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Kritiken (3 651)

Plakat

Der Jane Austen Club (2007) 

Englisch There are movies about women and there are movies for women. This film belongs to the latter category and even if I didn't know the director's name, I would swear that a woman must have made it. I am not the target audience, and not just because I have never read a single novel by Mrs. Austen and my knowledge of her work is limited to two films based on her material. This kind of romance is simply appreciated mainly by women. In the first half, I objectively stated that the film is at a decent level and can be watched simply because it is a type of romance intended for the middle generation, so the creators have avoided all the flaws that affect teenage projects, from vulgarity to toilet humor. Nevertheless, it is something that will be appreciated by other types of viewers, and I felt somewhat left out. In the second half, I became so familiar with the characters that it looked like it would be a 3-star rating, but in the end, I chose a lower rating because it is simply too polished, too sweet, and with a classic American happy ending. In real life, things happen somewhat differently. Someone wins and someone has to pay. Overall impression: 45%.

Plakat

Triage (2009) 

Englisch We see this story again and again. An unknown talented creator shoots a successful festival film with unknown actors and minimal resources and capital, which gains the favor of the audience and film critics and successfully makes its way around the world. The next film is already being shot with the support of a strong producer, starring international movie stars, and ambitions are felt in every step of the crew and every shot. However, despite efforts and investments, the result is often more than disappointing. Danis Tanović succeeded not only with me but basically with everyone, with his film No Man's Land, which was a great intimate anti-war drama. Back then, the director only needed three soldiers confined between the front line and bound by mutual hatred to evoke maximum emotions. Here, he clearly tries the same, but somehow it drags on and the result does not meet expectations. My sense of reason would like to appreciate the theme and effort with four stars, but the emotional part of myself says that three stars are just right. Yes, the twist is strong and the intense scenes from the field hospital in rebellious Kurdistan are impressive, but that's a bit too little for a hundred-minute film. Overall impression: 60%.

Plakat

Labor Day (2013) 

Englisch I watched Labor Day as part of a Valentine's Day event, during which a person is willing to undergo a bit of romance and score a bit in a partnership to fulfill their expectations of the holiday of lovers. This film can be simplified as "won't offend, but won't impress either." It won't offend mainly because of the presence of the central couple. Kate belongs to the elite of female character actors within her generation, and you simply believe in her as the abandoned mother. Josh Brolin could patent roles of charismatic bearded men with a tough exterior and a good heart - that's just simply him. The others play their roles as they should, and the director is capable of orchestrating it all. The problem lies in the screenplay, which does not address some things at all and only briefly touches on others. The most interesting and important aspect of the plot is the mutual discovery, building trust, and relationship between the escaped prisoner and his hostages. But that is incredibly superficial. It almost seems like Kate Winslet was just waiting for something like that and enthusiastically ended up in bed with a murderer sentenced to 18 years after a few hours. What should one think of such a character then? The psychology is simply superficial or completely unreliable. And the tacked-on romantic ending seems to come from a mediocre romance novel. Overall impression: 55%.

Plakat

The Best Offer - Das höchste Gebot (2013) 

Englisch The beauty of hidden paintings hanging on the walls, the increasing tension of art auction participants in proportion to the rising price of their sought-after treasures to enrich their collections, the mystery of artifacts from old mechanisms, and above all, the secrets that people hide behind the tightly guarded mask of their faces and carefully controlled emotions, behind the facade of their status and social relationships. Tornatore plays with his protagonist as well as with his viewers. Although I roughly figured out where the game was heading halfway through, surprisingly, I didn't detract anything from the exceptionally high final impression. It's worth watching the film for the top craftsmanship, Tornatore's perfectionism, the fascinating performance of veteran actor Geoffrey Rush, the atmosphere of a neglected noble palace, and the process of discovering what lies beneath the layer of dust, old colors, and words. The film is actually a story about (self)love, late realization, and late regrets. And last but not least, it's also about hope, because as we know, hope dies last. I had the opportunity to watch The Wolf of Wall Street and this film in one day, and the slow-paced Tornatore triumphed emotionally over Scorsese. Overall impression: 90%. I would immediately go to Prague to see if Virgil is still waiting there...

Plakat

The New World (2005) 

Englisch The interesting director Terrence Malick and I do not see eye to eye. My down-to-earth realistic and materialistic view of the world is not compatible with Malick's world of magical images, lyrical emptiness, broken souls, inner monologues, and excessive runtime. He will probably never receive the highest rating from me, but if he ever managed to come close to this mark, it was precisely with this film. In the first half, I truly considered several times the fact that such impressive images capturing the mood of the situation and the characters' personalities could not go unrewarded. The New World is not just a film about the colonization of the wilderness and the clash of two completely different cultures and incomparable value hierarchies, but above all, it is a film about love - the passionate kind that breaks down all barriers, simply love without restraints, but also about the mature love that grows out of knowledge and wisdom. Malick's storytelling is based on the true story of the prehistory of European penetration into the American continent. It fairly adheres to (the few) known facts, and his film is thus the most authentic version of legendary tales like Pocahontas. Overall impression: 85%.

Plakat

Keine Sorge, mir geht's gut (2006) 

Englisch There are topics and ways of processing a subject that suit you in your teenage years, and then there are topics whose human dimension you fully understand only when you are older. This film about how a French middle-class family copes with the departure of one of the household members is initially seemingly about the relationship between two siblings, but with each passing minute, it becomes apparent that it's actually about the relationship between a daughter and her parents. This intimate drama about the lack of courage to communicate the inevitable doesn't have an elaborately polished screenplay, but it has a strongly emotive theme and a solid cast led by the well-known Mélanie Laurent. This inconspicuous film got under my skin, and as a parent, I can empathize with the positions of everyone involved. Overall impression: 75%.

Plakat

Was das Herz begehrt (2003) 

Englisch The film relies on the presence of two great names in American cinema. Granted, Nicholson can still exude charisma and Diane Keaton shows that one can age gracefully, without excessive plastic surgery, and still have spark and charm. The problem is they cannot carry the film on their own, and it needed a script prescribing quality dialogue and clever well-targeted humor. There are very few genuinely funny scenes, and they exhaust their potential quite quickly, at the latest halfway through the film. To top it all off, the film has the most banal happy ending in the spirit of classic Hollywood. Overall impression: 45%.

Plakat

Dallas Buyers Club (2013) 

Englisch Ron Woodroof is a worker and a rodeo fan, but above all, a lover of life who knows how to enjoy it and doesn't deny himself anything. Drugs are easily available, the alcohol flows freely, and the girls who hover around the rodeo riders are usually willing to spend a pleasant moment in a trailer, entertaining their admirers and dispelling boredom. It's the early 80s, the time of the oil shocks, the bitterness of the Vietnam defeat, and civil activism are gone. The era of Reaganomics, yuppies, and newfound confidence has arrived. Nothing is impossible, and the motto of the day is fun. Like a bolt out of the blue, the news of Ron's AIDS diagnosis hits him after an injury. According to the doctors' experience, he has only 30 days left to live. His previous lifestyle and all the values he held dear are suddenly gone. But instead of passively waiting for death, he decides to fight it. Not only with the disease but also with the system that dislikes those who stand out and seek alternative paths. Ron becomes an advocate for unapproved treatment methods and unauthorized drugs. The initial 30 days turn into hundreds and then many years. The approach to AIDS changes, society changes, and the hero of the story changes too. From a southern roughneck and homophobic man, he becomes someone who understands the necessity of tolerance and can navigate among members of sexual minorities. Dallas Buyers Club is a drama based on a powerful story and a controversial, unforgettable main character. I would say that by choosing the unpleasant theme of human suffering and death, an unattractive storytelling style (sentimentality could have been used more prominently or cynical black humor), and above all, the performances of Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto in the main and supporting male roles, Dallas Buyers Club ranks among the most significant films of the season. I have heard it said about American actors that they are willing to undergo practically anything for the sake of a role and reputation, and McConaughey proves that this is true. From a pretty boy who recently charmed in romantic comedies, he has transformed into a walking advertisement for a crematorium, where you could count every rib on his chest on the spot, and whose determined eyes still blaze from his gaunt face marked by stress. This is, without exaggeration, an outstanding acting performance worthy of an Oscar. Overall impression: 90%.

Plakat

The Devil's Chair (2007) 

Englisch Here and there, rather rarely, I come across a genre film where I find unexpected qualities, even though it missed its target audience and has a relatively sad rating. Unfortunately, this is not one of those rare cases. The problem does not lie in the fact that from the very first shot, it is clear that we are in deep B-movie waters. That we are dealing with second-rate actors, including the main character who is crucial for the atmosphere and overall impression, already makes things quite disappointing. However, that does not explain the one star I'm giving it. The main issue lies with the director himself. Mason is certainly not a B-movie director, as he clearly has the foundations of the profession in his blood, but he does not show us anything that would indicate any talent, filmmaking cleverness, and sophistication. He tries to achieve an effect with quick editing, handheld cameras, and above all, bloody splatters wherever you look. However, the idea presented is far from original and there are plenty of titles that do the same or almost the same in a much better and more impressive way. Overall impression: 25%.

Plakat

Tideland (2005) 

Englisch One star goes to Gilliam for his boundless imagination and one for Jodelle Ferland's acting performance. If she maintains the same playfulness, immediacy, and ability to transform herself, she will become the new Kirsten Dunst. I would like to continue with the positives, but I have to admit that I no longer have anything to add. The problem is that Gilliam's story this time did not seem compelling enough to me, and I openly found myself bored for most of the film. His created world simply did not captivate me, and I neither feared for nor rooted for his protagonist. It just passed me by. Overall impression: 40%. Some consider Tideland morbid, some consider it insane, I consider it stereotypical and tiresome...

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