gudaulin

The vampire tale, while preserving all the characteristics attributed to this genre and the rituals by which their existence is governed, is dramatically different from the overwhelming majority of films with similar content. It's not strictly a horror film, certainly not the kind filled with action and digital effects that have dominated in recent years; rather, it's more of an attempt at a modern interpretation by transferring romantic notions from Gothic novels to the gritty setting of contemporary panel housing estates. It's not a film that induces fear, but rather unease. What must be appreciated is the cinematography, where the camera plays with reflections of light and captures the grime of the periphery, the excellent acting performances, and the sensitive direction. However, what doesn't sit well with me is the screenplay, which fails to create a truly believable version of a world inhabited by supernatural beings. After all, it's not the mid-19th century anymore when Slovakian mountains or even Transylvania were distant exotic lands suitable for the most fantastic stories with a hint of mystery. Some films and series manage to cope better with today's technical and information-rich world and place their heroes in a more functional environment, such as True Blood or Interview with the Vampire. Additionally, there's an issue of, let's say, an ethical nature. Am I really supposed to cheer for a multiple murderer and the tender feelings and budding sexuality of two children on the brink of puberty? It's like watching a film about a serial killer who falls in love and is aided by his partner. Overall impression: 65%.

Date Night is ultimately just an average comedy with undemanding humor, but it still has some advantages that give me positive feelings. A solid cast with professional acting performances, humor that never descends into the depths, and above all, its content appeals more to middle-aged viewers like myself. On one hand, it's an action comedy and there are plenty of those, but the other aspect that makes fun of marriage fatigue, the rushed pace of life, rituals, and stereotypes of middle-class couples in their forties is something I perfectly understand, and I find the film likable for the same reason teenagers find teen comedies likable, despite their problematic content. Overall impression: 55%.

It's not a bad movie, but in my opinion, the subject had greater potential, which was dulled by the approach of the screenwriter and director. Toby Jones exaggerates his homosexual character into a caricature, and with this behavior, he would have faced more backlash in those times in a conservative small town than the film suggests. Also, the mentioned fact in several reviews that the criminals are given infinitely more attention than the victims and their families is truthful and thought-provoking. On the other hand, I consider the casting of Daniel Craig to be a great choice. Overall impression: 65%.

Neither a decent cast nor a few successful jokes can hide the fact that this pseudo-romantic comedy is something we have seen a thousand times, but mainly that it has already crossed the imaginary limits of kitsch, meaning that the family must naturally be well-off, friends and relatives are understanding, and the story deals with pseudo-problems. Overall impression: 40%.

The film is a great parody of the noir genre. It has stylish characters, the detached commentary of the protagonist who is always above it all, very corrupt villains, and a sexy lady who teases the protagonist and plays her own game with him. The wild shootout at the beginning sets a somewhat frantic pace, more fitting for a comic book classic, but fortunately, the atmosphere slows down a bit, so we tune in to the wave of casual loners. The script indeed falters a bit in the logic of the narrative, but that can always be forgiven due to the aforementioned parodic intent. To be honest, many lesser films in the genre are in the same boat. Give 'Em Hell Malone is a stylish homage to trash films, and I cannot give it less than 4 stars solely because of Matchstick with his disgustingly scarred face and pitch-black soul. Overall impression: 75%.

This film reflects the social atmosphere and discussions about the past during the period of Gorbachev's perestroika in the second half of the 1980s, which was essentially a period of reformist communism. Tomorrow Was the War tries to come to terms with the era of the notorious Stalinist purges and show trials of the 1930s when a coerced confession was enough for the conviction of the accused and the discrediting of his entire family. The artistic form is refined, and the overwhelming majority of Russian films produced today can only look on from afar. However, in terms of content, it is simply a product of its time. The Stalinists and opportunists are portrayed in an exaggerated manner that borders on caricature, and there is a lot of pathos and ideology that simply had no place in real life. I have no problem with the fact that the film is influenced by some ideology because, after all, the film tries to revive old humanistic ideals. But I simply do not believe many of the dialogues, gestures, and decisions of the characters. This part of the film falls behind in execution. Overall impression: 65%.

A modern form and classic content with a lot of what we call genre clichés. I hesitated for a long time about how to review the film because on one hand, it is heavily burdened by genre myths and the logic of the actions of individual characters somewhat lags behind, and overall it is far from the down-to-earth historical reality. On the other hand, this is a genre that has always been a fairy tale for grown-ups and adults in its vast majority, and it is simply an escapist form of entertainment. If we consider it that way, then James Mangold and the present actors certainly did not disgrace themselves. The individual opponents have charisma and the characters are convincingly portrayed. Moreover, the dialogues, when I disregard that logic, also have depth and can be described as a kind of psychological drama. I would give it three stars because, considering what I saw, it deserved more comedic relief, and a couple of times the corners of my mouth twitched due to the opponents' illogical behavior, but I will probably shock and outrage most genre fans when I declare that I ultimately liked this film more than The Magnificent Seven. Overall impression: 75%.

I understand the boundless enthusiasm of film fans and I understand that it is almost a duty to give Day for Night 5 stars, but I don't have any obligations and I avoid them in every possible way. This film represents a tribute to the world of film studios and all enthusiasts who have dedicated their lives to cinema. It exudes an uncritical fascination with the glamour of film and is essentially a unilaterally positive journey into the world in front of and behind the camera, where even the death of one of the crew members is not a tragedy but a part of life and work, presented with a sense of humor. However, I get the feeling that making a film is primarily hard work and stress, not just a continuous happening, and the problems are far from comedic. Truffaut's film certainly has a number of great moments, but it also has average passages, and I do not consider it the best in his career. It's simply the theme that caters to film fans that catapulted it to such heights. Overall impression: 80%.

The film is exactly on the edge between three and four stars, and although I ultimately decided on a lower rating, in its category, it is definitely an above-average piece. Indeed, the script sometimes falters, and the whole story has significant logical gaps, but it is filmed with ease and almost a comedic exaggeration, so these kinds of illogicalities don't bother me, and I generously wave my hand over them. F/X doesn't work for me as a thriller but as a crime comedy with several interesting ideas borrowed from the film studio. Overall impression: 65%.

There are war movies and there are movies that only pretend to be about war. The Trouble with Murphy's War is that it pretends quite unconvincingly, and it is simply a film full of strange emotions, strange decisions, and strange actions. The fabricated story relies on the performance of two great actors of their time, but unfortunately, in moments when I should have been afraid for the protagonist or cheering for him, I had difficulty holding back laughter. Even the 2 stars I'm giving it are not very convincing. As an adventure film, it is tolerable if you turn off your brain and don't question reality. Overall impression: 35%.