Isherwood

I give it two additional points for the increase in the cadence of successful humor. One less for the increase in the cadence of absolute gross shenanigans. In the end, it’s a solid sequel kept afloat mainly by the classic stunts and the great musical number at the end. Otherwise, it’s still that cheeky entertainment of "today’s youth" that is more or less beyond me.

At first, I wondered why Rob Minkoff got the job, but as it started to follow the storyline of The Neverending Story, I regretted not being twelve because then I would have definitely appreciated it. The film was actually made for one scene, but it's unnecessarily overwrought and you’ll forget the rest of it with the closing credits. Minkoff is just a dry routinist that throws up one pretty image after another, but there’s nothing to it. The plot doesn't resolve much and Yuen Woo-Ping can't do much without wires. In an Asian production, it would have been the battle of the decade, but this is a fairy tale that I watched for less than two hours that doesn't entertain the kids and doesn't excite the adults. At least it went by fairly quick.

The decent subject matter, the charismatic Diesel, and the excellent action are all buried by an idiotic script, for which concepts like character motivation, meaningful dialogue, or plot continuity are completely unknown. It would have made for a decent post-apocalyptic PC shooter, but this film is a case of someone letting someone else mess with their craft more than they should have. At least the final ten minutes are clear evidence of incompetent intervention in the final form of the film. The three-hour version potentially deserves four stars.

Perceiving WALL-E as just a pleasant fairy tale about robots in love is a bit misguided. Pixar has its stuff down to a science. The initial retro atmosphere, the work with film references, Newman's music, the fantastic visuals, and the admittedly primitive, yet incredibly energetic story, which doesn't sell its ecological message and criticism of consumerism as cheaply as it might seem, are proof of clever creative minds that are simply good at what they do, no matter what some of the stodgy scrooges around them think. Pixar films have a heart as big as the world economic crisis and I’m happy to be entertained and moved by them again and again.

The fashionable wave of remakes of Asian ghost films (perhaps it’s already fading) has finally brought with it a film for which it is not necessary to immediately send Hollywood to burning hell. Does it matter that Alexandre is a Frenchman who has his own style? The scenes from the realm of mirrors make the blood run cold, and even without them, the great cinematography, masterful sound, and great acting by Kiefer are enough to make those who spit in the faces of all the overseas scouts talk about Alexandre with respect. And indeed, when a screenwriter he will one day film with takes care of the last of the bugs (in this case, a lapse in pace in the third quarter), Alexandre will go down in the annals so clearly that future generations will be happy to quote him. This amounts to four decent hits on a polished mirror. PS: The point is outrageously funny. :)

The slickness of "Bourne films" and the conciseness of "Seagal films" met under the direction of one of the most talented craftsmen in Besson's film stable, resulting in the type of uncompromising action flick that has been missing from movie theaters for a while. Yet the main driving force is not so much the solid action, but rather the pissed-off Liam Neeson, whose position as a god of vengeance and protector of his daughter's virginity suits him damn fine. He sends the Albanian scum under the ground using clever moves, or the makeshift energy consumer of French power stations, all without the blink of an eye or any particularly robust emotions. With a denser plot and even more emphasis on physical (by that I mean calmer editing) action, I would have given it 5 stars.

A major misstep and a cynical mockery of all those who believed the advertising campaign about "the most expensive Czech-Slovak film." And to dryly reply that "you definitely can't see where the money went in the film" is not enough for me this time. The "cleansing" of the legend itself is not bad at all, as Anna Friel is excellent and Karel Roden takes over every scene, but... where the plot requires a few more sentences and two more shots to explain "why and how?", Jakubisko prefers to play lyricist in mono-thematic images of "drug highs" and plenty of nudity. Together with a couple of cameramen, he "paints" the surrounding landscape fantastically, and even in the cheap exteriors of the village he doesn't hold his breath. But then there’s the memory of the battle with the Turks and the viewer is back in the land of Central Europe, where we apparently cannot be as worldly as we would like. Sometimes big shoulders, foreign names, and a big wallet are not enough, which is a pity because I was looking forward to this film.

It has gripping emotions, stylish visuals (a bit in the style of the Max Payne video game), and the feeling that the original feature film wanted to at least come close to. This being a family drama and horror in one instant package, which the filmmakers definitely didn't manage to overcook in nine minutes, means the viewer is guaranteed to enjoy this surreal film that has so much going for it that it could have managed to make three more.

A warm, funny, ordinarily human, and, above all, apt and true film, presented through a polished form (the proven team of Michálek, Štrba, Lorenc, Hladík), which kindles one of the lights of hope that Czech cinema need not be used only as a swear word, but that there is still something to be said even about family relationships. 4 ½.

The most undrinkable wine in Provence, a sharpened relationship between the English and the French, cinematic "frames" that could be framed instantly, all the genre clichés piled so high it's enjoyable, sympathetic banter, a nice pace, a reformed cynic and the blue eyes of one of the most beautiful angels France has right now. Ridley Scott is a true English gentleman...