Directed by Ruth Pickett Starring Sophie Pelham, Richard Kiess and Abi Roberts Short Film Review by Rachel Pullen British comedy is one of those things that the rest of the world just don’t get, with the likes of Monty Python and the Carry On films to judge us by, you either are fully on board the laugh wagon, or you are just not. Director and writer Ruth Pickett comes full steam into the world of British comedy with her short film The Honeymoon, rich in a humour that is so typically English that you can’t watch this movie without a cup of tea and a scone, it is already a strong competitor in the field despite not even being a full length feature. Telling the story of a young newlywed Christian couple who have rented a holiday cottage in order to consummate the marriage as well as to have a relaxing honeymoon, our newlyweds are shocked to discover that they have accidentally taken up room and board at a sex dungeon, which, let's face facts, for some may be a plus, but for these two nervous virgins it is clearly a little overwhelming. And if that’s not enough they soon discover they are not alone; not only does this holiday retreat come with erotic art, dildos aplenty and an array of fetish equipment, it also houses a live-in sex slave (Abi Roberts) who is willing to participate in what she believes to be a virgin role playing scenario. Things go from bad to worse in this tale as the night unfolds in to what only can be described as a slapstick comedy sketch...with dildos. Sophie Pelham and Richard Kiess brim with comedic energy, feeding off each other’s abilities and displaying an impeccable balance between displaying their obvious despair at the situation to unfolding comedic gems. With a witty and campy script that draws upon influences from the UK’s rich history in comedy, The Honeymoon short film offers up laughs aplenty in a short space of time, as well as having a storyline that will keep the audience guessing and eager for more. A must see for any fan of the British comedy genre, or anyone in fact who is up for a solid amount of sexual innuendos and bum jokes...who doesn’t love a good bum joke. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #RachelPullen #Comedy #BritishFilmmaking #BlackComedy #RuthPickett #RichardKiess #SophiePelham #AbiRoberts

★★ Directed by Sean Riley Starring Jessica Harthcock, Noah Cook Indie Film Review by Seamus Conlon The eponymous ‘Belle’ of Sean Riley’s indie flick Fighting Belle is a temperamental southern belle named Delilah (Jessica Harthcock) who is not by nature the fighting type but is compelled by grievance and revenge to become a formidable boxer. The film opens with the disastrous non-wedding between Delilah and Kelvin (Ryan Czerwonko), where the groom abruptly announces to his fiancée at the altar that he’s decided he has too much of his wanton youth ahead of him to resign to marriage just yet. In the slapstick fallout Delilah attempts and fails to punch Kelvin and ends up knocking her head on a banister, falling unconscious and embarrassed in front of the congregation. The belle subsequently decides on revenge, one that will amend both the humiliation of being left at the altar and the humiliation of being unable to respond with a punch: to train as a boxer and defeat Kelvin in combat. To reach that goal she takes the step of taking boxing lessons with her male antithesis, the soft-spoken and humble Tandy (Noah Cook). Somewhere along the line boxing lessons become not just a means to the end of revenge on Kelvin, but also and end in themselves as romance begins to spark between the belle and the boxer. Already you can see how this film is going to conclude. Fighting Belle isn’t just predictable it abounds so excessively with lazy cliché that it almost takes on an avant-garde so-bad-it’s-good quality. The film clearly conceives of itself as something in the vein of a Bridesmaids-style chick flick comedy, but completely lacks the polish and production values to do so. Some shots have a visual depth and sheen to them that wouldn’t be out of place in a mainstream, but elsewhere the framing of the images is so poor as to almost verge on self-parody. The sound design remains unrefined and clumsy throughout. But the messiness of Fighting Belle is not without its charms. The disparity between the film’s acting performances is a marvel. In one corner we have the hyper-kitsch, hammed-up central performance by Jessica Harthcock, too inexhaustibly a drama queen for any real human being to resemble her. In the other corner we have Noah Cook’s performance as her eventual love interest. Cook’s performance is understated, naturalistic, recognizable as a representation of human nature. How his performance would seem in another context I am unsure, but next to the endearingly grotesque overacting of Harthcock’s Delilah, Cook’s Tandy is a triumph of mimesis. The consequent effect is of watching people form different realities interacting with eachother, and this bizarre dualism correlates to the film’s schizoid filmmaking technique, alternating between competent cinematography and amateur home movie. By objective aesthetic standards Fighting Belle is a woeful film that surprises the viewer not by innovation but by a lack of imagination. But whatever the failures of its extremely poor execution, the film still has rich entertainment value for reasons that were almost certainly incidental to the filmmakers’ intentions. If you enjoy Fighting Belle it will be for its clumsiness and not its success. #IndieFilmReviews #IndieFilms #SeamusConlon #Weddings #SeanRiley #JessicaHarthcock #NoakCook

★★★ Written and Directed by Ivan Malekin and Sarah Jayne Starring Lara Deam, Whitney Duff, Genya Mik, Asleen Mauthoor, Jess Riley, and Dan Hill Indie Film Review by Chris Olson The genre of mumblecore may be unfamiliar for some viewers, but it essentially means low budget and/or improvised in nature and indie filmmakers Ivan Malekin and Sarah Jayne have offered up a bubbly slice of mumblecore cinema with their feature film Friends, Foes & Fireworks, which experiments with not only improvised dialogue but also improvised camerawork. The result is a fantastic piece of naturalistic cinema, but ultimately slips on a few storytelling fundamentals. Set during New Year's Eve, a night synonymous with drama and tension, host Fiona (Lara Deam) is being reunited with her friends after a seemingly significant hiatus. As the guests arrive, it becomes increasingly apparent that plenty of issues simmer beneath the surface of this friendship group. To explore all the dynamics at play in this story would be difficult, not least because the unknown chaos of them is part of the appeal, however it is definitely worth introducing the players. There is Sofia (Genya Mik), a once-famous actor who now teaches, if from a position of cynicism. Then there is Zoe (Jess Riley), a wannabe actor with a strong selfishness. There is also Summer (Asleen Mauthoor), an actor - are you sensing a pattern yet? - who has feelings for Lucinda (Whitney Duff), an actor who has recently had breast enlargements, and her uninvited, and enduringly positive, English quasi-boyfriend Taron (Dan Hill). There is something very authentic about the approach that Malekin and Jayne take in Friends, Foes & Fireworks that transcends the simple fact that everything is improvised. Indeed, they have tapped into something that is quintessential about the coming-of-age and onset of early adulthood experience that is remarkably compelling; the inability to evolve and manage relationships that worked perfectly fine when you were younger. As we see these characters mingle and talk about how their lives have changed, the awkwardness between them is palpable. This atmosphere is then bolstered by the improvising, with the performers accidentally cutting each other off and talking over each other. Viewers may find this jarring to begin with, but stick with it as it really suited the movie as a whole. The pacing has a few issues, with the initial third taking time to get interesting. More conflict was needed earlier on and audiences could have benefitted from longer with each individual character before more were introduced. Taron was a wonderful injection of life and energy to the story, and Hill plays him brilliantly, but he could have been introduced a bit later for more impact. The sound design and original music by Gerard Mack is excellent during the Friends, Foes & Fireworks, elevating certain scenes and creating more emotional punch. For me, more music was needed during certain sequences where there was none in order to give them more depth. Some of the moments in Fiona's apartment felt a bit flat which then drew too much attention to the unconventional filmmaking. That being said, I would strongly urge viewers to seek this film out for several reasons. The use of improvisation is daring and mostly well executed, which for a feature length is commendable, and the thematic strengths of the story and characters offer plenty to chew on. #IndieFilmReviews #IndieFilms #ChrisOlson #ComingofAge #IvanMalekin #SarahJayne #LaraDeam #WhitneyDuff #GenyaMik #AsleenMauthoor #JessRiley #DanHill

★★★★★ Written & Directed by Keir Burrows Starring Yaiza Figueroa, Philippa Carson, Tom Barber-Duffy Indie Film Review by Taryll Baker Taking inspiration from the Alice in Wonderland tale, Keir Burrows’ Anti Matter delivers a truly thought-provoking experience that not only looks the part, but feels it. Right from the opening shot we’re transported into this strange and colourful world where Ana (Yaiza Figueroa), an Oxford PhD student, experiments with her new, bold technology. After travelling through a worm hole, the story follows Ana as she desperately tries to understand what happened, and what is behind the rising horror in her life. Let’s start with the performances. Firstly, Yaiza Figueroa is captivating as Ana, shining throughout her wonderfully textured performance. She takes this film in places no one else could. Resembling the strong Gal Gadot, but with her own charm, she became one of my favourite indie performers yet. Alongside her is Philippa Carson and Tom Barber-Duffy who provide a likeable chemistry that Figueroa can play with, which makes the dynamic trio a strong pillar in Anti Matter, something that makes me very happy when watching. The way this feature has been shot is truly brilliant. Cinematographer Gerry Vasbenter has done a splendid job capturing, not only the performances, but the streets and the lab also. The colour grading plays a big part in this, and it’s great to see all of the pieces come together so naturally. Speaking of pieces, editor Rhys Barter takes every scene and weaves them together with ease. The finale sequence is even more effective with his skilful fast-cuts and eerie jumps to past within the present. The talent is present in all corners of this film's production, it’s clear as day. Heading into the story; it can be a little convoluted and unrealistic, but I believe that’s where the ‘fiction’ half of the genre comes in. There’s a lot of science, but not all of it is entirely accurate. However, as it’s science-fiction you can allow for some change. I liked what writer and director Keir Burrows was aiming for, I found it to be really big and ambitious, and luckily, well-realised and achieved. The original score by Edwin Sykes is a thrilling, synth-driven and impactful supporting act. The first scene of Anti Matter introduces a beautiful melody played on the piano, which becomes a vital thread in the story and as the film progresses and evolves, Sykes’ work does too. It’s a score that stuck with me, and it’s one of the highlights of the film itself. Keir Burrows’ sci-fi noir mystery is a stunning piece, and with its satisfying twist, becomes one of those sensational secret gems in independent filmmaking. #SciFi #ScienceFiction #IndieFilmReviews #IndieFilms #TaryllBaker #KeirBurrows #YaizaFigueroa #PhilippaCarson #TomBarberDuffy #5StarFilm

Written and Directed by Thiago Dadalt Produced by Dru Miller Starring Piercey Dalton, Joao Bounassar, Amy Argyle, Talia Bacha Short Film Review by Chris Olson The bustling urban jungle of Los Angeles plays host to a story of loss, loneliness and hope in this short film from filmmaker Thiago Dadalt. Chocolate is a tender and moving short that brilliantly balances its emotional core with filmmaking style. Eve (Piercey Dalton) is seen in several different periods during Chocolate in a non-linear depiction of events which, when pieced together, create a harrowing journey through tragedy. To say what that tragedy is would remove the bite slightly, so I will avoid spoilers. What I will say, though, is that the themes are wonderfully explored and delivered. Spending time in the unfathomably horrendous squalor of the poorest parts of urban LA, Eve attempts to find her daughter (Talia Bacha), whilst struggling with her memory. After almost abducting a child that isn't hers, a confused Eve is offered guidance by a homeless man called Lewis (Joao Bounassar), who puts her to work begging in the streets. A somber story told beautifully, Chocolate is a short film that knows how to push the right buttons, without losing its grip on the visual style it maintains throughout. Wonderful camerawork is used to accompany Eve though her perilous journey, fluidly capturing her interactions with the city and its inhabitants. One scene where she first enters an alley populated with homeless people is thrillingly filmed. Flashback sequences have a dreamlike tone to them and capture the frustrations of the character when she is brought brutally back to reality. Music and the sound design in general are used skilfully. Moments of dialogue being swamped by instrumentation cleverly highlights the voiceless nature of this character and those who suffer like her. Sound was also a major part of the success of the final third of the short film, but I won't explain why. Dalton is a compelling lead, tackling what could have been an overwhelming role with impressive skill. Not only does she inhabit the various emotional distresses of Eve, Dalton also displays the numerous physical attributes that affect our protagonist in an intelligent and believable way. Her initial interaction with Bounassar was remarkable, the two delivering a tremendous scene that is filled with visceral anguish and heartache. Dadalt's film is heavily crafted and will challenge viewers to explore a story that is upsetting for several reasons. Fortunately, the elements he has crafted his film with are marvellously cinematic and keep the film tonally dramatic and thought-provoking without giving ground to melodrama or insincerity. Watch the official movie trailer for Chocolate below... #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #ChrisOlson #Homelessness #Disability #ThiagoDadalt #MovieTrailers #JoaoBounassar #AmyArgyle #TaliaBacha #DruMiller

Directed by Tubia Moreno Starring Unknown Short Film Review by Annie Vincent Left Alone is a short film exploring the fear of being home alone on a stormy night ... through the eyes of a cat. Yes, a cat. It is mad. How can a horror film be taken seriously if the protagonist is a cat, audiences will wonder. They will also wonder what on earth is going on as, whilst some of the camera-work and sound effects have been thought about, it is very unclear what is happening and the sense of foreboding attempted is lost in the darkness and ambiguity of this film. Moreno has chosen to film in black and white which initially works as it adds to the feeling of the unknown, and really that's what this film is about, regardless of the cat. The opening montage provides a series of stills which seem promising. All of them are well-chosen and set the film up to be quite tense. At times, the camerawork is appropriate and even clever, capturing the cat’s view from under the bed or from inside a small cat kennel. Morano has clearly spent a great deal of time thinking about the world through the eyes of a cat and he works hard to cover the setting with up-angled shots and narrow lens views which give the impression there could be many things lurking in the darkness. Well chosen sound effects add to the sense of fear the cat feels: slamming doors, banging from unknown sources, the screeches of the railway. But this is where the positives end for Left Alone. Morano seems to revert to the use of blackouts on a couple of occasions, leaving the sound effects to deliver the story, except that they don’t. They’re too ambiguous or incongruous to give the audience any indication of what is happening to the cat in the dark and whilst other horror films have used such techniques to explore the fear the mind creates when left alone in the dark, it doesn’t work here and it is not just because the audience are asked to empathise with a scared cat. It's unclear exactly what startles the cat at the end and what has happened to it when its owner returns home. Any sense of horror or the classic jump-moments we might expect aren't delivered and with such an empty resolution audiences are likely to finish watching this and wonder what the point of it was. Still, if you really, really like cats, it could be for you. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #AnnieVincent #Horror #TubiaMoreno #AnimalFilms #BlackandWhite

★★★★ Written and Directed by Taylor Sheridan Starring Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen Original Soundtrack by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis Film Review by Euan Franklin The pressure’s on. Screenwriter Taylor Sheridan makes his directorial debut (sort of) after scripting Sicario and Hell or High Water for Denis Villeneuve and David Mackenzie, two brilliantly innovative directors. Villeneuve, especially, is considered a modern, mainstream auteur. How could Sheridan not be nervous? Set within the desolate and thinly populated Wind River Indian Reservation in wintry Wyoming, hunter Cory Lambert (Jeremy Renner) stumbles across the body of a teenage girl embedded in the snow. The FBI send Jane Banner (Elizabeth Olsen), a young and inexperienced agent, to investigate the murder. With little experience of the cold, tough environment, she requests Cory’s continued assistance to hunt the killer. Together, they seek the person responsible. The plot is rather predictable. We expect twists and turns and different directions, like in most Fargoish neo-noirs, but instead we’re given only a simple story to engage with. The villains are cartoonish in their evil actions, making the ending feel underdeveloped despite a serviceable set-up. It’s almost like Sheridan’s saying, “They’re bad because they’re bad – deal with it!” This isn’t to say that there aren’t a few surprises along the way, many of which are emotionally harrowing – testing your stomach and your tears. Sheridan is weaker as a director than a screenwriter, which is no surprise to anyone. He’s too eager to move onto the next scene, not allowing enough space and pace between the characters’ words. The dialogue feels rushed, despite the deep emotions underlying them, which is where Villeneuve and Mackenzie have the upper hand. However, where Wind River stands on its own, away from the shadows of superior directors, is in its humanism. Unlike the conventional nihilism pervading similar films, the characters refuse to accept the futility of death and the pointlessness of life. Mackenzie and Villeneuve show humans crumbling, but only from a distance – as if they feel awkward. Sheridan pushes us right into the middle of the tears and the trauma, forcing us to endure every emotion. And not once is it dripped in sentimental cheese. The performances are fragile and intense, suiting Sheridan’s delicate dialogue. Every conversation feels like tip-toeing through shards of broken glass, and if the characters aren’t careful, they’ll get scarred. Renner and Olsen return to their indie-movie roots, and Wind River reminds you that both are better actors than The Avengers would have you believe. They deliver heart-rending emotions with such natural precision – something no amount of CGI could mimic. As with Hell or High Water, Wind River has an original soundtrack composed by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis. This is poignantly appropriate considering the death of Cave’s son in 2015, and the Bad Seeds’ latest album The Skeleton Tree, recorded after it. There are many similarities between the album and the soundtrack, matching with the central theme of the film: coping with the loss of one’s child, and the grief that comes with it. Cave’s dark voice give the film a further legitimacy to the characters’ traumas, in a way a movie score rarely achieves. Wind River isn’t quite enough to join the ranks of Sicario or Hell or High Water, but distinguishes itself with a rare sense of humanity that Sheridan thrives inside. You ache for these beaten-down heroes, to the point where they feel real enough to touch. And when you do, be prepared for emotional frostbite. #FilmReviews #TheatricalReleases #EuanFranklin #TaylorSheridan #JeremyRenner #ElizabethOlsen #NickCave #WarrenEllis

★★★★ Directed by Yance Ford Starring Yance Ford, Barbara Dunmore, William Ford, Harvey Walker, Kevin Myers, Lauren Ford, David Breen, Ed Boyar, Netflix Film Review by Chris Olson Netflix documentaries have proven to be a compelling source of popular content with audiences recently. Following the global success of a TV show like Making a Murderer, true to life stories have seen an uprise in viewers, with more documentary filmmakers taking on hugely topical themes. One such filmmaker is Yance Ford, who brings us the tragic story of her brother William who was shot dead after an altercation in a car garage. William was unarmed, but was perceived to have presented enough threat to justify his shooting, which was then deemed "not a crime". The bulk of Ford's documentary, Strong Island, focuses on the injustice which was allowed to prevail and the tumultuous effect it has had on her and her family. Told with a ferocious anger in almost every scene, intense facial close ups and skewed angles, every aesthetic aspect of Strong Island is injected to maximum impact. The broiling range of Yance is just one of the gripping emotions on display. William's mother Barbara displays a slightly more complex range, including utter heartbreak, desolation, and disillusionment with the land she lives in - where the odds are stacked against black families, a feeling she previously had not held. Her account of going before an all-white grand jury who seemed completely unmoved by the catastrophe that had befallen her family is one of the most poignantly affecting sequences in the documentary. Where Strong Island struggles to elevate itself to the next level is in the lack of original footage. Unlike the aforementioned Making a Murderer, the audience is not given access to the shocking "real thing". Without being able to witness the events for themselves, audiences may find it harder to connect with the atrocity being described. The impact of visual footage being a fundamental cinematic device for documentary filmmakers. That being said, where Ford's film is unique, is in offering a brutally honest depiction of the fallout of a terrible event on the victim's family, completely from their perspective, and fearless when it comes to discussing heavy topics such as race, gender, violence. Coupled with the achingly sad fact that all the family members pay loving tribute to William, who by all accounts seemed like a genuinely nice person, then Strong Island becomes a fiercely powerful and loaded document. Available on Netflix from September 15th, watch the official Movie Trailer for Strong Island below... #Netflixfilmreviews #Netflix #DocumentaryFilmReviews #Documentaries #ChrisOlson #Racism #YanceFord

★★★★★ Directed by Matthew Heineman Documentary Film Review by Owen Herman Great films can sometimes be hard to recommend. City of Ghosts, the documentary about a group of civilian journalists who risk their lives to expose and combat ISIS, features highly disturbing and graphic footage of ISIS executions as well as images of the terrorist organisation’s upsettingly successful brainwashing of young children. One would be forgiven for not wanting to watch such content, but those who do will experience an incredibly powerful account of defiance that, despite its dark content, will stick with you for the right reasons. Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently started off as a Facebook page created by a group of civilians to report on the atrocities committed by ISIS after the fall of the Assad regime in Raqqa, Syria. RBSS has since morphed into something greater and has received international acclaim. It is now run both by external groups who escaped Syria (now living in Turkey and Germany) and internal undercover agents risking their lives in the terrorists’ stronghold. In 2015 the group was awarded the International Press Freedom Award, footage of which bookends the film, which seems like the most minuscule of victories for the men who have lost friends and family in the quest to reveal the truth. Matthew Heineman, director of Cartel Land, demonstrates once again that he is a top documentary filmmaker and gets to the heart of what’s most important about this story: the people. City of Ghosts follows the individuals who founded the movement, a group of intelligent and softly spoken civilians whose lives have been upturned by the events in their home city. Forced into hiding, they continue the fight to expose propaganda and let the world know what’s really happening in Raqqa. The film completely humanises them, showing them teasing and giggling amongst themselves; these are not superheroes, but ordinary citizens who are modest, charming, and likeable. The camera picks out their sad eyes that constantly reveal inner fear and sadness, even when they force a smile. I was wary about the violent content the documentary was meant to feature. The worry was that the disturbing images would be exploited for shock factor, but this is far from the case. The images provide context for the horror the men of RBSS talk about. The film also chooses to hide some of the (even) more horrifying scenes, including the execution of the father of one of the group’s founders, showing the intelligence to be respectful to those involved, whilst still conveying the nightmare that ISIS have brought. City of Ghosts offers a phenomenal insight into the lives of ordinary people who have shown extraordinary bravery. It provides context to the frightening events that have affected so many across the world, and explores thought-provoking themes about the good and bad of social media. Despite the sickening executions, the moments that have stuck with me the most were those where the brave men of RBSS share a rare smile, united as a family through their shared fears and their inspiring acts of courage. #DocumentaryFilmReviews #Documentaries #OwenHerman #5StarFilm #WaronTerror #MatthewHeineman

★★★ Directed by Sarmad Masud Starring Suhaee Abro, Eman Malik, Syed Tanveer-Hussain Film Review by Annie Vincent A stark portrayal of a young girl’s struggle against corruption and oppression in rural Pakistan, My Pure Land is an important and insightful film based on a true story. Following his death, Nazo must fight to defend her father’s honour and his house as it comes under siege from her uncle, Mehrban, and his hired group of bandits. The narrative utilises flashback to explore the feud which led to this day. In short, Mehrban believes he rightfully owns the house and land Nazo’s father holds the deeds to. Hell bent on taking the house for himself, Nazo’s uncle goes to dark and extreme lengths to destroy his brother. What he doesn’t count on is the strength of Nazo and the other women in this family. Suhaee Abro has brought the character of Nazo to life beautifully, conveying defiance and strength but also revealing those inevitable human weaknesses with little support from the script. In fact, Nazo is almost devoid of emotive language. Purposeful and resilient, she focuses on the task at hand and nothing else. Even when discussing her marriage to Zulfiqar she remains pragmatic, telling him she is happy to marry him so long as she can learn, work, travel and they can live in her father’s house. Zulfiqar jokes he might need another wife, one who will have time for him while she’s off travelling and in this way, the script offers small moments of humour as relief from the bleak reality of this woman’s story. From the outset, our protagonist is armed with an AK47 and the juxtaposition of this dense and heavy weapon against the small frame of Abro and the elegant beauty of her traditional dress is stark, yet reminds us of the cold and often brutal world we live in. The audience immediately engages with this character who knows her own mind and values and will not compromise those at any cost. In a world where women still suffer inequality, Nazo stands as a beacon of hope and will certainly appeal to audiences as such. The conclusion of My Pure Land was a little disappointing. After a well-thought out narrative which slips easily between past and present, the final confrontation between Nazo and her uncle leaves us with unanswered questions. The police, who we’ve learned are corrupt, arrive and demand Nazo leave the house. She gives a bold speech refusing to hand the house over, shouting in defiance that this is ‘her land’, but the camera then fades to black and we read the captions which tell us Nazo and her family remain in the house to this day. The story of how she fought back against the bandits and the corrupt officials who try to depose her is all lost, and we are left wondering how she overcame such odds as an unmarried woman in Pakistan. And whilst the answer may not have been as exciting as positioning yourself on a balcony and firing an AK47, it is those struggles that many women face and which many women need to see overcome. Overall Masud has delivered an interesting and well-scripted narrative. The casting in Abro is excellent and she is well supported by Tanveer-Hussain in the role of her father. The camerawork has also been carefully thought-out with a lot of the work being done at low level to replicate the ducking and weaving Nazo and her family must do to defend their home. But the sense that there is more to tell in this story pervades and may leave audiences a little unsatisfied. My Pure Land is in UK cinemas September 15th 2017. #FilmReviews #TheatricalReleases #WorldCinema #AnnieVincent #SarmadMasud #SuhaeeAbro #EmanMalik #SyedTanveerHussain

Directed by John Balazs Starring James Conrado, Zoe Thornburgh, Marcus Merkowski, Adele Elasmar, Short Film Review by Chris Olson With more than a few similarities to a film like Drive (2011), filmmaker John Balazs's short film Dancer (although with a run time of 53 minutes it could be argued as a feature) is a slick and stylish crime action piece, with plenty of violent choreography and excellent visuals, but also an abundance of cliches and contrivances. Richard (James Conrado) is a strong and silent type, similar to the dark and stormy presence of Ryan Gosling in the aforementioned Drive, but with hand-to-hand combat skills like Jason Bourne. We meet him early on Dancer, laying waste to a troupe of goons so the audience quickly knows what arena the short film is operating in. The storyline then follows Richard as he unwinds at a strip club and takes a liking to stripper Dallas (Zoe Thornburgh), following her into a back room for a private dance. What becomes apparent is that Dallas's life is one of economic imprisonment and dashed dreams (she originally wanted to be a ballet dancer, hence the title). Once Richard becomes aware of the owner's (Marcus Merkowski) penchant for violence, drugs and exploitation of the club's employees, a battle royale is soon on the horizon. There is a phenomenal atmosphere in Balazs's film that is worthy of mention. The interior club shots, with their shady lighting and pink hue, are brilliantly tense, and the fight sequences are spectacular. Fans of films such as The Raid, Taken, and anything with Steven Seagal will be pleased with the combat on display, especially when the guns start getting interspersed. The kinetic energy of Conrado is electric and one of the most appealing aspects of the movie. There were some brilliant moves from Thornburgh too, on the pole in the club and in front of a mirror in her apartment. There is a dream sequence of someone offering a balletic display which gets juxtaposed with the violent forces attempting to force their way into Dallas's world, but it was slightly unclear as to who the performer was. Where Dancer lets itself down is the dialogue and characters. For a short film in 2017, the movie regrettably relies heavily on classic crime tropes that instantly date it. The stoic mancake using his frankly unbelievable fighting prowess to save a stripper feels difficult to swallow. As does the video game style baddie, who drops line after line of clunky threats to anyone around him. The army of goons who thoughtlessly follow orders that are homicidally reckless is a childish addition too. It may seem that I am being completely harsh but that is only because I saw massive potential in Dancer during the opening sections, but it sadly got squandered on a disappointing plot and tired themes. Cordano, whilst epic when he is slamming his elbow into someone's face, is less enigmatic when he is having to grapple with emotional dialogue opposite Thornburgh. The latter of whom is actually solid throughout and would have been exceptional had the script and storyline gone in her favour. If Dancer extended its routine another half an hour and fully developed the storyline, in particular the Dallas character, and shed the classic crime accessories, there would be a compelling piece of entertainment left. As it stands audiences will simply have to come for the punch ups and aesthetic, and endure the rest. Watch the official movie trailer for Dancer below... #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #ChrisOlson #MartialArts #JohnBalazs #JamesConrado #ZoeThornburgh #MarcusMerkowski #AdeleElasmar

★ Directed by Jon Gunn Screenplay by Brian Bird Based on The Case For Christ by Lee Strobel Starring Mike Vogel, Erika Christensen, L. Scott Caldwell, Robert Forster, and Faye Dunaway Film Review by Euan Franklin Respected journalist Lee Strobel (Mike Vogel) has dinner at a restaurant with his wife, Leslie (Erika Christensen), and his daughter. Preparing for pudding, the daughter chokes on a jawbreaker and a nearby nurse, Alfie (L. Scott Caldwell), rushes over to save the little girl’s life. When Leslie goes to thank her, Alfie claims it was the work of Jesus and that she was guided to the restaurant. This sets Leslie on a course into the Christian faith, which Lee, as a militant atheist, despises. Believing he’s losing his family to Christianity, he embarks on a long research project to disprove the existence of Jesus as well as the existence of miracles, namely the Resurrection. This proves more difficult than Lee had anticipated. I love journalism in movies. There’s an intellectual underdog element to the genre that makes movies like Spotlight and All the President’s Men thrilling to watch – despite being set among dull desks and writing pads. There’s usually a pursuit to expose an injustice, which the authorities haven’t stumbled across, but no great injustice befalls Lee Strobel in his quest to disprove Christ – he’s just a bitter atheist with daddy issues. Strobel fights a pointless fight, ripping away the type of engagement associated with journalism movies. This is made worse by his narrow choice of interviewees – most of which being evangelical Christians. Screenwriter Brian Bird tries to shoehorn a criminal court-case involving a cop shooting, which Strobel covers for the Chicago Tribune, inserting some pace to the story – but it doesn’t fit with Lee’s beef with Jesus. It’s only a desperate attempt to keep the film moving. The depiction of Lee Strobel is the hard-line Christian’s dream of an atheist: obnoxious, stubborn, and drunk – until, of course, he finds God. Any atheist position is considered inferior than any Christian one. The Christian arguments presented in the movie are dependent on out-dated Pascalian logic: the what if it’s true scenario, which Strobel, bizarrely, has no counter-argument for. Director Jon Gunn smears these bible-heavy scenes with a stinking, sentimental cheese that’d make even devoted Christians feel embarrassed. By the time the film ends, I can’t decide whether Strobel is a stupid atheist or a terrible reporter. Surprisingly, the performances from Vogel and Christensen are strong and they thrive during scenes with intense, emotional debate – even if they are a bit melodramatic. Robert Forster and Faye Dunaway pop up too briefly to be considered cameos, and deliver uncharismatic performances that waste their inimitable talents. It’s a wonder why these Hollywood heroes turned up at all. Despite its almighty flaws, the premise of The Case for Christ is not as ridiculous as other Christian propaganda movies like God’s Not Dead. Some of Strobel’s journalistic adventures feel out of the place, but they succeed in maintaining a good pace. You also become better educated about certain areas in religious history and the Christian side of the argument, despite little representation from the other side. But I won’t beat around the burning bush: I hated this movie. It exudes that deceptively revolting charm you get on the faces of Jehovah’s Witnesses when they come knocking on your door. The Case for Christ is less concerned with facts and obsessed with conversion, not only of Strobel, but of you as well. It’s a propaganda movie pretending to be a genuine character biopic. And no miracle can save it. #FilmReviews #TheatricalReleases #EuanFranklin #1Star #Religion #Religious #JonGunn #BrianBird #MikeVogel #ErikaChristensen #LScottCaldwell #RobertForster #FayeDunaway