Hokum film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Adam Scott, David Wilmot, Florence Ordesh directed by Damian Mc Carthy. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Hokum Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Apr 28, 2026 Directed by: Damian Mc Carthy Written by: Damian Mc Carthy Starring: Adam Scott, David Wilmot, Florence Ordesh Damian Mc Carthy is doing something right. The Irish filmmaker writes original stories, invests time and attention to visual storytelling, and produces eerie, memorable horror. There’s an elegance to his movies, but his tales are not meant simply to provoke thought or to elevate the genre. Caveat , Oddity , and now Hokum draw from a long tradition of Irish horror storytelling and love a jump scare as much as anybody. Mc Carthy’s latest sees an absolute prick of an American writer (Adam Scott) checking into an Irish inn to spread his parents’ ashes. Is he having a problem with writer’s block? He is! Is the hotel haunted? It is! Hokum does feel less original than either of the filmmaker’s previous features, but somehow that works in its favor. Mc Carthy knows you think you’ve seen this before, and he leans into its familiarity to lull you. Scott’s prickly, unpleasant performance at the center of the film is a gift. His unlikability gives the film a nice edge. Scott’s lowkey, brittle performance anchors the macabre whimsy so gorgeously brought to life by Til Frolich’s production design. The inn looks like a place where time stood still, quaint to the eyes of a tourist, spooky in the hands of a talented filmmaker. Though Mc Carthy’s script feels less original than expected, he knows how to light, pace, and frame scenes to heighten dread. The sound design is also an eerie delight. And Mc Carthy reminds you that jump scares are not just for kiddie horror. It would be easy for Hokum to feel overstuffed. The protagonist’s own ghost story, a very flesh-bound horror, and don’t forget the witch—that’s a lot to fit into a honeymoon suite. Scott’s grounded performance provides a clear path through it, and Mc Carthy ‘s skill at crafting intelligent yet primal horror pulls it together. Scene after scene balances a funhouse vibe with Irish folktale spookiness, and the vintage horror beauty of every frame beguiles you. Caviat offered quietly claustrophobic terror. Oddity delivered clever, melancholy horror. Hokum feels more polished yet more old school. It is perhaps less terrifying than Mc Carthy’s previous features, but it’s a haunting good time. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Suit & Bone film review by UK film critic Isaac Parkinson. Starring Shanika Warren-Markland, Hugo Nicolau, Joerg Stadler, Bethan Dixon Bate directed by Dulani Wilson. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Suit & Bone Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Isaac Parkinson | Posted on: May 24, 2022 Directed by: Dulani Wilson Written by: Dulani Wilson Starring: Shanika Warren-Markland, Hugo Nicolau, Joerg Stadler, Bethan Dixon Bate An intriguing descent into a mythical hellscape of uncanny surroundings and other-worldly games of chance. Suit and Bone ’s opening exposition tells us of the rules of its world, speaking of a coin which grants safe passage to the travelling dead. It also hints to something greater than mere safe passage which will tempt those who seek something beyond death. A man approaches a mansion in the middle of a barren wasteland of fire and debris. The sun appears too bright, synthetically so, as its flares light up his world in flashes. Embers and ashes fill the air, and crows perch threateningly on branches. Entering the building, he slips a card up his sleeve, hinting at his intentions to find that something greater. Ascending a tall spiral staircase shot from below, voices and whispers populate the space of spirits and present a foreboding threat. The palatial rooms he now finds himself in have a futuristic, yet regency feel. The harsh outdoor environment is contrasted by clean interiors and extravagant decadence. The blocking is neat and the use of mirrors is particularly clever in drawing him and Fate together despite their distance in the room. The fire in the hearth matches the fire in the distant sky outside, creating a washed-out, ethereal look to the room itself. Presenting Fate with offerings of riches, he is angry to see all he has received in return is a coin, and instead wishes to gamble for something more valuable than a peaceful death. The space then shifts as if by magic to a more intimate setting. Both the man and Fate are sat on the floor facing each other, the flickers of fire against her face providing a warmer feel than the harsh whites of the first room. She introduces a deck of cards, seemingly somewhere between playing cards and tarot, which will determine the man’s fate. Flashes of a third location then appear, showing the man in a more grounded environment, set closer to, if not in, the real world. As his fate is decided, his shouts echo through each layer we have seen, showing they are all occurring at once. The film then closes with musings similar to its opening, bookending its fantastical philosophies of fate and free will. Its descriptions are just ambiguous and absorbing enough to leave me with a feeling of incompleteness, wishing to explore its ideas more and immerse myself further in its world. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Isaac Parkinson Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Christopher Hart writes movie reviews for UK Film Critic. As one of the talented UK film critics, find out more here. Christopher Hart Cinema is an endless source of joy. There are hundreds of thousands of beautiful and thought-provoking films out there, so it is important to seek them out and experience them. I am an anthropology student moving into his third year at university, and I am always looking for different perspectives on life. Favourite directors of mine include Ingmar Bergman, Richard Linklater, and Wes Anderson. I love unique colour pallets and immersive dialogue. I will watch just about anything, but I am still slightly apprehensive to watch horror films on account of my vivid imagination. I am thankful to be a part of UK Film Review, and happy to share my thoughts with anyone interested. Read Latest Film Reviews

Striding into the Wind film review by UK film critic Christie Robb. Starring Zheng Ying Chen, Tong Lin Kai directed by Shujun Wei. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Striding into the Wind Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Christie Robb | Posted on: Mar 8, 2022 Directed by: Shujun Wei Written by: Gao Linyang, Shujun Wei Starring: Zheng Ying Chen, Tong Lin Kai Director Shujun Wei starts this film with a shot of identical white sedans slowly completing a set driving course. The cars follow each other down the established path until one jerks to a stop for a moment before peeling away, erratically weaving in and out of the course until the driver jumps out and runs away. It’s a metaphor for the protagonist Kun’s (You Zhou) approach to life. A film school student studying to be a sound engineer, Kun takes his dad’s money and invests in a ’97 Jeep despite failing to obtain a license. The film, co-written by Shujun Wei and Gao Linyang, follows Kun as he and the Jeep erratically weave in and out of the life path others attempt to set. As is the case in other slacker films, it’s clear here what Kun doesn’t want. But it’s unclear if he has anything in the way of a vision for himself and his future. Like a toddler having a tantrum, Kun wants to break what he doesn’t like, but he lacks the ability to envision what would make him happy. So all his flailing around results in quite a bit of self-harm. Eventually, Kun, his mullet, and his Jeep make their way out of Beijing and out into the countryside of Inner Mongolia for a film shoot, suffering an escalating series of misadventures and indignities along the way. Very slow in its pacing, the film’s best moments are Shujun Wei’s wry presentation of the Chinese film industry. It serves up amusing caricatures of crew members—the video guys who can’t be quiet enough to capture ambient sound, the needy director requesting reassurance that his aesthetic sensibilities are up to snuff, and the lead actress trying to make sense of vague instructions while rebuffing the advances of her co-workers. In the end, it’s a solid enough entry in the manchild coming-of-age genre, even if the ending tends toward the bleaker edge of the spectrum. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Christie Robb Digital / DVD Release, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Project Wolf Hunting film review by UK film critic Brandon Thomas. Starring Seo In-Guk, Dong-Yoon Jang, Jung So-Min directed by Hongsun Kim. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Project Wolf Hunting Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Brandon Thomas | Posted on: Feb 15, 2023 Directed by: Hongsun Kim Written by: Hongsun Kim Starring: Seo In-Guk, Dong-Yoon Jang, Jung So-Min South Korean filmmakers have never been shy about putting carnage on screen. From I Saw the Devil to Train to Busan , South Korean cinema often runs gloriously blood red. With Project Wolf Hunting , the ante has been upped considerably as geysers of gore are jettisoned out of every original – and disgustingly created – human orifice. Dead Alive this ain’t, but it’s not for lack of trying. In Project Wolf Hunting, a cargo ship has been chartered to transport a group of South Korean prisoners back home from the Philippines. Along for the ride is a small unit of Korean police, a two-person medical team, and the ship’s crew. However, unbeknownst to them, there’s also a small group stowed away in the bowels of the ship protecting an undead creature that has ties to Japanese experimentation during World War 2. Large-scale horror movies on boats petered out in the late 90s with films like Deep Rising (a good one!) and Virus (a bad one!), all but killing this particular subgenre. The isolation the open ocean provides is second only to deep space when it comes to a great horror movie setting. Project Wolf Hunting taps into that fear that naturally comes from battling the elements. The fact that there’s also a creature and a dozen psychotic felons only adds to the mounting anxiety. No one is going to go out of their way to congratulate Project Wolf Hunting for its originality. The film proudly wears its influences on its sleeve with Con Air and Overlord being the most obvious. We’ve seen a lot of these beats and eventual reveals dozens of times before, but this film’s infectious energy makes all of that an afterthought. Even at two hours, Project Wolf Hunting never drags and, at times, keeps layering new craziness to an already bonkers film. Director Kim Hong-sun must have challenged himself to use every kind of action beat imaginable in this movie. There are fantastic shootouts in confined spaces, brutal knife fights, and a few truly gnarly hand-to-hand combat scenes. However, the real star is the gore effects. A movie this wet and goopy hasn’t been seen in a while – and boy, does it make an impression. The gore never feels overly realistic but fits perfectly into the over-the-top approach the filmmakers establish early on. With no desire to reinvent the genre wheel, and a solid handle on action and gore, Project Wolf Hunting is a bloody bit of South Korean fun that’s well worth your time. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Brandon Thomas Digital / DVD Release, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Survivor film review by UK film critic Brian Penn. Starring Fin Gardner directed by Louis Lampard. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Survivor Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Brian Penn | Posted on: Aug 17, 2023 Directed by: Louis Lampard Written by: Louis Lampard Starring: Fin Gardner Most people fear the prospect of solitude, so it’s a doughty soul that not only faces loneliness but confronts the feeling in a desolate and hostile environment. Imagine the additional burden of an apparently simple challenge that seems to get further away the closer he gets to it. This is the mission before ‘The Man’ played by Fin Gardner. The Man finds himself in a forest with the task of retrieving a rucksack lodged high in a tree. Increasingly inclement weather makes his task even more difficult; but help is close at hand as a mystery force leaves tools to aid his quest. A swing provides rope to help him reach his goal. Other items appear that offer comfort, warmth and solace; but is it really what he needs or even wants. Voices seemingly whisper; they goad, cajole and encourage him. Is he being watched or monitored; is their presence merely a figment of his imagination. Is his loneliness creating voices in his head? The events depicted appear to be physical, but you sense it’s equally psychological as the Man competes against himself and the elements. But what exactly is the end game and what does the rucksack contain? This film continually throws questions at the viewer but the answers are not always forthcoming. There is a cold charisma about the way the Man goes about his business. He will risk injury and discomfort but sees no immediate benefit in his endeavours. The items that appear within his purview often seem symbolic; perhaps reflections of the Man’s life. This is surrealism in its purest form as they portray events in a dream like scenario. In fact it may sound similar to a dream that many people have already had. Therein lies the skill of this piece insofar it plugs into the deep subconscious mind. Louis Lampard has created a highly effective piece that is visually arresting but contains little in the way of meaningful dialogue. Some may find this lack of verbal animation tiresome, but the power of the story lies in the suggestion that dreams can overlap with reality. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Brian Penn Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Vigilant film review by UK film critic James Learoyd. Starring Philip Brocklehurst, Dmitry Chmelyov, Paul Burt directed by Philip Brocklehurst. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Vigilant Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: James Learoyd | Posted on: Jan 25, 2025 Directed by: Philip Brocklehurst Written by: Muhammad Holmatov Starring: Philip Brocklehurst, Dmitry Chmelyov, Paul Burt Philip Brocklehurst seems to be a rather prolific creative voice in the world of both short films and literature; a director whose style – if his latest picture is anything to go by – is defined by its maximalist visuals. Despite its short runtime of four minutes Vigilant is not particularly watchable, nor is it pleasant. That’s fine. Clearly, we’re to view the film more as a piece of visual art over anything meant for ‘entertainment’. This immediate realisation on the part of the viewer gets to the heart of the filmmaker as a provocateur. However – even with artistic intent in mind – the audience may very well be left wondering what, if anything, we're meant to take away from the experience. It’s an angry-feeling movie, meant to disturb and provoke. But then again, one questions whether the loud noises and upsetting images are really worth it; and does this film have anything to say beyond the surface-level Taxi Driver pastiche? The movie depicts a series of criminals committing terrible acts within isolated vignettes, leading to our protagonist (portrayed by the film’s director) then committing the terrible act of murdering all of those people. It’s a lot of misery and chaos. Stylistically fragmentary, the film was shot during Covid lockdown – meaning that different actors shot their own scenes with the resources they had available. This is, in fact, one of the more endearing aspects of the movie. One enjoys the feeling that the collaborative aspect of the filmmaking process has been maintained, even despite the clear limitations. And then, additionally, the fact that Brocklehurst has edited it together to give the impression of an ensemble, lends the short a pleasing hand-made quality. Of course, the negative side of this is the filmic inconsistencies, yet I’m far more inclined to admire the ambition than to criticise the results. From an editorial standpoint, this is incredibly experimental work. To their credit, the filmmaker demonstrates a clear and aggressively expressive authorial voice through the formal techniques in play – with the quick, psychologically disruptive cutting being the primary example of the film expressing its ambition through the technical over the thematic. It’s really exciting to see someone use the fluidity, and inherent unpleasantness, of digital cinema to make a truly assaultive viewing experience. The camerawork, while sort of muddy and occasionally flat-looking, is dynamic enough in its movement and energy to impress the eye. And the digitalness of the cinematography also complements the icky, underground atmosphere which the film manages to manifest. The trouble comes with the intentionality of the work; many will find its messaging to be reductive, and not all that nuanced. While the filmmaking is delving into fabulously audacious territory, the narrative – that of a tortured, misguided man going out and murdering criminals – frankly doesn’t hold the same intrigue as it did in 1976. And if you’re trying to explore that sort of territory today, even discounting the distressing reminders of real-life crimes being committed in the world, I’d still like the movie to give me more of a reason as to why we’re witnessing this. It should be thematically thought-provoking; but instead, it remains only aesthetically stimulating – yet this is still in itself an achievement. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic James Learoyd Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Milk Situation film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring James Bradwell, Felix Garcia Guyer, Annabel Brook, Matt John-Hemmings directed by John Ferrer. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Milk Situation Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Jul 6, 2024 Directed by: John Ferrer Written by: John Ferrer and Ronald Cranham Starring: James Bradwell, Felix Garcia Guyer, Annabel Brook, Matt John-Hemmings The premise of The Milk Situation is a fairly straightforward one: There’s an office block full of monsters and only two unlikely heroes who are able to stand up to them and save the day. Pip (Bradwell) and Po (Guyer) are part of a ‘clean-up service’ crew and it appears that part of their business is taking care of the monsters which now seem to be running amok within the building. This is, however, the only lead-in or backstory that you’re gonna get in this less than five-minute short, and if you’re wondering how the monsters got there or what it is they’re actually up to, then I’m afraid you’re going to be mightily disappointed. Shot on a micro-budget of around only five-hundred pounds, and filmed in a single day, The Milk Situation naturally opts for the easily made monsters, such as a girl filled with demonic possession and an Uncle Fester type dude sporting a couple of lengthy blades. There is also a werewolf running around who gets rather a meaty role, which is likely to have been a cost effective decision from writer/director John Ferrer, to use a costume from one of his previous movies, Hairy (2022). However, there’s nothing on the level or scale of the beast from another of Ferrer’s projects, Trial 22 (2023) and as such the threat and tension raised from the monsters that we do get all seems a little lacklustre. The story, such as it is, revolves around Po and his handling of the milk, but really all that’s going on is a couple of guys bumbling into stock horror scenes and then everyone beating the crap out of one another. Although nothing in the entire scenario seems realistic and shlock comedy-horror is the order of the day, the fight scenes do have a real energy to them, with cinematographer Maxwell Whitaker pushing and pulling the camera all over the place to embed the audience into the action. There are some nice hefty sound-effects and tasty blood-spatter also added into the mix and whilst a single fight-scene does not a movie make, it is at least a good one which drives the main part of this short. For something which started life as an experiment and was obviously produced off-the-cuff, The Milk Situation was never going to be bigger or better than what it actually is. What it does do though, is speak to the filmmaking ability of John Ferrer and his team to create fun, horror-lite shorts at the drop of a hat. Whereas Hairy had a perfect blend of comedy, romance and horror and Trial 22 was let down by bad plotting and continuity holes, The Milk Situation knows exactly what it is and doesn’t need to do anything to escape that. As a test of teamwork and production skill, John Ferrer got exactly what he needed from The Milk Situation , but as an audience we’re going to want a bit more time and effort on story and characterisation, alongside the technical wizardry, from whatever Ferrer and his team bring us next. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Digital / DVD Release, Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

G(l)ory Days film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Sari Sanchez, Tait Fletcher, Guy Van Swearingen, Missy Fierro, Jett Jansen Fernandez directed by Cory DeMeyers. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS G(l)ory Days Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Apr 2, 2026 Directed by: Cory DeMeyers Written by: Adam Pasen and Sammy Horowitz Starring: Sari Sanchez, Tait Fletcher, Guy Van Swearingen, Missy Fierro, Jett Jansen Fernandez A couple of retired, over the hill, serial killers, take some time out in their lake house, when some young, fresh, naïve girls come camping in the area, giving them the opportunity to prove once and for all who the most prolific killer is. Hulk (Fletcher) and Turtleneck (Van Swearingen) are past it. Their glory days are behind them and they’ve retired into old age disgracefully. Inside their lake house, however, old trophies and mounts of parts of their previous victims are hanging on the wall. The nearby lake was also the scene of one of Hulk’s most famous massacres, which was never solved despite the fact that one victim got away, and the two of them now enjoy hiding out at the scene of the old crime. Into this remote scenario plops the insufferable influencer/YouTuber/star in her own head, Lane (Fierro), and her girlfriend, Heather (Sanchez), whose mum turns out to be the one that got away all those years ago. The girls are there to get some sort of closure from the eventual recent death of Heather’s mom, and to slay some personal demons while they’re at it. Little do they know, however, that there’s a bet on concerning the taking of their lives, and that Hulk is going to get himself another bite of the cherry, that is if Turtleneck doesn’t beat him to it. So, after a short nap for the elderly serial killers, and a small introduction to the ineffectual local police force (Fernandez) for the would-be victims, everybody is rounded up ready for a little bit of slashing to begin. It doesn’t take long for the blood to start flying, along with several body parts, too, and we are all party to an enjoyable chase around the woods and the lakeside, as the elderly homicidal maniacs try to get their kills. Presented as a comedy horror, G(l)ory Days owes more of its humour to the slapstick, infantile jokes of Scary Movie 1-6 (2000-2026), than to the tongue-in-cheek satire of Scream 1-7 (1996-2026). The comedy is definitely the driving force of this near half-hour film, more so than the horror or the gore, which does get equal billing, but which is still presented in a humorous way. Written by Adam Pasen and Sammy Horowitz, we are given all the necessary introductions and backstory to the characters as we go along, keeping us invested in their story, and somewhat scared for their lives, as the killing spree begins. While there may not be too much to go on, and a few inconsistencies and questionable plot points along the way, there’s more than enough for the story we are witnessing, and for the fun gory bits to make sense. Behaving an awful lot like Roald Dahl’s, The Twits , in the way they deal with each other and try to nobble each others’ chances, G(l)ory Days has to go some way to not let its characters descend into total farce as it goes along. Thankfully, the direction from Cory DeMeyers, as well as the editing from Jeff McEvoy, keeps everything moving at a good pace and ramps up the tension in the exciting moments, while Alex Weinstein’s score keeps things bright and lively and fun, even when the killing begins. DeMeyers’ experience as a stunt performer allows him to get a certain measure of movement and flexibility from the characters, as they hack and slash, or evade the oncoming blows, and there is a definite level of panache that comes through from the killing that might not have been available otherwise. G(l)ory Days comes through as a solid comedy horror that does exactly what it says on the tin. With an impressive level of production behind them, including a brilliant animated title sequence and some truly fabulous gore, the filmmakers seem to have gotten exactly what they wanted from the film, meaning that the audience gets to enjoy it all along with them, even if we have seen something like it a few times before. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Digital / DVD Release, Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

April Skies film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring Svandis Dora Einarsdottir, Sara Hagno, Pauline Nyrls directed by Pascal Payant. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS April Skies Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Oct 11, 2022 Directed by: Pascal Payant Written by: Pascal Payant Starring: Svandis Dora Einarsdottir, Sara Hagno, Pauline Nyrls In a brilliantly inventive and explorative film that crosses a continent, Pascal Payant’s April Skies mixes styles and genres to tell three, intertwining stories that address pain, loss, grief and reconciliation. The film follows gravely-ill Parisian Zoe (Pauline Nyrls), recently bereaved Icelander Lara (Svandis Dora Einarsdottir) and severely depressed Swedish singing superstar Liv (Sara Hagno) who are all wrestling with difficult recent news. As each tackle confusing, challenging and tormenting elements of their grief, their seemingly disparate lives are slowly revealed to be interlinked – as one pivotal event ricochets across Europe. April Skies is both experimental and tightly woven. Payant’s film covers three stories which take place in separate European cities, and brilliantly mixes the storytelling and design of each one to match cinema from the same locale. Zoe’s story in Paris features tropes of classic French cinema – with regular fourth-wall breaking from its two characters and exploration of a nihilistic outlook in the face of death. Meanwhile Lara and Liv’s stories have a distinct Scandi-style, with bleak grey skylines the backdrop for arguments with ghosts of the past. Mixing the storytelling makes each character’s journey feel distinct, and distinguishes events that occur across separate locales and timelines. There are some rare moments where it does not serve the story – Zoe’s conversations with the audience can feel jarring after long spells within the other plotlines – but for the majority of the film, Payant’s experimental approach is a success. The stories themselves are intimate, believable and personal. Zoe’s frustration with her friend Estelle (Sophie Mousel) and her attempts at cheering her up touches on the complexity and guilt that comes with the burden of a life-altering illness. Lara’s anger at her recently departed father for his absence in her life, and his post-death attempts to connect with her are driven by the truth that the departed are not always perfect – and those hurt by them don’t always find it easy to forgive their faults in life. And Liv’s journey from depression, through self-pity, and finally strength in addressing her regrets at how she treated her former manager show what death can teach those left behind. By portraying various different stages of grief and responses to loss, the film manages to address a range of themes that will leave the audience both reflective, and with a therapeutical sense upon viewing. There are a few hiccups – some of the linkages between the stories can be seen a mile off, and certain actions of characters seem to run contrary to revelations audiences have already been parlay to. These are ultimately minor faults which don’t undermine the bigger picture of the story, or the thematic exploration that the director undertakes. Add in a unanimously fantastic cast, stunning visuals and inventive camerawork and production, and April Skies is a worthy, original watch. If its creative mixing of European cinema-styles is not enough to engage its viewers, an engaging, multi-faceted plot surely will. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Theatrical Release, Digital / DVD Release, Indie Feature Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

We're Not Safe Here film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Sharmita Bhattacharya, Hayley McFarland directed by Solomon Gray. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS We're Not Safe Here Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Aug 21, 2025 Directed by: Solomon Gray Written by: Solomon Gray Starring: Sharmita Bhattacharya, Hayley McFarland The nightmarish images and unsettling sound design of writer/director Solomon Gray’s We’re Not Safe Here more than make up for its narrative stumbles. A lot of films open on a scene of horror to be contextualized later in the movie. Likewise, Solomon sets the stage early with a swift, troubling little gem of a horror show. But interestingly, the tale he builds around it taps into a terror more subconscious and dreamlike than what you might expect. Sharmita Bhattacharya is Neeta, a schoolteacher by day/artist by night who’s been unable to get started on her latest painting. Frustrated at the easel one night, she’s surprised by a visit from Rachel (Hayley McFarland), another teacher who’s been missing. Frantic and increasingly panicked, Rachel spills a story that began in her childhood. Something she thought she’d lost has found her again. Aside from some very intimidating figures wearing bloody pillowcases over their heads (creepy!), We’re Not Safe Here is primarily a two-person show. McFarland is masterful, her paranoid madness tipped with a teacher’s command of the room. She’s mesmerizing. Bhattacharya struggles a bit. Neeta is also troubled, and the performance feels stiff and unsure until the character gives into her demons. But there are moments between the two of them that are deeply upsetting. I mean that in a good way. Gray’s use of setting—Neeta’s home, every wall cluttered with her sketches and paintings, every surface littered with books—creates a busy, fascinating space rich with potentially spookiness. A meandering camera and effective sound design capitalizes on what the set design has crafted: a lovingly lived-in space turned suddenly suspicious. The filmmaker evokes a kind of paranoia that feeds the perfect atmosphere for his film. There’s a looseness to the script that often serves the film’s maniacal undercurrent. What’s delusion? What’s really happening? And is it contagious? Gray refuses to fit all the pieces together, a choice that mostly pays off. The act structure and finale are rigid enough to give the tale a feel of completion. While a lingering vagueness in the backstory is frustrating, it also allows the imagination to veer into its own halls of madness. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Digital / DVD Release, Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Shape, Refine film review by UK film critic Isabelle Ryan. Starring Pete Rix, Anna Rix, Eva Rix directed by Dean Harris. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Shape, Refine Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Isabelle Ryan | Posted on: Sep 22, 2021 Directed by: Dean Harris Written by: Dean Harris Starring: Pete Rix, Anna Rix, Eva Rix Shape, Refine follows Pete Rix, a carpenter who specialises in rocking horses. In interviews and candid footage, we learn about his childhood passion for woodworking, his decision to leave a digital design career, and the amount of work that goes into each rocking horse. The director, Dean Harris, is a friend of Rix’s, and as such has a personal connection to the subject. At 12 minutes, the documentary is so short that we only skim the surface of Pete as a person, his family life, and the career itself. Based on the information that we do get, though, it seems perhaps that the story may be quite a shallow one; there is no suggestion that Pete struggled at all to make the decision to switch from digital to analogue, as it were, and despite some mentions of the work being time-consuming (he states that it took him a year, working three hours per week, to carve a lime likeness of his dog’s head), he has only a positive outlook. He remembers fondly a gift of a pond yacht from his grandfather, and making balsa wood models as a child. More recently, he recalls the first purchase of an old rocking horse, the shock that it was in much poorer condition that he’d assumed, but how he relished the challenge anyway. Simply put, there is no conflict here, nothing more complex to which the audience can connect. This trend continues in the direction. The candid footage in the workshop either focuses on the tools and the horses emerging from the wood, or close-ups of Rix’s face in concentration. Other than some footage of Rix with his wife, Anna (who barely gets a mention, but works with Pete in the workshop), and daughter, Eva, the rest of the documentary is made up of interviews with Rix, who appears relaxed if rehearsed. There are no really interesting decisions made in the direction of the film, and the same goes for the score, which is comprised of short, forgettable pieces. There is an interesting moment where Rix states that part of the reason he loves rocking horses is that they help children to be imaginative. He criticises technology, stating that children need other ways to play creatively. He is openly in awe of his daughter’s imagination, but for some reason attributes her creativity to the rocking horse, not to the fact that children are, given half a chance, much more imaginative than adults, and certainly much smarter than even their parents may think. Without such a beautiful toy, Eva would still find a way to be imaginative. There is a sense that Rix believes he is doing something right and just, but he seems quite detached – he talks philosophically about “the child” as though he has forgotten that he, too, was a child once – and while singing rocking horses' praises, he neglects to mention that they are far too expensive for many children to enjoy. It is hard to judge Shape, Refine. On the one hand, it is lacking in depth and imaginative direction, while on the other, it is clearly a passion project, produced by one friend about (and for) another. As such it feels almost unfair to criticise it harshly, when at the end of the day, it is a personal film, and hopefully will serve as a positive memory for Rix and his family for years to come. However, Harris has shared the film widely – it does not exist solely for the Rix family – and it is unfortunately a very shallow, unimaginative piece that borders at times on pretentious. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Isabelle Ryan Documentary, Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >