★★★ Directed by: Leigh Whannell Starring: Logan Marshall-Green, Betty Gabriel, Harrison Gilbertson Film Review by: Hope Madden It’s a setup you’ll recognize. A man, doing man’s work, brightens when his wife arrives. Oh, they are really in love. Let’s just do this one thing before the romance, OK honey? Minutes from now, she will be dead, he will be damaged, and eventually his suicidal melancholy will fuel revenge. From Death Wish to John Wick to Death Wish (again), it’s a premise that never goes out of style and never, ever surprises. Credit writer/director Leigh Whannell and star Logan Marshall-Green (The Invitation) for keeping you entertained for 90 minutes. Marshall-Green plays Grey. While all the rest of the world relies on technology to drive them around, buy their eggs and dim their lights, Grey’s in the garage listening to blues on vinyl and rebuilding a Trans-Am. After the aforementioned tragedy, Grey reluctantly turns to a Cyber Victor Frankenstein type (Harrison Gilbertson, a little over-the-top), who implants a chip to help repair the physical damage. What happens from there is like Knight Rider meets David Cronenberg. Right?! Whannell freshens up the technophobe dystopian narrative with a few fresh ideas, a silly streak and serious violence. This is the guy who wrote Saw, after all. Those who are surprised by the inspired bloodshed probably haven’t seen his canon. Marshall-Green shines when he’s not morose and lovelorn, but rather tentatively administering “justice.” His physical performance and the action sequences are enough to keep you interested; the strangely comical tone rewards you for your time. Aside from Betty Gabriel (always a joy to see her), the performances around Marshall-Green are serviceable: the devoted mom, the icy mercenaries, the boundlessly loving wife. Luckily, this is Marshall-Green’s show. Though he struggles (as does Whannell) with the emotional bits, he’s more than at home with the goofy and the violent. Long live the flesh! #movies #film #entertainment #moviereviews #filmreviews #HopeMadden #Upgrade #LeighWhannell #LoganMarshallGreen #BettyGabriel #HarrisonGilbertson

★ Directed by: Matthew Miele Starring: George Clooney, Wes Anderson, Jon Hamm, Naomi Campbell, Anjelica Huston Film Review by: Rachel Willis There are a few directions a film can take when focusing on a hotel with the kind of history as the Carlyle Hotel in Manhattan. A historical retrospective of its place in New York would have cemented the hotel as one of the city’s vibrant hearts. A simple history of the hotel itself and its early struggles after opening during the Great Depression and its rise to prominence could have proved an interesting subject if explored. However, director Matthew Miele focuses his documentary, Always at the Carlyle, on the shallowest of subjects—the hotel’s many famous guests. A good chunk of the film feels like a promotional advertisement. Interviews with hotel staff highlight the hotel’s charms without diving too deeply into those charms. One of the staff was given the opportunity to stay in the room that Princess Diana frequented on her visits to New York. When asked by Miele if the room’s $10,000 per night fee is worth it, she says yes. It’s hard to imagine her saying anything else. The rest of the film is interviews with its rich and famous guests. From George Clooney to Angelica Huston to Lenny Kravitz to Sofia Coppola, we’re told repeatedly why they find the Carlyle so inviting. They hint at scandals and extravagant parties, but no one ever divulges anything truly interesting. There’s a lack of cohesion to the story Miele is trying to tell, so it’s not entirely clear what he hopes to accomplish. Part of the documentary focuses on the upcoming arrival of William and Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. From the initial call booking the room to the couple’s arrival, it could have been a lynchpin for the movie, but their story is abandoned half-way through the film. Instead, it’s simply another entry into the Carlyle’s roster of celebrity guests. Miele’s film is, in some ways, representative of the worst of our celebrity-obsessed culture. It equates wealth with class, fame with sophistication, and the past as a time when things were “better.” It’s the same kind of culture that led to the death of the hotel’s frequent visitor, Princess Diana. While The Carlyle may have an interesting story to tell, this documentary doesn’t do it. #movies #film #entertainment #AlwaysattheCarlyle #filmdocumentary #MatthewMiele #GeorgeClooney #WesAnderson #JonHamm #NaomiCampmbell #AnjelicaHuston #RachelWillis #documentary

★★★★ Directed by: David Cave Written by: David Cave Starring: Ilena Cardy, Joseph Khaliffa, Jessie Cave and Jimmy Hargri Short Film Review by: Rachel Pullen Self harm, to some people it’s a way of dealing with their anxiety and stress, helping them come to terms with certain situations in their life, and in the case of Girl and a Scar our leading lady is doing just that. Welcome to the stage David Cave’s new short, a tale of a girl who is battling her demons in her own way, played by Ilena Cardy, this gothic beauty guides us into her own mind, one that is rich in animation, gore and a vampire-esque sense of style [think how people dress who have read Interview with a Vampire too much]. After the departure of her love, the girl cuts away at the same place on her body, in time this wound grows, taking on its own life and creating some rather unpleasant side effects, we see her struggle between her decaying home and an industrial wasteland, falling into animated dreams of herself ingesting some rather unpleasant meals, all along the present razor blade features, a reminder that this is her own personal nightmare. Girl and a Scar has no dialogue, no narrative as such, but it’s not a silent film. There is the constant howling wind throughout, drumming home the feeling of isolation, like you’re on the moors in Wuthering Heights and Kate Bush is lurking in the distance...chilling. As well as this, Cave has played heavy on the sound effects, reminding me of David Lynch’s Eraserhead, the budget effects gore becomes even more unpleasant with the heightened sound, allowing for true immersion into the scene for the viewer, important when only having a limited space of time to grab the viewer's attention. For we must remember this is a short, running at 15 minutes Cave has crammed a whole lot of style into his time, and while this piece is not easy to decipher, Cave’s choices have given a platform for investigation. You are really able to make choices as to what this girl is going through, and just like trying to understand anyone’s thoughts entirely, it can seem an overwhelming task. This short is bold in visuals, not afraid to buck the trend, but can be a little confusing at times, so if you’re looking for an easy watch I would not recommend but for fans out there of David Lynch or Dario Argento’s work, get on board, strap yourself in and ride the freak train to your insanity. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #RachelPullen #DavidCave #IlenaCardy #JosephKhaliffa #JessieCave #JimmyHargri

★★★★ Directed by: Michael Pearce Starring: Jessie Buckley, Johnny Flynn, Geraldine James Film Review by: Hope Madden An outsider love story, a chilly whodunit, a psychological thriller—Beast is all and none of these. This remarkably assured first feature from writer/director Mark Pearce keeps its focus on Moll (Jessie Buckley), the highly-scrutinized woman living with her parents in a small island community. We open serenely enough on an angelic church choir rehearsing, a peace that’s harshly broken by the choir leader’s remark: I need more from you, Moll. Geraldine James is haughty Hilary Huntington, the choirmaster; Moll is her grown daughter. Soon a rugged stranger draws Moll out of her unhappy life, makes her feel awake and seen. She is destined to love this boy regardless of the string of missing girls in her village, regardless of his shady past, and in spite of the warnings of the smothering community. Pearce’s skills keep you entranced, no matter the tropes he so easily picks up, throws off or reinvents. Sunlight, shadow, earth, sea—all these serve the visual storyteller’s purpose, while angles and frames keep you off kilter as you puzzle through the tale at hand. You’re as invested, cautious and curious as Moll, but it’s actually Buckley’s performance—her depiction of Moll’s internal conflict—that is the most compelling and mysterious. As Moll changes demeanor, exploring her own identity becomes more important than determining her lover’s. Johnny Flynn impresses as well as the local no-account presumed guilty, sharing a misfit chemistry with Moll that is both primal and tender. Tenderness is not what she’s used to from her severe mother, an epic James. Together with the washed out colors of the characters’ bleak world, the film offers a harsh backdrop for Moll’s dizzying grasp on her own reality. The conflict, duality and self-discovery in Beast cannot help but draw you in, asking you about your own inner beast. Without hitting a single false note, no matter the choir leader’s opinion, Buckley ushers us through a moral quagmire with a fire and authenticity that is gorgeous to behold. #movies #film #entertainment #HopeMadden #Beast #independentfilm #Britishfilms #JackieBuckley #JohnnyFlynn #GeraldineJames #MichelPearce

★★★★ Directed by: Alexander Tuschinski Written by: Alexander Tuschinski Starring: Alexander Tuschinski, Kelly Holland, Bonifacio Brass Documentary Film Review by: Chris Olson Electric with myth, legend, and hearsay, short documentary Mission: Caligula is the exciting story behind filmmaker Alexander Tuschinski’s devotion and ongoing plan to restore a version of the notorious seventies film Caligula. However, unlike most movie restoration projects, this is not for aesthetic or technical reasons, instead the version which Tuschinski plans to painstakingly piece together is going to be more aligned to that of the original filmmaker, Tinto Brass, who was famously dismissed from the film during production. Starring iconic performers such as Peter O’Toole, Helen Mirren, and Malcolm McDowell, Caligula is famous not only for its front of camera talent, but the drama and theatrics that occurred off screen. Not only was Brass dismissed during production, the author of the original screenplay, Gore Vidal, also sued to have his name removed from the film as the version Brass was making was too far removed from his vision. In the end, the production team, headed by Bob Guccione, finished the film by ruthlessly cutting and chopping the footage as well as shooting more and extending scenes (many of which were pornographic). Fast forward almost four decades and the film is still a controversial one. In Mission: Caligula we are able to chart the journey of Tuschinski in this epic tale. He originally became fascinated with Brass’ filmmaking and did his university thesis on Caligula, thereby lighting a fire under him to pursue this artistic rebirth. He tracked down the new owner of Caligula, Kelly Holland (who is the CEO of Penthouse) at Cannes Film Festival and joined forces with her to track down more of the film's original footage and materials, a journey which spanned multiple continents. We also hear from Brass’ son Bonifacio Brass, who gives a fascinating insight into the life on set of Caligula and the work of his parents. What's so inspiring about Mission: Caligula is the relentless passion of Tuschinski and his undeniably entrancing quest. In a world where many mainstream blockbuster films are diagnosed with studio tampering and often feel like they have failed to live up to our expectations given the talent supposedly involved, it is remarkable to see a new generation filmmaker go so enthusiastically in search of another's vision and devote so much of his time and energy to resurrecting a piece simply on the grounds of artistic merit. In terms of a documentary, there are a few small issues. The number of talking heads is a little low and some of the sound quality could be improved, but there is an anarchic energy to Tuschinski (present in his previous films) that utterly emanates from the screen and grips you like...well not like a sledgehammer to the head (a sequence in Caligula) but sometimes similar. The whole piece feels like a glorious treasure hunt for film fans and is a must watch for any Brass devotee. Now, we just need to set Tuschinski on the path of all the other movies ruined by studios. Who has the number for those Suicide Squad guys? Watch the official movie trailer below... Or watch the entire film as part of the UK Film Channel below... #DocumentaryFilmReviews #Documentaries #ChrisOlson #Restoration #AlexanderTuschinski #KellyHolland #TintoBrass #PeterO39Toole #HelenMirren #MalcolmMcDowell #BonifcacioBrass #UKFilmChannel

★★★ Directed by: John Cameron Mitchell Starring: Elle Fanning, Alex Sharp, Nicole Kidman Film Review by: Hope Madden Oh, the fish out of water tale. What if X found itself in Y: a mermaid in New York City, an American werewolf in London, an alien in Croydon? What hijinks could arise! Elle Fanning is that alien, Zan, and Croydon is a suburb of London that was, in 1977, thrashing about to the strains of the burgeoning and decaying punk rock scene. When Enn (Alex Sharp) and his fanzine-writing mates stumble into an alien house party, believing it to be a punk show after party, Zan abandons the strict duties of her visit to experience life on Earth. Who better to bring Neil Gaiman’s short story to the big screen than Hedwig himself, John Cameron Mitchell (Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Shortbus, Rabbit Hole)? Directing, as well as co-writing the adaptation with Philippa Goslett, Mitchell strives to complete Gaiman’s 18 pages with punk attitude, coming of age angst, romance, political asides and style. He’s only marginally successful on any of those counts. Punk rock seems a perfect vehicle for the central themes of conformity versus individuality. What the film needs is a little punk rock. Instead, it offers knowing lip service (and next to no music) in service of an all-too-earnest love story. The brightest light glimmers from Nicole Kidman as grand master on the scene, Queen Boadicea. Patroness of the dingiest club, bondage artist and the dying spirit of an era not meant to age well, she relishes every ridiculous line and delivers perhaps the film’s only truly honest dialogue. Fanning captivates, as is her way. All the joy, curiosity and misunderstanding she can muster create a character who becomes far more than simply the first hot girl to pay attention to Enn. Sharp performs solidly as the wallflower everyman, although that is part of the problem. Scribblings, safety pins and zines aside, Enn is just a middle-of-the-road sweetheart. The film is not about the outsider at all, though it pretends to be. It pretends a lot of things, sometimes very colorfully and often entertainingly, but without a raucous atonal tune to push it forward and with a fairly lukewarm crisis to overcome, it fails entirely at embodying the punk rock themes it proposes. Oh my God, this movie is a poseur. What would Hedwig think? Watch the movie trailer for How To Talk to Girls At Parties below... #movies #film #entertainment #moviereviews #filmreviews #HowtoTalktoGirlsatParties #ElleFanning #AlexSharp #NicoleKidmsn #HopeMadden #JohnCameronMitchell

Written, Directed and Animated by: Jack Bennett Narrated by: Mike Skinner Short Film Review by: Hannah Sayer The premise for Jack Bennett’s latest animated short film is a school scenario which will seem familiar to many. Not the End of the World is a genuinely funny and entertaining short film which proves Bennett’s talent for writing, directing and animation. Not the End of the World follows Joe Connoly (voiced by Chris Ashby) as he wakes up to what he expects to be a normal day at school. The voice-over informs the viewer at the start of the film that Joe still does not have a girlfriend. This is something that becomes of greater importance as the story goes on. It is a usual day in class, where Joe is sat next to his best friend Frisbee, when he receives a note from a secret admirer that reads “I think u r cute”. This mysterious note is met with excitement and curiosity by Joe’s classmates and it leads Joe to try to decipher who the sender can be out of three possible Molly’s. What follows is a comedic tale which takes an unexpected turn for Joe as things don’t turn out as he imagined when he first received the note. The narration by Mike Skinner throughout Not the End of the World works well in establishing more of a connection for the viewer with the animation, which is not easy to achieve when a film’s running time is only eight minutes. The animation is extremely impressive and the whole look of the film is one of the stand out elements of the short film. The character of Joe is likeable and his strange yet exciting day at school is a storyline which keeps the viewer engaged as we want to know how his day is going to turn out. The dialogue is well-written and at times is laugh out loud funny. It’s hard not to smile at the ending which is abrupt but leaves a lasting impression. Overall, Not the End of the World is a funny and relatable snapshot into an awkward and uncertain age which is made unique and engaging through its great script and animation. #NottheEndoftheWorld #JackBennett #MikeSkinner #ChrisAshby #HannahSayer #ShortFilmReviews #AnimatedFilmReviews #Comedy

★★★★ Directed by: Scott A. Hamilton Starring: Christopher Mann, Khalil McMillan, Vincent Young, Shaira Barton, Johnny Alonso & Erin Obrien Indie Film Review by: Jack Bottomley With a title like What Death Leaves Behind, you might expect Scott A. Hamilton’s Drama/Thriller to be more of a horror film and in many senses it is just that. However, the horror is not so much before your eyes as behind them. The story centres on Jake (newcomer Khalil McMillan) who is in the waiting line for a kidney transplant, while he keeps his working/family life in balance. The day finally arrives but what should give him a new lease on life comes to leave him afflicted, as he is plagued by unexplained visions of an unknown woman’s fate. He links these visions to his successful transplant but can an organ really carry actual memories or are these moments even memories at all? One thing is for sure; Jake’s investigation into these visualisations may well lead him to some dark places. You could be forgiven – what with the transplant operation core to this tale – for remembering The Pang Brothers’ 2002 horror The Eye or its inferior 2008 Jessica Alba led remake but in reality What Death Leaves Behind is far less full frontal with its shocks. In fact this twisty little drama, while not overlong, certainly takes its time unfurling the full story and while you may find yourself ahead on some plot points, there is a neat twist at the conclusion of the film, not to mention a very effectively authentic semi-unresolved ending. The fragmented narrative structure does confuse a tad at times but ultimately is necessary in keeping the story intriguing and Hamilton’s film never feels to lose its train of thought or its sense of style. Thanks to the cinematography (also by Hamilton) and score by Tasos Eliopoulos, this film has an interesting aesthetic, at times being quite grounded in realism, at others feeling a bit noirish and in the genuinely nightmarish vision sequences (all the more incredible thanks to the black and white visuals), the film almost evokes the hypnosis sequences from Jordan Peele’s sublime Get Out. Away from the visual power or piecing together of the story though, What Death Leaves Behind is bolstered by an excellent performance from its lead. Khalil McMillan is our everyman but through his experiences and feelings, he becomes a complex figure that mentally is challenged throughout the film. McMillan’s turn is convincingly conflicted and it helps to add more to the themes within Hamilton, Chad Morton, Nico Giampietro and Rachel Fraser Ofori’s screenplay. The film tackles very real issues of psychological strain resulting from facing your own mortality head on, as well as the pressures of the American medical financial system and how parenthood or love can be the sole light in a very dark state of mind. The film questions your allegiances come the finish and leaves you to question what is not only right but also what is kindest, in this situation. As well as leaving you to assemble all the pieces and realize the logic behind the protagonist’s dark, deadly, journey. What Death Leaves Behind is a bit rough around the edges but its fractured plot structure fits the concept and it leaves you constantly thinking and questioning the compelling events throughout the relatively brief 80+ minute running time. Watch the official trailer below... #IndieFilmReviews #IndieFilms #JackBottomley #ScottAHamilton #KhalilMcMillan #ChristopherMann #VincentYoung #AmandaDiaz #ErinObrien #JohnnyAlonso #ShairaBarton

★★★ Directed by: J.L Jackson Starring: Bobby Cole, Karin Tracy and Jeffrey Carter Short Film Review by: Annie Vincent Dust-covered, gritty post-apocalyptic disaster movies are a big audience draw these days and Contaminate has all the hallmarks of one such dystopian tale. We are presented with a world destroyed by extreme weather phenomenon, brought about by climate change; we have a nomadic society living off what it can and the survival of the fitness (or most violent) to accompany it; and we have our hopefuls who wish for something better and appear to have found a way to achieve it. The problem here in Contaminate, directed by J.L. Jackson, is that we also have a jealous ex-lover, a few zombies and a significant issue with the relevance of some characters’ motivations, and whilst Contaminate is a fair disaster short in principle, it muddies the water with out-of-genre conventions which detract from the grit that we want to see and that the film works hard to create. The opening space shots of Earth show a vastly different landscape to the one we all know today and describes the catastrophic effects climate change has had on the world – highly topical and a great setting for a disaster movie because we can all imagine this to be the case. So too, can we imagine a family living out in the wilderness trying to avoid being mugged by local gangs desperate for food or other valuable resources – so far, so good, except for the audio-balancing, which has our characters drowned out by rustling leaves and the wind, and the rapport between our on-screen family isn’t all that strong. There’s a hint of discontinuity too as Drexel Frederick, played by Bobby Cole, explains what the world was like before this to his teenage daughters who were born into a world of chilli cheese fries and drive-ins, so we are left to wonder just how long they’ve been living like this. What appears to be a random mugging turns to tragedy and our family are thrown into turmoil. Seeking shelter, they stumble upon a warehouse housing a small group who come under attack because they are also sheltering ‘contaminates’. Here, our genres start to merge and when Riley, Drexel’s wife is kidnapped, the plot not only thickens, but runs our disaster movie in the background while a family drama takes the spotlight and our villain loses all credibility by abandoning his original intention and pouring his heart out. The camerawork, shaky early on when some heads were cut off, improves as the film progresses, but as the fight scenes increase, we see a delay between action and sound effect, with some actors not really able to convince us the beating they’re receiving is as violent as it’s made to sound. The premise of Contaminate was really promising but the script took it in a different direction; it became less about the battle to survive and more about defeating old enemies, both alive and dead: not quite the post-apocalyptic adventure we were hoping for. #AnnieVincent #JLJackson #disastershort #Contaminate #BobbyCole #KarinTracy #JeffreyCarter

Press Releases > Film Festivals > Grimmfest Film Festival “The UK is lucky indeed to have such a great festival in its own back yard!” – Dread Central "One of the most prominent genre festivals in the UK, attracting premieres, special guests and plenty of media attention” – Bloody Disgusting UK genre film festival Grimmfest is delighted to announced that this year’s 10th Anniversary festival will take place at the ODEON Manchester Great Northern, 4th-7th October. Their special guest will be actress and horror genre icon BARBARA CRAMPTON. Renowned for her roles in cult classics such as RE-ANIMATOR and FROM BEYOND, Barbara continues to be a major figure in contemporary genre cinema, appearing in such acclaimed recent releases as YOU'RE NEXT, BEYOND THE GATES, SUN CHOKE, WE ARE STILL HERE and REPLACE. Festival director Simeon Halligan said: "This is our 10th anniversary year and to celebrate, we will be focusing on women in horror. We’ve already announced our new awards structure and the all-female jury but we also felt it was perfect timing to invite one of our favourite screen stars to the festival". Barbara will be talking about her acting career and will introduce a special screening of 80's horror classic RE-ANIMATOR as well as a premiere of one of her new movies. She will also receive a lifetime achievement award, sponsored by Horror Channel. Full festival passes for the 10th edition of Grimmfest are on sale from 9am on Monday 4th June, and are available to purchase at www.grimmfest.com. #Grimmfest #Grimmfest2018 #FilmFestivals #UKFilmFestivals #PressReleases #FilmFestivals2018

★★★ Directed by: Bryce Mongillo Written by: J. L. Jackson Starring: Liliane Laborde-Edozien, Chloe Berman, Eric Paul Erickson, David Neff, Varda Appleton, Greg Couet, Nick Bishop, Chris Petrillo Short Film Review by: Chris Olson A young woman called Summer takes it upon herself to investigate the death of her friend Leila, only to discover that her passing is linked to a violent and brutal underworld of narcotics. As the police carry out their own questioning, in particular Leila’s dad, more violence could ensue if those responsible are not found and if the authorities do not catch up with Summer’s own formidable investigation. Perhaps more televisual than cinematic, Dark Tunnel, written by J. L. Jackson and directed by Bryce Mongillo, is told using a narrative that is complex and interwoven like the cream of the crop of TV crime mysteries. It brings to mind the scandinavian dramas that have entertained audiences for the last few years, whilst tying in the thriller suspense of a short film running time, creating a largely compelling atmosphere. An atmosphere which is enhanced by the fluid editing of Jackson and the comprehensive music by Matthew Schwartz. The storyline is fairly familiar, but the ensemble cast do a decent job of lending credence to the proceedings. The plot is typically incoherent, keeping the characters and criminal underworld a vaguely painted menace until the final third where all becomes clear. More time needed to be spent with Summer to depict her hurting so as to allow the audience to understand her motivations more and become fully engaged with her campaign for truth and justice. The sequences where the father is interrogated by a mostly inept police force are well filmed but strangely ineffective, creating a frustration for the audience who are just as eager to crack on and hunt the true villains as the dad. The lead performers were solid, portraying believable characters that were motivated by a tumultuous catalyst and emotional turmoil. Some of the officers felt unconvincing, running through a routine that failed to grasp the emotional depth that Summer’s scenes were. Capitalising on genre TV and short film structure, Dark Tunnel does well to engage its audience in a tense and propelling story that is bleakly layered and well acted, it at times melodramatic. It unfortunately fails to break free of the confines set by so many precursors but does well to operate within them and deliver something entertaining. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #ChrisOlson #Crime #BryceMongillo #JLJackson #LilianeLabordeEdozien #ChloeBerman #EricPaulErickson #DavidNeff #VardaAppleton #GregCouet #NickBishop #ChrisPetrillo

★★★ Directed by: Ranga Bandaranayake Documentary Film Review by: Owen Herman Life Without Love – Love Without Life is a documentary that looks at suicide in Sri Lanka, a country which has one of the highest suicide rates in the world. The topic of suicide is often looked at in documentary form, but director Ranga Bandaranayake focuses on the often-overlooked tragedy of suicide squads used in war. Bandaranayake explores this topic in a deep and interesting way. He takes first hand accounts and compares them to research from academics to show that the suicide epidemic is down to more than just individual feelings and is part of the social, economic, and political situation in Sri Lanka. There is a lot to learn here, the film delves into the recent history of Sri Lanka and looks at both sides of those affected by suicide attacks. The film does a great job of allowing you to understand why people actually chose to commit these almost unbelievable acts. The film also mixes its standard documentary style with thoughtful narration set to images of Sri Lanka, some shocking and some beautiful. This narration is heavy on metaphors and it ultimately takes away from the overall experience. These metaphors and sayings are simply not as powerful as the actual facts that the film reveals, meaning that during these moments the overall driving message is somewhat lost. There is also an unfortunate issue with the translation of the subtitles. There are several grammatical errors and a few times sentences just didn’t make sense. This really took away from some of the important points the interviewees were making, as sometimes it was hard to grasp what they were trying to say. Suicide is such an important topic and it is one that, when explored with intelligence and compassion, can make for important and educational documentaries. Life Without Love – Love Without Life does handle it with intelligence and compassion, but its overall message is marred by some poor filmmaking. Overall its subject shines through, making it a documentary worth watching for those who wish to find out more about such a tragic trend. #DocumentaryFilmReviews #Documentaries #OwenHerman #RangaBandaranayake #WorldCinema #SriLanka