Movie reviews

APENSTREKEN MET AAP NOOT MIES (MONKEY BUSINESS FROM A TO Z)

Recommended. The Netherlands make the best out of their centuries-old architecture. The tale is set in 1889 and the mostly grim reality is depicted convincingly. While bad experiences befall Wim, the whole thing is kept at children's level. The story's engaging, adventurous, yet clear and consistent, even though never predictable. It's well acted, especially by Tygo Bussemakers as little Wim, but also all adults, no matter how big or small the role, put in memorable performances.

SMIERC ZYGIELBOJMA (DEATH OF ZYGIELBOJM)

Watchable. Writer/director Ryszard Brylski misfires badly with this Holocaust-time drama that focuses on a Jewish man's last months in England. Just like neither Karski nor Zygielbojm was heard by British wartime authorities or media, I doubt the Brits will appreciate a movie which directly accuses them of negligence. What's worse, the film drags awfully. OK, it'll do as a film noir but it's overtalked and everyone seems to be constantly deep in thoughts. Wojciech Mecwaldowski, a marvellous comedian, here in a dramatic role, excels as Szmul Zygielbojm, his despondent eyes do the acting. Most of the cast, even some 'Brits' are Polish which explains the often poor English but it does distract you from the content. The images are not as harsh as those we've always seen from the Holocaust, few words reflect the horror either. It's too mild to move. Only intellectually do you register the film is about helplessness. It's just too slow and flat to evoke emotions. A monument, not a movie. 

My second thought is that the film mentions "The Times" which published just a note and "Manchester Guardian" which devoted an article to Zygielbojm's revelations. When you look at the tiny little role of "The Times" now and how well regarded "Guardian" is you feel some satisfaction. 

Some trivia from the Q&A:

Wojciech Mecwaldowski hasn't seen the film, he doesn't like watching himself so doesn't see his own movies. He had no audio or video material on Zygielbojm so he built the character from photographs - the actor is a photographer's grandson. He "wouldn't sacrifice his life for any idea but wouldn't sacrifice his family for anyone". His opinion is that nowadays our voice is listened to even less than then. He had the guts to tell his maths teacher at school he wouldn't learn some of the stuff because it was useless in life and he concludes now that he was right. His acting teachers would tell the students they could surpass the teachers, while some of his counterparts had to listen to the 'greats'. He's teaching acting himself these days. 

The film-makers treat Zygielbojm's suicide as heroic. It's typical for Polish mentality but I'm not going to dwell on it. Let me just conclude this explains Poles' adoration for the film. 

In reality Szmul Zygielbojm also spent a year among American Jews who didn't believe when he was telling them about the Holocaust either. 

It took 7 years to make the movie from A to Z. The director decided to shoot it as a film noir because the genre had been popular back then. He used detailed storyboarding which facilitated shooting. The music was composed in Poland and recorded in a studio in Czech Prague. 

NOTTURNO

Watchable. However much I'm interested in the issues of the region, the film drags. It's an assembly of random scenes with no rhyme or reason to the selection. Did the director mean to juxtapose ordinary life with that under the brutal rule of ISIS? Well, nothing I wouldn't have heard of before. Only the amount of rainfall astonished me, the region is known to be dry. Lovely, if morose, Arabic music over the end credits completes the documentary. 

Reviewed from the distributor's screener, cinematic reception might differ.

WARSAW FILM FESTIVAL

DZIEN, W KTORYM ZNALAZLEM W SMIECIACH DZIEWCZYNE (THE DAY I FOUND A GIRL IN THE TRASH)

Watchable. The futuristic set-up is not bad. The best point is how natural the science fiction post-2026 Polish reality appears. But when I read the opening notes on 'vaxine' whose injection equalled forced subjugation to the state rule I wondered whether the scriptwriters were anti-vaxxers or only had become inspired by such fantastical conspiracy theories. The male lead's motivation is off. He's going to sacrifice his life fighting for the dignity of the worst of criminals, yet when he encounters one, he keeps her naked for the first few hours. I'm also not sure of the time set-up: it's around New Year in Poland just a few years ahead of our time and all you see is summer weather, what's more, protagonists swim in the sea without the risk of freezing to death. 'The new Polish anthem' is much intriguing but played with totally indistinguishable words and no subtitles. Still, the most woeful bit is that Blue resembles Pris from "Bladerunner" - in a clumsy version, not ultra fit. In addition she acts dimwitted rather than possessing only automatic reactions. The result is a sort of lame "Bladerunner" rip-off. All characters, major or minor, have psychological issues - typical for Polish cinema, I've watched too much of the stuff. The movie could have been a decent actioner but, I guess, not in Poland. The lead, Szymon Hertz, instead of  feeling trepidation at his imminent death, reflects on the events which led to him becoming an activist. The convict, Blue, is so fresh-faced and naive any possibility she could be a serious criminal is implausible. The action frequently falls flat. Every other scene is protracted, the ending is cornball as if the writers ran out of ideas. On the other hand, admirable performances of all 'automatons' and sci-fi-appropriate cinematography drag the movie towards respectability. 

Reviewed from the distributor's screener, cinematic reception might differ.

AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL

According to the organizers, opening movies typically hit you hard and next  become hits. Joaquin Phoenix hates giving interviews so his role in one of the opening films is surprising. Among documentaries there'll be one on the last abortion clinic. A retrospective of Jim Jarmusch's early 7 movies will be presented - the director influenced Jakub Gutek, the festival director and distributor. Waters' retrospective will include "Hairspray" and "Serial Mom", his masterclass and his stand-up "This Filthy World" - the performance is modified every time. Ida Lupino's films retrospective will feature too. The online program will be revealed only after the cinema version is over. Out of 9 short films 3 will be attached to full-length ones, the other 6, selected together with Błażej Hrapkowicz from Cinemaforum festival in Warsaw, cover social issues in America. 

One of the festival movies is going to be:

LANGUAGE LESSONS

Recommended. Scripted and self-directed by the actors but acted perfectly plausibly. The story offers emotional highs and lows, is sometimes funny, e.g. when he says he's "embarazado" and is then taught what it actually means, sometimes sorrowful andengaging all the time due to a number of little cliffhangers and wonderful acting. As I was starting to think the plot had succumbed to the sappiness of the grave disease of a protagonist, the feeling quickly dissolved owing to further plot complications. The teacher (Natalie Morales) comes across as a real one - as I recall my own online studying. Mark Duplass as Adam masterfully performs the emotional gamut. 

Reviewed from the distributor's screener, cinematic reception might differ.

The festival organizers are of the opinion the film can't have been created before the pandemic. I dare to disagree. I knew of distant teachers working internationally a few years before Covid-19.