Written & Directed by Michael Malone Starring Ken Garr, Michael Malone, Tiffany Van Goey, Ricarlo Flannagan Short Film Review by Chris Olson Combining middle-age crisis with Halloween, short film Smashing Pumpkins is a crude and uninspired take on blokes growing old, and their desperate attempts to recapture their golden days. One’s a boring married man called Dave (Ken Garr) and the other’s a misogynistic hell-raiser called Adam (Michael Malone - who also writes and directs here), combined they are two old friends spending Halloween sipping suds and reminiscing about how crazy they were during their teenage years. Dave is regularly remonstrated by Adam for being so quick to enjoy the settled down life, attacking his domestic bliss with anecdotes about oral sex and sleeping with 22-year-olds. After some local teenagers smash a pumpkin outside Dave’s house, though, our hopeless heroes go on a cruise around the neighbourhood looking to relight their youthful antics in any way they can. Relying on a script full of vulgar dialogue, Smashing Pumpkins suffers from being all trick and no treat. The two central characters are not compelling or emotionally engaging, in particular Adam who spouts line after line of smutty “man” talk when he’s not barking at women like an aroused dog. It seems ironic that the so-called pathetic nature of Dave’s domestic life, which gets contrasted against Adam’s wayward lewdness, would parallel the childish antics of these filmmakers who really should know better. Unfortunately, Dave as a character is so boringly unconvincing that he spends large quantities of the short talking about how pleased he actually is with his role as an adult and a father, before being quickly tempted into tasteless shenanigans with his childhood pal that involve looking for teenagers to scare with a baseball bat and lighting up a joint whilst driving. The whole dynamic is completely unconvincing. The snappy editing and quick pace to the film was well executed, and the use of slow-motion in a latter section of the film was visually engaging. It would have been nice if the earlier parts of the film were a little more adventurous, especially during the lengthy times of the guys sitting on the sofa chatting, but I realise there may have been budget restraints. It reminded me of films like The Hangover and I Love You, Man, but this is nowhere near as intelligent, which is saying something. Instead it's like the viewer is slapped around the face with a willy, which apparently we asked for. Overall it’s like someone decided to make a film after having a few too many beers with his buddy..about someone having too many beers with his buddy. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #ChrisOlson #Comedy #Halloween #MichaelMalone #KenGarr #TiffanyVanGoey #RicarloFlannagan

Written & Directed by Chris Murdoch Starring Deana Heaton, Jean Rogers, Sophie Shad, Danny Thornton Short Film Review by Chris Olson Care home comedy in this short from filmmaker Chris Murdoch, who blends honest character arcs with farcical humour to produce a sweet if forgettable piece of cinema. Julie (Deana Heaton) is our central hero in Valentine's Day, a much put-upon care worker who goes about her daily duties with plenty of gusto. A stark difference, then, to slacker Tracy (Sophie Shad) who spends her time as a care worker avoiding any tasks she can and being rude to the numerous guests. One particular guest called Angie (Jean Rogers) is notably aggrieved by Tracy and with the looming Valentine's Day party that is being thrown in the care home, seeks to exploit the situation to gain vengeance. Done with a light touch and bouncy dialogue, Murdoch's short film felt like a cross between Phoenix Nights and Derek. Both of which are notably television shows. There is nothing spectacularly cinematic about Valentine's Day as a movie, instead engaging in cheeky characters and swift set pieces. From a comedy perspective, Murdoch proves himself to be more capable. There is a spiky pace to the piece, allowing the swift execution of the plot points and numerous guffaws to commence. A particular favourite was the introduction of Angie which was scripted brilliantly and superbly performed by Rogers. The performances are by and large decent, Heaton being a strong presence. Danny Thornton, who plays Julie's moronic DJ boyfriend Jim, also gives a fun turn, in particular when he presents Julie with his underwhelming gift for the special romantic holiday. There was not enough heft to the story, offering up shallow themes which go under developed. Tracy is the antagonist for the bulk of the story, and yes the audience quickly learns that she is quite nasty, but it was not explored in the depth that was needed in order to justify the final third and make it compelling. There was a blurry rush to the finish that was quite unsatisfying. Likewise with Julie and Jim's relationship, it didn't feel convincing which undermined the emotional connection to the film for the viewer. By focusing too much on loose humour and easy gags, the short suffers a severe lack of impact. Enjoyably throwaway and some decent chuckles, much like Valentine's Day itself this short film will come and go without leaving much of an impression, instead leaving a distinct sense that had a bit more effort been put in more people would have enjoyed it. Watch the official movie trailer below... #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #ChrisOlson #MovieTrailers #ChrisMurdoch #DeanaHeaton #JeanRogers #SophieShad #DannyThornton

Directed by David Chin, Stephen Herman Written by Stephen Herman Starring David Chin, Danni Ai Short Film Review by Chris Olson Slick, stylish, and grippingly tense, short film Message Delivered is a wonderfully atmospheric thriller that capitalises on a strong central premise and excellent performances. David Chin plays James, a husband frantically attempting to cover up an indiscretion by following orders that come to him via text message. Pretending he is working to his wife (Danni Ai) the SMS instructions take him across town to an abandoned establishment where he is further terrorised by a masked villain. It becomes increasingly perilous for James as he is forced to relinquish more than just the envelope of cash he has brought with him, as the blackmailer takes full advantage of the position of power they hold. Well-plotted and containing a brilliant use of no spoken dialogue, Message Received creates and maintains a formidable atmosphere throughout its ten minute run time that inhabits some of the best aspects of suspenseful thriller-horror movies. There is a chilling terror to the hidden menace that haunts James that not only gets brilliantly realised physically during the warehouse sequence, but also gets fabulously developed afterwards. To expand much more on the plot but let's just say it's clever storytelling with a terrific aesthetic. Chin's performance is also noteworthy. Traversing the movie with only body-language was always going to be challenging and Chin manages to create emotional depth and intrigue for his character using only an array of expressions and stances. Whether he would be able to maintain this for a feature length would be something I would like to find out. Although the large quantities of driving whilst texting should most definitely be discouraged! The sound design was an important part of Message Received's success as a short film. The tension that mounts during the movie owes a lot to the score and the creepy moments are made even creepier by the addition of a few shock notes. A couple of scenes could have been made more effective had the editing been a bit harsher, allowing the burning of some paper to string out for the audience, whilst a nice visual touch, seemed to dampen the momentum slightly. In all, a strong outing from co-directors Chin and Stephen Herman (who also writes here) who prove themselves utterly capable of grabbing the audience and keeping them stuck to the action effortlessly. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #ChrisOlson #Thriller #DavidChin #StephenHerman #DanniAi

Directed by Celine Cotran Starring Sharon Drain, Fiona Dolman, Kate Lassman Long Short Film Review by Rachel Pullen Loss sucks, grief is a minefield of emotions, and no one knows how they are going to respond to the death of a loved one, no wonder so many artists, musicians and filmmakers alike have explore this subject time and time again. After Eights (and no this short film has nothing to do with those fancy mint candies, which made me a bit sad) is the story of Helen (played by Fiona Dolman), who discovers her mother's ashes stored in a biscuit tin in her brother's home. Outraged at her brother's lack of compassion, she picks up her daughter (played by Kate Lassman Long) from school and heads straight for the cemetery, where she digs a hole next to her already dead father's grave so that her parents can be together again. After Eights is a perfect example of simplicity triumphing over the more flashy and gimmicky filmmaking styles of Hollywood, Celine Cotran keeps camera angles and stylistic shots to a minimum, which surprisingly serves well in this piece, accompanied with an equally simple soundtrack, this short develops a style and grace all of its own. Long, who plays our stroppy teenage girl provides a well thought-out and impressive performance, capturing the self-centred nature of the teenager with a realistic ease, caught up in her own little world, she is oblivious to the need her mother has to conduct a more respectful burial for her mother-s biscuit tin loving ashes. Dolman as well is flawless as the frantic Helen, who is in the middle of being a mother herself as well as doing the right thing as a daughter, she also is able to bring a lightness to the role which gives this short its quirky British style that sees the funny side in even the most macabre of subjects. After Eights is a short film that offers up a interesting insight into grief, seeing it through the eyes of several family members as well as generations, as each character learns about the legacies left by others in the wake of their deaths, a subject often overlooked by filmmakers when tackling the subject of loss. Offering up a gentle and rather comedic approach to this sombre subject. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #RachelPullen #Comedy #CelineCotran #SharonDrain #FionaDolman #KateLassmanLong

Directed by Ryan Williams Starring Matthew Lewney, Esther-Grace Button Short Film Review by Evie Brudenall Finding love is a challenge for virtually everyone who seeks it, but for those who are introverted, there are extra difficulties and hurdles to overcome. Writer/director Ryan Williams explores this very common phenomenon in the romantic drama/comedy Conveyor. Frank (Matthew Lewney) is a single man living alone with his beloved hamster. At work, he draws the attention of Audrey (Esther-Grace Button), a shy co-worker and their blooming attraction encounters many stops and starts along the way. As soon as Frank awakens, he is at the mercy of his watch that incessantly beeps, indicating him to move onto his next mundane task such as brushing his teeth or feeding his pet/best-friend Reggie the hamster. That strict schedule continues as he heads off to work at a factory where he packages bobblehead dogs (a quirky but amusing choice of profession), completing the same action over and over again until the end of the working day. However, unbeknownst to him Frank catches the eye of his colleague Audrey, who makes general chit-chat with her work neighbour Churchill (Richard Easterbrook with a fictional name perhaps a bit too on the nose) that eventually leads to fatherly advice as he encourages her to pursue Frank. Audrey invites Frank over to have a drink with her after work, a gesture he awkwardly declines, citing prior hamster commitments. An unfortunate discovery leads Frank’s meticulously ordered world to be turned upside down and disrupted. For the first time, possibly ever, Frank is late to work and upon his arrival, he sees another worker in his position enacting his role. Frank is forlorn and sensing his upset state, Audrey propositions another drinks date to which he accepts. Lewney and Button shine the brightest in their performances when they are together – their jilted interactions are painfully adorable as both clearly have feelings that they are too shy to express. Although, this particular will-they/won’t-they dynamic of two introverted romantics is one that strikes unoriginal and the story suffers considerably from this sense of déjà vu. Director of Photography Spencer Burker wonderfully captures the tone of the piece through the use of visual language. The camerawork is fluid in its occasional moments of movement but it is often static as it captures the unfolding action and storyline; this deliberate creative choice reflects the unexciting life that Frank leads as he is unable to stray from the rigid routine he has become restricted by. The colour palette is cold and unassuming but when Frank and Audrey are on their first date and later in Audrey’s apartment, the scenes are warmly lit and create a tender atmosphere, suggesting that Frank is allowing intimacy and romance to enter his life without interference. Sweetly told with a payoff that will satisfy audiences, short film Conveyor is lacking an all important dose of originality but is loaded with promise and potential in its in front of and behind the camera talent. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #EvieBrudenall #RyanWilliams #MatthewLewney #EstherGraceButton

Directed by Beau Fowler Starring Beau Fowler and Sonny Louis Short Film Review by Annie Vincent Cool and captivating, Beau Fowler’s latest short, Express Delivery, is definitely worth seeing. Swifty (Beau Fowler) is a cocky New-Yorker dragged from the boot of a BMW by a sharp, suave bounty hunter named The Postman (Sonny Louis). Swifty seems pretty nonchalant about this, not even waking initially and then asking for a cigarette whilst trying to engage his captor in banal conversation. In a bid to shut him up, The Postman agrees to giving him a cigarette, but he doesn’t receive a polite ‘thank you’ for his generosity. What follows is a gripping and excellently-choreographed martial arts battle to the death, with a couple of surprising plot twists revealed for the finale. Express Delivery has recently won a couple of short film awards and it is easy to see why. The camerawork is creative from the start. During the opening montage, a series of zoom shots introduce us to The Postman: meticulous and severe – characteristics intensified by the camera angles. Later, the martial arts sequence offers further opportunities to see Robert Beck’s (Director of Photography) work, with the cameras sticking closely to both men. One of the best moments is the canted shot sequence which follows The Postman’s line of sight, including when he lands on his back and looks back at the, now, upside-down Swifty. The cameraman does his best to engage us in this fight, not just place us on the sideline as voyeurs. Both Fowler and Louis (a stuntman on Justice League, Wonderwoman and Game of Thrones) are impressive martial artists and the sequence is expertly delivered. The scene is brutal, but gripping and it isn’t always clear what the outcome of the battle will be, which prevents the predictability we sometimes see in other films. Supporting all this is a cool soundtrack, which employs some intense base but almost Western-style guitar riffs and some smirk-worthy dialogue from Fowler, which draws the audience to him immediately. Whilst both men are impressive in battle, it is the cock-sure ruffian, Swifty, we want to know more about. A tiny criticism is that Fowler’s accent could do with a tweak, but it’s still a pretty good effort, especially for a British actor. The film is left open and it would be great to see more from Swifty and his involvement with ‘Miss Jackson’, but until then, this is definitely a short film worth catching. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #AnnieVincent #BeauFowler #SonnyLouis

★★★★ Written & Directed by Noah Baumbach Starring Adam Sandler, Grace Van Patten, Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson, Elizabeth Marvel, Ben Stiller, Adam Driver Netflix Film Review by Chris Olson A jazzy take on daddy issues in this Netflix original film starring Dustin Hoffman as the head of the Meyerowitz household, and said daddy causing all the issues, who brings together his jaded and disconnected offspring in the build-up to an important event in his artistic career. The family tree is partially made up of Adam Sandler as Danny, a limping failed musician, and son of Harold (Hoffman), Danny is also the tender father to Eliza (Grace Van Patten), a “skilled filmmaker”, whose output of not un-pornographic material is proof of the creative genes that run in this family. Elizabeth Marvel plays Harold’s daughter Jean, a subdued and largely morose character whose brittle edge is brilliantly funny throughout the movie. Then there is Ben Stiller as the financially successful Matthew, apple of his dad’s eye, but riddled with a different kind of daddy issue. Throw in an inebriated (and almost unrecognisable) Emma Thompson as Harold’s wife and that’s your major players in The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected). Having caught Frances Ha a few years ago, I feel pretty well prepared for Noah Baumbach’s New Yorkian spin on the comedy drama. Borrowing a fair amount from a filmmaker like Woody Allen, there is also a marvellous contemporary edge to Baumbach’s movies that on the one hand makes them feel nostalgic and on the other completely relevant. Much like the aforementioned movie starring Greta Gerwig, Baumbach manages to capture something brilliantly effervescent about the human experience in the big city, where the chaos and noise of life feel like illnesses surrounding very lonely people. In The Meyerowitz Stories, the characters are engaging in an unrelenting barrage of snappy dialogue that feels jazzy and offbeat, but also underlined with a constant sense of pathos. The crippling side effects of being Harold’s offspring slowly emerges as being each one of the defining characteristics for all of them, whilst they tragically cope with the failing health of their father that launches them into freefall as decades of bitter resentment come spewing out. Cemented by solid performances from a stellar cast, this is one of the most likable and emotionally engaging movies of the year. It was phenomenal to watch Adam Sandler act his socks off as the dejected Danny, a character whose piano and parenting skills should have easily made him so much more of a hero than he projects. His scenes with Stiller are some of the best in The Meyerowitz Stories, feeling like a much needed comedy partnering that should have been explored back in the days of Happy Gilmore. This is a lot more grown up than that movie but you can’t help but get a little proud with these comedic heavyweights coming together so brilliantly. The filmmaking was also wonderful to behold, in particular the brutal editing which often cuts the characters off mid-sentence. This had a charming effect of capturing the messiness of life and the impossible task of ever formulating a coherent explanation of why family can mess us up so bad. The marvellous rhythm of the script and the fluidity of the camerawork made it feel quasi-documentary, and something that is a truly remarkable movie for 2017. #NetflixFilmReviews #FilmReviews #ChrisOlson #TheatricalReleases #NoahBaumbach #Comedy #Drama #AdamSandler #GraceVanPatten #DustinHoffman #EmmaThompson #ElizabethMarvel #BenStiller #Ada #AdamDriver

★★★★★ Directed by Taika Waititi Starring Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Mark Ruffalo, Tessa Thompson Film Review by Kieran Freemantle Thor is back and he is better than ever, getting a standalone adventure worthy of a God and is the MCU film of 2017. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) has returned to Asgard after stopping the enemies of his race uniting and causing the prophesied apocalypse known as Ragnarok. Upon his return Thor discovers Loki (Tom Hiddleston) has disguised himself as Odin (Anthony Hopkins) and when the brothers try to rescue their father on Earth they face Asgard’s greatest threat, Hela, the Goddess of Death (Cate Blanchett). After Hela defeats Thor he finds himself stranded on the planet Sakaar and forced to fight in gladiatorial contests. Thor has had a mixed record on film: his first film was a solid origins story that had a deliberately smaller scale story, a theme line of Thor learning humility and a great villain in the form of Loki but suffered from underwhelming action scenes. Thor: The Dark World is, in my opinion, the weakest movie in the MCU because it was just a filler story despite the universe scale threat. Even in The Avengers Thor is sometimes the odd man out: in Avengers: Age of Ultron his subplot was significantly cut. He finally has the film he deserves, a grand space opera-fantasy hybrid. The Marvel Cinematic Universe has a reputation for being comedic and light-hearted. This is certainly the case with the past three Marvel films, Doctor Strange, Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2 and Spider-man: Homecoming. Thor: Ragnarok dials the comedy up to 11: it is better than many out-and-out comedies to come out this year. The jokey tone started with Thor having a relaxed attitude to being captured and it continues from there. The film is hilarious throughout, even if it does reuse a joke where a character does plans to do something noble or epic and they end up getting hurt. When the movie trailers were released for Thor: Ragnarok it made the film look like it was copying the Guardians of the Galaxy and the third Thor adventure followed the 2014’s film style. Thor: Ragnarok was a gleefully colourful filled with an eclectic collection of aliens, bright production design and ‘80s style sync score by Mark Mothersbaugh, providing one of the most distinctive scores to an MCU film (my personal favourite track was during the vehicle chase over the skies of Sakaar). Sakaar is similar to Knowhere in Guardians of the Galaxy because Sakaar is a planet made of junk whilst people turned a large alien corpse into Knowhere. However, Thor: Ragnarok only used one song – Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song”: and it is awesome! Thor: Ragnarok also provides on the action front. This is director Taika Waititi’s first blockbuster and he clearly shows he is a talent to watch out for. Waititi confidently directs the set pieces, starting with a Thor fighting on a fiery planet and the camera follows Mjölnir as he does it and the action continues from there. There is a big gladiatorial fight between Thor and the Hulk, the chase above Sakaar and the final battle with Hela's forces. This offered a great amount of variety - giving fans a great combination of high fantasy and sci-fi. Throughout his films, Thor has had a great character arc. In the first film he was an arrogant young warmonger who was forced onto Earth without his powers and learns he has to earn his powers and in the second film Thor is torn between his life on Earth and Asgard. In Thor: Ragnarok Thor faces his greatest threat in Hela - a goddess that could destroy his hammer and has to fight the Hulk in a sci-fi remake of Gladiator. Thor is weakened by not having his hammer but has to find the strength he always had was inside him and he states that he doesn't want to become king of Asgard but has to prevent someone unworthy taking the throne. During pre-production of Thor: The Dark World Marvel wanted a Game of Thrones director, approaching Brian Kirk and hired Alan Taylor. Despite Thor: Ragnarok's cosmic setting the third Thor film had more in common with Game of Thrones than The Dark World ever did. There is a big dynastic struggle within Asgard, a prophecy about the doom of Asgard, more medieval and fantasy action in the Asgardian arena and there is a play at the beginning of the film that reminded me of the Westrosi play in Game of Thrones' fifth season. The film also highlighted Odin and Hela's past of conquest which had some of the film's most striking aspects and would make a prequel spin-off a very entertaining idea. Thor: Ragnarok effortless walks the tightrope of being a standalone film and enhances the wider MCU. Because of space setting Thor: Ragnarok can act separately from the rest of the MCU and not affect the events on Earth, like the Guardians of the Galaxy series. The film also builds on Thor's character and plot points, namely Loki's usurpation of the throne and Thor's visions. The film even acknowledges some more controversial aspects of the MCU like the Bruce Banner/Black Widow relationship and Thor has learned from his experience with Loki. There are also some fun little callbacks to previous films - the best one being Loki's reactions during Thor's fight with Hulk. Like other MCU films Thor: Ragnarok has a star-studded cast. Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston have been playing their roles for six years so fans know what to expect from them and Anthony Hopkins gets to be both stoic and be able to lighten up as Loki pretending to be Odin. Idris Elba gets a bigger role as Heimdall, acting as the resistance leader in Asgard. But it is a shame that Jamie Alexander did not reprise her role as Lady Sif. It's the newcomers that will get the most attention. Tessa Thompson was the best new actors being funny and badass as Valkyrie, a hard-drinking warrior who uses alcohol to dull her memories. There was a minor controversy because Valkyrie is traditionally portrayed as a Caucasian blonde woman and Thompson is African-American, but the film does have a get out because Valkyries were female Asgardian warriors so her name can be something different. It has also already been established that Asgardians come in many shapes, colors and shades. Blanchett reviled in her role as Hela - oozing confidence and a deadpan humour. She walked with her hips and she had a badass moment fighting off the whole of the Asgardian army. Hela doesn't match the heights of Loki and the Red Skull in Marvel villainy but she is still one of the better villains in the MCU and 2017 has seen a marked improvement in their villains. Jeff Goldblum and Karl Urban also play significant supporting characters. Goldblum basically played his usual onscreen persona and he had some witty lines and exchanges especially with Rachel House's Topaz. Urban continues to show his versatility as an actor as Skurge, a self-serving Asgardian. Urban was unrecognizable with his goatee and bald head and he is very different to some of his other big roles i.e. Judge Dredd and Leonard McCoy. Thor: Ragnarok is a pure delight and the few criticizing against the film are minor. It was end-to-end entertainment, easily the best Thor film and it caps off a great year for superhero films. #FilmReviews #TheatricalReleases #Superheroes #KieranFreemantle #Marvel #TaikaWaititi #ChrisHemsworth #TomHiddleston #CateBlanchett #MarkRuffalo #TessaThompson #JeffGoldblum

★★★ Directed by F.C. Rabbath Starring Dennis Friebe, Joy Kigin, David Raizor and Nick Leali Indie Film Review by Annie Vincent A compelling psychological exploration of fear and ego merged with a comic-horror metaphor, A Brilliant Monster is both engaging and farcical. This feature length indie film follows Mitch Stockbridge, an emerging author of self-help books who is on the brink of ‘making it big’. Whilst he has been writing for a while, recently his work has begun to turn heads and everyone marvels at his ability to generate such ‘original’ ideas. However, it’s not all plain-sailing for Mitch. His next novel is due to be ‘the one’ but he can’t write it – he needs to rely on his muse, his source, for original ideas. Mitch admits the ‘never-ending flow of anger’ he has supplies some great storylines, but no one can quite comprehend the manifestation of this rage, including, I fear, the film’s audience. Dennis Friebe’s performance as Mitch is excellent. He has the perfect face to pull off dark, sexy, yet dangerous psychopath. His facial expressions are well measured and timed, his pausing throughout the script often leaves you on edge and the development of the character through the film, with his true nature being revealed little by little, is absorbing. David Raizor also delivers a great performance playing Mitch’s Dad, a man so unlikeable that the audience actually feels sympathy for his heinous son. Rabbath’s script is to be highly commended in this area as an exasperating, daily ego-wrestle plays out between these two men, until Mitch’s father becomes so ill, edges so close to death, he congratulates his son and reminds him that he shouldn’t have wasted his life trying to please him. Some of the camerawork is thoughtful, with the shadow shots of Mitch replacing the childhood bully who tormented him, a hugely powerful moment. But the low shots with frames of teeth and drool, supported by weak groans and snarls completely cuts against this captivating psychological narrative. Maybe that was the point; maybe this film didn’t want to take itself too seriously and preferred to bare the hallmarks of the dark or comedy horror genre. But the real horror would have shone through without the monster. A Brilliant Monster is a highly complex and compelling examination of family relationships, the psychologically of childhood and how this shapes adults. The themes and ideas are frightening but also frighteningly close. We can all imagine how the death of a young boy’s mother, a toxic relationship with his father and relentless bullying at school can shape a psychopath, and the film delivers this wonderfully. The film also offers a cynical, yet believable, critique of the authorial process, casting a shadow over creative industries that thrive on the concept of ‘original’ ideas, with authors powerless against publishers until the ‘fickle’ mob of readers gives its seal of approval. But the on-screen monster is incongruous with the script and what appears to be the film’s overriding intention. The snuffling, drooling creature in the back bedroom is not the ‘original’ metaphor needed to illustrate these important and weighty concepts. #IndieFilmReviews #IndieFilms #FCRabbath #DennisFriebe #AnnieVincent #JoyKigin #DavidRaizor #NickLeali

Written and Directed by Daniel Bergeson Starring Aimee Klein, Anya Clites Short Film Review by Chris Olson Every now and then a film emerges that could not have been more timely if it tried. With one of the hot topics in society at the moment being the sexual assault of women by men with power and the need for stronger gender balance everywhere, a film whereby a wife kills her abusive husband and buries him in an unmarked grave seems perfectly apt. Furthermore, writer and director Daniel Bergeson delivers a short film that boasts great performances, stylish filmmaking, and a wonderfully immersive aesthetic. Aimee Klein plays the aforementioned wife, who greats us at the beginning of Unearthed with an almighty grunt as she labours over her arbitrarily placed grave. Her physical efforts are not the only thing being tested, though, as her daughter (Anya Clites) constantly berates her over her recent decisions including the reason why behind a mound of unearthed dirt nearby lies a body bag with two booted feet poking out. A sumptuous earthy feel to the visual landscape of Bergeson's short film makes it utterly compelling. Naturalistic tones are used to ground the characters and drama, whilst the acoustic blues soundtrack heaps on atmosphere. This aesthetic tone does wonders for the pacing of the movie which is intelligently rolled out slowly without conceding to needless theatrics. Klein is absolutely dominating on screen, riffing through a brilliant menu of character emotions that are convincing and engaging. Her interaction with Clites is a totally believable mother-daughter relationship that was well sculpted for the viewer. The sequences without dialogue are just as effective, such as some of the flashback moments or when she is driving the boisterous pickup truck through the country roads. Having opted for a story with such a formidable female lead, Bergeson challenges the viewer to question the morality of her actions in the face of a dire situation. This is then ingeniously jolted by a revelation later in the story which makes the thematic depth of Unearthed all the more affecting and bittersweet. It's a marvellous dramatic short that captures cinematic beauty, a breathtaking central performance, and superb character depth all rolled up into a painfully relevant story with enduring themes of strength, guilt, loss and pain. Arguably not the most uplifting of themes but when done with such skilled craftsmanship as this, you cannot help but be totally moved by the experience. Watch the official Movie Trailer for Unearthed below... #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #ChrisOlson #Drama #MovieTrailers #DanielBergeson #AimeeKlein #AnyaClites

Film Feature by Chris Olson Amid the chaos and noise of the movie industry, getting attention to the little guys can be difficult...and by little guys I simply mean in terms of industry power. Here at UK Film Review we review and promote movies of all kinds, from the biggest theatrical releases to the tiniest short films. With that in mind here are 3 awesome Short Film Trailers for you to enjoy. Neuroplastic We reviewed this sci-fi short back in May 2017 and we wowed by its concept and strong directorial proficiency. Take a look at the stunning (if brief) movie trailer below... Humor Yet to be reviewed on our site, this wacky and engaging movie trailer has a lot going for it. Audiences that are intrigued by the trailer should also check out the option to rent the short film on Vimeo... Taylor's Shadow From FreshRB Studios, check out this awesome short film trailer of the movie written and directed by Damilola Babalola. #ShortFilmTrailers #ShortFilms #FilmFeatures #ChrisOlson #MovieTrailers

Written and Directed by Ruth Pickett Starring Anna Koval, Sophie Pelham, Ed Aczel, Michael Roche Short Film Review by George Nash Aspiring young actress Cressida takes her job very seriously. In an attempt to prove she has what it takes to land a role in an esteemed Beauty and the Beast production, she stars in her very own version that takes the tale back to its literary roots by giving the story a French makeover in both language and style. Cue the hilarity, buffoonery, and many a sacré bleu… The concept of a film within a film is nothing new. From Wes Craven’s New Nightmare to Be Kind Rewind, such works are often played out for either laughs or screams – or perhaps a little of both; but the idea of a self-reflexive, tongue-in-cheek poke at your own art form has been a running gag in mainstream cinema for decades. Writer/Director Ruth Pickett’s La Belle Folie, by its very construction, finds a further, untapped crevasse in such a narrative style, though: amateur filmmakers making a film about amateur filmmaking. Anna Koval plays Cressida, who in turn wants to play Belle. From very early on, she’s clearly the only one who takes this acting lark seriously. The rest – a makeshift supporting cast and crew consisting of her best friend, her dad, and his mate – couldn’t really care less. Constantly fluffing their lines, appearing in the background of shots they’re not supposed to be in, and bumbling about in all manner of clumsiness, every member of Pickett’s cast is clearly having a ball, even if the characters they play are really having a beast. There’s a quirky randomness to Pickett’s writing from the outset; making for a wonderfully whimsical, gag-tastic 15-minute short. There’s a character who wants nothing more than to shoehorn in a farfetched Beauty and the Beast/Godfather crossover; another whose performance “sounds like the Elephant man”; and, one for all you hawkeyed Movie Mistakers out there, a boom mic operator whose on-screen presence is felt far more than it should be. Stylistically, the use of black and white, lighting, and cigarettes add a nice layer of French-cinematic pastiche; and Pickett’s evident research and visual attentiveness pays off in moments of subtle humour that extend beyond the more expected and obvious slapstick. The performers also, somewhat ironically, each give suitably scene-chewing turns as they commendably tackle the often-underestimated difficulty of having to act acting badly. Where La Belle Folie occasionally falls down, however, is in the moments where it tries that touch too hard to force those laughs, and such instances often come rather too signposted. But, what it lacks in unpredictability, it makes up for in understanding that conventional comedy done well doesn’t necessarily mean less funny. La Belle Folie is charming, well written, and slightly bonkers – now how do you say all that in French? #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #GeorgeNash #RuthPickett #AnnaKoval #SophiePelham #EdAczel #MichaelRoche