J*A*S*M

It’s nothing new either formally or content-wise. But as a worthy memorial to the greatest Czech filmmaker, the new work by the best Czech documentarist is more than adequate. #KVIFF2019

Any film that, despite a relatively explicit brutality, manages to not be primarily vulgar has a place in my heart. From the title, I was expecting a lighter perverted nonsense, but, believe it or not, this is a pretty serious film. You will laugh, yes, but then, when you’ve realise how fucked up the characters are, you’ll also get the chills. There hasn’t been another film in this year’s festival where I rooted less for the heroes. Which is actually interesting, given how screwed they are. The Finns aren’t afraid of that. Good for them. #KVIFF2019

Basically, without objections. Very viewer-friendly, very entertaining, but also very bold and relevant. Exactly the type of film that makes me like films, while also proof that entertainment and art aren’t opposites. It’s so perfect that it couldn’t be ignored even by the jury at Cannes, who mostly overrate other types of films. #KVIFF2019

Those few flashes of the character of Elisabeth Moss clearly encourage the viewer to make analogies with The Handmaid’s Tale. Affleck’s film certainly overlaps with it, but the atmosphere is very different. Light of my Life is a typical American indie, beautifully shot, where the main action is typically long, with people talking, and other times it’s totally silent. The focus is the relationship between father and daughter, and the post-apocalyptic props are nothing but (tasty) spices. #KVIFF2019

A conversational drama in three acts about a couple in crisis. The first part follows the wife (talking to someone), the second part follows the husband (talking to someone) and the third part, both together (talking). While the first and second parts manage to entertain to a certain extent, the third part falls apart and ends up being empty. #KVIFF2019

I have only one problem with The Lodge and it’s very similar to the one I had with the directorial début of the duo Franz-Fiala, Goodnight Mommy, I also found it predictable. Though not after five minutes, like the previous one, but somewhere around the middle, at most, it was already clear what was happening and where it was going. And again, I’m not entirely sure whether the directors expect that the viewer already suspects the point (some of the clues are way too obvious!), or the way the cards are shown in the end is really meant as a surprise. Nevertheless, it is better than the previous film conceptually, and the horror aspect also works better; for most of the run, the psycho-horror-winter atmosphere is firing on all cylinders. On the other hand, the uncompromising fifteen minutes in the end are worth five stars. I enjoyed it, but for the next film I would like the directors to either bluff a little more ingeniously or to show their cards right from the beginning :) #KVIFF2019

Very sexily shot. I like films like this at festivals, that audiovisually look more polished than as if someone had grabbed an ordinary camera for the first time, put it on a tripod and let it stay there, and then they didn’t want to edit much. Monos has beautiful cinematography, vibrant colours, dynamic editing and glorious music. And though the first half was a bit of an existential drag (though very atmospheric, so I rather enjoyed it), by the middle of the second half it has turned into a proper tropical survival flick. That’s not too shabby! #KVIFF2019

A well tuned crowd-pleaser for undemanding audiences. If I wanted to dig deeper, I would find plenty of arguments to tear it apart (like the total lack chemistry between the two main characters, or the morally problematic starting point and consequences), but I decided that I don’t want to. In any case, I will probably forget it before the festival is over. #KVIFF2019

Awfully long artsy onanism where the first signs of the announced “plot” appear after exactly 50 minutes of shots that could have been cut out. The kind of film that you can with rate five stars on Filmbooster and look like a connoisseur. #KVIFF2019

Very good work. The fast pace and the quick presentation of about a billion characters with unmemorable names was a little scary at first, but as soon as the attention focuses exclusively on Buscetta and the trial, it was a winner. Surprisingly nimble given the length and topic. #KVIFF2019