Tuesday 21 April 2015

EX MACHINA

Recommended. Hard SF. A fascinating, if scary, vision of the near future. Very plausible and frightening when you think how easy it is to build somebody's profile through their google search. It reminds me of "Species" somehow - a beautiful, non-human protagonist uses men to her advantage threatening all of humanity.

After the film I visited the top level toilet in Galeria Mokotow, Warsaw. It felt like from the world of the future as well: a shoe-cleaning machine, touchless taps as well as soap, disinfectant and hand cream dispensers, conveniently located hand-dryers.

JOURNEY TO THE WEST

Walked out. You follow a monk who takes each step for five minutes. Literally.

Tuesday 14 April 2015

CHAPPIE

Watchable. As cute as ET. The story with a clearcut military baddie and his adopted family reminds me of ET as well. The main difference is that the film is full of machines and that at ET I had been crying through the whole film. This one is not that sad. The machines and the temporary lack of police resemble "Robocop". On the whole it's an entertaining, if uninnovative, mix of popular SF movies.

CLOUDS OF SILS MARIA

Watchable. Actually not all of it. It's boring, about a washed-out star played by one (Juliette Binoche). Kristen Stewart acts very well. But the true highlight of the film is the view of the clouds forming a snake in the Sils Maria Valley.

VIOLET

Watchable. Shot on 65 mm and digital Alexa, it tries to be original and visually it is to some extent but it's nearly silent, following the external expression of the protagonist's reaction to a tragic event. It's pleasingly quiet and drowsy at the same time.

NIGHT FILM MARATHON - THE NIGHT OF POLISH CINEMA

DISCO POLO

Recommended. A warmingly fairy-tale, full-colour view of the 80s. It all looks more like Wes Anderson's than any Polish film. It's unique here. And makes you love the disco polo genre even if you always despised it. The "Funny Games" references are brilliant too.

ZIARNO PRAWDY

Slept through. I just saw the beginning I had missed the previous time and fell asleep. Was so knackered couldn't help it.

POLSKIE GOWNO

Watchable. It's not a good film. I guess I watched it out of interest in how businesses work. There is one moderately funny situation where a band member drunkenly hires someone who ends up in bed with him after which the band run before dawn.

BOGOWIE (GODS)

Watchable. It's not that funny the second time round but watches smoothly, the action is fast enough.