★★★★ Directed by: Jonathan Cuartas Written by: Jonathan Cuartas Starring: Patrick Fugit, Owen Campbell, Ingrid Sophie Schram Film Review by: Vikas Yadav For a minute, just sit back and think about this title: My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To. What do you think? Perhaps, a romantic saga in the vein of Romeo and Juliet? Or a cheesy boy-meets-girl love story complete with the usual melodramatic trappings? Let’s move on and take a look at the trailer. The one I saw came with quotes like, “A gem of a horror film.” Indeed, the way the trailer is edited leads you to expect a creepy monster film (thank god, I watched it after seeing the movie). I do not blame the makers and the marketing team for selling this movie as a horror film. How many of you would buy the tickets or rent this film online if you got to know that it’s an understated drama dealing with familial sacrifice? Not many, I believe. This “false marketing” proves what a sad reality we live in where people are expected to get excited over a monotonous horror affair than a thought-provoking narrative. My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To is an intense, intelligent, and insightful film that takes a known concept and transports it into a peculiar territory. Dwight (Patrick Fugit), Thomas (Owen Campbell), and Jessie (Ingrid Sophie Schram) are siblings. Among this trio, Dwight and Jessie act like normal human beings. She is a waitress, and he…hunts. What he hunts for is a different thing. But whatever these two do, they do it for Thomas. Thomas is like a little kid: He has a puppy face, a naive nature, and a gentle voice. He even throws plates for tantrums. However, where other kids would generally prefer milk, Thomas would like his drink to be red in color, please. That is, he gulps down a glass full of blood. Through an alternative lens, one could place Dwight and Jessie as parents and Thomas as the child. Jessie cooks, Dwight searches for food, and Thomas reaps the comforts. The water flows in this direction until Dwight begins to question his way of living. Doubt creeps in, and trouble starts brewing. Jonathan Cuartas’ movie operates on a low pitch. An act of violence is as thrilling as the view where the three characters sit down to consume dinner. Potential victims are scouted and lured to the house or inside the car, where they breathe their last. These victims are forlorn individuals without relatives or a roof on their heads. A man says he had been abandoned by someone who had promised to help him after coming to the country (there is a lesson here about not trusting strangers). It’s not like Dwight, who stays with his family exactly, feels at home in his house. He wants to escape from his noxious routine and go somewhere. Anywhere. Thomas, too, wants to go outside and make friends. The men are glued to their position by Jessie. She has a commanding presence that reduces everyone around her to the level of pawns. Unsurprisingly, at the dining table, she sits in the middle. Ideally, someone like Thomas is categorized as a devil, but humans do far more damage in this film. If you want to catch a glimpse of evil, look at Jessie’s face when a customer suggests she smile. How did this family come to be? How could two human beings have a sibling like Thomas? Who were their parents? Were they humans or monsters or a mix of both species? The film never answers these queries. It uses the siblings to make a profound statement on the workings of the family. How they are not always your biggest strength, but they could also turn into an obstruction blocking your development. When Dwight tries to leave his home behind, he drives up to a point before making a U-turn back to his habitation. It’s as if a mysterious force is pulling him back, and if he wants to escape, he has to cut off a rope that binds him to the place. I didn’t know My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To had made its way into my, well, heart until I saw a window cover being torn down to allow the passage of light. Suddenly, I started to feel for Thomas and this entire household. The bright light made me realize how I had not really “seen” any sunshine up to that point. The following image of a man standing with a sense of freedom and pain sent waters running down my eyes. It’s a powerful moment that leaves you satisfied with a tinge of ache. It’s something you won’t forget for weeks or probably months. If that’s not magic, then what is? My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To will be available on Digital Download from 28th June

★★ Written & Directed by: #DylanDuff Starring: #EmmaMcClure, #KayaMcClure, #KathrynBellamy, #JackieOliver Short Film Review by Taryll Baker A girl contemplating life walks along a road. Coming from the mind of Dylan Duff, The Girl in the Road is a psychological drama that begs many questions. Though not particularly all the questions it wanted… This intriguing little film introduces viewers to a girl who seems lost with herself, aimlessly strolling down an empty road. Put together like some indie music video due to the use of moody songs, it gives off the vibe of playing with a very deep idea. The problem comes with the execution of said idea. The Girl in the Road is clearly tackling themes of suicide and depression, that’s a given from the first minute or two. But the addition of the girl’s older (or younger?) self appearing in a mysterious form — perhaps a vision — throws everything off. There’s no explanation for these two girls (played by sisters Emma and Kaya McClure) and their encounter with each other. With mere sprinklings of dialogue and information, it’s quite difficult to entertain whatever concept Duff wanted to capture. He’s hands-on with his writing, directorial, producing and editing roles and therefore likely didn’t have much input from external eyes and ears, which points to why this film doesn’t seem to feel very ‘complete.’ The performances from the McClure’s are pretty strong for such a low budget production. It seems as if there’s some genuine thought and feeling put into the characters on their part and that’s certainly one of the more healthier parts of the short. The music choices are fine, though a bit intrusive. Editing and camerawork is what you’d expect from a young beginner filmmaker, and credit to him for putting in the work and getting his ideas out there. The best way to improve is experience and Duff is absolutely going to get better at bringing his concepts to life, to their full potential. But stepping stones as shown with The Girl in the Road are essential. That’s not to say The Girl in the Road is poor, it actually seems interesting and you can envision a story that it wants to tell, it’s just not quite up to the mark. It could use some adjustment, and perhaps some reshoots to pad out the story and clean up most of the blurriness. The unfortunate confusion that enters in the middle section cripples the film and restrains it from providing a more rewarding and emotionally connective piece of entertainment. It’ll be intriguing to see where Duff heads next. Watch the trailer for The Girl in the Road below. - #TaryllBaker

★★★★ Directed by: Matthew Thomas Ross Written by: Matthew Thomas Ross Starring: Holland Andrews Film Review by: Jason Knight In a post-apocalyptic world, a sole traveler encounters a dog, developing a beautiful bond. A woman (Andrews) is traveling on foot through isolated beaches, picking up whatever she can find that might be useful, such as clothes and food. She has a gas mask in order to protect herself against hazardous substances that are in the air. She then crosses paths with a stray dog, who becomes her friend and traveling companion. Things are looking up for the two of them, however tragedy will come their way. This short is a poignant post-apocalyptic drama, that deals with survival, desperation, loneliness, loss and hope. It tells the emotional story of a woman's journey in a world that has become very dangerous. The heroine is the only person seen in the film and naturally there is not a great deal of spoken words. No explanation is offered regarding how things turned upside down. What is known is that whatever is now in the atmosphere, it is lethal, requiring people to focus on the activities of the wind, in order to stay safe. Andrews delivers a touching performance as a lonely and desperate individual, trying to stay alive in a cold, hostile world. Her appearance is unkempt, she has learned how to take care of herself and is overjoyed when the dog enters her life. Although the story takes place in a dangerous world, the mood becomes uplifting with the arrival of the dog. It brings joy to the protagonist and she cares for it. The film highlights her newfound happiness by including a heartwarming montage of her interacting and playing with it. Paulius Kontijevas contributes stunning cinematography and Ross does a terrific job as the director, creating wonderful establishing shots of beaches and the ocean. Ross and Hanna Hagen worked on the editing and the result is impressive. Kyle Morton's score is tense, emotional and beautiful, developing a dramatic atmosphere. The filmmakers also utilize the sound of waves rather effectively. West Winds is a dark, sad story that takes place in an unforgiving world. However, it also shows the brighter things in life and has moments of tenderness. With an intriguing plot, strong acting and captivating shots, this achievement deserves a lot of praise. #JasonKnight Trailer for West Winds:

★★★★ Directed by: #MattVella Written by: #MattVella Starring: #AdrianneArmida, #ShaneMillward, #ZoePanaretos Film Review by Lucy Clarke We’ve all been there. You introduce your friends to your new amazing partner that you’ve talked their ears off for the past few weeks. As soon as they excuse themselves to the bathroom, you realise your friends look crestfallen. “So…what do you think?” you ask, beaming. Your friends predictably stumble over their white lies. If you haven’t been in that position, you’ve most definitely met a mate’s new flame and thought, “but what do they see in you?” Matt Vella perfectly distils an awkward introduction of a best friend’s new partner with wit and charisma. Barry (Shane Millward) is sensitive, kind and he’s been single for a while. He’s excited to show off his new girlfriend, Alex (Adrianne Armida), to his coupled-up best friends, Sarah (Zoe Panaretos) and Anthony (Efkan Cetin). Only, they’ve been waiting at the low-rent Italian restaurant for hours for Alex to turn up. They’re just about wondering whether Barry has made her up. Then – she appears – in a fog of cigarette smoke and stomping combat boots. The innocent Barry might not be the best fit for the rebellious Alex. She’s a murderous, cut-throat, drug dealing scammer. Matt Vella’s comedy short is a whip-smart piece. Although many of the jokes rely on scatological and sexual humour, there’s a wit that elevates the comedy and doesn’t just reduce the script to a pile of nonsensical toilet humour. Vella’s script serves to constantly poke fun at Barry’s besotted nature. After Sarah flees to the bathroom with Alex following her, Anthony tries to figure out why Barry has settled on Alex, of all people, and asks, “what has she given you?” Barry smiles as if Alex has brought a ray of sunshine into his life. “Chlamydia,” he answers. The comic timing of the entire cast is a credit to this film. Where the acidity lies within the script and the cast’s brilliant comedic turns in their respective roles, the music adds a weird veneer to this dark and naughty plot. From the get-go, the musical queues don’t remind the audience of a dark comedy with a suggestion of murder, but rather the sickly-sweet nature of American sitcoms à la Friends. Each automated musical cue seemed to suggest that tired canned laughter would follow immediately after. She’s Not Your Type is guaranteed to having you flashback to an awkward first meeting in your own life, but it isn’t just the relatability that makes us laugh and squirm. Barry’s inability to realise that he is, in fact, dating the woman from hell is reminiscent of Hugh Laurie’s Prince Regent from Blackadder, who is just as easily tricked.

★★ Directed by: #RickeyBirdJr Written by: #RickeyBirdJr Starring: #ThomasBrill, #KelliMaroney, #ChelseaNewman Film Review by: Patrick Foley The futility, frustration and pointlessness of the corporate world have provided movies and TV with ample ammunition for drama, comedy, and everything in between. From Falling Down and Office Space, to both US and UK versions of The Office, any movie that looks to take down the modern workplace has some high-quality and innovative competition. A Well Respected Man tries to replicate the commentary of these greats and adds an apocalyptic premise, but it never really manages to find its voice. Jim Padgett (Thomas Brill) has finally managed to climb the corporate ladder in his company, and is rewarded with a promotion to vice-president. It’s just his luck that his big day is interrupted by news reports of a passing asteroid which some believe will hit the Earth. Jim is sceptical, but his boss (Thomas Haley) and colleagues take the day to avoid any craziness. With his moment of glory ruined, Jim’s long-repressed frustrations finally boil over. It’s clear the main message of A Well Respected Man is that a life spent obsessing over workplace politics and corporate pole-climbing is a life wasted, and time with family and friends is what really matters. Yet a disjointed plot and confusing presentation prevents the short from reaching its full potential. The message and themes are hardly unique, and the film tries to stand-out with its ‘end of the world’ setting. However it never really manages to convince viewers of the key developments that occur within its world. The uncertainty around whether the asteroids will strike the Earth is an important element in the plot – explaining why Jim attends work on the day and others do not. But audiences will be left wondering how a world-threatening disaster can be so close yet there can still be such uncertainty around the events. Similarly, the key development of a gun in Jim’s drawer is inexplicable and random – and seems there only to serve a plot twist given what we’ve learnt until that point about the by-the-book corporate drone. The acting in the film is another issue that takes away from the experience. Thomas Brill’s performance as Jim is not bad, and his scenes with his doting wife Anita (Kelli Maroney) as he gets ready for work are some of the strongest in the film. But when it comes time to snap, his anger feels disconnected from the rest of the performance. This is as much a problem of editing as it is of acting – and it is overly apparent that multiple takes were stitched together. The result is an overly-stagey scene which never feels natural – especially given the stakes at hand during the moment. The film is hit and miss with it’s use of imagery and thematic devices. Scenes such as Jim’s celebratory cake being trampled, a professor (Rickey Bird Jr) laying out the primary message of the film on TV as Jim watches, and Jim’s wife being met with only his business answer-phone message as she desperately tries to call him are hardly novel ideas, but they end up working quite well on their own. It is the stitching together of these metaphorical scenes where the film falls down. Without a strong plot to guide these scenes, the film ends up feeling like one big collection of metaphors. A strong enough premise and some nice ideas, A Well Respected Man ends up disappointing with a lack of coherent storytelling or convincing acting. Though the stakes may not be as high, other workplace-movies have already conveyed its message in much more accomplished ways.

★ Directed by: #GaryTeperman Written by: #AliceCutler #GaryTeperman Starring: #AliceCutler #RobertOppel #GaryTeperman Film review by: Max White There’s this strange thing that happens while you watch Laundro-Matt where you think, no, you believe, that what you’re watching is a porno. A woman goes to a laundrette in sweaty running gear to write her latest screenplay because her layabout boyfriend is hanging around at home for the weekend. At said laundrette she meets a man (called Matt (Robert Oppel), hence Laundro-Matt) who can only be described as a Spike impersonator (that’s the chiseled, white-haired villain from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and they hit it off, they flirt a bit and they even play a game of Would You Rather where one of the questions is, inevitably, about sex. Then another strange thing happens, and you realise that this isn’t a porno but you wish it was. This was a bizarre – and not in the good way – non-event from the start, and the ending only left me wondering: what was the point? Is this supposed to poke fun at horror tropes? Liz (Alice Cutler) does actually say, “I feel like we’re in a bad horror movie.” Is it supposed to be some sort of dark comedy? Nope, don’t think so, it would need laughs for that. Maybe it’s supposed to be a film that plants an idea in our heads: What would our guardian angel tell us to change in our lives if they could pop down and see us? The fact is, no one cares because no one’s watching. At least, no one’s watching what director Gary Teperman wants us to watch. Liz’s only setting is shrieking incredulousness, which gets worse, not better, as the film goes on. (To come back to the Buffy reference, Alice Cutler does actually look like what I imagine Sarah Michelle Gellar looks like today.) There’s an exchange about Paul Rudd – ?! – and the writing here is bodged to the point where it could even be intentional, “So neither one of us has a phone. We’re fucked.” Oh but if only! If someone had in fact been railed on top of a washing machine, this film might have made sense. At least that way someone may have deduced some pleasure from it. If Matt and Liz had submitted to one another this whole interplay may have culminated in a somewhat logical climax (pun intended). Instead, we have two strangers whom we care nothing for talking about nothing in a nothing room and in the end, nothing happens.

★★★★ Directed by #NancyBuirski Written by #NancyBuirski Starring #GaryDuncan Film Review by Cat McAlpine The nation was one month into federally enforced integration in 1966 when Gary Duncan pulled his car over to intervene between a group of boys spoiling for a fight. That afternoon, Duncan became a marked man. Targeted with a litany of false charges, he was arrested again and again. He could have accepted battery charges for a crime he did not commit and paid a fine. But he refused to be painted as a criminal for simply being Black. So he and his Jewish attorney, Richard Sobol, took the case to court, stepping to the corrupt titans of 1960s Louisiana, like white supremacist judge Leander Perez. Remembering one of his final arrests with tears in his eyes, Duncan recalls “I said ‘I’m not going to jail. I’m tired.’…I was ready to die.” Another clip shows young Ruby Bridges, the first Black child to attend desegregated William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans. Weeping, she tells the interviewer, “I’m not afraid. They’ll have to kill me to keep me from getting my education.” She was six years old at the time. The most striking juxtaposition in A Crime on the Bayou is the use of black and white footage paired with full color, high-quality interviews. Director Nancy Buirski utilizes a unique handheld technique for the talking heads portions of the film, staying extremely tight on her main subjects’ faces. It reminds us that 1966, and the Civil Rights Movement, was not as long ago as we’d like to believe. Many of the young people immortalized in black and white photos, screaming their protest of the integration of schools, are still alive and well today. They are a part of our society. They are your neighbors. They vote and run for office or lead companies. Little Ruby Bridges is still alive too. She’s only 66 years old. Buirski embraces the setting of the desegregation crisis and resulting Civil Rights movement. She employs drone footage of Louisiana, archived footage of New Orleans, and jazz music interludes. Buirski reminds us that culture cannot be separated from its struggles and ugly parts. The documentary also explores the struggle of Jewish Americans during the Civil Rights Movement, particularly Jewish attorneys and civil rights lawyers. The holocaust had only occurred 20 years prior, and many Jewish families were relatively newly immigrated and fighting for a new life. With them, they carried their own memories of genocide and totalitarian rule. And while the trauma of the two cultures cannot be compared— you can never compare trauma and come up with a winning outcome—Black Americans and Jewish Americans often found themselves fighting against the same forces. This moving film is a reminder that the world does change, but slowly. We cannot brush off the sins of the past so easily, as many of us are still living them. At an hour and a half, this documentary moves quickly and doesn’t languish in the trauma of Black men the way many other films do. Instead, it is honest about the inherited traumas we carry. It methodically exposes how entire systems have been built to suppress minorities. Most importantly, it reminds us that the fight continues, and that whenever possible, we must rise to the challenge of upholding justice. #CatMcAlpine

★★★ Directed by: Victoria Smith Written by: Victoria Smith, Connor Dunham, Vanessa Casertano Starring: Hannah Knight, Katie Mae Carden Film Review by: Vikas Yadav In Victoria Smith’s Darling Girl, Ada (Hannah Knight) searches for solace in the arms of the theatre. The short opens with Ada’s mother shouting in the distance. On the screen, we witness an unhappy face belonging to Ada. It’s apparent that this house is boiling with trouble. Your suspicions are confirmed when Ada’s mother enters the room. Those who want to spend time in peace should stay away from situations that place this duo against each other. The mother-daughter shout and squawk not only because of hatred but also because there exists a distance between them. They resort to yelling in order to make themselves heard by the other person. Ada wants to be an actor. She desires to do drama and perform on stage. Her mother, however, protests. She believes her daughter lacks the talent to break into the industry. God save us from this type of motherly inspiration. It hits hard when someone close to you doesn’t trust in your capabilities. There is a fleeting instant where we see Ada’s mother regretting the spill of discouragement from her lips. It’s entirely possible that the reason she stops Ada from pursuing a career in acting is that she wants to protect her child from severe heartbreak, which would collapse her if she fails to achieve her dream. But Ada is determined, and nothing could change her course. This is what she had always wanted to do, and she takes her shot by auditioning for the play Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Much like how every member in the audience brings in his instincts and experiences with himself while settling in to watch a movie, the actors, too, bring in certain observations while doing their job. In the audition, as Ada enunciates her dialogues, she derives her anger and frustration for the part from her real-life vexation with her mother. The camera turns dynamic, swings to and fro in a floating motion as if trying to keep up with her. Darling Girl loses some strength in the technical department. There are times when you spot a gap between two scenes as it becomes clear where the cut actually happened. Sometimes, you make out that an actor is walking on cue as if she had just heard “ACTION!” Smith has the talent and ambition for making good movies. She just needs to polish her technical skills.

★ Stars Directed by: #MarkRaso Written by: #MarkRaso, #JosephRaso, #GregoryPoirier Starring: #GinaRodriguez, #ArianaGreenblatt, #LuciusHoyos Film Review by: Alicia Moore “After a devastating global event wiped out all electronics and eliminated people's ability to sleep, a former soldier may have found a solution with her daughter.” Awake follows Jill (Gina Rodriguez) and her two children Matilda (Ariana Greenblatt) and Noah (Lucius Hoyos) as they find themselves amongst total chaos due to the ability to sleep being lost. As days pass, citizens lose their sanity because of this lack of sleep which results in a purge-like setting; murder, robbery, and strange occurrences like seeing an entire group of people naked in the middle of the road as they stare at the sun over the horizon… yeah, that might be a little bit more than just strange now that I’ve put it into words. At least there isn’t any overly loud purge commencement sirens screaming through your screen though. You’d think scenes of this nature would hold your attention in the tightest grip but, ironically, I could hardly stay awake during this film. Awake provides audiences with an interesting concept that has unfortunately been executed badly. My attention can be captured in a variety of ways and isn’t that difficult to capture either (I’ve been totally enthralled by Monsters, Inc. since its release, that should explain it) yet I genuinely found Awake to be a boring film. There doesn’t seem to be anything redeemable about it in the long run. It falls victim to too many elements of the filmmaking process being not up to power and that simply results in a film that can be frustrating to watch. The most notable frustration with Awake is definitely the writing. From the beginning, I was already hoping it would improve somewhere along the way, however it didn’t at all. There isn’t actually any structure to this film; it is fast paced, much too fast, and there is no build up of character or the plot itself. There isn’t any stability in the story as the film just jumps from one scene to the next with no substance present. The apocalyptic-type situation isn’t given any context and is thrusted abruptly into a plot that hasn’t been effectively developed yet. There’s nothing for viewers to link with because no feeling can be established towards the characters or the struggles they are continuously experiencing. The dialogue really doesn’t help the basis of the writing either as it sits uncomfortably in the air surrounding the characters. The words that leave their mouths are clunky and, a lot of the time, will horribly make your nose scrunch up due to how unnatural conversations come across. This isn’t necessarily anything to do with acting abilities, the cast give good performances especially with the sparse content they are given to work with, it’s the actual formation of the dialogue that will make you shiver. I thought that maybe I was viewing Awake too harshly and I always want to be fair when giving any criticism but, to my dismay, there isn’t anything that has even slightly changed the stance that I hold. I pondered over the fact that maybe the characters are supposed to be underdeveloped to keep a sense of mystery – no, they are so underdeveloped that an openly mysterious approach frankly doesn’t work. I pondered over the fact that maybe the writing is meant to be chaotic, and the dialogue is meant to be awkward as a result of the increasing lack of sleep – no, the film is left with no spine whatsoever because of the writing of the plot, and some of the most awkward lines are delivered by the characters who can get some shuteye. It’s disappointing to realise that Awake could have ultimately been an amazing watch if the plot was strategically followed through and expanded upon to start with. In summary, all I would like to say is this: hey Netflix, please stop spending money on incredibly mediocre films. It’s becoming an apparent waste of time in many forms and I am very much starting to give up on such releases. Many thanks, probably more than half of your platform users at this point.

★★★★ Directed by: #JordanBlady Written by: #BadaDiaby Starring: Bad’a Diaby Short Film Review by: Corey Bulloch Talent. Sheer talent. That was the only thought left in my head by the end of Jordan Blady’s short film Somebody. Like a rollercoaster, the film moves so quickly it can feel a little overwhelming with all of its visual and audible stimuli, and there is no denying the absolute skill that Somebody’s contributors wield. With gorgeous cinematography, editing, scenery, and performance, it is a terrific showcase of talent. A visual representation of a poem by Bad’a Diaby said to address ‘Gen Z’s longing for clarity and guidance’, Blady forgoes a structured narrative favouring a more surrealist approach. Poetry is commonly known to have different interpretations so while Somebody’s source material initially may be intended towards a younger generation, Blady’s vision allows its themes to become universal. To some, the film may seem like a series of avant-garde images with no singular meaning but the elegance of its presentation grabs your attention regardless. Somebody is a film of identity and isolation with Diaby’s performance front and centre reciting the poem through voice-over as different tableau’s capture her character’s struggle. Shot on Kodak film, cinematographer Igor Smitka crafts Somebody’s visuals splendidly it pulls you into Blady’s vision immediately, making the film dreamlike for the audience. I’m not a puritan when it comes to cameras, its definitely more about how you use it than what you use and damn if Smitka doesn’t use the hell out of his camera. The picture is rich, beautifully lit, brimming with character and depth, with the gliding Steadicam and static shots feeling kinetic throughout the edit. The aesthetics of the clothing, makeup, and set felt reminiscent of stylised Neo-noirs akin to Neil Jordan’s Mona Lisa (1986), even with its surrealist imagery and themes Somebody’s visuals feel ‘lived in’. The work from clothing stylist Dominika Kozakova and set designer Aya Katonova enhance that ‘lived in’ aesthetic greatly. Everything in Blady’s direction feels meticulously planned as his collaborators have Diaby’s character appearance feel striking. Sequins, fur coats, pantsuits and dresses, Kozakova makes Somebody’s ninety seconds into a fashion show. Every new ensemble Diaby wears is elegant but also reinforces the identity motif, all of these facets unsure of who they are and what their place is. The image of the many Diaby’s exiting and entering an elevator has significance in showing the possible but repetitive journeys we all make in trying to understand our place in the world; an endless cycle. Diaby’s character is haunted by a spectre, a figure whose face is obscured by a metal mask covering the eyes. The figure is seen in the hills, the home and the tunnel and takes on a foreboding presence, the poem’s recurring line “You don’t know who you are or where you belong until you meet somebody” now seeming more ominous than encouraging. Blady’s direction encourages diverse interpretations, so whether Diaby’s character is fearful to learn these answers, with the figure serving as an embodiment of unknown or perhaps a person from her past, now haunting her, the cinematic imagery can inspire different interpretations. Blady’s direction accomplishes in elevating Bad’a Diaby’s poem Somebody to a new medium in a quickly paced, visually and thematically compelling film that leaves an impression on its audience. #CoreyBulloch #shortfilm

★★★★ Directed by #MariemPerezRiera Starring #RitaMoreno #LinManuelMiranda #MorganFreeman #EvaLongoria Film Review by George Wolf By now, we can probably guess your age by how you first came to know Rita Moreno. Singin’ in the Rain? The King and I? West Side Story? The Electric Company? The Rockford Files? Oz? Jane the Virgin? Carmen Sandiego? The One Day at a Time reboot? Even if you just got here, there’s the recent In The Heights Twitter feud and if you’re on your way, it’s almost time for West Side Story again! The point is, Rita is among the most legendary of entertainment legends, and Just a Girl Who Decided To Go For It is a completely captivating tour through an iconic, trailblazing life. A Puerto Rico native, Rosita Alverio emigrated to New York with her mother at age 5 – and never saw her native family again. “Rita” made her dancing debut at age 6 in a Greenwich Village nightclub, and by 16 she had landed a contract with MGM Studios. Through countless “shut up and be sexy” roles that prompted self-loathing, to Emmy, Oscar, Grammy and Tony Awards, an abortion, a suicide attempt, marriage and family, political activism and therapy, her 90th year has found Rita to be a fulfilled, thankful survivor. And beyond the treasure trove of archival footage, home movies and interview praises from the likes of Eva Longoria, Gloria Estefan, Morgan Freeman, and Lin-Manuel Miranda (also one of the film’s producers), director Mariem Pérez Riera finds the most resonance in the personal journey told by Rita herself. Looking back on the obstacles she faced and the successes and failures of her life and career, Moreno displays a hard-won self-worth and an honest self-awareness, one that – as evidenced by her In The Heights second thoughts – she continues to probe. This is not just an entertaining Hollywood story, it’s an inspiring American story and a hopeful human story. It’s just a damn good story, from someone worthy of celebrating while she’s still here. #GeorgeWolf

★★★★ Directed by #BrentWilson Written by #JasonFine #BrentWilson #KevinKlauber Starring #BrianWilson #BruceSpringsteen #EltonJohn #NickJonas #JasonFine Film Review by George Wolf “Genius” is a term often thrown around too casually, but about one third of the way through Long Promised Road, a moment drops that leaves little doubt Brian Wilson fits the bill. Veteran producer Don Was sits in a recording studio with the original masters of God Only Knows, the classic pop symphony Wilson wrote and produced for The Beach Boys in 1966. As Was isolates track after track of those ethereal harmonies, he’s left to just shake his head in amazement. “I’ve been making records for 40 years, and I have no idea what he’s doing.” Credited with being an innovator of recording studio possibilities and the architect of the unmistakable Beach Boys sound, Brian has a long list of music business admirers, and director/co-writer Brent Wilson lines up an array of famous faces to sing Brian’s praises. From Elton to Springsteen, Foo Fighters to Nick Jonas and more, we hear nothing but well-earned respect and praise for a once-in-a-lifetime virtuoso. And that’s great, but it’s not exactly anything new. What makes Long Promised Road resonate is the time we spend with the man himself, in rare moments when Brian feels safe enough to let his guard down and revisit people and places from his life and career. Our guide is the film’s co-writer Jason Fine, a longtime journalist who gained Brian’s trust over the course of several years and many conversations. Brian started hearing voices at age 21, and he is still troubled by mental health issues which can make formal, sit-down interviews uncomfortable for him. So instead, Jason and Brian take to the road for some engaging carpool conversation. They tool around Brian’s old California stomping grounds (some of which are now actual landmarks saluting him and The Beach Boys) as Jason asks about the past and Brian answers, while often calling out song requests for Jason to cue up in the car. Through it all, Brian comes across as a dear, sweet soul with minimal ego (he excitedly introduces himself to Vanna White in a diner), full of deep feeling and affection for those who’ve touched his life (even his father Murray and his longtime doctor Eugene Landy – whose relationships with Brian were at best volatile and at worst criminal). Director Wilson (Streetlight Harmonies) intersperses the conversation with some terrific archival footage, at one point layering film of a young Brian directing the famous “Wrecking Crew” of studio musicians alongside more recent footage of him onstage and in studio. It’s a wonderful juxtaposition that brings the film full circle, giving us both a warm and often moving look back with a fragile genius and an illuminating glimpse of the maestro in his element. #GeorgeWolf