gudaulin

Belle is a perfect example of a contrasting film that presents the viewer with dual aspects. The first aspect showcases highly professional production values with a strong cast and corresponding performances, excellent set design, and overall well-executed craftsmanship of the project. The second, less sympathetic aspect of the film is its perfect predictability, which can be likened to a primitive children's puzzle. A new character appears, and you immediately assign them the appropriate role - that's the lecherous seducer, that's the devoted admirer with a pure heart who leads the heroine to the altar, and so on. Practically never making a mistake, the film's script could easily be written by even you, as practically nothing in it can surprise or astonish you. Three stars are as good as guaranteed, and I can even imagine a fourth star for fans of Emily Watson or Tom Wilkinson. Overall impression: 60%.

European Nordic countries bear the stigma of depressive regions, where lack of light is battled for half a year and where alcoholics and melancholic souls thrive. On the other hand, Finland consistently maintains its position at the top of the happiness index and usually wins, so it's probably just a prejudice. Naked Harbour, however, caters to this prejudice because we observe numerous characters who are exposed to stress, and hostility, and have the inability to form functional romantic relationships. So much pain, bitterness, and despair are not seen this often. It's like emotional depressive porn, causing anxiety, and only the last two minutes show a slightly more encouraging glimpse into the future of some of the film's protagonists. The film is very well acted and I have no complaints about the direction, but the selection of motifs is too selective and I definitely don't recommend the film to viewers prone to melancholy. Overall impression: 75%.

The idea is great, but the execution is only slightly above average. Sydney Sibilia hasn't done a lot of fruitful directorial and screenwriting work, and it's a bit noticeable. On one hand, it is necessary to appreciate that I Can Quit Whenever I Want avoids awkward pandering to the viewer, so common in the comedy genre, but on the other hand, there is a lot of unused potential felt in many places. The connection of the academic world with the world of crime offered plenty of funny gags and characters that deviate from the usual standards and mediocrity, which directly called for it. But still, it's a fine experience that I appreciate, and my overall impression is 75%.

The content is shocking and provocative, but the strength of the film lies in its theme and content. I haven't watched Hanna Polak's films enough to make categorical judgments about her, but it seems to me that the editing could have been better, and the film could have been shortened by fifteen minutes, as the director sometimes lingers on unnecessary images. Overall impression: 85%.

The art of leaving on time, unfortunately, is not common to everyone and it is understandable that Brian De Palma wanted to say goodbye to the genre he dedicated himself to and has immense experience in. Unfortunately, both the script and, more painfully, the direction fail in perfect harmony here. The film is not bad enough to discourage you from watching it, let alone so disastrous that it is entertaining in its incompetence. It is one of those cases where you say to yourself when watching the last scene: "God, I wasted my time again." It wasn't worth it. The main protagonist, a police officer, immediately proves himself to be a fool in the first scene, only to demonstrate an incomprehensible short circuit in the second scene that should cost him his job immediately, and probably even lead to criminal prosecution. There is no point in elaborating on the cheap production, poor editing, and camera work. Overall impression: 25%.

I understand that in a time when comic book adaptations and epic fantasy dominate the film landscape, Triangle of Sadness represents a sympathetic civilian deviation for a more adult audience. On the other hand, it is not an exceptional piece, let alone film of the year. After a promising start, where Östlund takes shots at the superficial world of modeling (I know, it's an easy target, but the hits are accurate), with each subsequent chapter it becomes increasingly annoyingly didactic. Not to mention that the middle part on the boat with the puking scene is somewhat funny, but it is also somewhat cheap humor that could also appear in undemanding Italian comedies from the 70s. I have higher expectations for satire. In my opinion, the casting is also problematic. Woody Harrelson functions as expected, Harris Dickinson delivers, and Vicki Berlin in the smaller role of the chief stewardess is interesting. Unfortunately, that exhausts my positive feelings about the ensemble. With all due respect to the prematurely deceased Charlbi Dean, she was merely a model cast in a film role, and I can think of a dozen actresses who, besides a glamorous face, could deliver acting performances two or three levels better. Dolly De Leon in her variation of the Rat King completely missed the mark, and Henrik Dorsin is forgettable. I will give it a weak four-star rating, but there is something missing here. The TV series The White Lotus was able to tell a similar story with considerably better results, and it's not just because of the larger space that a series offers. Overall impression: 70%.

It cannot be denied that the film's production was done well. It is not an interchangeable pop-cultural product, and the Balkans can be clearly felt in the series with all its cultural features and historical atavisms, such as a tendency towards violence, blood feuds, and pervasive corruption. The interesting, unknown actors help, and when it comes to the casting, I don't see any weaknesses, and the sadistic sociopath Mima will definitely rank very high among iconic villains. Radoslav Milenkovic did a great job with his character and they probably won't even sell bread rolls to him anymore in Serbia. As for the form, I only have words of praise, but as for the content, there are some more substantial criticisms to be made. The plot itself is convoluted. The leader of a criminal clan, who has an army of capable killers, chooses an extremely risky and, from a practical point of view, a senseless form of revenge through a civilian with zero criminal experience. Turning a regular person into a contract killer is as bizarre as hiring a random pedestrian for the national team in the FIFA World Cup. Some other moments could also be pointed out but that would go into spoilers. Nevertheless, my overall impression is positive, and I hope I will get to see the second season. The first one ended at its best. Overall impression: 75%.

An attempt to capture the European Tinder generation, which is meant to appeal to its members. In my eyes, it fails because it clings too much to everything that is photogenic and attractive, and the dramatic aspect of the project suffers as a result. It is a typical example of a film where the director presents characters that, according to his opinion, I should identify with and root for, while I see them in a completely different light. If I were to rely solely on my emotions, I would categorically discard the film without hesitation. I did not see eye to eye with my favorite Audiard this time. It is strange that the Finnish film Games People Play, which deals with the same age group burdened by similar emotional instability and social unanchoredness, captivated me and earned a full five stars. In this film, with the partial exception of Nora, whom the director manipulates in a different way than I would have imagined, everyone was terribly annoying, including the explicit depiction of eroticism. I never thought I would end up as a moralist, but here I have the impression that I see a lot of self-centered, immature thirty-year-olds who are setting themselves up for loneliness and will not be able to form functional families. Overall impression: 35%.

I can't really criticize the film much. Donaldson didn't really have to try too hard (it's not really about dazzling creative filmmaking) because the historical events, when the world was just a step away from World War III, guaranteed a spectacle filled with emotions and tension. I would appreciate less pathos, references to religious faith, and blatant invocation of family values. But as I've heard others say, that's just part of America and the director actually held back. There is a bit too much of Kevin Costner in the film but considering his involvement in the production, it's understandable. Moreover, this film is among the best in his career. Overall impression: 75%.

Haunted Summer reveals why Ivan Passer, unlike his Czech New Wave counterpart Miloš Forman, failed to properly establish himself overseas. Forman knows how to bring a significantly greater atmosphere and sparkle into biographical motifs. A film about the greatest social troublemakers of that era should provoke and shock, but unfortunately, it instead bores. It is tiresome, overloaded with dialogues, without ideas, and the only positive aspect for me was the presence of the young Laura Dern. Also, Philip Anglim did not convince me of his acting qualities in the role of Lord Byron. Overall impression: 40%.