Directed by DejFM Starring Jessica Price and Lawrence Folashade Short Film Review by Owen Herman Coincide is a short film from writer/director DejFM that aims to tackle some of the stigmas surrounding depression in the modern world. The story follows two old classmates as they meet by chance in a bar, and begin to reveal some of their private problems. This is clearly a very personal film, made to highlight issues the makers feel are important and need discussion. Coincide is a great example of how, without the pressures that are normally associated with feature filmmaking, short films are an excellent medium for creators to express their honest opinions and beliefs. Depression is a big and sometimes controversial topic, but Coincide manages to navigate it well. With the two differing protagonists, the film manages to tackle this topic from separate perspectives. Lawrence Folashade plays the ex-class clown who has seen success both with school popularity, and with work in the real world, but without the expected and usually associated happiness. Jessica Price plays the burnt-out smart girl struggling with pressure. Both characters are seemingly the opposite of each other, yet share some of the same devastating problems. By approaching these issues from these separate perspectives, DejFM achieves his goal of highlighting how depression can affect anyone. The two central performances are strong, helping the characters seem believable, something which is very important with something that affects so many. Jessica Price, in particular, is outstanding. Technically the film is well-made, my only complaint would be some dialogue that felt a bit on-the-nose, but it managed not to detract from the overall message. The editing and cinematography are particularly solid, with a couple of clever little moments. The first of these moments to watch out for is a jump-cut between getting ready and being out, which manages to not only keep the film running at a quick pace, but also masks a dark moment that is revealed later for maximum impact. The second is a brief but memorable shot of the two characters drinking simultaneously, highlighting the fact that they, unexpectedly, share similar demons. These kinds of interesting moments that stick with you allow films to be elevated above the ordinary, so it they are always really pleasing to see. Simply put, Coincide manages to tackle a relevant issue in an interesting and engaging way. DejFM has managed to tell a story that is clearly personal and important to him, something that should always be welcomed. Watch the official movie trailer for Coincide below... #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #OwenHerman #JessicaPrice #LawrenceFolashade #DejFM

Directed and written by James Bowsher Starring Lizzie Mounter, Tom Bonington Short Film Review by Rachel Pullen Phones, they can do anything these days; we can check emails, make videos, take pictures, even do our banking but back in the day we all relied on our trusty flip phones for one thing only, communication. Pesky perverted or psychopathic callers have been a trope that cinema has used before, with classics such as When a Stranger Calls and Scream, horror loving audiences have come to realise the fear that comes with those midnight calls from withheld numbers. But what if your job was to deal with private calls? Withheld is the story of Stephanie (Lizzie Mounter), a young woman who makes a bit of extra pocket money by having phone sex, an art that I though no longer existed with the invention of the internet, like paper maps or Blockbuster Video. Stephanie starts to get harassed by a caller (Tom Bonington) who wants her to play a game with him, he wants his phone sex experience to be 100% genuine and so from her garden orders her to do a series of tasks or he will reveal to her unknowing friends and family what she has been doing to make money. As was previously mentioned, this is a storyline that audiences will be familiar with, but director and writer James Bowsher captures a new element of fear and discomfort for his viewers but putting the them in the seat of the caller, using shots where we see Stephanie from outside her windows as she tries to please her caller, certainly make for a more personal touch. The use of close ups on her and his face again give a sense of discomfort as well as a feeling of privacy invasion, we are made to feel as if we are violating the character's personal space, a bold and interesting move from Bowsher that captures the atmosphere of the storyline perfectly. Withheld is not just a story of harassment, it’s a study of invasion for each of the characters, seeing them both at their most powerful and their most vulnerable, each becoming victims of circumstance and control at the hands of another. This compelling short is nerve wrecking, terrifying and heroic, and with a strong, believable performance from the leading actor, Lizzie Mounter as well as her co star Tom Bonington, this piece is a must watch for any fans of the horror or thriller genres. #ShortFilmReviews #RachelPullen #CrimeThriller #Crime #PsychologicalThriller #JamesBowsher #LizzieMounter #TomBonington

Film Event Feature by Chris Olson The feeling of saturation is most definitely a 1st World Problem. We find ourselves, on a daily basis, bemoaning the way in which we consume culture and then readily go ahead and engage with it in the exact same way. Specifically in the movie world, there is the franchise formula which has a stranglehold on cinemas for the next few generations, a glut of reboots (from the earliest days of cinema to TV shows no one liked the first time they came out), as well as a yearly host of amazing films which become bogged down in how many awards they won, rather than how they stole our hearts. The buffet style of cultural consumption has meant that to be genuinely moved these days involves, ironically, the audience having to actually move. Since 2007 lovers of film have been able to access Secret Cinema events. Known to few in the early days, their popularity has risen immensely in the last couple of years, especially when they threw a Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back event in 2016 which saw them enter the Box Office Top 10 for months on end. The same has happened in 2017, as they tackled Baz Luhrman’s theatrical beast Moulin Rouge, which is arguably the organiser’s most politically potent yet. So what is is Secret Cinema? The premise to many sounds a lot like LARPing (Live Action Role Playing), and indeed there are several elements which are the same. Attendees will find out the film that will be screened, purchase tickets, be assigned a role to play within the event, including ideas on what to wear, items to bring with them, perhaps even something to prepare. The location of the event is kept secret until you arrive on the day (normally by a popular London Underground station), where you are whisked off by the army of actors and performers that are part of the Secret Cinema world. Once inside, you are transported into a glorious world of that particular film. In previous years, such as the Back To The Future event, it was 1950s America with all the baby boom paraphernalia that goes with it. In Star Wars, you were immersed into a sci-fi world of the rebel cause, boarding spaceships, landing in the desert, making your way onto the Death Star and beyond. For Moulin Rouge, the location was 1899 Paris in all its bawdy glory. Street performers, theatrical costumes, absinthe bars and more, attendees were able to enter a world they had only been able to glimpse through the other side of a screen in Luhrmann's depiction. Why attend Secret Cinema? Put simply, there is nothing else like it. You cannot experience a film in this manner in any other way. The attention to detail is phenomenal, the creativity is breathtaking, and the effect on the audience is the most impressive thing of all. How often do you attend a cinema, enjoy the film, and then leave without saying another word to anyone? The community of like-minded cinema enthusiasts are able to throw away the shackles of our cyber isolation, as your mobile phone is sealed off until the end of the event, and lunge into a make believe world that is very, very real. The film is screened with uproarious enthusiasm, parts being acted out by the performers alongside the actual movie, and the audience participation can be as little or as much as you like. By having a character and costume, Secret Cinema have given people a way to quite literally become someone else for the event, aiding the most nervous of people to join in comfortably. The bigger picture and political potency Moulin Rouge contained many thematic propositions for attendees, encouraging a Society of Love that stretched beyond the event itself. The event I attended was the day before a tragic attack in London that left 7 people dead. The notions of Secret Cinema were not lost on me, especially once the heartwarming behaviour of Londoners started to trickle in in the days that followed. Secret Cinema themselves also put out messages of love and cooperation. This year, Secret Cinema have also been encouraging young people to vote. A stance which, whilst arguably not completely neutral, is important, as their access to a younger generation is undeniable and when put into the context of movies (I, Daniel Blake) could be transformative. Whilst we await the next Secret Cinema event, and continue conversations about what film will be next (apparently The Truman Show is a strong contender), I consider myself lucky to have attended such a beautiful celebration of art, movies and love. If you want more information about Secret Cinema, follow them on Facebook /secretcinema. #ChrisOlson #SecretCinema #FilmEvents #FilmFeatures #London

Directed by George Bartlett Documentary Film Review by Chris Olson Solidarity in the face of crisis could most definitely be described as a British trait. From the recent tragedies in Manchester and London, right back to wartime and beyond, the British people band together in the tough times, often with an eclectic mix of grit, determination, humour and poise. George Bartlett's short documentary film, The Broken Bridge, depicts these traits in a smorgasbord of footage surrounding the immense flooding which struck Yorkshire back in 2015 and how the community of Tadcaster rallied, but also how they were left literally stranded by politicians and the rest of the country. Archive film footage is stitched together to create a tapestry of natural disaster, against a booming classical score and narration from locals. The aesthetic is at times greatly effective, especially when the cacophonous news pieces are presented simultaneously, simulating the noise that was being made without any real action or follow-up. Shots of the carnage caused by the rainfall, destroying so much in its path, is also hugely cinematic and affecting. The music feels misjudged, too bombastic for the most part, and has the effect of undermining the pathos of the sequences and true stories. A lighter and more emotional score would have possibly been more suitable. It was poignant and devastating to behold the reaction of the nation, who quickly moved on with their lives as the media found other things to focus on. And herein lies the fundamental point of The Broken Bridge. How quickly ties between communities can be severed through lack of compassion, not to mention the loss of faith in those who are meant to be looking after us. The resilience of the Tadcaster locals is admirable, but the scale of their suffering felt worthy of a more comprehensive reaction. The documentary filmmaking is skilled, deftly piecing the visuals into a coherent tale for the audience whilst letting the heavy themes swarm the atmosphere. It's a short documentary that manages to take a potent shot at the perception of the human spirit, how it varies depending on its motivation. The newsreel approach felt like a candid way to make such a point, feeling hugely familiar, so that the message would not be instantly recognisable for the viewer. A touch more prowess when it comes to the overall make-up of the film, and this could have been a formidable piece of filmmaking. Watch the official movie trailer for The Broken Bridge below... #DocumentaryFilmReviews #Documentaries #ChrisOlson #GeorgeBartlett #DisasterFilm

Written, Produced and Directed by Kenji Harman Cinematography by Khoi Ly Edited by Kenji Harman Starring Kevin Hayden and Tina Nguyen Short Film Review by Euan Franklin I’m all for artistic indulgences. Often they take us to places beyond our comprehension – shining a surreal, subjective perspective on our mundane world. But, we all know where the line is. Hyperloop Dreams stumbles over that line and ends up lost, unable to find its way back. In a dark and dingy apartment, a Man (Kevin Hayden) wakes up from a nightmare, calms down, and kisses his girlfriend (Tina Nguyen) lying next to him. He then proceeds to insert a hearing aide into his ear, propelling him into a cluster of strange visions involving beeping objects embedded in jelly, bottled milk, and a long and silent haircut. Surreal, dream-like narratives always open the floodgates to self-indulgence – it’s inescapable. But writer-director Kenji Harman has fallen so far that any whiff of character or story is irretrievable. The film degenerates from the shadow of an idea to a desperate effort to be whacky, attempting to construct somnambulant scenarios similar to those by Luis Buñuel and David Lynch, but ultimately loses a sense of narrative or aesthetic motivation. The scenes have no shift or anything to suggest progress, which makes the film feel longer than 13 minutes. Harman’s cinematic style is slow and considered – a fresh take on the surrealist genre, but inspired by the pace of a slug. The films of Buñuel and Lynch dance from one bizarre scenario to the next, leaving insurmountable confusion in its path – whereas, Hyperloop Dreams has scenarios that may be alluring at first, but become repetitive by the end. The most draining example is the three-minute static shot of the protagonist getting a haircut. It’s fun for the first few seconds, but once the intrigue has worn off, I wanted to fall asleep and hope my dreams aren’t as boring as this one. The strength of Hyperloop Dreams is in Khoi Ly’s blunt cinematography, which perfectly captures Harman’s still-life style and adds a special depth uncommon to other shorts set in only one apartment. And to Harman’s credit as a Producer, you can see the excellent production values within the vivid and well-prepared mise-en-scène, which convincingly inserts us into that weird, slow dreamscape. However, it is disappointing that Harman seems more impressed with the props than with the characters interacting with them. Hyperloop Dreams feels like a failed experiment. Although the slow and considered rhythm brings something new to the Surrealist Table, the result is nothing more than a sluggish experience. There was little of the creative energy that electrifies the films in surreal cinema. It felt like receiving soda water when you ordered lemonade – it’s buzz with no flavour. It’s a dream you can forget about. #ShortFilmReviews #EuanFranklin #ExperimentalCinema #Surrealist #Surrealism #KenjiHarman #KevinHayden #TinaNguyen

★ Directed by Alex Kurtzman Starring Tom Cruise, Sofia Boutella, Annabelle Wallis, Russell Crowe, and Jake Johnson Film Review by Niall Maggs So The Mummy is the first entry into a new cinematic universe, known as 'The Dark Universe' in which a series of films will be released, based on 'Universal Monsters' that will feature Frankenstein, Dracula, The Invisible Man etc. The first entry is a big disappointment. First of all, the film did have some good aspects about it. It looked great, with brilliant cinematography from Ben Seresin and set pieces that really brought the film to life. It gave it a sense of atmosphere and made the movie feel quite eerie and creepy in parts. Also, the costume design was brilliant, the look of the monsters was scary and the design was unique and creative. At first, the plot seemed quite intriguing with immersive storytelling but quickly became a muddled mess. It didn't seem clear what story it was trying to tell, the motives were silly and had no relevance at all, and it tried to cram far too much into the film. It seemed as if they were trying to introduce this new universe, giving us these new characters and setting up countless spin-offs to the point of them forgetting that there was a narrative that needed to be told. This gave the film a choppy and rough pace that resulted in an overall mediocre, big budgeted action-adventure flick. The Mummy also had multiple clichés from obvious jump scares, to awkward sex jokes, to stupid character decisions that just felt unoriginal and dull. The characters were also very annoying which didn't help the fact that the script was quite cringe worthy at times, which made the overall writing feel obvious and amateur, that being said, the direction was okay but could of honestly been better, considering how much of an iconic character The Mummy is. There were also quite a few plot holes throughout the duration of the movie. Watch the official Movie Trailer for The Mummy above. Tom Cruise tried to give an exhilarating and entertaining performance, but with the writing and plot he was working with, it was a good performance. The other cast members were about average but the characters were dull and thinly written, and most of them served no real purpose or reason for being there, they were just...there. The editing was explosive and entertaining, and kept the film feeling smooth, for the most part, and kept you involved and immersed, again, for the most part, and the score was unnoticeable as there was very little of it and the music was lacking. I feel that if the score was more effectively used, it would give the film a darker and more creepy tone. The Mummy also incorporated an element of comedy that just didn't fit in, and just felt forced and unfunny. Overall, this was a disappointing introduction to 'The Dark Universe' that lacked in plot and good writing. The characters were an annoyance and most were useless to the story, but you could find some enjoyment from it in terms of the look of the film, the awkward comedy, and Tom Cruise's performance. If I was you, I'd stick with the Brendan Fraser The Mummy films... #FilmReviews #NiallMaggs #Monsters #Reboot #TomCruise #MovieTrailers #AlexKurtzman #SofiaBoutella #AnnabelleWallis #RussellCrowe #JakeJohnson #1Star

★★★ Directed by Benny Boom Starring Demetrius Shipp Jr., Danai Gurira, Kat Graham, Dominic L. Santana, Jamal Woolard, Cory Hardrict, & Annie Ilonzeh Film Review by Chris Olson Dust off the wife-beaters and start up the Cadillacs it's time for another banging biopic, following in the formidable footsteps of Straight Outta Compton, director Benny Boom delivers the untold story of Tupac Shakur with a solidly made movie that gets consumed by its own excesses. We've seen Phoenix Walk The Line, Hiddleston See The Light, and Boseman Get On Up, and that's just a selection of musical biopics which have littered cinemas over recent years. Now Demetrius Shipp Jr. dons a do-rag and steps to the mic as Tupac Shakur, a name mythical in the world of gangster rap and hip-hop. If you know nothing about the rapper and want to see All Eyez On Me without spoilers click away now. SPOILERS Shakur's death is notorious in the music world, synonymous with the violent nature of the lyrics and the gang culture which is markedly present in many facets of the genre. So a film about his life and demise would seem to suggest a lot of promise, as the martyrdom his legacy has entered fits in with the racial tensions that are still a hot topic in Western society. SPOILER FINISHED Unfortunately, unlike its predecessors such as the Eminem film 8 Mile, or the glorious Straight Outta Compton, All Eyez On Me loses all it's interesting plot threads along its journey, forsaking them for guns, bling, and a whole lotta tap tap clap hugs. Beginning in Harlem in the 70's, we see Tupac as the son of a Black Panther activist (Danai Gurira), being raised in social squalor and political discontent. The police harass his family, especially when his step-dad becomes America's most wanted, and this anti-police rhetoric becomes one of the few throughlines that does make it to the end of the film, but packs nowhere near as much punch as NWA's struggles as seen in SOC. Sadly Gurira gets sidelined, even though her performance is easily the most impressive, letting the political themes to become secondary side effects from Tupac's gangster activities. As Tupac's rise to stardom is revealed (pretty quickly to be honest), the audience is then treated to a broken record of booze, courtrooms, prison, beef with other artists and...yes...scantily clad women. The artistry of the man is unquestionable, a lyrical aficionado who can deftly quote Shakespeare and who also demanded the best quality in his work with painstaking determination. Cinematically All Eyez On Me takes few risks. There are a lot of slow motion cigarettes being lit and dark recording studio booths, and the occasional news piece that interject the proceedings but this is largely solid filmmaking letting the events and mythology do the heavy lifting. An uninspired screenplay drops clanging line after clanging line that is largely made up of N-words and childish posturing. Tupac's development never comes to fruition, leaving him regrettably as unsolved as his murder. There were a few cheeky lines which did deserve a laugh, such as Tupac's mum commenting on his partner's manners being the result of having been raised by "a white woman". There was also an engaging section where Tupac faces off with a judge regarding the lack of justice in the courtroom. The saving grace of All Eyez On Me is the music. Most definitely a cinematic experience, the live performances are the only moments where the movie can be actually described as feeling "real" or "raw" (adjectives copiously thrown around by many characters in the film). Likely because these are the most authentic elements of the film, seeing the performer and feeling the heavy beats was an immersive experience, allowing Shipp Jr. to flex his performance muscles in stark contrast with the lacklustre scripted moments. Given how much Tupac accomplished in his 25 years, and then posthumously, All Eyez On Me feels like an unworthy attempt to collate his tale. For an artist who was genuinely talented and remarkable, the movie of his life is tedious and impotent by comparison. #FilmReviews #TheatricalReleases #ChrisOlson #Biopic #MusicFilms #BennyBoom #DemetriusShippJr #DanaiGurira #KatGraham #DominicLSantana #JamalWollard #CoryHardrict #AnnieIlonzeh

Written & Directed by Grace June Starring Olivia Spencer and Emma Stirling Short Film Review by Michael Fiott Grace June directs and writes a charming comedy which deals with many issues that young people face in the modern era, including relationships and loose bowels. Cassie Rose is a young woman, who after needing to desperately use a local lavatory, overhears a rather ridiculous problem involving a love triangle and subsequently puts herself in a very awkward situation. Whilst I would find it hard for anybody to consider short film Flushed as sophisticated fine art given its subject matter, it in no way pretends to be, which is evident from the adolescent and silly tone, but this is in no way negative, with its brilliantly witty dialogue and great performance by Olivia Spencer as the young Cassie. It’s hard not to be impressed by this film's ability to communicate so much in only one location, June manages to accomplish this with her use of graphics that appear throughout, for instance, instead of Cassie taking a phone call to a friend whilst on the toilet, we are shown her texting her friends on the screen, take pictures of herself and update her Facebook status all without Spencer saying a single word of dialogue. This is what I believe truly highlights Spencer’s performance, she has only facial expressions to work with in the 4 minute run time. We see her frustrated, worried, laughing and even sarcastically playing to the boyfriend issues of a rather narcissistic girl outside her cubicle and she does so with ease. Another thing to appreciate is how difficult it must have been for the crew to film in such a tight space and to achieve it all with 2 simple shots, beginning with a wide shot showing Cassie enter the toilet and transitioning into one long take with no cuts at all whilst she is in the cubicle. A filming technique like this is never black and white to pull off, as one simple mistake puts you right back at the start, when executed correctly it almost always creates the desired effect. Another notable feature is the short's lack of music. Many people creating this would have been tempted to include at least some kind of comedic music, but June decides on a more subtle approach letting the visuals and dialogue speak for themselves, this allows the audience to pick up on the minor subtleties without having a jovial tune to be their queue for laughter. Flushed is a film that many young people will find as a great quick fix of entertainment and also be able to laugh at with some element of morbid relatability, a great effort from everybody involved. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #MichaelFiott #GraceJune #OliviaSpencer #EmmaStirling

Directed by Chris Esper Starring Christie Devine, Kris Salvi, Craig Capone, JP Valentini, Adam Miller Short Film Review by Taryll Baker Taking place entirely on a park bench, Chris Esper’s The Deja Vuers takes a comedic look at two individuals (Kris Salvi and Christie Devine) who just may have met before in their dreams. What follows is a series of never-ending encounters and strange situations. Comedy is a tough genre to tackle, especially nowadays with most films trying to rekindle a flame that died many years ago. But, with Jason K. Allen writing the script, and the two leads delivering Allen’s lines with great confidence and timing, we have a winner. It’s not hilarious by any means, but it’s fun and fresh. As is the original score by Steven Lanning-Cafaro, which aids the picture with cues that fit the conversation extremely well. Salvi plays Chuck, a man who dreamt about meeting Morgan (Devine) on a park bench. He just broke up with his girlfriend and looks to find someone else. Morgan responds to Chuck’s initial greeting with a sour face, but as the conversation evolves, she starts to wonder what’s really going on. I like this idea. Using the intriguing yet weird ‘Déjà Vu’ phenomenon as a plot point is interesting to me. It’s a very simple but entertaining viewing experience and they both perform wonderfully in their respective roles. The location of the park bench is picked out fittingly; the surrounding trees and leaves scattered all over the ground are beautiful to look at. The performers can operate skilfully within this environment and you can see it in their presentation. The hair & make-up is subtle, essentially just keeping the actors looking as natural as possible. Danielle Schneider has done a fantastic job keeping it authentic. The sound mix is clear and profound. Again, very subtle but this only aids the film as a whole. Andy Marse seems to have a good amount of sound mixing knowledge, and certainly delivers. Director of Photography Evan Schneider captures the film with a very attractive, colourful palette. He doesn’t try to make it something of a big deal; which is what pleases me about this film overall, it’s nothing huge. But it’s a fun, inviting story with likeable characters. The Deja Vuers is a funny, somewhat relatable, clean and subtle production. The two leads are entertaining to watch and the direction, whilst minuscule in scale, is fantastic. #ShortFilmReviews #TaryllBaker #ShortFilms #Romance #ChrisEsper #ChristieDevine #KrisSalvi #CraigCapone #JPVAlentini #AdamMiller

★★★ Directed by Aaron Goodmiller Starring Jay Saunders, Doug Henderson, Rebecca Wahls, Devon Brookshire, Dylan Hares Indie Film Review by Andrew Galvin When faced with an impossibly low budget for your first feature comedy—as most directors are—finding a widely relatable situation is a good way to go. Admins, the debut from German-born Aaron Goodmiller, does just this, focusing on the world of IT admins in a major American corporation. This, of course, is a danger at the same time. Through the combination of The Office and Mike Judge’s perfectly-pitched 1999 classic Office Space, Goodmiller has entered a saturated area for modern comedy. Can he offer anything new? Sadly, despite a wealth of elements that work in Admins, the answer is no. So while dull conference calls, scapegoating and canteen pranks all feel convincing, everything we see here has been done before. Aside from Mike Judge, Goodmiller’s biggest influence is Kevin Smith, and in particular his classic Clerks. The dialogue in Admins has Smith’s fingerprints all over it: rude, down-to-earth and vaguely nerdy. One conversation about Monopoly feels like an attempt at the Return of the Jedi conversation from Clerks, while the film also has its very own Jay and Silent Bob in the form of Jake and Rob. Writers Eric Espejo and Korosh Karimi are hardly the first to be influenced by Smith, but they fail to absorb those influences and make something new. Many of the jokes in the script fall on deaf ears too. There’s nothing wrong with using crude humour as your base, but it has to feature some wit and intelligence on top of it. This is all too often not the case, and the drive to be edgy is downright damaging: gags about rape and homophobic slurs might have worked for some audiences in the mid-90s, but more should be expected of a film released in 2017. All of which would normally be enough to dismiss Admins, but luckily there is enough likeable stuff here to stop it sinking under the weight (or lack thereof) of its weak script. This is a fantastically well-directed film; Goodmiller’s use of the camera makes what could have been a televisual experience feel genuinely filmic, supported by some appropriate indie music by Madus. The relationships between the characters feels real, too: they are all believably odious, but Jay Saunders and Rebecca Wahls in particular carry enough charm to stop that being an issue. On best friend duty however, Doug Henderson does his best to join his co-stars on that level, but the attitudes and behaviour of his character—he is never the butt of the jokes—let him down. There’s no doubt that Goodmiller is in need of finding a convincing voice of his own in the future. But his technical expertise is bright enough to suggest that he could be going places if he can find a script that fits him more effectively. #IndieFilmReviews #IndieFilms #AndrewGalvin #Comedy #AaronGoodmiller #JaySaunders #DougHenderson #RebeccaWahls #DevonBrookshire #DylanHares

Directed by Aneek Chaudhuri Starring Tapan Mukherjee, Kinkini Sen, Diganta S. Nag Short Film Review by Leonardo Goi Aneek Chaudhuri’s Canvas of a Son should be hailed as an illuminating manifesto of the things to avoid when making a short film. It starts with an interesting premise – a young artist enters a platonic relationship with his stepmother and faces an Oedipus complex with his father – but it ultimately surrenders to crass self-referentialism, conjuring up a drama written and shot with a hyper-inflated lyrical style that kills the plot long before the end of the feature’s 22 minutes. Not that, plot-wise, there was a lot to kill to begin with. Notwithstanding the inclusion of two other characters – the father (Tapan Mukherjee) and the stepmother (Kinkini Sen) – Chaudhuri’s work is essentially an inner monologue narrated by the young son-turned-artist, Diganta S. Nag. But just like Nag’s face is barely shown, his personal account of the platonic love he feels for a stunning and young stepmother is also somewhat obfuscated. And here comes Canvas of a Son’s first major problem – its script. The narrator’s account of his relationship with the young woman is indissolubly bound with his relationship with artistic creation, and the screenplay waxes lyrically about the idea: “I don’t think there can be anything more inspiring than motherhood.” But if the interplay between the two notions does make room for some interesting lines, especially when Chaudhuri addresses the relationship between nakedness, art and motherly love, the script does very little else. The artist’s stream of consciousness slowly but inexorably turns into a collection of cold, abstract elucubrations about love and art, which jettison all hopes of establishing any long-lasting connection with the audience. Whether or not this ought to be blamed on the poor subtitles (typos and mistakes abound, whenever they can be seen, as the font chosen for the text is unnervingly small), the monologue ultimately reads like a melodramatic poem, juxtaposed with long takes of the artist painting, or reminiscing his love for his stepmother while caressing a rice field. Which leads to the short’s second major flaw – the direction. For a movie about the struggles of a young artist, it feels somewhat frustrating to see the whole drama turning into something that would fit better in a modern art museum than in a movie theatre. Chaudhuri opens and closes Nag’s monologue with silent dance choreographies, staggers it with long mute fights between the three characters, and constantly moves between black and white flashbacks and modern-day takes shot in colour. But while the non-linear narrative makes for some interesting experiments, the juxtaposition of different visual devices, rhythms and styles ultimately turn the whole drama into a quintessentially self-referential account of one’s own artistic experience – which sadly remains as flat as the canvasses on which the young artist paints. Watch our exclusive Filmmaker Interview with director Aneek Chaudhuri below... #ShortFilmReviews #WorldCinema #LeonardoGoi #AneekChaudhuri #FilmmakerInterviews

★★★ Written & Directed by Alexander Tuschinski Starring Sebastian B., Alexander Tuschinski, Dominic Rödel, Tonie Redford, Marc Ortner Indie Film Review by Chris Olson Flamboyant filmmaker Alexander Tuschinski delivers a warped coming of age tale about a boy called Arnold (Sebastian B.) trying to become more confident talking to females. His pathetic attempts soon receive a supercharge when he gains the formidable instruction of charismatic womaniser Mr. Konstantin (Tuschinski), who offers him the tricks of his "trade". Told with the same energetic style as seen in Tuschinski's movie Timeless, Menschenliebe (which means Philanthropy in English) has theatrical charm and life buzzing through the entire running time. There is something kinetic about Tuschinski's direction that allows for a disarming approach to storytelling, engendering the audience to disarm themselves and be entertained. The use of musical numbers and eccentric comedy felt reminiscent of classic Mel Brooks comedies. Whilst Timeless had more political edge and was a little more sophisticated in its plotting, Menschenliebe has a simpler narrative structure. The story would not have benefited from being at all convoluted, but could have been enriched by a more balanced second half. Mr. Konstantin does a lot of the heavy lifting by the end, which is generally fine as he is an enigmatic character, but this does result in the viewer losing a lot of the connection with Arnold. That being said, the chemistry between Tuschinski and B. is brilliant to behold. Watch the official movie trailer for Menschenliebe above. The dialogue is where this indie film falls down. The misogyny is repeated too much that it starts to lose all comic effect and feels slightly offensive. There is a sequence involving Mr. K and a student he is meant to be tutoring that came across as bafflingly crude and unnecessary, like a skit from a complete different television show. Tuschinski's character gets given the lion's share of the lines once he arrives in the movie which, coupled with his violent outbursts and pianist skills, made him feel too far removed from the reality of the story, a dreamlike menace. Cinematically Tuschinski shows he has a badass arsenal when it comes to filmmaking that you can't help but be impressed. For an indie filmmaker, the guy just does miracles. His attention to detail and visual flair is very evident in Menschenliebe, and this is a film that displays the building blocks that he used in Timeless to make something even more impressive. A little rough around the edges and more than a tad self-indulgent yes, but this is a film that is definitely...ahem...special. Watch our exclusive Filmmaker Interview with director Alexander Tuschinski below... #IndieFilmReviews #IndieFilms #ChrisOlson #MovieTrailers #FilmmakerInterviews #AlexanderTuschinski #SebastianB #ComingofAge #Musicals