SPACE JAM: A NEW LEGACY

Recommended. This sci-fi trip into the game world builds on latest mobile technologies to attract the most discerning geek. Mind-blowing CGIs and optical effects will lure you even if you have no clue who LeBron James is. Steven Yeun was more familiar to me - he's got an episode as one of Warner Bros. executives. WB features heavily, together with HBO, partly to build their future audience but adults will be entertained too. Characters from "Game of Thrones", "Harry Potter", "It", "Matrix", "A Clockwork Orange", "The Wizard of Oz", "Mask", "Batman & Robin", "Batman Returns", "King Kong", DC universe, name it, make appearances. The two basketball teams are called Squads. Al-G at some point dons large glasses in round silver frames like Steve Jobs. Surfaces reflect colours, spatial geometric figures give the impression of 3D. Excellent music accompanies the wonderful visuals. Lots of action, a heartfelt ending without being sappy. The post-credit is just a voice telling you it's the end.

I got to the movie a few minutes late due to Cinema City having a joint ticket and bar check-out and insufficient staff. During the time one lady was serving a bunch of kids, at least three other people managed to buy their tickets at a different check-out - once the extra person arrived. 

3RD WARSAW ANIMATION FILM FESTIVAL

I'm going to watch the rest online, on e-kinopodbaranami.pl - a very friendly place, they respond via their Facebook fanpage immediately and try to help if you experience any problem. Now I have 10 more film sets available to watch so, instead of stopping and reviewing each individual animation, I'll review full sets in my attempt to see as many as my time allows.

ARS ELECTRONICA 2020

8 watchable: "Recursive Truth", "The Entropy Gardens", "Serial Parallels", "This Means More", "In Her Boots", "Bodyless", "Thicc Seams", "Time o' the Signs", 3 recommended. The set diversifies animation styles and techniques, created worlds and subject matter. Each film is interesting in its own way. The first four combine surreal scenery with captivating music, the next two are on the quiet side - not counting human voices, the last five are each different. Some of the films deserve a special mention due to their utter creativity - whether achieved through complexity or simplicity:

INFINITELY YOURS

Recommended. This film writes into the environmental subject as a pregnant woman wonders what world she'll bring her baby into. Top-notch electronic music means it watches like a music video clip, without moralising.

UNDERGROUND CIRCUIT

Recommended. Large Chinese blocks of flats flash in front of your eyes till you feel entrapped. Memorable.

BODYLESS

Watchable. It's a bit all over the shop but the finale with weightless bodies in a derelict building and an exterminator fumigating the ground is chilling.

COMING HOME

Recommended. A tongue-in-cheek tale of Americans returning where they all originate from.

TIME O' THE SIGNS

Watchable. On how signs: an alarm, badges, pedometers etc. rule our world nowadays -some food for thought, sadly with rudimentary animation and annoying sounds.

SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS IMAX 3D

Recommended. Destin Daniel Cretton, of "Just Mercy" fame, co-wrote, with David Callaham, and directed this new Marvel blockbuster. Marvel-Universe-wise it links you to the Ten Rings organization mentioned in "Iron Man", "Iron Man 3" - the false Mandarin subplot is even continued and developed, with wonderful Ben Kingsley - as well as Marvel One Shot "All Hail the King" (available online), while the mid-credit refers you to the "Avengers" series after "Endgame". In one funny scene "Planet of the Apes" form 1986 is mentioned. The movie's on family and friendship. Both protagonists are kidults. Shang-Chi is played by Simu Liu, born in China, raised in Canada, a former Deloitte accountant who trained taekwondo and Wing Chun for the movie only, never before, but manages to convince you he's a martial art master. Awkwafina is spot on in her performance as Katy, Shang-Chi's best friend, an American of Chinese origins, who doesn't speak Chinese and has a different view on things, sometimes to a humorous effect, sometimes to shed a different light on the matters. She's a character both from outside China and from outside the Marvel Universe. There's a comical episode with the bus driver. Actor Benedict Wong returns as Wong and introduces himself as Wong. A number of dialogues are in Chinese, there's plenty of humour but also a few touching moments, though most of the film is built on adrenaline. You get wonderful, shot at different angles, fight choreographies. The fights combine kung fu, taekwondo, wushu styles and elements of parkour. Myself being a training person, I noticed 3 little mistakes: young Shang-Chi has hurt knuckles - you're more likely to hurt your finger joints when punching, the guy practicing a wood chop with his hand should hit it with the edge of his hand but looks as if he was about to use either his fist or his forearm and Jiang Li should have hit Wenwu's side either with her palm edge or her fist, not the whole flat palm. But I'm impressed with the training and fight scenes anyway. The movie's worth seeing in 3D since rings or weapons are sometimes hurled in your direction. But most importantly on as big a screen as possible. The film's nothing short of spectacular. It makes use of the undulating terrain of San Francisco, even before the sequence filled with CGIs, there are scenes at heights, splendid views of Macau, Chinese landscapes on the search for Ta Ho and even fantastic beasts. Apart from the mid-credit, there's a post-credit with the hero's sister.

DON'T BREATHE 2

Recommended. It's a series where you don't want to be late to the movie theatre. Another great beginning. The opening sequence changes your perception of the blind veteran remembered for his sadism in part one. The sequel, shot in dilapidated buildings in Serbia, offers a few more twists, one major shock and a post-credit scene. Masterfully written. Convincingly executed. Literally.

TESCIOWIE (THE IN-LAWS)

Watchable. A masterfully written, acted and produced drama dissecting wedding reception behaviours, millennials, relationships within couples, families, social changes and economic differences in the society. The tension is meticulously built up to the finale. It's just a shame the movie tells us only what we all already know.

THE DRY

Watchable. An engaging thriller set in a small town in the Australian outback, dealing both with the climate change - showing the rest of the world what it's like to have to save water, and with two unresolved crimes. Fine performances all around ensure realism. Particularly Joe Klocek is excellent as young Aaron Falk. What detracts from the story is the ending. One of the criminal cases is resolved by means of Aaron's investigation and the follow-up is a bit over the top, though highlights the bushfire risk, the other crime is suddenly resolved through a finding - missed for 30 years? The solutions are at least consistent within the story.

QUO VADIS, AIDA?

Recommended. The "Quo Vadis" part of the title refers the viewer to "Domine, quo vadis?" ("Lord, where are you going?") supposedly uttered by St. Peter who when fleeing the persecution in Rome meets the risen Christ returning there to be crucified again. Verdi's "Aida" also has some common elements with the eponymous film, though few. But an invading army, an occupied nation whose release is negotiated - general Ratko Mladić replaces the conniving pharaoh from the opera, filming his invasion to mislead the public three decades before the fake news term was coined - as well as a woman's decision resulting in someone's life or death, lovers who cannot be together however much they plead with the rulers, rules that have to be followed, a deceit appear in both works. The thing is the movie is based on actual events. It had an Oscar nomination, alongside "Druk" ("Another Round"). I think "Druk" won because after seeing "Quo Vadis, Aida?" the Academicians needed a drink. While the camera follows UN translator Aida, it submerges you into the long buried past. My first associations were with the Afghani refugees at present. Yet the movie quickly thrusts you into Srebrenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1995 to witness how the Blue Helmets, left alone by the US command and inept themselves, let down the refugees they were meant to protect. Step by step, the dramatic events of the massacre unfold, highlighting how both sides of the conflict had lived side by side, had gone to school together and how now, after the war, the victims have to live and work passing by the perpetrators daily. You must see the film to fully comprehend their tragic position.

3RD WARSAW ANIMATION FILM FESTIVAL

GREEN ON SCREEN - GREEN LIGHT

12 watchable: "Shopping Sunday", "Reduction", "Roots", "The Fourfold", "Letters from Fukushima", "Grandma Aniela's memory of herbs and forest clearings", "Hunting", "Don't lose her beauty", "Like a rabbit", "Coffin", "The Return of the Waves", "Blink in the Desert", 4 recommended. I was amazed at the bewildering array of short films from all over the world each in a different animation style, technique and medium so I had a surprise every few minutes. Most were quite difficult to analyze thinking on your feet, I, personally would need to see them again and pause after each. Sometimes my impression was the authors applied a number of ways to say things not having much to say. Still, 4 films were so hard-hitting, both visually and in the message they conveyed, they did stand out and left little doubt as to their meaning:

ONLY A CHILD

Recommended. Poignantly tackles the 6th mass extinction, and other issues, memorably placing the species on the verge of extinction on poles like 3D exhibits.

MIGRANTS

Recommended. The polar bears are knitted which makes them absolutely cute and cuddly. The film juxtaposes animal and human behaviours towards strangers and delves into our treatment of animals as well as human refugees.

SEEKER

Recommended. Tackles industrialization in a science fiction manner.

RANG-TAN: THE STORY OF DIRTY PALM OIL

Recommended. Colourful or bleak black and white where needed, vividly persuades you to check for and avoid palm oil in your food or shampoo.

All the films were either with no words or in English.

CANDYMAN 

Watchable. The original movie was made in 1992 with white student Helen as the protagonist. Jordan Peele's written the story differently. It's Cabrini Green again, nowadays. The protagonist is a black artist, just like the legendary killer. We also get a scene of summoning Candyman to have someone murdered. Helen is mentioned as if implying her having gone mad under Candyman's influence and perpetrating the murders herself which I find already unfair to the white woman's character. In the remake the backstory is told with an 'artsy' shadow theatre but that obscures the yarn. And the baby story's too literal. The most important and profound change to the tale is that this time the lead protagonist sees himself as Candyman in a mirror and his brush, aimed at social issues, becomes a hook. While the blame for social problems like ghettos is pointed at "you-artists" and being one is teasingly ridiculed in the artwork named "Say My Name", violence seems to be justified in the film. At some point the legendary murderer levitates like a saint. What's going to come next? Saint Candyman sanctifying revenge bloodshed?! What I did like in this version, were reverted high-rise buildings in the fog, Philip Glass' "Music Box" in the soundtrack and, to a point, the critic's necklace with a tape in it which looked like the candy with a razor blade found in the elevator a few minutes earlier. Yet remembering the tension and images of the original, here forsaken for social moralizing, I have to say the law of remakes has worked and it's simple - don't make them. 

THE SEVENTH DAY

Watchable. Not scary bar one minor jump shock. Distorted faces, teeth and people covered in blood abound but such pictures are interspersed with conversations of two priests travelling from one exorcism to another which are quite dull. The plot isn't very consistent either. But I love the idea of who the evil ones are. The ending leaves a sequel potential.

SPIRIT UNTAMED

Recommended. A beautiful tale filled with love of animals, caring families, friendly people, well, apart from the gang of villains. As for the teenage protagonists, I'd love to have such girlfriends. Now, regarding the plot.. what a tear-jerker! The fate of the horses is so moving I was sobbing throughout the film. Luckily (accidental pun) there are a handful of funny bits, especially the aunt's mastery at oar-fighting is hilarious. Visually, hair shades changing in various lighting, grass and trees looking like a blend of real greenery with animation and warm colours make this picture just cute. Julianne Moore and Jake Gyllenhaal voice the aunt and the father in the original. In Poland, however, it's only dubbed in Polish, with songs in Spanish, English and Polish.

EXTINCT

Watchable. This Chinese/American animated tale is engaging and the framework ingenious, though the plot silly in the beginning -  the flummels' exploits are ridiculous, the main twist with the dog is out of the blue, historical facts are in turns informative in an entertaining way or distorted for no reason, and the film's unevenly paced - a number of times the story accelerates abruptly, also the location shifts are too harsh. Recorded in Atmos, pointlessly, the sound doesn't stand out. Ken Jeong voices the dog. In Poland, however, it's only dubbed in Polish. At least Bartek Fukiet's translation has given us wonderful dialogues, with lots of rhymes and puns. There's an early mid-credit. 

DRAGON RIDER

Watchable. The characters are a strangely diverse assembly of legendary creatures from all over the world, e.g. a kobold, bird Roc, dragons, an Indian temple - from all over the world but with no rhyme or reason to it. Bartek Fukiet translated it into Polish and he's usually top-notch but here even he mistranslated "How To Tame Your Dragon" into "Jak wytresować smoka" ("How To Train Your Dragon"). At least songs have been kept in English. A conversation between two characters: the temple caretaker and her husband is heard at the end of the final credits.

THE RECKONING

Recommended. Terrifying not through any supernatural horrors - the Devil appears only as a vision or nightmare - but due to it being rooted in history: 500 000 women were tortured and murdered in the result of witchcraft accusations. The movie is more of a drama about what it was like to be accused of witchcraft. Gruesome images depict victims of the plague or violence, especially that inflicted on women scapegoated for the pestilence. Beautiful Charlotte Kirk stars as the headstrong victim. It's fiction so it ends well.

THE SUICIDE SQUAD 

Watchable. Having sampled both movies, I much prefer "Suicide Squad" from 2016. As I feared, "Guardians of the Galaxy" writer/director James Gunn has made each character, old or new, twice dumber. That was to be expected. I've yet to see a smart film by him. But to dumb down even Harley Quinn?! Unforgivable. Add to it rock or rap pieces in the soundtrack - uninspiring, what's more, the film was to be screened in Atmos but wasn't, the movie hadn't been recorded in it. The laser projector didn't help either because it is not spectacular, in spite of decent CGIs. So an ordinary screen with a basic sound system suffices to see this blockbuster shot in Panama, Puerto Rico, Porto in Portugal which stand in as Corto Maltese. Visual effects, gadgetry, make-ups, cinematography are perfectly fine and captions written in blood or in elements of wrecks and the like are original. Lots of action keeps you entertained. It's all on the wacky side. The millennials have a reputation of their own, well reflected in the plot. Cleo/Ratcatcher 2 is embodied by Daniela Melchior who looks and acts like young Winona Ryder so I hope she's a rising star. The movie makes you appreciate rats, they're cute, the Weasel isn't. On the plus side, the hints at politics are worth a mention, coincidentally quite up-to-date taken the situation in Afghanistan right now about which the movie makers can't have known at the time of writing and shooting. There's a post-credit.

I saw a rat near home on my way back, an unusual sighting in my area, and it was cute. 

FREAKY

Watchable. Vince Vaughn and Kathryn Newton excel in the body swap roles. The killer eyes of the girl taped to the chair stay in your mind. This slasher flick has serious undertones, from the male and female attitude to sex in the initial part - too literally diverse to be credible yet making the point, through the second act when the murdering spree is less effective but deceit easier due to the body swap, to the finale where both the serial killer and the prospective victim have learned the drawbacks of being the opposite sex. The gay character is written all wrong.

I was scared of door noises afterwards. 

CANDYMAN

I've seen it finally but can't reveal anything before 6 p.m. CET on Wednesday.

ANIARA

Watchable. This Swedish space opera is based on the original concept of a space ferry veering off course and has ingenious ways at looking both at luxurious vessels and at the society. Taken the confinement of a spacecraft it's also a method of exploring long-term lockdowns. What strikes is the realism of such an imagined situation. And that doesn't mix well with science fiction. While cheap thrills like lesbian sex or a sex orgy enliven the action, I had the impression the frequent nudity was to cover up the inadequacies of deeper meanings. Also, with virtually no music, it feels as empty of emotions as the outer space is of sound.

Available on Viaplay. I don't know if the screener quality is the same as the platform. Mine was rather quiet, the subtitles were medium size, I couldn't watch reading them from my bed but from some distance I could.

THE VIOLENT HEART

Watchable. Gripping from the beginning when you witness a murder. Yet the majority of the action is toned down and light, with pleasant characters. Beautiful Grace Van Patten as Cassie sweetens up the tale of ordinary lives in a small town. The family life is engaging enough, with a possible betrayal or with a funny comment on a family tree school assignment: "You can't come with one fact?!" The ending, to me, is a loud voice against gun violence but I'm European and Americans might not catch the fact that without a gun it wouldn't end so tragically. But the finale is annoying being far-fetched, especially that there's no physical semblance between the relatives. In fact, whatever was fine in the movie-long introduction gets ruined when you realise those past incidents led to this ending, having been merely character building. It's better to see it as a drama rather than a crime story.

Available on a number of Internet platforms. I'm not sure how much my screener reflects the platform viewing quality. Mine was awfully quiet, could barely hear the original and the subtitles forced me to sit right at the computer. But it's a good film for platforms since I had to go a bit back sometimes to re-catch details.

CANDYMAN

I'm going to see it shortly and I'm anxious. I found the original amazing, I don't like remakes as a rule but this one is by Jordan Peele and I'm a great fan of his. The new version had better be good. Otherwise it's going to let me down double. 

THE NIGHT HOUSE

Watchable. A horror, a psychological thriller or even a love story, depending how you interpret the story. Gripping, with an original, smart storyline, partly based on a pun, memorable scenes, e.g women jumping off a cliff, a number of decoys in the plot. Yet something just doesn't ring true. The devil is in the details. If her accident happened more than a decade ago, why was her husband sleepwalking just the last 2-3 years? She didn't sense any putrid smell in the abandoned house which puts a question mark on one revelation. Also, does the doll matter or not? It seems the action could do just as well without it. Finally, would a woman in mourning really be preoccuppied with fantasies about love-making? 

OLD

Recommended. Holidays - shot in the Dominican Republic so you get the vibe. Hotel guests are lured into a trip to a a cove surrounded by dramatic cliffs which soon really become dramatic. There's an air of mystery pervading the film, a spotlessly conducted action and a series of original ideas of the kind I love in some of M. Night Shyamalan's movies. In this case the director first welcomes you back at the cinema, praising the advantages of the big screen - I fully agree - and showing his face which you later recognize as the hotel bus van driver in the movie. But it's more than just a cameo, he's the guy who's filming the events which puts him in a double role and adds a twist to the story. The plot seems inspired by the pandemic and antivaxxers' fears - though does not mention any epidemic or preventive measures, it's just my assumption. The film is simply a fantastic tale likely to appeal to a number of people. And I haven't even mentioned the eponymous subject matter which makes it timeless.

ZUPA NIC (HOME TOWN)

Recommended. Not an easy movie but the reality of the 80s in communist Poland: costumes, hair, make-up, interiors, exteriors, cars, music, foods and drinks, vocabulary, behaviours, social norms of the time are meticulously recreated for this tragicomedy. Even the final song, with contemporary lyrics, sounds like from the 80s. It puts you on an emotional swing, where protagonist's frustrations range from downright humiliating and disheartening ones, like the failure to go trading abroad, to hilarious like having to push the car - a common occurrence back then. This often disturbing bit of history is perfectly directed by Kinga Dębska.

However realistic this family tale is, it makes you ponder how whole generations survived all that. Even more, considered it normal. 

LASSIE - EINE ABENTEUERLICHE REISE (LASSIE COME HOME)

Recommended. Based on a book written in 1940, the story has made me cry a number of times over the years since childhood - partly ruined by such sad movies. The new adaptation is German and Germans know how to shoot children's movie. There are two lovely pooches and Lassie's adventures as well as the children's search for the dog provide a full emotional gamut: tension, anger, sympathy and amusement. Following the dog's trail keeps you in suspense, upsets you when the conniving thief appears to succeed, makes you feel sorry for the drowning dog and but also giggle at the butler's sobbing. But it's a light version, where the incidents aren't serious and all ends perfectly well. In Polish cinemas it's available only dubbed in Polish.

HELLO AGAIN - EIN TAG FUR IMMER (HELLO AGAIN)

Watchable. A romantic version of "Groundhog Day". Shoddy cinematography, the protagonist who's a mess and a day she relives over and over again until she gets it right. And that last part works, a decent script saves the movie. The beginning is rubbish but each subsequent day is different, the effect of her actions can't be quite foreseen so it becomes engaging. I have to observe it's a romantic drama, 'cause comedy it is not.

Funny how many mid-pandemic post-lockdown movies tell about reliving the same day over and over or about skipping years of life.

POLANSKI, HOROWITZ. HOMETOWN

Recommended. The beginning is almost boring - two old chaps remember their childhoods, but when you hear how badly they and their families were affected by the Holocaust in their formative years it's tear-jerking. Little do they say about those times which must be literally unspeakable to them even 70 years later. But what you do hear is heart-wrenching. The post-war communist regime didn't show them mercy either. On the other hand, you realize that those Poles who saved Jewish children granted us renowned personalities in art. Disgusting details like nose hair or peeing at the cinema knock the famous film director and photographer off the pedestal. In fact, they take themselves down a peg. Though I much preferred the existential joke - Horowitz, asked whether he would like to live his life again without changing a thing, answers: "Nie, ja chciałbym urodzić się na Hawajach." ("No, I'd like to be born in Hawaii.") Old photographs appear three-dimensional due to layering: elements of the picture are cut apart to create the impression of space. But maybe, like Horowitz says, some things are best forgotten.

LONG STORY SHORT

Recommended. An original story where the protagonist's time passes by unnoticed - literally, due to a magic trap. Engaging and profoundly moving. And bound to motivate you to do whatecer you want to do with your life.

18TH DOCS AGAINST GRAVITY FESTIVAL

3-12 September in cinemas, 16 September-3 October online. Not all films will be available online, sometimes for licensing reasons, sometimes because the makers of the new releases want to go the full festival path first. This year one more Warsaw cinema will host the festival - Elektronik - and 3 cinemas in Lower Silesia are joining in the usual venue set. The opening will take place in screening room 1 of Multikino to accommodate all the people. 6 new sections, including crime puzzles. 7 male and 7 female director's movies are in the Main Competition, debuts and renowned movie makers' alike, various topics, e.g. one is about stray dogs in Istanbul. The Industry Zone will focus on film development. Online, apart from films, live discussions and recordings of the most interesting cinema meetings will be available. As for guests, some will appear at the cinema, some online, owing to the hybrid form, there'll be even more meetings than usual. Vitaly Mansky is coming to give a masterclass. A curious fact from the conference is that Mel Gibson's "Passion" and other biblical movies were shot in Matera, Italy. More than 30 events accompanying the festival will take place in Warsaw alone and other events in other festival towns. In Warsaw they include: abortion in Salvador, how to win the fight for climate, a self-defence workshop after "Be Water" on Bruce Lee, how to be active till 100, for children - on despair after the loss of loved ones. 

One of the documentaries to be presented at the festival is:

VARLDENS VACKRASTE POJKE (THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BOY IN THE WORLD)

Recommended. The film was this year's Sundance sensation. I knew nothing about Björn Andrésen, not having even seen Visconti's "Death in Venice" where he played teenage Tazio. Having become an instant star, he later sang in Japan and even very recently he acted in "Midsommar" - he's the elderly man on the cliff at Ättestupa. Multitalented, adored by gays, he was a worldwide sensation. But his life is a sorrowful one and what you hear about his parents comes as a shock. The documentary shows how fame and success don't always bring happiness. Sometimes they just can't. It's impossible not to feel for the protagonist, even if you have never heard of him before. His unusual life makes for a top biopic. 

Seen online, cinematic reception might differ.

LA FINE FLEUR (THE ROSE MAKER)

Recommended. More than just a pleasant film about roses. Of course, you learn some technicalities of growing the plants and creating new but even that serves a further purpose. The story, while sticking to the rules of the genre, encompasses crime, comedy, with a laugh-out-loud bit: "You have subtle methods" (of selling flowers). But it's also a drama about coping with your legacy and coming to terms with your life hurdles. With excellent roles, especially of Catherine Frot as Eve Vernet. A drama as beautiful as a well-cultivated rose. 

SNAKE EYES: G.I. JOE ORIGINS

Watchable. Thoroughly entertaining, executed (pun intended) by the book. With Atmos sound. Perfectly acted, with excellent special effects, an engaging, at times touching, story, a lot of successfully enacted action, including a shoot-out on motorcycles. Yet the stereotypical storyline and characters mean it doesn't stand out among other production of the genre. The opening and end titles are creative but ghastly to the point of being tiring after so much action. The mid-credit implies a sequel which I won't mind seeing.

JUTRO CZEKA NAS DLUGI DZIEN (LONG DAY TOMORROW)

Watchable. A feature-style documentary, constructed like an actor's film, with a personal story and distinct individual characters. You don't feel it's documentary at all. It's more of a drama which is true to life. Cinematography is typical for features too, e.g. the monumental shot from the back and above when doctor Helena Pyz talks to the school headmaster about tuition fees. The protagonist, the doctor, often acts obnoxious and has a boss to match which provides the dynamics in the film. Religion is depicted as oppression exemplified by father Ashton Rodrigues. At least his shenanigans come full circle. The third issue after the job dynamics and the Church colonizing children in alien lands, seemingly the main one, is the position of lepers in Indian society. It's a cultural issue, ingrained so deeply in the local culture, that only at-face-value-colonial oversees powers attempt to give them dignified lives. That's some food for thought. Speaking of cultures, why is Bob Dylan's ballad used in the film and not Indian music? That's off. 

Seen online, cinematic reception might differ.

The director, Paweł Wysoczański, is so arrogant and full of himself I recommend avoiding contact with him. I honestly can't comprehend where he's got all that attitude.

WYSZYNSKI. ZEMSTA CZY PRZEBACZENIE (WYSZYNSKI - REVENGE OR FORGIVENESS)

The movie's coming out in mid-September and is going to tell the wartime story of Wyszyński. The Warsaw Uprising shaped future-Cardinal Wyszyński, as he said later. This 90-minute war drama, Syka's actor's film debut, under Krzysztof Zanussi's artistic supervision, is, according to director Tadeusz Syka, going to be not about a priest but about a human dilemma during WW2 of whether to forgive or get revenge. Lead actor Ksawery Szlenkier decided not to play a 'monument' yet present the dilemma of: "Czy ja jestem w stanie wybaczyć i pomóc komuś, kto chce mnie zabić?" ("Am I able to forgive and help someone who wants to kill me?") - SS-men were recovering in the same hospital as Polish soldiers. Wyszyński smuggled weapons during the war which is a curious fact about the priest. Young people, hearing his name, ask if he's a Legia footballer. So what's going to lure them to the cinema? Lots of action, good music, human dilemmas - as producer/director Tadeusz Syka promises. - "Nie tylko dla katolickiego widza" ("Not only for a Catholic viewer"). Effort was put into authenticity: 80% of the film was shot in the original locations, including the first floor of the hospital in Laski. Another actor, Marcin Kwaśny, was handed in an original Vis by Artur Sobieraj with words: "Uważaj, bo broń się za-za-zacina." ("Careful, 'cause the gun stu-stu-stutters."). A vicar from a parochy in Saska Kępa gifted his casscock to be used in the movie. Apart from the cinematic release in Poland, the producer has international festival hopes. He's also planned screenings for Polish expats in the US, South Africa, Australia, Europe.

THE FOREVER PURGE

Recommended. I'm addicted to the annual "Purge" movie. This one doesn't disappoint. It's another time of creative violence e.g. mysteries trucks with people captured in or a person dragged behind a car. There's a red herring in the story - it's not that obvious who will pick which side. Numerous twists of action, perfectly matching music. "The Gun Symphony" - a fantastic sound mixture in the film - is the sound of America. But, best of all, is the social subtext, common to the series. This time it's the reversal of the immigration situation and some deeper undertones of what divides America and what values unite the nation. So let the purge begin.

FREE GUY IMAX 3D 

Recommended. Ryan Reynolds is fantastic in the leading role. So is Lil Rel Howery as his buddy named Buddy. And actually everyone else. Whether the role big or small, it's always acted spot on. And Taika Waititi is the arch villain Antwan. I'm supposed not to spill the beans on details but let me say you can enjoy spotting a number of cameos, though some hard to realise, e.g. Hugh Jackman provided only the voice, Dwayne Johnson only the muscles - for Dude - and numerous Easter Eggs in the form of movie titles, dances, gadgets. Taika Waititi is the arch villain Antwan. The whole story is ingenious and tremendously entertaining, hilarious at times, e.g. when a famous artefact appears and the actor who used it originally is watching the game in dismay. The presented world is utterly creative scenario-wise but also awesome technically. It boasts Atmos sound effects but Imax 3D, due to superb CGIs, is probably the best format to see this film in.

ANDRA SIDAN (THE OTHER SIDE) 

Recommended. This Swedish horror starts with a scene which comes back an hour later - it's dragging someone on the floor by a supernatural force. The rest is just as scary. Relentlessly. I was watching with lights on.

Available on a number of platforms.

ANNETTE

Recommended. Two celebrities are at the pinnacle of their careers as we can see on billboards. As their love burns out, his "star's in decline". It's an unusual story about "a beauty and a bastard". The daughter is the token of their love and she's a puppet - until she grows into a girl with a mind of her own. And consequently with the hardest question of all: forget or forgive? The whole thing is little short of controversy and I don't mean Adam Driver smoking infamously when an audience was applauding him - he just stayed in character. Just watch his/Henry's outrageous show. On the other hand it explores why people feel the need to tell jokes and, subtler, what entertains us and why. Another obvious controversy is a parent's attitude to a gifted child - is it child exploitation or ensuring a prodigy has a future? An unusual story requires extraordinary means. Genre-wise it's an opera bordering on horror and crime. The male lead's called Henry McHenry like Henry VIII who had 6 wives, had 2 of them killed and 1 died shortly after childbirth. And 6 violence victims, of various races and beauty types, do appear - connecting history with the present famous sex abuse scandals. Ominous signs, typical for horror, take place as well. A blood-like mark on Henry's face is initially in the shape of them both cuddled up in bed. In the club the mark is presented as a mirror reflection on his left cheek and you may wonder if it's a lipstick stain. After the second kill the mark splits in two. And the wedding ring on Henry's finger is demonstrated close up. Angelic singing with wonderful music by Sparks gives this musical an operatic scale. Mesmerising city shots only match. Woods are treated differently. There's a forest where the diva can see no light and you hear her sing, next, a different grove is the scene of a body being carried away while forest sounds can be heard. The forest location is peculiar too: once it borders the stage, the other time the residence. A bizarre animal turns up on the pool bottom: a reptile which looks like a prehistoric tadpole - as if to be born or transformed, to undergo an evolution. Speaking of life, breathing is vital: first you're told you're not allowed to breathe during the show, Henry McHenry chokes on smoke every time he commences his performance, Ann's birth giving involves intensive breathing, in another scene Henry's a gasping castaway, also two people are drowned hence deprived of their breath forever. Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard show off their acting chops. And muscles, especially Driver. Stunning visual effects have been created e.g. the Hyperbowl but even the homeside pool glows green at night. Surreal scenery and visual effects are awe-inspiring. The film is just phenomenal. My eyes welled up at some point but didn't water as if the tears were afraid to drop. The ending of the credits shows a different family unit giving a new angle to the already complex story.

HOLIDAY

Recommended. Contrary to the title, it's not a light story. A middle-aged man hears of a place he didn't manage to visit two decades earlier and is inclined to go, especially as a guide recommends the place to "find his purpose in life and who he really is". The couple are middle-aged, lost on many levels and their exotic adventure unpredictable. You never quite know which turn their journey will take. Superbly maintained tension means info is revealed gradually. You have a feeling the protagonists are being lured to the volcano and you wait in suspense to find out what ceremony is to take place. Indonesian without translation, strangers with unclear intentions, unknown customs and several omens create an impression of a horror. It is not, but the psychological drama is powerful. Ah, and both protagonists do find their purpose in life. An engaging Polish drama making a superb use of horror means of expression.

NOWE HORYZONTY FESTIVAL

Festival screenings will start earlier and finish later so that the staff have time to disinfect the rooms in between. To compare, Berlin ones started even 8:30 a.m. Several movies will be screened up to 7 times. No Festival Club at Arsenal this year. 20 movies have been brought from Cannes. All the Polish film crews are coming to Wrocław.

VIAPLAY STREAMING PLATFORM

The platform was created in 2007 as an add-on to the linear TV and radio stations of the Nordic Entertainment Group and was reshaped for the future in 2013. The Group is in 2/3 based on linear TV and radio which bring sound revenue which is reinvested into Viaplay. The Group is enlisted on Nasdaq in Stockholm. Created in Sweden, it rolled out to the Nordics and is looking to cover other areas as well. The Nordics constitute about 12 million households so far fewer than Poland. Another reason for the expansion into the Polish market is that Poland is close to home which matters in the technical world. Also, there's broadband in the ground and in the air - that needs to work well, here it does and is improving. Also, local Polish broadcasters haven't fully embraced streaming. Streaming is cheaper for the viewer, so how to earn? Netflix wasn't so concerned about making money in the beginning. So the Group invested over 1 billion euro into the technology to deliver solid, stable user experience. They provide 70 000 live hours of sport - the most streamed sport in the world. That content has been there from the beginning, it's embedded in what they are. That includes some original sports content, exclusive to Viaplay, the only way to watch is there. Formula 1 will be screened shortly via helmet cameras. Bundesliga is one of the main partners - all matches are shown there, as well as all Cup matches. Since they prefer the stability of long-term contracts, the Bundesliga one extends to 9 countries till 2029. Łukasz Piszczyk, who still plays for his club, will appear in the studio as well, at Bundesliga and Cup games. As for shows, they're a prominent partner in Hollywood but, just like Disney or HBO Warner, the Group acquire but also produce a lot of content themselves. Their ambition is to have 50 Viaplay originals. So the new proposition will be their own content, predominantly born in Europe and some Hollywood. Their credo is: content matters, language doesn't. Their own Swedish series "Partisan" won the best series prize in Cannes last year. A lot of reality and documentaries will be on too. No linear channel is planned for Poland but it's not excluded if a local sports partner approaches them. Their belief is the market will consolidate over time, partly because of difficult investment in technology, partly due to the question of how many sign-ons viewers  want. Local Polish content is coming - already in one month the first Polish version of a popular game show will be offered, one whose trailer looked ridiculous to me. On the more ambitious side, they've started 3 Polish developments, including one based on Katarzyna Bonda's book "Polskie morderczynie" ("Polish Female Murderers"). She's a bestselling crime author so that sounds much better to me. All productions will have Polish and English subtitles, the content is often translated into Nordic languages and new market languages too. The new to Poland platform, available since 3 August, is easy to use. You just download the app and off you go. 34 zl, the 1st month free, no commitment period, no commercials, no layers of subscription. 

THE GREEN KNIGHT

Watchable. Profligate, dissolute Sir Gawain embarks on a mystical journey. The plot, based on a medieval poem, and the artistic vision are quite original. This oneiric dark fantasy invites you to search for your own meanings. At the same time it disconcerts you with associations. I'm immensely impressed by the artistry, the eerie images, foreboding sounds. Unsettling music, recorded in Atmos, is a mixture of Celtic, operatic, Gregorian, with a soprano choir that still sounded in my ears after leaving the theatre. But the whole story is maintained in one mood. This movie is one to be seen at the cinema. My only problem is the film badly drags. I was struggling not to fall asleep at the most protracted moments.

REPUBLIKA DZIECI (THE REPUBLIC OF CHILDREN)

Watchable. Just because once it started I was curious of the conclusion. Jan Jakub Kolski's film drawing on Jacek Malczewski's paintings implied a double-insured ticket to a fantasy realm. But the costumes, make-up, bottom-end cinematography by Michał Pakulski, all look fake, as if the characters were dressed up. OK, they were, but a movie should make you believe in the created fantasy, shouldn't it? 1 hour 25 minutes into the movie you get 3 minutes of proper cinematography, a wonderful shot of deer springing over water, a quality special effect of ghost-children and a funny gag with loading the kids on the boat. Decent music can be heard twice, once in a dance scene which is awfully unchoreographed. Wojciech Mecwaldowski is perfect in the comic bit he acted. A few old chaps speak as if they were going to drop dead but only one of the characters dies. Above-water shots are fine. But the whole production looks like Polish children's movies of 40 years ago. Also the plot is silly and a few subplots create chaos. 

CZARNA OWCA (BLACK SHEEP)

Watchable. A young bloke making a living of dimwitted Youtube videos, his mother suddenly realising she's lesbian and both of the parents finding new relationships. Sounds disastrous? It is. I seriously considered walking out but after a while got involved into everyone's issues. Yes, issues, not really comedy material. It's flawed. An English teacher addressing a student 'Mr. Arek' is the smallest mistake. The mother's sudden coming out feels forced and her ease of finding a woman partner far-fetched. The same with the fat, unfit father having chances with the teacher. But most stupidly of all, why does the son, with the financial pressure and looming penalties for the breach of contract, against the girl's will, resign from his RTW? A futile attempt at a modern family comedy. 

COME AWAY

Watchable. No magic, bar a few fleeting moments of children's imagination in this gloomy family drama in which things go from bad to worse and even shockingly cruel. American-made, set in England, it lacks the British vibe. Angelina Jolie doesn't save the movie and Polish dubbing obviously doesn't help. On a deeper level it's a story about a reality so grim the only way out is to live in an imaginary world.

LUNATIC VR EXPERIENCE

Watchable. It's the Luna cinema interior altered by an artist, you can explore it as if in a different dimension superimposed on the real cinema with some augmented reality insertions which redefine the space through subjective associations - you follow the VR trail guided by the artist herself so everything is explained. An enjoyable experience.

PO ZLOTO (GOING FOR GOLD)

Watchable. Released right on the day of the opening of the Olympic Games, the documentary reminds us of Polish pole vaulter Władysław Kozakiewicz whose gesture towards Russians made him famous for decades. The film gathers lots of archive materials, Władysław Kozakiewicz's comments, it charts his sports career from start to finish but you must be a big fan to watch it all patiently since it lacks major twists, mood swings, it's just an assembly of well-researched facts. At some point you see tears in his eyes - the memory of his first Olympic failure must be still vivid and painful to him. And that's about the only emotional moment.

Seen online, cinematic reception might differ.

FAST&FURIOUS 9

Watchable. The franchise has gone a long way since city drifts. Now it's cosmic espionage, world domination, gadgets. The action is structured as expected - you get more and more impressive stunts and visuals as it develops. A car chase including an amazing plum colour car in London, next a vault in Edinburgh, Georgia and finally they even shoot themselves out into the outer space (in a car) - at least the protagonists treat themselves with a pinch of salt. Every now and then you're referred to earlier parts so e.g. Gal Gadot makes a cameo.
The whole thing is ludicrous but impressive. There's a mid-credit.

DUNE FRAGMENTS IMAX PREVIEW

Watchable. While the presented fragments are technically superb, whether dusting the scene with the Spice or showing sparkles among the sand, music - vocal and instrumental - adds gravity, the content appears to be hard SF, on the military side and even at the time of peace some focus is on the harvesters and flying machinery. The ceremony seen in the 10-minute opening is impressive with just the sheer scale. 

The director, Denis Villeneuve, appears to be a gentle, warmhearted guy.

PETER RABBIT 2: THE RUNAWAY

Recommended. The continuation of the hit movie, filmed in NSW, Australia, in Atmos sound, with masterful CGIs is eventful but you still want more, the rabbits go even wilder than before but it's all consistent with the story and characters. As the rabbits were learning some life truths, children in the audience turned quiet and expressed their delight at the end. All plots from part one are continued. There are more animals and less McGregor. Even though the Polish version is only dubbed in Polish, the songs have been retained in English and they always convey a meaning. There's suspense, some touching moments, like the reconciliation of Peter with McGregor but, obviously, mostly humour. It's laugh-out-loud hilarious at times, especially the tasting food fragments or when Peter shoves his siblings and cousin around to show he's not the leader. It continues for a while over the final credits and the film ends with the cock and his song.

JUNGLE CRUISE IMAX 3D 

Watchable. "Indiana Jones" meets "Pirates of the Caribbean" in this crazy adventure with lots of humour, e.g. the Amazon river guided trip. The package includes a cheeky, capable duo, social classes jokes, a perfectly cast set of actors, a wide scope of emotions, even tear-jerking bits. Also, love is in the air (-supply under water). In the social context, it reflects the frustration of women experiencing constant put-downs, which (sic!) her brother tells elderly gentlemen to "shove it up your association". As for the adventure, there are lots of twists and turns, never quite predictable apart from the main storyline. Puns are remarkably well-translated into Polish subtitles - if you see it in this country. On the downside, "Nothing Else Matters" remastered by Metallica in collaboration with John Newton Howard, who composed the soundtrack, is said to have been in the picture which I can't recall - no memorable theme at all. CGIs are not always up to scratch, the jaguar looks fake, even though the credits say a real one was used. Also, brown hues dominate, few colours and little beauty of the jungle is demonstrated, the visuals focus on corpses and deadly snakes. But it's fast paced, tremendously entertaining, you don't care it doesn't make much sense. It's a guilty pleasure. Incredible? Yes. But what a cruise! It's exhilarating but I must observe Imax 3D is your best bet.

FIRST COW

Walked out. A budget movie about some of the first settlers in the US. Nothing much happens. And there's nothing else that would keep me watching: no cinematography, scenery, only social bums and people who want to make it but spend time swearing profusely. A wasted potential.

Amondo cinema in Warsaw has old movie posters in the screening room and the poster glass forms kind of mirrors on the side - better than ScreenX.

NOBODY

Watchable. One to replace "John Wick" and by the same writer - again a full-blown underworld (pun intended) and one wronged man, though this time over a trivial bracelet and he's a family guy. John Wick had a dog, Hutch Mansell has a cat. In a bigger picture, it seems that the cold war movie premise has been transformed into Russian mafia versus war veterans in American cinema. The smart script offers some humour, e.g. during a brawl on a bus "Stop requested" starts flashing. Better still is Christopher Lloyd as Hutch's father, I'd love more of him in fact, rather than Bob Odenkirk - perfect for the 'boring man' part but overdoing the dull facade. The movie is a solid actioner, with proper Russian spoken, deadly booby traps and Atmos-registered good musical bits. What initially appears to serve to contrast characters in the introduction, later turns out to have served action. But it's all pretty clear so enjoyable in a laidback manner. Drawbacks include: music - apart from a handful of fine pieces, most are slow and dull, and loose ends in the plot, e.g. the bracelet gets found miraculously and what's the connection of it to the Russians? Still, on the whole, it's quality stuff. I'm looking forward to a sequel which is very likely. Are they going to take on the Italian mafia next?