★★★★ Directed by: Shehroze Khan Written by: #ShehrozeKhan Starring: #GianbrundSpena, #StephenUnderwood, #GeorginaSeville Short Film Review by: #RachelPullen I like to break the silence of social situations, where everyone's on their phone and not speaking by asking the question...if you could travel through time just once, where would you go? I’d go back to the 80’s and invest in Apple Macs, come back to now and reap the benefits...savvy I know. Maybe you would travel back to a point in your life when you were truly happy, to a lost romance, your childhood perhaps. That time your tried to blow up Disneyland, wherever it may be. But what if this was not just a one-off? What if we were surrounded by time travellers and never had a clue. Short film The Traveller is the tale of a young man who jumps throughout time, collecting people's information and sending it to a group of people he has never met called the facilitators in order to protect the future of the world. However, during all of this he has the time to visit a therapist...makes sense, we all must take care of our health, physical and mental. He tells his doc all about his life, of how there are many more of him skipping around in time, having bants in a variety of costumes, one day 80’s shell suits, then next 40’s high waisted trousers, the possibilities are endless. But also he tells of how he has no home, his lack of connection to the human race, of how really he has no sense of self. The Traveller is a remarkably professional looking short, in fact at a glance you would think this is a high budget production. #Filmmaker Shehroze Khan is able to set up shots in a seamless fashion, and although he does not pull out the flashy or arty angle game, he produces professional results, sometimes less is better. As well as Khan’s performance behind the camera, all in front also bring a excellent level of professionalism to the movie. Spena and Underwood bounce off one another during the one to one scene, they are able to feed off each other’s emotional responses and reactions, making for a compelling watch. The Traveller has so much more to offer, we are invested in the characters, their dimensions have so much more to them than a short can allow, and I for one want to know more. How does the doc know the traveller? What information is he gathering to send to the facilitators? No one likes identity theft at the end of the day, and why are they bashing their chests in a Tarzan like fashion? Was Tarzan a time traveller too? These questions must be answered. A feature length #indiefilm we must have.

★★★★ Directed by: Matt Kravitsky Written by: #MattKravitsky Starring: #MaggieWetzel, #NicolePaigeChaffin, and #BrianDole Short Film Review by: #BrunaFolettoLucas Written, directed and produced by Matt Kravitsky, The Chrysalis is a fun short film that dabbles into the #horror genre. It follows two sisters, Nicky and Liza (Nicole Paige Chaffin and Maggie Wetzel) as they’re driving to Canada for a hurrah before Nicky goes off to university. The #shortfilm is quite smart as it drops hints of what’s to come right from the beginning, including its title. Nicky is slowly opening herself up to her grown-up life and to new adventures as Liza fills the role of the mentoring older sister who gives, although most of the times unwelcome, useful advice. They face some misfortunes as their car breaks down in the middle of the snow with no one around. They decide to take shelter in an abandoned building where they meet a young man (Brian Dole) who introduces himself as Adam. The two sisters befriend Adam and the three of them start a night of drinking and regrettable decisions. Here is where the movie slows down a little bit – some of the dialogue seems somewhat lost and disconnect with the rest, but it eventually picks up the pace. The film benefits from the chosen setting, which could not have been better for this film. Not only does the abandoned house further convey a feeling of desolation, it also allows for the atmosphere of “bad decisions” to set – thus putting our two protagonists into wanted and unwanted trouble. The feeling of confusion hovers throughout the film and it is enhanced by the dim lighting and colour palate. The camera work done by Michael Zukswert (DOP) is stunning and it helps the story to be told through its visuals rather than by dialogue. Therefore, the film could have taken the chance to explore the cinematography in order to tell the story and cut back on the dialogue, since it was during moments of dialogue that the film failed to deliver. The sound design is a particular strong point in this short. Because the house where the film was shot was so big dealing with echo was probably a big issue, but the sound flows without problem. The same goes for the exterior scenes where wind and natural sounds can spoil a whole take. It is visible that the sound was thought of and done carefully. When the actors are inside, the sound of the wind outside is persistent but only as a reminder of where they are, it is by no means overpowering. Furthermore, details such as the sound of handling tools, plastic bags being fondled with were integrated perfectly into the film. The fact that those details can go unnoticed means that the job was done perfectly. Overall, The Chrysalis is a very good film and the effort put into it is welcomed and appreciated. The story followed a narrative and in just thirty minutes it was possible to see a role reversal and the progression of the characters. They don’t end up the same way they started much like the title suggests.

★★★★ Directed by: Tim Earnheart Written by: #TimEarnheart Starring: #GiannaMarie, #CorrieFleming, #SJoeDowning, #KatelynAnderson, #AyubaAuda Short Film Review by: #ChrisOlson Slick and fully cranked, short film Ricochet from filmmaker Tim Earnheart is a case study in action #filmmaking. Taking a no-holds-barred approach to blood and gore, this movie's Panic Room meets The Strangers meets Kick-Ass dynamic is a refreshingly bold outing for short cinema. Gianna-Marie plays Ana, a seemingly typical girl when we meet her asleep after a Mardis Gras party in her house. What is most definitely untypical about this situation is the giant vault in her house where Corrie Fleming stands gagged with tape. Add further chaos to the proceedings when three masked intruders turn up laden with a plethora of weapons. Tinged with a comical tone and a garish aesthetic, Ricochet is a short film that isn't trying to reinvent the wheel or take itself too seriously. That's not to say what transpires is not excellent filmmaking, just that audiences can go into a viewing knowing that Earnheart has done his #cinematic homework. The spills and thrills come thick and fast, with slow-motion utilised in case you need a longer, voyeuristic look at the violence. The sound design is thumping in case you dare think of drifting away from the action into a reverie. Where the short movie does have an added and distinct difference is the use of a #scifi element, which I won't spoil. Crossing genres like this is an ambitious endeavour and one that, sadly, needed a feature length running time to do justice to. That being said, hats off to Earnheart for packing his film with so much content. The performances are uneven. Gianna-Marie does superbly with the physical requirements of her character but struggles to elevate the Action Movie 101 dialogue. Some awkward and throwaway one-liners, whilst humorous, stole any real sense of peril or investment from the viewer. The same goes for Corrie Fleming, who needed a few quieter moments to do some actual acting. It was excellent to see two females take the lead with ass kicking sequences. The novelty does get referenced several times (“Daddy wanted boys”), however, this didn't take up huge amounts of time or get delivered with condescending exposition. Instead, Earnheart just lets his gals go through the familiar and entertaining motions of home invasion brutality. Visually and atmospherically supercharged, Ricochet is unapologetically action cinema at its most comfortable. However, the addition of a few cinematic nuances make it a noteworthy piece in 2019’s short films list and mark Tim Earnheart as a filmmaker to watch. Watch the official movie trailer for Ricochet below.

★ · Director: #LeeMoses · Film Review by: #AnnieVincent A photographic anthology set to music and accompanied by philosophical quotes, Done Waiting – Through MY Lens is a short film produced by photographer #LeeMoses. The film showcases his work during the 70s and late 2000s and offers a photographic insight into his travels in some parts of the US. Largely shot in black and white, Moses has captured the ‘ordinary’ in his work, but with his particular angles and occasional modification to some shots, bringing a sketch quality to some of them, he has done so in an atmospheric way. His shots of the ‘ordinary’ range from the simplicity of a door knob to photographs of Ray Charles and even wide angled views of Death Valley. The transitions between his photographic periods are supported by his own philosophical quotes which encourage the consumer of his work to embrace the freedom afforded by the ordinary in life. The musical accompaniment is varied, with bluesy humming songs and even full orchestral numbers used to add dramatic colour to the images we are presented with. There isn't a film here per se. This isn't a biography like #MikeLeigh's #MrTurner, with #TimothySpall playing the lead. It isn't #SalmaHayak's #Frida or #KirkDouglas' #LustforLife and for film lovers I think this will be a disappointment because we are invariably drawn by characters and events. The images on display in this presentation of work are very good even to the untrained eye, but I wanted to know more about #LeeMoses. I wanted to understand the man behind the camera, the inspiration for these shots and the drive behind the philosophy of the comments he chose to share in this film. If you love his work, if you love photography, you will like this film, but if you're looking for a greater insight into a creative mind, I'm afraid you won't find it in this film.

★★★ Directed by: #JordanPeele Written by: #JordanPeele Starring: #LupitaNyongo #WinstonDuke #ShahadiWrightJoseph #ElisabethMoss Film Review by: #BradyClark It’s difficult not to have Jordan Peele’s Get Out in your mind as you sit through Us. The stories are far separated, but the sinister tone is consistent and the originality rife. Though a solid and engaging film, Us just doesn’t have quite the same level of personality and small-scale intrigue as Peele’s directorial debut, though it is a very worthy sophomore project all the same. Described by the director as an out and out horror (given the genre confusion of Get Out), Us focuses on Adelaide and her family who are dealing with the appearance of creepy doppelgängers in their driveway on their family getaway to the beach. As the ‘tethered’ show their murderous motives, as well as the scale of their operation, the family must fight to survive the night. Whilst Us does so many things well, particularly in the first 2/3rds of the film, the story begins to slip away from itself as it moves into the final act. It is clear at what point the bigger budget sets in and the ideas lose control, though it does manage to keep its creepiness until the final moments. Lupita Nyong’o is as fantastic as ever in both of her parts, as is the immensely talented Elisabeth Moss. Winston Duke relieves the tension with some genuinely hilarious quips (some very much not so). The kids are fantastic. Us is not let down by any one of its stars and it will go down as one of the strongest horrors in recent years, but it is not perfect, and the final twist seemed to be screaming at you from the very opening sequence. The calculated brutality is unmissable and Peele’s clever screen relationship with race continues to work excellently. The maniacal antagonists are terrifying. And as long as you don’t mind the elaborate ideas, overthinking of plot, and lack of satisfactory answers, then Us will be an enjoyable sit through.

★ Directed by: #DianaGalimzyanova Starring: #RashidAitouganov and #KolyaNeukoelln Short Film Review by: #BrianPenn So here is your mission should you decide to accept it; you have 13 minutes 14 seconds to extract some meaning from The Perfect Life of a Perfect Couple in a Perfect House: Season 42. There’s no script, subtitles or vaguest hint of a storyline; it has a score comprised of static interference and allegedly ‘reflects on a relationship facing distorted reality in the era of narcissism and disappearance of real intimacy’. Diana Galimzyanova is an award-winning director and video artist based in Moscow, but I found this piece totally impenetrable. The characters exchange dialogue with each other and to camera but are buried under a deafening soundtrack. The ability to lip read in Russian may have given me a half chance but seriously doubt it. We have a young, seemingly happy couple strolling through the ruins of a derelict building. Joy quickly turns to confusion and anger as they wrestle each other to the floor. VHS video tapes are methodically stacked on a shelf and subsequently thrown to the floor. Did these tapes record memories of a previously happy existence and now consigned to history? Presently, the mood changes with plastic smiles and touchy, feely happiness. The soundtrack briefly switches to a squeaking wheel and muffled giggles with the couple in separate rooms. Boy then throws leaves over girl; swiftly followed by more grappling on steps. A brief chase ends with the couple struggling through the door of aforementioned derelict building; and then apparently the end. All I got was a series of unrelated images that could mean everything and nothing at the same time backed by a migraine inducing soundtrack. Perhaps it was too subtle for me and consequently flew 100 miles over my head. Art can take many forms and no one can say what it should or shouldn’t be; but there has to be a coherent message in the piece. It felt more like Andy Warhol having a really bad day.

★★★★ Directed by: #DavidSwift, #ScottOwen Written by: #DavidSwift, #ScottOwen Starring: #RyanDaley, #JoeVogelbacher, #SeanZPaxton, #TonyaCornett Film Review by: #DarrenTilby #HomerSimpson famously said, “...alcohol: the cause of, and solution to, all of life’s problems.” That was Homer’s loving tribute to his favourite drink...beer. And Beers of Joy is David Swift and Scott Owen’s own tribute to the nectar of life. A riff on the well-known phrase, ‘tears of joy’, Swift and Owen’s #documentary delves into the history of #brewing and explores our centuries-old love of #beer through four individuals, whose lives revolve around the craft. “I have to taste some #beer, I’m studying.” An excuse I’ve used more than a few times in my life, rarely has it ended well. But when Ryan Daley says it as he prepares for the prestigious Master Cicerone exam (the #beer equivalent to wine’s Master Sommelier), he actually means it. That's right, Ryan Daley and fellow Master Cicerone hopeful, Joe Vogelbacher, actually have to sample #beer as part of an examination. But don't envy them too much, this particular exam is one of the hardest in the world, and has a 99%-100% fail rate. We’re also introduced to Tonya Cornett (an American brewer) as she embarks upon a pilgrimage to Germany and Sean Z. Paxton (a #beer chef) as he plans a meal centred around traditional cooking techniques and #beers. Both of these individual’s “adventures” are a studious look of the anatomy of #beer throughout the centuries. Cornett, during her travels, examines the ancient history of European #beer craftsmanship, visiting a monastery which has been #brewing #beer for one-thousand years; whilst Paxton explores the more recent history of American #brewing during the pilgrim-era. The film cuts across these four characters throughout, occasionally interjecting short segments of the everyman and woman explaining their own particular love of #beer. But despite this back-and-forth, the film never felt confusing and never lost my attention. Editor, #MikeCooley (also producer and cinematographer), has done a great job of keeping the film in good order; ensuring the flow of the film remains unhindered and true. The film’s juxtaposition of the history of German and American beer-making and of these two fundamentally different individuals, as they go through the same examination, at the same time, is really well judged and brilliantly realised. The only not so well-judged issue here is the movie's apparent glorification of a well-known and addictive drug that has devastated people's lives. By its very nature, this is an issue which will bother people to varying degrees, largely based on their own personal experiences. For me, it wasn't a huge problem. But there are moments which seem a little inappropriate in today's climate, and it will be a problem for some people, so it's worth bearing in mind. With all said and done, I found Beers of Joy to be a well-made, entertaining, informative and – in spite of the aforementioned issue of propriety – a well-intentioned piece of film-making. At almost 2-hours in length, it's a long film. But not once did it lose my attention, nor did it ever feel disordered or abstruse. Beers of Joy is well worth a viewing, just be sure to have a few cold #beers in the house when you do!

★★★★ Directed by: #SebastianLelio Written by: #SebastianLelio Starring: #JulianneMoore #JohnTurturro Film Review by: #HopeMadden Six years ago, Chilean filmmaker Sebastian Lelio released a vibrant and unapologetic look at aging and living with his magnificent Gloria. He re-images that gem with Gloria Bell, his second English language film, placing the incomparable Julianne Moore at the center of a different kind of coming of age story. Moore is Gloria, a single fiftysomething who’s starting to feel her mortality. The film itself is a character study of the type Lelio does best. His films nearly always focus unflinchingly on the struggles of a woman trying to live freely and authentically. As with his Oscar-winning A Fantastic Woman, his underappreciated Disobedience, and the original Gloria, Lelio’s observational and unobtrusive direction trusts the lead to carry the weight of the film. Moore characteristically rises to the occasion. In Moore’s hands Gloria is perhaps a tad more reserved, a little more tentative than the firebrand depicted by Paulina Garcia in the original, but she’s no less wonderful. As Gloria struggles between the freedom and the loneliness of independence, and as she comes to terms with her own mortality, Moore’s tenderness and vulnerability will melt you and her sudden bursts of ferocity will delight. John Turturro offers impeccable support as Gloria’s love interest. The performance is slippery and unsettlingly believable. He’s joined by strong ensemble work from Michael Cera, Brad Garrett, Alanna Ubach and Holland Taylor, each of whom delivers the spark of authenticity despite limited screen time. But make no mistake, Gloria Bell is Moore’s film. Is this just another in a string of brilliant performances, one more piece of evidence to support Moore’s position among the strongest actors of her generation? No. Gloria Bell is a beautiful film, one that fearlessly affirms the potency of an individual woman, one that recognizes the merit of her story.

★★ Directed by: #KimNguyen Written by: #KimNguyen Starring: #JesseEisenberg #AlexanderSkarsgard #SalmaHayek Film Review by: #ChristieRobb Director Kim Nguyen’s contributes a meditation into the nature of success in the modern world. Wall Street traders and cousins Vincent and Anton Zaleski (Jesse Eisenberg and Alexander Skarsgard) resign from their jobs as high-frequency traders and embark on a quest to build a ramrod-straight fiber-optic cable joining the servers of the Kansas and New York stock exchanges. The objective: to make stock trades a millisecond faster than their competitors and make millions in the time it takes for a hummingbird to flap its wings. Obstacles block their path—mountains, swamps, health issues, reluctant property owners, and a vengeful ex-boss played by Salma Hayek. The technobabble in the film feels like it is based-on-a-true story. But, it isn’t. Eisenberg plays Vincent as a monomaniac. He’s almost as focused on his line as Ahab is consumed by destroying Moby-Dick. Skarsgard disappears into the role of Anton, contorting his height into an excruciating stoop and delivering a genius-on-the-spectrum performance that is nuanced, funny, sad, and kind of inspiring. The Hummingbird Project is often beautifully shot, with frequent use of slow motion footage. However, it struggles in focus. It could easily have been tweaked into several different movies. One can imagine editing it into a comedy like Office Space. It could have been Hitchcockian corporate thriller by expanding Hayek’s role. Or it could have shone more of a spotlight on the relationship between characters to flesh out what seems to be the movie’s purpose: questioning whether racing for wealth is really a better use of time than downshifting to spend time with the people around you. As it is, the movie tries to be too many things and ends up being an ok entry rather than a good one.

★★★ Directed by: #AIWhite Written by: #AIWhite Starring: #VirginiaGardner #ChristinaMasterson Film Review by: #RachelWillis Still reeling from the loss of her friend, Grace, Aubrey (Virginia Gardner) finds herself facing the end of the world in director A.T. White’s film, Starfish. After breaking into Grace’s apartment in an attempt to connect to her friend, Aubrey hears a walkie-talkie spring to life. The static coming from the device implies someone might be listening, and Aubrey is momentarily compelled to speak to whoever is on the other end. This is our first hint that not all was well in Grace’s life, with more hints coming before the film takes a deep dive into its world-ending scenario. There’s a mystery involved that’s best not spoiled, and it isn’t always clear what’s real and what’s imagined, but it works well to us engaged, and haunting images feed the increasing unease. As a metaphor for grief, Starfish is a curious, interesting take. Aubrey moves through the stages of grief while, outside the apartment, the world is falling apart. She spends time in an apathetic cycle, her only companions a box turtle and a couple of jellyfish (who eat desiccated starfish, apparently). Aubrey's anger manifests in violent ways, and she’s utterly alone with her sorrow. Gardner does an excellent job conveying the gauntlet of emotions roiling inside her character. Her performance is easily the film’s strongest element. There are also a number of exciting and tense scares, and the effectively oppressive score amplifies the more terrifying elements. However, where the score is effective at producing tension, the soundtrack doesn’t always fit the mood. Some of the song choices are out of place. While many of them are meant to represent Aubrey and Grace’s friendship, they disrupt the film’s intensity. The film takes risks. Some of them work, and some of them don’t, but it’s always intriguing to watch something different, something that challenges us to think outside the box on what a movie can be.

★★★★★ Directed by: #JafarPanahi Written by: #JafarPanahi Starring: #BehnazJafari #JafarPanahi #MarziyehRezaei Film Review by: #RachelWillis After receiving a distressing video from a young, aspiring actress, Behnaz Jafari’s life is thrown into turmoil. Playing herself in director Jafar Panahi's largely fictionalized narrative about cultural differences, honor, and the dreams of a young girl, Jafari abandons the set of her current project to travel to a remote village in northwestern Iran. Haunted by this plea for help, she feels compelled to seek out the young woman. Panahi, also playing himself, accompanies Jafari on her search. Though the director is, in fact, in the midst of a 20-year filmmaking ban imposed on him by the Iranian government, he once again manages to make a thought-provoking films examining life in his country. Here he looks at the struggles of three actresses at different points in their careers: a pre-Revolution actress named Sharzad, current star Jafari, and the young actress in need, Marziyeh Rezaei. Rezaei’s won an opportunity to study acting, which her parents have accepted as a condition of accepting an engagement. Learning that her parents have no intention of upholding their end of the bargain, Rezaei’s desperation compels her to reach out to Jafari, whom she believes can help convince her parents to let her go. While searching for Rezaei, Jafari and Panahi find themselves engaging with a number of villagers. Most of the exchanges are comical. The residents are at times star-struck, sometimes suspicious, and often dismissive of the “entertainers.” The conversations revolve around an excellent stud bull, the magical properties of foreskin, and the pretension of people from the city, among other things. These interactions reveal a lot about the people in Rezaei’s village, and the kind of challenges she faces. For the majority of the film, Panahi's camera focuses on Jafari. Even during scenes where the story seems to follow another character, our focus remains on Jafari. When Panahi does shift focus, it can't help but draw your attention. Again, during what appear to be meaty scenes - as when Jafari speaks with Rezaei's parents—we are not privy to the action. Instead, this time, we remain with Panahi as he wanders away from Rezaei’s house and watches Sharzad from afar as she paints. It's only through a car alarm in the background that we understand the possibility that not everything is well back at the house. Minimalist in style and tone, Panahi’s film still mines the deepest wells of human emotion.

★★★ Directed by: #SCraigZahler Written by: #SCraigZahler Starring: #MelGibson #VinceVaughn Film Review by: #GeorgeWolf Songwriter Jim Steinman, best known for baroque and dramatically verbose musical epics often belted out by Meat Loaf, has said in interviews that he would love to write 3-minute pop toe tappers, he just doesn't know how. Filmmaker S. Craig Zahler can probably relate. Dragged Across Concrete is his third feature as writer/director, and he's still clearly invested in the long game. Like Bone Tomahawk and Brawl in Cell Block 99, Zahler's latest is full of strangely indelible characters and memorable dialogue, a film anchored in creeping dramatic dread that finally explodes with wonderfully staged brutality. Brett (Mel Gibson) and Anthony (Vince Vaughn), street-smart cops in a fictional urban jungle called Bulwark, get popped when a bystander captures one overly zealous interrogation on video. A suspension without pay is something they're forced to accept, but it isn't long before Brett has a plan to make up for the lapse in funds with a little "proper compensation" on the side. But of course, they're not the only ones looking for a score. Henry (a terrific Tory Kittles) is fresh out of the joint and needs money for his family. His old friend Biscuit (Michael Jai White) hooks them both up as drivers for a lethal bank robber (Thomas Kretschmann), and the long fuse to a standoff is lit. This is Zahler's slowest burn yet, but he keeps you invested with a firm commitment to character, no matter the screen time. From a new mother with near-crippling separation anxiety (Jennifer Carpenter) to a loquacious bank manager (Fred Melamed) and a shadowy favor-granter (Udo Kier), nothing in the film's 159 minutes feels superfluous. In fact, quite the opposite. As Zahler contrasts the cops with the robbers, the sharply-defined supporters orbiting the core conflict only add to its gravity, despite a few moments than seem a bit too eager for Tarantino approval. Gibson is fantastic, drawing Brett as the real bulwark here, defending what he feels is his with a savage, unapologetic tenacity. Vaughn, re-teaming with Zahler after a standout turn in Cell Block 99, again shows how good he can be when pushed beyond his default setting of "Vince Vaughn." Finally, the steady march of battered souls, desperate measures and eclectic soundtrack choices comes to a bloody, pulpy head, staged with precision and matter-of-fact collateral damage. Zahler's command of his playbook is hard to ignore. Though the glory of Concrete's payoff never quite rises to the breathtaking heights he's hit before, his confident pace and detailed observations make for completely absorbing storytelling. And two out of three ain't bad.