W.M.D. release dates

W.M.D., one of the first films IndieFlicks reported, will soon be hitting theatre screens. The British thriller will get its cinema release on October 15th. Playing at the Shortwave cinema in Bermondsey, the lucky audience members will also be able to take part in a live debate with the director David Holroyd.

For those not able to attend the event the film is also available for download through LoveFilm. You can check out the IndieFlicks interview with David Holroyd by following the link here.

For more information on W.M.D visit the official website - click

Not Alone enters post production

Not Alone, the first feature from FX artist Tristan Versluis, has finished principle photography. Produced by Andy Thompson the horror film began shooting at the start of September and will now go into post production in hope of being released in 2010. IndieFlicks caught up with Tristan during the shoot to ask him a few questions about the production. Stay tuned to the site to read the interview.

For more information please visit the official website - click

Review: Bad Company

Director
Jason King

Writer
Jason King

Starring
Sonya Sier, Cerj Murphy, George Vaughn Williams, Catherine Olding

Bad Company kicks off with a class reunion that sees mousy Jane (Sier) rekindling her high school friendship with Lisa (Olding), only to be swiftly yanked back into her abusive relationship with overbearing David (Murphy). Sensing Jane’s unhappiness, Lisa offers her an escape route – the use of her own house while she’s travelling New Zealand. Whilst Jane at first relishes the freedom, she soon attracts unwanted attention from both her jilted boyfriend and a former school admirer. And exactly who is watching her from the attic?

Shorts director King’s debut feature starts off rooted in kitchen sink social drama, before taking a sharp turn into a housebound thriller that holds some favourable echoes of Danny Boyle’s Shallow Grave.

Sier gives a stand-out performance as the repressed Jane, whose chance to gain some independence is curtailed by the questionable actions of those around her. She’s deeply convincing, and makes for a likeable heroine. King keeps his audience guessing throughout as to the motives of his characters – even those of Jane herself – and wrings some nice moments of suspense as the film heads to its climax. Despite treading some familiar territory, the plot holds enough surprises to keep the viewer hooked – and while the denouement may seem a little rushed, it features a suitable cracked punchline to wrap up the proceedings in a satisfying manner.

Neth Knowles

For more information on Bad Company please visit the official website - click

Do you have an indie film you want us to review? If so drop us an email at james@indieflicks.co.uk

Jack Said

Jack Said, the sequel to the 2008 film, Jack Says, will soon be arriving on DVD. Directed by Lee Basannaver and Michael Tchoubouroff the film stars Simon Phillips, and Danny Dyer. The film will be available from all good retailers and will be hitting the shelves October 5.

Visit the official website for more information

IndieFlicks: Interview

Ian Fielding is the director of the feature film, Wilby Park. Last month IndieFlicks got in touch with Ian to chat about his life in film and his first feature film.

IndieFlicks: How did you get started in film?

Ian: It was around the age of fifteen that I must have made my first short film. The exact details surrounding the lead up to the shoot remain obscure to my memory. All I can be sure of is that I must have approached the experience with a certain amount of fervour as I was already deploying a number of basic cinematic tropes. Like Rashomon (which I hadn’t yet seen) it was the tale of a murder told from three differing perspectives. By that time I must also have seen Psycho, as I’m lifting from its stylings quite blatantly.

IndieFlicks: Where did the idea for Wilby Park come from?

Ian: I’d recently moved house and was setting out to make a small film. At that time I knew of only one actress living nearby and so we created a story in which she played all the roles. The twins were the characters who survived through to Wilby Park.

IndieFlicks: How long did the writing process take?

Ian: The initial ideas began mid 2008, a few months of casual planning and ground work preceded three months of intensive script work from October to December. After casting, adjustments were made right up until shooting in April 2009.

IndieFlicks: Were there specific actors you had in mind when casting the film?

Ian: I had certain archetypes in mind while writing. Though with casting you never know who’s going to walk through that door and nail it with an approach completely unforeseen, so the best angle for my taste is to keep an open mind. Once casting was complete the script was modified to suit the actor’s strengths.

IndieFlicks: What was the film shot on?

Ian: Blood, sweat, tears, and a Canon Xl2.

IndieFlicks: Did you find principal photography an enjoyable experience?

Ian: Every second of it.

IndieFlicks: If you could go back and change one thing whilst making the film, what would it be?

Ian: There is a scene where one of the characters walks into shot and the camera is static, if I did it again I’d pan in with them. Really, a collection of ridiculous micro–details like that.

IndieFlicks: When can we expect to see Wilby Park released?

Ian: We expect completion before the end of the year after which we will try our hand playing the festivals. There is no firm distribution strategy at the moment. So if you are an interested sales agent or producer’s rep please get in touch with us through the Wilby blog - we’d be happy to hear from you!

IndieFlicks: Do you have any projects in the pipeline?

Ian: The big project is a sweeping satire called Sick Jesus set during a civil war in modern day England. As that’s not strictly credit crunch proof, it’s been put aside and I’m working on a stage play and a more modest crime thriller currently entitled Dead Unicorns.

IndieFlicks: What advice would you give to any budding filmmakers out there?

Ian: Find the one thing that only you can say, and say it.

For more information on Wilby Park check out the official website - click

Review: 5:13

Director
Aravind Abraham

Writers
Arivind Abraham and Kieth Leong

Starring
Samantha Tan
Iki Putra

Malaysia, 1996. Vivien (Tan) awakens on the night of her wedding anniversary to find that not only is she in the middle of a blackout, but also a radio frequency is transmitting what seems to be an emergency broadcast. Her concerns for her absent journalist husband are far from quelled by strange noises coming from outside, coupled with the abrupt arrival of hubby’s best friend Ash (Putra) – who bears a strange message and seems to know more about the current situation than he’s at first letting on. As the night draws on, old wounds between the two are re-opened and the situation outside the house seems to be worsening…

Abraham’s sophomore feature is a curious blend of politically-minded domestic drama and paranoid invasion flick. It’s not an overtly obvious coupling, but at times it works surprisingly well. Luke Yerbury’s gloomy, foreboding cinematography matches the strong sound design to suggest something deeply sinister outside Vivien’s four walls, and Abraham ratchets up the tension nobly using a single location. The film’s pace falters occasionally, as long dialogue-intense scenes punctuate the anxiety. It’s with these scenes that the surface of our characters are scratched away, revealing a relevant back-story that may have serious consequences on the film’s outcome. The two leads cope admirably enough, with special plaudits going to Tan’s conviction as the frightened and confused Vivien.

Although in context it refers to a specific time, the film’s title also happens to reference May 13th – the date in 1969 on which the Sino Malay riots broke out in Kuala Lumper, launching a national state of emergency. Abraham and Jeong’s script insinuates something similar or - given the mention of a prophetic bohmoh’s involvement – something worse is underway outside the house. It’s a deft political nod that typifies the film’s melding of the real to the fantastic, and suggests that such further attempts at genre cross-pollination may reap greater rewards.

Neth Knowles

Do you have an indie film you want us to review? If so drop us an email at james@indieflicks.co.uk

Review: Dance With Me

Director/Writer

Sasha C. Damjanoyski

Starring

Joanne Murdoch

Adam Napier

Jane Stanton

A married couple try and get away from it all at their summer home in order to enjoy a few weeks of self introspection, misery and that most bitter of diseases – the malaise of middle class life.

Newcomer Sasha C. Damjanoyski, who serves as both writer and director, has created characters for which I am not sure that even he has much sympathy. The film is centred on Neil (Adam Napier) and Alice (Joanne Murdoch), a couple faced with a number of troubles. Neil suffers from a mysterious illness that makes him come across as the most self centred man in the universe. Alice spends her days trying to escape into music and dance.

In the blurb for the film we are told that “there is no doubt of their love for one another”, but boy, you could have fooled me. They seem to be together for dependency rather than for love. They enable each others misery.

When they speak it is with the clinical appraisal of scientists assessing a species of plant life. Looking off into the distance, Neil sneers at the world with a disdain which withdraws any sympathy you may have had for him, and attempts to undercut this with humour sadly fall flat. Alice, while more driven, is so closed off that any characters who reach out to her are met with coldness.

Their friend, Lizzie (Jane Stanton), feels more grounded and generally much more upbeat than the others. Unsurprisingly both Neil and Alice seem to regard her as an inconvenience. To Alice, her friend’s relationship problems pale in insignificance to the trials that she herself suffers from. Thankfully, Lizzie is the key for the audience that this couple and their situations are ridiculous.

The actors for the most part do good work, although it feels like the script was going for a more rat-a-tat-tat style of verbal sparring than what we see on screen and Murdoch occasionally seems uncomfortable with some of the swearing that she is required to say.

Damjanoyski’s writing appears to be aiming to make a statement on the strength of relationships and the importance of facing reality. Unfortunately many moments of the script feel forced and what are suppose to be amusing asides come across more as whining at the world. Neil at times feels like a middle class Alf Garnett. Organic foods, family pack shampoos and not greeting guests at the door all suffer from his wrath.

There is also an unnecessary “tell, don’t show” aspect about the script. At one point we see Neil appearing and telling Alice something about her dancing which the film was already doing a good job of conveying visually. The direction is well done, giving the audience the feeling of being in the same room as Alice and Neil, and there is some beautiful location shooting.

Will Alice and Neil make it? In the end you come away with the feeling that these people are destined to spend the rest of their lives together, miserable and without passion. But you know what? I think that deep down they wouldn’t have it any other way.

Rob Girvan

For more information on Dance With Me please visit the official website - click

Stay tuned to IndieFlicks for an interview with Sasha to discuss his time in film and the experience he had whilst making Dance With Me.