★★ Directed by: Peter Berg Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Iko Uwais, Ronda Rousey, Lauren Kerr Film Review by: Matt Weiner Equal parts John le Carré and John Carpenter if both men were lobotomized and then let loose with typewriter and camera, Mile 22 spends most of its brief running time trying to figure out if it has something meaningful to say. All the while, it stacks a public body count up so high that it’s impossible to see how the clandestine force responsible is going to stay secret long enough to become a film franchise. And while the movie has ambitions at creating new intellectual property around the paramilitary Overwatch program introduced in the film, it’s a bit of a head fake for this first outing. For all its spy vs. spy setup and technobabble, director Peter Berg uses espionage as window dressing for a simple action setup that’s all about brute force. Mark Wahlberg heads up the CIA team as James Silva, a prickly leader whose instability is used as a stand-in for self-effacing humor. Silva’s team springs into action when a local source Li Noor (Iko Uwais) surrenders to a U.S. Embassy claiming to have information that can help stop a nuclear attack. Silva’s team of elite operatives are tasked with escorting Noor safely out of the country, which becomes a lethal mission when Noor’s own intelligence agency works to stop the extraction at any cost. To call Silva’s team ragtag would do a disservice to stereotype—it actually would’ve been nice if anybody rose to some level of quirkiness, or any distinction apart from fungible cannon fodder. Ronda Rousey comes close to having a compelling hook, which is: look, it’s Ronda Rousey! But the main emotional labor falls to The Walking Dead star Lauren Kerr as Alice, whose defining character trait is that she has a daughter waiting for her back home. Thankfully, the team—and the film—has a secret weapon in Uwais. The Indonesian martial artist and choreographer best known for The Raid series gets to show off his captivating fighting style that’s a ballet of bone dislocation. The downside is that he goes underused for so long that his breakout set pieces serve mainly as a reminder that you’d be better off watching The Raid. There’s a ludicrous nihilism underpinning the film that is almost refreshing for a Berg/Wahlberg pairing. But the script (written by Lea Carpenter) is so humorless it’s genuinely difficult to make out how much of this is Berg and company trying to make a statement about the War on Terror and how much is just the inevitable byproduct of a tight 90-minute cut that only comes alive during the brutal one-on-one fight scenes. John Malkovich’s arch turn as an anonymous and ultimately meaningless government agent, for example, is far more vital—and still relevant—under the direction of the Coen brothers in Burn After Reading than it is here, even though the two roles share an uncanny echo. Mile 22 doesn’t offer up much replay value as anything more than a fun but forgettable live-action video game level. Although as far as meta-commentary on espionage thrillers goes, this strange blend of individualism and irrelevance might be all we have to look forward to for a while. #PeterBerg #MarkWahlberg #IkoUwais #RondaRousey #LaurenKerr #Mile22 #MattWeiner #movies #fillm #entertainment #filmreviews #moviereviews #actionmovies #FilmReviews #TheatricalReleases

★★ Directed by: Mahmoud Shoolizadeh Written by: Mahmoud Shoolizadeh Starring: Jennifer Preston, Christopher Mulvin, Mitchell Thornton, Holly Lawton Indie Film Review by: Chris Olson A tale of grief and trauma, Susan is a feature-length indie drama from filmmaker Mahmoud Shoolizadeh. Jennifer Preston plays the titular Susan, a character who experiences a harrowing amount of sorrow in a short space of time and attempts to cope with the inevitable changes that happen to her personality, whilst questioning the world around her. Indulgent, saccharine at times, and melodramatic, Shoolizadeh soaks his frames with an enormous amount of soppiness in Susan. The takes are overlong, scenes often run for ages and contain repetitive dialogue, and the sound design is crackly and in some sequences jarring depending on which microphone is being used. There is an opening scene where Susan is in a cab reminiscing about her husband (Mitchell Thornton) who has been declared KIA in Afghanistan that goes on for about ten minutes, the time in which short filmmakers can bang out a beginning, middle, and an end with some twists and character development along the way. This baggy approach to the filmmaking continues throughout the movie and makes for an exhausting watch. There were some nice moments in the cinematography department, in particular Susan grieving in front of a tree in the park or the darkly lit scene where she meets a wrongdoer (to explain would be to spoil the storyline). I also enjoyed some of the themes which are raised by Shoolizadeh, such as the role of faith in grief and the changes a person can undergo when faced with turmoil, depending on their reaction, character and choices. That being said, audiences will not be able to escape the clunky dialogue that each of the performers struggles to wade through or the stupendously overbearing score that oozes a syrupy veneer over most of the movie. Preston goes through an endless amount of emotional breakdown scenes, by the end of which most viewers will at least applaud her enduring spirit, but she is regretfully left stranded by the story and plot. The film could afford to shed half an hour or so and the direction is not controlled enough to maintain the viewer’s complete focus, resulting in a largely uncompelling cinematic experience. Viewers looking to wholly immerse themselves into a story of woe may be able to find refuge in Susan's bleak environment but be warned, your stay will be long and tiresome. Watch the official movie trailer below... #IndieFilmReviews #IndieFilms #MovieTrailers #ChrisOlson #MahmoudShoolizadeh #ChristopherMulvin #MitchellThornton #HollyLawton #JenniferPreston

★★★★ Directed by: Dermot Daly and Ivan Mack Starring: Emma Leah Golding, Ahmed Sher Zaman Short Film Review by: Darren Tilby A fabulous and pensive piece on loss and acceptance, Excursion to the Mountains covers much in its 3:33 running time. Starting with a woman, Eve (brilliantly played by Emma Leah Golding) staring out of her window toward remote mountains in reminiscence, grieving a lost love. The film then proceeds to follow Eve as she recalls the good times and learns to cope with the pain: flitting between the present and flashbacks of a happier past, which are shot using a home video technique. The decision to use this particular medium is a solid one; adding to the movie’s primary notion that memories are important. There’s no dialogue in the film, and as such, we never discover exactly what happened to cause the breakdown of this relationship; something that drove me mad, in the best possible way: we can presume it had something to do with the titular outing, but we’re never really sure. Did he leave her? Did one of them have an affair? Did he die tragically? It’s to the film’s credit we never find out, it forces our imagination to work overtime; considering every possibility. My suspicion is the relationship ended badly in some way, causing a good deal of animosity: in one scene, Eve removes photos of herself and Adam (Ahmed Sher Zaman), her now ex, taken at a party; carelessly discarding them. To me, these represent the actions of someone angry, rather than someone mourning. The more I watch this film the more I notice these slight, understated clues hidden throughout. All that said and done, it doesn’t matter: we simply sympathise with Eve on a personal level; we’ve all experienced loss in one way or another. But the sheer fact I’ve spent as much time and effort scrutinising every detail in the frame, every nuance of Golding’s character, says more than words ever could on the film’s efficacy. The soundtrack is another rather understated affair; allowing the silence to conjure the sense of desolate loneliness to great success. The film uses the camera to aid the storytelling in an innovative and astute way: whether it’s lingering on photos strewn across a sitting room floor or peering longingly out of a window at distant mountains, the cinematography – despite there being a few missteps with camera framing – rarely misses the mark. The camera – effectively being utilized as dialogue – expands our knowledge of the past and events that have transpired; never resorting to crass exposition. Despite the few issues with framing, this is an incredible effort. Excursion to the Mountains is a film whose parts come together superbly; an exquisitely wrapped package, small, but in no way lacking substance. Guillermo del Toro once said, “I try to tell you a story with what I call eye-protein, not eye-candy”. The implication being eye-candy is something which may look nice but is ultimately hollow and meaningless, but with eye-protein, nothing on-screen is wasted; feeding the narrative. Thankfully, directors Dermot Daly and Ivan Mack have opted for the eye-protein method. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #DarrenTilby #DermotDaly #IvanMack #EmmaLeahGolding #AhmedSherZaman

★★★ Directed by: Kieran Hanson, Howard Walmsley Starring: Scott Miller, Jim Backhouse, Phillipa Seagrave, Documentary Film Review by: Chris Olson Understated and well edited, short documentary What We Do Here tells a simple story in a genial way. It focuses on the modelling workshop of the University of Manchester, giving audiences a glimpse into the intricate world of architecture students who bring physical form to their creations and ideas using a range of techniques, equipment and materials. As with most documentary films, the subject matter is going to be key in finding the right type of viewer. Whilst What We Do Here is fairly enjoyable on a basic cinematic level, there exists barely any conflict or tension to compel an audience into anything more than a comfortable viewing experience not so far removed from watching a university promo piece. The liveliest it gets is watching third year students cart their bulky creations from one building to another, dreading a fatal drop or collision…which doesn't come. Sorry, spoilers. Furthermore, the small moments of cultural or societal implications are fleeting, such as a small mention of avoiding using plastic for the sake of the environment or the hands-on approach being alien to the computer generation. Had these themes taken a more central role then the documentary could have, perhaps, become something more substantial. That being said, directors Kieran Hanson and Howard Walmsley make good use of the passion of the students and teachers. Each has only great things to say about the B.15 Model Workshop, praising it's creative and supportive environment which enables students to bring a sense of palpability to their work. There is also a fascination to be found in the variety of ways in which these models get formed, from the glue and cardboard approach right the way up to working with resin and computer-aided printers. The music choices were quite tedious, a benign guitar plucking sound appears every so often, as if the filmmakers found this suited the tone of their piece so perfectly they didn't bother looking for more or extending the one they had. Similarly there is not much daring in terms of visual flair. Unlike much of the model making on display, the construction of this documentary film is nothing breathtaking and the piece would not be out of place in those pre-trailer slots at your cinema promoting local businesses and educational courses. Low on audience engagement levels, What We Do Here is a presentation on the benefits of further education and it's investment. Whilst viewers will not discover the blueprint for any larger truth, they may be transfixed by the journey and find a passion of their own ignited. Watch the official movie trailer below... #DocumentaryFilmReviews #Documentaries #ChrisOlson #Education #MovieTrailers #KieranHanson #HowardWalmsley

Press Releases > Film Festivals > Grimmfest Film Festival GENRE FILM FESTIVAL GRIMMFEST REVEALS FIRST LOOK AT 2018 PROGRAMME AND AWARDS PRIZES Manchester-based genre film festival GRIMMFEST is delighted to announce the first 3 of many UK premieres lined up for this year’s 10th anniversary edition. The festival can also now reveal details of some very special awards prizes on offer for films in the official selection. Simeon Halligan, festival director and founder of Grimmfest, says “2018 is a very special year for us and to celebrate this we are proud to welcome back a number of talented filmmakers and actors who’ve shared their work with us over the past decade. We’re also pleased to introduce plenty of new talent to the festival, who we hope to see more work from in the years to come!” The full festival programme is due to be unleashed on Monday 3rd September 2018, but Grimmfest is whetting audiences’ appetites with an early sneak preview of 3 of this year's titles. Grimmfest is thrilled to be hosting the UK Premiere of the much-anticipated NIGHTMARE CINEMA, a weird, wild and most welcome throwback to the classic EC-comics-inspired horror anthologies of the 1970s, from genre giants Alejandro Brugués, Joe Dante, Mick Garris, Ryûhei Kitamura and David Slade. Fresh from its world premiere at Fantasia International Film Festival, the film stars Mickey Rourke, Elizabeth Reaser, Richard Chamberlain and Annabeth Gish. Director Rob Grant (FAKE BLOOD, MON AMI) will be making a welcome return to the festival with the UK Premiere of Canadian shocker ALIVE. Tense, creepy, darkly funny, and quite spectacularly gory in places, with a truly baroque performance from Angus Macfadyen (BRAVEHEART, SAW III/IV), this offbeat gem cements Rob Grant's reputation of one of genre cinema's true mavericks of morbid mischief. Finally, Grimmfest is proud to announce the UK Premiere of the hilariously twisted Australian comedy BROTHERS’ NEST, courtesy of Signature Entertainment. Written and directed by Clayton Jacobson, who also stars in the film along with his brother Shane, this SXSW hit is an emotionally-charged pitch-black farce of squabbling siblings, filial ingratitude, thwarted ambition, broken dreams and brutal murder. These and all other selected films are in the running for the previously announced GRIMMFEST AWARDS, which will be judged by a fantastic all-female jury consisting of some of the brightest lights in contemporary Genre cinema. Grimmfest can also now reveal that it is partnering with film financing group BCL to offer special prizes for the winners of the BEST FILM and BEST DIRECTOR awards categories. The winning films will each be awarded £40,000 worth of post-production services, which can be used against a future film. Festival Co-Director Rachel Richardson-Jones says, “Our hope is that these awards will really help to boost productivity within the independent genre film sector, as well as demonstrating our commitment as a festival to supporting rising film talent. We intend to expand these awards further still in 2019.” Michael Laundon, Managing Partner at BCL, adds “All of us at BCL are delighted to be one of the prize sponsors for Grimmfest 2018, especially in their 10th anniversary year. BCL was established with a quest to truly help independent movies to not only get made but to be finished. We hope to continue our support of Grimmfest in the years to come.” Grimmfest previously announced actress and producer Barbara Crampton (RE-ANIMATOR, FROM BEYOND) as the recipient of their 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by Horror Channel. Barbara will be attending the festival in person to receive the award, where she will also present a special screening of 80’s horror classic RE-ANIMATOR. Grimmfest’s 10th edition will take place from the 4th to the 7th October at the ODEON Manchester Great Northern, UK. Full festival passes are on sale now from grimmfest.com. Day passes and individual film tickets will be released on 3rd September 2018, along with the full festival programme. #Grimmfest #Grimmfest2018 #FilmFestivals #UKFilmFestivals #FilmFestivals2018 #PressReleases #GrimmfestFilmFestival

★★★ Directed by: Albert Hughes Starring: Kodi Smit-McPhee Film Review by: Christie Robb Visually stunning, but emotionally monotonous, Alpha seems like a planetarium show scaled up to feature length, given a sketch of a plot to justify shots of a human staring up at the firmament and trudging through various majestic terrains. Set 20,000 years ago in Europe, a hesitant young man, Keda (Kodi Smit-McPhee), sets out on his first hunt with the goal of making his dad proud. But when one of the beasts fights back, Keda takes a header off a cliff and is left for dead. What follows is his somewhat preposterous journey to get back to his settlement. It’s a little bit Cast Away, a little bit 127 Hours, with wide, sweeping shots of Keda’s journey that are very reminiscent of iconic scenes from the Lord of the Rings movies. And there are glorious vistas to enjoy, any number of which would make a fantastic desktop picture for your work computer. But to properly enjoy it, you kind of have to turn the thinking part of your brain off. (At least a little bit. You still have to be able to read the subtitles to parse the Neanderthal language being spoken.) For example, the hunting ground presumably is close enough to Keda’s settlement to allow the hunters to bring back the spoils before they, you know…spoil. And yet, on the way home, Keda climbs a few mountains, treks through a dessert, passes a swamp, skirts a volcano, and grows a delightfully thin adolescent mustache. For quite a time, he is doing this on a recently dislocated ankle and while carrying a full grown wolf. Cause, oh yeah, he’s got a wolf buddy who he basically domesticates on the way home. Billed as the heart of the story, Keda’s relationship with Alpha the wolf supposedly “shines a light on the origins of man’s best friend.” Given this, I was expecting the relationship to have a certain amount of complexity and emotional give and take. But this falls flat. The domestication happens so easily that it seems inevitable. I’ve adopted dogs that were harder to train. And despite the harsh environment and the occasional menacing hyenas, at no point do Keda and Alpha seem in any ultimate danger. All, in all, Alpha would probably be best viewed if you’re jonesing for an easy visual escape or if you want inspiration for upgrading your winter wardrobe. Cause those suspiciously healthy-looking folks eking out their existence during an Ice Age have some beautifully made clothes. Now, I’m off to search for a pair of leather pants online. #KodiSmitMcPhee #ChristieRobb #AlbertHughes #Alpha #movies39fil #entertainment #moviereviews #filmreviews

★★★★ Directed by: The Flaherty Brothers Starring: Ari Flaherty, Josh Flaherty, Peter Gonzalez, Alfredo Rengifo, Kimmy Dunn, Zachary Harrington Short Film Review by: Jack Bottomley Families eh? They can’t half be a handful. Well in The Flaherty Brothers’ – Ari and Josh (who both co-star also) – short Tavern, we see a family with far more going on than who promised to take mum shopping! This drama/thriller is a pilot for a short series and, as the directors said, is intended to “leave the audience eager to see the next episode”. On those grounds I say, mission accomplished. As with many pilots there are some wrinkles, in some over the top lines of dialogue or moments of performance but Tavern had me intrigued as to where it was going and once it got there I was put in mind of David Michôd’s 2014 dystopic Drama The Rover, in that the plot revolves around one very simple aspect or McGuffin. By the end of this short, you are certainly left at a point of wanting to see the stakes that are bound to follow and how the Flaherty’s will develop their skills in taking you there. The narrative sees ex-marine Scott (Ari Flaherty) pulled into a situation by his criminal brother Alex (Josh Flaherty), after their dad has disappeared during a job. It is a simple set up and heavily influenced by some of the power plays that take part in established crime/gangster pictures, with a far more pulled back approach and setting. That said, Director of Photography Nicholas D’Agostino has effectively used some real world backdrops for this short and, doubled with sparse moments of pulsating original music by Quinn McGovern, Tavern certainly has the grit to match its bravado. The script is simple in its outlook but with the promise of more to come and while some things are heavy handed, the ambition of staging some genuinely exciting fight sequences and violent spurts in-between the family hierarchical turmoil has really paid off and as Tavern progresses you find yourself getting very settled in its story and seeing how it all pans out. Ari Flaherty is very resolute as lead Scott, as his on (and off) screen brother Josh harnesses an almost Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor-like criminal eccentricity. As there is also strong support from an action ready Alfredo Rengifo and Peter Gonzalez, while smaller characters like Kimmy Dunn’s Lucy and Zachary Harrington’s Peter, seem like they will be built up later. Overall Tavern is manufactured around these brothers’ fragile relationship, a battle of honour against ego, and alludes to the dark past of the family and while the script lacks emotional punch, there is a feeling that some may arrive later down the line. Tavern has drive and no fear of blistering its knuckles, as the short is well shot, dressed (the make-up work by Derek Cloonen is not overdone and realistically bruised) and staged. This is clearly the first step into a wider story of patriarchal power and family war and as a taste of what is to comes it works well in flexing the filmmaking muscles of its driven crew and raising anticipation of the viewer. #Crime #AriFlaherty #JoshFlaherty #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #TheFlahertyBrothers #PeterGonzalez #AlfredoRengifo #KimmyDunn #ZacharyHarrington

★★★★ Directed by: Mohammad Malak Starring: Tamas Kiss, Dzsennifer Vattai Animated Film Review by: Rachel Pullen Being in love is pretty cool, let's face facts we all get a high off it, caught up in the power and thrill that one other person can give you, and what you can also give them, but it’s important that you don’t take that for granted. We always realise that when we are apart, they say that distance makes the heart grow fonder, or something like that (I’m not really into greeting card quotes) but this is the premise behind Mohammad Malak’s animated short film Tavolsag. Tavolsag, which means distance in Hungarian [but of course we all knew that…didn’t we?] explores the feelings and memories we experience when separated from our lovers, and how this distance serves a purpose, often strengthening our feelings and desires for the other person…or frees up your time to have affairs and play Jenga if you’re anything like me. At first glance you may think that this piece is just an animated work using the art of interpretive dance to convey these emotions, but you would be wrong. Based on Ryan Woodward’s story ‘’The thought of you’’ Mohammad goes all mathematical on us, adding another interesting dimension to his work. After creating over two thousand hours of animation, each frame plays between several minutes to half an hour, representing the true length of time our lovers are apart, and after many calculations is compressed into a 5-minute piece of work…mind-boggling I know. With that in mind you start to see this short in a whole new light. I watched Tavolsag several times after learning this information, getting a deeper understanding of the dancers’ movements and actions when they are alone on the stage compared to when they were reunited. This short is beautiful to watch, music and lighting compliments every movement, the animation is simple yet effective, for we are not focusing on the details of the dancers themselves, but rather their movements around the stage and each other. Tavolsag not only conveys perfectly the power of love, but also shows the dedication and skill of all the team who worked on the project, which took 5 years to complete, which if you think about it is a year per minute…I can’t even focus on one thing for a minute so hats off to them! A must watch for any fans of animation, dance or people who like mathematical calculations, because we all know dance and math go hand in hand, but if you’re looking for a storyline that you can get your teeth into without having to do some research into the film’s background then maybe give this one a skip. #ShortFilmReviews #AnimatedFilmReviews #ShortFilms #Animation #WorldCinema #MohammadMalak #TamasKiss #DzsenniferVattai

★★ Directed by: Octavian Repede Written by: Octavian Repede Starring: Augustin Ungureanu, Cristian Stanca, Florin Nicula, Laura Petresc, Catalin Neghina, Cristian Ciomaga Indie Film Review by: Hannah Sayer In 141 A.D. Mission in Dacia, Marcus the Roman Centurion, played by Augustin Ungureanu, is sent on a journey to find a cure to a plague which has been linked to mythology and an omen observed in the night sky. Octavian Repede’s Romanian mystery film follows this mission Marcus takes with other soldiers to the Serpent Mountains where the unexpected is laid out before them. The film opens with a detailed description about the Halley Comet observed in the sky, an omen which has appeared for thousands of years. Every time the Comet has appeared every 74-79 years, it has been said to produce both fascination and fear amongst those who witness it. It has been related to prophecies from the ancient Roman past and civilisations which have come before the year 141 A.D. This introduction is visually exciting and sets the scene: Year 141, Dacia Province, Somewhere at the border of the Roman Empire. Two centurion soldiers are riding through the fields in Dacia Province when they see a star shining bright in the star, which they exclaim is like the one which appeared in the past. This is an omen of the bad times to come, as when this was seen in the past the Noricum plague broke out and caused people across nine cities to die. An ominous tone is created as one remarks: “And for us... what’s waiting for us?” The film sets the scene well through its use of visually stunning shots of the landscape. Its visual style provokes intrigue, as the camera lingers on images while action is happening off screen, leaving the viewer waiting to learn more. This builds suspense and is a more prominent stylistic choice as the plot is set up towards the beginning of the film. As the film goes on, the premise becomes extremely hard to follow, as important plot points aren’t explained well or in depth. The cinematography often mirrors this, as murky colour schemes match the dull and dreary action unfolding on screen. However, the eerie music accompanying the majority of the film’s scenes does heighten tension, especially through use of natural sounds. 141 A.D. Mission in Dacia works well at establishing a sense of mystery and introducing mythology into the mix. It is certainly intriguing at times, but it runs short of suspense across its feature length run time which feels overly long and its convoluted structure means that the film and its context is hard to follow and completely understand. Watch the official movie trailer for 141 A.D. Mission in Dacia below. #141ADMissioninDacia #IndieFilmReviews #OctavianRepede #AugustinUngureanu #CristianStanca #FlorinNicula #LauraPetresc #CatalinNeghina #CristianCiomaga #HannahSayer #MovieTrailers

★★★ Directed by: Mathew Hammond Starring: Sophie Brierley, Matt Kitson, Tom Sheldon Short Film Review by: Alexandra James With only a 5 minute running time, there is a lot crammed into Wrek, a short horror film. The story follows a man trying to find his lost brother who was tragically taken by a monster and threatens the town’s safety. The elder brother takes it upon himself to find and kill the menacing darkness that looms over citizens. A very short piece but the plot was simple enough to grasp within the first 20 seconds. It certainly is capable of keeping the viewer on their toes throughout whilst simultaneously retaining an element of mystery by holding a dark and foreboding secret. The audience and characters both remain unsure as to why this creature threatens to kidnap young children and how he became a part of this world. It can be argued that Wrek could have benefitted more if the costumes of the characters were more defined. Understandably there is only a short space of time, however, it is clear that Matt Kitson takes on the role as the ‘hero’ but unfortunately this is not apparent through his physical appearance. Although the character has established the leader role through his persona, it would aid the narrative if this essence was captured through his clothing, making it that much more clearer for the audience to see that he is in charge and stands above the rest. The majority of the editing are short cuts which does fit the storyline and creates a fast and exciting pace as the audience awaits a chilling scene. However, perhaps a variety of editing techniques could have broken up the monotonous editing and provided a unique viewing experience. Clearly, a horror should essentially have the characters surrounded in darkness as this is typically when the scarefest occurs. Nevertheless, as the audience and central character discover the creature's lair it was difficult to see the location and everything around the character himself. Of course, it is problematic in terms of funding to produce copious amounts of stage lighting. Therefore, a location with a lot more natural light in order to witness the characters reaction as well as view the location in its rawest form would have strengthened the piece. Overall, this is a successful film with many strengths regarding the storyline and the actors’ performances. Areas in which Wrek was lacking would be the editing and locations, both were quite restricted and did not attempt to explore their full potential. Regardless of this, the film was entertaining and filled with suspense. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #AlexandraJames #Horror #MathewHammond #SophieBrierley #MattKitson #TomSheldon

★★★ Directed by: Jon M. Chu Starring: Henry Golding, Constance Wu, Michelle Yeoh, Awkwafina Film Review by: Rachel Willis When Nick Young (Henry Golding) asks Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) to be his date to a wedding in Singapore, she expects a nice, but simple trip to her boyfriend's home. She'll meet his family, and they'll take an important step forward in their relationship. It's what Rachel doesn't know – that Nick is a member of a family known as “Singapore royalty” - that sets up the comedy and drama of Crazy Rich Asians. Director Jon M. Chu's adaptation of Kevin Kwan's novel is an entertaining look at the culture clash that happens when Rachel attempts to fit in with Nick's family. “Crazy rich” is an accurate descriptor for Nick's family and their class of friends. Born and raised in New York by a single, working mother, Rachel isn't prepared for the ostentatious wealth that surrounds Nick's family. Though proud of her life and career - economics professor at NYU - she realizes that she's seen as an unremarkable outsider in this world of wealth and power, especially by Nick's mother, Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh – outstanding as always). Efforts to sabotage their relationship begin before Rachel even leaves New York. There are a lot of characters in the movie. Too many, really, and the important side characters suffer a lack of necessary development. A second narrative thread involving Nick's cousin, Astrid (Gemma Chan), and her husband, Michael (Pierre Png), never hits the stride it deserves. But there's a lot to like about the movie. Nick and Rachel rank among the best – and most realistic – rom-com couples. As Rachel's friend Peik Lin, Awkwafina provides the film's funniest moments. She's also the dose of reality Rachel needs when dealing with the crazy rich. And despite being 120 minutes, long for a romantic comedy, the film never drags. Crazy Rich Asians is the kind of fluffy, fun, romantic summer fare that will leave almost everyone satisfied. #HenryGolding #ConstanceWu #JonMChu #KevinKwan #MichelleYeoh #GemmaChan #Awkwafina #PierrePng #RachelWillis #movies #film #entertainment #moviereviews #filmreviews #comedies #romanticcomedies #FilmReviews #TheatricalReleases

★ Directed by: Mahmoud Shoolizadeh Starring: Jennifer Preston, Mitchell Thornton and Holly Lawton Short Film Review by: Annie Vincent Susan: a kind, thoughtful woman who loses everything, is placed in the worst circumstances anyone can imagine, has her life fall down around her completely and still finds a way to carry on. When a ‘rising from the ashes’ family drama is dangled in front of me, I am hopeful. Aren’t we all? Dramas are great, even if they cost you a box of tissues and some hideously puffy eyes. Sadly, what this film delivered was far from ‘great’. From the outset, Susan is a self-indulgent film that spends far too much time trying to ‘tell’ its audience what is happening, rather than show them. In the opening sequence we meet Susan, travelling through London in a cab, scrolling through photos of her husband who, she tells us in voice over, has died on duty in Afghanistan. This could have been such a moving montage, but instead it was repetitive, cliché and insincere, particularly as the actress, Preston, began every sentence in this sequence with a whining ‘oh’ and a big sigh, reminiscent of Juliet up on her balcony in Act 2, Scene 2 of Shakespeare’s play. She seemed disappointed rather than distraught. Sadly, rather than let us move on from the slightly hollow opening, we had to continue enduring it through a ten-minute montage of Susan, her husband Paul and their daughter Lisa playing in a park without much sound and in slow motion. It was painstaking and added absolutely nothing to the audience’s understanding of the family dynamic. Yes, when a character is grieving we expect glossy, rose-tinted memories with soft edges and a slightly yellow glow, and the cameraman delivered this perfectly, but the same memory, for nearly ten minutes?! Things don't get better as Susan is subjected to artificial sympathy from a friend who spends her time trying to convert her to Christianity: if Susan’s tragedy doesn’t move audiences, her vapid and selfish friend will. Then, when made even more vulnerable by a second tragedy (the implausible nature of some of the plot details will be covered shortly), Susan does turn to God, venting her anger at him in the local church and is, again unsympathetically, counselled by the vicar who tells her that the perpetrator of her sorrow didn’t mean it! The scripting isn’t just bad, it is incredibly frustrating and the acting suffers because of it: no one can really feel their character emotions or motivations because they must deliver these vacuous lines. The plot doesn’t ever redeem itself as a series of highly improbable and poorly researched circumstances occur to, at first, save Susan, then devastate her again, before finally putting her on the right path in the dying seconds of the film. Slating films isn’t enjoyable but some fundamentals have been missed here and it creates a frustrating and hollow viewing experience. The obvious technical competence of the filmmakers is lost to poor plotting and sequences, inane scripting and some self-indulgent photography which extends the film to feature length, when it really shouldn’t be. Watch the official movie trailer below... #familydramas #filmreviews #IndieFilmReviews #IndieFilms #1Star #AnnieVincent #MahmoudShoolizadeh #JenniferPreston #MitchellThornton #HollyLawton