MA LOUTE (SLACK BAY)
Watchable. Quite similar to "P'tit Quinquin" - set in the North of France, with a cannibal family - but decades earlier. Satire on: obesity, exaltation of the upper class, eating habits, dressing styles, spirituality, pompous army music, inbreeding. Again, in this film by Bruno Dumont, what revolts you at first is the same bizzarre world of the director which swiftly engulfs you in the further part.
A four-day screening of Czech documentaries is starting in Warsaw Muranow cinema tonight and I'm rushing out to the first film shortly.
Friday 31 March 2017
Wednesday 29 March 2017
GHOST IN THE SHELL 3D AT IMAX
Watchable. Very good, especially the graphics, but plot-wise made about 20 years and technology-wise made about 10 years too late. Basically, while the original comic books were created in 1989-1990, all their elements have been thoroughly exploited by the movie industry already. Also, the amount of action quells much of the potential for the psychology of Major's identity. On the plus side it's realistically futuristic: holograms and solidgrams, multi-level elevated roads and flyovers (shot on location in Shanghai) instead of flying cars (like in earlier SF) and replacable mechanic body parts. Scarlett Johansson looks good as a Japanese and moves like a cyborg but is a bit on the fat side. All in all good fun, with decent 3D, to be watched on a big screen, clever even, but game-like. The last scene is before the credits.
GUZAARISH (2010)
Watchable. The title petition is for euthanasia - Bollywood way, although quite westernized. Sanjay Leela Bhansali is not my favourite director - the film is relatively short (for Bollywood) but feels lengthy. The court case is good, with a brilliant "magic trick" the petitioner plays on the prosecutor. The rest is well made but the movie's just too slow for my taste.
LA GRANDE BELLEZZA (THE GREAT BEAUTY) (2013)
Recommended. It's more of a series of loosely connected pictures which are all beauty to behold - by Luca Bigazzi, also responsible for the cinematography of later "La Giovinezza" ("Youth") - accompanied by sublime music of two different yet fitting genres: classical and disco/techno interchangeably. A swimming pool scene, an animal scene and a few nudity scenes resemble the later movie too. While the main protagonist claims to have failed to find great beauty, we see it every minute of the movie: the beauty of architecture, clothing, body, nature, mind, emotions and life itself. There's no void in the lives of the upper class - there's beauty in its pure form.
Watchable. Very good, especially the graphics, but plot-wise made about 20 years and technology-wise made about 10 years too late. Basically, while the original comic books were created in 1989-1990, all their elements have been thoroughly exploited by the movie industry already. Also, the amount of action quells much of the potential for the psychology of Major's identity. On the plus side it's realistically futuristic: holograms and solidgrams, multi-level elevated roads and flyovers (shot on location in Shanghai) instead of flying cars (like in earlier SF) and replacable mechanic body parts. Scarlett Johansson looks good as a Japanese and moves like a cyborg but is a bit on the fat side. All in all good fun, with decent 3D, to be watched on a big screen, clever even, but game-like. The last scene is before the credits.
GUZAARISH (2010)
Watchable. The title petition is for euthanasia - Bollywood way, although quite westernized. Sanjay Leela Bhansali is not my favourite director - the film is relatively short (for Bollywood) but feels lengthy. The court case is good, with a brilliant "magic trick" the petitioner plays on the prosecutor. The rest is well made but the movie's just too slow for my taste.
LA GRANDE BELLEZZA (THE GREAT BEAUTY) (2013)
Recommended. It's more of a series of loosely connected pictures which are all beauty to behold - by Luca Bigazzi, also responsible for the cinematography of later "La Giovinezza" ("Youth") - accompanied by sublime music of two different yet fitting genres: classical and disco/techno interchangeably. A swimming pool scene, an animal scene and a few nudity scenes resemble the later movie too. While the main protagonist claims to have failed to find great beauty, we see it every minute of the movie: the beauty of architecture, clothing, body, nature, mind, emotions and life itself. There's no void in the lives of the upper class - there's beauty in its pure form.
Monday 27 March 2017
MIRRORS
Watchable. A 3-minute doll-like animation accompanying "California". It says that once we stop looking at ourselves we start seeing everything else which is shown straight in your face. Simple and obvious, luckily the 3 minutes are filled with events.
CALIFORNIA
Watchable. Just like I remember being a teenage girl. Very realistic. But also with nothing special to say. It just takes you back to that period of your life.
Watchable. A 3-minute doll-like animation accompanying "California". It says that once we stop looking at ourselves we start seeing everything else which is shown straight in your face. Simple and obvious, luckily the 3 minutes are filled with events.
CALIFORNIA
Watchable. Just like I remember being a teenage girl. Very realistic. But also with nothing special to say. It just takes you back to that period of your life.
Saturday 25 March 2017
POWER RANGERS
Watchable. The film's a bit chaotic, mostly due to specific editing, and I have the impression my review may reflect that. The music's quite good, much better than the rap in the trailer. Elizabeth Banks looks so much better blonde she just shouldn't have been cast as pitch-black-haired Rita Repulsa. The editing is so sharp it's just: shot-cut-shot-cut, unlike in the series where the camera would show a bigger perspective and provide a transition between the shots. Here the whole film looks like chopped with an axe. The movie lacks Japanese-style graphic elements which are present in the series both in the old episodes and in the new ones. Visually the movie consists of a horror-like monster among Transformers-like creatures. More advanced CGIs haven't helped the production. The last scene is during the credits, meaning after the initial ones, later the payroll goes on and on and on with nothing afterwards.
AMOK
Watchable. I don't think it was as famous abroad, including the UK, as the movie implies, as I only heard about it now in Poland. As I didn't know the case, I stayed till the end of this nonsense just to find out whether he was actually a murderer or not. For a crime story it completely lacks suspense. It's also pure chaos, I guess it was meant to be as nonlinear as the title novel but watching a film you cannot mix and match the pieces, you're just left with this mess.
Watchable. The film's a bit chaotic, mostly due to specific editing, and I have the impression my review may reflect that. The music's quite good, much better than the rap in the trailer. Elizabeth Banks looks so much better blonde she just shouldn't have been cast as pitch-black-haired Rita Repulsa. The editing is so sharp it's just: shot-cut-shot-cut, unlike in the series where the camera would show a bigger perspective and provide a transition between the shots. Here the whole film looks like chopped with an axe. The movie lacks Japanese-style graphic elements which are present in the series both in the old episodes and in the new ones. Visually the movie consists of a horror-like monster among Transformers-like creatures. More advanced CGIs haven't helped the production. The last scene is during the credits, meaning after the initial ones, later the payroll goes on and on and on with nothing afterwards.
AMOK
Watchable. I don't think it was as famous abroad, including the UK, as the movie implies, as I only heard about it now in Poland. As I didn't know the case, I stayed till the end of this nonsense just to find out whether he was actually a murderer or not. For a crime story it completely lacks suspense. It's also pure chaos, I guess it was meant to be as nonlinear as the title novel but watching a film you cannot mix and match the pieces, you're just left with this mess.
Friday 24 March 2017
FRANTZ
Watchable. Black and white for the present, brownish hues for the past and full colour for... hopes. A subtle tale about illusions we prefer to live. Well acted, with both languages spoken clearly. You just sit and get engulfed. The ending is very in line with the whole but also feels fake since that unwavering optimism isn't properly justified.
DIE HASCHENSCHULE - JAGD NACH DEM GOLDENEN EI (RABBIT SCHOOL - GUARDIANS OF THE GOLDEN EGG)
Recommended. You thought Easter preparations were hard? All the spring cleaning and Easter baking is nothing in comparison to what Easter bunnies have to endure: tough training on an obstacle course from dawn to after dusk, cold baths and fighting sly, treacherous, ravenous foxes to whom the rabbits smell just too enticing. The rabbitesque dialogues are fun, the animation is delightful and the bunnies cute. I'd love to jump into the Rabbit School myself.
Watchable. Black and white for the present, brownish hues for the past and full colour for... hopes. A subtle tale about illusions we prefer to live. Well acted, with both languages spoken clearly. You just sit and get engulfed. The ending is very in line with the whole but also feels fake since that unwavering optimism isn't properly justified.
DIE HASCHENSCHULE - JAGD NACH DEM GOLDENEN EI (RABBIT SCHOOL - GUARDIANS OF THE GOLDEN EGG)
Recommended. You thought Easter preparations were hard? All the spring cleaning and Easter baking is nothing in comparison to what Easter bunnies have to endure: tough training on an obstacle course from dawn to after dusk, cold baths and fighting sly, treacherous, ravenous foxes to whom the rabbits smell just too enticing. The rabbitesque dialogues are fun, the animation is delightful and the bunnies cute. I'd love to jump into the Rabbit School myself.
Friday 17 March 2017
LA MECANIQUE DE L'OMBRE (THE EAVESDROPPER)
Watchable. The original title is very apt: "The Mechanics of the Shadow". Excellent cinematography and ambient music draw you into a convoluted story and create its framework. The plot is far-fetched but charming.
WSZYSTKO ALBO NIC (ALL OR NOTHING)
Walked out. The jokes are not funny and are sometimes vulgar, the acting's exaggerated and the script so run-of-the-mill the whole thing feels forced. I didn't force myself to stay till the end.
Watchable. The original title is very apt: "The Mechanics of the Shadow". Excellent cinematography and ambient music draw you into a convoluted story and create its framework. The plot is far-fetched but charming.
WSZYSTKO ALBO NIC (ALL OR NOTHING)
Walked out. The jokes are not funny and are sometimes vulgar, the acting's exaggerated and the script so run-of-the-mill the whole thing feels forced. I didn't force myself to stay till the end.
Wednesday 15 March 2017
SAFARI
Watchable. A documentary about Austrians hunting in Namibia which shows the process of making the shopping list i.e. which animals to shoot, actual shooting, taking pictures with the trophies, skinning them and cleaning after the dirty job - by paid Namibians. The title - safari - meaning journey in Swahili appears to emphasize the class division but fails to do so to anyone familiar with the business or world economics. General public found the film horrifying. I wonder if they are vegetarian because much more horrible things take place in slaughterhouses but that stays hidden. While the film is true to what foreign hunting looks like, it fails to show a bigger picture or to give any insight apart from that that hunters are ones who have come to terms with the inevitability of death while most people are scared of the very thought.
T2 TRAINSPOTTING
Recommended. Mind-blowing cinematography - the movie deserves a large screen to do it justice, riveting music, the same world's most likeable junkies, Scottish accent, Edinburgh setting and lots of snippets from part one masterfully inserted into a contemporary story which strongly draws from the past but involves several original scenes as ingenious as in the predecessor. Irvine Welsh supervised the production and you can see his style retained. The same actors who have slipped into their roles after 20 years as smoothly as if they hd never left them. Fans of "Trainspotting" are in for a treat.
Watchable. A documentary about Austrians hunting in Namibia which shows the process of making the shopping list i.e. which animals to shoot, actual shooting, taking pictures with the trophies, skinning them and cleaning after the dirty job - by paid Namibians. The title - safari - meaning journey in Swahili appears to emphasize the class division but fails to do so to anyone familiar with the business or world economics. General public found the film horrifying. I wonder if they are vegetarian because much more horrible things take place in slaughterhouses but that stays hidden. While the film is true to what foreign hunting looks like, it fails to show a bigger picture or to give any insight apart from that that hunters are ones who have come to terms with the inevitability of death while most people are scared of the very thought.
T2 TRAINSPOTTING
Recommended. Mind-blowing cinematography - the movie deserves a large screen to do it justice, riveting music, the same world's most likeable junkies, Scottish accent, Edinburgh setting and lots of snippets from part one masterfully inserted into a contemporary story which strongly draws from the past but involves several original scenes as ingenious as in the predecessor. Irvine Welsh supervised the production and you can see his style retained. The same actors who have slipped into their roles after 20 years as smoothly as if they hd never left them. Fans of "Trainspotting" are in for a treat.
Monday 13 March 2017
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
Watchable. Meticulous CGIs have created a fairy-tale castle and populated it with fabulous living furniture. The teapot speaks with delightful posh British accent (by Emma Thompson). The plot is well-known. What the modern version stresses is that sexism is out. Only, in this musical, music is so run-of-the-mill it detracts from the otherwise beautiful tale.
THE SHACK
Watchable. Octavia Spencer is truly heavenly in her role. Avraham Aviv Alush as Jesus and Sumire Matsubara as Sarayu are also a match for such roles made in heaven. The longest, middle part comes right after a tedious, mundane beginning and creates a bewitching contrast through its rainbowish plentitude of colour and a calm yet strong religious message which lets you come to terms with evil around. The dull beginning and ending can be tiring though.
CAPTAIN FANTASTIC
Recommended. A really smart movie about what knowledge you need in life. Is it a cultural concept? Or is there a repository of basic resources needed for everyone which should be taught in young age?
SIV SOVER VILSE (SIV SLEEPS ASTRAY)
Watchable. A poor version of "Karsten og Petras", with a similar living toys world but with worse actors or story, only defends itself with a little magic in Siv's dreamscape. And why is it being released now? December, with its festivities, was three months ago.
PERSONAL SHOPPER
Watchable. Sometimes-topless Kristen Stewart amidst a pile of rubbish and nonsense. At some point a mystery appears but ends so absurdly it's just better not to start watching. Acted lousily as well and even for those eager to see Kristen Steward half-naked there isn't much to see. Good cinematography and a modern setting ease the guaranteed frustration with the plot.
DALIDA
Recommended. The film starts with mesmerizing music and immediately the star of a past era shines bright anew. Top-notch music fills the movie and the lyrics create the background for a story of loneliness. At the very first scene you realize a tragedy underscores the celebrity's life. The story's familiar to all singletons nowadays when it's also easier for many women to identify with her: extraordinarily talented, hard-working and unable to hold on to a relationship. A perfect moment in social history for the release. The beautiful actress and enchanting music do the rest.
Watchable. Meticulous CGIs have created a fairy-tale castle and populated it with fabulous living furniture. The teapot speaks with delightful posh British accent (by Emma Thompson). The plot is well-known. What the modern version stresses is that sexism is out. Only, in this musical, music is so run-of-the-mill it detracts from the otherwise beautiful tale.
THE SHACK
Watchable. Octavia Spencer is truly heavenly in her role. Avraham Aviv Alush as Jesus and Sumire Matsubara as Sarayu are also a match for such roles made in heaven. The longest, middle part comes right after a tedious, mundane beginning and creates a bewitching contrast through its rainbowish plentitude of colour and a calm yet strong religious message which lets you come to terms with evil around. The dull beginning and ending can be tiring though.
CAPTAIN FANTASTIC
Recommended. A really smart movie about what knowledge you need in life. Is it a cultural concept? Or is there a repository of basic resources needed for everyone which should be taught in young age?
SIV SOVER VILSE (SIV SLEEPS ASTRAY)
Watchable. A poor version of "Karsten og Petras", with a similar living toys world but with worse actors or story, only defends itself with a little magic in Siv's dreamscape. And why is it being released now? December, with its festivities, was three months ago.
PERSONAL SHOPPER
Watchable. Sometimes-topless Kristen Stewart amidst a pile of rubbish and nonsense. At some point a mystery appears but ends so absurdly it's just better not to start watching. Acted lousily as well and even for those eager to see Kristen Steward half-naked there isn't much to see. Good cinematography and a modern setting ease the guaranteed frustration with the plot.
DALIDA
Recommended. The film starts with mesmerizing music and immediately the star of a past era shines bright anew. Top-notch music fills the movie and the lyrics create the background for a story of loneliness. At the very first scene you realize a tragedy underscores the celebrity's life. The story's familiar to all singletons nowadays when it's also easier for many women to identify with her: extraordinarily talented, hard-working and unable to hold on to a relationship. A perfect moment in social history for the release. The beautiful actress and enchanting music do the rest.
Sunday 12 March 2017
KONG: SKULL ISLAND 3D
Watchable. At first I had an impression they went into old style King Kong effects like the ape crashing planes in its giant paws instead of more modern environmentally friendly approach. Well, it's neither. It's more like old-fashioned fight between the good ones and the evil ones and not every monster being one just like not every human is humane. Different decades are differentiated by their music styles. But what I loved most was the number and variety of giant creatures. Very good 3D - a piece of an octopus flew straight in my face. The after-the-credits scene is a must - tongue-in-cheek and setting ground for sequels.
Are we back to the 1980s with space opera and supermonsters being hip again?
Watchable. At first I had an impression they went into old style King Kong effects like the ape crashing planes in its giant paws instead of more modern environmentally friendly approach. Well, it's neither. It's more like old-fashioned fight between the good ones and the evil ones and not every monster being one just like not every human is humane. Different decades are differentiated by their music styles. But what I loved most was the number and variety of giant creatures. Very good 3D - a piece of an octopus flew straight in my face. The after-the-credits scene is a must - tongue-in-cheek and setting ground for sequels.
Are we back to the 1980s with space opera and supermonsters being hip again?
Sunday 5 March 2017
MUNE, LE GARDIEN DE LA LUNE (MUNE: GUARDIAN OF THE MOON)
Watchable. Lovely animation style. I needed time to grasp the story but the one thing I got unmistakably was how it ridiculed sexism. Also on the note, it's the caring Mune that gets the girl's heart at the end. Even fiery characters end up green and floral and the chauvinist discovers his softer side.
Watchable. Lovely animation style. I needed time to grasp the story but the one thing I got unmistakably was how it ridiculed sexism. Also on the note, it's the caring Mune that gets the girl's heart at the end. Even fiery characters end up green and floral and the chauvinist discovers his softer side.
Friday 3 March 2017
GOLD
Recommended. True to the original real-life events and people minus some simplifications like making two original characters into one for the sake of the movie, just like in "War Dogs" a few months ago. Aptly cast with Matthew McConaughey, recognizable from "The Wolf of Wall Street" and even more expressive. The story tells about a fascinating gold bubble and people's hopes taking over caution. Fascinating intrigues are acoompanied by spot on social observations. Who will trick who? Skillfully built suspense and twists of action make for a great night out.
Recommended. True to the original real-life events and people minus some simplifications like making two original characters into one for the sake of the movie, just like in "War Dogs" a few months ago. Aptly cast with Matthew McConaughey, recognizable from "The Wolf of Wall Street" and even more expressive. The story tells about a fascinating gold bubble and people's hopes taking over caution. Fascinating intrigues are acoompanied by spot on social observations. Who will trick who? Skillfully built suspense and twists of action make for a great night out.
Thursday 2 March 2017
WSCIEKLOSC
Watchable. Great cinematography and music. A bit far-fetched, yet involving plot. Weird location - why is he running, for health apparently, along the busiest roads? Funny editing: he gots beaten up and is bleeding and his jacket is covered with dirt ever since, apart from one bit of a road where he's clean again, after the next turn the blood and dirt return. Even the IMDb information is in bad English. Totally amateurish.
LOGAN
Watchable. OMG, what have they done to Charles Xavier, Wolverine and all of X-Men? Is the cross turned to X all there is left?! Too disturbing for a fan. And Alzheimer's?! Hardly heroic. Dafne Keen is superb as Laura and there's a promise for a future series but not of X-Men! A shocking ending of the series. And the storyline, the characters and scenography are annoyingly run-of-the-mill, mostly imitating "Children of Men", where the original movie was poor enough, and totally unlike X-Men. Elements of the world of the future (2029) are few and far between: self-driving trucks appear in one scene. James Mangold should stay away from science-fiction. It's very well acted and the idea behing the story is a huge surprise but it's definitely the worst of the whole saga. No after-the-credits scene - don't waste your time waiting like many of us did.
Watchable. Great cinematography and music. A bit far-fetched, yet involving plot. Weird location - why is he running, for health apparently, along the busiest roads? Funny editing: he gots beaten up and is bleeding and his jacket is covered with dirt ever since, apart from one bit of a road where he's clean again, after the next turn the blood and dirt return. Even the IMDb information is in bad English. Totally amateurish.
LOGAN
Watchable. OMG, what have they done to Charles Xavier, Wolverine and all of X-Men? Is the cross turned to X all there is left?! Too disturbing for a fan. And Alzheimer's?! Hardly heroic. Dafne Keen is superb as Laura and there's a promise for a future series but not of X-Men! A shocking ending of the series. And the storyline, the characters and scenography are annoyingly run-of-the-mill, mostly imitating "Children of Men", where the original movie was poor enough, and totally unlike X-Men. Elements of the world of the future (2029) are few and far between: self-driving trucks appear in one scene. James Mangold should stay away from science-fiction. It's very well acted and the idea behing the story is a huge surprise but it's definitely the worst of the whole saga. No after-the-credits scene - don't waste your time waiting like many of us did.
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