Movies are dreams that you never forget. “The Fabelmans” (2022)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Steven Spielberg
© 2022 Universal Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Film directors shouldn’t make their autobiographies – here, I said that. Why? Oh well… I was really excited about today’s film because it’s a semi-autobiographical story of Spielberg when he was a teenager and started his adventure with filmmaking. Obviously, since it’s not a documentary, we do have different characters and elements that perhaps aren’t true, but in the end the general story is based on the director’s own memories. Little Sammy (Mateo Zoryon Francis-DeFord) goes to see his first ever film in the cinema with Mitzi and Burt – his parents (Michelle Williams & Paul Dano). After that evening, he becomes obsessed with… trains. That somehow leads to his new hobby, which is filmmaking (and how – that’s for you to see, not going to spoil). Teenage Sam (Gabriel LaBelle) spends all his savings and free time on creating new scripts and shooting new little productions of his. In the meantime, he starts getting to know his parents more, as he becomes a meticulous observer of what’s around him. Soon, he realises that life is definitely not one of his films and certain things are out of control. In my eyes, it’s a very emotional family drama that is definitely moving, yet I find difficult associating it with Spielberg. I mean, I know it’s not a documentary, but since it is partially fictional, why isn’t the fiction part a bit more engaging? I have to say that for the whole 2,5h I was asking myself “is it really a Spielberg’s film?” We do have beautiful shots, we do have a great cast and quality acting, we do have the score by John Williams… so where’s Spielberg? My theory is that the problem of this production is the screenplay. I feel like this project was too overwhelming for Spielberg as he had to present his own childhood, but still show respect to his family and attract the audience. And something didn’t go well there… The moments where he presents Sam shooting his films are very much his style – cheerful, rapid, adventurous, surprising and entertaining. However, the dramatic parts look as if someone else put them there without consulting it with the director. They are way too long, certain conversations are, in my opinion, unnecessary and I feel like we get no added value with numerous scenes. Does it mean Spielberg cannot do drama? No, he can do that very well. Just in this case, he was telling his own story in a partially fictional way and I think he just got lost in the process. It’s definitely not his best work, but I feel like very few directors are able to tell their own story – because filmmakers’ job is to present stories of others, not of themselves. Still, in the end I do recommend you to see this production because it’s a quality film after all. It also shows how difficult it is to become an artist, especially if your reality is not as you wish it was. A big surprise for me was Seth Rogen (as Sammy’s uncle), who is rather associated with silly comedies, but here, we may see him in a totally different role, for which I’m giving a big plus. There are numerous gags and small allusions, which made me laugh at loud, and if you’re a fan of Spielberg, you’ll enjoy them as well. And I’m also very excited for this cooperation between Steven Spielberg and Paul Dano – two marvellous film people who deserve to create together – and we will be thankful for their work for sure. Since it’s my last recommendation of 2022, I’d like to finish with the most important message that every filmmaker should keep in mind: “When the horizon’s at the bottom, it’s interesting. When the horizon’s at the top, it’s interesting. When the horizon’s in the middle, it’s boring as shit.” Cheers!

My rating: 7/10
S.

Sometimes you need just a nice word from a friend to feel comfortable in your own boots. “Noelle” (2019)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Marc Lawrence
© 2019 Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Still in the X-massy mood? Because I’ve got something to warm your hearts a bit. And make you laugh as well. Today, I’m taking you to the North Pole where we meet little Noelle (Oakley Bull), who’s actually the daughter of Santa Claus. The girl is a huge fan of Christmas and you can tell she’s got the spirit from her dad. However, the tradition says that only men can become Santa Claus, so when Noelle’s dad dies, her brother Nick (Bill Hader) has to take over. Adult Noelle (Anna Kendrick) does everything to support Nick in his new role, but seems like the man doesn’t feel comfortable being Santa Claus. One night, he runs away to Phoenix in Arizona, so in order to manage all the responsibilities before Christmas, elves decide to ask Gabriel (Billy Eichner), Noelle and Nick’s cousin, to take the role of Santa Claus until the actual one comes back. Gabriel, unfortunately, is quite of a nerd with some control complex, so he wants to analyse children and, based on numbers, decide whether they deserve a gift or not. Yeah, accountants, who likes them, right? Anyway, Noelle goes to Phoenix to find Nick and encourage him to get back to the North Pole and save Christmas. During her mission, Noelle realises that even though her brother has very few skills to be Santa, she, however, seems to have some natural talent and real Christmas spirit hidden in her. You may think it’s a silly and rather simple plot, but I have to say I was surprised how well it was done. The script is well-thought and there were several moments I had a good laugh. Plus, I feel like it’s one of those films that both children and adults will enjoy – Noelle is this adorable woman who has a lot of child’s energy to share with others, so little viewers will like her for sure. Besides, I enjoyed this story because it shows that traditions are important, but forcing people to do things they aren’t meant for is ridiculous. Your gender, age, ethnicity or even zodiac sign shouldn’t stop you from following your dreams. And I’m leaving you with this deep thought, hoping you’ll enjoy the rest of the season.

My rating: 7/10
S.

We’re adults and we can open our presents whenever we want! “The Ref” (1994)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Ted Demme
© 1994 Buena Vista Pictures Distribution. All Rights Reserved.

Ho, ho, ho, time for Christmas films! Or films that are about something that is happening on Christmas. You know, as long as there’s snow on the screen and “have a holly jolly Christmas” coming from speakers, it’s what we need now. Recently, one of my friends told me about this film and I’m totally surprised I’d never seen it. It’s from the 90s, it’s Christmassy and there’s Kevin Spacey – how did I not know about the existence of this production?! Anyway, I’m glad I’ve seen it now and I can recommend it, either it’s just a reminder for you or you’ve been living in a cinematographic cave, like me. We get to meet Caroline and Lloyd (Judy Davis & Kevin Spacey), who are a typical married couple – meaning, they argue a lot and believe that marriage counselling will change the fact that they are from two different worlds. On the way home from such session, they get hijacked by a burglar Gus (Denis Leary), who’s just tried robbing some house and ended up setting off the alarm. Now the police is searching for him so he decides to go with the couple and stay at their place. Maybe it wouldn’t be such a big deal and Gus could just wait for the police to disappear from the neighbourhood, but the problem is that it’s all happening on Christmas Eve and the potential-future-divorced lovebirds are hosting a dinner, so soon there will be people coming and it would be quite difficult to keep Caroline and Lloyd tied up without arousing suspicion. I’m sure you’ve heard of such plots many times, but what I personally liked the most was the fact that Caroline and Lloyd don’t give a damn about this whole situation – they’re so focused on their own failing marriage that even a guy with a gun can’t stop them from arguing with each other. Plus, there are numerous lines that made me laugh a lot, so if you’re a fan of the 80/90s kind of humour, this one will do the work. Besides, if you’re tired of rewatching “Home Alone” or crying to “Love Actually”, maybe “The Ref” will be a nice change this year? I mean, you can still rewatch your favourite classics, I will for sure, but why not getting back to the 90s for a moment? Those were such good times… Merry whatever you’re celebrating, may you have lots of rest and favourite snacks right beside you. Or a loved one – depends on your priorities.

My rating: 7/10
S.

I’m not a migrant, I’m a human. “As Far as I Can Walk” (“Strahinja Banović”, 2021)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Stefan Arsenijević
© 2021 Art & Popcorn. All Rights Reserved.

Personally, I believe that a film should speak for itself. We shouldn’t need any lecture or additional explantation to understand the plot and messages coming out of it. However, I enjoy reading more about a watched film to extend my knowledge. In today’s case, I was amazed by the production and its background story made me appreciate the work even more. I’ll be happy to share with you what I’ve learnt, but first – let me introduce you to the film. We’re following two migrants from Ghana – Strahinja and Ababuo (Ibrahim Koma & Nancy Mensah-Offei), who are hoping to reach Germany, but instead get deported to Serbia. The man starts working for a humanitarian organisation, even though he needs support himself. The couple are happily married and seem to stay together for better and for worse… until one day when Ababuo disappears. Concerned husband starts looking for her and when he finds out she decided to cross the border, he follows. And we’re joining him in this journey. I don’t want to spoil too much because I was so engaged in watching it that I’d hate to destroy this experience for you. All I can say it’s a story of a man with a heart on his sleeve, madly in love, who feels the responsibility of being a life partner and will do anything to protect his little family. I was incredibly moved how well they wrote the character of Strahinja and how intense his journey was at every given point. If you look at the original title, you may notice that it’s actually a name and surname, unlike the English title. It’s not a mistake – the main character is based on Strahinja Banović, who’s known as a medieval knight from a Serbian epic poem. I had no idea about him before watching, I admit, but now I see how perfectly they re-imagined the story in the film. I believe it’s the direction that most filmmakers should be taking in order to promote old legends and historical texts. I’ll definitely remember this film for a long time and I think its form makes it more attractive for modern audiences. It’s a production that you might reflect on and, perhaps, after watching, reevaluate certain relations in your personal life.

My rating: 8/10
S.

Let’s make some Christmas magic! “A Hollywood Christmas” (2022)

Sash1 Comment
directed by Alex Ranarivelo
© 2022 ESX Entertainment. All Rights Reserved.

Ho ho ho, did you miss overly cute Christmas romantic comedies? Me – absolutely! Are they a quality cinema? Of course not. But do we need them to feel warmer and have something to play in the background while relaxing under a blanket with a cup of tea? Yes, yes, yes! Normally, I wouldn’t recommend you just any copy-paste Christmas production, but this one caught my attention. The main character is Jessica (Jessika Van), who’s a young filmmaker in Hollywood, specialising in Christmas films. Even though even Jessica knows how unambitious those productions are, she keeps creating new ones believing it’s our well-deserved guilty pleasure. Isn’t she right? Anyway, one day a man shows up – after all, we need a man in such story. The man is named Christopher (Josh Swickard) and is a new network executive telling Jessica that the budget has to be cut and the board doesn’t want to continue financing Christmas productions. Meaning – no more copy-paste romances in snow and cinnamon! Horror! But will Jessica give up that easily? Absolutely no! We all deserve kisses under the mistletoe, even those on the screen. While fighting for her work, the young filmmaker realises that she’s actually living her own Christmas film. So shortly speaking, it’s “Inception” – the Christmas edition. And even though I bet you also know how this story will end, I think it’s worth your time, especially if you’re cinephiles like me. Because this comedy is full of jokes about the Christmas film industry and it shows the ridicule of making such productions. I’ve heard there’s a Christmas film bingo which you can play while watching such romances, especially those on Hallmark. Spoiler – you can already cross out all the squares before pressing play, trust me. Not sure about you, but I think I know what I’m about to be doing next week. Anyway, if you’re looking for a relaxing background film and like when filmmakers are making fun of filmmakers, then it’s definitely for you.

My rating: 6/10
S.

It knows how to hunt, but I know how to survive. “Prey” (2022)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Dan Trachtenberg
© 2022 Disney+. All Rights Reserved.

Do you remember the story of Pocahontas? Then if you feel ready to grow up, I’d like to recommend you “Prey”, which is, in my opinion, an alternative version and you can tell it was made in 2022. But first things first – we actually move back to the Great Plains of 1719, where we meet Naru (Amber Midthunder), a Comanche woman. She’s incredibly brave and quite rebellious as her dream is to become a skilled hunter. While hunting for animals, she notices some strange lights, which turn out to be coming from a spacecraft. Yes, as spacecraft in 1719. Cinema is wonderful, isn’t it? Naru is so intrigued by this fact and unusual tracks she finds that she decides to keep searching for the mysterious creature who leaves them. Unfortunately, nobody from her tribe takes her seriously and the woman has to work alone. Until the moment when the mysterious creature becomes a threat to her people. I don’t want to spoil too much and I also recommend you not to check any trailers before watching because not knowing what the creature is makes the experience even more entertaining. If you’re a fan of such films as “Jaws” or “Jurassic Park”, you may feel a similar thrill in this case because we know the creature exists, just waiting for it to show up. Personally, I didn’t feel much encouraged to see “Prey”, but I’m glad I have. Perhaps it’s not that much surprising, yet somehow satisfying. First, I felt like it was quite fresh among all those action/fantasy productions. Second, I love the fact that we’re getting into a Comanche tribe and experience everything from their perspective. Third, Naru is a wonderful female protagonist and she’s an example of a character that many girls may look up to. I’m not a fan of feminising characters in cinema just for the sake of having more actresses on the screen, but I’m definitely for creating new stories, new characters, who are unique – because this way we show respect to traditional and old works, while expressing our creativity and diversity with something fresh. I enjoyed watching this film and I think it’s a great choice for a film night with friends. Cheers!

My rating: 6/10
S.

Always take the first taxi. “Life on a Thread” (“La vida en un hilo”, 1945)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Edgar Neville
© 1945 E. Neville. All Rights Reserved.

Do you sometimes wish you were born in different times? Same here. That’s why I love watching old films imagining I’m one of the characters and it brings me pure joy. And today, I’d like to recommend you a wonderful comedy from Spain, which is probably one of the most adorable love/life stories I’ve seen. We get to know Mercedes (Conchita Montes), a gorgeous lady who’s just become a widow and is currently travelling to Madrid to reunite with her family. On the train, she meets a psychic who encourages her to talk about love life. The widow admits that even though she loved her husband, it wasn’t a perfect relationship. Then, the psychic reminds her companion about the time when she met her husband, and at the same time, rejected another man. Everything happened next to a flower shop, where Mercedes was waiting for a taxi and refused going with one man, yet later agreed to join another one – Ramón (Guillermo Marín), her future husband, about which she obviously had no idea. The psychic wants Mercedes to imagine what if she had taken a taxi with the first man – Miguel (Rafael Durán). And this is exactly what we see in the film – both ladies are imagining another life scenario of Mercedes, comparing it to the one she had with Ramón, who was a rather boring and way too serious person for Mercedes, while Miguel was an artist with a lot of abstract ideas and never-ending charisma. Even though this film is about 80 years old now, I was absolutely amused by its humour and impressed by the way they managed to tell the story in such engaging way. The actors are marvellous, especially when Mercedes is interacting with Miguel. To me, they share the best kind of vibes as a couple. There’s excitement, sarcasm, but also dedication, fascination and faithfulness. They are two adults who know when to wake up their inner children – and if that’s not the perfect relationship recipe, I have no idea what is. And please, don’t say “money” – let’s not ruin this beautiful picture. What I also appreciate in this film is that it shows how our decisions influence our life. If Mercedes has said “yes” to Miguel offering her a lift, she would have enjoyed her marriage life much more than with Ramón. However, we never know, so perhaps if that had happened, she and Miguel wouldn’t have had such a great connection the whole time. Maybe sometimes all the unfortunate things that happen are supposed to happen, so something way better can surprise us a bit later? Anyway, adorable comedy with a pinch of romance reminding us to say “yes” more often.

My rating: 8/10
S.

What’s a light bulb? “Look Who’s Talking” (1989)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Amy Heckerling
© 1989 Tri-Star Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Recently, we’ve lost Kirstie Alley, who was a true icon of the 80/90s, at least to me. Whenever someone mentioned her, I could see those Sunday lunches with adorable comedies playing in the background. And who was starring in those comedies? Kirstie, indeed. Perhaps she wasn’t overly popular, perhaps she didn’t play in numerous super productions, but she will be missed for sure. Today, I’d like to recommend you one of the most recognisable comedies with Kirstie – “Look Who’s Talking”. She plays the role of Mollie, a young accountant who’s having an affair with her executive. Mollie is single, but the man is married, so they have to keep everything a secret. She really hopes that they might end up together one day, especially since he promises to eventually leave his wife. Things get even more complicated when Mollie gets pregnant and decides to keep the baby, hoping that would also rush things up with her lover. As you may be guessing, Mollie becomes a single mother, who has to go through the upcoming labour and raising a child on her own. (Un)luckily, on the way to deliver her baby boy she meets a friendly taxi driver (John Travolta), who stays for a little longer than just the labour. What’s even better – we may hear the baby talking and presenting this whole situation from its perspective. Cringe? Maybe a little. But if aliens came to our planet and asked me to show them a film that explains the 80s, I would totally play this comedy – the 80s are screaming at us from the screen, which is something I personally adore. If you’re around my age or older, I’m sure you’ll feel a very strong nostalgia. If you’re a bit younger, then I’m happy to invite you for this time travel adventure. Don’t have high expectations, because it was still made in the 80s, so a lot of filmmaking techniques have changed. However, as much as technically this film might be outdated, its humour is not, in my opinion. Rewatching it recently I was still giggling from time to time remembering old times. And also remembering Kirstie Alley, who will always be an icon for many of us.

My rating: 7/10
S.

I can smell the toilets from here. “Table 19” (2017)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Jeffrey Blitz
© 2017 Fox Searchlight Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

It’s not such a new production but somehow I missed it for a few years. Luckily, I’ve finally seen it and can recommend it to you as a guilty pleasure film for a relaxing evening. At first we have a protagonist, Eloise (Anna Kendrick), but I feel like later we’re following several people and enjoying the story from various perspectives. Still, back to Eloise, she’s a young woman who’s just received an invitation for her old friend’s wedding. How awkward the invitation is, considering the fact that Eloise was supposed to be the maid of honour, but that changed after Teddy (Wyatt Russell) broke up with her. And Teddy is the brother of the bride. So, you know, not the best circumstances, if you ask me. However, Eloise decides to attend the wedding either way. At the venue, she realises that they’ve chosen the worst table for her – table 19, which is basically for all the people that showed up but shouldn’t. There she meets very random individuals who are all feeling quite uncomfortable and misfit. And obviously, Eloise has to watch her ex-boyfriend having a lot of fun, while she’s pretending to be over him and moved on in life. Luckily, all those random people at table 19 seem to be much concerned about her and, despite everything, they become some kind of team in order to survive the wedding. I have to say that the ending is rather strange and quite disappointing, but that’s just my opinion. Overall, however, it’s an adorable comedy with several really funny texts that may cheer you up, especially if you’re one of those people who feel awkward at weddings. Taking things to a deeper level, I liked the contrast between the pure happiness that the married couple with their main guests share and all those random people from table 19 who are far from being perfect, yet support each other in accepting their flaws or differences. If you ask me, I’d totally want to be seated at table 19. Even if you can smell the toilets from there… but you can always steal some food and smoke something in your room, right? You’ll get it when you see the film. Enjoy!

My rating: 6/10
S.

Do I look like some kind of monster? “Barbarian” (2022)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Zach Cregger
© 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Do I have some horror fans over here? For sure I do. Aren’t you tired of all those predictable films where a bunch of people find an old house in the middle of nowhere and come up with a wonderful idea to stay there, even though they know how bad such decisions are? Me too. And that’s why I’d like to recommend you “Barbarian” because I feel like it may satisfy you on many levels. We get to know Tess (Georgina Campbell), a young woman who’s going to have a job interview, so she came a day before and is about to say at a rented Airbnb house. When she gets there, a strange man named Keith (Bill Skarsgård) opens the door and claims that it’s him who’s renting this house now. What are you thinking? Red flag, huh? Obviously, he’s a psycho killer or something. But considering the neighbourhood, weather and late hour, Tess decides to come inside, yet does her best to stay safe – she doesn’t take anything from him, checks his documents and makes sure not to show any interest in the guy. Searching for a new place is pointless right now and he offers her to stay in the house for a night, which is another red flag, but he really seems to be just a random man in the same situation as Tess – both of them booked the same house and it’s just a mistake. And if you think you know what may happen next – trust me, you have no idea. Because I was shocked myself, and I’ve seen lots of horrors, so it’s usually easy for me to predict the ending. I honestly enjoyed this film because it’s funny, it’s scary, it’s mysterious and quite fresh, I’d say. I can tell the director (who’s also the screenwriter) is, just like some of us, tired of those stereotypical moves being used in horrors. He even said that while writing he wanted to make sure he’s surprising himself – because if he manages to surprise himself, he may as well surprise the audience. Well, good job there! I also have to praise the cast, especially choosing Bill Skarsgård for the role of Keith, because considering his experience in “IT”, he already has this kind of label saying “I’m an actor who does well in creepy roles”. Personally, he didn’t get my attention in “IT” (sorry Bill), but in this one – cannot imagine a better match. Thanks to him, the audience may get tricked even more, which in this film is a huge plus. I’d love to see some sequel, because for sure there’s potential there. Hope you’ll share my enthusiasm about this horror.

My rating: 7/10
S.