★★★ Directed by: #DavidPablos Written by: #MonikaRevilla Starring: #AlfonsoHerrera, #EmilianaZurita, #MabelCadena Film Review by: Corey Bulloch At first glance of the logline from Netflix, I thought Dance of the Forty One was to be some melodramatic telenovela full of overacting and ludicrous tropes. My wild imagination was immediately proven wrong as the historical significance along with director David Pablos’s serious humanist vision takes forth. The eponymous title refers to a watershed scandal in Mexican society as in the early 1900s, a band of forty-one men were arrested at a private party where several men were also discovered to be dressed in women’s clothing. Gaining nationwide attention for the arrests of homosexual men but also due to members belonging to the upper echelons of Mexican society. Pablos’ film explores the culture of this society and its secrets leading up to their final dance through the eyes of the rumoured forty-second participant, Ignacio de la Torre, the son-in-law of the Mexican president. Beyond Ignacio’s dilemmas in maintaining his public life and ambitions against his marital troubles with his wife Amada portrayed by Mabel Cadena, he enters into a romantic relationship with Evaristo Rivas. This society the forty-one belong to is introduced through Evaristo’s induction and at first it may seem a little Eyes Wide Shut, but Pablos focuses on the love, pleasure, and distraction these men gladly share. Upfront there’s a lot to appreciate about Dance of the Forty One from presentation to its representation but Pablos’ direction lacks substance. For the first two acts, a lot of the film doesn’t feel very impactful and considering Ignacio’s storylines, a noticeable lack of tension. Some moments can still grip you, I found Amada’s storyline and particularly Cadena’s performance to be engrossing. Though it isn’t until the third act when the dance occurs and its aftermath, that the strengths of this film shine through. Pablos along with editor Soledad Salfate really impress in displaying the humanity and tragedy of these men, their desire to live as who they were, and the consequences of that desire. The film doesn’t hold back in its audacities and beauties from costume parties to full-blown orgies, it’s certainly made clear that the rich are living pretty. The locations and scenery have enriching production value especially captured through Carolina Costa’s cinematography. With warm candle lights, sleek tuxedos and gorgeous gowns, there is a definite intimacy to the camera and how it captures the character's presentation of themselves. Everyone’s hiding something about themselves so that this mix of outlandish theatre whether it was the personal ambitions of politics or the extravagance of secret societies contrasts against the layers to the character’s identities. While Pablos and Costa will have the camera sweep around gorgeously designed sets filled with detail and colour (terrific production design from Daniela Schneider and the art direction team) the camera will also hold on to the character’s most vulnerable moments. Whether it in throes of passion or anguish, Dance of the Forty One’s most memorable scenes is when the camera holds on the close up as all the performative fronts come down, particularly the haunting final shot and cut to credits. It’s disappointing that the skill that Pablos displays in the third act isn’t a consistent tone throughout but it is nice that Dance of the Forty One hits its most important moments where it really counts. While more time devoted to other members of the society would have been appreciated, the film doesn’t shy away from their reality and puts the humanity of Ignacio, Evaristo and the rest front and centre. #CoreyBulloch #Netflixfilm

★★★ Directed by: Sean Cranston Written by: Bailey Victoria Starring: Bailey Victoria, Greg Brown, Lauren Baker Film Review by: Jason Knight A festive film that turns into a festive horror film. Christmas holidays are coming to an end and it is time for a couple (Victoria and Brown) to remove their decorations. As they do so, they discover an odd-looking ornament and things rapidly take a dark turn. The lights go off, loud crashes are heard and it is indicated that something sinister might had entered their household. This spooky short begins with normality. A joyful couple are happily taking of their decorations, chatting about the memories some of the ornaments bring back. Then, after the discovery of the creepy decoration, the atmosphere changes as the story moves towards horror, with scary noises, darkness and quite a jump scare. It changes genre rather rapidly, kind of like From Dusk Till Dawn and the result is rather cool, making the audience think that this is a jolly Christmas film (which it is for the first half), while actually there is more to it than that. As the narrative takes place during Christmas, unsurprisingly there are plenty of relevant decorations to be seen, including a tree, making the house look wonderful. There is also the widely known and beloved song Jingle Bells, by James Lord Pierpont to be heard, which naturally creates the festive feeling. As far as the acting goes, both leads are convincing as a couple who have a loving relationship between them. The entire film was shot in black-and-white and the cinematography provides a dark feeling, which becomes stronger when things turn bad. Praise also goes to the stylized opening and closing credits. Regarding the audio, it appears to have flaws, with the sound of white noise present. Although it does not spoil the film, it does add negative standards. Holiday Spirit is an interesting and amusing achievement. It shows the joys of festivity and romance and also provides the viewer with a frightening, nail-biting experience. #JasonKnight

★★ Directed by #JordanNoel Written by #HudsonPhillips Starring #BelleAdams Film Review by Rachel Willis Some of the best post-apocalyptic films don’t worry about the event or events that created a dystopian world. The audience is dropped into this landscape along with the characters and expected to adapt to the new rules and challenges. With director Jordan Noel’s film, This World Alone, there’s an attempt to balance a Before and After centered around an event only known as The Fall. From the bits and pieces we get by way of opening narration, some cataclysmic incident occurred to render certain electronics (or maybe all of them) useless. The narrator, our main character Sam (Belle Adams), lets us know that cell phones, microwaves, and the internet are now obsolete. It’s assumed that losing cell phones drove everyone crazy (or is that just my assumption?), mankind was nearly wiped out, and the survivors live in a world where it’s everyone for themselves, food is scarce, and you don’t even want to think about having a pet pig. The problem with trying to construct a new world in reference to the old one is that it’s easy to trap yourself in numerous logical holes. If you have a good story, it’s easy to ignore those holes. If your story isn’t so good, the holes become chasms. Sam was born in the Before, but only remembers the After. She spends a lot of time telling us about the Before, which is unnecessary since that’s where we live. Time would have been better spent showing us how this new world operates. The film’s dialogue is often embarrassing, and it never lets us experience things naturally. Like the narration, it tells us a lot. Sam’s mom, Connie (Carrie Walrond Hood), constantly tells her she’s not ready for the world outside their secluded home. However, if the outside world is as dangerous as Connie always implies, wouldn’t she have better prepared her daughter to fight? Rather than waiting until she’s in her 20’s to suddenly goad her about her weaknesses? There is some beautiful cinematography, courtesy of Trisha Solyn, that helps enhance the characters’ feelings of isolation. Pointed shots help us see how nature has begun to reclaim the earth. Watching these women alone surviving in a dangerous world is interesting, but a short amount of time is given to this setup. The cinematography and the score are the movie’s highlights, but unless the film is Koyaanisqatsi, you need more than that to carry your film off successfully. #RachelWillis

★★★ Directed by: #JeleRaus Written by: #WhereOrchidsGoesToDie Starring: #Mebitek, #MarianaMillapan Film review by William Hemingway At a first pass Where Orchids Goes To Die may seem to be just a band with deficient English grammar, but not so says Mebitek, the gas masked driving force behind this electronic duo. As he tells it, Orchids refers to some eponymous figure who apparently inhabits the stories and songs that the band sing about and can therefore be considered a muse and inspiration for what we hear. This track, Wet Little Bird, tells the story of Mogoro's Maidens which Mebitek says is a traditional local tale in Sardinia, the part of the world from which he hails. The tale tells of a group of maidens dressed in white who walk solemnly each night in procession from the main church to 'Su Cramu'. One maiden walks apart from the others, held back by the heaviness of her wet hair, which is showered by the tears of her mother who weeps for her death. She pleads with an old woman to ask her mother to stop crying as her wet hair stops her from reaching her sisters. Orchids takes his/her place amongst all of this as a symbol of loving those who have been lost and Mebitek's musical persona seems to embody this. While the song itself is a great little dirge, packed with symbolism and meaning, the video by comparison has very little going on past the obvious allusions to the maiden of the story and Death. Mebitek and singer Mariana Millapan stare at us out of the blackness like a modern day Eurythmics, cradled in soft focus and film noir as they play out their death march. Millapan is garbed in the white dress of the maiden, sitting solemnly in a chair that she seems unable to break free from, while Mebitek dances around her in his fiendish gas mask, pawing at her face and her body in what seems like anticipation of receiving her into his realm. But there's no more to it than that. Admittedly, the video fits the song well and the kooky duo, used to performing their roles on stage in front of admiring fans, both play their parts well, but in terms of scope and scale the film does come across as being rather simplistic. Shot in one take the camera hovers and lurches, moves in and pulls back, shifts in and out of focus and leads us from hands to face to chest to gas mask, and it does all that very well, it's just that's as far as it goes. Obviously there are budget constraints to consider from a small start-up band with a niche following, but it would be nice if in the future once 'Orchids' achieve the success they deserve, the video could be remade telling the story of the maidens on the streets of Cagliari where we can really get a feeling for what they're singing about.

★★★ Directed by: Steven Kostanski Written by: Steven Kostanski Starring: Nita-Josee Hanna, Owen Myre, Matthew Ninaber Shudder Film Review by: Chris Olson Psycho Goreman Review If you like your horror full of comedy, physical effects, and elaborate space beings, then you could do a lot worse than filmmaker Steven Kostanski’s upcoming Shudder release Psycho Goreman. After unearthing a long-since-buried space warrior in their back garden, sister and brother Mimi (Nita-Josee Hanna) and Luke (Owen Myre), the siblings seek to utilise his deadly skills to their own ends, having gotten hold of a mystical gem that controls him. They name him Psycho Goreman and have a few chuckles making him play a confusing game of Dodgeball and turning their mate into a pink blob. However, more deadly space beings are on their way to wreak havoc on Earth. Never taking itself too seriously, Psycho Goreman has that beautiful balance of tongue-in-cheek dialogue, over-the-top blood-splattering, and a hard-rock edge which just makes it a lot of fun. The sibling narrative gives it an adventurous tone, a sci-fi coming-of-age structure, which allows the piece to avoid the heavy trappings of a more “adult” plot. This does, however, have one large drawback which are the uneven performances by the pair, who ham up every scene and seem to be getting paid extra M&Ms for every childish insult they throw at each other. It makes for awkward viewing at times but Steven Vlahos’s vocal talents as the voice of PG (as he is sometimes known) do go some way to atone for this, delivering some genuinely hilarious moments. A firm favourite is him being introduced to the “hunky boys” of a catalogue, with a deliciously homoerotic line being delivered expertly. Kostanski eschews too many digital effects and instead opts for some terrifically realised practical effects, fantastical costumes, and special make-up. This alone elevates Psycho Goreman above the glut of other horror-comedies that don’t go to such filmmaking lengths and try to get their laughs from extensive computerised bloodshedding. There is homage after homage to classic genre films from the 80s and this is done, understandably, with absolutely no shame. It’s silly and slavered in immature fantasy tropes yet Psycho Goreman is all about the fun...and death...mostly death. PG: PSYCHO GOREMAN arrives on SHUDDER on 20 May 2021 #ChrisOlson

★ Directed by: #ShakunBatra Written by: #ShakunBatra Starring: #MaAnandSheela Netflix Film Review by: Emily Davison Searching for Sheela (2021) is an Indian biographical documentary helmed by award winning director Shakun Batra. Batra is most well known for his family comedy/drama Kapoor & Sons (2016), which won him the Technical Award for Best Story and Best Screenplay at the Filmfare Awards. His most recent film follows the controversial spokesperson, Ma Anand Sheela, of the Rajneesh movement led by Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, when she returns to India for a press/interview tour after thirty five years. The film was released on Netflix on the 22nd April and has received largely negative reviews from critics and audiences alike, facing criticism for its reportedly shallow take on the infamous public figure which fails to offer anything new to her life story. The documentary immediately hits the ground running with sharp editing and quick pacing as we are given a very brief backstory of Sheela when she was sentenced to twenty years of imprisonment in 1986 and only served thirty nine months, before being released early on account of good behaviour. We are presented with her current lifestyle in Switzerland, where she moved to in 1990 to start a special help home and offer care and companionship for people with disabilities. The film is comprised of archive footage, with prior interviews of a younger Sheela being presented alongside news reports and present day coverage of the press tour as Sheela interacts with various journalists and reporters. The most glaring issue with the short hour long documentary is that it simply lacks a clear focus and is not accessible for viewers who may be unaware with this controversial public figure, relying heavily on audiences have some prior knowledge of the events and of Sheela herself. Unfortunately, this critic does tend to agree with others on their perceptions of the documentary lacking any interesting depth or entertainment factor; the film feels rushed in its presentation with barely any background information given before we jump right in to Sheela’s return to India and the rest of the film consists of shallow coverage of the press tour. The documentary has a general meandering pace to its storytelling after we are very hastily introduced to the main subject of interest and there is a lack of a compelling narrative or any real narrative hook to encourage consistent engagement from viewers. The filmmakers do not attempt to offer any in depth analysis or criticism of Sheela herself, instead painting a potentially biased positive and sympathetic portrait of her and her life, therefore possibly alienating viewers who wished to see a more realistic and grounded take on this political figure. The film lacks any intriguing commentary or thorough examination of Sheela, therefore resulting in a cluster of press footage with no real meaning laid out behind it. Searching for Sheela is a rather disappointing Netflix documentary which could have offered a richer, stimulating watch if it had been visualised with a clearer focus and tapped into differing opinions of the central subject to appease both dedicated fans and critics. #EmilyDavison Searching for Sheela (2021) Trailer:

★★★★ Directed by #MichaelMatthews Written by #BrianDuffield & #MatthewRobinson Starring #DylanOBrien, #JessicaHenwick, #MichaelRooker Netflix Film Review by Amber Jackson The end of the world has arrived and those who survived are hiding underground to escape the mutated monsters that lurk above. Joel (Dylan O'Brien) is not very apt at surviving and is forever the outcast of his colony. Missing his girlfriend Aimee (Jessica Henwick) who is in another colony and desperate to rekindle their teenage romance, Joel embarks upon a life-threatening journey to be with her. Will he survive above the surface? The vibe of this film reminisce a 2010s nostalgia for films like Warm Bodies and the Percy Jackson film series, coupled with a love for Stranger Things - an alternate universe and dangerous adventure, bursting with comedy and a questioning of what humanity has become. And no, it's not just because Dylan O'Brien looks like Logan Lerman a little bit. This film reclaims a genre that isn't made as much anymore, which means that it should be outdated, but it still feels fresh in the way that it is unassuming and packed full of wonder. The concept is very inventive. Protagonist Joel is the only single human in a colony that is all coupled up and he freezes at the sight of danger. Dialogue pokes fun at itself as Joel still struggles with adapting to a new way of life. Despite feeling useless, he draws everything he sees in a trusty notebook, making sketches and observations of the monsters now known as their enemies. Life is mostly lifeless. Until he decides to undertake the 85 mile journey to Aimee's colony on a true love mission and his illustrations suddenly become a lifeline. Joel is terrified of everything which perhaps makes him a funny and relatable narrator. As he breaches the surface, he finally gets to encounter fresh air again and see how mutated nature has taken its course. The rolling landscapes are beautiful and non-threatening, despite what we have been led to believe up until this point. It is not how an apocalypse has previously been imagined in film - there is no desolation, rather that nature has taken over and retained its beauty. That is, until Joel encounters his first monsters out in the open. Robbed of a cinema release due to COVID-19, an at-home audience can see what would have made this such an epic big-screen release. With brief explanation, we are launched straight into the action and the realisation that Joel could die at any moment if he freezes in the face of danger. Immense special effects and illustrations, combined with eerie reveal moments, capture these well-designed and imaginative monsters immensely. The sci-fi aspects of this film are very immersive, with the close-up camera and shaky shots making the viewer feel as though they are right there in the face of danger. These monsters are what we would see in everyday life, but on a much larger and threatening scale, and this re-imagining of 'nature-gone-wrong' is terrifying. But Joel doesn't have to encounter all of this on his own. Shortly into his journey, he meets a dog called Boy, mourning the loss of his owner, who joins him on his journey. Despite a lack of non-verbal communication, man and dog instantly connect with each other over mutual grief and hope as they embark on their journey for a better life. They also meet Clyde, a cowboy survivor-type, and his eight-year-old companion, Minnow. Full of badassery, comedy banter and on-the-surface experience, they teach Joel essential life skills and that there are good monsters amongst the bad ones. The audience are shown that Joel is more of a survivor than he realised with flashbacks to what happened leading up to being in his colony. Joel and Boy also meet Mavis the robot, who was supposed to be cutting-edge science in allowing robots to have empathy. Despite being a brief encounter, she comes to represent each section of Joel's journey, where he rediscovers a bit more beauty and humanity in the world that he had forgotten. Somehow this makes the remainder of the plot feel very current, rather than a film that should have been released ten-years-ago. This ability to reconnect with a world forever changed is unpredictable and hopeful and above all else, a continuation of living. An unpredictable plot and an ability to survive all odds are what makes this film great. Love and Monsters is currently available on Netflix UK and is well worth the watch - particularly if you love fun illustrations of made-up monsters and very sweet dogs. Watch the trailer here: #AmberJackson #LoveAndMonsters #Netflix

★★★★ Directed by: #ChaitanyaTamhane Written by: #ChaitanyaTamhane Starring: #AdityaModak, #ArunDravid Netflix Film Review by: Emily Davison Sharad Nerulkar (Aditya Modak) has devoted his life to becoming an Indian classical music vocalist, but as years go by, his dedication and struggle to achieve great success in his passion cripple him with self-doubt as he aspires for unattainable excellence. The Disciple (2020) is a Marathi language drama helmed by award winning Indian filmmaker, Chaitanya Tamhane, who has received much praise towards his most acclaimed drama Court (2014). His most recent film has its premiere at the 2020 Venice Film Festival in September and won Best Screenplay for the Tamhane award, among several other wins. Netflix acquired the distribution rights and it was released through the streaming platform on 30th April 2021. This slow burner is deliberately methodical in its delicate, precise direction, exhibiting smooth cinematography with wide establishing shots and long takes. A reoccurring sequence presents Sharad driving his motorbike through the mostly deserted streets of his hometown in Mumbai through slow motion photography; the familiar mesmerizing soundtrack of classical Indian music filling the senses. The multi-faceted screenplay delivers on a compelling character study of a man encountering many obstacles in his artistic struggles to pursue perfection in his craft, as well as observing the industrialisation and commercialisation of music in the early twenty first century in an enticing fashion. There is a universal quality to the film, as anyone who has a dedication to their passion will immediately be able to relate to the protagonist’s journey of self discovery and acceptance; the film has a remarkable transcendent quality to its narrative. Anita Kushawaha and Naren Chandavarkar’s engrossing sound design envelops the ears with traditional classical music from Indian culture and creates a soothing, atmospheric tone to the film which allows us to enter Sharad’s inner circle and experience his story with him. The intoxicating soundtrack is orchestrated to represent his dedication and unhealthy obsession with his passion as a vocalist, demonstrating both the highs and lows of his pursuits throughout his life. Before the release of The Disciple, Aditya Modak did not have any other acting credits and he has already won the 2021 Best Actor ICS for his role in this film. He gives a melancholic, muted performance which fits perfectly within the slow, reflective pacing of the movie. Although absorbing in nature with its provocative and realistic themes, the film does often cripple under its ambitious weight with some arguably self-indulgent scenes added in the final cut which perhaps could be criticised as being overly long. One example of this is when we are subjected to two or three scenes of the protagonist masturbating to porn in his bedroom and it is unclear why there needed to be more coverage of this private, personal action. The slow pacing can unfortunately be a big turn off at several points in the film, where each sequence is filmed in a long take and the naturalistic panning out of everyday events can sometimes hinder the overall high quality of the film. Nevertheless, The Disciple is a very well made and stirring drama with a strong screenplay, transcendent message and a mesmerizing sound design, resulting in a satisfying and rewarding viewing experience. #EmilyDavison The Disciple (2020) Trailer:

★★★★★ Directed by #AnthonyMandler Written by #RadhaBlank, #ColeWiley and #JaneceShaffer Starring #KelvinHarrisonJr, #JenniferHudson, #ASAPRocky Netflix Film Review by Amber Jackson "What do you see when you look at me?" Beautiful and brutal in equal measures, Monster tells a story of pain and heartache as seventeen-year-old Steve Harmon (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) is accused of murder. Despite allegedly ‘looking the part’, Steve is adamant that he has no involvement. What starts as a thought provoking introspective into an all-to-familiar racially charged narrative, instead becomes something creative and even hopeful, as Steve calls into question not only his own identity, but also that of humanity itself. Based on the 1999 book of the same name by Walter Dean Myers, Monster originally premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2018 before being released on Netflix on Friday, 7th May 2021. As an aspiring filmmaker on the precipice of adulthood, Steve seeks to ‘find his story’ before applying to film school and starts hanging around local guy James (Rakim “A$AP Rocky” Mayers) for inspiration around his community. The two young men have interesting chemistry, with an intense dynamic from their first encounter, and both Harrison and Mayers do well to make this as emotive as possible. Kelvin Harrison Jr. does a fantastic job of playing a wrongfully accused teen and carries the beauty of the film that one-step further to make it immensely thought provoking for the viewer. Steve is just trying to be an average teenager, whilst seeking to record the extraordinary aspects of life through the camera. Knowing that he is alive becomes terrifying, as it means that he is forced to confront a horrible reality. Beautiful camera work and acting swirl together to create Steve’s memories, which creates an all-consuming immersion into his life. We see Steve’s perspective throughout, with the motif of filmmaking encouraging him to find passion in life and consider alternative points of view. The camera is all telling, as close-up shots on faces, objects and clothing reveal powerful and intricate details of identity. A variety of different filming forms act on a constant rotation, with shaky following camera shows that rotate around characters as they feel out of control, to the long takes that provide the opportunity for the viewer to scrutinise every facial expression or thought process that a character has. Grainy CCTV footage acts as evidence too, giving another layer to the evidence that the viewer must unpack. Scenes shot from Steve’s camera are artsy and black and white and layered with his own interpretation on his surroundings. Scene changes are jarring at times, with loud noises perforating the cut. No character is what they seem and there is a vulnerability to this filming as we are forced to question Steve’s intentions. Steve constantly ‘feels like he is in a movie' as the structure of the film seeks to build itself around him. Dialogue is spoken the way that a script is written, vocalising every interior and exterior direction, providing a clever self-aware narrative. The introspective script continues in the way scenes and individual shots are layered over each other, often frantic. Court scenes in particular are fast-paced and quickly edited together like snapshots of a camera. They are monochrome, with characters wearing lots of black and white clothing, flooded by an all-grey backdrop of the courtroom. The script has knowledge of these moments and colour difference is sharpened, forcing further vulnerability onto Steve. The viewer is left to their own interpretation of the evidence that they have been given. They must behave like the jury and consider their own opinions and biases to confirm what they think actually happened. This heart-breaking, yet intelligent, ambiguity reminds us that it is not about guilt of innocence in Steve’s story - rather that it is about judgement. A unique concept, cleverly filmed and a surprising story arc. Monster is a must-watch. Monster is now streaming on Netflix UK. Watch the trailer here: #AmberJackson #MonsterNetflix #5StarFilms

★★★★★ Stars Written and directed by: #MichaelRianda, #JeffRowe Starring: #AbbiJackson, #DannyMcBride, #MayaRudolph, #OliviaColman Netflix Film Review by: Alicia Moore “A quirky, dysfunctional family's road trip is upended when they find themselves in the middle of the robot apocalypse and suddenly become humanity's unlikeliest last hope.” As Christopher Miller and Phil Lord are on the list of producers for The Mitchells vs. The Machines, the same magical spark they ignited with Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is what I most hoped for. They brought that particular spark and expanded upon it in this film so to say I was overwhelmed with happiness here might be an understatement. The Mitchells vs. The Machines emanates creativity that, in itself, is dripping with partnered vibrancy. With true heart and lovable characters, who wouldn’t want to go on an adventure with the wacky Mitchell family? As the concept for the film is based on family relationships and how bonds either sever or survive, characterisation needs to be fully focused on, and thankfully that is what viewers are met with. Each character has a unique personality for audiences to immediately attach to. The depth of characterisation is spectacular and, with this, the perfect family dynamics follow seamlessly. The brilliantly thought out personalities of the characters adds to the already beaming colours of the animation, continuously creating an atmosphere that it nothing short of enthralling. These characters are distinctive in their own right which can easily be seen through the different bundles of beautiful representation – from a teenager who is openly part of the LGBTQ+ community, to her little brother showing neurodivergent characteristics that are happily supported — however, they all piece together in harmony through their sense of humour and the collective love they have as a family. Even this connection is seen to expand to other characters in the public eye of this cinematic world, bringing opposite individuals together in joy and excitement. Despite the film not exactly being presented as a tearjerking adventure, especially with the core of the film being lighthearted humour, the proportion of emotional impact can easily have your vision blurred (I’m totally not saying this because I cried… alright maybe I did cry just a little bit…) Although the Mitchell family is described as ‘quirky’ and ‘dysfunctional,’ they are actually more like the majority of families around the world. Everything about the Mitchells is disorderly; the way they communicate, the way they can only attempt to take family photos, the way they unusually show their appreciation towards one another. But that is what normal families are like right? Seeing such an upbeat family with their fair share of difficulties is a nice change. It brings a sense of sincere life to the film. That specific feeling of reality can be felt through the ongoing distress of the ‘robot apocalypse’ as smartphones decide to get revenge. Now, I know that might sound insane because there is absolutely no reality in that event, but the basis of our society being immersed in technology is hilariously overemphasised. Taking the jokes out of the equation for a moment, one of the most praiseworthy elements of this storyline is how parents are regularly affected by social media. Linda Mitchell (Maya Rudolph,) who is the mother figure in the Mitchell family, talks about how jealous she is of her neighbours. Their family is orderly and their relationship with each other is utterly pristine. She talks about their Instagram posts and becomes upset at the easy nature of how their life appears in comparison to hers — I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a film that targets the negative impact social media can have on both the younger generation as well as their parents. The Mitchells vs. The Machines is the definition of the phrase ‘a film for the whole family.’ The Mitchells vs. The Machines, now streaming on Netflix, houses a predictable yet electrifying story. Carrying thrilling action sequences, breathtaking visuals and humour that lands for viewers of all ages, this isn’t a film you want to miss. Sure, you can keep it in your watchlist for a few weeks, but trust me when I tell you that joining in with the current excitement surrounding it is a much better experience to be part of.

★★★★ Directed by: Spencer Anderson Written by: #SpencerAnderson and #JamieBrown Starring: #OscarKing, #RubyRae, #CaraKealy Film Review by: Patrick Foley Difficult parent/child relationships are a challenge at the best of times. Trying to convince a son or daughter to wear a raincoat or finish their alphabetti-spaghetti is a pain when there’s a lack of connection. Imagine how difficult it would be to survive with them post-apocalypse? April is a short film that features such a dilemma. Jordan (Oscar King) fights against the elements, shadowy unseen dangers and his own tortured past as he accompanies his young daughter April (Ruby Rae) to a safe haven known as ‘The Vale’. With her mother ominously absent, Jordan must find a way to connect to April as they travel the land and handle unexpected challenges. April is an alluringly concise film which tells an affecting short story whilst creating a much bigger, intriguing world for it to be told in. We see only a small snippet of what life is like for Jordan and April and how their relationship became strained, but Spencer Anderson’s visionary direction gives an incredible amount of context about their situation. Short, solemn scenes such as the simple opening of Jordan digging a hole, are allowed to breath and linger with the viewer, telling us all we need to know without any words necessary. Production is slick, with excellent use of lighting (particularly in the pair’s hideout) and editing which weaves gracefully with the soundtrack. The film manages to build tension and an element of danger without ever becoming frantic or resorting to predictable post-apocalyptic cliches. It is refreshing for a film in what is an overcrowded genre to take its time, and appropriate given that at the heart of the film is the struggling relationship between father and daughter. Plot-wise, the film leaves a lot to the audience’s imagination and confidently omits explanation of more fantastical or sci-fi-heavy developments. This is no detraction from the character-focused story which puts the relationship between the two leads at the heart, and builds each of the pair slowly and patiently to explain the rift. It is the characters and their journey which grab the audience’s intrigue, not sci-fi jargon or a full history of how their world came to be. Anderson understands this, and focuses much of the film’s short running time in the right places. Oscar King’s portrayal of Jordan is discreetly striking. Clearly unprepared for the task life has assigned him, his youthful and masculine determination to stay strong in a dangerous world is a hardened survival mechanism, yet also a major barrier preventing him from connecting with his daughter. But it is Ruby Rae who steals the show. The young actress gives a performance far beyond her years, with both curiosity and maturity mixed into April that hints at a displaced life for a child that damages her own ability to relate to others, through no fault of her own. Both performances effectively portray a chasm between the father and daughter – an interesting example of what could be described as ‘anti-chemistry’. But with each having relatable and empathetic sides on show, viewers will be convinced they can bridge the gap, and will root for them to do so. A fine example of ‘less-is-more’, April recognises that engrossing and intriguing worlds can be created on screen without pages of dialogue or precious minutes of screen-time being expended, and instead focuses on a complex relationship between well-built characters which grabs audience attentions far more firmly to tell a high-quality story.

★★ Directed by: #TimHewitt Written by: #TimHewitt Starring: #KobnaHoldbrookSmith, #JayeJacobs, #LaraPeake Film Review by Lucy Clarke An alien invasion and a terrorist attack might have the same aims, but on-screen, while one can have silly moments with sky-high explosions, the other begs for nuance and sensitivity. A terrorist attack could happen to anyone, and although the incidents are rare, the BBC news alert beep is ingrained in your brain. Terrorism isn’t something to be trifled with, and it’s challenging to get the balance right between fact and dramatization. Broken Shelter bursts out with a home-style shaky cam and a greige tone. Nuance and gentleness are not in its nature. Tim (Kobna Holdbrook-Smith) has been dumped by his girlfriend, Jade (Jaye Jacobs) and wakes up on her couch, a mountain of his bags beside him. They have a final, silent breakfast, and the crunching of toast can’t even mask the awkwardness. Suddenly, an explosion rattles the flat - and it’s not a gas leak. Hewitt’s short film is bizarrely convoluted for its runtime and seemingly simple premise. It’s implied that Tim had an affair with Jamileh (Anabel Kutay), who works in the shop downstairs. It’s an unnecessary layer to Tim’s relationship, which does very little to add any depth to the three characters. Instead, this infidelity drives an unnecessary wedge between them, and this tension is miraculously resolved by the end. This isn’t just a situation where Tim and the others can just wait for it to all blow over. Instead, it’s rapidly clear that one of the people gathered from the street after the initial blast is actually a terrorist (Lara Peake), with a bomb vest strapped on underneath her jacket. Instead of grabbling with the moral implications of saving a person who intended widespread death and destruction, Broken Shelter collapses into a flurry of catfights. This film is desperate for violence when it really needed to hunt down a lucid script with fleshed-out characters. Tim is the typical action hero whose arc hinges on whether he can get back with the girl and save the day, and the terrorist has all the conviction of a Scooby-Doo villain. There’s a statement about Muslims and Islamophobia that isn’t developed enough to add any gravitas to the situation. At worse, the religious motivation for the attacks is so crudely slapped onto the film that it is just an excuse to intensify the plot. Broken Shelter might look like a bit of home footage found after the terrorist attack. But the sloppiness encountered in the other aspects of the film is probably far from intentional. Terrorism is only a theme where a skeleton plot from an action movie is crudely placed on top, and it leaves the film on shaky ground.