ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL AT IMAX 3D
Recommended. Wow! The excerpts I saw last year didn't do it justice. The movie's amazing. Not just for Alita's incredible eyes, with pupils widening and narrowing like human. The story's riveting: dynamic, transhumanist, futurist, with brilliant combat sequences. Got my palms sweaty at the climb attempt and made me emotional more than once. My only disappointment was the finale - glamorous but finishing the film abruptly which forces you to wait for the second instalment.
Thursday 31 January 2019
Wednesday 30 January 2019
HEAVY TRIP (HEVI REISSU)
Recommended. Light humour and heavy metal mix surprisingly well in the first half and then it all goes berserk. I joined the audience in the loud outbursts of laughter e.g. when a guy got attacked by a wolverine, when the police got the wrong guys and when they got the right ones. Set in Northern Finland so reindeer abound and the local climate is quite specific. Small town atmosphere lets present a motley crew of eccentric individuals. I'm not a metal fan on a daily basis but the movie soundtrack is quite catchy. In the final scene you learn you're going to hear about the band again. I do hope for a sequel.
Recommended. Light humour and heavy metal mix surprisingly well in the first half and then it all goes berserk. I joined the audience in the loud outbursts of laughter e.g. when a guy got attacked by a wolverine, when the police got the wrong guys and when they got the right ones. Set in Northern Finland so reindeer abound and the local climate is quite specific. Small town atmosphere lets present a motley crew of eccentric individuals. I'm not a metal fan on a daily basis but the movie soundtrack is quite catchy. In the final scene you learn you're going to hear about the band again. I do hope for a sequel.
PLANETA SINGLI 3 (PLANET SINGLE 3)
Watchable. A well structured and genuinely funny comedy. I was laughing my head off e.g. when a son was leaving after an arguement with his father and the father shouted after him: "Robisz błąd." ("You're making a mistake") and explained: "Samochód jest w tamtym kierunku." ("The car is in that direction.") or when a guy attempted to knock down a horse. Another chap is talking to a tree addressing it as: "Wasza Liściastość" ("Your Leafness"). Even the cult term of "my precious" is used - a delightful gimmick. However a protagonist's terminal illness detracts from the fun - it was supposed to be a comedy and the subplot leads to nowhere anyway. The scriptwriters could have found a funnier trick to postpone the wedding. Another annoying run-of-the-mill trope is the father returning to the family after decades of exotic adventures of different sorts. At least, unlike many romantic comedies where women typically forgive their unfaithful partners, here the woman's unforgiving. The biggest merit of the whole series is the equal position of women in the three pictures.
The series is over though. The producer, Radosław Drabik, is thinking of new genres (with new scriptwriters), produced in English for the world market, including a thriller and a horror. I hope the first will have a complex plot and the latter will build up tension before scaring.
MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS
Watchable. A fictionalised true story of two headstrong queens played like muppets by surrounding them men who sought power. Like the title suggests, mostly about Mary whose "gifts of beauty and bravery" caused Elizabeth's envy but those same gifts brought her downfall. Requires sound knowledge of that period in British history, otherwise it's hard to comprehend at first. Scott Jack Lowden, looking hot in the role, acts as English lord Henry Darnley. Irish American Saoirse Ronan adopts half-Scottish accent as the French-born queen of Scotland. I love Margot Robbie both for her beauty and her acting skills but here she's made to look ugly and with little to act. She's got a prosthetic nose hump and face blemished by pox which is true to history but the bright red hair and theatrical make-up render her a mockery of Elizabeth I. I do hope the Oscar nominations are only nominal. Neither the costumes nor the make-up and hairstyling deserve any award.
JOURNAL 64
Recommended. Inspectors Carl Mørck and Assad, known from e.g. from "Flaskepost fra P" ("Department Q: A Conspiracy of Faith"), back in action. A gruesome murder, lots of disturbing violence against women, racism, psychopathic medics and corruption altogether form a shocking thriller. Inspired by a real policy effected in Denmark for a few decades in the first half of the 20th century, times of the pervasive in Europe idea of social engineering. Unspeakable evil originated from an ethical conviction that the greater good can be achieved by force and belief in one's own moral superiority. So valid nowadays.
It gave me an awful nightmare afterwards. I dreamed of being held captive and threatened with death a few times daily - different from the movie plot but the impact is clear.
Watchable. A well structured and genuinely funny comedy. I was laughing my head off e.g. when a son was leaving after an arguement with his father and the father shouted after him: "Robisz błąd." ("You're making a mistake") and explained: "Samochód jest w tamtym kierunku." ("The car is in that direction.") or when a guy attempted to knock down a horse. Another chap is talking to a tree addressing it as: "Wasza Liściastość" ("Your Leafness"). Even the cult term of "my precious" is used - a delightful gimmick. However a protagonist's terminal illness detracts from the fun - it was supposed to be a comedy and the subplot leads to nowhere anyway. The scriptwriters could have found a funnier trick to postpone the wedding. Another annoying run-of-the-mill trope is the father returning to the family after decades of exotic adventures of different sorts. At least, unlike many romantic comedies where women typically forgive their unfaithful partners, here the woman's unforgiving. The biggest merit of the whole series is the equal position of women in the three pictures.
The series is over though. The producer, Radosław Drabik, is thinking of new genres (with new scriptwriters), produced in English for the world market, including a thriller and a horror. I hope the first will have a complex plot and the latter will build up tension before scaring.
MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS
Watchable. A fictionalised true story of two headstrong queens played like muppets by surrounding them men who sought power. Like the title suggests, mostly about Mary whose "gifts of beauty and bravery" caused Elizabeth's envy but those same gifts brought her downfall. Requires sound knowledge of that period in British history, otherwise it's hard to comprehend at first. Scott Jack Lowden, looking hot in the role, acts as English lord Henry Darnley. Irish American Saoirse Ronan adopts half-Scottish accent as the French-born queen of Scotland. I love Margot Robbie both for her beauty and her acting skills but here she's made to look ugly and with little to act. She's got a prosthetic nose hump and face blemished by pox which is true to history but the bright red hair and theatrical make-up render her a mockery of Elizabeth I. I do hope the Oscar nominations are only nominal. Neither the costumes nor the make-up and hairstyling deserve any award.
JOURNAL 64
Recommended. Inspectors Carl Mørck and Assad, known from e.g. from "Flaskepost fra P" ("Department Q: A Conspiracy of Faith"), back in action. A gruesome murder, lots of disturbing violence against women, racism, psychopathic medics and corruption altogether form a shocking thriller. Inspired by a real policy effected in Denmark for a few decades in the first half of the 20th century, times of the pervasive in Europe idea of social engineering. Unspeakable evil originated from an ethical conviction that the greater good can be achieved by force and belief in one's own moral superiority. So valid nowadays.
It gave me an awful nightmare afterwards. I dreamed of being held captive and threatened with death a few times daily - different from the movie plot but the impact is clear.
Monday 28 January 2019
Friday 25 January 2019
MISZMASZ CZYLI KOGEL MOGEL 3
Watchable. Entertaining but something's wrong: it's a cross between an 80s-style comedy from the ending of communist times in Poland and a modern silly romantic comedy. I liked some gags, e.g.: "Miałem tam studiować z tymi wszystkimi ludźmi przed 20-ką?" "Wyjechałeś zaraz po maturze." ("Was I supposed to study there with all those people under 20?" "You went there right after your school final exams.") or "Ta tęcza tu nie przejdzie" ("This rainbow won't do here" - a reference to rainbows symbolising LGBT rights which polarise the Polish nation) or in the end credits: "W czasie realizacji filmu nie ucierpiało żadne zwierzę. Nie wypalono również żadnego skręta i żałujemy tego do dziś." ("No animals were harmed in the making of this movie. No joint was smoked either which we regret till now.") but most jokes were plain not funny. Also too much music, too bad: a mix of Polish 80s, 2010s of no specified genre and disco polo and too loud. At least they got one thing right: the disco polo culture pervasive in the countryside.
A DOG'S WAY HOME
Recommended. A beautiful story of ups and downs of a dog's journey from one owner to another and between roaming forests and living in cities. Unlike "A Dog's Purpose" - based on a book by the same author - this one has a happy ending. The movie presents a variety of amazing sequences e.g. of the dog with a cougar on ice. A roaring red deer appears too and looks like in a quality nature documentary.
Watchable. Entertaining but something's wrong: it's a cross between an 80s-style comedy from the ending of communist times in Poland and a modern silly romantic comedy. I liked some gags, e.g.: "Miałem tam studiować z tymi wszystkimi ludźmi przed 20-ką?" "Wyjechałeś zaraz po maturze." ("Was I supposed to study there with all those people under 20?" "You went there right after your school final exams.") or "Ta tęcza tu nie przejdzie" ("This rainbow won't do here" - a reference to rainbows symbolising LGBT rights which polarise the Polish nation) or in the end credits: "W czasie realizacji filmu nie ucierpiało żadne zwierzę. Nie wypalono również żadnego skręta i żałujemy tego do dziś." ("No animals were harmed in the making of this movie. No joint was smoked either which we regret till now.") but most jokes were plain not funny. Also too much music, too bad: a mix of Polish 80s, 2010s of no specified genre and disco polo and too loud. At least they got one thing right: the disco polo culture pervasive in the countryside.
A DOG'S WAY HOME
Recommended. A beautiful story of ups and downs of a dog's journey from one owner to another and between roaming forests and living in cities. Unlike "A Dog's Purpose" - based on a book by the same author - this one has a happy ending. The movie presents a variety of amazing sequences e.g. of the dog with a cougar on ice. A roaring red deer appears too and looks like in a quality nature documentary.
Wednesday 23 January 2019
MIA ET LE LION BLANC (MIA AND THE WHITE LION)
Watchable. Heart-wrenching in spite of some funny scenes with a mongoose when it sticks its head out of a cooking pot or turns on a hoover. The movie reveals the fact that many farms in South Africa breed lions for "canned hunting". The friendship between the girl and the lion is endearing but when you know what she's trying to save the animal from it's just horrible. And the film is clearly meant for children (hence dubbed in Poland) while it should be for adults.
Watchable. Heart-wrenching in spite of some funny scenes with a mongoose when it sticks its head out of a cooking pot or turns on a hoover. The movie reveals the fact that many farms in South Africa breed lions for "canned hunting". The friendship between the girl and the lion is endearing but when you know what she's trying to save the animal from it's just horrible. And the film is clearly meant for children (hence dubbed in Poland) while it should be for adults.
Tuesday 22 January 2019
THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST
Watchable. Tongue-in-cheek till religious brainwashing leads to a gross tragedy. "How is programming us to hate ourselves not emotional abuse?" Sasha Lane is great as a teenage rebel as are John Gallagher Jr. and Marin Ireland as tutors. Excellent music: gentle, gingle-like even when expressing mounting tension.
Watchable. Tongue-in-cheek till religious brainwashing leads to a gross tragedy. "How is programming us to hate ourselves not emotional abuse?" Sasha Lane is great as a teenage rebel as are John Gallagher Jr. and Marin Ireland as tutors. Excellent music: gentle, gingle-like even when expressing mounting tension.
COLD WAR
3 Oscar nominations: Foreign Language Film, Directing and Cinematography. Right after the announcement the makers were so bewildered they weren't sure who other nominees were. Enquired who they saw as their main competitor, they pointed at "Roma" - apparently according to rankings they go head-to-head. But, as the producer, Ewa Puszczyńska, noticed, Oscars are full of surprises and e.g. the German candidate was nominated only having joined the race recently. I also asked Łukasz Żal, the Director of Photography to compare the two. He and others must have got americanised since when I said that because of B&W pictures, "Cold War" is often compared to "Roma", they corrected me that "Roma" was compared to "Cold War". Anyhow, "Roma" uses long, widesweeping shots while "Cold War" applies a variety of techniques and a lot of cropped images. They also commented that, just like last year, there's going to be a Polish-Mexican war. For Łukasz Żal it's his second Oscar nomination. I personally hope for him to win since I didn't see better cinematography in a movie in 2018. An Oscar veteran and Academician is Waldemar Pokromski who was responsible for make-up. He's got several years of Oscar movies experience. The lead actress, Joanna Kulig, was not nominated but is already waiting in LA for the rest of the crew to join her at the ceremony. Apparently EFA and BAFTA form part of the Oscar promotional campaign. Academy members are scattered all over the world and all have the right to vote. Currently lots of Q&As are held, functions attended - to recommend face to face, interviews given, articles published. There's been plenty of US media coverage. They're trying to reach as many members as possible and persuade them to see the film. Whoever has seen, loves it.
3 Oscar nominations: Foreign Language Film, Directing and Cinematography. Right after the announcement the makers were so bewildered they weren't sure who other nominees were. Enquired who they saw as their main competitor, they pointed at "Roma" - apparently according to rankings they go head-to-head. But, as the producer, Ewa Puszczyńska, noticed, Oscars are full of surprises and e.g. the German candidate was nominated only having joined the race recently. I also asked Łukasz Żal, the Director of Photography to compare the two. He and others must have got americanised since when I said that because of B&W pictures, "Cold War" is often compared to "Roma", they corrected me that "Roma" was compared to "Cold War". Anyhow, "Roma" uses long, widesweeping shots while "Cold War" applies a variety of techniques and a lot of cropped images. They also commented that, just like last year, there's going to be a Polish-Mexican war. For Łukasz Żal it's his second Oscar nomination. I personally hope for him to win since I didn't see better cinematography in a movie in 2018. An Oscar veteran and Academician is Waldemar Pokromski who was responsible for make-up. He's got several years of Oscar movies experience. The lead actress, Joanna Kulig, was not nominated but is already waiting in LA for the rest of the crew to join her at the ceremony. Apparently EFA and BAFTA form part of the Oscar promotional campaign. Academy members are scattered all over the world and all have the right to vote. Currently lots of Q&As are held, functions attended - to recommend face to face, interviews given, articles published. There's been plenty of US media coverage. They're trying to reach as many members as possible and persuade them to see the film. Whoever has seen, loves it.
Monday 21 January 2019
MARY POPPINS RETURNS
Watchable. Dull songs extend this movie needlessly. Even the Oscar-shortlisted “The Place Where Lost Things Go” and “Trip A Little Light Fantastic” aren't up for scratch, though the latter is slightly better than the first. The movie's old-fashioned 20th century Disney way, with music score like from the beginning of last century. Forgettable dancing. Mary Poppins is lofty. Visuals are fairy-tale like but feel fake in the beginning. London of the time of the Great Slump is smoggy so the film goes from grey to pink and back a few times. Uneven.
Watchable. Dull songs extend this movie needlessly. Even the Oscar-shortlisted “The Place Where Lost Things Go” and “Trip A Little Light Fantastic” aren't up for scratch, though the latter is slightly better than the first. The movie's old-fashioned 20th century Disney way, with music score like from the beginning of last century. Forgettable dancing. Mary Poppins is lofty. Visuals are fairy-tale like but feel fake in the beginning. London of the time of the Great Slump is smoggy so the film goes from grey to pink and back a few times. Uneven.
Sunday 20 January 2019
URI: THE SURGICAL STRIKE
Watchable. Military enough to be plausible but not overwhelming to a civil audience. About Pakistani occupation of Kashmir therefore shot in Serbia. With good character background. A solid dose of humour, e.g. about why a guy didn't go to his date: "He got all dressed up, Armani perfume and he gets a message from his girlfriend: this relationship is a mistake, it's over. After a while he gets another message from the girl: I sent the previous message to you by mistake." The intern subplot is funny too. Still, the stereotypical treatment of the Pakistanis and heroic of Indians make the whole thing predictable. It's based on true events which, in turn, according to the movie, were inspired by the surgical strike following the Munich Olympic Games terrorist attack - the attackers were taken out by Mossad one by one, with no war instigated. Pakistan won't admit the country harbours terrorists so they can't claim the strike on them took place, can they? Less typical Bollywood. The only full-length song runs over the credits. A witty post-credit finishes the movie.
The Indians at the screening were quite specific: first a baby kept crying out loud with no one even attempting to silence it, then groups of guys started cheering and yelling along with developments in the film. Won't they ever assimilate?
Watchable. Military enough to be plausible but not overwhelming to a civil audience. About Pakistani occupation of Kashmir therefore shot in Serbia. With good character background. A solid dose of humour, e.g. about why a guy didn't go to his date: "He got all dressed up, Armani perfume and he gets a message from his girlfriend: this relationship is a mistake, it's over. After a while he gets another message from the girl: I sent the previous message to you by mistake." The intern subplot is funny too. Still, the stereotypical treatment of the Pakistanis and heroic of Indians make the whole thing predictable. It's based on true events which, in turn, according to the movie, were inspired by the surgical strike following the Munich Olympic Games terrorist attack - the attackers were taken out by Mossad one by one, with no war instigated. Pakistan won't admit the country harbours terrorists so they can't claim the strike on them took place, can they? Less typical Bollywood. The only full-length song runs over the credits. A witty post-credit finishes the movie.
The Indians at the screening were quite specific: first a baby kept crying out loud with no one even attempting to silence it, then groups of guys started cheering and yelling along with developments in the film. Won't they ever assimilate?
Thursday 17 January 2019
A STAR IS BORN
Recommended. Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga are totally convincible as Jackson Maine and Ally. It's just a rags-to-riches love story between two musicians, one of who is an alcoholic and a drug addict and the other a diner worker discovered by a star and turned into a star herself. But the mutual support and love between the two feel so real and touching you can easily believe in the tale. With lots of Lady Gaga's singing and quite a few hair colour, make-up and wardrobe changes though nothing shocking. The beauty of the film lies in the realism of the addiction and plausibility of her love.
Recommended. Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga are totally convincible as Jackson Maine and Ally. It's just a rags-to-riches love story between two musicians, one of who is an alcoholic and a drug addict and the other a diner worker discovered by a star and turned into a star herself. But the mutual support and love between the two feel so real and touching you can easily believe in the tale. With lots of Lady Gaga's singing and quite a few hair colour, make-up and wardrobe changes though nothing shocking. The beauty of the film lies in the realism of the addiction and plausibility of her love.
ARCTIC
Recommended. The Arctic truly is the protagonist here: a man is pitted against nature. In harsh conditions he is both fragile and strong. I'm happy his saving a woman's life does not lead to a romantic relationship - it's far from cliches. The moment he cuddles her is thoroughly asexual and shows his need of warmth: both physical and human. The action focuses around survival and is utterly realistic. In fact it was consulted with Thai and Danish language experts, animal trainers and specialists in the Arctic. Shot in Iceland. With non-invasive music by Joseph Trapanese.
SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE
Watchable. Fun, with hilarious bits e.g. when Spidey's hands get glued to a girl's hair, with funny romantic lines like: "I really want to give you a bread you deserve" and with a tongue-in-cheek Christmas carol entitled "Spidey Bells" with "kicking all the butts" in the lyrics. The song runs at the end of final credits. The movie plays with the genre a lot, referring to comic book and movie tropes every few minutes. The action gets chaotic at times. The music is decent. Stan Lee was one of the producers and his cartoon together with his voice make a cameo at Stan Lee's Collectibles Sale. There's an obligatory post-credit.
공작 (THE SPY GONE NORTH)
Recommended. One of reasons Kim Dae-jung was unwelcome by North Korean officials was his height - he'd look down on Kim Jung-il. Military teasing had an altogether different reason. Kim Jung-il was scared of diseases on the verge of ridiculousness. The movie's based on a book by a real life spy but all events are dramatised resulting in a gripping thriller about espionage, relations between both Koreas and political manipulation beyond belief. Also about the difficult circumstances in which democrat Kim Dae-jung won elections in spite of rightist scheming and changed the political climate in the region. As usual with Korean productions, it's technically spotless.
Recommended. The Arctic truly is the protagonist here: a man is pitted against nature. In harsh conditions he is both fragile and strong. I'm happy his saving a woman's life does not lead to a romantic relationship - it's far from cliches. The moment he cuddles her is thoroughly asexual and shows his need of warmth: both physical and human. The action focuses around survival and is utterly realistic. In fact it was consulted with Thai and Danish language experts, animal trainers and specialists in the Arctic. Shot in Iceland. With non-invasive music by Joseph Trapanese.
SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE
Watchable. Fun, with hilarious bits e.g. when Spidey's hands get glued to a girl's hair, with funny romantic lines like: "I really want to give you a bread you deserve" and with a tongue-in-cheek Christmas carol entitled "Spidey Bells" with "kicking all the butts" in the lyrics. The song runs at the end of final credits. The movie plays with the genre a lot, referring to comic book and movie tropes every few minutes. The action gets chaotic at times. The music is decent. Stan Lee was one of the producers and his cartoon together with his voice make a cameo at Stan Lee's Collectibles Sale. There's an obligatory post-credit.
공작 (THE SPY GONE NORTH)
Recommended. One of reasons Kim Dae-jung was unwelcome by North Korean officials was his height - he'd look down on Kim Jung-il. Military teasing had an altogether different reason. Kim Jung-il was scared of diseases on the verge of ridiculousness. The movie's based on a book by a real life spy but all events are dramatised resulting in a gripping thriller about espionage, relations between both Koreas and political manipulation beyond belief. Also about the difficult circumstances in which democrat Kim Dae-jung won elections in spite of rightist scheming and changed the political climate in the region. As usual with Korean productions, it's technically spotless.
Tuesday 15 January 2019
GLASS
Watchable. A nice surprise after boring "Unbreakable" and partly-ridiculous "Split". First it's quite unemotional, especially with James Newton Howard's score, for 2 hours, apart from the unsettling awareness that 3 individuals are kept in a mental insittution against their will and one of them is about to be subjected to a "correctional procedure". Even the frequent references to comic books, engaging the viewer in a trope game, don't enliven things up. M. Night Shyamalan makes a cameo as security guard Jai buying a CCTV camera. James McAvoy as Split is tremendous. It's all disturbing and hence unpleasant which doesn't change the fact his performance deserves an Oscar - not that he's been nominated or anything. It's worth listening carefully to what Glass's mother says. You quickly realise Bruce Willis's appearance in the production is no coincidence since the movie is a direct continuation not only of "Split" but also of "Unbreakable" from 2000. It takes longer to find out who Glass is and why he's called that - both because of his tool and because of his fragile bones. Still, the inexplicable sequence of events is thoroughly explained in the finale which is uplifting in the notion that people become superheroes when you believe in them and promising in terms of a sequel potential. The few surprises in the ending just left me in awe. No mid- or post-credit.
ASTERIX: LE SECRET DE LA POTION MAGIQUE (ASTERIX: THE SECRET OF THE MAGIC POTION) 2D v. 3D
Watchable. Infantile in comparison with actors' movies from the series. I did not laugh but the gag with Jezus multiplying loafes is cute. Lower end humour, e.g. a fart pot ruins the story. "You spin me round" song by my fave band Dead or Alive fuels the bits with the most action. Only dubbing is available in Poland so you miss Christian Clavier as Asterix. Only nominal 3D, absolutely not worth the extra cost.
The 3D trailer of "Dumbo" is not impressive. This year's "How to train your dragon" 3D looks better.
Watchable. A nice surprise after boring "Unbreakable" and partly-ridiculous "Split". First it's quite unemotional, especially with James Newton Howard's score, for 2 hours, apart from the unsettling awareness that 3 individuals are kept in a mental insittution against their will and one of them is about to be subjected to a "correctional procedure". Even the frequent references to comic books, engaging the viewer in a trope game, don't enliven things up. M. Night Shyamalan makes a cameo as security guard Jai buying a CCTV camera. James McAvoy as Split is tremendous. It's all disturbing and hence unpleasant which doesn't change the fact his performance deserves an Oscar - not that he's been nominated or anything. It's worth listening carefully to what Glass's mother says. You quickly realise Bruce Willis's appearance in the production is no coincidence since the movie is a direct continuation not only of "Split" but also of "Unbreakable" from 2000. It takes longer to find out who Glass is and why he's called that - both because of his tool and because of his fragile bones. Still, the inexplicable sequence of events is thoroughly explained in the finale which is uplifting in the notion that people become superheroes when you believe in them and promising in terms of a sequel potential. The few surprises in the ending just left me in awe. No mid- or post-credit.
ASTERIX: LE SECRET DE LA POTION MAGIQUE (ASTERIX: THE SECRET OF THE MAGIC POTION) 2D v. 3D
Watchable. Infantile in comparison with actors' movies from the series. I did not laugh but the gag with Jezus multiplying loafes is cute. Lower end humour, e.g. a fart pot ruins the story. "You spin me round" song by my fave band Dead or Alive fuels the bits with the most action. Only dubbing is available in Poland so you miss Christian Clavier as Asterix. Only nominal 3D, absolutely not worth the extra cost.
The 3D trailer of "Dumbo" is not impressive. This year's "How to train your dragon" 3D looks better.
Monday 14 January 2019
L'EMPEREUR DE PARIS (THE EMPEROR OF PARIS)
Watchable. Rooted in French history so may be not so comprehensible to foreigners and/or those with little interest in historic events. Inspired by the character of Vidocq - a criminal turned criminology expert for the police and acted by Vincent Cassel whose face and curly hair resemble the original with the difference the actor's much slimmer. The production has adopted dark, mostly brown, hues for the majority of the movie, with virtually only aristocratic interiors lit and in lighter tones so it probably reflects the reality of the period but makes it hard to watch, heavy not only in the brutal plot. As for the plot, it mixes political events of the time, allusions to the present: Muslims, rightists in power, beheadings which are, among others, mentioned near pig heads in a marketplace, and the legend of the crook turned criminal vanquisher. Impressive use of historic interiors and well-studied costumes is marred by society ladies' dresses looking plastic.
Watchable. Rooted in French history so may be not so comprehensible to foreigners and/or those with little interest in historic events. Inspired by the character of Vidocq - a criminal turned criminology expert for the police and acted by Vincent Cassel whose face and curly hair resemble the original with the difference the actor's much slimmer. The production has adopted dark, mostly brown, hues for the majority of the movie, with virtually only aristocratic interiors lit and in lighter tones so it probably reflects the reality of the period but makes it hard to watch, heavy not only in the brutal plot. As for the plot, it mixes political events of the time, allusions to the present: Muslims, rightists in power, beheadings which are, among others, mentioned near pig heads in a marketplace, and the legend of the crook turned criminal vanquisher. Impressive use of historic interiors and well-studied costumes is marred by society ladies' dresses looking plastic.
Friday 11 January 2019
6... 5... 4... 3... NA ULICY
Watchable. A documentary about protesting on the street in Poland over the last 3 years. I remember peaceful demonstrators being carried away by the police and fascists walking undisturbed. That's about it. The rest is so mundane I barely recall. And the whole thing requires sound knowledge of Polish politics.
Watchable. A documentary about protesting on the street in Poland over the last 3 years. I remember peaceful demonstrators being carried away by the police and fascists walking undisturbed. That's about it. The rest is so mundane I barely recall. And the whole thing requires sound knowledge of Polish politics.
Wednesday 9 January 2019
UNDERDOG
Watchable. Surprisingly funny - written by Mariusz Kuczewski, with humorous lines, e.g. banging on the door: "Nina! Ninuś! Ninetka!" (the girlfriend's name and its diminutives), she opens and he says: "O, cześć! Obudziłem cię?" ("Oh, hi! Have I woken you up?") Brilliant Janusz Chabior as the coach. Unfortunately with overlit or underlit pictures by Bartek Cierlica. The final fight kept me on the edge of my seat. Made me miss my trainings.
Watchable. Surprisingly funny - written by Mariusz Kuczewski, with humorous lines, e.g. banging on the door: "Nina! Ninuś! Ninetka!" (the girlfriend's name and its diminutives), she opens and he says: "O, cześć! Obudziłem cię?" ("Oh, hi! Have I woken you up?") Brilliant Janusz Chabior as the coach. Unfortunately with overlit or underlit pictures by Bartek Cierlica. The final fight kept me on the edge of my seat. Made me miss my trainings.
Tuesday 8 January 2019
VICE
Recommended. A must see worldwide. Kept me on the edge of my seat. Dick Cheney's unauthorised biography consisting of dramatisations, with excellent Steve Carell as Don Rumsfeld, and archive footage. Feels much like a Michael Moore's documentary. Cheney is a dick but he's not thick. He's close to death of heart attacks 3 times but, as we say in Poland, devils don't take an evil one. That's the story of a man with a heart so corrupted it needed a replacement - with a heart of a veteran of a war the White House waged. He's machiavellian and insatiably hungry for power. He was behind the bill which removed the 1940s law saying the media have to cover both sides equally which resulted in the creation of Fox News which spun fake news and moved TV to the right. He manipulated intel and people around him incessantly to instigate the war on Iraq after which the value of Halliburton, the oil company he's the CEO of, rose by 500%. He's played everyone round him, young George W. Bush especially, and has become cold-blooded over years. Only his weapons dealing is not mentioned. But lots of dirty deeds are here. It also claims that George W. Bush bought the ranch he's famous for just to look like a people's man, not a Yale and Harvard guy. Dick Cheney got kicked out of Yale for drinking and brawling and graduated from Wisconsin, by the way. Top-notch make-up and other body transformations let you see both Dick Cheney and his wife Lynne from youth to quite advanced age played consistently by Christian Bale and Amy Adams. Even a dramatic sequence depicting 1963 got aged visually. There's a mid-credit. Does knowing facts make you a liberal?
Recommended. A must see worldwide. Kept me on the edge of my seat. Dick Cheney's unauthorised biography consisting of dramatisations, with excellent Steve Carell as Don Rumsfeld, and archive footage. Feels much like a Michael Moore's documentary. Cheney is a dick but he's not thick. He's close to death of heart attacks 3 times but, as we say in Poland, devils don't take an evil one. That's the story of a man with a heart so corrupted it needed a replacement - with a heart of a veteran of a war the White House waged. He's machiavellian and insatiably hungry for power. He was behind the bill which removed the 1940s law saying the media have to cover both sides equally which resulted in the creation of Fox News which spun fake news and moved TV to the right. He manipulated intel and people around him incessantly to instigate the war on Iraq after which the value of Halliburton, the oil company he's the CEO of, rose by 500%. He's played everyone round him, young George W. Bush especially, and has become cold-blooded over years. Only his weapons dealing is not mentioned. But lots of dirty deeds are here. It also claims that George W. Bush bought the ranch he's famous for just to look like a people's man, not a Yale and Harvard guy. Dick Cheney got kicked out of Yale for drinking and brawling and graduated from Wisconsin, by the way. Top-notch make-up and other body transformations let you see both Dick Cheney and his wife Lynne from youth to quite advanced age played consistently by Christian Bale and Amy Adams. Even a dramatic sequence depicting 1963 got aged visually. There's a mid-credit. Does knowing facts make you a liberal?
Monday 7 January 2019
کفرناحوم (CAPHARNAUM)
Recommended. You know it's going to be a great film from the early minutes. Starts with a few disconnected scenes which are explained later on in the course of action. The most astonishing of them is when a little boy, said to be 12-13 but looking younger, wants to sue his parents for giving him life. When his age is being determined by a forensic examining his teeth you think he may be an illegal migrant. Far from that. In his area locals' life is worse than refugees' who at least are entitled to food aid. He lives on wastes like a stray cat. School is seen not as an educational unit but a source of material supplies. They don't own IDs and without documents you can die as the hospital won't admit you. Child labour, girls treated as goods, no age of sex consent, drugs, people trafficking, misery such that even baby's milk may be nicked, overpopulation, lack of birth control - multiple issues overlap. When groups of people of different religions pray the boy doesn't - no God for him. For an 11-year-old girl it appears to be normal when she's wed off to a middle-aged man. Both a family member and another local call themselves "insects" or "cockroaches". They do breed like cockroaches. Though for social reasons: "I thought children would make me a man" and a pregnancy is called "a blessing" even though all those parents create hell on earth for their offspring. Director Nadine Labaki also acts in the movie as Zain's mum. All the actors and actresses are amazing, especially the incredibly plausible Zain Al Rafeea as Zain. The only smile we see on his face through the whole movie is for an ID. The story's quite harrowing.
Recommended. You know it's going to be a great film from the early minutes. Starts with a few disconnected scenes which are explained later on in the course of action. The most astonishing of them is when a little boy, said to be 12-13 but looking younger, wants to sue his parents for giving him life. When his age is being determined by a forensic examining his teeth you think he may be an illegal migrant. Far from that. In his area locals' life is worse than refugees' who at least are entitled to food aid. He lives on wastes like a stray cat. School is seen not as an educational unit but a source of material supplies. They don't own IDs and without documents you can die as the hospital won't admit you. Child labour, girls treated as goods, no age of sex consent, drugs, people trafficking, misery such that even baby's milk may be nicked, overpopulation, lack of birth control - multiple issues overlap. When groups of people of different religions pray the boy doesn't - no God for him. For an 11-year-old girl it appears to be normal when she's wed off to a middle-aged man. Both a family member and another local call themselves "insects" or "cockroaches". They do breed like cockroaches. Though for social reasons: "I thought children would make me a man" and a pregnancy is called "a blessing" even though all those parents create hell on earth for their offspring. Director Nadine Labaki also acts in the movie as Zain's mum. All the actors and actresses are amazing, especially the incredibly plausible Zain Al Rafeea as Zain. The only smile we see on his face through the whole movie is for an ID. The story's quite harrowing.
October 2021 update: The movie was filmed with protagonists whisked out from the city. The boy actor, زين الرافعي (Zain Al Raffeea) later appeared in Marvel's "The Eternals".
RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET 2D v. 3D
Watchable. Pleasant, ingenious at times, making a reference to "Stranger Things", music score by Henry Jackman. Strong female characters. In the original version (unavailable in Poland where only the end credit song is in English) Gal Gadot, of Wonder Woman fame, dubs Shank. But who's it for? A cartoon like for children, with cameos of characters (and music themes) from the whole wide world of Disney: Moana, Groot, Snow White, name it, also Stan Lee known to teenagers and references to dial-up Internet times understood only by middle-aged grown-ups. A mid-credit and "a sneek peak" at the very end. Decent 3D but not a must.
RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET 2D v. 3D
Watchable. Pleasant, ingenious at times, making a reference to "Stranger Things", music score by Henry Jackman. Strong female characters. In the original version (unavailable in Poland where only the end credit song is in English) Gal Gadot, of Wonder Woman fame, dubs Shank. But who's it for? A cartoon like for children, with cameos of characters (and music themes) from the whole wide world of Disney: Moana, Groot, Snow White, name it, also Stan Lee known to teenagers and references to dial-up Internet times understood only by middle-aged grown-ups. A mid-credit and "a sneek peak" at the very end. Decent 3D but not a must.
Saturday 5 January 2019
BEN IS BACK
Recommended. Everything: the title, the story and the church scene indicate it's the Parable of the Prodigal Son but it's depicted as versatile and non-religious. The initial conversation in the church makes it clear the family's not much involved in Christianity. The movie's structured around triple uncertainty: on the part of the viewer, the family and Ben himself. Suspense is built virtually every minute since each tiny event may change the course of action and the outcome, especially Ben's decisions are unpredictable. Keeps you on the edge of the seat.
PECH TO NIE GRZECH
Watchable. Finally a totally cheerful and easy-peasy romantic comedy instead of a comedy drama. Beautiful places, people, clothes, lots of product placement - pretty standard (pun intended). The sidekick character is pathetic rather than funny. All in all the film provokes no outbursts of laughter but it's relaxing and ends well.
BEAUTIFUL BOY
Watchable. I struggled to stay till the end. Apparently drug overdose is No. 1 cause of death in Americans under 50 and the movie's based on 2 biographies: one by a young addict and the other by his father. But that only makes it overly sentimental. A repeatedly shown poster in the room says, if I made it out right, "how we got here", usually with just the "we got here" part visible which is probably better since it never gets explained how. In fact you're told in bold letters you can't: cause, control or cure it. Instead you learn that for parents it's like mourning for several years before the child's death. The film goes to and fro in time or depicts events simultaneously - you see one time and hear the audio from another. Timothée Chalamet may be good at acting different stages of addiction and relapses but the whole thing seems to miss the point. The music score is original at times but is of little help for the picture. Charles Bukowski's poem whose fragment is declaimed in the film is delivered at full length again along with the second part of the end credits as voiceover.
Both "Ben is Back" and "Beautiful Boy" tackle the problem of having a son addicted to drugs but "Ben is Back" presents it much better.
Added after a Q&A with one of the men behind the script: According to the writer Luke Davies, time loops appeared mostly in the edit, not his writing. Some came from the director and co-writer Felix van Groeningen. The original story was linear. He also talked about a "poet in him" which explains why I found the film lacklustre, just like the meeting with him, in fact.
KURSK
Recommended. Shocking even if you remember how it ended. It's "a dramatisation based on certain facts". National pride and military secrecy prevailed over humanity and reason (the vessel can't have been technologically advanced the way it sank). Starts with a wedding, just like "The Deer Hunter". Utterly realistic: post-Soviet blocks and flats, Russian-looking actors and actresses. Top-notch music. The final church sequence starts dark-lit with greenish hues giving the impression we're still in the depth of the ocean.
STORM BOY
Recommended. Delightful. Truly moving. About taking care of animals with a nasty corporation in the background. Sounds cliche but the little boy, his father and their friend characters are acted convincingly and the birds are just amazing. The picture was shot on locations like Coorong National Park, Adelaide etc. so it looks and sounds (English accents) very Aussie. A brief post-credit.
Recommended. Everything: the title, the story and the church scene indicate it's the Parable of the Prodigal Son but it's depicted as versatile and non-religious. The initial conversation in the church makes it clear the family's not much involved in Christianity. The movie's structured around triple uncertainty: on the part of the viewer, the family and Ben himself. Suspense is built virtually every minute since each tiny event may change the course of action and the outcome, especially Ben's decisions are unpredictable. Keeps you on the edge of the seat.
PECH TO NIE GRZECH
Watchable. Finally a totally cheerful and easy-peasy romantic comedy instead of a comedy drama. Beautiful places, people, clothes, lots of product placement - pretty standard (pun intended). The sidekick character is pathetic rather than funny. All in all the film provokes no outbursts of laughter but it's relaxing and ends well.
BEAUTIFUL BOY
Watchable. I struggled to stay till the end. Apparently drug overdose is No. 1 cause of death in Americans under 50 and the movie's based on 2 biographies: one by a young addict and the other by his father. But that only makes it overly sentimental. A repeatedly shown poster in the room says, if I made it out right, "how we got here", usually with just the "we got here" part visible which is probably better since it never gets explained how. In fact you're told in bold letters you can't: cause, control or cure it. Instead you learn that for parents it's like mourning for several years before the child's death. The film goes to and fro in time or depicts events simultaneously - you see one time and hear the audio from another. Timothée Chalamet may be good at acting different stages of addiction and relapses but the whole thing seems to miss the point. The music score is original at times but is of little help for the picture. Charles Bukowski's poem whose fragment is declaimed in the film is delivered at full length again along with the second part of the end credits as voiceover.
Both "Ben is Back" and "Beautiful Boy" tackle the problem of having a son addicted to drugs but "Ben is Back" presents it much better.
Added after a Q&A with one of the men behind the script: According to the writer Luke Davies, time loops appeared mostly in the edit, not his writing. Some came from the director and co-writer Felix van Groeningen. The original story was linear. He also talked about a "poet in him" which explains why I found the film lacklustre, just like the meeting with him, in fact.
KURSK
Recommended. Shocking even if you remember how it ended. It's "a dramatisation based on certain facts". National pride and military secrecy prevailed over humanity and reason (the vessel can't have been technologically advanced the way it sank). Starts with a wedding, just like "The Deer Hunter". Utterly realistic: post-Soviet blocks and flats, Russian-looking actors and actresses. Top-notch music. The final church sequence starts dark-lit with greenish hues giving the impression we're still in the depth of the ocean.
STORM BOY
Recommended. Delightful. Truly moving. About taking care of animals with a nasty corporation in the background. Sounds cliche but the little boy, his father and their friend characters are acted convincingly and the birds are just amazing. The picture was shot on locations like Coorong National Park, Adelaide etc. so it looks and sounds (English accents) very Aussie. A brief post-credit.
Wednesday 2 January 2019
HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 3: A MONSTER VACATION
Recommended again. Enjoyed all the same and caught more details this time e.g. that the island of Atlantis was inhabited by the monsters, the cat trying to squeeze through a relief face looks like its moustache, a witch with plenty of black cats looks for a partner who'll clean litter trays etc. Can be watched easily even if you barely remember previous parts.
PETTERSSON UND FINDUS - DAS SCHÖNSTE WEIHNACHTEN ÜBERHAUPT
(PETTSON AND FINDUS: THE BEST CHRISTMAS EVER)
Watchable again. The first time was enough since the tale is not very complex. Didn't surprise me again yet it's a one-time must see. A traditional snow-clad village, a cute, cuddly cat and warm-hearted folk, wild animals feeling safe around people and their pets. "Der Dreck muss weg" song makes you eager to clean the house. Excellent translation from German into Polish. At this screening children went dancing to the music accompanying credits too. There's a post-credit.
Recommended again. Enjoyed all the same and caught more details this time e.g. that the island of Atlantis was inhabited by the monsters, the cat trying to squeeze through a relief face looks like its moustache, a witch with plenty of black cats looks for a partner who'll clean litter trays etc. Can be watched easily even if you barely remember previous parts.
PETTERSSON UND FINDUS - DAS SCHÖNSTE WEIHNACHTEN ÜBERHAUPT
(PETTSON AND FINDUS: THE BEST CHRISTMAS EVER)
Watchable again. The first time was enough since the tale is not very complex. Didn't surprise me again yet it's a one-time must see. A traditional snow-clad village, a cute, cuddly cat and warm-hearted folk, wild animals feeling safe around people and their pets. "Der Dreck muss weg" song makes you eager to clean the house. Excellent translation from German into Polish. At this screening children went dancing to the music accompanying credits too. There's a post-credit.
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