To this day the war is not over. “Inner Wars” (2020)

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directed by Masha Kondakova
© 2020 Ukrainian State Film Agency. All Rights Reserved.

As you know, recently I’ve decided to join a Ukrainian film festival and since you were interested in my recommendations, here’s one. To be honest, I’m not thrilled about the films I’ve seen so far, they were either not consistent in their form or with a screenplay that was missing a bit of polishing, in my opinion. However, today’s documentary made me stare at the screen and left me with a lot of thoughts, so I guess we can say I’ve found a gem. Perhaps you don’t know this about Ukraine, but since 2014 they’ve been in an on-going war with Russia and the army is constantly present at the eastern border. The filmmaker, Masha Kondakova, decided to present the situation from the perspective of three women: Lera, Ira and Elena. All of them are or were supporting their soldiers and each of them has been going through her personal inner war. I wouldn’t like to describe their stories, because I find learning about them while watching an interesting experience. But I’d like to share my feelings after seeing this documentary. In my opinion, we don’t only get a picture of brave and patriotic women, but also ladies, who prove that they can go through this nightmare “like a man” (ugh, I hate such expressions, but I had to use it here, you know why) and still remember about their female self. Lera, Ira and Elena are totally different from each other, yet they have something in common: stubbornness. A very healthy stubbornness. Perhaps some of you will find it insane that they risk their lives voluntarily, but at least they are aware of their actions, have found their purpose and are strong enough to handle the consequences. For me it was a decent picture of a very smart battle with patriarchy, so add this one to your to-watch list.

My rating: 7/10
S.

When a man loses a woman. “The Killing of Two Lovers” (2020)

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directed by Robert Machoian
© 2020 Neon. All Rights Reserved.

Separation is a strange thing, isn’t it? I mean, what is it exactly? A break? A test? When two married people love each other, they are together. When they don’t, they get divorced. Simple. So what is this separation phenomenon? I guess today’s film might give you an interesting idea about it. We get to know David and Nikki (Clayne Crawford & Sepideh Moafi), a couple raising their four children. They’ve decided to separate and agreed to date other people. Even though they seemed to be on the same page, things get complicated when Nikki starts sleeping with her colleague Derek (Chris Coy). Suddenly, David feels betrayed and angry about it, as if he expected nothing to happen during the separation. But at the same time, he realises that he hasn’t done much to change this situation, so Nikki moved on. The man tries to be a good father, but in the meantime he forgets about his love towards Nikki, who needs more stability and affection in life. If you expect a lot of drama and shouting at each other for no reason, then it’s not it. This film is incredibly intimate and shows how hesitant people can be. We mostly focus on the character of David, which I found on point, because we could see that behind this liberated man who’s not on a leash anymore, there’s a lot of love, jealousy and fear, which he can share only with himself, and which is killing him from the inside. Maybe it’s not a masterpiece, but I think it’s worth your time, especially if you’re going through something similar like Nikki and David.

My rating: 6/10
S.

You can’t call yourself an environmentalist and eat meat. Period. “Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret” (2014)

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directed by Kip Andersen & Keegan Kuhn
© 2014 Netflix. All Rights Reserved.

If you’ve been reading me for a bit longer, you may know that I’m vegan. So watching films about veganism, animal products etc. isn’t always eye-opening for me as most of the things they say or present is rather obvious for me. However, from time to time I like checking out new films about such topics because they share new data and/or I like being reminded I’m doing the right thing. I’m totally not humble about it here. “Cowspiracy” is a slightly different documentary as the idea was to approach not ordinary people, but often huge and well-known international organisations fighting for the environment. And that’s why I liked this film so much. You can hear several conversations where the representatives of those organisations are either speechless or uncomfortable talking about animal agriculture. Yes, they fight for protecting forests and oceans, they encourage people to be more eco-friendly, but they often omit this significant element which is eating animal products. And in case you’re wondering, it’s not a documentary hitting your emotional side with “eating animals is morally wrong” kind of things. It’s pointing out how drastically dangerous animal agriculture is for us, our health, our environment and planet in general. Personally, I support all organisations doing something in ecology and I believe we’re all working in the same team. But at the same time, even such organisations kind of ignore each other’s efforts and points. That is why I’m recommending this film. It shows us that animal agriculture is in fact our biggest enemy, which we befriended thanks to those, who have made it a big business. And it’s such a toxic manipulation that even environmental organisations are ignoring it to some extent. This documentary is full of (vegan wink wink) food for thought, so if you’re a person who likes questioning our reality, then I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.

My rating: 8/10
S.

It’s harder for us. “Those Who Remained” (“Akik maradtak”, 2019)

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directed by Barnabás Tóth
© 2019 Budapest Film. All Rights Reserved.

Recently I had a chance to take part in an online Hungarian film festival, where I saw several quite interesting productions. I have to admit that Hungarian dramatic cinema has its charm and I’ll be happy to discover more in the future. But for now I’d like to recommend my favourite one from the festival – “Those Who Remained”. It was representing Hungary for the Academy Awards in 2020, but didn’t quality to the big five. This is a story of a teenage girl who’s living in Budapest right after the end of World War II. Klára (Abigél Szõke) ended up being an orphan, but very strongly resisting the fact. She keeps believing that her parents are fine and will get back home one day. In the meantime, she meets a local doctor, Aladár (Károly Hajduk), who agrees to welcome the girl in his flat and become her caretaker. If you think that it’s a dirty story about a toxic relationship between a man and an underage girl, then you’re wrong. It’s actually a very heart-warming picture presenting two lonely people, who’ve decided to be there for each other. I know that it’s a story based in postwar Budapest, but this connection between two humans could have happened and could happen anywhere. The film reminds us how important being supported is. Even if the support is only the presence of someone else. I was amazed by this drama and if you like calm, yet thought-provoking stories, then it’s definitely for you.

My rating: 7/10
S.

This is only the beginning. “Dune” (2021)

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directed by Denis Villeneuve
© 2021 Warner Bros. Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

I bet a lot of you were expecting this post of mine. “Dune” has been a huge deal this year, but to be honest, I wasn’t one of the people who were waiting for it. When I was a teenager, a lot of my friends were reading this series (because it’s based on a series of books in case you didn’t know) and I decided not to follow the trend. First of all, because I was told it’s fantasy (now I know it’s more sci-fi than fantasy) and I’ve never been a huge fan of this genre. Second of all, those books are really fat. I mean, really fat. Maybe now I’m not that scared of their size, but back then it was a big “nope” for me. Still, a lot of people around me were saying what a wonderful film it is and definitely worth watching in the cinema. Then okay, I’ll go. What do I have to lose? Just 2,5h, but it’s not a big deal. To be honest, the only personal reason I had was the fact that Hans Zimmer was responsible for the music in this film. In the worst case scenario, I would have just spent 2,5h listening to his pieces. Not bad. But as you can guess from my rating (I know you checked it out before reading the text), I enjoyed the film. In fact, I couldn’t stop staring at the screen for the whole 2,5h. I have no idea how they did that, but the whole production is incredibly engaging. I feel like writing you what this film is about would be A – pointless, because there are many descriptions available, B – also pointless, because I don’t know the whole story from the book, so I’m a newbie in this “Dune” world and it seems like the story is very much deep and complex. But what I can tell you for sure is that I’ve discovered Timothée Chalamet in a new way thanks to his role of Paul Atreides. Before I saw him as a decent, but rather overrated young actor. I’m sorry, just being honest. However, in “Dune” he showed a lot of talent, so bravo. It may also be because he’s getting older, more experienced, and it’s visible. Besides, cinematography is spectacular in “Dune”. Even if nothing is happening on the screen, you may still feel a lot of pleasure from looking at it. So if you’re still wondering whether it’s worth to see it in the cinema, the answer should be obvious. Fun fact, right after I saw the film, I ordered the first book of the series. Let’s see how I’ll manage to read those almost 700 pages, but if it’s equally engaging as the film, it shouldn’t be a big deal. As you can see, even if you know nothing about the book, you may still end up loving the film. So enjoy and let’s all wait for next parts.

My rating: 7.5/10
S.

Live people ignore the strange and unusual. “Beetlejuice” (1988)

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directed by Tim Burton
© 1988 Warner Bros. All Rights Reserved.

You can’t even imagine how happy I am to be writing for you again. And it’s even better to be writing a post for Halloween! I was wondering what I could recommend you on this special day, considering that a lot of horrors are rather full of cringe nowadays. I’ve decided to remind you about the existence of “Beetlejuice” by Tim Burton. It’s one of my beloved horrors/comedies and I rewatch it with pleasure. At first we meet Barbara and Adam (Geena Davis & Alec Baldwin), a young couple spending their holidays in a country house. Unfortunately, an accident occurs and those two die. However, they return to the house as “recently deceased” and are stuck in there. It wouldn’t be that bad if only new tenants didn’t want to move in. The house is sold to a family, which from the very beginning is horribly annoying for Barbara and Adam. They want to do everything to scare the new ones away, but it’s not such an easy task. Especially since the teenage girl in that family can actually see ghosts. I’m sure I’ve mentioned that several times here, but in case I’ll repeat – I’m a huge fan of Tim Burton. I think that he’s very unusual as a director, sticks to his own style, but remains professional and meticulous, which is a wonderful combination in my eyes. Besides, acting in this film is on another level. Surprising teenage Winona Ryder, marvellous Catherine O’Hara and, my personal favourite, Michael Keaton as Betelgeuse. Pay attention to the moment when Barbara and Adam meet Betelgeuse for the first time – what Keaton does there is a masterpiece. I had goosebumps and was throwing invisible Oscars at the screen, I swear. So if you’re searching for something slightly creepy, yet hilarious and well-done, that’s your film for tonight. And remember, don’t repeat Betelgeuse three times. I’ve warned you in case.

My rating: 8/10
S.

A friend in need is a friend indeed. “One Careful Owner” (2020)

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directed by Bernabé Rico
© 2020 Filmax. All Rights Reserved.

Everyday we meet lots of people and we’re not even aware of the fact that one they that random someone may become a very important person to us. Today I have an adorable story about a unique friendship between two ladies, who seemed to have nothing in common. But just at first. Sara (Juana Acosta) is a young woman searching for a perfect flat, and when she finds it, there’s just a small issue to deal with. Lola (Kiti Mánver) in an elderly lady living in that flat and Sara may move in when Lola dies. At first Sara and Lola don’t seem to like each other as they have totally different characters, but at some point they realise that they can actually help each other very much. It’s a calm comedy with a lot of dark humour and sarcasm, mostly coming from Lola, who doesn’t take her situation that seriously. But there’s also Sara, who has a lot to give and share, but she seems to be trapped in her own mind. I’m sure you’ve seen a lot of films about unusual friendships and maybe this one isn’t anyhow unique, but it’s still very pleasant. I had a very nice evening watching both ladies and I hope it will also make your day. Besides, it’s a nice reminder that intergenerational friendships can be very meaningful and important for us all.

My rating: 6/10
S.

A therapy that has changed nothing. “Pray Away” (2021)

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directed by Kristine Stolakis
© 2021 Netflix. All Rights Reserved.

No matter if you’re homosexual or not, you should see this film. No matter if you’re religious or not, you should see this film. No matter what, you should see this film. Because it’s a very emotional and straight to the point way of telling us that we should be minding our own business. In this documentary, you may meet several people who used to be leaders of Exodus, a special program, whose aim was to convert homosexual people into heterosexual ones. They believed that the reason why people are gay is because they were from a pathological family or they lost their contact with religion or that they have other personal problems etc. So they were “converting” homosexual men and women in order for them to build “healthy” heterosexual couples. And some of them did. They claimed that they stopped feeling sexual attraction towards people of the same sex and got married, even had children. What a lovely therapy, right? Well, not really. People who joined Exodus were being manipulated as if their actions actually worked. We may hear that from the people presented in the documentary. Nobody was converting anybody. All they were doing is pushing people to be someone they’re not. And because of that social pressure, they were pretending that they’re actually changing. But deep inside, they were still homosexual. Personally, I believe that we may be all different and have different opinions, and I tolerate that. But I definitely do not tolerate when someone makes people feel bad about being who they are, just because we differ. It’s a calm and gentle, but also emotional documentary about a very basic human right. And I hope you will find time to see it.

My rating: 6/10
S.

People, they’re no good at seeing themselves. “Made in Italy” (2020)

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directed by James D’Arcy
© 2020 Lionsgate. All Rights Reserved.

This is a film for all those who haven’t had a chance to go on holidays this summer. I feel you guys. Besides, if you’re a fan of Liam Neeson, you will be satisfied. But let’s start from the beginning. Jack (Micheál Richardson) works as a manager of an art gallery, but might soon lose the job. He’s divorcing his wife and her family wants to sell the place. In order to save it, he has to sell the old Italian house he owns together with his father Robert (Liam Neeson). Both men decide to go to Italy and try to sell the place, but it turns out it’s in a bad condition. Still, Jack needs money as soon as possible, so they wish to get rid of it fast. But while staying in Italy and trying to sell the house, they start meeting locals living there. They don’t only have a chance to explore Italy and experience the culture, but also learn more about their past, especially their mother and wife, who owned the house. Maybe it’s not the most spectacular film I’ve seen, but it’s a relaxing one, which may put a smile on your face. You can really feel Italy in this film. But not this touristic Italy – the intimate, local and romantic Italy. Plus, there’s Liam Neeson and there’s no bad film with Liam Neeson. At least I try not to remember such. So enjoy your trip to Italy!

My rating: 6/10
S.

We’re kids, not monsters. “Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams” (2002)

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directed by Robert Rodriguez
© 2002 Dimension Films. All Rights Reserved.

And here we go again. “Spy Kids” were actually a success, so why not making another part. Be careful, there will be some spoilers if you haven’t seen the first film. So in this one Carmen and Juni (Alexa Vega & Daryl Sabara) are working for OSS and are even more advanced than their parents. Oh well. During a banquet for agents, someone drugs all adults and steals the Transmooker – a device that can shut off all electronic things. Somehow everybody blames Juni (I don’t get that part, but okay) and the siblings aren’t allowed to take an important mission. Instead, their enemies in the OSS Gary and Gerti (Matt O’Leary & Emily Osment), also spy kids, get the job. However, Carmen and Juni wouldn’t be themselves if they didn’t trick everyone, so they actually go to that mission and get lost. Soon the whole OSS find out about it and their parents go after them. But they’re not going alone… Personally, I liked this part almost as much as the first one. It’s still funny, entertaining and still made me want to be a spy. However, this isn’t the last film in the series. In 2003 they made “Game Over”, where Carmen and Juni are trapped in a video game. It looks horribly awkward if you’re watching it now and I didn’t like this part much, but I have to say it was a big deal back then. It was in 3D and I remember watching it at the cinema with those cool paper glasses. And back then it was an awesome experience, even though the film itself is rather lame. Come on, Sylvester Stallone as a bad guy… or even guys… give me a break. Oh and in 2011 they made another part with different actors, but considering the ratings, I’m glad I haven’t seen it. So I propose you to enjoy the first two parts and may your spy heart grow.

My rating: 6/10
S.