Malarkey

The Polish continue their successful streak with Netflix, delivering another solid film. From a technical standpoint, there’s really not much to fault—it’s well-made and has plenty of entertainment value. However, the ratings don’t quite reflect that, and I think it’s partly because, after a series of high-quality Polish films, the bar has been set really high. Perhaps the filmmakers got a little too ambitious here. The story is a fictional one, but it’s set in a very real time period, referencing not just one athlete but an entire phenomenon of athletes fleeing from a communist regime to the West. The acting is top-notch, with Eryk Kulm and Eryk Lubos delivering brilliant performances, and Adrianna Chlebicka holding her own as well. But the fictional angle feels a bit odd, and the screenplay doesn’t offer many surprises—it’s a mix of things we’ve seen before. At nearly three hours long, the film can feel like it’s dragging, but it’s worth sticking it out—the ending is genuinely beautiful.

Tim Burton is finally off the leash again, and honestly, it was about time. Where better to let loose than with the world he first introduced us to, packed with his signature quirky ideas? And he absolutely delivers. A sequel more than 35 years later is a bold move, but as a fan of Burton’s work, I can confidently say it was worth the wait. The only drawback for me was the somewhat rushed script. It opens up a bunch of storylines, then scrambles to tie them all together for an epic, totally off-the-wall finale that feels very Burton-esque. But by the end, you realize some things didn’t quite need to be there, didn’t make much sense, or were just unnecessary. Case in point: Monica Bellucci. Let’s be real—there are obvious reasons why Burton included her, but she didn’t add much to the story. That said, I’m still satisfied. This is what filmmaking should be—full of creativity, fun, and humor, with a cast that’s clearly having a blast.

When you have to start a Tim Burton film several times to get through it, you know something’s off. I finally managed to finish Big Eyes, and to be fair, the story seemed tailor-made for Burton—personal, unique, and quirky. Casting Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz was a smart move too; they were solid in their roles. But everything else felt like Burton was making a TV movie. It lacked his usual creative flair, and the script seemed flat, almost like it was written by a beginner. It’s rare for me to watch a biopic and feel like I’ve seen it all before, but with Big Eyes, I couldn’t shake that feeling.

This one felt a bit too “now” for me—too focused on today’s youth and their issues, with dialogue that sometimes felt like it was written for a toddler. That said, Jeff Goldblum clearly had a blast playing Zeus, and I have to admit, the soundtrack is a real highlight. The music choices were spot on. But even with a great score, the show falters by taking liberties with history, blending and bending it in ways that feel forced. It tries really hard to be funny, but that's where it misses the mark the most.

Before watching the sequel, I had to revisit the original—it’s been years since I last saw Beetlejuice. And yes, it still holds up beautifully. Tim Burton proved he was a genius back then, and I’m glad he showed Hollywood what he was capable of with this film. The sheer creativity, both in animation and ideas, combined with humor and fun, is unmatched. I can't help but wonder—how many directors today can pull off something like this?

For a Scandinavian crime drama, Blackwater is surprisingly slow-paced. While it nails the period atmosphere, you can easily go twenty minutes in an hour-long episode where almost nothing happens. And when the plot does move, it’s often focused on the religious cult, which honestly feels like a storyline that begs for a wake-up call. It’s intriguing in parts, but compared to other Scandinavian thrillers, this one drags a lot more than I expected.

It’s worth thinking about how many movies Hollywood cranked out in the 80s and how many of them were actually hits. I wonder if the ratio was as lopsided as it feels with today’s blockbusters. Nowadays, it seems like studios are greenlighting scripts that a producer 20 years ago wouldn’t even glance at. We’ve got dumb plots mixed with cringeworthy moments, all dressed up in a heavy dose of CGI to make it look flashy. But hey, slap a big franchise name on it, and it’ll sell, right? Godzilla x Kong is just another one of those mindless blockbusters that would’ve gone straight to VHS back in the day.

I went into this expecting a bit of déjà vu, maybe a nod to Nicole Kidman’s Big Little Lies days. But it turns out, even a talented cast and capable direction can’t guarantee a quality film if the foundation isn’t there. The setting—a world of multimillionaires and their detached behavior—just felt off, like a pure distillation of everything you’d want to root against. The result? An unlimited supply of boredom, making The Perfect Couple a painfully average drama.

Pure, unfiltered Arnold at his finest. It’s the kind of film built entirely around one man—the guy who found his niche in Hollywood, not just because he was insanely ripped, but because he had a great sense of humor too. What I wouldn’t give for a star like that today...

Feels like we used to get way more of these wild, over-the-top American comedies about 10-15 years ago. Maybe it’s the whole hyper-correct era we’re in, or maybe it’s just the actors these days. Hard to say. Either way, Josh Duhamel totally nailed it. It’s a bit of a mess, a bit outrageous... but exactly the kind of comedy every guy can fully appreciate.