Paid In Full (1950)
Overblown melodrama fails to elevate dour tragedy as sisters Lizabeth Scott and Diana Lynn, one caring the other selfish, fall for Robert Cummings. Pregnancies, death and fatal sacrifice ensue, none of it remotely convincing, narrative twists only moderately involving.
The Painted Veil (2006)
Evocative visuals conjured in expansive, burnished locations immerse the narrative in a rural 1920s China of revolution and disease. Conflicted Naomi Watts joins principled doctor Ed Norton, changing her perspective. Despite hurried ending, finely honed, effective drama.
Pale Rider (1985)
Told with elegant simplicity and spare physicality, classic Western narrative is elevated with mythic weight, as sharp Clint Eastwood rides down from the mountains to help Carrie Snodgress and locals against brutal mining boss. Evocative drama delivers suitably violent and cathartic resolve.
The Paleface (1948)
After stuttering plot mechanics, comic momentum builds through fearless Jane Russell's manipulation of innocent dentist Bob Hope as they join wagon train and track down gun smugglers. Colorful production, spoofed stereotypes, spirited physical and verbal comedy.
Panic (2000)
Intelligently structured and written, William H Macy is a hitman facing a nervous breakdown who meets insecure Neve Campbell in a psychiatrist's office. Visually unfussy, melancholy and frustration is shot through with humor, and performed by a uniformly fine cast.
Par instinct (Out Of Instinct) (2017)
Brutal tragedy of sex trafficking collides with controlled lawyer Alexandra Lemy's life when she miscarries in Morocco and finds herself in same hospital as pregnant rape victim and refugee Sonja Wanda. Heartfelt performances undermined by ragged narrative.
Parallel (2018)
Hidden walkways lead to a secretive attic with a mirror enables four friends to enter alternate timelines. Despite initial euphoria of gaining wealth, no surprise that convoluted narratives and murder ensues. Sold with style and energy, even if confusion tends to dilute drama.
Parasite (2019)
Wicked humour peppers inventive storytelling with a sleight of hand that keeps events at sharp pace and unexpected twists genuine. Satiric politics of poverty and wealth tend to be more violently blunt as street family undermines the class conscious amid glossy visuals.
The Passage (1979)
Brutal, blunt and slickly produced, James Mason and family are led across the mountains to safety by grizzled Anthony Quinn. Typical heroism replaced with gratuitous violence, personified by sadistic and comically overblown Nazi officer Malcolm McDowell. Scrappy narrative undermines tension.
Le Passé (The Past) (2013)
Intelligently, sensitively told and performed drama of broken feelings and family guilt sees Ali Mosaffa return to finalise divorce with Bérénice Bejo who faces home conflict with daughter Pauline Burlet and new relationship Tahar Rahim. Touching naturalism veers to calculated melodrama.
Passion (2012)
Curiously inert, both stylistically and narratively, with bland characters whose motives and desires the cast can't breathe life into. The political and personal never really jell and not even individual sequences provide dramatic involvement, let alone passion.
The Passionate Friends (1949)
Beautifully crafted tale of love, longing and conformity, narrative design mirrors the fragmentary concern with memories and dreams. Cast and characters are aligned with a technical precision that draws the viewer in and subverts original thoughts.
Passport To Pimlico (1949)
Generously detailed inhabitants of London suburb discover document which excitable Margaret Rutherford reveals is proof area is legal part of Burgundy. Freedom from post-war rationing and bureaucracy provokes British government to implement border, community confusion and strength viewed with gentle irony and affection.
Past Tense (1994)
Familiar tale of corruption and murder tricked out with multiple narrative tricks as reliable as confused hero Scott Glenn's memory. As a result the tension never rises above the tepid and ending is confused. Lara Flynn Boyle is wasted. Color scheme very 90s.
The Patriot (2000)
Blunt historical revisionism features simplistic reading of American heroics as principled Mel Gibson is provoked to take revenge on barbaric British, especially evil Jason Isaacs, to gain independence. Luminous images and impressive scale feature much blood, little empathy.
Peacock (2010)
Dual personality melodrama threatens to evolve into thriller yet resolves with eccentric ambivalence. Styled with attractive visuals and anchored by a convincing Cillian Murphy, uneven tone and fragile supporting characters never quite mesh and leave narrative floundering.
Penguin Bloom (2021)
After an accident in Thailand leaves a bitter, frustrated Naomi Watts paralysed, an injured magpie provokes a psychological healing and brings a fractured family together. Restrained approach and careful visuals are effective, even if the story beats feel predictable.
The People We Hate At The Wedding (2022)
Generous appeal of family leads enlivens humor and drama, even as storytelling flails with both and secondary characters are unconvincing. Allison Janney travels with American children Kristen Bell and Ben Platt to London for wedding of English daughter. Good-looking locations.
Per qualche dollaro in più (For A Few Dollars More) (1965)
Bounty hunter Clint Eastwood's detached charisma vies with cynical, revenge-fuelled Lee Van Cleef in chasing down vicious Gian Maria Volonté. Tense cruelty infuses mesmirizing set pieces in expansive sets and parched landscapes as dynamic bouts of violence are orchestrated with operatic glee.
Per un pugno di dollari (A Fistful Of Dollars) (1964)
Brutally effective, enjoyably overblown, with cunning, ironic Clint Eastwood pitting rival gangs against each other in dusty border town. Distinctive score and visuals savagely aligned to primal gunplay and playful violence, as basic narrative unfolds with a vivid sense of theatre and wicked humour.
Perfect Sense (2011)
As a global virus gradually strips away human senses, scientist Eva Green and cook Ewan McGregor spin through attraction, lust and need. Some provoking ideas and evocative breakdown of society, yet narrative dynamics are flat and emotions never really convince.
The Perfect Woman (1949)
Slight farce that never escapes its theatrical origins or makes much sense, but is told and performed with energy, mixing physical pratfalls and overlapping wordplay. Though the sexual politics are not fully developed, it builds to a suitably frenetic climax.
Persona (1966)
On the surface, an uncomfortable, edgy character study as conflicted nurse Bibi Andersson looks after actress Liv Ullman whose breakdown has made her mute. Beneath the surface, provoking ideas swirl. Powerfully designed, it borders on horror. Not for the faint hearted.
Personal Affair (1953)
A solid cast can't inject a real sense of drama into an initially intriguing setup that loses confidence to follow through with its dark possibilities and resolves with traditional values intact. Ultimately unconvincing and over-talkative, only a few moments persuade.
Personal Shopper (2016)
Intimate, inquisitive drama explores grief, identity and spiritual belief bound within ghost and murder mystery. Alienated Kristen Stewart is fashion buyer and medium, waiting for a sign from twin brother in the afterlife. Serene, enveloping visuals create beguiling atmosphere.
The Philadelphia Experiment (1984)
Enjoyably daffy time travel action as regular sailor Michael Paré is thrown from 1943 into the hands of practical Nancy Allen in the 1980s. Brisk tempo and balanced tone maintain interest, spirited score and bright visuals drive effective narrative drifts.
The Philadelphia Experiment II (1993)
Sporadically engaging, routinely inventive, stoic sailor Brad Johnson is thrown into an alternative timeline where Germany won WW2 and Nazi control stifles society. Budget and narrative strains exhaust attempted adventure and emotional sweep.
Physical Evidence (1989)
Solid creative talent and seasoned cast somehow conjure up bland, inert courtroom thriller, lacking in tension and surprise. Edgy lawyer Theresa Russell represents burnt-out Burt Reynolds as evidence in murder mounts; flat visuals mirror dull exposition.
"Pimpernel" Smith (1941)
Loose, amiable spin on his Pimpernel persona, Leslie Howard as eccentric archaeologist taking students through German digs on eve of war who is secretly helping prisoners escape. Meandering narrative and plain style accentuate laid-back, nimble propaganda.
Pin Up Girl (1944)
Colorfully mounted dance (and roller skate) numbers are paired with tuneful if unremarkable songs as sprightly USO entertainer Betty Grable can't help accepting marriage proposals until she falls for war hero John Harvey. Mildly comic and enjoyably forgettable.
Pineapple Express (2008)
Uncommitted stoner Seth Rogan and genial dealer James Franco are on the run after witnessing gang hit. Breezy laughs, physical and verbal, fit somewhat uneasily with escalating, blunt violence and overblown finale, yet off-kilter buddy relationship and loose staging deliver agreeable distractions.
Pink String And Sealing Wax (1945)
Scraping away surface of middle-class Victorian society to reveal seedy Brighton underworld, manipulative, abused Googie Withers ensnares innocent Gordon Jackson in her murder plan. Detail and conflict maintain interest without being compelling.
Pirates Of Tortuga (1961)
Colorful widescreen visuals and jaunty main theme fail to rouse inert staging of standard adventure as lively Letícia Román stows away on bland Ken Scott's boat, as he sails off to defeat Caribbean pirates. Minor diversions and unconvincing action maintain interest.
A Place Of One's Own (1945)
Delicate, moody ghost story that overcomes James Mason's makeup with a dreamy visual style that gradually draws the audience in and demonstrates its potency with a spooky final twist. It's discussion of class and home provides a compelling background.
Please Stand By (2017)
Consumed fan of Star Trek, autistic Dakota Fanning leaves group home to deliver her script to Paramount Pictures, sparking uneasy sister Alice Eve and generous carer Toni Collette on urgent search. Tenderly played, unsurprisingly structured, movingly concluded.
Point Of No Return (1993)
Polished and strangely anemic, despite propulsive action and violence. Bridget Fonda provides a gutsy presence as the amoral drug addict transformed Pygmalion-like into expert government assassin and refined lady. Predictable, cynical and suitably bleak.
Police (Night Shift) (2020)
Personal experiences for officers Virginie Efira, Omar Sy and Grégory Gadebois inform conflict over escorting asylum seeker Payman Maadi to deportation flight. Initial overlapping flashbacks, and intense mood intrigue without developing beyond emotional and political setup.
Populaire (2012) Framed as a brightly hued romance set against a stylized 1950s, idealistic Déborah François is the provincial girl dreaming of a new future and tutored by damaged Romain Duris in speed typing competitions. An astute blend of engaging comedy, rousing drama and earned emotion.
A Portrait Of Jennie (1948)
Imbued with lush, swooning visuals, a dream-in an overtly sentimental, metaphysical romance that folds through time. Undeniably effective, personal taste defines it as either profound or cloying.
The Predator (2018)
Unwavering scientist Olivia Munn is saved by gritty Boyd Holbrook and band of army misfits when aliens wreck bloody havoc on earth. Gory B-movie narrative driven by wicked ensemble humor and lively action, enjoyably disposable even if suspense and horror is lacking.
Predators (2010)
Terse Adrian Brody and practical Alice Braga are among ragged group of mercenaries and killers unknowingly parachuted to remote jungle planet to be hunted for sport. Initial atmospheric threat and pacy action eventually runs out of steam with undernourished story and characters.
Prince Avalanche (2013)
Low key, affecting character study, as reluctant friendship develops between two roadworkers, disciplined Paul Rudd and impulsive Emile Hirsch, isolated in remnants of forgotten landscapes. Generously told, natural, brittle humor turns to earned feeling.
Prince Of Darkness (1987)
Coolly detached style gradually unpicks nonsense of distilled evil contained in church basement, as priest Donald Pleasence, professor Victor Wong and various students investigate with predictably disastrous results. Unnerving atmosphere builds to striking imagery.
The Producers (1967)
Reveling in its defiant lack of taste, a shaggy, winning string of laugh out loud scenes with its central musical number a cultural and comedic perennial. A sleazy, generous Zero Mostel and needy, emotional Gene Wilder are the desperate duo attempting to make a guaranteed flop.
The Prom (2020)
A captivating musical with heart to spare. Thematically uneven, narratively messy, carried by a parade of genuine performances, catchy songs and energetically choreographed, glossily designed sequences. Its all-inclusive finale can't help but swell up emotions.
The Prophecy (1995)
A good cast can't clarify the mess of ideas or clarify genre confusion as a war between angels threatens the earth. Vicious Christopher Walken consumes souls, playful Viggo Mortensen is the Devil, Virginia Madsen a defiant teacher. Isolated visuals and sequences excite.
Proxima (2019)
Strain on mother and young daughter bond unfolds with quiet intensity as astronaut Eva Green endures prejudice and physical extremes in preparation to leave Zélie Boulant-Lemesle for space launch. Realized with quiet intensity and grounded melodrama, cold visuals maintain involving narrative.
Punchline (1988)
When concentration is on desperate group of aspiring standups with routines that range from acute observation to fumbling satire, drama remains involving and laughs land. Yet despite natural charm of frustrated mom Sally Field and failed medical student Tom Hanks, central storyline lacks impact.
The Puppet Masters (1994)
Familiar tale of alien invasion where creatures latch onto human hosts and take them over. Despite the influential source novel, little feels original and the story is told efficiently rather than dynamically, like the subdued performances. Plenty of gooey FX and gunshots.
Push (2009)
Conceived with kinetic energy and saturated imagery, Hong Kong provides chaotic backdrop for superpowered characters battling controlling agency. Coherence and tension overwhelmed by half-dream, half-assault style of storytelling that isolates good-looking performers with jumble of motives.
Q The Winged Serpent (1982)
A mythical Aztec creature descends on Manhattan to start feeding on its citizens and only jittery piano player / getaway driver Michael Moriarty knows its lair. Blunt, funny and bloody, Larry Cohen's film glories in its eccentricities and energetic cast.
Quick Change (1990)
Spirited performances match story twists as Bill Murray, Geena Davis and Randy Quaid successfully rob New York bank but are unable to escape city. Plain telling allows situations to build comic momentum without personality or style to elevate overall material.
The Quiet Hour (2014)
Insular survival drama with society scavengers in aftermath of ongoing alien invasion. Intense Dakota Blue Richards faces off against human intruders, a slow burn build of violence to a less than cathartic conclusion. Technically pro, but more like a prolonged setup.
A Quiet Place Part II (2021)
Efficient rather than inspired, continuing story of gritty Emily Blunt and her children's survival from alien invasion feels more like a placeholder that neither adds to mythology nor expands on family themes. Technical skill provides periodic jump scares.
Quigley Down Under (1990)
Despite the clumsy title, an expansive, appealing western that sees sharpshooter Tom Selleck and scene-stealing Laura San Giacomo fight back against tyrannical Alan Rickman in the Australian outback. Solidly entertaining, with terrific Basil Poledouris score.
The Quiller Memorandum (1966)
Jaundiced, principled George Segal proves an engaging spy on bleak Berlin streets, sent by superior Alec Guiness to infiltrate icy Max von Sydow's Neo-Nazis. Sparse and studied, ruthless characters deal in cryptic mistrust when even sympathetic Senta Berger subverts expectations.
Qwik (Quick) (2011)
Frantic pace features breathlessly excessive stunts and explosions as delivery biker Lee Min Ki and K-Pop star Kang Ye Won are forced to follow criminal's orders or bombs in helmet will blow. Despite convoluted plotting, strained romance and overripe comedy, action delivers kinetic thrills.