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This film is somewhat superficial, with cheap effects, and the selection of information and processing is tendentious. It may be sufficient for an average viewer, but it definitely won't enrich history enthusiasts. Overall impression: 50%.

Sam Raimi has made a decent series of films, some of which benefit from the nostalgia of movie fans (The Evil Dead), some from his reputation as a commercially successful creator (Spiderman), but if I had to label a film that he truly succeeded at and is the pinnacle of his directorial efforts so far, then I would without hesitation point to A Simple Plan. Some compare it to Fargo, whereas I would rather use the analogy to Sidney Lumet's film Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, but in any case, it belongs to the same dark crime genre that transitions into top-notch psychological drama with well-developed characters and polished emotional scenes. The scenes in the sheriff's office, where the protagonist hunts down individual bullets, and later in the crashed airplane, where he tries to load them, are among those that I will hold in my memory of my best movie experiences, and the scene of the final execution reminded me of a similar tragic scene from Of Mice and Men. So what is the message of the film? When you find a bag full of money, try to be single if possible, or quickly hand over the money to the appropriate authorities. Otherwise, things will quickly start to go wrong and you won't want to see those consequences. Compared to Fargo, this film is somewhat less flashy, so don't look for any bodies in a woodchipper, but the ending is more acrid. The sad protagonist finds himself in a situation where he doesn't experience a terrible ending, but rather endless horror. Overall impression: 90%.

Twin Peaks was, at one point, something of a revelation for me in the field of TV series, completely turning my view of TV production upside down and introducing me to David Lynch as a top-notch master of the mystery genre. Even though more than 20 years have passed since then, I think this series has not been surpassed, despite the fact that TV production in the United States is currently experiencing a huge boom and the mystery genre is very popular. The most fascinating thing is to watch the transformation of the individual characters and, thanks to the professionalism of the entire team, be carried away by the atmosphere of mystery and anticipated threats. In the second half of the series, especially toward the end, it heads towards distinctly hallucinogenic territory, which Lynch perfected in his mishmash Inland Empire, and so I'm one of those who appreciate the more sober first half. I must also emphasize the atmospheric music, which perfectly evoked the dreamy mysterious atmosphere of the town. Overall impression: 95%.

Please do not confuse this version of The Professionals with the famous British action series. This is a classic western, set on the Mexican border during the end of the Mexican Revolution, where a wealthy financier sends a group of four adventurers to rescue his wife from the clutches of kidnappers. The fact that something is different is already signaled by the information about the film's content, so I wasn't surprised by the "big" surprise and I have a fairly indifferent relationship with the western genre; I tolerate its clichés much worse than, for example, gangster films or other lighter genres. This film really does have all of the genre shortcomings, which fans of westerns will appreciate, but I just shrug my shoulders at them. And so the four gunmen fearlessly eliminate dozens of their enemies and practically massacre the entire rebel unit to save the Mexican federal army some work. The actors, who exude authority and charisma, just barely earn this film three stars. They were simply Actors with a capital A, not bodybuilders, boxers, or wrestlers, who would go on to dominate the action genre twenty years later. The film is also harmed by the screenplay that culminates in a finale that is expected, but truly idiotic in the context of the previous massacres, making the previous human casualties completely unnecessary. Overall impression: 50%.

From the perspective of form, it's not particularly groundbreaking, but it is strong in its content, concise, and without any apparent errors. An overview of crime in the Czech Republic, its various sectors, and the problems of police forces in adapting to new conditions. There is a lot of information in a reasonably large space without the exhibitionism of film creators or those interviewed. The film features the faces of real criminals and journalists specialized in investigative journalism. Overall impression: 90%.

I do not share the general enthusiasm for this feature film, even though it is undoubtedly original, but it is also a film that would stand out much more as a series of short films. Such a series apparently exists and I gladly give it my attention once I get a chance to see it. A Town Called Panic is built on the sheer craziness of its characters and plot, where one wonders what the screenwriter and artists were thinking before creating something like this. But as I mentioned before, a feature film needs something more than just disrespect for established rules and great imagination. Overall impression: 55%.

If a film can do without words and convey its thoughts and emotions through images, it is always a plus and a sign of creative invention and good craftsmanship. But in the case of Trnka, it is more than that, and it is not enough to say that he was able to rely on a well-known and strong literary source. Trnka processed the Decameron-like story to his own image, creating an original and distinct satirical work on the false morality of that time, hypocrisy, and the church's monopoly on education. Trnka does criticize the church strongly, but it has nothing to do with the then-official communist doctrine. His film is artistically embellished and truly represents the peak of his work in its own way. However, the difficulty lies in the fact that it is a film that requires focused attention and is at times abstract in its visual communication. It is appreciated by a minority of connoisseurs rather than the general audience. I most appreciate the sarcasm and attention to detail, where a single shot is enough to characterize a character and cleverly suggest what was happening behind the scenes. Overall impression: 95%.

The Candidate is a kind of gentle satire on the confrontation of ideological idealism and down-to-earth political reality, where political engagement usually means an endless amount of compromises on the way to obtaining a position from which you can make decisions about public affairs. At the end of this path, only pitiful remnants of the original ideals remain. I would appreciate it if the film, rather than being a socio-critical drama, were a sarcastic comedy on the given theme because the subject prompts it directly. Robert Redford fits perfectly into the role of a likable guy who impresses voters with his youth, energy, and charisma, and the film effectively shows the technology of influencing public opinion through professional image-makers and media advisors, who pull the strings and let themselves be hired by anyone who pays them, regardless of their own political beliefs (if they have any at all). The film is attractive primarily to those who are more interested in politics. Those who are indifferent to it will probably not appreciate the look into the political backstage, and the screenplay is not among those that can appeal to the widest masses of viewers. Overall impression: 70%.

When watching the movie with a friend, he looked somewhat hesitant and then said: "An unbelievable mess. I don't understand what it is supposed to be, maybe some kind of parody of Bond movies? Thanks to the critical reviews, I managed to avoid this film during the premiere, but as it usually goes, I couldn't escape it. Now I fully understand the fervor with which Ricky Gervais sarcastically mocked this film and its actors during the Golden Globe Awards and the hesitant smiles with which Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie responded. The multiple Golden Globe nominations, in contrast to the dismal outcome, belong to the biggest mysteries surrounding this film. I read in a review that Angelina has never acted this poorly before and although I haven't seen her entire filmography by any means, I can essentially confirm this. Basically, the same can be said about Johnny Depp. I can't recall any blockbuster where the chemistry between the main characters didn't work this blatantly. It's as if they were each filmed separately and later digitally inserted into the shared scenes, of which there are unfortunately many. Angelina also overacts and as a result, it's more like a parody of high society and social status of a lady rather than a fully developed character. This film is the most boring of all and it probably shouldn't even be classified in the genre it wants to be in, i.e., a spy thriller lightened with comedic exaggeration. If they (significantly) increased the speed when it comes to humor and irony, then it could be a parody of Bond movies and similarly themed films. I discovered director von Donnersmarck in his excellent psychological Oscar-winning thriller The Lives of Others, but this is a complete departure and overestimation of his own abilities in every aspect. If an unknown director with unknown actors had made it, I would give it 2 stars, but this is supposed to be a blockbuster and the self-confidence bordering on pomposity is far too obvious compared to its below-average impression. Overall impression: 25%.

In this case, I am not going to give it a star rating because I gave up on the film at a certain moment. I saw it on TV and approached it with high expectations. I simply wanted to see a new animal, but films of a similar category based on grand nature shots need to be seen on a big screen or at least on a television screen of the maximum size and image quality. This isn't that, and it significantly spoils the impression of the film. However, I also think that Animals in Love does not have the quality of famous films in its category, and the director could have squeezed more out of the subject. It needed more dynamism and bold editing. The way it is, the emotional impact is weakened.