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"Mad Men" Review by Chris Olson A disaffected yuppie looks for an exotic escape from the so-called “luck” of his life after being given the business card for a place called the “Punish Me Palace”. Stepping into the bizarre and disturbing establishment, our hero is shocked by the violent methods used to give patrons pleasure, however, a heart-to-heart with a whip-bearing dominatrix could prove the life-changing experience he was hoping for. There is a light-hearted yet macabre tone to Esper’s short film that delightfully complements the inner turmoil, and personal journey, of the main character Scottie (David Sackal). Whilst the dark intrigue of the Punish Me Palace is the setting for a literally rude awakening, moments of scripted comedy are used to adorn the walls, allowing an entry point for the viewer, who may otherwise be put off by the strong element of adult naughtiness. It is fantastic to see a pulsating theme running through this movie, at one point Scottie says “I feel like I’m succeeding down a path I don’t even want.”, which perfectly highlights the crisis point that is the foundation of this story. It's an idea that many audiences will relate to; growing up and being a “success” in society’s eyes may very well be the antithesis of your own measure of success. Scottie wanted to be a cartoonist, but now attends smoke-filled business meetings full of guffawing fat cats, silently aching to break free of the corporate chains that keep him in bondage. Seeking a different kind of bondage, the Punish Me Palace offers visitors a chance to absolve themselves of ill-feeling through sadistic methods. Scottie makes up some lies about himself in order to “deserve” a whipping, but ends up having a deep-and-meaningful with the whipper Michelle (Joanna Donofrio), where they find the answers to each other’s dilemmas through words not whips. Aside from a slightly too gothic musical score, Please Punish Me is an impressive short film. The performances are believable, offering up a decent array of balanced characters. Sackal does well to toe the line between comedy fool and dramatic lead, whilst Donofrio steals the ending with a strong and evocative portrayal of this troubled woman. The screenplay, written by Rich Camp, has a fluid professionalism that moves the plot along superbly. Chris Esper shows fluent directional prowess during the 15 minute run time, with each scene contributing brilliantly to this vivid tale of introspection. #filmblog #moviereviews #moviereview #PleasePunishMe #Review #ChrisOlson #film #critic #UK #Film #shortmovie #movies

"No use wine-ing about it" Review by Chris Olson A short film about the fluid nature of human relationships, C’est La Via is Christopher Rapalo’s swirling urban drama about a man and woman who meet in a wine bar, and their ensuing connection which becomes as fragile as an empty bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. Quentin Miras plays the male character, who we are introduced to sitting alone at a wine bar, enjoying a glass of red, when he is joined by the very pretty Marise Jimenez. The two feel a spark and the movie jumps six months to them enjoying a relationship and the comfort stage that comes with it. A few montages and cityscape transition sequences later and the whole thing has become corked, their once full-bodied vintage now a smashed bottle of Lambrini. *Getting light-headed from all these alcohol puns* Far from the most uplifting tale of a blossoming romance, C’est La Vie is a short film that offers viewers style and skill over plot and script. Rapalo brings out plenty of weapons in his arsenal of artistic filmmaking, delivering impressive technical effects and a visual platter of goodies. Language plays an important part in C’est La Vie, with Miras being English-speaking whilst Jimenez is Spanish, throw in a little French at some point and the whole movie takes on a very Cosmopolitan feel (okay, that reference was unintentional). In a film about the transient nature of our disposition, the performances fail to ground the viewer in the moment. Whilst the interaction between Miras and Jimenez shows some chemistry, and there are moments of thoughtful tension, the two become afterthoughts for a film making a larger point. Like a perfume commercial but without the celebrity endorsement. Wrapping up the movie with a T.S Eliot quote, it is clear that this is Rapalo’s vehicle, who shows himself to be a director with poise and style. Throughout the movie, clear and decisive intentions can be seen, offering bold commentary without delving into overblown, and unnecessary, dialogue. This is primarily a visual piece where every element has been carefully chosen to assemble into a striking picture for the viewer, one that intends to enrapture and move. Something which Rapalo does successfully. #c39estlavie #review #ukfilmreview #filmreviewsuk #filmblog #movieblog #shotfilm #filmcritic

“What We Do In The Shadows” Review by Chris Olson Monogamy - one of the scariest premises, but rarely used for the horror genre. Forget your cursed voodoo dolls and spirits from another world, you only need to look at a bitter married couple in order to find inspiration for a scary story. I may be being hyperbolic (especially as a married man myself so SHHH!), but this idea seems t Filmed entirely within the confines of an isolated house, bereft of lighting, where two characters are immersed in shadows - both literally and figuratively. Nick (Michael A. LoCicero) and his partner Jill (Susan T. Travers), are prisoners within this home, because outside lurks a tormenting presence that is never given a name or motive - allowing the audience to decide why it haunts our protagonists. Already dripping with tension at this volatile standoff, Nick and Jill increase the distress by going through an on-screen domestic, bickering about the best course of action. What becomes clear is that there is a tangible divide between these two people, whether metaphysical or otherwise. With a sincere dedication to the genre and a phenomenal artistry in his filming, Horn delivers a short film that will have you begging for more. Complemented by powerhouse performances from LoCicero and Travers, this is the type of movie that rarely comes along, short or otherwise. There is a focus to the whole thing, where every part of the mise-en-scéne has been delicately chosen, proof that Horn’s directorial strength extends beyond great storytelling. For some the darkness of the production could be unappealing, but this atmosphere beautifully represents the terrifying banality of our own insecurities, and is captivating in its bleakness. Within five minutes this couple is torn apart before our eyes (not literally, in case you suffer from nausea), they are ripped from the seams by a difficult situation, and all we are left with is the gut-wrenching notion that the foundation of human relationships is built on unsure footing. Aside from a slightly irksome soundtrack, They’re Closing In is about as close to a perfect short film as you can get. #shortfilmreview #ukfilmreview #chrisolson #They39reClosingIn #Review #moviereview #moviereviews #UKFilm #supportindiefilm #indiefilmreviews

Review by Chris Olson Most people’s experiences of bus stops are far from glamorous. I think I speak without hyperbole when I say that almost every, single bus stop in the UK has an immovable fragrance of urine and at least one man who wears a pigeon as a hat. However, this short film from Jamie Sims captures the beautiful possibilities that present themselves to us every day in our lives, if only we let ourselves engage with them. Sitting at a bus stop one day is Henry (Sam Underwood), a young man carrying a box of his belongings from the job he has just been fired from. Alexa (Valorie Curry) joins him on the bus stop bench, on the phone to her boyfriend whom she is in the middle of a domestic spat with. After an awkward introduction of Henry pretending to listen to music on his phone as to not impeach on Alexa’s private call, the two start chatting and realise that they are both in what most would call a bad point in their lives. However, deciding to look at the world on its head, Henry and Alexa choose the path more sunnier and go on a sightseeing tour of…Woking. They enjoy a freedom which comes only from meeting a stranger, a freedom without any personal baggage. However, like most bus routes, the end of the line is never a pretty sight. With a dedication to character and script, Sims delivers an embracing and enchanting tale of two sitters. The chemistry between Curry and Underwood will hook you in, and their poignant tale of fate and chance will keep you seated at all times. The two characters seem captivated by the other, revelling in the unknown and mystery of the situation, which makes for a very enjoyable short film. Curry in particular delivers a remarkable performance, splendid throughout. There is a depth of emotion to the framing which invokes a very intimate feeling, capturing these two offset strangers with perfect balance. A lovely sprinkling of music from Ursine Vulpine intertwines the scenes, giving the tone a nostalgic element which reinforces the timelessness of the plot. The conclusion may leave some feeling overcharged for this journey, but I for one would like to see a return trip (by which I mean a sequel, sorry, these bus metaphors are getting out of hand). It is a vibrant and life-affirming film that captures the essence of spontaneity, without feeling too clichéd. #filmblog #moviereviews #moviereview #BusStop #ChrisOlson

Review by Chris Olson "Will-power" Set in a seemingly normal household, an aging man called Jim (Bingo O’Malley) is facing the morbid task of getting on with dying. His daughter encourages him to write a will, whilst doctors want him to take lucidity tests, and as if this wasn’t disturbing enough, Jim’s stability is threatened by vivid hallucinations during the night that haunt him with his life’s regrets. There is a supernatural vibe to this intriguing drama that fits perfectly into the shadowy atmosphere created by writer and director Barak Shpiez. Evocative and suspenseful, Inheritance is a movie that demands the viewer’s attention. Adrienne Wehr, who plays Jim’s daughter Laura, is a wonderful accompaniment to O’Malley’s powerhouse performance, both delivering captivating scenes that have ferocious dialogue, and an underlying sense of friction that perfumes the movie like an old-people smell - but in a very good way. Some of the framing has a soap-opera feel, making the short film feel slightly at odds with its premise and atmosphere, however, when the shots are of a thriller/horror style, that is when Inheritance comes into a windfall of its own. Light and shadow are used particularly well, allowing the nature of Jim’s deterioration to be picked up visually, whilst giving pathos to the story as a whole. Fans of supernatural thrillers and intense dramas are in safe hands with Shpiez, who gets the most of out his cast and crew - in particular O’Malley who is a phenomenal watch. #UKFilmReview #ChrisOlson #ShortFilmReview #ukfilmreview #review #Inheritance #filmblog

"Freakin' Deadbeats" Review by Chris Olson A zombie comedy where you are the passenger on a ride through living hell. After the world is declared an undead disaster zone, one perky taxi driver is attempting to ignore the danger signs, and keeps going about his daily business. Dorman (Robert Clohessy) is a foul-mouthed cab driver, whose salt-of-the-earth approach to his clientele is, lucky enough for him, not the most off-putting aspect of his passenger’s lives. With a large quantity of zombies roaming the streets, Dorman still finds enough fares to keep busy, putting up flyers for business whilst liberally cursing the undead inhabitants in a wonderfully curmudgeonly way. Some of those who get in Dorman’s backseat are just as peculiar as the rotting walkers, one woman in particular (Deborah Twiss) gives a spectacular rant about men and her hatred of her husband - all while the car is being surrounded by zombies. Clohessy gives a dedicated comedy performance, navigating the fickle line of dark humour with an abundance of expertise. His rantings and ravings are some of the highlights of this short film, and his character is delivered in a way which will leave most viewers gagging for a feature length outing. Emily Jackson plays the femme fatale who just may be Dorman’s downfall, offering a brilliantly twisted ending that will get some big laughs. There is a fantastic score by Taylor Bradshaw during this movie, which perfectly compliments the farcical nature of the plot and keeps the tone convivial. Transition sequences are joined by plonking melodies, giving the viewer a sense of an everydayness, which is Dorman’s ultimate ambition. This is a very enjoyable crisis-comedy, wonderfully steered by Debra Markowitz, whose clever and accessible story about the undead is brought to life with fantastic filmmaking prowess. There is no ambling or unnecessary filler, keeping Dorman’s antics short and sweet, whilst moving the plot along with several brilliantly sculpted scenes. The variety in the framing of the shots is a visual treat, in particular a high-angle shot of the taxi driving into the distance whilst a zombie slowly follows. There are some throwaway lines that could have been given more thought, but there is a light heartedness to the script that forms a lot of the short film’s charm, which overpowers any such criticism. Overall this is a killer comedy that deserves a generous tip from its patrons.

Film review by Chris Olson Stalking has become an everyday lifestyle habit, like yoga or coupon collecting. But the digital methods (Facebook, Googling) lack that personal touch - remember when weirdoes had to actually call you up? Breathing heavily down the phone like a sexually aroused asthma sufferer. Well, this short film from Adam Theroux is a throwback to the old ways, with Jacoby (Dan White), a textbook shut-in who fixates on a television actress called Rebecca (Wensday Greenbaum), tormenting her with his bizarre displays of affection. There is a delightful symmetry to the roles Rebecca plays on television and the soap-opera style drama that ends up engulfing her home life. Melodrama oozes in every scene, with an operatic score that highlights the outrageousness of the plot and the characters. Jacoby, a man who seems to have gone off the deep end and fully embracing of his “madman” persona, drives most of the scenes, with White delivering a particularly effective portrayal of the emotionally volatile, and cerebrally unstable, loner. The Final Obsession takes on a collage style, bringing in scenes from Rebecca’s acting career, some of which Jacoby twists into disturbing renditions of his own fantasies where he plays the leading man. The obsessive nature of his delusions, and the ramifications for Rebecca, are potent and maintain a deep threat level throughout the short film. Greenbaum delivers a worthy turn as arguably the most unlucky woman in the world, going through a bucket load of distress in twenty minutes with a great deal of poise. Moments of comedy are scattered about the place with reckless abandon, and side characters serve up a few throwaway lines, but most of this is just distraction. It is the more bizarre scenes where Jacoby fantasises about his perfect life with Rebecca (told through a series of scenes from her movies) that are the most compelling, whilst the intimate dialogue between Rebecca and her cheating husband seems clichéd and unimaginative. Luckily the film’s tone of cheap television camouflages the shallowness of this. The direction is consistent and engaging, but Theroux keeps pitches his tent too deep into farcical comedy-land, with sinister moments being drained of their power by a reliance on depicting the characters as foolish cartoons. Jacoby is a splendid creation, served up well by White, but his story seems squandered by a genre choice that irks. #ShortFilmReview #MovieReviews #FilmCritic #filmreviewsuk #TheFinalObsession #review #ChrisOlson

Review by Chris Olson Full of stark visuals and a haunting score, Mike Messier’s atmospheric short film takes an artistic route without much thought to destination. Two women, seemingly in the throes of a beautiful connection, spend time holding hands and embracing in longing looks with each other across wooded landscapes, whilst a sinister element threatens. There is a naturalistic element to the movie, something that Messier does well. Keeping the tone of the film consistent throughout whilst offering a picturesque and compelling array of cinematography (Chris Hunter as Director of Photography) - which builds and releases with great tension. The movie finishes with a quote from Zhuangzi about the nature of consciousness and our perception of reality. This, accompanied with the abstract feel of The Nature of the Flame’s plot, offers wide interpretations as to the intentions of the filmmaker. With only a few lines of script thrown in, the performances are largely movement based. Lindsey Elisabeth Cork at times seems to float on screen, a serenity in her posture that captures the existential nature of the film, whilst Jocelyn Padilla’s character feels more grounded in the world, a perfect counterbalance. The whole thing feels like a perfume commercial at times, but there is also a ballet of entwining bodies and limbs that coalesces before the viewer - engaging them with nuances and stares, allowing a more versatile thought-process to develop, especially when the visuals turn more sinister. Fans of visual artistry will find themselves in capable hands with Mike Messier, and the graceful poise of Cork and Padilla will enrapture viewers with a penchant for modern high-brow films. That being said, expect to come away with no clear story or themes, just a collection of insinuations and suggestive filmmaking that may or may not swirl in your brain after the film finishes. #UKFilmReview #ShortFilmReview #TheNatureoftheFlame #ChrisOlson #FilmCritic #MovieReviews

Like a clip from Children in Need or a more harrowing version of a John Lewis Christmas advert, Matchstick Girl (a modern adaptation of the Hans Christian Anderson story), a short film directed by Joann Randles, is swimming in emotive visuals, evocative music and a vulnerable protagonist. Set on the snow-strewn streets of Manchester, a homeless girl (Joely Mae Greally) wanders the town looking for warmth - whether from a loving family or wrapping up in layers of winter clothing. As the story builds to a hauntingly inevitable climax, the isolation that this Matchstick Girl feels is overwhelming, lying on a cardboard box in an alley with only the vision of a loved one to keep her company. Randles (who also wrote and produced this short film) chooses to finish her film with a quote from The Children’s Society about the huge amount of children who runaway from home in the UK every year - one every 5 minutes. With such a heavy cause as the foundation, the tone was always going to be tender. And indeed, the earlier likenesses mentioned in this review certainly come to mind when watching, especially with such minimal dialogue which lets the brutal visuals do the talking. Given the budget for this film was only £400, there is a lushness to the cinematography which will compel and move most viewers. Each frame is deep in emotion and rich in connotation, so that whilst heartstrings will be yanked like a Christmas cracker, there is also an intelligence behind the filmmaking that will give the audience plenty to take away and mull over. There is a slightly irksome use of society’s aggression towards homeless people that comes out from a few of the nameless strangers whom our Matchstick Girl literally bumps into. At one point a small girl yells at her “What are you looking at?”, which came across as an overreaction and unusual for a girl of that age. Perhaps the point of these moments was to reveal the general public’s hateful attitude towards the homeless, but the real terror comes from apathy - not aggression. As this girl wanders the streets, or sits on a bench surrounded by the milling crowds, there is no one looking for her! All these eyes fail to see her suffering and situation, which is the most poignant revelation. Randles offers up some harrowing and effective filmmaking and spectacular use of visual storytelling, whilst setting a wholly evocative mood within seconds of the short film starting. Overall, the lead performance is subtle and unobtrusive, perfect for the tone of the story, which carries the viewer from a firm start to a moving, if predictable, end. #shortfilmreview #matchstickgirl #UKFilmReview #ChrisOlson

Review by Amaliah Sara Marmon-Halm A whirlwind of intensity from the start, The Rat tells the tale of a police stakeout over a known drug dealer named Sanchez. With tech-paranoid associate in tow and another supposedly scoping the scene, the cops have to get what they need to nail their man. The only problem? While they have illegally bugged out the drug den, a rat within the force keeps Sanchez one step ahead. Paranoia, suspicion, gun-pointing and intrigue ensue as the detectives fight amongst themselves to find out who the rat is. Whilst the detectives fight amongst themselves, will they get their chance to finally capture their target or will the tables turn and leave them exposed and in the firing line? This short film has all the thrill, intensity and drama of a feature length, condensed into 7 minutes. This truly is a great feat and keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next. Ending on a cliff-hanger, where you don’t know whether they live or die, you are left to fill in the blanks with your own imagination. You know you are watching a well-made short when it leaves you wanting more and wishing it was that little bit longer. #TheRat #shortfilmreview #ukfilmreview #filmreviewsuk #amaliahsaramarmonhalm