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I acknowledge the power of the ideas in the intro, in the repetition of lines in front of the camera, in the challenge for the viewers, which is bold and objectively not very emphatic. What comes after that is just a repetitive game with patience and expectations, which is ruined by dubbing, visual noise, and unfortunately, also the approach of the artist himself, whose priorities before and after a viewing is how many people he can offend and how many will leave. At that moment, the boundaries of creative trolling pass from boldness to deluded intoxication with one's own abilities and makes us forget how much work it must have taken to make Jonestown look like this (ugly).

I am amazed at how boldly the third installment of Mortal Kombat Legends deviates from the traditional formula and serves up something in the style of "Old Man Sub-Zero", inspired by the Marvel classic Logan. This surprisingly restrained combination of a Western, Seven Samurai, and the better or worse attributes of the entire universe stumbles more than it sprints, but fortunately feels original. Still, it suffers from the cheapness of bloody scenes lacking any trace of wit or surprise, and above all from increasingly simplistic animation. In the close-up shots of faces I could swear I was watching an unfinished version. Nevertheless, I wish to rise above it, considering how much I usually enjoy adventures from different realms and how many surprises or believable motivations are incorporated into the script. Too bad an unnecessary deus ex machina comes into play at the end that disgracefully devalues everything that has happened up to that point. Just like in the previous installment, a plot that could easily have sufficed for a trilogy (with a bit of effort and luck) kicks off and then resolves within a weak ten minutes.

1st season – 60% – When the English have their most famous Elizabeth on Netflix, the German-speaking countries want to have their own as well. And with a grand production, sweeping music, and its deliberate pace, The Empress could withstand any harsh comparison. The problem arises when it markedly deviates from history, adding fashion or dance interludes like those in Bridgerton, turning Maximilian into a demonically indulgent and perpetually lurking Mephisto and missing out on the most interesting part of the tale, namely the presentation of the main couple and their love story, a story that has fascinated me since childhood with its almost fairy-tale settings. Unfortunately, its so charming I forgot everything that came after it, like the court's opposition to the newcomers and the fact that poor Sissi spent most of her time unhappy, lonely, and feeling unjustly treated by almost the entire world. That's why I harbor a certain viewer resentment towards the supporting characters in almost every episode, and all that's left is to hope that the series will get a chance to depict happier periods of the main protagonist's life.

Mike White the screenwriter once again plays the role of a malicious host. He punishes not just the unappealing culprits but also appealing victims and even just individuals floating through life. Their merits don't matter, nor do their offenses or karma; everyone gets a bitter pill and it's merely a question of whether one at a time or by the handful. Then Mike White the director surpasses the first season, the sea waves enveloping them in an even more irresistible guise and pulling out ever more surprising aces from his sleeve. Even this time I won't give in to the highest rating, even though for the second time only just barely. The reason is that painful conclusions sometimes have such staying power that I feel a palpable grief for up to several weeks after the vacation is over.

A difficult spectacle to rate or laugh at. The first Clerks commented so bitterly on everyday life that its sequels should be more positive, enthusiastic, and enjoyable as a new lease on life. The third installment has the exact opposite effect. The only joy is found in reminiscences, and Dante and Randy clearly indicate that things were better before, though for the latter they were never really that great anyway. It's just that ordinariness, the 1990s and the 2000s, the carefree attitude, all of that feels a lot more fresh and original, while it makes the mundane present that much more burdensome. For many, Kevin Smith is just a shadow of a man who managed to speak to an entire generation. At some points during Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back I wasn't exactly thrilled and I couldn't figure out where it was going, why it was repeating that flood of craziness that sometimes entertains but more often feels like just a variation on what has been seen before. I get that with the return to the convenience store there is once again a need to communicate much more. That's because it's more about life decisions, inescapable crossroads, and the responsibility that ordinary adult life brings with it. And of course it bums me out that this is the direction it's taking and that Smith is voluntarily robbing the previous installment of that great mood, which won't create such a cheery impression again. May he be forgiven by virtue of his definitive reorientation on friendly relationships rather than romantic ones. The reborn Smith doesn't seek to entertain, doesn't want to laze around, doesn't need to be a young or old man behind the counter. He just wants to share a few last life tips in the role of a reasonable and experienced uncle to everyone who has found their way here. I'm happy to listen; after that, the decision is up to each of us as to whether we are more interested in celebrity cameos and gags or the possibility of coming away with something more.

An even bigger Thor: Ragnarok than Ragnarok itself. Overloaded action, 80s explosions, workable pathos, and a standard of taste trampled somewhere in the dirt. Thor has found the utmost limits of self-parody in his quest, and even though the public doesn't need to know him like this anymore, I couldn't be happier. It was a bold choice to alternate between the most infantile lines, the almost melancholic mood, and a theatrically demonic enemy, one that's not worth trying to overcome because it might not even be possible without disrupting the entire concept.

The essence of the nineties, which was most authentic at the times when she was the most insane and her smile the most frozen. Against the backdrop of a sticky scandal, a few unlucky individuals suffer the loss of their ideals and mild mental decay, a fascinating journey via the internet, and all the evils that entails – and above all, a sad story about how one girl had to grow up simply because you can't be a sex symbol and a character actress at the same time. I didn't care much for Pamela in elementary school and saw Tommy as nothing more than a hollow stump, yet I almost cried at every bump or barrier in their later lives. Lily James and Sebastian Stan were bold casting decisions, but ones that paid off a hundredfold. Their look, their expressions, words, smiles, and mutual chemistry. I would gladly go for a second season with all the good and even the rather bad (the latter of which is usually unavoidable with stuff that's been thrown together), just so I could watch them interact a little while longer.

Enchantingly beautiful animation of ice skating, snow, and gracefulness in every movement – which though it suits the captivating fairytale career of the title character, it doesn't quite gel with a few of the sideplots. The reason is that the motivations of the other characters seemed a bit off to me, whether it was the rival romantically longing for a life with his sister or the one who keeps ecstatically sighing (and not just sighing, either) after every successful performance. It made me a bit uncomfortable, even though I've experienced quite a bit of that sort of thing in anime. In the end, I'm really disappointed in the lower rating because I was already a fan of the series with how it came about, how enthusiastic its fan base is, and how rare it is to see a Czech athlete in an Asian work. Emil Nekola is my hero, and the fact that his name is inspired by the legendary Czechoslovak figure skater Ondrej Nepela is such a warm nod that I can forgive the minimal focus on this skater. The initial enthusiasm from each race dies down, and the undeveloped relationships between the two Yuri's or between them and their coach leave me with the feeling that I only saw half of each episode. The only reason I wanted to flash an extra star at the last second when I was doing the scoring was again the audiovisuals. The moment the music matches the image or the audience even starts singing, I get chills in just a second. But compared to my high expectations, it falls a few decimal points short.

1st season – 70% – Vikings: Valhalla secured its first victory with me right off the bat in the first episode. It's completely different, both in terms of character composition and, above all, in approach. There's not a lot of waiting around, small skirmishes and big battles happen surprisingly soon, and most importantly, there's someone to cheer for. In the original series there was no one to root for in the end, but here I really enjoy the entire main trio, not to mention historically important supporting players like King Canute. In the end, what comes out of the first season of this new chapter is clearly the best to emerge from the historic universe of Kattegat since approximately the third season of the original Vikings. With a bit better connection between the "domestic" and English storylines, it easily keeps pace with the most legendary raids of Ragnar, Rollo, and friends.

With even a cursory knowledge of the interests of the titular creator, the viewer will be deprived of surprises. So, those who have del Toro's filmography at hand will calmly accept the fact that half of the episodes adapt Lovecraft or come very close to his themes. The rest of the stories contain a greater or lesser amount of gore or a touch of gothic horror. As a whole, Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities suffers from the common ailment of most anthologies, where an atmospheric spectacle is followed by coarse B-movie, which sometimes even left me ashamed of the creators. However, it doesn't matter too much here, perhaps due to the pulp origins of the entire genre. I was looking forward to each new episode and couldn't wait to see what and who would stand out for me. My impressions are thus slightly more favorable than the composite rating above would suggest.