Thursday 27 September 2018

THE PREDATOR IN DOLBY ATMOS

Watchable. Few monsters' roars, plenty of pleasant classical music - by Alan Silvestri. Even shattering glass tinkles. The plot's a far cry from the first "Predator" from 1987. Just like in the "Terminator" franchise at some point the terminators started fighting each other, now so do the predators. They also communicate with humans, own a "dog" and some of the people have Asperger's or Tourette's. There's a good balance of monsters and humans, neither bits are too long. Suitable even for children.

TOUT LE MONDE DEBOUT (ROLLING TO YOU)

Watchable. Awkward rather than funny or touching. It shows the whole array of the blunders healthy people commit with the disabled folk. It also ridicules religious tourism, e.g. "Baby Jesus free with two Marys!". As for the plot, it just keeps you hanging on to see when and how he'll come out to admit he can and has always been able to walk.

KLER (CLERGY)

Recommended. Shattering. Starts with the Biblical quote from Matthew 7:15-22: "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them." The first scene is entertaining: priests are partying and singing with altered lyrics Kazik Staszewski's "Maria ma syna". Further you get a number of subtle one-liners - every line in the movie carries a meaning - with jokes like: "(The head of state) was supposed to be at each whistle." Then director Smarzowski adds weight. Corruption, wealth, pedophilia are tackled. Later the film hits you hard with unspoken suffering. It's not one-sided though - the clergy arranging foreign adoptions or medical treatment in Germany are presented too. In spite of the disclaimer, it's almost documentary. The content was consulted with "Nie lękajcie się" - the foundation for the victims of pedophile priests. The film just reduced me to tears.

Tuesday 25 September 2018

ДОНБАСС (DONBASS)

Watchable. Poverty and lawlessness appear to be more devastating than the war itself. Heavy and lengthy. Shot in and around Krivoy Rog. 

At the 2019 Docs Against Gravity Film Festival, I went to a meeting with Sergei Loznitsa. He said the movie had been shot in Krivoy Rog which is 300 km from the front and very similar to Donbass. Out of 100 actors half were non-professionals, 2000 people worked on it altogether. The lead roles were by professionals. Each movement was meticulously planned and practised. Nothing was left to chance.


Monday 24 September 2018

WAGON VR

Watchable. Black and white and pixelated. Shows the journey of the exiles to Siberia pretty well. The fence at the station looks like a dead end, a man in the carriage is sitting uncomfortably close to you. But the voiceover is slow and ponderous so it feels boring. Luckily it's short.

CRAZY RICH ASIANS

Watchable. A typical Cinderella-kind rom-com. Madonna's hallmark "Material Girl" gets re-made as "Material Girl (200 Du)" by Sally Yeh with Chinese lyrics and American melody line - not a coincidence taken the plot. On a serious note it depicts how riches are built on immigrants' toil and then those immigrants are looked down on. Bullying is the main theme of the film. The real estate magnates' wedding looks fabulous. There's an early mid-credit.


UKRAINA! FILM FESTIVAL is taking place from 25th to 28th October this year. I'm already curious of the program.


ПРИНЦЕССА И ДРАКОН (THE PRINCESS AND THE DRAGON)

Watchable. The tale is very pleasant, nothing hard. Standard animation - sufficient but not elaborated.
A sequel is announced at the end and a cover of Limahl's "Neverending Story" follows. That's the only song in English since the rest of the Russian film, including songs, is dubbed in Polish (in Polish cinemas). The whole thing is really pleasant, warm and effortless.

KAMERDYNER

Watchable. For a bigger part I was wondering what it was about. I roughly grasped the family situation but not the political context. I felt you needed to come out straight from school to be familiar with history. Polish school that is. The movie spans 5 decades and towards the end I got it. It just meant to say the Kashubs were both internally not sure of their national affiliation and externally perceived ambiguously. The film's naturalistic Polish way: whether sex or death it looks graphic and ugly. Sebastian Fabijanski gets aged when he's meant to be 40 but no de-aging is used for the 31 year old when he's supposed to be 18, or even 14 briefly. Marianna Zydek (24), playing Marita, looks the same age all the time. In the film they're said to be both the same age. At least it's very convincingly acted which kept me watching even before I got the idea behind the production.

THE EQUALIZER 2

Watchable. Uneven: decent action bits mix with protracted sentimental ones. Outstanding sound - Dolby Atmos but truly spacious even in ordinary 5.1.

Sunday 23 September 2018

PRZEMIANY FESTIWAL 2018

The festival was on the verge of art and science and included some films, mostly documentaries, among others:

FACEBOOKISTAN

Recommended. Ever had a Facebook account? Everything you did there, everyone you knew and what they did has provided info about you. Even all the people you unfriended and posts you deleted. And all this data is stored indefinitely by the gigantic corporation. All circumstantial data is extracted also from each photograph.

INSTANT DREAMS

Watchable. Fascinating cinematography with an impressive use of colours. Inspiring electro and classical music. Little of a story. Protracted. You learn quirky trivia like: hens don't pee, only poo and spit; some people living in trailers on a desert look like models; a few decades ago Edwin Land predicted taking pictures with your phone.

THE AMINA PROFILE

Recommended. A compelling story of fake identities online and a large scale deceipt. With two big surprises along the way.

A GOOD AMERICAN

Recommended. About outrageous corruption, fraud and lawlessness in the heart of NSA. And about blatant neglection of the duty of protecting US citizens. One of the agents puts his rules of getting things done: if you want something done, do it yourself and don't ask for permission, ask for forgiveness if needed.

ZERO DAYS

Watchable. An engaging investigation and revelation of how cyber wars are already conducted. A computer virus can destroy a nuclear plant. Inspiring but so technical the film didn't fully appeal to me on the emotional level.

Saturday 22 September 2018

LE MONDE EST A TOI (THE WORLD IS YOURS)

Watchable. Clearly a comedy but I barely laughed. Some gags are to the point and funny at the same time, e.g.: "They are immigrants." "But they're sailing from Spain." or "Le Coran" and a granade planted in a little girl's pink Hello Kitty bag. The tongue-in-cheek title reflects the multicultural reality of France and Spain (set partly in Benidorm). But the film is mostly playing with conspiracy theories, immigrants, old good narcogangsters who've become connected with terrorism, overbearing mothers and kidults. Good music, by Omar Souleyman among others, makes it all holiday fun.

Monday 17 September 2018

PEPPERMINT

Watchable. The revenge pretext is standard. The court scene is so frustrating you immediately sympathise with the woman. But it's the "5 years later" vigilantism that makes you Riley North's fan. The very ending (before the credits, there's nothing after) is great and implies a sequel.


CLIMAX

Recommended. Based on true events and directed by scandalist Gaspar Noe. Set in a circle of professional dancers. At first you think the chronology is going to be distorted since the film starts with the ending, including the final credits. But the game with the viewer comprises only the formal aspect. The events are presented chronologically (I think). The dancers' environment is closed, everyone sleeps with everyone, like in a sect. Of course all dance scenes are marvellous. The team are all young, slim, muscled and their movements just blow you away. Their costumes, while all skimp and designed for professional dancing, originate from various styles in effect defying genders and races. There's fantastic techno music aplenty. Yet you know from scene one that someone's going to die. In a spectacularly choreographed way, I daresay. It's all not only amazingly danced and acted but filmed as well. Differing lights and angles, including an upside down sequence, where a dancer appears to be hanging from... the floor, create an unforgettable experience. Just 90 minutes but full on.
IRAN CONFERENCE AT TEATR DRAMATYCZNY SCENA NA WOLI IN WARSAW, POLAND

Watchable. I don't normally review theatre here but this time the performance is in English. The language is spoken with varying accents at different levels of proficiency like in a real conference and with simultaneous translation available for those preferring Polish. The play is basically an in-depth exploration of people's relationship with religion. At the pretext of a country, it tackles the issue of God and spiritualism from several angles. "The love of the beloved" reflects sufism and says how you "no longer fear losing yourself". Other viewpoints sometimes collide: "Only a slave wants freedom" versus "Only slaves have no freedom" - the two seemingly non-exclusive statements contradict each other in the context. Insight into happiness is given in the tale about poor people, even starving, who were inherently happy. An atheist view is presented too, obviously, in the comment on current affairs: non-spiritual Germans invited spiritual Syrians, in turn those spiritual people blow up, stab or run over their hosts. Other than that, people live according to their "wants" - those are universal, common to every person on the planet. And... the right to live has to be extended to animals. While it shows a wide perspective, the topic lacks a cummulative conclusion. Strictly performance-wise I have to conclude it's impeccably acted.


Thursday 13 September 2018

L'ATELIER (THE WORKSHOP)

Watchable. It's best not to read movie synopses. Having read one I expected a love affair between a leftish woman and a rightist lad. Far from that. Nothing much happens. The investigation of the reasons of far right extremism leads to the conclusion it's boredom and emptiness of post-industrial towns. The very ending, i.e. the loud reading of a piece of prose is the only bit I enjoyed since it shows that good writing sticks with your mind, affecting your thoughts.

Tuesday 11 September 2018

A SIMPLE FAVOR

Recommended. The plot's a masterpiece. With so many twists and turns it's hard to believe it is in fact based on actual events. Two smart women and one hot guy form a saucy intellectual duel. Masterfully acted by Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively and Henry Golding. Maintains tension from the start till the end. With great music. I bet the soundtrack will be great even on its own while matching the picture perfectly too.

Monday 10 September 2018

THE WIFE

Recommended. Compelling even though predictable. Subtle and powerful. About man-woman position in marriage (and their mutual impact on each other) and in public life. Distinctly acted by Glenn Close and Jonathan Pryce as the couple and Max Irons as their son.

Saturday 8 September 2018

A SIMPLE FAVOR

I've seen it already and have got a firm opinion which... I can't reveal till midnight on 10th September due to a publication ban.


NIGHT FILM MARATHON - THE NIGHT OF HORRORS

I skipped the scary as hell "Conjuring" and less scary "Conjuring 2" as I had seen both before and saw only:

THE NUN

Watchable. The scares comprise of roaring corpses of nuns. One of James Wan's worse films. Better than "Jigsaw" but far below "Insidious", "Conjuring" or "Saw". He co-scripted it, maybe that's why. The plot is certainly gripping. But those nuns with horse-like teeth - no, no, no.


SANJU

Watchable. About Sanjay Dutt - none of my faves but as a biography it must be honest since it's so unfavourable to the Bollywood star: drugs, sex, alcohol. In fact he's portrayed as an irretrievable drug addict. Still, that's secondary to the main case: his terrorist charges and the verdict the press passed on him, smartly becoming unsuable themselves through putting a question mark at the end of each headline - educative but not a must-see. His private life is more interesing, i.e. his addiction. It's a tragicomedy with the emphasis on the comic part, e.g. "Your son is your father's reincarnation" - on which Sanjay immediately hides his cigarette. The first half of end credits shows Sanjay Dutt himself dancing and lip syncing. It's the only complete song in the film, it's rap and with fat dancers, one even obese.

Thursday 6 September 2018

THE ENDLESS

Recommended. A budget production proving a decent idea will make for a great film even lacking funds. Justin Benson scripted it and, together with Aaron Moorhead, directed, shot and produced a thrilling science fiction flick with lots of underlying psychology. Can be seen as a metaphore of people who try to restart their lives and get stuck in the rut over and over again. The ending is a restart for the two brothers at least. While the whole thing is filled with mystery and suspense, there's even a funny scene when a chap shoots himself and then we hear him swearing because he's alive. "In loving memory of Randalyn Benson" in the end credits reveals the reason for the trope of a mother's grave in the movie. Shot in sun-scorched arid California

DOGMAN

Watchable. Terribly brutal, with a shallow story. Resembling "Gomorrah" (also by Matteo Garrone) but with more plot due to one distinct protagonist. No music score. Castel Volturno (near Naples) with its abandoned construction site looks derelict. It's a dark, grim picture of Italy consumed by crime. None of the men is innocent here. You can look for analogies e.g. the main protagonist trying to please everyone and serving faithfully his cruel masters like a hound and feeling trapped like one of the dogs in cages. But while watching you just see the brutality of the environment and his own gullibility.

THE MEG 3D

Watchable. The plot is total rubbish but, if you want to see all those lucky escapes from the giant shark's maw, 3D is more appealing, even if the CGIs and the 3D are only just sufficient. It's neither "The Shallows" nor "47 Meters Down". "The Meg" is painfully predictable, unbelievably stupid. At least it gives you some adrenaline from the attacks and gore. And the score is nothing close to John William's in "Jaws" - here you get pop songs like "Mickey" by Pim. A nice touch are the final credits which... sink.

DEN UNTROLIGE HISTORIE OM DEN KAEMPESTORE PAERE (GIANT PEAR/THE INCREDIBLE STORY OF THE GIANT PEAR)

Watchable. Graphics-wise this Danish cartoon is very colourful, with protagonists and objects looking like toys but at the same time with little detail. The plot is very pleasant, the dialogues suitable for nursery or primary school age children. But it feels like a series of adventures on a string. The storyline's perfectly cohesive but it fails to create suspense. All in all, very pleasant even if imperfect.

DYWIZJON 303. HISTORIA PRAWDZIWA

Watchable. The Polish story's the same as in British "Hurricane" but less dark. It's brighter both visually and script-wise. With a similar number of jokes but British sarcasm is replaced e.g. with: "You're Polish too? "Да." Polish additions to the story are dogs the Polish pilots kept, archive footage inseted occasionally, writer Arkady Fiedler appearing to talk to the pilots for his book (on which the movie's based) and going to and fro in time. In that way it's worse - more superficial and chaotic in result of the broken up chronology of events. But it contains nothing sad or heavy so it lifts your spirit after seeing the darker and more emotional British version.

GOTTI

Walked out. A standard American flick about the Mob. Overtalked. Doesn't evoke many emotions in spite of good acting and music.

PIN CUSHION

Recommended. A chilling movie about bullying. The victims are two: one innocent, very young and the other - her disabled mother. Both have such low self-esteem they let others walk all over them as they are looking for love in all the wrong places. They both run into imaginary worlds which are enhanced with fairy-tale-like music and colours in the film. But the cushion which the girl covers herself with when tricked into stripping is not the only title cushion. She is a pin cushion herself too. And so is her mom who's bullied even in an assertiveness workshop. They are both pierced by people who know no better than making others miserable. The movie was so heavy everyone remained seated for a while after it ended. 

Monday 3 September 2018

THE HAPPYTIME MURDERS

Watchable. Really good entertainment. The trailer implied something gross and not necessarily funny which was way off the actual movie: a gangster comedy with two of my favourite actresses: Melissa McCarthy and Elizabeth Banks and with breezy music from the 80s. OK, it's the filthy side of muppets. You learn a female muppet is good for sex owing to a truly velvet pussy and several other details you didn't want to know. But the awkwardness provides for a few laughs. Cultural references are of a wide scope, e.g. a debt to the Scientology Church is mentioned, the detective shoots the radio hearing Dionne Warwick and Friends' "That's What Friends Are For" and the most famous "Basic Instinct" scene is recreated and serves solving the crime puzzle. Polish translation is over the top at times - the language is more coarse than the original.