The Way, Way Back - Review

Directed by: Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
Starring: Liam James, Toni Collette, Steve Carrell, Allison Janney, AnnaSophia Robb, Sam Rockwell, Maya Rudolph, Amanda Peet
Written by: Nat Faxon, Jim Rash

Rating: 7/10

With The Way, Way Back - we come back into the game. It's a brilliant and wonderful film that lands on a very fine line between too nostalgic and just right. It's a coming of age film that goes through several transformations - brilliantly paced and all heartfelt.

Duncan (Liam James) is a 14 year old who just can't catch a break. First, his dad and mum break up - they're left on their own for a time. Then, her mother (Toni Collette) shacks up with the frontrunner for Worst Father Of The Year award, Trent (Steve Carrell) and his domineering daughter. They are then taken to a beach house where all the adults seem to be in a state of lost youthfulness. Duncan decides to avoid the 'spring break for adults' theme and stumbles upon a water park run by the effervescent Owen (Rockwell). He slowly, thanks to a little nudging, a dance battle and the friendship/love of a girl, comes out of his shell.


It's a showcase for Rockwell, who performs with such ease that it's hard not to fall in line with his charm.

The real wonder of this story is that it makes no excuses, makes no attempts to be anything more than it is. It is the directorial debut of two writers who are clearly well versed in the genre - one which has always been tricky to get right. But both Faxon and Rash show a real lack of cynicism and self-deprecation that allows this coming of age tale to become something wonderful and refreshing.

The script hits everything right on the nose, the cast are all committed and believable in their roles (in a way that will have you jeering at Carrell's 'Trent' out loud, along with the rest of the audience), and plays with a heartwarming sincerity throughout. The soundtrack, while not overt, is similarly well paced - the music accentuates emotions delicately, instead of falling into the trap of just signposting them. It's clearly a very reflective and introspective movie - it'll have most of it's audience harking back to their own developing years with ease.

Duncan's growing pains are not breaking new ground in the genre, but it's hard not to get swept up in them anyway.

It's a film that will keep on bowling you over - and you'll love it for doing that.


What the Mr. Thought:

By no means an original film, it is definitely one that I can wholeheartedly recommend watching. It's just as inspiring and charming as any coming of age tale of recent years, if not more so. It's a perfect summer film with a very applicable release date - it'll have you pining for the start of the summer all over again. The pervasive nostalgic atmosphere that permeates the film will only heighten your enjoyment of it, not dampen it.

What the Misses Thought:

Putting it simply; what a beautiful film! 

Easy going, funny and relaxing, this is one of the most simple yet brilliant films we have seen for a long time. I love seeing the evolution of an awkward character, gaining strength and confidence. It's entertaining but also so heartwarming. 
If you're stuck on what to see at the cinema I would whole heatedly recommend this film. While it may not be perfect (but what really is?) It's a lovely watch that will leave you smiling.






But remember, you didn't hear that from us!

The Mr and the Misses!





P.S. - Apologies for not having posted for awhile - we have been watching films but have been incredibly busy in preparing our upcoming Kickstarter campaign (more on that later!).

Alpha Papa - Review

Directed by: Declan Lowney

Starring: Steve Coogan, Colm Meaney, Sean Pertwee, Felicity Montagu

Written by: Peter Baynham, Steve Coogan, Neil Gibbson, Rob Gibbons, Armando Iannucci

Rating: 7/10

Alan Patridge: Alpha-Papa plays like a ‘best of’ collection for the eponymous DJ’s greatest hits, unsurprisingly. Coogan reprises one of his most well known and recurring roles as the Norwich born, unscrupulous and selfish broadcaster, Alan Partridge. The film, much like the siege in which he is involved, completely sidelines almost everything from plot, to supporting cast – making him the unequivocal star.

That’s not terrible, by any stretch of the imagination.

Coogan delivers his usual brand of wit that will undoubtedly have those familiar with the character in stitches. It’s a film that trundles along, while combining several films – but you don’t go to watch this film for the narrative or the brilliant cinematography. It is definitely the prototypical ‘star vehicle’.

The jokes keep on coming, and as ever they are funny, engaging and durable.

The story follows Alan at North Norfolk Digital just as it is about to be taken over a corporation intent on making profit. The ideal stereotypes of corporate are played into, but never fully explored – they’re just used as a backdrop to set the siege up. Pat Farrell (Colm Meaney) is at a crossroads – he has the graveyard shift on the radio and his job security isn’t too great. As fans will know from the trailer, he’s let go – after which, in revenge, he decides to take over the building and hold it hostage.

That and carry on broadcasting during the siege.

Oh, and make informative jingles.

Pat asks Alan, a man and friend that he trusts, to be his go between initially between him and corporate, then between him and the police/public. It doesn’t go well, initially, as Alan proves that he may not have Pat’s best interests at heart – trying to exploit everyone around him at every turn.

Sure, not every joke is brilliant (some feel like forced gags – watch out for the lunchbox, for one), but Coogan still delivers a solid performance as Alan. He gets the guilty laughs, the pleading laughs and the ones in between – Colm’s Pat gets our love and understanding. The films thematic overtures and motifs feel eerily similar to other resistance based films – those that fight the big and scary monster that is corporate.

The banter passed back and forth is finely crafted, and the leads alongside Coogan are on fine form. Alan’s character proves himself inept and incompetent at all the right moments to make this a fun film to watch.

What the Mr. Thought:

I'll keep it simple - entertaining, light, funny and a great way to spend 90 minutes. Go see it.

What the Misses Thought:

Living in Norfolk made this film just a little bit more special for me! Hilarious, ridiculous and just good old fun, Alpha Papa is a must watch if you want a good laugh.

The comedy was spot on, as was the story. Simple and funny, and just the film the Mr and I needed to see after our holiday, to jump us straight back into our love of films

But remember, you didn't hear any of that from us,

The Mr. and the Misses

Kick Ass 2 - Review

Directed by: Jeff Wadlow

Starring: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Chloë Grace Moretz, Morris Chestnut, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Clark Duke, Augustus Prew, Jim Carrey

Written by: Jeff Wadlow (screenplay), Mark Millar & John Romita Jr (Comic book)

Rating: 7/10

While not exactly as hard hitting as Kick-Ass, the sequel serves up a good dose of reflection. Many were originally enamoured with the original for what was a witty take on the ‘comic book hero’ origin story. It’s a story that decides to look at clichés from an overcooked genre right from the very beginning – which is why this sequel may leave a few with a bad taste in their mouth. This sequel may make use of more than one overarching story tropes – but it doesn’t detract from the film for this reviewer. It’s definitely more of a ‘conventional’ film – playing it slightly safer with audiences than it’s predecessor. But the film is still fun to watch – and enjoyable to a fault.

There’s less of the realist shock in this outing. I can distinctly remember the audiences wincing and gasping in shock, if not outright horror, at the disruptive realism of the first film. Kick-Ass’ main strength is that he became a hero not through some convoluted origin story that would later be retconned to death, but in that he was as much an ordinary guy as anyone else. Not to mention completely unprepared and brutally beaten, repeatedly, before he started learning how to defend himself. It’s your archetypal underdog story – and despite all the critical accusations levelled at the film, it does it well.

Kick-Ass 2 furthers the story of Dave/Kick-Ass as he works out, and works on, his superhero identity. The film focuses on his personal struggles as he deals with the expansion the vigilante/superhero movement, the high school drama that Mindy undergoes in her ‘normal’ life and the revenge that The Motherfucker is seeking in desperation. As Mindy follows that normal life, Dave is left with joining a gang of vigilantes led by the effervescent Carrey as Colonel Stars and Stripes. Despite his refusal to promote the film, he brings a lovable rogue performance to the table as a hero with a troubled past.

It doesn’t break new ground – you could probably get the same message, if in a much less threatening and violent way, from Flashdance, Footloose…

In a run of the mill story about believing in yourself, understanding limits and consequences and overcoming adverse powers, where does the enjoyment come from?

The talented and committed cast. While some of the character names are more dubious (Night Bitch/Mother Russia/Genghis Carnage), the main leads show a level of maturation. This is partly from Jeff Wadlow’s direction (Never Back Down), partly the second act of the heroes arc rolling in, and we assume, partly from their maturation. Gone is the naïve Dave (Johnson) from the first comic/story – gone is the unprepared and shocked teenager who foolishly rushed headfirst into his new ‘profession’ – he’s replaced by a much more controlled and forward thinking persona. It was, at times, hard watching a character that was so optimistic and wanted to do good, engage in such a violent storyline. It was like sticking the quiet kid from the back of the classroom in the middle of a war zone – but this kid has now grown up.

Christopher Mintz-Plasse is believable in his comedic turn as the film’s antagonist, the former hero known as Red Mist – he’s rebranded himself as The Motherfucker. A name which causes no end of amusement, from what we could hear in the theatre.

Unsurprisingly the star of the film, once again for this series, proves to be Chloë Moretz. Taking a turn at exploring the more ‘mundane’ side of Hit-Girl, or ‘Mindy’, she manages to show a vulnerability and tenacity that would fit any high school movie trope. However, she does deliver some of the more poignant moments of the trip – and she does them with poise. Clearly, not much can disturb this young actress who takes us into the world of a very brash teenage girl who hides her true feelings by going out all guns blazing.

Most of the supporting cast are veterans or regular players in the comedy genre, so they fall into place with great ease. Donald Faison still has streaks of his character’s vocal patterns from Scrubs present in his current incarnation of ‘Dr. Gravity’ but that just makes better. Similarly, Carrey brings a sense of familiarity to the screen

Kick-Ass, while not a perfect film, gave us a slight feeling of realism. Despite the audience never having taken part in a neighbourhood watch where they dressed up as superheroes to protect their towns – they understood and felt the essence of the experience. It is something that even, perhaps, Bazin would have admired. (Bazin was associated with a ‘realist’ school of thought regarding film theory, and I am paraphrasing here, suggested that one of the most important qualities of a film was that it helped to provide the essence of an event which we may have no personal knowledge of).

The cinematography is par for the course, as is the soundtrack. Props (pun fully intended) go to the costume department and the production department – they have a brilliant eye for keeping the series rolling and rooted in it’s own world.

People are clamouring that while the first story was a run at the comic-book genre – the second appears to be the target. But what they forget is that not only is the story derived from source material not created by either director – it is also a story about that awkward, adolescent stage in life. Which is exactly what the atmosphere of the film perpetuates throughout – it is a bildungsroman (a coming-of-age) tale, done well. It’s just a shame that it’s less focused on the titular character.

Too much of the Hit Girl material is retained and the focus of the film shifts, at times, from the central story arc to the subplots involving Mindy – while not necessarily a detriment in anyway, it does slightly remind us of the Minions upstaging Carrell in the great family flick series of Despicable Me. This one is more subtle, but Moretz definitely steals the show, despite Johnson’s strong performance.

It’s difficult to satirise something in the form of the object – which is why this outing feels as a slight disappointment to those that have read the comics and were expecting a strong send-up of the superhero film genre. On the first film, it was easy to buy into the hype and love the film had for itself, for it’s edginess and it’s push. In this one, you are merely along for the ride during noticeable chunks of the film – for fare that you’ve probably seen before.

While Wadlow’s turn may not be as memorable as Vaughn’s (director of the original), it is certainly a film that will entertain.

Oh, and there’s a dog on your balls….

What the Mr. Thought:

I enjoyed it and would recommend it - assuming you've seen the original and liked it. It will appeal to fans of the comic and the first film - but it will have a lot of spoilers if you aren't aware of either. I'll remember it fondly - it's a decent summer film that's enjoyable. Not as bloody or self-aware as the first one - but still fun. 

What the Misses Thought:

I loved the first film, a lot. Kick Ass 2, mostly, did not disappoint. The action, the pace and the ass kicking was just right. I love the cinematography, and I am a sucker for a fight slowed down so I can see every movement and the pain being inflicted! (Sorry if that sounds strange, but it's just so cool!) And if you see the film, you'll understand when you see Hit Girl towards the end of the film.

However I wish parts weren't glazed over as much as they were, and this is the only let down for me.

I thoroughly enjoyed the film, so if you get a chance go and watch it!

But remember, you didn't hear that from us!

The Mr. and the Misses

Only God Forgives - Review

Directed by: Nicolas Winding Refn (NWR)
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Kristin Scott Thomas, Vithaya Pansringarm
Written by: Nicolas Winding Refn

Rating: 5/10

It's not that we didn't get the film - we did. 

It's an arthouse film, and to be quite frank, it should have stayed that way. NWR's Drive was a brutal, but visual masterpiece. This follows suit, at least some of the way. 

This is the second Gosling based film that I have to write this about; it's not an easy going film.

Be warned - watching this film is, at times, like having your soul ripped out and trodden over. 

It's visual, hyper-violence loving porn. 

It's a film that is a meditation and study in patience and the attention spans of your audience. The film's real major let down is the amount of attempted metaphors, allegories and motifs that are shoved into it. Independent films where nothing much happens, but everything that does happen is basically suicidally violent for an actor/actress are nothing new. They're old fare - and it's partly this that dredges the film down. Throughout the film, for the keen eyed fans, you'll be able to see (and feel) the influence of multiple generations of directors pressing in on this film. It's not so much a unique NWR film - it's a film that has NWR's touch on it, much like Pacific Rim with Guillermo, but is more like an homage than a film that will stand on it's own two feet.

It's a violent film that at it's core is about anti-revenge. It's this weird approach that loses half the audience right out of the gate. 

What did you really expect from a film that got booed at Cannes and had audiences leaving their seats in droves? 

The story is centred around the underworld in Bangkok, in which Julian (Gosling) is a part of. When a set of tragic events force his hand - and his shrill and woeful mother in the form of Kristin Scott Thomas to come visit him - the film descends into what can only be politely referred to as 'hell'. This 'hell' is curated by Chang (Pansringarm) - a vicious and cruel police officer who will stop at nothing. 

Credit must go to Gosling, whose patented soul-gazing empty stare works well for this type of film. It plays perfectly along with the chilling slowness of proceedings, in fact. The production design as well as the choreography are absolutely astounding. For those who don't engage with the movie, it may look like that he simply doesn't care - but once you get to the core of the film, his looks and stances will give so much away. 

It's a film where every act of violence symbolises something and isn't just used as a throwaway. Where every turn, every shot and every line/piece of music is meticolously calculated to death - just watch the attention to detail and design in the restaurant scene.

However, it is this over the top, high brow run of 'big art' metaphors, coupled with a genre that has, on so many occassions, churned out films that failed to capture the engagement of their audiences - lead to it's eventual downfall. 

The '5' we gave it was for the effort and care expended in the production - it's a shame that the end result falls short of anything too engaging. 

It's a visually tremendous feat of movie-making. One, that if you can stomach it well, will leave you feeling filled with an eerie dread and an incredible unease. The haunting and droning score will almost condition your responses, if you follow the film closely. Understand where it's going - it'll leave you feeling out of place and out of time - the electronic and synthetic sounds will bore into your idle brain. 

It's incredibly visually stylish - one movie in which there are sparse lines of dialogue, but the storytelling is going the truest form of "show, don't tell". It's a film that will make you question your own instincts with it's particularly twisted brand of comedy, nauseatingly beautiful set pieces and lighting that will leave you dazed for weeks to come. (Ferenc's Note: The lighting design in this film was like a hyper version of the scheme used in Trance - it looked utterly fantastic.)

But when every layer and image is a metaphor, not only does it feel like the audience lose the plot, but that the director has as well. There's no real emotional impact and no character development to speak of. It's supposedly about a man who wanted to fight God - hence the title. But unfortunately, this hardly comes through in the layers of allegories that Refn stacks on top of each other.

The violence is staggeringly poignant, beautiful and equal parts brutal. But don't let it fool you - it's not what is driving this vehicle forward. Understanding Julian, how he deals with loss and tragedy, is critical to understanding the rest of the film. Whether you want to or not is the perennial question, though.

It's not a film that will rank with the best of NWR's best work - but it's definitely going to be one of the most memorable. 

What the Mr. Thought:

I would purely recommend not seeing this film because during any attempt to decipher it, you'll always have a decently large crowd of people around my age, who will come in, expecting a film that's somewhat like Drive but more actionable, and laugh at all the inapproriate moments. Arthouse films stayed in arthouses for this exact reason - people would only see them if they were interested in the genre.

For fans of this genre, of NWR's other work - I would highly recommend this film. You will definitely not be disappointed. But for the general moviegoing public, I'd recommend skipping this - unless you want to sleep uneasy tonight. 

What the Misses Thought:

I can't say I outright enjoyed this film. It was violent..and the Mr warned me of that, I ignored this warning and watched the film with him and now part of me wishes I hadn't.

However, and that is a big however, the beauty of the film is in its meaning, metaphors and it's just stunning setup. I can appreciate it from a creative point of view, but that is all - the rest doesn't sit easily with me.

But you didn't hear that from us,

The Mr. and the Misses

Red 2 - Review

Directed by: Dean Parisot
Starring: Bruce Willis, Mary-Louise Parker, Helen Mirren, John Malkovich, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Brian Cox, Anthony Hopkins, Lee Byung-han
Written by: Warren Ellis, Jon Hoeber, Cully Hamner, Eric Hoeber

Rating: 8.5/10

'Retired (and) Extremely Dangerous' returns for round 2.

And boy, is it good.



This film is a treat to behold - having sent critics into a tailspin when comparing it other  films. Some have labelled it a 'popcorn film' - as you might guess, we'll call it a 'Lemonade' film.

Reviewer's warning: As usual - we rate films based on the goals they set out to achieve or how well they entertain us. We do not give other films undue influence on our rating of this film - but it does factor in, obviously.

'Red 2' isn't the world's best outing in the comic genre. It's not the strongest. It's not a genre defining film, in anyway, nor is it a career best for any of the thespians. It's a movie that with an aging cast, wants to have fun. It does - on a spectacular scale.

If you suspend your criticality and focus on one of the most crucial elements of what a movie is supposed to do - to entertain, then this film is an absolute blast. It plays to very base but proven gags, and giants of the screen like Malkovich, Willis and Mirren deliver mirth in bounds at all levels. It's a film that we went into see - fully expecting it just to be a 'good time' - and on that scale, it gave it to us in bucketloads. We're in the first half of this movie's target audience, so we can safely say they hit the money on that.

The plot (which has some pretty holes in it, but we're not watching this film for it's unbounded logic and narrative structure) centres around Frank (Willis) from the previous film. A document surfaces online that claims that he and


The story is somewhat scatter-brained and it's done in typical global jetsetting fashion - but would we settle for anything less? The set design, production design - all the way to the stuntwork - will have you nodding and smiling, even laughing and cheering, throughout. It's a rare film - it feels like a 'Best Of' CD for some of these truly magnificent actors and actresses - and it's a game where everyone is on fine form. That is the entire cast and crew.

You don't go to see the next Bourne legacy or the next Inception -

This film knows the target market well and plays it to it accordingly - fans of the talented bunch won't be disappointed by this outing. Nor will their lives be changed by it - or will they undergo any emotional growth.

- You go to this film for the gags, the one liners, the visuals and the dangerous stunts, performed by veterans of the screen who do it with ease.

And trust us, it doesn't disappoint.

Oh, and there's a crazy WMD, a top-of-the-line Korean assassin and Catherine Zeta-Jones stars as an old Russian femme fatale flame of Frank's -

Need we say more?


What the Mr. Thought:
I left the theatre wondering quietly if it was an amazing film that I had just seen or if I was just perfectly content. It turns out it was a bit of both - it was nice to see a film where you didn't have any niggling CGI poking at you, characters that were brilliant but didn't fit the film, or anything that really stood out of place. It's never better than seeing a true ensemble cast at work - and this is one of the best.

It's a film that knows the talent AND the expertise of the cast - and it plays to it. It doesn't let anyone's egos get bigger than the other - it's also a whole heap of fun.

It's easy going film watching at it's best. I'm giving it my personal 'Lemonade Film Of the Year' award. Or at least a nomination - I doubt I'll see something that's so much fun, entertaining and not serious this year.

What the Misses Thought:

This film was awesome! I really enjoyed the first film and I couldn't wait to see the second instalment, and I was so happy that it didn't disappoint.

I'm just going to put it out there...I LOVE Bruce Willis. And he was perfect in this film. He was not the only one. Helen Mirren, as always was spot on and John Malkovich... he has been one of my favourites since I very first watched Con Air. He is brilliant, nutty and just so funny!

Overall this film was the perfect one to see before the Mr and I go on holiday! It made me laugh, it made me want to cry (because I was laughing so much!) and it just made me love Bruce Willis even more! (If that's possible...)

But remember, you didn't hear any of that from us,
The Mr. and the Misses!

While the Mr & Misses are away...

The readers get to play! Or get to watch a lot of films/box sets we recommend.

So guys it's that time of year - summer holiday time and the Mr and I are off on holiday on Sunday! (Wahoo!) 

But don't worry, we won't be leaving you in the lurch, we will have posts up every couple of days (thanks to the wonder of scheduling posts) to keep you entertained while we are relaxing in the sun! 

And on our return we will have a lot of films to catch up on so also expect to see a load more reviews when we get back. (Because you can bet we'll have cinema withdrawal symptoms!) 

So make sure to check out our mini posts while we are on holiday and of course the second part of the interview with Simon, which can be found here.

But  You Didn't Hear it From Us,

The Mr & Misses

The Heat - Review

Directed by: Paul Feig
Starring: Melissa McCarthy and Sandra Bullock
Written by: Katie Dippold

Rating: 6.5/10

The archetypically good cop/incompetent cop buddy comedy has reached a new height with it's two entertaining female leads.

Buyer beware; this is nothing new.

It's exactly the same - if not slightly exaggerated - version of your typical buddy cop movie. The witty, antagonistic and pithy banter between two leads? Check. Ridiculous plot line involving many failed attempts at real policing and breaking laws? Check. And so on and so forth. In fact, it hits almost every buddy cop cliché in the book. That, in and of itself, makes it rather dull and tiring - as parts of this movie are. However, when McCarthy and Bullock get started, their comedy on screen chemistry cannot be doubted.

Using Bullock as the obvious foil and McCarthy as the eccentric and over the top and almost comically enraged joker is nothing short of your typical casting with type for this genre - but when the result is something magic. There were moments when it feels, somewhat like (but not in the same league) Lethal Weapon. 

McCarthy takes a turn as Shannon Mullins, a top Boston cop who does things her way. There's literally no other way - including abiding by departmental rules that she'll follow. She gets paired with the arrogant and everything-is-done-by-the-book FBI agent (Bullock).

The real problem lies not with it's entertainment value - it lies with the style of comedy. McCarthy's comedy (and in fact, Feig's direction) seems to want to ramp the vulgarity and outrageousness up to the bar set by the mismatched male couples. But where Lethal Weapon was truly funny because of those mismatched personality, a lot of the jokes The Heat rely on McCarthy's obscene sense of comedy - the joke involving the captain's balls is rather unfunny and drags out - which is a haunting feeling that returns several times throughout the film. Especially when she pulls a gun on a nurse - not McCarthy's funniest gag for sure. It's in her Mullins' character. Sure. But that character was too flawed from the get go.

The reason that this problem is so showing is because in those in-between moments, where it plays like the true mismatched police 'couple' going at it - they're brilliant. Bullock is a credible and well timed foil. McCarthy pulls out some wonderfully paced jokes throughout - and regularly rides roughshod all over others. It's this potential and this shame that is, perhaps, ultimately the most disappointing - it could have been so much more. Better than other male forces in this area.

But did we really expect a higher brow of comedy from the director of Bridesmaids?

What the Mr. Thought:
Entertaining and definitely has some laughs. It's a 'good enough' comedy movie - it had the audience in stitches during several scenes. The problem is that truly great comedic films don't denigrate themselves or their characters in such obscene fashions - and this film is always going to be, for me, as one that could have been great. Bullock and McCarthy play with a brilliant warmth together - it's definitely worth seeing if you enjoyed other cop movies.

What the Misses Thought:
What a hilarious film! The amount of laughter in the cinema was incredible and I must say I joined in too. While it wasn't the best film in the world, the sheer silliness and comedy made it such a good watch! If you are looking for a film that is easy to watch, easy to enjoy and so easy to laugh out loud too, then The Heat is a perfect fit for you!

But remember, you didn't hear any of that from us,

The Mr. and the Misses

Framing Film - Simon Horrocks - Part 2

Hey everyone. Today we have the second part of our interview with Simon Horrocks! If you have yet to check out the first part make sure to read it first here.

Again a big thank you to Simon for taking the time to talk to us and also to YOU for reading!

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Ferenc Igali: Can you talk to us a little bit about the actors/crew - how hard was it doing your first casting/how was it working on your first feature set with a crew?

Simon Horrocks: I didn't really have a crew. I had a sfx make-up artist and a great friend who agreed to try to do sound for me - he'd never recorded sound on set before. I did all the camerawork, despite never having shot a film before. We had 1 camcorder, 1 light, and one mic. So the whole thing was very small - which created a certain intimacy you would struggle very hard to achieve on a traditional film set. Casting was a mixture of traditional auditions and finding friends who I thought would work for the role. Finding Tim was a huge bonus - he's a great actor and really held the film together. We were very very lucky to get him. But all the actors and 'non-actors' were great - Jannica, Simeon, Cristiana, Kristina, Oliver, Geraldine, John, Andrew and all - they all did such a great job.

FI: Any particularly memorable experiences on set? SH: Loads ;)

FI: Top five favourite directors? SH: Orson Welles, Jean Vigo, Terrence Malick, Woody Allen, Hitchcock... uh oh, I only get 5? I've just started...

FI: Influences on Third Contact?SH: Most certainly...

FI: Some directors don't like answering this question but we ask it anyway - if there's any film that you could have worked on in the past, which one would you have wished to have the chance to work on? SH: Any Orson Welles film - you'd give anything to have been on set for one of those, right?

FI: Favourite film (or films) that really move or inspire you?SH: Citizen Kane, Magnificent Ambersons, Touch of Evil, The Third Man, The Passion of Joan of Arc, Vampyr, Eraserhead, Elephant Man, Le Jetee, Vertigo, Brazil, Sleeper, Manhattan, Lost Highway, Mulholland Drive, Inland Empire, L'Atlanta, Macbeth (Welles), Apocalypse Now, Taxi Driver, The Godfather, Jaws, Duel, Les Diaboliques, The Dark Knight, Up, Pinocchio, The Seventh Seal, Scenes from a Marriage, The Magician, Knife In Water, Repulsion, The Bridge On the River Kwai, The Pledge, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, The Conversation, Point Blank, Don't Look Now, Performance, Bad Timing, Rosemary's Baby, If... , The Killing, 2001, The Shining, Kiss Me Deadly, Double Indemnity, Night of the Hunter, Memento, Blade Runner, Hunger, American Graffiti, Blowup, Psycho, The Snowball Express and all those other ones....

FI: So where's Third Contact going from here? SH: To the big screening at the BFI IMAX, streamed around the globe to our kickstarter backers. There will be a Q&A with me as well. From there, a cinema release, starting in London and hopefully spreading to the rest of the world.

FI: Obviously social media was critical in helping spread the word for the film to get backers - any tips on how to maximise the effectiveness of social media?SH: It's a full time job. Twitter I have found is by far the most effective - its seems to have the perfect balance of messaging, chat, and your profile is like your business card. Because of the way it limits the information you can provide, it makes it much easier to find the people you want to connect with. It also has big potential to spread your message, if you put the time in. The key is to engage people - you need to start a conversation. If you just spam your message, you'll mostly be ignored. It also helps to be yourself - if you hide behind a logo, or a film title, or made up identity, people won't engage with you as much.

You have to imagine it as a huge party. The boring people are the ones who talk about themselves all the time. Your eyes glaze over and you make your excuse and leave. If you feel someone is hiding something, you stay guarded and don't fully engage. You can see big, established companies struggle to use social media fully because of this. 

FI: Like many independent filmmakers - you clearly rely on networking to get things done. Any tips for first time filmmakers on how to make the most of networking?SH: Look for people with similar interests and who are agreeable with your style of working. In fact, I didn't do too much networking for Third Contact because I did most of the technical stuff myself. The film is self-funded and shot pretty much without a crew. I did most of the technical work myself or used friends who were happy to chip in. My old friend Justin Rogers did all the CGI work and kinda saved the film, really. To hire someone to do the work he did would, alone, have cost more than the budget of the film.

 FI: Can you tell us a bit about your production process - any favourite equipment? What was Third Contact shot with, for example? Did you have to hire a lot of the equipment or did you end up buying it? SH: I bought the most expensive camera I could - an HV30 Canon camcorder. It's not even semi-professional. It was designed pretty much as a high-end consumer camera to take on holiday or film your friend's wedding. It was never intended to be used to shoot a feature film on. But it had a bit of a cult following, so I chose it for that. The microphone was the most expensive bit of kit - £700. You can't really cut corners with sound equipment. For lighting I bought various lamps and battery powered strip lights from Homebase. Plus someone found a small redhead in a cupboard at the BBC which was about to be thrown away, so I nabbed it.

I didn't hire any equipment. I bought everything and spent about £1500.
FI: Post production - colouring, editing and such - what was your experience on this side of the filmmaking process? SH: As with everything, I hadn't done any of this before, so I had to learn as I went along. There are various issues you have to deal with when you don't have a pro set up. For example, for some reason the footage appeared darker in Final Cut Pro than it did as QT footage. As soon as I output it, it comes out lighter. So I had to edit dark footage, knowing it would come out brighter. I asked around - friends and online forums - but nobody came up with a solution.

FI: Experience of film festivals? Any tips or thoughts to share on this front?SH: I feel like film festivals have become very narrow-minded in recent years; very conservative. The film world in general seems to be in a transition and struggling to cope with new ideas. Festivals were set up to promote celluloid creations, in a certain way, and they don't seem to be in any hurry to change or adapt. How relevant are festivals now? We can make a film (feature film) without much of a crew and get it to millions of people online at the click of a button. Meanwhile, festivals are still working at the old pace of things. I mean, I think they're beautiful and fascinating, like old steam trains.

What you need to understand with festivals is that films are selected mostly back stage, out of the public eye. They charge you to submit your film, but what they don't tell you is they don't charge many of the people whose films they select. Most films are selected via the industry network, through contacts. Those people rarely pay submission fees. If you want to get your film selected, don't just download the submission form and send it off with that rather expensive fee. You're better off building up relationships with programmers. That's how you get your film selected.

FI: Finally, any words of wisdom that you can share with those considering to chase their dream and turn their idea into a fully fledged film? SH: Make your film the most creative way you can. Don't let funding became an obstacle.Make a film with your phone or a camcorder. Make it YOUR way. Then promote it yourself and have as little to do with the industry as possible.

Thanks again, and another big congratulations on your work - we really do look forward to seeing the concept driven Third Contact on screens soon - and fully expect to be blown away! Thank you for taking time out to join us! 

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Make sure to check Simon out on Twitter and find out more about his movie right here!

But You Didn't Hear it From Us,

Mr & Misses