Author: Joel Fisher

Raymond Lewis was one of the greatest basketball players that ever lived, his potential for greatness was in his grasp and he could have been remembered as a legend. Unfortunately, due to a series of events including a contract dispute with the Philadelphia 76ers and being seen as having a bad attitude, he was blackballed from the NBA.

However, for those who remember him from his teammates, his coaches, family and friends, they tell a different story of a man struggling to be recognised. Somebody trying to reach the top when everything else seemed to be against him.

Raymond Lewis: L.A. Legend is a documentary that tells the story of the rise and fall of one of basketball’s greatest players who has sadly had his name erased from sports history.

Having died in 2001 and there being little footage of him on the court or being interviewed, left up to the accounts of those closest to him to tell it as it was. You’d also be hard pushed to find somebody who had a bad word to say about him as everybody could see his talent and a man that wanted to do the best for his family.

Basketball fans and sports historians will be thoroughly interested in the story of Raymond Lewis because although they may have heard of him, those too young to know wouldn’t really have been able to appreciate his talent. This means that it’s down to people such as former L.A. Laker, Michael Cooper, NCAA College Rights icon Harry Edwards and former NBA general manager Pat Williams amongst many others to tell it as they remember it.

However, along with the rise to fame and glory comes an all too familiar story of life spiralling out of control. With a series of misunderstandings and perhaps a little bravado on Lewis’ account, it seemed like the wrong people got rubbed up the wrong way and that meant the end for his career.

Taken too soon and largely forgotten, Raymond Lewis L.A. Legend finally sets the record straight on how a man who wanted it all lost everything to chance.

Making a horror anthology these days can be difficult because they seem to happen so often. With so much competition it can be hard to stand out and so everything from having female led short films to stories with a science fiction twist could be included. Although anthologies are usually made to show the talent of different filmmakers, sometimes a single director will have a vision and want to make it their own.

However, it is safe to say that horror anthologies are best when they have a framing device that ties the stories together

V/H/S 99 is the latest horror anthology exclusive to Shudder and from the franchise of V/H/S movies which has gained a cult following among horror fans. Having gone through various eras of horror cinema, the latest instalment finds itself in what probably could be its last. Not because the originality of the stories is running out but being so close to the 21^st century may mean a change in technology.

Starting out with its framing device, very short movies are made from animated plastic toy soldiers and either that will work for people, or it will not. On the one hand the gags that are done with the soldiers may rise a smile, but on the other it does not exactly pretend that there is a cohesive narrative between stories.

However, the stories contained within could not be any more different. Stories such as Shredding, about a post punk band tormented by a vengeful spirit. Suicide Bid where a new sorority’s pledge has her dream of belonging turned into a nightmare. Ozzy’s Dungeon, where a sadistic gameshow host gets what is coming to him. The Gawkers where a group of teenage boys get a lesson on being careful where you look. Then finally To Hell and Back where a demonic ritual sends two young men to the other side.

As with most horror anthologies that are written and directed by entirely different people there may be some things that work for some and some that do not. The visual effects are consistent throughout and impressive in some areas, but the stories are the things that stand them apart. For example, shorter stories such as The Gawkers work the best for their impact, but Ozzy’s Dungeon seems to go on too long and becomes a showcase for the visual effects team.

However, overall, the anthology shows that horror is alive and well and that imagination is limitless.

 V/H/S/99 is available to stream exclusively on Shudder.com.

Meimei (Harmonie He) is a smart little girl who lives in China with her family and is the same as every other child her age. However, when Thomas (George Christopher) comes in to help the class learn English, he notices something special in Meimei and he thinks he can help. So, along with her mother, Chen Lan (Zhu Zhu), Meimei goes to America to help with her education and to see what she is capable of doing.

Confetti is a heart-warming drama written and directed by Ann Hu, inspired by her own experiences of growing up. Told in a palatable way which will help people understand who have had no experience of dyslexia, Confetti guides the audience through a story about a bright and friendly little girl who’s starting out in the world.

However, it’s also about the expectations of a mother and her fears for her daughter when she’s introduced to something so alien and yet so familiar to her own experiences.

This means that the story shifts focus from daughter to mother and where it could have been an inspirational story about a cute little girl who overcomes her learning disability, it becomes a story more personal to Chen Lan. A story which reflects on what her life was like not knowing her potential.

Zhu Zhu gives a great performance in this role and her development over the course of the film may be something that audience members don’t see coming. However, it shakes up a film which could have been so formulaic. There are also certain tropes such as the white, able saviour which the story appears to start out as, but its natural progression shows a maternal bond which isn’t often portrayed.

Saying that though and despite the good intentions of the story, it becomes clear that Confetti is a film that wants to teach its audience about dyslexia. Also, that it wants to teach parents not to be concerned if their child is diagnosed. This means that although the story is well told performed well and well thought out, its overall message makes the film feel like a teaching tool rather than a heartfelt story

Michael (Freddie Thorp) is a keen mountaineer enthusiast and has big ambitions, his friends all join him in that enthusiasm too and they convince him that it’s time to conquer the big three in the French Alps. The Matterhorn, The Eiger and Mont Blanc are some of the biggest mountains in the world and their plan is to go there and conquer them all.

However, whilst there Michael meets Isabelle (Mathilde Warnier) and a whirlwind romance begins which brings doubt into his mind as he knows the dangers of mountain climbing all too well.

Summit Fever is a drama set in the French Alps which brings together a group of mountaineers who are all looking to get to the top of the next big climb. Written and directed by Julian Gilbey, it seems that there’s a lot being promised on what could be an emotional and potentially action-packed drama set on some of the most dangerous terrains in the world.

Unfortunately, it seems that like Gilbey’s ambitions, his lead’s may have been too big of an ask, leaving the audience disappointed as most of the movie focuses on the romance off the precipice rather than the action in the snow.

However, another puzzling thing is when the audience is introduced to Leo (Ryan Phillippe) because for most viewers he may be the most recognisable face in the cast. So, if a production were to cast somebody like him then there may be certain expectations.

Although Phillippe’s on screen hasn’t exactly set the world on fire, it seems rather perplexing as to why he was cast at all considering his character is all but in the background. Leo turns out to be the embodiment of the phrase ‘I’ll be in my trailer’ as he gives Phillippe so little to do.

Then when the movie finally gets around to doing what it promised, the audience will realise what they came for. Moments filled with cliched heroics, meaningless deaths and a particularly sombre ending. Summit Fever doesn’t live up to the excitement of its name and without somebody like Phillippe to hold the audience’s attention, they may not make it to the peak either.

Eliot (West Liang) is searching for his estranged wife. He’s clearly not happy how things ended between them, but he’s still hopeful that he can pick up where they left off. He stops at a motel in the desert and there he meets Greta (Amy Tsang) who may reveal more of a path to Eliot’s wife than he first realises.

However, as he continues to try and bring back the things into his marriage which were lost so long ago, things start to get stranger and Eliot finds himself lost in it all.

Silent River is an arthouse noir thriller written and directed by Chris Chan Lee which takes its inspiration from a few sources to tell its tale. The story of a man’s journey to put things right for his wife whilst stopping off at an isolated motel may evoke feelings of Christopher Nolan’s Memento. Not to mention Eliot’s tattoos and loner attitude is surely not just a coincidence.

Although, there are other elements that may interest those who are fans of David Lynch and in the end Silent River tries to meld the two.

Unfortunately, it seems that in his pursuit of making a movie which best illustrates his influences, director Lee seems to have forgotten what makes a narrative compelling. There can be something quite satisfying about trying to interpret a movie for yourself and looking through the surface to understand what the director is trying to convey. However, when a director is trying to make the audience stare at awe in their intelligence and film literacy, without something for an audience to grasp on to then they may quickly lose interest.

This becomes increasingly frustrating as the movie decides to delve into another genre entirely which causes the audience to try and adjust their expectations when they’re already so far into the story. All the cast do a good job and Silent River does indeed look beautiful which again may be another tactic to distract the audience from the plot.

However, at the end of the day it feels like it’s all style and no substance.