★★
Sky high ambition turns out an admirable failure in this sequel to 2017 comic horror hit Happy Death Day. Christopher B. Landon returns as writer and director of the film, which knowingly adds Back to the Future II to its roster of influences. While, there’s still much to enjoy here, Landon’s script feels too overcooked and underdeveloped to truly stir engagement . You can’t fault him for trying though, especially with left turns this bonkers.
★★
In a neat turn of events, Alex Lawther’s latest adolescent reject is free of the gruelling angst the young star has spent the best part of his career perfecting. As school beating stick Amberson, he’s actually quite the charmer in his own eccentric way. Quaint charm is the gentle soul of Old Boys, a so so feature debut from two time BAFTA short nominee Toby MacDonald. Though the film ultimately falls flat of its promise, it does so in a genial and occasionally witty fashion.
★★★★
Don’t expect much by way of exuberance and joy from this year’s BAFTA shorts. Perhaps it’s a sign of the times? Released as a portmanteau feature this week, ahead of Sunday’s ceremony, the prospective live action and animated nominees are a strong grouping but even those that are not desperately sad come with a air of melancholia. There are eight in total and together they stretch to just over an hour and fifty minutes.
The Film Blog 