Movie reviews

W LESIE DZIS NIE ZASNIE NIKT (NOBODY SLEEPS IN THE WOODS TONIGHT)

Recommended. By the director of earlier excellent, chilling "Plac zabaw" ("Playground") who, as it turns out, grew up on slashers from the 80s. His latest movie is a slasher rich in cultural connotations, most comprehensible to foreigners, a few to Poles only (politics, choice of actors). It's 80s-style fun in the contemporary context of a boot camp for digital addicts. Shades of "Leatherface", "Terminator" and a few other classics are cast over vast swathes of Mazovian forests, whose sweeping aerial views are typical for opening sequences of the genre. A protagonist runs over the monster like Sarah Connor in "Dark Fate" - though the latest "Terminator" was released in October 2019 when the Polish caper was already in post-production. At another instance the person is placed behind bars in a car - like Kevin Spacey in the desert scene in "Se7en". Reading the end credits you come across the list of instruments: owl, woodpecker, saw, boy choir programming - the crew have done their best to recreate the "Psycho" music and sound effect in another mockery of an iconic scene. Even echoes of a fairy-tale - one where a girl kills a monster - can be found. The political references include: a meteorite, twin boys, a quote from Archbishop Jędraszewski. These need explaining. The meteorite, which brings to mind a famous incident in Chelyabinsk, Russia, in Poland is associated rather with "O dwóch takich, co ukradli księżyc" ("The Two Who Stole The Moon") - the movie most famous for twin boys in the cast who later became major actors of the political scene, one died tragically - in a plane crash near the Katyn forest in Russia - and the other is the president of the ruling party and is seen by every other Pole as a dictator obsessed with his deceased brother. The Archbishop infamously defended pedophile priests. Another strong point is excellent cast - both the experienced actors and the new faces - and characters. Exquisite Mecwaldowski plays an episode - the best role in the picture. Popular in comedy shows actors, Izabela Dąbrowska and Sebastian Stankiewicz, make a cameo. No wonder the film's hilarious, makes use of horror gimmicks and provides tension too. Good music - by Jimek - and sound effects. Judging from the ending, a sequel is likely.

23 shooting days, 8-9 scenes daily. Make-up would start in the wee hours. Bartosz M. Kowalski, who scripted, directed and co-edited the movie, had written out full editing back-to-back, each shot. It took 1.5 years from the concept to the premiere. Few people in Poland know how to make limbs and splashing blood but they managed just right. The stunning Polish forests where it was shot are located near Warsaw: Mazowiecki Park Krajobrazowy and Kampinos.

The movie was to be released just one day after the lockdown began so it ended up on Netflix. Now it's finally making its way on the big screen where it belongs.


HER DOCS FILM FESTIVAL

YOURS IN SISTERHOOD

Recommended. Contemporary women read out letters from 50 years ago. While lesbians' situation has improved enormously over the time, it's much easier to find employment and respect even in formerly masculinized professions and sexual harassment in the public is on the decrease, most of the letters sound terrifyingly up-to-date. Mostly house chores sharing, citizen versus the authorities and racial issues need improvement. Simple in form yet powerful.

ISLAND OF THE HUNGRY GHOSTS

Watchable. A bit on the slow side. But well thought through. Refugee detention centers on Christmas Island function like prisons: families split, no right to leave, with the added hardship of never knowing how long you're going to be there. The only thing the refugees can control is whether to live on. It's juxtaposed with great care taken to let migrating red crabs pass safely: building a bridge for them and closing roads for cars and, lastly, with a half-Aussie half-Arab family packing lots of stuff to leave their nice house. The documentary has also made me wonder what it feels like to spend a pitch-black night on the ocean, after the boat sank, when you can't see sharks but hear the screams of the people caught.