It’s been six years since indie darling Alex Ross Perry whet his band-movie palette with the odious ace Her Smell. Ever since, the writer/director/producer has kept almost exclusively to directing music videos. Or so it seemed. As it turns out, Perry has been hard at work on a sprawling, singular band-movie project – a major stylistic departure and a magnum opus to date for the once-post-mumblecore filmmaker – Pavements.
For those that don’t know going in (like me), Pavement – or “The Slacker Rolling Stones of the 90s” as a talking head describes them – are one of the great disrupters of rock music history, which is funny when you look at a picture of them and even funnier when you hear them talk. The scene-shattering, genre-forming band that held indie rock court from 1989 – 1999 (with subsequent reunions in the 21st century) couldn’t seem less revolutionary.
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Equal parts Pavement band history, 2022 reunion rehearsal, career museum exhibit, ironic stage musical, 9‑figure biopic and behind-the-scenes mockumentary, Pavements is, above all, a trailblazing docufiction without borders. But what’s real and what isn’t?
The archival footage and the 2022 reunion tour? Real. The big-budget biopic? Fake. The exhibit? Real – well, sort of. The jukebox musical in New York City? Real-fake (they did rehearse and have two workshops, but it was never going to run like the movie suggests). The mockumentary? Real…in that it is fake. This movie? We’ll see. There’s no guarantee that whatever we watched/participated in at Venice isn’t simply the next pseudo-piece of the meta-pie. It wouldn’t be the first fake movie première of the project.
The constant blurring of the lines makes for a fascinating, often hilarious, watch. The idea that something absurd might be real – say, like, an actor developing vocal fry to play frontman Stephen Malkmus in the fake movie only to not be able to shake it and regret taking the role altogether – is comical. But the idea that they wrote this ridiculous thing about themselves (Malkmus is credited for the screenplay alongside Perry) is hysterical, like the numerous direct comparisons to The Beatles, given there is no band less like The Beatles than Pavement.
This is the latest collaboration between Perry and real-life wizard Robert Greene (Kate Plays Christine, Bisbee ‘17), who’s made an industry name for himself writing, directing, producing, and editing genre-bending blends of documentary and fiction, making him the perfect editor/producer to understand, clarify and build upon Perry’s ambitious vision to chronicle the band.
Joe Keery, Nat Wolff, Fred Hechinger, Tim Heidecker and Jason Schwartzman take roles in the faux-film, with Keery and Schwartzman proving particularly memorable. The former plays himself as a ditsy, overcommitted method actor sinking into the role of Malkmus for the upcoming biopic Range Life. Fake articles trumpet the anticipated grandeur of the “Paragon Vantage”-produced project and its enormous budget. Schwartzman, on the other hand, is primarily seen in the Range Life dailies as the band’s scrappy manager, delivering over-heartening one-liners while For Your Consideration watermarks on and off screen over swelling music and his hokiest, most emphatic moments.
To watch Pavements is to laugh with Pavement (all of whom were roaring during the première), to feel in on the joke, and nearly a part of the band. In that sense, it captures the artistry, ingenuity and humor of its subject better than an encyclopedic history ever could – a music doc for whom success, in the spirit of Pavement, looks very different.
Judge Dredd is a British science fiction comic book character, created by writer John Wagner and artist Carlos Ezquerra, first appearing in the second issue of 2000 AD in 1977. Dredd became a comic legend as the judge, jury, and executioner in the dystopian, post-apocalyptic metropolis of Mega-City One, in his relentless pursuit of maintaining the law, whatever the cost.
Following Hollywood’s rediscovered love of comic book IP that dated back to Richard Donner’s Superman: The Movie (1978) and rejuvenated with the blockbusting Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992), studios were digging deeper for more source material which would hopefully lead to a big-bucks-franchise; including Darkman, Dick Tracy, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (all 1990), The Rocketeer (1991) and The Crow (1994). The big screen debut of Judge Joseph Dredd seemed inevitable.
Cinema Scholars takes you on a deep dive into the 30-year-old film that mixed action, sci-fi, and dark humor, which was criticized for its uneven tone and deviation from the source material. And despite impressive visuals and a notable cast, Judge Dredd received mixed-to-negative reviews but has gained a cult following over time.
Sylvester Stallone stars in “Judge Dredd” (1995). Photo courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures.
Synopsis
Judge Dredd is set in the dystopian future (is there any other type of future, Hollywood?) of the 22nd century. Much of Earth has become a wasteland known as the Cursed Earth. Humanity is concentrated in massive cities called ‘Mega-Cities’. Mega-City One, stretching across the eastern U.S., is plagued by chaos, overpopulation, and crime. To maintain order, an elite law enforcement group known as the Judges serves as judge, jury, and executioner.
One of the most feared and respected Judges is Judge Dredd (Sly), known for his unwavering dedication to the law and brutal efficiency. However, his life is turned upside down when he is falsely accused of murder — a crime seemingly proven by DNA evidence.
Dredd is framed by Rico (Armand Assante), a former Judge who has escaped prison. Rico is Dredd’s genetically identical “brother”, created from the same DNA in a secret project to engineer the perfect Judge. While Dredd rigidly upheld the law, Rico embraced chaos and violence.
Stripped of his badge and sentenced to prison, Dredd escapes with the help of a talkative hacker named Fergie (Rob Schneider). He sets out to clear his name and stop Rico, who is plotting to overthrow the government and create an army of cloned Judges to rule Mega-City One.
In the end, Dredd defeats Rico and uncovers the conspiracy involving the Janus Project, which aimed to create a genetically superior breed of Judges. He restores order to the city and declines a promotion to Chief Justice, choosing instead to return to the streets as a working Judge.
Pre-Production
Armed with a budget of $80 million ($200 million today after inflation), producer Beau Marks and Cinergi Pictures (with backing coming from Disney subsidiary Hollywood Pictures, and distribution by Buena Vista) chose to shoot entirely in the UK, drawn to the country’s “phenomenal” crew talent. Offers were made to Richard Donner and Renny Harlin to direct, but they were declined. Subsequently, Danny Cannon was selected as director. He quickly assembled an ambitious team of young creatives to give the film fresh energy. Effects supervisor Joss Williams added:
“Beau and Danny wanted professionalism. Yet they also wanted a young crew, young blood, fresh ideas and a lot of confidence”
Cannon insisted that as much was done in-camera and/or using practical methods, including the 11-foot-tall, limb-tearing ABC Warrior robot being built as a real animatronic—a decision that paid off. The miniatures for Mega-City One were particularly impressive—some reaching 14 ft tall, giving a palpable sense of scale.
Sylvester Stallone
Cannon nearly cast Arnold Schwarzenegger before settling on Stallone. Stallone, unfamiliar with the source material, demanded that his character remove the iconic helmet early on.
“Nobody was going to pay to see Sly Stallone hide behind a visor for 90 minutes.”
-Ed Power, The Telegraph
Rob Schneider and Sylvester Stallone star in “Judge Dredd” (1995). Photo courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures.
Accordingly, Judge Dredd opens with a helmet-off scene 20 minutes in. An early franchise divergence that outraged purists. Fans made the case that the mask equaled anonymity, while the eyes were the window to the soul; however, as they were blacked out, Dredd was able to remain a remorseless law enforcer. Not so in Hollywood.
When it came to full costume, Stallone also had some other ideas. After some early tests, the actor called on the services of his friend, one Gianni Versace, to design a new version of the uniform. In the era of over-the-top 90s costume flair, some bizarre early sketches included an armored codpiece, thankfully scrapped, to the relief of costume designer Emma Porteous.
Co-stars like Diane Lane (Unfaithful), as Judge Hershey, were also caught in the theatrical controversies. When the script called for full nudity, Lane balked:
“I had this phobia that they were going to get my [bum] onscreen at the same time as Sylvester Stallone’s…I’m like Judge Bone and he’s got these cinderblocks for glutes. I cannot be on camera the same time as him”
Filming and Release
Filming took place at Shepperton Studios and UK locales like Bankside Power Station and Kew Gardens. But red tape and bureaucracy weren’t making it any easier. Nonetheless, the seasoned British crew kept the shoot on budget, on schedule, and looking great. Upon release, Judge Dredd was not all doom and gloom. As noted by Empire in their review:
“…it’s the production design and special effects that engage…”
When all was said and done, the film’s production value and the attention to detail in bringing Mega City One to life earned praise across the board. However, critical reception was mixed. Many felt the tone was uneven. Caught between the dark dystopia and action-packed comedy. Cannon’s violent vision, in keeping with the tone of the source, had to be toned down significantly.
Sylvester Stallone and Armand Assante star in “Judge Dredd” (1995). Photo courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures.
A cut of the film was submitted for rating five times, receiving NC-17 each time. Stallone stepped in (again) and recut the film himself, with studio input. Sly felt partly responsible for the original high rating as he “brought too much baggage” with years of over-the-top violence from the Rambo series. Therefore, his cut upped the buddy comedy.
It can be argued that Stallone was influenced by his positive working experience making Demolition Man (1993). So, as a result, the actor was aiming for some of the same lightheartedness (and more Schneider).
Ultimately, Cannon stated he’d never work with another big-name star again. Subsequently, he’s had a successful television career. Stallone, on the other hand, called the film his biggest mistake. The original creator, Carlos Ezquerra, also voiced his disappointment with how the film had no real links with his creation and told the wrong story.
Box Office and Legacy
At the box office, it was another comic book hero who dominated with Batman Forever, along with the real-life heroes of Apollo 13 dominating the domestic and global markets. Judge Dredd ended its worldwide run, grossing $113 million. Ironically, this would be more than the 2012 version, titled Dredd, and starring Karl Urban. That film only grossed $42 million globally.
In hindsight, Sly wanted to make a Stallone Movie, while the director wanted to make a Judge Dredd Film. Unfortunately, Mega City One was not big enough for both of them. The film remains an audacious gamble on practical effects, ambitious creature design, and bold costume styling. It blended youthful ingenuity and rock-solid craftsmanship, but sometimes veered off course into Hollywood compromises at odds with its source.
Despite its flaws, the sheer scale, miniature cities, animatronics, and the wildly ambitious stunts still resonate with FX enthusiasts and fans today. Whether you regard it as a misfire or a visual marvel, the 1995 take on Mega-City One left an undeniable mark. Its production may have been tumultuous, but it remains a testament to creativity, craftsmanship, and that mythic ‘90s blockbuster scale. Is it flawed, fascinating, and utterly unforgettable? You be the judge.
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For all of the luxury it displays, the vitality in I Am Love comes from a more egalitarian source. Director Luca Guadagnino sets up a milieu where the ceilings are high and the catering costs are higher, where soup is served from silver tureens and the men are dressed by Fendi. Then, he spins the meaning of these aesthetic choices as the force of desire prompts his leading lady to take flight from it all.
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Having developed the film with Guadagnino for 11 years, Tilda Swinton gives herself over to a sexual awakening that leaves her character, Emma, permanently unbuttoned from the costume of a previously well-worn life. Her erotic transformation takes place in a rural setting, amidst rolling hills, miles (literally and spiritually) from the lonely, opulent rooms that she usually occupies as a Recchio woman.
Emma is a Russian émigré who long ago sublimated her origins (and name) by marrying into an aristocratic Milanese family. As a wife and mother of three, Emma glides through her social and household responsibilities. She is a warm, self-possessed presence saying little during the dinners that mark one occasion after another. Visually she looks the part (dressed in Jil Sander by costume designer Antonella Cannarozzi) as she silently basks in her chief pleasure: food.
Yorick Le Saux’s golden-hued cinematography cleaves to the sensual digressions happening in plain sight even if they go unnoticed by a family preoccupied by its matters of the day. At a lunch with her glamorous mother-in-law, Allegra (Marisa Berenson), the conversation turns to whether Emma’s son Edo will marry his girlfriend. Both Emma and the camera are overcome by the indecent pinkness of a plump prawn that has just been delivered to the table. Le Saux’s close-up on Emma as she eats is intimacy incarnate.This dish has been cooked by Antonio (Edoardo Gabbriellini), a friend of Edo’s. The two young men plan to open a restaurant together in San Remo on the Italian Riviera.
From the moment that Emma sees Antonio – prepping tiny perfect morsels clad in chef’s whites – something within is shocked to life. Swinton performs a woman ground to a halt by a causal everyday encounter. Seconds later, Edo is there, missing the significance, missing the rupture, because his mother is a contained person whose interior revelations do not scan in an environment built for big statements.
Emma visits San Remo, full of unformed hopes, and ends up shoplifting a book called Atelier Simultane about another Russian émigré to France, the artist Sonia Delauney. This book, with its colour-splashed cover, is a talisman for all that she is about to experience. Cannarozzi’s costumes veer into a new palette, as oranges and reds clothe Emma’s lower half. Undressing is established as a motif.
Firstly, the camera spies on Antonio peeling off jeans in a hidden corner of a garden. Later, he disrobes Emma, tenderly undoing and setting aside jewellery before moving onto items of clothing. She will never dress the same way again and when they make love outside witnessed by flowers and insects, the only costuming is nature’s finery.
To find out more about Disaronno’s 500-year anniversary* celebrations, visit disaronno.com
Interview with Sven Bresser about his first feature Reedland. An intriguing debut that premiered in Semaine de la Critique at Cannes. #Cannes2025 #FilmTwitter
There are many criticisms that could be rightfully levelled at James Gunn: that his humour is puerile; that his aesthetic is chaotic; and that he was a disaster on Twitter. But watching his new era of Superman come to the screen, it’s clear the man does know how to have fun.
Rather than a dour, trauma-based origin story, his Superman kicks off with the Man of Steel (played by David Corenswet) already an established figure, known and loved across the globe as one of many “meta-humans” who populate this reality. His alter ego, Clark Kent, is scoring front pages at The Daily Planet, and he’s three months into a steamy romance with Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan).
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But all is not well in the Kryptonian household, as Superman has just suffered his first defeat, thanks to the Lex Luthor (an almost-impressively awful Nicholas Hoult) led clan. He’s also in geopolitical hot water, having prevented Boravia from invading its neighbouring country, Jarhanpur, despite Boravia technically being a US ally. Corenswet is a more charismatic on-screen presence than predecessors Henry Cavill and Brandon Routh, and as such does better with the quippier dialogue than when being asked to deliver bilge about what it means to be human.
Because just as this poptastic, colour-saturated, zinger- and needle drop-filled movie seeks to distinguish itself from the sepia-toned sociopathy of Zack Snyder’s reign, this Superman also distinguishes itself by fucking hating America.
While Lois remarks that Superman sees the best in every person he meets, the film itself is spilling over with misanthropy. Gunn, evidently not having fully worked through his brief social media cancellation and subsequent firing and rehiring by Disney, fills the screen with corrupt politicians and journalists, internet trolls, his fellow superheroes are corporate sell outs and even the comic’s sweet Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo) is kind of a douche.
Aside from Lois and Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), women are selfie-obsessed bimbos, idly gossiping or cast into hellish incarceration for the sin of being mean about men online. But most uncomfortable of all is the conflict between Boravia and Jarhanpur, where sweet brown children beg Superman to save them as soldiers prepare to gun them down. The official line is that this was all conceived of long ago, but needless to say, given the ongoing genocide in Palestine, it feels in woefully poor taste.
While looking for nuance in Gunn’s insights into the state of the world at large is like asking a horse for directions, and unsurprisingly the silliest aspects of the film are its best. Robots having existential crises; a mischievous super-powered puppy; Nathan Fillion with a blonde bowl cut; and the film’s MVP, Edi Gathegi, as the perma non-plussed Mr Terrific.
A spiralling massacre taking place while Noah and the Whale’s Five Years Time drops feels like a retread to the Rocket Raccoon and Groot fight in Guardians, but to Gunn’s credit, sticking to what he’s good at is far more amusing than the inevitable CGI smash-fest these films are contractually obliged to descend into.
There’s promise here. A broader cinematic universe that feels cohesive, filled with amusing cameos and, for the first time in years, a DCU that feels like it has a faint pulse are all very welcome. But whenever the film strains to address Big Ideas, it’s painful. Gunn may be keen to move out of Snyder’s shadow and the fascistic embodiment of American exceptionalism behind, but if this is the alternative, it might be time to look for salvation elsewhere.
