The Last Dance film review by UK film critic William Curzon. Starring Karl Collins, Martina Laird, Hayden Mclean directed by Hayden Mclean. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Last Dance Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: William Curzon | Posted on: Nov 14, 2025 Directed by: Hayden Mclean Written by: Hayden Mclean Starring: Karl Collins, Martina Laird, Hayden Mclean The Last Dance is set around 90s East London, when Fox’s (Karl Collins) “LA Bar” is hit with a compulsory purchase order, a monumental cornerstone of Caribbean Life around this time period. As the city begins to forget, the loving community band together for a last dance to look back on the longing and defiance of the area. The film is a profound love letter to the Caribbean community in the 1990s and a heartwarming true story. The rich attention to detail within the entire production value is astounding, as the piece feels timeless in its presentation, with a distinct love for the material. The writer-director Hayden Mclean directly pays tribute to his father, and his well-rounded knowledge of Caribbean life is evident in the film. Joel Honeywell’s cinematography is beautiful and intimate, serving as a device to enhance scenes of reflection. He consistently captures a sense of awe towards the community and the chemistry-laden cast of characters. It can, at times, tug on the heartstrings with a helping hand of empathy extended to the community and their experiences in East London. Ben Stanbridge’s musical score is achingly haunting and beautiful, with its low-key and hypnotic themes that anchor sequences of partying and the characters embracing each other one last time. On the other hand, the use of needle drops is equally impressive as they are suitably placed throughout with the use of reggae music that fits the setting and time period. The piece is truly visually stunning and firing on all cylinders in the technical department. Unfortunately, specific segments of the narrative meander as the characters attempt to find solutions to keeping the bar open, and the lack of runtime is a detriment to the experience, with minimal characterisation for many of the cast. Perhaps reworking the narrative into a feature film could enhance the richness of the characters and flesh out specific ideas that the filmmakers wanted to convey more deeply. However, even with its minimal runtime and budget restraints, it's still incredibly emotionally resonant as it is devastating to witness a loving group of people lose their safe space due to awful circumstances. The performances across the board are phenomenal, in particular Karl Collins in his portrayal of Fox. He exhibits a profound level of leadership and restraint in his love for his family and community that looks up to him, and it's particularly tough to witness his world crumble around him. The supporting cast’s chemistry is really what holds the piece together as they genuinely feel like family with their naturalistic presence, and this keeps the narrative compelling as it draws to a close. Sadly, the conclusion to the piece leaves a lot to be desired, with perhaps an intentional lack of payoff; however, since there is only minor time spent with the characters, the ending feels anticlimactic and not as fulfilling as one may hope. Still, it's impressive how much was accomplished within the brief runtime. It is just a shame it doesn't aptly stick the landing, as this clearly has the building blocks to be a complete home run with the talent involved. The Last Dance is an emotionally overwhelming love letter to Caribbean life in the 90s, accompanied by a plethora of outstanding technical aspects and incredible performances. A touching narrative about community, loss and family that boasts visually stunning camerawork and shines a profoundly empathetic light on an underrepresented group of people. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Curzon Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Rosetta Stoned film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring Jalen Steudle, Chadwick Marge, Ruby Sevcik directed by Benjamin Vomastek. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Rosetta Stoned Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Mar 21, 2024 Directed by: Benjamin Vomastek Written by: Benjamin Vomastek Starring: Jalen Steudle, Chadwick Marge, Ruby Sevcik Throwback stoner comedy Rosetta Stoned is packed with puerile humour, is awkwardly shot, and forgets plot points more often than its leads forget the time. And yet an infectious, youthful rebelliousness, and entertaining central dynamic from its main cast won me around as a viewer. It’s far from high art, or even from matching the highlights of its niche genre, but its fine for an uplifting story and a good few laughs. Edward (Jalen Steudle) is a high-functioning autistic high-schooler with a goal to get high for the first time. He meets the reclusive Ryan (Chadwick Marge), a stoner kid who constantly lets down both his caring girlfriend Cindy (Ruby Sevcik) and uncaring teacher Mr. Davis (Don Knill). Ryan agrees to let Edward copy his homework in exchange for weed. But Edward begins to value the arrangement more than Ryan expects, and tries to force an unlikely friendship between the pair. As a low budget stoner comedy, Rosetta Stoned was always going to have highs (get it?) and lows. Gross-out, infantile comedy is practically a tent-pole of the genre that audiences will be expecting. But here the cruder of the gags either fail to land, or the filmmakers refrain from fully committing to the shock factor. A pivotal scene involving Edward’s actions at a party is strongly alluded to, but not shown or even described directly – leaving plenty of comedic potential on the table. The film is far funnier and more entertaining when exploring the growing respect between Edward and Ryan – particularly once Ryan begins to thaw towards his socially inept new friend and tries to teach him how to smoke properly. Jalen Steudle and Chadwick Marge make for a likeable leading pair – and their growth as characters clearly reflects on the other in an authentic and meaningful way. Cindy’s attraction to Ryan in the film’s beginning is baffling considering what we know of him, but their reconciliation later in the film upon Ryan’s maturing feels earned. Similarly, Edward’s growing confidence naturally results from Ryan’s smartening him up, yet the consequences show that he still needs a real friend to help him navigate the high school world. A classic 90s/early 00s spirit is invoked by the use of scratchy pop-punk which harkens back to upstart stoner films of the past, despite the film being firmly set in present day. As a self-confessed passion project from director and writer Benjamin Vomastek, its just one of the signs of love and admiration for stoner counter-culture. Quite whether this will translate for today’s high-schoolers (and presumable prospective audience) is up for debate, but as a geriatric pop-punker myself (and proud of it), it is an appreciated touch that taps right into my nostalgia centre – and for a few Blink-182 imitators, the bands don’t sound half bad. Though contrived, clunky and childish, Rosetta Stoned is pretty much exactly as it advertises itself to be; a high-school stoner comedy in its purest sense. The central theme of friendship and bonding over smoking and trust come across well and the central performances mean viewers will enjoy the growing dynamic at its core and the jokes this results in. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Theatrical Release, Digital / DVD Release, Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Love Lies Bleeding film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Kristen Stewart, Katy O'Brian, Ed Harris directed by Rose Glass. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Love Lies Bleeding Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Mar 14, 2024 Directed by: Rose Glass Written by: Rose Glass, Weronika Tofilska Starring: Kristen Stewart, Katy O'Brian, Ed Harris Awash in the stink and the glory of new passion, Rose Glass’s Love Lies Bleeding treads some familiar roadways but leaves an impression solely its own. Lou (Kristen Stewart) and her mullet work a shitty job in a low rent gym in a nowhere town, looking with disdain toward essentially everyone. Until Jackie (Katy O’Brian) blows into town from wherever and Lou can’t take her eyes off her. But every stranger has a backstory, and that’s the rub of romance movies, isn’t it? Everybody’s fresh and clean. Not Lou and not Jackie, but for now, it’s all good. Jackie wants to go to Vegas and compete in body building finals. Lou wants Jackie. Glass blends and smears cinematic gender identifiers, particularly those of noir and thriller, concocting an intoxicating new image of sexual awakening and empowerment. She routinely upends images of power and masculinity, subverting expectations and associations and fetishizing the human body anew. For Lou and Jackie, love is a wild and dangerous drug, heady and unpredictable. The same sentence describes Glass’s film. She likes to make you uncomfortable, and as soon as you acclimate to one type of confrontation, she’s on to the next. But her style has energy to burn, and her leads are just as explosive. The supporting cast—Jena Malone (obviously destined to play Stewart’s sister at some point), Dave Franco (with an even more impressive mullet), and the great Ed Harris—command attention with dimensional, damaged and damaging performances. Glass is not out to break new ground, plot wise. The story is rock solid but delivers essentially a smartly crafted hillbilly noir thriller—a la Red Rock West, Blood Simple, Killer Joe — but with few truly surprising plot turns. The execution, however, is something you’ve never witnessed. Anyone who’s seen Glass’s magnificent 2021 horror Saint Maud may be better prepared for the third act than newcomers to the filmmaker’s vision, but it’s a wild and unexpected turn regardless. It’s quite something—bold, original, and wryly funny in the most unexpected moments. There’s heartbreak and horror, sex and revenge, a little magic and a lot of steroids. Glass’s juice has the goods. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release, LGBTQ+ < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Seed of the Sacred Fig film review by UK film critic George Wolf. Starring Missagh Zareh, Sohelia Golastani, Mahsa Rostami, Setareh Maleki directed by Mohammad Rasoulof. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Seed of the Sacred Fig Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: George Wolf | Posted on: Jan 30, 2025 Directed by: Mohammad Rasoulof Written by: Mohammad Rasoulof Starring: Missagh Zareh, Sohelia Golastani, Mahsa Rostami, Setareh Maleki Mohammad Rasoulof’s films have shown him to be an insightful storyteller. His backstory reveals a courageous activist who continues to endanger his own life and freedom in support of artistic expression. His latest, The Seed of the Sacred Fig , weaves in important details and actual footage from protests that erupted in Iran after the government’s brutal killing of Mahsa Amini in 2022. As the narrative evolves from hushed family drama to frantic thriller, writer/director Rasoulof again shows his skill at turning intimate details into an allegory for oppression from a religious patriarchy in his homeland and beyond. Iman (Missagh Zareh) has just been promoted to an Inspector’s post in Tehran (on the court that actually sentenced Rasoulof just three years ago). It’s a big moment for the family – Inspector is just one step below a judge – and Iman’s wife Najmeh (Sohelia Golestani) is hoping they’ll soon be awarded an apartment big enough for their teen-age daughters to each have their own bedroom. Instead, Iman is awarded a gun. Inspectors are involved in very serious cases. So serious that Iman must watch his back, Najmeh must not ask questions, and daughters Sana (Setareh Maleki) and Rezvan (Mahsa Rostami) must choose their friends very carefully and stay off of social media. Naturally, the girls have trouble adjusting and plead with their father to help when their friend Sadaf (Niousha Akhshi) gets caught up in student protests and is arrested. This is a delicate issue, indeed, but it is when Iman’s gun turns up missing from the home that fear and suspicion completely overtake the household. The loss of his gun could ultimately send Iman to prison, and the father turns to desperate measures against his own wife and children to root out the culprit. Often filming in secret, Rasoulof assembles the escalation of events so carefully, and the performances are so achingly real, that nearly every frame of the film’s two hour and forty-five minutes seems necessary. The young daughters ask the defiant questions their parents abandoned long ago, supported with subtlety by an Iranian filmmaker daring to show women without head coverings (even in their homes). Rasoulof has now fled Iran, while Zareh and Golestani have both been banned from travel. The Seed of the Sacred Fig stands as a testament to their courage, and as a sobering act of revolution. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic George Wolf Theatrical Release, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

WallDale film review by UK film critic William Curzon. Starring Abigail Louise, Andrei Apetrei, Brianna Rose Seymour directed by Matthew Cathcart. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS WallDale Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: William Curzon | Posted on: Mar 10, 2026 Directed by: Matthew Cathcart Written by: Matthew Cathcart Starring: Abigail Louise, Andrei Apetrei, Brianna Rose Seymour WallDale follows a community residing in the titular town, which is greeted by a new arrival. Things start to take a sinister turn on the same night of the arrival, causing discord in the community as the lives of the citizens are turned upside down. Not everything is as it seems in a town rife with secrets. Originally conceived as a mini-series, which is evident in its spanning character arcs and prolonged runtime, the piece is an audacious debut feature. As the piece was originally intended as a mini-series, this is both a positive and a detriment to the overall experience, due to the fleshed-out characterisation of each player and the overly convoluted nature of the material. The editing, at times, can also suffer due to its episodic nature as it jarringly cuts from one scene to another. While its over two-hour runtime is welcomed and gives each character enough nuance for the viewer to care about them, the piece at times can feel jarring and difficult to engage with due to the plethora of themes and character arcs explored. Despite these flaws, the filmmakers make suitable use of their budget constraints, making the town of WallDale feel incredibly lived in with its sense of community and discourse. The piece consistently leaves the audience with a sense of dread in their attempt to decipher the central revelation. While the piece may be somewhat derivative of other crime mysteries, its sense of community built around the town of WallDale makes the experience grounded and utterly engaging. Erica Porter’s musical score for the piece is endearing at times, and it evokes a sense of warmth as particular characters interact, while also offering sinister motifs during sequences of conflict. Joel Caborn, serving as the film's cinematographer, primarily shoots most scenes with fixed camera shots of characters within dialogue-heavy portions and switches to handheld during action scenes. The fight choreography is mostly impressive with its visceral and brutal intensity, despite the use of grotesque imagery, which feels questionable due to the budget. The use of shifting aspect ratios, however, is largely jarring and at times feels inconsistent with the material. While the piece takes a rather steady approach to establishing its characters, once the conflict hits the fan, the filmmakers keep the audience in a state of tension throughout the rest of the runtime. What is perhaps most impressive about the piece is how the filmmakers blend tonal shifts, such as the coming-of-age aspects in the opening, with the more thrilling sequences in the third act. Whilst there isn’t a particular standout performance in the piece, the performances across the board are solid, with the cast creating a diverse plethora of characters in this ensemble. The chemistry between Violet Charlton in her portrayal of Eleanor and Molly Burke as Bella is astounding, despite their limited screen time together. The central revelation is shocking and ultimately effective for the conclusion of the narrative. Sadly, the film slightly overstays its welcome as aspects of the conclusion meander to a grinding halt despite the third act being aptly engrossing throughout. However, the experience as a whole is still worthy of its efforts thanks to the sheer passion from the writer/director Matthew Cathcart, balancing its ambitious narrative structure and myriad of themes and characters. WallDale is a solid debut feature from Matthew Cathcart, reworking a mini-series into a feature-length piece with an engrossing premise. Despite the material feeling familiar in its efforts from other crime dramas, using the setting of WallDale to its advantage separates it from mysteries that have been made before. Overflowing with dread and community, WallDale is a well-crafted piece of filmmaking. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Curzon Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Ordinary Things film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring Julian Simoes, Cristina Duchesne-Rivera, Vanessa Rodriguez directed by Micah Caronna. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Ordinary Things Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Mar 25, 2026 Directed by: Micah Caronna Written by: Jennifer Tobler Starring: Julian Simoes, Cristina Duchesne-Rivera, Vanessa Rodriguez Micah Caronna’s Ordinary Things is a throwback romcom that takes a classically crazy premise of a fake wedding and spins a sickly wholesome love story aligned with the film’s religious origin. It’s a stuttering and unproduced by-numbers feature punctuated by some emotionally engaging moments, but lacking in overall quality. To fulfil her dying mother’s wish, Dannie (Cristina Duchesne-Rivera) fakes a wedding with her childhood best friend Tyler (Julian Simoes). Convinced to go along with the plot due to a promise made as kids and assurance of a deadline for the charade to end, Tyler begins to embrace ‘married’ life. But when Dannie’s mom (Vanessa Rodriguez) makes a miraculous recovery, he begins to struggle with a counterfeit life. But are the feelings they fake more real than either realise? Ordinary Things is a corny and affable romcom that is seldom seen in the modern film landscape. Situational and gently screwball, it places its star-crossed lovers in a madcap predicament that ties them together whilst keeping them apart, giving the audience a cause to root for as we watch them try to overcome the blockade of their shared destiny. A modern compare is Anyone But You (albeit a much tamer version…), a film praised for a willingness to embrace the skeleton of its previous-era predecessors openly. Ordinary Things’ successes stem from a similar embrace, its funniest moments coming where Tyler gets to take advantage of his married privileges. Similarly, the story is at its strongest when Tyler’s established feelings towards both Dannie and marriage are placed in conflict, and viewers are asked questions about the arrangement that leads to interesting assessments of each character. However, the film is neither funny enough to consistently earn laughs from the viewer, nor original enough to really engage them with the plot. The Christian essence of the production isn’t overwhelmingly present throughout, but it is no reach to wonder whether the urge to ensure the film remains family friendly is a reason for why some obvious situational relationship comedy setups are omitted from the film. The two protagonists are also bland and dull, livened at certain times where the film ponders the morality of Dannie’s plan and Tyler’s conflict with it but both largely lacking in any of the required yearning or passion for one another that is necessary for any film of this nature to work. Outside of its Christian target audience, it is unlikely that Ordinary Things will do enough to leave a lasting impression. It features some entertaining moments that make use of its central ‘fake marriage’ premise and looks good enough for a lower budget production. However it , ultimately lacks anything extraordinary when it comes to story, characters or humour to sustain it through the running time. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Digital / DVD Release, Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Prowling film review by UK film critic Joe Beck. Starring Henry Owen Richardson, Kai Hall, Craig Wakefield directed by Henry Owen Richardson. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Prowling Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Joe Beck | Posted on: Jul 21, 2023 Directed by: Henry Owen Richardson Written by: Kai Hall, Henry Owen Richardson Starring: Henry Owen Richardson, Kai Hall, Craig Wakefield The found footage horror genre is an interesting one. After reaching international recognition in 1999 with the legendary ‘The Blair Witch Project’, a film of dubious quality itself, it has spawned numerous, lesser films such as ‘Paranormal Activity’ and ‘V/H/S’, films high on stupidity and low on acting and logical writing. Therefore, ‘Prowling’ comes as a pleasantly refreshing surprise, invigorating a stale and uninspired genre with fresh chills and suspense, though not through reinvention, rather through playing with previously established tropes to maximum effect. A standalone sequel to last years ‘Lurking’, created by the same guys, ‘Prowling’ depicts your traditional figures of found-footage films - young filmmakers - the perennial victims. Naturally burdened by low budgets and an awareness of cinema and horror tropes, its only natural that these would be the only people filming in an abandoned forest in the middle of the night. In ‘Prowling’ this is Liam (Henry Owen Richardson) and Mark (Craig Wakefield), two film students scouting for locations to film their low budget student thriller film. They are rapt with excitement as they set out - thinking, as all do, that this footage could be used in future ‘The Making of…’ documentaries, à la the films of Spielberg, Scorsese, or Coppola. Their guide is Daryl (Kai Hall), a man that immediately appears to them as dodgy, and whom neither have met before. Nevertheless, Daryl promises an amazing shooting location, and so Liam and Mark follow him into the forest, trusting that they’ll be in and out before the night properly falls. There isn’t anything too disturbing about Daryl - other than his worrying lack of film knowledge - rather he’s just a bit of an outsider, an annoying presence against the unity of Liam and Mark. However, as darkness falls tensions between the three grow - with the conflicting desires to return or to go on, and the unnerving discovery of missing person posters scattered throughout the forest. ‘Prowling’ is, at least for the genre, a surprisingly smart film in how it builds tension. It doesn’t do anything to transgress the traditional story of these kinds of films, yet nonetheless, adeptly builds suspense through a combination of Henry Owen Richardson’s direction, which has a surprising amount of verve and doesn’t feel confined by the found footage model, as it does so often in other films, and the tenacity of Kai Hall and Richardson’s script, which both presents the characters as easily relatable and leaves no fat or exposition. Another surprise is the competent performances by the three young men at the forefront of the film, who are all instantly believable - as young filmmakers themselves - and have genuine chemistry with one another. Though occasionally it falters into illogical missteps - i.e. not simply walking down the side of the motorway or not begging the grumpy farmer to call the police - this is nonetheless a clever film, and one that slyly pays homage to defining filmmakers such as John Landis and Neil Marshall. ‘Prowling’ is a pleasant surprise, standing out amidst a crowd of subpar found-footage films as one that is genuinely chilling, clever, and well-made. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Joe Beck Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

I Killed Molly Monroe film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Sacha Firmager, Jamie Langlands, Stephanie Hazel, Antonia Whillans, Sarah Maddocks directed by Richard Anthony Dunford. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS I Killed Molly Monroe Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Feb 5, 2022 Directed by: Richard Anthony Dunford Written by: Richard Anthony Dunford Starring: Sacha Firmager, Jamie Langlands, Stephanie Hazel, Antonia Whillans, Sarah Maddocks A docudrama about the life and subsequent disappearance of model and social media influencer Molly Monroe. In the middle of the night, on the 4th of November 2013, Molly Monroe (Firmager) went out by herself and has never been seen since. Relatives, friends and acquaintances are being interviewed, speaking about their experiences with her and what kind of a person she is. These people include her mother Mary (Maddocks), her fiance Jonathan (Bellfield), her sister Amelia (Whillans) and her friend Rosie (Hazel). Other individuals include a journalist, a family doctor and a Detective Chief Inspector. This intriguing web series consists of five episodes, each of which have a duration of approximately twenty minutes. Each episode begins with one of the interviewees inside a police station, being fingerprinted and having their mug shot taken, after which they each confess that they are the one who killed the model. The episode then goes on to explore why that particular individual might had been involved in Molly's disappearance. Every episode contains more or less the same interviewees, although there are a few that appear in just a couple. The end of each episode reveals what the next one will be focusing on and the beginning of an episode revisits what has been covered so far. Watching this series is kind of like experiencing a mystery crime thriller. With every episode, more and more information is brought to light regarding Molly's character, her relationship with the people around her and the events that took place on the night she vanished. It seems to be up to the viewer to pick up the clues and figure out what took place. Regarding Molly herself, the kind of person that she is, that is revealed mostly by the interviewees, each of which provide their own account of her, based on experiences. On the surface, she is a decent person, who was successful at her work and had a bright future ahead of her. However, people claim that she has a dark side and is possessive, jealous, unfaithful, vengeful and will not hesitate to get into confrontations, ending up making enemies. There are plenty of photographs of Molly posing while modelling and there is footage of her relaxing and enjoying herself. There is also CCTV surveillance footage from the night in question and reconstructions od dramatic events. The cinematography by Morgan Andrews looks great and Gavin Manuel provides a score that is sentimental and sinister, creating the appropriate atmosphere. The montage during the credits is rather creative and the addition of the dramatic music helps set the tone for what follows. This web series will most likely get the audience's attention, keeping them in suspense regarding Molly's fate. Viewers will be piecing the facts together while they attempt to get to the truth and will be eager for the next episode. With great performances and an effective score, this is an experience that should not be missed. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Web Series < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Napoleon film review by UK film critic Brian Penn. Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Vanessa Kirby, Rupert Everett directed by Ridley Scott. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Napoleon Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Brian Penn | Posted on: Jan 12, 2024 Directed by: Ridley Scott Written by: David Scarpa Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Vanessa Kirby, Rupert Everett For those who fell asleep during history lessons ‘Napoleon’ may not be the most reliable means of catching up with the little corporal. The feted military commander and emperor of France has kept writers busy for the last two centuries. And the focus splits evenly between his conquests on the battlefield and those in the bedroom. Under the guidance of director Ridley Scott this film edges towards the latter but is no less entertaining. Historical liberties must be taken with a pinch of salt. Sometimes the truth can be dull and copy poorly onto the big screen; so a delicate manipulation of the facts is necessary. Napoleon Bonaparte (Joaquin Phoenix) is commissioned as a second lieutenant in the artillery regiment when discontent begins to rumble. Major battles methodically plot Napoleon’s inexorable rise as the French Revolution takes grip on a care worn nation. He is appointed senior gunner and artillery commander of republican forces at the siege of Toulon. Napoleon is soon promoted to Commander of the Interior but romantic entanglements take hold. He meets the infamous Josephine de Beauharnais (Vanessa Kirby) and a tempestuous affair begins. The wars that bore his name are selectively explored including the Battle of Borodino, Austerlitz and Waterloo where he confronts his nemesis the Duke of Wellington (Rupert Everett). Napoleon is a rich and satisfying cocktail of history, intrigue and bodice ripping debauchery. Whilst it veers more towards ‘Bridgerton’ than ‘Waterloo’ (the historically superior account) it’s still a cracking good yarn. Ridley Scott specialises in combat based epics and works his magic here. The battle sequences are spectacular and used minimal computer generated effects, even disguising camera operators as soldiers to blend with the action. Joaquin Phoenix totally nails the cold arrogance of Napoleon whilst Vanessa Kirby delivers a seductive turn as Josephine. Meanwhile Rupert Everett borders on caricature as Wellington but certainly looks the part. Many would argue with some justification that it lands too heavily on Napoleon’s personal relationships. But his liaison with Josephine will burn more brightly in the mind than the wars he fought. It also broadens the appeal of a film that summarises an incident filled 30 year period. It’s a fine effort to distil the life of a remarkable historical figure. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Brian Penn Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Thoughts She Left Behind film review by UK film critic William Curzon. Starring Fitim DeStena, Weronika Twardowska directed by Ameya Bhagwat. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Thoughts She Left Behind Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: William Curzon | Posted on: Jul 4, 2026 Directed by: Ameya Bhagwat Written by: Ameya Bhagwat Starring: Fitim DeStena, Weronika Twardowska The Thoughts She Left Behind is a low-budget short film, written and directed by Ameya Bhagwat, that explores a heartfelt journey through imagination, emotions, and unspoken connections between two individuals. Set against the backdrop of a serene park, the piece follows Joseph (Fitim DeStena) and Emily (Weronika Twardowska). Emily is an artist who sketches her thoughts, and Joseph discovers her work through a forgotten sketchbook. The piece explores their journey through the power of creativity and fleeting moments. The most impressive aspect of the piece is how unique it feels, thanks to its framing devices that set it apart from a typical three-act structure. While its brisk runtime and budget limitations may hold it back from reaching its full potential, the filmmakers do their best with limited resources to deliver a compelling narrative. The piece presents interesting ideas about imagination and how individuals create worlds as a coping mechanism to explore their pain as artists. It's a profound story of unspoken connections, and its themes and ideas are thought-provoking and may resonate with audiences. Witnessing both characters' points of view offers an interesting sense of perspective, making the narrative more compelling for the viewer. Many of the film's technical elements soar, including its camerawork. Anurag Joshi, serving as the film's cinematographer, primarily frames each scene with fixed wide shots with both characters always at the centre of the frame. It's a compelling choice because the narrative is presented entirely from both characters’ perspectives throughout, preserving an intimate connection. The musical choices throughout are equally inspired, with whimsical motifs that gently draw the audience into the film’s emotional journey and tender relationships. Each musical choice feels incredibly emotionally resonant with the film's thematic purpose. The editing throughout is incredibly seamless, blurring the line between reality and imagination; it's an incredibly engaging experience that rarely puts a foot wrong. Unfortunately, some of the dialogue is drowned out at times due to poor sound mixing; whilst this is largely a minor issue, it can be distracting during dialogue-heavy scenes. That said, the production design is commendable, with the filmmakers doing a terrific job of presenting the shift between reality and imagination. Both central performances from Fitim DeStena and Weronika Twardowska in their portrayals of Joseph and Emily, respectively, are terrific and carry much of the material on their backs. Both performances convey nuance and warmth, and it's one of the most compelling aspects of the piece. Despite their limited characterisation, both characters possess vivid imaginations, which makes their longing for human connection and determination to seize every opportunity deeply relatable and helps these ideas linger in viewers’ minds. The fourth-wall breaking helps bridge the gap between the characters and the viewer. This is a surprising but apt choice, which makes the experience wholly unique for the viewer. Although the film concludes rather abruptly, it leaves a profound impression with its uplifting, emotionally resonant message about the power of human connection, choosing to embrace the positives rather than its darker aspects. The Thoughts She Left Behind is a wonderful piece of indie filmmaking, evidently crafted to spread a message of hope. Anchored by two terrific central performances and incredible musical choices, it's a delightful experience that grants the viewer warmth and comfort. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Curzon Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Emergency film review by UK film critic George Wolf. Starring RJ Cyler, Donald Elise Watkins directed by Carey Williams. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Emergency Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: George Wolf | Posted on: May 19, 2022 Directed by: Carey Williams Written by: K.D. Davila Starring: RJ Cyler, Donald Elise Watkins Take two longtime friends on the verge of going their separate ways, and throw in one night of epic partying before they graduate. There will be hijinks, conflict, feelings expressed, and resolution. We know this formula, right? Not so fast. Expanding their Emergency short from 2018, director Carey Williams and writer K.D. Dávila run those familiar tropes through a tense, in-the-moment lens that upends convention while still delivering a consistent layer of laughter. Sean (RJ Cyler from Power Rangers and The Harder They Fall ) and Kunle (Donald Elise Watkins, Black Box and The Underground Railroad ) have two months until they graduate Buchanan college. Their plan is to make history by becoming the first Black men to complete Buchanan’s Legendary Party Tour. They’ve managed to score all seven necessary invites, but a complication arises. There’s a passed-out underage white girl in their living room. Kunle’s instinct is to call 911, but Sean quickly reminds him that Black folks have been shot for far less than what it might appear is going on. And so the two friends decide to deal with the situation themselves, adding their pal Carlos (Sebastian Chacon) to the plan while the unconscious girl’s sister (Sabrina Carpenter) and two of her friends stay in pursuit via phone tracking. Williams does a masterful job juggling tones. Early on, the terrific performances from Cyler and Watkins get us invested in the friendship before Williams increases the pressure. He’s able to blend some terrifying dread into the ridiculous nature of the situation with a quiet confidence that deepens the real world stakes. Dávila, fresh off writing the Oscar-nominated short Please Hold , again mines law enforcement anxieties with deft precision. Her transition to a feature length screenplay is seamless, sharpening the narrative with clever, organic plot turns and the characters with authentically grounded humor. From clueless white allies to the distance between “Black excellence” and “thug,” Emergency covers plenty of socially conscious ground. And though a beat or two may seem less than subtle, the film never panders. So we get the two friends ready to explore the future, searching for their place in the world. But this wild night of partying holds more sobering lessons than we’re used to seeing. For these young men, it’s about how quickly their perception of the world can change forever, and the unrelenting weight of navigating how the world sees them. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic George Wolf Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Gillian Anderson, Hannah Einbeinder directed by Jane Schoenbrun. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Aug 19, 2026 Directed by: Jane Schoenbrun Written by: Jane Schoenbrun Starring: Gillian Anderson, Hannah Einbeinder Don’t make the mistake of assuming Jane Schoenbrun’s new feature Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma is a slasher. Or a slasher spoof. Or a satire about slashers. It’s a sexual awakening brought about by Gillian Anderson. Obviously. Up-and-coming (pun intended) queer filmmaker Kris (a wondrously vulnerable Hannah Einbinder) has been tapped to reboot a problematic slasher IP. She hopes to convince the Final Girl of the first installment, Billy (Anderson the Great), to return to cinema and star in the film. Turns out, Billy’s a recluse who bought and now lives in the camp from the original film. She hosts Kris for several days of movies, junk food, pot, and deeply sensuous slasher nerdery. This is—and I say this with as much delight as possible—the nerdiest horror movie ever. How nerdy? The very second you hear yourself saying “that’s a split diopter,” Schoenbrun stand-in Kris says it out loud. When Kris apologizes for asking too personal a question of Billy, fearing it could be a #metoo violation, Billy replies, “I auditioned for The Burning . You know who made that, right?” Nerds! And the best kind of nerds. Horror movie nerds! Sleepaway Camp trivia meets Friday the 13th nostalgia in a gloriously queer, brazenly shameless, wonderfully horny new horror film. Like their last two features, We’re All Going to the World’s Fair and I Saw the TV Glow , Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma concerns itself with transformation, identity, and horror. But Schoenbrun’s latest drops the dreamy melancholy of the previous films in favor of something tender, beautiful, and accepting. The gender iconography littered across every scene finds its zenith in Little Death (that name!), the transgender marauder with a double-blade spear and an air vent helmet. (Honestly, if you haven’t read Carol J. Clover’s Men, Women, and Chain Saws , you should. Schoenbrun certainly has.) TSADACM , like Schoenbrun’s last two films, is a gorgeous watercolor fever dream. It’s funny, incredibly bloody, and unabashedly in love with the aggressively sexual and sexually ambiguous slasher, no matter how problematic. Perhaps because it’s problematic. The film is not just a wonderful walk through another person’s psyche, although it is that. It’s also a fascinating, deeply satisfying kick of a horror movie. You should go. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release, LGBTQ+ < All Reviews Next Film Review >