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I am hesitating a lot with my review. On one hand, it is a strong topic and there are many interesting memories of witnesses. Yet I prefer when the voice of professional historians with analytical comments prevails and the narrator's voice conveys facts, rather than watching the memories of witnesses that no one corrects. That can ultimately make a Ustasha member shed tears over how he heroically defended Croatian independence in Jasenovac. Also, that emotional coloring, when, for example, a contemplative Ukrainian melody is played at the end, shifts toward understanding the Ukrainian national issue. Much more attention could have been devoted to the dark side of Ukrainian nationalism because, among the nationalisms of Eastern Europe, their brutality clearly surpassed other separatist national aspirations and was quite militantly directed toward Jews, for example. One could recall the brutal cleansing in Lviv even before the arrival of the German army, and elsewhere, where merciless massacres took place. It is interesting that Solzhenitsyn, in his book "The Gulag Archipelago," is very critical of Soviet power, but while he has a significant understanding of the cause of the Vlasovites, he has only words of harsh condemnation for the Bandera supporters and considers them the worst bunch to have ever ended up in NKVD camps. Overall impression: 70%.

Monster Bug Wars! cannot hide that it is intended for the market of commercial television and the film lacks public sobriety and scientific objectivity. It wants to entertain, to attract attention, and sometimes it wants to shock. It is typical to use expressions and comparisons that are true for the human world, sometimes even with humorous aids such as a bugle that gathers ants for war against the enemy. But despite all this, I am giving this film the highest number of stars in the end because it represents an attractive trip into the world of miniature predators, it features top-notch cameras, and despite the above, it can convey a lot of interesting information. In addition, the presentation is truly popular, so the circle of interested viewers does not have to be limited to entomology enthusiasts. The series does not only deal with the insect kingdom, as the title may suggest, but with all miniature creatures belonging to the realm of invertebrates. The viewer is a witness to battles between spiders, scorpions, ants, and other predators of the microcosm. Overall impression: 90%.

The defense's challenge to the defendants: admit your guilt, and show remorse, and the judge will be lenient toward you, and you will receive a minimum sentence, about 40 years without parole. A different country, different customs, and different criminal code. Two Czech boys learned that when they received 50 years in prison. In Europe and the States, there are legends about the Thai justice system, but it cannot be said that draconian punishments can truly reduce crime and limit drug trafficking. Thanks to the testimony of one Czech prisoner, who was able to return home, we have a fairly good idea of how things work in Bangkok with foreign inmates. Both the girls in the film had it somewhat easier, like movie heroines, because the United States managed to negotiate special conditions for their convicted citizens - much to the outrage of other foreign prisoners. Although it is a solidly acted thriller, it is nowhere near the top rankings of its genre, as it lacks a quality direction and screenplay, and essentially represents only a better average. Jonathan Kaplan tries to spice up his film with uncertainty about the level of guilt of his characters, who naturally play the usual game of the accused and convicted, claiming a judicial error or conspiracy. However, only having one truly excellent scene at the end does not make it an exceptional drama. The most interesting aspect of Kaplan's film is probably the presence of then-emerging stars of the television screen and the silver screen, Claire Danes and Kate Beckinsale. Overall impression: 65%.

David Lynch always focused on emotional manipulation with the viewer and enjoyed pulling at their heartstrings. However, betting on sentimentality was not usually part of his tried and true directing style, and The Elephant Man represents a departure from that. In this case, Lynch overwhelms the viewer with sentiment and purposely counts on the audience's sympathy toward his protagonist. Unfortunately, the story is somewhat simplistic for my taste, and Lynch's approach feels too shallow and predictable. The truths he aims to reveal are simply too obvious and do not present any dilemmas or tricky choices for me. Nonetheless, the film remains a quality work with excellent performances from the actors, especially Anthony Hopkins, who demonstrates why he has been at the top of his craft for decades, not only on the British Isles but also in world cinema. Additionally, the atmosphere of Victorian England deserves recognition. Despite all of this, I truly do not see it as deserving of four stars. After all, such a highly acclaimed film does not require my approval. Overall impression: 65%.

We are used to many things from Tim Burton, and it is reasonable to spare adjectives like crazy, insane, or bizarre. But even within Burton's work, this variation on Hansel and Gretel stands out with its mischievous madness, high degree of stylization, and obvious playfulness. Japanese actors enthusiastically acted in the German fairytale, the male actors intentionally exaggerated their female roles, and the children clearly had a great time without being burdened much with acting. Nevertheless, it doesn't matter at all for such a crazy affair. The sets are minimalist, and the film immediately shows that Burton doesn't want to scare at all this time, but rather mock a classic fairytale. However, in essence, Burton remains faithful to the classics, fortunately. This time, Baba Yaga won't be helped by her ninja skills and, as usual, she ends up in the oven. This is early Tim Burton, at a time when he couldn't afford high-budget spectacles and replaced money with ideas... Overall impression: 70%.

The French Detective is similar to the famous gangster film by director Mann, and the comparison of these films in the same genre answers why I consider the American film to be an undisputed genre classic and a true embodiment of a quality crime thriller, with excellently shot action scenes. Meanwhile, the French film is just mediocre, and even the presence of the famous Lino Ventura does not help this time. In fact, I should say that Ventura represents the only reason why you should waste your time with this old film. Ventura lacks a strong and charismatic opponent. Of the other characters, only Ventura's superior is worth remembering, who allowed himself to be tamed too much by the influence of the powerful and by the political order. Although seemingly nothing is missing from the ingredients that make up a proper crime story, the result is a very average dish. Overall impression: 55%.

Movies with Jean-Paul Belmondo sometimes suffer from the fact that audiences have become accustomed to seeing Belmondo in one single box, and anything that deviates from that receives criticism and misunderstanding. Unfortunately, I must point out here that the criticism is fully justified because Resnais did a poor job with it, resulting in a boring and lifeless film, where the main character lacks the charisma of the real Stavisky, despite Belmondo's efforts to imprint his usual charm. Resnais tries to portray his hero as someone who has believed too much in his own lies and plays his role regardless of the risks and the approaching end. The film lacks many things, including a more prominent female character or Belmondo's counterpart. Here, Resnais' hero is depicted as a victim of the system, and although there is some truth to it, I have seen many films where a similar theme is portrayed in a much more convincing manner. Overall impression: 40%.

Michelle Williams is an experienced veteran of American cinema, who, despite her age, could be called the princess of the American independent scene with a touch of exaggeration. With her talent, she effortlessly takes on the main role of that shaggy girl who simply wanders, survives, and doesn't care about the future, and you tend to believe in her. Stories about the friendship between a person and an animal are among the reliable attractions, and this film also offers the right dose of emotions. However, the problem lies in the screenplay, which is a bit empty and doesn't offer many reasons for satisfaction. As a final work of a film directing student, it would be worthy of five stars, but as a drama by an adult creator, it is a bit lacking. Overall impression: 60%.

Vincent once found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time and saw something that caused him a great shock and moral dilemma. To his misfortune, he made the wrong decision, which led to further misjudgments and actions, ultimately resulting in his involvement in a crime. It's not so much a crime story as it is a psychological drama of a person plagued by doubts, fear, and lack of willpower. The film, or rather its screenplay, has its flaws; sometimes it moves forward through strange coincidences, and some of the actions of its characters feel disconnected from reality. However, the psychological aspect is interesting, and as the minutes passed by, increasing the internal conflict and pressure from the surroundings, my satisfaction also increased. But considering the aforementioned shortcomings, it never exceeds a strong three-star rating. Vincent believes he is a good person, but I rather think he is a conformist, a coward, and a hypocrite. Overall impression: 65%.

I am tuned to a completely different frequency than this film, and if I had read the comments more carefully, where I could have found a comparison to Lars von Trier's Antichrist, I could have saved myself an unpleasant experience and a lot of time. For others, there's no accounting for taste. Anyone can make vodka out of a piece of shit, as everyone who has seen The Life and Extraordinary Adventures of Private Ivan Chonkin knows very well. Overall impression: 10%.