Contributions from Paul Fairclough | Little White Lies

Contributor Paul Fairclough

Three characters in Star Trek uniforms sitting at control panels in the bridge of a starship.

How fandom took Star Trek beyond the final frontier

by Paul Fairclough

When Star Trek final­ly slipped from our screens in 2005, there were some among the 25 mil­lion Trekkers world­wide who refused to let the mat­ter lie.
Chimpanzee with fierce expression, red markings on face, surrounded by greenery.
Review

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

by Paul Fairclough

This lat­est instal­ment in the Apes fran­chise, about the preser­va­tion of human­i­ty, lacks any gen­uine human characters.

4
Anticipation
2
Enjoyment
2
In Retrospect
Man in black standing in heavy rain and forest.
Review

Noah

by Paul Fairclough

Rus­sell Crowe’s surly sur­vival­ist fails to keep this Bib­li­cal block­buster from Dar­ren Aronof­sky afloat.

1
Anticipation
2
Enjoyment
2
In Retrospect
Soldiers in military gear carrying an injured comrade through a wooded, rocky terrain with smoke and debris in the background.
Review

Lone Survivor

by Paul Fairclough

There are nuggets of hon­esty amid the gung-ho jin­go­ism in Peter Berg’s star­ry-eyed war story.

2
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
An elderly man wearing a yellow suit and glasses, sitting with his arms resting on his legs.
Review

The Great Beauty

by Paul Fairclough

Shades of Felli­ni ele­vate Pao­lo Sorrentino’s spir­it­ed, deeply affect­ing drama.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
A woman with long, dark hair and a serious expression looking directly at the camera.
Review

360

by Paul Fairclough

Fer­nan­do Meirelles glo­be­trot­ting ensem­ble dra­ma is a con­trived, bub­ble-wrapped por­trait of the glob­al village.

4
Anticipation
1
Enjoyment
2
In Retrospect
Crowded parliamentary chamber with arguing politicians, gesturing animatedly.
Review

Il Divo

by Paul Fairclough

Visu­al­ly over­whelm­ing and intel­lec­tu­al­ly exhil­a­rat­ing – just don’t expect to under­stand Ital­ian politics.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect