Movie reviews

15. INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL WATCH DOCS (2015)

PROPHET'S PREY

Watchable. While it tells the story of what happened, it doesn't explain how he managed to persuade all those people to give him all their money and their young daughters.

BURDEN OF PEACE

Watchable. Claudia Paz y Paz may look like a housewife but she's been the most effective General Attorney in Guatemalan history fighting corruption and getting drug gangs and war criminals prosecuted. The film lacks shocks or twists and turns. It's a well told story but taken the subject it could have more teeth and suspense.


RAMS

Watchable. A beautiful film about the love of animals and family. Sadly Iceland doesn't look as beautiful here as it does in real life.


15. INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL WATCH DOCS (2015)

AILEEN WUORNOS. THE SELLING OF A SERIAL KILLER

Watchable. Nick Broomfield at his usual mediocre. The hot subject deserves better. Still, it brings you face to face with the insane serial killer or maybe a serial rape attempts survivor (?) as the director managed to get her speak to the camera.


EXCENTRYCY, CZYLI PO SLONECZNEJ STRONIE ULICY

Walked out. Too fake. Everything seems forced. The protagonist's love interest is the worst actor/actress of the film - just totally implausible and theatrical.


15. INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL WATCH DOCS (2015)

ATTACKING THE DEVIL

Watchable. It chronicles the struggle for compensation for thalidomide victims, highlighting how a stubborn journalist made it happen. Lacks suspense though.

JUVENILE LIAISON I

Watchable. Britain of the 70s is what all of Europe should be now - discipline in upbringing. Sadly it just follows one case after another without delving any deeper into short- and long-term effects.


LAAGA CHUNARI MEIN DAAG

Recommended. A beautiful, modern-world story about love and family. Moving at times, well-paced.

DEMAIN (TOMORROW)

Recommended. It tackles all future issues: food (growing edible plants in urban gardens), (green) energy, economy (zero growth), politics (power back to the people through power-sharing or drawing representatives at random rather than electing), education (hands-on, discovery approach). It says a disastrous future with scarce food, water and energy supplies is coming in 30-40 years but there's a way round it too. Even if the temperature is rising faster than ever before, we can survive changing the world as we know it.

CREED

Watchable. More interaction than action which means even a woman can stand a film about boxing. It's moving, a bit funny at times (Sylvester Stallone as old Rocky Balboa trains a rookie) but a little too long and that cancer is needless.

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS 3D

Watchable. I loved the return of the original trilogy characters and the slower version of "Imperial March" over Darth Vader's remnants but why does Snoke look like Lord Voldemort?! An interesting take on "I'm your father" and the slow version of "Emperor's March". Rather poor 3D - not entirely bad but I expected more off such a blockbuster.

THE PEANUTS MOVIE

Watchable. Cute, endearing story, decent 3D but too many stories in one film which makes it too long as well.

MOJE CORKI KROWY (MY SISTER)

Recommended. Mostly sad due to the hospital subject but showing such realistically absurd people's reactions that you can't help but burst out laughing.

JOY

Watchable. Best to skip the first 45 minutes about nothing. But after that silly prelude it becomes a truly involving drama of fighting for one's business, freedom of choice and law.

THE HATEFUL EIGHT

Recommended. Tarantino is like wine - better and better from one movie to the next. I worried how I would stand 3 hours at the cinema but there was no dispensable second in the film and suspense was, slowly, minute but minute, growing. From the characteristic music and picture at the interlude up to the final brutality beating recent "Sicario" the script, acting, picture and sound have been masterfully put together.