Paul is a father, writer, filmmaker and currently working at Raindance Film School by day - https://raindance.ac.uk/
He has been committed to a writing career from a very early age. In 1997, he graduated from Staffordshire University with a first class degree in Film, TV and Radio Studies. His 2nd year short film project THE ARTS FILE won a Stoke-on-Trent Young Filmmaker's award. Subsequently, he worked as a Production Assistant on a number of promos and successfully completed a work placement at Sky Movies. In 2002, he gained an MA in Feature Film Screenwriting from Royal Holloway College of London and since graduation has written several feature and many short film scripts. In 2005, he formed FIX FILMS and has written and produced many shorts to date. He has also had several short screenplays commissioned by the Mountview Film Academy and film director Jonathan Wolff. His work can be found here - https://www.youtube.com/c/FixFilmsLtd
Most recently Paul wrote, produced and directed his own short horror film called FLATMATES (2018). He has subsequently written and directed three further shorts films called: MISDIRECTION (2019), TOLERANCE (2019) and YOU HAVE A NEW FOLLOWER (2020). His short films have had screenings worldwide at many film festivals. His latest short INFERIS (2023) is in post-production.
PAUL is a versatile and prolific writer with ideas in abundance and a very strong feel for structure, characterisation and dialogue. He favours thought-provoking and entertaining narratives with memorable characters, images and scenes. While he values all styles of film he tends toward genre movies as opposed to overtly "arty" cinema. Moreover, being involved in the producing, casting and crewing of low budget shorts has given him great experience and insight into the filmmaking process; improving his writing no end.
From 2008 until 2020, Paul had been on the exciting merry-go-round that is the stand-up comedy circuit. He has done over 1000+ gigs. Venues included: Downstairs at the King's Head, The Comedy Pit, The Comedy Cafe, Soho Comedy, London Comedy Store, Electric Mouse Comedy, Streatham Comedy Club, Mirth Control, Comedy Heat, Lion's Den Comedy etc. He also ran two comedy nights: West End Comedy @ The Comedy Pub and West End Comedy @ The Brazen Head. He used to be the resident MC at Electric Mouse's show at The Fox, Palmers Green and got regular paid bookings as a comic and MC in and out of town. In 2014 and 2016 he performed at the Brighton Fringe Festival and Camden Fringe Festival in 2014. He performed open spots for the Banana Cabaret, The Comedy Store and Up the Creek comedy clubs in London.
He is also a keen film and television seer and has a love for all genres of movies from art-house to low-budget z-movies. He also loves television of all kinds notably great comedies and dramas. He is an essayist expressing passionate analysis for all elements of cinema.
Links
Blog: www.thecinemafix.com
YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/FixFilmsLtd
Cast: Johnny Flynn, Will Poulter, Naomi Ackie and Lydia Wilson
Cinematography by Darran Bragg
Music by Johnny Flynn
*** MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS ***
I’m not sure enough people have seen The Score (2021) to even rate it, let alone under-rate it. Because this crime-thriller-musical is a genuine curio and cult classic in my book. The reviews online are very mixed and many of them are correct in saying the film doesn’t work as either a crime film or musical or even a love story. But for some reason I have watched it twice now and really enjoyed it both times. So, for me, it is very much an under-rated classic.
For the record, for me, an under-rated classic can be a film I love, plus satisfy the following criteria:
Must not have won an Oscar.
Must not have won a BAFTA.
Must not appear in the AFI Top 100 list.
Must not appear in the IMDB Top 250 list.
Must not appear in the BFI 100 Great British films.
Must not appear in the all-time highest grossing movies of list.
So, being a massive fan of Johnny Flynn helps to enjoy this film. He wrote and sings, with Will Poulter and Naomi Ackie, the songs from the soundtrack. Plus, he is one of the main leads, portraying a low-level career criminal, not-as-clever-as-he-thinks, Mike. He is planning a “big job” in cahoots with, not-as-stupid-as-he-acts-sidekick, Troy (Poulter) that involves a big score. That is twenty-grand (£) from a previous job Troy’s imprisoned brother hid. Exponential growth is promised from a meet with some proper gangsters for what may or may not be a drug deal. Anyway, nothing is what it seems in this predominantly one-location thriller.
Two misfits waiting for someone who may never arrive, plus the swinging banter between Mike and Troy has vague elements of Waiting for Godot, however, there is an actual crime plot slowly burning here. As they wait impatiently at a remote cafe writer-director, Malachi Smyth, throws in some eccentric visitors plus a supporting romance plot, with Troy connecting awkwardly at first, then touchingly with cafe employee, Gloria (Naomi Ackie). Indeed, their attraction and subsequent connection virtually becomes the main narrative thrust of The Score (2021), before the final crime twist brings the action to a violent head.
Oh, do not forget the singing too. Dennis Potter had his characters lip-sync to old musical classics to reveal their emotions, and was proclaimed as genius for it. Here Malachi Smyth uses Flynn’s fantastic compositions to do a similar job. I admit it is a bit weird and jarring at first, but Flynn, Poulter and Ackie carry the tunes well for me and it adds another element to an unusual film experience. Ultimately if someone watched The Score (2021) and said it does not work at all, I couldn’t argue with them. However, I really loved it and constantly listen to the soundtrack I downloaded. I also have a soft spot for indie filmmakers, daring to fail while trying something different.
Produced by Andrew Macdonald, Allon Reich, Gregory Goodman
Main Cast: Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Sonoya Mizuno, Nick Offerman, etc.
Cinematography by Rob Hardy
*** MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS ***
Alex Garland has an impressive literary, cinema and televisual curriculum vitae. He gained acclaim as the writer of the novel, The Beach, before moving onto screenwriting duties with fine films such as: 28 Days Later (2002), Sunshine (2007), Never Let Me Go (2010), and under-rated Dredd (2012). He made his directorial debut with Ex Machina (2014), which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. His second film,Annihilation (2018), garnered further acclaim, so much so, FX bypassed a pilot and went straight to series for his science fiction TV narrative, Devs (2020).
While I am a massive fan of Garland’s work, I wasn’t too enamoured of Annihilation (2018). I found it brilliantly made with some fantastic concepts and incredible moments, yet overall it was too slowly paced. With eight superlative episodes of Devs (2020), Garland delivered a story which really connected with me by merging a compelling technological espionage plot to an intelligent exploration of philosophical thought and human behaviour. Where Devs (2020) presciently examined the impact of artificial intelligence, Garland’s new political thriller, Civil War (2024), prophetically imagines an apocalyptic America in the throes of war between combined California and Texas state rebel forces and the current President’s (Nick Offerman) retreating army.
With the ‘January 6 United States Capitol attack’ in mind, Garland opens up a “what if” narrative where the whole of America is conflicted and consuming itself from within. At the heart of the violence is the war photographer, represented by Lee Smith (Kirsten Dunst) and Reuters journalist, Joel (Wagner Moura). Their journey to Washington to photograph the President reveals confusion, destruction and further bloodshed. Generically speaking, a road movie meets dystopian thriller, Civil War (2024) contains thought-provoking themes and incredible cinematography, but with shaky writing in places.
Films about war photographers and/or journalists can be problematic for me. Such characters lend themselves to heroic and the anti-heroic. The writing has to be right because I can lose empathy between such crusading journos and the narcissistic adrenaline junkies looking to deflect their own loathing and self-destructive tendencies. Civil War (2024) struggled to get me onside with the lead characters, although Dunst’s characterisation of Lee Smith is superb. However, her mentor-apprentice relationship with Cailee Spaeny, Jessie Cullen, was under-developed. Spaeny’s “innocent” being used more as a suspense device as opposed to learning the true horrors of humanity and war. Perhaps Garland intended for her to be a sociopath without depth just looking for blood? She finds it!
Moreover, Jessie’s journey from a political perspective was weak as there was no real sense of development in her character. That’s where the decision not to overtly take political sides causes a lack of sociological depth. War films such as Salvador (1986) and The Killing Fields (1984) are more successful as Civil War (2024) loses political impact by not choosing precise sides. But I guess whether they are Democratic or Republican is the whole point. Garland is saying that political parties are all as bad as each other, with human beings their own worst enemy. Politics, like football, gender, sexuality, and religion, are propellants for humans to fight each other.
For a film about photographers, the images on show are incredible and Rob Hardy’s work is genius. Fire, blood and war have never looked so brutal and aesthetically impressive. As well as Dunst, Wagner Moura and Stephen McKinlay Henderson are terrific in their respective roles. Further, there are some nail-biting and suspenseful scenes, notably one involving a film-stealing performance from Jesse Plemons. However, many of the characters’ decisions were weakly written for me. This is surprising given Garland’s prodigious literary and screenwriting talent. Civil War (2024), however, remains another stunning addition to his oeuvre and for all my perceived script weaknesses, the hell of war has never been so artistic and artful.
Written and directed by Colin Cairnes and Cameron Cairnes
Produced by Mat Govoni, Adam White, John Molloy, Roy Lee, Steven Schneider and Derek Dauchy
Cast: David Dastmalchian, Laura Gordon, Ian Bliss, Fayssal Bazzi, Ingrid Torelli, Rhys Auteri, Georgina Haig, and Josh Quong Tart
Cinematography: Matthew Temple
*** MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS ***
Some years ago I wrote an article about how I dislike the found footage sub-genre and that article can be found here. Occasionally, found footage is used well such as in Creep (2014) with Mark Duplass or REC (2007) or Chronicle (2012). Now you can add Colin Cairnes and Cameron Cairnes, Late Night With the Devil (2023) to that list of found footage films I actually enjoyed.
Technically, one could argue it isn’t really found footage and it negates such films often “amateurish” filming methods, with a truly stylish rendition of 1970’s television chat shows. However, we are asked by the narrator to view “never-before-seen” images and sounds from a previously unreleased and infamous TV chat show presented by ‘Night Owls’ host, Jack Delroy (David Dastmalchian). So, found footage it is!
David Dastmalchian is absolutely fantastic in his role as ambitious but desperate to be number-one chat show host, Jack Delroy. Often cast in supporting roles he now grabs the chance to become much more than that scene-stealing character actor. Delroy is not unlikable, but his arrogance and ambition dominate his personality. So much so, and despite his grief at losing his wife to cancer, he is prepared to allow all sorts of creepy and inappropriate situations unfold in his desperate search for TV ratings.
Delroy pits a dubious psychic Christou (Fayssal Bazzi) against skeptical former magician Carmichael the Conjurer (Ian Bliss), before asking parapsychologist author June Ross-Mitchell (Laura Gordon), and her subject Lilly D’Abo (Ingrid Torelli) to contact a demonic presence called ‘Mr Wriggles,’ live on television. Even after Christou is rushed to the hospital and Lilly contorts and spits out growling obscenities, Delroy decrees the show must go on. The Cairnes Brothers then continue to ratchet up the tension and horror to a deadly and shocking ‘Night Owls’ televisual denouement.
With echoes of the recent Inside No. 9 (3×3 quiz show episode) and BBC show Ghostwatch (1992), and of course The Exorcist (1973), Late Night With the Devil (2023) is one of the most enjoyable horror films I have seen in sometime. The 1970’s period setting and TV studio location is impressively recreated by the fantastic production team, especially on a relatively low budget. Arguably, the plot, once you dig down into it lacks emotional depth, however, the pacy and darkly funny screenplay more than compensates for this. Overall, the film’s style, design, direction and a commanding performance from Dastmalchian ensure Late Night With the Devil (2023) is essential viewing for all horror fans.
TO BOLDLY REVIEW #15 – STAR TREK: VOYAGER (1995 -2001) – SEASONS 1 – 7
Created by: Rick Berman, Michael Piller and Jeri Taylor
Based on Star Trek: by Gene Roddenberry
Main Cast: Kate Mulgrew, Robert Beltran, Roxann Dawson, Jennifer Lien, Robert Duncan McNeill, Ethan Phillips, Robert Picardo, Tim Russ, Garrett Wang, Jeri Ryan etc.
Notable guest stars: Kurtwood Smith, Marina Sirkis, Dwight Schultz, Joel Grey, Sarah Silverman, John De Lancie, The Rock, Michael McKean, Jason Alexander, Virginia Madsen, Tom Morello etc.
Theme music composer: Jerry Goldsmith
It’s been over a year since I reviewed the Star Trek: Deep Space Ninehere. Thus, much of 2023 was spent watching the seven series of Star Trek: Voyager. The main concern with this cultural project of watching every Star Trek show and film released is that I could get serious franchise fatigue. However, Voyager was a fantastic series with some of my favourite ever Trek episodes experienced within the seven seasons.
Paramount Pictures commissioned the series after the cancellation of Star Trek: The Next Generation to run alongside Deep Space Nine in the schedules and launch their new UPN network. Created and developed by Rick Berman, Michael Piller and Jeri Taylor, Voyager uses the template of a Federation crew exploring new worlds and making contact with unknown species, but with a serious goal in place – to return home.
Because in the first episode, The Caretaker, Voyager is enveloped by a powerful energy wave that strands it in the galaxy’s Delta Quadrant, more than 70,000 light-years from Earth. I think this critical narrative drive raises the stakes and sense of jeopardy throughout the series and also gave the writers the opportunity to introduce alien species as recurring characters, namely the Kazon, Vidiians, Hirogen, and Species 8472. Having said that, the main nemesis ultimately ended up being the Borg.
Voyager was the first Star Trek series to feature a female commanding officer, Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), as the lead. Mulgrew is a terrific actor and provided formidable characterisation throughout. Interestingly, Geneviève Bujold, was originally cast as Janeway, but quit a day and a half into shooting the pilot and was replaced. Mulgrew is notably supported in the ensemble cast by Robert Beltrani, Robert Picardo, Tim Russ, and the later introduction of fan favourite, Borg designation ‘Seven-of-Nine’ portrayed by Jeri Ryan. Robert Picardo as the hologram Doctor was also especially entertaining with many fine storylines.
I enjoyed the dynamic set-up of Starfleet officers having to work with rebels such as the Maquis, and that conflict provided much drama, pathos and joy throughout the series as their relationships developed. Further, important new Trek discoveries were introduced during the show such as: holo-emitters (so the doctor leave the ship and participate in more episodes), a tachyon core, trans-warp coil, Astrometrics lab, detailed information on the Borg and Delta Quadrant inhabitants, quantum slipstream drive, nano-viruses and access to the Borg’s Transwarp hub.
So, to end this summary I’d like to pick SEVEN of my favourite episodes – one from each season. They represent some of the best examples of Voyager, an often brilliantly written, well acted, funny and moving science fiction series.
** MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS **
VOYAGER – SEVEN GREAT EPISODES (FROM EACH SEASON)
SEASON 1 – CARETAKER
The opening two hour pilot is a terrific introduction to the players and storylines which will inhabit the next seven seasons. On the hunt for Maquis rebels finds the Voyager crew dragged into the Delta Quadrant, where they lock horns with the omnipotent power that is the ‘Caretaker.’ As well as establishing all the main players from Starfleet, the show successfully welcomes series mainstays Kes and Neelix.
SEASON 2 – TUVIX
What is essentially a version ofThe Fly(1989) in space, Neelix and Tuvok get combined at a molecular level to create a new character called Tuvix (Tom Wright.) What initially seems quite goofy is in fact a heartfelt exploration of morality and ethics. Janeway has an almost impossible decision to make with character actor, Wright, excelling and imposing pathos as the tragic Tuvix.
SEASON 3 – SCORPION – PART 1 and 2
Just when you thought things couldn’t get worse for Voyager they meet a foe even the Borg are fearful of, namely Species 8472. In this brilliant two-parter, Janeway and her intrepid crew find themselves caught in the middle of a war between the Borg and Species 8472. These thrilling episodes also saw the first appearance of ‘7 of 9’ (Jeri Ryan.)
SEASON 4 – YEAR OF HELL – PART 1 and 2
A truly epic two-parter with a story that could easily have made an incredible feature film. The abuse of power via time travel is at the core of the story as Kurtwood Smith’s Annorax obsessively changes his time to his own will as part of the Krenim Imperium. Janeway are enslaved under threat of being wiped from existence but fight back with tremendous resilience as the writing, directing and acting reach a peak for the series as a whole.
SEASON 5 – COURSE: OBLIVION
A direct sequel to Episode 24 from Series 4, Demon, Course: Oblivion is a brave episode for a number of reasons. It has a dreamy, surreal and latterly nightmarish quality to the style and the storyline, notably the ending, is one of the bleakest in Trek history. What is so clever is that as the writing and performances make us care for the characters when they begin to perish, even though we know nothing is what it seems.
SEASON 6 – BARGE OF THE DEAD
‘7 of 9’ (Jeri Ryan) took a lot of the character development plaudits during the last three seasons, but Roxann Dawson as B’Elanna Torres had some terrific episodes too such as this and Lineage in season 7. She is brilliant in this episode as her psyche is breached by a near-death experience and has to confront her family’s past and the heft of Klingon lore and history.
SEASON 7 – BODY AND SOUL
Obviously Star Trek contains episodes that are very serious and dramatic, but it has its fair share of comedic shows too. This re-imagining of gender swap comedy, All of Me (1984), finds ‘7 of 9’ (Jeri Ryan) switching bodies and mind with the Doctor (Robert Picardo) to hilarious effect. Now Picardo has always demonstrated sharp wit throughout Voyager, but Jeri Ryan is particularly impressive as she successfully mimics the Doctor’s mannerisms to hilarious effect, contrasting her usual deadpan and stoic Borg personality.
BFI PLAYER FILM REVIEWS: THE BEASTS (2022) and THE QUIET GIRL (2022)
I watched DUNE: Part II (2024) at the cinema but was not drawn to write a review of that masterly sci-fi-behemoth and technical marvel, such was the life-draining and utterly emotionless lack of reaction on my behalf. Instead, for my latest reviews I have chosen lower budget films, in comparison, which offer compelling characters and drama which made me feel and think something.
THE BEASTS (2022)
Directed by: Rodrigo Sorogoyen
Written by: Isabel Peña and Rodrigo Sorogoyen
Main Cast: Denis Ménochet, Marina Foïs, Luis Zahera, Diego Anido, Marie Colombetc.
Multiple Goya award-winning drama The Beasts (2022) is an intelligent and muscular drama that reminded me of the equally compelling Jean de Florette (1987) and Only the Animals (2019). The latter also starred the sizable talent that is Denis Ménochet. Here he inhabits the character of former teacher, Antoine Denis, who along with his wife, Olga (Marina Foïs) have taken to renovating properties and farming eco-vegetables in the area of Galicia, Spain.
Honest and hardworking the Denis’ are unfortunately considered outsiders and a threat to the locals, notably the brutish Anta brothers, led by the menacing Xan (Luis Zahera). The conflict is exacerbated as Xan blames them for losing his family money when the Denis’ blocked the sale of land to a wind energy company. Luis Zahera provides a formidable performance as the intimidating bully who begins by poisoning their water before moving onto even more vile and threatening acts.
The theme of city academics versus rural folk is explored with intensity, at times evoking Sam Peckinpah’s more exploitational film, Straw Dogs (1971). But rather than containing an explosive and violent ending, The Beasts (2022) delivers a more slow-burn, riveting and moving denouement. Superbly directed, filmed, and acted throughout, this is a fine work of cinema, only let down for me, by a final act which could not deliver on the highline suspense and tension established in the first two.
Mark: 8.5 out of 11
THE QUIET GIRL / An Cailín Ciúin (2022)
Directed by Colm Bairéad
Screenplay by Colm Bairéad – Based on Foster by Claire Keegan
Produced by Cleona Ní Chrualaoí
Main cast: Carrie Crowley, Andrew Bennett, Catherine Clinch, Michael Patric, Kate Nic Chonaonaigh etc.
Not only is this 1980’s set Gaelic drama about a quiet girl, it is very much a quiet film that is quietly devastating in mood and emotion. Centred around nine-year old, Cait (Catherine Clinch), she is a neglected outsider, and one of many siblings to a pregnant-again mother and horrible father. Worried about being able to cope, her mum “fosters” Cait to distant cousins, Eibhlín (Carrie Crowley) and Sean Kinsella while she is in the latter stages of pregnancy. Thus begins a meditative forming of a heartfelt relationship between the girl and the Kinsellas.
Initially the film’s narrative unfolds very slowly, being light on pace and exposition, but deft in mood and feeling. There is a certain poetry in the lighting and framing against the beautiful countryside landscapes. The Kinsellas and Cait, while reserved on the outside, are hiding strong emotions and even more powerful secrets. Colm Bairéad’s confident screenplay slowly reveals certain enigmas, but still plays his story cards close to his chest. Yet, the warmth of the leading characters and the interpretive dramatic subtext expertly pulls you into their lives, rather than distance you from them.
The Quiet Girl (2022) broke box office records for the opening weekend of an Irish-language film and became the highest-grossing Irish-language film of all time. Further, it received 11 nominations at the 18th Irish Film & Television Awards (IFTAs) in March 2022, and won in seven categories. It’s no surprise given the quality of the writing, photography, acting and direction that the film has achieved such accolades. Indeed, Catherine Clinch as Cait is a phenomenon. By the end I defy anyone not to be moved by the heart wrenching final scenes, as the film ultimately proves less is most certainly more.
INFERIS (2024) – A new horror short poster and stills.
After a few years gap I finally managed to get back into the short filmmaking process last year with INFERIS (2024).
I wrote and produced it as a very low-budget psychological horror proof of concept short.
It was filmed at Raindance Film School in August 2023 and post was completed in February 2024.
Here’s the poster:
Here are some stills:
If you haven’t seen it, the trailer is here:
INFERIS (2024) – Production Details
Tagline – “They make you work like hell!”
Logline – Recent prison leaver, Joseph Mann, begins a new job at Inferis Security. Hoping for a fresh start he finds himself drawn toward a mysterious door that leads to god knows where.
Produced by: Tessa Ross, Juliette Howell, Sean Durkin, Angus Lamont, Derrin Schlesinger
Cast: Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, Maura Tierney, Stanley Simons, Holt McCallany and Lily James.
Cinematography: Mátyás Erdély
*** CONTAINS SPOILERS ***
According to research on the internet the biggest killer of men in the UK under fifty-years of age is suicide. Nationally and locally seventy-five percent of those that die by suicide are men, with the highest numbers being forty-five to fifty-four years of age. In the USA, reports show suicide is the second leading cause of death among Americans ages ten to thirty-four, and the fourth leading cause of death in the thirty-five to fifty-four age group. I personally have known two close male friends who have taken their own lives in the last decade.
In addition, mortality rates for professional wrestlers are reportedly up to 2.9 times greater than the rate for men in the wider United States population. Statistics also show that the early deaths of professional wrestlers were significantly higher than that of athletes in other sports. Potentially due to the consistent mental and physical detriment as well as a proclivity toward higher rates of cardiovascular disease, depression and drug addiction. Thus, with this in mind, Sean Durkin’s film,The Iron Claw (2023), a profile of the Von Erich family, while full of exciting wrestling action, is NOT one of those generic feelgood underdog sports dramas. It is however a complex exploration of masculinity, familial pressure, sports politics, suicide, grief, religion, addiction, love, and the resilience of the human spirit.
A prologue establishes Jack “Fritz” Von Erich (Holt McCallany) as an uncompromising professional wrestler in the 1960s with a signature move called the ‘Iron Claw.’ A number of years later Von Erich Snr. is a wrestling promoter who runs successful WCCW events in Texas. His unique selling point for the shows is that he has four sons, Kevin (Zac Efron), Kerry (Jeremy Allen White), David (Harris Dickinson) and Mike (Stanley Simons), who throughout the narrative, all test themselves to the limit in the wrestling ring.
While it is certainly a strong ensemble cast, the main focus of Durkin’s compelling screenplay is Zac Efron’s, Kevin. A strong, fast and muscular athlete in the ring, Kevin, however, is not a confident personality out of it. He, and his brothers, live in the shadow of his domineering father, who controls and dictates to those around him. Jack’s resentment at not winning the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship during his career, and dissatisfaction at the politics of the higher-ups in wrestling, has made him a bitter, angry man. Thus, the theme of toxic masculinity bleeds throughout the story as Jack keeps his sons, and wife (Maura Tierney), under control. Therefore The Iron Claw (2023) is not just a signature wrestling move, but also the means with which the Von Erich family are treated by Jack.
There are moments of glory in the ring for the brothers, notably Kevin, Kerry and David in The Iron Claw (2023). Indeed the wrestling action is often pulsating and Durkin does include several genre-pleasing action montages. But, tragedy is never far away from the Von Erich family. Kevin even tells his wife-to-be, Pam (Lily James) that he believes the family are cursed. She dismisses this, but given what occurs during the film and the heartbreak which befalls the brothers, you begin to think he may be right. As Kevin, Zac Efron gives an incredibly moving performance as the brother seeking love, success and family community. Lastly, I truly disliked Sean Durkin’s last film The Nest (2020), as it said very little about people I did not care about. The Iron Claw (2023), on the other hand, says so much about people I was emotionally rooting for, with Kevin Von Erich in particularly admirable as he showed ultimate fighting spirit by surviving such unforgiving loss.
Produced by Ben LeClair, Nikos Karamigios, Cord Jefferson, Jermaine Johnson, etc.
Main Cast: Jeffrey Wright, Tracee Ellis Ross, John Ortiz, Erika Alexander, Leslie Uggams, Adam Brody, Issa Rae, Sterling K. Brown, etc.
Cinematography by Cristina Dunlap
** MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS **
Cord Jefferson is a writer and director who, at first consideration, was unknown to me. However, a couple of clicks on the mouse and I soon realised he had worked on a couple of TV shows I’d really appreciated. One is the inventive and hilarious comedy The Good Place (2017-2019)and the other the riotous HBO graphic novel adaptation, Watchmen (2019). Jefferson was part of the writing team on both shows which delivered plots and events that consistently twisted and delivered fresh laughs and surreal situations which made you think.
Watchmen (2019) was especially an uber-stylish smorgasbord, splashed with crazy characters, witty hard-boiled dialogue, wild science fiction twists, lashings of violence, pockets of substance, cinematic visuals, high class production values and a cast to die for. For his debut feature, Jefferson has adapted the novel Erasure by Percival Everett into American Fiction(2023). It’s stylistically less chaotic feature film when compared to Watchmen (2019), however, it is intelligent and biting satire combining family drama, meta-literary analysis and social commentary.
The lead character, Thelonious “Monk” Ellison, is portrayed with imperious class by Jeffrey Wright. Now, I believe Cillian Murphy may get many awards (he already has the BAFTA for best actor in a leading role) for his work in Oppenheimer (2023), but Wright’s performance and character work here is beyond brilliant. It is such a nuanced and funny rendition that Wright deserves all the plaudits he could be denied. His Monk Ellison is an intellectual and academic writer whose books unfortunately do not sell very well. His agent, Arthur (John Ortiz) says publishers believe his work is “not black enough.” It’s a shocking statement delivered in understated fashion, to which Monk responds that he does not “recognise race.”
Monk is a writer who is trying to bring thoughtful, however niche, product into a culture which seems to prefer stereotyped visions of black characters, who are either addicts, or criminals or downtrodden, beaten by the police and prejudiced within society. No one is denying that people of colour are certainly prejudiced against and this needs to cease, but American Fiction(2023) seems to highlight that the books it is satirizing are cashing in and monetizing suffering and perpetuating discrimination, exacerbating the situation as opposed to resolving it.
Facing financial issues due to a lack of sales and his mother (Leslie Uggams) needing nursing care due to creeping dementia, Monk writes a parody of urban fiction called, ‘My Pafology’. Initially done as a joke he is horrified when his agent tells him it has become a literary sensation with publishers fighting for the write to release it. Here Wright’s reaction acting is a joy as Monk is caught between needing the money but at the same risking his artistic reputation from creating a “fake” book and authorial alter ego named, Stagg R. Leigh.
Jefferson and Wright combine to delicious effect in satirising intellectual and middle-class people’s reaction to what they consider to be authentic “street” culture. As Monk strives to escape the monster he has created he finds the hole getting bigger and bigger as his novel begins to get interest from Hollywood and esteemed literary awards. Yet, this is not a simple comedy as Jefferson also profiles Monk’s personal, family and romantic struggles making him a true three dimensional character to root and identify with. Wright, as I say is phenomenal but the supporting cast including Issa Rae and Sterling K. Brown stand out too. Brown almost steals a few scenes from Wright. American Fiction(2023) arguably ends with a series of meta-jokes too far, which draw away from Monk’s highly emotional journey, but overall, Jefferson demonstrates he is an original cinematic voice to watch out for in the future.
After a few years gap I finally managed to get back into the short filmmaking process last year with INFERIS (2024). I wrote and produced it as a very low-budget psychological horror proof of concept short. It was filmed at Raindance Film School in August 2023 and post was completed in February 2024.
Here is the trailer:
INFERIS (2024) – Production Details
Tagline – “They make you work like hell!”
Logline – Recent prison leaver, Joseph Mann, begins a new job at Inferis Security. Hoping for a fresh start he finds himself drawn toward a mysterious door that leads to god knows where.
Written by Jonathan Glazer – based on The Zone of Interest by Martin Amis
Produced by James Wilson, Ewa Puszczyńska
Main cast: Christian Friedel, Sandra Hüller, Imogen Kogge, etc.
Cinematography by Łukasz Żal
Sound Designer: Johnnie Burns
Music by Mica Levi
Jonathan Glazer is not the most prolific of directors, so when he releases a film it provides powerful cinematic coffee to wake up the cultural senses. His last film, the mesmeric Under The Skin (2013), is one of the most original of the century for me and once again with, The Zone of Interest (2023), Glazer has determined to take a provocative approach to cinematic form, style and themes.
I usually advise near the top of my reviews that the piece may contain spoilers. However, there is so little plot in The Zone of Interest (2023), that is difficult to give anything away. The depth of the story comes from the intellectual approach to cinematic form and the wartime setting, with a narrative based on Martin Amis’ novel about the Holocaust and specifically, the concentration camp, Auschwitz. But Glazer only hints at such Nazi barbarism as the point of view of the film is presented solely from the commandant Rudolf Hoss’ (Christian Friedel) and his family’s perspective. Glazer and his outstanding production team deny us sight of the death and torture from within the Hoss house and garden.
Glazer and his sound designer, Johnnie Burns, employ powerful aural style to incredible effect as screams, tools smashing, gun shots and shouting pierce the screen throughout. Mica Levi’s minimalist score also punches through to startle too. Further, as the Hoss family, notably his spoilt children and privileged wife (Sandra Huller) go about their everyday business puffs of smoke billow over their garden as they remain unimpacted by what is occurring outside. Glazer also uses negative film processing, gliding tracking shots and metronomic editing from multi-camera set-ups to stylistic devices to break the fourth wall and to reinforce the everyday routine where all is not what it seems.
One may argue Glazer’s film is experimental and anti-narrative. I rarely cared about the Hoss family and not enough of the Auschwitz inmates is seen to raise one’s emotions. Thus, The Zone of Interest (2023) is a cold and intellectual film to absorb. Yet, I would argue that it is not experimental because Glazer is so in control of the filmmaking process. His creative choices and results are delivered in an extremely confident way. Certainly I felt that the film was more anti-drama than anti-narrative or experimental. For those looking for a more conventional addition to the war film genre could be disappointed.
Ultimately, The Zone of Interest (2023) is a horror film with the barbarism hidden. As the murder and genocide are occurring, the Hoss family unit remain unmoved by such atrocities. From a safe distance the audience watch them attend parties, tend their vegetables, feed their children, eat their dinner, play games and sunbathe. Is Glazer asking if we as humanity are complicit in our privileged comfortable homes while horrors go on around us in the world? Is this Nazi version of the Garden of Eden a metaphor for the world as a whole now? Does a lack of action or inaction to known crimes make one complicit? There are no easy answers, but it gets you thinking. Just like this highly intellectual and expertly constructed work of cinema.
The Cinema Fix presents 