As controversial and divisive as director M. Night Shyamalan's catalogue of movies is, most movie fans are absolutely thrilled about the release of Glass in 2019. Combining some of his best-loved characters into one film (see Split and Unbreakable) the movie stars James McAvoy, Samuel L. Jackson, and Bruce Willis and in this Glass HD trailer, there is plenty to get even more excited about. Remember to share this in as many personalities as you have online (see what we did there) because a #movietrailer shared is a movie trailer...cared for? Not sure where we were going with that one...Just watch the Glass trailer and tell every single person you have ever met including that guy outside your window right now. Made you look.

Press Releases > Film Festivals > Grimmfest Film Festival “I WANT MY CAKE!” This year, GRIMMFEST, Manchester's Festival of Horror, Cult and Fantastic Film, celebrates its 10th anniversary. Get ready for decimation, with the darkest, deadliest line-up yet of wild, weird, witty, thrilling, chilling, blood-spilling movies, every one of them a premiere or cult classic of one kind or another, many with cast and crew in attendance. But Grimmfest will also be looking back, a little nervously over its shoulder, perhaps, at a decade spent delivering top-quality cinematic carnage to the movie-goers of Manchester, and beyond. Beginning with a return to its bloodsoaked origins, and an anticipation of the future, in a special Festival Preview show on Monday 1st October… IT'S (STILL) GRIMM UP NORTH! Originally, the festival was known as “Grimm Up North”, in sardonic acknowledgement of its location, and as a declaration of support for filmmaking in the region. So what could be more appropriate as an anniversary celebration than a special North-West programme, featuring three new shorts and a retrospective screening of the film without which the festival would not even exist... Festival Directors Simeon Halligan and Rachel Richardson-Jones's debut feature, the dark psychological horror fable, SPLINTERED, fully remastered, and in a razor-sharp new cut. From Once Upon A Time... to ...Happily Ever After? Only time will tell. For now though, a chance to reacquaint yourselves with this truly Grimm Fairy Tale. ABOVE: Creeped Out. This celebration of North-West talent will also feature a special family-friendly screening of CBBC and DHX’s horror anthology CREEPED OUT. Co-creators and showrunners Bede Blake and Robert Butler will present their favourite UK and favourite Canadian episode from Season One and, if we are lucky, share an insight into what’s in store for the new series. SOMETIMES THEY COME BACK... Which might be why this year's classic screening, opening the main body of the festival, is RE-ANIMATOR, presented and introduced by Grimmfest’s guest of honour Barbara Crampton, who will also be in attendance for 2 brand new films making their regional debuts: PUPPET MASTER: THE LITTLEST REICH and DEAD NIGHT. Barbara will also be receiving the first Grimmfest Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by Horror Channel. ABOVE: Dead Night The Grimmfest Team are not ones to indulge too much in nostalgia, however. The past is dead and gone. Except when it refuses to die, of course. Or returns to haunt you. In an attempt to lay to rest any unquiet spirits, therefore, the festival is delighted to be welcoming back many of the fearsome filmmakers who have been such a major part of its bloody history over the past decade. Rob Grant (FAKE BLOOD, MON AMI) presents the UK Premiere of the truly outrageous ALIVE. Johnny Kevorkian, whose THE DISAPPEARED screened at the very first festival, returns with the Northern Premiere of the claustrophobic sci-fi horror AWAIT FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. There's the UK Premiere of Gothic noir I'LL TAKE YOUR DEAD from Chad Archibald (ANTISOCIAL) and the Northern Premiere of SUMMER OF '84, a bitter little antidote to all of the current nostalgia for the Eighties, from the talented trio behind Grimmfest favourite TURBO KID. In keeping with the theme of welcome returns, the festival also presents a couple of startling cinematic reboots – or revenants if you will. Indonesian maestro Joko Anwar (MODUS ANOMALI) makes a Grimmfest comeback, with his unsettling reimagining of obscure cult oddity SATAN'S SLAVES, already a huge box office smash all over South East Asia, and now receiving its UK Premiere; while Scandinavian shock-auteurs Sonny Laguna and Tommy Wiklund (WITHER) resurrect Charles Band's cult classic series for a new generation with the mischievous PUPPET MASTER: THE LITTLEST REICH, a Northern Premiere (and Barbara Crampton's second film of the festival), and also treat festivalgoers to the World Premiere of their latest short, MYSTERY BOX. ABOVE: Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich Alejandro Brugués, director of another Grimmfest favourite, the riotous JUAN OF THE DEAD, joins fellow masters of the macabre, Joe Dante, Mick Garris, Ryûhei Kitamura, and David Slade for the much-anticipated all-star horror anthology NIGHTMARE CINEMA, another UK Premiere, and Lora Burke, powerhouse star of POOR AGNES returns in the Greater Manchester Premiere of Justin McConnell's emotive body-horror love story LIFECHANGER. NEW FACES IN HELL... But just in case you thought this year's Grimmfest was simply one big reunion party, there are also some Grimmfest first timers... The festival is delighted to host the European premieres of Daniel Robbins' nail-biting PLEDGE and Olivier Afonso’s outrageous GIRLS WITH BALLS. Also screening are UK Premieres of the hilariously twisted BROTHERS’ NEST from Australia's Clayton Jacobson, the gruesome FRAMED from Spain's Marc Martínez Jordán and Lin Oeding's savagely satirical OFFICE UPRISING. The line-up also features a raft of regional Premieres, including the Northern Premieres of Jon Knautz's unsettling THE CLEANING LADY, Aislinn Clarke's chilling THE DEVIL'S DOORWAY, Andy Mitton's eerie THE WITCH IN THE WINDOW, and Issa López's magical TIGERS ARE NOT AFRAID. Also screening are the Greater Manchester Premieres of Nicolas Pesce's perverse and discomforting anti-Rom-Com, PIERCING and Bradford Baruh's demented DEAD NIGHT, again starring Grimmfest's very special guest Barbara Crampton. All this plus a brutal brace of short film programmes, which sees a focus on female creators and the return to Grimmfest of Faye Jackson, director of STRIGOI, another classic film from the festival's opening year, with her new short THE WOMAN WHO HID HER FEAR UNDER THE STAIRS. And to close... Christmas comes early, with the Greater Manchester Premiere of zombie high school musical extravaganza, ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE, guaranteed to send you dancing off into the night... ABOVE: Anna and the Apocalypse All selected films are in the running for the previously announced GRIMMFEST AWARDS. Grimmfest recently revealed that it is partnering with film financing group BCL to offer £40,000s worth of post-production services to each of the winners of the BEST FILM and BEST DIRECTOR awards categories. Grimmfest’s 10th edition will take place from the 4th to the 7th October at the ODEON Manchester Great Northern, UK, with a Preview Night taking place on 1st October at the Plaza Cinema, Stockport. The full line-up can be accessed from 9am on Monday 3rd September, via grimmfest.com, where full festival passes, day passes and individual film tickets can also be purchased. #FilmFestivals #Grimmfest #GrimmfestFilmFestival #Grimmfest2018 #UKFilmFestivals #PressReleases

★★★★ Directed by: Marc Martínez Jordán Written by: Jaume Cuspinera, Marc Martínez Jordán Starring: Joe Manjón, Júlia Molins, Daniel Horvath, Biel Montoro, Mercè Montalà, Clàudia Pons, Àlex Maruny, Jóse García Ruiz Grimmest Film Festival Review by: Chris Olson The Circle meets The Purge in this twisted viral horror from filmmaker Marc Martínez Jordán. Framed is a brutal exploration of the current social climate where the appetite for increasingly vitriolic content comes at the sacrifice of our own sense of morality and decency. During a going away party a group of youngsters become the target for a savage trio of aggressors who manage a cult channel on the YouTube-esque app Framed. Their content largely consists of cruel beatings and escalating sequences of violence, sex, and forced drug taking. Our poor protagonists must find a way to escape their clutches but with the cameras rolling and the audience numbers growing, it looks as if their grisly demise is tonight’s featured clip. The growing number of social media based horror movies shows an increased appetite from audiences for this kind of digital terror and cultural doom. Given the exponential spread of these kinds of platforms and the ever-changing functions they play in our everyday lives, it's no surprise filmmakers and storytellers have picked up on the potential for scary stories as there are so many aspects to be fearful of. What's particularly interesting about Framed is what impact social media could have on our own morality (or soul if you are so inclined). The indie film takes a well-oiled approach and is a completely slick operation. From the opening credits the horror movie has a high production value and impressive aesthetic. The jump scares are numerous and effective, the blood gushes quicker than you can say LIKE and SUB, and the peppering of comedy lends a phenomenal sense of farce to the proceedings, complementing the story's own sense of how should we feel watching this content? Is it okay to laugh or should we be wincing? Challenging the audience in this way and maintaining a vibrant pace throughout makes this a formidable and worthwhile watch for any horror aficionado. My main gripe with the movie is just the hero central characters. There are too many of them and most are largely forgettable. It is the villains who offer the more compelling viewing and the performance by Alex Maruny, who cuts a stunning turn as a Joker-cum-TV-presenter, is phenomenal. That being said I did thoroughly enjoy Daniel Horvath's portrait of the unwanted love interest, whose penchant for surviving all manner of injury was hilariously delivered. A thrilling piece of modern genre cinema and storytelling, where the audience feels as complicit as the wrongdoers. Dark, twisted, and unmissable for any avid horror fan. #GrimmfestFilmFestival #Grimmfest #Grimmfest2018 #FilmFestivals #FilmReviews #IndieFilmReviews #ChrisOlson #MarcMartínezJordán #JaumeCuspinera #JoeManjón #JúliaMolins #DanielHorvath #BielMontoro #MercèMontalà #ClàudiaPons #ÀlexMaruny #JóseGarcíaRuiz

★★★★ Directed by: Johnny Kevorkian Starring: Sam Gittins, Grant Masters, David Bradley, Holly Weston, Abigail Cruttenden, Neerja Naik, Kris Saddler Grimmfest Film Festival Review by: Darren Tilby An intelligent, thorough and frighteningly true to life examination of post-Brexit British society, and the media’s influence in our increasingly paranoid and divided nation: Await Further Instructions simmers gently; slowly and skilfully building tension until exploding in spectacular fashion and ending with a warning for us all — you can’t escape the influence of TV. Nick should never have returned. He knew it wasn’t a good idea. But after years of being estranged from his family, Nick arrives home with his Asian girlfriend, Annji, for the family Christmas get together. It doesn’t get off to a great start, and after receiving a flood of abuse and outright hostility – mostly from Nick’s overbearing father, chav sister and racist grandad – the couple decide to pack up their things and leave early the next morning. Their plans rapidly fall apart when they discover the house has been encased in a mysterious black substance; trapping them inside. With only the TV for guidance, the family becomes more and more desperate and dependent on its increasingly concerning advice. An absolutely stellar cast underlies this character-driven sci-fi horror masterpiece: Sam Gittins and Neerja Naik give brilliant central performances as boyfriend and girlfriend, Nick and Annji, and Holly Weston is fantastically repugnant and two-faced as Nick’s pregnant sister, Kate. Kris Saddler is surprisingly sympathetic as the beefed-up but gutless (and not very bright) husband of Kate, Scott; while Abigail Cruttenden’s long-suffering and submissive mother of the family, Beth, explodes in spectacular fashion near the end! The performances of the film, however, must go to David Bradley and Grant Masters, whose creepily-malevolent and unhinged performances dominate the screen from start to finish. The mundanity of the suburban family home plays well against the out-of-this-world sci-fi aesthetics that come into play towards the beginning of the second act; gifting the film a Lovecraftian quality. A dull blue light infests the house, which is now devoid of any natural light source, and the eerie green emanating from the TV as it issues more demands speaks louder than any dialogue ever could; only adding to the film's otherworldly feel. There's a very definite message here that believing everything you see on TV generally isn't a good idea. But if you look deeper than that, the film acts as an examination of an increasingly insular and paranoid nation, and attempts to pick apart the cause; namely, the fear-inducing right-wing media. The family home acts as a metaphor of the UK as a whole: we wall ourselves in, keeping to ourselves and carrying on as if nothing is happening, whilst all around us the world crumbles. Await Further Instructions was the most wonderful surprise of my first night at Grimmfest Film Festival, and although the ending left me feeling slightly deflated, it came with an important and clearly stated message. A sci-fi horror masterpiece that's sure to become a hit. #GrimmfestFilmFestival #Grimmfest #Grimmfest2018 #FilmFestivals #Horror #DarrenTilby #JohnnyKevorkian #SamGittins #GrantMasters #DavidBradley #HollyWeston #AbigailCruttenden #NeerjaNaik #KrisSaddler

★★★★ Directed by: Joko Anwar Starring: Tara Basro, Dimas Aditya, Nasar Annuz, M. Adhiyat, Arswendi Nasution, Bront Palarae, Ayu Laksmi Grimmfest Film Festival Review by: Chris Olson A remake of the seventies original, filmmaker Joko Anwar's Satan's Slaves is a hearty horror where familial bonds play an equal part against the terror trappings. The result is a far from faultless affair that offered plenty to offer fans at the 2018 Grimmfest Film Festival. After a bedridden mother (Ayu Laksmi) passes away in the family home, her husband (Bront Palarae) and their kids embark on the process of grieving. However, spooky goings on start to plague the inhabitants that suggest the mother died with a dark secret that will now haunt this family. Told with plenty of restraint and warmth, Satan's Slaves achieves that much sought-after balance between storytelling and horror gimmickry. The characters are portrayed almost lovingly, making the nightmarish disturbances which become increasingly evil all the more compelling to watch. The audience is immersed and assimilated almost as another member of this family, enduring their suffering in a cinematically connected way. There are plenty of missteps to either forgive or embrace depending on your mood. The use of endless jump scares and fake build ups (I lost count of the number of times it's just another family member sneaking up on them) does get tiring, as does the shockingly banal sound design that pays way too much homage to the horror films of old. That being said, Anwar's use of these familiar tropes and techniques does allow the strength of the movie more room to breathe, which is the aforementioned warmth surrounding the characters. Visually Satan's Slaves is terrific. Lots of intimate framing is used and the film is not afraid to deliver those all important money shots when it comes to showing anything vaguely demonic. A particularly fantastic sequence involving a motorcycle was a highlight. Gripping, immersive, and at times wholesome, a worthy remake that brings the story to a new audience in a way that is perhaps a little too respectful of it's heritage. #Grimmfest #GrimmfestFilmFestival #Grimmfest2018 #FilmFestivals2018 #ChrisOlson #FilmFestivals #IndieFilmReviews #IndieFilms #Horror #JokoAnwar #TaraBasro #DimasAditya #NasarAnnuz

★★★★ Directed by: Rob Grant Written by: Chuck McCue, Jules Vincent Starring: Thomas Cocquerel, Camille Stopps, Angus Macfadyen Grimmfest Film Review by: Chris Olson A thrilling story from writers Chuck McCue and Jules Vincent, Alive was a pulse-racing entry into the Grimmfest Film Festival 2018 lineup. Combining a captivity plot with a psychological thriller atmosphere and elements of torture horror, director Rob Grant delivers a bold and intriguing genre movie. Thomas Cocquerel and Camille Stopps play a man and woman who wake up bound to hospital beds in a seemingly abandoned sanitarium, with plenty of cuts and scrapes to boot. Their only company is a sadistic yet well-spoken caretaker (Angus Macfadyen) and his growling Doberman. Their bafflement turns to unease as they discover that not only do they have to endure the cruel ministrations of their illustrious host, whose charming bedside manner is at complete odds with his use of twisted remedies and violent temper, they must also cope with a black hole in their memory where their identities used to be. Without the strength or know-how to escape, or the ability to fully recall who they even are, this appears to be one helluva road to recovery. With a show-stopping performance from Macfadyen, the success of Alive utterly hinges on his enigmatic portrayal of the nurse-cum-fatherly figure whose polarity of emotions make him a captivating on screen presence. The numerous attempts he makes to “heal” his patients are completely engrossing, delivering his almost wistful dialogue with such panache that audiences will be utterly spellbound. Instead of the tedious mad-scientist approach, Macfayden’s character is far more personal, even poetic at times, and his delicate movement between love and outrage is marvellously nuanced. Above: the official movie trailer for indie film Alive. Cocquerel is excellent as the kidnapee with a penchant for disobedience, his tension with his captor is transfixing and the performer does well with the physical demands of the role. Stopps is brilliant in the role of kidnapee with a penchant for survival. The conflict her character experiences during numerous points in the movie is well-delivered. The themes and atmosphere of Alive are too familiar for any self-respecting horror viewer to find mind-blowing. This story has been done countless times in film and TV narratives, and given the plot’s limited locations, a dozen or so “captivity” films come to mind when watching. That being said, Grant’s delivery of this movie is immaculate and audiences will find few faults to pick up on. The chemistry he elicits between the performers is exceptional and the thrilling final third has a jaunty pace that will get fingernails firmly driven into chair arms. #Grimmfest #GrimmfestFilmFestival #Grimmfest2018 #ChrisOlson #FilmFestivals #Horror #PsychologicalThriller #RobGrant #ChuckMcCue #JulesVincent #ThomasCocquerel #CamilleStopps #AngusMacfadyen

★★★★ Directed by: Lin Oeding Starring: Brenton Thwaites, Jane Levy, Karan Soni, Zachary Levi, Kurt Fuller Grimmfest Film Festival Review by: Darren Tilby An action-packed ‘zombie’ flick bursting with satire: Office Uprising tears apart American culture; taking swings at office politics, the arms trade, and US gun laws, to name but a few. Desmond works in accounting at AmmoTech, the largest manufacturer and seller of “weapons of mass protection” in the US, which is going through a merger and having to lay off half its workforce. Head management, in an effort to boost morale and efficiency, distribute their own brand of recently developed energy drink, Zolt, amongst the office staff, causing somewhat drastic changes. Desmond, played by Brenton Thwaites, is the protagonist of the piece and not only is he an actor who’s capable of great comic timing, but, has here, proven himself more than capable of doing some really fast-paced action sequences too; performing his own stunts for this film. Zachary Levi takes on the role of regional manager and Desmond’s boss, Adam Nusbaum, a pretty unpleasant boss, even before the effects of Zolt kick in; achieving the perfect balance of the psycho killer and slightly ridiculous but completely hilarious management caricature. And the remainder of the supporting cast, featuring the talents of Jane Levy, Karan Soni, and Kurt Fuller is equally as hilarious in their respective roles; all of which are playful parodies of ‘typical’ office workers. Once things really kick off, Office Uprising is a high-powered adrenaline thrill-ride: there’s barely a scene in the film that doesn’t have groups of people brutally killing other groups of people. Director, Lin Oeding's stunt background has been a real commodity for the film, something he has utilised here with stunning efficacy; not only creating some brilliant looking action sequences, but – due to the comedic and over-the-top nature of the violence – it also lightens the mood of the film; keeping it firmly within comedy territory. As I've mentioned, Office Uprising is a full-blooded action movie, albeit on a smaller and more focused scale. But it’s also an incredibly stylistic film: using a Zombieland style plot device, Desmond lays out the rules for surviving in a modern office building, before beautifully summarising with his explanation of how the higher the floor of the office you work on, dictates how big a “douchebag” you are. It's worth noting, however, this is not a zombie film in the traditional sense: there's no, “shoot them in the head” to kill them stuff, and no living dead in sight; it has more of a 28 Days Later kind of thing going on. The affected people (those who have drank at least one can of Zolt) still function as people; being able to think, talk, solve problems and make social groups. It's just that every flaw in their personalities is massively magnified; causing them to react violently to anything or anyone they dislike. The film also manages a slew of digs at corporate America: subjects like US gun laws, office politics, and the corporate mindset; particularly the regard in which it holds its workers, are all parodied, ridiculed, and, ultimately, pulled apart in spectacularly violent fashion; something which has been achieved with a naturalistic finesse. Office Uprising is a full-on, action-orientated and high-octane, smash everything to pieces ‘zombie flick’: there’s nothing new here, but the film’s stylistic flair and the plethora of well placed and well-written social-political commentary sets it apart from the rest. A surprisingly insightful film in many ways and if you’re looking for that sort of thing, you shouldn’t be disappointed; if not, then there’s plenty of bonkers, over-the-top, gory action and dark humour to satisfy even the hardiest horror veteran. #Grimmfest #GrimmfestFilmFestival #Grimmfest2018 #FilmFestivals #DarrenTilby #Horror #LinOeding #BrentonThwaites #JaneLevy #KaranSoni #ZacharyLevi #KurtFuller

★★★ Directed by: Bradford Baruh Starring: Brea Grant, AJ Bowen, Barbara Crampton, Sophie Dalah, Elise Luthman, Joshua Hoffman Grimmfest Film Festival Review by: Darren Tilby An enjoyable and bloody cabin in the woods romp, with decent SFX and 80s slasher movie type killings, that's let down by poor production design and a disjointed, nonsensical plot. Casey Pollack, a caring mother of two and devoted wife loses her grip on sanity during, what was supposed to be, a relaxing vacation in the woods; killing her family. Oh, this isn't a spoiler, we're told this very early on, it's the how and why we need to discover. The film uses an interesting dual-plot narrative to explore the night's events: one details what actually happened, and the other, using a True Crime style TV show, details how it was later reported. It's an interesting narrative choice which for the better part works well, but there are times when it falls a little flat. The main issue with the plot is that it just doesn't make much sense; something which isn't helped by some very patchy editing and spasmodic cutting. The narrative also suffers from pacing difficulties: there's no build up of tension here, there's no time for it; before we've really had time to settle in the cabin, all hell breaks loose. I believe the film underwent some heavy re-editing shortly before release, which would go some way to explaining these issues. There's a great cast of characters here: Brea Grant gives a marvelous performance as Casey Pollack; switching from caring mother to psychotic slasher movie material in a snap-of-the-fingers. Barbara Crampton is typically, and equally as terrific and terrifying as Leslie Bison, the mysterious stranger rescued from the woods by the family, and AJ Bowen, Sophie Dalah, Elise Luthman and Joshua Hoffman all give strong performances in their respective roles; making up the rest of the ill-fated Pollack family. Dead Night's simple but effective cinematography is hampered by poor production design; specifically its sets, which don't look bad as such, but they're very obviously sets, and so I never felt as immersed as I should have: the atmosphere suffers for much the same reason. The soundtrack – while never exceptionally good – is competent enough to hold its own. The creature and gore effects are where the film really shines: both have an 1980s style charm in their down-to-earth, handcrafted look; something not seen on screen enough these days, and that made the latter half of the film all the more enjoyable for it. Themes of satanic rituals and witchcraft feature most strongly here. But if you look hard enough, the film acts as a study of family dynamics, religious hypocrisy and the world of 'fake news’: all are examined (to varying degrees of success) in a film wrapped in a 1980s slasher movie packaging. Dead Night could, no, should have been better: the cast is brilliant, the retro charm is a welcome addition and there's a lot of social-political satire to discover if you want it. But the seeming randomness of the events and lack of atmosphere can't be ignored. However, with all that said and done, Dead Night is still an enjoyable experience overall; one bound to bring back memories of a decade of manic gore-fest horror movies. #Grimmfest #GrimmfestFilmFestival #Grimmfest2018 #IndieFilmReviews #IndieFilms #FilmFestivals #DarrenTilby #Horror #BradfordBaruh #BreaGrant #AJBowen #BarbaraCrampton #SophieDalah #EliseLuthman #JoshuaHoffman

★★★★★ Directed by: #IssaLópez Starring: #PaolaLara, #JuanRamónLópez, #HansselCasillas, #RodrigoCortes Grimmfest Film Festival Review by: #DarrenTilby Taking inspiration from #GuillermodelToro’s Spanish-language classics, Pan’s Labyrinth and The Devil’s Backbone, Tigers Are Not Afraid embraces all the aspects of #filmmaking that made those movies great, and utilises and adapts them to fit its own narrative; creating a film which is not only able to stand on its own two feet, but easily surpasses many big production movies. A real triumph of independent filmmaking and one of the most stunning and beautiful films I’ve ever seen. The film follows Estrella, a young girl living in a war-torn Mexican city during the drug war, and can be best described as a dark fairytale. Disappearances and deaths are an everyday occurrence here: in the opening scenes, whilst Estrella sits in her classroom at school, a gunman enters the building: shots and screams ring out through the hallways, sending Estrella and her classmates diving for cover under their desks. It's here that her teacher – in an attempt to comfort her – gives her three wishes to keep her safe. As she walks home, a badly-covered body with obvious gunshot wounds lays on the street corner guarded by police. It's a fantastically brutal introduction to Estrella's existence, which is only about to get worse. Arriving home, Estrella finds her mother has disappeared, and, after waiting for a couple of days, wishes she would come back. And she does, but as a frightening spectre with a grotesque and distorted visage; forcing Estrella out of her home and to seek safety with a group of boys who have also been orphaned by the gang violence. Tigers Are Not Afraid features what must be one of the most extraordinary child-centric casts ever committed to screen; made all the more impressive when you learn none of the children had any acting experience before starring in this film. Each one of them seems to be haunted by ghosts of the past; hardly surprising when you’re surrounded by so much violence and death. But most importantly, they’re a family; they play games, tell jokes and stories; they take care and comfort one another when they feel scared. Really though the film could have been about any one of the group; they’re all so engaging and bring something unique to the film: and, like The Goonies or Stand by Me before it, everyone is bound to find their favourite amongst them. Guillermo del Toro is one of the greatest visionary directors working today: the cinematography on display in his films is second to none, and nothing appears on-screen by mistake; his famous eye protein technique. This is exactly the feeling I got watching Tigers Are Not Afraid. I need to see it again. There’s no way I saw everything first time around; so much is hidden away in the background. Little snippets of foreshadowing are dotted around the beautifully eerie cityscapes and the forsaken, deserted look of its streets and buildings combined with the #fairytale elements conjure a dark, gritty, otherworldly ambience; comparable to that of Pan’s Labyrinth. And as the fantastical and actual begin to criss-cross, we’re left wondering—just how much is real? I went into this film with ridiculously high expectations; never a good thing to do: it means films have little to no chance of actually living up to them. But Tigers Are Not Afraid did: not only that, but it far exceeded them. Beautifully made, dark and magical; a heart-breaking exploration of a child’s courage and imagination in the most appalling of situations. I fell in love with the children’s characters, and I fell in love with their plight, their story: I fell in love with the gorgeous, almost #gothic, macabre visuals and haunting score: and by the end, it had me completely swept up and invested in its world. I laughed, I winced, and I cried. Tigers Are Not Afraid is an incredibly special film; a masterpiece of independent filmmaking which would make even the most well-regarded of directors blush. #Grimmfest #GrimmfestFilmFestival #Grimmfest2018 #DarrenTilby #FilmFestivals #Horror #IndieFilmReviews #IndieFilms #IssaLópez #PaolaLara #JuanRamónLópez #HansselCasillas #RodrigoCortes

Film Festivals > Press Releases As of October 2018, UK Film Review is an official media partner for the Berlin Liberi Film Festival! Both organisations are supporters of indie film and the relationship will hopefully create more opportunities and promotion for indie filmmakers and movie fans.

★★★★ Directed by: #CristinaCostantini, #DarrenFoster Film Review by: #RachelWillis One year back in high school, my school decided participation in the science fair would be compulsory. I resented this since the last thing I wanted to do was “science.” Watching the teenagers profiled in documentarians Cristina Costantini and Darren Foster's film Science Fair, I start to understand the appeal of sincere participation in regional, national and international science fairs. If I had seen film the year I participated, I might have taken it more seriously. What these kids invent, build and research makes my greenhouse in a shoe box look prosaic. From research into ways to prevent Zika transmission to monitoring and testing for arsenic in groundwater, these kids are smart, ambitious, and driven. The crème de la crème of science fairs is the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). To qualify for participation in ISEF, first these students must win their area science fairs, which can be state-wide or regional competitions. However they make it to ISEF, the teenagers who qualify have already faced stiff challenges from their fellow science enthusiasts. To help the viewer understand the pressure these kids face, former ISEF winner Jack Andraka sheds light on the stress of presenting to judges. Projects that students have worked on for months, even an entire year, must be broken down into ten minute presentations to a handful of judges who will decide if their project is worth the prestigious Gordon E. Moore Award. It's hard to pick a favorite. All of the teenagers profiled are charming and their desire to win is infectious. You wish they could all win. Science Fair follows the familiar structure of other films depicting students engaged in fierce competition - First Position, Spellbound, and Make Believe. We're given time to get to know the students profiled, to watch them hard at work on their craft, and then we follow them through the competitions as they fight their way to the finish line. Costantini and Foster make a point to profile students from varied backgrounds. Some of the kids attend private schools especially focused on STEM education. Others attend public schools so focused on athletics that science achievements are completely ignored. The directors want to make a point that science is for everyone and anyone can achieve the level of success that these students find. In a country that frequently devalues science and scientists, this #documentary reminds us that these kids are our future. That future is very bright. #ScienceFair #RachelWillis #documentaries #movies #film #entertainment #moviereviews #science #CristinaCostantini #DarrenFoster

★★★★ Directed by: #RobbieWalsh Starring: #EoinMacken, Robbie Walsh, #SeanFlanagan, #KevinOBrien, #KellieBlaise and #JeffDoyle Short Film Review by: #RachelPullen Remember #GuyRitchie? That directing dude who made movies and got with Madonna? Yeah I remember his distinct style of gangster flare when behind the camera...and it seems, that I’m not the only one. Robbie Walsh has dived head first into the swimming pool of the edgy, slick and sometimes comedic stylings of the British #gangsterfilms, the style we have seen with such movies as Rock ‘n Rolla, Snatch and Lock Stock and 2 Smoking Barrels...once again remember Guy Ritchie? Anyway, Walsh, fresh from the swimming pool, dripping in gangster coolness, gives us his latest short film Aces, the story of a group of friends who decided to play a not so friendly game of poker, and by not so friendly I mean they are playing with real money, I play with Pogs from the 90’s, which probably are worth more than money nowadays...well maybe. We see this game almost from the perspective of one of the players, a shadowy figure we never really get a good shot of, he takes his time, absorbing the people around him, listening intently to conversations, learning about his rivals, but he himself, never says a word, and we ourselves are allowed front row seats to the action. The banter is rich amongst this clan of ‘’friends’’ and we see them telling jokes and sipping on the whisky like the rebels they are, but out shadowy friend does not join in, maybe he is a recovering alcoholic, but he could have a Capri Sun and crack a few knock knock jokes, but no, he is on a serious mission...a mission to kill. After his run of bad luck at the table, the gang start to question his motives and it’s not long until we realise that he is not there to cash in his chips but rather make his money as an assassin, and his victim sits right across the table. We are sitting on needles throughout this piece, Walsh is a master of tension without it being too obvious, the lighting, the atmosphere, all leads us to feel as if something is not quite right, that something sinister is around the corner. As well as that we cannot overlook the quality of the acting, each player is competent, confidently carrying their role with ease and grace, making for a smooth watch, one that engulfs us into this seedy backroom poker game, and we all know how much I feel at home in a seedy back room. Walsh has an extensive catalogue of work behind him, and I’m not surprised, Aces was one of his first films and it displays his talent perfectly, his directing, writing and acting skills are all paraded for us to applaud at, and with good reason too, Aces is an enjoyable and slick short, drawing from the classic #British gangster stylings but with Walsh’s own approach and charm that gives it a place of its own within the genre. Goddam those triple threats get me going every time.