Directed by Fred Cavender Starring Bess Davies, Mark Chapman, Paul Wilson, Jair Massiah, Louis Hill Short Film Review by Evie Brudenall Job interviews are daunting in the most casual and mundane of scenarios, but when there’s an unidentified timer countdown and no escape from a locked room, nerves and tension are increased exponentially. In a waiting room, four hopefuls sit patiently for an upcoming job interview. The receptionist abruptly exits, but leaves behind a timer on his computer – 6 minutes and 16 seconds are on the clock and the interviewees must deduce what on earth is going on. The premise may seem simple and vaguely familiar, but it is nonetheless fantastic and utterly engaging. This, in large part, is due to director Fred Cavender’s artistic and technical choices. For approximately seven minutes of the short’s ten-minute run-time, 6:16 is shot and captured in a single, unbroken take. It’s a remarkably impressive and ambitious feat and Cavender (who also assumes the role of Director of Photography) makes it look effortless. The blocking of every actor is also commendable as each of their movements seem motivated rather than a ploy to demonstrate camera technique. 6:16 boasts undeniable comparisons to several successful television shows, namely the anthology series’ Black Mirror and Inside No 9. However, Cavender’s short does not execute its shocking and unexpected twist with as much effectiveness as the aforementioned shows do. The reveal and its subsequent development in the film’s final minutes is frustratingly ambiguous and leaves the audience scratching their heads and with a number of questions on the tips of their tongues. Meanwhile, the dialogue is mostly smart and fast-paced, evoking strong echoes of Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton’s collaborative efforts, but several performances in the piece don’t feel as fluid, with vocal deliveries often striking effortful and melodramatic. Although, within a small time frame, these characters and their distinct personas are successfully established. Overall, 6:16 is a thoroughly entertaining short that shows Cavender to be a truly promising talent with succinctly innovative content and ideas. Watch 6:16 on the UK Film Channel below... #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #EvieBrudenall #FredCavender #BessDavies #MarkChapman #PaulWilson #JairMassiah #LouisHill #UKFilmChannel

★★★★ Directed by Fatih Akin Starring Diane Kruger, Denis Moschitto, Numan Acar Indie Film Review by George Wolf Director Fatih Akin returns to an overtly political palette with In the Fade (Aus dem Nichts), and leans on a powerhouse lead performance from Diane Kruger to keep the film above standard thriller fare. Kruger, starring in the first German language film of her career, is Katja, a German woman whose Turkish husband, Nuri, (Numan Acar) has rehabilitated himself after a stint in prison for dealing drugs. On the way to meet a friend one morning, Katja visits Nuri's office to drop off their young son, and never sees them alive again. They are the only casualties in what appears to be a targeted homemade bombing, and Katja's recollections of a random woman she saw outside Nuri's office become key in the trial of a neo-Nazi couple accused of the murders. After his coming-of-age tale Goodbye Berlin two years ago, Akin is back on the socially conscious ground where he seems most comfortable. Most of In the Fade is anchored in a somber look at the toll of xenophobic hate, where human souls can come to be viewed as "no longer people." As a grieving mother looking for justice, Kruger delivers a masterful turn, making the weight of emotional turmoil feel achingly real. Katja struggles to exist in the haze of her heartbreak, juggling grief, bickering family members and a growing need for revenge. Kruger draws us in immediately, so much so that we feel the release when her quiet resolve finally erupts in emotional outburst. The film's third act, "The Sea," has trouble delivering on the promise of all that Akin has cultivated in the first two ("The Family" and "Justice"). Events begin to follow a more conventional path, and though the outcome is striking, anyone familiar with Hollywood thrillers may find the narrative choices curious. Worth seeing? Absolutely, and Kruger's performance will likely linger even when the film's voice does not. #FatihAkin #DianeKruger #DenisMoschitto #NumanAcar #GeorgeWolf #movies #film #entertainment #moviereviews #filmreviews #Germanfilms

★★★★ Written and Directed by: Mickey Reece Starring: Audrey Wagner, Jacob Snovel, Mary Buss, Elise Langer, Cate Jones, Andrew Appleyard, Kato Buss Indie Film Review by: Chris Olson Told with the cold detachment of a Yorgos Lanthimos film (see The Lobster, The Killing of a Sacred Deer), Mickey Reece's black comedy drama Strike, Dear Mistress, and Cure His Heart is a superbly controlled indie feature with marvelous performances, deadpan line delivery, and a gothic mise en scene that is enveloping. The plot of Reece's movie concerns Madeline (Audrey Wagner) and her new husband David (Jacob Snovel), who are about to embark on a new chapter in their lives, as newlyweds and hotel-owners. The only downside is that their new purchase resides in the same town as Madeline's mysterious and obscure mother Dianne (Mary Buss). Having no other option than to invite her over, shit gets weird pretty quickly, as the estranged mother daughter relationship starts to reveal itself in unexpected ways. Having seen Reece's excellent mockumentary Mickey Reece’s Alien last year, I was prepared for another dose of the weird and wonderful filmmaking he is so capable of. What I was not ready for was the thematic depth, marvelous melodrama, and deranged abstract visuals that litter the film, all culminating in a startling and affecting piece of indie cinema. Snovel, who also featured in Mickey Reece's Alien, is on top form here, reminiscent of the Colin Farrell character in the aforementioned The Lobster. His dry demeanour and lack of emotion is utterly brilliant, and some of his lines are definitely the funniest. It is Wagner and Buss who steal the show, though, with their crippling familial angst and maternal issues. A sequence by the piano is one of the best scenes I've seen in a film this year. Wagner is an intense and slow burning performer on screen in this, whilst Buss is almost an ethereal presence, shattering any sense of mundane TV dramatics with her dark and stormy approach to the role. The supporting cast are also worthy of honorable mention. In particular Elise Langer as Madeline's sister, as well as Kato Buss who does a wonderful turn as Father Black. His scene with the troubled family is also one of Strike, Dear Mistress, and Cure His Heart's best. As mentioned, the aesthetic is excellent, maintaining a gothic look and feel whilst the uncontrollable score from Nicholas Poss is like a raging dagger, poised to strike at any moment. The tension that this creates for the viewer is palpable, never knowing if a burst of music is going to suddenly attack them along with a quick cut to a random shot of a horned sheep. There may have been some issues with the sound levels for me though, as dialogue would often get lost depending on where the actor was standing. The abstract approach of Strike, Dear Mistress, and Cure His Heart is unnerving and most definitely adds to the atmosphere for the viewer throughout. There was also an interesting array of camera angles used, such as a low-angled shot of David and Dianne talking which created an almost ghostly sense to the picture. Overall, a gloriously unnerving cinematic experience from Reece, one that borrows intelligently from filmmakers of the past whilst putting the stamp of originality firmly in the centre of the picture. Watch the official movie trailer below... #IndieFilmTrailers #IndieFilms #MovieTrailers #ChrisOlson #MickeyReece #AudreyWagner #JacobRyanSnovel #MaryBuss #EliseLanger #CateJones #AndrewAppleyard #KatoBuss

★★★★ Directed by Rainer Sarnet Starring Rea Lest, Jörgen Liik, Arvo Kukumägi Film Review by Christie Robb Imagine a world in which Bergman’s Seventh Seal made it with Burton’s Edward Scissorhands and you kinda get a sense of Rainer Sarnet’s November. Based on the Estonian novel "Rehepapp" by Andrus Kivirähk, the movie is set in a sort of fairy-tale-ish undefined time period. Estonian peasants scrape out a substance-level existence while German aristocracy exploits their labor and flaunts an unattainably extravagant lifestyle before them. Not surprising, then, that some of them strike a deal with the devil. You see, the peasants can manufacture a kratt to do manual labor for them and steal treasure. A kratt is a creature made out of bones, sticks, and bits of rusty household implements, brought to life by giving drops of blood to the devil. (And in this movie, kratts talk and are charmingly bananas and look an awful lot like they were designed by Vincent Price’s character in Edward Scissorhands.) At the center of the film lies the unrequited love of two peasants. Liina (Rea Lest) is hopelessly in love with Hans (Jörgen Liik). Hans has the hots for the daughter of the local German baron. Lina and Hans each try to capture the attention of their beloved while communing with ghosts, employing the services of kratts and witches, managing lycanthropy, evading the plague, circumventing arranged marriages, and avoiding starvation during the impending long winter. The movie is a mismatch of comedy, romance, fantasy, political theory, and philosophy all shot in exquisite black and white. Somehow it comes together, like the kratts, in a way that seems fresh, bizarre, and interesting. #ReaLest #RainerSarnet #JörgenLiik #ArvoKukumägi #movies #film #entertainment #moviereviews #filmreviews #ChristieRobb #Estonianfilms #horrormovies #midnightmovies #fantasyfilms

Written and Directed by: Colin James Starring: Mallory Roach, Maya Tripathy, Carla Duval, Matthew Courson, Matthew Provenza, Shay Guthrie, Giacomo Rocchini, Robert Johnson, Colin James, Thomas Ascenzi Short Film Review: by Chris Olson Scream meets Stranger Things in this 80’s horror throwback, written and directed by Colin James. Set during the build-up to teenager Jennifer's (Shay Guthrie) birthday party, the celebrations get cut short when a violent menace terrorises the few attendees who are there setting up. Told with melodramatic performances and an immersive 80’s aesthetic, Birthday Bash falls into several genres. Camp horror, retro nostalgia, black comedy, and silly slasher are just a few. The result for the audience will completely depend on their appetite for some and their aversion to others. Viewers will also be able to find links to a plethora of their favourite films from that decade, in one way or another. Whilst the plot is pretty rudimental, there is some nice attention to the characterisation which makes the short feel more intelligent than it could have. An array of high school stereotypes rear their prom queen, jock, nerd etc heads, but they are pitted against each other in a rather engaging way. During one scene between newbie Kristin (Mallory Roach) and the birthday girl’s “BFF” Courtney (Maya Tripathy) the latter reveals her true feelings towards friendship and her cutthroat attitude towards getting ahead. This, intentionally or otherwise, was a nice nod of the head to 80’s corporate America with its Wall Street ideals and warped social conscience, and therefore had some rather telling modern relevance. The idea of identity is an interesting concept in Birthday Bash, especially considering the filmmaker’s decision to adopt such potent and dated stylistic choices. Each of the characters seems to have a strong grip on who they wish to be if only when presenting it in public, and yet when the central conflict is introduced, all hell breaks loose and no is really who they seemed to be. The most impressive aspect of Birthday Bash has to be the tone. Cemented by a wonderful synth score and the thoughtful costume design, the film really felt like the genuine article when it came to delivering a cheap and cheerful 80’s horror with The Breakfast Club trappings. The atmosphere is tense and unnerving throughout and the elements of peril are done with a formidable amount of skill. There was a particularly brilliant moment in the final section of the movie which would be a shame to spoil, but viewers will almost certainly enjoy. Far from reinventing the cinematic wheel and instead opting to assemble itself from an array of movie making parts, Birthday Bash is a dark and surprisingly thought-provoking tale of survival of the fittest, that manages to capture some of the violent uncertainty of youth in a society ready to consume them. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #ChrisOlson #BlackComedy #Horror #Retro #ColinJames #MalloryRoach #MayaTripathy #CarlaDuval #MatthewCourson #MatthewProvenza #ShayGuthrie #GiacomoRocchini #RobertJohnson #ThomasAscenzi

★★★★ Directed by Mark A.C. Brown Starring Matt Prendergast, David Whitney, and Mike Shepard Indie Film Review by Owen Herman Meet Carlson (Matt Prendergast) and Lavender (David Whitney). The former is heartbroken, moody, and easily annoyed, the latter is crude, obnoxious, and easily annoying. The two are forced to share a house together as part of a guardian programme to look after the property when the owner has passed away. The two find it difficult enough to get on and the situation is only worsened by talk of the house being haunted, and the arrival of some rather sinister home invaders. Written and directed by Mark A.C. Brown, Guardians is a comedy with a touch of horror that echoes the witty, smart, and dark style of the now hugely successful Martin McDonagh (In Bruges in particular). The dialogue is quick fire and endlessly quotable, the characters are delightfully over the top, and the humour is dark, often rude, and always hilarious. Despite the similarities, Guardians is very much its own film, and it really becomes something special in its final third. Two such conflicting personalities being forced to be in close proximity to each other is always entertaining. Throw in a bizarre subplot involving Mike Shepard’s Buxton (which I won’t spoil, its really worth the surprise) and the film’s first two thirds are engaging and humorous. The real home invasion plot itself takes a while to really get going, and it would have been improved if the final act, where the comedy is strongest, had gone on longer, with some of the earlier moments being trimmed down. Everything, from the script to the performances, lands just on the right side of silly. There are also some sinister elements, although perhaps not quite scary enough, to give the film an edge. As much as these characters would be infuriating to know in real life, they are a guilty pleasure to watch, and you do find yourself rooting for them when it is needed. Every member of the cast is great; Whitney, Shepard, and Chris Spyrides (playing the villainous Spruce) all battle for the scene with their full on comedic performances, while Prendergast nails all the subtle looks and eyebrow raises needed for the straight man caught up in a weird world. Guardians is by no means a perfect film, nor is it a real revelation, but it is an absolute delight. It is evidence that small indie films can be just as, if not more, entertaining than the big money makers, and that with a bit of effort, you can find films well worth your time. #IndieFilmReviews #IndieFilms #OwenHerman #MarkACBrown #MarkBrown #MattPredergast #DavidWhitney #MikeShepard

Directed by Robert Lang Starring Skye P Marshall Short Film Review by Annie Vincent Based on Kenneth Anger’s 1954 cult movie, The Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome, Robert Lang has produced this occultist short which asks the audience to question reality. But where Anger hung his storyline from mythological characters and symbols, Lang makes no such connections and we come to question the point of this film, rather than our protagonist’s reality. As a photographer primarily, Lang is consumed with capturing, in still, social comment. An earlier film by him, Belladonna, is a good example: a young party girl is videoed dancing around LA, dressed up to the nines, but not really having a good time and the short film captures the tragic reality that no amount of makeup, short skirts and parties can make you happy, particularly when loneliness and squalor reside with you. This message is interpretable even if you’re less than au fait with Lang’s work or similar films in the genre. But in Return to the Pleasure Dome, that solid idea or frame of reference is lost, even if you have seen the Anger film it is inspired by. In the three-minute film, Skye walks into shot, wearing a tacky gold fringe-dress and begins an exotic dance to a tacky hillbilly tune, in front of a tacky gold curtain, barefoot and intent on captivating her audience. If Lang had begun to explore the ironic power-battles women who work as exotic dancers have with their clients, it would be understood. If he’d begun to explore the drug-fuelled lifestyle many exotic dancers live, again it would be understood. But if he was doing either of those things, or something else entirely, it was lost. Mid-way through the first dance track, Skye begins to show signs of panic as the shot regularly jumps to a be-glittered face which smirks menacingly at her. She continues to dance – the show must go on after all. And then the track changes to something slower; Skye looks like she is drugged in a few shots: eyes rolling and facial expressions contorted. But then she looks stable again, though clearly frightened with a tear rolling down her cheek at one point. And then the film ends with a picture of an empty chair and Skye’s jacket on the back of it and by this point most audience members will have lost the point. Perhaps because there isn’t one, and if there is, it hasn’t been delivered clearly enough here. Most audience members can cope with the surreal and are intrigued by the ambiguous, but not when it alienates or confuses. There is a fine line and in this film, it has not been toed carefully. If you like cult erotica and haven’t seen Anger’s film, do. It follows the congregation of various mythological gods, goddesses and creatures into the pleasure dome, supported by some interesting musical accompaniments and culminating in an orgy (very tame by today’s standards). It’s odd (what cult erotica isn’t?) but it does have a frame of reference – all of the characters depict different ideas and all of them pursue their pleasure in the dome. Here, with one character and a questionable link to the occult, we have no such semblance of storyline, no reason to connect with Skye, her situation or the question of her reality that Lang says he wants us to consider. Belladonna worked – we felt for our protagonist and understood her sadness – the message was strong enough and relevant enough to resonate. Return to the Pleasure Dome doesn’t work and no amount of artistic photography, juxtaposed styles and hints towards the supernatural can compensate for the lack of characterisation. The audience can’t buy-in here. #ShortFilmreviews #ShortFilms #RobertLang #AnnieVincent #SkyePMarshall

Directed by: Simon Lex Starring: Ben Gilbert, Katie Villa, Victoria Lucie, Natalie Bird, Martha Liversedge, Emerson Pike, Kelly Marie-Miller, Lucy Theobald Short Film Review by: Chris Olson It was rebellious pop artist Andy Warhol who once remarked; in the future everyone will be famous for 15 minutes. Whilst the definition of fame differs between cultures, often notoriety is the aim and in 2018 the window is very much 15 minutes at most. This context is important when considering short film IT GIRL from director Simon Lex, whose story contains characters whose irreverent attitude towards gaining social media gratification is macabre bordering on psychotic. Ian (Ben Gilbert) is an everyman whose chance to bolster his Instagram presence comes in the form of happening upon the body of a local missing girl. Sensing the photo opportunity of a lifetime, his candid camerawork garners him 300 likes, which he feels pretty proud of until a co-worker informs Ian that a further exploitation of the situation could result in even larger social media notoriety. A telling, and frankly wholeheartedly depressing black comedy (if only because of it's nail-on-the-head astuteness), IT GIRL is painfully relevant and audiences will likely connect with the themes of soulless social media etiquette at least in part. Lex handles this digital dilemma with masterful wit and entertaining visuals, such as the little heart icon that displays across the screen, or the scrolling feed approach to the end credits. The performance from Gilbert is wonderful. His eager enthusiasm and complete lack of compassion are unusual qualities that make him a terrific character to follow, and of which Gilbert makes plentiful use. There is a marvelous sequence (which I won't plot spoil) where he ends up with dirt on his backside that is hilarious and brutally poignant. The supporting players are also very good, such as Emerson Pike who plays the dickish co-worker with skill and aplomb. There was a vibrancy to IT GIRL which is also engaging. The vast majority of the scenes were bright and colourful, almost as if we were seeing this world through a filter. And it's this veneer that's being placed over people's lives that seems to be at the heart of this story. These characters are so detached from the horrific reality that someone has been listed as missing, possibly dead, that their first concern is how the wording of their tweet about the “tragedy” will reflect on them. This, strangely, makes them very sympathetic characters for the audience, who will witness their clinical and superficial behavior as a consequence of the digital age we live in. Bitingly funny and worthy of a thousand retweets, Lex’s IT GIRL is one of our generation’s defining fables… Now, I just need a corpse I can post this film review next to. #ShortFIlmReviews #ShortFilms #ChrisOlson #BlackComedy #Comedy #SocialMedia #SimonLex #BenGilbert #KatieVilla #VictoriaLucie #NatalieBird #MarthaLiversedge #EmersonPike #KellyMarieMiller #LucyTheobald

★★ Directed by Whitney Cummings Starring Whitney Cummings, Sophia Vergara, James Marsden, Deon Cole, Cecily Strong, Blake Griffin Film Review by Rachel Willis It seems strange that in 2018, romantic comedies continue to follow the same tired clichés. While some have mined new territory, The Female Brain isn't taking any risks. Focusing on four couples, the film explores the ups and downs of relationships through the studies of neurologist Julia (Whitney Cummings, who also co-writes and directs). Looking at how brain chemistry affects the way men and women behave, why they make certain romantic choices, and why they continue to make the same mistakes, Julia seeks to find answers to her own relationship traumas. The film's biggest issue is its lack of cohesion. The couples never share screen time, save one moment in which Steven (Deon Cole) and Adam (James Marsden) discuss how their significant others have changed or are trying to change them. And while it seems the couples are part of Julia's study based on a few voice-overs, that fact is never quite clear. The movie would have been much stronger if it had kept a tighter focus on Julia's story or found a better way to connect the couples and their foibles to her study. There is some humor to be found, primarily from Cole and Cecily Strong. SNL veteran Strong shines, and plays well off of NBA veteran Blake Griffin, who does occasionally hold his own against his much funnier on-screen spouse. Unfortunately, most of the comedy falls flat, as the script relies too much on overused stereotypes: Women are either trying to change men or are too emotionally closed off to accept love. Cummings is a capable actress. As Julia, she is sympathetic while managing to mine the humor from her role. However, as a director, she never manages to find her footing. The film's pacing is off, resulting in a movie that feels much longer than its actual runtime. Cummings's script (co-written with Louann Brizendine and Neal Brennan) suffers from banal dialogue. Any potential moments of originality are undermined by reliance on formulaic ideas of romance. Hiding behind the guise of being scientifically sound in examining the difference between male and female brains, with The Female Brain we're sadly left with a film that reiterates the same stereotypes and problems of many romantic comedies. #WhitneyCummings #SophiaVergara #JamesMarsden #DeonCole #CecilyStrong #BlakeGriffin #RachelWillis #film #movies #entertainment #moviereviews #filmreviews #TheFemaleBrain

Movie News / Press Releases THE DAM BUSTERS 75th ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATIONS ON MAY 17TH 2018 4K restoration of classic film and gala event will mark legendary WWII mission On 17th May 2018, for one-night-only, a new 4k restoration of the classic film The Dam Busters will screen in cinemas across the UK, to mark the 75th Anniversary of the Royal Air Force’s most daring operation of the Second World War. Prior to the screening, cinemas will broadcast live from the Royal Albert Hall where a Special Gala Evening, The Dam Busters with Dan Snow, will be taking place. Press are invited to attend a media launch for The Dam Busters with Dan Snow on February 26th, 75 years to the day that the legendary ‘Dam Busters Raid’ was given final approval by the Air Ministry. The media launch takes place at Door 12 (Box Office) at the Royal Albert Hall at 10.30am on Monday 26th February. Atwenty-three foot original Lancaster Bomber cockpit will be displayed outside the Royal Albert Hall and available interviewees include historian, broadcaster and television presenter Dan Snow; grandson of the legendary engineer Sir Barnes Wallis, Jonathan Stopes-Roe; Paul Beaver, historian and Chairman of Trustees of the Barnes Wallis Foundation;David Murray, Controller RAF Benevolent Fund and John Rodden, Head of Home Entertainment and Library at STUDIOCANAL. On the 17th May, TV historian Dan Snow will host the commemorations at the Royal Albert Hall, paying tribute to Wing Commander Guy Gibson and his comrades of the legendary 617 Squadron. Featuring very special guests, an on-stage ‘bouncing bomb’ experiment plus music from the Glenn Miller Orchestra, this gala evening supports the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund, the RAF’s leading welfare charity. From 7.15 – 8.15pm proceedings will be simulcast into cinemas nationwide and the event will culminate, in both the Royal Albert Hall and in cinemas broadcasting the stream, with a screening of The Dam Busters, starring Sir Michael Redgrave and Richard Todd, in stunning 4K definition. “One of the greatest British films of all time in one of Britain’s greatest venues. It’s going to be an unforgettable night of commemoration and nostalgia.” -
Dan Snow Tickets are now available from thedambusters75(dot)co(dot)uk. Regarded as a British classic, The Dam Busters is directed by Michael Anderson (Logan’s Run/Around the World in 80 Days). Based on the legendary true story of Commander Guy Gibson and his squadron, The Dam Busters (1955)captures all the thrilling action and suspense of the magnificent exploits of a group of young pilots and their crews, charged with taking out the supposedly impenetrable Ruhr river dams of Germany with an ingeniously designed bouncing bomb. Starring Richard Todd as Gibson and Michael Redgrave as scientist and engineer Dr Barnes Wallis, the film also immortalised composer’s Eric Coates’s masterpiece: The Dam Busters March. The impact of The Dam Busters on modern filmmakers spans the decades: director George Lucas hired the film’s special effects photographer Gilbert Taylor to work his magic on the original Star Wars; and The Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson has long been attached to a remake, based around a screenplay by actor/writer Stephen Fry. The new restoration of The Dam Busters will premiere as one of the Official Opening events for Lincoln’s International Bomber Command Centre, on Saturday April 14th. A brand new Collector’s Edition will be available on DVD / Blu-ray / EST via STUDIOCANAL’S Vintage Classicslabel from June 4th. The extras include an exclusive 'Making of The Dam Busters' documentary. #PressReleases #MovieNews #4KRestoration #Restoration #WarFilms

Written and Directed by Elliott Fox Starring Abdoulie Mboob, Tim Shoesmith, Dominika Mari, Elliott Fox and Jonathan Ranger Short Film Review by Rachel Pullen In this day and age it feels like everything about us is for sale, we advertise ourselves on the internet daily, Instagram, Facebook, the list goes on, then Facebook tells us to post memories of something we posted on the social media platform 5 years ago...the cycle of keeping us attached to these sites never ends. But what if you could sell your memories? What if they were a viable commodity to a certain company? How much would it cost for you to part with your treasured memories? This is the premise of the 2015 sci fi short by Elliott Fox called Virtuality, a film about a young man who awakes inside his own memories as a mysterious figure guides him through, but this figure has a deeper agenda than just being a tour guide inside someone’s mind. The company ‘’Virtue Realities’’ gathers people’s memories in order to create a perfect universe, yet our protagonist is having none of it, and like a maverick of his own mind he uses the power of thought to outrun these pesky memory stealers. Fox has a stylish approach to his filmmaking, sci fi is one of those genres, like horror, that when done on a budget must be considered very carefully otherwise it can look cheap and tacky which often makes it a throwaway piece in many people’s eyes. Yet Fox avoids this, the sets are simple but he applies light with great thought, allowing for the atmosphere and movement of the characters within the scenes to be dictated by the colour and intensity of the lights used. Skills such as these are what make directors in the infancy of their careers stand out, can they adapt their ideas to smaller budgets, can they make a scene come alive when often using inexperienced actors, and Fox clearly has mastered his craft within the realms of the low budget short film. Performances from Mboob and Shoesmith are believable and competent, there is not a great deal that draws you in about the characters in the sense of their development but that does not detract from their intensity during their scenes. Virtuality is an interesting piece, don’t get me wrong, it’s stimulating visually and has an interesting soundtrack that reminded me of the old Silent Hill games, but the storyline can often feel a little confused and lacking in a constant narration to help guide the audience along, we must remember that sci fi deals with themes that are meant to be out of this world and so it is important to keep a narrative that allows those of a shorter attention span to keep up with these tales from the future. #ShortFIlmReviews #ShortFilms #RachelPullen #SciFi #ElliottFox #AbdoulieMboob #TimShoesmith #DominikaMari #JonathanRanger

★★ Directed by Bruce Macdonald and Gabriel Sabloff Starring Taylor James, Billy Zane, Rutger Hauer, Jason Rathbone, Caitlin Leahy Film Review by George Wolf From parable to porno, it's not the type of story you're telling, it's how that story is told. Samson isn't a disappointing effort merely because it's a "faith based" film, but because it is lazy in almost every aspect, seemingly confident that its target audience doesn't demand anything more. It is 1170 BC, and we meet the Hebrew Samson (Taylor James) as a mischievous scamp, comically running from Philistine guards, winking at the village lovelies (they're the ones sporting full runway-ready makeovers) and mulling his destiny as "God's hand of vengeance." King Balek (Billy Zane) orders his son, Prince Rallah (Twilight's Jackson Rathbone), to keep Samson and his legendary strength in check. Rallah, with help from the cunning Delilah (Caitlin Leahy), hatches a plan that will bring Samson down and snuff out any Hebrew rebellion before it has the chance to start. Directors Bruce Macdonald and Gabriel Sabloff (both vets of the faith-based genre) and their team of writers craft a drama full of ridiculous set pieces, weak production values ("check out these sweet fake beards I found in the Target Halloween aisle!"), soap opera dramatics and a complete lack of subtlety. Performances run the gamut, from amateurish (James) and stiff (Leahy) to scenery devouring (Rathbone) and waiting on you to turn that table into Bud Light (Zane, dilly dilly). There's a story here, full of wonder, cruelty, betrayal, intrigue and redemption. Samson leaves so much unexplored, just wanting the credit for telling it. #BruceMacdonald #GabrielSabloff #TaylorJames #BillyZane #RutgerHauer #JasonRathbone #CaitlinLeahy #GeorgeWolf #movies #film #entertainment #moviereviews #filmreviews #religiousfilms