Remedy

Rian Johnson has created quite an engaging piece of work in terms of the script, the first and last third of which follows the standard whodunit formula. The middle part then transforms, somewhat unexpectedly, into a bourgeois struggle for inheritance, which results in a drastic slowing of the entire narrative. I've long wondered if this is a major flaw or if Johnson in fact brings an imaginative upgrade to the concept of the standard murder mystery with this genre charade. Since I've come to appreciate the "middle class" much more after a second viewing, I consider Knives Out one of the most imaginative murder mysteries of recent years. Plus, the strong moral (perhaps even touching) credit of Craig's character is believable and is pretty damn necessary these days.

An uncompromising action cutup that, despite the brilliant fight choreography, feels slightly repetitive, especially in its second half. In any case, the final impression is very strong, because I've probably never seen anything like it. A perfect example of a film where the characters themselves merely play second fiddle and where everything is strictly orchestrated for an intense, brutal action experience.

Motherless Brooklyn (which is the English translation of the book's title and, incidentally, a much better title than the Czech translation, The Dark Face of Brooklyn) is a very effective trip to noir New York in the late 1950s. I dare say that in contemporary discourse, this second Edward Norton film represents a strong departure from the mainstream, demanding from the viewer not just empathy but a certain amount of attention. That said, the fully attentive viewer is eventually rewarded with a multi-layered story whose individual components are credited to Norton both as screenwriter and director. Everything here, whether issues of racism, corruption, or general social inequality, has a solid place and comes together to form a very respectable whole. At times I couldn't shake the feeling that it was all a little too flashy, slightly theatrical, and mannerist, but that would probably be my only real criticism. Besides, Norton had first planned to carry out the whole project twenty years ago, so this is probably the work of his dreams and near original authorship, which he simply wanted to do his own way. Those who catch his vibe, however, will be very pleased.

The biggest problem I see is the casting of Sebastian Stan, who has zero ability to evoke emotion in the viewer. The other acting veterans here come across as mere staffage and I'd really like to know what convinced them to go for this, at the very least, extremely odd project. All the flashbacks are perfectly interchangeable with any self-respecting war film and the final scene (I was just waiting for the cleaning lady, receptionist, and gardener to stand up, too) should be outlawed. But for some reason inexplicable to me, it flew by rather quickly, so in the end a hard-fought 2 stars.

It's almost embarrassing how much Angelina towers over her fellow actresses here. James Mangold, before his blockbuster career at the turn of the millennium, has cut a drama from a sort of "mental health treatment facility for the better folk" for which he also co-wrote the screenplay, among other things. The outcome isn't bad at all, but Girl, Interrupted seems like kind of a weaker younger sibling compared to the iconic One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. With the exception of Angelina Jolie’s outstanding (and rightfully Oscar-winning) performance, the entire narrative lacks any strong moment that would be indelibly etched in the memory (again, I keep coming back to Cuckoo’s Nest, which has several similar moments). Still, it's a reasonably well-constructed drama about overcoming your own fears and stepping out of your shadow, and overall it's above average.

This movie pretends to be a terribly ambitious thriller, but I can’t help mentioning that the final climax is very shaky in terms of logic. Still, I can't say I didn't enjoy it, because the thriller (and at times, slightly horror) elements work quite well here. The problem I see is simply the chopping up of the victims; when all the cards are revealed the whole thing doesn't quite make sense. But if you stick to a decent atmosphere and reduce your demands for a convincing denouement, you won't be bored.

The inspiration from Nolan-esque themes stinks to high heaven, but on the other hand the plot is altogether original. It is pleasing to see fresh acting faces who somehow follow template to do exactly what is needed. Don’t expect any acting or other exhibitionism here, Jamin Winans just "goes about his business" and I have the inescapable feeling that he is happy in his bubble and is completely clean of any external evaluations. If there's any film that fits well with the notions of the auteur and the idiosyncratic, it would be The Frame. The only thing that brings down the final (albeit still very good) impression is the obviously severe lack of funding for special effects. Stuff maybe 50 million more into it, and who knows how it would have turned out.

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi is one of the more appealing efforts in Michael Bay's repertoire. Apart from the really good visuals, the well-fitting casting led by John Krasinski is a delight. The subject logically lends itself to pathos and cheap American patriotism, but in this respect I was very pleasantly surprised. For Bay does not portray the central characters as black and white army machines or elusive green brains, but rather as "everyday heroes" who, apart from serving their country, are mainly looking forward to returning home to their families. The distinct humanization of the central characters thus adds an appealing humanistic dimension to the entire film.

One star for the story, two stars for the casting of Scarlett Johansson. The biggest problem I see is that as the percentage of brainpower usage increases, it becomes too much of a mishmash. It seemed great at first, and I was actually quite curious to see what would happen next as the percentages increased. Unfortunately, once Besson starts getting to the heart of it all, everything goes down the drain. For one Sunday viewing, it's probably OK. Thank goodness for the short running time.

By its very nature, it's hard to translate a subject like this into reality with a straight face. Anyway, I appreciate the fact that the main character's plight comes first and foremost and there is a rather convincing subversion of the ingrained stereotype that it's actually great to be young all the time. The development of this motif is actually quite strong and the conflict with the character played by Harrison Ford is interesting. In the end, it's exactly between 3 stars and 4 stars, as I somehow couldn't shake the feeling that the conclusion was premature and not entirely convincing. A typical example of a film whose rating I would (probably) change downward after a second viewing. After the first viewing, it's a shaky 4 stars, especially for the novel story and the reasonably imaginative narrative style.