Movie reviews

SKANDAL. EWENEMENT MOLESTY (SCANDAL)

Watchable. A documentary about an obscure Polish hip-hop band from a Warsaw suburb but directed so professionally, world-standard I watched it with full attention. I'm not a fan of gangsta rap and the streetwise guys who formed the band had little musical prowess, especially in comparison to some of American hip-hop performers they imitated, otherwise I'd enjoy it more. But the film explains their background e.g. a low level of education, smoking joints, skiving responsibilities, avoiding commitments and the social and economic changes of the 1990s in the country. I dreaded the period. They enjoyed it. Lots of material from those years as well as current commentary. Contains some references to Proceder - a band depicted in actors' movie "Proceder" (reviewed here in December 2019). Excellent cutting makes for an engaging watching in spite of the poor music of the protagonists.

Reviewed from an online screener with perfect sound but, as always, cinematic reception might differ.

LES BONHEURS DES UNS (A FRIENDLY TALE)

Watchable. An insightful satire on envy. It dissects both people's personalities and the mechanisms of their behaviour in the face of a friend's sudden success. Vincent Cassel in a supporting role excels as a smooth businessman and this part is a nice change after his playing a serious of rougher characters. Still, I didn't laugh out loud even once and the first half of the movie was tedious. Set in the literary world which appears to be successful in France, unlike in Poland - heart-warming.

Reviewed from an online screener, cinematic reception might differ. I hope the light white subtitles will be either more visible on a big screen or of a different type for cinemas.

DA CVEN VICEKVET (AND THEN WE DANCED)

Watchable. Largely predictable both as a dance picture and as a gay movie. With the difference it lacks a happy ending in either layer. I have a soft spot for dancing but these dances - traditional Georgian styles, even if technically nearly impossible, lacked cinema-oriented choreographies and filming mode. Only the finale was both emotive and technically superb - even if the moves didn't constitute a Georgian dance. Made me try the moves myself though.

Reviewed from an online screener, cinematic reception might differ.