Category: comedy

We don’t want to steal, right? “Vinci 2” (2025)

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directed by Juliusz Machulski
© 2025 WFDiF. All Rights Reserved.

Not that long time ago I shared a post about “Vinci” by Juliusz Machulski and I said that if I like this year’s sequel to it, I’ll let you know. So, here I am, letting you know that “Vinci” is still a must-see, but “Vinci 2” isn’t as bad as I thought it would be. There’s absolutely no point for you to be learning about this part if you haven’t seen the first one. Plus, there’ll be some SPOILERS, so be aware. 20 years have passed since the famous heist. Cuma (Robert Więckiewicz) lives in Spain, drinks wine and swims in the pool. Perfect life, huh? However, one day he has a visitor from Poland, who asks Cuma to take part in another “boom boom”, for big money of course. The thief doesn’t agree at first, but then changes his mind and goes to Kraków in Poland, where the first part of the film was set as well. But when he contacts the other criminal, that one changes his mind saying that Cuma is too old for such games and he has younger guys to do it. As you may guess, Cuma definitely won’t just let it be. He decides to stop the other one from stealing the “thing” and also steal it himself. So, robbing the thief. How cool is that? And that “thing” is for you to discover, because the heist is about to be just like the first one, yet different… I was feeling super nostalgic seeing those characters again on a big screen. The second part is way more dramatic, which is something I disliked. So Julian (Borys Szyc), Cuma’s bestie, has relationship problems and instead of a fun action production we get a bit of Brazilian soap opera. As I think about it now, this plot was rather pointless, because it doesn’t affect the main story that much. Speaking of unnecessary parts – the dancing scene. Very pretty, but what the hell for? Also, I know Cuma is 20 years older, but come on – he’s not a senior in a wheelchair. I expected him to be more involved in some actions instead of just managing them. So now you might think this post will be generally negative and my rating will be quite low? No, because I think that Machulski treated the characters with respect and he didn’t ruin the main story like most directors do in sequels. Also, he was aware that the two parts cannot be similar, because there’s a 20-year gap between them, so we have lots of elements from the modern world included like AI or even electric scooters. Another thing that made me enjoy the film are those Easter Eggs and references to his previous work. If you like Machulski, I’m sure you’ll spot some. My favourite egg, however, is the book. In one scene, Cuma is talking to a woman (you’ll see, you’ll know) and she’s holding a book in her hands. That book is “Wisząca Małpa” written by… Juliusz Machulski. Fun surprise or smart marketing? Either way, I smiled seeing it. And generally, I wanted to rate this part 6/10, but then the ending happened. Each time I watched “Vinci”, I couldn’t clearly understand what happened with the painting and the copies, who has which, who has the original one. And in the second film, after 20 years, we finally get the answer, which is a marvellous way to close the story. I was incredibly satisfied with that, so my rating goes higher. Generally, I recommend you to see both parts and simply relax with the cleverest art thief in Kraków.

My rating: 7/10
S.

You don’t like raisins? “Benny & Joon” (1993)

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directed by Jeremiah S. Chechik
© 1993 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. All Rights Reserved.

Recently, I shared a post about “Materialists”, so a modern picture of the dating scene. Today, I’d like to continue the topic of quality relations, but this time from a different perspective. We get to know two adult siblings, Benny and Joon (Aidan Quinn & Mary Stuart Masterson), who lost their parents. Benny is a mechanic and works hard to provide for both of them, since Joon cannot really take up any job. She’s mentally ill and she can barely stay home alone, so working anyhow is impossible. One evening, Benny takes Joon to a poker night, because he couldn’t find any caretaker for her. At some point, Joon loses a game with another player and has to host the man’s weird cousin. Benny is angry, because he already has a lot to manage with Joon, but a bet is a bet. The cousin is named Sam (Johnny Depp) and he’s a quite eccentric person indeed. He doesn’t seem to bother what other people think of him, so he’s considered a weirdo, yet he has a big heart and an open-mind. He doesn’t treat Joon like others do, instead he focuses on her specific character and wishes to understand her better. Those two slowly create a strong bond between each other, which is a real surprise to Benny, who can finally focus more on himself. Perhaps you’ve seen parts of this film with Johnny Depp who’s performing gags in Buster Keaton style. I have to say that he did great in this role and I generally love when Johnny gets such extraordinary characters to play, like Sam, like Mad Hatter in “Alice in Wonderland”, or Willy Wonka in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”. That’s his thing and he nails it. And when it comes to the story itself, I was truly moved because it showed how the world treats people with certain difficulties. They should stay at home, not cause any problems and that’ll be perfect. In the meantime, those people want to experience life like all of us. They want to go on trips, they want to learn new skills, they want to fall in love etc. And just because their behaviour might be considered strange to us, it doesn’t mean we should be judging them for that. Instead, we should help them find people who will appreciate them for who they are. The relation between Joon and Sam is adorable, because they aren’t the same – not at all – but they are curious about each other and they’re not afraid of being themselves. And isn’t it the recipe for a perfect relationship? Also, it’s not like only Sam is there to help Joon. In fact, Joon is able to give him a hand as well. And suddenly, this girl who has always been a problem becomes someone’s support. And in the meantime, Benny may finally stop being a caretaker 24/7 and do more for himself. This film is hilarious at some points, but it also teaches several lessons, so I truly recommend you to see it. And remember – avocado is a fruit.

My rating: 7/10
S.

We promise them love, but the math doesn’t add up. “Materialists” (2025)

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directed by Celine Song
© 2025 A24. All Rights Reserved.

Him? Over 180 cm tall, handsome, muscular, dark hair, very good salary. Her? Maximum 165 cm tall, gorgeous, fit, long hair, definitely before her 30s. Sounds like the expectations towards your partner? Or maybe it sounds nothing like that? Either way, you should watch this film. We get to meet Lucy (Dakota Johnson), a professional matchmaker, thanks to whom 9 couples have already got married. Even though she’s great at matching other people, she stays single, until she marries someone wealthy. And then, Harry Castillo (Pedro Pascal) appears. A very good-looking, charming financier, who asks Lucy to help him find a match. However, it’s just a way to get closer to the matchmaker, because he’s actually very interested in her. In the meantime, Lucy bumps into her ex boyfriend, John (Chris Evans). They used to be a pretty sweet couple, but the main problem was money. John is an artist, taking up random jobs to survive, so he couldn’t satisfy Lucy’s needs to live more fancy. Now, Lucy has a chance to date a man of her dreams, but it seems like the relation with John still cannot be forgotten. Generally, it’s a modern version of a common love story – should the protagonist choose the rich or the poor? Is it surprising? Not really, but this film is a prefect analysis of what dating is all about nowadays. You see, Lucy gets annoyed that at some point her clients have very shallow expectations and they seriously look for their imaginary perfect partner. On the one hand, they pay Lucy for that, so I kind of understand. On the other, we really don’t like to think about the future, do we? I mean, sure, a good looking partner is a blast, but it’s not their height, weight or bank account that will support you in a difficult moment. Personally, I cannot imagine dating someone who is just visually attractive, even though I’d surely appreciate their looks. What if they get me an expensive gift? That’s very nice of them, but will they make me laugh or listen to me when I’m feeling blue? And I mean LISTEN to me. Buuuut, being financially stable is also incredibly important, so I’m not going to judge people for choosing the wealthy partner. Personally, I’ve dated people who weren’t Bill Gates, but I appreciated them for other features. However, if I see the other person doesn’t mind living a basic life with almost no savings, then it becomes quite disturbing. Because I don’t care we don’t have a private plane and we don’t spend holidays in Maldives, but I want my partner to be able to pay for my dinner and take me to the cinema without feeling guilty they won’t have money for their bills. And I have to admit that I’ve felt such way several times and that is why financial stability is crucial to me. I wouldn’t call it being materialistic – it’s pure responsibility about both sides. So if you’re searching for a partner, don’t get rid of your standards, but also make sure they are reasonable. And then, hopefully, you’ll find the one. Wish you that, dear reader.

My rating: 6/10
S.

They like to own something forbidden. “Vinci” (2004)

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directed by Juliusz Machulski
© 2004 Studio Filmowe Zebra. All Rights Reserved.

Over twenty years later I’ll soon see a sequel to one of my favourite Polish films. But before I see part II, perhaps it’s a good moment to introduce you to part I, which was released in 2004. If you like action films that trick you with several twists, then you’ll enjoy this one as well. We get to meet Cuma (Robert Więckiewicz), a quite known art thief, who’s just got out of prison. Even though he was sentenced for stealing art, he doesn’t mind going back to business. This time the spotlight is on the “Lady with an Ermine”, the famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci. It’s about to return from Japan to Poland and it seems like a perfect occasion to steal the piece. Cuma contacts his old friend Julian (Borys Szyc), hoping the man will join him again. However, even though Julian owes Cuma a lot, it turns out that he’s now… a police officer. If that’s not complicated enough, Julian comes up with an idea – he will help Cuma steal the painting, but at the same time he’ll make sure that the painting won’t be sold to some overly wealthy guy who just wants to have something special in their mansion. And in order to succeed, Julian starts cooperating with Magda (Kamila Baar), an incredibly talented art student. What comes out of this cooperation is for you to see. Generally, I’m a big fan of Juliusz Machulski as a director, so you may say I’m not being objective. However, I saw “Vinci” before even exploring his other films and I already loved it. It’s a complete story to me, because it has well-written characters, an adventure, lots of plot twists, a pinch of humour and all that is covered with respect for art. I remember that after watching this film for the first time I wanted to learn more about painting techniques. No worries, I’m no art thief – I’d rather die of anxiety than plan something like this. But what I mean to say is that good films don’t only entertain you – they should also push you to exploring some topics. And I guess that’s the best about Machulski’s productions. Recently, I rewatched “Vinci” and I still felt entertained, even though I knew the story very well. Soon, we will have a chance to see “Vinci 2” and I’m both excited and worried about it. On the one hand, I’ll be thrilled to see Cuma and Julian once again, after all those years, but on the other – it’s a sequel made about 20 years later. The possibility that it might be a slight failure is high, like with most sequels. But hey, I’m staying positive! So if you see a post about part II in a few weeks it means they succeeded with the sequel. If there’ll be no post, let’s accept the reality, alright? After all, there’s always part I, which is truly awesome, so go ahead and join the heist in Kraków.

My rating: 8/10
S.

Grotesque and disgusting. “The Big Feast” (“La grande bouffe”, 1973)

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directed by Marco Ferreri
© 1973 Films 66. All Rights Reserved.

If you’re looking for something to watch while having a meal, don’t choose this one. DO NOT choose this one. I made this mistake and I had to stop the film to finish my lunch in peace. Just as the title says, you’re about to experience a big feast. So what happens during that film? Are they eating and that’s it? Well, pretty much, yes. But there’s more to notice if you look closely. We get to know four friends, who have way too much money and way too much time to waste. Classic upper class. And as you can imagine, they come up with a “brilliant” idea to spend a weekend in a villa and eat themselves to death. No, I haven’t made a mistake and your reading skills are on point – they want to commit suicide by eating huge amounts of food. Why? Because they can. And that last sentence is the perfect summary of this story. So, the spoilt men have a villa, lots of food, and the only thing they’re missing is sex to feel completely satisfied. Here come some lovely ladies, whose job is to keep the eaters company. What you see next is exactly what you might be expecting. They eat, have sex, eat, talk about pointless things, eat, fart, eat, waste oxygen as human parasites, eat… So why am I recommending this film? Firstly, it’s super weird and sometimes we need to watch something that surprises us. Oh this one does, trust me. Secondly, I really like the idea behind the story. The director presents upper class in the most suitable environment, where they can be themselves. They only care about pleasing themselves and even if they have enough, they still want more. Why? Because they can. They could spend money in order to help others, they could share this food with those who need it, they could build healthy relationships instead of pleasing themselves with the use of prostitutes. But they choose the easier way. Why? Everybody, say it with me: BECAUSE THEY CAN! I felt both disgusted and amused by this production, but also got some food for thought (this expression fits perfectly right now). I believe the director had a marvellous idea to make such film and even if it may seem disgusting at so many levels, try to watch and reflect on it yourselves.

My rating: 6/10
S.

I don’t believe in quantum physics when it comes to matters of the heart. “Bull Durham” (1988)

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directed by Ron Shelton
© 1988 Orion Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

We’ve just had presidential election in my country and I need to wash my brain in bleach and set it on fire. Or I could also recommend you a rom-com with baseball in the background. I guess the second option sounds better. At least for now. So, let’s move back to the 80s and have fun with very young Susan Sarandon, Kevin Costner and Tim Robbins. That last one plays the role of Nuke, a young guy who perhaps doesn’t like to use his head too often (if you know what I mean), but he’s quite of a talent when it comes to baseball. In order to calm him down and work on his technique, Crash (Kevin Costner), a player with more years of experience, appears. Obviously, those two start to compete, because they don’t seem to respect each other that much, but there’s also one more reason. And that reason is a woman. Annie (Susan Sarandon) is an absolute groupie of the team and she’s also a dedicated educator, because each year she chooses a different player to have a romance with. And since the guys are younger and less experienced than her, she enjoys being the teacher. What a wonderful person, isn’t she? Things get complicated when Annie finds two players quite interesting – and yes, you’ve guessed it right, those are our two competing roosters. It’s a very relaxing comedy and it gives the 80s vibes so I cannot complain. Generally, it’s a combination of two ideas. One is a picture of a sport team where you don’t only need to be well-trained, but you also need to learn how to be a team-player. A lot of people praised this production for the way it presented baseball and its atmosphere. I cannot say much about it because I’ve never been interested in such sports, so perhaps they are right. The second idea, however, is the love story and the picture of a woman, who finally finds someone to challenge her romantically. What I mean by that is Annie has always been the leader and the dominant figure because she couldn’t find similar or more intense energy from another man. Until Crash has crushed into her heart (please, appreciate this wordplay!). Maybe I don’t know much about sport, but I’m very familiar with Annie’s case and it was fascinating to watch such character. So, if you need some romantic experiences and lots of sweaty men with bats and balls (I’m talking about baseball, obviously!), then grab a cold drink and relax with this trio.

My rating: 6/10
S.

Our entire life is a punishment. “Mickey 17” (2025)

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directed by Bong Joon Ho
© 2025 Warner Bros. Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Lots of people are disappointed with this film, but I’m here to support it and actually recommend it to you. It’s the kind of sci-fi that I personally really enjoy watching, because it plays with my mind, emotions and morality, so if you also like to be “played” by filmmakers – voilà. We move to 2054 where a man named Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson) is a member of a colonising crew. Some years before, a team of people decided to conquer an ice-planet called Niflheim and the mission continues. Mickey’s job is quite controversial because he has to risk his life on a daily basis. Well… not even risk it – he goes to work in order to die. Before you lose your mind trying to understand, let me explain: Mickey gets incredibly difficult tasks to do thanks to which the crew learns about the new planet. If there’s some unknown place to explore or some substance to try – Mickey is the guy. How is it possible this guy is still alive? The answer is: reprinting. When Mickey dies during a mission, his body gets reprinted, so basically they create Mickey’s clone. But what’s quite innovative is the fact that his original memory stays. So even though Mickey has been reprinted several times, he’s still the same person, who remembers all his deaths. Yeah, that’s the creepy part. Things get complicated when Mickey survives one mission despite being considered dead and the crew reprints him before he even dies… Are you still following? If not, you must see the film to clear things out. Anyway, I love the idea and I had a lot of fun watching this production. Pattinson is great as Mickey, who’s slightly goofy and naive, so I was quite surprised. Personally, I wouldn’t have guessed the actor could do well with such task, but he nailed it. There are lots of hilarious moments, but there’s also the other side, which definitely caught my attention. You see, in such reality, Mickey becomes a lab rat, who is pushed to doing things others wouldn’t even dare trying. Of course, he can be reprinted, so basically he’s immortal, but the memories are saved, which means all the deaths stay with him. Some might be quick, but others are long and painful. It’s terrifying to imagine. In fact, Mickey, in my opinion, represents all the animals that humans torture in order to receive certain answers. Just in Mickey’s case, he gave his consent. Animals cannot do that. And animals cannot be reprinted. It’s just another film showing how cruel and selfish humans can be. Yet, it’s told in a fresh and quite interesting way, so to me – this is a cool sci-fi production that you should see.

My rating: 6/10
S.

Please do not disturb a busy man. “My Grandmother” (“Chemi bebia”, 1929)

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directed by Kote Mikaberidze
© 1929 Georgian-Film. All Rights Reserved.

You truly need to see this film to understand why it’s such a magnificent production. Recently, the Klassiki team has shared several satire films from the USSR on their platform and I was invited to see them, which I gladly did. Today I’d like to recommend you “My Grandmother”, directed by a Georgian director, which was actually banned in the USSR for many years. How surprising! And you may soon get why. It’s about a man (Aleksandre Takaishvili), who’s a bureaucrat working at an office. From the very beginning we can see that it’s not an ordinary office when it comes to the visual part, but definitely typical when it comes to the atmosphere and work intensity. I’m sure you’re all very excited when you need to go any kind of office and try to get things done. First you need to find the right room, then find out the room is actually wrong, so you need to go to another one which turns up to be closed, so you go to someone else to ask for help, they send you to yet another room and you basically feel like Asterix during that one task of his (if you’re not sure what I’m talking about, I recommend seeing “The Twelve Tasks of Asterix”, 1976). Let’s be honest – bureaucracy looks exactly the same everywhere, so in each office there’s a bunch of people who have no idea what they’re doing and they’re so tired of that that taking breaks becomes their favourite activity. In today’s film we have this idea presented in a rather abstract way, but I’m sure you’ll relate to it anyway. Getting back to our protagonist – the man loses his job, so he has to find a way to get a new one. And at this moment we’re introduced to his wife (Bella Chernova), who’s a true icon of this film. The woman is so mad with her husband that she becomes a complete nightmare chasing him with pure anger in her eyes. If you needed some strong female character – here she is, you won’t be disappointed. In order to get back to work, the man is advised to get a letter of recommendation from a “grandmother”, because apparently that’s the only way. I had so much fun watching this production, because it is hilarious at numerous moments. However, what actually amazed me are all the techniques they managed to use there. I can tell it took a lot of creativity and a lot of work to make it, which is quite paradoxical considering what the story of the film is about. I couldn’t believe it was made in 1929! I really wish current film crews watched more of those old gems and got inspired to be more innovative. The camerawork, the unusual frames, the moving objects… all that made the film incredibly interesting. If I may – my favourite little moments are when the protagonist is cleaning his glasses (you’ll see why), and also when he talks to another man and puts his glasses on him (you’ll see what’s special about it). Those are those little things that matter to me, so if you’re also a meticulous cinephile, you will have so much fun!

My rating: 8/10
S.

You don’t get old at the table. “Nonnas” (2025)

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directed by Stephen Chbosky
© 2025 Netflix. All Rights Reserved.

If you’re starting the week with as much energy as I do (which is surely below zero), then you may need some nonnas in your life! Nonnas – meaning grandmas. Their sarcasm, their hugs and also their cooking. Even though I’m an adult myself and I’m the one cooking now, I still miss my grandmas’ dishes. They were experts in the kitchen and I have no idea how they were doing it, but everything tasted better at their place. No matter how hard I try to repeat some recipe, I always miss one thing – I’m not my grandma. That’s it. And if you share similar reflections with me, then this film will cheer you up. We get to know Joe (Vince Vaughn), a middle-aged man who’s just lost his beloved mother. The man is obviously grieving and searching for a way to feel better. That’s also a very emotional moment in his life, so he suddenly finds some motivation to make huge changes. Joe comes up with an idea to open an Italian restaurant where the chefs would be grandmas of Italian origin. At first even his family considers it a ridiculous way to waste money, but Joe is stubborn and does everything to make his new little dream come true. Isn’t it adorable? But before you melt completely, let me just add that this film is based on a real story of Joe Scaravella who’s the owner of such restaurant with nonna-chefs. When it comes to the idea itself, I find is marvellous. Not only we can eat delicious dishes, but also those women get a chance to stay active and keep working. And I believe it’s incredibly important, because a lot of elderly people feel useless and unwanted – which is absolutely not right. They have so many skills and we should be learning from them as long as it’s possible. When it comes to the film, I guess it’s a cute comedy that is here to make your day a bit brighter. And from time to time we really need such good vibes, so I’m sharing them with you and I hope you’ll have fun with those Italian nonnas.

My rating: 6/10
S.

It’s not enough to survive, you’ve got to live. “Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy” (2025)

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directed by Michael Morris
© 2025 Universal Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Oh Bridget… I can’t even name the number of times you cheered me up after another failed relation. Whenever I had a broken heart, she was there with me to sing “All by Myself”, drunk, in a cute pyjamas. I simply adore this woman, although the third film was already slightly disappointing to me – you absolutely cannot compare it to the first two. That is why I had quite mixed feelings about the 4th part. On the one hand, I was excited because Bridget is back, on the other… what could go wrong…? Well, the first thing that hits us like a metal chair (SPOILER COMING) is that her one and only love, Mark Darcy (Colin Firth), has died, so Bridget (Renée Zellweger) is now a widow with two children, Billy and Mabel (Casper Knopf & Mila Jankovic). Before you get frustrated, let me just add that it’s exactly what happens in the book as well, so it wasn’t the filmmaker’s choice. To all Darcy’s fans – I feel you… Anyway, Bridget is a happy mother of two adorable kiddos, but she’s single again, so her friend comes up with an idea to create Bridget’s profile of Tinder. She’s a bit unsure about it at first, but that leads to dating Roxster (Leo Woodall), a much, much younger man. In the meantime, we also get to know Scott Walliker (Chiwetel Ejiofor), Bridget’s children’s teacher, who is just there somewhere in the background, but as you might be guessing he may become quite significant at some point. First things first – I’m not disappointed about this part. In fact, I feel like this one is better than the third one and we get to experience the good old Bridget Jones. As much as I am sad about the death of Mark, there are two good sides of that. One – Bridget gets to date a much younger man, which is still some kind of a taboo topic. The other way round? No problemo. But when the woman is the older one in the couple, then it seems unusual. So I’m glad that we’re fighting with the age stereotype and show that love may be found literally in any combination. And two – I’m glad for the character of Scott, the teacher. He’s a middle-aged man who has always wanted to find true love and start a family, but it’s just never happened. And that’s something we often see being pictured about women – that they “failed” to find that special someone and have children. But it works both ways – there are such men as well. And it’s not about failing, but about something I personally call “fate”. We may be disappointed that life hasn’t worked out the way we wanted, but there’s something else coming. Something different, maybe better, but surely something specifically for us. This film also covers the topic of men’s loneliness, which is an important thing to talk about. And Bridget? She’ll manage anytime, anywhere. Just like all of you reading it. Thank you Jones for being just the way you are; in your silly little boots, silly little dress and absolutely enormous pants.

My rating: 7/10
S.