Kaka

Marvel was almost a write-off after their sterile, same old superhero movies, Civil War is a hit and a significant step forward. It plays on a dark emotional chord within reason, opens up interesting questions of international security and laws, goes against itself, and introduces the viewer to new fighters in a very elegant and unobtrusive way. It's almost similarly entertaining to the first Avengers, it just took that tiny little half-step forward, because after all, in those four years we've seen at least five major comic book movies that were all still on the same page. There is of course the traditional stuff like riveting action – it has the clarity from the second, but even better – and the chemistry of the main characters, and even though it's still as simple and without digressions, it's very entertaining because you just don't see that many parametrically interesting and diverse characters on screen. However, by far the only most interesting and emotionally truly fleshed out character remains Bucky, the Winter Soldier.

Too bad about the last five minutes, they give various hints and bits and pieces from halfway through, and yes, it's a bummer. Otherwise, it would have been an unbelievable blast. Still, within the "American economy-real estate-hypothetical crisis" theme, it's still a bit better than The Big Short, which is unnecessarily layered, with a lot of angry superbrokers, verbose and complex for the layman with a lot of jumble of numbers. 99 Homes is an incredibly direct and raw film, where the crisis doesn't play out through numbers on paper, but through the stress and suffering on the street, right in the flesh, where poor people are losing their homes and the uncompromising Michael Shannon is just conducting his next demonic gala performance, this time as a materialistic stockbroker, from his new Range Rover. It’s so intense it gets under your skin. If it weren't for the ending, this would be one of the hardest films in a long time. And while the opposing sides are clearly laid out and you know who's the good guy and who's the bad guy, in some ways it's impossible not to understand both.

If they can’t do it through the comics, they will do it with visually impressive animal almost-animated adventures? No way. That's where the cool vibe of the book is. There's a lot of frolicking, and if it weren't for all the technical niceties and the incredibly elaborate digital animation of the animals, it would hardly be mediocre, because the few witty comments can't save the hugely short, desperately underwrought story and uneven pacing. Avatar remains unsurpassed in technical opulence and the effort here was felt all the way across the screen!

A tribute to classic Hollywood, similar to Basic Instinct, L.A. Confidential, or Chinatown, except that Player, in addition to its criminal intrigue, paraphrases in its language the cradle of film in the early 1990s, the era of budding big budgets and big politics that we know so well from today's cinema. Altman plays with genres, unafraid of the many innuendos, unorthodox opinions and attitudes, and the poignant situations the main characters must confront. The participation of so many movie stars is impressive and adds to the exoticism. So, apart from the excellent screenplay, you see cameos and posters of old flicks on the walls every now and then. One of the seminal films of the first half of the 1990s, and dare I say, it gets better with age, as the years have added a unique premise of sheer nostalgia, which was not possible at the time of its making.

It’s difficult to speculate to what extent the experiences, emotions and situations depicted are truly authentic and relevant, as the experience is so very specific, unique and unimaginably agonizing. From the filmmakers' point of view, we can call it more like "directorial or scriptwriting ideas" and a kind of an extract of clips and experiences – or perhaps one of the turning points of a 7-year long story – and there weren't enough of those ideas and clips for an emotional charge. It's a raw, sharp and straightforward film, it's just that the setup is too lacking in density and cohesiveness and some crucial question marks towards the main characters arise as the story progresses, but the viewer isn't given the answers, and so the most complete and emotionally resonant scenes are often the simplest (Jack with the dog, etc.). But credit where credit is due to both the direction and the fantastic Brie Larson, who has set up a career as a dramatically talented actress like Nicole Kidman and Julianne Moore. Lots of music in a minimal amount of space, but there’s no orchestra.

A slow and hypnotic film whose fragile emotional plane is the most interestingly story in a long time. Too bad about the uneven second half, which falls short to the slow-moving first half, though it doesn't change the overall quality and the feeling that after a long time you are watching something completely new and original, even though there have been countless personal stories about fateful love and omens with more or less mysterious touch or interesting twist. Jonathan Glazer surprises in the uniqueness of some scenes (a 2-minute shot on Nicole Kidman's face, for example), where you can feel the inner turmoil and dispair of the main characters even without words. The final shot gives the feeling that you missed something and can be interpreted in multiple ways. One of the few films where the closing credits come at a moment when you absolutely don't count on them.

A mix of proper western atmosphere (the sounds of the prairie, the small town, the sets) with an uncompromising carnage that is so explicit you see it in mainstream films only every 5 years or so (last time in The Hills Have Eyes 2), because it goes far beyond the normal. S. Craig Zahler focuses mostly on the characters, their symbiosis with the wildlife and their interaction with each other. The script is utterly unpredictable until just before the finale, when it turns out to be a slaughter. Cut or speed up the first half, stretch out the second half and it would probably be a bit more entertaining.

Unbelievable how this dirty unplugged version of romantic naive shit rocked the British film industry at the turn of the new millennium – it can hardly been cool in its day, let alone a decade on. When you consider that romantic classics like The Bodyguard or Love Actually are still modern today, i.e. timeless, and don't feature the word "fuck" 100 times, or lots of awkward scenes, or a slightly vulgar main character besieged by two gentlemen – both free-thinkers on overdrive – it makes you think a little whether this film is so inventive and genuinely good.

A a barrage of positivity that relies on the typical trademarks that Cameron Crowe sprinkles into each of his films: strong characters that you can't help but sympathize with, some sparkle between main characters, a common goal to work towards, a dash of emotions and personal attitudes that need to be changed, all adding to one of the film of the year. Crowe hasn't overstretched himself this time around, and made a modest, intimate film that is emotionally transparent and relatable, even though it's actually woefully unoriginal and ordinary. But even fleshing out the characters and dialogue and adding a catchy soundtrack is quite a feat in a production like this. The last scene is awesome.

Interestingly contradictory stuff, an example of a film that has become terribly dated in its technical and expressive means over the years, but Polanski does sure extract a great atmosphere from the Parisian streets, creating a suffocating and highly depressing feelings of paranoia around the main character, something timeless in such stories. It's not about the twist, or the finale, but the careful puzzle building, the direction of the actors, and the great sense of editing and uncovering the pieces of a simple story in a sophisticated creative delivery. It certainly felt better and fresher at the time of its release, but if you squint your eyes, it can also work today. With hindsight, on the other hand, what stands out is the dark atmosphere and filmmaking craft, which need to mature a bit.