gudaulin

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%.

A pleasant return to the time when computer animation did not yet prevail and the creator had to work with real artifacts from everyday life and base their film on a clever idea and humor. The Potato Hunter is a case of fascination with the classic animation technique of clay figures, which fight against the dominance of a horde of bloodthirsty potatoes and parody classic stories of primitive nations and their struggle with nature and ruthless predators. Overall impression: 80%.

Dear fans of horror movies, you can have your bloody fantasies, protruding intestines, splattered brains, and other enticing images, but for me, the perfect embodiment of this genre is the short film The Ark. A concentrated symphony of creeping fear, hopelessness, and despair, the scariest and most perfect prison that actually exists and can only be escaped in one way. For me, The Ark is the ideal short animated film, an interesting concept that will entertain and thrill one's senses for a few minutes, never ceasing to entertain, and with several twists and an attractive visual design. Overall impression: 95%.

This cult Western was practically created at the same time as one of my favorite films, Lemonade Joe, which programmatically opposes exactly what Leone did here. That means emphasizing genre clichés, the naivety of the plot, and an unrealistic view of historical events and actions. In the case of Leone's film, nostalgia doesn't work for me at all, which influences, in some cases, more than just my assessment of films, as I didn't see this film during my adolescence. Of course, A Fistful of Dollars is the beginning of the subgenre of spaghetti Westerns, it is a recognized classic, and naturally, I easily find within it practically everything that led to Leone's success. Excellent camera work, scenes designed to maximize the most fundamental human emotions, a sharp contrast between positive and negative characters, cuts to sweaty, bearded faces, and wild gleam in the eyes, a great sense of film detail, and superb casting, which, among other things, helped Clint Eastwood rise to stardom. However, I have a very lukewarm relationship with westerns, as I've mentioned in my reviews several times, so I can't overlook many of the film's unfinished aspects. Leone was still finding himself in this filmmaking genre and honing his directing style. While I forgive genre clichés much more readily in other entertaining genres that I like more, I am unforgiving here. For example, key scenes such as the attack on the military convoy or the destruction of Baxter's hideout are poorly shot and practically cry out for parody. Notice the dozens of male characters, who, after being shot in the chest, tense up, grab their heart, and slowly stagger to the ground with a typical motion. Overall, the script is naive, and a person simply has to turn off their brain. In his later films, Leone added much greater depth of thought, and new motifs, and even Morricone delivered much more emotional performances. When it comes to westerns, I prefer a more realistic style, for example, as demonstrated by the Coen brothers in their new film True Grit. This film lacks much of what I appreciate in cinema, such as realism, rawness, and the internal logic of the story. On the other hand, there are plenty of aspects that repel me from this genre. Overall impression: 40%.

When I rewatch old movie hits, in many cases I note that either the film has aged or I have aged and now perceive it completely differently, so I inevitably have to lower my rating. Nostalgia can color an average film with the brightest colors. But with Midnight Cowboy, I can confidently say that it is a timeless film with extraordinary emotional impact. The story of two outsiders, dreamers, losers, and men living on the outskirts of the city and prosperity, is depicted without cheap sentimentality and yet with maximum effect. It is excellently cast, excellently acted, and as the cherry on top, adorned with an excellent musical motif. I always remember the song "Everybody's Talkin'" when I feel like tuning in to the right wave of romance and nostalgia. Midnight Cowboy is a film about an atypical and unlikely friendship between two men, brought together by necessity. The late 60s and 70s belonged to an era of American cinema that was characterized by a search for identity, rebellion against established practices and values, and a socially critical attitude toward the establishment. For most movie viewers, Dustin Hoffman is forever associated with the character of Rainman, but I primarily remember his unfortunate swindler from this film. Overall impression: 95%.