Movie reviews

SUNDOWN

Recommended. Shot and set in Acapulco and Mexico City, Michel Franco's latest movie poses more questions than it answers. Tim Roth is ambiguous as Neill. The director purposefully leaves the whole situation to your own interpretation, subtly twisting the action from time to time with a new piece of information thrown in as if casually. It struck me the slaughtered pig in one scene looked visibly fake - a clear sign no animal harm was intended in the movie production. The swines Neill sees not only make you wonder which are real but why pigs and why in such places - taken the family business isn't pork. No doubt the writer/director demonstrates people kill for money - where you come from determines what or who you breed and slaughter. 

FILIP

Recommended. The movie highlights a rarely mentioned Nazi policy of punishing inter-racial sex, where German women would have their heads shaved and foreign men would be executed. In the midst of the Second World War a story of a handsome Jewish seducer is set. It's engaging, keeps you in suspense but, while it could be viewed as a war thriller, the tale, based on Filip's friend's autobiography, is joyful, saucy, full of life. The protagonist is smart, deceitful, bold, a bad boy but one you root for knowing his logic. Eryk Kulm Jr. is superb and alluring, with his smooth appearance and athletic, muscled body, as Filip. He's partnered with a wonderful cast of international actors speaking Polish, German, Yiddish, French. The story's surprisingly light, in spite of a heavy topic. Michał Kwieciński directed it superbly. Exquisite, sometimes surrounding, sound and modern rhythms emphasize the extraordinary action. Skillful cinematography makes this horrible time pleasing to the eye. The serious tones of one's identity, purpose in life, longings, fate are astonishingly attractive in this unpredictable film full of twists so natural they're hardly noticeable even though they glue you to the screen.

SYK PIKE (SICK OF MYSELF)

Watchable. You know from the beginning it's going to deal with the issues of: to what extremes people go for public acclaim, professional rivalry in a couple and whether narcissism is the way to fame. In 1998 Lars von Trier created "Idioten" ("The Idiots") - a movie in which people pretended in order to provoke. Nowadays the society is more inclusive and tolerant so pretending rises from a desire of popularity. The movie's a bit overtalked and, at the later stage, the mask looks fake, but it is engaging and how the girl's dreams clash with reality is wonderfully demonstrated.

M3GAN

Recommended. James Wan's latest work, as usual, is an intelligent horror. While it harks back to "Frankenstein", its more obvious influence is "Terminator". While here it's just one android fighting only some people, it's clearly updated - she used an autonomous car to be back. It also follows in the footsteps of "De uskyldige" ("The Innocents"). It grows scary, especially because it feels so realistic nowadays, when the Internet of things is becoming our reality.

TILL

Recommended. It fascinates how blacks take pride in their appearance, their beautiful clothes as well as grooming feature prominently. The rest is just pride. The fatal domino is set off by a trivial reason, first it's astonishing how the compliment was taken. The movie has slow passages but the injustice is hard-hitting nevertheless. White instigator and perpetrator's impunity is appalling. Top performances all around including Jalyn Hall as Emmett Till, but also Whoopi Goldberg in a dramatic role as granma Alma Carthan.

WIAROLOM (FAITHBREAKER)

Walked out. I could't make out what it was supposed to be about. The pictures were dark and the music bland. 

L'IMMENSITA

Watchable. A family, loving and toxic interchangeably. Boring all the time. I stayed till the end hoping for some dramatic turn. It doesn't come. Both protagonists: Adri and the mother lose. On the other hand, the movie, through these two characters, explicitly shows that sacrificing yourself for the family you lose yourself and gain nothing.

MINUTA CISZY (A MINUTE OF SILENCE) EP. 3

Recommended. A hard-hitting happening mid-way through the episode, new shocking twists and turns as the contemporary situation develops and as Zasada's past is revealed. A masterful script.

Seen courtesy of Canal +.

ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA  AT IMAX 3D

Watchable. This instalment offers lots of low-brow humour, with Bill Murray whose Lord Krylar is still tolerable in comparison to other characters. Visually it's awful: retro people and organisms, like Lynch's "Dune" of 1984. The fractals are so-so. A small screen will be enough. The 3D has some depth at times. Atmos provides clear sound but only the end credits music is actually good. Also only the real world opening and ending are any fun. The rest is ballistic and neverending. Mid- and post-credit are another sepia-toned retro.