★★★★★ Directed by Sean Baker Starring Brooklyn Prince, Willem Dafoe, Bria Vinaite, Valeria Cotto, Mela Murder, Caleb Landry Jones, Christopher Rivera BFI London Film Festival Review by Chris Olson With the same societal fracturing that made American Honey such an indie success, The Florida Project from filmmaker Sean Baker (co-written with Chris Bergoch) is a purposeful exploration of childhood and community, through the eyes of wayward girl Moonee (Brooklyn Prince) and her reckless yet doteful mother Halley (Bria Vinaite). Willem Dafoe stars as a put-upon motel manager (think Basil Fawlty goes Stateside) who spends most of his days picking up, and taking, shit from the guests. Numerous families live on the premises, and there are severel other establishments in the vicinity, creating a chaotic community of classless dregs. These rundown buildings all exist in the looming shadow of Disney world, a particularly poignant comment on the economic disparity at play. The story mainly hones in on the experiences of several kids over the summer break, who are living in this cheap and not-so-cheerful motel, and in particular Mooney and her mother. The two enjoy plenty of raucaus antics and unseemly shenanigans, whilst engaging in enough shady money-making schemes to pay their rent. By exploring this microcosm of broken society through the eyes of innocent (if disobedient) children, The Florida Project manages to achieve a heightened sense of sympathy for the characters within. Whilst many may look at the "parenting" of Halley with repraochful eyes, it becomes undeniably tragic that this mother and daughter are held at arms reach by the forces that "manage" them. Even Dafoe's character's limitless affection and patience as a surrogate father figure, whilst tested constantly, isn't enough to hoist the pair and others like them out of the gutter they have been kicked into. This social-realism genre is becoming increasingly potent and filmmakers that approach these stories are often gifted with an incredible knack for tapping into convincing characterisation. This is most definitley true for Baker (who also directed Tangerine), who occupies an uncomfortable grey area in terms of heroes and villains, in particular Halley who is not painted at all as being likeable, but you cannot help but attempt to rage for her. Much like the aforementioned American Honey, this film demands a degree of patience from its audience. There is a shambolic structure to the plot which immediately alienates a large percentage of a potential audience, plus the shaky camerawork and short-cut editing will be enough to deter mainstream viewers. For those that partake in this kind of cinema, though, there is an enourmous amount of cheeky fun, pathos, camaraderie, and fighting against the odds. By offering up a slice of disenfranchised America, and using a semi-children's adventure narrative, the palette was always going to be more discerning, but the results are ultimately hugely impressive. Shout out to cinematographer Alexis Zabe whose use of pink and blue hues amongst the unrelenting traffic of the highway is a beautiful conflict throughout, as well as some fantastic images of a misspent youth, which make The Florida Project an engaging piece of cinematic diversity. Vibrant, very funny, and a collective assault on the harsh conditions suffered by the most vulnerable in our society, The Florida Project is a strong candidate for the best indie film of the year. #FilmReviews #TheatricalReleases #ChrisOlson #BFILFF #BFILFF2017 #BFILondonFilmFestival #LondonFilmFestival2017 #SeanBaker #BrooklynPrince #WillemDafoe #BriaVinaite #ValeriaCotto #MelaMurder #CalebLandryJones #ChristopherRivera #Drama #SocialDrama

★★★★ Directed by Lucy Townsend Written by Diana Townsend and David Hardie Starring Alice Maguire, Tom Child, April Hughes, Martin Challinor, Ben Gilbert, Jessica Sargent, Rowena Diamond, Jake Francis, James Bush, Emily Carding, Richard Warrick Indie Film Review by Chris Olson Rural Britain was made hilariously terrifying back in 2007 with Edgar Wright's notoriously funny Hot Fuzz. With a beautiful juxtaposition of simple village life with high octane action and shamelessly graphic horror, it was a film that succeeded in a risky gamble. Scareycrows, an indie film from director Lucy Townsend, certainly takes its influences from a movie like Hot Fuzz, but also introduces a supernatural element. This further ingredient should have made it even more unlikely for this movie impress, but impress it does with an ingenious combination of low budget horror theatrics, slapstick comedy, and a premise which is as wacky as it is enjoyable. A yearly tradition in a seaside town turns homicidal when an army of scareycrows start wreaking havoc with the locals. Stemming from a myth about scarecrows being used to fend off French invaders that may or may not have come alive, the town celebrate this story by putting an array of straw-filled dolls outside the various establishments. One group of teenagers gets caught up in the fray (or, ahem...fr-hay) whilst coming to the conclusion that whilst the legends may be true, they may also have played a part in the violence which has erupted. Told with cheeky comedy and a penchant for gore, Scareycrows achieves that so sought-after balance between horror and jokes that makes this a sharp and charismatic watch. The script does not shy away from the adult themes meaning that there is plenty of swearing and genuine reaction without the usual tepid responses in a story like this, allowing the sense of dread to build as the tension escalates. Brilliantly violent sequences are used to add a shock factor alongside the action and laughter, whilst the mystery surrounding the seemingly terrifying antics that are going on is left largely unexplained, which is a wise choice. Alice Maguire is a fantastic lead, coping well with her character Amy's romantic scenes equally as well as the frenetic chase scenes later. April Hughes is excellent as Cassie, a spooky weirdo, whose opening scene involving an unfortunate cat is brilliantly delivered. Her later moments as a ghostly presence amongst the town's teenagers adds a phenomenal dimension to the story. Tom Child is good as Ryan, the boyfriend with a secret and Jessica Sargent is also decent as the worrying girlfriend whose partner has gone missing early on in the film. There is a wonderful performance by Martin Challinor as Declan, a hairdresser who steals a lot of scenes. Shout out to two other smaller parts; firstly James Bush as Josh, whose rock star flamboyance deserves a full movie of its own, and Richard Warrick as a community support officer - whose closing of a door is quite possibly one of the funniest things I've seen all year! Some of the delivery can feel a little wooden or hammy but this at times enhances the farcical nature of the tone. This is then more than made up for in filmmaking which is wholly impressive. The use of music is well chosen and Townsend engages in some really great framing and pacing which capitalises on the thrilling nature of the plot, written by Diana Townsend and David Hardie. Audiences may find Scareycrows takes a little while to get going, and the initial preamble superfluous, but as a whole the structure of the film works really well. The tidy running time and outrageously thrilling final third make this an incredible achievement for a low-budget British film. It has a charm and boisterous fun about it that is wickedly entertaining. Watch the official Movie Trailer for Scareycrows below... #IndieFilmReviews #IndieFilms #MovieTrailers #ChrisOlson #Horror #Comedy #LucyTownsend #DianaTownsend #DavidHardie #AliceMaguire #TomChild #AprilHughes #MartinChallinor #BenGilbert #JessicaSargent #RowenaDiamond #JakeFrancis #JamesBush #RichardWarrick

★★ Directed by Hallie Meyers-Shyer Starring Reese Witherspoon, Pico Alexander, Michael Sheen, Lake Bell, Jon Rudnitsky, Nat Wolff, Lola Flanery Film Review by Kieran Freemantle The rom-com is a genre that feels many film fans with dread: being seen as too dependent of clichés and broad humour. Home Again fortunately is aiming for the Woody Allen model of comedy and is an inoffensive, if forgettable offering. Alice Kinney (Reese Witherspoon) is a recently separated mother-of-two who hits the big 4-0 and moves to her father's house on the outskirts of Los Angeles. After a drunken night to celebrate her birthday, Alice nearly sleeps with a much younger man, Harry (Pico Alexander), which leads to the young filmmaker and his friends, George (Jon Rudnitsky) and Teddy (Nat Wolff) to move into Alice's home as they try to make it big in Hollywood. One thing Hollywood loves are movies about Hollywood and that properly helped Home Again being produced. Alice is the daughter of a celebrated writer-director and the three young men are filmmakers who want to turn their award-winning short into a feature film and keep their artistic integrity: the real-life filmmakers obviously didn't see the irony. Home Again clearly wanted to be a Woody Allen style film, it started with a voiceover by Alice talking about her relationship with her father and his world and most of the characters are artists of some sort. The filmmakers are obvious, Alice attempts to be an interior designer in Los Angeles and her husband, Austen (Michael Sheen) is a mogul in the music industry. Also like a Woody Allen film, Home Again is filled with subplots, particularly modern Allen films. Home Again has a large cast of characters with their own plots and Alice herself is a man magnet. She has a sexual relationship with Harry and George has an unrequited love for her whilst the male duo work on their filmmaking endeavours. As one of Alice's friends puts it she gets free childcare, tech support and sex. Even Austen becomes a green monster because of Alice's new lodgers. Home Again also comes across as a reverse New Girl: like Jess, Alice is at a low because of the end of her relationship, but instead of moving into an apartment with three men, the three men move to her home. Even the character of George has some basic similarities to Nick from New Girl: both are writers (although George is much more successful) and they share a hairstyle. But New Girl had a Jess' quirky, upbeat personality to drive it, Home Again was blander and due to Alice's obligations as a mother she has to be more sensible and grounded. Home Again has a fine cast and no one gives a bad performance. Alice is likable enough and Witherspoon rarely gives a bad performance. The three young men are all actors with potential, however, Wolff was given the short straw since his character was irrelevant to the story for the most. Sheen developed a bit of a dad bod for his role. The weak links in the cast were the child actors Lola Flanery and Eden Grace Redfield, playing Witherspoon's children. Redfield was so young that it was clear she was just told what to say and her performance was stiff because of it. Flanery was more natural because she was older and she weirdly reminded me of Madeline Duggan, better known as the original Lauren Branning in Eastenders. Flanery's problem was the material she was given because she spoke more like a mini-adult, a girl suffering from anxiety and wanting to go on antidepressants. As a comedy Home Again was a light-hearted but think of humour. It did offer occasional chuckle and a fight scene clearly owes a debt to a similar scene in Bridget Jones' Diary. Yet this spar approach makes Home Again more suited for home viewing at best. #FilmReviews #TheatricalReleases #RomCom #Romance #Comedy #KieranFreemantle #ReeseWitherspoon #HallieMeyersShyer #MichaelSheen #LakeBell #NatWolff #LolaFlanery #PicoAlexander

★★★★★ Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos Starring Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, Barry Keoghan, Raffey Cassidy, Sunny Suljic, Alicia Silverstone BFI London Film Festival Review by Chris Olson Side effects may include total paralysis of the soul in Yorgos Lanthimos’s psychological drama/thriller/mystery The Killing of a Sacred Deer, which screened at the 2017 BFI London Film Festival, and bears some telling scars as the follow up to The Lobster. Told with clinical filmmaking precision and incredible performances, this is a story that will numb and disturb audiences in brilliant, equal measure. Colin Farrell plays Dr Steven Murphy, a successful surgeon with beautiful hands, whose picture perfect home life comes under threat after befriending the son (Barry Keoghan) of a patient who lost their life on his operating table. Initially showing numerous acts of kindness and affection to the awkward boy, Steven becomes increasingly wary of Martin (Keoghan), especially once he starts to make threats towards Steven’s family. Loving, if slightly sterile, wife Anna (Nicole Kidman), daughter Kim (Raffey Cassidy), and son Bob (Sunny Suljic) all become players in a disturbing game of mysterious retribution and calculated suffering. There is a cold detachment to all of the characters in Lanthimos’s story (co-written with Efthymis Filippou), who enjoy polite and convivial interactions with each other at all times but rarely showing any form of excess emotion. Behaviours such as shouting, crying, laughing all seem absent in every aspect of their lives but no one seems to be particular upset about it. It is as if they are under a very strong sedative. And this atmosphere of clinical procedure is masterfully reflected in the filmmaking, which utilises high-angle, slow zooms a plethora of times to create a sense of looking down on an operation and working out what the hell is going on. Many times the camera will slowly track the cast from behind and above too, eliciting a strong sense of isolation for the audience. Farrell and Kidman enjoy a spectacular chemistry that seems as if the main ingredient is morphine, and can appear lifeless in the first third of the movie. However, once the plot of The Killing of a Sacred Deer becomes more apparent, the vice-like grip it has had on you will keep you utterly glued to their relationship and how it is affected by this We Need to Talk About Kevin-like menace that has entered their lives. Which brings us on to Barry Keoghan. I am a big fan of Keoghan, having seen him chew up and spit our numerous short films with impressive acting chops. However, this is an absolutely career-defining performance from Keoghan. He is completely captivating throughout, turning in a character who is both goofy and monstrous, which is an incredible feat. Every scene with him in is like watching a pubescent Hannibal Lectre or George Harvey. There is a fantastic sound design in The Killing of a Sacred Deer from Johnnie Burn, who, along with his musical team, create an immense atmosphere of chilling horror, intense psychological musings, and euphoric orchestral releases, that become the emotional cues for the viewer to be engulfed by. Few movies can create and sustain this bleakly numbing atmosphere in a way that is totally compelling. The injection of black comedy is consistent and massively effective, and the more disturbing elements are drip-fed with skill and tact. The outcome is a marvellous success, and once the effect on this film reviewer has subsided, I hope to make a full recovery. #FilmReviews #TheatricalReleases #ChrisOlson #BFILFF #BFILondonFilmFestival #BFILFF2017 #FilmFestivals #YorgosLanthimos #ColinFarrell #NicoleKidman #BarryKeoghan #RaffeyCassidy #SunnySuljic #AliciaSilverstone

★★★ Written & Directed by Dakota Bailey Starring Dakota Bailey, Larry Bay, Nick Benning, Fred Epstein Indie Film Review by Taryll Baker Introducing its characters one-by-one, The Acid Sorcerer throws the viewer into the dark and twisted world of drug addiction. Director Dakota Bailey takes us on to the streets for a gritty, up-close experience, Utilising black-and-white for the bulk of the film, and vibrant colouring for scenes including acid, The Acid Sorcerer is a chaotic, depressing mess. But this isn’t necessarily a bad thing; it portrays exactly what I imagine drug abusers lives are like. The desperation, guilt, death. It may be fiction, but a big chunk of it is happening in reality. The low-budget, hand-held direction is difficult to grasp at first, but after about ten minutes you can start to adjust and feel almost comfortable in this world. Though there isn’t much of a story to tell, what is there is told fairly well. It may be that it isn’t my preferred genre of film, so I guess I’m biased, but apart from the cheap filmmaking and oft-times interesting characters, I couldn’t find much else to like. There are flaws in the audio, the levels are all over the place at times, and could have been cleaned up in the edit. But as the dialogue is recorded in-camera it’s understandable there were some issues. I would usually look over such a fault with any indie film, however I found myself struggling to hear lines, causing me to constantly change the volume to suit scenes. The characters are interesting enough for the running length, but with more adjustments, could have been truly three dimensional. Dakota, Larry Bay, Nick Benning are all wonderful actors, though the writing leaves much to be desired in their performances. Benning in particular takes an interesting role, and probably one of the more unique and memorable characters in the film. Instead of an original score, Dakota uses the music of Ramesses to accompany the visuals. This was clearly a favoured approach and whilst not my preferred taste, worked for the film. The cinematography is simple, lots of wide shots, shaky angles and close-ups. The simple approach really work for this style of filmmaking, but I longed for something more to keep me invested. It seems as though Dakota Bailey has an interest in the drug world, and with the right resources, could go on to create some truly brilliant pieces of work. The Acid Sorcerer isn’t awful by any means, but I do think it’s supposed to be viewed like that. The subject is awful, and so the film gives us a glimpse of that awfulness. I’m torn; I’m not certain if I liked it or not. But what I can say is that it does show the brutal impact of drug addiction, wrapped tightly within its horror genre. #IndieFilmReviews #IndieFilms #TaryllBaker #BlackandWhite #DakotaBailey #LarryBay #NickBenning #FredEpstein

★★★★ Directed by Warwick Thornton Written by Steven McGregor and David Tranter Starring Hamilton Morris, Ewen Leslie, Sam Neill, Bryan Brown, Matt Day, Gibson John, Thomas M. Wright BFI London Film Festival Review by Chris Olson A morality western that tackles justice and prejudice, Sweet Country had its UK premiere at the BFI London Film Festival 2017. The director, Warwick Thornton, introduced the film to an enthusiastic audience who quickly fell under the mesmeric spell of this daunting drama. Set amongst the isolated cattle ranches and farms of an isolated Austrailian outback settlement, Sam Neill plays a holy ranch owner who is approached by a local land owner called Harry (Ewen Leslie) from a neighbouring farm, who asks him for help in some tasks around his buildings and lands. Initially referring to the help as "black stock", Harry quickly establishes himself as a rather brutal and despicable character, who treats Sam (Hamilton Morris) with discourtesy and then proceeds to perform an injustice on Sam's partner (Natassia Gorey Furber). After a few more plot developments, Sam ends up taking Harry's life and a cat and mouse chase takes place across the outback setting, with the gang of white lawmen and landowners giving chase to Sam and his wife, a black couple. Loaded with social inequality themes, Sweet Country makes its point without much subtlety. Issues of race and male domination are at the forefront of the story, using the frontier setting to give credence to such archaic stereotypes. The power balance throughout the film is invariably with white males and this is something the filmmaking parallels. The dialogue is given largely to the white characters, the black characters often require subtitles, and the female characters (of which there are few) have barely a handful of lines between them. All this creates an uncomfortable atmosphere for the story to unfold in, and is ultimately a drama tragedy. Only a few sequences are offered up to break the bleakness, such as the kleptomania of Philomac (Tremayne Doolan) or Neill giving a knee-slapping rendition of a religious song that sounded more like a football hooligan's chant. It's a movie that utilises the barren landscape to enhance the sense of insurmountable isolation. Sam's penchant for eluding the authorities aside, the audience never feels like it will end well for this character because the filmmakers have stacked the odds against him too formidably. This regrettably depressing state of affairs is affirmed by the few moral characters who seem totally withered by the inescapably harsh reality of the land they occupy. The film is a little oddly plotted and the characters have a tendency to merge into incoherent blurs at times, but the overall impact of Sweet Country is one of impossible struggle not unbelievable heroics. It's a sad truth that in 2017 we still need a film like this. #ChrisOlson #FilmReviews #TheatricalReleases #FilmFestival #BFILondonFilmFestival #BFILFF #BFILFF2017 #LondonFilmFestival2017 #WarwickThornton #SamNeill #HamiltonMorris #EwenLeslie #BryanBrown #MattDay #Western #Racism

Written Directed by Matthew Mahler Starring Timothy.J.Cox, John Mahler and Maggie Kurth Short Film Review by Rachel Pullen What are some of people’s biggest fears? Spiders, flying, crab people?...well as common as those are you may be interested to find out that the fear of losing a loved one and the fear of being alone rank close to the top... more than crab people. I have to admit, they are both two things that I fear the most, we as humans need to be social, need companionship and interaction, and without it we risk our mental health declining at a rapid rate, in short, society and interaction keep us sane. Well Mahler decides that this is something to explore in his new short To Be Alone, which follows the story of a middle aged man who lives alone and appears to be slowly losing his grip on reality. Played by Timothy. J .Cox [who has worked with Mahler on previous projects] our leading man is filling his time with a construction project as well as bible reading and Christian television shows, doing anything it seems to ignore the loneliness he feels. But as we progress further into this short we are soon to discover he is not only struggling with his isolation, but with his grief and of course, loss. To Be Alone is without any dialogue for the majority of its running time, but Cox does a superb job of conveying his emotions throughout, we feel everything he is going through, from his connection to god, to his intense need to outrun his grief, his compelling acting skills carry this film, making it easy to not notice the fact that there is not script for the most part. This film relies heavily on surroundings to create a sense of atmosphere, as I said this short is mainly without a script, but Mahler tackles this head on, providing a background that promotes these emotions throughout. Our character spends a lot of time outside, against a cruel and chilling snowy backdrop, with wide shots that dwarf our lead role, heightening the loneliness as well as the harsh elements he is facing, he is alone, wild and defenceless against his grief, and we sit helplessly only wanting to reach out and give this fella a hug and a cup of coco. Devastatingly beautiful and moving, short film To Be Alone is something that will stick in your mind for a long time to come. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #RachelPullen #TimothyJCox #MatthewMahler #JohnMahler #MaggieKurth

★★★ Directed by Thomas Alfredson Starring Michael Fassbender, Rebecca Ferguson, Chloe Sevigny, Val Kilmer, J.K. Simmons, and Charlotte Gainsbourg Film Review by Niall Maggs What most murder mysteries like Se7en and Zodiac do well, is that they manage to grip the audience and make them feel involved instantly. The Snowman however, fails at bringing out any emotion from the audience early on because of the bewildering opening! Only if you choose to stay throughout the whole film will the improbable and unnecessary opening scene be explained. Even then you'll still be left scratching your head. After the credits roll, you're left asking more questions than before you even saw it, questioning the relevance of some scenes that seem useless or unfinished. Why are they there? Well you will never know! Why does the killer choose snowmen as their calling card? That's never revealed either. In all honesty, The Snowman as a film is a mess. An unfinished mess. Great potential is what lays beneath, but amateur post production is it's weakness. Its frustrating how questions you want answered, do not get explored! Maybe this was director Thomas Alfredson's goal, to make the audience question scene after scene after scene, but it feels rushed, it's clear there was pressure from the studio to get it completed for an October release. Unfortunately, the finished product turned out to be a disappointment. Contrary to my first point though, The Snowman excels in tone and mood, which does hook the audience regardless of whether some scenes are implausible or not. The locations were immersive, there is a sense of isolation and loneliness throughout. The surrounding snow makes you feel as if there is no hope. It was a perfect setting for a haunting mystery; remote and distant. The gore, though rarely used, is effective and not over done, there is no absurdity about it, and the effect of this is a boost in realism and a shivering sense of dread, again, The Snowman is excellent at this! Michael Fassbender plays a clichéd rough; dirty, alcoholic former police detective - and because he is Fassbender, the performance is excellent! The character is realistic and portrayed perfectly, however the films lack of success will ensure an undeserving Oscar snub. Rebecca Ferguson as the female lead is also surprisingly good. Again, she's relatable and realistic. Her character is clever and intelligent, and she teams with Harry (Fassbender) to solve the recurring crime of violent brutality. The pair's chemistry is unnoticeable as both characters are too serious or damaged to bring out any real emotion (except a couple of scenes) but this is a good thing. Their characters are also far too mysterious, as there is no development whatsoever, so you don't feel attached to them or actually care what their fate is! The score was the film's biggest success by far. Marco Beltrami's composition is eerie and loud when it needs to be, and more subtle when required. A sense of atmosphere is created because of this, which leads all the way up to the unoriginal but satisfying climax. Also, the vast landscapes look fantastic. The whole film seems like it took inspiration from the Coen Brothers' masterpiece: Fargo (1996) for it's visual style. Overall, The Snowman has great pace. Maybe it requires multiple viewings to get the most out of it? Maybe it will be considered underrated in the future? Hopefully this is the case, as upon first viewing it doesn't live up to the vast anticipation set. However the tone is definitely there, and the mystery keeps you guessing right up until the reveal. The Snowman isn't bad. In fact it's immersive, and the plot is captivating. Definitely not original, neither does it bring anything new to the table, but what is does bring, is an effective murder mystery filled with great performances! #FilmReviews #TheatricalReleases #NiallMaggs #JoNesbo #ThomasAlfredson #MichaelFassbender #RebeccaFerguson #ChloeSevigny #ValKilmer #JKSimmons #CharlotteGainsbourg

★★★★ Directed by Jerry J White III Starring Raymond Creamer and Jessica Lynn Parsons Indie Film Review by Seamus Conlon [SPOILER ALTER] This Is Us lacks an apparent climax and in the end seems to have moved directionless towards nothing. This is somewhat appropriate for a film designed to resemble the structure of memory rather than linear experience, and when the credits roll we feel not so much disappointed as much unsurprised that this collage of reflections swam to no particular point. [SPOILER FINISHED] The film documents the slightly supernatural psychological experience Daniela (Jessica Parsons) undergoes following her attempts to break up with boyfriend Brendan (Raymond Creamer). She is unable to break up with Brendan with the resolve she wishes to, as she finds herself slipping backwards into different pieces of time and space from their relationship. Daniela’s unwilled exploration of her three year romance with Brendan follows neither a consistently backward of forward chronological movement, and she re-lives each experience as her future self planted mysteriously into the past, disordering the course of her and Brendan’s relationship with her foreknowledge of its destiny. Director Jerry J. White III and screenwriter Raymond Creamer (multitasking as both author and star of the film) are admirably ambiguous as to what exactly enables this deviation from the usual laws of space and time. The film bears a quite obvious resemblance to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, another romance film, charged with a hallucinatory touch, in which memories melt into each other to the distress of its baffled protagonists. But whereas Michel Gondry’s film had an explicit sci-fi explanation for how surreal events were able to unfold, This Is Us omits to give us a concrete understanding, and this is wisely done since whether or not Daniela’s brief odyssey through the past is actual or illusory is unessential to the film. This is a claustrophobic chamber piece in which the spotlight almost never drifts away from Daniela and Brendan, and Parsons and Creamer successfully maintain intensity throughout the feature. But in a film so verbally focused, so tilted toward drama rather than spectacle, visual communication is pivotal to exercise the viewer’s eye, and whilst Creamer displays a diverse procession of faces to us, Parsons looks almost continuously bemused throughout the film. In many respects, principally its attention to word rather than image, This Is Us seems more a piece of theatre than of cinema. The extremely spare musical score could surge in at moments of high drama, but instead is largely absent and only steps in for transitional sequences. White’s decision to film the drama in a purely observant, visually unobtrusive style is refreshing when he uses long takes rather than tiresome talking-heads montages, but this stylistic plainness does mean that the artifice of cinema itself is never brought in at all to communicate the emotional strife. It is lacking in visual and technical audacity, and certainly isn’t a film it would be a tragedy to see only on a small screen, but This Is Us shows thought and judgement, and may hint at further formal creativity by its authors in future. #IndieFilmReviews #IndieFilms #SeamusConlon #Psychological #Drama #JerryJWhiteIII #RaymondCreamer #JessicaLynnParsons

Directed by Calum Young Starring Calum Young, Kieran Egan, Jessica Young, Kathryn Hough Short Film Review by Annie Vincent A quirky piece of metacinema, Blank tells the story of Mike’s attempts to create a short film for his university project. In pursuit of an ‘original’ idea, he spends a month achieving nothing, until five minutes before the deadline. Judging by the comments on Youtube, the film replicates the real-life situation Calum Young himself faced when tasked with creating a short film. Blank begins with a black and white shot of a train derailing: a fitting, tongue-in-cheek metaphor for the plot of this film perhaps. The opening montage introduces us to Mike, a typical student (complete with missing alarm clock), who is keen to skip the ‘theory’ of his film course and get on to actually making something. Yet when he tries to put pen to paper to draft out his ideas, nothing happens. What follows is a series of separate montage-nods to the world of film, as Mike ponders possible ideas for his project. None of the clichés are missed. There are X-Factor-style voice-overs, Baz Luhrmann inspired captions, and Marvel-esque character concepts. If you like films or are taking film studies, Blank almost becomes a game to spot the inspiration behind the scene. This film is unlikely to set the short film world on fire, but for what it is, it is done with some nice camera-work and some light humour. At times the camera work is better than nice in fact, particularly during the runaway-train montage and it’s clear some thought has gone into the cutting and editing of that section to create pace and intensity. The use of the animations, akin to the opening credits of an A-Team film, looks great too and I almost fancied a superhero-inspired short featuring ‘Staff Sergeant Baxter’ and ‘Queen Raven’, until the giant toy robot appeared. The soundtrack too includes some fitting choices, with tracks from Thin Lizzy and The Cult. In all, there’s some skill here, but the storyline: a film about a boy trying to make a film, is ultimately loose, though appropriate for the metacinema concept. It’s just that this plot doesn’t allow the film to develop any one sequence or technique, which leaves the audience feeling a little ambivalent about it. The audio-balancing needs some work in places too. Overall, for a university project about the difficulties involved in filmmaking, this short has some plus points, but a stronger plot will be required to get the next project on track. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #AnnieVincent #CallumYoung #KieranEgan #JessicaYoung #KathrynHough

★★★★★ Directed by Guillermo del Toro Written by Guillermo del Toro and Vanessa Taylor Starring Sally Hawkins, Octavia Spencer, Michael Shannon, Doug Jones, Richard Jenkins, David Hewlett, Michael Stuhlbarg, Nick Searcy BFI London Film Festival Review by Chris Olson In 2015 cinematic auteur Guillermo del Toro delivered a darkly magnificent gothic horror with Crimson Peak. Two years later and the director has served up arguably his most inspired movie since 2006's Pan's Labyrinth, with The Shape of Water, a story that is as equally dark as both movies but also loaded with love, allegories of sexism, racism, and revolution, and a collage of genres and tributes to classic cinema that is utterly remarkable. Sally Hawkins plays the lead role of Eliza, a charming single woman whose mutism fails to keep her back from enjoying a highly organised lifestyle, one she shares with her closeted roommate Giles (Richard Jenkins), who is a source of endless idiosyncratic flamboyance that is brilliant. Working in a highly secretive Cold War factory, Eliza inadvertently stumbles upon a fascinating discovery: an amphibious man (Doug Jones), whose initially vicious and dangerous demeanour is softened by numerous acts of friendship from our protagonist. Michael Shannon plays one of the higher ups, who looks to exploit the saltwater creature (who can also walk on land), playing the role of misogynist, racist, violent white man with skill and aplomb. His agenda and purpose stands as the very antithesis of the blossoming affections between Eliza and the amphibious man. Before the screening at the BFI London Film Festival 2017, del Toro made a connection between the idea of love and the world we live in now. Indeed, the title of the movie - The Shape of Water - refers to this concept. It is this simplistic beauty that makes this film so undeniably peerless. Del Toro is a filmmaker who totally understands visual storytelling in the cinematic medium, capturing endless layers and themes in his movies that never cease to amaze audiences. The Shape of Water is a shining example of what this man can do. Much like Pan's Labyrinth, fantasy elements and period settings are used to draw comparisons with modern culture and society. The Cold War has long served as a backdrop to numerous stories that attempt to bludgeon audiences with the idea that we haven't come along as far as we might think we have. In this, though, painfully apparent thematic similarities to the world around us seem to have seeped through the pores of the screenplay. Notions about power, racism and sexism may well have been initially in del Toro's story, but even the genius he is could not have predicted every one of the tragic parallels his movie creates, such as gun control and sexuality, that have become even more topical in recent weeks and months. Hawkins is an absolute delight to watch on screen. Her effervescent turn is compelling and convincing throughout and she expertly copes with the demand for physical acting. Shannon is on top form as always, as is Jenkins. Jones, under the copious layers of Creature from the Black Lagoon make-up also deserves a nod of the head. Octavia Spencer, who plays Eliza's coworker, is also brilliant. Serving up some wonderful comedy alongside tenderness towards her friend, and fear at the world around her. Michael Stuhlbarg plays a scientist/Russian spy with excellent conviction, and his character is wonderful to watch as the story progresses. The utterly beautiful mise en scéne that del Toro delivers in every frame of The Shape of Water is mesmerising. This is a film to literally sink into and let it wash over you with its sumptuous beauty. The lasting effect of it, I hope, will be that audiences emerge from this cinematic baptism refreshed from the experience, cleansed of the dirt of the world, and ready to keep spreading the love that really is all around. The Shape of Water is currently scheduled to come to UK Cinemas in February 2018. #FilmReviews #TheatricalReleases #BFILondonFilmFestival #BFILFF #BFILFF2017 #LondonFilmFestival2017 #ChrisOlson #GuillermodelTero #SallyHawkins #OctaviaSpencer #MichaelShannon #DougJones #RichardJenkins #MichaelStuhlbarg #NickSearcy

★★★★ Directed by Angelina Jolie Starring Sareum Srey Moch, Phoeung Kompheak, Sveng Socheata, Mun Kimhak, Heng Dara Netflix Film Review by Evie Brudenall Having directed an impressive four features in a six-year period, filmmaker Angelina Jolie has exercised her immense power and influence to get her projects off the ground to mixed reactions. Unbroken was criticised to being overlong and formulaic, By the Sea for being too indulgent; but she has arguably now found material in First They Killed My Father that is a perfect fit for her talents and passion. Cambodia, 1975. The Khmer Rouge assumes power over the country and embark upon a reign of fear and genocide that’ll last four years and claim the lives of nearly 2 million Cambodians. 5-year-old Loung Ung (Sareum Srey Moch) is forced from her family home and is eventually trained as a child soldier whilst her siblings are sent to labour camps under the communist regime. First They Killed My Father was a passion project for Jolie who directed, co-produced and co-wrote the picture. Jolie clearly cares deeply about accurately and emotively portraying the Cambodian genocide that took the lives of approximately a quarter of the country’s population, but she doesn’t just place the blame squarely on the Khmer Rouge and Pol Pot – Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger are also held accountable after bombing Cambodia, a country of neural position. Whilst Jolie’s revere for this largely undocumented part of history is admirable, there are several visual choices made that are jarring with the verisimilitude, including some disjointed cuts and hazy, neon-lit dream sequences that feel alien in this realistically immersive piece. However, First They Killed My Father is definitely Jolie’s most accomplished directorial effort to date, displaying a complete lack of vanity and total respect for the material for there are no white-saviour tropes and a notable refrain from shoehorning in her own acting appearance. Narratively, the audience experiences the unfolding events entirely through the innocent perspective of Loung (Sareum Srey Moch) as she surveys with bewilderment the disruption of her once content life. Although she is aware that a significant shift has occurred, Loung does not comprehend the severity or extent to which life has changed, believing that she will soon be able to return home. As officials rifle through her possessions and soldiers as young as Loung bark orders and obscenities at the forlorn families, we feel the sense of ebbing innocence and the forcing of maturity that Loung is experiencing, creating an almost first-hand ordeal. Loung will occasionally be in the company of her father as he discusses pertinent political issues but, like any child, she quickly loses interest and leaves to play with her peers and as a result, the audience is only privy to information and disguised exposition that the young child overhears. To remove us from Loung’s limited point of view, Jolie will often cut to a wide shot that emphasises the scale of the situation but there’s no mistaking First They Killed My Father for anything other than an experiential viewing. The camera is more often than not trained on Sareum Srey Moch, the film’s young lead and she is a captive protagonist from the very first frame. Sareum’s performance is largely a series of reaction shots as Loung can only helplessly bear witness to the heartbreaking changes happening around her and her star turn is comparable to that of Sonny Pawar’s in Garth Davis’ 2016 Oscar contender Lion. Both characters show a quiet strength and resilience in the face of insurmountable odds and the performances from these first time actors are delivered with experienced ease. Despite the uneven pacing and slow-burn nature of the picture, Sareum is an irrefutable triumph. Although not a perfect or polished endeavour, First They Killed My Father is a searing depiction of war through a child’s eyes and Jolie has successfully given this under-exploited story a worthy voice and platform. #NetflixFilmReviews #EvieBrudenall #Netflix #Netflixfilmreviews #AngelinaJolie #SareumSreyMoch