Category: comedy

What’s the special ingredient? “Mystic Pizza” (1988)

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directed by Donald Petrie
© 1988 The Samuel Goldwyn Company. All Rights Reserved.

November has been a quite depressing and spooky month, so let’s change the vibe and enjoy a cute rom-com from the 80s, shall we? Even though it seems like a film to play in the background at a lazy weekend, it’s full of topics to reflect on. I’d especially recommend it to young women and female teenagers, who feel overwhelmed with the world around them. But what is it all about? We get to know two sisters, Kat and Daisy (Annabeth Gish & Julia Roberts), who work together as waitresses at a pizza place called “Mystic Pizza”. They also have a great friend working with them – Josephine, called JoJo (Lili Taylor) and all three women are of American-Portuguese origin. So the first thing that you may notice is the spotlight on how the life of mixed-heritage people looks like in the USA. And I guess not only there – we tend to stay together with those who are similar to us, because it gives us comfort. Unfortunately, some people may discriminate us because of who we are. Even though it’s important to adress such problem, that’s not the main topic of the film – the focus is definitely on the diversity of goals that women may have in life and how they achieve them. Kat is very ambitious, she wishes to become an astronomer and except studying hard, she also works in order to save as much money for her future education as possible. Her sister Daisy, however, loves to have fun, flirt and enjoy life as it is. Finally, JoJo is a hopeless romantic in love with her boyfriend Bill and she wishes to get married and settle down. Each woman has different needs and expectations, but life likes to play games, right? So as you can be guessing, each of them faces some troubles in reaching their goals. In order to deal with them, all three will have to fight their inner demons and accept that very often you have to take what’s given. It’s an adorable story about how diverse we are and how absolutely okay it is to have our own paths, even if others don’t approve of them. A woman doesn’t have to be anything, but she can be anyone. Oof, that was deep, wasn’t it? But jokes aside – I truly believe that. If you don’t hurt anyone, you’re free to do whatever you want, sister! Now, order a pizza and enjoy the film.

My rating: 6/10
S.

Revenge has never been sweeter. “Thelma” (2024)

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directed by Josh Margolin
© 2024 Magnolia Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Don’t mess with grandmas! I mean it. They won’t only feed you till you can’t move – they can also fight criminals like pros! If you’re in need of good vibes, this comedy is definitely for you. We get to know Thelma (June Squibb), who’s a 93-year-old woman living alone and enjoying her retirement. She has a loving grandson, Danny (Fred Hechinger), who’s overly protective and always makes sure his grandma is fine. One day, Thelma answers a phone from Danny who says that he’s arrested and the woman has to send $10 000 to a certain adress to let him free. The woman panics and does it, but soon after she finds out that the caller wasn’t her Danny and she’s got scammed. Thelma is furious about the situation and asks the police for help, but they don’t even bother. And when people don’t seem to care, what do we do? Yes, baby, we do it ourselves! The brave granny decides to find the scammer’s address and visit them in order to get her money back. But how will an elderly lady like her actually manage to fight a criminal? Oh, you’d be surprised… I absolutely loved this comedy and the story about Thelma, because it gives positive vibes and shows how much power elderly people still have. We often see grandmas and grandads being pushed away from our everyday life as if they weren’t able to join us in numerous activities. Well, if you ask them to run a marathon, they may rather refuse, but so would I and I’m much younger. However, they deserve to be seen and included. And they have the right to catch the scammer that fooled them. As I said, I had a lot of fun watching this film, but I also find it important when it comes to picturing seniors nowadays. I wish for more productions like this one, so please – feel free to tell stories of brave and crazy grandparents who break the boring stereotypes! Cheers to Thelma and all the unstoppable seniors!

My rating: 7/10
S.

We have survived. “It’s Not My Film” (“To nie mój film”, 2024)

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directed by Maria Zbąska
© 2024 Mówi Serwis. All Rights Reserved.

I’m generally quite critical about my country’s cinema, but I still give all films a chance and I keep searching for hidden gems. And I’m thrilled to say that “It’s Not My Film” is one of them. I definitely wasn’t expecting to enjoy it, especially since I’d read a short description and known what it’s about. Perhaps I should start watching the productions that seem like not my cup of tea… Anyway, in this story we meet Wanda and Janek (Zofia Chabiera & Marcin Sztabiński), a married couple that have been with each other for 10 years. Unfortunately, they both feel tired of this relation and everyday arguments about trivial things. Janek comes up with an idea to go on an adventure, which could either be their last one or the only salvation. They buy a sledge to carry all the necessary items and they start a winter walk along the Baltic coast in Poland. There’s an important rule – they cannot stop the walk and go to the city. They need to count on themselves and each other, no matter what. If any of them breaks a rule, they end the relationship. You may think it’s a ridiculous idea, but I actually love it and it’s a great metaphor of fighting for the marriage. You see, currently a lot of people give up on each other quite easily, because we’re so sure that true love and a perfect marriage is a Hollywood romantic comedy, where everything goes well, you kiss in the rain and yada yada yada. But it’s not. And whenever a slight inconvenience pops up, people run away. Wanda and Janek are not satisfied with their current relation, but just watch them walking on that beach. They are both furious, cold, exhausted and irritated, but they keep going. They may argue, they may hate each other 24/7, but in the end they keep going. Isn’t it toxic? No, not at all. Because in a healthy relationship there’s space for everything. Arguing over small things and teasing each other is not important. What’s important is that at the end of the day you have your person next to you and you feel their support. Say whatever you want, but I need more of such love stories. Real, honest and imperfect. What’s interesting about the cast is that it was Zofia’s debut, which adds some raw emotions into this film next to an experienced actor like Marcin. Those two created a wonderful chemistry and made me believe in the story. What can I say? I wish you all such relations.

My rating: 7/10
S.

Nothing is as simple as black and white. “Pleasantville” (1998)

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directed by Gary Ross
© 1998 New Line Cinema. All Rights Reserved.

Haven’t you ever wanted to enter the film/series that you’re currently watching? You know, just jump into the screen and become one of the characters there? Become a superhero fighting the bad guy? Or kissing the beautiful lady/handsome gentleman in a romantic scene? Or just enjoy peace in a silent film? Well, I bet we’ve all thought about it at some point. Today, I’m recommending you a film in which the main characters actually make it happen. We get to know David (Tobey Maguire), who’s a high-school student and a huge fan of “Pleasantville” – a black and white sitcom from the 50s. There’s about to be a marathon of the series and David wants to watch it, but he starts fighting over the remote with his sister Jennifer (Reese Witherspoon), which leads to breaking it. Suddenly, a repairman visits them and offers a better remote instead of their broken one. When the siblings use the new remote, they are magically transported into the world of Pleasantville. David and Jennifer are taken for Bud and Mary Sue, the series children. They obviously want to go back, but the repairman, who contacts them through a TV, says they should be thankful for this opportunity and disappears leaving the teenagers in the black and white world. They need to adapt to the situation and act like they actually belong there. They will not only learn about the reality of Pleasantville, but also become a chance for its people to discover what’s beyond. I was pleasantly (see what I did there?) surprised watching this film because it’s not just a silly comedy about two teenagers stuck in a TV show. It’s another reminder that nothing is as it seems and very often we’re all forced to pretend. Back then they were watching TV – now we scroll on social media and we envy all those people and their perfect lives. In fact, they aren’t perfect at all, it’s just an illusion, although hard to believe. That is why we should put the whole energy into strengthening our self-worth and don’t let anyone deprive us of our own colours. Damn, that sounded serious and smart. But hey, I’m being honest – that’s the exact reflection I’ve had after this film. So, I invite you to Pleasantville and I hope you’ll enjoy it.

My rating: 7/10
S.

A country without a language is only half a nation. “Kneecap” (2024)

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directed by Rich Peppiatt
© 2024 Wildcard Distribution. All Rights Reserved.

First things first – me and rap are not a friendly combination. I grew up listening to pop, then rock and metal, then I had a phase with jazz and classical music, and now I generally listen to everything… except rap. I’m sorry to disappoint rap fans reading this, but I really cannot force myself to this genre. However, it doesn’t stop me from appreciating their work… from the distance. So when I heard about today’s film, I wasn’t so eager to see it, because I was worried that my music taste would make me dislike the film no matter how good it would be. But recently, I decided to finally give it a try and get out of my comfort zone. And you know what? I’m glad I did, because I still don’t listen to rap, but I really liked the story behind this band. If you don’t know (I didn’t, so don’t feel ashamed), Kneecap is an actual band and this film presents their beginnings. In fact, the real band members play themselves, which makes the experience even more realistic. However, it’s not a documentary, so mind the fact that you still watch it like a fictional drama/comedy. But what’s so interesting about a rap band, you may ask? Well, Liam and Naoise are young and rebellious men who sometimes get in trouble. Youth, you know. One of the things they are fighting for is their right to use Irish as their first language. One day, in quite unusual circumstances (you’ll see), they meet JJ, a music teacher, who finds out that Liam has been writing song lyrics in Irish. The man suggests starting a hip-hop band that would be rapping in Irish, which was something strange, especially to younger generations who’re used to listening to music in English. A silly idea turns out to be an absolute hit, the band starts attracting more and more listeners, but it also ends up in the spotlight of numerous authorities for their political messages in songs. The band has been performing since 2017 and so far they aren’t going to stop. And even though I’m not a hip-hop or rap fan, I cheer for them. Why? Because despite different music tastes, we share one thing and it’s love to our own culture and language. I believe that thanks to them, a lot of young people in Ireland have decided to study and practise Irish, and this leads to the continuation of their traditions. Plus, when it comes to the film, I sympathised with the band and enjoyed their way of being, so in the end it was a pleasant experience. So no matter what you listen to, give this title a try. Síocháin!

My rating: 7/10
S.

Like I’m born to be. “KPop Demon Hunters” (2025)

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directed by Maggie Kang & Chris Appelhans
© 2025 Netflix. All Rights Reserved.

I was avoiding this film for so long, but one day I gave up. It’s because I was too tired of everyone talking about it and playing its songs over and over. Kpop is not what I listen to and anime is difficult for me to watch (forgive me anime fans!), because everything’s too exaggerated for my European eyes. And how surprised I was when a film that was supposed to be just a background noise turned out to be one of the best animations I’ve seen in years. Yeah, I’m still shocked myself, but I’m more than happy to recommend it to you if you still haven’t seen it. We get to know a female Kpop band named Huntr/x – Rumi, Mira and Zoey (Arden Cho, May Hong & Ji-young Yoo). They are not only the most famous music trio with lots of fans, but also demon hunters. You see, in this world, demons steal humans’ souls and give them to their ruler Gwi-Ma. That is why we need such hunters like the girls to stop them and keep people safe. Everything goes well until a new band shows up – the Saja Boys, with their leader Jinu (Ahn Hyo-seop) – and their song “Soda Pop” becomes an absolute hit. At first, Huntr/x believe it’s going to be just a music bands battle, but it turns out the Saja Boys are undercover demons, who want to manipulate people using their popularity. The girls obviously cannot let it happen and they begin preparing an even bigger performance to win with the demon band. In the meantime, Rumi and Jinu start talking to each other in private and it seems like they have more in common than you could imagine. If you’re a grumpy adult (like me) who says “such animations are not for me”, then take a deep breath and play it. And I’m pretty sure you won’t be disappointed. First of all, I loved the animation style and how dynamic it was, yet not annoying like most anime productions I’ve seen. Second of all, the girls reminded me of “Totally Spies!”, a cartoon I used to watch as a child. Back then, it was a true hit and the girls had a similar energy to Huntr/x, which made me feel a bit nostalgic. Third of all, the songs are very catchy and impressive! For example “Golden” has become a true challenge for singers, because you need to be horribly talented to hit the right notes. I was vibing a lot while watching and I still listen to the soundtrack now. And last but not least, the messages coming with this film. I’m moved because to me this film is about acceptance. The girls are fighting some cartoon demons, but in fact, it’s just a metaphor of fighting our real demons, which “steal our souls”. They make us believe we’re not enough, we are not meant to succeed, we should hide our true self. Even though the main character here is Rumi and we get to learn about her personal issues, the two other members are dealing with their own demons too. And if thanks to this animation some children and teenagers change the way they see themselves for better, I couldn’t be happier. We really need such films. Especially younger generations do. So I’m crossing my fingers for sequels and I hope the meaningful messages keep reaching those who need them.

My rating: 8/10
S.

We took earth from here and made hills there. “The Englishman Who Went up a Hill but Came down a Mountain” (1995)

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directed by Christopher Monger
© 1995 Miramax Films. All Rights Reserved.

Once upon a time, when Christopher Monger was a little boy, he was told a story by his grandfather. Years later, inspired by it, he decides to make a film that becomes iconic and makes people believe it’s true. Today, I’d like to recommend you “The Englishman Who Went up a Hill but Came down a Mountain”, which couldn’t have a more accurate title. We move back to 1917, during the WWI, where in a fictional (yes, let me point it out) Welsh village named Ffynnon Garw there’s a hill. Because of that hill, two cartographers arrive and decide to professionally measure it. According to their first measurement, the hill is 930 feet tall. When they repeat the procedure, the more accurate number is 984 feet, which still means that it is a hill. However, the villagers wish their hill to be considered a mountain, so they come up with an idea to make it taller. How? Oh, that’s for you to see. But even this short introduction to the story should already put you in the right mood. I’m not going to spoil you the ending, but I guess the title does it for me. Or maybe not? Maybe that’s just to trick you? You need to find out yourselves. I have to say that it’s a classic comedy from the islands and it’s full of Welsh humour, so I know it’s not for everyone. Personally, I like it, but not in big doses, if you know what I mean. What I adored about this film is Welsh language and culture present from the beginning till the end. There’s even this cute “culture battle” between the Welsh and the English, which creates a joyful atmosphere. Just to make it clear – this story is probably made up. We don’t know whether it actually happened, but there are people, who took the story too seriously. The Garth Hill, which is considered to be the inspiration for the hill in the legend, has become quite popular among tourists since the release of this film. If you ask me, I wouldn’t say this story is totally fictional, because in each legend there’s a pinch of truth, and I’d love to climb this hill/mountain. Or maybe I should say: I’d love to climb this hill and come down from the mountain. That would be more accurate. Anyway, if you’re looking for a heartwarming and quite fun comedy for a cold evening, this one is perfect.

My rating: 6/10
S.

It’s people you need a manual for. “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2” (2008)

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directed by Sanaa Hamri
© 2008 Warner Bros. Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

That moment when your feel-good film has a sequel and the sequel actually satisfies you – such an unusual situation, right? Well, in this case, I still prefer the first part, yet the second one made me love those characters even more, so I guess that’s a significant plus. If you haven’t read my previous post and haven’t seen the first film, I’m warning about the upcoming SPOILERS. So, the story continues. Our lovely girls have moved on with life, yet they’re still connected by their friendship and the magic pants. Let’s start with Bridget (Blake Lively) – this summer she goes to Turkey for some archeological dig (the girl loves sandy places, I’m telling you), but she’s also dealing with the discovery she made at home. Her grandmother was sending her letters for many years and Bridget’s father kept them in secret in order to protect his daughter. Bridget has to get back in time and face her mother’s death, which is the trauma she has been avoiding all this time. Lena’s (Alexis Bledel) grandpa dies and she goes to Greece for his funeral, during which she finds out that Kostas (Michael Rady) is married and soon-to-be-a-father. Heartbroken, she focuses on her art studies and soon meets a very charming model, Leo (Jesse Williams). Tibby (Amber Tamblyn) still tries to become a filmmaker and at the same time she’s dating Brian (Leonardo Nam), the gamer she met in the first part. Those two have a little accident and Tibby is worried about being pregnant, which becomes her obsession and the couple goes through some difficult time. Finally, Carmen (America Ferrera), helps in the theatre as a member of the background staff. Her acting friend Julia (Rachel Nichols) tells Carmen that she should join her for the upcoming actor workshop in Vermont, where they always need some extra staff. Carmen agrees to go, but at some point she’s noticed by one male actor, Ian (Tom Wisdom), who encourages her to try getting a role in the play they’re working on. So Carmen has a chance to discover something new and perhaps finally find her path. As I said, this part made me like the characters even more. Bridget has to deal with the suicide of her mother, which she tried forgetting about to move on. But in fact, in order to move on she needed to face it. Lena put her feelings on another trial and proved to herself that maybe she doesn’t fall in love easily, but when she does, she’s 100% in. Tibby went through a difficult situation which she naturally wanted to manage on her own, but then realised that she doesn’t have to do it anymore, because she has a loving partner, who’s teaching her to be less independent, especially in such moments. And Carmen – she’s a symbol of not staying in the shadow, because of stereotypes or fear. If something seems like your cup of tea, go for it and never look back. And the right people to support you will appear for sure. The development of these four characters is amazing and I’m sure that both films influenced many girls all around the world. It’s been about 20 years since they were released, so in case they’ve got forgotten, here I am to remind you about them. I hope for more stories like that to turn into film, especially for younger generations.

My rating: 7/10
S.

Together and apart. “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” (2005)

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directed by Ken Kwapis
© 2005 Warner Bros. Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

There are those feel good films that you could rewatch and rewatch constantly. To me such film is “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants”. First, I read the book and fell in love with all the characters, but also the idea for the story. When the film appeared, I couldn’t imagine a better adaptation. And in this case, I have to say that film wins in my ratings (sorry book lovers). Perhaps for some it can seem like a silly comedy for girls, but to me, it’s a lovely, heart-warming and uplifting story about female support. If you haven’t heard of it, let me shortly introduce you to Bridget, Lena, Tibby and Carmen. They are for best friends whose mothers met while being pregnant with them, so you can say that’s a real friendship since childhood. Even though each girl is one of a kind, they stay very close and their differences don’t seem to be any issue. Bridget (Blake Lively) is a tall sportwoman, in love with running and football. Lena (Alexis Bledel) is a shy and introverted artist of Greek origins. Tibby (Amber Tamblyn) is a rebel, mad with the world and trying to express herself with filmmaking. And finally, Carmen (America Ferrera), a half American, half Mexican, trying to find herself between two cultures. One day, the girls go shopping and find a pair of jeans that, suprisingly, fit all four of them. That’s some kind of magic, because each girl’s body is different. They buy the jeans and turn it into a special item of their sisterhood. During the summer holidays, each girl has to keep the jeans for one week and then send it to another one. At first, it seems just like a cute game to play during the summer, but it turns out that the jeans actually do some magic, but it’s for you to see. Yes, this film really gives me good vibes, but it also scratches some wounds of mine, like the topic of difficult relations with parents, being resistent to love, feeling like an outsider and not fitting in – all that hits hard. When I was younger, this film was like a movie therapy to me, so you can’t even imagine how much it actually helped me growing up. That is why I decided to write about, even though I’m all grown up, this film is still my to-watch in blue times. And I couldn’t choose a better date to post about it than my birthday, so happy getting-older to me and lets hope I’ll find myself a pair of such magic jeans.

My rating: 8/10
S.

Where nothing is as it seems. “Red Rock West” (1993)

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directed by John Dahl
© 1993 Roxie Releasing. All Rights Reserved.

As you know (if you’ve been following me for some time) I’m not the biggest fan of westerns. However, seems like using western-like structures in film is actually my cup of tea. Today’s film isn’t a classic western, but it’s considered a post-western, which is a strange creation to me, but hey – I liked the film so I don’t care much about its labels. Our protagonist here is Michael (Nicolas Cage), a drifter who’s in need of finding a job. That is why he comes to Red Rock town, walks into a bar and… gets hired. But in a specific way. You see, Michael is mistaken for a hitman that the bar owner was waiting to meet. The job is to kill the man’s wife, which Michael obviously doesn’t want to do. He just pretends to be the killer, takes the first half of the money and wishes to leave the town. Since he’s a good-hearted protagonist, he actually visits the bar owner’s wife and tells her about his task. She offers him even more money to kill her husband instead, which again Michael isn’t going to do. Unless the town won’t let him out… I was looking for some relaxing action film from the 90s and that’s exactly what I got here. The story is simple like in a western, but there are some slight plot twists, a pinch of humour and Nicolas Cage in a pretty enjoyable role. A film that was supposed to be a background noise to my cooking became a decent entertainment. I kind of moved back in time to my childhood: Sunday dinner at my grandma’s place and such cinematic gems on TV. I guess I have nothing more to add, because it’s not a masterpiece that has to be analysed for hours – it’s a film that should cheer you up at the weekend and give you nostalgia vibes. And who doesn’t like that from time to time?

My rating: 7/10
S.