I’ll be anything you want me to be. “Obsession” (2025)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Curry Barker
© 2025 Universal Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Halloween is coming, so it’s time to get in the mood! Today I’m recommending you a film that is a quite spooky visualisation of the saying “Be careful what you wish for”. Baron (Michael Johnston) has a huge crush on his colleague from the music store, Nikki (Inde Navarrette). He’s too insecure to reveal his feelings, so he comes up with an idea to buy a gift. However, instead of getting a necklace, as he planned, Baron spots One Wish Willow. It’s a toy that you break and make a wish. Well… couldn’t imagine a more romantic gift. Anyway, due to some complications, Baron uses the magic willow himself and asks for Nikki to love him more than anyone else. Surprisingly, the cheap gadget works and the girl starts showing a lot of interest towards Baron. Those two are dating and it seems like a dream come true situation. I mean… sort of. Nikki becomes obsessed with her new boyfriend, which is what the guy wished for, but I guess he didn’t think of the consequences. Now that I’m writing this post I’ve realised that perhaps “Obsession” shouldn’t be recommended for Halloween, but for the Valentine’s Day. Imagine how many insecure souls we could save that way… Jokes aside, it’s a very good horror that is based on a rather simple story, but makes you horribly uncomfortable all the time. Nikki seems like the sweetest girl, yet you know she’s evilly jealous, so you’re experiencing cognitive dissonance. It kind of reminds me of “Smile” films, where the same idea was used. They turned the most genuine sign, a smile, into something you wish not to see. It’s not a silly little joke, it’s a serious psychological game, and I actually appreciate that. I have to say that the strongest part of this horror is definitely Inde Navarrette, who created the most horrifying crazy girlfriend ever. She’s not overacting, yet even when she’s staring at Baron with a sad face, you may feel chills. So if you haven’t seen this film yet, I believe the upcoming Halloween is the date. The date. Get it? I hope so. Enjoy “Obsession” and make sure not to buy wooden sticks at any pound shops.

My rating: 7/10

S.

If we stay silent, nothing will change. “Silenced” (“Do-ga-ni”, 2011)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk
© 2011 CJ Entertainment. All Rights Reserved.

It’s not going to be an easy ride, but incredibly significant for millions of people. If you follow my blog, you may already know how much I appreciate productions about minorities’ rights, especially the Deaf. I’ve been welcomed to their community thanks to the fact that I’m learning my country’s sign language and I feel responsible for being their voice. Today’s film is, indeed, focused on this particular group, which I admire, but at the same time it crosses so many lines and may disgust you on several levels. Why? Let’s start from the beginning. Kang In-ho (Gong Yoo) decides to start working as an art teacher at Ja-ae Academy, which is a school for Deaf children. His new students seem very shy and reserved, but In-ho believes it’s just because they don’t know him well. Time passes and the children begin to open up to the art teacher, which puts the man in an even more uncomfortable position. He finds out that the students are being regularly abused, both physically and sexually. The horrible staff, including the principal and his twin brother, take advantage of their disability and they know that such students won’t be able to ask for help. And even if they do, whom can they tell? In-ho decides to stop this nightmare and does everything to protect the little victims of sick abusers. I was watching this film in complete silence, because I just couldn’t imagine the amount of evil that’s in humans. If you think it’s just fiction, I have to disappoint you. The screenplay is based on real events (and a book about them), and it scares me. It scares me that just a little bit of power may turn people into monsters. Some people believe in gods – I believe in devil, who’s right next to us on a daily basis. Except the fact that this story is heart-breaking, it also focuses on the Deaf community and their neglected rights. Perhaps if we speak more about that, our world authorities and leaders finally take serious actions in order to protect minorities. Another reason why this film is a huge deal is the fact that it somehow criticises Korean law, systems and procedures. In South Korea it’s not appropriate to complain about your own country, yet this production bursts the bubble and proves that evil has no nationality. I believe this drama made a visible impact and was one of the impulses to change Korean law when it comes to punishing abusers. Difficult production, but it’s an absolute gem.

My rating: 8/10

S.

Let me finish my drink before I decide. “Mayday” (2026)

SashLeave a comment
directed by John Francis Daley & Jonathan Goldstein
© 2026 Apple TV. All Rights Reserved.

A friend in need is a friend indeed, as they say. This story is a perfect illustration of that saying, even if the two “friends” come from warring countries. We move back to the late 80s where Troy Kelly (Ryan Reynolds), a US Navy Lieutenan, is ordered to join a secret mission. Together with a US Air Force Major, they are about spy in Russia. The task is said to be quick, yet there’s a big possibility of failure. As we could imagine, the plane is easily spotted by Russian forces, the Major gets killed and Kelly has to evacuate himself. He regains consciousness at a hut owned by Nick (Kenneth Branagh). The man used to be a KGB officer, but he deeply regrets it and wishes to help Kelly. At first, the American pilot is reserved, but Nick quickly proves his honest intentions. However, Kelly has a huge problem, because he’s stuck in a country, where literally anyone could kill him for being there. Yet, he has to come up with a way to return to the USA. Nick offers his support and Kelly promises to take him away from the soviet reality. Lovely, right? But the plan needs a lot of work, because their steps are closely observed by the KGB, especially by their leader Alexander Volkov (Marcin Dorociński). Classic action film that takes place in Russia and is made by Americans who tend to exaggerate stereotypes and love to cast a Pole in the role of an evil Russian. Tick, tick, tick – everything’s there. Therefore, I understand critical opinions about this production, but at the same time I spent such a great time watching it. Branagh and Reynolds go together like peanut butter and jelly, creating an entertaining duo. What’s more, the dialogues are hilarious and I love all the little jokes hidden here and there. Also, even though the film is very American, there’s space for reflection. Even the main character realises that his home country isn’t such a dreamland as everybody says. Good point, America, good point. You’re getting closer to using celsius and km, keep going! Jokes aside, even though it’s a comedy/action film, the message has to be hyped – perhaps some countries need borders, but friendship doesn’t. Cheers!

My rating: 7/10

S.

Not on the telephone. It’s not prudent. “Georgetown” (2019)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Christoph Waltz
© 2019 Vertical Entertainment. All Rights Reserved.

Thanks to such films like this one I tend to have trust issues. But at least I can watch quality productions, so I won’t complain. Christoph Waltz is known for his numerous roles, for which he’s praised and awarded. This time, he decides to stand behind the camera as well and directs his first ever feature film (and so far the only one). In my opinion, he did a very good job as a director and I can see he led himself as an actor in a way nobody had ever done. He could finally spread his wings and create the character from A to Z. Additionally, he invited two marvellous actresses to join him in this production and the whole trio tells us a ridiculous , but also heart-breaking story. We get to know Ulrich Mott (Christoph Waltz), who’s a middle-aged man married to an over 90-year-old socialite and journalist Elsa Breht (Vanessa Redgrave). Despite their visible age gap, the couple seem to be satisfied with each other. However, Elsa’s daughter, Amanda (Annette Bening), is incredibly suspicious about the man, because she’s noticed a lot of red flags about him. The situation gets even more complicated when the elderly woman is found dead in her own house and the spotlight is put on her husband. It’s a horrible moment for Amanda, but it’s also a chance to finally expose the lying gigolo. Or maybe she’ll find out that it was just her being overly sensitive? It’s for you to discover. Personally, I thought it would be a rather predictable thriller with top quality acting. Indeed, I got that quality, but absolutely no prediction, so get ready for surprises. The story is inspired by a real relation, yet the script is mostly fictional. Still, if you’re scared of getting married, I suggest not watching this one. It’s incredible to realise how much one can sacrifice for the sake of success and attention. Christoph Waltz chose an interesting topic to cover in a film and a very complex character to create. In my opinion, he passed both exams and I hope to see more productions directed by him.

My rating: 7/10

S.

We love a contentious environment. “The Invite” (2026)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Olivia Wilde
© 2026 A24. All Rights Reserved.

I had very high expectations about this one and I have to say I was slightly disappointed. Maybe it’s because of the characters and their quite rich personalities, or maybe there’s something off about the screenplay, but in the middle I felt tired of them all. However, the ending made me reflect about the relation between the main characters and those last scenes changed the final opinion. Anyway, let’s start from the beginning. We get to know Angela and Joe (Olivia Wilde & Seth Rogen), who are an ordinary couple, they seem to have their own problems and the spark between two lovers is definitely gone. Their upstairs neighbours make the atmosphere even more tense since they enjoy having loud, passionate sex. Angela and Joe decide to invite them over – she wants to get to know the couple and he wishes to confront them about the noise. Again, they are on the same page, as always. The evening comes, so do Pina and Hawk (Penélope Cruz & Edward Norton). At first, the meeting is horribly awkward, but ice slowly melts and both sides open up more. Turns out that the upstairs lovers like to organise sex parties with other people, which explains the intensive noise coming from their flat. Angela and Joe can’t remember the last time being intimate with each other, so two opposite worlds collide that evening. What happens next is obviously for you to see. The film was giving me “Carnage” (2011) vibes at first, but definitely less intensive, sometimes even a bit boring. However, the ending fed me with a lot of food for thought, so in the end I appreciate this production and I believe most couples should see it. I mean, it’s not about the need to fix the relationship – sometimes it’s better to show a white flag and take a break. People are pushed by the society to save marriages at all costs, which may only make it worse. Does a saved marriage mean more than a saved individual? I leave it for you to think about it. “The Invite” isn’t my favourite film by Olivia Wilde, but I appreciate choosing this topic to give people an opportunity to reflect on their relations.

My rating: 6/10

S.

I’m walkin’ here! I’m walkin’ here! “Midnight Cowboy” (1969)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Josh Schlesinger
© 1969 United Artists. All Rights Reserved.

Can a film about a friendship between a male prostitute and a scammer win an Oscar? Sure, even more than one. Ready for this ride? Let’s go. We get to meet Joe Buck (Jon Voight), a young man from Texas, who doesn’t see any work perspectives where he lives (also, he’s not the most ambitious guy either), so he decides to leave for New York City. Dressed up as a cowboy (you know, Texas, bang, bang!) he’s trying to accompany women when they are alone in the bedroom. Yes, he becomes a prostitute. Unfortunately, seems like New Yorkers aren’t into cowboys, at least not all of them. Joe realises that there’s a lot of potential in flirting with middle-aged ladies, because they enjoy the company of a cowboy junior. At the same time, he makes friends with Rico (Dustin Hoffman), another lost soul that is trying to survive in this world. The man is a con man, but those two finally have an agreement to support each other. It’s not just another story about an adorable friendship. It’s horribly real, raw and heart-breaking, in fact. Both of them had difficult starts in life and now they need to deal with all the trauma as adults. At first I wasn’t anyhow moved by the role of Joe Buck and I couldn’t understand the nomination for it, but the more I analysed this character, the more I support the choice. I don’t want to spoil it for those who haven’t seen the film, but at some point you get a bigger picture of our cowboy from Texas and his, I’d say, neuter way of being speaks louder than any words. However, the absolute gem of this production is Dustin Hoffman, who deserved to win that Oscar. In my opinion, this film wouldn’t have been such a success without his role. I truly forgot he’s an actor and saw Rico, with all his problems, experiences and memories. Fantastic work. Also, when you watch the film, pay attention to the scene with a taxi. You will know which one it is. And all I can say is that it wasn’t in the script, so you may see genuine reactions there, which the director decided to leave in the final film. And when you finish watching, read more about that situation, because it’s quite interesting. You may need to rewatch the scene and put the volume up. Up, up, up.

My rating: 7/10
S.

Why aren’t you a mother yet? “A Child of My Own” (“Un hijo propio”, 2026)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Maite Alberdi
© 2026 Netflix. All Rights Reserved.

It’s ridiculous that the people who support having children are often those who contribute to not having them the most. Today I’d like to recommend you a documentary that perhaps could have been done better technically, but it refers to a huge problem that we should talk more about. The film is actually partically a documentary, partically a role-play to visualise the real story. I’m not really a fan of such idea, because at some point I felt like watching some soap opera, but I still appreciate Alejandra, the main character, for sharing her story. Since the moment she got married, the whole family were asking about her getting pregnant. Traditionally it’s considered a natural order of things, and in fact, Alejandra wishes to become a mother very much, so she’s not anyhow against this idea. Unfortunately, the couple have serious problems getting pregnant, which only intensifies the pressure. One day, Alejandra proudly announces she’s expecting a baby and everyone is relieved. However, despite creating a perfect picture of a happy mother-to-be, the woman is not pregnant. Yet, she will become a mother in few months. How’s that possible? It’s for you to see. As I said, the documentary itself feels a bit fictional, but the story is incredibly important to be told. Women are always expected to give birth, but nobody thinks about the difficulty of the process. It takes time to get pregnant and many couples struggle for years. In-vitro is expensive and not widely accessible, while adoptions require you to be a superhuman. Besides there’s another stupid pressure about having biological children, so even if you succeed – prepare for the next social battle. And if you do get pregnant, there might be complications and most women don’t even have the access to a constant and proper health care. Let’s stop pushing people to having babies, because such actions may lead to serious consequences instead. What Alejandra did was wrong, but at the same time I understand her situation and how overwhelmed she must have felt. No woman should be pushed into such position.

My rating: 6/10
S.

Could I be your Reinemachefrau? “Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid” (1982)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Carl Reiner
© 1982 Universal Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

If you’re wondering why they chose this particular title for the film, let me explain really quickly. Apparently, the main character tells a story of some woman who’s crazy about plaids. The thing is… they finally decided to cut this scene off, so the title doesn’t make sense. However, at the same time it perfectly fits the general story, which is full of irrational elements and goofy humour. We’re following a detective Rigby Reardon (Steve Martin), who’s working on a murder case. The father of Juliet Forrest (Rachel Ward) was killed and the woman wants to know why and by whom. Sounds like a classic crime story? Sort of, because the whole film is a parody of such, so you’ll laugh way more than experience a decent thrill. The fact that it was shot black and white adds up to the final result and can really trick your mind. Especially, since they used several scenes from absolute classics, so how can you giggle when there’s Ingrid Bergman or Cary Grant on the screen? Those actors didn’t actually play in the film, obviously, but thanks to the editting you may believe it’s one story with a bunch of great actors. Some may think it’s disrespectful, but I actually take it as a tribute to their work. They are true icons of crime stories and couldn’t be forgotten, even in a parody. Steve Martin did what he does best – he delivered an adroable silly role, which cheers up whole families. And at the same, he proves that both dramatic and comedic roles require skills and experience. Just because he makes us smile instead of crying doesn’t mean he’s less of an artist. And that’s a big reflection I’ve taken from this film. Besides, I had a joyful time, perhaps a bit cringy from time to time, but in general I recommend you this parody. You can also play a game and try to guess the titles of all the films they used in editting. Let’s see what kind of cinephile you are, shall we?

My rating: 7/10
S.

Three crazy women for five weeks is a lot more than I bargained for. “The Homesman” (2014)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Tommy Lee Jones
© 2014 Roadside Attractions. All Rights Reserved.

I always say that western is my least favourite genre, but again I’ve found a gem. Perhaps it’s because some people refer to this film as a “feminist western” and, indeed, the main character is a woman, which is quite unusual for Wild West stories. Mary Bee Cuddy (Hilary Swank) is an unmarried young woman (although she’s over 30, so back then she’s an elderly, I guess). She feels incredibly lonely, but men don’t want to marry such independent and bossy woman. One day, Cuddy volunteers to escort three mentally ill women, from Nebraska to Iowa, which is typically a male task. Well, she again proves her stubbornness and bravery. At the beginning of the journey, Cuddy meets George Briggs (Tommy Lee Jones), whose life she saves. In exchange, she wants him to join her and the three ladies. The man is a shady type, but his presence may be helpful to succeed and reach the final destination. However, as you might be guessing, not everything goes according to plan. I remember I played this film randomly, without even thinking or checking ratings. After several minutes I realised that it’s a western, but I gave it a chance and I don’t regret that. The journey itself is nothing what I expected it to be, and the ending made me incredibly confused. What I learnt from this story is that back then women were either obedient to men, or considered insane and rejected. The idea of an independent woman was terrifying. Has something changed? Well, I feel like some men are still intimidated by female successes, but at least now women can be whoever they want to be. Unfortunately, still not all women and not everywhere, but the change is happening and I do hope that one day our gender won’t define us anyhow. Back to the film, it’s difficult and very emotional, so you should be in a mood for scratching your heart and brain. Yet, it’s worth it and Hilary plays a real female role model here. Make sure to check it out, even if you don’t like westerns. Or… especially if you don’t like westerns.

My rating: 7/10
S.

I was 10 months old. “Turning Point: Generation 9/11″ (2026)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Brian Knappenberger
© 2026 Netflix. All Rights Reserved.

25 years ago the world stopped and I’m not sure it has ever moved forward. And if it has, then I’m afraid the direction was chosen wrongly. I believe I don’t need to give you any background on 9/11 because even if you’re from a younger generation, I hope you’ve heard of that tragedy. Today, I’d like to recommend you an interesting documentary, which isn’t another production about the event itself, but it focuses on the generations after 9/11. The children of the victims are now adults and we get to listen to their perspective. Some of them were few years old and don’t even remember the parent they lost back then. How have those circumstances influenced their coming of age? There’s no one scenario, but surely most of them feel horrible injustice and the need of revenge. I’m not judging their choices, because I’d probably follow a similar path, but the thing is we’re stuck in a never-ending war. Going to the army and fighting against other nations will always be wrong, because lots of innocent people die and there will always be a next generation to continue. Apart from the actual wars happening somewhere far, we, consciously or unconsciously, feed this conflict by spreading fake news, trusting stereotypes and sharing xenophobia. Some people say that the world was supposed to end in 2000, but instead it ended in 2001 – and I kind of agree with them. There has been a horrible tension since 9/11 and even in Europe, where we are very multicultural, hearing a different accent has been alarming. This documentary has average ratings, but I guess it’s because people are just tired of the topic and really want to move on. But it seems like we can’t and the trauma will always be with us. Besides, the film really focuses on the new generations, so to me it’s a fresh perspective to discover. Perhaps the documentary is slightly messy in its structure, but in the end I find it thought-provoking. I cannot even imagine the pain those families feel after losing someone they loved. On a random Tuesday. In a country that seemed to be safe and prepared. I cannot tell you not to worry, but I can remind you to take care of each other and never take any day for granted.

My rating: 6/10
S.