A Haunting Winter's Tale film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Gilda Ciccarelli, Francesco Teselli directed by Lorenzo Sicuranza. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS A Haunting Winter's Tale Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Jun 3, 2023 Directed by: Lorenzo Sicuranza Written by: Lorenzo Sicuranza, Miriam Vitillo Starring: Gilda Ciccarelli, Francesco Teselli A couple's happiness is destroyed by a terrible act. Inspired by actual events, this story is about a young couple in Italy, whose relationship takes a dramatic turn. The couple (Ciccarelli and Teselli) have just moved into a new home and seem happy and keen to start a new chapter of their life together. However, their bliss is threatened by the man's pill addiction and a series of events will result in the couple viciously turning on each other and life-and-death situations. This one-hour-long, low-budget feature tells a story about romance, drug addiction, betrayal and revenge. It begins as a romantic drama, exploring the tender relationship between the couple, with things indicating that they are going to live happily ever after, as the man proposes to her and she discovers that she is pregnant. Then suddenly everything changes following a confrontation, turning the film into a dark thriller about survival, murder and getting even. The narrative is more or less straightforward: happiness, then things go bad and someone is determined to take revenge. It is quite an intriguing viewing, with a great deal of suspense, although there is a sequence that involves a stranger who helps one of the protagonists that feels bizarre. The couple are two people who have been through difficult times and want to get on with their lives and both go through significant character development. The man ends up becoming a murderous antagonist, while the woman is forced to be strong, yet she too develops an urge to kill and therefore they both end up going down dark paths. The filmmakers utilise creative lighting techniques and the dramatic and sinister music by Jan Romano creates a sinister atmosphere and the addition of a classic Christmas song during the closing credits creates a sinister side for that track, considering the devastating events in the movie. The film is rather faithful to the true story that it is based on, making it disturbing to think that things of that nature actually happened. As a thriller, it works well, with tense and life-threatening situations and it tells a story about two people who go from caring for each other to turning into worst enemies. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Trial 22 film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Corinna Brown, Graham O'Connor, Isabella Lake, Felix Garcia Guyer directed by John Ferrer. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Trial 22 Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Jul 7, 2023 Directed by: John Ferrer Written by: Harry Metcalfe and John Ferrer Starring: Corinna Brown, Graham O'Connor, Isabella Lake, Felix Garcia Guyer In Trial 23, Contestant Number 1 (Brown) is busy beating the crap out of some sort of ninja dude. She's an obvious hardass and she pulls no punches as she knocks the ninja out and puts him to the ground. She looks like a really strong contestant and could even have the chops to go all the way, but hey, this is no time for dawdling, let's get through the door and onto the next trial – Trial 22 . Trial 22 initially looks very similar to Trial 23 in that the dark underground room with its painted brick wall is exactly the same – just with a '22' imprinted on it this time. However, Trial 22 brings with it its own complications, mostly in the form of three other contestants. Contestant Number 2 (O'Connor) is helping out Contestant Number 3 (Lake) who has broken her wrist, but let's just say that compassion is not anybody's strong suit in this scenario. Contestant Number 4 (Guyer) is another hardass, dressed up in pseudo-military gear, and he can't be bothered with the snivelling and the whining. He just wants to get on with it. So, the mood lighting goes on, the countdown timer begins and a cage with no bars(!) appears in the middle of the room with some kind of monster in it. Alan. Looking like some kind of skinned version of Donnie Darko 's (2001) death rabbit, Alan appears to be blind and has the keycard to the next exit door around his neck. The understanding of this situation pits one contestant against the other and begins a lethal game of Keeper Of The Keys, as Contestant Number 1 and Contestant Number 2 realise that working together might just be the way to get out of this mess. So, what's on offer from director and co-writer, John Ferrer in his new nine minute short, is an obvious rerun of a plethora of 'deadly game' movies and shows including Saw (2004), Squid Game (2021), and the Granddaddy of them all, Cube (1997). To his credit, Ferrer gets the feel and the look right for a claustrophobic clash in a lethal, underground fight for survival. The lighting keeps things firmly embedded in future horror, while the cinematography and creature effects offer a measure of quality which keeps the gory bits gruesome and the tension tantalizingly tight. This only lasts so long though as the second half of the short makes several continuity and plotting errors which leave the film feeling like a parody of what it should have been. It starts when the contestants use a beeping watch to have Alan take out one of their rivals and then in the very next shot we see the lit up digits and hear the beeping of the countdown digital timer, which seems not to affect Alan at all. We then move on to find that an arbitrary choice is forced upon the contestants, something that hadn't been mentioned before, and which just feels like a lazy cop out from the writers. Then there's the dumbfounding denouement, which presumably was intended to turn the scenario on its head, but which in the end is so nonsensical that it undermines everything which the film tried to set-up in the entire rest of its runtime. In the end Trial 22 is a well made but badly structured horror short that borrows heavily from those which came before without adding anything positive of its own. There are obvious mistakes which should have been fixed before the film went into production and the writing and the plotting come across as being fairly lazy, even for a film that's under ten minutes long. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Deadly Nightshade film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring Suzie Houlihan, Christopher Blackburn, Matthew Laird directed by Benjamin Rider. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Deadly Nightshade Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Mar 5, 2023 Directed by: Benjamin Rider Written by: Tom Baldachin, Christopher Blackburn, Suzie Houlihan Starring: Suzie Houlihan, Christopher Blackburn, Matthew Laird Brixton-based experimental feature Deadly Nightshade is trippy, unnerving and unique – but this unusually structed and designed psychological horror from director Benjamin Rider misses more of marks than it hits, and fails to engage on an emotional or visceral level. Victoria (Suzie Houlihan) and Marcus (Matthew Laird) are a couple who take advantage of a long weekend to get away to Brixton. But when they arrive in their flat, bizarre occurrences begin to haunt them, and their reality becomes distorted by a strange TV which appears to be directing events. Victoria tries to keep her grip on the real world as the flat becomes a prison. Deadly Nightshade’s originality and unconventional storytelling style is admirable and notable, but unfortunately it is not enough to prevent the film from being dragged down by a muddy and inconceivable main plot that ultimately results in the film feeling like a slog to unpick. The filmmakers took the unusual step in allowing the film’s main arc to be largely improvised by the cast on set rather than following a defined script. From the results in this film, this unusual method is likely to remain as unrecommended as it sounds – and viewers will do well not to get lost by the film’s second act. Not every film has to follow conventional storytelling methods, and audiences shouldn’t be expected to be shielded from difficult or complex plots. But Deadly Nightshade fails to find a real hook to engage viewers enough to want to understand it. This problem is exacerbated by the lack of engaging characters. Neither Victoria nor Marcus make for engaging co-leads, and viewers will find little within these characters to empathise with or root for. The film feels more focused on shooting off unsettling visuals and messing with perceptions of the audience rather than embodying its cast of character with distinct or memorable personalities. Eric Roberts’ sinister Father Walsh leaves an impression, but his lack of interaction with the rest of the cast means this role ultimately feels ancillary. The film looks slick and dynamic enough, and scenes are framed well to create a disturbing and disconcerting tone. The film is dark – both metaphorically and visually – which helps create a sense of mystery and gloom but becomes somewhat bland and unstimulating by the film’s conclusion. Deadly Nightshade is an example of a film that is too experimental for its own good, and where its creativity gets points for originality, it fails to conjure enough of a legible story, intrigue or audience engagement to justify its’ extended runtime. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Digital / DVD Release, Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Between The Scenes film review by UK film critic Swati Verma. Starring Regina Aprilyani directed by Alfa Kakauhe. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Between The Scenes Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Swati Verma | Posted on: Dec 21, 2022 Directed by: Alfa Kakauhe Written by: Alfa Kakauhe Starring: Regina Aprilyani The short film-Between The Scenes tells the tale of what happens between one scene and another. The writer-director Alfa Kakauhe believes in conserving and modernising various cinematic eras, and therefore pays homage to silent films, and Indonesian culture as well as heritage through the young protagonist in the movie. The storyline of the cinematic piece revolves around the adventure of a young boy who discovers different aspects of life, culture, art, and heritage and rediscovers himself while on this journey. In the opening scene, the blue clear sky and blue flowing water have a connotation of freedom to express their thoughts and the imagination, inspiration, and sensitivity needed in making the film which deals with such a beautiful subject matter. The dramatic piece takes the play format with a black and white colour palette, and the inclusion of an intertitle and a melodious song in the background provides the audience with the essence of the silent film and the experimental genre. The tilted blurry camera work assists the makers to give the film a push towards the thrill/mystery element to maintain the interest of viewers in the content of the film. The inclusion of paintings and the use of a hand-held camera allows the audience to relate to the movie at the core level. The plot set-design, lighting, costume, hair, and makeup are kept simple as silent films highly depend on the visuals making it the only form of engagement of the viewers with the film. In terms of performance, for makers to bring any project from the scripting stage to the screen. Regina Aprilyani has managed all the typography and the presentation of the creative to make it more attractive as well as appealing for its audience. The young actor featured in the experimental piece has a lot of responsibility to handle as the continuity and smooth flow of the narrative are important for the understanding as well as interpretation of the movie in the minds of the viewers. A well-coordinated body language, facial expressions, and eye movements with the intertitle on the top by the lad helps the younger lot relate to the story and the character. Between The Scenes talks about humans respecting and happily coexisting with nature and not destroying it for their selfish needs. The cinematic piece also reiterates that all the different religions followed by humans are man-made and God has not made such dissimilarities. It also teaches us that sometimes one has to find answers to problems within rather than looking for them outside. The short film inspires the viewers to stand up for what they believe to be right for the betterment of both individuals as well as society. Between The Scenes advises the viewers to value life and spend quality time with loved ones as make memories that one can cherish forever. The creative piece discusses the importance of preserving paintings and other art forms so that we can pass on the priceless heritage to future generations. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Swati Verma Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Death Count film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring Costas Mandylor, Michael Madsen, Sarah French directed by Michael Su. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Death Count Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Jun 26, 2022 Directed by: Michael Su Written by: Michael Merino Starring: Costas Mandylor, Michael Madsen, Sarah French A gory torture-porn seemingly assembled from a host of superior established contemporaries; Death Count is an acceptable, sometimes-impressive, sometimes eye-rolling horror that works best when poking fun at its own ridiculousness. Rachel (Sarah French) awakens trapped in a cell with no memory of how she was imprisoned. Surrounding her are other prisoners, all linked to the school where she works. They soon realise they are part of a sick game ran by ‘The Warden’ (Costas Mandylor) who orders the captees to torture themselves for online ‘likes’, or face execution. Meanwhile Detectives Casey (Michael Madsen) and Tanner (Charles Solomon Jr.) try to hunt The Warden down. Death Count borrows from the likes of Saw, Nerve and Squid Game to deliver a predictable, campy, B-movie bloodbath. Horror fans will enjoy it’s use of practical effects and extended torture scenes – which makes smaller-scale punishment horrifically agonising through the purposeful direction of Michael Su. The film is at its agony-inducing best when lingering just long enough on basic brutality, involving items like pliers and screwdrivers, rather than more over-the-top scenes which expose the poor visual effects such as those with the use of fire. Plot-wise however, it is at best predictable, and at worst nonsensical. Not that many will be tuning in for a majestic narrative mind, but even basic storytelling feels muddled, and the dialogue lazy and one-note. There are plot-holes galore, characters rambling on tangents that are crying out for an edit, and the mystery surrounding The Warden’s identity ends up as a frustrating red-herring and a wasted opportunity to add some much-needed originality. The mysterious mastermind also drops puns throughout that would make Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Mr Freeze from Batman & Robin cringe – it is unclear if he is meant to be intentionally campy – but Christmas-cracker-standard jokes certainly don’t suit the character’s vibe, or Costas Mandylor’s booming baritone. Despite some eye-rolling dialogue, Mandylor’s performance itself is solid, and The Warden’s sinister pleasure in running his own ‘Jigsaw-style’ game is apparent despite his face being obscured. Sarah French is admirable as well as Rachel, a classic ‘final girl’ (who is even referred to as such) whose development into a leader is notable throughout the film. The rest of the prisoner cast however are largely hammy or wooden, with little in-between. It feels like the casting must have started and stopped at the actor’s best ‘torture faces’, as most of their performances either side of screaming their guts out are lifeless. A real saving-grace for the film however are scenes between Michael Madsen and Charles Solomon Jr’s detective pair, whose quest to find the torture house delivers some brilliant, genre-aware musings. Madsen’s natural cool comes across as the unflappable and grizzled Detective Casey, and the buddy-cop relationship with Solomon Jr’s Tanner adds some welcome self-aware commentary on the film, and the ‘torture game’ genre in general. The pair’s chemistry could support a full-length movie in its own right, and the director wisely gives the pair plenty of screentime to flourish. Death Count never really escapes the shadow of its influences, and fails to concoct anything out of its many borrowed parts that improves upon their original sources. There really isn’t much to engage with for anyone outside of devoted horror fanatics – apart from Michael Madsen generally just being Michael Madsen. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Digital / DVD Release, Film Festival, Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The One Note Man film review by UK film critic Chris Olson. Starring Jason Watkins, Ian McKellan (narrator), Louisa Klein, Crystal Yu, Paul Barber directed by George Siougas. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The One Note Man Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Chris Olson | Posted on: Sep 30, 2023 Directed by: George Siougas Written by: George Siougas Starring: Jason Watkins, Ian McKellan (narrator), Louisa Klein, Crystal Yu, Paul Barber Irresistibly charming and poignant, short film The One Note Man delivers a rousing tale of one man's stagnant existence being galvanized by a disruption to his own clockwork routine by a loose thread on his jacket. Jason Watkins plays the titular One Note Man, a musician who lives alone and lives a "Groundhog Day" lifestyle that is filled with the trappings of a man going through the motions. His part in an orchestra is brief, yet essential, but he leaves right after his one note is done and carries on with all the same meticulous duties he structures his day around. One day, however, a clothing malfunction sees him jolted out of his routine only to discover the beauty and talent of a fellow musician (Louisa Klein) in his orchestra. Much to the chagrin of his serious conductor (Crystal Yu), our man starts to hang around and mix things up, noticing the beauty of life all around him. With no words but a phenomenal score, writer and director George Siougas keeps The One Note Man moving at a jaunty pace throughout. The editing is sharp, creating a comedic sense of timing in our protagonist’s life which unfolds like a montage of monotony. Watkins is a worthy wordless performer, keeping you enriched throughout with a heightened physical performance that balances the cheeky story with the pathos. The scowling from the conductor (Crystal Yu) is perhaps the funniest thing in the film, again, making the most of a physical performance - mostly her piercing eyes. Louisa Klein delivers a fierce meet cute and her violin chops are outstanding. Siougas isn’t done there, though, with the admirable casting. Paul Barber rocks up as a florist and Ian McKellan turns up for some narration! As with any film eschewing dialogue for tone, The One Note Man takes its audience seriously - even with the numerous moments of comedy. This is a film about a man living in sadness, his days slipping away with an increasing sense of pace. Its relevance to a modern audience is nothing short of a slap in the face and yet, with the addition of classical music we get to remove ourselves (just a little bit) and rejoice in the silliness and almost farcical nature that masks the depressing first half of the short film. As an entire piece, it’s pitch-perfect (no, not that film) and manages to earn a sense of timeless charm. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Chris Olson Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Satellites film review by UK film critic Amber Jackson. Starring Tamzin Murray directed by Spencer Anderson. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Satellites Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Amber Jackson | Posted on: Jun 25, 2022 Directed by: Spencer Anderson Written by: Spencer Anderson Starring: Tamzin Murray Written and directed by Spencer Anderson, Satellites is a spectacularly immersive short film that questions reality whilst offers an opportunity to become more centred. This six-minute piece follows a woman in a spacesuit as she wanders a quiet and desolate planet and contemplates her existence. We do not know the specifics of her journey, but for a brief moment in time we find ourselves captivated and eager to understand more about her life and the lessons on humanity that she has learnt along the way. Astounding cinematography is the crowning glory of Satellites, with the breath-taking landscape of Cwmystwyth in Wales creating a rocky illusion of space. The jumbled rocks and disorientation that the camera creates for the viewer is very clever and the film feels entirely vibrant. The decision to use the beautiful Welsh landscape creates a vibrant and intriguing film, as we are visually stunned. Alongside this, the all-consuming visual effects and camera angles distort reality and allow us to believe that this astronaut really could be anywhere in the universe. The writing of this short film is beautifully crafted, with a focus on the struggle and often inability for a person to feel grounded. Anderson’s script talks about ‘feeling lost in orbit like satellites,’ as thematically, space is used to explore the realities of a person encountering feelings of emptiness. Tamzin Murray’s narration muses over how people can be unsure where to turn when experiencing personal pain, which in turn causes an overwhelming loss of faith. Yet despite Anderson’s musings on these negative emotions, Satellites is ultimately a peaceful watch. There is a surprising feeling of contentment as a lonely astronaut wanders in the beautiful backdrop of an unfamiliar planet and offers some hope for the future. Whilst aesthetically the film is a spectacle, and the jargon on space is well-written, there is minimal plot direction. However, it leaves plenty of room for intrigue which is the marker of an effective short film. This is an engaging and slightly mysterious film with excellent potential. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Amber Jackson Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Take Back the Night film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Emma Fitzpatrick, Angle Gulner, Jennifer Lafleur directed by Gia Elliot. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Take Back the Night Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Mar 3, 2022 Directed by: Gia Elliot Written by: Gia Elliot, Emma Fitzpatrick Starring: Emma Fitzpatrick, Angle Gulner, Jennifer Lafleur It’s a story we all know too well, some of us better than others. With their monster movie/social justice thriller Take Back the Night, co-writer/director Gia Elliot and co-writer/star Emma Fitzpatrick spin a pointed tale about a specific character. But the universality of this monstrous situation is never in question. There is only one character with a name, and that name is Jane Doe. This could be anybody. Jane has a lot to drink because she is celebrating. This is a big day. But something horrific is about to squeeze out any memory of the joy of this day as she finds herself alone in an alley with a malignant force. What sets Take Back the Night apart from other similar films is that the attack itself is not the point. Neither is the attacker. Rather, Elliot and Fitzpatrick smack you with the trauma of surviving what comes next. Jane submits to tests and procedures, swabs and scrapes, photos and questions — all of it tough to witness — with the resigned belief that this humiliation and pain will be followed by justice. Or at least a little sympathy. Instead, of course, she finds judgment, harassment, disbelief and the threat of prosecution. Interesting as well that men are mainly a non-presence in the film. There’s a brief interlude in the first act, although we barely glimpse the man’s face. Jane is later interviewed by a male police officer, although he’s never seen at all, only heard in voice-over. And then there is the attacker. What we do see are the women involved: Jane’s sister, the detective on the case, the news reporter. There are friends and fans, a woman at the party. Not one of these women does the right thing. That’s the focus of Take Back the Night . The actions of men are irrelevant in this world of overcoming the trauma of an attack, the filmmakers seem to say. What will kill you is being abandoned by the people who should know better, who should be able to empathize. Fitzpatrick’s fiery performance gives the metaphor its heartbeat. Flawed and hostile, her Jane challenges status-quo thinking about how victims should behave, or what makes a woman a victim in the first place. Fitzpatrick delivers something raw and believable, anchoring the fable with realism. Not every performance is as strong and the film’s microbudget rears its head on more than one occasion. But Take Back the Night and its filmmakers deliver thrills and realizations in equal measure in a memorable feature debut. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release, Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

A New Kind of Life film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Tim John Lane, Johnny Derek Cole, Diy Mutha, Gary Clail directed by Tim John Lane. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS A New Kind of Life Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Jul 27, 2023 Directed by: Tim John Lane Written by: Tim John Lane Starring: Tim John Lane, Johnny Derek Cole, Diy Mutha, Gary Clail An experimental and surreal music video with eccentric people, mannequins, musical instruments, dancing and cool songs. There is a sort of narrative in this thirty-minute-long video, although telling a story is probably not what it focuses on. A man (Lane) is looking for aCid DoL ( who is actually the front person for the musical group from London 'The Pink Diamond Revue') and he goes from one interior location to another, questioning men regarding the person's location, one of which is English singer and record producer Gary Clail and all characters appear to be playing themselves. And that is pretty much it regarding the story, which is not a bad thing, as this short relies on other aspects in order to have value, including its soundtrack and cinematography. Filming took place inside a clothing shop and a private residence and there is a pattern regarding the structure of the scenes. The film alternates throughout between Tim asking people (actual people who also use their real names) about aCid DoL, himself playing the guitar and lengthy scenes involving a female mannequin (aCid DoL herself?). During the mannequin scenes, a handheld camera films a mannequin inside a property, the dummy usually wearing sunglasses and a necklace with the peace symbol. As mentioned , the cinematography stands out and that is because it looks rather artistic and diverse. The image repeatedly changes colour throughout the film and there are creative lighting techniques, making the viewing more interesting. Regarding the audio, dialogue is limited and the same phrases and lyrics are repeated. The scenes with the mannequin inside a property with no one around are accompanied by music that sounds mysterious, making the atmosphere surreal. The rest of the film has a variety of tracks that include electronic, rock and rave music and it is quite a listening experience. Going to the characters, most of them wear stylised clothing, Tim is the lead man and when he is not talking to people, he is either sitting down, with a poker face or playing his guitar, along with a drummer and a mannequin. This short is basically a music video with a rich selection of colours and a lot of music. It deserves praise for its creativity and it should probably be best viewed as an experimental piece of work, as an effort to explore the methods of filmmaking. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film, Music Video, Documentary < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Journey Home film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Jennifer Martin, Mike Bodie, Alex Good directed by Christopher Houlston. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Journey Home Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Nov 9, 2021 Directed by: Christopher Houlston Written by: Christopher Houlston Starring: Jennifer Martin, Mike Bodie, Alex Good A couple's marriage suffers as the husband struggles to deal with a devastating loss. It is the wedding anniversary of Hannah (Martin) and her husband (Bodie). Hannah attempts to convince him to go to church with her, which is something he has not done for a long time.He refuses in order to stay at home and make the required preparations for a surprise anniversary party. As he begins to do so, he has a sudden flashback of a traumatic event and as a result is unable to continue with the preparations. When she returns home, Hannah is deeply hurt by his failure to acknowledge their anniversary and the two of them end up arguing about their marriage, discussing their feelings and trying to comfort each other. This short drama is very heavy on emotions and explores themes of marriage, loss and how much people need each other, how important it is to support each other. The story takes place at the couple's property and focuses on how a soldier's post-traumatic stress disorder is affecting him and his relationship with his wife. There are heartbreaking scenes that reveal how much the two protagonists are suffering by the husband's experiences from when he was away fighting a war. The film also shows that they care deeply for each other and are determined to overcome the obstacles in order to remain together. Both Martin and Bodie deliver terrific and emotional performances as individuals who are hurting internally. Bodie is a person who is trying to deal with the loss that he suffered during a conflict and as a result he has unwillingly become distant towards his wife. Martin is a wife who loves her husband but is finding it more and more difficult to cope with the lack of communication she has with him. The wonderful music by Stewart Dugdale is one of the strongest aspects here and includes a dramatic, beautiful piano score that adds great value to the scenes. Edward Massey creates outstanding cinematography, especially during the flashback scenes. There is also a brief and well-constructed scene that involves a flashback about the husband's experiences in warfare. The effective use of gunshot sound effects, shouting, sinister music and lighting techniques make this part harrowing and it provides a vivid insight into the husband's troubled state of mind. This short film is a powerful and emotional story about a person attempting to overcome their sorrows. It presents a marriage that is on the brink of collapse and how love and support can keep it strong. The acting, script, music and cinematography make this an admirable achievement that deserves recognition. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Creatures of Habit film review by UK film critic Nina Rawlingson. Starring Theo White, Timothy J. Cox directed by Bryon Jones. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Creatures of Habit Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Nina Rawlingson | Posted on: Aug 26, 2026 Directed by: Bryon Jones Written by: Bryon Jones Starring: Theo White, Timothy J. Cox Set in a dimly lit bar, we are introduced to a journalist named Meekah (Theo White) hard at work. He is approached by a mysterious and rather sinister character (Timothy J. Cox) who pursues him for a conversation. We see Meekah take his drinks from the bar and get stuck into his work. A top-down shot shows Meekah in the process of what appears to be an investigation into a cold case. Sifting through various crime scene photos, a stranger approaches. At first, Meekah is distracted but begins to pay attention to how the stranger perceives the world. The mood lighting already sets up this idea of good and evil. Both sitting across from each other at the booth, one side warm-toned and vibrant and the other cold and casting shadows. At first, we don’t see the stranger’s face, keeping us suspicious about the motive of the conversation. When Meekah does start to become intrigued, we cut to the face of the stranger taking up the whole screen, covered by a hat, never seeing his eyes. Only his mouth is illuminated as he speaks in this unsettling tone; this creates a silhouette that is completely menacing. The camera work in this short delivers this film so effortlessly. We go from top-down, to over-the-shoulder and up-close intimate shots of both characters during the interaction. The acting between the two is impressive, delivering convincing character arcs and the sound is of great quality. At the beginning, only background noise is heard and as the conversation progresses, we hear a rich string score representing the ever-growing tension. A short-form thriller like this leaves the audience wanting more. The title ‘Creatures of Habit’ is cleverly worded for both the two characters. Meekah is so caught up in his own work that he neglects relationships in his personal life and is somewhat a loner. The stranger stalks people, observes them, and lives by this pattern. Ultimately, the two worlds collide in this good vs evil play-through. We are left with more questions than answers, and it’s perfectly set up for a bigger project. Overall, the short feels inspired by films like ‘Seven’ and ‘Zodiac’. It uses the darkly dressed stranger as a trope for a greater lurking evil. This is enhanced with aspects like the lighting, shots, and dialogue. The environment feels like we’ve stepped straight into a dive bar, and all of this is credit to the quality of the film. This could have potentially been a longer run time, exploring both characters more. However, it adds to the mystery of the film, which is what is clearly intended. Both actors perform convincing roles and capture the essence of the film in such a short amount of time. They nailed the aesthetics with the cinematography and kept us wanting more from this cat and mouse portrayal. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Nina Rawlingson Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

On The Third Step film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Daniil Gazizullin, Sergey Grab, Aleksander Lymarev, Michael Gor directed by Anastasia Norenko. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS On The Third Step Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Feb 14, 2023 Directed by: Anastasia Norenko Written by: Anastasia Norenko Starring: Daniil Gazizullin, Sergey Grab, Aleksander Lymarev, Michael Gor A group of criminals meet in order to discuss what went wrong with an assassination attempt. Three gangsters known as Kid (Gazizullin), ABC (Grab) and Sleeve (Lymarev) were ordered to kill a murder witness in Moscow, whose knowledge threatened to put crime boss Brute (Gor) in prison. The mission was a failure and now it is believed that there is an informer among them. Brute has summoned the three accomplices to a building, with the intention of finding out who among them is the traitor. Once the three of them are inside a room, Brute informs them that they have a short amount of time to figure out who betrayed them, or they will all be killed. This twenty-minute-long thriller from Russia has a plot that bears similarities to Reservoir Dogs : Following a ruined criminal act, a bunch of outlaws gather at a certain location and try to determine who among them is the double-crosser. Like Tarantino's film, the majority of the narrative takes place inside a room, with the protagonists questioning each other and attempting to discover the snitch among them. Also, like Tarantino's movie, there are flashbacks of the crime being committed ( in this case that is the murder attempt) and it is shown from the perspective of each of the three collaborators. The screenplay does a great job in building tension and suspense, and just when it seems that everything has been revealed, a clever plot twist arrives. All the actors deliver strong performances. The three assassins consist of characters who are quite different from each other. The Kid is the least determined of the trio, ABC is the hothead, while Sleeve appears to be the most reasonable. Gor is the one who steals the show as the menacing and bad-tempered crime lord. Praise goes to Dmitriy Gorevoy for the beautiful cinematography and the soundtrack includes a selection of interesting songs and a dramatic and tense score. This short thriller is filled with suspense and tense moments and never fails to be gripping. It is a crime story that contains mystery, confrontations, murder, betrayal and shootings and all these features, along with great acting and an intriguing plot make this film an admirable achievement. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >