Write Here is an excellent short – sensitive story; you are placed into the mind and heart of a character whose dream is to never forget. Jake Muñoz Consing is an almighty talent to keep an eye on. Eddie, An ageing gay man living alone with Alzheimer’s, struggles to hold
Tag: movie
When Spring Came to Bucha ★★★★★ – Human Rights Watch Film Festival 2023
An important and heart-piercing documentary, When Spring Came to Bucha provides a glimpse of the war destruction Russia is leaving in Ukraine, a film that fills you with not only sorrow, but hope – a vital film. In early 2022, the Russian army occupied the small Ukrainian town of Bucha
Safe Place ★★★★ 1/2 – Glasgow Film Festival 2023
Juraj Lerotić’s impressive debut Safe Place is a gut-wrenching film. A purposely challenging viewing experience as we watch a mother and son pick up the shattered pieces of their family. Set over the course of one day, Bruno, alongside his mother, sets out to help his brother, Damir, who has
Koromousso: Big Sister ★★★★★ – Human Rights Watch Film Festival 2023
In their exceptional and personal documentary Habibata Ouarme and Jim Donovan gives a voice to those women who have been victims of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Koromousso: Big Sister—an immensely powerful film. Canada-based co-directors Habibata Ouarme and Jim Donovan capture personal stories and profound moments of support in a
Rubikon ★★★ watchAUT Austrian Film Festival
A gorgeous-looking film, Rubikon struggles with a lack of urgency and a script that doesn’t quite engage as you desperately want it to. It remains a thoughtful science fiction film but a frustrating one.
I Like Movies ★★★ 1/2 – Glasgow Film Festival 2023
A charming dramedy, I Like Movies knows knows precisely how to get that goofy smile out of a cinephile who grew up in the same era, while doing more than enough for those who weren’t. A great indie film that won’t disappoint. and is full of heart. Socially inept 17-year-old
Pawnshop – ★★★ 1/2 – Kinoteka 2023
A bittersweet documentary, Pawnshop shows that even in the most difficult of moments, kindness always prevails for a community – an unexpected treat of a film. Wiesek runs Poland’s largest Pawnshop with his wife Jola. It used to be a profitable business, but times have changed, and they are struggling –
Category: Woman ★★★★ – Human Rights Watch Film Festival 2023
Category: Woman is a powerful and vital viewing, shedding light on the urgent issue regarding the humiliating discrimination female athletes are having to endure just to compete in the sport they love.
Delikado ★★★★★ – Human Rights Watch Film Festival 2023
The feeling of anger doesn’t leave you long after watching Delikado. Karl Malakunas’ documentary refuses to hold back as it pointedly shows us the violence both to humans and nature on the island of Palawan. A documentary that shows the bravery of those willing to protect nature and how low
Typist Artist Pirate King ★★★★ – Glasgow Film Festival 2023
Monica Dolan’s honest portrayal of artist Audrey Amiss locks you into Typist Artist Pirate King. This fictional road trip is full of sympathy for its lead, with writer-director Carol Morley unafraid to give us a rye smile along the way. The growing friendship between a schizophrenic artist and her carer
Ramona ★★★ 1/2 – Glasgow Film Festival 2023
Ramona is an engaging debut feature from writer/director Andrea Bagney. This (mostly) black-and-white love letter to French New Wave hits all the right notes with a particularly strong performance from Lourdes Hernández. Aspiring actor Ramona (Lourdes Hernández) passes a lazy afternoon in a bar, striking up a lively conversation with
Predictions for the 2023 Academy Award Nominations
Nothing like getting it in under the wire right? Without further ado, my predictions for what the academy voters will chose as the nominations for the 2023 Academy Awards. (My list would look hella different, but it is what it is I guess). I will come back later today with
Horror films to watch: Letter P (Part One)
Welcome back to our horror list! We have moved onto the first part of the letter P, we have some great ones in here and maybe a surprise or two as well. Enjoy. Poltergeist (1982) The film where everyone has an open suspicion that Spielberg wanted to direct a horror
Award-Winning, Nerve-Rattling Crime Drama Emily The Criminal Comes To UK In The New Year
23rd November 2022, London UK – Mediumrare Entertainment announces the crime drama EMILY THE CRIMINAL is being released on DVD and Blu-ray on 16 January 2023. An extraordinarily assured debut from writer/director John Patton Ford, EMILY THE CRIMINAL sees Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation) as a young woman driven to credit card fraud in Los Angeles. Plaza is
To Leslie – ★★★★ (Raindance 2022)
An empathetic glance at the damage of addiction, To Leslie like its lead Andrea Riseborough, transfix you. Careful and powerful, there is so much to love about Michael Morris’ film, making it one that should not be ignored.
Anonymous Club – ★★★★ (Raindance 2022)
Much like Courtney Barnett’s music, there is a fantastic personal touch to Danny Cohen’s documentary Anonymous Club that entices you. He captures an artist in her purest and most honest form – a wonderfully thoughtful doc.
Most Horrible Things – ★★ 1/2
What should be a standard mystery thriller, Most Horrible Things becomes a muddled endeavour. A film that never really gets going the way you want it to, and by the time it tries, it is far too late. When six young strangers are invited to a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity – an exclusive dinner
Roving Woman – ★★★ 1/2 (Raindance 2022)
What could spiral into a chaotic film, Roving Woman actually ends up becoming an insightful meditative piece. A breakup road trip movie that, at times, wanders rather aimlessly but, like its lead character, finds its way in the end. A breakup leaves Sara reeling and directionless, standing alone on her ex’s doorstep
Relative – ★★★★★ (Raindance 2022)
As important a documentary as you will see this year, Tracey Arcabasso Smith’s Relative knocks you clear off your feet. Harrowing and brave, she gives sexual abuse survivors the voice they may have lost long ago in this unforgettable film that leaves you stunned. Unravelling a complex tapestry of vulnerability,
Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game – ★★★★ (Raindance 2022)
Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game is as fresh and confident a film as you will see. With bags of charm throughout, there is so much to love in Austin and Meredith Braggs directorial feature debut that you have a massive smile planted on your face. An unsettled writer with a fantastic
Erin’s Guide to Kissing Girls – ★★★★ (Raindance 2022)
Writer/director Julianna Notten has nailed it with her feature debut, Erin’s Guide to Kissing Girls, a positively refreshing, funny and authentic tale. An integral coming-of-age story for young LGBTQ+ people, but most importantly, just a really good film. As middle school comes to an end, Erin (Elliot Stocking), the only out
Dear Zoe – ★★★
A frustrating film, that is elevated by performances from Sadie Sink & Theo Rossi, Dear Zoe has just too much going on in the wrong places at times. Gren Wells gives her film a lot of heart making it still worth a viewing. When Tess and her family suffer an
Something in the Dirt – ★★★★
Another gem of a picture from Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, Something in the Dirt, is possibly their biggest triumph. A film that fans of the duo will wholeheartedly adore. With it also becoming a wonderful jumping-in point for new audiences. Benson and Moorhead have firmly cemented themselves as the filmmakers to watch with
A brand new collector’s range of iconic classics in 4k housed in stunning new packaging and containing premium collectibles
AVAILABLE FROM WARNER BROS. DISCOVERY AND UNIVERSAL PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT ON 4K ULTRA HD AND BLU-RAY DECEMBER 12th THE FILM VAULT is launched this December, a brand new collector’s range featuring titles across the Warner Bros. Discovery and Universal Pictures catalogues, with four highly-collectable and beautifully packaged titles on 4K
The Sleep Experiment – ★★ 1/2
The Sleep Experiment is a frustrating watch. Some moments work very well, yet the faults are sadly too front and centre to ignore. A film that hinders itself when it has everything going for it. Two detectives begin investigating the ethics involved in the top-secret research facility, Porton Down. One
The Deep House – ★★★ 3/4
A fantastically effective horror, The Deep House works on your fears of being underwater with limited oxygen and amplifies it tenfold with a haunted house. As fresh as it comes, this isn’t one to miss.
Ghostwatch – (Blu-Ray) ★★★★ 1/2
The BBC gives over a whole evening to an ‘investigation into the supernatural’. Four respected presenters and a camera crew attempt to discover the truth behind ‘The most haunted house in Britain’, expecting a light-hearted scare or two and probably the uncovering of a hoax. They think they are in
Censor – ★★★★ (Blu-Ray)
Of all the horror films that came out last year, Censor was perhaps the most striking. Prano Bailey-Bond’s film has been given an unbelievable Blu-ray release from Second Sight, making an already must-buy film an absolute essential purchase. Enid (Niamh Algar) spends her days meticulously watching and assessing gruesomely violent and disturbing movies, taking
Haulout (Short Film) ★★★★ London Film Festival 2022
Haulout is a powerful documentary that shows the sheer overwhelming scale of the consequences of climate change on beautiful animals in the Arctic. Tragic and sobering, Evgenia Arbugaeva and Maxim Arbugaev’s film is essential viewing. A lonely man waits to witness an ancient gathering on a remote coast of the
Birds (Short Film) ★★★★★ London Film Festival 2022
A film of discovery, Katherine Propper’s Birds is a lovely look at a time when summer could feel like a never-ending dream. A wonderful exploration into connection with friends, love, nature and everything in between. You can’t but adore this film. Moments in the lives of Austin teenagers during the
Groom (Short Film) ★★★★ London Film Festival 2022
Through some top-notch performances and cinematography, Leyla Josephine Coll-O’Reilly’s Groom is a cautionary tale that hits home for those who wanted to fit in when they were teenagers – a great debut
My Year of Dicks (Short Film) ★★★★ London Film Festival 2022
As relatable a story about your sexual awakening as you will see, My Year of Dicks is a wonderful short film that tells a sincere, funny and honest tale. A female-driven animation than harmonises exceptionally well with the story – a must-watch. It’s 1991, and Pam is trying very hard
Dry Ground Burning ★★★ 1/2 TIFF
Dry Ground Burning is an absorbing film with a lot to say and punches each of those points home without hesitation. Bold throughout, this hybrid documentary is a film like a few others. Sisters Chitara and Léa are the leaders of an all-female gang who steal oil from pipelines to
Blonde ★ 1/2
Instead of mourning the tragedy of Marilyn Monroe’s death in Blonde, Andrew Dominik revels in her misery. Never does he appear interested in the woman and more just the despair she faces. While Blonde looks fantastic and has a passionate performance from Ana de Armas yet thise can’t save this tasteless, exhausting endeavour that never lets you in.
The Banshees of Inisherin ★★★★ TIFF
The trio of Martin McDonagh, Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson strike gold again with the utterly fantastic The Banshees of Inisherin. A sublime film, it knows precisely what it is doing. Quite possibly the filmmaker’s best film yet. On a remote island off the coast of Ireland, Pádraic (Colin Farrell)
To Kill A Tiger ★★★★ 1/2 TIFF 2022
A film that strikes you at your core Nisha Pahuja’s harrowing and uncomfortable To Kill A Tiger shows us that hope can always grow, even in the most hopeless of situations -utterly fantastic.
Autobiography ★★★ 1/2 TIFF 2022
Director Makbul Mubarak challenges how far loyalty will go in his debut film, Autobiography. A confident film that never loses its way, strengthened by two strong performances from its leads. A young man working as a housekeeper in an empty mansion. When its owner returns to start his mayoral election
The Colour of Ink ★★★ 1/2 TIFF 2022
As much a history lesson about ink processes as it is a humanist journey via art, The Colour of Ink is an unexpected treat of curiosity for a craft we are perhaps willfully ignorant to. What an absolute must-watch. Ink is our primal medium. It has always been with us,
Canary (Short Film) ★★★★ TIFF 2022
A lovely story about escaping one’s situation for something brighter, Canary switches up its light-hearted tone for something all the more serious and never misses a step in doing so. A gorgeous and affecting short film. In 1922, a young boy named Sonny worked in an underground coal mine with
It’s What Each Person Needs ★★★★ (Short) TIFF 2022
There is an evocative command to Sophy Romvari’s It’s What Each Person Needs that engrosses you with the greatest of ease. She has perfectly encapsulated the power and importance of connecting with another person – just a fantastic short. A portrait of a young woman providing companionship for juxtaposing demographics. Conversations come in
Ever Deadly ★★★★ TIFF 2022
An immersive experience that is much more than a biographical music documentary Ever Deadly is as much an education as it is a look into Tanya Tagaq’s life. You will undoubtedly come away with something meaningful here. Tanya Tagaq is an avant-garde Inuit throat singer who continually explores sound transformation
Skin Deep ★★★★ Venice Film Festival
A compelling, intimate gender identity drama, Alex Schaad’s feature directorial debut Skin Deep offers a fascinating look at relationships. With complex pitch-perfect performances, Skin Deep is a profound viewing. At first glance, Leyla (Mala Emde) and Tristan (Jonas Dassler) seem like a happy young couple. But when they travel to
The Flying Sailor (Short) TIFF 2022
Like our titular character, Wendy Tilby and Amanda Forbis have thrown a mixture of animation stylings up into the air and meshed them together in their excellent meditative short The Flying Sailor. Two ships collide in a harbour, an explosion shatters a city, and a sailor is blasted skyward. Then,
Dogborn ★★★★ 1/2 Venice Film Festival
Dogborn shows us that no matter how low a position you feel you are in life, there is always another level, and even just to escape your own situation, there is usually the cruellest of prices. The question is whether your humanity is worth risking to get there. Isabella Carbonell
The Eyes Below ★★★★ 1/2 FrightFest 2022
Just when you thought that silly childhood fear of something alone in your bedroom had left, Alexis Bruchon comes along with his film The Eyes Below to shatter it all. A simple concept is carried out so effectively that you are left as astonished as you are spooked—a truly sensational
Burial ★★★ FrightFest 2022
Burial is a period thriller that hits enough of the right notes to leave you satisfied while never striking just the right chord. It remains a compelling film with great performances from Charlotte Vega and Tom Felton. London, 1991. The home of an old woman (Harriet Walter), who watches the
End Zone 2 – FrightFest 2022
The remaining two acts of End Zone 2 are presented to audiences after the terrific The Once and Future Smash, a brutally authentic 70s trash horror that will leave you wondering just how good that missing 3rd act really was. Fifteen years after the events of End Zone, Smash-Mouth is
The Once and Future Smash ★★★★ FrightFest 2022
The Once and Future Smash is an absolute treat for genre fans. With so many wonderful moments carefully laden within the spoof film that you could easily find yourself clapping away at it. Just a joy of a film. The End Zone 2 was a football-themed slasher from 1970 that
Her Way ★★★ 1/2
Laure Calamy owns every second of Her Way, pulling herself every which way emotionally as the exhausted single-parent sex worker. Cécile Ducrocq’s debut is a strong and memorable one full of humanity. Marie (Laure Calamy) is a confident, optimistic sex worker in Strasbourg who is determined to provide a better
Aurinko in Adagio ★★★★★ HollyShorts Film Festival
A rather beautiful look at honing a craft and being lifted by the support of your family, Aurinko in Adagio is a joy. Elisee Junior St Preux has a wonderful touch as a filmmaker, with his film hitting you close to the heart with its effectiveness. Director: Elisee Junior St
The Moviegoer (Short Film)
The Moviegoer is Ross Munro’s short film love letter to cinema. Fun and heart-warming, his film allows you to reminisce fondly and brings so much charm that you can’t help but like it.
MINK! ★★★ 1/2 HollyShorts Film Festival
MINK! is an open and informative documentary that is well worth 20 minutes of your day. We need more documentaries about people like Patsy Takemoto Mink for it shows the good that there is and that progress never stops. You can watch it below in the link provided at the
Dog Soldiers – Standard and Limited Edition 4K UHD/Blu-ray (Second Sight Films)
Neil Marshalls Dog Soldiers has gotten a glorious special release from Second Sight Films. The top-notch werewolf horror still packs a punch with how effective it is and has barely aged a day. During a routine training mission in the Scottish Highlands, a small squad of happy-go-lucky British soldiers, including
Moshari ★★★★ 1/2 HollyShorts Film Festival
A never ending sense of dread envelopes Moshari, & never lets go. Wonderful filmmaking from Nuhash Humayun that has you immediately standing up & taking notice. A must watch from a filmmaker on a fast ascent. Director: Nuhash Humayun Cast: Sunerah Binte Kamal, Nairah Onora Saif IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt17499740 It’s the end of
Skin & Bone ★★★★ HollyShorts Film Festival
Weird and wonderful, Eli Powers atmospheric Skin & Bone is an unsettling short that isn’t afraid to hold its card close to its chest. Amanda Seyfried & Thomas Sadoski excel in a film that commands your attention. Director: Eli Powers Cast: Amanda Seyfried, Thomas Sadoski, Nick Verdi, McCaleb Burnett IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt20783516 After taking
Return to Sender ★★★ HollyShorts Film Festival
Return to Sender is a strong thriller that grabs onto our fears of being watched. With the increasing dependency on the digital world, Russell Goldman shows how we are losing the control we crave for our own lives. Director: Russell Goldman Cast: Allison Tolman, Emma Pasarow, IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15225028 When recovering alcoholic Julia
Kickstart My Heart ★★★★ HollyShorts Film Festival
A film that isn’t afraid to kick some ass, Kickstart My Heart is everything you want it to be. Kelsey Bollig has made a film you never want to end – a fantastic short from a highly promising filmmaker.
Paper Thin ★★★★★ HollyShorts Film Festival
An excellent short film, Paper Thin, focuses on the feelings that run through you when you are losing a loved one. Running at a mere six minutes, Neil Dua and Thomas Archer have made a pitch-perfect and faultless film. Director: Neil Dua Cast: Thomas Archer, Jimi Hernandez IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21415680/ An intimate exchange between two unlikely strangers
When I Consume You ★★★
When Perry Blackshear focuses his latest film on the trauma and bleakness of his character’s situation, When I Consume You excels as a psychological thriller. The sense of dread is rife throughout the film, it loses itself when it tries to do too much. Nevertheless, this film affects you with
Love, Dad ★★★★ HollyShorts Film Festival
For 13 minutes, you are heart-wrenchingly moved in Diana Cam Van Nguyen’s Love, Dad. Told through voiceover and paper animation, we are struck by how affecting her film is, as if we are seeing a form of therapy bared before us on screen. Director: Diana Cam Van Nguyen IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14972316/
Work ★★★★ HollyShorts Film Festival
Breakups can be messy endeavours, and for Marisela Zumbado’s Gabi, she needs to shake things up in April Maxey’s relatable film Work. This melancholy piece explores that longing for a connection with another person. Director: April Maxey Cast: Marisela Zumbado, Darlisa Ali, Star Amerasu, Elaine Whae, Jay Dathorne, Sarah Gordon
Elsa ★★★★ 1/2 HollyShorts Film Festival
Cameron S. Mitchell’s documentary Elsa perfectly captures a woman who will not be defined and forces you to take her seriously. Elsa engrosses and becomes a shot in the arm to make representation in the world fairer. Director: Cameron S. Mitchell Elsa Sjunneson is a DeafBlind professor, media critic, skilled
Anaïs in Love ★★★ 1/2
Entertaining throughout, Anaïs Demoustier charms the life out of you in Anaïs in Love – a directorial debut from Charline Bourgeous-Tacquet, this is a wonderful portrait of a woman at the crossroads in her life. Anaïs (Anaïs Demoustier) careers from one lover to the next while trying to find some
How Do You Measure a Year ★★★★ 1/2 HollyShorts Film Festival
How do you measure a year? is fabulous, a brilliant love letter to the relationship between a father and daughter—a beautiful look at the experience of growing up. Director: Jay Rosenblatt Cast: Ella Rosenblatt IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15026956 From the time she was two years old, and until she turned 18, they had
Sandstorm (Mulaqat) ★★★★ HollyShorts Film Festival
Seemab Gul looks at how social indoctrination still impacts Pakistani teens in her latest film, Sandstorm (Mulaqat). Gul ensures that our young protagonist is not someone who will play the role of the victim for long. A poignant and contemplative film. Director: Seemab Gul Cast: Ayesha Shoaib Ahmed, Qasim Ali,
Elevate ★★★ 1/2 HollyShorts Film Festival
A sombre and considerate piece that showcases the importance of compassion and the human touch, Elevate is a striking short that works on you emotionally, accumulating in a powerful ending. Director: Dylan Boom Cast: Tracie Thoms, Jason Butler Harner, Rickey Eugene Brown, Gwyn LaRee IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15699084 Tiffany (Tracie Thoms) works the
Act of God ★★★★ HollyShorts Film Festival
Act of God ‘s authentic charm is what drives this excellent observational short. Unexpectedly funny and poignant, Park Smith and Spencer Cook have made a refreshing and welcome film that shows disability in all of its complex forms. A disabled man’s commute is interrupted by a $100 bill lying on
Shark ★★★ 3/4 HollyShort Film Festival
Shark is a dark comedy that knows when to pull the rug on our fun having newlyweds. Nash Edgerton’s latest short is a deliciously dark delight.
Bump ★★★★ – HollyShorts Film Festival
Rory Keenan’s debut film, Bump, is a rounding success, ably bringing some biting comedy while finding the perfect chance to wipe that smile clean off our faces. A strong start to a promising career as a director. Director: Rory Keenan, Cast: Gemma Arterton, Macy Nyman, Nylah Sweeney IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12435324 Heavily pregnant
North Star – ★★★★★ – HollyShorts Film Festival
Devastating, just totally and utterly devastating, that is perhaps the only way to describe P.J. Palmer’s North Star. Colman Domingo astounds in one of this year’s best short films.
Donkerster ★★★★ 1/2 – (Short) Small Gauge Trauma – Fantasia International Film Festival
Donkerster is a film that brings two things to the table: an astounding atmosphere and one terrific performance from young actress Adriana Bakker. A faultless short film.
Cult Hero ★★★ Fantasia International Film Festival
Dale Domazar (Ry Barrett) is a washed-up private investigator and “cult-buster” whose last cult bust resulted in a mass suicide. Kallie Jones (Liv Collins) is a realtor who needs to control everything. With her husband Brad (Justin Bott) sleepwalking through life, Kallie is certain a stay at Master Jagori’s (Tony
The Fight Machine ★★★★ Fantasia International Film Festival
The Fight Machine is a film that connects throughout; combining two stories is a bold choice from Andrew Thomas Hunt, but it works marvellously here. Fantastically cast from top to bottom, this is a fight drama you do not want to miss. Paul (Greg Hovanessian) and Rob (Dempsey Bryk) come from
Lion Spy – ★★★★
Rogue Rubin’s Lion Spy takes you through a wide range of emotions in its 76 minutes, from anger all the way to being inspired. A fantastic and urgent documentary that pushes you into action.
Employee of the Month ★★★ 1/2 – Fantasia International Film Festival 2022
Employee of the month has a lot to saw for a black horror comedy with writer-director Véronique Jadin nailing her message. A film that has you cheering for the under appreciated.
17 films not to miss at Fantasia International Film Festival 2022
Fantasia International Film Festival kicks off tonight and here are 17 films that you you must watch.
The Fire Within: Requiem for Katia and Maurice Krafft ★★★★★ Sheff Doc Fest 2022
The Fire Within is an absolute triumph that engrosses you in the wonders of our planet, much as the Kraffts would have wanted us to be from their work; the perfect eulogy.
The Oil Machine – ★★★ 1/2 Sheff Doc Fest 2022
We know that we must reduce the drilling and use of oil, yet here in The Oil Machine, we are presented with a difficult watch of seeing just how deeply rooted our society is in fossil fuels. Emma Davie’s documentary takes us on an urgent journey that only speeds up
British Boys and Happiness is £4 Million – Shorts Sheff Doc Fest 2022
British Boys Director Marcus Curvelo, Country: Brazil, 15 Mins Two men in Bahia, Brazil, try to prove their UK ancestry to qualify for a small plot of land in the city’s finest location: the British Cemetery. As entertaining as it is, British Boys shows how, even two hundred years later,
An Exploration Short Film Strand – Part Two
Hair Tie, Egg, Homework Books 头绳，鸡蛋，作业本 Director Runxiao Luo – 15 minutes As a model student in her elementary school, 11-year-old Yuqi is assigned to give a speech about her family at the Parent’s Meeting. But after Yuqi finds out that she shares the same secret with a mischievous classmate,
The Ark – ★★★★★ Odyssey Chinese Film Festival
Dan Wei’s The Ark is an extraordinary glance at the struggles of a family doing all they can for an ailing loved one. Raw and powerful this is an unmissable documentary.
We’re All Going To The World’s Fair – ★★★★
You will be hard-pressed to find a film that portrays isolation effectively and unsettlingly as We’re All Going To The World’s Fair does. Jane Schoenbrun’s psychological horror hits harder than you ever expect it to, thanks to a terrific turn from Anna Cobb. A fantastic debut feature. Alone in her
The Batman – ★★★★
Matt Reeves ticks all the right boxes with this latest iteration of the caped crusader in The Batman. For fans of Frank Millers work, this is the Batman they have been clambering for. Shrugging off a tired third act, Reeves ends up giving us an excellent film. With all new
The Swimmer – ★★★★ (BFI Flare)
Adam Kalderon subverts expectations with his film The Swimmer. Full of subtlety and care an outstanding performance from Omer Perelman Striks, you are left with a tension inducing drama that compels.
Streamline – ★★★
Streamline has all of the ingredients of being a compelling drama, with Levi Miller excelling as the conflicted protagonist. However, it becomes a film that needed more runtime to allow a packed narrative moments to breathe and find itself. Regardless though, this is a solid debut for writer-director Tyson Wade
Jimmy In Saigon – ★★★ 3/4 (BFI Flare)
A delicate and emotional look at grief, Jimmy In Saigon is a film full of love that shines a light on the scars of death and keeping your sexuality secret. Peter McDowell has made a wonderfully touching piece.
The Novice – ★★★★★ (BFI Flare)
An extraordinary debut feature from writer-editor-director Lauren Hadaway, The Novice is as compelling and physically tense inducing film as you will see this year – a stunning film. Alex (Isabelle Fuhrman), a college freshman, joins her university’s rowing team and undertakes an obsessive physical and psychological journey to make it
Boulevard! A Hollywood Story – ★★★ 1/2 (BFI Flare 2022)
There are so many twists and turns in Jeffrey Schwarz’s documentary Boulevard! A Hollywood Story that you would easily be forgiven for thinking simply could not have happened. A must-watch for anyone who is a fan of old Hollywood. When Gloria Swanson, the iconic star of Sunset Boulevard, saw an
Private Desert – ★★★ 1/2 (BFI Flare)
Aly Muritiba’s character drama Private Desert challenges masculine expectations in the most delicate of ways. We have a film that takes its time but rewards us with how moving it ends up being. 40-year-old Daniel (Antonio Saboia) has been suspended from active police work and is under internal investigation for
Just In Case – ★★★★★ (Short Film)
There is a brutal, beautiful honesty to Just In Case that takes your breath away. Approaching mental health in a far more authentic way in 14 minutes that many features ever could. An important and unmissable film.
Treacle ★★★★ (Short Film)
A sharp and refreshing film, Treacle shows us how misunderstood bisexuals can be, to even those who are closest to them. Rosie Westhoff’s short gives us plenty to ponder in this layered film.
His Eyes (Blaue Augen) (Short Film BFI Flare)
For 23 minutes, Miriam Fussenegger & Isabella Jeschke’s performances leave you in a tough moral dilemma in His Eyes (Blaue Augen). Director Alexander Weber has delivered an absorbing, impactful must watch film. Cleo’s (Miriam Fussenegger) quest for perfection threatens to derail plans to start a family with her girlfriend Anna
Walk With Me – ★★★ (BFI Flare 2022)
When Isabel del Rosal’s feature debut Walk With Me works, it really works. Sadly though, when the film needs to be more direct, it, like its protagonist, hesitates. Nevertheless, there is a solid to great film here, if only it had been bolder. As she braves life after divorce, young
Do This For Me (Short BFI Flare 2022)
There is a seamlessness to Do This For Me that betrays you. You fall for these characters, slot in comfortably beside them, laugh with them, that when the screw and pain begin to turn, it devastates you.