★★ Directed by: #DominicMorgan Written by: #DominicMorgan Starring: #LeonaClarke, #FrankJakeman Film review by William Hemingway Jenny (Clarke) is having a bit of a rough time of it. She's heavily pregnant and her contractions have just started. Her fiance is notoriously unreliable and is currently nowhere to be found, so now she has no-one else to fall back on to help her get to the hospital but her useless alcoholic father (Jakeman). It's four in the morning however, so hopefully he's as sober as can be as he plays chauffeur to Jenny and her unborn baby. Cue a difficult car journey where family histories will inevitably be brought up and old wounds reopened. Throughout the mini road-trip we explore more difficult backstory to fatten out the deep tragedy of Jenny's life. Not only is her father's alcoholism laid bare but we learn that her mother is suffering from dementia and has been placed in a care home, as well as the shock reveal that Jenny has already lost a previous baby and subsequently tried to commit suicide. Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse for Jenny, her arguments with her father become too much to bear and she lashes out at him, causing a devastating car crash that leaves them both broken and remorseful. Faith, therefore, is a chamber piece in the form of a two act play where first we get to know the characters and are led through their identities and their backstories; then we get to see the literal fallout of their clash of characters and watch as they try to piece their relationship back together – if that's at all possible. The supposed tension of the film then comes from whether the two leads can put their differences aside and work together long enough in order to get one, or the other, or both, or all three of them, out of the car alive by the time the curtains close. Okay, so the thing is that Locke (2013) was at best a three star film. It had a budget of around two million pounds and starred one of the best actor's of his generation, Tom Hardy. It had a tight script, was expertly shot, used space and frame and light very effectively and even had old Tom showing off his softest 'alright me-boyo' accent. Plaudits were forthcoming for the acting and writing but no major awards were gained. Writer/director Steven Knight understood it for what it was, an interesting experiment that was well executed, and found he had achieved the best cinematic production possible for a one-man play in a car. In contrast the writer/director of Faith, Dominic 'd b' Morgan, has a seeming disconnect with his expectation of his movie and its actuality. Of his film, Morgan has described it as, “the most claustrophobic cinematic experience ever”. It's not. The Shining is more claustrophobic than this; Das Boot is more claustrophobic than this; Captain Phillips is more claustrophobic than this; The Poseidon Adventure, Shallow Grave, Alien, Misery, hell even Die Hard are all more claustrophobic than this. I haven't seen Panic Room or Buried – but I'll bet they're more claustrophobic than this. Unfortunately for Morgan the feeling you engender in your audience isn't to do with how small a space your story takes place in, it's all to do with the investment they have in your characters; how likeable, well drawn and relatable they are, as well as the decisions and actions they take (or have taken previously off-screen) that show their true character and drive. Sadly this is something that is largely lacking in Faith's script. In the first forty-five minutes Jenny and her father do their best to drop tidbits of expository information nonchalantly into their conversations to make things appear seemingly natural. However, most of it comes across as guilt driven soliloquising while one character drops a lot of F-bombs and one keeps telling the other to shut up. Any attempts at flashbacks are fleeting and static and the character of the mother, who is somewhat mentioned in the dialogue, doesn't appear on screen until more than half-way through – and only then as an odd horror segment. The sound recording in the car doesn't help either as it's often hard to follow what's being said and none of the boyfriend's dialogue over the phone is intelligible at all. There are also some glaring inconsistencies in the narrative that detract from the realism of the piece and therefore the investment an audience member is willing to give: Seatbelts; first they're not wearing them, then they are – Hospital; where is it? They've been driving for forty-five minutes, from a built up area, and somehow they're out in the middle of nowhere when they crash – Ambulance; if your dad is such a bad choice why not get an ambulance to take you to hospital? - The crash; nobody sees it even though there are headlights and tail-lights in almost every single shot where we can see outside of the car – Mobile phone; was in the car, now suddenly after the crash is the only thing not in the car – Branch; was obviously outside of the car but now is suddenly inside the car (unbroken) and inside your father – Safety first; trying to cut the branch away with a shard of broken glass, classic horror trope bad idea – Broken door window; broken and sharp but not smashed (like all tempered glass car windows do), but either way kick it out with your good leg or pull out a headrest and use the metal pole to do it – 999 operator; offering congratulations and expressing joy at the news Jenny is pregnant despite already having heard she's been in a serious car crash. Artistic licence or not, these errors in storytelling might be disappointing each on their own but all together they add up to a failure of continuity and therefore no matter how bad the situation gets for the characters it's hard to feel any sort of emotional connection to the events on screen. Morgan himself has said that, “Good films begin with great stories. A great premise, realistic, well developed characters and a rollercoaster ride of emotion where you feel wrung dry at the end.” Which makes it all the more disappointing that he hasn't achieved that in his debut feature. The story and the premise are indeed good, as are the themes explored all the way through to the denouement; however he never quite manages to make his characters or scenario realistic or well developed and so the rollercoaster of emotion ends up more akin to a lazy river ride, no matter how hard his actors try to deliver the material (and they do try very hard). Thankfully though, Morgan and his production company and his uniquely formed Underdog Crew, made up of people who have battled adversity and difficulties such as autism and PTSD in their lives, are not going to stop there. Their journey through film is not so much an enterprise as an ideology, with profits from this and future productions being shared with the Sick Children's Trust and Dementia UK, both of which are dear to Morgan's heart. What's being produced here, more than anything, is a community with shared beliefs and aspirations, and with Morgan already having penned at least four other works they're not going to be short of material for some time to come. Hopefully Faith was something of a training ground for Morgan and his team, and they will all have learned and taken away something from the process so that they can come back better and stronger the next time – which is something they fully deserve to do.

★★★ Directed by Justin Lin Written by Daniel Casey and Justin Lin Starring: Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriquez, John Cena Film Review by Robert Stayte There is little to say about the Fast and the Furious series that has not already been said, the evolution from standard crime movies about cars to a large epic action series has been well documented. Fast Five was the big point of change and each film since has tried to go more ridiculous. F9 is the latest and overall, most ridiculous film of the series to date, which proves to be an issue, yet also makes it an experience to behold. Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his wife Letty (Michelle Rodriquez) are living together with their son Brian. He is then pulled out by Roman (Tyrese Gibson), Tej (Ludacris) and Ramsey (Nathelie Emmanuel), who let him know about a recent accident involving their former employer Mr Nobody (Kurt Russel) and Cipher (Charlize Theron). Dom soon realises that this was caused by his criminal brother Jacob Toretto (John Cena), connecting to a past tragedy involving them. The return of frequent series director Justin Lin is emblematic of the nature of F9, because it feels a lot like a reunion film with a heavy number of call-backs to past films. This, combined with the surprisingly complicated narrative does add a sense of bloat to this entry that weighs it down from being as entertaining as the others. The script is not the best, it’s spotty and all over the place, with an attempt at trying to do a lot of things at once. And it is deeply stupid. However, F9 does have an extreme sense of sincerity. This film is utterly committed to itself in a way that was not the case in The Fate of the Furious or Hobbs and Shaw, with the former lacking heart and the latter going too far with the humour. There is a lot of melodrama present, and it crosses the line twice from cheesy to effective. This series does have a sense that it is in on the joke (which comes out in Roman’s assertion that they might be invincible), yet the sincerity prevents it from being utterly soulless in its stupidity. It takes itself seriously, but in a way that is weaved with the insanity on display. Action-wise, this film aims for tension yet overall revels in destroying your suspension of disbelief. But the film brings itself to life quite a lot during these moments and Lin manages to pace them fairly well. There is even a sense of ambition on display in the filmmaking at points, such as the flashbacks that utilise older film stock or a dream sequence. If there is a problem, it is that Lin sometimes abuses green screen and tight shots during hand-to-hand combat sequences, which both get in the way. The cast is admittedly too big, but writers Lin and newcomer to the series Daniel Casey do try and give each player time to shine. The main cast do as well (or not well) as you would expect. Jordana Brewster as Mia Toretto gets more to do in her return to the series and Thu Ersted Rasmussen as co-villain Otto gives a very energetic performance. John Cena gives a surprisingly strait-laced turn as the main villain, which is appropriate, even though it would have been great to see him chew the scenery. F9 might be a jumping off point for some. But for anyone who is invested in this series, you owe it to yourself to see this one. It’s hard to know if the final two entries will be able to top this one in sheer scale, but it’ll be interesting to see them try.

★★ Directed by: Giorgio Serafini Written by: Kurt Brungardt & Christopher Momenee Starring: William Shatner, Jean Smart, Don McManus, Katrina Bowden, Christopher Lloyd Film Review: by Taryll Baker Senior Moment Film Review After drag racing his vintage convertible around Palm Springs, a retired NASA test pilot loses his license. Forced to take public transportation, he meets Caroline and learns to navigate love and life again. Star Trek legend William Shatner stars in this frumpy romantic comedy about finding love in unexpected places. Starring alongside him is Christopher Lloyd, most recognisable as Dr. Emmett Brown from Back to the Future; the two play men who are growing too old for the young life. After having his licence revoked due to drag racing, Victor (Shatner) is forced to get around by using public transport. It’s a lucky bus trip that puts him in front of Caroline (Jean Smart), a working woman who runs a café on the side of a road he drove down many times before. As they continue to meet, a friendship blossoms and an unlikely love begins to flourish. Senior Moment doesn’t ask much of the viewer; it’s a very simple film with a pretty stable story and cast. What it does ask of you is to like the main character. Victor is kind of unlikeable. He’s sleazy, a reckless driver, goes after younger women, and all-around has a very bitter personality. Perhaps the film isn’t asking us to like him, but it’s hard to enjoy a film centred around someone who has all of these traits and doesn’t seem to evolve much. Shatner does a good enough job with the role, but he’s limited by a weak script and a character journey that doesn’t go very far beyond the start line. Lloyd plays his wacky friend Sal, who is with him through all his poor decisions and little hurdles he must overcome. Adding to the bunch is Smart, as a fairly energetic and charming Caroline; a hippie-like character who’s free-spirited and probably the only shining piece of the film. In terms of production, Senior Moment has a sturdy look and feel thanks to the beautiful locations and score by Laura Karpman; who brings the traditional funk that seems to be utilised in most comedies these days. Featuring all these old talents in a film that promises laughs and feel-good moments, it seems as if nothing could go wrong. But unfortunately, there really isn’t much life in many of these characters and although it’s not expected that a romance be anything more than that, a romance, it was underwhelming to see a retread of something we’ve seen countless times before. If you’re looking for some romance with a bite of comedy here and there, then Senior Moment will likely cater to your needs. It doesn’t hold much value beyond that, and like aforementioned, the main character doesn’t seem to budge from his sticky position at the start of the film. He saves a turtle, though… Sorry, a tortoise. Senior Moment is a bit of a moment for seniors. Some classic actors who are now old and sharing the screen together for possibly the last time. It plays to its audience, and that’s about it. Senior Moment on digital 28 June 2021 #TaryllBaker

★★★ Directed by: #JonKent Written by: #JonKent Starring: #SamanthaShaw Film Review by: Patrick Foley Anyone who says that those random creaks and groans empty houses make don’t creep them out is a bare-faced liar. Even the bravest of us imagine the worst when those noises keep us awake late into the night. Make a Noise imagines the horror of realising that the source of such noises is not the wind, but the manifestation of our darkest fears. A woman (Samantha Shaw) settles down late one night alone. As she prepares to go to bed, she is creeped out by a creaking sound emanating from beneath the stairs. Trying to put her mind at ease, she investigates the source of the noise to dispel the silly notion she is not alone. But in doing so, she finds that her fears may not be unjustified… Make a Noise is a short, minimalist horror film which utilises classic horror tropes to tell an effective, functional story that is well-directed, if a little too safe and conventional to be memorable. The slow-build of tension relies on brilliant sound editing which makes every creak and crackle pierce the very soul of the audience, as Samantha Shaw’s nameless protagonist becomes slowly more paranoid about another presence in her house. The film echoes A Quiet Place with how it emphasises the ability of noise to incite fear, without anything scary actually on screen until the director requires. With a runtime of four minutes, the film is really a demonstration of effective horror filmmaking techniques rather than a comprehensive story. The protagonists short experience is confined to her home, and we see little in the way of motivation or character development. As a muscle-stretching exercise for director Jon Kent, the film is impressive – particularly with the aforementioned sound-editing and its use in building fear. However, beyond this, the film never really brings anything to the table audiences will not have seen before. The monster itself takes a form that veteran horror fans will be overly familiar with, and the jump scares are standard horror fare. The film skates around some interesting themes and ideas. Tapping into the audience’s primeval fear of unknown noises is an important element of the movie, and a hint towards having the fear of someone within your own home, and feeling unable to alert anyone to the danger for fear of further retribution is present. However, the short runtime never really allows these elements to be explored further. This doesn’t detract from what the film does get right, but is evidence of the untapped potential of the film as a horror. Technically impressive, especially with its use of sound, Make a Noise is a perfectly competent horror which lacks a little in the way of the originality required to truly have it stand out. As a bite-sized horror thrill however, the short is a quick, pulsating thrill which makes effective use of tried-and-tested horror techniques.

LIFE ON MARS HAS EVERYTHING YOU NEED - EXCEPT PEACE OF MIND SOFIA BOUTELLA, JONNY LEE MILLER AND NELL TIGER FREE STAR IN SCI-FI THRILLER SETTLERS Vertigo Releasing has announced that Wyatt Rockefeller’s stunning debut SETTLERS is being released in cinemas and on digital platforms on July 30th. A Quiet Place meets The Martian in the dazzling sci-fi thriller SETTLERS, the story of a family who has made their home in a barren wilderness on Mars, only to have it torn apart when a dangerous stranger intrudes into their compound. The fantastic cast includes Sofia Boutella (Kingsman: The Secret Service, Star Trek Beyond) and Jonny Lee Miller (Elementary, Trainspotting) as the heads of the struggling family. Nell Tiger Free (Game of Thrones), Ismael Cruz Cordova (The Undoing), and award-winner Brooklynn Prince, the talented star of The Florida Project, also star. Set to a superb score by acclaimed musician Nitin Sawhney (Mowgli, Midnight’s Children), SETTLERS is a visually striking, wildly original and pulse-quickening tale of survival and redemption, which also explores pertinent issues such as immigration and isolation. SETTLERS is London-based writer/director Wyatt Rockefeller’s first feature. He received a dual MBA-MFA in film at NYU and has written, directed, and produced numerous short films, commercials, and documentaries. SETTLERS is among the NYU Production Lab's slate of supported projects. Synopsis: Following an ecological disaster on Earth, a family eke out an existence on a desolate Martian homestead. Reza (Jonny Lee Miller) and his wife Ilsa (Sofia Boutella), do their best to protect nine-year-old daughter Remmy (Brooklynn Prince) from the dangers of the surrounding landscape. But when hostile outsiders appear in the nearby hills, Remmy becomes aware of the disturbing reality of her situation, that her parents have shielded her from all this time. She is taken hostage by the outsider, Jerry (Ismael Cruz Córdova), and as time goes by, the probability of escape for Remmy (now played by Nell Tiger Free) grows increasingly remote, while Jerry’s intentions grow more and more sinister. SETTLERS WILL BE RELEASED IN CINEMAS AND ON DIGITAL PLATFORMS ON JULY 30TH

Meet the man who gave cycling a voice! “An insightful exploration of a passionate human being” Film Ink “Phil Liggett has been there for every key moment in cycling over the last half-century” Brisbane Times “If you want insights into the colourful world of professional cycling... talk to Phill Liggett” Sydney Morning Herald OUTSTANDING DOCUMENTARY ON A TRUE CYCLING LEGEND GETS UK RELEASE Demand Film announces the release of the thrilling and poignant documentary PHIL LIGGETT: THE VOICE OF CYCLING, about the cyclist-turned-iconic commentator, in UK cinemas from 26th July. From the directors of the award-winning 2015 documentary Remembering The Man, and 2017’s Mamil (Middle-aged men in lycra), it’s a portrait of “a walking, talking part of broadcast history,” Phil Liggett MBE, the amateur cyclist who became the world-recognised voice of the Tour de France. The film offers an insight into Liggett’s dedication to the sport, as well as his passion for wildlife conservation, tracing early ambitions to be a zoologist, before crashing his bike into an elephant led to a career on two wheels. He went to Fleet Street and then to television, where he has “witnessed every heroic triumph and harrowing tragedy” in the sport. This trajectory led him to cover Lance Armstrong’s spectacular rise and fall at close quarters, concluding in bruised revelations from the shamed superstar. Released just after the 108th Tour De France, PHIL LIGGETT: THE VOICE OF CYCLING is both fascinating and exciting - a must-see, not just for cycling fanatics, but for fans of insightful and affecting documentaries like Senna and Icarus Rising. SYNOPSIS Legendary sports broadcaster Phil Liggett is cycling royalty. A former amateur racer turned professional commentator, Phil has covered forty-eight Tours de France and fifteen Olympic games. He has seen the giants of cycling come and go and he has outlasted them all, with his brilliance on the microphone the stuff of legend. Now in the twilight of his career, Phil has no plans to retire. He has found a new and noble vocation saving endangered rhinos from poachers – but can this ever replace the thrill of calling the big races, and how much longer can he continue to be the voice of cycling?

★★★★ Directed by: Dominic Stewart Written by: Dominic Stewart Starring: Racquel Stewart, Celia Learmonth Film Review by: Vikas Yadav Dominic Stewart’s When the Tar Leaks Red opens with a confession of guilt. A woman (Racquel Stewart) lies in bed, and her voice-over admits things to us. Her voice has a haunting quality to it which is matched by the darkness of the room she sleeps in. You know the narrative would shift to a horror territory when the camera shows Henry Fuseli’s painting, The Nightmare, hanging on the wall. As expected, the nightmare appears. What I was not expecting was the sudden shrink in the aspect ratio. It takes the form of an Academy ratio, but narrower. The woman now literally looks trapped in a container. It’s far from visual gimmickry as it serves a purpose. It represents sleep paralysis along with the idea of being captured by your own guilt. A ghostly figure (Celia Learmonth) slowly climbs on top of the woman. To protect herself, this woman eyes a glass next to her. But she is not able to reach for the object. Moreover, she is unable to scream as her entire body is immobilized. The images you see are visceral, and the ghost is really, eerily scary. But who are these people? What is the purpose of this film? Is it all only a nightmare or something more than that? To your aid comes a reference from the director himself. He cites the tale of Lamia and Hera from Greek mythology as inspiration. To those of you who are lagging behind in your Greek mythologies and have no clue as to what those two names mean, here is a short crash course. Lamia was a queen of Libya and was beloved by Zeus. The two started having an affair, about which Hera found out. Swept with a feeling of intense jealousy, Hera killed every one of Lamia’s children. Hence, turning Lamia into a child-eating sea monster. There are alternate versions of this story, but the essence remains the same. When the dream sequence is over, and the woman wakes up in the morning, she is shocked by a revelation. Together we realize that what we heard and saw was not merely a nightmare after all. The dream might be over, but the consequence of her actions would continue to plague her. Our personal demon, in the end, arises from our own deeds.

★★★★ Directed by: Leo Dominic Robert Field Written by: Leo Dominic Robert Field Starring: Leo Field, Aleisha Hughes Film Review by: Jason Knight A dramatic insight into the life of a very emotionally damaged young man. Matt Roberts (Field) is torn apart by tragedies in his life, including the loss of his mother and grandmother. He suffers from depression and is suicidal. After a failed attempt to take his own life, he begins seeing a therapist (Hughes). He continues to struggle with his demons and is desperate to recover and get his life back on track. This short explores themes of loss, depression, trauma and suicidal tendencies and pulls no punches when it comes to depicting the personal hell of a man who is in a very dark place. The scenes where he attempts suicide are quite upsetting and reveal just how broken he is. Although the film has many distressing moments, it also has parts that include tenderness and it ends on an uplifting note. Field is very convincing in his portrayal of a person who has hit rock bottom and is trying hard not to put an end to his life. He is a well-meaning individual, who does not know how to deal with the hardships that have come his way. Hughes is sympathetic as a mental health professional who aims to help him. The film has a nonlinear narrative and contains many flashbacks of Matt's life, including spending time with his dog, visiting the grave of a deceased loved one and going for walks. There are also well-constructed montages that show photos of him as a child with relatives, scenes from his past and footage of his home videos. The creative editing also includes effective uses of fast cutting, match cuts and fade to white techniques. The score is dramatic and sentimental and it contains wonderful pieces by Thomas Newman, which were composed for the 1999 hit American Beauty. This short drama raises awareness for mental health issues and offers support to people who believe they have reached the point where things cannot get any worse. Some of its content is distressing to watch, however it deserves to be recognized due to its strong message of hope. #JasonKnight

★★ Directed by: #DominicField Written by: #DominicField Starring: #DominicField, #AnthonyField Film Review by: Isabelle Ryan In 2011, Jason Zada directed Take This Lollipop, a short interactive horror film released as a Facebook app. A user would connect the film to their Facebook account and watch in distress as a stalker scrolled through their profile before uncovering their home address and apparently pulling up outside their house. It was a cautionary tale, and chillingly effective. Dominic Field’s short film Screw Loose is in a similar vein. Whereas Zada left what happened next up to the user’s imagination, Field elects to show his audience exactly what happens once the stalker corners his victim. The young unnamed man (Dominic Field) at the centre of Screw Loose is obsessed with someone (Anthony Field). He stalks his Facebook account, finds his mobile number and tracks his phone. Then he packs a bag (bringing along a hammer) and sets out for his victim’s house. Violence ensues. All this is set to a Petula Clark soundtrack. While the lesson is undoubtedly important, this is hardly the first time a film has endeavoured to teach it. Additionally, we are offered no real explanation for the stalker’s actions. The narrative seems to suggest that the victim was randomly selected, and perhaps partially to blame for his fate, having shared too much personal information online. Although Petula Clark singing ‘I Couldn’t Live Without Your Love’ implies rather a lot, the stalker’s actions at the end cement his choice of victim as arbitrary. The film’s real problems, then, begin with its title; the stalker simply has a ‘screw loose’, and Field unfortunately chooses not to explore this any further. There are fewer issues on the technical side of things. Some choices show Field’s desire to make the film more visually ambitious. For example, when the stalker and his victim meet, their confrontation employs POV shots, which definitely make the scene more visceral. However, switching between the stalker’s point of view and the victim’s muddies things somewhat. The rest of the film puts us in the mind of a violent obsessive, and this sudden shift to seeing things from his victim’s perspective lessens the impact. In addition, while the film’s final shot is admittedly striking, it was clearly set up to be memorable rather than logical. Overall, this cautionary tale seems less interested in teaching a lesson than it is in exploiting its generic ‘crazy stalker’ trope, and it certainly has no interest in making any kind of commentary on said trope. There is no backstory, no attempt to explore his psyche; our unnamed protagonist simply has a mental health issue, and that alone is enough to make him dangerous. And not only is he ‘crazy’ (whatever that means) he is also – if the film's ending and musical choices are to be trusted – implicitly gay, which apparently makes him even more dangerous. Hopefully Field is neither actively suggesting that people with mental health issues are innately violent, nor that gay men are a threat to other men, but these are both pervasive beliefs in fiction and elsewhere, and at best, the film's narrative is tediously familiar. Screw Loose tells a story we have heard before, and sadly there is little here to set it apart. Luckily, we have Petula Clark, who is a welcome presence.

★★★ Stars Directed by: #PaulWeitz Written by: #PaulWeitz, #DanaStevens Starring: #KevinHart, #MelodyHurd, #DeborahAyorinde, #DeWandaWise Film Review by: Alicia Moore “A father brings up his daughter as a single dad after the unexpected death of his wife who died a day after the child’s birth.” Based on Matt Logelin’s memoir ‘Two Kisses For Maddy: A Memoir Of Loss & Love,’ Fatherhood passes heavy emotions onto its viewers; a (close to) Father’s Day release that you may or may not want to watch with your father due to its content being skilled at pulling on the heartstrings. It deals with a subject that isn’t seen much in mainstream cinema as a father (Kevin Hart) deals with the sudden death of his wife (Deborah Ayorinde) after she gave birth to their first child. Hart’s character, Matt, is immediately stunned by the news of his wife of course, as well as the realisation that he might not be ‘mature’ enough to raise his daughter without her present. The film follows a hopeful father-daughter bond as they grow and organise their future together instead of dwelling so harshly on the past. Going into Fatherhood I was fairly excited to see what Kevin Hart could bring to a story that relies on emotional impact yet, to be completely honest, I was also quite worried that I would end up being disappointed. Matt is a very different role for Hart to take on – the character has his quick flares of hilarity but not in the way film watchers have seen Hart tackle before. Overall, he gives an incredible performance, really hitting the mark for transferable and in some cases relatable output of emotion. The range within his acting abilities are evident in Fatherhood and watching him excel in a role that would be classed as the opposite of his usual approaches to film is rather refreshing. The story unfolds in a predictable sense, however the layout of the plot is easily accessible as a result of this predictability so because of the amount of emotional weight the audience carries along with the characters, maybe this comfortable predictability and rhythm can act as a soft pillow to break the fall of intensity. The nature of the character dynamics in themselves can bring a tear to your eye without a shadow of doubt regardless, meaning that the expected outcomes are not a negative trait at all. From my perspective, the one downfall Fatherhood carries is its writing. From the beginning, the writing lacks any punch to keep you watching despite the story having an immense amount of intrigue attached to it; the dialogue is extremely bland and hard to follow because of how graceless each line reveals itself. As the film progresses this element does improve to a certain extent but unfortunately still remains rather dull. In other words, the fluidity of the film’s content improves as time passes, however the included content itself remains underdeveloped. Fatherhood was a good choice for Netflix to release towards Father’s Day with its obviously appropriate story and, most importantly, the fact that many families across the globe can connect with the film and the kind of turmoil that occurs. Although the film isn’t necessarily something bright and new with experimental techniques in production, it also isn’t something entirely forgettable either. It’s heartbreaking and heartwarming all at the same time. Kevin Hart stated in an interview that Fatherhood is an opportunity to change the negative stereotypes of black fathers which should definitely encourage you to watch the film.

Directed by #JohnLee Written by #IlanaGlazer #JohnLee Starring #IlanaGlazer #PierceBrosnan #JustinTheroux Film Review by Hope Madden You’ll find real horror in False Positive. There’s the plot, sure—a woman desperate to conceive, in the hands of a nefarious physician with a God complex—and all the body horror and helplessness that go along with it. But that’s not the scary part. Indeed, co-writer/director John Lee levels a more comedic tone to the by-the-numbers premise. Where he and co-writer/star Ilana Glazer mine unnerving dread is in their observational honesty. Glazer is Lucy, and she and her husband Adrian (Justin Theroux, slyly wonderful) have been trying to get pregnant for two years. As much as she wants to do this naturally, she finally caves in to Adrian’s suggestion that they visit his med school mentor, Dr. Hindle (Pierce Brosnan – perfection). Lee’s intention is not to make you wonder whether something sinister is afoot. The Stepford-esque nursing staff and eerily meticulous clinic proclaim it. The sheer number and variety of phallic instruments to be inserted, and the volume of lubricant so very lovingly applied, plays like SNL by way of Cronenberg. If you’ve ever seen Broad City, Glazer’s groundbreaking Comedy Central sit-com, you may not recognize the performer’s dramatic skills, but you will recognize the writer’s keen eye for everyday absurdities. Here’s where False Positive’s horror kicks in. It’s the authenticity, the banal realism of Lucy’s daily condescending, dismissive, patronizing, smothering, gaslighting humiliations that really eat at you. The low-key accuracy of it all—from the male colleagues who swear you are glowing as they leave their lunch orders next to your laptop, to your nurse’s reassuring caresses and terms of endearment, to your husband’s reminder whenever you’re feeling down that we’ve been through a lot with this pregnancy. Tensions escalate as the storyline itself dictates, although the film is far more surefooted in its observational horror than it is in its plot. Lucy’s pre-pregnancy character is ill-defined, which makes her descent less satisfying. The climax is played for comedic value and the final act’s weirdness, though welcome, holds no real meaning. Worse of all is the under-developed character of a midwife played imposingly by Zainab Jah. Lee clearly hoped to use this character as a statement on the genre itself but the whole affair feels wrong-headed. Those are some serious misgivings, I grant you, but there really is something subversive, honest, and horrifying worth witnessing in this movie. #HopeMadden

★★ Directed by #EytanRockaway Written by #EtyanRockaway Starring #HarveyKeitel #SamWorthington Film Review by Rachel Willis You might not be familiar with the name Meyer Lansky, but chances are you’re familiar with some of his known associates: Bugsy Siegel and Lucky Luciano. Writer/director Etyan Rockaway decided the time was right to focus on one of the Mafia’s most infamous but un-famous gangsters. There are quite a few gangster movies, both good (Goodfellas, The Godfather) and bad (Gotti, The Family). Lansky falls somewhere in the center. Never overly imaginative, Rockaway plays it safe with a middling film about a narcissistic mob figure who wants to control the narrative. To do this, an aging Lansky (Harvey Keitel) hires a broke writer, David Stone (Sam Worthington), to pen his tale. Told in flashbacks within a 1980s framing story, Lansky regales Stone with stories from his childhood, learning to hustle on the streets of – where else? – New York City. However, as Lansky enters adulthood, the tales become violent. Portraying the Lansky of the past is John Magaro, who makes the character his own while still embracing the inflections and mannerisms of Keitel’s older wise guy. Magaro brings a sinister element, while Keitel embraces the role of a man mellowed by age. It’s a dynamic casting job, and the film’s standout element. Rockaway’s script glosses over much of Lansky’s past, with large jumps in time, allowing the film to devote equal time to the framing story. Here is where the film tries to carve some new ground. Stone’s story is, in some ways, the more interesting of the two. There’s a moral line Stone must cross to listen to the brutalities in Lansky’s past – especially as he’s bound to secrecy until Lansky has died. Unfortunately, rather than centering the focus on the ambiguous morality of Stone’s situation, Rockaway’s film instead tries to convince you Lansky is an ‘angel with a dirty face.’ It’s not unheard of to root for the bad guy – Scarface is one of the ultimate examples of this in the genre – but Lansky is not a fictional character. His history is bloody, and his few good deeds hardly outweigh the bad. It’s an odd choice when the true moral crux lies with Stone. Lansky runs itself ragged trying to cover as many bases as possible, and we’re left with a messy film about one of the most notorious men in Mafia history. #RachelWillis