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The Mourning Of film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Natalia Villegas, Julio Cesar Cedillo directed by Merced Elizondo. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Mourning Of Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: May 29, 2025 Directed by: Merced Elizondo Written by: Merced Elizondo Starring: Natalia Villegas, Julio Cesar Cedillo A short drama written and directed by Merced Elizondo and starring Natalia Villegas and Julio Cesar Cedillo. As the title suggests, this film is about loss. Maribel (Villegas), a young woman who is attending one funeral after another. This is not because many loved ones have passed away. It is because she is dealing with loss and has decided that going to funerals might heal her emotional wounds, might help her deal with her grief. So she repeatedly goes to funerals of strangers and blends in, offering her sympathy to the attendees and experiencing the service, much to the disapproval of Tomas (Cedillo), a priest who is aware of her unconventional activities. This is certainly an unusual and intriguing story: a person who has lost someone believes that going to funerals will help, whether that is to mourn, to deal with the loss, to make themselves feal better by comforting the mourners and be comforted by them, or maybe all of these. As interesting as this seems, it is also shocking and questionable: why would a person decide to relive an event (funeral) that acknowledges the end of the life of a person that they cared about? It seems irrational that someone who is mourning would willingly and repeatedly go through the same procedures that they went through when their loved one passed away. Why would they want to relive those painful moments? Perhaps thinking about this is what makes the plot of this short stand out. Regarding the technical side of things, the film gains a lot thanks to the wonderful cinematography by Matheus Bastos and the creative editing by Jonathan Cuartas. The audio elements are another plus, containing pipe organ music and the addition of Lacrimosa by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ave Maria by Franz Peter Schubert were great choices. Maribel is quite an intriguing character and she is the center of the story. She has suffered a devastating loss and does not appear to know how to handle it. For months, she has been attending funerals of people she did not know and going through the same experiences and as a result, in some ways, she seems to be stuck in time. A terrific performance by Villegas clearly shows the heavy pain she is dealing with. Tomas is very uncomfortable with her actions, however, he is sympathetic towards her and tries to convince her that she needs to stop what she is doing and move on. Loss is a key theme here, particularly the complexities of dealing with loss, along with self-reflection and moving on. A heavy drama about the issues of having to face a loss. The film examines an unusual way of mourning and does not seem to determine whether that way is right or wrong. The final message might be that sometimes, people resolve to uncommon solutions in order to make themselves feel better. About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Last Deal film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Anthony Molinari, Jeffri Lauren, Mister Fitzgerald, Sala Baker directed by Jonathan Salemi. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Last Deal Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Aug 28, 2023 Directed by: Jonathan Salemi Written by: Jonathan Salemi Starring: Anthony Molinari, Jeffri Lauren, Mister Fitzgerald, Sala Baker A marijuana dealer finds himself in deep trouble after a deal with criminals goes wrong. Vince (Molinari) was enjoying a happy life selling illegal cannabis in Los Angeles. However, after the drug became legal for recreational use in California, things became tough for him and he is refused a dispensary licence. Desperate, he enlists the help of his associate Bobby (Fitzgerald) and the two of them decide to buy a large amount of marijuana from a group of Armenians. Still though, in order to pay for it, they borrow a large sum of money from dangerous people and after they are double-crossed by the Armenians, the two unfortunate dudes must repay the borrowed money within a week or else. This feature is a race-against-the clock thriller that is set against the backdrop of the legalisation of cannabis in California. The screenplay does a good job in exploring the characters and their situations and in telling an intriguing story filled with suspense, gansters, tense situations and...marijuana. The general concept is heroes-owe-money-to-bad-people-and-must-pay-them-quickly and most of the narrative involves Vince trying to figure a way to get himself out of this mess with the help of several connections, including a pilot and a cannabis grower. Tension gradually picks up as the story progesses and the final act is quite exciting, with shootings and characters getting killed. The script also concentrates on Vince's private life, including his relationship with Tabitha (Lauren). Vince makes an interesting protagonist. He is a well-meaning guy who knows the cannabis business inside out and wants to live a decent life with his kind-hearted partner. Bobby is pretty much his sidekick, a heavy who also has a good nature. The gangsters' boss (Baker) serves as the antagonist, along with his gang of ruthless and deadly thugs. Salemi delivers some great aerial shots of Los Angeles and director of photography Dominic Lopez provides beautiful cinematography. Praise also goes to composer Tony Fiala for the atmospheric music. Basically, this is a crime thriller and a love story about characters having their lives threatened and having to get themselves out of harm's way and it is an interesting and enjoyable viewing. However, the film is also a commentary about the legalisation of marijuana and explores friendship, desperation and the idea of moving on to better things. About the Film Critic Jason Knight Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Full Moon Fathers film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring Michael F. Hayes, Paul Sacchetti, Stephen Croce directed by Sean Cranston. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Full Moon Fathers Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Apr 20, 2023 Directed by: Sean Cranston Written by: Sean Cranston Starring: Michael F. Hayes, Paul Sacchetti, Stephen Croce The Full Moon Fathers combines a grizzly biker setting and supernatural brutality, with a chunk of lingering familial trauma to create a survival horror thriller that never quite finds its midnight hour. In 1979, a biker gang are hiding out in the woods whilst on the run from the cops. After setting a devastating trap which ends the pursuit of the law, the gang leave to celebrate. But when one of their members Chip (Tim Roberts) ends up grievously injured in unknown circumstances, members of the group start to wonder whether the threat comes from one of their own. Little do they know that a much darker external presence hunts them – one with a link to a member’s dark past… Riding the dissipating wave of Sons of Anarchy’s biker boom, The Full Moon Fathers is an extravagant and enjoyably ruthless horror, but one that gets muddled by far too many characters and a diluted focus on some initially intriguing plotlines. The film raises a number of different premises – a dark force from the past re-emerging, a rift in the gang between rival factions, a police force hunting the group to bring them to justice – but none of these ever really take the mantle of the primary story. The supernatural danger gets most screentime – and given this allows director Sean Cranston to have fun finding increasingly imaginative ways of blowing his cast into tiny pieces, this is at least an entertaining direction. But the various other strands both take away from this storyline but fail to really land their own memorable mark. There is the element of an anthology as different gang members get a focus. Paul Sacchetti’s Floyd gets a chance to shine as cracks and suspicions start developing in the group. Stephen Croce’s Reggie meanwhile acts as comic relief as a hard-partying delinquent who predictably ends up running into trouble. But whilst the cast give fine, if hammy performances, their limited screentime due to the group’s sheer size mean audiences will only be able to invest in a few of the members before the storylines pile up. There are some genuinely thrilling moments – particularly the film’s opening as the police seemingly close in on the group. A voiceover from the chief as his officers hunt through a foreboding forest is an impressively constructed sequence that will have viewers on the edge of their seat, and acts as an impressive switcheroo as to who the film’s protagonists are whilst establishing the gang’s nature. Cinematography throughout is strong and convincingly transports the film’s tone from that of a 70s biker movie to paranormal horror whilst still matching the story developments tonally, such as darkening the lighting and crawling the camera close to the characters to create a sense of claustrophobia at moments of high tension. The film never takes itself too seriously, and the often corny-looking visual effects therefore don’t seriously detract from the action. Ultimately for its flaws, The Full Moon Fathers is a fun and over-the-top grindhouse-style thriller that lives and dies on its impressively realised aesthetic and graphic violence rather than deep plot or thematic development. On these matters, it lands well. Though a more refined focus on one of its many plot strands may have served the overall film better. Watch the official trailer for The Full Moon Fathers here . About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Theatrical Release, Digital / DVD Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Blue Plastic Bag film review by UK film critic Swati Verma . Starring Bijan Karim, Alden Doyle, Nilufar Moayeri directed by Bijan Karim. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Blue Plastic Bag Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Swati Verma | Posted on: Jan 16, 2023 Directed by: Bijan Karim Written by: Bijan Karim, Alden Doyle, Nilufar Moayeri Starring: Bijan Karim, Alden Doyle, Nilufar Moayeri The writer-director Bijan Karim strongly believes in continuously looking within and rediscovering self to improvise on both the personal as well as professional levels in life. The short film-Blue Plastic Bag highlights the same through all three protagonists Armin (Bijan Karim), Lance (Alden Doyle), and Yasmin (Nilufar Moayeri). The plot of the movie revolves around Armin a loner who decides to divide his time between his mother Yasmin a painter and his friend Lance also a painter while his girlfriend is away. In the opening scene, the camera captures various slice-of-life moments from the life of Armin as the tracking shot is effectively utilised to showcase the mundane lifestyle of the central character. A series of mid-shots and close-up shots are used to portray the contrasting perspective of Yasmin and Lance on life, therefore, allowing the audience to better understand the nuances of the subject matter of the film. The set design, colour palette, and lighting. background music dialogues, costume, hair, and makeup have been kept natural to provide the viewers a sense of realism and relatability with the content hence increasing the degree of audience engagement with the content. The editing of the film gives a smooth movement of the narrative hence not breaking the element of continuity and the emotional connection of the viewers with the dramatic piece. In terms of performance, Bijan Karim plays Armin who goes through a tough time while making various decisions that make a lot of changes in his life so he wants to seek help from his loved ones. Karim utilises body language, voice modulation, and facial expressions to effectively communicate the range of emotions the character is experiencing. The actor knows how to balance emotions and logic and this is the very aspect that makes the audience hold on to Armin up until the climax of the film. Nilufar Moayeri plays the role of the mother of Armin who wants to safeguard her child from getting hurt and encourages him to find happiness for himself as it becomes the most important thing to survive the testing times. Moayeri with her portrayal brings the much-required experience to shape up Yasmin and put across her thoughts to uplift the storyline. The bond between Nilufar Moayeri and Bijan Karim assists in providing depth to the onscreen mother- and son relationship helping the filmmakers to deliver the key message of the creative piece. Alden Doyle as Lance with his excellent comic timing gives a refreshing take on the expectation of the younger generation from life as he lends his ears to the problems of his friend. Lance emotionally appeals to the viewers and they learn a lot of life lessons from him during the running time of the cinematic piece. Blue Plastic Bag talks about the importance of family and friends at all stages of life and one shouldn’t hesitate to ask for help in fear that he/she has grown up and should be dealing with the issues themselves. The short film tells us it becomes crucial to stay true to self and take care of the decisions made regarding the choices as one cannot make the mistake of losing his/her identity while complying with the rules and regulations of any relationship. About the Film Critic Swati Verma Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Peter Pan & Wendy film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Alexander Molony, Ever Anderson, Jude Law directed by David Lowery. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Peter Pan & Wendy Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Apr 28, 2023 Directed by: David Lowery Written by: David Lowery, Toby Halbrooks, J.M. Barrie Starring: Alexander Molony, Ever Anderson, Jude Law There’s reason to cheer for David Lowery’s latest effort for Disney, Peter Pan & Wendy . First of all, there’s Lowery’s vision. In the hands of the Green Knight director, Neverland has never looked so gorgeous. He finds ways to exploit the wonder, beauty and danger of this adventureland in a way that fits his lilting retelling. For the script, Lowery reteams with longtime producer Toby Halbrooks, who co-wrote the director’s previous Disney outing, Pete’s Dragon . Both of Lowery’s films for the Mouse only draw attention to the fact that the Ghost Story , Ain’t Them Bodies Saints and The Old Man and the Gun filmmaker possesses no sense of irony, cynicism or fatalism. He seems weirdly perfect for family films. And, like Jon Favreau’s wonderful The Jungle Book , Lowery draws inspiration not only from the original text, but also from Disney’s classic animated version. Snippets of songs from the 1953 musical are woven throughout, enough to give parents and grandparents some nostalgic feels. But do we need or want another Peter Pan story? Beasts of the Southern Wild director Benh Zeitlin couldn’t find an audience for his 2020 bayou adaptation, Wendy . No one went to see Joe Wright’s star studded, Hugh Jackman led 2015 musical, Pan . Maybe a more traditional telling is in order? One that weighs the humanity as heavily as the whimsy? Jude Law’s Hook offers surprising pathos. Never the campy pirate you may have come to expect, Hook is resigned to evil, his own pain a tender nerve just below the surface. It’s a dastardly but tender performance that gives the film a broken heart. At his side, Jim Gaffigan’s Smee – pretty ideal casting, although the character is underused. Ever Anderson offers a substantial Wendy Darling, and the Lost Boys are not necessarily boys but they are mischievously charming. The problem is Peter. Alexander Molony, thought cute as can be, is surprisingly lifeless in the lead. His highs don’t feel highs nor his lows low. His performance is neither cartoonish nor realistic. The character itself gets a bit lost in the adaptation, which holds focus on Wendy’s arc far more than Peter’s story, and Lowery doesn’t seem entirely sure where Peter fits into all this. It’s one of the more ingenious elements of J.M. Barrie’s novel – Peter Pan is not the hero or the villain, he’s more the iconic fool whose lack of arc helps those around him find their own. But Lowery loses his footing when he focuses on Peter, and though his adventure is truly beautiful, it feels a little unfocused and possibly unnecessary. About the Film Critic Hope Madden Digital / DVD Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Road Back film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring Tyler Joseph Cricchi directed by Daniel Castillo. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Road Back Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Mar 18, 2025 Directed by: Daniel Castillo Written by: Tyler Joseph Cricchi Starring: Tyler Joseph Cricchi In The Road Back , rapper Cricchi paints an emotional story of a man trying to rebuild his life after being sent to prison. A simple but well-delivered music video accompanies personal, moving lyrics to a song inspired by its creator’s real experiences. The video features Cricchi performing his song on a vibrant rooftop overlooking a city backline – sacred ground for heartfelt, rags-to-riches rap. Interspersed with the performance is footage of Cricchi’s story of homelessness, prison and drug addiction – before a recovery to the man he is today. The tone of both video and song is optimistic, even with the heavy subject matter, with a stated aim to help those who are in a similar boat. Truthfully there isn’t anything revolutionary in the production of The Road Back . The video covers ground personal to the performer, though it must be said that it is a (sadly) common enough journey to have been addressed in rap videos before. The settings of prison cell, suburban streets and sunset-rooftop also feature in more music videos than mid-2000s Ludacris, so genre fans will feel cosy in their surroundings. But no envelopes are at risk of being pushed. Whilst originality is in short supply, quality is not. The video is crafted and considered. The streets Cricchi walks bursting with life and authenticity to deliver a real sense of background to his story. The rooftop sequences allow for some experimentation with lighting – a jump between day and night shots in this setting acting as an interesting visualisation of the dark and light sides of his personality. The prison scenes are a little less inspired and lack the same dynamism as the rest of the video, unintentionally echoing the impact prison itself can have on an individual’s life. Cricchi’s performance throughout is natural, emotive and raw. The rapper has spoken about his aim to act as an inspiration through art and to act as a voice for the broken, and that aim is successfully achieved through both words and performance here. It takes courage to lay out ones’ failings and retrace old missteps, and Cricchi does so without feeling the requirement to implant false bravado or toughness. The Road Back is an effective if not outstanding music video, ticking all the boxes required of it and making sure its message lands with impact. The real boldness is in its accompanying song and the personal lyrics of its artist, with the video a vehicle for their delivery. In this it succeeds in allowing the artistry to shine. About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Short Film, Digital / DVD Release, Music Video < All Reviews Next Film Review >

V/H/S/99 film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Ally Ioannides, Sonya Eddy, Emily Sweet directed by Flying Lotus, Maggie Levin, Tyler MacIntyre, Johannes Roberts, Joseph Winter, Vanessa Winter. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS V/H/S/99 Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Oct 19, 2022 Directed by: Flying Lotus, Maggie Levin, Tyler MacIntyre, Johannes Roberts, Joseph Winter, Vanessa Winter Written by: Zoe Cooper, Flying Lotus, Chris Lee Hill, Maggie Levin, Tyler MacIntyre, Johannes Roberts, Joseph Winter, Vanessa Winter Starring: Ally Ioannides, Sonya Eddy, Emily Sweet It’s been a full decade since the first short compilation V/H/S hit movie screens with its conceit of a single videotape full of horror snippets. Several of these original bits were great, and the directing talent showcased some serious cinematic promise: David Bruckner (Hellraiser ) , Ti West (Pearl) , Adam Wingard (Godzilla vs. Kong ), Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (Scream ). There have been a number of sequels, hitting and missing through the last ten years, but 2021’s V/H/S/94 – with its clear timestamp and shorts from Jennifer Reeder (Knives and Skin ), Chloe Okuno (Watcher ), Timo Tjahjanto, Simon Barrett and others – generated renewed interest in the series. Wisely, the next installment also embraces exactly what homemade VHS tapes captured: a specific moment in history. For this installment, it’s 1999. Nickelodeon spewed goop at guests and cameras. The hip and entitled believed they and the music they listened to were punk. The internet made Jackass- style, testosterone-fueled idiocy acceptable. The incredibly popular film American Pie depicted the essentially criminal activity of young men as something to find charming. Those rascals! 1999 also saw the birth of found footage, so setting the new V/H/S film the same year as The Blair Witch Project makes good sense. A new crop of filmmakers seems to channel their own childhoods for five short films capturing the era. Among the highlights are Maggie Levin’s Shredding , which follows narcissistic teens and the unearned cred they flaunt (to their peril) into the site of a punk concert tragedy. Writers/directors Joseph and Vanessa Winter (Deadstream ) employ the same sense of fun with their short To Hell and Back . The charmer of the bunch, it depicts a couple of best friends hired to record a conjuring on Y2K, to bumblingly catastrophic results. Johannes (47 Meters Down ) Roberts’s Suicide Bid offers fairly predictable sorority hazing horror, while Tyler MacIntyre (Tragedy Girls ) turns the most repugnant part of American Pie into the horror it should have been. Neither short is wildly imaginative, but McIntyre does find a unique comeuppance. The Flying Lotus piece Ozzy’s Dungeon is imaginative enough for everyone. It’s not scary or especially funny, but it’s weird, and sometimes that’s enough. As with every V/H/S installment – and most short film anthologies, generally – the film hits and misses. None of the segments will stay with you the way Okuno’s Storm Drain from ’94 did. Hail Ratma! Still, it’s a quick, fun Halloween diversion. About the Film Critic Hope Madden Digital / DVD Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Blurred Lines (2024) film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring Mark Agar, Siobhan Aislinn, Robert Anthony Flynn directed by Mark Agar. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Blurred Lines (2024) Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Dec 5, 2024 Directed by: Mark Agar Written by: Mark Agar & Siobhan Aislinn Starring: Mark Agar, Siobhan Aislinn, Robert Anthony Flynn Blurred Lines is a film of contradictions. One that asks uncomfortable questions and addresses difficult and painful issues surrounding sexual assault in a manner that acknowledges complexity. But it is also one that feels tonally off and mishandles the approach to the story it really wants to tell. 6 friends gather for a house party on New Year’s Eve. Now older and in committed relationships, the gang look to let their hair down – but when someone’s drink is suspected of being spiked, suspicions arise about lurid pasts. With the night irrecoverable, hidden secrets begin to spill out until a much darker revelation emerges – the untrustworthy Lucas (Mark Agar) is accused of assaulting Chris (Siobhan Aislinn). Blurred Lines recounts a life-altering night for its ensemble cast – with the survivor story of Siobhan Aislinn’s Chris at its heart. Opening with her recounting of a traumatic event, the film goes on to explore how sexual assault and rape can be distorted amongst people who do not wish to believe. Every incident in a night, every drink, every accusation can lead to doubt being planted – even when the alleged attacker is known to be deceitful. Mark Agar’s performance as Lucas is dark and menacing – perhaps most disturbing in his protests against a label he is fully deserving of. The film’s ultimate problem however is in its journey to the central issue. The development of the party features the gang reminiscing and socialising until a suspected spiking incident which leads to Lucas and Brian (Robert Anthony Flynn) being locked away in a room upstairs – in what is a full-on unnecessary comedic detour from the main story and themes. There’s something to be said for refraining from black-and-white characterisation, but this section feels redundant and totally out of place. The spiking itself turns out to be something of a red herring in the plot – one that dilutes the spotlight on Lucas’ actions. The film is at its best when it is not erring towards ‘whodunit’ territory and tackles the issue of sexual assault head-on. The group dynamics begin to ruminate once Chris bravely accuses Lucas – and Agar and Aislinn’s script brilliantly and subtly shows how even friends can turn on each other in the most devastating way. The ‘blurred lines’ of the film are most prominent here, and it is clear that the filmmakers are capable of making powerful statements through the drama of the events that unfold. This is further emphasised with the closing sequence of the film – a nearly dialogue free moment between 2 central female characters that says more than almost any other scene. When Blurred Lines really locks in on what kind of film it wants to be and what kind of message it wants to say, it is moving and powerful. It is bogged down by too much filler and build-up, much of which bloats it far beyond what is necessary to communicate its point and upsets its tone – unfortunate considering its topic is one of incredible sensitivity. A much more focused approach would have served the script well, and allowed the performance of the cast and the powerful concluding scenes – the film’s undoubted highlights – to leave a much bigger impact on the viewer. About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Digital / DVD Release, Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Eddington film review by UK film critic Jack Salvadori. Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone, Pedro Pascal directed by Ari Aster. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Eddington Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Jack Salvadori | Posted on: May 17, 2025 Directed by: Ari Aster Written by: Jack Salvadori Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone, Pedro Pascal Remember the days when a sneeze was more feared than a gunshot? Ari Aster surely does, and Eddington is his chaotic love letter to those unhinged, hand-sanitised months. Set during the early Covid lockdown, the film isn’t really about the virus: it’s about what happens when mass hysteria, meme culture, and small-town ambition collide in a dusty corner of New Mexico and go absolutely feral. For a filmmaker obsessed with paranoia, fear, and dark humour, the absurdly enforced safety norms provide an ideal playground, with six feet of mandated social distance offering the perfect staging for Aster’s twisted choreography. Joaquin Phoenix stars as Joe Cross, the incompetent sheriff of Sevilla County, who views a face mask not as a public health measure but as a direct assault on his starred-and-striped freedom. Spotting kindred spirits in his unmasked neighbours, he seizes the moment, launching a wobbly campaign for mayor and transforming into the poster boy for America’s right-wing fever dream. But Aster doesn’t let the other side off the hook either, as white teenagers riot against their own privilege, lost in a vortex of performative outrage. His mockery is direct, his vision exaggerated, but the satire often feels more like a laundry list of contemporary chaos than a pointed critique. The craziness is accurate; the commentary, less so. The first half plays like a cursed Twitter thread brought to life: anti-maskers, conspiracy theorists, and BLM protesters all swirl together in a soup of satire and surface-level hot takes. But then, halfway through, the film mutates—into something bolder, weirder, and far more interesting. It stops regurgitating headlines and starts remixing them with actual imagination. And then there’s Emma Stone. Present, technically. Mostly relegated to the background, quietly reminding us she deserves much better than a thankless third-fiddle role. Eddington is ambitious, bizarre, and tonally unstable— but maybe that’s the whole point. Still, one question lingers: is it too late for pandemic satire… or too soon? About the Film Critic Jack Salvadori Film Festival < All Reviews Next Film Review >

2015: Future Uncertain film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Matthew Schmid, Alyssa Truszkowski, Zachary Uzupis, Samantha Russell directed by Justin Miller. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS 2015: Future Uncertain Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: May 16, 2025 Directed by: Justin Miller Written by: Justin Miller Starring: Matthew Schmid, Alyssa Truszkowski, Zachary Uzupis, Samantha Russell A sci-fi comedy feature written and directed by Justin Miller and starring Matthew Schmid, Alyssa Truszkowski, Zachary Uzupis and Samantha Russell. In 1968, a supernova created heatwaves so powerful that they stopped the planet's gravitated rotation. Now the year is 2015 and humanity is living with the consequences of this incident: there is never any night-time anymore and the atmosphere has become so heated that, in order to prevent their bodies from being overheated, people must frequently change their skin with what is referred to as a ''skin sack''. This process can also result in changing their sex. The protagonist is Leonard, a former space commander who is now living by himself in a cabin in the woods, where he works as an oral navigator, directing drivers to their destination via the equipment he has in his home. One day, a distressed stranger arrives at his place and passes away as he did not change his skin when required. Leonard discovers a bizarre note that the man had on him about a project named ''Future Uncertain''. Believing that a serious catastrophe is going to take place, he becomes determined to find out what it will be and prevent it. This black-and-white feature effectively presents a post-apocalyptic world: in order to avoid death, people must constantly wear a helmet and some sort of special clothing that prevents their bodies from overheating. Their behaviour has also changed, with them interacting with each other in ways that would make one think of some of David Lynch's films. And their current food consists solely of kiwifruit as it is the only edible substance that was not affected by the supernova. Regarding the plot, it is in the likes of a-person-discovers-that-a-terrible-incident-is-going-to-take-place-and-tries-to-stop-it, and as he attempts to do so, Leonard interacts with other characters that include Commissioner Ralph (played by Alejandro Morales and Melanie Rosedale) and Detective Condor (Darryl Charles) and also a device called ''Human Computer'' that operates like a Virtual Reality interface, requiring a headset. There is mystery, there is humour, there are interesting sound effects and music and things turn sinister with the appearance of robots. As the story takes place in a world where humans need to regularly change their skin and therefore their physical appearance, the character of Leonard is played by a number of actors (three actually), and they are Schmid, Truszkowski and Uzupis. This is an interesting concept that adds a sort body swap element to the story and (in some ways) makes Leonard into numerous characters. Although Truszkowski does a decent job, it is Schmid and Uzupi that stand out with their over-the-top performances, creating a surreal character who speaks awkwardly and has a unique way of walking. Russell also stands out as Leonard's former secretary, a friendly woman who behaves like him. Generally, the acting combined with the awkward dialogue creates a surreal atmosphere. The story is a commentary about mental health and isolation. It also explores themes involving courage, space exploration and contemplating the future. A post-apocalyptic sci-fi feature that seems to pay homage to Science Fiction films of the 1950s. It deserves attention as it provides an interesting way to experience sci-fi cinema. About the Film Critic Jason Knight Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Right Words film review by UK film critic Alasdair MacRae. Starring Yasser Osmani, Sanya Salhi, Aya Halal directed by Adrian Moyse Dullin. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Right Words Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Alasdair MacRae | Posted on: Nov 2, 2022 Directed by: Adrian Moyse Dullin Written by: Adrian Moyse Dullin, Emma Benestan Starring: Yasser Osmani, Sanya Salhi, Aya Halal On the school bus romantic but awkward teen Mahdi (Yasser Osmani) is peer pressured into asking out his crush, Jada (Sanya Salhi). Adrian Moyse Dullin’s short perfectly encapsulates the microcosm of high school, the awkwardness of finding one’s-self, of learning the rules of social circumstances, and of course, the perpetual threat of humiliation, exaggerated even more so by social media. Arriving on the bus to find his older sister Kenza (Aya Halal), and her friend Aïssatou, (Rama Ndongo) posting his private poems about his crush on Snapchat, Mahdi is already having a bad day. Kenza sees this as an opportunity to push him into asking Jada out, a move that seems a little too much for the socially disjointed teen as Jada does not even know who he is. Whilst Mahdi can see a level of risk in the endeavour he is still naïve enough to block out the potential downsides that we the audience can see. This is reflected in the combination of close-ups and shallow depth of field used to isolate characters within the frame despite the densely populated situe of a school bus. The intimacy is used to create both a sense of interiority and a romanticised style of looking. The core drama at the heart of the short can largely be reduced to managing the audience’s expectation of how Mahdi will fare in this significant coming-of-age moment. A moment that we know, through experience, he will carry with him forever. A timelessness and universality like that exemplified in the use of the stressful tempo of the Allegro of the Summer of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. However, we are not the only ones who see it this way, as the possibility of a very public rejection grows near Aïssatou feels a sense of complicity in her friend’s cruelty, finding herself arriving at a crossroads in their relationship. The given English title for this short is The Right Words , but the original French title Haut Les Coeurs , is a better reflection of the film, a phrase which loosely translates to “take courage!”. An intimate yet universal drama that plays on our risk-averse sensibilities and suggests that maybe it couldn’t hurt to be a little more naïve or romantic. About the Film Critic Alasdair MacRae Short Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Craftsman film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Devin Scott directed by Devin Scott. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Craftsman Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Oct 7, 2025 Directed by: Devin Scott Written by: Devin Scott Starring: Devin Scott A beautiful short animated film written and directed by Devin Scott about his great-grandfather, Felix Landis. Based on a true story, through animation, music and voice-over, this short provides a remarkable and inspiring account of the creative achievements of Felix Landis, a farmer in the United States with highly artistic qualities, with a particular passion for woodworking. The project revolves around Landis' decision to craft four violins out of different kinds of wood and make them stand out in the music world. The determined artist had this idea during the Second World War, when he was in his sixties and as wood was in high demand due to battle requirements, Landis decided to acquire four abandoned doors and make his violins out of each of them. Following an introduction to Felix as a person and artist, the film then explores the story behind each door that was used to the creation of each violin, where the doors used to be. For instance, one door used to be the front door to a prison and voice-over reveals some dramatic events that took place there. Also, Landis named each of his violins. Landis' story is very inspirational and the viewing experience is greatly supported by the animation, the music and the voice-over, all of which will be analysed below. If one word could describe the level of AI animation that was utilised in this film, it would be 'outstanding'. From start to finish, the viewer is presented with visuals of exceptional quality, with excellent colours and lighting. The animation shows a vast variety of people and environments, some examples would be a Wild West setting with gunslingers and a luxurious hotel during the late 19th century, filled with guests. To give an idea of what the characters look like, one should probably think of the ones in films such as Frozen . And of course, Landis is present as an animated character, shown primarily as an elderly man, working on his violins and playing them and becoming familiar with the impressive achievements of this person is very inspirational. The wonderful music perfectly accompanies the images, creating emotions that can either be heart-warming or downbeat. The score contains sentimental piano melodies and (unsurprisingly) there is plenty of violin music. Scott provides the voice-over, narrating his great-grandfather's story. It is stated that Felix recorded the backstory of each violin on a reel-to-reel recorder and his recorded voice is used to tell the four separate stories, accompanied by the visuals. So many themes are explored in this short. Having a passion, the significance of doors, how wood produces music, romance, war, capital punishment, Wild West, life during the 19th century, memories, craftsmanship, violins. Stories of joy, sadness, crime and love. So many things are acknowledged in this story that looks back at an individual's life and achievements. Fourteen unforgettable minutes that take the viewer on a magical journey. This film deserves massive praise and recognition. About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film, Animation < All Reviews Next Film Review >