Author: Joel Fisher

Veronica (Morgan Boss-Maltais) has come to apply for a job as a caregiver to Mrs. Bloom (Carla Kidd), an elderly lady who has very strict requirements of care. Veronica is to move into the house and never to leave as Mrs. Bloom is very nervous about being left alone, she’s also told that she must never go into the attic. Agreeing to these terms, Veronica starts her service with Mrs. Bloom, however she soon starts hallucinating and feeling unwell which leads her to think something mysterious is happening to her.

Aged is a slow burn, atmospheric horror movie written and directed by Anubys Lopez. Setting the scene, Lopez shows his talent in creating a mood as Veronica starts to slowly realise that she may have been led into a trap.

Both Boss-Maltais and Kidd play their parts well, with the former serving as an unwilling victim and the latter as her stubborn and strict housemate. However, there are still a lot of problems with Aged despite its look and feel.

Aged sounds like a good premise on paper, but there should have been some things put in place in order to ensure its success. Firstly, and perhaps most obviously should have been the script. If certain horror fans were to come across Aged then they would soon get an idea of what’s involved in the plot.

There’s nothing wrong with giving an audience what they want, but unfortunately Aged is unable to throw in any surprises.

Secondly it feels like Aged is a movie with a premise without the budget to back it up. This means that there would have to be a strong make effects department or some clever casting to pull it off and unfortunately Aged has neither.

Those expecting a new twist on a familiar tale may be disappointed as Aged does exactly what an audience may expect it to do. With an admittedly enticing start which lures the audience in, it unfortunately becomes too contrived and cliched to make an impact. Aged is shot well and has potential, but something more original may have led to a more satisfying conclusion.

Justin McLaughlin (Jessie Gavin) is a reclusive veteran still dealing with the trauma of what he experienced. Then one day he’s contacted by a private detective named Michelle (Rose Marie Guess) who tells him that his brother, Charlie has been indoctrinated into a local militia group.

Concerned for his brother’s safety, Justin finds a way inside and when he meets their leader, Billy (Romano Orzari) it seems that his worst fears are confirmed to be true. Trying to get help from the police because he doesn’t know whether his brother is alive or dead, he starts to realise that he’ll have to take matters into his own hands.

Northern Shade is a crime drama written and directed by Christopher Rucinski. A movie that feels contained and personal, provides good performances by its cast although there could have been a clearer tone.

The story of a man looking for a missing relative who has special skills when it comes to combat may make audiences think that Northern Shade may be a more action orientated movie. However, it seems that writer/director Rucinski has a lot more in mind than a simple revenge movie. The romantic subplot between Justin and Michelle may also evoke a more emotional drama in the audience’s minds as Justin comes to term with his past while battling PTSD.

However, it seems that Northern Shade is a mixture of both and whereas the issues surrounding Justin’s mental health are something often covered in movies like this, it seems that there is too much surrounding his trauma.

Whilst doing both at once, it feels like the movie doesn’t really know where to sit. On the one hand there is a thoughtful drama about a man trying to come to terms with his past, but on the other the inevitable final act could be in danger of undermining this issue.

Feeling like Northern Shade wants to have its cake and eat it as well, elements of the drama are still thoughtfully portrayed. However, when it comes to the conclusion, these elements are pushed aside which make the movie feel like the previous events were forgotten.

Ill Fares The Land: Review.

George (Noah Silverstone) is a teenage boy living in a small town with his father and his brother. His dad is abusive, constantly belittling his confidence and he feels alone in the world. He has his brother, Trey (Ruaridh Aldington) but he’s unfortunately fallen into the impression that anybody not from their shores has no right to be there.

Then one day George is on his way home from school and finds a mermaid laying on the beach and something is unleashed from his psyche. He opens up for the first time in ages to his brother and although the conversation is unusual, they find a way to bond and connect over the grief of their terrible upbringing.

Ill Fares the Land is a short film written and directed by Patrick Ireland which tells of the terrible things that can happen in life mixed with the fantastical and dreamlike. Combining two very different worlds may seem jarring, but the mermaid helps to serve as a metaphor that tells us more about George and his trauma that could ever be expressed in words.

Juxtaposed with a real-world scenario which is unfortunately very prevalent in the UK today, it helps to bring context to a life where people have made terrible decisions.

Both Silverstone and Aldington give great performances in the little time they are given to flesh out the story. Silverstone makes the audience really feel for him in his quiet and emotional performance of a teenager caught in a bad situation. Alternately, Aldington gives a terrifyingly realistic performance as a man caught up in the anger and hatred of the far right, whilst showing a level of depth and feeling when finally coming together with his brother over an awful life.

However, the mermaid doesn’t just serve as a metaphor for George’s trauma and that is something the audience may immediately recognise. The idea that she represents an immigrant and how George deals with her may feel a bit heavy handed for some.

Although not outwardly addressed in the film, the comparison is clear. Hopefully though, the message that the film is putting across may sink in more gradually with those who think like Trey.

Oliver Lawrence (James Fleet) is one of the finest Shakespearian actors the stage has ever seen, unfortunately times are hard and he’s had to resort to doing a vampire movie instead. Putting on his cape and fangs, it’s a rather new experience for the experienced thespian, but he’s going to give it everything he’s got all the same.

There are various crew members around him who all want to ensure that their little low budget horror does the best that it could. However, it seems that there’s something in the basement which picks off anybody who dares go near it.

Scream of The Wolf (or Wolf Manor in other territories) is a low budget British horror comedy which is perhaps taking its set up a little too literally. Fleet who’s probably best known to audiences for his performances in Four Weddings and a Funeral and The Vicar of Dibley does certainly seem to be in this film in much the same way as his character. Not to mention that the budget is certainly of the low variety, even when it comes to portraying the titular wolf. Nonetheless, it does what it can until the finale.

The problem is that despite knowingly recreating the kind of silly low budget horrors that many of us have seen when we were far too young, Scream of The Wolf does little to subvert expectations. Most of the jokes are delivered far too dryly to raise any laughs and most of the observations have probably already been made by the audience as well.

Besides the ever so sly and pleased with themselves winks to the audience, it feels like Scream of The Wolf may itself have had a budget problem too. This can only explain how the wolf is barely seen and perhaps done so in fear of tearing the costume.

Even more strangely is that after the credits there’s a short film which goes into the origins of the werewolf curse. Feeling like an entirely different production it may even appeal to the audience more than the main feature, which feels like a very peculiar flaw.

Scream of The Wolf may be trying to remind its audience of old horror movies, but in its final minutes it may make the audience wonder why it wasn’t done so differently.

Charlie (Kiefer O’Reilly) is a homeless orphan down on his luck, a street rat you may say. However, it turns out that he may just be the hero that an alternate dimension needs. A hero that Li (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) is looking for so that she and her friends can defeat the evil Kunyi (Ron Perlman).

However, Charlie only has greed on his mind and owing money to notorious gangster, Rizzo (Christopher Plummer), encourages him to find a chance to steal the hero’s golden masks so he can pay off his debts. The trouble is that Charlie’s a fish out of water, thrust into a strange new world. Although over time he’ll learn the power of friendship and that some things are more valuable than gold.

Heroes of The Golden Mask is an animation not to be confused with 2020’s Unsung Heroes: The Golden Mask video game, although they do have things in common. Mainly that they’re lazy cash grabs which have taken ideas from much better material.

Boasting a cast which also includes Patton Oswalt as a giant scaly monster who’s desperately trying to make a catchphrase work, it seems that Heroes of The Golden Mask was made to remind its audience of better things. That thing would be Kung Fu Panda and it was done so long ago and much better.

The animation is also seriously lacking, making it feel like a low budget video game, not only with its plot, but with its complete low effort and plastic aesthetic. Heroes of The Golden Mask is like Kung Fu Panda at home, so don’t be fooled that it’s something original.

Finally, there’s the casting which may have been a problem. That’s because despite having a few recognisable names doesn’t ensure they will give first rate performances. Which would explain Ron Perlman’s half-baked and lacklustre performance whilst Byron Mann sounds like his lines were recorded in a completely different environment.

Parents can do better than subjecting their kids to a movie which cares about them even less than they might. Your children won’t thank you if they find it later in life and realise what little effort the filmmakers put in.