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Directed by Steve Sage Written by Lee Kolinsky Starring Russ Camarda, Katherine Barron Review by Lauren Nicholls The short film 'Bulified' directed by Steve Sage Productions, is one that is both gripping and engaging for many viewers of various ages. The start of the film pays homage to the classic horror film. A young man is in his house and the camera is outside it, giving a voyeuristic approach for the viewer. We hear a dog barking - it sounds like it is being attacked by something. The young man investigates and instantly the music changes from a classical score to a chilling one. The man is dead, but who is the killer? The scene then changes to a prison cell where we see a man, Riley Samuel, who has victimised people throughout his life since he was a young boy. He is met by Staci, a detective who tries to blame the murders on Riley. What happens next is gripping and unexpected. The film, though only twenty minutes long, provides a great understanding of how a simple twist in a storyline can keep viewers engaged. The editing of the film is incredibly simplistic and is perfect in every way for this film. The direction of the film does not need complicated cinematography and the director has made sure that this is the case. The script for this film is extremely likeable and is reminiscent to Hollywood thrillers (Seven, I'm looking at you here). When talking about growing up, we see Riley telling Staci that “They don't tell you what to do when you find out all of that is impossible,” almost giving her a reasoning as to why he has been bullying people all his life. As a viewer, we want to see more and find out why Riley is victimising people and this seems to be the drive of the storyline. Moreover, the characters are stereotypical. We see a psychopath being interrogated by a tightly-wound detective. This said, the casting is accurate and the film should be commended for this. Both the actors pursue a believable yet delicate performance and it is this that truly carries the short film. Despite these positive aspects, the music presents many problems. We know that sound can really make or break a film and in this case, it seems that it did the latter. Unfortunately, the score can come across as a bit unnecessary at some points of the film and does not add much to its purpose in general. If anything, it seems a bit comical and does not give the film the full gratification it deserves. This film is definitely not for everyone. However, if you enjoy thrillers with plot twists, then this short film is one you will not be disappointed in. #Bullified #Shortfilm #SupportIndieFilms #LaurenNicholls

Directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein Starring Ed Helms, Christina Applegate Review by Jack Martin As yet another modern revitalisation of a comedy classic, this time taking its cues from National Lampoon’s Vacationwith Chevy Chase in the starring role, the new version of Vacation has received some pretty damning feedback from various critics. Words like “unnecessary” and “repugnant” have been thrown about, and it’s becoming one of the most hated films of the year. As you can imagine, we went in with severely lowered expectations – and that surprisingly helped our viewing experience. Not that Vacation is technically a good movie, but from what we had heard we were expecting something much, much worse and instead got something that’s just overall mediocre. If you’ll remember from watching that original movie, which also had director Harold Ramis and writer John Hughes attached to it, it was simply about a disastrous family trip to Disneyland knock-off Walley World. Same thing here, except more of a focus on juvenile sex and bodily fluid jokes. Except in this version, now written and directed by the guys that wrote Horrible Bosses, the son from that first film is now grown up and looking a lot like Ed Helms, and is taking his own family to the theme park, including his unsatisfied wife (Christina Applegate) and two sons, one of whom feels like a missing cast member of The Inbetweeners (Skyler Gisondo) and the other is a bullying little snot (Steele Stebbins) who takes every moment of his spare time to humiliate or torture his wimpy older brother. A far cry from Chase and his own chipper family, then; and we would not fault you in the slightest if you despise this movie based purely on your adoration for the original film and its multiple sequels. We, however, usually like to go in with a fresh mind, and not having even seen any of the previous Vacation movies (it’s on our ever-lasting to-do list) leaves us without the ability to compare it to what came before, although from what we gather the humour in those films are nothing like the kind we get in this movie. This one feels more tailored to the post-Hangover crowd, right down to casting Ed Helms, with tons of gross-out gags and an aggressive back-handedness that only seems to target the mid-teen crowd instead of anyone else. Given the severe backlash that the Hangover films have received in recent years, even the first one, it’s surprising that people still consider gags like attempted murder with a plastic bag or a wad of pubic hair being used to scrub down a bath with blood stains and fungi worthy enough to be included in adult comedies without receiving endless amounts of disdain. We haven’t even mentioned the scene that’s all over the trailers – where Helms and co relax in an open-air lagoon, only for it to really be a dumping ground for raw sewage – which, given this film’s enjoyment of swimming within its own shit, sums up the movie for all that hate it. Honestly, though, our biggest problem with the movie is that it just isn’t that funny. Not every comedy needs to be completely gross-out, and Vacation is a prime example of that; when your movie opens with Ed Helms being forced into a child’s lap head-first, you know you’re in for a ride where the bar is lowered to significant depths several dozen times, from misunderstandings about what a rim-job is to enlarged prosthetic penises worn by Thor himself, Chris Hemsworth. Even though we never saw the original Vacation movies, we can still tell that they never embodied the kind of humour that American Pie or The Hangover were aiming for, and while a brief penis or poop gag is amusing every once in a while, when it’s the whole movie it can get tiresome very quickly. The only funny elements of the film are montages of awkward holiday photos that bookend the film (though the opening slideshow is much funnier than the one that plays over the end credits), and brief cameos by Chase and on-screen wife Beverly D’Angelo later in the film, both reprising their original roles in a sort of torch-passing extended cameo. Other than that, it’s a series of set pieces that aren’t funny with bundles of comedic actors given very weak material to work off of – Christina Applegate, for example, is subject to one particular set-piece that sees her puking gallons of fake vomit while being subjected to a particularly dangerous obstacle course, even for the scene’s setting. Give her some credit, at least she seems game to go with the flow, but even still it’s very embarrassing for someone who can be very funny when they want to. So, with all of that said, is Vacation deserving of being called the worst movie of the year? Honestly, no; we’ve seen much worse so far this year, and in our opinion we’d rather sit through this one again over Unfinished Business, Hot Pursuit, The Gallows or any of the other really bad ones. However, that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily worth recommending, either; if you’re sick of the constant gross-out and mean-spirited humour that American Pie or The Hangover worked with in the past, or if you absolutely adore the old Vacation movies and don’t wish for their good name to be tarnished, then you should definitely skip it. It’s bad, but it’s definitely not the worst; at the very most, Vacation will become just another forgettable cash-in of a franchise nobody talks about anymore. Bit of a wasted journey, if you asked us. Read the original review here - http://www.filmfeeder.co.uk/vacation-review/ #Vacation #TheatricalReleases #JackMartin #UKFilmReview

Directed by Guy Ritchie Starring Armie Hammer, Henry Cavill, & Alica Vikander Review by Kieran Freemantle 2015 is the year of the spy film with the likes of Kingsman: The Secret Service, Spooks: The Greater Good, Spy and Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation all being released and a new entry in the Bond series (Spectre) coming out later this year. In the meantime Guy Ritchie and Warner Brothers are offering the long-awaited adaptation of The Man From U.N.C.L.E. with the hopes of starting another film franchise. The year is 1963 and the Cold War is at its height with the United States and Soviet Union facing off against each other. In East Berlin the CIA's top agent, the suave Napoleon Solo (Henry Cavill), faces off against the KGB's best, the incredibly strong Illya Kuryakin (Armie Hammer) when Solo helps a young woman, Gabby Teller (Alica Vikander), defect to the West. But irony happens when their superiors in the respective agencies tell them they have to work to together to stop a group of ex-Nazis from making a nuclear bomb and need Gabby to get them access to the group. The Man From U.N.C.L.E. has been in development hell since the 1990s, with directors like Quentin Tarantino and Steven Soderbergh and a host of actors being attached to the project before Guy Ritchie was giving the directing duties. He reunites with his Sherlock Holmes producer Lionel Wigram and on the surface they seem like a good fit due to the Sherlock Holmes series' historical setting and the love-hate chemistry between Robert Downey Jr's Sherlock and Jude Law's Watson. They wanted to recreate that magic with The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and they have an easy setting for this, both men have opposing ideologies and world outlooks; Solo is a roguish agent who enjoys the finer things of life, looks immaculate in expensive suits and is a ruthless womaniser. Kuryakin is a by-the-books type with simpler tastes, a fierce temper and has the psychical and mental determination of a terminator. Both are equally effective but for different reasons and both men are gorillas beating their chests to show their prowess, skills and spy tools. They distrust each other to the point of planting bugs on the other but their friendship and mutual respect grows. Cavill and Hammer are fine in the lead roles but they are not a match to what Downey Jr and Law had in the Sherlock Holmes series. The Sherlock Holmes pair had a great back-and-forth, Holmes being an uncontrollable eccentric and Watson is the straight man who is not willing to put up with Holmes' behaviour. Cavill and Hammer do have some witty jabs against each other but both are straight-laced characters and The Man From U.N.C.L.E. has a more serious tone than you would expect. Alicia Vikander shows off her lighter side after having very heavy roles in Testament of Youth and Ex Machina; she is a lot of fun having to be the woman who has to break Solo and Kuryakin up when they bricker and there’s an enjoyable moment when she dances and attempts to loosen Kuryakin. There are some physical moments in her performance that rise a chuckle, and a subtlety in her performance. Vikander’s appearance also takes away any homoerotism that is usually a recurring theme in Ritchie's films. The Man From U.N.C.L.E. was made on a budget of $75 Million which is fairly low for a summer action film. As a result the film is not as action-packed as one would expect or hope. Most of the action appears at the beginning and the end of the film with the middle sagging. There is a fun car chase on the streets of Berlin with the camera zooming in and out during the sequence and Ritchie showing off his proficiency for staging an action sequence. Another car chase on an Italian island was a highlight, repeating the same techniques, as Solo and Kuryakin are chasing the same target from different directions. The boat chase at night is also a moment of enjoyment, but the shoot-outs and hand-to-hand combat are fairly rudimentary affairs and Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation and Kingsman: The Secret Service easily surpass The Man From U.N.C.L.E. Cavill was famously considered to play James Bond in Casino Royale but lost out to Daniel Craig. His performance here felt like it was an audition tape for the role after Craig is finished as Bond. He is decent enough in the role as he beds ladies and wears his suits and there some impressive moments as the camera focuses on his face and emotion wears on him, with Daniel Pemberton's music amplifying the scene: one of them is an effective torture sequence that felt like Ritchie was repeating a similar shot in Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. Plus he is allowed to say some witty quiffs. But there are better candidates to be MI6's best (i.e. Michael Fassbender). Back in 2013 William Hill made Guy Ritchie the favourite to direct the 24th Bond film when Sam Mendes originally said he would not return. The Man From U.N.C.L.E. was also his showcase in what he could do if given the reins of James Bond. With John Mathieson's cinematography and the Art Department's eye of period detail, Ritchie makes a very flashy, stylish film that oozes 60s cool, using vintage cars and clothing, visiting a high society function and Solo showing off his skills; it felt very much like the Sean Connery Bond films. The villains even have their own private island which is basically a Bond lair and a military force has to invade. Composer Daniel Pemberton also adds to the 60s feel because of his jazzy style score and uses some songs from the era. Yet Ritchie's distinctive style is present, such as his use of flashbacks to reveal an action as some sort of ploy. The Man of U.N.C.L.E. is a distinctly average film and with Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation also in cinemas your money is best spent seeing the Tom Cruise vehicle. This film is a second tier entry in comparison to this year's spy films, summer blockbusters and in the filmography of Guy Ritchie. #TheManfromUNCLE #KieranFreemantle #TheatricalReleases #GuyRitchie #HenryCavill #ArmieHammer #AlicaVikander

DIRECTOR: Jamie Hooper CAST: Tim Blackwell, Debra Baker, Lucy Hutchinson, Tom Geoffrey Review by Jack Martin Some of the more intriguing short films only offer glimpses of the bigger picture rather than just telling a full story from beginning to end, but those glimpses need to have a genuine sense of surprise that comes like a right hook to the jaw. With this in mind, Terry and Brenda is certainly something of a surprise when it comes to its own revelations, and we are left asking ourselves “how”, “why” and, most importantly, “who”. A muscly debut from writer/director/producer/editor/cinematographer/tea-boy (or at least we assume the latter, especially given its strong presence here) Jamie Hooper, the short begins with a series of rather mundane scenarios that may or may not ring true with many middle-aged couples, such as figuring out the identity of an old friend that they bumped into earlier or arguing what the difference is between RoboCop and The Terminator. So far, so neutral – that is, until we get one-thirds of the way through, where things suddenly start to unravel about this couple we probably never would have thought of before. No spoilers here, but for now we’ll say that things get a little more uncomfortable depending on your, erm, interests. As director and cinematographer, Hooper is able to create a sinister atmosphere out of the most normal activities, like making tea in tacky souvenir mugs and so on, which help enforce that feeling of dread and tension despite the most non-threatening on-screen activities. Working with his simplistic script, actors Tim Blackwell and Debra Baker manage to give convincing, understated performances as the couple in question, with their own unique hints of personality behind their dull exteriors. Should this short be expanded, we’d definitely like to see more of these people together – and what they might do next. In the end, Terry and Brenda offers a darkly comic view on middle-age partnership, as well as an exploration of the things some people will do to keep whatever shades of love there is left alive – even if it means doing things beyond your reach. We’re certainly intrigued by their possible further adventures… You can read the original review here: http://www.filmfeeder.co.uk/terry-brenda-short-film-review/ #TerryandBrenda #shortfilm #JackMartin

Directed by Josh Trank Starring Miles Teller, Kate Mara & Michael B. Jordan Review by Chris Olson "Fantastic Failure" If you are exhausted from reading about another superhero/reboot it's probably because the studios-that-be have left us little time to ponder the cultural impact of their output before blasting us with another movie, whilst offering smaller returns in terms of creative gold. And this particular reboot from Twentieth Century Fox seems to be suffering from a fatigue of its own, perhaps from being overwrought with concern about any accusations of copying the "formula"... Starting out with copious amounts of tedious computer gazing and science fair calamity, Fantastic 4 barely gets off the starting line by the middle third, by which time the majority of the audience has sighed a sigh of resignation that, yes, it probably is as bad as everyone told them before heading to the cinema. The film manages to pick up the pace when the characters get their inevitable superpowers; stretchy bloke, rock bloke, fire bloke and see-through woman, which creates a bit of razzle dazzle and theatrics before deciding too much fun was being had, and they must stop! It's not Guardians after all. Throw back in some more computer screens and enough bland space jargon to choke Christopher Nolan and we move into a short lived climax and are all home before dinner. With no attempt at flair, character chemistry or an interesting plot, it's like the filmmakers made a good and bad list before making a comic film, and picked up the wrong one as a checklist. Even tried and tested clichés which could be found in the first F4 outing were avoided, for fear of stepping on anyone’s toes. This pussyfooting about has left a chasm of drab and dreary filmmaking that fails to even consider an audience that might fall into it. Performances are so un-noteworthy it seems impossible to remember what any of them did in the film. Jamie Bell checks out as early as possible, and you might suffer from Whiplash looking at Miles Teller as he consistently misses his beats. Far from glorying in this epic fail, most audiences just seem let down by a film that had all the right ingredients but decided to blend them all up until what was left was an unrecognisable mush of tepid nothingness. The irony of having Fantastic in the movie title is not lost on anyone, and the failure of this film goes to show that audiences are not just satisfied with “any old comic film”. The successes of recent years from the big hitters, are not solely down to bad ass budgets and brand recognition. Instead, if you want to throw down with the heavyweights, you sure as hell better bring some big game. #FantasticFour #TheatricalReleases #ukfilmreview #ChrisOlson #MilesTeller #JamieBell

DIRECTOR: Fabien Colas CAST: Christiane Rausch, Emile Schlesser, Anne Metzler, Nickel Bosenberg, Thomas Maximillian Held Review by Jack Martin Right from the opening shot of Fabien Colas’ hard-hitting short Roxy, you can tell that this is an up-close and personal descent into melancholy. It consists of a close-up of our title character, played with great presence by Christiane Rausch, as she is driving in her car back to her small caravan on the outskirts of a German highway; there is deep sadness in her eyes, flooded with regret for her past mistakes and a hidden shame of her present whilst facing uncertainties in her future. It is this kind of distraught nature that carries on throughout the rest of the short film, and creates a tone that is bleak but also refreshingly real. Though the story might ring some familiarities with some of its characters bordering on archetype, notably Nickel Bosenberg’s hot-tempered bully Alek, the acting is very strong throughout with the script and Colas’ atmospheric direction giving them enough space and pathos to sway their acting arms around freely. Colas also makes the interesting choice of meshing together two very different themes, that of family and animalistic urges – Roxy’s long-lost son Jeff, played by Emile Schlesser, is eager to find her mother, almost as much as Alek is desperate to let loose his sexual urges to vent his frustration (which leads to one or two violent confrontations), and is finally drawn to her upon hearing of her work as a prostitute. It’s a more sombre reflection of a nimble young man visiting a sex worker for the first time, only it’s for more biological reasons than one might expect. Its strongest moments are, indeed, the precious few scenes where mother and son actually share screen-time with each other; the scene certainly does not exactly play out how you expect it to, and even ends on an image that is both optimistic and depressing at the same time. It is a more realistic alternative to the Hollywood happy ending that any other filmmaker could have used, and though it may not entirely satisfy the common movie-goer it is an ending you can certainly respect for bravely suggesting something much more depressing than normal. It will not please everyone with its more downbeat tone, but it is still a well-made and interesting drama with a very brave ending that foregoes the traditional happy ending for something more realistic and gritty. #Roxy #shortfilmreview #JackMartin #UKFilmReview #SupportIndieFilm

Directed and Written by: John Wheeler Review by Hannah Sayer “How does it feel to be a shadow- to see but not be seen?” What happens once our time is up and we face the inevitability of our fate? This puzzling vision of the afterlife and what it means to have your fate decided by your past actions is certainly not for the faint-hearted. The Last Road follows Toby, played with a fierce but vulnerable performance by Aaron Long, a fighter who one day loses his life during a gruelling battle in the ring. Toby is transported into the afterlife, a gloomy and bleaker version of the town he lived in when he was alive. This acts as his purgatory for the remainder of the film, as he must find his own way to either heaven or hell. Along this journey, he meets with other deceased members of the town’s community, some helping him and others influencing his movements along the way. The dreamlike flashbacks to his childhood embedded within the narrative suggest that our past memories can stay with us forever and limit our ability to move on, even in death. The film opens with the same intensity that is carried throughout its entirety, aided by Mark Standing’s music. The combination of this powerful score with the brutality of the fighting and night shots of Toby walking the streets of Wiltshire enables the viewer to be plunged straight into the deep end. There is a sense that the tension is going to reach a climax, which is where this film breaks away from typical conventions and allows this to happen within the first half an hour of the running time. The main fight where Toby is killed is graphic in its treatment of violence and creates an uncomfortable viewing. In this scene, Wheeler is effective in questioning the moral righteousness of the audience at the fight, who are essentially voyeurs of the violence; receiving pleasure from watching this fight to the death. The over the top and melodramatic cheering for the fighting to continue allows Wheeler to comment on wider society and the fact that no one stepped in to prevent this violence from going too far, as in their eyes, it was all for entertainment. The visuals of the film are stunningly photographic, with the colour contrast between the world of the living and the dead fully emasculating just how harsh this unforgiving landscape of the afterlife is. The final product is slightly too long and drawn out, but The Last Road is a thought-provoking and experimental depiction of what happens after death. This is not a drama that would appeal to everybody, yet its moral message of actions having consequences in this life, or the next, certainly resonates. #TheLastRoad #IndieFilmReviews #HannahSayer #SupportIndieFilm

Directed by Emma Holbrook & Susannah Mo Review by Amaliah S. Marmon-Halm As we continue to live in an age of austerity, where elements vital to our society's wellbeing and sanity are being cut or reduced, it's not uncommon to find opinions and films like this one by Emma Holbrook and Susannah Mo trying to highlight the true cost of these cuts. They began to discuss the prospect of producing a short project with the aim to explore the knock on effects resulting from the loss of artistic infrastructure, especially in the more regional parts of the country, specifically the South West. Like many other parts of the United Kingdom, this region has experienced a great loss of venues and establishments that were originally in place to support a vast range of projects, groups and individuals in both professional and non - professional capacities. This documentary wants to explore some of the issues now facing the regional arts communities, especially within the South West. Holbrook and Mo use the closure of The Brewhouse art centre and the affect it had on the community of Taunton. The establishing shot is a beautiful one of the idyllic Somerset countryside, that almost suddenly transitions into images of protests, theatre and centre closures. This quick change more or less set the tone for the rest of the documentary. It was interesting that many people might not realise how many establishments have had to close outside their own neighbourhoods, and this film sets about trying to correct that. Through the use of interviews, footage of performances and protests and info-graphs, the beginning sets out to be a very informative and potentially important piece about the issue of austerity on the arts. Holbrook narrates how the closure of theatres, commercial art establishments and educational spaces are all interlinked and set off a sort of looped domino effect. However interesting the topic may be, especially to those of us in the creative field, it is really hard to build that necessary emotional connection to this documentary, as Holbrook's narration is so monotonous at times it hurts (a point she acknowledges herself at the end of the film). It's not until the documentary starts to come to a close, does the feeling start to return but unfortunately, it's not soon enough for the audience. The dreariness continues with the interviewees in the film. From amateurs to industry professionals, for a set of people who are meant to be conveying their passion for the arts and their dismay at the closures, most of them seem apathetic and bored by the entire situation. All these elements bring the atmosphere to a level of a somewhat tedious educational Personal Service Announcement video. There truly were elements of this documentary that made you want to sit up and pay attention to what is going on in our communities. It is unfortunate that the monotonous narration takes a great deal away from the atmosphere and ends up disconnecting the viewer. This results in something that needs extra attention and doesn't make for relatively easy viewing. #MakingtheCut #Documentary #amaliahsaramarmonhalm #ukfilmreview

Directed and produced by Joe Goodall and Elliot Burns Starring Elliot Burns, Sheldon Sinnamon, Charlotte Culley Review by K. McPherson So you’ve averted a catastrophe, but what next? “Tunnel”, a short film directed and produced by Joe Goodall and Elliot Burns is a well shot but uncertain look at three lives interrupted by chance encounters. Driving along one day, a moment of inattention almost causes a businessman (Joe Goodall) to hit Alice (Charlotte Culley) as she crosses the road with her bicycle. And so, the sliding doors moment – the collision that happens even as it does not. The cinematography of this opening scene is some of the strongest in the film. It possesses much of what the rest of the feature lacks: a precise sense of what is at stake for the characters and a control over the mechanisms of plot. It turns out that Alice spends most of her time under a tunnel with Angus (Sheldon Sinnamon), a snooty nomad who lives among paperbacks that he reads to Alice, stories that provide a reprieve from her troubled home. Besieged by problems of his own, the businessman is attracted by the simplicity of life under the tunnel and the offer of an easy companionship with Angus and Alice. Elliot Burns is competent in conveying the businessman’s underlying dissatisfaction, although often opts for anger when a more nuanced approach would be more enlightening for the viewer. This is part of a broader tendency towards forcefulness throughout the film. It works hard to show its emotional backbone, but this is an impossible task without more detail. In many cases it could use either some restraint or originality – to have neither amounts to a bland mix, energetically stirred. The script is melodramatic in a way that overpowers the reserve of the camera work, and the actors sometime seem uncomfortable delivering such weighty lines. The music is similarly loud and didactic, amplifying the film’s surface elements without expanding on them. Occasionally, “Tunnel” does deliver on its title, hinting at the existence of subterranean depths in our everyday lives or in the consequences of a moment’s decision. As the businessman confesses to his prior unhappiness one night, the film does not pander to the idea of his spiritual renewal. The quiet music, cold palette and framing of the scene offer a frank assessment of the tunnel’s squalor, as though questioning the extent to which his life has really changed. Hovering somewhere behind the dialogue here is the potential for a pleasing harmony between scene and subtext (which probably goes something like “renounce ye materialism and be free”). To stretch this out across the film at large may require a sturdier framework than an unhappy businessman and a squatter guarding a young girl like she’s a campfire in a cold climate. The film’s epigram mentions stories—that people don’t shape them, but are shaped by them—an unattributed Terry Pratchett quote that it would do well to follow more closely. Between the triangle of its main characters, their complicated pasts and the books strewn around the tunnel campsite, the film is already thinking about the effect of multiple stories on multitudinous people. Yet it seems to eschew this in favour of a focus on “story” in the abstract, a choose-your-own-adventure cobbled together by the viewer from the big, lumpy archetypes that abound. The stories in “Tunnel” do not offer a tapestry so much as a pile of stitching – a promising start, but far from the finished object. #Tunnel #shortfilm #KMcPherson #supportindiefilm

Director - Rob Lainchbury Writer - Alexandra Taylor Starring Zenna Turner & Katy Jane Review by Monica Jowett It’s a rainy day for shopping in The Reason I Shop Online, directed by Rob Lainchbury. The lengths we go to, to find everything on the grocery list will make you smile and sympathise with the frustration of hunting around shops. Honey (Zenna Turner) is going through her shopping list, but can’t find any ginger in the shop, with no help from the cashier Jeanie (Katy Jane). Once outside she asks her iPhone where she can get some and so ends up on a quest to find it, trekking through the countryside, jumping across streams to do so. The film title may be misleading, but makes sense when Honey has to go to great lengths to acquire some ginger. Shopping is made easier when done online at home. Though minimal, the script is funny. Awkward conversation stumbles out, as it would do when shopping. The script and simple plot lets other aspects of the film breathe. The characters of Honey and Jeanie are perfect opposite one another. Honey’s frustration at the quest for some ginger is relatable; however she does find amusement in the oddity of it. Jeanie shows a no-nonsense attitude to Honey, practically sneering at her as she goes to such great lengths for the ginger. The performances are natural, Turner particularly. Her facial expressions and tone of voice as she shops could be seen in every day shopping excursions. Furthermore Lainchbury’s direction for the confrontation in the woods between Honey and Jeanie shows good filmmaking. The close-up framing on the two characters adds intensity for what is an anticlimactic end. When in the shop, light hearted upbeat music is played as Honey happily browses the shelves, but once she starts on her journey for ginger, the music has a dramatic change. It feels as though Honey is now on an epic quest, full of danger and intrigue, which adds to the hilarity of the situation. It changes again for the confrontation in the wood. The tinkling sound mixed with background noise of birds gives the impression it is a magical place. Additionally the cinematography demonstrates the transition from an average shopping trip to dangerous quest. Though it is all grey skies and rain, as Honey travels through the country, the miserable weather seems to make the journey exciting instead. Quietly comical, The Reason I Shop Online is a great short film from Lainchbury providing an entertaining journey for some ginger, at the expense of Honey. The light hearted and quirky tone of the short film makes you wonder what you would do for a hard-to-find item of shopping, or rather stay indoors and do it online. #shortfilm #MonicaJowett #TheReasonIShopOnline #SupportIndieFilm

Written and Directed by Charlo Johnson Starring Róisín O’Donovan, Liam Burke, Niall Dempsey & Maghnús Foy Review by Chris Olson With a film title as politically evocative as “Positive Discrimination”, few viewers would enter into Charlo Johnson’s short movie without a little suspicion that there might be a not-so-hidden message about equality. However, this story, much like the title, proves that all is not what it originally appears, and that our perception of what is put in front of us can drastically change in a heartbeat. Liam Burke plays Joe, an elderly Irishman who hobbles along the busy streets, being helped by a community that seems to deem him worthy of charity. Passers-by help him cross the road, or pick up his shopping when he drops it, without questioning the quality of his character. Does age absolve of us of our pasts? Does a diminished bodily healthy diminish our sins? Furthermore, should we even care about one’s past when deciding to engage in an act of kindness? These are the quandaries that Johnson’s short film throws into the ring. Alongside Burke, is Róisín O’Donovan who plays Tanya - a part-time prostitute and student, soon to be evicted from her flat. Her situation engenders little sympathy from a society bent on criticising the “youth” with their “Twitter”. Tanya represents a complex mix of youthful vulnerability and formidable survival chops, acknowledging her situation with the rapidity that comes with the modern generation. As we are shown glimpses of Joe’s history of violence (performed commendably by Maghnús Foy), the viewer is dangled by their feet as Charlo Johnson’s film renders them helpless. Our own prejudices are the feast which the players chow down on, Burke and O’Donovan seemingly gleeful in their onscreen personas, knowing that audiences are making systematic judgements which will be their own downfalls. Graceful performances coalescing amongst the dramatic flair of this unique and brilliant story. The use of smooth editing mixed with sharp closes ups, and a score that flexes when needed, is perfectly complementary to the tone of the film. At times the story seems mundane, Joe and Tanya chatting in his living room eating Value Digestives. But the pace quickly elevates, using fast cuts and speedy editing, giving the audience a nauseous feeling that all is not what it seems in this dark tale of misconception, deceit and survival. #PositiveDiscrimination #ShortFilmReview #ChrisOlson #SupportIndieFilm #UKFilmReview #CharloJohnson

Directed by Christopher McQuarrie Starring Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg and Jeremy Renner Review by William Baldwin The long standing success of the James Bond films since 1962 have undoubtedly influenced every action film that has come after them. You have the action sequences, the sexy ladies, and the exotic locations and so on. Mission Impossible possesses all of these owing a lot to the Bond films and was perhaps inspired by an action scene from one of the past bond films. In the James Bond film Octopussy bond rides a horse and jumps onto a moving plane that goes airborne, hanging on to the plane, whilst in Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol Ethan Hunt climbs onto a plane that also goes airborne, in both films the heroes hang on to it for dear life. Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and the IMF (Impossible Mission Force) are to be shut down. Hunt, after hearing this, goes AWOL from the IMF, and is aware that a group called the Syndicate (a sort of anti-IMF) has been constructed by former intelligence agents from across the world. The Syndicate leader Solomon Lane wants a change in the world as he is opposed to governments and the state. But what change is not clear. Ethan Hunt, a British intelligence agent (Rebecca Ferguson) and his rogue IMF members must use all their skills to try and stop Lane from accomplishing his goal. Tom Cruise once again shows he is not just a pretty face; he nails his part and performs most of his own stunts despite being in his fifties. Newcomer Rebecca Ferguson is not only very convincing as a British agent, especially in the fight scenes, but is the film’s main sex appeal. The film is surprisingly funny in parts, most of the actors show off their comic timing well. The funniest actor is Simon Pegg displaying the main comic relief, arguably stealing the show. Solomon Lane, the villain of the film, doesn’t really stand out, unlike previous incarnations of the Mission: Impossible franchise. A surprising factor is that music from an opera (Puccini’s “Turandot”) is central to the film. The opera is used as dramatic music for the scene of an attempted assassination. Melodies from the opera can be heard in the score throughout the film. Director Christopher McQuarrie certainly knows how to photograph an action scene and shows knowledge on how to build up suspense and intrigue which is needed for a spy film. It therefore is a surprise he has only directed two other films. The action scenes are ridiculously enjoyable. Like the thrilling opening scene when Hunt is holding onto an airborne plane. But the best has to be the motorcycle chase. So if you’re looking for expertly constructed action scenes then you won’t be disappointed. Although this is generally a favourable review, it has to be said that the finale is an anticlimax (and the villain’s death is a touch implausible) given what has happened before. You could blame the screenwriter (the director of the film), but don’t let this deter you from an exciting time at the movies! #MissionImpossibleRogueNation #TheatricalReleases #TomCruise #WilliamBaldwin #SimonPegg #JeremyRenner