★★★★★ Directed by: Nils Janlert Starring: Emil T. Jonsson, Mikael Bergsten, Kerstin Gandler and Maria Kruse LGBT Film Review by: Rachel Pullen How much do people get a boner over things all shot in one single take, loads!!! People proper love it, look at the opening to the 1978 classic Halloween, where baby Michael puts on the clown mask and does a stabbing on his sister. Classic banter, Michael loves a stabbing. Anyway, point is there is something magical about capturing everything in that one take, no reshoots, no time to analyse your performance and make it different every time, the actors are in that moment, just like real life, each reaction flows to the next, building to an emotional climax, there is a reason, it seems for all those films making boners… Memory of You is a beautiful short directed by Nils Janlert and of course it is all done in one single shot, [it would be weird after that opening if it wasn’t] it tells the story of Adam [played by Emil T Jonsson] who, when out on a dinner date with his wife, spies a familiar face in an art gallery over the road. Using the old ‘’I left my wallet in the car’’ [classic Adam] trick he sneaks out to reconnect with his former friend…did I say friend what I meant was lover, oh yeah that’s right, and in a cramped back room of the gallery they reconnect and discuss their lives without each other, a simple catch up it seems…or is it? The conversation is well scripted, with all the tension and anxiety that would come from such a situation, making simple chat about work and children, all with an air of desire to it, a feeling of not saying what they really want to is painfully present in the scene. Yet when Adam tries to leave [his wife may be thinking he parked in a different country by this point] these two former lovers finally express themselves in the street, alone from the prying eyes of his co workers and Adam’s wife, their emotional exchange is one of sheer regret, of missing an opportunity and all the time wasted apart, let’s face facts most of us have been there and it sucks. And if you have been there and experience the old classic ‘’the one that got away’ syndrome, you will understand the magnitude of this moment within Memory of You, such performances from each of the actors to the point where you are awash with those emotions being portrayed in front of your eyes, you are right there, in that moment, you are with them. The short uses light in a magical way, its constant dimly lit appearance gives us the feeling of being undercover, not wanting to be seen, which is exactly what these two men are trying to do, they are trying to hide from the light of the world, we are given a sense that they have maybe been doing this for a while. Music too is used in a clever way, we are thrown in and out of the hustle of the gallery and the restaurant, to being awash with calm tranquil music when our two leading men are on the screen, really giving a sense of intimacy to their conversation, the juxtaposition in sounds becomes almost offensive, when you are in the heat of the moment and a sudden burst of conversation from outside takes charge, you really feel the frustration that they must too. Overall this short provides so much in the way of visual and auditory stimulation, not to mention that of a fantastic storyline and stunning script, reminding me of films such as Paris, je t’aime, this short will hold its place strong in the world of romantic dramas for years to come. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #RachelPullen #LGBT #LGBTQ #LGBTQmovies #NilsJanlert #EmilTJonsson #MikaelBergsten #KerstinGandler #MariaKruse

★★★★★ Directed by: K. Spencer Jones Written by: David Beatty Starring: Chelsea Alden, David Beatty Short Film Review by: Chris Olson Life and death coalesce with immense emotional impact in this short film, directed by K. Spencer Jones and written by David Beatty. The Human Project takes a poignant and heartfelt stab at depicting a true representation of humanity through the window of two siblings who have recently experienced a loss and are now exploring their own connection through the chasm it has created. Chelsea Alden plays Frances, a young woman currently in the great outdoors, alone. She decides to phone her brother Marcus (David Beatty) and see if he got her note, after which the pair embark on a game of phone tennis. Numerous conversations occur between the siblings, most of which are layered with angst or aching sentiment, however, two main topics are always in the foreground: Marcus's involvement with the titular NASA project (whereby he will contribute a 140-character summary of what humans are all about to send across the Milky Way), and the recent passing of their father, whose memorial Frances plans on skipping. Told with a remarkably tender combination of affection, grief, anger, love and humour, The Human Project is a sublime piece of filmmaking. The story is utterly grounded by these two engaging and believable characters, which allows the merging of so many themes and emotions. The exceptional performances by Alden and Beatty go a huge way to contribute to this success, riffing with each other with great chemistry, in particular when they join each other in the same location. The moments where the tensions run the highest, such as Marcus getting enraged and letting loose a cacophony of sweary fury at his sister, are all the more stirring because the players are so committed to the moment and characters. There is a whimsical feel to the short film too, which allowed an atmosphere of imaginative creativity to puncture the dour tone at times. This was important as it reflected the longing that both characters had to experience childhood together, their age gap preventing them from being playmates during a time where imagination and freedom were easier to come by. Something which Marcus comments on being a uniquely subconscious bonding experience. And it is this spectacular insight into his own relationship with his sister, as well as other moving moments of clarity, which becomes the revelation to the audience that we are in the process of witnessing The Human Project in real time. A short film that transcends the usual hustle and bustle of familial stories to deliver something altogether more affecting and intelligent. The moving performances and sensational writing allow the movie to explore a wholly immersive form of storytelling that is as transportive for the viewer as it is for the characters and the result is utterly sensational. Watch the official movie trailer below... #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #Chrisolson #5StarFilm #Drama #KSpencerJones #DavidBeatty #ChelseaAlden #MovieTrailers

★★★ Directed by: Antoine Fuqua Starring: Denzel Washington, Melissa Leo, Pedro Pascal, Bill Pullman Film Review by: George Wolf It still confounds me why John Wick gets more action cred than The Equalizer. Released less a month apart in 2014, Denzel and director Antoine Fuqua bettered Keanu and Chad Stahelski in nearly every respect. But, in fairness John Wick helped inspire Key and Peele's very funny Keanu, so I'll move on. JW already dropped its deuce (with part 3 currently in the works), and now The Equalizer 2 gets its director, star and screenwriter (Robert Wenk) back together for a slightly less satisfying dose of the same medicine. Robert McCall (Denzel) has moved on from that big box hardware store he decimated in part one and settled in as a Lyft driver, making friends around his Boston neighborhood, and enemies when someone wrongs his friends. E2 lets us see more of that random equalizing, which means more time before we get to the core conflict, but also more helpings of those bad guy beatdowns that bring such primal satisfaction. Denzel is effortlessly good, which comes as a shock to no one. He digs deeper into the character this time out, maintaining the ticks that outwardly define McCall while sharpening the edges of a mysterious past that is never too far out of reach. Secrets from that past begin to leave a bloody trail, and after a hit is ordered on his old boss Susan (Melissa Leo), McCall promises to make the guilty pay, his only regret being that he "can't kill them twice." Denzel as a badass is so much cool fun, and he's clearly the muse for Fuqua's best work (Training Day, The Magnificent Seven). The stylized violence that so elevated the first film is here as well, but like most of the other elements, in lesser numbers. The absence of a memorable villain is also felt. Marton Csokas was a great one, and E2 comes nowhere close to matching his simmering intensity. Substantive moral ambiguities are raised in fairly generic fashion, metaphors get a touch too weighty and the running time a bit too excessive. The Equalizer 2 does offer plenty to like - Denzel, some scenes with unexpected turns, a surprisingly touching epilogue, Denzel - but little of it can match the style or the vibe of the original. #GeorgeWolf #DenzelWashington #AntoineFuqua #TheEqualizer2 #sequels #summermovies #movies #film #entertainment #MelissaLeo #PedroPascal #BillPullman #actionmovies #FilmReviews #TheatricalReleases

★★★ Directed by: Stephen Susco Starring: Rebecca Rittenhouse, Betty Gabriel, Chelsea Alden, Colin Woodell Film Review by: George Wolf The good news: this Dark Web isn't searching for your credit card info. That would be playing nice compared to what the sequel to the surprisingly effective Unfriended has in store. More good news: it's mean is pretty damn lean, clever and creepy. Like its predecessor, Dark Web does a great job upholding the integrity of the "real time computer screen" gimmick. But from the opening setup, this one carries more eerie authenticity. First-time director Stephen Susco, a veteran writer with plenty of horror titles in his resume, knows the genre has always reflected the anxieties of the day, and his screenplay here feels as in-the-moment as a brand new laptop with all the latest add-ons. And that's just what Matias (Colin Woodell) needs for his new programming project, but funds are tight. He finds a used one on Craigslist that might do, but when he hooks it up for a Skype game night with his friends, the previous owner "slides into his DMs." That's what the kids, say, right? There's some bad, bad, stuff on that hard drive, and Matias has to strike bargains with the bad guy if he wants his friends to survive the night. Sure there are some preposterous turns, but as the upper hand shifts (and shifts again), Susco and his winning cast (including Blumhouse favorite Betty Gabriel) make it a suspenseful ride. We're making these discoveries right along with them, and while true scares might be in short supply, there's is no shortage of nasty and unpleasant. As online cautionary films go, Dark Web gets it better than most. The original Unfriended debuted four years ago, or in tech/social media terms, the Stone Age. Susco finds a wry, self-aware groove to drive home just where we're at today: manufactured reality, "swatting," and even, yes, internet currency. Word is, there will be two theatrical prints, each with different endings. I can think of one that would pretty well spoil all that Dark Web executes so well. I didn't see an ending like that. I hope you don't either. #GeorgeWolf #StephenSusco #RebeccaRittenhouse #BettyGabriel #ChelseaAlden #ColinWoodell #UnfriendedDarkWeb #horror #horrormovies #moviereviews #filmreviews #movies #film #entertainment #sequels

★★ Directed by: Matt Nagin Starring: Harold Tarr, Inga Leps, Craig Watson, Matt Nagin, Chris Cook, and Samantha Algieri Short Film Review by Niall Maggs Inside Job stars Chris Cook as Josh, an odd character with very little sanity left in him, who has applied and hesitantly accepted an internship at a mysterious company. This mysterious company is owned by an over-the-top drug-ridden madman, known as Mr. G (played by the director himself - Matt Nagin). The company is filled with ridiculously crazy and maniacal employees who are just plain silly and unnecessarily insane. They're constantly in hysterics of laughter and cannot be taken seriously at all. It's almost laughable - and not in a good way. The employees consist of an old man played by Harold Tarr, a sexy yet sadistic psycho played by Inga Leps, a deranged and disturbed creep with long, mangled hair, and many others who make up the madhouse of obsessed individuals who are adamant that the September 11 attacks were an inside job, perpetrated by the US government. What follows is a shamble of propaganda and political undertones which attempt to be satirical but end up being preachy and forced. It's literally like watching a propaganda film with the intent of forcing political, controversial, and almost offensive ideas down your throat. Even from a filmmaking perspective it isn't good! The editing is super choppy and could've flowed more smoothly. It features very sharp cuts and there are no fading or gradual transitions. Just *cut*. *cut*. *cut*. And so forth. Even with an iPhone you still have the ability to create a smooth and polished flow, so it's always frustrating to see the opposite because you know the filmmaker has the potential to create a well-edited film, and when they don't, it rapidly loses marks - unfortunately. The performances are nothing special and there are no key moments from any of the actors, but they were somewhat decent, however very exaggerated. The characters are all so bizarre! Picture it like this, the family from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Part 2 have an ingenious idea, open up a firm in which they're determined in persuading the entirety of America that the government set up the 9/11 attacks. On paper, it sounds like a ridiculous spoof. And it is a ridiculous spoof! Well... at least I hope it's a spoof... because otherwise I don't know what in the hell I just watched! It's just craziness! In the end, Inside Job is an utter mess. The acting is okay, the script is just average but the tone of the film is all over the place. I can't tell you if it was meant to be funny or serious, or if it was just a spoof film. But what it is, is just an over-political satire filled to the brim with propaganda and genuine silliness. Instead of keeping the Inside Job, I suggest making it an outside job, and bury it in the garden... #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #NiallMaggs #Spoof #Comedy #MattNagin #HaroldTarr #IngaLeps #CraigWatson #ChrisCook #SamanthaAlgieri

★★★★★ Directed by: Brian Stynes Starring: Michael Linehan, Allison O’Flynn, and Cora Fenton Indie Film Review by: Owen Herman Brian Stynes’ feature debut Penitent is a sharp and moving drama that challenges the audience to think and feel on their own, resulting in a film that is both emotionally complex and thoroughly entertaining. Michael Linehan stars as Jason, a man trying to adjust to life after prison. Beset with guilt and paranoia, Jason struggles to keep it together, living in a house with just a sleeping bag and seeing his few friendships drift away. The film keeps the details of Jason’s past hidden at first, not only creating a mystery for the audience but also allowing his character to be sympathised with. As the clever and well-polished script slowly reveals more, the film begins to challenge our sympathetic view of Jason and therefore creates a character who is complex, believable, and utterly engaging. The brilliant script only sets up the character, and it is Linehan who seals it, giving one of the finest performances I’ve seen in an indie film. His fellow cast members aren’t too far behind either. The film is filled to the brim with talented actors, giving great natural performances. The combination of such a well written script and such fine acting is a real joy. There is a simplicity to Penitent that is often forgotten about by other filmmakers. Stynes never feels the need to over complicate the story or add unnecessary dramatic moments. The film’s focus is entirely on the characters and how their lives intertwine in a wretched and unfair world. The film isn’t challenging audiences in how the engage with it, like many overly complex story arcs, but how they react to it. The film has no one clear message and instead allows you to question how actions of both the past and present should be perceived. Stynes has created something that is both thought provoking and entertaining. It is a bold film that succeeds through the talent of those involved in its creation. A real gem. #IndieFilmReviews #IndieFilms #OwenHerman #5StarFilm #BrianStynes #ichaelLinehan #AllisonO39Flynn #CoraFenton

★★★★ Directed by: Usher Morgan Starring: Elyse Price, Katie Vincent, Joel Bernard, Joe Trombino Indie Film Review by Jack Bottomley Pain is something most of us strive to avoid but often in life you find pain is unavoidable, so how do you respond? All of us are capable of being driven over the edge by physical, mental or emotional pain but on occasion pain can mould us into something harder, more resilient, and create a survivor. In Pickings, a select few find that out in the most deadly way possible as writer/director/producer Usher Morgan’s beautifully shot noirish criminal thriller is all about endurance on a lot of ways. The film looks at tough southern family woman Jo Lee-Haywood (Elyse Price), who runs a small bar in town and finds an unexpected fight coming her way in a mobster who has his sights on claiming her neighbourhood business and sends his goons round to bully her into submission. Opening with a very Quentin Tarantino sequence, which has some excellent dialogue and is a pitch perfect introduction to our lead, you see from the very start that Morgan’s film is absorbingly stylish. The cigarette smoke swirls dance in the rays of light, evoking a Sin City vibe (a vibe furthered later in the story by uses of the word “dame” and a sole character who is in black and white like a monochrome Yellow Bastard), as the story becomes one about a woman scorned and how a violent past catch up no matter how much you try to escape it and move on. Blending the western genre with a graphic novel-like approach, this Thriller is shot with gusto and violent effectiveness, as the style grasps you but it’s the characters that draw you into the story, which recalls Kill Bill most strongly. In fact, sometimes, this comparison is a bit too heavy but then again Tarantino’s film (or for that matter his career) has been made off homage and this film follows that approach, while also creating some memorable moments of its own. A well-selected and atmospheric soundtrack provides additional kick next to the chic edits, Louis Obioha’s exceptional cinematography (which is grounded in western genre grit and comic-like design) and the lovingly constructed intertextuality. Like Uma Thurman’s The Bride, Jo is someone who has suffered loss and cut her teeth in a past fuelled by rage and aggression but at the same time, her family life has given her a new chance and Price plays the wounded, conflicted and constantly prepared maternal figure superbly. While excellent support is offered by an impeccably cool Joel Bernard, who rocks as Boone and a brilliant Katie Vincent, as Jo’s eldest daughter Scarlet. Some characters don’t get as big a bite out of proceedings but it is to the credit of the well developed tale being told and the characters themselves, that even those that feel slight, are people we would be eager to find out more about. Pickings is visually stirring, kick ass and entertaining but not at the expense of a story which does not shy away from the cycle of pain that comes with a life shaped by violence. Director Usher Morgan is certainly a talent to watch and Pickings is confidant filmmaking, which comes across as a product of passion that is well realised onscreen. Watch the official movie trailer below... #IndieFilmReviews #IndieFilms #JackBottomley #UsherMorgan #ElysePrice #KatieVincent #JoelBernard #JoeTrombino

★★ Directed by: Cameron Prudames, Layla Randle-Conde Written by: Michael Habefelner Starring: Sandra Valera, Petr Malinkovic, Eirian Cohen, Chris Dudley, Tshayi Hercules, Sharon Spink, Laurence R. Harvey Short Film Review by: Chris Olson Low-budget comedy The Night Monica Came Back, is a short film with little in the way of quality or talent but what it lacks in traditional cinematic capabilities it more than makes up for with South Park-esque special effects and a dramatic sound design that would make Meatloaf quiver in his motorcycle boots. The short film adopts a “now and then” story structure whereby a group of adults are faced with an unexpected arrival from their past (Lawrence R. Harvey in a Wu Tang Clan t-shirt) who forces them to relive a horrific moment from their past in order to ascertain why he is now stuck in limbo. Throw into the mix Monica (Sandra Valera) who was meant to be dead but apparently isn't and you have something in the way of a jist. The Night Monica Came Back is a cacophonous indie film that the majority of audiences will fail to penetrate unless they have some connection to the movie or cast and crew. It's not a scrappy film that does the best with what resources it has, instead it foolishly mixes together a plethora of poor ingredients with the bizarre belief that all transgressions will be forgiven because they are trying to be funny. For example, instead of opting for a slimmer story with fewer characters and therefore fewer untrained performers, it chooses to amass a gaggle of adults and kids who don't look at all comfortable in front of the camera, achieving the look and feel of a local theatre production at their first rehearsal of a new script. A smaller cast might have meant directors Cameron Prudames and Layla Randle-Conde could have spent time directing the actors and actresses towards something resembling a coherent movie. The script from Michael Habefelner is at times humorous, although largely lost in the fracas. The Night Monica Came Back scored a couple of points with me simply for sheer front, such as the aforementioned Wu Tang Clan apparel or the inclusion of various popular catchphrases. The laughs are few and far between, though, and each time the movie builds up any kind of momentum it gets squandered by a terrible line delivery or sequence of chaotic storytelling. From a filmmaking perspective there is a lot to be critical of. Reeling off tons of technical issues would probably do no one any favours and could feel like I'm using excessive force considering this is an indie film but it goes back to my original point. If you don't have the money, skill, or experience to film such a large cast in numerous locations (some of which are outside) then think of a way to get the under control. Do not insult the viewer by including jolting audio that has been patched together or waste time on special effects that contribute little to the already shabby aesthetic. Flabby filmmaking that's not nearly as funny as it thinks it is. Aside from a few reluctant chuckles, all this will get from you is a furrowed brow as to why the filmmakers kept persevering, and a tragic sense that you have been hoodwinked out of a section of your life. Unless of course your relative was in the film, in which case you of course loved it and will be on your way to stone this film critic to death post haste. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #ChrisOlson #MichaelHabefelner #CameronPrudames #LaylaRandleConde #LaurenceRHarvey #Comedy #Supernatural

★★ Directed by: Ol Parker Starring: Lily James, Amanda Seyfried, Colin Firth, Meryl Streep, Cher Film Review by: Hope Madden You may be asking yourself, is Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again just 90 minutes of second-rate, b-side Abba songs? All those weird songs that no sensible story about unplanned pregnancy could call for? Songs like Waterloo? Nope. It is nearly two full hours of it. Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) wants to open her mother’s crumbling Greek hotel as an upscale island resort. She’s so terribly angsty about it! Will anyone come to the grand opening? Will her mom be proud of her? Can she handle the pressure if her husband’s traveling and two of her three dads can’t make it? Transition to a simpler time, a time when her mom Donna was young (played by Lily James), bohemian and striking out on her own. She has chutzpah. She has friends who love her. She has great hair. The majority of the sequel to Phillida Lloyd’s 2008 smash looks back on the romantic voyage that created the three dad business of the first film. James is a fresh and interesting a young version of the character Meryl Streep brought to life in the original. Likewise, Jessica Keenan Wynn and Alexa Davies make wonderful younger selves for Tanya (Christine Baranski) and Rosie (Julie Walters). The three dads have young counterparts as well, though only Harry (Colin Firth/Hugh Skinner) lands a memorable characterization. Firth is reliably adorable while Skinner’s socially awkward young man is as embarrassing and earnest as we might have imagined. Also, Cher. Expect an awful lot of needless angst and long stretches without humor. Whether present-time or flashback, the film desperately misses the funny friends. Desperately. But when they are onscreen, Here We Go Again cannot help but charm and entertain. The story is weaker, although there is a reason for that. While the original gift-wrapped an origin story to plumb, the plumbing is slow going when you still have to abide by the Abba songtacular gimmick. The sequel’s musical numbers rely too heavily on slow tunes and stretch too far to make the odder Abba songs work, but in a way, that is, in fact, the movie’s magic. Your best bet is to abandon yourself to the sheer ridiculousness of it. There is literally no other way to enjoy it. #HopeMadden #MammaMiaHereWeGAgain #MerylStreep #AmandaSeyfried #LilyJames #ColinFirth #PierceBrosnsn #Abba #musicals #romanticcomedies #movies #film #entertainment #moviereviews #filmreviews #sequels #Cher #Filmreviews #FilmReviews #TheatricalReleases #MovieTrailers

★★★ Directed by: Eric Bair Written by: Eric Bair Starring: Carol Hannan, James E. Clark, Joseph Tanner Paul Short Film Review by: Chris Olson Stories of overcoming personal struggles are always more compelling when they originate from an authentic source. Filmmaker Eric Bair’s short film, Descensus ad Mortem, does this by approaching an emotional topic and exploring it with oodles of dramatic tension and palpable foreboding. Carol Hannan plays a widow whose recent loss of her husband (James E. Clark) is made worse by the onset of bathmophobia. No, it's not the fear of baths, but the fear of stairs. Clutching the urn in which her husband's ashes now rest, our protagonist sits isolated on the upper floor of her beachfront property, terrified to descend. However, we learn that before her husband popped his clogs, he set his wife one final quest, the treasure of which is buried in the sand multiple flights down from their home. Honing in on the central character's sense of crippling fear and isolation, Descensus ad Mortem creates a gripping atmosphere that is always one slippery footstep away from tragedy. As Hannan grapples with her phobia as well as her growing determination to find her balance, the audience is cemented into the narrative and become her most eager champion, silently encouraging her to keep going. This was an impressive tone to create and maintain, allowing for the slightly more televisual aspects of the drama to be forgiven. The short film is heavy-handed with its use of cinematic flair and sound design at times. A crazily varied sequence showing the journey up the stairs was unnecessarily distracting, and the saccharine score that plays over a flashback sequence was borderline nauseating. Had the film opted for a more restrained approach it could have relied more heavily on the solid fundamentals, which were a good story and believable characters. That being said, Bair does pepper his movie with plenty of poignant moments that are enhanced by the visuals, such as the overhead shot of the ocean which captured a breathtaking sense of time, life, and the human journey. An, ironically, sturdy performance from Hannan and the emotion clout of Bair’s story make this a powerful short film that gets slightly let down by a couple of cinematic missteps. Far from toppling over, though, Descensus ad Mortem keeps the audience gripped, quite literally, to the handrail, leaving fingernail marks as proof. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #ChrisOlson #Drama #EricBair #CarolHannan #JamesEClark #JosephTannerPaul

★★ Directed by: Rajiv Whabi Written by: Sara Beinat, Rajiv Whabi Starring: Lauren Nieuwland, Sofia Asir, Aron Marzetti, Sameer Al Obaidli, Bianca Marciuc, Ashley William Griffiths Indie Film Review by: Chris Olson A tense drama mystery thriller from filmmaker Rajiv Whabi (co-written by Sara Beinat and based on a short story by Lawrence Block) If Something Happens is a morality tale that is loaded with good visuals but lacks in numerous other departments. Lauren Nieuwland plays the lead character of Julie Reynolds, a struggling estate agent whose big city life seems ready to devour her. Her life becomes more interesting, though, when it becomes entangled with some mysterious emails that promise to shell out considerable chunks of money to her, “if something happens” to a particular stranger. Shrugging this off initially as crazed gremlins or that Nigerian prince who always wants our bank account details, Julie starts to take more notice when she learns that the stranger named in the email has been killed, and an envelope turns up with the exact amount of money promised. An interesting premise, If Something Happens manages to create a relatively tense atmosphere throughout simply because of the mystery surrounding the deaths and cash. As the movie progresses, Julie becomes increasingly ensnared by the seemingly “victimless” crime she is unwittingly involved with, as she at one point says “It’s not me killing them”. Her ethics aside, it’s interesting to watch her character shed the beleaguered small-fish-big-pond routine for something more commanding and at times morally brutal. From a filmmaking/cinematic standpoint, the visuals are well prepared. The mise en scéne had a lot in common with the professional coldness found in a mainstream movie like Fifty Shades of Grey, or to a much lesser degree, Steve McQueen’s Shame. That being said, the sound design needs ripping up and starting again. The audio has been dubbed terribly, making the characters look like they are auditioning for a toothpaste commercial, and the score is incredibly melodramatic, putting so much force into the scenes it becomes a noticeable distraction. There is a formidable tedium which resonates in many scenes where we follow Julie doing an array of insipid activities, such as slowly typing phrases into a search engine or lying on the couch doing nothing. That being said, there was a really enjoyable dream sequence in the latter section of If Something Happens which was brilliantly delivered, something the film could have done with more of. As is the case with many feature length films based on short stories the format does not suit the narrative here. It's too long and the central performance is not commanding enough to warrant so much screen time. The idea is strong but the execution lacks bold direction, it would be interesting to see the premise in a short film format with much better audio. Now, if something happens to me be sure to check the outbox of the filmmaker's email. Watch the official movie trailer below... #IndieFilmReviews #IndieFilms #ChrisOlson #MovieTrailers #Drama #Mystery #Thriller #RajivWhabi #LaurenNieuwland #SofiaAsir #AronMarzetti #SameerAlObaidli #BiancaMarcuic #AshleyWilliamGriffiths

★★★★ Directed by: Ruda Santos Starring: Rob Tofield, Katie Porter and Peter Edwards Short Film Review by: Annie Vincent A BFI Film Academy production, Clown in a Church is a short film with a clear question: is it morally right to exploit people for TV? A clever little short film, this entertains you and then turns on you right at the end so that you’re left questioning yourself (and the very activity you’re engaged in) and that, surely, is what makes great film. Katie Porter plays Liz, the TV documentary director hell-bent on finding something juicy for the screen. She drags a reluctant soundman, Rich, played by Peter Edwards, and a cameraman along to a church and directs them all up the stairs. The cinematography at this point is effective as you start debating what sort of genre this film is going to turn out to be. With the handheld camera work, low lighting and use of shadow, the film is reminiscent of other docu-horrors you might have seen. However, the dead silence is broken by Michael the clown, convincingly played by Rob Tofield, asking for someone to turn a light on. From here, the hallmarks of a amateur documentary are used as we’re sucked into the life of the clown. Wobbly shots and the camera turning to capture the reaction of the cynical Rich add to the light humour the clown wishes to convey in his answers. The script implores us to see the simple beauty of this clown who only wants to bring a smile to people’s faces, despite his hatred for balloon animals. One major flaw of course is that no one really likes him and he’s been out of work for some time. Could his slightly menacing smile and relation to a famous ‘killer clown’ be a part of it? Sadly, when Michael asks Rich his view of clowns, he doesn’t get the answer he’s expecting: clowns are weird, unnerving, ugly and plain scary. In despair, Michael terminates the interview and throws the crew out of his garret. As they head downstairs, Liz scolds Rich, before they hear painful wailing from above. Insistent that whatever is happening will make great TV because ‘this guy is messed up’, she grabs the camera and heads back upstairs, grinning in wild delight as she captures Michael on the floor, clownish possession all around, as he cries and yells, and we are left to ponder who the real menace is. An enjoyable 8 minute film, Clown in a Church is thought-provoking and certainly worth the time. #docudrama #rudasantos #clownfilm #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #AnnieVincent #RudaSantos #RobTofield #KatiePorter #PeterEdwards