Malarkey

Do you know that feeling when you’re being entertained by a comedy, but at the same time, you know that it is missing one or two scenes which would blow you away that would justify the fourth star?

I have a confession to make. This movie made me cry. It made me cry in a way no movie has managed for a long time. The English Patient actually has all prerequisites to be able to do that and I fell for it line, hook and sinker, like an 8-year-old schoolgirl. It is another of many stories of people who lived through the Second World War. However, it is told from two time perspectives: before the end of the war and before the beginning of the war. Everything makes sense, the actors are delivering perfect performances and even though the music isn’t something to remember the movie by, the movie makes up for it with the nice shots and sceneries of North Africa of the 1930s, which cannot disappoint under good direction. Those almost 3 hours went by at a dizzying pace and the only thing and the relationship between Ralph Fiennes and Kristin Scott Thomas was getting increasingly more exciting. Overall, the actors have a great impact. Apart from the two, the beautiful Juliette Binoche offered a magical performance. It is actually really good that the director hired these actors and wasn’t pushed to Hollywood ones. It makes a more honest impression on the viewer, for which he earned his deserved credit. If there is such a thing as predestined romance with an epic touch, for me it will always be The English Patient.

I am not very familiar with the director Julien Leclercq, but he has convinced me, for the third time, that he can make quality, sophisticatedly shot films which aren’t afraid of suspense or action. And I don’t think that is a coincidence. At the same time, the comparison with Paul Greengrass is clearly appropriate, because this film brings the exact same realistic editing that only he can do in Europe. The first half is therefore rich in dialogues. The director presents the viewer with a situation that is absolutely crazy. It may be boring at times, but it always makes sense. As soon as the boys from the French GIGN anti-terrorist unit appeared, I bated my breath for so long I started to suffocate.

The Romanians made a big misstep. An extremely unmemorable drama where neither the cast nor emotions convince you. The only positive aspect of the movie is its poster, which looks very Hollywood-like.

Of course… who else should star in this movie if not Nicolas Cage. He is currently the only Hollywood actor who turned acting into a completely extravagant experience. If he is in pain, physically or mentally, you’ll simply feel it too. And since he keeps appearing in films which are outside the norm, you can count on Nicolas Cage being in complete mental and physical pain. When it came to the execution of the movie, I was quite upset. The first half was mostly for show. The director played with purple filters and half the time I couldn’t even see what was going on in a scene. But the important thing is that it is glamorous. The second half of the movie was hardcore, though. That’s actually when the dark side of Nicolas comes to life together in a surreal ride full of such shit you won’t believe your eyes. An unbelievable crazy trip. Again, one of those films that try to shock you creatively and it is pretty successful in doing that.

For some a three-star mediocre affair, for me a very well done biopic, which is so inconspicuous and so “small-scale” that nobody could do this TV movie better than HBO. Hervé Villechaize actually isn’t the most likable actor in the world and his story isn’t one of the most original ones in Hollywood. On the other hand, there is the duo of Peter Dinklage and Jamie Dornan. And they put a lot of hard work into this, thanks to which the film really entertained me.

Denis Villeneuve kept the film pretty true to its source material. He prepared a sequel to the legendary techno sci-fi, which deserves praise. He forgot about any emotions and thus made the film into a cold doll, but on the other hand, he played beautifully with Los Angeles of the future and he harmonized it perfectly with the amazing synthwave music. You won’t find orgies like this in just any movie. After viewing I actually realized that I actually ended up with the same impression of the sequel as I had of the original movie. So, to save myself from a three-star review, I gave it four stars straight away. The visuals in combination with the music simply forced me to. Even though I haven’t seen a colder movie in a long time.

Two gays… That in and of itself can mean anything. If you, however, realize that Paul Rudd and Steve Coogan are starring in this, you can be sure that this comedy will be fine and it definitely won’t be pointing out or referring to situations which other directors literally relish when it comes to this topic. Quite the opposite, the director turned both of them into quite cute dorks; there is nothing wrong with them and everything works. Comedically, it’s just right and so the movie deserves three stars without any misgivings.

The Americans took their time with the premise. I fell for it hook, line and sinker. And the then still awkward Ben Affleck truly didn’t offend me. The romance in the movie, however, is not that great. In this case, it’s actually completely missing.

A typically crazy affair from Finland, where the main hero is a “real” hero. He actually euthanizes animals that had sad lives and their time to die is approaching. Or at least that’s the way he sees it. He helps them a little, speeds up their ordeal, and every now and then cashes in some money. But since he is a loner, and a bit of a freak, it’s only a matter of time before a group of Finnish assholes starts holding a grudge against him. So, what appeared in the beginning as a loner drama which isn’t for everybody evolves into an unexpected murder spree. It is definitely a movie that isn’t for everyone, though, and the Finns once again show that their cinematography is the strangest in Scandinavia and once again it goes to a bit different direction than the European mainstream would allow.