Author: Joel Fisher

Michelle (Angeline Ball) is the owner of a beauty salon called Deadly Cuts. Her co-workers, Stacey (Ericka Roe), Gemma (Lauren Larkin) and Chantelle (Shauna Higgins) all have their own problems and personal issues, but what hangs over them is a gangster called Deano (Ian Lloyd Anderson) who is threatening to shut them down unless they pay him a lot of protection money.

On top of that, Deadly Cuts is also being threatened by closure in place of trendier businesses which could bring in a lot of money for the town – in place of their jobs. However, with their gangster problem dealt with in an unconventional way, all the girls have to do is win a national hairdressing competition to save their jobs.

Deadly Cuts is a black comedy from Ireland which plays with a familiar format which is often seen in sports movies. Parodying something so simple and every day as hairdressing, the movie pushes the limits of what it can make fun of with the latter part of the film turning into something akin to Best in Show or Mascots and is probably the most fun part of the film.

The problem is that it takes a long time to get there and once the premise is fully set up then a lot of time has already passed.

There are also a lot of characters in the film also and although there is a focus on the four main characters, the film doesn’t really give them all enough to do. Where Chantelle is pushed to the back and has to deal with the fart jokes, Michelle’s story feels a little overbaked and the emotional moments from the other women are dealt with quickly and quietly.

There are some very funny moments though and some great performances from recognisable faces to pad out the film. Pauline Mclynn is great as a judge with delusions of grandeur, Victoria Smurfit plays the devious and conceited beauty salon owner well and Louis Lovett who plays D’Logan Doyle, Ireland’s best hairdresser steals some scenes. However, they all feel like they’re given too little screen time to really relish their roles.

Also, despite the name and the black comedy set up, perhaps Deadly Cuts could have done without it as it works just as well as a formulaic, but feelgood comedy.

Erica (Yaz Perea) has been roped in by a friend to go to what she has been told is a retreat where women get to know their bodies and learn the extent of which she can enjoy sexual pleasure. She has her concerns about going and no doubt there are things going through her mind like extended meditations sessions, chanting and crystals waved over naked bodies that do nothing.

However, she’s willing to give it a go and besides some of the more intense members of the group, Erica finds herself having a good time. The group have a rather charismatic and influential leader in Peggy (Lexie Mountain) though and her words start to have an influence on Erica. As do the ambitions of Peggy and her joyful, but ardent group of followers and so Erica finds that her place may be in this cult after all.

Adventures in Success is a satirical comedy about a group of people who some may say is a sex cult and it follows their attempts to get their message across when it seems like everybody around them is deeply cynical. Billed as a mockumentary, Adventures in Success is far more of a straightforward comedy.

That’s because where it could have been a comedy laughing about this small group of hippies trying to spread the word of peace and love, it shows a great affection for them.

There are many discussions about how they feel about themselves, their bodies and conversations about sexual politics and whereas a mockumentary would poke fun at people like that, the audience may find themselves agreeing with some of the cult’s points. Although there are moments which open up the control of Peggy’s words which remind the audience of its cult-like rules. However, although there are interviews to camera every now and then, it doesn’t feel like it’s often enough to make it feel like a true mockumentary.

The way it’s structured also makes it feel more like a conventional film, so the audience may forget its documentary influences entirely.

Perea puts in a good performance as Erica learns to let go and although Peggy is the most outwardly comedic character in the group, Mountain never makes her character turn into a parody. It may not be for everyone and those expecting a Christopher Guest style mockumentary may be disappointed, just go in with an open mind and try to shed the sceptical side and accept the love.

Biohacking may seem like one of those buzzwords that’s only been invented recently so that people can use it to make themselves sound clever. However, biohacking is not as complex as it sounds and may very well be the key to making sure that we alleviate our stress on a day-to-day basis.

Stress can affect us all at one time or another and it can also affect us in very different ways. Some people manage seem to manage stress wonderfully, whilst others take time to recover from even the mildest inconvenience. How you react to that stress is what counts, however knowing what the right thing is to do may be easier said than done.

Stronger by Stress is a new documentary which deals with the topic in an easily manageable way and with many opinions from different experts such as Leigh Ewin, Teemu Arina and Siim Land. The documentary lays it all out in front of its audience and shows that stress can be easy to handle.

As mentioned before, the introduction of biohacking may seem a bit daunting at first, but as the documentary continues, it shows the different ways that we can change our lives to manage stress in bitesize chunks.

Everything from our work, exercise, diet and even sleep are discussed, explaining the different ways that stress can affect us because of it and exactly what we can do to destress just when we need it most. Audiences may find that there is something that everyone can take away from the documentary which they could easily use in their own lives.

However, as with the modern age come modern problems such as social media and the over reliance of social media as a whole. So, Stronger by Stress explains that all too and instead of lecturing the audience on the dangers, it shows the little things we can do to change our habits.

Stronger by Stress may be a provocative title which implies that what doesn’t kill us only makes us stronger. However, it’s a reminder that there is a way to manage when it all feels a bit too much and makes it easy to understand and digest.

Jennifer Vogel (Dylan Penn) had a troubled childhood. Her father, John (Sean Penn) always seemed to be up to some scheme in order to try and provide for his family, but it always landed him in trouble. Jennifer dreams of being a journalist too and despite her father’s best attempts to help her in life, she’s had to struggle through and make it on her own.

However, John always manages to find a way to get himself back into his daughter’s life and each time he promises that he’s changed.

Flag Day is the feature directorial debut of Sean Penn and stars his daughter, Dylan. Based on the book by the real Jennifer Vogel, Flag Day tells the story of her life from the early seventies right up to the present day. Unfortunately, although this ambitious project seems like it would be a breeze for such a Hollywood legend as Sean Penn, it lacks a lot of things that could have made it great.

Firstly, there’s the story itself. There’s no disputing that Jennifer Vogel had a hard childhood and learned to make it on her own, but then again so did lots of people. This leaves the beats of her story feeling not all that special, unusual or interesting. Least of all anything that would warrant a biopic.

Then there’s the characterisation of Jennifer and her father and it seems like Jennifer herself may have not been consulted because the movie doesn’t even attempt to put on screen what kind of a connection that she had with her father. This means for the most part it just seems that the story is being played out without any emotional weight.

A reason for Jennifer’s anguish other than her father being a criminal or any kind of redeeming feature of her father could have made a bond that the audience could support, but in Flag Day there’s nothing. Add to that the confusing structure of going back and forth through time in flashbacks which are only really indicated by Dylan Penn’s hairstyle and the audience may soon lose interest.

Flag Day comes across as a passion project to simultaneously boost Sean Penn’s profile whilst bonding with his daughter, but only the former comes across on screen.

Issachar (Maxi Delmelle) and Zabulon (Harpo Guit) are brothers and they’re idiots. They’re at that time in their lives where they’re in their twenties and haven’t grown up and it seems that they have no intention of doing so.

However, one day when they are put in charge of their mother, Cachemire’s (Claire Bodson) dog known as January Jack and they lose him, they have 24 hours to find him or else their mother will throw them out. So, will the pair grow up and learn responsibility? Or will their adventures just lead them down an even more immature and juvenile path? Unfortunately, it’s the latter.

Mother Schmuckers (or Fils de plouc in French) is a gross out Belgian comedy that somehow made its way to the Sundance Film Festival. Directed by Harpo Guit and his brother, Lenny, Mother Schmuckers is presented in the same vein as movies such as Dumb and Dumber and Dude Where’s My Car.

The movie comes across as the kind of thing that they really don’t make any more and whether that’s a good or bad thing is for the audience to decide. Considering this is a first feature film for both of its stars then it’s even more astounding that it got the platform that it did. Although a cameo from Mathieu Amalric may have tipped the balance.

This is definitely an adult comedy, so those expecting something that comes across as mindlessly stupid and inoffensive may be in for a surprise. It seems that the ethos for Mother Schmuckers is that if you’re not offended straight away then you need to keep watching because it will get to you.

There’s also not a great amount of plot when it comes to the movie either. Neither is there any kind of moral to the story as it comes across as a series of sketches rather than a coherent film that seems to just throw anything in to see what makes the audience laugh or throw up.

Mother Shcmuckers clearly isn’t meant to be a movie that will appeal to most audiences, but those nostalgic for early 2000’s comedies may find something they like.