“Have you ever stood in front of a mirror, asking your reflection for answers? What if in your darkest moment, your reflection spoke back and stepped into the room? A version of you, claiming to be your intuition… Would you trust their voice over yours? Would you believe that they can save you?“

We sat down with the writer/director of Edicius, Uzo Oleh. You can read the full interview below

Presh: How did the concept of Edicius come about?

Uzo Oleh: For a while, I was thinking to myself, why do we have these thoughts? Where do they come from? What is the self? You know, all that kind of pondering. And then it seems as though this person listening to somebody who’s talking to you. Therefore, who the fuck is that person that you’re listening to, right? Sometimes that person is telling me to do something and I don’t necessarily agree, or I do agree, I somehow can’t do it. What would it be like if that person was personified, was an actual human being, who would tap you on the shoulder and be like ‘no no no go and do it now”? It’s like this voice in your head that’s telling you, these all your options, you should do this and for some reason you ignore them. What would happen if that person came to life and you know, you could meet them and argue with them and so on and so forth? And maybe even have a fight with them. It started super small. They were sitting across the table from each other and it looks exactly the same. and they were just trying to outwit each other, you know? And I remember in my head, there was a line, but isn’t in the film were he just looked at him and was like, did “you know you can’t actually lie to me”? That’s that raw truth that you have with that inner voice. Then I thought okay, cool, you could do it like that or you could put more layers to it. So the concept just basically grew and got deeper.

P: Particularly as Edicius is a short film, how do you construct the world and decide what rules govern this world? For example, you have the personification of Jason’s mirror image, were there other elements that you wanted to include or couldn’t include?

UO: The kings and queens back in the day, used to have these opulent mirrors like you can go through the mirrored hallway of Versailles. I had this idea that if you’re in touch with your intuition, you gain power. So this is why mirrors were so expensive. I went to the Palace of Versailles to get inspiration. So I had this idea in my head. How does this person come out of the mirror? Frustratingly, every time I’ve seen people coming out of mirrors, it looks a bit naff, in my opinion, right? It’s been done so many times before someone steps out of the mirror. So what if you had this repeating corridor? That if you have two mirrors lined up, it creates this infinity? Weirdly, and don’t get me too geeky on it, right? But weirdly, there’s a book called I Am A Strange Loop by Douglas Hofstadter. It talks about, so brilliantly, “in order to know what the self is, you have to know what a self is”. So you have this weird, self-referential thing where it’s like, in order to know myself, I need to know what knowing is. And in order to know what knowing is I have to experience knowing, so it keeps going and going and it creates this weird feedback loop. And for the feedback loop, when you point a video camera at the image, it records the image, but it because the image recording the image, recording the image, so it keeps repeating like the corridor that we created. So it was a perfect visual metaphor for this and allowed us to create this wormhole, this portal, where if you were in standing in front of yourself, you can never see into infinity. But when Jason gets scared, and he hides in the corner, it opens up this portal, so it’s now a free place for you to move into the present world. So that’s, that’s where that came from. Then in establishing the rules, we have him open with a cabinet that doesn’t work properly. So when the intuition runs back into the bathroom to get into the portal, he’s like, where’s the portal gone? That’s why we have him open the door, take out some plasters and shut the door properly to keep the portal open.

P: You’re quite inspired by both physics and philosophy. What were the key touchpoints of philosophical thought and physics that were expressed in the making of the film?

UO: Yeah, Schrödinger’s Cat, the quantum physics concept. You can’t know what knowing is until you observe it, right? So you have a superposition. People ask the question if your mirror image copies you when you’re not looking at it – so when you look away, is it just waving his hands and acting crazy – you would never know because you need to look back. And in looking back, it mimics you. So that’s one of the things that just killed me. I love the idea that if your intuition came and met you, it was just like, hold on a second, I’m going to tell you what you’re going to do because these are the options. When we get to the end of Edicius, you ask yourself, did he know that was going to happen the whole time? In telling him this stuff, did he actually change the course of what he was going to do in the first place? And that’s the questions that I’m really into, along with, Greek tragedies, like the whole film, has all the same touchpoints of Greek tragic theatre. Jason has a Greek name, Anna has a Greek name, Anthony has a Greek name, the antagonist, and it’s called Edicius, which is suicide in reverse, but it sounds like Odysseus. So we have layers of Greek tragedy, lots of philosophy, and lots of quantum physics.

P: Idris Elba is an executive producer of the film. How did he come on board the project?

UO: I said, to a few friends I’m making a film and it’s for us. And what I mean by that is the type of films that we would send each other and go, “oh my god you need to see this”. Movies are so expensive movies are hard to make, particularly at the moment, because they’re big risks. In a risk-averse industry, people will give you money, and they need to make sure that it’s okay, you know, so let’s get more people to digest it. Unfortunately, you can kind of make something that is kind of okay for everyone, but it isn’t incredible for a few – or even hated by a few. So, when I sent Idris the film, it just resonated with him, you know, and I knew would love it is like, he’s one of the people I have so much respect for his taste, that I think he would love and be inspired by this particular story. So he just was like, I will do anything to support it – he’s that guy. A proper champion. I describe him as my silent partner from day one. What he’s been doing, has allowed people to see versions of themselves all over the world and know that okay, well, that’s possible. This month, Jeymes Samuel’s film came out, Reggie Yates’ film came out, Aml Ameen’s film came out – wild! Yeah. My godson because he’s gonna think that’s gonna be normal.

P: What happens next with the film? Are you writing a feature-length version of the film? Surely can’t be the end.

UO: I want to try and get distribution for it to go as far as possible, I would love as many people as possible to see it. So fingers crossed, we get it onto a platform that will really represent it well and give people access. And then I’m writing that feature, which is essentially based on the same characters. The world will be expanded, but I still want it to be the love story between himself and his intuition. So I would like it to be bigger, in scale, but to kind of have the same spirit.

P: You say, a love story between himself in his intuition. However, in the film, Jason has a partner, Anna. In a weird way, is that a love triangle? How would you describe it?

UO: Oh yeah, check this out. You are always at least in a threesome. At least, right? If you’re in love with someone. You’re in love with that person, right? So let’s say I’m in love with Daniel, right? I’m in love with him. I’m also in love with myself. I’m in love with the way that he makes me feel. I’m in love with the identity of our relationship, the fact that I now have a partner, right? It’s so layered that when you break up with somebody, in theory, it’s a part of yourself that you’re losing, right? A lot of people will only want to be in a relationship because they want to not not be in a relationship. They can literally swap out the person, they will literally meet another person. And what’s really frustrating is that my wife will also be in a threesome with me. So her version of our relationship is in her head. So there’s like at least six people involved in relationships – rather six identities involved. The reason it’s Jason’s love story, as opposed to Anna and his unborn kid. So if you watch the film, you look how late he gets to the point where it’s like, Wait, hold on a second, what about Anna? Jason is a narcissist. In Greek tragedies, If you ask what is his fatal flaw, it is narcissism.

Also Read: 10 Great Sci-Fi Movies on Netflix

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The return of the Western genre but not as you know it

A Western revenge story? Yes, that’s how you can describe The Harder They Fall in a nutshell. As a child, Nat Love watched his parents getting murdered by Rufus Buck (Idris Elba), and now, so many years later, he (Jonathan Majors) is looking for the person who killed his parents. Together with his Nat Love Gang, which includes gangmates Bill Pickett (Edi Gathegi) and Jim Beckworth (RC Cyler) and love interest, Stagecoach Mary (Zazie Beetz), he’s out for revenge. After hearing that Buck escaped from prison, their thirst for revenge get even bigger.

However, it won’t be that easy to kill one of the most ruthless killers, especially not when he’s surrounded by the Rufus Buck Gang. While Buck was in prison, his gang was led by Trudy Smith (Regina King) and a kind-of-spokesperson Cherokee Bill (Stanfield), and they absolutely ensured that they upheld Buck’s brutal and bloody reputation. Both gangs go head-to-head, but there can only be one victor, right? So which gang is it going to be?

What stunning on-screen and off-screen talent!

Sure, the storyline might seem a bit simple or straightforward, but writers Boaz Yakin (Aviva) and Samuel still make sure that they never fall back into the stereotypical characters. While the story itself might be fictional, the characters aren’t. At the start of the movie, you get a “These. People. Existed” warning, due to which the violence, tough times and bloodshed make an even greater impact.

It doesn’t matter how much of the story is true; when portraying real-life characters, you must work with a cast that can deliver strong, honest, genuinely-looking and captivating performances. Casting director Victoria Thomas (Django Unchained) clearly understood that assignment as she brought a top-notch cast together in this film. First of all, there’s Majors (Lovecraft Country) as Nat Love, who’s an absolute pleasure to watch! His charms, the intensity of his performance during the brutal scenes and the emotional impact he has during the more touching moments make sure that you watch the movie from start to finish.

Elba (Molly’s Game) absolutely excels in this movie as his performance is a tour-de-force in more than one way! Not only the violent and ruthless side of Buck is being heightened, but you also see that, despite having a rough exterior, Buck is also a man with human feelings. Yes, Elba’s performance is top-notch on both physical and emotional levels, and it’s not hard to see why director Samuel wanted to work with him.

It’s not only the men who deliver stunning acting performances. No, also Regina King (If Beale Street Could Talk) is phenomenal as Smith. She oozes power, and her bad-ass vibe shines through the entire movie. She can absolutely stand her ground in The Harder They Fall. Beetz (Deadpool 2) is also putting on a great performance that will absolutely leave a big impression. It’s just a shame that she doesn’t get enough screen time. That being said, when you put Beetz and King together in the same scene, you get absolute firework!

The openings scene is one of the most impressive scenes of the movie, and that’s not only because of the terrific performances. No, it’s also because of the extremely captivating and stunning cinematography by Mihai Malaimare Jr. (Jojo Rabbit). He leaves those more neutral colours behind and goes straights for eye-popping ones. The violence is right in your face, and so are the blood red and the pitch-black dark colours. Malaimare Jr certainly knows how to create a mesmerizing spectacle. 

Just as in any Western movie, music is of vital importance. However, don’t expect the traditional Western-movie music. In The Harder They Fall, it’s all about “the harder and louder” the better. You get songs from Jay-Z (who’s a producer of this movie), Ms. Lauryn Hill, Kid Cudi and Koffee. Based on those names, you know the music absolutely accompanies the film in the best way possible.

What an outstanding debut

Last month, The Harder They Fall was the openings movie of the BFI Film Festival, and it’s no surprise why. The film is made with such passion for the Western genre and edgy filmmaking, and if you combine that passion with a terrific cast and an extremely creative crew, you know that you’re in for a fantastic ride! The Harder They Fall is available on Netflix, but if you really want to get the action, the adrenaline rush and the powerful acting performance, then try and catch the movie on the big screen.

The Harder They Fall is out now on Netflix and in U.K. cinemas.

Rating: (4 / 5)

Also Read: Inclusion In The Director’s Chair: Are Female Directors Finally Breaking Through?

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Related: Yardie (Review)

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“Set in ’70s Kingston and ’80s Hackney, Yardie centres on the life of a young Jamaican man named D (Aml Ameen), who has never fully recovered from the murder, committed during his childhood, of his older brother Jerry Dread (Everaldo Creary). D grows up under the wing of a Kingston Don and music producer named King Fox (Sheldon Shepherd). Fox dispatches him to London, where he reconnects with his childhood sweetheart, Yvonne (Shantol Jackson), and his daughter who he’s not seen since she was a baby.“

Tickets can be purchased from the official Odeon Cinema website by clicking this link.

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The search for a new life

She’s still very young but she has already been through so much. Victoria ( Francesca Hayward) is being abandoned by her parents and now finds herself in London all by herself. At first, she’s being looked at with a lot of contempt by other cats. They doubt if she’s one of them, one of the “Jellicles” cats, but after accepting her (until a certain degree), they invite her to the Jellicle Ball. During that annual ball, many cats can compete to go to a place known as the Heaviside Layer to undergo reincarnation. The winner is being crowned by the leader of the tribe, Old Deuteronomy (Dame Judi Dench). A whole new world is opening in front of Victoria. One that she discovers alongside magician Mr. Mistoffelees (Laurie Davidson) and guardian of the “Jellicles” cats Munkustrap (Robbie Fairchild).

She meets many cats who each have their unique talent. You have Jennyanydots (Rebel Wilson), Rum Tum Tugger (Jason Derulo), Bustopher Jones (James Corden) and Gus (Sir. Ian McKellen). Sadly, not everyone is welcome as Grizabella (Jennifer Hudson), who once was a well-respected cat, is now being treated with a lot of fear and disgust. The big evening is about to arrive and so everyone’s ready to show off their talent but that’s not to the liking of the “Moriarty amongst the cats” Macavity (Idris Elba) as he wants to be the winner himself. He will do everything in his power to get rid of his competitors…

Cast by name and not by the (right) talent

When watching a film that’s based on a musical, you expect the performers to dance and sing their hearts out. Well, let us tell you. That doesn’t happen at all in Cats. We’re not saying that the cast isn’t talented (respect for both the A-listers as well as the newcomers) but most of them were cast for the wrong reasons. The two biggest casting mistakes are without a doubt Dench (Murder on the Orient Express) and McKellen (The Good Liar). They’re both esteemed actors but they just don’t fit in Cats. Their voices don’t match the songs and due to the terrible special effects, they can’t put their great acting on display. The result: Cringing moments and a waste of talent.

That putting celebrity names on the poster was more important than finding the right actors for the job is being proved by casting Elba (Molly’s Game) as Macavity and Taylor Swift as Bombalurina. In the original work, Macavity is a ginger cat that oozes evil and danger. Certainly not a dark-skinned (no offence here) one that brings even more funniness to the work. Oh and didn’t Swift her character hate Macavity in the poems? Well, not according to Hooper and his team.

There were some great casting choices in the film as well. The best one is certainly Fairchild as Munkustrap. He brings emotions, elegance, and class to this movie and it’s clear that he already had musical experience from his days when he performed in An American in Paris – The Musical. More magic and fun is brought to the screen by the very charming and delightful Davidson (Will). That Magical Mr. Mistoffelees song is one of the most captivating moments of the film. Cats also introduces us to the ballet dancer Hayward and she shines in her first full-length feature film. Hudson (All Rise) is the only one that could give us goosebumps during this film by signing Memory.

Special effects that aren’t special

The reason why the story, its touching vibe and the acting performances don’t come through is because of the special effects. It’s just too weird to see Dench as a cat (especially because it seems she’s wearing a collar) and making from the coloured Hayward a white cat just doesn’t do the trick at all. Also Wilson her cat taking off an extra layer of skin by unzipping it? Nope, Cats isn’t always eye-candy.

Not totally cat-astrophic

Do you need to see Cats or not? The question isn’t that simple to answer. They’re flaws when it comes to the characters, special effects, and casting but it’s certainly not like you waste one of the nine lives watching this film. The dancing, the signing of Hudson and that little spark of magic are the few elements that keep Cats alive.

Rating: (2 / 5)

Also Read: How To Revive A Franchise After Many Years

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What’s it about?

Fast & Furious franchise’s Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and Shaw (Jason Statham) must put their differences aside and join forces on a mission to save the world!

Also Read: Top 10 Films at the UK Box Office in 2019 (So Far)

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Yardie, the film, is based on the novel of the same name by Jamaican born writer Victor Headly. Starting off in 1973 Jamaica, the film follows Dennis (known as “D”), who is played by Aml Ameen (Kidulthood, Maze Runner) as he deals with the killing of his brother amidst gang rivalry between warring factions: Tappa & Spicer. Through association “D” eventually strays into the drug business and is sent to London after a drug deal goes bad. What plays out is a story of redemption and retribution as “D” tries to reconcile his past, until he is forced to face them head-on.

The first 30 minutes of the film, which take place entirely in Jamacia serves as an extended introduction into D’s character. The scenes in England make up the rest of the film. The decision to split the film this way is creatively felt like the right choice. It allows us the opportunity to better understand the culture which underpins the narrative: from intergenerational relationships to spiritual belief systems. The latter part of the film which takes place in 1983 London. At this point, the pace of the film changes, focusing more on progressing D’s story.

Given the different competing elements in the film, Aml Ameen navigates his role as “D”  in a way that feels authentic and believable. There is a fine balance to be had: not to overextend himself in a way that creatures a caricature of what he should be; but also to give enough range to the performance so that the audience is emotionally invested in his journey and interactions with his supporting cast. Thankfully, more often than not, Idris struck the right balance in directing Aml to bring the best out of him throughout the movie.

The supporting cast adds character and flair to what is already a very compelling narrative. Stephen Graham (This is England) pulls off an incredible performance as club-owner Rico. He is funny, eccentric and ruthless when he needs to be. Whilst it is not too dissimilar from some of the notable characters he’s previously played, he brings with him a gravitas to execute the character of Rico in a way that it is not too cliche and enjoyable to watch. A real jewel in the crown is Shantol Jackson’s character, Yvonne who plays Dennis’ childhood sweetheart and love interest. Her portrayal embodies much of the story Jamaicans coming to the UK in Marget Thatcher’s Britain would’ve gone through, particularly during the time period of the Brixton race riots. This is perhaps an area Idris could’ve have explored in greater depth; a more nuanced at how a lack of opportunities at the time, fuelled criminality. We are then able to look at D’s time in London in this context.

Yardie is a film full of charm and character, presented through lush cinematography. While it is technically a crime drama, simply calling it that seems somewhat limiting. It’s an ambitious film and serves as a great directorial debut for Idris Elba, but also for Aml Ameen and his fellow co-stars. Yardie is definitely a film you need to see (at least) once!

Our Rating:  (4 / 5) (Fresh)

Yardie will be in cinemas later this year

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