Rent Lola (2022)

“Groovy, is that an adjective?” - Lola review by LJ

Takes a while to warm up to this period sci-fi, probably because the found footage style means we never get close to the characters (and their anachronistic behaviour is a little hard to believe) but once we get into the alternative history portion it is genuinely chilling, though Neil Hannon’s music keeps the mood up.

Excellent but Flawed Speculative Nazi History Time-Slip Saga with Great Music - Lola review by PV

OK so I see the writer/director Andrew Legge made a film in 2013 about a 'mechanical maiden' - a machine invented by a widowed husband to help care for his baby daughter. That Sci-fi interest in mad inventors continues here, but with 2 female faces.

The use of old film footage here is really brilliant and so well done. It was so impressive and fascinating to watch. I am not usually a big scifi fan, but this goes beyond that.

If only the producers (and the film is part-funded by Arts Council Wales/FilmCymruWales) had cared as much about the English language!

This is set in 1938 in Britain, and the early 40s. And yet, the language used - even by British army officers - is pure American. For example, Brits say PARDON? not EXCUSE ME? or did back then (some BritKids now seem to speak Americanese). No-one back then said BRING IT ON. And Brits then and now do NOT say "Ayyy-dolf" Hitler. Brits say "Addd-olf". Sloppy and careless lack of attention to detail in the script. That really niggles. Maybe the writer/director can hire a literate script consultant next time?

Tbh the two female characters are so overblown I struggled to believe they were women from 1938. More like Girlpower ladettes straight out of 1997 London.

Anyway, I love Timeslip dramas and this follows the template of most which is that changing events in time can have disastrous consequences - always fun to watch! THE TIME MACHINE (best version of 1960) or LOOPER or even BACK TO THE FUTURE and most timeslip dramas tread the same path. As to speculative fiction with Nazis, well, where to start: FATHERLAND (1994), SS-GB TV drama, so many more.

Neil Hannon from The Divine Comedy does the new songs here, and he is always class. Well done to the film-makers for getting so many music clearances too, esp Bowie, The Kinks (and I bet the Beatles and Stones rights were way too expensive!)

I could sort-of predict a lot - but then, I have watched and read an awful lot of timeslip films and speculative fiction featuring Nazis! So most probably would not.

I won't be too harsh. This is a decent film, esp for a time-slip fan like me. 4 stars

Rather Fascinating SciFi Drama - Lola review by GI

A 'found footage' style story that is actually, and surprisingly, original, interesting and thrilling too. It's a cleverly constructed film that utilises archive and historical footage and intermixed with the grainy black & white style in which the story is shot that blends the narrative into an intriguing story. It's set in the Second World War where two slightly eccentric but genius sisters (Emma Appleton, Stefanie Martini) have managed to build a machine that intercepts radio and TV transmissions from the future, mostly the 60s and 70s. At first they are fascinated by images of David Bowie for example and soon are listening to the pop music of the future and loving it. But the machine also shows them future German attacks on Britain and they devise a way to anonymously warn the public and the military thus thwarting those attacks and saving lives. The military track them down and the machine and sisters become an intricate part of the planning for the war effort allowing for the war to take a different course. What they have not foreseen is their tinkering with the future effectively changes it with dire consequences. A film that draws you in and becomes fascinating the more it goes on. It's a film well worth checking out and an interesting addition to the time travel type genre.