NinadeL

Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci used to be these little monkeys who started out writing great episodes for the Hercules series (Surprise, …And Fancy Free, Men in Pink, Yes, Virginia, There Is a Hercules, For Those of You Just Joining Us… or We'll Always Have Cyprus, to name the best ones) and look where they are today. Thanks to other series such as Xena, Jack of All Trades, and Alias, Alex has worked his way up to directing Michelle Pfeiffer, and together with Robert they are working on some of the funniest current blockbusters. People Like Us, on the other hand, is a great civil film that delights with its balance, thoughtfulness, and strong performances. I need to go through all of Michelle's scenes again because she's not just great and vital - she's just perfect.

A charming adaptation of one of Selma Lagerlöf's most famous works, already made famous by Mauritz Stiller's silent version. I have no objections to the artwork or Voska's commentary - they are excellent, but the very idea of processing such a large story in such a small space makes me wince. I could imagine it at least as a one-hour film, and that would make me feel even better.

The Pavlásková-Saudek connection is simply brilliant. Pavlásková has always been original and unique and I personally adore all her films, starting with Time of the Servants. There is great work with truth, work with actors, polished points, and incredible humor. There is no fear, no tabloid, and no false fetishization. Just the story Saudek needed to tell and Irena became his Geppetto. Roden also blossoms under Irena's direction, Vilma Cibulková is perfect in her etude, and Jitka Sedláčková with her beaver. Finally, enough has been done for the charms of Marika Procházková. And Máša Málková is also finally making her way out of the Prague City theaters and onto the big screen after her last significant supporting role in The Don Juans. I'm very satisfied with it.

Park Chan-wook is synonymous with flashy but hollow mannerisms. Looking at the cut scenes, it was clear to me that the whole thing must have struggled mightily to make it more digestible in a way other than just overblown ideas in the style of moving manga panels. But if you're intrigued by Emo Wasikowska or need to tick off Nicole Kidman working with a fashion director (and you need more than her and Lars von Trier), go right ahead and watch it. If you're looking for inspiration for evening masturbation, surprisingly, this is also the way to go, but only if you like leather belts.

The Trials of Vera B. feels and functions exactly like the Czech series Burning Bush. It's a great essay from recent history with very fine performances and believable sets. The main character is real and the story of her life is very animated. There's nothing to fault here, and we also have the excellent Hans Werner Meyer in various supporting roles, the beautiful Katja Flint, and Irina Wanka in a spicy episode.

Another great slapstick from the Pat and Patachon cycle, in which we can admire the charms of dancer Greta Nissen. This time the action takes place backstage at the theater. The gags are very good, and, for example, the depiction of the dream in which Pat and Patachon become skeletons. The overall atmosphere is lovely, especially when the two comedians enjoy Greta's performance, later say goodbye to her, and return alone again to the arms of bathing beauties that even Hal Roach would envy.

A delightful slapstick from the Pat and Patachon series about how they dazzled Danish bathing beauties and helped one of them find marital happiness. While Pat is an eloquent comedian, Patachon is an innocent good man with a stocky body. Nothing but success can be expected from these two if they decide to save the beautiful maiden from a marriage arranged by her stubborn mother.

The first hour is excruciating, but when the chaos shifts to Hawaii and Nicole Kidman appears, it all starts to make sense, the jokes suddenly become funny and the useless characters become marginal. If you can stand the hula hula competition, believe me, you won't know where to look, because you'd be surprised to know that Nicole and Jennifer Aniston are more attractive than ever and the presence of some awkward Sports Illustrated cover beauty in a small role really can't mess them up. Go Girls.

When the cosmopolitan poster appeared in the summer months, the only question of uncertainty was whether the proclaimed faces could withstand such a project in Czech conditions. Surprisingly, both Vica Kerekes and Pavel Batěk are up to it. Vica can play a distinctive and sexy girl without cheap vulgarization and Batěk is an interesting alternative to the main protagonists of today, although he is the same visual type as Matěj Hádek. The third main character is played by Filip Blažek, who, after years of theater and TV work, also knows how to find a suitable position that does no harm and is fully helpful to the whole. Issová and Přeučil took the supporting roles just to make sure, and the only one who again didn't pay attention to anything integral and created an original acting etude on the theme was Lábus, but that's why we all like him so much. So, in sum, can a Czech-Slovak film travel from Prague to Brno, Ostrava, and Beijing and still remain interesting, suspenseful, and believable? And also deal with a cliffhanger of a gradation that is unmatched even by the world's best melodramas? Yes, it can. I’m thankful we have it. Cosmopolitanism be damned, this year I'd like to see All My Tomorrows as the favorite to receive the award for best Czech film.

A technically sophisticated film from the alternative reality of the Slovak presidential election. However, none of it is seen through to the end. Yet the atmosphere is engaging, the visual ideas are not odd, and some of the performances are remarkable, especially among the female cast. Monika Hilmerová reigns as the grey eminence of the biggest schemers and has never looked so mature and so great. If you're interested in believable espionage in Slovak scenery with a bit of Czech pessimism, go for it.