The Paperboy

The Paperboy (2012)

Directed by Lee Daniels

107 minutes

 Not even Oscar winning Matthew McConaughey and his recently ‘approved’ roles helped The Paperboy (Daniels 2012).If anything it was the ending I enjoyed most. Not because it was ending, but it changed from excessive John Walters aesthetics to realism when convicted killer Hillary Van Wetter (john Cusack), becomes his monstrous identity. Prior to this, The Paperboy is extreme. Like the tagged controversial moment chain -smoking Barbie doll Charlotte Bless (Nicole Kidman), pees on her toyboy Jack Jansen (Zac Efron). He happens to be reading Lolita; she is dressed in Loita-esque glasses. If you didn’t work it out, the reverse is happening. Charlotte is notably older (playing a 40 something) Jack is younger (in his twenties). It’s a shame when a director treats audiences like dupes. At this stage of the film we have already seen cum shots, Ward’s (McConaughey) secret interest for cock (it’s pretty damn obvious), and Charlottes crutch that the pee scene had nowhere to go but be a part of Daniels’s juvenile Zak Synder moment. This makes The Paperboy bad, not like, it’s so stupid it’s good. We can all excuse a good bad film like The Room (Wiseau 2003) or the master, Ed Wood (Plan 9 From Outer Space 1959). 

The Paperboy has a budget much greater than these notorious cult films. Resorting to clichés’ and gratuitousness along with an impeccable casting seems like lazy filmmaking?

The Paperboy has roving camera work and uses a non-linear format, changing from flash- forwards to flashbacks. We meet Anita Chester (Macy Gray) telling her story about the local redneck Sheriff Thurmond (Danny Hanemann) and his murder. Thurmond previously stomped Hillary’s handcuffed cousin to death, and in his own fate, believed to be an act of revenge Hillary is accused of the crime.  Hillary is jailed and awaits excursion.

Anita is connected to the narrative and the film’s final outcome because she knew the victims. In past tense she was a nanny for the Jansen family in the 60s who distribute the local newspaper Miami Times and flippantly say the N word whenever possible. The eldest son Ward is a Journalist, and younger brother Jack a paperboy. The brothers peruse Hillary’s case believing there are some loose facts and want to help spare a life.

We also meet Charlotte who has a fetish for inmates. She’s been writing to Hillary believing he is a gentleman and innocent. Charlotte teams up with the Ward brothers hoping he’ll be released so they can get married. However, Jack falls in love with Charlotte and Charlotte begins to feel the same way. He is both attracted to her sexually and subconscious as a mother figure. After they become intimate and Hillary‘s conviction is thwarted he is released. Although Charlotte is having second thoughts, they still get married as planned, until of course it too late.

Besides a predicable outcome and mis-en scene that screams at you. It was a shame to see such a well acted film go to waste. The Paperboy uses sexism, racism and class during the 60s with stereotypes, plenty of soul music and bouffants. Showing us these cruelties and imagery can be delivered easily enough without too much thought.

 

Only Lovers Left Alive

Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)

Directed by Jim Jarmusch

123 minutes

 It was nice seeing a return from Jim Jarmusch. Watching him alter the popular vampire explosion and make his own statement. Only Lovers Left Alive uses fun gothic font in the opening and closing credits, murky cinematography and an evil doctor (Dr. Watson). Dr. Watson played convincingly by Jeffery Wright is an enjoyable and suspicious character willing to sell blood to vampiric rock musician Adam (Tom Hiddleston). Don’t let this fool you, this not a horror film reliant on blood killings or a parody. It is a refreshing love story whereby Jarmusch uses vampire mythology to transcend his organic commentary. Only Lovers Left Alive call humans “zombies” due to their infectious destruction and what Adam predicts will be the oil wars while vampires are the pacifists. In a touching moment vampire Eve (Tilda Swinton) and her wise blood supplier Marlowe (John Hurt) have a moment together before his human contamination kicks in.

Only Lovers Left Alive is a story about Adam and Eve. After a cute FaceTime moment on Eve’s iPhone (yes there is product placement in a Jarmusch film) via Adam’s vintage Skype hook-up, the two vampires decide to come together. Eve leaves Tangier to be with Adam in Detroit. His place is deliberately away from the rock ‘n’ roll kids and the music industry. Adam’s only human contact is Ian (Anton Yelchin), who brings Adam, requested outdated guitars and a specific wooden bullet. He seems to be an avenue for Adam to vent his disdain for the modern world. But after the surprise visit from Eve’s sister Ava (Mia Wasikowska), an extremely annoying but hilarious teenager rocks up to Adam’s Only Lovers Left Alive formulates drama and Jarmusch’s creativity. Ava spoils the couple’s time together, sleep patterns and is ungrateful. Things get progressively worse after Ava convinces Adam and Eve to go out and hooks up with Ian. After the inevitable blood incident occurs Ava is kicked out and told to go back to LA with the other “zombies”. The lovers continue their journey and path of existence.

Comparatively there are differences in vampires. Ava is more human in a bad sense. She is different to Marlowe Adam and Eve as organic vampires practising their respect for agriculture and living organisms through their mind, body and soul. Ava can tolerate human blood (Marlowe suffers) as a young consumer from LA and naturally wants more. During a beautiful, but separating scene Ava drink’s blood prepared by Adam and Eve, we have already seen Adam and Eve drink blood in a similar hallucinogenic way.  But Ava gulps blood and told to slow down by Eve, as if to say you should enjoy consuming this blood like fine wine.  The scene shows Ava’s bodily expression as she sinks into the sofa enjoying the moment. Costumes also reiterate a separation in ideologies and habitual meaning. Ava’s makeup, dress and white fur coat depicts a down- and- out celebrity in LA. Adam’s all black defines him an underground musician leaving in a non gentrified area of Detroit. While his non- fuss attire separates him from Ava‘s consumer culture.  Eve and Marlowe wears mythical robes that show them as whimsical and historical legends residing in Tangier (founded in early 5^th century BC). Although Eve uses an IPhone which makes her progressive in this regard and survived mentally, her character is active in her love for Adam and the past.

It is through these meanings that Jamusch plays with. Adam and Eve are the ever so cool, angelical lovers in each other’s thoughts. It is their sincerity that keeps them alive and not contaminated by the destructions of modern life.