Stanislaus

I saw The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green right after Kiss the Bride, which also deals with LGBT issues, and both films left the same impression on me - a weak and mediocre impression. The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green was a bit funnier (mainly because of the "aunties"), but the actors overacted a lot more, which was probably intentional, but quite annoying. Otherwise, the story was one cliché after another. In short, a film that doesn't impress, almost doesn't offend, but there are much better representatives of a similar genre.

A realistic film whose story unfolds over the span of one seemingly ordinary day during which a young couple are about to become parents. Even though the two young people are separated for most of the day, they are constantly drawn together by a multitude of memories and flashbacks, not least by seemingly unsuccessful phone calls. Very interesting was the use of sound (or voice) and image, which corresponded to the experimental innovations of the Czechoslovak New Wave. In short, a film that stands out for its form and simple (not banal) story.

A moving and truly powerful biopic about the famous creator of the legendary Frankenstein, dominated by a phenomenal performance by the compelling Ian McKellen in the lead role. McKellen perfectly inhabits the character of a man who has lived his life and is looking for a distraction here and there towards the end of it. Brendan Fraser gives undoubtedly his best performance, but is still miles away from his older counterpart. I liked the inclusion of original and newly filmed scenes from James Whale's movies and the many flashbacks in which the protagonist recalls his love from the war. All in all, a nicely made film that, while not 100% for me, still managed to grab me by the heart.

In the context of LGBT-themed comedies, Kiss the Bride is a rather mediocre, cliché-ridden and very banal representative, in which Tori Spelling reprises a similar role as in 1999's Trick (which was much better). There were a few funny moments, but the rest was an old familiar and rather stale tale. In short, a film that stands out for how simple it is and suffers from the presence of bland actors and a bland story.

A very unconventional Czech film in its conception and execution, in which fantastic as well as erotic and lyrical elements collide, with the result being an original impression. Personally, however, I was not impressed by the film in any significant way, but I do appreciate the many scenes depicted, the creative imagination and the courage to make something like this (given the age of Jaroslava Schallerová). To be honest, I don't really know what exactly I should think of this film as a whole.

A spectacular documentary with a plethora of evocative scenes that, together with Eric Serra's fantastic score, create an exquisite audiovisual experience. On the one hand, the film is an ordinary animal documentary, while on the other hand it is a magical symphony accompanied by unique images. The most impressive scenes for me were the ones with the manta rays and the whale sharks.

At first glance it is an overly long film, but while watching it you realize that everything is in its place and all the scenes are important for the general impression. The Big Blue is a visually captivating film with a wonderful score by Eric Serra and great and convincing performances by the central trio. The actors were able to relate very well to their roles - the downtrodden, slowly sinking into the depths and increasingly absent in spirit Jean-Marc Barr as Jacques; the fortune-seeking, likeable and constantly compromising Rosanna Arquette as Joan; and not least the obstacle-seeking and conquering, family-oriented and charismatic Jean Reno as Enzo. The magical depths hold myriad secrets and it's only a question of why Jacques was so attracted to it. The most powerful moment was Enzo's last attempt to descend into the deep and the final (ambiguous) scene. A quality film that, despite its running time, I found very interesting, entertaining and moving.

Modern Times reflects the unfortunate social problems of the time, tempered with a humorous touch and many witty gags and skits performed by the legendary Charlie Chaplin. Ultimately, Modern Times isn't as funny as The Circus, but I still laughed a lot - especially in the scene with the testing of the "feeding machine" in the factory. In short, a film where the joke lies in different parts than in today's comedies, but still manages to entertain.

Of the three Czech/Czechoslovak winners of the prestigious Oscar so far, I think The Shop on Main Street is the film that deserves the golden statue the most. The initially slow story with a few humorous moments turns into a psychological drama with an inevitable ending. The film realistically depicts the atmosphere during the Second World War in one Slovak village. The natural and convincing acting of Jozef Kroner and Ida Kaminska adds to the film's quality. Of course, the most impressive sequence is the last scenes with the deportation of the Jews and the sad ending, which suddenly turns into a conclusion full of optimism, hope and redemption (I don't want to spoil it). In short, a very nice, authentic and well acted film that made me laugh, touched and amazed me - and that says it all.

Tim Burton's best film according to a good number of users, critics and reviews here - for me, the top spot still remains the phenomenal Big Fish and Sleepy Hollow, even after watching Ed Wood. I'd seen Plan 9 before this biopic, so I kind of knew what a peculiar character I'd be dealing with. Ed Wood was a film buff. He wanted to create, write, direct and even act in films. But even the greatest enthusiasm couldn't disguise the fact that his films lacked virtually all the aspects that simply belong in a good film. Involving an aging, almost burnt-out and drug-addicted star in the form of Bela Lugosi did nothing to help Wood's reputation. The black and white cinematography was used effectively, and I don't even want to imagine what it would have looked like in classic colors. All the actors are overshadowed by the great Martin Landau, whose Oscar rightfully belongs to him - he portrayed the disgraced Lugosi standing over his own grave very convincingly and commanding respect. As for Johnny Depp, I sometimes wondered if he was joking or if he was really playing (and not "acting") Wood - at times I had enough of his stupid expressions and smile. All in all, this is a quality and above-average film that brings you closer to the worst director of all time, both from a personal and professional perspective. A nice tribute to one of the most bizarre filmmakers who earned his place in history just by being incompetent.