★★★ Directed by Trish Sie Starring Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Brittany Snow, Anna Camp, Hailee Steinfeld, Ester Dean, Hana Mae Lee, Kelley Jackle, and Shelley Regner Film Review by Niall Maggs Pitch Perfect 3 is your typical musical for teenages, not a particularly good film, but a most definitely enjoyable one filled with silly but humorous jokes, and witty dialogue. The plot of Pitch Perfect 3 is so ridiculous and boring, but the comedy factor manages to make up for it, supplying the audience with constant laughs, particularly from Fat Amy played hilariously by Rebel Wilson, who can be irritating at some points, which is where the film suffers, however most scenes involving her are usually the best moments. The lead character Beca, played wonderfully by the excellent Anna Kendrick, is also a high point in the film. Kendrick manages to carry the rest of the cast, mostly filled with mediocre performances, and stands out above them all due to the sassy, smart but adorably innocent character she plays. She's someone the audience can root for, and is easily likeable. However, a lot of the supporting characters aren't quite as pleasant or loveable... Kay Cannon's script is of average quality but entertainingly witty. Some lines of dialogue are more cringeworthy than Anakin and Padme's romance in Attack of the Clones (and that's saying something!) but you can't help but forgive such embarrassing dialogue and love it, because that’s what makes it fun! The direction is, again, average but the pacing is surprisingly flawless. There isn’t one point that feels dragged or rushed, and the flow stays very consistent throughout. With a minimal runtime of just 93 minutes, there isn’t much time for slow story building and development like Blade Runner 2049, but you couldn’t expect much more from a film like this. Like I said, the performances from the supporting cast are mediocre at best, but, once again, you wouldn’t expect Oscar worthy portrayals in a teen musical like this one! The cast work well with what they’ve got, but what they’ve got isn’t much. However, you can tell they have great chemistry, and enjoy working together. The cinematography is unnoticeable, which would make it average, and just blends in. No IMAX mind-blowing wide shots or expert special effects, but maybe that’s a good thing. There aren’t any mind-numbing distractions, so you can just enjoy the bare bones simplistic structure, and there’s nothing wrong with that at all. Because it’s a musical, it’s going to contain music and dance sequences. Was it good? Well I’m no singing expert, but it seemed alright to me…Some of the songs in Pitch Perfect 3 were embarrassing and plain cringeworthy, but you can’t bash the effort the actors put into the routine, which displays their dedication, and just proves they want to make sure the audience have an exciting time. There is also a stereotypical, unnecessary villain played by John Lithgow, who fits all the criteria for a cliché mastermind bad guy. There really was no reason for him to be there, and literally doesn’t develop the plot in any way, and only has some relevance in the last fifteen minutes. This is one of those movies that would be considered a guilty pleasure. You know it’s not a great film, or the best of the year, nor does it try to be, however there is so much fun to be had with Pitch Perfect 3, filled to the brim with light-hearted humour which is simple, laid back and clean. A perfect family friendly movie and one that can be enjoyed by most. #FilmReviews #TheatricalReleases #NiallMaggs #Musicals #Comedy #TrishSie #AnnaKendrick #RebelWilson #BrittanySnow #AnnaCamp #HaileeStainfeld #EsterDean #HanaMaeLee #KelleyJackle #ShelleyRegner

Directed by L. Marcus Williams Starring Lee Michael Friedman and Michelle Fetterly Short Film Review by Evie Brudenall Unrequited love is painful and heart wrenching – but when the person on the receiving end of it is completely oblivious of the other’s existence, things can start getting dangerous… Short film Nail-Biter tells the story of a sexually repressed man and his menacing obsession for a woman who is unaware that he is following her. Too ashamed to approach her, he breaks into her apartment to feel closer to her. However, she returns home earlier than expected and he must confront the darkness within his psyche. Nail-Biter begins with the man anxiously lingering on an underground train platform, looking very much like a citizen on the fringe of society – he’s positioned on the outside, looking in, as he watched a flirting couple completely at ease with each other. There’s a sense of longing in his gaze and the heavy implication that such behaviour he is witnessing is something he’s never experienced. A woman then arrives on the platform and the man’s focus shifts but his anxiety still manifests. The camera work and use of frequent close-ups suggests that this woman has been the subject of the man’s attention for some time now – but she is worryingly ignorant to her admirer who lurks several feet away from her. The woman boards the train and the man discreetly trails after her. It’s the next morning and the woman leaves for work to which the man seizes his opportunity and enters her apartment building and breaks into her flat. During this sequence where the man rifles through her belongings and makes himself at home, the unsaturated aesthetic and colour scheme truly fulfils its purpose and curates a cold atmosphere that is spiced with threat and genuine eeriness. However, it’s one of the film’s only components that establishes the frightening situation as the unnamed man (played by Lee Michael Friedman) is given no depth, and his defining character trait that makes him a disturbing sociopath is his crippling shyness. Nail-Biter is also a wordless short which limits audience engagement significantly and keeps us at an uncomfortable distance – it’s been made impossible to muster up any sympathy whatsoever for our protagonist who is an extremely dangerous individual. Overall, Williams’ short suffers without a clear message and fails to create the conflict of what the synopsis promises. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #EvieBrudenall #LMarcusWilliams #LeeMichaelFriedman #MichelleFetterly

★★★ Written & Directed by Durden Godfrey Starring Benjamin Hornsby, Daniel Miller and Mel Heflin Indie Film Review by Seamus Conlon The repeated quotes from and references to Walden’s ‘Thoreau’ throughout Never Go Back make explicit the film’s already fairly overt central theme: a neo-Romantic return to nature and withdrawal from the suffocating and arbitrary customs of society. In the opening sequences of the film we are subjected to characters spouting cringe-worthy platitudes along the lines of ‘society is bullshit’ before they enter back into the state of nature. It seems from the outset that the film will provide a predictable didactic narrative about the naivety of Romantic nature-worship, about who hippy-ish optimists should be careful what they wish for, and that life in the state of nature is a Hobbesian hell of brutality compared with the dull safety net of society. To an extent Never Go Back does (appropriately) provide this narrative, but there is intelligent nuance, and ambiguity. Benjamin Hornsby and Daniel Miller play a father and son, respectively, who, responding to the trauma of the death of a family matriarch, decide to live as foragers in the woods as a posthumous tribute to her preference for nature over society. The son, Oliver, seems particularly wayward and depressive, and buys marijuana on the day of his mother’s funeral – that his dealer gives him a discount as commiseration for his loss brings a rare smile to Oliver’s face. The father, Dave, seems more circumspect and knowing than his rather blinkered son. Oliver is driven by blind emotion in the wake of his mother’s death to give up on his place in society and re-create Thoreau’s famed experiment in solitary, natural life, and fails to see how the experiment could deliver anything less than utopian bliss. Dave passively goes along with Oliver’s plans, but he knows the turbulences ahead. The early section of Never Go Back, set in civilization before the attempted return to nature, are clumsy, dull, lacking in visual or technical imagination. Daniel Miller plays Oliver as monotonous and tiresome, and sadly this doesn’t change much until the end of the film. Mel Heflin as the remembered mother is so creepy as to appear less like a recognisable human being than as a hallucination or an apparition – and at one point in the film she does take on this manifestation. Of the major roles, Benjamin Hornsby the one truly naturalistic and consistently endearing performance. But as the attempt to live in the state of nature unravels, and as Oliver becomes first disillusioned and then reconciled to the torments of his new pastoral existence, we have to listen to less stale catchphrases about evil society and more interesting experiments with sound design on behalf of the filmmakers, less plod-along scenes of daily life and more scenes of natural beauty fused with technical experiment. Not all of director Durden Godfrey’s attempts to visually dramatize Oliver’s inner turmoil work – a short sequence involving a vision of his dead mother in the works is slightly clichéd – but the film is certainly enriched by its attempts to represent the inward journey into Oliver’s soul that accompanies the journey into the heart of the forest. #IndieFilmReviews #IndieFilms #SeamusConlon #DurdenGodfrey #BenjaminHornsby #DanielMiller #MelHeflin

Filmmaker Interview As part of their film crowdfunding campaign to get their new short film The Situation made, director Evie Brudenall and writer Mia Shaw discuss some of the details about their film and why they want to make it. How would you describe your current project, The Situation, to a new audience? M: ‘The Situation’ is a fun-filled comedy about a deadbeat, sitcom-obsessed slacker called Todd who wakes up one day to find his world has been transformed into a sitcom. His housemates are comic versions of their former selves, he hears canned laughter, and his house looks like a TV studio set. The poor guy! E: He’s utterly confused by this abrupt change, but he soon realises that he is living his dream and begins to relish his new lifestyle! What was the reason you wanted to make this film and tell this story? E: As soon as Mia pitched this idea, we were all immediately hooked by its premise and the comedic opportunities. Mia and I have very similar sensibilities and interests when it comes to comedy so I knew that this was the perfect project to direct. M: I wanted to tell this story because I think it will be hugely entertaining. Sitcom is such a popular and vast genre, that it will be great fun to parody the conventions we see in these shows. What is the money for and how can people help? E: The money we raise will go towards making the best quality film we can. The main cost for our film will be on the set we need to build, to make the transformation from the everyday world to the sitcom world much clearer. M: The money raised will also go towards costumes, props, provisions for the actors, etc. People can help by giving whatever sized donation they can and by sharing our social media pages to get the buzz going about this exciting project! E: However, if you donate, you’ll also be eligible to claim for a reward that is dependent on the size of the pledge. You can donate by heading over to our ‘The Situation’ YuStart page: https://yustart.hubbub.net/p/situationfilm/ How do you feel about CrowdFunding? E: CrowdFunding is imperative to students and independent film-makers who want to get their project produced and it allows us to show just how passionate we are about making our film a reality. It also creates a sense of pride between those involved in the actual making of the film and the donators; through everyone’s efforts and involvement, a great story can be told. M: I think CrowdFunding is a very useful way of getting donations for any project. Because social media has proliferated greatly, it is an incredibly effective way of getting our film out far and wide. The rewards scheme that we’ve mentioned is also a great way of showing our appreciation of people’s kind donations. What’s the hardest thing about making a film in 2017? M: I would say that the competition amongst filmmakers is so strong. There is copious talent in the industry, especially amongst up-and-coming filmmakers, so I suppose you really just need a lot of gumption to get your voice heard. E: It can also be a long and complicated process as you have to strike a balance between making a film with as little money as you can without sacrificing its quality or level of professionalism. Who are your inspirations? M: I’m a fan of British comedy so Graham Linehan, Ricky Gervais and Edgar Wright are big influences. I enjoy many genres but at the end of the day I think nothing beats a good laugh. E: I love the comedy in Noah Baumbach films like Mistress America and The Meyerowitz Stories and Armando Ianucci and Taika Waititi’s work. For this particular short film though we’re looking more at American sitcoms like Friends, Everybody Loves Raymond and Frasier. What’s next for you? M: The world. E: I concur. #FilmmakerInterviews #Interviews #FilmmakerFeatures #crowdfunding #EvieBrudenall #MiaShaw

Directed by David Spaltro Written by Tawny Sorensen Starring Nabil Vinas and Tawny Sorensen Short Film Review by Chris Olson What begins as an enjoyable comedy develops into an affecting drama in this short film written by and starring Tawny Sorensen. Directed by David Spaltro, The Cat's Cradle examines a relationship on the cusp of a huge shift in their dynamic...but perhaps not the sort they were expecting. Jim (Nabil Vinas) and wife Amy (Tawny Sorensen) are at that stage in their relationship where procreating has become the focal topic. The former is gung-ho in his preparation for being a dad: watching baby documentaries, reading up on tips for how to get pregnant, and giving Amy plenty of advice on how she could be using her body more effectively. Amy, on the other hand, seems flustered by the sacrifices she has to make, as well as frustrated at the lack of spark in the romantics. What transpires as we learn more about this couple and how they got to this point seems brimming with trouble. It can often be a struggle to rack up enough chemistry in an on screen relationship during a short film for the audience to be convinced, let alone immersed. In The Cat's Cradle, not only is the writing authentic and believable, the two central performances are exceptional, creating a totally relatable and engaging dynamic for the viewer to be sucked into, whilst the heavy themes swarm around them unbeknownst. This was essential in order to strike the complex balance of comedy and drama which emerges marvellously. Vinas is great as the super excited dad-in-the-making, offering up some wonderful moments of tenderness and comedy, as well as coping brilliantly with the tonal shift in the latter sections of the short film. Sorensen is captivating as the not-so-enthusiastic mother-in-waiting (or baby making machine), serving up a delightful range of emotions and acting prowess to complement the story and its subject matter. Together, these two performers offer a remarkable insight into the delicate intricacies of a modern relationship, and all the hidden depths. The intimacy with which Spaltro directs (and edits) The Cat's Cradle is also really special. He utilises a lot of close ups and mid-range shots to keep the viewer fixed. It would have been easy to take the peddle off the gas and rely on some more comedy or extraneous sequences in order to dilute the tension slightly for the viewer. Instead, the movie remains on a steady incline of increasing and palpable tension throughout. The result is rather magnificent. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #ChrisOlson #Romance #Comedy #Drama #Relationships #DavidSpaltro #TawnySorensen #NabilVinas

★★★★★ Directed by Rian Johnson Starring Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Mark Hamill, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Carrie Fisher, and Domhnall Gleeson Film Review by Niall Maggs With the longest runtime in the whole franchise, the 2 hour and 32 minute duration strangely feels a lot shorter than that, which in this case is a good thing! There isn't one scene or act that bores, and the excellent direction and narrative, by Rian Johnson, keeps you captivated instantly. The characters of Rey, Finn, Poe, Luke, Leia, and even BB-8 are fleshed out and explored thoroughly, we even learn more about their interesting pasts, and this is particularly important with the newer characters to the series like Rey and Finn etc. With The Force Awakens, we hardly knew anything about our main heroes, and you couldn't feel attached to them, but The Last Jedi excels at creating multi dimensional and layered characters; they don't seem like cardboard cut-outs in any way. This is Mark Hamill's best performance as Luke Skywalker, now a slightly crazy, isolated Jedi myth who rejects the Force and everyone associated with it. The effort he puts Into his role spawns nothing but respect from critics and fans alike. The character of Rey has also improved vastly. She is now the definition of a badass Jedi! With a beyond brilliant performance by Daisy Ridley who shines as the main star of this sequel trilogy (The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi and the future untitled Episode IX) and because of the increased humour in this entry, the chemistry between Rey and Finn (John Boyega) is just so entertaining to watch. The overall plot of Star Wars: The Last Jedi is quite hard to explain; it's very complicated and complex, which is rare for such a well known franchise. However, it benefits from this. It's incredibly unique and doesn't feel like a rip off of a previous entry (many accused The Force Awakens to be an almost identical replica of A New Hope) thankfully, this gives the haters no chance but to applaud the well constructed narrative...although we are sure many will still try. The structure is interesting. The second half feels almost like another film within the film! This is due to the slow, story-building pace of the first half, then the heart-pumping action and thrill of the second. It combines two styles of filmmaking and it's just brilliant! The shift of pace works really well and gives audiences great action to experience, while also supplying them with a great story to follow, which hooks them instantly with intrigue and wonder. This is easily the best looking Star Wars film yet, with gorgeous cinematography by Steve Yedlin that just floors you with awe and astonishment. In particular a shot near the end, which is a throwback to arguably the most iconic scene in the whole franchise, will bring a tear to hardcore Star Wars fans without a doubt. With such wide shots, you really get a feel of the immense universe which George Lucas created back in 1977. You could say the film looked epic, because it was. The third and final act is some of the greatest filmmaking I have ever seen with extraordinary twists and turns which you won't see coming; the chills and goose bumps Star Wars fans, myself included, get just shows the passion we have for this magnificent series. With few flaws, unless you don't like films that build story slowly, Star Wars: The Last Jedi is a phenomenal entry into the franchise, maybe not one which is as rewatchable as the others, but the expanded building of the Star Wars universe makes for a great experience, and one which can't ever be replicated by any other film this year or ever! Watch the Star Wars: The Last Jedi movie trailer below... #FilmReviews #TheatricalReleases #NiallMaggs #MovieTrailers #5StarFilm #StarWars #SciFi #ScienceFiction #RianJohnson #DaisyRidley #JohnBoyega #MarkHamill #OscarIsaac #AdamDriver #CarrieFisher #DomhnallGleeson

Directed by Keif Gwinn, Phillip Crosby, Christian Ancliff Starring Tom Daplyn, Keif Gwinn, Anthea Neagle, Kelly Rowden, Christian Ancliff and Egle Dovydaityte Short Film Review by Rachel Pullen We all have them, those little compulsions that we do that satisfy our brain no end, but there are some of us who, no matter what they do, cannot find such satisfaction. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is hell, true OCD I mean, not the kind that your buddy has because they like their books in a certain order or have to make their cup of tea a particular way, no that’s called taste, true OCD consumes your life, tears you between logic and an overwhelming fear of what will happen if these thoughts, desires even, are not completed, it controls its victims without apology. Compulsive is the short film submission to the sci fi London 48 hour film festival, and tackles the subject of OCD, we open on a young man who is displaying some of the most common forms of OCD, washing his hands, turning on and off lights etc but he also has another compulsion...numbers. Numerology in OCD or symmetry obsession with ordering, is the fourth most common type of obsessive compulsion, and our leading role is fully invested into this, taking two dice he rolls a double five which to him signifies that he can leave his home, and we as an audience begin to understand. On doing so he takes to the streets, where when faced with any others numbers, be they on buildings, signs and so on, he rolls his dice, yet his dice rolling antics seem to get him not into trouble but more as a helpful stranger, he helps civilians left right and centre, observing and protecting them and his precious dice. This film is deeply powerful to anyone who has suffered at the hands of this disease [take it from me who has suffered from OCD since I was a very young child], our character shows no worries about how odd he may look rolling dice on the pavement of a busy street, he does not care, he can’t care, he simply must carry out what his brain desires, he is a victim of his own mind. Our leading man Tom Daplyn plays the role with great intensity, although he seems composed at times he still conveys a sense of worry and anguish in the way he carries himself, you feel the tension rising out of him even as he simply walks the street, making for a powerful representation of how sufferers may feel. Professional looking, sounding as well as executed, Compulsive is an interesting and engaging short which leaves the audience wanting more and more from this tale. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #RachelPullen #OCD #KeifGwinn #PhillipCrosby #ChristianAncliff #TomDaplyn #AntheaNeagle #KellyRowden #EgleDovydaityte

Written and Directed by Stuart Wheeldon Starring Nigel Barber, Bern Deegan, Rachel Prince (Warwick) Short Film Review by Chris Olson Atmospheric and gripping, short film The Telephone from writer/director Stuart Wheeldon is an homage to classic murder mysteries, with a strong sense of modern storytelling. Teaming up again with Nigel Barber, who plays one of the lead roles (see our film review for In Limbo), and the excellent Bern Deegan, Wheeldon delivers a seductive and mesmeric psychological thriller that has some outstanding talent both sides of the camera. The plot follows journalist Richard (Bern Deegan) who is chasing a story about a girl who went missing whilst staying at an unassuming village pub. The owner Max (Nigel Barber) claims to have no knowledge of the girl, and also strongly denies the strange sound of a ringing telephone that Richard can apparently hear. Deciding to stay a while, Richard soon begins to suspect there is more to Max than being a landlord and expressionist artist. There is a strong sense of foreboding throughout short film The Telephone which is greatly enhanced by two aspects of the filmmaking. The DoP George Peck crafts some amazing visuals using the small locations, allowing a palpable tension to overwhelm the viewer, especially during the scenes in Max's art-studio-cum-living-quarters. Furthermore, the sound design from Jordan Frater is phenomenally gripping, laying heavily over the top of the movie to weigh the audience down into the drama and regularly picks out the horror notes, such as his use of church bells. Wheeldon as director combines these elements well and delivers his spooky story with deft skill. He also edited the movie which was an aspect that completely enhanced the swift and compelling pace that complemented the characters and plot. In front of the camera were two powerful central performances. Deegan is a tenacious on-screen presence, combining a fantastic emotional layer with his character's investigative prowess. It's Barber who steals the show, though, with an incredible turn as the charismatic Max. His performance was an eclectic mix of charm, style, and brutality that was utterly compelling. There were a few sequences which were slightly jarring, in terms of keeping the viewer cemented in the atmosphere. One of these was a sequence in a phone box where the audio was too low and another was a scene of Richard by his laptop in the daylight. It seemed a shame to jolt the audience out of the darker tone the short had curated, which utilises some fantastic nighttime sequences and black and white flashbacks. Aside from that, this is a remarkable piece of short filmmaking reminiscent of Hitchcock's classic Psycho. It tells its story boldly and with superb talent. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #ChrisOlson #Mystery #PsychologicalThriller #StuartWheeldon #NigelBarber #BernDeegan #RachelPrince

★★★★ Directed by Alan Power Starring Rosey Hayes, Maeve Moran, Caoimhe Murphy, Aisling Kavanagh Indie Film Review by Jack Gibbs To grapple with anxiety and uncertainty, to weather the ravages of self-deprecation and to wonder if our existence has meaning is something a great many of us do in times of crisis – and the topic that indie film Deep Meaning, aka: Neglect, Self-Hate & Shame seeks to explore with care and gusto in equal measure. Revolving around the day-to-day struggles of Alice, an aspiring artist locked in a constant battle with her own hesitation and self-doubt who vehemently refuses all forms of external assistance and uses a talking stuffed animal as an outlet for her problems, its looks prove deceptive. The visuals of the various environments are reasonably well-crafted, but the humanoid models on display are jarring and can perhaps serve to potentially repel viewers, as Alice and other residents of Kilkenny are represented through thin, lanky, large-eyed humanoids that look like anthropomorphic sacks. Though this sort of presentation can be off-putting, it’s the emotional content within the feature itself that is much more outstanding beneath the veneer of odd appearances. We see the extent of Alice’s struggles with herself illustrated in a variety of ways, from conversing with her stuffed animal for assistance and guidance to dealing with the apathy of her colleagues as she endeavours to write an opera, to a series of conversations with ‘herself’ and others, presented in the style of a TV show, which shed light on her deep-rooted insecurities and personal suffering. Even when taking its relative brevity into consideration, Deep Meaning ensures that these moments are impactful. It’s a crowd-funded labour of love that explores the darker side of the emotions we experience, showing what a budget of just €800 can accomplish in the right hands. It is perhaps not the best-written example of such a work, and the experience is marred by an occasional slip in the mostly passable voice acting, but it rings true – and the second-guessing and self-deprecatory remarks that Alice flagellates herself with become more apparent and more wince-inducing as time goes on. She desperately yearns to create something that will define her and which will last through the vicissitudes of history, yet even when given positive reinforcement she doubles back on herself. Her journey is brief yet poignant as she leaps boldly and blindly into writing her magnum opus, and from there gives us an unflinching look into the psyche of a young girl with her whole life ahead of her, yet finds herself listless, grappling with who is and plagued with crippling doubt, disillusioned and urgently trying to give her life direction. It does become remarkably heavy-handed and even somewhat one-dimensional in its delivery of its central themes and ideas in the minutes before the close, both through dialogue and symbolism, and it suffers for that bluntness when everything else came across as reasonable, delicate and tasteful. But even despite that the core message of Deep Meaning still resonates. It is in our nature as humans to strive to leave a mark on the world around us, to guarantee ourselves a legacy be it through passing on our genes or creating something which serves to immortalise us and place us firmly within the annals of human history. In one way or another, we all yearn to live forever, to follow Longfellow’s example and leave footprints in the sands of time. So too is it in our nature to wonder if our efforts truly have any value or merit attached to them, to self-flagellate and engage in bitter introspection and wonder whether there’s any point to it all. But above all else, as the film’s closing moments encapsulate neatly, it shows us that no man is an island. Neglect, self-hate and shame are always difficult mountains to climb, but there is always light in the form of those who help – who care because they see the best in us. #IndieFilmReviews #IndieFilms #JackGibbs #AlanPower #RoseyHayes #MaeveMoran #CaoimheMurphy #AislingKavanagh

Directed by Joseph David Bowes Starring Kevin Croak, Eve Cusack, Peter Murphy, David Bakman and Jake Viaene Short Film Review by Annie Vincent A scathing satire on the pharmaceutical industry, Pharma Lab Training Video: 1 is a witty, retro film that will appeal to fans of subversive comedy. Adjusting her headset, a young prospective internship candidate, settles in to watch the Pharma Lab’s first training video. Reminiscent of the 1980s health and safety videos we’ve all been subjected to in our schools, colleges and offices, the film is incredibly retro. In the video, the pharmaceutical lab Professor (Kevin Croak) walks through the complex, explaining the lab’s unique testing programme – a series of clones, all called Peter. Each cheery Peter believes he is ‘a real boy’ but he’s actually used for opioid and STD testing, among other things. In order to test the new medications, Peter is subjected to violence and is exposed to disease, with the interns and professors turning a blind eye, even when parts of the Peters explode on them. Sometimes the Peters go wild ... but there’s always the ‘grinder’ when that happens. How will our new intern react to this gruesome induction? Will the ‘evil’ Professor running this lab get the comeuppance he deserves? This film is full of satirical surprises; just as you get comfortable, believing you know what is happening here, the film twists again and you’re confronted with more subversive scenarios. Stylistically, the film rates highly, with the retro feel of the training video captured so well through Bowes’ use of VHS screen effects and a series of generic, cheesy ‘elevator music’ tracks. Kevin Croak delivers the, frankly, disgusting truth of the Pharma Lab’s work with that stereotypical grin and upbeat-salesman tone, required of all presenters on info-videos, perfectly. An industry ripe for criticism, the satirical jokes and scathing comments about the ‘ethics’ of the pharmaceutical industry are also incredibly appealing. The ending is both unexpected and pretty hard-hitting, delivering a solid sense of satisfaction which will thoroughly delight anyone who is awake to the realities of animal testing. The nature of Pharma Lab Training Video: 1 surely paves the way for further ridicule in this retro style; the list of organisations and topical issues ripe for ridicule is extensive. Further films of this nature would certainly be welcome among audiences of satirical short film. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #AnnieVincent #ScienceFiction #SciFi #JosephDavidBowes #KevinCroak #EveCusack #PeterMurphy #DavidBakman #JakeViaene

★★★★ Directed by Terry Ross Written by Lisa Bruhn Starring Tyler Bruhn, Karenssa LeGear, Sandi Todorovic, Aaron Landon Bornstein, Lisa Winans Indie Film Review by Chris Olson Genuinely moving, indie film Carving a Life, from director Terry Ross and writer Lisa Bruhn, lays bare its two central characters as they journey from initial courting through to marriage and beyond. A no-holds-bar examination of the splinters which can occur when you let the anguish of your memories affect the promise of your future. Tyler Bruhn plays Mitch, a seemingly confident wood-carving artist at the beginning of the movie, the audience later learns that he hides a troubled past. His new relationship with school teacher Lauren (Karenssa LeGear) begins well, and the two enjoy the initial throes of puppy love and eventually get married. What becomes evident, through Mitch’s drinking, turbulent flashbacks, and poor choices, is that the baggage he has brought with him to this relationship is perhaps more than either of them bargained for. What first appears to be a rather middle-of-the-road love story is actually layered with some fascinating themes surrounding alcohol abuse and mental/physical health issues. Mitch’s struggle to come to terms with aspects of his past and the incredibly poor choices he continues to make, are wonderful ruinous but also very relatable. Everything is done with a convincing tone and his behaviour does not smack of shallow totes emoshing, instead of a manchild weighed down by his tragic history. His relationships with his father (Aaron Landon Bornstein) and friend-cum-enabler Eric (Sandi Todorovic) are also well explored during Carving a Life. Music was chosen well to add depth to the film’s chapters, the entire movie felt like a journey through time as the seasons changed and each of the characters had moved to a slightly different, and often more unstable, place in their life. It was compelling to watch the evolution of Mitch and Lauren’s relationship and how they attempted to merge all of their anxieties and fears with disastrous consequences. There is a moment early on in the film where Mitch talks about using damaged wood in order to create something beautiful, which becomes particularly poignant later on in Carving a Life. Another little reference to this is found when Lauren refers to her new class, saying there are no “bad eggs”. The performances were by and large decent. Bruhn and LeGear have a nice chemistry, and there is a really nice sequence between LeGear and Mitch’s step-mother Rebecca (Lisa Winans) where she reveals some of the details of Mitch’s past. At times, there are some moments of stilted dialogue, but these are few and far between. Overall this was a tender and engaging romantic drama that combined emotive storytelling with fantastic thematic depth. Watch the official movie trailer for Carving a Life below... #IndieFilmReviews #IndieFilms #MovieTrailers #ChrisOlson #TerryRoss #LisaBruhn #TylerBruhn #KarenssaLeGear #SandiTodorovic #AaronLlandonBornstein #LisaWinans

★★★★ Written & Directed by Zach Zeman Starring Noah Schindler, Ryan Sliwinski, Mason Taylor, Rieves Bowers, Jake Dogias, Marisa Roper Indie Film Review by Taryll Baker Satirical mockumentaries are a hard subject to tackle, but Zach Zeman’s Hunters’ Crossing manages to capture the brilliance of such a genre and creates some of the most ridiculous characters you’ll see on-screen. We’re first introduced to the inexperienced hunter, Hank Williams (Noah Schindler) who claims to have been hunting for many years of his life, but very quickly we’re shown differently. Within the first few minutes we know what kind of tone the film will have throughout; flimsy, cooky, unimaginably dumb characters - and I love it. Noah’s performance is totally subtle with enough depth to imagine a past that has lead to this change in his life. His chemistry with Rieves Bowers (playing Trevor Farleys) is simply brilliant, they’re both complete idiots and it really works for the film. The owner of the cabin the hunters are invited to hold up in, Willis Hampton (Mason Taylor) is supposedly fifty but looks mid-twenties. It’s these kind of details that I find hilarious in Hunters’ Crossing. The story is pretty cliché for the most part, but much like the parodies in Wet Hot American Summer, the director plays on this and creates a strange viewing experience that is somehow entertaining. I liked how the story is broken up into separate sections, it felt like watching a Tarantino flick but without the over-the-top writing and high budget. Not much else can be said about the story itself; it’s really fun and quirky, and manages to hold your attention throughout. If I were to criticise one thing about the casting, it would be Marisa Roper’s character of Samantha Burd; she seemed a little uncomfortable in the role. Everyone around her felt perfect within the narrative but her character just didn’t work for me. This doesn’t affect the film in a drastic way, however, so I was able to look past it. Zeman’s cinematography (if you could call it that within the genre) is perfect. Zooming in on characters’ faces to show a visual sense of comedy; much like in The Office (both original and US). The editing, also by Zeman, was suitable and flowed pretty well. Technically, I couldn’t really pick out anything that bothered me. Even the rough audio felt natural due to the documentary feel. There's one thing that felt a little jarring and that was the use of MacLeod's music in some scenes. Other than that, it was an effortless viewing experience. It's quite evident in the performances that everyone involved is having a blast creating this strange world, and that's something I always look out for in a film. Seeing the cast and crew enjoy what they're bringing to life is a big plus for me. Hunters’ Crossing isn’t a cinematic masterpiece (it may be disasterpiece) but it is one very strange and entertaining film nonetheless. #IndieFilmReviews #IndieFilms #TaryllBaker #ZachZeman #NoahSchindler #RyanSliwinski #MasonTaylor #RievesBowers #JakeDogias #MarisaRoper