gudaulin

"As long as I'm here, you won't get out." - "And as long as I'm here, you won't get out either." Daněk arranges his intimate drama as a complicated relationship between a prisoner and a jailer - both are mutually dependent and trapped in their own way. "No one can rely on anyone today. You know it best yourself - after all, you are also in charge," says the sad commander of the castle garrison when he decides between loyalty to the current lord and an offer of betrayal from a noble magnate who is currently out of favor. All of this takes place in a situation where he does not know who among his subordinates stands on this or that side. The film is shot in the austere setting of a decaying medieval castle, which gives the film a stamp of period authenticity, and stands on the excellent performances of the charismatic Macháček, Munzar as the uncertain priest, and above all Martin Růžek as the purgrave torn by doubts and squeezed by conflicting interests and threats. Although historical facts do not speak in favor of the honor of Lord Henry of Lipá, Daňek's sense of dialogue, interesting characters, and moral conflicts make the film not an easily digestible, but for me a valuable and attractive spectacle. Overall impression: 90%.

To shoot a good parody of a genre film, you need a sense of humor, a thorough knowledge of the genre, excellent actors, and above all, the ability to shoot a better genre film than the one you are blatantly making fun of. The first two requirements are met, but not the rest. The average actors (with Alan Tudyk being the only standout) try their best to overact to the point of absurdity, and the film crew is convinced that the key to a successful parody is equipping the characters with crowd insanity, so the American university students showcase the intelligence of a rocking horse. The film isn't (overtly) awkward and tasteless, but it's also not good - at least not compared to the positive reviews it once managed to elicit from its audience. If Eli Craig didn't rely so much on pervasive stupidity but had the courage to shoot the appropriate gags and crazy situations "seriously," it wouldn't diminish the entertainment value, and the overall impression would be much better. Overall impression: 40%.

A swamp is a simple metaphor for a society that has undergone several significant shocks in the 20th century, when, as one supporting character notes, one whore succeeded another. The filth needs to be drowned in the swamp, which is extensive and can accommodate a lot. The series is adept at capturing the atmosphere of the post-communist hangover and the chaos of the wild nineties, which the more cunning ones saw as a great opportunity to enrich themselves and had no problem eliminating obstacles by the most brutal means. 1997 is a solid and intriguing crime series, with the script being particularly noteworthy for skillfully intertwining the destinies of numerous characters and not being afraid to confront skeletons from Poland's past. Overall impression: 75%.

"How many wells you got up there in Manhattan? Or Pittsburgh?" asks the disgusted inhabitant of a rural backwater to the business representative of a mining company who is urging the sale of land for the controversial method of gas extraction known as fracking. The problem lies in the fact that Promised Land is filmed through the lens of the residents of better neighborhoods in American cities, who do not have to deal with the problems of the less successful layers of American society and therefore do not have to accept painful compromises and capitulations. The tone of the film is openly influenced by the activist mindset of Matt Damon, which is particularly evident in the film's conclusion. Setting aside the attempt at an ethical message, what remains is a decently made, slightly above-average drama with an interesting screenwriting trick, but that alone does not secure a fourth star for the film. The film does not lack craftsmanship, but what it lacks a little is the courage to be more confrontational and darker. Overall impression: 60%.

The last installment of the series is slightly better than the previous journey into the world of Panem simply because it is less talkative and manages to show action and throw in some attractions in the form of mutant attacks or clever traps for the rebel team throughout its long duration. Unfortunately, it is also the most convincing evidence of how poorly the world is designed and how (un)functional it actually is. Nothing really makes sense in the film. In the third installment, the ruling regime is in control and capable of delivering devastating blows to the rebels, so we quickly reach the "battle for Berlin" phase, the final agony, where regime supporters collapse one after another, without it being clear how this miraculous turnaround happened. Pro-regime forces lose energy and the remaining resources on nonsensically over-engineered traps intended for television cameras at a time when it no longer makes even the slightest sense. With a switched-off brain and a fondness for Jennifer Lawrence, however, Mockingjay can be tolerated. Overall impression: 40%.

Petr Václav once caught my attention with his film The Way Out, which I considered to be a well-intended attempt at a Czech festival film, and therefore, I slightly overrated it. Unfortunately, Petr Václav's subsequent works didn't convince me of his notable talent and craftsmanship. With this film, I even feel that I lost my sanity. It doesn't work in any way and kills any potential in a brutally direct manner. This is a piece for die-hard fans of festival-type productions who simply want to find and believe in any values it might have. Overall impression: 15%.

I will give it three feeble stars, but the project needed a different approach and a different director. The subject matter directly called for a satire and ironic comedy genre, but Lasse Hallström is by nature a poet and romantic, so despite his undeniable directorial qualities, it ultimately feels barren. The solid cast is also not properly utilized due to the problematic screenplay. Overall impression: 50%.

My relationship with Leviathan is best characterized by the fact that I did not have the courage to watch it for over 3 years, even though it was stored on my computer. I was simply scared of the darkness that emanated from the story. Zvyagintsev's film perfectly characterizes Russia as unchanging over time. The combination of the crown, the sword, and the altar, along with the disdain for ordinary people, creates a very hostile environment in Russian society where the individual means nothing and bows to absolute power. The actions of the church officials are reminiscent of the current patriarch Kirill, who gets along so well with the authorities in the Kremlin. Zvyagintsev hit the nail on the head with the conditions that led to the war in Ukraine. A chilling film and unfortunately very true. Overall impression: 95%.

Luciano Salce was a genius of mediocrity in Italian cinema. The small-town averageness literally radiates from his films, and only the presence of Monica Vitti and Ugo Tognazzi in the lead roles keeps Duck in Orange Sauce afloat over time. After all, they were prominent representatives and interesting types of their acting generation. Duck in Orange Sauce can be viewed as an echo of the sexual revolution of the 60s, which arrived late in Italian cinema (a decade earlier, there was still strong censorship in Italy). Unfortunately, the film, which did not stand out from the flood of loud Italian comedies at the time, has already exhausted itself and practically does not work comedically today. For me, except for the actors, the film has nothing more to offer. Overall impression: 45%.

Death is no more or less than the price of life, and it is one hundred percent true that it awaits us all at the end of our journey. The death of a person and the farewell ceremony usually evoke a wide range of emotions and expose peoples' natures, so it is no wonder that the life experiences of the funeral family provided the screenwriting team with excellent material and an attractive spectacle for viewers. In many places, the series manages to touch upon the most sensitive aspects of our physical existence and social relationships. It touches on the burning topics of social debate, but as the episodes progressed, I began to dislike the pronounced eccentricity of some of the characters. It cannot be denied that screenwriter Alan Ball had the primary voice, who is also the creator of the crazy vampire fantasy full of sexual deviations, True Blood. If it is said about some series that they are written by life itself, here it is evident that the stories are written by a screenwriter. Undeniably well and captivatingly, but ordinary life is a bit different. In the first season, the presence of dark humor served in small doses pleased me, and my attention was caught by the charming Lauren Ambrose in the role of the family's high school student. Overall impression: 80%.