★★★ Directed by David Bruckner Screenplay by Joe Barton Based upon the novel by Adam Nevill Cinematography by Andrew Shulkind Starring Rafe Spall, Robert James-Collier, Arsher Ali, and Sam Troughton Film Review by Euan Franklin Before recently, horror cinema was enduring a troubling hiatus – you’d get maybe one decent movie a year, and the rest would be buried among a pile of rubbish. However, this past year has marked a turning point for horror movies. It, especially, has enjoyed one of the biggest box-office openings of all time. You’d have thought a British indie horror with a shoestring budget (a rarity for popular horror movies nowadays) wouldn’t even be able to compete. And you’d be right – but director David Bruckner gives it a damn good try. After their best mate is murdered in an off-license, four thirty-something uni-mates honour his memory by hiking up the mountains of northern Sweden. Luke (Rafe Spall), being a witness to the murder, still feels guilty for his friend’s death and suspects the others blame him for what happened. They build a memorial on the mountain, and walk back again. Then Hutch (Robert James-Collier), the natural leader, discovers a shorter route through an ominous forest. Through the forest of clichés, symbols have been carved into the trees and animals hang from the branches. They sleep in a run-down cabin and have awful nightmares – largely involving a monster in the woods. They soon lose their way and can’t find their way back. And something is following them. Perhaps the most shocking aspect of The Ritual is its humour. It’s one of the funniest horror movies I’ve ever seen. It doesn’t reach the heights of Shaun of the Dead, but this film approaches a more realistic kind of comedy. The screenwriter Joe Barton has constructed snappy dialogue, full of silly boy banter and metatextual jokes (“this is the house we get murdered in”) that don’t feel forced or cheesy. The humour and general camaraderie makes the characters instantly likeable and, as you relate to them, you come to think you’d do the same in their situation. The film also tackles drama, which, with comedy, is a difficult balance to steady. But Bruckner and Barton keep it stable. Spall is perfectly cast as Luke, and can maintain the character’s personal trauma while also making funny jokes. The chemistry between the characters, and the inevitable conflict between them, make for an eloquent first half. But then it slips. The psychological draw of the film is abandoned for annoying exposition about the monster in the woods. The outcomes become predictable and the ending falls underwhelmingly flat. Andrew Shulkland’s cramped cinematography is a redeeming feature of The Ritual, providing Klimtian forest visuals and psychological compositions. The visuals build fear within small movements from far away, barely noticed – creating a greater unease among the characters, similar to Freddie Francis’ work on The Innocents. It’s unfortunate that the psychological conflict disappears after the second half, since this is when the visuals are strongest. The Ritual is a fun and funny horror movie that feels different from the rest. It shines the most in its humour, which most modern horrors don’t like to engage in. The second half feels vastly underwritten and should’ve pointed its focus on the psychology of the characters rather than the violence of the monster, which becomes less frightening after you finally see it. Even given this, the humour is enough to make it a worthy watch. Just don’t expect too much more. #FilmReviews #TheatricalReleases #EuanFranklin #DavidBruckner #JoeBarton #RafeSpall #RobertJamesCollier #ArsherAli #SamTroughton

Directed by Chris Griffin Starring Elena Esovolova, Kurtis Maguire Short Film Review by Monica Jowett Sometimes all you need to grow up and start acting your age is just a simple wake-up call and stern lecture from a friend or family member. And Margaret, in the short film, Grow The Fuck Up! gets just that. Margaret (Elena Esovolova) is 35 and her life is going nowhere. She is trapped inside a prison of her own making, and the years of debauchery and cocaine are wearing her to breaking point. Her only solace is Mr Gregory (Kurtis Maguire). A companion from childhood, Mr Gregory is who she turns to in times of need, and he is always there to make her feel better. But Mr Gregory has been pushed too far, and so decides to give Margaret a hard lecture to make her grow up. What should seem like a straightforward tale of a downtrodden girl helped to realise her full potential is turned on its head when see that Mr Gregory is just a teddy bear. He comes to life in a fit of rage, admonishing Margaret harshly, and telling her how things look from his perspective. It is amusing to think of what toys would say after all the stuff they have seen their owners do. Grow The Fuck Up! feels like it is what Toy Story would be like if it wasn’t a cute animated film for children. Mr Gregory has clearly had a tough time of it with Margaret. She pretends to herself to be loving and caring towards him, yet she is a destructive person; alcohol, drugs and promiscuity. She is also insecure, bringing her teddy bear with her to dodgy bars and dives, which has somewhat traumatised the bear. Yet there are signs of improvement in Margaret – she has been offered a normal job, and clearly wants to show Mr Gregory she can do well. And she is handling talking to her childhood toy, who is talking back to her rather well. Esovolova’s performance of Margaret is worthy of praise; she combines the tragedy and hardship of her character’s past with a certain innocence, and looks natural acting opposite a teddy bear puppet. There are obvious dark undertones to the film, of self-inflicted abuse and depression and the shadowed lighting of the set pieces, yet there is also lightness to Grow The Fuck Up! which is helped along by Mr Gregory. His unpolished way of talking to Margaret brings humour to the piece, and also gives glimpses into his own crooked past. He also shows he cares deeply for Margaret and he drives the story forward. What could have been a film that lacked depth and relied on a cartoonish character, Grow The Fuck Up! has humour and heart, and leaves you feeling positive, though maybe slightly concerned about what toys might say to us as adults. #ShortFilmReviews #MonicaJowett #ShortFilms #BlackComedy #Comedy #ChrisGriffin #ElenaEsovolova #KurtisMaguire

★★ Directed by Matthew Vaughn Written by Jane Goldman and Matthew Vaughn Starring Taron Edgerton, Colin Firth, Mark Strong, Channing Tatum, Halle Berry, Jeff Bridges, and Julianne Moore Film Review by Euan Franklin In 2015, Kingsman: The Secret Service was a fun surprise – even when considering its faults. Released before Deadpool changed the comic-book movie aversion to blood and swearing, Kingsman was thrilling and violent whilst also being cheeky. It was only inevitable for a sequel to arrive, and for it to be worst than the first, but The Golden Circle excels in its failure. A year after the events of the first film, Eggsy (Taron Edgerton) has his world turned upside-down when every Kingsman base is blown up by an unknown enemy. The only survivors are Eggsy and Merlin (Mark Strong), who discover the details of a parallel spy organisation in the United States – Statesman. They join forces to find out who destroyed Kingsman and what they’re going to do next. As is the common rite-of-passage for British films that have enjoyed international success, the sequel has been heavily Americanised. A large portion of the film is in Kentucky, where the Statesman HQ operates under the guise of a whiskey distillery. The agents have alcohol-related codenames like Tequila (Channing Tatum), Ginger Ale (Halle Berry), and my personal favourite, Champagne (Jeff Bridges). This doesn’t exactly match the same gravitas of the Kingsman codenames, named after the Knights of the Round Table. And throughout Kingsman: The Golden Circle, the Statesman characters tell terrible jokes and conform to irritating stereotypes that just feel awkward, even to a British audience. It’s less like an expansion of the Kingsman universe and more like a British original crossing over with its terrible American remake. Surprisingly, The Golden Circle retains little of the thrill and humour from the original. Matthew Vaughn’s greatest filmmaking talent is creating hilariously exciting action scenes, and underlying them with well-chosen music – unlike all the Guardians of the Galaxy wannabes out there. But this talent is more relaxed in the sequel. There are only two action-music sequences of note, which begin and end the film, and there’s a monotonous two-and-a-half hours in between where we’re just twiddling our thumbs. Vaughn and co-writer Jane Goldman attempt to cram in too many storylines, resulting in all of them feeling vastly underdeveloped. The film is ludicrously long at 140 minutes, and desperately needs a trim. And like the original, the script feels like it’s been hijacked by a group of teenage boys. The Secret Service concluded with a Swedish princess offering Eggsy anal sex as a reward for saving the world. If that didn’t feel gratuitous enough, in The Golden Circle Eggsy has to (has to) finger a woman at Glastonbury to insert a tracking device. It sounds like a poor excuse from an unfaithful boyfriend. The only strength of The Golden Circle is the performances (Elton John cameo excluded), which are vividly delivered by some of the best Hollywood has to offer. It’s a shame that Vaughn and Goldman wrote such two-dimensional American characters – wasting the renowned talent standing at their disposal. This does, however, make Strong and Edgerton shine as the strongest and most memorable performances. Without these two leads, the film is nothing. Overloaded with half-constructed characters and superfluous storylines, Kingsman: The Golden Circle is a giant step back for Vaughn – who has always been reticent to make sequels. Why he chose to make this one is anyone’s guess. Maybe the money was right. Watch the Kingsman: The Golden Circle Movie Trailer below... #FilmReviews #TheatricalReleases #EuanFranklin #MatthewVaughn #JaneGoldman #TaronEdgerton #ColinFirth #MarkStrong #ChanningTatum #HalleBerry #JeffBridges #JulianneMoore

Written and Directed by Dennis Colligan Starring Jeff Hansen and Janni Hansen Short Film Review by Rachel Pullen As Shakesphere once said ‘’to sleep, perchance to dream’’ which is all very well and good as long as your dreams are a pleasant experience and you’re not dreaming of giant snails sliming all over you and your possessions until life becomes a cleaning nightmare...or maybe that’s just what I dream of. Many a film in the past has explored the idea of losing ourselves within our dreams, or to be more precise, to experience lucid dreaming, Inception, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and of course the super obvious Nightmare on Elm Street series. But despite the saturation of the market when exploring dreams in film, each has something new to offer its audience and so when I was presented with Dennis Colligan’s short film House of Dreams, I was excited to see what angle he had chosen to explore...and were there to be any massive snails? House of Dreams is the story of a middle-aged man, played by Jeff Hansen, who is losing grip on reality as his dream world and waking world begin to collide, and while that is not inconvenient enough, his dreams cause him to explore a darker side of himself, despite his resistance. The line between reality and dreams becomes blurred as he delves more and more into the darkness that is within him and loses the grip on his personal goodness. Colligan explores his art house desires with this short, entirely in black and white and using an array of different angles to create a dreamy and surreal environment for the audience to get lost in. The story is guided by the internal dialogue of our main character, which is an important addition as House of Dreams has little character interaction or even a strong narrative arc to keep the viewer on track. But this is not to say that House of Dreams is a bad movie, far from it, these choices are what make the film so successful in pulling the viewer into a lucid dream state of mind, understanding the exploration of another’s internal thoughts, desires, as well as the struggle that he is facing. If you’re not into artistic cinema then House of Dreams is quiet simply not for you, you’re going to get bored and ask what the feck is going on most of the time, but if you’re into a bit of art house on your Friday nights in, then this piece is one not to be missed. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #RachelPullen #Arthouse #DennisColligan #JeffHansen #JanniHansen

Top 10 documentaries on Netflix Netflix Film Review by Rachel Pullen Never underestimate the power of a good documentary, and for all of you who have access to Netflix you have a whole world of choice right in your front room. So once again in no particular order, here are my top 10 documentaries on Netflix right now. Bobby Fischer Against the World [2011, Liz Garbus] Genius is one of those things that seems amazing from the outside but can be very difficult for those who possess it, and that is exactly the case when it came to Bobby Fischer. A chess prodigy who turned the world of competitive chess on its head with his wild antics and bizarre demands, this documentary profiles Fischer's life in the spotlight as well as the demise of his mental stability alongside it. Scandal, insanity, chess and thick-rimmed glasses, this is a definitive addition to your Netflix watch list. La Bare [2014, Joe Manganiello] There are plenty of documentaries out there that investigate the world of women in the sex industry but La Bare takes an up-close look at the other side, the world of male strippers. This documentary is an eye opening [and not just because of the intense amounts of oiled up abs] piece which follows the lives of a group of male dancers working in a club in America, investigating their personal lives, the effect the job has on them day to day and the pressures they feel in fulfilling the role. This enjoyable as well as dark film is instantly interesting and engaging from the get go, and not just for the ladies. Oklahoma City [2017, Barak Goodman] In April 1995, America experienced some of the worst cases of domestic terrorism with the bombing of the Alfred. P. Murray Federal building, but what was it that led a young man named Timothy McVeigh to take such extreme actions against his own country? Broken into three chapters which investigates Waco, Ruby Ridge as well as the Oklahoma bombings, this sobering documentary is one of the most in depth films to ever cover this subject. With amazing historical footage and first hand testimonies, Oklahoma City is an intense journey into the mind of a maniac, plus there is a scene where the cops play Nancy Sinatra over a P.A to try and force out people of a building...policing at it’s best. Blackfish [2013, Gabriela Cowperthwaite] Animals living in conservation has always been a tricky subject, but often they are done so in order to conserve the species, but sometimes it’s for the entertainment of humans. Blackfish is the story of Tilikum, who is essentially the Arnold Schwarzenegger of the killer whale world, who has been living out his days at Seaworld, enduring cramped conditions, boredom, frustration, as well as being a whale sperm bank for the centre's breeding program. This documentary explores what happens to the people in and around Seaworld when the whales snap, and with just cause. Exploring the insane ways in which the company treats the whales as well as the staff, the viewer is taken on a whirlwind of sadness and rage as we explore this cruel and money-driven world. Not for the sensitive viewer, as there are a lot of distressing scenes, Blackfish will have you enraged and distraught all the way to the end. The Barkley Marathons: The Race That Eats Its Young [2014, Annika Iltis] My personal favourite from this list, The Barkley Marathons documents the struggle of a group of marathon runners as they attempt to complete one of the toughest races to date. Held in the frozen head state park in Tennessee, runners are allowed 60 hours [sleep is optional] to complete 100 miles over some of the roughest terrain, whilst also hunting down 11 books on the course and collecting a numbered page assigned to them from each one. This race reeks of hillbilly backwater charm, where runners have Taps played to them on a bugle when they quit, and a lot of them do, [often the race will not have anyone finish let alone complete it], or whereby the race is started when the founder Laz lights a smoke at the yellow gate. Gripping, witty and inspiring, The Barkley Marathons stands strong in the world of sport documentaries. Stop at Nothing: The Lance Armstrong Story [2014, Alex Holmes] Lance Armstrong is a man shrouded in controversy; Yellow jersey winner 7 times, donated millions to cancer research, promoted cycling all around the world...but also doped his way to success. This is a documentary that looks at the impact he and his doping program had not only on the sport, but the people around him, with in-depth interviews from people close to him during the time, as well as some great archive footage, this documentary on Netflix allows you to see both sides of the dark side of professional racing. So the big question is...dope and win, or be clean and lose. Indie Game [2012, James Swirsky] There is nothing better than when the underdog triumphs, and if you are anything like me it’s even better when that underdog is a bit of a...nerd? Indie Game explores the world of a group of game developers as they try to launch their creations into a bustling market, coming face to face with major companies and their lawyers, impatient fans, as well as long hours and little sleep, this group of gamers go balls to the wall in order to achieve their dream. Moving as well as inspirational, Indie Game is a must watch for anyone in need of a little hope, plus someone buys a hairless cat, why? We will never know. Ivory Tower [2014, Andrew Rossi] There is that age old argument whether you should learn or earn? And if you do learn i.e. go to university, you will face massive student loan debts and also run the risk or not being able to get a job in your desired profession at the end of it. Ivory Tower takes a eye-opening look at the world of university costs in America [which can be anything from $9,000 to $33,000] and how students often pay for little education but instead get top of the line gyms, pools, halls of residence and parties. This documentary really delves deep into this subject, looking at college costs from a wide range of schools, as well as looking at the students who have turned their back on a standard college experience and sought out other paths in order to gain their degree. So if you have struggled to remember why you got yourself into that debt and not found a job after the college experience ended [I can imagine that’s a lot of people, including myself] or are thinking about going to college, give this bad boy a watch and fear the inevitable debt. Amanda Knox [2016, Rod Blackhurst and Brian McGinn] Amanda Knox was a happy go lucky exchange student from the USA who went to Italy, things went well until she was accused of murdering her housemate...which is going to put a downer on her trip to be honest. This documentary covers the scandalous failings of the court system as well as the way the media portrayed the case in an incredibly unprofessional manner. With eye-opening interviews from the journalists who covered the case, and what they did in order to sell more copies of their newspapers as well as in-depth studies into how the evidence compiled against Amanda was not exactly by the book. If you can with stand how annoying Ms Knox is, [she describes herself as ‘’kooky’’...sigh] then this is an interesting and pretty easy to follow crime documentary. Making a Murderer [2015] When I was talking about making this list to some of my friends I was shocked to discover how many of them had NOT seen this docu series, like what the hell have they been doing...they are not my friends anymore. So if you are one of those people who have clearly not been on planet earth and not been involved in the insanity that is watching Making a Murderer here is a little background information to get you salivating for what’s to come. This 10-part series follows Steven Avery, a simple backwater guy who is accused of not one but two very serious crimes, and his struggle to prove his innocence. This series is so intense, outrageous and infuriating that it caused people to protest the police station which was responsible for the Avery arrests, to create funding pages to cover lawyer’s costs as well as sending petitions to the White House. But politics aside this is a highly stimulating show that does not treat the audience like an idiot, [you will feel as if you have earned a degree in criminal law by the end], delving deep into police records, phone calls as well as evidence tampering...there is a lot of that by the way. As well as all of the above this show has some of the best hairstyles and fashion choices I have ever seen, the sassiest lawyers who want to make you jump for joy when they speak in court, and sheer heart and determination from Mr Avery that can only inspire anyone who watches it. #DocumentaryFilmReviews #Documentaries #Netflixfilmreviews #RachelPullen #TopFilms #Filmmaking

★★★★ Directed by Stephen Frears Starring Judi Dench, Ali Fazal, Eddie Izzard, Michael Gambon, Olivia Williams, and Adeel Akhtar Film Review by Niall Maggs Judi Dench already played Queen Victoria 20 years ago in Mrs Brown (1997). Is she just as good? it's Judi Dench, of course she is! Adbul (Ali Fazal) is an Indian servant who is given the opportunity to travel to England with a companion (Adeel Akhtar) to deliver a Mohur (a special gold coin) to the Queen. Judi Dench is fantastic, as always, and steals every scene she's in, portraying the right amount of emotion without over doing it, and seeming unrealistic. Also, Ali Fazal as Abdul is also very good, delivering an Oscar worthy, heart warming turn that makes you feel appalled by the way his character was treated because of his nationality. Lee Hall's script was emotionally impactful. Filled with witty humour, heart wrenching dialogue which was flawlessly delivered from a stellar cast. The music was effectively used to create a welcoming feeling and the tone was joyful, and gave the audience a feel good experience. The character development of Abdul is well written and was portrayed realistically, making us feel like Abdul is just down to earth and grateful. Because of this, the interactions between the Queen and Abdul is humorous to watch due to their class differences, and their characteristics. The Queen being of high status, and Abdul being a servant. The Queen being talkative, Abdul not so much at first. Because of their status, the Queen learns of the Indian culture, and even begs Abdul to teach her Hindi. She learns things she was previously ignorant of, like the history of India, architecture, royalty, and she never even knew what a mango was! Highlighting the fact she was a lonely person and just wanted a friend to talk to. This type of dialogue between the characters is so fun to watch, and shows how normal Queen Victoria really was. The way Stephen Frears directed Victoria and Abdul was expertly done and even brought up social issues such as class and status. The camera work was simple, and relatively smooth. The overall film was well directed, acted, shot, and the storyline was filled with emotion and humour, that made you love, and even feel sorry for a lot of the characters. Victoria and Abdul was a really good study of friendship and history. #FilmReviews #TheatricalReleases #NiallMaggs #Biopic #StephenFrears #JudiDench #AliFazal #EddieIzzard #MichaelGambon #OliviaWilliams #AdeelAkhtar

Directed by David Bradburn Starring Sean Patrick Leonard, Samantha Jaloway, Jack Patrick Leonard and Anne Jacques Short Film Review by Annie Vincent Director David Bradburn and writer Sean Patrick Leonard have produced a raw and moving snapshot of family grief that really tugs somewhere deep in your stomach. Two months on from the death of his wife in a tragic car accident, John is struggling with his grief, whilst trying to be a good dad to his two young children. He has turned to drink and prescription drugs in a bid to function as normally as possible, but every day is a battle. As debut film writing goes, Sean Patrick Leonard has begun well with Rockabye. This glimpse into a family living under a tragic shadow will strike a chord with any audience. The script is very emotive and must have taken some strength to deliver. Leonard doesn’t hold back in his portrayal of a good, yet emotionally battered man who cannot come to terms with his loss and in all honesty, doesn’t really want to. He shuffles around the house day after day, downing beer, swallowing pills and nibbling on the leftovers from last night’s dinner. He has sustained his own injuries in the car accident that killed his wife so movement is difficult and when he falls to the kitchen floor in one particular scene, you understand the difficulty he faces in getting up is not just physical. The most poignant moment is towards the end of the film when his daughter asks why her mother cannot come home. Here, the writing beautifully combines that raw pain we’ve seen since the beginning, with a tiny fleck of humour: the kind we would all need to cling on to if life ever dealt us this sort of blow. When he tells little Judy he doesn’t ‘fucking know’ why their mother can’t come up, she tells him he needs a ‘fucking time-out’ because he says ‘fucking, too much’. Queue the tears and tissues mixed with smiles and feint laughs. This ability to deal with difficult topics in a more original way is to be applauded. We can all recall films where young children ask these difficult questions, but nowhere have we seen a response quite like this one and it is endearing. And it doesn’t end on the hopeful clichés we may expect either. John doesn’t suddenly find a cure for his grief just as no one in the real world ever does. He does decide to ditch the bottle of whiskey he started drinking that morning and we applaud these determined baby steps, but part of the brutal honesty of Rockabye is that grief like this takes a horribly long time to recover from. Bradburn and Leonard have delivered a moving portrayal of the acute suffering of a man and his children; it’s no wonder the film is already picking up award nominations on the festival circuit. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #AnnieVincent #ForktheManProductions #DavidBradburn #SeanPatrickLeonard #SamanthaJaloway #JackPatrickLeonard #AnneJacques

Directed by Sydney Chandrasekara Written by Thivanka R. Perera Starring Richard Manamudali, T. Maduka Wijesinghe, Jagath Beneragama, Mihiri Yapa, Iresha Namali Short Film Review by Chris Olson A beautifully shot fable about the impermanence of life, and the weathered state one can find oneself in, short film Cobbler's Dream is a cautionary piece about not taking life for granted, especially those people who make up its main parts. Written by Thivanka R. Perera and directed by Sydney Chandrasekara, the movie is heartwarming and moving whilst being visually compelling. Gunpala (Richard Manamudali) is a weary cobbler with a young son called Akila (T. Maduka Wijesinghe), and the pair live a low-key life following the departure of Gunpala's partner. Struggling to make ends meat, our protagonist fixes shoes by the side of the road. His dedication to the profession is clear, but even his son fails to see the expert craft involved, constantly demanding a replacement pair for the tattered ones his mother gave him. Not wanting to let go of that tangible tie to his loved one, Gunpala does his best to keep his son well prepared for life whilst maintaining his connection to his partner. There is a wonderful line delivered by Akila's teacher during Cobbler's Dream, that, to paraphrase, says that everything eventually gets replaced. This theme of wanting to discard "things" from our life simply because they appear broken or useless is wonderfully contrasted with the powerful themes of love and family. Akila's childish want of new shoes and lack of sentiment is the perfect juxtaposition for his father's almost crippling attachment. This blur of attitudes is also not settled in some revelatory manner, with one side realising the value in the other way of thinking, instead it remains a delicate quandary for the audience to mull over. Gunpala's world is brought magnificently to life by DoP Buddika Mangala, with rich exterior sequences on the bustling streets, and warming scenes inside the family home. One particularly poignant moment sees the man stand on the train tracks whilst a train passes by full of passengers, highlighting the often brutal reality that life stops for no one. This is then enhanced by Manamudali's central performance, which is understated and mesmeric in its weariness. Stories about characters attempting to move on from a difficult experience or time in their life are commonly compelling. Most likely because they act as a potentially dramatic setting whereby a rebirth or collapse are imminent. Filmmaker Chandrasekara uses this brilliantly in Cobbler's Dream to deliver a short film that is achingly tragic and utterly beautiful at the same time. Watch the official teaser trailer for Cobbler's Dream below... #ShortFilmReviews #ChrisOlson #ShortFilms #WorldCinema #SydneyChandrasekara #ThivankaRPerera #RichardManamudali #TMadukaWijesinghe #JagathBeneragama #MihiriYapa #IreshaNamali

Written and Directed by Shireen Vasseghi Starring Oliver Hall, Sophie Renée, Naho Short Film Review by Chris Olson Short sci-fi Velvet Hour has a textured appeal to its experimental approach which keeps a story that could very easily have fallen into the clinical claptrap genre within the confines of a more compelling character drama narrative. The overall movie is moving, tender and expertly handled. Ben (Oliver Hall) opens Velvet Hour by experiencing one hell of a bad night's sleep. Tossing and turning, the man is haunted by disturbing scenes which we later find out to be a horrific memory involving his partner Risa (Naho). Scratching days off a calendar, Ben moves towards an entry marked "France" which the audience discovers to be the location of a particular therapy which may hold the key to Ben's emotional relief. There exists a distinct choice to highlight the beautiful alongside the harrowing in writer and director Shireen Vasseghi's short that should be applauded. The use of brutal visuals and dark lighting is somehow complemented by the use of soft acoustic music and human performances. Watching the blossoming romance between Ben and Risa is in total contrast to the nightmarish opening of the film, and yet it does not jolt the viewer. Instead, there is a more complex relationship being identified and explored during Velvet Hour, something which makes the overall achievement of the piece even more impressive, which is our relationship with memory, and the delicate balance between tragedy and happiness. This gets physically represented when we see Ben being wrapped in cling film by the clinic's leader (Sophie Renée) as a montage of good and bad memories gets blurred together, accompanied by the aforementioned music, in a rebirth sequence that is sublime to watch. Another excellent scene involves Ben in the bath with Risa, which held huge emotional impact. This was also a lovely moment to cement the audience's connection with the lead character, which paid dividends by the culmination of the story. As with many science fiction premises there is a lot in Velvet Hour that could be explored further and the delivery of the narrative touch points could be a sticking point for some audiences, who may feel rushed to build strong enough ties to all the players. However, as a piece of short filmmaking, I found this to be incredibly powerful and cinematic throughout, with great performances and a brilliantly curated atmosphere that did justice to the stirring themes of memory, heartache and hope. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #ChrisOlson #SciFi #ScienceFiction #Fantasy #ShireenVasseghi #OliverHall #SophieRenée #Naho

Directed by Alasdair McWilliams Written by Alaisdair McWilliams and Andrew Cant Starring Martin Challinor, Hai Le, Basil Preuveneers, Stefania Montesolaro Short Film Review by Chris Olson Terminal illness can be a gripping catalyst for a story, as it forces not just the central character, but secondary ones too, to exhibit markedly different behaviour in the face of impending tragedy and adversity. Short film Positive Result, from Alasdair McWilliams and Andrew Cant, takes this idea and explores a darker side to it, the social outcasting which can come from being diagnosed with a life-threatening affliction. William (Martin Challinor) attempts to find an explanation for his rage by seeing his doctor (Basil Preuveneers), who goes through the usual examination procedures. After learning that William has recently been out of the country on a stag-do jaunt, the indicators start to look very grim for our protagonist. Diagnosed with a "Positive Result" for a brain-munching disease known as ZNP (don't ask) that is going to render him a "shambling" zombie, William's home and work life turn as dismal as his medical outlook. The short film then becomes concerned with William's search for purpose. It needs to be mentioned that the filmmakers intend this piece to be the first of four interlinked shorts, an admirable project that will be interesting to see the outcome of. This film review will focus solely on Positive Result though. Throughout the short, McWilliams delivers subtle tension and an isolated atmosphere to parallel the main character's journey. Clinical settings, a standoffish workplace, and hazy flashback sequences of the stag-do are used to tether the audience to William's anguish brilliantly. By the time William reaches rock bottom, drinking alone in his home, the viewer cannot help but feel a palpable sense of futility wash over them in the face of such a dire situation. To suggest what comes next would be to spoil it somewhat, but I will just say that it is worth sticking around for and the promise of three more installments is certainly intriguing. The performances are mostly of a good standard. Challinor is a strong lead, coping with the tumultuous character journey well especially during the heavily emotive scenes. Stefania Montesolaro is worthy of particular mention as the specialist whom William sees. Their scene together is possibly the strongest in Positive Result, one which cemented this viewer to the plot. Other turns are not quite as impressive, in particular William's insufferable co-worker played clunkily by Hai Le. The baffling relationship between the two characters is done no favours by Le's wooden delivery. A promising short film, though, by most measures. McWilliams and Cant show themselves to be intelligent storytellers and the overall aesthetic has a compelling feel. Watch the official Movie Trailer for Positive Result below... #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #ChrisOlson #AlasdairMcWilliams #AndrewCant #MartinChallinor #HaiLe #BasilPreuveneers #StafaniaMontesolaro

★★★★★ Directed by David Lynch Starring Kyle MacLachlan, Laura Dern, Naomi Watts, Miguel Ferrer Film Feature by Seamus Conlon David Lynch’s serialised 18-hour film Twin Peaks: The Return closed on a baffling and deliberate bum-note that would lead those familiar with the similarly obfuscating Lost Highway and Mulholland Drive to consider how much of the epic may have been a dream or hallucination stemming from a particular character’s consciousness. After a penultimate episode that felt as if the series was accelerating towards climax, the finale relinquished momentum and resolved for a conscious anti-climax. Largely devoid of music or spectacle, the last episode scuttled along towards an endpoint so unexciting it left this reviewer in disbelief that the film should end in such mute non-catharsis. To the extent that the labyrinth of Twin Peaks: The Return could be called a narrative, it took a final swerve the viewer can only dimly comprehend, and immediately calls into question what objective reality the prior seventeen hours had. But to interpret Twin Peaks: The Return as the subjective projection of a personal perspective, as is the trendy position to take on some of Lynch’s more recent films, is to miss the point of this late-career epic – like a religious artwork, this cinematic mammoth accesses a higher, spiritual, impersonal level of reality. In a dream sequence a cameo star quotes the Upanishads, claiming that ‘we are like the dreamer who dreams the dream and then lives inside the dream.’ This Hindu reference points to the metaphysical, rather than relativistic, viewpoint of Lynch’s work, but a religious quality pervades this magnum opus. The cinematic coup de grace of Twin Peaks: The Return is its eighth episode, where we deviate from the present-day narrative to witness the evil spirits that haunt Twin Peaks being birthed into the world inside the mushroom cloud of the first atomic bomb test. In a psychedelic sequence of virtuoso pure cinema that genuinely warrants clichés such as ‘mind-blowing’, ‘jaw-dropping’, we see elemental forces battling against each other in the cosmic corruption of our universe by evil. When a supernatural entity inhabiting a higher plane of reality responds to the unfolding mayhem by giving birth to the future-spirit of Laura Palmer form his brain, we can be reminded both of Athena springing forth form the forehead of Zeus, as well as perhaps Milton’s God responding to the chaos Satan will imminently wreak upon the cosmos by resolving to send Christ to redeem the world. Expanding upon the revealed messianic dimension of Laura Palmer, when the series hints that Laura may never have died, the Islamic version of Jesus’ story comes to mind, in which the prophet never died but miraculously escaped whilst a decoy was crucified in his absence. How familiar Lynch may be with various different religious texts is somewhat irrelevant – his work, and this one in particular taps into archetypal forces. Perhaps the greatest beauty of Twin Peaks: The Return is its ability to sway back and forth between the eternal and the temporal, the universal and the particular. Lynch brilliantly uses technique to communicate the duality between higher and lower levels of reality. The mundane, sometimes willfully tedious scenes of small-town life are shot with documentarian indifference and naturalistic sound design, whereas Lynch’s trademark use ominous, groaning soundscapes typically announce an entry into the hyper-stylized supernatural realm. Reviews may desperately try to politicize Twin Peaks: The Return by hooking it to contemporary concerns over nuclear warfare, or ideologically reducing it to the gendered violence that crops up so frequently during the film, but the true greatness of this cinematic marathon is its ability to leap beyond the fleeting towards something timeless, beyond here and now. #FilmFeatures #SeamusConlon #5StarFilm #DavidLynch #TVShow #FilmmakerFeature

★★★★★ Written and Directed by Darren Aronofsky Cinematography by Matthew Libatique Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Ed Harris, and Michelle Pfieffer Film Review by Euan Franklin The scariest films are those without a HORROR! tag on them. There are no preambles or anticipations for mother!, beyond the recent controversies surrounding the film. The plot has been efficiently kept hush-hush, and Darren Aronofsky is an unpredictable filmmaker. He’s tackled drug-infused nightmares, wrestlers in spandex, and schizophrenic ballerinas; even delving into the biblical epic, which nobody talks about. But what can we expect from Aronofsky now? Much like Lars von Trier’s Antichrist, the characters aren’t given names. Jennifer Lawrence plays the wife of a struggling poet, played by Javier Bardem, as they try to start their lives in a desolate house in the middle of nowhere. Peaceful. But it’s not long before there’s a knock on the door, and the quiet tranquillity of their home is invaded by strangers. A doctor (Ed Harris) passes through, and he’s a fan of the poet’s work. Then his wife (Michelle Pfieffer) arrives. And their sons arrive. Before long, more people flood through the house. And they won’t leave. We are slowly sucked into a Kafkaesque nightmare – full of darkness, despair, and confusion. Despite being too indie to be considered a genre film, mother! wields all the traits of a haunted house horror movie. Aronofsky is clearly in awe of The Shining: with a writer who does anything to distract himself from writing, strangers having sex in bedrooms, and blood seeping out of open crevices. But most of all, this is a horror film for introverts. Lawrence’s character wants nothing more than to be alone with her husband, but his detestably extroverted personality cannot help but let strangers stay in their home. Aronofsky throws in dozens of interpretable themes that, by the end, we feel like we’re being violently whisked around a mixing bowl. Parenthood, sexism, patriarchy, oppression, religion, celebrity-worship, warzone mentalities – so wild and varied, you can’t settle on just one. It’s dizzying, and everything spirals out of control, expanding the fear of the unknown and leaving us somewhat traumatised in a world reality doesn’t agree with. Lawrence delivers the most demanding performance of her career, and, like Natalie Portman in Black Swan, she is never left alone by Matthew Libatique’s close and shaky camerawork. There is rarely a shot that isn’t catered to Lawrence or to her character’s point-of-view, creating intensely subjective visuals. Lawrence and Libatique work seamlessly together to inject us into her perspective, and in doing so we feel her pain and frustrations – as if we’re enduring the same journey. Not even the intimidating passivity of Javier Bardem can match her performance. This is very much her film. mother! is a surreal, severe, marmite movie: you’ll either love it, or you’ll want to burn it. If you’ve enjoyed the dark, surreal explorations by von Trier and Nicolas Winding Refn, this is definitely the film for you. And it’s a must for Aronofsky fans. It doesn’t quite reach the despair of Requiem for a Dream, but achieves a level far more gruesome. One scene in particular requires a strong stomach, and it’s unlike anything I’ve seen in horror or exploitation cinema. But it’s brilliant and even beautiful, in the darkest possible way. mother! is Aronofsky’s greatest film, but it’s a stain on my soul. Like Lawrence’s character, I’ll never be released. #FilmReviews #TheatricalReleases #EuanFranklin #DarrenAronofsky #5StarFilm #JenniferLawrence #JavierBardem #EdHarris #MichellePfieffer