Movie reviews

UKRAINA! FILM FESTIVAL

ВІЛЬНА ЛЮДИНА. ПРОЩА (FREE MAN. PILGRIMAGE)

Watchable. The documentary highlights the recent language issues of using Russian versus Ukrainian. Валері Маркус (Valerii Markus) is admittedly a really tough guy. But the film is overtalked. A few people say the same and once they've said it, they continue re-wording the same for a few minutes, especially the green hat guy does. 

ЯК У ВАС ПОЧАЛОСЯ 24 ЛЮТОГО?

Watchable. Another overtalked documentary. But it impresses with positive energy, they even cook vegan meals.

ПАМФІР (PAMFIR)

Watchable. Not all of the plot is clear, though the main storyline is engaging. It's a very macho gang flick, with the difference it's set in a Ukrainian village. The pictures lack clarity too: all in dimmed light or fog, brownish.

The festival had an excellent bilingual (Polish-Ukrainian) catalogue on paper and a separate handy program brochure. The white background of the catalogue, blue of the program and the paper quality allowed for taking notes easily.

THE INVITATION

Watchable. First whispers, then thunders surround you  - even though it's recorded in regular Dolby - already at the opening credits. Feminist message. Female-created: written by Blair Butler, directed by Jessica M. Thompson. Hungarian names aplenty on the crew indicate the shooting locations. Race, class, gender issues are tackled in an engaging and sensible way. At the same time it's predictable being post-"Twilight", post-"Hostel" etc. It imitates "Twilight" where a cut finger attracts a bloodsucker and where the girl meets the vampire social stratosphere. In a "Hostel"-like setting because they're in a spa next to an enticingly blue pool. It resembles "Midsommar" since a stranger whisks her off to the English countryside for a celebration. Mixed with "Get Out" since she's the only black. Not original, yet the combo is refreshing. Not very scary, spine-tingling rather. With a happy ending and a jolly song accompanying the end credits. I wouldn't mind a sequel. 

SMILE

Recommended. As for the plot, the trailer says it all. While the first half is quite formulaic - it follows the "It Follows" concept and storyline, with three upside-down shots when she's in the car and her life's going to turn around, like in "Midsommar", with occasional jump scares and a killed cat, the second half is growingly creepy, with a monster in a derelict building and the finale scares the hell out of you, the very last scene and its meaning doesn't bear thinking about. It also leaves a sequel potential. Though I, personally, don't want to see any more of this. Spooky music in Atmos clarity extends till the end of the final credits.

AFRYKAMERA ONLINE

SPACE IS THE PLACE (1974)

Switched off. An Afrofuturistic musical about visitors from the outer space with no rhyme or reason but with revolting sexism.

PREY FOR THE DEVIL

Watchable. Nothing new in terms of horror, its imagery and exorcism plot. It's moderately frightening, jump scares are magnified by music, tormented bodies of those inflicted are contorted, darkened, covered in blood, on one occasion worms crawl out of stigmas, Sister Ann's teeth turn dark grey and suddenly have braces when she's possessed. The underlying reality of the Church is an interesting social issue though. While most of the data in the film is fictitious, an unsettling phenomenon of the worldwide rise in the number of demon expelling rites is a fact. It's also true those are performed by men only. Disturbingly true is the fact that some victims of the practice die having been mutilated in the course and/or starved while detained. Many of them mentally ill. The film promotes the faith in the supernatural but at least on the edges questions the ritual. It also tells stories of women who "let the demon in" in result of the guilt Catholics may experience after an abortion or giving up a baby - interestingly this is induced by nuns themselves. It states clearly it's the most pious ones that are at the greatest risk of possession which, rationally, confirms the burden of religion on the faithful.

MILOSC NA PIERWSZA STRONE (LOVE ON THE FIRST PAGE)

Watchable. A typical Polish romantic comedy: it's pleasant on the whole, slightly amusing, a child is terminally ill, protagonists sometimes use coarse language. It's medically ludicrous - gene therapy in long Covid. On the other hand, Warsaw looks fabulous and rich, as do the protagonists. As the lecturer in film states in the movie, it's not real life. The characters talk about films a lot, quote lines, some Polish and even I didn't see the films, still that part is fun. As is the "Indiana Jones" Easter egg or "Supereksces" ("Super Carrying-on") newspaper.

PAHANHAUTOJA (HATCHING)

Recommended. Just like Icelandic "Dýrið" ("Lamb") explored our ambivalent relationship with animals and played with ideas of family, the same issues reverberate in this Finnish horror. As does the idea of the duality of human nature from "The Portrait of Dorian Gray", here combined with child upbringing. Top performances, regardless of age. Siiri Solalinna (the girl actress) is so delicate, all supporting cast also perfectly match personality types. Realistic visual and sound effects. The script smartly builds on bird behaviours. While the monster is not for the faint-hearted, what's truly terrifying is the tale of humans, especially mothers. The movie's a genre re-invention. 

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

GDZIE DIABEL NIE MOZE TAM BABY POSLE (WHERE THE DEVIL CAN'T GO, HE SENDS A WOMAN)

Watchable. Wonderfully reenacted 80s: the music theme, fashion, glass Coke bottles put on the table to have a luxurious dinner. The plot, however, is hard to comprehend: what was legal, what wasn't, why was the army intelligence involved, were the protagonists based on real life figures and who was who. The action is fast and it's a cheerful view of bigtime con artists. No idea why such a title - the women never get to play the first fiddle in this film or in the part 2 trailer. I'll gladly see the bold scammers again though.

CINEMAFORUM 

Last year again I saw part of the program

2 POLISH SHORT FILMS:

MARTWE MALZENSTWO (A DEAD MARRIAGE)

Watchable. Comedy actor Sebastian Stankiewicz in a drama. However tongue-in-cheek the set-up is - a couple meets when playing dead, it's a sombre story of meeting the one. 

MOJ BRAT RYBAK (BROTHER THE FISHERMAN)

Watchable. Two brothers are looking for their alcoholic father. One of the boys is a pothead with a black eye. and is popular with girls - hardly convincing. Only his sudden rant live on the radio is funny - as I recall: "Mojego taty nie ma od trzech dni, mamy długi. Na chuja mi suszarka?!" ("My dad's been missing for three days, we're in debt. What the fuck would I need a hairdryer for?!")

ONE PIECE FILM: RED

Walked out. This anime attacks your eyes with fast flashing, rapidly cut images, animation styles varying even within one image and assaults your ears with noise: everyone yells, regardless of age and the 'songs' are further noise without any musical value.

UKRAINA! FILM FESTIVAL

БАЧЕННЯ МЕТЕЛИКА (BUTTERFLY VISION)

Watchable. A rape + a pregnancy + the rape is a war crime. This combination of these, and the protagonist's PTSD, is the main storyline. Beside it is the political situation in Eastern Ukraine, where Ukrainian nationalists, Russian speaking separatists and Russian occupiers are at play and patriotism questioned easily. The drama is slow-paced and kept very realistic, mundane even - more like watching someone's lives rather than a film.

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