Cyrano de Bergerac (1900)
Directed by Clement Maurice this short film is based on the play of the same name. A short snippet of a scene from a well known play.
No doubt this one is a technical achievement as one of the earliest films to have sound and come in colour. Unfortunately I am unfamiliar with the play this is based on and do not speak French so I did not have much of an idea of what is actually being said in the scene. A decent watch for the era it was made in.
3/5
Photo-Cinéma-Théâtre: Christine Kerf dans Terpsichore (1900)
Directed by Marguerite Vrignault this is an early short film. A group of people dance.
Not much to this one, some decent dancing, nothing more. Partially coloured which is nice. Lacks something to really recommend this one on.
3/5
Chez le Photographe (1900)
Directed by Marguerite Vrignault this is an early short film staring Mason and Forbes. A man tries to take a picture of an unruly subject.
A good slapstick comedy that predates some of the bigger names. There are a good amount of japes that fill out the 4 minute run time of this short. Nicely done.
4/5
Geezers (2025)
Directed by James Kautz this short film stars Dan Lauria, Cedric Cannon and Yvonna Pearson. A terminally ill man and his friend grouch in the park.
Fine for what it is bit there is not a huge amount to this one. Old man yells at people pretty much. Needs a bit of an arch to it really.
3/5
F.O.G. (2023)
Directed by Malinda Kaur this is a short film. A South Asian woman in her 30s struggles to tell her mother she is engaged.
I am not sure this adds anything new to the subject but is fairly well done. A familiar look at the clash between the expectations of immigrant parents and their children. Decent performances.
3/5
Romeo et Juliette (1900)
Directed by Marguerite Vrignault this early short film stars Emile Cossira. A snippet of the famous Shakespeare play of the same name.
Not exactly Baz Luhrmann here. This is all Romeo, no Juliette. Basically a guy yapping at a window for three minutes with no sound.
2/5
We Bury the Dead (2024)
Written & directed by Zak Hilditch this film stars Daisy Ridley, Mark Coles Smith and Brenton Thwaites. A woman tries to find her missing husband on an island full the dead and undead.
As zombie films go this is pretty good with more heart felt moments than all out gore as is sometimes the case with the genre. That being said the plot hits some fairly predictable points. Decently done and always good to see Daisy Ridley getting more work.
3/5
The Running Man (2025)
Directed by Edgar Wright this film based on the novel of the same name stars Glen Powell, Josh Brolin and Colman Domingo. In the near future a man enters a deadly game show to save his family.
You can see how rooted in the 80s this satire is, it fits very much with something like They Live (1988). How well the film works 40 years later I am not sure, it is fine but does not really seem that deep. Lacks a bit of Edgar Wright's usual personality too in my opinion.
3/5
Le Troupier Pompette (1900)
Directed by Marguerite Vrignault this is an early short film. A man has a handkerchief.
Three minutes of a man waving round a handkerchief is a bit excessive in my opinion. If there is supposed to be more to this short it went over my head. Not the most captivating of shorts.
2/5
Le Deshabille de la mariee (1900)
Directed by Marguerite Vrignault this is an early short film staring Frederic Brunin. A man in drag undresses.
Not a huge amount to this one beyond the summery. Fairly well shot but not that entertaining in my opinion. Not my favourite from the director.
2/5
The Iron Claw (2023)
Written & directed by Sean Durkin this film based on real events stars Zac Efron, Holt McCallany, Jeremy Allen White and Lily James. We follow a group of brothers who become professional wrestlers under the guidance of their father.
Honestly I think this film should have been a mini series, there is just too much tragedy for this film to do the characters justice. Attempting to fit too much into two hours leaves the film feeling a bit surface level. Decent performances from the cast.
2/5
Ma Cousine (1900)
Directed by Marguerite Vrignault this is an earl short film. A scene involving two couples which ends with a woman dancing.
To be honest it is a bit hard to make out what is supposed to be happening in the scene and takes too long to get to the dancing part. Not the best from this director. Needs some title cards or sound to let the viewer know what is happening.
2/5
La Korrigane (1900)
Directed by Marguerite Vrignault this is an early short film. Three women dance for the camera.
There is some nice colour tinting on this one and a good painted backdrop. A decent amount of charm on show here. About what you would expect in terms of the dancing.
3/5
A House of Dynamite (2025)
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow this film stars Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson, Gabriel Basso and Jared Harris. The United States faces an incoming nuclear missile from an unknown source.
I am not sure this film adds much new to the discussion on nuclear weapons, it covers familiar ground in a contrived situation. The film falls short of showing the true horrors which feels like pulling punches. A bit disappointing given the great cast on offer.
3/5
Le Maitre de ballet (1900)
Directed by Marguerite Vrignault this early short film stars Jules Moy. A ballet teacher gets angry at an unseen class.
Decent use of synchronised sound. A fun little comedy that works decently even if like me you do not really understand French. Survives in good quality.
3/5
Le Cid (1900)
Directed by Marguerite Vrignault this is an early short film. A man and a woman dance for the camera.
A fun little short with a decent amount of action. The image quality is fine for the age of the film. I was expecting a bit more Charlton Heston.
3/5
Javanese Dance (1900)
Directed by Marguerite Vrignault this is an early short film. A French woman does a traditional Javanese dance.
Not really the best to be stealing someone else's culture, who knows if this dancer gets it right or not. No surprise given the era the film is from, still we can do better. The direction is fine.
2/5
Ighigenie en Tauride (1900)
Directed by Marguerite Vrignault this short film stars Jeanne Hatto. A woman sings for the camera.
A mixture of colour tinting and synchronised sound. Here the colour is not as vibrant as in some of the other shorts I have seen from the same director. Pretty impressive for its age.
3/5
Ghost Trail (2024)
Directed co-writer Jonathan Millet this film stars Adam Bessa and Tawfeek Barhom. A man who suffered at the hands of the Assad regime in Syria is part of a group of refugees in Europe hunting war criminals.
Very low key and moody this film does a great job of tackling tough subject matter. The film sensitively handles the character arc of the protagonist to coming to terms with the loss he has suffered. Really well made.
4/5
Danse slave (1900)
Directed by Marguerite Vrignault this is an early short film. A couple dance.
There is a nice back drop to this one and some decent dancing. Well made if not especially complicated. Another decent short from the director.
3/5
Fleur de l'ame (1900)
Directed by Marguerite Vrignault this is an early short film. A woman sings.
Uses both synchronised sound and hand colour tinting to decent effect. Fairly charming short. A decent technical achievement.
3/5
Sylvia (1900)
Directed by Marguerite Vrignault this is an early short film. A woman dances in front of a painted back drop.
A nice little dance with some impressive footwork. Unfortunately the version I saw is very dark making it difficult to pick out all the details. Fine for what it is.
3/5
Danse directoire (1900)
Directed by Marguerite Vrignault and Clement Maurice this is an early short film. Two people in costume dance.
A nicely hand coloured short film. The dancing is about the usual standard for the period. A fun little short.
3/5
La Reve (1900)
Directed by Marguerite Vrignault this is an early short film. Rosita Mauri performs a dance with a fan.
Not that unique in terms of early films of women dancing, still fairly well done. The extra dancers that come in at the end do not add a huge amount. Pretty average film for the period.
3/5
Duo (1900)
Directed by Marguerite Vrignault this is an early short film. A couple have an argument on camera.
It is a little hard to tell what is going on to be honest. Without sound or titles I am not really sure of the action. Not the best short.
2/5
Une poule introduite dans un concert (1900)
Directed by Marguerite Vrignault this is an early short film. A man hams up playing the piano.
Trying a bit too hard to be silly in my opinion. The over exaggerated action is not for me. Not the best from this director.
2/5
Pourqoui garder ton coeur? (1900)
Directed by Marguerite Vrignault this short film stars Emilie Mily-Meyer. A woman sings.
An early sound and image combination. Impressive vocals from the film star, the recording only crackles a bit towards the end. Decent short film.
3/5
A Mustard Seed (2026)
Directed by Femi Oladigbolu this short film stars Hope Ikpoku Jnr, Tayo Aluko and Enva Lewis. A young man resents his father's attempts at faith healing which failed to save his mother.
I think this short film does a good job of showing how the desperate fall back on faith when they have no other option. I am not a fan of pro faith movies and I think this one just about falls on the critical side enough for me. A decent short.
3/5
Danse Louis XV (1900)
Directed by Marguerite Vrignault this is an early short film. A couple dance for the camera.
Slightly unusual in these early films to get two people dancing rather than just one. Fine for what it is. Some nice costumes.
3/5
Le cygne (1900)
Directed by Marguerite Vrignault this is an early short film. A woman dances in front of a painted backdrop.
A fun little dance with plenty of energy to it. The image quality is surprisingly good for the age of the film. Pretty standard in terms of the content.
3/5
Gavotte (1900)
Directed by Marguerite Vrignault this is an early short film staring Cleo de Merode. A woman dances for the camera.
A really nicely hand coloured short film. The dancing is not that different from what you will see in other films of the period. Well made and survives in good quality.
3/5
Around a Cabin (1894)
Directed by Emile Reynaud this is an early animated short film. A scene set at the beach.
A fun little short with a variety of action and characters. Has some charm to it. One of the longer animations of the period.
3/5
La Jeu de Graces (1878)
Directed by Emile Reynaud this is an early animated short film. Two girls play a game.
I was worried this would be another one where the animation could not handle the level of motion required but it works well here. A nice little short with some charm to it. Hard to find a decent quality version online.
3/5
La Glissade (1878)
Directed by Emile Reynaud this is an early animated short film. Boys vault an object.
The animation is too jerky on this one, not smooth at all. Not the best image quality on the version I saw. There are better examples of Renaud's work.
2/5
L'Amazone (1878)
Directed by Emile Reynaud this is an early animated short film. A woman rides a horse.
Simple in content an execution, the animation just about works for the motion. A pleasant little short. Decently made.
3/5
Le Dejeneur de Bebe (1878)
Directed by Emile Reynaud this is an early animated short film. A baby feeds itself.
A charming little short. The animation is pretty smooth in this one. Definitely a good example of Reynaud's style.
3/5
Les Scieurs de Long (1878)
Directed by Emile Renaud this is an early animated short film. Two men saw a piece of wood.
Works fairly well when it comes to the motion in the animation. Does not seem to be available in great image quality. Fine for what it is.
3/5
L'Hercule (1878)
Directed by Emile Reynaud this is an early animated short film. A strong man juggles a heavy weight.
Unfortunately the animation is pretty poor here, the action is very jerky rather than fluid. Could not find a good quality version of this either. One to skip.
2/5
Le Moulin a Eau (1878)
Directed by Emile Reynaud this is an early animated short film. A boy pumps water.
A nice little animation of how a water pump works. Maybe more technical than filled with personality. Good for the period it is from.
3/5
We're All Going to the World's Fair (2021)
Written & directed by Jane Schoenbrun this film stars Anna Cobb and Michael J. Rogers. A lonely teenage girl makes videos engaging in internet horror culture.
This is one of the best films I have seen for capturing the way the internet can connect lonely people with niche interests. Cobb's performance is incredible, really carries the film, and I am disappointed I have not seen her in more since. Handles the subject much better than other attempts, I am all in on Schoenbrun's career at this point.
5/5
Les Clowns (1878)
Directed by Emile Reynaud this is an early animated short film. A short clown act.
To be honest this one is a bit jerky and not that interesting. Too many figures split the attention. Not worth seeking out in my opinion.
2/5
Les Petits Valseurs (1878)
Directed by Emile Reynaud this is an early animated short film. Children dance.
A bit simplistic and jerky in my opinion, not the smoothest animation from Reynaud. Image quality on the version I saw was not great either. Not the best from this director.
2/5
One Battle After Another (2025)
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson this film stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro and Chase Infiniti. A former revolutionary and his daughter are on the run from the powers that be.
While everyone else loved this one it sort of passed me by. While I found it enjoyable I am not sure it has a much depth to it as some claim. Has a few moments that were really funny.
3/5
Le Repas des Poulets (1878)
Directed by Emile Reynaud this is an early animated short film. A young girl feeds chickens.
Very simple in concept and execution. The animation works just about well enough. I could not find a good quality version online unfortunately.
3/5
La Nageuse (1878)
Directed by Emile Reynaud this is an early animated short film. A girl swims in water.
A charming little short that works fairly well. Only a small clip but nicely done. Pretty good perspective.
3/5
Le Steeple-chase (1878)
Directed by Emile Reynaud this is an early short animated film. Two horses cross the frame.
Somewhere between jerky and smooth animation, not perfect. Fine for what it is. Lacks some of the charm of other Reynaud shorts.
2/5
Les Bulles de Savon (1878)
Directed by Emile Reynaud this is an early animated short film. A girl blows bubbles.
A bit jerky in motion and not in great image quality. Not the top tier of the Reynaud animations. One to skip.
2/5
L'Equilibriste (1878)
Directed by Emile Reynaud this is an early animated short film. A child balances a drum.
Not the best of the Reynaud catalogue. The action is a bit jerky in this animation. Also hard to find in decent image quality.
2/5
Le Jongleur (1878)
Directed by Emile Reynaud this is a short early animated film. A man juggles.
A nice little short with animation that works decently. Hard to find a good quality version of this online unfortunately. A good addition to the catalogue.
3/5
Le Rotisseur (1878)
Directed by Emile Reynaud this is an early animated short film. A man roasts some meat.
A simple scene that easily repeats. The animation works pretty well, it is not too jerky. Given the age a decent short.
3/5
The Green Knight (2021)
Directed by David Lowery this film stars Dev Patel, Alicia Vikander, Joel Edgerton and Ralph Ineson. An aspiring knight chops off the green knight's head with the expectation of taking the same blow in a years time.
A classic legend given a moody cinema adaptation. Enjoyable with a decent amount of depth thanks to a few modern tweaks. The kind of film all too rarely seen these days, impressively so on such a low budget.
4/5
Les Chiens Savants (1878)
Directed by Emile Reynaud this is an early animated short film. A boy holds a hoop for dogs to jump through.
A quaint little short. Pretty fun for what it is, the animation seems to work well even if the image quality leaves a little to be desired on the copies available online. Nice addition to the series.
3/5
The Aquarium (1878)
Directed by Emile Reynaud this is an early animated short film. A girl and some fish.
Does not survive in good quality. Hard to make out what is going on in the versions I saw. Not the best of the Reynaud catalogue.
2/5
Le Jeu du Volant (1878)
Directed by Emile Reynaud this is an early animated short film. A girl plays with a badminton racket and shuttlecock.
Very simple like the other Reynaud animations but works pretty well for what it is. Has a nice bit of charm to the style. Decent image quality.
3/5
La Balancoire (1878)
Directed by Emile Reynaud this is a an early short animated film. Two children play on a home made seesaw.
Fun for what it is, very brief. Has some charm to it through the art style. Nicely done for the period.
3/5
Le Trapeze (1878)
Directed by Emile Reynaud this is an early animated short film. A man spins on a trapeze.
A nice little short with a bit of action to it. The animation works pretty well here. Survives in good quality for the age of the short.
3/5
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3 (2023)
Directed by James Gunn the whole gang is back for this sequel. Our heroes attempt to save Rocket by stealing from his creator.
There is some heart to this film even if the rest of the film is a bit basic. By this point there is not much new being added to the franchise. Fine for a third entry in a series I suppose.
3/5
Superman (2025)
Written & directed by James Gunn this comic book adaptation stars David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan and Nicholas Hoult. Superman faces off against Lex Luthor.
Compared to other Superman films this one is not as serious and I am not sure it is better for it. The scenes of war in particular come across as a bit weak. All in all rather forgettable.
2/5
La Charmeuse (1878)
Directed by Emile Reynaud this is an early animated short film. A girl has birds fly around her.
A charming little short without too much to it. The animation just about pulls off the movement. Survives in pretty good quality.
3/5
Le Jeu de Corde (1878)
Directed by Emile Reynaud this an early animated short film. A girl jumps a skipping rope.
Not completely smooth when it comes to the animation, still well done for the era. Some decent colours and images. Pretty good for what it is.
3/5
Le Fumeur (1878)
Directed by Emile Reynaud this is an early animated film. A man smokes a cigar.
I am not a fan of smoking so this is not my favourite subject matter. The cloud of smoke is nicely animated at least. Not the best of Reynaud in my opinion.
2/5
Zim, Boum, Boum (1878)
Directed by Emile Reynaud this is an early animated film. A man plays the drums.
A decent bit of charm to this short. Sure there is not a lot to this one but it pretty nice for the age of it. Decent image quality.
3/5
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
