Category: comedy

Are you expecting it to be safe? “Beau Is Afraid” (2023)

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directed by Ari Aster
© 2023 A24. All Rights Reserved.

Ari, Ari, Ari… I admire this man so much for his bravery to make films that are so unusual that there’s a huge risk of not reaching to many viewers. However, his work is loved not only by me, but millions of other cinephiles, and perhaps that’s why I had such big expectations before watching today’s film. As you see, I’m still recommending it, so I did like it in the end, but it’s definitely not my favourite production by Ari Aster. In this story we get to know Beau (Joaquin Phoenix), a middle-aged man living alone in a really dangerous city. He struggles with a serious anxiety and has to be taking meds in order to function. Beau is preparing for visiting his mother, who is a wealthy and successful person, but because of certain reasons he misses the flight and has to come up with some other way to reach her. Things get complicated and the man doesn’t know how to solve his newly occurring problems, yet he really needs to visit his mother as he’s afraid to disappoint her. And that’s all you can learn from me about the plot, because what happens next is too strange to even describe it. The film is 3 hours long and I think that after 2,5h I was still not convinced about the point of making this production. Why did he do it? It’s so messy, it’s way too much in every single aspect, it’s horribly inconsistent in its form… but then the ending happened and everything became clear to me. I’m not going to spoil much, but I do want to share my interpretation of this film, so if you haven’t seen it, here’s a warning. So… I’m not sure what other people see in this story, but to me it’s an incredibly important issue that Ari has addressed. I believe that Beau is an example of a grown-up man who has been highly traumatised by his mother. You may say – nothing new, we have many stories like that. Indeed, but here we kind of indirectly focus on the character of the mother – she represents women who decide to have children without a pinch of awareness what raising a human being really means. His mother has been accusing Beau for everything from the very beginning and the boy grew up constantly feeling like a failure. If you watch closely, he keeps apologising for things he’s not even responsible for. Here’s a small spoiler – remember the messages he was getting in his flat about being noisy even though he wasn’t noisy at all? Maybe I’m wrong, but to me it was supposed to show us that the world keeps searching for someone to blame and we have to have a thick skin not to let them destroy us. Beau was raised as his mother’s personal toy to blame, so he didn’t have a chance to adapt to the real world. His parent didn’t support him in strengthening his self-esteem and finding his personal value, so he ended up feeling constantly anxious and worthless. The ending hit me the most because it showed how little we care about helping traumatised people. It wasn’t Beau’s fault to be born in such family, so from the very beginning he was left alone to learn and deal with everything our reality has to offer. And what do we do as society? We ignore. We judge. We reject. The idea for this production was marvellous and I’m thankful that it was made. However, in my opinion Ari couldn’t decide about the form and went for them all. “Hey, Ari, which form is your film going to be in?” – “Yes.” At some points it was even tacky, so that is why I cannot rate it higher. But for the sake of the messages coming out of this production – I definitely recommend you to see it.

My rating: 6/10
S.

It’s an entirely different kind of flying. “Airplane!” (1980)

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directed by Jim Abrahams, David Zucker & Jerry Zucker
© 1980 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Today’s film is definitely a classic and a production that’s not for everyone. What I mean by that is back then, in the 80s and 90s, making an inappropriate joke was actually a difficult task. Nowadays, we try to be more politically and socially correct, so we really have to be careful what we’re laughing at, even if those are just silly jokes and we have no intention of hurting anyone. I remember watching “Airplane!” when I was younger and I did consider those texts a bit cringy, yet I didn’t feel like they were crossing the line that much. Until I ended up in current times where thinking twice before speaking is very much recommended. Anyway, if you’re able to forget about any kind of correctness and just want to spend a relaxing Sunday afternoon with an old comedy, that’s your choice. Telling you about the plot is actually pointless because it’s really not that important. The filmmakers wanted to mock typical disaster films with airplanes in the spotlight. Except the obvious flight that happens there, we have some love story, we have a dramatic story, the passengers are of different ages, cultures and backgrounds – so all the points of “how to make a decent disaster film” have been covered. What matters in this comedy is that it’s made by people who visibly had a lot of fun on the filmset and they wished to give us, cinephiles, a piece that will let our brain take a breath after all those overly intellectual productions we often watch. Was is a success? Definitely. I’m sure many of my older readers remember this film well and my post is just a nostalgic reminder of how cringy and inappropriate our humour used to be, yet it was ours and I’m sure some of us miss those times. I can’t even count how many legendary texts were said there, which makes me smile even now as I think of them. However, if you haven’t seen this comedy, try to remember that it’s just a parody full of jokes that are not there to offend anyone. And perhaps, you’ll spend a fun Sunday flight with Leslie Nielsen. Over.

My rating: 7/10
S.

Social smoking. “Love in a Puff” (“Chi Ming yi Chun Kiu”, 2010)

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directed by Pang Ho-cheung
© 2010 Making Films. All Rights Reserved.

Are there any smokers here? Do you also believe that cigarettes bring people together? Obviously, they are unhealthy and smoking is bad, yet this little poison has the power to connect us with each other. There’s even this concept of social smoking, which makes people smoke because someone else is doing that. I often hear “I don’t smoke, but if I go out with friends, then yeah, I love to have a cigarette or two” – and then they smoke the whole package, right? As a person who does smoke (I know, naughty S.), I have to admit that despite destroying my lungs (yeah, I know, I know), without cigarettes I wouldn’t have met many great people. And this film is basically about that. We’re moving to Hong Kong where their authorities have decided to ban indoor smoking (which is quite common in many countries now), so everyone who needs a moment with that devil’s addiction has to go outside. If you’re not a smoker, I may tell you that starting a conversation and making friends while smoking outside is so easy. “Do you have a lighter?” – and after 5 minutes you’re best buddies. So in this story we’re observing such group of smokers sharing their unhealthy moment together. Among them, there’s Jimmy (Shawn Yue) and Cherie (Miriam Chin Wah Yeung). The man and woman are from two quite different worlds, yet they have one thing in common. Smoking, indeed. What I’m offering you today is an adorable rom-com, which can really warm your heart and turn you into some sort of a passive smoker. Obviously, I’m not encouraging you to start smoking, but the idea of using this activity as a way to connect with someone else was a great choice for a film. Generally, if we think about it, this doesn’t have to be a cigarette. I believe the filmmakers wanted to show that we don’t have to search for a person who entirely matches our features, interests and way of living. Sometimes, two very different souls may find this one connection, which may be an invitation to explore each other’s realities. I watched this production with pleasure, had a good laugh, had some “aww” moments and it reminded me of all my personal connections that started by lighting up a cigarette. Once again, smoking is bad, but searching for perfections is even worse. Stay yourselves and if you’re meant to match with someone, you will. Life can get random, so just let it be. A smoking romance (see what I did there?) worth your evening. Recommended!

My rating: 7/10
S.

You miss a hundred percent of the shots you don’t take. “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” (2021)

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directed by Dean Fleischer Camp
© 2021 A24. All Rights Reserved.

It’s time for me to write about Marcel, because I bet a lot of you expected me to comment on this production and I didn’t mention it during the Oscars period. So – yes, I definitely recommend you to get to know Marcel. In fact, for a long time it was my personal winner this year, but then I watched “Pinocchio” and my heart was stolen. Both of those films are marvellous stop-motion animations, yet “Pinocchio” won, at least in my eyes, because of a better-written screenplay. But first things first – meet Marcel (voice – Jenny Slate). As the title indicates, Marcel is a shell with shoes on. The director of this film, Dean, stays in an Airbnb house which is also the house of Marcel, his grandmother and his pet. The shell is a very adventurous little buddy with a very optimistic way of seeing the world. It’s fascinated by everything around and is willing to share its thoughts with Dean. When the director shares a video with Marcel on the internet, people go crazy about it. Suddenly, Marcel becomes a real star and many want to get to know the shell. Marcel isn’t much bothered with its popularity, yet becoming famous brings some hope of finding its family and reuniting with them. Abstract? Yes, totally. This is not just a stop-motion animation, but also a mockumentary, so at some point you may feel like Marcel actually exists, which is both ridiculous and hilarious. Personally, I had those moments when I was like “hey, such a smart little shell, I’d like to meet it” – and then realised how much my brain was playing with me. Marcel is an adorable character and I bet a lot of people adore it for its looks, but this shell in cute shoes is also incredibly smart, charismatic and a bit cynical. Marcel is a mix of a child’s spirit and a senior’s mind. During the whole film we may hear numerous important quotes reminding us to open our minds, appreciate who we are, be gentle with others and ourselves, keep asking questions, stay curious, and shortly – enjoy our lives, as simple as it sounds. Even though I was incredibly moved by Marcel, I believe this animation was way too long. One of my friends commented it as “great idea for a short film” – and I couldn’t agree more. I believe that if they made a short out of it, we would have had a total winner in that category. However, they decided to make it longer without polishing the screenplay to make it entertaining enough for viewers to stay equally amazed by Marcel for the whole 90 minutes. What’s more, this film is actually based on a series of short videos with Marcel the shell, so the filmmakers did start with such idea. And, in my opinion, they should have keep the films short. Still, I believe “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” is a very good production and it stands out from other animations that are usually awarded, so if you’re wondering whether it’s worth seeing, I say “hell yes”. Besides, I believe Marcel was the best dressed nominee of all award events, so this little shell is not only a great motivational speaker, but also a true icon on the red (or any other) carpet. I recommend you to get to know Marcel, because it’ll brighten your day for sure.

My rating: 7/10
S.

You have to live the life you were born to live. “The Sound of Music” (1965)

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directed by Robert Wise
© 1965 20th Century Fox. All Rights Reserved.

Let’s get back to the 60s and enjoy the sound of music, shall we? I’m sure many of you recognise this production even if you haven’t seen it yet. Lots of artists have got inspired by this story and the film adaptation definitely popularised it on a bigger scale. Because if you didn’t know – the film I’m recommending today is an adaptation of the stage musical from 1959. However, the screenplay of that stage musical isn’t a totally made-up thing. In fact, it’s based on the memoir of Maria von Trapp called “The Story of the Trapp Family Singers”. So what you’ll see in the film is mostly based on a real story, which to me is even more exciting. Everything is set in the late 30s in Austria. The main character is actually Maria (Julie Andrews), a young woman who’s preparing to become a nun. Unfortunately, shortly speaking, she’s way too fun to stay in the abbey, so she’s ordered to work for Captain Georg von Trapp (Christopher Plummer). The man is very wealthy and has a huge villa where he lives with his seven children. Their mother died and Captain finds it difficult to raise this whole bunch on his own, therefore he needs a governess. At first, the children aren’t thrilled about meeting Maria, but the woman has so much charm that she manages to become their friend quite fast. However, Captain is a very strict man and he’s used to discipline, while Maria is a free spirit who finds pleasure and happiness in everything around her. Those two seem to be from totally different worlds, yet at some point they find something in common – and it’s their love for music. And that’s all I want to share about the plot so you can enjoy discovering it. This musical is an absolute classic and a must-see. Even if you don’t like musicals, this one is a significant piece of art in the world of cinema, so if you’re a cinephile who likes understanding references and certain allusions, go and watch it. It’s difficult for me to say anything against it because it’s a legendary production made from A to Z. The songs you may hear in this musical are still remembered and appreciated, and it’s impossible not to sing along with the characters. Besides, Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer did a marvellous acting job there, which gives real chills and makes you feel lucky that you’ve shared this planet with such artists – at least I do feel so. And last but not least – it’s fascinating how they presented those historically difficult years in contrast to Maria’s spirit and never-ending optimism that she shared with the whole Trapp family. The scene where all of them perform is worth more than any words. Therefore, I’ll stop my post here and just say – watch it, appreciate it, enjoy it.

My rating: 8/10
S.

You must immerse yourself in an unfamiliar world in order to truly understand your own. “The Nanny Diaries” (2007)

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directed by Shari Springer Berman & Robert Pulcini
© 2007 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. All Rights Reserved.

This film seems to be quite forgotten, so it’s even better that I’m writing about it. I’m guessing that I saw Scarlett Johansson for the first time in this very production. Time flies… Anyway, I’ve recently decided to refresh my memory and see it again – and it’s terrifying how little has changed since 2007. In the story we meet Annie (Scarlett Johansson), a woman who has just finished her studies and, as every young adult, is trying to figure out what next. One day she meets a little boy named Grayer (Nicholas Art), whose mother Alexandra (Laura Linney) offers Annie a job. As she has no other option, Annie accepts the offer and become Grayer’s nanny. At first the woman believes that she’s just “joined” a lovely family, but the longer she works for them, the more differences she notices between their world and hers. This film is categorised as a comedy/drama, but to me it’s way more drama. Perhaps if you watch it for the sake of the plot and to relax your brain, you will simply have a pleasant time. But if you reflect on what’s presented in the story, the reality may hit you hard. When I was younger, I didn’t notice those dramatic elements that much, but now, as an older adult, I see many lessons being taught here. We obviously have Annie, who represents young people who are under horrible pressure from everywhere and everyone, so choosing their path is an awful challenge. We also have Alexandra, who’s a wealthy woman married to a total ignorant and who seems like she manages her life well but in fact she’s just going with the flow and makes sure not to express her confusion or any inner desires. And I have to say that this contrast between Annie and Alexandra gives quite a lot of food for thought about the position of women in the society. Or how women are perceived and what’s expected from them, no matter which social class they represent. However, the part that hits me most is presented by Grayer. Forgive my honesty, but according to me, children have become some sort of object that adults choose to own, yet they totally don’t think of any responsibilities that come with that. Everybody has a child – so will I. Who cares if I have time or any other capacity to actually raise them well? This is terrifying. Because having children shouldn’t be seen as a must or just a task to do in your adulthood to get a badge with “serious adult” on it. You don’t have to have a child, simple as that. And it’s nobody’s business what’s your reason. In fact, people who make a conscious decision not to have children because of [insert whatever reason] get my personal respect way faster than those who have 3 children and complain about the troubles of adulthood. As a person who is incredibly concerned about children’s well-being, this film hits me hard. I’m not saying that Alexandra is a bad person here, because if you analyse it, she really isn’t. I believe this film is generally about how lost adults are in being adults. That’s it. But at the same time, we have those little humans observing us and hoping we will show them the right way. So maybe it’s time to remember that. The film is not any masterpiece, but it’s quite timeless… and now I’m not sure whether it’s its advantage or disadvantage considering the presented topics… Judge yourselves.

My rating: 7/10
S.

Make them laugh? Like a circus clown? A trained seal? “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” (2022)

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directed by Tom Gormican
© 2022 Lionsgate. All Rights Reserved.

If you’ve seen all episodes of “The Last of Us” and you’re also missing Daddy Pascal, then I have something to cheer you up. Besides, it’s Sunday, we all need to chill and enjoy a bit of fun, right? So… the main character is actually Nicolas Cage playing himself. He’s a talented actor (duh!) whose time in the spotlight has gone. He’s remembered and admired for his legendary roles, but not really lucky in getting new job offers. Plus, he has a teenage daughter that visibly suffers from not having Nick in her life – all because of the man’s obsession over his own career. At some point, he decides to resign and quit acting. But he still has to earn money, right? That is why he agrees to go to Majorca and be some kind of a gift for Javi Gutierrez (Pedro Pascal), a billionaire and Nick’s huge fan. When he gets there, turns out that Javi doesn’t only want to have Nick attending his birthday party, but also wants to encourage the actor to play in the film based on a script Javi wrote. At first, Nick isn’t much thrilled about the idea, but the more time he spends with the billionaire, the more he seems to be convinced. However, a plot twist happens here, but I’ll let you discover it yourselves. I have to admit that I played this film because of Pedro Pascal – yes, I’m #teamdaddypascal and I’m glad the man is having his 5 minutes now. Except being attractive and hilarious in his way of being, he actually is a good actor and that’s great he’s been appreciated. Besides, putting Nick and Pedro in one production was a wonderful idea, because those two go very well together. Plus, I have a feeling they are both genuinely good people in their private life, so seeing them having so much fun shooting this film was a true blessing. Generally, I laughed so much, especially when they were mocking cinema stereotypes and patterns common for each genre. Besides, you may catch several jokes based on Nick’s previous performances, so if you’re a cinephile who also likes Nicolas Cage, then you should enjoy that as well. Perhaps it’s not a film I will remember after some time, but is it something good for a relaxing evening with friends? Yes, absolutely. Besides, that scene in a car when Nick looks as if he’s just taken part in 3 weddings in a row and Pedro is laughing like a child after eating way too much sugar – that’s already a classic. Make sure to check it out and if you want, you can play a game – write down as many Nick’s film references as it’s possible. Have fun!

My rating: 6.5/10
S.

If I were a rich man… “Fiddler on the Roof” (1971)

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directed by Norman Jewison
© 1971 United Artists. All Rights Reserved.

Can you imagine the Godfather as a poor Jewish milkman? Yeah, me neither. Apparently, if Chaim Topol hadn’t finally got chosen for the role of Tevye, Marlon Brando would have made another legendary performance. However, say whatever you want, but I’m glad that Vito Corleone wasn’t singing in that production. And I’m obviously talking about the famous “Fiddler on the Roof”, which is an absolute classic. Even if you haven’t seen it, I’m sure you’ve heard its famous songs not once. About the plot – we’re following a Jewish man living in 1905 Russia, whose life isn’t much complicated. However, Tevye (Chaim Topol) has one big trouble he has to deal with – his five daughters. So five big troubles, to be exact. And since all the girls are old enough to get married, it’s definitely a priority for the family to find them husbands as fast as it’s possible. Because an unmarried young woman is the worst that can happen to a religious family of 1905, right? Except the family drama that is presented in a rather comedic way, there’s a lot of political messages hidden there, but since I’m the last person who wants to focus on that, I’ll just skip it. The reason why I’ve decided to write about this particular production today is because we’ve recently lost Chaim Topol and I believe that everyone should be reminded of his acting talent. Are you angry with the Academy for their choices this year? Don’t worry, dear, they managed to piss us off even in 1972 as this marvellous actor wasn’t awarded for his legendary performance. I adore every second of this character on the screen because Topol was acting in a very precise and believable way. I feel like nowadays many actors are overacting or focusing on pretending to be someone they’re not, while those older actors were simply becoming their characters. I don’t see Topol in this film, I see Tevye. And that’s what acting is all about, in my opinion. So we should remember and praise such artists till the end of time. Besides, this production was technically better than many modern ones, I swear. The cinematography? Best! (awarded, by the way) Editing – satisfying. Costumes? Make-up? Production design? Top, top, top. Plus, the music by Jerry Bock adapted by John Williams – per-fec-tion. What is more, the film is over 3 hours long, yet it feels like a moment that you’d like to last forever. But I guess that if a film makes you forget about reality and time, it is a huge success. Unfortunately, I’ve never had a chance to see “Fiddler on the Roof” on stage, so I cannot compare it to the film adaptation, but it doesn’t change the fact that the film is spectacular and definitely worth watching. Many people want to refresh cinema and they keep searching for something new to be done forgetting the quality we’ve worked on for a long time. Why? I won’t remember most last year’s productions in few months, yet I’ll definitely remember that look in Topol’s eyes. Oh, sorry, in Tevye’s eyes. May you rest in peace, Mr. Topol, you’ve done more than enough here. And I wish you, dear readers, to motivate yourselves each Monday listening and dancing to “If I were a rich man”. It works. Heard from friends.

My rating: 8/10
S.

This is going to sound weird… “An Ostrich Told Me the World Is Fake and I Think I Believe It” (2021)

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directed by Lachlan Pendragon
© 2021 Griffith Film School. All Rights Reserved.

If you’ve been following my blog for quite some time, then I bet you know I’m a big fan of stop motion animation. There’s something fascinating about it that never gets boring to me. Maybe I’m not being objective since I used to play with stop motion animation myself and I know how much effort and creativity it takes to make even the shortest film using thing method. Today I’d like to recommend you “An Ostrich Told Me the World Is Fake and I Think I Believe It”, which is a title that definitely catches attention. Before watching this short production with a title of considerable length, I had no idea what to expect. At first, I was thrilled it’s a stop motion animation, obviously, but then, the longer I was watching (funny to say considering it’s only 11 minutes long), the more I was getting excited by the idea. We get to know Neil who is an ordinary office employee. At some point, the man starts questioning whether the world he’s living in is real. And all that thanks to his observations and, yes, you’ve guessed right, an ostrich. An ostrich which told him the world is fake. And Neil thinks he believes it. I have to say I’m thankful to the director for choosing such a title because it saves my time writing this post. Everything you need to know is pretty much explained. But perhaps you’ve already glanced at my rating and if you haven’t – you’ve just done this at this very moment. Indeed, this short has won my heart and I really hope it’ll win an Oscar. The idea is so simple, yet not shallow or disappointing. I honestly had a lot of fun watching it, especially since it’s filled with my kind of humour. If you’d like to get some philosophical messages – I bet you can, even from these 11 minutes. But if I told you what I see hidden in this short story, it would be pointless for you to watch. And since it’s just 11 minutes long, then you have no right to skip it explaining you’ve got no time for films. For this one you do. And you should. And you won’t regret. To me this little animation is a real gem that will hopefully be awarded, because I can tell it was made by a very conscious, imaginative and hard-working filmmaker. Crossing my fingers hoping they won’t fall off and no ostrich comes out of my closet.

My ratings: 9/10
S.

Life is accented with little pleasures. “My Sweet Grappa Remedies” (“Amai osake de ugai”, 2019)

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directed by Akiko Ôku
© 2019 TV Asahi. All Rights Reserved.

I think we need a little break from all the Oscars nominees, so today I’d like to take a deep breath and take you to Japan for a little relaxing ride. If you liked Bridget Jones and her famous diaries but at the same time you have a more romantic side, then I’m sure you’ll enjoy “My Sweet Grappa Remedies”. We get to follow Yoshiko (Yasuko Matsuyuki), a single woman in her 40s who enjoys her rather simple and slow life. She works in an office, rides a bike, goes for walks and observes everything around her. Some may say it doesn’t seem like a perfect life, but to Yoshiko it’s enough. Although at some point she realises that there’s something missing in her uncomplicated way of living. That is why she tries to open up to the world, experience new things and also stop being such a loner. Or perhaps just limit it a bit. Things get even more exciting when Yoshiko meets a much younger guy at work, who doesn’t want to stay just colleagues with her. The man finds her fascinating and makes it clear that there should be something more between them than just a desk with a computer on it. Generally, if you’re looking for a film that lets you relax your brain and hugs you tight to make you feel comfortable – then that’s a title for you. It’s not anything fresh or surprising, but also not that much copy-pasted as most modern romantic comedies. There’s something charming in this production, which made me ignore all the stereotypical elements of this genre that you may spot there. At some point I felt like the main character – sipping on her beverage in peace, not bothered about anything, just me, my glass and the film. We need such sugar powder stories from time to time, right? Besides, I like the fact that more and more productions remind us to stay who we are despite the pressure from society. And to sometimes even break the “rules” to enjoy our life even more. As long as we stay happy with ourselves, we should follow our own rules. I’m afraid that not many of you might have heard of this film, so I’m glad to be writing about it and I hope it’ll make you feel good. About yourselves, your choices and your way of living. Cheers!

My rating: 7/10
S.