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
