Thomas Manning writes movie reviews for UK Film Critic. As one of the talented UK film critics, find out more here. Thomas Manning Thomas Manning is a film critic for UK Film Review Read Latest Film Reviews Egg Read Film Reviews Thomas Manning Remake Read Film Reviews Thomas Manning Lost Dogs Read Film Reviews Thomas Manning

Fireline film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Bobby Soto, Joshua Caleb Johnson, Darin Cooper directed by Robin Takao D'Oench. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Fireline Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Aug 3, 2024 Directed by: Robin Takao D'Oench Written by: Robin Takao D'Oench Starring: Bobby Soto, Joshua Caleb Johnson, Darin Cooper An incarcerated wildland firefighter faces a massive challenge as he tries to communicate with his daughter while battling a wildfire. Otto (Soto) is an inmate in a prison in the Arroyo Valley. Wildfires are threatening the surrounding area and he participates in the Conservation Camp Programme, which is a programme that trains prisoners to become firefighters as a means of rehabilitation. Otto has a young daughter, today is her birthday and he is very eager to phone her. However, his attempts to do so are disrupted when he and the rest of the team of aspiring firefighters are sent to the countryside in order to help combat a fire. This short adventure drama acknowledges the significance of incarcerated wildland firefighters, primarily through the character of Otto. Although he committed a crime, he clearly intends to turn his life around. That is evident by his decision to become a firefighter and do good and by the fact that he cares deeply for his daughter, who he desperately wants to talk to. It is strongly indicated that learning how to be a firefighter has mabe him a better person as when he arrives at the valley where the fire is, he does his duty with determination even after he has been informed that his request for parole has been denied. His fellow inmates show equal bravery and selflessness, making it clear that the programme works in terms of rehabilitation. Otto makes an intriguing protagonist. Although he is a convict, viewers will most likely root for him. He is a caring parent, a religious person and a dedicated firefighter. He clearly wants to leave his past behind him and focus on being a good father to his child and make a contribution to the world as a firefighter. The production value is quite impressive and is at the same level as Hollywood films. The creativity with the special effects effectively places the viewer in the middle of a huge fire devouring nature, with smoke and fire surrounding the firefighters.There is complete chaos and the scenes are supported by Ming Jue Hu's cinematography and made more tense with Kunda Yu's dynamic score. This is a story about bravery, danger, survival and parenthood. Incarcerated wildlife firefighters are the core of this film, which vividly shows what they are capable of and strongly suggests that programmes like the Conservation Camp Programme can give offenders a second chance in life, giving them the opportunity to turn their life around and make great contributions to the world. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

TV Man (Te(L)o Comando) film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring Marco Marianucci, Laura Pileri, Fabio Fieri directed by Leonardo Valenti. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS TV Man (Te(L)o Comando) Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Oct 22, 2025 Directed by: Leonardo Valenti Written by: Leonardo Valenti Starring: Marco Marianucci, Laura Pileri, Fabio Fieri It is bold of Italian screenwriter Leonardo Valenti to look back on work from as far back as 1997. Most of us can barely face looking at Facebook photos from 10 years ago, let alone a zero-budget homemade project inspired by indies of the time such as Clerks. But that is exactly what he has done with TV Man (Te(L)o Comando in its native tongue). This re-examination and re-release of his earliest work shows the eye of a filmmaker and scriptwriter was present at the genesis of his career – even if the edges on display are rough. The film follows Marco, a young man getting ready for a big date who starts to realise that a man inside his television is talking to him. Dismissing his conversation as a hallucination, Marco starts to follow the advice of his new partner as he begins to realise that he knows little about how to win over women. But the help doesn’t come without a bargain… TV Man is a fascinating rediscovery of a project from an age of indie filmmaking that has fallen out of prominence. Kevin Smith’s name is known today as a pioneer of indie cinema, but it is not until films like TV Man are looked back upon until his influence becomes clear to see. The irreverent humour, layabout everyman protagonists, inventive, raw dialogue and lo-fi atmosphere are all present in this Italian short project in which Leonardo Valenti directly credits Smith as an influence. And all stand out as strengths of the film as well. The odd framing around a self-aware, TV bound relationship allows for insightful commentary on relationships and self-growth that resonate when coming from a hungry young filmmaker. Naturally a lot of the film looks rough, an understandable and obvious byproduct of handheld cameras from the 1990s being the primary mode of shooting. Given that the film was only released in 2025 for a wider audience, it is a striking reminder how far modern films fall when trying to recreate the specific look and vibe of indie films shot at the time. Where some of the look gets distracting, and the inherent limitations of camera quality impact on the visuals (particularly during scenes with the ‘TV man’ himself), there is an undeniable charm and fascination with this film from another time. The film really isn’t much of a narrative as much of a vehicle for young filmmakers to pursue creative visual storytelling and push their meagre resources as far as they can. The obtuse plot, much like many of its genre, leads into strange and meandering territory designed to speak more of human nature than a defined journey. But TV Man is much more than the sum of these elements. Despite all its rough edges, it is clear why Valenti felt a pride in sharing such an original piece of work that could have easily been left in the vault. It is a sign that large budgets cannot trump creative vision and inspiration, and Valenti’s subsequent success should be inspirational to the young filmmakers of today wondering where their upstart projects could ever lead. Now watch Patrick's review on our YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lq_T-wkwrks Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Digital / DVD Release, Short Film, World Cinema, Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Higher Methods film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Michael Christoforo, Jamie Lyn Bagley, Aaron Andrade, Kayla Caulfield directed by Nathan Suher. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Higher Methods Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Apr 20, 2023 Directed by: Nathan Suher Written by: Lenny Schwartz Starring: Michael Christoforo, Jamie Lyn Bagley, Aaron Andrade, Kayla Caulfield A surreal and dark story about the mental torments of an actor who is looking for his missing sister. Matt (Christoforo) has arrived in Los Angeles in search of his sister Katherine (Caulfield), who disappeared mysteriously after moving there in order to make it as an actress. His investigation eventually leads him to her former acting coach, John (Andrade), who proceeds to apply his extreme methods on Matt. As time goes by, Matt attempts to solve the mystery behind his sibling's disappearance, while trying to hold on to his sanity. This is quite a tense and disturbing psychological horror feature that brings the audience into the mind of a troubled young man. The narrative bears similarities with films such as Black Swan and Whiplash , as it centres on a young artist who goes through devastating emotional torments, especially when interacting with a demanding tutor and the difference between reality and fantasy is almost non-existent. The screenplay is unconventional and it would be hard to say that there is a plot to follow. The majority of the story takes place on a small stage, where John, along with several trainee actors, viciously torments Matt with his harsh words, trying to expand his acting abilities and even gets physical. Aside from John, Matt meets a filmmaker who offers him a lead role in a movie and he develops a relationship with an actress named Shannon (Bagley). The screenplay constantly and unexpectedly moves from one scene to another and makes it hard to determine what is real and what is not, for instance, in some parts Christoforo's character has a different name and appears to be a patient in a mental institution. Matt makes an interesting protagonist, a man descending into madness and whose life and identity seem to be a mystery and Christoforo plays him with tremendous energy. John could be described as the antagonist, a ruthless acting coach whose methods turn out to be sadistic and Matt falls victim to them. Andrade delivers a chilling performance as a brutal and seemingly deranged man and his scenes are the ones that stand out the most due to their tension and content. Speaking of content, there are disturbing scenes that involve threats with knives and stabbings that sensitive viewers might find hard to watch. There are creative lighting techniques that look great thanks to Ken Willinger's cinematography and editor Eileen Slavin does an effective job with fast cutting. Commendations also go to Indy Shome for the atmospheric, sinister and dynamic music. This is not a pleasant viewing experience, rather, it is a dark, surreal and tense tale about mental health that contains threat, violence, drug use and a man who is losing his grip on reality and falls into the abyss. The scenes that include Christoforo and Andrade are the highlights of the feature and they both deliver strong performances. What is really going on might be up to the viewer to decide and it should be mentioned that the ending is not a big pay-off, however the atmosphere and tense scenes make this a memorable movie. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Antithesis film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring Mackenzie Cain, Owen Correll directed by Maddie Cobb. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Antithesis Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Oct 19, 2025 Directed by: Maddie Cobb Written by: Maddie Cobb Starring: Mackenzie Cain, Owen Correll Maddie Cobb’s Antithesis places a manipulative relationship at its centre, asking complex questions of its audience as it follows a young woman longing for a first love whose toxic traits threaten to derail her ambitions. Claire (Mackenzie Cain) is an aspiring writer who meets Aaron (Owen Correll) at a house party. Quiet and reserved by her nature, Claire is swept up by Aaron’s charisma and roguishness. Throwing caution to the wind and embracing the spontaneity Aaron propagates, she is quickly mesmerised by this new love who fuels her creativity. But over time, Aaron’s unpredictability and disregard for Claire’s priorities shows a different side to his character. Antithesis is an impressive and wizened examination of young relationships. Owen Correll’s Aaron is a poster boy for the type of boyfriend that teenage girls dream about. Exciting, magnetic, mysterious and boasting Chalamet-esque good looks, he is perfection on the surface for a romantic like Claire. Their love story gets off to the perfect start, but even in their early encounters there are red flags flying. The passion and unpredictability that romances her in their early encounters slowly reveals itself as selfishness and indifference for anyone’s wants but Aaron’s own. Maddie Cobb allows the viewer to unravel Aaron’s true self along with Claire – viewers will themselves sense his appeal in the film’s early stages and think that their relationship is something that can be rectified until late in the narrative. Mackenzie Cain proves a fantastic choice as Claire. Her intelligence, drive and creativity fuel her dream of authorship, yet Aaron’s force of personality convince her to make rash decisions well outside of her character. Cain captures the character dilemma between hesitancy and yearning for excitement, an essential element to show that even the smartest of us are vulnerable to emotional manipulation when the circumstances are right. Even as Aaron’s worst tendencies begin to show, she struggles with casting him aside, torn even when he shows up at her house late at night after ghosting her for hours. Owen Correll is similarly brilliant as Aaron, his attractive qualities clear to see but carrying also a vulnerability that acts as a shield even when his behaviours turn into unacceptable territory. The film is shot functionally and some scenes are allowed to stand out thanks to their staging – one in which Claire and Aaron speak in Aaron’s bed after she spends the night is a cleverly staged moment that first gives clues that this new mysterious love interest may not be all he sets out to be. A cool tint sits over the film that drains some of the life out of the short – an interesting decision that creates an overtone that events are not as pure and exciting as they initially appear to be. However as we experience the film through Claire’s eyes, it feels like a missed opportunity not to add energy and vibrancy with a bolder palette, at least in the early stages of the film. Antithesis is an accomplished short film that is destined to move audiences who know the confusion and confounding emotions of a troublesome first love. Lesser filmmakers would opt for a more straightforward presentation of its characters than Maddie Cobb opts for. But the presentation of Claire and Aaron’s complicated lives is what allows this film to thrive. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Digital / DVD Release, Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Jasmine Holly Bullock writes movie reviews for UK Film Critic. As one of the talented UK film critics, find out more here. Jasmine Holly Bullock Studying English Literature and Drama at Queen Mary University of London (2015-2018), and performing at the Edinburgh Fringe festival in 2017 and 2018 really helped me realise my dreams of becoming an actress. However, as I am not currently starring in any films at the moment, I shall instead satisfy myself by heavily criticising those who are. I love film and TV as much as I love sarcasm. I'd say my taste in film is very varied... Horror, rom-coms, biopics, thrillers, musicals etc. They're all great. I also have my own website where I review books, films and talk about other stuff! https://www.miniviews.co.uk/ But some of my favourite films are Green Book (2019) and The Lives of Others (2006) and anything ever created by Richard Curtis and/or Guillermo del Toro. Read Latest Film Reviews

Buddy film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Delaney Quinn, Cristin Milioti, Keegan-Michael Key directed by Casper Kelly. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Buddy Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Aug 27, 2026 Directed by: Casper Kelly Written by: Casper Kelly, Jamie King Starring: Delaney Quinn, Cristin Milioti, Keegan-Michael Key If you ever watched the old Barney & Friends TV show and worried that a big dinosaur who loses his temper could easily kill a bunch of children, well, you and Casper Kelly both. Kelly’s been making goofy horror for years: Adult Swim Yule Log , “Fun Size” from V/H/S Halloween , the “Cheddar Goblin” bit in Mandy . (That last one is genius, let’s be honest.) With Buddy , he takes us into the make-believe world of a kids’ TV show, trapped probably somewhere in the 1990s, starring a big, fuzzy, orange unicorn. Freckle faced Freddy (Delaney Quinn) is the first to notice that something seems wrong with Buddy. Just a minute ago, Buddy was helping Josh (Luke Speakman) realize that he really did want to dance. Even though Josh was pretty clear that he did not want to dance. But where is Josh? And why is Josh’s book all covered in blood? Kelly mines the unwholesome within the wholesome thanks in large part to committed set design and spot-on child performances. Plus the voice talent is nuts. Keegan-Michael Key is Buddy, Patton Oswalt does the voice of a backpack named Strappy, and Michael Shannon voices a Howdy Doody style marionette. Make believe set-up in place, Buddy jumps from TV land into the real world just long enough to hint at a larger tale. Here Topher Grace (essentially playing Topher Grace) and Cristin Milioti (wonderful) are raising their two sons, but Mom feels like something is off. Wrong. Missing. Kelly, writing with Jamie King, understands how to subvert TV logic, whether sit-com or live-action kid stuff. His instincts in the land of make believe are especially on-point. There’s something unsettling about those shows, dating back to Mr. Rogers and those terrifying puppets. Or Captain Kangaroo. What was his deal?! And Quinn guarantees you’ve emotionally invested, which is a rarity in such Midnight Movie fare. Kelly pushes the limits of the idea with a running time just over 90 minutes, but Buddy is a real unicorn. The film is clever, funny, gory, and surprisingly moving. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Beatles '64 film review by UK film critic George Wolf. Starring Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, George Harrison directed by David Tedeschi. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Beatles '64 Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: George Wolf | Posted on: Nov 26, 2024 Directed by: David Tedeschi Written by: David Tedeschi Starring: Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, George Harrison A Beatles documentary? Do we need another Beatles documentary? I don’t know, do you really need more than one plate on Thanksgiving? I’d say Beatles ’64 is thrilling enough to be pretty damn necessary for anyone even remotely interested in the history of the Fab Four. David Tedeshi – who served as Martin Scorsese’s editor on both Rolling Thunder Revue and George Harrison: Living in the Material World – takes the director’s chair this time, with Scorcese backing up as producer. Together they showcase incredible BTS footage originally shot by cinéma verité icons David and Albert Maysles. Though the Maysles brothers debuted much of what they shot in their own 1964 documentary “What’s Happening! The Beatles in the U.S.A,” this new Disney + feature includes nearly twenty minutes of never-before-seen clips. And yes, it is nostalgic gold. Here are John, Paul, George and Ringo, all fresh faced and bursting with humor, energy and naïveté. Caught in the middle of the absolute frenzy that surrounds their first trip to America, they display the boyish charm of enthusiastic tourists eager to experience this long-promised land that’s going wild for their every move. Well, not everyone is screaming, crying and collecting every piece of Beatle merchandise available (get a load of the guy who still has some unopened Beatle talcum powder!). There are also a few stuffed shirts running kids out of hotel hallways and calling these young pop stars “sick.” But as enthralling as all these historical snapshots can be, Beatles ’64 finds its own voice in the way it connects past to present with touching context. “Culture?” We see a young Paul McCartney respond to a reporter. “It’s not culture, it’s a laugh.” Looking back now six decades later, Sir Paul does acknowledge the cultural shifts that aligned with Beatlemania, not the least of which was a nation mourning JFK’s assassination and utterly desperate for some joy. Along with the new interviews featuring Paul and Ringo, and some later-in-life comments from John and George, Tedeshi catches up with a few of the teenagers who were there on the front lines of fandom. From writer Jamie Bernstein’s (daughter of Leonard) devotion, to music producer Jack Douglas’s priceless story of his teenage trip to Liverpool, to senior citizens still tearing up about their first Beatles moment so long ago, Beatles ’64 weaves intimate moments from idols and fans alike into a warm and wonderful snapshot of wistful innocence. The music’s pretty catchy, too. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic George Wolf Digital / DVD Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Second Act film review by UK film critic Jack Salvadori. Starring Léa Seydoux, Louis Garrel, Vincent Lindon, Raphaël Quenard directed by Quentin Dupieux. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Second Act Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Jack Salvadori | Posted on: May 15, 2024 Directed by: Quentin Dupieux Written by: Quentin Dupieux Starring: Léa Seydoux, Louis Garrel, Vincent Lindon, Raphaël Quenard Cannes-cel culture. An unsettling grey and rainy weather anticipated the lukewarm reception of the 76th edition of the most prestigious festival in the world. At the news of Quentin Dupieux opening this year’s kermess with his latest flick, The Second Act, expectations were certainly high- but not quite met. Since the imposing red “N” of Neflix doomed over the Lumiere Theatre, there was immediately a slight sense of discomfort. Opening with Netflix sounds like a questionably hypocritical decision, after the austere position of the festival against the streaming platform from its previous editions. But this hypocrisy is perhaps fitting, soon becoming the main motif of the entire film. Starring Raphaël Quenard, Léa Seydoux, Vincent Lindon, and Louis Garrel, the movie presents four actors attempting to shoot a movie juggling with the new standards set by political correctness, what is appropriate to say and how, and the fear/threat of being cancelled. Yet, clashes unfold and tensions arise, with the players attacking each other demanding professionalism and good behaviour on set, while shamelessly showcasing sexual misconduct and offensive remarks when not on camera. But there are no cameras. Nor intrusive lights. And most importantly, no “cuts”. The picture, apparently, is directorless. This allows the actors to switch between their characters and their thespians alter-egos, interrupting and returning to their fictitious scenes in a smooth, metacinematic tango. Metacinema is the most familiar ground for Dupieux, who often likes to question what is real and what is fictional, especially in his early works. The formula is always the same: surreal situations while capturing hyperrealist nuances and laidback interactions, in this case of a film set: “you don’t know all that goes on when you watch TV at home!”, exclaims one of the extras. But The Second Act is ultimately a self-reflection about the French film industry, with its bureaucratic productions, random fascination of new technological trends, and the unmotivated awe of American cinema while being dismissive about itself. However, the contemporary critique is quite shallow, unoriginal, and too on the nose, and the film scored very few giggles compared to the French director’s signature outbursts of laughter among the audience. Perhaps Dupieux’s surrealist freedom was curbed by the bitter societal comment, and he works best when indeed, he has nothing to say. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jack Salvadori Film Festival < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Death film review by UK film critic Chris Olson. Starring Marigold Pazar, Lauren Johnson, David Hecimovic, Oliver James Damian directed by Anmol Mishra. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Death Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Chris Olson | Posted on: Nov 9, 2024 Directed by: Anmol Mishra Written by: Anmol Mishra Starring: Marigold Pazar, Lauren Johnson, David Hecimovic, Oliver James Damian A surreal arthouse drama with horror inflections, the Australian indie film Death , written and directed by filmmaker Anmol Mishra is a journey into the wilderness of one character’s pre-death reflections that becomes a mash-up of memory, nightmare, and mystery. Sabrina (brilliantly played by Marigold Pazar) lies bleeding out in a bathtub when we meet her at the beginning of the film. Not long after, we see her frenetically bouncing around her home being tormented by a number of strange goings on and odd sounds. The film then seems to travel back through Sabrina’s story to allow some semblance of a picture to be pieced together to understand how she ended up in the bath. We meet Romeo (David Hecimovic), a boyfriend with his own eccentricities, as well as Wendy (Lauren Johnson) and her boyfriend Mazza (Oliver James Damian - who is having way too much fun in this movie). We learn that Wendy and Sabrina have an intimate past during a chaotic dinner party and things seem to become a hazy odyssey as we work our way back to what we assume is the present. There is a conscious decision to muddy the waters and make the narrative lack clarity in order to confuse the viewer - which will be challenging for some viewers but enjoyable for those who like their movies a little unconventional. Mishra is unapologetically bucking the trends of mainstream cinema in favour of something distorted and surreal; from the uncomfortable genre mixes (horror, stoner comedy, experimental etc) to the elaborate filming techniques (drones, rotating cameras etc), it’s an indie film experience rather than classic storytelling. The lead actress, Marigold Pazar, carries a lot of the indie horror film Death , especially in the earlier scenes and the welcome energy of Lauren Johnson as Wendy does elevate the movie somewhat. The dinner party sequence is easily the most enjoyable of the film, giving the audience a lot more character interaction to feast upon. Some viewers may find the male characters fairly inconsequential and, at times, difficult to understand, although Mazza’s blowing bubbles scene or chicken jokes do inject some potent humour. The quirky score and stoner-comedy gags slightly undermine the idea this is more arthouse than it really is and it is the horror elements which are the most compelling. At times, the messiness derails the movie and it is easy for audience members to be jerked out of the moment and find themselves questioning just what it is they’re meant to be watching. It is ambitious and original though, which deserves points. Watch our Video Film Review of Death on our YouTube Channel! https://youtu.be/kiHgFWCKFzE Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Chris Olson Indie Feature Film, Horror < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Scary of Sixty-First film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Betsey Brown, Madeline Qiuinn, Dasha Nekrasova directed by Dasha Nekrasova. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Scary of Sixty-First Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Jan 4, 2022 Directed by: Dasha Nekrasova Written by: Dasha Nekrasova, Madeline Quinn Starring: Betsey Brown, Madeline Qiuinn, Dasha Nekrasova At some point during The Scary of Sixty-First you may ask yourself, “What in the hell am I watching?” Don’t feel alone. In fact, if you don’t ask that question, you may be the only one. Director/co-writer/co-star Dasha Nekrasova mines the weak logic of many Satanic horror films to marvel at the subjective reality that’s so prevalent these days. Noelle (co-writer Madeline Quinn) and Addie (Betsey Brown) move into an uptown NYC apartment. It’s furnished, simultaneously high end and sketchy, and they’re getting it for a song because the previous tenants had to leave so quickly. Ripe horror context there. Who were they? Why did they have to leave so quickly? Why did they leave behind all this stuff? Why is there a mirror on the ceiling in one bedroom? The cinematic style, stilted performances and uptown apartments blur together to form a kind of Seventies-style horror like The Sentinel or The Mephisto Waltz . The most important element: wild leaps in logic—anagrams, prime numbers, cryptic messages. Conspiracies. Did the girls’ apartment previously belong to Jeffrey Epstein? Some people say so, specifically the young woman who poses as a realtor’s agent and then as an investigative reporter before finally fessing up that she’s piecing together her own theories about Epstein. Noelle is in! The sleuthing is on! Addie, on the other hand, is having some kind of breakdown. Is something in the apartment haunting her? Possessing her? Nekrasova and Quinn weave together real conspiracy theories about Epstein and other topics to create a fever dream of horror that points out how preposterous and salacious all these theories really are. How these theories speak more to the mind of the believer than to any kind of reality. Nekrasova is actually pretty empathetic toward conspiracy theorists, even if she clearly thinks they are 1) wrong and 2) probably insane. The film offers bold, wet, pungent lunacy, vivid fantasies pulled from the collective unconscious of folks ready to believe—or imagine—the most effed up scenarios. Chances are strong that, between the intentionally flat performances and the supremely WTF plotline, The Scary of Sixty-First will not land with most audiences. But it’s a wild vision and I’m not sorry I caught it. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release, Digital / DVD Release, Indie Feature Film, LGBTQ+ < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Baggage film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Titus Upputuru, Raoul Amaar Abbas, Prashant Sugandha directed by Titus Upputuru. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Baggage Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Jan 22, 2025 Directed by: Titus Upputuru Written by: Titus Upputuru Starring: Titus Upputuru, Raoul Amaar Abbas, Prashant Sugandha A short drama written and directed by Titus Upputuru and starring himself along with Raoul Amaar Abbas and Prashant Sugandha. The setting is a fancy restaurant and a young waiter (Sugandha) notices a man (Upputuru) sitting by himself at a table and looking upset. He asks his colleague (Abbas) if he knows what is going on. His colleague explains that years ago that man found himself standed on an island with his five-year-old son. One day, his child went missing and he could not find him. Eventually, he was rescued and returned home without his boy. A terrible realisation involving his time on the island caused him to come to that same restaurant every year, order a seagull sandwich and cry uncontrollably. A very dramatic and sad story about the aftermath of a devastating tragedy. Although the plot is distressing and unsettling, it certainly catches the viewer's attention and makes them understand why the man in the restaurant is so miserable. And the misery that he feels is expressed very vividly thanks to Upputuru's performance, which will be analysed later. Adding to the dramatic atmosphere is Hanif Shaikh's melancholic and beautiful music that includes poignant piano melodies and the gloomy cinematography by Abbas and Bhumanyu Nehra. It should be mentioned that the plot of this film evolves around an unspeakable occurrence involving a child and some viewers might find that quite upsetting. Upputuru's perfomance is essential in order for this short to be dramatic and he nails it. The story begins with him at the restaurant, feeling depressed and then the atmosphere changes, with him behaving awkwardly, revealing that he is developing mental disorders and Upputuru is very convincing as he, in some ways, portrays two different characters, one being a man who is torn apart by the loss of his child (and not just that) and the other a man who appears to have lost touch with reality. And Abbas and Sugandha play their part well in their supporting roles. Although this film has a duration of less than three minutes, it deals with very heavy themes. Initially, the story deals primarily with loss, the loss of an offspring and the effects that has on a person such as grief and sadness. These feelings are explored through Upputuru's character and so are feelings of guilt and trauma. As the story progresses and reveals another side of the protagonist's tormented mind, other subjects are brought to light that involve mental health, particularly disconnection from reality and finding joy in one's imagination. A sad story about a sad man. This short is a commentary about loss and mental health and it is strongly supported by Upputuru's performance and the remarkable score. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >