Tarapara. “Seventeen” (“Diecisiete”, 2019)

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directed by Daniel Sánchez Arévalo
© 2019 Netflix. All Rights Reserved.

I really don’t like trusting people. Maybe this film isn’t rated super low, but I’ve found a lot of comments that the acting (in today’s film) is lame and the conversations aren’t even funny. You know what? You don’t want to know what. This production is absolutely marvellous and I’m so happy I didn’t listen to all those haters. I will tell you what the story is about, but I need to comment on that previous information first. So, the acting isn’t bad. It’s specific, because the main character isn’t an ordinary teenager. He perceives the reality a bit differently from others, so he cannot act like any random boy. He might be acting like a robot, but that’s the thing. I don’t want to suggest any conditions he may have, because it doesn’t matter. He’s just exceptional and I think the actor did a fantastic job with this particular character. And about the conversations… I guess I’ve seen a different film, because the dialogues are both hilarious and heart-warming (or breaking, you’ll see). Anyway, the story goes like this: Héctor (Biel Montoro) is a 17-year-old staying at a juvenile detention because he doesn’t really like obeying the law. Why? It’s better if you see yourselves. At the place where he’s staying they organise this kind of integration of the youth with dogs from a local shelter. One day Héctor gets encouraged to take care of one of the dogs and his world turns upside down. He really falls in love with the animal and finds something to focus on. Unfortunately, after some time the dog gets adopted by someone and the teenager’s heart breaks. He hasn’t only lost his best friend, but also the meaning of his existence (I know it sounds serious, but this is what it is for Héctor). He decides to run away, find the dog, kidnap it and drive far far away. But he cannot do it without his dying grandmother that, as he says, is a saint and she must go with him. Héctor’s older brother Ismael (Nacho Sánchez) catches him at the hospital and somehow agrees to help. I was laughing at loud, because the conversations are brilliant. But in the end you will melt because this film is about the importance of support. Sometimes we may think we can do everything ourselves. But what for if we could do it together? One of the most important films of this year for me.

My rating: 8.5/10
S.

We’ll have to deal with this ourselves. “Elena” (2011)

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directed by Andrey Zvyagintsev
© 2011 Zeitgeist Film. All Rights Reserved.

Monday means drama, so why not recommending you a Russian drama to diversify your day? Perhaps it isn’t the best production after a tiring first day of the week, but it may comfort you. Unless you’re highly empathetic then you will go to sleep empty inside. You’re welcome. Anyway, the main character is Elena (Nadezhda Markina), who works as a nurse. Once she takes care of a businessman in the hospital and soon he becomes her husband, despite the background difference between those two. She’s rather a simple woman while Vladimir (Andrey Smirnov) is the one not counting money. Obviously, after the marriage, Elena moves in with the man and she starts living the new quality life. She has an adult son from her previous relationship who lives with his wife and children. Their eldest son may soon be sent to the army unless he goes to university. Unfortunately, the family needs money for that since they live in poverty. They ask Elena to support them, but it’s Vladimir who is responsible for the finances in the marriage and he refuses to help. What’s more, he informs that he is going to leave his wealth to his daughter (from a previous relationship, welcome to the 21st century were everyone has children from previous relationships) and Elena will be receiving only a small money support after his death. What happens next? Let it stay a secret. The film may not be overly attractive, but it gives a lot of food for thought. Critics say that it’s a wonderful picture of our society. I mean they use the word “Russian”, but I’m pretty sure most of us may agree that the situation is similar in our countries. It shows an interesting perspective on proletarians. It’s not like they can’t do anything with their life. It’s just they are used to their lifestyle so badly that even if you gave them one million dollars, they would still sit with a can of beer in front of the tv. And complain, obviously. The film also presents the difference between generations and how much each can do for their family . I’m glad I’ve seen this film.

My rating: 6/10
S.

If you want something to be done right, do it yourself. “Cartel Land” (2015)

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directed by Matthew Heineman
© 2015 The Orchard. All Rights Reserved.

Perhaps this film will open some people’s eyes and give them a good kick in the butt. We love to complain about everything that is happening around us, but all we can do is just sit and observe how those above us ignore our problems. It’s a story about several people who decided to get into action and make sure that everyone feels safe. And it wouldn’t be that important if it was a sci-fi production. No. This time I have a documentary for you about the power of people. Not the kings, presidents or other well-dressed guys in expensive cars. The power of ordinary citizens fighting for their rights. The film presents two groups, one in Mexico, one in the US. The first one has been started by Dr. Jose Mirreles, who was tired of the local cartel making mess everywhere. One day he goes out and organises a group of volunteers who want to do what the police should be doing: protect their home.  Then in the US we can see a paramilitary group which has been dealing with the same cartel. Their goal is to stop the Mexican criminals from doing business on the other side of the border. We may follow their actions and look at the problem from their perspective. A very good camerawork and shots. A huge respect for recording the work of both groups. Perhaps the problem could have been presented more deeply, but I’m still glad such production exists. It’s a proof that no matter how horrible government we may have, it’s all up to us. If we want to change something, there’s no point in waiting. The people presented in the film risked their life in order to protect others. I hope you will never have to make such a drastic decision yourselves. But I also hope this story will inspire you to take things into your own hands.

My rating: 6.5/10
S.

Where is Rachel? “The Good Girl” (2002)

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directed by Miguel Arteta
© 2002 Fox Searchlight Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

This film is a double positive surprise for me. First thing is that it’s considered as a black comedy or/and drama, but I was rather sure it’d be more of a silly comedy with not very sophisticated jokes. Wrong. The amount of drama coming out of this story is big. Perhaps during the film you may laugh, but at the end all those emotions just attack you. And then the second thing is that I was so sure about Jennifer Aniston being another Rachel. Wrong. I was shocked how she’d transformed into another woman with a totally different story than the girl from “Friends.” So if you think that Aniston is a forever-Rachel, you should definitely watch this production. Aniston plays Justine who is a 30-year-old married woman working at a store. She cannot find joy in anything. Her husband is a stoned moron, her job is a waste of time and there’s absolutely nothing to be excited about. One day the woman spots Holden (Jake Gyllenhaal) who is a new employee at the store. He seems to be incredibly introvert and reserved, which surprises Justine in this world full of talkative and annoying people. Those two start spending more and more time together and… well, guess what. Obvious things. It wouldn’t be strange if only he wasn’t 22 and she wasn’t married. Although… is it really strange in our times? But I know, the story seems to be super simple and old. However, the whole atmosphere and Justine’s reflection are so thought-provoking that I couldn’t turn it off. I loved Aniston in this role and she totally proved that she’s not just a one-role actress. The ending can be slightly depressing, so if you think it’s more of a comedy than drama, then I’m sorry to disappoint you. Yet, it’s definitely worth getting depressed for a moment.

My rating: 7/10
S.

A lesson from a child. “Where Is the Friend’s Home?” (“Khane-ye doust kodjast?”, 1987)

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directed by Abbas Kiarostami
© 1987 mk2. All Rights Reserved.

Such films are always a cultural shock for me. On one hand I’ve seen a lot of different shows, videos and pictures from all around the world, but on the other hand that other reality makes me feel uncomfortable. And I’m not being xenophobic here, I absolutely tolerate different cultures and wish to discover them more. However, this film presents the story from a child’s perspective and at some point you realise that he’s like a fly that everybody either ignores or just waves their hands and walk away. But then, after a bit of reflection, it hits that our reality is the same. We all tend not to notice children’s problems. Adults are too busy dealing with their issues that they don’t even care. Obviously, children don’t need to deal with taxes, paying rent or making sure the fridge is full etc. But still, their problems are huge in their eyes and I think we should respect that. In the film story goes like this: little Ahmed (Babek Ahmed Poor) gets home and notices that he’s taken his classmate’s notebook. At their school, the teacher is very strict and if students don’t do their homework, they may be expelled. And since his friend doesn’t have his own notebook, then he won’t be able to do the tasks for the next day. Ahmed tries to communicate the problem to his family, but they don’t want to help. The boy is very much concerned, so he runs away and does his best to find the owner of the notebook. But how to find him since… nobody cares? I have to be honest with you. This film is super slow. I mean super super slow. And I was very much annoyed with it. But at the end it hit me. It was long and slow because this is what that journey for Ahmed was. Long and slow. And extremely miserable. Don’t you remember when you were children and how everything took hours for you? I think that was the idea. To make us feel like those little guys who consider giving a notebook back a Mount Everest climbing. Maybe it’s not my beloved production, but it’s an interesting experience. Got stuck in my mind for some time.

My rating: 6/10
S.

If only that yellow scarf… “Fractured” (2019)

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directed by Brad Anderson
© 2019 Netflix. All Rights Reserved.

What a film I have for you today! It’s exciting, weird and quite creepy. You need to focus on it 100% not to miss a thing and feel this awkwardness coming from the screen. Everything was done so well… and then… then the yellow scarf appeared… No spoilers for now. Let’s introduce you to the story. We get a cute little family, Ray (Sam Worthington), Joanne (Lily Rabe) and their daughter Peri (Lucy Capri). The parents are arguing about some family issues while driving a car. At some point they stop and an accident happens. Peri gets injured and needs to be taken to the hospital. They wait for a very long time, fill in plenty of papers, answer tons of questions and the girl is finally admitted for treatment. She needs to be tested, so the doctors let only one parent go with her. Joanne follows her child and Ray stays in the waiting room. Time passes and his girls are not returning. Worried about them he tries asking the staff, but, surprisingly, nobody can find any note about Peri being treated in this hospital. As if those two have never been there. And here we go! The game is on and our minds start burning. I had so much fun guessing how it will all end and, to be honest, I was almost right. But I’m pretty sure some of you may be shocked, because the ending isn’t obvious and I had to put my brain on a big fire to come up with it. And here comes a small spoiler, so if you haven’t seen the film, DO NOT READ IT! Because you will ruin the game! So… ONCE AGAIN DON’T. Okay, those who’ve seen it, here we go: at some point Ray finds Peri’s yellow scarf. Alright, perhaps he was using it to stop the bleeding, but hey, several hours, plenty of patients, nurses, doctors and staff and nobody noticed a YELLOW scarf on a totally colourless floor? A bit naive… And the second thing (which is an even bigger spoiler, so if you’re still reading it, you rebellious creature, stop now): since Ray was suspected for a murder, why did they take him to the place of the accident BUT didn’t check his car? So I wasn’t happy about those two things, but the rest was generally awesome. It was a very thrilling thriller. Bravo.

My rating: 7/10
S.

Love means never having to say you’re sorry. “Love Story” (1970)

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directed by Arthur Hiller
© 1970 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Today I have a total classic for you. If you haven’t seen it, I’m pretty sure you know the theme melody from this production. Personally, I remember getting music cards with it. You know, those paper cards which played a melody after you opened them. I know that some people reading it might not even understand what a “paper card” is, but seriously, we had such advanced technology when I was younger. Every wedding, baptism or other important event was full of those cards. We can all thank Francis Lai for this beautiful (and at some point annoying) melody. When I finally watched the film, I laughed hard when I heard this theme. I knew it’d appear, but somehow my memories hit too hard and I couldn’t stay serious. Anyway, today I’ve got the cheesiest and the most “romantic” film of them all. Even the title makes us puke with hearts. I present you “Love Story.” As you may be guessing we have a boy and a girl who are in love with each other. I mean, at first they aren’t. Oliver (Ryan O’Neal) is a bigmouthed young gentleman from a rich family and Jennifer (Ali MacGraw) is rather a quiet, but very clever lady with not such a sophisticated background. Despite their differences, there’s chemistry between them and they try to be together. But nothing can be that sweet in romantic dramas, right? I love the description of this film on IMDb, so I’ll allow myself to present it to you: “A boy and a girl from different backgrounds fall in love regardless of their upbringing – and then tragedy strikes.” Ha! Yes. And then tragedy strikes! But what kind of tragedy, you need to find it out yourselves. It’s a total classic, so no matter how simple and predictable it is, you should watch it. But before you do, I have a fun fact: Jennifer was such a likeable character that people in North America were naming their daughters after her. And I’m not kidding, it was the most popular feminine name there for… 14 years! So if you know some Jennifer who’s around 40-60, you may tell her the truth about her name now.

My rating: 7/10
S.

No way I’m helping you people put Jesse Pinkman back inside a cage. “El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie” (2019)

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directed by Vince Gilligan
© 2019 Netflix. All Rights Reserved.

As you’ve probably noticed, I didn’t use a picture of Jesse in this post. I’ve decided to honour an amazing actor whom we lost a few days ago. For Robert Forster “El Camino” was the last film he played in and it really hurt to watch it knowing he’s not with us anymore. Thank you very much, Mr. Forster, for your every role. You will be incredibly missed. In today’s film he played a supporting part, but I think it’s important to appreciate him for it. However, I know you expect me to comment on the film, so I will proceed with that. First of all, don’t watch it if you haven’t seen “Breaking Bad” series. It’s a lovely production made especially for the fans and you can feel it from the very beginning. I watched the series a long time ago and watching “El Camino” made me feel a bit of nostalgia. The film is some kind of a continuation of the series. We find out what happened to Jesse (Aaron Paul) after the finale “Breaking Bad.” He runs away from the Brotherhood compound and tries to “restart” his life. Obviously, it’s not that easy. Later we get plenty of flashbacks to what was happening to him before. Generally, it’s an emotional film showing the transformation of Jesse. We all remember him as a total kiddo in the series, but here we get the continuation of the story in which he becomes a sensible man. I don’t think it’s a bad production but, as I’ve read it somewhere, nothing would happen if it wasn’t made. It’s just a sweet gift for the fans and I don’t mind it. It didn’t excite me that much, but still thank you for this small reminder.

My rating: 6.5/10
S.

I don’t belong to anybody, I have no owner. “Ready to Mingle” (“Solteras”, 2019)

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directed by Luis Javier Henaine
© 2019 Netflix. All Rights Reserved.

I’ve realised that my recent posts were mostly about dramas or other depressing topics, so I’ve decided to write about a Mexican comedy today. Hope to change this tense atmosphere here. South American romances can be cheesy, their dramas rather overacted, but comedies? They are pretty good at those. Personally, I love their sense of humour and I had fun watching “Ready to Mingle.” The main character is Ana (Cassandra Ciangherotti) who has just broken up with her boyfriend and is absolutely devastated. Her parents celebrate another anniversary of their marriage, all her friends have rings on their fingers and she’s still single. Totally desperate Ana decides to sign up for a course for single women who are searching for a husband. At first she thinks it’s ridiculous, but since there’s no other option, she stays and takes part in the classes. During them she meets other lonely wannabe brides and tries to learn how to catch and keep a man next to her. It’s not going that well and Ana is slowly losing the rest of her hope when suddenly she meets Diego (Juan Pablo Medina) who seems to be the guy she can actually be with. Generally it’s a very female comedy about the fear that most women have, which is to be on their own for the rest of the life. Or maybe with a couple of cats, but without a human partner. I know there are plenty of productions like this, but I really adored Cassandra in this role and the scene with wine drinking made me laugh definitely too hard. Plus, I liked the ending and the message coming out of it. A decent film for a girls’ night… or after a break-up. 

My rating: 6/10
S.

Scary Movie 6? “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” (2019)

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directed by André Øvredal
© 2019 Lionsgate. All Rights Reserved.

Since Halloween is coming, I’ve decided to write about a film that some of you may be planning to watch on the 31st. Unfortunately, I’m writing about it on the 13th, because I believe it’s not the best choice. At least if I could choose again, I wouldn’t like to see it one more time. The story goes like this: we get a bunch of children who come up with a great idea to go to an abandoned house. In the house there’s something going on, but they leave before any of them gets hurt. A smart move. However, one of them, Stella (Zoe Margaret Colletti), finds a book in the house and decides to keep it with her. The book is full of horror stories written by some Sarah Bellows. Later, Stella reads the book and realises that there’s a new story in it. The main character of it is “Tommy”. As she’s reading it, a boy named Tommy (Austin Abrams) in real life is being chased by Harold the Scarecrow. In the end, the boy transforms into a scarecrow himself. Next day the children find out that Tommy is missing. Stella notices that the new scarecrow is wearing Tommy’s clothes and is sure that what’s happened to Tommy is all her fault. She tries to get rid of the book, but the book doesn’t really want to leave its new owner. And here comes my complaining. The film was based on a series of creepy stories written by Alvin Schwartz. The producers decided to combine some of those stories into one. Horrible idea. I’m sure those books have made plenty of people scared, but the film looks like another part of “Scary Movie” series where they put several creatures, which is ridiculous in the end. Besides, I think that too many people want to use the success of “Stranger Things” and they try to make their productions resemble the popular series. Stop copying, start creating. And my last comment is that it’s a film based on a book series for children, but, personally, I wouldn’t like my child to see it. On the other hand, for an adult the whole story is puerile and naive. So the question is: for whom is this film? I don’t have an answer. All I can do is to appreciate the camerawork and editing. The rest was a bigger horror than the plot itself.

My rating: 4/10
S.