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Film Feature by Chris Olson There is a distinct, prickly sensation that washes over a film editor when the entire internet appears to be spinning a vast web of enthusiasm for a movie he has not yet had the privilege to watch. As someone who has unashamedly championed Tom Holland’s tenure as Peter Parker, from his wide-eyed debut in Civil War right through to the multiversal heartbreak of No Way Home, I am currently caught in a sticky situation. My calendar has conspired against me, keeping me glued to my desk while audiences and critics nationwide rush to cinemas to witness Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Living vicariously through the critical consensus is a dangerous game, but reading the early reviews has left my senses tingling in overdrive. By all accounts, director Destin Daniel Cretton’s takeover of the franchise has delivered a narrative that doesn't just swing for the fences; it hooks its webs onto the highest skyscraper in town and launches the character into a bold, emotionally fraught new era. Leading the charge in pushing my excitement to a fever pitch is our very own George Wolf at UK Film Review. In his glowing Spider-Man: Brand New Day film review, George awarded the picture a stellar 4-star review, marveling at how the story brilliantly handles the devastating aftermath of Doctor Strange’s memory-wiping spell. George pointed out that far from hitting the reset button as a mere gimmick, the narrative forces Peter to grapple with profound isolation. It turns out that living in a pokey New York apartment where nobody remembers your name makes for rich dramatic soil. George praised Holland for delivering his most grounded, layered performance to date, swinging effortlessly between world-weary grit and that trademark, relatable warmth that made us fall in love with his Spidey in the first place. Spider-Man: Brand New Day Final Movie Trailer George is far from a lone voice shouting into the void of the Daily Bugle’s newsroom. Across the aggregate landscape, the film is catching critics in a sticky trap of near-unanimous acclaim. Over on Rotten Tomatoes, the film debuted to a dazzling score up in the nineties, placing it firmly alongside the most revered superhero chapters of modern cinema. Sifting through the verified reviews, a clear trend emerges: reviewers are praising this fourth installment for daring to strip away the grand, multiversal spectacle of its predecessor in favour of a more tactile, character-driven story. Industry commentators on platforms like Collider and Esquire have highlighted the film's surprising tonal shift. While the previous trilogy bathed in the bright, energetic glow of high school comedies, Brand New Day plunges Peter into the gritty, unforgiving reality of young adulthood. The integration of street-level Marvel elements, most notably Jon Bernthal’s brooding Punisher, has been singled out as a masterstroke, creating a tense, ideological friction that challenges Peter’s moral compass like never before. Over on IMDb, where early audience scores and user reviews are flooding in, the sentiment is equally charged. Viewers are raving about the stunning sequence work and practical stunt craft. Film critics across social media have noted that Cretton trades in heavy, weightless CGI for punchy, grounded fights across rainy Manhattan rooftops, giving every punch and web-slinging leap a bone-crunching sense of impact. There is also endless chatter surrounding Sadie Sink’s mysterious role, with reviewers teasing that her performance introduces an intriguing, unpredictable dynamic that keeps the audience guessing throughout. Yet, for all the talk of practical action and gritty combat, what truly resonates across the critical landscape is the enduring heart of Holland’s performance. Tom Holland Talks Spider-Man: Brand New Day Many critics have remarked that despite the suit, the villains, and the high-stakes heroics, the core of the film remains a deeply human drama about grief, independence, and the heavy price of duty. The bittersweet dynamic between Peter and Zendaya's MJ, who now looks at him as a complete stranger, is reportedly handled with such delicate, romantic-comedy flair and tragic undertones that more than a few hardened film writers have admitted to shedding tears. Naturally, a few contrarians have grumbled that the film spends a little too much time marinating in Peter’s existential angst rather than offering wall-to-wall superhero brawling. But frankly, that only increases my appetite. I have always maintained that the best Spider-Man stories are the ones where Peter Parker’s personal life is falling apart just as fast as he can web it together. With great reviews, however, comes great responsibility, chiefly, the responsibility to clear my diary, buy an oversized tub of popcorn, and get myself into a cinema seat at the earliest possible opportunity. If the film critics are to be believed, Tom Holland has not only proved that there is plenty of life left in the old web-shooter, but he has also delivered a spectacular, triumphant chapter that redefines what a Marvel movie can be. Now, if you will excuse me, I'm off to fight my way through ticket queues before the entire plot is spoiled for me.

Star rating: 4/5 Writer: James Ersted and David R. Larson Director: James Ersted Starring: Dylan Nunez, Paul Parducci, Kira Omans, Ari Hader and Alain Mora. What Happened to Suzie? is an absorbing thriller. Written by James Ersted and David R. Larson, and directed by James Ersted, this film is composed as a documentary, in the style of a 'mockumentary', but with a twist, and 100% in the dramatic genre. We meet Andy, played by Dylan Nunez, whose sister Suzie disappeared without a trait years before. He is collaborating with a documentary crew to tell his story. They organically build trust and get deeper into the story, including the fact of close family always being suspected first in disappearance cases. Unbeknownst to Andy, Don (Paul Parducci), who as director and main cameraman is the leader of the film crew, is already aware his uncle was the main suspect for a long time- when he tells Andy, alarm bells start ringing, but, after some strong hesitation, Andy ultimately decides to go through with and even deepen the collaboration, and get to the truth of what happened, with grave consequences. Technically, this film is brilliant. Visually it is gripping, with adept use of a huge variety of points of view, including CCTV footage, screen view of online calls and chats, and unique views from corner windows. The performances are brilliant, with the actors’ naturalism shines through- not an easy feat when playing high tension situations. The theme of empathy runs all the way through this film- the documentary crew, with the exception of Cynthia (played brilliantly by Kira Omans) shows no emotional interest in Andy's situation. Don even tells him that whatever Andy gets filmed doing, to add to the piece, 'doesn't have to be real, it just needs look that way for the camera'. A big question here is who can we ever really trust with our stories, pain and problems. That's the difference between being supported, or these spiralling out of control. The ultimate theme, however, is the power of organised crime, and the destructive effects it has on people, families and even entire communities. Can we ever really combat it?

Film Feature By Chris Olson There are certain literary treasures so pure, so thoroughly perfected across decades of adaptation, that any attempt to dismantle and reconstruct them ought to come with a health warning. Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol is chief among them. For generations, readers and filmgoers alike have held up various screen incarnations of the infamous Victorian miser as gold standards of holiday storytelling. Alastair Sim captured the ghost-riddled guilt with haunting authenticity in 1951, while Albert Finney brought musical flair to the Victorian gloom in 1970. Yet, for my money, and I suspect for many who cherish true cinematic perfection, no actor has ever matched the towering, deadpan brilliance of Sir Michael Caine in 1992’s The Muppet Christmas Carol. Playing it entirely straight opposite a felt frog and a blue whatever-he-is, Caine delivered a masterclass in emotional arc, vulnerability, and genuine redemption. You believed his heart was breaking; you believed his joy when he bought the prize turkey. So, when news reached my desk at UK Film Review that Paramount Pictures had mounted a brand-new, horror-infused reinterpretation entitled Ebenezer, starring none other than Johnny Depp as the titular humbug, my initial reaction was not excitement. It was a cold, creeping sense of dread. Ahead of its scheduled November release, I must judge what we know so far based on trailers, casting announcements, and studio fanfare. And frankly, as someone who holds the classic adaptations near and dear, I am pessimistic. Ebeneezer Official Film Trailer Directed by Ti West, the indie horror filmmaker behind X, Pearl, and MaXXXine, this new iteration promises a decidedly gothic, supernatural take on the 1843 novella. From the footage unveiled in the recent trailer release, West is leaning heavily into jump scares, bleak snowscapes, and stylized terror. The film positions itself as a darker origin-adjacent study of how Ebenezer became the cold-hearted miser who despises humanity, complete with harrowing ghostly encounters that look more suited to an October horror marathon than a cozy December evening by the fire. While horror and Dickens have always shared common roots, Dickens did, after all, write ghost stories; there is a fine line between chilling atmospheric tension and overwrought grimness. When a story shifts its focus entirely toward macabre spectacle, it risks losing the essential warmth and moral resurrection that gives A Christmas Carol its enduring soul. Michael Caine didn't need blood-curdling frights to convey a soul in torment; a subtle tremble of his lip and a tear in his eye did the work of a thousand jump scares. On paper, the supporting ensemble for Ebenezer is undeniably impressive. Sir Ian McKellen steps into the heavy chains of Jacob Marley, while Andrea Riseborough portrays the Ghost of Christmas Past. Tramell Tillman takes on the Ghost of Christmas Present, Daisy Ridley appears as the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, and Rupert Grint plays the long-suffering Bob Cratchit. However, all eyes are inevitably fixed on Johnny Depp. The project marks his first major Hollywood studio production in eight years, framing the film as a high-stakes comeback vehicle. We have seen Depp construct iconic, larger-than-life characters over the decades, from Edward Scissorhands to Captain Jack Sparrow. But in recent times, his performance style has often tilted toward eccentric caricature rather than grounded dramatic truth. During a recent promo stunt at San Diego Comic-Con, Depp appeared in full Victorian costume, scowling at attendees and barking in character. It was classic circus showmanship, but it did little to assuage my fears that this performance might end up as another parade of exaggerated accents, prosthetics, and theatrical tics. Scrooge requires a subtle heart underneath the frost. If Depp treats the role as merely another quirky creature in his gallery of misfits, the central emotional core of the narrative will simply collapse. The challenge with remaking a legend is that you are constantly standing in the shadow of giants. When Caine sang alongside Kermit and Gonzo, he treated the material with absolute sincerity, grounding a fantastical world in real, human heartbreak. By contrast, a heavy-handed, horror-adjacent blockbuster risks feeling hollow; a stylish exercise in gothic aesthetic that forgets why people fall in love with Dickens’s tale every winter. I hope Ti West and Johnny Depp will prove me wrong when Ebenezer finally arrives in cinemas this November. Perhaps the gloom will give way to a genuinely moving story of redemption. But until the lights go down and the credits roll, I remain deeply sceptical. For now, I suspect I shall be sticking with Tiny Tim, Rizzo the Rat, and Sir Michael Caine.

Film Feature By Chris Olson There is a distinct, agonising torture reserved for film critics who, due to the chaotic juggling of editorial schedules, family commitments, and an unrelenting tide of indie screeners, find themselves fashionably—or unfashionably—late to the biggest cinematic event of the decade. I must confess, with a mixture of professional chagrin and profound jealousy, that I have not yet sat down in a darkened theatre to experience Christopher Nolan’s sprawling epic, The Odyssey. Every time I open my social media feeds, tune into cinema podcasts, or glance at our very own site, I am inundated with rapturous praise. Chief among those tormenting my fear of missing out is our own George Wolf at UK Film Review, whose dazzling five-star review hailed the picture as a monumental achievement in modern blockbuster filmmaking. George’s glowing write-up left me practically itching to sprint straight to the nearest IMAX screen. But while I wait for a precious three-hour window in my calendar to embark on Odysseus’s mythical voyage, I have been keeping a very close eye on another epic journey currently unfolding across the global box office charts. When a film of this staggering scale hits cinemas, the critical discourse is only half the story. The other half, the cold, hard commercial realities of modern Hollywood, is just as compelling. Mounting Homer’s ancient Greek poem on a canvas of IMAX film stock was always going to be a colossal risk. Audiences in recent years have grown notoriously selective, often choosing the comfort of streaming platforms over the price of a cinema ticket unless a project promises something truly unmissable. Yet, if the latest figures are anything to go by, Nolan’s retelling of the legendary voyage back to Ithaca has proven to be an absolute commercial titan. Moviegoers around the globe are voting with their wallets, turning what could have been a costly gamble into one of the most remarkable box office triumphs in recent memory. To truly understand the magnitude of this financial achievement, one has to start with the sheer scale of investment required to get the project off the ground. According to official figures listed on the film's IMDb page, the production budget for The Odyssey came in at an eye-watering $250 million. In an era where studios are increasingly hesitant to spend a quarter of a billion dollars on non-superhero fare, handing that kind of capital to a creative team for a grand, period-accurate mythological drama was a bold statement of faith. Yet, as history has repeatedly shown us, betting against Nolan on the big screen is rarely a wise move. That $250 million budget was visible in every frame of the promotional material, from vast practical sea battles to intricate creature craft and sweeping landscapes, promising a level of cinematic spectacle that simply cannot be replicated at home. The Odyssey Official Trailer That massive financial investment paid immediate dividends as soon as the film opened to the public. During its opening weekend alone, The Odyssey sailed to a breathtaking $123.5 million in North America. An opening weekend of that magnitude for an auteur-driven historical epic is practically unheard of in the contemporary box office landscape. It instantly silenced any sceptics who questioned whether mainstream audiences still possessed an appetite for classical storytelling on an unhurried scale. Driven by glowing critical consensus and immediate word-of-mouth chatter, moviegoers packed out premium large formats, eager to be immersed in the treacherous world of Sirens, Cyclopes, and divine intervention. Since that explosive launch, the film’s momentum has shown virtually no signs of slowing down. In the domestic market across the US and Canada, The Odyssey has accumulated a staggering gross of $286.4 million (as of the date of publishing). Holding strong week after week against tough summer competition, it has demonstrated the kind of long-term theatrical endurance that defined classic blockbusters of decades past. It is not merely riding the wave of an aggressive marketing campaign; it is sustaining its box office presence because audiences are returning for repeat viewings and urging their friends to catch it on the biggest screen possible, exactly as George Wolf urged our readers in his review. However, it is on the international stage where Odysseus’s journey has truly transformed into a global phenomenon. Worldwide, The Odyssey has racked up an astonishing gross of $639.6 million so far. Crossing the $600 million threshold in such a brief window is a monumental feat, comfortably sailing past its original $250 million production budget and pushing decisively toward massive profitability. Overseas audiences have embraced the timeless tale with immense enthusiasm, proving once again that high-concept, director-led cinema possesses a universal resonance that transcends linguistic and cultural borders. Looking at these figures from an editorial standpoint, the commercial narrative surrounding the film is almost as satisfying as the story on screen promises to be. In an industry currently obsessed with safe intellectual property, endless sequels, and pre-packaged cinematic universes, the huge financial success of The Odyssey offers a beacon of hope for traditional filmgoing. It proves that when vision, substantial financial backing, and uncompromised craftsmanship align, the general public will happily fill cinema seats in droves. As for me, watching these box office totals skyrocket every single day only intensifies my desperation to finally experience the film for myself. George Wolf’s magnificent five-star review made it crystal clear that this is a film designed to be felt as much as seen, a sensory masterpiece that demands undivided attention in a darkened auditorium. Knowing that over $639 million worth of tickets have already been sold around the world makes me feel like the last filmgoer left standing on the shore while the rest of the world sails off into cinematic history.

Star rating: 4/5 Writer: Zach Huber Director: Zach Huber Starring: Matt Bergonzine, Katherine Tompkins and Evan Michael Ewing Betrayal is arguably one of the worst feelings that exists, and Deceive to Achieve illustrates this with really precise narrative. Written and directed by Zach Huber, in this 5-minute long short film, we meet Johnny (played by Matt Bergonzine), our main character, an independent film director who is currently struggling. He is working with Connor and Alicia on a film scripted by him. When Connor hears their true thoughts, his way of seeing his work, and life, collapses. Taken for granted, used to the point of abuse and deceived for reasons that have in reality nothing to do with him. Quite the definition of betrayal. Technically, Deceive to Achieve is a really strong piece, with clear, simple dialogue, and editing being is strongest point. It is hugely effective in visually expressing betrayal, the internal shifts it creates in a person. The use of wide aperture for blurred effect on some of the pivotal scenes is also a brilliant creative choice for this story. The performances are strong, in particular Evan Michael Ewing’s portrayal of Connor’s nonchalant approach to using Johnny. The question is whether Johnny will truly liberate himself from this. In this age of individuality, where everybody is seemingly in it just for themselves, an urgent antidote is needed for this individualism.

Film Feature by Callum Ewing and James Learoyd The Best Steven Spielberg Films Trying to choose the best Steven Spielberg film is nearly an impossible task. The great man himself has changed the cinematic landscape on multiple occasions creating classic after classic. From creating the modern-day Summer blockbuster with Jaws, to reinventing the sci-fi genre with Close Encounters of the Third Kind to revolutionising CGI and animatronics with Jurassic Park, Spielberg has a fair few films to pick from. A.I: Artificial Intelligence - Steven Spielberg However, I would offer two different answers to the question of what Steven Spielberg's best film is. On one hand I would say my favourite film of Spielberg’s is Raiders of the Lost Ark – a film that again changed the action-adventure genre and has become an absolute classic. Raiders of the Lost Ark with its sweeping John Williams score, thrilling set pieces and quintessential action hero ushered in a new type of film. Despite my love for Raiders of the Lost Ark, I cannot commit to saying it is Spielberg’s best film when Schindler’s List exists. The only Spielberg film that has won Best Picture and a film that transcends the genre. The film redefined education on the Holocaust with the events becoming more aware in the public consciousness. No longer did people have to read out of history books to learn about the tragic events. The most important part about the film and its legacy is the creation of the USC Shoah Foundation, where Spielberg has established an archive at the University of Southern California that preserves testimonies from the Holocaust, Armenian, Cambodian, and Rwandan genocides. These archives are used in global education. Perhaps that is why I consider Schindler’s List his best film, not because of its extraordinary filmmaking and winning best picture but because of its legacy outside of Hollywood. Jaws Official Film Trailer - IMAX Honourable mentions to: Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T, Jurassic Park, Saving Private Ryan, Catch Me If You Can, Minority Report and Lincoln. For James, Jaws and E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial both mark the pinnacle of Spielberg as a populist filmmaker and a technical master. Each film becoming the highest-grossing releases up till that point in time respectively, there’s a reason why these works captured the public consciousness – beyond their ability to entertain with spectacle and feeling. What modern-day studio people seem to forget when they’re attempting to emulate the success of Jaws is just how elemental a masterpiece it is. In terms of both scenario and form, it’s a movie that’s completely stripped to the bone. Outside of the less-is-more score for the film (which requires no discussion), this idea is illustrated by the classic’s legendary final hour. It’s just three people in one unchanging location (a boat at sea), one objective (shark), and a series of practical factors that are either going right or going wrong. The elegance is in its simplicity, and it truly feels like you, the viewer, are out there with them. E.T Film Trailer E.T. is different but operating on the same level. Instead of a thriller-based cat-and-mouse setup, we have an emotional bond that goes beyond the norm. The filmmaking then, in turn, needs to match the feelings of the central relationship (between boy and alien); and so we get one of the most awe-inspiring scores of all time from Williams, and some of Spielberg’s most effortlessly poetic imagery and long-lasting iconography. In many ways, it could be defined as the ultimate Steven Spielberg film: empathy-based science-fiction from a child’s perspective, elevated by inimitable cinematics. Honourable mentions for Best Film: Jurassic Park, Close Encounters, Catch Me If You Can, Lincoln Lincoln Official Film Trailer The Worst Steven Spielberg Films Despite being one of the greatest directors of all time and a filmmaker that as mentioned before has changed the landscape of cinema even Steven Spielberg has had a couple of bad days at the office. Given the size and quality of Steven Spielberg’s filmography, his hit rate is remarkable, but a few films either disappointed or failed to live up to expectations. One would could easily point fingers to his sequels to his two biggest franchises: Jurassic Park and Indiana Jones. Both the Lost World and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull failed to meet the lofty expectations set by their predecessors, but I do not consider these two films to be bad, and both are fun to watch. However, they pale in comparison to the originals with poor scripts letting the films down. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Movie Trailer Another recent disappointment could be Disclosure Day which was one of my most anticipated of 2026 and unfortunately did not quite have the thrills or wonder that the trailers promised. This is despite an outstanding performance by Emily Blunt and some masterful directing in the film. However, my pick for my least favourite Spielberg film is his attempt at the screwball comedy with 1941. A film that came quickly after both Jaws and Close Encounters and contained a star-studded cast but for me does not make me laugh. The film has its strengths, including striking visuals, impressive set design and the occasional funny moment, but it is often too loud and chaotic, and too many of its jokes fail to land for me. The Terminal Film Trailer The Terminal is Spielberg’s least functional movie in James’ eyes; however, here he argues that Amistad is the most significant misapplication of the Spielberg style (perhaps a far greater sin than a flimsy feel-good misfire). The latter of his two 1997 releases recounts the court case of the uprising on the slave ship Amistad, and its ultimate relevance to slavery and the slow, politically motivated progressions relating to human rights (a topic that Spielberg revisits far more adeptly in 2012’s Lincoln). Despite a phenomenal opening depicting said uprising – executed with visual viscera without the use of dialogue – the rest of the picture can’t help but adopt the glossy, Hollywood approach that the director is so used to. Whilst this courtroom drama is indeed broken up by flashbacks to the most horrific sequences of torture against the captive Amistad slaves, the rest is decidedly by-the-books. A jarring dramatisation that lacks a required ruthlessness and probing political perspective; something that’s also notably absent from many of Spielberg’s most lacklustre historic pieces. Underrated/Overlooked Steven Spielberg Films Given the size of Steven Spielberg’s filmography and the lasting reputation of many of his films, several titles could qualify as underrated or overlooked. One option is 2017’s The Post, which, despite marking the first collaboration between Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks and earning a Best Picture nomination, is rarely discussed among Spielberg’s major works. The film whist not one of his masterpieces is still a great film about the Washington Post deciding to publish the Pentagon Papers. The Post Official Film Trailer I could also highlight The Fablemans and West Side Story two of his most recent films that were also nominated for Best Picture and were critical successes, but both did not make much of an impression at the box office. War of the Worlds is another pick for an overlooked film despite its critical and box office success as the film does seem to get lost in conversation due to its bleak tone compared to Spielberg’s other sci fi or adventure films. However, my pick for his most underrated/overlooked is his very first film released in 1971 – Duel. A film that has a simple premise of a massive semi- truck chasing down a traveling salesman called David Mann for about 90 minutes and yet is so effective at making a thrilling film. Made on a budget of $450,000 and as a TV movie the film is a great way to see a young Spielberg already laying down the foundations and traits that could be seen in his later films. The film follows an “everyman” hero who is an ordinary man in an extraordinary situation and has gone through some sort of cathartic change by the end of the film. Duel also showcases long tracking shots, the now-famous “Spielberg face” of dread or wonder, and careful use of shots and sound to make the semi-truck feel enormous and threatening. Honourable mentions to: The Colour Purple, Empire of the Sun, the Last Crusade and A.I. James feels it should be mentioned that The Sugarland Express is criminally underseen. The directorial confidence and production on display in the 1974 film, especially for only his second (or even first) theatrical piece, couldn’t be more striking. Such a handsome-looking movie should be discussed in tandem with some of its 70s contemporaries. Malick’s Badlands is an easy comparison, for example – both for its crime-centred road trip narrative, and its shimmering, sunset aesthetic. Close Encounters film trailer James argues that this and Close Encounters are his two best-looking movies and stands by it. Yet in terms of more contemporary Spielberg that already feels as if it’s been left behind, you can’t get much better than his outstanding Bridge of Spies which boasts one of the most deserved Best Supporting Actor wins in recent memory in the case of Mark Rylance. But it’s A.I. Artificial Intelligence that’s James’ personal favourite Spielberg film and also fits nicely in the ‘most underrated’ category. Where to start... What if E.T. was severely messed up? What if this is our future? What if a robot boy named David had the capacity to love, didn’t know what to do with that horrific feeling, and was willing to bend the very fabric of lived reality because of some inventor’s whim? In A.I., the very language of Spielberg’s cinema is being deconstructed before you. It’s unpleasant, it’s gorgeous, it’s Pinocchio on acid by way of 2001. Speaking of which, many viewers take issue with the common complaint that the style is an amalgamation of Kubrick’s original conceit and Spielberg's realisation; that the tones don’t quite match. But for me, that’s what sets this apart from the rest of his filmography. It should be viewed as its own beast, with its own self-contained style and tone. Spielberg’s camera treats David’s distress and yearning with the same level of emotional import as some of his more explicitly ‘upsetting’ efforts, and it’s one of the most affecting movies of all time because of it. Underrated: West Side Story, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, The Adventures of Tintin Callum Top 10 1. Schindler’s List 2. Raiders of the Lost Ark 3. Jaws 4. Close Encounters of the Third Kind 5. Jurassic Park 6. E.T 7. Saving Private Ryan 8. Minority Report 9. Catch Me if You Can 10. Lincoln James Top 10 1. A.I. Artificial Intelligence 2. Jaws 3. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial 4. Close Encounters of the Third Kind 5. Catch Me If You Can 6. Lincoln 7. Jurassic Park 8. West Side Story 9. Bridge of Spies 10. Minority Report Now listen to James and Callum in Part 1 of their special podcast episode of The Films of Steven Spielberg

Star rating: 4/5 Created by: Diana Galimzyanova Nothing Happens is an introspective Russian short film, a story told without dialogue, and a great soundtrack. Written and directed by Diana Galimzyanova, this 8 minute long film follows a man, somewhere between his mid -30s and early 40s, who works in a bar that is also a live music venue. This character, who remains nameless, leads a life where different nights and different events seem to blur together. He surrounded by people and music but seems to be, to coin a phrase, lonely in a crowded room. He observes but doesn’t speak, simply getting on with what he has to do. Technically this film is very interesting. Not only does it showcase a brilliant soundtrack, including bits of covers of David Bowie songs, and great cinematography that transports you fully to a night out. It Is also deeply naturalistic, almost documentary-like, to the point where you wonder if these are scenes from real life being filmed, and edited for expression. We see some brilliant framing and inspired points of view throughout. This piece might be expressing monotony and pessimism, but it might equally be expressing patience and a strong sense of self, that we need the most at so many points in our lives. It’s good, thoughtful work.

Star rating: 4/5 Writer: Steve Meredith Director: Zay Rodriguez Starring: Zuli Rosenow, Ilene Sulivan, and Deborah Tighe. Bonds of Grief is an emotional, open-hearted piece about what loss feels like. As someone who is familiar with grief, I can tell you, dear reader, that this film, from the USA, was incisively truthful (if slightly dramatic). Written by Steve Meredith, this tells the story of Isabela (Zuli Rosenow), who loses her mother to cancer. Soon after the burial, she goes to her mother’s grave to read out something she wrote but never got to read to her. As she begins to read, she becomes inconsolable. A woman who is standing at a nearby grave notices this, and approaches Isabela, looking to comfort her. This leads to them having a comforting, honest conversation about what they are feeling. In doing so, Samantha (Ilene Sulivan) brings Isabela onto a process whereby she can explore her grief. Bonds of Grief is deeply realistic in how it explores the pain of loss, and not just that of losing a parent. The fact that it explores grief, in the form of dialogue, from a number of different perspectives is brilliant, and a great creative choice. Technically, the film isn’t particularly innovating, but it is solid, and the choice not to focus on making it visually particular helps, in this case, keep the focus on the story. Under the direction of Zay Rodriguez, it is almost documentary-like in this respect. The performances are good overall, but for a story like this, more naturalistic work would have been preferred. Can grief ever be shared? Will we ever be able to truly understand each other’s grief through our own? These are really interesting questions, that if you are lucky this will be the case later in life, become increasingly important as we grow up. It’s important to mention also that not all cultures process grief in the same way. Bonds of grief showcases the Western, and specifically American, way of moving through it. The main point being that it always, invariably, requires support and the reminder that you are cared for.

Star rating: 4/5 Writer: Nathan Grubbs, Chris Sivertson, Jeff Hoffman and Joshua Dietz Director: Nathan Grubbs Starring: Nathan Grubbs, Alexandra Essoe, Marc Senter and Eddie Steeples. Cowboy is a thoughtful cowboy story about redemption, and love arising in the most unlikely of ways. Written by Nathan Grubbs, Chris Sivertson, Jeff Hoffman and Joshua Dietz, Cowboy tells the story of Juno Jackson, a cowboy, and petty criminal in the US South, who goes to prison for a serious crime- losing his friend and longtime partner in crime in the process. When the times comes for his release after having served 5 years with good behaviour, having had the ‘time and grace’ to reflect and re-build, he is a changed man. It is this change that leads to a hugely surprising plot twist. Directed by Nathan Grubbs, Cowboy is the story of a man who attempts to change his ways, overcome his supposed destiny and make good his mistakes- despite the irretrievable aspects of the situation he has created. It is a well written story, combining an introspective tone with the go-getting storyline of a cowboy. Technically this is a very strong film, filmically portraying both the vastness of the US South and the intimacy and danger of the situations that unfold. The film has a deeply intentional visual style- complete with cattle skulls, ropes and unending dirt roads. This is also true sonically, with the story being punctuated by the neighing of horses, which is, put simply, cute. This film showcases really strong performances, particularly from Alexandra Essoe, who plays Eve with simultaneous strength and vulnerability. Cowboy is a heartfelt and intelligent story about redemption, love and how these intertwined with the inevitability of life’s trajectory. At which point is it too late to abandon old ways? And if there is always a point of no return, does it exclude the possibility of peace and connection, even love? Huge questions asked, as all good films do.

Directed by: Emma Hough Hobbs, Leela Varghese Written by: Leela Varghese, Emma Hough Hobbs Starring: Shabana Azeez, Bernie Van Tiel, Jordan Raskopoulos Film Review by: Holly Baker ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Lesbian Space Princess is an Australian animated science fiction comedy written and directed by Emma Hough Hobbs and Leela Varghese. The film follows 23-year-old space princess Siara, a socially inept, hopeless-romantic lesbian who lives on the planet Clitopolis with her two mums. Recently dumped by her two-week-long girlfriend, a full of herself, toxic, serial monogamist, Kiki, Siara is devastatingly heartbroken and plagued with low self-esteem. When evil Straight White Malians suddenly kidnap Kiki, Siara’s opportunity to save Kiki and win her back drives her out of her comfort zone, on a quest to defeat Kiki’s kidnappers and overcome her negative feelings about herself. The film has a quirky animation style reminiscent of Rick and Morty with its unique sci- fi creations and character designs. Each character has its own identifiable colour palette allowing for a vibrant viewing experience. Individually, they each make a strong impression on the viewer both aesthetically through the detailed and thematic animation, and through their well-established personalities and performances, each of them satirically fitting into a queer archetype that young queer viewers can easily identify. For instance, Siara is the anxiously attached Lesbian who quickly falls for someone emotionally unavailable, Kiki, and Willow is a goth singer-songwriter who immediately transforms her emotions into inspiration for her music. The film’s soundtrack is made up of original music written for the film by Michael Darren and Matthew Hardley. These composers capture a queer sound with the soft, indie tunes which play throughout the film, appealing well to a young queer audience. Lesbian Space Princess Official Film Trailer The younger, queer audience will also relish in the use of Gen Z humour. For example, Siara travels on a ‘problematicship’ that comically opposes the idea of wokeness through using slightly offensive, politically incorrect language. There is also a large incorporation of sexual humour and satirization of queer stereotypes, which works well, in a similar way to Netflix’s Heartbreak High. For instance, the film contains a young cast and crew, therefore bringing up to date character archetypes, intertextual references and jokes which land in Gen Z audiences. Even the title ‘Lesbian Space Princess’ is immediately eye-catching for queer media enjoyers, hitting the mark of a modern-day queer sci-fi romance. Lesbian Space Princess is a refreshing representation of queer characters, incorporating multiple different queer storylines. The film is rich in its queerness, with an enthralling attention to detail such as Siara’s calendar labelling April as ‘Gaypril’, and the galaxy being referred to as the ‘Gaylexi’ demonstrating a well-thought-out creativity and giving the film a vibrant feel that belongs close to the heart of the queer community. The story itself is an uplifting coming of age, very similar thematically to Pixar’s Inside Out as Siara must battle her inner doubts whilst on a personal quest. There are some genuinely funny laugh-out-loud moments, and a loving dedication to bringing queerness, particularly Lesbianism, to every aspect of the film’s creative design- such as Siara’s home planet being called ‘Clitopolis’. Overall, Lesbian Space Princess is a colourful celebration of queerness, focusing less on romantic love, but more touchingly on self-acceptance and self-love, the most important kind of all. Lesbian Space Princess will be in UK & Irish Cinemas from 19th June.

Filmmaker Interview by Chris Olson Great to be interviewing you both! Please tell our readers a bit about yourselves. Claudia Dzienny is an Australian writer-director and comedian whose work blends character-driven comedy with emotionally grounded storytelling. Her latest feature, Zombucha!, is a romcom that explores relationships, fertility anxiety, career pressures, and the realities of millennial adulthood through an unconventional zombie twist. Working alongside longtime collaborator Emma Leonard, Claudia is part of a female-led creative team committed to telling contemporary stories from a distinctly female perspective. CrossBorder Films is a London-based boutique sales studio and production company founded in 2025 by producer and screenwriter Alla May. Built on nearly two decades of experience across the European film and television landscape, CrossBorder champions distinctive stories with cultural specificity and global emotional pull. Thanks! What's the name of the latest film you are working on? Zombucha! How would you describe this film to a new audience? Dreaming of a glow-up before starting a family together, an aspirational millennial couple get their hands on a kombucha strain that promises to kickstart a garage-brewed empire. Plans take a turn when the neighbourhood’s new favourite kombucha becomes sentient. How’s your microbiome? Why did you want to make this film? Claudia: I remember when the writer Emma Leonard pitched me the logline and I thought to myself “I wish I had thought of that.” - a pretty good start for wanting to make a film! As we developed the script together over the following three years, the process was such a joy and we uncovered so many things around the moments and questions immediately before and after becoming a parent, all bundled up in this absurdly ‘aspirational millennial’ package. It felt so timely and cheeky. I found myself very quickly at the pointy end of the third trimester (production) and giving birth to this bonkers thing! Were there any challenges making the film? If so, what were they and how did you overcome them? Claudia: There are always going to be personalities on set that need more management than others as well as the feeling that you always want more time and more resources - and we had our fair share of all those challenges, but by far the largest, most fundamental challenge was that we shot the film at my house. This would’ve been a relatively smaller deal if it weren’t for the fact that I have two young children, a husband and two cats that ended up moving into my mum’s place for three months. But it wasn’t just us there. My mum, my 94-year-old Ukrainian grandmother, my sister and her children, as well as her (now ex) husband, with whom my sister began going through a divorce in the middle of production, our editor and his partner, my mother-in-law from Ohio and my best friend’s dog who needed dog-sitting. We were all staying at my mum’s house. I was waking up in the morning, trying to be a normal mum to my boys, going through footage from the day before with Julien, our editor, then going down to set (my actual house) to shoot for the day/night (read: lovingly destroy my own home) then go back up to mum’s and kiss my kids goodnight (awake or asleep, but already usually asleep) and go to bed myself. Needless to say, the floors were completely resurfaced after we wrapped filming, and the grass outside has never been the same since having 90 zombuchas writhing on it at 3am one night! When we were in pre-production, I remember a ton of people saying ‘wow, that’s a very ambitious project for that budget’ - they were right. But I like ambitious. When we moved our family out of my house, a base crew of about 50 bumped in for two months. Ryan (our lead) was staying in the house from New Zealand for the long haul with sporadic overnight company from various members of our producing team, sound team and art department, to name a few who would sleep in my kids’ beds. Thankfully our immediate neighbours were all absolute legends about us filming, but we did get an angry guy from up the street come and threaten us a few times… which was pretty rattling until we had this incredible art/life moment where we were rolling up for the scene in the film where the angry dad character comes and berates our two leads for throwing a Thirsty Virgin kombucha launch party - and the actual angry neighbour from up the street drives into shot for us all to see from the monitor and starts delivering basically the same lines as our angry dad character. We were all buckled over choking on tears, it was so hilariously perfect. Also, growing about 100 SCOBYs (the slimey monster that makes every bottle of kombucha you’ve ever consumed) at short notice was a very specific and tricky one, but not impossible as it turns out! I ended up making a completely clear SCOBY when I was experimenting with caffeine tablets and simple syrup, but that’s a story for another time! What stage is the film currently in? And how can people get to see it? Festival circuit. Following its premiere at the Melbourne International Film Festival, Zombucha! will have its international premiere at Raindance on 21 June. Why do you make movies? Claudia: I love working with other people, telling stories and laughing together. It’s the best possible way to spend my workday. I love that it seeps into my non-work day - that when I’m deep in a project, it seems like every interaction I have with people, positive or negative, informs the feelings I put on screen. Making movies makes me more conscious of human nature and, I like to think, more accepting of others’ decisions. Always questioning why someone would behave the way the do or did, what brought them to that moment in time makes for more three-dimensional characters on screen, but also has a very positive, empathetic effect in my everyday life. We all get bent out of shape, but it’s hard to stay angry at someone when you frame them into all the textured context of their life. I love to involve others in storytelling and watch how they react - a favourite of mine is to ask couples to tell me about their first kiss. Sounds cheesy, but there’s usually a bit of a different take from each partner. They’re suddenly very vulnerable, and watching the way they fumble their way through that answer together is usually pretty delightful for all involved, and very very human. I like to think I’m making positive propaganda with my filmmaking. Not all sunshine and lollipops, but letting characters be who they are on screen - the good/bad/ugly bits too - then finding a way to make people feel human. Hopefully it helps everyone look at their angry neighbour and go ‘ugh look at this asshole’! Then maybe stop and think ‘they’re just out here giving it a go too’ …and then maybe take them a cookie at Christmas and you’ll end up sitting in their living room sharing a glass of champagne? In storytelling, I always come back to the core theme of ‘all we have is each other’ - and if I have an hour and a half of people’s undivided attention in a black box, I really love the idea of reminding them of that. And reminding myself. I have a background in architecture, so the visual expression side of filmmaking is a huge pleasure for me. It sounds silly now, but I remember when I realised how you can make space unfold with a dolly shot and it knocked my socks off. That said, watching people’s body language and micro expressions when they’re processing a change in real time is impossible not to connect with - that usually steals the show for me, even if they’re feeling those feelings in the most striking space on earth! Filmmaking helps me process life, and bringing other people along for the ride is a massive privilege. I like making people feel stuff - it’s lucky, because that is the ultimate goal of any director: make people feel stuff. Give people the chance to reflect on their own lives. Shake them up. Elicit a reaction. Horror directors like to make people jump, I like to make people laugh… then ambush them with a dose of heart that they didn’t expect. Chris Olson Reviews Zombucha for UK Film Review's YouTube Channel What advice would you give to someone just starting out in the film career you have pursued? Claudia: Make stuff. Be prolific. Make everything you can. Don’t overcook it - just get out there. You will only learn this thing by doing it, making mistakes and making little moments of magic. Accept that there’ll be stuff that sucks. Don’t shy away from it. I still have all my old glorious garbage on my website because it’s who I am and how I got here. This isn’t your magnum opus. Nothing you make will ever be perfect - abandon that idea for now and just follow your core mission of making people feel stuff. What is it that you want to make people feel? Who would you love to work with and why? Claudia: Rose Byrn - a brilliant, hilarious actress with enormous range and the comedy chops that dreams are made of! Bonus points because she’s Aussie! What's next for you in your career after this film? Claudia: A feature film that I have written based around an icebreaker camping trip for new school parents that gets gatecrashed by aliens. A comedy, but it turns out I love to flirt with genre. As a boutique sales studio, what was it about Zombucha! that made you believe it could connect with audiences internationally? Alla: When Danielle Redford, one of the co-producers of Zombucha!, first pitched us the concept at EFM, we immediately felt that it sounded cool, fresh, and very distinctive. Then we watched the screener — and honestly, it was love at first sight. What stood out was the humour, the genre-bending energy, and the way the story almost breaks the rules while still having a huge heart. It felt bold and playful, but also emotionally honest. Beneath the comedy and the madness, the film touches on issues that millennials are going through not only in Australia, but in so many countries: burnout, ambition, identity, anxiety about the future, and the search for meaning in a world that often feels absurd. That combination is exactly what we love: a story that is entertaining and commercially alive, but also emotionally relevant. We believed international audiences would connect with that freshness and sincerity. CrossBorder focuses on films from underrepresented markets. What qualities are you looking for when deciding which projects to champion? Alla: We are genre-agnostic, but we are completely story-driven. For us, the story means everything. Because of my background in script development and writing, it is very hard to surprise me with a genre film or a commercial film. I know the mechanics, I know the expected twists, I know how these stories are usually built. So when something genuinely surprises me, I pay attention. We are looking for stories with heart, meaning, and depth. Stories that can entertain, but also reveal something about a different culture, mindset, or emotional reality. I am especially drawn to films that take risks with tone or genre — films that bend expectations, cross boundaries, or suddenly take you somewhere you did not expect. For us, underrepresented does not mean niche or small. It often means undiscovered, under-seen, or underestimated. We want to champion films that have a strong voice and a clear reason to exist. Why do you do this work? What does the role of a sales agent and producer mean to you personally? When we launched CrossBorder Films with my co-founder Olga, the company was initially built around a development slate I had previously written and created. The long-term plan is still to produce that material over the next few years, while also discovering and supporting projects created by other filmmakers. Because Olga comes from a marketing background, I pitched her the idea of also launching a sales arm — but doing it differently. I wanted us to help producers in a more thoughtful and personal way than what is often expected from traditional sales agents. For us, representing a film is not just about taking a title to market and seeing what happens. We treat every film as if we are co-producers of the next stage of its life. That means care, strategy, honesty, and emotional investment. This approach was very intentional, and it came partly from my own negative experiences with sales teams in the past. I know how painful it can be when a film is not handled with enough attention or respect. So the work is personal to me. A sales agent should be a bridge between the filmmaker and the world — someone who protects the film, understands its value, and helps it find the audience it deserves. Looking at the current independent film landscape, what gives you hope about the future of emerging filmmakers? Alla: The current independent landscape is still very difficult, and in many ways it remains unfair. The same risk-averse structures are still there, and many of the “big guys” at the top continue to follow familiar formulas rather than take real chances on new voices. But what gives me hope is that filmmakers now have more tools to build an audience themselves, especially through social media and direct community-building. You can start creating awareness around an independent film long before it is released. That is powerful. I also think audiences are proving again and again that they want something fresh. They are open to new faces, new voices, and new stories — not only franchises, sequels, or repeated formulas for so-called commercial success. Right now, elevated horror is performing very strongly, but I also believe there is huge potential in crossover genres, romcoms and even in satires or ordinary human dramas, if they are given access to audiences. The frustrating part is that many buyers do not even want to test something fresh. But that also pushes us, as a sales company, to be more creative, more strategic, and more persistent in how we position films. That gives me hope: the audience is there. We just have to find smarter ways to reach them. What inspired your film career? Were there any specific films or events that really lit a fire within you? Alla: I think my passion for storytelling began quite early. When I was in middle school, I was writing essays and reading Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, and the Strugatsky brothers at the same time. That combination really shaped my taste — from psychological drama to philosophy to science fiction and genre storytelling. It gave me a very broad sense of what stories can do. I also grew up watching great films on VHS. The town I am from did not have a cinema until I was twelve, so most of my film education came from a VHS rental place. That is how I discovered Scorsese, Stanley Kubrick, Tarantino, Sidney Lumet, Garry Marshall, Paul Thomas Anderson, and many others. But one of my strongest memories is watching Tarkovsky when I was only six years old. I was completely hypnotised. I think Solaris was the film that made me want to work in cinema. I did not know exactly what role I wanted to have or how I would get there, but I remember thinking: I want to make films that can make people feel like this. That feeling never really left me. 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Star rating: 4/5 Writer: Jack Holman Director: Sean Leahy Starring: Pierce Joseph, Mary T Lynch, and Denis Kiely Written and shot by Jack Holman, An Unnerving Realisation is a thought-provoking super short Irish film, with a run time of just over 5 minutes long. We meet Nicholas, played by Pierce Joseph, who is around 20, looking at pictures with his family at the dinner table. As they do so, he comes up with a question, simple and direct, which is what leads to the unnerving realisation the film title speaks of. Dealing with themes of identity, family origins, and secrets, An Unnerving Realisation poses a difficult and pretty immense question: can being lied to ever protect you? Do lies not always do more harm than good? The film is technically really interesting, utilising framing, and the space and blocking in the frames, to evoke the sensation of deafening silence, of a lot of unknown. Similarly, the characters, which are quite unique and expressive, and the actors performances add to this sense of suspense, of there being more than meets the eye, which contributes to this well-narrated piece. Identity and family are hugely important to Irish culture, and sensitive topics for Irish society. Its history of Celtic civilization, the strong influence of Christianity and the fusion of these for almost a millenium, as well as colonial oppression, the tragedy of mother and baby homes, and the Troubles, all have led to identity and personal history being key. An intelligent film, fully recommended.