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.
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