★★★★ Directed by: Michael Doyle Starring: Grant Bayliss, Richie Baillie, Timothy Davies, Michael Doyle, John Anders Short Film Review by: Kirsty Asher The Old Believer is a horror film that slinks darkly through the mysterious world of primeval witchcraft and religious fear, with the added element of military force. The Siberian setting and the first image of a Russian Orthodox crucifix burning hellishly in the night is a haunting establishment of primeval misdoing and evil. The story is that of an elite special forces team hunting in the deepest Siberian forests for a witch who supposedly knows the whereabouts of the gates of Hell. It is a test of survival, and those who take part are doing so under pressure from the Church, which cleverly ties in themes of Biblical tests of strength and resilience. Many have succumbed, and those who don’t make are shown trapped in an inner turmoil, seemingly driven insane to the point that they brutally end their own lives. Our primary hero, the soldier, Vince, is played by the writer Grant Bayliss, whose real-life military background makes for an impressive and realistic performance as the man selected to endure the wilderness and find the source of Hell. He is pursued, like the other soldiers before him, by a truly sinister being which stalks Vince through the spindled forest with sinister relentlessness. The music is a teeming mixture of religious keening, reversed vocals, and woozy synths and it’s a brilliant tool for creating the necessary tension in Vince’s journey. The soundtrack combined with the imagery invokes some genuinely chilling moments. With the darkness cloaking Vince as he is pursued by the bone-white entity, it is stiflingly claustrophobic and intense to watch. There were however some sound issues with the recordings in the church scene, when a clergyman (Michael Doyle) and a mysterious hooded figure (John Anders) inform Vince of his mission. Although fairly well acted, and shot on location in a beautiful Norman church, the scene is overlaid with recorded dialogue that sounds grainy and at times muffled. The storyline itself remains slightly unclear at times and there are questions raised which go unanswered: what is the organisation known as Doom? What does their symbol and its motto mean? The film is described by the director as “a passion film art project which continues to evolve and expand its horrifying world” which suggests further extensions to this project in the future. Considering the highly impressive cinematography and editing of this short and its original take on a witchcraft horror story it would be intriguing to see how this project progresses in the future. This is clearly a creative meeting of minds, and the short stands as a strong entry in the indie horror genre. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #KirstyAsher #MichaelDoyle #GrantBayliss #RichieBaillie #TimothyDavies #JohnAnders

★★★★ Written and Directed by Fred Cavender Starring Roxane Brumachon, Mark Denieffe Short Film Review by Hannah Sayer Douleurless was made as part of “Le Projet Téléphone”, a cross cultural and cross genre project involving French and international artists. In September 2017, a proverb was picked at random and given to the first artist as a point of inspiration. That artist had two weeks to create something within their artistic genre before passing their work along to the next artist. Seven months later, artists from nine different countries and ten different art forms have participated. Before Douleurless there was a monologue, a dance, a drawing, music and a costume, yet even without this context Douleurless still stands on its own as a sci-fi short film with an intriguing yet unsettling concept. The film follows a couple, played by Roxane Brumachon and Mark Denieffe, who are waiting for their appointment in an advanced genetics clinic. The film opens with a news broadcast playing in the waiting room which shows reports of the riots against the clinic and its role within the future of humanity. The woman is pregnant and they are at the clinic for an unknown procedure which will mean that their child will become a “New World” child. The woman calls the people rioting against the genetics clinic “terrorists” who are “fighting against our future. Our evolution!”. However, the man has an opposing view to his partner as he argues for what the people rioting believe in. She is invested in the procedure they are waiting to have done but he is against it. Mentions of child sacrifice, mutilation and inhumanity reveal the unsettling extent to this future world but Cavender allows for mystery and intrigue to prevail by not revealing too much about this clinic and the broader context within the film’s short six minute running time. As well as writing and directing the film, Cavender shot, edited and mixed Douleurless too which is impressive. Roxane Brumachon and Mark Denieffe are brilliant in their roles, with the man speaking in English and the woman in French which is an interesting addition to the film. “Douleur” translated from French means pain/ache, which suggests that Douleurless as a title can be translated to mean “painless” when combining the French and the English words. This is another way the two languages are used together within Douleurless. The film being set in a waiting room which is often associated with anxiousness and anticipation adds to the intensity of the short. This exploration of two opposing viewpoints causing tension and leading to an eventual clashing of opinions is extremely well-directed and acted. The great ending is memorable and reinforces that this short film is an accomplished look at an imagined future where this mysterious genetic treatment has become the norm. #Douleurless #FredCavender #RoxaneBrumachon #MarkDenieffe #HannahSayer #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms

★★ Directed by Vaughn Stein Starring Margot Robbie, Simon Pegg, Mike Myers Film Review by Hope Madden Femme fatales. Hitmen. Disjointed timelines. Neon. Sin City was interesting in 2005. Vaughn Stein’s debut as a feature film writer/director, after many years assisting, borrows heavily from the Tarantino explosion of the Nineties and early 2000s. He drops us into a metropolitan underworld where danger intersects with madness and borrowed style tries desperately to draw attention away from lack of substance. He does have Margot Robbie, though, so that’s a start. Robbie plays the aforementioned femme fatale in a hulking underbelly of a soundstage meant to look like a cross between a wee-hours train terminal, an insane asylum and Wonderland—all with that vacant, neon emptiness of a neo-noir. Robbie’s Annie is a hitman masquerading as a waitress in the terminals all-night diner. There’s a hidden mastermind, a mysterious cripple, a couple of contract killers and a teacher who needs a little nudge before he’s ready to off himself. Vaughn immediately brings Sin City to mind with his splashy comic book noirisms. It’s hard for that to feel fresh at this stage in filmdom, and his tired hodge-podging of hyper-dramatic tropes doesn’t breathe any new life into the story. In fact, the story is the problem. It’s an awful lot of nothing, truth be told, with nary a surprise and loads of letdowns. There is a bit in the diner that’s worth a watch. An excellent Simon Pegg waits for a train and chit chats with a borderline insane waitress (Robbie). Their chemistry is odd and welcome, and Pegg's delivery is particularly impeccable. In these scenes, Vaughn’s writing suddenly feels engaging and unpredictable. The core story about two killers Annie is playing against each other peters out blandly, and though the answer to any other surprise has long ago been telegraphed in, still we sit through an intolerable backstory. Robbie does what she can, though she leans a bit too heavily on her Harley Quinn character to sell Annie’s mental state. She’s mad as a hatter, you see. We know that because she told us so in an opening voiceover narration. #VaughnStein #SimonPegg #MikeMyers #HopeMadden #Terminal #MargotRobbie #movies #film #entertainment #moviereviews #filmreviews #neonoir #FilmReviews #TheatricalReleases

★★★★ Directed by: Fabio Guglielmelli Written by: Fabio Guglielmelli Starring: Dimitri Andreas Short Film Review by: Chris Olson Intriguing and introspective, Fabio Guglielmelli’s short film The Bed is a dramatic piece of dialogue-free filmmaking that asks the audience the posit, and answer, all the questions with phenomenally compelling results. Dimitri Andreas plays a gentleman going about his end of day routines, tidying his flat from what looks like a party, although his outfit suggests otherwise, as he makes preparations for sleep. However, once in The Bed, he seems haunted by events which play around in his mind, keeping a restful slumber an elusive possibility. He attempts to busy himself with other menial tasks and activities, however, the voices of memory are never far away. Tactful and intelligently filmed, filmmaker Fabio Guglielmelli proves you can do a whole lot with very little. Whilst the narrative is vague and the locations are limited, The Bed still impresses on a cinematic level. Andreas is the focal point for the audience, both in a visual sense and our growing perception of events which may have taken place, a role which he inhabits spectacularly. As he moves through his apartment with all the placidity of a caged animal, a palpable foreboding emanates and we are encouraged to imagine various situations that could explain why this man can't sleep, and why it looks as if a wake has just taken place. The pacing of the short was brilliant, allowing the atmosphere to slowly boil in the background whilst the viewer is led into a false sense of security. There is a disarming effect to watching an elderly gent walking about his home that perfectly contrasts the possible darker themes at play or to create poignant suggestions as to why he is tidying after what looks like a gathering has taken place. Guglielmelli wants your imagination to start percolating and then run wild, a tremendous filmmaking skill. Whilst the aesthetic is cleverly delivered, the central performance is captivating, and the premise is a smart one, the lack of a narrative, or rather tangible plot points, is certain to leave many audiences isolated and potentially unsatisfied from a viewing. It's a film that demands you bring as much to the table as it will, and if you can heartily engage then it will have any number of fascinating and entertaining attributes, but if you turn up expecting to be spoon-fed a linear narrative or simple yarn, all you will find is a man tidying, smoking, and doing anything but sleep. Watch the official movie trailer for The Bed below... #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #ChrisOlson #Drama #Thriller #FabioGuglielmelli #DimitriAndreas

★★★★​ Directed by Atsuko Hirayanagi Starring Shinobu Terajima, Kaho Minami, Shioli Kutsuna, Josh Hartnett Film Review by George Wolf For her feature debut, writer/director Atsuko Hirayanagi expands her captivating short from three years ago, which left "Lucy" at a crossroads of self-discovery. Hirayanagi also fulfills all the promise from that earlier work, taking a cross-cultural comedic premise and layering it with heartbreak, desperation, silliness and hope. "Lucy" is actually Setsuko (Shinobu Terajima), an unmarried office worker in Tokyo barely on speaking terms with her sister Ayako (Kaho Minami). But Setsuko is friendly with Ayako's daughter Mika (Shioli Kutsuna), and agrees to help her out with some cash by buying Mika's unused English lessons. The class is taught by John (Josh Harnett), who's a bit of a hugger and big on new identities to pair with the new language his students are learning. Setsuko gets "Lucy" and a blonde wig. She's intrigued, and then confused, as John suddenly quits the class and heads back to the states - with Mika. Hirayanagi's writing, pace and camerawork are steady and assured, as she confidently fleshes out the story her short film hinted at so smartly. There's plenty of humor in the film, but never at the expense of a uniquely human core that's driven by Terajima's marvelous lead performance. There is pain in Lucy's past, and she's become a soul that's merely existing, always longing for connection. Learning a new way to communicate awakens something within her, where a race toward the unknown offers the chance of a new life beyond fake names and wigs. Part character study, part social commentary, and part absurdist comedy, Oh, Lucy! is sneaky in the ways it touches you. Light and breezy on the outside, it's a film with a joyful heart that can't be denied. #AtsukoHirayanagi #ShinobuTerajima #KahoMinami #ShioliKutsuna #JoshHartnett #GeorgeWolf #movies #film #entertainment #moviereviews #filmreviews #FilmReviews #TheatricalReleases

★★★ Directed by: Steven Murphy Written by: Steven Murphy Starring: Bayley Freer, Steven Murphy, Sean Pogmore, Jane Mckell, Todd Von Joel Indie Film Review by: Chris Olson “Beware the angels you pray for.” That's the tagline of indie film My Saviour, written and directed by Steven Murphy, and a telling phrase it is considering the nature of his movie, in which Bayley Freer plays Monica, a subjugated mother of one, whose ostracised place in her local community begins to improve when a mysterious stranger called Michael (Steve Murphy) becomes her “saviour”. However, like all heroes, there is a backstory and Michael's could prove to be more trouble than Monica bargained for. Dark and dramatic, My Saviour has a sinister tone that is absolutely engulfing at times. Murphy's skill as a director is assured, creating some affecting and even disturbing sequences which are wholly entertaining (supported by First Assistant Director Mark Baggott). The stylistic choices he makes, in particular in the final stretch of the indie film, are bold and captivating. I particularly enjoyed the fighting scenes. That being said, there are two large flies in the ointment that prevent My Saviour from being a better film than it is. One is Murphy's performance. Heavy-handed (and not in a good way) and laboured, he struggles to fully realise this brutal yet intriguing character, often playing him as confusedly thuggish when the story perhaps required him to be more menacing. His use of clunky dialogue and repetitive lines was a let down. The second is the script, which does well enough to create a threatening atmosphere and convince us of the perilous situation Monica has found herself in but fails to elevate itself above mediocre amateur dramatics and wooden dialogue. The performances are a mixed bag. Murphy is somewhere in the middle, with an array of hackneyed locals filling up the foundations without much to say for themselves. But right at the top is Freer, whose turn is without doubt the best thing about My Saviour. Her character’s tumultuous journey is poignantly depicted by an actor with immense emotional depth and physicality. The brutalising effects of her surroundings seem to manifest as movements which are tragic and enduring, whilst the strength she finds in her stranger’s attention sees her emboldened, if only briefly, with a growing sense of unease building in the viewer as we predict an inevitable and foreboding demise of some sort. Murphy’s tale touched on numerous themes which were intelligently proposed if not executed. Monica’s isolation and sense of self-worth being one of the strongest aspects of the story. Michael’s strong silent type was quite a familiar trope but one which was interesting nonetheless, and his character’s flaws are (without spoilers) intrepidly explored. A worthy addition to the dark and stormy genre with a phenomenal central performance from Freer. Murphy’s lack of charisma in front of the camera notwithstanding his contributions as a whole mark him as a fearless filmmaker that given a full cast of talent on Freer’s level could be enough to deliver a solid knockout punch. Watch the official movie trailer for My Saviour below... #IndieFilmReviews #IndieFilms #ChrisOlson #MovieTrailers #Drama #Fighting #StevenMurphy #BayleyFreer #SeanPogmore #JaneMckell #ToddVonJoel #MarkBaggott

★★★★ Directed by: Ben Arend Reisman, Anne-Sophie Markus Starring: Jeanmarie Bevort, Frank Hitman, Tim Scalongne Indie Film Review by: Jack Bottomley P.T. Barnum once said that “The noblest art is that of making others happy”, in fact this very line was used at the end of the recent – more smoothed out – telling of Barnum’s story in The Greatest Showman. This very view comes immediately to mind at the end of this brief but fascinating insight into one duos journey across the remote Yunnan region communities of China. Their mission? To dream, to inspire, to entertain and to teach, and Ben Arend Reisman and co-director Anne-Sophie Markus’ remarkable and uplifting little documentary captures their inspiring journey. The film focuses on Jeanmarie Bevort, a Dutch street performer who desires to bring his fairy tale about a dwarf, a dragon and a golden egg to the most isolated mountainous villages across China. In his pursuit to entertain schools of children and families of all ages, Jeanmarie is accompanied by youth worker Frank Hitman, as the two go on an expedition of culture and delight, as well as one of discovery. This film is such a splendid little watch, which flies by as fast as a gliding dragon. Watching a documentary about people aiming to spread knowledge and laughter makes for a warm tonic to the soul in these troubled times and The Dwarf in China is a testament to perseverance, imagination and the engrossing power of storytelling. Not only does this film document this tour of fairy tales and performance art but also it generously highlights some intriguing themes throughout. Mainly how Western culture is infiltrating even the most distant of places, as these small settlements feature Nike brand shoes or Disney adorned backpacks. This is a documentary as much about modern society and how cross-cultural it has become/is becoming (even in the far reaches of the globe), as it is about a man and his accomplice’s journey to regale their audiences with tales of wonder that highlight important homegrown myths and legends. This film reflects how the world is moving but how tradition can be blended with the contemporary and still result in laughter and education. The Dwarf in China also contemplates an artist’s burden, namely how performers/actors/artists like Jeanmarie have in some way sacrificed their own family in the pursuit of their ambitions. Jeanmarie’s son Tim joins he and Frank on their quest and in the process the film briefly touches on a father’s happiness with his work but slight guilt in the costs that have come with it. That said it is rather refreshing to see an outcome that, in spite of some hardships (the handcrafted organ breaking en route, the limitations with putting on a show in places so remote) has resulted in efforts being rewarded with smiles and applause. Seeing young and old viewers alike sat in awe of these performances makes for a rather affirming viewing and while the film is a tad too brief to further explore some of its tasty ideas and settings, what it does in its 50 minute running length is quite sufficient. Anne-Sophie Markus’ cinematography of these close, child-filled, family-centric communities is exceptional and it makes for a learning experience seeing such places represented onscreen. All while Olivier Milchberg’s thoughtful music carries you along, as we meet fascinating characters, teachers and - of course - the central showmen, who continue to dream and create even now. As shown by the spontaneous finish. This film is a dedication to passion and the spreading of respect and joy to places far and wide, and in turn is a viewing experience that is really quite lovely to witness. Watch the official movie trailer for The Dwarf in China below... #IndieFilmReviews #DocumentaryFilmReviews #IndieFilms #Documentaries #JackBottomley #BenArendReisman #AnneSophieMarkus #JeanmarieBevort #FrankHitman #TimScalongne #WorldCinema

★★★★ Directed by Coralie Fargeat Starring Matilda Lutz, Kevin Janssens, Guillaume Bouchede, Vincent Colombe Film Review by Hope Madden The rape-revenge film is a tough one to pull off. Even in the cases where the victim rips bloody vengeance through the bodies of her betrayers, the films are too often titillating. Almost exclusively written and directed by men for a primarily male audience, the comeuppance angle can be so bent by the male gaze that the film feels more like an additional violation. Well, friends, writer/director Coralie Fargeat changes all that with Revenge, a breathless, visually fascinating, bloody-as-hell vengeance flick that repays the viewer for her endurance. (His, too.) Jen (Matilda Lutz—Rings) travels with her wealthy, married boyfriend to a remote desert getaway. She’s very young, bubble-gum sweet and trusting, a sexy charmer who wants far too much to be liked and noticed. Her lover, Richard (Kevin Janssens) is happy to oblige with that attention. Unfortunately, so are his two sketchy hunting buddies (Vincent Colombe, Guillaume Bouchede), who show up a day early, interrupting the romance and creating an unseemly tension at the house. Fargeat’s grasp of male entitlement and the elements of a rape culture are as sharp as her instincts for visual storytelling. Wildly off-kilter close-ups sandwich gorgeous vistas to create a dreamlike frame for the utterly brutal mess of a film unfolding. The filmmaker articulates the gender power struggle throughout the film as sights and sounds reflect and repeat—the echo of the image of a trail of blood from Act 1, for example, wordlessly emphasizes the shifting power. Symbol-heavy but never pretentious or preachy, Revenge the film follows a traditional path—she is betrayed, she is underestimated, she repays her assailants for their toxic masculinity. But between Fargeat’s wild aesthetic, four very solid performances, and thoughtful yet visceral storytelling, the film feels break-neck, terrifying and entirely satisfying. #HopeMadden #movies #film #entertainment #moviereviews #filmreviews #Revenge #horror #horrormovies #CoralieFargeat #MatildaLutz #GuillaumeBouchede #VincentColombe #MatildaLutzKevinJanssens #independentfilm #FilmReviews #TheatricalReleases

★★★★ Directed by: Sufian Abulohom Documentary Film Review by: Chris Olson Tackling the devastating social effect of the Yemen civil war, this short documentary from filmmaker Sufian Abulohom is an emotionally ferocious undertaking that wrestles brilliantly with the crippling fear of living through a war zone and the impossibility of forgiving those who have dropped bombs on your family and community. Yemen: The Silent War starts with some harrowing figures about the conflict. And whilst this technique is commonplace in documentary films, the statistics of the number of people affected are no less tragic or compelling. The titular “silent” aspect of the civil war in Yemen perhaps refers largely to the use of drones, a tactic which has left a traumatising effect on the Yemeni people, especially children who remain terrified by them. The silence may also refer to the shockingly large number of innocent refugees who have been displaced by the war, whose suffering seems of little importance to those fighting. To visually represent the tragic situation in Yemen, Abulohom has chosen to superimpose hand drawn animations of children playing over the Yemen landscape. Activities such as flying a kite on a beach or playing hopscotch take on a brutal poignancy when combined with the haunting narrative being described by victims. The use of the refugee camp in Yemen: The Silent War is intelligently done. At first sight, the place seems like a tragic loading ground for the country's forgotten people. However, as it's occupiers begin to describe the sanctuary the place has offered them, as well as their conflicting ideas on whether they could ever return home after everything that has happened, a strange sense of community reveals itself that reminds the audience that families live here. As one mother in the documentary notes, her only wish, as is any mother's, is that her children are safe. Abulohom drives home his message with a final act which is harshly candid. The broken hearted survivors of terrible bombings state that too many have perished for them to forgive either side. The blame lies with all the participants, all of whom are guilty of ruining thousands of lives with their violent campaigns against the other side without any thought to the treatment of innocent men, women and children. Concluded with some more obscenely awful statistics about the humanitarian crisis which rages on in the nation. The horror of war told from those most affected and defenseless, Yemen: The Silent War is a documentary that is viscerally sorrowful, a moving indictment of the warmongers of the world, whose unyielding violence and greed cares little for the precious lives of those in most need of protection. Watch the official movie trailer below... Or watch the entire short film for free below, as part of the UK Film Channel. #DocumentaryFilmReviews #ShortFilmReviews #Documentaries #ShortFilms #Yemen #WarFilms #ChrisOlson #SufianAbulohom

★★★ Directed by Ben Falcone Starring Melissa McCarthy, Matt Walsh, Molly Gordon, Gillian Jacobs, Maya Rudolph Film Review by Matt Weiner One of these days we’ll finally get a Melissa McCarthy movie that deserves her talents and doesn’t just desperately depend on them. Even though Life of the Party is written by McCarthy along with husband and frequent collaborator Ben Falcone… well, the wait isn’t over quite yet. McCarthy stars as Deanna Miles, a woman whose life is upended by a sudden divorce with her husband Dan (Matt Walsh). Realizing that she spent her adult life meekly going along with other people’s wishes, Deanna decides to finish her abandoned senior year of college. It’s a positive message, as far as mid-life crises go. This brings her into embarrassingly close contact with her daughter Maddie (Molly Gordon), who is also finishing her senior year at school, as well as Maddie’s sorority sisters. (All standard “not actually that weird” movie misfits, except for Gillian Jacobs, who injects some actual off-kilter menace as Helen.) The idea of a former student getting into classes immediately (apparently without the need to re-take additional core requirements), and paying to live on campus despite living 20 minutes away raises some logistical questions. But McCarthy’s comedic gifts have saved staler setups. She turns Deanna into a woman to root for, not pity, as she completes her degree, relives her youth and gets over her spineless ex-husband. Not that the film’s cringe comedy with a heart comes without a cost: the gentle nudges toward empowerment and inclusivity make for a welcoming message. But the steady laughs are all a bit defanged, especially for a setup about a woman whose husband has just divorced her after decades of building a life together (and who apparently still controls their finances in a way that makes her life materially difficult). Given how much the story invests in the contrived college setup, the real missed opportunity feels like the uninhibited adult comedy nipping at the outer edges of what ended up on screen. Maya Rudolph is wickedly good as Christine, the best friend living vicariously through Deanna. And Walsh can tease out more notes than should be possible when given the room to work his sad sack variations. It doesn’t really seem like the film is trying to connect with a younger audience anyway. The film is more homage to the triumphant ‘80s teen movies that McCarthy and Falcone would have eaten up as teens, with a “Save Deanna” finale and all. This is a good thing when it comes to the sexual politics. (Have you re-watched Revenge of the Nerds lately?) But the predictable setup makes Life of the Party diverting yet wholly forgettable. It’s a passing grade, but just barely. #MattWalsh #MattWeiner #MelissaMcCarthy #BenFalcone #movies #film #entertainment #moviereviews #filmreviews #MollyGordon #GillianJacobs #MayaRudolph #comedy #FilmReviews #TheatricalReleases

★★★★★ Directed by: Danny Gibbons Written by: Danny Gibbons Starring: Sophie Jones and Ric Renton Short Film Review by: Rachel Pullen Gas lighting is utterly lame, take it from me, I was gas lighted by a guy I dated for years, a nice combination of emotional and physical abuse was my day to day, but out of everything he put me through, gas lighting was the worse [and no it does not involve any kind of gas lamps, disappointing I know]. Now if you don’t know what gas lighting is then well done you for having healthy and well developed relationships, but go Google it now because education is key, and for those of you who do or have experienced it you know it’s a very isolating and traumatising experience. Danny Gibbons writes and directs his short film Mark’d, the study of a young woman who is the victim of gas lighting at its finest, she is under the control of a passively aggressive man who is undermining his lady friend at every given opportunity....what a catch he is. We open with her getting ready for a date, making the effort to look good for her man, it seems like an innocent relationship until we meet the piece of garbage she thinks she loves. Tension is built instantly by isolating the couple within the shot, when the waiter comes we don’t see his face, we don’t see anyone else in the restaurant, you are trapped in his gaze, the awkward exchanges, giving for full submersion into their unpleasant and unhealthy relationship. Ric Renton who plays the boyfriend does a sterling job of embodying the passive yet dominate stance that comes with gas lighting someone, and as a person who has lived through that rubbish he really drove home the role, displaying all the mannerisms and tricks that had been played on me in the past, even viewers who have not been victims of gas lighting can feel the hostility radiating off him through the screen. Gibbons brings the inevitable violence into the picture in a subtle yet effective manner, using the technique that the less we see the better, the idea of our leading man’s aggression is enough to strike the audience, as we sit, like her knowing with every moment that he becomes more angry, the more of a repercussion she is going to face. Mark’d is a moving piece of cinema, and even for those who have never dealt with or know someone who has dealt with the subject matter are still going to feel the full emotional effect that this short film has to offer, with excellent acting and a professional and slick appearance this short is certainly not one to miss. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #RachelPullen #Drama #DannyGibbons #SophieJones #RicRenton

★★★★ Directed by: Marshall Malone Starring: Rob Moccio, Jeremy Smith, Pauleen Conde and Jaron Wallace Short Film Review by: Annie Vincent Mockumentaries are great- why aren’t there more mockumentaries? In Real Reality: Life Inside the Discomfort Zone, Marshall Malone invites us into Steve Stevenson’s (yes, the silly little repetitions continue in other parts of the film) world – a place so dark after the events of 2016 that he has retreated into his VR headset: permanently. This is an enjoyable short. At just ten minutes long, I think audiences will be left a little sad that there isn’t more, but what we do get is highly amusing. Steve just cannot get over the trauma of 2016, and who can blame him with all of its celebrity deaths, with the Trump v Clinton presidential campaign and the Ghostbusters sequel? He has taken to wearing his VR headset permanently and now become ‘president of his own world, completely engrossed in this alternate reality. His best friend, flatmate, workmate, soulmate, Michael Gordon, is increasingly worried, though he only realised there was a problem when Steve starting wearing the headset permanently (sometimes the clichés are still funny). Steve barely talks to anybody, hasn’t had sex in three years and is walloped daily by Aaron Lawless, the technophobe neighbour with an abhorrence of the VR goggle and a view that escapism is best achieved through drug abuse. In a bid to help him, Michael sets Steve up on a dating website, but despite getting a good match, it doesn’t do the trick. Eventually, when Steve puts a 2015 calendar up on the wall, Michael feels enough is enough and he finally gets to the bottom of it all. In true mockumentary style, there are some amusing slapstick moments and all the stereotypical comments, charicatures and structures of a real documentary are played with. The delivery is subtle throughout without any expectant pauses so it is worth watching through more than once to pick up on all the little references. The acting is good, the composition and filming professional and the film has already picked up its first award. Let’s hope there is more to come from the Real Reality series. #Mockumentary #AnnieVincent #MarshallMalone #RobMoccio #JeremySmith #PauleenConde #JaronWallace #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms