Greetings again from the darkness. Thoreau famously wrote, “The mass of men live lives of quiet desperation.” That quote may overstate the being of the staff at The Grand, a 100-year-old hotel that once provided service for royalty, but now the seaside inn is crumbling at the seams and desperate for guests. The feature film directorial debut from writer-director Harry Sherriff and co-written by Laurence Tratalos is quite a pleasant surprise.
Leonard (Samuel Blenkin, “Black Mirror”) is the young man who covers the front desk and makes the rounds. He has a bit of a Bud Cort vibe to him … friendly enough, yet just a bit off. Leonard spends each morning gazing out the window as Elle (Emily Carey, young Diane in WONDER WOMAN, 2017) strolls from the bus stop to her station in the hotel’s restaurant. Elle is bright-eyed and cheerful, and shy Leonard has a quiet crush that he can’t bring himself to admit. In fact, Elle is a favorite of the guests and the staff.
Gary (Daniel Ryan, “The Bay”) is the hotel’s manager and he’s constantly worried about the hotel’s poor reviews and limited guests. He fears for the future – both his and the hotel’s. One morning, Elle doesn’t show for her shift. Gary assumes she has quit, while Leonard fears for the worst. Tragically, Leonard is correct, and the film’s tone shifts from the daily mundane life of the staff to the ongoing grief and guilt and confusion. Leonard is hit especially hard as his friend – and the one beacon of light in his life – is missing.
It’s fascinating to watch each of the staff have their moment. Pam (Christine Bottomley, “Domina”) replays her drive home and wonders if she could have helped. Maintenance man Khalid (Sunil Patel) and housekeeper Vivian (Rosalind Adler) also miss Elle’s smiling face. Leonard even pays an awkward visit to Elle’s father (Oliver Ryan) as an attempt to make sense of what’s happened. What makes the film unique is the dashes of humor blended with grief and regret. Cinematographer Bart Bazaz works wonders with the characters and the setting in the old building. It’s a terrific little film that explores grief in a different way, and reminds us to treasure those who bring light and hope into our lives.
Screening at the Dallas International Film Festival on April 24 and April 26, 2026
Posted by David Ferguson 
Greetings again from the darkness. The concept of ‘normal behavior’ seems quite elusive these days, but clearly the uncontrollable ticks and inappropriate (for proper society) verbal outbursts of Tourette Syndrome add to life’s complexities. Writer-director Kirk Jones (WAKING NED DEVINE, 1998) takes on the true story of John Davidson, whose actions prove role models come in many forms. Although the film doesn’t dig too deeply, it benefits from the real-life actions of one man and a couple of excellent lead performances … plus the always welcome presence of two beloved character actors.
Greetings again from the darkness. Memorable movies need not have a huge budget or special effects. All that’s needed is an interesting story and characters we care about. Screenwriter Robert Machoian (the excellent THE KILLING OF TWO LOVERS, 2020) fully understands this, while Cole Webley’s feature film directorial debut (after many shorts and videos) transitions the story to the big screen in a way that leaves us emotionally drained. It’s one of the obligatory ‘tough watches’ that plays the festival circuit – only this one is extremely well written, directed, and acted.
Greetings again from the darkness. Learning that Lou’s life is a bit of a mess becomes clear in the first few opening scenes. It’s early morning and she sneaks out after a one-night stand, noticing missed calls from Steve, her ex that she’s living with temporarily (along with his new partner). Soon, she’s dumped by her agent and is adamant that she won’t fly home to see her dad, despite holding the ticket he purchased for her. This is the feature film directorial debut from Timothy David, and the screenplay comes from Sally Gifford, who also has a small role in the film.
Greetings again from the darkness. Relationships require communication, diligence, and a bit of luck. Director Chloe Robichaud (SARAH PREFERS TO RUN, 2016) is working from a script from playwright Catherine Leger to deliver a remake of the 1970 French sex comedy, DEUX FEMMES EN OR from Claude Fournier. Finding humor in strained or crumbling relationships is never easy – especially when medication or a newborn is involved.
Greetings again from the darkness. Perhaps we can all agree that hiking is not best served as a spectator sport. Sure, there have been other hiking movies, including WILD (2014) as Cheryl Strayed (portrayed by Reese Witherspoon) takes on a solo hike of the Pacific Crest Trail. Yet almost by definition, a hike is meant, at a minimum, to help clear one’s head and, at its best, allow a connection with nature as one tries to center themselves from the stress of life. Writer-director Bart Schrivjer w-d (not his first hiking movie) has seemingly captured these elements of hiking better than others.
Greetings again from the darkness. For a soldier of war, making it back home is the goal; yet it’s also only a first step. What comes home with the veteran is never simple. Many films have characterized PTSD on screen, but the debut feature from writer-director Aaron Davidman digs even deeper. Slinger (Joshua Close, “Fargo”) returns home as a wounded Special Forces veteran who nearly died (perhaps he even did briefly) and now must rediscover his own self while also finding his place in a society that presents so many challenges for him.
Greetings again from the darkness. Evidence of the greatness of William Shakespeare has been provided so many times and in so many ways over so many years. Books, live theater, movies, and the work of influenced artists have made their way to various audiences, and regardless of the specific project, the source material stands tall. Director Aneil Karia and actor Riz Ahmed previously shared an Oscar for their excellent short film THE LONG GOODBYE (2021) and now they have collaborated again on an adapted screenplay by Michael Lesslie (MACBETH. 2015 with Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard) for a new version of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”.
Greetings again from the darkness. If you see something, say something. If you know something, say something. If you fear something but aren’t sure, say something. Such is the world we live in today … the world our children live in today. Somehow that same world also revolves around social media and the insatiable desire to be ‘seen’. The first feature film from writer-director Oscar Boyson and co-writer Ricky Camilleri takes on these somewhat conflicting societal issues, and they do so with an approach that’s at times absurdist, often comical, and always a bit frightening (in a real world way).
Greetings again from the darkness. The first feature film from writer-director Julie Pacino (daughter of screen legend Al Pacino) is a whirlwind of creativity that is not likely one for the masses. The film has a surreal, dreamlike style that disorients us through the use of color and imagery. In fact, the hazy symbolism is well done and speaks to the ongoing effects of childhood trauma.
Movie Reviews from the Dark 