Short film review archive

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L — 111 results

• Laid Off (2006)

  Review preview for Laid Off

  Zam Salim's direction and control of his short tale is exemplary

  Being dead is a killer.
• Lambert & Co (1964)

  Review preview for Lambert & Co

  While Pennebaker and Leacock capture the verve and enjoyment, not to mention the precision, of the session, they also spotlight small details.

  Snapshot of a recording studio.
• L'Assenza (2013)

  Review preview for L'Assenza

  A tale that's rich in allusion without its various acts of homage becoming too heavy-handed.

  A man becomes obsessed by the presence of his double in an old Italian film.
• The Last Bite (2005)

  There is a cabin in the woods and in the cabin is a mosquito that talks.
• Last Chance, Final Rep (2008)

  Review preview for Last Chance, Final Rep

  Last Chance, Final Rep is a complex and visually intriguing film.

  A teenage weightlifter struggles to pursue his dreams.
• Last Day Of Freedom (2015)

  Review preview for Last Day Of Freedom

  A compelling story, and an intensely intimate one

  A man tells the story of his brother's mental health problems, criminal behaviour and death sentence, reflecting on how this affected him and his family.
• The Last Human (2012)

  Review preview for The Last Human

  The Last Human stands shoulder to shoulder with the greats of science fiction cinema when it comes to style, emotional impact and moral weight.

  On a barren planet, the last remaining human strives to implant dna and seed new life in the universe before it's too late.
• The Last Page (2012)

  Review preview for The Last Page

  The use of ballet and ice dance in this film give it a distinctive Russian sensibility but will make it a firm favourite with little girls of a certain kind no matter where they might be.

  As the last page of The Steadfast Tin Soldier is missing, a little girl has to dream its ending.
• Last Shave (1997)

  Dying old man is taken to the lav and shaved.
• Last Time In Clerkenwell (2008)

  Review preview for Last Time In Clerkenwell

  Utterly bonkers but brimming with ingenuity.

  Birds go bonkers.
• The Last Wheel (2009)

  Review preview for The Last Wheel

  There is no dialogue, just strong visuals.

  A tattoist offers prisoners a chance at freedom.
• Launderette (2010)

  Review preview for Launderette

  A lovely little portrait of a nocturnal community.

  A look at the lives of those visiting a launderette.
• Lauren's Story (2009)

  Review preview for Lauren's Story

  Being blind isn't all about needing help, and the film deftly avoids patronising its subject.

  A documentary about a visually impaired teenager determined to challenge others' perceptions of people like her.
• The Leafcatcher (2006)

  Review preview for The Leafcatcher

  The leafcatcher discovers that giving to others is better than sitting in a heap, feeling angry at trees.

  A year in the life of a homeless man. Showing at EIFF 2007 - UK Shorts 1
• Leanne (2006)

  Review preview for Leanne

  The dialogue doesn’t quite ring true.

  A woman tries to cope with her new life after leaving an abusive boyfriend.
• Leatherface Speaks (2000)

  Review preview for Leatherface Speaks

  An informative little documentary.

  An interesting short interview with the star of Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
• Leaving (2008)

  Review preview for Leaving

  Penfold and Hearn keep their camera close, hugging tight to the emotional depth provided by Harris and Wareing.

  A battered wife tries to find the courage to leave her husband.
• Left Turn (2001)

  Review preview for Left Turn

  Beautifully choreographed and exceptionally well acted.

  A woman gets more than she bargains for when she picks up an old lady hitchhiker.
• Lemon Jelly: Spacewalk (2003)

  Scenes in the city, designer animation, body language, painterly impressions.
• Leshy (2015)

  Review preview for Leshy

  Soukup fills it with unsettling detail, employing judicious use of jump scares and silence, so that the stillness inspires thoughts not of nature's calmness, but of an animal frozen in fear before flight.

  A gamekeeper tracks a mysterious beast that has been awoken by poachers.
• Lessons From The Night (2009)

  Review preview for Lessons From The Night

  Although not breaking any new ground, anything which challenges people's preconceptions has got to be a good thing.

  A cleaner reflects on life.
• Letter Tape (2011)

  Review preview for Letter Tape

  A lovely piece of animated documentary, a touching portrait of a small moment in a family's formation.

  Old tape recorded messages of love are resurrected to provide a glimpse back in time.
• Let Me Show You Some Things (2008)

  Review preview for Let Me Show You Some Things

  The director's problem is engaging her audience.

  Estranged siblings meet and play Snap!
• Lifestyle (2014)

  Review preview for Lifestyle

  Henrik Anderson's film is a sunny slice of a particular mindset.

  In modern society, death is a scandal. We live in a time when various lifestyle images determine our ideals and our actions.
• Lift (2002)

  Man suffers phone difficulties in lift.
• Lights Out (2007)

  Review preview for Lights Out

  With buckets of appeal for both children and adults, this film will remind older viewers of the better work of Cosgrove Hall.

  A short animated film about a group of seals who decide to do something about the lighthouse that is keeping them awake at night.
• Lima (2015)

  Review preview for Lima

  An exquisitely beautiful piece of stop motion animation.

  An animated film about a son’s struggle to keep the memory of his father alive.
• Lin (2010)

  Review preview for Lin

  Lin Clifton carries the film. She is haunted, haunting.

  A mysterious woman arrives at dawn in an unknown country, fleeing some terrible secret in her past.
• The Lion's Mouth Opens (2014)

  Review preview for The Lion's Mouth Opens

  This is a straight forward an intimate documentary that quickly forges a connection between us and Palka.

  Documentary following Marianna Palka as she confronts her risk of Huntington's Disease.
• Lipari (2006)

  Review preview for Lipari

  A documentary for the ears as well as the eyes.

  Documentary tracks a fishing crew as they hunt for swordfish. Showing as part of Document Shorts at EIFF 2007.
• Liquid Paradise (2005)

  Review preview for Liquid Paradise

  Nostalgic and affectionate.

  Documentary about a very special swimming pool in Edinburgh.
• Listen To Britain (1942)

  Review preview for Listen To Britain

  A poetic evocation of Britain under pressure.

  A symphony of sounds in a day in the life of Britain during wartime.
• Little Pony (2005)

  Review preview for Little Pony

  Fantastical and fantastic. Fantastical and fantastic.

  Fighter ace takes on a squadron of toy planes in the living room.
• Little Red Riding Hood (1997)

  Review preview for Little Red Riding Hood

  Sinister, stylized and sexually-charged.

  A black comedy version of the classic fairytale.
• Little Soldier (2015)

  Review preview for Little Soldier

  Corradi keeps us with Anya and her thought processes, adding to the tension of situations we, as adults, know could go very badly wrong.

  A little girl looks after her addicted mum.
• Labour (2010)

  Review preview for Labour

  Socha is excellent as always, but Alex Howson as the reappearing resident compels.

  Following an encounter with one of his former charges, Henry reconnects with himself and those who love him.
• The Lady From 406 (2017)

  Review preview for The Lady From 406

  There's a moment where this might be epistolary horror.

  A woman tries to stop smoke from leaking into her home.
• Landfill (2011)

  Review preview for Landfill

  A woolly-hatted wandering wonderment.

  Something doesn't quite fit about an apparently idyllic landscape.
• Landfill 16 (2011)

  Review preview for Landfill 16

  The widely differentiated effects on individual frames leaves great gulfs between them - startling when presented in succession.

  Old film that has been buried in the ground is resurrected for an exploration of decay.
• The Last Farm (2004)

  Review preview for The Last Farm

  Sigurbjörnsson does excellent work in between the lines of the script and Rúnarsson gives him plenty of space, so that not a single moment of the 17 here feels hurried.

  An ageing farmer is determined to do things his own way.
• The Last Ferry From Grass Island (2020)

  Review preview for The Last Ferry From Grass Island

  We don't need to be told explicitly about the world beyond the camera frame or the history of these characters to feel intimate with them.

  A man receives a visit from an assassin.
• The Last Illusion (2020)

  Review preview for The Last Illusion

  Gorgeously shot, from from the candlelit parlours of the nouveau riche to the wet streets of a man on his differing uppers.

  Russia. 1910. A once-famous magician has been reduced to a wandering circus artist. He prepares himself for his final performance…
• The Last Mermaids (2009)

  Review preview for The Last Mermaids

  One of that all-too-rare breed of documentary – one that possesses a fascinating subject and tackles it in an interesting and engaging way.

  Generations of women free divers tell their story.
• The Last Repair Shop (2023)

  Review preview for The Last Repair Shop

  Lovingly crafted like the instruments themselves.

  A documentary about four people who repair musical instruments to make them available to young people who couldn't afford them otherwise.
• Last Song From Kabul (2023)

  Review preview for Last Song From Kabul

  The film builds like thriller, its narrative supported by archive footage and interviews with Marzia and her fellow students.

  The story of music students and members of Afghanistan's only all-female orchestra, and what happened to them after the return of the Taliban.
• Last Year At The North Railway Station (2024)

  Review preview for Last Year At The North Railway Station

  The filmmaker focuses on delivering raw human emotion that makes the story unique.

  A Romanian translator provides shelter for two Ukrainian mothers and their children.
• Learning To Skateboard In A Warzone (If You're A Girl) (2019)

  Review preview for Learning To Skateboard In A Warzone (If You're A Girl)

  The joy on the girls' faces, their increasing confidence in everything they do, is wonderful to see.

  The story of young Afghan girls learning to read, write - and skateboard - in Kabul.
• Lebensader (2009)

  Review preview for Lebensader

  Angela Steffen's film is amazing, complete and satisfying, brilliant.

  An animation about a small girl who discovers a whole world inside a leaf.
• Lethal Ethel (2026)

  Review preview for Lethal Ethel

  Its upbeat vibe and lightness of touch means it can take on serious subject matter without compromising its natural charm.

  A mockumentary about a Naskapi vampire making her first film.
• Letters (2024)

  Review preview for Letters

  As just a single camera is used, the focus remains tight on one woman or the other and Sloth’s skill in anticipating when to move from one person to the other is a large part of what makes the film successful.

  A mother and daughter share the letters they wrote to each other a decade ago.