Stanislaus

The documentary Jurassic Cash was a must-see screening for me as a dinosaur lover at this year's International Festival of Science Documentary Films. The film takes a very engaging look behind the scenes of the increasingly popular dinosaur skeleton and bone auctions, which on the one hand are emptying the wallets of rich enthusiasts, while on the other, they are causing outrage from scientists and museums. Personally, I would rather all fossils found go to museums and be used for research than end up in the fancy homes of filthy rich enthusiasts who see them as nothing but their own pride and desire to have something unique. But money makes the world go round!

Secrets in the Scat is proof that a documentary about shit doesn't have to be downright shit. The film focuses on four animals – cassowary, wombat, rhinoceros and whale – and reveals interesting facts about defecation in each. The fact that the wombat has "square" poop is well known, but the film also offers a possible answer to the question "Why is that?" Similarly, I was intrigued by the cassowary's function as a "sower" in charge of the plant diversity of its environment. Last but not least, the film reflects in a light-hearted way on animal dung research and offers some funny moments ("That's a lot of shit!").

I have always been impressed by the fact that giraffes hardly sleep during the day and night, and when it comes to it, they do it “standing up". While How Wild Things Sleep does not offer a look under the "sleepy giraffe hood", it nevertheless depicts equally interesting sleeping or wakefulness habits in other animals, of which I was personally most intrigued by the lambs, who paddle across the water in complete relaxation even when fully asleep. The film has more than one conjecture or hypothesis, so some of the "facts" should be taken with a grain of salt, but the experts themselves mention several times that this is often the early stages of their research.

The undersea world offers an endless source of subjects for film, and the mysterious life of cetaceans is certainly one of them. Inspired by the poem by Heathcote Williams, Whale Nation doesn’t deny its lyrical underpinnings and its desire to create an unconventional documentary. It follows several storylines - from the rescue of a stranded whale on the beach, to the depiction of the lives of various cetaceans, to dream sequences - all accompanied by an unforgettable soundtrack. Personally, I was unable to tune in to its (sea) wave during the first half of the film, my interest piqued only when it raised its finger against ocean pollution and fishing. Better three stars!

While the first feature film was about the bonding of Ernest and Celestina, the second film is about the bonding of Ernest with his (semi-)forgotten family and homeland. Once again, we have a visually engaging and sweetly written film with the timeless idea that man (or bear) should choose his own path in life and not be forced by his environment to do something that does not fulfill him. This level will appeal mainly to more mature viewers, while younger audiences will enjoy the nice animation and the spare, unforced humour. A weaker four stars!

The Czech answer to Guy Ritchie could definitely have turned out worse, but Punch and Run fortunately stays at a decent level for most of its running time. Adam Hobzik could have pushed the black-humour envelope more and serve up a more vigorous piece that would certainly have stood out among Czech cinematography. The film has an ideal running, during which something is always happening, but it certainly could have been conceived in a more action-packed way.

This is my third encounter with the immortal classic after The Man in the Iron Mask from the 1990 and the somewhat overdone Paul W.S. Anderson adaptation, but I have never read the book, so I can't blame filmmakers for their faithfulness to the source material or lack thereof. After watching this film, however, and considering that the story of The Three Musketeers is split into two films, you can sense that they took care in this regard. As this is a notorious story, the film offers no big plot surprises, but it does offer solid adventure full of action, intrigue and well done fights – the "bloody" wedding or the chase on the cliffs really had some serious moments. I'm curious to see what the sequel will bring, which will give more space to Eva Green, who is perfect in these demonic creatures.

I've never played the game, but I didn't want to miss the film adaptation of the Super Mario Bros. phenomenon. In terms of story, the film doesn't have much to surprise, which, considering it's a video game adaptation, is understandable, so I can see why many viewers (used to more sophisticated animated films like Coco or Inside Out) might have been bothered by it. But I had fun in the cinema, because the film managed to fully compensate for its flatter story with proper action, wrapped in nice visuals. Some sequences were even more or less evocative of other films, like Mad Max: Fury Road (the rainbow chase), or Pinocchio (the bowels of the "whale"). Yes, you know the direction the film will take, but thanks to the brisk pace and not least the well chosen oldies soundtrack you forgets about this "flaw".

“Life, uh... finds a way”. I've loved dinosaurs and everything related to them since I was a kid – from encyclopedias, to museums, to feature films and documentaries – and Spielberg's Jurassic Park is at the top of the list for me in terms of feature films about these prehistoric lizards. I've seen it several times now, and even though it's been a whopping thirty years since its premiere, it still manages to mesmerise me to the hilt. The film breathtakingly manages to breathe life into the long-extinct creatures that once dominated the land, sea and airspace, bringing them closer to the audience in a supremely authentic way. In addition to the stunning work with animatronics and the incredible visual effects, the makers "spared no expense" on the sounds of the dinosaurs, which feel truly believable (even if it is essentially a reconstruction). The scenes with the escape from the T-Rex and from the kitchen with the velociraptors still take my breath away. But Jurassic Park wouldn't be what it is if it weren't for the casting, with Jeff Goldblum and the young Joseph Mazzello entertaining me the most. Last but not least, I can't forget the wonderful musical score by John Williams, which wraps-up the unique audiovisual experience that Jurassic Park was, is, and will be - "We spared no expense."

I was quite surprised, and as a fan of the franchise, pleased that the sixth Scream would be screaming in theaters just fourteen months after the release of the fifth, which came eleven long years after the fourth (Wes Craven's last "slash"). As I've said before, I have a soft spot for Ghostface, so I'm willing to overlook the fact that it's pretty much a recycled version of the previous films. But as a fan, it's that connection between the first and fifth films that I appreciate and (along with the many pop culture references) downright enjoyed. The intro alone, which slyly plays with the rules of horror and stands them on their head, proves that the "screaming franchise" still has a lot to offer. I welcomed the film's setting in New York, where the they managed to take advantage of other locations to offer some truly good scenes – whether it was a chilling sequence from a convenience store or an apartment, or the atmospheric scene in a flashing subway. (Spoiler alert!) The identity of Ghotsface is clear from the first mention of the deceased family member, and then later from the attack in the apartment, but the film isn’t that concerned with a plot twist as it plays with audience expectations and horror rules, creating a hide-and-seek game. The viewer (ideally a fan) then calmly overlooks the immortality of certain characters and just watches the uncompromising destruction of the bad guys with a satisfying smile. (End: Spoiler alert!) In the end, Scream VI certainly didn't feel boring or dull, but if there is to be a sequel, which I wouldn't be opposed to, at least a three-year hiatus would be preferable.