The Middle Man film review by UK film critic Brian Penn. Starring Pål Sverre Hagen, Paul Gross, Rossif Sutherland directed by Bent Hamer. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Middle Man Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Brian Penn | Posted on: Mar 7, 2023 Directed by: Bent Hamer Written by: Lars Saabye, Bent Hame Starring: Pål Sverre Hagen, Paul Gross, Rossif Sutherland In a world scarred by war, disease and natural disasters the last thing anyone needs is more bad news. Worst still when it must be conveyed to some poor soul’s nearest and dearest. So why not employ someone to deliver that message on your behalf? That is the simple yet compelling premise for this new film The Middle Man by Bent Hamer. The administrators of a small-time American town are looking for a chump, fall guy or more diplomatically, a middle man to administer bad news. The successful applicant has to be a people person and is likely to be extremely busy. Frank Farrelli (Pål Sverre Hagen) is looking for a job. He applies for the position of Middle Man in Karmack, a town in the grip of a deep depression. The Commission convene to interview to Frank; the sheriff, pastor and town hall fixer need someone to deal with the fallout from accidents. He gets the job and is given an office, business card and secretary to ‘administrate’ for him. Guided by the Sheriff (Paul Gross) Frank learns the harsh realities of life as a middle man. He uncovers dark secrets in a blinkered community where people know each other a bit too well. But also discovers a darker side of his own personality, and quietly revels in the power that goes with the job. When best friend Steve (Rossif Sutherland) gets into a bar room fight it sets off a train of events. Old and festering wounds are opened and relationships begin to fracture. The Middle Man positively reeks of atmosphere in the driest and most non-descript of American towns. Characters stripped of promise by the mundanity of life and its inevitable routine. The narrative is populated by oddballs who are strangely likeable and garner sympathy as underdogs with grit and determination. There is a generous helping of the Coen Brothers and a dash of David Lynch to add a unique flourish. True to its inspiration the plot gently rubs on the senses as the visuals pull the viewer in. However, its essential strength could also indicate a basic weakness. The influence of the Coen Brothers is hidden in plain sight, and is hugely reminiscent of ‘Blood Simple’. The general construction of plot and interplay between characters is comfortably familiar. But it remains a thoroughly enjoyable film, cut to a lean and manageable 95 minutes for comfort. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Brian Penn Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Beau Is Afraid film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Patti LuPone, Nathan Lane directed by Ari Aster. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Beau Is Afraid Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Apr 19, 2023 Directed by: Ari Aster Written by: Ari Aster Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Patti LuPone, Nathan Lane Is Ari Aster all right? Asking as a fan who is starting to think Hereditary was autobiographical. Aster’s new 3-hour self-indulgent opus Beau Is Afraid revisits the scene of his 7-minute 2011 short film Beau , in which a middle-aged man loses his keys and is delayed in his plan to visit his mother. For his exponentially longer feature, Aster employs the inarguably brilliant Joaquin Phoenix. Phoenix is Beau Isaac Wasserman from Wasserton and he is living a nightmare of undiluted Freudian scope. Things seem fine as we open on his session with his therapist (Stephen McKinley Henderson, slyly hilarious), who prescribes some new meds. But Beau’s walk back to his apartment is a descent into Escape from New York territory. Escalating tension leads to a naked, corpse-leaping, maniac-fleeing car accident that lands Beau in the highly medicated home of Roger (Nathan Lane, an absolute treat) and Grace (Amy Ryan, always welcome). But he needs to get to his mom’s house. Aster generates much of the same kind of primal, ceaseless tension of the Safdies’ Uncut Gems or Aronofsky’s Mother. But he embraces the absurdity of it all in a way the others did not. At times, his film is astonishingly beautiful. There’s a surreal theatricality to the middle portion that’s stunning, but even the comparatively mundane scenes are shot gorgeously. And as odd as they are, performances throughout are great. Patti LuPone, Kylie Rogers, Parker Posey, Zoe Lister-Jones, Armen Nahapetian, Hayley Squires, Richard Kind, Julian Richlings and a barely glimpsed but nonetheless memorable Bill Hader all add intrigue as they populate Beau’s increasingly desperate and blisteringly imaginative quest to get to his mom’s place. But damn, it is long. And it asks a lot. Beau Is Afraid is essentially a 3-hour string of traumatic dream sequences, beautiful but shapeless, leading to something out of Pink Floyd’s The Wall . And if Hereditary triggered your mother issues, for the love of God, do not see Beau Is Afraid. The similarities between Aster’s 2018 horror are legion: the house, the attic, the physically beaten son, a headless body – you’re almost waiting for Mona (LuPone) to deliver the line “I am your mother!” All told, Beau Is Afraid is a fascinating, gorgeously realized vision and I don’t think you’re going to like it. I can’t say I liked it. I admire it, am stunned by it, and kind of want to see it again. Maybe I do like it, I can’t tell. One thing I know for sure, Aster is still working some shit out. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Justice: A Big Deal film review by UK film critic Isaac Parkinson. Starring Prashast Singh directed by Prashast Singh . HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Justice: A Big Deal Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Isaac Parkinson | Posted on: May 25, 2022 Directed by: Prashast Singh Written by: Prashast Singh Starring: Prashast Singh “Please do not stay quiet anymore,” the opening quote tells us, announcing the film as a wake-up call to those suffering from child abuse and to those inflicting it. A young boy, Jeevan, writes in his diary, looking out the window despondently. Shot and performed by only one person, the selfie approach is economical but the overbearing angle can become tiring, and the brief breaks of slightly wider shots are very welcome. The harpsichord score layered over the silent images is very harsh, its relentless tones of stabbing notes becoming grating quickly. In some ways this matches the anxious and unpredictable mood of Jeevan throughout, but without any other audio to complement it, it can become too domineering. There are two entries in his diary. The first is most intriguing, suggesting Jeevan has been falsely accused of harassing girls but has been saved from such accusations by his father. This establishes his father as a powerful man in their community, but it also introduces a strange contradiction. The opening quote, and overall theme, suggests victims of harassment and abuse should speak up and be taken seriously, yet our protagonist and victim also seems to be placed in a position of an abuser responsible for silencing other victims. This note is then dropped, as his second entry takes precedent. His girlfriend Shweta has comforted him through this, along with helping him confront abuse from his father by making a video describing how he has suffered. The video within the film provides a break from the silent dialogue and washed-out colours, instead using a more naturalistic approach. The rest of the film is settled on a palette of muted and murky browns, whereas here there are no imposed filters. This does also mean the dialogue is harder to hear over the intrusive wind. Given the technical restraints of the film this is understandable, and the workaround to establish the low quality of the video as part of the narrative is smart. By publishing Jeevan’s testimony of abuse, Shweta becomes the target of an attack orchestrated by Ashok, his father. In response, Jeevan confronts his father, yet remains feeling vulnerable. Finding it hard to shake that sense of powerlessness in the face of a patriarchal figure, Jeevan resorts to violence to try to find justice. The fight itself runs on too long, repeating his seeming defeat and resurgence several times. The selfie perspective again presents a challenge, but the quick movements injecting a feeling of violence and chaos. This is much less neat in wider shots, with his swinging of a hammer towards someone just off-screen showing the seams of the film. The fight ends in victory for Jeevan, leaving his father alive to be arrested. The line “Nothing is more vulnerable in life than life itself, and right now nothing is more vulnerable than your kneecap,” though, feels like a one-liner borrowed from an action movie, removed from the serious tone of the rest of the piece. The post-script updates provide resolution, with Jeevan and Shweta surviving despite their trauma, and Ashok imprisoned. A happy ending in relative terms, but it gestures towards other victims who are not lucky enough to find justice, acknowledging that many will continue to suffer unless something changes. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Isaac Parkinson Short Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

She Said film review by UK film critic Brian Penn. Starring Carey Mulligan, Zoe Kazan directed by Maria Schrader. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS She Said Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Brian Penn | Posted on: Nov 26, 2022 Directed by: Maria Schrader Written by: Rebecca Lenkiewicz Starring: Carey Mulligan, Zoe Kazan ‘Evil prospers when good men sit back and do nothing’ is an often quoted maxim though its origins are now disputed. Never has it been more aptly demonstrated in this new film documenting the fall of Harvey Weinstein and birth of the #MeToo movement. It’s been five years since the edifice of abuse built by Weinstein and his cronies finally crumbled. The narrative is familiar and well-trodden but no less compelling; a chilling portrayal of exploitation in the film industry. The story begins in the aftermath of Donald Trump’s election victory and accusations of sexual harassment. New York Times journalist Megan Twohey (Carey Mulligan) rages at the injustice as Trump takes office in 2017. However, colleague Jodi Kantor (Zoe Kazan) is on the trail of a story about film producer Harvey Weinstein. Twohey returns from maternity leave suffering the effects of post-natal depression. She is intrigued by Kantor’s discovery and the pair join forces to expose the head of Miramax Films. Slowly but surely they chip away a wall of silence as witnesses come forward. Ex-employees and aspiring actresses tell a depressing story of coercion and sexual abuse. However, they are reluctant to go on record with many bound by out of court settlements and non-disclosure agreements. Then a massive break arrives when former aide Zelda Perkins (Samantha Morton) provides Kantor with explosive documents. The net begins to close around Weinstein as his fate is rightfully sealed. Maria Schrader executes an intelligent script seen through the eyes of two dogged journalists determined to uncover the truth. Its construction owes much to ‘All the President’s Men’ and exploration of the Watergate scandal. Using this template allows greater detachment from the emotive subject matter and lets the story breathe. Ashley Judd and Gwyneth Paltrow (in audio) appear as themselves adding further authenticity to the narrative. Elsewhere, there are smart cinematic touches that heighten the tension. Harvey Weinstein is never seen face on, and there are eerie shots of empty hotel rooms that feel strangely claustrophobic. Undeniable proof that what is left off screen can be just as powerful as what is put on it. The film refuses to bang the drum for feminism and is all the better for it. What remains is a brutal indictment of power in its most corrosive form; the human cost of control through fear and the complicity of those who look the other way. It’s not comfortable to watch but certainly not a film anyone can afford to miss. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Brian Penn Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Sisu film review by UK film critic George Wolf. Starring Jorma Tommila, Askel Hennie, Jack Doolan directed by Jalmari Helander. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Sisu Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: George Wolf | Posted on: Apr 26, 2023 Directed by: Jalmari Helander Written by: Jalmari Helander Starring: Jorma Tommila, Askel Hennie, Jack Doolan Is there anything in all the world more satisfying than watching Nazis die? Perhaps not. Jalmari Helander, the genius behind 2010’s exceptional holiday horror Rare Exports , squeezes a lovechild from Leone and Peckinpah by way of Tarantino (natch). The result, Sisu , a kind of WWII-era Scandinavian John Wick. That sounds borrowed, but it doesn’t feel borrowed. It feels stylized but never derivative. Rare Exports star Jorma Tommila plays Aatami Korpi. Korpi used to be a soldier. He left that – and his reputation as a “one man death squad” – behind, instead roaming Lapland with his dog and his horse in search of peace and gold. After finding one, the other becomes even more elusive. The Nazis, their loss imminent, are leaving scorched earth behind as they move across Lapland. Their paths cross Korpi’s. It doesn’t go well for the Nazis. Helander’s confident vision meshes majestically with the cinematography of Kjell Lagerroos, capturing the lonesome beauty of Lapland in one minute, the next minute bursting with the frenetic energy and viscera of action. The stunt choreography and editing in the dizzying array of carnage-laden set pieces are breathtaking. Knives, guns, fisticuffs, tank fire, regular fire, land mines, a hanging, airplanes – a seemingly endless string of magnificently crafted violent action keeps the pace breathless. Speaking of breath, there’s an underwater sequence that’s a real gem. And a great deal of Sisu ’s success is in the novelty of its action. We’ve seen about 11 hours of John Wick by now. It’s hard to do something new. But Helander manages. Composers Juri Seppä and Tuomas Wäinölä also assist in lifting the heights of this spectacle, and it becomes as beautiful a celebration of bloodletting as we’ve seen for some time. And though a final confrontation between Korpi and the ruthless SS Commander tracking him (Aksel Hennie) is never in doubt, it takes on a greater significance thanks to Helander’s clearly-drawn stakes. The Nazi is looking to buy his redemption, while Korpi sees the chance to finally escape his past. Vengeance? Oh, that’s here, too, for both Korpi and some POWs who smugly warn their German captors of what is coming. They say the Finnish word for what the wandering stranger is does not translate, but that he is no ordinary traveler. And the film is no ordinary travelogue. Clocking in at just 91 minutes, Si su is perfectly lean, relentlessly mean, and consistently satisfying at every blood-soaked turn. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic George Wolf Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Blooming Cellar-Tuesday film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring N/A directed by Blooming Cellar. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Blooming Cellar-Tuesday Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: May 20, 2026 Directed by: Blooming Cellar Written by: Blooming Cellar Starring: N/A Cool animation and a rock song make up this music video by British band Blooming Cellar. Lets analyse this three-minute-long viewing by looking into the visuals and the audio contents. Visuals first: the entire video consists of hand-drawn animation, of which the vast majority is black-and-white. What is there to see then? Well, there is a sort of narrative and it follows a long-haired youngster (it is indicated that they are a school student). Following a creative intro that involves a student's notebook on a school desk, the protagonist (and only character in the video) is repeatedly seen waking up in their bedroom, going outside and pursuing a red heart through clouds that are producing heavy rain and appears to be getting quite frustrated in the process. The animation is simple, no details, however, the level of quality is enough for the image's contents to be clear: a youth leaves their home and runs after a hear through rainy weather and the frequent fast cutting makes the atmosphere tense. Now the audio: quick drums, dynamic guitars and energetic vocals join forces and create an enjoyable rock song, with some of the lyrics being visualised via letters. The lyrics pretty much describe what is taking place in the images, telling a story. Having the contents of the visuals and the audio combined results in an experience that is pleasant to the eyes and the ears (providing of course that one enjoys this kind of music). So what is this video about? What messages is it aiming to communicate? Some of the lyrics contain the phrases ''Hang on to the loving thing'' and ''I'm not sure I'll go on''. And, as mentioned above, the character is constantly pursuing a heart and the heart appears to be symbolising a worthy goal. Taking this under consideration, it is plausible that this film contains elements regarding frustration, patience, holding onto things that matter and finding happiness. A cool and meaningful music video. Viewers can appreciate the animation, enjoy the music and consider the themes. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film, Music Video, Animation < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Promised Land film review by UK film critic George Wolf. Starring Mads Mikkelsen, Amanda Collin directed by Nikolaj Arcel. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Promised Land Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: George Wolf | Posted on: Feb 1, 2024 Directed by: Nikolaj Arcel Written by: Nikolaj Arcel, Anders Thomas Jensen, Ida Jessen Starring: Mads Mikkelsen, Amanda Collin Just going by its trailer, you might not expect The Promised Lan d to have much in common with Saltburn , but the similar themes are there. So while there’s no shocking bathwater here – or much bathing at all – there is a sweeping historical epic of one man’s quest for social climbing. The man is Ludvig von Kahlen (Mads Mikkelsen), a longtime captain in the German army who returns home to Denmark in 1755. Desiring both wealth and honor, he visits the court of King Frederik V with a promise to bring the King what no one else has managed to deliver: settlements on the Danish heath. Ludvig promises to tame the barren land in exchange for a noble title, a manor and some servants. And to seal the deal, Ludvig will finance the farming project with his own military pension. Battling the elements and the roaming outlaws will be tough enough, but Ludvig also must face the wrath of sadistic county judge De Schinkel (Simon Beenebjerg), who wants to claim the land as his own and make good on his promise to Ludvig that “life is chaos.” Director and co-writer Nikolaj Arcel adapts Ida Jessen’s historical novel as a harrowing tale that consistently reveals new layers throughout its two compelling hours. Mikkelsen – teaming again with Arcel after 2020’s terrific Riders of Justice – is perfection as the battle-tested soldier with steely-eyed dreams of nobility. Ludvig’s arc plays out patiently, but as the Captain takes in two runaway peasant farmers (Amanda Collin, Morten Hee Anderson), a well-meaning pastor (Gustav Lindh) and an unwanted child (Melina Hagberg), Mikkelsen ensures the awakened humanity feels well-earned and real. And Arcel keeps the stakes rising to thrilling effect. Cinematographer Rasmus Videbæk’s majestic frames serve and volley with the twists of the screenplay to mine drama that can be as subtle as a framed patch of dirt or as overt as the triangle that springs from Schinkel’s intended fiancée Edel (Kristine Kujath Thorp) eyeing Ludvig as the man who can save her. What price ambition? It remains an intriguing question, whether you’re surrounding it with delicious ultra-modern pulp or re-imagining true events from hundreds of years past. The Promised Land takes the road less adorned, forging a rousing tale of savagery, revenge and fulfillment that will not be denied. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic George Wolf Theatrical Release, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

B.O.O.B.S: The Mockumentary film review by UK film critic Nina Romain. Starring Jazmine Cornielle, Courtney Sanello, Kohlman Thompson, Llewellyn Connolly directed by Jazmine Cornielle. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS B.O.O.B.S: The Mockumentary Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Nina Romain | Posted on: Oct 21, 2025 Directed by: Jazmine Cornielle Written by: Jazmine Cornielle Starring: Jazmine Cornielle, Courtney Sanello, Kohlman Thompson, Llewellyn Connolly Cousins Mark (Kohlman Thompson) and Katrine (Courtney Sanello) are starting a restaurant marketing company, called BOOBS, in his apartment. However, their arguments seem to be tearing their company apart even before it starts operating. Like the US version of The Office, which Mark references in Episode 3 with a cheerful meta-sideways glance, it’s “shot” by a small camera crew, generally using a single-camera setup in five short episodes. The characters occasionally talk to the camera or glance at it during strained situations, as they do on The Office. In the first episode of B.O.O.B.S - The Mockumentary , Mark introduces himself as he lets the film crew in, as he points around his apartment with an enthusiastic: “Welcome to my house! This is where the meetings take place!” and raps on the kitchen table. The camera crew, who are apparently Mark’s college buddies and headed by a director called Freddie, film the disaster that home offices can involve, as the character run out of toilet paper and Katrine hits the bottle early in the day (“Mark, we need some more wine!”) Mark’s paramour, the lovably kooky Annabelle (Jazmine Cornielle, also the series writer and producer) joins from Hooters as their assistant, to Katrine’s horror. As the trio attempts to make their first sale, we find out that Katrine was barred from being a lawyer after a work-related disaster, which she refuses to talk about it, since it’s online. Mark is revealed to be the eternal 30-something teenager, mainly interested in junk food, playing video games and lolling around on his sofa, and given to weeping with fury in his dressing gown when things go wrong. Annabelle is the over-exuberant party animal, but she attempts to win Katrine around and makes their first sale, to Katrine’s annoyance. Mark and Annabelle become a couple and decide to have a baby, to Katrine’s fury, and the business disintegrates. There are some good one-liners, as when Katrine demands of Mark, who hasn’t turned up to the kitchen table on time: “How can you be late for a meeting…. in your own house?” Thompson has a nice line in physical comedy, and Sanello is convincing as a shrieking lush. However, there are slightly too many pratfalls and yelling fits, and Annabelle has a point when she snaps and shouts at the other two: “You’re both just mean…and bad people…” There’s also quite a lot of toilet humour and an ongoing injoke about the subject of death by suicide, the latter of which is pretty tasteless. It’s funny, if overblown, and unlike the understated Spinal Tap, the jokes are too signposted. It’s hard not to find it amusing, though, and when the film crew get the final shot of the mismatched trio, cheerfully reunited and cuddled up watching TV on the sofa, you can’t help finding them loveably entertaining. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Nina Romain < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Feast film review by UK film critic Chris Buick. Starring Gillian Harker, Heather Carroll, Vincent Jerome directed by Gillian Harker. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Feast Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Chris Buick | Posted on: Dec 13, 2023 Directed by: Gillian Harker Written by: Gillian Harker, Brian Coyle Starring: Gillian Harker, Heather Carroll, Vincent Jerome Megan (played by writer/director Gillian Harker) is a woman barrelling down the road of self-loathing and destruction, scoffing her way through an obscene amount of food as she plays back a series of misjudged voice messages that painfully document the failing of a past relationship. Feast is very much that in terms of all it achieves, a real gluttony of creative storytelling technique and astute filmmaking prowess. It might not necessarily be one to enjoy while eating yourself, a warning to the easily queasy; the imagery can be quite visceral at times and is more than likely to make something turn in even the strongest of stomachs. But as unsettling and toe-curling as watching our lead character Megan hack up a fully chewed digestive biscuit might be, the unapologetic nature of these moments undeniably emboldens all the deftly executed aspects of the film that Harker and co. have brilliantly got all singing from the same song sheet. It looks great, framed beautifully and edited even better. But it’s the crisp and punchy sound editing that really stands out, especially in those aforementioned scenes where every bite and chomp and slurp and suck is positively deafening, enough to set your teeth right on edge. Plotwise, you’ll almost certainly catch on very quickly to what’s happening here, well before the film confirms it all, but not because it’s obvious. It’s because the meticulous care and attention that has been paid to the film’s mise-en-scene, dishes piled dangerously high, countless stains from questionable substances and days-old take-out boxes littering every free inch of the setting, puts us exactly where the film wants us to be because Feast isn’t about the destination or indeed the outcome. It’s about feeling for and with Megan, a woman drowning not just in food but also in self-pity, surrounded by the borderline squalor that is simply representing a physical manifestation of her emotional turmoil. And Harker proves that they are just as comfortable in front of the camera as they are behind it, which is just as well given how very up close and personal the lens gets at times. Listening back with Megan to their impulsive and ill-advised voice notes on their own would be enough to make you wince and cringe, but it’s actually in seeing the full opera of emotions play out brilliantly on Harker’s face that will hit your heart, hitting hardest when we watch the slow and painful transition from recollection to realisation and finally to regret and remorse. So, while the rest of the film does absolutely everything it needs to do in telling us the story, Harker’s performance makes us feel it, and that might be the biggest achievement. Feast is simply a buffet of delicious filmmaking accomplishments and well worth making plenty of room for. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Chris Buick Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

A Haunting in Venice film review by UK film critic George Wolf. Starring Kenneth Branagh, Tina Fey, Kelly Reilly directed by Kenneth Branagh. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS A Haunting in Venice Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: George Wolf | Posted on: Sep 13, 2023 Directed by: Kenneth Branagh Written by: Michael Green, Agatha Christie Starring: Kenneth Branagh, Tina Fey, Kelly Reilly If we’re going to congratulate Rian Johnson for reviving the murder mystery, save a backslap for Kenneth Branagh. His Murder on the Orient Express came two years before 2019’s Knives Out , and though Branagh may be adapting decades-old Agatha Christie classics, he’s proven adept at giving them a stylish and star-studded new sheen. Branagh also stars again as Hercule Poirot, the legendary Belgian detective who showed a friskier side (probably thanks to Johnson’s sublime Benoit Blanc character) in last year’s Death on the Nile . Now for the third in their mystery series, Branagh and screenwriter Michael Green embrace the season with a gorgeous and frequently engaging update of Christie’s 1969 novel “Halloween Party.” It is 1947, when the now-retired and war weary Poirot meets up with his old friend Ariadne Oliver (Tina Fey) in Venice. Oliver is a famous writer who considers herself quite the smarty, but she needs Poirot’s help to debunk the work of Mrs. Reynolds (Michelle Yeoh), a medium whose talks with the dead are pretty damn convincing. The setting is a Gothic manor with a disturbing past, where Poirot agrees to attend a seance on Halloween night. There, after a children’s party, Mrs. Reynolds will attempt to give Rowena Drake (Kelly Reilly) the answers she seeks about the murder of her daughter, Alicia (Rowan Robinson). But another murder soon steals the show, with even Poirot himself questioning his own eyes as things in the night go plenty bumpy. Branagh again teams with cinematographer Haris Zambarloukos (Belfast , Death on the Nile ), enveloping the film in a haunted house vibe that is wonderfully foreboding. The camera explores the confines of the manor via angles that are often extreme and disorienting, while lingering on cloaks, masks and other various other articles of creep. Poirot is a changed man since last we met. He’s seen too much evil, and believes in “no God, no ghosts,” as a cloud of trauma and grief that fits the film’s mood hangs over him. Branagh and his stellar ensemble (including Jamie Dornan, Camille Cottin and Belfast ‘s Jude Hill) work their character edges well, making sure no one is ever quite above suspicion. And those suspicions are easier to play with when the source material isn’t as well known. But while revamping a deeper cut is welcome, the chance for creepy surprise does come at a price. The core mystery just isn’t as compelling. Branagh and Green make alterations that prolong the chill factor, but result in moments that seem more like a Christie disguise than the face of the master herself. A Haunting in Venice ‘s lingering impression is as a slice of well-dressed fun. It’s a Spooky Season movie for those who don’t like things too scary, and an Agatha Christie tale for those who’d rather not think so hard. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic George Wolf Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Wish film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Paul Brodie, Ebrahim Joof, Averil Anderson directed by Charlie Fiske. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Wish Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Jun 4, 2024 Directed by: Charlie Fiske Written by: Charlie Fiske Starring: Paul Brodie, Ebrahim Joof, Averil Anderson Arthur (Brodie) lives a solitary life. As an aging widower he is used to doing things by himself, whether it’s making a cup of tea, sitting down to read the paper or heading out to do his shopping. What Arthur likes to do most of all though, is a little bit of gardening, and it’s while he’s outside in the back garden one day, pruning the bushes and pulling up weeds, that he comes across Noah (Joof). Noah is a young boy of about eight years of age who is Arthur’s neighbour. He lives with his mum and his sister and they are all currently having a tough time of things. There’s no money to spare and the cupboards are literally bare, so it’s no surprise that when Noah finds a way into Arthur’s back garden and spies a juicy green apple hanging from the tree, he picks it off and puts it into his pocket. Surprised to find somebody plundering his fruit, Arthur follows Noah through the trees and fences until he sees the little boy showing his mother and his sister what he had managed to grab for nothing, for which he is very quickly chastised and slapped for his thievery. Later on, Arthur is out laying down some flowers at his wife’s grave and reminiscing about all the good times they used to have when they were young and carefree. On the way home he passes a young man who seems very happy with a new set of headphones he’s wearing as well as a large bundle of cash which he has in his hand. Soon a young woman passes and tells Arthur that the old Wishing Tree in the park is granting wishes with its leaves but if he wants to get one he’ll have to hurry because the tree is dying and the leaves are getting taken fast. It is while he is at the Wishing Tree that Arthur meets Noah again and a decision needs to be made. The Wish , from writer and director Charlie Fiske, is a quiet and gentle short which takes its time to tell Arthur and Noah’s story. There are very few spoken lines during the eleven-minute runtime and the story is mostly driven by the images and the haunting piano music from composer Jordan Pace. There is a voiceover about half-way through, provided by Arthur’s wife (Anderson), but otherwise we are left with the music and facial expressions from which to glean the emotion of the piece. Unfortunately, it’s very obvious that most of the sound has been added in post-production, with the sound effects especially rasping and crunching in ways that they’re not really supposed to. This creates a measure of disconnect between the video and the audio which can remove the viewer from the situation, and this happens similarly when Arthur interacts with other characters without a word or a sound as though he is in a silent movie. The direction from Fiske and the cinematography from Kevin Turner are on point though, and there are a bunch of well chosen shots which add to the feel of the narrative, not least of all those which include the Wishing Tree itself. The flashback scenes are easily defined with a slight dream-like texture to them and the three narrative threads are edited together in a way that makes sense to the story. There are a lot of things to enjoy in The Wish , especially for those who know of The Monkey’s Paw , but there are also technical issues along with some too broad brushstrokes which need tidied up in order for this short film to truly reach the hearts and minds of its audience. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Digital / DVD Release, Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Ashley Avis, Kimerlee Curyl, Jenny Lesieutre, Erik Molvar directed by Ashley Avis. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Oct 1, 2023 Directed by: Ashley Avis Written by: Ashley Avis Starring: Ashley Avis, Kimerlee Curyl, Jenny Lesieutre, Erik Molvar A powerful documentary about the issues surrounding the survival of wild horses in the United States. Originating as a love letter to wild horses and from Avis's 2020 modern-day retelling of Black Beauty, this feature-length documentary investigates the actions by several organisations as they catch wild horses in the Western United States in events that are called 'round-ups', with the intention of selling them for meat and to make room for more productive live stock raising, such as cows and sheep. The result is the number of horses living free in the wild decreasing dramatically and Avis and her crew attempt to discover the procedures involving this, how it all began and the efforts that are done by people today in hope of putting an end to these unjust occurrences. Following a beautiful intro, the film goes on to reveal how wonderful wild horses are and how much their existence contributes to the beauty of their natural environment. Then things move to the threat: horses being gathered by force and taken away from their home (and their loved ones). The crew film as horses are chased by helicopters, placed inside large vehicles and driven to small holding facilities, where they await their fate and watching all this is devastating. The horses are mishandled so badly that some die as a result. The suffering that the horses go through covers a massive part of the documentary's content and apart from that, the audience will see people protesting against the removal of horses from their home and children writing letters to the government, requesting that wild horses are protected. The documentary works almost as a thriller, with the crew filming the round-ups, visiting the places where horses are being kept with hidden cameras and secretely filming auctions, where horses are sold and treated like objects. Various individuals are interviewed, including Dr. Yvette Running Horse Collin, Phd, an Oglala Lakota County scientist, Erik Molvar, a Wildlife Biologist, Jenny Lesieutre, a Public Affairs Specialist and members of the Bureau of Land Management, who are the ones carrying out the round-ups. Significantly, President Nixon's attempts to protect the wild horses are mentioned and so are reports that show statistics referring to the decline of these animals in the wild. Avis, who is also the narrator and editor, does a fantastic job as the director, creating shots with breathtaking landscapes and the mesmerising sequences where horses are running in slow motion. All these look splendid significantly thanks to Kai Krause's cinematography and Guillaume Roussel's sentimental and dramatic score. This documentary shows how unique and wonderful wild horses are and how cruelly they are becoming an endangered species. It is an informative, emotional and heartbreaking viewing that deserves recognition due to the issues that it raises and hopefully, many people will watch this feature and become more aware regarding the threat towards the survival of these mammals and also become encouraged to take action. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Indie Feature Film, Documentary < All Reviews Next Film Review >