A blender? What is it, 1958? “Father of the Bride” (1991)

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directed by Charles Shyer
© 1991 Buena Vista Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

This week has been full of “Lethal Weapon” and South Korean horror, so perhaps it’s time to relax and let our brain rest. Unless you’ve lost your brain watching yesterday’s film (I know, a horrible joke). Today, I have an adorable comedy from the 90s for you. The main character is played by Steve Martin, so I guess it should be encouraging enough. Personally, I adore Steve Martin and he’s an icon of American comedies for me. In this one he plays George Banks. He’s a businessman, who owns his own shoe company, he’s a happy husband and father. Unfortunately, the time has come and his 22-year-old daughter Annie (Kimberly Williams) announces she’s getting married. George, who didn’t expect it to happen that soon, is struggling to accept the new situation… and the new soon-to-be son-in-law Bryan (George Newbern). The young man seems to be a great partner for Annie and her mother Nina (Diane Keaton) is very optimistic about their decision. But George isn’t. Oh no. He’s not ready to let his little girl go. He obviously wants to find something against Bryan so Annie could have a reason to change her mind. It’s an adorable story of a father who cannot accept that his baby girl is already a woman and she needs to move on with her life. On one hand, it’s quite amusing when George keeps being grumpy about the whole wedding while everybody around him seems to be thrilled. One the other, I felt sorry for him, because it’s not that easy to let your own child leave the family house and “officially” become an adult. I’d say this production is perfect for any occasion, because it’s genuinely heart-warming and funny. And if you like this one, I have good news for you. But you’ll have to wait one more day. In the meantime, enjoy your weekend!

My rating: 6.5/10
S.

Choo! Choo! “Train to Busan” (“Busanhaeng”, 2016)

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directed by Yeon Sang-ho
© 2016 Next Entertainment World. All Rights Reserved.

Last weekend, I asked you on Instagram to choose which film I’d write about today. The majority have chosen “Train to Busan”, so here you have. So if you don’t like this film, I won’t accept any complaints. I’m kidding, of course, I wouldn’t write about something that I didn’t like myself. Perhaps “Train to Busan” isn’t the best horror I’ve seen in my life, but even though I saw it 4 years ago, I can still recall several scenes. Somehow it’s a memorable production, so I hope you will enjoy it as well. The main characters are Seok-woo (Gong Yoo), a typical corporate rat and a divorced father of his daughter Su-an (Kim Su-an). Because of his job and responsibilities, the man cannot spend much time with his child. The little girl tells him that she wants to go to Busan, where her mother lives, and celebrate her birthday there. Seok-woo agrees and both of them catch a train to Busan. Unfortunately, on the same train there’s a woman who’s infected with some unknown virus (classic scenario of zombie productions) and who starts turning other passengers into zombies. Seok-woo and Su-an manage to run away to another car with all other uninfected passengers and they hope to escape the train at the nearest station. What a pity that they won’t be able to do that, because Daejeon Station is already full of zombies. So they are all trapped in a train, in which more and more people are turning into zombies, and the train has a limited number of cars… I remember I wasn’t serious about this production, because I was almost sure that it’d be overacted and so ridiculous I’d have to stop watching somewhere in the middle. Surprisingly, I honestly felt crept out, but at the same time quite engaged in the story. I really wanted to know how they’d manage to survive, because, if I were there, I’d probably just faint and wake up as one of those adorable rotten creatures. So, to sum up, thank you for choosing this film, because it was nice to remind myself about it and I hope those who haven’t seen it will profit from this recommendation. If you hate zombie films, this one should change your mind. It’s really of good quality and I’d organise a film night to see it again, to be honest. In the meantime, stay safe and don’t take trains these days.

My rating: 6/10
S.

Not too old for this shit. “Lethal Weapon 4” (1998)

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directed by Richard Donner
© 1998 Warner Bros. Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

And we’ve reached the end. But it doesn’t mean we won’t learn something new today. Yet, firstly, let’s find out what happens to our beloved Riggs-Murtaugh couple. If you haven’t seen the previous parts, I’m sorry for the upcoming spoilers, but it’s impossible to avoid them. So as you know, Riggs is now in some sort of a relationship with Cole, who will have his baby. They are both thinking of getting married, but none of them wants to admit it first, so they are just living like friends with benefits and a baby on the way. And what would be even funnier? Obviously, Murtaugh is also expecting a baby, but it would be too silly to make him and his wife have another baby. Instead, it’s his daughter Rianne (Tracie Wolfe) who is pregnant. However, Murtaugh doesn’t know who’s the father and it’s better to keep it this way. Enough with the private drama, Riggs and Murtaugh get promoted to captains and they need to deal with the problem of Chinese immigrants smuggling. They will be cooperating with our lovely Leo and one more officer, detective Lee Butters (Chris Rock), who will become more than just their colleague from work… You will see. Anyway, surprisingly, I don’t think this part is that bad. I know that some people were against continuing the story this way, making the ladies pregnant, the main characters becoming more familymen than officers etc. Still, I think they finished the series in an acceptable way. This part is still funny, there’s action, there’s thrill, there’s Joe Pesci making a fool of himself – what else do we need? And the ending is actually adorable, so I’m totally satisfied. The lesson that you may get today is that everyone should know when to leave the stage… or in this case, the screen. I’m more than glad that there’s no 5th part, because that would probably be too much. In 2016 they made a series based on “Lethal Weapon” films, starring Clayne Crawford and Damon Wayans. The TV series isn’t as much popular as the films, but it has good ratings, so if you want, feel free to check it out. As much as I like Damon Wayans and Thomas Lennon (who plays Leo Getz in the series), I’ll pass. For me “Lethal Weapon” film series is a symbol of the 80/90s and it should stay in the 20th century.

My rating: 7,5/10
S.

I’m chaos and he’s mayhem. “Lethal Weapon 3” (1992)

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directed by Richard Donner
© 1992 Warner Bros. All Rights Reserved.

How to write a popular action film series – lesson 3. On the first lesson we learned that we need two different characters (different race is a big plus), they need to have something big to solve and there should be several gags. On the second lesson, we learned that it’s good to make some changes, because watching two men doing almost the same as in the first part would be boring. That is why we need an additional character, who would make some trouble, and we need some different case which would provide us with a meaningful message. Today, on the third lesson, we will learn what to do to keep such series attractive. More fighting? Can be. More jokes? Can be. Changing one of the character’s hair colour? Pointless, but can be. But what we really need is… a woman, ladies and gentlemen. Although, it cannot be just any woman. Maybe before it was popular to have female characters who were supposed to be pretty and needed to be taken care of. Not anymore. Now we need a woman who will make a bigger show than all those three men in the previous parts. Obviously, the third film starts with a new case, but this time our beloved couple Riggs-Murtaugh need to cooperate with Sergeant Lorna Cole (Rene Russo). And she’s not a stereotypical housewife. Oh no. This lady knows how to deal with bad guys. Personally, I don’t like adding such characters just to make it more watchable (Russo used to be a model, I guess you may understand why men were crazy about her back then). However, not only she’s gorgeous, but I also liked her from the very beginning. She wasn’t overacting or pretending what an overly strong woman she is. Not at all. She was simply doing her job, just like other officers, no matter if they were men or women. I appreciate such characters. And I’m a huge fan of this scene where Cole and Riggs are showing their scars and bullet wounds to each other. Probably the most acceptable flirting scene in the history of action films. Oh and don’t get mad at me for spoiling this one, Riggs’ a handsome single, Cole’s a gorgeous single, don’t pretend you didn’t see it coming. Fun fact before watching: the director, Richard Donner, is an animal-rights activist and he made sure to place several stickers and posters about that in the film, so watch closely. And applause for Mr. Donner. Seems like you can be an activist in a bit different way.

My rating: 7/10
S.

We’re back! We’re bad! You’re black! I’m mad! “Lethal Weapon 2” (1989)

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directed by Richard Donner
© 1989 Warner Bros. All Rights Reserved.

I guess the title of today’s post is a perfect description of what you can expect from the second part of this adorable series. Obviously, if you haven’t seen the first part, I would recommend you watching everything in the right order. Still, if any of the other parts happen to be shown on TV, don’t hesitate to watch them. Each part is a separate story, so you should enjoy them anyway. Yet, there might be some jokes you won’t get because you don’t know everything about the characters, but, other than that, it’s not a problem. So this part starts with our buddies catching some strange guys shipping South African currency, pretty much illegally. However, they are asked not to get involved in this case and take care of something else instead. Or rather someone else. Leo Getz (Joe Pesci) is a federal witness and a huge pain in the ass, honestly speaking. This character is to bring some “fresh air” to the Riggs-Murtaugh couple. So as in the first part they were making mistakes because they couldn’t communicate well with each other, in the second film they already know how to work together, but have this little annoying guy getting them all in trouble. Personally, I adore the character of Leo, so I hope you won’t hate him much either. He’s like Donkey in “Shrek” – maybe he’s not the brightest, but you’ll remember him forever. I would say I liked the second part a bit more than the first one because there were more ridiculous situations to laugh at. Oh and this part touches the topic of racial discrimination in a very specific way. It seems to be just a background topic, but, in fact, you can see the message very clearly. So good job. Generally they are mad, black and back and that’s why you should watch this part.

My rating: 7.5/10
S.

Have you ever met anybody you didn’t kill? “Lethal Weapon” (1987)

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directed by Richard Donner
© 1987 Warner Bros. All Rights Reserved.

If you asked me about some action film that’s perfect for the weekend, I would say “Lethal Weapon” right away. I remember when I was younger, this film was played very often on TV. So for the first time I probably watched it after one Sunday lunch, sitting on the sofa and eating some cake my grandma had prepared. Good times. Anyway, this production is, in my opinion, a fantastic example how to make popular and rather good action films. I mean, the story is very simple, but the producers remembered about some bullet points while making it. First of all, we have two main characters who are totally different, but they need to work together. Sergeant Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover) is a 50-year-old family man, proud father and husband. He’s a very down-to-earth person, always following the orders and respecting the law. One day he’s partnered with Sergeant Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson), who’s, as I’ve already told you, totally different from Roger. Martin is a great officer, however, he’s been having suicidal thoughts ever since his wife was killed in a car accident some years ago. That is why he’s a bit of a mad man. First bullet point, checked. Another thing is that it would be great to have some racial mix, that’s why Roger is black and Martin is white. I’m not being sarcastic, that’s just a very good move and a very rational one, in my opinion. Let’s have some colours on the screen! Checked! Those two need to have something to do, so there’s the case of an unexplained suicide of a young woman, which isn’t that obvious and easy to solve. Checked. And not to make it boring, let’s add a lot of situational jokes and sarcasm. Checked! And voilà, you have a perfect recipe for a Sunday action film. I think we see the results clearly. Personally, I adore such productions as “Lethal Weapon”, because they bring good memories back. They are simple, but decent and funny. What else do we want on Sunday? Fun fact: if you decide to watch it, try to observe the way the actors are fighting. It’s quite impressive, because the actors were taught Capoeira, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Jailhouse rock. If you have no idea what those names mean, shortly, they are different martial arts techniques. Huge respect for the producers and actors for taking it that seriously.

My rating: 7/10
S.

Pocketful of depression and anxiety. “Ode to Joy” (2019)

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directed by Jason Winer
© 2019 IFC Films. All Rights Reserved.

I missed Martin Freeman on the screen. I hadn’t watched anything with him for ages and then I found this beautiful piece full of depressing happiness. You will get why I’m writing like this when you learn what the film is actually about. When I saw its description before watching, I was thrilled, because I couldn’t imagine a better actor to play the role of Charlie. Charlie (Martin Freeman) is an adorable librarian from Brooklyn. He seems to be constantly in a bad mood, but not without a reason. He suffers from cataplexy, which means that whenever he’s feeling strong emotions, he loses consciousness. So Charlie cannot get stressed or angry or, especially, happy. Yes, when this man feels overly cheerful, he faints. Sounds funny, but, in fact, it’s horribly limiting, because he cannot experience numerous things in life, including… love. And then, one day, some random woman starts an argument with her partner in his library. She makes a huge scene, because the man wants to break up with her. Charlie, instead of asking her to leave the place, supports the woman in her, let’s call it, little performance. After this situation, she comes back to the library and introduces herself as Francesca (Morena Baccarin). She’s incredibly thankful for Charlie’s help the other day and she’s trying to ask him out. The man, however, seems to ignore any allusions, because he knows that it wouldn’t work since he’d faint after the first kiss. When Francesca feels like there’s no chance of flirting, Charlie surprises her and asks her out. And as you can guess, it’s not going to be an ordinary date and yet a lot will happen. I don’t know if it was because of my sympathy towards Charlie or all those cute jokes in the film, but I had a lot of fun watching it. Later you will meet another character, Bethany, played by Melissa Rauch (well known as Bernadette from “The Big Bang Theory”). Don’t want to explain why, but at some point she’s singing and playing “Zombie” by The Cranberries on the cello. And all you need to know is that it’s a must see. She’s marvellous and made me cry with laughter. So feel encouraged.

My rating: 6.5/10
S.

They say that the best blaze burns brightest, when circumstances are at their worst. “Howl’s Moving Castle” (“Hauru no Ugoku Shiro”, 2004)

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directed by Hayao Miyazaki
© 2004 Toho. All Rights Reserved.

I guess a lot of you smiled when you saw today’s post. This film has been one of the most popular Japanese animated films since it was produced. I’d heard about it thousand times, but couldn’t force myself to actually watch it. I’m one of those people who aren’t really into anime. I’m sorry if you’re a fan, but please don’t get me wrong – I do not think it’s something worse than other films I’m used to watching. It’s just something personal. When I was a child, a lot of people loved Japanese comics and I was totally into other things. So I guess I’m simply not interested in that. Still, I finally watched “Howl’s Moving Castle” and I think it’s a very good production, but my opinion hasn’t changed – it’s still not something I would watch again, because I prefer a different kind of animation. However, it’s a significant production in the film industry, so I recommend you to check it out. The main character is Sophie (Chieko Baisho), who works as a hatter – she makes hats (not hater, hatter, spelling matters). One day, she meets the With of the Waste (Akihiro Miwa), who changes the girl into an old lady. Obviously, Sophie wants to break the spell, so she leaves her home and tries to find someone to help her. That is why the girl, or I should rather say the grandma in these circumstances, finds Howl the wizard (Takuya Kimura) and his moving castle. For those who haven’t seen the film, it’s much much deeper than the description I’ve just shared with you. I mean, it just seems like a silly story about some wizard and abracadabra stuff, but in fact, this production teaches about pacifism and respect to our life. Even though it’s not my aesthetics, I liked the messages coming from the story. So to all the people rolling their eyes and telling me “You should watch Howl’s Moving Castle!” – I’ve seen it, I appreciate it, it’s not my thing, but I’m still recommending to broaden your horizons. Oh, by the way, I adore the character of Calcifer (Tatsuya Gashuin). Totally my kind of buddy. That extra 0.5 is for him. Peace!

My rating: 6.5/10
S.

Bella Ciao, Ciao, Ciao. “Money Heist: The Phenomenon” (2020)

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directed by Luis Alfaro & Pablo Lejarreta
© 2020 Netflix. All Rights Reserved.

I guess not many of you need to hear what “Money Heist”, or as it’s called in its original language (and personally I prefer using it) “La Casa de Papel”, is and why you should watch it. As you’ve noticed, I’m not writing about any shows on this blog. It’s just that I think a lot of people watch shows and it’s easy to find a recommendation. When it comes to films, not necessarily. However, I’m writing this post about “La Casa de Papel”, because it was a nice surprise for me recently. I knew the show and how popular it was, but I never felt like trying it. So I was living those years totally unaware. About two weeks ago I played the first episode and got sucked into. I absolutely love the idea for this show and it’s clear why it’s become so popular. At some point, the producers focus too much on some romantic dramas and make total ignorants out of the characters (season 3 and 4), but I still watched till the end and I’m waiting for the 5th season. I just hope they will start getting rid of the characters that are actually annoying, not the ones who make this series of better quality (PLEASE, DEAR PRODUCERS, IT’S NOT A SOAP OPERA). Sorry, just a bit frustrated. Anyway, I’m not breaking my rules (just like Profesor *wink wink* – obviously my favourite character) and, actually, I’d like to recommend you the documentary that’s been made recently. It presents the story of “La Casa de Papel”, how it’s all started, how they’ve become famous, how they’ve ended up on Netflix and how the reality of the whole crew has changed. You can also see what kind of difficulties they’ve experienced while shooting some scenes and how the actors perceive the characters they’re playing. I think the show is really good, if only they skipped too much soap opera drama, it would be marvellous, but it’s not just a show to make your day. It’s a very good example how to influence people and encourage them to take action. People all over the world are using those famous Dalí’s masks to express their objection during numerous protests and events. I was cringing a lot watching the 3rd and 4th season, but I still believe it’s great such a show has been produced. The documentary made me look at it differently, so I recommend you to check it out. FOR NAIROBI!

My rating: 8/10
S.

Who knows, there may be no tomorrow. “Kal Ho Naa Ho” (2003)

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directed by Nikkhil Advani
© 2003 Yash Raj Films. All Rights Reserved.

I know that not everybody is a fan of Bollywood. I know that some think it’s some kind of a worse version of Hollywood. I know. And when I was younger, I didn’t know about Bollywood much and I believed people around me that those productions coming from India aren’t of the best quality. I remember when I watched my first Bollywood film thinking I would cringe a lot and you know what? I ended up crying and singing all the songs (even though I don’t speak their language) together with the characters. I’m not saying that you should grow up to appreciate Bollywood, not at all. It really depends on a person and your preference. But try not to judge films from certain countries based on some stereotypes you’ve heard. Because you may miss a lot of interesting productions. Today I have a very popular one for you. Perhaps it’s not my favourite, but I had a pleasant time watching it. One thing you should know about Bollywood productions: they are often super long and super emotional. One of the main characters of “Kal Ho Naa Ho” is Naina (Preity Zinta). She’s a young woman, studying business administration, which should already tell you a lot about her. One day she meets her new neighbour Aman (Shah Rukh Khan), who’s totally different from her. The man is full of energy, optimism, but he also doesn’t seem to care much about people’s opinions and says whatever he thinks. Some call it honest, some call it rude. Naina doesn’t even know that one day they may be very close, but because of SOME REASONS (no spoilers), they won’t be able to stay together. I know that this description sounds cheap, but, in fact, it’s a nice drama with several plot twists and, obviously, a lot of good songs to dance to. Personally, I was in heaven when they were singing an Indian version of “Pretty Woman”. Admit it, you want to hear it too.

My rating: 7/10
S.