★★★★ Directed by: #TanmaySrivastava Written by: #ZachBoynton and #JudiCarreon Starring: #AlainAzoulay Short Film Review by: Corey Bulloch Truth is stranger than fiction. The history of the world is vast and bizarre, filled with billions upon billions of memories and moments. Some lost, some immortalised, trivial and exemplary, through war and peace, love and death, the road map of the human species has seemingly seen and heard it all. This is why when I learned through this documentary that the government of the Republic of Nauru, a small island in Oceania decided to invest their economy and bet big on a west end musical production based on the life of Leonardo da Vinci I thought it was a glitch in the matrix. No matter how much we seem to understand about this world, there’s always something else to learn that will absolutely break your brain, though Leonardo the Musical is just a small piece to this vast puzzle. I knew nothing about the island of Nauru but its story is tragically familiar as The Lost Paradise is an efficient and educational film that charts the downfall of a country. Running at nineteen minutes, director Tanmay Srivastava and writers Zach Boynton and Judi Carreon impressively break down the history of Nauru from its discovery to the modern day. Themes of colonisation, industrialisation, enterprise and corruption encompass the film as Nauru’s rich phosphorus deposits in the early 20th century led to great wealth. This wealth soon ran dry and forced the island’s government to make extreme unethical decisions for survival. Srivastava presents this film as a cautionary tale in the squandering of resources as Nauru today finds itself a husk of what it used to be due to greed and cruelty. Financial fraud and human rights abuses mar contemporary Nauru’s history in The Lost Paradise, a direct result of those made powerful wanting to hold onto their wealth. The island has been ravaged by this selfishness and is a harrowing example of poverty. The filmmakers present this timeline of events with the same candour as a historian, the professionalism clear in the editing and scripting of the film. While I’m sure there is much more story and detail to tell, The Lost Paradise serves as a compelling summary. The majority of the film is composed of archival footage; newsreels and reports covering everything from phosphorus mining to refugee camp abuses. There are talking-head interviews but they seem to be accompanying the footage so the filmmaker’s presentation is woven together by the narration from Alain Azoulay. We get glimpses of the state of modern-day Nauru and how its precarious future as the land has become inhospitable and its citizens suffer. It’s bleak but Srivastava and his team layout with clinical prowess how this came to be, The Lost Paradise is a warning to the audience, not a salvation. #CoreyBulloch #shortfilm #documentaryshort

★★★★ Directed by: #PaulVerhoeven Written by: #DavidBirke, #PaulVerhoeven Starring: #VirginieEfira, #DaphnePatakia Film Review by: Alex Matraxia At the core of Paul Verhoeven’s new film Benedetta there lies an intriguing dilemma: how can a nun attracted to another nun also claim to be the bride of Christ? This dilemma doesn’t necessarily find resolution, but its tensions manifest in the dramatised life of Benedetta Carlini (played with restrained madness by Virginie Efira), a 17th Century nun who had a love affair with fellow nun Bartolomea. Verhoeven’s film draws from Judith C. Brown’s book Immodest Acts, a biographical and critical text about Benedetta; both book and film shed light on the forms of religious performance that enabled women greater social and erotic agency in a time where, as one nun informs Benedetta, “Your body is your worst enemy”. Ever since being a child, Benedetta saw herself a vessel of the Lord. A scene from her childhood shows the child praying by a statue of the Virgin Mary. The statue falls and nearly crushes the child, who finds spiritual nourishment in the statue’s breast, which she sucks as if it were her mother’s. Another nun comments that the child’s survival was something of a miracle, and from the start we are aware that there’s something unique about Benedetta. Fast forward to young adulthood, Benedetta is still a devout and obedient nun - until the arrival of a young woman pleading to join the convent, Bartolemea (Daphne Patakia, who brings naivety and spiteful mischief to the role). Mutually acknowledging their physical attraction for one another, Benedetta falls prey to a series of erotic hallucinations, where Christ (like some white knight saviour) tries to tempt Benedetta back into heterosexual devotion. However Benedetta tries to bring both desires together, accessing divinity through her love for Bartolemea (perhaps best illustrated by the Virgin Mary figurine which Benedetta uses as a dildo). Her behaviour is later shunned and punished by papal official, the Nuncio (Lambert Wilson) and the convent’s Abbess (Charlotte Rampling) - at which point human and spiritual relationships collide. Benedetta asks directly, Who decides what God wills for us? Who decides what is and is not Love? Throughout the film, we never quite know whether Benedetta’s miracles are sincere or bogus. She makes claim that Christ pierced her hands and feet, marking her as his bride, but soon there is evidence of self-harm. With an hint of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, accusations build into mob mentality and hysteria. We are forced to probe our own suspicions, as to whether Benedetta is a true mystic, a social-climber, or an unhinged mind unable to reconcile her carnal desire with her devotion to Christ. While the film falls into moments of sensationalism, it is also a powerfully nuanced exploration of love, hate, ambition, faith, and the shifting power dynamics where pain and pleasure blur together (Verhoeven surely had sadomasochism in mind when shooting scenes of religious self-flagellation). Lesser films have tried to explore similar territory through nightmarish mysticism (Rose Glass’s aggressively banal Saint Maud), but Benedetta is a carefully devious movie, where we slowly sink into its world of apocalypse and delusion, asking who among us can fairly pass judgment?

★★★★ Directed by: #DeclanCurran Written by: #DeclanCurran Starring: #DeclanCurran, #SandraBrown, #JohnMcIlail, #RosamundMonteith Short Film Review by: Emily Davison Nick, the only son on his family’s farm, aspires to be more than his traditional roots but lacks the confidence in expressing his ambitions to his family and friends. Shine (2021) is a short eighteen minute drama filmed in Bright, Northern Ireland and has won numerous awards, including First Time Filmmaker at Cannes World Film Festival and Best Acting Debut for Declan Curran and Best Actor in a Short Film for John McIlmail. The film tells an uplifting tale of a young man restricted by his upbringing to branch out and follow his dreams and break into show business. The short exhibits sharp, crisp cinematography in the beautiful picturesque filming location in the fields amongst the livestock. We meet Nick in the opening shot as we slowly zoom out as he speaks about moving on to better things, which cuts to the herd of cows he has been addressing and effectively establishing the current life he leads as the farmer’s son. This is then followed by a satisfying montage of Nick going about his farming duties with his loyal collie, Sally, bolstered by a positive, energetic guitar piece playing in the soundtrack. Director, writer and star Declan Curran makes a strong impression both behind and in front of the camera, giving a sincere endearing performance as our young lead with a bright look in his eye. We learn how he secretly desires to become an actor, but fears how his hidden desires may disgrace his traditional family and friends. The short includes realistic and charming supporting characters to add gravitas to Curran’s themes of duty contrasted with desire, with one of Nick’s friends from work expressing his wish to open up a bistro and learn to cook, which the other laughs off as unrealistic. Nick’s father, Johnny (McIlail), whose reward for his performance is particularly impressive considering he has very little screen time, also represents the devil on Nick’s shoulder. He is a pessimistic presence in the film, deep set in his ways and becomes easily irritated when his son is not present to help on the farm, whereas Nick’s mother Maggie (Brown), represents the silver lining as she is secretly thrilled for her son when he leaves one morning to attend a casting call, clearly supporting his dreams. A great supporting character, Bernie (Monteith), who Nick meets in the local church, bestows a few words of wisdom from an ageing woman who never could follow her ambitions and acts as the catalyst for Nick’s decision to leave. The underlying message of anyone being able to follow their dreams if they put their mind to it and take a leap of faith is both heartfelt and touching, if perhaps a tad impractical. There are a few noticeable editing errors in the short which do distract, but not enough to affect the positive tone and message. In earlier shots, there is a slightly unnatural hazy glow to the sunrise coming through kitchen windows and appears a bit oversaturated, although this could genuinely be the way sunlight appears in Ireland. A later shot can be forgiven for difficulty in capturing dogs at the right moment, but a clear reverse shot presents Sally looking up to Maggie once Nick has left, which was clearly reversed to have the desired emotional outcome. Although these mistakes are noticeable, they are only minor inconsistencies in an otherwise solid film. Overall, Shine is an inspiring short with a hopeful message for those facing barriers in their efforts to follow their dreams and displays nice direction, with a terrific cast of characters. Hopefully Nick passes his audition! #EmilyDavison

★★★ Directed by: #SteveHerold Written by: Steve Herold and #JamesLPalmer Starring: #KevinKolack, #PatriciaDamon Short Film Review by: Corey Bulloch I love the tonal misdirect that opens Waimea, we begin in black and white as the main character Rick goes from one foreboding location to the next. Hospital, funeral parlour, edge of a pier, it is clear he’s not having the best day, added up by the sombre look on his wife Vivian’s face when he arrives home with melancholy music playing over the whole sequence. After a conversation with the neighbours implying tragic news, the couple goes inside their home, and as Rick goes to speak Vivian punches him straight in the jaw. From that point on, all bets are off as Waimea reveals itself as a sweet little screwball comedy about beating the crap out of the love of your life. The catalyst to all this being that Rick after a drunken bender celebrating their ten million dollar lottery win can’t seem to remember where he hid the ticket the next day thus prompting Vivian to take a more “physical” approach to jog his memory. While the filmmaking of these hilarious fight sequences can be clunky in places, Herold’s direction and terrific editing (differentiated by the editor’s credit of Burt Oregano) easily win you over. Great visual connective cuts marry the past to the present, my favourite being past Rick falling asleep on the pavement drunk; then cutting to present Rick lying on the kitchen floor, clearly having been struck in the face by the shattered keyboard beside him. Through these little moments past and present, we get the sense Rick and Vivian have that standard sitcom formula marriage; he’s a clumsy oaf, and she’s the long-suffering brains of the operation but they do genuinely care about each other. Both Kevin Kolack as Rick and Patricia Damon as Vivian are having a blast in their roles, they may not be the most realistic characters but their enthusiasm in the action and comedy is a treat to watch. They are the key to selling Herold’s screwball cartoon tone as the wackiness never stops, but the two maintain a sentimental through-line that keeps the film from going off the rails. Exemplified by the use of colour in flashbacks and black and white in the present, typically a creative choice that is done in reverse. Herold and cinematographer John Mastriano visually display how Rick and Vivian are moving in the wrong direction, while all the pieces of past and present add to the whimsical riot of Waimea there’s this extra layer on how these two characters need to find their right path again. That way back though looks pretty peculiar though as the final minutes roll out a sequence of Rick and Vivian reaffirming their love for one another in the middle of a brawl with a wealthy gentleman dressed just like the Monopoly Man. Looking back, I’m surprised Herold held back in having Batman “POW” effects or cartoon birds flying around Rick’s head as Waimea becomes so delightfully goofy by the end. Strange and short but not without its charm, there's some awkward execution but plenty of moments to this sweet screwball comedy that will have you laugh out loud. #CoreyBulloch #shortfilm

Filmmaker Interview by Chris Olson Thanks for chatting with us. What were the origins of Babs Production? Babs Production Ltd. was established in 2019 by Saniya Sajjan as an international and creative film production company, offering Michael Bowen, and other directors and producers an outlet for their movies. The origins of Babs Production come from the love of cinema of the grandfather of Saniya Sajjan. Her grandfather used to be an important investor on the Bollywood scene which inspired Saniya as a child. Later, in her life when Babs Production comes to life Saniya decided that she would like to produce music videos which open her passion to filmmaking. Through compelling storytelling, Babs Production connects an idea, a vision to the very people it’s been designed to serve. They produce world-class content with a focus on original, exciting stories, a place where ideas can be nurtured and produced in an exciting space with both new and established collaborators. So far Babs Production has created three music videos and three feature-length films in various stages of production. What is your role within the production company? My role at Babs Production is a Project Manager. Despite the absence of that role on film production teams, a closer look at the responsibilities of a project manager and producer shows the similarities of the two roles. Project Manager defines as ‘the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet the project requirements.’ Similarly, a producer is usually responsible for taking the project from development through to production and distribution. The key responsibility of the producer is to secure funding, create an environment where everyone else can garnish and excel, while steering the film project from beginning to end by bringing together all the required elements and talents. Similarly, to the project manager, the producer is often the first person to get involved with the project. Producing a film can be a complex venture and many different people are involved. People like, scriptwriters, actors, directors, production and post-production crew, investors, bankers, broadcasters etc. marketing, sales distribution, and others. What can you tell us about the films you have products? We have produced two films titled ‘Placebo’ and ‘Kin’ both productions are entertaining brain teasers that will leave you on edge of your seat. We are also in pre-production for our upcoming film ‘Unmatched’ a dramatic thriller that considers relationships and lasting impact of a person. How is your process different to other production companies? We create personal stories and bring them into life, we believe in giving young talent opportunities in front and behind of the camera, developing relationships with them and helping them grow as an artist. Where can people view your films? We are in the process of looking into theatrical release and online platforms. What do you think the challenges will be for the film industry in the next five years? Maintaining an eco-friendly workspace on set. How do you plan to address these? We will follow eco-friendly methods on set such as recycling anything we use and using second-hand props. Find out more about Babs Production here. #ChrisOlson

★★★★ Directed by: Ti West Written by: Ti West Starring: Jocelin Donahue, Tom Noonan, Greta Gerwig, A.J Bowen and Dee Wallace Throwback Film Review by: Rachel Pullen The House of the Devil (2009) Film Review Do you like the many shades of tan and brown? Do you like polyester and landlines? Do you like being tricked by pizza and witches? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then have I got the movie for you! Yes, it’s that time of the week again, where we delve into the many, many horror films that I LOVE, because I’M IN CHARGE, and advise…not force, you to watch in the lead up to the Halloween season, and today’s offering from the horror gods is, of course, the one and only The House of the Devil. It’s the 70s and our leading lady Samantha needs some coin because she is in college and is broke and like all good gals in the ’70s, she decided to take a babysitting job that she sees advertised because that is the only job college girls did in the ‘70s. Once she gets there she finds out there are no kids but this old dude and his wife are like ‘’hey, can you look after this old lady that lives upstairs, don’t worry you don’t see her, and don’t try to see her, but make sure she is alive and shiz, but once again, no need to see her, also eat pizza, you must eat pizza’’ and she is like, errrrr no and then he gives her more cash and because she is strapped, all those worries fade away, and she stays…ahh the power of money. After much pizza eating, she orders a ‘’pie’’ (as the Americans call pizza, no America, it already has a name, it’s pizza) and then she feels all gross because the pizza is drugged! And soon she wakes up in a pentagram and the old gross people are back with some old witch and they are doing fun rituals on her, trying to put devil seeds all over her. Samantha is like 100 years younger than these old crockpots and she breaks free and slashes her way around but her inside lady parts have been hurting and soon the old dude is like, your preggo with the devil and the moon is red and that witch is running for mayor so…’’. And while I have condensed a more complex storyline into something that sounds somewhat bonkers, this is a movie that is insanely beautiful, although it was made in 2009, if you didn’t know this, you would be convinced that it was made in the 1970s. The attention to detail in this movie to capturing the style of that time is one of the best I have ever seen on the big screen. From costumes, camera angles, music and credits, The House of the Devil does not miss a mark, its perfection regarding ‘70s horror homage cannot be overlooked, and even with its somewhat mad storyline, there is no denying the quality of filmmaking that the team behind this movie have produced. So, snuggle up on your bean bag, and enjoy a throwback that makes you believe that you can afford and house and use a landline all over again. What have we learned this week I hear you scream? Pizza is pizza, pie is pie Babysitting is the cornerstone of the ‘70s economy And the moon is trying to impregnate you. #RachelPullen

★★★ Directed by: Sean Baker Written by: Sean Baker and Chris Bergoch Starring: Simon Rex, Bree Elrod, Suzanna Son Film Review by Robert Stayte Sean Baker is one of many noteworthy indie directors to emerge in the 2010’s, being set apart from the mainstream by his utter devotion to realism in stories and casting, as well as a specific focus on people that fill positions like porn acting and prostitution. Films like Tangerine, Starlet and The Florida Project are excellent examples of his style, and Red Rocket continues in this trend to lesser yet still good effect. Small town Texas sees the return of Mikey Saber (Simon Rex), former porn star and compulsive liar. He forces his way back into his wife Lexi’s house and seeks to gain employment, ultimately seeing the perfect opportunity for success in a relationship with a young girl nicknamed "Strawberry" (Suzanna Son). Your enjoyment of this movie will depend on whether you enjoy watching Mikey, because to call him a scumbag would be an understatement. His attempts to gain personal power and success are so sleazy and manipulative that at a certain point you outright want him to fail. Whilst Baker’s prior protagonists were figures he clearly had empathy for, Mikey gets little. He’s thankfully not glamorised and also not shown to be any kind of cool/tough/sympathetic figure. That being said, it’s hard to emotionally invest in such a terrible person, so dialing back his bad qualities might have made for a character that was easier to latch onto. But given the unsympathetic nature of the main character, the film is hard to invest in overall, especially as the ending blurs the line between satisfying and abruptly ambiguous. It’s a funny movie and thankfully not bleak or disturbing, but do not expect a typical comedy-drama. Thankfully, the rest of the characters are engaging and are generally helped by fantastic acting from an unknown cast. The standouts are lead Simon Rex and Suzanna Son. Rex is an incredibly entertaining performer, adding a lot of (surface level) charisma to Mikey, not to mention actually nailing some dramatic scenes using pure facial acting. This is definitely a star making turn for him. Son matches him well and has an innocent quality yet also a maturity that manages to slightly offset the creepy relationship she shares with Mikey. Sean Baker’s direction is strong. The visual look captures the grit of rural Texas with added grain yet smooth camerawork. The editing is excellent, as the transitions are snappy, and no scene outstays its welcome. The sound design is sometimes a flaw as dialogue can on occasion be both loud and inaudible, but that might be due to the yelling and overlapping more than the sound work. Red Rocket is held back by a lack of investment, but it is still a good look at a side of America we rarely see, sporting an audience-challenging main character with strong enough presentation to be worthwhile.

★★★★ Directed by and Written by: Kenneth Branagh Starring: Jude Hill, Jamie Dornan, Caitriona Balfe Film Review by Robert Stayte Whilst Director/Actor Sir Kenneth Branagh has made a wide range of films, his background in Northern Ireland has not been depicted by him at all. Until now, as Belfast is him telling a fictionalised account of his own childhood, which seems to be a filmmaking rite of passage due to it’s commonality (Roma, American Graffiti, Almost Famous are examples). It manages to be one of his stronger films in recent memory. In Northern Ireland during The Troubles (specifically the late 60’s), chaos and rioting is erupting. Child Buddy and his close family are dealing with these circumstances, being caught between staying at home and leaving the country altogether. His father (Jamie Dornan) and mother (Caitriona Balfe) are in a conflict over this, with several other personal situations going on as well. Belfast does have a central conflict, but it is just as concerned with side stories and even brief scenes of a childhood in progress. However, the script manages to tie them together and pay them off enough to make you feel like you’re not watching a lot of pointless scenes. Whilst Branagh’s personal story is clear, it’s one that most likely many people will be able to relate to in some fashion. Even the ending is pretty understated and perhaps a little quick, but it’s sincere in it’s emotions. It’s also visually beautiful, with the black and white cinematography mostly working to invoke the memory of the time. Not to mention, the brief uses of colour have many potential interpretations and stand out because of the moments they are pared with. Van Morrison’s soundtrack also helps with the nostalgic feeling, whilst also being nice to listen to on its own. Branagh also gets many strong performances out of his cast. Jude Hill does a great job for a first-time child actor, being a good and cute anchor for the story. Caitriona Balfe does emotionally raw work and Hinds/Dench are both charming and heartfelt in their respective roles as Buddy’s Grandparents. Jamie Dornan isn’t quite as good as the others but he’s still likeable and captures that nice dad energy. If there is one major flaw, it’s that a lot of the dialogue was hard to understand. This is either just a fault of the natural Northern Irish accents or a genuine fault of the audio mixing, but regardless it’ll be something that could be a struggle for anyone seeing this film at a cinema. Most of the (important) dialogue is understandable, but many lines weren’t, though this could vary from person to person. Belfast is an emotionally effecting and enjoyable crowd-pleasing watch that will hit home for many viewers and serves as an honest and sentimental work for Branagh.

★★★ Directed by: Daniel de la Vega Written by: Alberto Fasce, Gonzalo Ventura Starring: Mariana Anghileri, Arturo Bonín, Diego Cremonesi Grimmfest Film Review by: Darren Tilby Sadly, I found On the Third Day to be a disappointing little flick: it’s bristling with good pedigree and promise and is one of the more visually stunning films I’ve seen. Unfortunately, its extraordinary cinematography and beautiful Gothic aesthetic belie a shallow movie, one light on substance or meaning or shocks. Cecilia, a young mother fleeing an abusive partner with her young son (Martín) in tow, comes a cropper one night on a quiet rural road when she’s involved in a car accident. Three days later, she emerges alone from a disused building, having remembered nothing and without Martín, and wanders across the darkness of the country night, until finally finding help in a small petrol station and being taken to hospital. An increasingly terrifying string of events and realisations follows, leading Cecilia to the truth of what happened that night. Mariana Anghileri wows with her sublime performance in the lead role of Cecilia as she swings from a delirious vulnerability to a sinister countenance over the film’s 85 minutes. There’s a solid supporting cast and a range of engaging, if occasionally underused, or poorly developed characters – Gerardo Romano’s killer priest, Enrique, for example, is never satisfactorily explained – to keep us invested in the story’s resolution—at least for the most part! The thing is, On the Third Day is a very slow-paced film, which would be fine, except the payoff here isn’t good enough to warrant the time it takes to reach it. And this isn’t a long film, not by any means. But there are extended periods of very little happening and even less context for why those things have happened when they have. At least until the finale, from which comes a dump of exposition, sluggishly explaining what we’ve already figured out for ourselves. Indeed, weak narrative writing is the agent of On the Third Day’s woes; and it does cause a not-unsubstantial number of problems throughout the film. However, while the film lacks in this area, it excels in others: the sound design is excellent, as is the editing, and Mariano Suárez’s cinematography, with its macabre gothic charm, represents one of the finest examples of its kind. The film’s makeup is superb; the whole thing works together brilliantly to give the movie the feeling of a rich and sumptuous cinematic indulgence. Hence, despite its shortcomings, there’s a lot to like here, and I’m quite aware that On the Third Day has been very well-received—I’m happy that’s the case. But, for me, it just didn’t quite live up to my expectations.

★★★ Directed by and Written by: Ana Lily Amipour Starring: Jeon Jong-so, Kate Hudson, Craig Robinson Film Review by Robert Stayte Ana Lily Amirpour has defied convention by not allowing herself to be stuck into a certain mould. Despite debuting with the unique Iranian vampire tale A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, she went in a different direction with her follow-up The Bad Batch, fully committing to her strange vision of a neo-western. Her latest film is once again a swerve into a different genre altogether (the grounded fantasy), with simpler yet well put together results. In New Orleans, Mona Lisa Lee (Jeon Jong-So), a young woman with psychic powers, escapes from a mental institution and goes on the run. She runs into colourful characters like gang member Fuzz (Ed Skrein) and stripper Bonnie Belle (Kate Hudson), whilst on the run from Officer Harold (Craig Robinson). She stays at Bonnie’s house whilst the police continue to look for her, eventually forming a connection with Bonnie’s son Charlie (Evan Whitten). Unlike Ana’s prior films, this film takes a more straightforward and easily accessible route to its destination. On the one hand, it would have benefitted from more backstory for the lead character, as Mona Lisa stays unknown all throughout. On the other hand, it makes for a tightly paced and enjoyable sit that does not waste any time. Not to mention, a few of the characters are actually somewhat 3 dimensional, with Bonnie's understandable yet self centred nature or Harold's put upon antagonism being well rounded traits. Amirpour’s unique imagination is present in her direction, as the world is a heightened version of our own. It’s brought to life by the excellent soundtrack and visuals, both of which are beautiful. Pawel Porgorzelski makes the night life of New Orleans attractive and picks good camera angles. Not to mention, the unique sense of humour that shows that Amirpour isn’t taking it entirely seriously. Whether it be Mona’s usage of her powers or Bonnie’s introduction, which is the funniest scene in the film. The acting is fairly good all around. Kate Hudson delivers one of her most entertaining performances in years, giving the character of Bonnie a new York accent so emphasised that it is also cartoony. Ed Skrein follows suit, playing a hip street criminal with a weird accent. Craig Robinson is cast effectively against type as the regular impotent inspector Javert type, but the standout is surprisingly Evan Whitten, who has a lot of presence and charisma, managing to be the secret heart of the film. Jong-so is okay, though she’s too held back to have any stand-out moments, she does do a fine job at being slightly off and weird. Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon is another entertainingly weird effort from Ana Lily Amirpour that might even win over non-fans of her prior works, even if it could have benefitted from a stronger lead. Whether it's an introduction to her work or not, it's worthwhile.

★★★★ Directed by: Pablo Larrain Written by: Steven Knight Starring: Kristen Stewart, Timothy Spall, Sally Hawkins Film Review by Robert Stayte Director Pablo Larrain’s recent effort based on a famous woman of history, Jackie and Kristen Stewart’s fame both seem individually like the right setup for a take on the infamous Diana, Princess of Wales. Collectively, they have created a film that sets out to be less a biopic and more of a “fable based on a true tragedy” (as the film says at the beginning). It’s successful as such. Over the course of the three days of Christmas, Princess Diana (Kristen Stewart) goes to Sandringham House with the rest of the royal family, including her husband Prince Charles (Jack Farthing) and sons William (Jack Nielen) and Harry (Freddie Spry). Behind this celebration lies an unhappy marriage, a controlling family and Diana’s own insecurities. Spencer is a surprisingly weird film, with a whole bunch of dream sequences and fantasies that almost give the film a gothic ghost tale vibe. However, there is actual context to the strangeness, as the story revolves around Diana’s mind unravelling and her obsessing over the past, whether that be her own or Anne Boylen’s. These scenes are especially prominent in the final act, which does start to lose coherency but becomes clear upon reflection. Diana herself is shown to be a young girl at heart that desires free will but is constantly undermined from getting it. The only genuine connections she has are with her children and Maid Maggie (Sally Hawkins). Spencer does go for emotional distance a lot of the time, but towards the end there is a cathartic (yet also bittersweet) sense of relief. Technically speaking, the cinematography works at making the environment feel like both a beautiful expansive world and a prison to Diana, mainly by utilising a lot of wide shots and close-ups, typically only going for standard medium shots when Diana is having a decent interaction. Jonny Greenwood’s score is once again intense and well composed. Kristen Stewart transforms into this character and uses her voice and body language to create someone who has a sense of class but is constantly on edge and unhappy. Her accent is flawless and she carries much of the film. The rest of the cast are solid despite not having huge roles, with Nielen and Spry especially having good chemistry with Stewart. Spencer is a refreshing entry into the historical drama/biopic genre that does go for broke in embracing atmosphere over narrative, but tells a compelling and emotional story, held up by a central performance that will further prove Kristen Stewart’s acting prowess.

★★★★ Directed by: #PeterMiddleton, #JamesSpinney Written by: #PeterMiddleton, #JamesSpinney, #OliverKindeberg Starring: #JeffRawle, #PaulRyan Film Review by: Alex Matraxia There’s perhaps no icon who embodies cinema more than Charlie Chaplin; and yet we often conflate Chaplin The Man with his character The Tramp, confusing real for reel. Directed by Peter Middleton and James Spinney, The Real Charlie Chaplin delves into the man beneath the moustache. Instead of finding a singular man, this documentary embraces the fact that Charlie Chaplin will always evade us, as a man, a phenomena, and as a myth. At the height of his fame, Chaplin was impersonated left-right-and-centre: ‘Chaplin fever’ spread through the world, through toys, costumes, even look-alike contests. It seems that Charlie Chaplin could never exist as just one person. There is an element of Walt Whitman’s “I contain multitudes”. Piecing through rare audio-tapes, footage and dramatised reenactments, the directors recount Chaplin’s rise and fall, imbued with an almost Greek sense of tragedy. The pinnacle of Chaplin’s career, surrounded by a sea of fans, is later juxtaposed by his exile in Switzerland - the vacancy of the mountains appear beautiful but lonesome, like an empty auditorium. Chaplin’s loss of audience (his reputation tarnished by the FBI amid the Red Scare) would be detrimental to him; as a comedian, cutting him off from his public seemed as lethal as a severed artery. Some of the film’s most poignant moments display the Chaplin family’s home-movies, where an elderly (almost unrecognisable) Chaplin broodily passes through his estate and gardens, until a camera is turned on him. When facing a lens, the old man transforms back into a mischievous imp, as well as a man trapped in his lost grandeur. Footage of Chaplin playing tennis alone quickly conveys his underlying, dreadful loneliness. The documentary fully humanises Chaplin, his cruelty on full display, his Hitler-like megalomania, his disturbing attraction to younger women, especially teenagers. Rather than disqualify his work in light of his flaws (or vice versa), the film allows all sides of Chaplin to co-exist, recognising that within that enormous cult of personality lies drastic imperfection - and what else could we expect? Chaplin is an operatic contradiction: comedian, orator, dancer, monster, philanthropist, activist, vindictive and generous. The documentary sometimes wonders off into vague territory, into generic Chaplin trivia, and it may have benefited from posing more concrete questions. Nonetheless there are moments of devastating insight, uproarious laughter, and there is a freedom where we are permitted to walk away and draw our own conclusions from that irresolvable question, ‘Who was Charlie Chaplin?’