gudaulin

I already knew that Tommy Wirkola was a desperate director, and I understood from the trailer that this film is as dumb as a brick, so it's not a surprise. Fortunately, the film doesn't take itself seriously, but practically anything can be hidden under exaggeration. I forgive the film for being stupid, but I can't overlook that it's sometimes tasteless. Hansel & Gretel deserve one star from me for the cast and the animated subtitles. It's the same as The Brothers Grimm, but that film represents a completely different level of filmmaking. It's quite embarrassing that it has significantly lower ratings than this pop culture mishmash. Well, that's the price we pay for the average age of the site's users. Overall impression: 15%.

The Servant represents honest work in the field of psychological drama, excellent acting, and very well-shot scenes, but the whole does not work as one would expect. Simply put, the script contains flaws and the characters undergo strange psychological twists and turns, and their development is equally strange and wild. It gets a 3.5-star rating and this time I lean toward the lower end of it. Overall impression: 65%.

I first saw Apocalypse Now practically at the same time as the similarly famous film Platoon. While Stone impressed me, I had a reserved attitude toward Coppola's war drama. I couldn't help but feel a certain disappointment, which partly came from exaggerated expectations - according to many movie fans, it should have been the greatest war film of all time. The execution is undoubtedly luxurious - Coppola showcases cunning filmmaking full of suggestive scenes, the camera works wonders, and the visual compositions send shivers down your spine. Everyone interested in film direction could learn from the effective use of double exposures and crossfades (the opening scene is characteristic, where the camera focuses on the detail of a helicopter propeller and then transitions to a hotel room, where we observe the spinning fan propeller). The gloomy jungle, the fascinating panoramic shots of tropical landscapes - it all creates what we call atmosphere. The quality actors portray intense characters exposed to extreme conditions. At this juncture, everything was fine and the reputation of Apocalypse Now was not a lie. However, I have a problem with the story. Coppola took it from Joseph Conrad's novel "Heart of Darkness." Its plot takes place in Belgian Congo and anyone familiar with the history of the Congolese genocide and bloody wars of the 20th century regarding the local natural riches will understand that the story of a deranged officer who escapes any control fits perfectly. The same narrative set in the Vietnam War, combined with an American officer, seems inappropriate and exaggerated. Not to mention that Coppola is so carried away by his artistic vision that it seems like he is not shooting a war drama, but rather staging a theater. This theatrical overexertion culminates in the execution of a rebellious officer, reminiscent of a pagan ritual, and it disturbs me to such an extent that the film didn't even come close to a five-star rating from my perspective. Overall impression: 75%.

It doesn't happen very often that a Brazilian film makes an impact at the Oscars. Kiss of the Spider Woman succeeded in doing so at one point. This intimate drama about the unique relationship between two prisoners during the time of the Brazilian military dictatorship doesn't seem to offer much to the average viewer at first glance, as it mostly takes place in the claustrophobic space of a single cell. Political prisoner Arregui is one of those regime opponents who has given both the secret police and the prison administration a hard time. The young homosexual Louis appears to be susceptible to blackmail and manipulation, which is why he is placed in the cell as an informant. Hypersensitive Louis escapes from the inhospitable and stressful environment of the cell into a world of dreams and fantasies in the style of cheap kitschy films from the 1930s and 1940s. Both men gradually find their way to each other despite their personality differences, and a special kind of friendship develops. The film's success and its emotional impact on viewers is largely due to William Hurt's concentrated and outstanding performance as the effeminate Louis, for which the actor even received an Oscar. In addition to the touching story of friendship and sacrifice, the surreal excursions into the intoxicating world of melodramas full of pathos and sentiment impress me personally. Overall impression: 90%.

One rarely sees such an unsentimental yet hopelessly sad film full of anger and bitterness. The loss of a loved one usually hurts. The loss of illusions hurts twice as much. The existing certainties crumble, and the specter of a rival enters the widower's life, a rival against whom victory is impossible and who forces the protagonist to reconsider his view of his previous partnership. The illusion of a functional bourgeois family becomes a strange triangle, missing one side. When there is no escape from the hopeless reality of life into a world of comforting memories, the future loses its meaning as well. The Lover is an intimate psychological drama that works exceptionally well, relying on very little - just two outstanding actors and the grungy reality of a Russian metropolis full of neglected apartment buildings with decaying interiors. Overall impression: 90%.

This should be one of the peak texts from Arnošt Lustig's workshop. I can't confirm that because I haven't read the book but I have to deny that it is one of the strongest films in Czech cinema, and I consider the comparison with The Cremator confusing. The story, or rather the Nazi play with its victims, is extremely transparent in my view in this story. Not that it explicitly hinders perceiving the brutality of lies and manipulation, but it's simply not what it should be. The climax scene, when Kateřina seizes the weapon, is shamefully unused. Here, I might have played with the situation against the original and emphasized the moment when the victim has the executioner in their power. A lot of drama could have been gained from that. I consider the casting of Lenka Fišerová a mistake. A top-notch character actress should have been engaged here. The presence of the demonic Jiří Adamíra in the role of a high-ranking SS officer is definitely a positive aspect, and the actor once again confirms the well-known rule that negative characters are more actor-friendly. Also worth mentioning is Miloš Nedbal, who portrayed a man who went through hell, and that hell also marked him. I have no problem with three stars, but the film did not bring me to emotional heights in the least. Overall impression: 60%.

I am not an expert on Wes Anderson's work, and his film Bottle Rocket is only the second film of his that I have had the opportunity to see. I would say that Anderson shoots in an entertaining way, and works with exaggeration, irony, and elements of grotesque. However, while I consider his The Grand Budapest Hotel to be a mature film, where everything relates to everything else and ultimately works, with Bottle Rocket I can sense a certain unfinishedness and inexperience - after all, he made it at the beginning of his career. The potential was certainly much greater than the result. I liked the details, but as a whole, Bottle Rocket was a loss in my opinion. Overall impression: 45%.

In the end, I'll give it 3 stars, but just barely. I expected that Year of the Devil would have a much stronger and more compact impact. Especially because I had a good experience with Zelenka's mystifying quasi-documentary Happy End in the past. I'm thinking about what disturbs me so much and it's probably the celebrity dimension of the film. Nohavica, Plíhal, and the band Čechomor are essentially playing themselves and there are a number of Nohavica's actual songs in there. The film is actually relying on Nohavica's popularity and stealing his real lyrics. A good mystification utilizes some popular phenomenon, but it's not literal. I consider the British film The Rutles to be a very good example, as it made fun of Beatlemania. Year of the Devil does have funny moments and entertaining scenes, but I lost interest in the film during several passages. And to return to the celebrity aspect of the film, it's quite characteristic that Jan Hřebejk or Saša Gedeon appear in the credits, even though they only appeared for a few seconds as themselves. Nohavica also had a somewhat disturbing effect on me, as he suits the role of an "actor" much worse than the guys from Čechomor. Overall impression: 50%.

A lavishly filmed animated feature film that can be considered a perfect example of the steampunk genre. The director goes to its roots and there are all sorts of steam clouds, gear mechanisms, crankshafts, and complex mechanisms. Visually, it is stunning, and Steamboy would definitely look much better on the big screen than on a TV. In my eyes, Steamboy is slightly undermined by the simple story, excessive pathos, noble phrases, and overly straightforward depiction of the conflict between greed and militarism on one side and humanistic ideals on the other, and I would have appreciated more shades of gray in the characters and their conflicts. Overall impression: 75%.

I absolutely refuse to accept the claim that it is impossible to sit on two chairs. Firstly, I know a few people who have gained so much weight that one chair is usually too small for them, but more importantly, I tried it yesterday in the heat of a board game and surprisingly, it worked. I don't know why, but my back is now killing me. Although I believe it is possible to sit on two chairs, in interpersonal relationships, I prefer clarity, and I understand Pierre's attitude of being torn between his family and his mistress, but I don't sympathize with him. I would give the film 3 stars because of its format, even though it is too long and the direction is not of such good quality that I wouldn't notice the passing time. It needed some editing. Daniel Auteuil played an exemplary weakling, who I don't find sympathetic at all, but even that is not the reason for the low rating. I am bothered by the chosen perspective, which tends to excuse Pierre, looking too much at the story from his side and forgetting about those around him, especially his wife and children. Someone else wrote that it is a tragic relationship of unfulfilled love - I disagree, it was fulfilled from both sides to the brim. And I definitely do not identify with the message of the film. I would bet that Zabou Breitman has had quite a colorful relationship history and a few tombstones in the form of failed marriages... Overall impression: 45%.