Reviews

The Paulsen family appear to have it all- a beautiful home in Florida - spiritually full lives and a love for each other that can withstand anything until older son Justin (Ellijah Passmore) begins to exhibit disturbing behaviour which quickly spirals out of control leading to a suicide attempt hospitalisation and a diagnosis of suicidal obsessive compulsive disorder.

I Want To Jump is an ensemble piece and each actor in the Paulsen family brings so much to the table its almost like their individual arcs are a dense nuanced story within itself.

Justin shows a complex and empathetic performance of a young person on the edge trying to hold on when everything else is screaming at him to give up.

Deborah played Jana Lee Hamblin is the well meaning mother who finds herself suffering a crisis of faith engulfed in a mixture of grief rage and paranoia.

Eddie Mclintock Shines as father Randy the charismatic Florida man obsessive over achiever fighting to keep his family together who seems to be able to accomplish anything he sets his mind on except for understanding his sons illness.

Youngest son Brandon (Brody Hull) barely says a word through out the film but his silent expressions contains multitudes. His restrained performance reminded me of Robert De Niros daughter in "The Irishman". They say nothing but they understand everything.

The film highlights the challenges and frustrations navigating the complexities of the healthcare system and the complete inadequacy of organized religion in the form of the families church who believe they should treat Justin's condition as a spiritual problem rather then a health issue with disastrous results.

I Want To Jump is not an easy film to watch but nor should it be. Its emotional authenticity and lived experience of the filmmakers make it a compelling story about grief and recovery.

Darnell (played by writer and director Dfiza Mallet) is a hedonistic but promising basketball player with a bright future. When a series of bad decisions result in being kicked off his team and losing his scholarship Darnell is also kicked out of home by his mother who subsequently passes away from an illness.

Lost and grief stricken Darnell is now on the streets at the mercy of the elements and the kindness of strangers. (Or lack thereof)

The film doesn't depict Darnell as a victim nor does it treat him like a complete waster . He simply carries on each day using his resourcefulness ability to connect with others and humour to survive and tries to remain positive against impossible odds.

He encounters discrimination and indifference growing understandably weary of people and has fleeting encounters with others on the street just as destitute as he is until he meets Imani (Brittney Seals) a kind waitress who treats Darnell like a person instead of a problem.

A Remedy For A Broken Heart realistically and empathically shows the reality of homelessness- the dumpster diving-the harsh conditions and the social stigma and the reality that everyday you're out there your chances of getting back in get slimmer by every minute. It shows that behind every person using a restaurant bathroom as a make shift shower or begging for change on the street is a human with a story to tell.

Dfiza realistically portrays a broken man with good intentions who is trying to put everything back together.

Pulp Modern die laughing is (in case you haven't guessed) a comedy anthology of five stories told by five writers and directors. The story is connected by seasoned radio DJ mister Cee (Alexander Cicak)

A nameless female protagonist does battle with a malevolent Friday the 13th Jason entity using every kind of conceivable weapon and comedic one liner she can think of- a vane selfish young man mistakenly buys a mirror which serves as a portal to hell. A disgruntled university professor and crime author finds his insecurities manifesting in murderous rage. A talking bird sets off an irreversible chain of murderous events a and adulterer finds himself at the receiving end of his wife's vengeance.

Theres no good guys in this anthology. Just a bunch of self centred morally compromised people from all walks of life in over their heads.

With a premise like Pulp Modern with so many directors there was a lot that could go wrong but it remains consistent from beginning to end with all aspects- the stories-the performances-the cinematography and the editing.

The film proudly wears its Troma entertainment style B movie influences on its sleeve It walks a fine line between horror and humour and you can tell the crew had a great time making it as it shines on the screen.

I've watched many indie films in the last year and Pulp Modern is by far the most well polished!

Ava (Catherane Skillen who also wrote and directed) lives a comfortable life in Los Angeles with her wealthy partner Bobby who provides her with everything.

Their serene existence is shattered when Bobby has a heart attack while driving resulting in his death in a car crash.

This tragic event puts Ava on a collision coarse with Bobby's estranged son Robert (Steve Dellatori) a man still bitter and enraged by the fact when he was still a child Bobby cast aside his mentally ill mother and left her to languish inside a mental hospital and started over again with Ava. Since Ava and Bobby were never married, Robert has inherited his fathers company and finances intending to use everything in his power to get even with Ava.

The film has some very simple but powerful scenes like when Ava comes home alone after the accident and looks at everything she has built which has been reduced to nothing. Its cleverly framed with wide shots and high angles which only highlight Avas loneliness and isolation. Grief is such an individual experience which the filmmakers beautifully demonstrate.

The film is not without light as it follows Ava as she finds out the hard way she has to pay her own way and shows her awkward attempts to break into the job market and find work .

I related to this part the most. Everyone has had something bad happen to them and have to rebuild and start over. Its not easy.

What i found interesting the film covers an older demographic that gets little to no attention or acknowledgement whatsoever in Hollywood and cinema around the world.

This is definitely a film told from a unique perspective of grief tragedy and resilience.

August (Danny Parker Lopes) and Victoria (Krishna Smitha) are two unmotivated underpaid and unappreciated security guards working the night shift in a vast empty office building. Through a series of loose vignettes, we learn a few things about Victoria. She lives alone has compulsive tendencies an unhealthy obsession with the supernatural and is traumatized by a past life event. When a combination of these things Victoria finds herself in the path of a entity in the form of witch all hell breaks loose.

The film put together in six days on a tiny budget and a crew of two people Book Of The Witch is an ambitious film which does better then your standard Hollywood film with ten times the resources at their disposal.

The director has obviously put a lot of time and energy into the post production process as The film cleverly uses a mixture of music foley colour graded effects and atmosphere to give each scene a sense of tension and dread. It never lets up.

The minimal blood and gore makes the witch even more frightening the few times you do actually catch a glimpse at her. Book Of The Witch is a fascinating story of fear of death guilt and redemption.

One Lyfe To Live is a inventive urban crime film shot on a low budget set in New York.

Lyfe (Nicholas Sanchez) is a young criminal working with a small crew lead by the psychopathic Generation (Kevin Bescombe who also co directed)

Lyfe isnt the worlds most sympathetic protagonist- hes violent manipulativbve impulsive and deeply self centred. Its almost like hes desensetized to everything unfolding round him- the only end to the road he's on is prison or death and he remains indifferent to both. Even an impending pregnancy with his ex girlfriend and the prospect of fatherhood barely moves him.

When a job goes horribly wrong it makes Lyfe a target of rival gangs , the police, members his own crew as it hurtles a him into a desperate course of redemption but it may already be too late.

The film visually takes a lot of risks and moves very fast- the cameras move alot- there's sweeping wide shots of the New York skyline and at one point Lyfe breaking the fourth wall and speaks directly to the audience. The energy reminded me of a young Spike Lee.

Directors Kevin Bencosme and Deborah Cardona choose to defy the ugly stereotypes of this genre.

We come across well meaning characters trying to do their best the most noted is Jimmy (Shawn Better) a former promising university academic turned drug addict who is inevitably swallowed whole by the streets.

Beauty Grace Malice is the eight feature film by director Terry Spears.

It tells the story of single mother Grace (Taja Brittaney) who is framed for a robbery she didn't commit by her deadbeat boyfriend Jeremiah and friend Tishara.

Facing mounting legal bills and losing custody of her son Grace is thwarted at every turn to legally clear her name and keep her head above water.

Out of options she finds herself drawn into the cities criminal underbelly doing sex work to get by and its in this setting she finds an ally in private detective Ellijah (Marlon Ladd who also helped write the script) who guides Grace in getting even.

The sun drenched streets of California are a stark contrast to the cities criminal underbelly Grace is forced to navigate.

Director Terry Spears avoids the visual cliches of the crime genre- no rain soaked streets dark alleys or a villain standing alone in a skyscraper looking down at the chaos below.

The film wisely never treats Grace like a helpless victim nor as a hardened criminal instead portraying her as a resilient person trying to scrape by in a morally compromised world.

Theres also a lot of sharp commentary and satire about race relations in the United States showing realistically what people are forced to resort to when they live in a place without a social safety net when things inevitably go bad.

Amanda played by Jen Ayer Drake is a psychiatrist who focuses on patients who claim their mental illness is a result of coming into contact with supernatural elements. Recovering from her own personal trauma of losing her child through miscarriage she and her husband move to a new house in a new town in a bid to start over.

When Amanda believes a woman was murdered in her new home it sends her on an odyssey into a claustrophobic world between the living and the dead and the memories that shape them.

Writer and director Rinoj Varghese crafts a subversive and ambitious thriller Its themes which are anything but straight forward. This one will stay with you long after the credits are over.

The film plays like a surreal fevered dream where you empathise with Amanda as she continues to be dragged into unknown territory in her obsessive pursuit of the truth

The constantly shifting narrative rampant paranoia malevolent characters and twists and turns reminded me of Martin Scorsese's "Shutter Island" and Ari Asters "Hereditary"

Throughout my life i have seen many films about the second world war from a wide range of perspectives.

Downfall by Oliver Hirschbiegel showed me the war from the perspective of the Germans.

Ivans childhood by Andrei Tarkovsky showed me the war from the perspective of the Russians.

Saving Private Ryan by Steven Spielberg showed me the war from the perspective of the Americans.

For the first time ive seen the war from the perspective of the Canadians in "The Liberation Men" written by Danny Crossman and directed by Terry Jansen.

The film takes place with a battalion of burnt out and exhausted Canadian soldiers in the Netherlands at the end of the war. Everyman soldier Roy played by Michael Ruhs is tasked with infiltrating a nearby village behind enemy lines which is still allegedly under control of hundreds of fanatical Nazi soldiers who refuse to surrender.

When despite the fact there are over a thousand civilians residing there he discovers his superiors would rather burn the entire town to the ground innocent civilians included Roy races against time to find a way to save the town without destroying it.

The Liberation Men is a highly ambitious film made on a limited budget which tries to accomplish many different things possibly too much at once- the film is explored from the perspectives of the Canadians , Germans and Dutch but thanks to Terry Jansens tight edit and direction the film largely stays cohesive and engaging.

The film focuses on character development and dialogue as opposed to violence e and conflict but when it does it captures the futility of modern combat notably One flashback scene when Roy and his men are in a field in the middle of the night opposite the Germans but despite being in such close quarters neither can reach other or make any progress so they trade bullets and insults in equal measure.

The films musical score perfectly nails the ever-escalating stakes as the town draws closer to destruction.

Writer and director James Eaves film explores the idea of a mysterious artifact resembling box being passed through different ages and civilizations in history promising fortune and glory for all instead leaving a trail of blood mayhem and death everywhere it lands.

Its commonly known as "The Apocalypse Box" The Apocolypse Box has now landed in modern day England in the hands of malevolent right wing politician Pier Stonesmith on the eve of his possible election.

Desprate to cling to power has acquired the box and has gathered a room of strangers to play "the game" they must use the box to grant each person a wish if they can remain in one piece by midnight they all stand to win a large sum of money. The group quickly find attempting to use the box even with good intentions has bloody and horrifing consuqeunces.

Trapped where they and cut off from the outside world the group find themselves in a Squid Game like predicament where they must fight to survive.

Director James Eaves skllfully the tension between his characters as a subversive and insightful vehicle to explore divisions in our society. Racial divisions, tensions and disconnection between the younger and older generations. The ever increasing gap between the rich and the poor. It made me think of something acclaimed "social issues" director Ken Loach would do if he ever tackled the horror genre.

The films atmosphere sound design and music reminded me of director M Night Shamalayan back when he was younger and consistent.

The Apocalypse Box is a worthy entertaining watch and holds up a very insightful mirror to our deeply flawed society.

Elise played by Samantha Davis Is a somewhat aimless twenty something failed film student coping with a break up and decides to visit her hometown.

What follows are awkward encounters with old flames, catch up with old friends questionable decisions and the existential angst that exists in your early twenties when it feels like you're no longer a child not an adult and everyone else has already made it to the finish line. It seems like everyone comes in contact with has a clear goal in mind and somewhere to go.

Elises biggest achievement in comparison is awkardly resigning from her job over the phone in an excruciatingly awkward and hilarious scene.

Director Joshua Labure keeps the cameras at a distance and the shot compositions wide allowing the characters to walk around interact discover and deflect.

The interactions between the characters feels very natural and the sound design captures the inner push pull mechanism of Elises mind who cant make her move but cant sit still either.

In the end Elise learns our protagonist learns theres a comfort in the familiar but home is not always where the heart is the traveller has not yet reached her destination and life moves forward even if you dont want it too.

As late musician Johnny Thunders put it best "You cant put your arms around a memory"

Women In Fire is a documentary directed and produced by Deborah Attoinese.

The film begins thick in the action of a fire in the canyons of Colorado and juxtaposes between the destruction and present as documentary subject Abby Bolt attempts to grapple with the potential consequence's of reporting being sexually assaulted by a colleague in the U. S Forest Service.

Abby is a charismatic and engaging person director Deborah is aware of this and doesn't get too involved and wisely stays off camera allowing her protagonist to tell her story in her own words. She is a loyal friend- the cool calm collected one you rely on in an emergency.

I couldn't help but get the sense Abby is most at ease surrounded by chaos and dangerous situations like the ones she regularly encounters with fire. Having worked a long career alongside first responders myself i definitely related to that element.

Bolts life is an open book charting her rise from humble beginnings in rural Colorado to becoming the battalion commander of a team of elite firefighters and the U. S Forest Services subsequent failure on every level to support her when the unthinkable happens. She faces bureaucracy and incompetence at every turn detailed in a series of letters from her superiors read out loud.

When Bolts case begins to gain attention on a national level they begin to uncover a very disturbing pattern in the Forest Service in regards to how women are treated.

The documentary isnt completely free of optimism as it demonstrates positive changes in the culture as a result of Abbys courage with the number of female fire fighters rapidly increasing.

Women In Fire is an inspiring film about confronting injustice reinvention and above all survival.

Husband and Wife writer and director duo Ruby and George Capacete play lovers Sofia and Greg as they go about their day in a peaceful sun drenched Los Angeles relfecting on their lives.

No huge earth shattering event takes place in this film instead its a contemplative series of moments.

Theres a lot of close ups as Maybe Forever focuses on those small moments that quietly make up life. Theres very few other characters- you see figures in the background or passing through witout a word always in the distance.

Much like a new relationship which becomes an all consuming thing for better or worse makes your love the centre of the universe.

The narrative reminded me of Jim Jarmunschs "Paterson" or Alonso Caurons classic "Y Tu Mama Tambien" which creates a space that draws you into the simple quiet world of the characters and the rhthyms and nuances of everyday life.

Some critics may have resentment towards this film as it lacks the usual conflict narrative which has been taught to us is the basis of all artistic expression. Conflict. Conflict. Conflict.

I for one am happy to see filmmakers try to forge a new path against the worn down conventions we know so well and try something different.

Jason (Andrew Jacob Brown) is a burnt out forest ranger recovering from a personal tragedy and slowly drinking himelf into an early grave.

He oversees the vast forest of Mount Helen in Americas pacific north west where eleven people have died under mysterious circumstances over the past five years. Everyone has a theory- Mountain Lions-Bears or even the supernatural but nobody can provide any evidence of any of the above.

When obnoxious conspiracy theorist and influencer Chris (Eric Berger) winds up dead in the forest rumors of bigfoot are circulating and needs to step outside his grief and take charge and uncover the truth before anyone else dies.

Writer and director James Chick has a knack for picking good character actors each one owning their roles from minor players to major leads. I especially liked the dysfunctional odd couple dynamic between Jason and local sherrif Ken (Jack Vanover) two men who dont like each other but know they must put their differences aside for the greater good.

The film skilfully jumps back and fourth between the past and present.

It also makes good use of the rugged forest terrain almost to the point where the wildnerness is a character within itself. The films almost entirely electronic score the perfect soundtrack to the building suspense in the climatic third act.

Without giving it away the films nihilistic ending reminded me of John Carpenters "The Thing" Definitely more then worth the hour and fourty six running time.

Ghost Planet follows the adventures of brother and sister trio Max (Joe Mayes) George (Mark Hyde) and Julia (Claudia Amacher) as they try make a living scouring the universe for technology left behind a mysterious race. Each sibling has their own trials and tribulatons. George suffers post traumatic stress from his military days lawyer Julia struggles to connecrt with others and self described degenerate Max seems to make one poor decision after the other.

The three actors play off each other well as you'd expect siblings too.

The special effects were good for a low budget independent feature film.

Writer and director Phillip J Cook clearly has a deep love and respect for thus genre. He has created a dense and nuanced universe filled with depth and intrigue.

I found it interesting and relatable that Phillip illustrates that the world of the future is far from a utopian society shows the future isnt neccessarily brighter and its denizens are struggling with the same issues we have in our current days. Trauma. Loneliness. Financial problems. Uncertainty.

Everyone's just trying to get by and acting in their own self interest even if that will backfire for them in the future in a major way.

Move Me No Mountain is a gripping story of a woman who goes over the edge.

Jenna played by Cat Lellie is a successful real estate agent in Las Vegas when her life is shattered by a personal tragedy of someone close to her she refers to as "the incident" Overwhelmed with guilt and increasingly resentful towards society Jenna abandons her old life and decides to live to the mean streets of Las Vegas before descending into the hellish tunnels underneath the city.

The visuals are stunning showing a part of Las Vegas far from the trappings and endless cliches of the tourist strip. The contrast between the wealth of the city and Jennas poverty.

I like the way this film moves.

The films narrative skilfully jumps in between the past present imagination and reality reflecting Jennas fractured physch and inner conflict without compromising the narrative.

I also enjoyed the symbolism with water which plays a part showing our protagonist literally drowning in guilt and struggling to keep her head above it.

Move Me No Mountain is a profound exploration of grief and an empathetic story from the perspective of the fringe dwellers and ever increasing margianized like members of our society.

Dannie played by( Cristina Duchesne-Rivera) is a directionless single woman in her mid 20's navigating life the best she can and helping to take care of her mother Elene (Vanessa Rodriugez) who is in hospital on her deathbed suffering from terminal cancer. Seemingly incapable of comitting to anyone or anything Dannie takes drastic measures In order to fulfill her mothers dying wish orchestrates a wedding with her life long best friend Tyler (Julian Simoes).

When Elena miracously recovers from cancer and moves back into her house Dannie and Tyler finds themselves in a web of increasingly unmanagable lies and compromised feelings.

I'll admit this genre isnt usually my cup of tea but i enjoyed this romantic comedy.

The fast paced dialogue reminded me of comedies of the early 2000s like Something About Mary.

In conclusion Ordinary Things is an engaging film with relatable characters that proudly wears its heart on its sleeve.

Thorn And Thistles At The End Of The World is a drama directed by my fellow Australian filmmaker Aaron Kamp.

The world is facing a global catastrophe due to an unspecified that event that will most likely wipe out all human life.

Actor Jeremy Levi is very relatable as Paul the downtrodden everyman who accepts his fate and wants to continue living as he always has- keeping people at a safe distance living simply going about his daily errands and tasks while society crumbles around him.

Pauls solitude is threatened by the ominous arrival of his ex wife Felicity (Vivienne Marshall) who shows him even in the face of armageddon the world still wont stop turning no matter how much he wants it not too.

The film skillfully jumps back and fourth between the past and present adding layers to their complex and fractious relationship.

Major credit goes to writer and director Aaron Kamp for his shot selection. Most indie directors are content with the messy cliched handheld angles but Aaron goes the opposite applying stationary shots keeping a cold precise and clinical eye on his subjects.

For as long as i can remember Ive held an affinity for Irish Cinema. From the "Commitments" directed by Alan Parker in the 1980's all the way to modern works such as "Once" by John Carney "Calvary" by John Michael Mcdonagh they've always been beautifully shot whether it be in the city or the rugged countryside poignantly written with a keen sense of humour and always with a deep distrust of authority. Follow The Dead written and directed by Adam William Cahill carries that torch further down the road.

Robbie (Luke Corcoran) is a disillusioned millennial trapped in a dull existence in rural Ireland living in a dysfunctional house with his sister and two cousins.

Meanwhile the nations capital Dublin has seemingly fallen to hordes of the undead and despite dozens of videos circulating online Robby and his housemates generally remain skeptical and apathetic to all the chaos around suffering instead them focusing on their short term attempts at validation.

Much like the late godfather of everything Zombie related George Romero (Dawn Of The Dead) Writer and director Adam uses the genre to explore social issues taking dead aim at the hollowness of internet hook up culture, influencers and how certain people will exploit any tragic event to further their own political agenda.

Follow The Dead is an interesting take on how humans cope when disaster strikes and while doesn't claim to have all the answers leaves the audience with some interesting questions to think about.

A Slice Of Life In Barcelona is a sprawling unpredictable drama about life on the edge.

Taking place in (You guessed it) the Spanish capital of Barcelona were thrown head first into a nihilistic landscape populated by punks, kleptomaniacs, deadbeat dads and psychopath's all in search of an escape from their lives and looking in all the wrong places.

I feel like if author Brett Easton Ellis was born in Spain in another life his books would be like this as i noticed the similarities as pessimism and dark comedy go hand in hand in each scene.

The rugged documentary feel almost makes you feel like a reluctant accomplice to the characters on their misadventures across the city.

A Slice Of Life In Barcelona has a lot going on with multiple characters and storylines it would easy for the film to go off the rails but writer and director Maria Galindo runs a tight ship holding the story together particularly in the films final act where the city becomes smaller and the characters finally cross each others paths and face the consequences of their actions.

All in all undernearth the violence obscenity and destruction I found A Slice Of Life In Barcelona at its core to be a vulnerable story about people longing for human connection.

Whiskey Sour is the debut feature film of writer and director Christopher Selby.

Cal Baker played by Sean Dillingham is a mild mannered man living and working in the city of Phoenix in Arizona.

Allthough he has a good home life and is on verge of a promotion at his job you cant help but feel like theres something missing and he cant put his finger on what it is.

Cals fortunes change when his old friend Joe (Richard O Ryan) gets in touch after a long stint away they agree to go for dinner at a restaurant and shared their favourite drinks: Whiskey.

What unfolds is a contemplative dialogue driven piece about regrets, the challenges of commitent, the nature of truth and the pros and cons of ranch dressing.

Whiskey Sour covers a demographic you dont see represented often in cinema anywhere in the world. Middle aged working class men.

The dialogue captures the rhythms of life and the anxieties and harsh truths we all carry but rarely wat to say out loud.

It was interesting watching the contrast between the introverted Cal to the charismatic Joe who walks into every room like he owns it effortlessly makes friends with everyone he meets and doesnt mince his words.

The film Reminds me of Alexander Paynes 'Sideways" or "Dinner With Andre" By Louis Malle except less pretensious.