CINEMAFORUM
VR - ANOTHER TREND OR THE FUTURE OF CINEMA
While the expert panel took nearly two hours, I whisked out only curious facts about the furute. Firstly, VR has a future doue to the porn business developing it for its purposes. I know from other sources that even the existence of the Internet is maintained by the adult movie entertainment so this doesn't surprise me. Apart from that Facebook is going to enable VR showing your life to others. As for technology, which, in my opinion, currently resembles diving: the picture is never as clear as in the cinema, the equipment is heavy and makes nose breathing difficult, it's bound to improve too: Oculus has developed better goggles which cost nearly 2000 Polish zlotys and better ones still, costing over 3000 $ have come into existence. So far only and as much as the US Army and NASA have purchased a 5-year supply.
The 5-minute VR film based on Kafka's "Metamorphosis", available free of charge in Warsaw Goethe Institute till the end of November is so-so. The gear on your head combined with the mirror reflection of a giant cockroach gives a funny feeling but only one of numerous drawers and neither of the doors or window can be opened.
Saturday, 9 November 2019
Friday, 8 November 2019
SUPERNOVA
Watchable. For the most part it's excellent. The beginning is annoying due to poor, overlit pictures. But the plot quickly turns into an intense psychologic drama, built around a single event, very realistic, with well drawn characters, plausibly acted - you just feel as if you were on the spot, however with the ending ruined by a weird radio commentary - too abstract after such a tangible story.
Watchable. For the most part it's excellent. The beginning is annoying due to poor, overlit pictures. But the plot quickly turns into an intense psychologic drama, built around a single event, very realistic, with well drawn characters, plausibly acted - you just feel as if you were on the spot, however with the ending ruined by a weird radio commentary - too abstract after such a tangible story.
Thursday, 7 November 2019
TERMINATOR: DARK FATE AT IMAX
Recommended. Just like "Zombieland: Double Tap", it starts straightaway, right on the producer's logo. Top-notch sound effects. The machines sound ominously scary and the beginning with a terminator squad frightened me. The movie often felt like the original - music themes from "The Terminator" and "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" are used. But the plot takes a modern twist with the notion of being constantly tracked by GPS in cellphones and cameras and, even more so, with women acting stronger and e.g. exacting an immediate revenge for sexual abuse. It's very international in action and in production including Spain, Hungary and China (Tencent). But still Hollywood quality. The script plays with the series iconic elements like "I'll be back" or dark shades but also the deep, round tank like the vat of molten steel where T-1000 was destroyed by T-800 in "Terminator 2: Judgment Day". It brings in some humour, especialy when T-800 talks about his parenthood. But the plot conveys the idea humanity is doomed anyway since AI is going to exterminate us in the future all of a sudden. At the same time it's just so great seeing Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger (in this order, also in the closing credits) again. Haven't changed that much after all. Ah, and all characters look slim again, thankfully. New characters and the new storyline are clear-cut. No confusion this time. The series has gone back to its roots.No mid- or post-credit.
It got me thinking about how wars have changed over the century: have become more civilized for the military staff but WWI didn't affect the civil population at all.
Recommended. Just like "Zombieland: Double Tap", it starts straightaway, right on the producer's logo. Top-notch sound effects. The machines sound ominously scary and the beginning with a terminator squad frightened me. The movie often felt like the original - music themes from "The Terminator" and "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" are used. But the plot takes a modern twist with the notion of being constantly tracked by GPS in cellphones and cameras and, even more so, with women acting stronger and e.g. exacting an immediate revenge for sexual abuse. It's very international in action and in production including Spain, Hungary and China (Tencent). But still Hollywood quality. The script plays with the series iconic elements like "I'll be back" or dark shades but also the deep, round tank like the vat of molten steel where T-1000 was destroyed by T-800 in "Terminator 2: Judgment Day". It brings in some humour, especialy when T-800 talks about his parenthood. But the plot conveys the idea humanity is doomed anyway since AI is going to exterminate us in the future all of a sudden. At the same time it's just so great seeing Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger (in this order, also in the closing credits) again. Haven't changed that much after all. Ah, and all characters look slim again, thankfully. New characters and the new storyline are clear-cut. No confusion this time. The series has gone back to its roots.No mid- or post-credit.
THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD
Recommended. Painstakingly depicted what it was like to be in World War One: from draft to coming home. What bewildered me was hearing of politeness and amicability in the army, especially that it consisted of volunteers and that trenches excluded any possibility of hygiene: lice, using hands to wipe the bottom after defecating and never washing hands, rats, corpses. The battle is described in minute detail too. Death from a bullet was painless,
wounds and especially limb amputations were feared the most. On return they were largely not understood by the general population. After 1 million lives lost. It's told by British veterans meaning the speech manner isn't emotional. Luckily so - the story is terrifying enough when you think about it from a distance. The song from the end credits stays with you after leaving the cinema.It got me thinking about how wars have changed over the century: have become more civilized for the military staff but WWI didn't affect the civil population at all.
Tuesday, 5 November 2019
KNIVES OUT
Recommended. Clockwork thriller. Lots of excellent twists and turns. Masterful performances by Daniel Craig, who adopts American accent to enact Detective Hardlock, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, Toni Collette, Lakeith Stanfield, Katherine Langford, Jaeden Martell, and Christopher Plummer. The movie plays with pop cultural tropes like O.J. Simpson's case, "7 days to die" in "The Ring" or "Baby Driver" references. It's also tongue-in-cheek internally - a funny painting depicting a person entering through a window covers such a window entrance. Purely delightful.
BASIA 3
Watchable. This set is more varied than previous ones. It's still perfect for young children, teaching them e.g. to clean up or not to talk with mouth full but tackles also the Haitian earthquake - I'm impressed how simply it exlains it to the child. Also, cultural differences are mentioned. Feels like Basia is gradually growing up. The same animation style as before.
A bit too simple for adults at times but Basia's view of the world is so disarmingly naive it's just sweet.
THE SHED
Watchable.The monster first appears in the pre-credit opening scene which seemed way too early. But the fact you know what's in the shed is played smartly later on. The high school zombie flick is engaging, with great cinematography and decently built characters. The girl wears her nails black which: firstly indicates she's no silly scream queen, secondly is the colour used by girls on Halloween. And she hammers nails too. The sheriff is a woman as well. The ending implies a sequel. The scriptwriter and director Frank Sabatella passed away in 2018. Are they going to bring him back from the dead too? No mid- or post-credit.
Monday, 4 November 2019
UKRAINA! FILM FESTIVAL
ГУЦУЛКА КСЕНЯ (HUTSULKA KSENYA)
Watchable. Painfully slow. It's a musical comedy with unbearable music, in addition all songs sound the same, and it's not funny at all. I was only curious how the romantic story would end and I liked the folk costumes. The scenography resembles Wes Anderson's films. The actors act as if separately, directly to the camera - no chemistry possible between characters.
ГЕРОЙ МОГО ЧАСУ (HERO OF MY TIME)
Watchable. A well-paced social satire. It takes the Mickey out of contemporary art, e.g. when an installation consisting of a pile of used everyday objects is put in the gallery, a gallery attendant wants to clean it up. Also, off-duty he wears a tiger T-shirt while the upper class guests wear bizarre dresses. I did not laugh but both the upper and lower class are ridiculed cleverly. There's a mid-credit.
To recap: Poor translations into English. Food at the opening gala was so bad I spat out most of the snacks. If that's the kind of food they have in Ukraine, no wonder they emigrate in droves. But the movies are getting better and better every year. 4 and 3 years ago most productions dealt with Maidan or war and were of poor visual quality. But Ukrainian film-makers have learnt the ropes at an astonishing speed, have created their own cinematic language, especially in comedies and have improved technically as well. This year the festival took place in just one cinema, times were set in such a way that movie beginnings didn't overlap with other film endings which was perfectly legible both in the catalogue and in the fold-out brochure. The catalogue had one movie per page (only short ones were two per page), leaving white space on a kind of paper which allowed you to take notes easily. While most films were fiven in the alphabetic order, some specials were separate but still easy enough to find.
KNIVES OUT
I've seen it already but have to wait till the midnight of 5/6th Nov. Polish time to be allowed to publish my review.
WARSAW KOREAN FILM FESTIVAL
영하의 바람 (SUB-ZERO WIND)
Walked out. Some family life. Deprived of emotions. And it drags.
UKRYTA GRA (THE COLDEST GAME)
Recommended. A difficult to crack spy game with moles on both sides. Set in the Palace of Culture and Science - the famous gift from Stalin, rumoured to have secret passages. I watched the movie in Kinoteka which is housed in the very Palace - the stairs in the movie are the very stairs I climbed to get to the cinema. The chess match lasting a few days is only most apt for the hidden game of two superpowers. The 60s threat has been brought back to life this year when Putin and Trump cancelled the nuclear treaty as the final note menacingly reminds the viewers.
AMAZING GRACE
Watchable. Listening to Aretha Franklin, young Mick Jagger clearly felt the rhythm. I could barely stand that bathroom singer screaming wildly to the mike. Jazz removes melody even from the most loved song. She wore beautiful outfits so while my ears felt sore, my eyes had some pleasures. In the second half some women from the audience performed an amazing dance. Then her father, a pastor, enriched the live album recording with his talk about Aretha's talent. But it was only the final "Never Grow Old" that I almost enjoyed. The song and other sounds over the end credits were the best part.
It's one of Sydney Pollack's last revealed films before his death, recently discovered after it had been shelved for 40 years for technical reasons. The "Amazing Grace" album became the best selling in the history of gospel and Aretha Franklin's.
WARSAW KOREAN FILM FESTIVAL
1987 (1987: WHEN THE DAY COMES)
Watchable. It tackles the same period (the 80s) of brutal repressions covered by "택시운전사" ("A Taxi Driver") but in a less shocking way. Basically, it's too expressive and has a tacky love plot but the ending, showing huge mass demonstrations all over the country makes impression nevertheless.
This festival showcased a selection of movies from different years, in varying genres and styles and on a wide scope of topics. The films, a seminar and a Q&A started and ended perfectly punctually. You just felt impeccable organization, like clockwork. Sadly, the movies were translated into Polish from English instead of from Korean directly. The brochure and leaflet had a difficult-to-read font, with additional small on the sides. The pictures were all dark purple-brown to black and as hard to see as the writing. Also, the opening gala catering appears to have been Polish instead of Korean like in previous years.
MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL
Watchable. Exquisite costumes, make-up, stunning scenography, lots of fantastical creatures. Even the battle and a death are colourful. And the finale just blows you away. Many elements, however, have been derived from "The Lord of the Rings", e.g. walking trees or forging iron and from "Avatar", e.g. plants glowing blue in the dark, landscapes, colourful flying creatures with big wings. The plot's more complex than in part one. There's even a bit of humour, e.g. Maleficent's advisor telling her what small talk is. It's set to be a trilogy. Luckily, even the war was fairy-tale-like. No mid- or post-credits.
MOJ KRAJ TAKI PIEKNY (MY COUNTRY, SO BEAUTIFUL)
Watchable. It's all obvious if you follow Polish news but at the end the quotes from the Bible juxtaposed with fascists' speeches highlight how un-Christian their supposedly Polish Catholic ideology is. One expert rightly notices that they wear the same clothes which equal to uniform values in the group.
DZIURA W GLOWIE (A HOLE IN THE HEAD)
Walked out. Empty and pointless. It's incredible a 20-strong team worked together on the movie and created such nothing. You need it like a hole in the head.
ГУЦУЛКА КСЕНЯ (HUTSULKA KSENYA)
Watchable. Painfully slow. It's a musical comedy with unbearable music, in addition all songs sound the same, and it's not funny at all. I was only curious how the romantic story would end and I liked the folk costumes. The scenography resembles Wes Anderson's films. The actors act as if separately, directly to the camera - no chemistry possible between characters.
ГЕРОЙ МОГО ЧАСУ (HERO OF MY TIME)
Watchable. A well-paced social satire. It takes the Mickey out of contemporary art, e.g. when an installation consisting of a pile of used everyday objects is put in the gallery, a gallery attendant wants to clean it up. Also, off-duty he wears a tiger T-shirt while the upper class guests wear bizarre dresses. I did not laugh but both the upper and lower class are ridiculed cleverly. There's a mid-credit.
To recap: Poor translations into English. Food at the opening gala was so bad I spat out most of the snacks. If that's the kind of food they have in Ukraine, no wonder they emigrate in droves. But the movies are getting better and better every year. 4 and 3 years ago most productions dealt with Maidan or war and were of poor visual quality. But Ukrainian film-makers have learnt the ropes at an astonishing speed, have created their own cinematic language, especially in comedies and have improved technically as well. This year the festival took place in just one cinema, times were set in such a way that movie beginnings didn't overlap with other film endings which was perfectly legible both in the catalogue and in the fold-out brochure. The catalogue had one movie per page (only short ones were two per page), leaving white space on a kind of paper which allowed you to take notes easily. While most films were fiven in the alphabetic order, some specials were separate but still easy enough to find.
KNIVES OUT
I've seen it already but have to wait till the midnight of 5/6th Nov. Polish time to be allowed to publish my review.
WARSAW KOREAN FILM FESTIVAL
영하의 바람 (SUB-ZERO WIND)
Walked out. Some family life. Deprived of emotions. And it drags.
UKRYTA GRA (THE COLDEST GAME)
Recommended. A difficult to crack spy game with moles on both sides. Set in the Palace of Culture and Science - the famous gift from Stalin, rumoured to have secret passages. I watched the movie in Kinoteka which is housed in the very Palace - the stairs in the movie are the very stairs I climbed to get to the cinema. The chess match lasting a few days is only most apt for the hidden game of two superpowers. The 60s threat has been brought back to life this year when Putin and Trump cancelled the nuclear treaty as the final note menacingly reminds the viewers.
AMAZING GRACE
Watchable. Listening to Aretha Franklin, young Mick Jagger clearly felt the rhythm. I could barely stand that bathroom singer screaming wildly to the mike. Jazz removes melody even from the most loved song. She wore beautiful outfits so while my ears felt sore, my eyes had some pleasures. In the second half some women from the audience performed an amazing dance. Then her father, a pastor, enriched the live album recording with his talk about Aretha's talent. But it was only the final "Never Grow Old" that I almost enjoyed. The song and other sounds over the end credits were the best part.
It's one of Sydney Pollack's last revealed films before his death, recently discovered after it had been shelved for 40 years for technical reasons. The "Amazing Grace" album became the best selling in the history of gospel and Aretha Franklin's.
WARSAW KOREAN FILM FESTIVAL
1987 (1987: WHEN THE DAY COMES)
Watchable. It tackles the same period (the 80s) of brutal repressions covered by "택시운전사" ("A Taxi Driver") but in a less shocking way. Basically, it's too expressive and has a tacky love plot but the ending, showing huge mass demonstrations all over the country makes impression nevertheless.
This festival showcased a selection of movies from different years, in varying genres and styles and on a wide scope of topics. The films, a seminar and a Q&A started and ended perfectly punctually. You just felt impeccable organization, like clockwork. Sadly, the movies were translated into Polish from English instead of from Korean directly. The brochure and leaflet had a difficult-to-read font, with additional small on the sides. The pictures were all dark purple-brown to black and as hard to see as the writing. Also, the opening gala catering appears to have been Polish instead of Korean like in previous years.
MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL
Watchable. Exquisite costumes, make-up, stunning scenography, lots of fantastical creatures. Even the battle and a death are colourful. And the finale just blows you away. Many elements, however, have been derived from "The Lord of the Rings", e.g. walking trees or forging iron and from "Avatar", e.g. plants glowing blue in the dark, landscapes, colourful flying creatures with big wings. The plot's more complex than in part one. There's even a bit of humour, e.g. Maleficent's advisor telling her what small talk is. It's set to be a trilogy. Luckily, even the war was fairy-tale-like. No mid- or post-credits.
MOJ KRAJ TAKI PIEKNY (MY COUNTRY, SO BEAUTIFUL)
Watchable. It's all obvious if you follow Polish news but at the end the quotes from the Bible juxtaposed with fascists' speeches highlight how un-Christian their supposedly Polish Catholic ideology is. One expert rightly notices that they wear the same clothes which equal to uniform values in the group.
DZIURA W GLOWIE (A HOLE IN THE HEAD)
Walked out. Empty and pointless. It's incredible a 20-strong team worked together on the movie and created such nothing. You need it like a hole in the head.
Saturday, 2 November 2019
WARSAW KOREAN FILM FESTIVAL
밀양 (SECRET SUNSHINE)
Watchable. A compelling depiction of deteriorating into clinical depression. Still, psychologically, it didn't ring true because the 5 stages of grief are omitted. Shot on tape which makes it look archaic.
SEMINAR ON 이창동 (LEE CHANG-DONG)
Kim Young-jin and Miłosz Stelmach shed more light on the director and his movies.
이창동 (Lee Chang-dong) didn't go to film school. He wrote 2 books first but needed a change and decided not to write plays any more. 박광수 (Park Kwang-su) offered him to work together on "그 섬에 가고싶다" ("To the Starry Island"). His directorial debut was well received so he continued this kind of job.
The director claims he's not a pessimist. He just likes observing how people react when they have no control over their life. His script is often more emotional than the eventual movie, on the screen he's distant to viewers. In his view such a film should act as consolation because when he lost a family member he only felt better when somebody with the same experience held his hand.
밀양 ("Secret Sunshine") contains many political metaphors, e.g. a reference to a brutal mass murder by the government where it's still not clear who did it. The families haven't forgive but the new goverment has.
In the early 2000s he was the Minister of Culture bu he didn't enjoy the post because "he didn't do all his life and now he can't continue this life". He prepared 2 volumes of a plan for the Ministry but the next government cancelled it. When he went back from flying first class to flying enonomy he was happy with it.
Strangers to Korea often ask about Christianity in his films. It turns out there are many competing churches which make profit from the faithful. The director criticizes this phenomenon in his movies. In Korea, "he says he doesn't criticize but he does".
The ministerial position didn't help him create movies. Korea has obligatory army service, which lasted 3 years back then, and he says he felt like in the army again. As a minister, he couldn't support movie-makers more - they had to be equal to others. In Korea, there's a screen quota - a specific number of Korean productions must be shown at the cinema. The US pressured the country to do away with the limit - the less Korean movies will be shown the more space for American productions. The President told him to resign before he has to shorten the list. He did but was still criticized.
밀양 is the director's hometown. On top of that its name is unusual (meaning: secret sunshine) but the town ordinary
The gaps between releasing movies are down to his perfectionism. He writes well so producers are ready to make his films but it's he who won't accept the production. Once even actors were all ready but he resigned one day before shooting because the script was "unrealistic". He's sensitive to viewers' reception and feels hurt if his movie's not popular, e.g. he expected a reward in Cannes for "버닝" ("Burning") but he didn't get one - eventually the film wasn't so popular in Korea.
Many directors dream of working in Hollywood. He doesn't, because working abroad is always exhausting, especially in Hollywood.
밀양 (SECRET SUNSHINE)
Watchable. A compelling depiction of deteriorating into clinical depression. Still, psychologically, it didn't ring true because the 5 stages of grief are omitted. Shot on tape which makes it look archaic.
SEMINAR ON 이창동 (LEE CHANG-DONG)
Kim Young-jin and Miłosz Stelmach shed more light on the director and his movies.
이창동 (Lee Chang-dong) didn't go to film school. He wrote 2 books first but needed a change and decided not to write plays any more. 박광수 (Park Kwang-su) offered him to work together on "그 섬에 가고싶다" ("To the Starry Island"). His directorial debut was well received so he continued this kind of job.
The director claims he's not a pessimist. He just likes observing how people react when they have no control over their life. His script is often more emotional than the eventual movie, on the screen he's distant to viewers. In his view such a film should act as consolation because when he lost a family member he only felt better when somebody with the same experience held his hand.
밀양 ("Secret Sunshine") contains many political metaphors, e.g. a reference to a brutal mass murder by the government where it's still not clear who did it. The families haven't forgive but the new goverment has.
In the early 2000s he was the Minister of Culture bu he didn't enjoy the post because "he didn't do all his life and now he can't continue this life". He prepared 2 volumes of a plan for the Ministry but the next government cancelled it. When he went back from flying first class to flying enonomy he was happy with it.
Strangers to Korea often ask about Christianity in his films. It turns out there are many competing churches which make profit from the faithful. The director criticizes this phenomenon in his movies. In Korea, "he says he doesn't criticize but he does".
The ministerial position didn't help him create movies. Korea has obligatory army service, which lasted 3 years back then, and he says he felt like in the army again. As a minister, he couldn't support movie-makers more - they had to be equal to others. In Korea, there's a screen quota - a specific number of Korean productions must be shown at the cinema. The US pressured the country to do away with the limit - the less Korean movies will be shown the more space for American productions. The President told him to resign before he has to shorten the list. He did but was still criticized.
밀양 is the director's hometown. On top of that its name is unusual (meaning: secret sunshine) but the town ordinary
The gaps between releasing movies are down to his perfectionism. He writes well so producers are ready to make his films but it's he who won't accept the production. Once even actors were all ready but he resigned one day before shooting because the script was "unrealistic". He's sensitive to viewers' reception and feels hurt if his movie's not popular, e.g. he expected a reward in Cannes for "버닝" ("Burning") but he didn't get one - eventually the film wasn't so popular in Korea.
Many directors dream of working in Hollywood. He doesn't, because working abroad is always exhausting, especially in Hollywood.
Friday, 1 November 2019
UKRAINA! FILM FESTIVAL
ЗАБОРОНЕНИЙ (STUS)
Recommended. Initially, the colours look like Technicolor from a few decades ago which is pleasing to the eye and in line with the time of the events. Entertainment, including just one brief scene of fantastic dancing, mixes with the poet's experience of surveillance. When the story takes a much darker turn, you learn a lot about KGB methods. Engaging, clear structure, touching at times, with a number of little twists of action and great music. The very ending commemorates those who died for Ukraine.
From the meeting with the director, Roman Bravko: It's the director's full-length debut. Earlier he had filmed Maidan. His drama stays very true to real events. He'd ring Lukyanenko and ask if it could have happened that way. The bed really fell and killed the poet - that's what they know from other prisoners. The legal counsel's words are in the case file. Stus remained sincere till the end which was inconvenient to the authorities because he couldn't be blackmailed. The state was afraid of Stus even when he was in jail. His words were as monumental as depicted. Stus's son was upset his father chose fight instead of family which is the most important thing to Dmytro. The producer wanted to remove the court scene but people wrote that Stus never caved in so they shouldn't either. Special services checked whether the producer wasn't coerced into the removal of the court scene. The Prime Minister also got interested in the scandal with the removal. Distribution depended on election results. The movie's had 100 K viewers, it's popular in Ukrainian cinemas, even though, lacking money for PR, news of the film has been spread by word of mouth. It's aimed at patriots, because if they had targeted it at everyone, they might have lost the patriots.
МОЇ ДУМКИ ТИХИ (MY THOUGHTS ARE SILENT)
Watchable. A satire where I saw humour everywhere, from making a parrot chirp to men using a lip balm, but nothing made me actually laugh, in spite of lots of skilled comedy acting. I can't put a finger on what was missing. Great music was one more element that made it thoroughly enjoyable.
The lead actor is extremely tall for real.
UKRAЇNER. THE MOVIE
Recommended. The documentary gives you a chance to observe daily life in Ukraine. While the country lags a good few decades behind Poland, it's verdant and simple life has its charms. I loved the cat "charging up" lying on a charger. Accompanying music combines folk with modern styles. When it ends, you wish it lasted longer.
WARSAW KOREAN FILM FESTIVAL
폴란드로 간 아이들 (CHILDREN GONE TO POLAND)
Recommended. Hard-hitting, touching, informative and very humane. Not only did the war orphans have parasites, the doctor discovered every other kid had been kidnapped from South Korea. Soldiers would just bring them North during combat. Also, most of the orphans first spent 2 years in horrific conditions in the USSR. History of Warsaw and Pyongyang both destroyed in war were very much alike - the director puts pictures of ruins next to each other to highlight that. Historical memoirs combine with stories of contemporary North Korean refugees. It turns out, the runaway's family gets a lower sentence if the person has run to China than if they have run to South Korea. It's frightening when a female refugee doesn't want to tell about her experience of China.
UKRAINA! FILM FESTIVAL
BLOCK OF ANIMATIONS
КРАМНИЦЯ СПИВОЧИХ ПТАШОК (THE SHOP OF SONG BIRDS)
IF YOU CAN
ДАХАБРАХА - МОНАХ (MONK)
ANNA RAYNER - DARKEST OF BLUE
TIK TU - KOTKY
САМА СОБІ ТУТ (HERE BY HERSELF)
МАРИ
КІНЕЦЬ (THE END)
ELUVIUM - REGENERATIVE BEING
All watchable, "If you can" recommended. All the 9 short cartoons for adults are similar: rudimentary animation, mechanic movements, no words - forces you to think. Only "If you can" breaks the silence (not counting sound effects) with the brilliant quote from Winston Churchill which tells you how dogs surpass people in what we call humanity.
КАКОФОНІЯ ДОНБАСУ (THE CACOPHONY OF DONBASS)
Recommended. An excellent documentary about the modern history of Donbass. Explains the situation well. Devastates you at the end when you hear first about "twisted" people employed to torture insurgents and next about ordinary people on the street all too eager either to sexually abuse - men, or kick and punch - women. The final line about 7 billion humans and so much aggression is certainly food for thought.
WARSAW KOREAN FILM FESTIVAL
흩어진 밤 (SCATTERED NIGHT)
Watchable. An engaging family drama in which the 10-year-old's remarks put an angle to the situation. She's an amazing actress too. The picture's mundane but I enjoyed the calm way of resolving the issue.
UKRAINA! FILM FESTIVAL
ДИКЕ ПОЛЕ (THE WILD FIELDS)
Watchable. Interesting at first, when the protagonist rediscovers his home countryside after years. But later it turns into a ridiculous gangster wannabe-comedy. Resembles Polish films from the 90s.
МІФ (MYTH)
Watchable. A thorough picture of an opera singer and freedom fighter, cleverly questioning the cause of his death: accident, suicide, fate, selling his soul do dark forces? Still, Vasyl Slipak's larger than life image makes this true story feel fake. It does make sense his full-heartedness in each of his life endeavours made him drop his girlfriend for his new passion - homeland. Yet the poses he takes in the pictures don't endear him to me. It's a very good documentary whose protagonist, however, deprives it of a deeper sense or emotion.
ЗАБОРОНЕНИЙ (STUS)
Recommended. Initially, the colours look like Technicolor from a few decades ago which is pleasing to the eye and in line with the time of the events. Entertainment, including just one brief scene of fantastic dancing, mixes with the poet's experience of surveillance. When the story takes a much darker turn, you learn a lot about KGB methods. Engaging, clear structure, touching at times, with a number of little twists of action and great music. The very ending commemorates those who died for Ukraine.
From the meeting with the director, Roman Bravko: It's the director's full-length debut. Earlier he had filmed Maidan. His drama stays very true to real events. He'd ring Lukyanenko and ask if it could have happened that way. The bed really fell and killed the poet - that's what they know from other prisoners. The legal counsel's words are in the case file. Stus remained sincere till the end which was inconvenient to the authorities because he couldn't be blackmailed. The state was afraid of Stus even when he was in jail. His words were as monumental as depicted. Stus's son was upset his father chose fight instead of family which is the most important thing to Dmytro. The producer wanted to remove the court scene but people wrote that Stus never caved in so they shouldn't either. Special services checked whether the producer wasn't coerced into the removal of the court scene. The Prime Minister also got interested in the scandal with the removal. Distribution depended on election results. The movie's had 100 K viewers, it's popular in Ukrainian cinemas, even though, lacking money for PR, news of the film has been spread by word of mouth. It's aimed at patriots, because if they had targeted it at everyone, they might have lost the patriots.
МОЇ ДУМКИ ТИХИ (MY THOUGHTS ARE SILENT)
Watchable. A satire where I saw humour everywhere, from making a parrot chirp to men using a lip balm, but nothing made me actually laugh, in spite of lots of skilled comedy acting. I can't put a finger on what was missing. Great music was one more element that made it thoroughly enjoyable.
The lead actor is extremely tall for real.
UKRAЇNER. THE MOVIE
Recommended. The documentary gives you a chance to observe daily life in Ukraine. While the country lags a good few decades behind Poland, it's verdant and simple life has its charms. I loved the cat "charging up" lying on a charger. Accompanying music combines folk with modern styles. When it ends, you wish it lasted longer.
WARSAW KOREAN FILM FESTIVAL
폴란드로 간 아이들 (CHILDREN GONE TO POLAND)
Recommended. Hard-hitting, touching, informative and very humane. Not only did the war orphans have parasites, the doctor discovered every other kid had been kidnapped from South Korea. Soldiers would just bring them North during combat. Also, most of the orphans first spent 2 years in horrific conditions in the USSR. History of Warsaw and Pyongyang both destroyed in war were very much alike - the director puts pictures of ruins next to each other to highlight that. Historical memoirs combine with stories of contemporary North Korean refugees. It turns out, the runaway's family gets a lower sentence if the person has run to China than if they have run to South Korea. It's frightening when a female refugee doesn't want to tell about her experience of China.
UKRAINA! FILM FESTIVAL
BLOCK OF ANIMATIONS
КРАМНИЦЯ СПИВОЧИХ ПТАШОК (THE SHOP OF SONG BIRDS)
IF YOU CAN
ДАХАБРАХА - МОНАХ (MONK)
ANNA RAYNER - DARKEST OF BLUE
TIK TU - KOTKY
САМА СОБІ ТУТ (HERE BY HERSELF)
МАРИ
КІНЕЦЬ (THE END)
ELUVIUM - REGENERATIVE BEING
All watchable, "If you can" recommended. All the 9 short cartoons for adults are similar: rudimentary animation, mechanic movements, no words - forces you to think. Only "If you can" breaks the silence (not counting sound effects) with the brilliant quote from Winston Churchill which tells you how dogs surpass people in what we call humanity.
КАКОФОНІЯ ДОНБАСУ (THE CACOPHONY OF DONBASS)
Recommended. An excellent documentary about the modern history of Donbass. Explains the situation well. Devastates you at the end when you hear first about "twisted" people employed to torture insurgents and next about ordinary people on the street all too eager either to sexually abuse - men, or kick and punch - women. The final line about 7 billion humans and so much aggression is certainly food for thought.
WARSAW KOREAN FILM FESTIVAL
흩어진 밤 (SCATTERED NIGHT)
Watchable. An engaging family drama in which the 10-year-old's remarks put an angle to the situation. She's an amazing actress too. The picture's mundane but I enjoyed the calm way of resolving the issue.
UKRAINA! FILM FESTIVAL
ДИКЕ ПОЛЕ (THE WILD FIELDS)
Watchable. Interesting at first, when the protagonist rediscovers his home countryside after years. But later it turns into a ridiculous gangster wannabe-comedy. Resembles Polish films from the 90s.
МІФ (MYTH)
Watchable. A thorough picture of an opera singer and freedom fighter, cleverly questioning the cause of his death: accident, suicide, fate, selling his soul do dark forces? Still, Vasyl Slipak's larger than life image makes this true story feel fake. It does make sense his full-heartedness in each of his life endeavours made him drop his girlfriend for his new passion - homeland. Yet the poses he takes in the pictures don't endear him to me. It's a very good documentary whose protagonist, however, deprives it of a deeper sense or emotion.
Monday, 28 October 2019
THE ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE 2
Watchable. Fun, full of colour, with soft-shaped creatures. Very pleasant, though too crazy at times to be 100% engaging. A few 60s-90s songs, most being probably 80s. Some cross-cultural references, e.g. a bird reads "Crazy Rich Avians". And it's all just sweet.
ELCANO Y MAGALLANES. LA PRIMERA VUELTA AL MUNDO (ELCANO & MAGELLAN, THE FIRST VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD)
Watchable. While the palette consisting of all shades of brown sticks to the rules of painting I remember from my watercolours classes, it's broken only a couple of times when a deluge is grey or a tropical island sunlit - though even there it's just much lighter brown and those just aren't my preferred hues in movies. The plot is very adventurous, with good lines and twists of action. No specific finale. The ending took me by surprise. All in all, it's enjoyable but lacks an edge.
FIVE FLAVOURS FILM FESTIVAL
This year's festival (Warsaw, 13th-20th Nov.) is set to be the largest in its history. Such a multitude of interesting movies have appeared that more films will be shown and screened more than once. Those will be all Polish, European or world premieres (i.e. outside the country they were made in). About 40 full-length films are to be expected online or in the cinemas. Below is a rundown of who, what and how:
Midi Z from Burma used to work on construction to pay for his film school, he's grown over the years and has made a high-budget movie this year.
Marcin Krasnowolski talked about the recent protests in Hongkong. The country with a population of just a few million stands no chance against China. No outside assistance will be provided since no one will meddle in China's domestic affairs. Hongkong is rich, with probably the most expensive flats in the world. "Made in Hongkong" by Fruit Chan tells about those who can't afford even a small one. His 6 movies will be screened: 5 early and 1 new - each in a different mood and style. Meetings with the director will take place after the screenings and additionally there'll be an extended masterclass on Sunday 17th November. Fruit Chan currently is making movies in China which means huge budgets and 1 bn potential viewers. Most have been shot on 35 mm tapes - 90% of the festival budget has been spent on transporting them. Nowadays only 2 cinemas in Warsaw: Iluzjon and one room at Muranow enable watching 35 mm. The director is flying into Warsaw in business class, together with his wife.
Some movies are banned in China. Vietnam has this problem too: the producers of "Rom" were told by Vietnamese authorities to destroy all copies because, just like in "Xich Lo" ("Cyclo"), Saigon is depicted as a city ruled by gangs. So "Lê Văn Kiệt" ("Fury") - an Oscar candidate will be presented instead. Lots of Vietnamese audience come to those screenings at the festival in Warsaw.
Since little literature on the Asian cinema of the last years has been available, a few books are to be published by the organizers.
The Asian Cinerama section is meant for beginner audience.
Viewers always ask for Japanese films. Japan produces 400-500 films per year. Most are family manga adaptations. But the festival has selected those from the fringe of the cinema. Public funds virtually are non-existent in Japan, most financing is private.
"Smak pho" ("The Taste of Pho"), " ལག་དམར་" ("Jinpa") and "메기" ("Maggie") will be on general release in Poland next year.
After last year's viewers' survey some changes have been implemented: more screenings, from earlier hours, a retrospective again, all discussions and debates in screening rooms between films.
Asian ads before movies, like before, and on top of that a separate set with a discussion.
The organizers strive towards makers' and speakers' gender balance.
"Lê Văn Kiệt" ("Fury"), "Mr. Long", "柔道龍虎榜" ("Throw Down") will contain martial arts. As for the genre, martial arts films are typically big budget productions. That also means they earn millions so 2K$ from a festival is of no interest to them. Other ones have no cinematic releases at all since Netflix has got worldwide rights.
UKRAINA! FILM FESTIVAL
АТЛАНТИДА (ATLANTIS)
Watchable. Slow-paced, with an interesting post-war setting: empty buildings, forensics of cadavers. What is missing is a plot. It describes a world instead of using it as a background for some action, intrigue or whatever. The post-war archeologist in the film says her job now is like digging up their own history instead of that of 1000 years ago - that's about as interesting as it gets.
The lead is not a professional actor but he played the part because he wanted to become part of history. As he says, the picture is in part Ukrainian reality and in part an anti-utopia.
Watchable. Fun, full of colour, with soft-shaped creatures. Very pleasant, though too crazy at times to be 100% engaging. A few 60s-90s songs, most being probably 80s. Some cross-cultural references, e.g. a bird reads "Crazy Rich Avians". And it's all just sweet.
ELCANO Y MAGALLANES. LA PRIMERA VUELTA AL MUNDO (ELCANO & MAGELLAN, THE FIRST VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD)
Watchable. While the palette consisting of all shades of brown sticks to the rules of painting I remember from my watercolours classes, it's broken only a couple of times when a deluge is grey or a tropical island sunlit - though even there it's just much lighter brown and those just aren't my preferred hues in movies. The plot is very adventurous, with good lines and twists of action. No specific finale. The ending took me by surprise. All in all, it's enjoyable but lacks an edge.
FIVE FLAVOURS FILM FESTIVAL
This year's festival (Warsaw, 13th-20th Nov.) is set to be the largest in its history. Such a multitude of interesting movies have appeared that more films will be shown and screened more than once. Those will be all Polish, European or world premieres (i.e. outside the country they were made in). About 40 full-length films are to be expected online or in the cinemas. Below is a rundown of who, what and how:
Midi Z from Burma used to work on construction to pay for his film school, he's grown over the years and has made a high-budget movie this year.
Marcin Krasnowolski talked about the recent protests in Hongkong. The country with a population of just a few million stands no chance against China. No outside assistance will be provided since no one will meddle in China's domestic affairs. Hongkong is rich, with probably the most expensive flats in the world. "Made in Hongkong" by Fruit Chan tells about those who can't afford even a small one. His 6 movies will be screened: 5 early and 1 new - each in a different mood and style. Meetings with the director will take place after the screenings and additionally there'll be an extended masterclass on Sunday 17th November. Fruit Chan currently is making movies in China which means huge budgets and 1 bn potential viewers. Most have been shot on 35 mm tapes - 90% of the festival budget has been spent on transporting them. Nowadays only 2 cinemas in Warsaw: Iluzjon and one room at Muranow enable watching 35 mm. The director is flying into Warsaw in business class, together with his wife.
Some movies are banned in China. Vietnam has this problem too: the producers of "Rom" were told by Vietnamese authorities to destroy all copies because, just like in "Xich Lo" ("Cyclo"), Saigon is depicted as a city ruled by gangs. So "Lê Văn Kiệt" ("Fury") - an Oscar candidate will be presented instead. Lots of Vietnamese audience come to those screenings at the festival in Warsaw.
Since little literature on the Asian cinema of the last years has been available, a few books are to be published by the organizers.
The Asian Cinerama section is meant for beginner audience.
Viewers always ask for Japanese films. Japan produces 400-500 films per year. Most are family manga adaptations. But the festival has selected those from the fringe of the cinema. Public funds virtually are non-existent in Japan, most financing is private.
"Smak pho" ("The Taste of Pho"), " ལག་དམར་" ("Jinpa") and "메기" ("Maggie") will be on general release in Poland next year.
After last year's viewers' survey some changes have been implemented: more screenings, from earlier hours, a retrospective again, all discussions and debates in screening rooms between films.
Asian ads before movies, like before, and on top of that a separate set with a discussion.
The organizers strive towards makers' and speakers' gender balance.
"Lê Văn Kiệt" ("Fury"), "Mr. Long", "柔道龍虎榜" ("Throw Down") will contain martial arts. As for the genre, martial arts films are typically big budget productions. That also means they earn millions so 2K$ from a festival is of no interest to them. Other ones have no cinematic releases at all since Netflix has got worldwide rights.
UKRAINA! FILM FESTIVAL
АТЛАНТИДА (ATLANTIS)
Watchable. Slow-paced, with an interesting post-war setting: empty buildings, forensics of cadavers. What is missing is a plot. It describes a world instead of using it as a background for some action, intrigue or whatever. The post-war archeologist in the film says her job now is like digging up their own history instead of that of 1000 years ago - that's about as interesting as it gets.
The lead is not a professional actor but he played the part because he wanted to become part of history. As he says, the picture is in part Ukrainian reality and in part an anti-utopia.
Sunday, 27 October 2019
AT ETERNITY'S GATE
Watchable. The movie's been made by painter Julian Schnabel (the 80 paintings in the film are his) which explains the love of art permeating the picture. It's an enaction of part of van Gogh's life faithful to what we know from the paintings. The landscapes presented in the film let me understand why his early paintings were grey-brown and subdued - that was the light he dealt with in the Netherlands. Visually, it's very painting-like but it drags and I'm not convinced by Julian Schnabel's music choice. There's a mid-credit with a quote from Paul Gauguin.
Van Gogh died at 37 but was so damaged by his life he's played by William Dafoe, 63.
RIDE LIKE A GIRL
Recommended. I know little about horses or Australian pastimes but it's such an amazing movie about winning I immediately got drawn in. Michelle Payne has got an incredible spirit. In 3200 races she fell 7 times and broke 16 bones. Yet it never put her off riding and she just kept on winning, including the Melbourne Race which is every joker's dream. Based on facts. Heart-wrenching - she struggled to make her name in a men's discipline - and funny, e.g. the scene of women placing bets or a race horse named Who Shot the Barman. A family movie. Real Michelle and her brother Stevie appear in the finale.
Watchable. The movie's been made by painter Julian Schnabel (the 80 paintings in the film are his) which explains the love of art permeating the picture. It's an enaction of part of van Gogh's life faithful to what we know from the paintings. The landscapes presented in the film let me understand why his early paintings were grey-brown and subdued - that was the light he dealt with in the Netherlands. Visually, it's very painting-like but it drags and I'm not convinced by Julian Schnabel's music choice. There's a mid-credit with a quote from Paul Gauguin.
Van Gogh died at 37 but was so damaged by his life he's played by William Dafoe, 63.
RIDE LIKE A GIRL
Recommended. I know little about horses or Australian pastimes but it's such an amazing movie about winning I immediately got drawn in. Michelle Payne has got an incredible spirit. In 3200 races she fell 7 times and broke 16 bones. Yet it never put her off riding and she just kept on winning, including the Melbourne Race which is every joker's dream. Based on facts. Heart-wrenching - she struggled to make her name in a men's discipline - and funny, e.g. the scene of women placing bets or a race horse named Who Shot the Barman. A family movie. Real Michelle and her brother Stevie appear in the finale.
Wednesday, 23 October 2019
READY OR NOT
Recommended. One example where the title's better in Polish than in the original: "Zabawa w pochowanego" ("Die or Seek" - my translation). '(Bail's) Gambit' mentioned in the opening indicates sacrificing a pawn to prevent a wider destruction. But even if you're not familiar with this chess term, the first scene says it all. Top-notch slasher entertainment. Perfectly acted - you never feel it's fake. Packed with action, a mystery in the background. All genre tropes play well. Psychology's pared down but plausible. The ending makes a sequel likely.
AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL
This year the festival is taking place 2 weeks later (5-11 November) than last year which enables the organizers to get the best films from the Venice and Toronto festivals. All Nowe Horyzonty cinema in Wrocław will be occupied for 6 whole days when more than 250 films will be screened. The Festival Director, Roman Gutek, considers the AFF to be very Wrocław-rooted hence it must differ from Nowe Horyzonty. About 35 movies are released yearly in Poland, about 1000 in the US so the festival is meant to present some of what we normally miss. Many productions won't be on the big screen again. More pictures will be presented at the festival this year than previously. Facebook users chose their 10 favourite directors whose 14 movies are to be shown. "Blade Runner" hasn't been on the big screen since 1995. This year it will return. Rutger Hauer passed away in the meantime so it will kind-of commemorate him too. "Blade Runner 2049" will appear as well. Opening "Irishman" will be available on Netflix later on - all Netflix pictures at the festival will be streamed on the platform one week after. The US in Progress section will include 6 American movies in need of post-production and 4 Polish ones looking for co-operation. More than 30 directors, actors and producers are coming as guests, including Ari Aster with "Midsomar - Director's Cut". "Amazing Grace: Aretha Franklin" will have a special screening at Muranow cinema in Warsaw. Long-standing co-operation with Watch Docs means they pick a few social documentaries from theirs, meaning a handful will be at both festivals. Festival tickets are on sale already. The online program allows you to prepare your own schedule.
GEMINI MAN 3D
Watchable. Top-notch 3D and full-colour, very clear pictures and sound make the movie... just bearable. The problem is it looks as artificial as language course videos. Columbian Cartagena or Budapest Spas look too fake to truly work as locations in the picture. The plot is overly simplistic, with lines like: "She's good. She just doesn't know what she doesn't know".Clive Owen acts the same in every movie. I liked the very ending though: the two clones' talk on the college campus, e.g. "I made those mistakes so you don't have to."
Recommended. One example where the title's better in Polish than in the original: "Zabawa w pochowanego" ("Die or Seek" - my translation). '(Bail's) Gambit' mentioned in the opening indicates sacrificing a pawn to prevent a wider destruction. But even if you're not familiar with this chess term, the first scene says it all. Top-notch slasher entertainment. Perfectly acted - you never feel it's fake. Packed with action, a mystery in the background. All genre tropes play well. Psychology's pared down but plausible. The ending makes a sequel likely.
AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL
This year the festival is taking place 2 weeks later (5-11 November) than last year which enables the organizers to get the best films from the Venice and Toronto festivals. All Nowe Horyzonty cinema in Wrocław will be occupied for 6 whole days when more than 250 films will be screened. The Festival Director, Roman Gutek, considers the AFF to be very Wrocław-rooted hence it must differ from Nowe Horyzonty. About 35 movies are released yearly in Poland, about 1000 in the US so the festival is meant to present some of what we normally miss. Many productions won't be on the big screen again. More pictures will be presented at the festival this year than previously. Facebook users chose their 10 favourite directors whose 14 movies are to be shown. "Blade Runner" hasn't been on the big screen since 1995. This year it will return. Rutger Hauer passed away in the meantime so it will kind-of commemorate him too. "Blade Runner 2049" will appear as well. Opening "Irishman" will be available on Netflix later on - all Netflix pictures at the festival will be streamed on the platform one week after. The US in Progress section will include 6 American movies in need of post-production and 4 Polish ones looking for co-operation. More than 30 directors, actors and producers are coming as guests, including Ari Aster with "Midsomar - Director's Cut". "Amazing Grace: Aretha Franklin" will have a special screening at Muranow cinema in Warsaw. Long-standing co-operation with Watch Docs means they pick a few social documentaries from theirs, meaning a handful will be at both festivals. Festival tickets are on sale already. The online program allows you to prepare your own schedule.
GEMINI MAN 3D
Watchable. Top-notch 3D and full-colour, very clear pictures and sound make the movie... just bearable. The problem is it looks as artificial as language course videos. Columbian Cartagena or Budapest Spas look too fake to truly work as locations in the picture. The plot is overly simplistic, with lines like: "She's good. She just doesn't know what she doesn't know".Clive Owen acts the same in every movie. I liked the very ending though: the two clones' talk on the college campus, e.g. "I made those mistakes so you don't have to."
Tuesday, 22 October 2019
ABOMINABLE
Watchable. A pretty standard animation for older children. The plot where a kid helps a yeti get back home is typical. But the tale is warm, people characters nice and the yeti cuddlingly fluffy. Long end credits end in a picture of the family admiring the Leshan Buddha and the periscope snake popping up.
HUSTLERS
Watchable. It truly is a female response to "The Wolf of Wall Street": hustling, strippers, loads of money, drugs, first person storytelling, getting caught. But the novelty factor is gone. It is all engaging of course but not shocking or amazing, in spite of outstanding acting. What's curious is how varied the soundtrack is: Chopin, 50 Cent, Lorde, Flo Rida, Rihanna, Janet Jackson and a number of others.
OBYWATEL JONES (MR. JONES)
Recommended. About truth sacrificed for international politics. Gripping from early minutes till the very end, even if you know part of the story. American in style and structure. The Polish title, meaning "Citizen Jones" evokes "Citizen Kane", yet wrongly. Mr. Jones is the honest one dealing with press magnates one of who, like Kane, manipulates the public opinion. "The Masque of the Red Death" by Edgar Allan Poe mentioned to Mr. Jones by a British engineer tells about a party of the rich in a palace outside of which a disease is killing the poor. Ultimately the death reaches the palace. Another reference in the plot is "Animal Farm" by George Orwell, written in 1945 - so now you know why the book talks about Mr Jones's farm. Some quotes are so harsh they have made me want to read it, never thought the story might be based on Holodomor in Ukraine, especially Kharkov, visited by Gareth Jones.
Watchable. A pretty standard animation for older children. The plot where a kid helps a yeti get back home is typical. But the tale is warm, people characters nice and the yeti cuddlingly fluffy. Long end credits end in a picture of the family admiring the Leshan Buddha and the periscope snake popping up.
HUSTLERS
Watchable. It truly is a female response to "The Wolf of Wall Street": hustling, strippers, loads of money, drugs, first person storytelling, getting caught. But the novelty factor is gone. It is all engaging of course but not shocking or amazing, in spite of outstanding acting. What's curious is how varied the soundtrack is: Chopin, 50 Cent, Lorde, Flo Rida, Rihanna, Janet Jackson and a number of others.
OBYWATEL JONES (MR. JONES)
Recommended. About truth sacrificed for international politics. Gripping from early minutes till the very end, even if you know part of the story. American in style and structure. The Polish title, meaning "Citizen Jones" evokes "Citizen Kane", yet wrongly. Mr. Jones is the honest one dealing with press magnates one of who, like Kane, manipulates the public opinion. "The Masque of the Red Death" by Edgar Allan Poe mentioned to Mr. Jones by a British engineer tells about a party of the rich in a palace outside of which a disease is killing the poor. Ultimately the death reaches the palace. Another reference in the plot is "Animal Farm" by George Orwell, written in 1945 - so now you know why the book talks about Mr Jones's farm. Some quotes are so harsh they have made me want to read it, never thought the story might be based on Holodomor in Ukraine, especially Kharkov, visited by Gareth Jones.
Sunday, 20 October 2019
THE ADDAMS FAMILY
Recommended. It's absolutely exquisite. Jokes abound, e.g. on seeing a red balloon: "normally a murderous clown is attached to it". And the whole family is as delightfully morbid as usual: skull-shaped coat buttons, the home kitten is an adult lion and Wednesday goes to school "to torment people her age". The action's fast and the Addams clan world filled with detail. I might go and see it again.
WATCHMEN EP. 1
Recommended. I love alternative histories so the premise of mostly-black run US extending to Vietnam provided the wow factor in its own right. The social role reversal is best exemplified in the car stopped by a black cop. Then the plot provides a good number of twists and character introductions within an hour. And an obligatory cliffhanger in the final scene. Outstanding music - I'd watch it for the score alone.
Available on HBO.
Recommended. It's absolutely exquisite. Jokes abound, e.g. on seeing a red balloon: "normally a murderous clown is attached to it". And the whole family is as delightfully morbid as usual: skull-shaped coat buttons, the home kitten is an adult lion and Wednesday goes to school "to torment people her age". The action's fast and the Addams clan world filled with detail. I might go and see it again.
WATCHMEN EP. 1
Recommended. I love alternative histories so the premise of mostly-black run US extending to Vietnam provided the wow factor in its own right. The social role reversal is best exemplified in the car stopped by a black cop. Then the plot provides a good number of twists and character introductions within an hour. And an obligatory cliffhanger in the final scene. Outstanding music - I'd watch it for the score alone.
Available on HBO.
Saturday, 19 October 2019
ZOMBIELAND: DOUBLE TAP
Recommended. It's hilarious. Starts at the very opening credits where the Statue of Liberty fends off zombies. Iconic for the US places feature heavily, including the White House and Graceland. So do pop culture references, including "Thor" and the "Terminator" series. And Bill Murray asserts: "I ain't afraid of no ghost". Columbus' two girlfriends provide serial laughs too. The action's even faster than in part one. While it's all consistent withing the film, the plot is so rich, the twists come as surprises anyway. The hook-hanger got my palms sweaty. Then you get an early long mid-credit. Kenny Loggins' "I'm Alright" runs and Woody Harrelson sings "Burning Love"- both over the end credits. And finally comes a short, less important post-credit.
BOZE CIALO (CORPUS CHRISTI)
Watchable. Poor cinematography by Piotr Sobociński, annoyingly dark, common for Polish cinematography. At least the great number of close-ups results in intimacy bringing you closer to the morally controversial protagonist. The movie's in turns deeply moving and funny, e.g. the "dla ksiendza" ("for the preest" as I would translate it) card. It's predominantly about the small-mindedness of Polish village folk. The false priest is impressively down to earth and close to the people. Not clear why and how it ends. But mostly, the story's so typically Catholic, Polish and Polish-Catholic, I don't expect worldwide popularity. In my opinion much more versatile "Ikar. Legenda Mietka Kosza" ("Icarus. The Legend of Mietek Kosz") would stand a better Oscar chance.
The film is based on several stories and many more still happen in real life. The idea of the mass accident came from the Smoleńsk case (the plane catastrophy which killed a huge number of Polish dignitaries) but the scriptwriter decided not to show the wreck in order not to provoke political associations. It's the director, Jan Komasa, who insisted on the last scene to be brutal. In the script, there was an epilogue in the town after the confrontation in the correctional facility.
27 years old Mateusz Pacewicz, who scripted it, is a non-believer. He didn't attend religion classes at school. He was thinking about the movie for 8 years, then spent 2 years writing it and 3 years later it's at the cinema. When he first sent the script to director Jan Komasa (38), he, imagining Mateusz Pacewicz was 50, responded the writer: "nie rozumie młodzieży" ("doesn't understand youngsters"). The writer travelled places of cult worldwide. Apparently there's an annual parade of San Judas Tadeo, the patron of murderers, in Mexico. Mateusz doesn't know why the PISF (Polish Film Institute) committee selected this film for the Oscar race, he hasn't checked the justification available online, yet he admits the producer was in the committee. Since he's been to several religious ceremonies round the world, he's aware the movie's very Polish.
His 10 years senior editor, Przemek Chruścielewski, is said to be responsible for the humour since it results mostly from cutting and its timing. He had initially had 70 hours of material. The challenge he found was making the suspense grow like a balloon but not burst. The editor is a cultural expert by education.
All in all, it looks like the director and the director of photography ruined the writer and editor's brilliant ideas.
Recommended. It's hilarious. Starts at the very opening credits where the Statue of Liberty fends off zombies. Iconic for the US places feature heavily, including the White House and Graceland. So do pop culture references, including "Thor" and the "Terminator" series. And Bill Murray asserts: "I ain't afraid of no ghost". Columbus' two girlfriends provide serial laughs too. The action's even faster than in part one. While it's all consistent withing the film, the plot is so rich, the twists come as surprises anyway. The hook-hanger got my palms sweaty. Then you get an early long mid-credit. Kenny Loggins' "I'm Alright" runs and Woody Harrelson sings "Burning Love"- both over the end credits. And finally comes a short, less important post-credit.
BOZE CIALO (CORPUS CHRISTI)
Watchable. Poor cinematography by Piotr Sobociński, annoyingly dark, common for Polish cinematography. At least the great number of close-ups results in intimacy bringing you closer to the morally controversial protagonist. The movie's in turns deeply moving and funny, e.g. the "dla ksiendza" ("for the preest" as I would translate it) card. It's predominantly about the small-mindedness of Polish village folk. The false priest is impressively down to earth and close to the people. Not clear why and how it ends. But mostly, the story's so typically Catholic, Polish and Polish-Catholic, I don't expect worldwide popularity. In my opinion much more versatile "Ikar. Legenda Mietka Kosza" ("Icarus. The Legend of Mietek Kosz") would stand a better Oscar chance.
The film is based on several stories and many more still happen in real life. The idea of the mass accident came from the Smoleńsk case (the plane catastrophy which killed a huge number of Polish dignitaries) but the scriptwriter decided not to show the wreck in order not to provoke political associations. It's the director, Jan Komasa, who insisted on the last scene to be brutal. In the script, there was an epilogue in the town after the confrontation in the correctional facility.
27 years old Mateusz Pacewicz, who scripted it, is a non-believer. He didn't attend religion classes at school. He was thinking about the movie for 8 years, then spent 2 years writing it and 3 years later it's at the cinema. When he first sent the script to director Jan Komasa (38), he, imagining Mateusz Pacewicz was 50, responded the writer: "nie rozumie młodzieży" ("doesn't understand youngsters"). The writer travelled places of cult worldwide. Apparently there's an annual parade of San Judas Tadeo, the patron of murderers, in Mexico. Mateusz doesn't know why the PISF (Polish Film Institute) committee selected this film for the Oscar race, he hasn't checked the justification available online, yet he admits the producer was in the committee. Since he's been to several religious ceremonies round the world, he's aware the movie's very Polish.
His 10 years senior editor, Przemek Chruścielewski, is said to be responsible for the humour since it results mostly from cutting and its timing. He had initially had 70 hours of material. The challenge he found was making the suspense grow like a balloon but not burst. The editor is a cultural expert by education.
All in all, it looks like the director and the director of photography ruined the writer and editor's brilliant ideas.
Friday, 18 October 2019
ADWOKAT W ROLI GLOWNEJ (ADVOCATE IN THE LEADING ROLE)
ADVOCATE (2019)
Watchable. Less than 100% comprehensible. I guess some notions are salient among Israelis but not outsiders. The documentary's informative: each Palestinian family has had at least one person imprisoned by the Israelis and, at the pretext of protection, inmates are subjected to traceless torture, like sleep deprivation and blasting music. It's disheartening such human rights violations go unpunished. As a civil rights organization member says, he doesn't believe in justice. Hard to disagree.
MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET (1947)
Watchable. An engaging old, black and white, film from the times when vulgar language or obscenity had no place on the screen. The story's clear-cut, with very little aggression, even verbal. It's fairy-tale-like naive even with no magic. The child and adult female protagonists are head-strong. Apart from the tear-jerking background of people disillusioned by life, the tale is humorous, e.g. the judge and the witnesses imagining the consequences of their statements or the scene of the droves of mail workers bringing in sacks of letters.
IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER (1993)
Recommended. Shocking and devastating. Ruins your image of the Brits being gentle people. Evokes strong emotions and nails you down to your seat when you see how a group of accidental Irish folk serves 15 years for a terror bomb attack they did not commit. And the police never got sentenced for scapegoating them.
This year's event was impeccably organized, to the minute and with quality and varied pictures.
IKAR. LEGENDA MIETKA KOSZA (ICARUS. THE LEGEND OF MIETEK KOSZ)
Recommended. Music comes first, then his incomprehensible behaviour, last you find out he's blind. Phenomenal. Pulls all the right strings. The score is light jazz/classical with the jazz perfectly bearable even to me. The story has quite a lot of humour, e.g. "There's a brunette." "I want a blonde." "What does it matter brunette or blonde if you're blind?!" but also frightening or touching at times. As common in Polish films, the action goes to and fro in time but captions explain what takes place when. The story's so versatile, it should have become an Oscar candidate instead of "Boże ciało" ("Corpus Christi").
WARSAW FILM FESTIVAL
I only went to the meeting with Lidia Duda who talked a little about the differences between a reportage and a documentary but mostly about what is true and what is false in the documentary genre. The recap of the rules was interesting but didn't really bring in any novelty. As for the truth v. forgery, when people are provoked or substituted by actors without a commentary that this is happening, I personally consider it a forgery. The director does not.
ADVOCATE (2019)
Watchable. Less than 100% comprehensible. I guess some notions are salient among Israelis but not outsiders. The documentary's informative: each Palestinian family has had at least one person imprisoned by the Israelis and, at the pretext of protection, inmates are subjected to traceless torture, like sleep deprivation and blasting music. It's disheartening such human rights violations go unpunished. As a civil rights organization member says, he doesn't believe in justice. Hard to disagree.
MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET (1947)
Watchable. An engaging old, black and white, film from the times when vulgar language or obscenity had no place on the screen. The story's clear-cut, with very little aggression, even verbal. It's fairy-tale-like naive even with no magic. The child and adult female protagonists are head-strong. Apart from the tear-jerking background of people disillusioned by life, the tale is humorous, e.g. the judge and the witnesses imagining the consequences of their statements or the scene of the droves of mail workers bringing in sacks of letters.
IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER (1993)
Recommended. Shocking and devastating. Ruins your image of the Brits being gentle people. Evokes strong emotions and nails you down to your seat when you see how a group of accidental Irish folk serves 15 years for a terror bomb attack they did not commit. And the police never got sentenced for scapegoating them.
This year's event was impeccably organized, to the minute and with quality and varied pictures.
IKAR. LEGENDA MIETKA KOSZA (ICARUS. THE LEGEND OF MIETEK KOSZ)
Recommended. Music comes first, then his incomprehensible behaviour, last you find out he's blind. Phenomenal. Pulls all the right strings. The score is light jazz/classical with the jazz perfectly bearable even to me. The story has quite a lot of humour, e.g. "There's a brunette." "I want a blonde." "What does it matter brunette or blonde if you're blind?!" but also frightening or touching at times. As common in Polish films, the action goes to and fro in time but captions explain what takes place when. The story's so versatile, it should have become an Oscar candidate instead of "Boże ciało" ("Corpus Christi").
WARSAW FILM FESTIVAL
I only went to the meeting with Lidia Duda who talked a little about the differences between a reportage and a documentary but mostly about what is true and what is false in the documentary genre. The recap of the rules was interesting but didn't really bring in any novelty. As for the truth v. forgery, when people are provoked or substituted by actors without a commentary that this is happening, I personally consider it a forgery. The director does not.
Thursday, 10 October 2019
INDIAN WEEK IN URSYNOW
SEETHAMMA VAKITLO SIRIMALLE CHETTU (2013)
Watchable. Fashion and grainy texture indicate the 80s but some people have mobiles and a Google office plays a part. I did not understand the convoluted family story at all and just tried to enjoy the colours and music. It was too silly though. This Telugu production is no match for Bollywood.
ENTRE DOS AGUAS (BETWEEN TWO WATERS)
Walked out. I experienced the boredom of a family with many children and had enough.
SEETHAMMA VAKITLO SIRIMALLE CHETTU (2013)
Watchable. Fashion and grainy texture indicate the 80s but some people have mobiles and a Google office plays a part. I did not understand the convoluted family story at all and just tried to enjoy the colours and music. It was too silly though. This Telugu production is no match for Bollywood.
ENTRE DOS AGUAS (BETWEEN TWO WATERS)
Walked out. I experienced the boredom of a family with many children and had enough.
Wednesday, 9 October 2019
CZARNY MERCEDES (BLACK MERCEDES)
Recommended. A superb historical thriller. Perfect script, intricately twisted but clear-cut. The initial murder is re-played later in the context of the plot the viewer has grasped. Clever and unpredictable. Wagner's "Die Walküre" and Beethoven are used as soundtrack, aptly so since the music pieces blend in seamlessly. The pre-war and war years are recreated in a way pleasing to the eye. You feel you could walk into the movie and live there. Producer Włodzimierz Niederhaus makes a cameo in the Jewish ghetto restaurant.
INDIAN WEEK IN URSYNOW
BAJIRAO MASTANI (2015)
Recommended. A full-blown blockbuster. The scale is just epic. Stunning cinematography with shots like paintings from old manuscripts. Enchanting music, costumes, jewellery, palace. The story, inspired by historic events, gripping but also moving at times. Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh all excel as those involved in the romantic triangle. The film's pure perfection.
PILSUDSKI
Watchable. The beginning captures your attention and doesn't let go till Piłsudski gets home. From then on it's so wooden only obligatory school trips might be interested. Emphasis was put on the historic realism and listing all events instead of on maintaining the viewers' engagement in the plot. Skippable on the whole. A terribly contemporary Organek's song over the end credits is "To nie miało prawa się stać" ("It had no right to happen") which sums up the film pretty well.
Recommended. A superb historical thriller. Perfect script, intricately twisted but clear-cut. The initial murder is re-played later in the context of the plot the viewer has grasped. Clever and unpredictable. Wagner's "Die Walküre" and Beethoven are used as soundtrack, aptly so since the music pieces blend in seamlessly. The pre-war and war years are recreated in a way pleasing to the eye. You feel you could walk into the movie and live there. Producer Włodzimierz Niederhaus makes a cameo in the Jewish ghetto restaurant.
INDIAN WEEK IN URSYNOW
BAJIRAO MASTANI (2015)
Recommended. A full-blown blockbuster. The scale is just epic. Stunning cinematography with shots like paintings from old manuscripts. Enchanting music, costumes, jewellery, palace. The story, inspired by historic events, gripping but also moving at times. Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh all excel as those involved in the romantic triangle. The film's pure perfection.
PILSUDSKI
Watchable. The beginning captures your attention and doesn't let go till Piłsudski gets home. From then on it's so wooden only obligatory school trips might be interested. Emphasis was put on the historic realism and listing all events instead of on maintaining the viewers' engagement in the plot. Skippable on the whole. A terribly contemporary Organek's song over the end credits is "To nie miało prawa się stać" ("It had no right to happen") which sums up the film pretty well.
Tuesday, 8 October 2019
MOWA PTAKOW (BIRD TALK)
Watchable. 2 hours 15 minutes - it's long and you feel it. What is it about? It's a drug-fuelled vision/artsy videoclip/experiment. Sebastian Fabijański put it best: you need to feel the movie, not understand, "I'd go out but I'm not sure, I kind of like it." - I totally agree with the actor. The movie's certainly weird. Very well directed (by an obscure Polish director) though, based on a script the director didn't understand. He plays with colours a lot, e.g. in the fantastic view of central Warsaw. I loved the fact he depicted Catholics and nationalists as bullies. I also enjoyed the scriptwriter's playing with the language. The beginning's chaotic. But the film rewards you with superb cinematography by Andrzej Jaroszewicz - especially a camera with a mirror is impressive, also visual effects in post production by Studio Orka, good music and excellent actors: Sebastian Fabijański, Jaśmina Polak, Żaneta Palica, Marta Żmuda Trzebiatowska, Katarzyna Chojnacka. Sebastian Fabijański speaks English perfectly well in the film but his Russian has too strong Polish accent. The film's divided into chapters. When you finally see "Koniec" ("The End"), "Początek" ("The beginning") appears... afterwards.
Director Xawery Żuławski says that "you don't have to like it." It's an expression of freedom. It's based on his father Andrzej's script. The director finally understood it himself only after seeing it several times. Apparently, famous Polish critic Tomasz Raczek tried to summarise the film and failed. We don't understand birds' talk.
According to the composer, Andrzej Korzyński, the film contains reminiscences of music themes from Andrzej Żuławski's movies. Basically, the music is contemporary but the director and the composer based it on themes from those films.
Sebastian Fabijański's father used to run a video rental shop. From what I could hear he had the same movie interests as me at the time though his family background was totally different. He would watch Kurt Russell, e.g. "Escape from New York". His father only went to a vocational school and his mother went to university when she was past 40. He's single, childless, walks round his home in shoes since he's always on the road.
Another actor from the film, Sebastian Pawlak loves "hardcores and pathologies."
Only male creators and actors were at the Q&A. Żaneta Palica has a boyfriend in France so has gone there already. Do only men promote themselves?
Most scenes weren't in the script, only dialogues were so the director added contemporary scenes. In the scene at Wiatraczna Roundabout in Warsaw (those who live here, will know the place in a rundown district of Grochów), the woman is an authentic passer-by who walks into the frame, slaps the actor in the face and tells him not to fool around: "Weź ty nie pajacuj!"
I learnt more about cultural codes from the director - some bits refer to the Polish culture. Even I hadn't understood some.
Sebastian Fabijański explained why leprosy had appeared in the film: "Każdy w tym filmie jest chory. Muzyk musi cierpieć." ("Everyone in the movie is sick. A musician has to suffer.") The director treated the characters archetypically: they are penniless, ill, wear coats. The leprosy which leads to the man's penis falling off symbolises "ball-less Polish art".
Olbrychski apparently said: "Andrzej, ty mi tego nie tłumacz, bo ja ci to jeszcze zrozumiem i to zagram." ("Andrzej, don't explain it to me, or I may understand and I'll play it".)
Someone from the audience asked if a director's cut was in plans. But Xawery Żuławski asserted: "Nie, to już wersja bardzo reżyserska." ("No, it's a very director's cut already.")
The director worked on Tyrmand's "Zły" for 5 years till he got kicked out by Tyrmand's son. The movie still hasn't been made. He's made several serials and commercials and is working on two films now.
He droned on and on like the film did. He just can't cut things short.
Z WNETRZA (FROM WITHIN)
Watchable. Beksiński, who's become a posthumous celebrity in Poland, left behind 1500 fantastical paintings. But the film is a usual Polish documentary without a commentary. It shows communist times well. It's implied that the five-year contract he was bound by limited him, it constrained the artist within him. But apart from such legal issues, you don't learn much about the person. Also, the reasons of the other 2 deaths in his family are explained but not the painter's murder.
It was co-produced by FINA (National Audiovisual Institute). After the screening I asked the director about the murder. It turns out the household helper's son attempted to rob him, after he failed, his mates ridiculed him and then he went back upstairs and killed the artist.
WAR
Recommended. Absolutely awesome, top-notch Bollywood. Spectacular, with two hotties in the lead roles: legendary Hrithik Roshan and taekwondo fifth-degree black belt Tiger Shroff. While I had to google the details about his sports prowess, you can recognize genuine taekwondo in all his combat scenes. Both are proficient dancers too. As for the action in "War", it starts in about the second minute - right before the opening credits. And the events in this spy story, gripping from minute one, take you round the world. Literally, since the movie was shot in a staggering number of locations, including Portugal, Italy (Matera and Positano), Norway, Finland, Georgia, Australia (Bondi Beach) and some other I can't remember. It's one great wow!
Why is it I get to see more taekwondo in Bollywood than in Korean movies?
A DOG'S JOURNEY
Watchable. So terribly sad: about personal and professional failures, diseases and death, that it leaves you depressed and reminds you of all your life's failings and ailments. But with a few funny bits, e.g. when the dog comments on people's actions. Trent is great - you'd love to have a friend like him. Marg Helbengerger (of "CSI" fame) as middle-aged and elderly Hannah. Good dubbing in Polish, especially by Marcin Dorociński as the dog.
OSTATNIA GORA (THE LAST MOUNTAIN)
Watchable, Another Polish documentary without a commentary. You learn a lot about what's it like to climb the Himalayas. You see the crew watch Kamil Stoch ski jumping, listen to Indian music, compare food in different bases but also suffer traumas like cuts or fractures as well as equipment damage. Still, no clear plot.
PRZEMIANY FESTIVAL 2019 - APPETITE AND APATHY
IN DEFENSE OF FOOD
Watchable. Nothing new. Processed foods are bad. The rest is fine. With examples from round the world and varied presentation methods so it's engaging enough.
UNFOLD
Recommended. A vlog-based Polish documentary which removes the fear of GMO instantly. It turns out all farmed plants have been modified. There are no wild strawberries for example. Bananas used to be hard and have seeds. Yet with traditional interbreeding you don't know what you're going to obtain. If you add just 1 gene to a plant, you know the effect, e.g. the plant can become glyphosate- or pest-resistant. Another example of modifications are dogs - interbred from wolves. Curiously, epigenetics, i.e. changing the expression of genes and mutagenesis, e.g. radiating seeds are legal.
MORE THAN HONEY
Recommended. Bees turn out to be cruel. Not only does the first queen to hatch (all those fed with pollen milk become queens instead of workers) kill all other, in the US, African killer bees kill both people and ordinary, mild bee queens. But it's the deadly ones that don't fall ill hence don't need antibiotics. While bees produce toxin-free honey to give their babies the best, we rob it from them, giving them sugary water instead. In China, Mao Zedong once ordered killing all sparrows as they ate crops. That caused an insect plague so insecticides were used but those killed bees. Nowadays people pollinate plants manually themselves though they're no match for bees, of course. American driving beehives round the states over the year is more effective. But the world's best honey? Wild - in Australia - the continent where domesticated bees are interbred with wild ones to become a more resilient species in the future. These and plenty of technicalities of rearing bees in this all-round documentary.
Watchable. 2 hours 15 minutes - it's long and you feel it. What is it about? It's a drug-fuelled vision/artsy videoclip/experiment. Sebastian Fabijański put it best: you need to feel the movie, not understand, "I'd go out but I'm not sure, I kind of like it." - I totally agree with the actor. The movie's certainly weird. Very well directed (by an obscure Polish director) though, based on a script the director didn't understand. He plays with colours a lot, e.g. in the fantastic view of central Warsaw. I loved the fact he depicted Catholics and nationalists as bullies. I also enjoyed the scriptwriter's playing with the language. The beginning's chaotic. But the film rewards you with superb cinematography by Andrzej Jaroszewicz - especially a camera with a mirror is impressive, also visual effects in post production by Studio Orka, good music and excellent actors: Sebastian Fabijański, Jaśmina Polak, Żaneta Palica, Marta Żmuda Trzebiatowska, Katarzyna Chojnacka. Sebastian Fabijański speaks English perfectly well in the film but his Russian has too strong Polish accent. The film's divided into chapters. When you finally see "Koniec" ("The End"), "Początek" ("The beginning") appears... afterwards.
Director Xawery Żuławski says that "you don't have to like it." It's an expression of freedom. It's based on his father Andrzej's script. The director finally understood it himself only after seeing it several times. Apparently, famous Polish critic Tomasz Raczek tried to summarise the film and failed. We don't understand birds' talk.
According to the composer, Andrzej Korzyński, the film contains reminiscences of music themes from Andrzej Żuławski's movies. Basically, the music is contemporary but the director and the composer based it on themes from those films.
Sebastian Fabijański's father used to run a video rental shop. From what I could hear he had the same movie interests as me at the time though his family background was totally different. He would watch Kurt Russell, e.g. "Escape from New York". His father only went to a vocational school and his mother went to university when she was past 40. He's single, childless, walks round his home in shoes since he's always on the road.
Another actor from the film, Sebastian Pawlak loves "hardcores and pathologies."
Only male creators and actors were at the Q&A. Żaneta Palica has a boyfriend in France so has gone there already. Do only men promote themselves?
Most scenes weren't in the script, only dialogues were so the director added contemporary scenes. In the scene at Wiatraczna Roundabout in Warsaw (those who live here, will know the place in a rundown district of Grochów), the woman is an authentic passer-by who walks into the frame, slaps the actor in the face and tells him not to fool around: "Weź ty nie pajacuj!"
I learnt more about cultural codes from the director - some bits refer to the Polish culture. Even I hadn't understood some.
Sebastian Fabijański explained why leprosy had appeared in the film: "Każdy w tym filmie jest chory. Muzyk musi cierpieć." ("Everyone in the movie is sick. A musician has to suffer.") The director treated the characters archetypically: they are penniless, ill, wear coats. The leprosy which leads to the man's penis falling off symbolises "ball-less Polish art".
Olbrychski apparently said: "Andrzej, ty mi tego nie tłumacz, bo ja ci to jeszcze zrozumiem i to zagram." ("Andrzej, don't explain it to me, or I may understand and I'll play it".)
Someone from the audience asked if a director's cut was in plans. But Xawery Żuławski asserted: "Nie, to już wersja bardzo reżyserska." ("No, it's a very director's cut already.")
The director worked on Tyrmand's "Zły" for 5 years till he got kicked out by Tyrmand's son. The movie still hasn't been made. He's made several serials and commercials and is working on two films now.
He droned on and on like the film did. He just can't cut things short.
Z WNETRZA (FROM WITHIN)
Watchable. Beksiński, who's become a posthumous celebrity in Poland, left behind 1500 fantastical paintings. But the film is a usual Polish documentary without a commentary. It shows communist times well. It's implied that the five-year contract he was bound by limited him, it constrained the artist within him. But apart from such legal issues, you don't learn much about the person. Also, the reasons of the other 2 deaths in his family are explained but not the painter's murder.
It was co-produced by FINA (National Audiovisual Institute). After the screening I asked the director about the murder. It turns out the household helper's son attempted to rob him, after he failed, his mates ridiculed him and then he went back upstairs and killed the artist.
WAR
Recommended. Absolutely awesome, top-notch Bollywood. Spectacular, with two hotties in the lead roles: legendary Hrithik Roshan and taekwondo fifth-degree black belt Tiger Shroff. While I had to google the details about his sports prowess, you can recognize genuine taekwondo in all his combat scenes. Both are proficient dancers too. As for the action in "War", it starts in about the second minute - right before the opening credits. And the events in this spy story, gripping from minute one, take you round the world. Literally, since the movie was shot in a staggering number of locations, including Portugal, Italy (Matera and Positano), Norway, Finland, Georgia, Australia (Bondi Beach) and some other I can't remember. It's one great wow!
Why is it I get to see more taekwondo in Bollywood than in Korean movies?
A DOG'S JOURNEY
Watchable. So terribly sad: about personal and professional failures, diseases and death, that it leaves you depressed and reminds you of all your life's failings and ailments. But with a few funny bits, e.g. when the dog comments on people's actions. Trent is great - you'd love to have a friend like him. Marg Helbengerger (of "CSI" fame) as middle-aged and elderly Hannah. Good dubbing in Polish, especially by Marcin Dorociński as the dog.
OSTATNIA GORA (THE LAST MOUNTAIN)
Watchable, Another Polish documentary without a commentary. You learn a lot about what's it like to climb the Himalayas. You see the crew watch Kamil Stoch ski jumping, listen to Indian music, compare food in different bases but also suffer traumas like cuts or fractures as well as equipment damage. Still, no clear plot.
PRZEMIANY FESTIVAL 2019 - APPETITE AND APATHY
IN DEFENSE OF FOOD
Watchable. Nothing new. Processed foods are bad. The rest is fine. With examples from round the world and varied presentation methods so it's engaging enough.
UNFOLD
Recommended. A vlog-based Polish documentary which removes the fear of GMO instantly. It turns out all farmed plants have been modified. There are no wild strawberries for example. Bananas used to be hard and have seeds. Yet with traditional interbreeding you don't know what you're going to obtain. If you add just 1 gene to a plant, you know the effect, e.g. the plant can become glyphosate- or pest-resistant. Another example of modifications are dogs - interbred from wolves. Curiously, epigenetics, i.e. changing the expression of genes and mutagenesis, e.g. radiating seeds are legal.
MORE THAN HONEY
Recommended. Bees turn out to be cruel. Not only does the first queen to hatch (all those fed with pollen milk become queens instead of workers) kill all other, in the US, African killer bees kill both people and ordinary, mild bee queens. But it's the deadly ones that don't fall ill hence don't need antibiotics. While bees produce toxin-free honey to give their babies the best, we rob it from them, giving them sugary water instead. In China, Mao Zedong once ordered killing all sparrows as they ate crops. That caused an insect plague so insecticides were used but those killed bees. Nowadays people pollinate plants manually themselves though they're no match for bees, of course. American driving beehives round the states over the year is more effective. But the world's best honey? Wild - in Australia - the continent where domesticated bees are interbred with wild ones to become a more resilient species in the future. These and plenty of technicalities of rearing bees in this all-round documentary.
Monday, 7 October 2019
KINO DZIECI (KIDS KINO)
DAS DOPPELTE LOTTCHEN (2018)
Recommended. A much better adaptation than the American ones from 1961 and 1998 - both titled "The Parent Trap". The basic plot with dad's new love interest and the trope with pancakes that everyone seems to remember the best are there but the setting is quite contemporary Austria - with fantastic views of the country too. Very well acted, particularly by the two girls: Mia and Delphine Lohmann. It's engaging and funny. With some African music but also one obligatory, taken the Salzburg location, piece by Mozart. Only the Polish translation has some field for improvement.
I didn't have time to see more than five movies/sets of films and I wish I had. The choice was huge, varied, the staff very nice. And it was a great chance to see some productions in their original language versions.
DAS DOPPELTE LOTTCHEN (2018)
Recommended. A much better adaptation than the American ones from 1961 and 1998 - both titled "The Parent Trap". The basic plot with dad's new love interest and the trope with pancakes that everyone seems to remember the best are there but the setting is quite contemporary Austria - with fantastic views of the country too. Very well acted, particularly by the two girls: Mia and Delphine Lohmann. It's engaging and funny. With some African music but also one obligatory, taken the Salzburg location, piece by Mozart. Only the Polish translation has some field for improvement.
I didn't have time to see more than five movies/sets of films and I wish I had. The choice was huge, varied, the staff very nice. And it was a great chance to see some productions in their original language versions.
Sunday, 6 October 2019
KHANEH-EI DAR KHIABAN (A HOUSE ON 41ST STREET)
Watchable. The beginning's uninspiring. You only hear about the murder that has taken place. But later on, it becomes an engaging psychologic drama mixed with Islamic law. And with some non-legal cultural curiosities, especially culinary ones, e.g. the boy is grating an egg.
The cultural meeting after the screening clarified some stuff from the movie. The food you see the protagonists munch on in the market are beetroots and broad beans. They are seen as a treat in Iran, so are baked potatoes. The mourning women prepare halva. It's Persian food for grieving occasions, e.g. it's given to visitors who pay condolences on your close one's death. The "blood money" is possible when someone gets killed by accident, the family's paid off and the culprit can go free. Iran has four seasons at the same time, just in different parts of the country, e.g. Kurdistan in the West can be cold, with snow, while the Arab Gulf can be 30 degrees hot.
WATAHA SEASON 3 EP. 1 & 2
I've seen two episodes already and have taken down notes. But, due to a publication ban, I can't post the review as yet. HBO is planning to release it on 6th December so I expect to be able to write about it before the date.
DOWNTON ABBEY
Recommended. Delightful. Posh accent, stunning interiors, glamorous cocktail dresses. British sarcasm and humour, e.g. when a servant has let the cat out of the bag. Some English-Irish politics. Social issues in 1927 when homosexuality was punishable. Making commitment to the one you love. Family property and heritage, responsibility to the community. Everything's there and while engaging, and emotional to a point, it's all in a light tone. OK, I haven't seen the serial so can't compare. I only know it takes place a few years after the TV serial events. But it's excellent as a stand-alone film and only makes me interested in starting to watch it on telly. The movie will be also perfect for teachers of English as a foreign language due to the prolific use of idioms.
Watchable. The beginning's uninspiring. You only hear about the murder that has taken place. But later on, it becomes an engaging psychologic drama mixed with Islamic law. And with some non-legal cultural curiosities, especially culinary ones, e.g. the boy is grating an egg.
The cultural meeting after the screening clarified some stuff from the movie. The food you see the protagonists munch on in the market are beetroots and broad beans. They are seen as a treat in Iran, so are baked potatoes. The mourning women prepare halva. It's Persian food for grieving occasions, e.g. it's given to visitors who pay condolences on your close one's death. The "blood money" is possible when someone gets killed by accident, the family's paid off and the culprit can go free. Iran has four seasons at the same time, just in different parts of the country, e.g. Kurdistan in the West can be cold, with snow, while the Arab Gulf can be 30 degrees hot.
WATAHA SEASON 3 EP. 1 & 2
I've seen two episodes already and have taken down notes. But, due to a publication ban, I can't post the review as yet. HBO is planning to release it on 6th December so I expect to be able to write about it before the date.
DOWNTON ABBEY
Recommended. Delightful. Posh accent, stunning interiors, glamorous cocktail dresses. British sarcasm and humour, e.g. when a servant has let the cat out of the bag. Some English-Irish politics. Social issues in 1927 when homosexuality was punishable. Making commitment to the one you love. Family property and heritage, responsibility to the community. Everything's there and while engaging, and emotional to a point, it's all in a light tone. OK, I haven't seen the serial so can't compare. I only know it takes place a few years after the TV serial events. But it's excellent as a stand-alone film and only makes me interested in starting to watch it on telly. The movie will be also perfect for teachers of English as a foreign language due to the prolific use of idioms.
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