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Even with the best intentions, one can sometimes encounter an ungrateful reaction, and so the diligent doctor, along with the entire team, passionately fights for the life of an old lady who desires nothing more than to pass on to the other world, just to receive a proper punch from her afterward. The dark humor, which seems to have come from the TV series Dead Like Me, and only the pace and craziness correspond to the style of animated American slapstick. Wit, perspective, and dynamism. Overall impression: 80%.

Lubomír Beneš is known to animation fans almost exclusively as the creator of Pat and Mat, but in addition to comedies, he also has a few excursions in completely different genres, especially in the field of horror movies. In addition to The King and the Goblin, there is also The Musician and Death, which deals with what awaits each of us at some point. However, the protagonist, who is controlled by fear, decides that he will still enjoy the last minutes of his life properly - as it should be. Overall impression of this atmospheric affair: 80%.

Director René Castillo wanted to try out if the claymation technique would suit the horror film genre in animated movies, and although in my opinion, it's not as perfect as, for example, traditional 2D animation, it still works quite well mainly thanks to the great exaggeration and the combination of two genres, which we know well from Tim Burton's Corpse Bride. Those who don't want to spend time with Burton's full-length animated film will see a similar story here in about 10 minutes, although not as masterfully executed as by the significantly more famous American creator. The visual concept of the characters is, in my opinion, quite influenced by one of the most famous Latin American artists, Mexican graphic artist José Guadalupe Posada. Overall impression: 60%.

A pleasant return to the time when computer animation did not yet prevail and the creator had to work with real artifacts from everyday life and base their film on a clever idea and humor. The Potato Hunter is a case of fascination with the classic animation technique of clay figures, which fight against the dominance of a horde of bloodthirsty potatoes and parody classic stories of primitive nations and their struggle with nature and ruthless predators. Overall impression: 80%.

Dear fans of horror movies, you can have your bloody fantasies, protruding intestines, splattered brains, and other enticing images, but for me, the perfect embodiment of this genre is the short film The Ark. A concentrated symphony of creeping fear, hopelessness, and despair, the scariest and most perfect prison that actually exists and can only be escaped in one way. For me, The Ark is the ideal short animated film, an interesting concept that will entertain and thrill one's senses for a few minutes, never ceasing to entertain, and with several twists and an attractive visual design. Overall impression: 95%.

This cult Western was practically created at the same time as one of my favorite films, Lemonade Joe, which programmatically opposes exactly what Leone did here. That means emphasizing genre clichés, the naivety of the plot, and an unrealistic view of historical events and actions. In the case of Leone's film, nostalgia doesn't work for me at all, which influences, in some cases, more than just my assessment of films, as I didn't see this film during my adolescence. Of course, A Fistful of Dollars is the beginning of the subgenre of spaghetti Westerns, it is a recognized classic, and naturally, I easily find within it practically everything that led to Leone's success. Excellent camera work, scenes designed to maximize the most fundamental human emotions, a sharp contrast between positive and negative characters, cuts to sweaty, bearded faces, and wild gleam in the eyes, a great sense of film detail, and superb casting, which, among other things, helped Clint Eastwood rise to stardom. However, I have a very lukewarm relationship with westerns, as I've mentioned in my reviews several times, so I can't overlook many of the film's unfinished aspects. Leone was still finding himself in this filmmaking genre and honing his directing style. While I forgive genre clichés much more readily in other entertaining genres that I like more, I am unforgiving here. For example, key scenes such as the attack on the military convoy or the destruction of Baxter's hideout are poorly shot and practically cry out for parody. Notice the dozens of male characters, who, after being shot in the chest, tense up, grab their heart, and slowly stagger to the ground with a typical motion. Overall, the script is naive, and a person simply has to turn off their brain. In his later films, Leone added much greater depth of thought, and new motifs, and even Morricone delivered much more emotional performances. When it comes to westerns, I prefer a more realistic style, for example, as demonstrated by the Coen brothers in their new film True Grit. This film lacks much of what I appreciate in cinema, such as realism, rawness, and the internal logic of the story. On the other hand, there are plenty of aspects that repel me from this genre. Overall impression: 40%.

When I rewatch old movie hits, in many cases I note that either the film has aged or I have aged and now perceive it completely differently, so I inevitably have to lower my rating. Nostalgia can color an average film with the brightest colors. But with Midnight Cowboy, I can confidently say that it is a timeless film with extraordinary emotional impact. The story of two outsiders, dreamers, losers, and men living on the outskirts of the city and prosperity, is depicted without cheap sentimentality and yet with maximum effect. It is excellently cast, excellently acted, and as the cherry on top, adorned with an excellent musical motif. I always remember the song "Everybody's Talkin'" when I feel like tuning in to the right wave of romance and nostalgia. Midnight Cowboy is a film about an atypical and unlikely friendship between two men, brought together by necessity. The late 60s and 70s belonged to an era of American cinema that was characterized by a search for identity, rebellion against established practices and values, and a socially critical attitude toward the establishment. For most movie viewers, Dustin Hoffman is forever associated with the character of Rainman, but I primarily remember his unfortunate swindler from this film. Overall impression: 95%.

The mythical character Sandman was popularized worldwide by Neil Gaiman in his cult comic series, but Paul Berry turned Gaiman's view of the ruler of the dream world upside down in his interesting horror interpretation. There is no trace of Sandman's majesty and complexity in it. This Sandman is a goblin from the darkest nightmares, reminiscent of the character Corinthian, one of the dark creations of Gaiman's Sandman. Paul Berry depicts the childhood fear of dark corners, strange shadows, old houses, solitude, and darkness in his visually enhanced short film. It is a very impressive horror affair that manages without a single word being spoken. Overall impression: 90%.

A sympathetic and emotionally well-tuned film that tries to convince us that prostitution is not a completely normal profession, but that prostitutes are completely normal women with romantic dreams of a well-functioning romantic relationship, with the same worries or joys as employees in other industries, and that when you think about it, there is basically no difference between the girls in the agency and, let's say, warehouse workers, hairdressers, or shop assistants. Which doesn't seem completely true to me, even though I don't work in this industry. I estimate that the reality of their existence and nature will be somewhat more down-to-earth, at least on average. The value scale must inevitably disrupt and gradually distort such a profession. What is characteristic of Princesses is that there are no pimps there and there is zero influence of organized crime. Only one of the many girls has drug problems, probably to fill the viewer's expectation column. However, it must be admitted that the main heroines are sympathetic, and the story has a civilian and relatively realistic form above all. It is well acted, with a catchy musical motif. Overall impression: 65%.

Christopher Nolan is one of the cult directors of our time, so I was curious about his latest known film from his filmography, which I had not seen until now. Movie fans usually prefer his Batman comic adaptations, but those fall into the realm of mass popular culture and have such a silly foundation in their comic source that not even Nolan can turn them into a top-notch film masterpiece despite the generous budget and all the effort. I prefer the aspect of his work represented, for example, by Following, but that is not a viewer-friendly film and is more appreciated by a minority of film fans. In my eyes, The Prestige is a truly perfect combination of the professionalism of a large American studio with a generous budget and providing a generous cast and the creativity of a talented film creator who is capable, in this case, of presenting the audience with a film with a certain depth. The Prestige meets all my requirements for a good film - a visually interesting spectacle, a strong story, charismatic characters, an ambiguous script that enhances the story with a series of twists, and a thought-provoking world. Of course, some concessions to the audience could be pointed out here as well, but that's just how it goes in cinema, and in its category, The Prestige is a truly very above-average film. This film has a story that seems to have come from the pen of Jules Verne on the edge between the science fiction and mystery genres. It deals with the ruthless rivalry of two illusionists that goes beyond their profession to the extent that it destroys their closest surroundings and devours them. In the background of their conflict, we also see the no less forceful rivalry of two prominent scientists of the time - Nikola Tesla and Edison. We are in the 19th century with its boundless belief in scientific progress, and the culmination of the film also brings a warning against the misuse of scientific discovery for the satisfaction of one's egotistical cravings and even for crime. In addition, The Prestige also has excellent craftsmanship in the form of a dark atmosphere, finely pointed scenes, quality music, and attractive camera work. For me, a truly enjoyable experience that I appreciate with a 100% overall impression.