Les Papillons (1878)
Directed by Emile Reynaud this is an early animated short. Two butterflies fly round a flower.
Compared to some of the other Reynaud animations I have seen this one is a bit too jerky. Too much movement is attempted here for the short run of the film. Not the best.
2/5
Dancing on the Rope (1878)
Directed by Emile Reynaud this is an early animated film. A woman balances on a rope.
A charming little animation. Well done for the brief clip we get. Survives in good quality.
3/5
Louis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere (2026)
Directed by Adrian Choa this documentary stars Louis Theroux. Our intrepid investigator tries to get to the heart of the manosphere.
Compared to some other Theroux pieces I am not sure this is as hard hitting as it could be, it rather takes the easy shots at the Manosphere without going as deep as it could. The most interesting parts are the interviews with partners and family members of the content creators, I wish there was more of that. Decent but nothing unexpected.
3/5
The Magic Rosette (1878)
Directed by Emile Reynaud this is an early short film. A simple coloured pattern spins round.
Lacks a bit of charm compared to some of Reynaud's other shorts. Pretty decent for what it is and the short length. Survives in decent quality.
3/5
Mr. Nobody Against Putin (2025)
Directed by David Borenstein and Pavel Talankin this is an Oscar winning documentary. A man working at a school in Russia sees his life and the life of the students change following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
It is incredibly depressing to see the banal oppression come to small town Russia. Everything is so down to earth it makes what is happening even worse. Fantastically made and at great risk to the protagonist.
4/5
The Musician Monkey (1878)
Directed by Emile Reynaud this is an early short film. A monkey plays the violin.
A simple little short with some charm to it. The animation is way ahead of its time. Unfortunately the version I saw was rather low resolution.
3/5
Les Deux Espiegels (1878)
Directed by Emile Reynaul this is an early animated film. Two girls toss a cat up and down on a blanket.
Really impressive for the era it is from. The art is very cutesy, predicting the sort of animation to come years later. Survives well.
3/5
Cancan (1894)
Directed by Georges Demeny this is an early short film. Two women dance.
A nice little short despite how brief it is. I like the outfits which have some character to them. Survives in decent quality.
3/5
Clin d'eventail (1894)
Directed by Georges Demeny this is an early short film. A woman peaks out from behind a fan.
Not a huge amount to this one and you do not see much of the subjects face. Does manage to have a bit of playfulness about it. Survives in okay quality.
3/5
Baisers envoles (1894)
Directed by Georges Demeny this is an early short film. A woman blows a kiss to the camera.
Simple in content, pretty much what it claims to be. Decent image quality for the age of the film. Not that different from some others of the period.
3/5
The Russia House (1990)
Directed by Fred Schepisi this film based on the novel of the same name stars Sean Connery and Michelle Pfeiffer. A British book publisher is contacted by a Russia who wants to leak nuclear secrets.
Somehow this film manages to pull off having both a happy and melancholy ending which is rather unusual. A nice twisting narrative that looks at the human desire for peace in a system against it. Both well made and well acted with some lovely on location shots in Russia.
4/5
Serpentine Dance: Loie Fuller (1897)
Directed by Georges Demeny this is an early short film. A woman performs a Serpentine dance.
Similar to many other films of the period down to the hand painted colour tinting. I suppose fine for what it is. Once you have seen one of these you have seen them all.
3/5
King of Thieves (2018)
Directed by James Marsh this film inspired by real events stars Micheal Caine, Jim Broadbent nad Charlie Cox. A bunch of OAP thieves decide to rob a vault over Easter weekend.
Even having an all star cast is some how unable to save this film. The script is as tired as some of the actors in the film. Not really a fan of the way the film tries to make heroes of the protagonist and gloss over the violent past.
1/5
I Love You (1891)
Directed by and staring Georges Demeny this is an early short film. A man says “Je vous aime” to the camera.
Unfortunately the image on the is one is pretty degraded and scratched up. Without speaking French it is a little hard to make out what he is saying. Might be one best left in the past.
2/5
Ball Passing Through a Soap Bubble (1904)
Directed by Lucien Georges Bull this is an early short film. A ball passes through a large soap bubble.
Getting a bit late in the day for these sort of short, single shot experiment films this is still fairly entertaining. Interesting to see the slow motion version of how the bubble bursts. Decent image quality.
3/5
Cheval Monte, Deux Chevaux Bais Se Suivant au Pas (1899)
Directed by Etienne-Jules Marey and Charles Comte this is an early short film. Two horse riders ride past the camera.
Another nice, simple horse riding film from Marey and friends. Again the image quality is really good for the age of the film. Pretty fun.
3/5
Bay Horse, Ridden by Therese Rentez, Canter (1899)
Directed by Etienne-Jules Marey and Charles Comte this is an early short film. A woman rides a horse past the camera.
Another nice little horse riding short from Marey and chums. Both the dress of the woman and the canter of the horse add a bit of class to this short. Really good image quality.
3/5
Cheval Noir Monte, Galop (1899)
Directed Etienne-Jules Marey this is an early short film. A black horse galops in front of a white washed wall.
As with most films from this director do not expect a huge amount from the content. What there is here is well captured and survives in good quality. Decent little short.
3/5
Inauguration of the Marey Institute (1902)
Directed by Etienne-Jules Marey this is an early short film. People shake a man's hand then he does a jig.
While there may not be a lot of narrative to this one it does have some personality thanks to Marey's impromptu dance. Really impressive image quality for the age. Pretty fun really.
3/5
Chien, Caniche Noir Descendant et Monatant Un Escalier (1897)
Directed by Etienne-Jules Marey and Lucien Georges Bull this is an early short film. A dog goes up and down the stairs.
A simple little short that would qualify as a home movie or youtube clip these days. Decent image quality and a bit of personality. Pretty good for what it is.
3/5
Bay Horse, Mounted, Trotting (1899)
Directed by Etienne-Jules Marey and Charles Comte this is an early short film. A man rides a horse across the shot.
Really sharp image given the age of the film. Not much more than a seconds long clip of a man on a horse. Pretty decent for what it is.
3/5
Jurassic World Rebirth (2025)
Directed by Gareth Edwards this sequel stars Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali and Rupert Friend. A group set off to get samples of dinosaurs to make medicine from them.
Looks like they could not be bothered to fit a single character arc in this entire film, it has about as much flavour as styrofoam. Some how all wonder has been drive from the franchise. Decent cast but they have literally nothing to work with here.
2/5
Chien Caniche Noir Sautant (1897)
Directed by Etienne-Jules Marey and Lucien Georges Bull this is an early short film. A man gets his dog to jump up and down.
A fun little short with a fair amount of personality thanks to the man and his pooch. Captures something you could easily see in the park today. Really good image quality for the age of the film.
3/5
Homme Noir, Marche, Exposition Ethnographique de l’Afrique Occidentale au Champ-de-Mars à Paris (1895)
Directed by Elix Regnault, Charles Comte and Etienne-Jules Marey this is an early short film. An African man walks across the frame.
Another simple walking clip from the usual suspects. Short and to the point like the others of its type. Not a huge amount to this, you only see the subject in silhouette.
2/5
Wolof Woman (Senegal) Carrying a Child on Her Back (1895)
Directed by Etienne-Jules Marey and Felix Regnault this is an early short film. A woman from Senegal carries her child with her.
Very simple and short. Like a lot of the other films of its type this is a blink and you will miss it effort. Does survive in decent quality at least.
3/5
Femme Ouolofe (Sénégal) en marche avec poids sur sa tête (1895)
Directed by Etienne-Jules Marey and Felix Regnault this is an early short film. A Senegalese woman walks past the camera.
Another blink and you will miss it affair. Pretty decent image quality for what there is. No doubt a slice of history but not much more.
3/5
Félix Regnault assis sur un palanquin porté par des malgaches au pas (1895)
Directed by Felix Regnault and Etienne-Jules Marey this is an early short film. A man is carried on a palanquin by two men.
Not much more than a couple of seconds long, you do not get a lot of time to take things in. I suppose not terrible for what it is. Decent image quality.
2/5
Démarche de Musulmans de Saint-Louis, Exposition Ethnographique de L’Afrique Occidentale à Paris (1895)
Directed by Felix Regnault, Charles Comte and Etienne-Jules Marey this is an early short film. Three men walk across the frame.
A little on the quick side to really be able to take in the details of the three figures in the film. The camera is also a little far away from the subjects in my opinion. Still a nice piece of history.
3/5
Marche en Flexion (Oscar de Raoul)
Directed by Felix Regnault, Charles Comte and Etienne-Jules Marey this is an early short film. A man goes for a walk again.
Much like other walking films from the same people. Pretty good image quality. Not quite ministry of silly walks yet.
3/5
The Tailor of Panama (2001)
Directed by John Boorman this film based on the novel of the same name stars Geoffrey Rush, Pierce Brosnan and Jamie Lee Curtis. An MI6 agent exiled to Panama tries to drum up some attention with the help of a tailor.
Going down the satirical route means I think this film has a bit less bite than some of le Carre's other stuff. Lots of fun thanks to the cast. Nice to see Brosnan as a real bastard.
3/5
The Constant Gardener (2005)
Directed by Fernando Meirelles this film based on the novel of the same name stars Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz. A British diplomat in Kenya investigates the murder of his activist wife.
Well done with a thoroughly depressing mood through out. Having seen a lot of le Carre adaptations I could do without the writer's obsession with testing his characters on infidelity but otherwise a great look at the abuse of drug trials and the life of two people. Really good performances from the cast, as always Pete Postlethwaite moves mountains in a tiny part.
4/5
Course en Flexion (Oscar de Raoul) (1895)
Directed by Felix Regnault, Charles Comte and Etienne-Jules Marey this is an early short film. A man runs through the shot.
Unusual for a film to have three credited directors, makes you wonder what they all did when it is only a second long. Decent image quality and framing. Survives surprisingly well for the age of the film.
3/5
Deplacement des globules de sang dans un vaisseau capillaire (1892)
Directed by Etienne-Jules Marey this is an early short film. We see the flow of blood inside the body.
Without having read what the image is supposed to be I would not have been able to tell. Very short and not the greatest quality to figure out what is going on. No doubt revolutionary at the time.
2/5
Marche Ordinaire (1895)
Directed by Etienne-Jules Marey this is an early short film. A clip of a man walking.
Very simple in concept and content, just a man walking side on. Image quality is pretty good for the age of the film. Not a huge amount to this one.
3/5
Insects (1891)
Directed by Etienne-Jules Marey this is an early short film. A clip of some insects.
Unfortunately this clip is way too short to really make out what is happening or the details. The image quality is okay but the content too brief. Wish it was even a second longer.
2/5
Chat En Chute Libre (1894)
Directed by Ettiene-Jules Marey this is an early short film. Another short of a chat being dropped and landing on its feet.
How many dropped cat films does one man need to make? Image quality was not a the greatest, a bit fuzzy. Repetitive content.
2/5
Cheval (Bixio). Pas Monte (1890)
Directed by Etienne-Jules Marey and Georges Demeny this is an early short film. A horse and rider pass through the frame.
A very short clip of a horse in motion. Surprisingly good image quality for the period of the film. Nice and clear as to what is going on.
3/5
Thieves Highway (2025)
Directed by Jesse V Johnson this film stars Aaron Eckhart, Lucy Martin and Devon Sawa. A cattle inspector attempts to stop cow thieves in Oklahoma.
Essentially this is a classic western set in modern times. Does not work great and the writing is paper thin at best. Not worth seeking out for even the most ardent Aaron Eckhart fan.
2/5
Escrime (1890)
Directed by Etienne-Jules Marey this is an early short film. Two men fence.
A nice little short that captures some action. The image quality is surprisingly good, if not perfect on this one, given the age. Better than his other fencing short.
3/5
Rabbits (1893)
Directed by Etienne- Jules Marey this is an early short film. A rabbit is dropped.
We never see the animal land as far as I can tell which rather cuts this one short. Not as good as the cat one in my opinion. Fairly decent image quality.
2/5
Two Fencers (1891)
Directed by Etienne-Jules Marey this is an early short film. Two fencers face off.
Barely two seconds long there is not enough to this one to really get any sword fighting action. The image quality is just about on the side of being able to see the details. Not the greatest.
2/5
The Wave (1891)
Directed by Etienne-Jules Marey. Waves crash against rocks in the bay of Naples.
Not the greatest for image quality. It takes your eyes a bit to adjust to the image and you can not make out all the details. Fairly rudimentary.
2/5
Falling Cat (1894)
Directed by Etienne-Jules Marey this is an early short film. A cat falls from the top of the frame and lands on its feet.
Very simple, does what it says on the tin. A nice little clip of how cats fall and land. Pretty decent for what it is.
3/5
The Cut (2024)
Directed by Sean Ellis this films tars Orlando Bloom, Caitriona Balfe and John Turturro. A boxer comes out of retirement and has to drop a lot of weight in a short amount of time.
Just a bit too heavy handed thematically and unbelievable in events. Disappointing given some of Ellis's other films have been good. Not one worth seeking out in my opinion.
2/5
L'Homme Machine (1885)
Directed by Etienne-Jules Marey this may be the first animated film. A stick man walks across the frame.
Not exactly the most exciting animation you will see. Leaves a little bit to the imagination but just about works. On a level with a short flip book.
3/5
The Kiss (1882)
Directed by Eadweard Muybridge this is an early short film. Two naked women walk towards each other and kiss.
It did not take cinema long to get to the nudity did it? Fine for what it is, a rudimentary moving picture. Not the greatest work of art or erotica in history.
3/5
Jumper (2025)
Directed by Mikhail Parkhomenko this short film stars Mikki. A man is able to teleport short spaces.
A decent little action short film. Nothing that you have not seen before but done well on what must have been a small budget. No depth beyond the action.
3/5
There is No Antimemetics Division (2025)
Directed by Adria Lang this short film stars Jasika Nicole, Neil Napier and Mateus Ward. A government agent tries to convince her boss that she exists.
A pretty fun little look at the idea of antimemes that brings the SCP universe to the screen. Maybe a little wordy it still holds together. Nicely done for a short film.
3/5
Salle Gardner at a Gallop (1878)
Directed by Eadweard Muybridge this is an experiment on the path to film. Images of a horse in motion.
Survives in far better quality than a lot of the shorts that follow it. Crisp images of a horse and rider. Pretty impressive really.
3/5
Old Glory and the Cuban Flag (1898)
Directed by William Heise this is an early short film. Two flags flutter in the wind.
The image quality on the version of this I saw was pretty terrible, nearly impossible to make out the details. Might not be too bad if it exists at better quality. Skip otherwise.
1/5
The Naked Gun (2025)
Directed by Akiva Schaffer this reboot stars Liam Neeson, Pamela Anderson and Paul Walter Hauser. Frank Drebin's son is on the case of a murder.
This film could have been a trailer. Not as bad as I worried it would be but by no means is it any good. Wish they had left this one alone.
2/5
One-Minute Time Machine (2014)
Directed by Devon Avery this short film stars Erinn Hayes and Brian Dietzen. A man uses a time machine to chat up a woman on a bench.
Pretty funny, nice little concept for a short. Not that deep beyond the single joke concept. Decently made.
3/5
Parade of Buffalo Bull's Wild West Show No. 2 (1898)
Directed by William Heise this is an early short film. We see part of the parade of the famous Wild West Show.
Like No. 1 in the series the image quality is not good and it is hard to make out what is going on. There does not seem to be much variety in what we do see. Not the best of the Edison catalogue.
2/5
Diaboli (2025)
Directed by Shaddy Safadi this is an animated short film. A woman tries to find her son as plague spreads.
You can see what they are going for with this medieval apocalypse setting, pretty atmospheric. The CGI is a smidge ropey in places, it is more video game level. Still pretty good for what must have been a very low budget.
3/5
Ambulance Call (1897)
Directed by William Heise this is an early short film. An Ambulance drives out from a building.
Not the greatest in terms of action or drama. Three vehicles leave the same place, one of which is an ambulance. I suppose fine for a short clip.
2/5
An Unwelcome Visitor (1898)
Directed by William Heise this is an early short film. A man trying to sleep is disturbed by a monkey.
A precursor to the slap stick films of silent cinema which was to come. Pretty funny for what it is. Image quality is not the greatest but you can get by with it.
3/5
Snowballing the Coasters (1898)
Directed by William Heise this is an early short film. Children throw snowballs at other children on sleds.
You can make out what is going on in the foreground better than the background, the image is a bit milky in the version I saw. Pretty fun and does have some charm to it. Captures a classic winter time scene.
3/5
Air (2023)
Directed by co-star Ben Affleck this film based on real events also features Matt Damon, Jason Bateman, Chris Messina and Viola Davis. Sitting in third place in the trainer market in the US the basketball division of Nike needs something special to put it on the map.
I do like a bit of competence porn and this is a pretty decent underdog story, even if Nike is a juggernaut these days. Enjoyable for what it is but I do not think there is a lot beyond the surface level to this film. A fine diversion, more for basketball fans I think.
3/5
Mount and Dismount, Gatling Gun (1897)
Directed by William Heise this is an early short film. Soldiers demonstrate mounting and dismounting a gatling gun.
Unfortunately the image is a bit milky to really make out what is going on in this one. You get hints of what is happening but it is hard to make out the details. Has not survived well.
2/5
A Bucking Broncho (1898)
Directed by William Heise this is an early short film. A broncho attempts to throw its rider.
Another simple short, gets a decent amount of action in frame. Pretty good for what it is. Apparently part of Buffalo Bill's wild west show.
3/5
Sea Waves (1898)
Directed by William Heise this is an early short film. Waves crash on a beach in New Jersey.
Nothing like a reminder of the power of nature. I actually really like this one for what it is, it captures the force of the wave as it hits the wooden railing. Pretty nice.
3/5
Pie Eating Contest (1897)
Directed by William Heise this is an early short film. Two men have a pie eating contest.
Low image quality on this one, definitely hard to make out what is happening. Even when you can make something out it is not that great. Has potential but does not live up to it.
2/5
Admiral Cigarette (1897)
Directed by William Heise this is an early short film. A thirty second advert for cigarettes.
Not a huge amount to this, just a blatant advert for smoking. Lacks a bit in plot or action. Image quality not the best.
2/5
Ambulance at the Accident (1897)
Directed by William Heise this is an early short film staring John Tierney. An ambulance picks up a man who has been hit by a trolley car.
I assume this is staged rather than documentary. Pretty decent for what it is, short is well framed to get all the action. Image quality is fine for the age of the short.
3/5
Tomb Raider (2018)
Directed by Roar Uthaug this film based on the video game franchise stars Alicia Vikander, Dominic West and Walton Goggings. A daughter of a missing English lord sets off to find him to save him being legally declared dead.
I have not played the video games so I have no idea how closely this sticks to the lore. As an action adventure it is adequate, there are some nice action moments but that is about it. Not much to write home about in terms of plot or character arc.
3/5
Parade of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show No. 1 (1898)
Directed by William Heise this is an early short film. We see part of Buffalo Bill's show pass the camera.
Image quality is just about good enough to make out what is going on but it is a bit ropey. On its own as a single short there is not a lot of variety to this short. Likely works better in the full version.
2/5
Fisherman's Luck (1897)
Directed by William Heise this is an early short film. A slapstick comedy involving two men fishing.
Not the best in terms of image quality, kind of hard to make out the details on the version I saw. Fine for a simple comedy. Not a huge amount to this one.
2/5
Hockey Match on the Ice (1898)
Directed by William Heise this is an early short film. A short clip of men playing hockey on the ice.
A nice little moment in time captured on film. There is not a huge amount to this one but it does have a little bit of charm to it. Makes you wish there was more.
3/5
Joy (2019)
Directed by Steve Oen this film stars Elodie Hooftman, Perla Thissen and Shane Redondo. A woman on a date is not all she seems.
Nice little twist on the familiar robot on a date theme which I have seen a few shorts on. Fairly fun with a decent surprise at the end. Well made for what it is.
3/5
Black Diamond Express, No. 1 (1897)
Directed by James H. White and William Heise this is an early short film. A train goes past the camera.
Well framed this short does a good job of capturing the action. We get both the train and the people waving as it passes by. A nice little sort for the period.
3/5
Remote Control (2025)
Directed by Tom Bohan & Andrew Mckee this short stars Marcus Christopherson and Craig Edwards. In the future on a barren planet a man tries to salvage water from a downed craft while another is ordered to kill him.
Nothing ground breaking here really, a familiar warning about resource scarcity and corporate indifference. Decently made for what must have been a small budget. Fine for what it is.
3/5
Original Skin (2022)
Directed by Mdharmiri a Nkemi this short film stars Olive Grey and Sorcha Groundsell. A world where having sex with someone ends with swapping bodies with them.
A premise with promise does not really go anywhere. I could see a lot of ways this could have gone but I am not sure anything interesting happens here. A missed opportunity.
2/5
Nuremberg (2025)
Written & directed by James Vanderbilt this film based on real events stars Rami Malek and Russell Crowe. A psychiatrist exams the remaining Nazi high command ahead of the first Nuremberg trial.
Unfortunately the writing is not up to the subject matter here, too much of the script is too simplistic. You also do not need to be a history export to be able to tell where events have been spiced up to fit the narrative. I also found the score somewhat overbearing for the serious subject matter.
2/5
Charity Ball (1897)
Directed by William Heise this early short film stars James T. Kelley and Dorothy Kent. A couple dance for the camera.
Fairly nice dancing, pretty jaunty. The framing of the shot is not the best and neither is the image quality on the version I saw. Not too bad considering the age of the film.
2/5
28 Years Later (2025)
Directed by Danny Boyle this sequel stars Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Alfie Williams and Ralph Fiennes. Living in a zombie apocalypse a 12 year old boy tries to find his mother a doctor.
Fine for what it is, you can see what the film is trying to do but I am not sure it fully connects with the deeper themes. Pretty standard film for the genre. Always love a good Ralph Fiennes performance.
3/5
Honor's Half-Life (2024)
Directed by Robert Flowers this short film stars Kyra Wellington, Alex Petrovich and Greg DeHetre. A former soldier and his daughter go into the woods hunting a man.
You can see what this short is trying to do it just does not do it very well at all. The acting and action are especially weak in this one. Sorry to say not worth watching.
1/5
Bowery Waltz (1897)
Directed by William Heise this is an early short film. Two people dance imitating being a drunk couple.
Plenty of space is left for Jesus here. May be loses a little bit in the medium and age. I am sure the act was more entertaining in its time.
2/5
A Street Arab (1898)
Directed by William Heise this is an early short film. A boy proto-break dances.
Pretty cool dancing for the period. A fun little short for sure. Decent image quality.
3/5
Fifth Avenue, New York (1897)
Directed by William Heise and James H. White this is an early short film. A simple shot of a busy street in New York.
Similar to many other street films of the era. Image quality is not as sharp as it could be, forgivable given the age of the film. Fine for what you expect.
3/5
What Demoralized the Barber Shop (1898)
Directed by William Heise this is an early short film. Women showing off a bit of leg disrupt the activities of a barber shop.
The framing of the shot for this short is not great, the woman are too small in the background to make it clear what is happening. Image quality is not the greatest on the version I saw which does not help matters either. Not that great.
2/5
The Ball Game (1898)
Directed by William Heise this is an early short film. We see a clip of a baseball match.
Due to the poor image quality and placement of the camera relative to the action it is a bit hard to make out what is going on at times. Too much happens in the background while larger shapes are in the foreground. Not the best.
2/5
Amy Muller (1896)
Directed by William Heise this short film stars Amy Muller. A woman dances for the camera.
Not the most intricate of dance sequences, still pretty decent. A fun little piece of personality captured for posterity. Solid for the era.
3/5
