PaulLondon Reviews

The Prisoner (2009)

We are all just prisoners here (unless you hit the off button)

[3/10 · 8 June 2010]

Some things become 'cult' items because they really are quirky, fascinating one offs. Case in point was the brilliant 60s TV series The Prisoner which took the very popular spy genre of the time and threw it into a psychedelic whirlpool of eccentricity. The result is delirious! A gloriously of its time piece of pop art TV. And then there's the remake. Jim Cavaziel said that he didn't watch the original prior to shooting. Maybe he should have done and then he could have seen what a pigs ear all concerned were making with this banal TV by numbers dirge. Where the original was playful, occasionally silly and constantly creative; this feels like TV by committee. Dull and misguided. Whatever next? A remake of the Wicker Man? Oh......

Heartless (I) (2009)

demons of the mind

[7/10 · 31 August 2009]

Ridley's first film in way too many years is a dark urban fairytale about a young photographer who encounters murderous demons on the streets of London. Firstly, I have to admit to being a huge fan of Ridley's work and The Reflecting Skin is in my personal Top 10 movies of all time, so I have to say I loved this genre-playing horror film.

Heartless is, to my mind, Ridley's most conventional film to date as it is the first truly genre-based film he has made, but, underneath the conventions of the horror film we find his usual philosophical musings on death, beauty, existentialism, good and evil, chaos and the individual's struggle to make sense of the world.

Heartless is a step towards the mainstream for Ridley and that may well be its commercial undoing; too "mainstream" genre for the art-house crowd, too cerebral for the thrill loving multiplex gore-hound.

Ultimately, this is a serious film, a dark and often beautiful film that haunts the mind after viewing and already demands a second viewing of me to unravel some of its dark mysteries. Intelligent, moving, sometimes shocking and occasionally funny this is an engrossing and enjoyable piece of work that gives food for thought as well as an entertaining ghost train of a ride. Approach this one with an open mind and you will be rewarded with a strong contemporary horror film with some real depth and intelligence.

Hancock & Joan (2008 TV Movie)

Quality film-making

[9/10 · 26 March 2008]

Just when you get sick of the barrage of reality TV and the dispiritingly banal shows that seem to make up the majority of TV it comes as a real pleasure to come across a TV drama like this. A deceptively straight-forward account of the affair between Tony Hancock and Joan Le Mesurier (wife of the wonderful John) the film follows their relationship from its tentative beginnings through the problems with Hancock's chronic alcoholism, and its devastating impact on both their lives, to the inevitable ending. This is a well written piece that rarely puts a foot wrong but the real heart and soul of the film are the outstanding performances from Stott and Peake who are both exceptional. Indeed, both their performances deserve to get noticed come the next BAFTA awards.

Away from Her (2006)

The beauty and time

[8/10 · 4 March 2008]

Sarah Polley's sensitive film about the onset of Alzheimer's may not be the most realistic portrayal of the horrors of the disease, in fact it is more of a love story between two ageing middle-class liberals shocked to suddenly have to come to terms with the passing of time when she is diagnosed as being in the early stages of dementia. The film is, perhaps, a little too tasteful and restrained and looks too much like a TV movie as a consequence, but, on the plus side, Polley avoids the overblown sentimentality that could so easily have made this unwatchable.

What really elevates this from 6 stars to 8 stars is Julie Christie. When I first heard about the film I thought she was the wrong choice for this type of film - too beautiful, too iconic. Instead it is her presence that makes the film so moving; when the camera closes in on her we can't help but remember the stunning beauty of 'Darling' 'Don't Look Now' and ponder on mortality and the passing of time. Her performance is quietly demanding and Polley's direction lingers on her face frequently, allowing the camera to register the hurt, the fleeting memories, the sadness of the passing of time and the painful realisation of her own frailty and mortality. The rest of the cast are all good but it is Christie who dominates the film and without her it is unlikely to have made much of a mark

Disturbia (2007)

Forget the film! Enjoy your cola

[3/10 · 27 February 2008]

Father and son enjoy some meaningful bonding over a bit of product placement before tragedy strikes. His world turned upside down and his hormones running riot the son soon finds himself under house arrest - time for some more product placement and casual voyeurism which leads to suspicions that his neighbour is a serial killer. A variation on Rear Window aimed fairly and squarely at the teen market. If you aged 15 - 19 you'll probably give this film 7 or 8 out of 10 but any older than that and you'll probably be hard pushed to stick with it through to the end. The cynically high level of product placement (the opening scene certainly would like to teach the world to sing about marketing) is pretty alarming in a film so blatantly aimed at the youth market.

A Reason to Live (1976)

Remember, there are three things in this world, that you can do

[10/10 · 12 December 2007]

George Kuchar's underground comedy classic has to be one of my favourite films of all time. 30 mins of fever-pitched melodrama, complete with infidelities, suicide, bowel dysfunction, alcoholism, tragic accidents and bad weather.

Brilliantly over-performed by the cast of cult stars like Thundercrack's Marion Eaton (belive me, you haven't seen drama until you see her put out the trash!) and wonderfully directed by Kuchar with an eye for high camp and low morals

This, in a suitably knackered out print, was a regular and much loved visitor to London's much missed Scala cinema and was finally released as part of the "Colour Me Lurid" VHS by the BFI in the early 90s (with the nearly as good "Hold Me While I'm Naked") but really needs to be part of a more exhaustive and LONG overdue DVD release of Kuchars delirious back catalogue

Fans of John Waters will love this and it stands as a testament to creativity and humour over budget. Wonderful - just wonderful.

Boy A (2007)

Challenging drama

[10/10 · 26 November 2007]

This sensitive drama about a young man released from prison after serving time for his part in a brutal crime years earlier must rank as one of the best British films of the year. Boy A follows 'Jack' as he starts his new life, supported by his social worker/mentor (a superb Peter Mullan). His struggle to fit back in to society, whilst still living with the guilt of his unforgivable crime, is beautifully realised by Andrew Garfield, definitely an actor to watch in the future.

The film is morally complex and challenges the viewer without being pointlessly provocative (resonances with the Bulger case will still make this painful viewing for many people). The character of Jack is, perhaps, a little too sympathetic; he is portrayed as a very tender, shy and naive man, almost still child-like, despite having spent many years in prison. Only occasionally do we see a violent side to Jack's nature and his part in the pivotal crime is not made explicit (though is all the more chilling because of this).

This is a quality film on all counts, with the cast working well with a solid script and sensitive direction; indeed it's hard to see why this didn't get a UK cinema release as it stands head and shoulders above much of the clichéd dross churned out by the British film industry recently. This is a haunting, thought-provoking film that deserves a wide audience.

300 (2006)

War as visual spectacle

[6/10 · 7 October 2007]

This visually arresting and very enjoyable adaptation of Miller's graphic novel about the Spartans' stand against the invading Persian armies is a lot of fun, even though plot and characterisation take third seat to visual spectacle and sound design (this is one of those films were a spear won't clatter to the ground when a speaker-blasting BOOM will do!) The look of the film is great - steely cold blues and greys dominate (even though we are told it is August in Greece) - and helps compensate for some melodramatic acting and lack of plotting. At times the film teeters on the verge of camp and there is no denying the homo-erotic element of the film, but, overall, this is a straight forward fantasy/actioner which will have wide appeal.

Although it is based on a graphic novel with its endless parade of eye-popping battle scenes the film seems more like a hi-tech video game bought to the screen, but, again, the sheer visual power of the piece ensures that you hardly notice the lack of structured plot.

Atonement (2007)

bringing the literary to the screen

[7/10 · 30 September 2007]

In answer to the question as to whether Atonement could be adapted successfully for the screen; the answer has to be...almost, but not quite. McEwan's brilliant novel with its themes of redemption and morality could never transfer perfectly but writer Christopher Hampton and director Joe Wright, give it a damn good try.

Starting in 1935 the film follows a doomed romance and how an over-imaginative girl's actions affect the lives of those around her. The film is stylish and intriguing, but, ultimately the novel's emotional gut-punch can't be delivered as successfully on film and its up to an uneasy coda to clarify everything for those who haven't read the novel.

Despite its limitations this is a very enjoyable film with some remarkable set-pieces and an intelligence that raises it above the run-of the-mill period romance film.

Inland Empire (2006)

Kaleidoscopic cinema

[10/10 · 28 August 2007]

Lynch's latest exploration of the dreams and nightmares of Hollywood focuses on the actress, Nicky Grace, (superbly played by Laura Dern) who has just got a role in the remake of an Eastern European film based on a Polish folk tale. At a read through of the script the director reveals that the original production was believed to be cursed and that the lead was murdered during production.

Nicky Grace becomes increasingly distressed by the ill omens that surround the production; then, in a disorientating moment of cinema, she says to her co-star, "Something's happened" and the film collapses in on itself leaving her to inhabit different times, films and characters as she stumbles through INLAND EMPIRE trying to make sense of her reality. Films and reality merge and entwine; and just as a coherent thread arrives it collapses back in on itself as if the viewer is watching a pattern on a kaleidoscope - unable to capture the ever changing narrative.

INLAND EMPIRE feels like a summation of many of Lynch's themes and echoes of his previous works can be found scattered throughout Nicky Grace's nightmarish journey. This is a film about films within a film - a fractured nightmare where the protagonist wakes to find herself in another celluloid nightmare. It delights, teases and frustrates and could not be described as an easy 3 hours viewing. It is, however, a stunning, claustrophobic and brilliant film that is unlikely to win Lynch any new converts but will surely satisfy his many fans

Old Joy (2006)

Friends Reunited

[7/10 · 13 May 2007]

Two old friends meet up to visit a hot spring out in the woods and spend a night camping out in Oregon. There's no incident or thrill to be found in this slight piece and the viewer's enjoyment depends as much on what they may bring to the film as to what the film delivers. We learn very little about the character's back-story and this allows the viewer to meditate on their own lost friendships and on life's small disappointments.

Old Joy is one of those films that celebrates the small moments in life; the transcendent beauty of nature, the sudden realisation that this is all there is. Old Joy feels like an old friend with its comfortable silences and gentle humour and its worth taking the trip with this film.

Wassup Rockers (2005)

Kids in America

[6/10 · 13 May 2007]

Larry Clark is back in familiar territory with his film about a group of punk-rocking Latino skateboarders who venture across LA from South Central to Beverly Hills to go skating; encountering sexual adventures and random violence during the day. Perhaps less successful than Clark's best, this is still a highly enjoyable film which benefits from the naturalistic acting (even though it is a little shaky at times) and the free-wheeling directorial style which gives space to the beauty of place and character. Unfortunately the film is uneven in tone and a couple of scenes jar badly, making this a film that is better in parts than as a whole. Still, fans of Clark and indie-cinema will find much to enjoy here.

Brothers of the Head (2005)

Intriguing pseudo-rockumentary

[6/10 · 22 March 2007]

I suppose that a film about co-joined twins who become punk rock stars in the mid-70's has to have something going for it and, indeed, this partially successful film did keep me gripped for most of the journey. As with most rock films, melodrama is the order of the day and this is no exception as the boys face physical abuse, drugs and rock star blow-out in the grand tradition of the likes of Hazel O'Connor in that other punk drama Breaking Glass.

There is much to like in this film including the stylised direction which veers away from the mockumentary format into more creative territory from time to time. There are some excellent ideas at play here; including scenes from an 'unfinished' Ken Russell film.

The problem is that this film is screaming out to be great little cult film but it never quite succeeds; perhaps its the lack of humour and the ease with which it lapses into cliché. Mostly though I think the tired 'mockumentary' format is what ultimately works against this film. Interesting and worthwhile but ultimately not the success it should and could have been.

Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

Magnificent fantasy

[10/10 · 19 March 2007]

Set during the last days of the Spanish Civil War, the film is about a girl who moves to live with her wicked stepfather, a sadistic fascist army captain. On her way to her new home she encounters a fairy who introduces her to the faun lives who lives in the mysterious labyrinth and tells her that she is a princess who has to complete three tasks..

Skilfully combining fantasy with war drama the film works on both levels to create a truly satisfying movie that resonates emotionally and intellectually as well as delighting with its fantastic set pieces. This is a fairy tale for adults where fantasy is juxtaposed with the very real horrors of human cruelty. An exceptional film

The Black Dahlia (2006)

You can't polish a dahlia

[4/10 · 16 February 2007]

The Black Dahlia looks a treat and has a couple of wonderful scenes that remind the viewer of vintage DePalma. This is stylish neo-noir, a look at the dark underbelly of Hollywood made with panache.

So, why then, is the film such a disaster? Perhaps Altman could have dealt with all the characters and the multiple story strands but DePalma present the audience with a cinematic mess; incoherent story lines, poor script, performances that veer from the merely adequate to the wildly campy all contribute to this mess. Characters that seem to have been added for colour turn out to be important protagonists whilst inordinately long stretches of the film are devoted to story development that is going nowhere.

By the time Fiona Shaw pops up (seemingly under the impression that she is in a high camp remake of "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane") the film has crumbled under the weight of the poor writing and DePalma's lack of direction.

Keane (2004)

Difficult but rewarding

[8/10 · 15 February 2007]

keane is not an easy film to enjoy, but it is worth sticking with this intense, almost claustrophobic, character study about a man wandering the streets looking for the daughter he says was abducted a year before.

Lewis' central performance fills the film and is little short of remarkable; slipping between despair, madness and anguish; finding love and wandering the streets; suppressing his psychological tics and mumbling incoherently, he is the film's emotional glue.

Dramatically,it is not all plausible and there are a couple of mind wandering longueurs but it is, ultimately, a powerful piece of film that packs a subtle punch

Don't Come Knocking (2005)

A disappointing reunion

[6/10 · 10 December 2006]

As a certified fan of Wenders' and Shepard's Paris Texas this was one of the most eagerly anticipated films of the year for me. The story itself has much promise as a deconstruction of the mythological West and an exploration of the male psyche, but, it ultimately lacks the killer punch and heart and soul that one would expect. Its hard to say where the problem lies; the film comes with great writer, sporadically genius director and a sterling cast. But it is also tethered with an ill-judged comic turn from Roth than is neither amusing or interesting, the script is quirky rather than heartfelt and the direction is far from classic Wenders. A couple of scenes hints at what might have been and the southern Utah scenery stuns, but ultimately the film disappoints and just made me want to return to the wonderful Paris Texas

Battle in Heaven (2005)

Battle to stay awake

[4/10 · 25 May 2006]

As the director probably hoped, the opening and closing blow job scenes gained this film a great deal of notoriety and attention that far exceeded the publicity such a turgid, self-consciously 'arty' film would normally receive. This unrelentingly ugly and frequently agonisingly boring film is about a couple of days in the life of a man who shags his bosses daughter and who, with his wife, has kidnapped a child (for no explained reason). At times this has the artless artiness of such trash auteurs as Doris Wishman, but give me Doris' 'Deadly Weapons' over this tedious trash any day! Pretentious and dull this is a pastiche of art house world cinema and does not warrant your time

Proteus (2003)

Love in a hot climate

[6/10 · 15 March 2006]

When the film began the flat DV photography and poor subtitling made me wonder if this was going to be worth the effort. With its anachronisms and stylised start it would be too easy to write this off as sub-Jarman. But, it is worth sticking with this 'historical' inter-racial love story set in South African as its themes of intolerance are still relevant today.

Although the low budget is very obvious, so is director Greyson's imagination and belief in this project. An interesting film which almost scuppers itself with its bad start but which redeems itself as it progresses.

Kenneth Williams: Fantabulosa! (2006 TV Movie)

Ooh, Matron!

[7/10 · 14 March 2006]

An unassuming but thoroughly satisfying film that looks at the fascinating man behind the pursed lips and waspish tongue we all know from the Carry On films. The film shows us a man both appalled and aroused by his homosexuality. a man desperate for love who pushes away any advances that may bring him a moments fleeting happiness.

He befriends playwright Joe Orton who is everything Williams wishes he was: virile, self-confident and relaxed with his sexuality. But it is Orton's partner and murderer, Kenneth Halliwell, with whom he shares the quietly desperate despair that characterises his life. Like the man himself this is very funny but also tragic. It plays to the best qualities of British film-making; well scripted. character driven and unflashy. Worth your time

The United States of Leland (2003)

A bad hair day for the middle classes

[5/10 · 13 March 2006]

Despite tackling such weighty subjects as murder, drug addiction and depression 'United States of Leland' manages to have all the pain of a TV movie about a slight weight fluctuation. The problem does not lay with the excellent cast but with the fact that they don't have anything to do other than look miserable and spout some portentous dialogue now and then.

The film is about the travails of the dysfunctional middle class and is aimed squarely at the self same middle-class, but this isn't a mirror to reflect their complacency, merely a gentle panacea so they can congratulate themselves if they haven't had to deal with this many problems in their lives and nod concernedly as the wonderful Anne Magnuson looks a bit miserable at her son's funeral.

Maybe the director wanted everyone to seem as though they were just drifting through life unable to feel a thing, but I, for one, wanted one of the characters to let rip like Kevin Kline at the end of The Ice Storm when all the pain and rage pours out of him in a drunken moment of despair and pain. All the way through the film I was waiting for the bland exterior to be ripped away to reveal the raw beating heart of the movie but this, alas, is never to happen. Even prison isn't too bad in this film - just an inconvenience which means that the characters can't get to feel the sun of their faces as much as they'd like. The director never manages to convey that the characters are repressing their feelings nor that they are really suffering, they just stoically trudge around in their designer gear looking a bit put upon.

The United States of Leland is directed with all the drama of a headache advert ; sure Jena Malone's hair goes a bit lank and stringy every time she has some heroin but that little fashion crisis is about as much insight into her suffering as we ever get. Ryan Gosling wanders around and makes a few vaguely poetic statements about strawberries and it isn't until the very end of the film that the viewer begins to understand what led to his actions and by then I , for one, was just about beyond caring.

The United States Of Leland is a film that promises much but never delivers. It wears its class on its sleeve and the presence of such a good cast seems to be all the justification it needs to exist. This isn't a BAD film as much as it is a lazy film; a quasi-poetic study of depression and sadness without any real feeling

Summer Storm (2004)

Teen drama

[6/10 · 21 February 2006]

Summer Storm is a slightly above average gay-teen/coming of age drama from Germany that brings to mind elements of both 'Y Tu Mama Tambien' and 'Beautiful Thing'.

It is the oft-told tale of best friends whose friendship is tested when one of the boys finds that his feelings go beyond the need for an occasional manly hug and a bit of horseplay.

It is good-natured and well acted but would have benefited from a far wittier script as much of the humour falls flat. Certainly, the script doesn't compare favourably to Johnathan Harvey's terrific script for 'Beautiful Thing'

But despite it's flaws 'Summer Storm' is a very watchable film with enough dramatic incident and characterisation to keep me engrossed

Wolf Creek (2005)

The Aussie Outback Massacre

[6/10 · 17 January 2006]

The influence of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre is writ large on this neat little shocker about three young people captured by a sadistic murderer in the Australian Outback. The film is well structured and spends time building the characters and establishing a rapport with them that makes the second half of the film all the more shocking. The main problem is that we have been over this ground so many times now that this work adds nothing new to the genre. Texas Chainsaw Massacre really pushed this type of film to such an extreme level of grotesquery and bizarreness that most copyists seem tame by comparison. Wolf Creek is certainly one of the better copyists and like the French 'Switchblade Romance' it has plenty of style and power and the story is well told but still it pales in the shadow of Tobe Hoopers mighty classic. Worth watching but probably not as good as some of its fans would have us believe.

War of the Worlds (2005)

Second rate Spielberg

[6/10 · 14 January 2006]

Spielberg's loud and hectic adaptation of the classic sci-fi novel is watchable but ultimately disposable. Spielberg re-visits his earlier ideas of the benign alien and replaces them with murdering, colonising, reptilian creatures who want to use planet earth as some sort of blood farm. Cruise plays one of Spielberg's archetypal fathers - detached and uncomprehending of his children, but also a man who will do anything to protect them. His daughter, as portrayed by Dakota Fanning is as irritating a performance by a child as Hollywood has ever given us; precocious, annoying and with a line in self help and personal space she screams her way through the film - she can even scream over the marching noise of the tripods!

Individual moments stand out amidst the cacophony Spielberg has flung on to the screen but this is certainly not the director at his best.

Crash (I) (2004)

A near miss

[7/10 · 14 January 2006]

Haggis' directorial debut is a powerful and thought provoking look at a slice of LA life. In some ways, with its multi strands, it reminded me of some of Altman's "Nashville". The film successfully pulls all the strands together to make some pertinent points about different races fearing and misunderstanding each other without resorting to platitude too much.

On the flip side I found it schematic, too reliant on coincidence and frequently implausible (it would seem that there are only 5 cops including Officers Dillon and Phillipe in the whole of LAPD). At some points the film begins to bow under the weight of its own ambition - I would usually say that is a good thing, but here I felt that less incident would have given the characters more space to breath and come alive for the viewer. At times I felt that the characters moved from interesting 3D portrayals to screenwriters mouthpiece and this distanced me from an otherwise powerful film We need intelligent and provocative cinema and, in many ways, Crash delivers but I still think that it has been overrated by an audience desperate for something more than the usual popcorn fare