Directed by Sam Goldward & Daniel Childs Starring Daniel Childs, Michael Jassey, Miguel Pires, Corey Simms, & Trevor Zelch Short Film Review by Chris Olson The spy-action genre is a beloved thing amongst film fans, who crave the thrilling stories of pop culture icons like James Bond, Jason Bourne, and The Kingsman, as much as their comedy counterparts like Austin Powers or Johnny English. This popularity is largely due to the boundless elements these stories get to contain, whilst still maintaining some semblance of reality. For instance, it is not unusual for a Bond movie to put James through so many stunts that he would most likely have died in the opening third, but audiences look past it because we extend disbelief to the point that we think 007 probably could survive jumping off a two-storey building onto an Aston Martin bonnet. Audiences also enjoy the levity which comes with these characters (Bourne aside). Witty rejoinders and classic puns are aplenty in the spy genre, and this sense of not taking itself too seriously makes these films incredibly appealing. Daniel Child’s short film (co-directed with Sam Goldward), Another Spy Film, certainly doesn’t take itself too seriously, but perhaps too much. Set in a non-descript urban apartment block, and its adjoining car park, Another Spy Film contains two groups of ne'er do wellers about to collide. Inside one of the flats is a gang of drug dealers who are displaying some pretty typical gangster behaviour - cutting lines of what looks like cookie dough, flashing their weapons, and squaring up to each other for little or no reason. Parked outside are our spies (Daniel Childs, Michael Jassey & Miguel Pires) who are doing last minute reconnaissance before storming the drug dealers’ flat. Far from absorbing the gravity of their upcoming endeavour, the boys are busy bantering about Tinder and music. However, the task at hand waits for no teenager, and soon the gloves are on and it is fisticuffs aplenty. Another Spy Film actually has more in common with a Guy Ritchie movie rather than a spy film. There is a hapless nature to all the characters who traverse this seedy underworld with little or no abilities. The thrilling action is massively outweighed by the attempted comedy, with a slapstick nature to the jokes and many of the performers fail to deliver any kind of depth. Aside from the #bantz between Childs and Jessey, the dialogue falls completely flat and audiences will struggle to know whether to laugh at it mockingly or to be disinterested by the childish humour. As the film grapples to a haphazard encounter between the two groups, the whole thing falls into a boring and stupid rhythm that needed a lot more planning. On the positive side, there were glimpses of an idea that could have worked with a better script. Remove the stilted dialogue and the throwaway jokes, and there is a decent premise here. Street smart spies that rip on each other as much as they rip on their targets could certainly fall into a successful spy genre franchise. As mentioned Childs and Jessey provide for the film’s most entertaining moments, and whilst still amateur in their performances too, there was some promising interaction that audiences could find appealing. Nothing too original or entertaining, Another Spy Film is not even another spy film. It does not contain enough intelligent filmmaking or storytelling to bother the genre, but does have traces of comedy which could find a sympathetic audience in the Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels camp...but they would have to be in an incredibly forgiving mood. Visit our Short Film Reviews page for more like this. #Shortfilmreview #ChrisOlson #filmreviews #ShortFilms #SpyMovies #Comedy

Starring Christopher Law & Jack McKenna Short Film Review by Lorenzo Lombardi Losing a friend is tough, especially when considering a close friend. This short film, Bench, is a heart-warming tale of a man coping with this sort of loss and ultimately overcoming it. The short film, from Red Kite Films, immediately opens with a tracking shot of a man on a bench. Audiences will instantly connect with his grief through Christopher Law’s empathetic performance. Another man soon accompanies him --- his passed friend. As mentioned earlier, Christopher Law’s performance is especially emotional. He conveys grief in a very relatable way --- occasionally showing anger at reminiscing about better times. The incarnation of his friend, spirit or otherwise, is also played to quality by Jack McKenna. McKenna conveys a sense of calm and benevolence that makes his character stand out. This relationship feels real and long established, and the dialogue meshes well between these two characters. Although it would have perhaps been more beneficial to the film if the audience were treated to some emotive flashbacks or something similar in order to fully develop an understanding of their relationship and everything it goes through. Letters From the Past, the orchestral song used for Bench, is a beautiful and crushing substitute for the emotions on display here. The song’s high rising strings, spacey electronic notes, and gentle piano tones give a welcoming and almost spiritual feel alongside the lush backdrop of a park that these two friends are reminiscing in. Bench is a tearful but uplifting short film that is both optimistic about death and therapeutic with moving on. Watch it for a pick-me-up about two friends giving one last meaningful farewell. If you enjoyed that Film Review, why not head over to our Short Film Reviews page and read some more? #Shortfilmreviews #ShortFilms #LorenzoLombardi #Drama #Supernatural

★★★★ Directed by Sean Nichols Lynch Starring Taylor Lambert, Ben Bellamy, Austin Scott and Carly Schroeder Film Review by Owen Herman Sean Nichols Lynch’s debut feature Prep School is a drama that looks at the lives of four close friends in their final weeks at a prestigious prep school. As members of the school’s rugby team, these friends share a close bond until one of them discovers that his girlfriend is cheating on him, causing rivalries and revenge plots to come forth as each friend deals with it in his own way. The film opens with an impressively convincing school rugby match, before entering the macho, beer drenched and f-word filled world of the dressing room. Lynch presents the central characters with no sugar-coating; although only young boys, they are the cocky, misogynistic ‘rugby player’ types that are the norm at schools and universities around the world. When “the final match” was mentioned, I was worried the audience would be asked to root for this group in a story of sports triumph. However, this is only a set-up, and soon the film focuses, with some depth, on these flawed characters as the drama unfolds. Tom (Taylor Lambert) gets the bulk of this development, with a phone call to his Mum being the highlight. I would have liked to have seen some further intimate character moments like this phone call, particularly with Caleb (Ben Bellamy) and Tony (scene stealing Austin Scott), but overall the characters were well developed and engaging, allowing you to look beyond their labels as rugby players. The script is strong overall, but it has its weaker moments. “I’ve been following guidelines my whole life, it hasn’t gotten me anywhere” says the guy who had been accepted into Berkeley and has a place on a top internship. I feel it could have benefited from one more draft to get it just right. The same goes for the editing. As a whole it is fine, but there are a couple of moments where the camera cuts with the dialogue (meaning the camera looks at whoever is talking at that point) as opposed to with the eyes (when the camera tends to focus on the reactions of actors, even if they’re not talking). This results in something that feels a bit unnatural and almost jarring as you snap back and forth between each character. The slightly weaker parts of the script and editing come together in a scene where Tom meets the roommate of his friend Greg (Stephen Brookins). This moment feels a bit amateurish compared to the rest of the film, which is a shame. There are no huge issues, but it could just do with a bit of a tidy up here and there. I was thoroughly engaged throughout, there were plot twists that were completely unexpected and the storylines were wrapped up in clever ways. It is a shame to see the slight problems mar the overall experience, but with a few tweaks these could be fixed. Rather like a teacher, I feel ‘promising’ is the word I should use. Prep School is a very promising debut feature from Lynch. This way for more Indie Film Reviews. #filmreviews #Indiefilmreviews #OwenHerman #Drama #HighSchoolfilms #IndieFilms

Directed by Andrew Dominik Starring Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds Film Review by Andrew Moore What was (as I’m sure many people now know) originally to be a Documentary film about the making of Nick Cave and the Bad Seed’s sixteenth studio album The Skeleton Tree became, during it’s making, a transformation into something far more intense and poignant due to the tragic personal circumstances that occurred during the Documentary’s realisation (namely the death of Cave’s 15-year old son Arthur). That a choice was made to go on making this documentary beyond that point shows a sense of dignified bravery and openness by the artist, his family and other band members that, handled badly by the director, could have come across as truly uncomfortable viewing (in the wrong sense), even trite. I’m glad to say that Andrew Dominik (director of Chopper in 2000 and of The Assassination of Jessie James by the Coward Robert Ford in 2007) avoids all this in what must have been an almost epic task of filming an artist working with and through the tragedy of loss, how that loss permeated all aspects of the new record he’s working on, and thus superseding anything else by dictating all creative processes. Making this beautifully shot, richly textured black and white (and occasionally colour) Documentary in 2D and 3D was ultimately a brave choice by all involved but also it’s a response by creative people to tragedy, to attempt to go on creating - and this is a documentary that resonates with artistic struggle and personal loss as they converge. Of course Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds have always been a band with a certain filmic pedigree, be it their live Berlin performance captured so exquisitely in Wim Wenders’ seminal masterpiece Wings of Desire in 1987, some excellent Documentaries such as The Road to God Knows Where (1990) or 20,000 Days on Earth (2004) and of course the many film scores Nick Cave and Warren Ellis have made together (2007’s The Assassination of Jessie James by the Coward Robert Ford to name but one – which also featured a Nick Cave Cameo). And let’s not forget that Nick Cave also wrote the screenplay (and again the music with Warren Ellis) for John Hillcoat’s The Proposition (2005). And so it seems fitting that a band that has always managed to exist as a collaboration of genuinely talented artists in their own right whilst also being a constantly evolving creative unit in itself, should thus have incorporated the cannon of film into their creative processes. And this film is very much a film about the creative process, but of course after a tragedy that changes the dynamics of the process, the struggle changes, the artist himself changes and Andrew Dominik’s film achieves a moving, elegiac documentation of the response to this. It should be duly noted that this film is also interjected with many moments of subtle humour, and at various points the cinema I watched the film in resounded with laughter. A lot of this humour served to show the closeness and respect in the band between each other or between Nick Cave and his wife Suzie Bick, the subtle knowing kindness between Warren Ellis and Nick Cave revealed in dialogue in the recording studio for instance, and Cave’s own respect for Ellis and his wife. And in these sessions some beautiful songs are captured by Andrew Dominik and his cinematographers (Beniot Debie & Alwin H Kuchler) in detailed circular 360-degree tracking shots which often wondrously pan away (via various keyholes or cracks) out into the sky above (while the music plays on). And so against everything else this is also a Documentary with some superbly captured moments of a band achieving levels of creative musical perfection in the studio juxtaposed with moments of personal doubt (often in voice over from Nick Cave himself) when that creativity doesn’t flow. Furthermore, starkly shot dialogue sequences always remind us that Nick Cave and his family are involving themselves in this project at a time of great suffering, and analysing this openly on film (whilst often questioning the nature of the film itself too). Set against these intimate close-up moments of dialogue are epic, spiralling shots from the vast heavens above us looking down upon London and Brighton. What of course transpires is that the Documentary One More Time With Feeling and the album The Skeleton Tree are so deeply imbued with this loss that the two are completely inseparable. Many of the characteristics of the enigma that has become Nick Cave are stripped bare in the face of this trauma, the challenge to create music a painful one, the inability to improvise or narrate, this is very much about life after the ‘event.’ There’ll be a lot of respect for the fact that this film was made, that viewers have somehow been granted access into the process, that elements of this tragedy were shared with us, that moments of the family’s loss have been laid open, lending a personal poignancy which is honest and moving. Internal shots and scenes from the family home of course lend further legitimacy to this. Whilst the Documentary doesn’t offer any kind of Cathartic resolution (how could it) what it does show is the ongoing need of creative people to keep working in response to tragic events, this is what drives the people we’re viewing as they question their creative identity’s ability to deal with this, and this is what compels us to watch. The film’s final shot of an empty frame and then the closing sequences and song reveal just how personal this documentary has actually been, how radically differently it was from the intended one, how events dictated something else but importantly the integrity involved in the decision by all involved to eventually carry on with the filming, to let us in. Click here for more Film Reviews. #filmreviews #TheatricalReleases #AndrewMoore #AndrewDominik #NickCave #Documentaryreviews #Documentary #Biopic

Directed by Robert H. Wainwright Starring Iannis Aliferis, Sofia Varino and Marcus Massey Short Film Review by Andrew Young Robert H. Wainwright’s Headz is a thoroughly charming short whose odd missteps prevent it from becoming a complete success. Wainwright collaborates with Wright Way Films producing partner Iannis Aliferis, who here writes and stars as our protagonist, known only as Factory Man. An odd, lonely figure, he potters about an abandoned warehouse living a life that could kindly be described as minimalist, consisting of a stone floor for comfort and chocolate trifles for nutrition. From his first appearance, Factory Man is an endearing oddball, Aliferis imbuing him with a sense of childlike innocence and an abandonment that brings Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands to mind. His life and character are quickly drawn in the opening few shots, establishing loneliness as the overarching theme of his existence. This is beautifully shown when he attends to a mannequin inside his makeshift home. His need not just to be loved and cared for but to love and care for others is clear as he tenderly draws lipstick on his inanimate friend, the splash of colour bringing visual flair as well as the increased evidence of his need to connect. But have no fear, a love interest is here. As Factory Man goes about his customary wander he sees Sofia Varino's Houla Lou. In a nice touch, rather than sweeping past the waving weirdo approaching her, she walks on by but with a slight look of trepidation and fear rather than disgust. She strikes us as a potentially damaged character who could need the very same human connection that he does. This kind of bleakness followed by romance-based hope could be shot with Dardenne-style naturalism, stirring emotion quietly and grittily, displaying the abject misery of Factory Man’s life in no small amount of detail before the glimmer of hope that may or may not save him. Wainwright goes for a far more whimsical, dreamlike approach, helped by DoP Louisa Rowley shooting the locations exquisitely, specks of dust floating in the sunlight to give a magical fairytale vibe. There's also the soundtrack put together by Arcimboldi Studios, tinkling pianos adding a lightness that is balanced by sudden bursts of darkness in the visuals and crashing rain taking over from the music. This audial approach is effective, but it does feel somewhat overbearing at times. The score virtually never stops, making you wish Wainwright had perhaps used a bit of simple, quiet realism to go with his simple, quiet tale. Whilst not being completely successful, the use of sound does fit in with the generally consistent tone. It is a shame, then, about the fight scene. In an attempt to help Houla Lou shake off an unwanted admirer, Factory Man finds himself caught in a fight with Marcus Massey’s Wezz. It is comically OTT with their inaudible shouting grating on the viewer, the two of them not really forming words but robotically squalling like a pair of coked-up droids. It is a bizarre approach and a jarring lurch in tone, perhaps intended to be humorous in its out-of-the-blue oddness, but it fails to land. There is also the nagging feeling that we’ve seen this sort of idea before, with Forrest Gump and Tim Burton’s sharp-fingered friend springing to mind. Nevertheless, it raises a smile to see Houla Lou saving her would-be lover whilst also seeing his kindness and seemingly thinking nothing of his inability to fight. There is also enough humanity in the performances to get past the perhaps too one-note characterisation. Yet the simply drawn characters are part of the effect. It is a simple story but one that holds important value in its depiction of a man escaping loneliness. The final scene, instead of swooning romance or heady passion, highlights the beauty in simply being with someone, having someone to share experiences with and talk to. Not even that, just someone to sit and share a trifle with. More Short Film Reviews this way. #Shortfilmreviews #ShortFilms #AndrewYoung #filmreviews #TimBurton

Directed by Layke Anderson Starring Joanna Scanlon & Ricky Nixon, Short Film Review by Monica Jowett Dylan’s Room is a stunning short film about the relationship between mother and son. Written and directed by Layke Anderson, the gorgeous cinematography and beautiful dialogue make this a film you can watch over and over and continue to discover new enjoyment. The story of Dylan's Room follows a mother Penny (Joanna Scanlon) coping with the loss of her son. In his deserted room, she finds solace looking through his drawers, finding old toys, and a stash of weed. Without even saying the words, we know she has suffered an enormous loss in her life. Shots of the son’s belongings and even Penny picking up her son’s old teddy bear, perfectly encapsulate the hurt she is feeling. Scanlon’s performance in this short film is wonderful to watch. Her quiet actions, the way she moves and the closeness she has with her son make you instantly connect with her. When she rolls a joint and lights up, it is easy to see a fun side in her too. When she imagines her son Dylan (Ricky Nixon) lying next to her on the bed and talking with him as though he was there, you can see a mother who doesn’t want to let go. Nixon’s performance is fantastic too, and through the easy dialogue and comfortable conversation, it isn’t hard to picture the two as a close knit mother and son duo. Along with the superb performances from Scanlon and Nixon, the cinematography in Dylan’s Room stands out. A combination of wide shots and close ups capture the stillness of the room, left in peace since the loss of Dylan and it is easy to get the sense that someone lived in the room. Anderson really makes use of the space, and every surface and wall is covered in things that would belong to a young man. As shots linger on the items left in his room or the posters, the camera pulls focus onto certain objects, and the light highlights the dust above and the dirty marks. The careful editing of cutting between close up of things in the room, to wider shots, to close ups of Penny and Dylan on the bed talking feel natural and continues to build on the story, characters and particularly the relationship between the mother and son. Throughout the twenty minutes, Dylan’s Room keeps you wanting more. You want to see more of the relationship of mother and son, the performances from Scanlon and Nixon and the stunning cinematography. Understated and moving, this is a drama that will stay with you. More Short Film Reviews. #Shortfilmreviews #filmreviews #MonicaJowett #ShortFilms #Drama

★★★★ Directed by Travis Knight Written by Marc Haimes, Chris Butler Starring Charlize Theron, Art Parkinson & Matthew McConaughey Film Review by Andy Furlong In what has to considered one of the worst summers for Blockbusters in recent memory, it is fitting that it is once again an animated film that swoops in to save the day. In a world saturated with Superhero movie after Superhero movie, reboot after reboot, with almost every single release devoid of artistic direction and invention, it has been the animated films in recent years such as Inside Out, The Lego Movie, How to Train Your Dragon, Zootopia and Big Hero 6 (a superhero movie itself), that have provided us with our cinematic kicks. Kubo and the Two Strings is the latest effort from the promising stop motion animation studio Laika who have brought us such releases as ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls and their masterpiece up until now Caroline, directed by Henry Selick. First of all it has to be said in my opinion, in many ways stop motion is a vastly superior medium than CGI, and Kubo and The Two Strings is the best example of its power to date. The world and it’s characters have such weight and texture to them, their movements and the movements of the camera always feel grounded in reality even during the more spectacular sequences. Stop motion has that handcrafted feel of authenticity and personal touch that often is severely lacking in more digitally animated movies. Before the movie started I was inspecting one of the film posters featuring a character called Monkey. As I was staring at the detail of the character, in particular her feathers, I felt an immense sense of anticipation as to how exactly the feathers would sway and pivot gracefully through the wind once the film began. This is the beauty and the essence of stop motion animation and I love it. The Story of Kubo and the Two Strings centres around a boy named Kubo who slowly learns of his magical past and family’s dark history as he sets out on an epic adventure. It’s a film with sequences reminiscent of Lord of The Rings, Crouching Tiger, and Lost and filled with the poetic artistry of films such as Zhang Yimous, Hero and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The character creation and originality of designs are second to none and as with Caroline, the movie is not afraid to delve into frightening and terrifying territory as well as adult themes in order to tell it story. The sisters who are the main villains in this movie are sinister and more genuinely creepy than many a character seen in the goriest of horror movies. More than one kid in my screening was reduced to an inconsolable mess of tears in some of the more violent parts of this movie as well, it’s worth noting. I think the best kids movies expose children to themes such as death and loss as well as emotions such as fear and helplessness and although many parents probably might disagree, I think these are all good things. A few minor complaints stop Kubo and the Two Strings from being a perfect movie, such as a lacklustre final showdown between hero and villain, as well as one particular plot contrivance that I felt a bit mishandled. Other than that, it is the movie of the summer. More superior then anything seen on our screens since arguably Inside Out the previous summer. Go see it. Come this way for more Film Reviews. #filmreviews #AndyFurlong #Animatedfilmreviews #Animation #Laika #Stopmotion #TravisKnight #CharlizeTheron #MatthewMcConaughey

Directed by Spencer Gillis Starring Luke Robinson, Tishuan Scott, Hubert Point-Du Jour & Alexis Suarez Short Film Review by Sarah Smeaton Sweep is a simple yet naturally clever short film that delves into deep, serious issues that plague our society every day. It does this not on a grand public level, but provides an intimate private analysis of a very mundane, ordinary event, making this short more relatable and humble than anything I’ve seen of late. Director Spencer Gillis has created a piece of film here with its eyes wide open. What begins as an unassuming, quiet plot soon develops into something inherently abhorrent and is likely to leave audiences feeling awkward for some time after the final credits roll. There is no violence in this short film, you will not see a drop of blood or even a sniff of gore, but the presence of racial division could not be more blunt and apparent. Gillis explores stereotyping and racial profiling in such a quiet, unobtrusive way that the overall effect is actually much more harrowing. This is day-to-day life for so many, and to witness it first-hand in this movie is so shocking for one simple reason. It is believable because it is true. The acting throughout Sweep is phenomenal for a production of this size, further enhancing the viewing experience and the overall believability. Luke Robinson as James, plays an average middle-aged white male paying a visit to his recycling centre where he meets Jean (Tishuan Scott) and Benoit (Hubert Point-Du Jour). It is obvious that James is not wholly trusting of Jean and Benoit, but after lending Jean his broom so he can clear his van, James quickly becomes friends with the pair. It is, however, all over too quickly when law enforcement (Officer Davis, Alexis Suarez) steps onto the scene. And, as if it’s struck midnight for Cinderella, the bubble of their friendship bursts. The quiet oppressive nature of the drama that unfolds from here is truly effective and makes this short film one that everyone should watch. In twelve short minutes, the issues surrounding racial division are addressed in a simple and elegant fashion, shining a light on America’s society as it stands today. Sweep is not a revolutionary film, but it is an important one. More Short Film Reviews over here. #Shortfilmreviews #SarahSmeaton #ShortFilms #shortmovies

Directed by Stephen Sommers Starring Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz Loosely based on the 1932 film of the same name, The Mummy is an action/adventure fantasy set in Egypt in the early-20th century. Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo) is a high priest in ancient Egypt when he has an affair with the Pharaoh's wife. Upon being discovered, the two of them murder the Pharaoh but are then trapped by his guards. Imhotep is cursed and buried alive with flesh-eating beatles. Some 700 years later, Evelyn (Rachel Weisz) is an ambitious archaeologist who's gifted a special map to the City of the Dead by her brother Jonathan (John Hannah). Together with Rick O'Connell (Brendan Fraser), an ex-soldier from whom Jonathan stole the map, they travel to Egypt in search of treasure and accidentally awaken Imhotep, unleashing his wrath on the modern world. So, yes, this is an older film. It came out in 1999, and most of us probably haven't watched it in at least 10 years. But it also feels relevant for the first time in years given that it's being rebooted for 2017, and with a pretty serious cast. We saw set photos a little while back of Tom Cruise taking up the lead role in what's expected to be a different but recognizable twist on the tale, and we've since learned that Russell Crowe will be on board as well. The Mummy is never going to be a serious film, but it's fair to say those two have a tad wee bit more clout than Brendan Fraser and John Hannah. But back to the point, the 2017 project makes a look back at the 1999 version worthwhile. It's difficult to put yourself back in 1999 when The Mummy first came out, but at the time we weren't anywhere near peak exhaustion with overblown historical fantasy films. This was five years before 300, 11 years before Clash Of The Titans, 12 years before Immortals, and 17 years before this summer's abominable Ben-Hur. It was also pre-superhero blockbuster, and even preceded National Treasure by five years. I'm not suggesting that The Mummy was any kind of innovative or important film, but it was at least fresher than it might seem in retrospect. Watching it again all these years later, it strikes me that the cast was actually selected rather perfectly. Brendan Fraser's wide-eyed, resting look of idiocy is ideal for an adventurous explorer caught up in earth-shattering fantasy happenings. Rachel Weisz, if you ask me, was better before she developed the deep sense of self-importance she seems to use in selecting roles nowadays. And John Hannah is more fun to watch after you've checked out the STARZ series Spartacus (guilty). The three of them bring pure fun to this film without any illusions that what they're doing is any more than entertaining people who want a two-hour escape. And entertainment, ultimately, is the point. I'm not sure it can be put any better than it was than with critical consensus that "it's difficult to make a persuasive argument for The Mummy as any kind of meaningful cinematic achievement, but it's undeniably fun to watch." That's what this one is all about. If you can just let go for a couple of hours, perhaps lower your standards a little bit, and forget your fatigue for semi-historical fantasies, you might have a blast. After all, that's why The Mummy has been a surprisingly enduring piece of popular fiction in the 17 years since its release. To begin with, the film inspired a slew of video games over the years, which may not be a measure of a film's quality, but tends to be an indication that people at least had fun with it. After all, no one's spending money to develop a game based on a film no one enjoyed. Most of the projects were PlayStation 2 and GameCube titles that are more or less obsolete now, but one hopes the 2017 reboot might inspire another effort. And in the meantime, among the games you can find listed at a rundown of casino platform details is a slot arcade based on the 1999 film. It's one of many titles developed by Playtech to infuse slot machines with cinematic elements, but the one based on The Mummy is more effective than most, simply because the film's setting comes to life so vibrantly. That's one game, at least, that you can still access easily. But even a lot of the video games that sprouted from The Mummy wouldn't have happened if the film hadn't also led to a bunch of sequels and spinoffs. This actually became a pretty sprawling series, even if a lot of the subsequent releases were effectively insignificant B-movies. The Mummy Returns (2001) and The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor (2008) were legitimate efforts, as was 2002's The Scorpion King. But a fourth Mummy film was cancelled, and the three sequels to The Scorpion King were straight-to-DVD material. Still, the sequels and spinoffs followed the general path of the 1999 feature: they were utter nonsense, but kind of fun anyway. All in all, it's clear where The Mummy lands. It's a guilty pleasure, and it always was. The best thing I can say for the film is that it was self-aware across the board. The cast, as mentioned, handled things with an appropriate degree of levity, and director Stephen Sommers seems to have been aware that he had to keep the thrills coming to make it worthwhile (without getting into Michael Bay levels of action absurdity). I'd actually say this is worth a re-watch in advance of the 2017 film, so long as you know what you're getting into.

★★★ Written and Directed by Woody Allen Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Steve Carell, Corey Stall, Anna Camp, Blake Lively Film Review by Euan Franklin Intellectual debate, beautiful women, Jewish tongue-in-cheek, awkward narcissism, and, of course, an unrelenting fear of death. These are the key characteristics of a Woody Allen movie. Nostalgia for remembered things past, on the other hand, is a theme Allen rarely visits – and when he does, it is with a light step. Its various manifestations appear in Midnight in Paris and To Rome with Love, but never to the extent of Café Society – the latest in the Allen canon. Jesse Eisenberg plays Bobby Dorfman, a twenty-something from the Bronx, who abandons his life as a New York jeweller and moves to Golden Age Hollywood during the 1930s. He meets with his uncle, Phil Stern (Steve Carell), a big-time movie agent who is completely disinterested in spending time with his nephew. To resolve this, he uses Vonnie (Kristen Stewart), his secretary, to give him a tour around Beverly Hills. Predictably, Eisenberg falls in love with Stewart but she is seeing another man. The film is light on laughs, but high on charm. Eisenberg steps in a second time as a Woody Allen surrogate, possessing all the familiar idiosyncrasies that amuse and intrigue us. However, there are few scenes possessing the Wildean flair that makes his films so pleasing to watch. One in particular has Eisenberg’s character negotiate with a prostitute (Anna Camp) with that hilarious Allen awkwardness, but in many scenes it is not clear when we’re meant to be laughing. This is most prescient during random intercuts of Ben (Corey Stoll), shooting people dead in New York. Café Society strains the line between comedy and drama, which is no bad thing in itself, but the balance wobbles like an uncertain see-saw. There are some notable examples in Allen’s oeuvre where the balance is perfect – Annie Hall, Manhattan, and even Crimes and Misdemeanors possess this desirable stability between the genres. However, like Irrational Man, we are not sure whether to laugh or squeal when heinous acts are committed on screen. In attempting to channel Martin Scorsese, Allen has lost sight of what makes him him. Stylised murder, we come to find, is not his style at all. The chemistry between Stewart and Eisenberg is as charming as the great character romances in Allen’s early work, but is also one of the most tragic. The end leaves you with melancholy thoughts of time gone by, about what is, and what could have been. Allen usually subjects his audience to discussions about death and mortality, but the pondering of one’s past and the regret that follows is not often explored to this extent. For a filmmaker who has made 46 films - all possessing similar and predictable flavours – it is refreshing to experience something different in the 47th. Despite the scarcity of the Allen touch, there is an originality to Café Society that hasn’t been seen since Midnight in Paris. We linger with the characters far longer than is perhaps conventional – not in terms of run-time, but in terms of story. We see how they have changed and how they have stayed the same. The change is only an appearance, and the lack of change is buried deep into their hearts. More Film Reviews can be found this way. #filmreviews #EuanFranklin #TheatricalReleases #WoodyAllen #JesseEisenberg #KristenStewart #SteveCarell #BlakeLively #CoreyStall #AnnaCamp

Directed by Rob Mullins Starring Dominic Moore, Shane Casey & Irene Kelleher Short film review by Chris Olson Crime comedy pastiche from director Rob Mullins, DIG is a rather delightful tale of foibles and survival wrapped in a blanket of gangsterisms. Telling the story of two henchmen attempting to bury a woman in the woods, where things go from shaky to worse for these bumbling bruisers when the victim starts to enact plans of her own. From the opening sequence of Dominic Moore and Shane Casey arriving in the secluded location, showing Casey’s white trainers against the muddy ground, Mullins' short film delivers a formidable presence of confident comedy. The script is razor sharp with outrageous yet believable dialogue between these hired goons, their comic banter and mild contempt for each other is completely engrossing. The introduction of Irene Kelleher is fantastic, who delivers a wonderful turn as the terrified captive. Aesthetically the film is smart and does not overreach with multiple locations or flashback sequences which it could easily have done, instead opting to stay in the moment. DIG therefore benefits from being a lot tighter, allowing the epic script from Mullins and David Horgan to do the heavy lifting, which it does with ease. That is not to say Mullins does not incorporate some brilliant shots, assisted by his DoP Justin McCarthy. Low angle framing of the characters from the hole they have dug is a fantastic way of revealing the seedy nature of the plot, there is also a lovely piece of editing during a heated exchange about a sock. There is a familiarity with the characters in DIG, goon duos have been done before and the calamitous nature of their endeavours feels akin to Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern from Home Alone. But as with the best crime pairings, there is something completely endearing about these characters. Their criminal activities are second to their human vulnerability, and as the filmmaker tells the story from their perspective, the audience feels connected to their journey and culpable with the outcome. This idea of sympathising with villainous elements is a delicate balancing act, one which Mullins toes with expert care. The soundtrack to the short film is wonderful, opening with “Nitty Gritty” playing on the car radio, which adds to this juxtaposition between the heavy danger and the comic buffoonery that emanates throughout the movie. It is decisions like that which reveal Mullins as a craftsman, taking expert care to create a coherent tone alongside bold filmmaking, especially in a genre (gangster) that carries huge expectations. A genuinely funny movie, DIG is a hole load of fun with three superb performances and strong, deliberate direction from a promising filmmaker. More Short Film Reviews for your pleasure. #Shortfilmreviews #ShortFilms #ChrisOlson #Comedy #Crime #Gangsters #Filmmaking

★★ Directed by Roy Cohen Documentary Film Review by Owen Herman Machine of Human Dreams, an indie documentary from Roy Cohen and the interestingly named ‘Roast Beef Productions’, that tells the story of Ben Goertzel; the leading thinker in A.G.I. (artificial general intelligence). Brought up as a hippy, this modern genius is focused on creating an advanced A.I. mind. The result of his ideas is OpenCog, a human-like artificial mind that he wants to use, in combination with robotics, to create a fully thinking, independent, emoting intelligence. The documentary weaves the tale of Ben Goertzel’s life, from growing up a hippy in Oregon during the Vietnam War to starting a business in 1990s New York, with the story of his more recent work in Hong Kong, attempting to input AI into toys so the Intelligence can learn and develop from toddlers around the world. Ben is an intriguing focus for a documentary; his vast intelligence and vision is breath-taking, yet there is a cloud over some of his past personal experiences. The influences of Hippy culture and sci-fi such as Star Trek are well explored and provide clear reasons why his vision is so huge. The film’s best moments come when Roy Cohen snap cuts between interviews with Ben and his acquaintances, such as uni friend Ken and ex-wife Gwen (Ben-Ken-Gwen as Ken says), which reveals inaccuracies in Ben’s stories when cross-referenced. This is very revealing and often leaves you sensing that Ben is quite ruthless in pursuit of technological advancement as well as being somewhat difficult to be close to. As well as references to Star Trek, X-Men and Spielberg’s A.I., I found myself thinking of films such as Ex Machina and I, Robot as the camera cast its gaze over plastic-y replicas of the human face. Even the title made me immediately think of ‘Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?’ (The book Blade Runner was based on). With all of these references and nods to sci-fi that told terrifying tales of A.I., it makes you wonder why this documentary avoids the morality of artificial intelligence altogether. The film looks at the technology behind its inception in detail but not to any ground-breaking effect; someone with an interest in this subject will learn little that is new. However it completely avoids the really interesting and morally ambiguous questions about A.I., which makes up the meat of discussions and reports on the subject. Ben and his team in Hong Kong want their central mind to learn from data collected from young children around the world. Straight away there are huge ethical, moral and even legal problems with this. It’s clear that Cohen isn’t oblivious to this, as he often plays ominous music whilst the camera looks into the dead eyes of a robot, and there are several montages that clearly are inspired by moments in sci-fi where robot or alien intelligence learn about the human race. Cohen knows there is a terrifying element to robotics and artificial intelligence yet doesn’t explore it. A.I. is a deep, intricate and rich subject that is often explored to fascinating results. Machine of Human Dreams barely scratches the surface. There is an engaging personal and human story in there, thanks to the focus on Ben Goertzel, but it is not enough to save the documentary film from being disappointing. More Film Reviews this way. #filmreviews #OwenHerman #Documentaryreviews #Documentary #Scifi #Robots