NinadeL

Sports films related to Berlin 1936 are an absolutely crucial topic for me. This subcategory includes a vast array of biographies, documentaries, debates, and other materials, because those summer Olympic Games influenced the lives of countless personalities of that time and have become a subject of analytical research by experts across many fields. This time, we have the biography of Jesse Owens (1913-1980), the legendary African American who had a tough time in the USA (remember, his grandparents were slaves) and was also unwelcome in the Third Reich. Yet, he triumphed. This alone is material for a great drama. Nevertheless, Stephen Hopkins didn't just scratch the surface or create a superficial film; he tackled the subject deeply. Alongside the story of Owens' career, brilliantly portrayed by Stephan James, we also have a genius depiction of Leni Riefenstahl, played by Carice van Houten, who for the first time portrayed her as a real person who found her way to her film despite constant conflicts with the Nazi elite. And last but not least, there is the luxurious performance by Jeremy Irons, who plays Avery Brundage, another challenging character of the International Olympic Committee member who replaced Ernest Lee Jahncke (an opponent of holding the Games in the Third Reich).

I believe Tomáš Mašín always manages to surprise. This time, he has directed an intimate drama built around three striking female performances. Together with Alice Nellis, they crafted a script that combines the classic, painful theme of euthanasia with the trauma of a parallel family, presented in the format of a viewer-friendly detective story. The seemingly incompatible elements complement each other well, and all three actresses received very grateful material, from which they managed to create very vivid characters. Suppressed is a film that doesn't break any formal boundaries, but it's certainly something we Czechs needn't be ashamed of and can consider an example of how our films could look.

A charming television film inspired by the biography of the Fitzgeralds. The original approach highlights the blending of real events with the short story "The Last of the Belles," culminating in the couple's reconciliation with a reality that was, after all, less romantic than we are accustomed to perceiving. Richard Chamberlain and Blythe Danner play the Fitzgeralds excellently, while Susan Sarandon enchantingly portrays Ailie Calhoun, the main character of the story. Connoisseurs will, of course, appreciate all the parallels leading to the classic Gatsby-like narrative.

This story has all the makings of a great Hollywood blockbuster, but surprisingly, it was possible to reach an interesting compromise in the format of a low-budget TV production. The main trio of Luděk Munzar, Rudolf Hrušínský and Oldřich Kaiser were undeterred by the lack of period authenticity and performed their roles as if in a real film. They were supported by solid dialogues from Jiří Hubač's screenplay, resulting in an excellent outcome.

The basic story and message are, of course, fine, but I can't pretend that the resulting film as a whole works. What was F. A. Brabec trying to achieve? An illustration for an audiobook, a children's film, a parable? There's a bit of everything here, but it doesn't hold together at all, and that's a fundamental problem. A full-length movie can't rely on just one cute dog, kitschy sunsets, or a bunch of familiar faces in randomly assigned roles.

The Pat Hobby Stories (1940/41) is a collection of 17 short stories that were published towards the end of F. Scott Fitzgerald's life in Esquire, with some even being published posthumously. In terms of production, it's pure 1980s television, but Christopher Lloyd excels in the lead role alongside a young Colin Firth.

The original version was an episode from the Tales from the Hollywood Hills cycle, which was part of the show Great Performances. The story dedicated to Natica Jackson was one hour long, but on VHS/DVD it was released as a combined cut with the episode A Table at Ciro's under the new title Power, Passion and Murder, which is, of course, confusing. Normally, no one would pay attention to this, and this situation wouldn't have arisen, but Naticia was played by rising star Michelle Pfeiffer. She is truly charming here, retro suits her, and she has the potential to be a silver screen star without question. The main story is an adaptation of the short story "Natica Jackson" (1966) written by John O'Hara, who was compared to F. Scott Fitzgerald and Hemingway in his time. It is intercut with the adaptation of the novella "A Table at Ciro's" (1987) by Budd Schulberg, who, incidentally, also wrote a novel about Fitzgerald.

A cheap Netflix adaptation of a Broadway musical. The cast, of course, shines as much as it can, but it's just pure filler. The theme is, of course, nice, but even some regular episodes of Glee turned out better.

A below-average romantic comedy, typical for Netflix. Joey King and Zac Efron are terrible, while Nicole Kidman and Kathy Bates are just wasting their talent here.

The 59th Disney feature film had relatively bad luck. Its premiere was delayed by the pandemic, resulting in two major Disney releases in 2021, which is not an ideal situation. Nevertheless, the reception from both critics and the general public was ultimately warm. The stylization inspired by Southeast Asia remains popular, and the main heroine, her nemesis, and the primary dragon were depicted very well as representatives of different life approaches and personalities. The cuteness factor was ensured by a large group of animal and child characters. Surprisingly, it all fit together quite nicely, even though the prologue felt very forced. Certain speeches and situations seemed familiar... yes, of course, from the Asian episodes of Xena ;)