Reviews

Three hundred years after Grace Sherwood was drowned for being a Witch, her ancestor in Pungo Virginia is renovating her house with two ex-military men. They unwittingly unlock a portal to the past as a storm rolls through the town and takes them into an alternate reality where the legendary Witch still lives. Part Wizard of Oz, part fantasy horror. This low budget indie is full of awesome effects that punch well above its weight and features nods to classic horrors like The Shining. A hell of a ride and well worth your time.

After a disagreement and a spur of the moment act of violence a drug dealer Lyall is killed by fun-loving Galia who was just looking for a good time and her next score. After the accidental death, she's got a problem, disposing of a dead body and perhaps his large stash of drug money. Should she take it? But matters are further complicated by the dealers girlfriend who is also staying at his apartment. She also decides to involve her best friend Soti. Now the three women must try and get away with murder and money. Kill the Habit is a great black comedy full of twists and turns that'll keep you guessing until the end. Will they get away with it?

With elements of Evil Dead, Tales From The Crypt and Creepshow this anthology series slowly weaves together the stories from five supernatural tales, to connect a group of disparate people trapped in a subway together. The Mysterious Mac is a demon hunter and by seeing into each of the characters souls a new menacing tale is revealed. Will he be able to uncover the demon who walks amongst them? The show absolutely plays like a penny dreadful comic of old and is a huge amount of fun for those who appreciate horror anthologies. Get in the hunt!

I love a good science fiction film and this is where Einsteins God Model excels, using big ideas that blend concepts around the afterlife and speaking to the dead with actual scientific theories we have something that hits just the right tone between the fantastical and the believable. While clearly an indie film the ideas within it don't need a hollywood budget to be compelling and riveting to watch. With elements of films like Flatliners, a brisk crisply edited movie with great sound design and score there's a lot to like about this sci fi thriller.

Koko is a pretty crazy premise, what if you tried to marry your dog? Well actually there's a lot more to it than that and the film is an exploration of choice, freedoms and social commentary on our time. No it's not sexual of course this is someone marrying their best friend, it's just that that best friend happens to be a dog. I'm a dog lover and owner and can honestly see Randy the protagonists point of view. We treat our pets like they're human, they can be more to us than any human friendship we might have, so why not? A great topic to explore and definitely worth contemplating as you watch.

An illegal refugee from Mali arrives abruptly at a small bookstore in London to reconnect with the British owner and discuss the fate of his family in west Africa and the connection they both share with his Mother. The film explores politics, religion love and war set against the backdrop of this tiny bookstore and these two people from vastly different worlds connected by one women. It is a powerful story the sheds light on the plight of the African nations destabilised by military extremists and the heavy toll on human life. The performances from the two leads are incredibly engaging and this is a gripping and poignant film.

An intervention marries the difficult themes of addiction with comedy in this mokumentary-esque film about Henry, someone who struggling with addiction finds himself the subject of an intervention hosted by his ex-high school sweetheart and her new husband. Naturally it's a recipe for some hilarious awkward humour all captured in the style of show's like The Office and Arrested Development. The eccentric cast of characters spark and clash with one another through the course of this intervention, leading to some brilliant and funny moments which do not detract from the overall honesty and sweetness at this films core. A great pick me up.

Be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it. A tale as old as time, but one that always delivers. The Midas Touch is pure wish fulfilment. Felix a down and out loser experiences an extreme change of fortune when he acquires said touch, and now becomes irresistible to women whenever he touches them. But while this is fun for a short time he soon discovers the gift is more of a curse. A funny, campy, raunchy film that really delivers.

Back to Berlin is a powerful emotional doc about Eleven Jewish motor bikers who retrace the journey of their family's who travelled via motorbike to the site of the infamous 1936 Berlin Olympics from Israel, for the first Jewish Olympic Games on German soil. We get to know each rider and their family histories through historical footage and footage from their current trip as they visit some of the places where many of the German atrocities were committed during WWII.

We are given context of how these families survived the Holocaust and the overwhelming loss of life that was suffered in this time and the heroic spirit of those who survived. It's a fascinating and sobering tale about how the past links to the present and how through this journey we can seek to better understand the tragedies of the past.

Threebound starts with a great concept a guy and a girl meet, they have great chemistry but they're both fresh out of devastating relationships and don't want to treat this new exciting development as a rebound. So they decide each to date three people before revisiting their own romantic journey together so they'll be better prepared for a potential serious relationship.... what could possibly go wrong right? Threebound is a great rom com, the acting is excellent, the dialogue sharp and witty and the story itself both funny and heartwarming. The two leads sparkle together with outstanding chemistry and the films improvisational feel makes it all the more organic and endearing, a great Rom-Com for anyone who can appreciate the complexities of dating in the modern world. An absolute delight.

Into the void is a great low budget Zombie thriller dealing with an outbreak of a virus which renders it's sufferers as detached mumbling crazies during the day and rage filled zombies once night falls. The film follows Josh a survivor of this pandemic who's girlfriend has become infected. He desperately wants to find away to bring her back from the madness she suffers and it's this relationship that anchors the film as he tries to deal with his attachment to her past self. Great Zombie flick and very timely given the worlds present circumstances.

Mandao returns is a great follow up to Mandao of the Dead, it's a hilarious sci fi comedy involving time travel and astral projection full of branching timelines juxtaposed against unravelling a murder mystery. The film is sharp well written and very funny incorporating some of the best elements of films like Back To The Future and Butterfly Effect but with some great humour. The film hurtles along at an excellent pace and the plot is extremely captivating you don't need to see the first film to enjoy this one but they're both worth your time. If you're a time travel fan this film is definitely for you.

Lemonheads is a gorgeous looking film, the camerawork is raw and gritty and adds to the despair and urgency of it's two leads. Lemonheads follows two drug addicts who are in heavy heroin withdrawal and getting increasingly more desperate for their next fix. The two leads are excellent and the film is full of memorable performances, this is a powerful story about addiction and the depths of where it may take you, exploring darkness and the edges of humanity. These are not good people, but just like the drugs they are chasing you are drawn to their story and hooked until the very end. A cautionary tale that's well worth your time.

A group of old friends reunite for a weekend in the woods to celebrate a friends wedding. To say the group is somewhat dysfunctional is a slight understatement and it seems that everyone has a secret, an agenda, or a painful moment of their past that has confronted them through this reunion. But it's not all doom and gloom the cast have a great rapport and chemistry, the jokes come thick and fast and mixed inbetween some emotional and poignant scenes are also some laugh out loud moments. A great mediation on relationships, growing up and the friendships that bind us together.

The film follows Cole, a young women who suffers from Amnesia and is trying to remember her past life through her experiences and two men who were both more than friends at one point. It's a fascinating concept dealing with memory loss and how this can effect someones entire life and how she has to re-learn who she is and who she was. The film while initially charming and entirely innocent quickly subverts your expectations and delivers something far more interesting. The film looks beautiful and the editing and montages are an absolute masterclass in storytelling. This is a film that will likely stay you your head long after being viewed excellent movie.

Some Southern Waters is a trip, it's hard to describe the films plot as it is often difficult to know what exactly is real and what is not. The film follows Jon a musician who after the death of his girlfriend is haunted by his memories and surreal moments and experiences that echo back to that traumatic event. The film will not give you straight answers, it challenges you to interpret it the way you see fit. The film is shot in beautiful black and white and to say the cinematography is stunning would be a huge understatement. In fact the look of this film is worth the price of admission alone. Absolutely this is a Lynchian style film and I was reminded of that Directors best work while watching this, but also Hitchcock and Jim Jarmusch. Truly a unique experience which for me is the definition of what cinema should be. A reminder that cinema can and should be an art form.

This film manages to jump through different time periods showing both the past and the present to create a compelling narrative of two sisters cursed by their family secret. There are plenty of great jump scare moments and some excellent horror visuals, while the score is also a standout. However this horror offers a lot more than cheap thrills as the sense of fear and suspense will linger with you long after the movie is finished. Great horror full of interesting ideas and scary execution.

Dealing with loss and grief, confronting our shortcomings and inadequacies when we lose a child is what Somebody's Mother manages to touch on through the story of two mother's who've lost a child for different reasons. The story is moving and honest the performances are understated and sublime. This is a great drama that those with children will truly find gripping. This film pulls no punches, nor should it when dealing with a story based on real life experiences. The level of honesty and This is definitely one to check out.

I'm a big fan of the Zombie genre and it was great to see a film that paid tribute to the classics that came before it, with a group of survivors trapped inside a house trying to escape the Zombies outside and fighting paranoia amongst themselves inside, this is a modern version of Night Of The Living Dead, along with solid performances, great Zombie FX, Kinetic editing and a dark ending this is definitely worth your time.

Greatland is a mind melting phantasmagoric film set in a Dystopian future where Ulysses goes on an epic Journey to save Ugly Duck his childhood sweetheart after she's taken. This is only the tip of the iceberg in terms of the story but with so many complex ideas at play they simply need to be seen to be believed. The films production design, costuming and look are off the charts, you can absolutely taste the rainbow here and while the world is a type of sci fi dystopia, the film is just as much a commentary on our society and where we might be headed. I watch films to be challenged and taken out of my comfort zone and this film will certainly do that in a way that only the best films can. This is not just a movie, it's true cinema designed to challenge and provoke, check it out.

An excellent Doc, Director Jeremy Guy has found a remarkable story about strong independent women challenging tradition to follow their own path. Kaikasha risks ostracism from her community by removing her burkah and aspiring to become one of the few Muslim women to play cricket. The film has very powerful themes with regards to faith, identity and the pursuit of a dream. The film does not point figures or lay blame but simply and effectively presents an uplifting story that transcends cultures.

Set in Lebanon with a fantastic cast from the opening sequence you're immediately taken into another world where our western way of seeing things is challenged. Kirsten is an American who has travelled to Lebanon to teach english and gain life experience, but the culture is a huge adjustment to her and she has no friends until she meets Nadine a housewife who lives in the same apartment. Nadine is in a somewhat loveless marriage with a philandering husband and Kirstens introduction to their lives creates more drama. Things escalate and send them both down a dark path that there is no coming back from. The performances are excellent, the cinematography excellent and the story is gripping. Very original.

The Mentor follows Nilah an aspiring naive screenwriting hopeful who falls under the tutelage of Claire an experienced successful Director who has no problems cutting Nilah down to size, but when they are kidnapped by a group masked attackers things get increasingly terrifying and strange. The Mentor is more than a thriller it's a commentary on filmmaking and storytelling and an effective one at that. If you're attracted to meta films and the the unravelling of layers throughout a story The Mentor has much to offer.

Great 80's retro theme awesome performances by the leads and a funny dark premise that will keep you guessing. This is a great film about filmmaking and what happens when you meet your idols, or perhaps why you should never meet them. Nicholas Tucci is a revelation here and a magnetic onscreen presence playing Director JP it's a performance that slowly draws you in just like the film itself. Believe in this Myth!

Great Chemistry from the two leads Rick Mate and Jordan Monaghan help make this quirky comedy one to remember. It's part rom-com part drama and one hundred percent unique. The film features hilarious narration and breaking of the fourth wall as Rick(playing David) addresses the camera and recalls meeting Kat (Jordan) and their ever changing and combustible relationship through its ups and downs. The film looks absolutely gorgeous, with stunning cinematography and it never fails to surprise. Evoking films like High Fidelity and Annie Hall but also at times incredibly serious, this is an excellent film that you need to see.