★★★ Directed by: #MatthewOgens Starring: #AmareeMcKenstryHall Netflix Film Review by Taryll Baker Football player Amaree McKenstry-Hall and his Maryland School for the Def teammates attempt to defend their winning streak while coming to terms with the tragic loss of a close friend. Audible, the new docudrama available to stream on Netflix, is a film about young struggles. Focusing on football player Amaree McKenstry-Hall and his teammates, we see collaboration and perseverance through hard times to achieve greatness. Following the death of a treasured friend, the players must focus their energy on journeying forward, rather than dwelling and sinking too deep into the past, for the past is unchangeable, and the future is whatever you make it. As with most Netflix-backed projects, this is a pretty great looking film. It’s presented well with stunning cinematography featuring plenty of colours, sharp text use for the names of introduced people, and solid music to boot. The film is entirely dramatised, but based on true events, and the construction of scenes is superb. The problem lies with how little time we get to spend with these people. Amaree seems like a fantastic guy with loads of motivation and drive. We see just a snapshot of his life, his dealings with his deafness, how that makes his life a challenge, and how isolating it can be. The focus on friendship at the Maryland school is wonderful, and they really drive in the idea that communication and finding comfort in friends is a crucial part of life. But it isn’t enough; it would have been nice to explore all of the teammates lives, to see how they’re managing individually, and learn more about them as people. It would have been beneficial to develop this film into a feature-length, or even spread it reasonably across a limited series akin to The Last Dance in order to find a little more balance between the dramatisation and real world issues, their experiences and just hearing what they have to say. Audible does everything right in terms of its concept, but the execution is greatly lacking and therefore we’re left with crumbs of what could have been. It has its moments, but unfortunately, Audible leaves you feeling underwhelmed and craving something more. Pretty packaging and well-constructed footage only takes you so far and does so much, if the material isn’t as fleshed out as it needs to be. Though out of all 38 minutes, there is one important takeaway; “Be yourself” is told to us by one of the players, and I couldn’t agree more. Audible is now streaming on Netflix. - #TaryllBaker

★★★★ Directed by: #GüniKoçak and #MarieDrisch Written By: #GüniKoçak Starring: #NejAdamson, #FisunBurgess, #ElizabethTan, #GüniKoçak and #MarieDrisch Short film review by: Brian Penn The opening shots of a busy North London street are reassuring in their normality, and offer the viewer a glimpse of inspiration for this effective new film by Güni Koçak and Marie Drisch. It tells the story of Yusef (Güni Koçak), a twenty-something looking for a direction in life. Girlfriend Fiona (Elizabeth Tan) is a promising law student and has been dating Yusef for two years. But typically delays the first introduction to his family for a host of reasons; the day finally arrives as Yusef takes Fiona home to meet his parents. Mother Emine (Fisun Burgess) is affectionate and quickly reaches for the photo album. Father Cem (Nej Adamson) is gruff and fires broadsides at his underachieving son. The strained politeness of that first meeting with the in-laws is tempered by the hope that things will get easier. However, the family are keeping a tragic secret that is threatening to destroy their lives. Can Fiona heal the wounds left unattended for so long? Green Lanes alights on the simple but effective portrayal of a family in crisis; a close-knit unit torn apart by events beyond their control. The emotional fallout is well-judged and benefits from understated, natural performances from the cast. In times of need, we invariably turn to our kin for support. That would almost always be family; but what happens when they become estranged and uncommunicative? Talking may be the easiest activity in theory, but in practice, it’s often too painful to reach for the feelings we all have. Instead, it festers and burns without resolution. Talking may not bring back what has been lost, but does help us cope with our feelings. One line in this film perfectly sums up the importance of family, ‘whatever happens to one of us happens to all of us’. It’s a beautifully observed and perceptive statement; we share the joy and feel the pain that life throws at us because we are family. Watch the film trailer: #BrianPenn

★★★★ Directed by: Jeremy Hersh Written by: Jeremy Hersh Starring: Jasmine Batchelor, Chris Perfetti, Sullivan Jones, Brooke Bloom, Brandon Micheal Hall Film Review by: Jason Knight The Surrogate (2021) Film Review Jess (Batchelor) is a young woman who has decided to be a surrogate mother for her friend Josh (Perfetti) and his husband Aaron (Jones). Things seem to be going great, then it is discovered that there is a very high possibility that the baby will be born with Down's syndrome. Concerned about the challenges involving raising a child with special needs and the required costs, Josh and Aaron ask Jess to have an abortion. However, at a community centre, Jess meets and befriends Bridget (Bloom), a mother whose son has Down's syndrome, learns more about children who live with that condition and begins to consider keeping the baby and raising it herself. Hersh's feature film debut is a drama that deals with surrogacy, self-discovery, motherhood, friendship, family and making the right decisions. It also provides an insight into the lives of people with Down's syndrome. The focus of the narrative is Jess, and the audience observes as she struggles to deal with her situation, while at the same time working as a social media manager. Her life gets complicated and her relationship with Josh and Aaron becomes unsteady and confrontational. She desperately attempts to keep things in order and move on with her life, while turning to her boyfriend and family for comfort. It is interesting watching her as she copes and contemplates what the future holds for her. Batchelor leads the film well as an optimistic, cheerful, hard-working person, who is willing to help others and do the right thing. She goes through significant character development and Batchelor portrays that very effectively. Perfetti, Bloom and Jones also deliver great performances. Regarding the score, there is none, instead, spoken words make up the atmosphere. This feature is an emotional story, filled with plenty of drama and offers a thought-provoking experience. It depicts a woman who has found herself in a situation where she has to face very difficult dilemmas. The well-written screenplay contains an intriguing plot and will keep the viewer wondering how things are going to turn out. #JasonKnight The Surrogate will be releasing in UK cinemas from July 9th 2021

★★★ Directed by: Gregor Jordan Written by: Jack Thorne, Tim Winton Starring: Kelly Macdonald, Garrett Hedlund, David Wenham Film Review by: Chris Olson Dirt Music (2021) Film Review From Tim Winton’s 2001 novel of the same name, Dirt Music stars Kelly Macdonald (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Ralph Breaks the Internet) as a lost and disillusioned fisherman’s wife-by-convenience (although not married) who seeks escape and excitement in the arms of a brooding local played by Garrett Hedlund (Dreamland, Triple Frontier). Intertwining relationship drama, past tragedies, and competition for the local catch all coalesce and play out against the picturesque Australian landscape. The isolation of the characters is key to Dirt Music’s story. Georgie (Macdonald) may well be surrounded by locals but none of them treat her as anything other than a newcomer. Lu (Hedlund) is more obviously isolated, a situation he consciously promotes. The two clash into each other and realise that their pasts and indeed fates are linked. A lack of belonging suffocates Georgie whilst a sense of regret drives Lu further into the wilds of Australia. David Wenham is a scene-stealer here, playing Jim the husband of Georgie, whose role in the events is just as pivotal as the two leads. He captivates with his mild-mannered control and lack of empathy, until a later scene where he bares all. Macdonald and Hedlund make an engaging pair, with plenty of chemistry and Aussie charm. It’s a shame, then, that the film tries to hit the touchpoints of the story with such precision that the film ends up keeping them apart for so much of their screen time. Repetitive sequences of Georgie trying to find Lu feel exhausting and the slow reveal of what’s haunting the latter feels painfully slow. This culminates in a fairly dry final third where the cinematography took over and forgot about the story or characters. Where Dirt Music hits the right notes (forgive me) is in the themes, such as the aforementioned isolation and sense of not belonging - even within their own communities. This is reinforced by subtle nods towards racism and classism within Australian culture which adds a rich depth to the film which was not to be undervalued. Powerful performances and sublime cinematography aside, Dirt Music spends too much time with the elements which don’t work and not enough with the ones that do. Dirt Music will be available on Digital Download from 19th July #ChrisOlson

★★★ Directed by: Elin-Margareta Nordin Written by: Elin-Margareta Nordin Starring: Anna-Maria Wiktorsson, John Chambers, Victor Nascimento Film Review by: Jason Knight A couple meet a violent ending while going for a walk in the woods. The film begins with the couple, which consists of a young woman (Wiktorsson) and a young man (Chambers), sitting at a table in their home, having a drink. They decide to go for a walk in the forest. Things seem normal until a madman appears (Nascimento), who beats them both to death with a brick. This short thriller has a nonlinear narrative. It basically consists of two stories and both are identical: the couple are at home, then in the forest, then get attacked. These events are shown twice. Both times, after they have been killed, the camera spins around 360 degrees repeatedly and then the film cuts back to the couple sitting at the table and the same story restarts. The spinning camera could represent the fact time is going back, like going through a black hole. The film focuses a great deal on the concept of time, by cutting back in time and by repeatedly showing a closeup of a clock on the couple's table, whose hands always show 9:30. The clock could symbolize how significant time is in life and by showing the same events again, the film might be sending the message that what's done is done because time only moves forward and there is nothing that can be done to change the couple's fate. The plot begins with innocence and normality, showing the life of a happy couple, then of course the atmosphere changes completely with the appearance of the deranged lunatic. The killings are rather distressing to watch and the audience is filled with dread when they realise they have to go through it again. Wiktorsson and Chambers are convincing as two individuals who are in a happy relationship, however Nascimento is arguably the one who steals the show as a dangerous, murderous man. He plays the part quite realistically, with awkward movements and crying out maniacally as he strikes his victims. His character is the most intriguing feature in this film. He film utilizes black-and-white cinematography, which gives it a dark feeling. The camera is handheld and there is no music. The fact that exactly the same shots are used over and over is a bit uncreative. The stylized closing credits are interesting and creative. This is a dark, violent horror story, with a narrative structure that resembles Run Lola Run (1998) and Source Code (2011). It makes the viewer watch a story twice, with exactly the same events, the same shots, in the same order and this process may not be very captivating. Nevertheless, this is an achievement that is worth looking into. #JasonKnight

★★ Directed by: #BenjaminJDevlin Written by:#BenjaminJDevlin Starring: #BenjaminJDevlin Film Review by Lucy Clarke Stop-motion animation is notoriously hard to pull off. It takes hours of moving each hand, arm and face by a barely noticeable fraction, taking a photo of each movement and slowly sewing together the photos to give the illusion of a moving image. Chicken Run was not filmed in a day. However, while Benjamin J. Devlin’s short Bob: The Return is technically admirable, it falls short in all other counts. Our main character is Bob, a little red bear whose defining characteristic is his marriage to a little pink bear named Beatrix. The camera breaks the fourth wall and simulates a documentary-style film where the unseen interviewer asks Bob about his life. Bob is no longer lonely like in Bob: The Pilot. Bob’s life seems to have improved, he is expecting a child with Beatrix, and his house seems nice. The tranquil nature of Bob’s new life in suburbia is interrupted by Bob suddenly falling ill, snot falling from his nose as he falls around and defecates himself. Narratively, Bob: The Return is not compelling. Why would the viewer warm to Bob, whose purpose in the film is just to suddenly fall ill? We have no real reason to feel sorry for Bob or demand that Bob find some adequate bear-suitable healthcare immediately. Beatrix is nothing more than a pregnant pink bear modelled out of plasticine. What has Bob done to require being interviewed? As bears go, the rather hum-drum Pooh bear is far more compelling. Anyone who has dabbled with stop-motion animation knows how difficult and frustrating lining up each shot can be. Your dreams of working with Aardman might be shattered due to your impatience and knowledge that a whole day’s work might only yield a few seconds. Yet, the animation in Bob: The Return is particularly good – especially when noting the progress made from Bob: The Pilot. Bob’s facial features twitch, and he seamlessly moves his arms and legs. You may be aware that you’re watching plasticine, but Bob never seems static. Unfortunately, despite the smooth animation, the film is hampered by many shortcomings, such as the overuse of pointless intertitles asking needless questions like how Bob is, and so forth. When sound wasn’t a movie given, intertitles were used sparsely, yet through musical cues, facial expressions and dramatic acting, the audience knew exactly what was going on. Perhaps Devlin has limited himself by utilising an interview-style film which necessitates a lot of filler dialogue. The white text layered over a plain black background does nothing but interrupt whatever little tension and pace were previously geared up. While it’s a great demonstration of animation skill, no one wants to be a fly on the wall at Bob’s place. While the stop-motion may be cute, the plot whirrs to a standstill without gaining any momentum.

★★ Stars Directed by: #KarthikSubbaraj Written by: #KarthikSubbaraj, #NickBain Starring: #Dhanush, #JamesCosmo, #AishwaryaLekshmi, #JojuGeorge Film Review by: Alicia Moore “A nomadic gangster finds himself caught between good and evil in a fight for a place to call home.” You’ll find almost every element you can think of within Jagame Thandhiram as it packs in violence, humour and approaches social issues. With its many locations and characters to follow, prepare yourself for an adventure that somehow stretches to be as long as the typical Spielberg epic. Out of everything, the way actor Dhanush presents the character of Suruli is the most captivating. His charm and what he is able to brings to the screen so naturally breathes life into the film more than any other aspect from my own perspective. I wouldn’t use such exaggerative language if I didn’t mean it – seeing him appear throughout the film brought a new air of excitement each time, and I felt it each time. Almost as if I craved the spark his character has every second of this nearly three hour film. Throughout bloody fight sequences he still manages to maintain his chilled aura; that boils down to great acting on Dhanush’s part. All of these comments contribute to how I know for sure that the type of language I used is completely appropriate, even if it might sound like I’m suffering from a form of Suruli tunnel vision. Scenes are constantly uplifted by colours and lighting to match the mood of the events taking place. A fight in a restaurant? Lights are low but with a haze of orange and red casting over the setting. A wealthy home of someone with power? The lights perfectly illuminate the setting, making every corner of the room sparkle. The cinematography (Shreyaas Krishna) fits in well with the expert colouring and lighting of scenes, further proving how technically sound Jagame Thandhiram is with things like the use of full camera rotation in specific shots to express the shift in power dynamic between the characters. The only frustrating part of this film is how the writing and directing combined unfold in overly exaggerative ways when they really should be more poignant and hard hitting – especially when there are lots of opportunities to do so. Jagame Thandhiram includes themes of how immigrants in the United Kingdom and America are treated but, when it comes to actually showing these themes on screen, the true horror of the events related to this isn’t revealed. It is an incredibly important message to be included in cinema so the frustration here makes my head ache. Due to the film’s runtime the multiple twists and turns are fleshed out and built up to a good extent… I just wish that a message so important could have gotten the time, detail and exposure it needs throughout this duration. Although Jagame Thandhiram is a little messy in storytelling and maybe a bit too long for the kind of plot it conveys, I don’t think you’ll regret watching it (now streaming on Netflix) mostly thanks to the enjoyable and definitely memorable visuals from start to finish.

★ Directed by: #DaleResteghini Written by: #DaleResteghini, #LorenzoAntonucci, #PiperDellums Starring: #LorenzoAntonucci, #JamesDarnell, #HakeemKaeKazim Film Review by: Patrick Foley Harriet Tubman once said “I think slavery is the next thing to hell”. Next door to that then is watching Cracka on repeat for eternity – an alternate-history short that manages to be as dreadful as it is divisive. Neo-Nazi Michael Stone (Lorenzo Antonucci) is sent back in time to an alternate America where white people are enslaved by black masters. Captured, sold at auction and given another name, he is forced to work at the hand of cruel slaveowner Dex Jackson (Hakeem Kae-Kazim). But sensing an urge to fight their oppression, he rallies his fellow slaves together to fight back. Seemingly designed to incite controversy, Cracka is a lazy production which revels in torture porn and totally mishandles a sensitive topic. Its role-reversal concept seems tailor-made for a redemptive story – in which the white, racist protagonist understands the horrors of slavery and sees the error of his ways. And yet the film never takes time to establish this theme or follow this obvious plotline. Stone is a reprehensible, vile character at the film’s beginning, and there is no indication his views have changed by the film’s end. If anything, his experience appears to have emboldened him – given that he never stops to contemplate whether he is guilty of the same acts of brutality he receives – and his hatred ends up coming across as justified. Director Dale Resteghini, who is white, claims to have made the film to help white people in America see racism from a new perspective. However, the lack of any clear character arc or moral journey for its protagonist leaves the film’s message in limbo. One could just as easily conclude that races ought to be kept separate as each are as bad as each other, as they could conclude that slavery is an outright evil. And for a supposed anti-racism film, sympathising a NEO-NAZI is an unbelievably bad move which predictably falls flat on its face. The regressive and derivative tendencies, such as the constant use of the slur ‘cracker’ and an uncomfortably crass rape scene, suggest a kind of sick revenge fantasy element to the piece – and are further evidence the whole thing is a tiresome, controversy-stoking exercise in shock-cinema that has no real ideas to stand behind. Furthermore, despite supposedly aiming to help white people understand racism, the film happily makes use of some of the most offensive and tiresome cliches in cinema – such as black men being naturally angry or sexually violent, or presenting a notion that black rights activists secretly wish to impose upon white people the same evils. This is doubly offensive as it is a message co-opted by a white director – who for someone who wants people to take a new look at racism, probably shouldn’t rely on racist tropes seen in Birth of a Nation 100 years ago. Production is tacky with passable acting and set design let down by shoddy camera work and confusing editing which makes key scenes difficult to follow. The decision to include a pop-ballad midway through a film about the horrors of slavery and racism is a baffling one – and seems to originate from the director’s background in music video direction. The inability to omit this pointless and laughable inclusion is just another example of how the subject matter is not taken seriously. An all-around awful film that uses race-baiting to try and claw some kind of interest that its quality certainly does not deserve, Cracka deserves no more words written on it, and even fewer eyeballs directed to it. A half-embarrassing, half-enraging disgrace.

★★★ Directed by: #ElijahNobleEl Written by: #ElijahNobleEl Starring: #ElijahNobleEl, #CallieBussell, #RodriguezJennings Short Film Review by: Emily Davison In their third session together, a troubled sex addict seeks help from a therapist for his isolating, self-destructive vices. Goodnight and Goodbye (2021) is an American short film and is scheduled to be released at the Regina International Film Festival on 10th August. The drama, with a run time of just under fifteen minutes, has already received six awards including Best Short Screenplay at the Festigious International Film Festival and Best Drama Screenplay at the Top Shorts Film Festival. The film displays a surreal, dreamlike quality with its idyllic cinematography of rising sunsets and trees outside a bedroom window, alongside hazy white filters and uses of neon purple often incorporated during night sequences. Although the short does sometimes feel rather unfocused and busy on the surface, this also appears to be the intention of director Elijah Noble El, who frames his lead Nico’s isolation and aimless nature through an abstract lens. We see him go about his day, smoking and walking about his city at night as his therapist, Dr. Frederick (Jennings) suggested, whilst listening to the conversation between them and revealing more about Nico’s inner thoughts and struggles with facing life’s challenges of loneliness and depression. It is certainly a refreshing change to view a film with a clear focus on the mental health of a black man, as traditional masculine values can often overshadow the struggles men face in their lives just like women. El composes a thoughtful, sombre piece which does delve into the complexities of mental health but frames it in a universal way where anyone who has experienced similar issues with expressing themselves openly and addressing their problems can understand and relate to Nico. Interesting and thought-provoking ideas are explored through the dialogue between Dr. Frederick and Nico, however, they do not stop speaking for the full fifteen minutes and it does sometimes feel a little overbearing as much is being shared and expressed in a short amount of time alongside the visuals. This results in feeling like we have to keep up with the flow of the conversation as well as keep track of where we are with the constant changes in the footage. Bonnie (Bussell) is introduced later on in the short as Nico’s love interest, the woman who grounds him and helps him deal with his suicidal thoughts. Both Bussell and El have received awards for their performances, with Best Duo and Best Actress for Callie, which is impressive given the fact that they do not share any audible dialogue in the film. This does unfortunately detract from the viewer’s attachment to the character and the apparent close relationship between the pair, as any understanding we have of the compassionate Bonnie is only presented through Bussell’s body language and Nico’s flattering words, therefore, the emotional impact may have been greater if we were able to see one scene of the lovers speaking to one another to understand their thoughts and feelings. Despite this issue, Rodriguez Jennings as the therapist delivers a moving monologue encouraging Nico to open up to Bonnie and experience the small pleasures in life like taking her for a drive along the coast and enjoy their time together, which drives the emotionally resonant message home about living every moment in life to the fullest. Overall, Goodnight and Goodbye presents a compelling introspective character study which explores male mental health effectively. However, its overly abstract direction and lack of development for the romantic relationship between the two leads does reduce the impact of the film’s final message. #EmilyDavison Goodnight and Goodbye (2021) Trailer:

★★★★★ Directed by: #DanielChisholm Written by: #KarenLönneker Film Review by: Emily Davison Nestled amongst the picturesque hills of the Arroscia valley on the slopes of the Maritime Alps, the ageing inhabitants of the sunlit hamlet in Aracà of Northern Italy bravely face the uncertain future of their beloved agriculture industry, as globalisation and modernisation threaten to diminish this multigenerational, diminishing Italian community. ciao Aracà (2019) documents the idyllic Ligurian countryside and authentically captures the intimate, unobtrusive experiences of the everyday lives of the elder inhabitants of Aracà, as they relay their fascinating experiences to an off camera interviewer. From the first instance, we become completely immersed in the inviting location with atmospheric sounds of birds chirping and the stunning natural landscape. The documentary is slow paced and exhibits sensitive, tender direction as bilingual German/English director Daniel Chisholm simply allows the visuals and rich soundscape to convey a certain tranquil, yet melancholic mood. The film foregoes the use of music and voiceover to allow the inhabitants of Aracà to tell their own stories, leading to many poignant and bittersweet moments as we come to realise that a once thriving, social community has now changed as a result of modernisation and globalisation. One particularly striking sequence sees one of the elderly inhabitants demonstrate the diminishing of the Italian community as foreigners from Germany, Holland and UK have made holiday homes in the area, where many of the elders once lived. The filmmakers create a truly compelling cinematic experience which endears you to the location and its incredible people, presenting their daily struggles with dignity and the remarkable positive outlooks many still possess. The documentary makes for a very rewarding and revealing watch, demonstrating the importance of films like this in highlighting agricultural and international trade issues, as well as the sacrifices parents have made for their children to allow the younger generation to move away from the rural landscape. It is particularly jarring and impressive to see a crooked, elderly man of 90 (Nati) wielding a chainsaw and working hard at planting new olive trees and heart-breaking to discover that he has never experienced a holiday before, a devastating fact he admits with a tear rolling down his cheek. The film is dedicated in loving memory to him and other members of the community when they sadly passed away shortly afterwards. It feels like a real privilege to be able to enter the spaces and worlds of this small community of land workers and proves that sometimes less is more in the documentary format, by simply allowing the subjects to tell their thought provoking stories alongside beautiful cinematography. The film offers a moving, emotionally resonant experience as we witness the optimistic bravery of the elderly inhabitants, as well as presenting a more uplifting side as we see some members of the younger generation are exploring new ways to reform their agricultural practices, to meet the new challenges of countryside life in a transformed world. Overall, ciao Aracàis a wonderful documentary which flawlessly provides a unique, revealing insight into the daily lives of the admirable, elder Italian land owners facing an uncertain future in the wake of globalisation and modernisation. The slow pace and lack of a musical score to accompany the dialogue and visuals may not be for everyone, however, the honest sincerity and compelling themes which shines through all aspects of the production make this documentary a must watch. #EmilyDavison ciao Aracà (2019) trailer:

★★★ Directed by: Jason Bloom Written by: Adam Leff, Mitchell Peck, Jason Blumenthal Starring: Pauly Shore, Stephen Baldwin, Joey Lauren Adams and Kylie Minogue Throwback Film Review by: Rachel Pullen Bio-Dome (1996) Film Review I love vague quotes, it makes me feel big and better than regular folks, in your face, I know stuff, and one of my fav's is singing viva las Bio-Dome...and no one, and I mean no one ever gets it...god I'm satisfied. But it got me thinking, how many people are missing out on the 90s gem that is Bio-Dome? How many people have failed to see Kylie Minogue on the big screen, making out with Pauly Shore? How many...HOW MANY? Well, never fear my little movie dwellers, I'm here to tell you all about it. Bio-Dome is the tale of Bud and Doyle who get dumped by their ladies for not caring enough about the environment, a classic reason to dump someone, and after trying to chase them down, accidentally enter a bio lab thinking it was a mall. Oh no...it gets worse, the bio lab is to be closed for a whole year, and now Bud and Doyle must now get on with the group of scientists and live together within the Bio-Dome. It's a classic fish out of water storyline, these two 90s potheads and the stuffy scientists clash over and over, but resulting in some fun comedy for the teenage viewer, and that's what Bio-Dome is, a cash grab to appeal to the teens, I mean how old is Pauly Shore? He has looked 35 forever but he pulled an audience in the 90s it seemed. Upon re-watching Bio-Dome for this review I realised it reeked of the Matt Parker and Trey Stone vibe of filmmaking, years before BASEketball was even a thing, and so for any fans of those gems Bio-Dome needs to be on your radar. This film is competently up there with all those rivals of the stoner comedy times, yet seems to go forgotten by many! Well, don't, strap in and swim around in the slapstick, goofy nature of Pauly Shore, enjoy the smooth face of Stephen Baldwin and the acting ''abilities'' of a stunning young Kylie. So this week we learn... viva las Bio-Dome is the ultimate quote kissing Pauly Shore may be a contractual obligation and staying in a Bio-Dome for a year may save your relationship. #RachelPullen

★★★★★ Directed by: #GeorgeHackforthJones Written by: #LucyScottSmith Starring: #LucyScottSmith, #TomRooke, #SiuSeeHung, #RileyJones Short Film Review by Taryll Baker An actress realises that perhaps her life isn't going to turn out the way she'd imagined. Selling Out is a new comedy short from George Hackforth-Jones, written by and starring Lucy Scott-Smith, and follows a budding actress as she applies herself to countless auditions with plenty of variety. The film has 8 minutes to present us with a story filled with humour and it does so effortlessly. From the opening before the main title even appears, the comical vibe that Scott-Smith created in the air is sharp enough to be cut with a knife. The film is speedy and intercuts between a phone call that Lucy shares with her dad, and the auditioning process. It seamlessly jumps in and out of these scenes and constantly plays for laughs and lands every single one of those moments. There’s a scene where an enthusiastic director instructs Lucy to turn on an imaginary kettle. She does so, but to his dissatisfaction, that it is, until he gives her some outstanding direction (very intentionally sarcasm, a sort of satirical act). It’s these small moments of genuine comical genius that make for subtle comedy that actually works. As much as there is comedy, there’s some emotional depth included in the film’s final moments. Lucy questions her life, her career choices, her future as the potential face of a tampon advert. There’s a delicate mix of humour and seriousness that is simply wonderful to watch. The term ‘selling out’ can be hurtful, but to some it’s a way of surviving and maintaining a healthy existence. Though it can come with problematic concepts — the credits include a carried-over phone call from the scene before and shows just a little portion of that. Scott-Smith’s writing style is clearly very inspired and has a fun glow about it, and taking the dive into the world of auditioning was a perfect pathway into her writing journey going forward. Hackforth-Jones seemed to have understood the assignment and directed his way through the script with attention to detail in the performances and his understanding in the structuring of scenes. Selling Out is a brilliant short with a few well-earned laughs and a fantastic flow. It’s certainly worth checking out. - #TaryllBaker