POKUSA (TEMPTATION)

The writer's son is 4 years old so she can't dedicate the movie to him because of the age restriction being 15. The director says that it's been "9 months work, now birth". It's her 5th cinema premiere of a feature movie but she still feels "like a virgin". 

Watchable. Similar to "356 dni" ("365 Days") - even Filip is Italian (acted by Dane Andrea Preti) but better because this one kept me watching till the end. As for the plot centred round sex, there's little erotics, it's not raunchy enough. It's more about plastic boobs, plastic women, fan counters, some costumes ridiculous and pretentious. Tacky, simplistic, execrable, the script is full of hot air. Helena Englert vastly mars the movie. At least her make-up is wonderful. Only Piotr Głowacki is superb - as a gay friend. The movie features lots of Polish rap. Only the end credits music is truly decent. Ah, the above mentioned Madonna's song cover is also poor. 

RIVER

Director Jennifer Peedom's previous "Mountain" was the highest-grossing Australian documentary in history.

Recommended. Stunning pictures form this film. Narrated by Willem Dafoe, though 73 out of the 75 minutes is filled with Australian Chamber Orchestra and some Radiohead. It shares astounding information, e.g. that some river dams amass so much water they've slowed down Earth's rotation - thought-provoking, isn't it? Still, most of the time I kept wondering how it all had been shot - world-wide. And the pictures are truly mesmerising - you don't want the film to finish. 

ORLY FESTIVAL 2023 - POLISH FILM AWARDS CANDIDATES

GLOS (THE VOICE)

Recommended. The documentary about novice priests of the Jesuit order not only informs you of their 1-year-long training but is food for thought for the non-religious of us as well. They learn to clean a lot but also to get rid of self-interest and not to care about the number of consecrations, focusing rather on offering love. They serve the ill in a hospice. They used to have girlfriends but the vocation proved stronger. For most. Few drop out - out of their own will. It brings back my faith in man.

SHOTGUN WEDDING

Watchable. Dominicana stands in for the Philippines. The flick is frivolous fun like in all J-Lo movies. Not too smart. But not too dumb either - whatever feels ludicrous in the beginning, makes sense later, being consistent with new discoveries within the plot - that is simple really. The best part is "Walk Like an Egyptian" sung by the cast at the start of the end credits. 

LE PETIT NICOLAS (LITTLE NICHOLAS)

Recommended. This cartoon tribute to the character of le Petit Nicolas (Little Nicholas) creators René Goscinny and Jean-Jacques Sempé mixes humorous scenes from Nicolas's lives with facts from the lives of the pair of the creators of 222 tales about the little boy.

CHLEB I SOL (BREAD AND SALT)

Watchable. Realistic up to the point where not only is the dialogue in the local accent but it's not fully comprehensible due to sloppy speech. Very ordinary events, very 'ordinary' racism, where one thing led to another, and a final killing where it's hard to make out who killed who. A nocturne and a storm precede the finale, a torrential rain kind-of washes down the incident. Tedious.

ORLY FESTIVAL 2023 - POLISH FILM AWARDS CANDIDATES

DZIEN I NOC (DAY AND NIGHT)

Recommended. This part-drama, part-mockumentary is centred round Polish folklore. The songs, customs, traditions, beliefs, attires, lace and, most of all, songs are beautiful and heart-heartfelt. It induces pure admiration for Polish folklore.

ZOBACZ ANIOLA (SAINT MICHAEL: MEET THE ANGEL)

Watchable. Barely. Digitally stuttering cinematography and the pictures often rapidly zooming in or out mar the movie. It's also often overtalked, by priests, some of them unabashadly peddling their books which lets this movie down big time, and by a nun. About the meaning of Angel Michael in Christian tradition and his representation in fine arts. e.g. when he's killing Satan, in the form of a dragon, he can be easily mistaken for St. George. The prolonged ending pushes the cult of saints. A mess. Ah, and one translation of a prayer has a spelling mistake in Polish. The documentary ends together with the end of the end credits. 

عنکبوت مقدس (HOLY SPIDER)

Recommended. Shot in Jordan, set in Mashhad, Iran 2000-2001, inspired by true events. Directed and produced by علی عباسی (Ali Abbasi), known for the 2018 "Gräns" ("Border"). The first half is an engaging thriller but not much different from numerous American movies about serial killers. The religious and social background of Iran doesn't change the journalist versus the police investigation formula. But mid-way comes a major twist. And it's the society at large, as well as the culprit and victims' families' reactions that take you aback. The finale, with علی (Ali), the murderer's son, hits hard. No wonder it was Oscar-shortlisted. Just like in previous year winning "Drive My Car', a stretched-out hand plays a role in one scene. It's a hand and his tool of murder, while the manner he holds it resembles a Muslim prayer. Here the rain purifies the city. Actor مهدی بجستانی (Mehdi Bajestani) as سعید(Saeed) is impressively versatile within one role: kind-hearted, violent, stately, obsessive.

MINUTA CISZY (A MINUTE OF SILENCE) EP. 2

Recommended. Less humorous than episode 1, it shows the dog-eat-dog world of the undertakers' business. The finale is powerful and thought-provoking.

Seen courtesy of Canal +.

ORLY FESTIVAL 2023 - POLISH FILM AWARDS CANDIDATES

NAJGLOSNIEJ SLYCHAC MILCZENIE (SILENCE HEARD LOUD)

Watchable. Shot in London, it's still a Polish documentary. Refugees' musings, their songs, prayers, in alternate order, lead to confusion as to who is who and where their experiences took place. It's a searing look at how host countries fail to save the refugees. The overall picture is horrifying: detention centres for non-criminals, traumas that brought them to Europe in the first place, the widespread patriarchy in the world, violence they suffer. It defies belief how strong they are, living in adversity all their lives, having to prove themselves constantly. Shame it's by some Pole. It is emotional, tear-inducing a couple of times, yet the form lets this film down big time. It's slow-paced, it's easy to drift away and lose the plot. The BBC would have shot the same much more comprehensibly and lively.

AFTERSUN

Watchable. For a bigger part it's a dull story of a family vacation. A cheap British resort in Turkey, a loving dad and his smart 11 year old daughter. Only the finale sheds light - in dark-lit scenes - on the point of the whole movie. The ending is poignant. Still, the preceding 1.5 hours are not entirely happy. The whole plot feels as cheap as the resort. A meagre, banal, protracted movie about a meagre holiday. 

ORLY FESTIVAL 2023 - POLISH FILM AWARDS CANDIDATES

CUDOWNE ZYCIE (WONDERFUL LIFE)

Watchable. Highly entertaining in form, wonderfully acted, especially by Jan Sobolewski, a bit empty in meaningful content other than what should be done with our bodies after death. The whole content revolves around the relationship between our body and psyche. Director Błażej Grzechnik and the silent actor Jan Sobolewski are some of the voices on the phone. The mother (Małgorzata Witkowska) looks like Cate Blanchett. Joyful music, fantastically selected, the fun stays in your head. 

I was 2 minutes late but before the title. Not sure what I missed.

LOT (FLIGHT)

Watchable. A bit protracted and quite limited. Little context is given. 70 minutes of the artist himself and a handful of his performances and installations. Little explanation is offered for his concepts. At least some commentators are the fames of the Polish art world like Paweł Althamer or Katarzyna Kozyra.

MASZ CI LOS! AND Q&A WITH PRODUCER RADOSLAW DRABIK

The producer Radek Drabik is aware 95-98% of viewers will see it at home. Director Mateusz Głowacki had made some short films earlier, e.g. "Kiedy ranne wstają zorze" ("When the Light of Dawn Arises"). The producers had a boring meeting with the director over a coffee so they finally asked: "A co tam w życiu?" ("And how's life?") and heard that his family would put little objects into a pocket of their deceased. Hence the idea for the movie. Both the director and Radek Drabik were writing the script for 2 years. Privately the actor is Sonia Bohosiewicz's husband - she saw him in a coffin.

Watchable. Technically perfect, one of few Polish films where all the dialogue is audible, even the initial mumbled part. Thoroughly engaging. But why so serious? OK, it is realistic but too obvious to be amusing. Some slapstick like hitting the priest with a cross made me laugh. But most jokes are corny. Robert Wabich is a Tomasz Karolak lookalike.

ORLY FESTIVAL 2023 - POLISH FILM AWARDS CANDIDATES

MATECZNIK (THE HATCHER)

Recommended. Disturbing and relatively slow-paced. The atmosphere is like in Γιώργος Λάνθιμος' (Yorgos Lanthimos') "The Killing of a Sacred Deer". Two people in a flat, the woman teaches the young man the life outside while he can't leave the flat. The lessons amount to psychological and sexual violence. Weird but compelling. A powerful psychological drama. 

FENOMEN (PHENOMENON)

Recommended. This documentary about Jurek Owsiak, produced by Dominika Kulczyk, is emotionally-charged, truly moving a few times. Initially it appears as if random events were mentioned but they show this amazing grassroots movement and an unstoppable force of good will. 

14. LGBT+ FILM FESTIVAL

The festival is back at the most central Warsaw location (and several other cities as well as the Internet) - Kinoteka. 

The 13th edition brought us such memorable titles as: the funny end edifying animated short "Dans la nature" ("In nature"), the lesbian short on having a crush on movie stars "Hvem er Katharina" ("This is Katherine"), the harrowing documentaries "Wszystko o moim dziecku" ("All About My Child") and "Cured", the touching drama with wonderful music "Deserto particular" ("Private Desert"), the tongue-in-cheek fantasy short "The Cost of Living", the picture-perfect Japan of "Veils" or the hilarious comedy "Dating Amber". All the more I'm looking forward to gem-hunting this year.

I've studied the programme and watched trailers carefully. While the countries of origin are roughly the same as last year, they bring plenty of brand new productions. Below is a selection of just the most intriguing titles:

The 14th edition sees Urszula Antoniak's enigmatic "Splendid Isolation". 

The existence of Marlon Brando's queer films is a revelation to me. "A Streetcar Named Desire" gets a chance to be viewed as a gay movie since the lead male hides his identity on the one hand, while on the other his clothing inspired a fashion trend. "Rebel Without a Cause" stars Brando's lover James Dean - again, a new take on the plot and acting methods in two cult titles from decades ago. 

"Collette" tackles the bisexuality of the famous French writer. Two supporting roles are played by trans actors: Jake Graf and Rebecca Root. "Mädchen in Uniform" ("Girls in Uniforms") and "Olivia" showcase opposing attitudes to tackling boarding schools, both being black and white movies from decades ago. "Olivia" also inspired the novel "Call Me By Your Name". 

Shorts include: puzzling "¿Y si un día ya no estoy?" ("Even if some day I'm gone?"), "Les Dieux du supermarché" ("Gods of the Supermarket") dealing with unrealistic male beauty standards, "Stay" and "Les maladies extravagantes" ("The extravagant illnesses") are promising love stories (Gay Love Affairs); Iranian trans "Nicki" (Trans Non-Binary World); outrageous "Cock N'Bull 3", "Mercy" about a sex worker's life, "The Fishing Net" with secret police (Gay Stories); subtle "Frida" (Women to Women), Nigerian "Egúngún" ("Masquerade"), suicidal and twisted "La beauté du geste" ("Queen of Pain"); cosmic "Inertia" (Lesbian Voice); "Bajo la Superficie" ("Below the Surface") explores travels in the world and within oneself (Trans & Non-Binary Europe); comedy or drama (?) of errors "Brother" (American Dream Gay); fatal "Promessa de um Amor Selvagem" ("Promise of a Wild Love") (Hot Brazilian Gay); futuristic "Keep/Delete" (Lesbian Love Affairs); "Homo Deus. Divine Human" induces lateral thinking on humans (Ukraine Is Queer).

Documentary "Framing Agnes" deals with trans pioneers, who sometimes had to lie to get their sex change operations or overtly stated that being a man or a woman "is a matter of opinion". Another documentary, "This Is Not Me", in turn, offers insight into trans life in Iran.

Yet another doc, "How to Tell a Secret" deals with living with HIV nowadays.

"Trois nuits par semaine" ("Three nights a week") is a tongue-in-cheek reference to a famous song by Indochine - which I personally love. This French feature movie looks promising in terms of music and costumes. "Kurak Günler" (Burning Days") is aTurkish crime thriller created as a metaphor of Erdoğan's regime. "Wilde" tells about a period in the life of my once-favourite writer Oscar Wilde.

OPERATION FORTUNE: RUSE DE GUERRE

Watchable. Guy Ritchie's latest make-believe action flick regurgitates the plot formula filled with improbabilities. But it was filmed in Turkey and Qatar so looks enticing and I just loved the joke when they explain why they can't return stolen goods: "We sold them. We've invested the money. We're in the movie business now." 

IL RAGAZZO E LA TIGRE (THE TIGER'S NEST)

Recommended. Exotic views and customs of Nepal and its people, the landscapes, either arid or snow-clad and animals: tigers, elephants, monkeys all look wonderful on the big cinema screen. The tiger cub behaves and makes noises much like a dog (without barking, obviously). The issue of poaching and of tigers being on the verge of extinction is the core but also natural disasters and resulting human fates, i.e. being orphaned. Gathering wild honey reminds of "Honeyland". The movie is a visual delight with a delightful story. While it's all children-appropriate, adults love it too.

COMEDY QUEEN

Watchable. Just because it's psychologically clever. But the title is a sick joke. It's a depressing drama about a teenager mourning her mum. And there's no gag in it, I mean all the lines are trite. Skippable.

ལུང་ནག་ན (LUNANA: A YAK IN THE CLASSROOM)

Recommended. Based on true stories of a teacher, shot with mainly local inhabitants, this Bhutanese gem features more than just wonderful landscapes. The song is beautiful and meaningful. The people are incredibly hospitable and eager to learn, believing that teaching means "touching the future" - just how inspiring is that! They live in harmony with nature and admiration of animals. The film's deeply moving. On the other hand, it deals with the myth of the happiest country in the world. It's poor, without prospects for young people. It's also striking that people who don't know what global warming is see its effects. 

THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN

Watchable. An enigmatic village on a small island off the Irish shore. A tight-knit community. The daily routine is altered by a petty conflict which grows to ludicrous proportions. The plot can be treated as a psychological drama but the "civil war" on the mainland indicates it's a metaphor and analysis of the Troubles. Still, it's mostly a dissection of numerous pathologies troubling the island. Disturbing, weird, shockingly brutal and dragging at the same time. In spite of evocative Irish landscapes, the story's a figment of sick imagination and with 100% staged dialogue. It's frightening people like the movie, even Academy members (hence they nominated it in several categories). What's wrong with people they indulge in this freakie film where perversions pile up and nearly everyone (maybe apart from the wife and the barman) is seriously disturbed? It's like a mental asylum on an island, just without doctors. This accumulation of pathologies is sick. Although I admit some of the stories I've heard even about the aftermath of the Troubles are disturbing too. Still, film-wise, it's an odd slow movie. The Oscar-nominated music is nothing special either. The finale leaves no hope. The whole thing is unpleasant and depressing. 

BONES AND ALL

Watchable. It's predominantly a horror and the final scene with the drooling old creep only confirms it. While romance and drama are mixed in, the weird protagonists, each of them, are creatures of nightmares. The idea behind the story is sick but the world is internally consistent. Even within this peculiar set-up, some scenes, e.g. the mother, are shocking. Hard to believe it's Luca Guadagnino's. Mark Rylance as creepy Sully is revortingly convincing. The backdrop forms another layer showcasing what people listen to: talks on fraud, religion, sex can be heard from the media. 

WATCH DOCS 2022 - FREE ONLINE EDITION

OVERTIJD (OVERDUE)

Watchable. A short documentary in which three women's testimonies take a surprising turn - each of them regrets having had to abort. Talking heads only but it's just 24-minute long.

HOLY MOTORS

Watchable. Viewers sleep at the cinema so actors have 9 'meetings' (in monsieur Oscar's case 11 roles) in a day and night performing different roles. Everything lives, including inanimate objects and ideas. It's Leos Carax's movie, preceding "Annette" by 9 years, yet you can spot common tropes. The movie gets you thinking how many roles people play in their lives and why those. Cinematography is superb. The only problem is that some parts - since the movie can be divided into individual roles - are protracted, dull, especially the dying in a hotel but also the reunion after years. But on the whole it's full of surprises, the biggest one is Holy Motors in the finale. 

ARTEKINO FESTIVAL 2022

I GIGANTI (THE GIANTS)

Switched off. The Italian offering is a cheap drama about a bunch of drug users spending time together in a dark lit house. Nothing special about them. They are as depraved as you might imagine. Why get into their den at all?

HEROJI RADNICKE KLASE (WORKING CLASS HEROES)

Watchable. The Serbian film is not your run-of-the-mill moral tale about evil developers. Jasna Đuričić, known from "Quo Vadis, Aida?", here appears as a villain, the PR person for a construction company employing illegally, in arrears with pay, neglecting security, corrupt. Realistic, even standing up to the baddies - playing footie instead of working waiting to be paid. The finale, while far-fetched, meets your sense of justice.

MAMMA MU HITTAR HEM (MAMMA MOO FINDS HER WAY HOME)

Watchable. The Swedish cartoon is weird at first: a cow "has learnt to swim" and other zoological nonsense. But in time you realize the animals represent people types, the stork being a refugee, so the tale does teach children some life lessons. Sailing frogs in just one little scene are wonderful. The rest is odd but with just 3 protagonists it's consistent at least. 

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

SLON (ELEPHANT)

Switched off. A typical Polish drama, this one slow-paced. Ordinary countryside life. Nothing to look forward to.

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

KONIEC SWIATA W DOLINIE LEZ (THE END OF THE VALLEY OF TEARS)

Watchable. Quiet life in a secluded hamlet in Romania. Dogs roam freely, play together as a pack. The houses are neat, all white - idyllic. Everyday chores and here and there the elderly inhabitants sharing information about their families and the onset of leprosy which drove them to the village. You get to know a handful of facts but mostly, tediously, follow their daily routine. This typically Polish slow-paced observational documentary by Jarosław Wszędybył, consulted with Maciej Cuske, the director of "Wieloryb z Lorino" ("Whale from Lorino") is just like Cuske's film - little will you learn on the topic, while clearly the director knows much more, just fails to share. No statistics, no medical background on leprosy. I ended up googling so scarcely informative the documentary was. While tranquility dominates the picture, I shed some tears when a woman visited her parents' grave. If you want to see what the few remaining leper' lives look like, you get it. Nothing more. 

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

STRIJDER (BIGMAN)

Recommended. Most importantly, you don't need to be into football to enjoy this Dutch family drama about an avid young footballer who needs to reconsider his sports future after an accident. It's eventful and engaging throughout. You learn what it's like to be paraplegic. But even more about how to be a team player. It's inspirational to see the boy strive for athletic excellence against all odds and to accept his shortcomings, his little achievements and numerous setbacks, including a rigid father. It shows how disabled people are just like us. Cheerful on the whole. The boy's story continues for a while along the end credits.

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

LE NOUVEAU JOUET (THE NEW TOY)

Watchable. Starts with a funeral and later the boy bursts out crying - in a comedy. The movie is sometimes tear-jerking (the boy actor is great). In fact, both Etiennes are finely acted by adult Daniel Auteuil and teenage Simon Faliu. The comedy actor, Jamel Debbouze, is not funny either, even if something amusing happens. And why is his right hand always in the pocket? The boy's bedroom decor looks fantastic. The whole story is predictable. Brief spoken wishes are uttered at the end of the credits. 

SWIETA INACZEJ

Watchable. This Christmas is certainly different: the mother goes away, gets mugged and spends the night in a place resembling the hotel from "The Shining", the son parties with his bullies and the daughter goes searching for her with a Ukrainian taxi driver pretending to be a medicine student. Additionally a weird photographer mourns his deceased wife while his house is being refurbished by drunks from Silesia. And that oddity is supposed to be a comedy. It is occasionally funny, the Silesians speak in their amusing dialect and even silence each other saying: "Zawrzyj pysk!" ("Close your snout!"). Fake aurora on the Polish sky, stuffed animals in the middle of nowhere complete this peculiar romantic comedy.

TERRIFIER 2

Watchable. A newbie-friendly sequel in whose first 20 minutes you gradually learn what happened a year earlier. Later come gore, guts, maggots. Torture porn. Sienna's costume is a cross between Wonder Woman and an angel. The final girl has an intriguing back story. But the whole thing is a protracted slasher. Adrenaline-pumping yet tedious at the same time. Great soundtrack. The last piece is called "Surviving 3 a.m." - it was right past 3 a.m. when I finished watching. A long mid-credit ends this part and pretty much tells you what to expect in "Terrifier 3".

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

ARTEKINO FESTIVAL 2022

HYPERLAND

Switched off. The German movie being sci-fi set my hopes high. But the presented reality looks fake and feels abstract. 

DESTELLO BRAVIO (MIGHTY FLASH)

Watchable. The Spanish offering depicts a quiet village where nothing much happens. It gives you an opportunity of insight into the dwellers' preoccupations, little traumas, everyday dramas, pastimes, eating habits, dreams. Pleasant music, traditional and modern, occasionally features. I couldn't quite make out individual stories in the plot. But with a group protagonist it doesn't matter much. It feels Hispanic, being so slow and mundane.

CRAI NOU (BLUE MOON)

Switched off. In the Romanian movie family or acquaintances gather in a handful of cheap locations and argue, often violently. About everything. There's no normal conversation in the film.

WATCH DOCS 2022 - FREE ONLINE EDITION

SVET PODLE DALIBORKA (THE WHITE WORLD ACCORDING TO DALIBOREK)

Watchable. The documentary about a rightist extremist is entertaining and the finale provocative. The protagonists: Dalibor himself, his mother, her new partner, Dalibor's girlfriend and his mates and colleagues are quite peculiar. Apart from one colleague friendly to non-whites, they form a kind of sect: Nazi symbols, ridiculous videos watched and shot by Dalibor himself, manual work, beer and lots of cigarettes. The opinions they express are peculiar, their yarns outrageous. They're harmless, luckily, just pathetic. They, especially Dalibor, believe Internet propaganda and distrust mass media. They're simple minds who either have been thoroughly brainwashed or play along to make friends - their ignorance and hypocrisy can't stand the reality check.

Small subtitles made it impossible to watch from a distance but player.pl did play the documentaries smoothly.

PUNKT ZAPALNY (THE FLASHPOINT)

Watchable. The rainbow first signified a human covenant with God, next co-operatives, including famous Społem created in communist Poland, and only recently the LGBT movement. But, like Terlikowski remarks in the documentary, swastika had a few meanings before the Nazi one it's primarily associated with nowadays. It's bizarre that the symbol of co-existence was burnt over and over again in Warsaw in the years 2013-19. Not everything from the demonstrations is audible clearly enough. I recognised a former freelance rightist film journalist in the film, standing next to Krzysztof Bosak. An artwork is not bound by the meaning given to it by its creator, as someone remarks in the film. Lots of theoretical background on art and symbolism is given but it's necessary as the input and enlightening. Like a rainbow. Not shocking like fire. But I personally have never understood why Polish people get so ignited by symbols. 

ARTEKINO FESTIVAL 2022

LINHAS TORTAS (CROOKED LINES)

Watchable. The Portuguese entry astonishes with professional production among the festival ones. The story's engaging, many lines smart, e.g. "social networks don't improve people's lives", "technology is a new way and a new reason to get away from what could give satisfaction". But you need to watch our for - listen rather, since the movie doesn't show the nicknames - who is saying what. That'll matter in the major twist. Smart yet not easy to detect taken the way the Internet communication is presented.

HEAVY METAL DANCERS

Recommended. This German documentary about Finnish pole dancers doesn't stop surprising: a 55-year-old male pole dancer, the nausea beginners feel when spinning, pole dancing being a life-threatening discipline, the fact there's a technique in which you slide 4 meters down and do a stop, a single father who put his autistic son in a group home and "was making up for the lost time" and for who spending time with youngsters is a way to see what his children's lives could be like: abroad or had the son been healthy. Other life notions are food for thought as well, e.g. the idea we all have inner resources to survive adversity and it's not those with more of them that are steered into harder situations, we're all equal in this respect, or the notion that confidence and attitude as well as how you carry yourself make you sexy, regardless of your size or colour, not clothes, make-up or sumptuous hair. On the other hand, the film mentions ageism in the performance business. There's also prejudice among the pole dancing community, e.g. competing is off-limits for those wearing heels. At the same time it's inspiring how stretched, strong - the muscles can be seen, and flexible they are. You can admire them along with the end credits too. Amazing.

TOBI SZINEI (COLORS OF TOBI)

Watchable. The Hungarian documentary about a transgender teenager makes you question whether Tobias is a male, non-binary (in between genders, gender-fluid) or a woman re-inventing herself. A smart quote appealing to me more is that "as an adult you get to know your parents again". Still, it's an observational documentary which isn't particularly engaging.

EL PLANETA

Recommended. This Spanish black and white drama is a peculiar tale in which everybody lies. The finale is tongue-in-cheek and turns the whole story around. Truly original.

L'ANIMOGRAPHE OU JE SUIS NE DANS UNE BOITE A CHAUSSURES (THE ANIMOGRAPH, OR I WAS BORN IN A SHOEBOX)

Switched off. The French documentary is a detailed story of just one device. You need to be into machines, animation and recognise the vast number of historical names from the field, otherwise it's extremely difficult to watch, feels like reading a scientific paper.

ISGYVENTI VASARA (SUMMER SURVIVORS)

Watchable. The Lithuanian feature is a psychological road movie and boasts wonderful music. A scene sees hands next to each other in the car - another movie reference to "Drive My Car", those abound recently. The open ending of the 3 stories: Juste, Indre and Paulius' disappointed me. 

All festival movies stuttered when played, while when I tried to clear memory, it would turn out 19 or 6 cookies only had blocked the fluency.

I saw 327 movies (counting full-length ones or short film sets) in 2022 in total.

LISTY DO M. 5 (LETTERS TO SANTA 5)

Watchable. Curly hairstyles?! Those looked better in the 80s when they were in fashion. Just one funny scene where someone gets accidentally hit by a ladder. Parts of the movie are quite sappy - a typical Polish 'comedy'. But the comedy of errors together with a Christi-like mystery was fun, sadly unimaginatively concluded. At least the multi-character plot is clear-cut. Łukasz Targosz's music was fun as were Christmas songs, most in English. Not a bad movie for Christmas.

NIEBEZPIECZNI DZENTELMENI (DANGEROUS MEN)

Watchable. It's a very Polish movie, one every schoolchild in Poland will understand and no outsider will. Luckily American "I Wanna Get High" by Cypress Hill was used only in the trailer. Łukasz Targosz is responsible for the more appropriate soundtrack. Unfortunately, the plot is a copy of "Hangover" mixed with class B American flicks in which renowned historical or literary characters turn out to be some fantasy creatures. At least the Polish offering is not as ludicrous as Abraham Lincoln hunting vampires. Witkacy, Boy-Żeleński, Piłsudski, Bronisław Malinowski, Joseph Conrad, Lenin and Krupska, poetess Pawlikowska are among historical characters appearing here in situations that could have happened, if they all had come together, but didn't. One piece I loved was the speech at the theatre asking: "why would God favour the rich?" and pointing out the clergy shouting "Stop!" whenever progress is possible. Characters' make-up is fine, they look like real but these fine comedy actors don't amuse in this hotchpotch of ideas high and low. Yes, the movie was supposed to be a comedy but I didn't even smile once. Pictures of historically original protagonists are displayed along with the end credits

I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY

Recommended. Another superb biopic of the singer who died at 48 (similarly to Judy Garland who had passed away at 47). This film shows everything that "Whitney" omitted. Superbly directed by Kasi Lemmons - a specialist in black movies, scripted by white guy Anthony McCarten, who's given us "Bohemian Rhapsody". No wonder the opening and closing are similar to "Bohemian Rhapsody". Never a fan, even I felt deeply moved by her songs from the very first in the picture. You get to hear all the readily recognizable greatest hits, enjoying Atmos sound quality. Her first conversation with Robyn Crawford is particularly skillfully written. Naomi Ackie gives an Oscar-worthy performance. She truly embodies her. She's also made look entirely like her. Her costumes amaze. Clive Davies is also a faithful semblance of the producer. In one witty scene he says to her: "And get off my chair". Expectedly, real Whitney and family and friends' pictures appear along with the end credits.

ORLY FESTIVAL 2023 - POLISH FILM AWARDS CANDIDATES

ROZKOLYS (SWELL)

Watchable. This documentary focuses on surfing in Poland. Overcast sky, constant search for waves, discomfort endured only to get a chance to surf. The weather means it doesn't look pretty, the surfers use foul language a lot, one of them finds an old bottle in a canal and dumps it back in the water - yuck! - and it gets a bit repetitive. But it presents extensively what it's like to do this sport on the Baltic Sea. 

MER OM OSS BARN I BULLERBYN (MORE ABOUT THE CHILDREN OF NOISY VILLAGE)

Recommended. 1928/29 appears joyful in this tiny hamlet in Sweden. The worst problems are taking care of a neighbour's youngest: "We have to practise because we want to become nannies." "But do you have to practise on my sister?" Christmas dances around the Christmas tree, finding an almond which means getting married in the new year, lead pouring to predict next year's events, painting eggs for Easter bring the year of Swedish traditions home. Cycling even if snow lies around is another Nordic custom exotic elsewhere.

THE AMAZING MAURICE

Watchable. Brilliant lines, certainly better in the English original than in the Polish translation, e.g. Peaches mocks celebrity names in English with no such connotation in Polish. Still, if you think of the cat's commentary that people constantly con each other and if they have no time, they hire politicians, it's impossible not to enjoy. And the whole film is brimming with such lines. The story's based not only on a string of adventures but also smart commentary on how to structure a bestselling book. The "furry tail" promises intelligent fun and it is. At a point some sound is surrounding. There are a few little downsides though: the Polish version seems to detract from the humour a bit and in Polish the mayor's daughter sounds peevish rather than wise, the baddies look truly unpleasant rather than amusing, the storyline is a set of individual adventures assembled at random and occurring with no particular reason. There's a tiny little post-credit in which Maurice turns his head surprised.

ARTEKINO FESTIVAL 2022

SANREMO

Watchable. The Slovenian offering is a quiet story of elderly people with dementia, especially a man longing for his long gone dog and wife. At some point you start doubting what is true and what is not - must be like in the disease. The elders' care home looks pleasant, the people are slim and there's nothing unpleasant about them, unlike in other movies of the kind. 

 

There were 7 language versions to choose from and 5 subtitle sizes. You could pick "very large subtitles" - those were visible from a distance. And they were yellow.

ANATOMIA (ANATOMY)

Switched off. An awfully slow typical Polish drama about a terminally ill family member. Nothing much happens. The lead actress (Karolina Kominek) expresses no emotions, the same face all the time. Everyone is slow, even the doctor behaves as if he had time. Protracted shots of the city serve no purpose. And dialogues are ridiculous, e.g. finding out that all water is dinosaurs' piss. Nothing to hear about even when they talk.  

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

VIOLENT NIGHT

Watchable. A crazy, simple plot in a mix of genres: family, actioner, drunk Santa, heist, rich folks, slasher, fantasy. Lots of Christmas songs, some surrounding you, including the "Violent night, gory night" mockery. The soundtrack is about the best ingredient of this crazy mix. The reason for the Nutcracker collection is never given. There's an early mid-credit. Altogether fun enough.

SHE SAID

Recommended. Starts with Trump elected and the woman getting no job. But that's just a brief reference to how far rape culture reaches. The main subject is how Weinstein constantly tried to intimidate his opponents. His count was 82 victims, even Gwyneth Paltrow was threatened. NDAs would shut their mouth. Eventually he got sentenced to 23 years in prison. Additionally he's facing London and New York charges. Brad Pitt is the executive producer, Zoe Kazan, Carey Mulligan (the Academy Award nominated lead in "Promising Young Woman"), Patricia Clarkson excel in their roles. A gripping drama on facts.

劇場版「鬼滅の刃」 無限列車編 (DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA - THE MOVIE: MUGEN TRAIN)

Watchable. Piece of Magic churns out a new anime flick every few weeks. They're all noisy, flashy. This one is similarly exhausting although it's the most stable of the 3 releases so far. It starts quiet, next comes a loud bit, then quiet, then a racket again and jerky cuts for two hours. But the music is fine and the end credits song even pleasant and catchy. The animation is kept in one style, with just little diversions justified by them being dreamscapes. The story where you can kill someone in their sleep getting to the core of their subconsciousness is original, the second half with demons rising in hierarchy mundane for the genre. Remarkable how polite the passengers on the train are. The yelling and acting out characters most likely manifest the part of the Japanese that can't be public.

PIL

Watchable. The story's eventful but far-fetched and however amiable the human and animal characters are, it feels odd, e.g. an aggressive charging unicorn. On the other hand, it's sometimes funny, e.g. when a prince tries on underpants, remarks they fit him well and the viewer can see they have an animal tail. In Poland it's available only dubbed in Polish but the translation by Bartek Fukiet is really fun, as usual. There's a mid- and a post-credit.

KOBIETA NA DACHU (WOMAN ON THE ROOF)

Watchable. A typical Polish drama, where a woman gets naked (an elderly one in this case yet a yearning woman representation), ends up in a mental asylum and the family is toxic. She ekes out an existence but one day tries to rob a bank. Then apologises. It's all quite consistent and her enigmatic behaviour keeps you wondering why.

UN BEAU MATIN (ONE FINE MORNING)

Watchable. About facing life problems but well-paced and with an interesting visual effect where a sea leopard is superimposed on a woman as she's having a dream. Two parallel threads: searching for the best care home for an incurable father and an illicit affair with a married man engage the viewer. It's relatively pleasant to follow since all characters are well-meaning. The film's French so partly philosophical but that, surprisingly, works in this context as it offers insight into losing control of one's body and being trapped in it, likening it to Kafka's "Metamorphosis". The end credits song is evocative and fraught with meaning Bill Fay's "Love Will Remain".

WATCH DOCS 2022

MARA

Watchable. Street protests intertwine with some theatre and philosophical musings so the form is barely bearable. As for the content, little is new either. It just shows how hard everyday life has become in the Belarusian regime. Only one mention: about crying every night being a physiological necessity, since it gave no relief, when imprisoned and tortured gets you thinking.

DIERBAREN (SHELTERED)

Recommended. Hard-hitting. It starts with a cat let die and ends with 4 dogs put down on account of behavioral issues. You learn a lot about how the pet sanctuary works. But it's often heart-breaking. I was crying through most of the film.

WHILE WE WATCHED

Watchable. Joaquin Garcia's music is Western and modern which makes the film dynamic and versatile, though the case is strictly Indian in the face of elections in the country and the ongoing conflict with Pakistan. As authorities can't deal with the Kashmir warfare with domestic issues like huge unemployment, they look for scapegoats. A bleak picture. Everyday problems of a TV station demonstrate how it's done but constant talking in this documentary dilutes the message.

WATCH DOCS 2022 ONLINE

BY THE THROAT

Recommended. It's fascinating and frightening at the same time in how many ways a seemingly singular sound can be pronounced. The difference may be a matter of life and death or of which is your gender in others' perception. Difficulty to land a job, being granted asylum, passing a checkpoint - "My voice is my password". Lots about sound articulation - this phonetics at the cross of various languages, dialects and accents is fascinating but probably not for the mass audience. For me it's phonemenal - forgive my pun.

SFORA (THE PACK)

Watchable. However much I love dogs, this documentary about prisoners training aggressive ones is devoid of meaning, what's worse it's 51-minute long and still protracted at times.

THE SMELL OF MONEY

Watchable. It highlights the issue of industrial farm animal waste contaminating the countryside in the US - the hypocrisy of the company and health damage in local people are appalling. Film-wise, too many people are allowed to speak at will, without cutting. 

УКРАЇНА. ПЕРЕМАГАЮЧИ ТЕМРЯВУ (UKRAINE. OVERCOMING THE DARKNESS)

Watchable. Ruins, ruins everywhere. Cooking on open fire outside, but fearless spirit. 

REKONSTRUKCE OKUPACE (RECONSTRUCTION OF OCCUPATION)

I saw only the first 20-some minutes in which people would recognise themselves in the 1968  footage of the Russian invasion. Some locations are compared with modern ones. Intriguing enough. 

THE TRIANGLE OF SADNESS

Recommended. The movie propagates the view the world is a circumstantial combination of skills, money, food, a place to live and sex - food and shelter in particular force you to consider the animal mechanisms of behaviour. At the same time each serves its purpose as a means to assuming power. It also plays with gender roles - how much is biology, how much is ideology?

 Literature choice is symptomatic. The captain reads Chomsky - "How the World Works" and "Who Rules the World", Carl reads "Ulysses". Cinematography plays with the character types too - in the dark, both beautiful people: Carl (Harris Dickinson) and Yaya (Charlbi Dean Kriek who used to work as a model on top of her acting career) look like phantoms, not beautiful any more. Many lines are tongue-in-cheek, but reveal how the rich and corrupt see themselves. The ending, in the manner of  "El buen patrón" ("The Good Boss"), shows how the elites see the poor when they manifest a desirable set of skills. Much thought-provoking and deservedly nominated for a few Oscars.

AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER AT IMAX 3D HFR

Recommended. The long exposition introduces new characters, explains what happened in the meantime and the reason behind the comeback. That reason, however, will be most likely dealt with in part 3. This one focuses on families. One kid is conceived in extremely vague circumstances and she's particularly gifted and spiritual. On the other hand, an adult protagonist reconstructs a memorable scene from "Hamlet" - as he crushes his human skull he becomes trans human. Probably one hour in, the action shifts locations. The marine world of Pandora is marvellous and the sea creatures look authentic. They must have been inspired by real ones, but compiled so wisely, e.g. big fish with snail faces etc. that it works. More mundane moments look a bit fake visually, not sure why, but never mind, the best effects are top-notch. So is the action. The fights are always kept personal enough to engage even those who don't fancy battles, like me, and are smart, breath-taking, whether on the surface, under the water or in the air. My eyes welled up a handful of times. Whale hunting is revived - one of the most heart-breaking moments. A bitter look at humanity. Our attitude to other races and to animals are both rightfully condemned. The movie has it all: visuals, action, deeper meanings, take your pick - you have it. Over 3 hours long but worth it. Early end credits are accompanied by beautiful visuals and the text-only part hears the second of the final songs.

WATCH DOCS 2022

HAPPY WORKER - OR HOW THE WORK WAS SABOTAGED AND Q&A WITH DIRECTOR JOHN WEBSTER

Recommended. Managers are rarely qualified for their jobs. CEOs earn more and more and the gap between their pay and regular employees' is staggering. The most vital jobs, which really make a difference to people's lives are paid the least. In fact, the more useful a position, the worse the pay. Burnout is commonplace. The film is creatively shot: with dancers in the opening, with animations here and there, with writing statistics on buildings. If I remember correctly, 20% are happy at work, 61% are unhappy and 19% are so disgruntled, they work against the employer. 

This most professionally looking documentary cost 530,000 euros. 40% of the funding for this Finnish film came from a fund, the rest from a pre-sale to ZDF, Arte, public television stations in Norway. The director has never worked in an office or had a salary.

THE HUNGARIAN PLAYBOOK

Recommended. Journalists were instructed: "Don't show children" in order not to raise pity for refugees. 80% of the press write the same on politics, following guidelines sent from a ministry directly. Business connections guarantee Germany will support the state in the EU. Orban was elected for the 4th time. That gives an idea of how the game is played

GHOSTS OF MORIA

Recommended. Collecting scrap metal and getting half the pay a European would is better than a refugee camp which is like a prison and where food is often rotten. Post-Moria.

THE KILLING OF A JOURNALIST

Watchable. Doesn't feel like a thriller, filled with details, whose importance becomes clear only at the shocking revelation who was behind the murder.

How was the crime solved? International help, satellite images, Interpol, phone tracking, an eager young, inexperienced policeman put in charge of the investigation by those who stepped aside in fear after a huge public outcry, who hoped he wouldn't be able to put the pieces together.

ALL OF OUR HEARTBEATS ARE CONNECTED THROUGH EXPLODING STARS

Watchable. Slow-paced, poetic. But with some rarely seen marine life, like plankton magnified or creatures of 3000 meters deep. And the eponymous connection is true: iron from generations of supernovas has built living organisms. The mourning, depression, fear in those who lost their loved ones in an earthquake are revelatory, e.g. have you known the hippocampus shrinks after a trauma so you're more susceptible to dementia afterwards? Those human grieving fragments are the least inspiring.

TEDDYBJORNENS JUL (TEDDY'S CHRISTMAS)

Recommended. A Norwegian Christmas offering. A quaint town with a fairy-tale feel, stuffed animals look for cuddles and so do children. The subplot of whether Santa Claus is real is played wonderfully. All adults are amiable, dressed and made-up appropriately to this tale set a few decades ago and meant for children awaiting Christmas. It shows family love means more than money. Very heart-warming.

WATCH DOCS 2022

FASHION REIMAGINED

Recommended. Each clothing item travels through 5 countries on average just to reach the final outlet. Harmful pesticides first, then washing and dying chemicals are used. Child labour is a given. Creating a sustainable line is shockingly difficult. If fashion were a country it would be the world's 3rd largest polluter after China and the US. 

NOSTALGIA DE LA LUZ (NOSTALGIA FOR THE LIGHT)

Watchable. Awfully slow-paced, philosophical. But you learn a  bit about Chile and about the universe. Calcium can be found both in stars and our bones. The stars look beautiful on the big screen. Women still search for remains of their deceased who were murdered during the Pinochet regime. There was a lot more but I couldn't catch details when the film and the interviewees' speech were slower than my perception.

TIK TOK, BOOM.

Recommended. A girl says: "It took me 20 years to figure out I'm bisexual. TikTok needed 37 seconds to figure that out." so Chinese AI does actually work. Another girl started a 40-second video explaining how to curl up lashes, then remarked something like: "when you do this, you can grab your phones to find information on Uyghurs in detention camps in China" - the only way to circumvent the Chinese Big Brother, temporarily. Donald Trump wanted to ban TikTok, instead TikTok banned him from using it. Protection from bullying means if you're ugly, have fangs, tattoos, wrinkles, are fat, lack front teeth or might be bullied for any other reasons, including being gay or black, you are shadowbanned - get 0 views, are hidden by the "algorithm whatever it means". 

WAR CRIMES, WITH INVESTIGATORS IN UKRAINE

Recommended. A woman raped by more and more men every day, even 30. When the Orcs entered houses in Bucha, dogs wouldn't bark, they knew they'd be shot dead. People searched, let go and then shot in the back. Close ones who literally exploded when hit by a missile because guns wouldn't reach them. Amnesty International in London and an expert volunteer group in France investigate, compare locations with Google Earth. The ending amazes you with how resilient Ukrainian people are.

DELIKADO

Watchable. El Dino is picture-perfect and the expected influx of tourists has blinded developers with the vision of revenue valued more than human life. The film's slow-paced but clear-cut, unmistakably pointing the finger of blame at Rodrigo Duterte and governor Alvarez.

LA CORDILLERA DE LOS SUENOS (THE CORDILLERA OF DREAMS)

Watchable. The mountains, comprising 80% of Chilean territory look magnificent on the big screen, sometimes shot from the bottom in a way visually extending the distance. As usual in Patricio Guzmán's films, the landscape opens a story of the 20 years of Pinochet's regime. The omnipresent mountain range bears witness to disappearances, tortures, concentration camps.