Movie reviews

SUBUK (BACKWARDS)

Watchable. A typical Polish social drama about a disabled child. 112 minutes of moral preaching and far-fetched piled-up family issues. The bright parts are music by Hania Rani - especially the opening "Letter to Glass" and humour when Kuba reacts: "No i zajebiście" ("Fucking awesome"). The rest is sappy. Leaves you despondent.

THIS IS GOING TO HURT EP. 1

Recommended. The opening is shocking and hilarious.I bet you've never heard of such a case. Well, unless you've read Adam Kay's book it's based on. The episode, especially the first half, is so fast-paced I had to go back several times to catch all details. What you learn of clinical gynaecology is eye-opening: blood, guts, medical mistakes on a daily basis. It's all gripping and entertaining, with a few hilarious bits - the medics' banter is superb. Perfect editing and Ben Whishaw's acting reflect the reality of a hospital ward.

Seen courtesy of Canal +.

STRANGE WORLD

Watchable. The idea of a plant producing electricity and a society built round it is wonderful. The animation peddles reversed genderism where women are stronger than men and lead while dancing. The son falls for a boy and it doesn't freak out his love object. The fantastical world is purplish with pink thrown in, similarly to recent "Mia and Me: The Hero of Centopia" which doesn't look pretty, although it may be justified by it being the inside of a living organism. At least the creatures are ingenious. And ice has a wonderfully translucent texture - sadly it appears only in the opening. The shape of the globe reflects the ancient myth of a turtle. The environmental message of abandoning fossil fuels, however much we profit from them now, is sound and the comic book cover in the very last scene says: "The team that fought corruption from the inside" - spot on, that really nails the problem of our world. In Poland it's available only dubbed into Polish, including songs.

TICKET TO PARADISE

Watchable. Filmed in Queensland (Palm Bay Resort in Hamilton Island) and Bali. It's the sunny vistas and the holiday feel that make this predictable romantic comedy bearable. It regurgitates the make-up while trying to break-up formula. Every bit of the story is nicked from earlier movies of the genre, e.g. being bitten by a dolphin from "Failure to Launch" of 2006. Amusing it isn't. Well, maybe one nose crash, to some extent. It's rather a bit sappy and maudlin love story, hardly a comedy. Early end credits are accompanied by shooting blunders - also not funny but give the impression of what the set looked like. 

TADEO JONES 3. LA TABLA ESMERALDA (TAD, THE LOST EXPLORER AND THE EMERALD TABLE)

Watchable. I was 3 minutes late to the screening but didn't feel like I missed anything. The story, with an admittedly lucid plot but awfully predictable, is fuelled by how badly most characters hanker for recognition and admiration. The quest, the legend of ancient artefacts giving immense power - we've seen it all before. The mummy is annoying as it acts out like a hyperactive kid. Constant body changes are in line with recent quirky ideas of a chickenhare and the like and manifest how bereft of fresh ideas this story is. Distinct characters, e.g. the lecturer who was using a brush for cleaning brushes to clean the brush for cleaning dust is endearing in her passion for the mundane. When Tadeo (Tad) is running away, a "100 Ways To Die" book lands on his face but the animation is so densely packed with action, humour can't get in edgeways. Paris looks realistic. The rest of the animation is pretty regular. Some songs ar fun. 

RIMINI

Watchable. While it starts with an old people's home and a funeral, the plot is surprisingly exciting. The washed-out singer is a male prostitute satisfying old lady fans. All songs are meaningful but elderly people's style. Richie Bravo's plot to get the money is predictable. The immigrants' subplot is over the top

BLACK ADAM

Watchable. An international corporation depleting a country's mineral resources or a king enslaving his own population are just a pretext for two hours of firing electrical charges, explosions and hovering high in the air. There's some ancient legend and magic and the spellword activating or deactivating Black Adam's superpowers is... Shazam. On one occasion Black Adam pushes a plane Superman-way and, in the mid-credit (there's no post-credit) Amanda Waller warns Black Adam if he crosses the country border, she'll call superheroes from outside the planet and then Superman arrives. This movie is bad and it looks like it's going to worse.  

SAGAN OM KARL-BERTIL JONSSONS JULAFTON (A CHRISTMAS TALE)

Recommended. Distinct characters with their foibles, each wonderfully acted, and the Christmas atmosphere permeate the movie. With a lucid plot, it's all children appropriate. All characters are gentle. 

NA TWOIM MIEJSCU 

Watchable. The music, by film music regular Łukasz Targosz, is so banal, you want to skip the whole film at its opening, even if some of the tunes are quite spatial. Especially that the opening scene is psychotherapy - a cliche. What's worse, it's shot in a mockumentary style, where both protagonists first speak frontally to the camera. The plot is no better. Awfully derivative therefore 100% predictable. No fresh thought whatsoever. The women workplace discrimination part is all spoken out, straight in your face - where's a movie? The put-upon wife, on the other hand, is confusing - those food making scenes indicate rather there must have been chore equality before. And where's comedy? OK, I did laugh loud a few times but not enough taken the 1 hour 50-minute duration. And some jokes are a bit gross. At least the storyline is consistent. And you wonder if the marriage is unstuck for good. No surprises here either. 

MEDJUGORJE, LA PELICULA (MEDJUGORJE) 

Watchable. It's the first time I've come across such a detailed description of the revelation where Virgin Mary was hovering about a metre above the ground, on a cloud, similarly hovering on a cloud was her crown. She was beautiful because she radiated love and when the daily apparitions stopped, the children suffered withdrawal symptoms. As you keep watching, you learn more and more about subsequent revelations and the wider social and political context. E.g. I never heard of the fasting recommendation having been given in the revelation. The protagonists' incredible urge to travel to Medjugorje amazes. The Serbian-Spanish love story is gripping. The subsequent testimony of an "angry agnostic", as another woman called herself, is truly moving and tear-jerking. The film is comprehensive. Yet what hinders following the history of the place and individual testimonials is the fact the documentary is based on talking heads. What's more, each person speaks at their heart's will, with probably nothing cut out. It's blabber for 2 hours. Exhausting. It tests your faith in the documentary genre. But... it leaves you curious if you may be able to experience such a deep shift if you venture out to Medjugorje. In spite of the somewhat forceful invitation at the end.

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

ELLA  AND THE LITTLE SORCERER

Watchable. The story is a quest to save Prince Alex trapped in the body of a mouse and goes from one separate adventure to another - though various characters return in the finale a bit "Hobbit" style. Good translation by Piotr Cieński - in Poland the movie was dubbed apart from the song in English, superbly rendered varying textures, all 3 rodents cute and fun, e.g. trying to reach for the stone, other fairy-tale references, witty dialogue. An original story with great attention to detail. All age appropriate. On the other hand, it indoctrinates girls to save boys and offers too many fights. The end-credits are accompanied by pictures showing what happened next. 

MOONAGE DAYDREAM

Recommended. Magnificently spatial music, a splendid selection of excerpts from interviews, concerts - or shows rather, videos, not only his but also classic SF movies like "Metropolis", "Blade Runner" and many other - none of which I detected consciously in the ever-changing kaleidoscope of sounds and pictures. It's a journey through the internal universe of a strikingly versatile artist: writer, singer, scriptwriter, painter, sculptor, designer for whom his own physicality was a canvas. He confesses he doesn't have his own personality. But his thoughts are deep. You just plunge with him into the riot of colours, ideas, means of expression. He lived his days fully. His bold imagination and incredible talent were reflected by a massive following. The fans, as he claims, saw a reflection of themselves in him. This documentary, by Brett Morgen, pushes you to make the best of each single day and love life itself. A goodbye by David Bowie at the very end of the final credits is unmissable and stylish.

CHRZCINY (THE CHRISTENING)

Watchable. A typical Polish drama: a family reunion in the face of a family rift. This one is set in communist times - presented as gray, austere and the society split. Persuasive acting, the recreation of 1981, a cat not to be let out of the bag and errors of identity convinced me to stay and see how it develops. Sadly, it leads to an over-the-top finale and a completely implausible postscript.

GAESTERNE (SPEAK NO EVIL)

Recommended. This thriller is set in Dutch Friesland countryside - original, an obscure area no one knows much about. Nothing indicates the startling brutality. The finale is so chilling it's unspeakable. Keeps preying on your mind a few hours later.

THE HARBINGER

Watchable. Americans are haunted by ghosts of their past: claiming natives' lands and sacred places, the prohibition, Ponzi schemes more recently. It's not truly frightening other than one jump scare. The devil wearing black furry trousers is such a folk cliche. On the other hand, the dapper, suited father by Will Klipstine is cast spot on. Secrets and the puzzle of who is or are the evil ones keep you following the story. The finale is a pile of nonsense but these twists and revelations engage you nevertheless.

THE WHALE

Watchable. A personal drama and an occasionally appearing ocean - Aronofsky has done it before. Here the protagonist is truly original, I've never seen this subject tackled by cinema before. But it's based on a theatrical play and does look like theatre, staged. And why is Brendan Fraser wearing prosthetics instead of letting a truly morbidly obese person appear? Not a bad movie but not the best Aronofsky.

ANIA

Recommended. A documentary about late Anna Przybylska, an actress and a model so insignificant that it was only during the film that I realized I had seen her in some obscure movie and in a commercial. Yet she's presented as a superstar. She was beautiful and the camera loved her. As did many people. Superbly selected material comprising of family, friends, actors and directors' testimonials, home videos, movie excerpts and glamorous model photos, perfectly edited, engulf you even if you're as ignorant as I was. It's touching towards the end as you hear that she knew of the coming death. Also an insight into her mind at the time when she turned religious and thought of her children a lot - though she always did. 

PETERSCHENS MONDFAHRT (MOONBOUND)

Watchable. The plot is so haywire, not only I couldn't focus. Kids were running to and fro during the film. Technically the animation is correct, though its varying styles are a bit hard on the eye. Nightfairy's coat and the wings of the butterflies pulling the space sleigh look wonderful. The Shooting Stars sound lovely speaking in unison.

헤어질 결심 (DECISION TO LEAVE)

Recommended. A love thriller which keeps you glued to the screen till the end credits when the full version of the song is played. Meticulously shot hands, especially, partly emulate "Drive My Car". And yes, cars are there too. Yet it's words that matter the most. But fear not, lines are reminded with recordings so it's easy to keep up as the plot becomes denser and denser. 박해일 (Park Hae-il) give a top performance as the policeman. The finale's unique.