Where nothing is as it seems. “Red Rock West” (1993)

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directed by John Dahl
© 1993 Roxie Releasing. All Rights Reserved.

As you know (if you’ve been following me for some time) I’m not the biggest fan of westerns. However, seems like using western-like structures in film is actually my cup of tea. Today’s film isn’t a classic western, but it’s considered a post-western, which is a strange creation to me, but hey – I liked the film so I don’t care much about its labels. Our protagonist here is Michael (Nicolas Cage), a drifter who’s in need of finding a job. That is why he comes to Red Rock town, walks into a bar and… gets hired. But in a specific way. You see, Michael is mistaken for a hitman that the bar owner was waiting to meet. The job is to kill the man’s wife, which Michael obviously doesn’t want to do. He just pretends to be the killer, takes the first half of the money and wishes to leave the town. Since he’s a good-hearted protagonist, he actually visits the bar owner’s wife and tells her about his task. She offers him even more money to kill her husband instead, which again Michael isn’t going to do. Unless the town won’t let him out… I was looking for some relaxing action film from the 90s and that’s exactly what I got here. The story is simple like in a western, but there are some slight plot twists, a pinch of humour and Nicolas Cage in a pretty enjoyable role. A film that was supposed to be a background noise to my cooking became a decent entertainment. I kind of moved back in time to my childhood: Sunday dinner at my grandma’s place and such cinematic gems on TV. I guess I have nothing more to add, because it’s not a masterpiece that has to be analysed for hours – it’s a film that should cheer you up at the weekend and give you nostalgia vibes. And who doesn’t like that from time to time?

My rating: 7/10
S.

You’re so scared of your kids getting scars that you become the thing that scars them. “Wolf Man” (2025)

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directed by Leigh Whannell
© 2025 Universal Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Another film about werewolf? Yes, please! I mean, I wasn’t that excited about it at first, but this one is worth it, trust me. If you’re looking for a horror that will make you scream while eating popcorn, then it’s not such case. This one is rather disturbing and the source of fear comes from very common and natural human relations. Interested? Let’s go! We get to know a father and a son, Grady and Blake (Sam Jaeger & Christopher Abbott). They go on a hunting trip during which they most probably run into a mysterious creature known in this area. In the 90s, a hiker disappeared and some locals say he was infected by “Hill Fever” and became dangerous. We may observe the relation between the man and the child, which is quite difficult and cold. Grady is very impulsive and authoritarian, which has a significant influence on Blake. Then we move 30 years later, where the boy is already a grown-up, has a wife and a daughter. Blake seems to be quite similar to his own father, even though he tries to limit his implusiveness. Soon we find out that Grady got missing and his son decides to take the whole family and visit his childhood home. And the rest is for you to see. Trust me, it’s not another “silly people go to an abandoned house”, although it may look so. In fact, the beginning of the film and presenting the relation between Grady and Blake is important. I guess you won’t be surprised to know that there will be a werewolf in the film, since that’s the main theme, but the whole story is much deeper than an average horror. The filmmakers focused on the topic of trauma that stays with us no matter how much time passes. The only thing we can do is trying not to pass it forward, which sometimes seems like an impossible challenge. Also, no matter how hard we try to avoid it, we must face those traumas in order to move on. It’s a common topic in drama films, yet combining it with a horror about a werewolf – that’s something unusual, which I personally enjoyed a lot. Plus, the whole atmosphere is creepy and it makes you more insecure than scared. Similar to the feeling some people might have experienced in their childhood. Perhaps they weren’t actually scared of their parents, but somehow unsure about their intentions and insecure about their own selves. This film will stay in my mind for quite some time and I hope you’ll give it a try despite its average ratings.

My rating: 7/10
S.

When I was eight… “Enid” (2009)

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directed by James Hawes
© 2009 Carnival Films. All Rights Reserved.

There are those people who can mask in an incredible way and Enid Blyton was one of them. She was a writer known for her fantastic children’s books. The woman was able to create characters and stories that made little humans listen carefully with eyes wide open and big smiles on their faces. She really brought a lot of joy to many and promoted literature among the youngest. However, her personal life and herself were way more complicated than the cute characters in the books. When she was yet a child, she had a difficult relation with her mother who didn’t care much about little Enid. The only support could be found in her father, but he decided to leave them for another woman, so Enid felt neglected by both of her parents. Perhaps due to such miserable childhood the woman decided to dedicate her life to writing for children. Her first book was titled “Child Whispers” and it was a collection of poems. And I bet back then, she didn’t have a clue she would become one of the most important writers in the history of children’s literature. I don’t want to spoil too much, because a lot is presented in the film, but what I found fascinating was Enid’s relation with her own children and husband. You’ll see yourselves, but there’s some paradox there, which may be the result of her childhood traumas. Even though at first I saw her as a grumpy and arogant lady, I realised that it’s just her mask and deep inside she wants to share inspirational stories and good lessons with children. Her personal life is a complicated case, so you might reflect on that for a long time. In this film, the role of Enid is played by Helena Bonham Carter, who’s always marvellous and I’m a big fan, but I also think the producers made a great choice here. The actress was able to create this character, which is full of paradoxes, and yet make it look coherent. Also, this film reminded me how little we might know about another person just by some random facts. I didn’t grow up in England and I wasn’t reading her books, but I knew the character of Noddy because of the cartoon adaptation. And it’s quite strange to me to be learning about the actual author’s struggles. To sum up, I’d say it’s an educational biography, which may also make you feel slightly uncomfortable instead of nostalgic. See yourselves.

My rating: 6/10
S.

You never know when… “Final Destination Bloodlines” (2025)

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directed by Zach Lipovsky & Adam Stein
© 2025 Warner Bros. Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Here we are. After a long trauma journey we finally reach the end. I mean, almost the end, because we already know that they’re planning another part… oh boy, I’m wondering how many more characters have to die so we could get the idea – Death always wins. Anyway, what’s going on in this part? We follow Iris (Brec Bassinger) and her husband attending the opening of the Sky View in 1969. It’s a fancy restaurant in a high tower, so you can see a nice view while eating your overpriced meal. During the event, Iris has a premonition that the tower is going to burn and kill everyone in it. However, this time the protagonist actually manages to save everyone, which makes a whole bunch of of people join the “dying team”. What next? We move 55 years later, where we meet Stefani (Kaitlyn Santa Juana), a granddaughter of Iris. So the woman not only survived that accident, but also had children who had children. You know what that means? No? Well, the only reason those guys are safe is because Iris is still alive. Stefani decides to meet with her grandma Iris (Gabrielle Rose) and learn about her story. The old woman tells the truth, but her granddaughter doesn’t believe her until Iris lets the Death kill her in front of Stefani. From that moment, the girl has to protect her family and make sure they stay safe. When it comes to the general idea, I actually appreciate it. Although it’s quite amazing to see Iris win with Death for 55 years while other characters die within days. But hey, it’s fiction, right? However, I think the film could have been more horrorish than comedic. I don’t know, but to me this newest part looks a bit like a parody of the whole series. Still, I appreciate the effort and bringing the story back in 2025. It was actually adorable to see William Bludworth (Tony Todd), the coroner known from every part of the film. He returns in this newest film and we learn about his past, which was a clever idea – I give a thumb up for that. So generally, I praise the idea, but not really the form. Yet, I’m glad we had a chance to remind ourselves about the series and traumatise new generations. Enjoy, kiddos! Thanks to this part, we might avoid any towers, weather vanes, vending machines, MRI machines, garbage trucks, lawnmowers and, which is actually a great joke made by the filmmakers, logs. Final Destination crews must hate tress, I swear… Anyway, that’s it folks! We’ve survived 6 films full of drastic scenes, creepy accidents and mysterious consequences. I really hope that you won’t forget about the series and may Death keep playing with us. Also, let’s cross our fingers for the 7th film not to ruin everything.

My rating: 6/10
S.

Death doesn’t like to be cheated. “Final Destination 5” (2011)

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directed by Steven Quale
© 2011 Warner Bros. Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

There’s a rule that the first film of a series is almost always the best, and sequels can be either okay or pointless. What if I tell you that the 5th part of Final Destination series is my favourite? Surprise surprise. How is that possible? Well, there are several reasons. The plot doesn’t seem to be anything new – again, we have a protagonist who has a premonition. This time it’s Sam (Nicholas D’Agosto) going on some company retreat with other colleagues. They’re about to cross a bridge and, as you might be guessing, the bridge is going to collapse. Sam survives and like every other protagonist tries to guess the order and save as many people as it’s possible, including himself. Doesn’t sound anyhow spectacular, does it? So why do I like the 5th film the most? First, it’s made in a similar way to the first film. If you watch all the parts one after the other, you may notice how the first film is much darker and mysterious, while next ones look like typical action productions. And in the 5th part they get back to the horrorish aesthetics, which I personally appreciate a lot. Second, this is the only film of the series during which I have to skip one death sequence. And that sequence is the eye surgery. I’m horribly sensitive when it comes to eyes and after watching this film I’ve gained a new trauma. Now I’m always anxious when I have to have my eyes checked… From the personal point of view, that’s a nightmare. From the horror filmmaker’s point of view, I’d say “great job”. And third… if you haven’t seen this part, please, I’m begging you not to read the rest of the post. Begging you! Because I’m about to discuss the ending and it’s an absolute cherry on top, so I don’t want you to miss the experience. So, SPOILERS are coming and please, read it only if you’ve seen the film. My third reason to love this part the most is the ending, which beautifully connects to the first film. I wasn’t expecting that at all, so it was a huge surprise and I simply love such. To me, the 5th film could have been the perfect ending of the series and I wouldn’t complain at all. It was the newest part, but also a prequel, so it made a perfect point about this whole game: Death will continuously win with us and it cannot be tricked. But… as you can see, 14 years later we get another part. One the one hand I was shocked and happy because I like this series very much, but on the other… could they make anything better than the 5th film? Well, my answer to that will be in the next post. In the meantime, let’s thank the 5th part for traumatising us about crossing bridges, visiting eye doctors, going to spas, using meat spits and, finally, reminding us about not flying. Anywhere, ever.

My rating: 9/10
S.

Of course there’s a crash. There’s always a crash. “The Final Destination” (2009)

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directed by David R. Ellis
© 2009 Warner Bros. Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

This part is not only traumatising because of all the deaths and disgusting scenes, but it’s also pure hell for people with OCD. Why? Well, the first film of the series is titled “Final Destination”. The second – “Final Destination 2”. The third – “Final Destination 3”. And then the fourth shows up with “The Final Destination”. No number, just the article added at the beginning. Right after this one, we get the fifth part titled… “Final Destination 5”. What’s going on? Well, let me explain you this ridiculous situation. The 4th part was titled in such way because it was supposed to be the last part of the series. That’s why it’s THE Final Destination. Buuuut, it was a box office success so they decided to continue making more films. And as much as I dislike my country’s titles’ translations, I have to proudly say that in my country it’s known as “Final Destination 4”. If there’s some important person in the film industry reading this – please, I know it’s been like 16 years, but can you officially change the title of this part? The fans would be thankful for sure. Before we move to the plot, it’s also important to mention that it was the first part to be shot in HD 3D, so you could really enjoy the destination, if you know what I mean. Last time we had a high school girl, now we have a college student named Nick (Bobby Campo), who goes to watch an auto race with his friends. You already know what’s about to happen, right? Shortly – premonition, panicking, accident happens, avoiding death. Same story. Nick realises that the survivors will be dying in the same order as if they would have died in the avoided accident. Therefore, he manages to see the surveillance footage (one of the most annoying moments – show me a guard that doesn’t kick you out and actually lets you see such tapes… I know it’s fiction, but give me a break) and thanks to that he learns the order. And that’s pretty much the only new thing we get. Personally, I believe this part is my least favourite, but it’s still quite fun to watch. So if you’re planning to rewatch the whole series, don’t skip the 4th part. Because thanks to this film you will stay away from car races, tires and metal fences, think twice before swimming in the pool, lose trust in bathtubs, always check if there’s an ambulance around, stop taking the escalator and perhaps choose to drink your coffee at home. See you for the part 5!

My rating: 6/10
S.

Oh shit, not again! “Final Destination 3” (2006)

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directed by James Wong
© 2006 New Line Cinema. All Rights Reserved.

Part 3 is a real rollercoaster of emotions. Literally. Be careful, SPOILERS coming. So since everyone dies in this series, we need a new protagonist. Her name is Wendy (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), high school student who goes with her boyfriend and their friends to an amusement park. Now you’re guessing what I meant by that rollercoaster at the beginning, aren’t you? And yes, Wendy has a premonition that the rollercoaster derails and everyone dies. As usually, it happens, but since Wendy panicked and refused to ride it, she stays alive. Due to the drama scene she made, some other passengers avoided being killed as well, so that’s how we get a new dying team. What’s new in this part? Oh, something quite creative. Before the attempt to take the rollercoaster, Wendy was taking photos with her camera at the amusement park. After the first death, she realises that Death has improved its game. Apparently, the photos are clues to guess how each survivor will die. The clues are not super obvious, so they may trick Wendy, but if she analyses well, there’s a chance to save others and herself. But hey, is there really? I mean, Death will catch them anyway. Or…? Yeah, that’s the moment I stop and let you see the film yourselves. From what I’ve learnt, the director’s idea for the main theme of this part was the fear of losing control. And that’s quite visible, because Wendy is the most vigilant protagonist so far, who observes a lot and wants to be the leader of change. And I guess losing control is one of the biggest fears of most people, so it’s a smart move to highlight it in a horror. Thanks to this part you may avoid getting tanned, stay away from nail guns and flags, choose a different form of transport than train and definitely think twice before taking a rollercoaster. Some critics said that this part was pretty pointless – well, I believe some critics are pretty pointless, too. Even though the general idea for the film is well-known, each part is different and here, thanks to the trick with photographs, we may enjoy it in a new way. Choo choo!

My rating: 7/10
S.

Today is the day you may die. “Final Destination 2” (2003)

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directed by David R. Ellis
© 2003 New Line Cinema. All Rights Reserved.

Seems like you like being traumatised? Good, let’s continue the game. Especially, since the second part is well-known for its log scene, which is considered the most traumatising moment that has influenced the whole generation. What scene are we talking about? Well, even if you haven’t seen the whole film, I’m sure you must have heard of the log scene. It’s the moment where there’s a lorry with logs driving a highway. At some point the chains break and one of the logs goes through the car behind the lorry, killing the driver. As a representative of the traumatised generation, I admit that driving behind such lorries is no longer acceptable. If you do that, please search help. And if you’re a lorry driver transporting logs – what would you like your seat in hell to look like? Anyway, if you’re wondering what happens in this part except the most traumatising scene, let me share it with you. Here comes a SPOILER… so, as you know, Death is a damn good player and our cutiepies from the first part didn’t manage to win with it. That is why we need new characters and we begin with Kimberly (A. J. Cook), a student going for spring break with her friends. On the way, she has a premonition in which she sees a huge accident on the highway they’re about to take soon. The girl panics and blocks several cars from driving into the highway. When the police appears and tries to understand the girl’s behaviour, the accident actually happens, just without Kimberly, her friends and several other cars behind them. Yes, dear readers, that’s our new to-die team. This time, those aren’t only people who know each other, so contacting them and following their deaths becomes a challenge. The only person that may understand Kimberly and actually try to help her is Clear (Ali Larter), known from the first part and the only survivor. She’s in a psychiatric ward, avoiding death at all costs. So is it actually possible to win this game? Well, you’ll have to see. The girls come up with an idea to trick their enemy, which is quite creative, I liked it, but obviously the filmmakers had to complicate it even more. In the end, that wouldn’t be another “Final Destination” film, right? This part is definitely more twisted than the first one, which is a plus, because we don’t stay bored. At least I always have fun with the whole series, so you’ll have to see yourself. This part may encourage you to stop using ladders, look up more often, reconsider taking a lift and definitely never drive behind a lorry with logs. I mean, never. See you for part 3!

My rating: 7/10
S.

So who’s next? “Final Destination” (2000)

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directed by James Wong
© 2000 New Line Cinema. All Rights Reserved.

Are you ready for a ride?! As a fan of “Final Destination” series, I’ve decided to officially dedicate some space on my page and recommend you all those great action films. If you’ve seen them, then I invite you to join me on this nostalgic trip remembering the most spectacular deaths and plot twists. But if you haven’t even tried the series, then I’m more than happy to introduce you to its world. This year we’re given the newest part, about 14 years after the last one, so perhaps young cinephiles might not have heard of the whole series. And I believe that if you see the newest part without knowing previous ones, then it doesn’t give you the same chills anymore. So let’s start from 2000 and the first “Final Destination”. We get to know Alex (Devon Sawa), who’s about to go on a school trip to Paris. Before the departure, he has a premonition in which their plane crashes. The teenager panics so much that he doesn’t want to take the flight. A teacher and some other students stay with him at the airport, while the plane departures and actually… crashes right after. Huge luck? Not really. Because Alex and those several people were supposed to die in that accident, so they tricked death. And death doesn’t like to play games, so things get complicated when they start dying in strange circumstances. Will Alex manage to survive and save his friends? That’s for you to see. And if you’re so sure that Alex stays alive because there are more parts of the series, then you might be quite surprised. What I love about this film (and the whole series) is that you cannot expect anything. We’re taught that the protagonist always succeeds, that good wins evil, that the last plot twist should be close to the end, but still not at the very end etc. Meanwhile in “Final Destination” all those rules are broken way too many times. And perhaps younger readers might not appreciate it that much because current cinema is full of surprises, but in the early 00s it was a big shock. So if you want to find out how we got traumatised at the beginning of this century, join me on the “Final Destination” journey. After the first part you might develop the fear of flying, pay more attention to kitchen cutlery, always check the road while crossing it, take shorter showers and some others… Not enough trauma? See you soon for part two.

My rating: 8/10
S.

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.