gudaulin

Some Czechs consider this film as a national duty, a national treasure, and a matter of national pride, but I don't have a love for duties and I'm only lukewarm about being a patriot, so now I notice again what I've already described in Trnka's film The Czech Year. It is solid work deserving recognition, but times have moved on and animation is different now. I really get the feeling that this is a classic that has become a term on its own, and giving it five stars is a social duty, rather than the stars being given for being enchanted while watching the film. Overall impression: 65%.

The Czech Year was a modern project and an extraordinary artistic creation in its time, but after many decades, I have to say that I look at it with respect but without any emotional impact. I simply recognize it as a great classic, but at the same time, I feel that today's younger generation will not find it appealing. The Czech Year has simply become outdated in terms of its pace and visual concept. The current generation lives differently, and this world of folklore is as distant to them as a museum exhibition of old folk customs from the 19th century. I'm giving it 3 stars for the puppets and the knowledge that this film belongs to the golden treasury of Czech cinema, despite my distance from it. Otherwise, the Prague Philharmonic Children's Choir, Václav Trojan's music, and the somewhat outdated animation give me a dusty impression, which only contributes to an overall impression of 55%.

The film is based on real events when connections between organized crime and the traditional Italian mafia with union leaders were exposed. By the way, this cooperation between unions and the mafia dates back to the early 20th century and has strong roots in immigration and community life, where the interests of both groups and the upbringing of gang and union members in the same poor neighborhoods overlapped and it took several decades to break these ties. At the same time, the film shows a traditional motif of American cinema, i.e., the rise of a strong individual from the periphery to the limelight and his subsequent downfall. Danny Green fulfilled the American dream and became an important player in the union organization, which has social influence and money. However, what one deals with, one also loses, and while the conflict with the state power only costs him influence and property, the conflict with organized crime, or the gang war it initiates, ultimately costs him incomparably more. Russia's Tsar Alexander II survived so many assassination attempts that rumors spread throughout Europe that he was immortal. A terrorist organization proved that even an immortal potentate can die, and Danny Green, who began to think after eight failed assassination attempts that only God could decide his fate, possessed a similar self-confidence as Alexander II. It's a solid film, whose strongest aspect is the real basis of its story, but the direction and cast represent only a better average. If I had to choose between it and, for example, Hoffa, which has essentially the same subject, the latter of the two films would prevail, both in terms of the cast and the script. Overall impression: 70%.

A predictable and artificial affair from a director who is indeed a pro, but as such, plays it safe and I definitely never expect any original, provocative, or experimental films from him. As a comedy, it doesn't work for me; rather, it feels like an attempt to capture the dramatic atmosphere of a typical workday in the office of a New York newspaper. Unfortunately, both the screenwriter and director idealize this world in line with the typically American theses about journalism being the strongest pillar of democracy. The seemingly emotionless dialogues and actions feel like paper shuffling to me, and I don't believe in them whatsoever. Of course, truth and justice will prevail, but it's typical American sentimentality, filmed pleasantly, does not force you to think, and is far removed from reality. American journalism is quite servile compared to, for example, British journalism, and generally more tame because it's dependent on influential advertisers and political elites. And that is only worsening with the pressure of the internet and the shift of potential readers toward bloggers and online news. One of the key scenes, Michael Keaton's fight on the side of good against Glenn Close's side of evil, didn't come across as funny, but rather forced. Not even the presence of one of my favorite actresses Marisa Tomei saved it for me. Overall impression: 45%.

I do not share the enthusiastic reception of the film, which is influenced both by the undeniable charm of Liya Kebede and by the sentimental story of how a poor girl from distant Somalia found happiness. In my opinion, the film lacks depth and an attempt to comprehensively examine the problems of third-world poverty and female genital mutilation. It allows the viewer to be shocked by the contrast between life in the drought-affected area of Africa and the consumerist gluttony of London, as well as the suffering of a girl forced to undergo female genital mutilation at a young age. However, it is all diluted by the fact that the rise of the heroine is made possible by the advertising and fashion industry, which are symbols of consumerism themselves. Of course, such a rise is only possible for a few chosen ones, and while the viewer is comforted by the happy ending, it does not change the fate of millions of other girls who do not have the necessary appearance. And I'm not even talking about the problem of female genital mutilation, because the film has no chance of influencing public opinion in countries where it is practiced. It lacks a deeper look into the problem, and it does not address any major drama or dilemmas. It only sponges on the mentioned problems and I consider it to be a certain kind of kitsch. Overall impression: 35%.

I consider The Method to be a truly high-quality and unique film in the field of psychological conversational drama. Essentially, it is a kind of intellectual counterpart to one of those reality shows where you place a group of motivated people in one room and let them compete for the position of a manager in a large company. Additionally, as part of the testing, you try to manipulate them in a proper way to expose their natures to the maximum. Of course, it has a structure similar to a theater play, but that doesn't mean in the slightest that you would be deprived of anything significant, except for the magnificent visuals. It has tension, surprise, a sense of irony, and a cruel game, and it is also complemented by great actors who are unfamiliar to us. The best thing about it is that The Method does not present any grand truths in a banal way and above all, not unequivocally. It practically forces you to think about everything and each of the audition characters changes their rating several times in the eyes of the viewers. Characters are refined in the most intense moments. Of course, it can also be understood ideologically as a kind of critique of capitalism and free competition, but I wouldn't see it that simply. I also genuinely believe that the right person won, but I wouldn't want to live in a world where the other candidates didn't find suitable fulfillment. In addition, if I had to choose a friend, it certainly wouldn't be the winner of this competition. Overall impression: 95%.

There are a lot of motifs and characters in the movie that perfectly fit the adjective "weird." However, the problem lies in the fact that it is either too weird or not weird enough. When after 40 minutes you have no idea what genre the movie is in or what it is about, then it is either a brilliant film, a mystification, or an unsuccessful matter. I ruled out the possibility of it being a brilliant film, so it is probably a joke at the expense of the viewers, or - more likely - an incompletely mastered intellectual game. The worst part is that the film is not provocative and attractive enough. In the end, I did not feel a sense of disappointment, as the actors acted very well and there were several enjoyable small tricks in the script, but it did not evoke any deeper feelings or emotions in me, and in a few days I won't even remember it. Overall impression: 45%. Fans of popcorn flicks heads up, this is definitely a niche affair...

Even with the best intentions, one can sometimes encounter an ungrateful reaction, and so the diligent doctor, along with the entire team, passionately fights for the life of an old lady who desires nothing more than to pass on to the other world, just to receive a proper punch from her afterward. The dark humor, which seems to have come from the TV series Dead Like Me, and only the pace and craziness correspond to the style of animated American slapstick. Wit, perspective, and dynamism. Overall impression: 80%.

Lubomír Beneš is known to animation fans almost exclusively as the creator of Pat and Mat, but in addition to comedies, he also has a few excursions in completely different genres, especially in the field of horror movies. In addition to The King and the Goblin, there is also The Musician and Death, which deals with what awaits each of us at some point. However, the protagonist, who is controlled by fear, decides that he will still enjoy the last minutes of his life properly - as it should be. Overall impression of this atmospheric affair: 80%.

Director René Castillo wanted to try out if the claymation technique would suit the horror film genre in animated movies, and although in my opinion, it's not as perfect as, for example, traditional 2D animation, it still works quite well mainly thanks to the great exaggeration and the combination of two genres, which we know well from Tim Burton's Corpse Bride. Those who don't want to spend time with Burton's full-length animated film will see a similar story here in about 10 minutes, although not as masterfully executed as by the significantly more famous American creator. The visual concept of the characters is, in my opinion, quite influenced by one of the most famous Latin American artists, Mexican graphic artist José Guadalupe Posada. Overall impression: 60%.