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By Alex Purnell. An intriguing who-done-it crime story with grizzly twists and turns, Innocence tells the daring story of care home patient Dylan (Tommy Jessop), a young man who has Down syndrome, as he is relentlessly questioned over the mysterious death of worker Micheal (Richard Glover).

The film profoundly questions the role of disabled actors and characters within the film, and the notion that they are predominantly typecasted as victims. Director Ben Reid wrote upon the film website that the intention of Innocence was to portray a strong character who has Down syndrome for his younger brother Tom, who also has Down syndrome. Reid states:

“This drove me to make INNOCENCE, giving Tom the character he’s always been denied and shining a light on the fact people with Down syndrome are more capable and intelligent than most people believe.”

The most compelling component of Innocence is the constant hurricane of a story the film brings you on. A rollercoaster of half-truths, Innocence feels superbly thought through, with a well-written script which is remarkably fleshed out. What the script did well was to provide a wonderfully paced short, feeding the audience with a constant drip-feed of information whilst hiding the reveal successfully until the final moments.

The character of Dylan (Tommy Jessop) feels three dimensional and fluid as the lead, with Jessop playing the part beautifully, the character is most definitely the highlight of the short, bringing a wealth of confidence to the role.

Despite this, though, the other characters do feel somewhat flavourless in comparison, feeling underwhelming, and as if they are reading directly off the script. This frustrating pot-hole turns the other-wise brilliantly professional short into more of an amateur feeling student film, although in general, it is somewhat forgivable, as the plot manages to uphold the majority of the short.

Innocence is a pocket-sized crime drama you should definitely consider watching. Not only does it fit an incredible plot filled into its 20 minute margin, but it also questions the role of disabled actors within the industry, not only that but it acts upon the issue, telling a suspensefully unforgettable story in the process. 

As a family accepts the eldest son’s wife into their home, their lives are upended as this beautiful, loving woman affects each member of the household in different ways.

Essentially an homage to Yasujirō Ozu’s family dramas, Abnormal Family takes numerous elements (from dialogue to framing, movement and visuals) to subvert the viewers expectations. Drawing from Ozu’s style and using it as a framework, while director Masayuki Suo builds his pinku story within. This is something that prolific genre filmmaker, Takashi Miike would further warp and distort seventeen years later with his blacker than black comedy, Visitor Q. 

In Abnormal Family, Suo gives us snapshots of family life but these are fractured. In many instances a family discussion will be occurring in tandem with erotic scenes. The elder brother is sexually unsatisfied with his new bride, who is coveted by the younger brother, while the daughter has given up on the idea of an office job and is working in a bathhouse. All the while, their meek, dazed, widower father mourns the loss of his wife, seeing her face in the significant women in his life.

If it wasn’t for all of the soft-core sex, Abnormal Family would be an achingly tragic family drama, but perhaps that’s the point (and perhaps still is, in spite of this). The stilted dialogue is often flat and otherworldly, acting as a barrier between the viewer and the characters. It is only when the talking stops and the eroticisms start that the audience has any opportunity to immerse themselves in what is unfolding onscreen.

Unlike earlier examples of Japanese “pink” movies, Abnormal Family doesn’t require a plot-worthy excuse to exhibit nudity and scenes of a sexual nature. This isn’t a pseudo-political film or a noir mystery thriller. This family drama features male arousal, shades of BDSM, oral sex and in-law affairs because at its heart, this film is about replacing the matriarch with a new model, and what affects this has.

On a surface level, Abnormal Family is a sixty-minute skin flick with a more engrossing plot, richer characters and greater technical proficiency than one would expect. Beneath that, there are some fascinating parallels with some of Yasujirō Ozu’s classic Japanese dramas, like Tokyo Story. But you know… with more shagging.

Abnormal Family: Older Brother’s Bride is available now via Third Window Films.

A journalist attempts to find his missing fiancee and uncovers the truth behind a sinister folklore that leads him down a dark and dangerous road.

Right from the opening scene of Blood Myth, I got a really weird and gross feeling in my stomach. A feeling that told me that I shouldn’t be watching this movie. Not because it’s a horror movie that’s so scary that, if I continue to watch, it will scar me for life. No. It was a gross feeling that told me that I still had over an hour left.

Despite the fact that this is billed as a straight-up horror flick, virtually nothing about it will give you any sort of thrill or will make you feel freaked out. It’s an extremely low-budget film that oftentimes feels more like a soap opera akin to Coronation Street rather than a “scary” movie. Right down to the cinematography, the dialogue, the acting, this just screams lazy filmmaking and it was painfully frustrating to watch.

It’s one of those movies where you can’t help but notice where certain scenes could have easily been so much better had the filmmaker stopped for a moment to think about things. It’s just riddled with too many problems scene after scene. I knew I was in for trouble when I noticed one of the actresses’ eyes darting back and forth as she was reading off of a teleprompter or a script.

All of the acting is incredibly weak and feels extremely wooden at all times. To be fair, I’m not sure whether or not the script is wholly to blame, or if the actors themselves just aren’t good actors. But I am willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

But all of the poor acting and dialogue aside, it’s simply boring and bland. It takes about half an hour for the film’s concept to even start to kick in. We never see our lead protagonist actually go on this journey of finding his missing fiancee until halfway through the film. The character development is basically non-existent here.

It feels like we meet our protagonist, and then, a scene or two later, he is off on his mission and for some reason, we are supposed to care about him and his plight. I understand that if your fiancee was missing, it would be a terrifying and stressful situation, but that’s kind of obvious. We should be given some other reason to care about his plight.

A large portion as to why we don’t care is because of the running time and the script. With a total length of eighty-one minutes, there isn’t any room for a slow-burning build. There’s no room for this story to bloom and to show what it really could have been. Instead, what we get is a drastically unscary, sometimes unintentionally hilarious horror film that misses the mark completely.

Blood Myth feels more so like an edgy soap opera rather than the terrifying horror film it wants to be, thanks to its weak acting and its familiar and underdeveloped story.

By Alex Purnell. The story of Bill begins with a widow drinking a mysterious concoction in front of an image of her deceased husband, with the hope that this form of black magic her loved one will come back to her. 

Filmed in a single day and self-funded by directorial duo Dan Gitsham & Sophie Mair, the fresh idea is made even more compelling with the films simplicity, and its tight-time of just 3 minutes means there’s no reason not to watch Bill. 

The use of sound works wonders for Bill, and is the most noteworthy component of the short. Nothing is quite as eerie as hearing a rickety door open slowly when nobody is home or the deafly quiet, albeit obvious sound of heavy breathing. To top this off, the music used helps create an ominous environment with its slightly off-kilter guitar playing and sinister drone. 

The atmosphere is chilling, creating great tension, although Bill is dragged down by a number of components which really could have been improved. The film stars Roxanna Vilk, playing the main role of the widow, and although the performance isn’t inherently bad, Vilk seems to overact, her reactions seem unnatural and don’t appear to sync up with what’s happening on screen. This makes me believe this was more of an editorial or directorial blunder, and not so much the fault of the talent involved.

Alas, for myself the biggest pit-fall of Bill is the excess use of CGI. As a great believer of less is more in horror flicks (unless you are going for a John Carpenter-esque practical horror), I found it less scary and more frustrating, especially as I thought the intention of the film attempts to inflict more of a psychological effect on the viewer.

Unfortunately, the use of a CGI’d blue dead man does little but make me groan, so much potential desolated by showing far too much.

Bill is an enjoyable watch, and its length allows you to view it multiple times to really breath in its DIY beauty. Despite this, it is somewhat plagued by its issues but is admirable in its honest attempt to be different. 

By Alex Purnell. London chicken shops are a representation of your neighbourhood, acting as a community hub for minority groups in the capital. They act as a cheap alternative from other fast-food shops scattered around London and have garnered a level of respect from the locals and because of this, chicken shops such as Morley’s and Chicken Palace are considered a far better representation of London culture than Buckingham Palace or The Tower of London will ever be. 

No more Wings, the directorial debut of Abraham Adeyemi, is a short story about two young black men at a pivotal moment in their lives. The two meet at their local Morley’s chicken shop to have a catch-up, with one clad in a stylish suit and a gilded new watch, whilst the other sports a tracksuit, weed and a grinder. Quickly you can see the stark contrast between the two, as they dig into their 6 piece with chips.

The suited Isaac (Ivanno Jeremiah) lets his old friend know that he is leaving their local district of Woolwich, and has recently brought a house in East London. The other, Jude (Parys Jordan), lightheartedly argues against his friend, suggesting that he should stay for the glow up, as well as protesting that the up-market chicken shops nearby will be gentrified and overpriced.

The film cuts to the two as schoolboys, entering the same Morleys years earlier, whilst this time they are both wearing a standard school uniform. Despite this, you can instantly tell who is who, and not just by their haircuts but instead through the conversation the two engage in.

The duo chat about their district of Woolwich, and whether or not they are going to leave, echoing their future actions. A young Jude strives to be a grime star, representing Woolwich, whilst the young grounded Isaac reminds him of his GCSE’s and states that there’s much more to the world than South East London. 

The simplicity of No more Wings is both it’s most resilient and weakest point. Dialogue is the most integral component of the film and is consistently carried by natural conversation, creating a fluid, realistic narrative which is most definitely the defining feature of the flick. 

Despite this, No more Wings does leave the audience feeling empty by the end, the lack of substance does create a rather dull viewing experience. The dialogue is engaging, but the delivery leaves much to be desired, with the two older versions seeming to not want to be present.

Although maybe intentional with the inclination that the two are drifting apart, it leaves you feeling unfulfilled, as the lack of climax or any real development of character leaves you emotionless.