lamps

A terrific romp that makes amazing fun of its own thematic universe and on top of that introduces the funniest Batman ever, who rants about everything, and his interaction with young Robin is perhaps the best "buddy" treat since The Last Boy Scout (which is all the more admirable since this one rides on child-friendly dialogue). The pace doesn't falter for a second, the action is more bloated and original than in any live-action DC crap (excluding Nolan, of course), and the cadence of the wisecracks is truly lethal at times, to the point where I wonder if little kids have any idea what a funny and complex parody they're watching. I don't know what kind of stimulants the writers sprinkled in their coffee while writing, but I want to try them too – I can't get in such good mood even after eight beers and with a young girl sitting on my lap. Amen. 85%

It holds together much better than the mechanically assembled BvS, for sure, and manages to elicit satisfaction in the fact that the script this time around isn't stubbornly trying to create a doomsday spectacle where the heroes grumble angrily at each other and are too bound by the seriousness and rules of the real world, but it still reaffirmed my belief that these DC stories just don't measure up to Marvel. The initially appealing and funny fantasy metamorphoses into a plot that would be hackneyed even in a theatre club of hungry children in Zambia, with otherwise likeable characters occasionally philosophising strangely and potentially good action spoiled by frantic slow-motion. I enjoyed a lot the chemistry between Pine and Gadot (and the resulting best scene with the conversation about marriage and sex), the overall more relaxed atmosphere suited me, and I applaud the unexpected arrival and identity of the main villain, played by my British favourite, but the dramatic arc around the protagonist's mental development, which was obviously meant to be pivotal in the eyes of the script and director, just didn't work in the overall context of clichés and readable super hero gibberish. However, I don't regret the money I spent on the ticket if only because of Gadot, whom I would eat up with love, and if I were Chris Pine, I'd happily work for free – I would even pay myself. 65%

First encounter with Kieslowski and love for life. A film that does not approach perfection, but far exceeds it in its formal construction and emotional impact. It's hard to say what fascinates me more, the deep ideas and natural characters or the system of the work itself, which, thanks to the inventive development of the motif of voyeurism, is among the best that a slightly analytical viewer could wish for. The actors, the music and the cinematography are excellent, pure cinephile ecstasy from about halfway through. Grazyna Szapolowska is a neighbour that anyone would spy :)

I'm leaning towards 3 stars only because I expected much worse. I enjoyed Depp, who in this fictional world has definitely pissed off the whole ocean and next time he might piss off even the feisty monkey, I enjoyed the action of the first half and some really great ideas (the guillotine scene is awesome), and I enjoyed the fact that the fifth instalment of Pirates has fun at the expense of the fifth instalment of Fast and Furious, but the last fifty minutes reflect pretty much everything I hate about this kind of fantasy. With the help of a talisman and a chosen girl, we can find a more powerful talisman that can do everything that can't be done – or how to make a more boring and spastic version of Moana with a hundred times the budget. The direction is more than solid, the actors are better than good, but the script should be cursed and put on the Flying Dutchman. This franchise is thematically over, though it still manages to surprise in individual ways. 55%

A dud by no means, Covenant is still very appealing and coherently told, with an interesting use of a double role for Fassbender and a few scenes of amazing genre calibre. Unfortunately, I still can't shake the feeling that it's not quite an Alien, even though it wasn't a rip-off of Ridley by any means. A decent 70% for the time being.

A quite enjoyable and at times really funny light-hearted film that aptly pokes fun at the false cult of celebrity in modern society and women's "loyalty" to a poor and modest partner. Personally, I was also attracted by the two lead actresses, quite handsome even by today's standards, something I would have never dared to expect from a Polish film. If it weren't for so many extended musical numbers, I would consider a higher rating.

If the fourth part had a dodgy plot, this is something else – have they really lost all judgement at Fox? I've more or less liked all the previous episodes, if only for the heaps of likeable and funny characters, but in this case every element is unbelievably sloppy and bland – from the crazy story that even a five-year-old kid won’t laugh at, to the individual gags that fade away at the expense of pathetic family chatter. Perhaps the only things worth mentioning are a few one-liners from a vigorous granny, the imminent return of Buck, and Scrat's struggle with amplified gravity, during which I couldn’t help but chuckle out loud. They say less is sometimes more, but with this series, the most would be nothing. 40%

I saw the first one, which, while terrible, still stuck in my mind as a fairly entertaining piece of junk with some passable horror moments, and I watched the second one after reading the synopsis, expecting to laugh a lot. Unfortunately, it turned out exactly as it shouldn't have. The first hour is not that terrible in terms of filmmaking, but it sticks to the ground and doesn't have even a hint of light guilty pleasure, while the ending, which is entirely based on guilty pleasure, is absolutely idealess and ridiculous in an unintentional way. I wasn't bored and it's a bit better than, say, the tragic Arachnid, but it's nonetheless awful fakery on the part of the filmmakers to every slightly intelligent viewer. Otherwise, the actors are terrifying and the effects... well, let's just say the programmer wasn't in the mood to work and left the job to a trained raccoon. 25%

Still too long and conceptually the same as the first one, but this time properly atmospheric and more original in the staging of the climactic scenes (the passage with the giant spiders is simply amazing, likewise, for its time, the fight with the basilisk). Plus, well-developed characters and a very skilled straddling between a very dark film and an innocent fairy tale for children. Of course, needless to say, had it stayed exclusively on the dark side, it would have been awesome, but that’s understandably impossible... 80%

A very cheesy and naive psychological "quasi-horror" that, while interestingly applying themes of human depravity, inadvertently becomes a festival of human imbecility and behaviour so stupid that Homer Simpson would be like the Stephen Hawking in this world. A film that not only doesn't work as a narrative concept trying to gradually build up an oppressive atmosphere, but in my opinion also fails in its primary message – someone (whom I don't want to imagine) can take some beautiful inspiration from this. I regret the time I wasted on this. 15%