gudaulin

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%.

Based on the successful comic book series by Max Allan Collins. With his film American Beauty, Sam Mendes raised expectations among critics and fans to such a level that he couldn't meet them, no matter how hard he tried. From my perspective, after careful consideration, I prefer Road to Perdition. Sure, in terms of choosing the subject matter, it was an obvious safe bet, but there was also a calculation with American Beauty, albeit a more subtle one. Mendes's gangster film is a compact piece in every way, with perfect cinematography, a strong story, and charismatic characters. Comparing Road to Perdition with what I've seen in the past year, I have no choice but to increase my rating to five stars. Overall impression: 90%.

I don't usually care for Luděk Sobota, but this is one of the two exceptions where I liked his performance. Combined with the clever humor of the screenwriting duo of Ladislav Smoljak and Zdeněk Svěrák, and the directing talent of Oldřich Lipský, a timeless popular comedy was created. It regularly appears on television and continues to attract new viewers. Overall impression: 90%. Many scenes from the film have become iconic; personally, I most enjoy the scenes with psychiatrist Chocholoušek and Smoljak warning about the dangers of bribery.

An intellectual plaything on the technology of power and manipulation of the individual, which became a cult classic thanks to the Soviet invasion two years later. The film's story about a banquet and uninvited guests perfectly captured the gloomy mood of that time. Interesting dialogues and an Orwellian-Kafkaesque atmosphere. A powerful final scene where the search for a stray guest, who clearly does not want company, turns into a ruthless hunt for a renegade. Overall impression: 95%. The film is worth watching if only for its atypical cast.

"The Joke" is, above all, an exceptional literary work, one of Milan Kundera's best, and one of the finest novels about the atmosphere of the 1950s in Czechoslovakia. It is a bitter tale about how history can crush an individual, and how revenge may not taste sweet, and carrying bitterness throughout one's life means unnecessarily depriving oneself of much joy. It is a burden that marks everyone. One of the pivotal roles of Josef Somr, perfectly tailored to his acting style. Overall impression: 90%.

Angel of the Lord was preceded by the reputation of being a very high-quality fairy tale that ranks alongside the old proven fairy tale classics. After watching it, I have to say that Czech fairy tale productions have dropped off significantly because Angel of the Lord represents only a better television average and does not belong on the big screen. It is a fairy tale with an obviously limited budget and a screenplay that still needs work, as it contains significant gaps. It's exactly those moments when the main characters are walking back to the castle after the magic transports them from the prison to a distant land. They just keep walking and nothing happens because the screenwriter and director obviously took a nap. Zuzana Kajnarová is unremarkable in her acting, and a few other flaws could be found, yet there is one crucial BUT. Ivan Trojan in the lead role managed to squeeze the maximum out of this opportunity, and his angel Petronel is simply irresistible. Additionally, he is greatly complemented by his contrast, the devil Uriah, also excellently portrayed by Jiří Dvořák. This duo adds a good 30% to the fairy tale. I was also pleased to finally see a live Baby Jesus, which my parents denied me for many years. Overall impression: 65%.

There are films we remember from childhood as amazing experiences, only to find, upon revisiting them years later, that they've aged and simply don't work for us as adults. Gentlemen Boys is one of those rare exceptions where the cinematic experience repeats itself every time I watch the film again. I become a boy again, embarking on adventurous journeys, with plenty of free time and the ability to enjoy it despite occasional adult disapproval. Whenever the familiar movie melody plays and the voice invites me, "Don't just stand there, come on," I go and once again immerse myself in the world of my childhood memories. Overall impression: 90%.

Considering the excellent cast assembled for this film, the result is quite dismal. In addition to an unremarkable script that borrows heavily from other successful films, the inexperienced direction of Brad Mirman, who has achieved very little as a director, is also to blame. A film for one-time viewing. Overall impression: 50%.

The life themes of Forman's films are the position of defined personalities within the system and especially the search for personal freedom within a liberal society. Where are the limits of acceptable human behavior, where does freedom of speech end, and whether it should be set at all? In The People vs. Larry Flynt, he continued what he started in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and continued in the musical Hair. While his previous films received enthusiastic applause from critics and audiences, The People vs. Larry Flynt faced harsh criticism from multiple sides. It came from both the influential Christian right and the equally influential feminist movement, as both groups organized furious demonstrations and disrupted the distribution of the film. The film sparked great controversy and Forman was left significantly isolated this time. Honestly, the real Larry Flynt is an extremely repulsive character, whom Forman, despite all efforts to capture from many angles in the most diverse perspective, humanized inappropriately. This was also aided by the fact of personal friendship between the director and Larry Flynt. Woody Harrelson's outstanding performance in the lead role also contributed to this humanization. The real Flynt was not so much a victim of his passions as he was an excellent unscrupulous businessman. From a directorial standpoint, it is an extraordinary film with a great cast, and even Courtney Love as an uncontrollable bullet of American pop culture performs very well. And why not, when she essentially plays herself? Edward Norton is perfectly cast and the supporting actors around the main stars deliver reliable performances. Only the pathos at the end of the film is unnecessary. But that is related to what I suggested above. It is not a bad film at all, but for its content, I have a considerably colder attitude toward it compared to Forman's other films. Overall impression: +- 80%.

Miloš Forman's filmography has two peaks: In terms of content and the significance of the theme, his best film is One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, but in terms of film language, editing, and film structure, the most interesting is definitely Man on the Moon. From a commercial perspective, it is Forman's most daring film, as such a demanding work could not find a place in the American market. Jim Carrey's performance is literally fascinating, and undoubtedly, it is his triumph, through which he definitively broke free from the box of a mocking comedian in undemanding comedies. Thanks to the complex personality of Andy Kaufman, the myth surrounding his character, and a series of mystifications accompanying his life (which the screenplay skillfully utilizes), I think it is the most interesting biographical film I have had the opportunity to see so far. Overall impression: 100%.