POMIEDZY

Watchable. This 23-minute documentary, designed for school workshops, could do with a better cut. The opening with war images is immediately engaging, though not all protagonists are refugees. The middle is some blabber about what they do in Poland, with only occasional cultural trivia, e.g. Vietnamese nightlife is vibrant, streets are crowded and noisy so in Poland, empty streets at night feel sad. Still, the jokes over the end credits are the best. The whole thing is disappointing, too little entertainment and too much superficiality.

One of the protagonists passed away of Covid before he managed to see the film.

The film is already available on Heinrich Boell's Youtube channel, sadly in Polish only.

THOSE WHO WISH ME DEAD

Watchable. This movie shot in New Mexico has an unusual setting where a firewoman and a couple of survival experts are forced to fend against ruthless hitmen chasing a boy witness across woods. An inventive and engaging plot with some practical tips on surviving a wilderness fire. Only the creation of Angelina Jolie's character as a run-of-the-mill troubled superfit ultrasmart heroine detracts from this irregular story.

BEZ KONCA - EXHIBITION

The exhibition has opened at EC1 Łódź to commemorate Krzysztof Kieślowski's 80th anniversary of birth. I'm not going to Łódź but, as one of few media at a conference preceding the opening, I'm forwarding what I learnt. 

Since dialogue or monologue is typical for Kieślowski's films, the exhibition has been designed as a dialogue as well. You'll find scripts, letters, memorabilia, and recordings where you can listen to someone your age in 1970 answer Kieślowski's 3 fundamental questions.  

He overworked himself. In the past, lots of movie posters used to hang in cities because a poster was a make it or break it for an upcoming release. He smoked a lot and was withdrawn - the exhibition poster by Andrzej Pągowski reflects both. In the past, lots of movie posters used to hang in cities because a poster was a make it or break it for an upcoming release. While he often painted posters promoting the director's films, Kieślowski wasn't always happy about them. When Pągowski painted a double shoelace for "Podwójne życie Weroniki" ("The Double Life of Veronique"), Kieślowski didn't like it but didn't demand a change, unlike Wajda who would insist on specific alterations whenever he didn't like the artist's poster.

Scriptwriter Jacek Bromski commented on the lack of censorship on the Internet which has changed the perception of art nowadays. According to him, Kieślowski would put grassroots work (as I'd describe Polish pozytywizm) values into his films, he believed you have to build.

KRAJ (THE LAND)

Switched off. This random assembly of scenes that could take place in Poland is awfully amateurish due to theatrically looking sets, sometimes inadequate, e.g. a company which has embezzled a million is located in a derelict building. Poor actors, overlong dialogues, gross unfunny jokes don't raise the level of this production. Most importantly, it's a motley of incidents with no single protagonist to root for.

Seen online, cinematic reception might differ.

MY DARLING VIVIAN

Watchable. I guess you must be a big fan of Johnny Cash to be even interested in who his first wife was. Well, a very happy couple who led a perfect family life is dull to follow and the minutiae given by all four daughters are excessive. I continued intrigued by the life of Americans in the 50s and 60s. Then, when acrimonies arose, it became finally engaging on more than just the cultural level. At the end, you are finally told why the film had to be made and it becomes clear why it dwells on happiness for so long.

Seen online, cinematic reception might differ.

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LA SIESTA DEL CARNERO (THE RAM'S NAP)

Watchable. Cooking Chilean dishes in Spain, google-mapping, modern witchcraft - engaging, visually attractive but what's the meaning of all this? Seems to lack a point.

SOL

Recommended. The theme of the family takes centre stage for this wonderful drama with the delightful character of Solange (an excellent performance by Chantal Lauby). She's extravagant, smart, a trickster - though in good faith. She drives the movie

KAPTEIN SABELTANN OG DEN MAGISKE DIAMANT (CAPTAIN SABRETOOTH AND THE MAGIC DIAMOND)

Watchable. This cheerful Norwegian cartoon transports you to tropical islands, though with European houses, with realistic backgrounds, especially greenery and glistening water. While the plot consists of a standard set of adventures, distinct characters, including an extravagant pirate cook, lively dialogue - translated by Bartek Fukiet for the Polish dubbing - make it all engaging. Polish songs mar the pleasure but I loved the rhythms that surrounded me during the end credits. Before the credits, a protagonist announces a new adventure so I guess a sequel is on the cards. May be fun again.

OSTATNI KOMERS (LOVE TASTING)

Watchable. Released in time for the end of the school year, it's a very easy-on-the-eye movie about a bunch of numpties. Little is known in the story, least of all why one of the girls has a curator. The film is just an excerpt from the lives of 15-18-year-olds who spend the beginning of the summer smoking joints, having sex, dancing - good techno and some attractive dancing mean it's easy to follow this... no-story. There's no beginning, no ending, no plot as such. Young movie makers are well versed in acting, directing, shooting, sound making, editing. Authentic dialogue gives it a reality check. They just have nothing to say. This movie is typical for the generation: plenty of ways to say things with nothing to tell about. 

SPIRAL: FROM THE BOOK OF SAW

Watchable. In this spin-off, the focus is on the police investigation rather than the victims. Also, the victims are cops. Recorded in Atmos but separating the speech - heard from the screen and other sound effects which are audible from the side. Gore is everywhere, like in all of the poorer parts of the Saw franchise. The action is faster which results in no suspense. No one gets a chance to live so their sacrifices are invalid. As for the plot, I got a hint of who the murderer was, next came a red herring, finally my first suspicion got confirmed. Article 8 mentioned throughout the film bears no relevance to any existing law. Chris Rock produced, starred in the film, and even had a personal hairstylist. Jigsaw would have had his own opinion about this celebrity, sadly he's long dead. Like one of the protagonists said, "I'm underwhelmed".

THE CONJURING: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT

Recommended. This instalment of the franchise has a storyline varying from the previous as to the origins of the evil they're dealing with and because of the action focused round an investigation. It's scary from early on to the end of the music accompanying the end credits. No Atmos but the sound effects are impressive and succeed in frightening the viewer anyway. Quality horror.

10 JOURS SANS MAMAN (10 DAYS WITHOUT MUM)

Watchable. The plot resembles "De l'autre côté du lit" ("Changing Sides"), another French comedy, from 2008, with Sophie Marceau and Dany Boon - I preferred the earlier one. In the new one, the mum's gone from home for a holiday only and the career rival differs. Most importantly though, the change of actors detracts from the fun. Also, the story's on the sad side at times so I shed a tear every now and then. But I did laugh as well, especially at the sports tribune scene, where all families argue. It is entertaining after all.

MIASTO

Watchable. Having seen the trailer, I expected a crime thriller. Far from that. The movie is set in Bydgoszcz in two alternative times. A communist-era set-up is apt for film noir. And the visual layer, under Jan Jakub Kolski's artistic supervision, moving gradually from the grey reality towards higher contrast noir, all consistent with a grainy texture, uses a number of effects in an attempt to keep the viewer interested. Derelict buildings, a cobbled street, a canal - all shot in Bydgoszcz - ooze character. The downsides are: a barmaid wears a modern-fashion nose-ring - unheard of in communist times, the narrative pads out, I seriously considered walking out, it dragged so badly, and it all feels amateurish - with the exception of cinematography. Last but not least, famous and talented Polish comedian Stanisław Tym doesn't get even one funny line to say, instead, his looks are emphasized to make his face resemble frog's - lame and shame on the director to defame the renowned personality so badly.

LE VOYAGE DU PRINCE (THE PRINCE'S VOYAGE)

Watchable. An animated tale tackling our relationship with nature through an alternative reality. The concept of intelligent apes and the capture reminded me of "Planet of the Apes" but this film is totally different, not an actioner for sure. It's slow, observant. To me it was tedious, I broke it up a few times to be able to finish. I did watch till the end because I was intrigued to learn more about the characters and their world.

Seen online, cinematic reception might differ.

ADN (DNA)

Watchable. The first half focused around the funeral is sad but shot French drama way so you are forced to watch family members' close-ups, bickering, squabbling which leads the plot nowhere. The second half about searching for one's roots on a personal level and an inconvenient part of the history of France on a socio-cultural-national level is more touching. Still, the finale feels like a morality play addressed to the French.

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THE PROBLEM OF THE HYDRA

Watchable. A fascinating short artistic documentary about an animal so unusual I had to google if it actually exists. It does. Only slightly annoying music detracts from this wonderful artistic-scientific film.

SPACER Z ANIOLAMI (WALK WITH ANGELS)

Watchable. The beginning of this documentary is chaotic. It takes time to assemble the events in your mind since the film isn't helpful. Instead of an investigation - which finds a simple explanation, not unlike cases in Europe, you're taken for a walk through Africa: magic rituals, poverty, dumpsters where recycling is carried out both by working people and by scavenging birds. No conclusion to the search for the missing kid. Only a skillful cut combines the story into one long walk so that it eventually makes sense. The whole thing may be of interest to those who have no clue about Africa.

BERLIN ALEXANDERPLATZ

Recommended. This adaptation of Alfred Döblin's 1929 novel changes the protagonist into a modern-day refugee and strikes religious tones differently than in the literary piece, where the narrative was dominated by Franz's semblance to Job. That's still present in the movie, but he mostly wants to redeem his sins by being a good man. The opening is a kind of baptism in the water - the good man is (re)born. Next, he goes through the Stations of the Cross - manifested by a neon sign. As we hear in the narrative, "he stumbled and fell 3 times" and that happens step by step. On a secular level, some people get a raw deal in life and the film makes it clear who bears the brunt. It also deals with the vicious circle of economy: European countries sell guns to dictators, next people run from war and in their safe countries sell drugs to tourists. "Ich bin Deutschland" is some food for thought. While the book was inspired by film montage, this plays a role in the cinematic production too. Repetitions of the same effects in varying scenes make it all the more intriguing. Heavy breathing is heard in the opening, closing and at the running scene. Air shots are used extensively, including a woman and a man in the woods twice but in different configurations. Vierte Teil (Part Four) opens with a war-drums-like techno beat. It's contemporary Berlin so there's regular club techno too. Colours are used artistically, e.g. pitch black and snow-white skin of two lovers or a red sea and next red shower water. The adaptation proves the book is omnitemporal. Time will show whether the movie fills this criterion too. Speaking of time, it lasts 3 hours but not 1 minute is overlong.

LUCA 

Watchable. An American cartoon with the action set in Italy of mid-twenty-century. Nostalgia after the country of someone's ancestors? Italian banter, songs, culture, e.g. boys dreaming of a Vespa, a pasta devouring competition. It's sometimes tongue-in-cheek, e.g. they exclaim: "Santa mozzarella!" or "Santa ricotta!" It's a Disney animation so you can admire wonderfully translucent sea waters. Story-wise though, two boys who happen to be sea monsters - as a representation of nerds - after a series of muck-ups, end up making friends with others - obligatory for the genre - but also learn a lesson on how different people may react to "others". The story continues in the pictures in the end credits which, in turn, are followed by an amusing post-credit with Uncle Ugo. Sacha Baron Cohen dubs Uncle Ugo in the original. In Poland however, it's only dubbed in Polish.

DAD YOU'VE NEVER HAD

Watchable. A reunion with a father is no new subject. But this documentary, very personal, shot over one week, manages to present within half an hour the whole history behind it, the father's personality and world view, as well as how it has affected his daughter and other family members. Her exploration of his flat indicates the life she could have had. Early on he remarks: "Opowieść jest najważniejszą walutą" ("A tale is the most important currency") - not directly relevant to the case but some food for thought.

OSTATNI GWIZDEK (THE LAST WHISTLE)

Watchable. Another half-an-hour short film. Nothing new in a father-son relationship on the screen, nothing new in a coach-trainee relationship, finally a father doubling as a coach is no original protagonist either. The creator used to swim himself, having been to a sports school so the story's relevant to him and to growing up. But it's simple and derivative. Wonderful pictures of the sea at twilight and one picture-perfect shot looking like a postcard from a tropical island compensate for the very average plot. 

A curious fact from the Q&A after the film is that the actor who played the coach, Przemysław Bluszcz, doesn't know how to swim.

CHODZMY W NOC (INTO THE NIGHT)

Watchable. At first, I couldn't make out what this 30-minute film was about. But the teenage girls' relationship, the wonderfully shot club scene: the shabby wall with paint flaking off, dance close-ups, all both reflecting the atmosphere and presenting the characters together with natural dialogue eventually got me engaged in the story.

The teenage actresses are so convincing you can't tell it's their film debut (both for Kamilla Baar and for Nel Kaczmarek), and an acting debut for one (Nel Kaczmarek since Kamilla Baar had acted in the theatre before).

SOLAR VOYAGE

Watchable. A visual feast and a humorous biography of a genius engineer who didn't manage to profit from his invention. The most creatively depicted tale - due to the protagonist having withdrawn. The only drawback is that it lacks a strong message.

The director, now a lecturer of some technical subject, had studied graphics before. 

All the above four short films were professionally produced but lacked in the script.

MAGNEZJA (MAGNESIUM)

Recommended. By Maciej Bochniak, known for his earlier surprise marvel "Disco Polo". This time he has created another fantastical alternative Poland. The cinematography is stylised to resemble old photographs. Together with iconic images, costumes by Dorota Roqueplo, hairstyling, locations, specifically built set decoration it creates a kind-of-western based on the history of the Polish East. Outstanding performances by Maja Ostaszewska, Borys Szyc, Bartosz Bielenia each in an astonishing character, but also by everyone else, whether the role big or small. Italian songs with lyrics matching the events are tongue-in-cheek in this multicultural imagery. As for the plot, numerous twists of action, suspense, characteristic protagonists and a constant game with cultural associations totally absorb you. 

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DAS SPIEL (THE GAME)

Watchable. An interesting concept to depict a football referee as a show/film director. Quality editing - the 17' film was shot at 4 different stadiums. I guess you need to be a football spectator yourself to appreciate it more.

A PERFECT ENEMY

Watchable. Gripping from early minutes. As soon as a girl asks for a lift, you know she's going to play an elaborate psychological subterfuge, like in "The Hitcher". The movie's not all-enticing though, especially the first half. As the girl talks about the squalor and brutality of her childhood - watch out for gross-out bits - the repulsion she provokes feels pointless in the movie and only the finale clarifies the purpose of that part. Nevertheless, constant mind-game playing is intriguing. The girl, Texel Textor, is played with relish by Athena Strates - I bet the name isn't coincidental. Both lead actors: Tomasz Kot and Athena Strates are absolutely superb as the multi-layered characters. The second half keeps you on the edge of your seat and the finale ties up all seemingly loose ends. Even the end credits move in the opposite direction we're used to. Those looking for an intelligent psychological thriller will be satisfied

GODZILLA VS. KONG 3D

Watchable. Every generation seems to have their own Godzilla and their own King Kong. The current time is one for cross-overs. So the movie joins the storylines of Godzilla and Kong films of recent years and refreshes the viewers' memory reminding them of the main ideas - much needed and well done, however far-fetched such a cross-over is. The looks of the monsters are detailed and are really the only reason to bother. Maybe also for other decent visual effects and quality electronic music which livens up the tedious action. Underlit settings make all the film wearingly dark. The 3D is standard. All characters are two-dimensional. The story is monstrously (pun intended) de-braining. Not only is the plot quite rudimentary, but it is also full of holes and relies solely on special effects. 

LUCA 

I've seen it already but, due to a publication ban, I'll post the review no earlier than 16 June at 6 p.m. CET.

SCRIPT FIESTA

Three events are still available on Facebook. Two of them are:

EROTICA 2022 

Kaja Klimek's first question was to the point: about the cooperation between book writers and screenwriters. No one answered it, instead they talked about how they had got in touch. Luckily Kaja insisted. Olga Tokarczuk, before her Nobel prize then, wanted "the new surrealism", which is apparently a trend in literature now, to translate into the film. The writers worked on the set too, ensuring the actors say everything the way they intended. They also stayed in the wood, enjoying a holiday. Anna Kazejak wrote not about the future but about a reality where women are pressured on what they can or can't do and her protagonist slips out from this reality. Ilona Witkowska mentioned the perspective of our lives in the face of the climate disaster to be 30 years instead of 70 years. Naked scenes require a careful approach since once you get them wrong, you ruin them forever. The answers to the question about what writing is to them were interesting but of no practical value so I'm not quoting them.

Consecutive translation into English means it's better watched non-live so that you can skip one version to save time, the interpretation is sometimes incorrect. Though, on the other hand, it occasionally clarifies the Polish authors' meandering answers.

JAK POWSTALA EUFORIA

The meeting with Ron Leshem on how "Euphoria" came into being was more factual. His first advice was: re-writing the script several times takes 5-10 years so pick up what you're passionate about. Also, remind yourself over and over again of the one idea that the script originated from. He finds research more exciting than writing. He normally chooses the bodies he wants to be inside and feels compassion for. Once he's written, he doesn't want to be in that world anymore. He prefers to learn about new worlds. Only putting a mirror in front of the viewer's face and disturbing them can become an art. He remarks that nowadays lives of 17-year-olds and 40-year-olds don't differ much. "Euphoria" is a new quality because, while cinema has happened to present teenagers as adults, TV used to paternalise them, educate etc. Israeli series, with 100 scenes per episode, have 1/5 of the budgets usual in Europe. On the other hand, he once wrote a pilot on espionage which was adapted into Korean. American producers wanted "Euphoria" to be more like "Skins", more comic. But HBO got a new president, who was courageous enough. Sam Levinson fought his own addiction in his youth. Ron Leshem wasn't a 17 like this himself. For Sam, it was his personal story. Series producers require a tried and tested structure, that's why they use an algorithm. E.g. Tarantino follows an algorithm in his movies. TV is even more obsessive, they require the "Saving the cat" structure. That means drama writers need to know how it's going to develop and end. Exploring all possible journeys of a character requires a thought that lasts 6-7 hours, not our usual 20 seconds. In a drama, every disaster has a purpose and every evil has a reason so he finds comfort and solace in writing. And also because that gives him solitude as opposed to working as an executive with 300 other people. Netflix and HBO invest billions of dollars a year into the content. Every American home has an average of 4 different streaming services. There's a potential for watching TV in autonomous, self-driving cars. For the first time in history, there's a global platform for television. So cultural differences in shows stand out. He advises not to write before you've got the treatment and to go back to one-liners. If there's a problem, such strong roots will show what's not working. If a Hollywood executive calls your work brilliant, you won't hear from him once you leave the room. It's better when they have remarks what needs correcting - their ideas needn't be taken seriously but they point to where there's an issue. Otherwise, you'll be writing endless drafts. When you know your focus time - his is from 6 a.m. to noon - don't answer emails, don't waste that time. You have to work with someone you feel comfortable with. He also talked of the importance of "door opening" by renowned writers for the yet unknown ones. 

Kaja Klimek's comment about the interpreter sums up her English: "He's really the best. It's a great translator." Her pronunciation was comprehensible but sometimes off. Jan Kłoczko's overinterpretation was off too and sometimes even distorted the sense of what Ron Leshem said. At least Kaja Klimek's questions were to the point, smart and worth asking. Just as were Ron Leshem's answers.

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EX-NIHILO

Watchable. A poorly produced satire on film-making in the guise of creating a science fiction movie. Too theatrical in the form and too philosophical in the content. And while it's clear it's a satire, it's not amusing at all.

DRØMMEBYGGERNE (DREAMBUILDERS)

Watchable. The Danish cartoon about breaking and mending family ties is engaging, realistic in the daytime part and convincing in the dream layer. The story's immediately engaging, adventurous but not overloaded, even with several tender moments. Most importantly, anyone can relate to the events. The chess that split them, then brings them together, by means of the broken chessboard and scattered pieces. Sadly, the animation lacks detail. Colour divisions and scope could be better too. In Poland, it's dubbed in Polish only. No subtitled version.

POLICE (NIGHT SHIFT)

Watchable. I considered walking out from this French drama about police officers' daily lives but waited to find out what would happen to the expelled asylum seeker and to the lovers. Neither of the subplots gets concluded though. It's annoying how blondie Virginie Efira doesn't act, she just is there. Omar Sy as Aristide doesn't help. It's just a gloomy drama about day-to-day life of the police: home and work. Erik's character counterbalances Virginie and Aristide's approach but everyone is so sluggish nothing much is possible to happen anyway. A number of social issues are diluted by the poor direction of Anne Fontaine. Clear shots of the city at night add realism. But it's overloaded with the mundane already.

A QUIET PLACE PART II

Watchable. John Krasinski directs and appears as Lee again. Monsters turn up just a few minutes in. Sound and silence effects are adopted depending on whose eyes and ears we follow. Mild jump shocks make it more of a post-apocalyptic thriller rather than a horror. The movie drags till action starts in the second half. Plot developments are too much in your face, e.g. fire, water, sound enliven the action at the same time in the various locations the protagonists are in. The ending comes in time but with no conclusion. The money-making machinery is still in motion. Quality music accompanies the end credits. Recorded in Atmos but when watched in a Dolby room, the sound was so-so.

ETE 85 (SUMMER OF 85)

Recommended. Just about every time director François Ozon shoots, he scores. After being bang on target with ":'Amant Double" ("The Double Lover"), the man with the golden touch continues his run of success with "Été 85" ("Summer of 85"). Set in Normandy, which provides the scenic backdrop of cliffs, and reflecting the 80s to the point where even the film is grainy and as if aged, apart from obligatory clothes, hairstyles, boys wearing jewellery, music of the time. What's more, one of the lead characters is named Alexis, the name he prefers to shorten to Alex, anyway one most associated with a character from "Dynasty" - a long running TV series aired from 1981. The makers play with details. The movie's based on a novel and a protagonist writes one. In Alex's room you notice a poster of "The Awakening" which reads: "They thought they buried her forever". In the dance scene, his moves initially resemble David's and, even more remarkably, the song lyrics go: "Can you hear me?" "I am fighting to be free" "I am dying. I am crying." The film starts with a hot boy's intro which immediately throws a mystery into the puzzle. Soon another hottie turns up. In the middle, the announced death happens. The second half is grieving. The ending ties up loose ends. Nothing is left to chance.

SNIEGU JUZ NIGDY NIE BEDZIE (NEVER GONNA SNOW AGAIN)

Watchable. Another movie by Szumowska, known for "Body/Ciało" - which I walked out from and "Twarz" ("Mug") - which I loved. There's a line between original and weird. The new production is on the weird side. And it vastly consists of erotic dances and voyeurism - like in "Twarz" ("Mug") - has Małgorzata Szumowska run out of ideas? Snow and nuclear fallout in Chernobyl look the same so you can interpret the title optimistically that there won't be any disaster like that again or pessimistically that the climate change will render snow a thing of the past. Still, the topic is: spoilt rich housewives. A number of famous actors, e.g. Agata Kulesza, Maja Ostaszewska, Katarzyna Figura, Weronika Rosati and others are barely recognizable due to effective disguises. Wooden lead (Alec Utgoff) detracts from their efforts.

THE LITTLE THINGS. 

Watchable. Consulted by retired Sgt. Stanley White, it may well be grounded in reality. Star cast: Denzel Washington, Remi Malek, Jared Leto - all ensure a quality thriller. Remi Malek transforms his character from exuding confidence to a sheepish look when he's sitting at the pool in the ending. Jared Leto is convincing both as a weirdo and as an ambiguous personality. The beginning of the movie is a little confusing, hard to make out how many crimes they're solving and how many suspects they have. Soon, however, suspense comes in and quiet tension lasts till the very ending. The finale brings a mixture of satisfaction and frustration - is this the ending I wanted? Mixed-period interior designs, cars, town areas render the story timeless.

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MY LITTLE BLACK GIRL

Watchable. A smart film on being black. The guy tells seemingly his daughter but, through the position of the camera, the viewer, how to be a decent person. I agree with most of the rules. He sees faults on both sides: black and white. But first he tells his daughter not to support all the things that black people do and later, in the end credits, he dedicates the film to criminal George Floyd - doesn't he know who the guy was? On the other hand, "If you're in trouble, call the cops. That was a good one. But that's true! I mean, who are you supposed to call? Batman?" - that's truly a good one. Scary how it works. They can clearly only rely on each other.

12. PRZEGLAD NOWEGO KINA FRANCUSKIEGO 2021 (THE 12TH NEW FRENCH CINEMA SCREENING 2021)

This year's screening will be held in Warsaw on 18-25 June and in 13 other cities on different dates. Among the films on offer are "Le Voyage du prince" ("The Prince's Voyage") and "Été 85" ("Summer of 85"). Animated "Le Voyage du prince" ("The Prince's Voyage") will be screened in two versions to choose from: subtitled or dubbed in Polish and will be on general release later on. In Ozon's latest "Été 85" ("Summer of 85") he returns after over 30 years to what was going to be his first movie. It'll be on general release as well.

Other screenings are scheduled to come in the wake of the French one: Cinema Italia Oggi and Tydzień Filmu Niemieckiego (German Film Week) in July, for the first time a Scandinavian cinema screening will take place too.

LE DISCOURS (THE SPEECH)

Watchable. Verbal introduction by Benjamin Lavernhe replaces opening credits. This adaptation of Fabcaro's novel of the same title is a very observant satire on family, relationships and social gatherings. As common in French cinema, the film deals with inconvenient memories in a light way. It boasts an excellent performance by Benjamin Lavernhe as the male lead who takes on many roles within one person's scope of experiences. The movie raises a few smiles and occasional laughs. At the same time, its admirable insight brings out the truth on how much relationships matter to us. Also, everyone can refer to the situations, regardless of the culture you come from, which gives it a reality check. But however smart and spot on the remarks are, the fact the protagonist reflects on them giving a constant commentary means it's a little overtalked which is tiring after 1,5 hours. Popular music ensures a pleasant background to the story.

THE CROODS: A NEW AGE

Recommended. In Poland, it's only dubbed in Polish so you won't hear Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone or Ryan Reynolds voicing the characters in the original. At least all songs and occasional captions are in English. The movie tells about cultural and physical differences between social classes but successfully shows how both need the other, can inhabit the land together peacefully and have fun. Attitudes to life and to the other societal group are depicted - cleverly and entertainingly. The environmental issue of governing water resources plays a big part too, as does the crisis of masculinity and the re-emerging of women power. The plot is so eventful, the pictures so rich in detail - all admirably creative - that I felt overstimulated at some point but that is exactly when some hyperactive kids in the audience finally got quiet. Colours, invented animals, picture-perfect plants, with the prevalence of fruits and flowers, dazzle you. But most importantly, even though I haven't seen part one, now I love the troglodytes, the Bettermans and their pets and want to see more of them. Funny at times, e.g. "It's not my hand", at other times outrageous but never lacking in ingenuity. 

TOM AND JERRY

Recommended. Can a rom-com-cum-career-comedy with superimposed cartoon animals actually work? Well, written by the numbers, it does not bring any surprises but amuses, e.g. when Ben apologizes to Peeta or when Tom and Jerry try to put a guilt trip on Kayla, moves you to tears with love issues and glues you to the screen throughout with numerous developments. Kayla lands a job by her wits but proves she's really good with people. The hotel director is every beginner's dream boss and is played spot on by Rob Delaney. I adored the barman Cameron (Jordan Bolger) - the counterbalance of reason when the cat, the mouse, the dog, elephants and peacocks wreak havoc in the hotel. The girl porter (Patsy Ferran) resembles Loona Lovegood from the "Harry Potter" series. The cat and the mouse make faces wonderfully. Indian wedding attires manage to bring even more colour. Set in NYC, the movie was shot not only in the US but also in Battersea Park, London. In Poland, it's only dubbed in Polish. At least all songs and occasional captions are in English. Altogether, it's good fun. There's a post-credit.

MORTAL KOMBAT

Watchable. The new version of the sci-fi flick based on a video game, shot in Japanese, Chinese and English in South Australia, finally offers decent CGIs. Sadly, it's all shot in a dark palette. The actors are fine but the shoddy plot doesn't offer much. One curious bit is when an extremely brutal character draws a comic book and remarks that every artist is twisted. The 1995 film at least had a nice soundtrack. Pretty standard orchestrations in the new one disappoint. Fantastic "Techno Syndrome 2021" runs only over the end credits.

DRUGA POLOWA (THE SECOND HALF)

Watchable. A truly amusing comedy of errors with some hilarious lines and social satire, especially on footballers. Hot young Maciej Musiał is just amazing as a silly celebrity. Cezary Pazura shows off his impressive muscles. All other lead actors are perfectly cast too. Attractive cinematography. Only two elements detract from this enjoyable rom-com: the pointless sad mention of the orphanage and the homeless man - equally useless in the story, especially that the scene with him picking up the Lotto ticket doesn't find a conclusion. It just looks as if the editor forgot to cut out the loose ends. The film finishes with the scenes shown along with the early end credits.

Polish national representation footballers with their wags saw the movie first and declared there was nothing fake in it.

NOMADLAND

Watchable. Must have been written by a very positive person. I was struck by how kind to each other they all are. The story doesn't present anything I wouldn't have known before. It clarifies what kind of people American inland nomads are and demonstrates how they regain control of their lives and deaths. But it's all too flat emotionally. You watch the whole thing in the same slightly low mood. Visually unimpressive. I don't understand why Frances McDormand recommended seeing it on "as big a screen as you can".

CRUELLA

Recommended. This blockbuster is meant for the big screen. The baddie is played with relish by Emma Thompson. The star of the show, though, is Emma Stone as plucky Estella. Both ladies get brilliant support from a vast array of actors, most notably Paul Walter Hauser and Joel Fry as Estella's partners in crime. Emma Stone not only acts in this new take on the famous story but is also an executive producer, together with Glenn Close, who impersonated Cruella De Vil before in "101 Dalmatians" and "102 Dalmatians". The new tale is set in London's West End but parts were shot also at the Tower of London. While the baroness epitomises posh fashion, it's punk that rules. Estella aka Cruella paired with the second-hand shop owner Artie wear Vivienne Westwood-style outfits. However, the "no future" punk decree here turns into "the future". The movie abounds in the music of the time, e.g. Suzi Quatro, The Doors, Queen etc., though contemporary band Florence and the Machine sing "Call me Cruella" over the end credits. The movie contains clever pop culture references, e.g. a fiery entrance reworks the "Hunger Games" trope, a feminist version of a famous Star Wars revelation is played out at some point, the concrete balcony scene is reminiscent of Emma Stone's earlier "Birdman", the protagonist has double-colour hair and laughs like Harley Quinn. The movie's shot with panache and features an impressive arsenal of visual effects, twists of action, mind-blowing costumes and make-ups with which to dazzle viewers. As for the plot, Cruella's vicious obsession with Dalmatians gets a new angle. Armed with a cracking script, the protagonist uses an elaborate subterfuge to perform an amazing sting against the heartless baroness. Because of the complexity of the plot and the issue of power presented the adult way it'll appeal to grown-ups more than to kids. Also, the history of fashion will be incomprehensible to the little ones. There's a wonderful mid-credit. I loved all about this movie. It's just spotless - apart from the Dalmatians. In Poland, both subtitled and dubbed versions are on. 2D only.

THE FATHER

Recommended. Anthony Hopkins didn't give anyone a fighting chance in this year's Oscar race. He won it hands down. You witness the terrifying gradual loss of control of his life, at the same time you also lose track as a viewer. The story superbly steers you both ways: puts you in the mind of a person with Alzheimer's and questions the reality through the underlying conflicts which raises your suspicion as to what's going on. There's also a moral conundrum for the other party involved. The whole thing is quietly profound. Several scenes touch you deeply. The ending is shattering.

Revamped Kinoteka now boasts improved sound systems, fragrant flowers in the hallway, a legible, clear and enticing price list. Due to low daytime ticket prices for seniors (12 zl), the cinema was pretty full even in the early afternoon.

THIS IS SHORT

NEW POINT OF VIEW

YOLLOTL (HEART)

Watchable. Rainforest and its sounds are marred by fake ghostly heavy breathing. Not much of a story. Animated insertions, looking almost 3D were of some interest.

SIMILAR IMAGE

Watchable. From the description, it was meant to present the sounds of nature. You hardly get any sounds, they're of poor technical quality, they're nearly replaced by marks inserted on the visuals on the computer. I only watched till the end to see Ukraine. It appears to be a poor, backwards country with littered woods.

NEVER GROW OLD (2019)

Watchable. A bunch of cold-blooded villains terrorise a small town in this budget western. All characters are two-dimensional. It takes time to make out the order of events. It also drags so badly it had me switching to other tabs.

The movie on mojeekino.pl was barely audible - watching it was a gruelling experience.

WRATH OF MAN

Recommended. Guy Ritchie's latest is heavy-loaded action with a mind-boggling puzzle beside a heist, all registered in the world's best sound: 7.1 which makes impact even in a 5.1 screening room. First I was apprehensive because of Jason Statham - he's got the same no-emotion stance and face in every movie. But exactly this works perfectly here, where the hero's poker face is a prerequisite. The multi-layered plot shows the same event from varied angles, going to and fro in time and switching between protagonists. But from among all Ritchie's films I've seen I don't recall any other with such sound. It's a masterpiece: surrounding, multi channeled, absolutely state-of-art. The sound effects and sound editing are Oscar worthy. What stays with you are also the low end tones of the track from the end credits.  

WOLKA

Recommended. Don't read any synopsis! Within the story, information is released gradually so any knowledge of the content may detract from the pleasure. Convincing performances on all parts, with Olga Bołądź as the lead superbly enacting putting to use the thinking conditioned by her protagonist's past 15 years. Stunning panoramic views of the depicted country, not even touristy areas, just landscapes, deserve a large screen and complement the smart, eventful and well-justified plot.

I saw the movie in a screening room which has a laser projector (in Warsaw, it's Helios Blue City room 4) which ensured the colours were exactly the way the cinematographer intended.

ALONE

Watchable. A zombie actioner starring agile Tyler Posey. What's new in the genre which refuses to die? Well, the protagonist is locked in his flat for over 7 weeks. One of early scenes includes an awesome helicopter crash. The hero's family is mentioned being somewhere out there via phone. Zombies are regular, no novelty here. The main characters' names are Aidan and Eva as if they were the first humans in the upcoming new world, post apocalyptic Adam and Eve. Climbing provides for a handful of curtain hangers. 1 hour in comes a major twist with wonderful Donald Sutherland. A satisfactory finale.

Seen online, cinematic reception might differ but, at least in Poland, the movie's only available online anyway.

THIS IS SHORT

NEW POINT OF VIEW

LIHKKU!

Watchable. An 8-minute documentary. First you are made to listen to what you hear if you're coming from a culture presumed to be inferior - whether you make caustic remarks or express your admiration doesn't matter as long as you underline the person's origins. But the Sami attires the girl doesn't like mentioned are truly beautiful. At the same time, it's a local Swedish issue - I, for one, couldn't tell the difference between a Swede and a Sami.

CRUELLA 

I've seen it already but, due to a publication ban, I'll post the review at or past 3 p.m. Polish time (GMT+1) on Wednesday 26th.

THE WORLD TO COME

Walked out. Based on a literary work - too literally: recited lines, the lead thinking her diary aloud, all characters talking in the same style with no emotions, slow pace, fake-looking snowing. 

But it was very pleasant to be surprised by a courteous welcome drink at Kinoteka cinema. 

GENIUSZE (ADVENTURES OF A MATHEMATICIAN)

Watchable. Only Poles can turn the heated issue of the creation of the atomic bomb into a lukewarm tale. The only good point is the realistic recreation of the time and place. But the movie drags, contains lots of pointless scenes and lines. At the same time, it fails to inform properly on the historical events and figures. You spend 2 hours wondering where it's headed. The lead actor is Philippe Tłokiński, the same as in "Kurier" ("The Resistance Fighter") and the movie is on the same level: poorly acted, emotionally flat, shot in dull colours, with no music apart from a party and in a car. Inept editing means that not only is it protracted but e.g. music at a party gets cut off abruptly mid-tune to transport you to a quiet empty room. 1 hour 16 minutes in the movie the use of atomic fuel for space rockets is mentioned which reawakens your interest but the topic is dropped immediately only to reappear in a written note at the end. 

AMATORZY

Watchable. Theatre is a poor subject for the cinema. So is Down syndrome - such people are ugly and there's no denying that. But the movie's technically professional so easy to follow. Timely editing by Agnieszka Glińska and Barbara Fronc provide good dynamics, all able-bodied and -minded actors give fine performances, Wojciech Solarz, Anna Dymna and Mariusz Bonaszewski stand out, cinematography by Michał Popiel-Machnicki makes the backgrounds visually attractive. The film depicts clashes between both groups of people and as if accidentally poses some questions. Is sexism inherent to intellectually-challenged people? How much do we tolerate just because someone is disabled?

Both seen online, cinematic reception might differ.

THE HUMAN VOICE + PEDRO ALMODOVAR AND TILDA SWINTON Q&A

Watchable. Pedro Almodóvar's drama about unrequited love starts off like a thriller. Music plays a major role in this feeling of quickly mounting tension. But in English, with a Scottish actress, it's still the original Almodóvar. The storyline is straight out of Jean Cocteau's play of the same title (French: "La voix humaine") and doesn't transcribe into a movie well. The result is obnoxious theatricality from scene one - visible in costumes and Tilda Swinton's stilted performance. She doesn't convey the despair, she's just too distanced and aloof to move. The monodrama also literally takes place on- and off-stage. Books and DVDs appearing in the frame matter: Bergman, "Kill Bill", "The Phantom Thread" et al. bring cultural associations and form a mind-game for those willing to dig deeper in the interpretation. Like in other Almodóvar creations, the director paints a vivid picture, dominated by red and enhanced by vintage - here 60s - decor mixed with modern large geometrical elements in the flat. While in "Dolor y gloria" ("Pain And Glory") he recreated his own flat, this one, purposefully designed for "The Human Voice", is equally rich in detail and colour but, by being motley, less attractive than the previous. The music, reproduced from "La piel que habito" ("The Skin I Live In"), "Habla con ella" ("Talk To Her")and "Los abrazos rotos" ("Broken Embraces"), is scarce but wonderful and creates emotions lacking in the actress' performance. It was only Tilda's remark in the Q&A that made me wonder whether the phone calls took place for real (withing the reality of the tale). In the film they seemed like she was talking to her ex-lover. The movie will appeal to anyone who's had their heart ripped out and stomped on.

Agustín Almodóvar, Pedro's brother, produced the movie and appeared in it together with a few other family members. Tilda Swinton is slated to appear in Pedro's next, now half-written enterprise, because of her physique. 

Warsaw-dwelling viewers may feel privileged due to Yestersen's unique initiative: the company showroom in 5 Lekarska Street, Warsaw is going to recreate the room from "The Human Voice" around 6-8 June.

미나리 (MINARI)

Watchable. This critically acclaimed (6 Oscar nominations, 1 win) family drama about Koreans' American dream, set in the 1980s, focuses on acculturation from all angles - each character goes through it differently. Also each country has its own customary beliefs. Fine performances all around and a touching story with several tender scenes make the movie engaging. Yet disturbing, bed-wetting details and pranks make the viewing uneasy. It's not neat cinema but down-to-earth to the point of some dirt-digging. The way the film's cast interact with one another gives an illusion of a genuine family. Shifting positions in the clan over time and space are another major subject. Jacob (superb Steven Yeun) tries to prove himself worthy as a man who can't chicken out. The movie's executed by the numbers, e.g. with the history of the Korean war in mind, a local befriends the family hence becoming the immigrant's subordinate. A predictable ending detracts slightly from this beautiful, cosy drama. 

Muranów Cinema in Warsaw, Poland had their large screening rooms repainted. The blue one is now brighter, bolder blue and both the blue one and the red one, combined with improved lighting, expose the shapes, e.g. of mask reliefs, better.

THIS IS SHORT

NEW POINT OF VIEW

SCUM MUTATION

Watchable. Animation on rape and sexism, probably connected to some French street  demonstrations. It's too fast and violent to move but can make the viewer feel agitated. Artistic visuals keep flashing, the audio's full of shouting - I think I might have woken my neighbours.

WE STAND ON THE HILL, PROUD AND GENTLE, HEADING TOWARDS THE UNKNOWN AND DEATH

Watchable. The plot is relatable to anyone whose ways with others parted and even more so to anyone who's revisited a place where they've lived before only to find it all changed, even a railway disused. It would have been a fascinating essay, or poetry maybe, since some lines repeat. But with scarce visuals, it's barely a film.

SCRIPT FIESTA

CO MUSI WIEDZIEC SCENARZYSTA, A CZEGO NIE UCZA W SZKOLACH...

Maciej Ślesicki started his lecture on what a writer needs to know but isn't taught at school introducing himself. So now I finally know who he is. I totally agree with him that all writing classes are a sham: they teach the craft and let network but talent is a separate thing. You can download a free program formatting a script. I personally learnt from this lecture what an establishing shot is. And I found out Tarantino had never been to film school. The whole lecture was entertaining even if most of the content obvious. But some hints were interesting, e.g. start the scene late, expose early - this leaves the viewer guessing; only indispensable scenes and lines stay; the best situation is when everyone in the movie has a problem and everyone is right. He summed up with a writer's tagline of his serial: "W pierwszym odcinku bohaterom grozi śmierć, w każdym następnym niebezpieczeństwo rośnie." ("In the first episode, the protagonists are in the danger of death and in each subsequent episode the danger increases.")

No English version.

JAK PRACUJA SCENARZYSCI 6 EP.

The 6 talks on how screenwriters work consist of remarks by authors and teachers - even those who haven't scripted anything themselves. 

Proces twórczy (Creative process). Switched off. That is or should be more individual than script doctors allow.

Narracja (Structure): Mateusz Pacewicz sticks to the 3-act formula religiously, even in series or short films. Agnieszka Kruk advises to use ready-made formulas but to choose one of several described already. Michał Oleszczyk remarks that all American Oscar-winning movies contained long speeches.

Temat (Topic). Switched off. Only obvious stuff.

Dialogi/Bohaterowie (Dialogues/Protagonists). 2 things to remember: don't take jokes from dowcipy.pl and maintain familiarity and surprise at the same time.

Współpraca (Co-operation): interfering in the script is bad for the movie, working together is good.

Rady dla scenarzystów (Advice for screenwriters): have a lawyer, multitask, don't be afraid of writer's block - comes naturally. Another piece of advice was to write about their own world - that makes it clear to me why too many Polish movies are personal dramas.

Tiny English subtitles.

BOZE CIALO HEJTERA. SCENARIUSZE POD LUPA

A brilliant comparison, by Bolesław Racięski and Karol Kubiak, of Mateusz Pacewicz's 2 heroes: they're virtually the same protagonist, just with different goals. And the editorial trick where they become the protagonist and anti-protagonist in the same movie is absolutely superb.

Subtitled in English.

SCENARZYSTKI

The female writers' panel didn't bring much info other than the advice to write at least 1 sentence per day or 1-3 pages per day or 15 minutes per day - depending on your situation, anyway to do it daily.

AKTOR KONTRA SCENARIUSZ

Actor Cezary Pazura talked about what an actor needs in a script. His opinion was that: "recenzje polegają na tym, że my się na siłę czegoś czepiamy" ("reviews are based on the fact that we find a fault by force"). His advice is not to repeat the same phrases in a sentence because then we automatically switch off, thinking we've heard it already. The meeting included a fragment of "Przypadki Cezarego P." - a series I didn't bother to watch in the past but unexpectedly an accumulation of issues at a check-out proved to be hilarious.

SCENARIUSZ A INSCENIZACJA

On staging a screenplay, I only found time to listen to the first 5 minutes 18 seconds before it was removed from the website. I learnt that everything which is in a frame is essential.

SCENARIUSZ AUDIOSERIALU

I only managed to hear the full podcast of Anna Kazejak. She highlighted how an audioserial differs from a film one, e.g. you may use 4 distinct voices max, e.g. 2 men and 2 women. Writing it is faster than writing a book, the audioserial was made within 2-3 months once she's finished writing, a movie typically takes a few years in the making.

Katarzyna Szczerba - I only heard it till 10:04. Nothing of value at the beginning.

Absolutely tiny English subtitles.

SCENARIUSZ NA EKRANIE: KONTROLA

I've seen some episodes, none of which delighted me but it was enacted well enough not to complain either. Found no time to see the event which probably consisted of a fragment of the film with the script rolling below simultaneously.

SCRIPT FIESTA

All the below mentioned videos were kept on for a few days longer than initially announced but are gone now. I didn't find time to see everything. Anyway here's a lowdown on what they were about and whether they were worth seeing at all. And some more is coming up shortly - when I've edited my notes.

SCENARIUSZ NA EKRANIE: BOZE CIALO

The 3-minute excerpt from the script is one scene played from the movie with the script rolling below. Interesting to see how it was performed and how poorly acted it in fact was.

Polish version only.

MACIEJ SOBCZYK - JAK PODPISYWAC UMOWY?

The lecture on how to sign contracts was excellent, I took 10 screen shots of Maciej Sobczyk's remarks. No English subtitles though. It was all in Polish only therefore I've decided to put some Polish terms in brackets.

What you're paid is the sum in the contract + royalties (tantiemy) + derivative rights, property rights (prawa pochodne, majątkowe). The payment of the last installment typically equals rights transfer (przekazanie praw), but it's also possible to "grant the producer an exclusive licence conditionally" ("warunkowo udzielić producentowi licencję wyłączną"), provided that they obtain funding. If the moment of the rights transfer is "the moment of establishing the work" ("moment ustalenia dziela") that equals the moment of durable recording i.e. on a computer - to be avoided! We should demand that to take place at the moment of the payment of the last installment (w momencie zapłaty ostatniej raty). The payment should take place after the work is accepted (zapłata po akceptacji dzieła). If a producer doesn't like the writer, they sometimes require endless amendments to discourage the person from cooperation. Also, you need to make sure you are given unlimited time to amend the script and you can provide for the number of amendments you accept to write. Any use of the script before obtaining the rights and paying for it is a serious breach of law. Before signing the contract or if the agreement is broken, the rights belong to the writer. 

Development is creating the basis, the first version of a film or the bible, the short story of a series (biblia, nowela serialu). It often happens that the contract mentions only the payment for episodes without a bible: characters, the axis of the conflict, the frame of the project - we need to get paid for it too. Episodes are derivatives of this basis. The idea-provider must be an author or co-author in the credits. The idea can be developed by someone else or by a team. 

As for sales and fields of exploitation, future fields are common in contracts but statutory invalid.

The producer sells the rights to third parties, e.g. TV, cinemas and the writer loses royalties. We need a stipulation that we get a % from the sales.

Derivative works under copyright law (autorskie prawo zależne = pochodne od dzieła) e.g. episodes from the short story of a series, a series from a film or a book etc. We can restrict to which forms we keep the rights and which we sell.The elements can be mentioned in different parts of the contract or be inconsistent - on purpose or by mistake. If a case goes to court, judges aren't proficient with audiovisual law. We need to ensure we profit from continuations, spin-offs, serials, games, books, comic books. We need a stipulation that we get a % from the derivative products, e.g. merchandise. Also if the format is sold, e.g. the serial in other countries. We need it in the basic, original contract.

If we sell a project which is never shot, we can state that if it's not enacted within e.g. 3 years, the rights return to us. It often means we need to return the pay. Or a licence agreement: they pay us for the right to use it within a period of time. 

They can use our personal rights: revealing the work, putting us in credits so we should cede them to the producer (scedować na producenta), but we may want to stay anonymous if we don't like the final cut or to ensure we are listed. It relates also to the integrity of the work (integralność utworu) but the law isn't precise. So we need to specify what they can do, e.g. use a character in another serial.So we need to be careful with the execution of our personal rights.

Royalties: that by law depends on the percentage of our participation in the work. The producer wants to determine it so we may end up being the author of our own script in 20% because people will add their names if they had remarks to the script. So we must demand to put down that our participation is no lower than some %. The royalties are from TV only, from streaming platforms not as yet - possibly will become a directive this year. So the producer should try to obtain their royalties and pay us part of those. 

If exploitation in "in particular", "among others", "e.g.", because they extend their exploitation rights - avoid! "any claims by third parties" ("jakiekolwiek roszczenia osób trzecich") are also to be avoided - we should also specify which claims we accept, e.g. in case the claims result from someone else's amendments.

Penalties for lateness etc. may appear but no penalties for lateness in payment will be put down. We need to put down we won't amend 3 months after the final approval. So penalties should be both ways. Penalties shouldn't be over the top - that's in fact illegal.

Arbitration tribunals (sądy polubowne = arbitraż) are more professional, faster and cheaper.

Product placement - we need to write that down in the contract as additionally paid.

CZEGO POTRZEBUJE SCENARIUSZ, A CZEGO POTRZEBUJE AKTOR?

It's a meeting with Adam Bobik, an actor of 2 movies and 1 serial - none of which I've seen but fragments are inserted in the conversation - on what an actor needs from a script conducted by Artur Wyrzykowski. The conclusions are: If a script is good, the actor is fine with just the stage notes and dialogues from which he can deduce the backstory. But with real life protagonists, he reads more on their motivations. Yet when he acts, he acts just the given scene which makes the backstory redundant. He focuses on technicalities, i.e. position, timing. The actor doesn't understand avoiding profanities in dialogues. I disagree with him and with some Artur Wyrzykowski's theories, e.g. creating a backstory in order to remove it later - in my humble opinion that may leave gaps in the 'now', now I understand why it happens in movies. His advice was silly too.

As for the movie excerpts, "Wszyscy moi przyjaciele nie żyją" ("All My Friends Are Dead") looks like a poor Polish drama, amateurishly acted, including Adam Bobik. "Król" ("King") - his role is better, the series is historical about the antisemitic ideology. "Bliscy" ("Dear Ones") hasn't been released yet, doesn't look enticing. 3 totally different roles: a spoilt rich youngster, a manipulative politician, a nerdy loner.

Subtitled in English.

LA GOMERA (THE WHISTLERS)

Recommended. A truly original multilingual crime story: in Spanish, English, Romanian and whistled. The axis of the complex plot is a corrupt policeman from Bucharest whose covering a drug dealer is compromised and, as 30 million euro is at stake, he's working his way both through the prosecutor's office where he's employed and the gang structures. Everyone has got something to gain and something to lose therefore each protagonist is playing his or her own game. The plot is intricate, jumps to and fro in time and place but all the pieces of the puzzle fit. Beautiful Romanian model Catrinel Menghia acts convincingly and shows off her curves naked. Wonderful cinematography takes you on a trip round the world with three diverse country locations. As it commences, you approach the volcanic rocks of La Gomera and are welcomed by an announcer at the ferry harbour, then you visit Bucharest and Romanian countryside, when it ends, another announcer bids goodbye in Singapore.

Seen online, with top-notch picture and sound, but, obviously, cinematic reception might differ.

TERREUR 404

MARIE NOIRE

Watchable. The tale is tongue-in-cheek and focuses around.... ghost-navigation in the phone. The upbuilding gave me the creeps but the actual ghost fails to scare. Inconsistencies and ambiguities are too much for a 12-minute plot.

PLACE DES FRENES

Watchable. I have to admit it's convincingly acted - the vomiting, several times in the short film, is truly revolting. As for the storyline, once it ends, having seen two episodes so far, you get the formula of each: the protagonists get their comeuppance - that makes the plots all too predictable. 

KRYSTELLE

Watchable. Predictable from the moment of the conflict but pleasant, with no nerve-wrecking suspense. The least brutal of the three. It first touches you with truly tender scenes but then a silly conflict transforms into a battle of the sexes. The story does not end with the murder. 

All films in the horror series appear to be shot in bright colours, well-paced, with a few turns of action, even if easy to foresee. At the same time, it's unashamedly commercial, aimed at the very  audience that's into "Black Mirror". By and large, just because the formula is so derivative, the series does not make for such compelling viewing.

In Poland, released on CDA Premium, the series is available with Polish voice-over as "Terror 404". Two new webisodes weekly, the first two are already online and 12 minutes long each.

THIS IS SHORT

NEW POINT OF VIEW

CONTAGIOUS WHISPER

Watchable. A rubbish bin/trash can of ideas - shot by one person in London and one in an American desert so I'm using both expressions. The film doesn't match its description. It's a mixture of acting, art, nature which turns the infodemic issue upside down. Still, it's a mess so whichever way the authors reached the conclusion it could be positive, you can't make out one clear storyline.

THIS IS SHORT

NEW POINT OF VIEW

ECHO

Recommended. I've seen this 6-minute short film 4 times at once - interpreting it differently each time. The idea of presenting a trauma as a snow blizzard is brilliant, though to me it was a harsh winter rather. Anyway, I thought of it in 2 varying ways before I learnt what it was about and in 2 ways again after. Such a complex few minutes. A masterpiece.

VORES MAND I AMERIKA (THE GOOD TRAITOR)

Watchable. This based-on-facts story of a Danish diplomat who found himself in the US at the onset of WW2 showcases global diplomacy in the making. It's engaging but develops gradually and a bit on the slow side - tension is scarce, in spite of a fascinating intrigue. Also, some details of administrative law as well as of Kauffmann's family relations weren't clear to me. Luckily, they didn't fog up the storyline. Costumes and interior design, combined with period music, transport you to the time of the Second World War. A villa with a pool, a lush garden, the Danish diplomat's family and his circle frolic in the pool or lounge poolside. Every now and then the picture of the upper class representatives basking in southern sun gets distorted by the sound of Hitler's speeches and other wartime audio material. Occasional slow motion shots are the icing on the cake. This elegant movie fails to thrill but you learn how the American military base in Greenland came into being and you remain in awe of both the original diplomat and of the cinematographer. 

If the white subtitles on light backgrounds are to stay, it may hinder watching from a distance and that matters since the movie is entering a number of Polish online platforms on Friday.

SCRIPT FIESTA

OKRAGLY STOL SCENARZYSTOW

Błażej Hrapkowicz talked to Kaja Krawczyk-Wnuk, Łukasz M. Maciejewski, Krzysztof Rak, Marta Szymanek and Mateusz Pacewicz. The whole conversation is subtitled, in small print, in English, with some mistakes again but perfectly comprehensible. The writers' names appear together with little captions with their most famous titles. 

A bigger part of the meeting focused on how far a writer is involved in the production, e.g. during the casting or on set. The work on the script ends when it's approved at the last test screening. Low culture of teamwork means a director often shoots a different movie than the scriptwriter has written and than the producer requires. Another issue is that writers' names are omitted or they are not invited to festivals. Royalties were mentioned too, e.g. Canal + and HBO pay them to directors and writers while Netflix doesn't - as yet, in Germany they've started paying. Authors don't sell well, unlike US showrunners, e.g. renowned Polish writer Piesiewicz co-wrote a book which he titled "Kieślowski" since his long-time co-worker director will sell the interview with himself (i.e. Piesiewicz) better than the author himself. Błażej Hrapkowicz's joke sums up writers' position the best: The happiest person is the pessimist because they're glad if they're right and they're happy if they're wrong. Altogether, it's a fascinating meeting with five smart people conducted by a skilled presenter.

SCRIPT FIESTA

KLINIKA SCENARIUSZOWA

The discussed scripts in the making were:

"Jak kamień w wodę", self-taught scriptwriter Łukasz Wasilewski's psychological family drama which turns into fantasy halfway into the film. The writer's main problem was that characters' motivations were unjustified psychologically and it was doctored by "Tato" ("Daddy") writer Maciej Ślesicki - I don't think I've ever seen his movie till the end, I remember it as rubbish but his advice for Łukasz Wasilewski made sense. I often find the same problem in the films I watch. Another issue was: "If I know (something), what am I going to watch it for?" As for the expected movie, I'd love to see the second half, but only with quality visuals. Neither a family drama nor a tragedy about a mourning are enticing. 

"Eksperyment", a drama by Anna Maksymenko with characters, in Maciej Ślesicki's view, so negative that he instructed her that at least some characters have to be amiable so they viewers feel for them and discussed how to show people's motivations and feelings. The story of a psychologicy student experimenting with influence on people doesn't tickle my fancy so I personally hope the movie won't be shot.

"Zenit" by Alicja Wąsowska - the first piece of advice you hear is: "the fewer protagonists the better, a simple relationship is more complex" - I guess it may work for budget dramas. Ślesicki had a similar observation to mine: the treatment she presented was half a movie. I liked his idea to make it into a full-blown crime story. Although, just like she initially intended, it still looks like crime/drama and the drama part makes me apprehensive, especially that one of the protagonists is a disabled kid. On the other part, Alicja Wąsowska knows how to structure a crime plot so I'm counting on her.

Olga Rutkowiak-Krawczyk's "Grawitacja" is a drama about infertility. Ślesicki mentioned he had also made "13. posterunek" - a serial I found too much of bargain-basement humour to follow. Still, his remarks were to the point. Sadly, the author is hellbent on her unoriginal idea and again, I wish she completely gave up on the topic.

Paulina Masiak's "Ostatni śpiew" is a drama about a relationship of an odd septuagenarian man and a 30-something female recluse. The ailment of the script was that both the aim and the evil must be tangible. With an aim set, you write everything that will hinder the hero. It's good if the protagonist is treated unfairly so that the viewer supports them. Makes sense but who would be attracted by the subject matter in the first place?

I'm disappointed Polish authors tend to write dramas and all those treatments give a déjà vu.

All the script-doctoring conversations are subtitled in English, though with grammatical mistakes.

ARTE.TV - PSYCHO BUGS

Switched 1 off, the other 9 watchable. I have poor experiences with the platform on which I haven't found even one truly good film but the 10 short films inspired by the pandemic got me curious. Each short film was preceded by a 30-second Lux Award commercial - annoying, the same stuff over and over every few minutes. A good point is you can choose subtitles from 6 languages. I saw the films because they depicted a number of varying individuals living all over Europe and provided insight into their emotions during the lockdown and those were often quite different from mine.The first one, "Never Good Enough" - on perfectionism - was awfully dull and superficial so I switched it off. As for the rest, the psychologists didn't say anything I wouldn't have known before and in one case - the Spanish one talking about hugs - I think her knowledge may be culture driven hence not applicable worldwide.  

THIS IS SHORT

NEW POINT OF VIEW

TESTFILM #1

Watchable. An artistic documentary. It delivers the lowdown on how reliable the DCP system is for cinemas, apart from having cut down the distribution cost by 90%: a file either meets the strict criteria and can be played or doesn't comply with the rules and cannot be screened. But the artistic attempt to circumvent it results in utterly vexing white noise and flashy pictures. I'm unimpressed. The artistic need for experimenting with a film is maintained after all - in the movie-making, before the encryption for the theatrical distribution - the documentalists just grabbed the wrong end of the stick.

LUCID DREAMS

Watchable. This 6-minute short appears to put together random thoughts around the beginning of the pandemic. It's typed in white on yellow background - mild to the eyes but not the simplest to read. The film description doesn't help to make sense of it. And why make it into a film if all you do is reading? I guess it's meant to reflect the doomscrolling it mentions at some point. But in reality even that would involve more variety, pictures and the like. 

The voting system after the two films failed to work.

THIS IS SHORT

NEW POINT OF VIEW

ATOMIC

Recommended. It's splendid. The visuals and the actress's voice are mesmerising. The story first enigmatic, artistic and philosophical, gains consistency and meaning once you read the film description. It gives you chills down the spine, especially when you read more, only to discover the story was true.

THE 2021 OSCARS GALA

Only http://freetvstream.in/de/tv/pro7.php worked this year on time. Brettygood.com joined shortly afterwards too but then switched to a different streaming at some point.

The gala started with references to black people's protests and the pandemic. Most nominees and their families are maskless at the venue because: "Everyone's been vaxxed, tested, socially isolated, re-tested." They are seated in small family groups at separate tables.

After introductions highlighting the backgrounds of the nominees, instead of usual jokes, "Promising Young Woman" wins the "Best Original Screenplay" - just as I hoped. 

Adapted Screenplay - "The Father" - I'll have to see it finally. Unlike in the last few years, this time I failed to see most of the nominated movies, part of it was on purpose. I do hope to see them all once cinemas re-open. The winner was live in Sydney. 

Laura Dern handed in the award for the International Feature Film. Vinterberg entered the stage dancing "Druk" ("Another Round") style and admitted he had always imagined the moment. He described his movie as being about letting go the control in your life and celebrating life. I loved the dancing scene in the picture but the rest was just fine. I haven't seen its competitors. 

Laura Dern continued with Actor in a Supporting Role. She's also focusing on nominees' backgrounds. No jokes. Daniel Kaluuya for "Judas and the Black Messiah" - again, I haven't seen the movie but I liked the actor in his earlier roles. His speech wasn't impressive.

I love Pro7 commercials - most are the Oscar-nominated movie trailers.

Makeup and Hairstyling - I hoped for "Emma". Disappointingly, "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" - which I haven't seen - won. The winner thanked black ancestors who would often not even be admitted in schools, for their effort.

Costume Design - also "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom".

Humanitarian Award since it's a pandemic year: MPT (Motion Picture and Television) Fund who supported the freelancers of the industry.

봉준호 (Bong Joon Ho), right from Seoul, in Korean, consecutively interpreted from there as well, mentioned among others that the "Promising Young Woman" director, Emerald Fennell, asked at 8 what she wanted to become, said she wanted to write murder stories. Then he announced the Directing award: "Nomadland" - one I expect to see at the cinema shortly. 

Sound - I hoped for "Soul", though expected "Sound of Metal" and "Sound of Metal" it is.

Live Action Short Film: "Two Distant Strangers" - haven't seen. The winner says that on average, the police kill 3 people per day, disproportionately often black people.

Reese Witherspoon Animated Short Film... I hope not "Burrow". Luckily "If Anything Happens I Love You". Still, surprising it's not Disney. The winning film's about deaths from gun violence though.

Reese is presenting the Best Animated Feature Film... I've only seen "Soul" and "Farmageddon" and loved "Soul". Some nominees are at the BFI in London or in Kilkenny, Ireland. "Soul" wins. What a relief. "It started as a love letter to jazz" - I'm happy it went beyond the style of music I don't quite like. Exploring "the purpose of life" is so much better. 

Documentary Short Subject - most are heavy topics. "Colette" wins, it's on a person who ended up in a Nazi concentration camp. Others told stories of a hospital in war-torn Yemen or Hongkong protests.

Documentary Feature - I haven't seen any but hope for "My Octopus Teacher" to win, as it would highlight how intelligent the animals are. And it wins! Filmed in an ocean forest in South Africa, it also makes this year's Oscars about the most international ever. Coupled with some gala attendees abroad of course.

Steven Yeun's joke about his mum taking him to "Terminator" when he was 7 and acting as if she had meant him to see such a movie is the first that made me laugh. And one of few so far. "Tenet" wins Visual Effects. I remember loving the movie, don't recall the effects.

Brad Pitt is announcing the Best Actress in a Supporting Role - succinctly and mispronouncing: 윤여정 (Youn Yuh-Jung - as the English misspelling goes) awarded for "Minari". And she felt "honoured to meet him".

Halle Berry, with a hairstyle making her look old, introduced the nominees for the Best Production Design. I haven't seen any. "Mank" wins.

Cinematography - I would have loved "The Trial of the Chicago 7" but it's "Mank" which I haven't seen that wins. And I can't hear the winner's speech since the stream is breaking up. Refreshing doesn't help.

Harrison Ford read editorial notes he got after "Bladerunner" which helped him understand how important Editing is, "not for the faint of heart". In this category, I hoped for "The Trial of the Chicago 7" but "Sound of Metal" won. The editor's from Denmark. Truly, an international ceremony. And his speech is breaking up again.

Another Humanitarian Award. The winner, Tyler Perry from BET, gives a moving speech about "refusing hate".

Zendaya announces the Best Original Score: "Soul" and I'm happy about the win.

Original Song: "Fight for You" from "Judas and the Black Messiah".

A surprise game of whether a piece was an Oscar winner, nominee or neither: "Purple Rain", "Last Dance" by Donna Summer etc. Boring.

In Memoriam - "we live forever through what we give".  "Lives lost to Covid" and "to violence" are mentioned before the list of the deceased industry people.

Best Picture: I hoped for "The Trial of the Chicago 7" or "Promising Young Woman" but "Nomadland" won - well, I've yet to see it. Frances McDormand asks viewers to watch it on the biggest screen possible. 

Renée Zellwegger enters to the music of "Don't You (Forget About Me)" by Simple Minds. Actress in a Leading Role: not my favourite Carey Mulligan. Frances McDormand wins.

Actor in a Leading Role: Anthony Hopkins - I haven't seen "The Father" but liked him in earlier roles.