Author: Alex Cole

Faced with the ultimate choice of whether to expose the perfect ‘up the skirt’ shot of the First Lady, Paparazzi photographer Thomas Grady (Zach McGowan) has experienced the dark side of celebrity photography and vowed never to return. Yet potential riches lead him to cross paths with the President and his vicious campaign manager as he faces the ‘ultimate’ moral choice that clearly, UNDOUBTEDLY affects America’s future.

If ever there was a TV movie, Snapshot is it! It’s got weak backstory, terrible progression and familial relationships with so much manufactured drama it’s unbelievable. I’m not saying I didn’t like it, it oddly drew me in, but that isn’t to say the characters are wooden and the plot boring as hell. Our protagonist’s ghostly backstory is a father who won’t speak to him because he missed his mother’s funeral and continually refuses to accept his son’s decision to become a photographer instead of a fireman. It’s ridiculously poor and leaves you just thinking his Dad is a grumpy old man and wondering why Thomas Grady is even bothering longing for his affection, whilst his incredibly jealous girlfriend stalks his friends. As a former student who spent copious hours watching the OC even though he hated it, it wasn’t too bad, but most people would just be left questioning my sanity.

The performances by all are average, Zach McGowan shows some emotion in the main role and Angela Gots has her moments and Arianna, but most performances aren’t worthy of much note.

I wouldn’t recommend that anyone see this film, and I’ll probably forget that I’ve ever watched until in 10 years’ time I see it on an obscure satellite channel. If it’s on and you’ve got nothing else better to do, I’d say watch it. Otherwise, you might as well go wash your car like you’re supposed too.

Having read that if you want to understand Tsai Ming-Liang, Stray Dogs is NOT the place to start I watched this film both with apprehension and excitement. Well, what did I get?

A LONG welcome to the world of slow Cinema!

With the opening scene running seven minutes long, consisting only of a woman brushing her hair whilst children sleep, it wasn’t exactly the welcome I was hoping for.

As a fan of both hard-hitting and ridiculous cinema, I’m open to most things; but the world of Tsai Ming-Liang was completely new to me. Scenes of ten plus minutes are not rare in Stray Dogs and most consist simply of someone staring, drinking or brushing their teeth. It can be difficult and tiresome to watch at times, with what seems like little point. The only real plot in this film is the entry of a nameless woman who takes in both the nameless man and his two children in an attempt to improve their lives, but still, pretty much nothing happens. Most of the film consists of us simply watching the shameful poverty in which the Lee family are forced to live. Sleeping in an abandoned and desolate building in central Taipei, it’s title Stray Dogs seems to refers to the manner in which the family are forced to live due to poor wages and the fathers alcoholism. With each day slower than the last, the children spend their time doing whatever it takes to survive.

Stray Dogs is not for a mainstream audience, and to be honest not for me either, but when I look back there is a beauty in its simplicity though at first, it’s difficult to see. A harrowing display of urban poverty, it’s a true reflection of the way time flows. At the worst times of our lives, each suffocating moment lasting a lifetime and in those moments of relative clarity months can disappear at once. This is a rare film that’s taken at the speed of reality and doesn’t jump from one important event to another and in a way it’s exciting to see this kind of reality portrayed on screen.

Choosing to utilise his long standing leading man, Lee Kang-sheng, who plays the nameless father, Ming-Liang is using a tried and tested formula; but I can see why. If ever there was an actor who could portray internal conflict more powerfully, I’ve yet to see them. A 7 minute seen in which he stands in the wind, crying as he sings Chinese folk songs, is in my opinion the most beautiful and worthwhile scene in the whole film and whilst not vital to the story (though few of them are) this scene could in itself have been an award winning short. His choice to use three different women to portray the woman who rescues the Lee children from their father’s downfall is a strange one and one I won’t claim to understand, but I guess that’s the point of Stray Dogs. Its art is in making you question, disorientating you and giving you what could either be conceived as a boring portrayal of nothing or a soul changing experience. It all depends on your point of view.

Ultimately Stray Dogs is a film for fans who see film as art and not just entertainment and won’t be enjoyed by many, but will be applauded by the few. Make sure you know what you’re in for BEFORE you O

Out on DVD now.

Grace (Brie Larson) has dedicated her life to helping kids who’ve slipped through the cracks. Committed to her job, her lover and not getting too involved, she’s thrown the perfect wrong-un when fifteen year old Jayden appears at Short Term Facility 12, suffering from abuse that mirrors her own. As Grace readies for a new life with co-worker and soon to be husband Mason, things begin to fall apart and we’re taken deeper into her own abuse in this harrowing and heartfelt story of dysfunction, abuse, love and repair.

Short Term 12 is director Destin Daniel Cretton’s follow up to the highly successful indie short film of the same name and feature length I am not a Hipster. If this backlog is anything to go by then Cretton could well become one of the leading lights in indie drama. With an edge of quasi-documentary Short Term 12 offers us a real insight into our leading lady’s life and perfectly captures the conflict of her mind and the insecurities she feels, but also the strength of character that’s led her to dedicate her life to those who’ve suffered the same neglect and abuse.

The simple joys of a normal life, of being loved and seeing those you care for succeed are what resonate from this film and if you manage to watch this without feeling a deep connection to Grace (Brie Larson), Mason (John Gallagher Jr.) Marcus (Keith Stanfield) or any other characters then simply put, drama is not your genre. This sensation is not least due to the stunning, and in my opinion, award winning performance of Brie Larson who projects uncertainty with distrust and love in equal amounts with such beauty that you’ll be forgiven forgetting this is a film at all. She is of course supported by a spectacular supporting cast and young talent including Kaitlyn Dever, Keith Stanfield and Kevin Hernandez who clearly have futures ahead of them.

Short Term 12 is a film I cannot recommend enough; though not for everyone, it’s a film with heart, joy and passion beautifully directed fully deserving of the numerous award won on the festival circuit.

Two guys, a girl and the end of the world; Whats Left of Us is a tale of friendship, love and survival in a truly messed up world. Set in a post zombie apocalypse world this story is truly unique, choosing to focus not on the zombies, nor the ensuing violence, but on the social difficulties that come with having to live in a closed off community of only three. We watch the residents (clearly all fans of Big Brother) as live their lives, bicker, fall in love and record their own ‘private’ diary room confessions.

Christoph Behl’s creation could seem mundane and tiresome on the surface and not what fans of fright fest and zombie movies may be searching for; but the result are fascinating. Ana (Victoria Almeida), Jonathan (William Prociuk) and Axel (Lautaro Delgado) are the most normal of people driven to madness by their new world. As the title suggests, very little of their real selves remain and in a series of play like settings we watch as they move from the cusp of madness into the very real realm of insanity.

We see very little of the outside world in this film. We’re only given a glimpse through guttural groans and the sound of gunfire with wandering visitors in need ignored and scared online casino away. It is only a series of increasingly dangerous dares that forces Axel to bring a zombie home and give us a glimpse into the sickness that is taking over the world and unusually in this film the zombie, although feared, is not a cause for serious concern and they almost mock it as they eventually begin to use it for their own entertainment.

Behl is unafraid to develop the story slowly, refusing to force feed us backstories or previous lives, instead giving just snippets and tales, enough for you to understand, but still have 1000 questions. Whilst this may normally ire audiences, What’s Left of Us manages to a mix of equally ambiguous and clear that allows you to put the pieces together in your own way, allowing audiences to come to their own conclusions

Almedia, Prociuk and Delgado are all excellent in this feature. Bahl couldn’t have asked for a better cast to mark his debut. They’re able to portray the uncertainty of their characters motives with so much clarity that I’m sure the characters, were they real, wouldn’t even be aware of their own motives so confused and broken that they are. They’re a real unit of strained familial love, certain in their affections but so confused as to where they lead.

A really gripping tale, Behl’s What’s Left of Us is a modern masterpiece and although it may not reach out to a mainstream audience and may be deemed mundane by many horror fans; this is a brilliant piece of storytelling and directing and is a must watch!

A parody of the 1980’s US high school genre; First Period tells the story of self-professed “superstar extraordinaire, you’re welcome” Cassie (Brandon Alexander III) and her plight to become ‘popular’ before her impending sixteenth birthday and entry into womanhood, but of course, things don’t exactly go smoothly. In true coming of age style, the journey is filled with evil popular kids, our , the awkward best friend and the realisation that her true friends aren’t all that popular, but that’s OK.

First Period adds in a touch (or in this case a great deal) of ridiculousness as it walks us through a series of ridiculous events before the final ‘Talent Show’ scene which seals Cassandra and her best friend Maggie’s (Dudley Beene) popularity. Much like its primary character, First Period is completely uninhibited and more than a little larger than life. Unintentionally this film has the feel of a series of sketches rather than a journey from A-B; but far from taking away from the its appeal it allows for the suspension of disbelief as many of the ridiculous actions in previous scenes are relatively forgotten as the story moves on. I suspect director Charlie Vaughn does this actively to allow for easy movement between scenes with psychics, to rap battles all the way to utterly ridiculous teacher student flirtation thanks to the indie legend Jack Plotnick. It allows a simple story to hold together, whilst in effect being broken up with numerous sideshows.

With the two female leads being played by men you’d expect to be treated to either stunning slapstick performances (think Robin Williams in Mrs Doubtfire) or horrific and unbearable parody ala White Chicks. Brandon Alexander III as Cassie Glen is exceptionable; his is a flawless performance that often leaves you forgetting he’s played by a man at all. Dudley Beene struggles a little more, and his character is less interesting and less appealing overall, but both were closer to Robin Williams than Marlon Wayans. They’re supported by a great cast, the evil Heathers (Lauren Rose Lewis and Karly Kaiser) play fantastic villians and their clueless boyfriends (Michael Turchin and Leigh Wakeford) are equally on point.

This isn’t going to make waves, even in the indie scene; but I’m certain First Period can carve itself a strong cult following and if you’re looking for a cheesy but hilarious film for a night in, then look no further, because Battle Royale With Cheese have found it!