★★★ Stars Directed by: #FerdinandoCitoFilomarino Written by: #FerdinandoCitoFilomarino, #KevinRice Starring: #JohnDavidWashington, #AliciaVikander, #VickyKrieps, #BoydHolbrook, #PanosKoronis Film Review by: Alicia Moore Beckett, directed by Ferdinando Cito Filomarino, follows the titled character (John David Washington) as he travels to Greece with his girlfriend (Alicia Vikander.) After a devastating car accident occurs, Beckett finds himself caught in the centre of a dangerous political conspiracy and must run for his life in hopes of finding somewhere he can finally be safe. As one would expect from the BlacKkKlansman and Tenet star, John David Washington gives an engaging performance as Beckett. His talent and attention to detail paired with wonderful direction in terms of characterisation allows this character to grow expansively throughout the duration of the film. His performance is bursting with intensity; his vehemence is transferable to viewers and I can guarantee that you’ll feel exhausted in the best way possible once the credits start to roll. I’m not sure about you, but my favourite films are those that drain me — films that make you feel so much within the limits of running time that it’s as if you are the character’s companion along the way. There’s a difference between this and being totally immersed in a film though; Beckett intrigued me enough to be able to attach myself to the characters and keep my eyes on their every move, however, because of the film having many different components that aren’t developed in greater detail, it’s hard to describe my intrigue linking with an immersive experience. The story is interesting and not complicated to follow but it’s just… a lot, with no sense of a wider perspective to chip away at. Although, being left with kind of an ‘anticlimax’ can be seen as a well thought out choice since it showcases how horrid and intricate the world of politics and conspiracy is and, as unfortunate as it may be, staying true to real life confusion, distrust and harm. Beckett immediately dives into the bond shared between the character and his girlfriend April, opening with a scene of them skin to skin in a loving, quiet manner. Through naturally written dialogue with a balanced lack of straightforward context to their conversations, their personalities and how they fit together as a pair shines beautifully within the first ten minutes of the film. It was surprising to have the ability to acknowledge a buildup of this kind so quickly, and also to see most – if not all – of this just through how the actors interpret the dialogue and how they interact with each other onscreen. Although their relationship isn’t necessarily the core of the plot, the strong emotions felt in this short beginning gives viewers a heavy rucksack of emotions to carry as they sprint alongside Beckett following the accident. Action sequences and the repercussions of such violence are messy which gives an overall feel of refreshing realism. Beckett is simply a tourist in Greece, he isn’t trained to fight as his day job back home. A lot of the time with plots of this kind it seems to be forgotten that characters caught in a crossfire situation aren’t built to protect themselves with ease. The refreshing element comes straight from the fact that Beckett’s movements are constantly tangled and lacking the force needed to stop him from spilling any blood. The sequences are still incredibly coordinated but in a way that portrays the character accurately. There are many moments when Beckett decides to take ‘leaps of faith’ with little hesitation as his body plummets to the ground; another superb addition to characterisation. His fight or flight mode is obviously activated and taking over his senses as he is being shot at for a reason unknown to him, but he is also unfazed by the unknown state of his existence as he jumps from a cliff to escape. A perfect mix between protective instincts taking over and the grief he hasn’t had time to process – he has the instinct to survive but, after the trauma he has already suffered in the car accident, does he really want to? Lastly, I refuse to leave out a mention to the great musical work of Ryuichi Sakamoto. The tracks used in the film are vastly different from each other and don’t follow a certain vibe or theme that films like Oblivion or Interstellar have. Instead, I discovered that each track seems to match the emotion of Beckett in that particular scene. The diversity of the music flows with the range of frantic emotions Beckett feels as he tries to process the situation he has found himself in. Beckett, now streaming on Netflix, provides an enjoyable thrill with some truly terrific performances and a brilliant list of recognisable names throughout the crew as well. The positives here do somewhat outweigh the negatives in my opinion which is something you don’t get to experience fairly often in film.

★★ Directed by: #CJJulianus Written by: #LorrisaJulianus Starring: #LorrisaJulianus,#MickeyOSullivan, #ShannonBrown Film Review by: Emily Davison Art History PhD dropout-turned-dominatrix, Ava Moriarty (Julianus), only has thirty days to repay a massive loan to her mobster ex. She is forced to win the heart of Episcopal priest, Father ‘Dracula’ Radovan Markovic, who is unwittingly hiding the world’s greatest lost painting. Will she fall for him or destroy his life? The Misadventures of Mistress Maneater (2020) is a US indie romantic comedy, with a dash of film noir and action thrown in on the side. Produced by Binary Star Pictures, the feature was filmed in the Chicago suburbs and northwest Indiana and certainly gets off to a rocky start. Although the premise is intriguing, the finished product is rather unremarkable and pacing does lag in many areas, especially during the first act. The plot definitely becomes more engaging later on, however, the film seems to meander from one scene to another with barely any setup for the strong female lead and her associates. Initial character development is poor, but does improve once things really get going and our romantic leads become more entwined. It is the classic will they/won’t they, with crime antics thrown into the mix. The plot remains fairly unpredictable for the most part and it was difficult to see where everything was leading to, including a couple of welcome twists and turns. The cinematography doesn’t have anything particularly noteworthy to offer, which is perfectly understandable considering its lower budget and the humour is certainly a mixed bag. Many of the jokes feel unoriginal, with text notifications coming through on Ava’s phone accompanied by juvenile sound effects and her feeling the need to speak her line of text for the audiences’ benefit. Julianus is the clear star of the show, giving a delightfully dynamic and electric performance as Ava. She shares great chemistry with her co-star Mickey O’Sullivan and both are given good opportunities to demonstrate their talents. There are some questionable performances from other background extras, but Shannon Brown as Gabe lit up many scenes with his warm charisma. Although The Misadventures of Mistress Maneater exhibits two solid performances from its talented leads, it is let down by a flimsy first act and not enough substance to justify its emotional screenplay. #EmilyDavison The Misadventures of Mistress Maneater (2020) trailer:

★★★ Directed by: #DanielKeeble Written by: Daniel Keeble Starring: #LilyStreames, #JosephCaroll, #JosephineMelville Short Film Review by: Corey Bulloch It seems just like any other morning, especially for Kirstie as she bursts into the early morning clad in a fishnet top, scruffy pink fur coat and blue bob wig. Chatting away on her phone, Kirstie brags away details about the crazy night before, and we get the sense this is just business as usual. Writer-director Daniel Keeble keeps everything grounded yet gripping, so as the film's surreal elements come into play, VIA[DOLO] doesn’t lose sight of Kirstie’s journey. There is a haunting quality to the environment of VIA[DOLO]; a coastal town at dusk, early fog and fatigue reflected through empty streets. The creeping isolation of Lily Streames’ Kirstie walking home incorporates the eerie aesthetics of liminal space, made more unnerving by her constant accosting by an invisible force. Keeble’s direction allows interpretation on what Kirstie’s journey exactly represents, but perhaps keeps some elements too vague, as it is difficult to decipher the payoff to the film’s finale. Though Lee Lawrence’s cinematography and Streames performance definitely keep you engaged in the film’s potential meanings. VIA[DOLO] meaning to travel solo but also sounding similar to Via Dolorosa, the path that Christ took to the crucifixion. Kirstie may subconsciously be seeking spiritual reassessment, a forceful wake-up call to her seemingly self-destructive and aimless behaviour. The film has no explicit religious imagery but Kirstie’s walk finds herself confronted by an invisible force and mysterious figures, whether they be figures from her past or other lost souls is not made clear. VIA[DOLO]’s main strength through Keeble’s script is having every element no matter its narrative clarity be immersive and rife with interpretation. The scene of Kirstie meeting the other characters in the alleyway is probably is an excellent example of how layered Keeble and company craft the film. Visual treats of costume design, two of the figures being twins, the moment of eye contact between Kirstie and a tall imposing man named Stayne along with Joseph Caroll’s dialogue on how Kirstie needs ‘saving’ just enriches the audience's imagination. I personally saw VIA[DOLO] as a story of lost souls who encounter Kirstie by chance and regard her state with curiosity and pity especially through Josephine Melville’s dialogue stating Kirstie won’t find salvation where they are. Keeble seems to put down all the pieces and asks the audience to put together the puzzle as they see it, certainly not a bad method to engage with the film. Upon rewatches I saw scenes in a different light, building upon my interpretations and it only increased my appreciation for the fine work of the cast and crew. VIA[DOLO] is a gorgeous film through Lee Lawrence’s camera work especially in its establishing shots and the final scene on the beach. Though the film can’t escape the feeling that a piece or two is missing as the certainty that Kirstie finds in the ending can’t be shared with the audience as the film tries to recontextualize the events in a manner that only leaves one scratching their head. Though the confusing nature doesn’t dilute the overall effect of a compelling piece that highlights great talents in Keeble, Lawrence, Streames and the whole crew. Trailer: #CoreyBulloch #shortfilm

★★★ Directed by: #JeffCorpening Written by: #JeffCorpening Starring: #EmilyTynanMcDaniel & #CamilaEscobar Film Review by David Richards This Anthology of three short films has similar themes and narratives to that of Black Mirror, featuring short punchy ideas that could be interpreted as surreal horror/drama. It’s fair to say that most criticism is formulated as an overall view of all films as a collective. Firstly, the premises of each short seems well formulated and creative offering a new perspective to situations as well as surreal twists to everyday scenarios. Not only are they short and to-the-point, but they also achieve an understandable narrative in doing so. The motion of physical drama is poorly executed lacking a natural flow. This tends to lead to a cheesy performance. The performances throughout the majority of shorts are mediocre and stale and yet with such an ensemble of cast members, it distracts you from pointing out any particular weak performances. This could be due to bad directing or in being such snappy films, the actors found it difficult to understand their characters in such a short script. The cinematography is satisfactory, but the vignette ruins the first act. The colour of cinematography is adequate throughout, however some selections of shots chosen feel amateur and unnatural. This could be down to the pace of editing or simply because the directing of photography lacks creativity. Locations have been chosen well and carefully, aiding the production designers in immersing their audiences into the narrative world. The sound design is inconsistent having many moments of poor execution from onset recording to post-production editing. This usually comes from an obvious ruffle of clothing or sound levels becoming un-even. This can be evident in all three parts, some worse than others. The pace of editing is sometimes slow and unnecessary but mostly clean and well finished. If improved, the edit could furthermore exaggerate the performance and suspense within the mise en scene. Some animation is detailed and yet unrealistic. Such style would be more suited to that of a video game. Although the overall consensus of this anthology of short films appears to be amateur and poorly executed, that isn’t to say there aren’t some good takeaways from these productions. A particular favourite of mine is (what I call) the time travelling theatre actress. Now this short has the most potential not only for its unique premise and good performances, but also because the editing style throughout shows the creative spark that is possibly missing from some of the other shorts. The way the sound designers blend the diegetic sound of violin with the soundtrack is a great example of their potential in filmmaking. In addition, the hooked man scene in part 2 also show quality in in stunt directing while using VFX. These films have lots of potential stemming from very creative scripts while the quality of filmmaking is clearly improving over all three parts and over time. I look forward to seeing what Jeff Corpening et al strive for next

★★★★ Written and directed by: Prabhakar 'Meena Bhaskar' Pant Starring: Anjali Patil, Sharib Hashmi, Abhimanyu Singh Film review by William Hemingway Right from the off in My Client's Wife you may be forgiven for thinking that you've travelled back in time. The title card fades in on top of the ubiquitous red curtain then fades out again to allow the dramatic tension of the music to take over as we watch a lone ambulance hurtle along the empty streets of an Indian prefecture towards its destination – the hospital. The whole scene is reminiscent of something from fifty years ago and more and it doesn't stop there. Through the initial set-up we watch as a woman clad in a niqab packs her things, burns some papers and then sets up a camera to deliver her 'confession' as all the while there are mumblings and shufflings from upstairs. The music builds and screams at us that something truly horrifying is happening before we leave the scene and the narrative begins in earnest. If you didn't know any better you'd swear you were watching an episode of Columbo or Murder She Wrote, or at least an Indian version of these, as you then try to piece together the mystery in order to get back to the titillating reveal which was shown at the beginning, hopefully now with a manilla folder full of knowledge and a much broader perspective on what just happened. The protagonist in this crime thriller is not so much of a detective though, as a lawyer for the accused, Raghuram Singh (Abhimanyu Singh) who has been arrested following the assault of his wife, and which has garnered him charges of 'half murder'. Singh tells his lawyer, Manas Verma (Sharib Hashmi) that all is not as it seems and that his wife Sindoora Singh (Anjali Patil) has a fetish, nay obsession, for controlling men, so he should be very careful when trying to find out the truth of the situation. Naturally Raghuram claims his innocence and questions his wife's fidelity in his defence, planting the seed that a proper investigation is warranted, an investigation that we as the viewer are only too happy and interested to take part in. As the film progresses and more tidbits are thrown into the mix we also get to see writer/director Prabhakar 'Meena Bhaskar' Pant's directorial style unfold, constantly buffered and blustered by the overbearing soundtrack of Sanchit Balhara. It is then that we realise we're not watching a procedural crime drama from the 70's at all but actually a Hitchcockian suspense thriller from the 50's and 60's. Everything, from the framing of the shots, to the editing of the scenes, to the lighting and photography, to the tense oppositional dialogue within close quarters, all scream Hitchcock to the viewer while Balhara does his best to channel his inner Bernard Herrmann through his suspenseful overtures. The narrative takes a Hitchcockian turn too, as more and more is revealed about the main characters and large sexual overtones are glibly thrown around. What started as something quite kitschy and camp then becomes something far more dramatic and dark. We learn, along with Verma, through carefully constructed black and white flashbacks, the varying truths about what happened that fateful day. Raghuram tells his story, Sindoora tells hers and the seemingly incidental character of the cable guy even gets to tell his. This 'Rashomon effect' probably owes more here to Gone Girl than Kurosawa's classic but either way it builds an engaging second act that really brings the viewer into the story, leading us by the nose to spot the inconsistencies and see if we can piece together ourselves the real truth hiding within. But we can't. It's almost impossible to figure out what's actually happening in the Singh's lives until it's revealed to us in the last fifteen minutes of the film, and it's here where My Client's Wife will live or die in the minds of most viewers. At no other point in the film does the narrative drag than just before the reveal, and then when it does come it may completely turn off those who have spent the last hour and a half waiting for it. For my money it fits well into what's been shown previously and Pant seems to have worked very hard to make sure there are no glaring inconsistencies in his own narrative, no matter how far out it may seem to some. What Pant has created here is more of an homage than anything new. He borrows heavily from Hitchcock's work, most notably Psycho, using a mainly singular location and espousing overt sexual themes, but when was that ever a bad thing? For a first time feature director, making an indie film on a small budget, there are far worse decisions that could be made than aping a silver screen legend. For 95% of the film the viewer is treated to engaging, well constructed and well shot cinema which should satisfy for the entire time it's being watched, however that might all change in the last few minutes depending on the viewer's reaction. The main problem that My Client's Wife has is that you won't know whether or not it's the type of film you'll enjoy until after you've seen it. #WilliamHemingway

BFI JAPAN COMES TO BIG SCREENS UK-WIDE THIS AUTUMN Following an online launch on BFI Player in 2020, the BFI’s major celebration of Japanese cinema arrives on big screens UK-wide, with highlights including: A BFI re-release of Akira Kurosawa’s SEVEN SAMURAI in cinemas UK-wide from 29 October Major two-part season of Japanese cinema at BFI Southbank from 18 October – 30 December Screenings and special events at cinemas UK-wide New additions to the BFI Japan collection on BFI Player The BFI today announces the return of BFI JAPAN 2021: 100 YEARS OF JAPANESE CINEMA, coming to cinemas UK-wide from October – December 2021. Highlights of the celebration will include a BFI re-release of Akira Kurosawa’s SEVEN SAMURAI (1954); a two-part season at BFI Southbank focusing on the Golden Age of the studio system and the rise of the radical New Wave and independent filmmakers of the later 20th century; special events and screenings of great Japanese films at cinemas UK-wide; and a film programme on BFI Player. Originally scheduled to run in venues across the UK from May – September 2020, the BFI moved the season online by programming an unprecedented number of Japanese films on BFI Player while cinemas across the country remained closed, resulting in films in the BFI JAPAN collection being streamed on BFI Player in excess of 400,000 times since then. After the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo come to a close this summer, the BFI picks up the torch to shine a light on 100 years of Japanese cinema this autumn, as well as into 2022, when BFI Southbank will programme a two-month season to celebrate the art of Anime (April – May 2022), with more details to be announced soon. BFI JAPAN will spotlight one of the world’s greatest cinematic traditions, one that has long inspired admiration and fascination among audiences and creatives the world over. Classic films by Akira Kurosawa, Yasujirō Ozu and Kenji Mizoguchi regularly rank at the very top of critics’ all-time lists; Studio Ghibli leads the animated world in visionary imagination; while waves of innovators from the cinematic rebels of the 60s to today’s audio-visual live artists and video game auteurs take the moving image to thrilling new places. The influence of Japanese cinema cannot be overstated – Kurosawa in particular influenced Sergio Leone’s A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS – an often shot-for-shot remake of YOJIMBO (1961) and SEVEN SAMURAI (1954) was adapted into John Sturges’ THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN and influenced films including Quentin Tarantino’s KILL BILL and George Miller’s MAD MAX: FURY ROAD. George Lucas has long acknowledged Kurosawa’s influence on STAR WARS, from the narrative and thematic elements to costumes and names and, more recently, video game GHOST OF TSUSHIMA, in which players can adopt ‘Kurosawa mode’, pays loving homage to the master filmmaker. BFI JAPAN will feature: A BFI UK-wide re-release of Akira Kurosawa’s seminal masterpiece SEVEN SAMURAI (1954), back in cinemas UK-wide from 29 October. Genuinely epic in scale and tone, Kurosawa’s hugely influential samurai movie is a towering achievement which has to be experienced on the big screen. A two-part season at BFI Southbank from 18 October – 30 December, featuring screenings, contextual introductions and events: o Part one of the season (18 October – 30 November) surveys the great Japanese studio era from the 1930s to the early 1960s. The season will celebrate the work of Kenji Mizoguchi, Yasujirō Ozu, Mikio Naruse and Akira Kurosawa, whose films rank among the supreme masterpieces of world cinema – their visions embodied through the performances of great actors such as Kinuyo Tanaka, Setsuko Hara, Hideko Takamine and Toshiro Mifune. o Part one will also feature a special Halloween J-HORROR WEEKENDER (29 – 31 October), celebrating the phenomenon that was kick-started by directors such as Hideo Nakata, Kiyoshi Kurosawa and Takashi Miike, who all made waves internationally with their innovative and terrifying brand of horror. o Part two of the season (1 – 30 December) features 20th century Japanese films made after 1964, including the New Wave and genre classics of the 1990s. The season will spotlight directors such as Seijun Suzuki who re-energised genre cinema in exciting, radical ways and independent filmmakers such as Nagisa Ōshima, Kijū Yoshida and Mitsuo Yanagimachi, who crafted films of uncompromising individuality and political engagement that commented forcefully on issues such as racism, gender and modernisation. We go on to explore the Renaissance of both popular and art house cinema in Japan in the 1990s through the work of directors such as Shunji Iwai, Hirokazu Kore-eda and Naomi Kawase. o A two-month celebration of a century of Anime will take place at BFI Southbank throughout April and May 2022; further details of this season will be announced soon. BFI JAPAN will draw on the BFI National Archive’s collection of early films of Japan dating back to 1901, offering audiences a rare chance to see how western filmmakers captured scenes of the landscapes and people of Japan in the early 20th century. More details will be announced soon. The BFI is working closely with the National Lottery funded BFI Film Audience Network (FAN) to enable cinemas across the UK to host special screenings and events as part of BFI JAPAN. Seasons and events will include Japan ‘70: Cinema on the Edge at HOME, Manchester (Oct-Dec); selected screenings at the Japanese Avant-Garde and Experimental Film Festival at Barbican, London (Sept); Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival 2021 at Cardiff Chapter and Aberystwyth Arts Centre (Sept-Oct); Matchbox Cineclub Presents: Kaleidoscope Realms (date TBC) at Centre for Contemporary Arts, Glasgow; and screenings at the Yorkshire Silent Film Festival (Oct) at Abbeydale Picture House, Sheffield. Full details of all UK-wide screenings will be announced soon. The BFI has also curated a BFI JAPAN TOUR, featuring classics from Yasujirō Ozu and Akira Kurosawa, alongside titles like Kon Ichikawa's wildly melodramatic AN ACTOR’S REVENGE (1963) and Toshio Matsumoto's kaleidoscopic masterpiece FUNERAL PARADE OF ROSES (1969). The tour will visit cinemas across the UK and will feature many new 4K restorations – venues will be confirmed soon. The existing BFI JAPAN collection available to subscribers of BFI Player, including major focuses on Akira Kurosawa and Yasujirō Ozu, will be updated with new classic and contemporary titles. The BFI Southbank Mediatheque – which gives audiences free access to over 90,000 film and TV titles from the BFI National Archive – will feature a new collection to coincide with BFI JAPAN. LOST IN JAPAN (available from 18 October) will explore depictions of Japan, its culture and relationship with the UK across the past five decades.

★★★★ Directed by: Hideaki Anno Written by: Hideaki Anno Starring: Spike Spencer, Tiffany Grant, Amanda Winn Lee Film Review by Robert Stayte After the success and controversy of the original Neon Genesis Evangelion anime series in the mid 90’s, creator Hideaki Anno came back to remake it with the Rebuild of Evangelion tetralogy. The Rebuild series has been an interesting exercise in redoing the original anime, but the results have been mixed. 1.0 was too similar and 2.0 still didn’t live up to the original’s standards despite a great ending. 3.0 was far from the original series as well as the most dramatically compelling of the films. Does Evangelion 3.0+1.0 make this mixed series worthwhile? Yes. Set not long after the events of 3.0, Shinji, Asuka and Rei Q are in the remains of the world after 3rd Impact. Shinji is still torn up about Kaworu’s death and Rei Q is dealing with how to be a proper human. Soon they have to return to organisation WILLE, led by Shinji’s former mentor Misato and deal with Shinji’s father Gendo, who attempting to start another apocalyptic event known as 4th Impact to finish the Human Instrumentality Project, which will bind every soul into a joint collective. 3.0+1.0 finally justifies why these films were made. Anno was in a terrible mental state when he did the original series, which absolutely showed as the 26 episodes acted as a perfect allegory for the cycle of depression. The Rebuilds were made when Anno was in a better place, and although 3.0 did cause a relapse in depression (fitting given that film’s emotionally heavy story), 3.0+1.0 is Anno using his creation to reflect a full recovery and say goodbye to this franchise at the same time. The themes of recovery, moving on and rebirth are reflected in the character arcs and the story. The final scene is utterly perfect for these elements. The first hour is slow and grounded, perfectly continuing where 3.0 left off with a lot of compelling drama. The next hour launches full throttle into a bombastic series of action scenes and revelations, with the final 40 minutes containing so many sequences that are bonkers, meta, satisfying and heartening. It can certainly be confusing, and its long length does need a lot of digesting, but it is never boring, and the length gives the film opportunity to fill in empty gaps from the prior films as well as give them the pay-off they deserve. Characters like Shinji, Asuka and Rei Q all undergo significant evolution and certain supporting characters are given more expanded roles to good effect (Toji and Misato especially). Gendo specifically is used in a manner that feels cheesy and OTT to begin with but culminates in a brilliant character reveal. Even Mari, the worst character of this series, is given an ultimate purpose, even it could have used more setup. The animation is great. The action scenes are bombastic and well-drawn (if at times overly busy), with a lot of creativity on display in how they are presented. It’s the pinnacle of Anno using the budget that film offers to do things even more out there visually than a TV budget could provide. He even uses obvious CGI to intentionally uncanny effect. The musical score and soundtrack are the most memorable of all the Rebuilds so far and giving this film a unique identity from the other Rebuilds. Evangelion 3.0+1.0 is an unwieldy and complicated yet satisfying and excellently done conclusion to the Rebuild series and Evangelion as a whole. As an epic sci-fi anime film it succeeds, and as a personal statement from its creator, it shows that Anno has most likely finally won against his depression. Congratulations, Anno.

★★★★★ Directed by: Abd Al-KaderHabak Starring: Fatima Homaed, Weam Ghabbash, Malake Harbliya Documentary Film Review by: Chris Buick Her Stories (2021) Film Review A word of warning, you are about to see the word incredible a lot. But believe me, every usage is justified because really, it’s the only way to describe the stories that are told and the women telling them in Abd Al-Kader Habak’s powerful documentary film Her Stories. A further word of warning, while Her Stories is an incredible (start the count) celebration of three women who defied the odds to try and overcome all cultural and societal barriers women in Syria face every day, it is also a harrowing and unrelenting look at the reality of constant fear and destruction not just women but all Syrian people have to endure throughout the ongoing crisis plaguing the country and while some of the footage is ultimately full of hope and undoubtedly inspiring, other parts are truly heart-breaking and hard-to-watch. Journalist and filmmaker Abd Al-Kader Habak spent six years documenting what has become one of the worst humanitarian crises in modern history. In 2017, after a devastating car bomb exploded near the city of Aleppo, he lay down his camera and ran towards the destruction to help survivors, rescuing a child that was barely breathing in the process. Habak’s heroics were captured in an image that then went viral. Now, with his first documentary film, Habak wants the world to know about those who also have incredible stories to tell, in his words, the women who “uphold the burden of the war the most. In the absence of security, family and support, they become responsible caregivers and fight for their rights in a society that side-lines their role.” As mentioned, Her Stories follows the experiences of three women, Fatima, Weam and Malake, and while their motivations and aspirations of their stories may differ, their experience and message are profoundly in unison. Their motivations for their actions are what make up the structure of the piece, each incredible woman dedicated their own aptly named part, The Family, The Self and The Land. The Family, tells the story of Fatima, who after enduring years amidst the conflict, makes the heart-breaking decision to leave her beloved homeland behind for Turkey with her family, wondering if she’ll ever see it again. But her story doesn’t stop there. An advocate for women’s rights within her culture and society, we see Fatima still working tirelessly from afar to make sure women like her are able to get the help, education, opportunities and equality they deserve. The Self, follows the experiences of Weam, another who left Syria in the hopes of still being able to change her country from better. While also fighting for a woman’s place in her culture, we learn of Weam’s own struggles to find her own place in the world, a displaced refugee looking for a place to feel safe. Finally, The Land, which follows the story of Malake, a nurse in Aleppo, completes the theme of an undying sense of patriotism each of these women still holds in their heart despite everything. Choosing to participate in the revolution, under the ever-present danger from missile strikes, Malake stays in the heart of it all, determined to help everyone and anyone she can at great risk, eventually even being rightly recognised by the UN for her efforts. “What's happening to us is unbelievable” The words of Fatima’s young son as they watch warplanes bombard the distant landscape with missiles say it all. It’s a beautifully put together piece of filmmaking, Habak makes sure each message is loud and clear, fully celebrating the incredible triumphs of each of these women while fully realising the shocking reality of the still dire situation that we all should not ignore. Her Stories is a stark look at women fighting for their place in a society that relentlessly oppresses them, fighting for equality as well as survival and with the unwavering resilience to keep going even in the direst of circumstances. A wonderful study of perseverance, strength and determination, Habak’s incredible documentary is just that. Incredible. #ChrisBuick Watch the Film Trailer

★★ Directed by: #PhilipBrocklehurst Written by: #PhilipBrocklehurst Starring: #MarieBrowne & #PMThomas Short Film Review by Julian Gaskell The Symbol of Life is a short film written and directed by Philip Brocklehurst and performed by Marie Browne (‘Her’) and P. M. Thomas (‘Him’) providing a meaningful recital of a thoughtful poem about the human condition - 'The Symbol of Life'. Before the prose begins the camera focuses first on a belly shot of the female speaker and then switches to the male's belly all announced by the sound of an ominous gong. Then the camera switches to the next two static shots a slightly more flattering head shot of the female partially lit and done up with heavy make-up and then moves to an extreme close-up of the guy’s face, all to the chime of the ominous gong. These four simple un-uniform fixed frames introduce the speakers as they take it in turns to deliver the poem's lines which are delivered void of much emotion or expression as they start deliberating our maternal beginnings, “Bond to my mother giver of my existence," and continues in a similar pensive sombre vein. It is a melancholic performance both visually and audibly. Focusing on the bellies of the performers raises questions to the significance of this in line with the words of the poem. Open to interpretation, I'll have a stab at it that it is a maternal and deterministic message about the bodies we inherit and live in, but I could be completely wrong. The disruption of the strange framing along with the banging gong leaves a lasting impression. The belly shots aren't ripped six packs but are instead more rippling fuller stomachs. The extreme close-up of 'Him', which looks like a mug shot and has a sad emotionless expression to match has him looking less made up about the situation than the girl, but only slightly. It leaves you with some mixed emotions, after all the poem sounds like it has an uplifting unifying message for the human condition yet the faces, bodies and sounds have a much more sombre tone. The prosaic prose, barely six sentences long, delivered in flat monotone voices combined with the unflattering images are all a bit peculiar on the senses. Shooting plain unimaginative backgrounds and speaking without any intonation goes against what we would normally expect from a performance to camera. Even the use of the lighting seems to have an adverse effect on its normal intention casting the woman in a half light and the male's overly worn belt against his half naked torso would suggest there is something else to be read into these details. Overall it feels like some kind of experimental art project into gender and class and other things no doubt. Its melancholic message a reflection of a more sobering view of the human condition than the one we more often than not see portrayed in the media of smiling faces and perfect bodies. With this clearly the aim of the piece you would have to say it has been successful in its objective. Maybe it's something we would like to see more of rather than the glamorous images of say a Tom Ford film but even still you're left missing the creative pizzazz of the camera and lights. One for the arty crowd.

★★★★★ Directed by: Michel Franco Written by: Michel Franco Starring: Naian González Norvind, Fernando Cuautle, Diego Boneta Film Review by: Chris Olson New Order (2020) Film Review The Purge meets Parasite in filmmaker Michel Franco’s exhaustingly compelling film New Order which depicts a violent underclass uprising in Mexico, and the harrowing fallout. During an affluent wedding party, events take a brutal turn as a rebellion in the city around them spills into rich family’s property and the weapon-wielding gatecrashers, as well as some of the servants already there, rob the wealthy attendees, brutalise them, and spray a vivid green one anything in sight - seemingly a mark of the New Order. Having left the party early to aid a sick friend, the bride-to-be Marianne (Naian González Norvind) finds herself kidnapped not long after, now the family must attempt to use their resources to save her in the new terrifying landscape. With beautifully fluid camerawork and an impressive use of just-offscreen threat, Franco creates palpable tension in every frame which is almost unbearable. The shocking nature of the narrative is done justice by the equally haunting filmmaking which captures the frenetic chaos of each situation with a spooky calm. The class revolution here takes centre stage, with a myriad of characters from each “side” of the divide playing heroes and villains, and viewers are asked to witness character revelations that seem unconnected with their bank balance and just their morality. There is a survival element to New Order which makes it almost video-game-like, and this pacing is key to the power of the film - never letting the tropes of the crime-thriller genre settle long enough for the audience to feel like they’re on solid ground. Each gripping set-piece leads to another before you can catch your breath and Franco keeps us in a state of surrender for the svelt 90-minute running time. A foreign-language film to be released in cinemas in August and then on Mubi in September, the film rattled more than a few cages at TIFF. The rather underwhelming aggregate scores for the film, originally titled Nuevo orden, seem to reflect a reluctance to embrace the film’s core element (and strength in this critic’s eyes) which is the abandonment of genre failsafes. This is exacting cinema, a tour-de-force of filmmaking that is as unrelenting as it is ferocious. Akin to the story it’s telling, New Order does not attempt to make you feel comfortable in some nearing dystopia where the rags and rich collide. This is meant to unseat you, to unsettle you, and without mercy upset you. #ChrisOlson IN CINEMAS IN THE UK & IRELAND 13 AUGUST 2021 ON MUBI FROM 10 SEPTEMBER 2021 Watch the Film Trailer

★★★ Directed by: #SitaLikitvanichkul, #JetarinRatanaserikiat, #ApirakSamudkidpisan, #ThanabodeeUawithya, #AdirekWattaleela Written by: #SitaLikitvanichkul, #KittitatNokngam, #JatarinRatanaserikiat, #ApirakSamudkidpisan, #WisitSasanatieng, #ThanabodeeUawithya Starring: #PanisaraRikulsurakan, #KayLertsittichai, #SupanareeSutavijitvong, #KritJeerapattananuwong Netflix Film Review by: Emily Davison Four insomniac medical school students agree to take part in a neuroscience experience, but they soon discover that they may have dug themselves deep into a hole they will struggle to escape from. Deep (2021) is a Netflix sci-fi thriller, shot and produced in Thailand and later released on the streaming service on 16th July. It has an intriguing premise with a rather sloppy execution, resulting in a semi entertaining experience which could have been improved with more ambitious screenplay and developed characters. The film begins strongly, with a disturbing opening of a student committing suicide by jumping off a tall building, clearly under the influence of a deadly drug. A quirky, fresh style of pacing is established for the first act with fun quick cuts in a similar fashion to Edgar Wright’s witty cinematography, introducing us to the four leads efficiently. The impending danger of the Deep experiment is cemented when Jane (Rikulsurakan) is informed that if she falls asleep, her heart will stop after a countdown and she could die. Her fellow med students are unfortunately presented as stereotypes (the hermit game nerd; the social media fanatic and the drunk partier) with little more given for us to genuinely care about their growing friendships and possible romances. An unsettling revelation is discovered about one of the group and the film bizarrely does not address this issue, with the group remain friends despite the worrying behaviour displayed by the student. Despite the young leads clearly giving it their all, their characters remain bland and uninteresting, with attempts at romance coming across as forced. Despite its flaws, the film does have its positives and makes for perfectly fine viewing. For one, there is a COVID-19 joke when Peach (Jeerapattananuwong) is nervous to speak to his object of attraction, Cin (Sutavijitvong), and a throwaway line refers to the distance he creates between them which earns a good chuckle. The effects of the microchip implanted in the back of their necks does lead to several well realised sequences depicting the students’ delirious mindsets with a distorted camera lens; they begin to see and hear disturbing scenarios which others cannot. Although the film does lose its momentum and leans towards predictability towards the end, it does have a brilliant synth soundtrack which keeps things feeling fresh whenever it appears. Overall, Deep is a decent sci-fi thriller with an interesting idea and delivers good performances from its leads. However, It does suffer from a predictable plot and under baked characters and could have benefitted from a little more substance in the story department. #EmilyDavison Deep (2021) trailer:

★★★ Directed by: #BenhZeitlin Written by: #BenhZeitlin, #ElizaZeitlin Starring: #DevinFrance, #YashuaMack, #GageNaquin, #GavinNaquin Film Review by: Isabelle Ryan Wendy (2020) Film Review Nearly a decade after the Oscar-nominated Beasts of the Southern Wild, Benh Zeitlin returns with a reimagining of J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan. Here, Wendy Darling (Devin France) lives with her brothers (Gage and Gavin Naquin) and their mother (Shay Walker) above a restaurant near the train tracks. One night, the Darling children catch a glimpse of a mysterious boy (Yashua Mack) and decide to follow him through their bedroom window to a fantastical island where children never grow up. At first delighted with the place, they soon discover that life without adults or responsibilities is an impossible dream. Much of Wendy’s success is down to its child actors. Zeitlin again chooses a young girl to lead his film, and Devin France does a great job in the title role. She is curious and brave, mature and pragmatic. Gage and Gavin Naquin play her twin brothers, one cautious, the other hot-headed, but fiercely loyal to each other. Of course, there is also the film’s take on Peter himself: Yashua Mack is mischievous and anarchic, a charismatic leader with a dark streak. The performances are uniformly admirable, but the actors are often let down by their dialogue. As in Beasts, the protagonist narrates the film. Wendy is traditionally a storyteller, so this makes sense, but this part of her role is not thoroughly explored in the narrative. She and others are often landed with clunky dialogue lacking in subtlety, barely saved by the actors’ delivery On the technical side of things, the film is splendid. The score is hugely reminiscent of Beasts’, which Zeitlin also composed. Additionally, Sturla Brandth Grøvlen’s cinematography captures the majesty and mystery of this Neverland: the lush rainforest where Peter and his Lost Boys roam; the enigmatic underwater home of Mother, the giant fish who protects them; and the bleak shots of desolate, ashy plains, the home for the Lost Boys who left. One jarring technical flaw is the ADR. The film was shot in Montserrat, and judging by how much of the dialogue seems to be dubbed over, the background noise was perhaps too much to compete with. This is a common technique, and it wouldn’t be a problem if the actors’ words more closely matched their mouth movements. The Zeitlins’ script includes some of their concern for the planet. This version of Neverland has beaches awash in detritus, and one of the film’s conflicts sees the old Lost Boys hunting Mother, an innocent creature who did nothing except protect them. Beasts’ political commentary was polarising, with author and activist bell hooks criticising its “crude pornography of violence” and declaring the protagonist a “racist and sexist” stereotype. The issues persist here, especially in Wendy’s role as ‘mother’ to Peter. In one stirring scene, she challenges him, stating in no uncertain terms that this is not how their relationship works. However, it is later made clear that she (and by extension the script) thinks the most important part of growing up is having children. This role is given to her without question and without choice. The film’s climax revolves around the importance of being a mother, but it is not all a person can be. This is one instance where the original story should have been more severely interrogated. Wendy’s meditation on growing up and growing old is ultimately affecting. Towards the end, a clever montage shows us what Peter may never have. He is a lonely little boy, left behind by those who wished to grow up and trapped by his own stubbornness. Despite the film’s title, this is Peter’s story, and it remains a tragic tale. #IsabelleRyan WENDY will be released in UK and Irish cinemas on 13 August