Entertainment based on disgusting crimes. “Predators” (2025)

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directed by David Osit
© 2025 MTV Documentary Films. All Rights Reserved.

Today’s documentary hit me hard, so get ready for some rollercoaster and a literal head explosion. But before I shake your brain like Shakira’s hips, let’s talk a bit about reality shows. To be absolutely honest, I watch them. Maybe not all of them, but there are some that really boost my serotonin level in the evening. And even though I enjoy watching such programs, I sometimes reflect on their influence on viewers. I mean, the participants of such shows are ordinary people, who suddenly become popular. We may laugh at their silly statements or some awkward situations, but we don’t think of the consequences. Perhaps such participant may feel ashamed and later deal with mental issues. Or the other way round – their actions might inspire viewers, who start behaving in some inappropriate way. Still, the reality shows that I watch are mostly about dating or solving puzzles (“The Traitors” are my top of the top!). However, in 2004 an unusual reality show was released in the USA, which I haven’t had a chance to see, but I learned about it thanks to today’s documentary. The show was called “To Catch a Predator” and its idea was to simulate meetings between minors and adults in order to prove the adult is committing a crime. Shortly speaking – this program was showing pedophiles being caught red-handed. Obviously, those men didn’t have a chance to touch the minor anyhow, but in the episode we could listen to disgusting conversations between the abuser and the victim. We could listen to the way those adults manipulate the children in order to use them. As I said, I didn’t see the full show, but in this documentary we get to see some parts. And that’s enough for me. As you can imagine, the program was a success, meaning a lot of people watched it and all those criminals were arrested. So why don’t we continue? Showing a pedophile feeling ashamed of his actions – isn’t that pure joy? Well, yes and no. As a person who would vote for even more serious punishment for such abusers, I wouldn’t enjoy watching this program. Because I don’t see the point of making a disgusting crime a source of entertainment. I’d be satisfied with such simulations being done without any cameras. There are some things that shouldn’t be used as a way to attract people and boost TV ratings. Not the most pleasant documentary, but horribly important, so I hope you’ll find time for it.

My rating: 7/10
S.

They like to own something forbidden. “Vinci” (2004)

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directed by Juliusz Machulski
© 2004 Studio Filmowe Zebra. All Rights Reserved.

Over twenty years later I’ll soon see a sequel to one of my favourite Polish films. But before I see part II, perhaps it’s a good moment to introduce you to part I, which was released in 2004. If you like action films that trick you with several twists, then you’ll enjoy this one as well. We get to meet Cuma (Robert Więckiewicz), a quite known art thief, who’s just got out of prison. Even though he was sentenced for stealing art, he doesn’t mind going back to business. This time the spotlight is on the “Lady with an Ermine”, the famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci. It’s about to return from Japan to Poland and it seems like a perfect occasion to steal the piece. Cuma contacts his old friend Julian (Borys Szyc), hoping the man will join him again. However, even though Julian owes Cuma a lot, it turns out that he’s now… a police officer. If that’s not complicated enough, Julian comes up with an idea – he will help Cuma steal the painting, but at the same time he’ll make sure that the painting won’t be sold to some overly wealthy guy who just wants to have something special in their mansion. And in order to succeed, Julian starts cooperating with Magda (Kamila Baar), an incredibly talented art student. What comes out of this cooperation is for you to see. Generally, I’m a big fan of Juliusz Machulski as a director, so you may say I’m not being objective. However, I saw “Vinci” before even exploring his other films and I already loved it. It’s a complete story to me, because it has well-written characters, an adventure, lots of plot twists, a pinch of humour and all that is covered with respect for art. I remember that after watching this film for the first time I wanted to learn more about painting techniques. No worries, I’m no art thief – I’d rather die of anxiety than plan something like this. But what I mean to say is that good films don’t only entertain you – they should also push you to exploring some topics. And I guess that’s the best about Machulski’s productions. Recently, I rewatched “Vinci” and I still felt entertained, even though I knew the story very well. Soon, we will have a chance to see “Vinci 2” and I’m both excited and worried about it. On the one hand, I’ll be thrilled to see Cuma and Julian once again, after all those years, but on the other – it’s a sequel made about 20 years later. The possibility that it might be a slight failure is high, like with most sequels. But hey, I’m staying positive! So if you see a post about part II in a few weeks it means they succeeded with the sequel. If there’ll be no post, let’s accept the reality, alright? After all, there’s always part I, which is truly awesome, so go ahead and join the heist in Kraków.

My rating: 8/10
S.

I know nothing. “Explanation for Everything” (“Magyarázat mindenre”, 2023)

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directed by Gábor Reisz
© 2023 Cirko Film. All Rights Reserved.

We’re used to being played by politics and politicians, no matter which country we come from. However, today I’ll show you a story where a young boy accidentally plays with politics in order to save himself, yet it leads to serious consequences. We get to know Ábel (Gáspár Adonyi-Walsh), a high school student who’s about to have his final exams soon. Unfortunately, the boy is not doing well with studying, so he predicts his failure. There’s a sub-plot added that he’s in love with this one girl, but to me it’s quite pointless. Sorry for my honesty. Ábel isn’t only distracted by the girl – he’s actually struggling with education. Perhaps he hasn’t got enough help or certain subjects are just not his cup of tea. Anyway, the exam day comes and, as you might be guessing, Ábel doesn’t pass it. When his father finds out about it, he gets furious, so in order to explain himself, Ábel suggests that he was failed because of political reasons. You see, during the exam, the boy had a nationalist ribbon attached to his suit, which he’d simply forgot to take off. One of the teachers saw it and asked about it, which the boy mentions during the conversation with his father. Since the examiner is more liberal in his political views, Ábel’s father, a nationalist, takes it as a proof that his son was failed purely because of that little pin. And the drama begins… I’ve seen some short descriptions of this film saying it’s about a boy who’s in love with a girl. I swear, some people seriously don’t watch anything before reviewing it. This is far from being a teenage romcom, so I’m sorry to disappoint you if you’re looking for one. This film presents the never-ending political battle between people that is not only present in Hungary, but basically all over the world. It’s not just a battle that politicians take part in. We’re all involved and often it’s the politics that make decisions for us. Here, we have an example of a boy who failed an exam because he just had limited knowledge, but still, even accidentally, politics got involved in it. So, in my opinion, this film is not even about that boy or education. It’s about politics taking over all parts of our lives. And since this is not a peaceful topic, we let it control us and keep us frustrated all the time. It may lead us to hatred towards other people simply because of different views. Even if we don’t need to have common views in our relations. Do you ask the baker which party they vote for before buying bread? I hope not. This film presents ridiculousness of bringing politics into our life and it does it well. Although I agree that it could have been a short film, because the idea itself is strong enough to hit the viewer, no need to prolong it. Still, a production worth your time.

My rating: 7/10
S.

Welcome to the fucking world. “Flophouse America” (2025)

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directed by Monica Strømdahl
© 2025 Fri Film. All Rights Reserved.

It’s not going to be a pleasant post, so if you need something uplifting, then keep scrolling. However, if you’re ready to see the consequences of American “freedom”, then have a seat. When I saw this film’s description, I was worried that my sensitivity may not handle it. But then, I highly appreciate such raw, realistic pictures showing what world we actually live in. So I pressed play and learnt a sad story. Mikal is just a little boy living with his parents in a motel. The family cannot afford anything else since money is a big issue. Plus, both of them struggle with addiction to substances, which isn’t cheap either, and which stops them from improving their life. This production is a result of about three years of documenting their reality, which doesn’t seem to differ from one year to another. We observe two adults stuck in their life, with absolutely no willingness to change anything, but also no strength to do that. And then, there’s Mikal, a child who was born into such reality, who just wants the same as other children: to have his own room, to go on trips with his parents, to get gifts for good behaviour. Or to simply feel loved and protected. My heart was aching from the beginning of this film as I’m incredibly sensitive about the topic of mistreating children. However, the critical moment was when Mikal lost his temper and screamed his opinion, his needs and his call for help to his father. The words coming from that little boy were nothing I’d expect from a child. That scene showed me that Mikal is way too grown up for his age (unhealthily), but also that he carries a lot of pain everyday. Did I cry? Don’t even ask… To me this is beyond imagination that we let children live in such families. I’m not saying his parents don’t love him – I bet they do. But those are two very lost adults who need help. The problem with overusing drugs and alcohol is way too common, especially in the USA. But no child deserves to be raised by addicts. And you know what troubles me the most? That a Norwegian filmmaker found such family and was with them for over 3 years, but during that time no social services decided to help the family. That Mikal was still stuck in a place where he had to be an adult taking care of 3 people. This is terrifying. The ending of the film is also difficult, so prepare for a demanding projection. Hope this film becomes a lesson to many people, especially those in charge who let it all happen. And let it all happen everyday.

My rating: 7/10
S.

People don’t realise how important innocence is to innocent people. “Evil Angels” (1988)

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directed by Fred Schepisi
© 1988 Warner Bros. All Rights Reserved.

How would you look at a person who has killed their own child? Unless you’re some kind of psychopath I really hope you’d be full of anger and disgust. And now a different question: how would you look at a person who is said to kill their own baby? Perhaps the same, right? Even if there’s a pinch of chance that the parent is innocent, you’d still be overwhelmed by negative emotions and dislike towards the person. So if you want to explore this topic a bit further, I recommend you to see “Evil Angels”. We get to know a couple – pastor Michael Chamberlain and his wife Lindy (Sam Neill & Meryl Streep). They go camping together with their 3 children, one of which is a baby girl named Azaria. One evening, they are having a barbecue with friends when the baby starts crying in a tent. At this point Lindy goes to comfort the little girl, but she’s missing and the only thing the woman sees is a dingo with something in its mouth. Everyone starts looking for the child as Lindy is sure that it was taken by the wild animal. The girl is not found and while special services are taking care of it, the story about the child goes viral. However, instead of supporting the family, the majority of people begin to accuse the parents of murdering the baby and pretending it was just an accident. The public bases their opinion on the fact that Lindy seems unbothered and incredibly stoic for a mother that has just tragically lost her daughter. This leads to a series of quite unpleasant events which the family has to deal with. And for you, the viewers, it’s a guessing game – is Lindy actually guilty or not? Personally, I believe this film could have been done a bit better. To me the weakest points are the pace (way too slow) and the script (too many unnecessary scenes), so I’m not surprised the film was a box office disappointment. However, I appreciate the story itself and the way we, the audience, are included into it. From the beginning till the end we have no idea what’s the truth, so we feel like the jury. And while watching I tried to think what I would feel if the future of this family was in my hands. My opinion, purely based on random pieces of information, could put that woman in jail. Or, I could help a murderer avoid being punished. The game is actually the reason why you should watch this drama. Let me just say that Meryl Streep’s acting doesn’t help in making a decision – she really plays as if both scenarios were true. Quite creepy performance, but worth seeing.

My rating: 6/10
S.

For me, it’s art. “Riefenstahl” (2024)

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directed by Andres Veiel
© 2024 Vincent Productions. All Rights Reserved.

When I was a student of Film Studies, we had this one year-long course about documentaries. Personally, I loved each class of it because I learned a lot about the history of making such films. One day, we were discussing Leni Riefenstahl, a German filmmaker, and we got to see her productions. If you haven’t heard of her, let me just add that she was born in 1902, so do some maths and you’ll perhaps guess what kind of documentaries she was making. Yes, she was responsible for directing the films ordered by the one and only screaming man with a ridiculous moustache. Considering this fact, her work should have been banned, but the problem is that those productions are of magnificent quality. And here comes the main question film critics have been asking themselves for years: should we praise or despise her? Today’s documentary is presenting her whole life and work, including numerous interviews with Leni and difficult conversations around this topic. She was always saying that she’s a filmmaker who makes art, so she’s not supporting any political decisions and actions. However, by making a film about the greatness of Germany back then, she definitely supported the positive image of Hitler. And that puts us, viewers and film critics, in an uncomfortable position, because if she admitted she was a great filmmaker in the hands of the screaming guy, we would have a much easier job to do. What I mean is that if we got this statement from her, we would consider her a talented director among nazis. Period. I’m sure she’d still be disrespected by her personal choices, but we could say “yes, she was doing wrong, but technically her films are brilliant”. But since she’s always defended herself claiming she’s just an unaware artist, it complicates everything. Because it’s truly hard to imagine that she was making all those films unaware of what she’s supporting. I can believe that some people didn’t know what’s going on back then, because that’s how propaganda works – it makes you feel like we’re the good ones, and only those others are pure evil. However, in the documentary I’m recommending to you today, we get the evidence that Leni knew exactly what game she’s playing. I mean, if you witness a shooting of innocent people, then you must react to that. To be honest, I’m not angry that she was working for Hitler (either it was for money or for fame), but I’m angry about the fact she couldn’t stand up and admit it. To me, she was an artist, a horribly talented filmmaker, and she used her chance to make films. It wasn’t moral and right, but she took her chance. That’s my personal opinion. So it’s hard for me to respect her as a person, but when it comes to her films – those are indeed pieces of art and important elements of film history. Even if they are full of propaganda, she was a pioneer and I truly recommend you to see her work. And Leni herself… I’ll leave her for you to judge.

My rating: 7/10
S.

Loose lips sink ships. “Den of Thieves” (2018)

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directed by Christian Gudegast
© 2018 STXfilms. All Rights Reserved.

Recently, we’ve got part two of “Den of Thieves” and I have to be honest with you – it wasn’t anything special. I’m generally not a big fan of action films, because I feel like they are copy-paste versions of something that was made 50 years ago. However, if you somehow watched the second film and missed the first one, or you haven’t heard of this title, then I’m here to recommend it. Because even though I feel unbothered about the second part, the first one is brilliant. The story is rather simple and not surprising anyhow – we have bad guys, so a gang robbing whatever they want to rob, and we have the services that need to stop them from doing so. But before you say “same old, same old, I’m not going to waste time on it”, let me just assure you that it’s not the case. What’s amazing about this production is that for the first time I was supporting both sides. I was simultaneously for the bad and good guys. Normally, I always pick a team, and I guess you as well. I either cheer for the protagonist to win with the evil one, or I’m pleased when the villain is playing with everyone and completing their goal. But here? Here I felt like a table tennis ball. The bad guys tricked the police? Ha! Awesome! Wait, the detective guessed their next step? Brilliant! So seriously, for the whole film I didn’t feel disappointed or bored. And it was a strange situation for me because no other production has ever made me feel this way. Generally, the script is great, with smart ideas, tricky plot twists, so generally it’s entertaining. Also the ending was made in a way that I really wanted to see another part. And then the second part appeared and I wanted to stop watching in the middle… It’s not a bad film, but it’s definitely not as surprising as the first one. And once again – I’m not a fan of such action productions, so if you’re not one either, then take it was an honest recommendation. Perhaps you’ll also have a lot of fun and enjoy being a table tennis ball. Plus, I’ve been and I’ll always be Gerard Butler’s fan, so whatever film he’s in gets an additional point for that fact.

My rating: 7/10
S.

He wants you bad. “Fear” (1996)

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directed by James Foley
© 1996 Universal Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

After watching this film, I’ll never look at Mark Wahlberg the same way again… I swear… I mean, he’s always had this a bit creepy vibe in his eyes, but with this production he proved that playing a villain can be his thing. But before the villain appears, let me introduce you to the protagonist of the story: Nicole (Reese Witherspoon). She’s a teenager living with her father, stepmother and half-brother. One day, while spending time with friends at a café, Nicole spots a cute guy, who also doesn’t hide his interest towards the girl. His name is David (Mark Wahlberg) and he actually is a charming guy. I guess you don’t need to be rocket scientists to guess that those two start dating and everything seems perfect between them. However, Nicole’s dad doesn’t seems to trust David that much. If you think it’s just a father being a father, then let me assure you it’s not the case. There’s something not right with the way David behaves, but Nicole doesn’t seem to bother until the boy starts being aggressive. And it’s not the worst he can do… It all seems like a teenage love story, but the longer you’re watching, the creepier it becomes. In fact, the title of the film couldn’t be better. Even though I kind of guessed what the story would be about, I felt uncomfortable each time I saw David on the screen. Or even when I felt like he’s somewhere there, observing other characters… On the one hand I wanted to say that if you’re a parent, you shouldn’t watch this film, because you’ll probably keep your daughters in their rooms until they’re in their 40s. But on the other hand, perhaps such production may actually remind parents to listen to their intuition and educate their children about such relations. I’m aware that sometimes it’s impossible to discourage your teenager from dating someone they like, but trying to warn them seems important. A fun fact: Leonardo DiCaprio was offered the role of David, but he refused. Well, I’m actually glad, because even though I find him a talented actor, I definitely loved Mark in this one. He managed to creep me out by just being present, which is some amazing skill if you ask me. Anyway, if you’re looking for some chills from the 90s with an intense story and great acting, then this one is perfect.

My rating: 7/10
S.

I’m a totally cool person. “Patrice: The Movie” (2024)

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directed by Ted Passon
© 2024 Cedar Road. All Rights Reserved.

This is the best documentary I’ve seen this year. Period. That should be enough for you to stop reading and go watch it. However, if you’re a picky little cinephile, then fine… I’ll continue the post, but don’t expect anything else than my full admiration. We get to know Patrice, a lovely woman in her 50s, who’s a human form of sunshine, joy and passion. I swear, if you spend even few minutes with her, you immediately cheer up. But Patrice’s life hasn’t been a bed of roses as she’s a person with a disability, who often had to fight for her rights, comfort and acceptance. She will tell you her life story in the film, so I’m not spoiling anything now. As an adult woman, she makes her dreams come true and uses the time on this planet to the fullest. What’s more, she has a loving partner named Garry, who’s also disabled. Despite their obvious struggles, they support each other and their relationship seems incredibly strong. I guess it’s not only because they are a good match based on their characters and interests, but also because they both understand what it is to be marginalised. Watching those two is heart-warming and gives me hope that true love still exists. So is this documentary a big positivity bomb? Not always. Patrice and Garry wish to finally get married, but the law puts them in a difficult position. You’ll find a more precise explanation in the film, but shortly speaking: if two people with disabilities get married, their social benefits are taken away. As if by getting married they proved that they aren’t actually in need of such benefits, because, perhaps, if they are able to get married, they are able to work and do other things to survive. So the couple has to decide – either they get married and find some way to support themselves financially, or they stay just a couple and keep their benefits. Some may say this isn’t such a big deal, it’s just a ceremony – and perhaps they’re right. But equality means that we’re all allowed to do the same things. And if the two lovers don’t hurt anyone by wearing a white dress and a suit and saying “yes” at the altar, then why should we limit them from doing that? Especially, since after getting married, Patrice and Garry wouldn’t have to be given more benefits than their original ones, so that makes the law even more ridiculous. Even though they are wonderful people full of joy, I was incredibly touched by the documentary. At one point I even started to cry – and it was the moment when Patrice was crying as well, so you’ll know which one. Life can be so unfair no matter how positive we stay. But I guess even if we get those well-known lemons, we should make a damn lot of lemonade (or throw the lemons at the people who hurt us, both ideas sound good to me). This documentary is an inspiring story, made in an attractive way, giving you a lot of motivation, but also food for thought. I’m truly amazed and I’m so glad I had to see it. Wishing all people discriminated by the law to stay strong and keep on being themselves!

My rating: 9/10
S.

There is a way to be good again. “The Kite Runner” (2007)

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directed by Marc Forster
© 2007 DreamWorks Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Generally, I don’t support this idea that the book is always better than the film, because I have several examples proving the opposite. However, in this case, I have to say that the book is the winner, but the film is still worth your time. In fact, I recommend you to read the story first, imagine it yourself, but then compare your ideas with this production. The pictures I saw in my head while reading the book were quite different, definitely more emotional and the pace of the story seemed way slower. Still, I understand that the filmmakers had only about 2 hours to present it all, so I’ll just stop complaining and continue with the plot. We get to know Amir (Zekiria Ebrahimi, then older Amir: Khalid Abdalla) who’s a son of a wealthy and highly respected man in Afghanistan (Homayoun Eshadi). Amir’s mother died while giving birth to him, but his father has been taking good care of the boy. They have a servant named Ali (Nabi Tanha), whose son Hassan (Ahmad Khan Mahmoodzada) is Amir’s best friend. Despite coming from different social backgrounds, the boys spend a lot of time together and treat each other like brothers. One day, the boys are being attacked by a youth gang and in order to protect Amir, Hassan stands up to them, hoping that Amir will join him and this way both boys manage to escape. Unfortunately, Amir is too scared to fight the gang, so they deeply hurt little Hassan. And from this moment, Amir has to deal with a horrible feeling of guilt, which also affects his relation with Hassan. What’s more, the story is set in the times where Afghanistan lost its monarchy and later the Taliban regime started. This political background is presented way better in the book, so I’m thankful for reading it, since it taught me a lot about the reality of people in Afghanistan. However, the film limits this part of the story in order to focus more on the main character and his development. When living in Afghanistan becomes dangerous, Amir obviously leaves the country, but not everyone was that privileged. An idea to return there seems absurd, but certain things must be done. To me this is a story about personal redemption. That even if we make mistakes that have drastic consequences, there’s always a chance to pay our dues. But we have to be ready to admit our fault and try better. There are many similar stories to this one, but I guess the fact that it’s told from the perspective of a little boy growing up in Afghanistan, in such family, in such circumstances – that makes a difference. I enjoyed both the book and the film, and I recommend you to check out both.

My rating: 7/10
S.