Life is more precious than dignity. “The Children Act” (2017)

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directed by Richard Eyre
© 2017 A24. All Rights Reserved.

Staying in the topic of protecting children, I’d like to recommend you a drama that is based on a real story. It’s again about not being able to help, despite the great will, just this time it’s from a different perspective. We get to know Fiona Maye (Emma Thompson), a judge specialising in familly matters. One day, she’s given a case of a 17-year-old who suffers from leukaemia and the doctors have to perform a blood transfusion. The procedure wouldn’t be in question unless the boy was from a family of Jehovah’s Witnesses. According to their rules, blood transfusions are forbidden, no matter what. Don’t ask me, ask the cult. Anyway, even though Adam’s (Fionn Whitehead) life is in danger, his parents are loyal to their religion. Since the boy has been growing up in the community of Witnesses, he also thinks it’s right to refuse the procedure. However, in such case the hospital must seek permission from the court in order to save a minor. Fiona meets Adam and sees the teenager is willing to respect his religion, but the judge has to follow the law. And the law says: save the child. After the procedure, Adam has to accept a slightly new reality – he is living “against” his god’s will. Fiona might actually be the person who shows the boy that it was the right thing to do. Will she manage? That’s for you to see. Generally, it’s a film where two different people with different life values meet and try to understand each other. Also, the story reminds us that sometimes our good intentions might not be perceived the same way by someone else. So the question is: if you really believe in doing something to protect another person, should you do it against their will? The case presented in the film is serious, but we tend to “help” others on a daily basis. But do we really help them, or we believe we help them? If you enjoy such philosophical reflections, this drama will give you a lot of food for thought. Also, Emma and Fionn give a wonderful acting performance full of various emotions.

My rating: 7/10
S.

Please, come. “The Voice of Hind Rajab” (2025)

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directed by Kaouther Ben Hania
© 2025 The Party Film Sales. All Rights Reserved.

I really wish I didn’t have to see this film, but at the same time, I’m incredibly thankful to the film crew for making it. And if only everyone in the world saw it… maybe things would be different? I don’t know… but I know it’s an absolute must-see, whoever you are. Please, don’t watch any trailers – just go and watch this docudrama, because lack of knowledge will actually intensify the experience. I hadn’t heard of this case before seeing the film and I felt like one of the characters – wondering what happens next. We’re taken to 2024, January the 29th, and observe the work of the Palestinian Red Crescent. At some point, Omar (Motaz Malhees), answers probably the most terrifying call one can imagine. It’s a 6-year-old girl from Gaza, trapped in a car full of murdered family members, and she’s asking for help. What would you do if you got such call? Because I would pass out from stress. Luckily, Omar has the support of a more experienced colleague, Rana (Saja Kilani), who continues the conversation with the girl, but even she struggles with emotions. In the end, there’s an innocent child over there and all you can do is sit at your desk and hope for a miracle. And if you think the idea for this film is already heavy enough, better fasten your seatbelts. It is a fictional production, but it’s based on a real story and, what’s the most traumatising for me, you can hear the real recordings of the girl and volunteers from that day. They are mixed with the actors lines, but the fact that you can hear real people who went through this nightmare… it’s unbelievable. I was speechless. Because it’s not just a story that is supposed to manipulate our emotions – not at all. It happens right next to us. Children are left alone, scared, in danger, without their families. All that because some assholes want more money and power. This is the voice of Hind Rajab and I hope everyone will stop to listen to it. It’s one of the most devastating films I’ve ever seen.

My rating: 8/10
S.

They really lived. “Secondhand Lions” (2003)

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directed by Tim McCanlies
© 2003 New Line Cinema. All Rights Reserved.

Another legendary actor has left us here… Robert Duvall, known for his spectacular roles in top films, has definitely made a significant impact on cinema. However, today I won’t recommend any of the most common productions he starred in, and instead, I’m taking you to a farm in Texas. It’s 1962 and a teenager named Walter (Haley Joel Osment) is sent to live with his eccentric uncles, Hub and Garth (Robert Duvall & Michael Caine). The men are said to have a big fortune, but they are living a rather simple life. Their favourite activity is sitting on the porch and shooting at salesmen. I mean, I feel them. I’d add religious cult followers and postmen with bills… Anyway, the uncles aren’t really thrilled to welcome Walter, but soon, the boy shows them that he might be quite useful here. They begin to bond and the men tell him the stories of their travelling adventures. They sound ridiculous and hard to believe in, but at the same time it’s a quite entertaining activity. Generally, it’s an adorable and quite absurd comedy that might cheer your whole family up. I actually never heard of it before, but I decided to see it now and I’m sure I’d have loved it as a child as well. I guess I don’t need to mention that the acting here is of the best quality – in the end, we get three very talented gentlemen. But what I enjoyed the most was the message coming out of this story. Or actually, two messages. One – live your life to the fullest and say “yes” to whatever shows up on your way. Two – don’t stop living to the fullest even when you’re older. I often joke that I’m too old for doing something (and I’m not really old), but in fact – I wish to stay active and spontaneous until my last day on this planet. And I hope you will finish this film with a similar reflection. Thank you Mr Duvall for your work, rest in peace.

My rating: 7/10
S.

People who are different, their time is coming! “Hairspray” (2007)

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directed by Adam Shankman
© 2007 New Line Cinema. All Rights Reserved.

Recently, I decided to watch “Hairspray” made in 1988 and it made me realise how much I liked the 2007 version. Also, I realised that I haven’t written about it on my blog yet, so let’s do it now. If you’ve seen it already, I hope you will consider my post as a reminder to rewatch and dance with a ridiculous hairstyle. If you haven’t seen it, let me introduce this crazy musical to you. We move back to the 60s, where a plus size teenager, Tracy (Nikki Blonsky), and her quite shy best friend Penny (Amanda Bynes) share a hobby – watching “The Corny Collins Show”, a very popular dance show. Many young people want to participate in it, but you need to be a great dancer and look fabulous. Oh, and also, be white. I’m aware that new generations may be shocked to know about the racial discrimination and its scale in the past. Back then, black people weren’t allowed to take part in the same activities as white people. What’s more – they couldn’t even be in the same places… Luckily, we’re no longer that close-minded and we become more and more tolerant and respectful towards each other. Anyway, one day, the show crew announces an audition for a new dancer, so Tracy skips school and signs up. At first, she’s rejected because of the way she looks and the way she thinks – especially about cross-cultural integration. But thanks to some unexpected events, Tracy may actually make a significant change in the show and people’s minds. Even though the film is colourful, full of cheerful music and numerous jokes (including John Travolta as Tracy’s mother), it actually puts a spotlight on racial discrimination and how hurtful it was, especially to children and teenagers. I really hoped that 1988 version would be even more emotional than the new one, but it actually looked like a parody. To be honest, the topic of the importance of integration is practically invisible, because it’s covered by cringy humour… In my opinion, the remake is much better and I’m glad it was made. Obviously, I encourage you to see both versions and choose your winner. Either way, get yourself a fancy hairstyle and have fun dancing with all those wonderful people of all possible colours.

My rating: 8/10
S.

I’m afraid of dying lonely. “My Favourite Cake” (“Keyke mahboobe man”, 2024)

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directed by Maryam Moghaddam & Behtash Sanaeeha
© 2024 Totem Films. All Rights Reserved.

Is regime a good environment for artistic creativity? Well, that’s a controversial topic, but this film supports the statement. Difficult circumstances often lead to the need for expressing our disagreement and wish for change. Obviously, if I could choose myself, I wouldn’t like anyone to live in fear just for the sake of potential art pieces being made. However, today’s recommendation is an important say on the Iranian women’s rights problem. Now you know where I’m taking you – and to be exact, it’s Tehran. There, we meet Mahin (Lily Farhadpour), a 70-year-old widow, who’s been living alone for about 30 years. In Iran, women are allowed to get married again, but it’s not socially acceptable, so most widows decide to stay single till the end of their lives. Still, despite the reality in the country, Mahin craves company and intimacy. Therefore, she makes a brave move and invites Faramarz (Esmail Mehrabi), a taxi driver, to spend the evening at her house. That’s just the beginning of an unusual experience for both of them. To be honest, the ending really shocked me, so if you have any guesses what kind of story that is, you may also get confused. At first, I was irritated by the plot twist, but then I realised that it makes the film even more meaningful. Generally, I’m a fan of putting the spotlight on characters that are often forgotten in our everyday life, and I feel like an elderly widow is a perfect example. Especially, the one living in a country where all women are kind of invisible and ignored. This story reminds us that no matter what the political situation looks like, being an obedient citizen doesn’t mean they accept their reality. We’re all in need of affection and I bet most of us are scared of loneliness, so why would we force someone to suffer. Is it really such a crime if a woman finds a new companion in life? Does she hurt anyone by dancing and singing? Is it illegal to feel happy? Apparently, it is. And all this insanity you can experience while watching today’s film. I wish you a deep reflection. Keep in mind that the filmmakers faced legal problems and were even banned from travelling. Decide yourself whether that was really necessary to hold them accountable.

My rating: 7/10
S.

That was her safe place. “All the Empty Rooms” (2025)

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directed by Joshua Seftel
© 2025 Netflix. All Rights Reserved.

Such documentaries are needed and it’s needed to talk about them. This year, one of the Oscars nominee is “All the Empty Rooms” – a short documentary that reminds us about what’s left after the tragedy. Steve Hartman, a journalist, and Lou Bopp, a photographer, decide to make a common project together – they visit empty rooms. But not just any empty rooms – they belonged to the children and teenagers who were killed during school shooting. The problem of such events is very big in the USA and we often hear the horrible news about yet another tragedy involving youth. When a school shooting takes place, the world stops for a moment to think about the victims. Then, life goes on. Unfortunately, for many families it’s impossible to deal with the loss and they decide to leave the victims bedrooms untouched. As if the child left it in the morning and was about to come back. Some of them don’t even wash the clothes or bedsheet not to forget the smell of their beloved one. Steve and Lou make sure to approach each family with respect and they wish to pay tribute to their late child. With each room you feel even more overwhelmed by the intensity of emotions, especially since you see all those toys and colourful decorations indicating how young its owner was. To me, it was difficult to watch, but sometimes I need such films. The idea to describe a person by the photos of their room is creative and it’s inspiring how this project may influence the victims’ families. Because even though they had to remind themselves of the tragedy, you can see gratidute in their eyes. That someone else remembers about their child. Make sure to put your phone away and focus on this short, but important documentary. Wishing them a win!

My rating: 8/10
S.

Good memories let you live forever. “Goodbye June” (2025)

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directed by Kate Winslet
© 2025 Netflix. All Rights Reserved.

This film is considered a Christmas story, but I wouldn’t say so. Yes, it is set in December, but to be honest, as a sensitive person, I wouldn’t like to watch it for Christmas. However, it’s February now, so I absolutely recommend you to say goodbye to June. Who is she? June (Helen Mirren) is an elderly lady that is losing her battle with cancer and has very little time to live. She’s taken to hospital and is about to stay there until the very end, which most probably will happen before Christmas. Her family is quite… complex. She has 4 adult children and each of them is a different story. Connor (Johnny Flynn) is struggling to find his path and keeps living with his parents. Helen (Toni Collette) moved to the USA and focused on her spiritual awakening. Julia (Kate Winslet) is a successful woman, both professionally and privately. And Molly (Andrea Riseborough) hasn’t had as much luck in life as Julia, which led to a huge fight between them. Also, June’s husband, Bernie (Timothy Spall), seems to be living in a different reality and doesn’t express much interest or emotions about the whole situation. Before leaving, June wishes to do something for her family and help each one of them. How? You will see yourselves. It’s actually Kate Winslet’s directional debut, so let’s appreciate it! I believe she did a wonderful job and told an important universal story. On the one hand, it’s about a dying woman, who is waiting for her end while everyone around her is just living their live. They visit her and show the love, but in the end, she’s the one stuck in that bed and sleeping alone with her thoughts. Such picture isn’t pleasant, but it’s real. On the other hand, we get various issues the family members struggle with and perhaps it’d be easier to deal with them if only they sticked together. It’s a heart-warming story and a promising debut, so I hope you’ll enjoy it. Also, Helen Mirren did a marvellous acting job here, so make sure to experience it. And I wish Kate to keep directing!

My rating: 7/10
S.

Some things are not that obvious. “Undercover: Exposing the Far Right” (2024)

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directed by Havana Marking
© 2024 Marking Films. All Rights Reserved.

Generally, I stay away from politics, but this documentary caught my attention and I’d like to share it with you. Just to be clear, this film shows the dark sides of rightists, so if you’re one, perhaps you can skip it. Or quite the opposite – maybe after watching you will reflect on your choices. I’m not a rightist and I’ll be writing this post from my subjective perspective. You decide whether you want to keep reading or not. In the documentary you will learn about an anti-facist group called Hope Not Hate, who try to stop extremists from spreading hate and make sure communities live in peace and common respect. They decide to go undercover and expose the truth about far-right with the use of hidden cameras, microphones and by gaining the group’s trust. What you will see in this film isn’t much surprising, but surely it’s intense. I mean, we all know what those people do on our streets during protests or what they share on the Internet. But when you listen to the conversations they have between each other while nobody else is listening (except the hidden microphones of Hope Not Hate), you may actually have chills. Or you may be shocked how cunning they are. Because if you think the leaders of such groups aren’t the sharpest tools in the shed, then I’m sorry to disappoint you. In fact, they know exactly what they’re doing, so any controversies or actions that seem unexpected are definitely well-planned. One moment made me reflect a lot – when I realised that far-righists promote absolutely ridiculous ideas, but it’s only to manipulate us. For example, let’s look at the topic of abortion. They will be stating that abortion should be illegal in all possible situations and anyone who’s done it should end up in jail. Then, leftists will be fighting for such extreme law not to be passed. There’s no way they could change the rightists mind and just make abortion available for every woman that needs it (without explaining herself), so it’s time for some compromise… And most probably the final decision will be that abortion is legal only in few cases and those who do it in secret will face serious consequences. Leftists are glad they stopped the implementation of the extreme idea, but… from the very beginning, the rightists wanted exactly that compromise. It’s their tactic – propose something absurd to make us think that the compromise is actually our victory. But is it really? That is why I believe far-rightists are way more dangerous than just rightists – because they are suprisingly more successful in forcing their values on the society. I recommend you to see this film, see a different perspective and reflect. Because I feel like the only weapon we have now is a decent reflection. My rating is lower because this documentary doesn’t stand out from others in its form and I believe the topic shouldn’t be the only criteria I consider here. But it’s still worth seeing.

My rating: 6/10
S.

Permission to hug? “Zootopia 2” (2025)

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directed by Jared Bush & Byron Howard
© 2025 Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

As I promised, here’s my recommendation of “Zootopia 2”. If you haven’t seen the first film, you may check out my previous post and perhaps watch both parts together. Although, if you decide to see only the second film, you’ll still understand everything there, because the characters are introduced to us again and the story is not really connected to the previous one. But if you haven’t seen the first part, you may find my post a little spoiler, so just so you know. In this film, Judy and Nick (Ginnifer Goodwin & Jason Bateman) are work partners at the police department, but even though they managed to succeed last time, they are still very different from each other, which causes lots of problems. During one mission, Judy spots a shedded snake skin, which seems unreal, because there haven’t been any snakes in the city of Zootopia for years. However, the more they investigate the case, the more probable it becomes that there is, in fact, a snake somewhere here. Since they are considered a threat to the community, Judy and Nick must find it before anything bad happens. And soon, those two might realise that nothing is that obvious and simple… Intrigued? I hope so. What I definitely loved about this part is that it doesn’t stand out from the first one. If you watch them together, I bet you can’t really say they were made 10 years apart. The jokes are still there and I actually liked the main plot twist, because, again, the filmmakers take stereotypes and crush them into tiny pieces. I have to say I’m not a big fan of modern children’s animations, because they seem too complicated and, in fact, tiring to me. I get it, now, younger generations expect everything, everywhere, happening all at once. But it would be nice to see more animations like “Zootopia”, because there are still adults who like watching such films and we feel discriminated. On behalf of millenials, please, keep making such animations! Thank you in advance. Besides, in what other film you may watch a gazelle singing with the voice of Shakira? That’s a very unique experience.

My rating: 7/10
S.

What Do You Call A Three-Humped Camel? “Zootopia” (2016)

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directed by Byron Howard & Rich Moore
© 2016 Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Recently, I’ve seen “Zootopia 2” and, while writing a post about, I realised that I haven’t recommended the first part on my blog. So today we’re moving back to 2016… wow. I can’t believe it’s been 10 years! It’s about time to create a post about it then. Some of you probably already know this animation, but for those who don’t, sit comfortably and enjoy the plot: Imagine a world without people. Awesome, right? Instead of them, we have animals, who can talk and do everything humans do. There, we meet Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin), a very ambitious little rabbit who wishes to move to the city of Zootopia and become the first ever bunny policeman. Or… police-bunny. I’m trying to be politically correct, ok? So, Judy is assigned to do rather basic boring stuff at work, but then things get complicated and she is given an urgent case to solve – but she must do it quickly. In order to succeed, she has to cooperate with Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), a smart but rebellious fox. As we know, bunnies and foxes don’t really go together, but, surprisingly, those to make a great team. Will they manage to solve the case? It’s for you to see. Even though I was already an adult watching “Zootopia”, I enjoyed it very much. If you miss good old animations for children, then this one shouldn’t disappoint you. The characters are well-written, the plot is fun to follow and you may spot numerous jokes that are actually hilarious. Besides, I’m sure that you’ll love their sloth – because if you’ve ever been to any office, you’ll definitely have flashbacks. Fun fact, at first the filmmakers wanted to make Nick the main character, but then decided to switch roles with Judy, and I actually believe it was a great choice. Not only they created another inspiring female character (even if she’s not human), but also made Nick in the supporting role a more insteresting element of the whole story. Generally, the film is fast, entertaining and educational, so to me, it makes a very good animation. If you still haven’t seen “Zootopia”, it’s about time! Especially since I’ll be writing about the second part soon, so stay tuned.

My rating: 7/10
S.