I've seen it already but I'm not allowed to publish any comment or review before 15th August so keep your eyes peeled then.
Tuesday 30 July 2019
WHERE'D YOU GO, BERNADETTE?
I've seen it already but I'm not allowed to publish any comment or review before 15th August so keep your eyes peeled then.
I've seen it already but I'm not allowed to publish any comment or review before 15th August so keep your eyes peeled then.
Watchable. Only slight chaos detracts from this otherwise pleasant movie. The Polish translation adapts the dialogue to the current political situation in Poland. The story focuses on the warfare between the right and the left but the animals and their town are lovely which makes it suitable for both kids and adults.
Sunday 28 July 2019
THE DEAD DON'T DIE
Watchable. Tiring. Just another movie in the undead genre. Renowned director, Jim Jarmusch and a celebrity cast,e.g. Tom Waits, Danny Glover, Selena Gomez, Iggy Pop are the main attraction, together with movie references, e.g. Adam Driver, the star of "Paterson" here bears the name Peterson. Sara Driver, the director's wife is the zombie with coffee. Tilda Swinton, who I normally find annoying, here is at least cast as a weirdo which suits her perfectly. She also brilliantly imitates Scottish accent. But it's still yet another attempt at reanimating the zombie genre. They may have been zombies in life, craving material comforts, as the movie suggests, but it's still shallow. Reviving the dead just doesn't work. Enough!
Watchable. Tiring. Just another movie in the undead genre. Renowned director, Jim Jarmusch and a celebrity cast,e.g. Tom Waits, Danny Glover, Selena Gomez, Iggy Pop are the main attraction, together with movie references, e.g. Adam Driver, the star of "Paterson" here bears the name Peterson. Sara Driver, the director's wife is the zombie with coffee. Tilda Swinton, who I normally find annoying, here is at least cast as a weirdo which suits her perfectly. She also brilliantly imitates Scottish accent. But it's still yet another attempt at reanimating the zombie genre. They may have been zombies in life, craving material comforts, as the movie suggests, but it's still shallow. Reviving the dead just doesn't work. Enough!
Saturday 27 July 2019
STRIKE A POSE
Watchable. While the dancers are amazing, to my surprise it wasn't about dancing or working with Madonna. OK, you get to see them dance every now and then, briefly, and you hear that Madonna (then 32) smothered them (then about 21) with almost-motherly love and they all formed a family they missed living far from their countries. Well, it's the guys that call it motherly, I perceive it as a rather erotic fascination on Madonna's side. But the core of the documentary is homosexuality and living with AIDS. The guys are adorable and you wish them all the best but the film doesn't explain what happened to their lawsuit against the star (for forced coming out in "Truth or Dare") or when Gabriel died. A bit too confusing for a documentary. But it was great to see Madonna from 1990 and hear her talk about expressing yourself.
Watchable. While the dancers are amazing, to my surprise it wasn't about dancing or working with Madonna. OK, you get to see them dance every now and then, briefly, and you hear that Madonna (then 32) smothered them (then about 21) with almost-motherly love and they all formed a family they missed living far from their countries. Well, it's the guys that call it motherly, I perceive it as a rather erotic fascination on Madonna's side. But the core of the documentary is homosexuality and living with AIDS. The guys are adorable and you wish them all the best but the film doesn't explain what happened to their lawsuit against the star (for forced coming out in "Truth or Dare") or when Gabriel died. A bit too confusing for a documentary. But it was great to see Madonna from 1990 and hear her talk about expressing yourself.
Thursday 25 July 2019
IRAN ON THE BIG SCREEN
LIR
Watchable. The documentary lets you see life of nomads in the mountains, their peculiar ways of crossing whitewater hanging in a loop from a wire strung across the river, children soaking wet while studying at school and extremely hard transport of iron panels to set up a school building. The topic is quite niche so the 25 minutes feel tedious. Makes you appreciate your effortless urban life.
ROUYIDAN DAR BAD (GROWING IN THE WIND) (2012)
Watchable. Technically it looks like a movie from a few decades ago, not years. Plot-wise about nomads too. But the drama about a school pupil and a young couple in love hides a criminal intrigue. Not bad.
GASTON LAGAFFE
Watchable. Too crazy to be genuinely funny but perfectly suitable for kids of all ages and adults too. I did laugh a few times e.g. at "Cows end up in abbatoirs. This is life." "Life in an abbatoir?!" or when a cat flew across the table and hung down on the edge clutching the contract. But the banter was generally better than the physical gags. The nerdy kid at the same time matched the mad inventor character and was utterly annoying. I just felt like kicking him out of the company myself.
Watchable. Too crazy to be genuinely funny but perfectly suitable for kids of all ages and adults too. I did laugh a few times e.g. at "Cows end up in abbatoirs. This is life." "Life in an abbatoir?!" or when a cat flew across the table and hung down on the edge clutching the contract. But the banter was generally better than the physical gags. The nerdy kid at the same time matched the mad inventor character and was utterly annoying. I just felt like kicking him out of the company myself.
Tuesday 23 July 2019
A RAINY DAY IN NEW YORK
Watchable. The main protagonist is called Gatsby, clearly after the protagonist of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel. Obviously he's just as romantic, idealistic and rich. His girlfriend is a debutante. Gatsby's chivalry combines with the decadence of the wealthy. The Roaring Twenties of a century ago get a new face at the dawn of the 2020s. Economic properity with a cultural edge are present. War is not. And the characters get Allen-style neurotic features. The second bottom is that no money can buy love and that the upper class hides very nasty origins and the front of appropriateness is their group therapy. Sappy ending detracts from this insightful story.
NOTTI MAGICHE (MAGICAL NIGHTS)
Watchable. Another film about the movie industry - Italian and in a different genre than the American. Here the film production is so corrupt you begin to wonder how any movie can emerge from this chaos. Starts as a crime story but the three main characters are so distinct they capture your attention so strongly it's easy to forget the crime frame. The downside is it's frustrating to see how the young are doomed, constantly being taken advantage of the old society of the demented folks who are in, who have been in, like for ages.
Watchable. The main protagonist is called Gatsby, clearly after the protagonist of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel. Obviously he's just as romantic, idealistic and rich. His girlfriend is a debutante. Gatsby's chivalry combines with the decadence of the wealthy. The Roaring Twenties of a century ago get a new face at the dawn of the 2020s. Economic properity with a cultural edge are present. War is not. And the characters get Allen-style neurotic features. The second bottom is that no money can buy love and that the upper class hides very nasty origins and the front of appropriateness is their group therapy. Sappy ending detracts from this insightful story.
NOTTI MAGICHE (MAGICAL NIGHTS)
Watchable. Another film about the movie industry - Italian and in a different genre than the American. Here the film production is so corrupt you begin to wonder how any movie can emerge from this chaos. Starts as a crime story but the three main characters are so distinct they capture your attention so strongly it's easy to forget the crime frame. The downside is it's frustrating to see how the young are doomed, constantly being taken advantage of the old society of the demented folks who are in, who have been in, like for ages.
Saturday 20 July 2019
YESTERDAY
Recommended. Imagine... a world where some of pop culture phenomena haven't taken place. It's presented as if everyone suffered a memory loss but towards the end a very emotional meeting proves it's not collective amnesia but an alternative reality. 3 people in the world have been moved to the new one. This brilliant idea results in numerous hilarious info gap clashes e.g. "I feel like Harry Potter after beating Voldemort" "Who? Harry what?" but brings some tear-jerking moments as well. Ed Sheeran acts as himself. Kate McKinnon proves her flair for comedy yet again. It has a second bottom too since it deals with the issue of one's creativity encumbered by the marketing team who applaud the author but "know better", with sudden fame felt preposterous and with the lack of understanding of the genius from the ordinary folks. Recorded in Dolby Atmos but unavailable in this format in Poland.
Friday 19 July 2019
DIEGO MARADONA
Recommended. Being in your master's good graces doesn't last forever as the documentary shows. First deified to the point where his blood sample was taken to a church, then hated beyond limits. It's a comprehensive depiction of the famous footballer and his life. All the film you can admire his incredibly developed thigh muscles. But the action is engrossing too and the ending makes you feel for him. Additional tension is provided by Antonio Pinto's music.
ANNABELLE COMES HOME
Watchable. For a bigger part it's like a night in the house of horrors in an amusement park since there are a number of separate scares of many sorts: videos, a mirror not reflecting precisely, recordings, a werewolf and several apparitions. Towards the end the spooks accumulate to the point of becoming tedious. Teenagers enliven the series and Bob playing a serenade and realising that the window has got empty even brings in some humour. But generally it's quite scary. Even the end credits are.
THE BIG TRIP
Watchable again. I caught more one-liners this time. It's so rich in top-notch dialogue it merits seeing at least twice. Excellent cultural translation into Polish. And the music including Bach, Strauss, Bobby McFerrin and some less known names is perfectly matched too. It's just a bit less engaging seen the next day again.
STUBER
Watchable. An obnoxious advertisement of Uber extended to 105 minutes to make you pay for watching. Really good music, in the style of 80s cop movies, accompanies this totally ludicrous story with lame dialogues. Only the music keeps this pile of rubbish together.
Recommended. Being in your master's good graces doesn't last forever as the documentary shows. First deified to the point where his blood sample was taken to a church, then hated beyond limits. It's a comprehensive depiction of the famous footballer and his life. All the film you can admire his incredibly developed thigh muscles. But the action is engrossing too and the ending makes you feel for him. Additional tension is provided by Antonio Pinto's music.
ANNABELLE COMES HOME
Watchable. For a bigger part it's like a night in the house of horrors in an amusement park since there are a number of separate scares of many sorts: videos, a mirror not reflecting precisely, recordings, a werewolf and several apparitions. Towards the end the spooks accumulate to the point of becoming tedious. Teenagers enliven the series and Bob playing a serenade and realising that the window has got empty even brings in some humour. But generally it's quite scary. Even the end credits are.
THE BIG TRIP
Watchable again. I caught more one-liners this time. It's so rich in top-notch dialogue it merits seeing at least twice. Excellent cultural translation into Polish. And the music including Bach, Strauss, Bobby McFerrin and some less known names is perfectly matched too. It's just a bit less engaging seen the next day again.
STUBER
Watchable. An obnoxious advertisement of Uber extended to 105 minutes to make you pay for watching. Really good music, in the style of 80s cop movies, accompanies this totally ludicrous story with lame dialogues. Only the music keeps this pile of rubbish together.
Wednesday 17 July 2019
FESTIWAL NOWE HORYZONTY (NEW HORIZONS FESTIVAL)
Here's what to expect, in the order it was presented by the organizers: This year's festival is going to last 11 days and encompass more than 600 movies, including 224 full-length, 124 will be premieres, from 54 countries. Free screenings will take place in the Wrocław market square. Xavery Żuławski will present his latest film "Mowa ptaków" ("Bird Talk"), written by his father just before his death 3 years ago but very up-to-date, "for now". Olivier Assayas's - "Clouds of Sils Maria", "Personal Shopper", "Doubles vies" ("Non-fiction") - retrospective is hardly enticing, I've seen three of his movies, each was dull and about nothing. Albert Serra, known for "Roi Soleil", just like Godard, started as a critic. Serra's retrospective is planned as well. "Liberté" ("Freedom"), which will be on general release, is going to divide the audience, it's kind of "Sade". Albertina Carri's, from Argentina, film includes incest, BDSM etc. "La flor" ("The Flower") is a film in 3 4-hour parts divided into segments, each in a different genre, it's like a serial but it's not necessary to see all of it. There'll be the 2nd part of the "Oslo/Reykjavik" section. The 70s are the leitmotif of this year's festival so there'll be a section on erotic cinema which used to be parallel to ordinary cinema but has virtually disappeared by now, even in Paris and London - it was popular in the 70s, before the video revolution. Apart from that, the "Body" section is going to treat the body as the battlefield of culture and politics, e.g. in a story about a teenager from Mauritania who has to gain weight before her marriage or about a girl whose face gets damaged by acid and she wants her life not to change but that's impossible nowadays. The "Third Eye" small section is all about spirituality, witches, e.g. about Luster Fuego from Brazil who danced with snakes and was murdered for "talking to Satan" for this. Also a witch debate will take place. A film about the world from fungi perspective has been scheduled as well, just as an exhibition on pregnancy and an installation where "Roi Soleil" will be played on a loop. The 4-hour-long director's cut of "Loro" will be shown, in two parts, only in Italy and Poland. "Polish Days" will be an event where representatives of the biggest festivals, e.g. Toronto, Sundance etc. and sales agents will be presented with films in different stages of development right from pitching. The program of the festival includes this movie:
LE DAIM (DEERSKIN)
Watchable. It's weird. A budget film which tells a cohesive story. The murder spree is predictable and the 79 minutes feel lengthy but the simplicity of means results in a clear storyline. Is Georges a western-genre hero? Or is it a fallow deer revenge? Is he plain mad? Or is there a method in this madness? With a mid-credit.
THE SALT OF THE EARTH
Recommended. It's engaging even in the beginning when you learn how Sebastiao Salgado became a photographer and what's it like to do this job. His ability to compose a picture impresses. But the power of the documentary lies in what is shown and even more in what you hear: on the one hand human brutality, atrocities of war, the genocide in Rwanda where corpses covered 150 km and on the other the beauty of the natural world. Most astonishingly, it proves a forest can be replanted the way the Salgados did in Brazil reforesting 600 ha with 2,5 million trees. So there is hope for the planet.
PRZEGLĄD KINA SZWAJCARSKIEGO (SWISS CINEMA SCREENING)
PAUSE
Watchable. Hardly a comedy. I chuckled about twice but most is on the sad side. Mediocre western-style music. "The Future Is Now" spectacle in the film looks more impressive than the actual movie. Engaging enough due to a relationship story but skippable.
FIGHTER
Watchable. The new Polish production about MMA and boxing is swiftly directed, easy to follow. The script is pretty standard for the genre, with reasonably good dialogues. The two main protagonists act well, especially taking into account that the actors have no idea how to fight. Editing creates fight dynamics, Piotr Stramowski and Mikołaj Roznerski provide muscled silhouettes.
DRUNK PARENTS
Watchable. The hapless upper middle-class parents in financial troubles, who, trying to resolve the situation, find themselves in dire straits makes you root for them. But the film's moronic rather than funny. Decent music.
Here's what to expect, in the order it was presented by the organizers: This year's festival is going to last 11 days and encompass more than 600 movies, including 224 full-length, 124 will be premieres, from 54 countries. Free screenings will take place in the Wrocław market square. Xavery Żuławski will present his latest film "Mowa ptaków" ("Bird Talk"), written by his father just before his death 3 years ago but very up-to-date, "for now". Olivier Assayas's - "Clouds of Sils Maria", "Personal Shopper", "Doubles vies" ("Non-fiction") - retrospective is hardly enticing, I've seen three of his movies, each was dull and about nothing. Albert Serra, known for "Roi Soleil", just like Godard, started as a critic. Serra's retrospective is planned as well. "Liberté" ("Freedom"), which will be on general release, is going to divide the audience, it's kind of "Sade". Albertina Carri's, from Argentina, film includes incest, BDSM etc. "La flor" ("The Flower") is a film in 3 4-hour parts divided into segments, each in a different genre, it's like a serial but it's not necessary to see all of it. There'll be the 2nd part of the "Oslo/Reykjavik" section. The 70s are the leitmotif of this year's festival so there'll be a section on erotic cinema which used to be parallel to ordinary cinema but has virtually disappeared by now, even in Paris and London - it was popular in the 70s, before the video revolution. Apart from that, the "Body" section is going to treat the body as the battlefield of culture and politics, e.g. in a story about a teenager from Mauritania who has to gain weight before her marriage or about a girl whose face gets damaged by acid and she wants her life not to change but that's impossible nowadays. The "Third Eye" small section is all about spirituality, witches, e.g. about Luster Fuego from Brazil who danced with snakes and was murdered for "talking to Satan" for this. Also a witch debate will take place. A film about the world from fungi perspective has been scheduled as well, just as an exhibition on pregnancy and an installation where "Roi Soleil" will be played on a loop. The 4-hour-long director's cut of "Loro" will be shown, in two parts, only in Italy and Poland. "Polish Days" will be an event where representatives of the biggest festivals, e.g. Toronto, Sundance etc. and sales agents will be presented with films in different stages of development right from pitching. The program of the festival includes this movie:
LE DAIM (DEERSKIN)
Watchable. It's weird. A budget film which tells a cohesive story. The murder spree is predictable and the 79 minutes feel lengthy but the simplicity of means results in a clear storyline. Is Georges a western-genre hero? Or is it a fallow deer revenge? Is he plain mad? Or is there a method in this madness? With a mid-credit.
THE SALT OF THE EARTH
Recommended. It's engaging even in the beginning when you learn how Sebastiao Salgado became a photographer and what's it like to do this job. His ability to compose a picture impresses. But the power of the documentary lies in what is shown and even more in what you hear: on the one hand human brutality, atrocities of war, the genocide in Rwanda where corpses covered 150 km and on the other the beauty of the natural world. Most astonishingly, it proves a forest can be replanted the way the Salgados did in Brazil reforesting 600 ha with 2,5 million trees. So there is hope for the planet.
PRZEGLĄD KINA SZWAJCARSKIEGO (SWISS CINEMA SCREENING)
PAUSE
Watchable. Hardly a comedy. I chuckled about twice but most is on the sad side. Mediocre western-style music. "The Future Is Now" spectacle in the film looks more impressive than the actual movie. Engaging enough due to a relationship story but skippable.
FIGHTER
Watchable. The new Polish production about MMA and boxing is swiftly directed, easy to follow. The script is pretty standard for the genre, with reasonably good dialogues. The two main protagonists act well, especially taking into account that the actors have no idea how to fight. Editing creates fight dynamics, Piotr Stramowski and Mikołaj Roznerski provide muscled silhouettes.
Большое Путешествие (THE BIG TRIP)
Recommended. This tale enthrals. Not only is the animation delightful, with detailed and varied textures, rocks along the river looking like real and the animals resembling big cuddly toys, the story's adorable too. The hare is totally lovable and cute even when he's reckless and irresponsible. The dialogues are the highlight, e.g. the pelican says he played a part in "Pelican America" but turned down an invitation to the premiere because there was a Falcon Millennium. References to cultural and social life abound. Some situations are hilarious, e.g. when the bear has woken from a nightmare where all other animals tell him he's their dad and he sees the hare sleepwalking calling him "daddy". The music includes widely recognizable folk song "La cucaracha", pop hits and classical pieces perfectly matching the action.DRUNK PARENTS
Watchable. The hapless upper middle-class parents in financial troubles, who, trying to resolve the situation, find themselves in dire straits makes you root for them. But the film's moronic rather than funny. Decent music.
Tuesday 9 July 2019
CHILD'S PLAY
Watchable. The remake of the 1988 horror gets a modern on the verge of futuristic twist: smart homes, self-driving cars. No voodoo, just a malicious Vietnamese factory worker installing malware. The doll's decisions come from learning software. It all makes the story realistic. Psychological motivations sound true as well. The plot's based on three kinds of fears combined: of a stalker, of robots killing people and of creepy masks. The tale is adrenaline-driven so it soon becomes tediously action-packed. A curious fact is that Mark Hamill sheds his lovable image of Luke Skywalker and gives the murderous doll his voice.
PRZEGLĄD KINA SZWAJCARSKIEGO (SWISS CINEMA SCREENING)
WIN WIN
Watchable. I did not laugh out loud but was smiling throughout this cheerful silly comedy. It's well acted, especially by the lead Jean-Luc Couchard as the small town mayor and by Yin Bing and his supporting actresses as Chang and his staff. It's a pleasant story where all ends well.
SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME 3D
Recommended. It has really good 3D, coming out of the screen towards the viewer at times and closing the gap, e.g. when the Venice flood commences. References to contemporary social obsessions abound, e.g. photographing everything, posting silly videos, cyberbullying and sexual harassment and, foremost, the lack of faith in science. Even the science teacher facing an unknown phenomenon declares: "It's witches." This and other comic situations made me laugh better than at some comedies. The film is in fact a lighthearted comedy about a school trip to Europe. Ah, and there's that delightful (to the British side of the globe anyway) joke about saying "London Bridge" meaning "Tower Bridge" on purpose. Jake Gyllenhall is in. And acts convincingly as Mysterio. The world with superheroes in it is complete, e.g. Spider-Man's movie choice on the plane includes a film on Iron Man's life. Best of all, the mid-credit turns the whole story around for the second time and the post-credit for the third time.
PAVAROTTI
Watchable. No Atmos sound in Poland even though it's a music documentary. Still, my greatest problem with it is that I've never been such a fun of operatic singers. And the film is also a bit too long. Still, it's an engaging story about a cheerful, chubby, always joyful tenor with a penchant for home food, Italian of course. You learn about all the good he did in his life, e.g. aiding children afflicted by wars in 6 different countries as well as about his shadow side, like having a mistress while he was married. Most importantly, the documentary presents him fully, letting you feel what kind of person he was as well as teaching you it's the ability to sing the high C that makes one great. As expected, there are excerpts of his performances aplenty.
Watchable. The remake of the 1988 horror gets a modern on the verge of futuristic twist: smart homes, self-driving cars. No voodoo, just a malicious Vietnamese factory worker installing malware. The doll's decisions come from learning software. It all makes the story realistic. Psychological motivations sound true as well. The plot's based on three kinds of fears combined: of a stalker, of robots killing people and of creepy masks. The tale is adrenaline-driven so it soon becomes tediously action-packed. A curious fact is that Mark Hamill sheds his lovable image of Luke Skywalker and gives the murderous doll his voice.
PRZEGLĄD KINA SZWAJCARSKIEGO (SWISS CINEMA SCREENING)
WIN WIN
Watchable. I did not laugh out loud but was smiling throughout this cheerful silly comedy. It's well acted, especially by the lead Jean-Luc Couchard as the small town mayor and by Yin Bing and his supporting actresses as Chang and his staff. It's a pleasant story where all ends well.
SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME 3D
Recommended. It has really good 3D, coming out of the screen towards the viewer at times and closing the gap, e.g. when the Venice flood commences. References to contemporary social obsessions abound, e.g. photographing everything, posting silly videos, cyberbullying and sexual harassment and, foremost, the lack of faith in science. Even the science teacher facing an unknown phenomenon declares: "It's witches." This and other comic situations made me laugh better than at some comedies. The film is in fact a lighthearted comedy about a school trip to Europe. Ah, and there's that delightful (to the British side of the globe anyway) joke about saying "London Bridge" meaning "Tower Bridge" on purpose. Jake Gyllenhall is in. And acts convincingly as Mysterio. The world with superheroes in it is complete, e.g. Spider-Man's movie choice on the plane includes a film on Iron Man's life. Best of all, the mid-credit turns the whole story around for the second time and the post-credit for the third time.
PAVAROTTI
Watchable. No Atmos sound in Poland even though it's a music documentary. Still, my greatest problem with it is that I've never been such a fun of operatic singers. And the film is also a bit too long. Still, it's an engaging story about a cheerful, chubby, always joyful tenor with a penchant for home food, Italian of course. You learn about all the good he did in his life, e.g. aiding children afflicted by wars in 6 different countries as well as about his shadow side, like having a mistress while he was married. Most importantly, the documentary presents him fully, letting you feel what kind of person he was as well as teaching you it's the ability to sing the high C that makes one great. As expected, there are excerpts of his performances aplenty.
Friday 5 July 2019
MIDSOMMAR
Recommended. After Ari Aster's "Hereditary", I was sceptical about "Midsommar" but it enthralls. It's a higher category of horror. I guess "Hereditary" was just a not-too-successful warm-up. The movie again starts as a psychologic drama but ends in a horror. And it's very consistent and psychologically true. Paweł Pogorzelski's cinematography whitens the light, creates an eerie climate, uses an upside down shot or air views at a close distance. Pageantry, as the celebration is aptly described in the film, is impressive. Floral patterns and warm bright light are imbued with suspense and menace. The whole film seems quiet and toned down. Even screams are muted. Yet every minute feels sinister. Christian's collar pattern before the sacrifice resembles drops of blood. Even the end credits are - flowers open like in the May Queen's crown. Some scenes are utterly brutal but it's the suspense that creates the horror here. The immediate after effect on me was feeling frightened at the sight of floral patterns on clothes on the bus back home - unavoidable nowadays. I guess I won't be going to Sweden at this time of year. The movie will make you doublethink before making friends with a nice Swede.
Recommended. After Ari Aster's "Hereditary", I was sceptical about "Midsommar" but it enthralls. It's a higher category of horror. I guess "Hereditary" was just a not-too-successful warm-up. The movie again starts as a psychologic drama but ends in a horror. And it's very consistent and psychologically true. Paweł Pogorzelski's cinematography whitens the light, creates an eerie climate, uses an upside down shot or air views at a close distance. Pageantry, as the celebration is aptly described in the film, is impressive. Floral patterns and warm bright light are imbued with suspense and menace. The whole film seems quiet and toned down. Even screams are muted. Yet every minute feels sinister. Christian's collar pattern before the sacrifice resembles drops of blood. Even the end credits are - flowers open like in the May Queen's crown. Some scenes are utterly brutal but it's the suspense that creates the horror here. The immediate after effect on me was feeling frightened at the sight of floral patterns on clothes on the bus back home - unavoidable nowadays. I guess I won't be going to Sweden at this time of year. The movie will make you doublethink before making friends with a nice Swede.
Thursday 4 July 2019
TEEN SPIRIT
Watchable. Predictable but well-made by 34-year-old actor Max Minghella. Elle Fanning looks and acts plausibly Polish, her Polish language is sometimes incomprehensible at all, sometimes astoundingly apt and sometimes has a strong English accent. In fact her lines had to be rewritten by the Polish staff on set because what she had been taught in the US before flying into the UK sounded so unnatural no Pole would say it. Also her name: Violet Valenski sounds like an umpteenth generation American, not a Polish-born Brit. Witty dialogues do a good job. Music, as expected, gets better and better. Still, it's no quality onto itself. The pictures look too dark at times. The ending implies a sequel. I'd rather they stopped at part one.
POLAROID
Watchable. Boring - and it's a horror! Very run-of-the mill plot. Cheap-looking spooks. I barely sat through it till the end. It gave me an after-effect in the form of getting scared at the sight of mirrors and window panes though.
FIVE FEET APART
Watchable. Two terminally ill teenagers in love - can anything be tackier than this? Fortunately the nurses are sweethearts and Cole Sprouse who impersonates Will is remarkably good-looking. Cynthia Evans who acts as the girl's mum looks so young at first I thought she was a school friend.
Watchable. Predictable but well-made by 34-year-old actor Max Minghella. Elle Fanning looks and acts plausibly Polish, her Polish language is sometimes incomprehensible at all, sometimes astoundingly apt and sometimes has a strong English accent. In fact her lines had to be rewritten by the Polish staff on set because what she had been taught in the US before flying into the UK sounded so unnatural no Pole would say it. Also her name: Violet Valenski sounds like an umpteenth generation American, not a Polish-born Brit. Witty dialogues do a good job. Music, as expected, gets better and better. Still, it's no quality onto itself. The pictures look too dark at times. The ending implies a sequel. I'd rather they stopped at part one.
POLAROID
Watchable. Boring - and it's a horror! Very run-of-the mill plot. Cheap-looking spooks. I barely sat through it till the end. It gave me an after-effect in the form of getting scared at the sight of mirrors and window panes though.
FIVE FEET APART
Watchable. Two terminally ill teenagers in love - can anything be tackier than this? Fortunately the nurses are sweethearts and Cole Sprouse who impersonates Will is remarkably good-looking. Cynthia Evans who acts as the girl's mum looks so young at first I thought she was a school friend.
Tuesday 2 July 2019
TRANSLATLANTYK FESTIVAL 2019
The festival, taking place in Łódź, Poland from 12th to 19th July, sounds intriguing. Paweł Borowski, the director of recent "Ja teraz kłamię" ("I Am Lying Now"), together with two foreign film critics, will be in the short films jury. VOX bed cinema offers 50 beds for special in-bed screenings with individual screens showing the same movie, with the option of pulling curtains. One bed accommodates 2-6 viewers. SWPS (University of Social Sciences and Humanities) will hold lectures for listeners in the beds at 6 p.m. every day. Rafał Woś will moderate debates on unconditional basic income, on robots working for us rather than instead of us and on Europe as a community it no longer is. A Kamera Akcja debate will try to answer whether movie makers and critics speak the same language. Instant Composition Contest will have composers playing to the picture straightaway. There's free entry to the contest and viewers are encouraged to bring children, especially babies, in order to test how much the composers can bear. Meetings for the film industry will feature a new one - on "Women in cinema" and their problems. The main cinema at the festival will be Cinema City Manufaktura where most of the movie screenings and all masterclasses will take place. Cinema City is also a sponsor. The fantastic "space" poster was created by a Polish artist living in Ibiza. There are versions of the poster with an alien. The artist's exhibition of sculptures will be hosted at EC1. The festival spot is superb too. Free screenings will be held in Łódź libraries. A movie which will have its Polish premiere at the festival is:
SYSTEMSPRENGER (SYSTEM CRASHER)
Recommended. Heavy stuff. Heart-wrenching and tear-jerking. Good psychology. The unruly kid is shown from both perspectives: of the child and of adults. The story explains how sometimes nothing can be done. The end credits look funny and include "war lecker" ("was tasty") at the catering data.
The festival, taking place in Łódź, Poland from 12th to 19th July, sounds intriguing. Paweł Borowski, the director of recent "Ja teraz kłamię" ("I Am Lying Now"), together with two foreign film critics, will be in the short films jury. VOX bed cinema offers 50 beds for special in-bed screenings with individual screens showing the same movie, with the option of pulling curtains. One bed accommodates 2-6 viewers. SWPS (University of Social Sciences and Humanities) will hold lectures for listeners in the beds at 6 p.m. every day. Rafał Woś will moderate debates on unconditional basic income, on robots working for us rather than instead of us and on Europe as a community it no longer is. A Kamera Akcja debate will try to answer whether movie makers and critics speak the same language. Instant Composition Contest will have composers playing to the picture straightaway. There's free entry to the contest and viewers are encouraged to bring children, especially babies, in order to test how much the composers can bear. Meetings for the film industry will feature a new one - on "Women in cinema" and their problems. The main cinema at the festival will be Cinema City Manufaktura where most of the movie screenings and all masterclasses will take place. Cinema City is also a sponsor. The fantastic "space" poster was created by a Polish artist living in Ibiza. There are versions of the poster with an alien. The artist's exhibition of sculptures will be hosted at EC1. The festival spot is superb too. Free screenings will be held in Łódź libraries. A movie which will have its Polish premiere at the festival is:
SYSTEMSPRENGER (SYSTEM CRASHER)
Recommended. Heavy stuff. Heart-wrenching and tear-jerking. Good psychology. The unruly kid is shown from both perspectives: of the child and of adults. The story explains how sometimes nothing can be done. The end credits look funny and include "war lecker" ("was tasty") at the catering data.
Monday 1 July 2019
PRZEGLĄD KINA SZWAJCARSKIEGO (SWISS CINEMA SCREENING)
HIVER NOMADE (WINTER NOMADS)
Watchable. It's tranquil: snow-clad pastures, cute dogs, beautiful donkeys and lots of sheep. The mixed-age couple is agreeable. The season presented in the documentary tells you what it's like to be a shepherd. Unbelievable even nowadays some people sleep in tents or even without all winter when walking through the countryside with their herds. The only disturbing bits are the mentions of the sheep going to be slaughtered for meat.
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