Reviews

That Dolores was adapted from a stage play came as little surprise. What was surprising was how this 30 minute, one room, two character film had the depth of a feature length drama. What started as a lighthearted coffee between two sisters (the serious one and the screwup), quickly evolved into an intense, fast paced piece, full of powerful emotional beats, raw and vulnerable discourse and the exploration of abuse and mental health. Technically flawless, great camera work and set decoration and the performances of the two lead actresses are second to none. And what a reveal! I don't have enough thumbs!!

Both a first person account of the life of a former Ukrainian forced labourer and her experiences on a Bavarian farm during the Nazi era - as well as from the perspective of the filmmaker herself (the subject's granddaughter) and how those memories deeply affected her sense of identity and self. The details of her journey were both illuminating and surprising, full of nuance, horror and joy and far from the black and white fair that one has become accustomed to given the subject matter. A well made documentary with great storytelling. More than just a passion project, but clearly full of love and passion...

You don't! At least not until you've seen this incredible documentary about the life of the humans who live there and call this place home! In production quality, as good as anything you've seen on BBC, but for once with an original take! An inside, up close and in-depth look at the different communities on King George Island, a multicultural crossroads at the bottom of the world. It was enlightening to get to know these people and to see how they lead their lives - not that much different as in the rest of the world, with children going to school, a church, a sauna, worklife, homelife etc. What was particularly inspiring was to see these different nationalities living in harmony with their environment and particularly with each other. Truly a window into a previously unknown world. Bravo!

Heartwarming barely begins to describe this perfect gem of a short. Just the right amount of emotional beats, efficient use of dialogue and great performances - which alone would suffice to make this well worth watching. What takes this short from good film festival fodder to awards consideration is the incredible direction, production value, use of music and in particular the cinematography. Tutu & Pointes simply looks and feels like a film with 10 times the budget. Bravo! These film makers have a bright future ahead of them!

This Australian Horror takes claustrophobia to a new level. What an incredible find for the setting, a derelict maze of a power station in the middle of nowhere - and what a place for evil to lurk! Amazing use of lighting and/or the lack thereof. Though the performances were at times a bit over the top, the pacing was relentless and while the little plot twists were a bit predictable, not too much story was ever given away. In fact the plot devices remained secondary as they should, leaving the audience to focus of the incredible atmosphere and the utter scariness of the scenario. A well made debut feature and plenty of questions and material for a sequel!

This Fincheresque Home Invasion Thriller from Morocco pulls no punches! The characters are well developed and the setup is compelling, exploring issues of class and ethnicity. The pacing is pitch perfect, taking us through a plethora of plot twists - none of which felt predictable. A well written, well directed film that deserves it's bigger budget remake - though by no means requires one as it stand on it's own, sublime!

From the get go, Prince Harming has all the trappings of a modern, charming rom-com - full of clever set pieces and witty banter - though by no means overly sweet. Life is hard for this New York gal, though she never lets it get her down, always pushing forward with a smile and her eternal optimism. When she does at last meet her Blue Prince, it feel like fate is rewarding her. Of course something is not quite right with him and we the audience keep waiting for that other shoe to drop - and drop it does with a loud THUD! When the darkness comes, it comes hard, building to point of raw, real, discomfort - as it should. Prince Harming is a cautionary tale of wanting too badly and of not seeing the evil right in front of us. Of being a victim and at last having the strength to put a stop to it and regaining ones SELF. A great mix of genres and a well made and well acted film...