Movie reviews

UKRAINA! FILM FESTIVAL

This year I watched everything online, on mojeekino.pl, in spite of the hybrid form of the event. I skipped the three I had seen and reviewed here before: "The Earth is Blue As an Orange", "U311 Черкаси" (U311 Cherkasy) and "Носоріг" ("Rhino")

МОЯ ВІЙНА (INNER WARS)

Watchable. This year's festival continues observing the people fighting in the ongoing war. It talks about war invalids and deceased ones. The bits where the protagonists react to the fact of filming them are needless, as are protracted passages between the scenes. Still, in spite of the poor concept for the documentary, it's worth learning what the Ukrainian war looks like. It's certainly not what one imagines.

РОЗИ. ФІЛЬМ - КАБАРЕ (ROSES. FILM-CABARET)

Recommended. Dakh Daughters enthrall. These petite girls have powerful voices and are amazing actresses and singers. Their costumes, make-ups, hairstyling, decorations, large scale sculptures and other visual effects are stunning. Their shows, often political, draw crowds. I'm just happy that in Poland I could see them at least in this musical documentary featuring fragments of their spectacles.

Polish subtitles were white, English greyish white and much smaller, barely legible even up close. At least both films had good sound volume.

MYSTERE A SAINT-TROPEZ (DO YOU DO YOU SAINT-TROPEZ)

Recommended. Starts with a catchy tune and there are more to come. Bright light of Cote d'Azure, the rich and playful, extravagant attires, a residence with a pool and plenty of gags. Some scenes are hilarious e.g. when Boulin nods off just before revealing the culprit's identity. The finale appears to announce a sequel, possibly set in Portofino where the baron and his wife are going. After all, the inspector has 3 days to catch the culprit's partner in crime. 

UKRAINA! FILM FESTIVAL

СІЛЬ FROM BONNEVILLE (SALT FROM BONNEVILE)

Recommended. I was astonished by the opening: black and white footage from decades ago. No, I did not mistake films. And archive footage returns later. But the documentary is contemporary and, even though I know nothing about motorcycles, whether modern or vintage, the story of two Ukrainians following their dream is uplifting and the cinematography outstanding. The film offers numerous tantalising views of the US, all breath-takingly shot.

Big white subtitles on black, yet transparent, background enable watching and reading from a distance. 

STOP - ЗЕМЛЯ (STOP-ZEMLIA)

Watchable. A complete portrayal of secondary school students' lives: school - looks like at least they teach them something useful in biology in Ukraine, friends, family, future choices, bodily changes, emotions. A bit protracted at times and with no beginning or ending but with decent music. The film is so realistic and contains to-the-camera utterances that it's almost a documentary. The music and the games they play are different from Polish ones so it's interesting for cultural knowledge. Also, it's quite warm. The bunch can rely on one another at all times. 

ЗЕМЛЯ ІВАНА (IVAN'S LAND)

Recommended. An idyllic village, Ivan's lovely naive paintings, loving dogs and kittens, natural living, artisan toys. At night his house looks like a fairy-tale hut. The artist is an admirably positive-thinking person. Soothing.

Too quiet and too small subtitles.

ЦЕЙ ДОЩ НІКОЛИ НЕ СКІНЧИТЬСЯ (THIS RAIN WILL NEVER STOP)

Watchable. This black and white documentary is a collection of impressions from Ukraine with a twist: some of inhabitants are Kurdish refugees from Syria. Little information is provided and it comes exclusively from the protagonists' conversations. Slow-paced but the spate of images is evocative enough. As for the title, a flash flood hinders going back to the country of origin.

Big subtitles, Polish only, on black transparent background.

CONTEMPORARY UKRAINIAN ANIMATION SET

ВІЙНА, ЩО ЗМІНИЛА РОНДО (THE WAR THAT CHANGED RONDO)

Recommended. A delightful land of a balloon-shaped person and a similar dog, with singing flowers - you just wish you could live there - destroyed by a war and then being rebuilt. Splendidly presented.

ТЕМПЕРАТУРА СПАЛАХУ

Watchable. A simply drawn story of love, running from anger, despair and a helping hand. Nothing special but nice.

НЕПОТРІБНІ РЕЧІ (UNNECESSARY THINGS)

Recommended. Science fiction based on my favourite author's short story - "The Old Curiosity Shop" by Robert Sheckley. The animation's superb, in the style typical for a sci-fi crime riddle, the story's tricky of course, as usual with this writer.

Я ДАВНО ХОТІВ ЛІТАТ (MY DREAM FLIGHT)

Watchable. A tale of family love disguised as science fiction. Engaging even though the animation style implies a children's cartoon and is on the ugly side. The family is shown delightfully warmly. 

ВІДПОВІДАЛЬНИЙ ГЕРОЙ (THE RESPONSIBLE HERO)

Watchable. Top-notch graphics and music theme, directly deriving from "Superman" but with an incomprehensible story. I've seen it twice and still don't get it.

ПРИМОСТИВСЯ МІСТ ДО МІСТА (BRIDGE TO THE CITY)

Watchable. Folk art and music in an inventive animation with no story to speak of.

ТИГР БЛУКАЄ ПОРУЧ (TIGER IS STROLLING AROUND)

Watchable. Admirably made out of trash brought back to life, it's a psychological film on self-deprecating thoughts. Sensible but artistically unsophisticated.

ЕМПАТІЯ (EMPATHY)

Watchable. A black and white animation with so many allegorical representations it's easier to understand emotionally than intellectually.

CATnBAT - ЕВОЛЮЦІЯ

Watchable. Simply drawn in geometrical shapes characters, in a handful of shades of white and grey and a tricky tale of human nature.

ГЛИБОКА ВОДА (DEEP WATER) 

Watchable. Drawn with quite simple lines unusual story, sadly a bit on the obscene side.

PAPIER-MACHE

Watchable. You can learn how papier-mâché is made. However, the visual story is incongruous with the narrative.

The 11 short animations represent a variety of techniques and subjects. Ukrainian animation has developed over the last few years impressively.

Я ПРАЦЮЮ НА ЦВИНТАРІ (I WORK AT THE CEMETARY)

Watchable. The gangster comedy parts are quirky and with some hilarious bits, e.g. when a chap rings to order for 6 people and realises it''s a cemetery, not a restaurant. However the drama about fatherhood and coping with a loss mars the fun. 

Clearly visible subtitles.

ІЗ ЗАВ’ЯЗАНИМИ ОЧИМА (BLINDFOLD)

Watchable. Watchable. A drama about living with a war in the backyard. The fact the lead woman is an MMA fighter doesn't make it a sports movie. No, it drags, there's next to none adrenaline, instead some romanticism, e.g. a guy (handsome Oleh Shulha) keeping half his shelves in the flat empty for his future other half, and a touching finale.

RIVALE (RIVAL)

Recommended. An engaging drama with a realistic story which puts a new angle on economic migration. Part of the plot is shocking but presented gently and plausibly.

MADRES PARALELAS (PARALLEL MOTHERS)

Recommended. Almodóvar's favourite actresses, typical use of colour in interiors, expressive acting are here. The plot is gripping like a thriller: deception, hiding a secret, suspense glue you to the screen. The film's relatively quiet and balanced yet ultimately profoundly emotional. Penélope Cruz is utterly convincing throughout. This story kind of sumps up why Almodóvar's creations are Spanish worlds without men but with strong women.