Railroad to Hell: A Chinaman's Chance film review by UK film critic Brian Penn. Starring Reggie Lee, Timothy Bottoms, Olivia Hussey, Ernest Borgnine, Jason Connery directed by Aki Aleong. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Railroad to Hell: A Chinaman's Chance Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Brian Penn | Posted on: May 21, 2022 Directed by: Aki Aleong Written by: Aki Aleong, James Taku Leung, Tiago Mesquita Starring: Reggie Lee, Timothy Bottoms, Olivia Hussey, Ernest Borgnine, Jason Connery The opening frames of Railroad to Hell were immediately familiar and comforting. A cool soundtrack with dusty images of a wild frontier brought to mind the classic Spaghetti Westerns directed by Sergio Leone. It draws inspiration from the overlooked brutalisation of Chinese labourers who built the great American railways in the late 19th Century. The best history lessons on the big screen are often wrapped in a gripping story of struggle and survival. Sing (Reggie Lee) has ostensibly grown up as an American with Chinese parents. His people endure appalling conditions as they build the railways that will eventually turn the USA into a leading industrial nation. Sing’s brother dies under suspicious circumstances and he wants the truth. Members of the Christian Women’s Association led by Mrs Duncan (Olivia Hussey) ask questions on the family’s behalf. However, the wily Judge Holliday (Ernest Borgnine) warns that no Chinese people can question the white man. The Chinese community are befriended by respected local Thomas (Timothy Bottoms), but when his daughter is found dead suspicion falls on the innocent Sing. He goes on the run with a posse led by the thuggish Sam (Jason Connery) in hot pursuit. The narrative moves along at a sharp pace and exploits some well-judged performances from various cast members. Ernest Borgnine delivered a nice cameo in one of last film performances; and Jason Connery borrowed his Dad’s mannerisms to useful effect as Sam. But it’s Reggie Lee who steals the honours as Sing; a character caught between two worlds and wrongly accused of murder. He’s desparate to integrate but anxious to embrace his own heritage. It’s an age old story of slavery with a unique spin as the practice didn’t only affect African Americans. The very same treatment was metered out to anyone who wasn’t white. The Chinese were afforded the same status as African and Native Americans; they were classed as 3/5 human with no legal rights. It’s a startling revelation and a sobering thought. The only downside is the erratic editing which at times looks like it’s been done with a razor blade. As a result the sound and visuals look very choppy as bits of dialogue disappear. But fortunately it doesn’t disrupt the portrayal of an important episode in American history. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Brian Penn Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Carer film review by UK film critic William Curzon. Starring Mario McEntee, Maria McDermottroe, Aine Ryan directed by Noel Brady. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Carer Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: William Curzon | Posted on: Sep 12, 2025 Directed by: Noel Brady Written by: Mario McEntee Starring: Mario McEntee, Maria McDermottroe, Aine Ryan The Carer follows James Donnelly, an unemployed and lonely individual dealing with the grief from the death of his mother. James then discovers a friend of his is silently grappling with a terminal illness. The piece deals with whether James can cope with all the pain and grief bottled up inside him while trying to navigate his own future ambitions as a carer. The first thing to take away from the film's presentation is its raw depiction of social realism. It grapples with loneliness and isolation within its central protagonist and themes of community within working-class and impoverished environments. The film has a fly-on-the-wall-like experience and feels incredibly lived-in as it depicts characters seeking work and connection to others. The pacing moves at a breakneck speed to represent the desperation of James’ struggles to accept the pain of losing his mother while simultaneously trying to grieve the deterioration of his close friend's illness. It can sometimes feel jarring with how fast each sequence switches to the next without giving the viewer time to process the previous scene. One of the crucial standouts of the piece is the central performance from Mario McEntee, who is deeply powerful and portrays a profound level of empathy for his close friends and loved ones. McEntee also wrote the film, which is an impressive feat in itself; both writing and performing as the lead role is pretty astounding for a low-budget short film. The rest of the supporting cast, including Austin Grehan in particular, are also fantastic and undeniably raw in their presence within each scene. While its themes and characters are remarkably presented, due to the film's minimal runtime, it is perhaps difficult as a viewer to fully resonate with the characters due to the lack of time spent with them. However, the use of flashbacks was wonderfully interwoven within the narrative and effective due to the use of black and white photography to represent James’ inner longing and grief for his mother. Another aspect of the filmmaking that stood out in its cinematography is the use of close-ups of the actors during scenes of dialogue, which almost had a documentary-esque feeling to it due to the more indistinct imagery on display. Perhaps this was due to budget limitations; however, it added to the experience and potentially served as a stylistic choice to match the tone and feeling director Noel Brady wanted to convey to the viewer. While this presentation might not work for everyone, it's perhaps a more authentic way of presenting these characters and themes of social realism. Thematically, while there isn't much to chew on due to a lack of runtime and quick-paced editing, it still does a solid job of getting across its ideas to the viewer and bringing a powerful and bittersweet conclusion in its final moments. The Carer is a solid short piece from Noel Brady with a distinct style in its representation of social realism and raw authenticity in its performances and filmmaking. It may suffer from a blistering pace, attempting to fit in as much as possible within a short span of time. This still manages to effectively conclude in an emotionally resonant resolution for James’ character growth and would likely stick with viewers long after the credits roll. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Curzon Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Boomslang 2: The Dinner film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Ryan Vincent, Rori Flynn, Dominique Willingham, Susan Louise O'Connor, Bruno Oliver, Matt Anspach, Yakov Kolontarov, Mari Muscio, Olivia Haley Young directed by Justin Schwan. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Boomslang 2: The Dinner Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Feb 17, 2022 Directed by: Justin Schwan Written by: Allen Osborne Starring: Ryan Vincent, Rori Flynn, Dominique Willingham, Susan Louise O'Connor, Bruno Oliver, Matt Anspach, Yakov Kolontarov, Mari Muscio, Olivia Haley Young Extraordinary things are taking place inside a restaurant. This dark comedy short is the follow-up to the multi-award-winning Boomslang of 2020 and it provides quite a humorous and entertaining experience. Basically, the narrative consists of two stories that are connected, both of which take place in the same restaurant that is called 'The Second Wife'. A man named Erik Boomslang enters this eating establishment and after a brief and awkward conversation with the owner, he sits at a table. Shortly after, the ghost of a woman who was murdered by him appears. That woman was Harriet and she is in a rather cheerful mood. The two of them have a friendly conversation about the afterlife and she explains that the purpose of her arrival is to prevent Erik from killing again. The second story involves a friendly gentleman named Barnard, a wealthy philanthropist, who meets a group of three youngsters at the restaurant, with the intention of helping them. Right from the start, this amusing film attracts the viewer's attention with cheeky and awkward dialogue. There is talk about what it is like being in Heaven, about deceased celebrities, an argument with a waiter and a Fosse dance. There is dark humour, adult humour and the conversations are interesting and fun to listen to. The protagonists deliver entertaining performances and it is clear that they are having fun with their character. Flynn, Willingham and Oliver are quite amusing in portraying cheerful individuals and Vincent is pretty good as a calm and laid back serial killer. Adam Gharib does a great job with the cinematography and special mention goes to the clothing. The music that is heard throughout has a sort of comedic tone and effectively accompanies the scenes. Praise also goes to the dance scene which is wonderfully choreographed by Jahna Frantziskonis. This short is an entertaining experience with well-written dialogue, interesting characters and performances that succeed in being quite a joy to watch. Throughout its twelve-minute duration it never loses its ability to be comical and it will most likely provide the audience with a good laugh. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Canteen 2 film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Shourya Kumar Lal, Nomya Gautam, Pakhi Pundeer, Charles Kantilal Patel, Kunal Nayak directed by Shourya Kumar Lal. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Canteen 2 Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Oct 17, 2024 Directed by: Shourya Kumar Lal Written by: Shourya Kumar Lal Starring: Shourya Kumar Lal, Nomya Gautam, Pakhi Pundeer, Charles Kantilal Patel, Kunal Nayak The sequel to the 2023 short Canteen has arrived, with Shourya Kumar Lal as director and screenwriter. In this short coming-of-age romance drama, Lal, Pakhi Pundeer and Charles Kantilal Patel reprise their starring roles, apart from Jiya Giri, whose role in the first film is now played by Nomya Gautam. The story revolves around a group of college students in Delhi, India, Veer (Lal) and Sara (Gautam) who are a couple and their friends Virusha ( Pundeer) and Raj (Patel). Everything seems to be going well for these nice young individuals until Kabir (Kunal Nayak), a member of the college's theatre group proceeds to build a rapport with Sara, much to the dissatisfaction of Veer, who suspects Kabir might not be what he appears to be. Veer, Sara, Virusha and Raj are likeable characters and the audience will most likely root for them. The screenplay explores the close friendship between them and particularly the joyful romantic relationship between Veer and Sara. Viewers will have the pleasure of enjoying a creative pleasant montage that includes shots of wonderful buildings. Taking under consideration that (like in the first film) filming was executed on iPhone, it is quite admirable how the filmmakers created a short with a decent-standards feeling. On the negative side, fans of the previous film might be disappointed by Giri's absence in the role of Veer's partner, although Gautam fills her shoes sympathetically. Regarding the acting, it might not be superb, however the cast do a job that is good enough to make the viewer like them and sympathise with their situations and struggles. Nayak's character is the one who stands out the most, a double-faced guy who could also be considered to be the antagonist. The main concept of the plot is a relationship coming under threat. The film begins as a light-hearted story about a youthful romance before turning into a drama about a romance seemingly ending. Almost certainly romance is a main theme, as is friendship, honesty and support. Self-reflection is also examined as is the idea that people should hold on to what is precious to them. Lal has made another sweet, romantic story that also has a great deal of drama. Young viewers in particular will most likely identify with the film's themes. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Chronicles Of The Struggling Actor film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Abdul-Malik Janneh, Georgy Smales, Kaine Lawrence, Alfie Jameson directed by Lyud Hristov. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Chronicles Of The Struggling Actor Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Aug 3, 2026 Directed by: Lyud Hristov Written by: Lyud Hristov Starring: Abdul-Malik Janneh, Georgy Smales, Kaine Lawrence, Alfie Jameson A young wannabe actor struggles to find that one breakout role and begins to fantasise about how his life would turn out if he could just get the big break that he is looking for. As with most struggling actors, the lead (Janneh) in writer/director, Lyud Hristov’s debut short film, remains anonymous. When we first meet him, he’s filming himself on his phone in his bedroom, trying to make an audition tape for the next big thing which is finally going to catapult him towards the success that he knows he deserves. First though, he has to deal with interruptions from his long-suffering mother (Smales) and from his flatmate (Lawrence), as he desperately tries to keep things professional in front of the camera. While his friends are always on hand to offer soothing words of encouragement, his mother tries to give him the best advice she can, which is to give up on such a silly dream, and to put his efforts into finding himself a proper job with real, actual prospects. However, the struggling actor must always stand strong in the face of setbacks, rejections, adversity, and others’ lack of faith, and with this one last chance to prove himself, he’s determined to claim a part in this new production and set himself off on the path that he knows is waiting for him. Unfortunately for our plucky protagonist, nobody is taking him seriously and he’s not being offered any sort of time or space to really let his range shine through. From his self-important acting coach, to his manager at the bar where he works, he is belittled, and undermined, and stopped from ever getting to give his best. As pressure piles upon pressure, something inevitably breaks, and soon our struggling actor is finding it hard to remain in the real world, retreating into fantasies, daydreams, and false reminiscences, to help himself cope until he finally receives the call he has been wating for all this time. Even though we never get to learn his name, in the eleven minutes that we get to spend with the struggling actor, we find out a lot about him as a person and are party to a lot of his hopes, fears, dreams, and motivations. Abdul-Malik Janneh does a sterling job of portraying these emotions and themes through the character, and is able to ‘turn it on’ when getting into the roles that are being asked of him, even though he never gets very far into the performance before being stopped. Writer/director, Lyud Hristov keeps his scenes pacy and engaging, especially with the music choices, which set the tone for the film and for the actor’s personal struggles, while also adding in some nice visual touches and continuity gags to reward the more discerning viewer. There is a lot going on in every scene of The Chronicles Of The Struggling Actor and Hristov makes sure that everything comes together seamlessly, from the visuals, to the performances, to the sound, to help pull us into the actor’s story and live it alongside him. Once the more fantastical asides come into play, this then gets amped up by a level or two, and the frantic, desperate nature of the struggling actor is revealed to us piece by piece, as he begins to fall apart. There is a definite frustrated nature to the entire production of The Chronicles Of The Struggling Actor , mirroring the feelings that most people will have experienced in trying to break out into a creative profession. Hristov understands the nature of the business intimately and successfully transfers this frustration, desperation, and disappointment into every frame of his film. They say to write what you know, and it seems that here, even in his debut short film, Hristov has laid out everything he knows and understands about how it feels to be the struggling artist, maintaining his vision throughout and truly captivating the audience into the process. For what is a fun and evocative eleven minutes, The Chronicles Of The Struggling Actor will take you out of your comfortable armchair, and will make you squirm, sweat, and laugh as you go on the journey of anonymity with our failed lead, hoping against hope for a positive outcome and the fabled Hollywood happy ending. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Digital / DVD Release, Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Desperate End film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Omurbek Izrailov, Taazim Umotaaly directed by Narboto Anarbaev. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Desperate End Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Jul 7, 2025 Directed by: Narboto Anarbaev Written by: Robin A Townsend Starring: Omurbek Izrailov, Taazim Umotaaly In Kyrgyzstan, a married couple run down to the basement for shelter when it is announced on the news channels that nuclear war has broken out and everyone has been targeted, with the bombs about to land on Bishkek in fifteen minutes time. Diana (Umotaaly), is busy making lunch for herself in the kitchen. She’s a bit distracted, listening to music on her headphones while she’s cooking, and doesn’t hear the news coming from the telly that nuclear war has broken out all over the planet. Almaz (Izrailov), on the other hand, is in the middle of the city when the news breaks, and has to deal with the rising panic on the streets as well as the military presence in the air, as he tries his hardest to get back to the one he loves. After a frantic drive through town, Almaz and Diana reunite with just enough time to get themselves down to the basement, where they can wait out the inevitable fallout together. Once down in the basement, however, things get even more tense as Almaz takes the opportunity of the world ending to relieve himself of some of the burden of guilt he has been feeling over the past wee while. His guilt relates to the gambling that he has been getting himself into recently, as well as the actions he has taken to keep himself afloat at the casino after all of his losses. This outpouring of guilt takes Diana by surprise, and after a lengthy bout of wailing and gnashing at each other, she decides the only course of action is to reveal a secret of her own concerning a girls’ holiday that she took earlier on in the year. As the countdown to the end of the world nears zero, the two former lovers hash out their relationship issues with each other and turn their last fifteen minutes together into the worst fifteen minutes of their lives. As you might have gathered, everything in The Desperate End is rooted firmly in the extremes of melodrama. The relationship issues that are being aired by the couple are something that would make Dynasty or any cheap Mexican soap blush, but what makes them so ridiculously over-the-top is the fact that both characters thought that now was a good time to get them out. If all you had was fifteen minutes left with the one you loved, would you really take that time to unburden yourself of guilt and make them miserable with your truths? Couple this then, with the fact that a gun suddenly appears from nowhere, for no reason and with no explanation, and you can see that writer/producer Robin A Townsend is basically trying to stuff as much padded tension into his story as he can muster, without really giving much of a thought as to why it has to be there. Consistency is also an issue with Townsend’s script, as the characters swing about all over the place in terms of their emotion and attachment to each other: They love each other, they hate each other, they love each other, they hate each other, they’d do anything for each other, they just want to hurt each other, they want to forgive each other, one of them’s dead. It’s all completely farcical and makes no sense in terms of characterisation or narrative as it’s all so unbelievable. Then there’s the fact that nobody else is in the basement with them – we can hear them in the halls and the stairwell – but right until the last moments nobody else seems to want to take shelter in the pretty massive basement at the bottom of the apartment block. The military presence, too, and the government response to the threat makes no sense in the end, when the rug is inevitably pulled from under us. Given the explanation we receive for the entire narrative, why there would be military helicopters overhead in urban areas, is anyone’s guess. All of this is a real shame for The Desperate End , because in terms of getting the shots of panic in the streets, as well as the unnecessary military presence, director Narboto Anarbaev does an excellent job. Some of the shots on the streets are truly striking, it’s just a shame that in the end they don’t make much sense, and for the rest of the film we are stuck down in a dark basement with two nonsensical characters trying to carry a story that doesn’t exist. Both leads are very committed to their roles, bringing the melodrama to their lines and their faces as best they can as they try to make the script make sense, but in the end their talents are wasted as it’s just too difficult to care about something that was so unnecessary to begin with. The Desperate End looks good and is a fine example of technical filmmaking, especially considering Townsend deliberately chose to make his film in Kyrgyzstan, which caused all sorts of logistical issues. Unfortunately, there’s nothing in the narrative or characterisation which makes sense and the film really suffers for that. Townsend believes that optioning this short as a first instalment in an anthology around the same circumstances, is a good idea, however, with The Desperate End coming out so poorly, it may be best that he play to his strengths in producing and either offer writing duties to someone else for the time being, or take some time out first to sharpen his skills in that area, if he really intends on making more like this. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Digital / DVD Release, Short Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Dice Game film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Fredica Audry Julius, Emmett F. Tumbay, Sewa B. Marah, Doris Orgi directed by Kenny Daniel. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Dice Game Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Dec 16, 2023 Directed by: Kenny Daniel Written by: Kenny Daniel Starring: Fredica Audry Julius, Emmett F. Tumbay, Sewa B. Marah, Doris Orgi The murder of a young man and the consequences this has on his loved ones and a couple. The story takes place in West Africa and follows the event in two neighbouring households. Mr Robert (Tumbay) is a wealthy man who is married to Louisa (Julius), who is only interested in his money. Nearby, Mr Ambode lives wife his wife (Orgi) and their young daughter. Mr Ambode's brother, Gerald (Pour Bobby Pour) also lives with them and they are getting tired of his motiveless life. One evening, Mr Robert accidentally shoots Gerald dead and disposes of his body with the help of Louisa. Now the Ambode family will try to find out what happened, while Robert and Louisa will attempt to keep the truth hidden. The low production value in this feature length thriller is quite evident, with the quality of the picture and the audio not being great. However, this is not what brings this film down. As mentioned, this is a thriller and apparently, it takes itself seriously or at least wants to. Nevertheless, taking this film seriously would be hard and this would be because of the screenplay and the acting. The dialogue is childish and makes the characters look stupid, for instance, Mr Robert not realising that his wife is a gold digger even is she is constantly spending his fortune. The performances are unconvincing, making the scenes feel humorous, regardless of their serious subject such as talking about murder or discussing family and relationship issues. Some scenes are just plain ridiculous, including one involving an energetic pastor. The poor script makes the characters seem hollow and pretty much none of them can be taken seriously, not even the police officers investigating Gerald's disappearance. Regarding the audio, the tense music has the obvious intention of adding tension and drama to the scenes, instead it is exaggerated and makes the scenes look ridiculous. Interestingly, the film's title at the beginning has a gamepad instead of the letter 'M' in the word 'GAME'. Although the creativity that was utilised in order to do this is appreciated, the result is awkward and misleading as this technique implies that the story has something to do with video games and it does not. This is a murder story and one that should not be taken seriously in order to be enjoyed. It would probably have more value if it was viewed as a dark comedy and even so, it would be a forgettable one. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight World Cinema, Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Soul Catcher film review by UK film critic Swati Verma. Starring Jay Jay Jegathesan, Mirae Jang, Sophie Civitice directed by Jay Jay Jegathesan. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Soul Catcher Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Swati Verma | Posted on: Apr 21, 2022 Directed by: Jay Jay Jegathesan Written by: Simon Higgins, Yuxiao Wang Starring: Jay Jay Jegathesan, Mirae Jang, Sophie Civitice The black colour for the title of the short-film-Soul catcher has connotations of evil, death, grief, and fear. The name Soul catcher is an apt choice considering the genre of the cinematic piece is Horror/Thriller. The inclusion of the white colour and the dream catcher creates the much-needed contrast so that the director Jay Jay Jegathesan along with the writers Simon Heggins and Yuxiao Wang get help with establishing the character of the protagonist Brock Aloysius Chopra (Jay Jay Jegathesan). The plot of the short film revolves around a charming man named Brock Aloysius Chopra who wants to discover the path to the soul. He takes the audience on an adventure that the viewers can find familiar, and relatable, echoing the memories yet utterly unknown. Soul Catcher is one room drama and the narrative is designed from the point of view of the central character Brocky. The cinematographer Jenina David uses the close-up shot of the dream catcher which signifies that it is an important element for the storyline to progress. The extreme close up shot of Chopra helps the viewers to delve into his personality and slowly discover his fearful side of him. The hair, makeup and costume were given to the main lead to maintain the thrill up until the climax of the movie. The filmmaking technique utilized by Jay Jay Jegathesan increases the involvement of the audience with the film. The cinematic piece takes the format of a one-to-one interview to allow Brock to be expressive and also Jegathan has the room to improvise his acting skills so that the finished product is delivered to the audience beautifully. In terms of performance, Jay Jay Jegathan plays the role of Brock Aloysius Chopra. The monologue said by the actor is superbly done with the addition of voice modulation where required. The facial expressions by Jegathan instill a sense of fear and get the audience excited to know more about this mysterious character. The short film highlights the afterlife, the journey of a soul and the need for a soul catcher to give freedom to those who are struggling with their lives. The film showcases that everybody possesses various shades of their personality within them and it depends on the individual to channel the more suitable option according to the situation in life. The audience should learn from this film and should be aware of such unsocial characters like Brocky who would prove to be harmful to everyone around him. Brock Aloysius Chopra is a very well-written character and it has various shades and depth which makes it enjoyable from the analysis point of view. I am happy that the makers are experimenting with such topics. It becomes crucial to probe into the psychological aspect of the subject matter. Soul catcher reminds the viewers that people like Brocky can be a part of society making it difficult to identify them so one needs to be extra vigilant and careful about the same. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Swati Verma Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Hard Shells Don't Crack? film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring Richard Mcafee, Naz Akther directed by Richard Mcafee. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Hard Shells Don't Crack? Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Oct 12, 2023 Directed by: Richard Mcafee Written by: Richard Mcafee Starring: Richard Mcafee, Naz Akther When we look back at lockdown 3 years on, most people tend to remember the mad parts – people being shamed for sitting too close to each other on a beach or in a park, washing our weekly shop, zoom quizzes – and how ridiculous we all now feel that Boris was throwing weekly raves in number 10 all along. No Hard Shells Crack? – a short produced during that tumultuous time, is a reminder that the reasons for our community isolation were very real, and failure to abide with the rules risked real stress on the NHS. In a darkened and foreboding room, a man (Richard Mcafee) is tormented by the presence of his partner’s hard-shelled suitcase. As the case begins to shake uncontrollably, an incessant and disturbing rattle fills the room. The man cannot fight the temptation to open the case and see what is contained inside. No Hard Shells Crack? purportedly symbolises the British public’s inability to comply with Covid-19 guidelines during the 2020 lockdown, and the subsequent strain placed on the NHS as a result of this. This is symbolised in the film by a rattling, possessed and overused suitcase – brought into a man’s home and quickly becoming a distraction through unbearable rattling and shaking that demands the man’s attention. Struggling with isolation and surrounded by darkness, the man opens the suitcase despite the obvious warnings and is met by a terrifying occupant. Covid and lockdown itself is only briefly hinted at, but a critical view of the man’s inability to fight temptation is evident. His clear isolation and struggle is also portrayed through impressive and affecting lighting – which conjures memories of the time when days seemed to blur into one. However, without pre-existing knowledge of the context, it would not be particularly evident to the viewer that the film is relating to lockdown. Beyond disapproval of the protagonist’s disregard of warning in the face of temptation, the film does not really have anything particularly clear or relevant to say about lockdown-breakers. It’s unfortunate for the film in retrospect that breaches were occurring within the seats of power during its setting – as a lack of commentary on this integral hypocritical detail robs it of some of the emotional power the film would have had in 2020. The film’s sound design is outstanding – audiences will want to jump into their screens to open the case themselves such is the agonising clattering they are subjected to. Add in further stimulants like the classic boiling kettle, ticking clock, and masticating of the man’s partner (Naz Akther), and you have a symphony of stress induction that brilliantly realises the rising pressure of the man to give in to temptation. Opaqueness may have been an intentional choice for Hard Shells Don’t Crack, but a little more clarity within its storytelling would have been a benefit for this short. Impressive production makes this still well worth checking out, and the experimental film design resulting from the pandemic and lockdowns is still intriguing to this day. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Digital / DVD Release, Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Sava film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Janez Komel, Katrina Kesherovic, Emir Albi, Visnja Janosevic directed by Matthew Somerville. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Sava Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Sep 12, 2023 Directed by: Matthew Somerville Written by: Mira Furlan, Matthew Somerville, Dan McCrum Starring: Janez Komel, Katrina Kesherovic, Emir Albi, Visnja Janosevic A documentary about the Sava river and people who are affected by it. The Sava river is 990 kilometres-long and it is located in Southeast and Central Europe. It flows from West to East, moving through Slovenia, Croatia, along its border with Bosnia and Herzegovia, until it reaches Serbia. This feature-length documentary is a journey that begins from Zelenci in Slovenia, and goes all the way to Serbia, making stops along the way in order to meet certain individuals whose lives have experiences related to the long river. It is also separated into chapters, each of which is announced by the location and the number of kilometres that have been covered so far out of 990. The film crew is never shown, instead the viewers get breathtaking aerial shots of the river and its surroundings that include wonderful landscapes, towns, plenty of boats and harbours, all of which look fantastic thanks to Dan McCrum's cinematography. In addition to this, they will also be introduced to a number of citizens of the countries mentioned above and hear stories about their lives and the Sava river. The feature has an interesting structure that alternates between the interviewees and the river. For instance, a particular person (or persons) are being interviewed in Slovenia and then the documentary goes to a sequence where there is just the river, before moving to Croatia to meet the next person and then going back to the river and so on. By utilising this clever technique, the filmmakers take the audience on a journey via the river, travelling with it and encountering the places and people that it passes through. These people include an engineer, two boat operators, drag artists, street artists and an elderly couple. Although these individuals are quite different from each other, they are connected by the river, that is part of their lives. The sequences with the river are accompanied by Mira Furlan's voice-over, which works as the river's thoughts. Her words attempt to communicate what the river would be feeling if it was alive and embarking on a neverending journey full of experiences. This documentary acknowledges the beauty of the Sava river, however it offers more than that. It provides an insight into life in the countries the river travels through and explores social issues and national identity while encountering a few people and learning about their lives. Generally, this is a beautiful, informative and thoughtful experience that is wonderfully shot and is supported by lovely music. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Indie Feature Film, Documentary, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Forest film review by UK film critic Chris Buick. Starring Simone Neethling, Ruan Wessels, Roderick Jaftha, Charlie Bouguenon directed by Hendrik Cronje, Mari Molefe van Heerden. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Forest Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Chris Buick | Posted on: Mar 5, 2025 Directed by: Hendrik Cronje, Mari Molefe van Heerden Written by: Reine Swart Starring: Simone Neethling, Ruan Wessels, Roderick Jaftha, Charlie Bouguenon Directors Hendrik Cronje and Mari Molefe van Heerden‘s brilliantly shot post-apocalyptic drama The Forest takes place seven years after a terrible nuclear war. In it, we meet Heinrich (Wessels), a survivor travelling alone through the seemingly deserted world he now finds himself in. Moving through the wilderness, foraging, gathering and otherwise surviving day by day, Heinrich has not seen another living soul in over four years. That is until he spots Em, (Neethling) a young woman who has been following Heinrich for a while now. Mute and extremely distrustful, Em initially keeps her distance but eventually, those barriers come down, and Em and Heinrich begin to grow closer and closer in their newfound companionship. This opening twenty minutes or so are certainly when and where the film is at its strongest, when the relationship between Em and Heinrich is allowed space to blossom and shine, resulting in a deep, touching story of human connection brought to life by two great acting turns from Wessels and Neethling, the latter in particular turning in the standout performance, fully capturing the veritable fear, distrust and desperation of Em’s situation. And the reason for this wariness becomes clear soon enough. Em, it turns out has magical abilities and is being pursued by Sam (Jaftha), the leader of a group of unstable bandits looking to recapture her and use her powers for their own means. From there the film changes shape, the soft emotion built up in the beginning is now ripped away and replaced with a looming sense of peril and drama, adding a new exciting dynamic to carry us right on through the rest of the film. Unfortunately, after enjoying the brilliant chemistry between Wessels and Neethling in the opening third, our newly introduced group of slightly exaggerated one-note characters (with the exception of Jaftha who does excel in moments, especially in the film's surprisingly emotional finale) don’t seem to meet the same marks with their otherwise fine performances. The film also lacks slightly in terms of its believability in its premise, the lush forest surroundings and pretty clean-cut characters not exactly selling the idea of a post-nuclear war annihilated landscape. But the film's writing and pacing are strong and steady enough to see everything through smoothly, not to mention managing to look great the whole time as well. While there are hints as to the particulars of the war and its goings on, Cronje, van Heerden and co. are quite right to not get too bogged down in needless backstory and exposition, instead choosing to focus not on what has happened before, but what is happening now, knowing the details as to why the world is in the mess it’s in is far less important than telling human stories still living on. An ambitious film that manages to blend elements of survival, mystery, tension, drama and even love, The Forest is a thoroughly enjoyable film that presents itself very well across the board. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Chris Buick Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Robbery at the Rockvale Theatre film review by UK film critic Chris Olson. Starring Brycen Patterson, Ayla Bullington, David Dupre, Josh Futcher directed by Jesse Edwards. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Robbery at the Rockvale Theatre Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Chris Olson | Posted on: Aug 24, 2026 Directed by: Jesse Edwards Written by: Jesse Edwards Starring: Brycen Patterson, Ayla Bullington, David Dupre, Josh Futcher Filmmaker Jesse Edwards’ child sleuthing comedy, Robbery at the Rockvale Theatre , feels like Poirot goes to Nickelodeon, with a highly polished and eccentricly written family mystery. Brycen Patterson plays Seth, a young actor dreaming of getting a Broadway scholarship after getting the lead role in the theatre’s next show. After a successful fundraising event involving spaghetti, Seth and his sister Andi (Ayla Bullington) are distraught to learn the cash has been stolen during the night. They reluctantly enlist the assistance of a passionate and flamboyant child detective called Monsieur (David Dupre) in order to find the thief and save the show. A subtle genre shift from Edwards’ family fantasy The Wildman of Shaggy Creek , this feature leans heavily into the detective genre, with the audience being carried along this mysterious plot full of oddball characters and melodramatic performances. Robbery at the Rockvale Theatre is aimed squarely at a younger audience, sitting somewhere on the age timeline between Scooby Doo and the Knives Out franchise, perhaps just shy of Veronica Mars. The gags are quick and light, allowing the pacing of the film to feel effortless whilst the plot unravels in a typically convoluted yet fun manner. The production values are excellent, with a stylish aesthetic throughout, excellent camerawork, and fantastic costume design. The sound design is genre-appropriate, nudging the audience with plenty of intrigue and tension to enhance the elaborate characters on screen, albeit coming over a little overbearing for more seasoned viewers. There’s a theatrical strength to the film, being set in a theatre, that creates a stimulating environment for scenes to play out in, and the musical numbers that are part of the show being put on are impressive. It’s a shame the storyline feels a little underwhelming considering the sumptuous filmmaking and energetic acting being presented. A school fundraising heist plot lacks the dramatic peril necessary to truly captivate the viewer, even preteens, who will likely be unbothered about the outcome. Perhaps something a tad more dangerous than a robbery was needed to make this production shine brighter. The ensemble is terrific, with Brycen Patterson and Ayla Bullington having a great onscreen sibling chemistry and cementing the audience into their journey with perhaps the most toned-down characters of the movie. Their long-suffering dad (another Wildman of Shaggy Creek veteran - Josh Futcher) also provides a solid foundation for the movie to rely on. It is David Dupre, however, as Monsieur, who most impresses with his extravagant portrayal of the French child sleuth and would perhaps have been better placed as a titular character (can anyone say franchise in French?) and with more scenes. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I am off for a croissant, espresso, and well-thumbed copy of Agatha Christie. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Chris Olson Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >