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Written and Directed by Gordy Hoffman Starring Marci Miller Short film review by Hannah Sayer This troubling tale is hard to pin down into one genre as, with its shifting tone, there is something odd but likeable about Gordy Hoffman’s short Dog Bowl. The short film opens with a shot of Debra, played by Marci Miller, and her dog; comically, the dog is being fed from the jar that she is eating out of. This is strangely effective in setting the audience up to think that the narrative they are about to witness is just a quirky comedy. Some of the darker scenes later shock and build up the intensity as the viewer racks their brain trying to figure out what is going on. The quick and focused editing allows for realism to play a huge part in the depiction of this story. The intercutting of shots of Debra at work and at home suggests that the viewer is meant to pick up on the small details that are happening in her everyday life. This is uncompromising filmmaking, as within the first few minutes of the film the viewer witnesses Debra being groped at work.. It is clear that she is repeatedly used for sex at work. The viewer feels like a voyeur of something they should not be witnessing. This is reinforced as someone is on look out while the act occurs, who tells the man to stop when a car approaches. Hoffman impresses in his tackling of these scenes; the camera fails to pan away and we are forced to witness what is happening right in the centre of the frame. Then, a development in the narrative occurs, where Debra is watching a lady walking her dog alone at night, when she steals the vest of the service dog and locks herself in her car. This is the unclear introduction to Dog Bowl and it certainly creates a sense of intrigue to find out more about who this woman is and what is motivating her actions. No music is used up until this point and it encapsulates the narrative when it is finally used. The score by Petra Haden is effective throughout of creating a dystopian feel, reminiscent of Chilean composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer’s haunting original score for Channel 4’s excellent television thriller Utopia. There is certainly an underlying theme of women being seen as objects to be used for service, which is evidenced when Debra decides to put on the service dog’s vest. There is a focus on the intensity of her actions, as she is told she is not allowed to wear it at work, leading her fragile nature to be exposed. The groping continues once she is no longer allowed to wear it. It is as if the vest acts as a barrier protecting her, but also suggesting that she is of service to be used by men. The film’s dystopian tone is reinforced at the big twist, as something is found in the vest when her dog is found to be bleeding when wearing it. Hoffman is ambitious in the scale of the subject matter that he tackles in this short film, as it is revealed that everything all adds up to be part of a bigger picture, where Debra’s loneliness is explained to be of no fault of her own. With its slightly absurd but comedic ending, that seems like it could be part of a different film altogether, the juxtaposition of tones throughout creates an overall dark but at times light-hearted dystopian vision. Click here to read more film reviews or head over to our Festivals page for more reviews of films at this year's Cork Film Festival. #CorkFilmFestival #shortfilmreviews #shortfilm #shortfilmreview #HannahSayer #Filmreviews #FilmreviewsUK #FilmFestival

As December approaches, and the big hitters of cinematic releases are winding up (Star Wars, The Hunger Games), audiences will probably hit January with an all-time low of post-Christmas blues! Here at UK Film Review, we care about the mental health of our film-loving readership, so have compiled a short list of movies, along with their film trailers, to look forward to in 2016...sadly at the time of publishing this, there is yet a trailer for Captain America: Civil War...#sadface. #1 - The Revenant As UK Film Review's current "Trailer of the Week", we are eagerly anticipating this movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy. The trailer itself is utterly atmospheric and ballsy... #2 - Suicide Squad Arguably the only other film to rival Civil War's hype, this DC film starring the likes of Jared Leto, Will Smith and Margot Robbie has been the touchstone of many movie conversations since ComicCon 2015... #3 - The Jungle Book Not everyone will be be excited about this remake of a Disney classic, but the New Year is alwasy about hope. This movie trailer has enough style and flair to get us excited and even features the classic tune from the original...if only whistled... #4 - Kung Fu Panda 3 Jack Black is back as everyone's favourite fighting Panda, proving the franchise has been a big hit with animation and film fans alike. The films have a respectful nod of the head to the anime genre, as well as some excellent slapstick moments cemented by a star studded cast... #5 - Zoolander 2 Okay, we may be reaching here a little. But Ben Stiller is a firm favourite with audiences, and his funny fashion film is getting a "much needed" sequel that we should all "respect". That being said, the movie trailer is pretty funny... Still depressed about the end of 2015? Head over to our YouTube channel and check out our Film Trailers 2016 Playlist. #Filmtrailers #movietrailers #films2016 #trailers2016 #Filmreviews #FilmreviewsUK

★★★★★ Directed by Maryanne Paterson Starring Stinga T, Ezra Juanta, Maha Wilson & Kylie Farma Indie film review by Monica Jowett Relationships of all kinds are all put to the test in this Australian independent drama from director Maryanne Paterson as a group of friends have to overcome old and new issues amongst themselves. Friendship, Love & Loyalty is a story of a friendship which swears to never have anything come between it, but life makes other plans. Set in a small Australian town, the indie film opens with a scene of two best friends making a pact of a loyal friendship; we see that this has not changed over the years, as we meet Nate (Stinga T) and Nathan (Ezra Juanta) as adults. However, Nate has just broken up with Denise (Kylie Farma) and travels abroad for a year to clear his head. Back in Australia, Nathan has had an accident which has caused terrible memory loss and he forms a close relationship with his best friend’s ex, Denise. When Nate comes back to Australia, a love triangle forms and he finds his plans to win back his ex-girlfriend thwarted as he has to stand alongside his friends to keep Nathan from falling apart. Happiness returns to all of them, as Nate starts to fall for Bianca (Maha Wilson) though it may not last, as feelings for Denise still linger. The script, written by lead actor Stinga T, has some twists and emotional scenes as people’s memories and secrets come to light. However the revelations take a while to be revealed and it is hard to understand the whole back story for these characters. Although the script may have been good on paper, the stilted delivery makes it less enjoyable for the audience. Despite the fact the cast are making an effort, the acting falls short as it’s hard to believe the tragedies they have gone through as it sounds as though they are just reading the lines simply to lead on to the next one. The majority of the dialogue doesn’t feel natural enough, despite the basic foundation of the story. In the final act, the secrets and lies that were spread between the friends that were set up to protect Nathan fall apart and the emotions come tumbling out. With a predictable ending, Friendship, Love & Loyalty shows promise but comes apart by being overly emotional. #IndieFilmReviews #SupportIndieFilms #MonicaJowett #Filmreviews #FilmReviewsUK

Directed by Bartek Kedzierski Short film review by Joseph Banham Woolen Cogwheels is a delightfully quirky-looking animated short with a bleak undercurrent. The stop-motion animated film was directed by the Polish filmmaker Bartek Kedzierski, who keeps his cards close to his chest until the very end. The film stars an old married couple who live by themselves, with the exception of their bad-tempered cat. The old man appears to be an inventor, spending his days slaving away in his workshop, painstakingly trying to construct a mechanical arm for reasons unbeknownst to the audience. His wife spends the majority of her day swaying back and forth in a rocking chair, knitting vast streams of wool that extend all across the room. What is she making? We are not sure. Maybe it’s a big wooly jumper. But then again, maybe not. Every night, the couple sit apprehensively in front of their television staring at the screen, almost petrified, as they wait for midnight to strike. What are they waiting for? Again, we do not know. If it sounds like I’m prevaricating in my description of the plot, it’s because I am cautious about giving away too much of the film’s latter half away. The film’s effect comes from its ability to subvert the audience's expectations, creating an uneasy mood that is extremely poignant. The animation is very charming and bright, creating what looks to be a very neat, contented world. But looks can certainly be deceiving, and the homely aesthetic turns out to simply be the covering— a wooly jumper, if you will—wrapping up something a lot more grave. Woolen Cogwheels caught me off guard. The story goes in places that are completely unexpected from a film that, on its surface, emits all the cosy warmth and cuddliness of your Grandma’s knitting. The film is initially slow to build, veiled in enigma and intrigue. Even when the answers do come, they are not presented in a clear and distinct way; instead, audiences may be left slightly baffled at what the film means, and it’s only with a second viewing that all the pieces fit better into place. Obviously, part of the enigma comes from the fact that there is no dialogue. The short film’s two main characters communicate with simple murmurs and grunts, making them sound similar to characters on a children’s television programme, minus the cheerful narrator. Make no mistake, however, the film’s tone could not be less concerned with emulating pre-school entertainment, with director Bartek Kedzierski constructing scenes that are a lot more reminiscent of a horror film than of the likes of Bagpuss or The Clangers. In a way, Woolen Cogwheels is a very meta animation. It features hand-crafted puppets who are intent on crafting things by hand—the old man is an inventor of machinery, with a workshop filled with gears of all shapes and sizes (the “cogwheel” of the title), while the woman spends her whole day compulsively knitting (“woolen”). The film is rife with mechanical sounds beeping, clunking, and whirring away as the soundtrack strikes similarly discordant notes. The sound of a ticking clock also features prominently, building an unnerving sense of pressure to the plot. It is a film about creating on every level, and the love and dedication people put into their art when they are driven by strong emotions. Woolen Cogwheels is a great short film, filled with intrigue and emotional weight. It’s sweet visual appearance disguises its tragic themes at first, but then ends up accentuating them. For more film reviews of movies at this year's Cork Film Festival, visit our Festivals page. #CorkFilmFestival #shortfilmreviews #Shortfilm #Animation #JosephBanham #FilmFestival #Filmreviews #FilmReviewsUK

Film Feature by Chris Olson What to see at this year’s Cork Film Festival: In its sixtieth year, the CFF is Ireland’s oldest film festival and attracts some of the best filmmakers, film critics, and of course movie lovers every year. UK Film Review were lucky enough to gain access to some of the indie films, short films, and feature lengths before the festival kicked off, in order to give attendees a little snippet of what to look out for… Wildlike The reviewers at UK Film Review thoroughly enjoyed this feature length movie starring Ella Purnell, Brian Geraghty & Bruce Greenwood. It was directed by Frank Hall Green, and follows a man and a teenage girl during a hike across the Alaskan countryside. Beautiful filmmaking, we gave it 4 stars. You can read the film review here, or catch Andy Furlong’s special UKFR Podcast episode (number 7) which has a wonderful run down of many films at this year’s Cork Film Festival. Aaaaaaaah! Monica Jowett gave Steve Oram’s film 3 stars, which is a fairly decent recommendation. The indie film features Julian Barratt (of The Mighty Boosh fame) and a host of talented comic actors, playing out a dystopian vision of the world populated by people who “inexplicably act like apes…” Read the full film review… Ernie Biscuit Short film, Ernie Biscuit, directed by phenomenal animation filmmaker Adam Elliot, is given a glowing movie review from scribe Kieran Freemantle. For fans of cutting edge filmmaking, animation and a “satisfying mix of joy and pathos”, Ernie Biscuit could well be one of the best films at this year’s CFF. North For movie lovers who enjoy intense drama in their short films, they could do a lot worse than Phil Sheerin’s deeply affecting North, which stars Barry Keoghan, Emer McCourt, Janie Booth, & Des McAleer, A complex mix of emotional distress that carers feel for their loved ones, and the coping mechanisms which soon ensue, North is a gripping entry into the film festival this year, and definitely one to check out. The Death of a Projectionist Another short film to try and catch is Jonathan Beer’s “beautifully poetic” The Death of a Projectionist, which stars Ian McElhinney as an elderly film projectionist who is about to have his world turned upside down by the introduction of...digital projectors! Read the full film review here…or visit our film festivals page for even more coverage. If reading films reviews ain’t your bag (what the hell are you doing here?) then perhaps check out the aforementioned UK Film Review Podcast - Episode 7 - with a special edition dedicated to this year’s Cork Film Festival. #CorkFilmFestival #shortfilms #Shortfilmreviews #Animation #Indiefilmreviews #Supportindiefilm #FilmFestival #Movienews #Filmreviews #FilmReviewsUK #ChrisOlson

Directed by Vincent Gallagher Starring Sean T.Meallaigh, Barry Murphy Short film review by Joseph Banham Everyone adores a good love story. Romance is a genre that always has a place in storytelling and always will. Some of the most memorable screen couples in recent years have come from some very unusual places. These include the love between two robots (WALL.E), a teen romance where the boy is a member of the undead (Warm Bodies), and the bonding between a man and his ultra-realistic love doll (Lars and the Real Girl). Vincent Gallagher’s new short film, Love Is A Sting, presents a similarly unconventional relationship, that of a lonely children’s book writer and a sprightly mosquito. Harold Finch (Sean T.Meallaigh) is a solitary writer, living alone in an apartment and spending sleepless nights hunched over either a typewriter or a piano. Downtrodden in both his social and professional life, Harold appears to be having no luck getting any of his work published. To further add to his misfortune, another problem comes flying in through the window one day in the form of a very persistent and seemingly immortal mosquito. Harold tries unsuccessfully to get the unwelcome, buzzing pest out of his life. After the age-old method of using a rolled up newspaper proves hopeless, he completely engulfs himself in layers of clothing, circling his apartment while armed with dual spatulas to abruptly put an end to the mosquito’s lifespan. He even takes the excessive step of calling in an exterminator (Barry Murphy), but yet again, it’s to no avail. It turns out, however, that the nuisance has a name, Anabel, and all she wants, much like Harold, is someone to reach out to. What follows are a series of delightful scenes as the two gradually come to understand each other and find clever ways of communicating. The central performance from Meallaigh is marvellously touching. Considering that he had nothing to work with in most scenes, just the task of keeping an eye line with an imaginary flying dot, he produces a strikingly honest performance. The film’s score is a triumph of saccharine melodies and soothing rhythms. The mainly piano-led music is representative of Harold’s character as a musical book writer who spends a lot of his waking hours slaving away on the piano keys. And, just like Howard, the music has elements of quiet melancholy mixed with feelings of growing hope. The cinematography is equally as skillful. There are many shots of the camera gliding along with Anabel that are as creatively choreographed as they are technically impressive, giving the film a constant feeling of movement despite being set in an enclosed space. Harold’s flat is romanticised with an array of colour and soft focus. The set is dressed with pages of Harold’s rejected ideas strewn across the floor and filled bookshelves covering every wall. This is definitely the habitat of a struggling writer with a cluttered mind. You may think that it’s incredibly hard to ever make your audience feel for a blood-sucking insect, one that is the source of many annoying itchy lumps and responsible for the purchase of a lot of insect repellent in summer. And yet, Gallagher manages it with joyous ease. The audience’s sympathy for Anabel is helped along by the softly-spoken narration, provided by Ciaran Hinds. There is a slight awkwardness in the blending of a cartoonishly CGI mosquito with the naturalistic setting. It’s hardly an unforgivable setback by any means, especially considering the slight budget, and it only becomes a small distraction in the close-up shots of Anabel. The animation isn’t bad; it just doesn’t seem to fit the tone. I can’t help but wonder if it would have been more effective to forgo the close-up shots altogether and keep Anabel as a simple spec. Having said that, her wide-eyed design makes her appear appropriately lovable, and will likely make her appeal to younger audiences. At its heart, Love Is A Sting is a typical love story where a shy, withdrawn man connects with an outgoing, exuberant girl. Opposites attract, as the saying goes. The fact that, in this case, the latter is an insect doesn’t really matter at all, and the friendship that blossoms between Harold and Annabel is fervently heartwarming. Harold is the type of underdog character who is instantly relatable. It’s his familiar yet entertaining journey that makes the 20-minute short so cheerfully easy to watch, resulting in a great family film. Read more film reviews from this year's Cork Film Festival. #CorkFilmFestival #shortfilmreviews #shortfilm #JosephBanham #filmreviewsUK #filmreviews

Written & Directed by Andrew Dawson Indie film review by Monica Jowett A different take on the romantic comedy drama is quite refreshing in this feature length film about love. Fingerface, written and directed by Andrew Dawson uses just his own fingers and some brilliant hand drawn backdrops to create this low-budget masterpiece. Described as the greatest love story ever told, by fingers, Fingerface is the story of Giles. He has just lost his job so gets very drunk and meets a girl, who happens to be the girl of his dreams. However, Giles finds out that it is difficult to try to impress Stephanie, the apparent girl of his dreams and in doing so Giles travels the world, leaves behind his friends and gives up on his other dreams. But after all of the ways he tries to impress this girl, is she even worth it? Though Fingerface looks like an indie film someone has made on a whim, it really works, as the brilliant script takes the audience on a ride full of laughs. Each scene runs smoothly, and though there is a bizarre amount of twists and odd occurrences that wouldn’t usually happen in a romantic comedy – but then again this is a film using fingers as actors – the story flows. Each scene is carefully played out, with the characters being well thought out and the colourful backdrops give a great sense of setting. The lack of a shaky camera gives proof this is a professional at work. Due to a lack of expression from the drawn on faces, the emotion is brought out through the inflection and delivery of the voices. All the sound effects are done by the voices, even effects like a door buzzer or animal sounds from a jungle, which is much more subtle. The musical score, with some catchy songs featuring throughout, comes from Giles himself playing a (paper) guitar. An inventive, unusual take on a film that shows big budgets and special effects are not always needed to produce a heart-warming cheerful romantic comedy, especially when you have a flair for comedy and, crucially, are good at drawing finger faces. With a great imagination Andrew Dawson has crafted an engaging film that is immense fun to watch. Check out more film reviews, or head over to our #supportindiefilm page for more indie film projects like Fingerface. #indiefilm #SupportIndieFilms #MonicaJowett #filmreviews #FilmReviewsUK

Directed by Jonathan Beer Starring Ian McElhinney Short film review by Joseph Banham There are many unsung heroes of cinema for whom the introduction of advanced technology in movie theatres has signaled nothing but misery. They are the experts of a dying craft. The few left behind by a fast-evolving film industry that has sprinted forward into the world of digital 4K resolution and 3D experiences without pausing to give them a second thought. I am, of course, referring to the lost art of the projectionist. John Beerman’s new short film, The Death of a Projectionist, examines the last few days of the career of such a man, and portrays it with all the heartache and sorrow that you would expect from reading its sombre title. Jerry (Ian McElhinney) is an elderly film projectionist who juggles his time between operating his booth at the cinema and visiting his sick, bed-ridden wife at a nursing home. The film simply follows Jerry as he goes about his daily routine, which is about to be rapidly upset when his cinema starts to introduce digital projectors. Jerry is the embodiment of nostalgic warmth. A very cordial man, dressed in a black suit, bow tie, and a trilby hat, he treats his job with dignity and passion. Here is a man who clearly loves what he does, which is why he is so instantly engaging, and why the story is so ultimately heartbreaking. The film is completely centred around McElhinney’s benevolent performance, glowing with kindness and affection for all those around him, even though his luck has run unjustly thin over the recent years. The film is in awe of projectionists, presenting Jerry as a highly skilled artisan with almost whimsical abilities. He has an adept hand at magic tricks, leaving his fellow cinema workers in awe. When he is at the projector, he possesses a similarly magical power, standing above the patrons as an almost God-like figure, presenting stories that mould the audience’s emotions. The power is in his hands, but not for long. There are two very short montages early on in The Death of a Projectionist that demonstrate the short’s main idea—it’s infatuation with the joy of cinema. Or more accurately, the joy of old-fashioned projected cinema, that of tiny celluloid frames flickering through light at 24 frames-per-second. The first is a quick succession of clips showing audience members bursting with laughter, and the second of them being moved to tears. Creating these reactions in people is what provides Jerry with his own happiness. It isn’t his job. It’s his life. The music is suitably elegiac—a funeral march for the film reel. It provides the perfect accompaniment to a film that is essentially about the loss and loneliness of old age. Where the tone starts as bright and amiable, it soon dips into darkness. The sun goes down, and the lights go out, leaving Jerry’s sanctuary in sterile darkness. It is left reverberating with the humming dirge of the new piece of kit, sorely missing the human touch. The most tragic thing about the film is Jerry’s lack of protest. He keeps his calm composure at all times, even when he is not sure what fate his slowly crumbling world has in store for him. By the time the 13 minutes are over, the future is uncertain. The film speaks to the very relevant, growing fear of technology making more and more people seem redundant in today’s society, as they struggle to adapt and keep up with the new world. The Death of a Projectionist is a beautifully poetic swan song of a man’s wonderfully dedicated career. An ode to those masters of their craft who are scarcely needed anymore. It stresses the importance of the human component in cinema and has deep admiration for anyone who has spent their life devoted to the projection booth. Read more film reviews from the Cork Film Festival. #CorkFilmFestival #shortfilmreviews #shortfilm #JosephBanham #SupportIndieFilms

Film Feature by Kieran Freemantle November is upon us, a month that sees a number of award contending films being released this, including a bio-pic about Steve Jobs and a Cold War thriller. Also out this month is the final entry of a major film series. To celebrate we look at some of the films coming out this month, ranging from big blockbusters to indie gems. November 6th Brooklyn Premiering at the Sundance Film Festival Brooklyn is a historical drama starring Saoirse Ronan and supported by a great cast that includes Domhnall Gleeson, Emory Cohen (The Place Beyond the Pines) Jim Broadbent and Julie Walters. Brooklyn was directed by John Crowley (Boy A) and adapted by Nick Hornby and follows the story of Eilis Lacey (Ronan), a young Irish immigrate to America and is torn between two men and her old and new countries. Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse The zombie comedy genre has the likes of Shaun of the Dead and Zombieland in its ranks and now Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse sets out to stake its claim. Tye Sherdian, Logan Miller, Joey Morgan and Sarah Dumont star as three boy scouts friends and a badass cocktail waitress who set out to survive when the walking dead rise. Kill Your Friends Having starred in movies like the "X-Men" series and Mad Max: Fury Road Nicholas Hoult returns to the British film industry, starring in the dark-comedy Kill Your Friends as a music talent scout looking for the record label who takes extreme measures to find the next big hit. He Named Me Malala He Named Me Malala is a documentary about the Pakistani schoolgirl, Malala Yousafzai, who was shot by the Taliban in the Swat Valley for speaking out for female education. November 13th Steve Jobs Steve Jobs is the long awaited bio-pic about the co-founder and chairman of Apple. Written by Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network), directed by Danny Boyle and starring Michael Fassbender as the popular businesssman Steve Jobs has been well received by critics and is being seen as a awards contender. Read our film review of Steve Jobs. The Hallow The Irish-set horror film The Hallow is the feature film directional debut for music video director Corin Hardy. The Hallow follows an English family who move to a remote house in the woods and ends up awaking a demonic force. Tangerine The comedy-drama Tangerine has been successfully doing the rounds at the festival circle since premiering at this year's Sundance Film Festival. Shot on three iPhones Tangerine follows two transgender prostitutes on Christmas Eve in Los Angeles on the search for their pimp. Tangerine currently boosts a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. November 20th The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 is set to the biggest film this month, at least on finance level, being the final part of the popular "Hunger Games" series. If it's like Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 and The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 the fourth "Hunger Games" film should be the biggest in its franchise. "Mockingjay - Part 2" picks up where Part 1 left off and sees Katniss Everdean (Jennifer Lawrence) continuing to be the symbol of rebellion. She leads the forces of The Districts against The Capital and President Snow (Donald Sutherland) in a sci-fi war film. People who have read the novel will know that Katniss will suffer lose and heartbreak as she sets out to bring down Snow. November 27th Bridge of Spies Steven Spielberg returns to the historical drama genre with Cold War thriller Bridge of Spies. Written by Matt Charman (Suite Française) and The Coen Brothers Bridge of Spies tells the true story about James B. Donovan (Tom Hanks), an American attorney who is tasked with the mission to negotiate a prisoner exchange after U-2 spy plane pilot Francis Gary Powers is shot down over the Soviet Union. Bridge of Spies currently has a 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 8.1/10 rating on IMDB and looks like a strong contender for the upcoming awards season. Carol Starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara the romantic drama Carol competed for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and Mara winning joint-winning the Best Actress at the festival. Set in the 50s, Carol focuses on an aspiring photographer who becomes romantically involved with a older married woman, Carol (Blanchett). The Good Dinosaur 2015 has given us something extraordinary, two Pixar films with The Good Dinosaur being the second film. The Good Dinosaur is set in an alternative world where the dinosaurs never become extinct and follows an unlikely friendship between an Apatosaurus and a young caveboy. Black Mass Based the true story of James "Whitley" Bulger, the crime drama Black Mass has been hailed as a return to form for Johnny Depp. Depp stars as Bulger, an Irish Mafia gangster in Boston who becomes an FBI informant. Black Mass has an ensemble cast that includes Benedict Cumberbatch, Joel Edgerton, Kevin Bacon, Corey Stoll (Ant-Man) and Dakota Johnson (Fifty Shades of Grey) with Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart) directing. Check out more Film Feature articles here. #Filmfeature #TheatricalReleases #KieranFreemantle #filmreviews #filmreviewsUK #Movienews #filmnews

★★★★★ Directed by Danny Boyle Written by Aaron Sorkin Starring Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen, Jeff Daniels Film review by Hannah Sayer To finally witness a biopic about the “genius” Steve Jobs that is a success is somewhat of a relief. The screenplay adapted from Walter Isaacson’s biography by Aaron Sorkin has been shrouded since its conception by preproduction issues. With David Fincher being the first to step down from the project, Leonardo DiCaprio and Christian Bale were also for a time signed on to star, to later be replaced by Danny Boyle to direct and, surprisingly, Irish actor Michael Fassbender. The realisation that this production was fraught with drama came to light during the 2014 Sony hack. Sony eventually decided to drop the project, where it was picked up by Universal Pictures, the company behind this year’s highest grossing film, Jurassic World. With so many exits of the project, many wondered whether this would be a tragic attempt to imitate Fincher and Sorkin’s critical acclaim with The Social Network, a similar story with a dislikeable technological game-changer as the focus. This adds to the overwhelming amount of concern for the project even before the mentioning of the failure that was Jobs, the 2011 film starring Ashton Kutcher, which got universally slated by the critics. There is no doubt about it that Danny Boyle is certainly a brave director to take on such a highly observed and criticised figure, as well as a film with such prior problems. However, his final outcome and the performances which comprise it are what constitute to making Steve Jobs an intricate and compelling triumph. Divided into three acts between 1984 and 1998, the film is set behind-the-scenes in the countdown before three looming product launches. The three acts are distinguished by the way they are filmed; from 16mm to 35mm to digital. This is clever in illustrating Apple’s technological advancements across the years depicted of Jobs’ life. The first act focuses on the minutes prior to the launch of the Apple Macintosh in 1984, where we are introduced to Fassbender’s Jobs and Joanna Hoffman, the marketing executive for Apple, played by Kate Winslet. Minutes before the Macintosh’s launch, Jobs is facing crisis as he needs the computer to say ‘hello’ in order to seem friendly and inviting; ironically, this is the opposite of how Jobs is portrayed, as he threatens to publicly humiliate engineer Andy Hertzfeld, portrayed by Michael Stuhlbarg, if he is unable to fix it on time. Sorkin’s quick and witty dialogue driven screenplay is especially successful and shines through during this confrontation: Andy Hertzfeld: “We're not a pit crew at Daytona. This can't be fixed in seconds.” Steve Jobs: “You didn't have seconds. You had three weeks. The universe was created in a third of that time.” Andy Hertzfeld: “Well, someday, you'll have to tell us how you did it.” Jobs’ relationships with his co-workers is addressed throughout the three acts, especially with Steve Wozniak, co-founder and one of Jobs’ only supporters, played in a surprisingly dramatic turn by Seth Rogen. Boyle’s decision to focus on Jobs’ interaction with others, especially with his daughter, and how this develops throughout the course of the film, is one of the ways in which this is not just a biopic, but a relatable drama. Instantly, by denying his paternity, Jobs is portrayed as an unlikeable figure. By having the account of this father-daughter relationship with Lisa running parallel alongside the three product launches, the audience is witness to a masterpiece of a character study; as he ages and develops over the three acts, his professional and private life begins to merge and Lisa becomes an integral part of the picture. Even though each act has a similar, repeated set up of a product launch and what happens as the characters wait in the wings with anticipation, there is something fresh and new about each act. The time jumps forward from 1984 to 1988, where Jobs no longer works for Apple but for NeXT, where he is preparing for the computer launch. Here Jeff Daniels as John Sculley, CEO of Apple at the time, shows his true skill at tackling Sorkin’s tricky dialogue, as previously confirmed in HBO’s The Newsroom. These two failed launches, however, work as effective build up to the final chapter, where in 1998 Steve Jobs has returned to Apple, where he is about to unveil the iMac. There is a sense throughout of the incredible impact and scope the founder of Apple will have in the years to follow. Much like Jesse Eisenberg’s portrayal of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerburg in Sorkin-penned The Social Network, Michael Fassbender has also received strong critical praise for his striking portrayal of Jobs, as he is becoming a frontrunner for this year’s Academy Awards. It wouldn’t be outlandish to express how this year truly has been the year for Michael Fassbender to truly excel. From critical darling Slow West to Shakespearean epic Macbeth, Fassbender has shown his range in conveying a range of characters; a Western bounty hunter, a troubled and paranoid ruler of Scotland and now the iconic founder of Apple. By choosing to tell the tale of Steve Jobs in a three act cycle and with Aaron Sorkin’s script being purely dialogue driven, the film does evoke qualities of a Shakespearean tragedy. Michael Fassbender’s development of the troubled “genius” is similar to his brilliant portrayal of Macbeth; both performances focus on the riveting and chaotic mind of the subjects. By choosing to focus on the earlier stages of Jobs’ life, before the launch of his more recent successes of the iPod and the iPhone, Danny Boyle tells a tale of a technological icon that is often overshadowed. His behind-the-scenes take could have been boring and repetitive, but the challenging and intense script allows for heightened emotions to take centre stage, drawing similar comparisons to last year’s successful Birdman. Cleanly cut and edited with scenes of loud and bright montages which reflect the frenetic mind of the person in focus, Danny Boyle directs a mature and dynamic picture with bold performances. Steve Jobs’ presence as a powerful figure over his employees and the public he sells to is never questioned, and his presence is still felt today: “Musicians play their instruments. I play the orchestra.” Read more Theatrical Film Reviews. #TheatricalReleases #FilmReviewsUK #filmreviews #DannyBoyle #MichaelFassbender #KateWinslet #SethRogen #HannahSayer

Written and Directed by Wes Craven Starring Heather Langenkamp, Amanda Wyss, Johnny Depp, & Robert Englund Film review by Chris Olson ★★★★★ They say the mark of a truly effective horror film is that is disturbs you so much that you have nightmares about it. Wes Craven’s cherished A Nightmare on Elm Street goes straight for the jugular, by having the ghoulish villian, Freddy Krueger (Robert England), operate in the dreams of his victims - where no snooze alarm can save them… Craven is well known for his contributions to the horror genre, from films like The Hills Have Eyes (1977) and A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), to more modern scary flicks like Scream (1996) and the rest of the Scream franchise. In this very much 80’s film, the horror is based in our subconscious, and personified by a knife-fingered, stripy-jumper-wearing psycho who stalks teens in their nightmares simply for living in a specific suburban street. There is a lot to praise about A Nightmare on Elm Street, as film reviews go Wes Craven often lends himself to plenty of compliments and plaudits. The thrills are incredibly visual, the themes of coming-of-age vulnerability are utterly engaging, and the use of atmosphere is totally immersive. Certain scenes are visually arresting with the use of abstract violence. However, the movie has not aged well, with a linear script that most modern audiences will find jarring, and overtly Americanised characters that seem like cartoonish frames. Characters are often the stumbling block for horror films, where an enthusiasm for evil seems to outweigh the necessity for believable people. If you can lose yourself in the visceral aesthetic of Craven’s slash-fest there is a lot to gain. So many of the genre’s filmmakers have benefited from the leaps that Craven made. Tension, atmosphere and thrills are honed with an auteur’s craftsmanship that seems total and affectionate. Every scene is laden with intensity, capturing the horror of the plot and the character’s abstract terror. And whilst the characters are pretty thinly sketched, they do at least contribute to the plot consistently, in particular with an early role for Johnny Depp as teenage Glen - a cheeky yet wholesome lad who (SPOILER ALERT) may or may not get swallowed up by a bed - if that’s not a blatant warning against underage sex, I don’t know what is! These elements can be very much lost with modern audiences, though, as the linear performances and wooden script are perhaps unforgivable, whilst the instantaneous spills/thrills/kills of newer films have left viewers numb to these kind of outdate theatrics - even if they were trendsetting at the time. In fact, many of A Nightmare on Elm Street’s devices seem like cheap TV rather than prolific horror. That being said, there is a reason that Craven’s film has become a mainstay with film lovers, and it can be found in the aforementioned stripy-jumpered psycho - Freddy Krueger. This character embodies several fundamental fears that audiences connect with: nightmares, subconscious vulnerability, and knives that can properly tear you a new one quickly. Krueger has become more than the children’s skipping song he began as, instantly recognisable for his cutlery-based accessories and a regular go-to for Halloween costumes. Part of the success in a good horror film needs to be a legendary villain, and Craven created a doozey here. A Nightmare on Elm Street, whilst being a beloved title in the history of horror, carries with it a sad decrepitude that has blunted a lot of its sharp features. Krueger’s knives seem like plastic spoons in this story of ghoulish games, and the characters are thinner than a slashed white t-shirt. Still, you will never meet a scarier villain in a stripy jumper…unless Where’s Wally terrifies you with his chaotic hiding. Happy Halloween everyone! If you want more horror film reviews, check out the most recent #throwbackthursdayfilmreviews from film critic Joseph Banham. #horror #Chrisolson #WesCraven #JohnnyDepp #ThrowbackThursday #Filmreviews #FilmreviewsUK #Bluray

Directed by Frank Hall Green Starring Ella Purnell, Brian Geraghty & Bruce Greenwood Film review by Monica Jowett ★★★★★ A hike through the Alaskan countryside has a healing nature for a teenager and older man who are both recovering from emotional loss in this low-budget drama Wildlike. A quiet and sensitive take on an uncomfortable subject alongside some powerful performances from the two leads makes this film engaging and heartfelt without verging on the melodramatic. Young teenager Mackenzie (Ella Purnell) goes to stay with her uncle (Brian Geraghty) in Juneau Alaska after her father has recently died and mother has been put into treatment. When the relationship between them turns awry, she runs away into the Alaskan countryside and attempts to get back to Seattle alone. Feeling lost, she tags along with a backpacker, a recently widowed man Rene Bartlett (Bruce Greenwood) who takes the young Mackenzie under his wing and together they find solace in the Alaskan wilderness and find their way back to Seattle. Writer and director Frank Hall Green produces great chemistry between the two leads and uses the Alaskan landscape as character in itself. Wildlike is careful in its depiction of the abuse the uncle shows Mackenzie, it is subtle but shows enough for us to know why she would run away. Too much or too little reference to the abuse would make the film seem indifferent to its own subject matter. The way it is dealt with leads the tone for the movie, as Mackenzie struggles to open up to her new friend and Bart’s careful to not interfere unless he has to for Mackenzie’s protection. The characters complement each other well. Mackenzie and Bart form a father-daughter relationship they both are secretly coveting for as they have both recently suffered a loss, though the duo is not played for the dramatic emotion and Green develops the relationship slowly throughout the film so we can see it genuinely grow, whilst using the backdrop of Alaska as a healing influence for them both. The quiet introverted personalities of the two may take a while to shed, but because of the way the two of them bond, the development feels honest. As it pushes to an emotional outbreak in the third act which would be a misstep for a low-key drama, Green avoids this to end on a positive, hopeful note for Mackenzie and her new friend Bart. Taking the subject matter seriously, Wildlike is a refreshing take and uses the unconventional central pairing to its advantage to create an independent hiking film that doesn’t feel too Hollywood. Wildlike will feature at this year’s Cork Film Festival. To read film reviews of other entries visit our Festivals page. #CorkFilmFestival #FilmFestival #MonicaJowett #filmreviews #filmreviewsUK #SupportIndieFilms