★★★ Directed by: #ElginCahill Starring: #KetrickJazzCopeland, #JoeBocian, #RScottCroushore Indie Film Review by: #NathanialEker Director Elgin Cahill presents a grim contemporary thriller in Ryde or Die, taking advantage of a modern setting by focusing on an Ube-, err, I mean ‘Ryde’ driver named Zacharias. Picking up a bizarre, Faustian passenger near the end of his shift, Zacharias soon finds himself in the middle of a Lynchian nightmare, where the value of human life is placed in tandem with the consequence of sin. Ryde or Die successfully crafts a bleak reality amidst an endless night of bright lights, juxtaposed with atrocious acts by the worst of humanity. The cinematography is impressive, showcasing wide aerial shots of the lambent city that emphasise how small the players of this macabre game are. Indeed, the futility of life and human goodness are core elements of the script, which is mostly solid. Though there are a few bits of dialogue that could’ve been trimmed (and one line that is seemingly ripped straight from Breaking Bad), the long monologues about the nature of human interaction are written with class and depressing realism. The pacing works to build suspense gradually, but not so slowly that the action becomes dull. The effective tension comes in part from the stellar performance of Joe Bocian as Thomas, who is a terrifying highlight. His demonic energy is unsettling yet irresistible, and he utterly steals the show. Unfortunately, acting of this quality exposes weaker performances such as co-lead, Copeland. While clearly trying his best, there is little sincerity in his portrayal of Zacharias, especially in the most intense interactions. Zacharias acts as the audience’s avatar in this night of madness, but regrettably, Copeland’s wooden reactions ultimately leave a void of alignment or empathy for our protagonist. The wider supporting cast range from stiff and emotionless to over the top and silly, both of which harm the believability of the script. On a more positive note, the soundtrack is largely efficient and synergises with the film’s neo-noir vibe. The pulsating bass accompanying wide shots of the city leads to a fantastic opening that clearly had care put into it. One bizarre element, however, comes during the film’s climax, which, veering away from spoilers, shifts from intimidating to horrifically sad, with a score that doesn’t hit the mark. The music chosen is jarring and clashes with the scene, which is both surprising and frustrating considering the brilliance of the musical choices for most of the picture. Also worthy of praise are some of the technical practises employed. The editing may be basic, but it’s serviceable to the story being told. The lighting choices are where things get interesting. The use of electric blues and greens reflected onto the monstrous face of Thomas work to support the performance and make him even more unnerving and intimidating. These techniques support the film’s thematic commentary of the futility of doing good and the subjectivity of sin, delivered through the strong script. All of these elements combine to make a nightmarish world not dissimilar to the one crafted by David Lynch in Lost Highway. Yet Ryde or Die crucially retains its own identity, keeping things more grounded in a grittier reality. Regrettably weaker are the visual effects. Stock sound effects and poor body horror make some of the most extreme scenes more laughable than horrifying, which is a shame. Overall, Ryde or Die is a mixed bag that’s still worth a look. The worldbuilding and script are well executed, and the tension crafted is legitimate and formidable. Where the film falls down is disappointingly with most of the performances bar an exceptional lead showing by Joe Bocian. The themes and commentary are well delivered despite being far from subtle, and the grim tone remains mostly intact throughout. This ride might not be perfect, but it’s certainly not in the pits.

★★★★★ Directed by: Chris Keller Written by: #ChrisKeller Starring: #RichardSyms, #ShareaSamuels, #NigelThomas Short Film Review by: #ChrisOlson Achingly beautiful and heartbreaking, short film The Last Dance from filmmaker Chris Keller combines the time with the timeless to create one of the best short films of 2019 so far. Richard Syms plays an elderly gentleman whose isolation is broken only by a drone delivering letters, and by his scientific experiments. The latter of which involve attempting to relive a picturesque moment from his past with younger woman Sharea Samuels (and his younger self played by Nigel Thomas). The film is set in the not-too-distant future and does contain some wickedly cool technology but Keller's film is more rooted in the past. The human element to The Last Dance is what makes it so arresting. Syms is a wonderful lead and captures the intensity of his loneliness through wonderful physical presence. This allows the emotional drama of the story to engulf everything else happening in the short film. Music is used incredibly to heighten the atmosphere, in particular during the dance scene which was utterly moving. However, it's the visual effects which are most impressive about the technical skill of this movie. Which isn't surprising given Keller's background within visual effects (he worked on Man of Steel and Captain America for heck's sake) but he doesn't take credit for the VE on The Last Dance according to IMDb. So I'm going to shine a light on these usually unsung masters: Petar Chardakov, Matthes Jacob, and Aatur Ravani. The bold, striking, and playful use of CGI is breathtaking, in particular the smooth transition from the machine's interface back into the central character's darkened room. Whilst the old man and his robot storyline is becoming more commonplace (Robot and Frank came straight to mind) there is a compelling and original idea here which Keller delivers flawlessly. He plays with themes of aging, loss, and memory but in a way that feels somehow hopeful. As if all the technology in the world won't stop us feeling love and it's enduring imprint on the heart. The man is not some crazed lune getting madder and madder by the day, instead there is an elegant resignation to his situation and an almost contentment with the smidge of happiness he is able to scrape and relive through his machine. The Last Dance is a short so finely tuned and optimised, the result on the audience will be nothing but awe inspiring. As near to perfect as a short can get. Watch the official movie trailer below.

★★ Directed by: #VictoriaMuldoon Starring: #FreddieHogan & Victoria Muldoon Short Film Review by: #JasmineHollyBullock Majority of us have had some sort of experience with going to the job centre or working with a careers agent to amend the dreaded state of unemployment. Majority of us also know how dull and stationary those meetings can be... but not this meeting. My Neighbour Barbequed My Fence revolves around a woman named Tiger, who has been referred by the job centre to the careers advice service, but she turns up 20 minutes late to her appointment. Tiger has a poor and extremely unbelievable excuse as to why she’s so late. Victoria Muldoon wrote, produced and stars in My Neighbour Barbequed My Fence. As a performer, Muldoon is perfect for the role she has assigned herself. Her character, Tiger, is interesting to watch in her somewhat unpersuasive demeanour... whether this is intentional on Muldoon’s part or just a genuine lack of emotive acting, I cannot actually tell. Tiger also occasionally uses colloquial terms and phrases that aren’t necessarily age appropriate for her, making her more of a comical character. Freddie Hogan is also a reasonable performer; his portrayal of the character Tom comes off as not naturalistic. However, I think this may have been intentional due to the intended droll nature of the film. Or at least, I hope that was the case, and if it was: Hogan did a great job. Admittedly, I’m not entirely sure what the point of this film was. It was a bit nonsensical but not funny ENOUGH to be acceptably nonsensical. The themes are even hard to distinguish for me as a viewer, but some guesses might be that there are allusions to finding your place and purpose in life... and sex work? There are some references to the unfairness of life and its interruptions that prevent people from becoming what they wanted to be. However those references are very fleeting and the audience isn’t likely to have enough time to digest these moments for them to have any real meaning, which is a shame. The message ‘Carpe Diem’ can be seen at the beginning of the film, which again suggests that the point of the story was to express the importance of finding joy in one’s life. The credits roll to the soundtrack of ‘Give Me a Job’ by Sherika Sherard, which also aims to reminds us of the societal pressure to get a job... even people who only have 3 A-Levels need a job. Well, that’s what I got from the lyrics anyway. Towards the end of the short film, composer Emma Mooney did a good job of picking an airy piano instrumental to suggest that the story was intending to end on a moment of hopeful realisation. But I just ended up being confused. It seemed like the story and dialogue jumped from A to C and forgot about B. Essentially, the dialogue could have benefitted from being fleshed out a little bit more. I’ll give it props, there is never a dull moment, you literally won’t be able to see what’s coming next in this crazy meeting between two odd people. Therefore, My Neighbour Barbequed My Fence is definitely intriguing, for better or for worse.

★★★ Directed by: J. C. Chandor Written by: #MarkBoal, #JCChandor Starring: #OscarIsaacs, #CharlieHunnam, #BenAffleck, #GarrettHedlund, #PedroPascal, #AdriaArjona Netflix Film Review by: #ChrisOlson A Simple Plan meets Columbiana with this war-cum-action thriller in which five special forces types reunite to use their special sets of skills to rob a drug kingpin in his jungle hideout. Oscar Isaacs plays Pope (no, not that one), a member of Uncle Sam's army looking to find, dispose, and bankrupt a notorious drug lord whose power stretches across all levels of South America. He enlists the help of his army buds, most of which are living unassuming lives fairly bitter about their time serving. The promise of cash and camaraderie is enough to entice them back for one last job. As with any best laid plans, nothing goes right and our central band of merry warriors must battle all manner of obstacles to get themselves and their loot out of the country before the villainous forces surround and engulf them. Sprawling and nodding the head to so many other films of this genre, Triple Frontier is a #Netflix film that gets a lot right. Whilst this is incredibly familiar territory, the boldness in the storytelling to include numerous phases that could have totally had their own movie within one narrative was well executed. With such a starry cast it seems odd that the film loses a lot of its chemistry amongst the bullets and branches. Isaacs is on decent form and Affleck does well to inject the moral ambiguity into the frame but largely this is a by the numbers action outing that is equally thrilling and average. The #cinematography is spectacular at times, offering audiences glorious landscapes and skylines whilst still capturing the intense intimacy of the gang's mission. Thematically, Triple Frontier is fairly explicit with its obvious message. The lure of wealth can instantly obscure the true riches of life which are love and people, regardless of whether or not your country owes you. As mentioned, we are on familiar ground with this story and the filmmakers seem fairly content to point the cameras at the guns and not get too concerned with the individuals behind them. For fans of films that depict good guys doing good and bad things for good and bad reasons this is a good and bad film.

★★★★ Directed by: #KodiZene Written by: Kodi Zene Starring: #JoshBangle, #DevinLeigh, #CatMerritt, #RyanBarnes Film Review by: #JackBottomley Not everything in this world is black and white they say. But in #KodiZene’s post-apocalypse inspired #MonochromeTheChromism, that is very much the case and the introduction of colour is not just a stylistic choice but the very source of the narrative turmoil. Monochrome: The Chromism is very much the first part of a wider story, as it relays the origins of a world divided and ruined, a world fractured by colour, namely the outcast ‘Hues’, “infected” people left colourfully glowing in a grey world, who are rounded up and sent to the powers that be, supposedly to help solve this worldwide crisis. Central to this story, which feels almost as though it should be inspired by a graphic novel or comic series, is the ‘first Hue’ Isaac Ward (#JoshBangle), a man on his way to find a solution to not only how Hues came to be but why they are being hunted down and captured so ferociously when these individuals are not unchanged in any way excluding their eminent colour. Opening with credits and music reminiscent of a film in the #Predator or #Terminator series, this film quickly establishes a #BookofEli meets #MadMax visual style. In fact, rather ironically, #GeorgeMiller’s #MadMaxFuryRoad was released in a ‘Chrome Edition’ and this film strongly reminds of that kind of rundown world. After an initial introduction to Isaac and this chrome society, beautifully shot in the title Monochrome black and white, you are absorbed by some superb scene setting imagery that evokes a #TerminatorSalvation or #TheRoad sense of dystopia. The dustbowl settings are especially wonderful and Zene’s cinematography is professional and impressionistic, helping set the mood for his story. After an opening stretch, the film wisely takes us back a year before the ‘Chromism’ and we see how Isaac’s story came to be and get glimpses of how this world did too, as the Hues arrive and disorder comes with them. There is an undeniable message in the film about colour, namely how the Hues are a different colour but exactly the same as everyone else, and how authority figures can institute a moral panic or start a war over that and those that are different. Some elements get a little overshadowed (the Western war and nature of the virus) but this is possibly a result of there being more to come in this story and Zene’s screenplay is wiser to focus on the human element as it indeed does. There are a lot of ideas and when put alongside the sterling visuals, this creates a very aesthetic film that could almost play as well with limited dialogue. #LozenFükem’s costume design work and Sha’ul The Israelite, #DevinLeigh (who also plays the shadowy antagonist ‘Suited Man’) & Kodi Zene’s selectively used score adds some further edges to this facet and gives this film a strongly presented look and feel, which is really well achieved on the no doubt limited budget. The script itself is good, in spite of some heavy handed lines that borrow heavily from the rulebook of the genre, and I never once found myself losing interest because of how well the story is delivered, how strong Isaac is as a central figure and perhaps how timely his struggles are in our current climate. Josh Bangle does a very good job in the lead role, giving the character a relatable beginning before realistically becoming a Max Rockatansky style survivor of this unforgiving world. Some of the supporting performances are a bit over the top but not allowed to become ridiculously so and while some aspects are - no point intended - unshaded or spontaneous (Isaac’s brother’s manic phases for instance), the film has the benefit of a committed cast. Though, it is undoubtedly the quieter moments that hit the best, be it Isaac travelling across the sandy dusty dilapidated settings, a Hue child unforgivingly torn from the arms of an alarmed mother or (my personal favourite) a visually wowing sequence at the back of a bus between Isaac and #ShashanaPearson’s frightened traveller (who popped up earlier in the film). Monochrome: The Chromism, is a film that shows just how much can be accomplished nowadays with style that assists the plot in its motivations. A very enjoyable and accomplished first step into the ‘Monochrome World’ hinted at come the end of the movie (which kind of recalled #BladeRunner2049’s final quarter set-up, as a pressured minority prepares to rise) and the credits. Watch the Official Trailer Below:

★★★★★ Directed by: #DavidDrewry Film Review by: #JackBottomley We are all guilty of putting important goals and aspirations regarding the future to one side. “We can do that in a few years”, “I’ll think about that later”, but as life rolls on sometimes those matters are met, those dreams are lived or our course is altered entirely, for better and worse. However, what happens when you find that the time you thought you had is taken from you? What happens when that future may likely not arrive? And what happens when you find this out in your teens? Such was the case for California teenager #CaitlinDolaghan, who at age 13 was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a rare bone cancer, and spent the next years undergoing intense chemotherapy to fight this horrible disease, before eventually ceasing the treatment as it proved ineffective and the cancer spread to her lungs. How could a girl with so much ahead of her possibly face this harsh verdict and battle not just the illness but the emotions that came with it? This documentary feature from #DavidDrewry shows us her story...and what a powerful one it is. As much a film as it is a testament to a remarkable young lady, #TheTimeWeHave is a documentary that will hit hard those who have lived with, who have loved someone with and who have lost someone to, not only cancer, but any degenerative illness or a terminal/inoperable disease. Filmed through 2005 and looking at the last year in the 19-year old’s life, this film asks some tough but necessary questions about faith, mortality, purpose, memory and the deeds we do. Caitlin’s acceptance and confrontation of her life ending makes for an emotional but also resilient viewing. Her comments on what good deeds really are, how to spot those who really care and - most importantly - her often brutal but powerfully honest feelings about herself are of vital importance in understanding the wreckage cancer (and such diseases) causes but also the strength of the soul in even the hardest times. Caitlin’s journey is one that inspires and thanks to some sublime editing by David Drewry and #JoanBaranow, her story is put together in a warm, truthful and respectful way. The film knows when to pull back with dignity (the ending especially) and when to delve in to its very difficult subject matter and in spite of the nature of that subject, there is something so hopeful about how Caitlin faces her condition head on and makes the most of her remaining life. Referencing another life lost far too soon, in young #CameronDuncan (who director #PeterJackson reached out to in support), Caitlin cites his struggle as a true inspiration for her and the film magnificently pays homage to his story, while allowing us to get to the very core of this wonderful young woman too. Be it a call from her screen idol #JohnnyDepp and favourite musician #AmyLee (of #Evanescence) or her work helping other ill children that caught the attention of People magazine back in the day, Caitlin never stopped living. And that is really a core message here. You can, in a physical sense, face the end but how you use the time that remains is still your choice and Caitlin’s poignant story shows us just how much we can still do in the most difficult of circumstances. The film unexpectedly but beautifully intercuts the Dolaghan’s family journey with Caitlin’s favourite films #TheLordofTheRings trilogy and Studio Ghibli’s #PrincessMononoke with moving effect and you can see just why they meant so much to her and are massively relevant this story. Meanwhile we also get a glimpse into the family’s pain, their hopes and their frustrations, as the film enthusiastically shows the power of the family spirit and how art can help immeasurably to express what we sometimes struggle to or with. Through the power of the written word, drawings, movies and indeed poetry (in her treatment sessions with some thoughtful individuals in that field), Caitlin is able to express her depressive moments of anger, her moments of query, her fears and her true feelings and seeing this family come to terms with the worst of all fears results in a documentary that is passionate, thoughtful and really quite important. Caitlin at one point hopes she can do something good with the time she has whatever it may be and yet by just being herself she has done just that. This film allows the Dolaghan’s story to help countless others and show that some things we cannot control but some things we very much can. A delicate, sincere and memorable story of how people feel, how people cope and how experiences can be immortal even as we, sadly, are not. Watch the official movie trailer below.

★★★★ Directed by: Joe Taylor, Joe Hackett, Chris Gehrt Written by: Joe Taylor, Joe Hackett, Chris Gehrt, Jessica Greer, Tatum Shank Starring: #JoeTaylor #JoeHackett #ChrisGehrt #JessicaGreer #TatumShank #PaulDimitropoulous Indie Film Review by: #ChrisBuick Indie Film 818 chronicles the lives and stories of a group of individuals living in different neighbourhoods within the 818 area code of Los Angeles, all of whom are seemingly disconnected but find themselves slowly but surely brought together through a series of unique events. There is Mike Bucket, a producer on a terrible television show stuck in a loveless marriage with a wife who hates his last name. Joe, who works as a therapist, seeing several patients (including Mike and his wife Amy) and has become completely cynical of the exploitative talent industry that surrounds Los Angeles. Olive works several day jobs and then demeans herself as an escort at night just to make ends meet. Paul is a very talented writer but is stuck writing inane articles for a blog just fishing for advertising money. And finally, Thorne and Jones, who are ex-zookeepers trying their hand at being private investigators (poorly) in order to support their families. There really is a lot to like about this film, which is an impressive collaborative effort from a core group who not only act, but also have hands in the writing, production and directing of this film. The script for the most part weaves a great tapestry throughout of humour (although never hilarious) tinged with sadness as the worlds of these characters begin to intertwine. The film is also very well paced, giving each person and their individual story room to develop before drawing them all together and moving up the gears before the films climax. The dialogue can admittedly be a little bland at times in both writing and delivery and some of the cast are definitely more guilty of this than others, however overall this is a good ensemble who breathe life into each of their characters. This is where the films strength lies, and it is full of very flawed but well-rounded, believable and interesting people. You might not like all of them at the start or possibly not even at the end, but you do find yourself able to relate on some level to each of these individuals. Thorne and Jones will probably be the ones you root for as the well meaning duo that are just trying to do what is best for their family despite their ineptitude, whereas Mike’s animosity towards his wife colours him all shades of asshole, but ultimately you understand it comes from a place of pain. Like many other films have done before it, 818 looks behind the glossy face of Los Angeles where everyone is trying to make it and be somebody and exposes its dirtier side. Often sad and even more often funny, 818 is a cynical and satirical look at the mythos behind the City of Angels and the American Dream as a whole and a great indie gem.

★★★★ Directed by: Robbie Walsh Written by: Robbie Walsh Starring: #RobbieWalsh, #DavidAlexanderRoche, #DamienDempsey, #CathalPendred, #JennyDixon, #PatrickMurphy Indie Film Review by: #ChrisOlson It is often clear when a filmmaker truly loves cinema because their own movies become littered with references. Robbie Walsh is one such devotee to cinematic greats, and his indie #mockumentary, S.P.L.I.T certainly contains enough nods of the head to classic crime capers to make Joe Pesci dizzy. However, what’s also interesting about the baggage that Walsh brings to his movie is the troubling reality of rising criminal brutality in Ireland that he has witnessed, and hereby mocks. Having already read the two-star movie review Hannah Sayer did on S.P.L.I.T a while back (a film critic I hold huge amounts of respect for), I went into this viewing already feeling some kind of anxiety. I am glad to say that whilst I can totally agree with how Hannah felt about the film and can most definitely say this film is going to divide audiences, there is a very enjoyable indie comedy here for those with a certain appetite. Walsh and co-star David Alexander Roche play two hitmen being followed around by a camera crew. As they journey from job to job and crack wise in their not-exactly-inconspicuous Mercedes Benz, discussing all manner of topics, it becomes clear that these are characters in a moral void - something which the filmmaker was keen to highlight. Numerous shady characters and supposedly people who “had it coming” show up, as our brothers find a variety of ways to off them. The funniest of which involves a 20-ft long piece of rope. Mockumentaries in themselves are instantly divisive. For everyone who loved and cherished Ricky Gervais’ The Office, we can find an equal number who loathed it. The tonal ambiguity between farce, fact, and fiction means the audience often doesn't know where they stand. It can be uncomfortable. So for a viewer to enjoy the atmosphere of S.P.L.I.T they need to be comfortable with political incorrectness across the board, brutal (if comically funded) violence, central characters that are definitely going to hell, and the shaky camera style that will cause some viewers to spew their lunch. The #comedy is the crux of the matter. It basically will depend on whether or not you find the lines and subtext funny, or if gags about whether gay people are an ethnic group will be hard viewing for you. Personally, I chuckled immensely at the moment they argued over whether Bourne is better than Bond with a guy they intended to kneecap moments later. This disarming charm was at complete odds with the brutality that I found it compelling and knowing the context of the story enriched my viewing experience. Walsh is a fantastic on screen presence, operating as the strong silent (compared to Alexander Roche) type whose outrage at the stupidity of his partner is equalled to his dismay at the antics of those he’s paid to kill. David Alexander Roche is phenomenally funny as the dimwitted but equally as dangerous hitman with peacock feathers. His repartee is incredible no matter who is chatting to (or at) and his reckless ignorance became the central focal point for this critic. This is Spinal Tap meets Goodfellas on a very limited budget, this Irish comedy mockumentary is at once a damning indictment of the violent tendencies arising in communities desperate to remain detached, and a silly buddy movie that gets a lot of mileage from the central duo’s dynamic. Rent S.P.L.I.T on the UK Film Channel now! Click the image below.

★ Directed by: #WillJones Starring: #HelenMagee, #BenDillon, #GearoidKavanaugh Short Film Review by: #AnitaMarkoff This independent short film, Our Kid, attempts to discuss a difficult subject matter: the ability of a small, tight knit family to cope with autism. Or at least that is what is implied, by close ups of the main character twisting his hands in scenes of conflict, avoiding eye contact while holding conversation, displaying nervous tics, and lashing out with anger in situations he can’t control. These are displayed in a series of black and white flashbacks, to differentiate them from the present. The main issue with this film is that it attempts to handle too heavy a topic without the budget or technical prowess to do so. The boy with autism is not necessarily portrayed in a positive light, and it is unclear where the audience’s sympathies are supposed to lie. In contrast with the popular tv show ‘Atypical’ which deals with autism in a helpful manner, allowing the audience to observe what life is like inside the mind of someone with autism and understand their struggles more clearly, Jack is barely given any dialogue and the majority of his blocking is either frenetic or violent, which alienates him from the audience. There is much more empathy evoked for the mother who is abandoning him, unable to handle his special needs. The filming style is muddled and turbulent. There are confusing cuts between shots in an attempt to dramatize the scenes, and the flashbacks do not always add significant knowledge to the main storyline. It is unclear what the message is, besides its portrayal of autistic people as difficult to interact with and having explosive anger issues. There is no significant colour scheme or grading to comment on, besides the use of black and white or grainy home video style found footage used in the flashbacks. The main interesting aspect of Our Kid is its use of the car as a liminal space for family tensions to play out, but there is no resolution by the ending.

★ Directed by: Sean Patrick Leonard Starring: Thom McCloud Short Film Review by: Benjamin Schofield Jeff is waiting at a level crossing for five minutes. He uses this time to rehearse the speech he’s about to make at his first AA meeting. Now, I’m a sucker for a single location drama. There’s little more satisfying in a film than a simple premise executed perfectly. A simple premise executed poorly, on the other hand, is just simple. Unfortunately, short film Step One very much falls into the latter category. There was a great opportunity here to explore the psychological makeup of Jeff and his alcoholism, and the film even seems to think its doing just that. The slow editing and dramatic performance from Thom McCloud suggests a sense of gravitas that’s just not matched by the dialogue; it presents a sheet of corrugated cardboard as though its an unseen work of Shakespeare. And all without a drop of irony, humour or self-awareness in sight - just plain flat writing. The film’s visuals are actually pretty great though. The cinematography is tight on Jeff, creating a sense of claustrophobia and unease, which perfectly fits with how he seems to feel in this situation. The editing is genuinely brilliant; slow at first but fast-paced when necessary and working perfectly with the sound design to create high energy, distressing moments. But seriously, the dialogue. Alcoholism is a complicated and serious issue and requires a level of sophistication and nuance when discussed. It’s also an issue that comes up time and time again in film, literature, music and all sorts. So when you want to make a film solely focused on this theme, you better have something original and insightful to say about it. Alas, not the case here. Jeff’s struggle to literally say the word alcoholic is clumsy and cliché, and it’s the whole film. The entire film. Just Jeff saying “I’m an aaaa”, “I’m”, “’I’m an alco”, “I’m an aallllcahhh”. That’s the poignant commentary that Step One has to offer. Also, his name is Jeff. My sincerest apologies to all the Jeffrey’s watching but it’s a fundamentally funny name for a film that doesn’t appear to be trying to be funny at all. The first line of the film – the first words from our protagonist – the opening to the film’s monologue – the all-important establishment of the film’s tone – is “hi, my name is Jeff”. Now, if you’re not familiar with the memes these kids are into these days, you might think it’s a relatively weak opener but nothing too offensive. However, if you’re under the age of thirty, you’re probably having a good chuckle to yourself – I mean, they might as well have called him Pepe the Frog. The film has some serious problems, and some saving graces, but all that I’m really able to take from it is this: his name is Jeff.

★★★★ Directed by: #LiamHead, #MargueriteDuPlessis Starring: #LiamHead, #CourtneyFisher, #MargueriteDuPlessis Film Review by: #DarrenTilby I’ll come straight out and say it: I don’t like #musicals. I just don’t. I don’t dislike a film with song or dance in it, but full-blown #musicals...I just can’t get into them. But with Too Darn Hot, I kind of found myself ‘getting into it’, and I have no idea why. Perhaps it’s because of the beautifully lit visuals, or perhaps it’s because it reminded me of the glamorous and resplendent song-and-dance numbers of the #1950s (a cinematic era that I have a deep fondness for). Whatever the reason, Too Darn Hot is a magical and sumptuous #short #musical piece––and I really liked it. Plot? Well, a man and woman meet in a bar and dance ensues...is really it. Which brings me straight to my only real problem with the film: put simply, it feels more like an individual scene that should have been built into a larger film, as there isn’t much context here. While character motives are up for interpretation, for me, the actor’s body language and #ThernReynold’s #choreography suggests that this dance represents the reconciling of a couple in an established relationship. Still, Too Darn Hot – like the early song-and-dance numbers of #BingCrosby and #GeneKelly (think Singin’ in the Rain or White Christmas) – is undeniably (re)watchable on its own merits. Too Darn Hot contains no dialogue of any kind. As such, the cast is required to tell the story and represent the emotions of their characters physically; specifically, through body language and #dance. I’m happy to say that this is hugely successful. And, despite being largely down to the viewer’s reading, never felt too obscure or too confusing. Even if (like me) musicals aren’t your forte. This is partially down to the excellent performances from the film’s cast, and partially down to some superb #choreography; which is as close to character and story writing as a #short #musical piece can get. The first thing you’re likely to notice, however, is the drop-dead gorgeous #lighting and #visuals. Kyle Head’s (Director of Photography) stellar effort is apparent from the very beginning and only becomes more impressive as the dancing starts. Seemingly shot using only readily available ambient lighting (any studio lighting is at least not pronounced), Head manages to not only adequately light the film but also impact upon the nightclub setting a splendour more befitting that of a #1950s #cabaret show. You could make the argument – with this being a #musical – that the soundtrack is the single most important element here: if the #music isn’t done right, or doesn’t feel right, the whole film falls apart. And you wouldn’t necessarily be wrong. Here, the filmmakers have opted for a single song (Too Darn Hot), which I think was absolutely the right decision. And thankfully, it works really well; picking up in tempo as the piece goes on and culminating in a most satisfactory finale. Too Darn Hot is a wonderfully well put-together piece of nostalgia that evokes the glory days of the song-and-dance number. Its contemporary setting and retro vibe really gel together well, due in no small part to some excellent work by the crew. Visually #gorgeous and with a killer tune to boot, Too Darn Hot is available now on #YouTube.

★★★★ Directed by #AdamMargolis and #JimStGermain Written by Jim St. Germain, #JamesKicklighter, Adam Margolis and #AriRutenberg Starring #PhilipSmithey, #ElisabethFerrrara, #DannyTrejo Short Film Review by #HannahSayer Every Nine Hours ends with a quote from The Guardian, which states “In 2017, 987 people were shot and killed by police in America. One every nine hours. Black men were 3x more likely to be in that number than any other group of people.” The film explores this issue through an extremely relevant and upsetting incident early on in the film which propels the narrative forward to discuss society’s attitudes towards race and gender. The film opens with Justin, played by Philip Smithey, being pulled over by a cop. This incident leaves Justin visibly shaken and distressed, as he seems vacant at dinner later on in the evening with his girlfriend Christina, played by Elisabeth Ferrara. This is not the first time he has been pulled over, but this time it felt different. A heated argument erupts between the couple, which develops into a wider conversation about how Christina will never understand the struggles that Justin goes through as a black man. The short film successfully explores how this one incident earlier in the day is part of a wider issue which has caused Justin’s emotions to build up to breaking point. In its short running time Every Nine Hours covers a lot of ground in an insightful way. It tackles and debates race and gender and how the two impact on how an individual is able to go about their day to day life. The direction is contained and allows for the performances to feel real as the film is conversation heavy. The decision to have the argument between the couple occur in a restaurant with others visibly reacting to the heated debate taking place creates an uncomfortable and uneasy atmosphere, which is important when exploring how these conversations need to happen and be tackled head on to implement real change. Every Nine Hours feels relevant in today’s society and the film’s realistic approach to examining important issues is noteworthy. The cinematography is careful to capture the actors reactions and the camera lingers long enough to convey how the incident has reverberated and impacted on the rest of the couples day. Overall, Every Nine Hours leaves a long lasting impression after its final frame. The context of the statistics from the quote at the end of the short film reinforces the shocking truth about race relations in America and how society has a long way to go to fully tackle fear and hatred. Watch the official movie trailer for Every Nine Hours below.