Midlands Review of The Reunion
midlandsmovies • March 28, 2020
Midlands Review of The Reunion
The Reunion
Directed by Pixel Moore
2020
Howdy! The sun rises across the plains as we step into the old American West for new film The Reunion from Pixel Moore which tells the tale of a man’s past catching up with him.
Set on a farming ranch, a lonesome woman (Rebecca Hanssen as Abigail) undertakes her chores before heading to the wilderness to collect water from an old pump before finding her father (Tony Hamilton as Frank) shot in the abdomen.
Written by Midlands filmmaker Louis Brough it is again honourable to see local projects tackle Hollywood-style genres that surpass the limitations of a low budget and often very restricted resources.
Brough has previously tackled the fantasy genre in his film Aurora (our review here) as well as another American drama set on the rail tracks of America in Runaways (our review here). Filming in the UK, the short does it best to convince you it’s actually the colonial past and the excellent wardrobe also sells the illusion.
From your standard cattle clothing to pioneer-era sun bonnets, the film’s costume is a highlight with its authentic look to create a cowboy-feel with rustlers, horses and a ‘yee-haw’ atmosphere.
That’s not to say it’s a comedy pastiche. From the desolate trails to the wooden barns, influences come from classic Westerns and when a stranger in black arrives (Michael Siegel as Uncle Jared), the short takes a dramatic turn which reunites family, and a dark past.
The Reunion then is clearly a genre piece and from the accents to the outfits, sells the audience a genuine slice of rodeo-inspired drama.
In addition, the solid performances and slick editing has the narrative gallop along to a powerful and bloody conclusion. So get off your horse, drink your milk and settle in for an impactful Western short with plenty to recommend.
Michael Sales
On Sunday 26th April Midlands Movies Editor Michael Sales & awards ceremony co-host Ed Stagg (BBC Radio) announced the nominations for the 2026 Midlands Movies Awards live from the Queen of Bradgate Vintage Cinema in Leicester. A big thanks was given to the entire Jury Panel of industry experts who gave up their precious time to watch a huge selection of creative projects and as always, had a difficult time choosing from the excellent number of films from the region. You can read the full list of nominations across all 16 categories below and watch our announcement videos here: Part 1 & Part 2 And please also check out our great awards partner Chrome Video Best Actress in a Leading Role Karendip Phull for Family Kate Bracken for The Lace Rachel Baker for Throwing Fruit Chloe Wade for How Long Sophie Bullock for Ma Prison Best Animated Film Of All the Things by Steff Lee Big Red by James Pyle Statue in the Garden by Qianhui Yu Butterfly by Jacob Christie Best Director Luke Worrall for The Waterline Lily Portman for Quiet Jack Richardson for Daniel’s Room Jonathan Hawes for Sorry We’re Closed Sophia Dall'Aglio for Man from Mars Best Documentary Nothing's Impossible by Jacob Thomas McClean A Birmingham Symphony by Jemma Saunders We Bring Light: Leicester's Diwali Legacy by Kieran Vyas The Sunshine Café by Jill Lampert Through the Viewfinder by William North Best Sound (Editing or Mixing) Neil Evans & his team for Artificial Insanity Alasdair Gretton for Dead on Distribution Deepanjali Patel for Earworm David Hamilton-Smith for The Pause Heidi Wilson for Of All The Things Best Actor in a Supporting Role Devon Junior for Lazar Tim Sparrow for Safety Net Shaiek Ahmed Rana for Family Luke Rollason for Quiet Peter Willoughby for A Story of Spring Best Visual & Special Effects Jake Wesley-Worrall for Soul Trader Steve Askey & team for The Correction Unit Nick Willett, Matt Burkey & Jayne Hyman for Black Goat JaqD SFX MUA, Mind Magic Studios and Ben Harker for Beyond the Witching Hour Pete Key, Jai Blanks and Jacob Christie for Countenance Best Cinematography Gary Rogers for The Pause Laurence Mason-Guetta for Sorry We’re Closed Ian Snape for Soul Trader Ash Connaughton for Daniel’s Room Duane Adamoli for Surfing (nominations continue below...)
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