Filmmaniak

If Stephen King's book is a culinary specialty, then It Chapter 2 is a patchwork stew made from the same ingredients. It doesn't taste particularly bad, but it's far from a tasty experience. While the first It movie was a solid start to a story about growing up with a reasonably decent level of scary horror, the second part is more like a horror comedy that is not even taken seriously by its creators, who feel the need to systematically disparage all of its more serious and scary moments with comedic interludes and other alienating means (film quotes, inappropriately chosen music). The schematic story suffers from a number of theatrical shortcomings, the horror scenes are often funny or even a parody, and the clown itself is more of a laugh than anything scary. It amounts to simple, average genre routine that recycles motifs of nostalgic childhood and friendly fellowship from its predecessor, replaces tension building with jump scares and digital spooks, and unfortunately, despite a few solid acting performances and a few remarkable scenes, fails to provide anything else worthy of praise. Again, the question arises as to whether it might instead be worthwhile to film It as a narrative series which, unlike a film, could be truly uncompromising, broader in terms of story and more inventive in working with tension and the psychology of fear.

In the series created by screenwriter Petr Kolečko, Jan Prušinovský at least often acts as a creative authority revising his screenplays and giving them a theatrically firmer and more believable form. In Kolečko's films, however, this authority is noticeably lacking and the result is often not even remotely funny, sexist and stupid nonsense (see also Bikers or Fifty). The comedy Over Fingers is no exception, and Kolečko also directed it (which was not originally planned and was an emergency solution), and this certainly didn’t help. The plot of the film is appalling and chauvinistic, and the film also has fundamental problems with the narrative pace, unconvincing dialogues, flat and clumsy implementation of many scenes, as well as forced or, at best, unconvincing work with humour. Women play the role of irrationally thinking physical objects designed for visual and sexual pleasure, including two of the main characters, who are destined to end up in bed with a man whom a few hours ago they considered an old, disgusting pervert (but then they smiled at his remark about their asses). The men behave like brutes, but they are not punished or reprimanded for it in any way, with the women submitting to them without hesitation and immediately forgiving any of their wrongdoings. Langmajer's character is portrayed as an experienced seducer who eventually gets any woman he wants without having to try particularly hard, but at the same time he is a stoned, manipulative bum who shows his penis in public without anyone asking for it and is convinced that he sleeps with women for their own good. When a woman happens to object to this, she is considered to be hysterical or to be overreacting (there is a bizarre scene in which an angry woman is offered a glass of juice, and instead of knocking it off the table, because she is a volleyball player she smashes it downward with her palm, cutting her tendons). This film is not even close pleasant summer relaxation fun.

This is an ambitious and socially engaged film about the dangers of growing extremism and that members of certain ethnic groups should not be categorized the same, and that each violent solution produces more violence. The film begins as a drama about a young man who joins a group of Arab radicals in an effort to protect his family, and then continues as a political thriller about fear and hatred in society and on opportunist politicians who exploit both to their advantage in a populistic way. This ideologically-current film can be praised for working with an important theme and precisely aimed message, but overall, it is brought down by average directing, pace that is too slow and insufficiently engaging and simplified implementation.

Audiences will be grateful for this portrait devoted to the work of Jiří Suchý. The film consists mainly of his storytelling and recollection, and of numerous examples of his work, from older things, which he created together with Jiří Šlitr, to more recent works. Suchý's information-filled summary of his more than sixty-year musical, singing and song writing career includes the relevant period context, a large number of archival records and newly recorded material, in which Jiří Suchý, despite his age, is presented as a constantly witty and still unprecedentedly creative and hard-working nimbler who maintains a good mood and has a clear mind, which only strengthens admiration for him. The film deliberately omits very basic facts, and therefore the ideal viewers are those who already know Jiří Suchý and at least some of his songs, like him and want to learn more about him.

A subtle, intimate and gentle film about the power of motherhood and the changing relationship of two strong women who, in difficult conditions, hide their suffering through persistent hard work and help each other to achieve more positive prospects for their future. The main actresses do a great job in their roles, the film has strong direction and sensitively perceives details. However, the plot is only a simple and non-dramatic character study that flows slowly and practically conflict-free to a subdued emotional finale (culminating in a long passage dedicated to the heroine's struggle with maternal feelings, which she refuses to admit but is eventually overcome by), the strength of which is somewhat diluted at the end of the film by the lengthy delay of the inevitable.

The film contains a lot of hopefully initiated motifs, well-written characters that have a believable interaction characteristic of people who are unable to communicate properly with each other, and several nicely constructed, absurdly comic scenes. However, the story’s ending is cursory, and it fundamentally lacks more consistent escalation, greater tightness and a stronger point.

This a film that is demanding for the audience with a ghostly themed story about the inhabitants of a remote Canadian village who are coping with the suicide of a 20-year-old boy. The film is built on impressive (yet very modest and austere) images and depicts a fading community in a secluded frozen countryside. Although the community is considered cohesive and close-knit, the only thing holding it together in this depressing location (more a place for the dead than the living) are the last remnants of will. After the perception of time loses its meaning for the family of the bereaved, grieving over the tragic event, the town truly does begin to fill with ghosts and the film begins to work with a certain amount of tension, but there’s no need to expect a horror from this fragile and inconspicuous film about certain forms of fear and overcoming grief from loss - it is more of a simple thought concept, translated into a visual metaphorical form.

This film is more so a thriller with horror elements, rather than a pure horror. The promising psychological story, set on the edge of reality, dreams and hallucinations, suffers from a slow start, followed by a gradually escalating game with anticipation, enticing a striking mysterious/horror conclusion. However, the final unravelling is surprisingly rational and grounded in reality, casting a shadow of doubt on the many coincidences and unlikely moments that occurred during the film, which played into the hands of its protagonists. The film definitely impresses with its atmosphere and its acting, and by building doubts and uncertainty, but its point is not satisfactory enough to redeem the wait for it.

This is a broadly conceived, inward-looking, layered (in terms of various formal and narrative means) and unusually varied film dedicated to relationships and their various forms and transformations. It particularly excels in terms of its absolutely brilliant and inventive directing, beautiful cameras and great acting by the central duo, played by Reygadas and his wife, neither of whom are actors. The films is more demanding for audiences, but for Reygadas still a very accessible film full of bull metaphors and stunning passages (concert for timpani, a bull attacking a horse, sex filmed voyeuristically through a door not fully closed). It innovatively delves into the depths of the complex psychology of people and their relationships and is basically an extraordinary work that can be criticized for just a few shortcomings, which include too loose of a storyline in some places and the slightly exaggerated length of certain shots and scenes.

Artistic junk, but still junk. Despite several remarkable ideas, this visually enchanting tribute to B horror movies from the eighties about murderous objects and Italian giallo gore films drags incredibly in places (two hours is really too much for this type of film, and about 80 minutes, give or take, would have been far more feasible). Overall, because of the trivial story, on which other random motifs that lead nowhere are based, this is mainly a video-art retro show of bizarre scenes and moments that are so crazy and messed up in places that you can’t help but laugh at them (or at least shake your head, giggle and wonder what was going through Peter Strickland's head and what drugs he was on when he came up with this).