front of the camera is just as strong as behind it, Mia striking an interesting character full of quirks and snappy quips but who is also clearly a bit of a mess, a character that could easily entertain us for much longer. Of course, at only four minutes the film does leave you yearning for a bit more, and especially at this kind of enthusiastic pace it’s all over in quite a flash, and we don’t get to explore certain characters maybe as much as we'd like, or indeed the joy of seeing Mia’s preceding debacles wrestling with pigeons and falling in fountains. But everything we need to know is conveyed quickly and effectively in what is a contained but nonetheless complete story, and actually, it says a lot more about Dieli’s ability for entertaining storytelling that even after the credits start rolling, we want to keep hanging out in this world for just a little while longer. Gnome Heist is punchy, it’s silly and it’s just plain fun, while also being sharply written and beautifully shot to boot. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Chris Buick Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Revolt of the Bovine film review by UK film critic James Learoyd. Starring Joaquin Vignoli, Hatty Ashdown, Scott Kingsnorth directed by Scott Kingsnorth. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Revolt of the Bovine Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: James Learoyd | Posted on: Jan 15, 2025 Directed by: Scott Kingsnorth Written by: Scott Kingsnorth Starring: Joaquin Vignoli, Hatty Ashdown, Scott Kingsnorth The Revolt of the Bovine is an odd but enjoyable new animated short film from Scott Kingsnorth which follows a couple of cows as they ponder power and politics. We witness the characters eventually wreaking havoc across the world under the rule of a domineering bull. The story is effectively a satirical retelling of George Orwell’s Animal Farm – in fact, the book is explicitly referenced in the film’s opening moments – but where it greatly differs is in its love of the ridiculous. Through its witty representation of deeper subject-matter, the comedy becomes both accessible and thoughtful. Aiming to entertain – in part – through the filmmaker’s incredibly British, sardonic sense of humour, the short combines vulgarity with commentary. One could argue that much of the comedy is inspired by a Monty Python-esque sensibility. This can be seen especially in one shot in which a human is squished and killed by an animal, with that classically jarring animation. The picture’s script also reflects a similar comic ambition, with its acidic tone complementing an already absurdist aesthetic. It’s great fun when a film isn’t afraid to do joke after joke; and for a piece of such a short runtime, it wouldn’t make sense for this kind of comedy to go any other route. The director also voices the character of the farmer, who bookends the piece by dryly joking about cows’ intelligence and/or stupidity. This framing device gives you a good sense of the kind of matter-of-fact, emotionless attitude which adds to the specific brand of comedy, and is prevalent throughout the short. In terms of the film’s animation style, it could very well be described as striking a tone between the minimalist existentialism of Don Hertzfeldt and the handmade vulgarity of South Park ; both elements serve as great strengths. The filmmaker understands that they have to play to their limitations – in that it’s a low-budget cartoon made entirely by one individual (an impressive feat in and of itself). Yet it’s through the purposeful ugliness of the character designs, and the simple direction on display, that the work finds its unique and endearing personality. Namely, audiences are bound to find a lot to enjoy about the disturbingly detailed appearance of the animals – the vivid definition of their outlines giving a slightly gross, overly realistic idea of a cow, for instance. It’s just so strange to observe, while also being visually inventive. The Revolt of the Bovine accomplishes what it sets out to achieve, and the fact that it manages this within its six-minute runtime is a testament to the writing and structure. I’d be interested to know why the filmmaker wished to use their humour and mode of animation to tell this story in particular, for it would certainly feel like a slightly random watch were you to stumble across it. But then again, due to its style and short-form storytelling temperament, this piece is absolutely designed for the internet (not to sound like a backhanded compliment, its internet success just feels inevitable). It’s a thoroughly entertaining movie which showcases some amusing animation. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic James Learoyd Short Film, Animation < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Liquid Architecture film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Maciej Sonski directed by Maciej Sonski. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Liquid Architecture Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Sep 11, 2023 Directed by: Maciej Sonski Written by: N/A Starring: Maciej Sonski Liquid Architecture is an artistic short film from student film-maker, Maciej Sonski. Coming in at just under five minutes the film takes us on a short journey through the streets of an unnamed city while also being interspersed with extended images of parts of Sonski’s naked body. Described by Sonski as “an experimental film engrossing[?!] a visual confluence of abstract forms of skin, light and architecture” it’s obvious that he wants everyone to take him and his art seriously, even to the point of explaining on his film’s Facebook page what is happening to the audience as they watch this short piece. Now, if you’re an audience member who needs to be told how to react you should know that the film will be, “inciting a cognitive dissonance within [you], begging for a re-evaluation of [your] preconceived ontological assumptions and beliefs about the nature of reality”; but what if actually, you didn’t respond like that? What if in fact you question the link between skin, light and architecture, seeing them as separate entities which don’t share a common thread, not even a metaphysical one, and you don’t believe there’s a bigger question being explored through an out of focus, jumpy, five minute, arthouse film made by an undergraduate student who already calls himself “unique”, “a master”, “unparalleled”, “exceptional”, “renowned” and “a leader in his field”? Well then, you’d be right. It seems far more likely that Sonski’s film is about skin, light and architecture because these are the things he was able to shoot. It takes nothing to grab your camera and head into town to take a few shots of people milling around and cars and buses moving through the streets, then all that’s needed is a liberal sprinkling of egotism to insert yourself naked (or nearly naked) into your own film to get the exposure that you are looking for. There is never any link shared or confluence shown between the three distinct aspects which Sonski has chosen and the level of abstraction he has used to make his point, whatever that may be, only serves to remove the viewer from the visuals and the film itself. If he is using Liquid Architecture as a metaphor for the transience of human life, Sonski might also consider the fact that his audience will be transient, too, as they disconnect from what they’re watching and move on to something else even before it is finished. What Sonski does have in Liquid Architecture is an idea. The film was created by taking only two handpicked frames per second from each shot, with AI being used to fill in the remaining twenty-three. What this does is to blend the images together in a form of movement that jumps and shifts rather than pans or tracks. It is an interesting technique already used by many film-makers and is called frame interpolation, and while it may be useful for CGI artists or for reinvigorating old movies with a higher frame rate to make them ‘smoother’, here it is only helpful in making the light elements stand out as they streak across the screen and not much else. What Sonski has got here is a gimmick, not art, despite what he is wont to tell you in his insufferably wordy (self-)promotional statements. Even at under five minutes long there’s not enough here to sustain the film throughout its runtime. Perhaps this technique could work in a thirty second advert but for anything more than that it needs purpose, a way of using it to actually tell a story, or to actually relate some higher idea which gets through to the audience. As it stands, Sonski’s work would do fine in an art gallery as it’s not too taxing, not too involved and not too long, with the added benefit for Sonski that he could include as many meaningless verbose statements alongside it as he cared to provide. As a film though, for an audience who appreciate talent and integrity, it’s not Liquid Architecture but solid guff. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Rainsford University film review by UK film critic James Learoyd. Starring Dylan Manley, Adam Boland, Zay, Leigh Carroll directed by Leigh Carroll. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Rainsford University Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: James Learoyd | Posted on: Dec 29, 2024 Directed by: Leigh Carroll Written by: Leigh Carroll Starring: Dylan Manley, Adam Boland, Zay, Leigh Carroll Rainsford University is an immensely enjoyable horror short about two science students being hunted down by a malignant entity haunting the corridors. This stripped-down and elemental piece of filmmaking makes sure to be consistently fun. And it can be enjoyed on a few different levels, for its story provides some unexpectedly original little ideas regarding its high-concept notion. Where the piece proves to be slightly less successful than its ambition is in the technical department. But even still, this is an engaging work with a lot of interesting choices. The film opens with some mysterious shots of photographs, fossils and plaques which dress the white walls of the hallways; but as the plot progresses, we come to realise that these objects represent some lurking memory of the past, a past which is seeping into the present. During the first conversation between characters Billy and Derek, they jokingly reference the dark myths of the university, while introducing the themes of the picture. There's some discussion of sci-fi concepts which play a role in the horror to come, with the murder of one scientist and her botched experiment leading to some sort of cross-dimensional apparition. The script itself is most interesting, and especially effective when considering the fact that it manages to fit a great many genre ideas and a sturdy plot into its seven-minute runtime. You could argue, however, that the film is operating at its very best when there’s no dialogue at all; when it's utilising its form, scenario and the camera to impact the audience. And yet, to get to this point, it’s intelligent to have built the foundations of the story’s dramatic conceit in those conversational couple minutes at the beginning. One also admires the fact that the ghost in this horror short isn’t simply a ‘ghost’--but a ghost with a past and a relevance to the unfolding plot. Sadly, the camerawork on display is a mixed-bag, but not without merit. What lets this film down to a certain extent is the occasionally flat, digital look. The unfortunate fact of a couple of shots being out of focus also causes some additional problems. Despite this – and towards the film’s end – there are some absolutely impeccable moments of cinematography. Specifically, the movie takes a stylistic turn into monochrome, and it's within this black and white sequence that the most inventive and dynamic compositions take place. There’s a shot of a bloody hand in the foreground, and the camera racks focus to the terrified character in the background. This is terrifically inventive work; frightening and effective. Other strong cinematic decisions I haven’t mentioned include: the use of a whip-pan as an editorial transition; Dutch angles to create an unnerving sense of impending threat; and POV shots from the monster’s perspective so as to build incredible terror. All of these are signs that the filmmaker understands fully the power of the camera and film form, even if the film itself isn’t always absolute perfection. A great effort from this budding group of artists. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic James Learoyd Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Arachnarche film review by UK film critic Swati Verma. Starring N/A directed by Emma Jordon. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Arachnarche Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Swati Verma | Posted on: Mar 14, 2022 Directed by: Emma Jordon Written by: Emma Jordon, Jack Egleton Starring: N/A The font and black color used for the title of the short film "Arachnarche". The animation/horror genre is highlighted by the makers so that the content of the film can attract a large amount of audience towards the film. The poster of the cinematic piece is creatively designed. The name of the film is in white while the surrounding around the doll is black. The black color symbolizes mystery and power while the white color is all about purity and innocence. The background music of this animated film is carefully chosen to suit the mood of the film. The level of intensity in the sound is varied as per the situation in the script. The director Emma Jordon and the writer Jack Egleton work towards building a concept that mixes animation and horror. It is a unique idea that gives the audience a chance to explore and experiment with the type of movies they like to consume. The set designer Giulia Croce plans out the dollhouse concentrating on the minute details of the same to keep it believable in the eyes of the viewers. The character designer Rebecca Jane wood has to understand the brief from the director and work on the character arc of both the doll and the spider. The director of photography Mitoshka Alkova uses her skills to dive straight into the action. It helps the audience to feel engaged with the film from the very start. The color grade given by Lorenzo Innocenti matches the mood of the film and enhances the impact the horror genre needs to have on the target audience. The use of red color in the story has connotations of danger, courage, anger, and life. The large size shadow of the antagonist instills the feeling of fear in the viewers as well. A dollhouse is invaded by the spider and how the little doll fights all her fears to defend her home or there is something unexpected that is in store for her to experience makes up the basic plot of this short film. The journey of the doll is captured so beautifully that it takes the viewers on an emotional ride where they want to safeguard the doll from all the dangers she faces as the narrative progresses. The conclusion of the film is completely unexpected. The makers of this creative piece have kept an open-ended closure. The director Emma Jordon and her team do not impose their thought process on the audience. They tend to leave the interpretation of the film to the end consumers. All the elements like the set design, lighting, camera angles, costume hair, and sound complement the genre of the film and help to hold the narrative together. The storyline does not lose the suspense factor. The animation team has done a superb job with the expression of the doll. It makes the film interesting retable and interactive for the audience. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Swati Verma Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Discoteque film review by UK film critic Chris Buick. Starring Masashi Yamamoto directed by Masashi Yamamoto. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Discoteque Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Chris Buick | Posted on: Nov 16, 2023 Directed by: Masashi Yamamoto Written by: Masashi Yamamoto Starring: Masashi Yamamoto “I feel your beat, you feel my rhythm, till the end.” Discoteque , the latest offering from animated short-film creator Masashi Yamamoto, tells the surreal but unique and highly imaginative story of a couple exploring the dizzying heights of love, passion and unbridled intimacy in the world of disco. Discoteque is, before and above anything else, a piece of art. Now, that’s not necessarily to say the film will be to everyone’s taste, art can always be subjective and flawed and there are some moments where, despite the tagline, the film in fact does have some slight issues keeping its rhythm steady until the end. But in terms of sheer presentation, a work of pure artistic expression is assuredly what it is. And after now having had a quick look at the brief but adept back catalogue of their other animated shorts, it's clear to see that Yamamoto is in an artist with an intriguing talent for animation and a truly distinct voice for storytelling. Using, as with their other works, stop motion animation as their artistic medium (and with a clear knack for it too I might add), Discoteque is probably Yamamoto’s most visually compelling work yet. The animation is brilliantly clean, precise, striking, imaginative and all other kinds of well-deserved superlatives. But what it achieves more for this particular film rather than simply just creating a feast for the eyes, is how this dreamlike blend of images, colours and abstract metaphors (some subtle and some definitely less so) manages to truly augment this overlying theme of love, connection and raw intimacy that runs throughout the film. In fact, if one were to remove any narration or indeed all sound from it, Discoteque would almost certainly still be able to land narratively as well as it does. While much of Yamamoto’s previous works such as When You Touch Me and Our Future undoubtedly also explore more mature themes of a sexual nature, Discoteque seems like an effort to push those types of boundaries even further with its more explicit nature, and it is always great to witness a creator's clear and uncompromised vision be realised as much as it is here. The film does suffer slightly from maybe overreaching in this regard however, the moments where the more explicit disco-orientated segments (which are provocative yes and which is almost certainly the intention) suddenly interject and feel somewhat out of step with the rest, meaning the film does actually lose a bit of its rhythm in these moments. But Yamamoto is telling the stories they want to tell, how they want to tell them, and that kind of unwavering sense of pure self-expression can only be applauded. It may get lost in itself at points, but Discoteque is well-crafted, wonderful-looking film about love, made with love. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Chris Buick Animation, Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

What The... film review by UK film critic Alex Crisp. Starring Attul, Kiran Dev, Stevie Sunny directed by Sarin Kumar. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS What The... Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Alex Crisp | Posted on: Aug 19, 2021 Directed by: Sarin Kumar Written by: Sarin Kumar Starring: Attul, Kiran Dev, Stevie Sunny A comic short film from Indian director Sarin Kumar, or should that be bonkers. A bonkers short film from Indian director Sarin Kumar. Two friends find themselves in the home of a former school acquaintance, and get involved in something a bit bloodier than they bargained for. There are four principle characters. The two friends, Kathir (played by Attul) and Karthi (Kiran Dev), get the most screen-time, but Attul and Dev falter with shouty performances. The best thing in the film is Stevie Sunny, who goes for cock-eyed psychopathy and lands it as Rocky, so it’s a shame when he becomes the first victim in a series of increasingly farcical manslaughters and murders. And strangest of all is Radhakrishnan as a corrupt policeman billed simply as “Cop”, strange because he plays him like a disturbed sensei. His introduction provides the first real jokes of what turns out to be a comedy (honestly it could’ve been anything). Earlier on, a long still of Kathir and Karthi sitting against the kitchen cupboards while Rocky’s dead body lay propped up between them acted as a moment of realisation, a kind of oh, it’s a black comedy. When trying to dispose of Rocky, the pair are stopped by Cop, who asks them to open their trunk. Only there’s a twist. It turns out the cop has a body in his car too, which is a funny subversion of a staple crime-genre scene. That’s followed up with a monologue that ends in a punchline about shooting a goat. A goat the pair ask? A pregnant goat. Yeah, that isn’t so funny. There is an unfortunately inescapable hindrance to these efforts throughout however—an intrusive soundtrack by Arvind Raghunath. Every tense plot development—such as the trunk scene—is punctuated by a sledgehammer bass-bwah, and though the intended effect may actually be silliness, it’s hard to tell whether the emotionalism is deliberate. It’s not just that the music is overbearing, it’s schizophrenic too. There’s a cue that’s bluesy, there’s several that are funky, and during the climax the soundscape slips into a harsh cascade of Tenet -like electronic pulses. That would be too many musical styles for a film twice as long—everything I’ve listed takes place in less than 35-minutes. It’s no surprise that Cop betrays the pair in the last of those minutes, leading to a stand-off, a sizeable body-count, and a very Quentin Tarantino-ish title caption—yellow block letters over a whirlpool of blood. It’s his lurid brand that Sarin Kumar attempts to emulate with What The , and not successfully as such. Truth be told though, for over two decades Tarantino hasn’t successfully illustrated his own brand either. This ambitious but over-extended short isn’t any further away from doing so. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Alex Crisp Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >