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Directed by Jagoda Szelc Short film review by Monica Jowett Short film from polish director Jagoda Szelc follows a young man as he takes a camera crew around a city telling his story of how he came to be there, after he escaped from the Donbass region in Ukraine. Filmed as a documentary, A Short Walk gives insight into what happened to those who fought in the 2014 Ukrainian conflict. The film opens with a fun scene full of laughter of a group of young men jumping into a pool found in a ruined building, and we are given a sense of unsuspecting happiness. Some of the boys are clearly nervous of taking the jump to the pool that is quite a few feet below, and are encouraged by their friends. Others jump in without a second’s hesitation. A young man, whose face is never clearly seen and name not revealed, takes a camera crew around a city in Russia at night looking for a place to share his story. He is asked questions by an unseen woman about how he came to be there. He avoids people who walk by him, his head covered by his hooded jacket. There are mentions of soldiers and at one point they are confronted by a police officer who doesn’t like the presence of the camera. Primarily filmed over his shoulder, people who walk past seem curious of the camera and linger slightly and we are given a glimpse of life at the city at night, though the subject of the film simply carries on with a sense of purpose. As the man reveals his story he is often cut off by sounds of sirens, or pauses to collect his thoughts; because of this, we know that the short is filmed in real time with jump cuts showing a slight passage of time. The camera is shaking, moving to the movements of someone walking, and the focus changes as the crew follows the man, often the whole shot is blurred and other times everything is in focus. The young man’s story is heart-breaking and saddening to hear from an audience who knows little of the subject he talks about. As he repeats it in a matter of fact manner it is almost difficult to listen to as he admits to having killed people, and has left behind a wife and child. This documentary short film A Short Walk is a brave piece of filmmaking, as it carries the importance of hearing the stories of people who had to escape Donbass region of Ukraine after the war. A Short Walk is one of the films at this year's Cork Film Festival. For more film reviews of other entries, check out our Festivals page. #CorkFilmFestival #shortfilmreviews #Documentary #MonicaJowett #filmreviews #filmreviewsUK

Directed by Michael Cimpher Starring Phyllis MacMahon, Joseph Preedy & Megan Mary Hart Short film review by Monica Jowett A mixture of animation and live action has brought to life a bedtime story full of horror which is retold by a Grandmother to her two young grandchildren before they go to bed, and the same story comes to life later that night. Written by Rishi Vaja and directed by Michael Cimpher, Ella & the Blind Witch is a captivating short film featuring at this year‘s Cork Film Festival. Grandma (Phyllis MacMahon) tells her young grandchildren Tom (Joseph Preedy) and Alice (Megan Mary Hart) an old scary fairy tale before bed about a witch and a monster. But before they are asleep, Tom and Alice worry about whether the story is real or not, and the banging outside the window and horrible screeches they hear make them decide it might actually be genuine. As they hide beneath the sheets in terror, the truth of the story may be far more terrifying than the fiction. The story told by the Grandma, about a blind witch who created a monster that takes children’s eyes to see if they belong to her if they are not in bed asleep, is shown through a lovely piece of animation that creates a divide between the fantasy and the reality. The animation style of fairy tale horror is used powerfully to strike a more dramatic tone to the short film, and uses a clever technique that hints at the finale. The mixture of animation and live action work well together in this fantasy short, and when the two elements merge on screen in one climactic scene the audience will genuinely feel scared alongside the children as they see clawed hands move up the wall. Preedy and Hart effortlessly portray the two children, who are both intrigued and frightened by this story, and in their matching pyjamas stay close to each other for protection. MacMahon as the Grandma, in her telling of this fairy tale, inflicts the dramatic flair to the plot to suck you in and keep you hooked until the end. Ella & the Blind Witch is a delightful short film that brings together animation and live action to tell a fairy tale of scares and horrors. For more film reviews from this year’s Cork Film Festival, visit our Festivals page. #CorkFilmFestival #shortfilmreviews #Shortfilm #MonicaJowett #moviereviews #filmreviews #filmreviewsUK #Animation

Directed by Sam Mendes Starring Daniel Craig, Christopher Waltz, Léa Seydoux & Ralph Fiennes ★★★★★ ​ Film review by William Baldwin Ever since 1962, when Sean Connery played James Bond, the character has had five facelifts. Roger Moore was a charming Bond (personally my favourite Bond) and was underrated in that he could be serious at times, George Lazenby was the Bond no one really remembers since he only played Bond once and had no acting experience, Pierce Brosnan played his bond like a cross between Moore and Connery, with Moore’s witty humour and Connery’s suaveness and toughness. Timothy Dalton was a thespian Bond, using his traditional Shakespearean background and method acting, making Bond have feelings and being deadly serious. Sean Connery (thought by many to be the best actor to portray Bond) was suave, serious and charming. Whilst Daniel Craig before SPECTRE has shown Bond to be more human since he took over the role, competing with the success of the Bourne franchise. The James Bond franchise has gone on for 53 years thanks in part to the actors who have played the secret agent. Unfortunately however, the latest picture is a disappointment. This may all sounds very familiar - we finally have the gun barrel sequence (after four Daniel Craig Bond outings) at the beginning of Spectre that was used at the start of the first twenty official James Bond films. We have the pre – credits sequence, and then the music number sung poorly by Sam Smith, complete with the Maurice Binder inspired opening credits. We have the beautiful ladies Bond goes to bed with. There are the usual outrageous action scenes, though surprisingly not enough for a Bond film. And we have the villain and his lair complete with many baddies for Bond to slay. This for many would be traditional Bond. But for others wanting a more Bourne - esque story and style (which the last three Bond films have been like) they are unlikely to be fully satisfied. After many years on top, the spy franchise has been suffocated by the Bourne series. The plot in the latest Bond film doesn't have a good story in comparison to the first three Bourne films. The storyline is so uninteresting and predictable that it’s likely audiences will get turned off and try to enjoy the other elements of the film instead...although there is not much to get excited about. The action scenes in all of the Bourne films are much better than Spectre, which doesn't have many breathtaking stunts, a strange place to be lacking for a Bond film. Daniel Craig is charming as James Bond and always has that hint of danger. He is personally my third favourite Bond after Roger Moore and Sean Connery. For me Craig lacks Moore’s witty humour and Connery’s natural presence. The heroines in the film act their parts with gusto and strength not just damsels in distress. Oscar winner Christopher Waltz is surprisingly forgettable as main villain Franz Oberhauser. The film before this in the Bond franchise, Skyfall (2012), was very good and hugely raised audiences expectations. So when Spectre was released they were hoping for something better or equal to Skyfall or even Casino Royale (2006), but director Sam Mendes has crafted an unsatisfactory picture here, with many dull scenes and only a handful of solid ones. Bond is quintessentially British, and is the only memorable British fictional hero we have, played four times out of six by a Brit. So that’s why he is an institution in our country and it is important that he continues to be so. If the subsequent films in the franchise turn out to be disappointing like SPECTRE though, the audience will certainly get smaller, even losing some die hard Bond fans in the process. Watch the Trailer for SPECTRE below:​ #SamMendes #DanielCraig #ChristopherWaltz #RalphFiennes #WilliamBaldwin #TheatricalReleases #filmreviews #Britishfilmmaking #filmreviewsUK

Directed by Adam Elliot Short film review by Joseph Banham I can’t tell you how excited I was to see Adam Elliot’s new short film, Ernie Biscuit. The Australian filmmaker is known for his wonderfully touching, darkly comic stop-motion animation. His work first came to my immediate attention a few years back when I saw his debut feature film, Mary and Max (2009), an emotionally stunning film about two unlikely pen pals that embodies the very meaning of the word bittersweet. Elliot’s work is instantly identifiable by having the simple animation style of The California Raisins mixed with the heartbreaking relationships and adult themes of a groundbreaking drama. Ernie Biscuit is no exception. Set in the sixties, Ernie is a reclusive, deaf taxidermist living in Paris. His whole life has been plagued by misfortune as is such the case for all characters in Adam Elliot’s work. A very nasty bullying instance involving a firecracker and an outhouse left a young Ernie bereft of his hearing, turning him completely mute. His only childhood solace was connecting with Nanette, an energetic Jewish girl on his street with whom Ernie fantasized about running away with to Venice and getting married.Their young romance was cut mercilessly short by the invasion of Germany during the Second World War, and Ernie’s childhood sweetheart was never seen again. One day, when a dead pigeon shows up at his taxidermy shop’s doorstep, a slightly inebriated Ernie gets the sudden urge to go to Venice. Structurally, comparisons could be drawn from this setup, of an ageing loner setting off to another country so he can fulfill a childhood promise to his love, to Pixar’s Up, only Ernie’s tale is told with a lot less sentimentality. He packs his bag and boards a plane with his pet duck Edith, whom he originally gave to Nanette as a present. However, due to a mix-up at the airport, the pair accidentally get on a plane that takes them to the deserted Australian outback. Will Ernie ever find the bravery needed to achieve happiness? The film doesn’t actually begin with Ernie’s story; instead, Elliot chooses to show the audience the unfortunate set of circumstances that led to the recently deceased pigeon to end up on his doorstep. The ill-fated pigeon, through no fault of its own, finds itself being knocked out and thrown off a gargoyle, hurtling towards its unpleasant demise. It’s a grim opening that sets up the main idea of the film. The pigeon, like Ernie, is a hapless victim of circumstance; it has been quite literally knocked off its perch by an unfair world and left to rot in the street. Erni has gone through similarly demoralising experiences, leaving him alone and hopeless. The film opens with a rather down to earth quote: “Some days you’re the windscreen… some days the insect”. It is safe to say that Ernie spends most of his days being the latter. All of Adam Elliot’s films thus far have been very similar in their subject matter and visual style. Ernie Biscuit, just like his previous work, is shot in black and white. The monochrome world is perfect for the filmmaker’s mode of storytelling, which often sees eccentric, unique characters plagued by harsh reality and a dull, pessimistic world. The animation strives for simplicity, never attempting to show off with any grand set pieces or effects. The method of animation helps balance the much darker points in the script that remain very serious but are eased through with touches of humour. The amount of movement in the frame is never complex; the compositions often feature only one key action in the shot. The designs of the characters are wonderfully odd, bordering on grotesque, which fits well with the warts and all tone. The film never tries to convince its audience that what they are seeing aren’t clay puppets, allowing instead for the story alone to appeal to an older audience. What the basic animation technique and quirky character models end up achieving is something that resembles a children’s storybook—a film that is told through a series of uncluttered tableaux rather than complex camera movement through meticulously detailed sets. The film also relies heavily on narration, provided, in this case, by previous Elliot collaborator John Flaus, whose smooth, deep voice ties the film together beautifully, once again giving the effect of having a charming children’s tale read to you. It is the juxtaposition of the seemingly child-friendly style and the unflinchingly heavy themes that define Adam Elliot’s work. His films are so effective because, with the film looking and sounding the way it does, the viewer expects the characters to be able to bounce back from any situation and face adversity with bright optimism. This is, of course, not the case for characters such as Ernie, who finds the punishingly unsympathetic nature of the world all too real. The contrast brings a magnifying glass up to the film’s ideas of loneliness and isolation in a way that stands out way more than they would in a conventional drama. It also makes the film feel completely unpretentious; its unassuming voice never comes across as trying to manipulate the audience into a tearful reaction with its characters’ numerous tales of woe. The choice of music is endearingly upbeat and rousing; the film makes ample use of the cheery orchestral piece Eye Level. The triumphant 1812 Overture by Tchaikovsky is later used in the climactic scene to hilarious effect. There is something refreshingly honest about the film, never shying away from presenting Ernie’s hardships as bluntly as possible. The writing never attempts to be overtly poetic; Ernie’s alcoholism is shown with straightforward sincerity, and a later character’s depression and isolation is covered in similar fashion. Yet, it's this very approach that coats the distressing situations in such dark comedy. The result is a film that is completely relatable as well as oddly comforting. Its twenty-minute running time may mean that it doesn’t feature the same calibre of a fully developed, emotionally turbulent relationship as Mary and Max, but it still delivers a more than satisfying mix of joy and pathos. The way Elliot illustrates his world presents a lovingly open message to the audience; life can at times be horrendously tough, especially for some unlucky few, but with perseverance and courage, anyone can succeed. Be the windscreen, not the insect. Ernie Biscuit will feature at this year's Cork Film Festival, you can see film reviews from other entries on our Festivals page. #CorkFilmFestival #JosephBanham #Animation #shortfilmreviews #shortfilm #filmreviews

Directed by Michael Lavers Starring Robert Hardy, Alice Lowe, Oliver Tilney & Ella Road Short film review by Monica Jowett Romance and imagination bring short film Joseph’s Reel to life which follows the story of an old man who upon dying is given the chance to relive one magical day of his life again. Michael Lavers, who writes and directs, brings wonder and love to this film with ease. Joseph (Robert Hardy) has died but before he goes on he is allowed to remember and relive one day from his past, projected onto a cinema screen, his lines from this one day are read to him by the Projectionist (Alice Lowe). Joseph goes back to his younger days where his younger self (Oliver Tilney) is about to have a memorable day with the love of Joseph’s life Rose (Ella Road). However he has to follow the script and relive this one day exactly as it happened all those years ago, or the Projectionist will stop the reel. Being the adventurous man he is, Joseph - both old and young - doesn’t go along with script. An original idea and story, using gorgeous cinematography picturing beautiful countryside suggests one of the fantastical ways to rewrite and experience again the most precious memories. Using some clever editing to intertwine the two stories, Joseph’s Reel is something special. Hardy as the older Joseph shows a man who has a vibrant past; some of which he clearly regrets and Tilney plays a brilliant younger counterpart to that, embodying the regret but also the undying love he has for Rose. Though different actors, they have created one genuine character that is easy to relate to. The rest of the cast also do no wrong. Road as Rose is charming and has a great energy that compliments Tilney as the younger Joseph, and it is easy to see why he would relive any day with her. The Projectionist, portrayed by Lowe is a mysterious character who provides the fantasy element of this short film. Stern and uncompromising, she has an honesty to her that makes you think she might not always enjoy the job she has been set, and can become enthralled with the romance between Joseph and Rose. Within the romance, Joseph’s Reel is a film that shows great storytelling through authentic performances, mesmerising cinematography and camerawork. Lavers has created a solid piece of work that can be relished over again. This short film will feature at the Cork Film Festival 2015. Read more film reviews that will feature on our Festivals page. #CorkFilmFestival #MonicaJowett #filmreviews #shortfilmreviews #shortfilms

Directed by John Carpenter Starring Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis, & Tony Moran #ThrowbackThursday Film Review by Joseph Banham The final stop on our throwback horror film tour is, aptly so, John Carpenter’s Halloween (1978). Thought by many to be the quintessential film to watch on Hallows’ Eve, in the same way that It’s A Wonderful Life (1946) has become synonymous with Christmas. The film helped establish the idea of the teen slasher film, a sub-genre that Hollywood loves to revisit to this day, revamping it with a whole host of new gimmickry. It is very rare, though, that any of the modern waves of stalk ‘n slash films are ever able to hold a candle to the classics (The Gallows, anyone?). So what makes Halloween hold up as such an important piece of horror cinema? Let’s go back to the autumnal streets of Haddonfield, Illinois (actually shot in California in the spring) and explore the legacy of Michael Myers. The plot of the film follows Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee-Curtis), a typical high school teenager trying to make some money by babysitting her neighbour’s kids, who starts seeing a mysterious masked figure around her street and outside by her house. It turns out that this menace is one Michael Myers (Nick Castle), a murderous lunatic who had been put away in a mental institution 15 years prior after the brutal murder of his sister on Halloween night. Now, just as the 31st of October is rolling around again, Myers has managed to escape from his captivity, much to the dismay of Dr. Sam Loomis (Donald Pleasence), who had been documenting Michael’s unstable psychiatric state and is the only person who truly knows what horrendous acts he is capable of. Myers returns to his hometown of Haddonfield where he seeks to continue his craze of slaughtering innocent teens, with his sights set on Laurie and her friends. The film was made on a very modest budget, which mostly works to its advantage (it often does in horror). The opening titles are laid over a simple shot of a jack-o’-lantern as the main musical motif slowly builds. John Carpenter composed the music for the film himself. The famous, high-pitched main theme came about from Carpenter wanting to write a theme in an irregular 5/4 time signature. The unconventional rhythm and chillingly soft piano key melody creates a theme that is appropriately spine-chilling, as well as being oddly disorientating. The score reminds me of Bernard Herrmann’s music for Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo, in that it brilliantly emulates the feeling of madness. The music feels like a spiral, not having a clear starting or end point; it feels like a dark descent into madness. It’s hard to think of another piece of horror film music that so successfully embeds itself into the brain and is instantly associated with feelings of dread. The opening scene is a masterful example of well-choreographed, suspenseful staging. The scene is shot in all one take, with the use of the Steadicam. Yes, before Stanley Kubrick was lauded in 1980 for his innovative Steadicam work in The Shining, John Carpenter had used it first for a horrific point-of-view shot of a deranged killer creeping through a suburban house. Carpenter borrows a similar idea from Steven Spielberg’s Jaws (1975), starting off the audience in the mind of the antagonist. The sequence is so well orchestrated that it comes as a genuine shock when it’s revealed that the killer is no more than a child—the young Michael, to be exact. The creative use of camerawork continues all the way through the film, with many disconcerting, lingering shots. Jamie Lee Curtis gives a fine performance as Laurie. She gives the role a suitable likeability, making Laurie an intelligent, sweet, and slightly reserved teenage girl. In other words, the perfect heroine for a movie of this ilk. She stands in stark contrast to her more lively, promiscuous friends, Lynda (P.J. Soles) and Annie (Nancy Kyes). If there is a problem with the film, then it’s in its dialogue. More specifically, it’s in its attempts at humour. The interactions between the three girls towards the beginning of the film, as they have a casual conversation about boyfriends, school and babysitting, seems incredibly awkward and stilted. Lynda’s penchant for saying the word ‘totally’ is an example of the script not letting an unfunny joke go. Then again, it results in a character that is thoroughly annoying, which I presume was the intended effect. As far as the acting goes, it is Donald Pleasence as the fearful psychiatrist Sam Loomis who steals the show. Taking the role of the foreboding old man who no one listens to, Pleasence fills every one of his monologues about the unstoppable evil of Michael with appropriate dread and trepidation. It is the character of Loomis who builds up the suspense surrounding the film, communicating so much to the audience through a single nervous look in his eye, cementing the idea that Michael is not a man; he is a monster, one with no rhyme or reason. When it comes to horror slasher villains, Michael Myers has the reputation of being one of the most influential. It should be noted, however, that he is not the first—that title belongs to Norman Bates from Psycho, a film that Halloween owes a huge debt to. In fact, Myers wasn’t even the first holiday themed killer to hunt defenseless teens on the big screen; 1974’s Black Christmas predates the film with its festive murders. Michael Myers was, however, the first slasher villain to set the long-standing archetype, due to the success of Halloween and its introduction of themes and ideas that have now become standard horror conventions. Many others followed this pattern, creating similarly iconic villains including Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, and Ghostface from the self-referential Scream series. Myers is not a frantic, energetic killer—he doesn’t showcase any of the odious wit and quipping of Krueger, and is all the more threatening because of it. At times, Michael’s actions make him still feel like a child, which is fitting considering his incarceration from a very young age. He acts very subdued, almost zombified, as he slowly wanders around the neighbourhood and towards his victims, like a lost soul rejected from the world. The only motive given for Michael by the film is that he is simply pure evil, that he is a deeply disturbed individual with no instilled morality. It is like he is an inhuman creature from a whole other world, viewing human beings as playthings he can torment and destroy. Unfortunately, the enigmatic terror surrounding Michael is mostly dissipated in later entries to the series where the writers do attempt to explain his origin story and motivation in more depth, with awkwardly contrived results. And the less said about Rob Zombie’s 2007 remake, where the whole first half of the film is dedicated to Michael’s childhood, the better. Carpenter gives his villain a supernatural edge, complete with superhuman strength and the ability to suddenly vanish from view. This approach leads to one of the most iconic shots in all of horror, one that has been referenced and parodied time after time. Laurie looks out her window to see Myers silently standing outside, staring back at her; she jumps back in fright, and when she looks back a split second later, Myers is gone. Having the killer act in such a ghostlike way creates a constant uncertainty amongst the audience, who are never really sure where he could be lurking in the shadows. This is most emphasised in the film’s ending, where Myers disappears off into the night after Laurie and Dr. Loomis have supposedly killed him. The film ends with several shots of dark rooms and empty streets, as the sound of heavy breathing through a mask can be heard. It’s an unnervingly effective ending for the film, suggesting that Michael is still very much alive, omnipresent behind every door and in every window. I find Halloween to be one of the most accessible horror films ever made. Its simple premise makes it very easy to be able to get into and enjoy; there is no convoluted setup, no odd gimmicks (those were saved for the sequels), just plain and simple stalk and slash fun. For me, even though I find Carpenter’s The Thing (1982) the director’s best work, Halloween still reigns triumphant when it comes to choosing a film for a dark, spooky October night. Sure, some of the dialogue feels unnaturally forced, and some more cynical viewers may find the teenage stereotypes and jump scare theatrics a little outdated, but the fact remains that Halloween created a lasting impact on the horror genre. For better or for worse, its legacy still influences modern horror today. So whether you are staying in with a scary movie or going trick or treating, enjoy Halloween everybody! And remember, no matter what you’re doing, to always check the shadows; you never know who or what may be hiding in them. For more "fill-your-pants-scary" film reviews click here. #ThrowbackThursday #JosephBanham #JohnCarpenter #Horror #Filmreviews

The Closer We Get Directed by Karen Guthrie Starring Karen Guthrie, Ian Guthrie & Ann Guthrie Documentary film review by Chris Olson ★★★★★ The Closer We Get is a documentary that first appears as a glance at the frailty of the human body, depicting the small town life of a Scottish family that circles around stroke-sufferer Ann. But the film actually propels the viewer into a deeper exploration of the frailty of human emotion, one that is utterly engrossing, heart-breaking and emotionally challenging. Karen Guthrie's filmmaking is close to mastery. Daughter to Ann, Karen narrates the documentary and tells of the paradox feeling of caring for someone full time - the tireless effort it requires, as well as the monotonous routines it produces. However, before the viewer is able to settle into to a housewife-heroine story, enter Ian. Father of the family, husband to Ann, Ian is the catalyst the accelerates Guthrie’s documentary into a whole other level, as Ian’s secrets and reckless behaviour are left to unfold before the unsuspecting viewer. Blame is seemingly to be dished out in one main direction, but the crossroads of this epic family drama are utterly wayward, and tragic. As the reality of needing connection and inheritance in life becomes more and more obvious, Karen's objective to display her father’s antics becomes muddied, shifting her punishing treatment of her father into herself and seeing too many similarities to his recklessness for comfort. Regret, time, family, happiness are floating around in a swampy soup of blinding uncertainty, as the lives of these family members seem pathologically dependent on the behaviour of the other. Except for tIan, who operates in a confusing array of good intentions, poor decisions and blissful ignorance. His booming voice and easy chuckle signify his larger than life attitude, but his obvious lack of clear direction and responsibility are evident in his attempts to rectify the future. Karen seems to lead the conversations her way at times during the documentary, knowing the answers before they come out which shapes her narrative. But the baffling nature of this human drama is more than enough to surprise. Shocks and revelations keep pouring out til the end as do the humble lessons which are raised. A touching score accompanies the film, making for a worthy partner to Guthrie's intimate framing. Scenes are edited well, with plenty of variety to avoid a sterile cinematography and also paralleling the multiple viewpoints which are circulating in this claustrophobic home. What is lovely to see is that the mum's vulnerable physical condition is only played on when totally needed. This is not a cry for pity for the sufferers of strokes, or even how the families struggle - The Closer We Get is an affecting portrait life. This is Bold filmmaking with devastating emotion; brutal, beautiful, tragic and dizzying. Watch the trailer below... #Documentary #ChrisOlson #Britishfilmmaking #SupportIndieFilms

Directed by Marcus McSweeney Written by Sheila Duncan and Marcus McSweeney Starring Eileen Davies and Gawn Grainger Short film review by Hannah Sayer The definition of henpecked is for a woman to continually criticise and order about her husband. With outstanding but contrasting performances from the silent Gawn Grainger and the oppressive, fear invoking Eileen Davies, Hen Pecked is a masterful depiction of how the ill stricken husband in this destructive marriage finally takes a stand against their mutual long term suffering. The film begins with Stan, played by Gawn Grainger, lying in a casket, as he suddenly gasps and the shot turns to black. This sets up a creepy tone, suggesting that this is foreshadowing his fate. The direction moves forward to the actual beginning of the film, as the audience is given a tour of the hens being farmed outside and then inside the couple’s home, where there are a great number of hen ornaments around the living room. Stan is using an oxygen mask and is sat in the living room, surrounded by these ornaments; a metaphor for how he is penned in and ‘henpecked’ by his wife, as he is unable to escape from her horrible clutches. The viewer starts to feel uneasy at the relationship between the two characters, as Cynthia, played by Eileen Davies, accuses Stan in a threatening way of moving ornaments. As he takes his pills, he spills water on the floor, causing Cynthia to shout at him about how he has contaminated “my bloody carpet” with his “bodily fluids”. Stan’s incapability and severe deterioration in health is clear. Cynthia’s cruelty and self absorption is made apparent as she uses the personal pronoun “my” when describing the carpet in the home which the married couple share. There is no doubt about it that this is a marriage controlled by her cruel rules. Cynthia’s focus on the past is relentless, as she continuously talks about Mr Piper, her old boss who she used to work for as his secretary. Her intentions are clear as she tries to make Stan jealous by insinuating that he is incapable of measuring up to the greatness that is Mr Piper. She blames him for the loss of their child, suggesting that it is his “bodily fluids”, again, which have been the cause of all their grief. Her suggested lack of sanity is prevalent as the film progresses, which is especially clear when she refers to her hen ornaments scattered round the room as their children, a disturbing and yet another reference to the predominant theme of being henpecked. From the outset there is a predominant focus on hands; from Cynthia handling the hen’s eggs and ornaments to Stan’s shaking hands, where he finally rebels after his dreamlike vision of rebellion. This foreshadowing of the final outcome of the film is clever when it is tracked that this visual imagery is used throughout, but only proving its significance as the film comes to a close. Marcus McSweeney creates an eerie and unsettling atmosphere throughout as he paints a heartbreaking picture of a marriage where not love, but suffering is shared. The ending does not leave the audience with certain answers as to whether Stan has triumphed over the oppressive nature of Cynthia, but we are left with hope that he has finally got through to her and shown her that he is no longer putting up with her abuse. Hen Pecked is among the other short films featuring at this year's Cork Film Festival. #CorkFilmFestival #shortfilmreviews #HannahSayer #shortfilm

Written and Directed by Victor Kaczmarczyk Starring Derek D’Arcy, Edelle Notte, Leo Silva Jeffs, David Healy Short film review by Hannah Sayer In this short film by Victor Kaczmarczyk, a driver trying to impress his passenger leads to him playing games with a young, in training police officer in order to avoid a speeding ticket. Liar follows a car journey, where the filming starts off from the back seat of the car, as if the viewer is witnessing the events that are about to take place as if they were a part of the action. There are two people in the car; a man driving and his passenger, a woman who is wearing sunglasses and seems uninterested with the driver, as she provocatively sucks her lollipop. The man driving continuously looks to his left, seemingly aggravated by the woman’s clear disinterest in anything other than gazing out of the window and her lollipop. The driver continues to turn the music up as he drives along, while continuing to glance at her as the music gets louder. The focus then cuts to another car, where a police officer is training a young officer on how to measure the speeds of cars. If they’re over the limit, he is told to pull them over. Then the sequence returns to the other car, where the driver is still trying to gain his passenger's diverted attention. The camera then focuses on the speed dial in the car, as we watch as the driver accelerates from 60 to 80. With no dialogue between the driver and the passenger from the start to the finish of the film, the viewer is unaware of what is going on between them. The music on the radio masks the silence. But, Kaczmarczyk cleverly diverts our attention to the climbing speed, as the viewer themselves makes the connection between the acceleration and the fact that the officer is likely to stop them at any moment. As expected, the young officer pulls over the car after registering the readings. The driver is certainly a mysterious figure. He informs the officer that he doesn’t have a license after drink driving, that the car is stolen and he bluntly states that the owner of the stolen car is in the boot. Tension begins to rise as the audience questions the dangerous nature of the driver. This is reinforced through the loud setting of the motorway, as cars race by. However, this can also be criticised, as even though it adds to the dramatic and tense nature of the narrative, the dialogue between the driver and the young officer can seem muffled and blurred out by the endless cycle of traffic. The significance of the title “Liar” is now reinforced, as the audience learns that the driver was in fact lying to the young officer when he shows the other police officer his license and reveals that the vehicle wasn’t in fact stolen. Learning that there is nothing in the boot, a sense of relief carries the short remainder of the film, as the comedic nature of the joke that has been taken can be appreciated. The female passenger finally seems to be impressed, as she eventually looks at her driver, takes her sunglasses off and smiles at him as they drive away. We never hear a word uttered from the woman, whose face we do not completely see until right at the end, when she removes her sunglasses. The ambiguous nature of her character and her relationship with the driver is frustrating as these questions are never answered, leaving them up for interpretation. The focus on her throughout though suggests her importance, as shots are always left to linger on her sucking the lollipop, sensually and seductively, as this is repeated throughout with only her mouth in frame. Overall, Liar is a short film that doesn’t necessarily leave a long lasting impression, but it is certainly one which is a fun and quirky tale. It features at this year's Cork Film Festival. #CorkFilmFestival #shortfilmreviews #HannahSayer #filmreviews

Written and Directed by Peter King ​Starring Alex Harvey, Tyrone Lee Davis, Peter Silva, Niall Phillips, Isis Davis, Darren Douglas, Jason Rocks Short film review by Hannah Sayer From first glance, the title of this short film from Peter King leads the audience to believe the subject matter will focus on cocaine and gang culture’s prevalence in today’s society. However, the misleading nature of the title is the initial example of how the ‘mockumentary’ style of the piece is in place right from the outset. Crack focuses on two gangs on the streets of London who are fighting over what can only be assumed is something serious. However, the cause of their clash is conkers. Rather than dealing drugs, the dealing of conkers is used to provide a social commentary on today’s youth culture. The interview style intercut within the narrative with the different gang members allows for a realistic, documentary approach, which is then cleverly satirized through the fighting over conkers. The threatening sincerity evoked through fighting talk, for example “you come around here again and you’re dead”, seems ridiculous and comical when remembering the cause of the tension. The initial fight progresses to a battle between the two kings of the groups, including one who is nicknamed ‘the Conkerer’. This group goes to a cook who is making drugs, where we learn that the group is making money through the dealing of conkers. In this room there is a poster with the statement ‘legalise conkers - one love’ printed on it. This links back to a sign on the street earlier which said ‘no conkers’. These signs are signifying that conkers are illegal, like drugs, and that people are dealing and producing them behind closed doors so they are not caught. They taste and weigh the conkers, directly mimicking the drug dealing business and the people who buy and sell them. This is all over exaggerated and taken seriously to parody today’s society and the ever prevalent existence of an illegal drug culture. Crack ends with the highly dramatic final conker fight, which King directs to be almost theatrical in the way that it seems staged. When one group is defeated, the final line of the narrative is that they’re: “Always looking for something to fight over - maybe marbles”. The deadpan style of humour in this short film is reminiscent of the UK sitcom The Office, especially in this final shot. This is said with the actor looking directly at the camera as the interview comes to a close, leaving a thought provoking message with the audience as it jokes but puts into context that people will always clash and that fighting between groups of people will always occur, no matter the physical object, or substance, causing this tension. King is successful in the way that this mockumentary doesn’t take itself too seriously but it is subconsciously thoughtful in the way that it tackles issues of gang culture and drug crime. Crack is a short film which will feature at this year's Cork Film Festival. Check out more film reviews for other entries on our Festivals page. #CorkFilmFestival #shortfilmreviews #HannahSayer #Britishfilmmaking #SupportIndieFilms #shortfilm

Directed by Jack O'Shea Starring Hugh O'Conor & Declan Conlon Short film review by Monica Jowett This abstract and unique animated short film from Jack O’Shea is a piece of wonderful animation about two robbers; one is a man who follows the orders of the other - a dog - to wear a coat that has impossible pockets. In a film noir style, with tilted lines and monochrome colours, A Coat Made Dark has Peter (Hugh O’Conor) a man who is reluctant to go along with Midnight (Declan Conlon) a shady anthropomorphic dog who uses a stolen coat that provides him with infinite wealth as its pockets are brimming with gold and other secrets. Midnight teaches Peter ‘things he didn’t want to know’ and uses Peter for the coat. As Peter narrates, we come to understand how manipulative and odd Midnight is which is making Peter uncomfortable, so he takes a stand and leaves with the mysterious coat that has impossible pockets. However the dog wants the coat so much he follows Peter as he meets a girl, and once again manipulates Peter so he can stay close the coat. Mystery surrounds this story, which is further demonstrated through the animation and music. The animation is often simple, like head tilts, walking or clothes blowing in the wind. When we see what is inside the pocket, it is animated like a night sky as the dots and colours shift, implying the pockets go on infinitely. Animated in monochrome colours of black and grey creates a noir effect, the short still gives a lot of detail to the setting, and the darkness makes the story shrouded in intrigue. At times, the colour pink is used and has a stark contrast to the black and white. The eponymous coat is the colour pink; highlighting the enigmatic qualities the coat has and suggests its darkness is from its peculiar qualities and not its colour. There are other uses of colour, for objects like glasses and watches, which stand out against the black and grey. Silhouettes are frequently used for trees and houses, and detailed patterns show brickwork and tiling. The use of tilted angles in an off kilter design further builds this short film as a noir. The music, from composer Neil O’Connor, makes use of howling winds and high screeching sounds that add to the intensity and mystery of the film. An interesting piece of animation from Jack O’Shea and crew, A Coat Made Dark is a piece that would attract anyone with a love for noir or an alternative style of animation. This short film will feature at this year's Cork Film Festival. See more film reviews of other entries, check out our Film Festivals page.

Written & Directed by Steve Oram Starring Julian Barratt, Lucy Honigman, Tom Meeten, Steve Oram ★★★★★ Indie film review by Monica Jowett Sightseers (2012) star Steve Oram makes his directorial debut Aaaaaaaah! in which he also writes and stars, as a satirical view of the world populated by humans who inexplicably act like apes. Almost as though it’s an abstract performance art piece, Aaaaaaaah! happens to be a surprisingly funny take on what life would be like if everyone behaved with an ape-like mentality. It follows the alpha Smith (Steve Oram) and his beta Keith (Tom Meeten) who have moved in to take over a local community of ape people in an alternative version of South London. First of all they have to overthrow the current alpha Ryan (Julian Rhind-Tutt) which they do in a comical and violent manner, during and following a scene which could be described as one of the weirdest house parties you’ve ever seen! There Smith catches the eye of, and impresses with his alpha theatrics, Denise (Lucy Honigman); a troubled and unhappy female. However the female alpha Barabara (Toyah Willcox) is not pleased Smith has taken over from Ryan, so he has to win her over too. Throughout this, a sub plot emerges of the former alpha Jupiter (Julian Barratt) who has stuck around the area, looking for his opportunity to reclaim his alpha status. An indie film like this is hard to pin down; it is bizarre in so many ways. The cinematography uses a handheld camera approach, giving it an arthouse and chaotics feel, and the editing, by Oram himself, shows us just how low budget the film is, but also the type of films you can make with the willingness of a cast of talented British actors. They must have been willing too, as there is no dialogue within the film, everyone communicates with grunts, whoops and arm flailing and there are many scenes featuring unusual activities for humans, though not so much for animals, as there is an abundance of nudity, violence and everyone just lets loose. Aaaaaaaah! does make a point of showing the animalistic way that men act toward women and each other in the fight for dominance, often in a sexual way, but whether Oram wanted there to be an underlying message for the film remains to be seen. Despite this confusion of acting and a slow start to the film, the story is easy enough to follow, and though there is a lack of speech, the characters emerge well defined; it is easy to see who the alpha is, much like in a nature documentary. Already known for good scriptwriting, Aaaaaaaah! is an odd direction to take for a directing debut. Genre defying but with a clear comedy centre, this is not a film for all audiences. However it will stay in your head, even if that thought was ‘it is such a weird film’. Steve Oram's film will feature at this year's Cork Film Festival - you can find more film reviews of other entries on our Festivals page. #CorkFilmFestival #MonicaJowett #Indiefilm #SupportIndieFilms #Britishfilmmaking #SteveOram