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Watch Another Day at the 2022 UK Film Review Festival. See the UKFRF 2022 lineup and buy your festival pass. Another Day Listen to our review on the film podcast What our film review said: READ FULL REVIEW The film is bookended by a second montage. During the finale, there is a heart-fluttering visual expression that is a little clunky in execution but expresses the sentiment of the short as succinctly as the opening. This kind of experimentation is what makes watching short films exciting. The kind of risks that pay off. Proudly supporting MediCinema for our 2022 film festival.

A brand new trailer and poster for the highly anticipated live-action reimagining of HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON has launched, ahead of its release in UK & Irish cinemas in June.. Brand new film trailers. How To Train Your Dragon Offical Trailer #HowToTrainYourDragon Starring: Mason Thames, Gerard Butler, Nico Parker, Nick Frost, Julian Dennison, Gabriel Howell, Bronwyn James, Harry Trevaldwyn, Ruth Codd, Peter Serafinowicz and Murray McArthur Written, produced and directed by: Dean DeBlois Produced by: Dean DeBlois Marc Platt and Adam Siegel A brand new trailer and poster for the highly anticipated live-action reimagining of HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON has launched, ahead of its release in UK & Irish cinemas in June. From three-time Oscar® nominee and Golden Globe winner Dean DeBlois, the creative visionary behind DreamWorks Animation’s acclaimed How to Train Your Dragon trilogy, comes a stunning live-action reimagining of the film that launched the beloved franchise. On the rugged isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup (Mason Thames; The Black Phone, For All Mankind) stands apart. The inventive yet overlooked son of Chief Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler, reprising his voice role from the animated franchise), Hiccup defies centuries of tradition when he befriends Toothless, a feared Night Fury dragon. Their unlikely bond reveals the true nature of dragons, challenging the very foundations of Viking society. With the fierce and ambitious Astrid (BAFTA nominee Nico Parker; Dumbo, The Last of Us) and the village’s quirky blacksmith Gobber (Nick Frost; Snow White and the Huntsman, Shaun of the Dead) by his side, Hiccup confronts a world torn by fear and misunderstanding. As an ancient threat emerges, endangering both Vikings and dragons, Hiccup’s friendship with Toothless becomes the key to forging a new future. Together, they must navigate the delicate path toward peace, soaring beyond the boundaries of their worlds and redefining what it means to be a hero and a leader. The film also stars Julian Dennison (Deadpool 2), Gabriel Howell (Bodies), Bronwyn James (Wicked), Harry Trevaldwyn (Smothered), Ruth Codd (The Midnight Club), BAFTA nominee Peter Serafinowicz (Guardians of the Galaxy) and Murray McArthur (Game of Thrones). How to Train Your Dragon is written, produced and directed by DeBlois. It is also produced by three-time Oscar® nominee Marc Platt (Wicked, La La Land) and Emmy winner Adam Siegel (Drive, 2 Guns). How To Train Your Dragon is part of the Filmed For IMAX® Program, which offers filmmakers IMAX® technology to help them deliver the most immersive movie experience to audiences around the world. Inspired by Cressida Cowell’s New York Times bestselling book series, DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon franchise has captivated global audiences, earning four Academy Award® nominations and grossing more than $1.6 billion at the global box-office. Now, through cutting-edge visual effects, DeBlois transforms his beloved animated saga into a breathtaking live-action spectacle, bringing the epic adventures of Hiccup and Toothless to life with jaw-dropping realism as they discover the true meaning of friendship, courage and destiny. The Carpenter's Son We anticipate that The Carpenter's Son will be less of a retelling and more of a deeply disquieting examination of power, temptation, and the human cost of being chosen. It arrives on 21st November. Eternity Eternity looks set to be a sophisticated, imaginative film that avoids the usual genre clichés by grounding its absurd plot in stellar performances. Kontinental '25 The promotional material and critical buzz surrounding Kontinental ’25 confirm that the winner of the Silver Berlin Bear for Best Screenplay is not only back, but operating at a fever pitch of urgency and daring. Anniversary Kenny Dalglish It's rare for a documentary trailer to stir the soul quite as effectively as the first look at Kenny Dalglish, the upcoming feature focusing on the life and legacy of one of British football's most revered and complex figures. Is This Thing On? Searchlight Pictures has premiered the teaser trailer for Is This Thing On?, and it suggests we are in for a sharp, melancholic comedy that mines the humour and heartbreak of mid-life crisis through the lens of stand-up. Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere The first official trailer for Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, the biopic chronicling the turbulent creation of the 1982 masterpiece Nebraska, has landed. The Bride The latest tease for The Bride, the highly anticipated 2026 offering from Maggie Gyllenhaal, has dropped, and if this brief glimpse is anything to go by, British cinema-goers should prepare themselves for a truly spectacular and unsettling cinematic experience. A Tooth Fairy Tale Overall, the trailer for A Tooth Fairy Tale delivers exactly what it needs to: a clear premise, an exciting quest, and the promise of high-quality vocal performances. Delivery Run From the first stark frames of the trailer for Delivery Run, it is immediately clear that this is a thriller operating under pressure. In Your Dreams "In Your Dreams," a new animated comedy set to enchant audiences. This delightful film, co-directed by Alex Woo and Erik Benson, promises a fantastical journey into the boundless landscape of dreams, arriving on November 14, 2025. A House of Dynamite A House of Dynamite, a gripping new thriller that plunges audiences into a high-stakes global crisis. The trailer for Bigelow's latest offering paints a chilling picture of a world on the brink, arriving in select UK cinemas on October 3rd The Man in My Basement With an intense psychological trailer that leaves you with more questions than answers, Andscape’s new film The Man in My Basement is poised to be a must-watch for UK and Ireland audiences, arriving on Disney+ on Friday, 26th September. Wicked: For Good The final trailer for Wicked: For Good has finally landed, promising an electrifying and emotional conclusion to the untold story of the Witches of Oz. Time Travel Is Dangerous The moment we clapped eyes on the first trailer for Time Travel Is Dangerous, we knew we were in for something special. Blending the charming, grounded sensibility of a classic British comedy with the mind-bending chaos of a high-concept sci-fi flick, this film promises a riotous journey through time and space. Game The trailer for the film GAME, set for release in November 2025, falls squarely into that last category. It's a two-minute masterclass in tension, leaving you with more questions than answers and a palpable sense of unease. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Don Q Don Q will be available on digital platforms in the UK on 15 September, thanks to Reel2Reel Films. John Candy: I Like Me The new documentary, John Candy: I Like Me, directed by Colin Hanks and produced by Ryan Reynolds, offers a poignant and intimate look at the man behind the memorable characters. Eschewing the typical celebratory retrospective, the film embarks on a journey to humanise an icon, exploring his personal struggles, deep-seated anxieties, and the profound impact he had on those who knew him best. Spinal Tap II: The End Continues Spinal Tap II: The End Continues. Set for a glorious return to UK cinemas this September, this film promises to be a welcome, if profoundly daft, comeback for the geriatric rockers.

The world knows Britney Spears: performer, artist, icon. But in the last few years, her name has been publicly tied to another, more mysterious term: conservatorship. Britney vs Spears tells the explosive story of Britney’s life and her public and private search for freedom.. Brand new film trailers. Britney Vs Spears Trailer Britney Vs Spears Official Trailer The world knows Britney Spears: performer, artist, icon. But in the last few years, her name has been publicly tied to another, more mysterious term: conservatorship. Britney vs Spears tells the explosive story of Britney’s life and her public and private search for freedom. Featuring years-long investigative work, exclusive interviews and new documents, this Netflix feature film paints a thorough portrait of the pop star’s trajectory from girl next door to a woman trapped by fame and family and her own legal status. It shows Britney’s life without utilizing the traumatic images that have previously defined her. Director Erin Lee Carr (How To Fix a Drug Scandal, Dirty Money ) and journalist Jenny Eliscu work to delve deep into the tangled history of the conservatorship that has been in place for over 13 years. The film weaves a shocking timeline of old and new players, secret rendezvous and Britney’s behind the scenes fight for her own autonomy. Text messages and a voicemail as well as new interviews with key players make clear what Britney herself has attested: the full story has yet to be told. No more secrets. No more silence. BRITNEY VS SPEARS is only on Netflix from September 28. The Carpenter's Son We anticipate that The Carpenter's Son will be less of a retelling and more of a deeply disquieting examination of power, temptation, and the human cost of being chosen. It arrives on 21st November. Eternity Eternity looks set to be a sophisticated, imaginative film that avoids the usual genre clichés by grounding its absurd plot in stellar performances. Kontinental '25 The promotional material and critical buzz surrounding Kontinental ’25 confirm that the winner of the Silver Berlin Bear for Best Screenplay is not only back, but operating at a fever pitch of urgency and daring. Anniversary Kenny Dalglish It's rare for a documentary trailer to stir the soul quite as effectively as the first look at Kenny Dalglish, the upcoming feature focusing on the life and legacy of one of British football's most revered and complex figures. Is This Thing On? Searchlight Pictures has premiered the teaser trailer for Is This Thing On?, and it suggests we are in for a sharp, melancholic comedy that mines the humour and heartbreak of mid-life crisis through the lens of stand-up. Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere The first official trailer for Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, the biopic chronicling the turbulent creation of the 1982 masterpiece Nebraska, has landed. The Bride The latest tease for The Bride, the highly anticipated 2026 offering from Maggie Gyllenhaal, has dropped, and if this brief glimpse is anything to go by, British cinema-goers should prepare themselves for a truly spectacular and unsettling cinematic experience. A Tooth Fairy Tale Overall, the trailer for A Tooth Fairy Tale delivers exactly what it needs to: a clear premise, an exciting quest, and the promise of high-quality vocal performances. Delivery Run From the first stark frames of the trailer for Delivery Run, it is immediately clear that this is a thriller operating under pressure. In Your Dreams "In Your Dreams," a new animated comedy set to enchant audiences. This delightful film, co-directed by Alex Woo and Erik Benson, promises a fantastical journey into the boundless landscape of dreams, arriving on November 14, 2025. A House of Dynamite A House of Dynamite, a gripping new thriller that plunges audiences into a high-stakes global crisis. The trailer for Bigelow's latest offering paints a chilling picture of a world on the brink, arriving in select UK cinemas on October 3rd The Man in My Basement With an intense psychological trailer that leaves you with more questions than answers, Andscape’s new film The Man in My Basement is poised to be a must-watch for UK and Ireland audiences, arriving on Disney+ on Friday, 26th September. Wicked: For Good The final trailer for Wicked: For Good has finally landed, promising an electrifying and emotional conclusion to the untold story of the Witches of Oz. Time Travel Is Dangerous The moment we clapped eyes on the first trailer for Time Travel Is Dangerous, we knew we were in for something special. Blending the charming, grounded sensibility of a classic British comedy with the mind-bending chaos of a high-concept sci-fi flick, this film promises a riotous journey through time and space. Game The trailer for the film GAME, set for release in November 2025, falls squarely into that last category. It's a two-minute masterclass in tension, leaving you with more questions than answers and a palpable sense of unease. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Don Q Don Q will be available on digital platforms in the UK on 15 September, thanks to Reel2Reel Films. John Candy: I Like Me The new documentary, John Candy: I Like Me, directed by Colin Hanks and produced by Ryan Reynolds, offers a poignant and intimate look at the man behind the memorable characters. Eschewing the typical celebratory retrospective, the film embarks on a journey to humanise an icon, exploring his personal struggles, deep-seated anxieties, and the profound impact he had on those who knew him best. Spinal Tap II: The End Continues Spinal Tap II: The End Continues. Set for a glorious return to UK cinemas this September, this film promises to be a welcome, if profoundly daft, comeback for the geriatric rockers.

Thunderbird Releasing announce the UK release of psychological drama ELYSE, starring Lisa Pepper and Anthony Hopkins, on digital platforms on 31st May.. Brand new film trailers. Elyse Trailer Thunderbird Releasing announce the UK release of psychological drama ELYSE , starring Lisa Pepper and Anthony Hopkins, on digital platforms on 31st May . The directorial debut of Stella Hopkins, ELYSE features Anthony Hopkins, currently riding high after his Oscar win for The Father , as a doctor confronted with a difficult patient prone to violent mood-swings, played by Lisa Pepper (who appeared in alongside Hopkins in his directorial debut Slipstream). Thought-provoking, disorientating and moving, and unafraid to venture into a subject matter too often ignored, ELYSE is a stylish and promising debut, and features a magnificently moody score composed by Anthony Hopkins himself. It’s a film that lingers in the mind long after the credits have rolled. “What can I do for you? Why are you here?” Synopsis: Elyse appears, on the surface, to have it all - a beautiful family, and enviable home, a charmed lifestyle. However, all is not what it seems, and her enviable existence starts to unravel. Institutionalised following a catastrophic accident, she is deeply traumatised and seemingly unreachable. Only the care from her doctor and the unconditional love from her nurse might lead to her recovery. ELYSE will be released 31st May 2021 on all digital platforms The Carpenter's Son We anticipate that The Carpenter's Son will be less of a retelling and more of a deeply disquieting examination of power, temptation, and the human cost of being chosen. It arrives on 21st November. Eternity Eternity looks set to be a sophisticated, imaginative film that avoids the usual genre clichés by grounding its absurd plot in stellar performances. Kontinental '25 The promotional material and critical buzz surrounding Kontinental ’25 confirm that the winner of the Silver Berlin Bear for Best Screenplay is not only back, but operating at a fever pitch of urgency and daring. Anniversary Kenny Dalglish It's rare for a documentary trailer to stir the soul quite as effectively as the first look at Kenny Dalglish, the upcoming feature focusing on the life and legacy of one of British football's most revered and complex figures. Is This Thing On? Searchlight Pictures has premiered the teaser trailer for Is This Thing On?, and it suggests we are in for a sharp, melancholic comedy that mines the humour and heartbreak of mid-life crisis through the lens of stand-up. Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere The first official trailer for Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, the biopic chronicling the turbulent creation of the 1982 masterpiece Nebraska, has landed. The Bride The latest tease for The Bride, the highly anticipated 2026 offering from Maggie Gyllenhaal, has dropped, and if this brief glimpse is anything to go by, British cinema-goers should prepare themselves for a truly spectacular and unsettling cinematic experience. A Tooth Fairy Tale Overall, the trailer for A Tooth Fairy Tale delivers exactly what it needs to: a clear premise, an exciting quest, and the promise of high-quality vocal performances. Delivery Run From the first stark frames of the trailer for Delivery Run, it is immediately clear that this is a thriller operating under pressure. In Your Dreams "In Your Dreams," a new animated comedy set to enchant audiences. This delightful film, co-directed by Alex Woo and Erik Benson, promises a fantastical journey into the boundless landscape of dreams, arriving on November 14, 2025. A House of Dynamite A House of Dynamite, a gripping new thriller that plunges audiences into a high-stakes global crisis. The trailer for Bigelow's latest offering paints a chilling picture of a world on the brink, arriving in select UK cinemas on October 3rd The Man in My Basement With an intense psychological trailer that leaves you with more questions than answers, Andscape’s new film The Man in My Basement is poised to be a must-watch for UK and Ireland audiences, arriving on Disney+ on Friday, 26th September. Wicked: For Good The final trailer for Wicked: For Good has finally landed, promising an electrifying and emotional conclusion to the untold story of the Witches of Oz. Time Travel Is Dangerous The moment we clapped eyes on the first trailer for Time Travel Is Dangerous, we knew we were in for something special. Blending the charming, grounded sensibility of a classic British comedy with the mind-bending chaos of a high-concept sci-fi flick, this film promises a riotous journey through time and space. Game The trailer for the film GAME, set for release in November 2025, falls squarely into that last category. It's a two-minute masterclass in tension, leaving you with more questions than answers and a palpable sense of unease. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Don Q Don Q will be available on digital platforms in the UK on 15 September, thanks to Reel2Reel Films. John Candy: I Like Me The new documentary, John Candy: I Like Me, directed by Colin Hanks and produced by Ryan Reynolds, offers a poignant and intimate look at the man behind the memorable characters. Eschewing the typical celebratory retrospective, the film embarks on a journey to humanise an icon, exploring his personal struggles, deep-seated anxieties, and the profound impact he had on those who knew him best. Spinal Tap II: The End Continues Spinal Tap II: The End Continues. Set for a glorious return to UK cinemas this September, this film promises to be a welcome, if profoundly daft, comeback for the geriatric rockers.

Phantom of the Open is due out in cinemas October 2021. For now, enjoy this special film trailer.. Brand new film trailers. Phantom of the Open Trailer eOne Releases Phantom of the Open Trailer Starring Mark Rylance. Directed by Craig Roberts, this is the story of golfer Maurice Flitcroft (Rylance) whose performance at the 1976 British Open Golf Championship made him a legend. The film is based on a book by the same name by author Scott Murray, and adapted here by Simon Farnaby. Phantom of the Open is due out in cinemas October 2021. For now, enjoy this special film trailer . The Carpenter's Son We anticipate that The Carpenter's Son will be less of a retelling and more of a deeply disquieting examination of power, temptation, and the human cost of being chosen. It arrives on 21st November. Eternity Eternity looks set to be a sophisticated, imaginative film that avoids the usual genre clichés by grounding its absurd plot in stellar performances. Kontinental '25 The promotional material and critical buzz surrounding Kontinental ’25 confirm that the winner of the Silver Berlin Bear for Best Screenplay is not only back, but operating at a fever pitch of urgency and daring. Anniversary Kenny Dalglish It's rare for a documentary trailer to stir the soul quite as effectively as the first look at Kenny Dalglish, the upcoming feature focusing on the life and legacy of one of British football's most revered and complex figures. Is This Thing On? Searchlight Pictures has premiered the teaser trailer for Is This Thing On?, and it suggests we are in for a sharp, melancholic comedy that mines the humour and heartbreak of mid-life crisis through the lens of stand-up. Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere The first official trailer for Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, the biopic chronicling the turbulent creation of the 1982 masterpiece Nebraska, has landed. The Bride The latest tease for The Bride, the highly anticipated 2026 offering from Maggie Gyllenhaal, has dropped, and if this brief glimpse is anything to go by, British cinema-goers should prepare themselves for a truly spectacular and unsettling cinematic experience. A Tooth Fairy Tale Overall, the trailer for A Tooth Fairy Tale delivers exactly what it needs to: a clear premise, an exciting quest, and the promise of high-quality vocal performances. Delivery Run From the first stark frames of the trailer for Delivery Run, it is immediately clear that this is a thriller operating under pressure. In Your Dreams "In Your Dreams," a new animated comedy set to enchant audiences. This delightful film, co-directed by Alex Woo and Erik Benson, promises a fantastical journey into the boundless landscape of dreams, arriving on November 14, 2025. A House of Dynamite A House of Dynamite, a gripping new thriller that plunges audiences into a high-stakes global crisis. The trailer for Bigelow's latest offering paints a chilling picture of a world on the brink, arriving in select UK cinemas on October 3rd The Man in My Basement With an intense psychological trailer that leaves you with more questions than answers, Andscape’s new film The Man in My Basement is poised to be a must-watch for UK and Ireland audiences, arriving on Disney+ on Friday, 26th September. Wicked: For Good The final trailer for Wicked: For Good has finally landed, promising an electrifying and emotional conclusion to the untold story of the Witches of Oz. Time Travel Is Dangerous The moment we clapped eyes on the first trailer for Time Travel Is Dangerous, we knew we were in for something special. Blending the charming, grounded sensibility of a classic British comedy with the mind-bending chaos of a high-concept sci-fi flick, this film promises a riotous journey through time and space. Game The trailer for the film GAME, set for release in November 2025, falls squarely into that last category. It's a two-minute masterclass in tension, leaving you with more questions than answers and a palpable sense of unease. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Don Q Don Q will be available on digital platforms in the UK on 15 September, thanks to Reel2Reel Films. John Candy: I Like Me The new documentary, John Candy: I Like Me, directed by Colin Hanks and produced by Ryan Reynolds, offers a poignant and intimate look at the man behind the memorable characters. Eschewing the typical celebratory retrospective, the film embarks on a journey to humanise an icon, exploring his personal struggles, deep-seated anxieties, and the profound impact he had on those who knew him best. Spinal Tap II: The End Continues Spinal Tap II: The End Continues. Set for a glorious return to UK cinemas this September, this film promises to be a welcome, if profoundly daft, comeback for the geriatric rockers.

Misery meets Single White Female – with an extra dose of (Let’s Get) Physical thrown in for good measure – as a woman gets more than she bargains for when she makes a new friend at the gym in Homewrecker.. Brand new film trailers. Homewrecker Trailer Misery meets Single White Female – with an extra dose of (Let’s Get) Physical thrown in for good measure – as a woman gets more than she bargains for when she makes a new friend at the gym in Homewrecker. This deliciously bleak and black satire, with gore and laughs in equal measure, is set for its UK premiere on 24 May from 101 Films. When happy-go-lucky interior designer Michelle (Alex Essoe – Doctor Sleep, The Haunting Of Bly Manor), has a chance encounter at a fitness class, with the pushy and overly friendly Linda (Precious Chong – Falling Water, Flashpoint), she soon discovers there’s more to her than meets the eye and training might be bad for her health. When the pair meet at the gym, Linda convinces Michelle to come to her house and redesign it. Despite her wariness, Michelle’s politeness wins out and she reluctantly agrees…But once at the house, she soon realises she’s made a terrible mistake…as Linda’s demeanour rapidly changes and her behaviour becomes increasingly erratic…could this one-woman wrecking ball threaten her whole existence? As the dangerous and obsessive streak spirals out of control…Michelle grows more and more desperate to evade Linda’s clutches and her increasingly bizarre and disturbing measures to trap her. As the violence explodes into a bloody gore-fest will Michelle ever break free from this one-woman wrecking ball of mayhem? Homewrecker, directed by Zach Gayne (States, Found Viral), is tongue-in-cheek fun with a bucketload of blood in equal measure and will have you second guessing that new friend you made at the gym… Released on digital 24 May 2021 The Carpenter's Son We anticipate that The Carpenter's Son will be less of a retelling and more of a deeply disquieting examination of power, temptation, and the human cost of being chosen. It arrives on 21st November. Eternity Eternity looks set to be a sophisticated, imaginative film that avoids the usual genre clichés by grounding its absurd plot in stellar performances. Kontinental '25 The promotional material and critical buzz surrounding Kontinental ’25 confirm that the winner of the Silver Berlin Bear for Best Screenplay is not only back, but operating at a fever pitch of urgency and daring. Anniversary Kenny Dalglish It's rare for a documentary trailer to stir the soul quite as effectively as the first look at Kenny Dalglish, the upcoming feature focusing on the life and legacy of one of British football's most revered and complex figures. Is This Thing On? Searchlight Pictures has premiered the teaser trailer for Is This Thing On?, and it suggests we are in for a sharp, melancholic comedy that mines the humour and heartbreak of mid-life crisis through the lens of stand-up. Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere The first official trailer for Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, the biopic chronicling the turbulent creation of the 1982 masterpiece Nebraska, has landed. The Bride The latest tease for The Bride, the highly anticipated 2026 offering from Maggie Gyllenhaal, has dropped, and if this brief glimpse is anything to go by, British cinema-goers should prepare themselves for a truly spectacular and unsettling cinematic experience. A Tooth Fairy Tale Overall, the trailer for A Tooth Fairy Tale delivers exactly what it needs to: a clear premise, an exciting quest, and the promise of high-quality vocal performances. Delivery Run From the first stark frames of the trailer for Delivery Run, it is immediately clear that this is a thriller operating under pressure. In Your Dreams "In Your Dreams," a new animated comedy set to enchant audiences. This delightful film, co-directed by Alex Woo and Erik Benson, promises a fantastical journey into the boundless landscape of dreams, arriving on November 14, 2025. A House of Dynamite A House of Dynamite, a gripping new thriller that plunges audiences into a high-stakes global crisis. The trailer for Bigelow's latest offering paints a chilling picture of a world on the brink, arriving in select UK cinemas on October 3rd The Man in My Basement With an intense psychological trailer that leaves you with more questions than answers, Andscape’s new film The Man in My Basement is poised to be a must-watch for UK and Ireland audiences, arriving on Disney+ on Friday, 26th September. Wicked: For Good The final trailer for Wicked: For Good has finally landed, promising an electrifying and emotional conclusion to the untold story of the Witches of Oz. Time Travel Is Dangerous The moment we clapped eyes on the first trailer for Time Travel Is Dangerous, we knew we were in for something special. Blending the charming, grounded sensibility of a classic British comedy with the mind-bending chaos of a high-concept sci-fi flick, this film promises a riotous journey through time and space. Game The trailer for the film GAME, set for release in November 2025, falls squarely into that last category. It's a two-minute masterclass in tension, leaving you with more questions than answers and a palpable sense of unease. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Don Q Don Q will be available on digital platforms in the UK on 15 September, thanks to Reel2Reel Films. John Candy: I Like Me The new documentary, John Candy: I Like Me, directed by Colin Hanks and produced by Ryan Reynolds, offers a poignant and intimate look at the man behind the memorable characters. Eschewing the typical celebratory retrospective, the film embarks on a journey to humanise an icon, exploring his personal struggles, deep-seated anxieties, and the profound impact he had on those who knew him best. Spinal Tap II: The End Continues Spinal Tap II: The End Continues. Set for a glorious return to UK cinemas this September, this film promises to be a welcome, if profoundly daft, comeback for the geriatric rockers.

Read the film podcast transcript from the episode titled The Brutalist - Gene Hackman Movies - UK Film Club Episode 25 on UK Film Club part of the UK Film Review Podcast. < Back The Brutalist - Gene Hackman Movies - UK Film Club Episode 25 Listen to This Episode UK Film Club 00:00:00.00 Chris Olson and I don't know what percentages mean when it comes to my microphone, but I felt 97 was quite high. 00:00:03.21 Brian Penn No. Well, yeah, 97 sounds quite loud, doesn't it? It's a bit like going up to 11, isn't it, in Spinal Start? 00:00:10.54 Chris Olson yeah Which, oh, big news. There's a second one. 00:00:13.13 Brian Penn I know. I know. can't wait to see it. i mean, it's a cult movie, isn't it, really? Particularly if you're a fan of pop music or rock music. 00:00:21.76 Chris Olson And I think it's that... um well, they call it a rockumentary, but even just generally the mockumentary style, right? You think of mockumentaries and like, yeah, it's definitely one of the first ones that comes to mind. 00:00:30.79 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 00:00:33.39 Brian Penn One of the pioneers, weren't they, really? 00:00:34.86 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:00:34.99 Brian Penn Rob Reiner. ah cant Yeah, it was Rob Reiner, wasn't it, that directed it? And he was the narrator, wasn't he, as well? He was doing the interviews, wasn't he? 00:00:42.77 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:00:44.31 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:00:44.64 Chris Olson Yeah. I mean, I love the fact that they've used Stonehenge as the two for there for the poster. I think that's brilliant. Yeah. 00:00:51.24 Brian Penn What I think is brilliant about Spinal Tap, though, is that when the film came out, all the heavy metal bands, all the heavy rock bands were fighting for recognition. Because Foreigner was saying, no, it's about us. And Black Sabbath was saying, no, it's about us. 00:01:04.70 Brian Penn And Whitesnake was saying, it's about us. You know, they all wanted credit for it, you know. But in truth, that there are elements of all those bands, you know, from ken 00:01:15.03 Chris Olson Yeah, it's just like ah sending up all of them, really. 00:01:17.42 Brian Penn yeah 00:01:17.47 Chris Olson It's of a pastiche of everyone. 00:01:18.75 Brian Penn yeah i mean getting lost backstage. That did happen to Foreigner. I remember reading about that. But, you know, it's all based on fact. It's a composite of all those bands, which makes it so good. so you you recognize it straight away. 00:01:32.02 Chris Olson Yeah, in similar fashion, like a film like Spaceballs, as much as it yeah it's taking the mick out of Star Wars, but there's also loads of references to different sci-fi films within that, like um Planet of the Apes and Star Trek and stuff like that. 00:01:40.94 Brian Penn and Yeah. 00:01:45.57 Chris Olson So i think the best sort spoof films are able to take that popular culture genre and really yeah go to town on it. 00:01:46.43 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:01:51.75 Brian Penn yeah yeah 00:01:53.75 Chris Olson But yeah, definitely to love that. 00:01:55.94 Brian Penn Yeah. It's very subtle as well, isn't it? because yeah A film like that, like Spaceballs, The Spinal Tap, you need to watch it a few times to pick up all the new nuances. 00:02:05.06 Chris Olson Definitely, yeah. 00:02:05.69 Brian Penn You know, because they'll take... It's clear where the inspiration is coming from, but it does make you think. It makes you work and you think, where's that come from? And very, very good films are very well thought out, and you do need to watch them a few times before you properly appreciate them, I reckon. 00:02:21.79 Chris Olson And it's funny with films like that, you that have like a very popular mainstream appeal that they become the, like your first exposure to it. So you, for example, like a lot of the references in Spaceballs, I didn't, I saw them there first. 00:02:36.89 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:02:37.04 Chris Olson So then when I saw them in the real world, it was like, oh, oh this is what he's taking a mick out of. 00:02:40.21 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:02:41.00 Chris Olson Right. 00:02:41.14 Brian Penn I know. 00:02:41.28 Chris Olson Okay. I get it now. 00:02:42.63 Brian Penn You end up doing it the the other way around, though, don't you? Because you don't recognise the source, but once you've seen the film, you think, oh, that's where it came from. 00:02:44.86 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:02:49.63 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:02:49.73 Brian Penn So it's it's the other way around, isn't it you know But they keep you in your times, Chris. I like films like that. 00:02:55.69 Chris Olson do And it's, yeah, obviously with them but that Spinal Tap coming back, it's sort of continuing this fashion of resurrecting movies from decades old now and yeah bringing them back to an old and new audience. 00:02:56.51 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:03:05.02 Brian Penn Yeah, I know. 00:03:08.55 Brian Penn Yeah, that's right. 00:03:09.90 Chris Olson so yeah We'll see what happens there, but um I don't think any of those films are in our lineup tonight. 00:03:12.32 Brian Penn Yep. 00:03:16.14 Brian Penn No, no, not so right, no. 00:03:16.27 Chris Olson And yeah, if this is your first time to Film Club, welcome. It's Brian and myself reviewing movies. Brian takes on some similarminar cinema releases. 00:03:26.96 Chris Olson Then we do a um ah streaming pick. 00:03:26.95 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:03:29.99 Chris Olson So that's a film on Netflix or any of those platforms. Then we do a bunch of indie films that have been sent to us to review and we finish up with a nostalgia pick. So that's in a film from yesteryear. 00:03:41.55 Chris Olson Should have been Spinal Tap, really. That would have been an interesting choice. 00:03:43.56 Brian Penn Yeah, yeah, might maybe we'll do that ah on a future episode perhaps. 00:03:44.63 Chris Olson Um... ah But this month we went with a Gene Hackman film following his passing recently. 00:03:51.78 Brian Penn Yeah, oh 00:03:52.82 Chris Olson and And we've gone with Crimson Tide, which I've never seen before. um And I'd watched it for this podcast. 00:03:57.13 Brian Penn you know on 00:03:58.70 Chris Olson So but I'm looking forward to getting into that at the end of the show. 00:04:00.81 Brian Penn yeah. yeah 00:04:01.81 Chris Olson But before we get to that, Brian is going to review The Brutalist. 00:04:06.85 Brian Penn The Brutalist, yes. directed by Brady Corbett, starring Adrian Brody, Felicity Dean and Guy Pearce. So, Laszlo Toth is a visionary architect, fleeing post-war Hungary. 00:04:19.67 Brian Penn Landing in America, he aims to re-establish his reputation, but has to make do with a job in his cousin's furniture business. His wife, Elizabeth, follows on shortly afterwards with niece, Sophia. 00:04:30.96 Brian Penn A commission to design a library leads to a meeting with millionaire Harry Van Buren. He employs Laszlo on an ambitious building project, but it has far-reaching consequences for them both. So that's the outline. 00:04:45.17 Brian Penn Of course, this is a film well represented in the Oscars. Adrian Brody won the Best Actor award. But I have to say, this is the most overrated, overpraised, overblown film I've seen in quite some time. 00:04:55.63 Chris Olson so 00:05:01.51 Brian Penn I'm sorry to say that. I don't like saying this sort of thing about any film. 00:05:03.60 Chris Olson ah 00:05:03.87 Brian Penn I want to be insane. 00:05:04.14 Chris Olson The head of the show, the head of the show you've gone with, it's overblown. 00:05:06.03 Brian Penn I know. I want to be entertained, Chris. I do. You know, but it's just so dull and slow. You know, for once, the running time wasn't an issue for me. 00:05:17.74 Brian Penn ah Three hours, 36 minutes. There was an intermission of 15 minutes in the middle, which is great. You can stretch your legs, go to the toilet, get a drink, whatever. I can't remember the last time there was an interweb, a movie that I went to in the cinema. 00:05:31.88 Brian Penn I wish I'd had it with Oppenheimer, but there you go. 00:05:35.49 Chris Olson Hehehe. 00:05:35.58 Brian Penn um But you see, yeah when it started again, I soon realised that the intermission is actually the best part of the film. um so you know ah just can't figure out what all the fuss is about. 00:05:48.81 Brian Penn I really can't. it's it's It's just not... it doesn't It doesn't grip me at all. In any way, it doesn't engage me. is as I say, it's very dull. It's very slow. 00:06:00.36 Brian Penn The characters aren't particularly sympathetic. As Lode Soth and Harry Wayne Buren. for reasons I won't go into now, ah aren't particularly nice characters. You don't want them very much. 00:06:14.71 Brian Penn Urzabet, played by Felicity Dean, is the only character you feel any empathy with. And I think that was part of the problem for me, is that you don't engage with the characters, you don't buy into them. there's no There are no redeeming features about the two main characters. 00:06:28.14 Brian Penn Having said that, it was all very well acted. um And all three actors were nominated in various categories, in the Oscars and other awards ceremonies. um So, you know, yeah the actors were excellent, right? But I don't feel they had to work that hard to be nominated or for Adrian Brady to get the Oscar for Best Actor. But there you go. 00:06:49.72 Brian Penn It's all very subjective, isn't it? It's all about opinions, but it just didn't it didn't work for me at all. 00:06:52.94 Chris Olson Oh, yeah. 00:06:55.69 Chris Olson Well, you are almost alone with that feeling, um just in terms of... 00:06:59.17 Brian Penn I know. 00:07:00.33 Chris Olson we've had This is probably one of the most reviewed films we've had in terms of listener reviews sending in. um Going back to January, we've had people sending in reviews of The Brutalist. Yeah. 00:07:09.99 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:07:11.66 Chris Olson And all of them have sort of have been four or five stars, but maybe that's because they really liked the film. So I think people maybe didn't like the film, didn't bother writing a review. 00:07:16.93 Brian Penn Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. 00:07:19.36 Chris Olson um But so Callum McAllister gives it four stars and he talks about the break. 00:07:19.86 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:07:24.64 Chris Olson He said, personally, I appreciated the break. The first half of the film is weighted heavily with emotion that it can take some time to reflect on the experiences that Toph has endured and to brace for what is yet to come. 00:07:36.45 Chris Olson As the film begins to meander towards the end, there are moments that arise that feel out of place for me. The second half of the film, I personally feel, does not cherish the emotion at hand as much as the first. um But generally Callum is pretty um right praising of the film. 00:07:51.20 Chris Olson Yes, William Lawkins sent in a review, gives it four stars, gigantuan, magnificent and entrancing expose that strips away the fallacies of the American dream and leaves its vulnerable, vulnerable, indefensible, unveiling the cruelty and suffering. 00:07:58.43 Brian Penn Wow. 00:08:06.36 Chris Olson um John Hours gives it five stars. Absolutely loved it An uncompromising view of a hollow and hopeful dream. 00:08:10.92 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:08:14.49 Chris Olson The great American epic tale is a tale quite familiar to cinema, and but rarely pulled off with much success and goes on to say how the film does that. 00:08:18.78 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:08:23.33 Chris Olson Bill Curzon gives it five stars as well. um And yeah, very good review from Bill Curzon. It's astounding ah extent that Brady has crafted this monumental cinematic epic on a mere $10 million dollars production cost. 00:08:38.54 Brian Penn Well, yeah. 00:08:39.19 Chris Olson One of, if not my favourite film of the year. Brian, I'm guessing this is not your film of the year so far. 00:08:43.65 Brian Penn No, no, it's not. Look, as we've as we've often said in the past, it's all about opinions. 00:08:44.98 Chris Olson No. 00:08:48.47 Brian Penn And I so want to be positive about every film that i watch. 00:08:51.57 Chris Olson Hmm. 00:08:51.75 Brian Penn I want to be gushing with praise for every film that I see, every film that i review. But this one just doesn't work for me at all on any level. And, you know, it's absolutely fair enough that people like it. 00:09:04.54 Brian Penn You know, you can't deny the fact that it that works because so many people like it. You know, it wouldn't win all these awards. 00:09:09.46 Chris Olson Hmm. 00:09:12.08 Brian Penn It wouldn't be nominated unless people liked it. And you've got to respect that view. But for me, no, it was a miss. 00:09:22.06 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:09:23.16 Brian Penn But, you know, they' they're obviously seeing something that I don't see You know, so a couple of the reviews you read out there were talking about the film exposing the American dream, right? 00:09:32.62 Chris Olson yeah 00:09:33.30 Brian Penn and so You know, in many ways that's true, but there are probably other, there are other films that I can't name off the top of my head that expose the American dream a lot better than that for me personally. 00:09:45.05 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:09:45.07 Brian Penn But, you know, I can only give my honest opinion, but um the fact that it is an independently made film as well, I think kind of, shines more of a light on it for people, that it was made for only $10 million. dollars And people would say that's great, an independently made film is getting the attention that it deserves, which is also fair enough. 00:10:07.94 Brian Penn But I he also feel that for a film to win any kind of award, it has to promote great filmmaking. And I just don't think this is. um But here you are, you know. 00:10:20.67 Chris Olson There you go. Well, thank you. 00:10:21.51 Brian Penn it interesting so It's interesting to listen to other people's views, though. 00:10:22.60 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:10:24.95 Brian Penn why Yeah. 00:10:25.07 Chris Olson Oh, absolutely. um You know, and yeah, we say about opinions and just Brian's opinion is more important on this show. No, I'm joking. 00:10:33.95 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:10:34.57 Chris Olson No, not still. Brian, and thank you for your review of that. And thank you to Bill, John, William and Callum who also sent it in those great reviews. I think we had a few more. But i'm I think that's enough sort of be going through. 00:10:45.57 Chris Olson um That was the only cinematic film this month, Brian, I believe. 00:10:49.35 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:10:49.86 Chris Olson But we are going to chuck into the um Oscar winners, um have a little whole chat about that. 00:10:49.94 Brian Penn That's the only one. Yeah. 00:10:53.06 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:10:54.96 Chris Olson Because you made some predictions in the last episode. 00:10:57.31 Brian Penn Yeah, 00:10:57.87 Chris Olson And I think Onora did a lot better than you thought it was going to do, right? 00:11:01.92 Brian Penn yeah i know. Well, what I did was, Chris, so as I knew we were going to be discussing the Oscars, I i watched Anora over the weekend. can and Because it's streaming now, you can you can get it on stream. 00:11:10.10 Chris Olson Oh, nice. 00:11:13.65 Brian Penn um and You know, I thought it was a pretty solid film. um But not what I would call a film that you would find nominated for an Oscar, personally. 00:11:25.73 Chris Olson Mm-hmm. 00:11:25.91 Brian Penn You know, again, it's an independently made film. It's good they're shining a light on that. I mean, we're we're very keen on independent filmmakers getting the attention they deserve, aren't we? But for me, Onora, you know, it won Best Picture, it won Best ah Director for Sean Baker, and it won um Best Actress for Mikey Madison. 00:11:49.42 Brian Penn But I'm not quite sure why, necessarily. like I mean, when you look at the other nominees... For me personally, there there were stronger candidates there. you know um So umm I'm a bit surprised to Nora. i thought um I thought, which film was it? 00:12:06.45 Brian Penn It's the the Mexican feature that I thought was going to... 00:12:09.62 Chris Olson Emilia Perez. 00:12:10.81 Brian Penn Emily Perez, I thought that was going to do the business. But I think they won they were a few awards. But you know when we when we think of the Oscars, we think of Best Picture, Best Director, don't we? 00:12:21.71 Brian Penn Best Actor, Best Actress. 00:12:21.86 Chris Olson Hmm. 00:12:23.89 Brian Penn They're the biggies. And it was an aura. and But, you know, 00:12:27.30 Chris Olson Yeah, Zoe Saldana won Best Supporting Actress for Mia Perez, yeah. 00:12:30.65 Brian Penn that's the one, yeah. Yeah. 00:12:32.44 Chris Olson um But yeah, I was interested in Sean Baker when winning, I've seen quite a few of his previous films and was very impressed. 00:12:38.66 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:12:39.59 Chris Olson i remember with watching the Florida Project and i really enjoyed that. um ah Tangerine and things like that. 00:12:43.10 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:12:45.11 Chris Olson But I think, I haven't seen Honora, but it's always interesting, I think, with the Oscars. They do seem to try and not be too predictable now. um 00:12:54.23 Brian Penn Yeah, that's true enough. 00:12:54.51 Chris Olson But it's interesting it's interesting when a film that, like you say, is not necessarily overwhelming wins in multiple categories. 00:12:55.57 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:13:01.21 Chris Olson But I suppose maybe it just comes down to the voting and how that's done. Yeah. 00:13:04.37 Brian Penn Yeah, yeah, that's true. I think it is pretty much, I don't know, it's a very mysterious process though, isn't it? The Academy and also with the BAFTA as well. 00:13:16.89 Brian Penn BAFTA as well. But yeah, I think you're right though. I think they are trying to broaden its appeal a bit more. They're not being quite as obvious. You know, a few years ago, Conclave might have won the Oscar for Best Picture. 00:13:28.64 Chris Olson I thought that was what was going to win. And that's probably that older thinking of how I feel about the Oscars. 00:13:30.23 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:13:32.69 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:13:33.08 Chris Olson I feel that they were going to pick that, but they didn't. Hmm. 00:13:35.44 Brian Penn Because that won the BAFTA for Best best Film. um Again, very well represented. But it that seems to be the kind of film that would win. And maybe they are trying to get away from that. 00:13:46.66 Brian Penn You know, i mean, as we said before, when you look at the Oscars, the BAFTAs, the Golden Globe Awards, right? You're comparing apples to oranges a lot of the time. And ah don't feel you can really compare Honora with Conclave. 00:14:00.41 Brian Penn It's a completely different film. Honora is about a sex worker who who meets and marries the son of a Russian oligarch. right You can't really compare that with Conclave, for example, which is about a new pope being elected. 00:14:11.35 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:14:15.03 Brian Penn So you can't compare the of them together. But I think it shows that um the Academy are trying to look forward more. and look look outwards so not and not do the obvious thing. 00:14:27.72 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:14:27.76 Brian Penn But at the same time, they need to recognise great filmmaking. Yeah. 00:14:32.05 Chris Olson Well, speaking of, um so The Last Ranger, which we reviewed on, a think, December's episode or January, um The Last Ranger was a short film and about the rhino poaching. 00:14:44.52 Chris Olson We reviewed that, and it managed to get all the way up to the best live-action short finalists. 00:14:49.01 Brian Penn Oh, right. Yeah. 00:14:49.61 Chris Olson It was um in the final five. 00:14:49.91 Brian Penn um 00:14:51.92 Chris Olson It didn't win, unfortunately. 00:14:52.20 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:14:53.20 Chris Olson A film called I'm Not a Robot won. But, yeah, shout-out to The Last Ranger because we reviewed that here, and we loved it. 00:14:57.52 Brian Penn That's great. Yeah. 00:14:59.20 Chris Olson We absolutely loved it. 00:14:59.48 Brian Penn but yeah Well, yeah, well-earned. Very well-earned. 00:15:01.34 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:15:01.71 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:15:01.84 Chris Olson And yeah, I mean, congratulations to everyone, really. It's just nice to have had a little early snippet of a film. 00:15:05.76 Brian Penn Yeah. but ah And perhaps played a small part in promoting the film as well. 00:15:12.88 Chris Olson Oh, well, they definitely said that. What did Chris and Brian think? 00:15:15.12 Brian Penn Yeah, I know. 00:15:15.40 Chris Olson What do they think? 00:15:16.01 Brian Penn Obviously, naturally, yeah, I know. 00:15:17.19 Chris Olson Yeah. um Which we loved it. Yeah, so there we go. 00:15:20.21 Brian Penn Yeah, it was good. 00:15:20.45 Chris Olson um But yeah, thank you, Brian, for the Oscars rundown. 00:15:20.97 Brian Penn Very good. 00:15:23.84 Chris Olson And thank you um to everyone that sent in reviews of cinematic releases. We're moving on to our streaming pick now. um And this was released on Netflix at the end of February, i believe. 00:15:34.24 Brian Penn Oh, 00:15:36.45 Chris Olson It's originally titled Sult, S-U-L-T, but the English language his title is A Copenhagen Love Story. 00:15:39.20 Brian Penn yeah. Hmm. 00:15:44.83 Chris Olson And funny following on from last month, we reviewed Kinda Pregnant um the and the Amy Schumacher which was, know, regrettable. 00:15:51.91 Brian Penn um yeah 00:15:55.60 Chris Olson And... going into a film like this, which, oh albeit slightly different plots, but similarly like a romance story involving preg pregnancy. 00:16:03.79 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:16:05.21 Chris Olson um 00:16:05.21 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:16:06.47 Chris Olson And very, very different film. ah So a successful writer has a sort of um quite young and free lifestyle, but she gets a bit fed up with dating um younger men, a character called Mia, played by Rosalind Minster. 00:16:19.78 Brian Penn Hmm. Hmm. 00:16:22.95 Chris Olson And she decides to... um be okay with that getting into a relationship with Emil, an older man who has children. 00:16:29.12 Brian Penn Hmm. Mm-hmm. 00:16:32.69 Chris Olson He's not old, old, but he's he's a bit older than her. 00:16:34.59 Brian Penn Yeah, I'll do, 00:16:34.77 Chris Olson ah he He already has two children and the two have this ah brilliant romance and enjoy the throes of that young passion. And ah Mia becomes what's known as a bonus mum to those children. 00:16:51.28 Chris Olson So what we would call stepmum or something like that. 00:16:51.77 Brian Penn yeah. 00:16:54.86 Chris Olson Maybe that's term that's been become quite villainised. um But yes, she becomes a bonus mum to the children and decides that she also will now would like to settle down and have a child. 00:16:58.78 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:17:05.48 Chris Olson So Mia and Emil start trying and unfortunately face a lot of complications and hardship in that journey. it's a much more serious story than say Kind of Pregnant but it's also got lots of comedy, there's lots of fun moments in it. 00:17:22.96 Chris Olson What do you think of this one Brian? 00:17:23.08 Brian Penn yeah Yeah, I really liked it. I was really impressed with it 00:17:26.33 Chris Olson Yeah, I thought it was great. 00:17:27.03 Brian Penn The first, yeah, first 20 minutes, though, it kind of felt like a ah traditional breezy rom-com, didn't it? 00:17:33.86 Chris Olson mean 00:17:34.72 Brian Penn Then suddenly, it gets dark and really serious when Mia's convinced that she wants to have a child, that they've got his two children, but she wants a child for the both of them, ah which is a very natural feeling, ah so I guess. 00:17:35.63 Chris Olson It gets really dark. yeah 00:17:50.89 Brian Penn But um then it turns serious, it turns darker, and you see what a couple go through with fertility treatment. And I think it's very well handled, very sensitively written. 00:18:04.07 Brian Penn well acted. I really like the two the two leads. I think they were both really good. ah They acted really well off of each other. um Very, very, very nice film. Very nicely done. 00:18:16.39 Brian Penn Well shot. It uses Copenhagen really well. 00:18:19.74 Chris Olson Oh yeah, it could be a tourist film, couldn't it? 00:18:21.14 Brian Penn Yeah, it could be a film for the Danish Tourist Board, which is no bad thing. You know, when you've got that kind of backdrop and you've got that, you've got that scenery to to shoot against, it becomes even stronger. 00:18:34.81 Brian Penn But yeah, yeah how it has its funny lighter moments, but it has its deadly serious moments. And it shows what a strain can be placed on a relationship when when they're not merely in enjoying intimacy anymore. 00:18:49.64 Brian Penn It's all driven by charts and tests some and measurements and and so on. And it shows how a relationship can be disrupted by that that tension that gets created where it doesn't become natural anymore. 00:19:06.49 Brian Penn It becomes more mechanical to achieve that goal of having a child. So I think that's all very well done, very well observed, well acted. and And the dubbing was pretty decent, you know. 00:19:18.18 Chris Olson I listened... i So I don't normally go with English dubbed. I normally will just go with the original... 00:19:23.25 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:19:23.88 Chris Olson voices But on this occasion, I think I sat down to watch it. I'd had a particularly tiring day. And I thought, you know, I don't want to do too much reading. 00:19:28.33 Brian Penn All right, okay. 00:19:30.09 Chris Olson So I actually, i did the, I had the English voices and they were really good, really good. 00:19:30.61 Brian Penn Yeah, and I... 00:19:35.93 Chris Olson they They fit brilliantly and they really conveyed the emotion. 00:19:36.58 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:19:39.18 Chris Olson Sometimes, you know, when you're listening to it and they're oh, they've done this in a studio and they've just literally, there's no chemistry. 00:19:42.88 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:19:44.44 Chris Olson that Maybe they weren't even with the other actor. But this film is so... 00:19:47.67 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:19:50.08 Chris Olson moving at times there's so much pathos needed that you couldn't have that you had to have that come across with the voice actors and i thought they were brilliant the english ones 00:19:53.26 Brian Penn yeah 00:19:58.44 Brian Penn yeah It's synced really well. And a lot of the time, there is a there was a disconnect between the visuals and and what you hear. But they got it as close as they possibly could. 00:20:11.42 Brian Penn But what I think so but helps, though, is that the Danish language um it is, you know, the phrasing and the vowel sounds are very similar to English. And I think that probably helps it synchronize more. 00:20:24.68 Brian Penn And it makes it more of a better job as a result. 00:20:25.29 Chris Olson yeah yeah because sometimes you watch in a film and i don't know the characters are in Japan or something and obviously the language is just so different that like their characters stop speaking and our character on the voice is still speaking for like another another 10 seconds um 00:20:30.95 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 00:20:35.81 Brian Penn Yeah, and know. Yeah, I know. And that's where you're better off with subtitles when you've got something like that. 00:20:42.75 Chris Olson um No, I thought it was really well done, very smartly put together. The music choices are great um and they really complement the tone of the film. There's a bit where Mia... she gets quite despondent about the whole situation. She goes on like a drunken bender. 00:20:57.13 Chris Olson And that whole scene was done really, really well. 00:20:57.15 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:20:59.63 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:20:59.86 Chris Olson um I love the fact as well that whilst it's looking at quite an age-old thing, right, about a woman gets her own age and you she's expected to have children, but there's also elements in there where it's a lot more about modern relationships and how, you know, like can the dad character, ah he, sorry, Emil, who... 00:21:06.01 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:21:08.95 Brian Penn Well, 00:21:13.12 Brian Penn um 00:21:19.69 Chris Olson He's got his own family. He's getting older in life, but he's still very much in love with Mia and wants to do all that stuff. 00:21:24.95 Brian Penn yeah 00:21:26.27 Chris Olson And like he goes to these appointments for the fertility and often he's just treated like he's not even there. 00:21:31.30 Brian Penn well 00:21:31.42 Chris Olson And like they just talk to her and eventually she snaps and goes, can you just get him a chair? Why has he never got a chair? 00:21:35.69 Brian Penn Yeah. I know. know that's quite funny though, isn't it? Because often when they repeat a visual gag, it doesn't, it's only funny once, but that kit, that is actually quite funny. The more you see it, the funny the funnier it seems, you know, oh, he's got, you and just that expression on his face, he's he's got a very expressive face. 00:21:52.73 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:21:52.75 Brian Penn Yeah. It's the like, I've got to find a chair again, haven't I? Every time they haven't got a chair for him. They've only got a chair for for the mother. And as I say, the more you see that, the funnier it gets because it's just, 00:22:05.30 Brian Penn it's played in a deadpan way until she finally loses her temper. And really like that. It's quite sweet the way that was done. 00:22:11.34 Chris Olson Yeah, it's really clever and really knows its um know is its genres that yeah it's a romance film with bit comedy, bit drama, and it's putting its toes in all the right sections. 00:22:25.39 Chris Olson It knows how to sort of get all that together. 00:22:25.58 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 00:22:27.77 Chris Olson um And I hope people give it a chance the sort of film that I think when people... maybe put it think, oh, yeah what is this? Stick with it. It's really good fun. and 00:22:37.46 Brian Penn Right. 00:22:38.03 Chris Olson and And moving. and And when it gets into that second section, it's it's you're on the journey then. 00:22:41.37 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:22:43.20 Chris Olson It's not just gags anymore. like It's more emotional and compelling. 00:22:45.84 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. So it's absorbing it. As you say, you've got to stick with it. you You know, the um I always say, give any film half an hour before you make any decision about it. 00:22:57.99 Brian Penn um But I think within maybe 15, 20 minutes, it's got you, this film, it's got you hooked. 00:23:02.52 Chris Olson Yeah, yeah, I knew that. 00:23:02.76 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:23:03.72 Chris Olson it went it Whereas the other film, ah yeah Kind of Pregnant, it was within 15 minutes, I was like, oh yeah, I know what we're in for now. 00:23:09.36 Brian Penn I know. 00:23:09.39 Chris Olson I wish I could leave. 00:23:10.74 Brian Penn and I know exactly. But I mean, you were probably glad with that film that you weren't watching it in the cinema. 00:23:15.68 Chris Olson Oh, yeah, 100%. 00:23:15.84 Brian Penn um and 00:23:18.20 Chris Olson But yeah, so yeah, let us know if you watch a Copenhagen Love Story. 00:23:20.38 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:23:21.88 Chris Olson We really enjoyed it. And it's available on Netflix. So yeah, no excuses. Moving on now to the indie film section of our episode, which is where we review a few films that have been sent to us specifically by filmmakers. 00:23:26.84 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:23:29.16 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:23:34.00 Chris Olson They have asked us to review these. 00:23:34.52 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:23:35.87 Chris Olson um And we are always very honoured when that happens. 00:23:39.40 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:23:40.56 Chris Olson What's really lovely as well is when we get filmmakers coming back to us, which is the case with the first film we're going to review. um Yeah, Richard Fisch was reviewed on our festival episode going back a long time ago. 00:23:57.63 Chris Olson Can you remember the name of the film? 00:23:59.36 Brian Penn Oh. Yeah. i Yeah. 00:24:03.19 Brian Penn I remember his name more than one the... 00:24:04.60 Chris Olson putting you on the spot now. 00:24:05.76 Brian Penn Yeah, I know. Yeah. It does, right it rang a few bells for me when ah when I was looking at it. 00:24:11.52 Chris Olson Yeah, so it was a film called What You Can't Promise. 00:24:11.76 Brian Penn No, you're going to... 00:24:14.42 Chris Olson And um yeah, it's where i'm they rent out like an Airbnb and the ah a country house. um And this woman randomly turns up um and like the owner sort of starts to sort of feel a bit weird about but she's 00:24:23.17 Brian Penn Right. 00:24:30.86 Chris Olson But she's got something mysterious about her um 00:24:33.09 Brian Penn Yeah, ah yeah, I remember, I think I remember that, yeah, yeah. 00:24:35.14 Chris Olson Yeah, it was really good film, really enjoyed that. um And yeah, it's great to see Richard's back with a new film um with a very um memorable title. 00:24:45.97 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:24:46.72 Chris Olson I've got clips for all these films, so we're going to ah play a clip of Seven Kills, Three Songs and a Banana. 00:24:48.15 Brian Penn Nice. 00:25:51.39 Chris Olson So, yeah, I mean, if that clip leaves you baffled, don't worry. 00:25:52.34 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:25:55.33 Chris Olson It's it's it's a very natural feeling to have. 00:25:55.67 Brian Penn Yeah, yeah. 00:25:57.69 Chris Olson um 00:25:58.34 Brian Penn yeah 00:25:58.58 Chris Olson So the film is called Seven Kills, Three Songs and a Banana. And it's basically about a character called Amber, who you hear in that clip, ah played by Alexandria Romanoff. She, as you heard there, she does yoga tutorials on YouTube. 00:26:14.25 Chris Olson And the film follows her ah following the death of her friend, Rachel, at the beginning of the movie. um 00:26:20.43 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:26:21.22 Chris Olson And what then ensues from there is that this killer isn't done, as the title suggests. There are going to be more killings. And the whole thing kind of plays out a little bit like ah teen slasher sort of film, but with a very kind of anarchic spirit, lots of craziness going on It's a little bit sort of fourth wall breaking at times and characters that are from the... 00:26:33.02 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:26:39.78 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:26:42.76 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:26:45.58 Chris Olson um LGBTQ plus IA community that and lots of interesting sort subplots going on around this as we try to work out yeah who's the killer, what's going on. 00:26:58.98 Chris Olson um Seven kills, three songs and a banana and one Brian. Go for it, brian what do you think of this one? 00:27:04.13 Brian Penn yeah I really liked it. I don't know how you can't like this. It's so screwball, isn't it, really? 00:27:10.35 Chris Olson Screwable, yeah, definitely, yeah. 00:27:11.49 Brian Penn It's it like a murder-cum-mystery-cum-comedy-cum-horror-cum-musical. I loved the rap um on the introduction. Loved It gets under your skin. you I've got to listen to that again. um You know, I really liked it. um As we always say on a limited budget, they've done a great job with it. 00:27:32.43 Brian Penn in terms of mixing different genres. Um, the scripts can be a bit bumpy at times, but you know, i think you, you take that for, for what it is. Um, you've got to really be on your toes watching it. You've got, you know, you could easily lose track of what's going on. 00:27:48.36 Brian Penn Well, I, I could anyway. Um, the editing could be a bit choppy at times, but i mean, to me, they're all minor, they're minor glitches that you, you always get with an independently made film. 00:28:00.11 Brian Penn Um, it's got a lot going for it. I think it's something really engaging about Amber as a character. It handles quite serious issues, doesn't it? Really. Underneath it all. 00:28:09.38 Chris Olson Yeah. yeah 00:28:10.51 Brian Penn And the phobia, mental health, and grief, and murder itself. So, it it achieves a lot in a limited time frame, on a limited budget. 00:28:21.99 Brian Penn I liked it. I really enjoyed it. 00:28:24.48 Chris Olson Yeah, I'd like the ambition there. The the genre bending is definitely part of it. 00:28:26.93 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 00:28:29.52 Chris Olson You have to go in knowing that they're playing with the format a lot here. 00:28:33.27 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:28:33.36 Chris Olson They're saying that they're aware that this is what it is. 00:28:35.40 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:28:36.76 Chris Olson I think the... um 00:28:37.75 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:28:38.43 Chris Olson i think the budget imperfections can definitely be forgiven. There are certain bits where I did think you need someone to have come and edited this. 00:28:43.42 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:28:48.33 Chris Olson Like someone else needs to come and chop this up because there are just bits that just kind of went on. 00:28:48.67 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 00:28:52.82 Chris Olson but too on there's there's There's a scene, what's meant to be a nightclub, It doesn't really look anything like a nightclub, but it's meant to be. 00:28:58.25 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:28:59.33 Chris Olson And it was given so much time to linger that I just thought we're just we're here too long. 00:29:02.38 Brian Penn yeah 00:29:04.83 Chris Olson like we' we're but We're being made aware of how low budget this is because it's just going on so long. 00:29:05.36 Brian Penn i yeah And know. 00:29:09.50 Chris Olson ah But there was a point to it ah in terms of but the story. But it just, yeah, they needed to be a bit more brutal with the the cutting. 00:29:16.59 Brian Penn A bit more, yeah, bit more ruthless. 00:29:17.24 Chris Olson Yeah. I think some of you're right about the script. Some of the dialogue between the characters felt like they were a little bit unfamiliar maybe with the lines or didn't like have much time to rehearse because it just needed a bit more. 00:29:26.89 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:29:29.37 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:29:30.71 Chris Olson Say what the best chemistry I saw was when she was having therapy, her with a therapist. Those were the strongest scenes. He was very good. I must say um the actor that played the therapist, those scenes were, 00:29:39.97 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:29:43.27 Chris Olson really grounded it a bit to go oh do know what actually yeah here we go like this is something we can kind of catch on to and a lot of the other scenes were quite wayward it was like oh you gotta try and you say you gotta try and keep up with this what is what's going but I found yeah that those therapy scenes were really good 00:29:53.19 Brian Penn and Yeah. 00:29:57.50 Brian Penn Yeah. I know. and But what's interesting though, Chris, is that you've raised a good point about scenes between a character and the therapist. they're often They often bring a story into sharper focus, don't they? Not just in this film, but in a lot of films, because it allows the character to breathe a bit more. and You learn a bit more about the character because they're sitting in front of an expert, a mind expert, who gets them to talk more. 00:30:25.81 Brian Penn So that's often the case. And it's probably a good move to throw in ah section where a character is talking to a therapist because they're talking about the way they feel. and it And it fleshes out the character more. 00:30:37.35 Brian Penn so I think that was probably important for the film overall. Yeah. 00:30:40.86 Chris Olson Yeah, has that like ability to like reveal inner monologues in a natural way because they have to like reveal those things, things that you wouldn't normally just say out loud. 00:30:44.95 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:30:48.41 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:30:48.98 Chris Olson So yeah, ah that that worked quite well. um I think the moments in the film where they're trying to sort of raise these important issues in quite a flippant way could put people off. so like it reminded me a little bit of Grand Theft Auto, where if you're listening to Grand Theft Auto, you're you're playing it, and the radio will just have random things come on. 00:31:12.19 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:31:12.44 Chris Olson And this was happening in this film. like The radio was talking about like some really serious issues, and then it would just like turn off. 00:31:17.92 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:31:18.96 Chris Olson And it was okay like, okay, you're just going to mention that. 00:31:19.99 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:31:22.11 Chris Olson um 00:31:22.24 Brian Penn yeah 00:31:23.00 Chris Olson But if i it's the tone of the film. It's very much a cheeky slasher. It's it's almost more like a so like were talking earlier about spoof movies. 00:31:28.89 Brian Penn yeah 00:31:32.11 Chris Olson It's almost spoofing it all and going... 00:31:32.34 Brian Penn yeah yeah 00:31:34.36 Chris Olson Isn't this bonkers? 00:31:35.66 Brian Penn yeah 00:31:35.68 Chris Olson And it is bonkers when they're talking about the things they're talking about. um There's lots of things that come up. And yeah, I guess I've not seen anything like it I'll be honest. 00:31:41.36 Brian Penn yeah 00:31:45.24 Chris Olson I've not seen anything like this. 00:31:45.65 Brian Penn um oh 00:31:47.11 Chris Olson And it's great when people do push the bar. I think if you're going to do it and expect... ah mainstream audience, you're going to need a lot more budget. You need to really make it slick and it needs to be a lot. 00:31:56.56 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:31:58.46 Chris Olson but But I think on an indie level, it works because people are going to forgive those things which are a little bit like, okay, yep, you needed someone else in there for that and then more more crew for that. 00:31:58.61 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:32:01.55 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:32:04.69 Brian Penn Well, well, yeah. 00:32:08.20 Chris Olson But yeah. 00:32:08.77 Brian Penn Yeah. I mean, you could say that's part of his charm in some ways when it when you're servicing the film within 00:32:12.18 Chris Olson Oh, yeah. 00:32:15.05 Brian Penn the indie context, but if you want to broader than that, yeah, it would need a lot tidying up, but you you appreciate that's the constraints they're working within. But um aside from that, it works. You can see what they're what they're what they're trying to do straight away, and um it's it's fun. It's very enjoyable in that way. 00:32:35.80 Chris Olson And I definitely counted more than one banana. It says a banana in the title, I thought I saw more than one banana. I'm sure I did. 00:32:41.01 Brian Penn um Really? I'm not sure. 00:32:43.59 Chris Olson um... maybe 00:32:45.25 Brian Penn That's a great title for a film, by the way, as well. 00:32:47.86 Chris Olson It is, and I think it kind of goes in line with that tone that they're shooting from. and And yeah, shout out to Richard. 00:32:52.28 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:32:54.78 Chris Olson He did a great job. He's originally from the UK, so it's nice to see. 00:32:56.02 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:32:58.92 Chris Olson um 00:32:59.01 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:33:00.22 Chris Olson It's called a US culture shock. um I think that is yeah fairly yeah apps apt for what's going there. 00:33:07.49 Brian Penn Yeah, I think it's... 00:33:09.28 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:33:09.37 Brian Penn Yeah, for a description. Yeah. 00:33:10.98 Chris Olson The musical numbers are pretty fun, I must say. They do the musical numbers in the film. 00:33:13.28 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:33:14.69 Chris Olson um 00:33:14.79 Brian Penn i 00:33:15.51 Chris Olson Yeah, they're quite funny. So, yeah, Seven Kills, Three Songs and a Banana. Amber ah Jackson on the site reviewed this last almost last year. Actually, yeah, pretty much last year. 00:33:27.39 Chris Olson And, yeah, go read her review and see what she says about She liked the film. 00:33:30.46 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:33:33.08 Chris Olson She gave it three out five. um And I think it's one of those movies that you are going to Enjoy it if you go in with the right mindset. 00:33:43.58 Chris Olson If you happen to stumble on this accidentally and don't know what you're in for, it could come across as very confusing. 00:33:43.85 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:33:49.63 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:33:50.36 Chris Olson And, yeah. 00:33:50.43 Brian Penn I think, yeah, like I agree. It's not the type of film you'd watch if you were just channel hopping and land on it one one one evening. 00:33:55.33 Chris Olson Hmm. 00:33:58.03 Brian Penn I don't know. 00:33:58.83 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:33:59.46 Brian Penn I think, yeah, I think you need to be in the right frame of mind for it. It's that kind of film, but, you know, you take that on board, it's it's all good. 00:34:04.41 Chris Olson Oh. 00:34:07.73 Chris Olson So good. And you want to find out more about Richard here, he has a website, richardfish.com. i know if it's Fisch or Fish. I never know. I should have asked him, really. 00:34:17.01 Brian Penn would go for fish, actually. 00:34:17.27 Chris Olson ah and yeah F... 00:34:18.31 Brian Penn There's no E on the end, so. 00:34:19.56 Chris Olson Yeah, F-Y-S-H. Fish. We'll Richard Fish. 00:34:21.55 Brian Penn Fish, fish. 00:34:22.87 Chris Olson Badly enough, I have actually... We met on when we did the um festival. He who was on one of the filmmaker things. 00:34:26.91 Brian Penn All right. 00:34:28.33 Chris Olson I should have asked him then. 00:34:28.84 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:34:29.77 Chris Olson Apologies, Richard. 00:34:29.83 Brian Penn I know. 00:34:31.04 Chris Olson um But yeah, he has a website. 00:34:31.07 Brian Penn Never mind. We're sorry, aren't 00:34:33.14 Chris Olson And also Film Freeway has the film on there. but I don't think you can watch it. ah But there's a trailer, I believe. So if you search Seven Kills, Three Songs and a Banana on Google, it's likely you're going to find the right pages. 00:34:41.29 Brian Penn we? 00:34:46.87 Chris Olson You'll find our review, you'll find the IMDb page and you'll find the Film Freeway page. So have a look on there and watch the trailer because it is unlike anything we've seen in a long time. 00:34:57.37 Chris Olson so 00:34:57.59 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:34:58.61 Chris Olson Moving on to our next movie, short film that Jason reviewed previously on the website called The Mix. And here is a clip. 00:35:05.81 Brian Penn Lovely. 00:35:08.03 Brian Penn lovely 00:36:09.85 Chris Olson there we go i mean that was absolutely banging in my headphones that was that was that was such a good clip but it was it really threw me right back into the film um so yeah short film uh written and directed by christian lamorte and yeah as i said jason reviewed on website and he'd given it four stars this is um earlier this year and i was really intrigued to watch it uh the filmmaker had reached out about the podcast and that was great that they submitted it for the 00:36:12.92 Brian Penn Yeah, I know. Yeah. 00:36:15.92 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 00:36:36.67 Chris Olson show. So it's a about a funny enough about podcast. and so They have a podcast, lot more controversial than ours. 00:36:41.67 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:36:44.33 Brian Penn Yeah. Just as much, yeah. 00:36:44.99 Chris Olson And as you can get from that clip, they're going to have someone on the show who is causing quite a stir. And there is a lot of opposition to what they're planning on doing, what they're planning on saying. 00:36:56.40 Chris Olson So whilst the podcast is being recorded, there is a growing discontent outside of the studio. And it looks as if the opponents to whatever is going to be said by this um sociologist, I believe. 00:37:11.65 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:37:11.80 Chris Olson Is it sociologist? Or is it a... It's like a... 00:37:14.34 Brian Penn um Psychologist, clinical psychologist. 00:37:15.72 Chris Olson Psychologist, yeah, yeah. Clinical psychologist, sorry. 00:37:17.81 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:37:18.03 Chris Olson um Who, yeah, is talking about this IQ-enhancing serum that's been developed. 00:37:23.55 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:37:24.65 Chris Olson And, yeah, it's it's one of those films where... It's very much capturing the climate that we're seeing in culture right now, the dialogue that's going on about what you can and can't say, you what happens if you you someone says something you don't disagree that you disagree with, should they be allowed to say these things, yeah what's the responsibility of platforms in this situation, yeah do they just let whatever else go on or yeah is should there be some form of censorship to keep people safe. 00:37:35.31 Brian Penn Hmm. Yeah. Hmm. 00:37:48.01 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:37:54.33 Chris Olson And the mix is, is a it's as you heard that clip, it's adrenaline-fuelled. It is so, it's not just like, because you could just easily have this as just a podcast, right? 00:38:00.99 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:38:04.66 Chris Olson It could have just been like a little podcast clip. 00:38:05.58 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:38:06.40 Chris Olson But they throw in this whole kind of like action movie in the background of what's going on. 00:38:06.39 Brian Penn ah no yeah 00:38:09.92 Brian Penn yeah 00:38:11.75 Chris Olson All these clips of people getting upset and viral things. And it was just, it was full on and really engaging. 00:38:18.56 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:38:19.34 Chris Olson What did you think of the mix, Brian? 00:38:20.87 Brian Penn I thought it was really, really good. I was really impressed with it. um As you say, it's kind of packed, isn't it, with dialogue and sound effects and music. and It really shows them how powerful social media can be now. 00:38:35.34 Brian Penn That messages can be disseminated so quickly and reach thousands in a matter of seconds. And I love the way the attention was being cranked up. Not too quickly. I mean, it's a short film, right? it's It's going to fill that space very quickly. But, um you know, the engineer, Becca, she senses the danger of what's what's happening because she can hear what's going on. 00:38:57.65 Brian Penn And she urges him to stop stop the ah the podcast. But the the reaction gets more and more aggressive, doesn't it? Because you can see all the messages coming in. um And they have an angry mob gathering outside the studio. 00:39:10.17 Brian Penn And a lot of this You don't actually see. I mean, what's going on outside the studio, you don't see much of. But it's all contained in that dialogue between the characters. 00:39:20.73 Brian Penn It's really good. You've got to be impressed by this, the way it's put together. Really good. 00:39:25.01 Chris Olson So the filmmaker actually provided us with a little that ah statement about the film. So the mix was born out of a frustration and anger with people close to me parroting headlines and trending topics without ever truly taking the time to investigate them. 00:39:40.67 Chris Olson And even worse, changing their personalities to fit those narratives. The paradox is stark. Mindlessly diving into online rabbit holes distorts your mind and your relationships, but total disengagement may be even more damaging to the collective. 00:39:54.60 Chris Olson Though its biting style and dramatic narrative, my hope is that... Sorry, through its biting style and dramatic narrative, my hope is that the mix both entertains and challenges viewers to ask themselves, what is my individual role in our collective issues? 00:40:08.29 Chris Olson And... It is that deep. It honestly is one of those. 00:40:11.41 Brian Penn Yeah, 00:40:11.84 Chris Olson I love it when we get a short film like this that really manages to say something profound in a very short space of time in a way that also feels like a big budget action movie. 00:40:12.22 Brian Penn thanks. yeah 00:40:17.81 Brian Penn Yeah. and 00:40:23.56 Brian Penn no um Yeah. 00:40:23.85 Chris Olson It honestly did. I love the way that the characters were like talking over each other. It really created this sort sense of impending like you importance. And yeah, I thought it was really moving. 00:40:33.57 Brian Penn Yeah. But, I mean, even though the characters were often talking over each other you could still follow what was going on. 00:40:38.89 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:40:39.42 Brian Penn Sometimes that can be distracting, right? But, mean, this is where the tension is growing and that all the cat characters are panicking, aren't they, about what but the impacts what the effects are ah of what's going on, of what's happening. 00:40:53.31 Brian Penn And, you know, the the director's summary there, or synopsis, it's a good one, but you don't appreciate first time around how deep it is, but it is saying something really important about social media platforms and the way they operate. 00:41:08.05 Brian Penn You know, ah as a kid growing up, I used to dream about having 00:41:12.54 Chris Olson Thank 00:41:13.40 Brian Penn that degree of control of being able to broadcast in that way. right Back then, you know ah it didn't exist. But now we've got it, haven't we? That we've got this platform to voice our own views. 00:41:26.26 Brian Penn But at the same time, you know you appreciate what the dangers could be when those messages are interpreted and twisted and given a ah different spin. It's really good. 00:41:38.45 Brian Penn You've got to be impressed with that. Really have. 00:41:40.35 Chris Olson Yeah, yeah. um I think the themes of it are really compelling. You know, we've already mentioned, um but like the hyperactive reaction of the age we live in, I think that's just something that, even for me, i was i wasn't aware quite how much that would lead me to think about after the film finished. 00:41:58.71 Chris Olson I was i was still thinking things like COVID and stuff like that. 00:41:59.13 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:42:01.63 Chris Olson mean, you're thinking about all the narratives that were being put out. and how you you went along with things, and a headline would really shape how you thought about something. Yeah, it's it's a really thought-provoking movie, but I also really loved the production of it. 00:42:09.02 Brian Penn Yeah. Definitely. 00:42:13.49 Chris Olson The sound design is brilliant. As you heard in that clip, the sound design, it just felt like you were on a roller coaster or some kind of yeah moving train. 00:42:15.25 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:42:22.72 Chris Olson it just Everything felt really palpable. 00:42:25.24 Brian Penn Yeah, I know, yeah. 00:42:25.92 Chris Olson um Yeah, brilliant. It's like this sort of cacophony of angry soundbites going on. 00:42:28.45 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:42:31.54 Chris Olson that 00:42:31.92 Brian Penn What? 00:42:32.53 Chris Olson You're feeling that... 00:42:33.82 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:42:33.87 Chris Olson that that temperature gauge rise, like you're watching it going, yeah, I can feel how this is, everyone's getting stirred, right? They're being stirred by this. And that's the sort of, that's the culture we live in now. 00:42:45.63 Chris Olson um 00:42:46.18 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:42:46.58 Chris Olson And like the hosts are quite obnoxious. yeah know, they've got this quite sort of like, 00:42:49.60 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:42:51.31 Chris Olson cocky smalm to them as if they know what they're doing and know exactly what they're doing what game they're playing it's obviously tapping into council culture you know should people get you removed and and stuff like that um but it's relentless it honestly was so relentless that it's a bit of an exhausting film to watch and i must say you you finish it you go oh gosh 00:42:52.88 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. Smug. Yeah. Hmm. 00:42:58.96 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:43:05.31 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:43:08.96 Brian Penn Yeah. know. 00:43:10.86 Chris Olson But that, I think, reflects what it's talking about, right? 00:43:11.05 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:43:13.58 Chris Olson It's talking about that we have this like non-stop access to news and and ideas and yeah and things that we have to almost, we feel like we have to partake or we have to completely ignore. 00:43:14.81 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:43:17.63 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:43:24.48 Chris Olson But with youo there's a ah role there that we play as the consumer, which is a terrible word, really. 00:43:25.94 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:43:30.25 Chris Olson But it is that we are consuming these things. Yeah. 00:43:32.62 Brian Penn Yeah. And we're all buying into it, aren't we? We're buying into that that way of life because this there's no way you couldn't. you know so To live a modern life means that you buy into social media platforms. You you buy in into what's on the on available online. 00:43:49.03 Brian Penn There's no choice but to do that. But at the same time, it makes you think, you know, it is thought-provoking, as you say. 00:43:53.07 Chris Olson Thank 00:43:57.93 Brian Penn But very good, though. 00:43:58.26 Chris Olson um And shout out to um the the actress who played Becca, Sofia Lucia Parola. 00:43:59.20 Brian Penn Really impressive. 00:44:03.36 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:44:05.40 Chris Olson She was like the the grounding the film really need. like 00:44:09.10 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:44:09.38 Chris Olson She's the like conduit that you go into the movie as if to say, oh gosh, like she's trying to sort of make sense of it all and she's worried about the reaction that's growing outside, but she's also conscious of her role within this platform, here this podcast. 00:44:16.93 Brian Penn Yeah. but yeah yeah 00:44:22.91 Chris Olson Yeah, great performance. 00:44:23.34 Brian Penn She's the voice of reason, isn't she, really? 00:44:25.70 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:44:26.37 Brian Penn But yeah, good cast. The guy that played the um ah play the ah the DJ, the presenter, was very good as well. 00:44:34.11 Chris Olson Yeah, yeah, yeah. And yeah, played Palermo. 00:44:36.57 Brian Penn Thomas Philip O'Neill. 00:44:39.67 Chris Olson Palermo's Perspectives, wasn't it? Yeah. 00:44:41.66 Brian Penn Yeah, yeah. Trips off the tongue, doesn't it? 00:44:43.49 Chris Olson Yeah. You should do actually. Brian's Perspectives on films. Yeah. 00:44:47.48 Brian Penn Yeah, why not? 00:44:49.20 Chris Olson Yeah, and I think the the movie works on multiple layers. And I think depending on like your own core value system, the way you watch it will probably affect the way that you come out of the film. 00:45:00.41 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:45:00.56 Chris Olson Because it does tap into some really divisive motifs, you know things that are going to... I think that's the point of it. is It knows what it's doing. Yeah. But yeah, great production. 00:45:12.46 Chris Olson I thought camera was really good. As said, the sound was great. 00:45:13.90 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:45:14.84 Chris Olson The editing is really snappy and and quick and it's quite harsh at times and it you really keeps that momentum going. 00:45:21.31 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:45:22.43 Chris Olson It is, yeah, it it was really powerful film. I really enjoyed it. Yeah. 00:45:26.42 Brian Penn Really high production base as well for an independently made film, so. Good on him. 00:45:31.50 Chris Olson good honour Good on him. Good on Christian Lamorte. If you want to follow Christian, he is on Instagram. 00:45:34.03 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:45:37.54 Chris Olson ah Christian Lamorte. We've tagged him, I believe, in some of the posts we've done for the mix. um So you should be able to find him pretty easy. And yeah, go and read Jason's review on the website. 00:45:48.58 Chris Olson And there is a trailer there as well. You can watch the trailer for the mix. 00:45:51.21 Brian Penn Nice. 00:45:52.49 Chris Olson um which you largely heard mostly in in that clip. So it's really worth watching. 00:45:57.31 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:45:58.44 Chris Olson I don't think the film is out. I think it is on a, um yeah, it's on a password link. So I think it's doing like a festival run and that sort of part, you know, that's where it's at right now. 00:46:09.62 Chris Olson But once it's once it's available, hopefully Christian will be able signpost you to that one. Moving on now to our last indie film of the episode. Again, great title with this one. 00:46:21.57 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:46:21.97 Chris Olson My goodness, what title. 00:46:23.21 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:46:23.36 Chris Olson ah The Ego Death of Queen Cecilia. And I'm going to play a clip from the film right now. 00:46:29.93 Brian Penn Lovely. 00:47:17.95 Brian Penn you 00:47:54.65 Chris Olson Not sure if I played the clip twice there. um So, yeah, um' I'm just going to say it right now. 00:47:56.35 Brian Penn yeah 00:48:00.39 Chris Olson This is the the best film I've seen this year. Honestly, that so far this year, this is the best film I've seen. 00:48:04.08 Brian Penn Really? 00:48:06.14 Chris Olson Now, bear in mind, I don't watch as many films as Brian does, but I was watching this film. 00:48:08.76 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:48:11.49 Chris Olson I'm really into this. This has got a kind of almost had a bit of a nomad feel just in terms of like the the tone and the atmosphere of it. 00:48:12.86 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:48:17.10 Brian Penn yeah 00:48:17.65 Chris Olson felt quite sort of like you got this almost ah solitary female character yeah doing her thing. 00:48:22.66 Brian Penn yeah 00:48:24.32 Chris Olson But then it, oh, the gear changed and it does. I was not expecting that. 00:48:27.62 Brian Penn Hello. 00:48:29.04 Chris Olson I won't spoil it, but there's a bit on a car park and I was just like, 00:48:29.76 Brian Penn Hello. Yeah. Hello. 00:48:33.12 Chris Olson Oh my God, what is happening in this film? 00:48:34.98 Brian Penn Hi, 00:48:35.26 Chris Olson It is absolutely brilliant. I really enjoyed it. 00:48:38.47 Brian Penn yeah. 00:48:39.37 Chris Olson um 00:48:40.23 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:48:40.30 Chris Olson it's ready ah so It's directed by Chris Beer and co-written with Daniel Wolfman. It's about, as you heard there, a character, ah Queen Cecilia, she's known as, um who was a huge was a famous YouTuber at the peak of her time, making lots of bank. 00:48:51.28 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:48:54.20 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:48:57.96 Chris Olson And eventually... yeah but what What we see her in the future, she's now ah delivering parcels ah for Amazon. 00:49:04.46 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:49:05.08 Chris Olson Obviously, things haven't gone particularly well for her. 00:49:06.64 Brian Penn Hmm. Hmm. 00:49:07.84 Chris Olson She's trying to hustle back into yeah that lifestyle. She wants to get the help of gurus to yeah make her a star again. um But life probably isn't going to go that way. 00:49:20.50 Chris Olson She tries to hustle someone ah for money. who then flips the script back on her and she finds herself mixed in with some very shady characters, one of whom it is played by Holt Boggs. 00:49:36.42 Chris Olson Now, Holt, again, this is a throwback to the festival, Brian. 00:49:40.67 Brian Penn Mm, right. 00:49:41.01 Chris Olson Do you remember Holt? Do you remember the film he was involved in 00:49:44.63 Brian Penn ah ah Again, I recognise the name, but could I put a song? 00:49:48.81 Chris Olson it was a short film called Crazy where they're in a diner and he's, it was a very, I think it was 10, 20 minutes, it felt like heat. The movie felt like heat. 00:50:00.34 Chris Olson And yeah. 00:50:00.37 Brian Penn Oh, right, okay, yeah, yeah, I know, yeah. 00:50:02.71 Chris Olson um And yeah, he was in that. And I saw him in this, that's a whole box. So I reached out to him afterwards. 00:50:06.53 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:50:08.67 Chris Olson I said, oh mate, I love the, um well i absolutely love the film. and Yeah. 00:50:11.38 Brian Penn yeah 00:50:12.05 Chris Olson So it was great to see him. But the ego death of Queen Cecilia, Brian, what do you think? Because I love it. 00:50:18.06 Brian Penn I really, really liked it. ah You know, I i think it's, it's seen it again, a bit like the mix. It's seen with the effects of, um, social media, the fact that we live our lives through the internet. 00:50:33.29 Brian Penn I mean, Cecilia as a character, I think fascinating really because it shows how transient, uh, uh, the internet and social media can be, that you can be favourite of the month one minute and you can be in the depths of obscurity the next, you know, and she's reduced to low-level hustling to try and get back on track. um I think Jo Schaeffer was excellent in that role. 00:50:56.56 Brian Penn Apparently, it's her first acting role of any description. 00:50:59.72 Chris Olson I was going to say, yeah, she's never acted before. 00:51:02.26 Brian Penn That is that's quite an achievement. if If she's never acted before, ah to come across that way as being so, she's a natural person. you You couldn't so say say otherwise. 00:51:13.68 Brian Penn i I think it's great. I think it's really good. It's challenging. It's intelligent. And, you know, and there's a few surprises along the way as well. um But I love the the opening titles came up with a quote that really stuck in my mind as well. 00:51:28.43 Brian Penn Delusions are as necessary to our happiness as reality. That's so perceptive, isn't it? To say that it's a bit like saying, well, the truth it is inconvenient sometimes, you know. 00:51:40.19 Brian Penn Reality isn't always what we're looking for. And that's quite deep in itself. And it it kind of sets the focus for what what she wants and what she needs and what she might end up with as a character. 00:51:51.61 Chris Olson Because she's like an addict, right? It's what's interesting. 00:51:53.57 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:51:53.77 Chris Olson You watch the movie. that She's addicted to the lifestyle that she had, yeah that that celebrity that status that she'd achieved. 00:51:56.08 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 00:52:01.13 Chris Olson And it's really, obviously, we've seen that done in film so many times in terms of a character with a substance abuse. 00:52:04.06 Brian Penn yeah 00:52:06.78 Chris Olson But when it's ah an addiction to a lifestyle or a role that you felt you had 00:52:06.83 Brian Penn yeah 00:52:10.48 Brian Penn Yeah. Hmm. 00:52:12.77 Chris Olson it was really well done. I loved how, um, introspective she was that you could tell she had this like determination on her at all times that she was so focused on that goal. 00:52:14.54 Brian Penn Oh. 00:52:20.51 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:52:23.93 Chris Olson And every moment that came up in the film, there's so many twists and turns and things that happened, but every time she just shifted it back to, okay, but how does this support me getting back to my goal? 00:52:28.37 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:52:34.32 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:52:34.34 Chris Olson How did, how can I turn this into an opportunity to get back to being who I was? 00:52:35.22 Brian Penn yeah 00:52:39.19 Brian Penn yeah 00:52:39.27 Chris Olson And, It was absolutely mesmerising. And there's so many scenes where she's on her own. 00:52:43.22 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:52:44.88 Chris Olson She's not with other people. that She'll be like ah in her car or on ah on her route delivering things. and it's like Or like, I don't want to spoil the later latter end of the film, but when she gets involved with the shady people, there's lots of scenes where she's just doing something. 00:52:55.42 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:52:59.55 Chris Olson She's not talking. But I just was gripped. 00:53:00.84 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:53:02.08 Chris Olson was absolutely gripped. Brilliant. 00:53:03.18 Brian Penn No. um shit i mean I mean, it's impressive. 00:53:05.26 Chris Olson Brilliant. 00:53:06.68 Brian Penn It's an impressive piece of filmmaking, an impressive piece of acting as well. um The But what came comes through so strong for me, though, is that it shows how transient. 00:53:17.40 Brian Penn She's an influencer, right? Pretty much. But then, for various reasons, she falls from grace. She loses that following. And it shows how transient fame can be on the internet, doesn't it? 00:53:29.13 Brian Penn And how you how you can be intoxicated by the attention, by being rated and being liked, by people you've never met. You know, it's such a clever exposition of social media platforms, and how they concern ordinary people into stars overnight, but how they concern them back into non-entities overnight as well. 00:53:53.37 Brian Penn ah That's what's frightening about it. But again, one word i have to come back to, these independent films we're reviewing tonight, just so impressive. 00:54:06.77 Brian Penn you know It becomes much more than an independent film. but you You sense that this film has got legs beyond independent filmmaking scene. 00:54:16.58 Chris Olson Yeah, and I think with the earlier two films that reviewed, I'm not sure what the budget was with them. With this film, it feels like it's got a little bit more maybe to it. 00:54:26.94 Chris Olson It's it's quite a slick production. 00:54:27.52 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:54:28.26 Chris Olson It feels, you know, you could see this on Netflix, Prime, yeah all those it easily. 00:54:28.82 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:54:31.82 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah, I think so, yeah, definitely. 00:54:34.61 Chris Olson I think it's had some very good ah festival representation. 00:54:34.63 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:54:38.68 Chris Olson It was at the Austin Film Festival. and it won Best Feature at Dances with Films New York. um Yeah, it's been some some of those ones where I think they were at South by Southwest as well ah when I spoke to the um filmmaker about Clip. 00:54:53.31 Chris Olson And yeah, I think it's ah it's a pretty like big indie film, if you know mean. It's one of those ones that we're going to see more of. 00:54:58.09 Brian Penn Yeah. I don't 00:55:00.60 Chris Olson And I feel, honestly, it's going to end up one of those sort of low riding films are suddenly going to just pop out. everything else yeah Oh my God, have you seen this film? 00:55:09.11 Brian Penn know. 00:55:09.14 Chris Olson And I'm going to say now you heard it here first. All right. Honestly, we're probably one of the first people to review this. Um, it it's absolutely brilliant. 00:55:13.94 Brian Penn but Yeah. 00:55:16.02 Chris Olson I really, really loved it. 00:55:17.37 Brian Penn No, it's good. 00:55:17.74 Chris Olson I, 00:55:19.09 Brian Penn It's very, very good. 00:55:20.71 Chris Olson Yeah, eat The Ego Death of Queen Cecilia. I feel like i I need to move on because going to just yeah ramble non-coherently about how much I love this movie. 00:55:28.46 Brian Penn yeah 00:55:30.49 Chris Olson um But before I do, yeah, so you can find them at Wet Denim Productions on Instagram. ah Yeah, definitely. We haven't yet reviewed this on the site. 00:55:40.75 Chris Olson I think I'm i'm due to review it. So I need to a time to yeah process my feelings and make them into coherent review. 00:55:46.93 Brian Penn Yeah, ah you yeah, yeah. 00:55:48.46 Chris Olson um 00:55:48.58 Brian Penn Yeah, absolutely. 00:55:49.38 Chris Olson But yeah, really, really enjoyed it. It was absolutely brilliant. I think it's great when we get a film like that come to us because... It's just an honour. 00:56:01.30 Chris Olson They all were, all three of the films that we've reviewed in the section today. 00:56:01.36 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. um absolutely yeah yeah 00:56:05.00 Chris Olson um i think it's great, especially when we get people come back to us as well, like with Holt Boggs in this film and and Richard. 00:56:10.41 Brian Penn um 00:56:12.53 Chris Olson It's great that we get to see that momentum, that progression and yeah where people are going. So, yeah, fabulous. 00:56:18.13 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:56:19.39 Chris Olson Thank you to everyone who um sends us their films. 00:56:19.94 Brian Penn Yeah, 00:56:22.52 Chris Olson We are moving on to the final section of our show, which is where we review a film from yesteryear. And we're going back 30 years, um which is what we did with Braveheart last month. 00:56:32.18 Brian Penn we did. Yeah. 00:56:34.70 Chris Olson um 00:56:35.28 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:56:35.66 Chris Olson but We're going back this time to Crimson Tide, a Tony Scott film, which I had never seen before. 00:56:35.82 Brian Penn yeah 00:56:41.27 Chris Olson But to be honest, I will say this. It felt like I had seen it before because it's the type of like Cold War thriller that has been done. 00:56:46.08 Brian Penn yeah Yeah. 00:56:48.94 Chris Olson Right. 00:56:49.33 Brian Penn Yeah, of course it has. Yeah, absolutely. 00:56:50.26 Chris Olson hunt for red October all that sort of stuff. 00:56:51.17 Brian Penn Yeah. yeah yeah yeah 00:56:53.36 Chris Olson But we did it ah because of the passing of Gene Hackman, and and we might talk a little about some other films that we like Gene in. 00:56:56.80 Brian Penn um Yeah. 00:57:01.04 Chris Olson um But yeah, you want to do the synopsis on this one, Brian? 00:57:03.72 Brian Penn Yeah. no Sure. Cool. So directed by Tony Scott, as you just mentioned, starring Jim Hackman, Denzel Washington and Viggo Mortensen. um Nice, nice, straightforward storyline. But as you say, Chris, 00:57:16.99 Brian Penn A very familiar storyline. It's been done many, many times. ah Set on a US nuclear submarine, Captain Ramsey and Executive Officer Hunter clash over orders to launch weapons against a hostile Russian vessel. 00:57:31.11 Brian Penn And this is basically a power struggle, isn't it? um It's the two commanding officers on the submarine arguing over what an order means, the order being to launch nuclear missiles. 00:57:46.99 Brian Penn And Chris, you've done it to me again because you've reminded me of a great film that I'd forgotten about. 00:57:53.23 Chris Olson There go. That's I'm here. 00:57:54.08 Brian Penn yeah Yeah, exactly, yeah. um I think it's great. i'm But what I found surprising about it was that directed by Tony Scott, ah produced by Don Simpson Jerry Bruckheimer, who established a strong reputation for action movies. 00:58:10.97 Brian Penn This isn't necessarily an action movie, isn't it? he it All the action takes place within the sub. pretty much. 00:58:17.23 Chris Olson Yeah. It's like Alien. It kind of is like all in one place. 00:58:19.92 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:58:19.99 Chris Olson and yeah yeah that That's like important for its... 00:58:20.73 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:58:23.12 Chris Olson It's more a thriller, right? It's like a thriller. 00:58:24.40 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:58:24.78 Chris Olson and yeah Yeah, but I know what you mean. 00:58:25.33 Brian Penn But it's a strong narrative. 00:58:26.29 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:58:28.44 Brian Penn It's all about, it's character driven, which again, is unusual for Simpson Bruckheimer and Tony Scott, because they did work together a lot. But, um yeah, ah I mean, to see Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman going toe to toe, two powerhouse actors, 00:58:46.52 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:58:47.23 Brian Penn It's a joy to behold. It really is. 00:58:48.94 Chris Olson It's very rare. I don't, I say this actually, I think I've ever seen a film where Denzel Washington seems to get dwarfed by another actor. 00:58:58.97 Brian Penn and I know. 00:58:58.99 Chris Olson He honestly, Gene Hattman overshadows him in so many scenes. 00:59:01.35 Brian Penn I know he does. 00:59:02.47 Chris Olson I'm like, that is, I've never, obviously Denzel's quite young in this film. 00:59:02.75 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:59:07.53 Brian Penn ah know. 00:59:07.62 Chris Olson ah Yeah. Well, not, not that young, but he's, he's youngish. 00:59:08.24 Brian Penn Yeah, he Yeah. 00:59:10.96 Chris Olson But Gene Hattman is absolutely chewing the scenery in this one. 00:59:13.94 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:59:14.12 Chris Olson He is having way another time. Yeah. 00:59:15.92 Brian Penn and I know, I know. 00:59:17.95 Chris Olson i My wife walked in while I was watching this. Sorry, that sounds really dodgy. She sometimes just comes in, right? 00:59:23.03 Brian Penn and Yeah, Yeah, you're doing, don't worry. 00:59:24.67 Chris Olson I was wearing trousers. I was wearing trousers. It's fine. 00:59:26.74 Brian Penn I don't think it's fine. 00:59:26.99 Chris Olson ah she She came in and she said, that's not Viggo Mortensen, is it? I was like, ah yeah, it is. 00:59:31.32 Brian Penn Yeah. But the thing is, though, Chris, they they do look incredibly young. I mean, ah Denzel Washington, Viggo Mortensen, and also James Gandolfini as well. 00:59:41.39 Chris Olson Yeah, he's in it. Yeah. 00:59:42.60 Brian Penn And he looks, they all look incredibly young. But then again, it is 30 years ago. But even so, you think, God, because you kind of age with the actors when you see them on screen and you you don't think of them being that young. 00:59:54.19 Brian Penn um They do look good. um But. um 00:59:58.64 Chris Olson but I think my wife's particular issue with Viggo Monson, though, was that, yes, he looks lot younger, but also, he's got this, like, American crew cut, like a soldier haircut, where she only really knows him from Lord of the Rings, where he's got long black flowing hair. 01:00:07.25 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 01:00:10.87 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:00:12.53 Chris Olson So she was like, oh no, you've ruined him for me. 01:00:13.14 Brian Penn ah know. 01:00:14.84 Chris Olson But... 01:00:15.40 Brian Penn Yeah, it's a slight image, isn't it? 01:00:16.67 Chris Olson but But yeah, no, I mean, I like these sort of, you know, thriller, war, espionage type movies. 01:00:24.04 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:00:25.30 Chris Olson And I thought what was great about this film was bringing you into this conflict where you think there's like a power struggle between... yeah Obviously, you're meant to identify with the Denzel Washington character. 01:00:37.54 Chris Olson yeah He's the sort of one being presented. 01:00:38.02 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:00:39.26 Chris Olson But actually... a lot of what Gene Hackman's character does is completely by the book. He is literally following the orders that are set by the you the law of the US. 01:00:45.12 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 01:00:50.53 Chris Olson And you kind of go, when they get to the end bit, you go, oh God, they they were both right. They were both right. Oh, geez. like yeah And these are the people that are and in control of whether or not the earth blows up. 01:00:57.60 Brian Penn I 01:01:00.68 Brian Penn know. um I think the the final scenes, though, were really tied to film up quite nicely because Jason Robards does a very nice cameo as the the head of the disciplinary panel, doesn't he? 01:01:13.02 Chris Olson Yeah. 01:01:13.43 Brian Penn And he sums it up really well. in just a couple of minutes, you think, oh, of course, yeah, they're both right, but they were kind of both wrong as well, right? 01:01:22.28 Chris Olson Yeah. 01:01:22.51 Brian Penn And that's, you don't see that very often in ah in a big budget movie like that. There's always a very clear right and wrong. But here, the lines are blurred because they're both right and they're both wrong. 01:01:33.28 Brian Penn And ah very cleverly done. But the um the narrative on the closing titles at the end is also quite revealing because soon afterwards, um a Naval submarine captains lost the right to launch nuclear missiles without the okay only the president can do that now and that was in 1995 it's something i didn't know so it's educational as well this will part of being 01:01:51.53 Chris Olson There 01:01:58.44 Chris Olson you go. um Yeah, so that was Crimson Tide, but obviously led us on to maybe thinking about some of our favourite Gene Hackman movies. um Lots come to mind, and he's always one of those actors that I'm like, he is the main character, but he's also not the main character. 01:02:10.05 Brian Penn know 01:02:15.97 Chris Olson Like even with Crimson Tide, he's not really the main character. 01:02:16.22 Brian Penn No. 01:02:19.43 Chris Olson but he's absolutely like a massive part of it. 01:02:21.69 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:02:21.78 Chris Olson I always think of him. He's in, um, enemy of the state. I remember him being the character in there. Also the, the replacements. 01:02:27.40 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:02:29.09 Chris Olson Did you watch that film comedy sort of sports film? 01:02:31.45 Brian Penn yeah Yeah. No, I forgot all about that, but yeah, I've seen it. Yeah. I forgot about that one. 01:02:36.26 Chris Olson Yeah, we've got Keanu Reeves in it where they're these like um these football players that come because they the other ones are like striking about pay or something and they come over the picket line. 01:02:36.82 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 01:02:40.43 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:02:42.74 Brian Penn yeah yeah yeah 01:02:45.56 Chris Olson Oh, there's a this scene, they always remember the where they get arrested and they do the dance in the prison. 01:02:49.56 Brian Penn and 01:02:49.86 Chris Olson So absolutely brilliant. But yeah, I mean, what about you, Brian? 01:02:51.64 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:02:53.45 Chris Olson are some favourite films he's been in? 01:02:55.38 Brian Penn Well, there's so many to choose from, isn't there, really? When I knew we were going going to be talking about this, I just jotted down a few few films and you think there's something... I mean, I forgot all about The Replacements. That's a really good film, actually. 01:03:06.40 Chris Olson Yeah, 01:03:06.57 Brian Penn um But, you know, obviously, French Connection ah playing Popeye Doyle, that was his big breakthrough movie. 01:03:09.62 Chris Olson yeah. yeah 01:03:13.94 Brian Penn It it made Bonnie and Clyde were Warren Basie beforehand, but French Connection, obviously won an Oscar for it with Roy Schneider. Great film. ah The Conversation, where he plays the surveillance expert, ah one of Harrison Ford's early roles in that film as well. 01:03:30.56 Brian Penn um But for me, my favourite Gene Hackman film, and there are so many I could name, but one that stands out more than any other is Mississippi Burning. 01:03:42.64 Chris Olson Yeah, i was going to say, yeah, that's an absolute classic. 01:03:44.23 Brian Penn but With Willem Dafoe. 01:03:47.47 Chris Olson Yeah. 01:03:47.47 Brian Penn where they're, it's basically a true story, isn't it, as well, where three civil rights leaders, workers are murdered in Mississippi, ah in 63, I think it was, and you've got Gene Hackman and William Dafoe playing two FBI agents with contrasting approaches to investigation, because Dafoe's the one who's by the book, does it all by the book, but Gene Hackman's character is, 01:04:16.17 Brian Penn is a native of Mississippi and knows how the locals think. 01:04:22.26 Chris Olson e 01:04:22.31 Brian Penn And he'll cut the odd corner here and there to get the right results. Great friction between those two actors. Again, but a fantastic film. But there's so many other films that but do spring to mind. 01:04:33.05 Chris Olson um I honestly, I go through his list, I'm like, jeez, Unforgiven. 01:04:35.67 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:04:37.35 Chris Olson He's in Unforgiven. 01:04:38.12 Brian Penn and know you got an Oscar for that, didn't you? 01:04:38.19 Chris Olson And that that is just, that i mean, that is the best Western movie ever made. 01:04:40.63 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:04:43.30 Chris Olson will not argue with anyone on that. 01:04:43.38 Brian Penn know. 01:04:44.66 Chris Olson It just is. um 01:04:45.74 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:04:46.57 Chris Olson But I keep coming to his like comedy roles. Well, he wast he's not really the comedy role, but in and have you seen The Birdcage with Robin Williams? 01:04:54.78 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 01:04:55.49 Chris Olson where he he plays the sort of uptight parent um that comes to visit. 01:04:59.91 Brian Penn yeah 01:05:01.07 Chris Olson And it is so good. It's got Nathan Lane in it, Diane West. 01:05:04.87 Brian Penn and lines right Yeah. yeah 01:05:06.44 Chris Olson That, ah my family, used to watch that on repeat. We used to watch it loads at home. We had the videotape of it. And it is brilliant. It is so good. 01:05:14.80 Brian Penn and yeah But he could do, he could play lighthearted roles as well. 01:05:15.92 Chris Olson So funny. 01:05:19.03 Brian Penn though couldn't he I mean, he was very good in the Superman movies when he played 01:05:20.20 Chris Olson Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, i i i'd forgotten about those. i went back said, oh yeah, he was in there, wasn't they 01:05:24.90 Brian Penn I know. A couple of other films I want to throw in while we're speaking about this, but A Bridge Too Far. He had a very small role in A Bridge Too Far. 01:05:33.72 Chris Olson he? Yep. 01:05:35.54 Brian Penn He played Sosabowski, the Polish major. um And he was in one, he wasn't in that much. I mean, they all had cameos, didn't they, that film? It was that kind of film. um But he was on screen with Dirk Bogart, Sean Connery, Ryan O'Neill, and he stole that scene from those three actors. 01:05:53.77 Brian Penn Without even trying. You know, we were speaking just now that he kind of, he has an understated approach to acting where he doesn't try and be the star, but he ends up being the star. 01:06:05.33 Chris Olson Yeah. 01:06:05.56 Brian Penn So doesn't try too hard. And in A Bridge Too Far, he did that. And he managed to upstage three great screen actors, three the greatest screen actors ever. And amazing actor. 01:06:18.27 Brian Penn um I never realized he'd been retired that long, actually. 01:06:21.25 Chris Olson Yeah, I didn't realise that. I thought he'd been still putting out films, but it's been um over 20 years. 01:06:24.86 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah, yeah 01:06:27.03 Chris Olson Obviously, not getting any more now, but he's got a fabulous catalogue. Go back through his films, there's just so many. There's films in there that are on everyone's top 50. 01:06:35.04 Brian Penn and 01:06:40.28 Chris Olson Top 50, you're going to have to watch Unforgiven. 01:06:41.76 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:06:42.80 Chris Olson going have to watch The French Connection. 01:06:43.50 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 01:06:44.96 Chris Olson yeah. so 01:06:45.63 Brian Penn they are yeah They're all must-see films, aren't they? 01:06:46.53 Chris Olson yeah 01:06:47.98 Brian Penn Definitely. 01:06:48.53 Chris Olson go in there but yeah my purse either i don't know maybe my affinity with comedy is just ah coming through but yeah the birdcage and the replacements really stood out to me because i was oh i love those films we got a really soft spot for those films um yeah 01:06:56.95 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:06:59.74 Brian Penn Yeah. No, i as I say, there's such a wide choice there. Also, one one further Gene Hackman movie, and one of the big daddies of this disaster movies, Poseidon Adventure. 01:07:11.58 Chris Olson oh yeah 01:07:12.91 Brian Penn And he played the reverend in it, didn't he? He was guiding the yeah survivors out. um Another great part. you he just nailed it every time. i mean, I don't think he ever made a bad film, really. 01:07:26.02 Chris Olson Yeah, I mean, there are few of them I've not seen, but I think he was a great presence. as i always added a lot of gravitas to movies. like Even like um Enemy the State, where he's up against like Will Smith. 01:07:34.57 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 01:07:38.08 Chris Olson it's like And in them Crimson Tide, you've got you've got these actors that are like, they've got a lot of charisma. They've got a lot of personality. 01:07:45.45 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:07:45.60 Chris Olson So to go up against them and and still shine, I think is is really, really impressive. 01:07:48.37 Brian Penn One 01:07:50.42 Chris Olson Yeah. Yeah, absolutely great. 01:07:52.21 Brian Penn the, one of the, one of the, one of the Autism greats without a shadow of a doubt. 01:07:53.21 Chris Olson um Yeah, that's Gene Hackman. And... 01:07:59.08 Chris Olson Absolutely. Crimson Tide, everyone, is available on Disney+, plus if you want to go and watch it. If, like me, you hadn't seen it, it's definitely worth it. I was absolutely thrilled. Because ah sometimes with films, if I'm doing themp the nostalgia pick, I won't necessarily watch it all in one go. 01:08:13.26 Chris Olson Like with Braveheart, I think I watched that over two nights. 01:08:14.49 Brian Penn um 01:08:15.74 Chris Olson It was a bit bit long, that one. 01:08:15.84 Brian Penn Right, yeah. 01:08:17.10 Chris Olson But with Crimson Tide, I was like... I just can't not carry on with this film. 01:08:20.75 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:08:20.94 Chris Olson It is just absolutely insanely gripping. 01:08:24.89 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:08:24.99 Chris Olson ah Really, really good. 01:08:25.39 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:08:25.91 Chris Olson um Shout out to all the films in today's episode. We've reviewed some fabulous movies. 01:08:29.55 Brian Penn Yes. 01:08:31.46 Chris Olson And yeah, thank you again to the filmmakers that send them to us to review. 01:08:31.61 Brian Penn We have. 01:08:36.21 Chris Olson Thank you to the listeners for your reviews. with Lots for the brutalists. So you can stop sending them now. I'm not going to read anymore. um Thank you very much. ah yeah thank you to Brian as always for watching and reviewing all the films that I send his way um and thank you to you dear listener for bearing with us through all this time it is lovely if if you make it to the end of the episode if you haven't made to the end of the episode you're not hearing this so I hate you no I'm joking yeah we'll see you again next month with another episode but yeah thank you and goodbye 01:08:50.38 Brian Penn Pleasure. 01:09:10.35 Brian Penn for now. Previous Next

Read the film podcast transcript from the episode titled UK Film Club - Episode 8: The Equalizer 3, Dumb Money, El Conde, Stand By Me on UK Film Club part of the UK Film Review Podcast. < Back UK Film Club - Episode 8: The Equalizer 3, Dumb Money, El Conde, Stand By Me Listen to This Episode UK Film Club TRANSCRIPT MISSING In this latest film podcast episode from UK Film Club, critics Brian Penn and Chris Olson get into the latest reviews. Cinematic releases being reviewed include: The Equalizer 3 starring Denzel Washington, Dumb Money starring Paul Dano, and A Haunting in Venice starring Kenneth Branagh as Poirot. Our Netflix film review is for El Conde - a satirical black comedy fusing the atrocities of General Pinochet with a vampire story. We have 5 independent film reviews in this episode! Including: Pulcinella, Groomed, Ferryman, Golden Stripes and The Interview. Our Nostalgia Pick for this month is a film review of Stand By Me - currently available on Netflix. For more from our film podcast visit the UK Film Review website -https://www.ukfilmreview.co.uk/podcast For more from our SEO company in London, Olson Digital Marketing, visit - https://www.olsondigitalmarketing.com/ Previous Next

Read the film podcast transcript from the episode titled Furiosa - The Bikeriders - Bad Boys: Ride or Die - UK Film Club Episode 16 on UK Film Club part of the UK Film Review Podcast. < Back Furiosa - The Bikeriders - Bad Boys: Ride or Die - UK Film Club Episode 16 Listen to This Episode UK Film Club 00:00:00.04 ukfilmreview It's a bit worrying at the same time, isn't it? When you when it starts a bit too perfect, I think... 00:00:03.87 Brian Penn Oh, yeah. Yeah. I know. I know. you You suddenly got perfection when you didn't expect it. 00:00:08.84 ukfilmreview like Yeah, yeah. 00:00:10.64 Brian Penn It's a bit worrying that is that you think it's too much is going right. But I don't want to speak too soon. so Yeah. 00:00:15.11 ukfilmreview No, that's what I'm worried about. I feel that it's going to drop out at any moment, you know, and it'll be one of those shows, but I hope not because, you know, we've got a packed one this time. 00:00:24.96 Brian Penn We have, haven't we? Yeah. 00:00:26.79 ukfilmreview Absolutely packed but you you are your you're deeper voiced in this show. 00:00:26.80 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:00:30.99 ukfilmreview What's going on? 00:00:31.02 Brian Penn yeah slightly huskier. Yeah, I've gone down with a bit of a bonk, um, better than I was this morning, but such is my dedication to the calls, Chris. I had a bit of a kip this afternoon, which kind of got me through the worst of it. And I'm ready, but you know, um, I've just sound a bit huskier than usual perhaps. 00:00:44.51 ukfilmreview Bless you Yeah, I mean you say huskier I say sexier I just think look look, you know 00:00:51.63 Brian Penn Oh, well that's all right. That's all right. I didn't want to say that, but I'm glad you mentioned it, not me. 00:00:54.51 ukfilmreview so how 00:00:56.43 Brian Penn So that's good. That's good. Yeah. 00:01:00.20 ukfilmreview yeah so i Listeners, I'm letting you behind the curtain slightly here. I record often at my ah dining room table. Me and Brian do this remotely and I'm at my dining room table and I just stepped on something very cold and I thought, I wonder what that is? It is a piece of tomato that my daughter has um thrown on the floor. 00:01:16.39 Brian Penn oh lovely lovely yeah of course ah above and beyond the cooler juice here it's like something yeah yeah 00:01:17.53 ukfilmreview so it's yeah i mean the thing like you know b Brian's here through what sounds like the plague and I'm here with tomato on my feet. So look, we really do try and go above and beyond where we can. 00:01:33.25 ukfilmreview um Exactly. and So if this is your ah first time to UK Film Club, welcome, welcome all. And um we will be talking about every manner of film in this episode. 00:01:46.97 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:01:47.24 ukfilmreview We've got some of the latest blockbusters, the heavy hitters at the cinema. We've got a streaming pic, which is a film that was on Netflix this month, depending on when you're listening to this. 00:01:55.17 Brian Penn Mm 00:01:58.65 ukfilmreview um And we've also got a big selection of Indian short films to get through tonight, um which we're very, very lucky to get. 00:02:04.13 Brian Penn -hmm. 00:02:07.86 ukfilmreview We've also got um what we call our nostalgia pic and that is a film from the past and alongside all of that this month is quite a unique month because we've had quite a few listener reviews sent in. 00:02:21.38 Brian Penn Nice. 00:02:22.75 ukfilmreview um We recently changed the website because a lot of people asked to write for the site and whilst we'd love to take on everyone as a writer aid we don't always have ah the the amount of capacity to do that but we've made a space within this show but to at least read out some of the best submissions that we get and some of the best um reviews that we are receiving and we're very thankful and not able to read all of them out. and we did We did suddenly get quite a lot um but I'm going to do my best to get through a a good batch of them later in the show. 00:02:49.90 Brian Penn Nice. 00:02:51.29 ukfilmreview um And now I don't have a clip of any of the um theatrical films this month, sadly, but what we will do is just get Brian to drum up all of his energy, every single bit of energy that he's got left, so that he is so you're completely spent after this. 00:02:59.72 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:03:07.34 Brian Penn Do my best, yeah. 00:03:11.14 ukfilmreview I don't want you like yeah even able to walk. 00:03:12.00 Brian Penn Yep. 00:03:13.81 ukfilmreview um Because we're we're heading now to the world of the Mad Max franchise. We're going to go with George Miller's Furiosa, which was out earlier. Well, when was it out Brian? When did it actually come out? 00:03:27.16 Brian Penn And the mate, it came out. 00:03:28.70 ukfilmreview End of May, we're in June now. That's still relevant. We still love to see these films, all right. um ah But yeah, Furiosa, obviously, sequel to the Tom Hardy Mad Max, Fury Road. What happened with this then, Brian? Is it something we should care about? 00:03:46.06 Brian Penn Yeah, I think so. I think so. I think we can all care about this one. It's but's the latest instalment of the franchise. Again, as you say, director like George Miller, starring Agnes Tyler Joy and Chris Hemsworth and Tom Burke, who look almost unrecognizable with their costumes and makeup. It's odd. um So what's it all about? um it's basic Basically, it's the backstory of Furiosa before she and Mad Max met. Furiosa has been kidnapped from the green place of many mothers. They come under the control of a great biker hold led by the warlord Dementus. 00:04:21.61 Brian Penn Great name, Dementus. 00:04:22.78 ukfilmreview Hahaha. 00:04:25.44 Brian Penn Traveling through the wasteland, they reach the citadel. Ruled by the Immorsun Joe. um as the As the big boy snuck it out, Furiosa fights for survival. um Great stunts. It's almost a given, isn't it, really? There's one scene where Furiosa is with Pretoria and Jack, and they're driving this big rig like a tanker full of full of vegetables, um because he's become a in this in this world, it's become a ah black market item, literally. 00:04:59.37 Brian Penn and the It gets attacked whilst they're they're trying to get through it through. Brilliant, absolutely brilliant. The staging is incredible. you know I mean, we we reviewed the fall guy, didn't we, recently? um Which is all about stunts. 00:05:13.84 ukfilmreview Yeah. 00:05:15.80 Brian Penn But I think this one edges out the fall guy. The stunts are amazing. 00:05:18.51 ukfilmreview Wow. 00:05:19.20 Brian Penn And if you can see a stunt that you can honestly say, I haven't seen this before, they're jaw-dropping. They really are. yeah I don't honestly don't know how much of that's CGI, computer-generated. I suspect most of it's real. But very entertaining film, you know what you're guessing. And I sense it's probably more for fans than the casual observer. But very good film, six order boxes. And it's entertaining. If you like that type of film, you know, it's, it doesn't, it doesn't challenge the intellect very much, I don't feel. But that's not what a film's about, really. It's action, isn't it? Adrenaline. 00:06:01.32 Brian Penn And that's what you get there in Spades. 00:06:03.84 ukfilmreview Yeah, they certainly seem to know what they were doing. When they did the Fury Road, it was like that spectacle kind of film and yeah, very light on narrative. And yeah, that like I said, I was blown away by the stunts from that film. I haven't seen the Fury Road. But the um the feedback that I've seen generally across the board um has been that it's been, yeah, very much that sort of 00:06:22.24 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:06:27.48 ukfilmreview same same formula, same recipe again. 00:06:30.63 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:06:30.76 ukfilmreview um One person did say it was slightly slower than the first film. um The first film was a bit more narcic. 00:06:35.30 Brian Penn Right. 00:06:36.61 ukfilmreview But yeah, generally, that's what the feedback has been. We actually did have, we had a listener review of this. 00:06:39.30 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:06:42.12 ukfilmreview So I'll just ah just pop in now with ah Thomas Tobit's review. 00:06:42.73 Brian Penn Right. 00:06:46.01 Brian Penn Oh, 00:06:46.72 ukfilmreview He gave Furios a four out of five. 00:06:49.51 Brian Penn wow. 00:06:49.91 ukfilmreview and this is his review, well part of his review I think. Having stole the show in Mad Max Fury Road 2015, it was only natural to see the origins of Furiosa herself, this time with new actress, is ah ah Alia Brown and Angela Tellerjoy play the titular warrior to an accurate degree naturally feeling like the character prior to Charlize Theron's portrayal. Fury Road to 2024 seamlessly translates the world and tone of Fury Road straight back into here whilst also feeling like a new experience altogether. 00:07:20.55 ukfilmreview That unique world is expanded upon and giving more depth as well as the returning and new characters. Chris Hemsworth also stands out with his sadistic villainous performance. The action and practical effects continue to blow minds with so much anarchy and explosions thoroughly satisfying once more. Even its more quiet scenes, Furiosa is engaging you as you follow this journey leading into that 2015 film. It might not be as strong as it, but it is still a very strong action-adventure which delivers on most things you'd expect. I think that's a fabulous review. of 00:07:52.99 ukfilmreview so 00:07:53.11 Brian Penn Yeah, no, I think that more or less covers it. I mean, I'd agree with it generally. 00:07:56.98 ukfilmreview yeah yeah 00:07:57.92 Brian Penn Yeah, definitely. um Yeah, a good review. And as say I say, I generally go along with that. But I think the the thing with the man Max Shauna generally is that I don't think it's going to pull in many, as I say, many sort of floating ah support, if I can use that 00:08:16.61 ukfilmreview No. 00:08:17.16 Brian Penn It's got to be one for the fans, but I mean that it works. It's entertaining So that's what you're looking for really, isn't it? 00:08:25.75 ukfilmreview It does feel like a kind of franchise that isn't going to be able to go off in weird and wonderful directions. Like, you know, it feels like they they've put this recipe together and it's sort of like, OK, well, that's going to that's going to work. 00:08:37.68 Brian Penn Yeah Yeah, and I know 00:08:38.23 ukfilmreview But you couldn't then go, like all right, yeah well well, the next one, we're going to sort of tell a sweeping love story with it. It's going to be nice and slow for her. But, hey, maybe there's someone out there that can do that, you know. 00:08:47.28 Brian Penn yeah possibly maybe they're working on it now for a week now but it doesn't it doesn't strike you as a particularly dynamic franchise they know what's working what works and they're sticking to it and there's nothing wrong with that it makes money doesn't it it gets people into the cinemas and you can't really i'm not saying i would criticize it but you you can't sort of level and any kind of criticism about it because it it's popular people like it you've got to give people what they want and you know this is still going strong ah 00:09:00.57 ukfilmreview Exactly. 00:09:17.40 Brian Penn That's, as we said, that I'm not really sure where else it can go. And I think you're on a bit of hiding. So I think when you go for backstories, I mean, they could keep on going, couldn't they really? 00:09:27.11 ukfilmreview Yeah, that's true to sort of each of the characters. We just find out more and more about them. 00:09:29.51 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:09:30.23 ukfilmreview But um just chipping in quickly with ah another listener review just because it's relevant. So Alistair Thornton um wrote in with a review of Mad Max Fury Road. um 00:09:42.26 Brian Penn All right. 00:09:42.52 ukfilmreview which gave ah five out of five, and I'll just read a short extract from the review. Mad Max Fury Road's immersive authenticity, thanks to the power of practicality as opposed to falling back on fake feeling CGI, combined with the enthralling inhabitants of its unique universe make for something special. 00:09:56.07 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:10:00.49 ukfilmreview And when enhanced by vividly visceral visuals, visuals, gosh, that's a brilliant phrase. 00:10:03.25 Brian Penn Wow. What's it mean, sir? 00:10:07.02 ukfilmreview Well done. 00:10:07.40 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:10:07.89 ukfilmreview I mean absolutely tripped me up there. 00:10:09.07 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:10:10.85 ukfilmreview Vividly visceral visuals and a striking stimulating soundscape. I see what you're doing here Alistair. 00:10:15.87 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:10:16.66 ukfilmreview It becomes an epic that's aged like fine wine. Still as fresh and fiery as ever um after almost a decade. If you haven't done so yet now's as good a time as any to die historic on the Fury Road. But be warned, it's not for the faint of heart. 00:10:28.91 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:10:31.05 ukfilmreview i am Yeah, interesting. Just because, obviously, I also mentioned about the um the use of practical effects as opposed to CGI. So I think that probably is still what they're going for here. 00:10:40.15 Brian Penn That's a good good thing, really. I mean, you want you want it to be as natural as possible, don't you, really? I mean, you you don't want to see something that's completely computer-generated. I mean, such is the the pace of technological development in films. You could barely notice it now, but if they are using CGI, it looks real. And, but as long as you don't destroy the human side of it, that it's important to use real people as well. So, you know, it's that trade-off isn't there, but I mean, the standard's amazing. Absolutely amazing. 00:11:12.90 ukfilmreview There you go, Furiosa. Yes, thank you to everyone who sent an in a review and the ones we read out. 00:11:17.30 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:11:18.60 ukfilmreview Obviously, yeah thank you for excellent critics. We're going to move on to another film that is still at the cinemas and 00:11:23.51 Brian Penn yeah 00:11:29.90 ukfilmreview We reviewed the original film along the last month's podcast, Bad Boys, this time with the tagline, Ride or Die, um which is how I like to live my life actually, Brian. 00:11:32.69 Brian Penn um Yeah. 00:11:40.65 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:11:40.94 ukfilmreview um ah Yeah, very much so. 00:11:41.29 Brian Penn On the edge. You're living on the edge, aren't you? 00:11:43.72 ukfilmreview I mean, I stood on a tomato earlier and, you know, I just carried on. 00:11:43.83 Brian Penn Yeah. I know. I know. You know, absolutely. Don't you? You really don't. Yeah. I know. 00:11:51.40 ukfilmreview Bad Boys, Ride or Die, is this is this riding or is this dying? Hey, what about that for a segue? 00:11:56.19 Brian Penn Yeah. It's good. Very good. I'm impressed. It's riding. It's definitely riding it. It's still, I mean, reassuringly, you know, it's still good. You know, the 30 years have passed between the first film and this film, and you think, oh, is it still going to work? Because they're 30 years older, they're 30 years bolder and 30 years faster. And, you know, it's, it's happening. 00:12:17.54 ukfilmreview 30 years older. 00:12:19.09 Brian Penn Well, you know what I mean? That's all of us, Chris, doesn't it? Really? 00:12:21.75 ukfilmreview It does, it does. 00:12:22.14 Brian Penn Eventually. 00:12:22.96 ukfilmreview We're all victims. 00:12:23.32 Brian Penn Eventually. ah But, you know, Will Smith and Martin Lawrence still play really well together. It works. You know, the, um They're kind of the buddy, you know, elements of good cop, bad cop are still there and they play off each other so well, ah you know, on the face of it, a simple storyline. A stash of drugs is stolen from the police store room. So Lowry and Burnett are butnet i mean a race against time to save their department and the reputation of their dead captain. Now, when I say on the face of it straight forward, the story actually grows more intricate as you get into it. 00:12:58.82 Brian Penn I'm not going to elaborate anymore because 00:13:00.42 ukfilmreview Hmm. 00:13:01.34 Brian Penn I think it makes a change for an action movie to have what I would call a strong storyline. And it kind of surprises you a bit. It throws in something that I wasn't expecting. Um, so yeah, look it's great fun. It's, it's great fun. It works. They're still good together. I mean, I do wonder though, whether there's going to be any more after this because I don't see where else they can go with it. But you know, like I say, um, they've, they proved the point. They proved it can still be done. still doing good business, you know, and ah that's, a my i I love seeing these films, you know, it's my kind of action movie, you know, you've got good stunts, good characters, some really funny throwaway lines, that that works for me. And and anything that bears the Don Simpson, Jerry Brockheimer, mostly, it's gonna be good for me. So um yeah, very good, very insane, very good film, really enjoyed it. 00:14:00.39 Brian Penn And I would recommend it. 00:14:02.11 ukfilmreview fabulous um yeah if you've seen bad boys ride or die feel free to send in your reviews and we'll try and read them out on next month's podcast as best we can um but yeah i'm I'm a fan of the franchise I'd seen a few clips of Will Smith filming this with his sort of is this new camera thing that was like going backwards and forwards yeah it's really cool it looked really impressive 00:14:16.95 Brian Penn Yeah. All right. Oh yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I think they were using, I know, I know what you're talking about there because I think they were using a drone. because there's a scene where they're in the nightclub, and it must be a drone that's kind of panning around the shop. Some really funny scenes there, where, um you know, Burnett, played by Martin Lawrence, still got a weak spot for sweet food, you know, shock that he's still there, right? 00:14:44.21 ukfilmreview Hehehe. 00:14:47.22 Brian Penn There's that kind of knock about conversation between the two of them, you know, when are you going to start cutting down, all that sort of thing? ah Because, you know, um Martin Lawrence who plays Burnett is the kind of so the married man who's settled. And Lowry is still essentially the playboy. But of course, the in the story that he does hook up with someone in one of the earlier films. so But it's that you still get that kind of vibe that Lowry is still fast and loose, still doing what he wants. And Lawrence, Martin Lawrence is the sensible one. you know But the um yeah, the photography. 00:15:25.85 Brian Penn It's excellent. Really good. I think they must have been using a drone because there's a as I say, there's a scene in the nightclub where they're just panning around, doing doing it really quickly as well. I'm really impressed to see. So yeah, I've already enjoyed it. I liked it. 00:15:40.81 ukfilmreview go Well, maybe we'll find out, maybe a listener will know if it was a drone. how Not sure of any drones in this film, but hey, we'll find out. 00:15:45.86 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:15:50.20 ukfilmreview ah it A lot of anticipation around this release, actually. I've seen a lot of people were excited about our next film, The Bike Riders, um currently at cinemas. Yep. And from Jeff Nichols. 00:16:01.59 Brian Penn Yep. 00:16:03.31 ukfilmreview What about this one, Brian? 00:16:05.00 Brian Penn I really enjoyed this. 00:16:06.33 ukfilmreview Yeah. 00:16:06.47 Brian Penn Um, yeah, this, this is, uh, it's loosely based on a true story. Um, as they so often are, um, this tells the story of a bike gang called the vandals from the sixties through to the early seventies. Uh, Johnny is leader of the vandals as their reputation grows in the Midwest. Uh, But he struggles to keep the young and moody Benny in lane. Cathy comes across the gang by chance and immediately falls for Benny the bad boy with fatalistic charm. What began as a bike riding club turns into something more sinister as Johnny has rivals for his leadership crown. So the story is told via a series of interviews with Cathy, one in the mid 60s and one in the early 70s. Some Hardy, as Johnny is excellent, 00:16:57.11 Brian Penn The role I feel is modeled on the character that Marlon Brando played in the wild one back in the 50s. And they do name check the film as well. ah Austin Butler plays, well, he plays Austin Butler really. Quasi Elvis Presley with a bit more men, I guess. And Jodie Comer does a very good job. I think her accent's a little bit overcooked, to be honest, because it's pure brook food, right? I think, does that really belong in the, because they're in the Midwest. But anyway, that's me being picky. It's a very stylish film, great soundtrack, lots of testosterone flying around. 00:17:30.49 Brian Penn If you can put up with that, it's the film of the month for me. 00:17:34.20 ukfilmreview I thought so. It sounded like it was going that way. 00:17:35.50 Brian Penn Yeah, yeah, definitely. 00:17:36.99 ukfilmreview um and it's got that sort of feel of about, yeah, because obviously like Bad Boys, it's a sequel, Furiosa sequel, but this is something new, something original and yeah, obviously different as well for the, ah for the cinema. 00:17:44.30 Brian Penn Yeah, 00:17:51.74 Brian Penn yeah yeah, it is refreshing to see something something new. I mean, I, I mean, there have been biker films in the past. I mean, I just mentioned the wild one, but I don't think there have been many risks in recent years. And some hard hardy is just so good in the role. He looks hard and he sounds hard. So he looks like the kind of guy he's meant to be. Right. So brilliant casting there, really. But yeah, I really enjoyed it. It's really good. It is quite violent in places, but you know, you, you know what you're guessing really, I think that's pretty 00:18:25.85 Brian Penn obviously in the beginning and brilliant soundtrack as well. Great kind of R and B 60 soundtracks. So which makes it even better, which goes goes up even more in my estimation when they put a a strong soundtrack on it. So, um, yeah, well, we'll see. Good story. 00:18:40.57 ukfilmreview there you go film of the month everyone you heard it the bike riders um so yeah those are the cinema releases that we're covering uh this month thank you brian for going yeah especially now you you're not very well you probably picked up something from one of those cinemas didn't you yes yeah i've told you not to lick the seats all right 00:18:40.74 Brian Penn So as well. Mmm. Yeah. 00:18:56.40 Brian Penn I made one of them actually. Yeah, I made one of them. Yeah. ah no I know. I know. I'm trying to give it up. What can I do? You know. 00:19:06.88 ukfilmreview We're moving now to what's called our streaming pic. So this is a film that was released on a streaming service, typically Netflix, because they're very good at telling us. And I was excited for this one. and This was a Richard Linklater film called Hitman. And I like Linklater, a fan of some of his other films. 00:19:21.10 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:19:24.94 ukfilmreview And I'd seen this had got quite a lot of attention. 00:19:24.98 Brian Penn yeah 00:19:28.68 ukfilmreview And yeah, well, we'll get into the review now. But Brian, what did you think of Hitman? 00:19:34.64 Brian Penn I really enjoyed it. It is a good film. It sounds preposterous. Again, it's it's a film that is basically based on a true story. Now, on the closing titles, they actually give you a rundown on what actually happened. So they kind of embellished it slightly. um But that is pretty much true. And it sounds ridiculous when you think about it. you You've got this guy, Gary, played by Gun Powell, who is a University Professor, he teaches philosophy and psychology. 00:20:07.29 Brian Penn But in his spare time, he provides tech support for the local police department. Then he drifts into undercover work, right? And it just ends up falling for the one of his targets. 00:20:20.85 ukfilmreview Hehe. 00:20:21.44 Brian Penn um But look, you can't argue with the entertainment value. you know ah As you know, I do tend to pick things apart, really, particularly what where it It stretches credibility slightly, but it is essentially true. And how could that possibly happen? But it did, you know? And I liked it. I thought it was really good. Gunpowder was really good. And the girl that played the love interest was very good as well. His name totally escapes me at the moment. um but 00:20:52.15 Brian Penn ah 00:20:53.33 ukfilmreview which character it was. 00:20:56.41 Brian Penn um 00:21:00.57 Brian Penn ah Um, it's like, come and swing. Oh, hang on a minute. There it is. Um, yeah, it's, um, yeah. Um, I, Adrian Archona is very good as well. Um, so yeah, I like it. Um, it's, it's slightly original. I mean, one, one of the things that made me curious about the film though, is that the way he operated or the way they got him into ah operate, does open up open them up to accusations of entrapment. 00:21:31.26 Brian Penn And trump um they do kind of partially deal with it, but not in the way I was hoping that they'd deal with it, because this actually happened. 00:21:32.28 ukfilmreview That's what I thought, yeah. 00:21:40.38 Brian Penn And I would have liked to have seen a bit more about how they dealt with that, you know because he's basically posing in a hitman as a hitman to draw people out. um It's amazing how many people want somebody killed, isn't it, really, when you think about it? um 00:21:56.39 ukfilmreview yeah because they sort of say that he gets into these ah situations where like someone will report it to the police so they then set it up so it's almost like because they didn't like put an ad out saying oh like hire a hitman it's more like oh they've been notified so therefore it's like they're conducting and an undercover sting but i see i still agree i think there's certain things where it's like they could argue that they were leading it but then 00:22:13.55 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 00:22:21.91 ukfilmreview Yeah there's a bit later where he does end up in court and there is like this showing that the fact that actually the judges and the the lawyers start to pick it apart slightly and their methods. 00:22:29.18 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. So I mean, I'd actually quite like to see a documentary of Gary Johnson's just to compare it to the film. it's It's fine to embellish the truth. It's fine to tweak it here and there, I don't have a problem with that. But what I think is remarkable is that it is essentially true. And I think it's amazing, but you know, truth is sometimes stranger than fiction, isn't it? 00:22:56.75 ukfilmreview Absolutely. I mean, I found it fun. There's lots of i different things going on in terms of like, I've not seen this sort of story done before. And and you know, you can imagine it being the sort of thing that pops up on a newspaper. and think Oh, that's so strange. You'd never think, you know, if they did a film with that, you wouldn't believe it. 00:23:11.18 Brian Penn Yeah. I know that's right. 00:23:12.98 ukfilmreview And 00:23:13.40 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:23:14.54 ukfilmreview What I did find, it was too long. It was too long. 00:23:17.45 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:23:17.78 ukfilmreview ah it As a comedy film with this sort of crime element, it was no need to be nearly two hours. i was They could shave half an hour of that quite easily. 00:23:28.62 Brian Penn And yeah, I think you're right. 00:23:28.84 ukfilmreview i 00:23:29.54 Brian Penn And I think the, it's basically a one gag movie, isn't it really in some ways because they'd sell that gag, but they just returned to it and do it again. And that extra for half an hour, could ah it could have been a bit more, they could have been a bit more um forensic and and cut more often, it would have been a much better film. But I would never complain about a film like that, because it doesn't sustain you. And I think Glenn Powell's really good in in the role as well. 00:23:57.42 ukfilmreview Yeah, I got. 00:23:57.46 Brian Penn He plays it with it with a plumb, I think. 00:23:59.86 ukfilmreview He was good, yeah. Actually, generally the acting was great. I didn't have a problem with that. I found they did too much of the same scene. It was like the same scene of like showing the next person that did it and the next person that did it. 00:24:11.55 Brian Penn yeah 00:24:11.56 ukfilmreview And you're kind of going, but I suppose yeah you needed an element of that to show how deep he kind of got into it. 00:24:15.46 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:24:16.94 ukfilmreview But it was like, yeah, though they could easily cut a bit of that. 00:24:17.17 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 00:24:19.14 ukfilmreview Also, I found we didn't really learn enough about our main character, Gary, until later. It was a long time before we actually really learned anything about him. 00:24:24.77 Brian Penn Yeah. I know. 00:24:27.17 ukfilmreview And I was like, 00:24:27.62 Brian Penn yeah the yeah the Yeah. 00:24:28.38 ukfilmreview who is this guy that yeah and and there was a nice theme running through which i sort of felt afterwards about this the idea about he had to live these two lives and become almost 00:24:30.59 Brian Penn The reveal was delayed took too long, wasn't it? But yeah, I like it. Really good. It's the type of film you think to yourself, I'd love to play that role. It just so seems so much fun to play. You know, some films naturally get you that way. You think, yeah, I'd like to be part of this. I'd like to. 00:24:55.45 ukfilmreview two different people. And I think that that's something that a lot of people do now, you know, that the live that we project and the life maybe that we actually have. 00:24:56.76 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:25:01.52 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:25:02.90 ukfilmreview And I think that was like a nice thing to explore in a funny kind of crime way. 00:25:03.05 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:25:07.95 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:25:09.01 ukfilmreview But yeah, no, it'd be interesting this to see the success of that sort of film. like so i I spoke to a few people and they said they turned it off. ah they they yeah They didn't make it through the film and yeah I found that quite telling. 00:25:17.66 Brian Penn Really? 00:25:20.35 Brian Penn Ooh, interesting. 00:25:22.72 ukfilmreview I said, well, I had to watch it. I watched it to the end, but I'm glad I did. 00:25:24.88 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:25:26.24 ukfilmreview I said, I'm glad I got to the end. 00:25:27.02 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:25:27.64 ukfilmreview I enjoyed the journey altogether and I especially enjoyed the scenes where he had to 00:25:29.52 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:25:33.54 ukfilmreview do two things at once like he's sort of trying to have a conversation that he's also trying to convince the cops that are listening in that he's doing it properly and that was really well done. 00:25:39.96 Brian Penn yeah you know yeah and i Yeah. 00:25:43.08 ukfilmreview I thought they sort of made a lot of that. Yeah. 00:25:45.73 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. It's good. It's good. It's like a saying, there's lots of nice touches there and it really shows what a good director, which a little nicer is. Um, cause he makes it credible. He makes it believable. That's very important when you're making any film, does it look credible? Is it possible? Could it happen? Well, we know it kind of happened, but to get over that kind of credibility factor is an achievement. And he does that really well, but no, I think I would have watched it. Even if we weren't reviewing it, I think I would have watched it all the way through. Um, You know, it's that kind of family. It draws you in, but you know, there are things they could have done with it differently, but that's always the way, isn't it? 00:26:23.30 Brian Penn you know 00:26:24.42 ukfilmreview go I mean, he's a he's known for making long films, to be fair. But anyway, Hitman out on Netflix, let us know if you watched it and liked it or didn't like it and why. 00:26:28.77 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:26:35.10 ukfilmreview um Moving on now to our indie and short film section. ah Before we actually get into the films we're gonna review, we were contacted recently by and Mr. Dan Watt, who I've spoken to before and we've reviewed his short well he's sorry his documentary, 00:26:47.30 Brian Penn oh 00:26:52.12 ukfilmreview previously on the website called Everybody Dance. And as it's currently available on Prime UK, he sent us a lovely little clip which I'm going to play now, ah just talking about the film. 00:27:01.17 Brian Penn well nice yeah 00:27:03.36 ukfilmreview Here we go. Here's Dan. 00:27:42.89 ukfilmreview go well Thank you Dan for getting in touch and for a lovely clip. It's always nice when filmmakers are able to talk about their own film because we I do a terrible job of it. 00:27:48.95 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:27:51.40 ukfilmreview um And yeah, it's great. So yeah, check that out on Prime and let us know if you watch everybody dance. 00:27:59.55 Brian Penn so it Sounds very aspirational as well, doesn't it? 00:28:01.95 ukfilmreview It's got lovely themes. 00:28:02.19 Brian Penn you know Yeah. 00:28:03.87 ukfilmreview i've seen I see a lot around the film and it's got a lovely community about it, really great vibe with the people that are involved in things. So yeah, I can't go wrong with that sort of film. 00:28:11.04 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:28:13.74 Brian Penn and Absolutely. and 00:28:15.38 ukfilmreview Now, we're moving on to our reviews of indie films and short films. These are films that filmmakers sent us through the UK Film Review website, and we are very pleased to review them. It's always an absolute joy. 00:28:26.51 Brian Penn hmm yeah yeah yeah none none no no 00:28:27.26 ukfilmreview And this is where we really get into this nitty-gritty of the filmmakers on the front, I think. this is you These are the up-and-coming filmmakers, the ones that are really making the the want the films that they want to make. And proof of this is the first film we're going to review because How many Viking operas have you reviewed? You know, none until this moment, right? So we were we were sent Freitas and Goodrid from filmmaker Jeffrey Leiser. And yes, it's exactly that. It's a musical drama. ah It's in black and white, and it's all about yeah merchants and Vikings. 00:29:04.89 ukfilmreview And yeah, it had been reviewed on the website as well. So you can read our review there. But yeah, it's a fascinating film. It really was something very, very different. And I'm going to put out from the beginning, I am not an opera fan. I don't enjoy opera, particularly. 00:29:22.56 Brian Penn nine No, I'm not an opera fan. 00:29:23.93 ukfilmreview How about you, Brian? Are you an opera fan? 00:29:26.50 Brian Penn You know, one of my other hats is that I'm a theatre reviewer as well. So I do occasionally go to the opera, but I can't honestly say that I'm a fan. 00:29:33.49 ukfilmreview No. 00:29:34.62 Brian Penn It's the old cliche, you respect it as an art form, and that's I do respect it, but not a fan at all. 00:29:37.76 ukfilmreview Yeah. 00:29:43.74 Brian Penn I think this film is very ambitious and brave as well to tackle what some might call very dry subject matter and set it to an opera. It's sung through, so there's no spoken dialogue, but you know it kind of works. It's quite long, though. I think two hours of listening to a song through opera can be heavy going, but I think you need to get tuned into it a bit more. And once you do, you can appreciate it more. 00:30:14.93 Brian Penn Opera fans will will obviously enjoy it more than you and I do, because it's just simply a matter of taste, isn't it? 00:30:18.48 ukfilmreview Hmm. 00:30:21.85 Brian Penn You know, there's no spoken dialogue and that's the way opera works. You know, everything is sung. You know, the um I think the score The score seems to be reminiscent of West Side Story. Nowhere one near as that kind of quality, but it kind of took tips from West Side Story in that really lush orchestral store. Um, doesn't have the dynamism of a lot of Bernstein, um, score, but it kind of, it makes the effort to give it some kind of gravitas. Um, and in that way, it's very good. It's very good. 00:30:59.49 ukfilmreview Yeah, I liked the idea the of what the narrative was trying to do because I looked up in a bit more into to detail about the film and sort of based like around what's called the Vinland sagas. 00:31:13.93 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:31:14.22 ukfilmreview um And this was this idea that potentially the Vikings could have traveled to the Americas in like the 13th century and not necessarily known that's what they were. 00:31:24.43 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:31:24.82 ukfilmreview um And I love that idea, a big fan of like sort of American history. 00:31:27.10 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:31:28.64 ukfilmreview So for me, that was a great sort of starting point. 00:31:29.84 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:31:31.46 ukfilmreview And then you've got this ah situation where a character dies, Vlad, I think his name is, and and the sort of, sorry, Vald, the characters from that person's hometown 00:31:41.86 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:31:44.67 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:31:44.84 ukfilmreview then decided to take upon us to go and find retribution and that's the kind of sort of basis of the story but there's lots of other twists and turns along the way and there's sort of two central well the titular characters um there's a lot that goes on between them it was and i find this with that's what i said from the outset i'm not a big fan of opera but but when i know what the story is and when i know kind of what the context is it does help a lot and i think with if you are going to go into freddis and goodred and and watch it 00:31:47.87 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:31:52.51 Brian Penn yeah 00:31:58.15 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 00:32:07.38 Brian Penn yeah 00:32:13.03 ukfilmreview I can't remember quite how long it was. I think it was about two hours. 00:32:15.45 Brian Penn sir hours Yeah. 00:32:16.26 ukfilmreview two hours yeah the Knowing that stuff I feel would help. i feel like Knowing a bit more about like what the saga was about and things like that. 00:32:23.74 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:32:24.45 ukfilmreview That would help. and yeah say The vocal performance is amazing. The yeah score is fabulous. 00:32:27.79 Brian Penn yeah 00:32:30.29 ukfilmreview They make good use of, I think it was all done on a set. 00:32:32.54 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:32:33.53 ukfilmreview I believe it's because you've got like sort of backgrounds being used and things like that. And um in Patrick's review, so Patrick reviewed I think on the website, and he was talking about how it did feel a bit like classic Hollywood. It's got that sort of, you know, it felt like, oh, they sort of made the set and it's black and white. 00:32:45.65 Brian Penn Yeah, yeah, kinda, yeah. Yeah. 00:32:50.95 ukfilmreview um And I think that sort of was a nice feel to had to have. 00:32:54.41 Brian Penn Yeah. It almost feels like a continuous shot though as well, doesn't it? It probably isn't. 00:32:59.32 ukfilmreview Yeah, it carry on. 00:33:00.70 Brian Penn But the editing's very good, because you really couldn't see. They must have stopped at some point. But you can't see it, so the editing's really good as well. It's got a lot going for it, but I think you're right though. You probably need to do a bit of homework. Do a bit of reading up. um and then you'll you'll get the essence of the story. And it's a fascinating it's a fascinating prospect that the Vikings might have got to America oh when they did. And that hasn't been explored enough on film. So I'd actually like to see a straight film about this story as well. 00:33:33.55 ukfilmreview Yeah, that that's what I felt, you know, I think when I was watching this, and this this is true for a lot of these type of films, I remember watching a Sofia Coppola theatre, opera production a few years back, I remember feeling that it was kind of like, it's like a filmed performance, you know, it's like a performance, so and that's fine, you know, nothing wrong with that. 00:33:48.93 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:33:51.77 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:33:51.84 ukfilmreview But when I'm interested in the the medium of film I do kind of look for it to be a bit more cinematic in terms of the storytelling and I think that there will be a limitation there for audiences that are looking for a film about this subject to to get it here. 00:34:00.89 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:34:07.31 ukfilmreview One thing that was nice is that it was in the English language because often with operas they're not. 00:34:07.45 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:34:10.62 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:34:11.87 ukfilmreview There's English language and there were subtitles so that really helped but thank you very much for that. 00:34:11.97 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. I know that was handy. Yeah. I know. I left those on. Yeah. Yeah. 00:34:17.57 ukfilmreview yeah um 00:34:18.42 Brian Penn That was really useful. Yeah. Um, but like, like I say, it's very good, but I think it's, it's probably one more for opera buffs. They will appreciate it more. But then again, you and I can appreciate it. It's, it's many qualities. 00:34:32.63 ukfilmreview And I think you said earlier, and I agree, I think that the word is ambitious. 00:34:32.89 Brian Penn um 00:34:35.75 ukfilmreview I love the idea that this is ambitious. It's not going to be for everyone, absolutely not, but it's definitely ambitious and it will appeal to a ah niche of audience of say, well, look, yeah, I'm interested in the subject. 00:34:37.73 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 00:34:46.14 ukfilmreview I'm interested in the the medium of ah opera on screen. 00:34:48.88 Brian Penn Hmm 00:34:51.11 ukfilmreview And yeah, I think that's why I love this sort of ah position that me and you have, Brian, being able to see something like this, which is so different and it is going to be challenging to an audience. Someone's going to watch that and go, well, okay, well, that was something I wasn't really even prepared for. It comes out, I believe, in July, July 7th. 00:35:07.54 Brian Penn Yeah All right Hmm 00:35:11.42 ukfilmreview I'm not sure where, but ah yeah, you can always feel free to drop us a line and we'll we'll do our best to sort of point you in the right direction. We have the review of the film on our website. Yeah, so Fradis and Goodrid. So Fradis is spelled F-R-E-Y-D-I-S and the I's got that sort of slant on it and Goodrid, 00:35:29.63 Brian Penn Yep. 00:35:30.66 ukfilmreview that g u d r i d just i'm spelling that one out just because if you are searching for it i don't i don't want you to miss it because um it is uh it's a unique film and i want people to be able to find that uh but yeah thank you very much but for sending that in uh we very much enjoyed watching it albeit not to our taste we can tell that it was very well made okay we are moving on now to a short film uh 00:35:34.51 Brian Penn I know. Yeah, that's right. 00:35:41.42 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:35:48.67 Brian Penn um Yeah, absolutely. 00:35:56.89 ukfilmreview written and directed by filmmaker Usher Morgan, who I've seen quite a few of ah Morgan's films. I think you may have also read because he submitted some I think to the festival that we had. 00:36:07.76 Brian Penn Oh, okay. 00:36:08.11 ukfilmreview um' Yeah, I believe so. ah But this is so very different for him. i Very powerful, strong. It's a 00:36:15.55 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:36:16.45 ukfilmreview It stars Katie Vincent, who I have definitely reviewed in previous films. 00:36:21.43 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:36:21.45 ukfilmreview ah And she is a woman that suffers with agoraphobia. 00:36:27.01 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:36:27.91 ukfilmreview So the ah yeah the fear of the outside and crowds and that sort of thing. 00:36:29.53 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:36:33.74 ukfilmreview um Yeah it's a short thriller and it's very striking. There's a there's a sequence in it which happens twice which is where she's in the this sort of milky bath and her her mascara sort of runs into the milk and that 00:36:45.41 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:36:49.30 Brian Penn Yeah. Oh, that's a good that's a good shot. Actually, that's a good thing. 00:36:51.42 ukfilmreview really, really stood with me. And that on its own was sometimes that would have been enough, right? 00:36:54.19 Brian Penn Yeah, really effective. 00:36:56.21 ukfilmreview kind of right That's it. 00:36:56.91 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:36:57.21 ukfilmreview That's a film. And it was so powerful, like the contrast of what was going on there. And yeah, that's that really that stood with to out to me. But what did you think of ah Homebound? 00:37:07.33 Brian Penn Yeah, I thought it was very good. ah Casey Vincent is very great presence, very charismatic. And the subject matter, I mean, the fact that she's suffering from agoraphobia, they can sort of encase the storyline and they can make it very close because she can't bear to go outside. And it also studies the relationship between her as a patient and the therapist, which gradually turns very sort of sinister, doesn't it? um 00:37:36.53 ukfilmreview Mm. 00:37:36.98 Brian Penn and the therapy dog as well. It's an interesting sort of jump in the storyline. Cause that's, that's the dog that helps the control of fear of open spaces. But I thought it was very good. And and Casey Vincent is, ah in my opinion, a real prospect. 00:37:54.10 ukfilmreview Oh, the the scene where she's by the front door trying to catch her breath. 00:37:58.19 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:37:58.53 ukfilmreview she she She cannot get control of her breath. 00:38:00.89 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:38:01.17 ukfilmreview And I was just absolutely gripped. 00:38:03.65 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:38:04.50 ukfilmreview My face which was about three inches from the screen. 00:38:04.91 Brian Penn I know. 00:38:06.74 ukfilmreview I was like, what, is she gonna be okay? 00:38:06.78 Brian Penn and I know. Yeah. 00:38:08.92 ukfilmreview um Yeah, but I've seen her before in a few things and she is excellent. 00:38:09.01 Brian Penn Yeah, I know. 00:38:12.02 ukfilmreview And in this, I think it's a top performance. 00:38:14.92 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:38:15.22 ukfilmreview There's there's loads of lovely, great bits in this film. There's a nice little montage of her when she's bonding with a dog. There's, they are the scenes of the therapist and they sort of um yeah'm not going to give too much away but it doesn't necessarily go right it should um that's really powerful the score really chilling um it really builds attention there's also what i liked there's a few scenes where they sort of 00:38:28.10 Brian Penn Hmm. No, no fair to say. Yeah. 00:38:42.81 ukfilmreview were focusing on the main character's face, and they're sort of blurring the background behind her. And it it made like her surroundings look really menacing. And that obviously trying to reflect the subject matter. 00:38:53.11 Brian Penn yeah 00:38:54.31 ukfilmreview And I thought that was a really brilliant touch, like, cinematically to to create that. 00:38:54.33 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:38:56.61 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 00:38:58.74 ukfilmreview um Yeah, really good. 00:38:59.84 Brian Penn Let's get, let's get all those touches into a short film. And we've always said that a short film has obviously bites the brain, which has limited time on screen. 00:39:02.35 ukfilmreview Mm. 00:39:08.52 Brian Penn And to do what they did and with that degree of cinematic quality is a rare thing. You've, you've literally got to, Make all your points in a very short space of time as a director. you know What do you want the characters to say? but What's the the audience reaction going to be? That's all very well thought out. It might be easier to do because it is a short film and you've got limited time and limited frames to get that message across, but it's very good, really chilling. I think chilling is a good way of describing it. 00:39:45.06 ukfilmreview It felt chock-a-block as well. There was so much in there. I've probably said this before about Usher Morgan's films, but you could definitely have a feature length out of this. There's definitely a feature length there. 00:39:55.32 Brian Penn Yeah, I think there is. 00:39:55.92 ukfilmreview It works 100% as a short. It's absolutely terrific. 00:39:59.38 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:40:02.06 ukfilmreview If someone said, would you see a feature of this character? 00:40:03.63 Brian Penn Well, definitely. 00:40:04.92 ukfilmreview I said, yes, absolutely. 00:40:06.51 Brian Penn Yeah, definitely. 00:40:06.62 ukfilmreview 100%. um Yeah, really good. at The film, I believe, is it available on YouTube. You actually can watch Homebound. 00:40:13.59 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:40:14.71 ukfilmreview If you look on YouTube for a channel called Dark Passage Films, be very careful about how you type that in. um Yeah, Dark Passage Films, that you um yeah find try and find the film. 00:40:21.62 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:40:26.58 ukfilmreview um Yeah. Homebound is really good. It's about 20 minutes. And yeah, I thought it was excellent. Really powerful. Really stood. It sort of stuck with you after watching it. It was, uh, yeah, really strong fingers with you. 00:40:39.33 Brian Penn ah link Yeah, Lingus, you know, it stays with you afterwards, doesn't it? that It's always a sign of a good shot. 00:40:45.15 ukfilmreview Well, thank you for sending that in. And, uh, yeah, let us know if you do watch it. Anyone listening to this, uh, feel free to check it out and review that. We'd love to see it really would. Moving on now to a documentary called On the Ridge. 00:40:59.17 Brian Penn Mm hmm. 00:41:00.27 ukfilmreview And ah this is about a community in America called Pine Ridge, where Native Americans live, the Lakota tribe for its people. And the documentary is Attempting to approach the story of this this town this this place in a more positive light because I think there's been a lot of negativity around their community to do with Sort of poverty drug use lots of different things and this attempts to try and talk about what people are doing there to actually make make a difference and and inspire people and And actually, it was a but it really I love this sort of thing when it comes along, because it's something I didn't know anything about. 00:41:20.92 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:41:27.61 Brian Penn um 00:41:33.67 Brian Penn yeah 00:41:37.33 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 00:41:44.45 ukfilmreview And now I feel like I feel really enriched. I've been able to watch all about these people and what they're doing. And yeah, it was yeah interesting. What do you think about On The Ridge, Brian? 00:41:52.58 Brian Penn Yeah, and I like it. I think it's very moving. Um, it's, I mean, it's the count of Native American red Indians. And it's describing their efforts to preserve their language, culture, way of life, especially being corralled into reservations, which to modernize seems a wicked thing to do. and Without getting super political, you actually see what the evils of colonialism can do. you know So you see parallels with the Maoists in New Zealand and the Aborigines in Australia. And great characters as well. 00:42:24.73 Brian Penn Robert Braveheart, Edward Breadnest. I just think it's brilliant. 00:42:28.48 ukfilmreview Hehe. 00:42:29.32 Brian Penn and What I also liked about it was the quotes from Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse, you know, it gave it more historical context. So they're not just talking about the Dakota Shrine, although that's the main thrust of the story, but they're also throwing references to Reading in Sheets that would be widely known. It makes it more accessible. But I liked it and you know, you can, It's quite humbling to see them starting their own school, um trying to get their own get their children to know their history. know And it's very inspiring. Again, it's that word comes back to be inspirational. you know And it's it's very effective. I liked it. 00:43:20.10 ukfilmreview It was a nice balance as well in the film because they were referencing their history, their legacy, of some of the most famous people in their community. 00:43:26.94 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:43:29.25 ukfilmreview But then they're also like showing LGBTQ support groups and they're talking about yeah the things that are really relevant right now for them, ah the policy changes they're trying to get made in legislation. 00:43:35.05 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 00:43:42.92 ukfilmreview and that was There was a lot there for people to, yeah, if you're part of that community to feel proud of. And there's a lot of things for people like us, you know, way away looking at this going, well, what a fascinating place to live. 00:43:48.73 Brian Penn Yeah. Cool. Yeah. 00:43:54.75 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:43:55.53 ukfilmreview And like you say, the characters are really interesting. These people that are going well out of their way to do something for their community really sort of, yeah, really fascinating. 00:44:02.05 Brian Penn Yeah. All right. and i ah Yeah, it's it's i mean it's educational for me. I'm not sure for you as well because it's telling me things. It's telling us things we didn't know. So the educational element is really important man because it's just something I wasn't aware of. And films are good that make you wiser as a result. um You have this term infotainment, a cross between information and entertainment. And that's that's what I feel it is. 00:44:34.66 Brian Penn It's enlightening and um it deserves more attention. I just wonder whether a film like this would just disappear really. It's too niche perhaps. It shouldn't be. 00:44:47.92 ukfilmreview No, I think sometimes documentaries do struggle a little bit for attention but then they also can find a nice home. If you look online for sort of documentary film festivals, they're often a good place to to start and where something like this is quite accessible in terms of the content of it, it's not too 00:45:00.09 Brian Penn Hmm. Yeah. 00:45:09.38 ukfilmreview dark and heavy. it's quite actually It's actually quite light. I like the idea that it was a different approach. It was a positive approach. We weren't looking at something being kind of like sensational or anything like that. 00:45:15.02 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:45:18.22 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:45:18.64 ukfilmreview It was more like, but you know actually, there are some really good things here. Let us tell our story. And I liked that. So yeah, this when when we watched it, I believe it was on their actual website. 00:45:29.91 Brian Penn um 00:45:29.99 ukfilmreview But I don't know if it was a, yeah, it was password protected. So people might not actually be able to find on the ridge. They have a website called 7x7productions, the it's like 7x7productions.com. 00:45:44.68 Brian Penn Alright. 00:45:45.34 ukfilmreview So if people do want to try and find out more about the film or see if they can see it, I recommend it. i like like 00:45:50.87 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:45:51.81 ukfilmreview The idea that people are able to sort of get a glimpse of this very different world and yeah let us know if you are able to actually watch it. 00:45:54.63 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:45:59.49 ukfilmreview It was one of those films where, like a documentary, where you start watching it and you think, okay, this is good. i And then you watch the whole thing. so's like The whole hour and a half's gone. You're like, oh, I've just watched that all. look where's it Where's the time gone? I feel that I was really, really immersed into that world that they were able to to show you. 00:46:13.58 Brian Penn Yeah, I know, I know. 00:46:18.07 ukfilmreview And I think because there were so many different points that they were cover covering different topics, it was really rich, really for varied. 00:46:20.64 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:46:24.68 Brian Penn That's always a good sign when time passes quickly and then you think to yourself, it's over already. And there are some films like that because you you get so engrossed in in the and the story itself. So that's always an encouraging sign for me. 00:46:40.21 ukfilmreview fabulous um so yeah let us know if you check out on the ridge and yeah do go and read the review that we've got on our website and let us know if you see it on to our next indie film and this one I believe I do have a clip for this is a feature film called someone dies 00:46:40.41 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:46:56.22 Brian Penn Oh wow. 00:48:10.02 ukfilmreview So I should have probably warned people that that clip was, uh, expletive, but I just thought the surprise was just too good to not throw at people. 00:48:14.91 Brian Penn um I know I know but you know that there are so many c clips you could have used there and I love this it's just so off the wall wasn't it really you you know what ah what it reminded me of it reminded me it it reminded me a little bit of Quentin Serensono pulp fiction it you know I don't think it's quite as good as that you know the best one in the world but 00:48:17.97 ukfilmreview who Yeah. 00:48:32.36 ukfilmreview Oh yeah. A hundred percent. Yeah. 00:48:38.75 Brian Penn You know, it can be no bad thing if the first thing that I think of, or maybe you think of, is like, this is pop fiction. You've got all these weird and wacky characters, um you know, with these really funny lines that are coming out, you know. You know, he ah he says to the private detective, you're you're you're inserting yourself into my domicile. And it's just this weird sort of sort of phrase. And I loved it. I thought it was great. Really, really enjoying it. 00:49:06.85 ukfilmreview I think because so far all we've done is played that clip and said how much we enjoyed the film. I'm going to just give a quick rundown on the plot because and the best I can anyway, the best I can with the plot. 00:49:13.88 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 00:49:17.89 ukfilmreview So we have a sort of a shady private investigator who basically bursts into the home of another strange guy and there's a woman there as well. He's trying to work out who's taken his daughter hostage. But what happens is a very unusual set of things, I guess, and we also are... 00:49:39.91 Brian Penn Yeah, yeah. 00:49:43.94 ukfilmreview kind of become aware that no one seems to know what's going on. Each of the characters seems a bit befuddled about the other one being there. 00:49:47.54 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 00:49:51.23 ukfilmreview And there is an element of sci-fi in this, not to give anything away. 00:49:52.05 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:49:56.18 ukfilmreview And yeah, like I said, there's a lot of crime. there's ah There's a Russian landlord who turns up, who's very dangerous. 00:50:02.01 Brian Penn Yeah, yeah. 00:50:02.36 ukfilmreview um And I mean, this might be a bit of a spoiler, but yeah, he gets chopped in half by the garbage disposal. um And the film kind of takes on this sort of new angle. now It was really funny, really different, very you unique. And like we said, there's hints of Tarantino there, but it's definitely not trying to be Tarantino in terms of the overall story, everything like that. 00:50:24.90 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:50:27.36 ukfilmreview It was directed by Justin Petty, he co-wrote with Amy Anderson. And there's three or four sort of central performances that are excellent. They're all really good. 00:50:36.79 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:50:37.42 ukfilmreview um Joseph Graham kind of pays the sort of main detective and yeah, really, Just batshit crazy, but I loved it. 00:50:46.13 Brian Penn yeah 00:50:47.01 ukfilmreview Really fun. 00:50:48.16 Brian Penn Yeah, I mean look, great characters as well. They really stand out, they enjoy, they really do. And Jane, the girl, you know, what was key to her character is those big glasses that she wears. 00:51:00.23 ukfilmreview And the dead pan. 00:51:00.31 Brian Penn It just, yeah, I know, it's that kind of deadpan expression and that complete sort of nonsensical confusion, utter confusion reigns. 00:51:01.21 ukfilmreview She was so dead pan. I loved it. 00:51:13.22 Brian Penn And brilliant, I loved it. I really did, you know, it's It's not often, ah we could say that about an indie feature that I think it's good enough to be a theatrical release. I really do. 00:51:26.51 ukfilmreview I'll tell you what, yeah know we we talked earlier about Hitman. 00:51:29.58 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:51:29.68 ukfilmreview I would i would say this is better than Hitman. I would have watched this more than Hitman, yeah. 00:51:33.26 Brian Penn Yeah, I think it is. Yeah, I think it is better. I mean, it doesn't have the polish of Hitman, does it? 00:51:38.86 ukfilmreview No, oh no. 00:51:40.01 Brian Penn You know, it's it's got, Hitman's got a kind of a sheen about it. But this is kind of raw. This is better. it's down and dirty. These are these are just cute characters and make you curious. um And you have a sense of wonder, but when you're watching these characters, and you wonder how the how the story is going go to turn out. So brilliant. Yeah. 00:52:02.95 ukfilmreview really different, really interesting. 00:52:04.19 Brian Penn yeah 00:52:06.14 ukfilmreview There's ah definitely an element that you might get confused by it because it's hard to follow. But I think that's done on purpose because it becomes clearer later on why. 00:52:14.67 Brian Penn Yeah, I think it is. 00:52:17.43 ukfilmreview And also the three main characters that are in there, they're all confused as well. 00:52:17.75 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:52:22.49 ukfilmreview And I think there's that sort of element. 00:52:22.94 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:52:24.40 ukfilmreview If you get into that but aspect to it, it's just so much fun. It's such a such a good ride. 00:52:29.94 Brian Penn Yeah. In a way, the the the cast join the audience, don't they? Because they're more or less saying that we're just as confused as you are, you know, bear with us, you know, we'll get there. 00:52:34.72 ukfilmreview Yeah. 00:52:39.26 ukfilmreview yeah and And it's smart as well because like it doesn't overstretch itself with locations. 00:52:39.70 Brian Penn It's that sort of type of approach. But absolutely brilliant. I love that. It's, as I say, it It's really what you look for in a good comedy film. It is humorous. It's humor comedy, isn't it? Yeah. 00:52:58.12 ukfilmreview I'm always looking out for that. It mainly stays within that apartment. There's a few sort of exterior shots of yeah he's on the phone. Some of the conversations he has on the phone with his wife, because obviously she's so he's trying to tell her that he's trying to find their daughter, but there's clearly not a happy ah relationship there. 00:53:09.40 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:53:11.94 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:53:14.82 Brian Penn No, no, it's not. 00:53:15.37 ukfilmreview and hes They were really funny. um 00:53:18.59 Brian Penn ah 00:53:18.77 ukfilmreview Yeah, really it's a really funny moments there. 00:53:20.95 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:53:21.00 ukfilmreview But yeah, like I think they they've made it really smartly in terms of what resources they've had and what they were able to do. yeah i I'm not sure what the budget was, but I think it was brilliantly sort of conceived and then also executed, which often is not the case with these sort of films. 00:53:29.58 Brian Penn Yeah. You see what they've also done there um is that they can say the story within one house suddenly really, it doesn't necessarily need to go outside. So There are no kind of budgetary implications there because it's all taking place in one, not one room, but one house, let's say. So that's a good move because it doesn't rely on different locations because it is contained within the house where they are. 00:53:59.85 ukfilmreview yeah absolutely we um did receive an open link for that film but i've got a feeling it was password protected i'm just going to double check yeah no i think it was a festival cut um so i don't think it's available 00:54:02.14 Brian Penn So that's good as well. 00:54:18.12 Brian Penn yeah 00:54:23.06 ukfilmreview publicly but the company, the the actual company that made it is called Hidden Gym Pictures so they probably have a website and obviously you know like everyone else you feel free to go to IMDb and and check out if they've added it to any streaming platform or anything like that over the coming weeks but do go read our review as well on our website of Someone Dies exclamation mark afterwards you must remember that you know. 00:54:37.66 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:54:46.85 Brian Penn Yeah. The exclamation mark's really important there, isn't it? 00:54:49.39 ukfilmreview Very important, yeah. 00:54:50.20 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:54:50.69 ukfilmreview ah Apparently, I'm sorry, I'm coughing because it's funny. 00:54:51.24 Brian Penn yeah 00:54:53.51 Brian Penn ah 00:54:54.04 ukfilmreview Apparently, the original or alternative and title, I don't know if they've done this as a joke, but on their IMDb page, the alternative if title is Dickhead. but 00:55:05.63 Brian Penn It's probably a working slide, wasn't it? 00:55:05.69 ukfilmreview ah Yeah. 00:55:07.21 Brian Penn I mean, yeah, it kind of makes sense, doesn't it really? Yeah. 00:55:10.10 ukfilmreview I mean, it's either that or it's or it's just a stab at me. You know, maybe they just knew I was going to read the page that far down, but you know, you never know. 00:55:13.33 Brian Penn ah Well, Yeah, we're very thorough, aren't we? Nothing else. 00:55:19.82 ukfilmreview So yeah, check out ah Someone Dies as and When You Can, and we're moving on to our last of the indie films before we move on to some other bits. 00:55:27.36 Brian Penn Oh, 00:55:29.90 ukfilmreview This is a short film called Second Thought, and I believe I have a clip from the filmmaker, who because it's a non-dialogue film, so the filmmaker has sent in a clip, so let's listen to that. 00:55:36.82 Brian Penn oh well. 00:55:39.93 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 00:55:42.80 ukfilmreview This shouldn't be as explative as the last one. 00:55:44.97 Brian Penn No. 00:57:05.92 ukfilmreview There you go. Thank you very much for sending in that clip. so I mean, it' it's it's almost like you've done too good a job there because now we've got to try and match the brilliant sort of speech you gave there about the film. 00:57:12.55 Brian Penn Yeah. the Yeah. 00:57:17.98 ukfilmreview This was an interesting one. It's nice to have managed to get this into Pride Month. And yeah, anyone listening to us, by the way, do make sure you are checking out the other show part of UK Film Review podcast, which is called Gay Actually. 00:57:23.00 Brian Penn yeah 00:57:30.05 ukfilmreview They also review a lot of LGBT plus films. 00:57:31.97 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:57:34.32 ukfilmreview Yeah. Second thought, what did you think, Brian? 00:57:36.49 Brian Penn I liked it. I was really impressed by this. 00:57:38.74 ukfilmreview Very strong isn't it? 00:57:38.86 Brian Penn It's almost, it's so almost like a sliding doors type of storyline, isn't it? Cause it looks like alternative scenarios, doesn't it? You know, the first scenario, these two guys may, they have what what amounts to a one night stand, but then the alternative is where they make an emotional connection first, you know, and then their relationship develops properly. 00:57:57.96 ukfilmreview Yeah. 00:58:00.87 Brian Penn Um, I like that. I like that. I love those kinds of alternative scenarios in any film. You know, Sliding Doors is one of my my favorite films in the 90s. And I always look for films it that deal with fates. You know, that we can't control every inch of our existence. And some things do happen for a reason. Some things don't happen for a reason. But here you've got an alternative story ah told in six minutes. You know, there's no dialogue. there's 00:58:31.95 Brian Penn You've got, um, text messages that they put on screen, but that's really it, isn't it? 00:58:36.86 ukfilmreview Hm. 00:58:37.08 Brian Penn You know, and I think that's an outstanding job really to tell a story like that and be so concise, absolutely clear what it's getting at. You know, there's no, it's not ambiguity there. This is about the way relationships should develop. I mean, you know, if you make an emotional connection with someone as opposed to a purely physical connection, that relationship is more likely to last. That's what I get from it. um So very good. Really good. 00:59:09.21 ukfilmreview I thought it was a really powerful modern way of telling this sort of story, which is going to be very relevant to a lot of people watching. Not so much for me. 00:59:16.77 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:59:17.64 ukfilmreview I've been married for a long time. I'm not on these apps and things like that. 00:59:20.98 Brian Penn No, no. 00:59:21.44 ukfilmreview But but the um i like what I loved about these sort of the split screen they're using that is showing these two characters that were having their lives and yet were soon going to become so entangled in something that yeah it could either be you the complete 00:59:26.51 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:59:35.95 ukfilmreview non-moment for them or like you know sort of mistake or it could be the absolute defining moment of their life yeah and that's what was really powerful about the film and i love the way that they hey handled that professionally and expertly there was a lovely upbeat sense of that the music was kicking in and really um it got it into a really energized kind of place very quickly and like i say if you're not relying on dialogue you know like when we reviewed Someone Dies you know the dialogue is doing a lot of the heavy lifting in that film because 00:59:38.03 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 00:59:52.72 Brian Penn yeah 00:59:58.16 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:00:04.37 Brian Penn Well, that's it, isn't it? 01:00:05.95 ukfilmreview it's really really yeah with this it's far more relying on the visuals and this the the music to kind of get you immersed into and to care about what's going on with these two characters and you do you do kind of get drawn in to their potential blossoming relationship and i thought it was really great really strong 01:00:06.24 Brian Penn That's what it's all about the dialogue. 01:00:17.68 Brian Penn Yeah, yeah, yeah. 01:00:27.35 Brian Penn Yeah, it's a universal message because they don't rely on, I mean, they don't rely on spoken dialogue, not really. So, you know, even without the text messages that they featured, you could too do away with them, literally, and you could just rely on visuals to tell the story. 01:00:43.89 ukfilmreview Mm. 01:00:44.43 Brian Penn In my opinion, you could do that very easily. And that is good filmmaking. That's somebody who knows what he's doing. He does. 01:00:52.87 ukfilmreview Yeah. And to want to tell a story about a certain aspect as well, like you mentioned, you know, the sort of the idea of not rushing sexual intimacy and creating a relationship that's actually going to last because it's based on something more, more tangible, more real. 01:01:08.76 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:01:08.83 ukfilmreview I think that that was, again, we've seen, we've mentioned this about a few of the filmmakers today, but it's really ambitious. It's really, do you know what? We're going to tell a seven minute film, but it's going to really hit you about this. 01:01:15.65 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:01:18.85 ukfilmreview And you kind of go, really? 01:01:19.43 Brian Penn yeah 01:01:19.89 ukfilmreview And it does. 01:01:20.46 Brian Penn but not and 01:01:20.88 ukfilmreview It really well made film. 01:01:22.65 Brian Penn Well, you couldn't really get much shorter than that, could you really? I mean, most short films are like 15 minutes, aren't they normally? If you look at the films that we typically review on the indie side, the short films are about 15 minutes, aren't they? 01:01:29.41 ukfilmreview Mm. 01:01:35.01 ukfilmreview Yeah. I think you're in if you're if you want to yeah tell a a short story, it's that you have, yeah. 01:01:36.13 Brian Penn Generally. 01:01:39.47 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:01:40.34 ukfilmreview And I think also with this, there was the risk of not giving you enough time because you could actually tell this very quickly, right? You could probably just whiz through it and tell it very quickly, but you had to have enough time that the the stakes were high enough for us to care and kind of go, Oh, right. 01:01:48.30 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:01:55.58 Brian Penn yeah 01:01:56.59 ukfilmreview Yeah. Well, actually that could happen or that could happen. And obviously you're telling the same story almost twice. 01:02:00.93 Brian Penn But you know straight away though what it's getting at you know it it's there straight away that oh okay I know where we are I know what's happening here and again because it's a short film they have to do that you know but it's very clear it becomes clear what the film's about where it's going what it's dealing with 01:02:01.75 ukfilmreview ah Yeah. And it's it's interesting. 01:02:05.48 ukfilmreview Yeah. 01:02:21.53 Brian Penn ah you thought Oh, okay. Right. I get this. That's good. you know Yeah. 01:02:25.68 ukfilmreview Fabulous, fabulous. Second thought is the ah name of the film. As I say, um ah you can always go to the IMD page if you need to. Directed by Jimmy Martin and Chris Stanley. and That was Chris who was on the yeah clip there. 01:02:40.73 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:02:42.84 ukfilmreview I'm just seeing if there's anything about the film in terms of where they can see it. It was a YouTube link. I believe it's public. I might be wrong. Let me check. 01:02:52.48 Brian Penn Oh, right. 01:02:53.78 ukfilmreview Let me check. 01:02:58.93 ukfilmreview this is a man looks up thing on computer you have to just wait and bear with me I'm sorry yeah no it's it's it's available online and um so the channel which is Stan Chris all or one word um yeah 01:03:03.06 Brian Penn a 01:03:05.99 Brian Penn and 01:03:12.45 ukfilmreview which is obviously the the filmmaker. have Have a look on YouTube. We'll we'll do our best to signpost you to it as well. Feel free to get in touch. ah love Love to be able to send people to a film. It's always great to be on film. 01:03:23.08 Brian Penn Yeah, yeah, yeah. 01:03:23.69 ukfilmreview Yeah, look, you know what? Go check it out and and do send us your reviews. Go to our website or type in yeah how to be a film critic. 01:03:28.07 Brian Penn Yeah, absolutely. 01:03:31.34 ukfilmreview UK, you'll find our website. And yeah, i send us your review of Second Thought. That'd be great. 01:03:36.57 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:03:37.49 ukfilmreview And yeah, congrats to the filmmakers. Really, really great film. 01:03:39.02 Brian Penn Yeah, very well done. 01:03:40.56 ukfilmreview and happy pride month everyone. 01:03:42.27 Brian Penn Yeah, of course. 01:03:43.06 ukfilmreview Fabulous. Before we get into our nostalgia pick, I'm just going to go through a couple more of our you our listener reviews, people that have sent us ah some reviews of films they've seen. ah Mark Cage sent us a review of You Can't Run starring J.K. 01:03:57.96 Brian Penn Hmm. 01:03:59.03 ukfilmreview Simmons in a slick thriller and once again delivers an excellent performance. The character played by Simmons is reminiscent of his character Vern Schillinger in the acclaimed series Oz. Set mostly in a forest in Montana, Simmons is on a killing spree hunting for one teenage girl. 01:04:08.96 Brian Penn Oh. 01:04:15.04 Brian Penn Hmm. 01:04:15.16 ukfilmreview It's well acted and well directed by mic ah so Michelle Schumacher, who happens to be J.K. Simmons' wife in real life. 01:04:22.41 Brian Penn Oh. 01:04:22.45 ukfilmreview his His daughter, Olivia Simmons, is also in the movie. The cast, although mostly unknown, deliver quality acting ah to this. The film is well-written and offers a lot of suspense, which will keep you on the edge of your seat. Highly recommend. That is available on Amazon Prime, I think, if you want to watch You Can't Run Forever. um But yeah, thank you, Mark, for your review. 01:04:39.82 Brian Penn Yeah, sounds good. 01:04:42.28 ukfilmreview Yeah, it's great this. This is like doing a lot of my homework for me. 01:04:44.45 Brian Penn Yeah, yeah. 01:04:44.50 ukfilmreview I just go, oh yeah, I'll check that out. um Thomas Toba, who sent the review of Furiosa earlier, he also reviewed challenges for us. 01:04:47.22 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:04:52.18 ukfilmreview I thought I'd read this because you because you reviewed this last month, I believe. 01:04:53.06 Brian Penn All right. 01:04:55.99 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah, it was last month. Yeah. Yeah. 01:04:58.87 ukfilmreview ah um I'm not going to read the whole thing, I'll just read a section of the review because obviously we've got some others to get through. ah to google Very few films will be able to top Challengers 24 with it being so carefully constructed to tap into some truly dark scenarios or the beauty of sport. It's dripping with style from that contagious soundtrack, immaculate costume design and jaw-dropping visuals. Yeah, thank you, Thomas, for that review. I know we reviewed read out your earlier one. um But yeah, he gave it five out of five challenges. 01:05:27.10 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:05:29.81 Brian Penn Oh, I you see. I would have given it four probably, but I mean, five. Wow. That is high praise. Indeed. um I tend to rush on my five-star reviews. 01:05:41.16 ukfilmreview Oh, yeah, I know you two. 01:05:41.36 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:05:42.52 ukfilmreview You're very stingy with those, aren't you? 01:05:44.54 Brian Penn I know. That way it means more when it gets there. I mean, obviously that review merited five stars in his view, which is fair enough. 01:05:54.01 ukfilmreview It's all relevant. 01:05:54.15 Brian Penn You know, but yeah, yeah. And it obviously might be the impression on it, you know, uh, thanks. 01:06:00.35 ukfilmreview Well, the next film made an impression on me, but for all the wrong reasons. So this is this is an interesting one. On a previous episode, I let everyone know that I could not stand Eraserhead, the David Lynch film. 01:06:11.01 Brian Penn Oh, yeah. um really seven 01:06:13.05 ukfilmreview Now, Abhishek Sharma has sent in a five star review of Eraserhead. 01:06:14.93 Brian Penn Wow. 01:06:19.35 ukfilmreview So thank you for sending that. 01:06:20.05 Brian Penn God, really? 01:06:21.40 ukfilmreview um And ah again, not going to read the whole thing, but I'll just read the end bit, which said, ah Lynch has sent me the likes of Mulholland Drive and has created a sci-fi phenomenon for TV, Twin Peaks and other works. But nothing is drawn cinephiles to study and analyze as profoundly as a razor head for inspires budding filmmakers to sway away from the generic tropes of filmmaking. And actually, apologies if I'm saying the name wrong, but Abhishek I did a lovely review previously about it. It's a nice big thing about Eraserhead. 01:06:50.92 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:06:53.34 ukfilmreview I've just pulled that out because I think it's an interesting point because I do think there's an element, a lot of filmmakers are drawn to Lynch for this sort of thing, doing something experimental, right? 01:06:55.88 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He's like kind of direct. So though, David, initially, 01:07:06.49 ukfilmreview Yeah. 01:07:06.52 Brian Penn he He does feel like a director's director, doesn't he? And I can see why ah that review highlights that point, that he's a reference point for for aspiring that directors, but it certainly wasn't my favorite David Lynch film. 01:07:24.30 ukfilmreview No. 01:07:24.71 Brian Penn Mulholland Drive, I love that. Brilliant. Elephant Man. Fantastic. But I wasn't feeling it really, really. 01:07:30.72 ukfilmreview I do. Oh, that's my favorite. I love, I love Elephant Man. That's a great film. 01:07:33.83 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:07:34.80 ukfilmreview um Josie Lance sent in a four star review of Napoleon Ridley Scott's film, which you reviewed again on a previous episode. 01:07:41.53 Brian Penn Yeah, that is, yeah. 01:07:43.20 ukfilmreview You see how this is all tying together now. This is wonderful. 01:07:44.78 Brian Penn Hell yeah, yeah, it is, yeah. 01:07:45.86 ukfilmreview okay um Ridley Scott's retort to military historians who claimed his new epic Napoleon was an inaccurate portrayal of the former French emperor was very matter of factly, were you there? 01:07:59.94 Brian Penn Yeah, well, yeah, yeah. 01:08:00.17 ukfilmreview and what im what And whilst many have taken great offence to this comment and continued to degrade Scott's work and Wacking Phoenix's portrayal of Bonaparte, in essence it's true they weren't. Of course, like all creative works, the film has its flaws but very few don't when recreating historical events as those cinema aims to depict true incidences. 01:08:15.41 Brian Penn the 01:08:19.12 Brian Penn ah 01:08:19.29 ukfilmreview ah Napoleon is always going to be a work of fiction that's been spruced up for audience entertainment. 01:08:24.33 Brian Penn ah 01:08:25.34 ukfilmreview My point being, don't go and watch it if you're expecting a documentary. Now, I agree with you, Josie. 01:08:29.39 Brian Penn Yeah, that's right. Yeah. 01:08:31.24 ukfilmreview Fabulous. I'm glad you said it. 01:08:31.91 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:08:32.48 ukfilmreview Someone had to say it. 01:08:33.59 Brian Penn Yeah. I mean, i so I said more or less the same thing in the review that I wrote and also the review we did on the podcast. 01:08:34.16 ukfilmreview yeah 01:08:37.82 ukfilmreview yeah 01:08:39.77 Brian Penn But it's it's not a it's not a social document. It's not an historical document. It's a depiction of one of the great historic figures, Napoleon Bonaparte. And really, the way Brittany Scott approached the film was the right way of doing it, is that I'm not just going to fill it up with lots of battle scenes. I mean, he took part in 30 major campaigns. So where they might have taken the odd liberty or two, you know, they're a lighting on an area of Napoleon's life that it's more accessible, his relationship with Josephine. That's what we all know. That's what we're familiar with, but they still 01:09:14.85 Brian Penn they still get in, you know, the big battles will slow. 01:09:17.69 ukfilmreview I was going to say, actually, Josie did go on to say, it's no secret that Ridley Scott loves to indulge his audiences in mighty battle scenes and reminiscent of the opening scene to his 2000 picture gladiator, this epic was no different. 01:09:18.54 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:09:29.72 ukfilmreview The battles are allowed to revel in their bloody nature. There's men drowning in their own blood and icy water, muddy, cold and wet environments, horses getting blown apart, and men charging from all directions carrying fierce bayonets. 01:09:32.89 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. and I know. 01:09:39.58 Brian Penn I know it. Yeah. 01:09:43.01 ukfilmreview I mean, sounds great. 01:09:43.37 Brian Penn Yeah. Well, I mean, it's yeah it's it's something like what would have happened I mean it was a brutal era to live in wasn't it really I mean human well yeah of course we weren't there but I mean according to what I've read in the history books you see I think though that we're reviewing it as a film right not as an historical piece now if I was reviewing it from a purely historical perspective there might be ways you'd pick it apart but that's not it so 01:09:53.35 ukfilmreview I wasn't there, remember? I wasn't there. 01:10:14.46 Brian Penn i think it I think it is a bit, ah kind of a bit, I think it's wrong that people turn the noise up on it because they don't think it's historically accurate. Because some things you can't put on screen. You know, you need to cut corners somewhere. And to me, really, Scott can do no wrong. He's never made a bad film, as far as I'm concerned. And he makes films that are different as well. 01:10:38.29 ukfilmreview So we had a review as well from Laura Dore of Halloween, the original 1978 film. Again, a five star review. 01:10:43.83 Brian Penn Oh, yeah. 01:10:45.30 ukfilmreview I think people are sending in some of their favorite movies, which is interesting. ah Laura writes, the original that would begin the ultimate franchise, but almost by complete fluke. John Carpenter's Halloween in 1978 was originally going to be part of an anthology, much like Tales from the Dark Side or Tales from the Crypt centring around Halloween. The mistake they made, if you will, was having the first two films focused around Michael Myers, a ghoulish, frightening yet believable protagonist then veering off completely and writing a quirky episode about killer masks and aliens. 01:11:18.57 ukfilmreview So it's interesting, obviously, ah getting some of that backstory. um Another one of our podcast shows is called The Scream Test. 01:11:22.99 Brian Penn the Yeah. 01:11:24.33 ukfilmreview And um yeah, Rachel loves all this sort of stuff. So yeah, if you're a fan of horror films, um do go off and and listen to that as well. 01:11:27.64 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:11:30.02 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:11:31.50 ukfilmreview But yeah, interesting, you know, Laura writing in about Halloween. She was a ah great review. 01:11:37.01 Brian Penn o 01:11:37.05 ukfilmreview I can't go into the full thing, but yeah, ah very well. And actually talking about the idea about horror franchises versus horror comedies, because often they're very different. 01:11:46.35 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:11:46.44 ukfilmreview um We also had a review from Ryan Watson of a film called The Dead Don't Hurt, a new film directed by Viggo Mortensen, his second film. 01:11:54.53 Brian Penn Uh, Oh, right. Yeah. 01:11:57.59 ukfilmreview ah Ryan gives the film three stars. ah The true standout of this 1860s America set western though is female lead Vicky Crapes as Vivian. Perhaps shockingly then the film opens with Vivian passing away in bed as Mortensen's character Holger Olsen, not me, not me, ah comforter. 01:12:11.74 Brian Penn Oh, yeah. 01:12:16.48 ukfilmreview From here the film is told via extended flashback. It's interesting because we were talking about flashbacks and flash forwards with regards to challenges weren't we? 01:12:23.96 Brian Penn yeah 01:12:25.58 ukfilmreview Was that the film? 01:12:26.49 Brian Penn Yeah. Oh, that's right. 01:12:27.10 ukfilmreview Yeah. 01:12:27.49 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:12:28.44 ukfilmreview And because in Ryan's review, he talks about that the experiment with the chronological the chronology ah gives the film sort of structural problems in the sense that we know where the film goes. 01:12:28.51 Brian Penn yeah 01:12:40.89 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:12:41.13 ukfilmreview um Yeah, it's an interesting idea, isn't it, that whether or not to... 01:12:43.51 Brian Penn it Yeah, it's a common technique in films. We're used to seeing it, aren't we? But what I think was interesting about challenges was the the rapidity of flashbacks and flash forwards. You were almost didn't know where you were. because it it would literally be saying three years earlier, 20 minutes later, two days later, there's that type of thing, you think, right, okay, ah can I can ah can put up with that up to a point. 01:13:01.29 ukfilmreview Hehehe. 01:13:08.23 Brian Penn But flashbacks are a good way of telling a story as long as it's clear where you are and what you're doing and why you're doing it. what you know It has to be integral to the plot to say, right, we're gonna flashback here or we're gonna forward. 01:13:20.63 ukfilmreview Well, thank you, Ryan, and to everyone that sent in their reviews of the films they've seen. 01:13:21.13 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:13:25.39 ukfilmreview And, yeah, apologies to everyone that we didn't read out. ah We did get quite a lot of submissions, but we'll do our best to read the ones out that we can. We are now moving to our final film of the ah show. It's one of everyone's favourite sections of the site, where we go back to a film from the past, our nostalgia pick. and with the upcoming release and information and you know ah lots of viral clips to do with the new uh the new movie coming out uh Deadpool and Wolverine um which is our next month i believe is that 26 yep oh fingers crossed although i think it's out very late in the month so it might not be till august we'll see we'll see what we can chuck Brian it depends if Brian's still alive by then with his cold yeah 01:13:51.15 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:13:55.94 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. That's right. Yeah. And we'll be be reviewing all the next podcast actually. Yeah. All right. Okay. Yeah. yeah 01:14:11.13 Brian Penn yeah 01:14:12.52 ukfilmreview Although, death is no excuse, Brian. 01:14:14.46 Brian Penn and 01:14:14.48 ukfilmreview Okay. 01:14:15.40 Brian Penn just 01:14:15.60 ukfilmreview um So we we journeyed all the way back to 2000 and watched the original X-Men film available on Disney+. plus There are other streaming platforms available. We are not affiliated with them. Well, not yet anyway, so they buy us out, hey? 01:14:29.15 Brian Penn Yeah, you never know 01:14:31.02 ukfilmreview The Brian Singer film. And yeah, if you don't know the story of X-Men, it is about a group of what's called mutants. So these are, People that have evolved ah to have superpowers or different abilities and the X-Men are under the sort of tutelage of Professor X in this film and in many of the films played by Patrick Stewart. And it's the the time where we also meet one mutant called Wolverine or Logan um played by Hugh Jackman. 01:14:59.18 Brian Penn yeah 01:15:03.36 ukfilmreview I mean, who else could play him? I think that's why he has to keep coming back, right? He can't let go of that role. 01:15:06.31 Brian Penn Yeah, i know and i it's him, isn't it? 01:15:08.17 ukfilmreview um 01:15:09.28 Brian Penn No one else could play him, really. 01:15:11.25 ukfilmreview But yeah, fabulous cast, we've got Halle Berry, we've got Storm, we've got Ian McKellen playing Magneto. Huge, you know, massive blockbuster movie. ah Yeah, interesting, obviously predating the sort of big MCU films that came after Iron Man. Going all the way back to 2000, you know, you're in the sort of vintage Batman kind of era really, you know, going back to you that sort of era. 01:15:34.21 Brian Penn yeah and Well, the funny thing is, Chris, this is the first film we've reviewed on the nostalgia slot that I've not seen previously. 01:15:36.24 ukfilmreview um What did you think of X-Men, Brian? 01:15:46.82 ukfilmreview Ah, I did wonder. 01:15:47.45 Brian Penn had to see yeah I hadn't seen it before. And, you know, I've got a kind of a very kind of laid back attitude towards Marvel and DC Comics. They're very good at what they do. But I've always kind of shied away from anything that's got too much hype attached to it. So I sat down and watched this film for the very first time. And I really liked it. I really, really liked it. What I particularly liked about it, though, was that it seems to get a lot closer to the original Marvel Comics. 01:16:19.38 ukfilmreview Hmm. 01:16:19.39 Brian Penn know ah Gradually, Marvel films have become very slick, smooth, and clinical, at least in my view anyway. But the inspiration has been lost somewhere along the way. But this kind of takes you back to the original comic strips that we read as kids. 01:16:33.22 ukfilmreview Oh 01:16:33.65 Brian Penn So I liked it because of that. And Hugh Jackman is just so good in the role as me as Logan. You know, Logan would make it. 01:16:40.10 ukfilmreview yeah. 01:16:41.12 Brian Penn Logan would make a really, really good bouncer wouldn't he in a nightclub or a pub wouldn't he really be no trouble with him with it. But yeah, look I really enjoyed it. I think the You've got a great cast, haven't you? really Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, Halle Berry and Hugh Chapman. You can't go wrong really with that. it's 01:16:59.92 ukfilmreview Yeah, I mean, I think you're right about the ah staying closer to the comics because previously to this, I would have been sort of younger, younger ish, that I would have watched the I watched the TV show, there was an animated TV show. 01:17:09.59 Brian Penn It's... Hmm. 01:17:16.45 ukfilmreview And that's how I knew of the X-Men. I didn't really read the comics, but I watched the TV show. And then when this film came out, it was like, oh, you've got where yeah wolverine you've got cyclops you've got storm all these characters that i've seen i was like wow and they even kind of they make so a few references that is a bit where they talk about oh we should be in yellow jumpsuits or something like that because that was like the uniform that they wore in the show and it was like yeah it was a lovely uh sort of 01:17:28.05 Brian Penn yeah 01:17:38.29 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:17:42.16 ukfilmreview It felt like it was more connected to it, yeah, like you say, this the the source material. 01:17:45.89 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 01:17:46.08 ukfilmreview And um yeah, obviously Brian Singer, fabulous director, is he does really well to it. 01:17:50.27 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:17:50.68 ukfilmreview they The special effects have dated, you know, there's no doubt about that. And you're not going to be able to get away from that. 01:17:53.96 Brian Penn Like, yeah, cool. so That's inevitable though, isn't it really? I mean, after Yeah, 24, 25 years, you know, it's gonna move on, isn't it? But I don't think it detracts from the entertainment value, you know, too much because I think it's just asking you to use your imagination a bit more. We've become very used to things being very slick. Again, it's the word I come back to, very slick and very clinical. We're used to seeing certain things in a certain way. But this is kind of back to basics for me. And um I'm really looking forward to seeing 01:18:28.28 Brian Penn Wolverine with Deadpool because the the trailers look really funny. 01:18:30.56 ukfilmreview Yeah. 01:18:34.00 Brian Penn There's a lot of you theres a lot of humor in these characters and this gives it more of an edge, you know, not to take it all too seriously, you know, because it is a comic strip. most so 01:18:46.91 ukfilmreview I am absolutely certain, and I've i've managed to plug every podcast show today, but i pray I would put money on the fact that are one of our other shows, The Phantom Zone, will also review ah the Deadpool Wolverine film. 01:18:58.81 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:19:02.17 ukfilmreview um So yeah, do check them out, make sure you follow them. 01:19:02.52 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 01:19:05.17 ukfilmreview and They do a show on this, ah ah an episode of this every month, but they also do their own podcasts, so you'll have to be on here or on there. But yeah, if you're a fan of comic books and and nerdy things, then they level that. um And I'm sure they've probably done an episode already on X-Men, because why wouldn't you? Fabulous. 01:19:25.03 Brian Penn yeah 01:19:25.25 ukfilmreview um But yeah, no, looking forward to that next month, hopefully. If not, it'll be in the August ah episode. 01:19:28.64 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:19:31.02 ukfilmreview And yeah, we've got already a few indie films have been submitted for next month. So we're we're ahead of the curve already. 01:19:36.59 Brian Penn Excellent. Yeah. 01:19:38.98 ukfilmreview ah But yeah, thank you to everyone who listens to you Film Club as well as the podcast at large. 01:19:42.90 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:19:45.96 Brian Penn Mm hmm. 01:19:46.48 ukfilmreview It really does mean a lot to us. um Thank you for sending in your reviews. That's been amazing to see that coming through. Thank you to the filmmakers for sending us their films and to the ones who didn't send us off their films, but we reviewed them anyway. I hope that we weren't too harsh. 01:19:59.95 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:20:01.52 ukfilmreview And yeah, so Brian, just a reminder, Film of the Month was bike riders. 01:20:04.26 Brian Penn Bike riders, bike riders, steady comfortably. 01:20:08.12 ukfilmreview yeah check it out let us know what you think if you watch it um yeah we'd love to love to hear your thoughts and yeah this has been the uk film review podcast uk film club with me chris and brian who desperately needs to get off and blow his nose poor guy um ah but yeah thank you for being with us yeah and we'll see you again next time 01:20:09.87 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 01:20:24.90 Brian Penn and Yeah. 01:20:30.18 Brian Penn Last video. Previous Next

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Read the film podcast transcript from the episode titled Joker 2 - The Substance - Speak No Evil movie reviews on Episode 20 of UK Film Club on UK Film Club part of the UK Film Review Podcast. < Back Joker 2 - The Substance - Speak No Evil movie reviews on Episode 20 of UK Film Club Listen to This Episode UK Film Club 00:00:00.01 Brian Penn I wonder what the problem was. I could hear you, but typically you couldn't hear me. It's always the way, isn't it? 00:00:06.28 Chris Olson Well, I think it might be a sign of things to come that maybe one day that's the way the world will be, that everyone will just hear me and that'll be it, you know, and it will be, yeah, maybe be a little bit. 00:00:14.07 Brian Penn Yeah, you'd like that, wouldn't you? No, no one, no one's asking you back. You know, no one's to disagree with you. No one's contradict you. 00:00:21.27 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:00:23.69 Chris Olson I mean, not that you do any of those things, Brian, but you know, but I don't want to give you the chance, you know, I don't want you to suddenly change and turn into one of these objectives to my, yeah my vast opinions. 00:00:25.60 Brian Penn No, no, no, no. I'll try not to, you know. Yeah. 00:00:34.14 Brian Penn Uh, well, yeah, you know, I mean, we like live the conversation, don't we? Let's, let's put it that way. 00:00:40.93 Chris Olson Well, that's why we're here, mainly. 00:00:42.46 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:00:42.96 Chris Olson um But have you been? You been okay? 00:00:44.30 Brian Penn I've been very well. Thank you. so 00:00:46.61 Chris Olson Yeah, not too bad. I mean, it's the season of getting ill, isn't it? We're suddenly in that part of the year again, and that came really quickly. 00:00:50.90 Brian Penn well Yeah. I know. 00:00:54.14 Chris Olson um 00:00:54.95 Brian Penn Yeah. The, uh, cops have gone back an hour now, haven't they as well? We are dead in Winston now, aren't we? Really? 00:01:00.45 Chris Olson And it's spook season. you know It's um you know almost Halloween, although when you're listening to this, it would have been Halloween. 00:01:02.48 Brian Penn I know. 00:01:07.66 Brian Penn one Yeah, it would have been, yeah. And we have got a kind of a Halloween strike horror themed show, haven't we really? Some of the films we're looking at here. 00:01:17.03 Chris Olson Yeah, some on purpose, some by accident. And and yeah, just a ah little bit of and jiggery pokery. Some of the indie filmmakers that submitted, there was one that asked if they could be in this episode because there's um is a very horror based film, but we'll get to that in the indie section. 00:01:32.51 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:01:36.11 Brian Penn that Yeah. 00:01:39.10 Chris Olson um But yeah, no, if this is your first time to UK Film Club, um welcome, as always. And you are with me, ah Chris, and with Brian, ah dedicated film critics of UK Film Review. And in this show, part of the UK Film Review podcast, UK Film Club is where we review all manner of films. So Brian, 00:02:03.70 Chris Olson gets you know gets himself to the cinema and actually sees the movies on the big screen because i have two kids and i'm lazy and i can't be bothered to get out so i don't do that anymore 00:02:09.83 Brian Penn and 00:02:14.79 Brian Penn And you know I will don't you you know I will for all yeah No 00:02:14.82 Chris Olson and yeah Yeah, exactly. This is all part of that new world order that I'm talking about, yeah, i where I get others to do, yeah you're you're basically minions at this stage. um And yeah, so we review cinema films, we're going to review a streaming film, so that's a film available on a platform like Netflix. Then we review a bunch of indie films, these are ones that have been sent to us specifically to review. um and we finish up with our nostalgia pick which is a film that we look back on that we haven't really set the full rules on this but generally it's got to have been out a little while um to to merit but there are you know probably going to be times where we have to 00:02:47.07 Brian Penn Hmm. Hmm. 00:02:51.97 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:02:54.41 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:02:54.70 Chris Olson relax that rule. But but we'll see. um Yeah, so it's I mean, it's actually it's one of those jam packed shows this one because we've got five indie films. 00:03:00.65 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:03:05.06 Chris Olson um So I don't really want to do too much preamble. 00:03:05.24 Brian Penn me 00:03:10.02 Chris Olson um The only quick preamble was going to mention was as it is October when we're recording this, I did watch a spooky film, I just thought I just mentioned it because it wasn't very good, which was Hocus Pocus 2. 00:03:20.85 Chris Olson I'm not sure if you've imbibed on such a movie, Brian. 00:03:21.30 Brian Penn oh i think a very long slime ago i think i saw the first one yeah yeah 00:03:27.64 Chris Olson Oh yeah yeah, first one, a classic, don't get me wrong, love it. Bette Midler, I'm all for it. But this this sort of sequel that they've brought together, it actually feels like they've brought something dead to life. I was watching it going, what is this? um It was just trash and the it's a shame because it's I think, i you know when you're watching a film and you're like, I get the spirit, I understand why you're doing this and on paper, this looks fun. 00:03:53.55 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:03:56.52 Chris Olson But what when you're watching it, it's like, no, no, this isn't fun. 00:03:56.56 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:03:59.66 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:04:00.13 Chris Olson This is really cringy. And yeah, it was a shame because I i do have a lot of time for the original. 00:04:02.82 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. Well, the curse of the sequel strikes again, doesn't it? 00:04:07.64 Chris Olson Oh, yeah, big time. 00:04:07.68 Brian Penn And again, then again, usually. And what seems like a good idea, the theory is fine. But you put it into practice. It just doesn't work, does it? 00:04:17.73 Brian Penn And but you just hope and pray that something happens to it that's positive, but By the sound of it, I don't think that's going to happen. 00:04:26.07 Chris Olson No, and I think where we get in these sequels coming long time after, you know, when the actors are, unless there is this sort of reason for it. 00:04:26.36 Brian Penn You never know. 00:04:31.55 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:04:36.28 Chris Olson ah like We reviewed them Beverly Hills Cop, right recently, we did that, and they did the actual F1. 00:04:39.13 Brian Penn Yeah. Hmm. 00:04:42.00 Chris Olson I thought that was actually pretty good. 00:04:42.43 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 00:04:43.48 Chris Olson I enjoyed that. 00:04:43.68 Brian Penn I enjoyed it. I thought it was good. 00:04:44.78 Chris Olson And I think The reason why it worked was because they really embraced the idea that he was now older, he has a daughter, and that was a different dynamic. It wasn't going, oh, let's do it again. 00:04:55.70 Brian Penn Yeah, well, yeah, it'd grown up though, hadn't he? 00:04:56.02 Chris Olson Exactly the same. Yeah. 00:04:58.94 Brian Penn Axl, it'd grown up. And that's, that's good when you can see characters maturing and growing up and you trace them through the sequel and whatever comes after that, if there is anything, that's different. But when you just rehash the same idea, then that's where it falls, falls out of bed. 00:05:11.31 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:05:14.10 Brian Penn Isn't it really? 00:05:15.05 Chris Olson Yeah, and Hocus Pocus definitely fell out of bed. 00:05:18.56 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:05:18.64 Chris Olson if that's ah Is that a phrase? that Are we we running with that now? 00:05:20.43 Brian Penn ah Well, when should we make that a phrase? You know, I've been playing with it. 00:05:22.35 Chris Olson Mm hmm. Fell out of bed. Love it. 00:05:24.84 Brian Penn was was that a bit? Yeah. 00:05:26.47 Chris Olson um Well, this next film, the well, the first one of the cinema releases we're going to review is almost well, for a lot of people has fallen out of bed because I was talking to Jack Salvadore on an earlier episode yeah we do every so often I catch up with Jack on the podcast and he tells me all the films you've seen at 00:05:31.33 Brian Penn yeah 00:05:48.09 Brian Penn yeah 00:05:48.60 Chris Olson festival. So he went to Venice, he'd been to Cannes, and he watched Joker, Foley Adair, which we're going to review. 00:05:54.11 Brian Penn and 00:05:56.15 Chris Olson ah Well, you're going to review very kindly soon, but he absolutely loathed it. 00:05:56.28 Brian Penn Yeah. Mm hmm. 00:05:59.58 Chris Olson But what about you, bro? 00:06:01.07 Brian Penn What about me? 00:06:02.23 Chris Olson yeah 00:06:02.25 Brian Penn Okay, let let's just run through the basics then, directed by ah Todd Phillips starring Yakin Phoenix, Lady Gaga and Brandon Gleason. So this picks up where the previous film left off Arthur Fleck is held at Arkham State Hospital awaiting trial. 00:06:18.61 Brian Penn ah He'd been charged with murder, but his lawyer will argue that Fleck suffers with a personality disorder. that caused the Joker to commit these crimes. During a therapy session, Arthur meets Harleen Quinzel, and they become smitten with each other. She becomes his muse at as as the trial slowly unfolds. This film is a bit like Marmite. You'll either love love it or you'll hate it. I'm in the latter camp. It's an absolute mess. It goes all over the place. but but They take a great DC character like the Joker. 00:06:52.77 Brian Penn place him in a musical that's also a courtroom drama and a love story. It just doesn't work. It tries too hard to be too many things. And also, Joachim Phoenix can't sing. I mean, whoever told him he could sing, or whoever told him that he should sing. He's flat, then he's sharp. I mean, it's quite an achievement, really, to be flat and sharp. he um One of the songs that he sings, and I use the words sing in parentheses, 00:07:21.97 Brian Penn bewitched, bothered and bewildered, which is an old show tune from My Pal Joey. It absolutely murders the song, absolutely bushes it. You know, when you go to a musical, right, and you see ah an actor cast in a particular role, they don't have great voices, but they carry the tune, you know, they get by, they they do all right with it. 00:07:42.16 Brian Penn But you know, if ever a phrase can't carry a tune in a bucket was made for anyone, it's whacking Phoenix. Dreadful. Lady Gaga sounds great, right? 00:07:50.61 Chris Olson Oh yeah, she would, right. 00:07:52.07 Brian Penn But you wouldn't expect her to, that's the point. But I think the film lets her down. you know 00:07:58.37 Chris Olson Well, because I'm spit-balling here, because I'm not seeing it. And is there an element that is meant to be bad? Like, is it to showcase him as being kind of unstable? 00:08:05.57 Brian Penn well 00:08:07.27 Chris Olson Or is it just, yeah, it's just kind of difficult to listen to? 00:08:07.47 Brian Penn Now, I just there's a hint of self-indulgence about it for me. There's no need to turn it into a musical. You might say that's bold, you know to so try what they feel is something different. 00:08:21.80 Brian Penn but You know, i you know i'm not ah I'm not a huge fan of DC and Marvel films per se. I love that the books, I love the stories, I love the comics. But but to me, they're ruin they're ruining their own characters here. you know it's They're sending it out to such an extent now it becomes vaguely ridiculous. And the comics are so much better than the films. They're works of art. You use your imagination. But these films just feel like they belong to a PlayStation module. 00:08:52.04 Brian Penn It's very, very disappointing. But as I say, there is a Marmite like quality about it, but I don't buy I don't buy the idea that it that it's kind of like a self paradigm. I think it just it just completely backfires on them. 00:09:08.11 Chris Olson Well, that's, yeah, that's what I think is interesting because obviously, you know, it's great seeing filmmakers take and like crazy ideas. 00:09:08.81 Brian Penn okay 00:09:16.65 Chris Olson But the the fact that this film seems to be alienating everyone, I've not seen really a strong camp of go, oh, okay, yeah, those people love this film, that it's like, even people that I know that are 00:09:25.91 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:09:29.12 Chris Olson apologists for DC completely through and through. 00:09:30.00 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:09:32.14 Chris Olson they They just love everything they do. they Even they were like, do you know what, this one's not for me. 00:09:34.69 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:09:36.34 Chris Olson And I thought, well, you know oh, God, like that's the most damning criticism I could have heard. 00:09:36.54 Brian Penn Oh, yeah. I know. I know. It's right. when When you, when even the fans are kind of switching off and saying, no, this is not good. On Rotten Sommatos, I think it got 32% or something. 00:09:49.91 Chris Olson Hmm. 00:09:50.20 Brian Penn You know, so I'm not the um and certainly not the only one who thinks that way. And it's, In all the years we've been doing Film Club now, we've been doing it for what, a couple of years now, haven't we I think? 00:09:58.90 Chris Olson A couple of years Wow, I mean, i I was intrigued to hear your your version, um and because I tell you, somebody did like it, it was Madwolf, they reviewed it on the website. 00:09:59.97 Brian Penn Yeah. I've never reviewed a theatrical release that I can, that there's nothing I can say anything positive about, but this to me completely misses the mark. You know, for all its high production values, for the huge budget it's got and the flash premiers and what have you, you know, and I don't think it's doing great, great business at the box office. 00:10:20.02 Brian Penn I don't think it's making huge songs. um and I think it's a mess for me. An absolute mess. Yeah. 00:10:37.77 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:10:38.32 Chris Olson ah so who's oh and it was They actually sort of liked it, um but it was Jack's review that came first, and he reviewed it, I think it was... 00:10:38.71 Brian Penn Yeah. I saw that. Yeah. 00:10:43.23 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:10:48.52 Chris Olson can i think and um yeah he he gave it one star and i was like oh my goodness i mean don't get me wrong jack maybe ah get out out of the bed wrong way or whatever but it's um but no he when i spoke to him he really still hated it you know months and months after he was still just didn't like it and yeah i don't 00:10:54.81 Brian Penn well yeah yeah yeah ah yeah i have to agree here yeah really enjoyed the first one yeah yeah 00:11:09.10 Chris Olson I don't see why this film was made as well because the first one was a very strong film. yeah It's a really enjoyable kind of taxi driver-esque type sort of film. 00:11:21.39 Chris Olson And it I think it was a great idea to go, do you know what? Actually, let's just take a different look at a baddie. 00:11:26.74 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:11:26.81 Chris Olson um And because of, you know, we know all these characters through and through. There's been so many films about Batman and Joker and all that stuff. 00:11:31.38 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:11:33.98 Chris Olson that it was, okay, one is enough. like We don't need really to keep doing this, right? 00:11:38.37 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 00:11:40.20 Chris Olson So it's it's strange that they decided to go in such a vast, almost, yeah it feels like they went in such a crazy direction almost to try and knock it on the head because I think maybe it was so successful. 00:11:42.84 Brian Penn i 00:11:51.86 Chris Olson I know there was a thing about the filmmakers being asked and asked and asked, oh, will you make another? Will you make another? Maybe they just kind of like, all right, fine, we'll do it. And then yeah this will get us out of it. 00:12:01.05 Brian Penn Yeah, well, yeah. Also, if they're chucking a big budget at you as well, no you're getting the spondulics. You think, oh, why not? What the hell? But i I honestly think they have a responsibility with the subject matter, with the characters, with the stories. They do have a responsibility to guard that legacy because it is a legacy. You know, I don't think that they're paying it proper respect by doing what they've done with this particular film. You know, I just think it's unnecessary and you you laugh in the wrong places for all the wrong reasons. And it would have been much better without the songs, without the songs. It was just a distraction. As I say, Whacking Phoenix is a fine actor, but he can't sing. And I think people that can't sing shouldn't, if you see what I'm getting at. 00:12:49.85 Chris Olson Well, also, yeah it's unforgivable in this day and age where they have so many tools at their disposal to make people sound good. 00:12:54.84 Brian Penn Yeah, yeah. 00:12:55.29 Chris Olson right yeah they could They could fix that by the sounds of it. 00:12:57.44 Brian Penn Yeah. But yeah, but maybe it was unfixable. but again, it just makes no sense to me. And the brand is so strong as well, that you wouldn't think that they'd take these sort of chances with it. 00:13:10.03 Brian Penn And as I say, box office coverage so far, I don't think it's brilliant. one um Yeah. 00:13:14.72 Chris Olson No, I've heard similar and yeah, like you said, the aggregate sites are giving it very middling, if not poor ah scores. 00:13:20.58 Brian Penn Yeah. right Yeah, not good. 00:13:22.17 Chris Olson So there you go. It fell out of bed and we are done with the Joker part two. 00:13:26.09 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:13:29.13 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:13:29.96 Chris Olson I don't think they'll make another one. And it yeah, if if they do, I'll still send b Brian to see it. 00:13:31.89 Brian Penn I hope not. Well, I hope not. Not like that anyway. 00:13:36.67 Brian Penn Oh yeah, of course. Yeah, I'll still go and see it, of course. I've got them for punishment. 00:13:40.33 Chris Olson ah Yeah, absolutely. um Moving on to another cinematic release. um I'm not home to this one, so I'm intrigued to hear about the substance, Brian. 00:13:51.40 Brian Penn Oh, right. Okay, The Substance. Written and directed by Coralee Fargates. Starring Demi Moore, Dennis Quaid and Margaret Kweli. yeah this This is quite a long and involved synopsis. 00:14:04.94 Brian Penn So I'll try and be as concise as I can, but it takes some explaining, so bear with me. 00:14:09.93 Chris Olson Strapping. 00:14:11.01 Brian Penn All right. um So Lizzie Sparkle has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, although recently has carved out a career on TV as a Keep Fit guru. However, scheming producer Harvey Pfizer with a younger model in mind. 00:14:23.99 Brian Penn A crestfall on Lizzie is later involved in a car crash. She's taken to a hospital where a nurse slips her a note. describing a mysterious potion called Substance. It promises users a better version of themselves. She receives a kit full of syringes and takes the plunge. The chemicals do their job and another version of Lizzie emerges, young and beautiful with a great figure. All the things that Lizzie used to be, all the things that she wants to be again. Her alter ego is called Sue and consequently replaces Lizzie as host of her other TV show. 00:15:00.74 Brian Penn However, the substance only allows Sue to function on alternate weeks whilst their other self regenerates. Sue and Lizzie begins to fight with each other with disastrous results. 00:15:13.88 Brian Penn This is a quality horror film. 00:15:16.09 Chris Olson Ooh, good. 00:15:17.02 Brian Penn This is really the real quality. um It will become a go-to for fans of the genre, I'm sure that. ah Special effects are stunning. The sound effects are stomach churning. 00:15:28.19 Brian Penn I've never heard sound effects like this. I mean, if you say at the cinema, the sound effects are almost overpowering really, they're really, you know, they they really do their job. Let's put it that way. um Some things in the film are reminiscent of David Cronenberg. um But of course, I'll leave that to to listeners and viewers to so what decide whether whether it is really that close to Cronenberg, what Cronenberg does. um Only downside for this film 00:15:59.26 Brian Penn The last 20 minutes are totally absurd, and not necessary. There's a natural point at which all films should end. Some might say that's the best bit, but you know when you're watching a film, right? 00:16:11.92 Brian Penn And in your own mind, you become the director, you become the editor, and you think, right, I think the film should end now. Have you ever noticed that? But it carries on, and it goes on for another half an hour or something, and this is what happens with this film. 00:16:20.55 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:16:25.45 Brian Penn And whilst it's not a hugely long film, it's two hours 21, you take off the opening and closing titles, it's probably about two hours 10. So it's not a long film, but it adds nothing to the story. But there will be a point, as I say, maybe 20, 25 minutes from the end, we think, right, this is the finale. This is the climax. This is where you've got to end it. Right? But they don't. And it goes on. But it gives you an extra helping of blood, guts and gore. It's an 18. 00:16:59.46 Brian Penn Interestingly, the trailers don't show you much of the explicit stuff. Well, maybe maybe they want it to be a nice surprise when you go. But it's certainly six order boxes for the horror genre. It's an impressive piece of work. But an extra 20 minutes, not necessarily they didn't need it, but the story had finished and it carried on, in my opinion, and it it sort of shine off what is a very, very good film. 00:17:27.19 Chris Olson Yeah, I think that is interesting, because like you say, sometimes it's like, I don't know, films have a good quality, youre you're happy to kind of stay along with it. 00:17:33.90 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:17:34.01 Chris Olson But you you question, why is that gone there? Or why is it? 00:17:37.54 Brian Penn Yeah, I know. 00:17:38.20 Chris Olson yeah I've had that before. Because also, I suppose sometimes as well, it's the impact they want on the viewer, like how do they want the viewer to leave the story. 00:17:40.22 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:17:45.87 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:17:46.09 Chris Olson and But yeah, obviously without seeing it, I can't fully say on this one. But it does sound very intriguing, though. 00:17:50.24 Brian Penn yeah it It is and it's, um it's an intricate storyline as well. And it's quite challenging in some ways. I mean, I have to be very mindful of how I i kind of I don't want to give too much of the story away. 00:18:05.32 Brian Penn I mean, the um the overview that I normally give of a film, it's enough to let you know what it's about, but not give away anything else. But so I want to hook people in and say, right, this is major curious enough to go and see it or stream it or whatever, you know, and that's, that's what I try to stick to. 00:18:24.40 Brian Penn But there's, there's kind of a lot more to it than that. And it's this idea of duality and of an alter ego, a doppelganger, 00:18:27.21 Chris Olson Mm. 00:18:33.79 Brian Penn Um, it's an interesting concept and this is what they delve into. Uh, and that's kind of, that's jockeying for prominence with the visuals. So unlike a lot of horror movies, the story is quite strong and Demi Moore is excellent in the role. She, she has a lot of fun with it. You know, you can tell she's enjoying it. the It's, you know, she's, she's having a ball with it. I like, I like to see actors enjoying a role and it's very different from what you'd expect from Demi Moore as well. 00:19:03.81 Brian Penn It's not normally the c type of film you would you would see from her. So that's kind of, it new I feel it's new territory for her. 00:19:13.05 Chris Olson Well, I mean, you've sold me. 00:19:15.71 Brian Penn Good, nice to hear it. 00:19:17.09 Chris Olson Let me have a look. so I think we had a reviewer um send in something for this. 00:19:21.49 Brian Penn All right. 00:19:21.71 Chris Olson um The substance, yeah. It's interesting, you like you say, something like and Demi Moore obviously deciding to so take a film like this on. 00:19:31.03 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:19:31.20 Chris Olson I think that can often work because it does feel like the sort of film where it's playing against well first off you're going into horror then you are gonna need to have a sort of almost shock value and i think like you say the the trailer not giving lots of way having demi more in the role it having a kind of all right it's called the substance there's not really enough there you know if it's called like evil twin tries to kill me sort of thing then that gives you a bit more of an idea um that you might well i can imagine a lot of people going into this being very surprised yeah you know you're like oh god sort of thing 00:19:44.61 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:19:47.55 Brian Penn um 00:19:52.47 Brian Penn No. Yeah. Yeah, I know. Exactly. yeah Yeah. Yeah. I think so. I think so. I mean, what you see in the trailers gives you enough. You know, it's a chiller. You know, it's a thriller that You know, it goes along those sort of lines, but, but it will also surprise people as well when they see it, you know, because, because it's, you know, you look at the roles that Demi Moore plays usually, um, they're much more kind of wholesome role, shall we say, you know, that this is a bit more kind of sinister, frightening, you know, uh, and I like it. 00:20:16.27 Chris Olson Hmm. 00:20:37.21 Brian Penn It's good. You know, as I say, as I've often said, I'm not a huge fan of horror. But um um if it's out there and and it's mainstream, i I'll go and watch it and very enjoyable. 00:20:50.03 Chris Olson Well, we had a couple of listener reviews of this. um One from Max Martin, who gives it four stars. um So, yeah, also a fan, much like yourself. And yeah, he says, the substance is perhaps the most audacious and provocative film of the year. 00:21:06.98 Chris Olson although it starts out as a drama with a woman's slow descent out of the celebrity scene, quickly becomes a spine-chilling horror that leaves you grabbing your seat not out of fear but out of sheer disgust. 00:21:18.01 Chris Olson ah ah Max also picks up about the sound design being brilliantly horrific. 00:21:18.54 Brian Penn Yeah, it's it's very good. 00:21:22.60 Chris Olson um The eating of prawns has never looked or sounded more gruesome. 00:21:25.68 Brian Penn Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh god, yeah. yeah Forgot about that. 00:21:28.88 Chris Olson ah So thanks Max for that. 00:21:31.14 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:21:31.15 Chris Olson Max, that was a great review. There's a lot more to his review. i that's just read about Another ah critic send in a review, Jaden Abbott, also gives it four stars. 00:21:33.43 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:21:41.21 Chris Olson ah There is nothing more marketable than the shame we've been taught to feel regarding our bodies. So it's interesting picking up the themes of the film, you know, talking about, you know, there's no sort of the lines and things like that. 00:21:48.23 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:21:51.78 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:21:51.96 Chris Olson It's a so movie thoroughly swaddled in the vestments and tropes of 90s and modern day advertising. 00:21:56.25 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:21:59.59 Chris Olson Fage re-weaponized the implements of marketing to develop an argument about misogyny, society and self-loathing. So I think that's another thing which stood out because I think the film had on its like title and things was like a can 00:22:09.46 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:22:13.65 Chris Olson and logo and obviously I think it's it's won awards and things like that. 00:22:17.65 Brian Penn yeah 00:22:18.24 Chris Olson So it almost feels like a bit more of an, I mean, so I'm being very rude here, but an intelligent horror film, if you know what I mean. It's kind of a bit more cerebral sort of thing. 00:22:25.53 Brian Penn Yeah, no, I think that's fair. I think that's very common. Yeah. 00:22:29.28 Chris Olson um But I mean, I must say, I am peaked. 00:22:30.28 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:22:33.16 Chris Olson I'm very peaked to go and see that. 00:22:34.17 Brian Penn I know. 00:22:34.88 Chris Olson That sounds great. 00:22:35.58 Brian Penn yeah It's very good. and Of course, the the added dimension is the kind of the, the treatment of women in the media, traditionally, the, the way yeah the way it used to be, or the way it tends to still be is that, you know, women's careers cut short when they get to reach a certain age. 00:22:52.08 Brian Penn Thankfully, that's not so much the case now, but it It's still an issue, isn't it? In the industry, in film, TV, it's still there. So it's dealing with that side of it as well. um And then it's quite plays a very, a very good slimy TV producer, I must say. He does very well. So highly recommended, but you need a strong stomach because they the effects, the the visuals and the sound effects are thoroughly realistic. Really are, you know, the sound of ah of a syringe being plunged into someone. i 00:23:24.00 Brian Penn Yeah, you know, it's good. They, they, they really get the job done. 00:23:28.90 Chris Olson you go. Let us know anyone else that watches the substance. 00:23:32.74 Brian Penn Yeah. Hmm. Yeah, that's right. Yeah. So director by James Watkins, starring James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, Scoot McNary, Ashling, Franciosi, Alex West Loeffler and Daniel Hough. I've named all six actors there because 00:23:33.50 Chris Olson Another cinematic release, um Speak No Evil. It's a James McAvoy film, right? 00:23:54.05 Brian Penn I think they they are all equally stars, but the real standout here is James McAvoy. Let's just run through the yeah the plot very briefly. the So the Dortons, Louise and Ben, are on a holiday with their daughter, Agnes. They make friends with another couple, Paddy and Kiara. They have a son, Ants, who is unable to speak. Paddy and Kiara later invite the Dortons to spend the weekend at their country home. They have reservations, but they decide it will do them good. 00:24:24.25 Brian Penn However, they soon discover a darker side to the couple and unlock some gruesome secrets. This is top notch filmmaking. James McAvoy is brilliant in the role Paddy. He switches persona so quickly. One minute is friendly and outgoing. The next sinister and threatening. It's a remarkable performance. Great supporting cast to big shout out to Dan Hough, who plays on in technically a very difficult role to master because there is no dialogue for him. 00:24:53.89 Brian Penn And in many respects, his character is key to the story. Sadly, this film got relatively little attentional release. um It would never get the publicity generated by the Joker, for example. 00:25:06.44 Brian Penn But this is a damn good film. And it's a bit of a sleeper, but easily the film of the month for me. 00:25:13.35 Chris Olson Oh! 00:25:14.11 Brian Penn Easily the film of the month. Genuinely very gripping. um It's a film that that really puts you in that couple shoots, you know, the Dalton's who've gone to visit this couple, Padilla and Kiara and you think, oh, you really root for them. You sort of kind of science yourself. Get out, get out there now. Don't do this. Don't do that. Um, so it kind of puts you in the time of the place. You feel like you're in the room with them. You feel like you're in the car with them. And it's a damn good film. It's a very, very good film. And it's got, it's probably gonna be 00:25:52.40 Brian Penn coming off the big screen very shortly. It's still running. At the time of us recording this podcast, it's still on. Go and see it at some if you can, because it is an excellent piece of filmmaking. 00:26:04.50 Chris Olson Wow. I mean, it's got all the credentials that I need, but you just saying it's filmed with a month, even having just said the substance was so good. I'm like, oh, wow, this must be amazing. 00:26:14.22 Brian Penn you Exactly. Well, yeah, but see to me, to me, you may see both films and think differently, but um Speak No Evil just kind of shades the substance. It's just ah a little bit stronger, a little bit more relatable. The substance is a fantasy really, isn't it? You know, the the the storyline of the substance is just pure imagination, isn't it? But the um Speak No Evil feels real. It feels like it could happen to someone. You know, what 00:26:50.82 Brian Penn what the the Dalton's go through in Speak No Evil could happen to people. But the substance is about suspending your disbelief. And if I had the choice between the two, do I want something that's a bit more realistic, a bit more relatable and a bit more believable? I'd take that film over the ah the more fantastic storyline. Even though ah the substance is is very good, I'd say Speak No Evil is just a little bit little bit better. Because for one thing, 00:27:20.93 Brian Penn I don't think it has the gloss purely because it doesn't need it. 00:27:26.67 Chris Olson Hmm. 00:27:27.26 Brian Penn It's more of a kind of a raw basic story and that I can get into a lot more easily. But, you know, that's my take on it. But, you know, you could let me know what you think and listeners can let us know what they think. 00:27:39.98 Chris Olson Yeah, don't have... 00:27:40.35 Brian Penn ah garness so 00:27:41.69 Chris Olson Yeah, I haven't got any reviews as far as I'm aware um of that. But yeah, if you've seen Speak No Evil, do send it in. In which case, by the way, you can speak evil if you want to. 00:27:53.09 Chris Olson That's OK. 00:27:53.37 Brian Penn Oh, yeah. 00:27:53.73 Chris Olson If you want to speak evil about the film, that's fine. 00:27:56.86 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:27:56.99 Chris Olson we not We're not going to stop you. 00:27:57.44 Brian Penn Oh, that's yeah. It's a clever playing word style. I hadn't thought of that. 00:28:01.10 Chris Olson I've been sat on that for a few minutes here. 00:28:01.75 Brian Penn I wish I'd thought of that. Nevermind. Yeah, but a good film though. 00:28:06.16 Chris Olson Oh, good. 00:28:06.77 Brian Penn Great film. Really enjoyed it. 00:28:09.49 Chris Olson Well, that's your cinema releases for this episode. We're going on now to our streaming pick. This is a film which I have also seen because I can be bothered to turn on Netflix. 00:28:17.99 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:28:20.98 Chris Olson um And yeah, this was an interesting one. um Yeah, called Trouble, and originally called Stroul. 00:28:27.87 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:28:29.89 Chris Olson And ah Swedish film was it? 00:28:32.67 Brian Penn Swedish. Yeah. Yeah. 00:28:33.50 Chris Olson Swedish film. Sorry, it's a while back I saw this. And I have to recall what I actually said about it. 00:28:35.87 Brian Penn Yeah. I mean, it needs to actually to be fair. 00:28:39.68 Chris Olson But yeah, um directed by John Holmberg. And yeah, it's kind of this sort of comedy crime thriller movie with action thrown in. 00:28:50.57 Chris Olson And yeah, all it it's a very enjoyable romp. We get this character who essentially gets in prison for something he didn't do um and whilst he's there he then gets kind of wrapped up in a plot to escape ah the prison which he kind of needs to do in order to then clear his name and and and become free because he's um obviously not meant to be there but he's also trying to make up to his daughter who is now seeing him as a criminal. 00:29:02.01 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 00:29:24.03 Chris Olson It's got so much going on in the film. I felt it was a very kind of, and well a bit of a rough ride, um but I did enjoy it. 00:29:35.42 Brian Penn yeah 00:29:35.52 Chris Olson What did you what did you think of Trouble, Ryan? 00:29:36.30 Brian Penn Yeah, yeah, I am really liked it now. Look, I mean, the greatest of respect to Sweden, I never realized Sweden had a filmmaking industry that they do make film. 00:29:45.99 Chris Olson How dare you? 00:29:48.11 Brian Penn Honestly, I do apologize in advance. I never realized, but um I found it a very pleasant surprise. You know, Swedish dubbed into English and it works really well. 00:30:00.14 Brian Penn um I mean, some reviews I've read have been a bit snippy about this film, but I think that's on Julie Harsh. um I think it's really good fun. It's a bit on the daft side. ah The plot has one or two holes, shall we say. um But it's great fun. And in places, it's very funny. Now, what I think is interesting about the ah kind of the comedic elements in this film, whether it's the ah the kind of the slapstick or the verbals, is that the dubbing doesn't affect the comic timing or the characters. 00:30:30.05 Brian Penn it still works really well. I really like the um the girl who's the the ah police constable, the junior police officer. I thought she was really funny in it. They came across really well. 00:30:41.17 Brian Penn ah like I like this thing where they're carrying the plasma screen around with them as well. 00:30:44.72 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:30:45.22 Brian Penn Because they can't transfer the CC, CV footage onto a memory stick. I think that's really good. um But um you know, I like these so elements of good cop, bad cop as well. 00:30:56.10 Brian Penn um I think it was really good fun. Really good fun. 00:30:58.78 Chris Olson Yeah, it's funny because I watched the I didn't watch the dubbed I watched the with the subtitles. So I watched it. 00:31:04.88 Brian Penn Ah, that's interesting, right? 00:31:05.52 Chris Olson Yes. And because I find um with dubbed it does often impact but it sounds like maybe it didn't for you. 00:31:12.98 Brian Penn Not for me, no, no. 00:31:13.00 Chris Olson And the the comedy really hits, I think because your you you're reading the lines as they're about to be spoken and you're sort of going, oh, this is gonna be funny, this is gonna be funny. 00:31:22.05 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 00:31:24.66 Chris Olson And I was laughing quite a lot. And I think the film had a lot of, I've used the word sort of spunky because it was, it had this sort of edge to it. 00:31:26.95 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:31:33.49 Chris Olson Like for example, there's a bit early on in the film where the hives are playing, so it was sort of rock song and it's really, really good. 00:31:38.80 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 00:31:40.22 Chris Olson um And then later on, they've got like hooked on a feeling which kind of, 00:31:40.36 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:31:43.40 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:31:44.06 Chris Olson was reminiscent of Guardians of the Galaxy, like the tone of like that, because you've got this sort of ah almost murder going on in the background and he's there trying to fix the TV with his headphones on. 00:31:44.14 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:31:52.25 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:31:55.48 Chris Olson And I think it was very much a film of that contrast where you've got a really sort of dark story, but like you say, it's a little bit daft on the other side. 00:31:56.06 Brian Penn yeah 00:31:59.91 Brian Penn yeah 00:32:02.51 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 00:32:04.25 Chris Olson And I can imagine it not being everyone's cup of tea but I do think there is also something in there for everyone like if you'd like a crime plot it's there if you'd like you know kind of silly antics that's also there crazy characters you know strange things that happen action set pieces there's loads there to enjoy and it's also it's one of those movies that it it didn't drag at all it flew by to be honest absolutely flew by 00:32:08.00 Brian Penn No. 00:32:10.91 Brian Penn no 00:32:21.93 Brian Penn you 00:32:30.67 Brian Penn No, no, you know, I didn't even stop it. I mean, when it's on stream, I mean, I don't know what you do or what listeners do, but I mean, I will often stick it on pause while I do something else, while I make a cup of tea or go into another part of the house. 00:32:44.27 Brian Penn But I didn't do that with this film. I sat down and watched it all the way through. And that, that to me, is a great compliment. Bearing in mind how easily we can access films now, that we don't go to this slimmer that often, do we, generally? 00:32:56.34 Brian Penn When I say we, I mean we, we the public, we the, you know, the minions, yeah, the minions, yeah. 00:32:59.88 Chris Olson The minions, yeah. 00:33:03.29 Brian Penn So, but, and the fact that I was prepared to sit there at home and watch it all the way through without any kind of breaks, shows that that it it holds your attention. And that's what a film should do. That's what the characters should do. And I think it was hugely likable. And as I say, I never realized there was a subtitle version, because I just saw the dub version. But that still works all right, though. It still works. Because I think usually, if you've got the choice between the two, you should probably pick the subtitle version normally. 00:33:35.67 Brian Penn I think you you kind of get slightly more from it, but this works. All right. It's really good fun. 00:33:40.81 Chris Olson and 00:33:40.84 Brian Penn Really enjoyed it. 00:33:42.36 Chris Olson Well, there you go. I mean, streaming picks can be very hit and miss, and I'm glad this one was a bit of a hit. 00:33:48.57 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:33:49.61 Chris Olson I did enjoy it. um It is a bit throwaway. I think you will come away from it kind and go, oh yeah, I'm done with that. like It's not something that's going to stay with you for that long, but enjoyable romp, I think. 00:33:55.42 Brian Penn Yeah. No. Yeah. Yeah. It's good for ice. You know, it's, Some films are like that, though, some films are naturally sort of more disposable, but they do their job. 00:34:08.16 Brian Penn They're not meant to be any more than that. It's meant, you know, again, come back to what Spielberg said about a popcorn movie, you know, it's their friends, the same as for you, and it does it does its job. That's the important thing, you know, and yeah, and, you know, all very well executed as well by the cast, director, writers, they get it right, they get it right. 00:34:20.16 Chris Olson does its job. 00:34:31.12 Chris Olson There you go. Well, let us know if you see trouble um sending your reviews. Moving on now to our indie and short films. um Like I say, we've got a jam-packed show. 00:34:41.92 Chris Olson So we're gonna crack on with these because there's some incredible movies here. 00:34:42.25 Brian Penn Yes. 00:34:46.92 Chris Olson ah The first of which I reviewed on the website, um brilliant short film called Line of Fire, ah written and directed by Weston Porter. 00:34:53.11 Brian Penn Ah, yeah. 00:34:56.60 Chris Olson And the film stars 00:34:56.85 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:34:59.21 Chris Olson Max Mattern and Sidney Flanagan and they play Oliver and Shelley respectively and they live in kind of small town America. It's in the present day as far as we're aware but both of them have quite troubled home lives. um So Oliver has a very sort of overbearing father who's sort of a gun-toting masculine kind of guy, and he berates Oliver, and he's very unkind to him. 00:35:24.44 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:35:30.10 Chris Olson Shelly, she lives at home with her mother, and which played by Cathy Moriarty, which I was I was so pleased to see her. I thought that was amazing. 00:35:38.40 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:35:38.55 Chris Olson I haven't seen her in a long time. 00:35:38.72 Brian Penn Yeah. yeah 00:35:40.95 Chris Olson And yeah, she has not a great relationship with her mother and also her father, it sort of seems to be a bit estranged. She's on the phone to him and it sort of becomes clear that he has another family somewhere else that he's making more time for. 00:35:53.09 Brian Penn yeah 00:35:54.39 Chris Olson So Oliver and Shelley, very upset about their situation in life, not a lot of opportunities and things, decide to 00:35:57.94 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:36:01.76 Chris Olson make their getaway um and they're going to rob the local convenience store before they do just to make sure they've got some cash. um Not going to say anything more because it's only a 20-minute film and I've already given, I would say, 18 minutes of it away. 00:36:12.25 Brian Penn No. Yeah. Yeah. no Yeah. 00:36:15.92 Chris Olson um not that it's like yeah It's not like a twist or anything but people should definitely go and see this film. 00:36:18.44 Brian Penn No. 00:36:21.79 Brian Penn Yeah, yeah, it's good. 00:36:21.94 Chris Olson It's brilliant. What do you think of Line of Fire, Brian? 00:36:24.59 Brian Penn Yeah, I really enjoyed it. This is another hit for me. um As you mentioned it in your review, a Bonnie and Clyde type story, isn't it really? Ollie and Shelley, they they've got that kind of vibe going about them, haven't they? 00:36:37.27 Brian Penn You know, they have these domineering parents parents and they're ah strangled by routine and boredom. They want to escape to a better life. And I like the Swiss thing. There is a Swiss really when as because the story itself very quickly on phones, we would do in 20 minutes, but they pack a lot of D selling and the um ah final scenes ah to me are like a sucker punch because you're not expecting expecting it. 00:37:02.23 Chris Olson Yeah, so i I was trying to sort of lay that there wasn't a twist, but now you're saying that there is a twist, Brian. 00:37:04.41 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:37:07.16 Chris Olson I mean, stop it. 00:37:07.45 Brian Penn All right. 00:37:08.46 Chris Olson Everyone's going to know. 00:37:09.79 Brian Penn Okay. Okay, but no. 00:37:10.70 Chris Olson There's not a twist, guys. There's no twist. 00:37:14.23 Brian Penn but Well, ah that doesn't make them any worse. But I don't think really, you know, they're, they're, 00:37:17.32 Chris Olson No, exactly. Now they've got no idea who to believe, have they? 00:37:19.92 Brian Penn Yeah, um but no, it's really, really good film, ah very neat, compact, 00:37:19.92 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:37:27.01 Brian Penn um very impressed with it. And to do what they do in 20 minutes is an achievement for me. um that that's You need to be highly disciplined and a very skilled cross, because I was gonna say craftsman, cross person. 00:37:48.15 Brian Penn um But yeah, very good. I enjoyed it. And a very good review, Chris, by the way, as well. 00:37:53.10 Chris Olson Oh, thank you, Ryan. I mean, it's not why we're here, but it is actually really why we're here. 00:37:54.13 Brian Penn Yeah. and Yeah. 00:37:57.10 Chris Olson So yeah, that's the main thing. 00:37:57.88 Brian Penn Yeah. I mean, that's gotta be said, really. Very impressed. I mean, I mean, you are the editor, after all. I mean, you're, you are going to be good at it, aren't you? 00:38:06.22 Chris Olson Well, yeah, if not, you I would just change what you said. a If you said it's something different, I'll edit it to make it sound like you said that. um Thank you, Brian, it's very kind. um But no, it's, you know, when you're watching, I mean, you know this anyway, but when you watch a film that's really good, you sit in there going, oh, thank God, because the review is going to be so much like easier and more fun. 00:38:26.95 Chris Olson um It's a big kind of misconception about film critics that we love, like, slagging off films, because it's like, 00:38:27.92 Brian Penn Well, 00:38:33.08 Brian Penn no. 00:38:33.32 Chris Olson We really don't. 00:38:33.52 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 00:38:34.44 Chris Olson It's not nice. Well, we UK film review, we don't anyway. 00:38:35.98 Brian Penn but Yeah. 00:38:38.26 Chris Olson And it's actually, we want to celebrate the film. We want to talk about the great movies and great performances. 00:38:44.14 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:38:44.66 Chris Olson And, you know, in this it's it's absolutely chock full of them. 00:38:45.03 Brian Penn um Yeah. Yeah. it's It's a pleasure to review a film like this because you can only say good about it and you could you could wax lyrical about a film you've enjoyed. 00:38:55.85 Brian Penn You could write pages. on films you've enjoyed. But, you know, genuinely, why would we enjoy slagging the film off? I mean, to me, it's it's a waste of energy. Where's the funny in that, really? The real pleasure is seeing a work of art. And it is a work of contemporary art, isn't it? That you have a story, great storytelling, strong characters, good dialogue. And when you see that, you know, it's a pleasure to write about it, and it's a pleasure to talk about it as well. 00:39:27.57 Brian Penn I suppose you could say the same thing about a bad film as well, because you could say just as much about a bad film. But, you know, I didn't like saying what I said about the Joker, but to me it was unavoidable. Because it's just, yeah you have to be honest to about it. 00:39:38.39 Chris Olson Mm. 00:39:41.09 Brian Penn And I honestly couldn't find anything positive to say. And and that's something that shots and surprised me. But no, I never liked that bad things about it. 00:39:49.36 Chris Olson And I think you when a film that you are engaged with, because like you say, yeah, bad films you could write loads about, but good films you could write loads about in it in a sort of really meaty kind of way. 00:39:59.89 Brian Penn and possible 00:40:00.23 Chris Olson With Line of Fire, there was lots of themes as well that was going on, and a lot of that was swirling around. Because sometimes you can just have a good story, like it's fine, like the story's just good, the plot's just good, and and like kind of Trouble, which we just reviewed. 00:40:13.77 Chris Olson story's fine, but I didn't really take much away from it. But with Line of Fire, it's talking about things like ah ah gun ownership, homophobia. 00:40:23.20 Brian Penn Yeah, it's a lot in there. 00:40:23.45 Chris Olson there were some ah There's a lot being being presented with these two characters, which is why in my review, I mentioned this sort of, it is familiar, like the Bonnie and Clyde thing, but it's also not because you've got these two sort of wayward teens living in modern America that are 00:40:24.63 Brian Penn It's hell of a lot in there. Yeah. 00:40:33.39 Brian Penn and 00:40:40.09 Chris Olson also at odds with this older generation and how they look at things and how, you know, also say the the prevalence of masculinity in America guns being because i i I wasn't sure if the film's title was in correlation to the Clint Eastwood film, you know, it's because it's a film called Line of Fire, right? 00:40:52.02 Brian Penn oh 00:40:59.40 Brian Penn Yeah, yeah 00:41:00.38 Chris Olson And if it does feel very masculine, and it's like, oh, but you watch the film and that's not like the message that you come away with, right? 00:41:04.25 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:41:07.77 Chris Olson It is very much actually against that. 00:41:08.02 Brian Penn know 00:41:10.38 Brian Penn Yeah, no yeah, I think it conjures up a certain image in your mind. And, you know, one of the first things you may think about is the Clint Eastwood film, but and it it does. ah You get a mental picture with any film cycle, don't you, I guess, but it's not what you expect, which kind of helps it in a way, because that then it's another surprise, isn't it? 00:41:29.35 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:41:29.80 Brian Penn So that's another good thing about it. But I think it says a lot about what's going on in America today, though, doesn't it? that you know This almost sort of Trumpian approach to life it is ah really where where America's at. It does say a lot. And it becomes a social document, doesn't it, really? 00:41:52.13 Chris Olson Absolutely. um I think for me, I was so pleased to see it. um I felt really honored to see it. It felt like it could have been a bigger film. It did feel like maybe this could have been a feature. 00:42:02.31 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:42:03.30 Chris Olson We could have easily seen an hour and 20, hour and 30 of this. 00:42:03.53 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:42:05.80 Brian Penn Well, but that's the test though, isn't it? That we always seem to, uh, adopt, you know, would it work on a feature length format? And you would say yes, definitely, because there's mileage in those characters, isn't there? 00:42:17.82 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:42:17.96 Brian Penn You know, they can be fleshed out and you could see it turning into a feature very easily. Yeah. So again, that's another measure of a great, a great short film that you wish was longer. 00:42:31.78 Chris Olson um but yeah um I don't have massive information about the film obviously you can go to the um website you'll be able to read my review, which ah you know according to other people, such as Brian, is amazing. 00:42:47.28 Brian Penn Mm-hmm. 00:42:47.55 Chris Olson It is probably the best review written this year. 00:42:48.12 Brian Penn Yeah, yeah, it's good. 00:42:50.13 Chris Olson ah But you can also, there's a link, out you can watch the trailer. 00:42:50.22 Brian Penn Yeah, it's good. 00:42:53.70 Chris Olson ah So Western Port has got the trailer on there. 00:42:54.14 Brian Penn Ah. 00:42:55.89 Chris Olson You can, there's a link to my video review where I pretty much say very much what me and Brian have already been talking about. 00:43:00.78 Brian Penn Mm. 00:43:00.97 Chris Olson But hey, look, why not just immerse yourself in everything that I've ever said? 00:43:05.02 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:43:05.34 Chris Olson You know, why not? um I think you should. 00:43:06.84 Brian Penn and 00:43:08.20 Chris Olson So Line of Fire, short film, absolutely brilliant, really, really good. um Moving on now to a feature film called Nowhere. 00:43:17.87 Brian Penn ah 00:43:18.54 Chris Olson And I may have a clip for this. 00:43:21.21 Brian Penn Oh, you're spoiling us aren't you? 00:43:21.83 Chris Olson that means Well, this is just slightly unprepared because I realized I had the clip, but I hadn't uploaded it. I'm gonna upload it now and we're gonna see what happens. 00:44:28.42 Chris Olson Wow, I'm so glad I found the clip because it does give you a really good sense of the film. 00:44:29.24 Brian Penn and 00:44:32.72 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:44:32.91 Chris Olson um Yeah, indie feature film, written and directed by Tim Safer. Do you want to take the synopsis on this, Brian? 00:44:38.56 Brian Penn I cool. Yeah, pleasure. um So American teacher Max is coming to terms with a traumatic event in his life. He decides to make a fresh start and follows his girlfriend Emily to England relationship breaks up and Max begins to drift, dabbling in drugs and casual sex. He takes out a living as a supply teacher. 00:44:58.57 Brian Penn a chance meeting with Michelle in a nightclub sparks a chain of events as he takes a job at a high performing school. Now, I really enjoyed this. 00:45:09.21 Chris Olson Yeah, I thought it was great. 00:45:10.09 Brian Penn Very well-paced storytelling doesn't try too hard. You know, it's, it's the kind of fun that's not in your face too much. It has that kind of the real confidence that can tell its own story and draws you in. 00:45:24.18 Brian Penn As you go along, you invest in the characters and feel concerned for their welfare. So you buy into it. There's a lot of heavy issues as well, doesn't it? You know, addiction, grief, loneliness. 00:45:35.78 Brian Penn There's an awful lot going on there, but I loved it. 00:45:35.77 Chris Olson Hmm. 00:45:38.83 Brian Penn I really, really liked it a hell of a lot. 00:45:41.26 Chris Olson I thought it's one of those films that has its own spirit about it. 00:45:41.33 Brian Penn and 00:45:45.77 Chris Olson And this is what we get a lot with indie films in UK Film Review is that it's been untouched really by anyone but the people involved in the film, like making the film, telling the story. 00:45:56.61 Chris Olson And they did it in such a way that felt really authentic. um I know in, I think Patrick Foley reviewed it on the website and he talked about that the film isn't that like he really liked it by the way he also sings its praises do go read his review but one thing that he picked out was the fact that the film isn't that ambitious cinematically like it's quite you know it does other than the Cornish location which is lovely um it is often just like in a school room or in his ah in his flat and I actually was totally on board with that because I felt that 00:46:12.72 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:46:18.06 Brian Penn No. Yeah. Yeah. Hmm. 00:46:31.90 Chris Olson we needed to stay with this character. and We needed to be with him because the whole thing is his whole journey out of this pit that he's found himself in. 00:46:37.79 Brian Penn Hmm. Hmm. 00:46:43.55 Chris Olson And to then throw in anything that would distract us, you know, anything kind of like, oh, here's a big, motorcycle chase or something like that, it would have felt almost disingenuous. 00:46:50.81 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:46:52.66 Chris Olson And yeah, no, but I feel like I've actually picked up and Patrick was, again, like I said, really on board with the film. I think he was just picking up something that viewers may find if they aren't really, really into the story, that there's not actually that other spectacle to keep them going. 00:47:10.07 Brian Penn No, no, I mean, what it feels like to me is a bit like a kind of ah a feature length TV play. 00:47:17.39 Chris Olson Hmm. 00:47:17.52 Brian Penn And I don't think there's anything wrong with that at all. You know, but you wouldn't imagine it weren't necessarily working that well on a big screen. But, you know, it doesn't have to be cinematic to be good. You know, you could have a film with cinematic quality in it and it does nothing. 00:47:31.95 Brian Penn Come back to the Joker again. You know, that's cinematic, but the it doesn't work on all kinds of levels. It doesn't work, but this film does. So the fact that it is kind of raw and it's paired back and it's just simple storytelling emphasis on the characters. 00:47:50.32 Brian Penn No worries about about the visuals as such. It's just telling a ah story about real people living real lives. And I love that sort of thing. Love that. 00:48:00.37 Chris Olson It was interesting to have this school set up. It briefly reminded me of School of Rock, you know because there's this bit in school the right way, obviously Dewey gets like brought into the school and he's sort of like a bit a bit wayward. 00:48:08.87 Brian Penn Yeah, yeah. 00:48:12.40 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. that true I straight up thought that. Yeah. 00:48:15.19 Chris Olson but ah There's not many similarities between the two films, but that was one. But the film did have a lot of uh sort of film and no sorry so school and literary sort of detail and that gave it a lot of sort of credence it felt like oh you really are you you really believe that this guy is a substitute teacher you it's not too too much of a stretch and i felt that it 00:48:26.72 Brian Penn Hmm. Yeah. 00:48:40.94 Chris Olson gave that film a really great foundation that we were going into this story. 00:48:43.06 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:48:44.67 Chris Olson I mean, he's also a bit of a fish out of water, right? Because he's an American as we hear in that clip, he's American living in Cornwall, we came here to be with a girl who then went off. 00:48:51.11 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:48:54.64 Chris Olson um And I think that that gave it a very accessible nature. I think people that could be watching this could sort of relate to that, you know, that he's got this humdrum career now having made just one bad relationship, you know, choice. 00:49:09.05 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:49:12.00 Chris Olson And even then it's actually not just to do with that, it's actually to do with his own sort of family baggage that he's got, um keeping him back and keeping him making bad decisions. 00:49:20.95 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:49:22.19 Chris Olson Like he is his own worst enemy throughout a lot of the scenes. 00:49:22.82 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. But, but he is a character that's relatable. He could be somebody you know, he could be a work colleague, a next door neighbor, he could be a cousin, a nephew, a brother, you know, it has that sense of reality about it. 00:49:40.37 Brian Penn Now, you may well say that's not for some, that's not the reason why they watch a film, they want to escape to a different world and a different life. But to me, 00:49:51.66 Brian Penn Films are about truth and about reality um and um making scenarios believable. Right. So whilst it kind of lacks that kind of big, big screen presence, it's just as as effective in its own way, you know, and it's probably more indicative of, um, the type of budget they were working with, but they, they do a hell of a job with it. They really do. 00:50:16.17 Chris Olson And like you were saying about it, touching on lots of these themes, um I think ah the the filmmaker ah Tim Safer had actually got in touch saying about its semi-autobiographical and to do with yeah the idea of grief, and but also masculinity. 00:50:20.02 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:50:29.07 Brian Penn Ah, really? 00:50:34.70 Chris Olson And I think that's a really powerful theme. yeah And we've we've talked about that and in the other short film, that it was um 00:50:37.05 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:50:39.83 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:50:42.28 Chris Olson It's a very powerful film to stick with because he's got this sort of, on the one hand, his behavior is very typical of of a young man who's sort of being reckless and and wayward. 00:50:47.87 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:50:54.23 Chris Olson But then on the other hand, you see him, he's actually quite fragile. And when we when you find out why, it it was very moving. 00:50:57.85 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:51:00.86 Chris Olson I actually found that section of the film particularly hard to watch and just from a personal sense and yet also lifted 00:51:05.52 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:51:09.54 Chris Olson very much by the music. The music in the film was really well done. There's a scene where there's a band playing where he meets the the girl who actually turns up by the woman who turns out to be also working at the school. 00:51:21.33 Chris Olson um That was really well done. It's really fun, really like lively, but there's some also other great music choices later on. 00:51:24.62 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:51:27.77 Brian Penn Yeah. I would always think a soundtrack is so important for any film. 00:51:29.18 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:51:32.83 Brian Penn Now the songs like they select it can make or break a film literally it can because it helps the narrative doesn't it the narrative can write on on a ah certain songs and they've done it very well here and never forget how important songs are you pick the right song it it helps the film you know it it helps move move it along it keeps the place going the momentum going so yeah that was good as well but it doesn't surprise me that it was semi autobiographical because 00:52:04.41 Brian Penn you know, for any aspiring writer, strike direct, so they will always say, write about something you've experienced, something you've been through yourself, and it becomes more authentic, doesn't it? 00:52:11.97 Chris Olson Mm. 00:52:14.79 Brian Penn You know, or write about something that happens to somebody close to you. You know, there's nothing like writing about you your, your own experiences in life, because then they become more powerful. 00:52:26.29 Brian Penn So that really shows as well. 00:52:28.29 Chris Olson Yeah, I wanted to shout out Derek Nelson who plays Max because it's a difficult character because he's quite at times unlikable, right? 00:52:31.79 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:52:35.23 Chris Olson I think there is an element of like, oh, he's not being a particularly nice boy. 00:52:35.96 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:52:40.91 Chris Olson um But then there are lots of sort of depth to that performance. 00:52:41.03 Brian Penn No. 00:52:45.20 Chris Olson But I also want to shout out Jennifer Martin who plays Michelle because there's a scene 00:52:45.63 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:52:49.32 Chris Olson and I won't spoil it but seen later on in the film where he's she's in his apartment and it is incredible she gives this brilliant ah and performance scene and yeah it's worth watching for those things and I think I love when these things happen because it shows that you know the 00:52:49.52 Brian Penn yeah 00:52:53.78 Brian Penn Hmm. Yeah, that's really good. 00:53:07.26 Chris Olson director knows what he's doing with the material and knows how to elicit that response. He knows how to do sort of ah curate that. And yet the whole film is absolutely littered with these moments of ah brilliant sections. 00:53:19.28 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:53:20.57 Chris Olson But I think it's definitely got that touch of someone that knew what they were doing. 00:53:21.40 Brian Penn yeah 00:53:25.86 Chris Olson Like you say, that you can tell slightly that there's a a person behind this story, a real person. 00:53:25.93 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And as to say, it works all the much better for that doesn't mean to say that characters you invent, I mean, 00:53:38.22 Brian Penn writers and directors will write will just invent a character sir and invent a scenario that means that's not anything to do with them personally, that can still work just as well. 00:53:41.56 Chris Olson Hmm. 00:53:48.27 Brian Penn But I think if you're writing about something firsthand, then and it becomes more special as a result of that. So it is good. It's good. 00:53:58.90 Chris Olson We reviewed the film earlier in the year, um so do feel free to go and read Patrick's review. The film is going to be available to watch soon on Amazon Prime and Apple Plus from November 29th. 00:54:11.56 Brian Penn Oh, all right. 00:54:16.95 Chris Olson Take that with a pinch of salt, because I know sometimes filmmakers suddenly have other things come up, and imagine I don't know, maybe it doesn't happen. 00:54:22.10 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:54:22.49 Chris Olson But hopefully it does happen, and go and find it. and You may struggle sometimes, you if you're looking, especially on Amazon Prime, for a film called Nowhere, because it will show you loads of things you didn't really look for, or it will show you a toaster or something. 00:54:30.88 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. and I 00:54:35.59 Chris Olson um So yeah, it's directed by Tim Safet, S-E y f e r-T. ah And I'm sure if you go and and follow them on your socials, if you're into that sort of thing, um they're called Colonel Fournier films. 00:54:41.91 Brian Penn yeah 00:54:49.26 Brian Penn and 00:54:51.86 Chris Olson and So yeah, do go and and stay up to date with the release of that film and and watch it and send us your review because we'd love to hear what you what you think of it. um Because yeah, it was really, really powerful. 00:55:03.68 Brian Penn definite Definitely a thumbs up. 00:55:05.61 Chris Olson Yeah, next film, powerful, but also one of the craziest films I've watched in a very long time. 00:55:05.72 Brian Penn Double thumbs up. 00:55:12.52 Chris Olson ah Indie film, Watch Them Come Blood and directed by Mike Cuenca and co-written with Joaquin Dominguez. 00:55:13.28 Brian Penn Oh, right. 00:55:20.32 Brian Penn a 00:55:22.76 Chris Olson it is absolutely terrifying um and and shocking. 00:55:25.78 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:55:28.31 Chris Olson It's a horror thriller and I'm saying this by the way as a preview too, I did very much enjoy it. 00:55:28.58 Brian Penn and 00:55:33.47 Chris Olson I just want to say that outright. 00:55:34.58 Brian Penn yeah 00:55:35.03 Chris Olson I thought it was very powerful as a horror film but I'm intrigued to see what Brian thinks because I don't think this is his wheelhouse. 00:55:40.17 Brian Penn yeah 00:55:43.51 Brian Penn ah Well, ah yeah now you you do the synopsis and I'll come in after that. 00:55:43.67 Chris Olson Do you want me to do the synopsis or would you rather take this on? 00:55:48.25 Brian Penn Yeah, yeah 00:55:48.44 Chris Olson I'll take it on. So yeah, this group of friends are getting together for sort of almost one last time. and so It sort of feels like they're on the cusp of adulthood. They've all got things they're going to go off and do. And they all manage to just get this one last evening together and decide to kind of and anything goes. Even the goody two shoes of the group steals a vegan cake um from a nearby shop. They end up in a bar and they witness this guy um self-pleasuring in the bathroom and yes ah rather than you know run in fear which is what I would have done they decide to follow him um even getting a taxi to follow him because he is still self-pleasuring they eventually come to a brothel um and again rather than running a mile they decide to go in and inside the brothel it is all manner of um 00:56:18.53 Brian Penn Very well described that by the way. 00:56:44.82 Chris Olson crazy things going on, but actually it becomes clear. It's a bit of a spoiler, so if you don't hear a spoiler, do skip ahead a few minutes, um that this isn't just a brothel, it's actually a sort of euthanasia clinic almost, where people can end their lives whilst having the fetish of their desires yeah acted out. 00:57:03.92 Chris Olson um Also running sort of tangent to this is a pair of ah criminals, ah the thieves yeah that are planning to rob the place and to come in and take all the money. 00:57:17.41 Chris Olson And they are also terrifyingly violent. um It is, I mean, purely unique. It is so thrilling and gripping. 00:57:28.05 Chris Olson It is quite scary. But Brian, what happened? Are you okay? Do you need to talk to someone? 00:57:32.98 Brian Penn um yeah Yeah, no, no, I'm okay. I'm okay. I've stopped crying myself to sleep now, so I'm okay. Look, I mean, I would never say that a film should should be constructed in in a certain way. There's no right or wrong way to make a film. Depends what it is you're making. And what they've what they've done here is very clever. It's very smart. 00:57:54.92 Brian Penn It's it will be a cult horror movie in years to come. 00:57:58.13 Chris Olson Yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:57:59.38 Brian Penn Absolutely without a shut of a doubt. There's so much going on in a plot that's so incan incoherent. I can't follow it properly. It times it feels like a series of unrelated sketches without any really coherent thing. 00:58:15.25 Brian Penn Maybe that's deliberate that you can trace a ah vague seam of what's going on, you know, it's like the these this group of friends ah I've got a one last road trip and they're going to go out with a band kind of thing. um So I see that side of it. Every frame screams anarchy and chaos. You know, it's ah it's ah amazing in that way. And it's relentless. It keeps it going. You know, there's no less up at all. um mainstream it isn't. And it is designed for a specialist audience. So 00:58:48.88 Brian Penn So respect to the filmmakers in that sense is so far that they've made an excellent film that fits its niche. I'm not a fan. It's not my kind of film. 00:58:59.95 Brian Penn But first one to admit that, but it's very effective. 00:59:04.21 Chris Olson Yeah, i I watched this and I was watching it thinking, I'm really into this because I just think, I don't know, I just i was into the chaos of it, but I was watching it also thinking, Brian is not gonna be a fan of this one. 00:59:04.27 Brian Penn But where would Yeah. but 00:59:14.85 Chris Olson um but not But I also knew that you were gonna be in the sense of you knew it wasn't aimed at you and you would obviously respect it from a professional distance. 00:59:21.42 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah, of course. Absolutely. Yeah. 00:59:24.84 Chris Olson um Because i yeah I've read a few other reviews about it and I i sort of read up about the film and I knew a bit going into it, which I think it does help sometimes. 00:59:33.31 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:59:33.42 Chris Olson um that it is designed to sort of unnerve you it is disjointing it isn't it's not linear they have these chapters but they move back and forward in time and it is sort of yeah it's very hard to sort of fully appreciate what's going on um I just thought that it had a ah rawness to it that was, I haven't seen anything kind of like that in a long time and that that got me that you know in that sort of sense. 00:59:36.88 Brian Penn Yeah. It does that. It does that. Yeah. 00:59:48.59 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:59:53.99 Brian Penn yeah no no yeah oh yeah she would yeah absolutely yeah yeah yeah hmm yeah 01:00:00.09 Chris Olson And we say that you're both me and you are not really massive horror fans. We always say that. i Rachel on the Scream Test, she's yeah she'd love this. um But I was so glad that I got to see it, especially in this month of you it being spooky time. 01:00:16.94 Chris Olson Yeah, no, I thought it was really, really good. um Even down to things like the lighting was really good. like It was like red at the bordello and it was sort of there's this spooky school going on. um ah Yeah, I just found it. 01:00:26.72 Brian Penn yeah 01:00:29.86 Chris Olson It was passionately made and it was not for the faint of heart. Absolutely not. 01:00:33.98 Brian Penn No, not so. 01:00:34.74 Chris Olson Gory bits as adult scenes. 01:00:35.35 Brian Penn No, no. 01:00:36.94 Chris Olson um But that it was this 01:00:37.67 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:00:40.56 Chris Olson recklessness, I guess, of the characters. They were just abandoning their reason and throwing in their lot as, you know, as adolescents do. 01:00:44.62 Brian Penn yeah 01:00:47.78 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:00:47.86 Chris Olson And then they were paying like a crazy price for it. 01:00:50.40 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:00:50.60 Chris Olson um One thing I one i did find with the film is you couldn't really attach to many people. 01:00:51.07 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:00:58.42 Chris Olson um It was like, that girl actually who I mentioned who steals the cake. I think she's really the sort of the only likable character in it. Like most of them are quite ah nasty or or do do bad things. 01:01:07.18 Brian Penn Yeah. I know. 01:01:11.45 Chris Olson um And I think that can often put people off if there's not someone that they can follow and root for, you know? 01:01:14.42 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:01:16.94 Brian Penn Yeah, there's nothing, yeah, there's nothing particularly redeeming about the characters generally, but they're not meant to be. That's not meant to be the case, is it? You know, the, that's the idea of it. 01:01:24.29 Chris Olson Hmm. 01:01:26.44 Brian Penn And usually in films, like you could even root for a bad guy, couldn't you really? Or, or, or someone who's a, a bit of a bit of an nasty piece of work but you still they still strike a chord in you somewhere but this doesn't do that but I think it's still deliberate you know that the characters are drawn in that way that there is nothing vaguely redeeming about them they are doing what they do but I love the wackiness of it I respect the wackiness of it and then the sense of as I say anarchy and chaos there's all sorts going on there but you know within its field within its genre it stands up 01:02:05.59 Chris Olson Absolutely. um Watch them come below. I don't think it's actually been reviewed on the website, um but we've reviewed it here, so you're welcome. um And if you want to find out more, the film is having a premiere in LA. 01:02:19.01 Chris Olson Not a lot of our listeners in LA, I don't believe. If you are, give us a shout out. 01:02:22.50 Brian Penn Yeah, that's not you there, yeah. 01:02:23.08 Chris Olson We'd love to hear from you. Um they're happening uh they're premier the american cinematic cinematic void and if you go to mike coenka so that's m-i-k-e-c-u-e-n-c-a dot net uh and they there's a page on the four slash what time come blood premiere you'll be able to sort of find out more about the film more about the filmmaker um And yeah, if it does sound like the sort of thing that you like, and you given what me and Brian have said about it, I would recommend going and have a look. 01:02:54.99 Brian Penn yeah 01:02:57.55 Chris Olson and There is also an Instagram page, actually, which might be easier to find information. 01:02:58.31 Brian Penn yeah 01:03:01.61 Chris Olson So they are at Watch Them Come Blood, or One Word. Just be careful when you're searching these things, guys, online. um There's some buzzwords there that you may want to make sure that you maybe add add the word, I don't know, Mike Cuenco or something into it. 01:03:09.34 Brian Penn Yeah, that's very true. Yeah. Yeah. 01:03:16.09 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 01:03:17.58 Chris Olson don't want to I think they've done that on purpose to mess this podcast up. 01:03:17.89 Brian Penn That's probably just be on the slave slide. Yeah. Yeah. I know it's, it's, it's mischievous, isn't it? It really is. 01:03:25.50 Chris Olson yeah 01:03:26.24 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:03:26.51 Chris Olson um But no, i like I said, I actually, for all its wackiness and absolute shocking theatrics, I thought it was a really interesting horror film. 01:03:33.79 Brian Penn and Yeah. 01:03:34.39 Chris Olson One of the most interested I've watched this year, actually. 01:03:36.36 Brian Penn it It's very effective. It does its job very well. 01:03:38.84 Chris Olson There we go. 01:03:40.86 Brian Penn Let's put it that one there. 01:03:41.95 Chris Olson Moving on now, this is not the nostalgia pick, but interestingly, we get to hark back to a classic horror film in our October episode because we have a documentary about the exorcist to review. 01:03:54.50 Brian Penn o 01:03:56.58 Chris Olson um Directed by John Larkin, this documentary called Fear and Love, the story of the exorcist 01:04:03.81 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:04:04.38 Chris Olson really gets into the, you know, detail behind the film and some of the things that went on, some of the passionate, you know, situations ah going on regarding the director and everything else. 01:04:06.58 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 01:04:12.35 Brian Penn yeah 01:04:15.94 Brian Penn I know. Yeah, it does. Yeah. 01:04:20.41 Chris Olson I mean, just I'm going to preface this with all the fact that I'm not someone who's watched the excess. I think I've watched the excess once a long, long time ago. 01:04:28.30 Brian Penn Well, yeah, now this is, well, this is surprising. 01:04:30.42 Chris Olson What about you, Brian? 01:04:33.18 Brian Penn Um, but I only saw the exorcist all the way through and it's in clarity only about a year ago. 01:04:39.13 Chris Olson Oh! 01:04:39.80 Brian Penn It was on BBC two, I think late on a Saturday night and I came in, I thought, Oh, do you know, I've never seen it all the way through and I watched it and it's, it's one hell of a film. 01:04:50.98 Brian Penn It still packs a hell of a punch. You know, it's, but Bear in mind it's 50, what, 51 years old now, 1973 it came out. And whilst I was very, very young, I do remember the film coming out. I remember all the fuss, you know, the Ferrari over it being released um on what it represented and the alarming subject matter that it dealt with. But as is often the case, I think I've mentioned it before when we've been chatting that when something's hyped up too much, it puts me off, it deserves me. 01:05:23.66 Brian Penn And for years, I swerved it, not because I didn't want to watch it, because I thought it's just too, they built it up too much for me. And consequently, I only saw it about a year ago, but it's such a good film. And this documentary, I think is excellent because it's very revealing. It gives you real insight. They actually talked to people that were involved in the projects. It's a shame that they couldn't talk to Linda Blair. She didn't participate, which is a shame. 01:05:53.06 Brian Penn a great performance from her as a 14 year old. And really, it it it gets under the skin of the story, doesn't it? Because you you get some idea of what was inside the mind of William Freakin, the director. 01:06:08.10 Brian Penn And Ellen Bernstein's interview was revealing, like there's a lot I didn't know. I mean, she sustained some quite bad injuries making the film. 01:06:18.92 Chris Olson Well, we have a little clip actually, let's play it. 01:06:19.03 Brian Penn ah was and Oh, I clip. 01:06:21.32 Chris Olson Let's see what you think of this. 01:06:22.31 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:06:59.94 Chris Olson So just to give you a sort of tone of the doc, just in terms of, yeah like they do get some big names from the film, and the original, and yeah some really moving testimony about what happened. 01:07:03.41 Brian Penn and 01:07:09.22 Brian Penn Yeah. yeah 01:07:14.16 Chris Olson Like you said, the um physical elements that happened, um and yeah the actions of the director and how he was, 01:07:16.62 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 01:07:24.88 Chris Olson ah Shall we say an artist? um I think that's a nice way of putting it. 01:07:27.31 Brian Penn Yeah. Well, yeah, that's a nice word, but yeah, I was going to say, yeah. 01:07:28.84 Chris Olson um Yeah. It's because it was, like you say, such a long time ago, the film was made and the practices and the society has come a long way since then. 01:07:34.74 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:07:39.71 Brian Penn yeah 01:07:41.02 Chris Olson And it's yeah it's always quite disturbing when you hear about some of the methods that they were using. And that was something that definitely stuck with me watching this. 01:07:45.96 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:07:49.52 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:07:49.94 Chris Olson And yeah I think alludes to the title as well, right? 01:07:50.35 Brian Penn and Yeah. 01:07:53.05 Chris Olson Fear and love, like this idea about the atmosphere that Freakin was creating. 01:07:58.22 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. and and it it it really works though doesn't it i mean even now i mean i always I always wonder to the the yeah how the passage of time affects a film like The Exorcist. Once it attains a significant age and the um special effects, technology and film overtakes the story somewhat and where and where that leaves the original film. you know But it's still powerful, it still works. And what I thought was fascinating was that the you know you get a true measure of the film's greatness but where 01:08:34.55 Brian Penn the last 10 or 15 minutes of the documentary, ah they were talking to the makeup artists and the effects artists that work today in films. And they're still talking about it like it's, you know, a reference point for them. 01:08:48.25 Chris Olson Mm. 01:08:50.85 Brian Penn You know, that's how influential it was and still is that today's technicians still looked back to the Exorcist to say, right, how did they do it then? And that to me is the greatest compliment you could play a film like that. 01:09:04.48 Brian Penn that it it's a supernatural film, it's a chiller, it's horror, you know, it belongs in that genre, but it relies so heavily on effects. But they are still valid, they're still affected, they still work today. And when you hear today's ah technical artists talking about it in those harsh times, you know how what ah what a great film it was. 01:09:27.32 Chris Olson And I think anyone going into watching a documentary like this, as I said, I've only seen the film once and I can't really say that I remembered it that well. I'm not sure what state I was in when I watched it. 01:09:39.80 Chris Olson um We won't go into that. 01:09:40.26 Brian Penn the 01:09:41.59 Chris Olson But the I think this is a documentary for people that will be well versed or at least have you seen the film a number of times and know the sort of general history of it. 01:09:52.97 Chris Olson um I know it is a very revered movie um and I used to be a big fan of the Mark Kermode podcast and things. I know he he always whacks his lyrical about The Exorcist. 01:10:00.68 Brian Penn Right. ah Yeah. Yeah. 01:10:03.70 Chris Olson It's a big big 01:10:03.89 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:10:04.92 Chris Olson lover of that film. 01:10:05.96 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:10:05.98 Chris Olson And ah you I think this is a documentary for film lovers. I think it's yeah people that are gonna, either you love this film or you love filmmaking. 01:10:10.82 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:10:15.14 Chris Olson ah There's ah a really great section where the stuntman is talking about the bit where he goes out the window and down the steps. 01:10:15.21 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:10:21.57 Brian Penn Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah. 01:10:23.28 Chris Olson And that I was you having, yeah see, I had definitely seen that bit. I was like, this is really powerful, really yeah great to hear from this person. 01:10:31.54 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:10:32.91 Chris Olson um who who did that and and how they did it. And he kind of just sort of did it, which, you know, when it was, this thing's like, oh yeah, I put put a mattress here and there and I was fine. 01:10:38.85 Brian Penn and 01:10:42.03 Chris Olson I was like, my God, they would never let you do that now. 01:10:43.00 Brian Penn but Yeah, I know. That's right. Yeah, I mean, God god forbid. Yeah, but the um yeah, I love seeing documentaries like this that explain how films were made, what the thinking behind it was, what the logistics were. Actually, what are the brass tacks get down to brass tacks? How did you make that scene? How did you affect that scene? And it it gives lots of technical detail. So for the likes few of you and me would be fascinated by that, about what goes into a film and how it's made. Now that may be what will suit everyone but to me it was one of these all encompassing documentaries that but gives you insight, gives you detail. It's revealing and I never realised that the exit the book The Exorcist was based on facts. There was a ah young boy in but in New York or Brooklyn or somewhere in the late forties who were subjected to a similar exorcism so I never knew that. 01:11:41.56 Chris Olson Yeah Yeah, I mean it's 01:11:41.70 Brian Penn so It tells you things that you wouldn't have known, but you have to be interested in the and the mechanics of filmmaking to really enjoy this this type of documentary, I think. 01:11:54.72 Chris Olson It's a really slick doc and there's lots of bits which I was like, oh, that's what I've done. 01:11:56.51 Brian Penn ah 01:11:59.43 Chris Olson Oh, he's got that clip and you they were using some really great. 01:12:00.74 Brian Penn yeah 01:12:01.85 Chris Olson But when I, the um filmmaker ah John Larkin actually got in touch when when he submitted the film and said it was self-funded for 30K. It's a low budget here for it's such a good, I could have easily seen this on the BBC. 01:12:12.08 Brian Penn Yeah, it is. Yeah. 01:12:15.05 Chris Olson They were watching this guy. 01:12:15.49 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:12:15.85 Chris Olson They've got like a documentary about the exorcist. 01:12:16.98 Brian Penn Well, ah yeah, I'm shocked if it was because it looks more expensive than that. 01:12:21.31 Chris Olson Hmm. 01:12:24.64 Brian Penn Much more expensive. You know, you could you could see that on one of the big streaming channels easily, couldn't you all the as you Yeah. 01:12:29.46 Chris Olson Yeah, I mean, it should be. I mean, like, filmmakers love it, right? ah Phil Founds are going to love it. And James Leeroy, who reviewed it on the website, um he's he's a really good critic and he absolutely yeah loved it too. 01:12:35.29 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:12:43.70 Chris Olson um It just shows you it's resonating with people that love films. And if you're in that niche, which a lot of people are, I could easily see this too very, very well. 01:12:53.05 Brian Penn Yeah, no, ah I really, really liked it. Really did. And, you know, when you've got those high production values and they've done it so cheap, that's, it almost seems impossible to be able to pull something like that off, particularly when Well, 01:13:06.42 Chris Olson Well, he also goes on to say he spent five years doing it. So I think maybe the trade-off was that he gave a lot of his time, and but absolutely worth it. 01:13:14.79 Brian Penn Well, yeah, but it's been worth it, I guess, though. I mean, yeah. 01:13:18.25 Chris Olson Such a great doc. 01:13:19.71 Brian Penn But what you often get with a documentary like that, you get a lot of talking heads that weren't directly involved in the in the film they were talking about. You you will get writers and ah celebs and actors, you know, who were just talking about the film. 01:13:28.01 Chris Olson Yeah. 01:13:36.06 Chris Olson Or like, yeah, I like to celebrities that will kind of just go, oh yeah, I've always loved the X's and you're kind of like, yeah, but you weren't there. 01:13:38.19 Brian Penn Yeah, yeah, yeah. 01:13:41.69 Chris Olson Like, what are you talking about? 01:13:41.95 Brian Penn You weren't there, yeah. But you see that they talked to the the stars of the film, the that the the sound men, the technicians, the stuntmen. So and they're talking to people that were actually there, they were involved, and it gives it validity. It gives it weight. It gives it gravitas. And that's what I think is great about this. 01:14:03.91 Chris Olson There you go. Fear and love, the story of the exorcist. um Do go to the site and read James's review. um And the film has been released through Film Hub just to get it out there. So not sure if in the UK you can watch that, but do go check it out, see if you can. ah Drop us a line if you if you see it and what you think of it. 01:14:28.21 Chris Olson ah Our last indie film is a short film called Bonding, ah which Jason reviewed on the website, ah written and directed by Luke Rex. 01:14:39.15 Chris Olson And as the name subtly implies, it's a little bit of a James Bond type movie. 01:14:44.91 Brian Penn really and Really? 01:14:45.98 Chris Olson Yeah, just a little bit. 01:14:47.69 Brian Penn Really? Really? 01:14:47.79 Chris Olson um There's a lot of talk about Martinis being shaken, not stirred. um There is a guy in a bar, John, um played by Luke Rex as well, I believe. 01:15:00.12 Chris Olson And he's talking to his partner on the phone and it sort of it seems that he's A little bit distressed, shall we say. um Then a woman turns up at the bar and things get to be a little bit espionagey and a bit, what's the word? 01:15:15.04 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:15:17.91 Chris Olson It's kind of, there's like a frisson in the air. It feels like something's going to erupt and it feels like the tension, yeah. 01:15:20.73 Brian Penn Yeah. Tension. It's tension there, isn't it? 01:15:24.66 Chris Olson It's tension. 01:15:25.27 Brian Penn Yeah. yeah 01:15:26.31 Chris Olson that it feels like yeah he's going to be given a mission ah to do. And yeah this seems to be quite troubling for him. 01:15:34.54 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:15:35.24 Chris Olson um What do you think of bonding, Brian? 01:15:37.71 Brian Penn Yeah, I like this. I mean, look it's pretty obvious where where it's inspiration lies. um you know Flemingson, the name is Flemingson, John Flemingson. Does that work? 01:15:47.79 Brian Penn I think it kind of does, doesn't it? um I liked it. I really liked it. I think it was very slick, very, ah very well, well shot. And it does feel like and it is cinematic and feels well, it feels a bit like a trailer for a big movie. 01:16:05.12 Brian Penn It's me. 01:16:05.20 Chris Olson Yeah, 100%. It felt like a proof of concept, right? 01:16:07.64 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:16:07.63 Chris Olson It was like, okay, yeah, this could be like a spy thriller that you could do. 01:16:10.70 Brian Penn You know, And I liked, I liked the characters. I liked John Flemingson. I liked who's the shaven headed lady. Anastasia Mansfield. That's a blonde girl name, isn't it? 01:16:22.65 Chris Olson That's a name, yeah, that's strong. 01:16:23.54 Brian Penn That's a blonde girl name, obviously. 01:16:24.37 Chris Olson I love it. 01:16:25.84 Brian Penn Um, but yeah, I think it was really nicely done and, um, makes no secret of, of where, where its inspiration comes from, as I just said, but nothing wrong with that. 01:16:37.51 Brian Penn Really enjoyed that. I liked it a lot and ah I'd like to see more. There's another test of a great short film. You want to see more. They've left us wanting more. So that's good. I like that too. 01:16:49.83 Chris Olson Yeah, I would say it doesn't pass the test of it working as a short film, though, in terms of it being ah like on its own. I feel like it needs more. It's it's one of those things, yes, you want more. 01:17:00.28 Chris Olson I absolutely want it more. 01:17:00.79 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:17:01.28 Chris Olson And it felt like ah ah a scene or a trailer for a much bigger film. 01:17:04.10 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 01:17:05.76 Chris Olson But it has it on its own, I don't think you're going to walk away from that satisfied, you know? 01:17:08.71 Brian Penn No. It's an hors d'oeuvre, isn't it? It's a bit of an hors d'oeuvre. 01:17:12.21 Chris Olson Yeah, unorder, I love it. 01:17:12.87 Brian Penn It's an hors d'oeuvre. I mean, you nailed it when you said that it's proof of concept. It's almost like a demo, isn't it? 01:17:20.47 Chris Olson Yeah. 01:17:21.01 Brian Penn If you were making a record, this is what you come up with kind of thing. It's a demo. And it's it's is's something you might even present to a producer that or a film studio and say, look, what do you think about this? 01:17:33.81 Brian Penn you know and Who knows? Maybe that's what will happen to it. But it it's enough to get to reel you in and make you curious. And that's, that's what it aims to do. So good stuff. 01:17:46.81 Chris Olson Yeah and it's it's got a caliber about it that felt like I was watching someone very far down the line if you know what I mean I felt like oh yeah this this does feel like it's been taken out of a much more so established film um but yeah as far as I'm aware the the film is set for a world premiere 01:18:02.97 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:18:09.43 Chris Olson um although that was a while ago, so maybe it's already come out. Let me see, so there is a trailer. Yeah, if you go to the so our review of it, you'd be able to watch the trailer um from Luke Rex's channel. 01:18:24.79 Chris Olson um And yeah, it's it's got that, I mean, a little bit similar to... 01:18:24.83 Brian Penn yeah 01:18:30.10 Chris Olson trouble, not not in the comedic sense, but just in that sort of slick, fast paced kind of thrillery sort of, you've got a henchman and you've got, you know, intriguing plot going on. 01:18:34.66 Brian Penn yeah 01:18:41.70 Chris Olson I could see this ending up on a platform like Netflix, it feels like that sort of film, you know, you kind of go, oh, look, they've got this yeah bonding film. 01:18:46.20 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:18:50.82 Chris Olson I'm not sure about the play on words if it needed that, because it felt like maybe it would stand up on its own. 01:18:55.22 Brian Penn Yeah, maybe that's it. 01:18:55.35 Chris Olson i But I guess it gives people a good idea. 01:18:58.23 Brian Penn Yeah, maybe that was a bit too obvious, perhaps to call it bonding. um But, you know, um perhaps they didn't need to do that. But it just sets their stall out, doesn't it? 01:19:10.29 Brian Penn They're making no secret where, where it all comes from what it's based on. And that's, that's fair enough. But Yeah, maybe they maybe they could have been a bit less obvious, but you know, there you go. 01:19:21.41 Chris Olson um So yeah, sorry, it's it's been out. of ah They had a festival run in 2023. So the film has kind of um been around. ah So yeah, we might might well be available. do Do seek out, I say, the director's Luke Rex. And yeah, really interesting. So you can follow them on 9livesentertainment. So Instagram, that's 9 underscore lives underscore entertainment. And I'm sure they've got plenty of information there. um And you can stay up to date. 01:19:56.35 Chris Olson So that's the Indian short films done. A great crop. Absolutely. And what a wide ranging amount of films we had there. 01:20:06.60 Brian Penn Hmm. 01:20:06.76 Chris Olson We're moving now. He was already mentioned earlier in the episode. So I'm not sure if eagle-eared listeners would have picked up on the mention of David Cronenberg. 01:20:16.06 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:20:16.60 Chris Olson But our nostalgia pick for this episode is Videodrome. 01:20:19.32 Brian Penn Hmm. 01:20:20.99 Chris Olson And for no other reason, well, two reasons. One, it's a bit of a scary film, but secondly, it's one of those films I haven't seen and I always get told I need to watch. um I've not seen it. 01:20:31.19 Brian Penn oh you not Oh, right. a 01:20:33.77 Chris Olson So I'm taking from your reaction, Brian, that you had seen it before. 01:20:37.10 Brian Penn Yeah, I've only seen it once. Do you you know, again, you've done it to me again, Chris. You've got me into a film that I've never seen before. Bear in mind, this is 1983, which was really the the decade that I started to go go out and see movies seriously. 01:20:51.92 Brian Penn It would have been the 80s. That's when I became a grown up, physically became a grown up. 01:20:55.93 Chris Olson Hehe. 01:20:57.48 Brian Penn um That's when I started watching films, and I never never saw it when it came out, which I find surprising, but there you go. So, yeah, so it's directed by David Cronenberg, as we just mentioned, ah starring James Woods and Debbie Harry. I love James Woods. I love Debbie Harry, but as a singer, not necessarily as an actor, but anyway, anyway, very briefly, then the synopsis, ah Max Ren is a programmer at, say, Toronto TV station that specializes in adult entertainment, it's probably fair to say, but he becomes intrigued by the mysterious Nicky Brand and begins to look for the producers of a dangerous broadcast channel called Video Drone. 01:21:29.82 Chris Olson Yep. 01:21:39.58 Brian Penn Now this deals with some very dark themes, typical David Cronin though, self harm, suggestion of snuff movies as well. ah It's all highly effective. As I said, I've never seen it before, but I found myself comparing it to Cronenberg's other films, and I think about Crash and Dead Zone, it doesn't really come close to to those films. But one of his earlier efforts, but still, you know, a spine singlet still gets you on the edge of your seat. um ah It's a very kind of raw look at filmmaking. yeah There's no gloss there. There's no shine to it. It's 01:22:24.91 Brian Penn It's kind of like the underbelly, isn't it? It's the it's the underworld. you know It's a twilight world that we but most people keep away from. And ah there are some really, really sort of startling scenes, particularly with Debbie Harry. And although, as I said, I don't think she's a brilliant dancer, but she looks great on screen. You can't take ah your eyes off her. And James Woods is a great character as well. 01:22:52.39 Brian Penn and The fact that I mentioned David Cronenberg when I was talking about the substance film, there are similarities. There may be listeners who can check both films out and let us know if they see any similarity there. But the techniques that Cronenberg used in that film were, I would suggest, also being used in the substance. um But you know bearing in mind, those two films are four years apart. But you know as a film, it's very good. 01:23:23.93 Brian Penn It's very alarming. It's, it's not a comfortable watch. But it's a film that you have to get your eyes are glued to the film. You can't take your eyes off it. But it's not I would say not one of his best. It's good, but it's not one of his best. 01:23:39.12 Chris Olson Yeah, it's interesting, filmmaker, because um we reviewed The Fly a few, well, quite a few episodes back, which i I had seen before, and I i enjoyed rewatching that. 01:23:44.25 Brian Penn Yeah, we did. Yeah. 01:23:50.20 Chris Olson ah With Videodrome, I was impressed. yeah I do love watching these 80s sci-fi films where they've gone full on with the body horror and that stuff still stands out really well, I think. 01:23:57.92 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:24:01.00 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:24:03.88 Chris Olson like It's often the special effects that let a film down, but the body stuff, the physical stuff, the practical stuff is still really good. 01:24:07.67 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 01:24:11.26 Chris Olson James Woods, great performance, um but I couldn't help but comparing it with The Fly. like I was watching it kind of going, do you know what? I'd rather be watching The Fly. i'd rather I think I'd rather be watching 01:24:21.28 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:24:22.41 Chris Olson ah yeah know yeah our legendary Jeff Goldblum ah go through that. 01:24:25.47 Brian Penn yeah 01:24:26.32 Chris Olson But I was intrigued enough by the story. I liked the film touching on these themes you about our yeah absorption into media and into things like that. 01:24:36.59 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:24:36.69 Chris Olson It still has relevance now, you know the way we are all with our phones and things now. um I think the the The plot got slightly muddled for me. It started to sort of, ah because he gets kind of semi-wrapped into it and things get a little bit wayward, it didn't quite make all that much sense to me and and not in a good way. 01:24:55.14 Chris Olson I was kind of like getting a little bit lost at times. 01:24:55.25 Brian Penn ay Yeah, ah it's not. It's not the most coherent storyline. 01:25:00.64 Chris Olson m 01:25:01.00 Brian Penn I think to be fair, but it but Yeah. 01:25:01.95 Chris Olson um the the score dates it quite a bit um but yeah I don't think it's his best no not by any means but I felt like it was like one of those films now where I can kind of go yeah I've seen that like that's that's filled a hole in my cinematic ah knowledge 01:25:10.52 Brian Penn No, no. 01:25:17.60 Brian Penn yeah Yeah, a gap in your knowledge has been filled down. Yeah, and that's true enough. But yeah, look it's it works. I mean, there is a certain quality, you know, great directors have a have a ah mark of quality about them. And Cronenberg always does that. You will and you see it there. But as I say, not to be absolutely firm, not one of his best, but you know, 01:25:38.61 Brian Penn riveting stuff, it keeps it keeps you on your toes. It's that kind of film. 01:25:44.91 Chris Olson Well, it was available on now TV. I think it still is depending on when you're listening to this. um So if you've got the now movies or Sky Cinema or whatever it is, i'm it's available on there. 01:25:56.35 Chris Olson And I think if you are a Cronenberg fan, then you have to watch it. Like you just need to yeah fill in that ah bit of his ah back catalogue. 01:26:01.16 Brian Penn Oh, yeah. 01:26:05.25 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:26:05.45 Chris Olson But I think for fans of horror films, for fans of that sort of stuff. Like there's other films in his list that I would go to first, um not to mention other films just generally that I would go see. 01:26:17.83 Chris Olson um I mean, I should probably rewatch The Exorcist having watched that very good documentary. I still feel like I should probably watch that. 01:26:23.68 Brian Penn Yeah, should give you a slice for it really, in a way. 01:26:26.75 Chris Olson you know i mean we've got halloween coming up maybe i'll just uh close curtains and stick that on um or i just watch hocus pocus 2 again and ruin my whole evening do you see how i brought it full circle there i just thought do you know what let first film last film we're talking about hocus pocus 2 01:26:26.88 Brian Penn and Yeah. 01:26:30.27 Brian Penn Yeah, that'll do the job. Yeah. 01:26:37.20 Brian Penn i Yeah, yeah. Masochist. 01:26:46.58 Brian Penn Yes. Okay. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Good stuff. 01:26:50.35 Chris Olson oh But yeah, thank you. If you've listened all the way to the end of this podcast, we do appreciate you. ah Thank you to all the filmmakers who sent us their movies. They were terrific. Really enjoyed all of those. 01:27:00.58 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:27:01.72 Chris Olson um We have already got a bumper selection for next month. So we may be doing an extra episode. 01:27:05.31 Brian Penn oh Wow. 01:27:06.79 Chris Olson I'm going to talk to my minion shortly and see what his availability is. 01:27:09.44 Brian Penn Okay. Yeah. 01:27:11.45 Chris Olson But yeah, that is all for this episode. And yeah, thank you again to Brian for everything you do. Go to the cinema and yeah watching Joker. 01:27:17.62 Brian Penn sure 01:27:20.54 Chris Olson ah 01:27:20.91 Brian Penn Yeah, yeah, I hope you're grateful. 01:27:22.07 Chris Olson which which you loved. um But yeah, um thank you for listening. Follow us on all our socials if you can. If you can't, don't worry, it's not a big thing. um And we'll see you again next time. 01:27:26.79 Brian Penn Bye for now. Previous Next

Read the film podcast transcript from the episode titled Indie Special - UK Film Club 18a on UK Film Club part of the UK Film Review Podcast. < Back Indie Special - UK Film Club 18a Listen to This Episode UK Film Club 00:00:00.81 Brian Penn It's getting colder and it's getting wetter and rainier, but you know, we've got to be positive, haven't we, really? You know? 00:00:09.42 ukfilmreview I actually think we had a pretty good summer this year. I think it wasn't too bad. um 00:00:15.11 Brian Penn Yeah, we we we have a fairly low bar, don't we, when it comes to a good summer? When you think about it, don't we? 00:00:21.44 ukfilmreview Yeah, I think so. But there were a couple of good weeks and the summer itself actually was was generally warm. 00:00:31.54 ukfilmreview I always think as well, if I haven't had to put the heating on, then hey, you know what? We must be doing something all right. 00:00:35.94 Brian Penn that's that's a victory is that hey we don't need we don't need the centurion on in June so we must be having a proper summer somewhere you know kind of makes sense isn't it yeah i know you know yeah we've got to be a glass is half full rolled and half empty haven't we kind of people yeah well no not yeah give it time though give it time i don't know 00:00:39.02 ukfilmreview yeah 00:00:43.30 ukfilmreview yeah There's no other way of looking at it. and 00:00:51.94 ukfilmreview Exactly, and it's it's not a half full of rainwater yet. um Yeah, it won't be long, it won't be long. It's weirdly now, you know we do we often talk about it on the pod, but and we are now inching towards Christmas. 00:01:08.07 ukfilmreview i hate It's kind of starting to become acceptable to talk about Christmas, I think. 00:01:09.50 Brian Penn I know. 00:01:12.34 Brian Penn Well, ah yeah I mean, you're already seeing the themed mince pies that appearing in the supermarkets. 00:01:18.30 ukfilmreview Yes. 00:01:18.55 Brian Penn You know, you think, God, it's only barely September, really. But I mean, it kind of makes makes you aware that they're they're gearing up. And so should we be gearing up, I guess. 00:01:28.22 ukfilmreview There was a phase of my life, probably my 20s, where I was very full on about Christmas, that I would start it very early. 00:01:34.66 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:01:36.16 ukfilmreview I think it was when... a lot of the coffee shops kind of took it on right they started doing like you know these seasonal drinks at like October and I started to now I mean like sort of late 30s I've got two kids and I know for a fact I have to preserve all my en energy for like the last section because it is so tiring that I do kind of um I am a bit more like do you know what we can wait we can wait a bit before we start talking about it all 00:01:40.49 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Hmm. 00:01:52.61 Brian Penn Hmm. I know, I know. You, you delight, you delight for a bit longer. I think look you always know when Christmas is getting close is when you start to hear Christmas songs. aren't on the radio. 00:02:10.68 ukfilmreview Yeah, in the shop. So you go in the shop and you're like, why are they blasting wham? 00:02:13.55 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:02:15.85 Brian Penn I know, I know, you know, they talk about one again, which I think is almost impossible really to avoid listening to last Christmas, but we have to accept it's on its way, Chris. I love Christmas anyway, generally, but you know, you you do kind of, it does seem to creep up on you earlier than every year, you know, but there you go. 00:02:36.54 ukfilmreview Well, anyone listening is probably thinking, guys, it's September, what's going on? 00:02:36.65 Brian Penn It's all 00:02:39.98 Brian Penn I know it's September. yeah It's awesome though. It is awesome. So I think it's legitimate. 00:02:43.49 ukfilmreview Yeah. 00:02:44.86 Brian Penn You know, we'll be thinking about Christmas films soon. 00:02:47.44 ukfilmreview Exactly. I mean, it's we should really be talking more, you know, it's sort of like back to school month. It's that sort of, you know, but I don't think that's a genre. 00:02:53.17 Brian Penn Yeah, yeah. 00:02:56.31 ukfilmreview Is it? Can you think of any back to school? 00:02:57.37 Brian Penn Back to school month. Well, not really. 00:02:59.36 ukfilmreview Hmm. 00:03:00.09 Brian Penn You've got these high school comedies, haven't you? You know, they the um the kind of coming of age on the cusp of adulthood type movies. so kind of straddle schooling generally, but then they're always um almost always more American than they are British. aren't they 00:03:17.79 ukfilmreview There's quite a few films where yeah the protagonists are approaching that coming of age moment and it's like the it's the last summer before they go away and they like sort of yeah let loose and realise that all these friendships are now going to be put to the test and all that sort of stuff. 00:03:25.72 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:03:28.66 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:03:32.82 Brian Penn and Yeah. 00:03:37.63 ukfilmreview so this is good 00:03:38.62 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:03:38.87 ukfilmreview in that sort of category but you know the the back-to-school thing I think it's not something really anyone particularly wants to talk about because like parents don't really like well parents do like it I guess but it's stressful and the kids don't like it. 00:03:40.88 Brian Penn Yeah. No, no. ah 00:03:50.56 ukfilmreview so 00:03:51.27 Brian Penn but Maybe it's just not very fruitful. It's not a very fertile area when it comes to filmmaking generally. that you There's nothing to draw on there, I guess, really. So it might seem a slightly tame material for a film, perhaps. 00:04:06.92 ukfilmreview Well we have some very dedicated listeners, so yeah if any of you out there know of some good films that are back to school type of films, send them in. 00:04:12.04 Brian Penn Yeah, yeah, yeah, definitely. 00:04:14.13 ukfilmreview Let us know. If you've seen them, review them. i'm Always happy to read reviews. 00:04:17.68 Brian Penn Yeah, absolutely. 00:04:19.20 ukfilmreview and Getting a lovely little selection of reviews. we We're not going to read them on this show, we'll read them on the real, the big proper show which we'll do at the end of the month. 00:04:25.91 Brian Penn the but Yeah. 00:04:27.25 ukfilmreview um What this show is, this episode of UK Film Club, is going to be dedicated just to indie films that we've had, because in August we received an absolute ton of them. 00:04:37.58 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:04:38.86 ukfilmreview um There was a lot that came in, we did our best to cover some in the previous episode, so this is like ah an additional episode that we're doing to cover them. um So anyone who's new to UK Film Club, but this is your first episode, I mean you're very welcome to stay, you're very welcome to listen to the whole thing, 00:04:55.69 ukfilmreview But the format is slightly different. 00:04:55.84 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:04:57.45 ukfilmreview We're not going to be reviewing the cinema releases. We're not going to be doing the Netflix or streaming film. And we're not going to be doing nostalgia or listening reviews. This is just purely indie and short films in this episode. 00:05:11.71 ukfilmreview And we've got six. 00:05:12.05 Brian Penn Mm-hmm. 00:05:13.37 ukfilmreview So we've bumped it up. We've given you a nice bumper crop of indie films to review. 00:05:16.75 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:05:19.15 ukfilmreview So listen to me and Brian have sinned them all. 00:05:19.69 Brian Penn Mm-hmm. 00:05:21.95 ukfilmreview And I've actually reviewed a few of them on the website that was me who reviewed them so yeah I'm looking forward to discussing those as well as the new ones which I've been able to watch with Brian we have clips from some of the films not all of them sadly we have clips or promos or something from some of the films to give you a taste of what they're like and yeah we're gonna just kick things off because there's no there's no structure here we're in the Wild West we can do whatever we want we can talk about Christmas for 10 minutes and that's absolutely fine too 00:05:25.67 Brian Penn Yeah. Wow. 00:05:48.96 Brian Penn I know we can do what we want. Yeah. And we already have that. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 00:05:55.59 ukfilmreview and So yeah, let's ah let's start off with a film I reviewed. um I absolutely loved this film when I reviewed it back in August. 00:06:06.61 ukfilmreview It's called Rock, Paper, Scissors. It's a short film um directed by Franz Baum who writes and within the credits 00:06:09.56 Brian Penn Oh, yes. 00:06:19.87 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:06:21.06 ukfilmreview Franz notes Ivan down as a co-writer, and that's because the film is actually based on a real-life person called Ivan. um I'm always a little bit worried about when we start talking about these sort of things. 00:06:35.65 ukfilmreview yeah and There's lots of situations where we talk about things based on real people and and what have you, and everyone kind of starts to get a little bit worried, like, can we say that? Is that okay? 00:06:43.98 Brian Penn Yeah, I know, yeah. 00:06:44.63 ukfilmreview um So, yeah, but um rock, paper, scissors, um and it stars Alexander Rudiniski, Sergei Kalante. 00:06:56.41 ukfilmreview um 00:06:56.77 Brian Penn One side, yeah. 00:06:57.91 ukfilmreview canlante and yeah it's It's a fairly new short film and it circles around this character Ivan, played by Rudiniski. 00:07:09.15 ukfilmreview who along with his father they've got this makeshift hospital set up and it's ah ongoing during the actual current situation with Russia and Ukraine. um The actual events I believe took place maybe a few years ago or a year ago at least so a little while back um but yeah Ivan is um helping at this hospital where they're taking care of people and and trying to sort of you get into safety but it looks as if yeah the the Russians, because they're on the Ukrainian side, the Russians are approaching and they're yeah obviously absolutely terrified um because the Russians have been spotted and Ivan goes ends up being out there hoping to hold them off but unfortunately faces sort of a much larger force than he thought he was going to come across 00:07:56.45 Brian Penn Hmm. Yeah. 00:08:04.86 Brian Penn yeah 00:08:07.16 ukfilmreview Now, I have reviewed this already, so I am very keen to hear what Brian thought of rock, paper, scissors. A lot of umming, which makes me think he's ready to go. 00:08:15.01 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. No, no, no, no. I think it's very powerful, but it conveys a simple message about war and the cost of war. And what it does to ordinary people, you know, what gives it an added edge is of course, it's dealing with the current conflicts between Ukraine and and Russia. Now, the fact that it's based on facts. Now you can, you can infer many things from that statement. Can't you based on facts based on a true story where it could be very loose or it could be sticking to the facts almost exactly. But what the central character did those, you know, you can't, 00:08:52.76 Brian Penn fails to be impressed by his bravery in doing what he did, is to take a firearm out into what appears to be no man's land for want of a better phrase, and attempts to take on a number of Russian soldiers. And it it does what it does in a very short space of time, but it just gets a very simple message across that ordinary people suffer in terms of war. Ivan and his father, who was running the hospital, 00:09:21.75 Brian Penn were simply trying to survive and trying to make sure their patients survived as well. So it it kind of traces that train of thought from how do we get out of the situation alive? And how do we take all these ill and sick people with us? And you buy into those currencies. And again, because it's a current and ongoing conflict, it feels even more real than it normally would be. But I found it very enjoyable quite stark, quite raw in the way it was shot but I think it achieves the desired effects that it hits home and that this is what is happening, this is what's happening to real people at the moment as we speak and I think that that's quite frightening but quite sobering as well at the same time but I thought it was very good, it was very well put together. 00:10:15.91 ukfilmreview Yeah, I agree with you, ill with with all your points. and I think that starkness was something that really stood out to me. and There was a scene where ivan Ivan's and his his gun is like against the rocks and the rocks are all kind of like a sort of dark grey but he's got this sort of like almost orangey gun I think or you know it sort of looks very it's very bright against the and rock facing roost stood out. 00:10:37.96 Brian Penn e 00:10:42.50 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:10:47.59 ukfilmreview Now, whether that was intentional or not, it just was a, just a small moment, kind of Schindler's List-esque, you know, with like the red coat and things like that. 00:10:47.99 Brian Penn yeah 00:10:56.42 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 00:10:57.80 ukfilmreview that And I think, like you're saying about this being a depiction of like how just one life can be so impacted by a conflict, which is like completely out of their control. 00:10:58.17 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:11:10.88 ukfilmreview It's nothing, you know, they wouldn't have been involved in starting this war, you know, the decisions wouldn't be made by these 00:11:14.04 Brian Penn no 00:11:16.39 ukfilmreview yeah these people on this hillside, yet all of a sudden, here they are facing off with guns and having to make life and death decisions, not just for themselves, but for other people. 00:11:22.47 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:11:25.14 Brian Penn yeah 00:11:27.51 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:11:27.56 ukfilmreview And it's absolutely insane that that's what has to go on. 00:11:28.43 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:11:31.83 ukfilmreview But um I'm always very in awe of filmmakers that take on ah war stories and in particular ones when they are when they are ongoing, because as we still we're still seeing 00:11:42.38 Brian Penn Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah 00:11:45.54 ukfilmreview all these stories coming out from like World War One, World War Two, you know, you've reviewed a few on the podcast this year. There's been, you know, stories of of the amazing people from history that they get it's so easy for them to get lost. 00:11:58.49 ukfilmreview Someone like Ivan's story is so easy to get lost. And and actually, you know, tell it now if if if the information is there and if the events have happened, if everyone's kind of, you know, happy with the way that the story is going to be told obviously there is always a danger because sometimes with perspective things change and with more information things change but as it is you know this is it's not a long film it's just a short film I think it does a very good job of telling this unique story. 00:12:15.98 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. No. 00:12:25.35 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. I think it, I think it really does. The, the issue for me when you're, you're relaying historical events, but they're kind of, it's history that's happening right now is that you, you can never view it with any true perspective. So you do take a chance when you're portraying current events, um ongoing events, 00:12:45.62 Brian Penn But they've done it really well. They've done it really well because they've taken out the any reference to the politics of war, but it's just about people. 00:12:52.64 ukfilmreview Mmm, yeah. 00:12:55.68 Brian Penn And that's why it works. It's because they're just concentrating on the impacts. They're focusing on people and the effects it has on them. And then then youve you've got it. You don't have to worry about the the overall perspective because you can't possibly have one. 00:13:09.31 Brian Penn Now, they could sell this story and send you a sign when God got willing, um the situation in Ukraine is resolved. And you can tell it with a different perspective, but you choose to do it now. You've got to get it right. And I think they have got it right here. 00:13:25.17 ukfilmreview Absolutely, it's it's it's a very delicate situation to do this and I've seen quite a lot of films, we've reviewed many have and where they do turn the depiction. 00:13:28.40 Brian Penn yeah 00:13:36.36 ukfilmreview Obviously we're we're based in the UK and to use the phrase you heroes and villains, you the heroes are often going to be from our side normally, I mean it's not always but fair to say um 00:13:38.29 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:13:46.90 Brian Penn Well, yeah, that's fair to say. Yeah. Yeah. 00:13:51.14 ukfilmreview But you absolutely could just turn this around and it would be the same film. yeah I'm sure there's characters and on both sides that are heroes and they're just in a horrible situation, yeah just a horrible place that they just have to deal with it. 00:13:54.79 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:14:02.64 ukfilmreview And like you say, they're not getting into the politics of this. And it's up to you, I guess, if you want to put that on there as a viewer, if you're going to look at it from with a certain glint in your eyes and and how you're going to see it. 00:14:08.40 Brian Penn yeah 00:14:10.87 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:14:15.31 ukfilmreview but 00:14:15.48 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:14:16.25 ukfilmreview from a filmmaking point of view I think it's just talking about this sort of heroic character and what people can do when pushed to these kind of limits even if they are just sort of normal because one of the thing is really interesting obviously he talks about you we said that he goes out with this gun but he doesn't know how to use it he's asking this soldier that's in the hospital how to use it before he goes outside he's just like a normal guy that's just ended up in this horrible situation and I think that's that's what really caught me has been quite dramatic about it is that 00:14:23.59 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 00:14:30.55 Brian Penn yeah and yeah and I Yeah. 00:14:38.22 Brian Penn know. Yeah. Yeah. 00:14:46.25 ukfilmreview what would happen you if you this was you or if this was someone you know that's suddenly in that horrible situation. 00:14:49.33 Brian Penn know. Yeah. and it And it makes him a ah complete civilian as well, doesn't it? 00:14:54.98 ukfilmreview Yeah. 00:14:55.11 Brian Penn But he's he's not a combatant, he can't be. But they the hospital is caring for those who have been wounded in combat, but he's not a combatant himself. 00:15:05.25 Brian Penn So that gives it even more edge. So what else I liked about it was the title of the film, Rock, Paper, Scissors. I thought that was a British thing. It obviously can't be, can it? 00:15:15.60 ukfilmreview Yeah, ah it's a universal thing, right? 00:15:16.37 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:15:17.94 ukfilmreview I think, and they're playing it, he's playing it with some of the kids at the hospital, right? 00:15:18.17 Brian Penn yeah 00:15:21.11 Brian Penn Yeah, I know. 00:15:22.13 ukfilmreview Yeah, yeah. 00:15:22.71 Brian Penn So I like that. It's nice to see that something I thought was exclusively British is obviously a ah universal thing, rock, paper, scissors. But it's a contrast to the subject matter of the film as well. 00:15:34.17 Brian Penn so um 00:15:35.68 ukfilmreview Yeah, I mean, you could read a lot into that, I think, you know in terms of the way that we solve global problems. Maybe it would be better if we just resort to a rock game of rock, paper, scissors, if everyone understands it. 00:15:41.73 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 00:15:46.29 ukfilmreview um 00:15:46.54 Brian Penn If only we could solve solve everything that way. Yeah. 00:15:49.96 ukfilmreview um One thing I wanted to sort of pick up, I we kind of mentioned it slightly, which is about the the setting like where you've got him outside on the hillside. 00:15:55.40 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:15:56.88 ukfilmreview It does look, like you said, like a no man's land. It just looks like barren. 00:15:59.17 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:16:00.85 ukfilmreview But then when he's inside, you know even though it's a hospital, it actually felt quite like warm and inviting. 00:16:00.96 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:16:06.54 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:16:06.89 ukfilmreview It was almost like the safety that they've created for these people. 00:16:08.64 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 00:16:10.14 ukfilmreview albeit there is a bit of a panic in the air. 00:16:12.13 Brian Penn yeah 00:16:12.30 ukfilmreview I just thought that was such a great ah juxtaposition to have for the audience because otherwise yeah you could have just had this film with him just kind of on the hillside, right? And it would have been, but you needed that heart. 00:16:21.54 Brian Penn yeah 00:16:23.34 ukfilmreview You needed that sense of peril that you really wanted him to succeed and get fast and yeah. 00:16:27.27 Brian Penn Yeah. Well, well, you, you can see what he's protecting. You can see why, what he's risking really that, you know, he and his father are treating these people and they know they, ultimately they have to move, but they have to be safe before they move. 00:16:35.18 ukfilmreview Hmm. 00:16:44.75 Brian Penn And this past, you know, there there's a lot in, it's surprising how much there is in there in a fairly short film, but there's a lot to take in there really surprisingly. 00:16:53.10 ukfilmreview I think the title is suggesting it's that idea of making a decision. He has to make a decision. 00:16:57.83 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:16:58.82 ukfilmreview What am I going to punt for in the hope to survive? 00:17:00.00 Brian Penn yeah yeah 00:17:03.12 ukfilmreview And literally, he's just going to come down to luck at the end of the day. He goes out, hopes that he can overcome this threat that's oncoming. But unfortunately, they might play a better hand. 00:17:14.92 Brian Penn yeah 00:17:14.94 ukfilmreview And I think it's really powerful. 00:17:15.46 Brian Penn and know 00:17:17.40 ukfilmreview There's so much there to pick up. I thoroughly enjoyed it. 00:17:18.77 Brian Penn yeah It's very good. Very good. No question. It's good. I think the, uh, the six films that we've got here. for this show, I think it shows the variety and diversity of independent filmmaking. And so much the better really, because I think we're ultimately looking at tomorrow's stars, potentially. This is where directors, writers and actors, the stars of tomorrow could be cutting their teeth on a short film that we're reviewing here. So you realize how important it is to to filmmaking in general. 00:17:55.34 ukfilmreview So Rock Paper Scissors is not available currently as far as I'm aware. We were given a private screener um and it was um as part of the national film and television school so their films I might be wrong but do tend to end up on things like YouTube and and places where you can see them but as far as I'm aware right now that isn't the case but I do want a thousand percent hope that people do seek this out and do go see it or get to see it because 00:18:23.65 Brian Penn Definitely 00:18:26.12 ukfilmreview it for such a short film. It's so powerful. And I've seen a lot of very good short war films. And this is right up there with being one of the best that I've seen. 00:18:36.08 Brian Penn Yeah. not Yeah. 00:18:37.92 ukfilmreview um Yeah, Rock, Paper, Scissors, directed by Franz Baum. 00:18:38.09 Brian Penn That's like, so definitely. 00:18:43.57 ukfilmreview Yeah, you might want to just remember that director name because there are I think other films called Rock, Paper, Scissors. So yeah, 00:18:49.77 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:18:50.60 ukfilmreview and or head to our website look up my review for the 9th of August and that will give you all the details and yeah just spend an hour or two on the website it just helps you know just be there for an hour look through all of the reviews read all the reviews there's about 8 000 of them so if you just read all of yeah not not many ryan's ryan's wrote many of them um but yeah rock paper scissors check it out when you can we are moving now 00:19:01.29 Brian Penn Join us. Join us. Yes. That's that all? Yeah. Well, a few, yeah. 00:19:17.64 ukfilmreview to another short film. This one, Jason Knight reviewed it on the website, also back in August. It's written and directed by Michael Cook, who is also in the film, but I think he's only briefly in the film. 00:19:30.36 ukfilmreview um It's called Curiosity, and it stars Hunter Bishop and John Cook, who may or may not be related to Michael. 00:19:33.31 Brian Penn oh 00:19:39.62 ukfilmreview I'm guessing that he is. 00:19:40.85 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:19:41.32 ukfilmreview Very often the case, especially short films, I think yeah you pull your family in, or 00:19:41.88 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:19:44.49 Brian Penn Yeah. Yes, you do. We're suddenly right. I mean, it'd be rude not to, wouldn't it really? 00:19:48.72 ukfilmreview yeah um But curiosity, Brian, do you want to take the lead on this one? 00:19:52.67 Brian Penn Yes, of course. So we have a guy called Kevin who gets curious. When he enters the dark web, he encounters a frightening live game show where viewers bid for unusual items. When he realizes what's happening, he contacts the masked game master via text. 00:20:10.25 Brian Penn which leads to a terrifying series of events. Now I find this an incredibly effective horror film. It really works and it is genuinely scary and it's got an original storyline. 00:20:21.08 ukfilmreview Mm. 00:20:22.79 Brian Penn I can never remember a storyline like this where you've got a game show wrapped within a mysterious website on the dark web that this guy sitting in his bedroom just gets curious, he's doodling online and then he he reaches something that he wish he hadn't and he starts spooling through various websites and he comes to this particular website and it's like when you're watching something and you don't want to watch it but you do and this is what happens here and it leads it leads to fairly major consequences for him I won't say any more than that but I found it really gripping and quite scary actually very very effective 00:21:07.79 ukfilmreview I did too and I often talk to people about horror films because I think horror is one of them genres that few people feel really passionate about and we've said on the podcast that whilst we are fans of the genre we wouldn't be call ourselves sort of die hard horror fans and a lot of that a lot of the time it comes down to 00:21:13.50 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:21:17.37 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:21:22.36 Brian Penn No, no, not so. No. 00:21:26.68 ukfilmreview the story being told and I find sometimes a lot of filmmakers get hung up on the gimmicks they get hung up on the blood and the special effects and things whereas actually I still want a good story and with curiosity it's telling something that's modern that makes sense that it's so terrifying because when you watch some other modern horror films the stories can often be like unraveled quite quickly because of 00:21:28.79 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:21:32.39 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 00:21:39.84 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:21:44.02 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:21:47.50 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:21:51.03 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:21:52.00 ukfilmreview technology or something or social media or the internet but with curiosity they're using it to its benefit they're saying actually because of technology because of this dark web because of the way that we live our lives now in our rooms and feeling that we're you know we have the safety of our house but actually we don't because if you if you're connected to an internet line if you've got a webcam if you've got something they can still probably find you through an IP address that was like the real terrifying part of this film 00:21:53.49 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:21:57.28 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:22:09.50 Brian Penn Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Hmm. Yeah. 00:22:20.00 ukfilmreview um And it made sense. And also there's that it's tapping into that part of the human condition. I think they sort of mentioned it. And that's what the title is playing on, which is that yeah curiosity killed the cat. 00:22:32.01 ukfilmreview That is something that does terrify us on a very deep level, which is like, yes, whilst we are often wanting to know more, it can lead to our downfall. And I think that was a great, i that great theme to play on. 00:22:43.55 ukfilmreview They did it really well, I thought. 00:22:43.91 Brian Penn yeah Yeah, absolutely. I think, look, too much knowledge can be a dangerous thing, can't it, sometimes? I mean, we would say that generally knowledge is power, and that's what social media, that's what online resources allow us to do, is to become um more knowledgeable. But then it gives us a view into something deeply unsavory and very unpleasant. And I think it highlights what the downside of social media can be, is that it shows us too much of life, or it can show us too much of the dark side of life. 00:23:14.89 Brian Penn This is going through an extreme. But then again, you make a point by going through an extreme. youan You exaggerate, but you make a point and in the same way. And that's what this film does very well, is that be careful what you might find. you know but This is what could be out there. And in some ways, it it shows you how vulnerable can people people can be if they live too much of their lives through through the through social media, through the internet, through the web. 00:23:43.64 Brian Penn and Again, it's as you say, it's very convincing. It works well. And something that its it's it's building on something that's part of our lives now. Social media is part of our lives. We do live our lives through laptops and mobiles and computers. And as I say, very effective. It works so well. you know And I think they deserve a lot of credit for that. And I think horror fans will be genuinely impressed with it as well. 00:24:13.43 ukfilmreview Yeah, its for me it felt like something that could have, first off, be expanded to a feature length. 00:24:19.40 Brian Penn Yeah, of course. 00:24:19.85 ukfilmreview Definitely. would i' I wanted to watch War actually. 00:24:20.35 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:24:22.26 ukfilmreview I felt a bit kind of upset the way it finished. I was like, oh, okay. I feel like they could carry on. 00:24:26.56 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:24:27.05 ukfilmreview um So definitely with a feature, if not you know a series or actually a franchise, you yeah these things do often happen. 00:24:31.77 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:24:34.10 ukfilmreview There probably are 00:24:34.19 Brian Penn yeah Yeah. 00:24:35.86 ukfilmreview films out there because horror is a massive genre there that are played on very similar themes. 00:24:37.65 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:24:39.42 ukfilmreview I think in his review Jason talked about untraceable and hostile and things like that. 00:24:43.18 Brian Penn yeah 00:24:43.53 ukfilmreview um And this whole, I think on Rachel's podcast, i she's reviewed a lot of films where they call it torture porn or whatever they call it. 00:24:49.00 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:24:51.46 Brian Penn Well, yeah. 00:24:51.56 ukfilmreview um And I don't think this is necessarily that it's not trying to be gratuitous. There's not bits in there where you're going to go, oh, it's like blood curling that sort of moments. 00:25:00.19 Brian Penn No, I don't think so. none No, that's all. 00:25:01.63 ukfilmreview I think it's more cerebral than that. It's more kind of catching you on that sense of you feeling safe in your home, but actually, you if you stumbled on the wrong website, you could find yourself in a very sticky situation. 00:25:07.84 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:25:13.46 Brian Penn Good, good horror, in my opinion. I mean, obviously, ah Rachel on the screen says she's She's the real aficionado of horror. She knows the stuff a lot better than I do. I mean, like yourself, I'm a mainstream film fan, but um I think the key to good horror really is to leave some of it in your head and not necessarily to put it on screen. And that's something, that's the key to good horror is not to be too explicit and too obvious, right? Leave it in someone's head, then it then it works even better. 00:25:47.46 Brian Penn because you're playing on someone's imagination and that's what horror is always a sense to do is to play on your imagination and to let your imagination go to that place but not necessarily show it to you, just give you that suggestion and then yeah your own imagination will take you there and that to me is a key element of any any good horror story. 00:26:08.92 ukfilmreview I really wanted to do a shout out as well to the to the actors. I think Hunter Bishop is great as the yeah Kevin character. 00:26:16.58 Brian Penn yeah 00:26:16.89 ukfilmreview yeah I did wonder, is that like a play on the sort of Home Alone Kevin character at home? 00:26:21.33 Brian Penn It could be, yeah, it could be, I mean, yeah. 00:26:21.97 ukfilmreview you know um ah Maybe I'm reading a bit much into that. 00:26:25.38 Brian Penn Well, yeah. 00:26:26.61 ukfilmreview But I thought he was great. I thought he he really handled that because at first you see him kind of easily it's like bored, but almost sort of like entitled character and he starts to become like a bit of a keyboard warrior thinking oh i can just say what i want then all of a sudden it twists and you realize hold on there's going to be consequences from this and he deals with that shift really well um but i think it's john cook that did for me i was like when he was he's the uh the masked uh presenter of this show it was like oh my god he just can't 00:26:35.96 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:26:40.41 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:26:43.99 Brian Penn Yeah. and Yeah. 00:26:47.51 Brian Penn yeah 00:26:53.22 Brian Penn Yeah. yeah 00:26:57.32 ukfilmreview he's terrifying he's like a boogeyman i felt like i felt absolutely and i felt unnerved and disturbed by his his performance so good 00:27:03.51 Brian Penn And I know it's it's the mask and the voice, isn't it? You know, that's what it what it disted out distills down to that character. so It's the mask and the voice and they work perfectly together. And it does give you give you the shivers. And that's always the test, you know, for any good horror, horror flick. 00:27:23.01 Brian Penn So yeah, you know, for Marx, they they've done the job well. And you know, when you so when you mentioned home alone, I won't be surprised if they had certain reference points in the back of their minds, which is often the case because you watch any film, you can see influences dipping in and out of any film. And I don't think short features are any different there. So if you if you see if you look closely enough, you can see that is that they they take their influences from many sources. 00:27:53.00 Brian Penn and It's like just a question of something sticking in their minds, isn't it? 00:27:57.23 ukfilmreview Absolutely. 00:28:00.19 ukfilmreview It's not available live, curiosity, but we do have a clip. um It's quite a short clip. It's from the trailer, I believe. So I'm gonna play it just so you can get a little bit of taste and you do get to hear that fabulous ah voice that we're talking about. 00:28:08.08 Brian Penn Oh. 00:28:12.11 Brian Penn Oh, yeah. 00:28:12.52 ukfilmreview So I'm gonna go play that now. 00:28:37.49 ukfilmreview I appreciate it was a very short clip, but it was worth it to get a very small bit right at the end where you hear his voice. 00:28:41.60 Brian Penn Yeah, I know. 00:28:43.41 ukfilmreview So if you're listening on the podcast, you can always just rewind and hear it again, because it's it's really good. 00:28:47.56 Brian Penn Yeah, I know. yeah 00:28:49.92 ukfilmreview And then we'll just check as well. Yeah, no, I didn't see one on it. But yeah, the film isn't isn't out yet. um Again, I really want people to see it. So ah keeping an eye out for it, Curiosity, written and directed by Michael Cook. 00:29:02.66 ukfilmreview and So yeah, fabulous job, guys. Brilliant. 00:29:05.73 Brian Penn Mm. Very good. 00:29:07.22 ukfilmreview It's just so strong. The show is going so strong. There's so many good films. 00:29:10.07 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:29:10.78 ukfilmreview and We're just moving on to another really amazing film. 00:29:11.29 Brian Penn Well, no. 00:29:16.03 ukfilmreview Again, one I reviewed on the site back in August, again, A Good Day Will Come. This is written and directed by Aamir Zarkara. 00:29:21.72 Brian Penn Oh, 00:29:24.82 ukfilmreview And yes, this actually, again, ah it's a lot similar to the films, based on a real life wrestler, this one, Nabil Afkari. 00:29:36.84 ukfilmreview It's a short film um where the world of wrestling and the political unrest in Iran ah in 2018 collide um because we have a character called Arash, played by Sia Alipour, based on the Navid Afkari wrestler. 00:29:58.77 ukfilmreview But we're kind of putting it into a, not unlike with Ivan, I think Ivan was yeah more kind of direct, this is about him. 00:30:02.45 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:30:05.07 ukfilmreview This where they are actually changed the character's name, but it's very much based on that narrative wrestler. 00:30:08.02 Brian Penn yeah Yeah. 00:30:11.88 ukfilmreview But yeah, he's promising Iranian wrestler, but he starts to struggle in his career because he is getting very disturbed by the protests and the unrest going on around them. 00:30:24.44 ukfilmreview He's been told by his coaches, you know, don't worry about what's going on outside, just focus on your wrestling. but it comes to a head when I think it's his sister dies during one of the protest marches against the government and he can no longer stay silent he wears a t-shirt 00:30:34.25 Brian Penn and 00:30:41.75 Brian Penn Hmm. Hmm. 00:30:44.97 ukfilmreview you know, the sisters, her life years on at the end end of his ah match. And yeah, from there, he gets pulled into the the story of the the politics going on. 00:30:57.59 ukfilmreview He's seen as a very high profile voice against the government. 00:30:58.37 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:31:02.13 ukfilmreview um 00:31:02.43 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:31:03.39 ukfilmreview The film then moves into an area where he starts to be part of the protests. And from there, things get very tricky for him as he tries to sort of balance the idea of a peaceful protest, but also standing up for his people. 00:31:17.52 ukfilmreview But he yeah tries to do that as best he can. And the film itself is incredibly gripping and dramatic. 00:31:23.94 Brian Penn aye Yeah, it was excellent. 00:31:24.71 ukfilmreview Brian, what did you think of a good date will come? 00:31:28.75 Brian Penn and Really gripping is the word that this springs to mind. And I think it asks a lot of important questions about the almost strictly linked between sport and politics, you know, that once an athlete receives international recognition, when they stand under the flag of their country and wear their country's colors, who are they really representing? Are they representing the people or are they representing the state and the government? And I say it raises all kinds of important questions that fire off that really. And it sums it up so well in this film, you know, that here he is, 00:32:05.89 Brian Penn you know, wrestling is, is, is the number one sport in Iran. So obviously anyone who who becomes a champion wrestler in Iran, it's going to be a bit like a rock star, aren't they? And their opinions will always carry weight because of who they are and what they've achieved. But for me, it's about the idea that we should be able to separate the two. But he, he was put in a position where he felt he had to make a stand over some, he had to say something, particularly when his sister was involved. And I think it portrays that conflicts between just wanting to be a sportsman or sports person, shall we say, but also be a social compensator, being in a position where he has a profile and people want him to support them. They want him to to pick, for want of a better phrase, pick a side, but he wants, he's struggling to keep out of it. So there's a conflict there as well. I think it was so well portrayed here. 00:33:04.68 Brian Penn And it's an age old argument. This is nothing new. This is, this has always been, um, uh, an upfront and current dilemma for anyone who, who makes their way in sport, right. But they can't ever compete for the country and let it be. There's got to be something more to it than that. You know, and so I think it brings the whole issue into, into sharp focus. And I really, really enjoyed it. I think it was really powerful and really gripping. 00:33:33.73 Brian Penn And as I say, sheds the light on this, this idea that sport and politics are never going to coexist that they're always going to overlap. So very, very impressed with it. 00:33:45.75 ukfilmreview Yeah, it's interesting, isn't it? Because we we, in the UK, we see a lot, especially with footballers. If there's a global event, World Cup, or anything like that, then something happens. 00:33:57.20 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:33:57.58 ukfilmreview If the footballers are often, they're being asked, yeah they're asked their opinion, they're asked what's going on, and then 00:34:02.74 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:34:03.10 ukfilmreview they inevitably give their opinion whether they were asked or not and then there's this backlash you know you hear all these people kind of go you know stick to football and it's like well no you know these people are they represent the country just as much as you know politicians represent the country all right yeah they're not making decisions but they still have a voice and they also they have influence you know and what i'm very proud of often is that our sports people tend to be very good people they tend to be very conscientious warm people because 00:34:06.18 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. and i Yeah. 00:34:17.11 Brian Penn yeah 00:34:20.17 Brian Penn and 00:34:26.13 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 00:34:30.83 ukfilmreview you know they're passionate they're dedicated but they're also they're professionals and and they are and they yeah they they are entitled to that opinion to say and what and like um with uh the other character in this in this film 00:34:34.27 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:34:38.73 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:34:44.44 ukfilmreview it becomes the point where he sort of is being warned off by everyone saying that you need to not get involved because of who because of who you are where it's actually it's exactly that is why he feels he should get involved because he feels that if if if he doesn't then when will a good day come you know when will that happen because it's if they don't do anything that that's the problem 00:34:54.03 Brian Penn Yeah, I know. 00:35:05.00 ukfilmreview So I love that it's dealing with some really, really big heavy themes with this. 00:35:05.05 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:35:09.29 Brian Penn Yeah, it is. 00:35:09.92 ukfilmreview What I also thought, it's a 25 minute film, but my God, the spectacle in this film, the amount of locations, the amount of scenes they use, the amount of effort that's gone into so much of this movie, it felt like a thriller. 00:35:14.85 Brian Penn I know. 00:35:23.43 ukfilmreview It felt like a ah a political thriller that I 00:35:24.19 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:35:27.67 ukfilmreview I mean, yes, I'd absolutely watch a feature length, but it felt like it was already one. I felt like I would have gone on such a journey. It didn't, because, you know, with say like curiosity, which we just reviewed, it's a film that is actually a few simple ingredients when you actually look at it. 00:35:33.27 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:35:42.56 ukfilmreview It's like, oh, and they've done really well. I love filmmakers that do that. I think that's brilliant because don't, don't stretch yourself with this. 00:35:46.56 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:35:49.31 ukfilmreview there was a danger that they could have absolutely stretched themselves way too much. 00:35:49.90 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:35:53.31 ukfilmreview yeah You've got wrestling scenes, you've got protest scenes, you've got motorbikes, you've got things lots of things going on and it all actually felt very well done, brilliantly put together. 00:36:02.92 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:36:04.11 ukfilmreview they They're so excellently executed. 00:36:07.22 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:36:08.44 ukfilmreview Loved it. 00:36:08.89 Brian Penn sure very high production values really for what is it be a small production because the independent filmmaking is about working with a small budget but it seems to me that they've made whatever budget they've got go significantly further you know they've given it not gloss gloss isn't the right word but they've given it a kind of a sheen like a it you know it stands in they make make it stand out because of the the variety of 00:36:35.86 ukfilmreview Hmm. 00:36:39.03 Brian Penn scenes they portray because usually they are hemmed in by budget limitations. It's what we always come back to. But you don't you tend not to notice it quite as much here because of the variety you've got. 00:36:51.83 ukfilmreview Yeah, I didn't feel that they they had any budget like it issues. it wasn't Because sometimes you are watching a film going, oh, they could have easily done something more there if they just had more money. 00:37:00.62 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:37:02.30 ukfilmreview But I don't really let that affect my opinion of the film. 00:37:02.35 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:37:05.27 ukfilmreview It's more just as a thought, just say, OK, yeah, but with a bigger budget, you may have done, I don't know, just simple things like having extras in the scene or yeah ah more camera shots, more yeah things like that, things which aren't necessarily that essential. 00:37:07.34 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:37:13.83 Brian Penn well yeah yeah but they had a fair number of extras though didn't they they must have got yeah a fair yeah yeah this this is what i was getting at so it makes i suppose they're making it look like it had more of a budget and that's quite clever in itself isn't it you know because realistically you know you know they've got 00:37:18.72 ukfilmreview It's just you can allow the story to have a bit more to it. 00:37:25.58 ukfilmreview In this they did. Yeah, in this I thought it wasn't even a problem. I thought it was just a massive budget. 00:37:41.62 Brian Penn very strict parameters to work within. That's what independent filmmaking is about. But they made it look more more expensive than it really was. you know And that doesn't mean to say that films that have a tiny budget and work on a shoestring aren't as effective. 00:37:55.66 Brian Penn They are. But it's just that what you see in something become stands out more. And I guess that's what you're always trying to do, is to make it stand out. 00:38:06.77 ukfilmreview Absolutely. 00:38:07.59 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:38:09.59 ukfilmreview Would you have a little clip from the film? 00:38:11.24 Brian Penn Oh, lovely. 00:38:11.89 ukfilmreview It's not in the English language, so it's to give you a good idea of the tone, I think, of this film. 00:38:11.97 Brian Penn like 00:38:16.40 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:38:17.83 ukfilmreview But I'm going to play this. I know it's just a clip from A Good Day Will Come. 00:38:52.70 ukfilmreview It's always good to get a taste of a film. And just listening to that brought me right back into the film. It was like I was watching it again. 00:38:58.72 Brian Penn yeah Yeah, definitely. 00:39:00.11 ukfilmreview I was like, wow. And yeah, I really loved it. 00:39:03.85 Brian Penn you Yeah, even though that that clip wasn't in it in English, obviously, it's not a sort of subtitle, but you get a certain amount of the atmosphere that's being portrayed. So you don't, you don't necessarily need needs to be listening to English dialogue. 00:39:18.05 Brian Penn Do you really feel that you feel the tension coming through there? I reckon. 00:39:23.44 ukfilmreview Absolutely. um The film had actually provided me the actual clip. they I think they provided me the clip with the video and I said obviously we're going to use the audio. I'm just checking to see if it's online because I have a feeling. So you can watch the trailer. 00:39:42.82 ukfilmreview on, so that the director has a website, so Ms. Zagara has a website, so it's zagara.com, that's Z-A-R-G-A-R-A dot com, and on the You Better to Find a page dedicated to a good day will come. 00:39:57.24 ukfilmreview and on there is the trailer but not the film so I don't think it's out currently even though yeah we had a link but I don't think it's publicly accessible so I'm not going to definitely not going to share that link because I'm getting a lot 00:40:06.96 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:40:12.97 Brian Penn no yeah Yeah, that's not. 00:40:14.67 ukfilmreview um Yeah, but if you can find it, if you can see it, you should be lining all these up, listeners. 00:40:19.15 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:40:22.59 ukfilmreview yeah If you've got yeah pen and paper, which is what we which is what we used in the old days, if you're wondering what that is, it was a pen and paper, pen and paper. 00:40:23.56 Brian Penn Yeah. Make a list. 00:40:28.92 Brian Penn ay Yeah, pen and paper. I remember it well. 00:40:32.64 ukfilmreview I mean, in fairness, we are doing a podcast, so we're not exactly against the system here. 00:40:36.74 Brian Penn No, not at all. 00:40:37.19 ukfilmreview um But yeah, a good day will come. 00:40:37.70 Brian Penn ah 00:40:40.37 ukfilmreview amir's sagara it's absolutely brilliant i put it in the bottommer review I think I said, yeah, one of the best short films of the year. 00:40:47.51 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:40:48.02 ukfilmreview ah Hands down, I often do my own little lists of the best shorts that I've seen of of the year. 00:40:53.30 Brian Penn Yeah, absolutely. 00:40:53.80 ukfilmreview This will make it into it, um definitely. 00:40:56.36 Brian Penn Yeah, definitely. I agree with that. 00:40:58.98 ukfilmreview So, moving on now to a short film that I didn't review for the website, but James Leroy did, and he gave it five stars on the website. 00:41:09.36 Brian Penn Wow. 00:41:10.25 ukfilmreview ah Sorry, it's not a short film. This is a feature length, this is called perennial light and it's really directed by Colin Hickey. 00:41:15.92 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:41:19.56 ukfilmreview and It stars Jack O'Mahoney. I think Colin Hickey's in the film yet and Clara Rose Hickey is also in there. 00:41:24.32 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:41:28.23 ukfilmreview Do you want to take this one Brian? 00:41:29.97 Brian Penn Yeah, cool. So we have an Irish film without dialogue or conventional narrative shot in black and white. It tells the story of the man's life. from his upbringing in the countryside to his troubled adolescence and adulthood. 00:41:44.46 Brian Penn It's all interspersed with some great illustrations. I love the roughness of them. It feels like they've been done with pen and paper. It just gives it an incredible edge. Another independent Irish film, they've done it again. 00:41:55.25 Brian Penn The Irish are so consistent with their independent filmmaking. The number of films, Chris, that we've reviewed from Ireland, haven't we? Short films, but they're outstanding. 00:42:04.49 ukfilmreview Oh, yeah 00:42:07.08 Brian Penn They're absolutely brilliant. What I love about this film is the confidence that Colin Hickey shows that he's brave enough to shoot a feature film with no dialogue. You know, the sound effects, you can hear birds singing, but there's no spoken dialogue. There's no conventional narratives to so latch on to. Now a film like this would usually make you work very hard to follow what's going on, but you don't have to do that. You can actually sit back and just drinking the visuals. And there's a lot of symbolism there as well, you know, as if every single image is one stage in this man's life. And we have great images of particularly of the ship listing its sea and it's beginning to kind of topple over on one side. To me, that's very symptomatic ah of his feelings. And that's what this film does. Every single frame is so beautifully captured. 00:43:06.17 Brian Penn the amount of thought that's gone into it. I mean, it's really a work of art. I think it's beautifully done. And I'm very, very impressed with it. It's it's so difficult to pull off into a chief because we we tend to assume that dialogue is going to do the hard work for us. 00:43:24.39 Brian Penn Dialogue tells us what's going on, doesn't it? 00:43:26.11 ukfilmreview Hmm. Hmm. 00:43:27.40 Brian Penn But we don't have that with this film. But there's enough going on there for you to follow it. It's a lovely film. It's a lovely, lovely film. 00:43:36.41 ukfilmreview I always come across films like this every so often through UK Film Review. And it's kind of like when you go to a film festival that there's just something you would not have, if I'm honest, it's not a film you would necessarily have chosen to go see. 00:43:43.97 Brian Penn Hmm Yeah Yeah Hmm Yeah Yeah 00:43:50.11 ukfilmreview If someone says, you know, it's like an artistic piece, you know, it's a feature length and there's no dialogue, there's not really ah a full narrative, there's a ah suggestion, a narrative of the guy's kind of life, you know, it's almost like looking back on the life and like memories and things but it's bit's more it's more of a contemplative piece it's more something for you to sort of immerse yourself in and almost have an experience in a cinematic way but when you watch something like this and you really do get a lot out of it it's so fulfilling it's like wow i feel really honored to have seen that film um i think 00:44:15.47 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 00:44:27.28 ukfilmreview Just yeah, just to sort of go over a couple of bits that you sort of mentioned Yeah, the the mixture of the live action with the animation I thought that was brilliantly done some of the parts of that is absolutely beautiful and what I loved about it was it almost provided like emotional context for what was going on that it was like like when you look back on something in your life or you look at a certain chapter even if it's going on right now you have the actual sort of 00:44:27.82 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:44:39.88 Brian Penn yeah 00:44:45.19 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 00:44:53.08 ukfilmreview the visual, how you would see that memory, but then you have your own emotional attachment to that memory, whether that's that you loved it, hated it, you know, whatever. I thought that the two coexisting within this one film was really beautiful. 00:45:06.67 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:45:07.71 ukfilmreview I loved that. um I think there's a lot of ways you could read this film, but that's just how I kind of read it. 00:45:12.97 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:45:14.31 ukfilmreview I think the music changes enough as well to keep it from being too stagnant and like you said there the bird song I think it was a bit where it sort of said boom and the classical or like there's a guitar that kicks in and it really like lifted it up and ah yeah I think 00:45:20.04 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. yeah 00:45:31.39 ukfilmreview Those aspects to it, that you're using that the language of cinema, but without the the need for words to sort of connect with people, I think it's great. 00:45:37.49 Brian Penn yeah Hmm. 00:45:42.54 ukfilmreview It's kind of, it's a bit like classical music, right? It's like kind of going, do you know what, actually, this is just really, really good. If you can appreciate if you can appreciate it, don't get me wrong, there are all going to be people that aren't going to enjoy this film. 00:45:48.40 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 00:45:53.85 ukfilmreview Perennial Light is not a mainstream film by any means. 00:45:54.04 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:45:56.60 Brian Penn No, I mean, yeah. 00:45:56.92 ukfilmreview um But for fans of art, film, yeah cinema, I think it's great. 00:46:02.16 Brian Penn Yeah, I agree. I think it is going to attract a certain type of film fan. You know, that I'd be very interested to see how the market for like this if it went on the actual release, because it is basically a silent film. And it's difficult for not to think of it as a novelty and it's not a novelty it's just another way of portraying a life a life that's been lived and seems from a life but but it's not it does away with with but words but the compensating factors are there but that makes it more of a it makes it more special more of a specialist film one for people that appreciate that kind of film it' ah it's it's more of an art film but it works better 00:46:46.94 Brian Penn when you see it online, when you see it on a small screen than it was on a big screen. You know, as you say, it's not gonna work for everyone, but I was i was very, you know, it's a word I keep on using about what the films are reviewing tonight. Very impressed, really was. 00:47:03.51 ukfilmreview It's also, it's ah ambitious to do what we're doing, but there's also some really cool bits that which are just genuinely impressive. 00:47:07.42 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:47:11.22 ukfilmreview like There was a bit where a drone follows this guy like skateboarding through the town. 00:47:11.70 Brian Penn Mm. 00:47:16.74 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:47:16.85 ukfilmreview I was like um was just a brilliantly shot piece of cinema. 00:47:19.11 Brian Penn and I know. 00:47:20.37 ukfilmreview It really stood out to me. 00:47:20.40 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:47:21.50 ukfilmreview I remember thinking, that was really good. 00:47:23.07 Brian Penn and I know. 00:47:23.12 ukfilmreview And and what I also really liked was a person an older person, it's someone maybe a little bit more and who's lived life, shall we say, that you do have these these times where you start thinking back on your life, thinking back on your memories. 00:47:32.57 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:47:41.02 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:47:41.09 ukfilmreview And what I thought was great was there was these snapshots of locations, so like the train station or the harbor, or like just like an innocuous pair of but bad some set of steps. 00:47:41.70 Brian Penn Yeah. Hmm. 00:47:48.40 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:47:53.52 ukfilmreview And I think that 00:47:53.57 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:47:55.27 ukfilmreview is really powerful because often we are sort of intrinsically linked to ourselves in those times that we would think back to them and go oh yes and that's what comes into our brain and immediately a ton of memories sort of can flood in if you've been to that location a lot of times and if you can kind of submit yourself to that power that a film like this can reach you in in a lot of ways and it can transport you and that I think is 00:48:00.35 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:48:04.40 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 00:48:18.48 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:48:19.16 ukfilmreview it's it's a very powerful phrase to use but that I would use it with a film like perennial light because it's so artfully done and also it doesn't try and give in to the need to push itself and go oh actually do you know what people are going to get bored so let's do you know let's throw something in it's like no no actually 00:48:23.91 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:48:27.33 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:48:33.83 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:48:41.42 ukfilmreview We set our stall out. 00:48:42.97 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:48:43.65 ukfilmreview This is our movie. And I love the way they tell that with such confidence. I think it was brilliantly done. 00:48:48.13 Brian Penn Yeah. I think, yeah, I think you're right. is' It is, they are snapshots. There are memories, images that we can all draw on if we think back to our earlier life. And again, they've used Ireland, the countryside, scenery natural scenery they have around them. They've used it so well, but it's a focus on everyday objects as well. You know, if you think back to when you're very young, you know, certain objects are certain, like like a staircase, 00:49:17.34 Brian Penn can take on more significance when you think about it more and it's very well observed and yeah I think you have to be tuned into it you have to be in a certain frame of mind to watch it and appreciate it but damn it's good it's it's clever it it's confident it's bold to sort of say right we're not going to bother with with any sort of scripts so you know all credit to him you know that it's a hell of a job 00:49:47.06 ukfilmreview When we say him, we mean Colin Hickey. but yeah Colin Hickey, yeah. 00:49:49.38 Brian Penn I mean, yeah, we've been calling hecky. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. 00:49:51.96 ukfilmreview um Not available as far as I'm aware. um I say that because I'm often not aware of a lot of things, listeners. 00:50:00.83 Brian Penn No, really. I thought you knew everything for us. 00:50:02.82 ukfilmreview My ignorance stretches really wide, so it may well be a lot available online. It does have a trailer, so if you head to our website and look up the Review of Perennial Light, you'll be able to see the trailer. 00:50:15.58 ukfilmreview um And that's worth with doing. And you can read James's review as well. He absolutely loved it. So yeah, echoing um what he said in our review on this podcast. 00:50:25.77 Brian Penn Yeah, definitely. 00:50:27.08 ukfilmreview But yeah, check it out if you can. We are going to a, this is a short film. It's a short film. It's very short. It's four minutes long as well. 00:50:34.86 Brian Penn Oh, it's that one. Yeah. It's that one. 00:50:37.20 ukfilmreview um ah called Embrace Disruption, um directed by Johan Shannon, Canadian film. And this was submitted to us via FilmFreeway. 00:50:49.00 ukfilmreview So if you're a filmmaker that uses FilmFreeway, you can submit your films to us via there. 00:50:50.51 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:50:53.24 ukfilmreview we This is how we get them onto some of them onto the podcast. i'm But yeah, this film Embrace Disruption, again, artistic piece, much like the the previous film, um but definitely being a lot more subversive, I think, with the form and being more like a almost more like an art installation, you more something that you might go and see in an actual, ah what would you call it, an art studio, something like that um installation. 00:51:16.30 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:51:20.85 Brian Penn When installation kind of thing. 00:51:23.50 ukfilmreview Yeah. 00:51:23.64 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:51:24.72 ukfilmreview um It the The setup of the film has three screens within a screen. and there's ah There's an image at the top left, and then there's two others that are actually sort changing, but they're all kind of connected. There's some lightening that connects them. 00:51:40.37 ukfilmreview and it's This one, I feel, is massively open to interpretation in this film. um my My take on it, which having read the the director's statement and and the actual yeah the overview and things like that from the filmmaker, is that it's a piece about nature and about o yeah yeah our relationship with nature. 00:51:46.55 Brian Penn yeah oh yes um off the off the cuff right okay off the cuff um i mean i was look it's a very engaging piece you know it 00:52:02.78 ukfilmreview What did you take from it, Brian? Just off the cuff. 00:52:16.80 Brian Penn It's modern art. I mean, as we just said, you you would almost expect to see it in an art gallery or an installation of some kind. But those three images are constantly sort of competing and conflicting with each other, because you've got a heart-shaped figure in one box with limbs, and you've got what appears to be a star-shaped figure with limbs in the other box. And they're both very active. And there's things going on in the background. But in the box, 00:52:46.41 Brian Penn above the two of them. They're both together, but nothing much is happening. Now, to me, it's a bit like saying that um these two entities are more effective, separate than they are together. That's what I was getting from it. Now, I could be absolutely and utterly wrong about that. um But I'm not entirely certain oh what it actually means. that That's what I was getting from it. that There's all that activity when they're when they're separated, when they're alone. But there's less happening when they're together. But I'm not sure why that would be the case. 00:53:25.35 ukfilmreview Yeah, I was quite lucky because the director actually sent me an email to say because I think they'd read the review, which which I didn't change because I think you that's their interpretation of what they saw at the time with the knowledge that they had. 00:53:31.20 Brian Penn ah 00:53:33.89 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:53:41.34 ukfilmreview And I think that's their review. 00:53:41.54 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:53:42.93 ukfilmreview That's fine because as audience members, 00:53:43.85 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:53:46.80 ukfilmreview It's not always our job to go and research everything about a film before we watch it. And I think your opinion of a film, based on what you took with you when you went to see it, it is the review. 00:53:55.99 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:53:57.72 ukfilmreview But if it if it gets shaped later on, that's absolutely fine. 00:53:57.89 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:54:00.87 ukfilmreview and But the yeah the star shape that you refer to is actually a vulva. 00:54:01.29 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:54:05.39 Brian Penn Oh, I did. 00:54:05.46 ukfilmreview um 00:54:06.34 Brian Penn I did wonder. 00:54:07.55 ukfilmreview Yeah, it looked a little bit, didn't it? 00:54:08.18 Brian Penn I didn't. Yeah. 00:54:09.67 ukfilmreview A little bit i thought like an organ. 00:54:10.50 Brian Penn Yeah. Right. 00:54:12.27 ukfilmreview And and that as I knew that going into the film, I was obviously a bit more yeah yeah shaped by that. 00:54:12.72 Brian Penn Okay. Yeah. 00:54:19.68 ukfilmreview And I was kind of like, okay, so it's like a soft heart and it's a vulva. 00:54:22.61 Brian Penn Uh, right. 00:54:23.77 ukfilmreview And that, for me, 00:54:24.05 Brian Penn Okay. 00:54:27.06 ukfilmreview made me kind of then I think it's worth actually before we go just read out the and overview just from the the director which says so this is the on film for you and they have an overview which is like this is like the synopsis of the film. 00:54:28.55 Brian Penn Yeah. yeah Yeah. 00:54:41.23 ukfilmreview um facing an uncontrollable disorder two postures clash and challenge each other feeling uncomfortable showing indifference collapsing feeling mockery gnawing internally disintegrating experiencing invigorating sensuality question mark so 00:54:58.18 Brian Penn Right. Okay. 00:54:59.31 ukfilmreview Right now as we've said this is like an art piece this is saying it's challenging you it's not saying that here's your narrative here's what's happened beginning middle of the land and we all know who the hero was it's saying you know you're gonna watch this and you're gonna feel different things much the way that Brian you know had his that's your version of the film that you saw and what you thought was there and I think when you watch or take part and see art 00:55:02.69 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:55:07.61 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:55:18.05 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:55:25.72 ukfilmreview it is as much about you as it is about the piece that you're seeing often. 00:55:28.83 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:55:30.08 ukfilmreview um That being said, with a film like this, I watched it, I think I watched it three times because I still feel like yeah the director is is challenging me, is pushing me and saying, look, do you know what, actually there's other things here. 00:55:34.00 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:55:45.92 ukfilmreview um it's It's got a lot of interesting themes. I like the idea that there's a few bits where the nature kind of comes in, like there's water that's falling, there's some ashes that sort of come across, there's some trees that are kind of like in ah like red and white, and it is giving that feeling of like something disturbing going on, it doesn't feel quite natural, and yet we're seeing natural elements being given to us. 00:55:52.08 Brian Penn yeah 00:56:02.68 Brian Penn e 00:56:11.02 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:56:11.51 ukfilmreview And these two characters almost competing, um but in a kind of, ballet sort of way or sort of ballet. 00:56:18.42 Brian Penn Yeah, yeah, yeah, I can say that. 00:56:19.09 ukfilmreview It kind of felt that they, yeah, there was like a it was like a movement piece, right? 00:56:20.97 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:56:23.30 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:56:23.38 ukfilmreview And I think, you know, the filmmaker in her statement, she talks about using lots of different forms of art during their career. And I think it's absolutely fine to see that within this piece that it's is's using visual elements, but also physical movement with the characters or with these actors that they're is a a way of set of saying, well, what is it you're going to take from this? 00:56:48.63 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:56:48.75 ukfilmreview um And that's what I kind of took from it was that it was about the plight of the world and that it was almost like the heart and the mother nature, I guess, or something like that don't necessarily always get on. 00:57:01.61 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:57:05.01 ukfilmreview um 00:57:05.02 Brian Penn Right. Yeah. 00:57:07.10 ukfilmreview the It was, yeah. 00:57:07.43 Brian Penn yeah Okay. Yeah, that that makes sense. No, no, what what I know now. yeah um But 00:57:14.45 ukfilmreview Yeah. 00:57:16.04 Brian Penn that is not always the way with a piece like this, is that it is heavily interpretational. 00:57:19.88 ukfilmreview yeah 00:57:22.62 Brian Penn And I do wonder how much we should know about what's behind a film like this before we watch it. You know, that you may get an inkling, but it doesn't feel admittedly obvious. 00:57:35.96 Brian Penn It's the type of thing that takes you away from the obvious and you think something different. And I always feel that this type of film is trying to do that. He's trying to keep you guessing. He's challenging you. That's absolutely fine. I've often said that, you know, I don't mind a film making me work harder for my entertainment. That is absolutely fine. But I suppose the downside with a piece like this is that a hundred people could watch it and a hundred people could come up with a hundred different explanations of what they think is happening here. Right. So, you know, they may not necessarily be on the same wavelength as a director. I mean, what they've done is very clever. 00:58:15.72 Brian Penn And very intelligent, but it could fly over people's heads. And I don't think it's always that obvious, but. 00:58:22.11 ukfilmreview I know a lot of filmmakers as artists, they do want that discussion. 00:58:22.79 Brian Penn but 00:58:26.86 ukfilmreview They do want to create, you know, ah and they don't want to just give you a but yeah ah story. So this is the story and I say it, they will do want you to kind of come at it with your own sort of element. 00:58:34.43 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:58:37.65 ukfilmreview um 00:58:37.96 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:58:38.89 ukfilmreview But with this, like I said, it's so out there that it really is, it was kind of psychological watching it almost like kind of all good. It just feels like I'm going through maybe some therapy right now. 00:58:50.54 ukfilmreview I mean, what is it that it's trying to do to me? 00:58:52.26 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:58:52.47 ukfilmreview um We do have a clip. 00:58:55.69 Brian Penn You're right. 00:58:57.94 ukfilmreview Well, I'll play the clip and and we'll talk about it in a second. 00:59:00.90 Brian Penn Okay. 00:59:56.63 ukfilmreview So I think it's crucial that that got played because it does give you that sense of it's a challenging watch and a challenging listen. 01:00:00.11 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 01:00:05.15 ukfilmreview um Also for me one of the aspects that I i didn't like as much was the way that the sound was so disjointed that it did feel like it was lots and lots of little mini series of things going on and within that chaos, I felt, I think the feeling is like you're feeling lost. 01:00:16.33 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:00:21.27 ukfilmreview You feel like you don't get it and you're watching it going, why don't I get it? 01:00:22.91 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:00:25.23 ukfilmreview what What is it about this? 01:00:25.77 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:00:26.39 ukfilmreview I feel like I should get it. um And I think that's okay. 01:00:28.06 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:00:30.48 ukfilmreview It's almost like maybe maybe you don't need to get it. Maybe it's more about actually just experience it, see how you feel about it and what does it kind of bring up in you. 01:00:32.90 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:00:38.12 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:00:38.15 ukfilmreview um But having said that, the filmmaker did reach out and said, look, just let you know it's evolving. 01:00:45.34 Brian Penn yeah but Yeah. 01:00:46.11 ukfilmreview that little piece of information actually is quite helpful. 01:00:48.48 Brian Penn That that does that's make a lot more sense now. and But again, that that doesn't mean to say that it's not valid, that it that it's good. What they've done is good. 01:01:00.42 Brian Penn But it for a lot of people, I think for a lot of viewers, they will need something a bit more obvious and know a bit more, um a bit easier to follow. 01:01:13.83 Brian Penn think Because you you do you do think to yourself, you do get halfway through, you do get kind of frustrated with it because you think, I should be getting this, but I'm not, and i' no, I'm not getting it. 01:01:14.04 ukfilmreview yeah 01:01:25.14 Brian Penn And I should be and why aren't I getting it? What am I missing? And you feel like you're missing the subtleties of the piece, but you know, that it that is probably one of its functions though, is to film anything in this way, is is to make you ponder and make you think more. 01:01:44.00 ukfilmreview Absolutely. 01:01:44.85 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:01:45.59 ukfilmreview Embrace Disruption was submitted on Film Free, which normally means it's not out ah to watch. 01:01:54.49 ukfilmreview There is a website, well, the filmmaker has a website, yohanchanon.kabek. 01:02:01.66 ukfilmreview If you search Embrace Disruption, you'll likely find it if you can't. If not, drop us a line and we'll direct you as best we can. um because we know there's lots of fans of art films out there and and art videos things like that yeah it's definitely falls in that category much like and perennial light and perennial light has more i think of a um a wider appeal but with this i think people may feel strongly about it yeah than that and that's okay that's a good thing so um and at four minutes i mean you can watch it a few times yeah there's no harm in that 01:02:15.56 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:02:20.85 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. I know. ah But the important thing though, Chris, it provokes a reaction. You know, that's what what it aims to do is to make people think, you know, and That's a good thing. That's what film is all about, is to provoke a ah reactionist, is to make me make us think, challenge us, make us wonder. So it's done its job in that way. 01:02:54.23 ukfilmreview Fantastic. Moving to our final film of this episode, this special episode of UK Film Club, um another film free rate submission to us. 01:03:04.32 ukfilmreview This was sent to us by Ed Hartman, and it's a film called The Scalpel, and it has a very unusual history. 01:03:14.49 ukfilmreview Did you know the history of this film, Brian? 01:03:16.16 Brian Penn No, I can honestly say that I didn't. No, no, it's that was it was new to me. 01:03:18.53 ukfilmreview No. um Yeah, I didn't know until yeah I went into all the details on the the review and within Film Freeway. So yeah, it's ah it's a film from 1936. 01:03:32.35 Brian Penn Hmm. 01:03:32.77 ukfilmreview And that by surprise some listeners. Don't worry, we haven't traveled in time. It's still 2024. 01:03:37.20 Brian Penn Yeah, no, we're not going back in the time machine. 01:03:39.48 ukfilmreview and But it was a film that was, yeah so it was directed by Richard H. Lieford, who's a celebrated filmmaker, and was essentially lost, and but it was restored by Ed Hartman um and so some others, I believe, who and and Ed Hartman does the score for it. 01:04:00.73 Brian Penn um 01:04:01.58 ukfilmreview So yeah, do you want to describe the film, Brian? 01:04:05.53 Brian Penn Yes, yeah, with pleasure. um So the scalpel is really a play on Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Dr. Howard Van Cleef is into dangerous experiments. 01:04:18.36 Brian Penn and he has perfected a compound to cure cretinism um and begins injecting his thyroid with inevitable results. And I think it's an absolute gem. 01:04:31.03 Brian Penn I really enjoyed it. 01:04:31.24 ukfilmreview Mmm. 01:04:32.44 Brian Penn You know, I was familiar with Richard H. Lieford's work because he was a special effects pioneer on Walt Disney films. So I knew him from his later career, but this is at the very beginning of his career ah when he was in his late teens. 01:04:48.30 Brian Penn I think it's excellent. It's, you know, Ed Hartman ah he deserves huge credit for bringing a film like this up to standard and to giving giving it that extra bit of polish and it looks very fresh and very new and is effectively a silent movie, which I think is interesting in itself because 1936, you know, they'd gone over to the talkies almost exclusively by then. So it was unusual back then to have a film that was silent. 01:05:17.52 Brian Penn but I really liked it. It invokes a lot of memories for me of a Saturday morning TV at Christmas when they would often play a lot of silent movies like this, just to fill in the schedules. 01:05:28.46 Brian Penn And I think they're they're great fun. They're very inventive. And it also, it's very important that we feature Richard H. Leiford in a feature on independent films because from what I can understand, he he was one of the daddies of independent filmmaking. 01:05:43.04 ukfilmreview ah yeah Yeah, it felt very accessible and for a film that is 01:05:44.53 Brian Penn So I think it's very important that he's featured here and that He's getting credit for the films that he made that predated the career that most people know him for. I think it's great fun. I think it's got lots of style and lots of energy. Very, very good. I liked it a lot. 01:06:06.39 ukfilmreview like i say not even for the 30s it does feel like it was even from before that by the style of it and but it has that classic kind of monster movie feel to it i think that's what i really liked about it was that it was like being transported back to those old horror movies that they you know they used to put out and it has the aesthetic of that but it also 01:06:10.50 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 01:06:22.11 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 01:06:28.81 Brian Penn yeah 01:06:30.39 ukfilmreview does feel like they've rejuvenated in some way and you can imagine you obviously we get remakes of films but they don't necessarily keep that original tone and and original methodology i think with the scalpel what they've done here it it feels it feels at one point it feels like it is a historic artifact but on the other ah hand it feels like actually this is something we should be watching now this is great um 01:06:35.45 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 01:06:50.50 Brian Penn um 01:06:54.23 Brian Penn Well, yeah. 01:06:55.65 ukfilmreview really, like I say, it is a Jekyll and Hyde story. 01:06:59.68 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:07:00.24 ukfilmreview The plot is fairly ah so straightforward to keep up with, but but well done. 01:07:03.83 Brian Penn Hmm. 01:07:05.41 ukfilmreview Some great performances in there. um It's always interesting seeing actors performing, obviously, the cards come up and things like that. 01:07:07.38 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:07:14.05 Brian Penn No, I think it's great. 01:07:14.79 ukfilmreview um Yeah, Barbara Berger plays the sort of nurse and she's really good. 01:07:16.08 Brian Penn I love that sort of thing. Yeah. Yeah. 01:07:20.26 ukfilmreview um Yes, the makeup effects was going to say as well, the special effect, sort of the makeup was really good. um Some scenes with the characters using that I felt that really stood out as being particularly powerful. 01:07:26.58 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:07:33.27 ukfilmreview And let me say, this is an indie filmmaker. This isn't like a studio film. this isn't some yeah He was experimenting a lot. 01:07:36.37 Brian Penn oh 01:07:39.91 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:07:40.83 ukfilmreview And at such a young age, I mean, I hate to think about what the film I would have made at 19. 01:07:41.07 Brian Penn Yeah. I know. 01:07:46.40 ukfilmreview Jeez. 01:07:47.13 Brian Penn Exactly. I think it's got a hell of a lot going for it. But bear in mind that these films were just uncovered, weren't they in a in an attic or a loft somewhere in any time. And to be able to take something like that, that's, you know, almost 90 years old and restore it sufficiently for it to look, come across so sharp and clear, you know, the, the rest of the, the standard of restoration is brilliant. Right. I reckon, you know, it's, it almost feels like something made today. That's a parody, a send up of, um, silent movies back then. 01:08:25.35 Brian Penn if you see what I'm getting at, you know, it has that freshness of being on set, but that shows how ah ahead of his time he was bringing what he was doing. And as far as I know, I don't think there was anyone else doing anything similar like that at the same, that was doing it outside the studio system as well, which he was. So that's lots of brownie points there for him. And i hopefully it introduces the the audience to to his work and not just what he was doing with Walt Disney, but what he did before that, which is great. And it's all about uncovering gems like this. And it's always good when this is discovered and it comes to light and we're able to to watch it and review it and enjoy it for the first time. 01:09:12.04 ukfilmreview I'm very honored to say that Ed Hartman actually provided us with a little narrative intro for the film. 01:09:18.27 Brian Penn um okay yeah 01:09:19.57 ukfilmreview So I'm going to play that now because he gives lots of really useful information. So this is from Ed Hartman. 01:09:23.01 Brian Penn yeah 01:10:44.43 ukfilmreview I love it when filmmakers do my job for me. 01:10:45.39 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:10:47.97 ukfilmreview It makes it so much easier. 01:10:48.29 Brian Penn I know. ah Yeah. 01:10:50.00 ukfilmreview And they're so much cleaner about it, aren't they? They don't fumble with all the details like I do. 01:10:52.02 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 01:10:54.12 ukfilmreview They just know what to say. And I just stick, I sit here and ruin it. 01:10:55.91 Brian Penn But ah chris Chris, they've rehearsed it, haven't they? 01:10:57.78 ukfilmreview So, yeah, 01:10:59.85 Brian Penn How many times have they taken that? You know you never know, do you? 01:11:03.87 ukfilmreview ah yeah that's what I'll tell myself that. I'll say that, yeah, I did that like 50 times. 01:11:05.91 Brian Penn I can vouch for you for the fact you are doing it live. 01:11:10.58 ukfilmreview yeah 01:11:14.81 Brian Penn No worries. I tell what's in yeah no reader ah see you what's interesting about that clip though is that you really see what what a great technician Richard H. 01:11:15.67 ukfilmreview No redos. 01:11:24.60 Brian Penn Leifert was and that he is a pioneer in every sense of the word. I mean, to to do what he did and what he went on to do. Anyone who wins an Oscar obviously knows their stuff. 01:11:37.56 Brian Penn they knows what they They know what they're doing and they've mastered their craft. So I think it's great that um it's coming to light, it's being brought to light. And I think it's important to do that. You know, there are lots of great stories out there, lots of great characters, people that have worked in the movies who we don't know about, you know, but nevertheless, it contributes to something fantastic to to filmmaking. And that's what Richard H. Loeffler has done. So I think it's only right, we should be but view reviewing this type of but this type of film. It's great. 01:12:09.63 ukfilmreview It's really an amazing position that we're in, that only we showcase in modern indie filmmakers. I'm hoping to shine a light on them because we do get to see some amazing ah indie movies. 01:12:16.89 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:12:20.84 Brian Penn Yeah, we do. Yeah. 01:12:22.50 ukfilmreview But now it's like, yeah this is one for sort of the film history buffs. 01:12:23.80 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:12:26.28 ukfilmreview you know They may not have known that. 01:12:26.38 Brian Penn Hmm. 01:12:27.60 ukfilmreview you know we We're pretty unfamiliar with it. and 01:12:31.06 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:12:31.20 ukfilmreview to have that uncovered by a modern indie filmmaker and shown yeah to us is amazing. 01:12:34.83 Brian Penn yeah 01:12:37.05 ukfilmreview And I think the lineage of that is something that a lot of people respect, a lot of people enjoy. 01:12:37.28 Brian Penn Hmm. 01:12:43.26 ukfilmreview And it's also a film that the scalpel with with Ed Hartman's score that is worthy of a modern audience. It's something that I could easily see that yeah they playing that on on a platform or on ah on a streaming service and people enjoying it. 01:12:57.60 ukfilmreview especially those who do enjoy silent movies that are a fan of that era because it's a very very good one and much like something like Embrace Disruption it's like the more you know about that I think the more you're going to get out of it the more you know the story of who this is and why you're watching it and yeah that' that's really great so 01:13:05.55 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:13:13.80 Brian Penn Yeah. Hmm. Hmm. 01:13:19.39 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:13:20.27 ukfilmreview Thank you very much to Ed for sending that and also to all our filmmakers for sending us your movies. 01:13:22.63 Brian Penn Hmm. 01:13:26.63 ukfilmreview We are we are very honoured and we hope we view some justice to just talk about your films and give our versions of what we thought of them. 01:13:26.92 Brian Penn and 01:13:36.38 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:13:36.64 ukfilmreview And yeah, that's it for this special episode because we've done six indie films, which is just brilliant. It's a monster episode, really. 01:13:46.46 Brian Penn I mean, yeah, Chris, I think we we have to highlight the quality of independent films we see. 01:13:52.45 ukfilmreview Hmm. 01:13:53.77 Brian Penn They are really very, very good. And so I started reviewing with you. I wasn't aware of what was out there and it shows that it can pass you by and you do need to look out for it because you do see a lot of quality films that you might miss but it's just that they can pass you by because I think we do tend to turn our eyes towards big theatrical releases and it's easy to do but you miss out on an awful lot 01:14:04.62 ukfilmreview Oh, yeah. 01:14:27.66 Brian Penn if you don't look elsewhere this yes it's official 01:14:30.42 ukfilmreview you go you've been warned all right brian has warned you you're gonna miss out um so stay tuned to our podcast um because we will be reviewing more indie films we may not be on the next episode it depends if we'll come in because we've actually caught up now managed to uh bring them all into the forefront but we'll see we might get a few before we do our next episode but if not the next episode will be where we do um 01:14:44.48 Brian Penn know 01:14:53.90 ukfilmreview some theatrical films, streaming films, nostalgia pick as normal. um But to everyone who's listened, thank you. To everyone who sent films in, thank you. And to Brian, a big thank you. 01:15:05.81 Brian Penn A pleasure as always. 01:15:07.64 ukfilmreview It's been a pleasure. um So yeah, thank you everyone and we'll see you again next time. 01:15:13.18 Brian Penn Bye for now. Previous Next