★★★★ Directed by: #AlexanderMiloBischof, #MichaelCouvaras Written by: #AlexanderMiloBischof Starring: #ChristopherForan, #ConnorMayes, #DaisyMontgomery, #OliviaRose, #WillSutcliffe, #AyviannaSnow Film Review by: #DarrenTilby Struck is a remarkable character-driven story whose narrative gradually comes together from recorded footage and subtly revealing dialogue sequences. Themes of #homosexuality, #miscommunication and the complexities of #friendship run through this expertly woven story; which keeps you guessing right until the end. Writer, Alexander Milo Bischof, uses a three avenue approach in telling the story of a group of high school friends, whose relationships are put to the test as closely guarded secrets begin to reveal themselves. Best friends, Jenny (Daisy Montgomery) and Kate (Olivia Rose), comprise one of the said avenues and begin their story on a bench in the woods, taking selfies and discussing everything and nothing. As teenagers tend to do. We’re next introduced to our second avenue, best friends, Steve (Connor Mayes) and Jamie (Will Sutcliffe). Walking home through the same woods, they discuss parties, drinking and girls. As teenage boys tend to do. Our third avenue comes in the form of teacher, Mr (Paul) Thompson (Christopher Foran), who is introduced to us sat in his car, and on the phone to his wife, who isn’t happy that he’s going to be late home again. But who then goes jogging in the woods anyway. As teachers with secrets tend to do. There’s a relatively small cast here, which works well within the story arc. It creates an immediate sense of closeness between the girls and the boys and ultimately, it intensifies the paranoia and tension felt as secrets begin to unravel. The cast, as a whole, is brilliant. There are some intricate character arcs in Struck and indications of there being something amiss start from the very beginning of the film. It’s wholly to the actors' credit that they deliver these arcs and secrets believably, and never overemphasise the subtleties which point toward them. The script is generally well-written – although there are a few instances of awkward dialogue to be found – and comes imbued with a naturalistic flair, while #JonathanMoore's #cinematography is delicate but skilfully used. But it's the movie's sound design which really stands out here. #JasonPinches’ (sound designer) and #MichaelLing's (sound recordist) #exceptional work creates a #thriller-movie ambience which was reminiscent of #TheGirlontheTrain. It’s difficult to talk about the themes of the film without giving something away. Even if it’s only something slight. As this was one of those rare films that actually kept me wondering the entire time, I’d rather not go too in depth here. But I will say, that to me at least, Struck seemed to be saying something on the issue of #communication, or lack thereof. More specifically, how the very #technology designed to bring us closer together, often has the opposite effect. Struck benefits from some fantastic #writing, brilliant acting and pitch-perfect direction. Couvaras and Bischof lead us perfectly through the metaphorical (and physical) undergrowth of the film's three narrative paths, which culminates in a potentially sinister finale. And watching as these unfold and ultimately converge is nothing short of magnificent. Struck is available to watch on #AmazonPrimeUK and is well worth your time.

★★ Directed by #TylerPerry Written by #TylerPerry Starring #TylerPerry #CassiDavis #PatriceLovely Film Review by #GeorgeWolf So far, Madea has plowed through a family reunion, a wedding, jail, witness protection, a Christmas and at least two Halloweens. You knew the time would come when she crashed a funeral. That time is now. Writer/director/star Tyler Perry is back for round number eight with Madea and her crazy crew, many of whom are also played by Perry. This time, everyone has gathered for a surprise anniversary party, but surprise!, one family member turns up dead, meaning a funeral is now in order. Who can they all turn to for funeral planning at a moment's notice? You can bet the service will carry some surprises of its own, especially with so many secrets just waiting to be spilled. Some family members are carrying on with other significant others (What? In a Tyler Perry movie?), and some people just can't be trusted to keep quiet. We're eight movies into this formula, so don't expect any big changes. The focus isn't storytelling, character development, or humor that carries any thread of organic authenticity. What's important is getting Perry's different characters into convoluted situations where they can talk smack to each other. That mission is accomplished early and often. Expect plenty of "Hush up!"'s and smacks in the face while the supporting characters stand around like good-looking mannequins that keep repeating "You okay?" to each other. Perry does manage a genuine laugh or two (mainly from his "Joe" and "Heathrow" characters) among the painful shenanigans, but the best thing about this Madea is that there are so many that have come before. She clearly has found an audience. If you're part of it, A Madea Family Funeral will deliver just what you're expecting. If you're not, there's little reason to join the family now.

★★★★ Directed by: #SamBlakeneyEdwards Written by: #JavedMalik Starring: #OliverRednall Short Film Review by: #ChrisOlson Cerebral thriller Do No Harm is an atmospheric and emotionally supercharged short film. Written by Javed Malik and directed by Sam Blakeney-Edwards, the story of a junior doctor having the most intense night of his life is filled with dramatic crises, tension, and surrealism. Oliver Rednall plays Dr Bloom, whose night shift at the hospital takes a turn for the tragic when he loses a patient. His first one and the impact is obviously devastating. He tries to gather his parts and continue his job but this becomes increasingly difficult when the toll of the earlier death is not yet fully fathomable. Combining cinematic elements from numerous genres, Blakeney-Edwards pumps 50cc’s of pure adrenaline into this short movie simply by utilising #horror and #thriller based tropes in a drama storyline. The use of intense framing, sharp editing, shocking sound design and more keep the audience glued to the film like gauze on a wound you can’t stop staring at. Throw into the mix Rednall’s convincing and intense portrayal of the overworked junior doctor and you have some remarkable filmmaking. It was fantastic to see the surrealist elements creep into Do No Harm, elevating it from a hospital drama into something more substantial and daring. This also allowed the thematic depth of the piece to become more profound. Dr Bloom’s experiences are indicative of a frontline emergency staff that are asked to carry enormous burdens whilst undergoing numerous cuts to their funding and a lack of support from their government. The human toll of this reckless uncaring for professionals whose job it is to keep people alive becomes the spectre in the corner (or in this case, the spectre behind the ward curtain). There are aspect to Do No Harm which could be improved. Some of the supporting cast were a little wooden and the dialogue was fairly concentrated on coming across as authentically medical that it lost some of the edge being created by the rest of the mise en scéne. That being said, the #filmmakers use there visuals well to showcase an array of compelling sequences that are strung together by Bloom’s disconnected sense of self. This tapestry of nightmarish experience is the most impressive part of the short film. Strong and capable #filmmaking from a talented crew with a particularly awe-inspiring central performance from Rednall, Do No Harm is the medical drama we all need to see to break the unstirred disregard that has become commonplace for life-savers. Find out more about the production company behind Do No Harm here - https://www.crunchy-tomatoes.com

★★ Directed by #NeilJordan Written by #NeilJordan #RayWright Starring #IsabelleHuppert #ChloeGraceMoretz #MaikaMonroe Film Review by #HopeMadden Greta is a mess, and I don’t just mean the character. In fact, I’m not sure the character is a mess at all, no matter how she hopes to fool you. Played by the inimitable Isabelle Huppert, the titular friend in need is, in fact, a crackpot. She’s a force to be reckoned with, and poor, wholesome Frances (Chloe Grace Moretz) doesn’t seem up to the reckoning. A Midwestern transplant still grieving the loss of her mother, Frances lives in an irredeemably perfect New York apartment with her debutante bestie (Maika Monroe), but she feels a little untethered in the big city without her mom to call. Enter Greta, the lonely older woman whose handbag Frances finds on the subway train and returns. Director Neil Jordan hasn’t shot a feature since his underappreciated 2012 vampire fantasy, Byzantium. Here he shares writing duties with Ray Wright, who’s made a career of outright reboots and overt reworkings. Like maybe Fatal Attraction with mommy issues. There are elements to appreciate about Greta. Huppert is superb, her performance becoming more unhinged and eventually comical in that Nic Cage sort of way. Her time onscreen is creepy fun. Moretz’s fresh-faced grief convinces for a while, and Monroe excels in an absolutely thankless role. So what’s the problem? Well, number one, are we really afraid of this tiny, frail old lady? No. We are not. Jesus, push her down already. I get it, you’re polite, but come on. I’m Midwestern and I’d have knocked her under a NYC taxi by now. The terror is so unreasonable and yet so earnestly conveyed that scenes meant to be tense are comedic, and once you start laughing it’s hard to stop. In fact, the sound of your own guffaws might distract you from the film’s truly breathtaking leaps of logic. It often feels as if whole reels were chunked out of this film and replaced with unconnected scenes from a private detective TV drama—one in which Stephen Rea’s dialog is inexplicably and unconvincingly dubbed. What on earth?! Well, par for the course with this film. It opens strong, develops well and relies on Huppert’s supernatural presence to create palpable tension before going entirely off the rails.

★★★ Directed by: Lee Neville Written by: Lee Neville Starring: #LeeNeville, #JaneHogan and #DanielleLittle Short Film Review by: #RachelPullen Hello...Hi, are you still there? My loyal and faithful subjects, you stuck by me as we crossed desert sands, climbed the highest mountain peaks, braved the harshest winter, fought in the battle for Middle Earth...oh wait no, we didn’t do that. It just felt that way because we sat through the many instalments that filmmaker Lee Neville had to bring us for his Three Times Moving short film saga...and now we finally have come to the conclusion. The battle is finally won, phew cos I’m well puffed out. So as well all know by now, Neville was the king of the ladies, he had three at one point, then he had two and at the end of last week’s instalment it seemed that he was about to only have one. What will Neville do? Can he finally overcome his commitment issues? His problem with saying I wuv you? Will he finally rip the skin off his face to reveal his true form as the king of the lizard people? Read on dear readers to find out. So for the past few weeks this film critic has agonized over the fact that I didn’t get what the point of the whole Three Times Moving saga was. I couldn’t find much of a drive behind the story other than this man likes to pork a lot of ladies but not tell them he loved them. Seems like most people I already know, so it didn’t shock me, but as the weeks went by I came to figure out that something a little more deep was at play, and despite the boredom that would wash over me in waves at points, as well as the desire to watch it without sound to not have to hear the piano score, I started to have the drive to discover why Mr Neville had decided to become such a player of the women. Sure, we have all made our own conclusions, sex cult? Lizard folk? Mormons?, I have heard, and thought them all, but no, sadly it is none of these exciting outcomes when we watch Three Times Moving: Time Forgotten. [SPOILER ALERT] It seems that Neville has been unable to express how he feels ever since his ex-girlfriend died before he could declare his love for her...sucks for him, and her cos she like died...I bet it was the piano score that killed her. Now to add to the spicy drama that is unfolding on our screens, it comes to light that the best friend who is in love with him is the sister of the dead ex-girlfriend! What a game changer! Well, not really, but we can’t deny any excitement in the storyline up to now is welcome, and of course this connection ties the whole collection together. Neville has replaced the ex girlfriend with the sister, hoping he can finally express himself to her, hoping this will rid him of the guilt he is clearly suffering from, but alas things are not so simple. Neville has clearly been using this ladies as some form of therapy for his own personal struggles, each displaying to him in their own way the importance of embracing life in the moment, of understanding how fleeting these moments can be, or instead he could have gone to a grief counsellor but banging chicks all day is probably just as good, unless you get a hot counsellor in which you can kill two birds with one stone. Honestly I’m relieved that we have a motive, I had began to worry that these short movies were going nowhere, but here, at the end of Neville’s work, we can finally put the pieces together and come to understand all that I have struggled with over the past month...oh my god, we have been at this for a month. I am slightly saddened to think that next week I won’t be staring into the black hole that is Neville’s bedroom, while he struggles to choose between porking chick A or chick B, but at the same time I’m relieved that I won’t be staring into Neville’s black hole of a room choosing between chick A or chick B. These shorts have been a interesting ride of asking WTF, utter frustration and comical moments that I don’t think were intentional, but at the end of the day (or month in this case) Neville took on a big load of work creating these films, writing, directing, producing as well as acting in all of them, and I take my hat off to his hard work and ambition, and despite this not being to my taste I can see its appeal to a different audience. And so here we are, at the end of this journey, we made it man, we fucking made it!!! And with it all behind us let’s look back on some of the best bits... Wondering how Neville got all the ladies. Pyramid schemes to entice women. Black void bedroom. Piano scores to kill yourself too. And... Lizard people.

★★★★ Directed by: #JamesWhale Written by: #JBPriestley, #BennWLevy, #RCSherriff Starring: #BorisKarloff, #MelvynDouglas, #CharlesLaughton, #GloriaStuart, #LilianBond Film Review by: #DarrenTilby It's easy for us, now, to look down upon films like The Old Dark House. The relatively poor production design, overly dramatic editing, sound design and acting, can all be seen as products of a bygone era. But the influence these films have had, and continue to have, on modern cinema is irrefutable. I've long suggested the overcast and rainy gloom of Britain's moors, fens, woods and fields, make for an outstanding horror-movie setting. And it's a point which has been well maintained by filmmakers over the years. Notable examples include An American Werewolf in London, The Woman in Black, Black Death, and more recently, Ghost Stories. But The Old Dark House is quite possibly one of the first. Either way, It's certainly one of the finest and most influential. The film opens in the heart of the rain and windswept Welsh countryside, as Margaret and Philip Waverton (Gloria Stuart and Raymond Massey), together with their friend, Penderel (Melvyn Douglas), are battered by heavy storms along a lonely rural road. Wet and miserable inside their leaking car, and narrowly missing a landslide which blocks the road behind them, the trio happens upon a farmhouse which looks about as welcoming as Dracula's castle. But needs must, and with nowhere else to go, they're forced to seek shelter. The farmhouse is home to the eccentric Femm family; headed by brother and sister, Horace (Ernest Thesiger) and Rebecca (Eva Moore). The legendary Boris Karloff stars in his first credited role as Morgan, the butler, while Charles Laughton and Lilian Bond also feature as Sir William Porterhouse and Gladys, two lost travellers who also arrive at the house seeking refuge. With such an eclectic mix of top of the range classic movie actors, you know you’re in for an entertaining display. Now, despite my previous statement on the issue of production design, The Old Dark House is a fantastic looking film. Yes, at times, doors will wobble when slammed and supposedly solid brick walls will bend when leant against. But this was a fairly cheap production; costing only $250,000 (roughly $3,700,000 today). The cinematography, however, is really quite marvellous. Arthur Edeson – who also worked as the cinematographer on Casablanca and All Quiet on the Western Front – had just finished creating the iconic gothic-horror visuals of another James Whale classic, Frankenstein. And it's clear from the similar aesthetics which permeate The Old Dark House, that Edeson had really brought to bear the experience he'd garnered from working on Frankenstein. The opening scenes of the lashing rain on the lonely rural road, conjure an immediate feeling of isolation and helplessness. While the farmhouse – which is basically its own character – makes for a foreboding visage as it first pulls into sight. And that sense of unease is only heightened as we move inside and meet its bizarre inhabitants. I think it's fair to say The Old Dark House never got the praise it deserved. At least not at the time of its release. Perhaps coming out around the same time as Frankenstein didn't do it any favours. Perhaps, for some reason, audiences of the day just weren't receptive to it. Whatever the reason, it's a real shame. The Old Dark House is a masterclass in atmosphere building and a pioneer of horror film-making. The film had the nous to parody the genre conventions it helped to create; assisting in defining the horror genre, and giving rise to classic horror films such as The Haunting and The Innocents. The Old Dark House is a long-lost gem, made by one of the finest directors of his day. And now, thanks to the efforts of Curtis Harrington – who rediscovered the movie after it went out of circulation – and the recent 4K restoration and re-release, this piece of horror-movie history can be yours to own on Blu-ray.

★★★★ Directed by: #WRohit Starring: #SayantanBanerjee, #VishalSingh, #DivyanashBhatnagar Short Film Review by: #AndrewGalvin Thanks to the ultra-simple filming and editing software on even the most basic of smartphones, it’s never been easier to become a “#filmmaker”, which is a blessing and a curse. For those new to the industry, it means they can take their first steps without having to lug around bag after bag of Super 8 video. The curse is on the rest of us, forced to watch shorts that really should stay in iMovie. Which is why 99% of what goes on YouTube is, frankly, unwatchable. The other problem, for those that have a kernel of ability, is that this ease often pushesthem to be too ambitious; forget telling a relatable story, instead you’ll find unproven directors trying to out-Kubrick Kubrick to frequently abysmal consequences. But, thankfully, W Rohit is not another example. Unbound, while undoubtedly the work of an amateur, is a film that ironically knows its boundaries (both budgetary and experience-wise) to tell a simple, but resonant and powerful narrative over just fifteen minutes. Set in a Mumbai high school, short film Unbound chronicles a short period of time in the life of Ashwin, a handsome yet haunted young man who, along with a friend who has disappeared, has been suffering at the hands of another student, both blackmailed into silence. Much of the background to his situation is told in flashback and it couldn’t be timelier: we live in an age when more and more men are ending their own lives rather than talking about their feelings. Here, the sensitively-handled themes of victim-shaming, blame and ultimately validation feel universal in an increasingly uncaring world. Technical issues show that Rohit still has much to learn. Sound problems are plentiful (the levels are all over the place, and microphones often crackle…doctors would prescribe a hefty dose of ADR) and the subtitles are often clumsily translated. However, there is plenty here to show that he is a student of #cinema. He avoids many editing pitfalls by keeping it simple, focusing on one or two characters at a time with very few wide shots, for a cinéma vérité immediacy that really makes you empathise with the subjects on screen. Rohit is one to watch, and it’s going to be enormously exciting to see how he grows as a filmmaker.

★★★★ Director: #GageOxley Starring: #WarrenGodman, #TommyVilés, #AdamAvadi LGBT Film Review by: #JackCameron Opening with a quote from Homer claiming all men to be "wretched things", from the onset, the latest from writer/director Gage Oxley states its message very clearly. What follows are three short vignettes each focusing on different male leads exploring how they are exploited and affected by the sex industry and their own sexualities. Each story is expertly directed by Oxley managing to explore darker elements of the #LGBTQ community, nastier sides of masculinity and issues concerning mental health all within the film's 80 minute running time. Wretched Things follows the same structure as #RichardLinklater's Slacker: a film with multiple small scenes each connected by a baton-pass moment; characters pass someone on the street and the camera stops following them to stay with the newcomer, to give one example. While Wretched Things has fewer stories the structure has the same effect; unrelated characters are connected through their stories, elevating the film form a series of shorts to a bigger narrative, one that transcends the individual lives of the characters within it. This is emphasised by repeating motifs, especially regarding the body. The first two stories follow a model, Ben, (Warren Godman) and a webcam performer, Olly, (Tommy Vilés) respectively. Ben's body is fit and muscular, but he's uncomfortable at being asked to bear it on camera, while Olly's is less so he does seem to enjoy his job but remains terrified of it becoming publicly known. Both characters are contrasting but we feel their shame equally when they're forced to strip by a bullying photographer or outed on social media; Oxley tightens the shots around their faces creating a sense of claustrophobia and suffocation. Both men began their stories with some confidence and in a heartbeat this is ripped away, leaving them alone in a world that suddenly feels more dangerous. Which sets us up well for the film's final and longest story, following the deeply conflicted and unsettling Louis (Adam Ayadi), a cruel, drug taking homophobe who gets his kicks and earns his money through the sexual domination of other men. Louis's dialogue is in complete contrast to his actions and we begin to see him as the third stage of development begun by Ben and Olly; he is someone who has lived through shame and bullying and has emerged deeply damaged and a bully himself. His mental state is certainly at its rockiest and the film reflects that; scenes with Louis are bathed in acidic colours, while slightly distorted, electronic covers of pop songs cut in and cut out. The film's triumph is in showing the complexity of each of its leads (aided by the three stand-out performances), the script never giving us a clear definition on any of them. In one powerful moment, Louis yells about the suffocating nature of being forced into one label or another because, of course, as the film has shown he, and the others, are both and neither. The film will give us no answers (perhaps because in this case there are none to give) but through its connections and character development it does create sympathy as male emotions are crushed under exploitative bodily desires and it challenges the audience on how we see men like this and may even shame us for how quickly we try to define them. It does fall into the pitfalls of many anthology films, namely the stories changing as soon as you've settled into them but by the time the film has finished and we can take in the work as a whole we know that Gage Oxley is a talent to watch. Watch the official movie trailer below.

#FilmFestivals > #PressReleases Manchester-based genre film festival GRIMMFEST is proud to announce the introduction of a brand new award category for their upcoming 11th edition in October 2019: the WORK-IN-PROGRESS AWARD. Grimmfest launched its very first festival awards in 2018, with the jury granting a total of 12 prizes. Winners included Issa López’s TIGERS ARE NOT AFRAID which scooped the BEST FEATURE FILM prize and John McPhail’s ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE which bagged BEST DIRECTOR. Grimmfest are proud to be partnering with film producer and financier Michael Laundon again in 2019 to offer the winners of the BEST FEATURE FILM and BEST DIRECTOR categories each with £40,000 worth of post-production services to use against a future film production. Grimmfest and Laundon have also teamed up with London-based international film sales agency Film Seekers to launch the WORK-IN-PROGRESS AWARD, which is open to genre feature films in production or post-production but not yet completed. The winning title will be awarded £20,000s worth of post-production services to support completion of the film, and will receive an offer for international sales representation by Film Seekers. The award is also supported by Screen International, who will provide a year’s subscription to Screen International magazine to the winning filmmaker. The winning title will be screened at a future edition of Grimmfest upon completion. Awards sponsor Michael Laundon commented, "After the success of last year's Grimmfest where there were so many fantastic films on display, I'm delighted to increase my support for 2019 and I am especially delighted to be working with the Grimmfest team to develop this new Work-in-Progress award." Submissions for the WORK-IN-PROGRESS award will be accepted via the festival’s FilmFreeway platform. Filmmakers will need to submit a 10-15 min proof of concept teaser from the project in order to be considered. Grimmfest are delighted to also welcome horror movie streaming service SHUDDER, magazines FANGORIA and RUE MORGUE, and screenwriting software provider FINAL DRAFT to its list of awards sponsors for 2019. Grimmfest will also be partnering with #HORROR CHANNEL again on the presentation of the “Lifetime Achievement Award” which will honour a very special guest for their body of work within genre film. In 2018, this prestigious prize was awarded to genre actress and producer Barbara Crampton, who will be heading up the Grimmfest awards jury in 2019. The 11th edition of #Grimmfest will take place from 3rd – 6th October 2019 at the Odeon Manchester Great Northern, UK. Submissions for works in progress and completed films are now open via FilmFreeway. Find out more about the Grimmfest Film Festival.

★★★★ Directed by: Donnell Henry Written by: #DonnellHenry Starring: #KellyWray, #FrankGaldorise, #TeeWilliams Short Film Review by: #ChrisOlson Exploring humanity through an alien invasion is a familiar cinematic journey. Whether the experience is something mainstream and action-packed, like Independence Day, or more intimate and emotional like Arrival, the result is often the same. An alien race turning up on Earth makes us question our species and what makes us, for better or worse, human. Short film The Chosen, written and directed (among other things) by Donnell Henry, is a smart and visually thrilling piece of science fiction cinema. Combining a visceral intellect in its script with daring #VFX, the audience are gifted a plethora of thematic avenues to explore; from the existence of electromagnetic aliens to the survival of the human race. Kelly Wray plays Rae, whom we meet at the beginning of the movie enjoying some lighthearted hypothetical banter with her boyfriend Frank (Frank Galdorise). However, when Rae posits a non-hypothetical and the dial turns to Spielbergian levels of bizarre, the entire nature of humans is called into question and the potential impending doom presented by a mysterious entity called...well it’s called The Entity...suggests time could be running out. Wray is brilliant in the lead role, showcasing an engaging turn that is filled with equal parts dilemma and desperation. As she searches for the right human to become The Chosen, the audience is fully invested in her quest. Her dialogue with a passing stranger (Tee Williams) is beautifully delicate, providing the short’s strongest scene beside a picturesque lake. Galdorise injects some humour into the proceedings but is largely a distraction from the main body of the piece. As with so many great #scifi short films, Henry turns in something that would probably benefit from a feature length running time. There is a lot of potential in this story and Wray could certainly stand up to the demands of a longer portrayal. As it is, however, The Chosen does perform as a remarkably entertaining and boldly made short movie. There are a few awkward moments during the initial exchange between Rae and Frank but these are forgivable when you know what follows. Whilst the themes of his film are familiar, Henry does impress with a short movie that strives for cinematic flair. Coming from a #cinematography background, and providing the visual effects artistry in The Chosen, there is a lovingly crafted atmosphere to the overall aesthetics of the movie, even in scenes where the characters are just talking (with no adornments). This is heartfelt and thoroughly enjoyable #filmmaking.

★★★ Directed by: Durden Godfrey Written by: #DurdenGodfrey, #TaureanRoyal and #JaredRush Starring: #ThomasSiedle, #TraciLNewman, #CamsonAlevy, #TaureanRoyal and #ScottBroughton Indie Film Review by: #HarryKing With indie film I Am Going To Kill Somone This Friday, director Durden Godfrey gives the audience a mysterious thriller about a man who reaches boiling point on his repetitive ordinary life. The main character Robert Partridge (Thomas Siedle) starts everyday staring at his alarm clock before it goes off. Already changed and set to start the day with breakfast with his family – wife Georgette (Traci L. Newman) and son Bobby (Camson Alevy). Starting the film at the end of the story and having to go back living the events of Monday – Friday is a compelling watch for the audience. Each day starts the same so the audience can get a real sense and feel of how dull and uneventful his life really is. That is until Friday, where it all changes… I Am Going to Kill Someone This Friday is better than most #indiefilms because of the planning and patience that has gone into making it, along with using the most out of a limited budget with ideal set locations, cast and crew. I can tell that the filmmaker Godfrey, along with his team of producers and assistants have spent a lot of time in pre-production making sure the premise of this film is solid - this is where it can be hit and miss unfortunately. The psychedelic side to the character and the story can become a bit unnecessary because of how much it is used. However, it is successful at making Robert seem like he’s going insane and seeing people who aren’t really there. Unfortunately, there are too many montages and quick cut scenes which do not make sense to the viewer and the narrative of the story. Having said that, Godfrey does extremely well when the time comes to scaring the audience and putting them on the edge of their seats and making them feel uncomfortable. This is due to the brilliant acting from Siedle when he is being creepy and unpredictable. The use of the score by Doctor Jones keeping in time with the rhythm on screen and using appropriate notes and sounds for each scene. Whether its eerie high pitched or thrilling quick tempo it will always have an effect on how the film is perceived by the audience. Having the skills as an editor to produce and match up the right shot with the right sounds can make or break a scene and whether or not the audience will feel the true intent from the director which thankfully Godfrey managed to do. With any film, especially a limited budget indie film, the acting is always going to be a concern because of the lack of money to bring in talent. However, Siedle brings his A-game for this film with some impressive scenes and quite nervy and menacing moments, which keeps the audience’s eyes focused on him and forever think will he eventually kill someone on Friday. Not everyone in the film is quite on the same level as Siedle which brings the overall film down and some of the scenes with Siedle too. Robert (Siedle) is at his best when he is the only one speaking in the room, like when he is giving a speech to his colleagues or telling his son about his childhood bully. It’s in these moments when he owns the room and owns everyone and everything inside, he becomes simply frightening but brilliant to watch.

★★★★ Directed by: #ArthurPatching, #ChristianSerritiello Written by: #ArthurPatching, #ChristianSerritiello, #ShaneStarling Starring: #CarrieGetman, #TomasSpencer, #ChristianSerritiello Film Review by: #DarrenTilby Gelateria is both an exercise in, and homage to, the #abstract and the #absurd. The film plays out like a strange concoction of the old #Guinness ads and some drug-fuelled nightmare. Remember the fish on a bike and the #Judderman? Well, now imagine that but an hour long and you're in the right ballpark. Gelateria is ‘interesting’ to say the least. Patching and Serritiello weave together a dizzying and nightmarish quintuple of tales. Each more #absurd and disturbing than the last. Each tale begins with a central character, who we follow as they navigate their familiar but #bizarre world. And as their tale comes to its conclusion, we’re introduced to our next character of interest. The film continues in this manner throughout. And while the individual tales seem completely disconnected from one another, they do come together to form some semblance of an overarching plot. What is that plot? Well––I’m not really sure. The thing is, I think – much like #abstract #art – it will mean different things to different people. For me personally, the film acted as an examination of the oddity of certain social norms and as a commentary on issues of social class and modern-life in general. But honestly, everyone will take something different away from Gelateria. The #absurdity, which is so prevalent throughout the plot, is mirrored in the performances of the film’s cast. This isn’t a complaint, It has to be this way, it wouldn’t work otherwise. Carrie Getman, Tomas Spencer, Christian Serritiello, Daniel Brunet, Simone Spinazze, and a whole host of other utterly charming and off-the-wall characters make for an outstanding and entertaining cast. But it’s the technical aspects of Gelateria that, for me, really solidifies the film’s standing as a stunning piece of #abstract #cinema. The peculiar visuals, off-balance camerawork and the unconventional editing, all come together to create a dizzying and, frankly, disturbing dreamscape-like setting. There’s even a wonderful animated sequence (animated by Tiago Araújo) about 35-minutes in, which only adds to the ‘what the hell just happened’ nature of the film. It’s easy to see why it all comes to together so well. Both #ArthurPatching and #ChristianSerritiello also worked on both the #cinematography and #editing, as well as writing and directing the movie. It all makes for a film that feels solid and coherent. Even in spite of its illogical nature. Of course, there are issues with the film. The key problem being the very nature of the film itself. Films of this kind are an acquired taste at the best of times. But in this day age, they’re also incredibly rare. So my main concern here is that the film fails to find an audience. Having said that, Gelateria is a film I enjoyed very much. For me – due to the segmented nature of the film – it was like viewing an exhibition of #abstract #art at a gallery. There are all these marvellous and #creative works on display. And, while you know you like what you’re seeing, you can’t quite put your finger on why. This is a film which doesn’t spoon-feed you information and doesn’t deal in exposition. Instead, it forces you to make up your own mind up about what’s on display in front of you––and that’s not an easy thing to do. But in this, the age of the #Transformers franchise, it’s really bloody refreshing.