Kaka

Danny Boyle has a knack for getting the most out of the minimum. In this case, it was decent value for money, which he still had to scrape together. But it paid off. The beginning is relatively weak and in order for the film to reach its thrilling end, the viewer must endure a significant number of mistakes and dead ends, but as a whole it is enjoyable and the effort is visible, so there is no reason not to accept the situation. The most annoying thing is the blatant made-for-TV production design, the irritating accent of the main characters, and some incomprehensible scenes where several minutes of crucial connections and key information seem to be missing. Even so, this project is worth seeing, at the very least it was the launching pad of Ewan McGregor’s career.

The topic is indeed quite interesting, with a minimum of clichés and a large dose of unpredictability, but the film itself doesn't go anywhere. It doesn't have a solid structure, a point, a conclusion, and it doesn't know what it wants to be. Considering the original premise and the concept as a whole, I don't quite understand it. Kevin Costner's talent is relatively wasted, there is little action, and it’s not worth much (the shootout in the corridor is bad), and William Hurt as an inner voice also didn't impress me much. Additionally, the supporting characters are very poorly developed with minimal connection to the main plot, so we don't really care about what happens to them. And the rest of the film is similarly stolen from us, it lacking anything resembling drive and tension. The only thing to appreciate is the quality of the form, Costner, and the solid premise.

Disturbia fulfills the parameters of a thriller concept down to the last detail, and elevates the acting of the captivating teenager Shia LaBeouf to above-average levels. If this boy started to finally play a man and stopped fooling around in front of the screen and pretending to be younger, it would be even better. Nevertheless, there is still plenty to watch. The first hour is relatively slow, with detailed character development and several funny and awkward situations. The second half and the final climax are a bit different, but surprisingly, the contrast between the two parts works quite well. D.J. Caruso directs inventively and tries to keep the viewer on guard. The opening accident and the final scenes in the basement are excellent. Otherwise, it is an above-average genre film.

The excessive sentiment and the typically clichéd heroic scenes and speeches are a shame, because the action is relatively skillfully shot (though by no means groundbreaking) and somewhat realistic. Of course, computers are often used and sometimes a bit more than necessary, but some moments are truly demanding, which can be understood and endured. James Franco surprised me with his improvisation and ease, and the relationship between the French girl and the American pilot is enjoyable and believable. Perhaps a bit long, but still a decent film that gets lost in the average of contemporary big-budget productions. The only fact that elevates it a little higher is that the story takes place in the First World War, which is still relatively unexplored in cinema.

An interestingly executed conversational drama that accurately characterises Robert Redford's creative style: slow pace, thoroughly developed characters, and a condensed yet clear plot. Unfortunately, the pace was slower than necessary this time, and occasionally felt like reaching for the remote control and skip some of the less visually appealing sequences. Nevertheless, it must be said that Redford never steps completely wrong, the ending has charm and a point, and that is, after all, what matters.

It's somewhat ironic, but the more money Charlize Theron gets for a film role, the bigger the disaster is. This can practically be said about this entire project, as it is stupid from beginning to end. We start with a bland mythology that is briefly outlined in the first five minutes, it’s massively banal, of course, but the performances and overall visual mess that this film abounds with only exacerbate everything. The action is often on the verge of making you want to turn off the screen, and the script is not worth talking about. It only stands out for Charlize in interesting suits (which aesthetically are completely off) and her hairstyle, which probably used more hairspray than necessary. There have been some interesting comic-book adaptations lately, and I’m lookig forward to Ultraviolet. These two movies, at first glance, seem very similar in their stupidity.

Or how a purely comedic actor took on a slightly more serious role for the holidays, and it was far from the tragedy one may have expected. Unfortunately, even his effort did not rescue this project from mediocrity. Elizabeth Hurley and Maria Bello deliver excellent performances, but the script is uninteresting, the direction completely detached, and the form is purely TV-like. All we're left with then is 88 minutes of watching the clock for when it will finally end. Sometimes your stomach churns a little, sometimes you chuckle at bitter jokes (of which there are unfortunately very few), and the rest becomes somewhat dull. If this was meant to be a variation of much better drug films, it did not succeed. It's a pity, Ben Stiller can't be blamed this time.

The hardest action movie of all time delivers incredible brutality, presenting the legendary hero as we have never seen him before: full of sadness, anger, and resignation, only a woman will put him back on his feet and show what he is made of. Stallone knew exactly what to shoot and how to shoot it. The plot is simple, dynamic, and more than enough. The action is balls to the wall, and the fact that they highlight these killings as a result of the war-torn Burma only helps the cause. A film that is unbeatable for fans and a must-see. A success on all fronts for Stallone and confirmation that he is far from finished. And when he stands in a jeep behind an anti-aircraft machine gun, feeding it with fist-sized bullets and firing a salvo, you realise you have never seen anything like it before. So far, the best film of the year.

A bored Karl Urban in his least charismatic role to day, an interesting premise that is wasted, brutally heavy-handed fights (all of them in slow-motion!), awful-looking CGI blood in every other shot, a stupidly simple mythology and message, a plot that is not really worth talking about. In short, a brilliant example of a butchered high-budget and grandstanding project that has the soul of a hundred-year-old corpse.

As a full-fledged film it’s essentially useless, and that was not expected from Tarantino. Grindhouse excels exactly in what it should, to pay perfect homage to all possible B-movie genres and older films. You can expect amazing gimmicks (old picture, sound distortion, Kurt winking at the camera), which, mixed with quality ingredients (an excellently insane plot and stylish execution), create a decently entertaining appetizer primarily designed for hardcore fans of the director. For a regular viewer, it is still a bit unusual, even considering the fact that, from this director, are somehow expecting something to jump at you from the screen.