Cycles (Movie Review) | Conflict, Conversations, and Convergence…..

Hey, everyone! This is D. Movieman.
Fellow cinephile, popcorn 
addict, and emerging film critic
coming to you with reliable 
recaps, reviews, and reactions.
So, today I’m coming to you 
all with a review for “Cycles,”
written, directed, and 
produced by Oscar Wenman-Hyde,
and starring Henry Fisk and Henry Wilson.
Story-wise, the film is centered around a 
young man beginning his journey at university,
and officially moving into his dorm hall 
with the assistance of his older brother.
But in the midst of this process, 
the younger brother begins to
experience a sense of isolation and anxiety.
This then pushes him into an 
unexpected conversation/ argument
with his older brother, as they begin to confront
everything that has been left unsaid 
between them for many, many years.
So, I am going to start with my pros.
I really, really appreciated this project.
As I previously mentioned,
this film is written, directed, 
and produced by Oscar Wenman-Hyde.
We also have Cameron Fox as co-writer, 
and Luciano D’Amato as co-producer.
First, let me say that Oscar actually 
took the initiative to reach out,
and inquire about getting my thoughts 
on his film and giving this review.
So, that also means that this is my first time
getting a screener for anything, 

/> much less a request for a review.
But also just the fact that you 
were willing to seek me out,
and then request my feedback,
and that you wanted to hear my thoughts.
I really, really appreciate that,
and I absolutely do not take that for granted.
So, first and foremost, 
thank you for reaching out,
and thank you for the request.
Now, what immediately jumps out at me 
with this film are the opening shots.
This film was shot over five days in Bristol.
And as soon as I saw the city, and 
the buildings, and the streets,
I was instantly transported back a few years ago
when I visited the UK for the first time.
And immediately I was like oh 
man like I missed it so much
and I just love those shots.
it just immediately brought me into our setting.
And beyond just having a personal connection to it
and a personal appreciation for it,
I love that it really set the 
scene for what we get afterwards.
Our central setting of course is this dorm room,
so I thought the opening shots were 
a really nice juxtaposition to that.
I think it really helped emphasize the 
claustrophobic nature of the setting,
especially with our main characters,
in contrast to the openness 
of the city and the streets,
and then we have everything being 
confined to these four walls.
Which also connects to our main character
feeling like the walls are literally closing in.
So immediately, I love the subtext of that
being emphasized already with the setting.
So I have said this plenty of 
times in different reviews.
What I love about independent filmmaking,
and filmmaking with lower budgets
is that it really forces you to 
look outside just the aesthetics
and the visual nature of filmmaking.
And it pushes you to really 
dig deeper into the subtext
and the foundation of the story that’s being told.
This particular film was made for less than £1000,
and I think it is absolutely 
keeping with that theme
of allowing the story, and the dialogue,
and the performances to carry the film overall.
And I really appreciate the 
simplicity of the film narratively,
and the message that it’s emphasizing.
So, to give a little background, 
the inspiration for this film
came from Oscar’s own personal 
experiences at university.
Trying to adjust, trying to fit in, trying 
to settle into this new environment.
I can definitely relate.
I remember my own experience at college,
and although it wasn’t negative, 
it still was a lot to adjust to.
Especially when you get used to your mom, and 
your family, and being at home, and your friends.
You get used to a certain 
environment, so all of a sudden,
it’s like, “What is this?”
But then in addition to that, 
making it through the experience
of university, and graduating, and going forward,
and still having those feelings of 
pressure, of loneliness, and isolation
still tug at you even though 
you’ve made it through.
You know, you’ve stayed the 
course and you’ve made it,
but those things are still lingering with you.
I can absolutely relate to that as well.
I am still in a place where 
I’m trying to figure out
what the future is supposed to look like.
And trying to make sure I’m 
making the right choices,
but still being very unsure and being
somewhat of a nervous and 
sometimes anxious person.
Just trying to have hope and trying to believe,
but still feeling just very shaky 
about what life can be going forward.
And I loved how narratively 
the film is highlighting that,
because that is a very 
important message to hone in on,
and it’s something that really doesn’t 
get talked about as much as it should.
I do believe that having films 
like this can absolutely jump-start 
conversations about life, about 
expectations, mental health,
depression and anxiety, feeling pressure, etc.
Whether it’s from society, from our families, 
or even if it’s just coming from ourselves.
And as Oscar himself said, learning 
how to confront those feelings,
and give voice to those 
feelings and not hide from them.
And along with the story, we have the 
performances from Henry Fisk and Henry Wilson
that are allowing us to dive 
head first into those feelings.
I think one of my favorite dynamics to explore,
really in any medium, is the 
dynamic between siblings.
Sometimes it’s sibling rivalry.
Sometimes it’s the unconditional 
support and love of a sibling,
and sometimes it’s the lens through 
which one sibling views the other.
A lot of times the perception you 
can have of someone in your life,
even when you’ve grown up in the same household,
is nowhere near what you would think.
There are all kinds of roles and 
positions that siblings can be placed in,
and many different ways in which their lives
as a part of the same family can play out.
I very recently had the opportunity to see
“Good Luck To You, Leo Grande,” 
at the Sundance Film Festival.
And that film, similar to this one, is literally 
about two people just having conversations.
And I have grown to really 
appreciate those type of films
because of what they have to say.
I also have to include “One Night 
In Miami” in that conversation.
Although in that case, it’s four people,
and the framework is with these four 
legendary black figures in history.
Yet and still, in all three projects we are 
really diving into these characters ideologies.
The way that they perceive life,
and what’s even disrupted their 
lives in very unexpected ways.
And similarly to those films, I think that 
is where this film comes alive as well.
All right. Now I’m going to jump over to the cons.
To be honest, I don’t have many.
My first thought is that in very specific moments,
I think it would have been 
nice to see a few cutaways.
I don’t think it’s something 
that needed to be overused,
but I think it would have been 
nice to see with certain characters
when they’re describing 
very specific circumstances.
For instance, when the older 
brother is sharing his experience
in having a discussion with 
his mother about marriage,
and how that actually goes 
a very specific way for him.
I thought it would have been nice to jump to 
the moment that the character is describing,
and see just his reaction to that as it’s 
happening, and as he’s describing it.
I think doing that would have centered 
their emotions in that past experience,
while also juxtaposing it with this
very present, current 
recollection of that experience.
And then maybe thinking about a theme of movement,
I think it would have been nice to see
the characters slowly move 
out of their environment.
I think that would have been 
a really interesting parallel.
As they start, everything is very closed up.
Everything is very walled, like the dorm room.
But then as they begin to have the conversations,
and they are unlocking all these truths,
and all these moments, and all these feelings,
then they start to slowly move outwards
in the same way that they’re 
moving outwards emotionally,
if that makes sense even.
If it was just us closing things out
with us seeing them outside 
again, and outside the dorm hall,
I think that would have been a really nice touch
to just bring everything full circle again.
So, I’m going to give “Cycles” a B -.
I really do appreciate this film.
I appreciate everything that it is saying.
I appreciate the heart behind it.
And even everything I’ve said is with respect 
to the vision that was established here.
 
But beyond that I personally 
can relate to the material,
and even if I didn’t, I think there is such
an impactful aspect of this 
story that is being emphasized.
And I really, really appreciate that.
And with all that being said,
Oscar, as you’re watching this…..
I hope that you continue to take your 
passion in telling stories like this,
and shedding light with topics like this,
and as you continue onward, just 
know that you have a supporter in me.
And I am more than excited to see you continue on,
and do even bigger and 
greater things in filmmaking.
“Cycles” will be released on 
Amazon Prime February 28th.
You guys feel free to check it out when it drops,
leave your thoughts below,
and let me know what you think.
So once again, this is D. Movieman…..
Signing off, and I’ll see you at the movies.

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