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The Tattooist of Auschwitz (2024)
Far from the truth Holocaust exploitation
The main problem with this serial, as with the original book is, that it may be emotionally moving, but learning a false view on how the life in a death camp looked like. The book accuracy was crushed by proffessional historians and Holocaust researchers, and the serial is not much improved - despite its authors knew all the criticism. There are also proffessional scholar reviews of the serial, pointing out numerous situations, that just could not have happened. The book author and filmmakers are apparently unaware, that there were strict procedures in the camp, and even SS members had to obey - especially those of lower rank. Moreover, free walks of prisoners were impossible, and Lali was not a privileged person there, only a qualified personnel, treated a little better than others. It is not a computer game, when you direct a main character and move where you want.
The story might have been a true one in general - but it was told by an old man to an author, who had no idea how the camp life looked like. She tried to retell the story how she could, but the book was just an effect of her imagination. And the serial is an effect of the imagination of the crew, how the events described in the book looked like. Add some horror, cruelty and faeces , and you are justified, that you show a real life and death in the camp.
It seems, that the filmmakers wanted just to make money from a 'fashionable' Holocaust theme. There were hundreds of ways to show a romance on the screen, but a death camp is not an appropriate background. Main heroes of the story survived - but not thanks to their love, but luck.
Kolory zla. Czerwien (2024)
A decent job
I have mixed feelings after watching the movie. I had no high expectations, so I wasn't disappointed - overally, a decent crime thriller, but the one, which you probably will forget. There are some original ideas, and a magnetic charater of a main villain, a gangster boss and a sexual deviant, who killed and mutilated a young girl Monika. Or maybe did he not?
A great acting was performed by Monika's mother, Helena, an acknowledged Polish actress Maja Ostaszewska. Her character is a family court judge, with a broken own family life, who tries to seek the truth. Performances of the rest of the cast were good, but rather forgetable. The victim, which we get to know better from flashbacks, a young actress Zofia Jastrzebska, did well in difficult graphic violence and nudity scenes.
Script writer and filmmakers had an interesting general plot, but at times I had an impression, that they lacked an idea how to develop the action. Especially it was visible well before the end of the movie, when the police seem to enjoy an easy success against the main suspect, and the tension breaks. Some will find an interesting plot twist, some - incredible plot holes.
All in all, a decent film to watch. Luckilly, the producers didn't develop it into a mini series, what would have been a waste of time.
Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later (2017)
Funny, but doubly disappointing ending
I haven't ever seen the original movie, so both serials aired on Netflix were new to me. I enjoyed the first one quite much and liked the characters, so I rushed to watch Ten Years After.
I found the serial quite funny, despite stupid - to say the least - Reagan/Bush/Clinton plot, which appeared to be the main axis of action in the serial towards the end. Well, I'd prefer that writers had focussed on developing relations between the characters instead.
After the episode 6 'The Rain' I was willing to give the serial 9 stars (in spite of an infamous scene of Reagan destroying a camp model). Unfortunately, a plot twist in the last episode ruined the impression - and then the next plot twist ruined it again. Quite a feat!..
A solving of a plot, in which villains reveal, that all was just a test, and was not real, was the worst possible, thus nullifying meaning of all attempts of heroes, and leaving a watcher with a feeling of wasted time and emotions. Never mind, how stupid was the whole evil plot anyway (and a subplot of Eric and Mark characters turned into a kind of cyborgs). As I've said, it would have been better to focus on characters' problems instead. In addition, such ending was deeply inconsistent with earlier action, and simply nonsense.
Adding insult to injury was a suggested twist in the latest scene, that all events starting from a prequel were just a fiction, described by Coop. Well, we all know that talking cans don't exist, but such was the convention of the series. It would be like ending of a superhero movie, revealing, that all characters were normal people and all their superpowers and adventures were just a fiction. It is not what we expect from such entertainment. And you have to be more talented to make an ending in "The Wizard of Oz style"...
Atrakcyjny pozna pania (2004)
You may watch, if you're Polish
You may watch the film if you have nothing elso to do and it is aired on the TV. Otherwise, it is not worth any money. Which means, that the viewers from Poland have zero chance to see it anyway.
The plot of the film is weak, and the main attraction are two good Polish actors Marek Perepeczko and Andrzej Grabowski, mockering a way of speaking of uneducated crude peasants from eastern Poland. In case of the latter it is not a surprise anyway, for his signature role was an uneducated town dweller in a sitcom. In case of a young village administrator, played by Bartosz Zukowski, it looks far worse, and his character is half idiot - and we wonder, what future he could give to quite sophisticated girl from neighbouring village. Speaking of whom, her play during accepting his proposal is definitevely unconvincing and we don't know, what were the actress' or director's intentions here. Two other female characters lead stupid dialogues about "shex" (meaning sex), which are probably meant to be funny, but are only embarassing.
Speaking about the plot: the idea, that an elderly village bachelor, far from being Adonis (Roman Klosowski), rejects his female neighbours as inattractive, and looks for a young model from the town, is not only stupid, but embarassing. I have a feeling, that Klosowski, apart from his ordinary traits, especially tries to make faces, making him looking more stupid.
Apart from the main plot, there is a subplot of a young musician (Janko Muzykant) and a priest, which is redundant and unintelligible for anyone except for the film's director, who is also a writer of a script and of original stage play. By the way, the film is a family business of the director, whose son is the musician. The director apparently also involved friendly Cugowski family - and while Polish known singer Krzysztof Cugowski gave surprisingly good, but redundant performance as the priest, nobody knows what his son Wojciech is for and what is a meaning of his character. What maybe justifies itself on the stage, doesn't fit for TV.
All in all, a weak six stars.
Znachor (2023)
A successful readaptation of "The Quack"
I am glad, that Netflix allowed to refresh this Polish touching love story and share it with a worldwide audience. Remakes of classics rarely are successful, but this is definitely not worse - if not better. In Poland, 1981 version of "The Quack" - or rather "Folk Healer" - which is a proper translation of an original title, with an acclaimed Jerzy Binczycki as the Healer, became one of all-time classics, frequently aired on TV. The creators of the new version had to cope with a legend, even if little known outside of Poland. So, it looked like a 'suicide mission', and comparisons were inevitable. Yet, the people who treat 1981 version as a sacred canon, usually don't care, that it was the second adaptation, different in many ways from the novel. Which was not a great literature, by the way - nevertheless, a great, universal story to show.
The new film is luckilly not a remake of 1981 version, but a new adaptation of the book. So it is a very different story, with only key points familiar. I like both, but I must admit, that the new film is more modern, better fit for contemporary audience. Acting is bolder, and scenography is beautiful. The main young heroine Mary is more independent woman - and we have a new great strong magnetic female character Zoska (Sophie), stealing scenes whenever she appears. Actually, a subplot of the Healer and Zoska is what was lacking in a previous version, and all Polish viewers surely cautiously hope for a happy end here, remebering, that the Healer was a loner by choice in a canon version...
As the last thing, a connection between these two different films is Artur Barcis, playing a butler, who played a peasant's lame son in 1981 version - which was replaced by a different plot in the new version.
White Gold (2017)
Was I the only one disappointed by the ending?..
It was hard for me to get to like such deeply immoral characters as Vincent Swan and the rest (well, maybe with an exception of Lavender), and getting to the third episode took me a few weeks. However, then I started binge-watching...
All went well until the very ending, which I can only compare to infamous "How I meet your mother". I was convinced, that Sam will end up with someone delicate, not cheating on her on each step - while Vincent would get a greedy hot woman of his kind. Well, script runners decided the other way... The only good excuse would have been an open continuation possibility, but so far there is none. Sam is really delicate, cute character, and she deserves a happy ending - so does Lavander. We all might predict, how a new 'happy' life of Swan family would look like after a few months or years... We also would like to know a future of Fitzpatrick and Carrol's relation - although, in this case, maybe it is better to leave it untold...
13 Hours That Saved Britain (2010)
Recycled disappointment
"The Battle of Britain" was epic classic movie, with beautiful in-flight sequences of almost original aircraft, but usage of edited out material from this film in a documentary, is a misunderstanding. "Almost" makes a difference in this case. One could think, that Messerschmitts and Heinkels really had Merlin engines with huge radiators, because they saw it in a document... And, with due respect, special effects in the movie are not up to date. The documentary makes ridiculous usage of poorly disguised American vehicles as German ones in completely redundant scenes. But was I expecting too much?.. Well, the allegation alone, that any given "13 hours" saved Britain, should have given some hint as for seriousness of this production... By the way, the authors surely haven't heard, that in spite of "saving Britain" on 15 August, it was 18 August to be dubbed "The Hardest Day".
Despite civilian witnesses' perspective is quite interesting, but personally I was hoping to see some in-depth analysis of peculiar air raids, numbers of aicraft involved and squadron numbers... Not to mention, that it would have been nice to hear, that not only British pilots took part in that glorious day.
Idealny facet dla mojej dziewczyny (2009)
Mixed feelings
I have mixed feelings about the film. It is definitely not a typical romantic comedy, which is a popular Polish genre last years. Definitely not a masterpiece, risky and inconsistent in tone - but has several brilliant moments. The actorship of Polish acknowledged actors is very good or even outstanding - with an exception however of the main heroine Luna (Magdalena Boczarska), who has a charisma of an ice block. Maybe she tries to play love/hate feelings at the same time, but the effect is not convincing. Also a character of Norbert Plesica, played by popular Tomasz Karolak, is not worth mentioning.
The film balances on a thin line between showing LGBT activists society as a main subject, and making fun of them, like rather manly Krzysztof Globisz playing a transgender middle-aged woman and wondering, which toilet she should use. Touching is a scene, when conservative woman Teresa (very good double featured Danuta Stenka) finds a courage to admit her hidden sexuality. The whole idea of a guy (very charming Marcin Dorocinski) trying to win a bisexual girl by playing in a porn movie with her to gather funds for lesbian society is quite risky, but it defends itself. Breaking stereotypes, the guy is the delicate one here, and the girl is Krav Maga instructor. Light comedy tone is breached by the fact, that the main hero struggles with mental disorder, likewise his mother is interned in an asylum (Danuta Stenka). Here we must mention an interesting multiple maestro role of Daniel Olbrychski as an alleged psychiatrist.
The second plot of the movie is a greedy priest father Leon (perfect role by Bronislaw Wroclawski), running a catholic radio station and trying to win a state contract. It is an obvious allusion to well-known Polish influential catholic radio director from Torun, with whom father Leon tries to compete. The film also balances on a thin line of ridiculing religious sensitivity here (an absurd idea of a pilgrimage of consecrated virgins on stilts), but apart from father Leon, other characters involved represent true faith.
The film is worthy for at least one scene, when Magdalena Rózczka as a sound engineer, instructs Luna how to make orgasmic sounds. Finally, we must note a gag, when an acknowledged actor Tomasz Kot and a popular Polish journalist Kuba Wojciechowski apply for nude male role.
Listy do M. 4 (2021)
Another pleasant light Christmas comedy
I don't understand derogatory reviews here. The movie offers exactly what is its purpose: a lighthearted warm romantic Christmas comedy, developing known (at least in Poland) "Letters to Santa" multi-plot franchise, similar in concept to classic "Love actually". And in my opinion it is not much worse. You should know what to expect, watching the fourth film from the series, and it gives you new adventures of familiar likeable characters. It is hard to expect, that the fourth sequel is as funny and fresh movie, but situations are new, and there are also several new characters. Obviously it is not a milestone in comedy, but it is not meant to be. It touches also serious subjects, like old people (acclaim to Barbara Wrzesinska), orphan homes, delinquent son and decay of social ties. Especially the latest issue is the subject of hillarious adventures of the most vivid duo, Karina (Agnieszka Dygant) and Szczepan (Piotr Adamczyk). Spoiler: all ends well, just like it should in such movie, leaving you a warm feeling. If you don't like the genre, don't watch it.
Malzenstwo z rozsadku (1967)
Pleasant to watch
'Malzenstwo z rozsadku' (The Marriage of Convenience) was one of early comedies by Polish acknowledged director Stanislaw Bareja, better known for his later classic satires for communist reality in Poland. This early film contains elements of a social satire as well. The main plot is a feeling growing between a poor aspiring painter Andrzej (Daniel Olbrychski) and Joanna (Elzbieta Czyzewska), who pretends to be a rich diplomat's daughter. In fact, Joanna's parents come from a lower social class and own a stall with clothes at the market. Such businessmen were hardly tolerated by communist authorities, so they try to hide their great income, and they like an idea of their daughter marrying the painter, who might sell paintings at high prices to dummy buyers, thus legalizing the income. The problem is, that neither Andrzej nor Joanna are aware of their planned role. Their love however wins.
The film is pleasant to watch, light comedy, with colourful views of Warsaw old town from 1960s. In spite of poor actorship and noticeable lack of talent of young Daniel Olbrychski, Elzbieta Czyzewska is charming, and lots of supporting actors steal show in their parts. Especially likeable is a character of Edzio (Bohdan Lazuka), as a jaded pauperised descendant of artistocracy, looking for a rich wife and faking French accent in conversations with his artistocratic aunt. Great performance is also given by Bogumil Kobiela as Eng. Kwilecki, stealing twine from a factory across the street, what is an allusion to limited supply of goods in communist economy. Boleslaw Plotnicki playing Joanna's father is convincing as simple, but clever businessman.
The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)
Utterly boring for non USA viewers...
Maybe it is a important subject, maybe acting is decent, but the film is just boring and definitely at least half an hour too long. Maybe I am just not a fan of American court dramas - or maybe the story, and especially court procedure is thrilling for US citizens only. Otherwise, a waste of time. I'm not glad of it, because I've read good things about the movie, and the story was important.
Or wait - it is possible to make interesting US court drama. But it needs to be "12 angry men". Or "Chicago". But you need to try hard to make US court procedure interesting...
Sex Education: Episode 5 (2021)
A poo is funny idea?... Seriously?
Very poor episode, with only two highlights - when every couple finds out, that the other person might not want the same - and obviously Otis and Maeve confrontation. Some complain, that the coincidence of them both being lost on the gas station without phones is too unrealistic - well, this is called a destiny, and we have waited for such scene for two seasons ;)
I guess that Otis and Maeve scene is the main reason, why people give this episode such high marks. But: a poo in a sock?... Seriously?... Nobody appreciates this brilliant idea, as far as I can see. Completely unnecessary and utterly disgusting sub-plot. And, as somebody pointed out, the bus wrecks some Frenchmen's car - and nobody cares about the damage, only about the poo? Which is not cleaned anyway, but the car owner politely disappears instead of calling a police?... Come on...
Other poor aspects of the episode is Jacob, unexpectedly behaving like a jerk, who should have been kicked out from the car by Mrs. Milburn. And stupid slapstick scene with Jacob and coffee vending machine. And all that drama with lovers don't responding to text messages...
Disparu à jamais (2021)
Nonsense ending
My wife watched several serials lately, while I was only peeking. This one seemed more interesting than previous proposals, and from a middle I got involved...
I haven't read the book, or anything other by Harlan Coben, so I don't know how it should have ended - but the ending was nonsense. I was left to wonder: how the main character is supposed to avoid immediate arresting and sentence for shooting his brother?.. Is he going to explain, that killing Fred was the only way to defend Ostertag?.. Wait, will Ostertag politely wait for the police, to get arrested for attempted murder and many other crimes?.. It would have been easier, if Guillaume and Nora just ran away, adding the two corpses to many unsolved and unpunished murders in the serial...
All in all, while not a total waste of time, it was not worth attention.
Nie lubie poniedzialku (1971)
Brilliant light 1970s comedy
Nie lubie poniedzialku (I don't like Mondays) has always been one of my favourite Polish comedies - and comedies at all. It is a pity, that it is little known outside of Poland, because in my opinion it is a worthy counterpart of world's best classics of that period. And the film has aged well and is not less funny today.
The film has not one main plot nor leading character, but instead is a brilliant mix of several intersecting stories of people in Warsaw on one unlucky Monday. Among others we have Italian buisnessman coming to the city and getting lost, governmental delegation sent to invite him, a worker of provincial national farm looking for parts for a combine harvester, a policeman who has to take his kid to work, a taxi driver seeking revenge on his passenger, a gang of bank robbers, a singer who does not want to drive drunk, and a modern sculptor. The paths of most characters cross on some occasion, leading to funny situations. After digital restoration we can fully enjoy colourful views of Warsaw streets, buildings and (not too numerous) typical vehicles of that period.
In a background we have a reality of communist Poland in early 1970s, with problems like workers neglecting work, or lack of many goods in trade, including toilet paper and machine parts. The film is a satire on communist economy similar to later famous films by Stanislaw Bareja, although not such vicious, and therefore it is more light-hearted and satisfying, with likable characters. A knowledge of Poland is not required to understand adventures of characters and enjoy situation jokes. We have also light satire on modern art.
The film is defintely recommended, especially to those, who like to give older movies a chance.
How I Met Your Mother (2005)
The show, that the television was made for
When I was in my twenties, I regarded "Friends" as my favourite show. Then there came HIMYM - which I loved from the start and dubbed to myself the "Friends" for adults. I became an adult as well. Now I find, that "Friends" haven't aged well - but I've just watched HIMYM again, on a couch with my own teenage kids - and I find it even better! It is not only the best sitcom ever. I dare to say, this is the awesomest thing, that has ever been created for television. Real legen- (wait for it) -dary!
I would gladly award HIMYM with eleven stars, if there was an option. The show is so hilarious and steep, but on the other hand, true story about life, love, friendship, our parents, kids, dreams and expectations... I love this whole concept of "Wonder Years" style narrator, retelling the story - and sometimes forgeting details of the past. The humour is brilliant, and contrary to, say, "Big Bang Theory", if would still be a good thing to watch even without laughter track. The whole cast is excellent, although over-the-top Barney and sweet Lily steal most of the scenes. We would love to have all gang as our friends - and in a way, many of us have them in our hearts. I can't tell the same about "Friends'" characters, or any other sitcom. In spite of living in an opposite part of the world, I could easily identify with some of the gang's adventures and college memories.
Deep thanks to creators of the series and the whole cast. I even forgive the (in)famous ending, which reminds us, that life is not only a laughter.
Botoks (2017)
Not as bad, as it seems, though not for everyone
I have never been a fan of the director Patryk Vega, who is despised by proffessional critics, but his brutal and simple movies, mostly about mafia or crime, break commercial records in Poland. However, I decided to give Botoks a chance. And it turned out to be better, than I expected. Definitely not a masterpiece, but decent six stars.
The film is a dark comedy, with many shocking scenes and risky humour - that's why it is defintely not a proposal for everyone. Actors' play is very good, and dialogues are vivid. The director claims, that all dialogues and situations are inspired by real inside anecdotes, and it is plausible (well, maybe apart from a dog scene) - however, of course, they are overdrawn. But I'm amazed, when the reviewers hate this film because it shows Poles as drunk or dumb people. Obviously, the director focusses on drinking, incompetent, unsympathetic, greedy, pervert, misogynic healthcare workers, but such is the convention of the movie, and such people can be found in any country. We have plenty of soap operas about competent and caring doctors. There are however exceptions in the movie - main heroines, who care about their patients, even if they are burnt-out and harsh. We touch here the most important feature of the movie - it is a story of four strong, independent women in traditional men's world. And the misogyny of many older male doctors is a sad fact.
One delicate theme is a subtle anti-abortionist tone of the movie, although in my opinion it is legitimate director's voice in discussion. There is no direct message, that the abortion is wrong, nor blaming of women, who want abortion. It is however perfectly understandable, when one female doctor decides, that she doesn't want to perform any more abortions, after she is expecting a baby herself. Demanding a right to free abortion, we forget, that the doctor has to abort a human being. Indeed, the abortion is surely no good, and it is good, that the film makes us think, avoiding primitive propaganda. It must be however pointed out, that the movie diverges strongly from Polish reality in this subject. Instead of a medical director insisiting, that every doctor should perform abortions, there were far more common cases, when hospital directors or local conservative politicians or even priests demanded, that every doctor should sign a refusal conscience clause. And after law change, proceeded by Polish conservative government in 2020, genetic defects are no more considered a reason of abortion, not mentioning free abortion - and as a result, legal abortion is almost impossible in Poland for now on...
El hoyo (2019)
Meaningless, pretending to be deep.
As many of viewers, I was annoyed by the ending, and decided to input my three cents. I've read several positive reviews and it is peculiar, that most viewers describe their feelings, what the movie is about, and not the actual movie.
The action takes place in some big dystopian social experiment or a prison, of unclear purpose. The idea and screenplay was pretty fresh and interesting, but it seems, that the authors had no idea how to end the plot in satisfying way. As a result, we have only a morality play, that upper classes consume more, than they need, while members of lowest classes are starving and literally killing theirselves to survive. And it seems, that not only killing of other inmates is not wrong in this world, but it might even get rewarded.
It is not relevant, if main character succeeded - as everybody expected, or failed - however it would have been nice, if it was made more clear by the filmmakers. The viewers however deserve to know: what was author's vision about the real nature of the experiment and if there was a possibility to break the rules and how. Especially we would like to know, if the message, that the protagonist was trying to send, had any meaning - and what was it supposed to be. Provided, that it was real, not only an effect of imagination... The effect is like a haunting dream in the morning, which develops in interesting direction, but ends with an awakening and we will never know, if the author had any though: what was it really about. Instead, the viewers have to try to figure some deep meaning - which might even not be there...
Les nouvelles aventures de Cendrillon (2017)
Funny fresh comedy
Luckilly, I came across this film browsing TV channels - otherwise I would have never decided to watch another Cinderella movie, especially that French films are generally not widely advertised. And it appeared to be so funny and fresh, that I was eager to watch it again a week later. The film appears fresh partly because it is French - in different style, than dominating American style of story-telling, without known stars.
The film is actually very funny, light and dynamic comedy. The female protagonist Julie is an office worker, neglected by her handsome egoist boss, on whom she's got a secret crush. It happens, that she agrees to be a babysitter for his kid one evening - and she tells him a story on Cinderella. Naturally, she is the Cinderella, and the story quickly develops in its own direction, loosely based on classic tale. Thanks to it, Julie comes to understand, who should be her prince.
The film reminds me of classic Mel Brooks' works, but more modern, and with more subtle humour. The characters are dynamic, especially prince Marco and the duke (or "duche", as the king titles him). Mean sisters are not that mean, and a fairy is very atypical, to say least... We have also seven big dwarves. The film's strength is a humour in wordplays. And there are some subtle funny innuendos for grown-up viewers, like the prince, who desperately tries to put a shoe on attractive big-breasted girl's foot. The Cinderella is an independent modern woman, and the ending is satisfying and logical in a whole context.
All in all, definitely worth watching.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
Overrated - or haven't aged well
After I had seen the film first in television back in late 1980s as a kid in a communist block, I've had a lasting impression, that it was not anything special, even though there were not many other attractions in the TV. In fact I couldn't memorize any scene apart from that the hero drives a car and sees an UFO, he is haunted by visions of a mountain, and finally there is a landing of the mothership and the abducted people are set free. Was it enough to fill over two hours? What was between these scenes?... And why the film is so praised?
Only recently I took a chance to watch it on Netflix. However, now I read, that there are so many alternate versions, that I don't even known which one I have seen. Unfortunately: I was assured, that the film is just boring - or it haven't aged well.
Maybe in theatres, back in 1977, the impression could have been different - when the watcher was not tempted to use fast forward button during unnecessarilly long scenes. It is not a matter, that special effects and UFO models are not up to modern standards. They are pretty OK. But shaking mailboxes and kitchen appliances are just cheesy and fit to low-budget horror rather, about the house haunted by ghosts. And they last so long... I could understand electricity induction, but why these items are shaking? And how on Earth the UFO would unscrew screws from a ventilation grate, just to puff some smoke inside?...
The whole idea of the aliens setting a meeting point (by the way, how would they know Earth coordinates) and communicating by sounds looks naive - especially, that they had been abducting people long before. And why the aliens delivered lost aircraft to some desert shortly before meeting? I've read, that there were also other items found on other deserts, which I could not see in my version. A behaviour of the main character, trying to make his wife happy by tossing dirt and bricks to a kitchen, and demolishing their house to build a great mountain in a living room, can't be explained by anything, but a mental disorder, demanding help.
All in all, the film would have been better, if it was cut by half an hour.
John Wick (2014)
The worst psycho in the movie is John Wick himself
This movie is deeply wrong. I agree, that it's well-made and pretty entertaining, with a good pacing, but it's just wrong. Is it only me, who noticed a huge plot hole, which nullifies the whole concept standing behind his movie?.. At the beginning I thought: a poor ordinary man, like all of us, robbed by a gang in his own house. But then we hear, that John Wick is a fearsome top-trained proffessional killer, who can kill with a pencil. And we see proofs of it. Wait... so why didn't he just evade robbers and then kill them in the beginning? Okay, he had guns hiden under the cellar's floor. But I guess he had any pencils in the house?... Or maybe kitchen knives, forks or anything?... Did he forget his proficiency? I guess not, because only a couple days later he became an indestructible killing machine.
Moreover, it shows, that John Wick is the biggest psycho in the movie. In fact, I started to feel some sympathy for the villains. Of course, they were evil - very evil. But John Wick did not kill them because they were evil. No, it was perfectly neutral thing for him - he had been their killer, serving evil people for money without any moral issues. He killed the villains only because they had killed his dog... Not even a wife. The dog. I guess, it is worth a couple of years in a prison at best, not a human life?... I haven't seen such stupid reason for a bloody vengeance before. Of course they also stole his Mustang, but he could have it back, waxed, polished and filled up, with deep apologies, after only one phone call. Instead he chose to kill all villains and destroy their business. But he is no better, than them. In fact, they only act in self-defence against a psycho. And they lose...
Freud (2020)
"Stranger Things" a century before
Firstly, the title "Freud" is misleading. You would expect slightly boring biopic, not a fictitious occult thriller, which it is. More appropriate name would be "Young Freud", as unwritten rule says, that this is a code for non-canonical adventures of young fictitious or historical characters, before they got famous. Take Young Einstein (1988) for example, which was not named "Einstein".
My impression is, that the creators were under big influence of the great Netflix hit Stranger Things (2016), and it would surely look different, had there not been Duffer brothers' hit. Of course, the action takes place a hundred years earlier, in late 19th century Vienna, and the serial is not appropriate four young audience. But the protagonist, nerdy and shy doctor, accompanied by tough police officer with a history behind him, discover a plot penetrating the city. Dr. Freud, ridiculed by his colleagues, develops a deep relationship and fascination with mysterious young lady, who possesses strange psychic abilities and is used by evil people. Sounds familiar?.. And Fleur Salome's visions in starting episodes are almost a carbon copy of the Eleven's mind exploring. Which is not a bad pattern, and does not seem imitative, considering, that German-speaking serial, taking place in late 19th century Vienna, is something very different from common Anglo-American productions. One more thing: I could not help thinking about possessed Sigourney Weaver from Ghostbusters (1984), while watching Fleur Salome in Taltos incarnation.
The serial explores forgotten fear of ordinary people committing bloody crimes being hypnotized, like in German classic from 1920s, Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari (1920). Towards the end of series, the action gets more absorbing, and the whole thing is pretty entertaining.
Francuski numer (2006)
I don't want to see it anymore
I wanted to like this movie. I must admit there were some funny scenes. However as it dragged on and on, I started to wonder, where it was going to lead. And the ending was disappointing in my opinion. Only at the end it turns out, there there was any plot in the story - but very weak one... Now, when I think about this movie, I don't think I'll ever be in the mood to watch it again. It is like one of those nightmares, when you do the packing for a voyage, but there still appear more and more things to pack, and you cannot remember your room's number in addition...
Klub wlóczykijów (2015)
Miserable effort to lure readers of Niziurski's book
This film is deeply wrong. First of all, the title suggests, that it is an adaptation of one of greatest novels by one of most popular Polish teenage book authors, Edmund Niziurski. The book "Klub wlóczykijów" (literally 'The vagabounds' club') was written in 1970, but it remains a classic teenage adventure book, full of absurd humour, typical for Niziurski, and crazy adventures. The young and otherwise unknown director and script author in one person apparently decided, that he could write a better novel, more 'modern', possibly in order to gain applause of young audience, using only some characters and key motives from the classic book. And he spoilt it completely. For unknown reasons, he decided even to change several characters' names and places of action. It seems, that he didn't get the humour of the book at all. He simplified most adventures to uttermost level, possibly in order to save place for his self-written long, stupid scenes (most notably, pathetic amateur theatre scene, and stupid policemen ball). What is worst, he kept the original title, suggesting, that it has anything in common with a classic book, and luring middle-aged readers to watch his miserable self-written script.
Well, the comparison is deeply inappropriate due to artistic level, but Coppola didn't try to pretend, that his "Apocalypse Now" is an adaptation of the "Heart of Darkness". He made a different, modern film using universal motives of Conrad's book, and he named it appropriately, not the "Heart of Darkness". Had the director named his work the other way, it would have been just a poor teenage movie, not pretending to be an adaptation of the classic.
Dunkirk (2017)
Better watch "Their Finest" instead
I wanted to watch the "Dunkirk" at a cinema, but somehow I couldn't get around to go. So when it appeared in streaming services, I was glad, that I'd see this hyped masterpiece at last. And now I'm grateful, that I haven't watched it in the cinema - I'd lost money and at least one hour, which was redundant in this film. Moreover, I'm wasting another hour to describe this fresh disappointment...
I think, that the director tried to create an "artsy" movie, but this is not the genre. Not every film with long scenes without much action nor dialogue, is by definition "artistic". It is risky to match an artistic movie and war movie - and in my opinion, the director didn't make it. For most of the time it was simply boring. Luckily, I had fast forward button... And for such budget, the film was quite austere. Many reviewers pointed out, that all we have seen were some five aircraft, a dozen of boats and several trucks, plus two warships.
What is worse, boring long takes are interspersed with unrealistic, simplified or just absurd scenes. Probably the author of the script tried to show the horror of war, but it does not start good, when the soldiers walk through a calm and deserted city, and suddenly there come shots out of nowhere. Have the Germans just enter Dunkirk?... If so, then there is only one French barricade, restraining them from the beach... Other reviewers or goof-pickers rightfully criticized scenes on a boat riddled by gunshots, or long gliding flight of an aircraft without working engine. It might be only added, that when it comes to air battles, the Spitfire pilot just follows the enemy fighter and shoots, while the victim flies in generally straight line, not trying to break a contact or attack... I understand, that the director did not want to use a CGI, but far more realistic battles were shot in the "Battle of Britain" in1969, which is, needless to say, also more entertaining movie to watch, with a proper pace. And if the enemy bomber is shot down, it obviously fells into a relatively small spillage of oil and sets it on fire, to add dramatic effect to a nearby boat. ...And what we see aboard the boat is not a particularly realistic acting either.
By accident, a few weeks ago I've watched "Their Finest", also a new film on a similar subject. In spite of being a lighter movie, described as a comedy-drama-romance, I found it more telling about the human nature, than the "Dunkirk", and more dramatic as well. And the script of a fictional movie about Dunkirk evacuation, that is being written by main characters in "Their Finest", seems to be no more silly and unrealistic, than of the "Dunkirk". Only the budget of that fictional movie is a fraction of the "Dunkirk", and it has to be shot in difficult wartime conditions. All in all, my thought was, that the fictional movie about creating a film about Dunkirk, was better and more worth to watch, than a blockbuster about Dunkirk...
The Italian Job (1969)
One of most overrated movies I've seen
I knew it was a classic, especially praised by Jeremy Clarkson, but I've never had a chance to see it on TV, not being British myself. I like old British comedies, like Carry On series. And I like clever crime comedies from the 60s, like Olsen-banden for example. This was neither clever, nor funny, and I haven't found one likeable character, or even one, that would remain in memory - maybe only the big boss, portrayed by Noel Coward, and a small role of hilarious Benny Hill.
Plot holes are so huge, that Mini Morris would drive through them. The streets are jammed, but somehow our heroes are able to chase a convoy and drive into gaps between police vehicles as they wish. They wisely drive through backyards, as none of city inhabitants do, despite they have never been there before and were reluctant to learn maps. Italian policemen are easily beaten unconscious by guys with clubs, and then all the police gently give them enough time to hitch security van, kidnap it to nearby yard, lock the gate and remove gold to Minis. Then, despite a brilliancy of escape plan, we always see some single police car chasing heroes. One police car loses contact, and then another appears. Despite it, the police is not able to gather more forces, although they had radios. When our heroes run away, streets are usually deserted. In fact, Italian police (and mafia) are so goofy and incompetent, that I wonder, how the Italians agreed to hire all city of Torino for filmmakers...
I wasted almost two hours of my life to get through this 'iconic British classic', and I'm so angry at that film, that I'm wasting more time reading reviews ;) I basically agree with few guys, who gave it one star, although I frankly gave it five. I swore to myself it would be four, but the very ending saved it somehow.