GREENLAND

Watchable. This typical Hollywood blockbuster swings from a psychologic drama to "an extinction level event" and back a few times. It tugs on your heartstrings and pumps your adrenaline where and when needed. Facts are revealed gradually, together with the protagonists' gaining knowledge of the catastrophe. The situation changes constantly so there's no minute of boredom. But it's decently executed rubbish. The whole family is phoney. The guy has a much younger wife and it was he who cheated on her.The kid is obligatorily chronically ill - at least it's diabetes, not cancer ruling most tear-jerking movies. The idea of secret shelters under military air bases across the globe is far-fetched too. I wish they existed and were able to house ordinary people in case of a comet hitting Earth but people in general are poor at predicting disasters and even worse at preparing for them. All drivers easily finding airports of unspecific location without car navigation - most likely not working under the circumstances - don't appear plausible either. Somehow no one gets lost, even if they take - and find - a less travelled route. CGI-wise, the sky looks flat. The best bits are the ruins of world-famous cities like Sydney or Paris. But birds in Greenland where you can't spot any even without a disaster, let alone after 9 months of ashes in the air, detract from the experience.

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WIKING TAPPI: MAGICZNA KOLYSKA, AWANTURA Z WODNIKAMI,, CZARY WIEDZMY SKRZYPICHY, PODSTEP JARLA SURKOLA

Watchable. Perfectly appropriate for the 4+ age group. Pleasant and warm. But both the stories and the drawings seem oversimplified.

ELLEVILLE ELFRID (ELLA BELLA BINGO)

Watchable. A delightful, full-bodied animation, with a rich, eventful, detailed plot. The core story's about falling out with a best friend and learning that people mean more than objects. But you also find a rabbit putting a poster in search of a missing carrot and plenty of attractions in an amusement park. You immediately warm to all characters: animals, adults, children. A number of cheerful American pop hits mostly from the 80s.The only element that detracts from this lovely tale is the idea of a circus - much outdated. The bike in the air crossing the face of a moon E.T.-style is also terribly 80s and put together with the circus feels old-fashioned.

TONY HALIK (TONY HALIK. BORN FOR ADVENTURE)

Recommended. Watched on Polish Television for 20 years by 18 million people and unknown numbers on NBC before that he inspired generations of travellers. It's a comprehensive multilingual documentary biography of an unusual man and of the times before mass tourism. A big part of the film is narrated by his son, Ozana Halik, who's childhood resembled "Captain Fantastic". While his approach is on the bitter side, it's the core of what Tony Halik was - a free spirit, both in terms of his 180 000 km journey through the world and his outlook. His yarns mixed truth with fantasy, he was emotionless and fearless, able to manoeuvre all authorities which practically makes him a benevolent psychopath. His carnivorous diet led to a heart failure and his death at 75. He wanted to die travelling but his wife couldn't face it and brought him home. But he lived the way he always wanted to. His incessant love of travel feels infectious even now in the pandemic times. Apart from his life, the documentary depicts historic developments across the world over his lifetime. One in particular shook me up: Solidarity movement times, the fall of communism in Poland and an archbishop says, repeatedly: "now feed off us, we will bill you later". Is this why Polish authorities are still flooding the Church with enormous donations nowadays? On the funny note, Tony tells a hilarious story when the trousers of his borrowed suit ripped with a sound when he was bowing to greet the British Queen - one of a long list of the greats of his time.

Watched from an online screener, cinematic reception might differ.

THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7

Recommended. Right in the wake of civilian protests in the US, Belarus, Poland, name it, comes this brilliant courtroom drama about real life activists put on trial in 1969. With a star-studded cast. Not only is it thoroughly engaging which is typical for the genre, it contains also lots of humour, e.g. defendants taking the mickey out of the judge and saying "Overruled" in unison with him. It's fast-paced, forcing you to stay alert all the time not to miss any gem as it sparkles with sharp responses. Perfectly matching music. Pictures from the riots contain inserted black and white footage which is even more brutal than the staged part. It tugs on your heartstrings at particularly one morally frightening point. But most of all it's a brainy puzzle of how to win a set-up case. Based on facts which pretty much says how it ends but even if you're familiar with the case, the movie consists of top-notch performances based on an awesome script.

JAK ZOSTAC GWIAZDA

Recommended. It's all professionally, world-standard shot and recorded, all things technical are excellent here. The film may be tacky, especially music, but, as it's put in the picture, TV is all about tacky. What's more, I couldn't resist enjoying it. It's truly light entertainment, ridiculing the celebrity world. It's constantly tongue-in-cheek. Every line is to the point. It has little undertones of how the show business rollercoaster elevates people and then drops from heights. Fine performances all around, both from comedy veterans and from newbies. Wojciech Solarz, virtually unknown but extremely talented, plays a hapless PE teacher.
The costume designer has also demonstrated a great eye for detail: first the girl wears a check shirt, then her father is seen wearing check trousers, finally the producer appears in a check suit. Lots of amusing scenes along the end credits and one post-credit.

The actors present at the screening were as full of themselves as in the film. They didn't want to cover their wannabe faces behind masks so I stayed away from them.
Tomasz Karolak, who's slimmer in this film that in his previous one, has further lost weight since the shooting and is surprisingly even handsome in real life nowadays.

GO FISH

Watchable. My first impression was enticing - the coral reef with colourful fish looked just lovely. But the impression quickly waned and gave way to annoyance. The film is dedicated to little children. But do the fish have to resemble fat human babies? That's vexingly unnatural and detracts from their initial charm. Silly conversations will be boring for adults. But parents may like the educational value of the film. Children learn a lot about marine life, e.g. a sea cucumber or how sea creatures have their teeth cleaned - all in a way perfectly age-appropriate. Although most fish protagonists have distorted shapes, the shark stood out. She looked perfect and even sent chills down my spine. She also swam away moving her tail the way real sharks do. The Polish version is dubbed which, apart from excluding foreign kids, means you won't be able to hear Mark Hamill voicing Dennis.

Reviewed from an online screener of top quality, however a cinematic reception might differ.

HAP (HOPE)

Watchable. I'm impressed with Norwegian health service - patient and dedicated doctors available 24/7, procedures on the same day. To Polish people it looks like a fable even when you're dying. Having said that, I detest movies about cancer - it's such an exploited topic. This movie luckily is set up in a big, loving family, mostly over a festive period. The family atmosphere and their Christmas spent together were so suggestive, I expected to see snow outside my windows afterwards - silly, it's September and 20 degrees Celsius. The actors cast in the leading roles, as passionate lovers among others, aren't convincing, mostly due to the visibly huge age difference: Andrea Bræin Hovig is 47 and Stellan Skarsgård is 69. And the movie, however warm, is annoyingly slow.

Watched online so cinematic reception might differ.

MULAN 3D

Recommended in this format too. In 3D it's even better. You can marvel at the meticulously created set, including Mulan's home village, now perfectly round, or be amazed by a spider dangling in front of you. Set pieces are shot from a few angles, where especially wall-walking sequences are impressive. But so is the cinematography as such, e.g. dimmed light or snowy mist add to the combination of varying emotions during watching.

SWALLOW

Recommended. Mesmerising from scene one, mostly due to the glossy cinematography showcasing the riches the young woman has married into. Haley Bennett is superb as the "doll" located in the isolated, posh, lavish but emptish house and kept there like decoration. The title is loaded with meanings: from physical ones - and does Hunter swallow stuff and metaphoric. The callousness of the emotionally frigid wealthy for who everything and everyone has to be just right constitutes economic violence. Later an issue from the woman's past overlaps her picture-perfect cold marriage and she swallows all the insults new and old. The story's fictitious but based around a little known disorder, existing in reality. It's solidly rooted in scientific facts behind such cases. And it serves the film well, since the story's so extraordinary, physically and mentally, from the beginning till the end. I had never seen anything like it before. And I watch a few hundred movies per year, mind it. And Haley Bennett deserves an Oscar.

Watched online so cinematic reception might differ.

WARSAW FILM FESTIVAL

Half the usual audience will be able to attend due to the Covid-regime. At the same time there's a long list of very promising movies. "Big Boys Don't Cry", "Unidentified" and "Droneman" seem particularly intriguing - after narrowing down the top-notch cinema options. For technical reasons though, movies won't be shown online (they lack stereo mixing), only at the cinema. I'm not planning on going but I bet that if I did I would find lots of fascinating productions.

THE NEST

Watchable. Well executed in spite of predictability. Clear shots, an even pace, a simple story, Jude Law suitably cast in the successful business operator wannabe role. But you feel from the early minutes all this wealthy lifestyle is phoney and the family unit is going to collapse under the weight of aspirations and the pressure to be always "ravishing". All songs, e.g. "Hold Me Now", "Runaway", "Don't Leave Me This Way", "Smalltown Boy" have been handpicked as commentaries on the story developments. Also, London City looks like a ghost town when the man goes to work at weekends and the area around signifying Bank station is shown every time - both symbolic. So is the horse case when it comes to his wife. It's all exceedingly in your face. Children obviously have or cause their own problems as well. Not a bad psychological drama but the story's nothing new.

25 LAT NIEWINNOSCI. SPRAWA TOMKA KOMENDY (25 YEARS OF INNOCENCE. THE CASE OF TOMEK KOMENDA)

Recommended. Based on a loud case of a wrongfully convicted man exonerated after 18 years in prison. The original story is as shocking as the film depicts. The movie is skillfully cut - it takes you back and forth in time, presenting the case from a few angles, once focusing on the brutally raped girl, once on Tomek, once on the investigator, but maintains clarity all the time. Also, the waking up scene early on is masterfully cut from one time to another. The story's gripping, moving at times, often scary when you realize Tomek's entrapment and hopelessness. Long-time expert Jacek Moczulski consulted on the prison system. And it's harrowing knowing how it works - it's an accumulation of all imaginable pathologies and some I wouldn't have even imagined. Piotr Trojan is utterly convincing as Tomek. Well-known actors, like Bartosz Opania, Zofia Stafiej, Jan Frycz, Magdalena Różczka appear in episodes or cameos. But the most delightful is the cameo of titular Tomasz Komenda in the last scene when Piotr Trojan's Tomek comes up to the real life Tomek to ask for a cigarette. As in any decent biopic, actual Tomek as well as the investigator and the prosecutors who got him freed, stride together in a soothing finale.

다만 악에서 구하소서 (DELIVER US FROM EVIL)

Watchable. Exciting but flawed. The opening is terribly chaotic - like the evil guy admits later on, he doesn't even remember why he's after the good guy. I don't remember either. This thriller is packed with action keeping you on the edge of your seat. Unfortunately, it's also packed with visibly fake CGIs and medical nonsense. At least music is decent. And some initial shots, with night in different colours, once purple, another time blue, hint at an artistic eye of the cinematographer. This brutal film occasionally displays subtle shades, e.g. the evil guy would slaughter dogs in the past while a knight in a shiny armour can be recognized in the one who slows down his car to let two stray dogs cross the road. The movie has a handful of well-written characters, especially both local helpers. The finale took me by surprise. 

Reviewed from a screener, cinematic reception might differ.

INTERIOR

Walked out. A typical Polish budget movie which must have got funding just because it's so cheaply made. No plot, just mentions of problems so mundane that my own are more interesting. Nothing else to attract a viewer: poor cinematography, cut and sound engineering. A problem is presented, than the protagonist is driving, next another issue, then he's in the car again. Frequent machine noise comes from the background. No acting - just accidental people appear on the screen.

SKANDAL. EWENEMENT MOLESTY (SCANDAL)

Watchable. A documentary about an obscure Polish hip-hop band from a Warsaw suburb but directed so professionally, world-standard I watched it with full attention. I'm not a fan of gangsta rap and the streetwise guys who formed the band had little musical prowess, especially in comparison to some of American hip-hop performers they imitated, otherwise I'd enjoy it more. But the film explains their background e.g. a low level of education, smoking joints, skiving responsibilities, avoiding commitments and the social and economic changes of the 1990s in the country. I dreaded the period. They enjoyed it. Lots of material from those years as well as current commentary. Contains some references to Proceder - a band depicted in actors' movie "Proceder" (reviewed here in December 2019). Excellent cutting makes for an engaging watching in spite of the poor music of the protagonists.

Reviewed from an online screener with perfect sound but, as always, cinematic reception might differ.

LES BONHEURS DES UNS (A FRIENDLY TALE)

Watchable. An insightful satire on envy. It dissects both people's personalities and the mechanisms of their behaviour in the face of a friend's sudden success. Vincent Cassel in a supporting role excels as a smooth businessman and this part is a nice change after his playing a serious of rougher characters. Still, I didn't laugh out loud even once and the first half of the movie was tedious. Set in the literary world which appears to be successful in France, unlike in Poland - heart-warming.

Reviewed from an online screener, cinematic reception might differ. I hope the light white subtitles will be either more visible on a big screen or of a different type for cinemas.

DA CVEN VICEKVET (AND THEN WE DANCED)

Watchable. Largely predictable both as a dance picture and as a gay movie. With the difference it lacks a happy ending in either layer. I have a soft spot for dancing but these dances - traditional Georgian styles, even if technically nearly impossible, lacked cinema-oriented choreographies and filming mode. Only the finale was both emotive and technically superb - even if the moves didn't constitute a Georgian dance. Made me try the moves myself though.

Reviewed from an online screener, cinematic reception might differ.

ADWOKAT (THE ADVOCATE)

Walked out. It's so amateurish everything in this movie fails. Starts with a several-minute long philosophical speech so monotonous it can lull you to sleep before the action even begins. Hang on, action? What action? You get a terminally ill - with obligatory cancer - lecturer and his young, depressed son who happens to be a lawyer. His job is boring. So are his conversations with others: dull and superficial, with even the head of the legal firm sounding downright unprofessional. But it's not the protagonist who's a failure. The whole film is. It's poorly shot and lit, miserably acted and is it directed and cut at all? It drags unbearably and morose music doesn't ramp up the pace. I feel sorry for those who are still sitting at the cinema and watching.

The film crew at the premiere flouted the pandemic safety rules. Just like they had ignored movie-making principles before.

AFTER WE COLLIDED

Watchable. This sequel, by Roger Kumble, who took over the directing from more subtle Jenny Gage and made me miss her immediately, is so steamy at times you can almost smell cum. No nudity though, it's still aimed at teenagers. It's a peculiar mixture of genuine bits and far-fetched developments. Beautiful, sleek people, all working or having worked for top companies throw tantrums at the tiniest problems encountered in their relationships. Many behaviours and dialogues sound natural for young people, especially Harbin's responses. But the picture-perfect parents who turn out to be deeply troubled at the same time, don't convince. The mid-credit with Tessa's blonde colleague implies a sequel.

TARAPATY 2 (TRIPLE TROUBLE)

Watchable. Julka is played by another girl than in part one. But it's Mia Goti as Felka and Marta Malikowska as her mother who are annoying more than the script requires - they don't suit the comedy genre. It's fantastically directed, by Marta Karwowska again - she clearly feels children's cinema and action as well, the heist is superb. And while the script, with red herrings and an unpredictable ending, is engaging and naturally develops the story from "Tarapaty" ("Double Trouble"), my favourite gang is missing and the storyline lacks originality. There's less humour too, though I loved the policemen chasing the dog: "Stój, policja!" ("Police, stop!"). The best layer of this sequel is music - with songs in Polish and English and outstanding instrumental pieces.

SARLATAN (CHARLATAN)

Watchable. Agnieszka Holland dwells on the past and persecution over and over again. Presents it realistically down to each prop. The film's set in darkness most of the time which makes watching a bit on the difficult side. The eponymous charlatan heals people but cheats on nature doing so as well as deceives others hiding his sexual orientation. Like in Holland's earlier "Pokot" ("Spoor"), the protagonist is ambiguous - he saves and he kills. The director, again, fails to explain why he is the way he is. And why did the assistant sacrifice himself? And did he in fact and did it work? These and other vital questions remain unanswered. The story's based on facts, made into a biopic, but with no poetic licence, not even to provide a backdrop version of their motivations. She just assembled facts and made it into an actors' film instead of a documentary where such information gaps would be justifiable.

LA FAMEUSE INVASION DES OURS EN SICILE (THE BEARS' FAMOUS INVASION OF SICILY)

Watchable. The animation has a warm palette of distinct colours and plays heavily with light and shadow and with perspective. Story-wise, it consists of two equal parts and the second half is less ordinary than the first. Unfortunately the movie lacks lightness in visuals and in the plot or dialogues. It just feels heavy all the time.

Watched online. Cinematic reception might differ.

MULAN

Recommended. A beautifully enacted legend set in exotic China of the Tang dynasty and imbued with Confucian values. Lavish decor, costumes and make-up rich in saturated colours, breath-taking landscapes, natural-looking mythical birds, top-notch martial art choreographies - a visual delight. Add humour, suspense, emotions and it's easy to immerse yourself in Niki Caro's splendid vision. Jet Li is cast as the Emperor and new Zealandese heartthrob Yoson An as Honghui. Hua Mulan and Honghui have a crush on each other so I'm looking forward to a sequel. The end credits are accompanied by probably the same song in 3 languages: first local (Polish here), then English and finally Chinese.

PETLA 

Recommended. Patryk Vega's back on top form so expect sex and violence but also well-paced, involving action and distinct characters. The opening is weird for Patryk Vega's movies. It astonished me with its semblance to the opening of utterly religious biopic "Miłość i miłosierdzie" ("Love and Mercy"). At first you see the titular loop but rather on a cosmic scale, then you hear voices and can't see anything, and then comes a naturalistic picture of birth. Next, you fast forward through the protagonist's life till he reaches adulthood. The difference between "Miłość i miłosierdzie" ("Love and Mercy") and "Pętla" is he's no saint. He's a gangster. Or... police officer. Whatever. Well, his prenatal journey through life seems to serve a double purpose. Firstly, it shows an innocent at first baby can become anyone. Secondly, towards the end, you understand the religious tone of the opening since the story's one of a prodigal son. Yes, a religious story in a gangster form. This time Vega presents his version of the Podkarpacie sex exploits story persuading us Russian intelligence is behind the whole thing. He does it compellingly and I've taken his point. The club in the movie is called Imperium (meaning: empire) which mocks the grandiose names of the original clubs e.g. Olimp (meaning: Olympus) or Prince. The dumb policeman is a recurring character-type in Vega's productions. This time you also get a mockery of "The Ring" and "Grudge" - both in one scene. Parallel to the end credits Patryk Vega poses with the original twin brothers and other photos of the people involved in the scandal are screened - as usual, Mr. Vega is bragging of his successful research. 

JAK NAJDALEJ STAD (I NEVER CRY)

Watchable. A drama about a rough teenager bereaved of her estranged father. Well-paced and clear-cut. With an interesting music piece when the girl gets drunk in Dublin - the song doesn't sound European so no direct relevance to the plot but I loved the sounds. But the core story, however engaging, is bereft of emotions. Typical for Piotr Domalewski's movies. He's finally got the grip of the movie pace and organization but the film feels as empty as his earlier ones, e.g.: "Cicha noc" ("Silent Night"), "Historia Roja" ("The Story of Swarm (roj) Or You Hear Better Underground"), "Demon".

GULLREGN (THE GARDEN)

Recommended. That's one smart movie. Icelandic scriptwriter and director Ragnar Bragason, who had made a movie about children and also one about parents, this time created a feature about child-mother relationships. And sprinkled it with a dash of racism. It's hilarious at times, e.g. when the mother's best friend trips over, usually ironic, at times sad or hard-hitting. Most of all, it's a sharp satire about an overbearing mother who manipulates everyone around her but turning into a profound psychological drama when more family secrets are revealed and you see the light why she is this way. Her shrewd neighbour-friend is another brilliantly written character. A masterpiece of scriptwriting and acting.

Reviewed from a screener. Cinematic reception might differ.


17TH DOCS AGAINST GRAVITY FESTIVAL

This time a real life, held in-cinema, conference on the documentary film festival at which the organizers all the movie makers and most of the media acted as if Covid-19 was fiction. I'm not planning on attending it this year. With so many individuals ignoring the distance and or not wearing masks it's going to be a horror-like experience. Maybe the later online version will be better but... I have no clue if the platform is going to screen the movies with a better quality than they did in the spring when the pictures stuttered and the sound was barely audible. Plenty of new Polish documentaries will be shown this year, hardly any enticing though. "Z wnetrza" ("From Within"), about painter Beksiński, perpetuates his cult in Poland. I've been looking forward to seeing "Blizny" ("Scars") but the cameraman referred to the Tamil Tigers as a terrorist group which mimics the Sri Lankan ruling regime's narration so now I'm apprehensive about the portrayal of the rebels. Dorota Proba, who's been creating the festival trailers for years, now has shot a documentary: "Między nami" ("Between Us") - this trailer hasn't encouraged me though. On the brighter side, TVP Kultura in Poland is going to show earlier festival editions highlights. A film on Tony Halik, famous in communist times traveller who respected all authorities, might be a gem due to the protagonist. Apart from screenings, in-cinema and online Q&As will take place after some films. A foreign documentary worth seeing is:

THE CAPOTE TAPES

Recommended. I've never read any of his books, I don't think I have ever watched "Breakfast at Tiffany's" till the end but loved this biopic. And it's not about his grandiose style either. The documentary is a comprehensive study both of the writer's personality and of "the beautiful people" as the New York elites are called. Turns out the rich are bored silly hence their penchant for extravagant guests. He received la dolce vita and a million-dollar advance on a book, they were entertained. While his veracity has often been contested, the shock at his revealing the jet set party's exploits hints at their truth. The film covers the length of his life and is both inquisitive and enjoyable. 

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I AM ELEVEN

From what I managed to see it was mediocre: the beginning didn't make sense and I still don't get why the 23-year-old decided to focus on this age. Later the 11-year-olds sounded the way they're bound to be when adult. You could tell their world view was fully formed and could easily picture them the same way as adults. That's profound but I'm not sure the director meant to convey this message since at face value the documentary is quite chaotic.

The streaming on mojeekino.pl, which showed it was going to be available for 48 hours, stuttered so badly the first 50 minutes of the film took nearly 2 hours and then it froze so I had to resign yesterday but thought I'd continue next day. Today I discovered the movie had disappeared from the platform. 

KINO W TRAMPKACH FILM FESTIVAL - ONLINE

DHANAK (RAINBOW)

Recommended. Too good to waste on the wee ones. Bollywood at its best: the story's clear-cut and complex at the same time, the pictures colourful with a mesmerising night scene in a village and, last but not least, lots of great music. Pure enjoyment.

NOWE HORYZONTY FILM FESTIVAL - ONLINE

The festival has tested its online platform and it barely worked. I, for one, wasn't even able to start the test movie. 

BREAKING SURFACE

Watchable. Relatively short. Filled with action and technical details, showcases snowy Norwegian landscapes as well. Succinct character background. The movie quickly gets straight to the point which is a diving accident and rescue attempts. It's a bit over the top, especially killing someone's dog, as difficulties pile up badly, literally nothing goes as it should. Of course the film's thoroughly engaging. But emptish. 

Reviewed from a screener. Cinematic reception might differ.

THE NEW MUTANTS

Watchable. Poor CGIs but plenty of mystery revealed gradually. The plot is a copy of "Event Horizon", "Flatliners" and a few less iconic pictures. Perfectly matched footage and "The Big Fight" music theme from "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer" as well as footage from "Logan" can be spotted on TV behind the protagonists. Anya Taylor-Joy is particularly impressive as Illyana Rasputin, about the only superhero from the original comic book, others don't appear in the film. The surname, though never explained in the movie - no idea about the comic book, implies she may be a descendant of Grigori Rasputin, famous and powerful healer and mystic in tsar Russia. Marilyn Manson voiced the Smiling Man. Judging from the end credits, Stan Lee managed to become the executive producer before his untimely death. No mid- or post-credit though.

TENET

Recommended. An innovatory and riveting story with top-notch sound. The opening is clearly inspired by the seizure of Dubrovka Theatre in Moscow with the difference in the movie terrorists use a chemical agent on an audience in Ukraine. Once you're glued to the screen, the yarn of time is spun forth and back several times. The plot is so complex, I quickly gave up on following the physics too closely and just enjoyed numerous twists and turns. The time inversion dealer whose hog-like look resembles Weinstein, is an ugly abuser with immense power and wealth. Robert Pattinson, in a supporting role, proves himself a versatile actor. Thrusting music and sound effects - surrounding and extraordinary - surpass "Dunkirk". The ending suggests a sequel is likely. No mid- or post-credit.

VALLEY OF THE GODS

Recommended. What a vision! An extraordinary story with amazing visuals: Monument Valley in Utah, Fontana di Trevi in Rome - where an aria concerto takes place with the singers standing in the fountain pools, mind-blowing interiors and a garden with sculptures of the people the "richest man in the world" knew. Add incredible outfits, especially women's dresses, playing with light the way Sorrentino does and you've got a masterpiece. The bottom is corporate greed, resource exploitation and the sense of life for those in power and those less capable. 

бАШТАТА (THE FATHER)

Watchable. What's it supposed to be about? Because the fact the titular father loses it after his wife's demise doesn't lead to any catharsis, regardless of what the film implies. When the elderly man goes missing, you want to know what happened and afterwards uncertainty rules. The loving son is convincing. But there's nothing more to maintain your interest. Most notably, the film's got no point. And yes, I did notice the satire on Bulgarian health service, police, traditional beliefs. But that ironic illustration of life is just a series of events on the way.

THE WISHMAS TREE

Recommended. A delightful cartoon with cute animals, where the main protagonist, Kerry, is a young possum discovering the world, crossing the safety zone, bearing the consequences of breaking rules imposed by adults and, in the process, learning to love strangers, be cautious with them at the same time, experiencing an evil influence on a friend - all in a child-level form. And it looks lovely, you'd just love to cuddle the possums, the turtle, not sure of the vampire. It's Australian hence the map and the possum's dream of snow. The story's universal though.

UNDINE

Recommended. The picture's so watery the rainy night was perfect to see it. Water is in a fish tank, in a large reservoir but also the smudged landscape watched through the windows on the train appears to flow. At some point my eyes started to water as well - due to the story. Director Ferzan Özpetek returns to the enigma he's best at. Undine, as tradition says, is a mythological water nymph who becomes human when she falls in love with a man but is doomed to die if he is unfaithful to her. The tour of Berlin architecture by museum guide Undine Wibeau mentions a phantom space. Is this why she fills her phantom space left after the man who betrayed her? Or is the diver the destiny she misses? Or have both men been unfaithful? Or has she? Two statues in the fish tank replace the single figure of a diver and deepen the mystery. Paula Beer and Franz Rogowski excel as the lead actors.

HERADID (THE COUNTY)

Recommended. An austere but surprisingly emotive drama by "Rams" director Grímur Hákonarson who returns to his portrayal of Iceland off the beaten track.  A co-operative in a rural area north of Reykjavik and one woman's struggle against it. Why is it engrossing? Partly because it's so dark, realistic, with the camera trained at her most of the time. Neither she nor her job are pretty but you can't take your eyes off the screen. But also because the Icelandic microcosm stands for something bigger. The co-op tactics resemble those of multi-national banks or GMO crop selling corporations. The drama delves into the financial enslavement mechanisms as well as bullying tactics. It's feminist too since men start to encroach on her property as soon as she's widowed. To-the-point music use: a mechanic, rocking-the-boat piece in one scene or a cheerful, melodious pop song in another. Finally, the film makes use of the country's landscapes presenting sweeping views of the vast plains and patched-snow-clad black hills. Yet, it's not a postcard. Dull light creates a picture of an ugly locality and isolation. Weather conditions reflect the atmosphere in the woman's heart. There's no more snow in the final sequence. 

SWINGERSI

Watchable. The narcissistic celebrity is brilliant. The comedy is engaging, with a number of riveting songs in English. The shooting locations listed mention only two towns in Latvia, where the writers, director and the school kid extras come from, but a panorama of Warsaw and I think the exterior of my former secondary school are used too. Polish actors, clearly handpicked for comic talents. I had fun most of the time. Unfortunately, typical for Poland of late, profuse swearing makes it considerably less funny and certainly less romantic. Not many loud laughs, apart from maybe the kidnapee running, but makes for a nice night out anyway. There are scenes along with the end credits.

MILITARY WIVES

Recommended. I could listen to them time after time. A masterclass in effective and affective cinema. Humour, emotions, sorrow and lots of hit songs in angelic voices. Perfectly acted too.

Reviewed from a screener. Cinematic reception might differ.

DIVORCE CLUB

Recommended. Exuberant and frivolous fun that will make you want to divorce and/or stay single forever. Arnaud Ducret in top form as the main protagonist. The movie feels like attending a party. Lots of music, mostly by perennial Kool & The Gang. Constant joie de vivre, facilitated by life on wonderfully shot splendid estates. Light-hearted caper never crossing the line of good taste. Dragging someone on the floor - usual in horrors - here creates a comic effect. Being attacked by an animal - a lemur in this case, hiding from someone, drugs, a spoilt kid and the most amusing: Ferrari ride are all well-known comedy tropes but they don't detract from entertainment in the slightest.

Reviewed from a screener with excellent sound but cinematic reception might always differ.

MANELYST I FLAKLYPA (LOUIS & LUCA - MISSION TO THE MOON)

Watchable. Models and dolls are not my animation style. As for the plot, a little bit of astronomy drowns in the flood of far-fetched details focused around an invention and social structure alike. The characters and most of the story are meant for children but with some winks to parents, e.g. an enterprise is a failure because Greece bankrolled it. Also, one of the main protagonists has paid a lot of VAT in alcohol  - that's presented as if it was normal, I seriously doubt its pedagogic value.

Reviewed from a screener, cinematic reception might differ.

LIBERTE

Watchable. Writer and director Albert Serra goes back to his favourite pre-Revolution French aristocracy - though here mingling with German and Italian upper classes - set-up but this time to create porn. Guilty pleasure it may be but stretching it to the 'Liberté' slogan to pass the smut off as art seems over the top. Is the movie deeper than body orifices? Numerous men and two women take the liberty of engaging in activities based on permissive violence where they take turns to abuse in extreme ways, e.g. urinating on lovers, or be abused for erotic pleasure. The aristocrats' preferred pastime appears to be the experience, physical and mental, of both unlimited power and unrestrained freedom and being subjected to treatment which in other situations would be unequivocally inhumane. Here's the core: what constitutes freedom for the upper class is what their subjects would call torture and therefore seek liberté a few decades later. The form of the picture is also peculiar - its voyeurism is two-fold: the participants observe others in between their own sadomasochistic acts and the film viewers feel like hiding in the woods to watch the sex exploits themselves. So the film's a bizarre sort of porn with a second bottom.

Watched from a screener, cinematic reception might differ.

FOUR KIDS AND IT

Watchable when seen for the second time. This time was at the cinema which did make a difference: I noticed that the girl was planning out her publication thoroughly, e.g. a memo sticker shows she was thinking of her book cover. Psammead's fur looks greenish. You can clearly hear the sounds of nature at some point. I realised the movie was shot on locations in London and Ireland. I still had fun, e.g. when the creature made shark-like circles in the sand before appearing for the first time and the lines were brilliant, e.g. "That's not what friends are like. That's what a police mugshot looks like." The whole thing however, did not keep me on the edge of the seat any more. The book author Jacqueline Wilson herself approaches the young author in the early end credits scene which is such a touching detail.

SAMSAM

Watchable. A simple and cheerful tale for nursery-age children. Visibly inspired mostly by...  peas but also echoing "Batman" and "Avatar". Planets and creatures are distinguished by their own colours. Buildings, creatures and devices have toy-like shapes and people have unproportionally big heads which will make it relevant to very young kids. It wasn't much involving for me  but a girl from the audience was dancing to the music running at the end credits so it's clearly one for little ones.

In Poland, all children movies are currently screened with Polish dubbing only.

MADE IN ITALY

Walked out. Every scene looks like taken off another movie and off other few before that. And overly intellectual Liam Neeson bidding at sentimentality is an overkill.

ENDINGS, BEGINNINGS

Walked out. Awfully bland. The scriptwriter had nothing to say and the director found no way to shoot it interestingly. It's also poorly acted. She applies for jobs as if she couldn't care less if she gets them. She gets laid with a guy who appears to have nothing better to do than to drink and have sex. And the erotic scene looks plain ugly, as if she had veiny breasts, on top of being fat. Ah, and dialogues about nothing. Why do they open their mouth at all?!

CHARTER

Watchable. A peculiar film which evokes boredom - a parental topic - and suspense - will she be apprehended by the police? - at the same time, with a few touching moments and a heart-breaking car chase towards the end. By the director of "Sameblod" ("Sami Blood") but without the previous bite. The movie looks pretty realistic and very Swedish - the way it's quiet and on the slow side. Is parenthood difficult? I knew it without the picture.

Reviewed from a screener, cinematic reception might differ.

UNHINGED

Watchable. The opening scene is brutal but intriguing. Then the broadcast pieces of news create a fascinating background where you'd expect riots or even large-scale lawlessness like in "Robocop". The social set-up quickly gets dissolved when "Duel" meets "Falling Down" only to turn into road-rage fuelled class B slasher caper. It's engaging enough, decently executed, fast-paced and, luckily, only 91-minute long. By the time rubbish has piled up, it blissfully ends. Doesn't make good use of the Atmos sound it's recorded in - it's fine but with no edge, at least when in 5.1.

SCOOB!

Walked out. What a load of nonsense! Characters appear out of nowhere, robots make no sense in the plot, dialogues spread fake news, Covid-19 safety precautions are ridiculed. The movie's on the verge of being harmful. And so chaotic children don't get it either and become bored instead.

LA GALLINA TURULECA (TURU, THE WACKY HEN)

Watchable. Turu isn't wacky. She's cute. The beginning is all filled with the love of animals and kindness between people. Then, about 20 minutes in, a circus appears. Does the institution of a circus even exist any more? Why is the idea of reviving one peddled in children movies over and over again? That ruins most of the plot. What saves the picture, are songs - in 3 languages: English, Spanish and translated into Polish - all characters are dubbed in Poland. Remastered hits like "Funky Town" and "Macarena" make your feet dance. Sadly, it's recorded in 5.1 but even in this system, a knocking on the door sounded so realistic I turned back. Ah, and the hen remarks she's more than just the eggs she's expected to lay - a nice nod towards career-oriented women.

메기 (MAGGIE)

Switched off. I loved the big white Polish subtitles on dark grey background. And that's it. Because it's one weird film. I kept wondering if the scattered narrative was a reflection of someone's scattered brain. The story's built around sex in an x-ray room and told with captions and by a narrator - every bit of it was annoying. Also, the movie gave an impression of being an amateurish production.

Reviewed from a screener, cinematic reception might differ.

UN DIVAN A TUNIS (ARAB BLUES)

Watchable. I can see where they attempted comedy. 'Attempted' is the key word. I might be a biased feminist but what struck me from early minutes was sexism in the depicted Tunisian society and at some point even sorrow. Tunisia is portrayed as a country at crossroads between tradition and modernity, very much like Poland now but with the added economic and legal chaos smacking of Poland of the 1990s. Little in terms of a plot either. The whole thing is shallow and simplistic. Wasted potential.

ROSSZ VERSEK (BAD POEMS)

Watchable. Not bad. The few actual verses recited in the movie aren't inspiring. But the film's truly poetic because of its lyrics and rhythm and that's what constitutes poetry. Fascinating camerawork, zany set piecies, e.g. a chamber orchestra with passengers turning out to be musicians one by one is a delight. The lead actor tripled as additionally the scriptwriter and also the director which explains the personal feel permeating the movie. The subject of lost love is nothing new but his search for it, in younger years mistaken for sex, is compelling.

JUST MERCY

Recommended. Harrowing and shattering. I needed several hours to pull myself together after the screening. When Johnny D fells a tree in the opening scene he doesn't know yet next it will be him going to be felled. The movie's released hard on the heels of African Americans' riots which spread across the US like wildfire. It may seem swift marketing but the importance of such a project made while so many white people don't get how inherently racist they are cannot be underestimated. What real life hasn't changed, such blockbusters can. Especially the US deep-fried South gets to see itself in a black mirror. The movie's set in Alabama, "the home of "To Kill a Mockingbird"" as the welcome road sign boasts and which is sarcastically used in the picture. But it's only the more chilling since the portrayed white locals find pride in a work of fiction blind to the horrors of reality. Plot-wise, it's a character-driven story from the director of Christian movie "Shack". No wonder the title carries religious connotations. But the topic's versatile and a church is only mentioned a couple of times as a social activity of the part of population which is offered help only in their final hours on the death row. Unlike "Shack", "Just Mercy" is heavy and loaded. "The opposite of poverty is justice."

THE HUNT

Watchable. Engaging action, with decoys and twists but the back story based on a ludicrous idea that "the liberal elites" "murder people for fun". Action? A mixture of: "The Purge", "Hostel" and "The Hunger Games". I loved the opening where a text message is zoomed till the title appears. The first murder comes way too early - the protagonists agree. Fortunately, the rest rewards you with new revelations at each stage of the action. The very last scene is a delight. I loved the music over the end credits too. But the rightist agenda portraying the left as bloodthirsty psychopaths screeches in the game mechanism. Some ordinary rich hunting poor "deplorables" would have been more convincing.

LA BONNE EPOUSE (HOW TO BE A GOOD WIFE)

Watchable. Is Juliet Binoche in every French movie? OK, she's great in this one but I had seen too much of her elsewhere. The nun is fun - the best character and the picture's saving grace. One of 600 housewife schools existent in the early 1960s in France and the schooling depicted is fine. But the second half of the film is a far-fetched fable with Prince Charming turning up out of the blue and Princess Charming discovering her homosexuality all of a sudden as well. A rapid lesson in feminism turns old school obedient girls and adult women into revolutionary feminists overnight - hardly plausible. The finale goes bonkers with a silly dance ending in Juliet Binoche waving her arms like a windmill.

10 GIORNI SENZA MAMMA (WHEN MOM IS AWAY)

Watchable. It's Italian so, unsurprisingly, about mamma. OK, the set-up is versatile and there have been comedies about men forced to take care of children aplenty. Yet here you feel the celebration of the position of mom in Italy. It's predictably entertaining and raises quite a few laughs, e.g. the whole teeth situation. And the perfect employee Alessandro is a hilarious and wonderfully exaggerated comic character. Even with fine performances all round, it's Niccolò Senni who just blows you away as the nasty rival at work. The career subplot is weaved through the narrative and its ending is not 100% predictable. Funny lines include war terminology in childcare: "Don't give in!" "My children aren't my enemies." Unfortunately, at times it turns cringeworthy and superficial with over-used bad jokes, e.g.  about menstruation. At least nappies don't recur as another recycled attempt at amusing. Although the whole film is skillfully constructed, with the second act starting satisfactorily early, the supportive office worker subplot lacks conclusion.

Reviewed from a screener. Cinematic impression might differ.

Cinema City has re-opened. It's comfy and friendly as ever and safer than most other venues due to higher seats (at least in the locations which have retained the soft, plush ones). I can see that the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in a superb repertoire too.

ONWARD

Recommended. No wonder it's such a hit in the current Polish box office. It's delightfully imaginative. The Realm is completely worked out - toungue-in-cheek - and painstakingly created. A family of elves keeps a little pet dragon - which behaves like a dog and even kinda barks. A genial centaur cop, cyclops, hooligan pixies and plenty of other magical creatures inhabit a world looking like our contemporary reality. Two brothers embark on a quest filled with adventures. Their journey through the Realm is rich in detail, e.g. a plane can be seen on the sky when the heroes traverse the plain. Quip lines, Harry Potter way worded spells and a nod to "Back to the Future" provide extra fun. The messages the picture conveys are: authenticity pays off in business, a family together will conquer anything - that line of the story leads to a touching ending, I had tears in my eyes. It also tells about confronting your fears and anxieties. It caters to teenagers but will be appreciated by younger and older audiences too. "Sound created in Atmos" so it may be better listened to in that system, in a regular screening room you only hear one line coming undoubtedly from the side at some point. In Poland, the production's dubbed in Polish.

VIC LE VIKING (VIC THE VIKING AND THE MAGIC SWORD)

Recommended. I want such a squirrel! The smart, feisty, independent and cute animal aside, it's a visual fest: making use of a wide range of colours, catchy shading, like in the squirrel's fur, and textures, e.g. red hairs on a Viking's chest and legs. The whole thing is light in tone and witty, with masterful dialogues, in Polish - only a dubbed version available - translated by truly expert Bartek Fukiet. The sound surrounds you all the time. The tale is lovable, with music trappings, including " Ride of the Valkyries" which, in the cartoon, gives a comical effect. The picture has a reference to movies for slightly older audiences, since the action takes place in the realm of the Vikings and Asgard.

THE HIGH NOTE

Recommended. Have you ever felt like a PA to a superstar? Shoved around and put down at every step? Dakota Johnson sheds her erotic image, dons a T-shirt and jeans and excels in the role. Her character is someone who grew up among musicians which reminds of herself coming from an acting family. But it's not just her, there are fine performances all round. Kelvin Harrison Jr. shines as the budding star. And the self-absorbed, narcissistic celebrity Grace Davis is wonderfully scripted, also Tracie Ellis Ross is superb as the chuffed heroine of the stage. As for a flick about fictitious singers, the music sounds admirably professional. The deeper message is that it's those downtrodden people that make each star's success possible. But also how patronising men can be when offering career opportunities to women. As corny as the storyline and women power may sound, the film does not dumb the subject down and makes plenty tart observations.

17TH DOCS AGAINST GRAVITY FESTIVAL

4-18 September (taking into account all 7 city locations, e.g. Warsaw will be 4-13 September) instead of usual May - cinema screenings, afterwards: 19 September-4 October online, without "cinema rooms", it's going to be available all over Poland with no restrictions. Against Gravity's earlier online Docs Against Isolation was a huge success: 113 000 times movies watched in full. After the online festival, all of October will be devoted to online screenings, including previous editions films and workshops for schools. October ones will be available free, after collecting a virtual entry ticket. Over years the festival has grown to become one of the biggest documentary film events in the world. This year the whole program consists of almost half and half male to female movie makers' ratio. In the main competition, there are 15 female and 8 male directors - a result of purely artistic value, the festival programmers are of both sexes. From what I've heard in the (online) conference, my subjective interest is in the following films:
"Blizny" ("Scars") - a Polish documentary about former female warriors of the Tamil Tigers,
films about cinema: on Forman, Tarkovsky, Kubrick, Tarantino, Friedkin, the romantic comedy genre,
a section on various aspects of China, including the problem of smog,
Hubert Sauper's "Darwin's Nightmare" about Tanzania and how the game of global empires affects the poor.
Among potentially interesting events there'll be one devoted to the phenomenon of disbelief in science, replaced by a belief in conspiracy theories and creationism. And another one will delve into how rom-coms affect our partner choice. We can expect also a workshop that will cover dealing with the need of personal peace and the simultaneous need of activism.
There'll be a new section of home-made films - one I'm not going to follow closely. I don't expect content quality from those.
The conference, however convenient for typing notes, wasn't free from technical interruptions. I hope they'll won't hinder watching the online festival part. Also the film screened at the end was too quiet for a laptop and with interruptions:

NOMAD: IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF BRUCE CHATWIN

Watchable. The bristly fur of a brontosaurus in the beginning turns out to belong to a kind of prehistoric giant sloth. Chaos ensues for the following half the protracted film. The second half is still disorganized but lets you find trivia like a replica of Magellan's ship in Punta Arenas, hear of horrors - to the natives treated like animals - of the era of geographic discoveries, extending until 20th century, learn of free solo climber Stefan Głowacz and of King Nsein who personally acted in a feature movie on West African slave trade. I still don't get what the whole thing was to be about.

EMA

Recommended. "Firestarter" comes to mind first. Later, the book of "I Ching" where the fire sign means it can either provide you with warmth or burn you. Ema is the heat and does she burn! She's a natural dancer, expressing everything with her body, oblivious to any potential barriers, e.g. she offers 1 litre of her blood to help out. She ignites both men and women, feeling completely at ease in her "big, dysfunctional family". Her actions appear impestuous and visceral. But she proves to be the best mother ever when you come to realize the whole intrigue. She choreographs everyone around her. Captivating music adds gravity, profundity or passion when needed. The main song "Destino" is in the rhythm of famous "Despacito" shifting the tone to lighter notes for the sake of pure pleasure. And the bit when a song tells part of the story feels almost like Bollywood. The movie has Atmos sound so it had even better be heard in this system where available. From the end credits you learn Gael García Bernal was treated like a star on set but in the picture, he's merely an addition to the magnetic Ema's (marvellous Mariana di Girolamo) flame. As is the town of Valparaiso, Chile where it was shot over 2 summer months by Pablo Larraín who had earlier produced "Una mujer fantástica" ("A Fantastic Woman"). You leave the theatre replaying the music in your head.

I got used to having the mask on at the cinema, barely noticed it this time.

KAPSALON ROMY (ROMY'S SALON)

Switched off. No action to speak of. Just a girl helping her grandma in the most mundane daily duties. In Poland, it can be seen only with Polish dubbing.

Watched from a screener. While my cinematic reception might differ, chances are I would still walk out.

BABYTEETH

Watchable. I try not to read about a movie before seeing it so I didn't know it was going to be about yet another teenager with cancer. Normally even a thought about this worn, tacky subject makes me sick. However, this candy-coloured Australian caper managed to resist slushiness for long enough to prevent me from walking out. The corny ending ruined it but she finally died - no spoilers here, it's just the rule of the genre. When Moses staggers (attempting to swagger) onto the platform he resembles a drunk British tourist so much it's no surprise the actor (Toby Wallace) is British. His eyes look stoned and his demeanour is so addict-like you have to make sure the actor is not a junkie himself. But Ben Mendelsohn as the girl's father out-acts everyone. This widely experienced actor is the highlight of the picture bringing in humourous tones and lightening the mood. The topic is treated admittedly originally. Still, it appears to applaud drug use - all the four main characters do and even their pregnant neighbour smokes. The whole thing feels weird. And the picture could do without chapter titles - no reason for them.

XABO: KSIADZ BONIECKI (XABO: FATHER BONIECKI)

Watchable. It never fails to tug on your heartstrings but... after 3 years of filming the priest, I'd expect better. It looks amateurish, has no structure. Even though the documentary has been translated into English, the film itself does not explain who the priest is or who and why has banned him from publishing - it's not clarified in the film that the Church authorities have - which makes his case a bit hard to comprehend. The titular priest is portrayed as a down to earth, humane, warm-hearted, devoted, extremely hard-working and a paragon of Christianity. The film is clearly meant as an antidote to the venom injected into the society by fundamentalist Catholic officials as well as politicians successfully dividing the nation. Rev. Adam Boniecki proclaims inclusion which, strangely, makes him a religious maverick. He's sage (and old). Large chunks of the film are existentialist which lets him share his gems of wisdom, e.g. in the emotive scene where an adult man tells him he can't come to terms with his mum's death the priest confesses he often asks his late mother for little favours like miraculous finding a parking spot. But the hardest hitting part is when he mentions his own personal sorrow about having to give up on marriage and having children. Is celibacy the root cause of the callousness of the institution of the Church as his deliberation indirectly infers?

O QUE ARDE (FIRE WILL COME)

Switched off. Painfully slow. Theoretically I could fastforward the screener but that would be cheating because in a cinema, I would walk out. I was literally counting minutes.

#JESUISLA (#IAMHERE)

Watchable. A pleasant, relaxing picture. Shot in French and Korean - the Polish version subtitles French dialogue only. The 1st third is set in France, the 2nd at picture-perfect Incheon Airport - which is like a small town, the 3rd in the city of Seoul. For a larger part, it's a postcard from South Korea. The French part emphasises everyone's infidelity and even promotes it for some reason. The Asian country is presented as beautiful, touristically attractive, high tech, well-organized, where politeness may conceal hostility but where people also happen to act on the spur of the moment sometimes expressing great friendliness and often indifference and disregard to other's feelings while insisting on observing 눈치 (nunch'i). It's kept light in tone, humourous at times.But from the very first minute till the end it's also a praise of living in the moment in which case it's precisely not bothering with others that makes it possible. A feelgood movie which at face value lacks depth. But isn't enjoying the moment enough?

Reviewed from a distributor's screener so cinematic reception might differ.

HOPE GAP

Watchable. White cliffs, lucid, sparkling sea in Sussex (!) and colourful - like the estranged wife's clothes, homey, filled with plants, interior of the house enliven the mentions of historic events and classic poetry the couple specialize in. This use of scenography is evident also later when the husband and his son talk in a little white room with no decor whatsoever, as if there was nothing left in the man's life. The human detail is deftly handled in the story. The couple know each other inside out: not only daily habits like the way each of them takes their tea but even the sound of the partner's breath. A Napoleon's troops example at school deals with how to leave someone to die mercifully. Then you hear: "there is no next life" after a marriage "is murdered" which reflects the historic dilemma. The agony of waking every day after the break-up is staggeringly true. On a lighter (or is it?) note, the woman takes in a dog, calls him her husband's name and the first command she teaches him is "stay". The film is well-intentioned but emotionally distant which is probably down to Bill Nighy and Annette Bening in the cast. At least Jamie (Josh O'Connor) looks like a spitting image of young Bill Nighy, hence plausible as their, especially Edward's (Bill Nighy) son. The title refers to Hope Gap located in Seaford but also the metaphoric meaning of the period of hope right after the beloved person has split up with you.

Mercifully, I got a screener in English but... alas, it was hardly audible. Bad luck.

MIJN BIJZONDER RARE WEEK MET TESS (MY EXTRAORDINARY SUMMER WITH TESS)

Watchable. A summer picture where Dutch views like crabs on the beach and flatlands with bike paths surprisingly smoothly blend with salsa music. The 1 hour 23 minute long movie, however, feels bland and protracted. The action's quite generic and therefore predictable - for adults anyway, children to who the film's directed are more likely not to have seen all that before, copied from several other stories and too simple for the duration of the picture. At least it's all well acted. In Poland, it's dubbed in Polish but in a nice way. The song running over the end credits will have you humming all the way home.

FOUR KIDS AND IT

Recommended. Thoroughly entertaining, lovable, lightweight fantasy which blends live action with CGI animation. Starts with a girl choosing a book in a library. The ones she picks are: "Little Women" and "Spider's Web" - both have their film adaptations. And "Four Kids and It" is based on a novel by Jacqueline Wilson so the director is clearly winking to the readers. Psammead looks authentic and cute. Dialogues sparkle with tart one-liners, e.g. "I'm sorry, I don't understand you at all." "I'm American." "Good to know. I thought you had a speech defect". Adventures are captivating and you never know (or at least I don't, not having read the book) what the next wish is going to be, it's so imaginative. Catering to older children, it has delighted the adult me as well. I wished it lasted longer. Dubbed in Polish for the local market - sounds decently but inaccessible to English-speaking kids. That's it. There's a long scene along with the final credits.

DAS VORSPIEL  (THE AUDITION)

Watchable. I've seen it all before. It's a pretty standard psychological drama comprising of generic tropes slapped onto the main storyline once here once there to keep the audience waiting for the conclusion. Lacks novelty. On the other hand, it's a rare occasion to see what violin lessons look like.

All the four reviews are based on distributors' screeners. Cinematic experience might differ.

LOLA VERS LA MER (LOLA)

Watchable. The beginning, bar the staggering funeral scene, is trite, regardless whether you treat it as a family conflict drama or a road movie. For about the duration of the first act, I couldn't stop thinking I had seen it all before. The conclusion's predictable too. But the middle is compelling. Lionel-to-Lola is trans and the picture uses the genre gimmicks at ease. Lola gets compared to a unicorn. When random children play with soap air bubbles, a rainbow appears. At the stop the travelling pair take, their hosts play gay icon Boy George's "Karma Chameleon". The music use extends to the meaning of lyrics in several pieces, most notably "I am feeling a little peculiar" from 4 Non Blondes' song "What's up" is played right when Lola is applying her make-up and her dad is gawping at the activity. Remarkably, the story commences and finishes in bright daylight and the catharsis takes place at night. The best thing about the picture is its clear structure and the fact it's perfectly comprehensible to straight folk. And also to the non-Belgian/French, in spite of some strictly cultural notions like men peeing in public places. As for examples of predjudices, those will be understood in narrow-minded Poland even better.

I'm reviewing it from a screener and, again, the white subtitles, even though of decent size, on white background were sometimes barely legible. I never had that problem at cinemas. I wonder if the contrast between whites was higher or if the subtitles for the big screen are different.

JESTEM REN (I AM REN)

Watchable. I guess every woman in a relationship feels like that: any error and you can be chucked out, also, men can't tolerate when women feel more than the man which is exactly the case in the movie. Hard to believe it's written by a male (Piotr Ryczko). But the main topic quickly turns out to be not a failure/malfunction but domestic violence. All of that is lightly coated with science fiction. The storyline however is more of a whodunnit and the film leads you astray quite a few times. So, whereas the script is fascinating, sadly, it looks and sounds low-budget. Not only is it austere but it's poorly acted and filmed. Conversations sound monotonous in spite of the twists of action. Would work better as a short story or novel than a movie.

The review's based on a screener so a cinematic reception might differ.

地久天长  (SO LONG, MY SON)

Recommended. Austere but powerful. Limited locations. A story spanning a few decades of the recent history of China. Locations play a role in two ways: the same hospital room is the place where the woman loses both children in two strikingly different tragic ways, on the other hand, shabby, communist-time tiny flats are contrasted with modern-day posh venues. A very human drama casting a shadow for decades will tug on your heartstrings. It's so engrossing you don't feel the passage of time (about 3 hours). What initially appears to be random pieces of the families' lives comes to a fleshed-out conclusion. It's totally credible, including trivia like hospital transport staff skilled in kung fu, and makes you ponder about the inevitability of the events. Are we just pawns of politics and clogs of history?

This time the face mask didn't bother me. You can get used to it after all.

NUESTRO TIEMPO (OUR TIME)

Watchable. Plodding pace means the 173 minutes do drag. At some point I started wondering if it was the same season outside. What kept me watching, though, was mesmerising cinematography - all landscape views and several outdoor scenes: arid, fractured soil, verdant agaves, dust, twilight, colours, changing light, clouds, mist, composition and the absolutely breathtaking plane-view of Mexico City are the picture's saving grace. The family and friends' storyline is interwoven with art and nature. The drum performance is interesting in itself as are artworks and above mentioned nature vistas. But they create straight in your face scenes where art and nature mirror the protagonists' life nearly back-to-back. And one of the leads is connected with nature so badly in one scene he's smacking his lips disgustingly all the time. At times you are also bombed with the voluptuous shapes of Carlos Reygadas' wife who he - being the scriptwriter/director/actor - is clearly obsessed with. The main plot reveals itself after an hour or so. The affluent ranch owner is revolting, authoritarian, controlling but internally broken which rings true. But both the couple's relationship and the love triangle are terribly far-fetched and the ludicrous climax strains credibility to breaking point.

As for the current epidemic restrictions, it was exhausting having to wear a mask during the screening and the bus travel to the cinema felt hazardous too.

DEBOUT (STILL STANDING)

Watchable. The documentary starting with a man first alcoholic, then crippled in an accident who went on to train yoga astonished me with a truly cinematographic opening - colourful reflections on asphalt and buildings in the rain. Later it strikes you with the diversity of yoga trainees, again accompanied by picture perfect film postcards from around the world. People undergoing rehabilitation after serious accidents, prisoners (where the HIV-positive prisoners look healthier and happier than their guard), fashionistas, school children all benefit from the exercises. While yoga is quite static, based on stretching, it appears to require a lot of stamina and agility. But the most powerful impact is on kids - turning cheeky brats into friendly, amicable pupils. The film applies various filming techniques and varied music for different countries' sections. Still, it's a bit overlong at times, could do with better, catchier music throughout and the initial mention of the documentalist's problem with alcohol never recurs for some reason. Also, it could do with more factual information, I'd love to see statistics for instance. But the core message is vivid and lucid.

The dense crowd queuing to the entrance and most people in the audience without masks, even after asked by staff to put them on, clearly created a health hazard. I can only hope none was a Covid-19 carrier. The evening bus trip back was even worse. An unmasked person sat right to me.

METRI SHESH VA NIM (JUST 6.5) 

Watchable. It starts off as a regular crime drama - with a cop chasing a drug dealer. You quickly become aware of cultural differences between the West and Iran but for the most part that's it. OK, it is involving, you follow the investigation one lead after another. But it's only the finale that turns the tables and pushes the boundaries of the genre. The multi-angle approach to the topic elevates the crime drama to a powerful voice about the extent to which the addiction consumes Iranian society, the vicious circle of poverty and illicit activity and discovers not only several hazards of drugs but even its positive impact on destitute families. The latter constitutes an intrinsic fault within the crime fighting system: the punished ones, hanged under sharia law, are victims of the social system and misery. Clearly, the movie writes into the recent polemic with death penalty in Iranian cinematography. If it weren't for the multiple protagonists each with their own multiple issues, which overcomplicates the plot, the picture would be most admirable. Also having to read subtitles quickly doesn't make it easier if you don't happen to speak Persian.

The review's based on a screener, not a cinema viewing. White Polish subtitles were hard to read. Yellow(ish) ones would be better.

26. WIOSNA FILMOW (26TH FILM SPRING FESTIVAL) - ONLINE

شیطان وجود ندارد ‎(THERE IS NO EVIL)

Recommended. Structure alternating grave distress with periods of normality, striking shots, the way of putting all the elements together make the picture compelling and bearable - taken the heavy topic - at the same time. Delves into the Iranian political system which requires you to get your hands dirty, examines how capital punishment entangles the society.

よこがお (A GIRL MISSING)

Watchable. Intriguing beginning. Seemed to develop into a crime story but turned out to be a psychological drama, on a bit disturbing side. Engaging but disappointing, especially that the crime subplot never gets explained.

SEULES LES BETES (ONLY THE ANIMALS)

Recommended. This crime drama is superb due to the astonishing African twist. On a deeper level, misplaced feelings and the complexity of inter-human and international economic relations.

BE NATURAL: THE UNTOLD STORY OF ALICE GUY-BLACHE

Watchable. Double exposures of a road with a map superimposed on it or, better still, modern-day location views with scenes from century-old Alice Guy-Blaché's films - technically perfect. I think the double exposures applied by Pamela B. Green were no coincidence - it was Alice Guy-Blaché who used them first. The family and work ties presented in the documentary, though important, are complex and I don't quite get them. But it's touching to learn of her impact on other film-makers. The portrayal of the female pioneer of the cinema is comprehensive, Pamela B. Green finally gave her justice which had been denied by envious men writing history books.

The Polish version has white subtitles - for mostly black and white pictures - which renders them unintelligible, the transmission volume is very low so you can't hear much of Jodie Foster's (who was also one of several executive producers) narration or the interviewees either. The film started late too.

LA DEA FORTUNA (THE GODDESS OF FORTUNE)

Watchable. Set in Naples again - just like Ferzan Özpetek's earlier enigmatic "Napoli velata" ("Naples in Veils"). Shot beautifully in vivid colours which distinguishes it from the earlier tale. This one starts with a secret, then lets you forget about it only to bring it back towards the ending. I guess it'll speak to people in long-term relationships best since it revolves around the topic. It features Italian music, including songs but they dance to Turkish music, a nod to his origins.

SEURAPELI (GAMES PEOPLE PLAY)

Watchable. The distributor tried to pass it off as a comedy. But it's far from that. It's a serious in tone dissection of all sorts of relationships in a group of 30-year-olds who've mostly known each other since school. Christian Hillborg looks hot and in this manner stands out from the rest of the acting crew.  

I wish the online festival movies were screened louder. It's all great cinema, everything worked, you had a 4-hour slot to see the picture and could even pause or rewind 15s back - clearly thought through, with decent-size subtitles but music and other sound effects were hard to hear and in film that matters too. Another hindrance was having to register, log in, know how to access the movie and refresh the site to start watching.

The last two from the very last night before the lockdown but at least one of the pictures is already back on the screen in just re-opened movie theatres:

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG

Watchable. Lovable zany protagonist - blue, fluffy, from the outer space and as fast as Quicksilver from X-Men but he plays up in a children's caper. James Marsden is a great match for him in the supporting role. Jim Carrey with Mortdecai-style moustache as Dr. Robotnik, however, is badly miscast. In fact, he's utterly annoying, even more so dubbed in Polish, where his voice is different - very low. The rest of the dubbing is vexing too. Some brilliant lines make up for it, e.g. :"Do you have your child in that bag?" "No. I mean, yes, it's a child, but it's not mine." Sonic acts like a child with ADHD but occasionally says something cute like "you covered me with a duvet". Song titles reflect action which follows in the footsteps of "Men In Black" but caters to a younger audience. The last scene and the mid-credit imply a sequel. I look forward to it. Just no more Dr Robotnik please.

BRAHMS: THE BOY II

Watchable. Good cinematography and sound effects at times surrounding you with mysterious whispers and once including a deafening one - not too loud but persuading your ears you're on a plane - impressive. British accents spoken but the movie's American, Canadian and Australian. Feeble attempts at jump scares. Worn out tropes make it plain boring. Additional gimmicks borrowed from "Halloween" and "Terminator" slapped onto the  sequel succeed in convincing you there are way too many sequels. In one flick in that. It certainly jumps on the bandwagon of recent serialisation-mania but does so excessively.

W LESIE DZIS NIE ZASNIE NIKT (NOBODY SLEEPS IN THE WOODS TONIGHT)

Recommended. By the director of earlier excellent, chilling "Plac zabaw" ("Playground") who, as it turns out, grew up on slashers from the 80s. His latest movie is a slasher rich in cultural connotations, most comprehensible to foreigners, a few to Poles only (politics, choice of actors). It's 80s-style fun in the contemporary context of a boot camp for digital addicts. Shades of "Leatherface", "Terminator" and a few other classics are cast over vast swathes of Mazovian forests, whose sweeping aerial views are typical for opening sequences of the genre. A protagonist runs over the monster like Sarah Connor in "Dark Fate" - though the latest "Terminator" was released in October 2019 when the Polish caper was already in post-production. At another instance the person is placed behind bars in a car - like Kevin Spacey in the desert scene in "Se7en". Reading the end credits you come across the list of instruments: owl, woodpecker, saw, boy choir programming - the crew have done their best to recreate the "Psycho" music and sound effect in another mockery of an iconic scene. Even echoes of a fairy-tale - one where a girl kills a monster - can be found. The political references include: a meteorite, twin boys, a quote from Archbishop Jędraszewski. These need explaining. The meteorite, which brings to mind a famous incident in Chelyabinsk, Russia, in Poland is associated rather with "O dwóch takich, co ukradli księżyc" ("The Two Who Stole The Moon") - the movie most famous for twin boys in the cast who later became major actors of the political scene, one died tragically - in a plane crash near the Katyn forest in Russia - and the other is the president of the ruling party and is seen by every other Pole as a dictator obsessed with his deceased brother. The Archbishop infamously defended pedophile priests. Another strong point is excellent cast - both the experienced actors and the new faces - and characters. Exquisite Mecwaldowski plays an episode - the best role in the picture. Popular in comedy shows actors, Izabela Dąbrowska and Sebastian Stankiewicz, make a cameo. No wonder the film's hilarious, makes use of horror gimmicks and provides tension too. Good music - by Jimek - and sound effects. Judging from the ending, a sequel is likely.

23 shooting days, 8-9 scenes daily. Make-up would start in the wee hours. Bartosz M. Kowalski, who scripted, directed and co-edited the movie, had written out full editing back-to-back, each shot. It took 1.5 years from the concept to the premiere. Few people in Poland know how to make limbs and splashing blood but they managed just right. The stunning Polish forests where it was shot are located near Warsaw: Mazowiecki Park Krajobrazowy and Kampinos.

The movie was to be released just one day after the lockdown began so it ended up on Netflix. Now it's finally making its way on the big screen where it belongs.


HER DOCS FILM FESTIVAL

YOURS IN SISTERHOOD

Recommended. Contemporary women read out letters from 50 years ago. While lesbians' situation has improved enormously over the time, it's much easier to find employment and respect even in formerly masculinized professions and sexual harassment in the public is on the decrease, most of the letters sound terrifyingly up-to-date. Mostly house chores sharing, citizen versus the authorities and racial issues need improvement. Simple in form yet powerful.

ISLAND OF THE HUNGRY GHOSTS

Watchable. A bit on the slow side. But well thought through. Refugee detention centers on Christmas Island function like prisons: families split, no right to leave, with the added hardship of never knowing how long you're going to be there. The only thing the refugees can control is whether to live on. It's juxtaposed with great care taken to let migrating red crabs pass safely: building a bridge for them and closing roads for cars and, lastly, with a half-Aussie half-Arab family packing lots of stuff to leave their nice house. The documentary has also made me wonder what it feels like to spend a pitch-black night on the ocean, after the boat sank, when you can't see sharks but hear the screams of the people caught.