You Are My Sunshine film review by UK film critic Brian Penn. Starring Jack Knight, Steve Salt, Simon Bamford, Charlie Clarke, Rosemary Manjunath, Charles O'Neill, Ernest Vernon, Jonathan Butler directed by David Hastings. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS You Are My Sunshine Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Brian Penn | Posted on: Feb 21, 2022 Directed by: David Hastings Written by: David Hastings Starring: Jack Knight, Steve Salt, Simon Bamford, Charlie Clarke, Rosemary Manjunath, Charles O'Neill, Ernest Vernon, Jonathan Butler The modern world is a product of the past but many live with the stubborn legacy of their own upbringing. You Are My Sunshine is a sensitive study of a family shocked by the revelation their son is gay and emotional fallout in the years that followed. The story told in flashback jumps between the 1970s and present day. From a time when homosexuality was recently legalised to the more enlightened present is a fascinating contrast. Society moves on but progress will often fall between tolerance and acceptance. Joe (Jack Knight) and Tom (Steve Salt) meet as teenagers and initially seem to be opposites. Joe is quiet and diffident while Tom is sociable, gregarious and outgoing. Chemistry quickly turns into romance as they become an item. Joe’s father (Simon Bamford) recoils in disgust when he learns the truth; sister Ethel (Charlie Clarke) feels betrayed by Joe’s behaviour. Joe and Tom are undaunted as they resolve to live as a couple whatever the family think. Time passes as Ethel and Joe become increasingly estranged from each other. In middle age Ethel (Rosemary Manjunath) and Joe (Charles O’Neill) meet again but seem further apart than ever. Ethel’s son John (Jonathan Butler) acts as peacemaker and gets Ethel to call Joe. She instead gets Tom (Ernest Vernon) and as they speak the ice slowly begins to melt. However, there is a bombshell waiting for all of them that changes everything. Writer and director David Hastings builds an affecting story of how a family can be torn apart just because someone is different. However, the feeling continually nags that Ethel as a character needs to be fleshed out more. What actually caused the split with her own brother? To ostracise Joe because of his sexual preference can’t be the only reason. If it is then we need hear more from Ethel as the antagonist in the piece. Although the flashbacks are adequate mechanisms there’s nothing to pin down the era in which they met. We presume it’s the 1970s because of its proximity to legalisation; but can never be certain because younger Joe and Tom are pictured wandering through the countryside which can never date. It might sound like a minor quibble but this story relies on accurate historic context to be truly authentic. Aside from that it remains a sincere and moving portrait of a couple trying to live their life. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Brian Penn Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Parallel Mothers film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Penelope Cruz, Milena Smit, Aitana Sanchez-Gijon directed by Pedro Almodovar. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Parallel Mothers Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Jan 26, 2022 Directed by: Pedro Almodovar Written by: Pedro Almodovar Starring: Penelope Cruz, Milena Smit, Aitana Sanchez-Gijon Resilient women, absent men, memory, family, trauma, grace—somehow filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar revisits every one of these ideas to one degree or another in each film he makes. Parallel Mothers , the auteur’s latest, hits all those notes. But the song is never the same. In this case, Janis (Penélope Cruz) and Ana (Milena Smit) meet in the maternity ward. Both are about to become single mothers, both pregnancies unplanned. Janis, a career woman who’d thought her time had passed, is elated. Ana, a teen with her own parent problems, is terrified. The two share a room, deliver on the same day, and bond over the blessing of their first daughters. Life, of course, takes the women and their babies in unexpected directions but it is the bond that the film celebrates. Almodóvar’s vibrant tone creates an atmosphere where anything could happen. Parallel Mothers could turn on a dime and become a murder mystery (notes of Hitchcock in that score), political allegory (a radiant backstory full of non-actors begs for your attention), or even a comedy. Instead, it takes shape as a messy family drama, one so full of twists it recalls the filmmaker’s 1988 breakout Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. Plot turns certainly suggest one of his raucous, over-the-top comedies, but Parallel Mothers is poignant in its drama. The shocks and surprises are handled with sincerity by the cast, who imbue the film with an intimacy that grounds it. Cruz— Almodóvar’s go-to for a transcendent woman—commands the screen, an empathetic central figure even when Janis’s choices are morally muddy. Smit cuts a curious and melancholy figure, a perfect mix to suit Ana, a woman still discovering who she is. Her enigmatic presence is balanced by Aitana Sánchez-Gijón as an entirely different kind of mother. The three women orbit each other, the men in their lives conspicuously absent. It’s the absence, among other things, that gives Parallel Mothers its power. As complicated and showy as the dramatic twists are, it’s the backstory of Spain’s Civil War—the longing, the absence of fathers and husbands—that haunts the film. It’s one of Almodóvar’s most tender films, and one of Cruz’s very finest performances. And though both always play well together, they have again found something new and remarkable to say. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Purple Beatz film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Izzy Jones, Erika Alexander, Steve Michael-O'Hara, Aron von Andrian, Tedroy Newell directed by Lola Atkins. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Purple Beatz Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Oct 16, 2022 Directed by: Lola Atkins Written by: Lola Atkins Starring: Izzy Jones, Erika Alexander, Steve Michael-O'Hara, Aron von Andrian, Tedroy Newell A young woman moves to London with the intention of working in the music industry. However, she ends up going downhill. Sarah (Jones) arrives in London from Bournemouth and joins her friend Deedee (Alexander). Sarah dreams of a career as a singer and is determined to make it happen. Initially, things go well, she gets a job at a record shop, she finds a nice boyfriend (O'Hara) and meets Russell (Andrian), a music executive who has her singing at various venues. However, Russell turns out to be a ruthless person and he ends up having very negative impact on her life, which begins to spiral out of control. This is an emotional drama that takes place during the nineties and focuses on the music industry and how an individual's life can be affected by pressures that are applied by the ones who are inconsiderate regarding people's well-being. Initially, Sarah is a very happy and sociable person and all that changes with the appearance of Russell. She becomes disconnected from those who care about her and enters an area of the industry that she does not want: singing songs that are not to her liking and performing just for the money for someone who is mean to her. Although there are plenty of negative themes, including self-destruction, isolation and drug addiction, the narrative also shows the significance of friendship and support, of having people that can help one get through hard times and of pursuing one's goals. Sarah's inner conflict and the conflict between her and Russell are the main elements of the plot. The cast deliver very strong performances and Jones is quite dramatic as the main character, an aspiring singer who goes downhill and must fight to get her life back on track. Andrian basically plays the antagonist and his character represents the negative side of the music industry, as he just uses Sarah to make money and is cruel to her. Alexander, Newell and O'Hara portray individuals who care for Sarah and stand by her side. Atkins does a great job with the directing and creates some wonderful establishing shots and editor Nele Mertens develpos well-constructed montage sequences. The soundtrack is rich and contains a variety of songs and the viewers will often see Sarah singing throughout the feature, whether in front of a crowd or in a recording studio. This film is a lot of things. It is a romance, it is a story about inner struggles, self-discovery, friendship, having a passion and it offers an insight into life working in the music industry and it shows the bad things that can happen in this industry. The movie has its downbeat moments, however it reveals that with self-esteem and the support of others, one can get through difficult times. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Phoenix Jones: The Rise and Fall of a Real Life Superhero film review by UK film critic James Learoyd. Starring Phoenix Jones, Rainn Wilson, El Caballero directed by Bayan Joonam. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Phoenix Jones: The Rise and Fall of a Real Life Superhero Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: James Learoyd | Posted on: Mar 17, 2026 Directed by: Bayan Joonam Written by: *N/A Starring: Phoenix Jones, Rainn Wilson, El Caballero Phoenix Jones: The Rise and Fall of a Real Life Superhero is a new documentary, directed by Bayan Joonam. It aims to remove the mask on a real vigilante. This is a morally complex portrait of a man and the ambiguous movement he came to represent. Technically speaking, this is a well-assembled, researched and paced chronicle – as well as being a fascinating fusion of formats. Every subject is very nicely captured, with a crystal-clear look at play. Light and colour are treated with contrast and clarity. More than anything else, in terms of content, I would say that this film is about contradiction. It’s telling that news outlets seem to be more focused on the iconography of the superhero (taking a simplistic angle), as opposed to the ethical ambiguity at the heart of Phoenix’s story. But this documentary finally provides a more dynamic and confrontational perspective on a real person who decided to put on a suit, head out into the city, and fight crime. There’s always something concerning about vigilantism; and this documentary isn’t afraid to explore the danger, toxicity and authoritarianism which are inherent to a movement such as this. It’s especially disconcerting to see one interviewed subject – a ridiculous, aggressive individual – who attended his interview carrying a loaded weapon. On the flip side of this, however, is a more rational philosophy – expressed by Jones himself relating to how it is the direct result of a corrupt government which leads the individual to take matters into their own hands (I’m paraphrasing). Whilst an undeniably fascinating portrait, one would hope that the audience takeaway be two-fold: one, that this is a biproduct of institutional issues; two, that activism and peaceful protest are far more admirable than this form of vigilantism (the film puts a lot of emphasis on the difference between peaceful and non-peaceful protest, perhaps to the detriment of a greater lesson). Much of this film leaves a slightly sour taste in my mouth – especially with fascistic forces such as ICE in the US and malignant, reactive incel culture feeling more and more relevant day after day. For some, the “take matters into your own hands” attitude is a negative one; a phrase that may excuse or enable someone’s pro-violence set of beliefs and then taking the step to enforce those beliefs. But I would argue that Phoenix’s heart is ostensibly in the right place, even if it manifested in frequently damaging, messy and unconstructive ways. There’s a willingness on the documentarian’s part to enter dangerous situations and to confront reality with the camera. More than any individual featured in the film, you could argue that the filmmakers themselves are far more admirable for their want to present truth. I quite admire this style of filmmaking. The director knows that true perception – when it comes to grey topics like these – can be attained through gradual, non-biased accumulation of testimony, intentionality and context. The result is this movie: something rich, thought-provoking and open-ended. As stated in the film, it’s an effective depiction of “people who were desperately seeking community and purpose.” Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic James Learoyd Film Festival, Documentary, Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Mortuary Assistant film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Willa Holland, Paul Sparks directed by Jeremiah Kipp. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Mortuary Assistant Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Feb 10, 2026 Directed by: Jeremiah Kipp Written by: Tracee Beebe, Brian Clarke Starring: Willa Holland, Paul Sparks Director Jeremiah Kipp hits the exact right tone as he opens his latest feature, The Mortuary Assistant . Based on the popular video game, the film follows Rebecca Owens (Willa Holland) through her first night on her own at the mortuary. Before she can fly unaccompanied, she completes her first solo autopsy, as the mortician (Paul Sparks) watches. The scenes are clinical, filmed in close-up, Kipp manufacturing the best combination of mundane and macabre. Soon enough, Rebecca will begin her first overnight shift, and the clients are not your run of the mill cadavers. Kipp, working from a script by Tracee Beebe, finds organic ways to give Rebecca a backstory. Flashbacks are not intrusive until they need to be, as the film warps that history into another way to really ruin Rebecca’s first night on the job. John Adams figures into Rebecca’s past. He’s a perfect choice for a loving dad and for what that pesky demon haunting the mortuary has planned for her. Holland’s great in a tough role. Rebecca carries probably 90% of the film, much of that screentime spent alone or with a lifeless (?) corpse. It’s an internal character, not an extrovert or the type who talks to herself, and the actor impresses, commanding attention and driving action. Bebee’s script adds some depth to the game storyline as well, using Rebecca’s backstory to develop a theme of addiction that suits the horror and helps to explain Rebecca’s connection to events. Sparks delivers an enjoyable performance, stiff and weird as you might expect from a mortician, certainly from this particular mortician. Supporting turns from the small ensemble (Keena Ferguson Frasier and Emily Bennett, in particular) elevate emotion, whether that emotion is heartbreak, fear, or revulsion. Plus that demon is freaky. Frequent gamers may be able to make more sense of the actual mythology—possession, demonic bindings, the minutia of morgue work. Still, The Mortuary Assistant transcends the issues that usually plague big screen game adaptations and delivers fun, creepy demonic horror. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Ca Dentro film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Sara Rio Frio, Ruben Garcia, Fabiola Lebre directed by Tiago Pimentel. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Ca Dentro Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: May 4, 2026 Directed by: Tiago Pimentel Written by: Antonio Miguel Pereira, Tiago Pimentel Starring: Sara Rio Frio, Ruben Garcia, Fabiola Lebre A short drama from Portugal, directed by Tiago Pimentel, written by Pimentel and Antonio Miguel Pereira and starring Sara Rio Frio, Ruben Garcia and Fabiola Lebre. Just explaining that ''Ca dentro'' is a Portuguese phrase that means ''inside here''. This film is more character-driven than story-driven and it focuses on a meaningful situation or perhaps a meaningful interaction between two individuals. These two people are a woman (Frio) and a man (Garcia) who are inside a room by themselves, sitting on a bed. It is indicated that the woman is a call girl and the man has repeatedly arranged intimate meetings between them. This encounter begins with erotic intentions that involve her putting on the same dress that he keeps on bringing for her to wear, an old radio playing music, intimate dancing and touching. However, things get quite emotional, changing the situation. There is no conversation here. These two characters do not speak to each other, instead, they communicate between them via actions and meaningful looks. The verbal words in this short consist solely of the woman's thoughts, therefore making the viewer experience the events through her perspective. However, much of the film is word-free, concentrating instead in the interactions between the two protagonists that crucially do not involve erotic activities, even though they are evidently intended. Pimentel is responsible for the cinematography and his terrific work earned the Best Cinematography Award at the Okotoks Film Festival 2020. The film also gains from dramatic music. There are scenes that involve another woman (Libre), who is wondering alone at a boulder beach. Whether this person actually exists in this story or is generated by the other woman's imagination is unclear, however, it is suggested that the woman by the ocean represents the way the other woman is feeling, lost and alone, not comprehending where her life is heading and what she needs to do. Through the words in her thoughts, it is understood that the woman in the room has lost control of her life. That she has become detached from herself and from the world in general and her interactions with this man have played a part in making her feel that way, as when she is with him, she is asked to be someone else, someone she is not. As for the man, even though he does not say a word, he seems to be having troubles of his own that involve the inability to do what he wants to do or maybe that he does not know what he wants or maybe both. To a degree, this is a story about intimate desires. What the screenplay focuses on primarily are feelings of self-reflection, self-esteem and self-discovery. An intimate and emotional short drama that relies on inner thoughts and speechless performances in order to communicate its messages. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

One Day This Kid film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Massey Ahmar, Roohafza Hazrat, Aydin Malekooti directed by Alexander Farah. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS One Day This Kid Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Nov 9, 2025 Directed by: Alexander Farah Written by: Alexander Farah Starring: Massey Ahmar, Roohafza Hazrat, Aydin Malekooti Inspired by David Wojnarowicz's ''Untitled (One Day This Kid...)'', this short drama won the 2025 Iris Prize and the Jury Prize at SXSW and is currently being considered for the For Your Consideration campaign for Best Live Action Short Film at the Academy Awards. The screenwriter and director is Alexander Farah and the main cast includes Massey Ahmar, Roohafza Hazrat and Aydin Malekooti. This film centers on the life of Hamed, an Afghan Canadian living in Canada and it follows him as he develops from early childhood to an adult. The main subject is his homosexualtiy, how he begins to perceive himself as a homosexual and proceeds to live his life. However, as time has gone by, he seems to have been estranged from his disapproving father. This short is not narrative-focused. The screenplay consists of many brief scenes, all of which are presented in chronological order, beginning with Hamed as a little boy, before moving to his teen years and eventually his adult years. There is hardly a narrative, instead the film observes him as he gradually comes to terms with his homosexuality and as he deals with his father's disapproval. There is no non-diegetic music and to a significant degree, the film does not rely much on spoken words in order to explore Hamed's emotions. The fact that it ends on a sort of cliffhanger might be disappointing to some as a proper conclusion would had probably added more depth, making the film more meaningful. On the surface, Hamed is a simple person, having a happy childhood, playing with friends,socialising and attending religious ceremonies. However, deep down he is a troubled character, an individual who discovers that he is gay and conceals it in order to avoid the consequences. Quiely discovering his homosexuality through the years, he becomes an adult who finds happiness with accepting who he is. His father is the character who represents the condemnation that he fears if his homosexuality was to be brought to light. This film concerns self-discovery, family, religion, parenting, romance and coming-of-age. Primarily, it addresses homosexuality and more specifically, the forbiddenness of this characteristic in countries such as Afghanistan. This is a moving and thought-provoking story with great performances. It should probably not be acknowledged mostly as a story but rather as an exploration of the themes mentioned above. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film, LGBTQ+ < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Virus: 32 film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Paula Silva, Daniel Hendler directed by Gustavo Hernandez. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Virus: 32 Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Apr 19, 2022 Directed by: Gustavo Hernandez Written by: Gustavo Hernandez, Juma Fodde Starring: Paula Silva, Daniel Hendler It’s nearly impossible to watch a zombie film without seeing pieces of this, pieces of that. Virus: 32 does call to mind a handful of other genre flicks. 28 Days Later is all over it. Sequences call to mind Rammbock: Berlin Undead . The film’s claustrophobic, spook-house vibe might conjure Rec from time to time. Still, Gustavo Hernández (The Silent House ) braids these ideas into something unnerving, tense and moving. Iris (Paula Silva), living an extended adolescence in Uruguay with her roommate, finds herself saddled with her young daughter for the day. She’d forgotten and picked up a shift, which means Tata (Pilar Garcia) will join her today at “the club.” The club is an old, abandoned sports club. Iris is on security patrol. Tata can occupy herself in an old gym with some basketballs while Iris makes her rounds and keeps an eye on things from the security footage she accesses through her phone. No sweat. Unbeknownst to the two, a virus has infected Montevideo, turning people insatiably violent. Sweat. The title comes from the brief reprieve the illness offers. The infected become catatonic for 32 seconds after quenching their bloodlust. It’s contrived, but Hernández — writing again with Juma Fodde — enlists the pause button effectively. Fermin Torres’s sometimes creeping, sometimes soaring camera generates anticipation and dread in equal measure. Security footage — often a lazy gimmick in a horror movie — gets real purpose and style here. Likewise, the poorly lit passages, shadowy staircases and rooms reflecting leakage and rot create an atmosphere of decay that suits the effort. Nothing works harder or more forcefully, though, than Silva. Her believable tenderness, drive and instability combine to create a hero you root for, understand and worry about. She’s brilliant. Daniel Hendler joins the cast at about the midway point, injecting a needed sense of calm and purpose. His presence pulls the narrative out of its chaos and points things toward resolution. He and Silva elevate scenes that could feel perfunctory. Their talent and Hernández’s skill turn even the most zombie-eaten tropes into riveting action. Virus: 32 can’t entirely overcome its set of borrowed notions, but it grips and tears nonetheless. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Digital / DVD Release, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

I Will Make It Worth Your While film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Danny Chase, Elouise Warboys, Trevenen Harry, Lili Harvey, Christian Jones directed by Damien Fowler. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS I Will Make It Worth Your While Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Apr 13, 2023 Directed by: Damien Fowler Written by: Damien Fowler Starring: Danny Chase, Elouise Warboys, Trevenen Harry, Lili Harvey, Christian Jones A restaurant owner believes that he has found an unexpected opportunity to support his struggling business. Declan (Chase) has a fancy restaurant which is facing difficulties, following a health inspection. In an attempt to get himself out of trouble he turns towards his staff, firing them and wrongfully blaming them for issues in his establishment. Things take a sudden turn when a customer leaves her violin behind when she leaves the restaurant to get money for her bill. A couple sitting at a table inform Declan that the customer with the violin is actually a famous musician and her violin is worth a lot of money. Seeing a chance to help his restaurant, Declan makes a deal with them to acquire the valuable instrument and sell it to them. This is an enjoyable short comedy which is funny and suspenseful at the same time. The narrative begins by showing what a despicable individual Declan is, as he informs an employee that he is being made redundant (unnecessarily) and does not even provide him with the required notice. Things then move on to Beatrice (Warboys) and her violin, with Declan doing his best in order to secure the precious violin and get that much-needed cash. The plot is quite intriguing and the screenplay does a great job in making the viewer wondering how things are going to turn out and the ending is definitely quite satisfying. All the main cast deliver strong performances, however Chase is the star of the show thanks to his vivid and comical portrayal of a ruthless, cunning, selfish and manipulative individual. His face expressions are a pleasure to watch and he never loses his magic touch. Although he is the main character, he is an unlikeable anti-hero and the audience will probably be against him. Significant praise also goes to Jones for his performance as an angry waiter who protests against his dismissal. Director Fowler utilises a lot of face close-ups and slow motion and parallel editing are used to great effect. Commendations also go to Ben Thorn for the tense music that includes violin melodies and accompanies the scenes rather effectively. This is an intriguing story about an egocentric person who seizes what he believes is a chance to make a great deal of money. The plot is centainly engaging and that and Chase's performance make this short an amusing experience. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

American Underdog film review by UK film critic Rachel Willis. Starring Zachary Levi, Anna Paquin directed by Andrew Erwin, Jon Erwin. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS American Underdog Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Rachel Willis | Posted on: Dec 22, 2021 Directed by: Andrew Erwin, Jon Erwin Written by: David Aaron Cohen, Kurt Warner, Michael Silver Starring: Zachary Levi, Anna Paquin Directed by the Erwin Brothers, the life story of NFL Hall of Famer Kurt Warner is filled with the kind of inspirational messaging that is sure to hit all the right plays for a certain segment of the movie-going population. That’s not to say American Underdog doesn’t have appeal for a wider audience, but the studio knew what it was doing with a Christmas day release. There’s football, an underdog dreamer, and a smidge of Christian faith, all bundled together in a surprisingly funny, if familiar, package. Zachary Levi is the perfect embodiment of a quarterback with a dream delayed. From an early age, Warner has hopes of an NFL future. The movie starts with the unreality of Kurt’s goal—a short narration outlining the long odds of making it to the pros. But Kurt has genetics on his side, plus genuine talent. Unfortunately, nobody wants him. Exactly why he’s unwanted isn’t always clear. We learn Warner spent most of his college career on the bench, only getting his chance to play as a fifth-year senior. Something about discipline is the reason behind this, but it’s never fully laid out. He isn’t part of the NFL draft upon finishing college, but he does get a chance with the Green Bay Packers. However, a misstep ends his career in Green Bay. The film trains its focus more on the hardships Warner faced off the field alongside his girlfriend, single-mother Brenda (Anna Paquin), and his perseverance to work through them. This is the more interesting part of Kurt’s story, and the screenwriting team of David Aaron Cohen, Jon Gunn and Jon Erwin (also co-director) know how to engage the audience. It’s not the victories on the field that matter most – though they are impressive – but the sheer determination to make the dream happen. Of course, it’s easy to root for a man who pursues his goals with such dogged persistence and nary a negative thought. He faces hardships but with such grace, it borders on unrealistic. Even while working as a stock boy at a local grocery store, living in an apartment with no heat in the middle of winter, Brenda and Kurt radiate the kind of positivity that you typically find in a film with a faith-based anchor. There is some cringe-worthy dialogue, and you can’t expect a movie like this to skip the inspirational speeches, but American Underdog wears its heart on its sleeve, and it’s not too hard to ignore the schmaltz. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Rachel Willis Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Hard Feelings film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Joe Baez, Francesco Nuzzi, Nicole Guilbaut directed by Rick-kendy Noziere. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Hard Feelings Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Feb 16, 2023 Directed by: Rick-kendy Noziere Written by: Rick-kendy Noziere Starring: Joe Baez, Francesco Nuzzi, Nicole Guilbaut Inside a diner, two people discuss a devastating event that took place in the past. It is night-time and young man named Daniel (Baez) walks inside a diner, which is empty apart from one waitress (Guilbaut). After he sits at a table and orders some food, a man named Eddie (Nuzzi) arrives and takes a seat at another table. Daniel knows that Eddie is a former police officer, who fatally shot Daniel's teenage brother while on duty. Posing as a journalist, Daniel strikes up a conversation with Eddie and requests an interview regarding that fateful event. What are Daniel's real intentions? This short tense drama has an intriguing plot that is the aftermath of a tragedy and it deals with very serious issues that include police brutality, gun crime, injustice and mourning. By focusing almost entirely on the conversation between Daniel and Eddie, the story explores how it has affected the perpetrator and the victim's relative. It is apparent that by quizzing the ex-cop, Daniel wants to know about the circumstances that led to the shooting and how Eddie feels about what he has done. The conversation turns into a sort of cat-and-mouse situation and as Eddie tries to justify his actions and explain that the event has deeply affected his life, the suspense and tension rise more and more and give the impression that something terrible is about to happen. Both Baez and Nuzzi deliver very strong performances by playing characters whose lives cross paths due to a death. Daniel is suffering by the loss of his brother and seems to be searching for answers and closure. Eddie is trying to move on with his life, yet is aware that the incident has changed his life forever. Director of photography William Wilusz does a great job with the cinematography and composer Kevin Lynch makes a terrific contribution with the dramatic and tense music. This film is quite a dramatic story and it could be placed in the murder-revenge genre, although it is much more than that due to the heavy themes that it explores and the well-constructed screenplay that contains great dialogue and creates quite a remarkable atmosphere. Thanks to all this and the amazing acting, this is a thoughtful and memorable viewing. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

L. U. N. A. film review by UK film critic Amber Jackson. Starring Fernanda Romero, Lauren DeShane, Lauren Bair directed by Blake Vaz. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS L. U. N. A. Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Amber Jackson | Posted on: Jan 25, 2022 Directed by: Blake Vaz Written by: Roman Arabia & Mike Bane Starring: Fernanda Romero, Lauren DeShane, Lauren Bair Chilling and confronting, L. U. N. A. is a short film behaving like a snapshot in time as character and viewer explore an old house with secrets hidden in its depths. Protagonist Lillian’s job is to inspect an issue with a L. U. N. A. device within the house and, in the process, accidentally discovers far more than she bargained for. The film itself has a ‘classic’ type of horror vibe to it, with the look and score reminiscent of series like Stranger Things in terms of the nostalgia that it creates. Technology aside, it feels almost old-timey to watch and the plot certainly fits this structure. Arguably, the best horror stories are the ones that keep the story simple and timeless and, as Lillian enters the creepy old house, tension is built very effectively and creates equal measures of fear and intrigue. When inside, Lillian meets an unassuming couple, Jamie and Sarah, who inherited the house from Sarah’s great-grandfather. They seem like a really friendly and loving couple, which is refreshing as it is always great to see positive queer representation especially in a genre like horror. The three women have great chemistry with each other, as they seek to discover the mystery of the L. U. N. A. device, and make the content of the film equally believable and terrifying through their performance. L. U. N. A. behaves like the fourth character in the piece as it is like a virtual technology assistant. Jamie and Sarah are both convinced that it is spookily speaking to them in Spanish without being prompted. Luckily for them, Lillian is able to act as translator and help uncover the deep unsettling aspects of the house. This idea makes the story memorable as it begs the question concerning if people should be so reliant on technology. In this instance, the device makes the women question if maybe it has its own agenda. As the film plays out, the viewer begins to question this too. Camera work around the house is excellent and observes its contents carefully and creepily without being too invasive. It does this with several tracking shots surrounding the house and therefore making it feel really three-dimensional. This compares with the different – and not always upright – angles used in the interior scenes to help to build suspense well, along with plenty of red imagery to make viewing all the more intense. Including these types of shots with jump-scares adds another thrilling layer to viewing as Blake Vaz ensures that every aspect of the film is unexpected. All things considered, L. U. N. A. feels like a film that is just beginning. It is a fantastic, well-written and adventurous watch, as well as containing some sinister moments that are unsettling, but intelligent. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Amber Jackson Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >