Category: Independent Film / TV - ActingHour™

'The Odds' - Raindance Film Festival 2018

26/10/2018

A woman has entered a contest to play an underground game of pain endurance with the hope of winning a million dollar prize. This is an edge of your seat thriller that will keep you guessing right up until the credits roll. As she tackles the challenges The Player comes to the realisation that her real opponent is the man who is running the game and not the other players. It becomes a question of if she can endure not only the challenges but also the horrific methods he employs to manipulate and defeat her.

'The Odds' gives you the gore but with a gripping and extremely well written plot and absolutely outstanding performances from both of the lead actors. Abbi Butler is absolutely stunning as The Player, taking us on one hell of a journey as she plays her way through the game, seeing how much pain she can endure in the quest to win. The resolve that she has is stunning and the chemistry between the two characters is what really holds your focus in this film.

James J. Fuertes is fascinating as the Game Master, the facilitator of the game and The Player's only link to information on how well she’s doing against the other players. The way that this character changes and develops is both scary and intriguing and Fuertes does a great job of keeping you on edge. It is also impressive that both actors succeeded in creating such an intense connection on screen despite the fact that you never even learn their names.

Expertly shot, and only in one location, this film sets the tense mood perfectly, giving you just enough horror and gore but without overdoing it. With the relationship between the two characters and the stories that she tells about her past, the film is also a metaphor for domestic abuse and inner strength. 'The Odds' is a triumph and definitely earned it’s spot as the closing night film at Raindance Film Festival.

Review by May Heartly.

'Love Possibly' - Raindance Film Festival 2018

26/10/2018

Utter genius. This is a fictional documentary following Alex in his awkward search for love, which involves meeting his future mail-order bride online and having to work with the language barrier. 'Love Possibly' is both heartfelt and hilarious. The story follows the stereotypical guidelines of a rom-com but with a fantastic mockumentary style. It centres around a character who struggles with social anxiety and is generally considered a bit of an oddball, but who also is a hopeless romantic.

'Love Possibly' is shot in a fly-on-the-wall documentary style and it works perfectly for this film as it allows you to see parts of the story and elements of Alex's personality that you wouldn't normally get to if it was shot in a more traditional feature film style. Mainly when Alex talks to the camera or interacts with it as these moments provide a lot of comedy as well as a deeper understanding of who he is as a person.

What’s great about the film is that although you are laughing at it, you also love the character of Alex. So while it is a mockumentary, it is not mocking him or his struggles, but more the situations he gets himself into. He is a rom-com obsessed virgin and believes that he has cracked the code as to how love works and has written out a list of steps for achieving true love. Steps that he begins to follow once he meets Lana on a Moldovan mail-order bride website.

This obviously results in some deeply awkward and absolutely hilarious situations, and he really gets out of his depth when she makes the bold decision of moving to London to marry him. Will they be able to find common ground and a way to communicate, and will the rom-com steps that he swears by actually work and result in love..?

The acting in 'Love Possibly' is phenomenal and the performance from Steve Hodgetts as Alex is believable, lovable, relatable and also at times ridiculous. He deserves recognition for his transformation into this character, as well a commendation for the fact that there was also a lot of improvised performance from him in the film. It’s a heartfelt story that will have you laughing your head off as well as making you really feel for Alex. Certainly a film that will make you smile.

Review by May Heartly.

'M' - Raindance Film Festival 2018

26/10/2018

A wonderful film about two people, both struggling to communicate in different ways, who learn to communicate with each other in this beautiful love story. This film is a masterpiece of storytelling, with characters that you truly invest in and feel for. Mo is chatty and races cars illegally for his income, and Lila is a student with a paralysing speech impediment who is trying to prepare for her exams. After a chance meeting at a bus stop it is definitely a case of opposites attract as the two fall for each other.

'M' will really pull you in and take you with Lila and Mo on their journeys. Sara Forestier and Redouanne Harjane both give fantastic performances but it is Sara as Lila who really steals your heart in this film. Hats off to Forestier who also wrote the screenplay and directed the film. It is really a shining example of the saying "never judge a book by its cover" as it encourages you to look beyond appearances and truly understand a person.

There are also comments on education within the film that encourage people to appreciate the education that we are given, as not everyone is lucky enough to have access to it, it is a privilege. 'M' also gives the opinion that if people support and help each other and work together then much greater things can be achieved than if they struggle alone. It is very difficult to find any bad points about this film as the script, cinematography, direction and acting are all just so good.

It is all about acceptance and learning to accept yourself for who you are. Love yourself for who you are, and love all of your faults as well because they make you who you are. Forget about what other people think. Only when you love all of yourself will you let someone else love all of you too. Watch this film.

Review by May Heartly.

'Luna's Revenge' - Raindance Film Festival 2018

25/10/2018

'Luna's Revenge' is a tense story of heartbreak and discovery. Luna’s family are murdered in cold blood during their holiday in the mountains and the killers will stop at nothing the take her out too. As she runs for her life Luna uncovers the truth about her family and her father’s secret life as a Russian spy, but instead of leaving the country and heading for safety she decides that she wants revenge instead.

Lisa Vicari is fantastic as Luna and draws you in with her performance as you go on her journey of grief and fear with her. The film is tense and while it doesn’t do anything greatly surprising with the story, what it does do it does effectively and with great cinematic style. Based on a true story it is a brilliant portrayal of the subtleties of real life espionage.

While there are action scenes, this is not you typical action packed spy movie. It is much more personal than that and is very much about Luna and how the events change her, and also how they don't. As she discovers that her whole life has been a lie we see the childlike innocence stripped away as she becomes a determined young woman with resolve. 'Luna's Revenge' questions where the line is between duty and morals. It also makes a very strong political comment about Russian spies in Germany.

The only downside to this film is that it is essentially straightforward. The story is very well executed but it doesn't do anything surprising or clever, which is the one missing piece of the puzzle that would make it exceptional and a lot more memorable. But otherwise it is a great story and a great film.

Review by May Heartly.

'After the Sea' - Raindance Film Festival 2018

25/10/2018

'After the Sea' is a beautiful and heartfelt story about grief. A separated couple reunite on a beach in their hometown to talk about their shared best friend and his suicide. It’s impressive that a film so short can evoke so much emotion and create characters that are totally relatable. Inspired by true events in the lives of the filmmakers, the writing is simple but effective and is supported by strong performances from Lauren Cato and particularly from Elliot James Langridge.

The film shows two people realising that sometimes what you’ve left behind is what you need, and that you can go back to what you want. It’s about forgiveness and accepting that everyone makes mistakes, and about supporting one another instead of assigning blame for matters that are sometimes out of your control. Acceptance that sometimes it’s nobody’s fault. The feeling of loss is strong throughout the film and they deal with the sensitive matter of suicide extremely well.

'After the Sea' makes a strong comment on mental health and also how losing someone you love can cause lasting devastation.

Review by May Heartly.

'We' - Raindance Film Festival 2018

25/10/2018

Eight teenage friends play games of discovery to alleviate the boredom during a hot summer in a Belgian-Dutch border village. 'We' (original name 'Wij') is a striking and very graphic story about a group of young people who lose their innocence while discovering, exploring, and then exploiting their sexuality in the quest for fun and money. They push the boundaries and challenge themselves and each other, but pretty soon their sexual curiosity begins to blur the lines between right and wrong.

The story is told in chapters through the eyes of different members of the group and we find out what happened while awaiting the outcome of a trial. ‘We’ is a great example of how things can quickly escalate and spiral out of control and the film is very well shot and directed. The chapter based style of storytelling works very well and ensures that things are revealed at the right moments to progress and build the narrative.

The acting was great all round and Aimé Claeys was particularly memorable as Thomas in the way that he showed so many different sides of the character throughout the film. He is definitely the most representative of the teenagers becoming predatory through games and sexual exploitation, and the conclusion to his story is one that will hang in the air once the film ends. What was most interesting was the motivations and reasons why the members of the group do the things that they do, and they all have different reasons.

The film questions responsibility, remorse and accountability and is both a great and somewhat shocking watch.

Review by May Heartly.

'Feelings To Tell' - Raindance Film Festival 2018

25/10/2018

'Feelings to Tell' is a beautifully shot story about wanting to return to yourself, about reconnecting with life and who your are. A young painter named Jiang finds himself in a Taogu village where he meets a mute girl called Jiu'er. Her age means she will soon be taken away to become a mountain goddess. Set amongst stunning scenery in the mountains of China it is reflective of modern day life and getting lost in the rush and pressure of it all.

The film speaks volumes about the importance of inner peace, and it does so by speaking less. There are some beautiful dance sequences with Jiu'er as she prepares to become the goddess and there is a lot of focus on being connected with the people and environment around you. The sense of the loss and grief of our main character is truly felt as we piece together his story bit by bit.

Time is not linear in this film and while that makes for in interesting watch, it is also quite confusing. 'Feelings to Tell' succeeds more in getting its message and morals across than it does in giving us a fully coherent story. It is difficult to tell what is actually going on up in the mountains, you get the feeling that there is a deeper meaning to events but it remains unclear what that actually is.

The film is slow to tell its story, but it’s actually the better for it as it again echos the values of essentially finding your inner peace and serenity. The performances are subtle yet strong throughout and ‘Feelings to Tell’ is enjoyable and relaxing to watch.

Review by May Heartly.

'Accommodations' - Raindance Film Festival 2018

25/10/2018

'Accommodations' is about a family who live a very lavish lifestyle, but who do not necessarily appreciate what they have and how lucky they are. The main character Edie kind of whines her way through the film, trying to figure out who she is without being the spoiled brat that she calls herself (and doesn’t want to be). In order to try and “find herself” and make space for herself in their lives she tries to become a writer and lead a more creative lifestyle.

This is something which her husband certainly is not supportive of, he frequently drags her to his work parties and uses her to help seal business deals by getting her to lie to his clients. He also kicks up a huge fuss if she doesn’t want to do it and more than once forces her not to leave, however as soon as it is one of her events he just bails and leaves her there. It is surprising that a film with such loose morals, that is definitely unintentionally biased toward women serving men has been shown in a major film festival so close to the #MeToo movement.

The plot doesn't really develop and the characters don't really grow at all, instead it sort of meanders around the things that they do to try and maintain their income and very comfortable lifestyle, all while still not being satisfied by it. There is a whole section where they decide to rent out their apartment which is basically just another example of the husband getting his own way in spite of Edie's protests, and gives her a chance to freak out about other people touching her stuff... but to no real point and purpose.

It is simply rich people moaning about how unfulfilled their lives are despite having no real problems. The film gets two stars because it was so well shot and the acting was good. It is just a shame that the script was so sorely lacking.

Review by May Heartly.

'Saviors' - Randance Film Festival 2018

25/10/2018

'Saviors' is a realistic look at the darker side or white supremacy extremism in America. The whole film is amazingly shot in one continuous take, giving it an odd dreamlike feeling which works extremely well for the film. It is also an incredible success in both its cinematography and direction to pull this off so seamlessly and so artistically. 'Saviors' really highlights some of the horrors hidden behind white supremacy in America, and it gives you a raw look at it without holding back anything.

The actors are all fantastic in their roles as you really go on the journey with them throughout the film. This is particularly the case with Megan Johnson as Blaze, and it is hard to believe that this is her screen debut. The scenes with the white supremacy group are particularly well written as their arguments for their actions are well justified and they really believe in why they’re doing what they’re doing, even though we as an audience know that it is so wrong and discriminatory.

'Saviors' raises awareness of issues that need to be spoken about and it certainly doesn’t pull any punches in getting its message across.

Review by May Heartly.

'History' - Season 2

27/9/2017

Out now on YouTube and Vimeo!

Once upon a time, there was a distinct divide between movies and television. Often actors and directors and such would work in one medium or the other, and never the twain would meet. Of the two, television was often looked down upon like the cliched red-headed step-child. In the recent decade, with the golden age of television emerging from behind that particular cloud, that has become increasingly less so, with more and more people venturing back and forth across the river. Unfortunately, nature abhors a vaccuum, and so does entertainment. With the emergence of Youtube and Vimeo as almost television channels of their own, more and more web-based content is being produced. As a result, web series have assumed the unenviable position, usually dismissed as inferior and oft-dismissed. But, venture into the world and it's easy to see that isn't truly the case.

'History' - written, directed, edited by, and starring Jack Tracy - is a six-part series that explores the (pun very much intended) ins and outs of a group of gay friends living and working and playing in New York. So far, so familiar, with numerous parallels immediately able to be made. With the more realistic, frequently awkward, down-to-earth tone of Girls and the brunches and gossip-y social get-togethers of 'Sex and the City', this could very well have been named Sex with Boys in the City. And this is a sex-heavy show meant strictly for mature audiences. But at the same time 'History' is very much a more nuanced story-piece than it first appears, and those above comparisons would suggest.

Picking up a year later, in terms of the story and the production, the start to season 2 is a rocky one, with the actors struggling to re-inhabit their roles. The delivery is stilted and their movements stuttery, but once they find their groove again, things really improve drastically and then continue to do so right through to the emotional conclusions. There are great lines and references from the beginning, but it's not until episode three, You and Me, that 'History' really begins to excel, both comedically and emotionally. As the dynamics between the characters becomes both more natural and authentic in their interactions and some of the emotional beats become more keenly felt.

From episode three onwards, there is clearly a lot more confidence and comfort in both the writing and direction and, even more so, in the performances. 'History' is a very talkative piece, but there comes some moments when words are no longer needed, and Jack Tracy - both as a writer, director, and as an actor - is unafraid to let things play out almost silently. This is most visible and profound in the moment's when he is confronted by stark truths and realisations. In one of the episodes, the character of Jamie is taking a selfie with a friend who insists that they show no teeth, prompting him to (as far as I'm aware) to invent something called 'Smising' wherein his face remains stoic whilst his eyes smile. He really needs to come up for a term for the dramatic version of this phenomenon, because - whether it's a friend highlighting how pain exists outside of his own or when he's receiving a voicemail that serves to convey just how much pain he himself is on the verge of inflicting upon others - It's all in his eyes, and it's beautifully done.

Similarly this can be extended to the other characters, such as Gio (Connor Lounsbury) and Matthew (Jacob Seidman) who, on the surface, seem like cliched gay characters but each get their chance to peel back the layers and convey multiple dimensions. Rounding out the "Core Four" is William (played by William Cohen) who adds a likeable, selfless element to a seemingly "will they, won't they" scenario with Jamie (Jack Tracy) but which thankfully values the friendship element over the romance - a message that lingers over the series as a whole, but is especially pleasant here as Jamie's numerous romantic entanglements with others serves to undercut the potential build-up this show is trying to achieve. And, in other words, would have made any thing more seem a tad unbelievable at this point in the series.

What 'History' presents, and quite well, is that this is a journey. One that explores the history of a man and how it informs his present and, inevitably, his future. Though some of the flashbacks work and others generate confusion, they are always thematically or emotionally linked, either highlighting flaws or adding context to some present decisions. And Jack Tracy does a great job of making the character of Jamie at different points in his life seem physically and emotionally distinct.

Much like it's sex scenes, 'History' isn't afraid to venture deep into some resonant themes. Over the course of the series, they tackle everything from social media, to relationships with HIV-positive partners, to loneliness. And that is the greatest accomplishment of the web series. Whilst it's a tale of a gay man and his gay friends, it's never truly about being gay. None of the drama or tension or angst comes from being gay. It comes from being human, from experiences and decisions rather than who the characters are at their core, it comes from their relationships. And whilst the dialogue is occasionally monologue-y and the music can be extremely overwrought, the writing and performances are sharp enough to cut through such things and offer a heartfelt and realistic view of a life, and how that life can affect and impact upon others.

Review by Jay Thomas.

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