★★★ Directed by: Peyton Reed Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangelina Lilly, Michael Douglas, Michael Pena, Michelle Pfeiffer Film Review by: George Wolf Like the titular heroes who get small to do big things, Ant-Man and the Wasp gets a boost by making its stakes more personal, and its mojo a sweet, witty blast. "Do you guys just put 'quantum' in front of everything?" Scott Lang/Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) asks that question for him and for us. The answer is yes, they do, but don't sweat the science and the fun will win out. Scott's on the outs with just about everyone since his assist to Captain America ("We call him Cap!") in Civil War, but he just might be what Dr. Pym (Michael Douglas) and his daughter Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) need to rescue their long lost wife/mother Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) from the "quantum realm" that's held her for decades. The team could be on to something huge, and their research has many interested and scary parties, including "Ghost" (Hannah John-Kamen from Black Mirror and Ready Player One), a molecularly challenged young lady who thinks it could save her life. Too serious? Anything but. Thanks to Rudd's comic timing and affable charm, Ant-Man becomes the family friendly cousin to Ryan Reynolds's Deadpool. Like Reynolds on his DP projects, Rudd again earns a writing credit, filling his character with plenty of snappy dialogue and tongue-in-cheek humor that feels like a comfortable extension of Rudd's own persona. He's a natural, but Lilly is the welcome surprise here. The Wasp's intro in the first film often seemed like an awkward distraction, but she earns the equal marquee time with a script that allows Lilly the chance to make the character matter. Director Peyton Reed is also back from part one, showing a confident grasp on Ant-Man's role in the Marvel Universe. He keeps the pace quick, the gags (many featuring a scene-stealing Michael Pena) on a PG-13 speed dial, and the effects team busy, showcasing plenty of the amazing scale-altering set pieces that give this franchise its unique calling card. The film knows its place in Marvel's lineup, too, and that's hardly an accident. Good as Infinity War was, the break from galaxy-hopping is welcome. Two of the writers from Spider-Man: Homecoming are on board this time, bringing some of the less-is-more sensibility which gave that film such an unexpected freshness. Yes, it could stand to lose about fifteen minutes of excess, but AMATW has an unassuming vibe that is infectious fun, and the perfect palate cleanser before another bite of Thanos. And don't leave early, or you'll miss a mid-credits bonus that might drop some jaws. #GeorgeWolf #movies #film #entertainment #moviereviews #filmreviews #sequels #superheromovies #PaulRudd #PeytonReed #EvangelinaLilly #MichaelDouglas #MichaelPena #MichellePfeiffer

★★★★ Directed by: Pishdaad Modaressi Chahardehi Written by: Ivan Bailey-Wilson and Pishdaad Modaressi Chahardehi Starring: Lee Starkey, Helen Lewis, Isaac Huskisson, Annaliese Marie Whipp Short Film Review by: Chris Olson From Anarcy Cinema, short film I.D., from filmmaker Pishdaad Modaressi Charhardehi, is an incredibly intense crime thriller that combines an unrelenting atmosphere with a severe case of mistaken identity. Lee Starkey plays both Jake and Craig. The former is a well-off lawyer who has a pleasant wife (Helen Lewis) and a nice car. The latter is a blood-smeared homeless maniac who is introduced at the beginning of the film emerging from some woods where he has quite clearly been up to some slicing and dicing (and not the good chef kind). Polar opposites as characters then, aside from one crucial difference. They are doppelgangers. From there you can potentially see where this is going. Presented with an unabashed attitude towards graphic violence, I.D. is an affecting piece of threatening cinema that maintains a harsh but necessary brutality throughout. No punches are pulled and very little diversion for the audience is offered. This formidable atmosphere is then taken to another level by the fierce music from James Peter Moffatt and enhanced by the trailer-like sound design. The audial experience for the audience here is immense. The performances are believable, with Starkey delivering a strong on screen menace that is terrifying at times without becoming cartoonishly evil. Playing two roles within the same movie is a demand for even the most seasoned of players and Starkey does well to distinguish both. There are a couple of news reporters who add a nice bit of exposition but were too fast in their line delivery, detracting from the horrific events they are supposed to be describing. Lewis has some excellent scenes in the final moments of the short film, riffing with Starkey brilliantly, their chemistry and tension being one of the most compelling aspects from an entertainment perspective. I would have happily seen this expanded upon. Perhaps a little simplistic in terms of narrative structure and thematic depth, I.D. is more of an experience movie. The stylistic choices of the filmmaker and crew, and the talent in front of the camera, make this worthy of your time to see a piece of short filmmaking that dares to fuse the home invasion trope with a pulse-racing thriller atmosphere. If you are not captivated by the sheer force of it all then you will at least be checking out lurking strangers in case they are your mirror-image. #ShortFilmReviews #SortFilms #ChrisOlson #Thriller #PishdaadModaressiChahardehi #IvanBaileyWilson #LeeStarkey #HelenLewis #IsaacHuskisson #AnnalieseMarieWhipp

★★★★ Directed by: Christian Papierniak Starring: Mackenzie Davis, Alex Russell, Lakeith Stanfield, Haley Joel Osment, Alia Shawkat, Annie Potts. Carrie Coon Film Review by: Matt Weiner For a character who’s supposed to have trouble holding down a steady job, Izzy is putting in some serious work: Izzy Gets the F*ck Across Town is a road trip movie that never leaves its first city, a shaggy dog celebration of Los Angeles with characters who could rival those in any LA noir. But more than anything it’s a sharp inversion of the manic pixie dream girl and the role she inhabits. Written and directed by Christian Papierniak, Izzy GTFAT is disjointed by design. Mackenzie Davis (Tully) holds everything together as Izzy, a once-promising musician who is now too strung out to keep a catering job, let alone the man of her dreams. When she finds out that her ex-boyfriend Roger (Alex Russell) is getting engaged, she sets off across Los Angeles to make it to the big party and win him back. At each stop in her journey, Izzy gets help from a standout supporting cast. Lakeith Stanfield, Haley Joel Osment, Alia Shawkat and Annie Potts run the gamut from wistful and strange to funny and strange to… well, strange and strange. These vignettes have the feel of early Richard Linklater, so while the structure of Izzy’s Odyssean journey gets repetitive midway through, the actors keep it interesting. Papierniak gets the film back on track with Izzy’s major confrontations: first a bittersweet reunion with her sister (Carrie Coon), which hints at a lifetime of backstory in just a few tender minutes. And then finally with what has been teased all along: Roger’s engagement party. Without giving too much away, the confrontation and aftermath go in a remarkable direction, serving up an altar of clichés only to mercilessly destroy them—a sacrifice to Izzy’s rebirth. She has spent the entire film careening from one manic pixie trope to the next in her desperate attempt to be the catalyst in somebody else’s story. So it’s pure delight to watch the way in which Izzy takes control after spending her adult life in thrall to her own fantasies, failures and dreams deferred. There could easily be a version of this movie from Roger’s perspective. And ten years ago, we would all be expected to care about what happens to that bearded thumb and be happy for him. It’s probably the reality Izzy would have been happy with at that point in her life, too. But times change. People change. Slowly, unevenly. And maybe not in ways we always hoped, but hopefully still, in some small way, for the better. #ChristianPapierniak #IzzyGetstheFckAcrossTown #MackenzieDavis #AlexRussell #MattWeiner #LakeithStanfield #HaleyJoelOsment #AliaShawkat #AnniePotts #CarrieCoon #movies #filmenertainmetnmoviereviews #filmreviews

★★★★ Directed by: Jude S. Walko Written by: Jude S. Walko Starring: Sam Valentine, Jude S. Walko, Dean Cain, Dylan Kellogg, Beatrice Orro Indie Film Review by: Chris Olson Fairytale and nightmare meet in this paranormal adventure film from filmmaker Jude S. Walko. Utilising cinematic flair, picturesque settings, and a touch of melodrama, The Incantation is a journey of self discovery where the ride may very well be the highway to hell. Sam Valentine plays the lead, Lucy, an American in Paris (well, almost) who is in town for the funeral of her estranged uncle. Upon arrival, Lucy's journey into the French countryside goes from odd to bizarre as she meets the peculiar individuals who reside in her uncle’s glorious castle. Such as the creepy priest (Walko) and the uneasy chambermaid (Beatrice Orro). After settling in and starting to explore the location, she also meets the local gravedigger (Dylan Kellogg) who may form a suitable love interest, as well as an intriguing salesman (Dean Cain), both of whom start to pique within Lucy a growing sense of unease about her family's legacy in the area. Smartly gothic at times, with some nice injections of humour, Walko proves himself to be more than capable of juggling numerous themes and tones in his indie film The Incantation. The blend of intelligent cinematography with a palpable sense of tension within the atmosphere allows the audience to be suitably immersed within the narrative, which is mostly a schlocky horror story. By the final third of the film the antics start to feel like Buffy meets Dracula: Dead and Loving It, however, the enjoyment level is still maintained due to the strong character development. The performances are satisfying for the most part (french accents aside). Valentine is a great lead and as her character’s backstory gets revealed, her turn becomes increasingly compelling. Walko is also great as the verbose clergyman, operating as the movie’s most engaging antagonist. The chemistry between Valentine and Kellogg's local country boy is nice, however there are a few scenes where the clunky dialogue gets the better of them. Dean Cain also puts in a memorable and charming performance, coping well with the outlandish plot developments. If you are a fan of rudimentary horror flicks, then the storyline of The Incantation will fail to distress you too much. Those viewers who like their fantasy, horror, adventure films to do more than a family-curse-goes-to-Europe routine may prefer to keep their copies of Bram Stoker handy. Overall, though, a tidy entry that borders on the lighter side of horror, and one that goes the extra mile to cater for the audience. Watch the official movie trailer below... #IndieFilmReviews #IndieFilms #MovieTrailers #ChrisOlson #JudeSWalko #SamValentine #DeanCain #DylanKellogg #BeatriceOrro

★★★ Directed by: Ben Lewin Starring: Paul Rudd, Sienna Miller, Mark Strong, Guy Pearce, Paul Giamatti, Jeff Daniels Film Review by: George Wolf The Catcher Was a Spy features a surprisingly impressive lead performance from Paul Rudd. It's not his talent that surprises, but rather the role as enigmatic baseball player turned wartime spy. This isn't what we've come to expect from the always welcome Rudd, which makes him that much more appealing for branching out. Dammit, Rudd, you likable rogue! He stars as true life legend Moe Berg, who spent fifteen years as a Major Leaguer in the years before WWII. Though never a superstar, he was a well-respected and durable catcher with many other talents that proved useful. A Princeton grad with multiple degrees, Berg spoke several languages and was fiercely private. With his playing career over and a war raging, Berg's intellect, discretion and communication skills were valued at the O.S.S., where he was trained as a spy and tasked with assassinating the German physicist (Mark Strong) getting dangerously close to developing a nuclear bomb. Woah. Director Ben Lewin (The Sessions) fills his throwback yarn with the requisite newsreel voiceovers and shadowy set pieces for a satisfactory spy thriller, but makes more of a mark through the intimate workings of Rudd and the supporting cast. We're told Berg is an enigma, but Rudd makes us feel it. From his blunt honesty to his sexual history, Berg's nature always seems a bit out of step with the crowd, and Rudd provides the humanity to get us on his side while he stokes our curiosity. Supporting players, including Jeff Daniels, Sienna Miller, Paul Giamatti and Guy Pearce, are equally strong, cementing the relationships that elevate the adapted script from writer Robert Rodat (Saving Private Ryan). As a spy drama, The Catcher remains fairly routine. Its power comes from its intimacy, getting just close enough to a mysterious, fascinating figure without disrespecting that figure's commitment to mystery. #BenLewin #GeorgeWolf #PaulRudd #MarkStrong #SiennaMiller #PaulGiamatti #GuyPearce #JeffDaniels #movies #film #moviereviews #filmreviews #entertainment #FilmReviews

★★★ Directed by: Bart Layton Starring: Evan Peters, Barry Keoghan, Blake Jenner, Jared Abrahamson Film Review by: Hope Madden In 2012, director Bart Layton laid down one of the most compelling and nutty documentaries in recent history. His true crime doc The Imposter was one of those rare films that you could not predict nor could you turn away from. It was fascinating, and not just because the story was so wild, but because of Layton’s spry skills as a storyteller. He’s again pulling from the world of true crime to tell a potent story with his latest, the narrative feature American Animals. The yarn he spins here: four perfectly reasonable, likable, comfortable college kids steal a set of pricey books from Transylvania University’s rare books collection, including Darwin’s original Origins of the Species and Audubon’s Birds of America. The audacity of the plan itself is reason enough to pay attention. Buddies get the itch to do something big. Something life-changing. Consequences be damned. Or, more rightly, ignored. Build from there with a truly talented group of young actors: Evan Peters (X-Men’s Quicksilver), Barry Keoghan (Killing of a Sacred Deer, Dunkirk – the kid can do no wrong), Jared Abrahamson (Sweet Virginia, Detour) and Blake Jenner (Everybody Wants Some). Layton opens with text on screen: This is not based on a true story. The words “not based on” disappear, leaving: This is a true story. A bold statement to make, and American Animals is as interested in the effect individual perspective plays on true stories as Craig Gillespie’s I, Tonya or Sarah Polley’s near-perfect 2012 documentary, Stories We Tell. Once again, Layton blends fiction and nonfiction devices to question the possibility of honesty in storytelling. As he weaves from actors recreating the heist to the actual participants telling their versions of events, Layton poses intriguing questions about perspective and truth. They aren’t questions he answers, though, or even truly explores. The film works best when it digs into the American preoccupation with unlimited potential, the individual’s specialness. The four young men who risk their futures unnecessarily suffer from that curse of the restlessly entitled. As you watch the inevitable collapse of a reckless gang of kids’ movie-inspired heist, American Animals suggests depth and introspection but feels more like it’s grasping for a suitable ending, an appropriate way to cap all this madness with a bit of insight. The problem with the film is the problem with the heist itself: it was fun while it lasted, but was there really a purpose? #HopeMadden #JaredAbrahamson #BlakeJenner #BarryKeoghan #EvanPeters #BartLayton #movies #film #moviereviews #filmreviews #entertainment #AmericanAnimals #independentfilm

★★★ Directed by: Ray Ragenious Written by: Ray Ragenious Starring: Ray Ragenious, James Luna, Gabe Perdue, John Garner, Eddie Gomez, Irene Frederik Indie Film Review by: Chris Olson Found footage meets Dexter in Homicide Evidence 3, an indie horror/thriller, written, directed by, and starring Ray Ragenious. Depicting the exertions of a doctor-cum-scientist as he goes about numerous experiments on human body parts, all of which have been documented and, supposedly, lost in a police evidence locker. We witness his numerous tests through the window of a video tape (yeah, remember those?), and start to piece together the magnitude of his maniacal ministrations. The undiscovered crime tape method is a nice entryway into a found footage movie. It allows the story to circumnavigate the typical pitfalls of the genre, such as the “why keep filming such horrific events?” conundrum. With Homicide Evidence 3, filmmaker Ray Ragenious is able to further add to this by not utilising the traditional cop camera approach (e.g. End of Watch) and instead explain his footage under the guise of a science experiment - which would indeed be filmed. Whilst the use of static, low-angled shots were repetitive, it did lend a superb sense of authenticity to the indie film, allowing the central character’s clinical control over the storytelling to be cemented. The sound design is largely made up of droning machinery, television static, and Ragenious’s creepy voice, all of which were brilliantly chilling. Overall, he manages to create a believable and authentic atmosphere that is compelling. The aesthetic of the visuals has a strange filter utilised throughout that makes the film look like it's part X-RAY. Whilst bold and intriguing at first, over the course of 80-minutes this becomes a little tiresome. And this leads on to the key issue with Homicide Evidence 3, which is the lack of fundamentals. The narrative never develops much beyond a scientist doing his crazy thing, with barely any connection made with his victims. The obscured visuals and lack of supporting characters made it impossible to understand the central character or his motives, which is going to make a feature length film where he makes up 99% of the screen time difficult to fully love. Too much of the film is spent showing endless behaviours and quirks of the main character without giving the audience anything to gnaw on. Had the movie opted for a murder mystery narrative, asking for the audience’s involvement in actually solving something or piecing events together in some meaningful way, Ray Ragenious’s aesthetic approach could have been hugely affecting. Instead, the result is a bold and methodically immersive viewing experience that doesn't cut deep enough. Watch the official movie trailer - https://www.horrorsociety.com/2014/10/03/homicide-evidence-3/ #IndieFilmReviews #IndieFilms #ChrisOlson #MovieTrailers #RayRagenious

★★★★ Directed by: Zach Halfter Starring: David PB Stephens, Oise Ohiwerei, Timothy J. Cox, Alvin Haywood, Yasmin Ozcah, Shannon Costigan, and Stephen Pavlics Short Film Review by: Niall Maggs Solutions is a short film written by Stephen Pavlics and directed by Zach Halfter, and tells the story of a father and son relationship in the characters of Derek Price (David PB Stephens) and Damon Price (Oise Ohiwerei). It details the connection between both characters, and Damon's rise into an unknown and mysterious business led by his father. The acting from both Stephens and Ohiwerei was terrific; their chemistry really shows throughout the minimal 20-minute runtime. A scene in particular which comes to mind is their conversation in a car. Both actors handled it excellently, and there was never a point where their acting dropped in quality or lost its shine. In fact, there were times when I felt like I was watching a full-length feature film due to the exceptional performances, not just coming from Stephens and Ohiwerei, but from the rest of the cast as well! The short film works as a dual protagonist - or antagonist, depending on which way you interpret it - style of movie, as both father and son are at the forefront of this movie. The father, Derek, is quite a shifty character, which reflects his career choice, and you never quite know what's on his mind. Whether he wants to kill you, or kiss you is completely unknown! He can appear quite menacing at times and it only works because of Stephens' performance. There is also humour which creates a back drop for the grim yet comedic plot, and the humour is never overdone and it feels natural and flows effortlessly. The script, written by Stephen Pavlics, contains realistic dialogue which feels like genuine conversation coming from genuine characters, and therefore, Solutions feels pure, natural and, of course, genuine! The character of Damon (the son) could have been explored more thoroughly as we know little of him. This works quite effectively with the father because he's portrayed as this tough, arrogant badass who needs no real introduction, however the son is a lot more innocent and harmless, and the film would've benefited from exploring this character's background a little more. As an audience member, I want to know about the character which the spotlight is on, and if I don't know anything about him, then I can't relate with him, and he can't resonate with me. This means there is no connection between the audience and the lead character; then we can't feel threatened by or anxious for our hero (or anti-hero), so there are very few stakes within the film that create an effect. However, the tension in Solutions is done effortlessly. When I say that the film is 'nail-biting' I seriously mean it! The background score really impacts it for the better. Overall, Solutions would work excellently as a feature length film; I was desperate to see more. The characters are interesting, even if a little one-dimensional, but the storyline was intriguing, the acting was excellent in all areas, and the script was exceptional. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #NiallMaggs #ZachHalfter #DavidPBStephens #OiseOhiwerei #TimothyJCox #AlvinHaywood #YasminOzcah #ShannonCostigan #StephnPavlics

★★★★★ Directed by: Liam Hedrix Heath Starring: Tom Lincoln, Evelyn Miller, Alex Lowe, Patrick Durkan, Richard Ashton, and Vicky Butterfly Short Film Review by: Rachel Pullen Being in charge must be tough, that’s why I enjoy living a life where I avoid as much responsibility as possible, this is not a lifestyle I recommend but you know I do what I want so it's swings and roundabouts...any way so imagine how stressful it must to be the king. Not only do you have to wear that super heavy crown and rich velvety robes even on a summer's day, but you have to sign bits of paper and make sure the people in your kingdom are happy...what a drag. Nation Down has got this idea in the bag, we follow our king who is played by the very handsome and talented Tom Lincoln, who is getting a bit annoyed at all the people in his land protesting and standing up for themselves, how dare they, so he decides to take somewhat dramatic measures to ensure he can have a peaceful life. So like a good king he could go about hearing out his people and can come to an agreement where they have their needs met and increase public morale, but nah...that’s too much hard work for our lazy king, using mind control from a 90’s television stored in his basement is a much stronger idea. Yet in a moment of weakness, a desire for human contact [prostitutes obviously] he throws his whole world order out the window as the people have the opportunity to seek revenge. This short is instantly very visually stunning, beautiful sets and costumes spill from our screens, engulfing us in a world which balances between the medieval times and the modern age, an air of professionalism is apparent, this short is clearly well funded, thought out and has had a lot of care and love invested in to it. But aside from the aesthetic values that Nation Down has to offer we cannot overlook the most important thing which is the musical score. Now, this film has very little dialogue so the music plays the role of narrator, building and crashing in all the right places, during scenes of revolution I found myself filled with anticipation directly influenced by the crescendo of the soundtrack, remember that time when no one thought Halloween was scary until John Carpenter put his score over the top? Nation Down demonstrates the value of a well timed musical moment. This short feels like a cross between Metropolis, 1984 and V for Vendetta [ergh that film was the worst, yeah I said it] allowing the audience to reflect on how much of our lives we control, how much we should trust our government, which I believe to be the mark of a good movie, does it keep you thinking after its over? Well Nation Down certainly will. Beautiful, well directed, acted and presented, Nation Down is a stimulating, politically-charged tale of corruption which anyone can enjoy, and I hope you do, for you would be the king's fool to miss it. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #RachelPullen #5StarFilm #LiamHedrixHeath #TomLincoln #EvelynMiller #AlexLowe #PatrickDurkan #RichardAshton #VickyButterfly

★ Directed by: Salem Kapsaski Starring: Sophia Disgrace, Rahel Kapsaski, and Lee Mark Jones Indie Film Review by: Owen Herman Spidarlings is certainly difficult to categorise, but it is perhaps best described as a horror-comedy-musical that takes a turn for the surreal. It tells the story of a couple, played by Sophia Disgrace and Rahel Kapsaski, struggling to make ends meet and pay rent. Matilda (Rahel Kapsaski) works in a seedy bar and is struggling with an oddball admirer, while Eden (Disgrace) stays at home. The plot is thin at best, and it is so dragged out across the film’s two-hour runtime that there is never any clear direction or narrative thrust. There is a key plot point involving a spider and that doesn’t even begin until the forty-minute mark. The slow pacing is worsened by the inclusion of scenes and characters that have no impact on the plot or the development of Eden and Matilda, which is very frustrating. Even scenes that are relevant often go on too long and could be easily cut down showing a lack of polish. The film ends up feeling about half an hour too long and it can be a struggle to get through. It’s one saving grace in this regard is the often catchy musical numbers which break up the action. The lack of polish is present everywhere in the film. Both the performances and the script could have done with more work as there are often weak moments that stand out. Resulting in jokes that fail to land and drama that is difficult to care for. Salem Kapsaski has gone for a unique style for Spidarlings but fails to really capitalise on it. There are a couple of clever editing moments, but they are used far too sparingly. The use of animation does work, but again it feels added on as opposed to an effective stylistic choice. These issues come back to the slow pacing, it makes these brief but clever moments feel far too spread out. Overall, I found Spidarlings a difficult watch, but not due to the surreal horror that the filmmakers went for. Instead it was due to the messy plot, slow pacing, and overly long runtime. What should have been a snappy and sharp musical is instead drawn out to the point where it’s better moments are lost and almost forgotten. #IndieFilmReviews #IndieFilms #OwenHerman #1Star #SalemKapsaski #SophiaDisgrace #RahelKapsaski #LeeMarkJones

★★ Directed by: Meosha Bean Starring: Meosha Bean Short Film Review by: Richard Tanner I SEE YOU directed by and starring Meosha Bean, is a horror short that follows a burglar in her attempt to rob a house, all the while being watched by a unknown figure. Shorts made in this vain have always been a great entry point for filmmakers, acting as a sort of hands on education to iron out kinks and develop style. But the short can offer so much more than this, where the ability to create character, plot, and emotion in such a short timeframe is a refined skill, and something that seems to have been lost here. As such, shorts like I SEE YOU don’t really seem to be what you might call a short at all, rather a ten minutes burst of an unmade feature, a sort of calling card for Bean’s interest and ability. This is made immediately clear in I SEE YOU, where it seems as if we’ve been thrown into a climactic ending, just without any of the context that provides said climax. As a result the film spends the first four minutes very literally signposting motive (provided through shots of phone messages and an unidentifiable image), and what little plot is to follow. These shots are cut between so fleetingly that there’s little room to feel any form of suspense and therefore any investment in the story as it unfolds. What suspense there is, is quickly shot down by all too literal dialogue, removing any belief in character or realism. What is clear however, and can be said in Bean’s favour, is her appreciation and understanding of horror, folding in several tropes of the genre; the creaking door, the extreme close-up, and the isolated character in a dark unfamiliar space. Non-diegetic sound is also timed effectively. Used sparingly, its presence automatically gives off a feeling of anxiety. This is maybe more to do with similar sounds being such iconic tools of the genre rather than the sound itself, but nevertheless it’s used well. I feel Bean has unnecessarily constrained herself, limiting the film to a mere ten minutes. But maybe that’s just it? Is horror suited to the short form film (at least those around this ten minute mark)? Does it require the benefits of time to really be effective? I’d be happy to see someone challenge this idea, not to mention surprised and hopefully shocked! #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #Horror #MeoshaBean #RichardTanner

★★ Directed by: Director X Starring: Trevor Jackson, Jason Mitchell, Lex Scott Davis, Michael Kenneth Williams, Esai Morales, Kaalan Walker Film Review by: Hope Madden The 70s blaxploitation classic Super Fly was no masterpiece, but it was a provocative time capsule of flash, style and soulful soundtrack. Any attempt to recapture the spirit seems doomed to failure. But Director X, with a decades-long career in flashy music videos showcasing the same kind of decadent lifestyle first glamorized by films like Super Fly, has the cred to take a good swing. Plus, he throws in some Curtis Mayfield just when you missed him the most. It’s clear X and screenwriter Alex Tse (Watchmen) are fans of Gordon Parks Jr.’s first and most important film. Tse is mostly, surprisingly faithful to the original. Youngblood Priest (Trevor Jackson) is a successful drug dealer who wants out while he still looks good, but The Man and an assortment of less-controlled colleagues complicate an already difficult process. Less provocative than the original by a wide margin, X’s vision still takes some hard-earned enjoyment in scenes of comeuppance that are, unfortunately, as timely today as they were when Ron O’Neal outwitted corrupt New York detectives 46 years ago. The update is marginally more respectful of women and boasts an impressive supporting cast including the always welcome Jason Mitchell, the always intimidating Michael Kenneth Williams, and a great turn by Esai Morales. Oddly enough, that splashy support, which enlivens the film immeasurably, also helps to showcase its weakness—Jackson. There’s no conflicted soul inside that leather duster and skinny jeans, no tormented mind beneath that pompadour. Sure, O’Neal’s karate and cape now seem embarrassingly of-the-moment, but his performance evoked a restlessness and internal conflict that Jackson cannot manage. A clever new image built on the skeleton of the groundbreaking '72 film, SuperFly does not manage to provoke, intrigue or satisfy in the same way as the original. It does have style, though, and something relevant to say. #HopeMadden #movies #film #moviereviews #filmreviews #SuperFly #SuperFly #DirectorX #TrevorJackson #JasonMitchell #LexScottDavis #MichaelKennethWilliams #EsaiMorales #KaalanWalker #reamakes #blaxploitation #actionmovies #summermovies #AlexTse #FilmReviews #TheatricalReleases