★★★★★ Directed by: Stella Velon Written by: #StellaVelon Starring: Stella Velon, #AlanSmyth, #ToddKarner Short Film Review by: #ChrisOlson A meditation on fame, judgement and regret, filmmaker Stella Velon’s immensely impactful short film The Critic journeys into one character's own sense of self worth through the eyes of a vicious interviewer. Velon directs and writes here, as well as starring as the central character, an actor who has recently won a significant award for her performance. Instead of basking in her glory, however, she is treated to an intensely scrutinizing interrogation by a male critic (Alan Smyth), who goes through a plethora of tactics to dissect and undermine the central character's achievement. Gloriously fierce and packed with substantial emotional heft, The Critic is a short film that benefits from a powerhouse performance. Velon is incredible in this role she wrote and is able to direct herself through a wonderful selection of intense and compelling scenes with skill. The subtle cracks that start to build up in her character's facade as the questions become more acutely pointed is fascinating to watch, and the audience starts to get the feeling that these interview questions may in fact be personal accusations lobbied by herself rather than a third party tormentor. The aesthetic is dark and brooding, perfectly complementing the tone of the story, with darkly lit scenes and Smyth kept in shadow throughout - adding a degree of menace to his already unlikable character. In the final third, music is used to spectacular effect by Asaf Sagiv, creating a phenomenal climax for the viewer as they witness the fallout of Velon's character's inquisition. Stories about Hollywood notoriety and rags-to-riches are ten a penny and often the characters are so far removed from the audience’s own environment that few of the themes hit home with any real impact. However, in The Critic, the deeply personal approach that Velon takes and the choice to use a single male interviewer makes this a particularly poignant piece of cinema in the current social climate. Her character's experience at the hands of this venomously harsh critic is so entrancing in its brutality and should resonate with a large amount of viewers. Intertwining external pressures with internal angst and guilt, The Critic is a powerful short film loaded with exceptional dialogue and cinematography (provided by the brilliantly talented Akis Konstantakopoulos). For me, a jaded male critic, I would still say this is one of the best leading performances of the year so far. Watch the official movie trailer below... #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #ChrisOlson #Drama #5StarFilm #StellaVelon #AlanSmyth #ToddKarner #MovieTrailers

★★★ Directed by: #SteveMasihoroe Starring: #RobertGinting, #KikoKatanaP, #FransiskaJuanti Short Film Review by: #RyanMarsh Bapak (Robert Ginting) wants Santi (Fransiska Juanti) to be a wife for his twenty-five-year-old son Tono (Kiko Katana P). GOWOK (The Ins and Outs of a Woman’s Body) is a barmy foreign language film. In an unusual scene (reminiscent of Shirley Valentine), Bapak appears to be addressing a wall, but is actually talking to Tono who is in the other room. Tono, though, is not much warmer as a person and the script suggests he has never slept with a woman. He is a man-child who watches cartoons, likes lollipops and his near silence, although never explicitly stated, implies a possible trauma. Maybe Santi could bring him out of this state and provide Tono with the guide to a woman’s body. The performances feel emotionally distant because the relationships are established through necessity, not feelings whilst also collaborating with director Steve Masihoroe’s precise vision. In addition to this, small gestures are emphasised to stand out in this quite static film. Whereas characters do not show much emotion, the quirky score does with Andrew Huang’s accordion being the most prominent instrument. Sounding more at home in a European production, it gives the film a unique flavour whilst being a potential earworm. The score has freedom to work because of Yohanes Bayu’s and Kiko Katana Pamungkas’s editing. The long takes between camera angles has an immediate, unusual effect that emphasises visual clues and gestures whilst allowing the audience time to process this information. This might prove helpful to those who feel that Masihoroe’s and Ahmad S. Nugraha’s script is too vague. The exposition is never telegraphed with titbits offered throughout such as in a news report. Alternatively, the literal dialogue only conveys information that connotes objectivity and emotional distance. With exposition, there are visual clues like a dress on a washing line. However, on a technical level, Bayu’s and Aldi Saputra’s #cinematography is effective because it is still, carefully composed (like a Wes Anderson film) and probably awful for obsessively tidy people like when Bapak is sat just off-centre in the frame. However, this is not that obsessive as non-vital elements are occasionally cropped and there is also inventiveness involved such as the camera shaking during a stripping scene to emulate sexual excitement. The problem with the cinematography is that some of the interior shots in the house lack proper lighting, but it is arguably a unique, believable setting. In fact, even the exterior environments are effective such as when Bapak first meets Santi and the plants form a non-distracting background for the actors to perform in front of. The setting indicates the narrative’s concerns with themes of a woman’s place in a strict society. When Santi talks to Tono, in a display of strength she demands respect and commands a situation. Conversely, the narrative also focuses on a son’s position as epitomised by the weak-willed Tono. In summary, the film concentrates subtly on a particular culture’s family system. There is no denying though that GOWOK (The Ins and Outs of a Woman’s Body) is divisive. It will not attract the average movie-going public that like their motion pictures delivered with literal meanings and it might put them off. However, it will appeal to those who appreciate films with a ‘show don’t tell’ approach to storytelling. Regardless, there is a genuine, thought-provoking message being conveyed here and Masihoroe’s production cannot be faulted for that.

★★ Directed by: Arturo Portillo Written by: #ArturoPortillo Starring: #FrankPowers, #JDMarmion, #HectorDez, #JorgeEstrada, #JerryWalker, #MannyRubio, #RobertIzquierdo, #MichelleMartinez Indie Film Review by: #ChrisOlson Miss, Miss, Bang Bang in this indie film from #filmmaker Arturo Portillo, with a huge cast, a sprawling crime plot, and enough artillery to make Arnold Schwarzenegger blush. In Beaten, Frank Powers plays Bruise (no, stay with me now) a contract killer whose latest “hit” gets a lot more complicated when his target is none other than Redd (J. D. Marmion) the brother of his fianceé. After a botched shoot-up at a restaurant by another gaggle of hitmen, Bruise and Redd find themselves on the same team looking for revenge, a pursuit that goes to the highest offices in the city. A frankly incoherent storyline, pointless subplots and a multitude of unnecessary characters makes Beaten an incredibly difficult movie to follow. It is a film rammed with boys playing with toy guns and exploding blood patches. So many violent killings occur with little or no explanation that the viewer will likely feel Beaten with the mindlessness of it all. The performances are schlocky, with clunky dialogue being whipped out as quickly and clunkily as the weaponry. It feels like a film being made by fanboys of 80s action movies on a budget not adjusted for inflation (to be fair, the budget was only $4,000). There are some nice moments of comedy, largely provided by the odd-couple pairing of Hector Dez and his unwilling assistant Manny Rubio. The main issue is that so many characters are battling for screen time and when they get it, priority is given to bullets and blood splatter. That being said (and I could go on), there are some aspects to Portillo’s film that deserve credit. First off, some impressive #cinematography accompanies the aggressive criminal undertakings, such as a fantastic drone shot of the landscape or a heart-aching montage of Bruise after the shoot-out. The score is also efficient in keeping the pulse racing throughout. Fans of movies like Heat, The Departed, and Lethal Weapon will not need to worry about making more space on their DVD shelf. Whilst Beaten borrows a lot from those films and others of their ilk, it does not bring the smarts with the story or indeed the memorable characters. The glut of expendable characters in Portillo's flick are inert enough for audiences to care more about the scenery than the shootouts. Watch the official movie trailer below.

★★★★★ Directed by: #DanDaniel Starring: #ClementineHill, #BadgerSkelton, #BuddySkelton, #AndyWolf, #ElleAndrews & #ZoeNeville Short Film Review by: #JasmineHollyBullock The word ‘web’ is defined as being ‘a complex system of interconnected elements’ and is of course evocative of the sticky web of a spider that promises certain death for most things that end up entrapped in it. Dan Daniel’s #shortfilm Web tells a tale of neglect, resentment and taboo, which will leave you pondering: who in this story actually ends up trapped in the metaphorical web? Web focuses on a day in the life of a set of triplets. These siblings aren’t too happy about the new addition to their family: their baby sister, who just. Won’t. Stop. Crying. So, on the day of their birthday, the triplets decide to figure out how to stop the noise. There is not much dialogue and no duologues at all in this film, which I questioned at the beginning. However, it becomes apparent that no words or discussions are needed; everything you need to know is conveyed via visible behaviour, facial expression and sound. The most prominent sound is the screaming cries of the newborn baby. These cries persist nearly throughout the entirety of the film and result in the feeling of tensions building up, it is similar to the screeches of a kettle rising until it finally reaches maximum boiling point. As the crying continues the viewer’s can feel the sense of desperation and need that the triplets have to get some silence. There are also everyday sounds that occur but some of them, when placed in odd contexts, prove to be quite sickening. In retrospect, it is rather refreshing to have a film that doesn’t rely on voice. The child actors who portray the triplets gave a brilliant performance; it’s not always easy to effectively convey the thoughts or personality of a character without words, nevertheless Clementine Hill, Badger Skelton and Buddy Skelton were all able to do so with their respective characters. Tam is creative and playful and Sim is inquisitive with an interest in insects. Ben, played by Badger Skelton, is actually the only comprehensible speaker in this cast, which nicely displays his leadership amongst the siblings. Despite there being hardly any dialogue, there is never a quiet moment thanks to the music produced by Olive Olin. The music is shifting in tune and mood. There are some instrumentals that create a pleasantly light-hearted atmosphere whilst deeper based instrumentals create a sense of impending menace. During one moment of the film, the music of a church’s pipe organ is distorted; which thereby distorts the atmosphere of safety and holiness that was occurring previously. The movement between these moods of music can make you uncertain of which direction the plot is heading towards. I do commend Dan Daniel on his directing, as well as Liam Hejsak and Henry Owen on their #cinematography, because there were some perfectly executed and diverse shots taken in this film. A few instances of POV (Point of View) shots, which are generally rare to have in films, really immerse the viewer into the story, thus heightening the sense of suspense. In other shots, some aesthetically intriguing imagery was provided, which additionally seemed to be foreshadowing what was to come. Whilst I wouldn’t say this film is ‘enjoyable’, because it doesn’t allow the audience to feel a sense of ease, there is no denying that the performances, the visuals and the score really made this film a wonderful display of ‘interconnected elements’ coming to life. Furthermore, I think that one of the things film should force us to do is explore the sides of life that majority of society are sheltered from. Explore the unmentionable.

★ Directed by: Alexander Cooper Starring: #AlexanderCooper, #JoasiaTapson Indie Film Review by: #JackCameron #Mockumentaries have enjoyed a lot of success in the past. They open up a whole new comedic toolkit that's usually unique to the genre; because they have one foot in reality the actors can use genuine sincerity, the #filmmakers can use irony and the audience gets to sit above it and just enjoy everything. But what makes them stand out is, like any good documentary, they have a story and one that connects with its audience and draws them in. This Is Spinal Tap is one of the most quoted comedy films of all time but, despite the gags, it has a solid through-line of story and believable characters. WeirdLoop is a #mockumentary directed by Alexander Cooper, but Spinal Tap This Is Not. There is no story to WeirdLoop. There are, however, some ideas discussed. The film opens with a number of pedestrians in central London being stopped and asked to comment on the fact that their lives, and the rest of the world, is stuck in some kind of loop. They talk about how they find themselves doing the same things almost every day; that, while time passes, nothing much changes in their day-to-day life. The first half an hour of the film is a series of these interviews with the mockumentary's hosts, Vladimir (Cooper) and Alina (Tapson), asking each person the same question and getting pretty much exactly the same answer. At this point, you start to get irritated. The entire movie is filmed on what looks and sounds like an iPhone. You can put up with the changing sound quality, the noise of tubes and road works playing over the guerrilla style footage, but the film's total lack of direction is a bit much to put up with. Vladimir's concept of the weird loop is essentially the malaise contemporary society feels following the election of Donald Trump, Brexit and the spread of fake news. The world seems to be simultaneously falling apart and carrying on and the effect is a little confusing. This is something we can understand and empathise with, but Cooper decides to frame this in the story an ex-KGB agent (himself) and his friend walking around London spotting "connections", hidden messages and elaborating on conspiracy theories. This involves the pair looking in shop windows and insinuating that it is a Russian prostitute ring set up by Vladimir Putin for Trump's benefit (because he spends a lot of his time in London, obviously), or finding a hairdresser's named Blow and claiming that it is actually super secret code for a Russian cocaine ring. David Lynch is the master of mystery and conspiracy, brilliantly leading his audience down one path only to completely surprise them when they get to the end. WeirdLoop's approach to conspiracy theory is a monumental step backward in age and intelligence; the film looks and feels like two 13-year-olds who've just discovered innuendos and think they're the funniest things in the world. Any satire or genuine comment on contemporary society is lost as Vladimir and Alina reputedly burst into giggles and try to keep a straight face as they walk passed lingerie shops, or point out phallic looking graffiti. There is one idea in this film and it is explained in the first ten minutes via the interviews, the film then runs for a further two hours. When it is finished we have learned nothing except that WeirdLoop is in desperate need of an editor and writer, and probably a director too.

★★★ Directed by: Matthew Hill Written by: #MatthewHill Starring: #RosieFrecker, #PaulinaLejon, #WillPattenden Short Film Review by: #ChrisOlson Lined with retro horror trappings, short film The Midnight Stalker from filmmaker Matthew Hill is all about the classics. From its suburban setting, to its coming of age central character in peril, this is a #horror movie comfortable in the cinematic familiar. Rosie Frecker plays Grace, a teenager who can't shake the feeling that something odd is going on. After seeing a strange figure in the distance, her alone time with a parent-less house is soon disturbed when a figure looks to be terrorising her. Will she be able to escape with the help of her mate Audrey (Pauline Lejon)? Or will she become a victim of the titular Midnight Stalker? Playing on well-known fears and apprehensions, Hill's movie capitalises on Grace's anxiety by playing her story out within a foreboding and unnerving atmosphere. The original music from #GiuseppeAlfano feels like it came straight out of a #Hammer movie, equal parts terrifying and thrilling. The framing of certain scenes also borrows a lot from scary films of old, such as the telephone call Grace makes to Audrey whilst the Stalker (Will Pattenden) lurks in the window frame, riffing from the #HomeInvasion archives on titles such as Scream and The Others. Whilst the tone and feeling of The Midnight Stalker is compelling, it falls down with a script bereft of anything original to offer an audience. As an 8-minute short film, viewers are unlikely to be expecting copious amounts of backstory or even exposition but the complete lack of context with this story and the characters makes it very hard to care when the inevitable terrorising occurs. The dialogue between Audrey and Grace seems contrived and quite dull at times, making their friendship seem pretty stilted. There was also an odd choice to make this a quasi period piece (based on Grace's glasses, the lack of mobile phones, and the synth style score) which was clumsily done. As an entryway into horror movies, The Midnight Stalker could be an arresting piece but for anyone familiar with any other scary film they will instantly be on familiar ground. And whilst the look and feel of the piece is admirable, and Alfano's music is a complete triumph, the story feels cobbled together from the plainest of ingredients to turn in something fairly ordinary and forgettable. Watch the official movie trailer for the film below.

★★★★ Directed by: #PhilipHughes Starring: #JennyDaugherty, #SarahMinnich, #DanielCornish, #LaurenMyers Indie Film Review by: #AnitaMarkoff It is rare that a film dealing with the subject of women in a mental asylum can be referred to as heart-warming, but this director somehow pulled it off. Doing away with the classic madwoman narrative where inmates are destructive to themselves and back stabbing towards other women within the narrow confines of their ward, this film manages to portray the journey of a woman towards mental stability as a positive experience. The Merry Maids of Madness opens with a humorous voice over narration, and also ends by the central character Beatrice breaking the fourth wall by speaking directly to the audience. This is one of very few instances in film where a patient is allowed to tell her own story, unmediated. The ward itself is depicted with a warm colour palette and bright lighting. Rather than appearing claustrophobic or frightening, it is stylistically represented as a nurturing environment for people with various struggles to grow and feel safe in. A deviation from its predecessors such as ‘Girl, Interrupted’ or ‘Shutter Island’, it is encouraging to see a film where mental institutions are not made to appear frightening or dangerous, but instead function the way they are meant to. The inmates themselves are also not villainised, or portrayed as evil or animalistic. Instead, they are funny caricatures of different Shakespearean characters, a theme which runs throughout the film. There are dramatic renditions of plays enacted in the ward by its more sane members, demonstrating how art can work to heal mental disruption. Upbeat choral medieval music functions as a soundtrack, grounding the audience in a familiar world introduced to them in high school English classes. The plot and characters are theatrical, which makes the film surprisingly and delightfully campy. The plot of The Merry Maids of Madness shows a classic hero’s journey taking place, as Beatrice grapples with her mental health issues and seriously attempts recovery, alongside trying to help the women she shares a ward with. Rather than fighting and threatening each other due to problems stemming from mental illness, these women show sweet displays of female solidarity, actively attempting to help each other towards recovery. They wrap each other in blankets, give each other hugs, write poems for each other, and throw surprise parties, all with the limited resources available to them. All the characters are given poignant moments of dialogue that endear them to the audience. Rather than widening the divide between the sane and insane, the film is used to show viewers that our hopes, fears, and desires and not so different from those of people progressing towards stability in a mental hospital, and that they are not terrible or terrifying places.

★ Directed by: Alex Magaña Written by: Alex Magaña, Matt Lowe Starring: #AlexMagaña, #MattLowe Indie Film Review: by #NathanialEker At around the 58-minute mark of Slapped! The Movie, our protagonist asks himself ‘what the heck did I just watch?’ (albeit with a little more profanity). I found myself repeating this sentiment as I sat through an overlong film that manages to achieve the trifecta of gratuitous, offensive, and dreadfully unfunny. Slapped! The Movie desperately tries to appeal to the stoner comedy crowd, imitating the vibe of the Harold and Kumar films, with a sprinkling of Superbad, but without any of the witticisms, clever commentary, or heart that make such films enjoyable. What we’re given is the forsaken step child of Freaky Friday and Freddy Got Fingered that is so brash, childish, and arrogant about its own worth that it lacks almost any merit. As alluded, it’s a body swap comedy. Matt is a slob, Alex is shy, they mess around with each other’s lives before ultimately realising one another’s struggles blah, blah, blah; you know how it ends. The main point of contention with this indie flick is the writing, which prides itself on being as ‘anti PC’ as possible. Nothing is off limits to writer, star, and director Alex Magaña, including jokes about bulimia, incest, racial slurs, fat shaming, child abuse, date rape, #PTSD, and a sex toy in the shape of Taylor Swift’s mouth. There may exist a sect that’ll find some appeal here, but for the vast majority at least one ‘joke’ will incite audible shock. Audiences will equally find this to be the longest two hours – yes, two hours – of their lives due to terrible pacing, cluttered by poorly written filler plots and gags that go absolutely nowhere. Almost every character who isn’t one of the leads seemingly exists purely to waste more of your time. To say that certain scenes should’ve been chopped in the editing room is an understatement; Slapped! begs to be half the length it currently sits at, and with such a simplistic story and basic characters (we’ll get to them), it could easily be a ten-minute short. To give credit where credit is due, the #cinematography and musical choices aren’t half bad. The film appears to have a decent budget behind it and the music often sounds professional, similar to what you’d hear in a blockbuster of the same ilk. Equally, there are some genuinely nice shots, with good continuity editing, and some well-done effects. In particular, a drug trip scene that might actually be the highlight of the film, uses clever techniques that make it uncomfortable to watch, in a good way. There are confusing editing choices, however, such as a shot where a character charges toward another, only to appear further and further away, before appearing directly in front of said player. That’s about where the positives end, unfortunately. The immature writing isn’t helped by co-writers and stars Lowe and Magaña’s wooden performances, which make poorly written characters even less likeable or relatable. There are tiny moments that hint at decent acting, such as when the two reconcile, but such moments are immediately ruined by another bit of childish gross out humour or an offensive line. You could likely write an entire essay about the portrayal of women in this film, but let’s just say, they’re not exactly three dimensional. Other performances are equally bad, with almost all lacking believability or any qualities to make the characters understandable or endearing. Pretty much everyone bar the director’s self-insert exists as a punchline; it’s a mess. The duo clearly try to craft an irreverent stoner #comedy, creating a world where the f bomb is dropped every two seconds, and office workers snort coke and smear the walls with faeces. This world isn’t close to believable or likeable and the ultimate tone is a nasty one. Slapped! revels in every bodily fluid, every rude word, and every insult. What it does not do, however, is create likable protagonists, craft a well-paced story, or (and this is the big one) write anything resembling a clever joke. It feels like a product of a different time, when erections and marijuana were considered the peak of comedy, and films obnoxiously laughed at their own self-proclaimed bravado. Well, I’m glad Slapped! The Movie finds itself so hilarious, because I’d imagine nobody else will.

Film Festivals > Grimmfest Film Festival > #PressReleases Directors of UK's GRIMMFEST, Manchester UK's Genre film festival are launching a new production company, GRIMMFEST FILMS. Capitalising on the talented genre #filmmakers that have premiered their work at Grimmfest, GRIMMFEST FILMS is now developing, producing and part financing feature films and streaming content from Grimmfest Alumni. The slate includes… GRIMMFEST FILMS is excited to be partnering with Falconer Pictures, M2 Media Post Inc, and Minds Eye Entertainment, to co-produce Witchboard a reimagining of the 1986 hit horror movie from Co-writer/Director Chuck Russell (Eraser, The Mask, The Scorpion King, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3) and Co-writer/Producer Greg McKay (Night of the Demons). GRIMMFEST FILMS have also boarded Cidic, from Production outfit, Other Animal (Poor Agnes). Directed by Audrey Cummings (She Never Died) and staring Lora Burke (Poor Agnes, Lifechanger), it is described as ‘Alien’ meets ‘Invasion of The Body Snatchers’ and goes to camera, fall 2019 in Ontario, Canada. Festival director Simeon Halligan said: "With over a decade of cutting-edge genre films and film makers coming through our doors at Grimmfest, we are perfectly placed to capitalise on this carefully selected talent pool in order to produce new, exciting and high-quality genre films. Our ultimate aim is to become the UK's answer to the hugely successful US genre specialists, Blumhouse". Festival director Rachel Richardson-Jones said: "We have an incredibly strong management team in place, alongside an initial slate of projects from some of the most exciting talent in genre cinema. Our growing slate of feature film and small screen projects coupled with our strategic business plan for the company’s growth are already attracting huge interest from potential investors." Richardson-Jones and Halligan will be in Cannes to discuss the new slate with interested parties and explain their vision for GRIMMFEST FILMS as the company develops. Other projects on the slate include, Deathgasm (Heavy Metal Apocalypse) Part 2, a sequel to the 2015 festival hit from Kiwi maestro, Jason Lei Howden, who is on the cusp of great things with upcoming Guns Akimbo starring #DanielRadcliffe. The Blackening PTSD post Iraq war horror/thriller from UK #horror auteur Paul Hyett (Howl, The Seasoning House), whose SFX makeup work on films such as The Descent has led to a successful directing career with over four features under his belt. Hospice from UK based, Joanne Mitchell, nominated for Screen International and Frightfest's ‘rising star’ award in 2017, Mitchell’s multi-talented mix of acting, producing, writing and directing genre films makes her a perfect choice for this contained supernatural thriller and her feature debut. Draven, a new spin on the ever-popular #slasher genre, set in the snowy wastes of Norway and directed by burgeoning Scandi horror duo Sonny Laguna and Tommy Wiklund (Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich) Dollmakers described as Heathers meets Shaun Of The Dead, from prolific US writer/director Andy Mitton (Yellow Brick Road, We Go On), with three features under his belt and a huge festival hit with his last film The Witch in the Window. Past Life a supernatural serial killer thriller from the writers of Christopher Smith’s (Triangle, Black Death) eagerly awaited The Banishing and directed by Halligan (Habit, White Settlers). The Beast, a character driven werewolf movie from LA based writer/director Peter Dukes, whose recent Escape Room hit No.1 DVD/streamed movie in the UK upon release. Do You See What I See? #Christmas set horror from Canadian writing/directing duo Serena Whitney and Justin McConnell (whose recent feature Lifechanger was a true festival hit in 2018/19). Grimmfest films have boarded as co-producers. The Management team includes producer Sarada McDermott whose credits include the UK box office hit Fighting with my Family and the recently released Tolkien. McDermott said: “I’ve worked with Rachel and Simeon since co-producing their first feature back in 2008. They started Grimmfest back in 2009 and I know how dedicated they are to showcasing the absolute best new genre talent. They know film production inside out, they know the exhibition world inside out, they have their finger on the pulse of what’s new in the world of Horror movies and they have impeccable taste. I’m excited to be working with them on this new venture”. Supported by M2 Media Post Inc, GRIMMFEST FILMS now has access to an equity fund which can invest against the post production on their slated films. Michael Laundon at M2 Media Post Inc said: “It’s a pleasure to be working alongside GRIMMFEST FILMS in order to find and invest into wonderful new genre movies. Having experienced the team’s knowledge and passion for genre cinema, I’m confident that they are developing and producing the kind of movies, that not only have commercial appeal, but also hold a high level of quality and depth.”

★★★ Directed by: #TonyGerminario Written by: Tony Germinario #LynnMancinelli Starring: #LynnMancinelli #EmrhysCooper #KristinCarey #JonMcCormick #RichardThomas London Independent Film Festival Review by: #ChrisBuick Kira (Lynn Mancinelli) is a young woman suffering from vivid nightmares surrounding a horrific sexual assault when she was younger, a past that she is desperately trying to run away from. Living on her own and without any kind of support structure around her (especially not her ethically corrupt therapist), she massively over-indulges in drink, drugs and other vices, using these dependencies as an escape from it all. But after her father passes away, Kira must return to her family home to attend the funeral, where she is faced with having to deal with the demons of her past, as well as the presence of the Davenports, the towns most powerful family and the ones who also paid her for her silence. Having won a number of awards including Best Low-Budget Feature at the #LondonIndependentFilmFestival, The Price for Silence highlights some very important and contemporary issues, looking at the subject of sexual assault and how destructive it can be to both the individuals involved and their families, as well as the overall mistreatment of women by a male dominated society. It is a gritty telling, that is uncomfortable and unforgiving at times but also feels real and honest. Lynn Mancinelli, who co-wrote the story with Germinario, really is an acting tour-de-force as the immensely troubled Kira trying to put on a brave face for it all. From start to finish, Mancinelli repeatedly shows the vast range she has as a deservedly award-winning actress and the chemistry between herself and Emrhys Cooper as her brother Lucas is great to watch. There is also a starring turn from Richard Thomas (Emmy award winner for his role in The Waltons) who sinks his teeth into the role of the apparent town hero with a much darker side. The rest of the cast does seem to take some time to get on the same level performance wise, but they really do hit their strides later in the film. This can be said for the overall film itself, which feels a bit sluggish to begin with. Although all the groundwork that is established early on in terms of subplots and backstory does ultimately pay off in the end, you get the sense that this film could have been trimmed down to help avoid some lulls in pace. But thankfully, the film does manage to find the right gear and goes on to produce an enthralling watch for the latter half of the film. There are also a couple of moments where the film is somewhat heavy handed in establishing Richard Thomas’ character as the villain of the piece, but Thomas excels at what he does, as you would expect from an actor of his calibre. The Price for Silence is a film with a lot of import things to say, especially in the wake of the #metoo movement and is easy to see why so many plaudits have been bestowed on it. There are some pacing issues and it does take some time finding its feet, but overall this is a well-crafted drama that deserves praise. Watch the official movie trailer below.

★★★★ Directed by: Michael Stevantoni Written by: #MichaelStevantoni, #TimRousseau, #GeorgeMcCormick (novel) Starring: #JoelBissonnette, #KeylorLeigh, #AprilMarshallMiller, #OliviaMay Indie Film Review by: #ChrisOlson A while back, we reviewed a film from #StaceyStone called Unaccountable which tackled the shameful state of Salton Sea in California. A once prosperous resort town is now a tragic and desolate location. This location becomes the setting in indie film Salton Sea where the marriage of the central characters looks to be just as tragic and desolate. Joel Bissonnette plays Brian, a guy somewhat in the throes of a midlife crisis. Dispirited with the state of his life, the one glimmer of hope he has (a new job offer across the country in Washington DC) seems to be tarnished with uncertainty, as his wife Ramona (Keylor Leigh) seems adamant that she and her daughter (April Marshall-Miller) won't be coming with him. Attempting to restore their connection and come to a suitable resolution, Brian whisks Ramona off on a spontaneous trip to the place of their honeymoon, the literally crumbling Salton Sea. A sumptuous slow-burn, director and co-writer Michael Stevantoni let's the central character (from a novel by George McCormick) dangle in the air throughout the indie movie. Brian is the audience's focal point, presented to the viewer as a complex beast riddled with anxiety, desperation, anger, and indeed a degree of hope. His choices throughout the film, such as lying to his wife or overindulging at his local watering hole with the owner (Olivia May), become etched in his skin as he tries to determine if his dad was right all along and that he is indeed a “good man”. Brian’s story is punctuated with numerous news features on the DC sniper of 2002 and the War on Terror. This historical narration is not just for period setting (the flip phones can do that) and instead enhance the plot. Lives hanging in the balance of a new world order and the contemplation of such widespread coverage of a “threat” to patriotism make Brian even more uncertain about his destiny and integrity, and angry about the way it seems to be dictating his future (with DC looking like a very unsafe place to be). The #cinematography is absolutely breathtaking. The use of this barren location with all its forsaken charm brilliantly encapsulates the tone of the story and allows the relationship between Brian and Ramona to become a glaring main attraction. As they wistfully explore the barely populated Salton Sea area, stopping irregularly for smoking and distractions, their failing partnership becomes engulfed by the unnatural and eerie ghost town that once thrived. A soul-searcher of a movie that beguiles with its aesthetics as much as it depresses with its story. Incredible performances from Bissonnette and Leigh make it a journey into marital ambivalence that is worth taking.

★★★ Directed by #MaryHarron Written by #GuinevereTurner Starring #HannahMurray #MerrittWever #SosieBacon #MattSmith Film Review by #HopeMadden It’s been 50 years since Charles Manson and his family effectively terminated the 1960s. Filmmaker Mary Harron (American Psycho) joins Daniel Farrands and Quentin Tarantino in commemorating the anniversary. Earlier this year, Farrands unleashed the grim and quickly forgotten The Haunting of Sharon Tate, while Tarantino’s next likely cultural phenomenon, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, promises to shine some of its spotlight on the Manson family crimes as well. Harron’s film, Charlie Says, follows Leslie Van Houton (Hannah Murray), Susan Atkins (Marianne Rendon) and Patricia Krenwinkle (Sosie Bacon), three years after their incarceration, as they reflect on Manson’s promises and their own actions. The aptly titled film is as concerned with the women’s brainwashing as it is the crimes themselves, although it unfortunately provides no real insight into either. Harron spends about half the film in the California Women’s Correctional Facility, where the trio is taught by dedicated grad student Karlene Faith (Merritt Wever, portraying the author of the book that inspires the film). The eerie chorus of “Charlie says…” greets nearly every question Wever lobs at her students, which generally spurs a flashback to time on the ranch with Charlie (Matt Smith). Here we hit a snag, because Smith lacks the charisma, the hatred, the ugliness or the psychotic aura to pull of Manson. He is never terrifying, never seductive—never convincing. In fact, most of the flock lacks the weather beaten conviction we recognize from police tapes. The period detail and tone lack degrees of authenticity as well. Harron’s film opens strong, but it quickly loses its footing and never really finds it again. Working from Guinevere Turner’s screenplay, Harron brings up some interesting themes—particularly questioning the point of breaking through to these women, knowing that puncturing their fantasies only means their clear-eyed horror whether looking backward or forward. But she doesn’t really land any punches. The film never feels particularly queasying, especially enlightening or even very memorable. I guess we still have Tarantino. Or maybe it’s just time we all moved on and stopped obsessing over what Charlie had to say.