I declare that my whole life shall be devoted to your service. “The Queen” (2006)

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directed by Stephen Frears
© 2006 Pathé Distribution. All Rights Reserved.

I guess you’re not surprised to see this film being recommended today. Considering the situation, I’ve decided to dedicate today’s post to the Queen and “The Queen”. If you haven’t seen it yet, I believe now is a perfect moment to catch up on that. The film isn’t a typical biopic, as it presents only a short period of Queen Elizabeth II reign, the year 1997 to be precise. Those who haven’t been born back then may not remember – it was the year of Princess Diana’s tragic accident, and that’s exactly where we begin the film. Queen Elizabeth II (Helen Mirren) and her new Prime Minister Tony Blair (Michael Sheen) have to manage the unpleasant situation. The whole story about the monarchy of the UK is quite complex, but shortly speaking – Diana wasn’t respected by the Royal Family, but at the same time she was the mother of a future king, so after her death it was difficult to decide how to react. They couldn’t treat it as an official royal death, but at the same time people were expecting the Royal Family to show respect. I find this film fascinating because it presented those events from the perspective of the Queen and partially Prime Minister. Perhaps we’ll never find out what was actually taking place in the Buckingham Palace, but this film reminded me that we should always consider both sides of everything. As much as Diana had some conflict with the Royal Family and her own reasons to leave them, they also had their own reasons to push her away. Maybe for us it was easier to sympathise with Diana as she was similar to us, ordinary people. However, when you’re a monarch, you have to follow certain rules, protocols, which isn’t easy either. So even if you may feel like doing something, you always have to remember about who you are and how your actions will be judged by others. I’m absolutely amazed by Helen Mirren for playing the role of the Queen (for which she was awarded an Oscar and many other) as she presented her in a very authentic way. I didn’t feel like I was watching a biography about a monarch, I felt like I was watching a story about a woman, who has to do her job and does it the best she can. A woman, who has to find compromises and get used to new expectations. A woman, who sometimes has to do things against her own will. A woman, who seems incredibly strong, yet deep inside she’s constantly questioning. And I believe that’s exactly how we shall remember Queen Elizabeth II. May she rest in peace.

My rating: 7/10
S.

It’s time for me to disappear in a puff of smoke. “Magic Camp” (2020)

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directed by Mark Waters
© 2020 Disney+. All Rights Reserved.

Not that long time ago I started my little adventure with Disney+ and except feeling constant nostalgia watching old animations, I sometimes end up watching some random productions there. One day, I spotted “Magic Camp” and I guess I was having a rather overwhelming day because I thought that’s a film I could stand that day. It had the word “magic” in the title and Adam DeVine in the cast, which immediately put me in a good mood. So, Adam plays Andy – a young adult who’s a talented magician, but whose career path has switched a little bit. He gets an invitation to become a counsellor during the upcoming magic camp for children. There, Andy meets his huge rival and crush (oh, what a coincidence), Kristina (Gillian Jacobs), who, unlike Andy, has succeeded as a magic performer. Anyway, they are not there to fight or… do other things, they are there to teach and train little magicians, one of whom is Theo (Nathaniel McIntyre), a very motivated boy coping with a recent life tragedy. Maybe it all sounds a bit complex and dramatic, but in fact it isn’t that much. It’s actually a very relaxing comedy, which may bring you some magic to your life. Personally, when I was little, I was a huge fan of magic and magic-like things. It was my dream to become a powerful magician who could fly, do magic tricks and hide under a cloak of invisibility. Then reality hit me and I realised that the biggest magic of our time is paying bills and having a full fridge. However, getting back to this world of magic was really pleasant for me and I honestly had fun watching the film. I recommend you to see it no matter how old you are and if you have children – then definitely organise a family movie night with them. Perhaps I’m wrong, but I feel like we’ve forgotten about magic in films. We do have a lot of fantasy and sci-fi productions, but where’s magic? Did it finish together with Harry Potter series? I hope not, because I believe that with the use of magic, even this abstract concept of it, we may learn a lot and teach the youngest about important values. So remember to check this film out and get back to the world of magic for a short moment.

My rating: 6/10
S.

I’m still here. “Maria Full of Grace” (2004)

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directed by Joshua Marston
© 2004 Fine Line Features. All Rights Reserved.

Before I start encouraging you to see today’s film, let me just say that I’m a huge fan of the title and the poster. Considering what the film is about, chapeau bas and clap clap clap for the idea. You’ve already googled the poster? Alright, so we can start. As you might be guessing, it’s a film about Maria (Catalina Sandino Moreno), who’s a 17-year-old girl from Colombia. She has a simple job thanks to which she can provide for the family, including her sister who’s a single mother. One day, however, Maria quits her job as she’s not treated well by the boss and soon she finds out about her own pregnancy. A bit overwhelmed by what’s happening, she decides to find a new job in the capital, Bogotá. On the way, Maria meets a man who has a very tempting offer for her – she would become a drug mule. Her task would be to swallow a lot of little packages with the drug, fly to the US, not let them catch her and deliver the drugs. Risky? Yes. Illegal? Yes. But what can a desperate and panicked teenager say when someone offers her a lot of money, which equals a chance to change her miserable life. What I personally enjoyed the most about this drama is that Maria is presented as a simple girl who just follows her path. She’s not a rebel, she’s not fighting against anyone – she just calmly accepts her fate, even if it causes her troubles. You may really get into this world of a lost young woman that is just trying to find peace. Besides, you may not see a vicious person who’s trying to break the law, but a big-hearted girl who just wishes to change the reality. And instead of finding help, she’s being used by evil people. At some point, Maria gets to know other female mules and we may also see how they cooperate with each other. That despite their abstract situation in life, they manage to stay together. We may also see how little life means to people who are blinded by money. There’s a lot to see in this film and I really hope you’ll find a moment to see it. In fact, Catalina, who played Maria, was nominated for an Oscar as the Best Actress in 2005. She had four very talented ladies nominated together with her so it wasn’t easy to win, yet I’m glad she was spotted and appreciated.

My rating: 7/10
S.

It takes a certain kind of mindset. “Thirteen Lives” 2022

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directed by Ron Howard
© 2022 United Artists Releasing. All Rights Reserved.

I’ve just read that claustrophobia is the IRRATIONAL fear of confined spaces. Let me tell you something – if you got stuck in a narrow tunnel with a limited amount of oxygen, losing your mind wouldn’t seem so irrational, would it? Why am I starting with all that? Well, because today’s film is definitely not a pleasant experience for people with claustrophobia, so in case you’re one – honey, you’re not irrational and perhaps try watching something else. You’re welcome. However, if you think you can handle claustrophobic pictures, then it’s a great title to check out. The story is based on a real cave rescue that took place in Thailand in 2018. A group of boys from a local football team and their coach went to explore Tham Luang Nang Non cave and while they were inside, heavy rainfall flooded the cave and trapped them all inside. Nobody knew whether they drowned or somehow survived, because even for trained experts it was impossible to enter the cave. The whole world was following the rescue updates and many people outside Thailand got involved in it, including John Volanthen (Colin Farrell) and Rick Stanton (Viggo Mortensen), two British divers. After two weeks since the accident, they got an approval to dive into the cage, they managed to swim through some narrow passages and, surprisingly, they found the whole group of missing boys still alive. Despite their happiness, it was impossible to find a different way out and letting dehydrated and starving boys without any experience dive was tantamount to letting them die. And at this point I’m leaving you with many question marks in your head so you can see the film yourselves and find out what happened there. To be honest, I couldn’t focus much on the technical parts of this production as I was absolutely fascinated by the story. It’s amazing that there are people who can risk so much to save another person and who are also incredibly stubborn and creative, because they never say “no” no matter what. I also have to point out that Colin and Viggo did an amazing job in their roles and I think I’ve discovered Colin Farrell as a different kind of actor thanks to this film. There’s also a documentary about those events called “The Rescue” directed by Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vaserhelyi. I haven’t seen the documentary yet, but I feel like I may recommend it anyway. It’s a story that should be shared, watched and remembered. But if I may suggest, watch “Thirteen Lives” first as the most important part is what they did after finding the boys and if you learn about that in the documentary, perhaps seeing it in this film won’t be that surprising and mind-blowing as it should. Nevertheless, huge respect to everyone involved in that rescue – you’re true heroes.

My rating: 7/10
S.

They will make cemeteries their cathedrals. “Demons” (“Dèmoni”, 1985)

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directed by Lamberto Bava
© 1985 Titanus. All Rights Reserved.

Italians and horrors? Si, certamente! No idea what’s your opinion, but I’ve always seen Italy as the land of adorable comedies and mesmerising dramas. However, they are also pretty good with horrors. If you don’t believe me, try “Demons”. It’s a bit of an oldie, but totally goldie. Okay, before you die of cringe reading my rhymes, let me tell you about the plot. We actually go to the cinema where a bunch of random people are about to see some creepy film. Just like us. During the screening, strange things begin to happen, because what the audience see in the film, kind of starts happening to them as well. The situation gets ever creepier and more serious when a film character turns into some weird creature, kind of zombie, kind of demon. And, as you might be guessing, the exact thing is about to happen in that cinema. Doom, doom, doom. Simple idea, but so satisfying. Just let me make it clear – it’s not one of those films that are actually going to scare you. It’s rather disgusting… and disgusting. Even though it was made in 1985, the make-up, costumes and special effects can really make you frown or turn your head away. In fact, I think that modern horrors are not as creepy as those older ones. Yes, we have better technology, we may create the atmosphere as if the film was reality, but I still find old horrors more disgusting, which is a big advantage, just saying. Plus, I seriously loved the idea for this horror. To be honest, I’d love to watch it in some old cinema. Or even better – organise a screening of it in some old cinema and make sure that during it some actors start showing up looking like those demons/zombies/whatever you call them. If there’s someone with some spare budget liking my plan, let me know and let’s do it! And to everyone – if you’re looking for a good film to see with friends, that’s your title. It’s honestly entertaining, easy to follow and not that shallow as many horrors. So enjoy this disgusting performance.

My rating: 6/10
S.

Those are our children. “Jhalki” (2019)

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directed by Brahmanand S Siingh
© 2019 Panorama Studios. All Rights Reserved.

I bet that if you hear someone saying “hey, let’s watch an Indian film”, you probably think it’s going to be an overly cheerful Bollywood production with lots of goofy songs and dancing in very strange moments. However, as much as I love such films (I really do), I also appreciate their dramas a lot, as they are honest and genuine in their simplicity. Today I’d like to recommend you a film that touches hearts. At least it has touched mine. We get to know siblings, Jhalki (Aarti Jha) and Babu (Goraksha Sakpal). They are little children living in a poor village where it is common for parents to be selling their daughters and sons in order to provide for the rest of the family. As adults, we know what’s going on from the very beginning, but the story is presented from the perspective of Jhalki, a 9-year-old girl, who simply cares about her younger brother and is worried when he suddenly disappears. She’s trying to get adults attention and ask them for help, but they either ignore her or don’t want to get involved as they’re aware of the child slavery. I have to be honest with you – I didn’t feel like that’d be a film I’d like. As much as in musicals I don’t mind awkward acting, in dramas it bothers me a lot. Plus, I felt like the story was being told a bit too slowly. Still, the longer I was watching, the more I was realising how pointless my criteria is because the main point of this production is to put a spotlight on the problem of the child slavery. And when we have to deal with such topic, nothing else should bother us. Especially, since at the end we get to learn about the actual numbers, statistics and reality of Indian children, which makes you forget about all the details that perhaps you disliked in the film. To me, this production doesn’t only show this horrible problem, but also how helpless children are and how easy it comes to adults to be using innocent little humans. For the sake of making business and money, adults destroy childhoods. It’s disgusting and that’s all I want to say. However, thanks to this film, you may see amazing little Aarti Jha, who plays the role of brave Jhalki, and who did a wonderful job, in my opinion. Plus, you may also get to know the man who’s saved over 86 000 children from slavery and trafficking. No words can describe how grateful I am for such people as Kailash Satyarthi and let’s hope more will follow his example.

My rating: 7/10
S.

We both screw people for money. “Pretty Woman” (1990)

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directed by Garry Marshall
© 1990 Buena Vista Pictures Distribution. All Rights Reserved.

Today I’ve got an absolute classic for you, which every self-respecting film freak should watch. And it’s not because another romantic comedy is a must-see, but because lots of artists get back to this production and it’s become some kind of source of inspiration. For those who haven’t seen it yet, let me just shortly tell you about the plot: a man meets a woman. Simple. The man is Edward (Richard Gere), a corporate raider in a fancy suit and way too much money, and the woman is Vivian (Julia Roberts), a sex worker with slightly less astonishing belongings. Edward has recently been dumped by his girlfriend, so he does what every freshly re-singled guy does – seeks for attention, and that’s how he meets Vivian. Firstly, it’s just a one night “cooperation”, if I may put it this way, but later Edward decides to give his companion an offer: she would become his escort for the upcoming week and a bunch of boring business meetings. When he mentions 3,000 dollars and new clothes, Vivian doesn’t think twice and accepts it. And as you might be guessing, their relation develops in the next days. As much as I’m tired of most romantic comedies, it’s one of those that I’m glad were made. First, we have a rather difficult social problem presented here – prostitution. What I appreciate about the story is that it shows a different perspective on this profession and viewers may sympathise with Vivian, who, in real life, perhaps wouldn’t be that much respected by some. In fact, this film was supposed to be way more dramatic and present prostitutes as people who really don’t care much about anything but money. Personally, I’m glad the producers changed their minds. Second, I’m amazed by Julia Roberts in this role. I generally consider her a very good actress, but, as I see it, she’s always been quite fixed in her acting. I heard “there’s Julia Roberts in the cast” and I thought “oh, I guess I can imagine what kind of character she will be”. However, Vivian is a totally different story, my dear. She is iconic, she is intriguing and she is very feminine. I couldn’t stop looking at Julia even though there was Richard Gere in a neat shirt right beside her. That means something! So if you haven’t seen “Pretty Woman”, I definitely recommend you to take a look. Perhaps you’ll understand more references in modern productions, or just spend a pleasant evening watching two rather worth being watched and handsome people.

My rating: 8/10
S.

The power of consumerism. “Czech Dream” (“Český sen”, 2004)

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directed by Vít Klusák & Filip Remunda
© 2004 Česká televize. All Rights Reserved.

Imagine someone tricking about 3000 people in order to graduate from school. Intrigued? Then you must learn about “Czech Dream”. It’s a documentary directed by two (back then) students – Vít Klusák and Filip Remunda – who decided to make a film in order to put a spotlight on the problem of consumerism and the power of advertising. You may see the whole process in the documentary, but shortly speaking, they were pretending to be the managers of a new chain of hypermarkets called “Český sen” (Czech Dream) and wanted to organise the whole advertising campaign about the upcoming (obviously fake) opening of a store. They hired an ad agency, made a TV advertisement, created huge billboards and all that to attract people to come for the opening. I don’t want to spoil what happens at the end, but let me tell you one thing – the opening actually takes place, but what happens there exactly is for you to see. If you ask me, I’m absolutely amazed by the idea for this documentary and I hope the school of Vít and Filip are proud of them up till now. Not only they had a brilliant idea, but they dedicated a lot of time, put much effort and made sure every little detail of their plan was taken care of. Besides, I believe they showed in a very smart way how ridiculous world we’re living in is. Mind the fact this documentary was made in 2004 and even if you decide to watch it now, you may feel like nothing has changed when it comes to people’s mindset. We’re treating shopping like a new hobby, like something that’s one of the most important parts of our life. It’s okay to feel good when you’re buying yourself something you really wanted to get, but forcing yourself to spend lots of money because there’s a sale or because there’s something new available, even if you have the same product at home – that’s just disturbing. It’s not that much presented in the film, because it focuses on the part of consumerism where we’re getting attracted, so the advertising, but the more you reflect on the documentary, the more you realise that the same people who lose their minds over a new bottle of shampoo are the ones who produce a lot of trash, who get rid of their things in an irresponsible way, who forget about any values because they are blinded by pure manipulation. Because, let’s face it, advertisements are nothing but pure manipulation. Is it really that (Czech) dream we’re hoping for? This film is a lot of food for thought and you may get it for free – don’t miss it!

My rating: 7/10
S.

Take that, universe! “Luck” (2022)

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directed by Peggy Holmes
© 2022 Apple TV+. All Rights Reserved.

I have no idea what’s happening to Disney/Pixar, but the more films they make, the more I miss their old animations. Listen, I’m one of those people who knew every line and song of Hercules, Mulan, Tarzan, Toy Story and many more. And now? I can barely stand watching their new productions. It seems to me that they are really missing good ideas and focus too much on adult problems, which are totally not relevant to children. So recently, I’ve lost interest in watching animations as I was prepared for disappointment. However, I was recommended “Luck” and despite its pretty average ratings, I gave it a try. And you know what? That’s probably the best animation for children I’ve seen in years. For children! Finally, there’s an animation for children! Not a film about a dead jazz man (wink wink “Soul”), not a film about some family drama (wink wink “Encanto”), but finally a film I’m sure many children will love. We get to know Sam (Eva Noblezada), an 18-year-old girl who’s just started her adult life. Up till now she was living in an orphanage, but it’s time to live in her own flat and go to work. So we get a bit of drama, as Sam is an orphan, but it’s definitely not presented in such depressive way as the jazz man story (I swear, I still feel like smoking a pack of cigarettes remembering that film). Anyway, the problem is that Sam is horribly unlucky, but she seems to have accepted that and we’re laughing at all ridiculously unfortunate moments together with her. Still, she wants to “find some luck” for her little friend from the orphanage, Hazel (Adelynn Spoon), because she’s still a young girl who deserves to be adopted. One day, Sam meets a black cat who leaves her a penny. A lucky penny, which brings Sam a lot of luck. However, at some point she loses it (pretty fast, actually) and the cat gets angry, because it’s a very important item of his. Oh right, the cat is named Bob and apparently he speaks (with the voice of Simon Pegg). Since both of them need that lucky penny, they decide to work in a team and find another one. In order to do that, they travel to the Land of Luck, where you may find good luck, bad luck and a bunch of adorable bunnies. I have to admit that in the middle I was feeling like the story was going too slowly, but other than that I was thrilled. The beginning made me remember good old animations, which make both children and adults laugh. Plus, the film is very uplifting and leaves us with a smart message at the end, so I finished it with a smile on my face. Don’t look at ratings, because I feel like Disney/Pixar productions are and always will be appreciated and promoted by many producers and cinema people, and Apple is actually their new rival here. I’m really excited about this film and I can’t wait for new Apple animations, especially since I hope they will finally take away the certain annual Oscar from the D/P crew, and it’s more than possible. Great job, feeling five again!

My rating: 7/10
S.

Stranger boredom. “The Black Phone” (2021)

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directed by Scott Derrickson
© 2021 Universal Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

I haven’t written any non-necessarily-to-watch post in a while, but seems like you miss those, so here we are. I was thinking which film had recently disappointed me the most and I guess this is the winner. I normally don’t watch trailers, but I went to see one film in the cinema and they played “The Black Phone” trailer before it, so I was kind of forced to watch. And I remember how thrilled I was about this horror, and I still believe that the trailer is very well-made. So imagine my expectations about the film. But since I’m writing about it today, you might be guessing the film didn’t excite me as much as the trailer. Basically, the story is about “The Grabber” (Ethan Hawke), a child abductor. A very successful child abductor, I may say. And we also have siblings, Finney (Mason Thames) and Gwen (Madeleine McGraw), one of which gets kidnapped by the man. Finney is being kept in a basement where he can find a black rotary phone on one of the walls. According to the abductor, the phone doesn’t work, but when he’s not there, Finney hears it ringing. When the boy answers the phone, he hears his friend speaking to him and giving him some tips about the basement and how to run away from there. That friend is not the only child that calls, and at some point Finney realises that he’s talking to their ghosts. Doom, doom, doom. Sounds awesome, right? Yeah, too bad I found it horribly shallow. The idea is wonderful, but at some point I felt bored with the way they were telling the story. We have numerous brilliant films that take place in one flat or even room, yet this horror is not one of them. I feel like by lack of thrilling ideas, they wasted the potential. Plus, a lot of people, including me, notice that we don’t really get to learn anything much about The Grabber. Like we would like to know more about him, about his past, about his character, background, hobbies, professional experience… okay, joking, but you know what I mean. The best part of horrors is when we get to know the bad guy. And here, he just exists and he seems bland and dull, even though he’s played by the talented Ethan Hawke. I was hoping that it’s one of those films that keep you feeling “meh” and then hit you with an exceptional ending. Well, no. Many say that the film has “Stranger Things” vibes and perhaps that is why there are fans of this horror. I, however, didn’t find the series that exciting and (please, don’t get mad) I actually believe it’s overrated… It’s not bad, but slightly too naive for me… Anyway, that’s why I always say that even if I dislike some film, it doesn’t mean you will. But now you know my opinion so maybe I’ve just saved you 2 hours of your life. You’re welcome. Or maybe you’ll watch it and want to express your opinion – and that’s even better. I love discussing about films, especially when the other person has different views. Once again, “Stranger Things” fans, don’t hate me, and all my dearest readers, watch the trailer and find yourselves a different film. That’s my final word.

My rating: 3/10
S.