D.Moore

This could have been such a good documentary if Marián Polák had stayed behind the camera and had not walked in front of it at all, if the central idea of “we have all this at home" had not been repeated endlessly, and if the narration by Kryštof Hadi had been more insightful. The footage is beautiful, and for example, the mouflons in the Most region is a completely magical scene.

There’s definitely something to it when F. F. Coppola, Quentin Tarantino, and Wes Anderson describe a director as extraordinary – and William Friedkin certainly is. The creator of the best horror film of all time and one of the best crime dramas is shown here as I like to think he really is – as a charmingly stubborn and avid artist who strives for authenticity and likes to surprise or shock with his opinions. “Success has many fathers, but failure is an orphan”.

From start to finish, I was reminded of the Czech film The Cremator. American Psycho draws the same analogy between the state of mind of the main character and the society he lives in. In this case, it is a far-fetched caricature of Wall Street royalty chattering eternally and senselessly with excruciating relentlessness, contrasted with a man who sets himself apart from the snobbish herd by becoming a murderous psychopath. But is anyone curious about his hobby? The great Christian Bale and a cunning script that is only seemingly about nothing, just like all the blather at tables in fancy restaurants.

A long-awaited movie – meaning that I had been looking forward to it, knowing how good it would be. This story draws from the X-Men Universe but does not feature the X-Men as characters. Unlike other mutant movies, this one introduces new, interesting characters (The New Mutants surprisingly references Logan – a few seconds of film shots were used). It has a pleasant horror atmosphere like the original A Nightmare on Elm Street. Until the impressive ending, no useless digital effects are used. It is a high-quality, captivating chamber story that is independent of the main series. I think it could be longer. If the studio hadn’t screwed up the plans of the creators and infected the audience with distrust, any upcoming sequels would have been worth watching. Such a shame! Especially with Dani and Rahne’s potential.

Like Mr. Jones, Agnieszka Holland's previous film, I don't think Charlatan would be a pure five stars... if it weren't for Ivan Trojan. I already know he's a great actor, but he outdoes himself with what he does here, under the baton of a world class director. I searched my memory for the last time I was so impressed by the performance of a Czech actor in a Czech film, and I ended up with Bolek Polívka in Forgotten Light. Ivan Trojan gives an incredible performance of the caliber of Rudolf Hrušínský or Miroslav Macháček, and he is not Trojan, but Mikolášek, whom you alternately admire and hate. But Josef Trojan, whose casting is based on far more than his resemblance to his father, is also very good, and I liked the uncluttered script and the likewise sparse direction. The ending disgusted me and it didn't matter that it was contrived. I understood why what happened happened, and why who did what they did, but it didn't make the heartbreak any easier.

Anyone expecting a comprehensive portrait of Václav Havel in 105 minutes is bound to be disappointed, because this is not that kind of film. Indeed, this is above all somewhat of a whimsical affair, deliberately leaving most of the characters anonymous and offering them to the viewer as some sort of personification of the various opinions and characters of the time. It doesn't even let Havel make a single speech or formulate a proper thought, it doesn't give any space to any of his plays, and it still shows him mainly as an ordinary man who is looking for the right attitude in life and at the same time trying to live that life (by the way, I suspect that his name is not even mentioned throughout the film). The film shows how Havel changed, and why he decided to become president, in a mere three scenes with Dubček. The counterbalance to the silent Havel in Viktor Dvořák's wonderful performance is of course the raging force of nature of Martin Hofmann's Landovský, Aňa Geislerová delighted me with how un-Geislerian she was, and director Slávek Horák again had a lot of ideas that worked – playful metaphors, for some too literal, the suffocating prison atmosphere and yet a humorous lightness in the right places... this is no monument to Havel, but the film nevertheless revives his legacy with style and dignity.

Manipulation and conscience play leading roles. Though perhaps a little longer than necessary, it was still a more than good film starring the amazing John Turturro and Ralph Fiennes. I did yawn a few times due to the running time, but in the end I was actually entertained nonetheless, and constantly curious to see what would happen next. "The audience didn't tune in to watch some amazing display of intellectual ability. They just want to watch the money."

"Please keep this pace, please keep this pace", I kept wishing for the film after the incredible first 15 minutes, but alas, in vain. It had the makings of an almost Funès-esque comedy with satirical undertones, yet it ultimately failed. I'm not saying I didn't have fun with the rest of An American Pickle; the Frankenstein-esque first canning scene was amazing, for example. It's just that in all other respects it was so predictable: Tweety, almost everything with Ben, etc. That said, Seth Rogen is great, Sarah Snook was wonderful yet again (we just didn’t see enough of her), and I really liked the unknown Molly Evensen as Herschel's intern. However, I absolutely have to sing the praises of the music – the most Jewish soundtrack I've heard since Schindler's List, and the funniest Jewish soundtrack since The Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jacob.

Despite the promising atmosphere and idea, boredom reigned too often for my taste in this forest of terror. It wasn't a waste of time, but it didn't make me want to take another look at Hansel and Gretel as the far superior The Witch literally forced me to do a few years ago.

My only criticism of the second season of Doom Patrol is that it isn't longer. At least one more episode, because... well, because I'd really like one. This season was the same as the previous one in a lot of ways, but because of the smaller number of episodes and the fact that the series dealt out the cards so well last time, it could have just gone straight to the point and not wasted its time with anything. Like the protagonists, who get his with a whole lot all at once, and the viewer getting along with them. I actually watched a number of scenes in a number of episodes with moist eyes or outright tears, and no joke, I was even afraid of what was coming next. Despite all that though, the show hasn't lost its perspective and hasn't given up on the bizarre nonsense like its sexual ghosts, which is great. And the biggest trump card is of course the character of Dorothy, but I probably don't need to add that.