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Boy film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Arthur O’Kelly, Abraham Kleinman directed by Ben Rusnak and Ruth Rusnak. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Boy Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Feb 4, 2026 Directed by: Ben Rusnak and Ruth Rusnak Written by: Ben Rusnak Starring: Arthur O’Kelly, Abraham Kleinman A young man reaches out for connection and the human touch, but when faced with the reality of his decisions and his desires, he finds that the truth of the situation is not as easy as the longing for it. Danny (O’Kelly) is looking for someone to hook up with. Or at least he thinks he is. He’s young and fairly new to the dating game, especially the swiping and fast-talking kind that dominates mobile phone culture and the rest of gen-z society, and he’s taking the first tentative steps into a new world of connection and instant gratification. He’s found someone on an app and has invited them over to his gaff; well, the place that he’s housesitting in for a couple of weeks, anyway. In amongst the stuffy hallways and the creepy busts littering the windowsills, Danny waits silently until the doorbell rings. At the door is Mark (Kleinman), a thirty-something gentleman in shirt and tie, with a gloriously furry beard on his face. The tension is immediately awkward and Danny almost forgets to invite Mark in, but soon they’re at the dining room table, sipping wine, and getting to know each other. Mark is obviously the more dominant of the two, and every question, look, pause, and picking up of the glass, is charged with electricity as he probes Danny’s need for companionship. The power dynamic only reaches one way as they figure each other out and Danny realises that he’s being sized up like a prize calf, slotted into a very defined box, and gently led to the deflowering of his virginity. There is a lot of heightened tension in directors/producers, Ben and Ruth Rusnak’s thirteen-minute short, Boy . For the time we are with the two main characters much is said in the spaces between them, and more is revealed about their place in the relationship and dynamic by their body language and subtle gestures than is ever said by their words. The atmosphere is charged with sexuality, and with power, and every inch of it escapes through the screen thanks to the main performances from the two actors. The direction and cinematography keep things cool and distant in the background, while filling the close-up scenes with light, colour and connection, really drawing the viewer into the very confined, homely, but slightly dangerous situation. The music from Umberto Guadino and Aleksandra Vilcinska also adds to this tension, scraping strings and hitting percussion at off-kilter moments to keep us off-balance as the two men jostle and settle into their positions. There is a strange fear of dread that leaks from the screen, mostly from Danny, and it feeds into the themes and undercurrents of what Boy is communicating to us, as well as the rounding out of the story. For a film that is so short, Boy expresses everything it sets out to, and does it with style, flair and integrity, with everything feeling real in the situation we are witnessing in front of us. For an uncomfortable thirteen-minutes we are given an insight into the repressed emotions and difficult situations that so many queer and homosexual dating partners find themselves in. There are many statements to be made by writer Ben Rusnak, but they are filed away in the dialogue, the narrative, and the character play, so well that we see them as natural expressions and dynamics on screen. The visual language really describes the emotions at play and the story eschews an exploitative approach for a much subtler, more real sharing to happen. Boy doesn’t mince its words or its message, and hits right at home to the foundations that underpin a lot of the ways queer relationships develop, sharing its voice with us to help us better understand some things that might never change, nor be spoken about in public truthfully. About the Film Critic William Hemingway Digital / DVD Release, Short Film, LGBTQ+ < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Godzilla x Kong: Thew New E,mpire film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring RebeccaHall, Brian Tyree Henry, Dan Stevens directed by Adam Wingard. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Godzilla x Kong: Thew New E,mpire Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Mar 28, 2024 Directed by: Adam Wingard Written by: Terry Rossio, Simon Barrett, Jeremy Slater Starring: RebeccaHall, Brian Tyree Henry, Dan Stevens Remember how good Godzilla Minus One was? Did you see the black and white version? Glorious! It’s almost too bad that Adam Wingard’s Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is really competing with the memory of that 2023 Oscar winner rather than his own moderately entertaining 2021 hit Godzilla vs. Kong . Because as a straight up sequel, G x K feels a little streamlined, a bit punchy. Dumb but moderately fun. Writer Terry Rossio returns, teaming with longtime Wingard collaborator Simon Barrett, as well as Jeremy Slater. They prune most of the Godzilla storyline to focus on Kong and his search for family. That brings Dr. Andrews (Rebecca Hall) and young Jia (Kaylee Hottle) back into focus. When the Doc needs help understanding Jia’s connection to energy spikes in Hollow Earth (Kong lives there now, remember?), she turns to podcast conspiracy spewster/world saver Bernie Hayes (Brian Tyree Henry). Together with a veterinarian who’s in touch with his emotions and really bad early 80s rock (Dan Stevens), Dr. Andrews, Jia and Bernie head to Hollow Earth to lend Kong a hand. There’s a lot of Planet of the Apes going on in this movie. Kaiju action takes a back seat and, though brightly colored and relatively fun, it’s never central to the film. But Wingard can create a fake looking but fun creature fight and Hall gets to explain what’s going on frequently to her dumb company, which makes it easy for every the most sugar-hyped family members to follow the story. What she’s doing in this franchise continues to be a head scratcher, but she can certainly act, which never hurt a movie. Henry and Stevens bring levity—or try. Both are also inarguable talents and they share a sweetly enjoyable onscreen chemistry, but nothing happening in G x K is as much fun as Wingard thinks it is. Kong: Skull Island was fun. That was a popcorn muncher for the ages: the soundtrack, the shot choices, the monster carnage, the humor and pathos. And don’t even compare it to Minus One , that just wouldn’t be fair. But for a greenscreenapalooza of dumb monster action, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is adequate. About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Tree film review by UK film critic Alasdair MacRae. Starring Joel Morris, Hayley Thomas directed by Oliver Blair. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Tree Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Alasdair MacRae | Posted on: May 26, 2022 Directed by: Oliver Blair Written by: Oliver Blair Starring: Joel Morris, Hayley Thomas After missing his father’s funeral, James (Joel Morris) meets with his younger sister Yasmin (Hayley Thomas) to sort through the belongings stored in their departed parent’s burger van. As they sift through the boxes memories come tumbling out that allow the siblings to reignite the dying embers of their relationship. From the outset it is clear that James and Yasmin have a lot of trauma to unpack, both collective and individual. It starts with a melodramatic screaming match about how Yasmin really needs her brother and how James is, and always has been, the family screw-up, a characterisation he struggles to move past. After some oranges, sorry, satsumas, are splattered across a windshield the pair can begin to function both physically and emotionally. As they come together the chemistry between Joel Morris and Hayley Thomas becomes apparent. They believably convey the surfacing of a deep familial bond that had been long buried by the debris of everyday life. When childhood treasures and obscure objects are discovered in the van James and Yasmin begin to open up to each other. Writer/director Oliver Blair creates a layer of artifice by having the characters wear the newly found wigs or smoke cigarettes from the hand of a broken Action Man doll. Sometimes they even role play through memories with their father. This allows the characters to become more genuine and look deeper inside themselves by contrasting their profundity with comedic or non-serious images. Despite a script packed with more drama than the average soap, The Tree still manages to feel grounded, that is until one last big revelation. This plot point isn’t unforeseeable but the way it is rushed and bundled into the conclusion is a very strange choice. Without spoiling it, it is fair to say that it is maybe the most difficult and complex emotional challenge for the characters and it is barely even discussed. As this derails the narrative it means that the metaphor elaborated in the concluding statement comes across as trite and even cheesy. The Tree is mostly a solid family drama with smart decision making behind the camera and emotive performances from the well-cast leads. Although, a confounding decision at the climax threatens to make this short feel almost tokenistic. About the Film Critic Alasdair MacRae Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Gradient Descent film review by UK film critic Lawrence Bennie. Starring James Allen Barnes, Peter Mendes, Anjie Parker directed by Vir Srinivas. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Gradient Descent Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Lawrence Bennie | Posted on: Dec 23, 2025 Directed by: Vir Srinivas Written by: Vir Srinivas Starring: James Allen Barnes, Peter Mendes, Anjie Parker During a recent trip to the Highlands, a moment stood out for me during a gondola trip up and down Aonach Mòr. For late December, the weather was very good, allowing for a spectacular view of the Nevis Range, nearby Fort William and scenic Highland beauty during the descent to basecamp. As I passed another carriage, I noticed that the individual seated inside was oblivious to the dramatic landscape on display around them. The reason why is not probably going to be a surprise. They were too engrossed on their phone. Later, at a church service, the parish priest lamented about the account of a 12 year-old boy who was denied his phone for three hours during the filming of a TV documentary. The result? The boy wrecked his house. Such anecdotes may well induce raised eye-brows or groans from sceptical readers, but such warning signs of alienation, disconnection and isolation are at the heart of writer-director Vir Srinivas' Gradient Descent . However, this descent is not a physical one down from a mountain but a psychological drop from desperation to desensitization and Srinivas' dramatic conflict is not just simply the mobile phone dilemma but a greater danger: AI. Jackson (James Allen Barnes) is down-and-out; unemployed, homeless and left to beg on the city streets. Yet, salvation arrives in the form of a well-dressed stranger (Peter Mendes) who offers Jackson an easy-fix job. Before long, Jackson is suited and booted, attending first-rate AI training, moving back in with partner Maya (Anjie Parker) and working away in a world of waiting and watching as he and his colleagues silently categorise on-going surveillance footage. However, what begins as a dream soon descends into nightmarish territory as Jackson helplessly becomes the onlooker to increasing acts of dehumanizing brutality and, in the process, finds his own compassionate awareness disturbingly slipping away... Srinivas opens Gradient Descent with Jackson barely noticeable, dwindled by the sheer size of the buildings and noise of the city around him. He is truly down and out and even the viewer only notices him once the camera moves closer. Expectedly, he is ignored by passers-by despite pleas for help. Unexpectedly, he is approached by a slick-looking businessman who Jackson locks onto from a distance. It's a decidedly Hitchcockian sequence from Srinivas cutting between Jackson and his subjective view of the stranger approaching and we're left nervingly unsure of what's unfolding. Will Jackson attack the man, in a final act of desperation for survival? Does he already know him? Instead, a Squid Game -esque scenario plays out, with the stranger charming our vagrant protagonist into a shadowy enterprise that feels too good to be true. Unfortunately, it is. There's a trade off for the fixer's golden ticket. In scenes which echo the likes of A Clockwork Orange and The Parallax View, Jackson is soon exposed to escalating unsettling content, the worst of which is actually kept from the viewer. Soon enough, Jackson begins to disconnect, spurning intimacy from his love and ignoring the cries of his baby as we see him consumed by his new-found obsession; the mechanics of artificial intelligence. "I won't let them get away with it", he says. But it's too late. The seeds of disassociation have been planted and by the film's shocking end Jackson has become another lost soul in a sea of silent surveillance. It's an arresting final sequence from Srinvas' which makes up for the film's clunkier elements (the villains are unconvincing and their central scene together plays on for too long) and which ends the piece on a powerfully conflicting note of both horror and hope. About the Film Critic Lawrence Bennie Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Grand Tour film review by UK film critic Jack Salvadori. Starring Gonçalo Waddington, Crista Alfaiate directed by Miguel Gomes. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Grand Tour Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Jack Salvadori | Posted on: May 25, 2024 Directed by: Miguel Gomes Written by: Miguel Gomes Starring: Gonçalo Waddington, Crista Alfaiate It’s the journey, not the destination Few films aim to lift the audience to a different dimension. Even fewer actually succeed in such a daring quest; Miguel Gomes’ extraordinary new film, Grand Tour , manifests this transcendental power that could only be described as pure cinema, questioning the very essence of reality and fiction and eventually finding the answer to organically embrace both. Framed by the crumbling colonial empire at its sunset, the film opens in 1918 with British civil servant Edward awaiting his fiancée Molly at Mandalay station, in Burma, joining him in the Far East after many years apart. But just before she is about to disembark from her transatlantic, he gets cold feet and runs away. And so the titular "Grand Tour" begins, with Edward hopping on an odyssey across many iconic cities all over South East Asia- and Molly relentlessly nipping at his heels in each stop. The chase, marked by minimal telegrams and narrated in the native languages of the characters’ ever-changing locations, soon becomes playfully complicit, as Molly refuses to give up her lover despite Edward’s punctual desertions. An odd screwball comedy, to an extent, in which the protagonists never share a scene together. But after all, “this is a Portuguese film”, reminds us Gomes, sardonically. Yet, the greatness of this film relies in its form. The story experimentally unfolds switching classically staged scenes with documentary inserts from modern times, shot by Gomes as he was writing the screenplay while retracing the "Grand Tour" himself. The period, fictional scenes are old-fashionably black&white and take place inside handcrafted studio sets, while the contemporary footage is voyeuristically captured in the streets, observing the unexpected grace in the real world, mostly showing faraway and forgotten storytelling ways, precursors of cinema, such as folkloristic dances, shadows and puppets shows. These inserts serve as a brilliant device to merge fiction with reality, the spectacle of the world and the intimacy of vision, proving that the world of cinema and the real world are complimentary of each other, and allowing Edward to fade away in the environment, as he longs to hide and disappear. The contemporary cuts are drastically reduced as we follow Molly’s travels, since, opposite to her lover, she has a more proactive and vital approach, she wants to live and therefore is more physically present. If you don’t sigh at the sound of Singapore slings, Tibetan temples and Saigon’s monkeys, you might be immune to this film’s charm. The fascination relies in its exhilarating depiction of exotic fetishism, the romantic, illusory westernised gaze upon South-Asian iconography. Casablanca was shot in a backlot in Los Angeles, and you wouldn’t find anything like "Rick’s Café Americain" in its real namesake. And yet, there’s something that lures any cinephile to that dreamy fictitious place instead, a place that can only exist in light form, on a silver screen. The legendary East in Grand Tour belongs to the same cinematic map, cruising on a fabricated nostalgia whose roots are part of our collective imagery but that never actually belonged to us. According to the Portuguese filmmaker, the ticket to embark on this journey across space and time is belief. A faith that relies in the images, and that the viewers must have in order to appreciate the magic on screen. There is too much effort to show reality on film, and it’s good to believe in the unbelievable again. About the Film Critic Jack Salvadori Film Festival < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Affair film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring George Eddy, Georgios Hartofilakidis, David Pearl directed by Victor Leonidis. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Affair Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Nov 29, 2021 Directed by: Victor Leonidis Written by: Georgios Hartofilakidis Starring: George Eddy, Georgios Hartofilakidis, David Pearl The Affair is a sharp and slick short film, which portrays the chaos and bluster seemingly inherent on film sets in a unique and impressive form, whilst delivering dark humour which is unintentionally amplified by recent real-life events. A first-time director (George Eddy) does his best to keep his film ‘The Affair’, on track and ideal to his artistic vision. Assisted by his camera operator (Georgios Hartofilakidis) and assistant director (Barney Cremin), he is set up to realise his masterpiece. But when his lead actor (David Pearl) storms off the set, delusions of grandeur lead to a spectacular meltdown… The Affair feels like a truly dynamic and lively short film which brilliantly explores how the need for control can cause people to completely lose sight of themselves. George Eddy’s Director character is a well-meaning rookie, who scrambles throughout his patched-up production to bring his ideas to life. Increasingly emboldened, his certainty of stepping into his lead actor’s shoes is a trigger for some brilliantly dark comedy – but also a statement on those who never quite learn that filmmaking is a team effort – and no matter one’s talent in their chosen area, some jobs are best left to the experts. The short is one-shot throughout, and the ‘shaky-cam’ style gives an intimate feel to viewers who will feel placed onto the set itself. Focus is largely on the Director, whose actions and methods influence much of the misadventure swirling around him. Even at times when the camera transfers into the ‘in-universe’ film, it still maintains the sense that it is the Director’s world we are seeing. A concluding cutaway, which features one of the piece’s best lines, is enhanced by the choice to cut away from him – showing that even the most loyal of crew do not share the same artistic fervour. The cast give great performances and each member gets their moment to shine. George Eddy is hilarious as the well-meaning but clearly out-of-his-depth Director, who always appears one setback away from a breakdown. Writer Georgios Hartofilakidis is similarly highly-strung as his committed camera operator – though less due to artistic endeavour and more to do with a volatile temper. David Pearl, who plays the obnoxiously precious Lead Actor excels in the unappreciated difficult task of giving a bad performance in-character. His Leading Man clearly cannot deliver the Director’s vision – and Pearl hampering his own professional instincts to the perfect degree is especially deserving of praise. The film is cast in an unfortunate shadow, with a key scene unfortunately echoing the recent real-life tragedy on the set of Rust which resulted in a crew member’s death. A clearly unintentional and unpredictable coincidence cannot be used as a mark against The Affair, though it does impact on any audience’s experience of the film in such close proximity to a major news story. The malfunctioning film set we see on screen does not feel quite as jovial in this light – and the scene in question inherits an unintended power in various ways thanks to this. Unlike it’s ‘in-universe’ counterpart, The Affair is a well-made, witty and engaging watch, with great performances and direction. About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Digital / DVD Release, Short Film, Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

I Don't Know Where, but Together film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring Federico Cesari, Francesco Cicconetti, Naomi Oke directed by Luca Finotti. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS I Don't Know Where, but Together Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Sep 28, 2021 Directed by: Luca Finotti Written by: Luca Finotti Starring: Federico Cesari, Francesco Cicconetti, Naomi Oke Fashion, colour and vibrancy are the themes that summarise I Don’t Know Where, But Together (Non So Dove, Ma Insieme) , an Italian production from the fashion viral-video director Luca Finotti in a collaboration with Italian label MSGM. The short commercial film is filled with enthusiasm and optimism, and very much a product of its time following a brutal and difficult year. The youthful cast venture around the sunny streets of Milan making the most of their freedom, whilst of course decked out in the latest outfits curated by the fashion brand funding the whole venture. Relationships are established and teased throughout, as the 6 friends converge on a late-night outdoor party. Whilst I Don’t Know Where, But Together is clearly a commercial film designed to advertise the products of the MSGM fashion label, it at least features a creative storyline and striking cinematography that makes it a succulent, sugar-rush of a watch. Perhaps vivacious production was to be expected given the purpose of the film, and it being a creation of fashion-video specialist Luca Finotti – but it makes a welcome shift from the overly pretentious melodramatic style the genre is known for. Rather than present an unobtainable standard that works to entice viewers through desire to be a part of something exclusionary, the diverse and carefree group presented will remind audiences of their own loves and friendships – eliciting positivity and enthusiasm. The film imitates pop music videos – to such a degree viewers would be forgiven for wondering whether this was the pieces’ actual purpose. The synchronisation of music and imagery works in the film’s favour, effectively amplifying the sense of fun and excitement the film exudes. No dialogue is featured in the piece, with Finotti instead allowing his cast to tell their story through emotions and actions alone – a wise choice considering his casting call went out over Instagram and intentionally focused on non-actors. Ultimately the film is limited in that it is primarily an advert for a brand, and whilst clearly creative and original, is ultimately designed to sell clothes. The values it presents are progressive, inclusive and positive – but you can’t shake the feeling that they would be cast aside in a second for MSGM to add a zero onto their bank balance. You can’t blame Finotti, the cast, or the label to be fair to them, for commercialism. But not matter how enthusiastic or hopeful the film, there’ll always be a hint of cynicism where big money is involved. About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Short Film, Digital / DVD Release, LGBTQ+, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

A Sexplanation film review by UK film critic Rachel Willis. Starring Alex Liu, Laurie Betito, Kristen Gilbert directed by Alex Liu. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS A Sexplanation Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Rachel Willis | Posted on: Jun 9, 2022 Directed by: Alex Liu Written by: Alex Liu, Leonardo Neri Starring: Alex Liu, Laurie Betito, Kristen Gilbert Director Alex Liu is on a quest to overcome the shame he feels regarding sex. He’s also out to understand why sex is such a taboo subject in America – especially when it comes to our kids, their curiosity, and their own drives (whatever they may be) – in his documentary, A Sexplanation. Part exploration of sex education in the United States, healthy sexual conversation, and personal memoir, the doc wants to understand why Liu was made to feel such shame about his own sexual acts and preferences. In a heart-wrenching moment, he even admits to contemplating suicide because of it. This is a heavy sequence in an otherwise very lighthearted and funny documentary. Liu might still feel some of the embarrassment of his upbringing (in one particular interview it’s obvious from his blush he’s asking questions that bring discomfort), but he is determined to upend the current notion of sex as shameful. This is the kind of documentary that would be a wonderful conversation starter for parents and their teenagers, as some of its queries are a bit too advanced for younger children. One of the points the documentary makes is that there shouldn’t be “The Talk” with kids, but a continuing conversation around age-appropriate topics. There’s no reason why a two- or three-year-old can’t know the proper terminology for their body parts. Or why a six-year-old can’t begin to understand the biological differences between the sexes. In the case of sex, silence from parents can be just as damaging as outright shaming. This is what appears to have happened to Liu. As he talks with his parents, both of whom seem quite open to his questions, it doesn’t appear that they intended for Liu to feel awkward, embarrassed, or even wrong for a natural part of development. But their silence meant he was left to the wayward American education system, which primarily values abstinence-only over comprehensive sex-ed. Conversations with others his age reveal the woefully inadequate education most of us have, not only concerning sex, but also some of the basics of human biology. Liu could probably have done a bit more exploring. Still, A Sexplanation offers a non-judgmental safe space for the questions that many of us (okay, probably all of us) have had when it comes to masturbation, sexual proclivities, and the whole exciting and wonderful topic that is sex. About the Film Critic Rachel Willis Digital / DVD Release, Documentary < All Reviews Next Film Review >

House? film review by UK film critic Rob Jones. Starring None directed by Farouq Mohime. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS House? Film Review average rating is 1 out of 5 Critic: Rob Jones | Posted on: Mar 21, 2023 Directed by: Farouq Mohime Written by: Farouq Mohime Starring: None For a film to start with interview footage of Orson Welles proclaiming that a good film is easy to make, a certain expectation is set. Not necessarily that what we’re about to see is a film that considers itself good, but perhaps that it’s about to build on that stance or smash it apart completely. Either of those options would have been an interesting approach, but neither is representative of what House? really is. There’s more of an abstract idea at the centre of the narrative than there is any kind of traditional structure, but it doesn’t appear to be anything to do with anything that we hear from Welles at the start. Soundtracked by an Iranian song with is subtitled throughout, it almost takes on the form of a music video more than it does a film. As the lyrics talk quite generally about a house, we get a monochromatic tour of one with only a single character. Like with the footage of Welles at the start, though, it’s unclear where the character is supposed to feature. In fact, it’s not even clear where the character is supposed to be there at all as all they are is a moving figure in the distance. Everything else is just walls, doors and floors without much movement. There are some issues with the cinematography that are difficult to ignore. It seems as if there are multiple instances where the camera has been forced into a tight space, and the resulting shot feels unnatural and claustrophobic as a result of it. In one example of a 360-degree panning shot, we end up with a few seconds just of a plain white wall because of it, and again it’s unclear where this is supposed to add anything. It would have perhaps been beneficial to have been given more context at the beginning if there is any to share. It feels as if a small idea has been stretched out to become a short film without much purpose, and opening on a quote that seems to bear little meaning to the film itself only adds to that. If there is more to it than just a few shots of a home’s interior while a vaguely related song plays, there needs to be more of a trail for us to follow. About the Film Critic Rob Jones Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Lime & Vinegar film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring Dalma Daniela, Yiseth Brendlinger, Corey Angelus directed by Evan Snyder. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Lime & Vinegar Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Jun 12, 2025 Directed by: Evan Snyder Written by: Evan Snyder, Dalma Daniela, Yiseth Brendlinger Starring: Dalma Daniela, Yiseth Brendlinger, Corey Angelus It’s hard not to watch Lime & Vinegar right now without thinking of the reckless and heavy-handed ICE raids taking place all over America, breaking up families and angering communities as they go. Its story of two cleaners who get stranded in a house in middle America is a thoughtful film about relationships and the experience of those society too often ignores. Daniela (Dalma Daniela) and Lorena (Yiseth Brendlinger) are South American immigrants working as house cleaners. Daniela’s experience has made her capable but unhappy, fearing that she has become a stereotype. She begins to bond with her newbie colleague, but when they end up stranded at the house, a call to her childish boyfriend Chris (Corey Angelus) and his friend Matt (Evan Beardsley) result in a greater sense of self-discovery for the pair. The fixed-camera staging that Lime & Vinegar utilises through gives it a documentary feel – appropriate given that this is a powerfully authentic and humanising representation of the immigrant experience in the US. Daniela and Lorena are two unremarkable people who work standard jobs, and their experience throughout the film is nothing that two co-workers might not experience on a given day (albeit a very unfortunate one). But it is this un-remarkability that makes the film itself remarkable. Far from the images that so often get raised of migrant workers, Daniela and Lorena are passionate, hard-working people who have lives & loves. It is not a coincidence that Chris is painted as a nepo-baby – someone who hasn’t had to raise a finger to gain an advantage in life. Despite being American, it is obvious who contributes more to society and who doesn’t. The complexity of relationships is a running theme throughout the film, with each of the principal cast carrying depth and interest. Both Daniela and Lorena have contradictory attitudes to relationships and sexuality – neither feeling fully comfortable with the modern American ideal, such as having difficult feelings around missing being catcalled in their home country. Likewise, the two men are not one-note bad boyfriends – Chris throwing a childlike tantrum and becoming violent, but also making a cross-town journey to help his girlfriend out of a bind. At its best the film is a great character study that understands that people are never caricatures, or the stereotypes that Daniela fears becoming. Dalma Daniela and Yiseth Brendlinger thrive with a considered and thoughtful dynamic. Daniela’s experience in life and work makes her the more dominant of the pair, but also the more cynical. She finds early on through a prank she plays that Lorena has layers and a personality of her own, and begins to see traces of herself in her partner. It is easy to see the invisible walls they face from the performance, not just their stories. Conversely, the destructive and carefree Chris and Matt scream privilege and security, arriving like a hurricane in a house that does not belong to them. Yet Corey Angelus and Evan Beardsley walk the fine line of likeable enough to make the relationship believable. Lime & Vinegar can be slow in moments and becomes visually stale after a while. But as an overall production, it is a fine demonstration of one example of the migrant experience. The people who are so often spoken of with disregard are not abstract, they are real individuals with real lives and real jobs – like Daniela and Lorena. Positive and authentic representation is important, and is accomplished wonderfully here. About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Theatrical Release, Indie Feature Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Roommate Contract film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Korina Deming, Daniel Kim, Regan Hicks, Samekh Resh directed by Lydia Muir. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Roommate Contract Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: May 18, 2024 Directed by: Lydia Muir Written by: Lydia Muir Starring: Korina Deming, Daniel Kim, Regan Hicks, Samekh Resh Living in New York City is not an easy thing to do. Property is at a premium, rents are sky high and finding someone to flatshare with who isn’t a total nutbar is an almost impossibility. It is for reasons such as these that young twenty-something writer, Aiysha (Deming) has been crashing on her best friend Kara’s (Hicks) couch for the past wee while, preferring that to the cockroach infested glorified cupboard that she is currently paying rent for. Like it or not though, Aiysha’s lease is up in about a week’s time and so she really needs to get on it to try and find somewhere new to live. Unfortunately for her, this is not the only thing Aiysha needs to sort out in her life, as she really needs to start pulling herself together in actually finding a paid job as well as maybe, perhaps finding a boyfriend for herself, too. Thankfully, dating apps are the one thing in NYC which never fail to deliver, with millions of thirsty loners out there just chomping at the bit to get some actual human interaction, no matter that most of them barely have the minimum requirement of social skills and aren’t all that comfortable about stepping out of their front door in the first place. It is a miracle then that on her first attempt at meeting for a date, Aiysha lands up with Nathan (Kim), a twenty-something lawyer who was being messed around by his previous girlfriend and who, just by complete happenstance, is unbelievably on the lookout for a new flatmate, as his best pal Sebastian (Resh) moves onto pastures new by moving in with his own girlfriend. And so, the set-up for The Roommate Contract is in place, the fuse is lit, and we are ready for the romcom shenanigans to begin. With the first episode in this new web-series from writer/director Lydia Muir taking us through the introductions of our will they/won’t they lovebirds and ending with the signing of The Roommate Contract itself, the way is laid clear for the rest of the series to engineer as many difficult, uncomfortable situations as possible for the not-quite-a-couple to find themselves in. As yet there are three completed episodes, of between ten and fifteen minutes each, but with there being eight rules on The Roommate Contract , and each episode taking on a theme from one of the rules, there’s plenty of scope for Muir to take the series forward and expand on what she has already built. Being shot on a tight budget, this little web-series has a feel of being just a little bit basic, or, dare I say it, far more realistic than anything like Friends or How I Met Your Mother ever was. The apartments are of an appropriate size and style, with plenty of bare walls and affordable furniture, while the outdoor locations do their best to show us some of the sights of the city, just from a distance far enough away to let us know we’re in the cheap seats. The dialogue, too, can be pretty basic at times, with certain scenes merely being there for a short set-up before they fade to black and the next scene is cued in. On the plus side though, both Korina Deming as Aiysha and Daniel Kim as Nathan are very likeable in their roles and they do their best with what they’ve been given. They are very cute together and play off each other well, with each of them giving off ‘normal person’ vibes the whole way through, something which is obviously very difficult to tie down in NYC 2024. Throughout the three episodes, Aiysha and Nathan are run through the gamut of established romcom conventions, with the solidity of The Roommate Contract being tested at every turn. Right from the off it seems obvious that their relationship is less of a Ross and Rachel will they/won’t they and more of a [insert any Meg Ryan 90’s romcom] where everyone knows it’s going to happen, it’s just a matter of when. There’s a lot to recommend The Roommate Contract , despite its limitations, and at under quarter an hour per episode it’s perfect for dipping into when you’re feeling under the weather, you need a little wholesome pick-me-up, or the endless Friends reruns just aren’t hitting like they used to. There’s enough in the three completed episodes to suggest to an audience that The Roommate Contract is a diversion worthy of their time and it would be a real shame if Lydia Muir were not able to complete at least the first series and get another five episodes made. Don’t come for me though, if I spoil it for you now, and say that it’s highly likely that Aiysha and Nathan will be getting it on by the end. About the Film Critic William Hemingway Digital / DVD Release, Web Series < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Fingernails film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Jessie Buckley, Riz Ahmed, Jeremy Allen White directed by Christos Nikou. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Fingernails Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Nov 2, 2023 Directed by: Christos Nikou Written by: Christos Nikou, Sam Steiner, Stavros Raptis Starring: Jessie Buckley, Riz Ahmed, Jeremy Allen White Nearly a decade ago, Yorgos Lanthimos delivered the most scathingly, cynically hilarious look at the human desire to quantify love, test it, find safety in it. And if not, be turned into a delicious crustacean. Cristos Nikou’s delivery is more romantic, but his central theme is similar. Love is unquantifiable. In a non-specifically retro time period with wall phones and a lot of 80s and some 90s jams but computers that look to be from the time of the dinosaur, one company has perfected a test to determine whether two people are in love. This test, it was hoped, would end divorce, end loneliness, end unhappiness. But most couples test negative, so it’s actually only created a loneliness crisis. Anna (Jessie Buckley) and Ryan (Jeremy Allen White) are among the lucky ones. They tested positive some time back, and have fallen into a safe and predictable routine. And yet… Anna takes a job at the very institute where the test is conducted, working alongside Amir (Riz Ahmed). That right there is the reason to see Fingernails . Buckley’s a tremendous talent. Few actors so accurately, achingly portray yearning quite as she does. That conflict plays across Anna’s face in a raw performance matched by Ahmed’s. The Oscar winner shares electric chemistry with Buckley, which compels interest in a story that, while delightfully told, lacks a bit of depth. White, in a smaller role, delivers as well. You can’t root for him, but neither can you root against him. He feels human, and complicating the emotion within a romantic film is never a bad idea. Nikou’s elegant direction slides and dances from scene to scene, evoking melancholy one moment then swooning the next. It’s so beautifully shot that the occasional obvious moment – lingering on one toothbrush, holding on a reaction shot – stands out. The trajectory is rarely in doubt and the film leaves much to mine when it comes to its premise. But whatever the weaknesses of Fingernails , Ahmed and Buckley and their thrilling rapport more than overcome. About the Film Critic Hope Madden Digital / DVD Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >