gudaulin

I watched Labor Day as part of a Valentine's Day event, during which a person is willing to undergo a bit of romance and score a bit in a partnership to fulfill their expectations of the holiday of lovers. This film can be simplified as "won't offend, but won't impress either." It won't offend mainly because of the presence of the central couple. Kate belongs to the elite of female character actors within her generation, and you simply believe in her as the abandoned mother. Josh Brolin could patent roles of charismatic bearded men with a tough exterior and a good heart - that's just simply him. The others play their roles as they should, and the director is capable of orchestrating it all. The problem lies in the screenplay, which does not address some things at all and only briefly touches on others. The most interesting and important aspect of the plot is the mutual discovery, building trust, and relationship between the escaped prisoner and his hostages. But that is incredibly superficial. It almost seems like Kate Winslet was just waiting for something like that and enthusiastically ended up in bed with a murderer sentenced to 18 years after a few hours. What should one think of such a character then? The psychology is simply superficial or completely unreliable. And the tacked-on romantic ending seems to come from a mediocre romance novel. Overall impression: 55%.

The beauty of hidden paintings hanging on the walls, the increasing tension of art auction participants in proportion to the rising price of their sought-after treasures to enrich their collections, the mystery of artifacts from old mechanisms, and above all, the secrets that people hide behind the tightly guarded mask of their faces and carefully controlled emotions, behind the facade of their status and social relationships. Tornatore plays with his protagonist as well as with his viewers. Although I roughly figured out where the game was heading halfway through, surprisingly, I didn't detract anything from the exceptionally high final impression. It's worth watching the film for the top craftsmanship, Tornatore's perfectionism, the fascinating performance of veteran actor Geoffrey Rush, the atmosphere of a neglected noble palace, and the process of discovering what lies beneath the layer of dust, old colors, and words. The film is actually a story about (self)love, late realization, and late regrets. And last but not least, it's also about hope, because as we know, hope dies last. I had the opportunity to watch The Wolf of Wall Street and this film in one day, and the slow-paced Tornatore triumphed emotionally over Scorsese. Overall impression: 90%. I would immediately go to Prague to see if Virgil is still waiting there...

The interesting director Terrence Malick and I do not see eye to eye. My down-to-earth realistic and materialistic view of the world is not compatible with Malick's world of magical images, lyrical emptiness, broken souls, inner monologues, and excessive runtime. He will probably never receive the highest rating from me, but if he ever managed to come close to this mark, it was precisely with this film. In the first half, I truly considered several times the fact that such impressive images capturing the mood of the situation and the characters' personalities could not go unrewarded. The New World is not just a film about the colonization of the wilderness and the clash of two completely different cultures and incomparable value hierarchies, but above all, it is a film about love - the passionate kind that breaks down all barriers, simply love without restraints, but also about the mature love that grows out of knowledge and wisdom. Malick's storytelling is based on the true story of the prehistory of European penetration into the American continent. It fairly adheres to (the few) known facts, and his film is thus the most authentic version of legendary tales like Pocahontas. Overall impression: 85%.

There are topics and ways of processing a subject that suit you in your teenage years, and then there are topics whose human dimension you fully understand only when you are older. This film about how a French middle-class family copes with the departure of one of the household members is initially seemingly about the relationship between two siblings, but with each passing minute, it becomes apparent that it's actually about the relationship between a daughter and her parents. This intimate drama about the lack of courage to communicate the inevitable doesn't have an elaborately polished screenplay, but it has a strongly emotive theme and a solid cast led by the well-known Mélanie Laurent. This inconspicuous film got under my skin, and as a parent, I can empathize with the positions of everyone involved. Overall impression: 75%.

The film relies on the presence of two great names in American cinema. Granted, Nicholson can still exude charisma and Diane Keaton shows that one can age gracefully, without excessive plastic surgery, and still have spark and charm. The problem is they cannot carry the film on their own, and it needed a script prescribing quality dialogue and clever well-targeted humor. There are very few genuinely funny scenes, and they exhaust their potential quite quickly, at the latest halfway through the film. To top it all off, the film has the most banal happy ending in the spirit of classic Hollywood. Overall impression: 45%.

Ron Woodroof is a worker and a rodeo fan, but above all, a lover of life who knows how to enjoy it and doesn't deny himself anything. Drugs are easily available, the alcohol flows freely, and the girls who hover around the rodeo riders are usually willing to spend a pleasant moment in a trailer, entertaining their admirers and dispelling boredom. It's the early 80s, the time of the oil shocks, the bitterness of the Vietnam defeat, and civil activism are gone. The era of Reaganomics, yuppies, and newfound confidence has arrived. Nothing is impossible, and the motto of the day is fun. Like a bolt out of the blue, the news of Ron's AIDS diagnosis hits him after an injury. According to the doctors' experience, he has only 30 days left to live. His previous lifestyle and all the values he held dear are suddenly gone. But instead of passively waiting for death, he decides to fight it. Not only with the disease but also with the system that dislikes those who stand out and seek alternative paths. Ron becomes an advocate for unapproved treatment methods and unauthorized drugs. The initial 30 days turn into hundreds and then many years. The approach to AIDS changes, society changes, and the hero of the story changes too. From a southern roughneck and homophobic man, he becomes someone who understands the necessity of tolerance and can navigate among members of sexual minorities. Dallas Buyers Club is a drama based on a powerful story and a controversial, unforgettable main character. I would say that by choosing the unpleasant theme of human suffering and death, an unattractive storytelling style (sentimentality could have been used more prominently or cynical black humor), and above all, the performances of Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto in the main and supporting male roles, Dallas Buyers Club ranks among the most significant films of the season. I have heard it said about American actors that they are willing to undergo practically anything for the sake of a role and reputation, and McConaughey proves that this is true. From a pretty boy who recently charmed in romantic comedies, he has transformed into a walking advertisement for a crematorium, where you could count every rib on his chest on the spot, and whose determined eyes still blaze from his gaunt face marked by stress. This is, without exaggeration, an outstanding acting performance worthy of an Oscar. Overall impression: 90%.

Here and there, rather rarely, I come across a genre film where I find unexpected qualities, even though it missed its target audience and has a relatively sad rating. Unfortunately, this is not one of those rare cases. The problem does not lie in the fact that from the very first shot, it is clear that we are in deep B-movie waters. That we are dealing with second-rate actors, including the main character who is crucial for the atmosphere and overall impression, already makes things quite disappointing. However, that does not explain the one star I'm giving it. The main issue lies with the director himself. Mason is certainly not a B-movie director, as he clearly has the foundations of the profession in his blood, but he does not show us anything that would indicate any talent, filmmaking cleverness, and sophistication. He tries to achieve an effect with quick editing, handheld cameras, and above all, bloody splatters wherever you look. However, the idea presented is far from original and there are plenty of titles that do the same or almost the same in a much better and more impressive way. Overall impression: 25%.

One star goes to Gilliam for his boundless imagination and one for Jodelle Ferland's acting performance. If she maintains the same playfulness, immediacy, and ability to transform herself, she will become the new Kirsten Dunst. I would like to continue with the positives, but I have to admit that I no longer have anything to add. The problem is that Gilliam's story this time did not seem compelling enough to me, and I openly found myself bored for most of the film. His created world simply did not captivate me, and I neither feared for nor rooted for his protagonist. It just passed me by. Overall impression: 40%. Some consider Tideland morbid, some consider it insane, I consider it stereotypical and tiresome...

Diplomatically speaking, the hesitant reception of the experimental 9th season prompted the creators of the show to rearm and, for a change, rely on certainty. They carefully considered what worked, and the 10th season is therefore the essence of what made the show attractive in its early seasons. Witty humor, playful banter, and pervasive irony. The trouble is that, despite all the efforts, it simply isn't and cannot be the same as when the same characters were played by actors 25 years younger. Not that the makeup artists didn't give it their best and the actors didn't try, but some things simply cannot be disguised. When young Lister dreams of his future, of Kochanski and children in the early series, the audience roots for him, but here you can see a man who, no matter how you look at it, has spent the greater part of his life on a wreck somewhere deep in space, and it becomes increasingly clear that he has no real purpose. And that leads to more of a sense of anxiety if not something worse... Overall impression: 85%.

Unfortunately, I do not share the positive views of this film, which was supposed to be a kind of transition for Jean-Claude Van Damme from B-movies to serious cinema. I have never been a fan of his, and even during his biggest period of fame, I only saw three or four of his biggest hits. Even less known to me is his filmography from the decline of his career. However, I am willing to believe that this is probably his best acting performance and I cannot overlook the effort he made to break out of his box. The problem is that there was too much of that effort, and as we know, it can easily turn awkward. This was supposed to be a stylish pure comedy, not a mash-up of styles where the attempt at a thriller dominates. The opening title sequence is excellent, and Van Damme clearly does not take himself seriously in it, nor does he take the genre seriously, in which he feels at home, and the exaggeration has quite the kick. But then it gets serious, at times relies on sentiment and dusts off his star status. Although the combination of genres sometimes works, it is generally much easier to make a pure genre film than a genre crossbreed. In my opinion, it didn't work here. There is a valuable idea in this film, but it is not properly developed. If Van Damme had followed the path of, for example, the French comedy For 200 Grand, You Get Nothing Now, it could have turned out great as honest comedic entertainment. Van Damme simply didn't handle the attempt at artistic transcendence. Perhaps it is also because he probably talked too much and yet did not have a top director who would stubbornly follow his own vision and discipline the star. Overall impression: 45%.