Short film review archive

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M — 122 results

• Machinima (2003)

  Review preview for Machinima

  It is unquestioning and a little bit in awe.

  Documentary about a revolutionary way of making movies on computers in the back room.
• Madame Tutli-Putli (2007)

  Review preview for Madame Tutli-Putli

  The art direction is simultaneously gorgeous (beautiful lighting and well-crafted sets), yet lumpen, curved and ugly, as though exorcised from an exaggerated Expressionistic dream.

  A woman boards a train with all her worldly goods.
• Mad Action "Smile" (2004)

  Review preview for Mad Action "Smile"

  Pulsing with energy.

  Whistle stop tour of 20th century art as a pop video face painting.
• The Mad Half Hour (2015)

  Review preview for The Mad Half Hour

  Though charming in its way, the film walks a difficult course.

  Thirty minutes of living like a neurotic house cat.
• Magic Paris (2007)

  Review preview for Magic Paris

  An enjoyable and romantic little short, with a good dollop of wry humour.

  An unusual romance in Paris.
• Make A Wish (2006)

  Review preview for Make A Wish

  It is the natural, often charming, performances that give this 12-minute film its heart.

  The difficulty of buying a birthday cake in Ramallah. Showing at EIFF - World Shorts 1
• Make More Noise! Suffragettes in Silent Film

  Review preview for Make More Noise! Suffragettes in Silent Film

  An illuminating and funny compilation of 21 silent-era archival pieces.

  Archive footage from 1899-1917 showing women on film.
• The Making Of Us (2012)

  Review preview for The Making Of Us

  The effect is like opening a Russian doll, with each successive layer further skewing what we might consider to be real and what imagined.

  A drama exploring the politics of creative control in art, theatre and cinema.
• La Maladie Blanche (2011)

  Review preview for La Maladie Blanche

  There is little substance beneath this atmospheric top layer.

  In an isolated village in the Pyrenees, the nocturnal world entangles stories of shadow puppets, magic mirrors, and prehistoric paintings for a father and his young daughter.
• Mamoon (2017)

  Review preview for Mamoon

  There are moments where geometry creates something that's indistinguishable from magic.

  Styrofoam blocks work magic.
• Manji (2001)

  Review preview for Manji

  Some picturesque moments in the film hint at good ideas.

  A widowed garage owner deals with his wife's death while trying to patch up his relationship with his son.
• Mantrap (2005)

  Review preview for Mantrap

  Although things start well, everything peters out rather than building up.

  Two men get stuck in a lift.
• The Many Sad Fates Of Mr. Toledano (2015)

  Review preview for The Many Sad Fates Of Mr. Toledano

  Despite his problems, Toledano makes an engaging subject, full of life even when he's thinking about death.

  A bereaved photographer creates images of the ways he imagines his life coming to an end.
• Man At The Window (2003)

  Review preview for Man At The Window

  Bartlett cleverly separates the ordinary from the introspective.

  Mental patient has an obsession with watching birds.
• A Man In The Crowd (2006)

  Review preview for A Man In The Crowd

  This blackly comic tale works well enough.

  An estate agent decides to change his life.
• A Man Returned (2016)

  Review preview for A Man Returned

  Reda's attitude is a testimony to resilience and aspiration even in the direst circumstances but also heartbreaking.

  Story of a man preparing for marriage after being sent back to a refugee camp after being deported from Greece.
• The Man Who Met Himself (2005)

  Review preview for The Man Who Met Himself

  Crowe certainly dishes out mood in spades.

  A private detective investigates the mysterious suicide of Stephen Maker.
• María's Way (2009)

  Review preview for María's Way

  A gentle, touching, a portrait of a woman with a calling.

  Story of a woman who greets those on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela in Spain
• Marcie's Dowry (1999)

  Review preview for Marcie's Dowry

  Mackenzie has a terrific feel for comedy and the performances are beautifully understated.

  A tale of blackmail, gangsters and a policeman's wedding.
• Margaret Tait, Film Poet (2012)

  Review preview for Margaret Tait, Film Poet

  A must-see film for fans.

  A documentary looking back at the life and work of the acclaimed Orcadian creative artist.
• Maria (2016)

  Review preview for Maria

  There are smaller details of movement and interaction that illuminate as clearly as the brightness and noise of Habac's film.

  When the whole family confronts her 14-year-old daughter of a suspected pregnancy, a 50-year-old woman gives birth to her 22nd child.
• Matanza (2005)

  Review preview for Matanza

  Educative and compelling - but it might well put you off sausages for life.

  Documentary on the slaughter of a pig in Mallorca.
• Matches (2006)

  Review preview for Matches

  The film is well-directed and beautifully shot.

  A blind date is poisoned by a man in the toilet.
• Ma Bar (2008)

  Review preview for Ma Bar

  An excellent documentary, putting you so close to the action you can almost feel the sweat and taste the chalk dust.

  What drives a 73-year-old powerlifting champion?
• Meal Deal (2012)

  Review preview for Meal Deal

  Martin McCormick's turn is a good one, Jackson's various interactions as he does his rounds a series of vignettes - life at the sharp end.

  Jackson works long hours selling cocaine, trying to escape from poverty.
• Mediterraneans (2011)

  Review preview for Mediterraneans

  The footage itself is of some interest but Py's narrative grates over the top.

  A documentary portrait of an Algerian family settling in France, made using old Super 8 films.
• Meet-Cute (2012)

  Review preview for Meet-Cute

  Sort of hints at a subsequent romance.

  A future couple meet for the first time.
• Meet Marlon Brando (1966)

  Review preview for Meet Marlon Brando

  Brando takes it all in good spirits and you sense that he is always on top

  Documentary observes the star being interviewed.
• Megaheavy (2009)

  Review preview for Megaheavy

  The soundtrack is loud, the picture crisp, the performances good, it's not to be faulted.

  Jolly is a 14-year old introvert girl in love with her classmate Kenneth. Her world is turned upside down when the neighbor's son arrives to bury his father.
• Melissa Immaculate (2009)

  Review preview for Melissa Immaculate

  A heartwarming little portrait.

  Melissa is about to become a Roman Catholic and cameras track her preperations.
• Menged (2006)

  Review preview for Menged

  A man and his son take a little donkey to market. Showing at EIFF - World Shorts 1

  Taking the donkey to market in Ethiopia. Showing at EIFF - World Shorts 1
• Metamorphosis (2006)

  Review preview for Metamorphosis

  The simplicity that illustrates such weird magic is oddly compelling.

  Auditioning for a disappearing act.
• The Metamorphosis (2012)

  Review preview for The Metamorphosis

  The Metamorphosis is brilliant, stunning, breath-taking.

  An exploration of the mythology around the story of Nosferatu.
• Me And My Machine (2004)

  Review preview for Me And My Machine

  Informative, sympathetic and quietly impressive.

  A deaf dog lover explains how her hearing aid works.
• Me & Her (2006)

  Review preview for Me & Her

  While the acting is certainly competent, it can’t cover up the lack of plot development or character depth.

  Relationship drama between two cleaners.
• Mick Is Sick (2003)

  A touch of tummy trouble in a taxi.
• Milan (2007)

  Review preview for Milan

  The storytelling is crisp, clever and doesn't waste a moment with superfluous plot.

  A game of hide and seek has tragic consequences for two brothers during the 1999 bombardment of Yugoslavia. Showing at the EIFF as part of European Shorts 1.
• Milk (2004)

  Review preview for Milk

  Excellent performances and an intriguing script.

  A woman bathes her grandma.
• The Milky Way (2006)

  Review preview for The Milky Way

  Enjoyable, adventurous and unpredictable.

  A trip to buy milk is a real drama.
• The Misbehaviour Of Polly Paper Cut (2013)

  Review preview for The Misbehaviour Of Polly Paper Cut

  Nat Di Resta gives Polly a naive enthusiasm that makes her likeable even when it's clear that she needs to be locked up.

  A bored Spanish girl in Florida decides to become a supervillain.
• Missing (2007)

  Review preview for Missing

  Both compelling and touching.

  A housewife contemplates her husband's disappearance.
• Missing (2010)

  Review preview for Missing

  This is an impressive film, managing to imply and suggest with a graceful economy.

  What would you do if the "Missing" person in your newspaper sat next to you?
• M-29 (2011)

  Review preview for M-29

  M-29 needs sharp dialogue and strong performances to justify its expositionary premise, but doesn't quite achieve either.

  With a serial killer on the loose, a young woman accepts a lift through the forest from a stranger.
• Madagascar, A Journey Diary (2009)

  Review preview for Madagascar, A Journey Diary

  It's a masterclass, an unfair degree of talent for a film-maker's debut, full of subtleties of sound and vision.

  A video game director uses the tricks of his trade to recreate his experiences on a trip to Madagascar.
• Madelynn Von Ritz Is Almost Famous (2022)

  Review preview for Madelynn Von Ritz Is Almost Famous

  Now 83 but still looking good, with charisma which overflows the confines of the screen, Madelynn is as committed to making music as she always was.

  At 83, Madelynn Von Ritz is doing what she loves, making music. This is a film about hard luck, perseverance, loss and hope. About almosts and nevers and keeping on.
• Mad Props (2024)

  Review preview for Mad Props

  Despite its polish, there’s an innocence about the film that is quite charming.

  A passionate collector of film props travels the world to meet other people like himself and explore their shared hobby.
• Maggie May (2018)

  Review preview for Maggie May

  To the extent that it's successful, this is thanks to McClatchy, who manages to make Maggie completely believable even in the most absurd situation.

  Two estranged sisters, Sam and Maggie, attempt to reconnect after the death of their mother. But Maggie isn't interested in anything and that could be Sam's worst nightmare.
• Magic (2011)

  Review preview for Magic

  John Williams' direction is good, managing to make stage magic look like stage magic while using screen magic to make photographs come alive.

  A glimpse into the lives of a troupe of stage magicians trying to keep the magic alive.
• Magic Candies (2024)

  Review preview for Magic Candies

  It’s not just technically brilliant – it’s deftly scripted, ably performed and great fun to watch.

  A lonely boy has a series of strange experiences after eating sweets.
• Makayla's Voice: A Letter To The World (2024)

  Review preview for Makayla's Voice: A Letter To The World

  This is not a film about saviours or the wonders of technology. It’s very much Makayla’s own story.

  An autistic teenager unlocks a joyous world of self-expression as she shares her voice for the first time using a letter board.