Bus Stop - short film review for UK Film Review.

"A Tale of Two Sitters"

Review by Chris Olson

Most people’s experiences of bus stops are far from glamorous. I think I speak without hyperbole when I say that almost every, single bus stop in the UK has an immovable fragrance of urine and at least one man who wears a pigeon as a hat. However, this short film from Jamie Sims captures the beautiful possibilities that present themselves to us every day in our lives, if only we let ourselves engage with them. 

Sitting at a bus stop one day is Henry (Sam Underwood), a young man carrying a box of his belongings from the job he has just been fired from. Alexa (Valorie Curry) joins him on the bus stop bench, on the phone to her boyfriend whom she is in the middle of a domestic spat with. After an awkward introduction of Henry pretending to listen to music on his phone as to not impeach on Alexa’s private call, the two start chatting and realise that they are both in what most would call a bad point in their lives. 

However, deciding to look at the world on its head, Henry and Alexa choose the path more sunnier and go on a sightseeing tour of…Woking. They enjoy a freedom which comes only from meeting a stranger, a freedom without any personal baggage. However, like most bus routes, the end of the line is never a pretty sight.  

With a dedication to character and script, Sims delivers an embracing and enchanting tale of two sitters. The chemistry between Curry and Underwood will hook you in, and their poignant tale of fate and chance will keep you seated at all times. The two characters seem captivated by the other, revelling in the unknown and mystery of the situation, which makes for a very enjoyable short film. Curry in particular delivers a remarkable performance, splendid throughout. 

There is a depth of emotion to the framing which invokes a very intimate feeling, capturing these two offset strangers with perfect balance. A lovely sprinkling of music from Ursine Vulpine intertwines the scenes, giving the tone a nostalgic element which reinforces the timelessness of the plot. 

The conclusion may leave some feeling overcharged for this journey, but I for one would like to see a return trip (by which I mean a sequel, sorry, these bus metaphors are getting out of hand). It is a vibrant and life-affirming film that captures the essence of spontaneity, without feeling too clichéd. 

UK Film Review - Cannibals & Carpet Fitters

Cannibals & Carpet Fitters

Directed by James Bushe

A quirky British comedy with about two carpet fitters, Colin (Darren Sean Enright) and Dean (Richard Lee O’Donnell) who…ahem…have the rug pulled from under them when one of their customers, a sweet old lady (Jenny Stokes), turns out to be hiding a ghastly secret beneath the floorboards of her Downton-Abbey-style abode. 

Set in a picturesque stately home, Cannibals & Carpet Fitters has a wonderful combination of quintessential British charm and comedy - it is witty and weird in perfect unison. Some of the one-liners are bust-a-gut funny - for example when Dean confuses Josef Friztl with a pretzel. 

There is an eeriness about this short film from Bushe that captures the darkness and wackiness of something like The League of Gentlemen. Bushe’s filmmaking skills are a true talent to observe, with a superb dedication to using a variety of framing methods, and the result is a film which looks utterly top standard. 

This is a vibrant and show-stopping comedy that would make a fantastic horror-comedy feature, which may well be the plan. It has excellent characters, a brilliant blend of guts and gags, and two lead performers who spark well off each other.The music is well chosen, adding to the light heartedness of the atmosphere, and it adds a great sense of joviality to the two main characters bouncing along in their van - reminiscent of Peter Kay’s Pheonix Nights. 

Some may find the barmy buffoonery of Colin and Dean far below their reach, and others may dislike the way the film blends genres, however, refined taste is all well and good, but whether laying carpet or making a film the same ethos is always true - always check your customer is not a psychotic maniac looking to feed you to her underground monster! And have fun doing it.

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Ave Maria - Short Film reviewed for UK Film Review

Stark and brutal, Ave Maria is Skip Shea’s silent short film that depicts a torture scene in a New England wood, where the victim is a man of the cloth. 

David Graziano plays the aforementioned clergyman, who awakens to find himself tied naked to a chair, without a seat, surrounded by masked women wielding some eye-wincingly terrifying tools. With nothing but Alessandro Moreschi’s “Ave Maria” playing in the background, the man is subjected to horrific violence (not on camera), in a frank response to the controversial topic of sex abuse committed by religious officials. 

With the style of the short film harking back to classic silent cinema, Ave Maria has an engrossing combination of whimsical aloofness and dark horror. The violent and disturbing scenes of torture and ritual are carried out in a way which seems incredibly uncomfortable against the natural backdrop of the woods, and the crackling sounds of “Ave Maria”. This essence of unnatural tension reinforces the themes of the story perfectly. 

A special mention must be given to Director of Photography Nolan Yee - whose splendid use of close-ups and an array of framing techniques make the film a visual treat. 

The masked woman may have been more effective had they shed their anonymity at some point, making a gesture for the victims of such atrocious crimes. This would also have developed the story beyond a simple revenge fantasy. 

That being said, Shea’s film is deeply troubling (in a good way), and Graziano delivers a strong performance as the lead, yet doomed, character. Aurora Grabill is also worth watching, in a role which seems bewilderingly intriguing.

Fans of short films and classic cinema will be in their element with Shea’s affecting and thought-provoking movie, although squeamish viewers may want to bring a bag.

Male viewers will probably want to cross their legs. 

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