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- Film Reviews | UK Film Review
Film Reviews Here at UK Film Review we like to tackle all kinds film reviews. Our writers come from all walks of life, and feel passionate about critiquing the movies they watch. From the latest Theatrical Releases to Short Films, Indie Films, Documentaries and even Animation, the contributors of UK Film Review are as eager to please as Dev Patel in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011). If you are a filmmaker, or are working in film PR and want to promote one of your clients, please get in touch using the Submit Your Film button under the drop-down menu for Home. Take a look at our list of film reviews below from some of the hottest releases in UK cinemas. Simply click the image of the review you would like, or the title of the movie. Or use the search button to find the movie you are looking for. We have given any feature length film a star rating (out of 5) in order to help viewers sort the Citizen Kanes from the Waterworlds, the Inceptions from the Transformers. Michael Bay will be given a fair film review from our writers, but that probably will not go in his favour. Speaking of Filmmakers, head over to our Filmmaker Features page for awesome articles about some of the best filmmaking geniuses who ever lived. Movie Trailers are also available, either underneath the film reviews, or on the Movie Trailers page. And lastly, if you like your film reviews verbalised. Simply because reading is boring and listening is marvellous, then make sure you Subscribe to the UK Film Review Podcast. Our critics offer up some banterous opinions on the best and worst movies across all genres. Head over to the Podcast page, or click this link to go straight to iTunes. If you would like to read or view any of the following, simply use the navigation. Alternatively, you can click on one of the images to read the film reviews here, or simply have a ganders at the lovely movie artwork on display. Remember to listen to film reviews on our regular film podcast. GET REVIEWED average rating is 3 out of 5 Breakdown Read Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Here Read Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Absolution Read Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Anora Read Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Emilia Pérez Read Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Chasing Chasing Amy Read Review average rating is 4 out of 5 In the Garden of Tulips Read Review average rating is 4 out of 5 OK/NOTOK Read Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Your Monster Read Review average rating is 4 out of 5 The Long Quiet Read Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Scum Read Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Shifting Tides Read Review Chris Olson Mar 8 2 min read Film Podcast - Dune: Part 2 Chris Olson Mar 1 3 min read Film Podcast: George Clooney Rowing Biopic Scoops Film of the Month - Jan 20, 2023 3 min read TAR FILM REVIEW Taryll Baker Oct 13, 2022 2 min read Empire of Light - Film Review - Oct 11, 2022 3 min read Bones and All LFF Review - Oct 7, 2022 3 min read White Noise (2022) LFF Review - Sep 20, 2022 2 min read Sanctuary TIFF Review UK Film Review Sep 13, 2022 5 min read FrightFest 2022 Highlights - May 25, 2022 3 min read Top Gun: Maverick Film Review - Apr 23, 2022 3 min read The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent Film Review Spoilers in our film reviews As with all digital forms of expression sometimes people may find something that upsets them online. Spoilers can often be one of these things! Whilst we do our best to ensure that major plot points, twists, character deaths and celebrity cameos are not found in our reviews, it can sometimes be difficult to judge what each and every film lover on the planet would to be a spoiler. If you feel that one of our film reviews contains one too many details then please do let us (politely) know using our social media platforms. We may then take serious action, such as expelling the critic responsible from this and every other movie publication past and present, declaring war against the studio for leading our writer into temptation, or we may do nothing at all. To be honest, it is most likely going to be the latter unless some serious rules have been broken. You may also see some movie trailers in our reviews that could also contain potential spoilers. In which case anyone who is hoping to avoid these should probably not click the play button on them. Or click the play button, turn the sound down on your device, then leave the room for a least 28 minutes whilst the trailer finishes and leaves your life naturally. You may be wondering what you could do with all 28 of those minutes! Why not read some more film reviews on another device? Or make a short film of your cat playing with a piece of string? Spend it wisely guys and gals.
- Belief Review | Film Reviews
HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Belief Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Nov 4, 2024 Directed by: Christian Loubek Written by: Christian Loubek Starring: Erika Hamilton, Barrett Hamilton Loubek, Mykee Selkin, Tia Robinson, Charley Harper Loubek A short drama written and directed by Christian Loubek and starring Erika Hamilton, Barrett Hamilton Loubek, Mykee Selkin, Tia Robinson and Charley Harper Loubek. Lennox (Selkin) and his wife (Robinson) and daughter (Harper Loubek) have just moved to another house and in one of their boxes, Lennox discovers a letter that was send to his mother (Hamilton) from his school when he was a boy. This accidental discovery causes Lennox to remember the tremendous efforts and sacrifices his mother went though in order to give him a good life. This heart-warming story is primarily a mother-and-son relationship, showing a devoted parent who is determined to help her child achieve in life after the school he attends announces that he is unsuitable to carry on with his lessons. So she decides that Lennox will be home-schooled from now on and she will teach him herself. She removes a door from their home, converts it into a desk and proceeds to teach her boy, while working as a nurse and socialising with friends. As time passes, the two of them make progress and Lennox proves that he is intelligent and capable. Watching a single parent go to such lengths for their only child is very inspitational and emotional and the plot twist in the end shows how much she loves and believes in her son. As moving and beautiful as all this is, it wouldn't had such an emotional impact without the wonderful selection of songs that include Found by Jacob Banks, I've Got Reasons by Mary Jane Hooper and Don't Let The Devil Fool You by A Moment In Time. Could there be something in this great and moving film that could had been done differently? Perhaps the use of repetition should had been cut down a bit. The flashbacks that show Lennox as a child being home-schooled by his mother are constructed as a montage that repeatedly alternates between scenes that primarily involve Lennox at home, being taught by his mum, Lennox playing in a playground playground and his mother working or playing cards with friends. Although the obvious purpose of these scenes present the lifestyle of the two protagonists and their progress, maybe there were too many of them as some are almost identical to others and do not seem to add anything to the narrative. This short gains enormously from the strong performances, particularly by Hamilton as a single mother who is being strong for her son and is determined to support him. When the screenplay was written, Husband-and-wife Christian Loubek and Erika Hamilton waited for their children (Barrett Hamilton Loubek and Charley Harper Loubek) to reach the appropriate age in order to play the parts in the film and they both do a great job. The themes that are explored are numerous. This is a story about parenthood, particularly motherhood, about the sacrifices a parent does for their children so they can succeed in life. As the title suggests, belief is another subject, believing in others and self-belief. Support is of course another and so is the idea that people should not let others convince them that they are worthless, which leads to the belief that one must never give up. From a different perspective, as all the characters are African Americans, this film works as a commentary about life of African Americans in the United States and the presence of books that include Malcolm Little: The Boy Who Grew Up To Become Malcolm X and Assata: An Autobiography seems to point out the struggles of African Americans. By viewing this film, people will have the privilege of experiencing an inspirational and moving story filled with love, support and inner strength that will hopefully encourage them to believe that they can achieve even when the odds are against them. About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >
- Film Reviews and Movie Trailers | UK Film Review
FILM REVIEWS UK UK Film Review is a film reviews website based in London, UK. We promote films and movie trailers from around the world and support indie films that would usually find it hard to find the spotlight against the bigger films of cinema. From the latest blockbusters, to small indie cinema, we tackle as many films as we can. Reviewing them from all aspects, not just how many digital landscapes they blow up using CGI. We also review short films in the UK and internationally, helping filmmakers to promote their movies and raise their profile. If you would like to have a short or indie film reviewed by us, please submit all info using the button below. Take a look around, enjoy the spoils of filmmaking, film festivals and artistic expression. Our merry band of film critics are constantly hard at work, writing film reviews, or watching movie trailers for some of the most exciting movies coming out in UK cinemas. So to keep their morale up, please be nice...or at least funny if you choose to troll. Because, in the immortal words of Rick Moranis in the movie Spaceballs, "Keep firing A**holes!". By the way, on this film reviews website, you may see several references to Spaceballs. If you have not seen that classic Mel Brooks film, you MUST seek it out and tell us what you think. SUBMIT YOUR FILM Are You a Film Podcast Fan? Film critics Chris Olson and Brian Penn host a monthly podcast for all types of film fans! Whether you like the latest blockbuster releases, or streaming is your thing - we have you covered. We even review short and independent films on the podcast. Our final review is usually for a "Nostalgia" pick - something from the past worth revisiting. Previous picks for this have included Jaws, The Fly, and Good Will Hunting. Search UK Film Review Podcast wherever you like to listen and join our global community of film lovers. Film Reviews from UK film critics LATEST REVIEWS Belief Breakdown Miss or Misses Another World Through the Stew Here Signs of Allegiance Absolution Anora Emilia Pérez Chasing Chasing Amy Continuance Load More
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- Isabella Short Film Review
★★★★ Starring: #JayJayJegathesan and #MiraeJang Directed by: #PeterRenzullo Short Film Review by: Alexandra James Isabella is a short film directed by Peter Renzullo, the story is disturbing, intense and dark and stars Jay Jay Jegathesan who was made for this role and had previously been in another one of Renzullo’s films The Jewel Wasp . Watching his performance, he seemed like the perfect choice to make for this sinister film and certainly intensified the scene with his story of an emerald wasp and a helpless cockroach. Isabella is unfortunately seated opposite Khan and must endure this uncomfortable tale, but what exactly is the relationship between the two? The scene opens to Khan sitting in a dark suit across from Isabella. At this stage we do not know what Isabella looks like, the audience can merely hear her voice responding to Khan as he begins to tell her a story. There is an ominous air to Khan, the room appears cold and his presence even colder. With just a table in between him and Isabella and his words, the film is very powerful. Instantly, I became hooked on his every word and although disturbed by the story as he describes the calculating and detailed torture that an emerald wasp performs on a cockroach, it was hard to look away. His voice is low and dark and as he tells the story, you begin to feel slightly concerned for poor Isabella and worry for her safety! It’s not until the final scene that we discover why Isabella is there, her calm response to Khan really throws the audience off the scent and it becomes shocking when we finally get a glimpse of her. The sounds of cockroaches and insects can occasionally be heard as Khan is speaking which makes your skin crawl and your fear heighten. Its interesting to see the different ways in which directors can tell a story. There have been some short films where there is no dialogue throughout, and the storyline is followed by facial cues and imagery. Or there are films such as this, where we are not shown much, and the sound of someone’s voice carries the film and drives the storyline. I am a fan of all types of storytelling, if it can really convey that message and entices the viewer from the offset. Isabella has certainly achieved this; Khan’s dark and mysterious tale of horrors was one that I cannot shake. The performance of Jay Jay Jegathesan was a perfect cast for this role and took the film to a very sinister place. The slow pans and long takes, added to the eeriness of the film and made for an uncomfortable watch, forced to listen and endure much like Isabella. Dark and sinister but a great performance and very well written, keeping the audience hanging onto every word.
- Finger Food Short Film Review
★★★★★ Starring: #AliKhan, #MaggieOllerenshaw, #AngusBarnett, #DebbieChazen and #JessicaBalmer Directed by: #JacobDudman Short Film Review by: Alexandra James Finger Food , a short film that is both funny, clever and extraterrestrial! Directed by Jacob Dudman this film shows the awkward encounters of meeting your girlfriends’ parents for the first time. However, it becomes even more of an awkward situation when you learn that her parents are aliens! This short was very comical and light-hearted, and a great film for both sci-fi fans and comedies. After dating for a while, it was time for Jason to meet Lucy’s family. Unfortunately for Jason, he arrives just a bit too early and must enter the family home alone as Lucy makes her way back from work after a delayed train. If you couldn’t think of anything worse, the family also have some odd habits and are finding it hard to hide their true selves! Boyfriend Jason played by Ali Khan who also starred in A Haunting in Venice , was pulling out all the stops to impress his in laws, greeting them with flowers and a seemingly big smile. Unfortunately, none of these acts of kindness are doing anything to sway dad Steve. However, they seem to win round mum and nana…maybe even a little too much for nana. The acting within this short was seamless from start to finish, especially from Angus Barnett. Although he had limited dialogue, his presence on screen was powerful and made me feel nervous! The same goes for Ali Khan, you can feel a lot of emotion from an actor by just facial expressions and judging from his fear-stricken face and wide eyes, this was not a family he wished to be a part of anytime soon. I really enjoyed watching the discomfort play out and found that you can relate to some of the scenes, particularly with Jason who wanted nothing more than to get out quick. The storyline had a clever twist, an ordinary family with a dark secret. Will they accept Jason, or will he be the next on their ingredients list. The location and ambience of the home included a lot of details that were simple and effective. The colours used for the lighting as well as the costume designs, made this into a high-quality film, it was entertaining to watch, and you become quickly invested in the storyline. I really loved all the characters, and the acting style cannot be faulted for this short. Although crazy in some respect, the story worked well, and I wanted to know how far this was going to escalate for poor Jason!
- Warrior: Predator Short Film Review
★★★★ Starring: #LexsyMckowen, #MariahMaison and #CourtneyLeigh Directed by: #ChrisRNotarile Short Film Review by: Alexandra James Warrior: Predator , a short film written and directed by Chris. R. Notarile. This sci-fi takes a unique spin on the stereotypical characters, by attempting to breakdown the formulaic monsters and creatures in many science fiction films we see today. Many of these films will include a male protagonist and a male creature, even occasionally a female lead but still a male opponent. However, Notarile has an all-female cast, giving a distinctive twist on the classic predator films. This short focuses on a 16th century native American warrior coming face to face with two predator sisters and is forced to fight for her life in an epic battle, but there can only be one victor. The first aspect to recognise in this short is the costumes. Although some audience members may be dissecting every detail, for a small budget film, the costumes and makeup on all the characters were great! Its fantastic to see what can be achieved on a small budget production. For me, the designs and detail with each costume was creative and shows that you don’t need loads of money to make an impact, just creativity and an eye for detail. It was also great to find out that the director had made one of the costumes as well! This shows a lot of dedication and passion towards the project and highlights the fact that if you want something bad enough you will find a way to make it happen. With some inspiration of other cosplayers costumes, it was evident that a lot of thought went into this production. Another element to note is the fact there is no dialogue throughout this piece. Occasionally, this can hinder a film particularly if the storyline is not coherent without any dialogue and it’s needed as an aid to help the audience grasp each scene. However, this was a clear and driven short film, there was a strong storyline which was simple and effective. Great to see a new twist on the predator characters and see strong female lead roles, this is something that is certainly lacking in the film industry, so it was interesting to see the dynamic of both heroine and villain as female, it’s a new and exciting perspective on the predator films. The location was even well scoped out, the incorporation of the cave was able to set this film in the right time frame and isolated the characters away from civilisation, making for intense fight scenes and building the warrior into an independent and fierce character. Warrior: Predator is a great short film that with just a small budget, was innovative and provided the audience with a fresh perspective on the predator films. It would be interesting to see what can be done with a bigger budget especially as this film was creative and showed a lot of promise, therefore it can go beyond that creative milestone with a bigger budget. This was an enjoyable film that can be explored further and delve deeper into each of the characters and their background which would be great to see.
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- “YOUR MOVE” - REVIEW: Over the Edge, Into the DarknessIn Film Reviews·January 27, 2018There is an apocryphal saying - variously attributed to Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Mark Twain and a host of others - that there are only two stories we tell each other in our literature, our movies, our narrative arts. In the first, a person goes on a journey; in the second, a stranger comes to town. What matters is not which of these stories an artist chooses, but how it’s told, and how it illuminates another corner of the human soul, be it dark or light. With “Your Move” actor/director/writer Luke Goss effectively combines the two in the person of his protagonist, who must go on a journey to save what he loves most in the world, becoming a stranger in the dark underworld of a Mexican town where clues and danger are virtually indistinguishable. Goss - up to now known as an actor’s actor and platinum-selling musician - proves highly adept at this newest iteration of his abilities, guiding what in other hands might be a standard genre story forward with skill and subtlety. By keeping the focus on the inner workings of his characters Goss creates as much nerve-wracking tension with a quiet tableau between two people as he does with an all-out chase scene. Goss plays New York businessman David Miller, a man with a good life and a family he adores. While on a video call with his wife Isabel (Patricia De Leon) and young daughter Savannah (Laura Martin), who are in Mexico visiting Isabel’s parents, David - back home in New York - witnesses a brutal attack on them that ends in an apparent kidnapping. Stuck thousands of miles away and not knowing where to turn, David calls the local NYPD, whose skeptical response only makes him realize how dire his family’s situation actually is. As an actor Goss is deeply likable, exceptionally effective at translating what his characters are feeling, and the terror David experiences at not knowing what has happened to his loved ones is brutal and palpable. In Mexico he meets the cop in charge of the case, Detective Romero (the superb Robert Davi, in a richly nuanced performance). David wants answers, action, anything to make him feel that progress is being made. Romero, a good detective, understands the need to build his case on facts, and while Romero feels for David’s plight, the man is also his worst nightmare - an uncontrolled wild card who could blow the case at a moment’s notice by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Romero’s careful, low-key approach to the investigation seems like dangerous and deadly plodding from David’s point of view, sure to get his wife and daughter killed. On the other side of the coin is Isabel’s father, Señor Barrabas, a wealthy patrón of weight and gravity. Luis Gatica plays Barrabas with a quiet intensity that is at once civilized and menacing. Though he treats David and the detective as equals, he appears to engender fear and respect everywhere else. Accompanied at all times by a suited, hulking - and likely armed - bodyguard, who Goss subtley keeps just at the edge of the frame, Barrabas’ business dealings can only be guessed at. When it appears that he agrees with Romero’s method of handling the case, David panicks and takes matters into his own hands. Though fit and athletic, David has no “special set of skills” with which to make the bad guy’s life hell a’la the uber-hero in “Taken”, relying instead on instinct and sheer persistence, driven by the certain terror that if he doesn’t use every means at his disposal to track his family down, he will never see them again. Agonizing every step of the way over what he must become to get the job done, he isolates himself from both family and the authorities and relies instead on his gut. Goss’s abilities as a visual stylist and storyteller are well-matched to his subject matter and the camerawork is assured, but he doesn’t sacrifice character development for the sake of style. Goss - who also wrote the script - keeps the dialogue spare and measured, making wonderful use of the players’ inner lives to push the narrative and generate emotion. The acting is uniformly superb and the casting and directing are spot-on, with a touching and almost Fellini-esque sensibility, making scenes with even the most secondary characters satisfying and rewarding. The landscape of the human face as a map of the psyche clearly fascinates Goss at the deepest levels, and his painterly use of color, light and shadow add to the suspense and the unfolding story, while allowing the audience their own visual and emotional journey. And though the church is never explicitly mentioned there is a strain of lush religious iconography running through the film, implying religion as a particularly horrifying form of self-justification for the antagonist, played by Alain Mora in a performance that is a revelatory and disturbing portrayal of a man with a terrifying split in his psyche. The film may be billed as a psychological thriller, but the execution and performances defy simple genre categorization. It would appear that “Your Move” marks the auspicious start of yet another successful branch of Goss’s multi-hyphenate career. “Your Move” has its UK premiere on January 27, 2017. Watch the trailer, here: Writer: Kely Lyons - Los Angeles - January 27, 2018361949
- "Crazy Right" movie trailerIn Movie Trailers·March 5, 201824175
- Beauty and the Beast (2017) ReviewIn Film Reviews·November 1, 2017Disney is back with another live-action adaptation of one of their animated films. This time it was up to Beauty and the Beast to be remade and please the audience. But if we look at the final product that the film is, it seems to be that Disney did it more for the money than for the audience. Will the audience end up roaring for the new film or will it just be Disney happily roaring their victory over their audience? I think we all know the answer to that question. Beauty and the Beast is directed by Bill Condon and tells the tale of Belle. Belle (Emma Watson) is a young adult, who loves to read books and dreaming of playing a part in the adventures that are depicted on those pages. But when she leaves her small village to find her missing father (Kevin Kline), she encounters a large castle in which lives a horrifying Beast (Dan Stevens). As Belle stays with the Beast, she learns that true beauty is found within. Right from the beginning, the film wants to make very clear what kind of a jerk the Beast was before he came a Beast. Just like in the original animated film, where they spend a short monologue on the case. However, in this live-action adaptation they take more then a few minutes to make it clear that the Beast is a jerk. The problem is not that it is not well done, because making the Beast look arrogant is something the movie does is quite well, but the problem is that right from the beginning one of our main characters is an unlikeable prick, which creates a situation wherein you cannot root for the Beast to become normal again. You want him to stay a Beast, because that’s what he honestly deserves to be. He acts like a Beast for the first two acts of the movie. Then the filmmakers remembered that the Beast also must become a human at the end, so they quickly shoved moments in the movie trying to make the Beast look less like a prick and more like an misunderstood young adult. In the original animated film, the Beast had a compelling arc. In this film he does have an arc, but it’s not compelling because the Beast is arrogant throughout most of the film and acts like a prick to everyone around him. The arc is also rushed to the point that it makes you care even less for the Beast. Do you want examples of how much of a prick the Beast is? Well, the Beast doesn’t even give Belle a minute to say goodbye to her father, the Beast keeps correcting and interrupting Belle, the Beast wouldn’t give Belle a room, the Beast forces Belle to eat with him and lets her starve when she says she won’t eat with him etc. The thing with this movie is that they like to exaggerate everything the original did, to the point that this movie feels more like a dark cartoon then the original did.The scriptwriters Stephen Chbosky and Evan Spiliotopoulos also try to add new story elements to the script. There is a new back-story how both Belle and the Beast lost their mothers and it adds nothing new to the story. The scriptwriters probably did this trying to make the Beast, after first writing him as such an unlikable character, look more sympathetic and to give Belle an arc. Only thing is that the new back-story doesn’t make Beast look more sympathetic, he still comes across, as a bitter young adult and Belle never gets a conclusion to her arc. Her mother died when she was just a baby. Belle never knew her mother and this has had a great impact on her. However when she finally finds out, what happened to her mother, the subplot is quickly moved aside to continue the main story. Her arc is never resolved or even started to be honest. It just a waste of time. The script also tries to give Belle more personality. They did this by making her amazing in everything. She is good in reading, good with children, good in teaching, good in inventing, good in drawing, good in taming wild beasts (get it?). However, as expected, being good in everything doesn’t count as a trademark for a character. She isn’t Leonardo Da Vinci. Belle is a dreamer, who gets inspired by the books she reads. Belle is intellectual. Indeed. But in this movie they exaggerated her intelligence to the point that this Belle feels more like a cartoon character then her animated counterpart. There are also some continuity errors. Belle on Phillipe, the horse, move like the Flash when needed. Belle just arrives shortly after the villagers arrive at the castle, while the villagers had a big head start. The sound effects are also sometimes off in the final battle. Oh right, forgot. To please the immature and the children, the movie also includes butt and poop jokes. Yeah! There is also a mystery subplot for the character Agathe, which turns out to be the witch that cursed the Beast. This is so poorly done and unnecessary. She just comes and goes when the story needs her to come an go. And her importance to the story is never explained. Which leaves another unsolved subplot.The CGI in this film is, in contrary to the beautiful The Jungle Book, more creepy than fantasy provoking. Nobody wants to see a CGI teapot smiling. They created some nice nightmare related visuals for the younger kids. Can’t wait to see this on a childhood trauma list.Not everything is bad though. The acting is on point. Especially Gaston is likeable, which feels weird because he’s supposed to be villain of the film. Well don’t worry, because for this first half of the film Gaston comes across as a normal, somewhat dimwitted, individual, but in the second half, he leaves Maurice for the wolves stuck at a tree. Something the animated Gaston would probably also be able to do. The Gaston song is also very amusing. Their is actually an illiterate joke in their that works. The song also contains one exciting, maybe little expectable, but still amusing shot. In the end, Beauty and the Beast, is another Disney remake that is poorly executed and is solely done for the money. This movie in particular felt more like a cash grab than the other Disney movies. That is probably because the effect of the original is still untouched by other Disney movies. It is the only animated movie to be nominated for best picture. It is one of the most well known Disney movies. These were the reasons for which Disney thought that their live-action version could earn some big money. Sadly, it did. Overall, it’s not a complete failure. There are some genuine emotional moments. Some new interesting ideas, that all don’t workout however. And sometimes a joke works. But in the end, the movie is still pretty bad, mostly thanks to the poor script.15160