Malarkey

I took me a while to get used to the new partner. I mean the first Danish detective was really nice and quite strange at the same time. With this one, it took me a while, but somewhere half-way through the show, there was a breaking point and emotions awoke immediately. But the murder investigation is at times difficult to follow. And that’s despite the fact that the murders are properly ritual and brutal. They even affect Saga’s personal life, who in this season is getting hit from all directions, and it should be pointed out that in terms of the psychology, the actress Sofia Helin portrays probably the most complicated character in a crime show that I have ever seen. Towards the end, I kept thinking about whether I was more disappointed or pleased with the season. For instance, I kept looking for links to the actual bridge. But the season finale saved everything by becoming the best episode of the season, so season three deserves a solid four-star review from me.

So this older, but still attractive teacher has an affair with a young student and then seems surprised that the young guy’s world starts crumbling apart. I find that really fascinating. It’s not only the guy who is naïve, it’s mainly the teacher who goes all in. In the first half of the film, the plot seems a bit embarrassing and I couldn’t really understand the emotions that kept changing like on a wooden rollercoaster. On top of that, the Germans presented those emotions in a rather dry manner. But the ending brought the heat up and helped the film rise to the level of a decent average.

Sure, there are many things here that would deserve to be criticized. For instance, time flows in a weird way and it seems to follow its own rules. But I have to say that Fairy Tales for Ema is such a pleasant and positive film that you will have no problem forgiving it some of its unclear and illogical points. Ondřej Vetchý portrays a pretty serious character, but you won’t be able to find it believable because you will remember his latest comedy roles, so you will wish him luck from the very start. Nevertheless, Aňa Geislerová fits right in with her insecurity and they make for a very pleasant, yet untypical couple for a romantic genre that we aren’t really familiar with in this country. As I said, there are many things that we could criticize, but if you forget about those, what you will get is a truly human film with a very nice score, good cinematography and little Ema, whom you will wish only all the best.

You can sit through anything, but I sure did not expect a movie this pushy. It could have been a nice family drama with a happy ending in the style of then Hallmark TV. Actually, there is a huge spoiler in the title. Nevertheless, I held my own through the entire film. For instance, everybody should like wacky Queen Latifah in this one. But the encounter with God at the end of the movie got me to my knees so hard that I could no longer follow what’s happening in the film.

How am I supposed to review a movie about a woman who gives birth to an invisible baby and in which all the actors look like they are on drugs? I didn’t want to be ignorant so I decided to look for a message. But I didn’t find any. So the only thing that is somehow worth mentioning is a decent visual aspect and solid camera work.

It’s very quiet and terribly inaccessible. The countryside in Costa Rica may be nice, but am I seriously supposed to watch a movie whose plot revolves around two children who are bored… and not be bored with it?

Robert De Niro is still amazing and no matter how mediocre this movie could be, he would still make you feel like the two plus hours were worth watching. It’s basically a mellowed down version of The Wolf of the Wall Street. A story about a financier who believes that he is doing everything for the good of all. Of course, especially for himself, and he doesn’t quite realize the trouble he is causing for others. But karma gets back at him manifold and that’s what it’s all about. A movie for anyone who wants to make some good money and has heard the term “pyramid scheme”.

At first, it seemed that Sam Elliott was just playing his overaged character of himself (as actors tend to nowadays), but as the movie went on, it became clear that it wasn’t that personal after all. It’s also true that this movie seems pretty mediocre, but it’s got a certain something – even if it was just Sam Elliott whose charisma is giving the movie some extra energetic punch. The lead’s charm can do a lot of good for a movie and this one is the shining example.

I must admit that this wasn’t all that bad. Thomas Haden Church’s character is fun; maybe for the first time ever. Actually, the entire movie is fun. Scenes with him are the funniest thing this movie has to offer. Sandra Bullock may look like a mulatto straight out of a ghetto, but you are willing to forgive her for this cringiness, because when you look at the production year, you realize that she’d also been shooting The Blind Side where her talent made all of our jaws drop. So, in the end, it’s all good. It’s a useless mediocre romance in some places and in others, a silly comedy that can however lift your spirits in almost any situation.

Imagine that you’re watching a black-and-white drama that uses over-exposition to get a brighter Bahama summer sun, all while trying to tell you a tale of two sad people that is too depressing to watch. That’s more or less the effect this movie has.