★★★★ Directed by: #SeanAnders Written by: Sean Anders Starring: #RoseByrne #MarkWahlberg #IsabelaMoner Film Review by: #BradyClark At first glance, Instant Family might bring forth the sceptics, tired of another cheesy and cliché family film that does nothing new for cinema. The cheese is present. The clichés are undeniable. But the warmth from an array of excellent performances leaves us with something far from an exhausted formula. Based in part on the experiences of director Sean Anders, Instant Family chronicles Pete (Wahlberg) and Ellie Wagner (Byrne) as they throw themselves into the world of fostering. Through a series of spontaneous decisions, they end up taking home Lizzy (Moner) and her younger siblings Juan and Lita. Typical chaos and comedy ensue. Juan is moronic and Lita a screaming brat, whilst Lizzy attempts to undermine her foster parents at every turn. There are moments where Instant Family seems it might fall into the irredeemable traps of its genre and produce some cheap Daddy Day Care predictability. Often the script is far too embellished and there is a heap of unnecessary characters. But as the film delves further into the realities of abandonment and abuse, it doesn’t shy away from connecting with an audience on a deeper level also. Where most fall flat at combining comedy and true pain, Instant Family thrives. The foster support meetings are both laugh out loud and incredibly heart-breaking. The message is important and consistent – attempting to laugh in the face of inescapable pain is how we get by. And the hilarious addition of a single mum wanting her Blind Side moment alleviates tension beautifully. Wahlberg and Byrne are strong leads, but the standout performance is from Moner. Lizzie is complex and broken, strong and fierce. She is loyal to the core, but confused how that translates to a family that offers her the same virtue. The inner turmoil she experiences throughout the story may very well resonate with those who are in the system due to parental abuse or drug use. She is inspiring, and the script gives Moner freedom to display her talent as a witty, strong and emotional actress. Anders could have kept the runtime to a standard 90 minutes, but in using the extra half hour, he provides moments throughout that ease the characters into their new environments and relationships, continually testing each other and allowing the audience to see exactly why and how the family find their way together. Therefore, believability is perhaps the most essential aspect of Instant Family’s success.

Directed by Taversia Starring Taversia, Alexander McCoy, and Leopoldo Hernandez Jr Short Film Review by Owen Herman As mental health is becoming increasingly talked about, art is beginning to explore it in more depth and in more interesting ways. Embracing Shadows is part of this trend, a unique student film that looks at depression and anxiety through complex metaphors. Directed and starring Taversia, the short follows the both the real and imagined experiences of one woman suffering with her mental health. It looks at day to day experiences, like going to a job interview, as well as the visual representation of what her mind is going through, such as the use of literal shadows following her. It is with these visual representations that the film falls flat. The metaphors used are too surreal to really have an impact, and instead are hard to grasp as they become increasingly bizarre. Some are too on the nose, and therefore lose their intended thought provoking effect, while others are too complex to have any clear meaning. There are some cleverly used effects – I particularly liked the use of static noise – but as a whole the short is too effects heavy and feels overly stylised. The messages that the film is trying to get across are clearly secondary to its arty and showy appearance. A lot of what the short has to say is interesting and relevant. The idea of embracing these issues, as opposed to fighting them, is a debate that is not often explored. The problem with this short is that, although it touches on these fascinating topics, it never goes beneath the surface. It is this lack of depth that means when the film is finished, there is no emotional impact. It is certainly far from meaningless, and there is plenty to think about, but it's far less impactful than it should have been. The film also contains no succinct narrative structure or dialogue, making it hard to get into the character on screen. Although it is clearly meant as a visual representation of ill mental health, without any sense of character, it is difficult to emotionally engage with. Overall, despite its well-meaning intentions, Embracing Shadows fails to explore its themes effectively, and feels unsatisfying in its presentation of often thought-provoking content. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #OwenHerman #Taversia #AlexanderMcCoy #LeopoldoHernandezJr

★★★ Directed by Julius Onah Starring Daniel Brühl, Elizabeth Debicki Netflix Film Review by Brian Degning One of the most interesting things about the ‘Cloverfield’ franchise so far has been it’s exceptional marketing. From the original ‘Cloverfield’ to it's (not quite) sequel ‘10 Cloverfield Lane’ we were never sure what we were getting, but we were always excited. The first movie turned out to be a found footage monster movie, the second was a hostage story set against a (possible) alien invasion and now this third film, set in space, was to give us all the answers. How are these films linked? Where did the monsters come from? These questions, combined with a game changing super bowl announcement, kept up that excitement. This time, however, the payoff wasn’t quite equal to the buildup. Set in 2028, in The Cloverfield Paradox we join the crew of astronauts aboard a space station whose mission is to use a particle accelerator to save the planets energy crisis. As you can imagine things don’t quite go as planned and we are given a survival thriller as the crew fight to make it back to earth and, possibly, their own dimension. Like most films of this type, Alien, Event Horizon and Life spring to mind, the direction and performances are key. Here both are actually spot on, the film looks great and has a few original twists on the standard tropes, the standout being a severed arm scene, and the director cleverly maneuvers between tense, claustrophobic dialogue and the bigger, louder outer space scenes. The performances of the impressively diverse cast also deliver. Brühl and Debicki in particular stand out, with the latter stealing the spotlight in scenes involving her family on earth and the former teasing us with an engaging is he/ isn’t he a bad guy arc. The film also has fun with the ‘other dimension’ concept, delivering some intriguing ideas. Can one choice change the entire direction of your life? How could one government action alter the destiny of the world? We also have several mysteries to unwrap throughout which, while helping keep the pace frantic, don’t often get sufficient answers. There are themes of second chances and bigger ideas of ‘one life versus many’ that are touched upon but never really fully examined in a satisfying way. The problems begin when we are introduced to a subplot on earth featuring the husband of our main protagonist trying to get a young girl to safety. While these scenes on their own are fine they go absolutely nowhere and distract from the central plot. It feels like there should be some link to either the main story or the mythology of the franchise, but instead seems to exist only to connect, flimsy, the other films together. In fact if these scenes, along with a very on the nose exposition scene early on, were removed completely, the film would lose absolutely nothing. In many ways it looks like a standard ‘survive in space’ film that has been reworked at the last minute. Several scenes almost fell that they have been reshot to fit into a larger franchise. While it doesn’t completely spoil the film, it does detract from it and leave you with more questions than answers. As mentioned earlier, the marketing for the other movies helped make them special. A mystery box we couldn’t wait to open. Here though, the idea that ‘all questions will be answered’ and the need to shoehorn this into an existing franchise really detract from an otherwise perfectly serviceable experience. #NetflixFilmReviews #BrianDegning #Netflix #JuliusOnah #DanielBruhl #ElizabethDebicki

Filmmaker Feature by Chris Olson Tell us a bit about the new short film, Blackout, and who you play in it? I play Grace, a young Irish girl growing up in London. The film centres around Grace, and her struggle to care for her mother. It’s a film about family, mental health, and how difficult it can be to face decisions alone. What attracted you to a film like this? It’s incredible to be part of a film about a young woman who faces her world alone. Grace has so many responsibilities and is forced to become an adult far too soon. I was also incredibly excited to be a part of a film about women created by women, written by a woman, produced by a woman. Having been in director Serena Chloe Gardner's films before, how was the experience this time? Serena is a dream to work with. As a director she invites you into the world she’s created, invests in your own journey through it, and allows you the time and space to play there. Who are your acting influences and why? I love actors who deal in the weights and measures of truth and storytelling, with beautiful gentle performances as well as the brave, bold, ugly, and funny. Also triple threats who create their own work, actor/writers, actor/directors, actor/producers e.g. Reese Witherspoon, Margot Robbie, Greta Gerwig. What advice would you give to someone just starting out in their acting career? To try, and to train, in whatever way they can. Personally I feel like I learn most from watching others work, either on stage, on screen, or on set so my advice would be to watch/see/observe as much as you can as possible. If you could work with any other director, who would it be and why? The list is endless and is definitely too long. But right this minute for theatre it would be John Tiffany, for television Lucy Tcherniak, and Martin McDonagh for film. What's next for you? I just performed with new writing night SLAM at The Acrola Theatre, and Little Pieces of Gold at The Southwark Playhouse. Right now I’m working on a few small projects, some shorts, and have my first feature Vita and Virginia (directed by Chanya Button) coming out later this year. I’d love to just keep working on more and more projects like Blackout, with interesting scripts, and fantastic teams behind them. Till then I’m in the process of moving house so all of the life admin is in full swing, with packing and unpacking and boxing and unboxing my life. What would you say if you were a dolphin? I think I’d enjoy being a quiet trained killer dolphin like the radicalised land grabbing ones from the Simpsons. Watch the official trailer for Blackout below... #ChrisOlson #FilmmakerInterviews #Interviews #MovieTrailers #EvelynLockley #SerenaChloeGardner #Acting

★ Directed by James Foley Starring Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan Film Review by Matt Weiner Boiling down the Fifty Shades movies into a capsule summary has always felt a bit like playing Mad Libs with a head injury, and Fifty Shades Freed gleefully continues the trend. Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey (Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan, each blinking out Morse code to their agents throughout the franchise) are now married. Christian’s dominant side causes fresh problems for Ana at work, but not as much as her ex-boss (Eric Johnson) returning to stalk the entire Grey family for reasons both mysterious and incredibly obvious. Having watched the entire series, it’s hard not to feel like additional complaining is punching down, so here are some nice things about Fifty Shades Freed: • This is the first film in the franchise that earns intentional laughs, an incredible improvement all on its own. • All the shots, while filmed so perfunctorily that you forget what you’ve just seen nearly in real-time, are in focus. • There is what amounts to a five-minute Audi commercial, which is helpful if you are considering buying or leasing a new Audi. • According to the credits, Marcia Gay Harden and Danny Elfman received paychecks from this, and although you can hardly feel their presence on screen or in the score, I cherish them both and I hope they buy nice houses from this because they deserve it. But the other major improvement in the franchise can’t be separated from the movie’s biggest flaw. The good news: with Ana and Christian having settled into betrothed BDSM bliss, the film (written by Niall Leonard and directed by James Foley) devotes less time to their tepid romance and more time allowing the characters to simply be themselves as they get caught up in a sordid thriller. Here’s the bad news. Allowing these characters to be themselves suffers from one crucial flaw: every single character in the series is boring to an extent that’s almost an achievement in its own right. And just like in the first two films, the sexual chemistry between Ana and Christian never clicks on screen. Although since Freed revolves more around the couple’s marital gamesmanship than their “erotic” courtship, the tension occasionally works this time. And even produces some real laughs. While the movie wraps things up neatly for Ana and Christian—albeit in a comically abrupt way I guess is a clever callback to the bizarre pacing of the previous films—it doesn’t answer the question of exactly who this movie is for. There’s plenty of nudity, but it’s clinically divorced from any recognizable human emotion. Such short shrift is given to character development that I can’t imagine fans of the lengthy books have been satisfied. There’s a mystery plot, sort of, but nothing you couldn’t get from a made-for-TV movie and save the cash. But if you’ve made it this far through the series, Fifty Shades Freed is the most competent of the bunch. And at least this one can be watched with a clear conscience knowing that the actors are as freed from contractual obligations as their characters are rid of emotional baggage. #FiftyShadesFreed #JamieDornan #DakotaJohnson #JamesFoley #MattWeiner #movies #film #moviereviews #romance #FilmReviews #TheatricalReleases #1Star

★★★★★ Directed by Ryan Coogler Starring Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira Film Review by Hope Madden & George Wolf Ryan Coogler’s stunning first feature, 2013’s Fruitvale Station, proved his instincts as a storyteller. It also made apparent the force of nature that is Michael B. Jordan. That the two could go on just two years later to craft the fresh and vibrant Creed from the tired Rocky franchise showed that the blockbuster was as much in their mastery as the indie drama. But a Marvel superhero action flagship? That’s Big. Big budgets. Big canvas. And with Black Panther, big expectations. Are Coogler and Jordan up to the challenge? Hell yes. Just when you've gotten comfortable with the satisfying superhero origin story at work, director/co-writer Coogler, co-star Jordan and the stellar ensemble start thinking much bigger. And now, we need to re-think what these films are capable of. The action—whether air battles, hand-to-hand or via car chase—is breathtaking. Wielding a palette of colors and visuals unseen to this point inside the MCU—this set design is glorious, situating a SciFi tech metropolis easily within a world that still embraces ancient tradition, an isolated world that evolved in its own course rather than being led by the evolution of the world outside. Wakanda looks unlike anything we’ve seen in the Marvel Universe or any other. Not a minute of the film is wasted. Coogler manages to pack each minute with enough backstory, breathless action, emotional heft and political weight to fill three films. The cast shines from the top down, but there are some stand-outs. Chadwick Boseman, all gravitas and elegance, offers the picture perfect king—one who’s respectful of tradition yet still ready to open his eyes to the plight of his brothers outside his hidden nation of Wakanda. Side note: is there anyone more effortlessly badass than Danai Gurira? Trick question, there is no question—the answer is no. And though she has remarkable range (if you haven’t seen her 2013 indie Mother of George, give yourself that gift today), her General Okoye is here for the beat down. Lupita Nyong’o is also characteristically excellent in the role of the conscience-driven liberal. In a scene where she expects Gurira’s general to commit what amounts to treason, Coogler expertly reinforces an amazingly well-crafted theme mirrored in other pairings: the friction between surviving by force or by conscience. This theme is most clearly outlined by the conflict between Boseman’s King T’Challa and his new nemesis, Jordan’s Killmonger. Michael B. Jordan, people. Coogler hands this actor all of the most difficult lines. Why? Because it is material a lesser actor would choke on, and Jordan delivers like a perfectly placed gut punch. He sets the screen on fire, and though every single performance in this film is excellent, Jordan exposes the artifice. His castmates are in a Marvel superhero movie. Jordan is not. Instead, he is this rage-filled, broken, vengeful man and he is here to burn this world to the ground. His scenes with Boseman provide a cunning twist on the battle between a struggling hero and his evil twin. Usually a tired staple of sequeldom, BP adds un undercurrent of Shakespearean drama to the inevitable showdown of two characters who could easily represent the dueling inner conflict of one. Coogler works with many of these basic themes found in nearly any comic book film—daddy issues, becoming who you are, serving others—but he weaves them into an astonishing look at identity, radicalization, systemic oppression, uprising and countless other urgent yet tragically timeless topics. The writing is layered and meaningful, the execution visionary. Blistering social commentary, brilliant escapist fantasy, eye-popping visual wonder—Black Panther has it all. Your move, every other superhero. Watch the Black Panther movie trailer below... #BlackPanther #Marvelfilms #MarvelUniverse #Avengers #RyanCoogler #ChadwickBoseman #MichaelBJordan #LupitaNyong39o #DanaiGurira #HopeMadden #GeorgeWolf #superheromovies #comicbookmovies #actionmovies #moviereviews #filmreviews #entertainment #TheatricalReleases #MovieTrailers #5StarFilm

★★★★ Directed by Will Gluck Starring James Corden, Domhnall Gleeson, Rose Byrne, Daisy Ridley, Margot Robbie, Elizabeth Debicki Film Review by Christie Robb Once upon a time there were four little rabbits, some gatecrashing, a tense dude named McGregor, and a pervasive lack of pants. But Will Gluck’s Peter Rabbit is a bit of a departure from Beatrix Potter’s twee kids’ books. And you might think, ugh, not another attempt to lengthen and embellish a piece of classic literature beyond all reason (looking at you Peter Jackson). But hold on. This (cotton) tale takes place somewhat after the events in Ms. Potter’s books. Both Peter’s (James Corden) parents are dead and there’s a new McGregor in town, Domhnall Gleeson (perhaps most familiarly known now as the strident General Hux from the Star Wars saga). Gleeson’s McGregor is an acutely type A city slicker who longs to immediately sell his recently inherited country estate in order to reinvest the profits in a business venture back in London. Until he meets the animal lover/bunny portraitist Bea (Rose Byrne) who lives in the Pinterest-worthy cottage next door. This gets Peter’s invisible knickers in a twist for two reasons: 1) restricted access to the tantalizing McGregor garden, and 2) a rival for the affections of Bea who, in the absence of his own rodent parents, has become personage he invests with a significant amount of maternal affection. The conflicts escalate in cartoon violence that’s kinda Home Alone by way of the Odd Couple. And, as you might expect, it is an absolute delight to see Gleeson rant in nearly Shakespearean cadences about the antics of an anthropomorphized rabbit. (To be honest, I’d probably pay the price of a movie ticket to see Gleeson take exception to piece of burnt toast.) Like Gleeson, the supporting cast is also a delight. Margot Robbie, Elizabeth Debicki, and Daisy Ridley stand out as Peter’s siblings Flopsy, Mopsy, and the devil-may-care Cotton-tail. If you want to get all highbrow about it, the entire movie can be read as a metaphor for a kid’s struggle to accept a new romance in the life of a primary caregiver. And if you want to be honest, it bears as much resemblance to its source material as my 4-year-old’s picture of me does to the Mona Lisa. But there’s enough beautiful animation, fun 90s and early 00s songs, and Easter-egg jokes for parents in case the kids decide they really like Peter Rabbit and you have to watch it 400 times. Watch the HD Peter Rabbit movie trailer below... #ChristieRobb #movies #film #moviereviews #familyfilms #PeterRabbit #animation #WillGluck #DomhnallGleeson #RoseByrne #MargotRobbie #ElizabethDebicki #DaisyRidley #FilmReviews #AnimatedFilmReviews #MovieTrailers

Directed by Sam Bradford Written by Emma Fisher and Sonu Louis Starring Emma Fisher, Sonu Louis, Sam Benjamin, Clayton T. Smith, Floraine Andersen Short Film Review by Chris Olson In a remarkable coincidence, I had the pleasure of watching short film Edelweiss, from director Sam Bradford, after only hours earlier watching Mel Gibson's Hacksaw Ridge for the first time. The two films offer intelligent and affecting discussions on the role of a medic in warfare, and the inglorious nature of conflict which can often see love and compassion overpowered by hatred and violence, even by those on the same side. Co-written by Emma Fisher and Sonu Louis (who both also take the lead roles) we are transported back to WWII and the fields of Normandy, France where a German Prisoner of War named Ernst (Louis) is being guarded by British forces, awaiting interrogation by his captors. Having a bullet wound to contend with and receiving little sympathy from the soldiers who guard him, Ernst is baffled when a British Field Nurse called Sister Violet Frances (Fisher) offers him some unabashed TLC, the kind of universal caring that can enrages warmongers - much like the aforementioned war movie starring Andrew Garfield. As a genre film, Edelweiss captures its tone quickly and maintains steady beats of drama that play off the conflict that exists between so-called enemy combatants and the humanity of the people involved. The detached and somewhat cruel behavior of the British soldiers becomes the central menace in the story, especially towards the final section of the short, when their looming plans for this POW become imminent. This sense of threat and dread, though, is not the main appeal of a short story like this, instead it is the beautiful moments of connection that arise between Ernst and Sister Frances. Their transcendental affection is a beacon of hope for the audience which balances the whole movie perfectly. The cast were excellent, building a believable chemistry and friction depending on their motivation. Fisher in particular delivered a memorable turn as a character brutalised by her role in the war, and left clutching her convictions throughout. The emotional depth that the role needed was given and then some. Louis was also efficient and engaging as the wounded soldier who is utterly in the hands of the gods. A reality few could bare. From a filmmaking standpoint there is an enormous amount to enjoy here. The intimacy of some of the framing worked brilliantly to capture the intensity of the plot, whilst the pacing was spot on to allow the clash between warfare and humanity to commence and evolve for the viewer, exploring the contrasting ideas of destroying your enemy without losing your soul magnificently. My only criticism is that the ending felt a little rushed, which robbed the climax of its potency somewhat. Had a few more minutes or scenes been given to cement the full extent of Ernst and Sister Frances’s bond, the finale would have been that much richer for it. That being said, the short and sweet approach can sometimes magnify the impact of a story on someone and this is the kind of short film that could easily be life-affirming and devastating in equal measure. Watch the official movie trailer for Edelweiss below... #ShortFilmReviews #ChrisOlson #ShortFilms #SamBradford #EmmaFisher #SonuLouis #WarFilms

Directed by Fred Cavender Starring Dan Rock, Eve Bernier and Deborah Dawson Short Film Review by Rachel Pullen What goes around comes around, and not in the way Justin Timberlake wants us to believe, more in the way of trends, be it from fashion to art, to movie styles....and at the moment film is all about the 80’s. Ergh the 80’s. Bad music. bad hair, bad clothes....good horror films though. I don’t get it, I don’t get why we are in this renaissance of such an ugly period of time, but hey that’s just me, but you would have to live under a rock to not have noticed the surge of 80’s styles films and TV shows out there, from Stranger Things...another thing I don’t get the hype about, to movies like IT, we cannot get away from it. So here you have another one to add to the ever growing list, Get Rich or Try Dying, an 80’s style sci fi comedy about a scientist who steals pills from the laboratory he works in that help him travel through time. Now like most people who have suddenly discovered the ability to time travel, you’re clearly going to fix the lottery, or gamble to benefit yourself, and that’s just what our leading man does and soon he becomes richer than his wildest dreams. This short, like I said, takes a lot of style and music choices from the 80’s, yet the characters and locations are not, which, don’t get me wrong I didn’t mind, but it does draw in some questions about continuity. Style is important to encompass throughout to create theme, a running style that locks us in to the sense of an atmosphere of the film. So is it a ballsy move on director Fred Cavender’s behalf? Or did they just not have the budget for a whole truck load of Bill Cosby jumpers? Despite this Get Rich or Try Dying delivers an interesting journey which engages the viewer well, the story is fun and campy, the comedy is not laugh out loud but is enough to ensure the light-hearted nature of this short is consistent and delivered in a well-timed manner, in essence this movie covers the bases well enough. That’s the thing, there is nothing that you would remember about Get Rich or Try Dying, nothing that’s going to make you come back and watch it again and again, which is a shame since the direction, the style and the delivery of this piece is clean and crisp and clearly professional. I can only hope that Cavender delivers something which gains more attention and keeps it in the future of his career. You can watch this short film for free as it is on the UK Film Channel. Enjoy the full movie below... #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #FredCavender #RachelPullen #Retro #DanRock #EveBernier #DeborahDawson #UKFilmChannel

Directed by Joshua Kerr Starring Kevin Finnigan, Patricia Jones, James Hunter, Melanie Howd, Tanya Young Short Film Review by Jack Bottomley Since Ricky Gervais’ TV comedy The Office and its American cousin, many office employees can sympathise with having troublesome workmates, suffering sheer boredom or encountering a fair share of odd bosses but what about a body in the bureau? Well, Joshua Kerr’s short film Notice, despite its title suggesting a film perhaps about the current climate of dismissal (ala giving notice), is actually a concise and engaging little story about how workplace pressures can cloud our outlooks and make us lose our ability to see what is right beneath our noses. If you’ll allow me to insert a cheekily long quote into this review dear reader, Alfred Hitchcock once said of suspense, “Let's suppose that there is a bomb underneath this table between us. Nothing happens, and then all of a sudden, "Boom!" There is an explosion. The public is surprised, but prior to this surprise, it has seen an absolutely ordinary scene, of no special consequence. Now, let us take a suspense situation. The bomb is underneath the table and the public knows it, probably because they have seen the anarchist place it there. The public is aware the bomb is going to explode at one o'clock and there is a clock in the decor. The public can see that it is a quarter to one. In these conditions, the same innocuous conversation becomes fascinating because the public is participating in the scene”. This very approach to filmmaking is practically typified by this brilliant short. In the opening moments, Duncan (Kevin Finnigan) arrives at work early and clears a colleague’s computer of an important file, leaving a copy on his own memory stick. Then tragedy strikes and we are left to wonder what will happen next. I don’t want to reveal too much about the plot of this film as Kerr relishes using the above Hitchcockian ethos to well crafted, unpredictable and excellent effect. Made on a low budget, Notice uses everything it has at its disposal, from creaking swivel chairs to computer filled floor spaces to keep the audience invested all the way up until the finale. Director of Photography Andrew Roughan uses the office image setting to create a beautifully confined, very standard and thus realistic backdrop for a short and sweet game of anticipation. Kerr enjoys toying with audience expectations and questions whether we ourselves would click where multiple onscreen characters do not. The early scene is crucial as it establishes the McGuffin and one particular moment practically sees a character touch the key to his salvation without realizing it. Mind you by the – some might say – melancholic – final shot, we see that the nature of the story is as much about gripping the viewer, as it is about questioning ego and competition in the workplace, showing how it all ultimately results in despair and solitude. Adam Grigg does a sterling job with the music, which strikes the perfect tone to back the short’s snappy suspenseful storytelling. The dialogue is quite ordinary and that is to the films benefit really, as it further wraps the plot in a realistic overcoat, whereby this office and its workers could quite easily be one of many real ones out there and this – less than normal - day could easily happen in a real stressful workplace and has…as the idea is actually inspired by a real news piece Kerr read about a few years ago. Furthermore the performances add to this feeling, with some strong work by Patricia Jones as Anne, a shy colleague tentatively looking to make a connection with Duncan and by James Hunter as James, Duncan’s rival colleague who spends the film panicked and looking for his lost files. Notice is overall a tense, entertaining and very well directed and acted short film that flips the “just another day at the office” cliché on its head and asks how much humanity can be allowed to take place in the workroom. In spite of misfortune or disagreement, that token dippy drinking bird desk toy will keep on bobbing and will we ever take a moment to raise our heads and take notice of what is really going on around us? Watch the official movie trailer for Notice below... #Workplace #OfficeDrama #JoshuaKerr #KevinFinnigan #JackBottomley #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #PatriciaJones #JamesHunter #MelanieHowd #TanyaYoung #MovieTrailers

★★★​ Directed by Cam Clark Starring Joe Leatherman, Mark S. Esch, Matthew Finney & Rachel Lopfenstein Indie Film Review by Seamus Conlon It’s often said that to understand the subtext of a horror film, you simply have to remove the phantasmagorical or sensational component of the film and then you will notice human drama for which the monsters(s) is simply a metaphor. Hence in Hitchcock’s The Birds the apocalyptic animal onslaught ceases once Tippi Hendren has resolved tensions with the mother of her love-interest, and in Dawn of the Dead the besiegement of characters in a shopping mall makes it clear that the terrorising zombies are a metaphor for consumerism. In The Stray, however, one character reminisces at dinner for the times when survival wasn’t the singular thought exerting a totalitarian grip over the psyche of every human left on the planet. Clearly this is not a film about ordinary human life where the extraordinary factor of a zombie apocalypse is a symbol of some psychological or social malaise. This is a world where monsters exist autonomously of human imagination, and ultimately threaten the ability of human beings to continue imagining. The Stray takes place in the winter of 1966/7 in a counterfactual America where the Cold War heated up to nuclear war, and consequently American society has been reduced to a Darwinian free-for-all of isolated militarised tribes. For reasons that the film opts not to explicate, the nuclear catastrophe mutated part of the population into zombies, who can successfully mutate otherwise regular Homo sapiens into zombies with a bite. The central protagonist is a (former) marine named Tracy Arnold, played by Joe Leatherman, who begins the film wandering alone through the wintertime countryside, reflecting through flashback upon how the military unit he was once a member of was decimated by its fight against zombies during the early days of the apocalypse. As Tracy becomes uncomfortably entangled in the lives of a family whose territory he stumbles into, the film frequently crosscuts between his current experiences in trying to assimilate a tribe for survivalist reasons, and his memories of the decay of his military unit. Initially the world of The Stray looks surprisingly thriving and healthy. Tracy’s flashbacks to the earlier days of the apocalypse takes place in a blossoming summer, and when the spring of ’67 comes around, nuclear winter seems not to have taken its toll on the environment. This seems silly at first, and can’t be explained away as the result of budgetary restrictions on the ability of independent filmmakers to alter the environment (they could’ve shot post-apocalyptic ‘summer’ in winter). But in the film’s final act distorting cinematographic effects are apparently introduced to drench the action and scenery in an unnatural hazy amber. The result is a pleasing counterpoint between different colour palettes used for different sections of the film; blossoming multicolour for the flashbacks, an all-enveloping white for the bleak winter, and an unsettling, all-pervading autumnal tone for the final fallout. Ryan Woebbeking is one of the strongest components of the film, punctuating handheld camerawork that follows the action with static, painterly shots. The Stray lacks and overarching sense of direction, and while it certainly has a climax the film doesn’t really build its way towards a catharsis. Technical stops-and-starts such as cuts to black or cessations in the film’s score prevent it from developing the momentum necessary for the audience to feel that the film has moved somewhere. But at the heart of the film Joe Leatherman’s performance provides a strong unifying thread. Variously expressive yet never slipping into overstatement, Leatherman’s performance is perhaps the strongest piece of storytelling in The Stray. #IndieFilmReviews #IndieFilms #SeamusConlon #CamClark #JoeLeatherman #MarkSEsch #MatthewFinney #RachelLopfenstein

Written and Directed by Fred Cavender Story by Fred Cavender and Anne Sinagra Starring Lloyd Lewis, Kaitlyn McGill, Rob Lawrence Short Film Review by Chris Olson Given the deplorable revelations coming out of Hollywood with regards to the treatment of women by male execs and even filmmakers over recent months, it would be interesting to posit the following scenario. If women were a rare, even endangered species, would men treat them any better? Such is the premise of short film A Man’s World, written and directed by Fred Cavender, and the answer is regrettably a resounding no. Set largely in a dark car park, Charlie (Lloyd Lewis) is in a van with Jack (Rob Lawrence) and the two of them enjoy some light banter and a hip flask whilst they wait for their boss to finalise their transaction, which concerns the merchandise in the back of the van. Tying in a science fiction story with relevant themes, Cavender is on his best form with a film like this. In the same way that The Damned was a cinematic and compelling sci-fi, A Man’s World is suspenseful and gripping whilst occupying a fantasy world not so far removed from our own. The topical nature of the plot enhances its impact tenfold and there is a foreboding atmosphere throughout that is utterly engaging. Characters are well thought-out, and the final third of the movie is genius. As with many science fiction short films there is a degree of exposition needed and this is handled smartly. We understand fairly quickly that in this world of Cavender’s creation, women are a rarity, which has left men pining over the days of plenty, ergo leading them to establish a black market of human trafficking. It was fascinating to see the story play out, and, without spoiling the ending, deliver a knockout punch towards gender roles through the character of Charlie. Lloyd Lewis delivers another solid performance with A Man’s World. Having had turns in Cavender's The Damned and The Golden Shore, among other titles, he sustains a believable character throughout and copes well with the central conflict which is his main motivation. Scenes where he reluctantly chatters with Jack are loaded with subtext, creating a building sense of tension for the viewer. Rob Lawrence is terrific as the unsympathetic delivery driver. His shameful attitudes and disgusting behaviour later in the movie are the perfect villainy to reflect the themes of the story. Want to watch a free short film? This film has been added to the UK Film Channel so go right ahead... #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #ChrisOlson #FredCavender #AnneSinagra #LloydLewis #KaitlynMcGill #RobLawrence #SciFi #UKFilmChannel