We don’t want to steal, right? “Vinci 2” (2025)

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directed by Juliusz Machulski
© 2025 WFDiF. All Rights Reserved.

Not that long time ago I shared a post about “Vinci” by Juliusz Machulski and I said that if I like this year’s sequel to it, I’ll let you know. So, here I am, letting you know that “Vinci” is still a must-see, but “Vinci 2” isn’t as bad as I thought it would be. There’s absolutely no point for you to be learning about this part if you haven’t seen the first one. Plus, there’ll be some SPOILERS, so be aware. 20 years have passed since the famous heist. Cuma (Robert Więckiewicz) lives in Spain, drinks wine and swims in the pool. Perfect life, huh? However, one day he has a visitor from Poland, who asks Cuma to take part in another “boom boom”, for big money of course. The thief doesn’t agree at first, but then changes his mind and goes to Kraków in Poland, where the first part of the film was set as well. But when he contacts the other criminal, that one changes his mind saying that Cuma is too old for such games and he has younger guys to do it. As you may guess, Cuma definitely won’t just let it be. He decides to stop the other one from stealing the “thing” and also steal it himself. So, robbing the thief. How cool is that? And that “thing” is for you to discover, because the heist is about to be just like the first one, yet different… I was feeling super nostalgic seeing those characters again on a big screen. The second part is way more dramatic, which is something I disliked. So Julian (Borys Szyc), Cuma’s bestie, has relationship problems and instead of a fun action production we get a bit of Brazilian soap opera. As I think about it now, this plot was rather pointless, because it doesn’t affect the main story that much. Speaking of unnecessary parts – the dancing scene. Very pretty, but what the hell for? Also, I know Cuma is 20 years older, but come on – he’s not a senior in a wheelchair. I expected him to be more involved in some actions instead of just managing them. So now you might think this post will be generally negative and my rating will be quite low? No, because I think that Machulski treated the characters with respect and he didn’t ruin the main story like most directors do in sequels. Also, he was aware that the two parts cannot be similar, because there’s a 20-year gap between them, so we have lots of elements from the modern world included like AI or even electric scooters. Another thing that made me enjoy the film are those Easter Eggs and references to his previous work. If you like Machulski, I’m sure you’ll spot some. My favourite egg, however, is the book. In one scene, Cuma is talking to a woman (you’ll see, you’ll know) and she’s holding a book in her hands. That book is “Wisząca Małpa” written by… Juliusz Machulski. Fun surprise or smart marketing? Either way, I smiled seeing it. And generally, I wanted to rate this part 6/10, but then the ending happened. Each time I watched “Vinci”, I couldn’t clearly understand what happened with the painting and the copies, who has which, who has the original one. And in the second film, after 20 years, we finally get the answer, which is a marvellous way to close the story. I was incredibly satisfied with that, so my rating goes higher. Generally, I recommend you to see both parts and simply relax with the cleverest art thief in Kraków.

My rating: 7/10
S.

Today, I want to talk to you like a dead man to other dead man. “Dead Man’s Letters” (“Pisma myortvogo cheloveka”, 1986)

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directed by Konstantin Lopushansky
© 1986 Lenfilm. All Rights Reserved.

Once again, thanks to Klassiki team, I had a chance to discover a film that I’d probably never choose to watch myself. But luckily, there’s a platform where you can see such slightly forgotten and sometimes difficult to find gems. I didn’t know what to expect from this production, but it turned out to surprise me on several levels. Generally, the film is set in the future after a nuclear war. The world is completely destroyed and those who survived have to stay underground in bunkers, because the atmosphere is too toxic to go outside. If you decide to leave the bunker, you must wear special clothes and a mask. So staying underground becomes an everyday reality. And in this reality we get to meet professor Larsen (Rolan Bykov), a physicist, who constantly writes letters to his son, Eric. Even though he’s never come back home, the professor believes he’s still alive somewhere there. Those letters help him express his emotions and stabilise his mental health in those specific circumstances. Plus, for us, viewers, he becomes a quite original narrator, helping us understand what kind of world we’re looking at. If you expect some dangerous creatures or brain-eating fungi, then it’s not this kind of story. Here, we just observe people dying. Because even if they are not contaminated, they are slowly dying due to loneliness, fear and uncertainty. They know that it’s the end and the world they used to live in doesn’t and won’t exist anymore. So we observe people without any chances to improve their life. They just exist and wait for death to come. The way this film makes you feel disturbed is incredible. I had chills, especially since anything can happen and perhaps in the future that’s what life will look like. The production design is marvellous and makes the picture complete. The helplessness is screaming from the screen and there you are – a viewer from the future (the film was made in 1986), worried that what you’re watching might become your own reality. That maybe one day we’ll be all “dead people” just surviving another day and hoping for some miracle. This film is a quite extraordinary experience, so I highly recommend it, but mind the fact it can really test your sensitivity. Let’s hope such reality never finds us.

My rating: 7/10
S.

To see someone at a human level. “Speak.” (2025)

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directed by Jennifer Tiexiera & Guy Mossman
© 2025 Vox Pop Films. All Rights Reserved.

In order to balance the atmosphere on this blog, I’ve decided to write about a very uplifting documentary that I watched with pure pleasure. Recently, I shared about a film that covers the topic of social ignorance, but today, I want to show you that there’s light at the end of the tunnel. In this documentary, we follow several young people who prepare for speech and debate competitions, and their main goal is the national tournament, where only absolute best speakers are welcome to compete. The pressure is high, but all the participants have unlimited motivation. On the one hand, they want to prove themselves that they are inspiring speakers, who can really catch your attention and share their perspective in the best way possible. On the other hand, each of those students chooses a huge topic to cover. There are speeches about LGBTQ+ rights, world wars and conflicts, racism, xenophobia, death, mental health etc. They are not talking about their hobbies or favourite colours, my dear. Those amazing young speakers go onto that stage to shake you and your mind. This documentary is not only full of positive vibes and hope for the future generations, but also quite emotional. I was cheering for all the participants as if they were my own children. And as an adult, I’m truly moved how intelligent, caring and determined those students are. Perhaps if we gave them the power instead of all those lazy authorities who only take money for very limited job done, our world would look much better. Also, I believe such tournaments should be popularised and organised in each school. Because that would encourage students to use their voice and share their thoughts, but also train them to be better public speakers. And as we know, public speaking is important in numerous jobs in the future, so the more you practise, the more comfortable you feel in such situations. Really, there’s nothing more I can add – just watch this documentary and get inspired. They speak, you listen. That’s it. And don’t feel discouraged by my rating – it’s simply because I’d expect a better structure and less chaotic way of telling those stories. But those youngsters are worth meeting, believe me.

My rating: 6/10
S.

If you want to get on in this life, there are things you have to ignore. “Small Things like These” (2024)

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directed by Tim Mielants
© 2024 Lionsgate. All Rights Reserved.

Ignorance is the world’s worst enemy. Period. And today, I’d like to recommend a film that covers this topic in a specific way. We move back to the 80s, where we meet a coal merchant, Bill Furlong (Cillian Murphy). He’s a loving father of a big family, who’s very empathic and observant. One of the places he regularly delivers coal to is a convent run by nuns. It’s a place where teenage girls and young women find their shelter. They are also supposed to be taken care of and resocialised, especially since some of them were rejected by their families or left alone. One day, Bill gets to meet one of the girls, who’s absolutely terrified and begs him for help. The man gets confused as it’s difficult to understand her state. Nuns and all other representatives of church seem to have a great reputation in the society, so why would one of their beneficiaries act like something is wrong. That situation stays in Bill’s mind for longer and everything becomes even more complicated when, some time later, the man finds that same girl closed in a freezing room, forced to stay there as some kind of punishment. That’s the moment where Bill can no longer stay silent. The film itself is very slow and without any fireworks if you expect any. It actually reflects the state in which people were living back then. Church was considered a unique institution, highly respected and a real source of pure good. The values and social rules were very much influenced by priests and nuns, so ordinary people weren’t even thinking of standing up to them, because that would lead to ostracism. Unfortunately, as we now know, a lot of religious institutions were hiding drastic and horrible practices, even though they were generally encouraging people to do well in life. Hypocrisy? At its finest… Such places were for example Magdalene asylums in Ireland run by Roman Catholic church. Instead of supporting “fallen women” (as they were calling them), the nuns were literally torturing them. Why? No idea. To punish them? To teach them a lesson? Or to simply use their power over someone much weaker? That’s something I cannot comprehend. I find it disgusting that people who claim to be devoted to god (so according to them the source of love and fairness) are able to act like monsters towards others. Anyway, the fact that church is a shady institution doesn’t surprise me anymore. However, in this film, we also get to see how manipulated society was (and perhaps still is in some places), that even if there are rumours saying “in that place young women are being maltreated”, nobody wants to even try speaking up. We have a perfect example of such ignorance when it comes to ongoing wars in the world. We have the access to the information that there are people dying out there. But as society, we choose to ignore it. One the one hand, I know that an individual can’t change much, so ignorance helps us stay sane in such circumstances. But on the other, I’m ashamed of world authorities, who choose to close their eyes. Perhaps the film itself didn’t knock my socks off, but it made me reflect on the topic of ignorance, and that’s a lesson worth remembering.

My rating: 6/10
S.

You don’t like raisins? “Benny & Joon” (1993)

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directed by Jeremiah S. Chechik
© 1993 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. All Rights Reserved.

Recently, I shared a post about “Materialists”, so a modern picture of the dating scene. Today, I’d like to continue the topic of quality relations, but this time from a different perspective. We get to know two adult siblings, Benny and Joon (Aidan Quinn & Mary Stuart Masterson), who lost their parents. Benny is a mechanic and works hard to provide for both of them, since Joon cannot really take up any job. She’s mentally ill and she can barely stay home alone, so working anyhow is impossible. One evening, Benny takes Joon to a poker night, because he couldn’t find any caretaker for her. At some point, Joon loses a game with another player and has to host the man’s weird cousin. Benny is angry, because he already has a lot to manage with Joon, but a bet is a bet. The cousin is named Sam (Johnny Depp) and he’s a quite eccentric person indeed. He doesn’t seem to bother what other people think of him, so he’s considered a weirdo, yet he has a big heart and an open-mind. He doesn’t treat Joon like others do, instead he focuses on her specific character and wishes to understand her better. Those two slowly create a strong bond between each other, which is a real surprise to Benny, who can finally focus more on himself. Perhaps you’ve seen parts of this film with Johnny Depp who’s performing gags in Buster Keaton style. I have to say that he did great in this role and I generally love when Johnny gets such extraordinary characters to play, like Sam, like Mad Hatter in “Alice in Wonderland”, or Willy Wonka in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”. That’s his thing and he nails it. And when it comes to the story itself, I was truly moved because it showed how the world treats people with certain difficulties. They should stay at home, not cause any problems and that’ll be perfect. In the meantime, those people want to experience life like all of us. They want to go on trips, they want to learn new skills, they want to fall in love etc. And just because their behaviour might be considered strange to us, it doesn’t mean we should be judging them for that. Instead, we should help them find people who will appreciate them for who they are. The relation between Joon and Sam is adorable, because they aren’t the same – not at all – but they are curious about each other and they’re not afraid of being themselves. And isn’t it the recipe for a perfect relationship? Also, it’s not like only Sam is there to help Joon. In fact, Joon is able to give him a hand as well. And suddenly, this girl who has always been a problem becomes someone’s support. And in the meantime, Benny may finally stop being a caretaker 24/7 and do more for himself. This film is hilarious at some points, but it also teaches several lessons, so I truly recommend you to see it. And remember – avocado is a fruit.

My rating: 7/10
S.

We promise them love, but the math doesn’t add up. “Materialists” (2025)

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directed by Celine Song
© 2025 A24. All Rights Reserved.

Him? Over 180 cm tall, handsome, muscular, dark hair, very good salary. Her? Maximum 165 cm tall, gorgeous, fit, long hair, definitely before her 30s. Sounds like the expectations towards your partner? Or maybe it sounds nothing like that? Either way, you should watch this film. We get to meet Lucy (Dakota Johnson), a professional matchmaker, thanks to whom 9 couples have already got married. Even though she’s great at matching other people, she stays single, until she marries someone wealthy. And then, Harry Castillo (Pedro Pascal) appears. A very good-looking, charming financier, who asks Lucy to help him find a match. However, it’s just a way to get closer to the matchmaker, because he’s actually very interested in her. In the meantime, Lucy bumps into her ex boyfriend, John (Chris Evans). They used to be a pretty sweet couple, but the main problem was money. John is an artist, taking up random jobs to survive, so he couldn’t satisfy Lucy’s needs to live more fancy. Now, Lucy has a chance to date a man of her dreams, but it seems like the relation with John still cannot be forgotten. Generally, it’s a modern version of a common love story – should the protagonist choose the rich or the poor? Is it surprising? Not really, but this film is a prefect analysis of what dating is all about nowadays. You see, Lucy gets annoyed that at some point her clients have very shallow expectations and they seriously look for their imaginary perfect partner. On the one hand, they pay Lucy for that, so I kind of understand. On the other, we really don’t like to think about the future, do we? I mean, sure, a good looking partner is a blast, but it’s not their height, weight or bank account that will support you in a difficult moment. Personally, I cannot imagine dating someone who is just visually attractive, even though I’d surely appreciate their looks. What if they get me an expensive gift? That’s very nice of them, but will they make me laugh or listen to me when I’m feeling blue? And I mean LISTEN to me. Buuuut, being financially stable is also incredibly important, so I’m not going to judge people for choosing the wealthy partner. Personally, I’ve dated people who weren’t Bill Gates, but I appreciated them for other features. However, if I see the other person doesn’t mind living a basic life with almost no savings, then it becomes quite disturbing. Because I don’t care we don’t have a private plane and we don’t spend holidays in Maldives, but I want my partner to be able to pay for my dinner and take me to the cinema without feeling guilty they won’t have money for their bills. And I have to admit that I’ve felt such way several times and that is why financial stability is crucial to me. I wouldn’t call it being materialistic – it’s pure responsibility about both sides. So if you’re searching for a partner, don’t get rid of your standards, but also make sure they are reasonable. And then, hopefully, you’ll find the one. Wish you that, dear reader.

My rating: 6/10
S.

You are much more beautiful than the rest. “Close” (2022)

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directed by Lukas Dhont
© 2022 Lumière. All Rights Reserved.

It took me some years to finally see this film and I’m angry with myself that I didn’t decide to see it earlier. So please, don’t make the same mistake as me and check it out as soon as possible. Because such productions should be praised and remembered. We are taken to Belgium where we meet two best friends, Léo and Rémi (Eden Dambrine & Gustav De Waele). They are both 13 years old and their bond is extraordinarily strong. At some point, their schoolmates start asking questions whether those two are also a romantic couple, because they are so protective and close to each other. Rémi doesn’t seem to be bothered by such rumours, but Léo starts feeling uncomfortable, because he doesn’t want to be seen as a gay person. Not because he doesn’t care about Rémi, but because he knows that they would be ostracised by others. Therefore, feeling pressure from his peers, Léo begins to push away his best friend, doesn’t want to spend that much time with him anymore, doesn’t want to be seen with him that often etc. One day, their class goes to a school trip, but Rémi doesn’t join them. After the trip, everything changes in their lives, which is for you to see yourselves. If I may just say it – this is the most emotional affection story I’ve seen in a long time. And to me, it shows what a deep relation is all about. Both boys started as friends, but they didn’t just share hobbies. At some point, they realised how much they mean to each other. They were making sure the other one is safe, feels comfortably, doesn’t get excluded and knows they can always ask for help. And since they both shared the same feelings, something more started to grow between them. In my opinion, their relation is an example of a very healthy process of becoming a strong couple. I’ve always believed that great lovers should firstly be great friends. That being a couple is not about kissing, having sex and saying “I love you”, but also about being present and responsive. The film also shows how something very strong and natural (the connection between boys) may be destroyed by people, who simply don’t understand it. Léo wouldn’t push away Rémi if he didn’t feel indirectly attacked by his peers. If only they were let to be who they want to be to each other, perhaps the ending would be different. I felt absolutely touched by the story and despite everything, I find the boys’ relation inspiring. So I hope you’ll watch this drama and get inspired as well.

My rating: 7/10
S.

For my pretty mom. “Writing Hawa” (2024)

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directed by Najiba Noori
© 2024 Tag Film. All Rights Reserved.

If you’re in need of some women empowerment, here’s a beautiful story you should learn. The documentary was directed by Najiba Noori, an Afghan journalist and filmmaker, who decided to present the reality of Afghan women by telling the story of her own mother, Hawa. She had an arranged marriage when she was only 13 years old. Her husband is 30 years older than her, so imagine how difficult it must have been for such a young girl to play the role of a wife. Now, as Hawa is already a grandmother, she decides to put herself first and wants to learn how to read and write. You see, women there are not supposed to be educated, so lots of them are illiterate. In order to change that, Hawa asks her family to help her and with their support she’s finally learning to read and write. Unfortunately, in 2021 the US soldiers are told to leave Afghanistan, which leads to the Taliban taking over. And as you can imagine, whatever had got improved until then, had to change immediately. Women’s independence is non-existent in such circumstances. The director of the documentary doesn’t only show the reality of women in Afghanistan, but she also made the film to thank her mother for everything she’s done. Despite all the difficulties, pain, barriers – she managed to raise her children and make sure their future was better than her own. Indeed, Najiba is now a free and educated woman with a decent job and lots of perspectives. Yet, she cannot accept the fact that her mother still has to go through such hell. This film is both incredibly beautiful and horribly painful. Beautiful, because Najiba makes sure to praise Hawa for who she is, which all good parents deserve for sure. However, it’s painful, because after over 40 years nothing much has changed in the life of Afghan women. They are still considered objects that men manipulate with. They should be obedient wives, ready to give birth to many children (especially sons), and never disrespect their husbands. Even if they maltreat them, even if they hurt them, even if they rape them – a “good” woman should stay silent. As you know, I’m highly sensitive to such subjects and I cannot understand how in 2025 we still allow anyone to be treated this way. The documentary is hard to watch, but generally I’m thankful for it, because it shows the incredible power of women that should be reminded more and more often. Take some time to meet Hawa and learn her story.

My rating: 7/10
S.

She needs the audience like air to breathe. “Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present” (2012)

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directed by Matthew Akers & Jeff Dupre
© 2012 Show of Force. All Rights Reserved.

736 hours and 30 minutes without any word, without any movement, no food and drink, no toilet breaks. That’s what it took to create one of the most spectacular performances I’ve heard of. Marina Abramović is a famous artist of Serbian origin. Her life has been full of numerous adventures, unusual acquaintances, but mostly – crossing the line way too much. If you think something is impossible, Marina has probably already done it. When I first heard of her, it was at university and we were discussing her performances. At the beginning, I thought “who’s so crazy to risk their own life for some performance?”, and then I realised that even if I may not understand some of her drastic choices, I admire her bravery and strength as a woman, as a human, as an artist. I’ve read her autobiography and I know it’s not a book blog, but if you find some time – please read this one. Reading about her life was much more exciting than reading most fictional books, I swear. Anyway, today I’d like to recommend you a film about Marina’s important event. You will find out a bit about her life, but only a small fragment. Generally, we move to The Museum of Modern Art in New York where in 2010 Marina organised a big event presenting her most iconic pieces of art, which were re-enacted by other performers. All the presented performances had to be with the performer present in the piece, not just a bunch of objects to observe, so that’s why the whole event is called “The Artist is Present”. During the exhibition, Marina was about to perform herself – and that one was a huge challenge. She decided to put two chairs facing each other, sit on one of them and let people just sit on the other. The rules were simple: you just sit, not say a word, and look into each other’s eyes. As long as you need. At first, the organising team were worried that perhaps nobody would want to sit in front of Marina, but it turned out to be the opposite. People were queuing for hours to take part in the performance, some of them even several times. Marina spent many hours on just being present for her audience, which I personally find amazing. To me, she paid respect to people who admire her work, because each person could be there with her, one to one for at least a moment. As she was saying, she fully focused on the other person, she wasn’t noticing anyone around them, so she was truly there for that one on the second chair. I cannot even imagine what kind of emotions she was feeling during the performance, because even watching parts of it was fascinating. One of the big moments was when her ex partner, Ulay, sat on the other chair. They were a couple of artists performing together for many years, but finally decided to go separate ways. When Marina saw Ulay on the second chair, she started crying and broke the rules – she reached out with her hands to touch his. Did I cry at that moment? Maybe. Generally, I’m moved by what Marina has done as an artist in her life, so if you want to learn about someone truly special, make sure to see this documentary. And if you get inspired, then the book is waiting as well.

My rating: 8/10
S.

Are you content? “Turn Me On” (2024)

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directed by Michael Tyburski
© 2024 Vertical. All Rights Reserved.

Recently, I spotted a sci-fi film that turned out to be a hidden gem, so I’m more than happy to share it with you. Since it’s sci-fi, I’m taking you to the future, where people don’t feel any emotions. How come? The government has introduced pills that erase human emotions, both the good and the bad ones. Meaning, there are no more arguments or fights, which seems perfect at the first sight. However, people are also deprived from feeling positive emotions, so all they can be is “content”. We get to observe a couple, Joy and William (Bel Powley & Nick Robinson), who have been taking the pills for some time already. Their life is indeed peaceful, but incredibly artificial as well. One day, Joy has to skip a dose due to some health problems, which encourages her to stop taking the pills for a bit longer. Slowly, she’s getting her emotions back and realises how different life could be. Joy asks William to join her in this process and the couple secretly omit taking the pills to discover the power of emotions. But since it’s the government idea, staying off pills is not acceptable, so Joy and William have to do it in secret. What comes out of this experiment is for you to see. I have to say that I love such stories, so to me it was a decent entertainment. Perhaps the script could have been slightly polished to add more drama or suspense, but generally I’m satisfied. I could imagine myself not feeling any emotions and it terrified me. Even if I struggle with anxiety and depression and I’d love those negative thoughts to simply disappear, I would really miss the positive ones. The excitement when I’m about to experience something new. The relief and satisfaction when I succeed at something difficult. Even the pleasure when I have a good sex and my body relaxes after a long day. By the way, the topic of sexual needs is quite important in this film, because it also shows that it’s an important element that integrates partners. Without emotions, we wouldn’t care who we share our life with. But when those get involved, suddenly the match doesn’t seem so ideal. That is why it was very interesting to me to observe such potential reality in this film – it gave me some food for thought and made me realise it’s worth suffering to experience those good moments as well. Maybe it sounds trivial, but sometimes we need such reminder, especially when we’re feeling blue. So I hope you’ll check this one out and explore your emotions.

My rating: 7/10
S.