Undertone is scheduled to arrive in cinemas on Friday, March 13th, 2025. If the trailer is anything to go by, we suggest you keep the lights on and perhaps think twice before pressing play on your next favourite podcast.. Brand new film trailers. Undertone The landscape of contemporary horror is about to be reshaped once again as A24 unveils the first look at their latest nightmare, Undertone . Directed by the visionary Ian Tuason, whose previous works have redefined atmospheric dread, this upcoming thriller promises to be a nerve-shredding exploration of sound, obsession, and the supernatural. While we at UK Film Review have yet to see the full feature, the newly released trailer suggests a diabolically terrifying experience that demands to be heard as much as seen. The premise is deceptively modern, centring on two podcast hosts, Eevee Babbidge and her co-host, who specialise in the macabre and the unexplained. Their search for content leads them to a series of ten mysterious audio recordings sent from an anonymous source. What begins as a quest for digital engagement quickly descends into a literal fight for their souls as they discover hidden messages within the audio. The trailer masterfully builds tension through its sonic landscape, suggesting that by merely listening to these files, the protagonists have unleashed a dark, ancient force that was never meant to be disturbed. Visually, the trailer is a masterclass in shadow and light. It hints at a "red-faced" entity that lurks in the periphery of the frame, tied inextricably to the audio recordings. The taglines interspersed throughout the footage—"It wants to be heard"—suggest a meta-narrative where the audience’s own participation in watching and listening to the film makes them part of the haunting. It is a bold, audio-driven approach that feels fresh in a genre often over-reliant on jump scares. The trailer instead leans into primal fears, using the medium of a podcast to bridge the gap between our everyday digital lives and the unfathomable terrors of the unknown. As the trailer reaches its crescendo, the sense of panic is palpable. The sceptic and the believer are forced to confront a reality where logic no longer applies, and the dark is no longer empty. With A24’s pedigree for supporting uncompromising directorial visions, Undertone looks set to be one of the most talked-about releases of the year. The wait for the full reveal will not be long, but it will certainly be anxious. Undertone is scheduled to arrive in cinemas on Friday, March 13th, 2025. If the trailer is anything to go by, we suggest you keep the lights on and perhaps think twice before pressing play on your next favourite podcast. This is a diabolically terrifying horror experience that refuses to let go. Paper Tiger The Paper Tiger trailer suggests a searing, deeply moving examination of ambition, guilt, and the toxic pursuit of the American Dream. Ink The newly dropped trailer for Ink confirms those expectations, delivering a relentless, kinetic glimpse into Fleet Street's most disruptive era. The Social Reckoning Seeing the first teaser trailer drop for its spiritual companion piece, The Social Reckoning, sent an absolute chill down my spine. Focker-in-Law If the film can sustain the frantic, competitive energy displayed in this preview, Focker-In-Law might just be the rarest of cinematic beasts: a comedy sequel that actually manages to justify its own existence. We are officially on high alert. Heart of the Beast Heart of the Beast looks like a gripping, tear-jerking cinematic triumph that will resonate with action fans and animal lovers alike. We will definitely be front and centre with our popcorn when this one hits the big screen! Klara and the Sun Klara and the Sun looks like a heart-wrenching, beautifully acted triumph that will linger in the mind long after the curtains close. Power Ballad What has us incredibly excited about Power Ballad is the dynamic friction between its two leads. Paul Rudd seems perfectly cast as the rugged, everyday musician who just wanted a shot at the big time, acknowledging with a heavy heart that having his name on a song of that magnitude would have completely changed his life. The Debut UK Film Review hasn't yet seen the final curtain rise on this one, but if the film matches the sheer dramatic potency of its trailer, The Debut is set to be a staggering, must-see cinematic triumph. One Night Only One Night Only looks to be a sharp, subversively funny, and emotionally resonant look at how we connect when time is running out. It takes a wild, satirical premise and uses it to explore a timeless question: Who would you choose if you only had one night? Supergirl As we look toward the 2026 release, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow stands as a testament to the new direction of DC Studios. Masters of the Universe With the arrival of the first trailer for the 2026 reboot of Masters of the Universe, the cinematic landscape prepares for a collision of sword, sorcery, and surprisingly, suburban Earth. Wild Foxes Dune: Part Three Picking up roughly seventeen years after the seismic events of Part Two, the trailer immediately signals a shift in tone. While the first film was an act of world-building and the second a visceral war epic, Dune: Part Three—an adaptation of Frank Herbert’s Dune Messiah—looks to be a far more claustrophobic and tense affair. In The Grey Scary Movie 6 The horror-comedy world is officially being turned upside down as the first trailer for Scary Movie 6 has finally arrived, marking a monumental return for the franchise that defined a generation of parody cinema. Empire of Lies Empire of Lies arrives in UK cinemas and on digital platforms on 27th March. Undertone Undertone is scheduled to arrive in cinemas on Friday, March 13th, 2025. If the trailer is anything to go by, we suggest you keep the lights on and perhaps think twice before pressing play on your next favourite podcast. The Moment The Land of Sometimes Twins Alfie and Elise find a magical Wish Watch on Christmas Eve and are swept by the Wish Collector into the musical Land of Sometimes, where they learn that wishes have consequences. Avengers: Doomsday Fans are elated at the release of the first teaser trailer for Avengers: Doomsday. Set for a theatrical release on 18th December 2026, find out more here.

Read the film podcast transcript from the episode titled Gladiator 2, Juror #2 and Paddington 3 - UK Film Club Episode 21 on UK Film Club part of the UK Film Review Podcast. < Back Gladiator 2, Juror #2 and Paddington 3 - UK Film Club Episode 21 Listen to This Episode UK Film Club 00:00:00.69 Chris Olson Yeah, I think my move into children's books isn't far away. you know I think i'll be I'll be there soon. 00:00:04.98 Brian Penn I know. Yeah, I know. That inspiration is close at home. Make the most of it, Chris. 00:00:10.56 Chris Olson Absolutely. But have you been? 00:00:11.65 Brian Penn Yeah, I've been very well. 00:00:12.00 Chris Olson You been all right? 00:00:13.78 Brian Penn Thank you. You know, 00:00:15.01 Chris Olson Yeah, very well. I didn't blow away with the storm, so that was good. 00:00:18.31 Brian Penn well, where I am, we could have waited very lightly. Bit of wind, a bit of rain, you know, nothing to write home about really. So we were lucky compared to some. That's for sure. 00:00:28.28 Chris Olson Yeah. Yeah, it wasn't too bad out here in Kent. 00:00:30.70 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:00:31.14 Chris Olson It was all right. um Oh, yeah, we don't. 00:00:32.88 Brian Penn We're sport living in the in the southeast, I think, really, aren't we? Weather ways, you know? 00:00:38.34 Chris Olson At the moment, we don't tend to get the the crazy weather, do we? 00:00:41.52 Brian Penn No, no. So I think we're very fortunate and we can feel very, very, very sorry for those who are affected. But, you know, thank you lucky stars that but we live in a very mild climate, I guess. 00:00:55.47 Chris Olson Absolutely. and Yeah, I mean, 00:00:56.46 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:00:58.80 Chris Olson Where are we now? It's the penultimate episode of the year, I would say. 00:01:05.00 Brian Penn Right. Okay. Yeah. 00:01:06.72 Chris Olson Well, in theory, we'll do one more in December, in theory. 00:01:10.11 Brian Penn All right. Yeah. 00:01:13.12 Chris Olson So yeah, that would be, that's a lot of episodes this year. 00:01:16.65 Brian Penn and I know. Well, when you add in the, uh, the indie specials as well, it's been a busy time, isn't it really? 00:01:21.06 Chris Olson yeah Busy time, we've got some Christmas films on this show. 00:01:26.45 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:01:27.16 Chris Olson um yeah no it's been a fabulous year thank you very much brian for all you've done all the hard work um but yeah i mean we'll kick it off because this is a 21 episode 21 officially of the uk film review podcast uh well uk film club and we've as brian said here we've had a few indie specials mixed in there which were just indies i think we have on it this month actually should but 00:01:31.80 Brian Penn Pleasure, pleasure, no worries. 00:01:56.68 Chris Olson On this episode, we're back to normal scheduling. We've got cinema releases, we've got a streaming film, we've got indie films that have been sent to us, and we've got a nostalgia pic, which is one of my absolute all-time favourite Christmas films. 00:02:00.79 Brian Penn yeah Yeah. 00:02:11.43 Brian Penn Oh, yeah. I know. I know. It's a jam, isn't it? I can't wait to talk about that one. 00:02:15.88 Chris Olson Absolutely. Yeah, I've been waiting years to talk to Brian about this film. 00:02:20.17 Brian Penn it but Yeah. 00:02:21.43 Chris Olson So here we go. But first up, as always, is the cinema releases. So these are films that Brian has very kindly gone to the cinema and watched. 00:02:30.83 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:02:31.22 Chris Olson And yeah, he reviews them on this portion of the show. First up, Ridley Scott's back with another gladiator. 00:02:40.50 Brian Penn yeah oh yes yes rudy scott is back and gladius is back so again rudy scott filmed starring paul mezcal pedro pascal denzel washington and connie nelson now the story moves on one generation maximus decimus meridius had a son lucious who, for his own safety, escaped to Numidia as a boy. The land is subsequently conquered by Roman forces commanded by General Acacius. Lucius is enslaved, but Macrinus, the master of gladiator, sees potential. He quietly makes a name for himself, but stormclowns are gathering in the Roman Empire. Joint Emperors Gita and Caracalla have their rivals and knives are being sharpened behind their backs. 00:03:30.16 Brian Penn So this is fantastic entertainment. 00:03:33.85 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:03:34.14 Brian Penn For pure action, it doesn't get much better than this. The combat sequences are jaw-droppingly good. I won't describe them here. It needs to be seen without any prompts or tips. 00:03:45.01 Brian Penn So that's all I'll say. Having said all of that, it's not for everyone. It's violent, bloodthirsty and brutal. But it's an authentic portrayal of life in the Roman Empire. 00:03:57.98 Brian Penn I mean, after all, Christians were fed to the lions for entertainment. But occasionally, they put a sword in in their hand and became gladiators and they had a chance. But this is top-notch entertainment. You can't really go wrong with this. Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. And Ridley Scott is already working on the script for Gladiator 3 already. So we won't have to wait 24 years for the next one. Let's put it that way. 00:04:24.34 Chris Olson well it's interesting isn't it that they've already got that in the pipeline it's happened quite a lot with these 00:04:28.32 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:04:30.40 Chris Olson reboots and sequels that have you coming from classic films. 00:04:31.64 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:04:33.84 Chris Olson I think it's because these studios have realized the built-in audiences for these films are pretty much the only way to go, right? For cinema releases, we need it's very unlikely now for news stories to come out and dominate, unless they're attached to like the Marvel universe or something like that. 00:04:42.19 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:04:51.59 Brian Penn Yeah. yeah 00:04:53.03 Chris Olson So it's interesting that these, and it's also, because obviously directing, There isn't so much in terms of limitation, like acting, there's definitely a limitation towards yeah what they can get away with. 00:05:04.00 Brian Penn Hmm. Yeah. 00:05:06.18 Chris Olson ah But with the directing, you know, we see filmmakers going to a ripe old age. And, you know, I think it's great that Ridley Scott is still there. 00:05:11.55 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:05:14.69 Chris Olson but Obviously a different cast this time and ah but some great, you know, fresh talent plus Denzel Washington. 00:05:17.11 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:05:20.65 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:05:21.82 Chris Olson I've heard very good things about Denzel in this film. Is he good? 00:05:24.82 Brian Penn I think he's very good. Denzel's always good value. You always put some a shift. I can't I can't recall about Denzel Washington film. 00:05:32.69 Chris Olson no No, there isn't one. 00:05:33.02 Brian Penn You know, 00:05:33.65 Chris Olson There isn't one. We looked we did an episode on it. 00:05:34.45 Brian Penn you know 00:05:35.73 Chris Olson I did I did one back Yeah, that was good episode that you know what that was one of those episodes where we have to watch these films when we go I'll go back and watch as many good I just enjoyed every minute if it was like, oh, this is these are all great Yeah 00:05:35.78 Brian Penn ah Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. i 00:05:42.68 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I know. I know, I know, I know. The thing is, when you think about it, it took him a while to break through big, you know, in a major way. He was probably mid to late thirties before he became a major player. But he chose his films well, Denzel Washington. And he's done that this time as well. You know, he's just good. He's totally convincing in every role. You know, you buy into it. He's good. It's a great cast anyway. But the visuals are just stunning. 00:06:14.59 Brian Penn As I say, yeah it's it's really a question of whether you're into it or not. You know, it's it's a strong storyline. you but You would call it an action movie, I guess. You would you couldn't call it anything else. But everyone wants the socks off. It's a great production. Ridley Scott is 86 years old now. And he's still going strong. I mean, it's so it's a strain to direct any film when you're half that age, let alone 86. 00:06:42.40 Chris Olson I was gonna say, I'm 36 and I can barely get this podcast to work. you know so It tests me, so yeah, and it hats off. 00:06:48.82 Brian Penn but But, you know, I mean, I love Ridley Scott because he dares to do things that are different and there aren't many directors that try different things. And as far as I know, I mean, I'll stand corrected on this. 00:07:01.55 Brian Penn I think this is the first sequel he's ever directed of anything. 00:07:04.42 Chris Olson Ooh, that's an interesting point. 00:07:05.97 Brian Penn I think so. I'm not sure. 00:07:07.70 Chris Olson I'm going to be honest. 00:07:07.73 Brian Penn I should have checked before we came on out. 00:07:09.11 Chris Olson Well, I'll be honest listeners. I can't be able to check. So please look and let us know because I'll probably get it wrong anyway. 00:07:12.57 Brian Penn but 00:07:15.11 Chris Olson i'll To be fair, AI probably tell me when, if I do that. 00:07:17.66 Brian Penn It should do, yeah, it should do. If it behaves itself and you ask it nicely. 00:07:20.70 Chris Olson Yeah. Yeah. 00:07:24.33 Brian Penn But yeah, so as I say, great a great piece of filmmaking, undoubtedly. But if you can get your head around the violence, and it is pretty graphic, 00:07:35.17 Brian Penn but it would be it would be it's it's portraying a a very violent era you know so you you kind of expect it and you you you've got to give it that allowance that it's not good choices they're telling it like it was oh yeah of course yeah it didn't have a two in this light although did it that's the thing 00:07:36.69 Chris Olson Hmm. 00:07:50.42 Chris Olson So alien they're saying, cause he did Prometheus technically. So technically. No, and and I feel Prometheus is quite a different film, to be honest. 00:08:02.43 Brian Penn Yeah, yeah, um okay, okay, so, yeah. 00:08:02.84 Chris Olson But anyway, yeah well where does this how well, how does this hold up against the original Gladiator, though? Because the original is an absolute classic, right? 00:08:11.63 Brian Penn Yeah, it's, yeah, of course, Oliver Rivers and Richard Harris. 00:08:11.79 Chris Olson Russell Crowe and all that. 00:08:15.97 Brian Penn I mean, you had some genuine superstar actors in the first gladiator movie. That's not to say that the cast this time isn't great, they are, but I don't know, I think, I think, the first gladiator movie just about shows it for me. 00:08:32.11 Brian Penn Because you you had the freshness of the idea, but this is good I mean, you know, I'm looking forward to gladiator 3, you know, I'm not a huge fan of sequels, but and I Know whenever as good as this bring it on bring it on Yeah, yeah, I I've definitely a thumbs up. 00:08:32.35 Chris Olson ah 00:08:34.87 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:08:42.20 Chris Olson No, and that is high praise indeed. Well, you can't see our thumbs, but Brian's doing that whole thing where he hovers his thumb and it's a thumbs up for this one. 00:08:55.00 Brian Penn Yeah, it's not even hovering. 00:08:55.44 Chris Olson them 00:08:55.96 Brian Penn Yeah 00:08:56.65 Chris Olson even ho 00:08:56.88 Brian Penn so 00:08:57.62 Chris Olson ah But yeah, if you've seen, oh, actually, someone may have seen Gladiator. Let's check the old listener reviews. So these are people that have sent in very kindly their reviews, and I know someone did. 00:09:05.41 Brian Penn Ah, OK. 00:09:07.81 Chris Olson So Sean, Sean Baguley, I'm almost definitely pronouncing that wrong. 00:09:14.85 Brian Penn All right. 00:09:14.91 Chris Olson Sean Baguley, B-A-G-U-L-E-Y. I'm so sorry, Sean. and Yeah. 00:09:19.81 Brian Penn It was a good effort, Chris, I'm sure. 00:09:21.47 Chris Olson I don't know if it was. Sean gives it three out of five, so not a massive fan. 00:09:24.89 Brian Penn um Oh, no. 00:09:27.87 Chris Olson ah 00:09:28.35 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:09:29.47 Chris Olson From the beginning, we are tuned right back into the original Ridley Scott, using it as a support to try and get this film off the ground running. Again, you can understand why he would want to use Gladiator as a springboard, but in doing so, it loses a missing piece, which makes you his story great originality. 00:09:45.59 Chris Olson So something that we have mentioned, obviously it is a sequel, they are visiting the same world. 00:09:47.40 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 00:09:51.02 Chris Olson Denzel Washington does what he does best whilst playing Macruness, but doesn't give a level of performance i would argue he gave us in fences for example so that's interesting 00:10:02.02 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:10:02.28 Chris Olson um Yeah, I mean, that's a very good review, Shaun, you've gone on through a lot. 00:10:07.64 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:10:07.79 Chris Olson It's really the end bit there. An enjoyable ride, you don't find yourself checking your watch for how long was left but is but it's without any story depth or real meaning to get involved with the characters. 00:10:12.38 Brian Penn Oh, no, absolutely not. 00:10:17.92 Chris Olson And by the time the ride comes to an end, the dream that is Rome can be whatever. I mean, that is very poetic at the end, I love it. 00:10:26.16 Brian Penn Yeah, well, yeah, of course. 00:10:26.32 Chris Olson But yeah, thank you, Shaun, for the review. And obviously, um 00:10:28.18 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:10:30.37 Chris Olson all opinions are welcome, which is fabulous. 00:10:31.53 Brian Penn Of course so, yeah. 00:10:32.09 Chris Olson you know We aren't gonna put you to the lions, not not yet anyway, not until I'm in charge. 00:10:33.97 Brian Penn No, no, absolutely not. No, no, no, no, not at all. 00:10:37.51 Chris Olson When I'm fully in charge, then maybe. But yeah, Gladiator 2 at the cinemas. 00:10:40.07 Brian Penn But, yeah. 00:10:41.91 Chris Olson I mean, it's gonna do good business, um I think. 00:10:44.76 Brian Penn Oh, I'm sure. ah um I'm sure that's ah that's a banker, really, I think. 00:10:49.24 Chris Olson yeah Another film likely gonna bank is Paddington. 00:10:50.59 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:10:54.94 Brian Penn Oh, dear old Paddington. 00:10:57.29 Chris Olson Paddington 2. 00:10:57.31 Brian Penn Yeah, yeah. 00:10:59.21 Chris Olson Oh, no, sorry, 3. We're on 3, aren't we? 00:11:00.28 Brian Penn History, this is Paddington Goes to Peru, right? 00:11:01.28 Chris Olson It's 3. goes to perun 00:11:03.76 Brian Penn So, okay, yeah. So, directed by Dougal Wilson, starring Hugh Bonneville, Emily Walsomer, Judy Walters, Anseli Banderas, Olivia Colman and the voice of Ben Whishaw as Panerson himself. So, Panerson goes back to his roots where he decides to visit Aunt Lucy with the Brown family in her descendants. She now lives in her home for roots on her bears. 00:11:29.91 Chris Olson Mm hmm. 00:11:30.97 Brian Penn Run by nuns, strangely enough. However, they seem to discover Aunt Lucia's mysteriously gone missing. They aim to find her and go on a trek through the Amazon rainforest with the help of Hunter Cabot, an explorer of some renown. 00:11:45.60 Brian Penn Now this is great fun, fantastic fun, charming, funny, and it's actually turned Paddington into an action hero, something you think was impossible really, but racing through the jungle, avoiding all kinds of pitfalls armed with just an umbrella, it has the feel of Indiana Jones about it in some ways. 00:12:04.50 Brian Penn but you know this this maintains the the standard again we're talking about sequels aren't we right but this maintains the standard it it's very consistent there's some nice cameos there but this is a great family movie for me it works so well and it's and parson is just so cute it's it's it's just not fair you know that this bear who just gives you that anyone this iron stare but they've not they've not um they've not shown proper manners 00:12:37.09 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:12:37.60 Brian Penn it is It's a lovely film and a good film for the holidays to take the kids to go and see, definitely. um But yeah, look, what can you say? It's great entertainment. The actors are perfect. They enjoy the the roles they play. And Ben Whishaw manages to put a significant amount of himself into the character, even though you've only got his voice there. you know I think that's not easy for an actor to do, but he he manages it. 00:13:07.11 Brian Penn You know, and so he puts personality into the character whilst not even being on screen, which I think is a difficult one, but... 00:13:12.84 Chris Olson Have you um seen the first two? 00:13:14.56 Brian Penn Yeah, I have, yeah. 00:13:15.94 Chris Olson Yeah, they I mean they're all good aren't they? I think they've just got a good standard and you know that like you said I think the cast plays a big part in it because it's got that fabulous charm to it with all these big names playing sort of not silly characters but you know I mean they kind of got 00:13:17.72 Brian Penn Oh, good, yeah. Yeah. 00:13:24.90 Brian Penn yeah 00:13:29.30 Brian Penn Sunken chic, sunken chic. 00:13:30.19 Chris Olson But yeah, it's it's fun. And yeah, I think films like this are great, especially, you know, this time of year, taking kids to the cinema, because it's whether it's a bit rubbish. 00:13:32.63 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:13:40.44 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:13:41.53 Chris Olson And I think Paddington, Peru is going to fill that mark brilliantly. 00:13:44.08 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:13:44.83 Chris Olson And it's, as far as I'm aware, it's not a Christmas film. So it's sort of doesn't have that limitation to it. 00:13:48.85 Brian Penn No. 00:13:51.23 Brian Penn No. 00:13:51.32 Chris Olson So yeah, no that's really interesting. 00:13:52.44 Brian Penn Yeah. So, yeah, but it's it's a lovely film. You you can't really. Of course, all films have faults, I guess. yeah I was going to say it's a perfect film, but nothing's perfect. But it's perfect for the market. 00:14:04.48 Brian Penn It's aiming at. I think that's what I'm alluding to there. 00:14:09.30 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:14:09.30 Brian Penn you know they They know who the market is, they know who's going to watch this sort of film. And it's been released at just the right time for the holiday season as well. you know Kids ah will be breaking up soon, won't they? They'll be going off on Christmas holidays and they'll be at home. ah So they pitched it just right. Late November, early December, the kids will be off on Christmas holidays. 00:14:33.49 Brian Penn that'd be one of the first ports of call but but it is it's a really really lovely film you know no probably best not really no best not no 00:14:35.78 Chris Olson Yeah, perfect. 00:14:40.17 Chris Olson because you can't take them to see Gladiator too. You're not allowed. The old authorities get quite hot on that, don't they? 00:14:49.58 Brian Penn Well, yeah, I know. I tend to wonder what difference the ratings make these days because films can be accessed from so many different channels currently and platforms. And in my my own sort of, in my own perception, it almost feels like um but they become redundant, you know, because that's just the way of controlling what what people see, making sure it's right. I mean, we're talking about kids, aren't we, really? 00:15:18.68 Chris Olson Hmm. 00:15:19.40 Brian Penn And I'm not so of so sure it always achieves that anymore because of the way we access films has changed over the years. But no. 00:15:28.17 Chris Olson It definitely has. I know as a parent I know that I will heavily rely on their certification. So I know that the guidance is always, I'll try and watch it first so you'll know whether you're a child, but that's so almost impossible. 00:15:35.35 Brian Penn one 00:15:39.47 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:15:42.48 Chris Olson Like to go, I mean, just to get to the cinema with the kids is hard enough, let alone to go without the kids. 00:15:46.29 Brian Penn Well, yeah, yeah and I know. 00:15:47.81 Chris Olson And I'm not going to go and sit through Paddington by myself to then come back with the family. 00:15:52.08 Brian Penn No, that's right. Yeah, don't say it again, yeah. 00:15:53.56 Chris Olson So Yeah, it's it's interesting. But I mean, I i think they're very important. I think sometimes they're wrong. Like I've been on, I've watched films with my kids that are on Netflix, it says PG. 00:16:04.85 Chris Olson And I'm like, this is not a PG. And I've looked it up on the BBFC and it's different. 00:16:06.37 Brian Penn Yeah, I know. 00:16:08.73 Chris Olson So I think it's it's important that they have those standards and that they do 00:16:08.95 Brian Penn I know. 00:16:12.33 Brian Penn Yeah, they they should be there. Of course, they they need to be there and they serve an important function. But ah as you say, the race things are kind of inseparational. It's just opinions, isn't it, in the end? 00:16:23.78 Chris Olson Well, also you'll you'll have, ah so some people, even if they're of age, they might not like films that have certain distressing elements in them. 00:16:23.93 Brian Penn us 00:16:28.39 Brian Penn a 00:16:32.41 Chris Olson So for example, actually my my six-year-old is probably more scared of things than my three-year-old. 00:16:32.46 Brian Penn Yeah. Hmm. 00:16:39.15 Chris Olson My three-year-old is kind of like, oh, it doesn't have any context, right? She's like, oh, it's fine. It doesn't doesn't doesn't care. 00:16:42.95 Brian Penn Yeah, that's my fear, my fear, yeah. 00:16:45.28 Chris Olson yeah Whereas my six-year-old is more like, oh, that could be in my bedroom. you know That could be hiding under my bed. 00:16:49.09 Brian Penn Yeah, I know. 00:16:50.25 Chris Olson she's She's a bit more sort of like with it. um 00:16:52.65 Brian Penn Yeah, yeah. 00:16:53.87 Chris Olson And then also, yeah, yeah I don't know, absolutely fearless toddlers. And then, you know, I'm scared of stuff. You know, it's a nightmare, but um yeah, it's interesting. 00:17:01.96 Brian Penn Yeah, and I know. 00:17:04.20 Chris Olson I think, do you do you have a film from your childhood, Brian, that absolutely scared you? Was there something you watched way too young and... 00:17:11.23 Brian Penn um Oh, that's a good question. i i up Sorry, after you. 00:17:15.09 Chris Olson No, I was gonna give you a bit of breathing time by telling you mine, which... 00:17:19.85 Brian Penn Oh God, let's tell me yours. 00:17:20.86 Chris Olson Yes, so mine was Goodfellas. 00:17:22.91 Brian Penn Oh really? 00:17:24.22 Chris Olson Well, I'd walked in on my dad watching it and I i must have been about 10, 10 or 11. 00:17:25.15 Brian Penn Nah. 00:17:28.29 Brian Penn Nah. 00:17:31.51 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:17:32.49 Chris Olson And it was the scene with the baseball bats and the they're beating this guy in a shallow grave. 00:17:36.83 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah, yeah. 00:17:38.68 Chris Olson and I walked in and I think my dad didn't quite know what to do like did he did he make a deal of it or did he kind of sort of just let it play out and if for he let it play it out and I kind of was absolutely just watching this happen and it was like oh my god and I yeah I struggled with that one. 00:17:52.04 Brian Penn yeah I know, and it's strange what it does here, isn't it? But we can also become anaesthetized to violence. I think the films that really made an impression on me when I was younger were probably the horror films, like the really big horror films, like, for example, ah The Wicker Man, the original version with Christopher Lee. 00:18:09.75 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:18:12.87 Brian Penn That was amazing, and it was terrifying. And I can remember not being able to get to sleep, having seen that film. But as I've grown up, I've become less shocked by horror movies, for example. I've often said the horror movies don't work for me anymore. But when I was young enough to be captured by my own imagination, it was The Wicker Man. i think And it's still frightening, The Wicker Man, the original one from 73 with Edward Woodward. 00:18:42.13 Brian Penn is really, really scary. I think that was probably the one film that stands out for my childhood, that when I saw it, that had that kind of impression on me. 00:18:47.01 Chris Olson Hmm. 00:18:51.11 Brian Penn So yeah, it's it's interesting how these films still stand out. But um yeah. 00:18:58.07 Chris Olson Especially, yeah, well made horror, but I mean, Paddington and Peru, not a well made horror, to be honest, but a well made family film. 00:19:00.20 Brian Penn but yeah No, no, no, no, no. Yeah, a well-made, foamy film. Yeah, you've nailed it there, I think. 00:19:07.91 Chris Olson If you enjoy it, or if you don't, let us know send us your reviews or comment on this podcast if you're listening on a platform where you can do so. 00:19:07.91 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:19:11.80 Brian Penn ye 00:19:16.70 Chris Olson And we'd love to hear from you. 00:19:17.78 Brian Penn Yep. 00:19:18.23 Chris Olson We're moving on to the last film in the cinema releases, which is Jura number two. And I'm interested in this because this is another, shall we say, experienced director, I'm trying not to use the word old, the Clint Eastwood directing 00:19:26.32 Brian Penn Yes. Nice. thanks so yeah yeah So this stars Nicholas Holtz, Sonny Collette and JK Simmons. In a nutshell, juror number two is Justin Kemp, a member of the jury trying the case of a man who's on trial for the murder of his girlfriend. However, he has information that proves the defendant is innocent, but just ends up against 11 jurors who are convinced he's guilty. Now, 00:20:00.69 Brian Penn If you've ever seen the film, 12 Angry Men, which in my opinion is one of the greatest films ever made, in black and white, 1957, directed by Sadie Lumatz, starring Henry Fonda, amongst many others. 00:20:05.35 Chris Olson Yep. Amazing film. I love that film. 00:20:16.62 Brian Penn That's really the template for jury number two. Although there is a twist that you will have to discover when you see it. This is a really strong, well-contained thriller. 00:20:27.68 Brian Penn It drips with tension and atmosphere. The storyline is totally realistic. You look at it and think, yeah, this could happen. So it presents the audience with a genuine moral dilemma. What would you do if you were in his shoes? The cast is excellent. Sonny Collette as the DA is very good. JK Simmons always good value you as a coach. What I find surprising, though, is the um the attitude of Warner Brothers. 00:20:54.05 Brian Penn They've given it a fairly limited release in the USA. It's got good coverage in the UK, by the way, but not in ah in America. And for some strange reason, they aren't promoting it, which could harm its chances of an Oscar. And it is a Clint Eastwood film. And at the age of 94, it's probably going to be his last film. So there's adiculos. But I'm amazed that Warner's haven't given it more space, more prominence than they normally would do. Because this is a very, very good film. 00:21:24.00 Brian Penn And I think it's a missed opportunity if they don't give it a stronger showcase than they are. But a great thriller, excellent thriller. 00:21:32.56 Chris Olson Yeah, I mean, I love Clint Eastwood films anyway. And this, I also love courtroom dramas, all that stuff. 00:21:35.50 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:21:38.00 Brian Penn Oh, I do as well. Yeah. 00:21:39.00 Chris Olson I love a legal thriller. 00:21:39.08 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:21:40.12 Chris Olson It just, yeah, it just gets me going. 00:21:40.27 Brian Penn yeah 00:21:42.95 Chris Olson And when something like this comes out, it's the sort of film that can stand up just on its credentials alone. I'll look at that list of things going on and think, yep, I need to see this. 00:21:52.12 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:21:53.40 Chris Olson I absolutely need to see this. 00:21:53.78 Brian Penn yeah yeah Yeah, it's definitely your kind of film, Chris, really, in that way. 00:21:56.60 Chris Olson I love it. 00:21:57.89 Brian Penn I love courtroom dramas. There's an inbuilt drama by itself. In fact, it's in courtroom. You have that degree of formality. You've got advocates on both sides. 00:22:08.44 Brian Penn You've you've got the jurors. They're under pressure. You've got the defendant under pressure. All passes to those proceedings are stressed out. They're under pressure. And that's what you what you plug into. 00:22:20.72 Brian Penn It's a really, really good film. And um if that is the last one Clint Eastwood makes, because as I said at the age of 94, you were talking about Ridley Scott just now, weren't we? 00:22:32.89 Brian Penn 86. 00:22:33.12 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:22:33.53 Brian Penn But, you know, ah I'd be surprised if Clint makes, directs another film now at the age of 94, but it's got a hell of a track record for making films, directing them and starring them. 00:22:42.07 Chris Olson Hmm. 00:22:47.69 Brian Penn Really a strong back hassling. And I just wonder, though, where where the next Clint East was coming from, somebody who could fill his shoes and directs as well, because I don't think there are many acts like him around today. Not really. 00:23:04.88 Chris Olson Yeah, he's got that element of being from the old school, but still very relevant in the new school. I think that's sometimes what happens to a lot of actors is they're in one side or the other, but he's he' still become so relevant in a lot of his more modern films and acting in as well. 00:23:10.89 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. yeah 00:23:22.48 Brian Penn yeah 00:23:25.66 Chris Olson So like Gran Torino, he's directing and he's acting in it, but with that was a great film. 00:23:28.21 Brian Penn That was good. That was great. That was great. 00:23:30.71 Chris Olson um 00:23:31.13 Brian Penn I love that. Yeah. 00:23:32.30 Chris Olson And yeah, I mean, my favourite out Clint Eastwood film, if I may, is it's Unforgiven. I love that film. I think that is, that's the type of film, if it's on, I will just stop whatever I'm doing, even if I'm, I don't know, driving a car. 00:23:41.24 Brian Penn Oh, fantastic. Yeah. 00:23:49.81 Chris Olson I'm not sure why I would be driving and watching the film, but I would, I would just stop and just watch that film. 00:23:50.15 Brian Penn Well, I was going to say, yeah. 00:23:54.75 Chris Olson And I just, it's an absolute all time classic. 00:23:54.91 Brian Penn i mean Yeah. 00:23:58.13 Brian Penn It really ah reactivated the Western, didn't it? Because the Western, the classic Western movie as we know it, died for a long time. It it just disappeared, didn't it, really? 00:24:09.36 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:24:10.16 Brian Penn But The Unforgiven was a film that brought Western's backs to life. And I think it deserves so much credit for doing that, really, because Westerns ah are a fantastic genre ah that I grew up watching. My dad was a massive Western fan of Westerns. You know, my brothers were as well, and still are. You know, but um it's a genre that that belongs in cinema. And The Unforgiven brings it back. I suppose, really, my favorite paintings would fill. 00:24:42.81 Brian Penn I mean, there are so many to choose from really, but I think it would be the first Dirty Harry film for me. 00:24:48.39 Chris Olson Mmm. 00:24:50.40 Brian Penn It kind of spawned so many imitations, know that type of cop that's got a rough edge, but he's basically a good guy, trying trying to deal with the bad guys. 00:25:04.46 Brian Penn That character's really strong. and um endures for me and the the follow-up film Southern Impacts was a great film as well and a great catch line a great tagline from those films go ahead make my day I mean yeah no I know but this is it so it was very influential for that type of film and as you say it's becoming grain that and he's as you say Clint Eastwood is 00:25:19.43 Chris Olson yeah I mean, that has yeah embedded itself into popular culture so much that yeah you forget where it started from sometimes. 00:25:36.93 Brian Penn He represents movie history. He represents the past and still represents the present. So as I say, it's a shame that this might be his last film. I don't think he's going to act anymore, that's for sure. 00:25:52.45 Chris Olson Hmm, well, does he feel lucky punk? 00:25:54.08 Brian Penn But do you feel lucky? 00:25:55.32 Chris Olson That's the question. Does he feel lucky? 00:25:56.96 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:25:57.82 Chris Olson Because which film, Brian, we've got Gladiator 2, we've got Paddington Peru, we've got Dura 2, and and they they kind of, they all rhyme. 00:25:59.58 Brian Penn Yeah. Oh, yeah. They were right. 00:26:05.25 Chris Olson What's going on there? 00:26:06.32 Brian Penn Have we managed that? Have I managed to pick three films that are right? 00:26:07.61 Chris Olson but And which one is film of the month? 00:26:11.66 Brian Penn It's a tough one because they're they're all great films. They're all worth going to see at the cinema. 00:26:17.38 Chris Olson I'm going to punk. My guess is going to be Gladiator 2. 00:26:21.56 Brian Penn Yeah, I think I think it shows it because just for pure spectacle, adrenaline, excitement, you know, it is bad. 00:26:22.15 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:26:31.86 Brian Penn Yeah. So that's that's the big. fit It's one of the films of the year and not only the film of the month. But, you know, passing goes to Peru during number two could have been films of the month in in a previous month. 00:26:45.63 Brian Penn They're all very good films. 00:26:46.06 Chris Olson Oh, that's good. 00:26:46.87 Brian Penn I think over overall though, I think it's been, and I don't think it's been a vintage year for the films, but it's been a solid year. There have been some really good films, mate. But yeah, so i definitely gladiator too. 00:27:00.81 Chris Olson There you go, Film of the Month, Gladiator 2. Another big thumbs up, no wobbly thumb, it's just it's just good. 00:27:05.03 Brian Penn No, we'll be fine, man. Yeah. 00:27:07.38 Chris Olson Now moving on from the cinema releases, we now move to the streaming pic and we've gone festive. 00:27:14.51 Brian Penn Mm. 00:27:14.95 Chris Olson This is a rom-com, I'm gonna go rom-com, yeah. 00:27:20.51 Brian Penn Yeah, I guess so, really. Yeah. 00:27:21.94 Chris Olson chris Christmas rom-com, a crim-con, I'm not sure how that works. 00:27:22.19 Brian Penn Wrong call. Yeah. Yeah. A criminal. Yeah, I like that. 00:27:27.18 Chris Olson Crim-con, hey, i'm I'm coining new terms as we go along. 00:27:30.08 Brian Penn Yeah, all right. Hey, what the hell? 00:27:31.24 Chris Olson A crim-con. 00:27:32.28 Brian Penn Let's remember that one. 00:27:32.36 Chris Olson um yeah Meet me next Christmas on Netflix, directed by a Rusty Kundeaf. 00:27:37.57 Brian Penn Yeah, 00:27:42.32 Chris Olson Almost definitely pronouncing that wrong. 00:27:43.99 Brian Penn the 00:27:44.13 Chris Olson and yeah and you Did you get round to seeing this one, Brian? 00:27:45.12 Brian Penn yeah maybe. Yeah, I did. Yeah, I saw it. 00:27:49.75 Chris Olson um you're You're so good, aren't you? 00:27:49.85 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:27:51.59 Chris Olson You're so good at keeping up with everything. 00:27:53.28 Brian Penn Well, yeah, I did my best. I used to do my best, you know. 00:27:55.23 Chris Olson to of nurse Yeah, I mean, you go. 00:27:57.50 Brian Penn So, should we describe the storyline here? All right. 00:28:04.22 Chris Olson you go 00:28:04.34 Brian Penn All right, let me try the story out for science. Whilst waiting for a delayed flight on Christmas Eve, Laila makes a connection with fellow traveler James. 00:28:16.40 Brian Penn Whilst there's an instant attraction, Laila rebuffs him as she's already in a relationship. However, they resolved to meet next Christmas Eve at the Pentatonix concert if things change. She's later convinced that James is the one and fate will lead us to him once again. But the race is on to find a ticket it for the gig and she employs Teddy, an underperforming concierge to seal the deal. So for me, this film is nice enough 00:28:47.68 Brian Penn But for a film that purports to deal with fate, which I think is really up at its center, it kind of misses the point for me. You know, I'm a romantic, Chris. I believe in destiny, that fate puts us in a certain place at a certain time. 00:29:01.50 Brian Penn But seven minutes in, you know exactly what's going to going to happen. 00:29:04.17 Chris Olson hey yeah 00:29:04.55 Brian Penn And that's not fate. That's not fate. It's a foregone conclusion. So whilst it as it has its moments, I think ah Christina Milian is a charming lead, likeable, 00:29:18.02 Brian Penn It falls down a bit. It falls out a bit crisp for me. 00:29:21.97 Chris Olson Yeah, first off, can I just say Brian, I don't think you get enough praise on your synopses. 00:29:24.17 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:29:26.99 Chris Olson You're very good at a concise few, you know, not too much. 00:29:28.07 Chris Olson heh 00:29:29.75 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:29:31.69 Chris Olson You don't give away too much. heh heh 00:29:32.59 Brian Penn I try not to. 00:29:32.91 Chris Olson You keep everything very, that was excellent. 00:29:35.09 Brian Penn Thank you. 00:29:35.21 Chris Olson I was listening to that thinking there's no way I could have done that that well. 00:29:37.98 Brian Penn but 00:29:38.29 Chris Olson I would have waffled on for like five minutes. 00:29:40.42 Brian Penn Well, but see to me, when you look at what we're what we're presenting here, it's it's an outline of the film. 00:29:41.04 Chris Olson so 00:29:47.55 Brian Penn People listening are going to think, right, what's this film about? Who's in it? Is it any good? you know But when you describe the storyline, I think it's knowing when to stop, isn't it? It's knowing when to say, right, this is as much as you're going to get. 00:29:57.49 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:30:00.41 Brian Penn right you You know enough now. 00:30:01.14 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:30:03.40 Brian Penn The rest you need to see when you when you when you watch the film. you know So what do you think of it, though? 00:30:07.73 Chris Olson um So, everyone knows, I'm a big Christmas fan, they know this. 00:30:12.24 Brian Penn then Yeah. 00:30:12.94 Chris Olson i I've reviewed lots of Christmas films on UK Film Review and on this podcast, and as a genre, I put it right up there, I love it. 00:30:15.42 Brian Penn i don't know 00:30:21.34 Chris Olson Now, this I say would fall straight into the, it's what we always used to call the TV Christmas movie, it was sort of, it's in that realm, it's not not worthy of cinema release, I'll be honest. 00:30:28.40 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 00:30:32.50 Brian Penn Nah. not yeah 00:30:34.53 Chris Olson Even though with any Christmas film, you've got spectacle, you've got colour, you've got vibrancy. It's one of these films that's just, it's formulaic. 00:30:45.13 Chris Olson It's basically moving the characters from one place to another. 00:30:47.53 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:30:47.61 Chris Olson As you say, you know exactly where they're all going to end up. 00:30:50.27 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:30:50.75 Chris Olson And I think along the way in this film, what they tried to do was give you enough barking mad side characters to make you kind of not question what was going on with the central dynamic, which was very, very obvious. 00:31:00.03 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:31:02.82 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 00:31:05.26 Chris Olson But you're thought you presented with a really strange couple or and ah a performance, shall we say, at one point. 00:31:09.07 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:31:12.98 Chris Olson And it's it's all meant to sort of distract you from the reality that actually you know where this is all going. 00:31:15.68 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. yeah 00:31:18.27 Chris Olson I think it's ah you could shave 20 minutes off this very easily. You didn't need it to be quite as long as it was. 00:31:22.87 Brian Penn you know Yeah. 00:31:25.79 Chris Olson that all being said I think it has its heart in the right place I don't think because sometimes I watch these movies and I'm like you didn't even try you didn't even try to sort of make it and say I thought that I like the addition of the the actual pentatonix characters or or signals they're actually in the film I think that was 00:31:29.17 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 00:31:33.13 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 00:31:38.83 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. I did well. I think I did quite well with that, actually. 00:31:43.17 Chris Olson Yeah, that was a fun little addition. 00:31:45.33 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:31:45.99 Chris Olson I think the the chemistry between the leads was great. I sort of enjoyed that, I bought into it. And as you see, I think Christina Miliana is brilliant. I thought she was she really did hold up the film. 00:31:56.87 Chris Olson but yeah If you took her out and put someone else in there who didn't know what they were doing, this would have really felt flat. 00:31:58.67 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 00:32:02.92 Chris Olson But as it is, it's watchable. It's a three-star film. It really is. 00:32:06.15 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 00:32:06.80 Chris Olson It's the definition of a three-star film. 00:32:08.94 Brian Penn Yeah, I think so. I think you're right. It's it's a pleasant way to pass an hour and 40 minutes. And it is TV film territory. 00:32:14.65 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:32:17.76 Brian Penn I can see why it's gone straight onto Netflix. But, you know, it's um it a nice film. so Just sit down, unwind a little bit. You know, it's quite light. Doesn't demand too much of you. 00:32:30.54 Brian Penn You know, so it all works. And in some ways it becomes almost like a promo video for Pentatonix as well. 00:32:36.01 Chris Olson Oh, yeah. 00:32:36.80 Brian Penn yeah The acapella group, because like they they stand out really well. um So it's kind of, it does that, it's got that going on as well. But a very nice film, but you know, lacks, I think lacks the weight to be a great Christmas movie. 00:32:54.06 Chris Olson Yeah, it doesn't it doesn't land in that territory at all, but it's gonna be around and people can check it out. 00:32:54.38 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. yeah 00:33:00.97 Brian Penn yeah 00:33:01.15 Chris Olson It's on Netflix and it's called Meet Me Next Christmas. You will guess the plot within 10 minutes and that's fine. 00:33:09.14 Brian Penn Oh, yeah. Easy. Easy. 00:33:11.46 Chris Olson But don't worry, we've got another Christmas film coming up, which is possibly one of the greatest films ever made. 00:33:14.42 Brian Penn it 00:33:16.49 Chris Olson So don't worry, listeners. 00:33:17.28 Brian Penn and 00:33:18.79 Chris Olson Dear listener, don't worry. We are moving on to the indie film section of our show, which is where we review a selection of movies that have been sent to us. 00:33:24.87 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:33:28.29 Chris Olson They've been said specifically said, can you review the film? Yes, indeed we can. We're gonna review them now. The first film is an indie feature film, which we reviewed several years ago. 00:33:39.92 Chris Olson The title is The Misadventures of Mistress Man Eater. I had to look that up several times because i've I've done a few promos for this episode and I've already messed them all up. 00:33:48.98 Brian Penn All right. I know. 00:33:50.55 Chris Olson I had to keep going back. 00:33:52.22 Brian Penn Easy done. 00:33:52.44 Chris Olson But yes, ah The Misadventures of Mistress Man Eater. If you say that eight times, I think you go crazy, but I'm not sure. um Directed by CJ Julienis and written by Larissa Julienis, who is also in the film. 00:34:02.88 Brian Penn yeah 00:34:09.07 Chris Olson it yeah I mean, as plotlines go, I'm going to say some words soon that should never really be together for the synopsis of a film. 00:34:19.87 Brian Penn okay 00:34:20.00 Chris Olson So we have an art historian who has turned dominatrix in her post-college life, um who is in debt with a loan shark and must repay this by 00:34:24.65 Brian Penn yeah 00:34:35.05 Chris Olson well we trying to win the attention of a local priest who has the name Dracula I think and essentially the film comes up will she seduce this guy and manage to repay her debt 00:34:42.49 Brian Penn Okay. Hmm. 00:34:51.66 Chris Olson Or will she fall for him? And yeah, it's a very strange premise with lots of different character themes being thrown into one thing. 00:34:56.81 Brian Penn and 00:35:00.48 Chris Olson It's almost like they've sort of got a ball of characters and gone, ah okay, a dominatrix, a priest, and an art historian walk into a bar. 00:35:00.85 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:35:03.34 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. but Sounds like a gag, doesn't it, to start with. 00:35:07.21 Chris Olson And yeah, it absolutely does. 00:35:10.61 Brian Penn you 00:35:11.10 Chris Olson and It's one of those films that is more serious than you think. Like you're watching it thinking, oh, they're going to be taking the absolute Mick here. But then when you start watching, you realize, oh, no, actually, they're telling a natural story here. 00:35:20.55 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:35:24.24 Chris Olson And there's some depth there. There's some character development. What did you think of this one, Brian? 00:35:28.50 Brian Penn Well, it's an interesting one. It's original. I kind of like the set up because you're throwing in all these disparate characters ah in together into a kind of a mix. 00:35:39.59 Brian Penn But they're mixing good ideas in to watch, but it should be a strong plot. But in some ways, I think it loses its way. You know, this leans this seems to leave more towards comedy than anything else. 00:35:54.07 Chris Olson Mm. 00:35:54.09 Brian Penn You know, it's more comedy than it is thriller, you know, and ah if you are going to go down the comedy route, which it seemed to be more than it was going down the sort of serious thriller route, then you need a much stronger script. It's got to be sharp and funny and you see glimpses of it, but it's not really getting there. Give this to a top screenwriter and it could be a massive hit because it is different, it is weird and it's unusual, but it just kind of lacks that precision that 00:36:27.61 Brian Penn clear direction of where where this film's going, where you're sending it. 00:36:31.50 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:36:31.71 Brian Penn And ah that's what I think it's missing. um But it has real potential. They rely on the risk of Julianus a bit too much. Very attractive, charming, photogenic, but the film needs a bit more than that. 00:36:46.49 Brian Penn And whilst I think there are lots of good ideas floating around there, it' They've not but they not brought all those strands together properly, or well enough for me. But this's there's something there, but it just needs to be shakes better. 00:37:01.04 Chris Olson Yeah, I agree. The story is a bit convoluted and they could have done with maybe chopping out numerous scenes that didn't really aid the plot for me. 00:37:09.29 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:37:11.73 Brian Penn No. Yeah. 00:37:12.67 Chris Olson I liked the the development of the relationship between our main character and the priest. I thought that actually was quite genuine. 00:37:19.25 Brian Penn Mm. 00:37:20.97 Chris Olson It felt quite well-earned and there was depth there to what was going on. 00:37:22.05 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 00:37:27.67 Chris Olson And I say, I think it does definitely have strong comedy elements. For me, that wasn't what I bought into. 00:37:31.75 Brian Penn yeah 00:37:34.40 Chris Olson I actually bought more into the drama side of it. I liked what was going on with them. 00:37:36.94 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:37:38.80 Chris Olson I liked this sort of sense of 00:37:38.94 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:37:41.45 Chris Olson they were complicated characters with strange backgrounds as to why they ended up where they ended up, because both of them have got a history. 00:37:47.87 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 00:37:49.59 Chris Olson And I thought that was a really clever idea. 00:37:49.92 Brian Penn yeah 00:37:52.89 Chris Olson And then being put under this pressure, this time pressure of having to fulfill some kind of debt, it made the tension rise. But I think it gets lost along the way with lots of different gags and little things that didn't quite pan out the way they maybe should have done. 00:38:03.73 Brian Penn Yeah. you know Yeah. I 00:38:09.76 Chris Olson And yeah it felt a little bit wayward by the time i sort of finished it i thought okay yeah i think i liked a good amount of that but there was a lot of that i felt could have just you know been stripped away 00:38:20.16 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. and i I mean, it wasn't, I mean, we often speak about the length of films, don't we? But I think it is relevant to the viewing experience. And this film is one hour fifty one. 00:38:31.53 Brian Penn And I think you're right. You said 20 minutes. I think if they were taking 20 minutes off it, it would have been a lot better, would have been a lot more lean, efficient and would make the the plossing a lot a lot easier to follow as well. 00:38:40.62 Chris Olson a 00:38:46.76 Brian Penn But, you know, 00:38:46.80 Chris Olson Yeah, and and I think some of that was given to side characters that didn't really need it. They they had ah were leaning into sort of this mellow drama with certain characters that felt, whoa, you're you're sort of losing it here. 00:38:58.60 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 00:39:01.72 Chris Olson It's going off the rails a little bit. 00:39:03.00 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:39:03.28 Chris Olson like Get back to the main characters. 00:39:04.61 Brian Penn I know. 00:39:05.12 Chris Olson Get back to what they're doing. 00:39:05.34 Brian Penn I know. Yeah. 00:39:06.92 Chris Olson and Yeah I tell you what I did like I liked her relationship with her friend she's got this like gay best friend that was really quite sassy and I thought that was fun. 00:39:13.76 Brian Penn yeah Yeah. Yeah. 00:39:15.81 Chris Olson I like the fact that her ringtone is people moaning it's like her customers is a dominatrix it's them moaning I thought that is brilliant it took me a while to work out what that was and I thought why am I watching? 00:39:17.86 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:39:21.94 Brian Penn hello yeah No. yeah i knowing and i 00:39:25.96 Chris Olson ah Yeah, it's just got this kind of quirky charm to it at times. 00:39:30.11 Brian Penn if 00:39:30.35 Chris Olson And I thought, do you know what? 00:39:31.56 Brian Penn but 00:39:31.79 Chris Olson that it's As you said, it's it's original. It's a bit different. I've not seen anything really like this. 00:39:36.67 Brian Penn no 00:39:37.35 Chris Olson I think it could be sharper. I think there could be elements that just kind of work a bit better. 00:39:39.01 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:39:41.60 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:39:41.65 Chris Olson But as it is, it's got that indie feel to it that is going to appeal to people that they are watching something that is not mainstream. 00:39:45.75 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:39:50.18 Chris Olson It's just a little bit unique. 00:39:50.50 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:39:52.01 Chris Olson And yeah, enjoy it for its sort of delightfulness. 00:39:54.05 Brian Penn Yeah, but it's it's got a lot going for it, but it just needs tidying up more. ah You know, but hey, it's it's good. You know, it's good enough to watch and and sort of get something from it. 00:40:08.39 Brian Penn You gain something from it. You know, that's the important thing. 00:40:12.00 Chris Olson absolutely 00:40:12.87 Brian Penn and Like I say, yeah things can always be improved. Things can always be better. sir But you think a film like this has got so much potential. You can do so much with it, with a clearer focus. But, you know, maybe that's the essence of in indie filmmaking in some ways, is that they collect together these ideas and just throw it out there, see what happens. It's good, good effort though. 00:40:38.29 Chris Olson And so the film is called The Misadventures of Mistress Manita. I'm not sure I'm allowed to say it anymore if I might break some kind of rule. 00:40:43.50 Brian Penn no 00:40:45.79 Chris Olson The film is available to rent on Prime Video, I believe, and there's some other places. It may also be available on YouTube, which is where we kind of watched it. So if you are able to check it out and let us know what you think, I'm sure the filmmakers would love to hear your opinions. 00:40:53.92 Brian Penn ye 00:41:00.23 Chris Olson And yeah, it's 2020 film, so... Yeah, let us know. We're moving on now to a film I reviewed on the website called Orango, and we have a clip which I will play right now. 00:41:06.47 Brian Penn Oh, know nice. 00:41:38.17 Brian Penn yeah 00:42:22.07 Chris Olson Brilliant clip ah from the film. Really gives you a taste of what Orango is like, your terms of atmosphere and tone. It has this quasi-documentary feel. And as we heard in there, the character of Eni played by Staniel Ferreira, who travels back to West Africa after living in the West for 17 years. 00:42:46.56 Chris Olson to find out more about who his family were, his mother, his father. His mother actually passed away, which is sort of the reason for his journey back. The first part of the film is him traveling to see his father and his hometown and to reconnect there, get answers to the questions that have been swirling around his sense of identity. Then I won't ruin that bit, but I will just say that the second part of the film, then he moves on to travel to find out more about his mother's family who live in Orango and to research more about the land of their ancestors. 00:43:30.15 Chris Olson It's a really fascinating film. I found it, I was watching it and constantly questioning, is this a documentary or is this a film? Because it was so blurring the lines. I think there is an element of autobiography about this. 00:43:44.91 Chris Olson And the writer who is in the film, Staniel Ferreira, who co-writes with Samuel K. 00:43:45.12 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:43:52.10 Chris Olson Forrest, who directs, they are, I think consciously, bringing in all these actual real people to do real scenes that are actually related to Staniel and it's meant to kind of confuse you at this sense of identity and sense of someone's past trying to look into that but in this in the and this sort of frame of a fictionalized movie which that was a very strange experience for me I think that put me in this state of very much engaged because I was like I'm not quite sure whether this is a documentary or not and that was ah just one of the things that made it fascinating I think obviously a country like Africa with its beautiful landscapes and all the different 00:44:24.51 Brian Penn Yeah. Hello. Yeah. 00:44:38.64 Chris Olson sunsets and things that we get given. It looks and feels so cinematic. It's got a brilliant vibe to it. 00:44:42.97 Brian Penn Hey. 00:44:45.11 Chris Olson And it's emotional. It's just really cut steep at times. What did you think of Arango, Brian? 00:44:50.98 Brian Penn Yeah, I found it powerful and grossing and moving, but actually confusing in places because, you know, you touched on it in your review, in the review that you wrote, where it says it's based on a true story, but it seems the brother, sister and father are telling their own story. 00:45:09.50 Brian Penn you know, they're not acting apart, which is what it suggests. um They're all related anyway, aren't they? Even though they've got different names in the film. Because, you know, there was one conversation between father and son, which to me wasn't acting at all. 00:45:26.06 Brian Penn That felt like a complete documentary where they were eavesdropping on a ah quite a heated conversation between father and son. 00:45:33.22 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:45:33.94 Brian Penn um So I'm not sure why they did that. Was that deliberate to keep you guessing? Why not badge it as a documentary? I mean, it's very good. As I say, very powerful. It holds your attention. You can't take your eyes off it. you know This brother and sister retracing the roots you know um in memory of their mother going back to their homeland to discover where they came from. you know it's It's an incredibly moving account. 00:46:05.16 Brian Penn ah they'd been ah He'd been away for 17 years and they went back. And that in itself is fascinating. ah That need of not wanting to know who you are and where you came from. um So, excellent, very good. But i'm I'm still kind of unsettled by this kind of balance between a documentary and a and film. Aside from that, it's really good. 00:46:31.74 Chris Olson Yeah, you mentioned that scene where he confronts his father and the camera just doesn't quite actually make it into the scene and it's sort of easier from the outside. 00:46:34.60 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:46:40.66 Chris Olson And that's what gave me a feel of, okay, I think this is where the tension between blurring the two sides is coming in because on the one hand, it's a really good cinematic device to keep us on the outside, but on the other side, it's like, okay, yeah, but we're now not really seeing what's going on other than 00:46:48.46 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:46:52.63 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:46:58.85 Chris Olson yeah getting a gist of what's happening. 00:46:58.98 Brian Penn Yeah. yeah 00:47:01.57 Chris Olson I actually found i found it worked for me. I really liked that idea. and um I think the use of or authentic African feels to things like there's this cinematography that I talked about, the the score, it had a real essence to it of someone's journey back to their homeland that was done in a way that felt honest and authentic even with this slightly confusing mix of genres that i yeah i found it really really interesting and powerful i love when i watch something and i kind of don't quite know how i feel about it until the end and i definitely felt that way here i think 00:47:30.43 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:47:40.38 Brian Penn but no Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 00:47:44.20 Chris Olson there are parts to the film that work better than others. 00:47:46.11 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:47:47.89 Chris Olson There's some bits which feel more like, okay, yeah, that's footage that they've gained from characters that are maybe trying to give an insight, but it's not really that valuable to say a storyline. 00:47:59.66 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:47:59.88 Chris Olson um But then other bits of the work really, really strong, really enjoyed them. It's yeah, for me, it was one of those films that meant I got a story, but also an experience at the same time. 00:48:14.37 Chris Olson I kind of came away, it was like a cinematic experience. 00:48:14.85 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. That's a good way of explaining it really, yeah. 00:48:17.23 Chris Olson I come away and go, yeah, that I felt, okay, well, I've seen something very ambitious, very different. 00:48:18.98 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:48:22.39 Chris Olson And I think saying that it's based on a true story just immediately sets you up in that sense of, okay, well then it's definitely not a true story right because that's what all the films do right now they say based on a true story when they're not it's like or they are but they're we're watching a very fictionalized version i liked his his voice as the narration i thought that was really powerful he's got a really deep voice and it kind of sucks you into like what was going through yeah yeah with his with with what's going on with him and what's in his mind he's got a lot of anxiety about 00:48:43.61 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. It's nice, isn't it? Yeah. Yeah. 00:48:55.11 Chris Olson his family members and who he is and how it's affected him. I felt that there could have been more of that in terms of maybe extra characters or things that are going on around him because 00:49:08.39 Brian Penn Hmm. 00:49:10.92 Chris Olson He travels with his sister and we don't really get a lot from her. We don't get much of an information about what's going on with her and what her deal is. 00:49:18.71 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:49:20.85 Chris Olson But I felt that obviously it's very much Ennies film. But as it is, I think a lot of people will connect with this. I think they're going to feel the 00:49:30.51 Brian Penn Yeah, definitely. 00:49:32.16 Chris Olson burning sense of who someone can yeah who someone feels they are as an adult by going back to where they come from and trying to find out more, especially yeah people who've got estrangement from parents and things like that, that it worked for me on a lot of levels. 00:49:32.86 Brian Penn no right 00:49:48.25 Chris Olson I do agree it's not going to be for everyone. I know a lot of people are going to struggle with that mix of being quasi-documentary. 00:49:50.71 Brian Penn and Yeah. 00:49:56.94 Chris Olson But I think if you go in maybe knowing that, that might help. It's one of those few occasions where actually a little bit of knowing what's going on might assist you. And yeah, I think Samuel K's forest direction is brilliant. 00:50:08.73 Chris Olson he He really knows how to shake the scenes and guide. 00:50:11.11 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:50:12.02 Chris Olson He also knows when to not say something, which is so crucial, especially in documentary filmmaking, when not to say something, you know? 00:50:17.82 Brian Penn Well, yeah, silence silence can work just as well as noise, as dialogue, cancer if you use it in the right way. 00:50:23.80 Chris Olson Hmm. 00:50:25.64 Brian Penn And you can you can say a lot more by buy remaining silent. So to appreciate how silence works within a film like this is really important. 00:50:35.93 Brian Penn So he's done that well. 00:50:37.45 Chris Olson Yeah, and it's that. use of silence plus the sunsets and the changing of the time which allows that introspection I think as an audience member you're watching this and you're being told whether you understand that or not that is now is a time for you to contemplate what you've just seen and to sort of digest it before we move on and I thought that was really cleverly done it was done in a way that was smartly handled so yeah I like i thought that was great I really enjoyed it and 00:51:03.89 Brian Penn Yeah. It's good. It's very good. 00:51:08.90 Chris Olson I reviewed it on the website, if you haven't read the review yet, and I also did a video review, which you can watch on our YouTube channel. I may say different things to which I've just said, who knows? 00:51:19.22 Chris Olson you know I did that yeah a few weeks ago, so I may have changed, but yeah, I definitely enjoyed it, and I thought it was a very interesting film. 00:51:19.41 Brian Penn yeah'm like Yeah. No. No, it was good. Very good. 00:51:29.22 Chris Olson I don't believe it's available online, unfortunately, at the moment, which is always a bit upsetting, I find when, you know, we we say such lovely things about these films and then they can't watch them, but they come to us first. 00:51:38.38 Brian Penn and I know, I know. Look, yeah. 00:51:42.62 Chris Olson You know, that's the way they roll. 00:51:43.56 Brian Penn Yeah, see, we we break the ground, don't we? 00:51:46.00 Chris Olson We do. 00:51:46.13 Brian Penn You know, we saw people how good it is and just gotta find it after that. 00:51:50.38 Chris Olson Yep. Good luck. The film does have an Instagram page which is at mother earth films dot orango so it's O-R-A-N-G-O and yeah if you search online you will find it very very easily and yeah I recommend staying up to date with it it's an interesting piece and it's interesting to see what people might make of it from that filmmaking experience side of things you know to watch something where it is blurring the lines a little bit 00:52:21.60 Brian Penn Yeah, yeah. 00:52:22.52 Chris Olson So yeah, a very interesting one to watch. 00:52:24.27 Brian Penn and Good stuff. 00:52:26.29 Chris Olson Good stuff. 00:52:26.31 Brian Penn phone Good stuff. 00:52:28.07 Chris Olson Moving on to our last film of the indie section before we move to our nostalgia pick is a short film, which I also reviewed. 00:52:34.65 Brian Penn You have, haven't you? 00:52:35.70 Chris Olson I've been busy this month, Brian. 00:52:37.46 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:52:37.72 Chris Olson I have. I've been, I'm trying to get onto Santa's good list. 00:52:41.21 Brian Penn Yeah, yeah. 00:52:42.23 Chris Olson Finally. 00:52:43.01 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:52:44.68 Chris Olson Yeah. Short film, A Place to Fall Down. And I am very pleased to say we have a clip. 00:52:50.89 Brian Penn Awness. 00:53:55.93 Chris Olson So interesting clip, if you've seen the film, if you haven't seen the film, it's probably going to be quite baffling because that's not our main character or anything. 00:53:57.79 Brian Penn Hmm. Hmm. 00:54:04.06 Brian Penn nine 00:54:04.50 Chris Olson Essentially, actually, b Brian, did you want to take the synopsis on this? Because I've reviewed this, so I'll let you give your lovely, yeah brilliantly eloquent synopsis. 00:54:07.44 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:54:10.10 Brian Penn long i Oh, I'll do my best, Chris. So this is a story of a man, Jose, who is experiencing deep grief. He's lost his wife, but he works as a top mechanic, ah has an assistant who hasn't shown up for work, so he's left with his own company and surrounded by his own faults. The script itself is reduced to text and telephone conversations with customers and his daughter, Charlotte. I think this is so good. 00:54:39.79 Brian Penn This is so, so good. 00:54:41.68 Chris Olson Mm. 00:54:41.99 Brian Penn its There's minimal dialogue, but it seems appropriate somehow because grief is is something we can't articulate because the words don't exist. They've not been invented. You're feeling something so deep and so profound. 00:54:55.83 Brian Penn You can't put it into words and that's what comes through in this film. it like I mean, you that you came up with a really good analogy in your review because you You mentioned the fact that he's a great mechanic and he looks around and he can fix things around him, but he can't fix his own grief because it runs its course. 00:55:15.34 Brian Penn And what comes in between is what you see on the film, bewilderment, shock, despair, but essentially a determination that he's going to get through it. 00:55:27.42 Brian Penn I think it's brilliant. It's so good what it does. But part of the reason why it's so brilliant is because they don't pack it with dialogue. You know, the clip the clip that you just played 00:55:36.03 Chris Olson Yeah. 00:55:38.74 Brian Penn was the was a bit like a kind of a self-help tape you kept on listening to. um That kind of sets it up well and it just makes some very basic, straightforward and profound statements about grief and loss and how we cope with grief and loss and and how there is a way through it in the end. So I think it's a damn good piece of filmmaking. 00:56:03.33 Chris Olson Yeah, it looks and feels great. It's got such a good tone to it. yeah The filmmaking side of things is is on point, absolutely. I like the minimalism to it as well. 00:56:13.72 Chris Olson The dialogue is meant to be sparse. you know Anyone who's dealt with grief and gone through loss, especially on a very close level, you'll understand how often there isn't words to say. 00:56:27.56 Chris Olson There's not things that you can just talk about and talk around it. 00:56:30.10 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:56:30.70 Chris Olson that it's more of ah 00:56:31.14 Brian Penn Mm. 00:56:32.32 Chris Olson yeah feeling and I like the way the central actor, yeah the character being played here by um Clifton Collins Jr yeah knows how to do the physical side of this performance. 00:56:38.14 Brian Penn Mm. 00:56:47.04 Chris Olson It's a difficult performance to give if you don't understand it and he does really really well to convey what's going on inside because he just seems lost you know he's in you amongst all these this labyrinth of cars and he's sort of just by himself completely isolated with his own thoughts and he is lost and he's he's hoping for a lifeline he's hoping for something to come through that's going to break through this wall of grief that he's feeling and 00:56:58.67 Brian Penn and Yeah. 00:57:08.95 Brian Penn you know Yeah. 00:57:17.50 Chris Olson something does, you know, not to give it away, but something does. And I think that's the real essence of this film. And it does have this post COVID quality to it of, you know, we all went through a lot in that time, there was a lot of loss, everyone was touched by it, whether it was directly or indirectly. And the filmmakers here have dealt with that subject brilliantly. They've given it a lot of time and attention to make sure that it's dealt with in a way that felt sincere, 00:57:47.80 Chris Olson but didn't fail didn't feel like it was overly explained. yeah it was almost It gave the audience you enough credit to know that they were going to keep up with this and not get bored, not need lots of exposition and lots of reasoning. we are We understand enough about the character by the end of the film. We understand what happened to him and and yeah why he's where he is. 00:58:08.63 Chris Olson But it is a film that treated its audience with more intelligence than another filmmaker may have done. And I think it's got a lot going for it. It's a lot here that would actually entertain audiences. You emotionally connect with that character very early on. And that's crucial. I think it is quite a lot down to the performance. And I think when filmmakers do try and serve up something that it does have this very strong element of sadness and sorrow and somberness. 00:58:40.62 Brian Penn Mm. 00:58:42.61 Chris Olson You know, you're gonna be tempted to throw in some lighthearted stuff. And I don't think they do that. I think they keep to their line well. They know the story of what it is. 00:58:51.34 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:58:51.63 Chris Olson They're written and directed by Dwayne Hanson Fernandez. 00:58:52.98 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:58:53.96 Chris Olson And yeah, brilliant job of sticking to your guns and going, you know what? Actually, we're gonna tell this story the way it was meant to be told because he is a tragic character, you know? 00:59:00.95 Brian Penn But, uh... Yeah, yes. I mean, I think it's really impressive in in every respect and it doesn't bombard you with lots of information. It doesn't pack the film with too much dialogue. As you say, they they give the audience credit. They write the issue and the audience are intelligent enough to understand what's happening. 00:59:24.05 Brian Penn What's happened to this character? What is feeling? But it's done without too much dialogue because you don't need it. Because I would always like saying that but grief cannot be easily explained in and dialogue. It can't. It's a feeling. And they're portraying those feelings visually by expressions and mannerisms and body language. But it gets there. It it makes the point so well. It's very well done. 00:59:54.78 Chris Olson Yeah, it's just got a really well thought out structure to it as well. 00:59:56.94 Brian Penn Yeah. 00:59:57.93 Chris Olson I mentioned a review about you and you mentioned it as well, being surrounded by broken cars and his job is to fix them. 01:00:03.31 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:00:04.61 Chris Olson And yet, you know, he seems completely broken himself. 01:00:04.99 Brian Penn Yeah. Hmm. 01:00:07.63 Chris Olson A lot of people are going to resonate with that. A lot of people are going to yeah see, if not themselves and someone they know definitely that's gone through that. 01:00:09.61 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:00:13.28 Brian Penn Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. 01:00:15.12 Chris Olson So yeah definitely check it out if you can. 01:00:16.97 Brian Penn Hmm. 01:00:17.00 Chris Olson It was password protected this film A Place to Fall Down it's called. There is an Instagram page which they've got a lovely profile because it's at A Place to Fall Down which is really handy to say you know that's logical. 01:00:28.50 Brian Penn Logical? Yeah. 01:00:29.89 Chris Olson You can find that and we yeah will tag them when we post the review and things like that. 01:00:30.30 Brian Penn Logical. Yeah. 01:00:35.11 Chris Olson my review is on the website and my video review again is on the youtube channel i am just on fire this month it's just you know i don't know um i mean do you know what it is i've been such a bad guy all year i've got a lot to make up for you know i've said some horrible things uh yeah that's the way we go um and yeah ah do check it out the trailer is also on our um 01:00:39.74 Brian Penn Wow. You're on fire. Yeah, I know. What? You can make it up, Graham. you You're smashing it, Chris. Don't worry. Yeah, I'm absolutely smashing it. Yeah. 01:01:04.24 Chris Olson review page of the film so if you search for it it'll probably come up and if not IMDB page there's a link there to the review so yeah you've got no excuse not to go and find out more about a place to fall down because it was very very good um we're moving on now too i'm just going to leave a little pause because it just needs a pause 01:01:24.92 Brian Penn right okay well then Yeah. 01:01:27.78 Chris Olson one of the best Christmas films ever, if not the best Christmas film. And I say that knowing that there are some incredible films out there. No, it's not Muppets. 01:01:38.31 Chris Olson That's up there, but it's not Muppets. No, it's not Love, actually. It is Arthur Christmas, the animated film from 2011 that is quite simply a masterpiece. 01:01:44.08 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:01:50.05 Brian Penn right 01:01:50.53 Chris Olson And I won't hear anything else. Actually, we should just stop the podcast because I don't want to hear anything else. 01:01:54.15 Brian Penn well yeah ah Well, I've got to tell you Chris, I hadn't seen this film since it came out. 01:01:55.40 Chris Olson It's just a amazing. 01:02:00.75 Brian Penn so Honestly, ill I saw it once, and when we when we decided to review this film for the podcast, I watched it for the first time in what, 12 years, and it's still brilliant. 01:02:16.02 Chris Olson Yeah. 01:02:16.34 Brian Penn You know, it doesn't diminish one iota. It's so bright and clever and offensive. 01:02:23.24 Chris Olson Do you know what I would say, and I say this with experience, this film keeps on giving. 01:02:28.72 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:02:28.76 Chris Olson I have watched this film, I am not kidding you because my kids love it. We've watched this film, I must say, I reckon about 50 times. And I'm i'm not um not exaggerating it, I think 50 times. 01:02:40.00 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:02:40.14 Chris Olson and every time i see something some little detail that's new they'll do there'll be a little thing on the screen or something a character says and it is genius because it's an argman film right and those guys know how to make fabulous comedies it's so so well read and it's got british charm splashed all over it you've got a fabulous cast if you don't know the story so the story is arthur is 01:02:42.95 Brian Penn I know. 01:02:52.28 Brian Penn Yeah. I know what they're doing, don't they? Yeah, ah no and I 01:03:08.11 Chris Olson the son of Santa Claus, one of the sons of Santa Claus and he lives at the North Pole but he's a little bit useless. 01:03:10.74 Brian Penn Hmm. 01:03:15.33 Chris Olson ah that's a It's harsh but that's fair and after Christmas night Santa gets back and realizes they missed a child. 01:03:15.66 Brian Penn Hmm. Yeah. 01:03:22.26 Brian Penn Hmm. 01:03:25.54 Chris Olson Arthur is absolutely distraught because he loves Christmas, he loves the whole premise of everything, he's Santa's biggest champion and 01:03:28.36 Brian Penn Hmm. 01:03:34.01 Chris Olson Santa and his other son, Steve, sort of run the show. They sort of say, oh, nothing can really be done about it. You know, it's just one child. Let's just yeah go to sleep and ignore it. 01:03:42.05 Brian Penn and yeah 01:03:43.50 Chris Olson But Arthur can't. And Arthur, with the help of his slightly wayward grandfather, known as Grand Santa, brilliantly played by Bill Nighy, 01:03:51.63 Brian Penn grandentsor money 01:03:54.28 Chris Olson um go on this adventure along with an elf to deliver this present to the child and the whole film just has got so many minute details in it it's been littered with all these references and jokes and things 01:04:06.01 Brian Penn Yeah, yeah, yeah, 01:04:11.73 Chris Olson ah you you miss them you need to watch it so many times this film and it's so so good and it doesn't as you said doesn't diminish i i'll watch this non-stop it just is such a good film yeah not least because of the amazing cast you've got bill nighy as we've said you're james mackivoy in the lead role 01:04:14.94 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:04:21.44 Brian Penn yeah hu ahhi jeen Yeah. 01:04:29.21 Chris Olson You got Jim Broad, Ben, Hugh Laurie, yeah, Imelda Staunton, Asta Jensen. and and And also, I had to pick this up, but ah one of my very previous watches of this film, but Laura Linney does the computer voice. 01:04:41.13 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:04:43.59 Brian Penn ah nine and 01:04:44.24 Chris Olson She does, you know, it's a bit where I think it's Steve, who was he says, oh, come on, guys, time to pick this up. 01:04:44.97 Brian Penn yeah 01:04:50.97 Chris Olson And then she's like this automated voice. 01:04:51.32 Brian Penn yeah 01:04:53.13 Chris Olson She goes, so picking this up, people. 01:04:54.98 Brian Penn i like 01:04:57.14 Chris Olson Oh, it's just brilliant. 01:04:58.51 Brian Penn it ah 01:04:59.33 Chris Olson Absolutely. 01:04:59.65 Brian Penn the It's beautiful. It's just a wonderful film. It really is. But what I really love about it, though, is the ah concepts and the design of the film. you know The fact that they said, right, we're going to make Santa Claus ah ah in the guise of a ah military-style R.E.S. 01:05:22.21 Brian Penn type pilot. I mean, he was wearing a red beret, wasn't he? he red He wears a red beret. 01:05:25.09 Chris Olson Yeah. 01:05:27.03 Brian Penn And all the elves, they're like an S.E.S. platoon, the way they work, aren't they? They're really super efficient, really clinical. 01:05:31.17 Chris Olson Yeah. 01:05:33.93 Brian Penn And I love the fact that they said, right, Sansa's real name is Malcolm, right? He's married to Margaret, and he's got two sons, Arthur and Steve. 01:05:44.51 Brian Penn It just kind of brings it back down so straight back down to earth again, you know, so it's freaking you a kind of a fable, a fantasy, but then it brings it back down to reality again, which I think is brilliant. And they, you know, Santa is supposed to retire after sense emissions. And that again, you have the military association, the e association association with the or RAF, where they do a certain number of missions and they step down. 01:06:12.94 Brian Penn And I love Grant Sandster as well. I'll sort it out. I'll do it the old fashioned way. I love all that. it's so much As you say, there's so much going on there. And there's always something you miss. And that's the sign of a great film where you watch it and you're going to miss something somewhere. There's so much detail there that you're not going to appreciate first time around. There'll be something new. As you say, it keeps on giving. 01:06:38.62 Brian Penn But I loved it. I thought it was great. And Santa's got a spaceship that looks like Thunderbird 5 to me. I love that as well. There's so much to love about this film. It really is. I'm not a huge fan of modern animation as such. It's all right. It's OK. But I'm a bit of a traditionalist. But argument are the exception. They do something entirely new and entirely different. 01:07:05.45 Brian Penn um and anything that comes out of the oven stable is going to be good. But this, I don't actually guys want to say this is the best thing they've ever done. 01:07:13.55 Chris Olson Oh yeah I mean that's high plaudits they've done some great films but this is enduring it's so so good and there's so much to it 01:07:14.91 Brian Penn Isn't it? Yeah. 01:07:24.68 Chris Olson that you appreciate all those details and it's it's very applicable to anyone. 01:07:27.21 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:07:28.65 Chris Olson you it certainly It reaches any kind of audience that is going to enjoy movies for whatever, you commonly got action, Christmas, you got everything. 01:07:34.58 Brian Penn yeah 01:07:37.90 Chris Olson And what I love about it is it has the right balance of all its elements because it is doing a lot, it is frenetic, you' you'll watch it and it's kind of exhausting sometimes because it's got so much going on. But the balance is there between having that heart, you've got Arthur who's, he's a bit of a mess up, he keeps screwing things up and he's really scared and he needs to kind of overcome his fear. So you've got this little layer of theme there to gravitate towards, but it's also just loads of fun, loads of high jinks and, 01:08:10.25 Chris Olson characters doing wacky things and ah yeah for me you don't get more perfect of a christmas film than after christmas it just is yeah so after christmas is up there that's what we are giving our holiday ah focus on you know it's on amazon prime isn't it i think that's where i made you watch it brian 01:08:26.47 Brian Penn hmm yeah 01:08:35.05 Brian Penn Yeah, Amazon Prime, yeah. now you didn' tonight Well, I mean, Chris, time and time and again, you you bring me back to a film that I've completely forgotten about or have missed or I haven't seen in years. 01:08:37.12 Chris Olson um 01:08:47.47 Brian Penn So you're making me watch a classic, which is what but we need. 01:08:50.49 Chris Olson Yeah. 01:08:52.99 Brian Penn We need to see something like that. And I think it's at the very top end of any Christmas film chart. It's definitely top three. 01:09:04.83 Chris Olson ah For me, it's it's just, yeah, fabulous. Don't get me wrong, I've i've got a strong place in my heart for films like Home Alone and Muppet's Christmas Carol, but for this, it just ticks all the boxes. 01:09:15.63 Chris Olson And let us know what you think. 01:09:15.67 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:09:17.08 Chris Olson If you've seen and loved Arthur Christmas, if you don't like Arthur Christmas, do not write in. 01:09:17.64 Brian Penn Mmm. 01:09:21.92 Chris Olson I don't say that very often, but but do not send anything in. 01:09:22.00 Brian Penn No, no, don't sell us. Yeah. 01:09:24.99 Chris Olson I won't read it. I will delete it. 01:09:26.06 Brian Penn No, no, no. 01:09:27.39 Chris Olson um Yeah, I can't handle that. So, 01:09:29.97 Brian Penn It's not going to happen. 01:09:31.27 Chris Olson Yeah, and find yourself very quickly on the naughty list. 01:09:34.41 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:09:34.88 Chris Olson How dare you? 01:09:36.13 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:09:36.31 Chris Olson So um yeah, that's your lot ah for this episode. Thank you so much for being with us. We've been through an absolute onslaught of films. Brian has been very busy at cinema. 01:09:46.82 Chris Olson We had loads of indie films and we watched a couple of Christmas flicks. So what else can you ask for? 01:09:49.99 Brian Penn no Can't be bad. 01:09:53.32 Chris Olson We'll be back, hopefully, with one more episode before the end of the year. And if not, we'll see you in the new year. ah But we're go to um yeah we're going to thank everyone for for listening, for sending your films in. 01:10:00.85 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:10:05.20 Chris Olson Thank you, Brian, for all your lovely hard work and going to the cinema. 01:10:07.21 Brian Penn like 01:10:08.68 Chris Olson And yeah, we'll see you again next time. Previous Next

High Peak Independent Film Festival is a not-for-profit film festival that celebrates shorts and feature films from some of the best filmmakers around the world. The festival showcases up and coming talent from independent filmmakers across a four-day event of film, events and networking parties. Set in the beautiful town of New Mills, the festival takes place at the old theatre, New Mills Art Theatre, an almost hidden five hundred seater venue that takes you back to the past when you walk in. New Mills, only 45 minutes away from Manchester and Sheffield, is an easy commute and is worth the visit just to see the rolling hills that surround the village. It’s also known for making the famous Swizzles Matlow sweets! In the festival’s inaugural year back in 2017, the festival hit off with a bang and received great reviews from filmmakers, film lovers and those who just heard about it through word of mouth. It showed 51 films across a three and a half day event. In its second year, the festival will showcase 60 films (56 shorts, 4 features), amongst hosting an array of events and networking opportunities for filmmakers and festival goers alike. Programmes at this year's festival include our dedicated Young Filmmakers Shorts that include a selection of short films by young filmmakers aged 13-18-year-olds from around the world, a category that is always free for entry to those of that age. There is also a Women in Film programme that is dedicated to the outstanding work of female filmmakers in the independent film industry and our Best of the North which celebrates the best of local talent. As well as many other shorts programmes, we are showcasing four feature films, including holding two UK Premieres for Sarah Barker’s ‘The Subject’ and Christophe Leclaire’s ‘Le Portrait’. Our events for this year include our prestigious awards ceremony which comes jam-packed with entertainment and a live set from local artists, James Holt, and our returning movie-themed brass band night, which really is something not to be missed! We also have our free 10-hour filmmaking challenge on the Thursday and panels on Saturday and Sunday too. High Peak Indie Film Festival High Peak Independent Film Festival is a not-for-profit film festival that celebrates shorts and feature films from some of the best filmmakers around the world. The festival showcases up and coming talent from independent filmmakers across a four-day event of film, events and networking parties. Set in the beautiful town of New Mills, the festival takes place at the old theatre, New Mills Art Theatre, an almost hidden five hundred seater venue that takes you back to the past when you walk in. New Mills, only 45 minutes away from Manchester and Sheffield, is an easy commute and is worth the visit just to see the rolling hills that surround the village. It’s also known for making the famous Swizzles Matlow sweets! In the festival’s inaugural year back in 2017, the festival hit off with a bang and received great reviews from filmmakers, film lovers and those who just heard about it through word of mouth. It showed 51 films across a three and a half day event. In its second year, the festival will showcase 60 films (56 shorts, 4 features), amongst hosting an array of events and networking opportunities for filmmakers and festival goers alike. Programmes at this year's festival include our dedicated Young Filmmakers Shorts that include a selection of short films by young filmmakers aged 13-18-year-olds from around the world, a category that is always free for entry to those of that age. There is also a Women in Film programme that is dedicated to the outstanding work of female filmmakers in the independent film industry and our Best of the North which celebrates the best of local talent. As well as many other shorts programmes, we are showcasing four feature films, including holding two UK Premieres for Sarah Barker’s ‘The Subject’ and Christophe Leclaire’s ‘Le Portrait’. Our events for this year include our prestigious awards ceremony which comes jam-packed with entertainment and a live set from local artists, James Holt, and our returning movie-themed brass band night, which really is something not to be missed! We also have our free 10-hour filmmaking challenge on the Thursday and panels on Saturday and Sunday too. SEE MORE FILM FESTIVALS

Return to Elenore film review by UK film critic Matt Trapp. Starring Jay Jay Jegathesan, Steve Kio, Justine Renzullo directed by Peter Renzullo. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Return to Elenore Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Matt Trapp | Posted on: Jun 28, 2026 Directed by: Peter Renzullo Written by: Peter Renzullo Starring: Jay Jay Jegathesan, Steve Kio, Justine Renzullo Directed by Peter Renzullo, Return to Elenore is a short film inspired by and featuring the original song ‘The King of Always Wanting More’ by Ammify. The film is a gothic tale of ghosts and vengeance, interspersed with the group’s track. While the film is ambitious, particularly in its use of visual effects, costuming, and make up, it fails to capture the emotion that the song promises. Return to Elenore opens with two men in cloaks, known as the Leader (Jay Jay Jegathesan) and the Pastor (Steve Kio), approaching an abandoned home in the middle of the woods. The audience come to learn that the spirit of a woman named Elenore (Justine Renzullo) still resides there, and these men are here to exorcise her. They speak enigmatically, and after entering the home, the Leader comes face to face with the spirit. As the music swells, the full fury of the apparition is revealed. The narrative of Return to Elenore is somewhat difficult to follow as much of the exposition and setup is delivered through vague dialogue. The film relies much more on its atmosphere to tell its gothic story. Combining simple digital vfx and an alternative metal soundtrack, reminiscent of Evanescence, Return to Elenore looks and sounds like a rediscovered artifact from 2000. Unfortunately, the dialogue therefore feels disposable and largely meaningless. The language is poetic and flowery, and worst of all, delivered unconvincingly. The stretches of the film that are more dialogue focused are the weakest, especially when compounded by the flat cinematography. Since the film is mostly shot against digital backgrounds, the camera doesn’t exist in a physical space, which is noticeable. Actors are either shot in a close up face on or in profile throughout the short which doesn’t make for interesting or varied shots. As a consequence of shooting everything in one of two directions, the environment feels flat. Additionally, the compositing of the performers isn’t seamless, which further adds to the sense of artifice and disconnect. To mask the fact that the film wasn’t actually shot in a dark environment, the saturation has been turned way down on the footage of each of the actors, which makes them look like all the colour and life has been sucked out of them; of course this may be appropriate for a gothic story of ghosts and haunted houses, but it only makes them look murky. There’s not much in the way of colour contrast, so Return to Elenore ends up looking various shades of grey. It’s a shame, since the effects and make up on Elenore work well to make her ghostly visage come to life, so to speak. Justine Renzullo’s performance as the titular spirit is convincingly creepy, and she channels the energy of a heavy metal monster very appropriately. She could have been more frightening were she filmed in shadow more, but for the tone that the short exists within, her performance is measured, and she doesn’t overstay her welcome. Return to Elenore is an enigmatic curio that doesn’t reach the lofty ambitions that it aspires to. The filmmakers clearly had a goal in mind, but the short’s murky dialogue and cinematography make this artifact difficult to follow, with many of the larger themes and ideas too indistinct to pick up on. It’s a respectable effort, but perhaps too unwieldy for this team at the present moment. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Matt Trapp Music Video, Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Watch Moving Parts at the 2022 UK Film Review Festival. See the UKFRF 2022 lineup and buy your festival pass. Moving Parts Listen to our review on the film podcast What our film review said: READ FULL REVIEW Will Forget’s performance as his name-sake is suitably aloof, yet human enough to allow the audience to connect to his interior vulnerability. Whilst Tom Knoblauch plays the straight man, searching for an angle whilst slowly gaining an understanding of his strange celebrity subject. The chemistry the pair share is the film’s bloodline, and allows the philosophical debates and Seinfeldian conversations that feature prominently to sustain themselves without coming across as pretentious or pointless. Proudly supporting MediCinema for our 2022 film festival.

Slapface film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring August Maturo, Mike Manning, Libe Barer directed by Jeremiah Kipp. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Slapface Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Feb 2, 2022 Directed by: Jeremiah Kipp Written by: Jeremiah Kipp Starring: August Maturo, Mike Manning, Libe Barer Abuse is easy to confuse with a complicated form of love, especially if you’re a child. For the feature length expansion of his 2018 short Slapface , writer/director Jeremiah Kipp complicates his tale of grief and rage with these confusing notions of abuse. He relies mainly on the unexpected bond between Lucas (August Maturo, exceptional) and a monster sometimes called the Virago Witch (Lukas Hassel, reprising his role from the short). Lucas lost his parents in a car accident and grieves deeply for his mother. He lives just off the woods with his older brother Tom (Mike Manning, who also produces). Tom’s new girlfriend Anna (Libe Barer) is concerned about the way the siblings live. The only other companionship Lucas has is a trio of bullies. One of those bullies, Moriah (Mirabelle Lee) is willing to be Lucas’s girlfriend as long as he keeps it secret. In this way, Kipp layers his original tale of grief with conflicting emotional baggage. It’s to his credit, and the endless benefit of his film, that the filmmaker never tidies up these emotional storylines. In fact, it is Lucas’s confusion over the characters who seem to both love and harm him that creates his greatest turmoil. The monster becomes a remedy of sorts to this internal conflict. The larger-than-life, terrifying presence works much the way that the monster in J.A. Bayona’s 2016 treasure A Monster Calls works. The beast allows Lucas to process the complicated reasons for his pain. Kipp’s film trades in Bayona’s melancholy magic for something more brutal. But Hassel and Maturo find sincere tenderness in their time together onscreen, which makes the horror even more heartbreaking. Not every performance is as strong, but Kipp’s ensemble finds nuance in characters that help the film compel more than just terror. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Digital / DVD Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Student film reviews written from schoolchildren in the UK. Reviewing movies for UK Film Review. Student Film Reviews Here at UK Film Review, we like to do two things - promote the movies of filmmakers, and promote the film reviews of the people who love watching movies. This includes filmmakers from across the globe, and writers from across the UK. A hobby for some, a passion for others, film reviews can do more than just tell you whether a movie is worth seeing at the cinema. Film reviews are all about exploring the tireless efforts of a filmmaking team, who have worked, collaboratively, for months or years on a project in order to present it to an audience. Such efforts deserve us really delving into them, discussing the elements which worked for us, and those which didn't. Film reviews are also not about ignoring all other opinions. In fact, a room of 20 people all watching the same movie will more than likely have 20 different opinions about that film. Which is not to say any of them are right or wrong...after all, film reviews are just opinions! Below you will find one of our favourite Student Film Reviews which was submitted to UK Film Review for analysis. If you are looking to improve your film reviewing skills, check out this eBook from our Editor-in-Chief Chris Olson who has given his 9 Top Tips for Aspiring Film Critics. 9 Top Tips for Aspiring Film Critics £1.99 Price BUY NOW Are you running a student film reviews project and would like UK Film Review to be involved? Our Founder and Editor-in-Chief Chris Olson has run numerous student film review workshops with UK schools and film societies to help promote film criticism. These involve: - Video (Remote) Workshops - Q&A - An Introduction to Film Criticism - Film Reviewing Top Tips - Publication for Competition Winners Get in touch by clicking the button below to find out more about our student film review workshops . GET IN TOUCH Film Reviews Workshop We offer a unique selection of Film Reviews Workshops for schools across the UK and internationally. These workshops are intended to engage students who have a passion for film and writing, as well as provide schools with a fantastic addition to their curriculum. Hosted by our Editor-in-Chief Chris Olson with 14 years experience as a film critic and journalist, the Film Reviews Workshops include the following benefits & features: A background exploration of film criticism in the UK Professional guidance on how to write a film review Top tips to improve the student's writing skills Q&A with a film critic* In-person workshop hosted at your school* *package dependent Pre-Recorded Workshop 7-Day Access to a pre-recorded workshop from UK Film Review £75 Remote Workshop Video call workshop with a UK Film Review Film Critic (30 mins - including Q&A) £240 In-Person Workshop A film critic will visit your school for an in-person film reviews workshop (1.5 hours) £750 - for London / Contact for other locations GET IN TOUCH

Read the film podcast transcript from the episode titled Twisters - Fly Me to the Moon - A Quiet Place Day One - UK Film Club - Episode 17 on UK Film Club part of the UK Film Review Podcast. < Back Twisters - Fly Me to the Moon - A Quiet Place Day One - UK Film Club - Episode 17 Listen to This Episode UK Film Club 00:00.82 ukfilmreview it's ah It's another beautiful summer's eve when we record this. 00:04.77 Brian Penn Yeah, it is. 00:05.78 ukfilmreview ah But how are you now? Because last time recorded you weren't too good. 00:09.31 Brian Penn I know, I know I'm a lot better now. I'm fully, I feel water fully ventilated, you know, I'm, I can breathe more easily. It's amazing what, what difference a four weeks makes. 00:19.39 ukfilmreview I know, I see you at these little intervals and I sort of yeah get a kind of picture of your overall health. 00:19.53 Brian Penn and the 00:25.39 Brian Penn Well, yeah, I know, I know this could be, we could start on something new here, couldn't we? This four weekly check. How do you sound? You know, you know, but no, 00:31.46 ukfilmreview yeah like five fabulous um yeah no good good stuff yeah yeah funny enough i i'm not that well so i think i got it from you i think you passed it through the mic somehow last uh last time 00:33.32 Brian Penn Over the worst, you know, the cold's gone a bit, such a fight for you, but I can cope with that. But as I say, I feel, I feel fully ventilated and I can breathe. It's brilliant. Magical. Yeah. Yeah. How are you? How are you? Oh, you're so narrow, is it? 00:56.64 Brian Penn You don't realize how dangerous it is, do you? These podcasts, you don't know you don't know what could be done. 00:58.92 ukfilmreview and Yeah, no, it's definitely my my daughters. They're the ones giving it to me. 01:03.40 Brian Penn I don't know, I've got to blame someone haven't you really? 01:04.48 ukfilmreview They're these theyre the culprits. um Yeah, and I blame them them for everything, really. bless um Yeah, no, I'm generally fine. 01:11.44 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:12.39 ukfilmreview You will hear me coughing and spluttering a little bit through this, so apologies. 01:15.00 Brian Penn There enough. 01:16.67 ukfilmreview um But yeah, it it's it's just part and parcel, I think. And also, yeah, you said about the hay fever. 01:22.64 Brian Penn Yeah. 01:22.72 ukfilmreview i' I've never really suffered from it. I've got asthma. 01:26.41 Brian Penn Oh, it's starting to, yeah. 01:26.45 ukfilmreview But um this year, oh, it's been terrible. 01:31.23 Brian Penn Yeah, it's not entirely different. I suppose the symptoms are similar. aren't i I mean, you can, you can be sort of congested and watering eyes and running nose is short breath. So the symptoms are similar, I guess, but it's all a kind of a little belongs to the same family of elements. 01:48.52 ukfilmreview they do and yes it's it's it's been hard on people this summer but hopefully moving into the you know when the schools are breaking up it's the summer holidays gonna be some blockbusters dare we say heading to the big screens I mean we've got a couple on the list tonight to review um so yeah let's let's just crack on let's 02:02.74 Brian Penn Well, that slopes though, yeah. We have, yeah. 02:11.75 Brian Penn All right then. 02:13.18 ukfilmreview Let's get right right into it. So if this is your first time to UK Film Club, ah welcome. This is this is it. This is me and Brian with our our microphones and our coughs and colds. But no, we will be reviewing a whole selection of movies. We've got cinematic releases, some big movies today actually. And we've got some indie films to review. So those are ones that filmmakers have sent us specifically to review. And we've got a very special sort of connection film ah in this episode because we're going to be doing a what's what normally our streaming pic but we're also going to be doing a connected ah look back at nostalgia film because we're doing the Beverly Hills cops movies um and yeah so that's coming up later in the show and also right at the end of the show and I will also be reading out some of the listener reviews 03:03.95 Brian Penn Wait. 03:05.49 ukfilmreview and We had a lot this month, so I am segmenting that to its own section. 03:09.77 Brian Penn Wow. 03:10.42 ukfilmreview um Thank you to everyone who does send in their reviews. They're amazing. um Covering a massive um variety of movies. That's what I really like. 03:17.85 Brian Penn um 03:18.36 ukfilmreview So I'm going to save those to the end. um But first and foremost, we are heading to the big screen for the cinematic releases. And this one's got some fabulous stars in it. Fly me to the moon, Brian. 03:31.14 Brian Penn Oh, yes, yes. Okay, then. Fly Me to the Moon, directed by Greg Berlancy, starring Scott Johansson, Channing Taysom and Woody Harrelson. So the story plants itself firmly in the 1960s. NASA is cranking up to the launch of Apollo 11. in 1969. Flight director Cole Davis is frantically fighting fires, but still haunted by the memory of three astronauts who perished when Apollo 1 was being tested. Slippery government agent Mo Berkus must sell the mission to a skeptical American public. So Berkus turns to Kelly Jones, a marketing whiz kid with a dubious past. She soon puts the mission on everyone's lips. However, Kelly and Cole clash as liftoff approaches. Now, Scarlett Johansson 04:18.14 Brian Penn for me stills the film with a very strong portrayal of Kelly Jones sold very much like Marilyn Monroe and looks amazing as the camera instantly falls in love with her. Channing Satan is a straight man, earnest, Lance and George, all American boy, inevitably drawn to Kelly's charms. Woody Harrison delivers a useful term as a duplicitous government agent. And as to the storyline's comedic value, the film itself builds on the established facts of Apollo 11. but also as one of two conspiracy theories that mix nicely with the truth. 04:51.09 Brian Penn A brilliant soundtrack complements a visual palette of colors to create a handsome looking film. I really enjoyed this. 04:58.18 ukfilmreview yeah 04:58.24 Brian Penn um Yeah, very good film. It actually feels like it was made in the 1960s. 05:03.62 ukfilmreview Yeah. 05:03.73 Brian Penn And that's one of its strengths. A stylish, slick and well-designed film, very old fashioned. No swearing, no violence, no special effects to speak of. And because of that, That's the film of the month for me. 05:18.34 ukfilmreview Oh, wow. Straight at the top of the show. 05:19.20 Brian Penn Yeah. 05:20.78 ukfilmreview We've got film. 05:20.83 Brian Penn Straight at the top of the show. 05:21.30 ukfilmreview in the Wow. 05:21.85 Brian Penn Yeah, I think it's a film of the month. Depends what you're really looking for, but it's just such a lovely film to look at. You know, it doesn't demand too much of you. I suppose it affects what some critics might call faction, a mixture of facts and fiction, because it does sort of take the mic a little bit out of the conspiracies that surround the Apollo 11 mission. 05:40.50 ukfilmreview you. 05:45.74 Brian Penn Which is, it's done to comedic effects, you know? So I won't go too much away, but it does kind of build on that. And it does it does give you a kind of ah a sense of, well, what if this happened? What if this was really what was driving it? And I liked it. I really, really liked it a lot. If you're a fan of the 1960s, you're a fan of 1960s music, um this this is a film for you to go and see. and it's I don't think there are many films that I'd say go out and see at the cinema, but this one I would, definitely. 06:19.13 ukfilmreview Wow, I mean, ah because going into this, listeners, i I have the list of films that Brian is going to attempt to see. And I'm always kind of thinking, Oh, which one's he gonna pick as his film? in the I wouldn't have said this just based on the, um but I suppose the other films that we're going to review are 06:32.55 Brian Penn Yeah. 06:37.20 ukfilmreview in Brian's category of sequels so maybe there's something in that but I like the idea of this and I also I think this is quite rich territory right we've had a few films in this sort of era I remember Hidden Figures coming out a few years back that was really good um and yeah I think this sort of is also playing into the modern era that we live in right now but like you say with the conspiracy theories thing where 06:40.88 Brian Penn Yeah. yeah 06:47.86 Brian Penn yeah and 07:04.97 ukfilmreview You know, things take a grip. People start to you know question the moon landing and question these things and all these stuff where they sort of go. 07:08.81 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 07:11.53 ukfilmreview Oh, is that is that real? Is it, you know, I've been lied to and you we live in an information age, but actually we live in probably one of the worst for the truth, unfortunately. 07:13.71 Brian Penn Yeah. I know. Yeah. 07:20.61 ukfilmreview So, um yeah, it's an interesting um concept. And you've got these big stars as well. 07:25.51 Brian Penn ah It's very, I mean, I think the it's release was very low key. I don't think it, it got the sort of attention that say Twisters got, for example. Um, but in some ways that, you know, that like allows it to sort of grow steadily, that when there's a lot of hype surrounding a film, um, it can sometimes be a bit of a letdown and it's not what you think it's going to be. But this is a pleasant surprise and it did surprise me. It surprised me out. how good it was, how funny it was in places. And it's just visually, it's a lovely looking film. You know, it just looks so stylish and so neat and cool. You think the 60s was such a stylish period, a stylish era that we get so much of what we've got today started in the 1960s. You know, that was the beginning of the modern world, in my opinion. So this film kind of represents that era very well. And it came at the very end of the 60s as well in the Moon Landing. so 08:22.26 Brian Penn It's a way of kind of topping, you know, the, the 1960s as well. So it does it really well. 08:28.87 ukfilmreview Fabulous. There you go. Fly Me To The Moon is currently available in cinemas if you're listening as of release of this episode. And it's a 12A as well. So would you say it's sort of for for a you film for families that yeah with slightly the older kids? 08:38.43 Brian Penn Yeah. ah Yeah. Yeah. I think it is. I mean, the, I think it was, I think it's billed as a 12 or a 12. I, um, So that's about right. I think it's one that's good for families. I think if they, the fact they're leaving it to the grownups to decide whether ah and under someone under 12 is able to see it or it's suitable for them, I think it is. I don't think there's anything particularly harmful there or that can corrupt or upset or alarm. 09:11.41 ukfilmreview Oh yeah, we don't want those films that corrupt. 09:13.41 Brian Penn Well, you know you well you know yeah, but that's that's what the rating system is there for, isn't it? 09:13.57 ukfilmreview Those have got to look out for them. 09:19.19 ukfilmreview Does it corrupt? 09:19.41 Brian Penn know 09:20.39 ukfilmreview Yes, sorry. oh 09:21.84 Brian Penn you know but And again, that could that could be what a film has going for it more than anything else, you know? 09:25.76 ukfilmreview Yeah. so Yeah. 09:26.49 Brian Penn I mean, who knows? 09:27.12 ukfilmreview Listeners, do send us in your films that have corrupted you. We want to know. Okay. What are they? 09:31.59 Brian Penn Well, is it's not part of it, though. 09:31.71 ukfilmreview um 09:33.35 Brian Penn I mean, you look at the recent British film, a board classification set up, it was to guard public morals. And that is still in its remits, actually. Although it might seem slightly academic now when you think of how we can access films, that it's not as powerful as it used to be. but I think it's interesting just to look at the way they grade films and what's, what's behind it, what's driving it. It's interesting stuff. 09:59.14 ukfilmreview Well, I think this next film is unlikely to corrupt, but let's find out. Maybe it does. um You mentioned it actually just previously. So Twisters, the the sequel to Twister, which was a fabulous film. 10:07.84 Brian Penn Yeah. 10:11.13 Brian Penn Yeah. 10:11.42 ukfilmreview I and i really enjoyed that film. 10:12.63 Brian Penn Yeah. 10:12.90 ukfilmreview in Really good. 10:12.95 Brian Penn Yeah. I like the original. Yeah. Very much so. 10:16.71 ukfilmreview Yeah, i'd go for it. 10:17.09 Brian Penn So, so directed by Lee Isaac Chung. Starring Daisia Kajonez, Glenn Powell, and Anthony Ramos. So Kate Cooper is a meteorologist haunted by the past. Aren't they always? The former storm chaser now works for a TV company. However, an old friend Javi persuades her to test the new storm tracking device. They travel to Oklahoma where scientists come up against Tyler Owens, a maverick storm chaser with 1 million YouTube followers. Now here's my quandary, Chris. 10:48.39 Brian Penn Here's my quandary. Here's what I'm not sure about. Is it a sequel or is it a remake? 10:53.79 ukfilmreview Ah. 10:53.87 Brian Penn the publicity but The publicity blurb calls it a standalone sequel. Personally, I can't see how that works. The characters are different, but they follow a similar pattern to the original that Starr Bill Paxton and Owen Hunt. To me, this is a remake, or at least a partial remake. Now you might think I'm just sort of picking up bones here, but um I don't think you can call it a sequel in the conventional sense. um But look, it's exciting. The visuals are fantastic. The story is utterly predictable. you You can more or less say, right, this is gonna happen next. 11:25.83 Brian Penn This is gonna happen next. And pretty much you'll be spot on, but it doesn't make it any less enjoyable. ah The storyline, yeah, as I said, utterly predictable, but comparing it to the original, I didn't detect a huge jump in the special effects. 11:41.20 ukfilmreview Ah, interesting. 11:41.56 Brian Penn I mean, yeah, now we're talking about a 28 year gap. But it doesn't feel like 28 years in terms of the way the special effects are put across on screen. Now it could be that whether we're CGI and special effects, we've reached a plus sign and we just don't notice it anymore. We just expect it to be at a certain level. I mean, I've got to be honest. I didn't see the film before I saw this one, but I mean, I've seen it a few times previously, the original, but it doesn't, I don't think that's a huge difference in the CGI. You think there would be, but anyway. 12:13.35 Brian Penn ah That's just my my impression. But otherwise, great fun. It's a total hoot and it's well worth going to see. 12:21.27 ukfilmreview There you go. I mean, i when I was watching a trailer, I felt something similar in terms of the aesthetic that they were going for felt similar to the original. 12:27.12 Brian Penn Yeah. 12:29.57 ukfilmreview And there is that confusion, you know, is is this a carry on? Is this just ah yeah ah but another version of the film? um And I guess I suppose, you know, enough time has passed is absolutely fine, you know, new audience to discover the story. 12:36.59 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. Well, yeah. 12:41.93 ukfilmreview That's fine. 12:42.19 Brian Penn ah yeah 12:43.13 ukfilmreview i'm But the original was just one of those films that was fine. Perfect. You wouldn't really need to remake that film. It was very good. 12:51.24 Brian Penn nine 12:51.96 ukfilmreview It still holds up. um And like you say, if if the CGI hasn't really done anything new, then do we need this story? Do we need it? 12:58.69 Brian Penn Yeah, well, yeah, I mean, look, you've got a very good class as well. 12:59.22 ukfilmreview But I guess it's fine. You know, no reason not to have it. 13:04.57 Brian Penn Daisy, I could Jones is very good. Her American accent is pretty damn good as well. I was quite impressed with that. Van Powell, he's flavor of the month, isn't he? I mean, he's in everything at the moment, isn't he? 13:13.67 ukfilmreview We reviewed him in Hitman recently. 13:14.94 Brian Penn Yeah, I know. And he he was very good in Hitman. 13:15.71 ukfilmreview Yeah. 13:16.90 Brian Penn He's very good in this as well. So it's all all the ingredients are there. But really, I prefer prefer single to plural, if you know what I mean. 13:30.14 ukfilmreview Hehehe. 13:31.65 Brian Penn um You know, I think that was the best film. It had a much bigger impact because it was the first time a film like this had been made. And You only get to be the first to do something like that once, don't you? You know, after that, it's just simply building on what's already been done, trying to explore it from different angles and try and use advances in CGI and special effects to make it better. But I didn't see that. That changed necessarily, but still very good. 14:02.45 ukfilmreview There you go. Twisters are probably going to do good business. I think, you know, it's a big block blockbuster film. 14:09.13 Brian Penn Yeah. 14:09.42 ukfilmreview Lots of press. I've seen lots of things about it. So, yeah, I think it will stick around for a little while. So if you do do see Twisters, let us know what you think. 14:14.43 Brian Penn Yeah. should Yeah. 14:17.43 ukfilmreview um Actually, I don't know if someone did review it. No, no one sent one in for that film. They sent lots of other films in. 14:22.28 Brian Penn Hmm. 14:24.29 ukfilmreview Well, from one sequel or potential sequel to another, um my second ones are getting brilliant, by the way. 14:30.55 Brian Penn and No, no, you're working hard on these, aren't you? 14:30.81 ukfilmreview It's just seamless, seamless. Yeah, yeah that's that's all I do. 14:33.72 Brian Penn I can sell. 14:34.85 ukfilmreview or You do your whole review and all I do is think online to join the next film. 14:38.87 Brian Penn You it very well. 14:38.92 ukfilmreview i hope and Thank you. 14:39.95 Brian Penn You're doing it well, Chris. 14:42.53 ukfilmreview A Quiet Place, day one. Now, if any ah fans of the UK Film Review podcast i'm have already heard, the Phantom Zone episode. They've dedicated a whole episode to this film. 14:54.06 Brian Penn Did I? 14:55.48 ukfilmreview It did. And it was just um Ian and his partner. So I strongly, his partner, Simone's great. I strongly suggest suggest listening to that episode if you really do want to get into the nitty gritty. 15:03.50 Brian Penn Oh, 15:07.56 ukfilmreview It was, ah I think it was quite spoilerific, though. So only, yeah, only this if you if you have seen the film. 15:10.68 Brian Penn was all right ah I to have a listen when I'm, when I'm ready. 15:14.31 ukfilmreview umm 15:16.82 ukfilmreview Yeah, but Brian, what did you think of A Quiet Place Day 1? 15:19.01 Brian Penn Where did I think of a quiet place? They won. Okay. Directed by Michael, uh, Samosky starring, uh, now this is a difficult name, the pizza phone guy, Joseph Quinn and Alex Wolf. 15:30.24 ukfilmreview yongo 15:32.82 Brian Penn This is the third int installment of the franchise, which is technically the prequel to the story. Hence the day one subtitle. Samira is a familiar woman. dreams of one last day out in New York her carer reluctantly agrees but they are confronted by an invasion of alien creatures. The only way to avoid the their clutches is to remain completely slight silent amidst the chaos Samira strikes up a friendship with Eric. He's determined to give her the day she wants in spite of the danger. Now I've not seen the previous two films but not a problem here as it is the sequel so it's you're capturing the story at the beginning so you can get away with it I think in that way. 16:12.23 Brian Penn It's a very good film. Authentic, frightening, gripping. It almost feels like a tribute to the great sci-fi movies. It's a bit like War of the Worlds, a bit like Aliens. It's like sci-fi is greatest hits. That's the the way it came across. Nothing wrong with that at all. Not a bad thing at all. All filmmakers have their influences. Probably more for fans and casual observers. But no denying the power of what you see on the screen. Particularly in the cinema when you've got Dolby surround it makes it even more frightening. 16:44.10 Brian Penn And the reactions of the cast are perfect and spot on. A very well crafted piece. Very enjoyable. I liked it. 16:52.65 ukfilmreview Oh yeah, it's definitely one on my list because I have seen the other two. 16:54.38 Brian Penn Yeah. 16:55.21 ukfilmreview I very much enjoyed, I think the first one is a sensational second one, really good. 16:55.52 Brian Penn Yeah. 17:00.19 ukfilmreview I've only seen it once so I will revisit that. um But with this one, I had a bit of a apprehension about it because it does feel like I think one of those movies that because the first one was this sort of unsuspecting unsuspecting blockbuster hit, they really didn't think it would do the business that it did, that we're still getting these sort of spin offs. That for me, it feels like it could be the sort of law of diminishing return a little bit. But yeah you coming at fresh is interesting because you don't have that ah expectation baggage that I will have. 17:30.67 Brian Penn Yeah. 17:33.82 Brian Penn Well, yeah, you see, that was what I deliberately did that because I toyed with the idea of seeing the two earlier films. 17:35.04 ukfilmreview So yeah. 17:40.58 Brian Penn But I thought, no, I'll just see it by itself, see how it kind of affects me, see what impression it makes on me. 17:46.51 ukfilmreview yeah 17:46.80 Brian Penn And I think it's better sort of viewing it by itself, but you appreciate it is one of the series and it is a common technique that filmmakers use is that, you know, they make a film, then they make the prequel, what came before the previous one. So you accept that's what it is. But you can do that with a prequel, because that supposedly is the beginning. And let's say make another one. And they have a prequel to the prequel. 18:10.77 ukfilmreview Yeah. 18:11.58 Brian Penn I mean, it's been done before, hasn't it really? 18:13.45 ukfilmreview Pretty cool. Yeah. 18:14.94 Brian Penn pre pre prequel. Yeah. But yeah, really good. I really enjoyed it. As to say that that the most safe sort of classic sci fi are there for me. I mean, I'm not, you know, I'm not a huge fan of sci fi. um I'm a mainstream film fan. I will go out and watch a big film because that's what I enjoy doing. And that's why we do this show, isn't it? That we see a complete cross section of films that are on general release, that are streaming, that nostalgia pick and also indie. 18:45.51 Brian Penn So it gives you a broad overview of what's happening in films today. But as I say, I'm not, not a huge fan fan of the genre, but I enjoyed it. So that's, 18:55.25 ukfilmreview Hm? 18:56.22 Brian Penn You know, that's quite an achievement for me to honestly say a film like this I really enjoyed. Like this. 19:00.89 ukfilmreview Fabulous. I mean, it's definitely on my list, as I said. And I do think the world is a rich one for them to sort of do these stories in. 19:07.68 Brian Penn Hmm. 19:07.86 ukfilmreview So I'm happy to to give it a yeah real good chance. 19:10.12 Brian Penn Yeah. 19:10.72 ukfilmreview um It is a 15, and it's in cinemas. 19:12.92 Brian Penn Hmm. 19:13.32 ukfilmreview So people listening, go see it if you are a fan of the genre of the previous films, or if you haven't even seen them, like Brian, because he's had a great time with it. 19:22.40 Brian Penn Oh, yeah. 19:22.57 ukfilmreview And you know you could too. And yeah that's our public service to you. 19:25.06 Brian Penn Yeah. 19:27.24 ukfilmreview And we don't charge yet. 19:28.71 Brian Penn Yeah, well, that that's that's the kind of people we are, Chris, isn't it? 19:29.19 ukfilmreview um That's the kind of people we are. 19:33.33 Brian Penn Yeah. 19:33.55 ukfilmreview um But yeah, those are your cinematic ah films for the month. So normally we would now move to our streaming pic, but we're going to save that for later because it is tied in with our nostalgia film. 19:44.01 Brian Penn um Yeah. 19:46.18 ukfilmreview So we're skipping now to the indie movies. I'm very happy to say we had three terrific movies to review this month. We're going to start with the feature length film written and directed by Al Padilla. um called Coney Island Cousins and funny enough booked as a as a comedy but I think there's there's a few genres at work here um but it is definitely comp comedic so the the storyline is we get two sisters ah sorry not sisters cousins obviously as the ah title suggests 20:11.29 Brian Penn yeah 20:21.13 ukfilmreview um honor they've They've not seen each other for a while, they're estranged. So they're meeting up for a night out and there are a lot of sort of hidden mystery between these two cousins as to what's gone on in the past and what's going on in their current lives right now. 20:31.46 Brian Penn Hmm. Hmm. Yeah. 20:38.30 ukfilmreview i'm But they try and sort of put that aside and and have a crazy night out and everything kind of turns a little bit weekend at Bernie's because um they they're at this party and the the sort of guy, the host, 20:43.34 Brian Penn Mm-hmm 20:52.89 ukfilmreview dies in one of the rooms and from there the pair sort of thrown into this evening of hijinks and you know crazy events the different characters turn up they do sort of venture out of the apartment and they do things because they have access to this guy's computer and he's very rich it seems and Yeah, we basically are given this one night with them to see what happens when they sort of completely let down their guard and throw yeah morals and caution to the wind. 21:24.78 Brian Penn Yeah. 21:28.27 ukfilmreview What did you think of Coney Island Cousins, Brian? 21:31.15 Brian Penn Yeah, I really enjoyed it. 21:32.07 ukfilmreview I thought it was great, yeah. 21:32.43 Brian Penn I think it was really, yeah, I think it's really good fun. Characters are very strong and well drawn. And there's, you know, it's where you have characters at the beginning of a film that seem very one dimensional, very flat. but they're fleshed out. They become fully formed three-dimensional characters. The more you get into the film, you learn more about them. You learn more about Valeria, her relationship, hurt you her job, her lifestyle. And you also learn about Yulia, who's a stand-up comedian, which, you know, um many how many Russian women stand-up comedians standout comedian island andconio islander wonder um maybe there are Maybe there are a few. 22:05.59 ukfilmreview Hehe. 22:06.96 Brian Penn Maybe maybe I've yet and yet to learn learn of them. But, you know, they're very cleverly drawn cla characters the The plotting is really clever, because when they get into Max's flat, this very sort of dubious, extremely rich, mysterious character, it takes you off in a direction that but I didn't expect it to go. Again, but boom yeah my brain working in the way it does, I try and predict what happens next in the plot. And I thought I knew what was going to happen, but it didn't. And it goes off in a slightly different direction. So i liked I like films that surprise you and don't 22:44.68 Brian Penn don't go for the obvious route. Cause you know, in a story, it can be obvious what's going to happen here. It can only go one way, but this was more, as I say, fleshed out the characters more, more of a backstory. Some interesting characters were thrown in as, as it went along. Um, very good. 23:01.51 ukfilmreview I definitely picked up on that sense of it being yeah unpredictable, the characters growing as we were with them, because at the beginning of the sense that there was sort of like Val was the sort of maybe the more timid one or quiet one because she seemed a bit kind of off, like she'd been left waiting for her ride and she seemed a bit 23:07.85 Brian Penn Yeah. 23:18.10 Brian Penn Yeah. 23:20.93 ukfilmreview And then it sort of turned and she became quite so volatile and reckless and almost sort of acting out. And there's a reason for that. I kind of don't want to give it away, but there's a reason why she does that. 23:29.03 Brian Penn Yeah. ah That's all right. 23:30.65 ukfilmreview And then, yeah, Yulia sort of acts conversely to that. And I love the chemistry between the two of them. I thought they were perfect. They played it absolutely spot on, which was these sort of estranged cousins, but they were joined by family and and previous ah history and all that stuff. 23:39.19 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well. Yeah, you you sense they come from a dysfunctional family. And let's face it, most families are dysfunctional in some way. That's what makes them family. And you learn more about them ah and the dynamics between the two of them and their their relatives and how they've grown up. And they were obviously very close as they were growing up, then they lost touch. Now they're back in touch again. And all the old sort of tensions rise to the surface, don't they? But it seems like they bond again. After having this righteous night out or a nice in as well. 24:17.77 Brian Penn I guess, but um so it's quite touching the way the story develops. um So. 24:23.65 ukfilmreview Oh, definitely. 24:23.73 Brian Penn on Yeah. 24:24.25 ukfilmreview Yeah. that That final third had a lot of like emotional heft to it. It was because, yeah, the beginning of the film, you're kind of thinking, where's this going? Like what's happening? um They're setting it all up, but they do it brilliantly. 24:33.31 Brian Penn Yeah. 24:35.87 ukfilmreview It actually gets set up very, very well for you to be very invested by the time things do get a little bit more like heavy themed. 24:37.69 Brian Penn yeah 24:43.34 ukfilmreview um Yeah, I love films where they unfold in sort of not this isn't real time, but it's quite close to real time. It's sort of one night, we basically go from one evening through to the sort of morning after. 24:50.71 Brian Penn Yeah. 24:53.92 Brian Penn Yeah. 24:55.51 ukfilmreview And I love films like that, because it's condensed. It's like that is a story. That's a story that happened and you're already obviously made up. But Whereas ah yeah this could have played out over weeks and months and I think it would have lost that um that sort of dynamism. 25:05.86 Brian Penn Yeah. 25:08.89 ukfilmreview is over Oh, that feels really, really potent. 25:09.40 Brian Penn and Yeah. 25:12.07 ukfilmreview um And also I think there's this that sense of endurance because you're with them for this time and they are also yeah going on this, sort what we would call in the UK, a bender. 25:25.27 Brian Penn Yeah. yeah 25:26.12 ukfilmreview You're sort of saying, they they're They're struggling. know They've got to keep their momentum. They're having issues. And I think, yeah, it it just was very well put together. Great chemistry between the actresses, as I said. And I found it really enjoyable. I did i laughed at times. 25:41.14 Brian Penn yeah 25:42.08 ukfilmreview I was got i got so emotionally invested at times. I think that's all you can ask for in a film like this. 25:44.59 Brian Penn hello yeah It's a film that takes you by surprise. I like films aren't predict but that that will do something that you're not expecting. and you know the best one in the world a lot of films are made according to a formula most films will follow a formula as we've discussed before it doesn't mean to say they're any less good but it's when they sort sort of think right we'll take it off in this direction we'll keep the audience on their toes we'll do we'll do this instead and it gives the characters more depth because people aren't that predictable are they? 26:18.42 ukfilmreview Absolutely. 26:21.38 ukfilmreview Coney Island Cousins, I'm very pleased to say it does have its own website. So Coney Island, as yeah as you might expect it from the place, cousins dot.com um and on there you'll have all the information that you need. 26:31.93 Brian Penn Hmm. 26:34.08 ukfilmreview I love it when this happens because quite often it doesn't happen. and I have to sort of try and signpost people but yeah if you are interested in that movie just google it um you'll find the website or if not go to the imdb page and they have a link for official website so yeah all the information is on there i don't think it is out yet um as far as i'm aware and there are some socials as well but yeah go to the website first and then you'll be able to go from there to where you want to go but yeah really enjoyed it excellent film 26:39.24 Brian Penn Yeah. 26:49.41 Brian Penn um 27:00.99 Brian Penn Excellent. 27:04.25 ukfilmreview um And that was Currently Ireland Cousins. We're going to our next indie film and this is a short film ah Patrick reviewed it on the website for us and we're directed by Farid Karan and starring Sushant Vasish apologies for pronunciation Sukhmani Lambe as well and Yeah um The setup of this film is we are given a couple at the beginning, Sahil and Magana, and there is some tension between them as he heads out, and it looks as if he's cheating on her, and he is, i'm and Magana decides to take her own life whilst he's out. 27:42.18 Brian Penn Mm hmm. 27:48.51 ukfilmreview So that's the sort of setup. And then we skip ahead about eight years, I think, and we then see Sahil struggling to deal with this situation and sorry eight months probably not eight years ah um struggling to deal with this situation at 28:01.92 Brian Penn Yeah. 28:04.99 ukfilmreview that he feels he's created. He feels responsible for her death, can't move on. He's tormented with memories that they've had. you know Little things will set him off. um Little bits that you maybe he's holding something or he's in a certain room. 28:21.42 Brian Penn um Yeah. 28:23.12 ukfilmreview and I think it's one bit where he's holding nail clippers. And that was really tense because I was like, oh God, what's he gonna do with those? so um And what happens is you as he gets more and more into this sort of tortured state, 28:28.33 Brian Penn um 28:34.37 ukfilmreview we then start to see Meg come back and yeah don't really terrify him in a sort of nightmarish way. 28:42.53 Brian Penn Hmm. Yeah. 28:44.42 ukfilmreview ah Very atmospheric, very dark and broody. What did you think of short film, Overshadow Brian? 28:50.20 Brian Penn Well, well, dark and broody really sums up. 28:52.72 ukfilmreview I've done it. 28:53.08 Brian Penn I did. I found it very intense. But it's very strong emotions that come through that come through there. It's interesting the way they're focused on one of him cutting his his nails with clippers and then hers. And he was flashing back and it was flashing forwards again. it's It's very well acted and it identifies what can go wrong in a relationship and what the products of it can be, the fact that you you live with these errors and these mistakes, the fact that you didn't pick up on the signs and that, you know, what I got, yeah, what I got from the storyline as well was that he was cheating on her and that this three-way relationship came to a head, but it was it was very well written. It was well acted. 29:41.23 Brian Penn but very darker and suspenseful, but you can't deny it's powerful and it works. But yeah, not, not the most comfortable watch because it is dealing with, with, with very dark issues. The dark side of life, but doesn't mean to say it's not good because it is. 29:54.49 ukfilmreview yeah I think it's worth playing a clip. I have a clip, I'm very ah fortunate to say. So let's this play that just to give our listeners a little taste of what Overshadow is like. 30:02.42 Brian Penn Lovely. 30:13.85 Brian Penn you 30:59.74 ukfilmreview So really interesting clip. 31:01.07 Brian Penn hmm 31:01.48 ukfilmreview So I wanted to play that specifically yeah when we start talking about this all. 31:04.79 Brian Penn hmm 31:06.37 ukfilmreview thematic depth of the film. um I think there's probably quite a lot of triggering ah aspects to this movie. 31:08.27 Brian Penn hmm 31:14.20 ukfilmreview There's subjects such as gaslighting, which come up, ah mental health. 31:14.45 Brian Penn hmm hmm hmm hmm 31:18.56 ukfilmreview I think Patrick in his review mentioned this quite a bit that you the film does really well to grapple with very large themes in ah in a and a genre that works with it as well. 31:23.09 Brian Penn hmm hmm hmm 31:28.85 ukfilmreview yeah This is a sort of ah horror thriller sort of piece that is suited to those tones and it was one of those movies where you're watching it and you can't not get invested because of the discourse going on and yeah I thought they did really well with it because it's ah it could have veered way too heavy into the horror stuff and really became a bit sort of you know about the ghouls and ghosts and things but that's not what this is at all it's more intelligent than that I did feel and I think Patrick mentioned this that there was an element of the story didn't quite know what to do with itself um in terms of where to go what to do with it like it it's bringing up lots of big things but ah maybe it didn't quite have a narrative that it wanted to also tell at the same time that 31:46.58 Brian Penn Hmm. Hmm. 32:10.65 Brian Penn Yeah. Hmm. 32:20.29 Brian Penn yeah yeah yeah I agree I think it's dealing with a lot a lot of a lot of heavy issues there you know there are there are themes there that are far too complex to explore in any kind of detail when you've only got 10 minutes and it often come back to the same conclusion with short films is that 32:21.79 ukfilmreview I felt that slightly as well um and that's not to say that it's not really enjoyable it's just that there's I think there was more that could have been done there to maybe tie things together a bit more bringing the characters sort of full circle almost. 32:50.67 Brian Penn you've got such limited time really to to make the the characters and the story stick and be credible. And I think it does that just about, but when you when you said that it wasn't quite sure where to go and what to do with itself, it's a good way of describing it because there wasn't a convenient way of tying up all these just issues, you know particularly when he he was confronted by his dead wife's image and he thought he could see her. It could have gone into more detail there perhaps, but Um, it's trying to get a balance, isn't it? And trying to make it even over the time that you got available. But it was a good effort. One thing I would say, uh, about the film though, is that the the dialogue goes from mixes English with, um, their, is it Hindi? I do apologize if it's not Hindi, but it's where they mix dialects together. And it's sometimes in English, sometimes not. I think I would have found it's slightly easier to absorb and take in. 33:50.41 Brian Penn if it was all in English all in sub or maybe that's just me, perhaps, but that was kind of like an issue in following the story and following the narrative, ah because there weren't subs... 33:54.58 ukfilmreview Hmm. 34:02.97 Brian Penn I think there were subtitles coming up, weren't there, occasionally? 34:05.92 ukfilmreview Yeah, it did have subtitles. 34:05.93 Brian Penn but 34:07.04 ukfilmreview And I think, you know, ah some films do that. 34:08.97 Brian Penn But... 34:09.84 ukfilmreview I think even Coney Island Cousins did it as well. There was some Russian and things like that. 34:12.47 Brian Penn Yeah. 34:14.18 ukfilmreview i'm Yeah, i that wasn't so much a problem for me. I didn't mind that at all. I think the um only thing that I did you find was that I ah wanted things to be a bit more earned. I feel like, because it's a 20 minute film, that there's a lot going on in that, even, even, because that's not even a short short, right? 34:33.50 Brian Penn there No, a long show, isn't it? 34:35.94 ukfilmreview That is a fairly sizable chunk. Yeah, it felt that Sir Hill's kind of journey maybe could have been stretched a bit longer. 34:44.36 Brian Penn Yeah. 34:44.60 ukfilmreview and we could have because there's a bit The whole thing about the light, you know, he who doesn't turn on the light for her and that kind of comes back. 34:50.01 Brian Penn Yeah. 34:51.39 ukfilmreview That that was the only thing that did sort of feel like, okay, you've sort of tied it together there. um But for me, It's one of those films that I'm just going to applaud it for being so ambitious and I'm doing it in a way that is not, okay, you've completely missed the mark at all. 35:02.44 Brian Penn Well, 35:06.10 Brian Penn yeah. 35:06.33 ukfilmreview I'm just saying there's things that could be better, but no, it's still a really good film. 35:08.55 Brian Penn Yeah. 35:09.89 ukfilmreview I think it's really strong. 35:10.55 Brian Penn Yeah. I think that's a good word to sum it up really is ambitious. It's brave. It it was trying to get a lot in. And it did it, and you know, it made its point, you know, it got its points across. But because of the complexity of subjects that they're dealing with, it's not always easy to fit it all in and make it coherent. But but It's still very good though. So very, very good effort and very watchable. 35:35.97 ukfilmreview I guess. Films called Overshadow and there's not masses of it online um but you can go and read Patrick's full review on our website. It's written, directed by Fareed Kiron. So yeah to check out if you can and yeah to be aware some heavy themes there which can affect and trouble some people. 35:56.03 Brian Penn Yes. 35:59.50 ukfilmreview um We're moving on now to film that I reviewed on the website, funnily enough. 36:03.24 Brian Penn Yeah. so 36:04.62 ukfilmreview um And I was very happy to to review the short film called Pain. I'm going to play the clip ah now, ah which we've got for Pain. Here we go. 37:10.17 ukfilmreview I should have probably put a slight warning before I played that clip. um Also, never have I before been hovering over a a like button on my laptop so hard as to like end the clip because I was so like triggered by those noises. 37:23.29 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 37:26.65 ukfilmreview But it's so vital in understanding this film to hear that clip because 37:29.22 Brian Penn yeah 37:31.96 ukfilmreview It really does sum up the mood and the atmosphere. I did do a big review of this already on the website, so I'm going to let you take the sort of initial part of this, Brian, so that we get your fresh opinion because yeah people may have already heard my my verdict. 37:43.25 Brian Penn Oh, right. Okay, sure. Well, um, this is written and directed by Marcus Cartel, as you've mentioned, starring Francis Narnary and I've got the, yeah, these are the other person, but Laura, thank you for that. 37:55.22 ukfilmreview Lara Levy. 37:58.47 ukfilmreview No worries. 37:58.75 Brian Penn Uh, so Jim in the Celeste have a damaged and dysfunctional relationship. He suffers seizures and she struggles to care for him. Then they have to care for a baby, which pushes them to the very limit. Um, You said in the review, Chris, that it was unapologetically difficult to watch. I have to agree with that wholeheartedly, but it's the type of film that you have to watch, and you're kind of trying not to watch it, but you know you've got to watch it just the same. And what I thought was very clever about it, it's very good. It's 99, it's good. I think it's it's one of the best in indie shorts that we' we've reviewed in the last few months. It really is. But those moments are calm, went 38:40.61 Brian Penn When they were in the bar together and he was painting her back, they were the just the ah that was the Oasis moment, wasn't it? 38:48.57 ukfilmreview Mm. 38:48.94 Brian Penn That was when there was relative calm, when everything, when they seemed at one with the world, the two of them, they were together, they were alone, they were at peace. But then as soon as that finished, then it all began again. And ah found I found it a difficult watch a bit. A bit like Overshadow, but in a totally different way that it was difficult to watch. But there doesn't need to say that it's not good, because it is. But it's one that holds your attention. And the visuals and the music, the, would you call it noise or white noise, but that accompanied some scenes were really, really engrossing. you You couldn't take your eyes off it. But very good. that There's this real talent at work there. 39:39.11 ukfilmreview Yeah and I found just doing a bit of research on the film really helped me um because i i was it's not one of those films that has loads of information about it but I looked up Marcus Cartel's um Instagram and he was talking about where the film's genesis was which was from 39:39.16 Brian Penn Well. 39:50.11 Brian Penn Hmm. 39:58.84 ukfilmreview when he himself has admitted to having a long history of issues with drugs and and substance abuse that this was a dream he had in a week where he was going sober and was trying to sort of come through it and that was really interesting for me because 40:11.00 Brian Penn Hmm. 40:15.04 ukfilmreview That's the sort of where it's come from as a film maker. 40:17.84 Brian Penn Hmm. 40:18.30 ukfilmreview That's his story. And for me, I i really resonated with it as a parent and because when I had kids and and going through that, especially the newborn phase and the absolute cacophony of noise and stress, and you know it's it's a very tough time. 40:24.42 Brian Penn Hmm. 40:32.52 Brian Penn Hmm. 40:34.39 ukfilmreview It's a beautiful time, but it's really tough. the and And also there's sort of almost a disconnection that you can feel from that because you're almost like, whoa, this is like a whole new person I need to be now and I'm not ready for that. 40:44.40 Brian Penn Yeah. 40:45.55 ukfilmreview I found that really affecting and I think that's so great when a short film like this can work on so many levels and connect with people in so many different ways. 40:51.97 Brian Penn Yeah. 40:53.41 ukfilmreview and that absolute bombardment of noise is delivered in a way that makes it so cinematic. 40:57.74 Brian Penn Yeah. 41:02.44 ukfilmreview I think, you know, it's one of those, I watched it with headphones on, on quite a big screen, you know, biggest, I could sort of really get it on. And it was just immersive, doesn't even cover it. Like I was enraptured with this film that, yeah, really enjoyed it. 41:12.48 Brian Penn Yeah. 41:17.00 ukfilmreview Well, enjoy is probably the wrong word, but really felt it and experienced it in a great way. 41:18.49 Brian Penn Yeah. 41:21.50 Brian Penn but Yeah. Yeah. 41:22.24 ukfilmreview and yeah I think this is the sort of film that the again we mentioned for ambitious but in a very different way and could easily as well have been a film that I didn't enjoy because at times just the soundscape kind of reminded me of like uh David Lynch like you know like a razor head and stuff like 41:23.70 Brian Penn Yeah. 41:26.38 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 41:40.19 Brian Penn yes yeah it's very reminis innocent yeah 41:42.15 ukfilmreview bit lynching and I was sort of going, oh, I could see that tipping people over getting to the point where you get so pushed, you know, so alienated by the sound that you then don't connect with what's going on visually. 41:43.19 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 41:55.26 ukfilmreview but I didn't have that with this. I felt the pain was one of those sort of short films that got the balance right. 41:57.88 Brian Penn Yeah. 41:59.70 ukfilmreview It got the the tone right. That what it wants to achieve. It doesn't keep you too long in discomfort and as you say there are those moments of where it does get a little bit more calm and you sort of need that but I just found it really powerful very stimulating yeah on another level and yeah as I said it is a hard watch it's a challenging watch it's definitely a challenging watch 42:12.50 Brian Penn yeah 42:18.42 Brian Penn Yeah. 42:21.50 Brian Penn yeah Yeah. Really, what you're seeing and what you're hearing is what the characters can see in here. It's what's inside their heads. That's what you're getting from it. So you know, between sort of the script between the them and the viewer, I think them, they're making that clear. They're saying, look, this is what the characters can see. This is what they can hear. This is what they're feeling. And it allows you to sort of disconnects as a viewer a little bit but still appreciate what's going on. It's very good. I was very impressed with it really. 42:54.17 ukfilmreview Yeah, I ah definitely echo everything there. um The film itself, Pain, we had a password protected link, so I'm going to say it's not available online. But do go follow Marcus on Instagram. So ah so Marcus underscore Carter, which is K-A-R-T-A-L. um Yeah, I'm sure he'll be announcing so more information as to where and when you can watch Pain. In the meantime, do go to our website because you'll have my review on there where I gave it, I actually gave a video review so you can watch that. 43:25.91 Brian Penn yeah 43:28.50 ukfilmreview It's your leisure. 43:28.55 Brian Penn nice 43:29.59 ukfilmreview Or you can just re-listen to this podcast as much as you want. Just skip back and just listen to it again. You know, why not? 43:35.21 Brian Penn why not why not Yeah. 43:35.84 ukfilmreview um You know, it helps us. ah But yeah, hats off to to Marcus and to the to the actors. 43:38.71 Brian Penn Yeah. 43:42.75 ukfilmreview I thought they were both fabulous. Francis Nunnery and Lara. 43:45.35 Brian Penn yeah 43:46.61 ukfilmreview I'm saying Levy, but it could be Levi. and And it's not an easy film to have acted in, I'm sure. There's a lot going on there to try and get that right. And yeah, I think it's been pulled off, executed really well. 43:55.86 Brian Penn yeah 44:00.10 ukfilmreview It's got that nightmarish quality, but also doesn't doesn't alienate you too much that you can't penetrate what it's trying to say. 44:06.98 Brian Penn yeah 44:08.20 ukfilmreview I think that's a good sign of a strong filmmaker there. 44:10.91 Brian Penn yeah ah definitely and It must have been a challenging role for both the actors to play as well you know because you've got to inhabit those characters haven't you while you're playing the role. 44:16.03 ukfilmreview Yeah. um 44:22.04 ukfilmreview Yeah, and that headspace is is not an easy one to get into. 44:25.43 Brian Penn All right. 44:25.43 ukfilmreview um But yeah, I can imagine a lot of that being done as well in post-production. So yeah we don't often name check anyone there. 44:30.81 Brian Penn Yeah. 44:32.79 ukfilmreview So yeah just yeah give everyone a round of applause there because they were great. 44:36.68 Brian Penn Absolutely. 44:38.53 ukfilmreview Pulled off an excellent short film there. So that was pain. And that is actually, painfully, the end of our indie film reviews there. But we are moving probably really far back um because we're going to do it sequentially. i'm We normally do the nostalgia last. We're going to start with our nostalgia and then do the um streaming pic because we're getting a double dose of Eddie Murphy um with Beverly Hills Cop. 45:03.22 Brian Penn Yeah. 45:06.23 ukfilmreview We're starting with the 1984 original. And Brian, I often ask you this, is this one that you had revisited or is this first time you've seen it or have you seen this lots of times? 45:11.34 Brian Penn Hmm. 45:17.04 Brian Penn No, I've seen this lots of times before i I saw it when it first came out. And the fact is 40 years old scares the living daylights out me. I can remember ah got going out to see it and being enthralled by the soundtrack. You know, the acts 45:32.63 ukfilmreview Oh, 45:34.72 Brian Penn It's not a great scene though, Chris. 45:34.99 ukfilmreview ah yeah. 45:37.38 Brian Penn I mean, that theme tune by Harold Filsomite to me is iconic. it It ranks alongside the Pink Panther theme. 45:43.82 ukfilmreview oh yeah 45:44.07 Brian Penn It's instantly recognisable and it's what gives the film its its punch and its power. um But it honestly, it doesn't feel like yesterday that it was made. It feels like this morning. It it only it doesn't seem like 40 years ago to me. 45:59.31 ukfilmreview Mm-hmm. 45:59.84 Brian Penn Not in the slightest. um but Look, I um haven't seen the film itself in in a few years, but let's say I've seen it maybe nine or 10 times all the way through, but I've not watched it. This is the first time I've watched it in maybe five or six years. But looking at it now, honest as much as I love the film and I love the soundtrack, I honestly think it creaks a little bit, that it's not worn as well as some other films from the ACs. now 46:31.86 Brian Penn when When I think about action movies from the Aces, I'm always going to think of Beverly Hills Cop, Lethal Weapon, Die Hard. They're always the films that spring to mind. But I think films like Lethal Weapon and Die Hard have worn a lot better than and Beverly Hills Cop. There's something about it that it seems to lack the punch that it's that it once had. And I'm not quite sure why. It it feels dated. I don't know why. It's just odd. Maybe it's Eddie Murphy's laugh that's become quite... 47:02.91 ukfilmreview That's 47:05.68 Brian Penn Do you know what? you no For the new film, apparently, I don't know how true this is, but he had to get rid of that laugh because he felt that it was turning into a parody. 47:07.27 ukfilmreview funny. 47:16.30 Brian Penn I don't know how true that is, but the film itself still works. It still works. Of course it does, but I don't think it's won quite as well as some of the films from that period. 47:28.85 ukfilmreview yeah try interesting because i for me I found that um I was watching it and it felt like a precursor to bad boys it was like okay this is like they've got this you know wisecracking cop doesn't really do what he's meant to but very much kind of 47:39.05 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. Hmm. 47:48.40 ukfilmreview gets into the action when it needs to, but it's largely a comedy. It's it's mostly just making jokes most of the time. um I like the sort of fish out of water element, you know, he's getting taken from the city into the Beverly Hills sort of. 47:58.08 Brian Penn Yeah. 48:01.46 ukfilmreview I think that also could be part of maybe why it hasn't weathered as well, because those cultural shifts, maybe the schisms are probably not as felt as much yeah or maybe not as relevant anymore. 48:09.37 Brian Penn Yeah. 48:14.31 Brian Penn Yeah. 48:14.43 ukfilmreview um but But I did enjoy it. I must say I rewatched it. 48:18.74 Brian Penn Hmm. 48:18.86 ukfilmreview I don't think I've seen it as many times as you. I've only seen it probably sort of a handful of times um and often just bits because it's sort of film my brother would put on and we'd watch some of it. 48:26.70 Brian Penn Yeah. Hmm. 48:28.21 ukfilmreview But I watched this ah a couple weeks back because I went and stayed with my mum, which is having a hip replacement. and um 48:34.26 Brian Penn ah 48:35.58 ukfilmreview We watched them all. We were like, all right, let's watch this, and we watched the next one, and we watched it you know two or three, and just enjoyed them for what they were. 48:38.42 Brian Penn okay Yeah. 48:42.91 ukfilmreview They were really fun, and they were all on Netflix, if anyone wants to go and watch it, we haven't seen them. 48:43.28 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 48:46.87 Brian Penn Yeah. 48:49.50 ukfilmreview um And I do think, actually, two and three are as good, if not better, than the first one, which is always rare with a um franchise. 48:58.67 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 48:59.69 ukfilmreview they are I think they they've sort of fine-tuned it as they went along. 49:03.38 Brian Penn yeah 49:03.99 ukfilmreview They knew what worked. I loved um Judge Reinhold. I think he's great. as he Because in the first film, he's kind of like this sort of wet, behind-the-ears cop. 49:10.79 Brian Penn Yeah. 49:11.57 ukfilmreview But by the sort of third one, he's a bit more... He's he's sort of on Eddie Murphy's character's level. 49:17.02 Brian Penn Yeah. 49:17.22 ukfilmreview He's more sort of there. 49:18.56 Brian Penn He's more hard-bitten, isn't he? 49:18.65 ukfilmreview um Yeah. 49:19.64 Brian Penn And he's obsessed with guns as well. 49:21.51 ukfilmreview He always brings like a massive gun, doesn't he? 49:22.39 Brian Penn Billy, we need to, yeah, Billy, we need to talk. 49:24.15 ukfilmreview yeah 49:25.78 Brian Penn That came up a lot in the second film, didn't it? But yeah, I think you're right. 49:28.07 ukfilmreview Yeah. 49:28.75 Brian Penn Probably Beverly Hills Cop 1 laid the groundwork really for the characters. And it was a buddy movie as much as anything, wasn't it? Between, but it was a three-way buddy movie, wasn't it? Between. ah between Axel and Rosewood and Taggart. So it's a three-way buddy move, body movies and that worked really well. Stephen Birkoff was very good as the baddie, and we always not we know it's one of the rules that Englishmen have to play the baddies in any American movement. 49:55.57 ukfilmreview he 49:56.53 Brian Penn It won't work otherwise, will it? We know that. 49:59.23 ukfilmreview Yeah, we are just pure evil. As there anyone listening to this podcast knows, we're just pure evil. 50:04.58 Brian Penn Yeah, well absolutely. Yeah. 50:05.44 ukfilmreview It's the accent. 50:06.80 Brian Penn yeah 50:06.88 ukfilmreview ah the um Yeah, I think it's one of those films that is still accessible. There's so going to be some references that are not as relevant, but it's fun and it leads very nicely into the big yeah release which was um on Netflix as well, which is what our streaming pick is. 50:13.59 Brian Penn Yeah. Hmm. 50:25.95 ukfilmreview It's Beverly Hills Cop actual F. So this would be the fourth film in the franchise. 50:30.63 Brian Penn Yeah. 50:32.35 ukfilmreview i'm And yeah, interestingly, we've got a different dynamic here because obviously they haven't done a oh he's still you know it's still of the time it it has jumped forward he is older um i i think i agree with that i don't think the films should try and have these guys go back and play you know that aged character you know where where he was and also they introduced a new element with this uh film 50:54.99 Brian Penn Yeah. 50:59.80 Brian Penn Hmm. 51:00.01 ukfilmreview because his um his daughter is involved. He has a daughter and I think that was a really good element to add into the storyline. 51:04.14 Brian Penn Yeah. 51:07.67 Brian Penn Yeah. 51:08.12 ukfilmreview It makes it a bit more serious, he's a bit more mature in some ways and it injected kind of sort of quite a heavy threat level there in terms of why he was doing what he was doing. 51:10.24 Brian Penn Hmm. 51:19.87 Brian Penn Yeah. 51:19.88 ukfilmreview um The storyline was still fairly similar, if i mourn is I'm They brought back ah the characters of Tagger and Rosewood, but they also sort of wrote them out of them. 51:24.53 Brian Penn Yeah, it was. Yeah, it was. 51:32.35 Brian Penn Hmm. 51:34.89 ukfilmreview I think they didn't want to rely on them too much in the movie, if you know what I mean. 51:35.18 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah, that's right. Yeah, I think that's a good point, actually, because I think whenever they revive any, any franchise, I think they always like to bring the original cast back as far as possible, as far as they possibly can, because yeah it gives continuity and they want the sense that people have grown up with certain characters in certain movies, and that's the appeal of it, the charm of it, and that's why it works. But you're right, though, they kept Rosewood and Sagat out for as long as they could, but they were there there. There was that kind of degree of continuity and that friendship was there as well. But what I did like, it you see, I think, I don't see guys far to say that 52:13.77 Brian Penn this This fourth film is better than the first one. I think it's a yeah it's it's a much stronger storyline. 52:16.70 ukfilmreview I enjoyed it more, I would say I did enjoy it more, yeah. 52:21.22 Brian Penn It's very similar. you know Something takes Axel off to Beverly Hills. The first time around, his friend was killed. This time around, is his also it's daughter. He's a strange daughter that's in danger. That's what takes him back to ah it's California, to Beverly Hills. But that is a stronger plot line than the first one. because then you've got this relationship developing between Axel and his daughter, one that we weren't that aware of. And um um you get that, you know, that estrangement, why it happened, you know, you've got her sort of firing back at him. Why did you leave him? Why did you, you know, and he's trying to blame her. And there's that kind of relationship between father and daughter and the fact that he feels the need to protect her and not only to save her life, potentially, but also 53:10.90 Brian Penn ah to get to know her again. And I think that's an interesting dynamic because Axel Foley was what you was this wise cracking womanizing cop was me at the beginning. 53:21.01 ukfilmreview Mm. 53:22.04 Brian Penn And now he's he's a bit he's older, obviously, he's a lot older. He's more thoughtful. And he knows that he's got a daughter that he wants to protect and get to know properly. So you saw a softer side of Axel Foley as a result. 53:35.56 ukfilmreview And what I liked about that as well is that they ah shifted it from a sense of it being, he's a fish out of water in the first film. 53:35.91 Brian Penn And 53:42.26 Brian Penn Hmm. Hmm. 53:43.50 ukfilmreview Whereas this, it's almost like he's a fish out of time. ah Because he's older, he's looking at things through that lens of like, oh, that's not the way I did it in my day. 53:46.91 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. 53:51.66 Brian Penn Yeah. 53:52.10 ukfilmreview And that works really well because it gives that same feel of him not belonging in this place. 53:54.05 Brian Penn Yeah. 53:57.64 Brian Penn Hmm. 54:00.24 ukfilmreview and he's got all these gripes with the way that well the world is, that it was a really nice move and it made sense because you could easier seen this just as being like, ah oh, it's just a cash grab, they're just going to, you know, benefit from the fact that it has a popular fan base ah who would who would obviously go and watch it. 54:03.10 Brian Penn Hmm. Yeah. 54:15.26 Brian Penn Yeah. 54:19.09 ukfilmreview But what they've done is actually deliver a film that is decent, is good. 54:19.31 Brian Penn yeah 54:22.00 ukfilmreview And like you say, iss is it stands up there. If not, ah you know, it's not the worst of the four. um It's definitely up there. 54:28.44 Brian Penn don yeah I It was a very good film. 54:29.66 ukfilmreview um I really enjoyed it more than I thought I was going to. I didn't think it was going to be that good. And I thought, oh, actually, this is this is decent. this I'm enjoying this. 54:38.81 Brian Penn And for Eddie Murphy, generally, I think you look at his sir his portfolio of work over the years. And the the really good films he's made, arguably you could you could count on one hand what I would call really, really good films. And there aren't many, and they came at the beginning of his career more than the middle or where he is now. But this is definitely one of his best of films. But it just shows though, doesn't it, that Eddie Murphy hasn't always made good films, but he's made films that make money. And it's not always the same thing. 55:12.88 Brian Penn What's your favorite Eddie Murphy film? 55:14.54 ukfilmreview or yeah as you're saying, as I'm going through in my head. um this i mean for us Critically, it's not a great film, but I have such a soft spot for The Nutty Professor because I just found it really funny as a kid, but it's one film I probably haven't seen that. 55:26.33 Brian Penn Oh, right. okay yeah no Yeah. 55:32.96 ukfilmreview in, I don't know, 20 years. 55:36.04 Brian Penn Yeah. 55:36.23 ukfilmreview um I do like him as Donkey in Shrek, come I must say. ah oh um Sorry, I've just quickly looked up his feed and I was like, no, wait a minute, I know what my favourite Eddie Murphy film is, kind Coming to America. 55:40.04 Brian Penn Yeah. 55:45.32 Brian Penn Go on then. 55:47.07 ukfilmreview That is just absolutely brilliant. I love Coming to America. 55:50.14 Brian Penn I'm not convinced by, it I never was convinced by, it I'll have to, I'll have to have a look at it again. 55:52.62 ukfilmreview Oh, you're Yeah, yeah digest that is one of those films that it always makes me laugh. 55:54.89 Brian Penn I'm ready. 56:00.23 ukfilmreview I have watched that yeah more. um There is a really good film where he's with Martin Lawrence called Life, where they're prisoners. 56:07.78 Brian Penn Yeah, that's underrated that film. 56:09.56 ukfilmreview That's a good film. Yeah, that's one of those ones that used to come up on TV and I'd go, oh, I'm going to watch this. 56:10.39 Brian Penn Yeah. 56:13.76 ukfilmreview This is good. 56:14.14 Brian Penn Yeah. 56:14.93 ukfilmreview What about you? 56:15.09 Brian Penn Now, well, I think it's his earlier films. 56:15.61 ukfilmreview What about you, Rowan? 56:18.39 Brian Penn I love 48 hours and trading places with Dana. 56:21.34 ukfilmreview Oh, yeah, Trading Places is great, yeah. 56:22.87 Brian Penn And one film that gets completely forgotten, and my mates bore me out whenever I mention it, because they all say it's one of his worst films, but I think it's one of his best. It's a film called Metron, where he he played a a police detective in New Orleans, I think it was. But he played it straight, Chris, you know, 56:44.15 ukfilmreview okay 56:45.03 Brian Penn It was just a serious cop drama. There was no wise cracking. The laugh wasn't there, but he played it seriously. He played it straight. Didn't do do much business, but have a look at Metroid. You have a look at Metroid and I'll have a look at Coming to America again. 57:01.08 ukfilmreview okay there's some there's some absolute stinkers in his list though when you go through them i'm like oh yeah there was like norbert and stuff like that 57:01.12 Brian Penn How about that? 57:08.08 Brian Penn Oh yeah. Vampire Brooklyn. 57:10.78 ukfilmreview yeah 57:10.84 Brian Penn Oh my God. 57:11.87 ukfilmreview Tower Heist was really boring um but actually Dolomite is my name was a newer film he did that was good and that was quite vibrant and interesting a bit different um but yeah no it's it's a very varied um you know credit list if you go through his films I think there's some good and there's some really bad films there 57:14.32 Brian Penn Yeah. 57:30.37 Brian Penn Yeah. Yeah. There's a variety there, isn't there? Sort of good, bad, and different. 57:35.76 ukfilmreview Yeah. 57:36.80 Brian Penn That's just like the way. 57:36.94 ukfilmreview um But if you're a fan of Eddie Murphy, you've got to watch this. I mean, it's like, you know, it's up there with the better films. 57:42.42 Brian Penn Oh yeah. It's great fun. It's great. 57:46.69 ukfilmreview And yeah, it's on Netflix. So you've got no real excuse not to watch it. um And hopefully, we'll get some listening reviews of that. Be good to hear what other people think. 57:55.47 Brian Penn yeah 57:56.79 ukfilmreview um Speaking of listening reviews, 57:59.95 Brian Penn Wow, it's his name. 58:00.79 ukfilmreview I'm going to read some out. I'm not going to keep Brian around for that because there are so many. So I'm going to record that after we we finish. We've got at least 15 here. So I'm going to go get so many images to give you a little tent little taste, Brian. 58:13.33 Brian Penn Wow. Yeah. Yeah. 58:16.70 ukfilmreview We've got reviews of things like under the skin. Actually, we do have a review of A Quiet Place day one that would have Yeah, that'd be interesting. 58:26.00 Brian Penn Yeah. 58:26.09 ukfilmreview um The judge Oppenheimer, Claudia, lots of things here. So um yeah, I'm gonna, I'll go into those shortly. But big thank you to Brian for his terrific reviews and and going to the cinema for me so I can live vicariously through him. And um and to you our dear listeners for for sticking with us. And also to the filmmakers who do send their films in. We've really enjoyed the ones we've reviewed this month. 58:52.02 Brian Penn Mm 58:52.12 ukfilmreview We've already got some lined up for next month as well. So yeah, um thank you for joining us on UK Film Club and we'll see you again next time. 59:10.42 Brian Penn -hmm. That's excellent. Previous Next

The Boss Baby 2: Family Business Trailer IN UK CINEMAS 22 OCTOBER 2021. Brand new film trailers. The Boss Baby 2 Trailer The Boss Baby 2: Family Business Trailer IN UK CINEMAS 22 OCTOBER 2021 STARRING ALEC BALDWIN, JEFF GOLDBLUM, ARIANA GREENBLATT, JIMMY KIMMEL, LISA KUDROW, EVA LONGORIA, JAMES MARSDEN AND AMY SEDARIS DIRECTED BY: TOM MCGRATH PRODUCED BY: JEFF HERMANN In the sequel to DreamWorks Animation’s Oscar®-nominated blockbuster comedy, the Templeton brothers—Tim (James Marsden, X-Men franchise) and his Boss Baby little bro Ted (Alec Baldwin)—have become adults and drifted away from each other. Tim is now a married stay-at-home dad. Ted is a hedge fund CEO. But a new boss baby with a cutting-edge approach and a can-do attitude is about to bring them together again … and inspire a new family business. Tim and his wife, Carol (Eva Longoria), the breadwinner of the family, live in the suburbs with their super-smart 7-year-old daughter Tabitha (Ariana Greenblatt, Avengers: Infinity War), and adorable new infant Tina (Amy Sedaris, Netflix’s BoJack Horseman). Tabitha, who’s at the top of her class at the prestigious Acorn Center for Advanced Childhood, idolizes her Uncle Ted and wants to become like him, but Tim, still in touch with his overactive youthful imagination, worries that she’s working too hard and is missing out on a normal childhood. When baby Tina reveals that she’s—ta-da!—a top-secret agent for BabyCorp on a mission to uncover the dark secrets behind Tabitha’s school and its mysterious founder, Dr. Erwin Armstrong (Jeff Goldblum), it will reunite the Templeton brothers in unexpected ways, lead them to re-evaluate the meaning of family and discover what truly matters. Lisa Kudrow and Jimmy Kimmel also reprise their roles as Ted and Tim’s parents. Building on the success of the first film, which earned more than $500 million worldwide, The Boss Baby: Family Business is directed by returning filmmaker Tom McGrath and is produced by Jeff Hermann (Kung Fu Panda 3). Paper Tiger The Paper Tiger trailer suggests a searing, deeply moving examination of ambition, guilt, and the toxic pursuit of the American Dream. Ink The newly dropped trailer for Ink confirms those expectations, delivering a relentless, kinetic glimpse into Fleet Street's most disruptive era. The Social Reckoning Seeing the first teaser trailer drop for its spiritual companion piece, The Social Reckoning, sent an absolute chill down my spine. Focker-in-Law If the film can sustain the frantic, competitive energy displayed in this preview, Focker-In-Law might just be the rarest of cinematic beasts: a comedy sequel that actually manages to justify its own existence. We are officially on high alert. Heart of the Beast Heart of the Beast looks like a gripping, tear-jerking cinematic triumph that will resonate with action fans and animal lovers alike. We will definitely be front and centre with our popcorn when this one hits the big screen! Klara and the Sun Klara and the Sun looks like a heart-wrenching, beautifully acted triumph that will linger in the mind long after the curtains close. Power Ballad What has us incredibly excited about Power Ballad is the dynamic friction between its two leads. Paul Rudd seems perfectly cast as the rugged, everyday musician who just wanted a shot at the big time, acknowledging with a heavy heart that having his name on a song of that magnitude would have completely changed his life. The Debut UK Film Review hasn't yet seen the final curtain rise on this one, but if the film matches the sheer dramatic potency of its trailer, The Debut is set to be a staggering, must-see cinematic triumph. One Night Only One Night Only looks to be a sharp, subversively funny, and emotionally resonant look at how we connect when time is running out. It takes a wild, satirical premise and uses it to explore a timeless question: Who would you choose if you only had one night? Supergirl As we look toward the 2026 release, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow stands as a testament to the new direction of DC Studios. Masters of the Universe With the arrival of the first trailer for the 2026 reboot of Masters of the Universe, the cinematic landscape prepares for a collision of sword, sorcery, and surprisingly, suburban Earth. Wild Foxes Dune: Part Three Picking up roughly seventeen years after the seismic events of Part Two, the trailer immediately signals a shift in tone. While the first film was an act of world-building and the second a visceral war epic, Dune: Part Three—an adaptation of Frank Herbert’s Dune Messiah—looks to be a far more claustrophobic and tense affair. In The Grey Scary Movie 6 The horror-comedy world is officially being turned upside down as the first trailer for Scary Movie 6 has finally arrived, marking a monumental return for the franchise that defined a generation of parody cinema. Empire of Lies Empire of Lies arrives in UK cinemas and on digital platforms on 27th March. Undertone Undertone is scheduled to arrive in cinemas on Friday, March 13th, 2025. If the trailer is anything to go by, we suggest you keep the lights on and perhaps think twice before pressing play on your next favourite podcast. The Moment The Land of Sometimes Twins Alfie and Elise find a magical Wish Watch on Christmas Eve and are swept by the Wish Collector into the musical Land of Sometimes, where they learn that wishes have consequences. Avengers: Doomsday Fans are elated at the release of the first teaser trailer for Avengers: Doomsday. Set for a theatrical release on 18th December 2026, find out more here.

Film news - Dror Moreh's The Human Factor gets UK & Irish release date. Find out more at UK Film Review. Dror Moreh's The Human Factor gets UK & Irish release date Chris Olson Monday, March 15, 2021 at 10:32:22 AM GMT THE HUMAN FACTOR , a new film by Dror Moreh, Academy Award nominated director of The Gatekeepers, revisits three decades of an Israeli-Arab peace process from a unique perspective: that of the American mediators. As peacemakers, they shuttled between Middle East capitals spending hours with the region’s political heavyweights – heads of state, generals, diplomats, dictators and freedom fighters – gaining intimate knowledge of the individuals and stories which dominated daily news around the world. For all those key figures – some working on the same issue for almost three decades – peace in the Middle East became a personal obsession, a mission which shaped their professional careers, affected their personal lives, and still occupies their minds. For the first time in film, these negotiators speak candidly about their experiences alongside never-before-seen, official White House photography that illustrate what really went on in rooms behind the scenes, away from the photo opportunities. At the end of Bill Clinton's second term, there was a moment when peace appeared to be just within reach. THE HUMAN FACTOR takes an unflinching look at what went wrong. The Human Factor will be released in cinemas on Friday 21st May. The King's Man UK Home Release Date Announced The Latest King’s Man Film Will be Available on Digital February 9 and 4K Ultra HD™, Blu-ray™ and DVD on February 21. Read Now BFI Future Film Festival announces 2022 Awards Jury and full programme Find out who the jury is for the 2022 BFI Future Film Festival. Read Now The Wonderful: Stories From The Space Station UK Release Date The Wonderful: Stories from the Space Station is a Dog Star Films production in association with Fisheye Films. Directed by Clare Lewins (I Am Ali, Kareem: Minority of One, The Lost Tapes of Memphis.). Read Now Redemption of a Rogue UK Cinema Release Date Read Now Cryptozoo Coming to Mubi This October Having made a splash at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, filmmaker Dash Shaw's upcoming fantasy animation Cryptozoo is a highly anticipated film coming to Mubi later this year. Read Now Another Round UK DVD And Blu-Ray Release Date Announced Following its acclaimed cinema release, STUDIOCANAL are excited to announce the release of Thomas Vinterberg’s intoxicating Oscar winner, ANOTHER ROUND, starring Mads Mikkelsen, on early EST 24th September 2021 and DVD, Blu-ray and Digital on 27th September 2021. Read Now Marvel Studios Announces Black Widow DVD and Blu-Ray UK Release Date Marvel Studios Announces Black Widow To Land Early On Digital (August 10th) and 4K, Blu-Ray and DVD September 13th. Read Now My Little Sister Gets October UK Release Date My Little Sister is due for a cinema release in the UK, on Friday 8th October 2021. Read Now Grimmfest Reveals Line-Up for 2021 Film Festival After a year of “home invasions” in the form of virtual screenings and online events, this October sees Grimmfest returning to the cinema at last. Read Now Helen Mirren Narrates Powerful Documentary Escape From Extinction Kaleidoscope Entertainment presents Escape From Extinction, a powerful feature documentary narrated by Academy Award winner Dame Helen Mirren, coming to selected cinemas from 17th September celebrating ‘Great Big Green Week’ (18-26 September). Read Now Supernova UK DVD and Blu-Ray Release Date Following critical acclaim and standout performances, STUDIOCANAL are excited to announce the release of the heartbreaking British love story SUPERNOVA, arriving on EST 24th September 2021 and DVD and Blu-ray on 27th September 2021. Read Now The Djinn UK Release Date The story follows a mute twelve-year-old, Dylan Jacobs, as he discovers a mysterious book of spells inside his new apartment. Read Now Come Play UK Digital Release Date Jacob Chase’s directorial debut feature COME PLAY tells the story of Oliver, a solitary autistic boy who comes across a creepy children’s story on his new tablet. Read Now 15m Giant Starfish in Leicester Square Ahead of UK Release of The Suicide Squad British actor Peter Capaldi (BBC’s Doctor Who, World War Z) ‒ who stars in THE SUICIDE SQUAD alongside Margot Robbie, Idris Elba and John Cena as genius scientist ‘Thinker’, was bravely photographed with the imposing creature Starro in London’s Leicester Square earlier today in celebration of the film’s UK release this coming Friday. Read Now West Side Story In Cinemas December 2021 From acclaimed director Steven Spielberg, the 2021 remake of West Side Story will be coming to cinemas in December 2021. Read Now The Last Job UK Digital and DVD Release Date Screen icon Richard Dreyfuss takes on The Last Job in a brand new, all-action thriller, that stars Modern Family’s Mira Sorvino as his daughter. This rip-roaring gangster movie hits the UK on DVD and digital this August from 101 Films. Read Now Rise of the Footsoldier Origins UK Cinema Release The eagerly-awaited RISE OF THE FOOTSOLDIER: ORIGINS, starring legendary leading man Vinnie Jones, is showing exclusively in cinemas from September 3, courtesy of Signature Entertainment. Read Now Random Acts of Violence UK DVD and Blu-ray Release Date Jay Baruchel writes, directs and stars in his horror debut Random Acts of Violence, which makes its UK Blu-ray debut from Acorn Media International in conjunction with Shudder, following its success on the streaming service. Read Now Spirited Away 20th Anniversary Special Edition SPIRITED AWAY COLLECTOR’S BOXSET WITH DVD & BLU-RAY DOUBLEPLAY AVAILABLE 27 SEPTEMBER 2021 Read Now A New World Order Premieres in UK 23 August Black Mirror meets A Quiet Place in gripping sci-fi thriller A New World Order from director Daniel Raboldt in his feature debut, which gets its UK premiere on DVD and digital 23 August 2021 from Reel 2 Reel Films. Read Now

The First Omen film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Nell Tiger Free, Ralph Ineson, Sonia Braga directed by Arkasha Stevenson. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The First Omen Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Apr 5, 2024 Directed by: Arkasha Stevenson Written by: Tim Smith, Arkasha Stevenson, Keith Thomas Starring: Nell Tiger Free, Ralph Ineson, Sonia Braga Just two short weeks ago, producer/star Sydney Sweeney’s Immaculate turned the threadbare “innocent nun bringing about the apocalypse” horror (it’s actually an incredibly common trope) into a potent and startling instrument of female rage. Thanks, by the way. But if all that remarkable sacrilege was a little too much for you, if you were looking for the exact same movie—just maybe not so hard on the patriarchy—can I interest you in The First Omen ? Arkasha Stevenson’s hands were a bit tied, of course, this being a direct prequel to Richard Donner’s 1976 classic. Donner’s film has already spawned three sequels and a remake, and now a reboot. A lot has happened since 1976 that makes a “trust the priest” narrative tough to swallow. Stevenson, working from a script she co-wrote with Tim Smith and Keith Thomas, digs into the sketchy side of Catholicism hinted at back in ’76. You know, the burned convent. The shady hospital baby switch. The jackal. And yet, for all the Omen specificity Stevenson sews into her antichrist apocalypse tapestry, the movie still feels for all the world like a neutered Immaculate . Margaret (Nell Tiger Free) is an American who grew up in Catholic orphanages and has come to an Italian convent to take her vows and become a nun. There’s a hospital wing at the convent. Margaret quickly decides things are unseemly but she’s powerless. Why yes, that is the exact set up as Immaculate . There’s also a saucy best friend nun who doesn’t seem cut out for the veil, and of course, the involuntary vessel of the antichrist. How do the films differentiate themselves? Well, Immaculate is not part of a decades-old franchise. The First Omen has a pretty great club scene. Other than that, they are essentially the same film. One just hits a lot harder. Back in 2022, Daniel Stamm’s Prey for the Devil tried to breathe a little feminism into convent horror. It wasn’t a great movie, but it was a nice try. Just two years later, a little feminism feels like a pulled punch. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Starring Jodie Comer, Matt Damon, and Ben Affleck, The Last Duel is a Ridley Scott film (penned by Damon, Affleck and Nicole Holofcener) due to come to cinemas October 15, 2021.. Brand new film trailers. The Last Duel Official Trailer The Last Duel Official Trailer from 20th Century Studios Starring Jodie Comer, Matt Damon, and Ben Affleck, The Last Duel is a Ridley Scott film (penned by Damon, Affleck and Nicole Holofcener) due to come to cinemas October 15, 2021. Set during the time of King Charles VI, the film also includes the acting talents of stars like Adam Driver, Zeljko Ivanek, and Harriet Walter. Ridley Scott, who worked with Matt Damon on The Martian, has a catalogue of impressive period films, not to mention a sequel to Gladiator in the works. If The Last Duel Official Trailer is anything to go by, film fans will be in for a treat this October. Paper Tiger The Paper Tiger trailer suggests a searing, deeply moving examination of ambition, guilt, and the toxic pursuit of the American Dream. Ink The newly dropped trailer for Ink confirms those expectations, delivering a relentless, kinetic glimpse into Fleet Street's most disruptive era. The Social Reckoning Seeing the first teaser trailer drop for its spiritual companion piece, The Social Reckoning, sent an absolute chill down my spine. Focker-in-Law If the film can sustain the frantic, competitive energy displayed in this preview, Focker-In-Law might just be the rarest of cinematic beasts: a comedy sequel that actually manages to justify its own existence. We are officially on high alert. Heart of the Beast Heart of the Beast looks like a gripping, tear-jerking cinematic triumph that will resonate with action fans and animal lovers alike. We will definitely be front and centre with our popcorn when this one hits the big screen! Klara and the Sun Klara and the Sun looks like a heart-wrenching, beautifully acted triumph that will linger in the mind long after the curtains close. Power Ballad What has us incredibly excited about Power Ballad is the dynamic friction between its two leads. Paul Rudd seems perfectly cast as the rugged, everyday musician who just wanted a shot at the big time, acknowledging with a heavy heart that having his name on a song of that magnitude would have completely changed his life. The Debut UK Film Review hasn't yet seen the final curtain rise on this one, but if the film matches the sheer dramatic potency of its trailer, The Debut is set to be a staggering, must-see cinematic triumph. One Night Only One Night Only looks to be a sharp, subversively funny, and emotionally resonant look at how we connect when time is running out. It takes a wild, satirical premise and uses it to explore a timeless question: Who would you choose if you only had one night? Supergirl As we look toward the 2026 release, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow stands as a testament to the new direction of DC Studios. Masters of the Universe With the arrival of the first trailer for the 2026 reboot of Masters of the Universe, the cinematic landscape prepares for a collision of sword, sorcery, and surprisingly, suburban Earth. Wild Foxes Dune: Part Three Picking up roughly seventeen years after the seismic events of Part Two, the trailer immediately signals a shift in tone. While the first film was an act of world-building and the second a visceral war epic, Dune: Part Three—an adaptation of Frank Herbert’s Dune Messiah—looks to be a far more claustrophobic and tense affair. In The Grey Scary Movie 6 The horror-comedy world is officially being turned upside down as the first trailer for Scary Movie 6 has finally arrived, marking a monumental return for the franchise that defined a generation of parody cinema. Empire of Lies Empire of Lies arrives in UK cinemas and on digital platforms on 27th March. Undertone Undertone is scheduled to arrive in cinemas on Friday, March 13th, 2025. If the trailer is anything to go by, we suggest you keep the lights on and perhaps think twice before pressing play on your next favourite podcast. The Moment The Land of Sometimes Twins Alfie and Elise find a magical Wish Watch on Christmas Eve and are swept by the Wish Collector into the musical Land of Sometimes, where they learn that wishes have consequences. Avengers: Doomsday Fans are elated at the release of the first teaser trailer for Avengers: Doomsday. Set for a theatrical release on 18th December 2026, find out more here.