★★★★ Directed by: #ChrisHarrison Starring: #IslaCampbellGorrie, #GeorgeMcWilliam, #CatrionaMacallister Short Film Review by: #NathanialEker The Things We Leave Behind presents a poignant examination of personal, intimate grief through the eyes of a widowed husband, a motherless daughter, and a child missing her nan. Mourning is a topic that can easily be played the wrong way, but fortunately, a strong cast, no doubt coupled with strong direction and a commendable attention to detail makes this short a mostly successful, genuine journey to acceptance. The writing by Director Chris Harrison is largely impressive. While the occasional line is slightly on the nose, the dialogue is mostly realistic, particularly those delivered by old Charlie. The shell shock of losing his wife, his whole world, is exemplified through his repetition that he ‘doesn’t know what he’s doing.’ Less is often more when writing dialogue and this scene exemplifies why; the script trusts the actor to do the work with very few words, creating a subtle scene that is suitably heart-breaking. Exposition can equally often be the death of familial drama, but Harrison mostly delivers it through implication rather than outright statements, which is welcome. One slight gripe is that the confrontation never quite escalates beyond minor turbulence between the characters, leading to a fairly low stakes affair. In such a human drama, if the actors are unable to sell the realism of their parts, particularly young Mia, the film would fall on its face. Fortunately for The Things We Leave Behind, the three lead actors all deliver superbly subtle performances. Praise must go to young Isla Campbell Gorrie who sells the torment of a silent repression, but brings bursts of raw emotion where needed. Equally impressive are co-stars McWilliam and Macallister, who both tap into the painful grieving process for two genuine portrayals. The latter shows the desolation of losing your other half, while the former tries desperately to support the weight of her family’s happiness upon her shoulders. Slightly less impressive are some of the supporting cast, such as a teacher who may as well be in a pantomime and an off-screen waitress who delivers lines as if they fall straight from her mouth. Editing and cinematography wise, the film doesn’t experiment with anything crazy, because it doesn’t need to. The basic style of #filmmaking reflects the everyday setting and shows the everyman nature of such a tragedy. That said, the saturated colour palette works to show the infectious depression, torturing the family. Otherwise, the camera work is by the numbers, but impressively so. Certain shots focus on the foreground, putting the audience at a distance from the action, again emphasising the isolation felt by Mia and her small, breaking family. Finally, the score, when good, is excellent. Yet, there are moments, such as a confrontation on the beach, where the music doesn’t quite fit the mood of the scene. When it does, however, subdued and subtle piano focused score amplifies the emotions on screen tenfold. In particular, towards the hopeful ending as the soundtrack shifts into warmer tones and major chords, it supports the emerging smiles on screen beautifully. In review, The Things We Leave Behind is a well-made, if safe, short. The actor’s performances are a clear highlight, but the strong script is no slouch either. The exploration of perhaps the barest of human emotions through the eyes of both an old man and a child is a touching and clever concept, and the execution works. Despite a few dodgy supporting actors and a score that doesn’t always hit the mark, this is a wonderfully made short that deserves to be seen.

★★★ Directed by: #AdamBrashaw Written by: #AdamBrashaw Starring: #AdamBrashaw, #MichaelWilson, #ChaseArmitage Film Review by: #DarrenTilby Even big-budget Hollywood movies don’t come much more action-packed than Rush. From beginning to end, Adam Brashaw’s 10-minute long action flick is adrenaline-filled, but immaculately controlled, carnage. And, whilst the film has its share of problems, if you’re craving that boost of excitement that can only come from watching people jumping over rooftops, hanging out of vans that are driving too fast or beating the living hell out of each other in beautifully choreographed fight sequences, then this may just be the film for you. Daniel (Danny) Rush is a cop on a mission. After years of tracking down the notorious criminal psychopath, Ronnie Keys, he and his partner, Sean, are closing in. But after the ambush goes bad, Sean is left for dead, and Danny is left with a thirst for revenge. Writer and director, Adam Brashaw, also stars in the lead role of Daniel Rush, and alongside Chase Armitage (Sean) and Michael Wilson (Ronnie Keys) is one of three characters we spend the entirety of our time with. So it’s important these characters, their relationships and chemistry between them are firmly established. And in that respect, this is a bit of a mixed bag. For me, at least, not enough time was spent establishing the relationship between Danny and Sean. It may seem like an unfair criticism for a film less than 10-minutes long, and I kind of agree. But the film does such a great job of setting up Ronnie’s character – and even the nature of his relationship with Danny – within that time, I can’t help but think our cop duo should have had a similar level of treatment. However, the chemistry is there, and it’s clear from what little dialogue there is that these two have been together for quite some time. Speaking of dialogue…it’s sparse. Which honestly isn’t a bad thing, it’s not the film’s strong point. And although informative, there are moments which feel awkward or forced. It certainly dwells around the surface, there’s nothing too deep here. But then again, you don’t watch action films for the deep philosophical conversations––do you? Quite brilliant though, is Adam Brashaw's superbly restrained choreography and relaxed editing style. The slower pace of the editing – the longer cuts – allow us to not only stay immersed in the action for longer but also ensures it never loses our interest. And the action sequences – whether it's the parkour rooftop scene or the fistfight in the speeding van – are beautifully crafted. Chase Armitage's cinematography compliments Brashaw's work incredibly well, and when Xijin Chan's blood-pumping soundtrack is taken into account, we have an extremely well put-together and entertaining action romp. Yes, there are issues here. But you'd be hard-pressed to find a more action-packed 10-minutes of film out there.

★★★★ Directors: #ChrisGhelfi, #LauraSheehy Starring: #CarlOCallaghan, #PatrickSheehy, #DenisSheehy Documentary Film Review by: #ChrisOlson Known as the Sport of Kings, horse racing is a long established culture of contrast. On the one side is the aristocratic traditions and elegance (think of the Queen and all those silly hats at Ascot) and on the other is the mud, sweat, and tears of training animals to run really bloody fast whilst audiences bet on the outcome (most often losing). Documentary film, Chasing the Win, directed by Chris Ghelfi and Laura Sheehy, follows a true underdog story where this contrast is even more apparent and at times crushing. Carl O’Callaghan was once homeless living under a bridge. After trying his luck as a musician and then as a horse trainer, the man (some years later) found himself winning one of the most prestigious horse racing events of the year - the Dubai Golden Shaheen. Along with the horse’s clinically minded owner Patrick Sheehy, O’Callaghan quickly rose to stardom on the back of Kinsale King’s burst into racing royalty. However, the journey was just getting started for this unlikely trio, who had to battle injury, money, and logistics in order to keep a foot in the race. An allegory for the American Dream, Chasing the Win contains some fantastic storytelling aspects. There is the rags to riches story of Carl, the wounded but born to win Kinsale, and the daring but under-prepared business acumen of Sheehy. Following their journey across the globe, through race after race and countless obstacles is utterly compelling but also laden with pathos. Audiences won’t be able to help themselves from getting completely invested in seeing Kinsale become victorious, justifying the great lengths that his owner and trainer go to. Far from being an impartial piece (Laura Sheehy is Patrick’s daughter I believe) the documentary becomes more like a diary of the family business, but is presented with warts and all. The realities of the industry are laid bare and Sheehy in particular is openly honest about the tough choices that are needed in order for a small operation to compete in the big leagues. When dealing with wins of $1M and up, and horses being sold for massive amounts too, this is not some archaic equestrian pastime - it’s big business. Riveting and enlightening, with huge amounts of storytelling prowess, the #filmmakers capture the poignancy of horse racing through their own dramatic journey through it. A powerful parable of our own search for success which can often be only one outcome out of a million other ways to lose. Watch the official movie trailer below.

★★★★★ Directed by: #JamesKicklighter Written by: #SolilaParida, #JohnHowbrook, #MarkEzraStokes, #JamesKicklighter, #Prasanna #KPati Starring: #ValLauren, #AliciaMinshew Film Review by: #DarrenTilby Desires of the Heart blends tradition and Indian #mysticism with the contemporary as it explores true love, in this utterly gorgeous, supernaturally inflected mystery-romance from writer/director James Kicklighter. For Dr Kris Sharma, life in Savannah, Georgia, couldn’t be further from that of the life he left in India. Swapping out the old customs expected of him by his family and religion, for the freedom afforded by western society. And, as a successful psychiatrist who’s about to open his own practice in Seattle, it simply couldn’t be better. But then a spanner is thrown into the works of Kris’ life, and he’s taken out of his comfort zone when he meets Madeline, a beautiful young artist – who’s fascinated by Indian culture – and begins to fall in love. A problem made infinitely worse when he receives a phone call from his family in India beckoning him back home for his arranged marriage. Both Val Lauren and Alicia Minshew give absolutely stellar performances in the lead roles of Kris and Madeline, respectively. I particularly loved how concisely, yet subtly, the film accented the contrasting qualities of the grounded, Kris and more spiritual, Madeline: this isn’t a match-up which should work, these are both divergent personalities. But – through the excellent script and character writing, and incredibly strong chemistry between both Lauren and Minshew – the film does superb work at getting us to believe in these characters and the strange allure they clearly have for one another. The rest of the cast is also magnificent, I have no complaints about anything here. Although I do feel special mention should also go to Gulshan Grover for his portrayal of Kris’ brother, Pradeep; he may have only had limited screen time, but he stole the show in every scene, and his were some of the best of the film. The world these characters inhabit is also beautifully imagined and captured. #TimGill’s remarkable camerawork flawlessly and effortlessly flaunts the magnificence of both India and the US’ southern city of Savannah: crystal clear visuals and picturesque framing ensures the grandeur of the old plantation mansion and vibrant colours – which come mostly from #GwenTaylor’s remarkable #costumedesign – and stunning night-time scenes in India are able to be fully appreciated for what they are––a stunning achievement of #cinematography. Desires of the Heart begins, in many ways, like your typically idealistic romance movie, and it's easy to write it off as such. But you'd be a fool to do so. This faux saccharine surface belies a superbly written and wonderfully understated #supernatural #mystery, which really only takes off at around the halfway point of the film. And it's where the film really comes into its own. However, once that element of #mystery has fully fledged, there are some plot twists which, while solid narratively (nothing seemed out of place), did cause one of the few gripes I have with this film. My issue is that once the #supernatural aspect of the film takes point, it feels a little overplayed. The effectiveness of these twists was slightly spoiled for me as I was able to predict, quite early on, what was going to happen, largely due to the filmmaker's insistence on drawing our attention to these moments a little too much. And while this wasn't a huge problem in itself (I still loved the ending and how it altered the whole dynamic of the film), it just felt like a slightly missed opportunity for, what could have been, a great mystery...right up until the finale. There are a few other bits-and-bobs I could mention but, honestly, I'd be nitpicking at this point. The fact of the matter is, I loved this film and none of the issues that I found – predictable plot twists included – came anywhere near to impeding my enjoyment of it. Desires of the Heart is a well-crafted and #evocative piece of film-making with a great cast of talented actors and visuals so beautiful—they belong in a gallery.

★★★ Directed by: #ChrisRenaud #JonathandelVal Written by: #BrianLynch Starring: #PattonOswalt #KevinHart #JennySlate #TiffanyHaddish #LakeBell #HarrisonFord Film Review by: #HopeMadden Illumination, the animation giant behind all things Minion, returns to their blandly entertaining dog franchise for the blandly entertaining sequel The Secret Life of Pets 2. In the 2016 original, Louis C.K. voiced a neurotic terrier named Max who needed to loosen up a little once his beloved owner brought home a huge, lovable Newfie mix (in a NYC apartment?!). And while life lessons were the name of the game, the real gimmick was to take the Toy Story approach to house pets, giving us a glimpse into what they’re up to when we’re not around. Because we really don’t want to associate him with children anymore, C.K.’s been replaced by Patton Oswalt, whose Max has all new reasons for anxiety. There’s a new baby, whose presence suddenly reinforces all those fears about the big, scary world. In a move that’s as disjointed as it is interesting, returning writer Brian Lynch sends Max, Newfie Duke (Eric Stonestreet) and family on a trip to the country, creating one of three separate episodes that will eventually intersect. Well, crash into each other, anyway. The main story deals with trying to alpha Max up a bit with some problematically “masculine” training by way of farm dog Rooster (Harrison Ford), who, among other things, disregards therapy as weakness. Basically, Lynch and director Chris Renaud think we’re all a little too precious (the clear message of the original) and what they’d like to do with their sequel is beat us about the head and neck with that idea. Meanwhile, back in NYC, Pomeranian Gidget (Jenny Slate) and Chloe the cat (Lake Bell – the film’s deadpan bright spot) train to retrieve a chew toy from a crazy cat lady’s feline-overrun apartment. And separately, Snowball the bunny (Kevin Hart), believing himself to be a super hero, befriends Shih Tzu Daisy (Tiffany Haddish), and together they save a baby tiger from an evil Russian circus. For real. That last bit gets seriously weird, I have no idea what they feed this baby tiger the whole time, and on average, the actual lessons learned are troublingly old school (read: conservative). Teaching boys that pretending they’re not afraid so they can take charge of every situation = literally every single problem on earth right now. So let’s stop doing that. Otherwise, though, Illumination offers yet another blandly entertaining, cute time waster.

★★ Directed by: Noble Jones Written by: #NobleJones Starring: #JohnLithgow #BlytheDanner Film Review by: #RachelWillis I’ve never understood people who prepare for the end of the world: those who stockpile supplies or buy secret caves in the wilderness (I knew a woman) to survive nuclear war or the zombie apocalypse. I’ve always thought if the world ended in some horrible way, I wouldn’t want to stick around. If we’re in a Thunderdome scenario in the future, count me out. However, in writer/director Noble Jones’s film, The Tomorrow Man, Ed Hemsler (John Lithgow) is readying himself for the inevitable end of days. Spending his time on online message boards, watching the news, and gathering supplies at the local grocery store, he’s as prepared as one can be. Into his well-organized life comes Ronnie (Blythe Danner). Ed immediately thinks he recognizes the signs of a fellow “prepper” and begins an unusual courtship to which Ronnie is receptive. The film suffers from an abundance of quirkiness. Jones seems to be trying for a vibe similar to Moonrise Kingdom, but where Wes Anderson wisely chose children to convey the magic of new love, Jones focuses on two elderly adults who act more like children than grown-ups. Watching the two characters connect brings more questions on the wisdom of them living independently than any sweet enjoyment of their budding December/December romance. Lithgow is endearing as the over-prepared Ed. Divorced and estranged from his grown son, it’s impossible not to root for Ed as he woos Ronnie. However, Danner seems as lost in her role as her character Ronnie is lost in life. The supporting roles offer very little to the story, and no one is offered any opportunity to grow. These characters are the same people at the end of the film as they were at the beginning. Perhaps if Jones spent less time telling us about all of the characters’ various foibles, we’d get a meatier story. There are a few comedic moments, but not nearly enough to balance the tedium of watching two peculiar people try to build a relationship. Everything about that relationship, like the film’s idiosyncrasies, feels forced. It’s unfortunate when we’ve seen the formula work before. Sadly, The Tomorrow Man tries too hard to be something it’s not.

★★ Directed by: #SimonKinberg Written by: Simon Kinberg Starring: #SophieTurner #JamesMcAvoy #MichaelFassbender #JenniferLawrence Film Review by #HopeMadden and #GeorgeWolf Hey, remember back in ’06 when director Brett Ratner and writer Simon Kinberg crashed the X-Men franchise into oblivion by telling the story of how the perpetually boring Jean Grey was really the most powerful of all mutants, plus maybe she was bad, and not even the love of two good mutants and the misguided belief of Dr. Charles Xavier could save her? You don’t?! Because it was so bad it tanked the promising series until director Matthew Vaughn revived it five years later with Ashley Miller’s clever time warp, X-Men: First Class. Then there was another good one, then a terrible one—basically, we’re back on that downside of this cycle. So why not put some polish on that old turd about Jean Grey, and this time give it the overly ominous title X-Men: Dark Phoenix? Some elements are the same: Jean’s powers are beyond anyone’s control and there’s a dark power that’s overtaking her. But this go-round, writer Kinberg also makes his feature debut behind the camera, spinning a yarn with more aliens, more girl power and less Wolverine. The writing is just as bad, though. How bad? Exposition and inner monologues continually jockey for position, with lines bad enough to choke even the bona fide talent of Jessica Chastain, who joins the fray as alien leader Vuk. Sophie Turner returns as Jean - the role she took on in 2016’s abysmal X-Men: Apocalypse - with little more charisma than she wielded three years ago. James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jennifer Lawrence all also return because, one assumes, contracts are contracts. There’s really no excuse for a film with this cast to fail, but Kinberg’s story weaves and bobs with no real anchor, all the veterans repeat the same old conflict/guilt/resolution spirals and the newbies simply lack the charisma to draw attention away from the weakly choreographed set pieces. Okay, some of the mutant vs. alien throwdown on a moving train has zip, but it's too little, too late. By then the attempts to make us care about a character that's always been lacking in investment - for us and these X superfriends - have pulled up lame. To paraphrase social historian Regina George: Stop trying to make Jean Grey happen, she isn't going to happen.

★★★ Directed by: #KennethBranagh Written by: #BenElton Starring: Kenneth Branagh #JudiDench #IanMcKellan Film Review by: #BrandonThomas Kenneth Branagh and William Shakespeare have become synonymous with one another in the world of cinema. As a director, Branagh has made five of The Bard’s plays into movies, and in many of them, he's joined the cast. It’s fitting that Branagh finally ends up playing Shakespeare himself in All is True. In 1613, Shakespeare’s beloved Globe Theatre burned to the ground. Left without a homebase to stage his momentous plays, William Shakespeare returned to his country home. There, he’s “greeted” by the wife (the always amazing Judy Dench) and daughters he left behind while making his name in London. Away from the stage, Shakespeare struggles to come to terms with the legacy he’s created. The loss of a child haunts him, and the inadequacy instilled in him through his father bubbles to the surface and forces the famous playwright to face a life of personal mistakes. Shakespeare was known for having his distinct tragedies (MacBeth, Othello) and comedies (Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It). The beauty of All Is True is how well Branagh intertwines both genres. The tragedy of losing a child never threatens to overwhelm the film nor do some of the “sillier” elements, such as the fascination a neighbor’s dog finds in William. The balance in tone doesn't come easy, but it certainly keeps the film interesting. There’s a casualness to All Is True that is very inviting. It’s a film that’s never in a hurry, but also doesn’t overstay its welcome. Scenes are allowed to breathe in a way that feels like you’re watching an intimate stage play—the epitome of this being a breathtaking scene between Branagh and Sir Ian McKellen. It’s a scene that consists mostly of tight close-ups, set in one location, and it’s riveting. It’s no surprise that Branagh nails his portrayal. His William Shakespeare is a man that understands his legacy even if he hasn’t completely come to terms with it. Without his work, he’s a man that’s chasing happiness—a happiness he’s never been able to find as a husband or father. By humanizing the world’s most famous playwright, All Is True tries to move past the legend of William Shakespeare and comment on the inner workings of the man himself.

#FilmFestivals > #PressReleases Following on from their recent successful panel events, 'An Audience with Daniel Battsek, Film4 Director', and, in aid of International Women's Day, 'In Conversation: Female Filmmakers Talk the Future of Film', Barnes Film Festival's next exciting event, in honour of Pride Month, will be a celebration of the impact of LGBT filmmaking within the industry for the Olympic Studios’ first ever LGBT event: 'In Conversation: #LGBT Filmmakers & The Industry'. This intimate evening, hosted by BBC's Evan Davies and featuring some of the UK film industries' most exciting new talent, will take place on 19th June at 8.30pm. The exploratory and open discussion of these filmmakers' experiences, opinions and stories as members of the LGBT community will share their work through showreels/highlights reels, as well as engage with the audience for a Q&A. Tickets can be purchased via the Olympic Studios website http://olympiccinema.co.uk/film/LGBT-Panel

★★★★ Directed by: #StefonBristol Written by: #FredricaBailey, Stefon Bristol Starring: #EdenDuncanSmith, #DanteCrichlow, #Astro, #MarshaStephanieBlake, #JonathanNieves, #MichaelJFox Netflix Film Review by: #ChrisOlson Back to the Future meets Boyz N the Hood in the #Netflix film, See You Yesterday. Full of heavy science alongside heavy themes (police brutality, Black Lives Matter) it's one of the weightier Netflix original movies to have emerged in recent months, and it even has Michael J. Fox doing a BTTF gag. Eden Duncan-Smith plays CJ, a headstrong teenage girl whose obsession with time travel and the smarts to pull it off see her and her pal Sebastian (Dante Crichlow) develop a couple of back backs that allow them to go back in time, if only for a few days. At first it's an adventure into scientific curiosity but when CJ's brother gets killed during a mix up with the police, the backpacks may be the only thing that can save him. The butterfly effect is in full swing with See You Yesterday and the film doesn't gloss over the complexities. It trusts its audience to keep up and even chucks in multiple timeline diversions which become more complicated than Inception's deepest levels. These teenagers are brainy as heck and it makes their perilous location seem even more threatening. It's a movie unafraid to discuss huge tense topics that are troubling large parts of American and Western societies right now. Much like John Singleton's enduring Boyz N the Hood, Stefon Bristol masterfully combines hearty storytelling with heartbreaking reality. It's a recipe that produces an exceptionally resonating piece. With a cast of largely unknowns, See You Yesterday has some incredible talent in the performers. Duncan-Smith is a tour de force on screen as the brainy but belligerent CJ, providing the Netflix movie's most standout sequences and scenes. Crichlow is a brilliant supporting player and his chemistry with Duncan-Smith elevated the film by several marks. The only fault with the film is the balance between coming of age adventure and the devastating effects of police brutality and suppression on black communities. There is a hopelessness which settles the characters halfway through the film and from there the movie seems to be on unsure footing. Which is a shame, because had a stronger grip been achieved this could have been a seminal piece of #filmmaking. As it stands, however, this is still one of the best Netflix originals and a film for fans of time travel, hard-hitting themes, and brilliant performance.

★★ Directed by: #GergőElekes Starring: #PéterInoka, #CsinszkaFlóraKiss, #DávidKiss Short Film Review by: #BenjaminSchofield Parallel universes are hot. Doctor Who have given them a couple of whirls, Rick and Morty have them coming out of them plumbuses, and now the Avengers are dipping their capes and masks into the multiverse. So, it’s no wonder why Gergő Elekes is focusing on parallel universes for his latest surrealist sci-fi / action / adventure / fantasy / horror / comedy / romance / psychological thriller / drama. Now, if you’re thinking “that sure sounds like a heck of a lot of genres for a forty minute film”, it’s because it is. And if you’re thinking “wow, how does it manage to juggle all of those different genres without it becoming a bit of a mess”, it doesn’t. The basic premise is: man doesn’t know his dad, man finds dad’s mysterious coordinates, man goes to coordinates to find out more about dad but instead ends up in wacky parallel-universe-travelling-hijinks. It's certainly a fun idea, and there’s plenty of marks to be awarded for ambition. There’s also a certain sense of humour about the film; the Volkswagen Golf as a sort of pseudo-DeLorean is as charming as it is funny, and throwing such ordinary folks into such an extraordinary situation allows for some quirky and quaint comedy. There’s a sense of the home-made to Parallel – its clear that Elekes and everyone involved have put their all into the film, and had a swell time making it; but much like when your nephew shows you he can use the big boy potty for the first time, its not much to get excited about as a viewer. The best parts of Parallel are when it ventures into the weird and wonderful, but it never explores these avenues in nearly as much depth as one would hope. Instead, there’s a lot more focus on lengthy awkward dialogue scenes. It’s hard to tell if the clunky dialogue is a result of poor writing or just poor translation but either way it’s a bore, and the flat cinematography and editing, and lifeless performances certainly don’t help things much. Péter Inoka is meant to be our leading man and he’s certainly the most likeable of our three central characters, but he doesn’t bring any energy to the role. Although, you can hardly blame him, given that the role itself is so underdeveloped, it can legally be aborted in the UK and Ireland. Ultimately, it has its charm, but it takes itself too seriously, and seems so unaware of its strong points that you have to consider that these aren’t quirky comical moments, but just plain trite. Perhaps it could even fall into the category of ‘so-bad-its-good’; yet, the hamfisted talky scenes are so mundane that even the most forgiving of viewers would struggle to find the fun in subjecting themselves to it. Oh well; they tried, I guess.

★★★★ Directed by: #DarrenAFurniss Starring: #SophieMensah, #DarrenRuston and #MichaelJamesDean Short Film Review by: #BrunaFolettoLucas Darren A. Furniss’ short film Shredders is one of the best short films I’ve seen! It tells the story of an office party that goes wrong when a group of monsters crash the party and kill the employers. The idea of having a monster that is set during an office party is great – the flesh and soul eating monsters work so well as an analogy to how work affects our personal life to an extreme. There were so many moments when the film drew a line between the monster invasion and the workspace – such as small talk whilst waiting for the lift or just the overall office gossip - that made the film so much better. This film is not perfect, but it is really good! The sound mixing, especially at the beginning of the film, is a bit loud so it is difficult to understand what the actors are saying. However, this is the only fault in the film. The film starts in the middle of the attack and it ends 17 minutes later without much happening – we don’t know who our main characters were, we don’t know their backstory (a little bit in passing) and we don’t know what happens to them once the cameras are not on them. But that’s what makes this film so good – it acknowledges its limitations and it tells the snap of a story instead of trying to tell the beginning, middle and end in a short period. The actors in this film did a fantastic job and each incorporates the characters’ personalities perfectly. Sophie Mensah is Peggy Reynolds, the badass “outsider” and takes the other two characters from their comfort – for better or for worse. Darren Ruston as Richard ‘Dick’ Gables and Michael James Dean (who also penned the screenplay) as Stan Michaels are great as the odd pair who ended up together. Their performances are not over the top, just on the correct level for what the film asks for – a somewhat theatrical performance but with a dose of seriousness. The technical parts of Shredders left me very impressed – the use of colour is stunning and it uses the Christmas backdrop to its advantage, and does the art department. What made me laugh at first were the Christmas jumpers the characters are wearing! These are details that add so much to the value of the film and add to the spectators’ involvement. The editing and #cinematography left me wondering the film’s influence. And it is important to note the decision of leaving things out of the frame. As mentioned above, Furniss’ greatest achievement in this film was recognising its own boundaries. More often than not a filmmaker, especially in short films, has an excellent idea that is, unfortunately, bigger than the budget or the production of the film. Shredders understands that, although it has an ambition idea (monster invasion), it opts to leave them out of the frame – playing with the sound effects and the spectators’ imagination. The fact that we don’t see the monsters didn’t harm the film, but ended up adding value to other parts of the film. It is better to conceal something and focus on making the other parts good, than try to create a monster and end up with a copy from the 50s #horror B-films. Shredders is a very entertaining short - the crew behind this film should be proud of what they’ve put together!