24th Nov2023

‘The Devil Went Down to Islington’ VOD Review

by Jim Morazzini

Stars: Michael Smiley, Dominic Coleman, Spencer Brown, James Lance, Sophie Colquhoun | Written by Rutger Andrée Wiltens, Alex Martin | Directed by Daniel Wilson Tales of musicians who sold their soul for fame are common enough, Crossroads, Trick or Treat, Dark Roads 79 and The 27 Club are just a few examples. The Devil Went […]

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31st Jul2023

‘Evie’ Review

by James Rodrigues

Stars: Holli Dempsey, Jay Taylor, Michael Smiley, Liam McMahon, Joanne Mitchell, Justin McDonald, Martelle Edinborough | Written and Directed by Dominic Brunt, Jamie Lundy Co-directors Dominic Brunt and Jamie Lundy open their film on a moment of familial bliss, as a mother enjoys time on the beach with her two young children, Evie and Tony. […]

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04th Feb2022

‘Censor’ Blu-ray Limited Ed. Review (Second Sight)

by Paul Metcalf

Stars: Niamh Algar, Nicholas Burns, Vincent Franklin, Sophia La Porta, Adrian Schiller, Michael Smiley | Written by Prano Bailey-Bond, Anthony Fletcher | Directed by Prano Bailey-Bond While the eighties was a good time for horror movies, in the UK it was also a hard time for fans. So-called ‘Video Nasties” were banned and censorship was […]

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03rd Sep2021

Video Review: ‘The Toll’ – Everybody Pays!

by Kevin Haldon

Here’s Kev with a video review of The Toll which is in UK cinemas now. Brendan works solo shifts in the quietest toll booth in Wales, hiding from a criminal past where nobody would ever look. When he finally gets rumbled, word of his whereabouts gets out and his enemies head west for revenge. Meanwhile, […]

03rd Aug2021

Sundance London 2021: ‘Censor’ Review

by Matthew Turner

Stars: Niamh Algar, Nicholas Burns, Vincent Franklin, Sophia La Porta, Adrian Schiller, Michael Smiley | Written by Prano Bailey-Bond, Anthony Fletcher | Directed by Prano Bailey-Bond Debut director Prano Bailey-Bond adapts her acclaimed short film Nasty into this feature length British horror set at the height of the panic over “video nasties”. Stylish and richly […]

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18th Mar2021

Brit psychological horror ‘Evie’ enters post-production

by Phil Wheat

Brit indie feature film Evie, starring Holli Dempsey (Derek, After Life), Michael Smiley (Luther, Kill List) and Jay Taylor (Donkey Punch, Manhunt), has just wrapped a four week shoot on locations in Yorkshire and the Llyn Peninsula, Wales. Directed by Dominic Brunt (Before Dawn, Bait) and Jamie Lundy (making his feature film debut). the brooding […]

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21st Aug2020

Rewind: ‘Free Fire’ Review

by Chris Thomas

In the latest in his series of Rewind reviews looking back at the career of writer/director Ben Wheatley, Chris takes a look at his 2017 film, Free Fire. Stars: Cillian Murphy, Armie Hammer, Brie Larson, Sharlto Copley, Michael Smiley, Sam Riley, Jack Reynor | Written by Ben Wheatley, Amy Jump | Directed by Ben Wheatley […]

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14th Aug2020

Rewind: ‘Kill List’ Review

by Chris Thomas

In the first of a new series of Rewind reviews looking back at the career of writer/director Ben Wheatley, Chris takes a look at his 2011 hit, Kill List. Stars: Neil Maskell, Michael Smiley, MyAnna Buring, Harry Simpson, Emma Fryer, Struan Rodger | Written by Ben Wheatley, Amy Jump | Directed by Ben Wheatley My […]

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03rd Mar2020

‘Come To Daddy’ Blu-ray Review

by Chris Cummings

Stars: Elijah Wood, Stephen McHattie, Madeleine Sami, Martin Donovan, Michael Smiley | Written by Toby Harvard | Directed by Ant Timpson Directed by Ant Timpson in his feature directorial debut, based on his idea and written by Toby Harvard (The Greasy Strangler), Come to Daddy is a New Zealand film project. It stars Elijah Wood […]

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22nd Aug2019

Frightfest 2019: ‘Come To Daddy’ Review

by Chris Cummings

Stars: Elijah Wood, Stephen McHattie, Madeleine Sami, Martin Donovan, Michael Smiley | Written by Toby Harvard | Directed by Ant Timpson Directed by Ant Timpson in his feature directorial debut, based on his idea and written by Toby Harvard (The Greasy Strangler), Come to Daddy is a New Zealand film project. It stars Elijah Wood […]

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17th Jan2019

‘The Nun’ Blu-ray Review

by Jak-Luke Sharp

Stars: Demián Bichir, Taissa Farmiga, Jonas Bloquet, Bonnie Aarons, Ingrid Bisu, Charlotte Hope, Sandra Teles, August Maturo, Jack Falk, Lynnette Gaza, Ani Sava, Michael Smiley | Written by Gary Dauberman | Directed by Corin Hardy Corin Hardy’s The Nun is the latest chapter in the ever-expanding and highly successful horror universe in that of ‘The […]

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08th Sep2018

‘The Nun’ Review

by Jak-Luke Sharp

Stars: Demián Bichir, Taissa Farmiga, Jonas Bloquet, Bonnie Aarons, Ingrid Bisu, Charlotte Hope, Sandra Teles, August Maturo, Jack Falk, Lynnette Gaza, Ani Sava, Michael Smiley | Written by Gary Dauberman | Directed by Corin Hardy Corin Hardy’s The Nun is the latest chapter in the ever-expanding and highly successful horror universe in that of ‘The […]

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07th Aug2017

‘Free Fire’ Blu-ray Review

by Rupert Harvey

Stars: Cillian Murphy, Armie Hammer, Brie Larson, Sharlto Copley, Michael Smiley, Sam Riley, Jack Reynor | Written by Ben Wheatley, Amy Jump | Directed by Ben Wheatley From A Field in England to a High-Rise in London to a warehouse in a US dockland, you cannot say writer-director Ben Wheatley is predictable. Except Free Fire […]

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24th Mar2017

‘Free Fire’ Review

by Rupert Harvey

Stars: Cillian Murphy, Armie Hammer, Brie Larson, Sharlto Copley, Michael Smiley, Sam Riley, Jack Reynor | Written by Ben Wheatley, Amy Jump | Directed by Ben Wheatley From A Field in England to a High-Rise in London to a warehouse in a US dockland, you cannot say writer-director Ben Wheatley is predictable. Except Free Fire […]

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21st Mar2016

‘Murder: The Complete Series’ DVD Review

by Paul Metcalf

Stars: Joe Dempsie, Karla Crome, Anne-Marie Duff, Peter Bowles, Robert Pugh, Michael Smiley | Written by Robert Jones We tend to get used to the structure of crime based shows, they follow certain rules. With Murder: The Complete Series this is turned on its head by providing the stories in a documentary style, based on interviews after […]

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14th Mar2016

Competition: Win horror ‘The Hallow’ on DVD

by Phil Wheat

To celebrate the release of The Hallow – out now on Digital HD and on DVD from 21st March – we have a copy on DVD to giveaway. A terrifying hidden treasure, The Hallow puts an original, horrific spin on the classic fairy tale – packed with eerie suspense, blood-curdling demons, and genuinely nasty scares. From […]

04th Mar2016

‘The Aliens: 1×01’ Review (E4)

by Phil Wheat

Stars: Michael Socha, Jim Howick, Michaela Coel, Daniel Eghan, Roy Thorn, Holli Dempsey, Trystan Gravelle, Michael Smiley, Ashley Walters | Written by Fintan Ryan | Directed by Lawrence Gough, Jonathan van Tulleken E4 returns to top-form with a scintillating new comedy that sees writers repeat the success of Misfits… The Aliens is certainly not your […]

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18th Feb2016

Interview: ‘Orthodox’ writer/director David Leon

by Stuart Wright

Orthodox writer/director David Leon is a 2012 Screen International Star Of Tomorrow. His debut film Orthodox, starring Stephen Graham and Michael Smiley, is released in cinemas Feb 19th 2016 and VOD/DVD release follows in May Benjamin, a boy bullied for his Jewish faith, takes up boxing as a means of self-defense, alienating himself from his […]

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14th Apr2015

‘Black Sea’ Blu-ray Review

by Paul Metcalf

Stars: Jude Law, Michael Smiley, David Threlfall, Scoot McNairy, Ben Mendelsohn, Tobias Menzies, Jodie Whittaker | Written by Dennis Kelly | Directed by Kevin Macdonald Heist movies work best when there is a hint of danger involved, so why not put the characters in a scenario like being trapped in a submarine hunting for gold […]

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06th Feb2014

‘For Those in Peril’ DVD Review

by Paul Metcalf

Stars: George MacKay, Kate Dickie, Michael Smiley, Nichola Burley, Brian McCardie, Jordan Young, Conor McCarron, Lewis Howden | Written and Directed by Paul Wright There are times when I’m reminded just why I love the British movie industry and the films they produce.  Over the last month I reviewed The Selfish Giant, and now I’ve […]

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24th Jul2013

EIFF 2013: ‘For Those in Peril’ Review

by Guest

Stars: Kate Dickie, Michael Smiley, George MacKay, Nichola Burley, Brian McCardie, Gavin Park, Jordan Young | Written and Directed by Paul Wright Review by Scott Clark of Cinehouse British cinema is great at taking quaint environments and turning them into Hell. We also have a penchant for misery and wasted lives, both of which you’ll find […]

02nd Jul2013

‘A Field In England’ Review

by Ian Loring

Stars: Michael Smiley, Julian Barratt, Reece Shearsmith, Peter Ferdinando, Ryan Pope, Sara Dee, Richard Glover | Written by Ben Wheatley, Amy Jump | Directed by Ben Wheatley A Field In England, prolific low-budget and lo-fi filmmaker Ben Wheatley’s latest effort, continues the original and highly distinctive work he’s made thus far but pushes past boundaries and […]

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