Marigold

A very pleasant perennial... Although the detective plot of this thriller is forgettable and not appealing in any way, the fire department environment, the adrenaline rush in the middle of the fire, and the excellent Kurt Rusell add the necessary flair to Howard's film. In particular, the role of the tough (but surprisingly vulnerable) bull McCaffrey is amongst Russell's best alongside the unforgettable pilot R.J. MacReady. The handsome William Baldwin is a little lively in his shadow, but old man Sutherland is enjoying his maniacal pyrotechnician. De Niro? Routine. It is worth noting that Backdraft works not only as a spectacular fireworks display, but that it also manages to play out human drama against the background of the story. And in the end, even the dose of heroic pathos can be withstood, but somebody's got to put it out, right? Just a pleasant spectacle that warms, but definitely doesn't burn.

Lets take parts from films like Alien, The Thing and all the best survival horrors. Given the cast, one might even have a tendency to think that this John Bruno film would be interesting despite the disastrously unoriginal theme, but you’d be completely wrong. The script is exactly as forgettable as the theme, all the promising actors play their meaningless roles like amateurs and seem like they are annoyed, the visual effects are B level (yet they are one of the few things that work), the tension is killed by ridiculous metal monsters... This lame farce isn't even stupid enough to entertain. Which is pretty bad.

In all respects, a pure soul that comes in the middle of a complex ball of human relationships and helps unravel them... an interestingly-processed and even more interesting visually-conceived theme, which is elevated especially by Liška's performance (Liška is still drawing his stylization from it to this day). Gideon made a very intimate and essentially melancholy and sad film with several funny situations, several very bad dialogues and a sensitive construction of the story. Every now and then I thought Gideon had overstepped his "intimate" and "realistic" aspects, but I was quite intrigued by Return of the Idiot. It does not go into depth in terms of the characters or the story, but even on the surface it finds a lot of interesting moments, which it offers to the viewer in an attractive visual representation. One of the more interesting films in post-revolutionary cinema...

Honestly, it’s no wonder Stone's Platoon did better in its day... Kubrick's Vietnam is less attractive to the viewer's eye, more urban (we don’t get to see any cramped jungles), less action-packed, more protracted and broadly conceived. Yet it is impressive, although dehumanized and cold for my tastes. I consider the introduction and ending of the film to be the best – the marine preparation consists of the constant shouting, the numbing drill and the singing of celebratory songs. All this in the traditionally inventive visual presentation made in Mr. Kubrick (the scene of checking trimmed nails with a double row of privates on boxes is unforgettable). The final sniper scene, on the other hand, is the most personal thing that makes monstrous sense to everything seen so far, and it is one of the most drastic things ever seen in this genre. I consider the most problematic feature of Full Metal Jacket to be the characters, who are too schematic and inconspicuous, but this makes the sheer absurdity and dehumanization of the war stand out all the more. And, of course, Kubrick's sense of the drama of the situation and its visualization. The "period" song soundtrack is also excellent. In summation, Full Metal Jacket is among the films that have a "less attractive" Vietnam for viewers, but in terms of ideas it is among the most interesting.

I may have been too absorbed by the atmosphere in Event Horizon, but Resident Evil somewhat annoyed me from the beginning. All of Anderson's contribution is limited to countless silly jump scares that mask the prosaic fact that the film lacks tension and real horror. True, Milla is very sexy, and Rodriguez is sympathetically debauched, but Resident Evil lacks truly distinctive action scenes and a little perspective. From this angle, the second film, Apocalypse, seems a little more fun and more "brain free"... Otherwise, it's still the same blood type, routine, decent, watchable. It’s worth mentioning that Anderson can do better, but after Resident Evil and AvP, I have some doubts.

For about two-thirds of the film, I was convinced that Anderson had accomplished something absolutely unique. The atmosphere in Event Horizon completely took me by storm and caused me to have very unpleasant mental states. The magic of the unknown evil works perfectly – we find ourselves in the morbid bowels of a long-lost ship, we don't know what's going on around us, we just know that every next shot can bring fright and horrific brutality. Anderson plays, stretches thrilling moments, then increases psychological pressure with short cuts, spares no blood, but leaves evil in disturbing anonymity... until the ending. Then suddenly he waves a magic wand, and the film turns into a B-movie with an eyeless monster, and all the carefully built tension is for nothing. It’s too bad that Event Horizon won't settle for what is suspected, and instead serves up a fistfight with what is nasty but palpable. It was confirmed to me once again that Anderson is a talented director but lacking in sound judgment. I saw a film, most of which is the work of a smart strategist, and the point is the work of a B-movie routinist. A split personality? But the better part of the film will remain with me for a long time to come, along with good music by Michael Kamen, quality acting performances (just that jovial nigga again... for God's sake, why?) and watchable tricks. This may have been a memorable sci-fi horror, but as a result, it's a victory squandered in the final third. What a pity!

Zero expectations = no possible disappointment. And that's what works here. Solid action zombie killer film with sexy Milla Jovovich (a pleasant counterweight to the ubiquitous musculatures), a correspondingly stupid story, clip editing and Matrix-stylization of action scenes. It works very well, and if you shut off your brain, you won't be offended. Witt, I think, made a pretty solid entrance to the silver screen, although, as far as we can tell, Resident Evil: Apocalypse looks like a well-made intro to a computer game, so the only intruder to zero expectations was the ubiquitous urge to grab a mouse and take the action into your own hands. Which, unfortunately, I can't. So before I put my brain where it belongs, I'm giving three stars. Gotta have some relaxation...

An ineffable experience that can only be matched in my life as a spectator by Fanny and Alexander from Master Bergman's magic workshop. Especially from a visual point of view, it is one long timeless orgasm, sometimes obsessively ornamental (exactly in relation to the time when the story takes place), otherwise rurally simple and natural... Barry Lyndon is the embodiment of the European school of film storytelling... notice the mastery with which Kubrick uses the narrator's voice for epic abbreviations, light sarcasm, the way in which the narrator manipulates the viewer's perspective of the story. From the opening light joke and lively passages to the prediction of the tragic ending. The music changes according to the mood – from the jumpy Irish folk songs, through the British marches, to fateful strings and timpani. Barry Lyndon's story is the story of one wonderful human destiny, the story of a man who has always tried to break through as best he can. His journey full of tricks, small lies, deceptions, hypocrisy and, of course, love, leads to tragic catharsis. Kubrick chose the slow pace typical of the film 'saga' of life. The slowness of the film is described by many as a negative; yet it is not a negative, but rather a characteristic feature of the film. I love this slowness, the feeling, the honesty of filmmaking. Barry Lyndon is made from it, just like it's made from Ryan O'Neal's riveting performance. To live a human life in one role is an art worthy of a master. This epic has not only extraordinary and unrepeatable visual magnetism, but it is also extraordinarily powerful in its story. It's just necessary to go with it a little bit and then just get carried away by the strange kindness and magic of beautiful moving pictures. Barry Lyndon is the best I've seen from Kubrick so far. It's a conservative film in the best sense of the word. A timeless gem.

A slightly weaker Bond movie, but still an excellent and entertaining ride in the unrepeatable style of Sean Connery, the greatest 077 of all time. Its violent charm and uniquely sarcastic "British" humor ("Thank you, gentlemen. I was out for a walk with a rat and got a little lost.") almost make Diamonds Are Forever into an action comedy in places. Blofeld as a villain is not very enlightening, but it works. A few action scenes are very good (the rough fight in an elevator, the chase in the lunar vehicle) and some situations are indelibly engraved into your memory (the cremation practices of the Slumber funeral home). So, we have beautiful women, fast guns and gambling... There are better films before and after, but that didn't stop me from enjoying the shine of diamonds again years later.

Batman vs Alien vs Predator. It has level, style, and an interesting crossover theme... The costumes are essentially perfect, the acting is convincing, the special effects are very decent and it has a solid punch. A fan tribute to your favorite protagonists!