Category: romance

I’m afraid of dying lonely. “My Favourite Cake” (“Keyke mahboobe man”, 2024)

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directed by Maryam Moghaddam & Behtash Sanaeeha
© 2024 Totem Films. All Rights Reserved.

Is regime a good environment for artistic creativity? Well, that’s a controversial topic, but this film supports the statement. Difficult circumstances often lead to the need for expressing our disagreement and wish for change. Obviously, if I could choose myself, I wouldn’t like anyone to live in fear just for the sake of potential art pieces being made. However, today’s recommendation is an important say on the Iranian women’s rights problem. Now you know where I’m taking you – and to be exact, it’s Tehran. There, we meet Mahin (Lily Farhadpour), a 70-year-old widow, who’s been living alone for about 30 years. In Iran, women are allowed to get married again, but it’s not socially acceptable, so most widows decide to stay single till the end of their lives. Still, despite the reality in the country, Mahin craves company and intimacy. Therefore, she makes a brave move and invites Faramarz (Esmail Mehrabi), a taxi driver, to spend the evening at her house. That’s just the beginning of an unusual experience for both of them. To be honest, the ending really shocked me, so if you have any guesses what kind of story that is, you may also get confused. At first, I was irritated by the plot twist, but then I realised that it makes the film even more meaningful. Generally, I’m a fan of putting the spotlight on characters that are often forgotten in our everyday life, and I feel like an elderly widow is a perfect example. Especially, the one living in a country where all women are kind of invisible and ignored. This story reminds us that no matter what the political situation looks like, being an obedient citizen doesn’t mean they accept their reality. We’re all in need of affection and I bet most of us are scared of loneliness, so why would we force someone to suffer. Is it really such a crime if a woman finds a new companion in life? Does she hurt anyone by dancing and singing? Is it illegal to feel happy? Apparently, it is. And all this insanity you can experience while watching today’s film. I wish you a deep reflection. Keep in mind that the filmmakers faced legal problems and were even banned from travelling. Decide yourself whether that was really necessary to hold them accountable.

My rating: 7/10
S.

Everyone deserves the chance to fly. “Wicked: For Good” (2025)

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directed by Jon M. Chu
© 2025 Universal Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

I think we can all agree that the world of musical has had one very strong leader in the last two years. Well, no surprise if you take a legendary play, brilliant singing actors and put so much money into marketing that an ordinary human being cannot even imagine. Am I a hater? Absolutely not. Unfortunately, without promotion, lots of marvellous films aren’t known to a wide audience. So I’m glad everyone is talking about “Wicked”, because both parts are worth seeing. I guess it’s obvious you should see the first part before watching this one – because it’s actually one very long film divided into two (thank you for not making us spend 5 hours in front of the screen!). And when it comes to rating – it’s also difficult for me to rate this part differently. I look at the general story and, in my opinion, both films are equally good. The second one is way more serious and mature, I’d say, which is understandable considering the fact that the characters have also changed. Now, despite their strong friendship, Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda (Ariana Grande) stand on opposite sides. One is considered a wicked witch that wants to destroy the Land of Oz, the other one is taken for a saviour. Elphaba wishes to protect everyone from the Wizard, but almost nobody believes her. In every story there must be the good and the bad one, and sometimes we have to accept it. The film looks beautiful, it’s full of colours, stunning set design and costumes, lovely songs – so everyone, despite their age, may find something entertaining for themselves here. Not to mention Cynthia and Ariana’s singing… I melt. And I actually wish I could listen to them singing live, because they are magnificent. So if someone with lots of money is reading this – if you want to do some charity, here’s a very dedicated cinephile wishing to go abroad and enjoy angels’ voices. I promise to send you a postcard! Anyway, back to the film – another reason why I like it is because thanks to such adaptations, people get interested in the theatre. I bet a lot of you want to see “Wicked” on stage. I do and I’m planning to do it in my country this year. As much as I love cinema, my first passion was the theatre and I’m glad I can be a part of both worlds. And remember – everyone deserves a chance to fly!

My rating: 7/10
S.

Can this night get any better? “Unaccompanied Minors” (2006)

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directed by Paul Feig
© 2006 Warner Bros. Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

How many of you can still move and how many of you promise themselves not to make the same mistake again next year? Well, either way, you may need something to cheer you up, so here’s my little recommendation. This film was actually one of my favourites when I was a teenager, so even though it might not be liked by adults that much, I still feel pretty nostalgic about it. The story takes place in the US on Christmas Eve, where Spencer and Kate (Dyllan Christopher & Dominique Saldaña), siblings, are travelling from California to Pennsylvania to spend Christmas with their dad. The charm of having divorced parents, you know what I mean. They need to have a layover during which the weather gets so much worse that it’s impossible to fly anywhere. Since they are both minors, they end up in a special room where all children and teenagers travelling alone wait for their flights. The place is pure hell and I bet nobody wants to spend their Christmas Eve like this. What’s more, at some point Spencer and Kate get separated and might not see each other till the next day. The boy must find a way to reunite with his sister because little Kate still believes in Santa and if he doesn’t get her a gift by the morning, it’ll ruin her Christmas… Yes, I loved Spencer for being such a great brother! He manages to make some friends and together with other teenagers, they’re trying to survive at the airport and make sure that little Kate will still believe in Santa! Not gonna lie, when I was a teen myself, I dreamed of being stuck at an airport and just play with my peers. Especially, since in this comedy children are way smarter than adults (and not only in this comedy, apparently) and seeing grown-ups being tricked all the time is pure joy. I feel like this production has been forgotten, so I’m more than happy to remind you about it. It’s not only a funny family film, but it also teaches great lessons and I bet everyone can find something for themselves there. The most important is that it’s kind of based on a real story. Lots of children have to travel like this between cities or countries because of their parents’ divorce and the “best” decision made by the judge. I’m sure they will remember those airports or train stations more than spending time with both parents every year. So, as I wrote, not only in this comedy children are smarter than adults. Wish you a meaningful reflection.

My rating: 6/10
S.

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.

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.

Mess with the best, die like the rest. “Hackers” (1995)

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directed by Iain Softley
© 1995 United International Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Let’s do some hacking, shall we? Or better watch people who can actually do that and enjoy the 90s vibes. I needed some entertaining thriller film, but not another car racing and shooting one. If you’re also in need for some fun, yet you’re feeling nostalgic about the 90s, then this story might catch your attention. We get to know Dade (Jonny Lee Miller), an incredibly talented IT guy who can hack into whatever he wants. He’s known as “Crash Override” and you really don’t want him to hack your business, trust me. However, one day he “bumps into” another hacker online with the nickname “Acid Burn” (Angelina Jolie), who seems to be even smarter than him. They actually meet in real life, because they both end up in a school group of hackers. They are all quite clever and successful in what they do, but soon, they will have to face an old hacker known as “The Plague” (Fisher Stevens), who comes up with a insidious idea – he will use the young hackers to put the blame on them and in the meantime he’ll be responsible for a huge scam. So now, the youngsters have to hack the hacker, which already sounds like a difficult task. Maybe it’s not the most fascinating film I’ve seen, but it’s surely entertaining and relaxing. Seeing young Angelina Jolie as a computer geek is actually adorable. Plus, Fisher Stevens is made for playing antagonists (it’s a compliment!), so you should be satisfied with this character. Fun fact, after this film, Crash Override and Acid Burn, so Jonny and Angelina got married in real life. The marriage wasn’t long, but we can still say that hacking the world brought those two together. Isn’t in romantic? And if you think typing was the only skill the cast had to practise before filming, I’ll surprise you. They also had to learn to… rollerblade. How fun! Imagine just enjoying your time rollerblading and they actually pay you for that.

My rating: 6/10
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.