paolo_bf Reviews

Criminal Justice (2008–2009)

Fanfastic start, but later on seems to wander a little into sub-Dickensian territory

[10/10 · 7 July 2008]

This mini-series hits the ground running, the first episode including the sea side scenes and part of the second are just fantastic, but then the drama engages in the ambitious task of analyzing whatever may or may not be wrong with the British penal and judicial system, I praise the intent, but to incorporate seamlessly and successfully this sort of concerns into a drama is not an easy task, we are promised some sort of rigorous examination, but instead of 'Oz' (brutal US prison drama), we get some sort of sub-Dickensian ambiguous horrors, where a lot is promised but very little delivered and there is always a little army of semi-benevolent Artful Dodgers and Fagins to save our hero's day, like Peter Postethwaite's Hooch 'the listener' and David Harewood's master criminal Freddie Graham, the latter does a really good job of injecting true menace in its role. We know we are entering Dickensian territory when Con O'Neill seedy lawyer complete with gotta, bandaged feet and perennial facial stubble appears on the scene, the irony is that he does a wonderful turn and steals every scene in which he appears, it is just that it feels like he had just been wandering out of a Great Expectation set to blunder into the wrong drama by mistake. In the last episode where all ideological concerns need to be shed to wind down the narrative the drama seem able to recreate some of the original dramatic tension of the first part. ON THE WHOLE Highly RECOMMENDED!

The Limey (1999)

Last addition to the 'Get Carter' canon, but done in such an intelligent and sophisticated way, that i loved every second of it!

[10/10 · 3 July 2008]

Sodemberg in good form, while Mr. Stamp hams it up as your Stepney old china gangster giving a performance which is both deceptively simple and sophisticated with a hint of method thrown in for good measure. Peter Fonda, as the suave record producer Terry Valentine, is the perfect impersonation of a hippie growing old disgracefully and on Big Sur backdrop, reminds me of one of the Beach Boys (Brian Wilson possibly...who probably was a good mate of his in the good old days anyway) "the 60s were just like a dream with its own language and locations which didn't really exist, and then you woke up... not just the 60s really, just 66 and a little bit of 67.." showing off to his new starlet girlfriend... There is a rather moving moment toward the end of the film which brings to the fore the essential human frailty, how underneath the mask of our 'adult' certainties there is often a confused little child... And finally, if you like thrillers like myself, this movie is that rare thing, an intelligent sophisticated one, which keeps you on the edge of your seat for a couple of hours, without feeling, like unfortunately happens with a lot of similar productions, that when the credits start to roll, you have been through 120 minutes of disposable entertainment... HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

The Dancer Upstairs (2002)

Starts in Garcia Marquez territory to build up toward a Graham Greenesque finale

[10/10 · 3 April 2008]

The movie starts in a Garcia Marquez dreamy South America, or, for people versed in Italiana, like in a Fruttero and Lucentini Turin-based political thriller where esoteric philosophical notions mix with reality, but things soon hot up and, hey presto, we find ourselves in Graham Greene's 'Honorary Consul' territory. Where 'Ezechia' philosopher and revolutionary leader bear more than a little resemblance to Peru Sendero Luminoso's Abimael Guzman. It is John Malkovich's second time in the Director chair, and he deserves great credit for his decision to almost single-handedly bring Nicholas Shakespeare's novel to the silver screen. People may argue that this movie is stylistically and formally floored, I personally don't care, I loved this movie, it is absorbing with a complex, unconventional plot which makes you think. And by the end we all, like Xavier Bardem's Captain Rejas, will end up falling for vulnerable femme fatale Yolanda, beautifully played by Laura Morante. Purists may object to an English language movie set in South America and where the actors are mostly Spanish, but nowadays this seems to have became, alas, fairly common! On the whole, highly recommended!

Brick (2005)

Is Rian Johnson working his way through HIS high-school nightmares? (asked in a totally non derogatory way, I loved this movie!)

[10/10 · 25 March 2008]

After all, if you don't, they will work their way through YOUR life! I think this movie's soul is completely schizophrenic (again meant in a totally non derogatory way). On one level it is a 'state of play' on the life, angst, mores of contemporary American teens, you feel that beyond the super cool use of the language and the hyper-real highly-stylized narrative, the director has a genuine feel and deep understanding of his subject matter. The movie other 'soul' is a overwhelming, ever-pervasive, almost scene by scene referencing of 30s and 40s' movie and literature, 'noir' genre classics, particularly the works of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett, without giving anything away with regard to the plot, I can tell you that toward the end of the movie a few Maltese Falconesque's twists and turns start to creep in (meant in a completely affectionate way) and I don't mean to deliberately sound like 'The Brain'. I personally fell in love with Lukas Haas' The Pin, he could very well be called 'The Method' and he steals any scene in which he appears in and for some bizarre reason made me reminisce about another cinematic baddie, Orson Wells' Harry Lime in 'The third Man', while the depiction of The Pin's home life has a somewhat Twin Peaks/Blue Velvetesque's flavour! Not in my top ten possibly, but a very spirited effort!

Ripley's Game (2002)

'Night Porter' director Liliana Cavani delivers another compelling sophisticated thriller

[7/10 · 17 November 2007]

I have great respect for Night Porter's director Liliana Cavani who, whilst making substantial changes to the original story, manages to preserve some of its original emotional themes, particularly the relationship between Tom Ripley and Jonathan Trevanny. I read many of Highsmith's works in the past and I have always found the experience quite fascinating and painful, not even the best screen adaptation can in any way reproduce the reality of complete morale but mostly psychological disintegration she depicts in her books where you will hardly put to find any redeeming feel-good elements. The only catharsis is generated by navigating the angst and the horror of the narrative and getting out at the other end. I personally found the 'Talented Mr. Ripley' more apt to convey a sense of moral and psychological horror, while to me 'Ripley's Game' is more of an excellent and interesting thriller, very slickly executed and with more than a few nods and winks to the Hannibal Lectar's franchise ('Hannibal' in particular). It is quite interesting to note that the original story was set in France rather than in Italy, and some of its more subtle psychological elements are sadly lost. This however is not necessarily a negative reflection on Liliana Cavani's spirited effort.

Some Voices (2000)

'James Bond' Daniel Craig as a young recovering schizophrenic? Yes, why not!

[7/10 · 27 October 2007]

Daniel Craig seems reasonably suitable for the role, good also the chemistry with his on screen girlfriend Kelly MacDonald, absolutely adorable as the wee Scottish lass romantic interest! The movie has a rather poetic quality, the poetry of everyday life, and a fairly good insight into the little important things which constitute our existence, more than into that mythical and mysterious condition: schizophrenia. When the movie approaches this ground the stereotypes start to pile up mercilessly, but then again the movie is still a cut above a lot of other films which have in the past tried to deal with this subject. Cue the almost Nouvelle Vague romantic feel of the Hastings day out scenes, on the beach and in the hotel, Kelly MacDonald swimming in the huge sea-of-white bed to the tunes of a French song. Intriguing and fascinating the London backdrop: a moody sky, a crowded street, evening falling outside, inside a room, in front of a window.

Eyewitness (1981)

Gripping thriller on the backdrop of post-Vietnam America

[10/10 · 21 October 2007]

Sometime when I see how underrated some of my favorite movies are, I despair of my fellow human beings! This move has everything, fantastic turns from a young cast which includes the likes of William Hurt, Sigourney Weaver and Ed Woods, gripping suspense, an intelligent late 70's storyline which incorporates some of the paranoia of the political thriller genre. Some people complain about the alleged slowness of the action, this is attention to detail, where every single character is developed sympathetically and intelligently, down to Daryll's estranged girlfriend (Pamela Reed) and the two cops on the case, one of which is beautifully played by a thoughtful, pipe-smoking Morgan Freeman (not so young possibly, but slightly less well-known at the time). 'Bullitt' director Peter Yates, beside making an excellent thriller, takes the time and make the space to create a rich late 70's tapestry of enjoyable characters and situations, while exploring sexual and romantic relationships and the mores of the time 'the way we were' on the backdrop of post-Vietnam America.

It's a Free World... (2007)

Ken wants to educate us... and rightly so!

[10/10 · 24 September 2007]

A reasonably involving, decent drama, but obviously Ken Loach's main concern it to unable us to have a clearer idea of what is really going on with our 'brave new world', globalization, we all need to work harder to compete, people in China need to work harder, everyone needs to work harder, and out of this sinister scam, unending progress etc. there is still half a billion people on planet hearth who don't have enough to eat and a few people filling their pockets. What we get from the media is selective snippets of information and outright lies, while none of this bunch of mercenary hacks would even dream of questioning the soundness of the oligarchic plutocratic system we call democracy! So I guess Ken is right, we need educating! And what better way to do that that to show us how the whole thing works in practice, the smaller wheels, the larger ones, the cogs. The people traffickers in Eastern Europe and elsewhere, the people mercilessly exploiting illegal emigrants in this country. The protagonist is a working class, down-on- her-luck, single mother. She, together with her flatmate and friend, uses her previous working experience to create a small but profitable working agency for illegal emigrants. She is just a troubled person, she's worried about social services taking her son away. She thinks she deserves credit, because instead of living on the dole (welfare), she's trying to crate a business, to 'make something of herself'. Just another little well meaning cog then! The voice of reason is represented by her working class father, who, without being idealogical and in a down to earth way tries to explain to his daughter what it is really going on: 'entire country being deprived of their teachers and doctors coming to this country to work as plumbers and builders, the only people to profit from this scam is big business!' Keep educating us Ken, because we badly need it!

The Stringer (1998)

A breath of fresh air!

[10/10 · 17 September 2007]

This movie may not be a masterpiece, but it is surely a breath of fresh air, a relief from all the Hollywood nonsense, the various Spiderman and Pirates of the wherever, Harry Potter and the suchlike. To begin with, this documents a time in Russian history, I don't think such a movie could be made nowadays and if it were it would have to depict a reality, which, only a few years later, is already vastly different! Russian had their fleeting short summer of freedom, with politicians standing on tanks (paradoxically!), the White House of Parliaments being stormed by troops, and scores of bizarre and eccentric political figures taking center stage and being able to speak their own mind!. Most Russians were probably too busy putting food on their table at the time, to notice that that WAS actually gloriously anarchic FREEDOM! The story has the easy relaxed rhythm which characterize the best indie and world cinema, it does not try too hard, its strenght is being steeped in the social reality it depicts, and quite effortlessly maintain a pretty strong dramatic tension. I found myself caring about the main characters, bizarrely enough including the right-wing eccentric presidential candidate, who on the whole cuts a pretty lonely and pathetic figure, all the time trying to make reality conform to his grandiose delusions. A sexy Anna Friel represents the romantic interest and for Prison Break's fans there is the added bonus of catching up with a young Robert Knepper playing a fairly square and straight-laced journalist.

Life on Mars (2006–2007)

It is just me? I could not watch the series' last episode without crying like a baby!

[10/10 · 30 August 2007]

Reality as nightmare, our 'post-modern' reality as nightmare, but more specifically I believe the series reflects also its creators' deep disillusionment with Blair's Britain! Whereas in 'State of Play' John Simm was asking very probing questions, but still giving the powers that be the benefit of the doubt, by the time he reappears in 'Life on Mars', our minds are already made up! Beyond its deceptive simplicity and its references to Z-Cars, the Sweeney and similar 'procedural' dramas the series packs a powerful subliminal punch! In the twilight world it inhabits, Sam Tyler's mind is constantly troubled, another day of strife at the office, dealing with murderers and crooks, but hey, it is six o' clock, lets go to the pub and try to forget everything if only for a little while! To the pub, where Nelson the Afro-Carabian landlord administers to his patrons' physical and spiritual needs. His words of wisdom are a balm for OUR troubled souls! A word of advice, if you missed the first showing of the series and the recent repeat on BBC4, don't pussyfoot around, like Gene Hunt, the gov, would say! just go out and get yourself the DVDs, because this , as Philip Glenister said, is happening TV! Not to mention the breathtaking beauty of the 70s' soundtrack, a memory lane's roller coaster drive, fasten your belt and hold on to your seat, hold on tight!

The Edukators (2004)

Ce n'est qu'un début, continuons le combat !

[10/10 · 29 August 2007]

A more intelligent and poignant critique of our Western 'capitalist dictatorship' (the words of our three anti-heroes!), you would not find, not even on the pages of my Brighton anarchist friends' 'The Schnews' (ah, ah!). And this is also a very intelligent, humane and absorbing thriller (for want of a better word, we all express ourselves by clichés, like Peter or Jan would say!) because Hans Weingartner is a consummate and devilishly clever storyteller and after the first few sequences you will forget where you are, and you won't be able to take your eyes off the screen! A must see for old radical firebrands like myself and 'capitalist slaves' (only kidding!) alike!

Between (I) (2005)

Affecting twilight roller-coaster journey...

[10/10 · 19 July 2007]

I find difficult to believe how underrated this movie is! For ambition, vision and courage, it reminds me a little of another David, David Lynch's masterpiece Mulholland Drive. I watched the latter several times, and even though I came up with any number of ideas, interpretations etc.. I was still at a loss as to its overall meaning, I got a little help from my friends and everything fell into place. Between is somewhat different in that, when into the very last sequences of the film (to the credit of director David Ocanas) everything become clear, you are left with a very direct and straightforward narrative structure. One thing both movies have in common is that holding the narrative key doesn't detract from any successive viewing, which, on the contrary, become even more poignant. But as to Between's first viewing, you are constantly transported through sequences, dreams, realities, nightmares, the semi-psychedelic effect this had on me was to induce a inward looking reverie/reflection on my own personal experience, our shared 'post-modern' one, and how thin is the line which separates our everyday perceptions from our nightmares! Interesting

the geographical and 'metaphysical' proximity between the two movies respective locations LA and Tijuana. If you liked or loved (like myself) this movie and, in the unlike event that you have not watched Mulholland Drive yet, go out and buy yourself the DVD! I would also like to recommend a BBC production which is not terribly well known beyond this shores: Life on Mars! In the end, Between and Mulholland Drive's somewhat labyrinthine exploration of different and extreme states of consciousness, only bring you an infinite straightforward compassion for the misery, sadness and splendour of human life.

Jekyll (2007)

Rather contrived and artificial

[6/10 · 16 June 2007]

I'm a big fan of BBC drama, which gave us wonderful productions such as Line of Beauty, Funland, Life on Mars and the list can go on for ever and it may also seem a little harsh to pass judgment, after having only watched one episode, but I got the feeling that this installment was as good as this drama is ever going to get. I suppose that when someone come up with the idea of making a super cool, post-modern, up-to-date remake of RL Stevenson nineteen century's 'blockbuster' novel, packed with all the latest high-tech gadgets, it might have seemed a wonderful idea at the time. However the way James Nasbitt's (normally a rather excellent actor)Dr. Jekyll experiences and tries to cope with his split personality owns more, it seems to me to some obscure medical text on Multiple Personality Disorder, rather that to Stevenson's wonderful writing. Not even an actor of the calibre of Nesbitt can do anything to improve on a script which is completely far-fetched and contrived and some quarter of an hour into the story, you just don't care what fate is going to befall the wretched doctor: happy ending, tragic ending or anything in between. Only powerful scene in the first episode was the drunken, pub closing time confrontation between the good doctor and a yob and his girlfriend in an alleyway, this scene was quite exilerating and rang true to life, but all the rest...

Masked and Anonymous (2003)

Wonderful, in a quirky sort of way...

[10/10 · 16 June 2007]

I think this move is greatly underrated, it is a sad reflection of the fact that when a movie goes beyond the boundaries of most people's morale and intellectual comfort zone, it ends up paying the price. If you don't believe me, think of what happened to British director Michael Powell, after making 'Peeping Tom', a movie which by contemporary standard can only be described as tame and which is now acknowledged by many as one of cinema all time classics, a promising career was cut short and Powell was all but run out of the movie business for some thirty years. The comparison may seem extreme, but to me confirms the fact that we leave our morale, intellectual and even political hangups get in the way with regard of how we perceive and judge movies. Think of how much cinematographic fodder is unleashed on movie-goers every week, this movie is packed full of original ideas, feeling, atmosphere, plus the star-studded cast most of the time delivers excellent performances! OK the movie is technically far from perfect, but who cares! The mere fact of being able to watch His Bobbyness for a couple oh hours would be more than enough for me, but the movie has a lot more to offer, a wonderfully surreal atmosphere, spirited performances by the likes of Penelope Cruz, Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, the latter clearly having the time of his life! But what I most enjoyed is the portrait of a futuristic dystopian US, transformed into some sort of banana-republic dictatorship, whose borders have now extended to include most NAFTA countries! I understand that the project was mainly the brainchild of a Mr. Dylan and it is quite true that the dialogue could have used a little bit of expert editing at times, but who cares! This is happening cinema! Enjoy!