LSUK Reviews

Aftersun (II) (2022)

A delicate and emotional insight into depression

[9/10 · 2 January 2023]

While Aftersun doesn't necessarily dive deep into the main subject matter, I think this works in its favour.

Delicately unravelling the story of the two characters as they spend a holiday together in the 1990's. Scene by scene, we are given clues into Calum's mental health, and how he's subsequently battling with depression.

What really makes this special is that it primarily plays out from the perspective of Sophie, his daughter. With a child's mind, it's harder to notice the emotional triggers and mood changes, which would be a red flag to any adult.

While this film is definitely a slow burner, it works perfectly in this case. We are simply watching a father and daughter enjoy a seemingly normal holiday. Over time we see sneak peeks into Calum's mind, and how much he's struggling. But he's still trying to give Sophie the best holiday possible. You start to feel a slow tension building throughout the film, which hits (in my opinion) a really heavy ending.

For me, in the final scene and following credits, I was left confused initially. But within a few seconds it all started to fall into place. With the final realisation that this was Sophie's last time she spent with her father before he (most likely) commit suicide. She watches back from a (now) adult perspective, and realises what her father was coping with - but was still trying his absolute best to make it special for her.

This film wouldn't work if it was filmed in any other way. The slow pace really gives the viewer time to take in everything, as it's the small details that count here. An excellent film with excellent acting and a great soundtrack. Highly recommend.

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse (2022)

A pure and innocent message to the world.

[10/10 · 30 December 2022]

There are few things in this world which are pure, this is one of them. Simply an innocent message to the world.

A message which isn't directed at anyone in particular, but instead helps to remind you of what really matters in life.

This topped with an absolutely breathtaking animation, perfect voice actors and a beautiful soundtrack make this a truly perfect piece of media.

Primarily focusing on loneliness, and finding meaning in life. This really hit home for me, and I'm sure plenty of other people too. It's nice to be reminded of what's important, and what to focus on. Everyone at some point in their lives will find themselves 'lost', so being able to share this message with the world in a way which is easy to follow, is excellent. Definitely something for the whole family. If it doesn't pull at your heartstrings, nothing will.

Safe to say I'll be keeping this film in mind throughout my life, and will be sure to pass the message on to my future family and friends.

Thank you for creating this.

Ambulance (2022)

Don't watch it.

[2/10 · 15 April 2022]

I was going to write a review for this, but I've already wasted over 2 hours watching it. Unless you're 10 years old, go do something more productive with your life which would be literally anything.

The Rescue (2021)

Hooked from start to finish. Amazing documentary! A must watch!

[10/10 · 13 December 2021]

Went into this relatively blind as I'd somehow missed the media storm covering this rescue when it happened back in 2018, so i had no idea if everyone survived or if there were issues with the rescue - or even how exactly they did it.

I must say I was absolutely blown away with the rescue itself. I couldn't look away for the last half of the movie. The tension was unbearable and I was just hoping and praying that everything went okay. I was so relived once that last kid got out and was safe.

The film was very well put together and the pacing was perfect. It didn't gloss over any of the details and wasn't shy to show the positives and negatives of the rescue operation. To be able to portray to someone who didn't really know what happened, how incredibly daring and insane the entire event was, really shows how good this is. It did well to really throw you into the situation - you could really sense the tension and desperation that every person on-site would have been experiencing. You were willing them along just as much as they would have been on the day.

I feel like the amount of real footage used helped deliver this. Most of it was footage from the actual rescue - no obvious recreations or fakery for the most part. You're in that cave with them. You can really feel how claustrophobic that cave system is - and just how incredibly difficult it would have been to get from A to B.

This is an absolute must watch. Nothing more to say.

(P. S: If you can find someone who didn't really know about the rescue like me, get them to watch this. It'll be one hell of an experience for them!)

Antlers (2021)

Not what I expected (but not all doom and gloom!)

[7/10 · 4 November 2021]

So I was excited for Antlers ever since I saw the first trailer. My expectation was a horror movie which focused on the 'Wendigo' folk tale and did this with an eerie and mysterious storyline. Unfortunately, I felt like it was a bit too rushed and didn't dive deep enough into the story.

I love horror movies which don't give you the cheap jumpscares with loud noises and in your face monsters. A movie which uses the viewers sense of unease and dread is what I prefer (an excellent example is Hereditary).

I was really hoping this would be another eerie horror but instead it felt more like a thriller / crime mix (with the occasional jump scare here and there). The story was interesting and new but I just wish it had spent some more time going into detail with why it was all happening. Even just hinting at some details but leaving us to put the pieces together would be great!

It wasn't all negatives (considering my generous rating). The environment and atmosphere was great - it really gave the story a gloomy feel and set the scene well.

The acting was great in my opinion too. The role of Lucas was a quiet character anyway, but I think Jeremy T Thomas did an excellent job of portraying a damaged and dark character. Also the other main characters did a cracking job too, really didn't have any issues with them at all.

Now, one thing I did love was the monster design. Yes, it would have been great if it was more of a background element and maybe was hiding more in the shadows BUT - I really loved how the monster looked in this. Whoever designed it did a stellar job of creating a really creepy depiction of a wendigo. (Just a shame they semi-spoiled it in the trailers :/)

Overall - I enjoyed the movie but didn't love it. I was hoping for a deeper, more mysterious look into the wendigo but that's just my opinion. Considering what was created and ignoring my perfect ideas of a movie, it was a good watch. If it delved a bit more into the story as a whole, it might have been a more well-rounded horror.

Dune (2021)

A newcomer's perspective

[4/10 · 22 October 2021]

I never read the books but seeing the hype for this and the trailers made it look pretty awesome. Unfortunately I really struggled to follow the storyline and make sense of what was going on. The visuals were amazing and the music was epic (as to be expected from Hans Zimmer), but I really tried to piece together what was happening but it just felt random at points. Too many unnecessary 'visions' in my opinion which just pulled you out of the situation. It just felt muddled and confusing.

I can see the potential with this. The theme and environments are excellent and I don't fault any of the acting or visuals etc. It just felt like the storyboard was all over the place.

Also worth noting, there was nothing telling us that it was going to be a "Part 1 of X" in the trailer or promotion material. Kinda felt a bit cheated as I expected to be watching a full story.

Bit disappointed with this - didn't want to be but I just couldn't follow it as it was too muddled and confusing. Felt like they tried to introduce too much too quickly.

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021)

An above average addition to the Conjuring universe!

[8/10 · 27 May 2021]

After watching this I can safely say this is one of the better Conjuring movies. The quality was definitely above average compared to other Conjuring movies. The first exorcism scene alone had some amazing camera-work, effects and acting.

It felt like the creators were a tad more aggressive with the scenes in this movie. Some of the characters get thrown around a lot more which does help make it feel a lot more authentic. Special mention to Julian Hilliard (who plays David) - he definitely has some pretty physical scenes and he did very well to make them feel authentic. Great bit of acting on his part!

The story in this movie felt very polished and was portrayed well. It felt a lot more story-driven compared to other Conjuring movies, and had more depth compared to others too. The horror elements are the usual Conjruing-esque jumpscares with the occasional creepy and eerie scene which definitely grabs your attention. I must say though the effects used to show the exorcisms looked amazing. The body contortions were very well done and really creeped me out!

Overall, an above-average addition to the Conjuring universe. Acting is great as always and a well thought out story really gave them the space to shine. No out of this world scares or anything like that (it's a Conjuring movie so you know what you're in for) but definitely worth a watch in my opinion!

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008)

One of the most important (and emotionally devastating) war movies of all time.

[10/10 · 10 May 2020]

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is an incredibly devastating movie which will leave you as an emotional wreck by the end... trust me. Even so, it is one of the sides of the war which is rarely shown in cinema and as a result, is a very important view and should be watched by everyone. I originally watched this movie in Secondary School when i was no older than 13 (my English teacher must enjoy watching kids cry). It has stuck with me ever since, and still to this day it leaves me speechless.

The story is told from the perspective of 8 year old Bruno, which provides the audience with a different perspective to the war that isn't seen too often. From an innocent mind. This only helps to make the movie's ending so much more powerful. Without giving anything away, this movie will stick with you for a long time.

The movie itself has been created beautifully. The cinematics, sound and editing is amazing and really helps create the perfect picture. I want to mention separately how good the actors were though. Some of these scenes wouldn't have been anywhere near as effective if it wasn't for the acting. 10/10. Makes me so proud of the British film industry :')

I highly suggest you watch this movie. Just have some tissues ready.

The Turning (2020)

not sure what to think...

[2/10 · 24 January 2020]

Very annoyed by this movie. It had potential but every good plot idea fizzled out into nothing. There were too many cheap jump scares and way too many unanswered questions. The ending left not only me but the entire cinema audience questioning what actually happened...

Such a good location and atmosphere but I feel like there was too much going on. The acting was good but was ruined by the dull and in my opinion, non-existent story line.