Lennybaby_2000 Reviews

Locke (2013)

Hypnotic

[9/10 · 15 September 2014]

This film is evidence of just how possible it is to tell a story that enthrals to the point of hypnotism, simply by focusing on well drawn human characters, and recognisable dilemmas.

There are no car chases, no explosions, no special effects. But the result is irresistible. This is the tale of a man under mounting pressure which worsens as the night goes on, and his attempt to handle it in an emotionally balanced manner, but that the pressure grows and grows.

An amazingly intelligent, well judged performance from Tom Hardy, and beautifully measured writing and editing. A minor masterpiece, and proof that the British film industry is capable of producing more than the run-of-the-mill "overcoming poverty and despair through something trite" that it is infamous for.

Clive Barker: Raising Hell (2004 Video)

Nothing you haven't heard a hundred times

[5/10 · 12 March 2007]

As is always the case with these documentaries, there is little for those who aren't completely new to the world and works of Clive Barker. It is a very simple and basic featurette with Clive talking about all those things he has spoken about for twenty years now (the creation of Hellraiser on very little money, the disaster of Rawhead Rex etc, the fact that he used to make plays). To illustrate this we have images taken from photo pages of the Douglas Winter biography. Nothing new here for anyone with more than a passing acquaintance with Clive's work. Disappointing. There exists out there reams of footage that the guys that made the Hamster Factor documentary for Terry Gilliam filmed around 1998. I have no doubt that if they were given the finance to put it together into a film that would be well worth waiting for, but I won't be holding my breath while I wait...

Clive Barker's Abarat: The Artist's Passion (2004 Video)

Pretty good, but frustratingly short

[7/10 · 11 March 2007]

As documentaries about Clive Barker go, this is one of the better ones as it isn't a Beginner's Guide to his work. Having said that, nor is it an in-depth look at the man. It is very simply an advert for Abarat, where Clive walks us through his studios, looking at the various paintings he has created for the books. THere will be little new to see there for those who have bought the books (although in the background there are some tantalising glimpses of cool-looking paintings that have not yet been seen anywhere else as yet). And bookending this walk around the paintings are sections where we see Clive at work on the canvases, while he talks us through his love of painting. If only this were an hour long, but it is only about 15 minutes. Could be so good, but unfortunately it is all over before it gets the chance to take us anywhere but the most obvious places, and tell us stuff we already know. Frustrating.