This trip is a hard swallow for my pride. “The Straight Story” (1999)

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directed by David Lynch
© 1999 Buena Vista Pictures Distribution. All Rights Reserved.

There must be a post about this man on my blog, so here we go. Perhaps I’ll surprise you, but I’ve never been a fan of David Lynch’s films. I know, you’re probably gasping in disrespect. Light a cigarette and keep reading. Lynch was an incredible individual, whom I adored deeply as a person. His way of perceiving life and art was similar to mine, so his death impacted me as well. However, his filmmaking style never convinced me, because I was often missing the point of certain decisions he’d made as a director. So my ratings of his productions would probably start WWIII – and since I’m a rather peaceful person, I’m not going to do it (not yet, at least). Still, Lynch was a talented bastard and there’s this one film that proves it to me. He slowed his very complex mind down and created a rather universal picture, which I appreciate. If you haven’t been Lynch’s style fan either, please give “The Straight Story” a try. It’s actually based on a real story of Alvin Straight (played by Richard Farnsworth), a man in his 70s, who finds out that his brother has had a stroke. The brothers haven’t seen each other in years due to some argument. However, knowing the condition Henry (Alvin’s brother) is in, he decides to visit him and once again sit together and gaze up at the stars. Before you reach out for tissues, let me add an important piece of information. Alvin doesn’t have a driving license, so he has to travel 240 miles (over 380 km) on his lawnmower. Yes, a lawnmower. Yes, it’s based on a true story. As you might be guessing, the man has a bunch of adventures on the way and meets some more or less interesting people. And the ending… well, it’s for you to see, but the ending that Lynch chose was magnificent. After watching this film, I understood that I love Lynch as a director, because technically he’s marvellous, I just don’t get his style. And what? Let’s agree to disagree! I encourage you to see his films and find out whether his mind was your cup of tea or not. And in the meantime, let’s appreciate this man’s sense of humour and the impact he’s had on the world’s cinema. Cheers, Mr. Lynch! You’re an icon.

My rating: 7/10
S.

Truth or justice? “Juror #2” (2024)

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directed by Clint Eastwood
© 2024 Warner Bros. Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

I’ve spent hours discussing this film after watching, so consider it a big deal. I’m still surprised that a legal drama played so much with my mind that I no longer knew which side to take. But let me explain a bit: the main character is Justin (Nicholas Hoult), a journalist, who’s been called to join the jury on a case of a killed woman. The circumstances of the tragedy are not clear. The only suspect is the woman’s boyfriend James (Gabriel Basso), who, as he claims, had an argument with her at a bar and later she went away alone. Unfortunately, James isn’t an angel and he’s been involved in some dirty matters in his life, so the jury is quite sure he’s responsible for the crime. However, during the process, Justin starts remembering something. Last year he had a car accident – he was driving at night and hit something, but because of the weather, darkness and probably some drinks he’d had, he was sure that was some animal which later ran away. Turns out that could have been the killed woman and now, Justin realises he should be the one being judged. But if he admits his guilt, he’ll be sentenced and will leave his pregnant wife on her own. And the mind game begins… I have to say that during the film I didn’t feel such engagement, but the ending… oh boy, the ending is brilliant! And since I’m obsessed with this story, I have to share some analysis of mine so SPOILERS COMING. Get back when you finish watching the film. So… the ending is magnificent, because the story ends depending on your own personal values and beliefs. When I saw the last scene, I was sure that Faith (Toni Collette) came to say she’s going to press charges against Justin, because she knows that’s the right thing to do in accordance with the law. However, I talked to a person who’s pretty sure that Faith came to say “chill out, man, I’ll keep your secret and let you live a normal life”. And that’s magnificent, because it shows how we perceive this case as individuals. Personally, I believe Gabriel, an innocent person, should be released. I know he’s made several mistakes in life, but we shouldn’t be judging people purely based on that. Did Justin drink and kill the woman or was that just an accident? Or maybe someone third did that? No idea. But what I know is that an innocent man has been sentenced based on his social label. On the other hand, if Justin goes to prison, his whole family will be affected and by not continuing the case, both Justin and Faith give the family a chance to live happily. But again, isn’t Gabriel worth of giving him a chance for a better life? Who deserves that better life? A middle-class man with a decent job? My answer is: everybody unless they’ve committed a crime. Of course, Justin might have caused the accident, not saying he killed the woman on purpose, but who’s more responsible for her death? A man who wasn’t even there or a man who actually hit her with his car, even accidentally? To me the answer is simple. And I believe that’s the hardest task for lawyers and judges – to stay objective. Because if we let our emotions get in the way, the law has no point in existing. We may also have a separate discussion whether Justin is not lying about that event. What if he knew and let the woman die? What if he was actually drunk? There are so many possibilities, which sets my brain on fire and I enjoy it very much. Surely one of the most exciting productions of 2024 and one of my favourite films by Eastwood. Bravo!

My rating: 8/10
S.

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

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

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

My rating: 7/10
S.

I’m guilty of looking ahead instead of right in front of me. “We Live in Time” (2024)

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directed by John Crowley
© 2024 A24. All Rights Reserved.

Is this film anything new? Nope. Is the story unpredictable? Nope. Do I recommend it? Yes, without a doubt. Generally, I like to be surprised by filmmakers, so they could show me something I wouldn’t come up with myself. However, maybe sometimes we need a basic story to remind us that feeding fictional images in our head does no good to us. This time we get to know Alma and Tobias (Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield). She’s a former ice-skater who is now working as a chef in a fancy restaurant and he works for a breakfast cereal company and is about to get divorced with his wife. The screenwriter had fun creating those two, I’m telling you. Anyway, they don’t meet in a romantic scene with snow falling and emotional music playing – instead, Alma runs Tobias over with her car. Love at first hit, I guess? They have their first “date” at a hospital, but as you can imagine, it’s not their last one. Those two have some specific chemistry between each other, even though they come from two different worlds. Unfortunately, at some point in their relationship Alma gets diagnosed with cancer and it’s the beginning of her goodbye story. Suddenly, a woman who was always thinking of her next steps and analysing possible scenarios gets one written and impossible to avoid. So instead of the future, the couple have to focus on the present. Just like I said at the beginning – there’s nothing new about this screenplay, because we’ve seen hundreds of such. Still, I enjoyed watching it because it was nicely made. The atmosphere was soothing, the actors (not only their characters) were compatible with each other, and I had a chance to reflect on life given a different perspective. I mean, I see myself in Alma who constantly thinks ahead and does everything to achieve the most, while I forget to slow down and take care of the present me. Don’t get me wrong, planning your future is a great thing to do, but at the same time let’s not forget to enjoy what’s happening now. I was talking to my friend about this film and we reached a conclusion that the story of Alma and Tobias is reminding us that “normal” life can be beautiful and pleasant as well. That having a cup of tea with your beloved ones is a moment you might remember even more than getting a promotion at work or winning some trophy. Besides, the future is never certain, but the present is here and couldn’t be more real. Get yourself that tea and take a deep breath. You might need that.

My rating: 7/10
S.

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

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

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

My rating: 6/10
S.

One bag for one life. “Carry-On” (2024)

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directed by Jaume Collet-Serra
© 2024 Netflix. All Rights Reserved.

Let’s enter 2025 with a pinch of adrenaline, shall we? Netflix was recommending me this film way too much to ignore it, so at some point I screamed to myself “FINE” and let it play. And how surprised I was to see two brilliant actors playing quite unexpected roles. But first things first – I’m taking you to LA airport. We get to know Ethan (Taron Egerton), who’s a security officer and his job is to make sure no forbidden liquids are in your hand luggage. Because we all know that extra 100 ml of shampoo is the main cause of plane crashes, right? Anyway, during his shift, Ethan finds an earbud and this way he begins a life-and-death game with a guy referred to as the Traveler (Jason Bateman). His request is simple – Ethan must make sure that one specific piece of luggage will not be scanned and stopped by the security. Maybe it wouldn’t be that complicated to solve this problem if only the Traveler didn’t threaten to kill Nora (Sofia Carson), Ethan’s pregnant wife. The officer has no idea what’s inside that specific bag, but it seems like he must risk everything to save his beloved one. The game begins… Personally, I adore such action films were the protagonist is trapped in a mind struggle and at first, it seems like there’s no way out. I immediately start analysing options, and if the characters surprise me with their choices, I consider it a good script. Watching films should be fun, so if I can predict everything in the first 10 minutes, there’s something not right. Here, I have to admit that they did surprise me and following Ethan’s mind was pretty exciting. Maybe the ending could have been more spectacular, but we can’t have everything. Besides, as I mentioned before, the roles of Taron Egerton and Jason Bateman were quite unusual. The Traveler was a wonderful psycho who in an elegant manner and with not much effort completely controlled Ethan. I associate Jason with comedies and his roles of a generally annoyed yet kind guy-next-door, so that was somehow satisfying to see him as the antagonist. And then, Taron, whenever he plays a slightly confused character, it’s always in comedies. Here, we could see a more dramatic version of his confusion and lack of control over the situation, which was also a fresh experience to me. Anyway, both gentlemen did a great job and I believe that if only the ending had been slightly polished, that could be a brilliant action film to talk about. But at least it’s good, it’s entertaining, and it’s easy to follow, so feel free to begin your year this way as well.

My rating: 6/10
S.

Happy 6th Birthday!

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Dearest Readers who have nothing to watch!

Six years! Can you imagine?! A random idea that came up to my mind when I was yet a Film Studies student is now celebrating its 6th birthday. The idea was to write about films in a simple and pleasant way so that literally everyone could get inspired and watch something good. Because films are for everyone, so are my recommendations. And it’ll stay this way.

2024 was a difficult year for me, so I couldn’t commit too much to my blog. That is why I shared only 62 recommendations… I hope that despite the low number, you found something among my posts and saw some decent films in 2024. However, a big number of people visited my page, which is over 19 900 people from 169 countries! Each year I’m amazed by those numbers and I’m glad that my recommendations are reaching cinephiles all around the world. We may have some differences, but cinema is what brings us together for sure.

In 2025 I wish myself peace and time to get involved more in developing my blog. I’m thankful for all the connections that I’ve made in the last 6 years and I hope for new ones! I’m also incredibly excited for all the films that we’ll watch in 2025, both brilliant and horrible, because we need something to gossip about as well, right? Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay cinephiles!

My rating: 10/10
S.

No eating after midnight. “Gremlins” (1984)

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

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

My rating: 7/10
S.

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

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

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

My rating: 6/10
S.

Cinema as a weapon of mass manipulation. “Zinema” (2024)

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directed by Kornii Hrytsiuk
© 2024 Think Tank Ukraine. All Rights Reserved.

No matter how much one wants to avoid following the news, especially those bad ones, I guess most people know about the current war between Russia and Ukraine. Personally, I try not to get too political in writing my posts, even if I have some strong opinions and what’s happening out there is not indifferent to me. However, I’ve just seen this documentary and I really wish you to hear about it, because I believe it may interest cinephiles and simultaneously teach you about the power of propaganda that’s present in Russia. The film was made by a Ukrainian filmmaker who wanted to discuss Russian cinema and its influence on people. I was aware of the fact that Russian filmmakers must be including some political allusions and manifest their aversion to other nations, but what I saw in today’s documentary blew my mind. All the countries that have ever had any conflicts with Russia are always presented as offenders, while Russia is always the one that strives for peace and justice. Before making films about “bad Ukrainians”, there were films about “bad Chechens”, “bad Georgians” and so on, and so on, so it seems like the idea for their national cinema doesn’t change much – they just choose a different nation to cast as an antagonist. To be fair, I guess there’s no country which hasn’t produced a film full of stereotypes, or a film in which they’re not offending another nation. For example, in Russia it’s common to present sex workers or people from the lowest social class as Ukrainians. I know several films from different countries where people from mine (I’m not Ukrainian) are presented as such. Is it nice? Not really, but I cannot say that it’s not partially true, because I’m sure there are some migrants from my country who might do such jobs or behave in a certain way. However, when another nation is presented as neo-nazis who are against Russians, then I believe the propaganda level went over the limit. Or making historical films based on made-up stories just to strengthen the idea of eternal Russian innocence. It’s terrifying, because cinema can be a very strong weapon. A few people will read a book, but millions will watch a film. And if they live in a country with the access to such films only, then there’s no surprise that even civilians support the military actions that result in murdering innocent people. Recently, I saw a documentary about North Korea and the scenario was the same – North Koreans had to leave their country to understand what mystification they were living in. I definitely recommend you to watch “Zinema”, because it may help you understand the quality of information provision in Russia. And also, it may encourage you to reflect on the power of cinema that is used all over the world. Quite disturbing if you analyse it…

My rating: 7/10
S.