gudaulin

Ahh, the golden 60s, when the ideological barriers and censorship fell, but at the same time generous state support remained, so creators could experiment and mock or make fun of society and the government. It's no wonder that many filmmakers miss those times. The truth is that a number of films from that era wouldn't have been made in so-called normal times. Daisies is an experimental plaything that is far from ordinary film productions and the average moviegoer. The film is valuable for film theorists and dedicated cinephiles in terms of film language, visual composition, editing, and camerawork. On the other hand, it lacks a lot of things that the average moviegoer expects, and the current high rating on FilmBooster is due to snobbery and imitation with a high number of reviews. Overall impression: 40%.

It is quite unbelievable that Iceland, with around three hundred thousand inhabitants, can regularly produce films that surpass much more populous nations and established cinema. Jar City has everything that belongs to a modern crime thriller and what I appreciate in this genre. It has a believable story, with well-developed characters, tension, and above all, an atmosphere created by both the contemplative stark and yet beautiful Nordic landscape, and the dark music where the important element is played by a male choir. The cinematography also deserves recognition, as it creates stylistic shots reminiscent of Fincher's style, and sometimes plays with shocking details, whether in a medical laboratory or when discovering the victim. As the icing on the cake, it provides specific Nordic humor that is unlikely to be found in mainstream American crime films. The film is not action-packed, and the only chase scene turns into a farce when the perpetrator, a robust thug, realizes after a few dozen meters that he is being pursued by a short-statured police officer, and they soon exchange roles. National specificities are highlighted in the plot, for example, when it turns out that in desolate Iceland, everyone knows everyone. Overall impression: 80%.

I haven't read the book or seen the original 70s film version until now. Therefore, I don't have to deal with the eternal problem of how shamefully and directly the screenwriter and director dealt with sacred models. Departing from the original genre and making a sci-fi comedy seems like a very reasonable idea, a similar concept can't be taken seriously anymore. I openly admit that I enjoyed it more than most current comedies, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they are full of original, sparkling humor. It rather reflects my positive attitude towards sci-fi and what is liked, is also easily criticized. Oz's direction is fine within his possibilities, weaknesses are more evident in the script. The cast is decent and Nicol Kidman's performance is a perfect hit. Overall impression 55%.

Along with Miloš Forman, Lasse Hallström is one of those European directors who have adapted best to the American environment and have managed to combine European artistic ambition with decent craftsmanship and the commercial interests of major studios. Like Forman, Hallström focused on adaptations of notable works by famous novelists under these new conditions and managed to process them with exceptional care and a sense of detail. The Cider House Rules is a cultivated and sensitive film about coming of age, the search for life values, a sense of duty, and love and friendship. It is not easy to set a film in an orphanage setting and avoid cheap sentimentality, but Hallström, in my opinion, succeeded perfectly. I often come across false tones in similar films, but I didn't hear them here. The film has excellent casting, with Maguire and Caine acting in a measured and precise manner. Both of them are very significant and unmissable actors of their generations. The only flaw in the film's beauty may be the slower pace for some viewers, but it certainly didn't bother me. Irving is not a writer whose works can be easily made into a film, but Hallström succeeded in this case. Overall impression: 95%.

An interesting psychological drama filmed in a way that everyone can choose their own interpretation and interpret the message of the film in their own way. Some of the motifs didn't resonate with me, but others more than made up for it. The film's strength lies in the casting of German stars who have contributed to the rise of German cinema in the last decade. Interesting characters, casual dialogues about somewhat crazy problems, and sexual openness that may have ventured into controversial positions if it were made by another director and screenwriter. It is the story of two stepbrothers, their reconciliation with an unscrupulous and selfish narcissistic mother, and their search for happiness and a suitable partner. Overall impression: 75%. For me, the film fluctuates between comically lightened and tragically exposed.

Hrabal can be felt a mile away in his individual stories, and raw poeticism is truly typical of him in the Czech environment. In the '60s, young New Wave filmmakers made it their duty and honor to adapt at least a part of his work into film. The influence of the New Wave's filmmaking techniques is also strongly noticeable in this episodic film, meaning the use of non-professional actors, minimal interference in their dialogues, and an effort for maximum authenticity of the setting. Unfortunately, my overall impression is dampened by the use of low-quality film material, which has been affected by the passage of time. In some cases, I simply could not understand the non-actors' lines and the actions of Menzel and Chytilová sometimes felt like filmmaking mannerisms. Nevertheless, the film does have several strong and deeply human moments, and the final romance between a Roma girl and a factory apprentice is both comical and sentimental. Overall impression: 55%. In the individual stories, it is clearly evident that the later famous filmmakers were still learning as they went along and that they were rather self-absorbed, with the viewer as a consumer of their work not being of great concern. The use of musical motifs is problematic, some of which I considered to be truly disharmonious attacks on my eardrums, and in consideration of my neighbors, I constantly had to adjust the volume. Either I couldn't hear the dialogues or I was overwhelmed by organ or other musical outputs.

Not only can turtles fly, but everyone who activates an anti-personnel or anti-tank mine can do it - and there are countless of them appearing in Ghobadi's film. A thematically immensely powerful film about the plight of war orphans in a remote part of Kurdistan, who make a living by collecting and neutralizing ammunition and minefields around local villages. The camera unabashedly shows the missing limbs of child amputees, and captures emotions from the faces of child actors, truly excelling in this aspect. On the other hand, I have some issues with the pace of storytelling, the director's filmmaking approach, and the flat script, just like with the acting of most participants. Yes, this film was not created easily, but I would only give it a fourth star out of obligation. Overall impression: 65%. The most valuable aspect is the cinematography, which captures the post-war turmoil in a crisis-stricken country.

This is nothing more than stylishly directed nonsense. Maybe it's just a message for those who claim that the king has luxurious golden embroidered clothes adorned with jewels. Unfortunately, the king is naked and the only remarkable thing about him is how proudly he displays his nudity and pretends to have depth of thought when he is as flat as a sheet of paper. Overall impression: you can't go into the negative, so three underlined zeroes.

The film begins with a shot of corpses floating in the water in the middle of a swimming pool. Everything indicates that we will witness a dark thriller, probably spiced up with horror elements. But soon there is a cut, and you find yourself in the middle of a community of upper middle-class residents from a closed residential complex. They clearly belong to the happier and more successful people who can provide their families with a very decent life. However, they do not have the kind of wealth that would secure them a safe cushion in case of job loss and status. Their prosperity is built on mortgages and other loans and on the precarious assumption of continuing current income. But with signs of an approaching crisis also come worries, which turn into an oppressive nightmare. What will tomorrow bring, how will I defend my social status, what am I without it? The film's title could also be different: The Anatomy of One Fear. Although not as stylish and thematically sophisticated as The Method, The Widows of Thursdays is still decently above average in the psychological drama genre, and Marcelo Pineyro once again confirms his left-leaning sensibilities. Overall impression: 75%.

Take the student sense of humor, immigrant slang, rap, the punk sneer of the Sex Pistols (and for good measure, add half of Johnny Rotten's ass), the stonedness of The Big Lebowski, pop culture jokes from The Simpsons, the hopelessness of panel housing estates, black Driss from The Intouchables, deliberately unpleasant drawings reminiscent of a combination of Andersson's book "Container," shake it up, mix it all together, and you'll get something remotely similar to Round Da Way from this Molotov cocktail. This animated comedy about two slackers from the suburbs who dream of fame in the music business, sex, and a nice warm vacation is not serious, politically correct, and certainly not for everyone. But if you embrace its rules (sorry, anarchy), there’s a good chance you'll be royally entertained. The passionate dance of the police station staff with batons in hand, singing about how handcuffs boost their self-confidence or the rap song of repentant sinners at the very end will easily convince you that the five-star rating scale is sometimes unnecessarily limiting. And there's something else I appreciate. Round Da Way isn't a "hardcore" film, it doesn't go to extremes despite its exasperation. It's like a lively Bart Simpson going through puberty, who you know has a good heart, and in the end, it will (probably) pleasantly surprise you. Overall impression: 95%.