★★★★★ Directed by: #ChrisBrake Written by: Chris Brake Starring: #TrevorMann, #WendyFisher, #JosephClowser, #MaxBavington and #LaraGallagher Short Film Review by: #RachelPullen One man’s trash is another man's treasure, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade....and so forth. Yeah we have heard it all before, garbage, garbage everywhere, do you’re recycling, USE THE PROPER BINS!!!! There is 8.3 billion tonnes of plastic waste in the world at this moment, so isn’t it nice that an old man who is lonely decided to make friends out of it...yes, yes it is nice. Scraps is a story of just that, the tale of Gordon [played by Trevor Mann] who has crafted a family of his own out of all the garbage he has produced over the time spent in his flat, lovingly they sit placed round the table, eating a meal with him, and reflected on the T.V is a family in the 50’s, displaying all the values and love he so clearly longs for. He bumbles around, trying to keep the people who are real in his life, while trying to keep those who are not in one piece. Everything feels disjointed, kind of a shambles, almost like the puppets he surrounds himself with, the main puppet's head is made of half a football and eggs...I’m sure that helps you get a better idea of what I’m talking about, yeah eggs. As it all seems to be falling apart, his loneliness closing in on him, football egg face boy [that’s his Christian given name] comes to the rescue, revealing himself to be alive to his creator and father, allowing the pair to both fill a void in their lives, a void to feel wanted. Visually this short is faultless, the #puppets, the set, the costumes, everything falls into place so well, creating the mish-mashed lifestyle of our leading man Gordon right before our eyes. Just from looking at his apartment you feel kinda dirty, like a session with the bleach spray really wouldn’t go a miss, but that’s a good thing, we need to be fully immersed in his world to fully be immersed in the emotional content. Talking of emotional content, Scraps is brimming with it, telling the tale of not just a man who makes puppets, we don’t need that, Pinocchio annoyingly already exists, but more a tale of loneliness, of isolation, which is something we all have experienced at some point in our lives, and so can all relate to. So deep within my #robot body, even I, your favourite film critic felt a moment of connection to football egg face boy and his daddy, and that should be enough to make you pull up your bean bag chair, crack open a packet of Jaffa Cakes and get ready to feel real feelings, as you delve into the messy but creative world of Gordon and his puppet pals, and then make a wife from that Jaffa Cake wrapper...go on, help the earth.

★★★★ Directed by: #MichaelMcDonough, #JoshuaLewindon Written by: #BenWoodhall Starring: #HarryWinchester, #BlairRobertson, #ZoeVauxThompson, #JeremyTodd, #LaurenNicoleMayes Film Review by: #DarrenTilby Kingdom tells the true story of Jack Newman, a 16-year-old member of the church of Jehovah, and closeted homosexual, and acts as a sobering reminder that whilst we like to think of ourselves as a tolerant society, we’re still a long way from actually being one. We’re brought into the film with a simple but effective motion animated intro, which foreshadows what could be considered the defining moments of our protagonists young life. Dedicated to his faith and his family but unable, and unwilling to deny his feelings, Jack Newman is involved in a secret love affair with an older man named Matthew. One night, upon his return home, Jack’s sister, Susie, catches the pair in a passionate embrace; setting off a chain of events which will force Jack to confront both his faith and his sexuality. Harry Winchester gives a marvelous central performance as Jack; never once faltering in his delivery or bearing. But there’s also a very good supporting cast present too: Zoe Vaux-Thompson, Jeremy Todd and Lauren-Nicole Mayes complete the concerned but not at all supportive Newman family and Blair Robertson stars as Jack’s lover, Matthew, who’s harbouring secrets of his own. There are a few problems here and there with lines of dialogue falling flat or feeling slightly forced amongst the supporting cast, but nothing really problematic. Kingdom is a really well put together film whose #cinematography (by Raffa Ramos) and soundtrack (by Alex Mills) act as the narrator during the film’s beautifully framed contemplative shots; silent of all but the haunting soundtrack and ambient sound. But the film’s greatest achievement, at least as far as I’m concerned, is the startling efficacy it has to create that sense of alienation, abandonment and confusion that Jack must have felt; it’s inescapable and almost sickening. Once Jack’s secrets are brought to light by his sister, he is confronted about his “sins” by church representatives: Jack sits on one side of his kitchen table, and on the other, three church representatives and his parents glare, accuse, judge, and, ultimately, denounce him until he “...repent on these sins…”. In a way, this one scene – which is foreshadowed during the animated intro – perfectly summarises Jack’s predicament; he himself rightly says, “How can I be sorry for something I have no control over?”. ABOVE: the official movie trailer for Kingdom. The message is loud and clear: and whilst this film is specifically telling Jack’s story, with the church of Jehovah as the antagonist; being bathed in a sinister and cult-like radiance, it’s not hard to imagine how it could apply to any young #LGBTQ person trying to come out to those around them and the sense of loneliness that can come from feeling like you have no one to talk to or nowhere to go. Kingdom left me wanting to know more about Jack’s story: it ends agonisingly quickly and on somewhat of a cliffhanger. But this is a tremendous first effort from Faktory Productions, who have made a heartbreaking and powerful film: no, it’s not perfect, but any problems the film does have are quickly drowned out by the sheer amount of raw emotion and talent on-screen. There is much to contemplate here, but if you take only one thing away from this film, please let it be a deeper respect and understanding of the courage young #LGBTQ people need to possess just to live their lives.

★★★★ Directed by: #BiplabDas Starring: #ArchismanKarmakar Short Film Review by: #EdwardDenehan The Orphan Lute is an independent short film from Bengali-based Blackmilk Productions, telling the simplistic narrative of an orphaned child-labourer who, on a routine excursion to a river to clean utensils for the roadside hotel he works at, encounters a fish trapped in a shallow puddle a few yards away from the water, and sets about freeing it. At its core, The Orphan Lute is built upon a parallel between the orphan and the fish: both are trapped, due to circumstances beyond their control or understanding, in an environment that provides some degree of existence, but neither the longevity and security they could have. Such a symbiotic relationship is made more evident given there is no dialogue throughout, establishing an unexpected but interesting commonality. It is a straight-forward parallel, but one that effectively highlights the inescapable plight that many children face around the world. While the orphan acts as the fish’s saviour, it is implied that there will never be an equivalent for the orphan, and that he will forever be confined to his ‘shallow puddle’ of squalor. Ultimately, any chance of escape is purely down to luck. This poignant message is reinforced by the fact that when the fish is ultimately freed, there is no shift in either visual or musical tone to something more overtly positive. Instead, the film ends with the orphan merely returning to his initial task of cleaning utensils in the river. Nevertheless, there is an underlying sense of invulnerable childhood innocence and curiosity. Perhaps it stems from a degree of naivety, but the orphan’s initial decision to help the fish and his fleeting smile once it is freed allows an abstract degree of beauty and positivity to come through, even though every other aspect of the film says otherwise and such a moment is both insignificant and brief. This inference sells the idea that that the orphan is just like any other child around the world, making it even more heartbreaking to see him in such a situation. As a micro-budget indie short, The Orphan Lute is characterised by expected technical imperfections, ranging from sporadic camera movement to clunky transitions between shots to characters spiking the lens. Depending on the viewer, these can be forgivable or insurmountable problems. However, such shortcomings work in the film’s favour in my opinion, for they flesh out a sense of realism that flashy, stylistic editing or Oscar-worthy direction cannot. Case in point, the central performance by Archisman Karmakar as the orphan is one characterised by a child, rather than a child-actor. This distinction forgives his surface-level amateur flaws, and allows the film to take on the quality of a #documentary without directly being one. Consequently, the aforementioned central message concerning the state of orphaned children and child-labourers on a global scale is made that much more evocative. Likewise, the #cinematography is nothing exciting or visually-stunning, but nor should it be. Rather than being made up of highly-saturated vistas, director Biplab Das builds a world that lacks visual distinction, blurring everything into an unpleasant void of murkiness, both literally and metaphorically. With a monochromatic colour palette that emphasises browns and greys in an ecosystem that has the potential for vibrancy cleverly sells this sense of genuine unpleasantness. While nothing ground-breaking, The Orphan Lute evokes a potent central message that shines through well enough to make viewing worthwhile. However, such success relies heavily on audiences accepting and looking beyond its overt, surface-level technical immaturity.

★★★★ Directed by: #GeorgeTillmanJr. Written by: #AudreyWells Starring: #AmandlaStenberg #ReginaHall #RussellHornsby #AlgeeSmith #Common #AnthonyMackie #IssaRae Film Review by: #GeorgeWolf The Hate U Give becomes one of the year's better films not because it elevates an oft-maligned genre (though that fresh air blast certainly doesn't hurt), but instead for how it wraps troubling, vital societal issues around an absorbing family drama. Adapted from the best selling Young Adult novel by Angie Thomas, the film slaps you with reality right from the opening, when a commanding father (Russell Hornsby) is giving his young children "the talk" - not about sex, but about how to survive when they are pulled over by the police. You may see this as either familiar or eyebrow-raising, and that is precisely the point. Like so many YA dramas, THUG is anchored by a special young girl. Here, she's Starr Carter (Amandla Stenberg), but Starr's specialness isn't a device that panders, it's one that is intelligently used to illustrate two very different Americas. She lives in a Georgia "hood" with her family, but attends a private Catholic school in the 'burbs, and not, as her mother (Regina Hall) says, "because she needs to learn how to pray." On the ride home after a weekend party in her neighborhood, Starr becomes the only witness to the fatal police shooting of her childhood friend Khalil (Detroit's Algee Smith). She's reluctant to come forward for a variety of reasons (all logical), and as the pressure builds from different sides, reactions to the killing bring the contrasts between Starr's two worlds into clear, illuminating focus. Director George Tillman, Jr. (Notorious) and screenwriter Audrey Wells (who sadly passed away just weeks ago) craft a thoughtful balance as the narrative progresses, cutting deeper via an impressive restraint that holds until the final few minutes hit a more tidy, didactic vein. But when this film works, which is most of the time, it works wonderfully. Through Starr's eyes (and yes, narration) we navigate heady terrain: white privilege, systemic oppression, Black Lives Matter, all lives matter, victim blaming, mass incarceration, cultural appropriation and liberal guilt. And Stenberg, leading a strong ensemble which also includes Anthony Mackie, Issa Rae and Common, rises to the material after some cookie-cutter YA fare (The Darkest Minds, Everything, Everything) with her best performance to date, moving Starr believably through grief, confusion, anger, defiance and hard decisions. It's character development that respects both the character and the audience. And in trusting that YA audience with some bitter pills, becomes a required dose for the rest of us.

★★★★ Directed by #DavidGordonGreen Written by #DavidGordonGreen #DannyMcBride #JeffFradley Starring #JamieLeeCurtis #JudyGreer #AndiMatichak #HalukBilginer Film Review by #HopeMadden Any sequel to an iconic horror—particularly one that introduced a nightmarish, game changing villain—is bound to disappoint in some fashion because our imagination has attached its own terror to the story and the boogeyman that no one else can match. Though they certainly tried their best with the Michael Myers franchise, to the tune of seven sequels and two reboots preceding this 40th anniversary comeback, Halloween. Wisely, director/co-writer David Gordon Green and his writing partners Danny McBride and Jeff Fradley ignore all those other films, creating a universe where only John Carpenter’s 1978 original exists. Jamie Lee Curtis returns to the star-making role of Laurie Strode, Carpenter’s final girl who has spent the last 40 years struggling to recover from the trauma of that Halloween night by stockpiling guns, booby-trapping her home and alienating her family. She’s not the only character with a one-track mind. Myers's attending doc, Dr. Sartain (Haluk Bilginer) thinks of, studies and devotes himself to nothing else but his star patient. “You’re the new Loomis,” Laurie Strode quips upon meeting him—exactly what we were thinking. And though Bilginer’s performance borders on camp (and not in that respectable way Donald Pleasance had of overacting), his musings articulate the film’s basic principles. After 40 years of obsessing over having failed to achieve their goals—neither killed the other—Laurie Strode and Michael Myers are as connected as they might be if they were still siblings. See, that came up in 1981’s Halloween II, so no longer canon. Green’s direct sequel is, above all things, a mash note to the original. Visual odes continually call back to Carpenter, often in ways that allude to an intriguing about face the film is leading to. Aside from Bilginer and Andi Matichak—unmemorable as Strode’s high school-aged granddaughter, Allyson—the cast is far stronger than what any of the other sequels could boast. The humor peppered throughout the film, mainly as dialog between characters about to be butchered, too often undermines the tension being built. But Green, whose style refuses to be pinned down, embraces the slasher genre without submitting to it. Kills—more numerous and grisly than the first go round—are often handled offscreen, just the wet thud or slice of the deed to enlighten us until the corpse gets a quick showcase. The result is a jumpy, fun, “don’t go in there!” experience reminiscent of the best of the genre. The film takes it up a notch in its final reel, as tables turn, panic rooms open and cop heads become Jack-o-lanterns. The result is a respectful, fun and creepy experience meant to be shared with a crowd.

★★★★ Directed by: #PaulDano Written by: #PaulDano, #ZoeKazan Starring: #CareyMulligan, #JakeGyllenhaal, #EdOxenbould, #BillCamp Film Review by: #HannahSayer Adapted from the #RichardFord novel of the same name, Paul Dano’s accomplished directorial debut #Wildlife is brimming with passion both in front of and behind the camera. This exploration of family, growing up and the mysteries surrounding who your parents are amidst the breakdown of their marriage is one of the best from this year’s #BFILondonFilmFestival. In 1960s Montana, the Brinsons are your everyday American family. Jeanette (Carey Mulligan), Jerry (Jake Gyllenhaal) and their son Joe (Ed Oxenbould) moved to Montana for Jerry to find work. Their family life is disrupted when Jerry is fired from his job at the local golf club. He quickly loses his sense of purpose and becomes frustrated with the way he is living his life, which results in him abandoning his family to fight the wildfires that are raging on the Canadian border. This betrayal from Jerry forms the catalyst for Jeanette to rebel against the typical ideals of the time about being both a woman and a mother. Joe is forced into a position of adulthood and his relationship with his mother is tested with the arrival of Jeanette’s lover Warren Miller (Bill Camp). The Montana setting becomes synonymous with the narrative, often being framed by the camera as bleak, gloomy and oppressive. The wildfires continue to burn and consume the surrounding landscape, while tensions build to a point of eruption in the Brinson household. In her exquisite performance as Jeanette, Mulligan captures the layers to her three dimensional character which Dano and Kazan have constructed as flawed, messy, complex, and so many other traits which are both positive and negative. She is both quiet and contained at times, and angry and passionate in others. It is rare to see a woman who can be selfish, even as a mother, depicted in this way on screen. Gyllenhaal has little screen time, yet Jerry’s presence is felt deeply throughout the film. His absence becomes all the more powerful and elevates the tensions at play between Jeanette and Joe. Dano and Kazan’s screenplay adds depth to these characters and their shared story. As an actor himself, Dano’s carefully considered direction gives his actors room to breathe. The camera lingers on them, at times prioritising reactions over filming the action taking place. By having Joe’s viewpoint as central to the narrative, the film hones in on the idea of being in awe of your parents, but not really knowing who they are. Oxenbould gives a thoughtful performance as Joe and he more than matches up to the brilliant performances from Mulligan and Gyllenhaal. Even though the viewpoint is often from the son’s point of view, Wildlife feels timely and feminist due to positioning Jeanette’s perspective as central to the narrative. The exploration of her freedom and of her defiance to gender roles of the time is truly compelling and adds another intriguing layer to the many aspects being explored in the film. Wildlife captures complex family dynamics at play and its careful attention to detail and the formidable performances leave a profound impression. This is an exceptional debut, with Jeanette Brinson being one of Mulligan’s very best roles of her career so far. Its remarkable final image is a memorable one, with Mulligan and Gyllenhaal conveying everything between them with merely a look. Wildlife is released in cinemas on 9th November. Watch the official trailer for Wildlife below.

★★★★★ Directed by: #AndyMitton Written by: #AndyMitton Starring: #ArijaBareikis, #AlexDraper, #CharlieTacker, #GregNaughton, #CarolStanzione Grimmfest Film Festival Review by: #DarrenTilby The haunted house story is a cinematic classic; outstanding examples of which can be found in films like The Haunting and The Others. And it's these films in particular that are brought to mind whilst watching Andy Mitton's excellent The Witch in the Window. In an attempt to reconnect with his family, an estranged father, Simon, brings his twelve-year-old son, Finn, up to rural Vermont to help him flip an old farmhouse. The farmhouse – having been left abandoned for decades due to the local legend that it had belonged to a witch named Lydia – is in need of considerable modernisation. But as the father and son begin the renovation, strange things start to occur; is it just the old house creaking and groaning back to life, or is there some truth to the old legend after all? There’s only a small on-screen cast here, but the intimate and genuine performances on display gift, the film its greatest asset. Our father and son, played by Alex Draper and Charlie Tacker, form the backbone of the story; honestly, it’s hard to imagine anyone else being cast in these roles. Their individual performances are extraordinary in their own right: Draper is magnificent as Simon, an initially unsympathetic, absent father figure who undergoes a drastic, and yet – thanks in no small part to Draper’s performance – totally believable and moving character arc, whilst young Charlie Tacker gives a show-stealing performance as Finn, Simon’s estranged son, whose problems at home have caused him to feel isolated and confused. But it’s their on-screen dynamic and shared scenes that are really important here, and both actors have effortlessly put to screen a genuine and heart-warming portrayal of a strained father-son relationship, which both are desperate to understand and repair. The farmhouse, a character in itself, is an understated marvel: there are no striking intricacies in its aesthetic details and no #Gothic Revival style grandeur, but there is a kind of American #Gothic ambience present; which just works so well here. In fact, it’s this simplicity and distinct lack of anything excessive, coupled with the fact most of the supposed #supernatural activity – which itself is never overplayed – takes place during broad daylight that really made The Witch in the Window feel so special to me; we all know spooky goings-on are much more spooky if they happen when we think we’re safe. An eerie soundtrack accompanies some equally eerie #cinematography, in which the framing takes centre stage; switching between level framed shots and distorted or tilted angular shots when things begin to go awry. As I’ve already stated, The Witch in the Window is a haunted house tale in every possible way: it relies upon the atmosphere it creates and the characters who inhabit its world; avoiding the use of any crass jump scares or gorefest ‘shock endings.’ It’s far more interested in the father-son relationship which underpins the film, and, frankly, so am I. As a matter of fact, a good three-quarter of the film has almost nothing #supernatural in it at all (although it never loses that unsettling and uneasy aura) and dedicates its time developing characters and examining the complex dynamics of its leads; clearly taking inspiration from The Haunting, which was itself a kind of psychological character study. The filmmakers have also touched upon this idea that a house can be or can at least feel good or bad based on who’s lived there previously, and that it’s somehow possible for a person’s essence to remain in that house for many years after their death; it’s a really interesting idea which has been explored here with real nous. The lack of jump scares or a high body count may well put some people off, but I loved every minute of it. The Witch in the Window was one of the few genuinely chilling and affecting films I saw at the Grimmfest Film Festival and still has me thinking about it now. I’d not known what to expect when I sat down to watch it, but I was worried that it would degenerate into some bloody farce by the end; not that there’s anything wrong with that, but it wasn’t what I wanted from this film. Thankfully it never did, and I found the slower pacing and less in your face approach a refreshing change: and to top it all off, the cast is superb, the #cinematography is beautiful and the story is incredibly touching; what more could you want?

★★★ Directed by: #AlejandroBrugués, #JoeDante, #MickGarris, #RyûheiKitamura, #DavidSlade Written by: #SandraBecerril, #AlejandroBrugués, #LawrenceCConnolly, #MickGarris, #RichardChristianMatheson, #DavidSlade Starring: #MickeyRourke, #ElizabethReaser, #RichardChamberlain, #AnnabethGish Grimmfest Film Festival Review by: #DarrenTilby #Horror anthologies aren’t something we see on television much these days, let alone at the cinema. And so, when Nightmare Cinema was announced to appear at the #GrimmfestFilmFestival, I was incredibly excited. And whilst it ultimately fell short of my expectations, Nightmare Cinema is still an entertaining roller coaster ride of a film that’s bound to find an audience. Five tales of terror follow as five individuals come across an abandoned cinema: there, they’re made to watch their deepest secrets and darkest fears play out on-screen by the ominous and foreboding Projectionist (Mickey Rourke) Five tales of terror. Some better than others. First up is ‘The Thing in the Woods’ which is directed by Alejandro Brugués: a cabin-in-the-woods-style slasher movie; at first, parodying the likes of Friday the 13th, the film ends by really shaking up the genre’s formulaic narrative; adding an extraterrestrial element to this already bizarre tale. This was possibly my least favourite of the five tales: a disjointed plot and questionable performances from its cast – although this may have been purposefully tongue-in-cheek, it was hard to tell – left me feeling confused and a little deflated by the end. And whilst I get what the director was trying to achieve (the dismantling of a subgenre of horror riddled by cheesy tropes) it just didn’t work for me. Next, we have ‘Mirare’, brought to us by director Joe Dante: this tale of plastic surgery gone wrong serves as a terrifying exploration of our obsession, as a society, of beauty and the lengths we will go to achieve ‘perfection.’ This is a competently told story that gets its message across coherently and eloquently: the narrative simmers at a steady pace and never feels overlong or rushed; ramping up to a finale which is genuinely surprising and deeply chilling. The performances from the cast are good across the board, with Richard Chamberlain giving a sterling performance as the sinister Dr. Mirari. And whilst I was initially put out by the seemingly odd chemistry between our on-screen couple, it turns out there is a very good narrative reason for it. The third tale of terror is 'Mashit’, by director Ryûhei Kitamura: this damning commentary on religious hypocrisy (particularly in Catholicism) examines the corrupting influence of a demonic entity brought into being by the sins of Father Benedict (Maurice Benard); the classic tale of practising what you preach. It also solicited a flood of immature giggles from the audience (myself included) everytime the titular demon was referenced—try to guess why! Another well-written and well-acted segment: the plot paces itself well, and an eerie, otherworldly, and deeply troubling atmosphere exudes from the dimly-lit interiors. Or at least for the first three-quarters of the film, after which it devolves into a sort of madcap, ridiculous bloodbath that I really could have done without. The cast, on the other hand, is consistent throughout; all giving confident, capable and intriguing performances in their representation of a deeply Catholic group being torn apart as much by the impious behaviour of Father Benedict and Sister Patricia than any demonic possession. The penultimate tale, ‘This Way to Egress’, directed by David Slade is one of my favourites: a highly stylised, black and white tale which plays out like a nightmarish and surreal descent into madness; in which a mother with suicidal tendencies is seemingly pushed closer and closer to the breaking point. The narrative begins, and indeed, continues at a very steady pace, some may even say slowly: and, truthfully, this segment did seem to go on for far longer than it actually did; but for me, this worked in its favour: the sense of fear, dread and complete isolation this claustrophobic, black and white dreamscape conjured is palpable; mix that with possibly the strongest cast on display in Nightmare Cinema and you have a deeply affecting short film, which seemed to me to be saying something about mental illness, or more importantly, our attitude towards the mentally ill and the inefficiency of the systems put in place to deal with it. Our final tale, ‘Dead’, by Mick Garris, sees a young man, Riley (Faly Rakotohavana) and his parents gunned down in, what appears to be, a random shooting. Riley’s parents die, but he survives and awakens to find himself in critical condition in hospital with a somewhat unusual new ability—he can see and communicate with ghosts; including that of his mother, who beckons Riley to “Come with me.” Another almost pitch-perfect segment here: honestly, the only complaint I have about this tale is the seemingly random nature of the killing that sets the cogs in motion: there didn’t seem to be any indication as to why Riley’s family was targeted in the first place, and, consequently, felt like nothing more than a convenient plot device. Other than that, this is a well-acted piece that paces itself well and ends with a satisfyingly melancholic overture; whilst it may be the end of our short window into Riley’s life with his new-found ability, it’s surely just the start of something much bigger for him. Nightmare Cinema is let down mainly by its inconsistent and incoherent nature: One of the segments didn’t work for me at all; two were just good, and two were outstanding. The unclear nature of the Projectionist and his motives didn’t help either, however, it did provide an entertaining, if somewhat contrived, downtime; linking the stories well enough. Ultimately though, Nightmare Cinema provides five fantastically diverse tales; ensuring anyone and everyone will find something here to love.

★★ Directed by: #RobbieWalsh Written by: #RobbieWalsh #DavidAlexanderRoache Starring: #RobbieWalsh #DavidAlexanderRoache Indie Film Review by: #HannahSayer #RobbieWalsh and #DavidAlexanderRoache play two hitmen in S.P.L.I.T, an Irish #mockumentary set over a couple of days during the Autumn of 2013 in Dublin. A camera crew follows these two hitmen round to document their jobs and what they get up to along the way. The majority of the film takes place while they’re on the road between each job, as the two hitmen, who also happen to be brothers, are discussing different topics while they’re being filmed from the backseat. We are introduced to their different targets, and the many different ways they go about killing these characters off. They both have to decide whether this is something they want to do forever, or whether they want to leave their job behind them. The shaky camera movements and jolty close up shots are realistic ways in which the filming methods utilized reinforce the believability that this is being filmed as if it were a mockumentary. The filmmaker Robbie Walsh describes the film as being “In the vein of #TheOffice” and the way it is filmed is one way that Walsh appears to have been inspired by the hit comedy. Their conversations range from drinking, dating and relationships to more thought provoking subjects such as religion and various social issues. A long running joke throughout is whether James Bourne or James Bond would win in a fight, which is one of the more light-hearted ways in which #comedy is used to portray how desensitised these hitmen are to what they are doing as their job. The film does a good job at parodying the genre, especially in scenes when the hit men describe directly to camera how they’re going to kill each of their victims. The tone of S.P.L.I.T feels muddled throughout. It isn’t particularly funny, yet it is definitely trying to be. Some of the conversations verge on the side of being politically incorrect in a way that is offensive rather than clever or used as an interesting point of discussion. The character’s morals are intriguingly presented as blurred, for example when one of the hit men apologises for not being politically correct during one of these discussions, yet he doesn’t apologise for killing someone brutally only moments earlier. However, the main issue is that the film feels drawn out, as the structure of the narrative means that the plot becomes repetitive rather quickly. S.P.L.I.T’s mockumentary style filmmaking is effective at capturing and parodying #documentary filming techniques, but the other aspects of the film fall short. Watch the official movie trailer for S.P.L.I.T below.

★★★★ Directed by: #ElcidAsaei Written by: Elcid Asaei Starring: #RogerCarvalho, #StephenTBox, #JácintDávid, #CaterinaGrosoli Short Film Review by: #ChrisOlson A hypnotic and arresting #shortfilm from writer/director/producer Elcid Asaei, Unskin is a tale of identity in the modern age told using an impressive blend of #mystery, #experimental, #horror and movement cinema. Roger Carvalho plays an interviewee also called Roger, whose potential employer seems less than impressed with during their tense meeting. Seemingly unfazed, though, Roger reluctantly explains one part of his CV after being questioned about it, a rather intriguing bullet-point that says, “Unskin”. The audience is then treated to an array of sequences that tie in people Roger saw on the tube with this masked deity who is lurking around the streets looking to release people from their materialistic chains. As the same group of commuters is brought together and undergo puppet-master style choreography, a powerful message of change or even revolution is released into the air. Slick and stylish, Asaei proves himself to be a #filmmaker capable of producing bold, daring movies that look visually impressive. There is a fantasy feel to the aesthetic that is brilliant in sucking the viewer into a narrative that is fairly dark and mysterious. Whilst the plot is fairly vague in its execution, Unskin finds its biggest strength in the unsaid. The powerful movement sequences and the #nightmarish figure that haunts/enlightens the characters are more than enough for audiences the grapple with. The use of numerous locations was smart, especially the exterior street sequences which lended a sense of urban myth to the atmosphere, the idea that this god-like figure could be lurking around any corner was an important factor in creating an uncomfortable dread for the viewer. Stylistically, it was the use of silhouette during the aforementioned puppet-master dance scene that provided the most memorable sequence of Unskin. A phenomenally engaging piece of movement that was fluid and thoughtful. There are some clunky moments of dialogue and wooden performances in the interview scene and some viewers may find the loftier motives of Unskin a little hard to chew on. However, there are some excellent themes running through the short film and Elcid Asaei handles them with an artistry that should be commended. To tell a story about 21st century materialism in such a stark manner is already noteworthy but to combine so many wonderful genres in doing so is simply fascinating to watch.

★★★★ Directed by: #DavidLowery Written by: #DavidLowery #DavidGrann Starring: #RobertRedford #SissySpacek #CaseyAffleck Film Review by: #GeorgeWolf Even if this doesn't end up being Robert Redford's final film as an actor, it's understandable why he'd be tempted to make it his swan song. Redford's decades-long status as a screen icon has always leaned more on charm than range, and The Old Man & the Gun wears that strategy like a favorite pair of broken-in boots. Director/co-writer David Lowery adapts a magazine article on a likable rogue named Forest Tucker, who broke out of San Quentin at the age of 70 and earned his folk hero status with a string of brazen bank robberies. Tucker (Redford, natch) plots the heists with his grey-haired gang of two (Danny Glover, Tom Waits) and flirts with the farm-living Jewel (Sissy Spacek) while lawman John Hunt (Casey Affleck) is on his tail. And the old scalawag couldn't be happier while doing it. The story is light and whimsical, but thanks to the veteran actors and the slyly understated direction, it's got a frisky heart that won't quit. Watching Redford and Spacek together is a joy in itself, as Jewel's bemused-but-curious reaction to her new suitor only brings more twinkles to his eye. Then there's Affleck easily filling Hunt with the perfect strain of frustration-laced respect, and Waits delivering some deliciously dry one-liners. But it's Lowery who may be the real wonder here. After Ain't Them Bodies Saints, Pete's Dragon and A Ghost Story, he again shows unique storytelling instincts no matter what tonal gears he's shifting. This film is a satisfied mosey, one that serves as a sunset ride for a Hollywood legend while letting the exploits of a charming bandit reinforce the value of just loving what you do. For Tucker, it was robbing banks. For Redford, it was being an iconic leading man. Lowery makes sure they both get a proper sendoff.

★★★★ Directed by: #EvaVives Written by: #EvaVives Starring: #MaryElizabethWinstead #Common Film Review by: #GeorgeWolf Every once in a while, a movie comes along that lets you see a very funny impression of Werner Herzog ordering a smoothie. All About Nina is that movie, and a good bit more. A confident, impressive feature debut from writer/director Eva Vives, it rides a sensational lead performance from Mary Elizabeth Winstead for a character study with a timely and tenacious bite. Winstead is Nina, a standup comic in New York whose edgy routines about dating shed light on her tumultuous personal life. She prefers one night stands over boyfriends, but still can't totally free herself from a dysfunctional relationship with a married man (Chace Crawford). Needing a shakeup, Nina moves to L.A. to pursue a spot on Comedy Prime, the late nite brass ring for up and coming comics. As she fine tunes her audition material, a stop/start romance with the easygoing Rafe (Common) pushes Nina to reconsider her aversion to commitment. Winstead's fearless performance, one that should be remembered this awards season, hooks you from the start, bringing a sympathetic charm to Nina's defensive, anxiety-ridden persona. An impressive Common crafts Rafe as Nina's cool, collected opposite attraction, and the actors' natural chemistry leads to a fear that the film will be content to chase the type of romantic fantasy Nina rails about onstage. Vives has more than that on her mind. The standup comic who uses laughter to mask pain is a well-worn path, but Vives uses the very comfort in that cliche to point out, as we've been so clearly reminded of the last few weeks, how casually some trauma is dismissed. Vives is juggling some important themes, and the few moments where the film's uncertainty breeds heavy-handedness can't diminish her exciting potential as a writer and director. On its surface a look at giving yourself without losing yourself, All About Nina isn't just about Nina, and that's what makes it truly resonant. It reminds us of the courage it takes for women to speak up, and the shame that comes with not listening.