Who knows if birds are not a collection of all our sorrows? “Colette” (2020)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Anthony Giacchino
© 2020 The Guardian. All Rights Reserved.

How many short films that have got an Oscar can you name? I know, it’s a challenge. Unless you’re interested in them or you’re a filmmaker focused on producing shorts, you’ve probably never seen any of them. No judgement, I wasn’t much curious about these categories either. But then several years ago I had watched all the “big” productions a long time before the ceremony and I was simply bored. So I started checking out those shorts, which are often available online on their official websites for free. And here I am, a little fan of short films. What I like about them the most is that they are often made by very young filmmakers or the ones that are too avant-garde for working for huge companies. Which means their productions can be a lot different from what we normally watch on streaming platforms or in the cinema. Besides, they can also put a spotlight on topics that aren’t the most comfortable, yet worth sharing. Today’s short is both heart-warming and heart-breaking, so fasten your seat belts and get tissues. Lucie Fouble is a history student who’s writing about Jean-Pierre Catherine, a French man killed in a concentration camp by the Nazis. The young woman has a chance to meet his sister, Colette Marin-Catherine, who used to be a French Resistance member. Both ladies decide to go to Germany, where Colette haven’t been for many many years, and together visit Mittelbau-Dora concentration camp. The same camp where Jean-Pierre died. It’s a short history lesson reminding us about the tragedy that took place not that long time ago. But also a beautiful picture of two generations coming together to pay tribute to Jean-Pierre Catherine and other innocent people who lost their lives back then. Besides, everything was filmed in a very elegant way, so you can feel honest respect coming from the screen. I hope you’ll find a moment to see this short and perhaps become a small fan of them like me.

My rating: 8/10
S.

There ain’t no justice in the system. “Trial By Fire” (2018)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Edward Zwick
© 2018 Roadside Attractions. All Rights Reserved.

I haven’t enjoyed a drama so much in a long time. This film really hit me and I’ll get back to it one day for sure. It tells the story of Cameron (Jack O’Connell), who’s a husband and a father of three little girls. One day, he wakes up from a nap to see his whole house on fire. He manages to escape and luckily his wife wasn’t home at the moment, but their daughters died in the accident. According to the investigation, someone must have set this house on fire and the main suspect is obviously Cameron. Even though he claims his innocence and so does his partner, the man is sentenced to death. While waiting for the execution, he’s doing his best to prove that he wasn’t the one who killed the girls. Everyone seems to ignore his cry for help except Elizabeth (Laura Dern), a playwright, who starts analysing the man’s letters and decides to help him from outside. And perhaps it will encourage you even more to watch if I say that it’s based on a real story. But I’m not recommending you to google the case as it may be a huge spoiler for you. Just watch the film and see it yourselves. First of all, it’s heart-breaking how easy it is for people to judge others without even proving anything. And it was such a perfect occasion for them because Cameron was a rather simple and poor man, who’s been having relationship issues with his wife and liked to have a drink from time to time. Obvious label – an aggressive alcoholic who got rid of a problem. Label attached, next! How many people have to end up in jail without actual evidence to finally wake everyone up? Incredibly frustrating and emotionally draining. Plus Jack and Laura were chosen perfectly for these roles and I honestly cannot imagine anyone else in their shoes. Marvellous performance, chapeau bas. So if you wish to see a very good drama, I definitely recommend this one. Warning – you may feel helpless and annoyed for the whole time.

My rating: 7/10
S.

Everything looks better when your tummy’s full. “Over the Moon” (2020)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Glen Keane
© 2020 Netflix. All Rights Reserved.

If you’d told me 10 years ago that some Netflix would make a better animation than Disney and Pixar, together, I would probably have laughed hard and say you’re insane. And I feel really awkward admitting that… well, it’s true. In my eyes, Netflix is the winner this year. I haven’t told you about “Soul” yet, even though I saw it a long time ago. Still, I’m waiting for it to get an Oscar so I can officially complain that it didn’t deserve it. And I’m 100% sure that “Soul” will end up with the statuette, I guess there’s no doubt about that. But let’s get back to the topic on the 13th of May, shall we? Today I’d like to recommend you an adorable Netflix animation that actually brought back childhood memories. No, I haven’t been over the Moon, yet that’s the kind of films I remember watching when I was younger. We get to meet Fei Fei (Cathy Ang), a little girl who’s living in a small village together with her mom and dad. Unfortunately, her mother dies and a few years later, her dad finds himself a new woman. Heart-broken Fei Fei who still misses her mom, decides to build a rocket to fly to the Moon. Why? According to the legend, there’s a mystical goddess Chang’e living there and Fei Fei wants to prove that the goddess exists. Will she manage to get to the Moon? Will she meet Chang’e? You’ll see yourselves. And even though I’m not a child anymore, I’m thankful that this film has been made. Maybe it isn’t anything spectacular when it comes to the story, but it’s colourful, cheerful and uplifting. Something that I’ve missed this year in animations. So if you have children or your feel like waking up your inner child, go for it! Wish you a pleasant trip over the Moon!

My rating: 6/10
S.

To trust or not to trust. “Irresistible” (2006)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Ann Turner
© 2006 Palace. All Rights Reserved.

Susan Sarandon and Emily Blunt fighting for Sam Neill’s attention. Sounds interesting, huh? And I bet a lot of you have missed this production, so I’m more than happy to recommend it as in my opinion it’s a decent mystery drama. Sophie and Craig (Susan Sarandon & Sam Neill) are a married couple living together with their two daughters, Ruby and Elly (Lauren Mikkor & Joanna Hunt-Prokhovnik). They seem to be a very happy family until Sophie starts having doubts about her husband being loyal. But it’s not because she doesn’t trust Craig. She simply doesn’t know what to expect from his new co-worker Mara (Emily Blunt). Sophie is absolutely sure that the woman wishes to destroy her marriage and following Mara’s actions becomes a real obsession. Everyone around says that Sophie has nothing to worry about and she should take care of herself as she’s kind of losing her mind. But is she really? That’s for you to see. At first I thought it would be a really simple drama, but then I realised that there must be something more and they would surprise me eventually. And to be honest, they did. So check it out and see if you’ll manage to guess the ending. Plus, the three main actors are absolutely wonderful and I cannot imagine skipping this production anyway. Maybe it’s not a film that I would rewatch in the future, but it’s a very pleasant mystery and one-time experience.

My rating: 6/10
S.

That’s part of why we live here. “Our Towns” (2021)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Steven Ascher & Jeanne Jordan
© 2021 HBO Documentary. All Rights Reserved.

Whenever I was travelling, I really wanted to see both big cities, like capitals, and also smaller towns or villages. That way I could create an opinion about the country I’m visiting. Because I think that big cities are often copy-pasted these days. Especially capitals where the architecture is rather modern, there’s a lot of traffic and people are living in a constant rush. Still, if you want to learn more about their culture, you should definitely discover smaller towns. Surprisingly, not capitals, but those villages I visit often make be fall in love with the country. But obviously, as big cities are developing, so do the smaller ones. And today’s documentary is about that. We travel across the USA visiting small towns and learning about their everyday life, mostly focusing on their economical growth. What’s the most interesting, in such towns the main development factor is community. It’s up to people living there how much they engage and work hard for the common wealth. We may hear a lot of personal stories, which, to be honest, really make me pack my bags and start living in a small town, I swear. As much as I like the possibilities we have in big cities, small towns seem to cherish social interactions and unity. It’s a very pleasant documentary, which put me in a good mood and made me believe that people can still work as one.

My rating: 6/10
S.

I am a Revolutionary! “Judas and the Black Messiah” (2021)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Shaka King
© 2021 Warner Bros. Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

It took me a lot of time to finally feel ready for this film. And not because of the tragedy that it’s talking about or that it could be way too dramatic/political. I guess it’s the fault of the Academy who recently have been nominating films and artists purely because of [insert something here]. Either it’s their skin colour, their religion, their sexual orientation, their ethnicity, or even age – everything to have some diversity. And I’m absolutely for inclusion, but what the Academy has been doing in the last years is clearly just political correctness. Which in my opinion is a horrible choice because soon, if not already, people will start boycotting their nominees and Oscars will lose respect among people in the film industry. Yes, I still believe “Parasite” didn’t deserve the main Oscar and it was a purely political move as “1917” was an absolute masterpiece of them all. And this year we can clearly see that they keep on playing this game. So I honestly thought that “Judas and the Black Messiah” was one of those we-need-diversity choices. How wrong I was, ladies and gentlemen! If you have similar feelings to mine considering the Oscars, I assure you that this is a production worth your time. It tells the story of Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya), the chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party. For those who might not know what it was and Black Panther sounds like a superhero to them, let me explain. It was a political organisation whose aim was to protect black-skinned citizens and fight for their rights. As you might be guessing, Fred Hampton was the Black Messiah. So who was Judas? That’s William O’Neal (Lakeith Stanfield), who cooperated with FBI and his task was to get into the party, get as much information as possible and finally betray Hampton. If you don’t know this story, I will not spoil it to you and let you find out what happens there. But I honestly enjoyed watching it as, in my opinion, the filmmakers had some idea for the film. It has those 60s vibes, but also a constant dramatic atmosphere mixed with the empowerment of African Americans. Even though I’d like Paul Raci to win the Oscar as the best Supporting Actor, I wouldn’t mind Daniel Kaluuya getting it either as he really gave me chills with his performance. What’s interesting, both Kaluuya and Stanfield are nominated as supporting actors… Why? Hm… I have some idea, but I’ll let you create your own. Anyway, it is a good film. Personally, not my winner this year, but I was pleasantly surprised and yes, dear Academy, that’s the diversity we wish to see.

My rating: 7/10
S.

I always make it. “Daylight” (1996)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Rob Cohen
© 1996 Universal Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

When I think of action films made in the 80-90s, I always remind myself of weekend lunches at my grandmother’s place. There was always some film playing on TV and it was either a family-friendly production or some action one. “Daylight” is a perfect example, although I can’t promise I saw it at my grandma’s place because back then I wasn’t even paying attention to those TV films. They were just a background noise for our conversations. Still, it’s weekend so why not giving this one a try. And I know I shouldn’t say that as a film freak, but it’s one of those productions that you can be watching while doing something else and still following. Anyway, perhaps you’re curious what it’s about. Shortly speaking, without explaining all the characters, there’s a huge accident in one tunnel beneath the Hudson River and a lot of people are trapped and in danger. And since we have a tragedy, we also need a hero. Kit Latura (Sylvester Stallone) used to work for Emergency Medical Services, but nowadays he’s a taxi driver. However, he happens to be there and decides to risk his life to save others. He enters the tunnel and tries to do everything to let everyone out of there. Classic action film. Is it surprising? Not really. Is it outstanding? I don’t think so. But sometimes we need such simple clichéd productions for lunches with family, right? One thing that surely deserves recognition are the special effects that are quite impressing considering the year of production. Bravo! And also try to pay a bit of attention while watching because there’s Viggo Mortensen there, maybe you’ll manage to spot him.

My rating: 5.5/10
S.

Let’s make our world cruelty-free. “Save Ralph” (2021)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Spencer Susser
© 2021 Humane Society International. All Rights Reserved.

Today’s film is probably the shortest in the history of my blog, but I couldn’t stop myself from sharing. It’s only 4 minutes long so I don’t accept any excuses. Just sit and watch it. Especially since it’s available online and for free. Excuses gone? Good. So in this short story we get to know Ralph (voice – George Lopez), an adorable rabbit who’s been working as a lab tester. The whole video looks like a documentary about him where Ralph shares about his life. Even though the animation looks cute and the bunny himself is really friendly, this film is far from being a delightful cartoon. In those 4 minutes we have a chance to reflect on us, humans, and on our actions. I can’t really express what emotions I was feeling watching the film because there were way too many and they were constantly mixing. One thing I can tell for sure – it hit me. It hit me even though I’m an animal rights activist and I pay attention to what I eat or what products I use. Perhaps it hit me because I know most people, well, don’t care. I hope that if you’re reading this, you’ll let me encourage you to watch this short video and that way we’ll make a small step forward.

You may find the film and more information about animal testing here. If there’s one link you should click today, it’s this one: https://www.hsi.org/saveralphmovie/

My rating: 9/10
S.

I just wanted to talk to someone… “Last Call” (2019)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Gavin Michael Booth
© 2019 Mutiny Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

I’m sharing a real gem with you right now so I hope more people hear about this unusual production. Why unusual? I’ll tell you in a moment. But first, let me introduce the two main characters of this story: Beth (Sarah Booth) and Scott (Daved Wilkins). Beth is a single mother working hard as a janitor to provide for her family. Scott, however, is a lonely man who starts having suicidal thoughts and one day he decides to have a few drinks and call a helpline. By accident, he dials a wrong number and connects with Beth who’s working this night. At first the woman thinks that this is just some random person, but soon she finds out that the man that she’s currently talking to is about to kill himself and she has to do everything to prevent it. But what can she do since she doesn’t know anything about him and they are in two separate places? If you have chills now, we could probably enjoy a movie night together as I love such productions. Very simple idea, yet terrifying and keeping you uncomfortable for the whole time. And what’s so unusual about the film? Well, from the very beginning the screen is divided into two parts and you can follow both characters at the same time. It was a bit strange for me at first, I wasn’t sure where to look, but then it became natural for me to be somehow following both parts simultaneously. Maybe I’ve trained myself thanks to all the group video-chatting that I’ve done in the last year… Anyway, if you like simple yet surprising films, that’s something you must see! The ending hit me very hard, just saying.

My rating: 7/10
S.

Welcome to adulthood. “I never cry” (“Jak najdalej stąd”, 2020)

SashLeave a comment
directed by Piotr Domalewski
© 2020 Forum Film Poland. All Rights Reserved.

The biggest regret as a child? Wishing to be an adult. Today I’d like to recommend you a Polish drama about a girl who needed to become a very strong woman in few days. Ola (Zofia Stafiej) is a teenager living with her mother (Kinga Preis) and disabled brother Paweł (Dawid Tulej). The father is currently in Ireland working at a construction site. It is common for people from Poland to be going abroad in order to earn better money for the same job they could be doing in their country. That way they can provide for their family and live in slightly better standards. Unfortunately, one day Ola and her family find out that their father died in an accident at work. Since they don’t have anybody else living in Ireland, one of them needs to go to there to bring back the man’s body. Ola’s mother doesn’t speak English, so the decision is that the teenager will go and manage everything. Young, scared, traumatised and completely alone Ola has to stay strong and act like an adult in this very complex situation. During her trip she’s learning about life and death, the importance of money, breaking the law to support the family, the power of tradition and also about her father and what kind of man he was. I must say I really liked how realistic the film was and how Zofia managed to play this difficult role. As the English titles says, Ola never cries. Even if the situation is terrible, she takes a moment, thinks intensively and gets back on track. It really shows how stubborn and strong at the same time teenagers can be to show they’re mature and ready to be called “adults”. Just in Ola’s case this adulthood lesson was way too harsh. Good job, Polish cinema, please give us more!

My rating: 7/10
S.