O PSIE, KTORY JEZDZIL KOLEJA (LAMPO. THE TRAVELLING DOG)

Watchable. A lovely opening with a real and an animated dog interchangeably manifests dog behaviours. From there it goes downhill. The action's set nowadays but people dressed like a century ago. Nowy Sącz stands in for the fictitious town whose bizarre name I can't remember. The plot with a terminally ill child is so annoying I could barely tolerate it. As if you weren't chugged with requests for money donations in real life... At least the dog, in spite of getting hurt in an accident, survives and his troubles aren't as bad as the literary canine's. But another vexing trope are influencers, all pretentious. The plot's distant from the book, but, what's worse, deformed irritably.

BRAT (BROTHER) 

It's the working title of the movie being shot in Żyrardów this month. At first I spotted two dogs among the crew, so I asked whether they were acting in the film, to which the producer responded: "Nie, to obrońcy planu." ("No, they are the film set defenders.") The cutest defenders ever. The shooting started on 1 August in Żyrardów, where they've been filming for over 3 weeks and will finish in Gdańsk at the end of the month since the boy actors need to go back to school at the beginning of September. The whole crew, including the supporting staff, is going to move cities, with so few days in Gdańsk there's no point in recruiting a new team. The Garden City or the Polish Capital of Linen, as Żyrardów is dubbed, is a 15-minute one, meaning you can get anywhere by public transport within a quarter of an hour. It took me just 2 hours to walk around the whole city centre - this famously industrial settlement astonished me with its charm, those red brick buildings rich in architectonic detail, the train station seen inside and outside, the churches, the park make Żyrardów a perfect day trip from Warsaw. The director first thought of Żyrardów but looked all over Mazowsze and ended up shooting in Żyrardów anyway. I personally hope the town to look as beautiful in the film as I saw it with my own eyes. Chances are it will, since Jolanta Dylewska is responsible for cinematography. The town's vice-president commented more movies had been shot there only to represent Puck, Sandomierz od Dubai on the screen, though someone would always move to Żyrardów afterwards. The town president has been offered a role of a doctor, having acted as a boxing coach in the past. 

The plot sounds run-of-the-mill: a drama (Polish film makers' favourite genre), where a boy from a criminal background consoles his mother as his father ends up in jail, himself finding a way out of his predicament in sport - judo in this case. The formula's nothing new in world cinema. The scene whose shooting I had a chance to watch was one in a church - another cliche, this one typical for Polish movies. One scene took about 3 hours to shoot. Between the takes there were breaks for nose-blowing, crying on mum's shoulder, powdering the face, hairspray, instructions. Agnieszka Grochowska said her two film sons were more similar to her than her real children, who didn't resemble her a lot. The director's black belt in judo. The actor embodying the coach, Julek Świeżewski, trained it just for a few months before the shooting, but had a few dozen trainings since January 2023. The two boys do judo, only such boys were cast for the discipline and the ability to sense the partner. So the director found it surprisingly simple to work with them, easier than with adults, no ego, just a shared adventure. It's the two boys' debut - as the older one, Filip, said, they were "thrown in at the deep end" because they got the leading roles. They hadn't known each other earlier. Now the two boys want to become actors: Filip Wilkomirski is considering quitting sport, Tytus Szymczuk (the smaller one) is equally interested in acting and in sport.

 

I had been apprehensive about work conditions on such a set. Those proved to be superb. E.g. the toilets, apart from being spotless and with all civilized amenities, had speakers playing gentle music or sounds of nature. I wish public loos were that luxurious. Drinking water was available all the time to ensure everyone stays hydrated. The set catering offered hearty portions of tasty dishes with a decent range of veggie options to be eaten in an air-conditioned trailer or at a table outside. As one of the producers said: "There's no good movie without good food." Now I'm more optimistic about the film quality. And when it's released in February 2024, in the holy communion scene, when the camera shows the gathered guests, watch the second column on the left - I'm well hidden behind it.

TESCIOWIE 2 (THE IN-LAWS 2)

I've just seen it and will post the review on 15th September when it's released.

THE BOY, THE MOLE, THE FOX AND THE HORSE

Watchable. Is the 2023 Oscar-winning short film truly Oscar-worthy? The drawing and the story are quite simple. But adequate even for small children. The fox doesn't walk like a real one but at least is voiced by Idris Elba. It's profound as the fox tells the boy: "You're enough. Just as you are." And the boy concludes we're here "to love and to be loved". The love between the boy and three different animals permeates this quiet, slow-paced but touching film.

Available online. 

BELFER (THE TEACHER) SEASON 1 EP. 4

Recommended. A double shocker in the opening: the PE teacher's car demolished, the stench of rotten meat outside a house. Later the tension keeps growing due to major changes in the course of action. As individual subplots develop, most protagonists end up at a different place than they started.

The first season is available free of charge on Canal+ online all summer.

PORADY NA ZDRADY 2

Walked out. This romantic comedy is a bummer. Not funny at all. What's more, the script is clumsy, moronic and contrived, dialogues stilted and filled with profanities, costumes weird - even total losers don't dress like that in real life, also nothing and no one looks good in this amateurish cinematography. The whole thing is even worse than "Samiec alfa" ("Alpha male").

COBWEB

Recommended. Don't be fooled by the dull and stereotypical opening. The movie quickly turns frightening in more ways than one. The abusive and weird parents are an original idea, reversing the common horror trope where it's the child that's evil. On the other hand... it's not exactly reversed. It's magnified. Real and supernatural monsters can't be quite distinguished from one another. The elementary school boy is convincingly acted by Woody Norman (known from "C'mon C'mon". The whole story is so plausible, everything internally justified, it's hard to tell the thin line between evil and monstrosity. Keeps you in the clutches of horror steadily, only smoothly intensifying it. The finale leaves no hope. 

LADYBUG & CAT NOIR: THE MOVIE

Watchable. A superhero flick cartooned for children. Also probably because it's easier to draw utterly realistic Paris landmarks: the Seine, Notre-Dame (in its complete, undamaged form), Jardin des Tuileries, building roofs etc. rather than mock a destruction of real ones. All high school and superhero tropes can be found. The downside is the action's interspersed with numerous songs. While George Michael's "Careless Whisper" is used creatively within, plenty of musical-style songs, whether dubbed in Polish or sung in English, like the one along the end credts, all sound the same and are just boring. Bartek Fukiet translated it into Polish so you can rest assured this version's as good as it gets.

THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE DEMETER

Watchable. Woody Norman is a frightened boy in this horror too. It's filmed in Malta, based on a chapter from Bram Stoker's novel "Dracula". It being a literary adaptation is refreshing after plenty of variations of the most famous vampire over the years. The movie, however, is slow-paced, like a 20th century film, not scary, but atmospheric in the way the lengthy sea journey is depicted. The most valiant characters are a black man and a woman, their stories: of obtaining education but being shunned for employment or of being the subject of decisions taken by the count or by the community respectively are touching.

HAUNTED MANSION

Watchable again. As usual, it gave me a chance to catch more detail, e.g. an animated candle. But the main reason was to see the original language version. There are smart lines in the original, in Poland the dubbed and subtitled versions have different translations but neither is a match for the original. "They're already dead!" "They'll be deader." is fine though. LaKeith Stanfield gives a top performance as Ben. No surround sound when watched in an ordinary screening room.

MEG 2: THE TRENCH

Watchable. Adrenaline-pumping entertainment. The megalodons look better this time round, other prehistoric animals are top-notch. In fact it's the megs that aren't entirely up to scratch. At some point you see the teeth are paper etc. The plot is so far-fetched you can't think for a second it might be real. But this time the protagonist is an 'eco warrior' and an honest and an evil corporation clash. And at least the York survives. It's an American-Chinese co-production and the Chinese song at the end credits is better than the English one. But Meiying's character is needless in the story and makes no sense - what is she for?! Shot in Thailand and a digitally altered Greek island. Decent 3D.

TALK TO ME

Watchable. A bunch of teenagers summon ghosts at parties - trite, one original element is that they let them into their bodies. The rest is so derivative it's boring. It drags. It's neither particularly interesting, whether the real life part or the supernatural, nor scary. The finale's cool.

PAST LIVES

Watchable. The writer/director Celine Song's true life story is a movie quiet, slow-paced, yet engaging with subtle irony but also tear-jerking at times. The Korean lines are sometimes a bit off in Polish, especially the one about living the future incarnation where a cause and effect grammar structure is used in Korean, none like that in the Polish translation, which leads me to believe some subtle changes in the meaning have occurred. The plot is a love triangle where cultural differences are stressed in a conversation but don't manifest in actions. The story's banal, though may appeal to people in relationships dissatisfied with their choice of partner.

WIKTORIA 1920 (VICTORY 1920) VR

Recommended. Gripping 360-degree pictures and wartime action. Top-notch acting and dialogue.

DZA-DZA (THE CHAMPION) VR

Recommended. Full 360-degree immersion, top dialogue and characters. The tennis match features superb music.

NIE KOCHAC W TAKA NOC (A NIGHT LIKE THIS) VR

Recommended. Wonderful music, comical action, superb 360-degree shots.

All these VR films can be seen free of charge at the Ministry of Culture gallery. Each is relatively long, up to 30 minutes.

EL FRED QUE CREMA (THE BURNING COLD)

Watchable. Barely. Andorran folklore is much like Polish at WW2 times, shots of the mountains are few and far between. The story, about providing rescue to Jews, is awfully trite. The Andorran clan feuds are the only new element but they sound like in Hispanic soap operas. And it all drags.

SCRAPPER

Director Charlotte Reagan started at the age of 15, making videos for local rappers. 

Watchable. The 12-year-old girl protagonist is a thief and a liar, however resourceful she is at the same time, so it's hard to like her. 27-year-old (now) Harris Dickinson, the star of "Triangle of Sadness", acts as Jason, Georgie's 30-year-old father. He's superb, especially taken how different this role is from his previous. He glues you to the screen, unlike silly comments from the people around Georgie or spiders' talk. Forced originality mars this dysfunctional family drama.

BELFER (THE TEACHER) SEASON 1 EP. 3

Recommended. Some characters show their warmer and/or weirder side. Top-notch, realistic dialogue. Maciej Stuhr as the teacher and Piotr Głowacki as the good cop are superb. A growing number of unknowns. No single cliffhanger needed. It's all gripping.

The first season is available free of charge on Canal+ online all summer.

POWROT (RETURN) SEASON 1 EP. 1

Watchable. The set-up where a chap rises from the grave - literally - is original and promising. Acted by a solid set of professionals and written with good lines, it often turns into comedy, e.g. his mother notices him by chance and wants to build a chapel in the place of the revelation. But, written and directed by men, it's overloaded with sex. At some point it even sees two rabbits having an intercourse. What's worse, different protagonists have sex 3 times in one episode, when at least his widowed wife, his best friend and he himself should be depressed so it's hardly plausible. If the writer had no better idea for the very first episode, what can we count for in the rest of the serial? 

This episode is available free of charge on Canal+ online all summer.

UBERFLIEGEL - DAS GEHEIMNIS DES GROSSEN JUWELS (RICHARD THE STORK AND THE MYSTERY OF THE GREAT JEWEL)

Watchable. Bartek Fukiet's translation - only Polish dubbing is available in Poland - renders the lines better than in the original. Surround sound effects and music help digest the convoluted plot. At least songs are in English.

NO HARD FEELINGS

Recommended. Jennifer Lawrence as 32-year-old Maddie and Andrew Barth Feldman as 19-year-old Percy lead this warm coming-of-age tale. Jennifer Lawrence appears stark naked in one scene and actually looks good, unlike in "Red Sparrow" before. Andrew Barth Feldman is all cuteness. At some point their outfits match colours: her shorts with his top and vice versa to emphasise how great a couple they are. Matthew Broderick makes a cameo as Laird. The underlying issue is class division, that permeates the story. But mostly it's uplifting. 

LASSIE - EIN NEUES ABENTEUER (LASSIE - A NEW ADVENTURE)

Watchable. Offering coffee to dogs?! Even if it was the owner's joke, it gives the impression this drink may be safe for them which is utterly wrong, especially in a kids flick. This Lassie tale is lame. Even if all the people characters are perfect for the target audience, the dogs are made act awfully unnatural hence it's the human characters that are more appealing in this pooch story.

Reviewed from the distributor's German original, English-subtitled screener, cinematic reception might differ.

RUBY GILLMAN, TEENAGE KRAKEN

Watchable. It starts with some Canadian jokes which are spot on in the Kraken context. All high school and growing up in a family woes come to the fore magnified by bodily changes in this sensible yet stereotypical story. Who to trust is vital and drives the plot. Toni Collette voices Agatha Gillman and Jane Fonda does Grandmamah in the original which can't be heard in Poland where it's dubbed in Polish, only the end credits song is in the English original.

KARTKA Z POWSTANIA (A NOTE FROM THE UPRISING) VR

Recommended. Puts you right in the middle of the Warsaw Uprising. The first shots of the ruined city take you aback. The fighters' reality is utterly engaging, with brilliant dialogues, the action's a bit sappy but truly touching. Fully 360-degree.

MS PILSUDSKI - PODWODNA MISJA (MS PILSUDSKI) VR

Recommended. Two parallel stories, both with tongue-in-cheek banter, show the same ship at the time of its grandiosity and as a wreck. Wonderful 360-degree recreation.

KINO (PLEOGRAPH) VR

Recommended. If it hadn't been for the equipment and movie gone missing in WW2, Poles might be recognised as the film creators preceding the Lumière brothers' invention. It's also the only film about shooting one that's actually entertaining. Full 360-degree shots, including the sky. 

All these VR films can be seen free of charge at the Ministry of Culture gallery. Each is relatively long, up to 30 minutes.

AFTER WORK

Recommended. It's not really about the future with no work. It's about global class divisions at present. It's about the present where growing numbers, e.g. 30% of youngsters in Italy form the upper class since 400K euros are deemed sufficient and possible with 1.2-1.5 child born into a family. It's also an assembly of bizarre developments from around the world that indicate how time in history and place in the world render work voluntary or necessary. The lower class are treated like robots. Too much, too little or unloved work frustrates, only 15% people feel involved in their job out of about 1 billion who work. The latter number is vexing too - how come only 1 bn out of over 8 bn people in the world work?! Most don't? Which is the privilege: to work or not to work? How much fulfillment does it give? On the margin it shows how nightclubs or Netflix benefit from these economic changes. Even though I knew about some of it before, it's thought-provoking. 

MON CRIME (THE CRIME IS MINE)

Watchable. Engaging, funny a few times but mostly you admire the smart intrigue where you can never be sure which way the story will turn and who will say what. Wonderfully acted. Just not amusing enough for a comedy.

BARBIE

Recommended. Starts with the Warner Bros logo turned pink. Shortly after, I was taken aback at how profound and serious this pink movie was. From Greta Gerwig I expected an anodyne, maybe subtlety, but it's direct, explicit, complex. Every line is so smart, e.g. the one about putting masks on to preserve patriarchy. Margot Robbie amazes. She's made look but, even more importantly, moves like a doll. How could they have ever considered casting anyone else?! She gives a truly Oscar-worthy performance.

ASTEROID CITY

Watchable. It's Wes Anderson's so, as usual, distinctive visually. This time in "The Florida Project"-like pink and willow green but with the addition of pastel orange. The performance consists of turns from famous actors who chatter in funny accents. Since the end credits appear twice, first at the opening, I knew I should wait for my favourite Margot Robbie. She didn't have a chance to showcase her talent though, other than remembering her long chatter. It's all staged like theatre and about creating it. Silly divagations around an asteroid form the plot. Form over substance.

IL PRIMO GIORNE DELLA MIA VITA (THE FIRST DAY OF MY LIFE)

Recommended. The latest movie by Paolo Genovese is depressing but fascinating nevertheless. The protagonists are four (or more - depending who you count) people who have committed suicide and two supernatural beings - the man resembles the mysterious counsellor from "The Place" but is much less secretive. This tear-jerking drama is a thorough analysis of what makes a life worth living and of why some people fail to appreciate it, at some point you wonder why so few people take their own lives. Coming always second, being bullied, constant rivalry, insuperable mourning - anyone can relate to the suffering. The plot's also tongue-in-cheek, e.g. it ridicules costly live coaching. An original storyline, thought-provoking, deeply moving but gloomy.

MIMORADNA UDALOST (EMERGENCY SITUATION)

Watchable. Inspired by a real 14-minute incident, this Czech comedy is engaging even if flawed. Some bits are hilarious, e.g. when the train is rolling down the track backwards with a political campaign poster on it saying: "We're not moving back", most are moderately witty, it's all pleasant owing to very characteristic protagonists, each individually odd. While all events fall into the right place sooner or later, at some point the interior of the carriage shows the train moving forward instead - knowing who was seated where and what happened to which door. That blunder aside, the plot is full of surprises, not just about each character but revealing new ones and new props. Best of all, it's all plausible. The first half of the end credits sees scenes completing the action. 

LEAVE

Recommended. A thriller rather than a horror, though with an apparition and surround sound effects. But it's not what's scary, the truly frightening thing is it all could have happened, it must have been inspired by some real life cases. A feminist movie in a way it points out how violence occurs. The opening, with the police getting a call about a baby abandoned at a cemetery, is outstanding. The plot in which the survivor, now adult, travels to Norway - the main action was shot and takes place in and around Bergen - awe-inspiring itself, to investigate her roots, is original as well. What she finds, how appearances are deceiving, is gripping. One smart movie. 

HAUNTED MANSION

Watchable. First I saw it dubbed in Polish, at least all songs were in the English original. Good translation by Kuba Wecsile made it bearable. As for the movie itself, the kid is off, too pretentious and hardly 9 - actor Chase W. Dillon was 13 at the time of shooting - and there's too much banal chatter but "Harry Potter"-like ghosts move within, across, out of and into pictures, top visual effects seamlessly blend both worlds. At Warsaw's KinoGram you hear surround sound throughout, even with no Atmos. 

PLAN 75

Recommended. A brutal opening. The very first shot is bloody, in the next few minutes the man kills himself. Powerful. This hate crime precedes a true horror, though with no more onscreen brutality. Restrained performances, subtle clues, top politeness of the Japanese and a Filipino worker conceal an unsettling reality: the elderly, while still capable, are pushed out of the job and housing markets, just because of their age. The insidious offer to be put down in exchange of a moment of luxury before the demise is chilling to the viewer all the more that the protagonists accept the deal, sometimes with gratitude. Horrifying how dispensable they are even to their families, let alone to the young people out there. Their bodies are treated like animal carcasses and dealt with by a waste removal company. Their personal belongings are sorted like in WW2 Nazi concentration camps. Despite some cultural ambiguity, it horrifies worldwide, no matter what your social or historical associations are. 

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

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - DEAD RECKONING PART ONE 

Recommended. AI, disinformation, augmented reality, deepfakes - we live in this world already. The plot is astonishingly well grounded in our reality and foresees perfectly realistic dangers. Taken how long movie production takes, the script is unbelievably up-to-date in this respect. The opening titles hear kind of an echo of the "Mission Impossible" music theme. The whole opening sequence is like "The Hunt for Red October" on fast forward and ends with images of bodies under an ice pack - they stick to your mind. Living people impress just as well. Not only obligatory Tom Cruise in the leading role but also Frederick Schmidt as Zola, Hayley Atwell as "inherently resourceful" Grace, Vanessa Kirby as Alanna. Polish actor Marcin Dorociński successfully mocks Russian accent as the captain of the Sevastopol submarine. There's one more Polish element: when one of Grace's passports is scrutinised, it's a mock-Polish one with a Greek name inside. Benji Dunn (comedian Simon Pegg)  brings in some humour: "Do you know what amount of pressure I'm under?!" when it's Ethan Hunt who has to jump on a train. The Vienna-Innsbruck Orient Express ride was shot in England and Norway, but it's all about deception, isn't it. The famous 2-years-trained-for Norwegian cliff jump is nothing yet. The mind-boggling running from the runaway train, with the train breaking one carriage at a time, a climb, an "Inception"-like image - seamlessly and naturally composed into the sequence keep you on the edge of the seat. The Atmos sound surrounds you in a handful of scenes, though distinctly, at least in an Atmos screening room. Now that Hunt's got the complete key and needs to locate the sunken submarine, I expect more mind-blowing action in Arctic waters to come in part two. 

SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE

Watchable. Dynamic, flippy even, animation, shooting in all directions with vivid colours, its style changes constantly but all backgrounds look blurry like in 3D movies when you take off the glasses, it's 2D though. Taken the dominating ambience and surround sound, I guess it was to imitate clubbing and occasional tripping on drugs. Purple-pink dominate the screen, the rapid visuals are accompanied by music, sometimes just as rapid, sometimes even slow, matching the pictures, but don't expect hits. The plot is mayhem. The multiverse is full of Spider-Men, Spider-Women, there's even a Spider-Horse and a Spider-Dragon. Two live actor characters: from the "Venom" and "Black Panther" universes make cameos. The multiverse is also very multicultural, e.g. an outstanding part takes place in Mumbattan - where Spider-Man Pav shows them around: "there's traffic here, and here, and there". There are also visually and musically dynamic yet dull family issues, the two leading Spider teenagers acting out and speaking cockily to their fathers. Unfortunately "to be continued".

INSIDIOUS: THE RED DOOR

Watchable.The first, unbearably boring, "Insidious" movie was released in 2010, the second, truly scary, in 2013, this one is back to non-scary and dull. James Wan's production, actor Patrick Wilson's direction, scripted by Leigh Whanell, who makes a cameo as Specs, with Joseph Bishara's ominous music, right at the opening titles. Next come ominous pictures, all intertwined with a tedious family story, which then turns into theatrically fake looking spooks. The horror layer is silly. At least the Atmos sound is surrounding, especially the MRI machine produces authentic noises. Sinclair Daniel is superb as Dalton's down-to-earth, upbeat black girl roommate Chris - I followed this tiring trite story only for her. Additionally, at the end credits I was rewarded with a great song: "Stay" (feat. Patrick Wilson) by Ghost. 

CARL'S DATE

Recommended. The short film preceding "Elemental" is pure delight, especially for dog lovers. The dog unwilling to learn a new trick is hilarious, the old man's story and his pooch's comments are heart-warming and funny.

More Carl and Dug short cartoons are available on Disney+.

ELEMENTAL

Recommended. The animation offers fluid, constantly moving fire and water characters, and a whole world of the 4 elements - marvellous visually and smart plot-wise. Original music makes it even more unique. The tale talks about the immigrant experience, tackling immigrants' woes and offering an uplifting success story. I shed tears a few times. Top Polish translation by Kuba Wecsile is top-notch so e.g. Wade Ripple becomes Wodzimierz Potocki. Original names are inventive too and it's worth watching the end credits pictures for: Kolgate charcoal toothpaste, compost in sandwiches, Hearth & Home, Ember's Fireplace, the Pond Shop, a Healthy Soot can and many others. 

ARCYDZIELO CZYLI DEKALOG PRODUCENTA FILMOWEGO

Watchable. Having scene the director's earlier "Ściema po polsku" I was apprehensive. But this comedy is smart, set around contrasts: it lists how much each professional matters to the production, as the director/producer boasts himself of from Mauritius, and next you're shown the reality. Mariusz Pujszo cleverly sums up the phenomenon of "The Blair Witch Project" or ridicules running in movies, especially in "Forrest Gump" whose protagonist doesn't know himself what he's running for. Some scenes are hilarious slapstick, e.g. the director fails to convince an actress to swim but accidentally bumps her with his bum and she falls in the water. Unfortunately, the movie often gives the impression it's a re-edit of his previous "Ściema po polsku" and Mariusz Pujszo's poor enunciation and sloppy recording detract from the quality hes' managed to achieve this time.

THE OUTWATERS

Switched off. After 1 hour 25 minutes out of 1 hour 50. The first occurrence meant to be scary appears right in the middle, after 55 minutes of slow character introduction - they're all boring: everyone's into music, everyone's affectionate. The 4 people travel by car when the world is turned upside down once, just like in "Midsommar", but everything, from the start, throughout the movie, is 'found footage', like in "The Blair Witch Project" - which I saw partly, having walked out from it in 1999 and then I saw the ending on telly a few years ago. The setting is a desert. When the supposed horror part of "The Outwaters" began, after half an hour of accidental shots of body parts covered in what looks more like ketchup than blood, occasional tentacles or a dark silhouette on the horizon and upside down shots, distorted metallic voices, I had no idea what was happening, neither did the constantly gasping protagonist. At some point another character starts a weird Christian prayer. They're clearly scared, the guy keeps gasping like an obese jogger. Makes no sense and looks fake. Ludicrous.

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

BELFER (THE TEACHER) SEASON 1 EP. 1&2

Recommended. Co-written by Jakub Żulczyk, famous for "Ślepnąc od świateł" ("Blinded by the Lights") and directed by Łukasz Palkowski, known for "Bogowie" ("Gods"), "Wojna źeńsko-męska", "Najlepszy" ("Breaking the Limits") - all superb. And this serial, even with clear villains and the suspect, is gripping all the same. Very realistic characters, cinematography using occasional drones, the good-natured teacher with a mystery behind his moving towns, dodgy people around, naughty and/or troubled youngsters all engage you in the story. Maciej Stuhr in the leading role is a teacher/psychologist of your dreams. And in episode 1 you learn also about the origins of the sagging trousers fashion.  

It's available free of charge on Canal+ online till the end of the summer.

МАВКА. ЛІСОВА ПІСНЯ (MAVKA. THE FOREST SONG)

Recommended. A Ukrainian cartoon. Ingenious forest creatures, cute or child-level demonic, a villain, music, including a beautiful song by Калина (Kalyna) Ukrainian Folk Group, people wearing outfits consulted by fashion historians, the environment consulted by WWF experts for Ukraine and... a dash of magic. The story's environmental and anti-war. Like in all superhero movies, there's a mid-credit.

THE FLASH

Watchable. The first act is hilarious, especially the coffee shop sequence, the plot with time travel is always fun, here it plays with the cult movie of the time travel genre: "Back to the Future" because Eric Stoltz, who in reality was to be cast as Marty McFly, has been cast in this world. My favourite Wonder Woman makes an appearance. Ezra Miller is superb in the double role. But there's just fights, explosions and colourful multiverse overload. In the early end credits Flash saves the dog again. There's a post-credit scene. 

TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE BEASTS

Watchable. Finally, after many years and several movies, a Transformers flick with a consistent, fully comprehensible storyline and the right human to machine ratio. The plot is pretty standard but with two amiable underdogs: one male, one female who you root for throughout the movie. It's set partly in NYC of 1994, when the twin towers of WTC still stood and partly in Cuzco, Peru which offers amazing scenery. The soundtrack is decent too. 

American journalist Lesley Stahl makes a cameo as herself. There's a very early mid-credit. All fun. As usual recently, Agata Deka's translation into Polish contains some nonsense. 

FAST X

Recommended. Thankfully they don't drive to the outer space this time so, even though it's all, as usual, make-believe, it avoids ludicrousness. This instalment of the franchise is a guilty pleasure, with the emphasis on pleasure. A class division plays a role: Dante embodies the superrich depriving others' of their life savings, while wearing reptile skin outfits or even more extravagant ones - to soften his masculinity, 'the family' are overtly dubbed 'low class' who started off as criminals only to perform mind-blowing stunts for 'the Agency' later hence emboding the American from-rags-to-riches dream. Now it's also truly about their multi-racial 'family'. Not just your usual Vin Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez, stars in the cast include Charlize Theron, Brie Larson, blond hottie Alan Ritchson as Ames and cameos by Helen Mirren and by Gal Gadot. A black guy learns leadership by trial and error. Danter Reyes (Jason Momoa) is Dominic Torreto's arch enemy and a supervillain as mad as Joker. There are a few heartfelt moments in the midst of action. The expertly crafted action sequences involve not just cars, but also planes and martial arts. The show's nothing short of spectacular: a treasury stolen with its walls, a 'Goldini' (a shiny golden Lamborghini), a 10-kilotonne bomb explosion, an ice-breaking submarine, Rome, Portugal, Rio, London, Antarctica and a handful of other locations. It's paired with Brian Tyler's orchestra music, a soundtrack including even a bit of Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake" but mostly light rock and pop, with a wonderful closing piece along the end credits. Speaking of which, their early part enraptures with wonderful recap visuals, after which comes a mid-credit. Since the action's interrupted mid-way, it's clear a sequel is coming and the mid-credit indicates that'll include Dwayne Johnson's character on whom Dante Reyes (Jason Momoa) will focus his revenge. 

VIKA!

Watchable. She leads a perfectly normal life. You hear some exuberant 80s music but not that much. It's about her daily life rather, e.g. swearing profusely, especially when trying to put a collar on her cat. Not a pleasant person from the picture, though certainly a free spirit she is. 

Out of nearly 80 seniors appearing in the film. only two have passed away since it was shot.

Reviewed from the producers' screener, cinematic reception might differ.

JEANNE DU BARRY

Recommended. Directed, co-scripted by Maïwenn, co-produced by both leading actors, it's actually the two of them: Maïwenn and Johnny Depp, as well as Benjamin Lavernhe as La Borde, that glue you to the screen. Inspired by a true life figure, though not entirely based on facts, many events were recreated meticulously. Many costumes were made by the House of Chanel. And it was shot in Versailles. It all looks splendid. Skillful cinematography draws you into the story. Jeanne du Barry is a low-born woman who becomes the king's mistress. The script offers a gripping story, with a tear-jerking final act and a new look on Marie Antoinette by the way. Most of all it's on the ebbs and flows of life. A fun fact is Pierre Richard appears as Duc de Richelieu. 

PACIFICTION -TOURMENT SUR LES ILES (PACIFICTION)

Recommended. Beautiful cinematography, wonderful vistas. A paradise island. Every shot persuades you it's the most beautiful corner of our planet. You can almost smell the tropical greenery. Everyone's well-off. An idyll. Yet underneath this paradise evil's at work. The protagonist is a shrewed politician which forms the storyline. The post-colonial nightmare is the main subject. The finale is blood-curdling. Even though it's just a speech.

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