Can Be film review by UK film critic James Learoyd. Starring Mohammedally Shushtari, Elle Zahrouni, Raghad Chaar directed by Mohammedally Shushtari. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Can Be Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: James Learoyd | Posted on: Feb 26, 2024 Directed by: Mohammedally Shushtari Written by: Mohammedally Shushtari Starring: Mohammedally Shushtari, Elle Zahrouni, Raghad Chaar Can Be is a promising piece of filmmaking. Simple yet engaging, it uses the short-form medium effectively; however, occasional technical issues means that the piece struggles to truly reach its full potential. Giving us an emotional snippet of two siblings’ fraught relationship, the film explores the baggage of their pasts through a therapy session -- serving as the single scene and location for the 13-minute runtime. As the reasons for characters’ resentments become clearer, there are some engrossing moments. One would hope that the film was more polished than is the case, but there’s still a whole lot to love about this dramatic chamber piece... For instance, the performances alone make it worth a watch. With a level of vulnerability and simultaneous restraint, our three actors make great use of the quiet moments. Understanding the ways in which silence can add to dramatic tension - without making it feel overused or gimmicky - is a sign of a skilled performer. For the most part, all three players appear consistently natural, clearly aware of how their mannerisms play on camera. Certain bits of delivery come across as clunky, but it remains more a distraction than a glaring flaw. As with all dramatic pieces, the actors play perhaps the most significant part in the film’s overall quality and watchability, so thankfully those featured in Can Be are very much giving it their all. While conventional, the short certainly has a functional, pleasing look: it’s soft yet nice and contrasty -- the grade, in particular, is of a professional standard. Directorially, there’s also a clear understanding of space... for instance, the filmmakers effectively craft a three-pointed conversation by using the 180-degree line to their advantage. Unfortunately, the visuals (unlike the performances) aren’t consistent: there are noticeable problems that a conventional audience member may not be willing to look past – most notably the central, medium close-up of the therapist has clearly suffered a great deal of warp stabilisation in post-production. I, personally, would have much preferred it if they had kept their unsupported camera obviously handheld -- embrace the on-set decision and own the imperfections, for attempting to glaze over it leaves an ugliness. Can Be also suffers from a script that feels immediately familiar to us, and dialogue that reminds one of countless other creations about tortured family dynamics. This can make the story (particularly during the first few minutes) feel trite. However, as more discussion transpires, the central relationship between brother and sister thankfully reveals itself to be more complex, original and ultimately interesting to a viewer. Perhaps further work on the screenplay could have illuminated ways to get to the richer elements of the relationship; the meat of narrative without the fat... though the script relies on a central tension which unfortunately proves less engaging. There’s some wonderful work on show. I urge the filmmakers to keep creating, because their cinematic skills and creative abilities are more than apparent. One might also suggest hanging on to the other performers! - as discussed, the craft of a genuinely strong actor can elevate the piece considerably. I’m anticipating more exciting work from those behind Can Be . Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic James Learoyd Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Somewhere In Between film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Taylor Misiak, Ryan O’Flanagan, John Horan directed by Kyle Vorbach. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Somewhere In Between Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Feb 13, 2024 Directed by: Kyle Vorbach Written by: John Horan and Kyle Vorbach Starring: Taylor Misiak, Ryan O’Flanagan, John Horan It’s New Year’s Eve and everybody’s out socialising, bumping into old friends, and rubbing elbows with happy strangers to ring in the changes. Everybody that is, except Emily and Jack, who have decided to keep things simple this year. Emily (Misiak) had a bit of a nightmare at last year’s event, with her relationship coming to an abrupt end just as the ball dropped in Times Square, so now she just wants a quiet night in and good friend Jack (O’Flanagan) has said that he’ll keep her company. Everything’s going swimmingly as the two settle in for the evening, with Jack in charge of the fizz and Emily keeping the requisite distance away to unmistakably keep Jack firmly in the friend-zone. After a couple of awkward moments and a swift clinking of glasses everything suddenly gets upended as a bizarre looking stranger (Horan) bursts in through the back door babbling some stuff about the spacetime continuum and asking what year it is. After announcing himself as some sort of time-traveller, the stranger continues to profess in his best Doc Emmett Brown manner that everything is wrong, that it should be raining and there should have been a blackout by now, and that if it doesn’t happen it will have dangerous ramifications for the future. Swiftly the action moves out to the garage where the time-machine has landed, and boy what an impression does that make. The time-traveller, bathed in smoke and lights, now comes to the crux of the matter and reveals himself to be Emily and Jack’s son. In a frantic state he reasons that if there’s no rain, and no blackout, then there’ll be no opportunity for the will they/won’t they companions to have a candlelit dinner and fall in love, there’ll be no future for them, and he will cease to exist. It can only be assumed at this point that everyone’s last name is McFly. Then the rain starts. At this point, Somewhere In Between has only expended five out of its fifteen minutes of runtime, and so there’s still plenty of story, action and craziness to come. It’s really impressive that writer/director Kyle Vorbach and co-writer/producer John Horan have already managed to fit so much in to a short five minutes but there’s no short-changing the audience here as the second and third act are just as full as the first. A clever sidestep takes us away from the obvious Back To The Future (1985) narrative and a satisfactory denouement keeps the audience engaged all the way to the end, with Mike Ladouceur guiding us professionally the whole time through his tense and exciting score. With Vorbach having already said that it was Horan’s and his goal to “make a short film that felt like a summer blockbuster” it’s great to see that this production team have managed to achieve exactly what they set out to do. Certainly, the production design on Somewhere In Between is out of this world compared to most other low-budget indie movies out there, and everything feels thought of and cared about from the smallest details on the props to the big show of the lighting and effects. Special mention also goes to DoP, Skyler Bocciolatt for the sumptuous, luxuriant feel of the photography and Vorbach’s own Lonegeni.us, who took care of the sound and visual effects, both of which really add a level of class and style to the whole proceedings. Rounding off the summer blockbuster feel to this short film is the flawless acting from all three leads. Taylor Misiak and Ryan O’Flanagan complement each other perfectly as Emily and Jack, giving natural performances which range from awkward to gooey-eyed to dumbfounded and back again, while John Horan nails it as the half-crazed, frantic time-traveller. Everything in Somewhere In Between is first class, from the opening shot to the last, and so much is packed into its tiny fifteen minute timeframe that it genuinely offers the experience of a big-budget blockbuster to the audience. What Future Boyfriends , Vorbach and Horan have created here is a smart, fun and compact, good old-fashioned summertime movie, all distilled into fifteen minutes. It hits all the right bases and even has a fair chunk of an old classic summertime movie in there, too. Somewhere In Between breaks new ground on old ideas and packages it with some truly great audio-visual entertainment. What’s not to like? Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Us Among The Stones film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Laurence Fox, Anna Calder-Marshall, Raia Haidar, Oliver Cotton, Jethro Skinner directed by D.R Hood. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Us Among The Stones Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Nov 5, 2022 Directed by: D.R Hood Written by: D.R Hood Starring: Laurence Fox, Anna Calder-Marshall, Raia Haidar, Oliver Cotton, Jethro Skinner 'Something nasty in the woodshed' Writer/director D.R Hood's second feature, Us Among The Stones owes a lot to Stella Gibbon's darkly comic 1933 classic, and there's more than a touch of Cold Comfort Farm about the Dartmoor homestead in which this complex family drama is set. The walls keep memories as generations live, grow and die between them and ghosts of those who have gone before reach out from the past to mourn the same mistakes being made time and time again. Marianne (Calder-Marshall), the matriarch, has called everyone together for her birthday. It's likely to be her last, she says, because she is dying, although nobody really knows just how much she's got left in her. She certainly manages to get up and about when the family start arriving, which leaves Owen (Fox), her eldest, feeling a little put out as his presence doesn't seem to produce in her the same effect. Dropping into the fray are Danny (Skinner), Owen's freewheeling brother and the apparent favourite; their sister, Rose (Mika Simmons) and her child; Caroline (Haidar), Owen's estranged partner; Uncle Jack (Greg Hicks) – the Antichrist – with his two children from previous relationships and his newest wife, Anna (Sinead Matthews) who carries a baby around with her even though it appears to be just a doll; and let's not forget that Dad, Ricky (Cotton) and Uncle Brian (Bill Thomas) are also on hand to enrich the broth of the family dynamic. There's a lot to catch up on with so many family members mingling, mixing and moving about. There's a lot of memory floating around too, though it's only making itself felt in snapshots, with old photographic stills merging in with Super 8 reels to provide backstory in impressions while new memories are made and framed alongside them. The effect of the photographs is strong, striking a note through days and years to find the image that represents the moment, and even though not much may be happening in the here and now of the characters' lives we are helped to understand their thoughts by reaching into their past with them. By all accounts the cast of characters feel like a proper family as they bicker and hug and talk about gaps of distance and years. This has a lot to do with the quality of actors which Hood has brought together, most of whom have a strong background on the stage, and this works well within the setting as well as with the cross-purpose conversations which are being had. The most familiar face to the audience is most likely to be Laurence Fox, who filmed this before his recent outbursts that were splashed all over social media, but for anyone thinking they might be put off by this it should be made clear that this is not a Laurence Fox film – he's just in it – and he actually does a pretty good job along with everyone else. Us Among The Stones is definitely D.R Hood's film and the direction and narrative are the strongest markers of an auteur at work. Annemarie Lean-Vercoe's cinematography lends a dreamy, summer of sun feel to the scenario but the magic of the movie remains with Hood. There's a unique feel to the way the story of these characters' lives is told which pays off in the end when the ninety minutes are over and you feel like you've lived a lifetime with them. For most there may not be enough going on in the foreground of the story to really keep them interested, but for anyone willing to stick around and invest in being part of someone else's family drama, there is some real cinematic wonder to be enjoyed. Just like any big family gathering though, you may have to tune out some of the voices to get through to what is true. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Good Guy film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Chris Clynes directed by Chris Clynes. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Good Guy Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Sep 6, 2026 Directed by: Chris Clynes Written by: Chris Clynes Starring: Chris Clynes A criminal wants to tell us that really he’s a good guy, that he’s just a victim of circumstance, and that the criminal justice system is really just a joke to anyone who’s been on the inside. Starting us off with a couple of statistics about reoffending in the UK; 33.2% of those released from custody or starting court orders, growing up to 55.5% of those released from custodial sentences of less than 12 months; you might think that writer/director, Chris Clynes is going to give us some sort of short, sharp documentary into life beyond the criminal justice system. Instead what he’s got for us in Good Guy , is a two-act play with him as the star. Sitting with his shirt off, and proudly displaying his wolf neck-tattoo, our guy starts talking to us directly through the camera. He’s chugging some cheap Stella knock-off and is waxing lyrical about how easy it gets to do time on the inside. Every so often he looks straight down the barrel to leave us in no doubt that he’s talking to us, but really he’s just pleasing himself in bigging up how much of a man he is, and how the system is bullshit, and how no-one could be expected to live by the normal rules – which is why he keeps finding himself in prison all the time. The camera stays fairly static throughout, just with a dramatically slow push shot thrown in towards the end of the monologue, and we’re left sitting with Guy, listening to his ranting until he’s done. That is until about half-way through, where we get some transition, and then we’re into scene two, where he’s got some clothes on, but is standing against a similarly bare white wall as before, with the light off. A phone call with Nan provides some emotional context to Guy’s story and finally we see some vulnerability as he contends with perhaps knowing that he’s not always making the best choices in life. A sad lament for a violent thug. What we get during the fourteen-minutes of Good Guy is an almost static chamber piece, written in two acts, filmed in HD from a single camera and microphone, and performed in monologue by the guy who wrote it, who we can tell from his fake temporary tattoos and peely-wally body that would only get him some admirers on the inside, has probably never actually seen the real insides of a prison. This can make it difficult to connect with Clynes’ performance, too, as we witness him try to spout vicious hard-man lines, when really he seems more like a gentle creative type who prefers treading the boards. It’s not that Clynes’ ability to carry off the character isn’t there, it’s just that there’s no action or dynamism to the role to allow him to inhabit his character with any sort of realism or believability. Everything in Good Guy is approached as Clynes knows it, as a play, and so he has presented it as such, from one point of view, talking straight to the audience as though he was on stage, never minding about lighting or audio in front of the camera, and keeping everything very still. The character’s monologue keeps most things vague and uses broad brush strokes, not allowing us to get to know the actual character underneath, but instead gives us a stock, standard, anonymous villain who we never learn anything personal about. Beyond the turmoil of a fairly archetypal character, there’s not much else to see here. In amongst it all, Clynes does manage to work through his themes and create an arc to the story, to at least make you think when the credits roll. Guy Cooper is an everyman criminal caught in a system that doesn’t care for him, which makes his story one of many. It’s just not clear what makes his story different enough from all the others to tell it. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Digital / DVD Release, Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Trailers for movies coming out in February 2020. Watch these exciting film trailers and find out what to watch in cinemas in Feb this year. February Movie Trailers Arguably the most important month in the film calendar, these February Movie Trailers should whet the appetite of any cinemagoer looking for some essential viewing before the all-important Oscars. Often, the first couple of months of a new year are chock-a-block with movies that are shoe-ins for nominations and wins. Whilst this page might include an array of trailers of films coming out in February, they may not all be award-winning material, such is the fantastic variety of film. If you want to stay up to date with our trailers, follow us on Facebook (link in the footer) where we upload and promote them regularly. You can even leave a comment if you are feeling particularly brave/troll-y. As with all our content, any help spreading the good word is much appreciated. So if you can share this with your digital pals, and tag us wherever possible, we would be oh-so-thankful. And if you don't think February movie trailers are the kind of thing you can share with your friends, family, and followers then maybe create a brand new profile to do so. This could allow you to reinvent yourself! Create a new identity! You could give yourself that nickname you always dreamed of...think about it. Anyway, we digress, enjoy these movie trailers for films coming to cinemas in February 2020! Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn Movie Trailer Emma Movie Trailer Sonic the Hedgehog Movie Trailer Like a Boss Movie Trailer Back to MOVIE TRAILERS

Fish Out Of Water film review by UK film critic Chris Olson. Starring Amy Cotter, Alexandra Rose Wilson, Georgia Sansom directed by Jacob Melling. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Fish Out Of Water Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Chris Olson | Posted on: Feb 6, 2022 Directed by: Jacob Melling Written by: Amy Cotter Starring: Amy Cotter, Alexandra Rose Wilson, Georgia Sansom Tackling the extreme anxiety of attending a birthday party may have seemed obscure pre-pandemic but filmmaker Jacob Melling’s short film Fish Out of Water (based on a poem by Amy Cotter - who also stars) manages to capture a human experience altogether more relatable and potent in its execution given the society we find ourselves in today. It’s a film that deftly explores the maelstrom of emotions that can emerge when faced with a challenge without ever sinking from the heavy load. Cotter plays the character of “Fish” - a young woman attempting to get up the energy to get ready for and attend a birthday party. The seemingly tortuous ablutions she must undergo are narrated by a delicately read poem that manages to inject brilliant moments of humour and pathos into the proceedings. Whereas the result could have been a fairly flat story of an introvert not wanting to go out, the poem elevates the piece into something far more thought-provoking and compelling. This is then accompanied by striking and moving visuals that seem to encompass the central character’s inner torment. Her gloomy leg-shaving routine in the bathtub juxtaposes expertly with her gracefully holding her hand in the wind in front of an open ocean - and herein lies the strength of Fish Out of Water as a short film. It is these moments of contrast between the insignificant stresses of life against the potentially beautiful sequences life could offer that reveal the truth at the heart of the story. The film explores the themes of isolation and being an introvert in a few ways but most centrally through the idea of water. From the main character’s name to the use of baths and oceans, the film is picking up on a quintessentially natural element and showing how it can be used to free, or indeed (metaphorically) drown a person. Are we able to keep flowing if our anxiety continually tries to pull us under? How can one really escape and fight against this tide? Music is implemented splendidly in the film, with Aaron Douglas’ composition knowing exactly when to enhance the burning rage of “Fish” and when to back off and allow her continuing contemplation. And the end song sung by Tippi McGarry was a powerful choice to finish on. Melling provides some exceptional cinematography during the film, such as the waves crashing on the beach or even the incredibly stressful shot of the kettle boiling. It could be argued the piece didn’t need to give dialogue to the external characters. Whilst this did provide additional context to the proceedings (the unaware friend trying to top trump who has had “life” harder recently, or the host ensuring she’s coming) it jolted this viewer momentarily out of what was a really powerful and personal piece. That said, this is an evocative piece of filmmaking that works on a multitude of levels that will likely touch a nerve with a huge audience. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Chris Olson Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Letter Men film review by UK film critic Amber Jackson. Starring Garrett Clayton and Matthew Postlethwaite directed by Andrew Vallentine. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Letter Men Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Amber Jackson | Posted on: Oct 26, 2022 Directed by: Andrew Vallentine Written by: Andrew Vallentine Starring: Garrett Clayton and Matthew Postlethwaite “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all our letters could be published in the future in a more enlightened time … Then all the world could see how in love we are.” - Gordon Bowsher The Letter Men is a heart-breaking, yet beautiful, short film commemorating a powerful love story between two men during The Second World War. Gordon Bowsher and Gilbert Bradley fell in love in England just before the outbreak of war and, like many other couples, had to deal with the hardships and consequences of conflict. Except, unlike most, the two men had to keep their love and sadness about being apart a secret. That is until hundreds of Gordon’s surviving letters to Gilbert were rediscovered after he passed away in 2008 and so this film commemorates his words as both men are thrust into battles both at home and overseas. So why have we not heard stories like these? Andrew Vallentine’s film explains how surviving records of queer relationships are rare. Most letters were destroyed or hidden by individuals out of a fear of being discovered to be queer at the time. Not least because homosexuality was illegal in the UK until 1967 and being openly gay in the armed services was not permitted until 2000. The consequences of having a relationship would have been very public and terrifying for queer people, yet The Letter Men provides more positive and heart-warming confirmation of queer love being celebrated and cherished by these two men. Despite navigating their love in a painful time and being unable to acknowledge their feelings to anyone else, the tone of Gordon’s letters inspires hope and a life in the future worth living and fighting for. This is a beautifully filmed and crafted short exploring the first turbulent and passionate year of Gordon and Gilbert’s relationship. It captures the boggy brutal environment of the trenches, paired with the fearsome London Underground acting as a makeshift bunker whilst explosions rain all around both men fighting to survive. This harshness contrasts with sweeter moments where the viewer is permitted to see glimpses of Gordon and Gilbert’s lives together. The gorgeousness of their home, the sereneness of the sea where they first met and the bliss that comes with it is very emotive and a really rare example of taking a sombre theme and creating something happy with it. Vallentine has exquisitely captured Gordon and Gilbert’s love and joy in being together and depicts a very rare uplifting ending. It is moving to consider how, despite so much more work needing to be done, society has changed and progressed with regards to LGBTQ+ rights and equality since that time. Gordon’s letters are so self-aware with regards to his love for Gilbert, as well as the society that they both exist in. Amongst the battles and the brutality of their life in wartime, all they can do is look forward to better and warmer times. What a beautiful legacy. A deeply romantic and powerful true story, The Letter Men is a fantastic period piece to see on screen. Gordon’s words are raw and honest because they are real and Vallentine has brought them back to life in a sensitive and powerful way. Having premiered at Tribeca Film Festival in June 2022, it is exciting to see where this film goes next. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Amber Jackson Short Film, LGBTQ+ < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Polaroid film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Adam Paul Hunter, Chris Jehnert directed by Dante Aubain. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Polaroid Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Sep 6, 2021 Directed by: Dante Aubain Written by: Dante Aubain Starring: Adam Paul Hunter, Chris Jehnert A man's life is interrupted by an unexpected visitor, whose arrival turns out to have sinister purposes. Arthur (Hunter) is in his apartment, getting ready for company. He answers the door, only to find a man named Sam (Jehnert) standing outside. Sam claims to have an appointment at this address with a woman named Katherine, who Arthur also knows. He invites him in and the two of them have a conversation that turns awkward and later resulting in things getting tense and sinister as it is revealed that one of them is hiding a very dark secret. This short is a very clever thriller that develops over the cat and mouse game that the two protagonists play betweeen them as they try to gain the upper hand over each other. Things begin rather normal and quickly move to discussions involving infidelity, personal loss, tragedy, murder and revenge as it becomes clear that Sam came to Arthur's property for very serious reasons. Aubain was inspired by David Fincher's Zodiac , due to its themes involving obsession and that is present in Polaroid , as it deals with a person's obsession with finding out the truth and getting even. Both actors deliver great performances. Hunter plays an individual who is calm, clever and very well mannered, but can also be menacing and dangerous. Jehnert's character is intelligent, observant and careful. As they talk more is revealed about both characters, leading to confrontation. The entire narrative takes place inside the apartment, which is well kept, with limited lighting, which helps create a sinister atmosphere. Vincenzo Senerchia makes an outstanding contribution with the wonderful cinematography. Aubain directs very well and in one shot utilizes a mirror rather effectively. The music is another strong feature, which creates feelings filled with tension, drama and danger. The thunder sound effects are quite good, adding to the dark atmosphere. This is a murder/revenge film with well-written dialogue, interesting characters and convincing acting. The story is intriguing and the plot twists will most likely keep the viewer guessing until the end. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Veto film review by UK film critic Lucy Clarke. Starring Mary Paige Snell, Guy Ventoliere, Julie Petrusak directed by Jermaine Burrowes and Julie Petrusak. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Veto Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Lucy Clarke | Posted on: Aug 29, 2021 Directed by: Jermaine Burrowes and Julie Petrusak Written by: Jermaine Burrowes, Julie Petrusak and Thor Bishopric Starring: Mary Paige Snell, Guy Ventoliere, Julie Petrusak One of the most interesting things to explore in film is something few of us can witness out in the open. A slow decay of a relationship or a marriage ending in a fiery explosion aren’t the kind of events that you just happen to witness. Perhaps it’s why films that centre on relationships lure us in. There’s always more than a hint of relatability, and we can watch something so private unfurl as if we were a fly on a wall. Veto , written and directed by Jermaine Burrowes and Julie Petrusak, is a short film dealing with exactly that. It begins as though we have just watched a car crash, and the two main characters, Mary (Mary Paige Snell) and Gary (Guy Ventoliere), seem to be consumed by shock. Gary is outside and looks tormented. Mary, meanwhile, rips off her dressing gown and screams into her bathroom mirror. The film begins like the start of an indie music video. The backing track, the sounds of a hairdryer and Gary and Mary’s exaggerated emotional outbursts all draw you in. Burrowes and Petrusak have set up the perfect stage to analyse the fallout from a decaying relationship. How did Gary and Mary’s relationship get to this point? What happened? The imaginative beginning intrigues and primes you for excellence. Unfortunately, that excellence never comes. Mary is next seen sitting down in a restaurant, and suddenly Gary is standing behind her with the end of his gun pressed into her skull. He is determined to kill her. This is where the fantastic first steps quickly fall away. Instead of a nuanced look at their crumbling marriage or even at their characters, Veto just parrots stereotypes, which is highlighted with Snell and Ventoliere’s exaggerated acting. The nuance in the script and drive to explore this relationship’s eccentricities is lacking. Why has their relationship fallen apart? Because Mary believes she is a bad person. Why? Because Gary is far too good for her that it’s suffocating. There's mention of an illness, but it fails to really go anywhere. Of course, there are hints of truth peppered in what Mary says, but when the film reaches a crescendo of screaming and crying, any tension built up in the first few moments instantly evaporates. Veto is tantalising and deeply frustrating. What was an excellent premise isn’t quite followed through in the rest of the short film. Screaming and crying might be a great emotional release but illuminating on relationships, it is not. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Lucy Clarke Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Good Luck Fuck Face film review by UK film critic Chris Olson. Starring Fiona Button, Leila Farzad directed by Oli Beale. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Good Luck Fuck Face Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Chris Olson | Posted on: Jun 30, 2025 Directed by: Oli Beale Written by: Oli Beale Starring: Fiona Button, Leila Farzad A tale of relationship revenge as two friends, Aimee (Fiona Button) and Zara (Leila Farzad), plot the downfall of the latter’s cheating husband by using his currently unlocked Twitter account (we all still refuse to call it X). Written and directed by Oli Beale, Good Luck Fuck Face taps into some powerful, contemporary themes and delivers them beautifully using a simple setup and relatable characters. Zara’s desire to besmirch the good name of her cheating husband, who happens to have a LOT of followers, draws us in as viewers. We become just as entangled in her plot as friend Aimee does, who attempts to suggest numerous ways the pair could bring him down. From dubious comments about a royal to attacking space heroes, nothing is off the table in their plotting and scheming. Beale brilliantly combines the poignant scene of two friends supporting each other through a break-up with a darkly comedic ambush on the cancel culture state we are living through. Whilst it’s clear that Zara is definitely processing the end of her marriage, she often rebukes Aimee for her outlandish suggestions with excellent comic timing. It becomes evident that the two friends are also experiencing a self-examination of their own relationship, regularly not being on the same page about how to handle this situation and even learning new things about each other along the journey. When filmmakers and storytellers are able to tap into something so relatable and surprising, it is always commendable. With Good Luck Fuck Face , there are numerous moments where we find ourselves in an ethical dilemma. This is expertly handled here by Oli Beale, reserving judgement and playing both sides of the argument to create an immersive space for the audience to squirm in. Whether you revel in revenge or seek peaceful closure, you need to experience this movie. As a piece of short filmmaking, some excellent decisions were made. Firstly, investing in such excellent performers who hold up this piece with deft skill. In less talented hands, the back-and-forth dialogue could have been lost to amateurishness, but not with Fiona Button and Leila Farzad delivering a rousing and engaging onscreen duo act that is engrossing throughout. Secondly, a one-location shot and minimal distractions keep things tight, professional, and fluid, allowing the nature of the storytelling to dominate. Other than wanting more (which, as always, is a good thing), this is perfect short filmmaking. Plaudits to the music in Good Luck Fuck Face , in particular the track playing over the end credits which was a fantastic way to conclude after that ending. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Chris Olson Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

His Mother film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Bethany Anne Lind, D.W. Moffett, Ben Irving directed by Maia Scalia. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS His Mother Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Jul 27, 2024 Directed by: Maia Scalia Written by: Maia Scalia Starring: Bethany Anne Lind, D.W. Moffett, Ben Irving A woman frantically tries to prevent a terrible tragedy. This tense short thriller explores an issue that has been a common occurrence in the United States during recent times: mass shootings. The film's entire narrative involves a middle-aged woman (Lind) driving her car, desperately attempting to locate her teenage son, Harrison (Irving). The reason for this is because she has just viewed a disturbing email from her boy, in which he states that his life is not worth living, that the world has been cruel to him and he is going to retaliate and end it all. Her mission is to find him and convince him not to go ahead with his plans. While she drives, she makes and receives phone calls from a variety of individuals including her husband, Jason (Moffett), Harrison's psychiatrist, a police officer and Harrison himself. Before analysing the serious themes that are present in this short, the author of this review would like to point out how effectively it works as a thriller. The film does not take long to reveal what is worrying the driver, so almost from the start, the suspense has the viewer at the edge of their seat. The screenplay is a desperate race against time, with the woman trying to help the police locate her son before it is too late. As time goes by and she speaks with one person after the other via her phone, more and more clues are brought to light and it becomes clear that the danger is real and time is running out. The whole story takes place inside the car and the camera never leaves the interior, making the viewer feel like they are in the vehicle with her and thus making the viewer feel her desperation. Since the mother is the only character seen on-screen (with the exception of a couple of children), Lind's performance is vital in order for the film to work and she succeeds perfectly at making her character's emotions realistic, at creating a person who cares deeply for her son and makes every effort to prevent him from harming anyone or himself. Now, regarding the themes, as mentioned, this film revolves around a potential mass shooting and instead of gun control, it focuses mainly on what causes them, what the warning signs are, what fails to prevent them and the effects it has on the perpetrator's loved ones. From the explanation of the potential perpetrator, Harrison, it is indicated that feelings of torment and depression can lead to such vile acts. Several warning signs that are suggested include getting into trouble at school, mental health issues and expressing dark thoughts about the world. Regarding failure to notice the threat, it is implied that blame could be put on people's failure to detect warning signs, which is obvious here by Jason denying that his son might be dangerous and a welfare check on Harrison that falsely declares that there is no threat. It should be pointed out that the location where the story's crime might take place is a university, which is a common place for these kind of atrocities. Regarding the consequences it has on the people who care about the ones who commit such vile acts, Lind's powerful performance clearly reveals how much it tears them apart. The tension is supported significantly by Eli Keszler's ominous and interesting score and Matt Clegg deserves commendations for the fantastic cinematography. Scalia makes her directorial debut with a thriller that is a roller coaster ride that never loses its firm grip. It is a story about a devastating action that is about to take place and it is told through the perspective of the mother of the potential perpetrator. It is a hard-hitting film with strong messages and it is a very powerful and memorable viewing. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Mr Burton film review by UK film critic Chris Olson. Starring Toby Jones, Harry Lawtey directed by Marc Evans. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Mr Burton Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Chris Olson | Posted on: Nov 3, 2025 Directed by: Marc Evans Written by: Tom Bullough, Josh Hyams Starring: Toby Jones, Harry Lawtey An enigmatic Toby Jones and revelatory Harry Lawtey head up this enchanting biopic of an actor once coined "the natural successor to Olivier" by critic Kenneth Tynan. Set in 1942 in Port Talbot, Mr Burton navigates the story of Richard Burton CBE - Wales’ greatest star. We meet a young Rich (Lawtey) in typically humble beginnings. The son of a drunken miner, Rich lives with his doting sister (Aimee-Ffion Edwards) and her curmudgeonly husband (Aneurin Barnard), the latter of whom is desperate for Rich to either pay his way or move out. Finding inspiration and solace through the firm but fair teacher, Mr Burton (Jones), Rich quickly finds his life’s calling of becoming an actor. The Master and the Student formula works well here, not least because it’s based on a true story. Audiences will feel in familiar territory as we see the heartwarming arc of a cold yet clearly caring teacher embrace the talented yet tragic teen, nurturting him to become not just a world-famous actor but also to feel loved by someone. Whilst there are pacing issues with the film, Mr Burton has a rich and sumptuous atmosphere that beautifully captures these fascinating characters and the difficult times they lived in. Not only do they have the hardships of wartime Wales to deal with, but notes of speculation about orientation and scandalous living arrangements also play out, giving the movie a powerful subplot. It is Rich’s social disconnect that is the film’s most powerful theme; however, he wants to become an actor, play different people, and is happy to change the sound of his voice, the clothes he wears - he doesn’t feel connected to his identity. His palpable fear that no one wants him becomes cemented in a brilliant scene where Mr Burton meets Rich’s biological father (Steffan Rhodri) regarding a name change. The mise en scene is sublime, beautifully recreating the time period, as well as the enchanting music, which adds to the classical depth being explored in the film’s obvious passion for theatre, acting, and indeed Wales. The payoff is well worth the journey, if only to spend time with fantastic actors paying homage to another fantastic actor. MR BURTON WILL SCREEN ON 10 NOVEMBER 2025 AT 8PM ON BBC ONE Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Chris Olson Digital / DVD Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >