gudaulin

Sometimes, when reading comments and discussions about movies, I think about how the endless offer of TV programs and the digital era, which allows for downloading and thus flooding viewers, has spoiled us movie fans and led to a feeling of saturation. New movies and TV shows that can't rely on a sense of nostalgia thus lose the advantage of shows seen in childhood, and often they only receive average reviews, even though they are very well made. The International is not one of those groundbreaking films that will be discussed and quoted in professional journalism, and leading critics will not write lengthy essays about it. However, it is a well-executed genre film, which, from my point of view, is catapulted into the four-star category by Owen's charisma and his top-notch passionate acting. True, the screenplay is not groundbreaking, but it also does not contain any logical inconsistencies or plot holes. It has quality dialogues, decent character psychology and convincing motivations, and a thrilling shootout in a museum that even a top action movie would not be ashamed of. In short, I have no reason to give it less than an overall impression of 75%.

John Keating is not just a teacher but above all a distinguished intellectual who considers critical thinking, open-mindedness, and creative activity as the highest values that need to be defended and instilled in the younger generation. He is not interested in mechanical transmission of a sum of information, but rather in stimulating independent thinking and creativity. It is the 1950s, and rock'n'roll is playing on the radio, but in a private school for the children of the American elite, time seems to have stopped and in this authoritarian and musty environment, where caution is cultivated, the professor's opinions appear suspicious and potentially dangerous. The film is enjoyable, understandable, and easily digestible; on the other hand, as is often the case with American studios, it is overly polished and naively idealistic. Peter Weir found Robin Williams to be the ideal protagonist for the main role. A charismatic and likable individual, in whom you believe his enthusiasm and value system. Overall impression: 75%.

In Czech literature and film, dreamers, visionaries, seekers of alternative worlds, and enthusiasts of all kinds often take the form of sympathetic wanderers with a poetic view of the world, and they are associated with positive values and classified as positive characters. Harrison Ford as the head of a family obsessed with rejecting the civilization that created him gradually shows the hidden side of the personalities of such crazy individuals. What initially appears as a comedy about an unrecognized inventor gradually transforms into a drama about a self-centered eccentric who, in pursuit of his ideas, does not hesitate to poison the family atmosphere and endanger the very existence of his family. Unfortunately, it seems that Peter Weir was somewhat unsure and did not clarify in which genre he wanted to operate and what he wanted to convey with his film. In such a case, even a top actor is useless to him, or rather, his potential is not utilized as Ford's talent and dedication deserve. Overall impression: 45%.

London - a pulsating metropolis, boasting luxurious streets, temples of consumerism, universities, banks, and museums. However, this series does not revolve around these aspects, and its stories typically do not take place within their interiors. The hero of the series is a police officer specializing in the most serious crimes, and his task is not to be in pleasant residential neighborhoods among honest taxpayers led by the noblest intentions and carrying out the noblest deeds. His destiny is to dig through the dirt, uncover filth, and thwart the intentions of psychopaths and criminals driven by hatred, revenge, and greed. Among other similar series, Luther stands out. Luther is obsessed with his work and sacrifices his family life for it. His dedication and intuition make him an extremely dangerous opponent of the underworld, but his adversaries are no pushovers and can strike at the most sensitive spots. Luther is not a series about pickpockets or swindlers but about the great nightmares of modern societies and big cities. It is about terrorists, blackmailers, and serial killers. The crimes are sometimes too monstrous, Luther's intuition exaggerated, and the plots or relationships between the characters somewhat contrived, but over time I have learned to perceive Luther as a more realistic and less plastic version of an entertaining series like Dexter. Luther emanates genuine emotions; the series reeks of both earthly and heroic humanity. I consider his decisions regarding the lives and deaths of two women who were of fundamental importance to him and represented a value pole constantly at odds within each of us one of the most powerful scenes in a series I have ever seen. Furthermore, the character of the intelligent and unpredictable Alice Morgan is one of the most charismatic villains who have ever had the pleasure of entertaining an audience on television screens, and her mutual relationship with Luther is perhaps the most twisted and, at the same time, the most gratifying for viewers that any scriptwriter has ever created between a detective and a criminal. I don't think we have ever had such a likable psychopath before... Overall impression: 95%.

Usually, I give out stars based on how a film affects me emotionally. Taken from this perspective, I would be more modest in giving stars to The Gold Rush. After all, Charlie Chaplin plays on compassion with the main character in a way that is too flashy for my taste. However, if one includes reason in the evaluation, it must be acknowledged that this film represents one of the peaks of the film decade at the time and still belongs to the golden treasury of world cinema. Some gags, like the visual hallucination that transforms the gold digger's companion into a tempting roast, have permeated the general consciousness. When I look back at the era of silent film, I find only a minimum number of titles that invite me to watch them again and have something to offer me. The Gold Rush is one of them. Overall impression: 85%.

Melodrama is not a psychological drama. In it, hearts beat, tears flow, confessions hit the wall of misunderstanding, and male vanity demands satisfaction. Love, hatred, pain, and joy are sold in large packages. And in the case of Douglas Sirk, in quite luxurious packaging. After all, he is the most significant specialist in the genre of 1950s American cinema. This film has a star-studded cast, and those who enjoy melodrama will most likely not be disappointed. Personally, I can say that it would take me a long time to search my memory for a melodramatic film that moved me - and Written on the Wind would definitely not be it. Overall impression: 40%.

Some comments compare this film to Eastwood's much more famous film Gran Torino. The characters of both pensioners who have decided to stand against injustice and stop the rampage of a criminal gang somewhat suggest this, but personally, I consider the thematic similarity of the two films misleading. This British film develops the tradition of stories about a lonely avenger who takes justice into his own hands and cleans the streets of the city from crime. This theme, once so popular in the western genre, was newly taken up by Michael Winner when he made Death Wish. That film became extremely popular in the United States during the turbulent 1970s when crime in New York spiraled out of control in several neighborhoods, and it led to several sequels. Harry, who, after the murder of his friend, remembers the years spent in Her Majesty's Navy, has, despite his advanced age, a precise aim in reducing the number of members of a youth gang that controls a vast housing estate on the outskirts. Within this category of films, I consider Harry Brown to be the best work, not only thanks to the acting performance of the famous film veteran Michael Caine in the lead role. The script is also of high quality, as it effectively works with emotions and carefully doses tension. Overall impression: 90%.

The basic idea behind the final form of Doctor Who is: is it possible to compete in the field of sci-fi and fantasy series with the money-driven and visually demanding television series from American studios like Battlestar Galactica, which are in no way inferior to summer blockbuster films in terms of entertainment value? Yes, but only by making a virtue out of necessity, and if my budget is not enough to create attractive alternative worlds, I rely on exaggeration, humor, naivety, and in this case, significantly old-fashioned stylization. The spaceship takes the form of a telephone booth, the Doctor manages with very little in his battles with aliens, and the monsters do not bother to hide their trickery more than necessary. Accept it, dear viewer, or move on. I knew Doctor Who from several randomly watched episodes (mostly specials, which receive more attention during production because they serve as a showcase for the project). Based on those few encounters, I was able to join the numerous fan base of the series. The problem arose when I started watching Doctor Who diligently during a TV re-run, episode by episode, day by day, starting from the first episode. The first series was still searching for its final form and the atmosphere of the series, but even that is not an excuse for me losing interest in Doctor Who soon after. After the seventh episode of the second series, I definitively gave up. Doctor Who simply does not have the power to compel me to return to the series at regular intervals. From similarly themed projects, I prefer the Canadian series LEXX, which I find more entertaining due to its deliberate and degraded nature. Overall impression: 45%.

The Danish original and the American remake of the same name can serve as an excellent comparison between European and American (specifically Hollywood) cinema. The European version tends to be more raw, not shying away from controversial topics, and is able to film them in a controversial way. The American version, on the other hand, films the same themes more pleasingly and tames the edges. Both films deal with the aftermath of wartime trauma, but while the Danish version is merciless towards its protagonist, gradually stripping him of everything, including hope, the American version is watered down and lacks the courage to thrust its characters into irreconcilable conflict. The family crisis is actually caused by a misunderstanding and is resolved in a compassionate way leading to forgiveness. Nevertheless, I would not condemn Sheridan's version because the Danish film is burdened by their adherence to Dogme 95. Like any dogma, it restricts, flattens, and irritates. The American version is simply more cinematic, more colorful, and features internationally acclaimed stars. However, I also have a complaint with the American version in that Tobey Maguire and Natalie Portman are too sweet and young for the characters they are supposed to portray. It's as if the producer wanted to sell this serious topic to American teenagers. Natalie looks like she had her children while still in high school, and Tobey, who is supposed to play the older, more mature of the two brothers, would be better suited for the role of a younger, immature troublemaker. And one last thing - as selfish as young children can be in their love, what escalated the family conflict is something they would probably never say in the real world, and certainly not think about at their age. Overall impression: 60%.

Rather than being really good, Matějovský's Solitaire is interesting. It is an attempt at an absurd drama of a closed community caught in a trap with no escape, where the actors are gradually killed by despair and cabin fever. It is also remarkable for its top-notch cast and corresponding performances. However, what brings it down is the artificiality of the situation and, above all, Hubač's script, which rushes the moods and reactions of those involved and definitely doesn't take advantage of the potential that this model situation offers. The most interesting character is probably Rudolf Hrušínský, who demonstrates how a guide can quickly become a guard and manipulator. His performance would be a highlight of any psycho horror and reminds one of Mr. Kopfrkingl from Herz's The Cremator, who also transformed into a monster under the pressure of circumstances. It didn't take much for him to achieve it, and fear can be seen in Hrušínský's eyes and posture. The black and white camera and stone walls create a feeling of gloomy atmosphere that dampens any positive emotions. But I must repeat, overall I got the feeling of a certain incompleteness, and although this wouldn't be bad as a theater performance, I expect a little more from a TV movie. Overall impression: 60%.