gudaulin

When Paterson premiered in movie theaters, I was experiencing a small biographical withdrawal and desperately looked around to satisfy my "craving" for a movie theater. Although the reviews, comments, and professional reviews were great, based on my own experience, Jarmusch belongs to a group of creators where this way of gathering information and forming an image of the film doesn't work because the director's cult distorts qualified debate. Personally, I divide Jarmusch's work into two groups. The first includes Dead Man or Night on Earth, and the second Only Lovers Left Alive. The second group openly bores me and evokes indifference; I would rather place Coffee and Cigarettes in the second group. The first two stories set my expectations at a freezing point. I wanted to give up, but fortunately, I knew that there would be better stories, like the dialogue of the sisters in the charming double role of Cate Blanchett. This dialogue is often used as an acting exercise in art schools. However, there are fewer of the more interesting stories and they cannot lift the whole to an average level. Jarmusch often works with banality and stereotype, but not in any innovative way. It's rather tiresome, and shallow, sometimes based solely on the presence of a celebrity, other times on a single joke that is stretched to several minutes and cannot fill the space. Several of the stories that have a point have essentially banal messages. That Jarmusch's numerous fan club probably considers it a discovery of America and so on, and is also fascinated by the static form based on repetition, is a different matter. Jarmusch often works with minimalism but here it sometimes borders on insulting the viewer. The only interesting thing about his movie for me is that he filmed a tobacco-infused film at the same time when tobacco was being rapidly pushed out of public spaces in the USA. Regardless of whether Jarmusch intended the film as a nostalgic reflection of past times or an artistic protest against the loss of a certain freedom and experience, I do not share his stance. Overall impression: 45%.

This is how I imagine the fulfillment of the phrase "digital plague." Peter Jackson is diligently stealing from himself and showing that in the name of financial gain, he is capable of sinking low. The first Hobbit film already showed all his weaknesses by padding the plot with filler, and the inability to lead the storyline meaningfully, and the third film just tops it all off. Those who like attractions will enjoy the films but towards the end, I only felt resignation and disgust. Overall impression: 40%. I don't know how Tolkien would react to The Lord of the Rings films, but this piece of crap would surely hurt him...

This could have been a great neorealist drama supported by the presence of great film stars, led by Alain Delon. It could have brought the audience closer to the difference between the lifestyle in the Italian countryside and in the industrial metropolis, as well as the contrast between the value system of the conservative Italian south and the liberal view of the world by the northerners. It could have if Visconti hadn't drowned it in sentiment, overacting, and disgustingly melodramatic sentimentality. I wonder what the truth is behind Italian temperament. I have seen a number of Italian movies where the characters behaved civilly and contrary to the common stereotypes we have about hot-blooded Italians. Here, I find the behavior of the characters strangely affected and exaggerated, and I have a similar problem with historical films by Akira Kurosawa. Where the film was supposed to emotionally climax, i.e., the confrontation between Simon and Nada, the overacting by the actors bothered me so much that the whole impression was ruined. I cannot forgive the traditional criticism of Visconti's repeated flaw, that is, the three-hour runtime. There is a lot that could have been edited out. I also disagree with Visconti's idealization and worship of the "unspoiled" countryside based on tradition and family ties, which he contrasts with the urban lifestyle. The defense of a peculiarly conceived honor, morality, and family cohesion is, in fact, the reason why the mafia and its regional mutations, clientelism, and corruption still thrive in Italy today. Overall impression: 45%. Once again, Luchino, you have not pleased me. I'm not going to please you either... But don't worry, this really is the last time.

The name Marilyn Monroe still resonates with film fans around the world and is to a certain extent a symbol of American post-war cinema. Her involvement in film is associated with the legend of a versatile and talented actress who was limited in her career by Hollywood studios, who imposed upon her roles of a naive and foolish blonde, despite her desire for more significant character roles. Here she had a unique opportunity to showcase her talent, and the result is tragic, even though those around her, led by her husband as the screenwriter, did their utmost to accommodate her. Arthur Miller even considered the film to be a grand gift to his wife. She repaid him with constant conflicts on set, hysterical outbursts, and chronic tardiness. Even on screen, it is evident that was not able to carry her part, despite the support of others. No, her capabilities were best suited for typecast roles, such as the sweet Sugar in Some Like It Hot. The Misfits is a film about the definitive end of the West as a territory of cowboys, cows, and freedom. The cowboys in the film survive as car mechanics or perform rodeo shows for the curious. They are not interested in romance, and they are ready to cash in on the last remaining herd of wild mustangs in the area, which represents a symbol of independence in a world bound by rules and obligations. Typically, I find fault with the script, which is saved by the performances of the talented actors. Here, I must praise the script, but despite the interesting cast, there seems to be a lack of chemistry, and instead of feeling a connection, it seems like they were actually ready to slap each other. Overall impression: 65%.

Crichton's original film Westworld presented, through the name of its famous writer and the participation of Yul Brynner as the star, the closest possible connection to the western genre, which is now perceived as an ordinary and not very interesting B-movie. Although the respected HBO was behind the production, I did not expect something so well-thought-out and captivating, and elaborate, and something that would compel me to watch the entire first season in the shortest possible time. A smart series with a complicated structure that is thought-provoking, with a humanistic focus, with ambiguous characters, and brilliantly cast and directed - what more could you ask for? Westworld plays with the popular idea of the creation of artificial intelligence, which is the responsibility of two technological visionaries - Ford and Arnold. The practical Ford is focused on business and relentlessly pursues his goal of building a giant amusement center that creates a perfect illusion of the Wild West in the 19th century. Its residents are meant to be indistinguishable from humans, nothing more than top-notch machines. His colleague Arnold realizes the consequences of their efforts and playing god begins to frighten him. He becomes an obstacle to progress and his life ends in a futile attempt to stop the project. 35 years later, he paradoxically stands in the way of Ford's society running smoothly. There are inexplicable phenomena in the behavior of the robots, employees are disappearing, tension is mounting, and change is in the air. The authors of the series play a wide-ranging and in-depth game with the viewer, confusing them, playing games on the side, and combining genres. Of course, Westworld is above all a tribute to the classic western with all its identifying features and stereotypical characters. It is also sci-fi, but lovers of romance, nerds accustomed to deciphering a multitude of references and puzzles, and fans of adventure spectacles will also find something in it for themselves. What works wonderfully is the combination and balance of intellect and emotional engagement. The complex structure of the story forces the viewer to think, while the abuse of the artificial beings evokes a wave of sympathy for their fate, not unlike the position of ancient slaves. Wealthy park visitors have the opportunity to torture, kill, and rape anyone of the robots - and they often do. While the robots represented a threat in Crichton's Westworld, in the new adaptation, they represent the more sympathetic part of the series' protagonists. Their desire to understand the meaning of their existence and for dignity humanizes them more than humans full of superiority, selfishness, and callousness. The revolt of the robots brings with it not only destruction but also hope for the restoration of moral values and humanistic ideals. It is hard to say what I would praise the most about Westworld. Is it the cunning variability of characters influenced by reprogramming or the revelation of their identity? The performance of veteran actor Anthony Hopkins as the grand, manipulative, and dangerous park boss? Or perhaps the excellent set design? Regardless, I am looking forward to the next season like a little boy. Overall impression: 95%.

I consider Petr Nikolaev an overall average filmmaker, whose style and film ideas I can exclude in advance from getting me excited. However, he managed to make a film that earned him a four-star rating once. It helps that he set the story in the unfriendly 1950s, with the theme of political persecution and the romantic motif of love bound by prison walls. I still can't shake the feeling that much more could have been extracted from the created situation and the presence of several interesting supporting characters. Even so, A Little Piece of Heaven reliably stands out from contemporary Czech production. Overall impression: 75%.

I approached The Tree of Wooden Clogs with skepticism. In 1978, it won the Golden Palm at the festival in Cannes, where the most snobbish people in the world, concentrated in one square kilometer, gather. That is a sufficient warning for an observer who knows something about the self-centeredness of the festival scene. My instincts did not disappoint me. Olmi could have been considered the inventor of the genre of fictional documentaries in the 70s, which is now so popular and widely used. He dedicated maximum energy to creating authenticity in capturing the lives of villagers in the Italian region of Lombardy. He worked with non-actors from the area in order to perfectly capture the local dialect. The film depicts the lives of five farming families living collectively on a farm and renting land from a landlord. However, comparisons to modern fictional documentaries are unfortunately not appropriate. They were created to make the documentary genre more attractive, lively, and accessible to viewers. They work with editing and professional actors, similar to entertaining fictional films. The downfall of Olmi's experiment lies in the fact that he works in real time, therefore it is very slow and, in my opinion, annoying and boring due to its murderous length. Olmi goes as far as the phenomenon of so-called slow TV today, which is completely beyond the scope of my interests. I know of three-hour films where the viewer doesn't have enough time to realize the long duration, and I know ones that subjectively last twice as long. Unfortunately, I would place The Tree of Wooden Clogs in the second category. Overall impression: 25%.

The series falls into a genre that I like, and the name of the original author should have been a guarantee, or at least a prerequisite, for solid entertainment. I should have been excited, but I approached the project with skepticism associated with the name Susanne Bier. I ironically nicknamed her the Rosamunde Pilcher of the festival scenes and consider her to be overrated on the global scale. I can imagine The Night Manager as a spy crime drama with adventurous elements about a mole deployed in an illegal organization. I can also imagine it working great under Kathryn Bigelow or decently directed by Agnieszka Holland, but with Susanne Bier, it's a disaster. The series is neither gripping nor impressive, and it's certainly not convincing. I criticize it for the lack of action and the chattiness of the series. However, I also have a problem with the style, expressive means, and emotions it relies on. Bier directs not a crime story, but a romantic miniseries made by a woman for women, where the main hero seems more like a sexual object than a secret agent. The driving forces behind his actions are love affairs and emotions in general. Seemingly incomprehensible comparisons with James Bond have their justification, even though you would look in vain for action elements in the series. The difference is that the Bond series is sexist, and filmed from the perspective of a dominant alpha male, while The Night Manager is gender-swapped. The focal point is not sex and action, but relationships. Not only the hero's love affairs but also his relationship with the main villain's son, for example. I feel no need to change anything about my rejecting attitude towards Susanne Bier's work, her handling of characters, or her storytelling. Overall impression: 45%.

Japanese mega-monsters were some of my first movie theater experiences in ancient times, and for a five-year-old boy, they were incredibly impressive with their sneaky special effects. Since then, a lot of time has passed, and my demands have multiplied many times over. I am not a fan of blockbusters and genre-wise, I am not interested in the genre of Edwards' film, so my expectations were low, and if the television hadn't served the film right under my nose, I wouldn't have bothered with it. I consider the subject matter even more infantile and outdated, especially in a time of booming special effects-based fairy tales for the whole family. However, with proper oversight, craftsmanship, and the ability to work with exaggeration appropriately, something interesting could have been created. Unfortunately, the film does not meet even minimal expectations. Once again, I had the feeling that someone had put my testicles in a vice. Edwards' Godzilla ultimately fails as an undemanding, entertaining big-budget spectacle, and it fails again in that it wants to break free from this label, using alternative elements and being more distinctive. Above all, it is simply stupid. Even within the framework of a fictional world, there should be some rules, motivation, and behavioral patterns. This is made for viewers with the intellectual level of a five-year-old child. I don't blame Godzilla for not being realistic and intelligent. You simply can't expect that from it. I do blame it, however, for not being smarter than its 70-year-old predecessors. I may have appreciated Edwards' debut film made in modest circumstances (appropriately), but here I get the feeling of insulting mediocrity. Sure, with such a high budget and technical means, it might be impossible not to shoot a few impressive, atmospheric shots, but as a whole, Godzilla is a painful defeat. An entirely different chapter is the enthusiastic comments and high ratings from some film critics, where one would expect expertise, objectivity, and an analytical perspective. Instead, I feel like they behave as if they are in a joke where a blind, deaf, and armless person is supposed to analyze an elephant. I declare that I will never watch a film about overgrown radioactive lizards again. Overall impression: 5%.

Daniel Holden was an 18-year-old somewhat impractical and far from mature student who could have had a great future ahead of him - if he hadn't been found touching the body of a strangled and abused 16-year-old schoolgirl and ritually surrounding her with flowers. Subsequently, unable to resist the focused pressure from investigators, he took responsibility for her death and spent nearly 20 years in prison, 19 of them on death row. He had already had the honor of personally meeting the executioner - one of the five appeals and subsequent postponements of the sentence came seriously at the last minute. As time passed, new investigation methods came into fashion, and DNA testing cast doubt on the old sentence. Daniel was released with the promise of a new investigation. Rectify is not a courtroom or prison drama, nor is it a crime show, at least not in the usual sense of the word. It is a psychological drama of a man deprived of his youth and thrown into a world he doesn't understand at all. He is not prepared to take care of himself, and he is overwhelmed by countless possibilities and perceptions. Moreover, for most of those around him, he remains a murderer. The girl's relatives want justice. For representatives of state power, it is unacceptable to admit that they destroyed the life of an innocent person. Moreover, and perhaps most importantly, outside of prison, Daniel has long stopped being relevant. Except for a few exceptions, he actually hinders everyone. His return causes confusion, doubt, and pain. Rectify is an intimate drama about the search for lost time and motivation to stand up and start over. It does not offer itself, it is not flashy, provocative, and above all, it does not hurry. All the seasons describe just 3 weeks of Daniel's life after returning home. But if you accept its pace and atmosphere, it has a decent chance of engulfing you, and along with Daniel, you will experience quiet dramas and rejoice in the small things that just a moment ago seemed mundane and insignificant. Last but not least, the series can be seen as a reflection, not so much on the state of imprisonment in the USA, but on the phenomenon of the death penalty. The main character returns to life behind bars in his memories and confronts it with life in freedom. Rectify is a series for patient and perceptive viewers capable of capturing and appreciating psychologically believable character sketches, hypnotic soundtracks, and top-notch performances led by Aden Young as Daniel and Abigail Spencer as the energetic and devoted sister Amantha. Personally, I give the series a definite thumbs up. After Westworld, it's another series that got under my skin in a short period of time. Overall impression: 90%.