We all depend on the system. “Palmer” (2021)

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directed by Fisher Stevens
© 2021 Apple TV+. All Rights Reserved.

That’s the kind of drama I personally love. I mean, I generally enjoy drama, even in life, and especially when it doesn’t consider me so I can be just an observer with popcorn. However, “Palmer” is one of those productions that are simple, yet they hit hard with their messages. We get to know Eddie Palmer (Justin Timberlake), who’s just got out of prison. As he has no life options, he starts living with his grandma Vivian (June Squibb) and tries to get back on track with everything. Unfortunately, it’s horribly difficult for him to regain his social status or find a job as nobody wants an employee with such background. In the meantime, Eddie gets to know Sam (Ryder Allen), a boy that keeps coming to Vivian and spends a lot of time in their house. Vivian kind of treats him like her own grandson, especially since the boy doesn’t receive much attention or love from his parents. His mother Shelly (Juno Temple) is a drug addict and often disappears leaving Sam alone. One day Vivian passes away and Eddie decides to keep supporting Sam as he’s not only struggling with his own family, but also with his sexuality. The child doesn’t really follow social “norms” and prefers more feminine objects, toys and clothes, which leads to problems at school and with his friends. Personally, I’m getting a lot of thoughts from this production. First of all, only people who are left alone and without support will understand others like them. And, paradoxically, they are the ones who will help each other the most. Second, we’re living in a big system that doesn’t care about individuals, it cares about not caring, to be honest. We judge people with black or white, yes or no questions, while all they need is a bit of attention and personal approach. Third, sometimes, no matter how badly we want to change the world, we just have to let it be. Let it be and take care of ourselves. Because, unfortunately, karma doesn’t always work, or not immediately. If we dedicate ourselves to another person, perhaps nobody will dedicate themselves to us at the same time. It’s important to take actions, indeed, but sometimes the best option is to wait for a better moment in life. And that’s why I like films like “Palmer”, because you may think it’s a simple production, but it seriously crashes you from the inside. And may I just say that I’m glad to see more Juno Temple? Of course I may and I’m saying it. She’s a very good actress and I hope she’ll keep appearing in next films.

My rating: 7/10
S.

There’s nothing wrong with being alone. “Together Together” (2021)

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directed by Nikole Beckwith
© 2021 Bleecker Street. All Rights Reserved.

I didn’t expect much from this film, kind of played it as some background. Yes, I do that as well, especially if it’s a comedy with a rather average rating. Turned out it’s one of those productions that remind me to stop checking general ratings and just watch whatever I want to watch. Because I would have skipped it if I didn’t have a boring evening, I swear. And I hope that you’ll feel encouraged to watch it after reading my post. It’s a story of Matt (Ed Helms), who’s a middle-aged single man wishing to start his family. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been lucky in finding a good partner, therefore he wants to become a single dad. The man finds Anna (Patti Harrison), a young woman willing to be his surrogate. Despite totally different characters, those two have a lot in common. At first they might not be seeing it, but the more time they spend together, the clearer it becomes. Generally, it’s a rather light drama with a lot of funny lines, but to me it’s a film that stands out. Why? It shows that happy ever after doesn’t really exists outside fairytales. If we keep waiting for perfection to appear in our life, we may wake up in our 70s and realise that our time’s up. Instead, maybe it’s better to take reality as it is and try to make the best out of it. We may not have our dreamt significant other, but we may have a bunch of incredibly supportive friends. We may not be able to start a family, but we may always adopt a dog and have a wonderful companion in life. We may not have enough money to buy a huge house by the sea, but we may have a pleasant job that gives us satisfaction. And even though in the end this film gives very little hope (at least in my opinion) for this perfect life we all want, it’s somehow comforting. I guess we should be constantly reminded, especially living in this online world full of artificiality, that we’re all lonely, struggling with acceptance, searching for love, friendship, happiness and stuff. And the more we talk about it, the faster our “imperfect” life becomes natural and ordinary. Personally, I relaxed a lot watching “Together Together” and the ending left me with many thoughts, so it probably means it’s a film worth seeing.

My rating: 7/10
S.

This is the women’s world. “Text Me When You Get Home” (2021)

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directed by Louise Hylland
© 2021 KAKAPO. Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

If you’re not sure what to do with 6 minutes of your time, then I may have an idea. Have a sit, put your phone away and focus on this short film I’m recommending you today. It’s a Danish production about four friends getting back home from a night out. Before I continue my sharing, let’s do a small test, shall we? I said “four friends”. Now imagine those friends are four grown-up men. Think about their night out, the moment when they split, how they return to their flats/houses, what happens on the way. Just take a moment and imagine. Or maybe you are a man and there’s nothing to imagine because you know exactly how it looked like last weekend? Okay then. Now, imagine that all those four friends are women. How does the story change? If you think there’s no difference, you’re probably a man. And I’m not saying this to offend you, dear male reader. Perhaps you just have no idea how it looks like from a woman’s perspective. This short film may make it a bit clearer. I don’t want to explain what’s happening in it because that would be ridiculous since it’ll take you less time to watch it than to read my description. However, I’m writing about it because I believe it’s an important topic to mention. And mention. And keep mentioning. I found the film simple, yet perfectly on point. I was thinking of what I saw and realised that when I say goodbye to my male friends after an evening/night meeting, I just say “see you later”, but when the friend is a woman, I always say “see you soon, remember to text me when you get home”. I bet no more words are needed. Just take those 6 minutes, watch the film and let’s hope it’ll stay with you. Here’s the link to the film on YouTube.

My rating: 7/10
S.

From now on you have no family. “Flee” (“Flugt”, 2021)

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directed by Jonas Poher Rasmussen
© 2021 Neon. All Rights Reserved.

How surprised most of us were to see today’s film being nominated as the best animation, and best documentary aaaaand best international film. For me it was obvious that I need to see such a famous and probably marvellous production. There were two options – either it’s a masterpiece or it’s horribly overrated. And to give you a pinch of my opinion I could say: the story belongs to a masterpiece, but the form is overrated. But first, the plot. We get to know an Afghan man named Amin Nawabi who’s telling his life story. As a young boy he needed to run away from his country together with his family. Currently, he’s living in Denmark, but the way to this particular moment hasn’t been easy nor short. It’s actually a real story of a refugee who was fighting for a better future, for safety and a chance for himself and the family. Indeed, what Amin (by the way, it’s just his pseudonym in order not to reveal the man’s real name) is sharing may break hearts and even cause tears in your eyes. On the one hand, I’m sure we all have heard such stories, because there are, unfortunately, way too many refugees like Amin. On the other hand, such stories, even if similar, are always incredibly emotional and they make us realise that it’s an actual human tragedy happening somewhere close to us. So when it comes to the content and the idea for the film, I believe it’s a must see. However, the kind of animation presented in this production is not the best element of it and personally I was slightly annoyed. Because if only the animation was smoother, I bet I would end up rating the film higher. As a podcast, it’s a wonderful piece, but I need to rate everything I experienced. To be honest, I don’t see this production winning in any of the previously mentioned categories, although the biggest chances are in documentary. Which doesn’t change the fact that it is a film worth seeing. Except the fact that Amin has been through a lot on his way to Denmark, he’s also homosexual, which is an absolute taboo in his country of origin. So I’m glad we’re slowly showing, step by step, that sexuality is universal and as many people we have on this planet, as many different preferences and needs there are. No matter where you’re from or who you are.

My rating: 7/10
S.

What’s yours is mine, baby. “What Happens in Vegas” (2008)

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directed by Tom Vaughan
© 2008 20th Century Fox. All Rights Reserved.

Happy Valentine’s Day, by dearest readers! What a beautiful joke from life that it’s today, on Monday. Nothing’s better than spending this heart-shaped day sitting in the office for several hours and then being way too tired to do anything after. And here I come to help you. I’m sure you’ll be looking for some film to watch with your significant other, and what’s better than a romantic comedy? Don’t say horrors, you don’t want to make this mistake, my dear. My option for tonight: “What Happens in Vegas”. It’s about two random people, Joy and Jack (Cameron Diaz & Ashton Kutcher), who end up in Vegas to have fun. Joy has just been dumped by her partner and cannot really manage the situation, so her best friend Toni (Lake Bell) proposes going to Las Vegas. You know, to do exactly what you’re supposed to be doing in Las Vegas. At the same time Jack loses his job at a company run… by his father. Yeah, really. And his best friend Jeff (Rob Corddry) also decides to take Jack to Las Vegas. Again, to do what you’re supposed to be doing there. Accidentally, those four meet and have so much fun that Joy and Jack get married. It wouldn’t be such a big deal, lots of people have done this. But, they win a huge amount of money in one slot machine, which becomes a problem. Because according to the beautiful law of marriage, what’s mine is yours. And when they are trying to get divorced, the judge turns out to be a silly romantic, who forces the couple to stay together for six months. You may think it’s a ridiculous film choice for tonight, but hear me out. Or read me out. First, it’s funny. And who doesn’t like laughing on dates? Second, it has Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher, so visually you will be both satisfied. Third, even though it’s just a simple comedy, it shares an important message. Obviously, Joy and Jack met in Vegas and ended up getting married totally wasted. But isn’t it similar with other couples? I mean, we find partners and it’s enough to have one argument or not agree in one pointless matter and done. Break up. We’re living in the world where people don’t even bother to try. Obviously, if two people are from totally two different realities, then it may not work. But people break up over unwashed dishes or socks on the floor. And this is what the film is about – no matter what a perfect partner you find, you’ll never be the same. So it’s important to learn from each other, accept certain actions and compromise. See? What a wonderful production I’ve chosen for you today? You’re welcome. Now go and love!

My rating: 6/10
S.

Hypocrisy with a fake Italian accent. “House of Gucci” (2021)

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directed by Ridley Scott
© 2021 United Artists Releasing. All Rights Reserved.

I was thinking what to write you about this film and I realised that I have to be honest, so perhaps this post will be a bit harsh and controversial. As you might be guessing, “House of Gucci” is about the Gucci family, exactly the same ones whose clothes, bags and other things are way too expensive for ordinary people. And exactly the same ones who are from Italy. So when you want to make a film about an Italian family, what do you do? A) Go to Italy and make the film there with Italian actors? B) Invite Italian actors to the US? or C) Make the film with English-speaking actors forcing them to use a horrible fake Italian accent. Guess which one they chose this time? And not only this time. Remember from literature/history lessons that when Shakespeare was alive, there were only male actors playing in his pieces? Even if there were female roles? Well, I feel like a lot of filmmakers are stuck in those times, I swear. Yes, in case of today’s film, we may say that they chose those actors because it’s an American production and they wanted to invite big names to make the film wanted. But why? If you’re Ridley Scott, you may make a film with first year’s acting students and still it’s going to be famous. So why not working with Italian actors on a film about an Italian family? If I were Italian, I would feel offended, to be honest. Indeed, the actors who actually played in “House of Gucci” are incredibly talented and we appreciate them all. But considering the circumstances and the overall picture, I couldn’t even admire their acting talent. Because to me, this film looks like a parody. The only things I enjoyed were music and cinematography. But the rest? A frustrating experience. And the funniest thing is that a lot of authorities in the film industry encourage us all to inclusion, diversity, equality etc. Where is all that? So it’s okay to give awards to people/films which don’t deserve them just because they are somehow different, yet it’s absolutely fine to disgrace Italian culture and not even actively involve them in the process. How about… no. My rating and appreciation is only for the cinematography and music, as I mentioned before. And the trailer – which is way better than the film itself. Basta!

My rating: 4/10
S.

Stand tall and be proud in that. “King Richard” (2021)

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directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green
© 2021 Warner Bros. Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Quick trailer of today’s post: it’s a film that has earned six Oscar nominations, including Best Actor for Will Smith. Does he deserve it? Not in my humble opinion. Maybe the film deserves an Oscar? Not really. Is it at least worth watching? Absolutely yes. [insert emotional music] When I first heard of King Richard, I honestly thought it’d be a history drama or something like that… Please tell me I wasn’t the only one. Anyway, then I found out that it’s actually a film about the Williams sisters, Venus and Serena, two incredibly talented tennis players. So where does the title come from? Here’s the thing, it’s not a typical biographical film, because the story of those two ladies (or back then girls) is presented mostly from the perspective of their whole family, especially their dad. Richard Williams (Will Smith) is incredibly proud of his children and wishes all the best for them. So much that he’s even planning their life, which he’d like to be full of successes. Richard is not a very wealthy person and, additionally, he’s black-skinned, so back then it wasn’t the best start for his teenage girls. However, the man does everything to make sure that Venus and Serena (Saniyya Sidney & Demi Singleton) will make their dreams come true. At first I felt like it’s a film about a parent who tries to make up for his less fortunate life by making sure his children will be rich, pretty and famous. You know this type of a parent, right? No matter that the child wants, they are already superstars in their parents’ eyes. But the longer I was watching, the more I understood his stubbornness in actions. He honestly loved the girls and wanted all the best for them, not because he wanted to feel better as a parent, but because he knew the girls need a lot of support in starting their own journey. In the end, I believe it’s a beautiful film about the power of family, feminism and also a significant production for the African-American community, for sure. However, I think there are better films nominated this year, so I wouldn’t see this one as a winner. Additionally, as much as I adore Will Smith and I think his performance was fine, I also don’t see him as a winner this year. In fact, I feel like a nomination for him is a bit unfair, considering there are lots of other male actors that performed way better, in my opinion. For example, I totally don’t understand no nomination for Timothée Chalamet in “Dune” as that was a brilliant performance by this young man. Anyway, it’s a very interesting piece and I enjoyed it a lot, so take some time to see it.

My rating: 7/10
S.

Chick-chicky-boom, chick-chicky-boom, chick-chicky-boom. “The Mask” (1994)

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directed by Chuck Russell
© 1994 New Line Cinema. All Rights Reserved.

Last night I rewatched this lovely piece of cinematographic art (bless you brother Netflix!), which I saw hundreds of times when I was younger. And it’s very hard for me to be objective writing about it since I honestly associate this comedy with my childhood. In case you’ve never heard of it, let me say a few words about the plot. We get to know Stanley (Jim Carrey), a single guy working in a bank, living with his dog, watching cartoons and sleeping in rather ridiculous pyjamas. So yeah, typical film loser. One day, he meets his new client, Tina (Cameron Diaz), who’s a woman that no guy would reject, I’m telling you. But she obviously can reject anyone she wants, so Stanley knows there’s no chance she would go out with him. Then one evening he finds a mysterious mask and after putting it on, he turns into some strange character that we call “The Mask”. Mask has a green face, way better clothes than Stanley (personal opinion) and, shortly speaking, he’s insane. He does things that Stanley wouldn’t do, but then in the morning, the man is kind of responsible for what his “green-faced alter ego” has done. As you might be guessing, Mask is trying to get Tina, but there are some bad guys interested in Tina, plus there’s also some bank robbery… generally, a lot happens there. And even though I remembered the film perfectly, I was having so much fun last night. I’m a huge fan of Jim Carrey and I believe he’s strongly underrated since the world has labeled him as a “goofy actor for silly comedies”. Yet I believe such “goofy actor” shows way more talent than some dramatic ones who are awarded and appreciated globally. I love this guy and won’t change my mind. Plus, generally this film is the definition of entertainment, in my opinion. It has a cool protagonist? Yes. It has funny gags? Yes. It has bad guys and some pew-pew action? Yes. It has a cute doggo? Yes. Done. That’s all we need to enjoy an evening. And I swear, if you are not dancing while Mask is performing Cuban Pete in the film, you are no fun, my dear. Interesting fact – initially “The Mask” was supposed to be a horror. Let’s be thankful that they didn’t make another cringy horror out of it and praised us with a decent comedy, which I believe hasn’t aged and may cheer you up anytime. And if you think I’m listening to “Cuban Pete” while writing this post… you’re absolutely right.

My rating: 8/10
S.

Fair is foul and foul is fair. “The Tragedy of Macbeth” (2021)

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directed by Joel Coen
© 2021 Apple TV+. All Rights Reserved.

Many have tried to adapt “Macbeth” in numerous ways, yet even now they are still trying to make something new out of it. When I first heard of this production, I rolled my eyes thinking “not again”. But then I learned it’s going to be directed by Joel Coen (surprise #1), Lady Macbeth’s supposed to be played by Frances McDormand (a bit of surprise #2) and Macbeth’s supposed to be played by Denzel Washington (surprise #3). I know a lot of people were discussing whether it’s a good idea to have a black-skinned actor playing Macbeth. Personally, it wouldn’t be my choice if I was making an adaptation, but hey, let’s give the idea a try. I guess I don’t have to explain you the story of Macbeth, so I’ll just skip right into my brain drama, which I’m having after watching this film. First, marvellous form. The scenography is very simple and I loved it because we don’t focus on anything but the actors and what they have to say. We often get very intimate shots, seeing only the face, which was giving me chills sometimes. Oh and it’s one of the modern films that are black and white and I accept that. I’m generally against depriving films of colours to make them look more “artsy”, yet here it was a cherry on top. Magnifique! So as an experience, this is a must-see production. Very unusual, very emotional, yet incredibly calm, which makes you question your feelings at some point. It could have been a masterpiece. Could have, but it’s not. Why? Here’s my personal answer: the cast. I’m a huge fan of Frances McDormand, but she’s not Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth is evil, cunning, manipulative. And Frances was doing everything to make her character looks so, but it’s just not working. It’s not because she’s lacking talent – we all know she’s a wonderful actress. But not everyone can play everything, and Frances is not the right actress to play Lady Macbeth, in my opinion. Personally, I even preferred Marion Cotillard who played this role in “Macbeth” from 2015. And the second unfortunate choice was… yes, Denzel Washington. I adore this man, but I didn’t see Macbeth in him. And maybe I’ll surprise you, because it’s not about his skin colour. It’s about his age. I’ve always imagined Macbeth as a foolish young man, who’s horribly delusional and intimidating. For me, Denzel’s Macbeth is a bit vague. I didn’t feel anything watching him. Nothing. Nada. Perhaps that was Coen’s idea, then let it be. But in my humble opinion, if we’d exchanged those two actors, we would have had the best film adaptation of this play. Yet, not to finish my post with negative vibes, I’d like to appreciate two people. First, Kathryn Hunter who played Witch(es). What this lovely lady was doing with her body is pure art. She made me feel like I was in the theatre, where such strong gestures are very welcome. By the way, I was thrilled with the idea to make three witches kind of one (sorry for a small spoiler, hope you won’t get mad) – it showed me this/these character(s) from a different perspective. And the second person I couldn’t stop staring at was Alex Hassell as Ross. But here, I have no idea what to write you. He had this incredible energy and I felt like even his slightest moves were very well considered. Mr. Hassell, you’ve earned yourself a fan. To sum up, yes, go see the new adaptation of “Macbeth” because it’s visually spectacular, yet be prepared it may not seem entirely right at all points.

My rating: 7/10
S.

It’s a match! “The Tinder Swindler” (2022)

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directed by Felicity Morris
© 2022 Netflix. All Rights Reserved.

I asked you yesterday on Instagram whether you’re on Tinder or not, my dearest readers. I have to say that I appreciate the honest answers, which make it clear that most of you actually use this app. And I’m totally not surprised since, according to Uncle Google, there’s over 75 million active users of Tinder, and according to Auntie Wikipedia, there were 65 billion matches in 2021. Let me remind you there’s less than 8 billion people on our planet. So those statistics are indeed quite impressive. However, as you may be guessing, especially those who use the app, it’s not that successful when it comes to actual matching people. I mean yes, it takes you few minutes to have several matches, but they don’t really survive longer than a couple of days. Or they never even start as people nowadays are very much interested in paranormal activities and enjoy ghosting with pleasure. Yet I’m sure you know a lot of stories of your friends or some people on the Internet who somehow found their significant other on a dating app (and I’m talking about some kind of longer relationship, not a one night stand, which is easier to be achieved than buying fries at McDo). So you keep coming back to swiping, hoping to meet your one and only princess/prince. And that’s exactly what happened to Cecilie, Pernilla and Ayleen, who wanted to find a loving partner on Tinder, yet they all found Simon. You know this type who takes photos in sunglasses, without his shirt, next to an expensive car or in a fancy restaurant? Yes, that’s Simon. He claimed to be the son of an incredibly wealthy man and was looking for his one and only beloved future wife, to live happily ever after. You know, blah, blah, blah. The truth is Simon was actually an absolute liar (what a surprise!), who was matching with random women, making them fall in love with him, making them trust him, and then asking them to send him huge amounts of money. I’m sure you’re smiling pityingly thinking “who would go for that?”. Well, seems like a lot of women, unfortunately. I don’t want to spoil more, because you’ll see everything in the film, and I think it’s an interesting thing to watch, yet not a masterpiece of documentary. I think people are praising it more for the topic than for the form, so I get why it has high ratings. Personally, I’m obviously against such guys like Simon, because, as Ayleen described it at some point, he’s “just a piece of sh*t”. On the other hand, I know we like believing in Disney-like love, but let’s face it – it’s not happening. We keep telling children not to talk to strangers, but then an adult woman agrees to fly in a private jet with some random guy in glued sunglasses (sorry, it’s hilarious for me) from Tinder, who after few messages exchanged claims to be falling in love. Give. Me. A. Break. I’m really sorry for what happened to these ladies and I hope the guy gets punished, but I also hope this documentary will be a good lesson for everyone. I’m not saying you should delete the app, because I actually support such initiatives – we’re living in an online world, we’re dating in an online form. But please, ladies, be reasonable. There are millions of very strange people on those apps, so don’t fall for a guy in a white shirt and his dad’s lambo. Unless you’re looking for a one night thing, then bless you, have fun and remember about protection. You don’t want to raise a child in sunglasses (last one, I swear!).

My rating: 6/10
S.