gudaulin

There are bad movies that everyone knows, and there are excellent movies that escape people's attention. I stumbled upon C.R.A.Z.Y. by chance and didn't expect anything from this Canadian comedy. My surprise was even greater when I realized how pleasant and impressive this film is. There are plenty of stories about difficult adolescence, but this movie manages to be original, mixing humorous elements with tragic moments, and it feels completely realistic in all stages. It is a testimony to a certain time when men still played the role of family providers but gradually lost ground as emancipation took place. The perception of homosexuality was also changing, but the problem of drugs emerged, and all of this is ventilated in C.R.A.Z.Y. It is very well acted, but its biggest advantage is the clever script. A film that pleases and sticks in my memory. Overall impression: 90%.

The Russians can surely scare their children with this film. It is a fairy tale that I wouldn't let my children watch unless wanted to shock them. However, it is more interesting for a more grown-up and mentally resilient cinephile with its atmosphere, typically Eastern Slavic scenery, and direction. Overall impression: 70%. The motif of a well with water of life, where an attempt to obtain it turns into a loss of youth and life, can, however, be a real nightmare for young children...

Considering that it is a critically acclaimed film that received a few Oscar nominations and other festival laurels at its time, Mazurský's film seemed very unremarkable to me. It was both too long and, compared to what I have witnessed in real life, it essentially feels like an idyll. The main protagonist doesn't face any serious social problems, and isn't involved in tumultuous divorce disputes, or arguments over property and childrearing; she keeps her apartment and her husband supports her financially. The only real problem is her sex life, which, as is customary in America, she discusses with her psychologist. But even here, she manages to recover remarkably quickly. It's a typically shallow American treatment of a serious subject, which usually has, in my opinion, a much more arduous course and more serious consequences. Overall impression: 50%.

The film, although not without its flaws, was an extraordinary achievement in its time, as there was no place for this type of social criticism in the contemporary studio system, and light escapist themes clearly prevailed. The book is excellent, and even though the film did not fully utilize its potential, it fairly faithfully follows the literary plot and goes quite far in its social criticism. It is a significantly left-wing film that depicts both the hopeless situation of farmers and day laborers during the economic crisis and the growing solidarity and awareness of social responsibility. This is evident in the scene at a bistro, where everyone, starting with the owner and ending with the last tractor driver and waitress, supports the unemployed in some way. Overall impression: 90%.

The Secret Agent is a purely average affair in terms of direction, but it can offer the viewer a strong story with a thrilling plot, a very decent cast, with some actors being cast in atypical roles (that is especially true for Robin Williams, who played a completely negative serious role compared to his usual characters), and interesting music by the proven Philip Glass. Overall impression: 60%. Despite the directorial shortcomings, the film exudes an atmosphere of a turn of the century full of social tensions and anarchistic outbursts.

Although not exceptional, this horror movie from the 90s is certainly above average and stands out not for its special effects or set design, but for the bleak atmosphere of a neglected urban periphery, unsettling music, and last but not least, the performances, led by Virginia Madsen. There are some weaker moments in the screenplay, but the technical aspects such as editing, cinematography, and sound are on a solid level. Overall impression: 70%.

Jean-Pierre Jeunet divides viewers of his films into two groups: those who admire his boundless imagination, sense of irony, and exaggeration, and those who shrug their shoulders at the strange playfulness that lacks a plot and is filled with bizarre characters they cannot identify with. The City of Lost Children is literally an embodiment of the director's style, a film that probably best characterizes both his strengths and weaknesses. The plotline is weak, but everything is compensated by Jeunet's playfulness, imagination, and visual style. Jeunet originated from alternative comics known for their grotesque, provocative nature, and artistic experiments. It has nothing to do with the classic American superhero and adventure-style comics. Jeunet would be an ideal director for films based on Max Andersson or other alternative art comic creators. It is delightful to observe all the quirky characters, decorative elements, and the whole peculiar world that Jeunet's imagination has created. As always, Jeunet cast his favorite actor Dominique Pinon in a key role, this time multiplying him seven times so that no viewer could overlook him. For the amazing sets and the unique atmosphere, I cannot give the film less than five stars. Overall impression: 90%.

In my review of Three Colours: Red, I wrote that it is the most sympathetic and probably the best part of the trilogy. However, when it comes to Blue, the substance is thematically closest to me. Kieslowski conceived the discourse on freedom as a problem of emotional and familial relations. They tie us with invisible but strong emotional bonds. The main protagonist loses her family in a car accident and deals with the problem of to what extent she can free herself from her memories and feelings. Her neighbor works in the erotic industry and feels satisfied with it until her father shows up at her performance and she confronts feelings of guilt because she is not liberated from her past and family affiliation. To free oneself can mean to isolate oneself, and it is always just a question of compromise between independence and solitude. At the age of 18, I lost my father and I was dealing with a similar dilemma as the protagonist of the film. Kieslowski is, as always, intimate, delivering his story at a slow pace with an emphasis on the inner psyche of his characters. Overall impression: 75%.

What is characteristic of this film is the year it was made, i.e., 2007, when the economic boom and the price of oil and natural gas, which form the backbone of the Russian budget, soared to a maximum. Film production corresponded to this, as both the number of films produced per year climbed to an impressive hundred, and respectable budgets were evident in the films. The Sovereign's Servant is a historical costume epic that, rather than resembling American films, reminds us of French historical films of the past. The fact that the story begins in Versailles is no coincidence. The inspiration from films that once made Jean Marais famous is clear. It does indeed feature exciting sword fights, battles, brawls, beautiful women, and decorations and costumes. It's not something profound, just a typical commercial film that can still entertain decently. Overall impression: 65%.

The film definitely cannot deny its theatrical roots. It has a significant TV film dimension, whether it is the fact that dialogues carry it from the beginning to the end, or the poor set design and static nature of the plot, which takes place practically entirely in one recreational cottage. Paradoxically, the film was somewhat hurt in my eyes by the fact that I had seen the play and the theatrical performance set a high bar for me, which surprisingly the well-known American actors failed to overcome... The idea of showing the transformations of society and modern American history through regular meetings of two lovers is good, but the comedic and dramatic potential was certainly greater, and in the second half of the film, more and more sentimentality creeps into it. Overall impression: 40%.