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A very silly series to fill the broadcasting time of commercial television in the early afternoon hours. Poor scripts and performances that are not even worth a mention. Perhaps only die-hard opponents of motor vehicles will enjoy it because there are hardly any other series or movies with as many crash scenes... Overall impression is 15%.

The death of Crown Prince Rudolf meant the same thing in its time as the death of Princess Diana a century later. Based on his fate and tragic end, a historical costume film was created, which is not nearly as kitschy as the films about Empress Sissi from the 1950s, but it also did not avoid having a romanticizing and unhistorical approach to the subject. The creators of the film try to build on the legend of the talented prince, who would have been a modern and capable leader of the state after ascending to the throne, but instead became a victim of his position and the pressure from his surroundings. To put it soberly, he was primarily a victim of his health, and today's medicine should be able to provide a specific diagnosis for his mental state. He would have struggled with his high state position, and there is not much mystery surrounding his suicide. The Crown Prince, whether in terms of script quality or acting performances, is easily forgettable. Overall impression: 35%. The film can only please with shots of elegant costumes and historical buildings of its era.

A strong and fully functional film even after more than half a century, and a classic of the noir genre. A carefully planned and executed heist, which after initial success starts to slip away from its masterminds. The key to its success was its precise script that follows, step by step, the formation of the gang, and the plan, preparation, and execution of the crime. There are long shots with minimal dialogues, and an important role is played by the exteriors of old streets in poor and bourgeois districts of Paris in the first half of the 50s, which only then began to change due to the economic miracle, and the black and white image suitable for the genre and above all carefully chosen film music. It is a masterpiece that has made its mark on film history. The film is not overly complicated and yet it is extremely strong in its story and execution. Overall impression 95%.

A subtle, intimately crafted story about a gambling passion that led one bureaucrat astray. While the film lacks the atmosphere of Croupier or the compelling story of Casino, it has two significant strengths that reliably elevate it above average. The first is the presence of the excellent Philip Seymour Hoffman in the lead role, and the second is John Hurt in the role of his opponent. Excellent character psychology and decent direction. A small film about one big deception. Overall impression: 75%.

I definitely don't reject comics as a medium, and I have a decent collection of comic books in my library. On the other hand, I never felt comfortable with the mainstream superhero line, of which Batman stories are an integral part. When the character Fantomas was created at the beginning of the 20th century, he was devoid of any ironic exaggeration. When André Hunebelle made a film series about Fantomas in the 1960s, he correctly understood that this pulp literature could only be taken with an extraordinary amount of ironic exaggeration, and thus a timeless entertaining spectacle was created, which, unlike many other films, has not aged. The character of Batman can be approached from my perspective either with a parodic exaggeration or as a highly stylized fairy tale spectacle. This is exactly how Tim Burton portrayed him in his films, which is why I like his adaptations the most. He offered me a visually elaborate alternative world of the fictional gloomy Gotham City and several great bizarre comic characters, which made it easy to consume this ancient comic story. Nolan approaches it completely differently and situates his heroes in a completely realistic environment of a modern American metropolis, voluntarily abandoning comic book poetics. He even goes further, several characters - and it is especially typical for the prosecutor and the fateful woman for both positive heroes brilliantly portrayed by Maggie Gyllenhaal - are not traditional comic book characters, but people made of flesh and blood. The prosecutor is obviously not an alluring comic book hottie, as comic book fans imagine her. It would have been great if Nolan didn't only go halfway and dared to completely break the genre limitations. His main characters remain superheroes representing the positive and negative sides of human nature. They possess comic book exaggeration and extravagance, affectation, and exceptional abilities. The comic book myth must be preserved, even though the actions of comic book heroes go against the logic of the real world. The Joker never for a moment gives up his war paint, even though he has to appear as inconspicuous in the mundane human world as a teacher using a rocket launcher instead of a pointer. At one point, the Joker is arrested and imprisoned in a cell. The police never think of taking his fingerprints or, most importantly, wiping off the mask of the poorly painted clown, as revealing his human face would disrupt his essence and humanize him, destroying the myth of the supervillain. Technically, The Dark Knight is a precise high-budget spectacle, a typical blockbuster for popcorn-loving viewers. It contains many excellent scenes and effective performances. Even the opening bank heist is a spectacular introduction and the film manages to maintain a high pace for the majority of the time. On the other hand, I can recall a decent number of incomparably "ordinary" films that resonated with me more deeply, even without a gigantic budget and top-notch special effects. Overall impression: 60%.

In its theme, the film vaguely resembles the war drama Signum Laudis. In both cases, the heroes show unwavering loyalty, but while Signum Laudis is a strong tragic drama that says a lot about the era and regime, Jaroslav Durych's story ends up seeming rather ridiculous. Given how short the TV story is, the main character spends too much time in the saddle, and the camera just statically follows his journey. One star is for the story, and one for the cast. Overall impression: 40%.

A typical product of the American independent scene of the 90s. Independent films are created either because they are too avant-garde, too provocative, or too ordinary for big studios to finance them. The last reason applies to Ed's Next Move, as it is a cheap, purely conversational comedy that doesn't address anything significant and will disappear from your memory by the next day. However, it is a pleasant film that is well cast and performed. Overall impression: 60%.

If someone doesn't have the time or desire to watch the entire cycle of François Truffaut's films dedicated to his favorite protagonist Antoine Doinel, they can watch Love on the Run and get acquainted with the plot of the previous films in a nutshell, because a significant part of this film consists of flashbacks. Those who have seen Truffaut's previous films know what the film will be about and what they can expect. Doinel can't seem to grow up and choose a partner and his place in life. After previous failed relationships, another relationship collapses for him and Doinel longs to return to his previous loves and memories. Doinel is simply all about indecisiveness and uncertainty, but Truffaut gives him another chance to start afresh. A decent and humorously light-hearted Truffaut film. Overall impression: 80%.

My first and probably last encounter with the famous Jackie Chan. The film has a very stupid script with a lot of embarrassing jokes. Overall impression: 20%. The presence of several famous and sometimes decent actors doesn't save the film.

I still remember the arrival of Ethiopian Jews to Israel, and it must be said that it is material that is incredibly attractive for a film. Films with a message have it easier after all because a star is added to the topic. The issues of uprootedness, cultural and religious identity, and racial prejudice all have dramatic potential and when it comes to a story based on a real event, it counts double. How can a nine-year-old Christian boy answer the rabbi's question about who brought the Jews their faith? Unfortunately, Radu Mihăileanu's film does not take advantage of all these possibilities. The script is only average and predictable most of the time, including the final scene of the reunion after years. In many cases, it transparently counts on human emotions. It's not a bad movie, it just could have been even better. Besides the script, I also disliked the melodramatic music. On the other hand, the direction, camera work, and performances are the strong aspects of the film. Overall impression 75%.