Kaka

I can't shake the impression that Steven Soderbergh went a bit overboard with the dialogues this time and should have pushed harder on the dynamics of the story. George Clooney is slick and Jennifer Lopez looks good, but in some parts, the drive disappears. It is also impossible not to notice the often messy and somewhat convoluted editing, which is like an eyesore in a chillout film. Three stars for maintaining a solid intellectual level despite some flaws, and for the incredibly shot, lit (!), sound-designed (!), and acted romantic scene in the restaurant and hotel, which is undoubtedly among the top 10 in the history of the silver screen, supported by beautiful set design (room decor) and captivating details (snowflakes fluttering outside the window).

I’ve never had anything against Oliver Stone’s directorial invention and political incorrectness, but this is already too much. His most intense film, where the violence goes to such an extreme that it practically overpowers the story and becomes the protagonist.

Elektra is by no means a great film, but at least you won't get bored and you won't laugh at it (like Catwoman). The action scenes are sometimes messy (with excessive editing in the final fights), but some of them are really well done (the training), and there are some excellently shot sequences where the protagonists use throwing weapons (shurikens, daggers, knives, etc.). Everything is complemented by a solid musical score, so I'm actually satisfied with the final product. It may be slightly overshadowed by the action masterpiece Mortal Kombat, but it's not completely bad either.

The only thing that saves it from being utter garbage is Halle Berry in a leather outfit and Pitof's unusually conceived visual stylisation of the film.

Alfred Hitchcock is a master at creating a dark atmosphere, the constant rain, black and white composition, the old house, and a few shots of a heavily clouded sky literally predicts evil, accompanied by brilliant music. Overall, this film was revolutionary for its time and something unseen. Today? The power and shock have somewhat diminished, times are changing after all, but even after all these years, this film still has something special.

Some scenes are quite original and the script is decently put together for a romantic comedy, but the ending is a shame, it was overly sugary, with everything turning out exactly as it was supposed to.

I haven't seen such a good handling of the concept of time travel in a very long time. And what's more, the whole project is full of originality and imagination.

The basic structure of the story is quite similar to L.A. Confidential, with mysterious murders, a lot of peripheral characters, a foggy and unpredictable plot, and slowly revealing connections that gradually fit into a complex pattern of the motive of the murder. Roman Polanski brilliantly captured the atmosphere of a classic noir film. Throughout most of the film you can see a constant twilight, which gives it a special mysterious touch.

The film has an excellent technical side (where Spielberg's work is most visible) and the nomination for visual and sound effects is, in my opinion, absolutely deserved. The ending is literally a whirlwind of directorial ideas, various visual tricks, and throughout the film, we can see scenes masterfully set with lights. Maybe if it had a faster pace, I would have pressed for a higher rating.

Shyamalan's originality cannot be denied, and in a certain sense, his creativity and inventiveness are evident in every one of his films. However, the story didn't feel as powerful to me as in The Sixth Sense, nor as dynamic and suspenseful as in Signs.