Embrace the light while it burns because it won’t always last forever. “Elemental” (2023)

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directed by Peter Sohn
© 2023 Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

I haven’t been much satisfied with Disney’s recent animations and I know that this one isn’t a perfection either, but it put a smile on my face, which is enough for me to recommend it. If it’ll make you feel better, that’s already a reason to watch. At first I thought it’s some kind of alternative to “Inside Out”, but I’m assuring you the story is totally different. We end up in Element City where various elements coexist, although not without conflicts. A couple of fire elements move to the city and aren’t much welcome because other elements see them as walking troubles. After all, they are literally fire. The couple finally settle down, have a daughter and open their own little store. When their child, Ember (Leah Lewis), gets older, the father wants her to run the family business so he could retire in peace. Unfortunately, Ember has difficulties with her temper and finds it difficult to deal with annoying clients. I mean, I feel you, girl. Anyway, soon and by accident she gets a chance to meet Wade (Mamoudou Athie), who is a water element. Even though those two elements completely differ from each other, they will realise how much opposites attract. And if you haven’t guessed that yet – yes, this is actually a love story. It’s still a lovely animation for children, but the main idea is showing a romantic relation between two different elements. But not to focus on the romantic part only, I have to point out that this film is also a great tolerance lesson. Different elements represent different races/cultures. It is presented how each element group stick together and feel best surrounded by other elements like them, but also how elements might be discriminated and excluded from different activities. I actually loved the idea for this film and the way they covered the topic of racism and xenophobia so well. I believe that not only children will learn the lesson, but I’m pretty sure their parents/guardians might also reflect a bit. The thing that I definitely didn’t like was the main adventure – or rather lack of it. I mean, if I was bored, then I guess a little human would have left the room before I yawned for the first time. So yeah, no fun adventure in this one, at least in my opinion. But the characters of Ember and Wade caught my attention and I was actually cheering for them. *SMALL SPOILER* Honestly speaking, I was more excited about their first hand touch than when I had my own first kiss as a teen. In the end, I wanted a relaxing animation, I got a relaxing animation with a cute romantic cherry on top, so I’m happy and hope you’ll be too.

My rating: 7/10
S.

Do we want an animal or a friend? “Dogtooth” (“Kynodontas”, 2009)

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directed by Yorgos Lanthimos
© 2009 Feelgood Entertainment. All Rights Reserved.

There are those filmmakers that you cannot mistaken for anyone else. I mean, all you need is up to 10 minutes of their film and bang – you know exactly who made it. I believe that Yorgos Lanthimos is one of such directors, and if you’ve seen some of his works, you probably agree with me right now. However, as much as his films are indeed fascinating, I’m not his biggest fan. Still, his creativity and some kind of oddness intrigue me enough to keep watching new productions. Today’s film is a bit older, yet worth checking out since it may introduce you to Lanthimos’ style. In this story we get to meet a couple that are bringing up their three children. Sounds like a lovely family? Not in a Lanthimos film, darling. All the children are in fact adults and have never left their house as their parents want to protect them. The son and two daughters will be ready to leave only if they lose a dogtooth. In the meantime, their parents teach them strange things, incorrect meanings of words, they lie about the outside world and don’t let the children feel or act like adults. It’s their father who decides what they do, what they get punished for and what is worth praising. The problem begins when the woman that was paid by the father to have sex with his son brings things and knowledge from the outside world. The siblings start wondering what’s really on the other side of the fence. If the description seems insane, then you’re getting the idea what you might expect from this production. It’s a psychological drama that doesn’t explain much, yet bombs you with millions of questions. There are numerous interpretations of the story and I might agree with some of them, yet I believe I have my own, which I’m sharing now so *SPOILERS ALERT*. To me, this is a story about parenthood and its consequences. Generally, parents want to raise their children to be safe, to be happy, but also to meet the parents’ expectations, respect their rules and values, or even follow an already chosen path. Lanthimos style might be very controversial, but I see the point he was trying to make (or I believe he was): some parents mistaken raising children for training dogs, as harsh as it sounds. Let me explain: a dog is about to be your companion for about 10-12 years, he/she will stay with you, follow your daily schedule, adapt to your lifestyle and never leave you. Children, however, are meant to be prepared for the outside world, no matter how much you want them to be like you. And no matter how strict or consistent you are as a parent, the child will break at some point, sooner or later. Just like with that dogtooth from the story – the father knew that adults don’t normally lose these teeth, so it’s rather sure that his children will stay with him forever. But what if the child decides to get rid of the metaphorical tooth themselves? This is exactly how I read this story, but you’re more than welcome to have another idea. The best part about Lanthimos films is that there’s for sure no one answer to anything.

My rating: 6/10
S.

Life is like golgappas. “Laal Singh Chaddha” (2022)

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directed by Advait Chandan
© 2022 Viacom18 Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Whenever I hear the word “remake”, I instantly think of another American version of an already good production made in another country. There are some that I actually appreciated more in the American version, but most American remakes are, in my opinion, unnecessary. And it seems like my readers share this opinion, because you either think they are unnecessary or you just don’t mind them. Only 6% said they like American remakes. So today I’ve got a little surprise for you. I’m sure most of you have seen “Forrest Gump”, which is an absolute classic and also a great American production. But what would you say for an Indian version? I don’t accept “no” for an answer. I was actually shocked myself when I saw the description of this film. Adding the fact that the main role is played by my beloved Indian actor Aamir Khan and the main female role belongs to marvellous Kareena Kapoor Khan, I couldn’t skip this gem. Although, I was a bit sceptical because, come on, “Forrest Gump” is already a wonderful and complete piece, so making its remake is like playing with fire while being covered in petrol – only if you’re ready to sacrifice everything, shortly speaking. I guess there’s no point to tell you what the film is about, because it’s almost the exact story as it’s presented in the American original. And if you haven’t seen “Forrest Gump”, you have some important homework to do, my dear. So, despite my love to Bollywood and those two great actors, I decided to be very critical and as objective as I could. With huge honour I announce that the Indian remake is very very very good. Not only it’s well-made, with delightful camerawork and editing, not only it’s filled with high quality acting, but it really is an Indian production from the beginning till the end. The filmmakers took a successful story and set it in their country’s reality, which makes us enjoy the well-known story once again, but at the same time experience the Indian culture and understand it in a new way. I’ve seen many Bollywood productions and I do know a bit about India, but this film gave me a fresh perspective and answers to questions I haven’t even asked myself. Plus, can you imagine a Bollywood film without singing and dancing? Well, this film provides us with numerous tunes to bounce to and they really make the whole atmosphere. What I also like about this production is that it kind of reminds American producers that remaking can work both ways and that American cinema should not feel so sure about its position. Don’t get me wrong, I love American films, but at the same time I believe that there are many amazing productions that are almost invisible because of the country they’re coming from. That is why it’s important to me to share different films with you. And I’m always open to your recommendations, so feel free to share them as well. In the meantime, enjoy golgappas with Laal Singh Chaddha.

My rating: 8/10
S.

Humans only have one ending. Ideas live forever. “Barbie” (2023)

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directed by Greta Gerwig
© 2023 Warner Bros. Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Are you surprised to see this post? Well… so am I writing it right now. If you’ve been following me for some time, you probably already know I wasn’t much excited about seeing “Barbie”. It’s mostly because I’ve never really enjoyed any of Greta Gerwig’s films. Not saying you should avoid her productions, quite the opposite, give them a chance because perhaps it’s just my opinion. But I believe she was more aware of what she’d doing in front of the camera, as an actress. Still, how could I skip “Barbie” since many of you are hoping to hear my opinion. So here it is: “Barbie” is Greta’s best work. Yay! Clap, clap, clap! Celebration time. However (about to ruin the moment), the potential was wasted and I’m about to tell you why I think so. First things first, if you haven’t been infected by the Barbie virus and still haven’t seen it, I need to explain the main idea. We’re going to Barbieland where we can meet very different Barbies, such as Barbie the doctor, Barbie the mechanic, Barbie the astronaut, as well as stereotypical Barbie (Margot Robbie). There are also Kens, who, unlike in our real world, don’t do anything useful. They simply have fun and look handsome, while Barbies do all the important jobs. The stereotypical Barbie has a secret admirer – beach Ken (Ryan Gosling), who really wants to get closer to her, but she puts her female friends first no matter what. Everyone’s living a dream until one night when the stereotypical Barbie starts wondering about death and since then strange things begin to occur, such as lack of energy, anxiety, cellulite and… flat feet! Turns out she has to travel to the real world in order to stop the process of un-Barbing her, if that makes sense. I know that a lot of people were expecting a cheerful comedy mocking Barbie the doll, but I guess most of them didn’t know Greta. It was obvious she would make a feminist drama out of it – and she did. And to be honest, I really liked the general idea of showing this Barbie world where women are empowered, but at the same time I felt uncomfortable with presenting Kens as totally useless. Trust me, I get the point and I know it was necessary for the sake of what happens later in the film *SPOILERS COMING* when Barbies pretend to be absolute idiots to let Kens feel needed and admired. I’m aware of the fact that Greta was just presenting the ridiculousness of our world there, because, let’s face it, women do often pretend to be “less” in order to comfort their men, which should not occur, so I’m glad she’s pointing that out. However, instead of demonising men so much, even in a comedic way, I’d love to see some human empowerment and equality advertisement. Because even if Greta wanted to spread such message, it’s covered with a bit of, sorry for my honesty, toxic feminism. I know that women are often not treated seriously, I know that women struggle with being seen and appreciated for who they are and not what they look like – I know all that. But instead of mocking men, perhaps we could encourage women to be assertive and brave in their actions, while men to be more open-minded and not afraid of being on the same level as their female partners, friends, family members. “Barbie” is no silly comedy for sure, because as you can see, it’s about the never-ending dilemma how to facilitate female-male relations, which is still a big and unsolved deal. It has its wonderful moments, especially the beginning and the ending, but the middle is too messy, as if a totally different person/group of people were writing that part of the film. In the end, I say you should watch it, because it really pushes to thinking of those difficult topics, but please, try to reflect on what’s there and analyse it yourself. Not everything said in films is true, I hope you remember that. And I hope that one day we will be living in some Humanland where you are enough whoever you are, without games and pretending anything. One day, perhaps…

My rating: 6/10
S.

I know a thing or two about a thing or two. “This Boy’s Life” (1993)

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directed by Michael Caton-Jones
© 1993 Warner Bros. All Rights Reserved.

If you hear about Leonardo DiCaprio, I bet “Titanic” is the first film that comes to your mind. There are obviously many more, including “Shutter Island”, “Catch Me If You Can”, or “The Revenant” for which he got an Oscar. However, what if I’d like to recommend you a film with a teenage Leo, who even back then absolutely rocked his role? The story is actually based on the life of Tobias Wolff, an American writer, who had a rather difficult childhood, which for sure shaped him in a certain way. He was being raised by his mother Caroline (Ellen Barkin), who wasn’t really ready to take care of a boy like Toby (Leonardo DiCaprio). She decided to find herself a decent man with a good job and manners to provide for the family and make sure they have a brighter future. Then, she meets Dwight Hansen (Robert De Niro). Toby isn’t much thrilled about his mom dating that man, but he’s not the one to choose. Dwight indeed seems like a good partner, so the woman agrees to marry him. And yet before the marriage, Dwight begins to reveal who he really is. Turns out that Toby was right and his mom’s new husband may cause more troubles than they already have. Even though this film is based on a real story of Tobias Wolff, I believe numerous men may see themselves as little Toby. I’m glad that nowadays we try to put a spotlight on the problem of patriarchy and inequality from the perspective of women – we should definitely do more about that – but such films like this one are also incredibly important. The reason why some men act the way they do may be because they grew up surrounded by tons of toxic masculinity. Some of them might have managed their feelings and found a way to express themselves as for example artists, but there are also those who keep on acting the same way as their fathers/grandfathers/uncles because they simply don’t know any other way. I’m not saying that they should be excused for their behaviour, definitely not, but on the other hand, perhaps that makes it easier to understand their motivation to be the way they are. This production is disgusting and I can’t believe someone made me hate Robert De Niro’s character so much… How can you feel anything other than pure love towards this wonderful actor? But still, he created a true monster on the screen, which made me feel as if I was watching some dark documentary. And, as I said at the beginning, let’s not forget about Leo, who was truly born with some extra pinch of acting talent. Call me naive, but I believed that kiddo in everything he was presenting there. Even though that film duo was very toxic, I loved their cooperation and I can’t imagine anyone else doing such a great job in their place. This story reminds us that no matter how difficult our beginnings are, there’s always a chance to make everything better. I know, it sounds like some cheap motivational speech, but if you didn’t have it easy in your early years, then you know how true those words are. Besides, I hope this film reminds my male readers that there’s no such thing as a recipe to be man. You can do and be whoever you want and still call yourself a man. As long as you’re not hurting anyone and you stay happy with yourself – then you’re a man in my eyes. Slightly forgotten yet very good film, so make sure to watch it one day.

My rating: 7/10
S.

Do you have any change? “Run, Waiter, Run!” (“Vrchní, prchni”, 1981)

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directed by Ladislav Smoljak
© 1981 Filmové studio Barrandov. All Rights Reserved.

Not that long time ago I recommended you a drama about a waiter, and today we’re kind of getting back to that topic, just in a different mood. I’m a big fan of Czech humour, although I know that it’s not that popular among everyone. However, I definitely recommend you to check out today’s film because it can be a great culture lesson for everyone outside Czechia or Slovakia. Back then, when the film was being made, those two countries were one – Czechoslovakia, and they still do share a lot with each other, including that specific sense of humour. In this story we get to meet Dalibor (Josef Abrhám), who’s a middle-aged guy that hasn’t been much successful in life. He owns a little bookstore, doesn’t have an impressive car and struggles with finances basically all the time. Additionally, he’s not very good at choosing right women and for sure not at keeping them satisfied, since he already has two ex-wives and a new one, who isn’t that thrilled to be married to Dalibor. And he has to find enough money to pay them all, so imagine how difficult it must be for a simple bookstore manager. But then, one day, an angel appears to save the man from his troubles… or rather a drunk guy who accidentally takes Dalibor for a waiter and gives him money for his service, which obviously wasn’t really his. Still, that was enough for our broke guy to come up with a smart idea – he decides to dress up as a waiter, go to restaurants, pretend to be working there and collect money from the guests. And then, well, run. If this description doesn’t sound Czech to you, I guess you don’t know much about their culture. Add cheerful Czech music and sexual jokes and voilà, we’ve got a perfect Czech comedy. Oh, I forgot to mention that Dalibor suffers from a very serious condition, which makes him visualise most women in dirty circumstances… You call it “every man”, I call it “that’s the joke”. But that is why I adore Czech humour because they actually don’t mind laughing at themselves, which is wonderful and I believe we don’t think any less of them because of that, quite the opposite. Fun fact – the idea for this film came to Zdeněk Svěrák, the screenwriter, when he once went to a pub dressed up in a more elegant way and suddenly lots of guests sitting there expected him to serve them. But hey, after watching this comedy I’ll be paying more attention to this matter because I’ve just realised – we don’t really care who serves us. Sometimes we do have one waiter assigned to our table, but sometimes they change and it wouldn’t be that difficult to trick us. All you need is a nice suit/shirt, a wallet and a bit of gel on your hair. Although, nowadays most people pay with cards… or phones… damn it, technology kills such wonderful ideas. Still, if you feel inspired to try Dalibor’s method, make sure to message me with the details before the police catch you. Thank you in advance!

My rating: 7/10
S.

Give me your definition of the term ‘in real life’. “Knit’s Island” (2023)

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directed by Ekiem Barbier, Guilhem Causse & Quentin L’Helgouac’h
© 2023 Les Films Invisibles. All Rights Reserved.

I really wanted to finally write about this documentary today, but to be fair – I asked you on Instagram whether you prefer something more difficult or more relaxing. I love the fact that most of you want to be disturbed by my recommendation, so here you go. I saw this film some time ago, but each time I wanted to write a post about it, something was pulling me away from doing that. Today, I’m taking you into a game. The directors decided to join one online multiplayer game and spent 963 hours (no, I didn’t add an extra digit there) exploring it. The idea of the game is that you kind of live in a post-apocalyptic reality, where together with other players you can build communities and do everything people could do in such circumstances. Obviously, you create your own avatar and can become whoever you wish, and it’s up to you whether you decide to join the good ones, or the bad ones. Like everywhere, there are groups that try to build healthy and supportive communities, but there are also those that feel the need to express the evil inside them. The whole film is actually happening in the game, so you may feel like one of the players discovering that mystical world. I saw this documentary during one film festival and I have to say it was one of the best choices I’d made. We may think that playing online games is just a random way of spending your free time – in the end, we all need to relax from time to time. However, thanks to the directors, we get the picture of the modern society and how social interactions have evolved. Each of those people there is a totally different story, some of which you may hear directly from them. And despite their spectacular avatars and great atmosphere they try to keep in the game, I felt like each of the players is somehow lost and finds it difficult to manage in their real life. Whether it’s an anxious introvert, a person struggling with some mental or physical limitations, or a mother that’s simply tired of her reality – they all need someone to accept them and give them a pinch of affection. This documentary, despite its original form, is quite personally significant to me because, luckily for a short period of time, I used to be an online reality addict. There were days when I was just doing the necessary in real life and then spent hours, days or sleepless nights on playing in a virtual world. It was a long time ago and I was very young back then, but I can still remember what my life looked like. You see, I’m not judging these players because we all need acceptance and if we don’t get that from one place, we try another. Since each person playing there might have some complicated background, it’s actually easier for them to bond, because they either don’t share their personal stories and enjoy having fun, or they do share and meet people who also don’t live such a Disney-like life. On the one hand, it may seem incredibly disturbing that grown-ups need to escape the reality, but on the other hand – if it helps them, who are we to judge? Some people choose therapy, some people build an avatar and kill zombies in an abandoned city. Would I get back to such life? No, surely not. But I believe this documentary shows that, despite the technological development, humans still have those old basic needs. We need friends. We need to feel valuable. The thing is that if we don’t take care of ourselves in reality, we may not be strong enough to enjoy this virtual world, and, unfortunately, some players have been neglecting themselves or people in their surroundings for the sake of the game. This is a very wide topic and I’m sure we could discuss a lot about it, but first – make sure to watch the documentary. And then, if you feel, you can always reach me to have a chat and use the Internet in a slightly safer way.

My rating: 8/10
S.

To those who fight without weapons. “The Shift” (2020)

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directed by Alessandro Tonda
© 2020 Notorious Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Finding an underrated film that I actually like is one thing, but finding a film that is so badly promoted on the Internet is another. Even though I try not to judge films by their ratings, I often check those ratings before choosing something to see. Can’t help it. When I saw today’s production’s description on one streaming platform, I was highly curious about it despite its rather average ratings. Then, after watching, I was reading more and let me just copy-paste you what I found on numerous sites about this film: “An Islamic terror attack at a school in Brussels”. Hold up! Who the hell agreed to describe this story with that particular sentence?! I guess they just watched the first 5 minutes of the film and thought “yeah, that will do”. I’m writing this post in order to share what a gem this film is and I do hope you will decide to see it. At the beginning, we meet Isabelle (Clotilde Hesme) and Adamo (Adamo Dionisi), two paramedics from Brussels. They’ve just finished their night shift, but they got a call about an emergency, which requires extra support from all possible paramedics available. Turns out that at one school there was a shooting and an explosion, which led to many injured teenagers in need of immediate medical help. When Isabelle and Adamo get there, they find an unconscious boy, so without any hesitation they just put him into the ambulance and start driving towards a hospital. The tragedy was caused by a teenager who, as that incredibly eloquent and elaborated sentence says, was a Muslim and most probably because of his beliefs was pushed to shoot his peers and detonate the bomb attached to his body. However, Isabelle and Adamo soon find out that the teenage assassin wasn’t alone and the boy that is currently in the ambulance with them is also equipped with an explosive device. And the boy is waking up. And now, if you’re not feeling like watching this film after my short description, then I’m a ballerina. I absolutely love films that make me wonder what I’d do if I were there and leave me with this terrifying thought that I’d probably just lose consciousness from stress. It’s a rather low-budget production, but the idea is just marvellous. The paramedics are obviously trapped, because no matter if they stay or get off the ambulance in a hurry, the boy can detonate the bomb anytime. I’m afraid that this film is underrated because of two reasons. One, that horrible sentence that discourages people from watching another production about terrorists. Two, perhaps religious people might be against presenting them as the bad ones. As a non-religious person it’s hard for me to share such perspective, because I try not to judge people by their beliefs, but by their actions. And I don’t care to which church or temple you go to – if your beliefs push you to hurting anyone, then I’ll see you as a bad person. Period. So I wouldn’t focus on the fact that the boys were Muslim, because it’s not even what this film is about. But if I told you what it’s actually about, then you wouldn’t decide to see it, so make sure to do that and watch it till the very end. It is terrifying, it is exciting and at the end it’s very inspirational. At least it was to me.

My rating: 7/10
S.

Hope is a monster and I am its plaything. “Three Thousand Years of Longing” (2022)

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directed by George Miller
© 2022 United Artists Releasing. All Rights Reserved.

Who feels like watching “Aladdin” for adults with Idris Elba playing a djinn with incredible women-pleasing skills? Welcome on board! And before your imagination drifts away, let me introduce you to a film that is probably one of my biggest this year’s discoveries. I was hoping for a relaxing fantasy/comedy with two talented actors, and I ended up overthinking every single scene… played by two talented actors. At the beginning, we get to meet Alithea (Tilda Swinton), who’s a narratology scholar, very much into literature and tales. The woman has got herself an old bottle in Istanbul and after rubbing it in the hotel room, she accidentally unleashed the Djinn (Idris Elba). As you might be guessing, he has the power to make her three wishes come true, but before she even considers wishing anything, they start a very long conversation. Both of them open up and tell each other background stories, and despite their obvious differences, they seem to have a lot in common. And before you think it’s some ridiculous fantasy film where a woman is talking to a fog-guy from the bottle, let me assure you there’s way more to read. I don’t want to spoil much, but to me this is a very original and fresh approach to the topic of loneliness. Alithea has dedicated her life to her passion and experienced rejection by her own husband, while the Djinn has been constantly misunderstood and, despite his good will, he kept on being abandoned and forgotten. Both of them feel unappreciated and kind of discouraged to keep trying to change their reality. And perhaps they needed to meet each other to finally gain a life supporter they deserve and need. Besides, the film is very much focused on the concept of three wishes, and I wouldn’t have done it better. In children’s films, when a character gets three wishes, they often wish for trivial stuff and sometimes there’s a lesson that certain consequences come after. However, what about teaching us that wishes can be done by ourselves only if we work hard, or that sometimes you need to sacrifice one thing to obtain another. You know what I mean? The pre-wishing stage, not what happens after. The Djinn tells the stories of people who asked him to make something happen and based on those stories we get to learn a very important lesson. Loved that part. But getting back to the topic of loneliness, I was reflecting a lot after the film and I’d like to share some random thoughts, but consider those a SPOILER, so stop reading if you haven’t seen the film. Or don’t, you little rebel. Anyway, to me this is not just a fictional story of a woman talking to a djinn. At the beginning, Alithea says: “My name is Alithea. My story is true. You’re more likely to believe me, however, if I tell it as a fairytale.” – those words made me question everything. And I have two ideas. First, it’s a story of two very real people who come from different backgrounds and find a common ground because of their hurt feelings and the need to be loved. Second, Alithea never met anyone and that’s a story of a woman who’s learnt to accept her solitude and see beyond her loneliness. And whichever version is true, I really liked this film. At first I was frowning and giggling because it was like a modernised “NeverEnding Story”/“Aladdin”/boring history lesson video material that your teacher played when they’d had too much wine the previous night. But the longer I was watching, the more fascinated I was with the form of this production. And I’m glad that there are still filmmakers who try new things instead of copy-pasting old schemes. This production was refreshing, I must say, and I know that some people might not fully enjoy it, but perhaps you like such surprises and you’ll overthink together with me. Besides, Tilda and Idris – this duo cannot let us down. Oh, and Idris nailed his ancient Greek accent in English, I swear.

My rating: 7/10
S.

Human dignity is a beautiful thing, just not for a waiter. “Hotel Pacific” (“Zaklęte rewiry”, 1975)

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directed by Janusz Majewski
© 1975 Zespół Filmowy Tor. All Rights Reserved.

Recently, I’ve read a reportage about waiters, where I could learn a little bit more about their perspectives. I’ve never had a chance to work as one, even when I was yet a student, so some of their stories surprised me indeed. And in order to put a spotlight on this particular professional group, I’ve decided to recommend you a Polish-Czechoslovak film, which may be especially interesting to those of you who, like me, never worked in a restaurant. The film was made in 1975, but the story is set in the 30s. We get to meet Roman (Marek Kondrat), a teenager coming from the countryside, who wants to find a job in the city. He accidentally enters the restaurant of a fancy hotel called “Pacific”, where they randomly offer him to become their dishwasher. Roman is used to hard and honest work, yet very quickly he realises that it’s not how you do it in such place. Even though I’ve never worked in a restaurant, I don’t live in a total bubble and I know how radical certain decision are made there, like when it comes to leftovers and such. So if you’re not a person riding a unicorn on the rainbow either, you won’t be that surprised. Still, the best part is when Roman is promoted to serve in the restaurant and you can see the contrast between what’s happening in the dining room and what’s happening out back. Even though this film is mostly dramatic, there are numerous moments where you can actually have a laugh. But generally, I found it confusing, which in this case is a big plus. What I mean is that Roman is a genuine, honest and hard-working person, but he has to fight against himself in order to be respected in that specific workplace. Soon he realises that everyone’s playing some kind of game and the better you play it, the longer you may stay there. In fact, you may be promoted as long as they don’t find out about your lies. Personally, I see myself in the character of Roman, because I’ve been taught to do my best, strive for excellence and be a decent human – polite, fair and supportive. Yet, as we all see, the world is not such a wonderful place and you have to adapt to the reality. Also, it shows how much artifice is around us. Even the Czechoslovak title of this film emphasises this point: “Dvojí svět hotelu Pacifik”, which means “A double world of hotel Pacific”. The waiter may seem like your best friend who wants you to enjoy your time, but in fact, they have a specific plan to make you stay longer, order more, pay extra. Simple as that. And I’m not judging – it’s actually pretty fair, business is business, everyone wants to earn more. But I also admire how much you need to coordinate your work as a waiter, because if you’re a good one and your guests are of a much higher status, there are numerous rules you need to remember. I believe one of my favourite moments of this film is when Roman serves one man and he asks for a glass of alcohol. Taught by his superior, Roman brings the whole bottle to the table, hoping that the guest won’t mind and, in the end, pays for the whole bottle, not just one glass. The man, however, gets furious and then Roman finds out that he’s a frequent flyer, who’s also an alcoholic, so he will easily drink that whole bottle, but he doesn’t want anyone to know, so he pretends to be having only one glass. Roman’s job is to keep filling that one glass from time to time, but never leave the bottle on the table. So, one glass stays just one glass, right? That scene says so much about this profession and the world we’re living in. Because even though the film is set in the 30s, so almost 100 years ago, I believe this whole game is ongoing. Make sure to watch it and develop your own opinion. Cheers!

My rating: 7/10
S.