Film Feature by #ChrisOlson It's been a juicy year for film and it's not even over yet. With another Fantastic Beasts film to emerge soon as well as a new take on The Grinch, movie fans can see out the rest of 2018 in fairly capable hands. Looking forward, however, there seems to be some immense talent awaiting us as these 10 Smoking Hot 2019 Movie Trailers attest. SHAZAM 2019 Movie Trailer Due to hit UK cinemas April 5th 2019, Shazam! stars #ZacharyLevi in the title role. Another part of the #DC Universe, audiences are likely to be excited yet filled with trepidation about another possible let-down. That being said, the supporting case which includes #MarkStrong #AdamBrody #DjimonHounsou and #MichelleBorth suggests we can get at least a little bit eager. MOWGLI 2019 Movie Trailer We are not currently being given a release date for Mowgli other than 2019, but coming from legendary filmmaker #AndySerkis this is sure to be one of next year's most anticipated blockbusters. #ChristianBale #BenedictCumberbatch and #CateBlanchett are just a few of the massive stars that will appear and we cannot wait. DUMBO 2019 Movie Trailer Another #Disney remake but certainly one audiences will be on board for. Hitting UK cinemas from March 29th 2019, Dumbo is directed by #TimBurton who brings with him his own baggage of iconic style and filmmaking. What he will do with those racist crows yet no one knows but with a cast that includes #EvaGreen #MichaelKeaton and #ColinFarrell this is one show you will want a ticket to. THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART 2019 Movie Trailer Slated for release in UK cinemas February 8th (which is my birthday in case anyone wants to take me) the second Lego movie is likely to attract huge audiences after the success of movie one. Combining awesome #animation and comedy, and the wonderful pairing of #ChrisPratt and #ElizabethBanks, the franchise has built a sturdy foundation from which to grow - just think of the merchandising! GREEN BOOK 2019 Movie Trailer Hitting UK cinemas February 1st 2019, Green Book tells the story of an African-American classical pianist travelling the Deep South with his uncouth bouncer. Directed by #PeterFarrelly this movie trailer suggests this could be one of those hidden gems worthy seeking out next year. GLASS 2019 Movie Trailer From #MNightShyamalan this culmination of several awesome stories (see Unbreakable and Split) is a hot topic for many movie fans who have, shall we say, a difficulty in trusting the notorious director. That being said, with #BruceWillis #SamuelLJackson and #JamesMcAvoy at the helm we shall at least give this one a try. HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD 2019 Movie Trailer One of the most underrated animated film series of recent years, How To Train Your Dragon is a superb franchise for all ages. This 3rd installment is likely to be just as beautifully crafted as its brethren and equally as entertaining. Even the TV show was okay but I am not allowed to talk about TV here...shush. ON THE BASIS OF SEX 2019 Movie Trailer A thorough examination of the gender inequalities built into US law, this promises to be a thrilling drama starring #FelicityJones and #ArmieHammer. Another #Biopic and getting stuck in with incredibly topical and relevant themes, audiences will likely be in their element with this movie which comes to UK cinemas February 8th. ROCKETMAN 2019 Movie Trailer Coming to UK cinemas May 24th 2019, Rocketman is yet another biopic this time for the legendary #EltonJohn. The very talented #TaronEgerton will play the pianist and songwriter with a stellar back-up cast which includes #BryceDallasHoward #JamieBell and #RichardMadden. If you haven't got Rocketman playing through your head right now are you even human? CAPTAIN MARVEL 2019 Movie Trailer And last but not least #BrieLarson stars as Captain Marvel another #superhero movie coming to UK cinemas March 8th 2019. This time part of the #Marvel Cinematic Universe, audiences will be having a lot of fun if this trailer is anything to go by. Click here to watch more Movie Trailers.

★★★★ Directed by: #JonahHill Starring: #SunnySuljic #LucasHedges #KatherineWaterston #NaKelSmith #OlanPrenatt Film Review by: #GeorgeWolf More than just a time stamp, Mid90s emerges as a completely engaging verite-styled slice of place and person, a clear-eyed and visionary filmmaking debut for writer/director Jonah Hill. While not strictly autobiographical, the film is Hill's rewind button back to the Los Angeles skateboarding culture so omnipresent during his own coming of age. 13 year-old Stevie (Sunny Suljic) watches a tight knit group of skaters in his neighborhood, envious of the camaraderie missing from his life at home with an angry 18 year-old brother (Lucas Hedges - impressive yet again) and a self- absorbed 36 year-old mom (Katherine Waterson). Stevie hangs around the skate shop until the boys slowly welcome him with a brand new name: "Sunburn." With that, Ray (Na-kel Smith), "Fuckshit" (Olan Prenatt), "Fourth Grade" (Ryder McLaughlin) and Ruben (Gio Galicia) become Stevie's new family, instantly giving him the sense of belonging and male role models he is craving. Though the film does feel like a labor of love for Hill, it's not draped in undue nostalgia, but rather a gritty sense of realism resting comfortably between 1995's "Kids" and Bing Liu's current skateboarding doc "Minding the Gap." The group of skaters moves like an animal pack, and Suljic (Killing of a Sacred Deer, House with a Clock in Its Walls) perfectly captures the attentive innocence behind a young boy grasping at masculinity. The group of actors in Stevie's skater family boast little screen experience but are long on authenticity. Smith and Prenatt especially impress as Ray and Fuckshit, two lifelong friends slowly moving in different directions. When Ray quickly and gently admonishes Stevie's behavior, it is a touching moment that rings with genuine concern borne from experience. Hill treats his characters with equal trust, presenting their lives without judgement, apology or condescension. He's equally confident is his mechanics, crafting the film with abrupt cuts, a fluid camera and alternating blasts of sound and silence that help define the mood of longing masked by bravado. An often funny, sometimes startling and endlessly human film, Mid90s is a blast from the past that points to a bright filmmaking future for Jonah Hill.

★★★★ Directed by: #JimmyChin #ElizabethChaiVasarhelyi Starring: #AlexHonnold #SanniMcCandless Film Review by: #GeorgeWolf There are only so many times I can use the word "breathtaking," so Free Solo has me inventing some new ones. "Sweatpalming"? "Gutknotting"? "Fascinating" works, too. It's all of those, a totally enthralling account of one man's quest to do the unthinkable, and the uncommon psyche that drives him to do it. Alex Honnold became hooked on rock climbing at an early age, eventually dropping out of Cal-Berkeley to live in a van and devote himself to the climb. Recognition and sponsor money soon followed, until his increasing devotion to climbing without safety equipment ("free soloing") caused some sponsors to withdraw support, citing concern for pushing the boundaries of risk. Last year, Honnold realized a dream eight years in the making, becoming the first human being to free solo up the 3200 feet of granite that is El Capitan in California's Yosemite National Park, a wall Honnold calls "the most impressive on Earth." Directors Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, plus a very visibly nervous crew, were there to document the climb with truly awe-inspiring footage that demands to be seen on the biggest screen you can find. You will marvel at the accomplishment even as you doubt Honnold's sanity, which makes the second layer of the film that much more meaningful. As they did with the mountain climbers in their 2015 doc Meru, Chin and Vasarhelyi want to get in their subject's head, even following Honnold into an MRI brain exam when he wonders if there might be a biological reason for his death-defying urges. It's his upbringing, though, one of few displays of affection and a constant need to perform, that's more revealing. We see Honnold as an extremely bright young man undeterred by societal concerns, yet consistently trying to self-access and become more social. At 23, he thought it was best to practice the strange act of hugging. A serious girlfriend, the bubbly, camera-friendly Sanni McCandless, complicates things, and as climbing legend Tommy Caldwell reminds us of the near-total mortality rate for free soloists, Honnold matter-of-factly debates any "obligation to maximize my life span." This is merely one contrast in a film of many. Even the filmmakers, committed as they are to the project, question the affect their very presence might have on Honnold's decision-making. It's all never less than compelling. But in contrasting glorious human achievement with acceptable sacrifice, Free Solo becomes nearly unforgettable.

★★★★★Directed by: #RobbieWalsh Starring: #JohnnyElliot, #RobbieWalsh, #JennyDixon, #SeanFlanagan, #GillKeogh Short Film Review by: #DarrenTilby Full-bodied, good head, sharp and refreshing and I’ve forgotten what I’m supposed to be reviewing… A simple premise: a man enjoys a pint at his local pub, whilst all around him little dramas, comedies, and love stories play out. At just over 3 minutes long, A Day in the Life in a Pint is the perfect length: any shorter and it would have felt rushed, any longer, and it would have become monotonous. Johnny Elliot stars a said man, and whilst it’s hardly a demanding role, to his credit, he does look like he’s enjoying his pint! So much so in fact, he’s quite unaware of what’s going on around him: Jenny Dixon’s attacked by a bee, Sean Flanagan and Gill Keogh are reunited lovers, and, Robbie Walsh is a very efficient phone thief: there’s a man who loses his shoe, an altercation between two men, and a very drunk football fan who thinks a wall is a urinal! All are delightful and almost theatrically, performed. The cinematography and soundtrack are simple but incredibly effective: the cinematography gives the short film a sort of cafe culture voyeurism vibe, whilst the rather jolly rolling soundtrack lends a merry, slapstick quality; keeping the mood light. The camera sits totally stationary, peering out of a window over the table that seats our lucky pint drinker; doing no more than switching focus between the foreground (the inside and our pint) and background (the events going on outside). The true genius of the #cinematography and direction on display here can only be fully appreciated once you realise the entire film basically serves as a three-minute unbroken take, with everything that’s going on in the foreground and background – which by the way, are linked (every time the man has a sip from his drink; another act appears behind him) – this must have taken some insanely good choreography, a hell of a lot of takes, or some utterly ridiculous editing skills. Either way, well done! A Day in the Life of a Pint plays like a #silentmovie or theatrical production in that it relies completely on exaggerated movements to draw our attention and tell its story; totally ditching dialogue of any kind. It isn’t something I’ve seen a film do (or at least do well) for a long time, and it’s a most welcome return for that more classical slapstick feel; clearly taking inspiration from great silent film artists like Laurel and Hardy and Charlie Chaplin. This is a marvelous little film, the sort of film short movies should aspire to: its simplicity is its strength, and it embraces its ‘shortcomings’ and its genre and turns them to advantages; creating something which would never work in any other format. A throwback to the golden age of silent cinema and slapstick (you know, when #slapstick was funny), A Day in the Life of a Pint has completely won me over. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #DarrenTilby #silentfilm #Comedy #RobbieWalsh #JohnnyElliot #JennyDixon #SeanFlanagan #GillKeogh

★★★★★ Directed by: Sheikh Shahnawaz Starring: Sam Malley, Nisaro Karim and Liam Millard Short Film Review by: Annie Vincent A little cracker of a film, Witness is high tension from the off and very much the crowd-pleaser. At a run time of around six minutes, it pulls its punches immediately, but finishes on a twist and the professional production and finish from the filmmakers is to be commended. The film opens on a young man, gagged and bruised, tied to a chair in a garage. Whilst the make-up needed a little more definition, the performance by Sam Malley here was convincing – his character is terrified, understandably, and this immediately draws you in and sets the nervous tone for the piece. Within moments, two burly men, Rich and Danny, enter, with Rich giving Danny a hard time for embroiling a witness in their robbery. Danny is nonchalant and scarily blasé about it. He calls his boss and delivers the verdict: the witness must be killed and his body dumped. The cold detachment of Nisaro Karim’s delivery here truly makes you believe you’ll now witness a murder too – it is quite chilling. Rich is more humane and we instantly latch on to the hope he’ll convince Danny otherwise: they didn’t sign up for this; they don't want time for murder; they aren't paid enough. But Danny’s allegiance to his boss is strong and he begins to debate the methods he will use for this murder, their victim crying or attempting to wail throughout, before he’s silenced by a violent punch. Danny sets about preparing his witness for a strangulation and all seems lost, until director Sheikh Shahnawaz pulls the rug from under his characters and the twist is revealed. The production quality here is very good. Camerawork, sound, lighting: it all comes together to package the script, delivered confidently by the performers Karim and Millard. To achieve believable characters and a powerful storyline in just six minutes is no easy feat and makes this an impressive short film audiences should definitely take the time to see. #AnnieVincent #SamMalleySamMalley #NisaroKarim #LiamMillard #SheikhShahnawaz #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms

★★★★★ Directed by: #StuartGordon Written by: #HPLovecraft, #DennisPaoli, #WilliamNorris, #StuartGordon Starring: #JeffreyCombs, #BruceAbbott, #BarbaraCrampton #ThrowbackThursday Film Review by: #DarrenTilby The perfect combination of #1980s camp #humour and gross-out #horror, Re-Animator has buckets of charm and still holds up incredibly well, even after thirty-three-years. What a pleasure it was to see this cult classic on the big screen again after so many years. After causing a horrific incident at the Zurich University in Switzerland, the mysterious and secretive Herbert West takes up residency with a gifted young medical student, Dan Cain, and promptly begins a series of bizarre experiments involving the reanimation of dead tissue. After accidentally walking in on and witnessing the ‘success’ of one of these experiments, Cain agrees to help; but as West’s obsession grows, Cain finds himself being forced into committing increasingly depraved and immoral acts. Re-Animator sees now genre veteran (and recent recipient of the #GrimmfestFilmFestival Life Time Achievement Award), Barbara Crampton in her breakthrough role as Megan Halsey, a role which helped forge her love of horror. Starring alongside Crampton is the magnificent Jeffrey Combs in what would arguably become his most iconic role—that of Herbert West, the re-animator! And, last but not least, there’s Bruce Abbott; starring as Dan Cain in yet another career-defining performance. The Re-Animator helped forge the careers of its principal cast, and whilst some may have taken to the genre and cult status that followed better than others, there’s no denying that, together, on-screen, they were glorious. Re-Animator bathes itself in the influences and climate of the decade in which it was made: buckets of blood spew and spurt and cascade in comical fashion from every orifice, wound and amputation; heads explode, eyes burst and a reanimated cat is brutally bludgeoned back to death: truly, the film is resplendent in its depiction of gore. And yet the film’s eccentricities coupled with that unique #1980s era charm and trademark camp #humour ensure the film never feels like it’s taking itself too seriously; in spite of the copious amount of blood, this is a film which finds itself lingering in #comedy more than it does #horror. Being based loosely on the writings of #HPLovecraft (specifically ‘Herbert West, Re-Animator’) you can be sure there’ll be plenty of otherworldly, interdimensional weirdness here: whether it’s something as #Lovecraftian as the elongated intestinal-tentacles that have burst forth from a recently re-killed cadaver, talking severed heads, or something as simple as the luminous glow given off by West’s reagent; there’s plenty here for #Lovecraft fans to enjoy. The film’s subject matter, that of the reanimation of dead tissue and the increasingly rapid descent into madness of its title character, also recalls the work of #MaryShelley’s ‘Frankenstein’; the literary inspiration for #Lovecraft’s novel: the similarities are clear as day; with both works questioning the lengths, mankind will go to conquer death. Re-Animator has aged incredibly well: even after all these years the #humour, special effects, story and performances that made this film a cult-classic are still enormously entertaining, and well worth your time and money if you’re lucky enough to be able to catch it on the big screen. If not, go out and buy it, and rediscover an #80s shock-horror #classic that’s bound to make you laugh as much as it’ll make you wince.

★★★★ Directed by: #CharlotteRegan Written by: Charlotte Regan Starring: #NeilMaskell, #MitchellBrown BFI London Film Festival Review by: #ChrisOlson Part of the #LFF2018 Dare thread, and being screened in their Keep It In The Family short films programme, Dodgy Dave, written and directed by Charlotte Regan, is a touching and charming comedy about a boy and his drug dealer dad. Mitchell Brown plays the aforementioned boy, Danny, who accompanies his pop on an unorthodox take your son to work day when the paternal figure in question Dave (Neil Maskell) can't find anyone suitable to take responsibility. As Dave starts his errands of going door to door of his usual customers providing them with their narcotics, with Danny in tow, we see plenty of traditional family values being displayed, such as loyalty and connection, even if the surroundings are not your usual family friendly locales. Presented in black and white and utilising some interesting camera work, Regan delivers a short that has plenty for the audience to chew on visually. The shots are smart and the editing is sharp, creating an overwhelming sense of professionalism to the production value. Why it is in black and white is not completely clear to me but I feel it has something to do with the classic notions and themes at play in the narrative. There are some wonderful moments for the viewer to enjoy in the aesthetic of the film, such as Dave listing off a couple of family members who could stand in as caregivers (one robs Sat-Navs and the other is a shoplifter) which has some wonderfully quick set pieces and editing, or a distance shot of Danny and Dave playing footy. The performers are great, in particular Neil Maskell whose portrayal of Dodgy Dave is endearing. His charm and connection with drug users gets brilliantly juxtaposed with the awkward relationship he has with his own offspring. Maskell delivers this expertly and as the short evolves his deepening emotion towards Danny is played out brilliantly. The use of location is really intelligent in Dodgy Dave, Regan makes the most of the largely isolated council housing. The result is an urban wonderland where the cliched grime and violence of the area is abandoned for a more picturesque journey with these two family members strolling through with (almost) no space invaders. As the tension releases and both Dave and Danny relax into a comfortable camaraderie, we are more invested in their future and remain exceedingly hopeful for their relationship. An introspective and intriguing drama that mutes the colourful distractions of life to tell a story about an unconventional father-son relationship that is riddled with emotion and chemistry. Great performances and strong direction make this a fantastic addition to the 2018 #BFILondonFilmFestival.

★★★★ Directed by: Wash Westmorland Starring: Keira Knightley, Dominic West Film Review by: Christie Robb Emotional, entitled, white men seem omnipresent these days. They’re on the news. They’re on social media. They’re on the big screen. At least with the biopic Colette, they are confined to an historical period safely a century behind us. Colette gives us the origin story of French novelist Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (Keira Knightley), a Madonna-like figure of the early 1900s who emerged from a small provincial village to become the toast of Paris, reinventing herself over the years as a novelist, mime, actress and journalist. She wrote frankly about women’s independence, sexuality and aging. She sparked a riot at the Moulin Rouge in 1907 when she performed a lesbian love scene in a pantomime. She was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1948. She wrote the book Gigi, which was adapted for the stage where she personally selected a then-unknown Audrey Hepburn for the leading role in 1951. The book then became an MGM musical that won nine Academy Awards in 1958 (including Best Picture). When she died, Colette was the first woman in France to be given a state funeral. But before all that, Colette married a bully named Willy (Dominic West). Over a decade her senior, Willy was a popular writer who put out music reviews, stories and novels. Quite a bit were written by other people in a factory system where Willy provided the brand, but others produced the work. He compelled his wife to join the team, asking her to mine her childhood experiences so he could publish them under his name. Once the Claudine books became popular, he would lock Colette in a room until he was satisfied she had written enough. The movie tells the story of Colette’s time with Willy and traces an arc from her awkward introduction into Paris salon society to an eventual break with the abusive hack and first steps toward an independent life. Knightly is masterful inhabiting the multifaceted Colette, using her eyes to hint at the hurt she’s experiencing while wielding a bold bravado as a shield in her constant verbal fencing matches with her husband. West presents as a believable blowhard—initially charming, then volatile, narcissistic, abusive, and ultimately self-pitying, sniveling and weak. Given the breadth of Colette’s life and its many acts, it makes sense that director Wash Westmoreland would focus on a distinct part of it. However, because of his desire to give screen time to so many of the big Personalities of the Belle Époque and to keep the focus squarely on the time period of the Colette/Willy relationship, the movie seems simultaneously thinly-sketched and agonizingly long. With so much of the movie involving Colette being shit on, the movie verges on indignity porn. How much can this woman take, before she snaps? But when she snaps…it’s so good. Oscar-bait good. Given this week, I’d have vastly preferred it if more of the movie had focused on the glorious and adventurous life Colette led after she dumped Willy and struck out on her own. But, even so, it’s a story of liberation and the claiming of a woman’s power. Something that’s needed. I just hope there’s a sequel. #Colette #WashWestmorland #KeiraKnightley #Dominicwest #ChristieRobb #movies #film #entertainment #moviereviews #filmreviews #independentfilm #biopics

Film Festivals > Grimmfest Film Festival This October, #GRIMMFEST, Manchester International Festival of Fantastic Film celebrated its tenth anniversary with the biggest line-up of film premieres ever, along with audiences to match. Now the #filmFestival Jury's votes are all in, and the audience ballots all tallied up, Grimmfest is proud to reveal this year’s award-winners: Horror Channel Lifetime Achievement Award: BARBARA CRAMPTON (RE- ANIMATOR, YOU’RE NEXT) Best Feature: TIGERS ARE NOT AFRAID With Special mentions for ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE and PIERCING Best Director: JOHN MCPHAIL, for ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE With Special mentions for ISSA LÓPEZ (TIGERS ARE NOT AFRAID), and CLAYTON JACOBSON (BROTHERS' NEST) Best Screenplay: ISSA LÓPEZ for TIGERS ARE NOT AFRAID With Special mentions for CLAYTON JACOBSON (BROTHERS' NEST) and ANDY MITTON (THE WITCH IN THE WINDOW) Best Score: ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE With Special mentions for PIERCING and SUMMER OF 84. Best Actor: JUAN RAMÓN LÓPEZ for TIGERS ARE NOT AFRAID With Special mention for AIDAN DEVINE (I'LL TAKE YOUR DEAD) Best Actress: MIA WASIKOWSKA for PIERCING With Special mentions for ELLA HUNT (ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE) and ABIGAIL CRUTTENDEN (AWAIT FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS) Best SFX: GIRLS WITH BALLS With Special mentions for AWAIT FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS and FRAMED Best Kill: GIRLS WITH BALLS With Special mentions for PUPPET MASTER: THE LITTLEST REICH, OFFICE UPRISING and SATAN'S SLAVES Best Scare: THE WITCH IN THE WINDOW With Special mention for SATAN'S SLAVES Best Short: WE SUMMONED A DEMON With Special mentions for CONDUCTOR, DEAD COOL and THE OLD WOMAN WHO HID HER FEAR UNDER THE STAIRS Finally, as voted for by Grimmfest 2018 attendees: The Audience Award: TIGERS ARE NOT AFRAID With Special mentions for SUMMER OF 84, THE WITCH IN THE WINDOW, ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE, and BROTHERS' NEST The Festival Jury Panel consisted of; Actress and Writer Lauren Ashley Carter, Film Sales Agent Caroline Couret-Delegue, Acquisitions Consultant, Festival Programmer and Producer Annick Mahnert, Writer, Actress and Producer Joanne Mitchell, Dread Central Journalist Anya Stanley and Rue Morgue Executive Editor Andrea Subissati. Grimmfest is even more delighted to announce that the winners of the BEST FILM and BEST DIRECTOR categories will each be awarded £40,000 worth of post- production services by Festival Award Sponsor BCL Finance Group, which can be used against a future film. TIGERS ARE NOT AFRAID is a Mexican magic realist movie written and directed by Issa López, the film has gained huge festival acclaim and awards around the World. It has been championed by Guillermo del Toro who will be producing Issa’s next film. Issa López said: “It's an incredible honour to receive so many beautiful awards at a festival with such an incredible slate…Grimmfest is the very image of genre cinemas credibility and substance, and it means a lot to the entire team to be recognized by the festival's jury and incredible audiences.” ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE is a UK Christmas set Zombie musical directed by John McPhail. Since its debut at Fantastic fest last year, it has been making waves around the festival circuit, winning the audience award at the Edinburgh International film festival. It will be released theatrically in the UK and US in time for the festive season. John McPhail, Director of ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE, said: "I am over the moon to receive this award, to know my peers enjoyed the film... I only started directing 6 years ago, and to receive Best Director award from a film festival like Grimmfest really puts the icing on the cake." BCL have already agreed to partner with the festival next year, when they will again be offering big prizes for BEST FILM and BEST DIRECTOR categories and Grimmfest is also excited to announce the introduction of a new award category WORK IN PROGRESS, in association with BCL. The winning filmmaker will receive access to all-important post production services that will enable the completion of their film. Michael Laundon, Managing Partner at BCL, adds “All of us at BCL are delighted to be prize sponsors for Grimmfest, as they enter their second decade. BCL was established with a quest to truly help independent movies to not only get made but to be finished. We hope to continue our support of Grimmfest in the years to come.” Finally, Grimmfest is thrilled to announce that Barbara Crampton has agreed to become head of the Festival Jury for Grimmfest 2019." Grimmfest 2019 will take place in early October in Manchester UK. Film submissions will open December 2018 via Film Freeway. More information about the festival can be found at www.grimmfest.com

Apostle film review ★★★★Directed by: #GarethEvans Written by: Gareth Evans Starring: #DanStevens, #MichaelSheen, #MarkLewisJones, #PaulHiggins, #LucyBoynton, #BillMilner, #KristineFroseth, #ElenRhys, #SharonMorgan, #SebastianMcCheyne Netflix Film Review by: #DanGunderman Gareth Evans, whose feature-length credits include the Indonesian Raid films, enters the more mainstream #horror genre with a bang – and a conflagration, along with bloody sacrifices. His #Netflix project Apostle, starring Downton Abbey alum Dan Stevens, also of Legion fame, blends horror subgenres, offers wonderfully austere visuals and builds unique characters, each of whom resides on a frightening Welsh island for a specific purpose. These many variables coalesce into a complex, multidimensional and piercingly memorable project. Stevens is a serviceable lead, as the cynical former Christian missionary, Thomas Richardson. He stacks up nicely against Michael Sheen (Passengers), who plays cult leader and ‘prophet,’ Malcolm Howe, and the film’s most haunting presence (even more so than a fragile, cannibalistic deity), Mark Lewis Jones, who plays Howe’s henchman, Quinn. Apostle is graced with strong performances from this ensemble, which also includes Lucy Boynton, who plays Howe’s guiltless daughter, Andrea. Nevertheless, Apostle is carried through its 129-minute runtime by macabre visuals (i.e., hooded fanatics, a bleak countryside, a backwoods hideaway), careful, cinematic restraint and sound narrative structure. In the film, Richardson travels to a remote Welsh island to falsely assimilate into Howe’s cult, anchored by bloodletting, treasonous preaching and harsh consequences for wandering after curfew. The cult had informed the Richardson estate that Thomas’ sister, Jennifer (Elen Rhys), was abducted by the cult for ransom. Richardson, scarred from his days in Peking during the Boxer Rebellion, has nothing to lose on his quest to rescue his sister. But first, he must lie low and earn the trust of the cult’s three-person counsel, of sorts, including ex-convicts Quinn and Frank (Paul Higgins). Malcolm’s daughter, Lucy, stands as a legitimate distraction to Thomas, as she becomes a potential love interest. Yet, Thomas must blackmail a leader’s son, Jeremy (Bill Milner), to assist him as he looks to free his sister and learn more about the bedrock of the mysterious Welsh island. Apostle is a film you simply cannot turn away from, as each beat, and each frame, is packed with fine detail and plot-progressing clues. The barren darkness and the silhouetted frames before raging bonfires easily impress themselves into your memory, while the cultish ritual is perfectly eerie. Outside of production values – which match the era in dress, dialogue and cultural influence – the film’s structure is sound, as the plot essentially thickens through each act. That is to say that Thomas’ journey transforms from one of vengeance to horrific curiosity, to sheer survival. Unlike many formulaic films, Apostle stands alone as it seems to mix projects like M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village, Ari Aster’s Hereditary and Robert Eggers’ The Witch, among others. The folk horror project is distinct, pointed, nuanced and expeditious – as it flows at a sinister tempo toward its climactic moments with a mutated caregiver, fervent devotees and the island’s crop-repelling soil. Evans’ attention to detail is commendable, thanks to the full frames from cinematographer Matt Flannery. Even as Evans introduces more conflict, with characters left vulnerable to hellish ritual and medieval torture tools, the lure of the island alone is enough to keep viewers engaged. Like the American smash hit Lost, the island becomes a character in and of itself – although with much darker context. Thematically, Apostle shows viewers how blind faith can be detrimental in a world that demands conscience and reason. The cult’s adherents come to the one-time-wasteland as a way to escape societal pressures, but their hopes are shattered as they learn that one cannot flourish, over time, by trampling others. Apostle makes for quality viewing, backed by a strong ensemble performance and historical accuracy, along with grit, gore and a willingness to skew the genre at will.

★★★★ Directed by: #FredCavender Written by: Fred Cavender Starring: #KaitlinMcGill, #LloydLewis, #DanRock, #StanTranVan Short Film Review by: #ChrisOlson Golden-eye for a great story and a Licence to Kill audience expectations, filmmaker Fred Cavender serves up a brand new short film that should be Moon-raking in the dollars...and can you guess the genre? That's right. Clown horror. Sorry that should have said #spymovies. Lloyd Lewis plays Jim, a suavely dressed man who enters a bar looking like James Bond. He approaches a pretty woman called Bonnie (Kaitlin McGill) pays for her drink and orders his own all the while a voiceover is communicating commands about retrieving a disk of high importance. As the two onscreen characters embark on a flirty repartee, numerous signposts emerge that suggest all is not as it seems. Known for twisting the format of well-loved cinematic tropes, Cavender is in his element with Bonnie, a short film that not only knows and respects its secret agent heritage but has a lot of fun skewing it. The slick aesthetic is complemented wonderfully with a ballsier-than-Bond style that is bordering on #GuyRitchie especially the final moments and credits of the short. The performances were solid but unremarkable. Lewis, who has thoroughly impressed in other Cavender movies, doesn't appear to have enough substance to chew on in the script. The cliched lines see him treading water for most of the duration and just when Bonnie looks to be injecting a sumptuous catalyst into the plot...it ends. McGill (another Cavender regular) is good but, again, could have been developed further. The simple premise which Cavender opts for leaves them in the cold slightly. ABOVE: the official Movie Trailer for Bonnie. Some of the set pieces were cleverly crafted. A running gag with a drunken bloke (Dan Rock) was nicely executed, lending a degree of farce to the proceedings. As was the use of voiceover - which was all the more impressive in hindsight. Where the short succeeds is largely in bolstering the portfolio of Cavender's work. Another genre box ticked and using his cheeky approach to boot. Whilst I urge viewers to stay tuned for a feature length from the writer and director, this outing is unlikely to make the top 5 of his films. Instead, it is an enjoyable and fun take on the spy movie that should not be For Your Eyes Only… I'll get my coat.

★★★★ Directed by: #MatthewHill Starring: #RosieFrecker, #JamesKirk, #PaulinaLejon Short Film Review by: #JackBottomley Opening in a woodland setting that reminds of the realistic post apocalyptic-esque wilderness of the earlier moments in this year’s excellent #JohnKrasinski horror A Quiet Place, Faith comes to further remind of that film in part as it remains dialogue free for its brief but eventful duration. I always admire films that restrain the dialogue, as the actors have to work very hard to tell a story through physicality, and for that matter so do the #filmmakers. Faith manages to do just that and, even if it feels purposefully incomplete, it leaves you eager to see more. Writer/director Matthew Hill evokes The Hunger Games at points, in a film that has a backstory veiled in #mystery; instead he opts to simplify his wordless narrative as the story sees Faith (Rosie Frecker) travelling through the woods and happening upon the brutal aftermath of a conflict, before realizing she is now an unwilling target herself. With small hints at a larger story, this sci-fi infused action/thriller is a concise burst of suspense and ripe for future development. The quality of the shooting, Raffy Tsakanika’s make-up and the action makes Faith feel at home on more on a cinema screen and it is a rare occasion that you would have been quite happy to see a full feature rather than a short but here that is very much the case. DOP Austin Hill gives the film a natural and stripped down setting and it marries well with some intense music work from Giuseppe Alfano, which comes into effect when Hill turns on the action. The central plot feels like one piece of a puzzle in creating a larger world and the symbol that appears on multiple characters hands, as well as the shady mask-clad infantry pursuing an – as yet untold – device leaves much to build upon and leaves the viewer generally intrigued by what comes next. Undoubtedly more is to follow but if this is actually an entire plot, the details given string together well enough to create a vague but beautiful little world, with all manner of theory that can be applied to this story of survival against an overpowering and oppressive force. Not to mention a neat calling card for this talented team. ABOVE: the official movie trailer for Faith. The costumes feel polished and real and the characters, while not detailed, fit into this survivalist tale nicely. The best of the cast is the resilient and enduring Faith - a traveller clearly part of a larger cause - portrayed by Rosie Frecker really well, as the actress captures a very human sense of survival instinct in a horrible predicament. She is also joined by the strong support of James Kirk and Paulina Lejon in this dystopian work that leaves the door open for more mythos building and in the process establishes – in a very short time – some tough lead characters. Matthew Hill clearly has a plan here and the level of the work on display is impressive, feeling slickly delivered and very professional and accomplished. I personally hope there is more to come from the world of Faith, as I really do, ahem, have a lot of faith in it. Faith is a very well delivered and entertaining short film that comes from a talented crew, who deserve to have a bright future in filmmaking.