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Jun. 1st, 2010
Films I liked: Heartless
Jun. 1st, 2010 06:11 pmSynopsis: this is an urban horror film about a young East-ender Jamie Morgan (played by Jim Sturgess) with a big port-wine stain birthmark on the left side of his face, who lives with his mother in a flat in one of the council buildings in London. Jamie's life is no bed of roses, he is constantly taunted and laughed at. One day, when he comes home from the studio he works in (he is a photographer), he witnesses a horrible murder: a man is burned alive by strange half-human/half demon creatures. When his mother is burned alive by the same gang, he makes a pact with a strange man who might (and might not) be the Devil (played wonderfully creepily by Joseph Mawle).
This film is written and directed by Philip Ridley, London-born artist, photographer, writer and director. This is his first film after 15 years, and although I loved the film, it didn't quite feel as 100% finished article, there were some moments when the stitching was visible, so to speak. Nonetheless, this was also a film that has made a huge impression on me, so hopefully Philip Ridley will continue making movies.
It is hard to discuss the story without spoiling it. However, I must point to some remote resemblance to "Matrix" and less remote resemblance to "Angel Heart". But there was certainly originality on the way the ideas were applied to the present-day London life. I would love to discuss the story more because as with any good story, although I have made an explanation of the events in my mind, I am sure other possible explanations exist.
The film definitely feels as something created by a photographer, there is much reliance on the visual row in the storytelling and the conveying of the atmosphere. Many shots are cruel eye-openers: this is the country I live in, some of these streets are just next door to where my home is, but have I ever seen them in this way? But at the same time, there is beauty in ugliness and beauty in chaos to be found if you look the right way.
( Some of the promotional pictures from jimsturgessonline that convey the beauty of the film quite accurately: )
This film is written and directed by Philip Ridley, London-born artist, photographer, writer and director. This is his first film after 15 years, and although I loved the film, it didn't quite feel as 100% finished article, there were some moments when the stitching was visible, so to speak. Nonetheless, this was also a film that has made a huge impression on me, so hopefully Philip Ridley will continue making movies.
It is hard to discuss the story without spoiling it. However, I must point to some remote resemblance to "Matrix" and less remote resemblance to "Angel Heart". But there was certainly originality on the way the ideas were applied to the present-day London life. I would love to discuss the story more because as with any good story, although I have made an explanation of the events in my mind, I am sure other possible explanations exist.
The film definitely feels as something created by a photographer, there is much reliance on the visual row in the storytelling and the conveying of the atmosphere. Many shots are cruel eye-openers: this is the country I live in, some of these streets are just next door to where my home is, but have I ever seen them in this way? But at the same time, there is beauty in ugliness and beauty in chaos to be found if you look the right way.
( Some of the promotional pictures from jimsturgessonline that convey the beauty of the film quite accurately: )