Category: comedy

This simple life of yours is nice. “Faraway” (2023)

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directed by Vanessa Jopp
© 2023 Netflix. All Rights Reserved.

Recently, I went for a short trip to Croatia. It wasn’t my first time there and definitely not the last, because it’s a country where I feel great. I love the people, the culture, the atmosphere and the language, so today I’d like to share a bit of my love to Croatia. This film was actually recommended to me by my Croatian friend and I’m so thankful for that! I don’t remember when was the last time I’d had so much laugh before watching this comedy. We get to know Zaynep (Naomi Krauss), a middle-aged woman of Turkish origin living in Germany. She’s just lost her mother and finds out the woman had a house in Croatia, which now belongs to her. Considering the fact that Zaynep feels unhappy with her current life and lacks of support or affection coming from her husband, she decides to get into a car and drive straight to Croatia. That was the moment I started to love this character, you go girl! When she finally reaches the house, she meets Josip (Goran Bogdan), a Croatian man who knew her mother and by her permission was living in that house. Zeynep informs him that she’s planning to sell or rent it to tourists, which Josip doesn’t approve at all. From now on he tries to show Zaynep the beauty of this place and the importance of keeping it to herself. You know that I love Croatia, so the fact I could watch a film set there was already a big plus for me. But it wasn’t the only one, because another thing I appreciate is the script. Obviously, since it’s a romcom, you can already guess how the story goes and what “unexpected” events occur. However, the dialogues between Zaynep and Josip are just wonderful. You can really feel this German-Croatian energy between them, where the woman is rather strict and cold, while the man is a chilled dreamer with a Balkan vibe. Some texts are hilarious, so I seriously had a good time. Another thing that I find amazing in this film is that the main character is a middle-aged woman who fights for her happiness and comfort. Despite her age, she wants to feel alive, experience new things and make mistakes like a child – without embarrassment. Thanks to Josip, she feels safe to experiment and restart her life. Also, the man, who has been left heartbroken, gets a second chance to open up and start trusting another person. It’s seriously a lovely story about two grown-ups rearranging their lives, but also learning a lot of new things from each other. I’m always happy to see people of different ages and nationalities in films, because it makes the story unique. How many more comedies about Americans in their 20s can we stand? Enough is enough. So I seriously recommend you this film to brighten your day and perhaps fall in love with Croatia. Or a handsome homeless Croat. Choose yourself.

My rating: 8/10
S.

Next role – saving the world. “Galaxy Quest” (1999)

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directed by Dean Parisot
© 1999 DreamWorks Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

We all need such films from time to time, so here I am, sharing my suggestion for your lovely weekend. I just hope that if you’re a fan of “Star Trek”, you won’t get offended. The comedy I’m recommending today is about a group of actors playing in a fictional sci-fi TV series called “Galaxy Quest”. They are incredibly popular for pretending to be interstellar travellers. One day, the actors are approached by some fans of theirs, who present themselves as Thermians. The series main character, Jason (Tim Allen), guesses that those people just want to invite him for some event in order to promote their own… whatever it is. So he agrees to join them for a trip and soon finds out that Thermians are actually aliens… But no worries, those are the good aliens. They actually saw “Galaxy Quest” and thought it’s a documentary, so they are pretty sure that the man they brought to their starship is an actual commander, not just an actor. What’s more – this “commander” has to help Thermians in negotiations with their enemy, Sarris (Robin Sachs). Personally, I’ve never been a fan of such productions like “Star Trek” (forgive me), but this comedy caught my attention mostly because of the cast. Except Tim Allen as the “commander”, we can also see Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Tony Shalhoub, Sam Rockwell, Justin Long, Rainn Wilson or Missi Pyle. So when I spotted the cast, I just had to watch the film. And in the end, I had a lot of fun. At first you might have this impression that it’s a mean parody of “Star Trek” and their fans, but I wouldn’t agree. In fact, a lot of “Star Trek” fans appreciate this film and consider it a cult production. It’s just the base of the story that’s mocking the famous series, but generally it’s about an unqualified man trying to save the world. And since it’s happening in space, then a sci-fi series actor seems like a great choice for this role. Besides, I have a thing for the 90s comedies and their humour, so whatever you show me from those years, I shall be satisfied. So if you’re looking for a chill film to see this weekend with friends or family, I definitely recommend this one.

My rating: 6/10
S.

I can’t live without me best pal! “Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl” (2024)

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directed by Nick Park & Merlin Crossingham
© 2024 Netflix. All Rights Reserved.

So far I haven’t shared a single post about any Wallace & Gromit film, but I have to tell you that I’m a fan of those pals. If you’ve been reading me for some time, you already know I absolutely love stop-motion animation, so I couldn’t ignore Wallace & Gromit, could I? Especially since I was yet a child when the first films with them got released. In fact, Wallace & Gromit films are classified as claymation – so animation with the use of clay figures. Imagine how much work people need to put to make such production… Unbelievable. Anyway, for those of you who haven’t seen any Wallace & Gromit films, let me introduce you to them. Wallace (Ben Whitehead) is a bit clumsy guy in a cute sleeveless sweater who keeps inventing ridiculous machines. His best friend is Gromit, a dog, who’s the smart one and always has to save his owner from even stranger things than Wallace’s inventions. The first story of Wallace & Gromit was presented in a short film “A Grand Day Out” (1989), so we’ve been blessed by those adorable animations for over 35 years now. The one I’m recommending you today is the newest one, made in 2024. This time Wallace invented a gnome robot called Norbot in order to help Gromit in the garden (yes, the dog loves gardening, why so shocked?). Norbot does everything so perfectly that neighbours ask to hire it to their own gardens, which sounds like a great business plan to Wallace. And here comes Feathers McGraw, a penguin, which is Wallace & Gromit enemy known from the previous adventures. He’s stuck in prison, but manages to reprogram Norbot and begin his huge revenge with a whole army of garden gnomes! Are you thrilled yet? Then you must see this film! I adore how abstract Wallace & Gromit adventures can be, but I guess that’s what makes them outstanding even after all these years. Besides, despite the technological development, those animations still share the same vibe, so old fans don’t get disappointed. I feel like currently popular animations are missing good ideas. The filmmakers try to be so original that they focus too much on the form, instead of the story. We really miss some good animations about simple friendships. That’s it. And I love that Wallace & Gromit show up to remind us about that. I hope you have fun, get back to older films with those two pals, and appreciate stop-motion animation even more.

My rating: 7/10
S.

I’m not being paid enough for this. “Anora” (2024)

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directed by Sean Baker
© 2024 Neon. All Rights Reserved.

This film was a big surprise for me. Honestly speaking, I didn’t like the previous productions by Sean Baker, but this one is something different, so give it a try. The film is considered to be a comedy/drama, and I have to say that the comedy part is quite average, but the drama part can hit you hard. We get to know Anora (Mikey Madison), a 23-year-old woman working as a stripper. She’s attractive and sensual, so making a living out of it comes easy to her. One day, she’s introduced to Vanya (Mark Eydelshteyn), a spoilt 21-year-old, who also happens to be a Russian oligarch son. The boy… I mean, the man (after all he’s 21) likes Anora and pays for her company several times. Since he’s a wealthy kiddo, the woman earns a lot for those meetings and even though she’s not really into him, the game continues. She makes him believe she’s actually enjoying this time spent together. Anora’s so convincing that Vanya falls in love and wants to marry her. Disgustingly rich husband and a chance for a better quality life? Sounds like a dream come true! Unfortunately, Vanya’s family isn’t supporting this idea, but… it’s a bit too late, because the couple has already made it official… At first, I wasn’t taking the story too seriously, especially since I knew it’s also a comedy. Indeed, there are several moments that may make you giggle, but the longer you watch, the more you understand the perspective of Anora. However, the reason why I appreciated the film is actually hidden at the end, so I need to share my thoughts about it and yes, SPOILERS are coming. So… to me, what happens at the end is a tragic summary of Anora’s life and destiny. No matter how sensitive, loving, affectionate you are, if you get into such business, you slowly deprive yourself of having healthy feelings. If on a daily basis they treat you like a sex toy and a great body to stare at, then you unconsciously forget what it’s like to be appreciated for who you are deep inside. Even if you find someone important to you, there’s some invisible barrier between what you can and what you want to express. This is really complicated, but if you watch the film and pay attention to the ending, you may understand my point of view. In my opinion, this story is amazing for its dramatic side. The question I ask myself – is this problem of losing oneself only an issue among sex workers and strippers, or maybe it’s more common? I guess no matter who we are, the pressure of our times may push us to masking our needs and feelings. What if one day the mask won’t go off? “Anora” has led me to such reflections, so let’s see where it’ll lead you.

My rating: 7/10
S.

Bananas! Bananas everywhere! “House” (“Hausu”, 1977)

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directed by Nobuhiko Ôbayashi
© 1977 Toho. All Rights Reserved.

Some time ago I found a post with a list of films that are quite… specific. I mean, they are one of a kind, difficult to explain, sort of must-see because there’s no other way to understand them. Alright, challenge accepted. I decided to see one of the films from the list and that was “House” (1977). I was aware of the fact that Japanese cinema likes to be overly dramatic and as a European cinephile it’s hard for me to stand their intensity of literally every aspect of the film. But seems like I knew nothing back then and now I can tell – it can get even more intense, my dear. If you want to see something extreme, you’re reading the right recommendation. So, it starts pretty casually, with a school girl called Gorgeous (Kimiko Ikegami) who wanted to spend summer with her dad, but he got married and changed his plans. Devastated Gorgeous (apparently a mother-in-law wasn’t her dream companion at that time) contacts her aunt that she hasn’t seen in many years and asks to visit her. When the woman agrees, Gorgeous takes her six friends, each of whom has a name connected to something particular about them. My favourite is Mac – because she eats a lot. Japanese like joking about Americans since forever, I guess. All of them reach the aunt’s house and then the film looks like the mind of Salvador Dalí. I mean, I got the general idea of the story, but what I saw on the screen cannot be described by a human being. Let me put it this way – would I watch it again? No. But I’m glad I’ve done it at least once, because it takes a very creative person to come up with such surreal images. Besides, it’s a film from 1977, so I believe back then it was even more bizarre for viewers. In fact, at first this horror wasn’t much appreciated, but I guess it “opened some doors” for other horror filmmakers and showed them that there are no limits in cinema. So after all those years, “House” is considered a classic and I think every horror fan should definitely see it. Personally, I love horrors, but maybe a slightly different kind, so it was a fun adventure, my imagination feels exercised, I appreciate the efforts, but once is enough. However, the hungry piano will always remain in my heart. Watch the film and you’ll see.

My rating: 7/10
S.

It’s nice to have met you. “Today Again” (“Un oggi alla volta”, 2024)

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directed by Nicola Conversa
© 2024 One More Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Important confession: I sometimes love to watch teen comedies/dramas to do a lot of awwwing and such. Even though I’m an adult, those stories always make me feel good somewhere deep inside. Recently, I randomly found “Today Again” and thought it could be a great choice for a relaxing evening. The number of emotions I went through while watching this “teen comedy” is difficult to count. Let me introduce you to it and perhaps you’ll join me on this emotional rollercoaster. We get to know Marco (Tommaso Cassissa), a rather awkward teenager, who’s not the brightest student. Except successfully failing school, he’s also an introvert and doesn’t feel anyhow comfortable in social situations. One day, at a bar, he meets an incredibly attractive girl and manages to get her number. Unfortunately, she apparently didn’t like the date equally much so she gave Marco a wrong number. Classic move, huh? All his messages reached another girl, Aria (Ginevra Francesconi). At first, Marco is devastated and embarrassed, but soon he realises that Aria is even more interesting than the bar girl. Those two start meeting and the boy is visibly crazy for Aria, but she’s 100% friend-zoning him, which obviously doesn’t stop Marco from trying to win her heart. What’s more, Aria has already graduated, so she’s able to help Marco in studying. Sounds like an adorable teen love story? Maybe, but there’s a secret one of them is hiding, which may turn everything upside down. This film is hilarious, because of numerous gags and the character of Marco, who’s adorably clumsy. It’s also dramatic because of the secret I’ve already mentioned, but there’s no way I’m spoiling that part. It’s actually very well-done – there are so many beautiful pictures in this film, so please pay attention to that as well. However, it’s surely not another boring love story, so prepare yourself for some plot twists and reflection. In the end, I found the story comforting, despite several moments which gave me unpleasant chills. No matter if you’re a teen or an adult – please, find a moment to see this film.

My rating: 7/10
S.

I am the Fury. “Polite Society” (2023)

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directed by Nida Manzoor
© 2023 Universal Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

I had so much fun! If you’re into comedies that are also action films with a pinch of musical and girl power movement, then you’ll love this one! Ria (Priya Kansara) is a British-Pakistani teenager and her dream is to become a stuntwoman. Yes, girl! She practices martial arts and shoots films where she performs as “the Fury”. Her biggest supporter and best friend is her sister, Lena (Ritu Arya), who’s just dropped out of art school. They are both “disappointments” in their parents’ eyes, who are rather traditional people and obviously wish for their children to do serious jobs, be wealthy and get married to a decent man (preferably a rich doctor). Speaking of that, one day the whole family is invited to celebrate a religious holiday at the mother’s friend’s place. The host turns out to have a son she wishes to find a perfect match for. Unfortunately, the young man is very much interested in Lena, which means she would not pursue her dream of becoming a professional artist, but become a wife to some spoilt big boy. Ria cannot stand this so she does everything to separate those two. And then she realises that her biggest opponent won’t be Lena or her boyfriend, but his mother Raheela (Nimra Bucha). The woman is incredibly motivated to make the wedding happen and she’ll fight till the end, using all kinds of weapons, including… wax. Don’t ask, just watch. This story is very well balanced, because it focuses on the old topic of forcing young women to give up on their career and marry fast, but it’s formed into a surreal comedy with great dialogues and action scenes. So even though I felt entertained, I still caught the message coming out of it and I really hope other viewers will as well. Besides, we need such badass female protagonist like Ria, because I believe such characters shape girls’ minds and encourage them to choose their own path, no matter what. You want to be a stuntwoman? Sure. You want to be a pilot? Great. You want to be a rally driver? A firefighter? An astronaut? Go for it! Your value doesn’t depend on your non-existing husband. Period! So glad I found this film and I hope you’ll have fun watching it too.

My rating: 7/10
S.

If now is not the time to grieve, I don’t know what to tell you. “A Real Pain” (2024)

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directed by Jesse Eisenberg
© 2024 Searchlight Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Maybe I’ll surprise you with this statement at the beginning, but I was slightly disappointed. So many people were telling me about Eisenberg’s newest film and how much they recommend it. I watched it, I liked it, but no way I could call it a “masterpiece”. Perhaps it’s somehow exotic for Americans, but as a Pole I felt like they americanised my country’s picture, so no, this is definitely not the best portrait of the Polish culture. Bang, I said it. Still, I believe it’s a quite pleasant story to see, therefore I’m writing this post. We’re following two American brothers, David and Benji (Jesse Eisenberg & Kieran Culkin), whose Jewish grandmother was living in Poland. That is why they sign up for an organised trip to discover this country and try to learn about their ancestors’ heritage. David is more of a calm, family guy, who just wishes to experience everything with respect, while Benji is the exact opposite, not taking things that seriously and hiding his feelings behind a huge smile and goofy jokes. As you can imagine, those two have quite different priorities in life, as well as during the trip, so a lot of arguments and adventures are about to happen. I see that Eisenberg created the characters of brothers to show different degrees of feeling pain, but what I got from this film is a reminder that each person has their own sensitivity and way of expressing emotions. So just because Benji is an easygoing guy making fun of everything, it doesn’t mean his pain is of a lesser importance than David’s. I also liked the scene where they were taking pictures with the Warsaw Uprising Monument and Benji started having fun, kind of roleplaying with other tourists, which was something that David found disrespectful. Not taking any sides, but that scene is quite interesting as a discussion starter – how should we approach history nowadays? However, the scene I honestly hated was the one where the brothers put stones in front of the door (you’ll see what door and why) and some random guy got mad about it. Jesse… no. Nobody would care about those stones, definitely not a guy who doesn’t even live in that house. He would rather ask who you are and tell you to go away instead of fussing about some little stones. Yeah, I know you wanted to give a scene explaining the Jewish custom and how little Poles might care about that now, I get it, but you could have worked on that a bit more. As a Pole, I’ve seen several mistakes in this film, so I’m sorry for not being amazed like my cinephile friends from other countries, but two things I admire about it are: showing that every person’s pain is valid (no matter how they express it) and the performance of Kieran Culkin. He really catches attention there and I’m glad we’re seeing more of him nowadays. Wishing you numerous chances to shine, Kieran! To sum up, it’s a good film, but as a Pole I have to say that Polish homework hasn’t been done well. C+ from me (or since in Poland we use numbers as grades, 4+).

My rating: 6/10
S.

No eating after midnight. “Gremlins” (1984)

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directed by Joe Dante
© 1984 Warner Bros. All Rights Reserved.

Ho, ho, ho! Are you hoping for some overly cute romantic comedy for Christmas? Not this time, buddy. This year has been a real rollercoaster of unexpected events, so I’m about to stay in the mood and today, I have a horror for you. Well, it’s not much of a horror, rather a creepy comedy that’s happening around the Christmas time. But if you asked me about this film when I was yet a child, I’d probably hide under a blanket. So if you want to know what film kept me awake when I was a kiddo, keep reading. It all starts with a man named Randall (Hoyt Axton) who is looking for a Christmas gift for his son, Billy (Zach Galligan). In one store, he finds a cute little creature that looks like a mix of a teddy bear, monkey and Dumbo the elephant. It’s called “mogwai”, which in Cantonese means “devil”. Perfect Christmas gift if you ask me. The little furry devil comes with 3 rules to remember. One – never expose it to light because it may kill it. Two – never let it have any contact with water. Three – a true nightmare of overworked adults – never let it eat after midnight. As you might be already guessing, all those three rules get broken at some point – that’s the fun part of a horror, right? The little devil is given a new name – Gizmo, and step by step smart humans around him break the three rules. Gizmo is accidentally exposed to a bit of light, which doesn’t kill it, but hurts it. Then, Billy’s friend spills some water on Gizmo and… something happens, but it’s for you to see. That part is rather funny, but stay with me, because there’s still the third rule. And that’s the moment when you realise why this adorable creature was originally called “mogwai”… Not sure you want your children to watch the film, because I remember I was seriously scared of some of its parts. However, as an adult, I feel deep nostalgia and even recently I got myself a Gizmo toy. The cashier asked whether it’s for my child and I said: “no, it’s for me, but I promise not to shower it.” – the lady didn’t catch that. So if you grew up watching “Gremlins”, I bet you must be a great person with numerous traumas to discuss with your therapist. Anyway, if you feel some Spielberg’s vibes watching the film, you’re feeling them right because he’s the executive producer and his adventurous nature can be spotted there. However, rumours say he considered giving this project to Tim Burton, which is difficult to imagine for me. I mean, I adore both directors, but each of them is living in his own world. Not sure a mix of both would be such a success. Anyway, if you’re looking for some 80s vibes and something to see this Christmas which will put all the kids to bed immediately, then you know what to choose. And if you enjoy it, there’s also a sequel from 1990. I hope you’ll have a good time, but remember… don’t you dare eating after midnight…

My rating: 7/10
S.

Would you like to go to the cinema? “Fallen Leaves” (“Kuolleet lehdet”, 2023)

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directed by Aki Kaurismäki
© 2023 B-Plan Distribution. All Rights Reserved.

I remember when I was still studying Film and New Media at university, we were also discussing Finnish cinema and its icon – Aki Kaurismäki. Maybe I’m not the biggest fan who could watch his films over and over, but I do like to see something by him from time to time. He has a very specific style of filmmaking, which I like to call “raw and slow”. His characters never hurry nor make us feel energised, quite the opposite. If you decide to watch a Kaurismäki’s film, you choose a rather peaceful evening, during which you’re fine not to drift away with your imagination too much. That’s what I mean by “raw” – his films are way too real, even if sometimes with a pinch of absurd or humour. In today’s story, we get to know two singles, Ansa and Holappa (Alma Pöysti & Jussi Vatanen). The woman works in a supermarket and the man works as a sandblaster, and they both aren’t thrilled with what they do. They happen to meet at a karaoke bar, but not like in most romantic comedies, so their relation doesn’t move forward that fast. In fact, it doesn’t move at all, because they didn’t even exchange names or numbers. Their single and pretty gloomy lives go on, but it wouldn’t be a romantic drama if those two didn’t meet again, right? They do, but still, not in a movie way. I kind of felt like watching a documentary about singles in their 30/40s, because all the situations those two are involved in are rather awkward and usual. But at the same time, you feel a real connection between them – just like a connection some of us may have with another human that we’re dating. If you expect two pretty actors in fancy clothes bumping into each other in snow, staring into each other’s eyes and immediately falling in love – then Hallmark productions are waiting. However, if you want to experience “raw” chemistry between two simple people, then this film is a good choice to make. To be honest, it’s actually a quite comforting story, especially since we’re surrounded by all those overly cute and idealistic romances. I’m glad we have such filmmakers like Kauriskmäki to remind us that love can be also presented without filters. The older you are, the more life baggage you carry, so your romantic relations must be different, often more complex. And there’s nothing to be ashamed of, and definitely you shouldn’t feel like love is no longer meant for you. Maybe we should stop following celebrities on social media presenting fake realities, and just grab that nice person we know and go to the cinema? Boring? Nah, it’s just a beginning of a new adventure, just in less saturated colours. 

My rating: 6/10
S.