gudaulin

The works of Luis Buñuel are framed by two films. At the beginning of his career is the short experimental film, Un Chien Andalou, where he was still feeling out the terrain and exploring the possibilities of the genre and the medium of film. At the end of his creative journey stands an absurd and mischievous play on the illusion called freedom, composed of disconnected grotesque surrealist mini-stories. In it, Buñuel playfully toys with social conventions and human prejudices, mocking good manners and sarcastically striking his usual targets - conservatism and the prudishness of the church, as well as the arrogance and hypocrisy of bourgeois and bureaucratic layers. Buñuel looks skeptically upon the invoked freedom. We human beings are imprisoned by our surroundings, society, upbringing, emotions, instincts, and above all, our genes. Similarly to Lynch, Buñuel stopped taking external influences into account as he grew older and filmed for his own pleasure about what interests him the most. But while I find later Lynch films indigestible, Buñuel served me such a delicate film essence of the genre that I had to reevaluate a few other films in its light. Moreover, when it comes to the filmography of the Spanish surrealist, I have so far preferred the substantially more conventional The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie. However, The Phantom of Liberty immediately catapulted to first place. Nevertheless, I would recommend not starting your contact with Buñuel with this film. If you prefer his more mainstream films, you will enjoy even more the brief appearances of his regular actors and the style based on sarcasm. I would save The Phantom of Liberty for the end, as it is too peculiar, deviating from what audiences are accustomed to and willing to accept. Overall impression: 95%.

Polish and Russian relations have been burdened by centuries of mutual rivalry, which, in the modern era, underwent a fundamental shift in the balance of power in Eastern Europe, greatly favoring the tsarist empire and resulting in the long-term loss of Polish independence and the tormenting experience of Poles with a repressive, backward, and poorly governed state. It is even more surprising that the film is set in present-day Russia and that the overwhelming majority of dialogues are in Russian. It doesn't make sense to approach The Photographer as a typical crime story about an elusive phantom leaving behind ruined human lives. It is much more a mysterious story through which the authors return to the recent past and shed light on the essence of the functioning of the Soviet system and its impact on society as a whole. Don't be discouraged by the absurd elements or confusing genre categorization. This is a strong and originally shot film about an individual who initially wanted to perfectly conform to the system, only to subsequently rebeliously defy it in a peculiar and cruel way. As an added bonus, we also get the interesting and unconventional Taťjana Arntgolc. She is a discovery for me, and I hope to have the opportunity to admire her acting in a decent blockbuster sometime. Overall impression: 80%.

Director Stölzl probably enjoys watching American epic fantasy films and fulfilled his dream of shooting something in their spirit. I don't consider his film a serious historical drama, and I would tear it to pieces. However, as a lavishly made fairy tale, where individual shots can be used as computer wallpaper or framed on a wall, it works decently. Yes, it is shallow, designed to appeal to the widest possible audience, it is colorful, romantic, and suspenseful, but also full of the most cliché and predictable elements. I don't have a big problem with the film, but it won't get an overall impression from me of more than 55%.

In The Pianist, it's evident that the film was directed by someone who personally experienced the horrors of war and the Holocaust. It's an exceptionally strong and authentic portrayal of the fate of Jews during World War II. Unlike Spielberg's acclaimed Schindler's List, it's not polished and calculated, which reflects in slightly lower ratings. Unlike Spielberg, Polanski opts for the form of an intimate drama of a single man, yet it's an exceptional, poignant, and brilliantly acted film. Overall impression: 100%.

The Piano is a highly acclaimed romantic drama that I have one major problem with - it doesn't work for me on an emotional level. I feel that the cast and the artistically crafted production only casually mask a rather mundane story. I don't sense the depth and meanings that many others find in it. I also don't find any functional chemistry between Holly Hunter and Harvey Keitel. In the end, my three stars are for the shots of the beautiful New Zealand landscape and its inhabitants. Overall impression: 50%.

Michael Haneke does not make pleasant and beautiful films, but rather unsettling dramas that injure and leave behind a strange aftertaste. However, or perhaps precisely because of this, it is not a bad film. It portrays a possibly not widely spread, yet realistically existing world of sexual deviances of people distorted by constant pretending, secrecy, and unfulfilled desires. It is definitely a more realistic view of a certain aspect of eroticism and interpersonal relationships than Shortbus, which I recently watched. Moreover, the film has excellent performances, led by Isabelle Huppert. She excels in her role as a psychopathic teacher. If something bothers me about the film, it is the excessively long duration. Some scenes are unnecessary and others are drawn out. Overall impression: 80%.

A masterpiece by Jiří Barta and one of the pinnacles of Czech animated filmmaking, based on the novella of the same name by Viktor Dyk. This dark work is underscored by excellent music. The foundation of its success lies in the artistically remarkable puppets and simple animation, but most importantly in the screenplay, which leverages the atmosphere of a medieval Hanseatic town. The feeling of moral decay is evident in every movement of the puppets and in every image of the omnipresent rats. It is an almost perfect example of the horror genre within animated film. Overall impression: 100%.

I've always considered Robert Altman to be "my" director. That's because I don't mind his broadly conceived storytelling with many side characters, I'm not tired of the amount of subtle references to famous personalities of film history, groundbreaking works, and cult scenes. I am not bored by the typically Altmanesque lukewarm pace. I appreciate the precision and malice with which he disdains established practices of the film industry. In the case of The Player, I would avoid labeling it as a comedy, although some scenes may bring a light smile to your face. On the other hand, the elements of satire are unmissable. Among Altman's extensive filmography, I consider The Player to be his most mature work, dominated by the commanding performance of Tim Robbins in the lead role. He is, by the way, one of the three reasons why you should dedicate your time to The Player. The second reason is the clever screenplay and the last one is Altman's meticulousness. Overall impression: 90%.

A surrealist animated plaything, where the mutual duel of two tennis players turns into an emotional battle fought with all conceivable means, even at the cost of total destruction. A famous film that opened the doors to the West for Petr Sís and contributed to his emigration. Overall impression: 90%.

A typical French crime film of the late 70s and 80s with a strong cast led by Claude Brasseur and Marlene Jobert. In comparison to today's film productions, it would be worth a reliable four-star rating, but in the context of the time, it is only mildly above average, primarily due to its somewhat unfinished screenplay. Otherwise, it contains typical motifs from French productions of that era, namely criticism of political practices of those in power, violence from the police, and rivalry between different branches of the police force, which hinders effective intervention from the state authority. Overall impression: 65%.