Recommended. The Swedish film for tweens radiates warmth, gentle wit, is realistic in how siblings tease each other, highlights the issues of animal protection and how to do it wisely as well as the hardships of becoming a vegetarian in your early years. It all shows correct patterns of behaviour as a child and as an adult taking care of or working with kids. Heart-warming and touching at times.
NOWICJUSZ (THE NOVICE)
Recommended. The film made by a handful of people for 5 years is top-notch professional. Much like "Głos" ("The Voice") but with greater attention put to camerawork: both in shots resulting in situational humour and in atmospheric ones, and to the sound: speech is perfectly clear and music spatial. The storyline based round finding your vocation works wonderfully in the context, just like it did in "Głos" ("The Voice") - again a documentary showing cenobites are real people, multidimensional, not only spiritual but with interest e.g. in jazz or football. The director is a Dominican himself. The humorous bit on Dominican fashion is wonderful too.
Director Michał Woś is already beginning work on his second documentary. This one is to consist of black and white tapes shot by Dominicans in 1937-38 and to express the love of cinema. Meanwhile Maciej Cuske, his acquaintance, is working on a new film in Cuba.
KNOCK AT THE CABIN
Recommended. The grasshoppers indicate it's humans that'll be closely looked at - "I'm not going to hurt you." Typical of M. Night Shyamalan's great works, it's enigmatic, gripping, as you never know how it'll develop. Thought-provoking in many aspects. It plays with some American notions, religious and liberal, with numerous twists and turns, keeps on diverting your understanding of the situation. The director makes a cameo as a TV presenter. Sound is at times surrounding. Evocative end credits complete the picture.
HEAVEN IN HELL
Watchable. Polish woman + Italian man couples seem to rule Polish cinemas. The story's gripping, with some nudity, it's fun. It's all plausible. But my personal favourite is Janusz Chabior as Ivo. His non-Polish name makes no sense but the protagonist in his superb comical performance is a delight, a perfect supporting role to the female lead. The plot's saucy but well justified, including the intrigues. Tomasz Mandes is the director, one of the script writers and producers and appears in the movie as Piotr. The movie boasts surround sound in an Atmos screen. Laser projector? The cinematography isn't worth it. The ending disappoints and the final song in Polish further mars the movie.
VAATHI
Watchable. Kollywood this time but very Bollywood-style in the social justice topic and also with lots of songs. The music's fine yet forgettable. Chaotic and fast cut in the opening sequences confuses the viewer, especially one having to read fast long white subtitles on light backgrounds. The teacher fighting like a pro is over-the-top. The subject matter is a searing look at private education being a money-making scheme. But the intrigues make the movie engaging. I also adored the prep talk on the benefits of education - the doubts the uneducated folks have are the same as in Europe so it's quite relevant. I also enjoyed the women empowerment notion it brought about. However the humiliation the teacher is subjected to is exaggerated again. The whole thing gets considerably better after the interval. The second half strikes comedy tones. It also offers a handful of twists of action, including the absolutely brilliant final one. I just loved it. One smart movie on the whole
An excessively loud screening may make sense with a loud Indian audience, shouting freely during movies, but it hurt my European ears, I had to cover them every few minutes. There's a thin line between good audibility and noise.
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