Your songs are like an oil painting at the dentist’s office. “A Complete Unknown” (2024)

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directed by James Mangold
© 2024 Searchlight Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Are you ready for Oscars 2025? I don’t expect too much cheering, because last year hasn’t been anyhow mind-blowing when it comes to cinema. I’ll definitely watch the ceremony, because I like all the dramas and awkward situations that may appear, but I’m not really that excited about this year’s nominees. There are several good films, indeed, but I feel like none of them left me truly speechless… at least not the ones nominated for the Best Picture. However, let’s focus on positives and one of them is “A Complete Unknown” by James Mangold. I was postponing watching it because I’m actually not a big fan of Bob Dylan. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I dislike him – I do appreciate him as a musician and some of his songs, but my music heart is definitely more into hard rock and such. So watching a film about a musician you haven’t really followed much in your life doesn’t sound tempting, does it? But trust me, it’s worth checking out for sure. If you like Bob Dylan’s music, then you’ll be thrilled because this film is basically one big music video, which to me was quite pleasant. Thanks to so many songs included, I could actually dive into Dylan’s world. Still, the most important reason to watch this biopic is Timothée Chalamet, playing the main role. When this young man appeared in cinema, I wasn’t so sure about him, but with each performance he proves what a talented bastard he is. I cannot say Bob Dylan is my favourite role of Timothée, but considering all the nominees, I do believe he deserves to be awarded. I compared some parts of the film with some recordings of Dylan and I guess Mangold couldn’t have found a better man to do this job. Besides, according to my research, Timothée not only sang in the film, but also played the instruments (guitar, harmonica), which is impressive to me. I believe it’s really thanks to this young actor that we may appreciate the film so much. I’m not sure what true Bob Dylan’s fans might say about such biopic, but as a rather neutral person in this matter I enjoyed it very much and I felt somehow welcomed in this story. Maybe it’s thanks to Dylan’s relaxing music, maybe it’s thanks to the director, maybe it’s thanks to the main actor – maybe all of those and even more. Generally, I give a thumb up and wish the film crew all the best during the upcoming ceremony.

My rating: 7/10
S.

Political jamboree. “Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat” (2024)

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directed by Johan Grimonprez
© 2024 Onomatopee Films. All Rights Reserved.

Let’s be clear here – I’m not a fan of politics in films and I try to avoid such productions. However, this documentary got a nomination to Oscars and I decided to see it. If you’re not into politics, but you’re still interested in quality music and social issues, then this film is definitely worth your time. The documentary focuses on so many elements that it’s difficult to even sum it up in this post, but I’ll try my best. So, the spotlight is on Africa and its political situation in the late 50s/early 60s. African countries were constantly being colonised due to the goods that could be found there. Anyone who was against that practice was pushed away or even eliminated. One of such change leaders was Patrice Lumumba, a Congolese politician and the first prime minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The man was assassinated because his actions were “problematic” to the western leaders. The problem of colonisation has always been a complicated topic, yet there’s one thing that almost always works in order to control people – and that’s distraction. As long as you make people focus on something else, you may continue your most cruel actions. And that’s mainly what the documentary addresses, because back then CIA came up with an idea to distract people with good music. They decided to send absolute music legends, who were also African-Americans, in order to befriend Africans and gain their trust. I mean, if the bad guy sends you Louis Armstrong, who seems proud to be representing them, then they can’t be that bad, right? Let’s face it, a group of amazing Black jazz musicians were used like puppets in order to continue the political game, in which the people’s well-being wasn’t even a priority. Also, for those musicians it was quite tactless to represent the US, where the segregation based on the skin colour was being practiced. On the other hand, there were sharing their love for music with the people, who really needed any kind of support. Now you know why I said it’s hard to sum up what the documentary is about, but I really hope that you decide to see it. In my opinion, it’s a well-deserved nomination, although it’s a bit too long. However, considering the amount of information they needed to share, I really forgive them the length. As a person who doesn’t like getting into politics, I found this film very engaging and educational. Plus, I could listen to some wonderful jazz, which was another big advantage. Hope you’ll learn a lot and enjoy it as much as I did.

My rating: 7/10
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.

This place is evil. “The Gorge” (2025)

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directed by Scott Derrickson
© 2025 Apple TV+. All Rights Reserved.

Are you still in the Valentine’s Day mood? Yes? No? Whatever you say, I’ve got something for you. This film is for those who want to keep awwwing filled with love, and also for those who want to see some ugly creatures being shot in the head. Balance in life is muy importante. We get to know Levi (Miles Teller), a very talented sniper, who finds a unique job. He has to stay alone in a base at the edge of a huuuuugeeee gorge and… well, protect. At first he thinks he needs to make sure nobody goes in, but actually, the point is for nothing and nobody to go out of the gorge. Creepy? Yep. But let’s look at a bright side – which is the other side of this enormous hole with a lot of fog – where Drasa (Anya Taylor-Joy) is doing the same job as Levi. He’s hired by Americans, she works for Russians, but both are totally alone in their bases and ready to shoot some… things. And they are told not to contact each other, which is obviously a great rule to break when you’re lonely, right? They start writing on big pieces of paper and using binoculars to read the other person’s message. Cute, huh? Their particular flirting gets stronger and at some point they actually wish to meet in person. But before things turn into a full-time romance, let me remind you that in that gorge between them true evil is hiding. This film is categorised as action + romance + sci-fi + horror and all that is right. So I wasn’t joking at the beginning – I feel like this is a great choice in whatever mood you are today. I’ve seen some comments that there are too many illogical elements – oh dear, yes, there are. Because it’s fiction. I cannot imagine some grumpy film critic seeing what’s actually in that gorge and then with an absolutely serious face saying: “I find this story illogical”. Honey, if you want logic, watch a documentary. “The Gorge” is supposed to be entertaining, give you chills when Levi and Drasa fight for their lives, give you different kind of chills when they exchange those cute messages between each other, and disgust you when the creatures from the hole say “hello”. And in my case – I checked all of the above. However, I have to share one warning… Dear men, if you decide to watch this film with your female partner, be aware that Levi is a total green flag. I mean, he’s no bare minimum macho, oh no. He’s the guy who would risk his life to have dinner with the woman he likes and still remember to bring her flowers. I guess that’s the reason why they classified the film as sci-fi…perhaps fantasy would be more accurate. But hey, no matter which side you represent in life – be more engaged and stop lowering your standards. And one day you’ll find your Levi or Drasa to kick asses of hollow men together. At the end I just want to add that I loved the Easter eggs: when the couple are playing the bucket-drums (reference to Miles’ film “Whiplash”), and when they are playing chess (Anya’s “The Queen Gambit”). Very smooth, very cute, very appreciated.

My rating: 7/10
S.

The Children of Marx and Coca-Cola. “Male Female: 15 Specific Events” (“Masculin féminin: 15 faits précis”, 1966)

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directed by Jean-Luc Godard
© 1966 Columbia Films. All Rights Reserved.

What about some French New Wave for a good beginning of the week? Not just some, because this film is considered an absolute classic and one of the most important productions made by Jean-Luc Godard. I have to say that I’m not such big fan of this wave, but I do like to see some films made back then, because they make me appreciate all the filmmakers that are brave enough to try something new. In cinema we’ve always had certain rules, even unofficial, but then it’s been developing thanks to those cinematic explorers. Today, I’m recommending you a film that can literally take you back to France in the 60s. We follow Paul (Jean-Pierre Léaud), a young man who’s just finished his military service and is looking for a job. He wanders around going from one café to another, having quite interesting encounters and conversations in the meantime. At some point he meets Madeleine (Chantal Goya), a young woman who loved singing and wishes to make a record. Those two are quite different and they both protect their personal beliefs, yet there’s some chemistry between them. You know, as they say “the opposite attract” – in this case, the saying is very relevant. They keep meeting and continuing their unique discussions while teasing each other with their opinions. If you think it’s just another silly romance then let me assure you, it’s far from it. I’d say it’s a film that allows you to participate in unusual conversations and perhaps realise what your personal views on the mentioned topics are. At least it was like that in my case. I’d thought my way of thinking is pretty much certain, but then, while watching the film, I realised that I need to reflect on some points a bit more. Unfortunately, it’s not my favourite Godard’s film, but I have to admit that the form of it is worth appreciating. Even if it’s not my cup of tea, it’s fresh, it’s surprising and definitely not common for the 60s cinema. Just as the title says – the story is divided into 15 events, so it’s like watching a series of short episodes based on one main idea. This film is considered a romance, so if you’re looking for something different than a typical romcom for your upcoming date, maybe that could be a nice option to consider. Just don’t blame me if after watching it with your sweetheart you’ll begin a night-long discussion about the meaning of life. That’s the downside of exploring quality cinema. Or is it?

My rating: 6/10
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.

Life’s a beautiful tapestry that needs to be experienced. “Memoir of a Snail” (2024)

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directed by Adam Elliot
© 2024 Madman Entertainment. All Rights Reserved.

In 2009 the cinema world gave us “Mary and Max”, which is a very important film in my life. One day I’ll write you about it, but I need a good moment for that. Today, however, I can gladly recommend you “Memoir of a Snail”, a film by the same director, which was made last year and got a nomination for the Best Animated Feature. I’m not going to keep it a secret – this is my personal winner of the category this year. Deep inside I know that it won’t win because of numerous reasons (the Academy reasons, so not very logical to me), but I’m thrilled to see this title on the list and I hope Adam Elliot will be praised by viewers for his filmmaking talent. Unlike other nominees, this animation isn’t actually for children. In fact, I wouldn’t recommend you to show it to children because, well… that would be a great, yet quite traumatising life lesson for them. We get to know Grace (Sarah Snook, young Grace – Charlotte Belsey), a little girl living in Melbourne in the 70s. She has a twin brother Gilbert (Kodi Smit-McPhee, young Gilbert – Mason Litsos) and an alcoholic father who’s currently in a wheelchair. The mother died in childbirth, so the siblings are being raised by one parent only. However, considering their situation, the twins have to take care of each other, because they can’t really count on their father. When the man dies, Grace and Gilbert are separated by social services and sent to two totally different sides of the country. Later we learn about the rest of the story from a grown-up Grace, who’s remembering and reflecting on her life. Just like in “Mary and Max”, the director again focuses on the worst and most difficult topic we may imagine – loneliness. His characters are always those outsiders who don’t fit anywhere, so they either suffer alone or find other outsiders and experience a pinch of happiness in their miserable reality. Some reviewers claim that this film is too dark, but if you take a moment and look around – we’re living in this dark. Some of us may have been more lucky, but there’s a bunch of people whose life is a series of unfortunate events. One problem ends, another one appears, and then we die. I know, we love cinema for this opportunity to forget about our reality for a moment, but maybe sometimes such raw productions may comfort us even more? To me, Elliot’s animations are therapeutical. I may see myself in his characters and watch how they manage our common struggles. It’s hard to explain, but such experience might be both painful and soothing. Finally, I’ve always been a huge fan of stop-motion animation and I will always support this technique because I know how much effort it takes to make even a minute of such film (I used to be playing with it, so my respect for those animators is insane!). So, all my fingers are crossed for Adam Elliot! Maybe the Academy surprises us. Fun fact, Elliot has already won an Oscar, but it was in 2004 and for his short animation “Harvie Krumpet”, which I also recommend you to see, by the way. Time to win for a feature film! And if not – please, keep making your exceptional animations no matter what.

My rating: 8/10
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.

CAPTCHA will catch ya. “I’m Not a Robot” (“Ik ben geen robot”, 2023)

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directed by Nicola Conversa
© 2023 The New Yorker. All Rights Reserved.

Oscars 2025 are coming soon, so expect a lot of recommendations from me with the nominated titles. This year, again, I have films that I strongly support and at least one film that’s a huge joke to me. What’s more, I’m actually worried that based on the Academy choices, that joke of a film might win the main Oscar… Stay strong, dear filmmakers. I know the Academy rules and restrictions for the nominees are already questionable, but please, keep making good cinema. There are so many horrible productions that have won Oscars and later on they are forgotten. I guess it’s better to do quality and skip the fancy party, right? Okay, enough complaining, because I actually have a wonderful short film to recommend you! It’s a Dutch production about a woman named Lara (Ellen Parren), who’s currently at work and is having some technical issues with her computer. The system update blocks pretty much everything unless she succeeds in a CAPTCHA test. Before you ask uncle Google, let me explain: CAPTCHA – Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart. And before you think of using uncle Google again: that’s a series of online tests which most of us have seen at least once. Whenever you have to type the letters or numbers (often written by a 5-year-old with dysgraphia) from a picture, or you need to indicate which parts of a picture contain a certain object (for example a road) – that’s CAPTCHA. We’ve been there, done that. So Lara is asked to do such test and fails, several times. We even see her clicking the correct parts of the picture and still, the test says it’s incorrect. She cannot prove she’s human. Sounds ridiculous, right? She decides to call technical support and the gentleman from the other side says that perhaps Lara is in fact a robot who doesn’t know about it yet. And the rest is for you to see. I was thrilled to watch this short film because it kept me curious and engaged in the story from the beginning till the end. I’m a big fan of sci-fi, especially when it focuses on human/non-human matters. That’s great the filmmakers didn’t decide to make it longer, because those 22 minutes are absolutely enough to present the problem and give us some food for thought. Another brilliant story about people acting like gods and not thinking of the consequences of their actions. To me, that’s this year’s winner, so chapeau bas, my fingers are crossed and good luck!

My rating: 8/10
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.