★★★★ Directed by: Azam Awan Starring: Azam Awan Short Film Review by: Rachel Pullen So what have we established during our time together loyal readers? Oh that’s right, I hate 80’s throwbacks in film and T.V., Stranger Things is wank... deal with it, I have a disgusting knowledge of horror cinema, and finally I love a good triple threat when it comes to filmmakers. So which category does Azam Awan fall into...that’s right, the triple threat. What has he achieved I hear you scream... writing....done, directing....done, some acting ....done, and they are all rolled into his new short film, In a Trance, well done Azam, well done. In a Trance is a found footage short about a young man who wakes up in a hotel room, alone and confused, with only a note to say he must record everything he does and under no circumstance leave the room....let’s hope he can survive on tiny drinks and Toblerones from the mini bar then because otherwise he is in a whole heap of trouble. During his time he begins to receive text messages and phone calls from a girl who claims she went to a concert with him the night before. He starts to mentally retrace what he did before but struggles to remember anything, and without a hangover in sight, his lack of memory seems to not stem from being blackout drunk but something more sinister. He relives the past events through the footage on his camera, realising that he was actually at said concert, although we don’t find out who he went to see, an Abba tribute band or Katy Perry perhaps? In which case I can understand him hiding his shame, Katy Perry is terrible, and soon we as an audience come to find out that he is not a victim of a hostage situation, but a victim of his own mental state. This is a story of two minds living in one, we come to learn of the division created in Awan’s mind, and how he has created two versions of himself to deal with his anxieties and stress, a classic case of schizophrenia. The manic movements of the handycam during these times of mental awakening give a sense of reality to the mania experienced by those who live with schizophrenia, as a viewer you feel thrown around, darting between what is reality and what is fiction, a struggle that must be all too real for our leading man. This is a simple piece of film, just a man and his camera with the occasional flash back using past footage, but the story itself is compelling. From the start you are engrossed in this man’s tale, the script is punchy and direct, leaving the audience no time to get bored, a smart move where there is little visual stimulation on the screen. The story jumps from conclusion to conclusion, yet keeps a strong narrative, we are not overwhelmed by the insanity of the storyline, but are fed little sachet packets of madness to allow us an insight into Awan’s journey into his mind, and for only 10 minutes, director, writer and leading man Awan provides us with a strong, competent and direct investigation into the human psyche. In a Trance has a storyline which should not be overlooked and is a must for fans of psychological thrillers , so Awan I tip my imaginary hat [because I’m indoors right now and also hats don’t really suit me] to you and your triple threat skills. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #RachelPullen #PsychologicalThriller #AzamAwan

★★★★ Directed by: Daniel Azevedo Starring: Susie Filipe, Nelson Leão, Pedro da Silva, Maria de Almeida, João Cerveira, and Laura Madanelo Short Film Review by: Bruna Foletto Lucas Moonlight Symposium is a Portuguese short film directed by Daniel Azevedo. The plot of the film is explained right from the beginning in a title card – the Portuguese royal family desires to fulfil a prophecy that claims that the son of the two beings of the same blood shall be enlightened. Therefore, the family aspires to find the purest blood in a sequel of incestuous relationships. Aurora and her twin brother are victims of this ideology and are brought up to procreate and love their children. Whilst the brother is fully for the relationship, Aurora rebels against it, and her happiness brings her mother to commit suicide and her father, unable to cope with the suicide of his wife, follows the same footsteps. As Aurora’s brother goes to war, she marries an abusive man, only to be found, ten years later, by her brother, who expects her to leave everything to be with him, as he still believes his destiny lies with Aurora.Despite the gruesome origin of this story, Azevedo manages to tell it in a beautiful and poetical way, relying on the juxtaposition of shots and on the metaphorical reading of them. The sequences resemble dream sequences and the dialogue is, a lot of the times, replaced by idyllic shots. Aurora runs through a dark forest, her mother roams around with an umbrella, and her brother eats a rotten apple, toying with the Eve’s guilt on the catholic story. Black and white dominate the screen and in the sex scenes the characters avoid eye contact in a mechanic act where the pleasure is clearly absent. The actors were successful in conveying their hate towards each other, at times Aurora’s exhaustion blended with resignation, and her agony was well portrayed by Susie Filipe. Desperation and the need to fight against one’s destiny are painted in each shot, and these feeling are heightened by the dialogues that are spoken in riddles. However, despite the visual beauty of this film, it only works as a single piece because of the explanation in the beginning. Without the title card the film would have felt incomplete with shots that would be, at times, disconnected. Five extra minutes would be welcome on this film; nonetheless, Azevedo has done a beautiful job in this enjoyable film! #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #BrunaFolettoLucas #DanielAzevedo #SusieFilipe #NelsonLeão #PedrodaSilva #MariadeAlmeida #JoãoCerveira #LauraMadanelo

★★★★ Directed by: K. Spencer Jones, Jake Wilkens Written by: Jake Wilkens Starring: Marcus Coloma, Stephanie Scholz, Anton David Jeftha Short Film Review by: Chris Olson After seeing filmmaker K. Spencer Jones's impressive short drama The Human Project, I was eager to see what happens when he teams up with writer Jake Wilkens (who also co-directs) here with a horror movie with a completely different tone. The result is A Thing of Dreams, an intensely compelling and dark take on the human condition. John (Marcus Coloma) and his partner Mallory (Stephanie Scholz) are a seemingly content couple, whose journey through life seems to have been enhanced by a new drug on the market. Nothing illegal, this is a prescription pill that allows you to induce dreams and take more control over the content. Over breakfast, John reveals his fairly innocuous nighttime reel of winning an “ambiguous award” but is thrown a curve ball when Malory, who has been utilising sexual inducers, admits that her naughty slumber does not feature John (as he had expected). Unable to control his rage, John lays down an ultimatum; that Mallory must clear her slate by mixing sexual and nightmare inducers, in order to rid herself of these unfaithful fancies. A marvelous exploration of the human condition and the ghoulish elephant in the room that is our subconscious, Jones and Wilkens maintain a gripping atmosphere. There is tension and conflict aplenty and given the story's combination of reality and dream, the audience is kept in a permanent state of unease which is essential to lend gravitas to the final, horror-based third. Scholz turns in a believable portrayal of the put-upon partner whose only “crime” is finding her neighbor (Anton David Jeftha - billed as the “handsome man”) attractive. Her delivery felt a little wooden and underwhelming next to Coloma, whose commanding and menacing screen presence was excellent. Together, the chemistry worked well and the viewer cannot help but care, and pray, for the relationship of the characters. Similar to The Human Project, the scenes are mostly darkly lit and a little foreboding. During one sequence, Mallory reads a book in her living room in semi-darkness. The possible implication being that if we had the power to shape our dreams, would the reality of life, in this situation a broken relationship, appear dull, drab, or even nightmarish? The thought-provoking aspects of A Thing of Dreams are superb and one of several reasons why audiences should seek this short film out. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #ChrisOlson #Horror #Thriller #KSpencerJones #JakeWilkens #MarcusColoma #StephanieScholz #AntonDavidJeftha

★★★ Directed by: Lenny Abrahamson Starring: Domhnall Gleeson, Ruth Wilson, Charlotte Rampling, Will Poulter, Liv Hull Film Review by: Hope Madden There were a lot of reasons to be excited about The Little Stranger. The film is director Lenny Abrahamson’s follow up to his staggeringly wonderful 2015 film Room. It stars three of the most solid character actors you will find (whether you know the names or not): Domhnall Gleeson, Ruth Wilson and Will Poulter. Who else? Oh, yes, Charlotte Rampling, who’s been a miracle of understated power since the mid-Sixties. On top of all that, it may (or may not) be a period British ghost story, and who doesn’t dig that? But something’s gone terribly wrong with The Little Stranger. It looks stunning. Abrahamson’s camera captures postcard quality images of spooky old mansion quarters, lonesome countrysides, sparse bachelor apartments. Gleeson’s performance is wonderful: restrained and proper to a degree that suits this particular character. Poulter (who is a marvelous and amazingly versatile actor) is underused, as is Rampling, although she cooly delivers enough decisive lines to make an impression. Performances, too, are picture-perfect. Wilson impresses most as Caroline Ayres, the put-upon sister in an old-money family that’s seen its share of heartache. She’s being courted, so to speak, by reserved country doctor Faraday (Gleeson), while she helps to care for her badly injured (inside and out) WWII veteran brother Roddy (Poulter), quietly helping him manage his responsibilities to the estate. Caroline longs to be free. Longing is maybe the most palpable theme in the film, along with the underlying nod to classism. Unfortunately, by Act 3, you’ll be longing for some action of any kind. Abrahamson’s film, adapted from Sarah Waters’s novel by screenwriter Lucinda Coxon (The Danish Girl), moves at an iceberg’s pace. Though the bumps, burns and bruises in the night are developed with the proper haunted house atmosphere, the resolution is so underdeveloped and slow in coming that the film cannot help but disappoint. The reveal makes sense to a degree, and bravo to Abrahamson for expecting audiences to have paid enough attention to earlier dialog that we might fathom the conclusion. At the same time, with too much thought, that reveal can fall apart. So, if you’re not paying attention you will have no idea what just happened. Pay too much attention and the mystery’s resolution will disintegrate on you. It’s unfortunate because there is an awful lot of talent and aesthetic going to waste here. #HopeMadden #movies #film #entertainment #moviereviews #filmreviews #TheLittleStranger #DomhnallGleeson #RuthWilson #CharlotteRampling #WillPoulter #LivHull #ghoststories #LennyAbrahamson #SarahWaters #LucindaCoxon

★★ Directed by: Jesse Peretz Starring: Rose Byrne, Ethan Hawke, Chris O'Dowd Film Review by: Brandon Thomas Movies that mix music and quirk tend to punch me right in the feels (is a 36-year-old allowed to say “feels”?). Once, Begin Again and Sing Street are a few examples of movies that gave my tear ducts a workout. The only feelings Juliet, Naked conjured in me were boredom, apathy and a dash of frustration. Annie (Rose Bryne) is stuck in a rut. She lives in her sleepy hometown and works the same job her father did. Her boyfriend, Duncan (Chris O’Dowd), is more interested in a long-disappeared musician than starting a family with her. When a CD demo for Duncan’s favorite musician, Tucker Crowe (Ethan Hawke), shows up at their home, Annie is the first to listen. Her negative reaction to the album, mixed with Duncan’s over-the-top positive one, sets off a chain of events that ends with Crowe himself visiting her in England. I realized halfway through Juliet, Naked that director Jesse Peretz (Our Idiot Brother) was trying to reinvent the classic rom-com. Instead, it’s more of a Frankenstein’s monster hybrid, as one part indie drama mixed with your classic rom-com clichés makes for strange bedfellows. It’s not to say that these tropes couldn’t exist together – they could – but it would need to be in the hands of a stronger filmmaker. The cast fares a little bit better. Hawke and Byrne do what they can with a messy script, and they have an undeniable chemistry. The problem – again – lies in that it sometimes feels like the characters are moving between two different films. One moment, Hawke’s character is lamenting his shortcomings as a father, and the next he’s in a hospital bed surrounded by all of his ex-wives/lovers. It’s a scene that wouldn’t feel out of place in a network sitcom. Byrne is the one saving grace. She’s always been able to lift the material she’s given and it’s no different here. There’s a sweetness to Annie that never feels naïve. She’s a competent, driven woman who just hasn’t allowed herself to go after what she wants in life. There’s a behind-the-camera pedigree to Juliet, Naked that makes its shortcomings all the more disappointing. It’s based on the book by Nick Hornby (About a Boy, High Fidelity), and produced by Judd Apatow (Bridesmaids, Superbad, Pineapple Express). Apatow has especially shown himself to be adept at producing really funny, thoughtful comedies. Had Juliet, Naked kept both feet firmly in one genre, I think the film would’ve had something nice to say. Instead, it’s a murky mess of what could have been. #BrandonThomas #movies #film #entertainment #moviereviews #filmreviews #JulietNaked #RoseByrne #EthanHawke #ChrisO39Dowd #JessePeretz #JuddApatow #NickHornby

★★ Directed by: Pierre Morel Starring: Jennifer Garner, Juan Pablo Raba Film Review by: George Wolf Jennifer Garner has been a screen sweetheart for enough years now that it might be easy to forget she rose to fame as the action star of TV's Alias. Peppermint is her bloody reminder, a corpse-strewn revenge caper with few surprises but plenty of ambitions for a new franchise. Garner is Riley North, an LA mom whose husband and daughter are gunned down on orders from ruthless drug dealer Diego Garcia (Juan Pablo Raba). Riley is injured badly but survives the shooting, eventually giving the cops positive IDs on the three gunman....which bases the entire film on a contradiction. The flimsy reason for the hit, along with the stories of Garcia's mythic levels of evildoing, don't jibe with his offer to buy Riley's silence instead of buying her the farm. If only that were the film's biggest problem. The script from Chad St. John (London Has Fallen - woof) serves up heaps of one-note obviousness amid layers of cop cliche circle-jerkery. "The FBI wants to talk.." "The Feds?" Yes, experienced detective, that's a big ten-four! Treasure troves of info result from 15-second phone calls, kids living on skid row sport gleaming white teeth, and the search for any authenticity in this film is DOA. So, dead then? Sigh...yes! And then there's the matter of Riley's particularly deadly set of skills. Suffice to say there are issues there as well, but thankfully not because we're given yet another Taken knockoff. With Taken's director Pierre Morel at the helm, it's not a big leap to expect just that. Instead, Riley's frequent baddie beatdowns set her up as a West Coast Equalizer, but Morel can't cash that check, either. The reasons to get invested in any of this are hastily assembled and unconvincing, and Morel's action sequences seldom escape a bland auto pilot, but Garner makes a comfortable return to the action saddle. She casts Riley as a likable, if less-than-believable, anti-hero, and Morel manages to keep the focus respectably gritty, never sexualizing Garner beyond some seriously long-lasting lipstick. High on body count but low on substance, Peppermint tastes like a strange blend of committed and lazy. #PierreMorel #ChadStJohn #JuanPabloRaba #JenniferGarner #GeorgeWolf #movies #film #entertainment #moviereviews #filmreviews #actionmovies #Peppermint #FilmReviews #TheatricalReleases

★★ Directed by: Jonathan Baker and Josh Baker Starring: Myles Truitt, Jack Reynor, Dennis Quaid, Zoe Kravitz Film Review by: Hope Madden I’m no cook. If it’s not on Chipotle’s menu, I’m not eating it. And yet, I feel like I understand certain things that don’t go together, say Captain Crunch cereal and goat cheese, meatball subs and tuna, ice cream and hair. That’s kind of the experience to be had when watching Kin. Advertised as an adolescent SciFi adventure where a 'tween finds an intergalactic gun and all his problems are solved (nothing tone deaf about that storyline), the film is much more than that. And also much less. Eli Solinski (Myles Truitt) is an adolescent outsider, missing his mom and trudging through his dad’s chores and disappointment. His older brother Jimmy (Jack Reynor, or as I like to call him, Handsome Seth Rogan) comes home from a 6-year prison stretch, and things go quickly to hell in a handbasket thanks to his old associate, Taylor (James Franco). Filmmaking brothers Jonathan and Josh Baker start off with traditional angsty teen drama. They quickly warp it into a gritty, mid-budget crime thriller, with a little charm thanks to Franco’s characteristic weirdness: badly cut mullet, unexplained puffy coat, women’s shoes. But then it turns into a road picture with antics and a sort of tragic take on the cycle of poverty, crime and bad decisions. By this time, we realize that Truitt doesn’t have much hope of establishing a character, as he may, indeed, have no idea what film he’s in. Reynor fairs slightly better. He's likable and vulnerable. To pull the role off, he’d also have to be believably corrupted, which is where Reynor falters. Zoe Kravitz is Milly, the stripper they befriend. Let’s not even get into it. The strength and honest conflict in the film is really the relationship between the two brothers and the inevitable, depressing conclusion their lives together will lead to. But, wait. Don’t settle into that just yet, because there’s an over-the-top, high-octane climax headed inexplicably and irreversibly toward you. And remember the whole SciFi nonsense they threw at us in the trailer? Well, it finally finds its resolution in the last five minutes of the film—a plot twist that is so mismatched with the tone of the film leading up to it, it truly feels like a whole other movie just came knocking on the door because it was lost. Dude, all we wanted was beans and rice. #HopeMadden #movies #film #entertainment #moviereviews #filmreviews #Kin #JonathanBaker #JoshBaker #MylesTruitt #JackReynor #DennisQuaid #ZoeKravitz #sciencefictionmovies #adolescentfilms #FilmReviews #TheatricalReleases

★★★ Directed by: Corin Hardy Starring: Taissa Farmiga, Demián Bichir, Jonas Bloquet, Bonnie Aarons Film Review by: Hope Madden When we were four, my sister and I wandered off at the Toledo zoo. Nuns found us and reunited us—via lost and found? I don’t remember—with the larger Madden clan. And that’s the thing about nuns: they are either entirely wonderful or entirely terrifying. There is no middle ground. Corin Hardy knows that. With that knowledge, The Hallows director crafts his little part of The Conjuring universe with a history lesson on that scary sister, The Nun. His film, written by Gary Dauberman (Annabelle, It) from a story by James Wan, takes us back to the 1950s when the Vatican called upon a priest with a specific set of skills. Fr. Burke (Demián Bichir) investigates the suicide of a cloistered nun in remote Romania, bringing along a novitiate nun, Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga – little sister to Conjuring star Vera). You think nuns are creepy? Well, they fit right in at crumbling old Romanian abbeys. Hardy and cinematographer Maxime Alexandre make glorious use of the location, and then create richly shadowed castle interiors suitable for Dracula himself. Hardy throws any number of really eerie visuals onscreen as Farmiga’s novitiate (a nun who hasn’t yet taken her final vows) descends into the demonic labyrinth, while Father Burke fights demons (personal and literal) just outside the gate. Velvety shadows and jump scares, medieval witchery and the now-quaint idea that the Catholic Church can save us—Hardy balances all these items with nostalgia, humor and a fun dose of Conjuring universe odes. Farmiga brings enough salt-of-the-earthiness with her innocence to make Sr. Irene relatable. Bichir seems less suited to the role of holy man, but as an investigator who smells something rotten, he works out well. The real treat is Jonas Bloquet as Frenchie, the French-Canadian transport living in Romania who can carry a torch into catacombs with the best of them. He’s funny, his scenes keeping the film from veering into committing the sin of taking itself too seriously and losing its audience. Where the film comes up short is in imagination. Mainly, it bears far too strong a resemblance to another Irishman’s Catholic horror, Devil’s Doorway, which follows two priests investigating strange phenomenon at a convent only to find something sinister in the tunnels beneath. Though Devil’s Doorway lacked the visual flair, budget and humor of The Nun, it sidestepped the nostalgia that casts the Catholic Church in such unvarnished light, so it felt a bit more relevant and less disposable. Still, with a slight, sometimes silly storyline and an awful lot of atmosphere, Hardy manages an entertaining if forgettable 90 minutes. #DemiánBichir #HopeMadden #movies39film #entertainment #moviereviews #filmreviews #horror #horrormovies #TheNun #TaissaFarmiga #JonasBloquet #BonnieAarons #CorinHardy #FilmReviews #TheatricalReleases

★★★★★ Directed by: Mark O’Brien Written by: Mark O'Brien Starring: Joris Jarsky, Talya Carroll, Jaidyn Carroll Short Film Review by: Chris Olson Darker than a cup of black coffee with no donut, filmmaker Mark O'Brien’s marvelous short film Threshold packs an almighty punch within its limited running time and without the need for much dialogue or audience hand holding. Joris Jarsky plays a troubled cop (we know this as he begins the movie sipping from a hip flask and snorting a substance whilst behind the wheel of a car) whose presence outside the scene of a crime is less than fortunate for the victims inside than it should be. The mysteries surrounding him being outside that house, his substance abuse, and the drama that unfolds are explored brilliantly for the audience, engulfing them in a story that is as tragic as it is turbulent. Told with a gloriously moody mise en scéne, Threshold as a short film benefits from a volatile tone throughout. The rising tension that O’Brien creates and maintains is expertly handled, keeping the viewer in a compressed sense of palpable shock and awe at all times. As the tale of tragedy gets revealed, the deep immersion that we have invested is rewarded brilliantly. Jarsky is ferocious on screen. His character's instability and actions give the performer so much to work with, and he steps up and delivers a memorable turn that perfectly complemented the screenplay, which is also excellent. His limited dialogue is used to wonderful effect, in particular the compelling sequence between him and youngster Jaidyn Carroll. The film utilised some excellent visual flair, such as focus, slow motion, and lighting to provide the viewer with a completely arresting picture, as well as an impressive sound design that was integral in Threshold’s success as a pulse-racing cinematic experience. Watch the official movie trailer for Threshold above. As with the best crime thrillers, the success of the piece lies within the themes. O’Brien’s story is littered with intelligent and thought-provoking riffs on the hero motif, startling the audience with a narrative where the worst really can happen even by accident (you may notice a shaky attempt by this film critic to avoid spoilers becoming more evident as you read this film review). What is evident, however, is that this is a short film unafraid of casting its audience into a pit of despair, and asking them to endure the journey because, well, it's thoroughly engaging and well worth your time. #FilmReviews #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #MovieTrailers #5StarFilm #Crime #ChrisOlson #MarkO39Brien #JorisJarsky #TaylaCarroll #JaidynCarroll

★★★★ Directed by: Jamie Murray Written by: Jamie Murray Starring: Googoorewon Knox, Judd English, Anthony Thomas Short Film Review by: Chris Olson Brooding and mysterious, short film Nangana from filmmaker Jamie Murray has such a plentiful supply of suspense, intrigue, and classic storytelling that audiences will find themselves immersed in its narrative. Two half brothers, Pup (Googoorewon Knox) and Kit (Judd English) form a formidable fox-hunting duo. The former being one of the best spotters in Australia and the latter being a terrific shot with a rifle, it is no surprise they are hired by an eccentric landowner called Walker (Anthony Thomas) to help clear his acres of foxes. However, after weeks of no scalps, the half brothers nervously attend a dinner hosted by their employer, where more than just their pathetic numbers is discussed. Dark and moody throughout, Nangana maintains a consistent tone for the viewer which is essential to bury them into the plot and the revelations to come. At the meal, Walker plays the campfire storyteller brilliantly, reeling in the audience as much as Pup and Kit with his stories and Australian history. This engaging approach to the short is great, even if the scenes end up outstaying their welcome to a degree. The dialogue is well crafted with just the right amount of drama to arouse our curiosity without falling foul of the melodrama boundary. The performances are excellent across the board. Knox and English establish a terrific chemistry and their uneasy relationship gets explored brilliantly whilst Thomas is a commanding on screen presence, penetrating the movie with his menacing demeanor and folklore. One of the most remarkable sequences is where English’s character, after sipping too much vino, locks horns with the tales he's being told and openly rejects the mystical qualities of an old bone. There was such a tension to this sequence and English maintains it brilliantly. Nangana explores numerous themes and topics, in particular the dynamic of the half brother relationship. There are also notes of survivalism and the brutality that it can engender. What is wonderful is that Murray allows a lot of these ideas to percolate in the frame with the characters without focusing on any one specifically, instead the viewer is presented with a story that contains numerous meanings and a harrowing atmosphere. Intelligently directed with a trio of great performances, Nagana serves up a seductive slice of mysterious drama in the remote and rural Australian landscape. Enter at your peril as you may have to question everything you think you know even about those closest to you. #ShortFilmreviews #ShortFilms #ChrisOlson #AustralianCinema #JamieMurray #GoogoorewonKnox #JuddEnglish #AnthonyThomas

★★★★ Directed by: Eric Liddle Written by: Eric Liddle Starring: Gary Bannon, Jack Anderson, Ryan Caldwell Short Film Review by: Chris Olson Scottish short film Mister Swolo, from filmmaker Eric Liddle, takes a surrealist approach in telling a charmingly barmy tale of characters coming to life from the page with perilous results. Think Inkheart being directed by Quentin Tarantino on the set of The League of Gentlemen and you...well you are still quite far off but you understand the point we're making. Harrison (Jack Anderson) and his mate Pete (Gary Bannon) venture off into the picturesque Scottish mountains in order to find Harrison's creative spark. He is suffering from an imaginative block, a dry spell in his quest to create a memorable and original superhero (watch out Marvel and DC). Their odyssey is brought to a halt, however, when a figure magically appears in their backseat. The titular Mister Swolo (Ryan Caldwell), one of Harrison's creations, embarks on an alarming, if a little campy, campaign of terror on the boys, chasing them across the gorgeous landscapes with guns and sex toys in tow. The power of the imagination being gloriously celebrated by Eric Liddle and his cast and crew here, the short is riddled with pure, raw filmmaking potential. Yes, the output is as rough around the edges as a Wetherspoons beer mat but there is something genuinely impressive about the ingredients of this piece and a lot of its appeal is the inexpertness. For a start, the performers have a great chemistry, in particular when Caldwell turns up and introduces his signature brand of quirky crazy. Whilst the line delivery feels a little rushed from Anderson and Bannon, the audience is swept up into the frenetic chaos of the film’s energy that few will stop to care. The use of profanity and adult themes lended Mister Swolo a much needed darker edge that will give it a larger appeal to viewers. The cinematography was splendid, especially as Pete's little white car travels in the distance through the empty mountain roads. Music was also a fabulous addition, with an original Swolo song being used that was hugely entertaining. The aesthetic and atmosphere that Liddle creates superbly blends surrealist comedy with a Western feel, an impressive feat that worked surprisingly well. Aside from some mic issues and some muffled dialogue, Mister Swolo is a brilliantly dark entry into the short comedy genre for 2018. Fabulously twisted and leaking oodles of creativity, we watch with bated breath to see what Liddle does next. #ShortFilmreviews #ShortFilms #ChrisOlson #Surrealism #Comedy #Scotland #EricLiddle #GaryBannon #JackAnderson #RyanCaldwell

★★★★ Directed by: Thomas Griffiths Starring: Jac Horwood Documentary Film Review by: Rachel Pullen Hockey...get some...go team...other loud sporting chants...yeah okay sports, we get it. I like sports, who doesn’t? Be it from watching a professional game, to getting together with pals or your team to play, you can’t deny they are a huge part of our culture, I even spent at least 10 minutes in a pub this year when England played in the World Cup. It was traumatizing to say the least, people took off their tops and yelled a lot, I didn’t get it. But I admired their passion in the moment [but not the fashion, coloured wigs and face paint should never be a choice from your wardrobe unless you’re a clown], sport brings us together as a community as well as playing a therapeutic role for fans as well as the players, it gives us focus, drive and a sense of achievement, and this is something that often we overlook when we think of organised sporting events. Short film Sticks and Feathers is an examination of the pivotal role that sports can play in someone's life, in this case, a young man called Jac, who has lost his father due to cardiac issues. Not only has he had to face this hardship, he also runs the risk of developing the same cardiac problems which would inevitably put an end to his true love...playing hockey. This short is conducted like a storytelling session, we hear Jac reliving the time of his father's death, his involvement in the sport of hockey and its importance in regards to helping him deal with his emotional anxieties, as well as his spiritual connection he feels with his father after his passing. Director Thomas Griffiths has a delicate style of shooting, picking intimate close ups of the places where Jac plays hockey, as if we too have a relationship with the sport, with the pitch, with Jac’s life. His style reminds me of Andrea Arnold’s 2011 Wuthering Heights, focusing on the details of the surroundings, using nature and the overlooked details of a location to build up a sense of emotional attachment and connection. Jac’s story is compelling and inspiring, his determination to continue to play hockey despite the threat to his health speaks volumes for his character, but as well as that we see his sensitivity and vulnerability, we feel his desire to connect with his father even after his life has been taken from him, making us instantly feel empathy, feel a connection, drawing us into this short piece of work. An enjoyable and moving short, beautifully shot with great skill and attention to detail, Sticks and Feathers is a story of how sometimes the little things really can help us overcome the big. #DocumentaryFilmReviews #Documentaries #RachelPullen #Sportsmovies #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #ThomasGriffiths #JacHorwood