If I were a rich man… “Fiddler on the Roof” (1971)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Norman Jewison
© 1971 United Artists. All Rights Reserved.

Can you imagine the Godfather as a poor Jewish milkman? Yeah, me neither. Apparently, if Chaim Topol hadn’t finally got chosen for the role of Tevye, Marlon Brando would have made another legendary performance. However, say whatever you want, but I’m glad that Vito Corleone wasn’t singing in that production. And I’m obviously talking about the famous “Fiddler on the Roof”, which is an absolute classic. Even if you haven’t seen it, I’m sure you’ve heard its famous songs not once. About the plot – we’re following a Jewish man living in 1905 Russia, whose life isn’t much complicated. However, Tevye (Chaim Topol) has one big trouble he has to deal with – his five daughters. So five big troubles, to be exact. And since all the girls are old enough to get married, it’s definitely a priority for the family to find them husbands as fast as it’s possible. Because an unmarried young woman is the worst that can happen to a religious family of 1905, right? Except the family drama that is presented in a rather comedic way, there’s a lot of political messages hidden there, but since I’m the last person who wants to focus on that, I’ll just skip it. The reason why I’ve decided to write about this particular production today is because we’ve recently lost Chaim Topol and I believe that everyone should be reminded of his acting talent. Are you angry with the Academy for their choices this year? Don’t worry, dear, they managed to piss us off even in 1972 as this marvellous actor wasn’t awarded for his legendary performance. I adore every second of this character on the screen because Topol was acting in a very precise and believable way. I feel like nowadays many actors are overacting or focusing on pretending to be someone they’re not, while those older actors were simply becoming their characters. I don’t see Topol in this film, I see Tevye. And that’s what acting is all about, in my opinion. So we should remember and praise such artists till the end of time. Besides, this production was technically better than many modern ones, I swear. The cinematography? Best! (awarded, by the way) Editing – satisfying. Costumes? Make-up? Production design? Top, top, top. Plus, the music by Jerry Bock adapted by John Williams – per-fec-tion. What is more, the film is over 3 hours long, yet it feels like a moment that you’d like to last forever. But I guess that if a film makes you forget about reality and time, it is a huge success. Unfortunately, I’ve never had a chance to see “Fiddler on the Roof” on stage, so I cannot compare it to the film adaptation, but it doesn’t change the fact that the film is spectacular and definitely worth watching. Many people want to refresh cinema and they keep searching for something new to be done forgetting the quality we’ve worked on for a long time. Why? I won’t remember most last year’s productions in few months, yet I’ll definitely remember that look in Topol’s eyes. Oh, sorry, in Tevye’s eyes. May you rest in peace, Mr. Topol, you’ve done more than enough here. And I wish you, dear readers, to motivate yourselves each Monday listening and dancing to “If I were a rich man”. It works. Heard from friends.

My rating: 8/10
S.

Time is the thing. “Tár” (2022)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Todd Field
© 2022 Focus Features. All Rights Reserved.

I had no idea that I’d end up writing such post about this film, but here we go… Perhaps you’ve noticed already that I didn’t rate it well and because of this low rating the film is in my official “not-necessarily-to-watch” category, but I have to point out one very important reason to actually see this production. First, let me introduce you to the story and my inner pain I felt watching it. The film is a tribute to Lydia Tár (Cate Blanchett), the first female chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic. She’s a true professional who intimidates many with her confidence and huge knowledge on the topic of music. We can see that Lydia is slightly anti-social and has her own way of perceiving everything around her, which is even more interesting in the moments where she has to interact with different people and actually experience a diverse range of emotions, some of which she’s not that capable of. When it comes to the plot – it’s time to start complaining. I didn’t find the story anyhow fascinating, even though the character of Lydia indeed caught my attention. A way too long interview, then some strange course at the music school, then some drama with her assistant, then another drama with her new cello player… but okay, you may say I’m complaining at something that perhaps couldn’t be changed. After all, they’re telling the story of Lydia Tár and perhaps that’s what her life looked like. Yeah… here comes a surprise. As much as the film was difficult for me to stand, I was absolutely amazed by Cate Blanchett for her performance. So much that I wanted to compare her Lydia with the real Lydia, so I started searching for some video materials with the real conductor. Turns out, my dear readers, that Lydia Tár never existed. This story is all made-up. And in this situation, I cannot explain the writer, I’m very sorry. In my opinion, this screenplay is far from being perfect. There are plenty of moments which, as some may say, “could have been an e-mail”. Many critics praised the cinematography and I cannot really say whether I enjoyed it or not because it was all ruined by the editing. Some years ago I had a huge WTF moment when the Academy nominated “Bohemian Rhapsody” for the best editing and seems like this year “Tár” is taking its place. There were many long scenes where not much was happening in terms of actual action or movement, yet for example Cate was expressing lots of emotions with her body or way of speaking – and at those moment the editing should have been more diverse, with more shots from different angles, more zoom-ins, more dynamics – this way, it would support the creation of Lydia. Cate did a marvellous job, but with a bit of help from the camerawork and editing, her scenes would be leaving us speechless. So quoting some people’s reviews I’ve seen – “what is this film for?” – I have no idea either. It doesn’t tell a real story, it doesn’t show the character of Lydia as anyone to look up to (according to me and quite many female reviewers, except the fact that the character herself in definitely in the spotlight), it’s not engaging, it didn’t leave me with much food for thought – just general disappointment about the film and huge admiration for Cate. So even though I wouldn’t watch this production again, I’m recommending you to see Cate’s performance as I believe she should have been awarded for it. Thank you for your exceptional acting work. And for taking that guy’s pen (those who watched the film carefully know what I’m talking about).

My rating: 4/10
S.

This is going to sound weird… “An Ostrich Told Me the World Is Fake and I Think I Believe It” (2021)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Lachlan Pendragon
© 2021 Griffith Film School. All Rights Reserved.

If you’ve been following my blog for quite some time, then I bet you know I’m a big fan of stop motion animation. There’s something fascinating about it that never gets boring to me. Maybe I’m not being objective since I used to play with stop motion animation myself and I know how much effort and creativity it takes to make even the shortest film using thing method. Today I’d like to recommend you “An Ostrich Told Me the World Is Fake and I Think I Believe It”, which is a title that definitely catches attention. Before watching this short production with a title of considerable length, I had no idea what to expect. At first, I was thrilled it’s a stop motion animation, obviously, but then, the longer I was watching (funny to say considering it’s only 11 minutes long), the more I was getting excited by the idea. We get to know Neil who is an ordinary office employee. At some point, the man starts questioning whether the world he’s living in is real. And all that thanks to his observations and, yes, you’ve guessed right, an ostrich. An ostrich which told him the world is fake. And Neil thinks he believes it. I have to say I’m thankful to the director for choosing such a title because it saves my time writing this post. Everything you need to know is pretty much explained. But perhaps you’ve already glanced at my rating and if you haven’t – you’ve just done this at this very moment. Indeed, this short has won my heart and I really hope it’ll win an Oscar. The idea is so simple, yet not shallow or disappointing. I honestly had a lot of fun watching it, especially since it’s filled with my kind of humour. If you’d like to get some philosophical messages – I bet you can, even from these 11 minutes. But if I told you what I see hidden in this short story, it would be pointless for you to watch. And since it’s just 11 minutes long, then you have no right to skip it explaining you’ve got no time for films. For this one you do. And you should. And you won’t regret. To me this little animation is a real gem that will hopefully be awarded, because I can tell it was made by a very conscious, imaginative and hard-working filmmaker. Crossing my fingers hoping they won’t fall off and no ostrich comes out of my closet.

My ratings: 9/10
S.

Life is accented with little pleasures. “My Sweet Grappa Remedies” (“Amai osake de ugai”, 2019)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Akiko Ôku
© 2019 TV Asahi. All Rights Reserved.

I think we need a little break from all the Oscars nominees, so today I’d like to take a deep breath and take you to Japan for a little relaxing ride. If you liked Bridget Jones and her famous diaries but at the same time you have a more romantic side, then I’m sure you’ll enjoy “My Sweet Grappa Remedies”. We get to follow Yoshiko (Yasuko Matsuyuki), a single woman in her 40s who enjoys her rather simple and slow life. She works in an office, rides a bike, goes for walks and observes everything around her. Some may say it doesn’t seem like a perfect life, but to Yoshiko it’s enough. Although at some point she realises that there’s something missing in her uncomplicated way of living. That is why she tries to open up to the world, experience new things and also stop being such a loner. Or perhaps just limit it a bit. Things get even more exciting when Yoshiko meets a much younger guy at work, who doesn’t want to stay just colleagues with her. The man finds her fascinating and makes it clear that there should be something more between them than just a desk with a computer on it. Generally, if you’re looking for a film that lets you relax your brain and hugs you tight to make you feel comfortable – then that’s a title for you. It’s not anything fresh or surprising, but also not that much copy-pasted as most modern romantic comedies. There’s something charming in this production, which made me ignore all the stereotypical elements of this genre that you may spot there. At some point I felt like the main character – sipping on her beverage in peace, not bothered about anything, just me, my glass and the film. We need such sugar powder stories from time to time, right? Besides, I like the fact that more and more productions remind us to stay who we are despite the pressure from society. And to sometimes even break the “rules” to enjoy our life even more. As long as we stay happy with ourselves, we should follow our own rules. I’m afraid that not many of you might have heard of this film, so I’m glad to be writing about it and I hope it’ll make you feel good. About yourselves, your choices and your way of living. Cheers!

My rating: 7/10
S.

You don’t become a star. You either are one, or you ain’t. “Babylon” (2022)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Damien Chazelle
© 2022 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

The fact that this film is not nominated to more Oscars says a lot about current Hollywood. If you haven’t seen “Babylon” yet, let me just say it’s a production that is way too honest for some cinema people to handle. Remember “La La Land”? It was showing the dark side of this industry, but comparing to “Babylon”, it was a cute little puppy. This time, Damien Chazelle takes us to the wonderful 1920s, which was a very important period in the history of cinema. It was back then when silent films were finally introduced to sound. For younger readers it may seem quite impossible to imagine films without sound, right? I mean, I’m not that old to remember 1920s, but I was raised watching some old productions with dialogues written on boards. It had its charm, I have to admit. Anyway, “Babylon” focuses on that period, showing how drastic the changes were, not only among producers, but also actors. I don’t want to spoil much, but you may see how much effort it took back then to actually let the audience hear their beloved actor speaking to them. Nowadays the technology is way more advanced so it’s for sure easier, yet I loved getting back in time and imagining the hard work all those crews had to go through to make even a simple romance in the 1930s. I do admit that I had huge expectations before seeing this film because I’m a fan of Chazelle’s style and I felt quite hyped about another “Hollywood-is-not-that-good” kind of film from him, and… I was slightly disappointed. I feel like the screenplay gets lost somewhere in the middle and there are some sub-plots which could have been omitted together with certain scenes which were simply pointless (the vomiting scene for example – I’m generally against vomiting/shitting/pissing scenes which are just added in some productions to make them more controversial/shocking – in this case, it was useless and also badly shot, in my opinion). Besides, I was also not sure whom to follow – there are too many leading characters, so perhaps I’d try to give that role to one or two, not several. But that’s me, Mr. Chazelle could have a different point of view. In the end, is it a film I enjoyed? Definitely. Is it a film that should have been nominated as the Best Picture? Considering the actual nominees, definitely. So why isn’t it? Well, the answer seems obvious, at least to me – Hollywood feels ashamed of what’s presented there. Constant parties, lack of responsibility, unlimited alcohol and drugs, getting jobs based on who you know and not what you can do – that’s just a classic Hollywood image. Everybody knows that. In fact, it’s not only common in the film industry – I bet you can name lots of people who got somewhere high just because they had good connections. That’s how our world works. In art world it’s a bit more complicated as people may be questioning whether someone is an actual artist or just a pretender hoping to earn money on the audience’s naivety. From my side I can say – let’s all grow up, shall we? Let’s stop pretending we do everything to “fulfil our dreams” and “make the world a better place” – we do want to earn money because we like food, we like feeling safe, we like feeling successful. Period. So to me, this film knifes Hollywood in its back, but I totally don’t mind it. Visually, it’s marvellous. The soundtrack? It’s been on repeat in my earphones since I watched the film. Besides – how is it possible that Margot Robbie hasn’t got a nomination? She was outstanding in her role of Nellie LaRoy. I generally believe that “Babylon” is one of the most underrated films of 2022 despite its few flaws, so I hope you’ll check it out and enjoy the whole 3 hours of it, especially the last minutes, which are a true nostalgia starter for cinephiles.

My rating: 7/10
S.

Connection restored. “An Irish Goodbye” (2022)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Tom Berkeley & Ross White
© 2022 First Flights. All Rights Reserved.

It’s not a long film so my post won’t be such either, yet I hope you’ll feel encouraged to see it because to me – it’s one of the best nominated productions this year. And I swear, it could have been nominated as the Best Picture among all those big titles and I’m guessing that would be my personal winner. We’re moving to Northern Ireland where two brothers – Turlough (Seamus O’Hara) and Lorcan (James Martin) – are trying to manage their new reality after just recently losing their mother. Lorcan wishes to stay at the family farm as he feels home there and cannot imagine leaving it behind, while his brother is not really willing to get back to rural life. Why don’t they just keep on living the way each wants? Well, the thing is that Lorcan has Down syndrome and, despite being very skilful and quite independent, he cannot be left on his own. So the two brothers have to agree on something, whether they want to or not. In the meantime, they get a list of things their mother wished to do before her death, but unfortunately didn’t have enough time for. Lorcan encourages his brother to experience all the things from the list together with the ashes of their mother, and then he’ll agree to follow Turlough wherever he’ll decide to go. This film is only 23 minutes long, yet it managed to melt my heart and put a smile on my face. I honestly wish more films were made so conscientiously. There’s everything there – a good story, great acting, well-written characters, engaging drama mixed with honestly amusing humour, spiced with a bit of sarcasm and with an adorable message coming at the end. Besides, technically it’s just beautiful. Quality editing definitely adds a lot to my experience while watching a film, so whenever there’s a smart camerawork and decent editing, I’m satisfied. And these 23 minutes are just perfect in my eyes. I was enjoying every second and I believe that this short film may have a huge impact on many people. If I was to tell you what it’s about in one word, I’d say “connection”. So no matter at what stage of your life you are right now, I believe you may take a moment after seeing it and reflect on yourself deeply. And if you’re a cinephile who appreciates meticulousness and aesthetic balance – this film will please you for sure. I guess I don’t need to add that it’s my winner as the Best Live Action Short Film? Well, I don’t. But I will. It is my winner. And let’s hope not only mine. I wish you good connections, my dear readers. And more of such perfect productions.

My rating: 9/10
S.

I accept and embrace all labels. “Turning Red” (2022)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Domee Shi
© 2022 Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

I wasn’t planning to write about this film as it didn’t amaze or leave me speechless while I was watching. But then, I started reading reviews and realised what a fire starter this production is. You may think Disney made a cute animation about a clumsy red panda, but in fact, it’s a film that may hit way too many people. First things first, the plot: we’re actually going back to 2002 – the times of Discmen and Tamagotchi (the first one I loved with my whole heart, the second I was afraid to buy because I knew I’d neglect it sooner or later. Anyway, good times). We get to know Mei (Rosalie Chiang), a 13-year-old girl living with her parents who are taking care of their family temple. Mei is no longer a little baby and she starts keeping some secrets from her parents, such as her admiration for a popular boyband or having a crush on a local guy. As much as her dad (Orion Lee) is rather easygoing, her mother (Sandra Oh) is highly overprotective and strict. One day, Mei wakes up and something is different – she’s transformed into a red panda. Yes, a red panda. Big fluffy red panda. Soon, Mei realises that it’s not for good – she turns into the animal only when feeling strong emotions, so as long as she stays calm, she doesn’t change. Apparently, all women in her family have had this ability and in order not to transform on a daily basis, Mei has to go through some mysterious ritual, thanks to which her red panda spirit will be hidden in a talisman. Seems like an adorable story for children? “Mulan” meets “The Emperor’s New Groove” and such? Not at all. This film is a drama starter, so if you like drama, get some popcorn and enjoy reading. So, first thing that comes to many people’s mind is that this transformation of Mei is actually an allusion to getting period. Well, could be, since Mei is 13 and period is red (as obvious as it can be, I swear). But what happens later in the film is quite illogical considering this theory. Yes, Mei is ashamed of turning into a red panda, but – SPOILER – she ends up feeling proud of her other form and wishes to keep it. So how is that anyhow real? Show me a girl who’s happy to be bleeding and suffering from a horrible pain every month? You may be trying to explain that, but in my opinion, this film isn’t about period. Period. What I personally see in this story is a spotlight on the toxicity of female-female relations. Some people say that Mei’s mother wants her to obey rules and be a good girl because that’s what years of patriarchy have done to her and other women in their family. And it might be true, indeed. But nowadays, Mei’s parents seem to have a lovely relationship where her dad is very supportive and caring, yet her mother keeps on feeling the need to behave in a specific way. I don’t want to analyse the reasons for her behaviour, but it is visible that she has high expectations towards Mei and wants the girl to follow her example, which means that Mei would have to stop being fully herself (including her goofy and clumsy red panda self). And, personally, that’s the message I get from this animation. It’s not about period, it’s about the fact that sometimes the biggest obstacle young women may find in their life is… other women. So obviously, we should learn our lesson, communicate with each other and share as much support as it’s possible. Even though this film is far from being memorable, at least to me, I’m glad such topic has been covered. Feel free to be your own red panda whenever you need to. Cheers!

My rating: 6/10
S.

Who would want me to be a part of their life? “The Whale” (2022)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Darren Aronofsky
© 2022 A24. All Rights Reserved.

I was waiting for this film for a long time, and collecting tears in order to let them go when I finally get to see it. I cried, not even once. But am I surprised the film hasn’t been nominated to more awards? Not really, which I’ll be happy to explain later in the text. Since I cannot really write this post without sharing some of its elements, I’m already warning – there will be SPOILERS, so it’s your decision whether you want to continue reading or not. In this story we’re following Charlie (Brendan Fraser), an English professor working online from home. He’s a true passionate and a very supportive person to his students, but he also has a secret that they don’t know about as he doesn’t use his webcam – Charlie is severely obese. The man has troubles standing up from the sofa and most everyday tasks are just impossible for him to do. Luckily, he has Liz (Hong Chau), a friendly nurse that regularly comes to his place to help him and also do small medical checkups since Charlie refuses to be taken to the hospital. Even when Liz tells him he might soon die of heart failure, he doesn’t want to change his mind and explains the decision with his lack of money for the treatment, which is a common problem in the US, by the way. However, being aware of his condition, he wants to reconnect with his teenage daughter, who’s been raised by her mother only. When Ellie (Sadie Sink) shows up at Charlie’s place, he offers her money for spending time with him. Otherwise, the angry girl wouldn’t even think of coming back as she hates Charlie for not being present in her life. And at this point it’s all you need to know before watching, so let’s move on to SPOILERS and my interpretation of the film, which may surprise you. So, according to many reviews and articles I’ve read, people consider redemption as the main theme, which is not wrong, as I believe no interpretation is wrong if that’s what we get from a particular production. Indeed, Charlie feels bad about leaving Ellie and hopes to make it up to her before death. However, for two days after seeing the film I was not focused on Charlie – I was analysing everyone else in the story. And all that made me realise that I see the film differently. I personally believe it’s a story about people who have been given up on. Think about it: Charlie – that’s pretty obvious, he’s struggling with grief after losing Alan (his partner who committed suicide – in case you haven’t seen the film but still decided to continue reading) and his eating disorder has led him to obesity. And he’s aware of the fact that in this condition people don’t want to have anything to do with him. Remember the pizza guy named Dan? He was so friendly, right? Asking whether Charlie’s fine and all that. Wonderful! But all he needed was to see Charlie in person at some point to feel disgusted, judge him in few seconds and… give up on him. Charlie was a lost case in his eyes. And not only his. Except – Liz. Liz is the only character who stands by Charlie and we may say she’s his real friend. But if you think about it, Liz was supporting Charlie to help herself as well. She lost a brother (Alan) and knowing that Charlie was an important person in his life, she feels attached to Charlie, which eases her own grief and trauma. The moment when Charlie is choking – she’s not only afraid of losing him, but also of losing some point in her life. And as I said before, Liz is also a person left behind – by her parents not supporting her decisions. What about the missionary boy – Thomas? He was rejected by his community and was also looking for acceptance. And Mary, Charlie’s ex-wife? An alcoholic, a single mother who, as she said, failed at raising her child, rejected by society – also a pretty common scenario. And finally, Ellie – an annoying, aggressive, grumpy, rude teenager. Who would care about such evil child, right? She hurts everyone around her, so why bothering? It’s much easier to give up on her. And here comes the beauty of Charlie’s character – he doesn’t give up on people. We may hear him saying “people are amazing” and consider him as a silly optimist, but is he really one? Or maybe we’re so used to giving up on people and living in a world full of hate that such Charlie seems ridiculous to us? This story really opens up minds and the reason why I cried watching it was because I was moved by this genuine concern Charlie was sharing with others. But to explain my opinion from the beginning of the post – I have to admit that the film could have been made in a slightly different form. The screenplay was written by Samuel D. Hunter who’s also the author of the theatrical play “The Whale”. And as much as I see his idea for the story to be played on stage, I’m not sure he was the best choice to write a film script. Besides, the ending, which should be the most emotional part, left me incredibly disappointed and I guess that’s why I see this film as a wasted potential. However, generally, it’s not a bad production, because it does touch your heart. When it comes to acting – it’s marvellous, not surprised why so many people admire Brendan Fraser as Charlie. Do I think he should be awarded? Yes, I do. But I’d also like to put a spotlight on Hong Chau, who did something incredible in this film. She had a seemingly simple role, but horribly complex if you think about it (or overthink about it). One of the best female performances of 2022, ladies and gentlemen. And despite my perhaps low rating for this film, consider it a must-see. Maybe it’ll remind you to check up on someone, to put that plate with food for the bird and to simply care a bit more.

My rating: 7/10
S.

You prefer things to be comfortable or true? “Men” (2022)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Alex Garland
© 2022 Entertainment Film Distributors. All Rights Reserved.

Some people say it’s a really lame horror. Some others say it’s a disgusting production for feminists. Well, I think it’s a very intriguing film that you should definitely see and I hope that today’s post will encourage you to it. Before I move to the plot, I have to admit that the title made me chuckle a bit – a horror titled “Men”. Oh yeah, already creepy. But jokes aside, this film is actually some serious extension of that thought of mine. We get to know Harper (Jessie Buckley) who has recently lost her husband, James (Paapa Essiedu). The man committed suicide, which deeply impacted Harper. That is why she’s decided to rent a house in a tiny village and spend some holiday there clearing her mind. The situation is a bit more complex as Harper wanted to divorce James and they weren’t anyhow perfect together, so her grief is very specific. Would you miss a person who used to be your abuser? And that’s not the only difficult question that may come up during this film. Even though Harper is spending the holiday in the middle of nowhere, she still bumps into random local men. I’d like to say that they are strange, but if I think about it – most of them are just typical men you may meet everywhere. Perhaps just because the film itself creates this uncomfortable atmosphere you may have an impression that those guys are somehow overacted or unrealistic. And as I mentioned at the beginning – men can be a real horror we normally don’t notice. If you’re a man reading this post, let me just assure you that I do not blame only men for all the mess that happens in the world. However, this film is mainly focused on showing how sick and harmful patriarchy is. Each of the men that Harper meets in this story is different, yet all of them manage to use their power to manipulate and harm the female protagonist. I have to say that the ending wasn’t really my thing and I was hoping for something slightly different (although visually – it was disgustingly wonderful), but the whole production definitely caught my attention. I didn’t know what this story was actually about before watching, so I really enjoyed experiencing this patriarchal rollercoaster together with Harper. Well, “enjoyed”. After, I’ve read some reviews and I feel like this film is a real drama starter. Funny fact is that it’s not hated only by men or more conservative groups – lots of feminists disliked it in some way as well. From my side – I loved how fresh it was, meaning it wasn’t another copy-paste production that I won’t remember in a month. And no matter whether you agree or disagree with its messages, I guess you can admit it is quite original in its form. When it comes to the story… let me put it this way: been there, done that. What you see in this film isn’t surprising for women. Being treated as an object that belongs to a man? Check. Being manipulated by a man to make you feel like you’re the abuser although clearly you’re the victim? Check. Being ignored by men because they rarely take you seriously? Check. Being called a “bitch” just because you refuse something? Check. It’s not just a film screenplay, it’s reality of millions of women. Once again, I’m aware of the fact that women are not perfect either and they may maltreat another person as well, but explaining men’s, or anyone’s in fact, behaviour by saying “others do that too” is below shallow. If you’re a woman who sees herself in Harper, let me just send you a virtual hug right now. And if you’re a man who feels disgusted by the men presented in the film, let me just say “thank you for being”. But if you’re a man who doesn’t see anything wrong in this patriarchal picture, then I hope you find help and love one day. I’m not rating this film high because I did hope for something else at the end, but generally – it’s a great production to wake up our minds and I hope it’ll wake up yours as well. Let’s hope all those apples fall down eventually.

My rating: 6/10
S.

Dancing on the edge of a volcano. “Fire of Love” (2022)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Sara Dosa
© 2022 National Geographic Documentary Films. All Rights Reserved.

If you’re still in some Valentine’s Day mood but you’re not a fan of classic rom-com love stories, I’ve got something for you! I’d like to introduce you to an extraordinary couple that shared a lot of love towards each other, but also towards their common passion. Katia and Maurice Krafft were French volcanologists who didn’t think twice when it comes to exploring one of the most mysterious and dangerous creations of nature. I hope you won’t consider it a spoiler as it’s known from the very beginning of the film – both of them died, yet the tragedy is mentioned at the end, so that’s something I’m not revealing here. I was myself quite curious how this power couple lost their lives, especially since there were way too many occasions in their career. The documentary is very much based on their own footage as they were also recording their adventures and studies. I have to admit that I never heard of them before seeing this production, but apparently, they have made a significant impact in the world of science. They were going to places where most people would never even think of staying close to. They were bringing samples back to labs, providing scientists with more specific knowledge on the topic of volcanos. As we learn from the documentary, the couple weren’t wealthy or anyhow privileged, so they lived a rather simple life at home in order to spend the saved money on their next expeditions. I enjoyed learning about Katia and Maurice because they seemed to be a wonderful marriage, where both sides share a passion and support each other no matter what. During their trips, they were looking after each other and, as much as each of them was a very intelligent and brave individual, I’m sure they wouldn’t have done all that without the other person by their side. I believe that support of the other partner was crucial in their development process and I’m glad those two ran into each other at some point in their lives. Thanks to them, many people gained the access to more knowledge, video and paper educational materials, and perhaps also some inspiration to join them in exploring volcanos. It is also proved that thanks to the couple’s work many people were saved from the consequences of eruptions that had been estimated some time before. Besides, I don’t know if it’s because they spent too much time way too close to lava, but watching their interviews in the documentary I could feel this wonderful warmth from both of them. I really believe they were good people. And ambitious passionates. And dedicated partners. So if you want to learn something new and meet a real power couple, that’s a film for you to see.

My rating: 7/10
S.