Stanislaus

At first glance, The Holdovers is a very unassuming film, where simplicity is beauty. Despite the rather straightforward plot, it managed to really win me over, both on the dramatic and the comedy level. Even though Alexander Payne's film deals with serious and still very topical issues, they are presented in an incredibly relatable way that leaves you feeling good. That said, The Holdovers wouldn't be what it is if it wasn’t for the convincing performances of the central trio of "ordinary" people brought together by fate and their life traumas. The icing on the cake is the authentic, "vintage" style of the image, it makes you feel you are watching a fifty-year old film.

Dune: Part Two is a narrative epic with all the trimmings: while the first part was an appetizer about the sandy world of the dunes, the second expedition to Arrakis is a full-fledged main course that pleases the visual and auditory senses to perfection, while offering a mature story that interweaves the gripping and suspenseful storylines started three years ago. Denis Villeneuve could be described as a kind of "court cinema-filmmaker", as his films of recent years are a prime example of how the possibilities of the big screen and a powerful sound system can be fully exploited to achieve an unprecedented audience experience in the form of an audiovisual orgy that does not come across as shallow and kitsch. For less than three hours, which pass like water in the cinema, you are immersed in intricate political intrigues and embark on the chosen path of a Saviour who is not afraid to go through numerous victims and corpses. But Dune: Part Two is not only well shot and written, but also well acted – and you doesn't often see such a plethora of stars in the cinema. Although it is a polished project from an audiovisual point of view, I highly praise the "black and white" scenes from the Harkonnen arena, which seemed to evoke Nazi Germany and had an incredible charge despite the absence of colour. I'm curious to see what they will come up with in the next (and final?) installment, which hopefully we'll see one day, but in this case, the wait for quality is certainly worth it.

As I did a couple of years ago with Cats, I decided to go to the cinema to see Madam Web despite the very poor reviews and knowing that it might be a waste of money. Madame Web stumbles on multiple levels, like the vastly untapped potential that lay in the premise with its vision of the future, the lacklustre villain, to the off-kilter decisive confrontation with a downright stupid ending being the "bitter cherry on top". But the rating here still strikes me as quite severe, despite the glaring flaws, the film deserves two stars (but not a millimeter of cobwebs more).

I thought it was going to be a PG version of last year's Strays, but Cat & Dog – The Great Crossing lags on both the comedy and adventure levels, offering a rather bland concoction with humour that doesn't entertain much, neither children nor adults. The cat and the dog don’t look very good, but that could have been been ignored; the biggest stumbling block, however, is the wasted potential. Instead of, among other things, repeated butt-sniffing scenes, director/writer/star Reem Kherici could have offered sharper and/or comedic sequences. Better two stars!

The Zone of Interest depicts the concentration camps and the Holocaust from a truly novel point of view, and this is why it will not be lost among the thematically close films. Jonathan Glazer's film does not primarily target the audience's eyes, but rather their ears and general awareness of the horrors of war: at first glance we see the ordinary life of an ordinary family, but on second viewing (or listening) and placing the film in the context of the time, it evokes extremely uncomfortable feelings. On the one hand we have an idyllic, almost 'Garden of Eden', on the other (behind the fence) we can hear screams and gunshots, while in the distance we watch the smoke (of death). To the sound of a sometimes literally poignant musical score, we witness that pure evil can take on a completely mundane, innocent form. As in Anatomy of a Fall, Sandra Hüller gives a supremely impressive performance and I'm curious to see what roles await her in the future. Last but not least, I praise the play with negative imagery, which contributed to the film's unpleasant atmosphere. Perhaps only the closing documentary insert left me with mixed feelings.

Who doesn't know the story of Nicholas Winton, who, in collaboration with other determined people, managed to save the lives of 669 children? One Life is essentially a simple film in terms of story, with a clear structure that purposefully alternates between two time periods separated by half a century, but it is that story that makes the film an incredibly powerful and moving experience, enhanced by convincing performances and a spot-on cast. Czech viewers will appreciate, among other things, the Prague locations and the many Czech phrases heard in the film. In the end, the film may seem a bit melodramatic, but it barely underlines the modesty of an "ordinary" man who did extraordinary things.

Poor Things doesn't deny the inspiration of “Frankenstein” and it certainly doesn't deny Yorgos Lanthimos' distinctive directorial style, which is unique in contemporary cinema. For two and a quarter hours, we have the amazing opportunity to immerse ourselves in a futuristically conceived Victorian world, in the centre of which is Bella, whose mind is an "unwritten book" in whose pages an emancipatory adventure of unprecedented proportions begins to unfold. Artistically, it is a polished piece of work, where more than one suggestive scene could be displayed in a museum as a treasured painting. Besides the strange camera angles and dreamlike filters, I enjoyed the (un)chaste costumes of Bella and her creations immensely. In terms of acting, I have nothing to fault the film. The driving force of the whole story is of course Emma Stone, who handles her role without any shame, and she is wonderfully seconded by the "Frankenstein" Willem Dafoe and the womanizer Mark Ruffalo, who ends up driven almost crazy by a skirt. It was engaging to watch Bella's mental development: from "baby" steps and a few words, to a physically intense exploration of her own body and sexuality, to a fully aware and confident view of the (twisted) world with a philosophical overlay. Despite its seemingly artsy style, Poor Things has the potential to appeal to a wide audience and is certainly not afraid to grab the patriarchy by the balls and give them a shake.

The trailer in the cinema didn't impress me much, but the film itself was a pretty funny and at times quite sharp comedy. The makers were certainly inspired by American genre films, but at the same time they didn't forget to add some good old Czechoslovakian colour, which worked in many places. People who regularly participate in similar events might even recognize themselves in the film and add an extra star. The character portrayed by Erika Stárková was a bit theatrical, the auditors were borderline annoying, but otherwise it was an interesting collection of characters, where I would highlight especially the ones played by Vojtěch Kotek and Petra Polnišová. A solid one-off that doesn't offend and even surprises a little here and there.

Marry My Dead Body is a truly bizarre and unprecedented genre mash-up that has the potential to thrill, entertain and move, but as a whole, it is hampered by a somewhat overlong running time and a few wtf moments like car chases with bad CGI, which are not unusual in Asian cinema. Story-wise, the film more than once evoked Ghost, but driven by the typically excessive Asian acting. The character of Mao (like Patrick Swayze's Sam) had a poignant backstory, and it's a shame that they push the emotions unnecessarily at the end (the ambulance scene was great, however). If the film had been twenty minutes shorter, I would have easily given it a higher rating, still, it's a better three stars for me.

Gyeongseong Creature was my first big encounter with South Korean series production and after watching the first season I can say that it was certainly not the last. Genre-wise, it is a strange blend of romantic drama and war sci-fi with many horror and comedy elements – an unusual combination that may be a stumbling block for many viewers. For eleven hours, we dive into a world of twisted human experimentation, rescue operations, and lots of slow motion shots that managed to thrill, amuse, and move me. The look of the monster is not that good, here the creators could definitely have invested more. But I praise the musical score – well, except for the k-pop episode closers. Overall, the series could certainly be trimmed in a few places, but I still enjoyed it as a whole and looked forward (thanks to the purposeful cliffhangers) to each new episode. The last episode set the stage for the next season and I'm curious to see what direction the creators will take.