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Written and directed by Lee Whittaker Starring Gianna Gomez & Carlotta Elektra Bosch Film review by Monica Jowett Drugs and violence are things children shouldn’t be surrounded by, and so to escape these, Isabella (Gianna Gomez) uses her vivid imagination to enter into a mystical world and tries to protect the bond she has with her mother (Carlotta Elektra Bosch) in the short film Catching Fireflies. Living in the ghetto in Los Angeles is difficult for a child, especially with an addict mother. Isabella survives through disappearing into her imagination, seeing beautiful women, fairies and fireflies that show her there is something better in the world than the death and disease she is surrounded by. Helped by the kindness of strangers who take pity on the young girl, Isabella sees the magic in the world where her mother sees only a place for her next fix. A bright and intelligent girl she welcomes anything extraordinary, such as Elijah’s (Stephen Boss) dancing, her face lighting up at this new wonderment. Her strength and optimism is ultimately her downfall, as she does not notice her danger until it is too late, choosing to see the beauty in a bad situation. Gomez is a delight to watch on screen, showing great enthusiasm for her character. A simple but mesmerising script easily captures the essence of the film, and also provides a powerful message of the issue of homeless children. Written and directed by Lee Whittaker, it is easy to see how he cares for the story and provides all of the actors with a lot of substance to create a heartfelt, captivating film. Visually, Catching Fireflies is enchanting, channelling the mystical elements of the story. When Isabella is caught up in her imagination, the lighting is used to create each scene as though from another world with filters, and shadows. Also, the close up framing of Isabella emphasises how she longs for escape with her mother. Alongside this, the music adds to the magic presented in the short film, feeling both sad and warm. The energy of the music feels closely connected to the story and is uplifting yet heart breaking. This whimsical and magical short film shows the importance of creativity in children, especially in the less fortunate. Gorgeously filmed with engaging actors, Catching Fireflies is a heartfelt, bewitching film about Isabella’s ability to find wonder in a horrific reality. You can watch the Catching Fireflies film trailer below... #shortfilmreviews #Monicajowett #CatchingFireflies #SupportIndieFilm

Written and Directed by M. Night Shyamalan Starring Olivia DeJonge, Ed Oxenbould, Deanna Dunagan ★★★ Review by William Baldwin M. Night Shyamalan has had an uneven career. He had great success with the brilliantly original The Sixth Sense (1999) and then showed he is not a one hit wonder with his follow up film Unbreakable (2000), which was very good. Since then, apart from the above average The Village (2004), everything else he has made from Signs (2002) to The Happening (2008) to The Lady in the Water (2006) to The Last Airbender (2010) and After Earth (2013) have been surprisingly poor for a director who started off so well. However, I’m happy to say I recommend Shyamalan’s latest film, The Visit. The film begins with two fatherless children living with their mother. One day the two children decide to visit their grandparents who they have never met before, so the mother can go on holiday with her boyfriend. Once they reach their grandparents house all seems normal at first, but as time goes on unusual and threatening behaviour from the grandparents begins to occur. The Visit is a bizarre horror comedy, (a kind of Hansel and Gretel for grownups) that does its job with the scares; I counted three times I jumped. Shyamalan has shown in the past he knows how to get a scare out of a scene and shows it in this film. The horror moments are originally constructed at times but there are moments in the film which are just created in order to just get a shock reaction, which detracts from the enjoyment of the film. Surprisingly, The Visit is funny in places, especially when virtual newcomer Ed Oxenbould (who arguably steals the film) does his random rapping, which is not only funny but is impressive for a child actor. Oxenbould has some other funny moments in the film, one in particular is when he sees his grandma naked, he quips that he is “blind” after seeing this. Olivia DeJonge doesn’t offer more comedy support, but plays her part straight, in a way that feels very truthful. Both actors are Australian and both put on convincing American accents. I will be surprised if the actress who plays the grandma (Deanna Dunagan) in the film doesn’t appear in another horror movie, she is very scary and disturbing in her role. The actor Peter Mcrobbie plays the grandfather in the film, I last saw him in Brokeback Mountain as the cold father of Jake Gyllenhaal’s character. A memorable performance considering he had so little screen time. In this film he, like the grandma character, are both played as normal at times but at other times display psychotic tendencies. But I wasn’t scared of Mcrobbie’s character, this may be the fault of the screenwriter. Shyamalan who also wrote the film should have invented a couple of scenes where Mr Mcrobbie could have shown more of his darker side. The performances are generally good but is the film one might ask? Well The Visit holds up very well for the first three quarters but loses its way at the end. At the finale Shyamalan doesn’t seem to know how to end the film in a satisfactory way, which is disappointing because this could have been on par with Unbreakable. #TheVisit #MKnightShyamalan #WilliamBaldwin #TheatricalReleases #UKFilmReviews

Directed by Peter Weir Starring Robin Williams, Robert Sean Leonard & Ethan Hawke Review by Chris Olson "Oh Captain, My Captain" Remember that one, truly inspirational teacher at school? No, me neither, but if I had had one, he would probably have resembled Robin Williams’ John Keating from Dead Poets Society. Set during the 1950s, in an all-boys private school, Keating is a controversial and inspirational teacher, who not only manages to get his stuffy-prep students interested in poetry, but also inspires them in other aspects of their lives. Keating urges his pupils to seize the day, finding the beauty in the world and to dream - a mission statement which bangs head on with the school’s curriculum, not to mention the uptight parents. By using unorthodox teaching methods, Keating is able to show the boys life outside their insular, privileged existence, teaching them to become individuals and free-thinkers. Acting almost as a precursor to the decade which would follow, the boys soon find their lifestyle at loggerheads with the “man”. Overall though, the film delivers a heart-warming message about the importance of identity, as well as making prudent comments about education and childhood - it may just seem a little out of place with the “Attack The Block” generation. #ThrowbackThursday #RobinWilliams #ChrisOlson #EthanHawke

Written and Directed by Lee Kolinsky Starring Joseph A. Halsey, Russ Camarda, Tony Kost Michael Riccio, Robert Helmers Review by Monica Jowett Short filmmaker Lee Kolinsky delivers a New Yorkian crime tale about revenge, with stylish poise and authentic performances. Over the last 15 years, Angelo (Joseph A. Halsey) has worked his way to the top of the crime family, using a music producer front to fend off the FBI. However, an old friend Roman (Michael Riccio) is out of prison and out for revenge to get his former life back. Confronted by an FBI agent (Russ Camarda) who gives thinly veiled threats to Angelo’s legitimate business dealings, suggests he’s after a way to get Angelo and bring him down. That’s when Roman is released after just 15 years, and is more than ready to get back what is his. And Angelo is more than surprised to see his old friend return. Films of this genre regularly fall flat with audiences, with the bar being raised so high with classic crime movies like The Godfather trilogy, films from Martin Scorsese, or even high end TV shows like Boardwalk Empire, saturating viewers with endless "gangster" references. It is really important for any filmmaker attempting this type of movie to remain original and avoid clichés...unless you have Joe Pesci in the cast list, in which case just give him a pen and let him run wild. That being said, there is a carefully written script, with noir style direction is brilliant for this short film Stand Up Guy, capturing a small part of a gangster life. With each actor fitting their part, down to the New York accent and smart suits, makes this short is a great piece with punchy dialogue from writer director Lee Kolinksy, who continues to impress with his filmmaking skills. Click here to read a review of Kolinsky's other short film "Bullified". #shortfilmreviews #MonicaJowett #LeeKolinsky

Directed by Baltasar Kormákur Starring Jason Clarke, Jake Gyllenhaal, Josh Brolin, John Hawkes, Sam Worthington, Robin Wright, Michael Kelly, Keira Knightley, & Emily Watson Review by Jack Martin Movies like Everest are simply made for IMAX. Taking advantage of its already impressive sound system and conveying those spectacular images onto one pretty big screen, in 3D no less, this is a film that screams to be seen purely on that format to get the most out of it. It’s certainly a visual spectacle, but is that all it has going for it? Based on real-life events, specifically the disastrous 1996 attempt by a group of climbers to reach the top of Mount Everest, the film also allows us to at the very least recognise some of the key players who would meet their fate on the highest mountain on Earth. Among them is New Zealand mountaineer and expedition group leader Rob Hall (Jason Clarke), who we first meet as he’s saying farewell to his pregnant wife Jan (Keira Knightley), American climbers Beck (Josh Brolin) and Doug (John Hawkes), and Hall’s American rival leader Scott Fischer (Jake Gyllenhaal) who later combines his own team with Hall’s in a joint effort to reach the top. They and a select few others soon become caught up in the dangerous conditions nearer the summit of Everest, and fight for survival amidst an all-consuming blizzard which, as history sadly dictates, would end up claiming the lives of many who dared to venture up there on that fateful day. If this had been a product of unoriginal writers throwing about ideas for disaster films in the wake of Gravity’s success, then it would have been an ambitious but unmemorable attempt to break through the genre, more like Twister or Dante’s Peak than Alfonso Cuarón’s Oscar-winning work. However, the fact that it is all based on true events and depicts real-life people as characters within the narrative, keeping their stories and personalities relatively close to reality, gives it more of an edge over the more atypical Hollywood natural disaster schlock. Writers Simon Beaufoy and William Nicholson understand the importance of making the audience care about what’s happening and who it’s happening to, rather than just having the visual effects and high production values take over, and their joint screenplay gives the characters the opportunity to be people we want to see succeed and get out of harm’s way. This is especially important since these people are mostly all people who truly went up Mount Everest at that time, and to represent them in ways that would perhaps be more negative than it may have been in real life would have been very disrespectful. Luckily, Beaufoy and Nicholson give them enough depth and likability in their script so that when things do happen to them, you’re genuinely on the edge of your seat in anticipation of what might happen next. Amazingly, even in a cast as large and expansive as this one, a good chunk of the actors are given enough screen time to make their appearances fairly memorable. This is very much an ensemble piece, with no particular actor standing out amongst the rest, but each cast member gives a strong performance that both honours and respects the real-life figure they’re portraying, whether they’re deceased or still living, while also exhibiting a flare for more physical acting in the (simulated) conditions of harsh snowstorms. Even actors with less to do than others, such as Emily Watson’s base camp co-ordinator or both Knightley and Robin Wright as the waiting wives of two key mountaineers, still find ways to shine with their limited material. Again, there are no real standouts since everyone seems to be on the same wavelength as one another, but as an ensemble it’s a talented group of people working well with what they’re given. The closest we do get to a standout, however, is undoubtedly with the titular character. As a gigantic spectacle, Mount Everest is absolutely breath-taking – no, really; characters need oxygen tanks as they get higher and higher – and is one that absolutely deserves both its IMAX presentation and its 3D display. Icelandic director Baltasar Kormákur, perhaps best known in the English-speaking world as the director of action-comedy 2 Guns with Mark Wahlberg and Denzel Washington, takes full advantage of the mountain’s incredible scenery to create some gorgeous shots that would feel right at home in a David Attenborough documentary, and we mean that as a compliment. His grasp of the 3D angle also makes for some extremely nerve-wracking imagery; when the camera delivers a bird’s-eye shot of the lengthy chasm beneath what’s known as the Hillary Step, it’s absolutely terrifying thanks to the depth that the technology provides. However, when the blizzard does make its way to severely disrupt things, the IMAX sound system really goes out of its way to create those vibrations that make you truly feel the sheer force of the wind these characters are facing. Honestly, we’d recommend an IMAX viewing based on this sequence alone, it’s that powerful. Make no mistake; the way it’s portrayed in this movie, Mount Everest is a pure beast of nature. Whether it will truly become a new classic amongst disaster movie aficionados remains to be seen, but Everest is certainly a strong retelling of a true-life tragedy that benefits enormously from the IMAX 3D format as well as a script that never forgets to make us care about what’s going on. Give it a watch purely on that format; it’s worth the climb. To read more reviews by Jack Martin, visit - http://www.filmfeeder.co.uk/everest-review/ #Everest #JakeGyllenhaal #JackMartin #TheatricalReleases

Pitch Perfect 2 Directed by Elizabeth Banks Starring Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson & Elizabeth Banks ★★★ Review by Chris Olson Set in an imaginary world where a cappella is immensely popular, Pitch Perfect 2 picks up the microphone after the mic drop that was Pitch Perfect (2012), where mash-ups and throw-downs created a dizzyingly popular mainstream hit. This encore from Elizabeth Banks fails to carry the tune with a more interesting sequel, instead opting for a playlist of pop song sequences that is more karaoke than cool. Beca (Anna Kendrick) is in her last year of college, interning at a hipster record label and hoping to move on from her singing group, the Barden Bells, imminently. And after a disastrous performance in front of an esteemed audience (which included Barack O’bama), in which Fat Amy’s (Rebel Wilson) nether regions were exposed and the group are put on ice by their college professors, it seems Beca’s hopes could easily be realised. Loopholes are found though, and soon the plot is back on a familiar trajectory as the Bells take their tunes to Europe, hoping to compete in another a cappella competition, in order to restore their reputation. Joining the ranks is Emily (Hailee Steinfeld), daughter of a Bell legend, whose “original songs” threaten the way of life of these instrument-less vocalists who heavily rely on covers. A sequel was pretty unnecessary, but audiences were excited to return to the fun world of girl power ballads, and spunky pop mash ups, with the likable cast of oddball outcasts led by Kendrick. The disappointment with Pitch Perfect 2 is that it keeps its strengths hidden by the endless montages of unlikely sing-offs, performed by a melting pot of clueless young adults. Banks, perhaps at the behest of studio execs, opts for lots of songs loosely strung together with the thinnest of plot threads, without trudging the more difficult path of a compelling story. Kendrick is given her music career subplot, but this is superficial and ultimately ends up following a similar structure to a singing competition. All that being said, Pitch Perfect 2 does hit some nice notes along the way. The musical set pieces are well formulated and will appeal strongly to a younger demographic, with some entertaining goofs. Rebel Wilson throws in her tried-and-tested comedy, although the Fat Amy persona, ironically, wears a little thin by the end. Kendrick is her usual brilliant self, although seems lost amongst the noise and clamour. Pitched to a younger audience, this second outing lacked the charm and originality of the first Pitch Perfect. With such an arsenal of acting talent and popularity, it seems a shame the franchise moved into familiar sequel territory of shallow theatrics. If a second encore happens, it will be likely that the players will be returning to a much diminished audience. Pitch Perfect 2 is out on DVD and Blu-ray in the UK September 21. #PitchPerfect2 #DVDReview #ChrisOlson #AnnaKendrick #ElizabethBanks #RebelWilson

Written, Produced & Directed by Geoff Harmer Review by Joseph Banham There is something inherently creepy about the obscure and ambiguous; the terror of indistinct figures lurking inconspicuously at the edge of a frame. Films such as “Sinister” (2012) put this fear to good use, with its demon appearing subtly in the background of old home movies, as well as “Insidious” (2011) which features a sequence where the main antagonist slowly draws closer and closer in a series of progressively menacing photographs. Both films draw from the idea of an unknown force who is only visible through visual media, building suspense from the thought that the hostile spectre could always be present around the characters, they just are unable to see it; when they do, it’s just a fleeting glimpse in the form of a blurry photograph or the freeze frame of a shaky handheld video. It is from this primal fear that Geoff Harmer crafts his horror short “Selfie”. The film stars Stacy Hart as an unnamed young woman in her living room at night. As she starts having a text conversation with her boyfriend, sending him flirtatious selfies, she soon starts to realise from his replies that there is something eerie lurking in the shadows behind her in all of the pictures- one photo bomber you definitely don’t want to have. Like a great number of classic horror films, Harmer makes the most out of the low-key production values. With just one main actress (not counting the uninvited guest), one location, and very little spoken dialogue, the director makes the most out of the terrifying sense of isolation and helplessness. He expertly cranks up the tension within the seven-minute running time to a nail-biting climax, in a similar way to that of the late, great, horror maestro Wes Craven in the opening scene of “Scream” (1996). I always felt the cold sting of dread whenever the defenseless heroine checked her phone, anticipating the slow reveal of the mysterious intruder. The film is both very well lit and shot, engulfing the frame in shadow as the tension is racked up. It is also accompanied by a crescendoing, foreboding soundtrack which, along with the distorted lull of the TV, creates a very unnerving atmosphere. The film is inevitably hindered in its believability by the classic questionable actions of horror characters. Why, for instance, is the unseen boyfriend not more alarmed by seeing what is clearly a creepy invader in his girlfriend's house? However, worrying about such slight details didn’t seem to be at the forefront of the filmmakers minds, whose main priority seems to have been to just have fun scaring the viewer with a simple premise, and due to the film’s brief length the audience doesn’t really have time to question such niggling gaps in logic. The short does feel as though it could be the opening scene to something bigger, with the interesting idea behind the monster having the potential to be expanded out into a feature length storyline; a creature that exists and stalks its prey in the modern realm of social media is certainly an inventive premise with a range of possibilities. As it is though, it’s one hell of an effective short. Horror fans, this is definitely worth a look. #shortfilmreviews #Selfie #JosephBanham

Directed by Luis Aguilar Starring Christina Alanís “Street Lights” Written By Jack Bottomley Certain subjects come with a certain expectations. For instance a film about animal abuse is likely to use distressing imagery to anchor the point of such horrible occurrences. So it is with some level of surprise when a film instead takes a different path and Luis Aguilar’s short Drama (that runs just shy of 7 minutes) does just that. From the film’s opening images of product crammed shop fronts and the dark Mexican night pierced by the lights of the traffic and stores, this film has the look and feel of a documentary and by the poignant closing moments, in many ways, it becomes a quasi-documentary short. The film looks at a lady (Christina Alanís) finishing her day at work and preparing to meet a man called Tavo and as the night stretches, she waits longer and longer for him to arrive. Selected for the Regent Park Film Festival, Green Screen Fest, the Cairo Video Festival and the RATMA Film Festival, Crucez (which translates as Crosses) is a film that deserves a viewing. Carmen Tijerina’s camera work really gives the film a realistic feel, almost as though we are stood waiting with Alanís’ character. The premise is simple but surprisingly layered and effective come the open end. The film may lack a firm resolution but that is to its power and aids the themes of lingering fear among this section of the Mexican community. Aguilar injects the film with a factual basis and as opposed to going the route many stories and films do when covering this area, Crucez is less all guns blazing and instead far more nuanced and ambiguous, which helps build up to the closing moments of the film. Crucez is a short film that fills its time with uncomfortable and unknowing waiting and in doing so comments of the fallout of the “Guerra Contra el Narcotráfico” (Mexican Drug War) in 2010 and how it has effected the Monterry, Mexico community. Specific mention is made of Mariano Rincón Street and the film cleverly weaves a fairy ordinary event of a woman waiting to meet up with someone, with a gritty and real fear affecting modern day drug violence culture. The film is awfully short and lacks the space to allow the lead to expand her performance very far but Alanís is utterly believable throughout and the tone of the story has you invested for every second. In many ways it would be interesting to see a documentary tackle the issue that is at this film’s core because there must be many stories out there that deserve to be told. Crucez may be brief but it concludes with emotional heft and is backed by factual events making its story a powerful one. As opposed to overdoing it, Aguilar has made an effective little film about a real issue and how people are still living with or in fear of the fallout. #Cruzes #shortfilmreviews #JackBottomley #WorldCinema #MexicanCinema

Written, Produced, Directed & Edited by: C.J. Lazaretti Co-produced by: Hamish Graham Voiced by: C.J. Lazaretti Review by Chris Olson With the tagline, “You are what he eats”, and a Monty Python-esque slapstick animation, C.J. Lazaretti’s short film Cosmico is unashamedly forthcoming in its controversy and social (in particular religious) commentary. Set in a piece of the universe where a gluttonous nobleman is being fed religious iconography, without any sense of decorum, the film is a smorgasbord of abstract creativity where anything goes. Furthermore, the nobleman’s voracious appetite for paraphernalia such as a Hindu statue or a Jewish menorah, threatens the stability of the entire space/time continuum…for some reason. There is a delectable absurdity to Lazaretti’s short animation film that beautifully contrasts the heavy themes it, literally, consumes. Using the same style so wonderfully created by Monty Python’s Flying Circus, Cosmico tips its hat to comedy legends of decades past, revelling in the farcical nature of the form. Sound effects, an unintelligible script, and quick fire gags are just some of the weapons in Lazaretti’s arsenal that he manages to let loose within a 3 minute run time! Whilst being provocative and controversial, Cosmico fails to deliver any coherent plot. There is nothing really going on here, except some bold statements about religion, the universe, greed, and the consumptive nature of the human race that could very well be the downfall of us all…Hmm, all that in just three minutes! Imagine what could have been accomplished in a feature. It is great to see this kind of throwback animation and comedy style, and what is delightful is how relevant it all still seems. With copious amounts of animated comedy shorts online - from Pixar right the way down to indie filmmakers - it is a film genre which has the potential to still amaze and astound, and most importantly, entertain. Watch the trailer for Cosmico below... #shortfilmreviews #Cosmico #ChrisOlson #Animation

Lazarus Rising Directed by John Depew Written by Rufus Chaffee Starring Mike Pfaff, Devon Ogden, Adoni Maropis & Eric Roberts Review by Chris Olson “Where you end up in life is determined by the choices you make…And that’s from a guy who drank himself to death.” Silly choices are abundant in the filmmaking world, something that can result in defining an artistic work regardless of other contributing factors. John Depew’s indie crime thriller, Lazarus Rising, certainly includes several quizzical decisions, but for the most part delivers a high octane, suspenseful movie that thrills, spills, and kills. Sprawled out as an on-the-run adventure/thriller, with plenty of action and gun slinging, Lazarus Rising follows the frenetic career of hit man Michael (Mike Pfaff), who turns his back on his employer when his upcoming hit list includes the name of his lover Emma (Devon Ogden). Secrets and bullets litter the screen as Michael eludes the organisation he once represented, who have sent their most vicious attack dog Mr. Gray (Adoni Maropis) in hot pursuit. Delivered in a brutally efficient and candid manner, Lazarus Rising opts for a tried and tested action formula that rarely deviates from its path. That is not to say the film is without excitement - it certainly provides for plenty of suspense, shoot-outs and death sequences to satisfy even the Van Dammiest of viewers. That being said, there are a few silly choices. First of all, the script is in desperate need of creative adrenaline; it is derivative schlock piled into frames in order to offer the viewer blatant exposition and mindless development that patronises all the characters involved. It is Action Film 101 writing that serves up disastrous lines like: Dallen: “Jesus Christ, she was your partner. You didn’t have to shoot her!” Mr. Gray: “I don’t do partners.” Layered with these script moments and a musical score that is so irksome it feels brutally provocative in a terrible way, some would dismiss Depew’s film out of instant animosity. However, there are several elements of the movie worth paying attention to. First of all: the performances. Across the board there are some fantastic displays of acting chops, from a cast worthier of better material. Pfaff’s leading role, whilst trudging through the murky lines, manages to portray an enigmatic lead that has the makings of a great action hero. Maropis’ evil henchman is utterly seductive, thrilling in his persistence and terrifying in his brutality. Eric Roberts though, typically a formidable on-screen presence, is dangerously underused in this indie film, rendering him an impotent political schmuck with only the tiniest moments of intrigue. Another impressive factor of Depew’s movie is the framing. Attention to detail in the framing of certain scenes is superb, with an array of technical and visually stimulating methods used to enrapture the viewer and delight. It is a shame that the story and script fall so superbly flat, because the talent was there, especially in DOP Douglas Gordon. At times, Lazarus Rising is flat and turgid, self-indulgent to the point of gratuitousness. But there are many glimmers of light that shine through, in particular when focusing on the cast who do their best to support the poor framework. Depew utilises, for the most part, the tools at his disposal, but it all comes back to choices: why choose this story and script for this cast? Why opt for the most basic of fundamentals when you have such an arsenal of talent? And why would allow the line “Rule number three, I don’t kill mothers and children. Unless they interfere with rules 1 and 2.” into an ACTUAL MOVIE? Watch the Lazarus Rising movie trailer below... #LazarusRising #IndieFilmReviews #ChrisOlson #supportindiefilm

Directed by Syd Heather Starring David Frias-Robles & Sarah Langrish-Smith Review by Joseph Banham In theory, finding love should be way easier in the twenty-first century than it has been for older generations throughout history. With the internet packed full with streams of dating websites and apps, finding prospective partners should be as simple as it’s ever been. But is it possible that our over-reliance on technology to play cupid is actually having a detrimental effect on how we communicate and form relationships? Should we put down our phones, turn off social media and instead go back to good old fashioned spoken conversation? This is the idea on which “Textual Relationship”, a new charmingly funny short film from Syd Heather, is based. The film, which is adapted from a play written by Tom Glover, follows a new couple known only by their online usernames, Uniquetalent_33 (Sarah Langrish-Smith) and DarkDemon92 (David Frias-Robles), as they meet and and start dating primarily over a dating app akin to Tinder, called Textual.com. But what seems to be a sizzling, passionate relationship in the realm of cyberspace, complete with erotic messaging and romantic dinners through webcam, doesn't quite translate into the same fervent feelings in the real world. Both characters act as narrators; breaking the fourth wall by directly addressing the camera, leading to many comic asides, often presenting amusing observations about the odd world of internet dating. The fast-pacing and humour make the 15 minute film breeze by at an enjoyable rate, giving the audience a whistle-stop tour of all the various stages of the couple’s relationship. The film feels just about right at the length it is; it gives the audience enough insight to care about the characters but doesn’t go on for too long as to labour its point. Director Syd Heather and D.O.P. Daniel Salter definitely know how to frame a good shot. Overall the film is brilliantly filmed; finding interesting compositions in the mundane settings, and accentuating the emotional essence of the two characters’ nonchalant lives. A recurring visual idea throughout the short is having a wide two-shot whenever the virtual lovers meet in person, highlighting the awkwardness and distance between them as they realise that they are clearly not compatible for physical intimacy. It’s simple yet effective filmmaking, anchored by Smith and Robles’ strong performances. The film also boasts a terrific original soundtrack by Richard D. Taylor, whose upbeat and pleasantly catchy main theme is the perfect fit for the film’s quirky, bittersweet tone. Whilst watching the film I was reminded of Spike Jonze’s “Her” (2014), which draws from similar themes of virtual relationships, and whether the boom of technology over the past decade has led us to feeling more out of touch and alone than ever. The film also questions the “perfect” self we present to the world on social media sites; both DarkDemon and Uniquetalent are more than comfortable interacting with each other when hiding behind the guise of their online alter egos. This is because they are able to choose what aspects of themselves they broadcast, creating a fake persona- a sort of personality showreel- which they present to the world. When face to face in the real world, they buckle under the excruciating pressure of having to bare their true selves, warts and all. Syd Heather’s “Textual Relationship” is a very funny supporting case for finding love by existing in the here and now, as well as the importance of having real conversations with real people, not just in the fantasy world of the web. Watch the short film trailer below: #TextualRelationship #shortfilmreviews #JosephBanham #supportindiefilm

Tim Burton: "An Exploration into the Mind and Movies of a Gothic Visionary" Written by Joseph Banham Tim Burton may well be one of the most beloved and unique filmmakers of his generation; there are few other directors whose cinematic style is as instantly recognisable as that of the Burbank-born artist. The visual artistry and recurring motifs throughout his stories have struck a chord with many of the public, leading to him becoming one of the most well known and revered film-industry figures in popular culture. The best of Burton, in my opinion, are the films which empathise with the outcasts, the social misfits, the films which celebrate the odd and unusual; films which showcase a playful rebellious spirit against what is considered the norm. It is no wonder why Burton has amassed such an adoring cult following throughout his career, especially among younger viewers, exploring ideas and characters such as this. Here is a brief (or at least as brief as I can make it) overview of some of the films that I believe make his work a key piece of modern cinema. Early life and career: Drawing Roadkill at the House of Mouse Burton’s childhood would go on to have a great impact on the stories he would later wish to tell. Born and raised in suburban Burbank, California, Burton acquired a love for cinema from an early age: in particular monster movies, the work of stop-motion pioneer Ray Harryhausen, and Vincent Price. The influence from all of these can clearly be seen shining through all of the work he would later create. After impressing the Disney studio with a short he animated at the California Institute of Arts entitled “Stalk of the Celery Monster”, he was chosen to work as an animator for the studio. Burton’s time at disney is well documented in interviews he has done. In short, he hated it. His gleefully crude style of drawing didn’t match the company’s cute and clean image. His shy and introverted personality was a mismatch for the studio’s ethos, and lead to him being a recluse in his office hiding in his closet or under his desk. He was originally assigned to work on the studio’s feature “The Fox and the Hound” (1981), but was taken off the project after his drawings didn’t fit in with the rest of the artwork. He later described his drawings of foxes in the book “Burton on Burton” (2005) in his own words as looking “like road kills”. Burton’s time at Disney is demonstrative of a frustrated artist; he had an established voice and a style, but was struggling to find somewhere that would accept that voice and allow him to express himself to the fullest. The degree to which he felt separated from everyone would later shape the ideologies of his work. Eventually the studio allowed him to make his first notable work- “Vincent” (1982), a 5 minute, black-and-white stop-motion film that really shows Burton being Burton. The film is about a mild-mannered young boy who secretly wishes he was Vincent Price- performing hideous experiments on the family dog and dipping unsuspecting relatives into hot wax. Within its short running time the film embraces everything that made up the young Burton, and acts as an interesting prelude to what was to come. Early Filmography: Modern Monsters, Unlikely Heroes and Fast Food Controversy Two of the most notable works in Burton’s early filmography are “Beetlejuice” (1988) and “Edward Scissorhands” (1990). In both of these films Burton crafts a very similar atmosphere, one that exudes the feel of a modern gothic fairytale; examining the uncomfortable mix of fantasy elements with the “real” world. This is a blending of worlds that Burton would visit time and time again. The premise of “Beetlejuice” is a fun one: a newly deceased couple seek out the help of a self-proclaimed “bio-exorcist” to get rid of the pretentious Deetz family moving into their house. Burton allows his macabre sense of humour to run riot, with Michael Keaton’s sleazy spectre Beetlejuice (or Betelgeuse as it’s actually spelt in the film) being a gruesome joy to watch; at times hilarious and at other times a genuinely threatening presence. But it is the Deetz’s gothic daughter Lydia (Winona Ryder) whom I feel Burton feels the closest resemblance to as a character; disillusioned by the ordinary world and holding an overt interest in the supernatural. The film doesn’t fail to drift into more serious territory during its delirious, ghoulish antics; one scene sees the sorrowful Lydia Deetz tearfully write a suicide note to a world she feels doesn’t understand or care for her. Even though the scene is shrouded in the darkly humorous tone of the film, it still manages to be sincere and could possibly reflect Burton’s own feelings as a teenager of being “utterly alone”. “Beetlejuice” strikes a slightly odd tone; the fun and imaginative portrayal of the afterlife no doubt appeals to kids, whilst at the same time the profane and uncouth titular character pushes the film towards more mature audiences (the film was actually rated a 15 by the BBFC over here in the UK, despite being constantly broadcast on television during daytime hours in family slots, albeit edited.) Whilst I’m on the subject, this wasn’t the only time the director’s grim sensibility clashed with the family-friendly crowd. Burton’s debut feature “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure” (1985), the first feature length outing of Paul Reuben’s child-at-heart character, featured similarly traumatising moments for young viewers; the most notorious being the creepy truck driver “Large Marge” (just Google it if you’re curious, it’s a pretty famous clip). Then there was of course the fiasco in the early 90’s with the McDonald's happy-meal toy tie-in with “Batman Returns” (1992). The fast food company had not actually seen any of the finished film when they agreed to produce a line of toys to be sold with Happy Meals aimed at very young children; something they would soon come to regret. It wasn’t long before they were inundated with complaints from parents who felt that they were enticing their children to see a film which, with its disturbing scenes and ample gore, was far from suitable. It’s worth mentioning that with “Batman Returns” Burton was given a lot more creative freedom by Warner Bros. than he was on the predecessor, and it certainly shows; “Returns” is undoubtedly more Burtonesque than the dark knight’s first outing. “Edward Scissorhands” (1990) is one of the best examples of the director championing an outcast. Taking notes from the monster movies he loved as a child, most evidently the story of “Frankenstein”, Burton brought audiences his own original tale of an unfinished creation (Johnny Depp) by an eccentric scientist (Burton’s childhood hero Vincent Price, in the last role he filmed before he died), who is left alone in the laboratory after his creator dies, still with sharp mechanical razors left for fingers. He is discovered by the well-meaning saleswoman Peg Boggs (Dianne Wiest) and brought back to her house where she tries to ingratiate him into her peaceful suburban society. Of course, this leads the way to many fish-out-of-water scenes, in which the innocent Edward tries as best he can to feel accepted by the townsfolk, many of whom either exploit his gifts for hedge-trimming and hair-dressing, or just view him as a freak. The portrayal of suburban life in “Edward Scissorhands” introduces an important aspect of Tim Burton’s work, one which screams out in an anarchic voice. He often illustrates suburban life in a very colourful and picturesque way, as a utopian world with bright and symmetrical shot compositions. Throughout the films however this pleasant facade is slowly lifted as it is revealed its inhabitants are morally corrupt and more sinister than the weirdos that they fear so much. This is not a new idea; the whole “it is us who are the real monsters” message has existed as long as there have been monster movies, but Burton’s talent for cinematic storytelling has found a way to present an updated version of this message in the modern world. It is the protagonists of his worlds that are conveyed in dark and monochrome colour: from Edward’s abandoned mansion; to Victor Van Dort’s land of the living in “Corpse Bride” (2005); and even to the Bucket family’s poverty-stricken home in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” (2005). These characters are not presented as traditional heroes, which is entirely the point. They are the pitiful outsiders that rise up and triumph against a world that oppresses them. Ed Wood and Jack Skellington: Hopeless dreamers It’s pretty hard for me to write a feature on Tim Burton and not talk about two of my favourite films of all time: “Ed Wood” (1994) and “The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993). The modest budget of “Ed Wood” and (unfortunately) poor box office returns often leads to its reputation among Burton’s body of work to be somewhat diminished. This is a great shame as I think it really deserves to be one of the most well-known and celebrated. The film is a biopic set in the 1950’s of the over-zealous filmmaker Edward D. Wood Jr. (portrayed by Johnny Depp), whom many consider to be one of the worst film directors of all time. The film is shot in beautiful black-and-white to emanate the essence of the sci-fi horror movies the young cross-dressing director was known for making. The film takes a sympathetic view on Ed Wood as someone with an effused passion about filmmaking who just wanted the respect of his peers. His naive ineptitude is not shown to be a product of laziness or cynicism, but simply a result of his relentlessly forgiving attitude and kinetic energy. Like Tim Burton in his early career, Ed Wood is an artist who feels trapped by a society that doesn’t have faith in him, struggling to breakout and find an audience that admires his unconventional creations. The film is endlessly endearing and is a must-see for anyone with an interest in the movie-making business. Equally clueless about the trouble his childlike enthusiasm is causing is Jack Skellington from “The Nightmare Before Christmas”. First of all I should address the elephant in the room that the more film-savvy readers have no doubt spotted: yes I realise that “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas”, as is the full title, wasn’t actually directed by Tim Burton, but was in fact directed by stop-motion virtuoso Henry Selick. The story and characters all came from Burton in a poem he wrote, as well as acting as producer, so as far as I’m concerned it counts. The delightful story involves the king of Halloween becoming discontented with his own holiday and so he decides to put on his own morbid version of Christmas in a lovingly made animated-musical spectacle. Just like Ed Wood, Jack (voiced by Chris Sarandon, as well as composer Danny Elfman as his singing voice), is a wide eyed dreamer blinded by his own overwhelming sense of ambition. Like the other non-conformist archetypes that populate Burton’s imagination, he is draped in dark colours and surrounded by the similarly sinister looking but well meaning inhabitants of Halloweentown; characters who would be perceived as hideous monsters by the outside world but actually have caring relationships amongst themselves. Burton has often spoken of his love for stop-motion animation, due to the realness of it; unlike other forms of animation, stop-motion is dealing with puppets that actually exist in three-dimensional space. This form of animation is congenial to the auteur’s visual style; the hand-made sets and delicate animation goes hand in hand with his quirky and surreal ideas- much more than the immaculate smoothness of CGI. Both Ed Wood and Jack Skellington are celebrations of the misunderstood visionaries who wanted more than what was given to them in life. It’s their fearless perseverance through the adversaries and obstacles around them which allow them to remain so likeable. Looking to the Future: Adaptations and Reboots This was just a quick look at what makes Tim Burton stand out and create such a big splash in the sea of popular culture. Yet I am still just scratching the surface; I have mainly just focused on his early career (which admittedly, in my opinion at least, was when he was at his best). Lately the director’s films have become much more hit and miss for me; I loved “Frankenweenie” (2012) and “Big Eyes” (2014) , but was bitterly disappointed with “Alice in Wonderland” (2010), and “Dark Shadows” (2012) left me indifferent. This implies that maybe he is at his best when working on his own ideas or original works, rather than on adaptations of existing television shows, books or remakes. Future projects in the pipeline mostly consist of adaptations: he is producing a sequel to the “Alice in Wonderland” reboot (or should that be “Underland” as it was regrettably called); he will direct a screen version of Ransom Rigg’s dark children’s novel “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” (2011); and also, possibly the most unusual, a live-action remake of “Dumbo” (1941), which seems like a very odd fit (then again the original Disney animation had its fair share of surreal twisted imagery- “Pink Elephants on Parade” for example.) When Tim Burton does hit, he hits big. Some of the aforementioned films in this article are among my most adored films and were highly influential in my love of cinema. The running themes and characters, which are then amplified by his unique visual finesse, speak to audiences in a deeply personal way. They all have the mark of their creator flowing through them; embracing the solitary and unusual souls of the earth, showing them rise up against a conformist universe and let their voice be heard,- something that mirrors Burton’s own success story. Through his own career and the stories he chooses to tell the message is clear: the world belongs to the oddballs. #TimBurton #FilmmakerFeatures #JosephBanham